Stupid Marimo

Part 8

"I am gonna stay with him until we sail", Usopp said "I won't really get a chance after".
Everyone nodded in understanding and left the room.
"Hey Zoro", the boy with the long nose said "I think you can hear me and I just wanted to let you know that you mean a lot to us. Especially to me. When we first met I am sure you only saw a liar who was afraid of everything. Still you immediatly agreed to help me and saved the person I love the most and I will be forever in your debt for that. I know that you probably think I am weak and you're right. But I want you to know that ever since I got to know you, you inspired me to become a better self. One with less fear and more courage. I am really thankful for that".
Usopp talked to him about his friends back on the island and how his pirate crew had looked up to Zoro as well. After some time Chopper came for a check up and Usopp went to help Franky.
"It's weird seeing you vulnerable Zoro", the little reindeer said "for me you have always been the human form of protection. Whenever I had a problem I could come to you and whenever I was in danger you were there to protect me. It feels good that I can help you now for once and I am happy that it seems to work. But I would rather not need to help anyone. A doctor is only of help when bad things happen. Still I will do my best to patch you up. Thanks for everything, Zoro".
The little doctor was switched with Franky who also wanted to talk to Zoro.
"I know we don't know each other that long but I am sure you know how much family is worth for me and from what I have witnessed you and I are pretty equal in that emotion. You might never say it out loud but these guys right here they are your family and you would protect them, no matter the price. I have a feeling that this is what you did. But whatever you did and whyever you did it and what made you end up here, I want you to know that I will take care of them until you get back on your feet".
Even Brook came by to talk to the swordsman.
"Thank you for getting my shadow back, Zoro", Brook smiled, if you could call it that, after all he was a skeleton "you are a brave warrior". After that he sang for him, songs that the crew knew Zoro liked and the swordsman actually seemed to smile a little. The music got Luffy to join his two nakama and after some time Brook left and Luffy sat alone next to Zoro. He was uncharacteristically quiet and even Zoro seemed to notice because his smile faltered.
"I don't care about your promise, Zoro", he eventually spoke up, still quiet "I don't care that you promised me to be the greatest swordsman the world has ever seen and I don't care that you promised to fight along my side and help me become pirate king. For all I care you could just sleep all day, or drink. You could even turn against me and try to stop me from achieving my goal. I just need you by my side, Zoro. I can't achieve anything if I am not happy and I won't be happy if I don't have my first mate and best friend by my side. I don't know who hurt you and how they hurt you, but they are going to pay for it. I hope you don't think you disappointed me in any way, like you thought back when you lost against Mihawk. You never disappointed me, you always showed me how strong you were. Time and time again you never gave up and always did what you can and that is the person I need as my first mate not someone who never fails but someone who always stands up again. I have lost a lot of people already, not necessarily to death but on my way. I had to say a lot of goodbyes and I don't know if I ever see some of those people again. But Zoro you are one person that I didn't have the chance to say goodbye to and so it's your responsibility to come back here and stay with us.  You can't just leave me alone. I don't have a chance to become pirate king without you and you would never mess with my dreams, would you Zoro?"
It sounded like an accusation but Luffy crying indicated that he desperatly needed to find an argument to wake Zoro up.
"You can't die", he sobbed "I need my best friend by my side. I don't want to be pirate king if you are not by my side to celebrate with me and go on adventures. I don't want the One Piece if you are not there to see it too". Luffy couldn't speak anymore because he was crying too much. And soon Nami came to switch places with him at dawn. Sanji prepared a special midnight snack for Luffy because he was so emotionally worked up and soon the rubber boy smiled again. And so they left Thriller Bark and started their routine on watches with Zoro and watches in the crows nest. The first few nights Sanji told Zoro about how Brook buried his friends in Thriller Bark and how Luffy had put Zoro's broken sword there too because he knew he would have wanted it that way. He told him about how Lola and her pirates wished them the best and how they all hoped for Zoro to wake up as soon as possible. Sanji couldn't quite get himself to talk about his feelings for Zoro until one night when he couldn't keep it in any longer.