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The sea is blue.
It's not a fact he ever got to decide, the sea is blue and wild and free and it will always be. Zoro isn't the one who defined it, because it's indisputable certainty. The same way Luffy never became great, he just had to wait for the world to acknowledge that he's always been breathtaking.
The Pirate King was born to conquer hearts and if someone made a list you'd find Zoro's name near the top. Zoro was the first one to be caught in those fierce black eyes. All of it sweeps him away, the way that he speaks, that he bounces, that he throws his shoulder back and punches right in the teeth. How he looks back at his nakama, face a mess with soot and blood and smiles ear to ear. Zoro eats it all up, eagerly. The thing about Monkey D. Luffy is that it isn't just who he is, it's how he exists, how he lives.
----
"Zoro, come play with me!"
The rubber man shouts eagerly from the upper deck. He's standing both sandal clad feet planted firmly on hard planks, one hand shielding his eyes from the harsh afternoon sun, the other clutching tightly to his trademark straw hat. He's not sure if it's his own eyes, or just the way the light hits the tangled nest of his hair, but he looks like he's got a halo. It makes the swordsman want to laugh, his captain is no angel, he'd have horns for sure.
"I'm training, another time."
The look of disappointment on his face is quite clear. He silently curses his childish captain as he sets his weights down on the deck.
"Okay, but just a little."
He perks up almost immediately, tan face beaming up at him, full of excitement.
It's windy out on the open water and the force of it has tossed raven locks every which way. Zoro knows they always tastes like salt, like the sea, like what brings all their dreams together.
----
They're snug somewhere between Nami's precious mikan trees. Luffy's tucked in his lap, his fingers tracing abstract patterns along the back of the swordsman's neck, dry lips brushing over his cheeks and the line of his jaw.
"Zoro's mine."The younger man whispers between feather light kisses.
Zoro can only squeeze his eyes shut, tangle his fingers in that wild black hair and just let Luffy shower him with affection.
----
The fight at Raftel is more an explosion than a battle. A fizzing, burning chemical reaction.
He's proud of his skill, proud of his crew, proud of his captain, proud of the newly crowned Pirate King. They stumble back to the Sunny weary and worn, all shining brighter than he's ever seen before. Luffy grabs him by the shoulders and kisses him hard, victorious as if this is the prize he's been fighting for the whole time. Then loops a rubbery arm around Nami's shoulders and gives her a quick peck on the cheek, leaves a kiss on the tip of Usopp's nose, another on a protesting Sanji's brow, one on the top of Chopper's head, on Robin's extended hand, Franky's chin and Brook's chipped grin. He pulls them all close and laughs up to the sky.
"WE DID IT!!!"
What's understood is 'I love you' and 'where to next?'. What it means is that this isn't the end of their makeshift family. That this is simply the beginning of the next dream. He smiles despite himself and pulls their captain away from their crew mates so they can go about preparing tonight's congratulatory feast and he and Luffy can have a more private chance to celebrate.
If he'd known at nineteen that teaming up with this miracle in a straw hat would have them breaking world records every day, he'd have accepted in a heartbeat.
----
It's his captain's watch and Zoro is keeping him company. Luffy is a warm mass of gangly limbs at his side, they're curled against each other on one of the plush seats that line the walls of the Sunny's crow's nest. Here they are sailing the endlessly dangerous waters of the Grand Line, facing peril at every turn and ironically he's never felt safer with than Luffy in his embrace.
"I'm glad that I met Zoro." His lover yawns against his chest.
There's a thousand million things he wants to say.
-you made me, I'd cut the moon for you, of course captain, stay with me, let's conquer our dreams together, I'm the one who should be glad, you found me, who do you think I hold these blades for, I'm fighting for us, let me protect you, you're there very best thing that ever happened to me, I've almost died for you, please never leave, you make me worry, I want to be stronger, I'm going to be the strongest, I'd have it no other way, I'm on the sea because of you, the thought of you consumes me, it hurts me to see you lose, there's a heavy burden I'm carrying because of you, you're amazing, I love you and me too.-
What he ends up saying is:
"Yeah, you wouldn't have made it far without a crew." What he means is 'I'd have never made it this far without you'.
Luffy giggles, nuzzling his cheek against the swordsman's heaving heart.
"We make a really cool team."It's an understatement really, but Zoro understand what he means. It means I know, I know, I love you too.
"The coolest." The older man throws back.
As long as they're together, there's no place the wayward swordsman would rather be.
----
All he can see is skin and lanky limbs. Luffy grinds down against his palm, cock hot and hard in his hand. It's exhilarating, to see his captain flushed pink, needy under his fingers. Hidden amongst green leaves of the mikan grove, Zoro learns the secrets of a body he's coveted for so long. Luffy is so smooth compared to him, devil fruit power leaving his skin unmarked. He'd never once dared to touch the other man, not like this, the thought of their naive captain being interested in the pleasure of the flesh came as total surprise. What was an invitation turned into something else entirely. He really can't find it in himself to mind, no when Luffy's expressions and the sounds he makes driving him wild with desire.
"Captain," it takes a moment to snap his lover from his lust dazed state,"I wanna try something, will you let me?"
"Will it feel good?"
Theoretically, it should. Zoro doesn't actually have much experience in this area, too focused on chasing Mihawk and later much too enamoured with his captain. It can't be too complicated, plus he's always been a fast learner.
"Yes." He nods, he thinks so.
"It's okay, I trust Zoro."
That's all the confirmation he needs to release the smaller man's length not without a quiet whine of complaint and inch his way down till he's level with lover's erection. How is this supposed to go again? He gives it a tentative lick, it tastes like regular skin, slightly salty and musky smelling, but it's more or less the same as the rest of his captain. Embolden he decides to take the tip of it into his mouth, Luffy makes a little yelp and he tucks his lips around his teeth being more mindful as he leads more of his lover's shaft in his mouth. He's pretty sure you're supposed to use your hands or something, but Zoro can feel the head at the back of his throat and coarse hair tickling his face. He breathes through this nose inhaling his lover's scent and giving himself a moment to grow more accustomed to the sensation, it's a lot like three-sword's style, actually.
He swallows experimentally and Luffy groans between his teeth. His face is scrunched in what appears to be concentration like he's trying to imprint the vision of Zoro's mouth around his cock in his memory. He swallows again and Luffy is trembling against him, fingers looking for something to hold. Zoro uses his free arm to guide shaking fingers to his own head, Luffy catches on quickly and his grip latches unforgivingly on the swordsman's hair. Somewhere in his head, the pain and pleasure muddle together into something that makes him moan. Luffy mouth falls open at that.
"Z-Zoro should do...do more of-of t-that. It feels...un..really good." He pants.
The sound of his voice tight and almost about to crack. Stuttering for breath and encouraging makes the older man moan again, lower this time, letting it hum. There's shout as his lover comes. Zoro feels his seed hit the back of throat and swallows once more. The swordsman manages to pull back once he's pried his head from Luffy's slackened grip. The rubber man looks drunk, face still pink and eyes glassy. It takes a moment before he straightens up and reached for Zoro's kneeling form.
"Zoro was right, that felt really good."
Zoro can't quite quell the feeling of accomplishment at what he considers a undeniable win. He's the first to offer this to his captain. The first to make him look this pleasure wrecked.
"Does Zoro want me to do that to him too?"
The question catches him off guard. It does however bring his attention back to his aching cock, straining against the constricting fabric of his black pants. Luffy doing that? The thought is unbearably arousing, he can imagine the feeling of that hot slick tongue, licking at him, tasting him. It's...it's...oh.
He's coming, hard. He grits his teeth and grunts out his captain's name. His vision goes white and he leans into his lover's open arms. When the stars finally start to fade, he's slumped across Luffy's lean frame. Fuck, he shudders at the sticky mess he's made in his pants.
"Does Zoro want me to...?" Luffy queries gently.
"Um...well I mean...I just...another time." He babbles awkwardly.
"It's not fair if I'm the only one who feels good." The stubborn man says with a huff.
"Look I'm fine, really." He tries to reassure, ashamed of his own premature release.
"It's not fine, I'm not fine with it." He's got a frown on his face and one hand reaching for the swordsman already softening length."I wanna touch Zoro!"
"Icamealreadyokay!"
The hand moving towards his crotch hesitates.
"Zoro already?" He asks cautiously. Thoroughly embarrassed the swordsman still manages to reply.
"I already came when....you...um..." He wants to hide his burning face. " Uh...suggested it."
Luffy blinks and breaks out in a wide smile.
"I'm glad Zoro felt good, I can always do it next time."
Somehow, his captain answers his questions before he even has a chance to ask. He's just like that sometimes. He lets Luffy wrap his arms around his shoulders and relaxes into his solid chest. Let's the rubber man's thumping heart and comforting presence lull him to sleep along with the familiar rhythmic rocking of the ship.
----
The thing about Luffy is that he was born to shake the world to its core. He was born to a great destiny and Zoro likes to think he was born to meet him too. That their first encounter was what he'd been looking for whenever he took another wrong turn. That the world changed when they came together, he's proud that they can accomplish anything, proud to love a legend.
Monkey D. Luffy does as he says, says as he lives and lives as he does. He sails and scraps and fights for his dreams. Zoro would have no reason to be a pirate without that grin and the life of a pirate is the only one for him.