Zoro being just a little desperate for soft affection because people don't touch him gently. He's not something people handle with care or touch with careful intentions.
He's a swordsman
The first mate of the future pirate king and a god
A strawhat pirate
He doesn't mind it, because you can't miss something you don't really know, but sometimes he gets hints of it. Like Chopper taking care of his injuries or Robin's hands brushing against him as she hands him something. The others don't touch gently. They're pirates, liars, thieves and fighters.
It's hard to be gentle on the sea.
Luffy's too strong for his own good
Sanji's alway eager to pick a fight
Nami's not very familiar with gentleness herself
Usopp's too unsure
Franky doesn't trust himself
Brook doesn't think he's capable of it anymore
Zoro deserves gentle sometimes though, when he's more white bandages than tan skin or when he smells like blood rather than salt.
Sometimes he looks very breakable for how unbreakable he is.
There are times he looks soft, only with them.
When he lets himself wake up slowly, silver eye still cloudy with sleep and everything about him sleep ruffled and soft.
Or when he speaks with Chopper, letting his body loosen from a stricter hold and creating a welcoming atmosphere that always has Chopper climbing into his lap or dancing happily.
Always when he takes care of his swords, each movement done without too much thought after years of repetition. A critical eye looking them over before moving to the next, handled with a care that looks like it should be unnatural to a man like Zoro.
He goes sweet for them.
Looking as surprised as they do when he surges towards the gentle affection like he can't stop himself.
💙
Luffy throwing his arm around Zoro's shoulders, and touching, thoughtless and confident because he knows Zoro won't pull away. His fingers playing with earrings, petting at soft hair and brushing against skin.
Zoro can't help the little, protesting noise that slips out when it stops.
Luffy looks at him with a blank expression and observing eyes, the face he wears when he's serious about something. He returns his hand to the side of Zoro's neck and it's so careful, fingers caressing against his neck in little brushes and it has him melting.
Luffy's incredibly pleased because Zoro is such a warm, happy weight against his side, all loose limbed and practically purring.
He looks vulnerable and sleepy in a way that has a bubble of something growing in Luffy's chest. It threatens to choke him, his throat tight with it and his heart beating weird. He just keeps petting with confident but gentle touches.
Zoro buries his face in his shoulder and it knocks the wind out of his lungs. He wants to move, energy popping under his skin in happiness but he stays still. The arms he wraps around Zoro to drag him closer, half on his lap and still not close enough, are gentle.
💙
Sanji trying to figure out the best way to get Zoro back to the crew after a battle. Hovering because everywhere looks bruised and bloody, seriously it's like he tries to get cut up during his fights.
Finally getting him up enough that he can climb on Sanji's back and they'll try that way.
Zoro's lighter than he looks, they all know that but it's always a little surprising. He's quick on his feet, has used half the crew as spring boards for a push off in fights and he definitely wouldn't be able to do that so easily if he weighed what he looks.
He's a warm weight against Sanji's back and the cook can feel his thighs from where he's got his hands placed for support, they have a healthy layer of fat covering the muscle.
He's embarrassed by the pleased feeling he gets from that. The idea that Zoro is healthy and taken care of because of him is powerful. He's very proud of how the crew looks healthy and strong, nothing about them that suggests hunger or poor nutrition.
He brushes his thumb back and forth in a gentle way, briefly wishing he felt skin instead of fabric, before very quickly shoving that thought into a little box and placing it all the way to the back of his mind.
Zoro relaxes into him, body pressing heavier as he stops tensing up and his chin digging into Sanji's shoulder. He looks exhausted but his breathing has calmed and he almost looks like he could fall asleep.
Sanji just tugs him more securely against his back, desperately ignoring the way Zoro's legs tightens around his waist at the movement and how his chest pressing against Sanji's back has his nose itching. Zoro relaxes again and Sanji goes back to rubbing his thumbs back and forth, gentle and comforting.
💙
100% based on the ideas that:
Luffy just casually touches, hugs, climbs on, etc the crew whenever he wants because they're his.
Sanji is very proud that the crew looks healthy and strong, knowing it's because he's the one making their food.
Zoro being a strange type of touch starved that has him unconsciously giving off cat vibes of please pet me and I'm sorry if I get overwhelmed and bite.
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