Chapter Text
The first few days together were slow going. The straw hat crew was made up of only 2 members; Luffy the Captain and Zoro the Swordsman. Zoro never imagined his life would end up on a small boat with someone crazy enough to desire the title of pirate king.
Night was creeping up along the sky, waves rolling below them gently as the wind pushed them along in an unknown direction. They had no game plan. No way of navigating. No food or water.
But they had each other's company. Which was all Luffy seemed to need to keep a positive attitude.
It's as Zoro begins to drift to sleep again that Luffy asks a question that didn’t fit with his normal ramblings.
“Did you have anyone helping you reach your dream?”
The question seemed so serious for the lighthearted goof that it had Zoro opening his eyes to look at the straw-hated kid in front of him. Luffy looked at the stars, his eyes full of something like nostalgia. Longing. Desire.
“Why do you ask?”
Zoro watched the other boy's movements as his hand touched the hat on his head.
“No reason. Well- you sleep a lot. That's all.”
A confused look washes over Zoro’s face till the other continues.
“Reminds me of someone. Someone I promised I would meet out here again. He helped me live long enough to be here. He left before I did but we both said we were going to be the best pirates on the ocean. He always told me he believed in me. That I could do it.”
“You miss him.”
Luffy sighs, hands clasping together to mess with his fingers.
“Yeah. Sometimes.”
Zoro hesitates before sighing as well, closing his eyes. He doesn't want to meet the others' gaze should it fall on him.
“I did have someone. She died. So now I am going to be the best Swordsman for the both of us.”
A soft sad smile crosses Luffy’s face.
“We can be the best together. Right?”
“....Yeah. Sure Luffy. We can be the best together. For them.”