After rummaging a bit in Law's hat, you picked a light green ticket.

«Ouch! Such a lucky girl!» Carina grunts, while Nami giggles.

«C'mon Carina, Zoro is not that hell of a guy!»

The other girl squints at her.

«Are you kidding? He's like the hottest guy ever! Maybe just Ace is as hot as him...»

Leaving them quarrelling about who's the hottest, Vivi goes to look for your 7-minute date of the night.

After a good 15 minutes, she's back, dragging a Halloween samurai with her.

«He was asleep in the kitchen.» Vivi pants, tugging him to Nami. Zoro groans in annoyance.

Great, he's always in a bad mood when someone wakes him up for trivial reasons.

You give him a resigned smile as you both walk towards the closet, pushed by Nami.

«I get it, I get it!» Zoro grumbles when she tugs him inside, closing the door immediately after.

«That woman...»

«Oh, come on! You know you love your beautiful flatmates!» you tease, giving him a light punch on his muscular arm.

He lifts an eyebrows.

«The stupid cook and Usop also count as beautiful flatmates?»

A fond laugh erupts from your lips and he vaguely smiles.

You and Zoro have always gotten along well, which is quite amazing, since he barely talks to people. Especially with women, he seems to find most of them annoying.

«Hey, how many girls asked you out already?» you cheerily ask.

He hums, massaging his chin with his fingers.

«A couple, I guess. Then I fell asleep.»

«You're incredible!»

Zoro shrugs.

«You know I don't care, Y/n.»

You know. Hell, you know. It's been years you're friends with each other, months you moved in with them, and still you didn't get over your crush at all. The period you were dating Kid was the only time your mind was really free from him, but as soon as you two broke up, the feeling came back.

Actually, it's a blessing he's not interested in women right now. He's always surrounded by gorgeous girls trying their best to catch his attention, so you would not stand a chance, anyway. Luckily, you being a rather frank and genuine person allowed you to bound with Zoro and build a solid friendship, but you never got past the friendzone. And you probably never will.

Ha has no idea, obviously.

«What's the whole deal about?» Zoro asks, waving at the closet around you.

«Umh, we just have to spend 7 minutes here. Officially, you can do whatever you want. In real life, everyone expects the people inside to make out or something.»

You cannot avoid a little blush spreading on your cheeks while mentioning that. He appears disgusted by the idea, anyway.

Great.

«Jeez! What if you end up here with someone you don't know at all? Or a weirdo? Does people really follow this rule?»

You giggle at his purity. He may be a rough man, but when it comes to boy-girl relationships, he's a total naïve.

«Don't worry, no one is forced. Just... the others outside want you to. Kinda. They think it's spicy, more fun.»

«But what if some guy tries to take advantage of the situation?» he frowns «You could end up here with the cook. Or worse!»

«Zoro, the hall is filled with people, it's not like–»

«It's a good thing it was me.» he decides, crossing his arm over his chest.

Mixed feelings take over your stomach. You're flattered by his protective attitude, but at the same time it appears clear he's not intentioned to touch you in anyway.

«Thanks Zoro, but I don't think anyone would have tried anything.» you sigh.

His scowl doesn't quiver a bit.

«Bullshit.» he states «The cook would have. And there are a bunch of weirdos out there I don't like at all. And...» he grits his teeth «fucking Eustass could also try something.»

You blink.

«Kid? I don't really think so. We're friends now.»

«Then someone should tell him, because, judging by the way he was looking at you before, he doesn't fucking know that.»

«What?»

Wait. Even if this is true, Zoro is not the kind of guy who notices these details...

«You were... paying attention to that?»

Your voice sounds a little sceptical.

He seems surprised by your question.

«Uh, I guess. I'm sorry Y/n, I don't really like him.»

«Why not?»

Kid is a troublemaker, but he has never picked up a fight with the greenette, if your memory wasn't tricking you.

«Because...»

Zoro averts his eyes from yours. It's hard to tell in the semi-darkness, but he may be blushing a little. You take a step in front of him.

«Zoro?»

«Shit, okay!» he scoffs, looking pissed. But he doesn't continue. You grab the edge of his kimono's sleeve and tug it lightly.

«Zoorooo...»

«Fine! I hate how he reduced you when you broke up! You've been a bloody mess for months. I almost went and killed him!»

Your hand lets go of him, falling back along your side. The silence spreads in the closet.

After a while he sighs, patting your head.

«I'm glad you're okay now. But don't go back to him. I swear, if I see you taking just a step in his direction, I'm killing him.»

«Why would you do that?» you weakly ask.

«Because no one should do that to you and get away with it.»

This is too much.

A knot is tight in your throat, almost suffocating you as you try to swallow. The first little tear escapes your lids, so you abruptly turn your back to him.

«W-What's the matter, Y/n?»

Poor, pure Zoro. He doesn't know how to deal with tears. They always make him extremely uncomfortable.

«Did I, uh, say something wrong?»

But he's making an effort. It's not like him, but he's doing that. Normally, he would just walk away, or punch someone.

«You cannot say all those things.» you whisper.

«What?»

«You cannot say all those things!» you blurt, turning back to face him. The hurt look on your face forces him to take a step back.

«No one should do that to me, uh?! Then you should punch yourself!»

You're being unfair, and you are well aware of it. It's not like Zoro made you suffer consciously, he simply had no idea what was going on inside you the whole time. If someone is guilty, here, that would be you.

Still, his words triggered something in you, some sleeping anger you thought you buried deep enough.

He's completely baffled now, and your tears are still freaking him out.

«Y/n, I don't understand what is going on!»

«Because you're an idiot!»

«You're probably right!» he shouts over you «So can you please explain?»

You brush away the tears with your fingers, trying not to ruin the make-up Perona has so cautiously applied.

«Sorry, Zoro.» you say, quietly now «Hearing all that from you was just... too much.»

He gently grabs your shoulder and you feel a shiver going down your fluttering stomach.

«Explain!»

Zoro's never been patient.

Well, it's time now. Folds on the table. There's no going back from the scene you made anyway.

«It's because you're the only other guy able to make me feel like Kid did. In... every sense.»

He jerks his hands away from you like you were on fire.

Perfect... goodbye friendship, goodbye Zoro. Goodbye apartment, probably.

«I... you... do you mean...»

You let out a long sigh.

«Yes. I'm sorry Zoro, I didn't want to–»

A pair of hands harshly grabs your jaws and forced you to tilt your head up, where your lips are smashed against his hungry mouth.

Suddenly on your toe, you grab the edges of his kimono to keep your balance, half failing, ending up leaning against his warm torso.

But it doesn't matter, because one of his arms quickly wraps around your back, pulling you closer.

The shock causes you to gasp, and he immediately takes advantage of it, slipping his tongue inside your mouth.

What.

The hell.

Is happening.

You don't give yourself the time to think though, finally kissing him back with the same urgency he's showing.

You're all over each other, when the door slams open.

«OH MY GOD!» Carina screams.

Zoro breaks the kiss, pulling away. A thin stream of saliva still connects your lips.

The majority of the girls in the hall is horrified, the guys are shouting and whistling their agreement.

But you don't care, your gaze is still fixed on Zoro's.

«I... I think we've something to talk about.» you mutter.

He smirks.

«I think we've talked enough.»