Unconventional Mates (Werewolf! Roronoa Zoro X Reader)

Taunting

"What was that?" You asked the green haired man.

He had led you outside of the common room into a beautiful, more quiet place in the forest. It was still near the houses and the cabins were visible from there, but it was a much more tranquil place compared to the chaos that came from being with the rest of the pack.

"I don't really know." Zoro grunted tiredly. There were small bags under his eyes and, now that you actually got a chance to take a better look at him without feeling overwhelmed or intimidated, you could tell he looked exhausted.

You had been so focused on how this all had been so unfair and strange for you that you never really considered how it would have taken a toll on him. After all, he and Nami kept telling you he hadn't done any of this out of bad intentions, it had just been his own way to salvage an almost unsalvageable situation. That is, if all of this soulmate stuff was true.

Still, you abstained yourself from saying anything. You barely knew the guy and still felt skittish towards him. Now much less than a couple of hours ago, but you were still careful.

"But it probably has something to do with Cracker." He finally said.

You felt your skin run cold, remembering the horrifying creature you had seen your fiancé become. Large, veiny, bloody and incredibly hateful. It was just a big mass of negative and hostile energy. Something you never wanted to encounter ever again.

Zoro laid down on the grass and you followed, laying barely centimeters beside him as you both looked at the clear sky. It felt peaceful, the humidity of the air felt comforting and refreshing inside the forest, but what clouded your minds wouldn't be eased up by a simple view. These problems were too big.

It helped a little.

"You're still mad at me?" Zoro broke the silence.

"I don't really know anymore." You sighed. "I just want to understand what is happening. After all, you are a stranger to me. I don't know you."

"But (Y/N)-"

"And I'm a stranger to you, aren't I? Why do you act as if you know me? What do you know about me that I don't?"

Zoro chuckled.

"Nothing, really." He smiled cockily, turning his body to face you. "I know as much as you do, maybe I'm just handling it better than you." He joked.

You frowned. Was he right? He had gone through every single thing that just happened to you, but from a different point of view. He was handling it much better than you, but it hadn't been as life changing for him as it had been for you, you thought.

"What?" You said, slightly offended.

"I'm messing with you." He cleared up, the smile growing on his face. You were an easy target to make mad. You appeared to have quite the temperament.

You rolled your eyes, a small blush on your cheeks as you realized how easily you had fallen in his games.

"Dumbass." You murmured under your breath, looking back into his eyes with defiance.

"Hey!" Zoro said in feigned offense. "Say that again." He dared you, quickly locking you under him and holding your wrists at the side of your face.

You gasped, your eyes shining brightly in both embarrassment and excitement. This man had managed to torn all your defenses down in a matter of minutes. Not even with Cracker had you ever caught yourself playfully bickering like this, in spite of having spent so much time living together.

"D-du..." The embarrassment overpowered your willingness to tease him back, small pink flowers blooming behind your back in the ground. If Zoro was human he wouldn't have even noticed them, but he felt the magical energy that came from them, wondering who and how had managed to bloom them around you.