Till we meet again I Roronoa Zoro x reader - live action

XVI

"Pretend that you don't know me babe"

"Don't push yourself too hard" I say with a rather irritated grimace.

I can see Zoro's muscles trembling under the weight of the safe, but his exhausted body doesn't stop him from delivering an expression that's way too smug.

"Not even trying" the swaggerer groans, adjusting the safe on his shoulders more comfortably.

"Yeah sure" I roll my eyes in exasperation. I get it you're strong, your big, bulky, and your overinflated muscles let you do whatever you want. But that doesn't make you any more bearable, let alone more admirable! If anything, it just proves how stupid you are.

I sigh and keep those thoughts to myself, though I'm pretty sure they're written all over my face.

Not that I care to keep those a secret, Zoro knows I can't stand him.

"You're so cool" Luffy laughs, somehow even more satisfied than the pirate hunter.

With a loud crash, the guy drops the safe at his feet and, breathing heavily, wipes off the sweat from his forehead, trying to steady his muscles and recover from the massive effort. I wonder how much that damn thing weighs.

"I bet I could lift it too"

What a dumb idea that was.

I just said it, but it doesn't even feel like it was me. That safe must weigh a shitload! I could never lift it like he did. And even if I'll manage to my bone and muscles would probably tear apart. Great, I should probably start digging the hole I'll bury myself in. As a matter of fact I've already dug my own grave. How stupid can I be? I will never be able to raise from the ground the marine's coffer. What am I even thinking? Nothing, exactly. Whenever Zoro's involved, I just lose all sense...

The pirate hunter lets out a loud, genuine laugh. I don't think I've ever heard him laugh like that, not even as a kid.
"Go on, I wanna see you try"

What the hell have I gotten myself into?

"I'm coming," I say as I walk toward the safe, faking my confidence, already feeling the sting of defeat. Breathe, Kai, breathe. You're a badass, right? Full of muscle and grit. Come on.

I remember Zoro's smug laugh, like he could already see me failing, and that alone gives me new powerful energy. I might think I can't do it, but can him? No way.

Before I can get closer, the red-haired girl - Nami, I think her name was - steps between me and the safe.

"So you really are twelve years old"
She sounds like the most annoyed of us all, and that says something. I feel a little bad, and without meaning to I find myself listening to her a little too carefully as she goes on.

"You can't be serious. The map to the Grand Line's in there it's not a toy. I forbid you to touch it again"

Zoro looks stunned and crosses his arms, almost like he's trying not to shove Nami aside.

"You can't tell us what to do" he snaps, clearly pissed. If he were a cat, his fur would be standing on, his tail would be puffed up and his teeth would be ready to hisses at everybody. He's so immature—how can he get so worked up over this? He really does act like some spoiled brat who just had his candy taken away.

I step in, hoping to kill two birds with one stone, save me from embarrassment and the safe from my ineptitude:
"Alright, you're right. We'll stop. I'm not like Zoro who desperately needs other people's approval"
I shoot a sharp glance his way as I say that.