The One : Roronoa Zoro X Reader

6

You stirred awake feeling heavy and warm, really really warm, too warm. Opening your eyes, you found your youngest brother bandaged up and snuggled into your torso. He'd done this many times when he was just a little kid whenever he was worried or stressed. You gently ran your fingers through his hair.

"He was worried about you." Ace murmured from the armchair on the other side of you.

"Awe, my babies," you whispered with a chuckle, wincing at the slight shift of your body.

"He really fucked you up." your freckled brother affirmed.

"Chipped one of my vertebrae." you nodded, " I'll show you the bruise later I'm sure it's worse now."

"Here." Ace handed you your Vicodin and water.

"Oh, I forgot to ask Zoro who won the fight?"

"We did, of course." the raven replied.

"I'd call it a draw." the greenette voiced from the recliner, "Smoker showed up and split us up just when more people started to join."

"So, we owe Kid a visit?" you laughed.

"F/N," Marco called sternly appearing in the doorway.

"I was only kidding." you held your hands up innocently.

He raised a brow at you, "Wake Luffy up, lunch is almost ready."

"Luuuuuunch." Luffy muttered against you.

"This kid will never change." you laughed poking his face, "Oi, Luffy... There's food in the kitchen."

The youngest stirred more eventually sitting up to rub his eyes, "F/N!" he hugged you a little too tight.

"I wasn't dying. Geez."

"But he really hurt you, right?" his big brown eyes met yours.

"Nah I'm fine." you pinched his cheeks, "Go eat. I'll be up in a second."

Your brothers filed out of the room leaving you with Zoro. He yawned and stretched flopping back into the plush chair.

"That chair is cozy right?" you eased yourself into a seated position.

He nodded a little taken back that you were sober and speaking to him.

"Luffy was four when we adopted him. I used to put him to sleep there. He had to be read to every night, well until I started university then the guys told him he had to toughen up."

"Wait so, how many years apart are you?" he flushed, the question just tumbled out of his face.

He knew you were older, just not by how much.

"Thirteen years." you snorted, "I'm surprised they hadn't told you with the amount of time they spend calling me an old lady."

That made you eleven years older than him. Eleven. No wonder you got along so well with Shanks you were closer in age. He was feeling intimidated again, you would probably only see him as a kid.

"They've never said it around me." he shrugged watching you slowly stand.

Carefully you bent down to get one of your pillows, "It'll happen sooner or later."

Zoro stepped forward offering his arm to steady you as you winced trying to stand back with your pillow. You glanced up inspecting his face in the daylight, the puffiness around his eye wasn't as bad but the bruise was a deep purple strangely complimenting the flecks of gold in his brown eye. His lip was a bit swollen and bruised, you made a mental note to give him more ointment before letting him leave.