you and yours.

midnight snack. [ roronoa zoro ]

you can't tell if the beeping is your own imagination or not.

it's incessant, dully yelling from somewhere on the ship in a steady yet almost silent rhythm. you can barely hear it but it's almost like it's right there in your ear, beeping and beeping for what seems like hours.

it's driving you mad. you can't stand it.

ripping the covers off your body, you storm out of your room.

on the bright side, you're becoming aware that it's not some figment of your own brain and that it is, in fact, from somewhere on the ship. the downside is that it won't stop, the blaring becoming louder and louder with each soft step you take down the hallway.

the kitchen lights flood out from below the door, a shadow sucking the light away for a split second before it reappears. it could only be luffy, you think, as the gentle noises of sizzling puncture their way through the beeping. you sigh, pushing the door open as your mouth opens to scold your captain.

you freeze. a head of green hair flicks your way.

across the kitchen from you stands zoro. he has a knife between his teeth, a fork in his hand and a spatula in the other. a pan on the stovetop crackles lowly as steam slowly rises from whatever rests on it. and beside him, that damned microwave beeps and beeps. zoro's got some sort of liquid, you're not sure what exactly, dripping down his chest, and it's somehow found its way into his hair that has fallen limp over his forehead. you can't deny that he looks good like this, your eyes drifting just slightly.

"what... what are you doing?" you grumble out. your voice is thick with sleep and it almost takes you by surprise when your throat rasps.

he drops the knife onto the counter with a clank . "i was hungry."

your brows drop to furrow over your eyes. goosebumps have begun to rise on your skin from the chilled night air that filters from the open door behind you. you step forward into the kitchen and let it swing closed. "are you still hungry?"

he glares at you in confusion. "obviously. why do you think i'm trying to cook?"

you sigh. that damned microwave is still blaring. you open it, tossing whatever he had sitting in there onto the counter beside him before slamming it closed. "whatever. anyway, you woke me up and i don't think you know how to cook in the first place. just wait for sanji to wake up and go back to bed."

zoro huffs, crossing his arms over his chest, whatever sat there smearing across his skin. "i can't wait that long."

you frown. "are you five? just go to bed."

you pivot on your heel and begin to walk back outside, but the lack of noise from behind you makes your steps stop. peering over your shoulder, zoro stares at you with a pout, unmoved from his position. sighing, you let your head drop in defeat. you should've known.

"you want me to make you something?" you grumble, turning towards him.

a ghost of a smile falls on his lips and he nods. you wince, slowly taking an apron off of the hook.

you're thankful you took over cooking for him, or there would've been a problem in the morning with your chef. one test bite into whatever he tried to make and you had to bite back a gag before boxing it away. it was a quick fix, and you were able to salvage most of his mess and fix it up to be edible.

"i didn't know you could cook," zoro mutters.

you hum, peering up from the pan to meet his eyes. they're ridden with slumber, his cheek pushed up by the palm of his hand. he looks cute and relaxed like this, something you wish you could see on him more often.

"there's a lot you don't know about me, zoro," you finally reply, eyes falling back towards the dish as it sizzles, the flush on your face becoming hotter and hotter.

"i'd like to know more," his voice sounds louder now, and when you look up again he's peering down at you, a hand propped up on the counter.

warmth flares up your neck as you stare at your crewmate. zoro is never talkative, always one to listen and never to initiate conversation. maybe it was the sleepiness taking over him or a sudden rush of boldness, but his words took you completely by surprise. your little crush was not helping your situation, eyes flickering from his eyes to his lips to his chest and back again.

"like what?" your voice comes out quieter than you expected.

"dunno," the graze of his finger against your face makes you freeze, a lone strand of hair being gently pushed behind your ear. "just... more about you. you pique my interest."

you chuckle nervously, letting his hand drop from your face as you move to plate his meal. "well i wouldn't mind letting you know more," you say, eyes trained on the plate to avoid the burning stare against the side of your face. "as long as i get to know more about you, too."

zoro's brows furrow as he takes the plate from your hand, moving to sit at the counter once more. "that's not part of the deal."

you grin, leaning over the counter. you're inches away from his face, close enough to feel his breath. his eye slides down your face, dancing over your lips before they snap back to your gaze.

"maybe it's not, but it is reparations for me making you food at three in the morning."

his lips curl before shoving his fork in his mouth. "fine. but i get reparations, too."

you scowl. "and what would those be?"

he grins, pearly white teeth glistening in the dimmed kitchen lights. "i get to make you mine. deal?"

your eyes widen, jaw falling slack, heart slamming against your ribs. that is not what you expected him to say. zoro may be bold, but you never expected him to be bold about his feelings towards anyone, nonetheless you. you can't pass up the chance, though. maybe the microwave waking you up wasn't so bad.

"deal."