EP 07 - I Got Huzz Before You
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CH SUMMARY: Kuramochi's controlling the game now. Somehow he's managed to get the awkward dork (Miyuki Kazuya) to ask out the manager on a date. Egos were wounded and pride was let go. Now they're going on a date... under the guise of more work...? Huh, well, I wonder how that's gonna pan out for him...
GEN TAGS: afab! reader, college au, smau, strangers to enemies to lovers, slow burn, two dorks falling in love, she fell first but he fell harder, captain x manager, mentions of drinking (pls drink responsibly okay)
⟡ mutual pining, fluff, unintentional confession, botanist!reader, strawhat!reader, floriography/language of flowers, zoro gets lost again
⟡ summary:
you end up drawing the short straw, but you don't mind when it's to go find your favorite swordsman.
Archive of Our Own
a/n: another short prompt from my bestie for her favorite man
[ Zoro gets lost and you drew the short straw, so it's up to you to bring him back to the sunny (but secretly you wanted to spend time w him anyway :>) ]
“Got the straws?”
Usopp nods and salutes, holding up the nine straws in his other hand. “Yes, ma’am!”
Nami nods sharply in approval. “Ok! Everyone on deck! You know what time it is!”
You hear an audible groan, courtesy of Sanji who then mutters a few curses under his breath. At that, you offer him a small smile as you go to stand next to him, appeasing his frown in an instant. The rest of the crew follow suit, and everyone, minus a certain someone, is in a circle at the center of the deck, Usopp’s arm outstretched so the straws are in the middle. One by one, everyone reaches for one, and you reach for the one that calls to you.
Unlike the chef, who whispers prayers to not pick the one with the painted tip, you secretly hope that the one pinched between your fingers has the little stripe of red at the end.
“Alright, one, two,” Nami counts down, and everyone waits with bated breath. “Three!”
You all pull the straws from Usopp’s hand, and to your surprise—
A stripe of red paints your chosen straw.
“Looks like you’re on Zoro Retrieval Duty!” Nami announces, and everyone looks unfazed, except for Sanji who looks equally relieved and guilty at your supposed misfortune. “Try to find him before dinner, but let us know if you can’t find him by sundown!”
“No worries, Nami. It can’t be too hard to find him,” you reassure her, waving a hand. “I’ll see you guys later!”
The crew bids you off and you make your way down the gang plank to head into town. From what Chopper had told you, Zoro had gone off to explore the forest further inland, curious about what it has to offer. So, you head deeper into the town, making your way across it before entering the forest past its gates. Thankful for the temperate climate of the island, you take in a deep breath, enjoying the warm sun and the fresh air that fills your lungs. It’s a calm respite from the chaotic islands you’ve visited before, and you bask in its peace. You’re not quite sure if it will stay that way, and you keep your fingers crossed that trouble doesn’t find you.
Or perhaps, Luffy doesn’t find trouble in the next few nights you’re here.
Regardless, you take the time to traverse forest, following the dirt path as you listen for any sign of the swordsman. The trees seem endless as you continue forward, and eventually, they open up, revealing a beautiful stretch of green, speckled by a myriad of blooms and hues. It’s a perfect spot to relax, it’s a perfect spot for a daytime nap.
“Zoro!” you call out, scanning the meadow. The breeze makes the grass and flowers sway, the movement reminiscent of ocean waves that you’ve grown accustomed to in the past few years of becoming a pirate.
Still, to this day, you’re not quite sure how fate had led you here. It had never been your plan to sail the seas. Originally, you’d lived a peaceful life, studying to become a botanist and having worked in your town’s research labs for years.
That is, until it had been taken over by your island’s government. They’d forced you into corrupt projects that went against all your morals and ethics, yet you had no choice but to lower your head and follow their orders to survive.
For months, you had suffered quietly alongside your team, until a fateful day had arrived— the Straw Hats arrival to the island, and their rebellion against the evil ruler.
And of course, the one to save you from the lab was none other than the green-haired swordsman, Roronoa Zoro.
It had concerned you quite a bit when he had nearly led you back from the way he came—aka, where he’d burst into the lab, a hoard of guards and enemies in tow. You had to lead him out of there and back to where his crew was in the aftermath of the battle, where you were introduced to everyone.
If not for your chance meeting with Zoro that led you to meeting the infamous captain of the Straw Hats, you would never have been invited to join the crew. You couldn’t help it though– not when Luffy was about to eat one of the most lethal fruits on the island. It snowballed from there, once Luffy realized you had all sorts of plant knowledge that even Robin commended on. It was helpful for him– especially when there was so much native vegetation on the island that he didn’t recognize, but smelled absolutely heavenly.
Yes, you’ve had to stop Luffy from eating other poisonous plants that resembled grilled meat and yes, you had to do it multiple times during their stay in your hometown.
Same with Chopper, who had nearly eaten a deadly flower that looked and smelled like cotton candy.
That alone was enough for an invitation (along with Nami and Usopp pleading you to keep the crew safe), and it’s how you find yourself as the Straw Hat’s dedicated botanist. Did pirate crews normally take in botanists?
Well, you consider Robin’s role as the archaeologist, and realize perhaps maybe it’s fine.
But back to your current search–carefully, you trek through the meadow, you do your best to navigate around patches of dirt and grass, eyes scanning the picturesque scene until you notice something in the distance.
A hilt—three, actually, stick up from the blooms, and as you grow closer to it, you find Zoro’s swords laid against a low tree stump, their owner lying comfortably in a patch of flowers. You can’t help but chuckle at the irony of it, recognizing the blooms to be gladioli, as Zoro sleeps away unbothered on his back, hands behind his head as a makeshift pillow.
“Zoro,” you murmur a bit quietly, crouching down next to him. “Wake up. It’s time to head back to the ship.”
At the sound of your voice, he grumbles a bit, but he cracks open his eye, blinking a few times before he focuses on you. “Oh? When’d you get here?”
You offer him a small smile. “Just now. Did you have a good nap?”
With a grunt, he sits up, yawning as he stretches his arms above his head. “Yeah. It was nice and peaceful. Couldn’t just pass up on a nice spot like this.”
“It’s perfect for you, too,” you point out, and Zoro raises an eyebrow.
“What do you mean?”
You gesture to the flowers that surround him, gently swaying with the breeze. “They’re gladiolus flowers,” you explain, gently caressing one of them near you. “In ancient languages, the word, gladius, means ‘little sword.’ Quite fitting for a swordsman like you to be around them, don’t you think?”
Zoro cracks a smile at that. “Guess so.”
You continue, “Warriors wore them around their necks for protection. Gently, you pick three and hold them in your hands. “They’re a symbol of strength and fierce loyalty.”
And with that, you offer them to him, holding out the bundle of flowers toward him. You watch as he sits up, eyeing them curiously until you flinch, realizing, “Sorry. This must sound quite foolish for someone like you.”
Just as you go to pull away, Zoro’s hand wraps around yours, his fingers curling around your own as he stops you.
“‘Course not,” he mutters quietly as he takes the flowers into his own fingers. They look much smaller in his calloused hands and he peers down at them with a gentle look in his eyes. “Thanks for teaching me.”
And your heart flutters at his words. “Of course.”
The sun melts into the expanse of the ocean by the time you return to town. Strolling through the dwindling foot traffic, you diligently stick by Zoro’s side, careful to keep him on the right path. While usually annoyed when someone corrects his path, he follows your lead without complaint, letting you reach out and tug on his arm to lead him down the right way. He’d given you the flowers back to hold onto, in case the two of you were to be ambushed by enemies or bounty hunters.
You never thought he’d cared much about your ramblings or your knowledge of flowers, but something about the three little gladiolus flowers in your hands says otherwise, and you can’t help but let the warm feeling bubble inside you as you make your way back to the ship.
At one point, you realize your footsteps have lost the echo of another, and you stop immediately, realizing that his presence is nowhere to be found. You sigh—it really does only take a split second for him to sneak away somehow, and it’s rather impressive he’s able to achieve such a feat. To be fair, you shouldn’t have been so distracted over the flowers in your hands or your bubbling emotions in your chest.
Feeling just a bit embarrassed, you backtrack, making sure to check every street and crossroad in search of the man, and you even go as far as peeking into the taverns and bars you’d passed by, wondering if he was just thirsty for some sake.
As soon as you’re turning around the corner, your heart leaps up as you crash into someone—only to yelp in surprise—“Zoro!?”
He makes a startled sound, maneuvering one of his arms upwards and steadying you with his other as you barely catch yourself against him. “Shit—sorry!”
You feel yourself grow warm—while one of your hands is still clutching the small bundle of gladioli, the other is splayed across Zoro’s bare chest. Fuck, fuck, your mind is going haywire at how firm his muscles are and how warm his skin feels under your fingertips and you’re absolutely mortified at your train of thought that continues down in a spiral.
“Where did you go?” you muster out, hoping you don’t sound frantic as you focus on the edge of his green coat and not his bare chest. He relaxes his hold on you, but makes no move to let go or step away.
“Saw something that caught my eye,” he answers nonchalantly with a small shrug. “Didn’t think you’d come running into me.”
“Hey, I was worried you’d end up back at the meadow with that compass of yours,” you joke lightly, tapping his forehead for emphasis. Zoro chuckles, and finally, he unwinds his arm from around you, and you take a small step back. “So, did you find something?”
Zoro nods, revealing the little item of interest that he’d been holding onto this entire time.
A small potted cactus. An Alabastan Spire, to be more specific.
“For you,” he says simply, and you shift the flowers to rest in the crook of your elbow, reaching out to accept the pot gently into your hands.
Your eyes land on the blooming flower at the side, the light pink petals beautifully flaring out despite the long needles that surround it.
“Why… Why a cactus?” you ask curiously, knowing your voice trembles a bit. You can’t help it—not when the botanist side of you pulls out any and all cactus related information from your brain in an instant, and the implications of it hitting you full blast. Floriography isn’t your strongest suit, but you remember some meanings well enough—including the meaning of gifting a blooming cactus. But to your surprise, a flush of pink dusts his cheeks, and as he turns his head away to avoid your gaze, you notice the tips of his ears are painted a similar hue. Your breath hitches as your heart beats faster.
“They’re resilient. Not sure if that’s what they mean or symbolize, but it made me think of you,” he answers a bit bashfully, before he musters up the courage to finally meet your eyes. “Don’t laugh.”
Rough and tough Supernova Roronoa Zoro may as well be pouting at this very moment, barely meeting your gaze with rosy cheeks, and you can't help but smile to the point your own cheeks hurt.
“I would never,” you breathe out, half in relief and half in adoration. “I love it. Thank you, Zoro.”
He perks up and grins, a beam of pride as he looks down at you. “Good. Now let’s head back. I’m starving.”
With a smooth step, he takes the gladioli from your hands, before making his way down the path. With a chuckle, you shake your head before catching up to him, slipping an arm around his and tugging him the right way back home. With your arm entwined with his, and your new little cactus in your other hand, you make your way back to the Sunny by his side.
But you’d never tell him the true meaning of giving one a blooming cactus. You’ll save him the embarrassment, but perhaps one day it’d be a humorous story to tell him.
"In the Japanese tradition of Hanakotoba, giving the gift of a flower from a cactus is a clear way to indicate you’re sexually attracted towards someone due to its connection with lust." (thank you flower meaning dot com)
