Chapter Seventeen
Skin feeling as if tiny bees were stinging him, Zoro plunged deeper into the water as his eyes struggled to stay open against the salt water. The swordsman's heart raced as he frantically began looking for Luffy. Inwardly, he cursed himself for not trying harder to remember what a devil fruit user's main weakness was, and a piece of him wondered if Alvida had been telling the truth after all.
But the prince had been underwater an awfully long time, and Zoro hadn't even caught a glimpse of him when he leapt off the deck.
Luffy, where are you?
His instincts on heightened alert, Zoro's eyes strained against the cold sea just enough for him to see the limp form of the prince. Heart almost stopping, he immediately realized that the boy was slowly sinking into the black depths below. Muscles burning, Zoro thrust himself forward as he desperately tried to contain the air that was bursting to get out of his mouth.
It seemed to take an eternity for the bodyguard to reach his charge, strong arms wrapping securely around him. Zoro was disconcerted to find how limp Luffy was against him...as if he were...
No. He wouldn't allow himself to go there yet. Instead, he channeled all of his energy into making his way to the glowing ocean surface above.
As soon as he felt the cold air blowing against his face, Zoro took in a deep breath before his eyes fell upon Luffy. The boy was a sickly shade of white, his thin body unusually frail as Zoro tightly clung onto him. "Luffy," he panted, trying to rouse him into wakefulness. When the effort failed, Zoro's eyes darted up to the deck.
"Help me up there!" he barked.
Sanji's head appeared over the railing immediately, the fall of his blond hair still managing to obscure his left side even at that angle. He looked as though he was about to say something mocking when he noticed Luffy's condition.
Visible eye widening, he said loudly, startled, "What the-Usopp! A rope or ladder, we need something!" In the meantime, he leaned down, arm outstretched as if it would help any. "The hell was he doing down there?"
"That bitch hit him into the water," snarled Zoro as Usopp frantically lowered a rope to the pair. The bodyguard reached out, taking a hold of it and hauling both himself and Luffy up the side of the ship. "Turns out he can't swim."
"What!" Sanji grabbed Zoro's arm the moment he was within reach and, bracing his feet against the railing, hauled with all his strength to help the two back on deck. "You'd think you people'd have plans ready for this sort of thing if you knew that."
"I didn't know he couldn't swim!" snapped Zoro as he knelt onto the deck, depositing Luffy in front of himself. "Elsewise I wouldn't have let him fall into the water, dumb ass!" Gritting his teeth, the swordsman reached down and checked the prince for breath and a pulse.
But Luffy's skin was cold to the touch, his chest completely still. If there was a pulse, Zoro could not feel it. He could just as easily have been checking the deck for signs of life.
Edgy with worry, Sanji stood to the side and snapped back, "Well he must be the worst swimmer in the world to sink that fast. Why didn't he splash around a bit first? She knock him unconscious before he even hit the water?"
"He's cursed," hissed Zoro. And without further explanation, he reached down, tilted Luffy's head back, pinched the prince's nose, and pressed his mouth over Luffy's. Breathing into him three times, he pulled back enough to see that Luffy's chest had expanded from the borrowed air.
Gritting his teeth, he shifted and placed the palms of his hands just beneath Luffy's ribcage, pressing down several times. "Dammit!"
Cursed? Sanji thought in shock, but he stepped back immediately, looking around the deck for help. His thoughts were moving disjointedly, but he suddenly thought of that damn bottle flying for his head. He had not even seen it thrown; had just felt a rush of air approaching him and turned just in time to throw himself to the side. The men he was with were babbling about a stretched arm but he hadn't believed them; had thought it was a trick of the light across the ocean.
But if Luffy was cursed... The legend of the Devil's Fruit. Maybe it was less legend than he thought.
"Just keep doing that!" he demanded, as if the swordsman had any intention of stopping. Jerking to avoid Usopp, who was staring at Luffy with wide eyes, Sanji sprinted across the deck. Nami was beside Alvida, having just knocked her unconscious with her staff, and nodded in the direction of a door when he called out quickly, "Blankets?" He disappeared to find some warmth for when Luffy would awaken.
Zoro, meanwhile, had barely noticed that Sanji had left him. He had breathed into Luffy's mouth and pressed into his chest three times before he quickly moved to check for a pulse once more.
A heartbeat was stuttering to life at about the same time that water began draining steadily from Luffy's mouth and he suddenly choked, arms weakly flailing as if to gain purchase in water he was no longer surrounded by. His eyes squeezed shut and expression tight; he was clearly having a hard time getting a steady breath in. But when his hand came in contact with Zoro's shirt, he suddenly clung to the fabric as if his life depended on it and weakly tried to gravitate closer, still coughing loudly.
"Luffy-" panted Zoro, his hand reaching out to firmly grasp onto the prince's. It was then that he felt a sharp pang tear through his own heart, destroying the numbness he'd felt while trying to revive Luffy. And it was then that he realized that it was almost as if a piece of him had been dying with Luffy, only to be revived at the moment that the prince's pulse began to struggle back into motion.
Hearing Zoro's voice, Luffy squeezed his hand almost painfully and leaned against his knees. He was still coughing but it was more infrequent as he managed to pull in large, desperate gasps of air. He didn't even bother trying to open his eyes yet, feeling like his body was on sensory overload already. Shivering with a rush of cold that hit him, he murmured hoarsely, "Zoro? Sorry, I.. I couldn't move... Something's wrong with the water..."
"Shh." Zoro cut him off, placing a thumb over Luffy's mouth before lifting the prince into his arms as he stood.
Luffy finally slitting his eyes open just enough to peer up at him. He felt himself being lifted but he couldn't clearly see Zoro; the sky seemed too bright behind him, hiding all but the familiar tinge of green haloing his head. Letting his eyes fall closed again, Luffy shivered in his wet clothing and let his head roll limply against Zoro's chest.
"I'm cold," he tried to say, but it came out softer than he wanted and it seemed too muffled against Zoro's chest anyway. So he fell silent, following Zoro's wish.
As if understanding Luffy's mumbled words, Sanji reappeared with several blankets overflowing in his arms and dragging along the deck behind him. Seeing the prince awake, he looked relieved as he jogged closer and quickly placed them on top of him, doing his best to surround him without upsetting Zoro's hold. He glanced at the bodyguard briefly and nodded back toward the door he had just come from, as if silently telling him the room was empty if he wanted a place for Luffy to rest.
Giving the chef a grateful nod, Zoro stepped into the room and moved over to one of the hammocks. Ever so gently, he placed the boy into it, tucking the blanket neatly about his body. "You'll be okay," he quietly assured him. "You just took a nasty spill into the water, that's all..."
Luffy nodded, relaxing into the hammock and watching Zoro with dark, bewildered eyes. His scar stood out even more against the paleness of his skin, but the blankets were a very welcome warmth.
"I didn't lie," he said softly, insistently, "I can hold my breath." He frowned slightly, confusion taking over his expression and tone, "But usually I can move. I don't-" His confusion deepened as he cut himself off with, "Are you going?"
"Going?" murmured Zoro, watching him intently. He didn't like how pale Luffy seemed.
"The room. Are you leaving?"
Shaking his head, Zoro leaned against the wall. "No. I'm not leaving you." A pause. "Unless you want me to, I mean..."
"No!" Luffy said immediately, sharper than he intended with his head rising slightly. He blinked, realized how that must have sounded, and let his head drop back to the hammock again. "No," he said, softer. "I want you here."
Mildly surprised at how passionate Luffy had sounded, Zoro nodded. "All right." Settling down onto the floor, he leaned back on his hands as he gazed upon Luffy from where he sat.
Quiet a moment, Luffy just watched the ceiling and tried to figure out what he wanted. The hammock was comfortable enough, the blankets perfectly nice warmth and weights, but he still felt a little jittery, a little unsure. Like if he closed his eyes he would still be underwater, paralyzed and not knowing why, watching the light dwindle above-
"Zoro," he said suddenly, pushing himself up onto his elbows and staring down at his bodyguard with an intent, but slightly confused, expression. "Can-I mean..." He paused, unable to form the thought in his mind, and frowned in frustration. He thought suddenly of how comforting it had been at Baratie to have Zoro next to him, how the same feeling had been there in the clinic in Syrup Village. A steady presence, something he very much wanted right then.
"Can... I come down there?"
Zoro watched him for a moment with a clear, almost all-knowing gaze. "Sure," he said at length. "Need me to come get you?"
Luffy stared back, for some reason feeling the slightest of heat rising to his cheeks in a faint blush. He looked away, confused still and not understanding anything that was clambering in his mind, but knowing he wanted this nonetheless. "No, I..."
He paused, reached for the blankets and pushed himself up enough to swing his legs over the side. He managed to get himself off the hammock and onto the ground, shivering as he realized he was still wearing his stupid wet clothing. Staring down at Zoro from a few feet away, with a few blankets trailing onto the ground by his side, his straw hat bedraggled at his back, he said with a slight question in his voice, "I just... wanted to make sure it was okay first."
"It's fine." Zoro gave a small nod as he spoke. "You might want to take off those clothes, though, or you'll catch a cold."
Luffy smiled slightly, amused. "You're wet too, you know." He looked down at the blankets, one quite damp on the underside while the others remained surprisingly dry. "Do we have anything to wear?"
Zoro looked down at his damp garments and grimaced. "I guess we could use our old clothes from earlier."
With a half-nod, Luffy glanced around and noticed their bags still resting near the door from when they had thrown them in earlier. Making a detour to them, he slowly crouched and rustled around inside. He couldn't believe how tired he felt, like every movement took three times more thought and energy than it should. Before long he had their robes from earlier in hand, though, and pushing himself back up he dragged the clothes and blankets closer to Zoro.
"Here." Dropping the blankets near his bodyguard's feet and tossing Zoro his robe, Luffy reached back to pull the string from his straw hat over his head so he could change as well. He felt clumsy but it was more in his mind than his movements.
Zoro frowned as he took the clothes, beginning to undress himself. "And then you'll rest," he said firmly. "You're still really pale."
"'m fine," Luffy mumbled behind the sopping wet red vest currently covering his face. He paused for a moment, looking ridiculous with his arms crossed high at an awkward angle and caught in the fabric, his stomach exposed but upper body lost behind the red. There was almost sheepish silence from him as he hunched over to try to pull the shirt off from a different angle. Stupid wet clothing...
He could do this. It would just take a few moments longer than he expected. ...Maybe Zoro wasn't looking and wouldn't tease him about this later.
His shirt wadded up onto the ground, Zoro looked over his shoulder and beheld the mess behind him. But he didn't laugh.
"You need help?"
"No.." Luffy said, still muffled. He took a few steps back as if to try this from another angle and hunched over more. After a few more tries, he managed to get the shirt off up higher but in the process, his arms were caught a little stronger.
"Uh..." Another sheepish silence, and then he tilted his body in Zoro's general direction. "Maybe?"
Zoro stepped over toward Luffy. "What seems to be the problem?"
"My arms're stuck," he said as he tried to straighten. "I forgot there were buttons." His upper body twisted toward Zoro's voice, still looking ridiculous as he tried shifting his arms a bit. "Can you get the bottom?"
Reaching down, Zoro grasped onto the fabric and began to adjust it. "Try this..."
Following the suggestion, Luffy tried pulling the shirt off again and found it a bit easier. After a few seconds of struggling he managed to finally break free from the fabric, his hair completely askew and a slightly flushed grin on his face. "Ahh, thanks!" he said, not as loudly as he usually would but still cheerful. "I thought I'd be stuck there forever..."
Zoro grinned a little in spite of himself. "Heh, no problem." He turned away after a moment, the forming scars glistening beneath the salty sheen of water as he started taking off the rest of his clothes.
Although he intended to keep changing, the scars caught Luffy's attention so he stood there watching. How much must those have hurt? His scar had hurt quite a bit, but a knife wound was probably different than one from a whip. Vest dangling from his fingers, Luffy forgot to keep changing as he wondered where he had put the back cream, and whether he was too tired to put some on his bodyguard yet that night.
Oblivious to Luffy's gaze, Zoro tossed his wet pants and underwear onto the floor next to his boots. Toned muscles flexed as he leaned down to pick up the folded robes; the swordsman apparently was not too worried about modesty.
Blinking at first, Luffy outright stared at what he could see of Zoro in the semi-darkness. While before he was more spacing out with his eyes pointed in his general direction, he was now definitely paying attention. He couldn't help admiring Zoro's physique; compared to him, Luffy felt himself to be rather scrawny. No wonder the man could get in so many fights and keep going; his body was as solid as steel.
For some reason that thought made his stomach abruptly warm, the feeling spreading. Looking away quickly-vaguely embarrassed but not knowing why-he turned his back on Zoro and started undressing as well. He felt like he should be saying something to cover his awkwardness but then he thought it would just draw more attention to it.
Within moments, Zoro had slipped on his robes, satisfied by how warm they felt in comparison to the soggy garments that were now on the floor. "Feels like tonight would be a nice time for a fire," he remarked.
"Yeah," Luffy answered, a bit distracted as he finally managed to pull the robes over his head. He paused, not really sure what to say after that, his thoughts still wanting to return to what he had just seen. Adjusting his own warm robes, he turned with a smile. "Our clothes could dry at least."
"Yeah, that's good," said Zoro as he turned around and settled onto the floor again. He seemed to sense that Luffy's mind was elsewhere, though. "...something wrong?"
A little startled, Luffy shook his head firmly. "No, nothing."
But he blinked and fell silent after that as he watched Zoro. He hadn't really thought about it before, but he liked just watching him. His expressions and the way he moved. It was fascinating... and what had he done before he met Zoro anyway? He had only known him a short while. How could he care more about someone he just met than some of the people he had known all his life?
Looking away, he said the first thing that came to mind. "You rescued me?" The question was almost idle, as if he knew the answer but wanted to confirm it.
"Yeah." He gave a small nod before briefly pausing. "Sit down and rest, you still look pale."
Luffy hesitated slightly then wondered why he hesitated. This was frustrating! He was used to knowing what he wanted immediately and going for it. Nodding, he made his way to the wall and slid down until he was sitting.
"Thanks," he said a little belatedly.
"For what?" snorted Zoro. "It's your floor too."
Luffy rolled his eyes and couldn't help a small grin. "I meant for saving me, dumbass."
"Oh." Slightly stung at the insult, Zoro frowned while looking at a beam of moonlight. "I'm your bodyguard. It's not a big deal. And I'm not a dumbass."
Looking over at Zoro's tone, Luffy felt a little bad for his wording. He hadn't meant it the way it probably sounded. "Yeah, I know," he said a little apologetically. "I didn't really..." He paused, tilted his head. "You're not a dumbass at all. And I can still thank you even if you're my bodyguard, right? I'd be dead if you hadn't helped." The last was said simply, because he knew it was true. He wasn't even certain he hadn't died for awhile... there was a darkness for awhile there that he didn't care to examine.
Zoro lightly bowed his head. "You were dead," he corrected him.
Luffy was quiet a second. "Was I?" he asked, a little distantly. "I was sure I was dead underwater. That was... I've never-" He stopped, tried again, his head tilted down so he could stare at his curled hands in his lap.
"I love the ocean but that was terrifying." His voice was soft, almost disembodied in the dark. "Even the bit of light from the sky seemed like forever away. And I couldn't even move..."
"You're safe now," Zoro interrupted, his voice assuring. "I wouldn't lose you if it killed me."
Luffy smiled slightly, humorlessly. He was touched by the sentiment but somehow the words echoed Kaya's concern for his safety as a prince too much. Like even his own death was not his and instead belonged to his country, whenever it so chose to let him die.
"I'd rather you didn't," he said aloud, ignoring his thoughts. Tilting his head with a serious expression, he watched Zoro. "It's really important to me that you're alright."
Zoro looked up at Luffy, silent for a brief moment as if deliberating on what to say next. "But I want to keep you safe." His eyes narrowed some. "And I know you think it's 'cause you're the damn prince."
Luffy laughed softly at Zoro's expression, the narrowed eyes that probably would seem intimidating to some but to him was almost endearing. "Well, you are my bodyguard. You'd probably feel like a failure if I died, so of course you'd want me alive. But it wouldn't be true, you failing." He shrugged with one shoulder. "It would just be my time. Even if it happens terribly or right in front of you, there's no need to worry. Death happens."
Zoro took in a soft breath, shaking his head slightly. "No. You don't understand."
Frowning slightly in confusion, Luffy blinked. "What? It's true, though. People die. Of course, I'd do everything I absolutely could to keep you alive, so maybe I'm being a hypocrite." He trailed off a little questioningly, wondering if that's what Zoro meant.
Zoro shook his head again, but didn't elaborate on his true meaning.
Luffy almost decided it didn't matter and changed the subject but something stopped him. He narrowed his eyes a little, curious and confused. "Zoro, you know I don't think of you as just my bodyguard, right?"
Silence speaking for him, Zoro only continued staring into the moonlight.
A true frown came out now, Luffy's voice incredulous but completely earnest. "Are you serious? Do you know how important you are to me? You're almost more important than Ace, and I don't even know why. I've known him my entire life, I left my home and the life I knew to find him... and I have to. I want to. But... I can't imagine doing it without you. I can't even remember what I did before you were around. I don't know how I'm even still alive considering how many times you've saved me. You're like... you've become like... breathing."
He stopped abruptly, all the other things that he wanted to say falling silent in the face of that revelation. It was true. Zoro was like breathing to him now... something inevitable, something he needed to live.
Head snapping toward Luffy, Zoro blinked and opened up his mouth to speak. But nothing came out...he simply couldn't muster anything adequate enough for the situation. Luffy's words had been unexpected, and Zoro felt his insides squirm at how heartfelt they had been.
"Like... breathing?" he echoed at length.
Seeing he had Zoro's attention, Luffy nodded and leaned a little closer as if to lend more weight to his words. "Yes. Breathing. You're..." He had to pause, trying to figure out the words. "You're so damn important that you've made me rethink even how I see the world. You've made me feel even more like I can do what I want eventually, if I just keep trying. I don't give a damn if you're my bodyguard or not. That's just extra information at this point. I want you safe because you're you. I care about you because you're you. I..."
He took a deep breath, tilted his head toward his lap but peered up with dark eyes half-hidden by his bangs. "I just... really care about you. So. Don't forget it, okay? You're incredibly important. I can't even explain it."
Staring at him intently, Zoro tried to find any signs of wavering, uncertainty or untruth in Luffy's eyes. But, as expected, the prince's gaze was strong, firm and steady. Luffy was telling the truth; he had meant every word of what he'd said.
It was as if their adventures, their hardships, their arguments, their late night chats from the last two and a half months had rolled, meshed and combined together to lead them up to this moment. Zoro knew that they were about to experience some sort of turning point in their friendship; a part of that really unnerved him, but a deeper piece of him couldn't help but feel drawn to this lowering of barriers, like a moth to a flame.
Zoro knew that it was harder for him to speak his mind than it was for Luffy. Sure, the bodyguard tended to be rough and tough whenever he needed. He could always set someone straight, put them in their place, let them know who was boss. If he was angry with someone, he always confronted them about it. When his opinion was needed, he was always more than willing to give it.
But this man had just bore his soul to him, opened himself up in a way that Zoro himself had never even dreamed of. In a way that Zoro never thought that he himself could.
So, instead, he continued gazing back at Luffy, trying to find a way to communicate his mixed feelings through the connection that they both knew they shared.
The silence stretched but it was not uncomfortable. Luffy watched Zoro through the shadow of his hair, tilting his head the slightest so that his bangs shifted to the side and revealed more of his eyes. He smiled, something partially amused and partially gentle, and simply stared back.
He really didn't know what to say either. His words had all been true, but not meant to force Zoro to say anything back. He had just needed to get his feelings across so there was no more confusion, so someone who meant a lot to him would not believe himself trivial in Luffy's mind. And, really, there was nothing more he could say after all that.
Sometimes it was better to say it all without words. He let the smile stay and tried to seem as unassuming as possible. He had no ulterior motives, no manipulations in mind to make Zoro speak. He was as completely content with staying silent the rest of the night as he was with them discussing it. Even so, Luffy thought he understood. He could read something in Zoro's eyes that spoke to him of words not being enough, or maybe just not being correct.
Maybe that was why he had none to give back himself.
Zoro was the first to break eye contact, Luffy's intense, almost calculating stare inducing a faint blush on the swordsman's face. With the way the man read him, Zoro felt like he was almost naked.
But Luffy's steady presence ultimately drew Zoro's eyes back to him. "You are...more than the Prince." His voice was hoarse and soft. Taking in a soft breath, he was about to continue, but he stopped short and let his gaze finish his thought. You are my best friend.
Luffy smiled, a sincere expression that warmed his eyes considerably and seemed to soften everything about him. He lifted his hand, the gesture confident but slow enough to be stopped without hurting his feelings. Fingertips lightly touching Zoro's forehead, he brushed against the short green bangs and trailed his hand down. Gentle pressure past Zoro's temple, down his cheek to pause at the jaw line, and there he let his fingers rest for the moment.
Eyes dark but deep with affection, Luffy searched Zoro's expression for a reaction or for more unspoken words. "Thank you," he breathed softly with his voice and the gentle pressure of his hand. You're mine too.
Upon feeling the gentle touch, Zoro took in the tiniest of breaths and met Luffy's gaze. "L-Luffy..."
Encouraged by not being pushed away, Luffy slid his hand up to press lightly against Zoro's cheek. The quiet feel of another person's skin beneath his hand momentarily fascinated him. He was accustomed to grandiose movements and the fleeting, distant touch of someone well aware of his aristocracy. He often reached out to others in quick hugs or pounces, and was of course accustomed to the lingering feeling of his mother's arms around him or the impact of training and fighting.
But he could not clearly recall ever spending a quiet moment just touching someone on the face, without one of them pulling away or it all being in jest. And if ever it had happened before, he was certain it must have been with Zoro. Blinking slowly, Luffy's expression turned more satisfied, his smile a little bit brighter.
Zoro only stared up at him, his heart beating a little harder in his chest as he practically drank in Luffy's sincere gaze. The Prince was the only person who had been brave enough to touch Zoro like this. If that wasn't surprising enough, the fact that he did it so gently and carefully instantly captured Zoro's attention.
His other hand rising almost of its own accord, Luffy continued to stare into Zoro's eyes as he placed his palm against his other cheek. He let his hands still there; thumbs resting near the corners of Zoro's eyes while his fingers spread between his temples and jaw. There he waited a moment, his body twisted at a mildly awkward angle though he felt completely comfortable. Maybe it was the fact that he was rubber. Or maybe it was just that Zoro was letting him get so close.
Slowly and experimentally, Zoro grazed Luffy's hands with his own calloused fingers.
Luffy smiled encouragingly and finally broke eye contact just so he could watch his hands as they slid up, fingers brushing Zoro's hairline. He paused very briefly there, vaguely noting how happy he was that Zoro was letting him touch him without pulling away. At the same time, he felt a bit of a thrill in his stomach, like he was chasing something and he was about to catch it, or maybe that he was the one who would be caught by something else. It was a confusing feeling, so he decided not to think about it much.
Still, he liked Zoro's hair for some reason. It was the color, maybe. Or the way it stuck up at all those funny angles but looked like it was on purpose. Maybe it was the way it was always a little flattened on one side when Zoro woke up, or maybe it was how a few strands always clung to his forehead like very tiny bangs.
Whatever the case, he found himself wondering curiously what it would feel like to run his hands through it. And since he wasn't sure Zoro would ever let him do this again (although he was hopeful that he would), Luffy decided to press his hands forward. With his fingers parting Zoro's hair, it reminded him a little of ten very small people running through a field, the tall grass scattering in their wake.
In spite of himself, Zoro closed his eyes at the touch, almost like a dog being scratched behind the ears for the first time in years. He could feel how careful and thorough Luffy was being, as if the Prince was trying to commit every aspect of Zoro's head and face to memory.
Luffy glanced down and noticed how peaceful Zoro looked. He grinned a little to himself, feeling strangely proud that he was the cause of that expression. How many people had seen him so calm and at peace? Was he one of very few, or maybe even the first? But he was almost at the end of his reach, and even though he was rubber he found it difficult to stretch without a jerky movement first. Like throwing his arm back and letting the momentum do it.
So he shifted, raised himself to his knees and turned so he was at a better angle. His hands did not move from their position the entire time, and he let his fingers continue their exploration of Zoro's hair as soon as he could.
Lips lightly quirking, Zoro cracked an eye open. "You're tickling me," he mumbled, though the statement was light and hardly a complaint.
Luffy grinned to himself. "I bet it could be worse," he said mildly, though he paused his hands anyway and leaned back a little to look down at Zoro's face.
The bodyguard's cheeks were lightly flushed as he met Luffy's gaze. "A lot worse," he grinned.
Luffy could not help laughing lightly as he leaned back more. His hands were very light on Zoro's head now, and he found his gaze traveling unconsciously to watch his fingers play with a few particularly rebellious strands. "...I like your hair," he said with a pleased little smile.
"It's okay, I guess," said Zoro, looking a little embarrassed now.
Luffy laughed again, but this time he sat back on his heels, letting his hands fall into his lap. "It's nice," he insisted, amused by Zoro's response.
Zoro only gave a small, "Hmm," as he looked at Luffy carefully. His face felt strangely cold without the warmth the Prince had provided.
"You just don't get to see it much," Luffy said after a moment. "I bet you don't carry mirrors around. Sometimes I forget what my hair looks like too, but mine's a lot messier than yours." Normally, he didn't even notice (let alone care about) anyone else's hair. It must be the color, he decided once and for all. It had to be that unique green that drew his eye.
Zoro snorted. "I don't carry a mirror 'cause I'm not a vain bastard." He paused, as if coming to this next conclusion for the first time. "So...I guess I don't really get to see my face that much after all."
Luffy could not help laughing at Zoro's bluntness, one hand resting near his stomach as if for support as the other dropped to the floor between the two. He finally sat completely on the floor again, comfortable near Zoro.
"No, you probably don't," Luffy agreed, unable to stop grinning. He wished he could hear Zoro call some of the pompous courtiers he'd known 'vain bastards' for something they would see as simple and necessary as owning a mirror. "That's too bad, really. But you probably wouldn't care much about your own face, would you?"
"Not as much as you seem to," said Zoro, sounding almost sly.
"Ahh," Luffy said with a knowing tilt to his lips when he looked over. "Maybe if you were a vain bastard you'd know why."
Zoro flushed suddenly and gave a very intelligent-sounding, "What?"
Luffy grinned mischievously, amusement dancing in his eyes. Was he a bad person to take great pleasure in catching Zoro off-guard like that and making him flush? "Guess this is something we just can't settle until we have a mirror," he lamented. "But I don't have one with me either so you'll have to take my word."
Zoro folded his arms, staring intently at a beam of moonlight. "Quit teasing me," he muttered.
"I'm not teasing, it's the truth!" Luffy protested, though there was laughter in his voice. "But I'll stop."
Dark eyes glanced toward Luffy again, and Zoro tried to sound nonchalant. He couldn't hide the faint, pink tint in his cheeks, though. "Maybe you should rest."
Studying Zoro in the moonlight, Luffy looked away after a heartbeat and nodded. "Yeah, maybe," he agreed, reaching down to pull the blankets closer.
It was true. Exhaustion was creeping back in now that he wasn't distracted, and sleep was sounding better by the minute. Making sure his straw hat was securely retied around his neck, he settled against the wall and closed his eyes. It wasn't the most comfortable of positions, but it would do. He didn't want to sleep across the room in a hammock without Zoro nearby; he didn't want to be alone.
The swordsman eyed him carefully. "That doesn't look very comfortable."
Luffy shrugged. "It'll work." He paused, slit one eye open and tilted his head just enough to regard Zoro through his eyelashes. "Unless you move closer to the hammocks or something."
Zoro watched him intently for a moment. "If that'll make you rest."
"It will."
"Alright." Stretching lightly, Zoro stood up.
Following his lead, Luffy stood as well, pulling the blankets up with him and smiling at his bodyguard. He started across the cabin, moving slowly but happily, and paused near the hammocks.
"Are you sleeping too?" he asked curiously, wondering if he should choose a hammock near others or if Zoro planned to sit on the ground regardless.
"I suppose I might as well," said Zoro slowly as he followed Luffy toward the hammocks.
"'Kay." Bypassing the first hammock, Luffy settled for one that was closest to another. Accounting for the gentle rolling of the ship through the waves, he climbed his way onto the hammock and flopped over onto his back with a tired sigh. "Wow, I really am sleepy," he said mostly to himself, his words a little slurred as he stifled a yawn.
Suddenly, the door to the men's quarters cracked open, and Usopp's distinct profile poked through. "Is...everything okay in here?" he asked quietly.
"Yeah, yeah," muttered Zoro as he climbed into the hammock next to Luffy's. "We're just turning in for the night."
Bringing a hand up for a lazy wave, Luffy turned his head toward Usopp and smiled sleepily. "Hey, Usopp. You gonna sleep too? There're lotsa hammocks..."
Behind Usopp, Sanji's voice could be heard demanding, "What'd he say? Are they okay, or what?"
"He says they're fine," said Usopp, turning to face the cook.
Sanji peered over Usopp's shoulder with a frown. "Yeah?" He crossed his arms, a newly lit cigarette dangling from his lips. "He could've told us that without letting us worry, then." But he kept his voice pitched low to not disturb Luffy and the complaint was almost more routine than anything.
"Oi, you could have checked yourself," grumbled Zoro from within the room.
"Maybe we didn't want to disturb you," Sanji retorted immediately. He paused briefly, and said before Zoro could properly reply, "Need more blankets or anything, Luffy?"
"Nah'm good," Luffy mumbled, pulling the blankets closer and snuggling into them. "Real warm, thanks."
Sanji nodded to himself, satisfied, and took a half step back so he wasn't hovering over Usopp's shoulder so much. "Good."
"I'll probably join you guys later," said Usopp. "I'm getting kinda tired myself." He paused. "You sure you're okay, Luffy?"
Luffy nodded against the blankets, and took the time to open his eyes fully and lift his head a bit to see Usopp better, silhouetted though he may be against the moonlight. "Yeah," he said with a serious gaze. "I'm fine now, just kinda tired." He paused, smiled with the glint of his teeth showing in the dim light. "I'll be just great in the morning after I eat, you'll see. So can we have meat tomorrow, Sanji?"
A wry snort was all the answer he received from the cook, but he took it to be a yes.
Zoro turned over in his hammock, his eyes closing. He was glad to see that the Prince would recover quickly. "...G'night," he murmured with a small smile.
"Night," Luffy mumbled, pleased. He wrapped himself up in his cocoon of blankets and felt himself slowly drift to sleep.
Smirking slightly to himself, Sanji reached past Usopp and gently shut the door. "C'mon, Usopp," he said, "let's let those dorks sleep."