𝐏𝐀𝐏𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐍 (胡蝶) | Roronoa Zoro x Shinobu Kocho

8 - Baratie

— 8 —

"How's the ship look?" Nami inquired. 

"Broken railing. Minor damage. Could've been a lot worse." Zoro assessed. 

"Could've been better." Nami countered, a hint of frustration in her voice.

Shinobu exhaled deeply, finding comfort in the fact that they had successfully eluded the Marines amidst the dense fog, even if they had sacrificed a railing in the process.

Usopp peered through the mist commenting, "Can't see the Marines anywhere." 

Nami with her arms crossed, retorted, "Can't see anything in this soup. What we need is a place to lay low, wait out any reinforcements they send after us. But my charts are useless in this fog." 

"What did Luffy say?" Zoro queried. 

Pointing toward the front of the ship, Shinobu mentioned, "He's on the bow." 

"He hasn't said anything since we hightailed it." Usopp added. 

Shinobu noticed Nami's eye-roll, her tone hinting at frustration, "Well somebody needs to talk to him. About this and that other thing." 

"What other thing?" Zoro pressed. 

"Oh, gee. I wonder." Nami stared incredulously at Zoro, replying sarcastically. Sensing the tension rising, Shinobu swiftly clarified for Zoro, hoping to prevent an impending argument.

"I believe what Nami is talking about is The Vice-Admiral-of-the-Marines-is-my-grandfather thing." 

"Oh, that," Usopp blinked, "I don't really know the guy that well." 

"Doesn't seem like a big deal." The swordsman replied. Nami looked exasperated, clearly frustrated by Zoro's nonchalance. She turned to Shinobu for support, who just gave a noncommittal shrug. 

Taking a deep breath Nami said, "You're his first mate. Kind of seems like that falls under your job description, hmm?" 

Shinobu inwardly mused, She has a point there. Catching Zoro's eye, she flashed him an acknowledging smile.

With a resigned sigh, Zoro conceded, "Fine." and then made his way toward Luffy's position. Shinobu tuned in with her heightened sense of hearing, curious about the forthcoming conversation.

"Honestly, Shinobu, sometimes I wonder why you even put up with him. He's quite dense."

Nami said to her that earned Usopp's attentio and quirked an eyebrow, "Wait, Shinobu, do you...have feelings for Zoro?"

Shinobu responded with mild exasperation, "Where did that come from?"

Usopp gestured towards Nami, "Well, she hinted—"

Nami swiftly interrupted, "Hey, it's a girl thing. You wouldn't understand." Usopp quickly pivoted away, realizing he was out of his depth. Shinobu chuckled and returned to her previous task.

"Hey, how you doing?" 

"Great, but my hat took a couple of hits during the battle." 

"Right..." there was a pause before Zoro continued, "About the battle, you want to talk about it?"

"Nope." 

"Okay, good talk." 

Just how did he persuade me earlier if he talks like that?!

"He seems fine to me." Zoro remarked nonchalantly upon his return.

Nami, slightly irritated asked, "Did you even ask him?" Clearly, Zoro's approach was unique. Or just... very Zoro.