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ink-perfect · 2 months ago

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unguarded.

## request!

─ about: anime zoro x gn!reader ⋆. angst-to-fluff, 2nd person ⋆. migrane, battle, near-death experience, infirmary visit, argument, mushyl!zoro 🥹, apologies ─ synopsis: as a swordsman for the straw hats, you're well-adjusted to the amount of strength it takes on the battlefield, and are willing to fight through even the worst of migranes to meet this standard. despite your crew’s warnings against this - zoro's, especially - you insist that you can handle it. however, a near-death encounter almost costs you everything, forcing you to confront the consequences of your stubbornness through a particularly intimate conversation with a fellow swordsman...

the sea was calm, deceptively peaceful, as the going merry sailed smoothly through the waves. but something wasn’t right. you could feel it in the air, in the way the wind seemed to whisper warnings through the rigging.

you gripped the railing, trying to ground yourself as the sharp, relentless pounding in your head throbbed behind your eyes. your migraine had been creeping up on you for hours, starting as a dull ache and slowly escalating into something unbearable. but you had learned to endure it. you had to.

there was no room for weakness on the crew. you’d seen how much the straw hats gave - how much they sacrificed - and you refused to be the one dragging them down. even if your head felt like it was being split open, even if your vision blurred and your knees threatened to buckle beneath you, you wouldn’t say a word. you could handle this.

but the pain was constant now, like a nail tapping at the back of your skull, never quite leaving you alone. the world seemed too bright, the sounds around you too sharp, and it took everything in you to keep your face neutral, to not flinch at every piercing noise.

“oi.”

zoro’s voice cut through the haze of pain, low and gravelly. he had been watching you, as he often did when you thought no one was paying attention. you turned your head slowly, trying not to wince at the movement.

“what?” you asked, your voice coming out colder than you intended, betraying just a hint of your discomfort.

his sharp green eyes narrowed as they studied you, suspicion darkening his features. “you look like shit,” he said bluntly, his gaze not leaving yours.

you forced a laugh, though it felt hollow. “gee, thanks for the compliment, swordsman.”

he didn’t laugh, didn’t even smirk like he usually would. instead, his eyes stayed locked on yours, intense and unyielding. zoro wasn’t one to pry, but he wasn’t stupid either. he could sense something was wrong, and you hated that he could see through you so easily.

“don’t tell me you’re thinking about fighting in that condition,” he said, the edge in his voice unmistakable. it wasn’t a question - it was a warning.

“i’m fine,” you lied, shifting your weight as you tried to stand a little taller, even though the motion sent a fresh wave of pain through your skull. “it’s just a headache. i can handle it.”

his expression darkened, his jaw clenching as his fingers twitched toward his swords, like he was itching to cut through whatever was standing in his way - even if that thing was your stubbornness.

“don’t be an idiot.” his voice was low, almost a growl. “you can barely stand straight.”

“i said i’m fine,” you snapped, harsh now. you regretted it the moment the words left your mouth, but you couldn’t back down now. you hated the idea of them worrying about you, of anyone thinking you were weak. “we’re about to run into trouble. you need every fighter on deck, and i’m not going to sit this one out because of a little headache.”

zoro’s glare could have cut through steel. “this isn’t just a ‘little headache’, and you know it damn well. you look like you’re about to pass out. if you get yourself killed out there, you’ll just be another thing we have to worry about.”

you flinched at the harshness of his words, your chest tightening with frustration and…something else. why did he have to make it sound like you were a burden? like your presence was just another problem for the crew to deal with?

“i don’t need you worrying about me,” you muttered, your voice quieter now but still firm. “i can take care of myself, i….i’m strong enough.”

zoro’s eyes flashed with something unreadable - anger, yes, but also something deeper, something more vulnerable. “you think i’m worried because i think you’re weak?” he said, his voice suddenly quieter, more controlled. “no. i'm worried because i actually give a shit about you, believe it or not.”

the words hung in the air between you, so light-hearted yet so suffocating. you opened your mouth to respond, but before you could, a sudden shout from luffy in the crow’s nest broke the tension.

“pirates ahead!”

instantly, the mood shifted. the crew sprang into action. nami called out orders, directing the ship into position, while usopp scrambled to ready the cannons. sanji lit a cigarette and disappeared into the kitchen, preparing to fight in his own way. robin, ever calm, began reading the enemy ship’s movement. franky and chopper were already preparing for the worst.

your grip tightened on the hilt of your sword, your heart racing. you had to fight. you needed to fight, to prove that you weren’t a liability, that you could handle yourself no matter what.

zoro shot you one last look, a warning, but you ignored it, pushing yourself forward as the enemy ship loomed closer. the adrenaline began to dull the pounding in your skull, but it didn’t disappear. it was there, always there, lurking just beneath the surface, ready to pull you under the moment you let your guard down.

the battle erupted in chaos. cannon fire echoed through the air, and the sound of steel clashing against steel filled your ears. you moved on instinct, your body following the rhythm of the fight, even as your vision blurred and the edges of the world seemed to tilt dangerously.

you cut down one pirate after another, each swing of your sword sending a jolt of pain through your head, but you gritted your teeth and kept moving. you had to keep moving.

but then, your body betrayed you.

your knees wobbled, and your vision went black for a split second - just long enough for you to misjudge the distance of an incoming attack. the pirate’s sword swung toward you, too fast for you to block, and for a horrifying moment, all you could do was watch - there was no time to react.

you were done for.

suddenly, you were yanked backward, a rough hand grabbing the back of your shirt and hauling you out of harm’s way. you stumbled, barely keeping your footing as franky’s voice boomed above you.

“hey! what's the big idea?!” franky demanded, his voice tinged with panic as he glared down at you, his massive hand still gripping your shoulder. “you almost got yourself killed!”

your breath came in ragged gasps as you tried to shake off the dizziness, the world spinning violently around you. the migraine, which had been a dull roar before, now surged to unbearable levels, like someone was driving a spike through your brain.

“shit…” you whispered, your vision swimming.

“’shit’ is right,” franky growled, his usually carefree demeanour replaced with an urgency that sent a cold chill down your spine. “you need to get out of here before-”

the next words were lost in the ringing in your ears. your legs gave out beneath you, and before you could hit the ground, strong arms wrapped around you, pulling you up against something solid and warm.

zoro.

his scent - sweat, steel, and the faintest hint of sake - washed over you, grounding you for just a moment. his grip on you was firm, almost possessive, as he cradled you against his chest, his face twisted in anger and something dangerously close to fear.

“what the hell were you thinking?” zoro’s voice was rough, strained, as if he was holding back something he didn’t want to say. “actually, i bet you just weren't, you idiot.”

you tried to respond, but the words wouldn’t come. the pain was too much. you couldn’t even muster the strength to argue, to insist that you were fine, that you could handle it. because the truth was…you couldn’t. not this time.

zoro’s expression darkened as he realised just how bad your condition was, his smirk immediately settling into a frown. “shit…this is bad, you can barely talk. damn it, why didn’t you say anything when i asked before?”

you blinked up at him, your body trembling with the effort of staying conscious. you prepared yourself to lie again, to maintain that tough exterior you spent so long cultivating, but looking into the swordsman's dark eyes, the way they felt like they truly saw you, made you melt. you could feel his stare make your stomach do flips, opening your floodgates all too fast. “i just didn’t… want to be a burden,” you admitted, your voice barely a whisper.

zoro’s grip tightened, his jaw clenching so hard you could see the muscles twitching in his neck. “a burden?” his voice cracked, raw with emotion. “you think we’d ever see you as a burden?”

his words cut through the haze, slicing through the pain and self-doubt that had been weighing you down for so long. you had always thought you needed to be strong, to never show weakness, but in this moment, zoro’s expression told you everything you had refused to believe.

he cared.

deeply.

“we’re getting you to chopper,” zoro said firmly, his voice a low growl as he scooped you up in his arms, holding you close as he carried you below deck. the battle raged on around you, but for the first time, you couldn’t bring yourself to care.

you were exhausted. broken.

as zoro carried you, his arms wrapped protectively around your limp body, you could feel his heart beating against your chest, steady and strong, a sharp contrast to the chaos and violence outside. you wanted to tell him you were sorry, that you’d been stupid, that you didn’t mean to scare him.

but all you could do was rest your head against his chest, your body too weak to fight anymore.

“don’t ever do that again,” zoro whispered, his voice rough with an emotion he rarely let slip. his grip on you tightened as if he was afraid to let go, afraid you’d disappear if he loosened his hold for even a second.

you blinked, your vision hazy and unfocused, but the raw emotion in his voice pierced through the fog clouding your mind. the world felt distant, the sounds of the battle muffled by the pounding in your head, but the warmth of his embrace - the way he held you as if you were something fragile, something all-too precious - was undeniable. zoro had never been one for softness, never one to show anything but strength, yet here he was, carrying you as if you were the most valuable thing in the world.

“i-i’m sorry,” you mumbled weakly, your voice barely above a whisper. it was all you could manage, but the apology burned at the back of your throat, thick with guilt and shame. you hated that you’d scared him, hated that you had been reckless enough to push him to this point.

zoro didn’t respond right away. his jaw was clenched so tightly you could see the tension in his neck, his eyes fixed ahead with an intensity that sent a shiver down your spine. you could feel the frustration radiating off him, a silent storm brewing just beneath the surface, ready to erupt at any moment. but he didn’t let it show. not yet.

“you don’t get it,” zoro finally muttered under his breath, so low you almost didn’t catch it. his voice was tight, as if he was barely holding back the flood of emotion threatening to break free. “you think we don’t care. you think i don’t care.”

your heart clenched at his words, guilt twisting like a knife in your chest. you’d never meant to make him worry. you’d never wanted to be a burden, to make him or the others feel like they needed to protect you. but hearing him say it, hearing the raw, unfiltered emotion in his voice, made it impossible to deny the truth any longer.

“i…” you started, but your voice cracked, and the words got caught in your throat. what could you say? how could you possibly explain the need to prove yourself, to be strong, when it had nearly cost you everything?

zoro didn’t look at you, his gaze still fixed straight ahead as he carried you down the stairs toward the infirmary. his arms tightened around you protectively, his body tense as if he was afraid you’d slip away if he let go for even a second. “you could’ve died, goddamnit.”

the words hung heavy in the air, suffocating in their weight. you had been close - too close. franky had pulled you back, but if he hadn’t...you shuddered at the thought.

you weren’t ready to die. you weren’t ready to leave your crew, your friends. and zoro…the thought of leaving him behind hurt more than the migraine ever could.

as if sensing your unease, zoro’s grip on you softened, his voice dropping to a quieter, more vulnerable tone. “you can’t keep doing this. you can’t keep pushing yourself until you break.” his words were slow, deliberate, like each one was a struggle to get out. “we’re a crew. we’re supposed to watch each other’s backs. and that includes you.”

his gaze finally flicked down to meet yours, and what you saw there made your breath hitch. his usual sharp, unreadable expression was gone, replaced by something raw and achingly open. his dark eyes were filled with something so deep, so intense, that it made your heart twist painfully in your chest. you had never seen him like this - unguarded, his walls stripped bare.

“i need you to understand,” he said, his voice rough, almost pleading. “i can’t lose you.”

the confession hit you like a punch to the gut. zoro, the strongest, most stoic man you knew, was admitting something you’d never thought you’d hear from him. it wasn’t just about the crew. this was personal. it was about you -about what you meant to him. and that realisation left you breathless.

you stared up at him, wide-eyed, struggling to process the weight of his words. “zoro…i didn’t…i didn’t mean to…”

“yeah, well, you did anyway,” he interrupted, his voice harsher now, though the vulnerability in his eyes didn’t fade. “you think i didn’t notice? every time you push yourself past your limits, every time you pretend like everything’s fine when you’re barely holding on…i see it. i see what you do. i see you.”

you swallowed hard, the lump in your throat growing tighter with every word. you hadn’t realised just how much he’d been paying attention, how closely he’d been watching. it made your heart ache, knowing that while you had been so focused on hiding your pain, zoro had been silently carrying the weight of his worry for you.

“why didn’t you say something earlier?” you mumbled through your pain, the words barely making it past your lips.

zoro let out a short, bitter laugh, though there was no humour in it. “would you have listened?”

you couldn’t answer that. deep down, you knew the truth. you had been so determined to prove yourself, so fixated on not being seen as a burden, that you had pushed away anyone who tried to help. even zoro.

especially zoro.

his gaze softened slightly, though his frustration still simmered beneath the surface. “i get it. you’re stubborn. you don’t want anyone to worry about you. but damn it, i can’t stand seeing you like this. you’re more than just another crewmate to me.”

your heart skipped a beat at that, the weight of his words sinking in. more than just another crewmate.

zoro’s expression tightened, his eyes flickering with something dangerously close to fear as he set you down gently on the infirmary bed. his hand lingered on your arm for a moment longer than necessary, as if he couldn’t quite bring himself to let go.

“chopper will take care of you,” he muttered, his voice rough and uneven. “just… don’t scare us like that again. don’t scare me like that again.”

your throat tightened, and you reached out, grabbing his hand before he could pull away completely. his eyes snapped back to yours, surprise flickering across his face.

“i really am sorry,” you whispered, your voice trembling. “i-”

“i don’t care about apologies,” zoro interrupted, though his tone had softened. he looked down at your hand holding his, and for a moment, you thought he might pull away. but instead, his fingers curled around yours, holding on with surprising gentleness. the action was quick, so smooth that you thought you had imagined it - but as you checked and saw your intertwined hands, your heart swelled. “just promise me you’ll stop pretending like you have to do everything alone.”

you nodded, tears stinging at the corners of your eyes. you hadn’t realised just how much you’d needed to hear those words, how much you’d been carrying on your own for so long. zoro wasn’t just scolding you for being reckless - he was asking you to let him in, to trust him.

“i promise,” you whispered, your voice barely audible, but the weight of the words was heavier than any sword you’d ever carried.

zoro’s grip on your hand tightened for just a moment, his expression softening in a way that made your chest ache. then, without another word, he let go, turning away as chopper bustled into the room with his medical supplies.

but before he left, zoro made a final pause at the door, his back to you. his voice, when he spoke, was so quiet you almost missed it.

“i need you here. with me. don’t forget that.”

and with that, he was gone, leaving you alone in the infirmary with chopper, your heart pounding and your mind racing. his words echoed in your head, each one a reminder of just how much you had been blind to, how much you had taken for granted.

you weren’t alone. you never had been. and it was time to start letting yourself believe that.

because one thing was clear: zoro needed you. and that knowledge, that unspoken truth, healed you in a way no medicine ever could.

── ౨ৎ masterlist

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ofoceansandtombsanew · 4 months ago

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Real Talk: Ace Didn't Need to Ask For Help, It's On Garp

i always hate when i see comments about how ace was an idiot or ace should have just asked garp for help because, no? like dawg wtf do you mean?

the one thing we have been told repeatedly across the manga and anime is that ace could have lived his entire life being perfect and he still would have ended up on that podium

he could have become a marine, a police officer, a teacher, a chef and all of that would have been reduced to nothing the moment his parentage was discovered

yes, ace became a pirate of his own volition, but sengoku never mentioned his piracy

he never mentioned all the criminal activity ace did as the captain of the spade pirates or even later as the second division leader of the whitebeard pirates

you know what sengoku did bring up though the moment he got on that damn podium? ace's parentage

he mentions nothing that gained ace his bounty to begin with when he gets that den den mushi in his hand. why?

because it doesn't matter that ace is a pirate. what matters is that they are eradicating the last gol d roger's bloodline

bear in mind that they were killing pregnant women and young children who could have even had the slightest possibility of being roger's lover or kin

akainu deadass says that he doesn't care if every other pirate at marineford escapes as long as ace and luffy died and he would ensure their deaths personally. and for what? not their piracy. none of their crimes. not even for ensuring that the truth that certain countries and lands that were actually saved by pirates instead of the marines never got out

but because their fathers were gol d roger and monkey d dragon respectively

solely because of that, he deemed neither of them deserved to live

and as far as garp goes - i love garp as much as the next person but garp has never done anything for ace to trust him enough to ask for help even if he felt he deserved to ask

garp's negligent parenting coupled with the abusive words ace grew up hearing led ace to believe he didn't even deserve to be born. when he even asks garp if his being born was a good thing, garp can't even tell him 'yes'. he just says 'time will tell'. my brother in the blue seas, that is an elementary schooler questioning his right to exist

ace is defeated by blackbeard in episode 325 (chapters 434-441), luffy hears about his execution being set in episode 416 (chapter 522) and then finally ace is killed in episode 483 (chapter 574). that is 158 episodes and 140 chapters total and in that time what ace receives from garp are conversations that boil down to

"you did this to yourself"

"i just wanted you to become a fine marine"

"i don't have sympathy for criminals but i do have sympathy for family"

and garp actively preventing those who wish to save ace from reaching him. yes after akainu strikes ace, garp does react viscerally with instinct to protect his grandson, but that's too little too damn late at that point

garp having his moral dilemmas mean nothing when, however long ace spent in impel down, he isn't trying to help him

garp having his 'wishing things had been different' thoughts mean nothing when garp is preventing people from saving his grandson

there's a reason garp lets dadan beat and berate him when they reunite in windmill village and it's because he knows she's right

over the course of 20 years, garp has consistently chosen work over ace and luffy. as much as i love dadan and co, bandits are not a good choice to have raise your grandkids and then be the surprised pikachu meme when neither of them wish to become marines

garp's inability to see past the system he disdains yet clings onto actively shoots him in the foot

prevents him from seeing that ace is right when he says he never could have become a marine

luffy could have never become a marine. i do hear arguments saying that luffy might have had a fair chance considering garp is biologically his grandfather but i say that's truly up in the air considering how, even with that knowledge, akainu still wants to put luffy on a poster

but that's all to say, asking why ace never asked garp for help is ridiculous

the fuck would ace look like asking the man who has done nothing but

unintentionally fostered ace's resentment towards luffy in their early childhood

told ace it was his own fault he landed where he did

falcon punched marco halfway across marineford

for help?

and that's not even mentioning the fact that up until that point, ace didn't believe he deserved to live. he didn't think he had the right to exist. the only thing that kept him going up until that point was hoping he'd find an answer that justified his being born and his love for luffy and sabo. ace tells luffy in his dying breaths if it weren't for the two of them, he would have gave up on living a long time ago

yes, garp loves ace and luffy

he loves them both dearly but he is also incapable of putting them before work, before his ideals of justice. these two truths can coexist at the same time. garp's stubborn to a fault and his moral dilemma resulted in both inaction and the prevention of ace's escape

so to say that marineford would have gone differently if ace had asked is seriously undermining the character work. because in reality, it's up in the air on whether or not that would have done anything. ace asking garp for help could have gone either way and that's the beauty of the gray area regarding garp's actions during the summit war

and yes, i can get why it's frustrating that ace turned around to fight akainu when he could have just left and got it back in a blood a different time

but aside from ace having a temper about specific topics, we do get an answer as to why he couldn't bring himself to runaway when we finally are able to dive into his past with luffy and sabo:

he doesn't want to run away from any situation because ace is deathly afraid of losing something if running away ends up being the bad call

and in that moment, luffy was behind him

even if akainu hadn't talked down whitebeard, ace would have inevitably turned back around because he wouldn't have been able to shake his fear of losing something or someone he cared about

as long as there is something precious for him to potentially lose, ace will never run

he was doomed from the start

his being the son of gol d roger doomed him from the start

and that's what makes ace so tragic

#look she's not writing #one piece #portgas d ace #fire fist ace #monkey d garp #gol d roger #monkey d luffy #sabo #revolutionary sabo #one piece sabo #animanga thoughts #ppl get too comfortable slandering my husband i had to say something #hash and i were talking about this last night #TAT like y'all tf ace need to beg garp's old ass for help for???#please explain i am confusion

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