# 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐒! zoro

xiv , well mishaps

"whatever you say, (nickname)."

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zoro gave a firm tug on the rope, his muscles flexing as he tested its strength. it seemed sturdy enough to support both of us.

"you go first," we both said simultaneously, locking gaze as we did.

"after you," zoro offered with exaggerated courtesy.

"no, after you, i insist," came the equally exaggerated reply.

"i insist on your insistence," zoro countered with a raised eyebrow.

"i insist on your insistence that i insist—"

"this is going nowhere," zoro interrupted, shaking his head at the absurdity of their exchange.

"alright, let's settle this the old-fashioned way," i suggested.

"and what's that?" zoro asked, intrigued.

"rock, paper, scissors. best two out of three. loser goes first," i proposed, rolling my sleeves up.

"deal,"

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"not fair," zoro muttered, his grip tightening on the rope as he ascended.

"what, losing?" i couldn't help but tease as i watched him climb.

"shut up," he retorted, his voice tinged with annoyance.

"no thanks, i like the sound of my own voice too much," i replied, unable to resist getting in one last jab. i hoisted my bow securely onto my back before following him up the rope.

"egoistic brat."

"look who's talking, 'the world's greatest swordsman."

as i began my ascent, zoro's voice drifted down from above. "just hurry up, 射手. we've got places to be." [1]

"coming right up, 剣士." I replied, exaggerating a salute as i continued my climb. [2]

"wait," 

i glanced back at merry's lifeless body, sprawled on the unforgiving stone floor of the well.

"are we... are we just leaving him here?"

zoro paused in his ascent, his grip on the rope tightening as he turned to meet my gaze. "you're seriously bringing this up now, when we're halfway out of this well?" his voice was gruff, but beneath the rough exterior, i detected a hint of concern.

"i know, i know," i stammered, feeling a pang of guilt at the thought of abandoning our fallen friend. "but... i don't want his spirit to think we're insensitive for just leaving him here, you know?"

zoro's expression softened, a rare moment of vulnerability crossing his features before he nodded in understanding. "fine," he relented, his voice firm but compassionate. "we'll come back for him once we're out. deal?"

i nodded gratefully, a sense of relief washing over me at his reassurance. "thanks, mossy."

"anytime, 恋人" [3]

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zoro had managed to climb out of the well, and i followed closely behind. as i reached the top, he extended his hand, offering assistance. our hands met, our fingers intertwining as he helped me out.

i huffed, brushing the dust off my clothes. "definitely not how i envisioned my workout for today."

zoro's eyes met mine, a smirk playing on his lips. "well, it's about to get a lot more exciting. let's go kick some asses."

"bet."

5 mins later —

"where the hell are we?" i exclaimed, my voice echoing in the unfamiliar surroundings.

zoro glanced around, his brow furrowed in confusion. "i have no idea."

"zoro, you said you knew the way. are we lost?"

"we're not lost," he replied confidently, though his tone lacked conviction. "we're just taking... the scenic route."

as we continued, voices reached our ears. one voice stood out, unmistakably luffy's.

zoro and i exchanged a look of concern before hurrying toward the source of the commotion.

we crouched low, hidden amidst the foliage, our breaths steady despite the tension in the air.

marines.

four of them.

their voices carried on the wind, discussing their plan to capture luffy.

instinctively, my hand went to my bow, fingers curling around the smooth wood, the comforting weight grounding me.

two marines lingered away from the main group, a calculated move to flank any potential threats.

zoro's gaze met mine, a silent exchange of understanding passing between us. there was no need for words.

i took aim at one, while zoro sneaked behind the other.

thud.

the other three widened their eyes in surprise as they spotted us emerging from the shadows.

zoro and i stood shoulder to shoulder, a united front as we advanced towards the trio.

two marines lay incapacitated on the ground.

"hey, haircut," zoro called out, his voice carrying a blend of mockery and amusement, aimed at the marine with the most extravagant hairstyle.

"you did that?" i asked, a chuckle escaping my lips as i watched zoro approach the marine.

"the one and only," zoro replied, swiftly knocking out the marine with a single punch.

"become a hairdresser instead, zoro," i teased.

"touché," he conceded with a grin.

"(name)! zoro!" luffy's voice echoed, pulling our attention towards him.

"we're here to save you," i declared, a determined smile playing on my lips as i glanced at the straw hat boy.

"captain luffy." 

[1] 射手 (ite) — japanese translation for 'archer'.

[2] 剣士 (kenshi) — japanese translation for 'swordsman'.

[3] 恋人 (koibito) — japanese translation for 'sweetheart'.

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YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HI HOW ARE YOU ALL??? MY FINALS ARE SUPER NEAR SO WISH ME LUCK <3333 i missed you all sm, hope you like this chap! thank you for being so patient, darlings! love you all <333