Em-O's. Part of this complete breakfast.

[chibi_trillian]

Title: Defeat
Series: One Piece.
One Piece: Not mine.
Rating: PG-13.
Summary: Luffy/Zoro, set right after Arlong Park. Zoro's not pleased with himself.


The last thing to invade Zoro’s body had been Mihawk’s black sword. It had slipped under his skin, ripped him open from hip to shoulder, and left a taint of failure in his flesh that no amount of bleeding would purge.

Even as he’d shouted his promise to the sky, tears of shame and pain running down his face, the feeling hadn’t faded. Even as Johnny and Yosaku had performed the same service that he’d done for them so many times, stuffing his guts back in and sewing him up as quickly and neatly as they could, the worst agony had been knowing that he’d been so badly outclassed.

Then Nami had run off, and they’d had to go find her. Vanquishing that six-armed merman had helped draw some of the poison from his veins (even as those same veins spilled more of what little lifeblood Zoro had left). Seeing his captain and navigator safe by his actions had cured a little more.

But still, he could feel that hideous loss seething just under his skin. He hated it, hated the phantom sensation of an impossibly long black blade thrusting into him, hated the thick bandages and the raw stitches that were holding his chest together, hated the pain that traced his every movement. He wanted to feel something else.

And that was why he had taken advantage of this tiny fragment of privacy as they headed towards Loguetown and the Grand Line. It was why he slid Luffy’s vest off of his shoulders for the first time since he and Mihawk had crossed blades. It was why he tangled his tongue with one that moved in impossible ways and encouraged his captain to take him here and now on the floor. Luffy’s murmurs of concern and gentle touches on his bandages were met with hurried negatives, even though Zoro knew that his body wasn’t ready for this. He’d live, he’d heal, and he needed this now. Luffy somehow knew, and was gentle with him anyway.

This was a cleansing, like Usopp’s request for secrecy, like Sanji’s tears and thanks, like Nami’s pickpocketing farewell. He didn’t want to enter the Grand Line with defeat inside of him.

He vastly preferred love.

Comments

This story is really sad

[(Anonymous)]

Oh and his name is Zolo not zoro just saying this stor is sad:(

Re: This story is really sad

[azura-bushroot.livejournal.com]

Baka... Zoro is how you pronounce his name in Japanese. :P

Re: This story is really sad

[anyjen.livejournal.com]

As a matter of fact, even though "Zoro" is the standardized way of writing his name for us occidental people, "Zolo" is not exactly wrong either... considering that in Japanese, there is no distinction between "l" and "r". Both are right, people, like it or not. So don't fight about it. Pick the one you like, and stick to it, but don't go around name-calling the ones that use the other one.

Re: This story is really sad

[chibi-trillian.livejournal.com]

Though Zoro's name is indeed rendered as "Zolo" in the 4Kids American release (though by that translation logic his last name really ought to be "Lolonoa"), to the rest of the world, including Oda Eiichiro and a sizable chunk of the English-speaking fandom, it's Roronoa Zoro. However, it's an honest dub-caused mistake, and there's no need for name-calling.

I'm glad my story evoked an emotional response in you, even if it made you sad.

[azura-bushroot.livejournal.com]

This was very well written. Nice job -nod nod-

[chibi-trillian.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm glad you liked it. ^_^

[skuldchan.livejournal.com]

Wow, I love emo Zoro. *laughs* Well-written! One Piece is very difficult to pin down correctly, but you've got the "other" side of it down very nicely! :D *applaud*

[chibi-trillian.livejournal.com]

Emo!Zoro is stealth!emo. It's a good thing Luffy has phenomenal emodar.

[psychoteffy.livejournal.com]

Love it. For some reason this calmed me down a bit. I actually find this very sweet instead of sad.

Love the imagary as usual ;)

[chibi-trillian.livejournal.com]

Yay for Luffy and Zoro. They're frontalattacksarepuretacticalgenius!love. XD

[kotszok.livejournal.com]

I usually don't read zoro in any pairing other that Sanji because... well, I'm obsessive that way, but anything you write is worth giving a chance. And it paid off, because it was beautiful.

though It was why he tangled his tongue with one that moved in impossible ways made me laugh, BECAUSE IT'S FUNNY

[chibi-trillian.livejournal.com]

Awwwww...wow, I feel really loved. ^____^

YOU CAN'T HAVE LUFFYLOVINS WITHOUT TEH FUNNEH. Gummy tongue!

[mouse2cat.livejournal.com]

I think gomu powers could be used in exciting sexual ways. And it is funny. ^_^

[snarkymonkey.livejournal.com]

It's official, you're one of the few fanfic writers than can get me to read something *not* of my obsessive pairings. =3 You wrote Zoro so well, as per usual. Emotional without being all weepy and wangless. *hearts you* Faboo again!

*pets him* Poor emo kid. Just find some rocks to cut with your swords and you'll be all better.

And *rawr* I'm all kinds of dumb so sorry for the double post. =3

[chibi-trillian.livejournal.com]

I feel uberspecial. ^_^ Then again, most authors don't go running screaming through as many pairings as I do.

Don't worry. They'll hit Loguetown and Tashigi will scare the emo right out of Zoro. XD

[strawhatstars.livejournal.com]

You are a fantastic author

[chibi-trillian.livejournal.com]

Um...wow. Thanks. ^///^

[vampire-otaku.livejournal.com]

Yay for emo!

I found this to be very sweet, yet hot at the same time. I especially liked the line "[he] encouraged his captain to take him here and now on the floor." Seme Luffy rocks my socks.

And the last line was beautiful :D

[chibi-trillian.livejournal.com]

The first mate serves UNDER his captain. XD Sorry, I love Luffy-on-top too.

[mouse2cat.livejournal.com]

Me too! It is just a little harder to write.

[chibi-trillian.livejournal.com]

I actually have a harder time wrapping my brain around Zoro on top. Then again, I'm weird.

[kiriyama-killer.livejournal.com]

I adored it. You handled Zoro's character very well, it could have esily gone OC from there but you did a really great job keeping him IC.

An absolutely fantastic story.

[chibi-trillian.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Keeping Zoro IC when he's being emotional is tough, but I glad you thought that I succeeded. ^_^

[bumpgrrl.livejournal.com]

Oh but you did succeed! It's a fact, not just a thought :)
(I am using way too many smileys today)

[ember-alda.livejournal.com]

I like reading stuff with Zoro after his fight with Mihawk, so many emotions one can pay around with ^^ I haven't read much ZoLu, but you make it seem so suhweet!

[chibi-trillian.livejournal.com]

That period of time is really an interesting one to write about: they're going to the Grand Line, Nami's finally got people she can trust, Sanji's still getting settled in to the crew, and Zoro's recovering from getting utterly pwned. I'm surprised we don't see more fic about it.

ZoLu usually is pretty sweet, mostly because Zoro's figured out by now that grumping at Luffy is largely futile. ^_^

[paxnirvana.livejournal.com]

Oh so nice... Zoroisdyfunctionallove. While Luffy is just pure love. *^___^*

[chibi-trillian.livejournal.com]

Luffy loves him some grumpy swordsman. And Zoro puts up with Luffy's shit, which probably constitutes love on his part--he'd have killed anyone else who gets him into half the shit Luffy does. ^____^