The Best (Zoro X Reader)

Chapter III

Working out in the temple had been more difficult than Zoro expected, he had been running away from the girls all week. It wasn't that easy, he wanted to go away from where the girls practiced but for some reason, he would always end up there or near there. Those girls where driving him crazy, more than Mr. Ito and his annoying jokes about him getting lost.

Luckily for him, today they were finally presenting their dance so he'll be able to work out whenever and wherever he wanted to without those girls wanting to flirt, he didn't have time for that, he needed to put his mind in something else. He felt kind of bad for Y/N, she had been struggling to keep the girls together to practice and according to what he had heard she had barely made it work.

-Roronoa? - Y/N's voice woke him up. He had found the perfect spot to take a nap after an intensive workout- Roronoa, are you okay? Y/N poked him in his forehead making him open his good eye

-Can I help you? - Zoro said stretching a little. He noticed she had put her hair up into an elaborated bun that he guessed was for the dance

-Oh, sorry I just wanted to see if you were okay- she crossed her arms- it's not normal to see shirtless people sleeping in the forest

-What? - Zoro looked around, he saw no trace of the temple around him, he slapped himself mentally

-I'm on my way to the temple if you want some... company- she tried her best not to mention his bad sense of direction, she knew Mr. Ito had made enough jokes to make him feel uncomfortable

-I'll like that company- Zoro picked his heavy equipment and began following Y/N who was lost in her thoughts- are you ready for tonight?

-I am, I'm not sure about the girls though- she rubbed her own arm- I've had to practice by my own a lot because they wouldn't help me out

-Why are you even with them? - Zoro didn't think about what he was going to say, he just did it and when he realized that he wanted to sink in the ground

-It's not them, I wanted to do the dance- she sighted- it just happen that they wanted to do it to- she hold up her thoughts for a second, she wanted to talk about so much yet she was afraid of opening too much- my mom did the kagura dance when she was young- just as easy as breathing she spilled that out

-I bet you're going to do amazing- Zoro said- you have the spirit to make it happen- she smiled at him, until he almost did a left turn in the middle of the path

-I'm going to put fences so you won't get lost- she said grabbing his arm to make it turn to the right way- we don't want you to end up in the wrong side of the mountain

-What do you mean by that?

-There's a part of the mountain where some accidents have happened before, some rocks falling, not reliable terrain and a cliff of sorts- she looked at his strong body- I think you'll do fine though, Mr. I-don't-like-shirts

-I just train better without them- Zoro excused himself as they reached the temple, making an awkward silence

-Would you go and see the dance? - Y/N asked, Zoro nodded with a relaxed smile on his face. She liked that smile; it was sincere and strong- I'll send someone to make sure you go to the right place... and please wear something that covers your body

-I'll try my best- Zoro said walking away to his room

Zoro had to admit he liked wearing kimonos. It made him remember the small town he grew up in where everything was as traditional as it could be. He was smart enough to brought one for his trip to the temple knowing he might get across a ceremony or two, how convenient that it took place no longer after he arrived. He fixed his obi a little bit before heading out to get to the ceremony. To his surprise Mr. L/N was waiting for him outside, Y/N did send someone...

-Mr. Roronoa, what a pleasure- he said trying not to make him feel stupid- I was just on my way to the ceremony and happened to be around here...- Zoro's face showed that he wasn't buying any of it, he was there to assure he would make it, still he respected Mr. L/N and couldn't say anything to him, after all he was a guest in his temple- anyway... let's get going

Finding a place to sit was a pain in the ass for Zoro, if he sat too close Kahori and her friends would to that duck face they did every time they saw him while they were rehearsing, in the back he wouldn't see shit and in the middle he felt crowded. In the end he sat just a few rows behind so he'll be out of the intense glancing of the girls but would see properly. Everything seemed fine until Mr. Ito found a way to sit next to him.

-Looks like is going to start- Mr. Ito had been more decent recently because he had run out of jokes but whenever he found a new one, he'll look everywhere to tell Zoro his new accomplishment- Her mother would be so proud

-Y/N's mother? - Zoro needed to know when to shut up, fortunately Mr. Ito didn't seem to have listened since the dancers had just gotten in place and he was more excited than anyone there.

Zoro saw Y/N immediately, he was right about her hair but the adornments had made it look even better and he couldn't help but to smile at how concentrated she looked while dancing. While the other girls had just limited to memorize the dance and practiced it, she had clearly made the dance hers, in every step she made, every hand gesture, he could feel how much of her she was giving and it was just mesmerizing. How beautiful. He said to himself, he didn't know he'll find this sort of strength in something like a dance, but he wouldn't questioned it, he had proven wrong about many stuffs in the past

As the dance finished Zoro noticed Mr. Ito's crying eyes accompanied by a vibrant smile. He knew nothing at all about Y/N, but he could clearly see how everyone in the temple cared about her a lot and how she cared about them as well even though they hadn't exchanged many conversations. It was something that he could just feel every time he'll see her talking with someone.

-She's just like her- Mr. Ito stud up clapping, while cleaning his tears- she'll have love to see her dancing, don't you think so?- Zoro realized that Mr. Ito was not talking to him but to Mr. L/N who was on his other side, he was crying even more that Mr. Ito- You've done well friend- Mr. Ito patted Mr. L/N shoulder and then Zoro clicked everything up. Mr. L/N was Y/N's father