Maybe he was crazy. Maybe it was the only choice he had. Maybe because something about him caught his attention. Maybe all the above.
Zoro now was a pirate. He had a crazy ass captain and he was... Happy?
Luffy's smile was too contagious. He doesn't remember smiling that much in such a short period of time. Especially not after almost dying.
With these thoughts, Zoro couldn't help but chuckle.
– What are you smiling about? – Luffy was already too close to his face.
– Jes! Has anyone ever told you you have no clue what personal space is? – He put his hand in Luffy's face and pushed him to a nice, normal distance humans usually interact. He took it out his face and he was already laughing out loud.
– All the time! And that I'm a wild animal and selfish and do whatever the hell I want and I don't know how to talk, nor live in society and I belong in a zoo! – Luffy smiled at the end looking at him. Zoro could help but laugh.
– Is it accurate?
– Oh, yeah! Definitely!
They both laugh.
– Now I'm worried! Those aren't good traces, especially in a captain. You will get this crew killed in a day or so. – He looked down, shaking his head negatively, even though he was still smiling.
There was a minute of silence and that made Zoro look up and see if Luffy was offended by his remarks. But the boy was actually looking up and Zoro saw his straw hat in the wind. Both got up and followed the hat. The swordsman caught it before it hit the water.
– You should be more careful with that. Isn't it important to you? – Zoro looked down at Luffy. He was close to his chest trying to reach the hat as well. The boy had a ponytail that he didn't see before, or didn't pay any attention to. He probably had long hair...
– Thanks Zoro! – He put it back on his head and smiled at him. Zoro gave him a little one and went back to his sitting spot.
The sun was setting and Zoro yawned. He was still tired.
– I'm gonna take a nap.
After that he just fell asleep.
Zoro woke up. It was night.
Damn, he slept that much without being bothered? Did something happen to his captain? He looked at the boat, looking for the boy.
But wait…
His eyes almost separated from his skull.
Luffy was sleeping with his... HER? belly up, arms stretched from each side and…
Boobs.
̶h̶i̶s̶ Her(?) shirt was opened, showing her bosoms.
Two of them…
Out.
"...
WHAT?
Wait...
WHAAAAAAATTTTT?
I am staring.
Wait...
I'M NOT A PERVERT!"
Zoro screamed at himself in his head, making him look down and away from his captain. He could feel his face getting red.
"So... Is it a he or she? Or both?
… Maybe none?
What does it matter?
Yes, good, that's a great question!
What matters is... It's out. So... Needs to be covered. With what? We don't have anything..."
He looked around, avoiding his captain and then he looked at himself.
"Yeah... There's only my shirt."
Zoro stripped and placed his shirt on top of hi her. Now it was hidden from view. He will get a little cold, but it doesn't matter. The swordsman just curled himself a little behind the barrel of apples so the wind wouldn't make him suffer too much.
It was hard to sleep again, but after a while he finally did.
Zoro didn't dream about anything. That meant that it looked like he just closed his eyes from the event and in the next second he was being... Attacked?
– WAKE UP ZORO! – Luffy was strong. Her hands were on his shoulders. She pulled him from a laying down to a sitting position while shaking him hard. He opened his eyes, reaching for his swords.
– Wha- are we being attacked? – He mumbled, trying to wake up. Luffy put both hands in the man's cheeks, squeezing them together and forcing him to face her. Her face was inches from his again.
– ZORO, DID YOU SAW MY BOOBS? – Luffy screamed. That question definitely woke him up. But the question also made him look down at her chest. Well, they were definitely there, still hanging. Zoro got red and looked up and closed his eyes.
– Yeah, but I'm not a pervert! I just covered them, 'cause they were hanging out like they are right now! – He said with a muffled voice, since Luffy was still squishing his cheeks.
– WHAT?! – Luffy looked down. Yep, there they were.
She released Zoro and thrust herself back, with the help of her feet on the bench, to the other side of the boat. The vessel shaked almost violently, making Zoro hold the boat with one hand, but still looking up with his eyes closed. Now Luffy was trying to button her shirt that was full of holes because of the bullets she took to save Zoro and Coby back in the marine base.
Aaaand of course… The shirt wont button in the place that it needed to.
– Shit. – Zoro heard Luffy saying to herself. He didn't want to open his eyes and check, since he didn't know exactly what was going on. And he didn't want her to think he was trying to peek, even though he was just worried.
Luffy looked at the man in front of her. He didn't move a muscle since she jumped away from him. Damn it. This was not how her secret was supposed to come out. Literally. This thought made her blush.
"Great, now I'm as red as he is."
She hugged her on legs, since buttons on the stupid shirt don't work.
And after a minute she started to laugh. Zoro made a funny face, which made her laugh even more.
– You can open your eyes, idiot. – She said between laughs.
Zoro opened his eyes, scared of what he would find. She was laughing, hugging her on legs.
– What are you laughing about? What the fuck is going on? – Zoro finally said.
Luffy cried laughing. She cleaned her eyes and breathed before starting to explain.
– Ok, so... I'm a girl and I was faking to be a boy and my shirt is full of holes and I can't button it where it actually needs to be buttoned. And I'm laughing cause this is hilarious, and I didn't want you to find out this way and I definitely didn't think you were a pervert! – She laughed again. – I wouldn't ask you to be my nakama if I thought you were one. – She smiled.
Well, Zoro was relieved she didn't think he took any kind of advantage of her. But there was still a problem.
– You can take my shirt, it's fine. – He reached the shirt on the ground where she dropped it.
– No I can't.
– What? Why not? Just wear it, it's fine-
– Zoro, I know you didn't realize, but your shirt is kind of transparent when stretched, because it's white and it won't solve the problem. – She got a little red again, which made his face a little red as well.
He looked down at his clothes. There is his bandana...
– Here. – Zoro tossed her the fabric. It wasn't much, but better than nothing. She took the bandana and smiled.
– I can work with this! Thanks! – And then she got up, showing everything again, without a second thought. Zoro immediately put his hand in his face and looked down.
Luffy put the strap of fabric in her chest, covering her boobs. Her red shirt opened to her side. It worked! It was fine now. She was relieved. She looked at Zoro. Again looking down? What was wrong now?
– Hey. – Her voice was too close again. Zoro looked up at his captain. Again, inches away from his face. – Are you ok with this? Me being a girl? Will you leave my crew? Did I screw that up? Is it because I lied? – Now, instead of pushing her face away, Zoro just pushed himself back, to a more comfortable distance.
– What are you talking about? Why wouldn't I be ok with my captain being a girl? – He kept looking her in the eyes. She smiled so big, he almost went blind.
– Nothing, just... You're acting a little weird. You were looking down again just now.
Zoro's face got red again.
– That's because you showed it again when you got up, idiot!
– Oh... Oops. Sorry! – She put her hand behind her head and smiled awkwardly. Zoro sighed.
– It's fine. – He puts his shirt back.
– Hey, Zoro... – The green-haired guy looked at his captain. – Can you keep this a secret? – She was waiting for his answer. He sighed again.
– Of course. But why would you want to hide yourself?
– Well, I don't! It's just a stupid promise I had to make... Until I get to the Red Line, I should hide myself, because men are the worst. – She rolled her eyes. – I beat up every bastard that looked at me funny or said stupid shit. I'm strong, I don't have to hide. – She crossed her arms and propped her back on the boat next to Zoro. He smiled.
– I'm glad to hear it. – He looked up at the end of the night sky. He was glad he didn't have to put some sense into this friend as he had to do Kuina. The stars were fading away.
– So beautiful... – Luffy said. She had her chin over her crossed arms on the edge of the boat. Zoro looked at her and she was looking at the horizon behind him. The sun was rising.
– Yeah, it is.
Both stared at the rise of a new day.
