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Every night, Luffy goes around the Thousand Sunny and kisses his crew goodnight. Tonight is no different.
Sanji gets a peck on the cheek, then must fend his captain off from eating the midnight snacks he’s preparing for the girls. Tonight’s fare is a charcuterie board, which Luffy for the life of him cannot pronounce, with an array of fresh fruit slices, cheeses, and what the captain is currently reaching for. Prosciutto. Of fucking course he goes for the meat, Sanji thinks with a hint of a smile around his cigarette.
Next is Usopp, who has taken to hanging around the kitchen. Not for any scraps, no, but rather the person in the kitchen that makes him nervous. Usopp gets a full-on kiss on the lips, because he and Luffy just are that close of friends. It started out as a joke, but neither of them really made it a huge thing, so it continued.
Luffy next bounds over to the medical room, where Chopper is finishing up re-organizing his herbs. He always gets very excited for his goodnight kiss, a tender press of lips to a fluffy forehead. He transforms into his human form to scoop Luffy up into a bone-crushing (if Luffy’s bones weren’t rubber) hug. Their laughs are infectious.
Next, Luffy heads over to Nami’s room. The door is usually locked (to keep out a certain cook) but she knows that her captain comes to wish her a good night around this time, and she really doesn’t want to spend money on another new door. The door in question gets unceremoniously flung open and Luffy plods his way over to plant a kiss on Nami’s cheek. “Sleep well, Nami.”
“Aye aye, Captain,” she salutes sarcastically, and goes back to writing her latest letter to Vivi. They’ve kept up a healthy correspondence since the Straw Hats left Alabasta.
Franky and Robin tend to stay up quite a bit later than most of the crew, talking. Luffy quickly pops in to give them both a peck on the cheek, which earns a soft smile from Robin and a raised eyebrow from Franky. He’s still not quite used to the type of affection Luffy lavishes on his crew, but he’s not exactly averse to it, so he lets it slide.
Because this kind of attention isn’t just at bedtime. Luffy’s like this all the time. Small touches as he’s peering over shoulders to let them know he’s there. Quick, tight hugs throughout the day. Grabbing hands as he excitedly talks about what he thinks the next island’s adventure will be like. This is just the way the Straw Hat’s captain is.
Zoro watches all of this from the crow’s nest, knowing his captain will start searching him out next. Sure enough, he hears a “Zoro?! Did you get lost on the ship!?!?”
“No, captain. ‘M up here.” He waves down, and Luffy’s face lights up as he stretches his arms to pull himself up to the crow’s nest.
“Watcha doin’ up here, Zoro? Doesn’t seem very comfy to sleep up here…Does Zoro need a new bed? I can ask Franky to-“
“Nah, it’s fine. I just come up here to think, sometimes.” Luffy tilts his head like a puppy that heard a strange noise.
“What’s Zoro thinking about?” Zoro looks up at his captain, whose grinning face is illuminated in moonlight, making him look like he’s glowing. He looks… almost ethereal, but Zoro knows it’s just the light playing tricks on his eyes. There’s no way he almost thought of his captain as being beautiful.
“Zoro? Hello?! What are ya thinkin’ about?”
“Nothing of much importance.” He almost said something. “Just thinking.”
“Okay! Wanna goodnight kiss?” Luffy practically beams.
“Yes, Captain.” As Luffy leans in to kiss Zoro on the cheek, Zoro gets a little worm of a thought and tilts his head ever so slightly so that Luffy’s lips land on the corner of his mouth. If Luffy notices, he doesn’t say anything other than his usual cheery “Goodnight Zoro!”
Zoro doesn’t sleep that night. He wanders around the Thousand Sunny (which is safe for him to do because it’s an enclosed space. He won’t get lost.) thinking about the moment Luffy’s lips touched his. It wasn’t a proper kiss, not by any means, but it sticks with him. He keeps pausing in his pacing and touching the spot and wishing he’d done something, or said something.
The next night goes much the same, with some minor changes, of course. Sanji’s snack tonight is some cheese and crackers alongside a small cup of warmed spiced wine to help the ladies sleep. Luffy leaves the alcohol alone, but still makes a mad dash after the cheese, which Sanji blocks with well-timed kicks. They aren’t meant to hurt, just to block the ravenous beast that is his captain.
Usopp gets his kiss but his eyes are on the cook that is making heart eyes at Nami. Once she gets her snack, Sanji looks back at him, and something unspoken passes between them, apparently, as they walk away together. Nami smirks.
“I hope Sanji gets the hint this time.” Luffy blinks twice.
“Huh? What do you mean, Nami?”
“You mean you haven’t noticed Usopp’s puppy dog eyes whenever he looks at Sanji? He is pining, hard.” She grins. “It’s honestly kind of cute. OI!” Nami bats at Luffy’s hand, which was reaching slowly for her cheese and crackers.
“OW, NAMI!” Luffy whines. “I just want a little nibble…”
“Ask Sanji for one tomorrow, idiot.”
“Ughhhh, you know he won’t…” Luffy pleads with his eyes.
“No, Luffy. I’ll take my kiss though.”
“Right!” He gives her a little peck, and snatches a slice of cheddar off her plate before running off, attempting (and failing) to evade her attacks.
Next up is Chopper. He manages to pin Luffy down long enough to apply a salve to help with Luffy’s almost constant sunburn. When Luffy gives him his forehead kiss, it leaves a mark of salve that Chopper then struggles to wash out of his fur.
“This is meant for humans, not reindeer slash humans…” Chopper mutters. (He’s not upset, really.) Luffy just laughs.
“I’m hardly a regular human, Chopper!”
“You still need to wear sunscreen, Luffy! Even if you are kind of made out of rubber, the sun has harmful UV rays that can cause some…” Chopper’s voice trails off, because he realizes his captain has bounded off to his next kiss victim.
Franky and Robin are sitting closer together these days, Zoro thinks, as Luffy bounds into the room, blinks one eye at a time, (kind of like a frog, Zoro thinks.) and pounces onto Franky.
“Goodnight, Franky!”
“Yow! Luffy, you scared the shit outta me! Warn a guy next time. You agree that he needs to warn us, right?” Franky looks over pleadingly at Robin, who smiles and laughs softly.
“That’s just how Luffy is. Expect the unexpected.”
“I guess that can be said for many things on this ship.” They share a look, and Luffy raises an eyebrow.
“It’s weird how you two talk with your eyes sometimes. I don’t get it. Anyway! Kisses for both of you.” Luffy plonks two kisses on their cheeks before leaping over to Zoro, who’s been watching this entire scene, feigning disinterest.
“Not in the crow’s nest tonight, eh, Zoro? Done thinkin’?” Zoro shakes his head.
“No captain. Just found a more comfortable place.”
“Alrighty! Where do you want your kiss, Zoro?” This was an unexpected question. Zoro falters, which doesn’t go unnoticed by Robin. Zoro flicks his eyes over to her, and she’s smiling like she knows something.
“Actually, Luffy, I think I’m fine tonight.” Luffy’s shoulders slump, which is echoed by Zoro’s heart dropping in his chest. Why did he say that? It’d be weird to take it back now; it’s already awkward enough…
“Okay, Zoro! If you’re sure!” Luffy leaps away, and Zoro is left there feeling like the biggest idiot in the Grand Line.
He paces the ship again. Thinking maybe he needs something in his stomach to help him sleep, Zoro heads to the kitchen. The shitty cook can kick him in the morning, but he’s just looking.
Zoro stops in his tracks. Where was the kitchen again? He grumbles under his breath. Tonight could not get any worse, surely. Who says no to a goodnight kiss? And why did he? Zoro runs his hands through his hair, spiking it up a bit.
Zoro turns around when he realizes he’s in Usopp’s workshop. It isn’t usually this hard to get around the Sunny, but tonight he has things on his mind. There isn’t really a reason to refuse a goodnight kiss from a captain who gives them freely. Zoro pauses. Maybe it was that Zoro has always thought of kisses as things to give to special people, and his captain… doesn’t hold back when it comes to affection.
Zoro came to the conclusion he was in love with Luffy at some point during their adventures. He wasn’t sure when it happened, just that the loyalty he showed his captain went beyond what would be considered normal for pirates. There was something about Luffy that drew Zoro in like a moth to a flame. Luffy shone so bright, and Zoro couldn’t look away, even if it killed him. Even if it burned the eyes out of his skull.
Wasn’t it normal for people in love to kiss the ones they loved? Then why did Zoro say no?
“UGH!” Zoro groaned. This wasn’t making sense to him.
“Zoro.” Robin’s voice came from behind him.
“Hey, Robin.”
“Looking for something?”
Yeah, an explanation for what the fuck just happened.
“Kitchen.”
“Follow me.” She waves him along. It was right next door. Of course. He sits down as Robin brews up some tea for the two of them.
“What’s bothering you, Swordsman?”
“What do you mean? Nothin’s wrong.” He looks away from those piercing eyes. The ones that seem to know exactly what’s wrong, but are giving the chance to let it out himself.
He caves.
“It’s Luffy. I-“ He pauses. “He.. gives out love like it’s nothing. It shouldn’t be a problem, right? I’ve been with him longer than anyone else, I should be used to it.”
“Do you miss it?” Robin pours out the tea into the cups two of her hands brought over.
“Miss what?”
“It just being the two of you? Having his affection all to yourself?” She places a cup in front of him.
Oh.
Zoro just stares into the cup, watching the leaves swirl around. He thinks back to when it was just him and Luffy in that dinghy. Luffy would give him a goodnight kiss on the cheek, then they would fall asleep leaning against each other for warmth.
He feels a flush creeping up onto his face.
“Yeah. A little.”
“You know, just because there are more of us on the ship doesn’t mean his affection for you has dwindled.”
“I know. I just… miss the um, the closeness?” He looks up at her, expecting… something, other than the soft smile that meets his eyes.
“You miss it feeling special?” Zoro’s eyes widen. The blush is now in full force, but then he just sighs.
“Yeah.” Robin sits down beside him.
“So why don’t you tell him that?”
“I don’t wanna… ruin…this,” Zoro gestures vaguely at Luffy’s sleeping quarters.
“There’s no harm in taking a chance. It could lead to something beautiful.” Robin gives him a small smile. Zoro raises an eyebrow.
“Speaking from experience, are we?” She gives a small chuckle.
“Perhaps.” Zoro smiles at that. Franky and Robin are an odd pair, but it makes sense, knowing them. They were together through everything that happened at Enies Lobby. Maybe he and Luffy were just as odd of a pair. Maybe it was worth a try.
“I’m gonna go talk to him.” Robin gives a full smile this time as he walks away.
“His room is the other way, Zoro.”
“I knew that.”
When Zoro reaches Luffy’s door, it’s flung open before he even gets a chance to knock.
“Ah! Zoro! Whatcha up to?” Luffy’s bright and beautiful face seems to shine in the dim hallway.
“Was thinkin’ again,” Zoro shuffles, uncertain.
“Wanna talk about it?” Fuck it, Zoro thinks.
“Luffy, could I have my goodnight kiss? I can’t seem to sleep without it.” Luffy practically glows.
“Where do you want it, Zoro?”
“Why did you ask me that?” Luffy’s forehead creases slightly, like he’s thinking really hard about what to say next.
“Well, last night, Zoro moved his head a bit, so I though he might want a kiss in a different place. So I asked!”
“You noticed that?” Luffy cocks his head.
“I notice everything that Zoro does. I like watching you, silly.” The blush is threatening to return to Zoro’s cheeks.
“In that case, could I have it here?” Zoro points to his own mouth. He’s met with a grin.
“Yeah.”
It’s just a peck, a touch of their lips, but Zoro feels like the world is falling into place. Luffy’s lips are chapped, because of course they are. He tastes like salt and sun. This is where Zoro wants to be. So when he hears:
“Goodnight, Zoro!” he reaches out for his captain again.
“Captain, if it wouldn’t be too forward or selfish of me, could I have another?”
“Of course! Same place?” Zoro nods, eager to taste him again. This time, it’s a longer kiss, and when Zoro slightly tilts his head to kiss him deeper, Luffy goes all the way. Zoro can feel him grinning into the kiss, lightly humming as their lips move together.
Zoro decides to take another chance and brushes his tongue against Luffy’s bottom lip. Luffy giggles and returns the sentiment, his tongue meeting Zoro’s. They stay like that for a while, just holding each other and exploring each other’s mouths, when Luffy suddenly licks along the roof of Zoro’s mouth. He has to suppress the groan that almost escapes him, but Luffy notices, of course, and does it again. Zoro braces himself against Luffy’s shoulders, and Luffy pulls back. Zoro’s panting for air, and he’s glad to see that Luffy is also affected.
“Goodnight Captain,” he manages to say, and Luffy returns a:
“’Night Zoro.”
Zoro sleeps well that night.
The next night, the midnight snack is pigs in a blanket, what should be enough for the entire crew if a certain captain doesn’t inhale all of them. In fact, it takes Sanji and a few of Robin’s arms to hold him back from snatching them all off the plate and swallowing them all in one go.
Once everyone has had their share, Luffy gets released from his temporary prison to give everyone their kisses. Sanji gets two kisses, one on each cheek, which leaves crumbs in his scruff that he disgustedly brushes off. Next to him, much closer than previous nights, is Usopp. He gets his smooch on the lips, and they head off together, whispering in each other’s ears and chuckling. Luffy looks at Nami.
“So did Sanji get the hint?” She laughs.
“I told Usopp that if he didn’t confess to Sanji last night that he owes me double his current debt, and I think that gave him some gumption.” She leans in for a peck, and gets one on the cheek.
“I think Chopper might be asleep already, Luffy.”
“I’M UP!” The tiny reindeer’s head shoots up, but he does look incredibly tired. Probably had a long day of trying to find a way to keep his herbs from falling over when the waves rock the ship.
“I’m ready for my kiss, Luffy!” So he gets a forehead kiss from Luffy and pats and a ruffle from Robin. Speaking of Robin, she and Franky are also sitting closer together than the night before, and if anyone was looking below the counter, they would see that Franky has one massive hand softly holding one of Robin’s, giving it small squeezes occasionally.
Luffy does not notice this, however. He leaps up onto the counter to give them both quick pecks on the forehead. The couple chuckles, and Robin says,
“If you’re looking for the swordsman, he’s out on the deck.” She accompanies this with a cryptic wink that has both Franky and Luffy’s brows creased, but only for a moment.
Franky understands. Luffy has moved on.
“OI! ZORO!” is the only warning he gets before Luffy is suddenly careening towards him.
“LUF- OUGH!” He’s fairly certain a few ribs got crushed, but he seems to be able to breathe fine. He looks up at Luffy, sitting in his lap, and he thinks he might have to take it back. Luffy is breathtaking. The flush on his face, the wide smile, and the sound of him trying to catch his own breath…it’s a bit too much for our swordsman.
He pulls Luffy close into a tight hug, savoring the smell of the sea and sun on his skin.
“Mmmm, Zoro’s being greedy again, huh?” Luffy chortles. Zoro hums into his skin.
“Am I?”
“Yeah, silly Zoro, he doesn’t like to share!” Luffy pushes himself back, holding himself up on Zoro’s shoulders.
“Is that a bad thing? That there are things about you I want to keep all to myself?” Zoro mumbles.
“Like what?” Luffy’s big eyes seem to swallow Zoro whole, like he could drown in their depths. He wishes he could.
“The way you kissed me last night…”
“That was nice,” Luffy nods sagely.
“What if I wanted to know more about you that I could keep secret?” Zoro is desperately avoiding meeting Luffy’s eyes. Because he’s scared of drowning.
“Does Zoro have any ideas of what he wants to know?” Zoro sighs.
“I want to know what it’s like to be just yours, and you as just mine.” He almost holds his breath.
“Greedy Zoro. He wants me all to himself…” Zoro looks into his eyes, and they’re full of love, and he’s drowning. Stars above, he’s drowning. Because suddenly Luffy’s lips are on his, and all that his mind can process is Luffy. How Luffy kisses, how his body weight feels against his chest, how he smells, the small hums that escape him as his lips tug at his own, and then he remembers to kiss back.
Kissing Luffy isn’t like a fight, he’s realizing. It’s more of a dance. He doesn’t have to vie for control of the situation, he can let Luffy lead him the way he always does. With joy and passion. He just follows in his captain’s steps. When they separate, Luffy smiles big and bright.
“Does Zoro want to know what it’s like to be kissed other places?” Zoro feels himself go beet-red.
“What do you mean?” Luffy’s smile turns mischievous.
“Do you trust me?” He nods. “Then let me show you.” And then Luffy is kissing his jaw, under his ear, nibbling around his earrings, licking the shell of his ear, and oh stars, kissing down his neck. Zoro actually groans out loud when Luffy starts biting and sucking around his collarbone. Luffy grins.
“Does Zoro like when I bite him?”
“Yes, Captain.”
“Is this what you meant, Zoro? By secrets that you get to keep?” Luffy murmurs into Zoro’s skin.
“Captain, Luffy, please…” Luffy stops, pulls back, and looks at Zoro. He looks like a wreck, red-faced, panting, hair going in all directions.
“Is Zoro okay? Does he need a moment?” Zoro reaches out for him, hands landing, one on Luffy’s waist, the other holding his face.
“I never said stop, Captain. Just, please…” he takes a deep breath, “don’t stop.”
“Okay,” Luffy grins.
The next day, Zoro gets put in the medical ward by Chopper, who is convinced he needs to wash his sheets more often because of “bed bugs” biting him. Chopper doesn’t need to know.