Enjoy ^^

Laugh

"Yohohoho! Zoro-san is as serious as always." Brook laughed as Zoro glared at Luffy and Usopp for waking him up from another nap. The weather was warm and the passing clouds gave a comfortable shadow. Usopp, Luffy and Chopper had been playing around on deck and had accidentally woken up the grumpy swordsman whom had threatened them before going up to the crow's nest.

"Zoro is so boring now." Luffy complained when he joined Nami and Robin who was enjoying the refreshments that Sanji had brought out only moments ago. He slumped on the railing as he stared out over the endless sea.

"Thinking about it, Zoro did use to smile and laugh a lot when I first met them." Nami looked at Usopp and Sanji for confirmation to what she had just said. Sanji just shrugged his shoulders while Usopp agreed.

"You're right, he was like a different person back then, used to pull all those jokes as well."

"Haha I remember in Syrup village he told your friends that we had eaten you! It was pretty funny!" Luffy laughed out at the memory while Usopp shook his head thinking of his poor followers back then.

"I remember Zoro-bro always being serious but you're right he might have been more relaxed back then." Franky scratched his head while trying to remember how the swordsman was back when they had first met.

"He used to be quite funny." Robin giggled. "Well he still is though."

"I can't remember Zoro ever being not serious." Brook uttered. "Do you perhaps reckon when it happened that he started to change?"

The older crew members thought for a while and then Usopp said hesitantly.

"Well after that bout with Dracule Mihawk while we were still in east blue he certainly became more obsessed with training and becoming stronger. But that was not all of it I think."

"Thriller bark." Sanji said darkly. "After waking up from that coma he hasn't been the same." Sanji started puffing on his cigarette faster while recalling the events there and what the swordsman had down to protect the crew."

"I think you're right Sanji and after those two years we spent away from each other he probably thinks it was his fault we all got separated."

"Nami-swan!" Sanji said lovingly to the fact that she had agreed with him."

"Zoro-san sure has always seemed to carry a heavy load on his shoulders, a man of principles and responsibilities." Brook said.

"I want him to play and have fun with us again." Luffy complained.

"Zoro has a lot of stress, Luffy." Chopper explained. "After Thriller bark and Sabaody it wasn't just his body that was hurt but his mind as well. It won't be easy to reverse that, and after meeting up again after the two years there is something about him that scares me sometimes. Who knows what he went through those two years? He even lost an eye but he wont talk to me about it." He confessed with shame.

"He scares me too." Usopp confessed while showing Chopper that he wasn't alone with his thoughts.

"Well, if we all want our swordsman to laugh more I don't see where the problem is." Robin said smiling. Seeing that no one was thinking the same as her she continued. "All we have to do is make him laugh." That statement made everyones face brighter as they one by one began to think up a plan to make Zoro laugh.

Franky/Brook:

It was evening and everyone had eaten dinner and were now gathered on deck. Franky and Brook had set up some kind of small theater where only Franky's head could be seen. The two of them put on a really nice performance with a few dolls that Franky had made. While Franky controlled the dolls, Brook was responsible for the music and sound effects. Their performance had the others holding their bellies with laughter, but the only reaction they managed to get out of their swordsman was a fond smile.

Usopp:

It was right before bedtime, Robin had offered to take the first watch as she was planning to stay up anyway to do some reading. All the men were laying in their bunkers waiting for sleep when Luffy blurted out.

"Usopp tell us a story!"

"But it's so late Luffy." Usopp complained.

"I want a story that will make me laugh in my sleep." Even though Luffy had sincerely wanted a story for himself the others smirked in the dark as they thought that this would be the perfect opportunity to make Zoro laugh.

Usopp made a quick roll call to assure that everyone was awake and when being affirmed he started one of his best stories and by the time he was done Luffy and Chopper were on a the floor crying from laughter and Sanji was clutching his stomach from the pure laughter coming out of him. Franky was shouting SUPER in between the bouts of laughter and Brook's 'Yohoho' could be clearly heard above the others. But from the swordsman not a sound was heard. After having laughed for some minutes the others could hear Zoro speak up with a soft, berating voice.

"Everyone, that's enough. Try to get some sleep. Who knows what will await us tomorrow." And as if that was some spell the men all slowly fell asleep as their energy had been drained from laughing. And in the morning when they woke up again they realized that Zoro had relieved Robin from her shift and let them sleep.

Robin:

On their way to summer island the temperature was extremely hot. Robin sat on deck sipping some iced tea while she read her book. Hearing footsteps down the stairs she glanced in that direction only to find a shirtless, sweaty swordsman. He made his way straight for the kitchen probably after some water. She could hear him and the cook throw insults at each others and she decided upon a plan to make Zoro laugh.

Soon enough Zoro emerged from the kitchen. He shut the door behind him with a frown before taking a deep breath and looking up at the clear blue sky. And as he stretched his body to the endless heaven Robin summoned several arms that began to tickle him at his most vulnerable moment. The outcome though was not exactly as she had expected. Instead of doubling over with laughter and begging her to stop, his body tensed up and his muscles flexed in pure instinct. Robin got a good feel of his muscles and steadily blushed until her extra arms disappeared. This whole time Zoro had been looking at her with a raised eyebrow and a slightly confused smile.

When the 'tickling' stopped he asked her with a smirk.

"Feeling anything you like?"

"Haha!" Robin laughed loudly. "Nothing I can complain about. So interesting." She giggled at the end.

Zoro shrugged his shoulders and shook his head before going back to the crow's nest.

Nami/Sanji:

The strawhats were having an early dinner as lunch had been missed due to a marine ship attacking. As usual Sanji served the food and as everyone dug in Sanji asked.

"Robin-chwan! Nami-swan! How does it taste?"

Robin gave her usual smile while Nami made a frown and said.

"Sanji this actually taste very bad." The cook's face dropped. "And I think you totally messed up this drink." Sanji froze and stared at her with bewilderment and when she put the utensils down on the table indicating she wouldn't have more, Sanji simply fainted.

Chopper rushed up from his chair to check on Sanji, but to everyones dismay Zoro didn't laugh, all he did was make a grunt and said that's what he always said calling Sanji a shit-cook once again, and saying how he deserved that.

Seeing that her plan failed Nami sighed and picked up her utensils to continue eating. Despite what she had told Sanji the food was as always delicious.

Luffy/Chopper:

"Zoro! Zoro!" Zoro lazily opened his eye as he heard the shouting coming closer and just as he presumed Luffy and Chopper were running his way.

"Say are you bored?" Luffy asked excitedly.

"What do you think." Zoro replied highly annoyed as he remembered why he couldn't walk around.

"Come on Zoro, don't be angry it was just a little accident."

"Yes and I will allow you to walk without the crutches again in two day." Chopper buttered up. Zoro looked at their eager faces and thought back to the day before.

There had been a steady gentle downpour for a few days and today the sun had finally come out, obviously Luffy, Usopp and Chopper had been running around playing, somehow Chopper had fallen overboard and Zoro having been the closest jumped in after him. Having saved the little reindeer Zoro began to remove his wet shoes and took off his shirt, before he could begin to remove his socks however, Usopp ran by him in such speed he looked up, he only had a slight second to notice his captain charging in his direction and in the last moment he managed to take a step back.

Unfortunately what everyone had not noticed was that with the stopping of the rain the temperature had also dropped and the small water puddles over the deck had frozen over. It was on one of this frozen puddles that Zoro stepped on with his wet sock while trying to evade Luffy. The result was a loud thud as Zoro slipped and fell and a shout of pain as he landed on his foot.

Having heard the commotion everyone rushed out to see what had happened only to find Luffy apologizing and Zoro holding his foot in pain. Chopper having recovered from his bath in the sea rushed forward and examined his foot. He gave a deep content sigh as he looked at the others and exclaimed.

"It's a sprained ankle everyone, he didn't break anything!" The reindeer said happily. "Franky can you make a pair of crutches for Zoro?"

"Sure! You can SUPER count on me! Give me 10min!" The cyborg said before leaving to his workshop.

"Zoro don't put any weight on your leg for 3days, you have to rest and while you're laying down we will ice the ankle and apply compression on it and also you must keep you foot elevated that way it will heal faster."

"Luffy just wait until I get you!" Zoro shouted angrily, Luffy paled and moved several meters away to be on the safe side.

"What do you want?" Zoro asked grumpily

"Play a game with us!" Luffy said.

"Yeah we need your help." Chopper insisted.

Zoro rolled his eyes but truth be told he was way to bored to not join their game.

"Ok, so what do I have to do?" He asked while acting annoyed. The faces of the other two lightened up at his response.

"Here you have to read this." Chopper said and gave him a little book. "And every time you say… 'x looked like …' we make a face you tell us who of us looks the funnier."

Zoro looked at them skeptically but did as they requested. It didn't take long before he got into his role as the narrator and even added sound effects while reading. Even though he always pointed out a winner between the two he didn't laugh once. When the game ended and Chopper and Luffy were breathless from laughing Zoro handed the book back to Chopper.

"I played with you so now let me sleep for a while." He dismissed them and before they had retreated 2meters they could hear his gentle snoring, when they looked back a small smile was plastered on his face.

—

The entire crew minus Zoro who guarded Sunny looked at the old woman whom had approached them at the pier as they were making their way back.

"Who are you?" Franky asked suspiciously.

"That is not important young man, but I couldn't help to overhear that your friend is unable to laugh. Is he perhaps sick?" She asked.

"He just can't seem to let his guard down and relax anymore." Nami said with a sigh.

"Hohoho, I think I have just the thing for your friend. Have him eat this and you will see that he will be able to laugh again."

"How long does it act?" Robin asked.

"For as long as he decides to. It will get him started and he decides when it's time to stop."

"I guess you will want some kind of compensation for this." Sanji said carefully.

"No, no, not at all. I simply thought it so dear of you to worry about your friend like that. Now then, goodbye." She turned around and began walking slowly away from the group.

"Let's try it at dinner!" Luffy said excitedly.

"I'm not so sure about this, if it backfires Zoro is going to kill us." Usopp said hesitantly.

"Yohoho, that grandma seemed to have a nice soul, I don't think it will be dangerous.

"I will put it on his plate later today then." Sanji said as put the little dark bread in his pocket.

Several hours later…

The strawhats were sitting at their table waiting for Sanji to serve them food. The moment the plates were set before them they dug in. To their surprise Zoro ate everything on his plate except for the dark bread.

"Oi shithead, don't leave food on your plate."

"Cook, what is this… it smells strange."

"It's medicine." Sanji blurted out before thinking.

"Medicine? And why would I need that?" He asked.

"Chopper ordered it."

"Chopper?" Zoro asked.

"You need it." Was all Chopper said.

"Why?" Zoro asked stubbornly.

"It's good for you." Zoro was about to say something more when Luffy interrupted.

"Captains order, eat it Zoro!" Zoro looked at him with surprise but seeing that his captain wouldn't give in he swore a bit and then ate the thing in one go.

"Happy now?" He asked angrily.

Sanji carefully placed a glass of water in front of the swordsman who drank it immediately.

Seeing that nothing particular happened the rest of the crew started with their small talk again but after a couple of minutes a faint chuckling could be heard, everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at him with big eyes.

"Zoro-bro?" Franky asked. This had him laughing loudly and he was now clutching his belly with one hand and holding the table with the other for support.

"What are you laughing at?" Robin asked gently.

This had him laughing even more and finally he managed to get some words out.

"You people are so funny." Tears were escaping his eye.

"Oi, what do you mean marimo?" Sanji said annoyed.

"These… past…weeks… didn't think…. I would… notice… so dumb…just look at you." And he burst out in even more laughter and his head rested on the table as he wiggled his head from side to side with laughter.

The rest of the crew were dumbstruck, this whole time Zoro had seen right through them.

"Then why wouldn't you laugh?" Nami said also her angry.

"I simply stopped myself." He managed to get out with one breath.

"So why are you laughing now?" Usopp asked confused.

"Can't stop myself…can't stop." And he continued laughing accompanied by Luffy whom had joined him for no apparent reason. Slowly the rest of the crew also began to laugh. It was something about the moment which just made them laugh harder and harder. By the time they stopped laughing Zoro was still writhing from uncontrollable fits. He was now on the floor begging them to make it stop.

"Can't… anymore… stop… just make… it stop…"

"Only you can make it stop Zoro." Robin said sympathetically.

"Zoro-san what to do? Luffy just dropped your katana in the sea!" Suddenly the noise just vanished as Zoro stopped laughing and instead turned pale. He rushed out to deck and prepared himself to jump in to sea to retrieve his sword, but he was unable to do so as Luffy held him back.

"Joke, it was a joke!" Luffy said.

Zoro blinked. "A joke?" He asked.

"Yohohoho you did beg us to make the laughing stop. We thought the best way was to scare you. Yohohoho."

Zoro looked around himself at his nervous nakama, he then dragged a hand through his hair before saying shortly.

"Everyone, kitchen, now!" Seeing that they had now angered him they all rushed to the kitchen to wait for their doom. When everyone was seated Zoro spoke.

"So what's going on? Why have you been going out of your ways to make me laugh?"

Nami being a bit frustrated with the whole situation decided to speak up. "It's because you never laugh anymore. I remember when we first met, you used to laugh a lot, not that evil snicker you give your opponents but a sincere laugh."

"Yeah, Zoro you're so serious nowadays!" Luffy exclaimed.

"We just wanted you to have some fun and relax." Usopp said.

Zoro looked at them with a surprised look. "I didn't know you felt like that. I didn't know you even cared." He admitted after a while.

"Of course we care you shitty marimo!" Sanji exploded angrily.

Zoro gave a deep sigh before saying. "Just seeing you all have fun and laughing is enough for me, that way I know i'm protecting you. I don't need to laugh, what I need is to get stronger."

"Sometimes it's good to take a step back and enjoy yourself. You only live once Zoro." Robin said.

"Seeing you laughing makes all of us happy." Franky agreed.

"Laughing is good for your heart and makes you live longer." Chopper added.

"You must laugh with your nakama when you can Zoro-san, because one day it won't be possible anymore, when that day come you don't want to have any regrets." Brook said seriously with an aura of someone who spoke from experience.

There was some minutes of silence as everyone absorbed what had been said. Then Zoro walked to the door and stepped outside. He looked back before leaving and laughed. "I'm lucky to have you as my family. I'm going to bed now, don't wake me up!" They could hear his laughter become fainter as he went further and further away from them.

The rest of the crew's faces shined brightly when they realized that they had actually succeeded in making their swordsman laugh and also open up to them a bit.

END

I hope you enjoyed it ^^