The Swordsman and the Blacksmith (Roronoa Zoro x Reader)

Chapter 14: A Harmless Lie

Roronoa Zoro had lied. He was fairly certain he could figure out a way for you to wield Sandai Kitetsu without repercussions, but he was far too entertained to ever consider admitting it. Seeing you swing that practice sword awkwardly was fun and he hadn't had this much fun in years.

His eye lingered a touch too long along the softness of your thighs as he took in your form. Your footwork was wrong, your grip was wrong, it was all wrong. He hadn't expected much, but this was laughable.

He snorted in amusement.

At first, he had intended to let you struggle, a silent payback for the trouble Shiawase had caused. He had been surprised when you swallowed your pride and asked for help. If he were honest, he had assumed you to be too stubborn to ever consider it. Yet, there you stood, hair gleaming in the sunlight, swinging a practice sword in every wrong way known to man, and he found himself utterly captivated by the sight.

"You suck," he remarked incredulously after witnessing an especially clumsy swing.

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Zoro's soft snort distracted you, the swing you'd been forming falling flat. You winced. This was a bad one, even for you. You knew you weren't good with a blade, but you'd never had the need to be good. Still, his assessing gaze rattled you, your form worsening with every passing second.

"You suck." He remarked casually.

You rolled your eyes. "You think I don't know that?" you asked sarcasm dripping in your voice.

Zoro's smirk only widened at your retort, his amusement evident in the glint of his eye. "Well, you'd think making swords like Shiawase and Yokubari would give you at least a basic understanding of how to handle one," he commented offhandedly, his tone dripping with teasing mockery.

You gritted your teeth, fighting the urge to lash out in frustration. "Handling a sword and crafting one are two entirely different skills," you shot back exasperated. "You wield the legendary Shusui and yet I'm willing to bet you don't even know the basics of how it was created." You couldn't resist adding, your eyes wandering to the sword at his side.

Zoro's expression softened slightly. "Fair enough," he conceded, his tone surprisingly sincere. "But still, you're a fucking liability for the crew with your lack of skills. Sandai Kitetsu must have been laughing in your face," he added, with a superior smirk.

Your jaw clenched at the swordsman's pointed remark, the sting of his words only accentuated by their truthfulness. "Oh, believe me, I'm well aware," you shot back, voice laced with frustration as you remembered the absence of respect the blade had towards you. "Look here, swordsman," you started, your gaze locking defiantly with his. "I know I'm not great and I know I'm especially bad at practicing some random forms like that. I don't fight like it's a tea ceremony and neither do you." You explained. "I don't think Sandai Kitetsu respects this bullshit either." You added as you gestured at the practice sword and yourself.

Zoro's smirk widened, confirming your suspicions that he was toying with you. He took a few steps forward, his boots almost touching yours. The proximity forced you to look up into his eyes. "You're right," he admitted. "Sandai Kitetsu doesn't respect this child's play." His fingers grazed yours as he lifted the practice sword out of your loose grasp. "But your grip is wrong, and your footwork is even worse," he remarked.

You compelled yourself to stand still, your pulse quickening at the touch of his fingers, a jolt of electricity coursing down your spine at the subtle rasp in his voice.

Zoro's scrutiny was unwavering as he searched your eyes for something, his expression a mix of calculation and amusement. "Go get one of your swords," he said plainly. "Show me how you fight, and we'll figure the rest out from there."