A/N: For a while now, I've been inspired by an author here going by the name of "akurosa." She's an expert when it comes to One Piece nakamaship, especially between Luffy and Zoro, without going overboard. Her style is sweet and to-the-point and since reading her fics like "Moments like this," I've been compelled to write "behind-the-scene" type stories that take a closer look on Luffy and Zoro's relationship. So, it's really thanks to her (?) that this fic came about. Thanks akurosa!
The chapters won't follow a specific timeline – I'll indicate the approximate time in an arc that the fic takes place in.
Timeline: This fic takes place in the Skypiea Arc when the Straw Hats are on the "God" island (Vol. 27 ~ Chapter 253). It is night in the jungle when the crew just discover that the island was once a part of Jaya.
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What it Means
Smoke billowed out from the campfire and disappeared into the dark sky. The Straw Hat Pirates had just finished eating and were excited about finding the Golden City of Skypiea. Then they wondered out loud whether the next day would be sunny or not.
"Let's put out the fire that we have no use of," Robin, always the logical crewmate, announced. "We will only expose our position to the enemy otherwise."
Zoro watched from afar as Luffy shook his head in disappointment at Robin and called her 'stupid' for wanting to put out the fire. The swordsman tried stifling a chuckle as Usopp tried reasoning with Luffy. Then he wandered off.
"Don'y say it like that. Robin has been living a dark life, so she couldn't have known," Usopp said defending the dark-haired woman.
"Er, what do you mean?" Robin asked confused. It wasn't everyday she was called stupid. Then as soon as she said that, Luffy and Usopp fell to their knees with disbelief and pounded the ground, crying out in outraged voices.
"Lighting a campfire is an obvious thing, yeah?" Luffy said.
"It is only virtue to keep the campfire up when you're camping at night!" Usopp said as well.
Not too far off, Zoro could hear his crewmates' arguments. Then, ringing clear through the night, and even louder than Luffy's voice, was the navigator's screaming voice in the background. However, her rants about fires in enemy territory was barely registered in Zoro's head as he was too concentrated in his task at hand. Hearing a crunch beside him, he quickly glanced up and saw Sanij. Zoro glared at the man once he noticed what Sanji was carrying.
"What?" said the cook blowing smoke from his mouth. "We're both men, aren't we? Let's show the ladies what this means to us!"
Apparently, having a campfire burning strongly in the night was a nostalgic and beloved masculine activity. To Sanji, it could even be used to woo the ladies under such a warm atmosphere. Zoro begrudgingly accepted the blonde's help as both stacked the last of the wood together.
"Monsters?" Chopper cried after hearing Nami's warnings. His eyes bulged from his furry face. The reindeer really didn't like the sound of that, but his fear was soon forgotten.
"Yo! Luffy!" Zoro's voice boomed over the rest, and as everyone turned their attention to him, he asked, "How's this for a woodpile?"
Despite standing proudly beside the pile of wood fit for a bonfire, the swordsman wore a stern face, while Sanji casually leaned against it with a "thumbs-up." Nami took one look at it and screeched, "Not you too?" Sanji, the brave man he was, decided to approach and reassure her.
Even with a dozen pair of eyes gleaming in the darkness behind the man, Sanji smiled with a torch in hand and said, "Don't worry, Miss Nami. Those beasts are afraid of fire."
Zoro could hear, yet again, Nami's screams (of horror this time). And yet again, it was merely background sound to him as he looked for approval from his captain who stood beside him. Luffy stared wide-eyed at the stack of wood before him, his face practically glowing with glee. After a moment, he slowly turned and grinned up at Zolo, obviously delighted with the unexpected surprise. Then finally, the swordsman broke into a grin as well; after all, it wasn't the ladies he tried to please.
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Haha, what'd you guys think? I don't know about you, but I found it pretty funny (and suspicious) when Zoro made the bonfire wood so quickly back in Skypiea. Too eager if you ask me :P It's been on my mind ever since.