Work Text:
"ZOROOOOOO!"
Monkey D. Luffy is loud.
Not only that, but Luffy knows that he is loud. He's always been loud. It's the way he talks, the way he walks, how he eats when he's in a really good mood or when he has something especially delicious. Not that Luffy is really difficult to please in that regard.
But yes, Luffy knows what he is and how he is perceived. And he's learned over the years that it's not everyone's preference and that he isn't for everyone. That’s perfectly fine for him. People who do want to stay and stick with him do. And that's what matters to Luffy. Definitely not the possibilities, not the what-ifs, not even the maybes.
He deals in absolutes.
So, he's absolutely, positively certain that his voice carries across the airport terminal.
But who could fault him?
Luffy just spotted his favourite colour: green.
Electric, bright green. And it belongs to his favourite person in the entire world, his boyfriend, Zoro. Zoro, who has been away for a full week, away on a family trip with Perona and Mihawk. They do this every single year, just going away in the woods in a place that looks like a haunted mansion from the pictures that Luffy has seen.
It's just the first time that he's gone while they are dating. That's new too, just six months, just six little months, but Luffy has known Zoro for years. Years of annoying his senior, years of poking Zoro's face, watching him drink his weight in sake. And years of comparing everyone else in his life to him. Not that Luffy was doing it consciously.
It's just that to him? No one does it like Zoro. No one is cool like Zoro or as strong as Zoro. But the realisation took a while to come, with the help of his second-oldest friend, Nami, Luffy had realised that maybe it wasn't that normal to be close to Zoro. To think about him day and night, and to be sad, borderline depressed every time Zoro has dated someone else.
Yeah, cause Luffy is a masochist like that.
He'd said nothing when Zoro had dated Law for two years, he shut his mouth when Wyper barged into Zoro's life and made a mess, and definitely did not throw things at the wall when he heard about King and Zoro getting together.
Absolutely not.
None of those guys mattered. They're the past, gone from Zoro's life; Zoro is his now. And Luffy gets to be the guy that waits for him at the airport, holding a big ass sign that says welcome home Zoro!!! He added glitter for effect, green glitter of course, drawing not only Zoro sleeping but all of his favourite things: Luffy, bottles of sake, and rice balls. It's dumb but cute, Nami had said, and she’s now waiting in the car.
She'd claimed that it was better this way, more than happy to drive Luffy.
"I don't need to see you two being all cute and disgusting."
"Fair."
"Or kissing or groping each other's ass."
"We don't do that..."
"Look me in the eye and say that again, Luffy, for real."
Luffy had laughed instead, thanking Nami and sauntering off inside the airport.
And here he is now, waving his sign and making a show of it. He practically bounces on the spot, making sure that Zoro sees him. Zoro does see him; they lock eyes, and he laughs at Luffy as he comes closer.
And how has Luffy managed an entire week without him? Luffy doesn't know, he also doesn't know how Zoro looks so good in red. He's wearing Luffy's hoodie, the one he lent him before Zoro left for his big trip. He's stretching it a tiny bit, but Luffy doesn't mind. He doesn't mind at all because when Luffy will get it back, it's going to smell like Zoro.
"ZORO!" Luffy yells again once Zoro has passed the last door and is very close. So close that Luffy abandons his sign on the ground and runs to him. Yes, he runs.
This isn't new; he used to do this before too, even before they started dating officially. Now though? Now Luffy gets to see how Zoro's smile slowly creeps onto his face, how it makes him look two years younger, how it sits on his face and makes him look so gentle that Luffy just wants to hug him and never let go.
And he does just that, leaping into the air and into Zoro's arms.
With a big, bright smile on his face, so much so in fact, Luffy's eyes are actually closed. But he isn't worried about the landing. Not even one bit. First off, because this is Zoro he’s leaping towards too. And second, Luffy trusts his boyfriend with his life.
That includes catching him when Luffy does dumb stuff like this (and no, this isn't the first time this particular style of hugging has happened.) And just like every single time, suddenly, there are big, strong arms around Luffy's smaller frame. His chest is pressed against another one, firmer and somehow softer and when Luffy opens his eyes, he sees Zoro's singular one, and those features he knows all too well. Zoro is smiling back at him. Just as he keeps Luffy secured against his chest, both of Luffy's legs are already wrapped around Zoro's middle.
Like it's just the two of them in the airport terminal.
It's really not, and Luffy's antics have already made some people gasp, roll their eyes, and point at them. Luffy doesn't care one bit; he's kissing Zoro's face next, cupping it with some strength. He trails quick and almost bruising kisses anywhere he can reach: Zoro's thin nose, his big forehead, the scar over his eye, both of his cheeks. Zoro laughs out loud in response, keeping Luffy steady in his arms. It's a real fit of strength, considering how much Luffy is moving to do all of that.
"You're back, ugh, you're home."
"Yes, yes, I'm back... god, you're so dumb, why am I into this?"'
"Hehehe, you looooooove me," Luffy whispers it straight into Zoro's ear, and he even licks the shell next. Zoro makes a face, and yet that's a laugh escaping his lips next.
"Yep, that I do, and there's no doubt you missed me."
"Oh, I missed you like air," Luffy admits it very easily, not shying away from his feelings. He can't. Not anymore, not after so much time waiting for exactly this. "My apartment was really empty without you, and it turns out I sleep the best on your chest, so..."
"Hmm, and it turns out I sleep better with your precise weight right there as well."
"Really?"
"Yeah, really. I was up most of the days until late, so late I even went morning jogging with Mihawk."
"But you hate doing cardio."
"Exactly," Zoro replies, and Luffy laughs at his dejected expression.
He kisses the corner of Zoro's mouth, and he means to be good. Zoro is probably tired from his trip, from his whole journey, and they are still very much inside a public space. It really doesn't matter when Zoro is the one to turn his head just right, to capture Luffy's lips, and oh, Luffy is always weak to that. Especially because Zoro's lips are so soft.
Next, they're really kissing, slow and steady, with tongue, Luffy's hands firmly anchored against Zoro's cheek, Zoro's hands on his lower back keeping him in place. It's only been a couple of days, and yet kissing Zoro is better than ever. It feels like Luffy can relax again. Because Zoro is holding him just right, kissing him right... and what else is there? No, seriously, Luffy might be completely in love, and thus dumber because of that, but he doesn't mind if he gets to have this.
When they part, Luffy knows he's blushing, and instead of giving Zoro some room to breathe, he settles inside the crook of Zoro's neck, breathing in deeply.
"I'm going to be here for the next three to five business days if anybody needs me," Luffy mumbles, rubbing his nose against Zoro's skin. He really likes the smell of the soap Zoro uses, the one Perona gifted him, because Zoro would be incapable of picking a good one for himself. That and Zoro's own scent. And Zoro is the perfect temperature, unlike Luffy, who's just too warm at all times.
"That's alright with me," Zoro counters. And to prove it, he adjusts his hold over Luffy, grabs his carry-on with his other hand, and starts heading out of the airport.
***
Luffy really means it. He wants to make up for Zoro's absence and stay glued to him for the next few days. And it's one hundred per cent doable because Luffy has cleared his schedule for this special occasion. For Zoro's return and to be with his boyfriend.
So, for the next few days, in Luffy’s tiny apartment, it's just them.
They both catch up on their sleep, Luffy sleeping on top of Zoro's chest. He's not just resting his head on top of Zoro's chest, no, as Zoro sprawls his arms in their bed, Luffy manages to crawl and curl his entire body onto Zoro's chest, sleeping there with a smile on his face. Sometimes, Zoro will run his hand through his jet-black hair, other times he'll snore right into it, but Luffy's favourite times? It's when Zoro is just waking up, just on the verge of sleep and consciousness, and he starts rubbing circles into Luffy's back. Or random patterns. It makes Luffy shiver, it lulls him back to sleep, and it makes it even harder to want to get up or even face the world.
But they don't have to, right?
No, they absolutely do not have to, and it's even better when Luffy manages to convince Zoro to stay in bed, and he brings in drinks and snacks. They eat right there, Luffy happily using Zoro's chest as his personal table. To eat absolutely anything and everything he wants. Maybe it's not practical, maybe it's not sanitary – it definitely isn't— but Luffy loves it.
He loves making a mess on Zoro's broad, tanned chest and licking it clean afterwards. Whether it's cookie crumbs, chips, or even jam. Zoro pretends to be annoyed; however, Luffy sees that tiny smirk on his boyfriend's face as Zoro looks down. He could stop Luffy very easily. Zoro is much taller and as strong as Luffy, and most importantly, Luffy does listen to him. A real miracle, because Luffy is known to do what he wants and not listen to anyone, much less to people who tell him what to do.
However, Zoro just tucks his hands behind his head, looking down at Luffy licking jam off his chest, very satisfied and very pleased.
So Luffy can only continue.
And they kiss.
Oh, they kiss a lot, making up for all the kisses they have missed while Zoro was gone. And Luffy loves it; he loves pressing his lips against Zoro’s, discovering over and over again that Zoro's lips are the softest thing ever. He makes Zoro shiver and gasp like he's not the big guy that he is, and then Luffy gets to shove his tongue in Zoro's mouth, and yes... they get there, Luffy absolutely adores kissing Zoro. Before, with his first boyfriend, Koby, he didn't really see the appeal; it seemed wet and a total waste of time.
With Zoro? Oh, with Zoro, it's just right. With Zoro, Luffy gets to kiss him over and over again, and he gets to slant their lips together. He licks the top of Zoro's mouth, runs his tongue across Zoro's bottom and top teeth, and he gets to taste what Zoro has just eaten. Or just Zoro in general. It's perfect, and it doesn't go further than that.
Maybe later, they'll have sex, for now, it's just hugging, kissing and being in each other's presence.
Luffy isn't even aware that three days have passed or that his phone is blowing up with messages from his friends and his brothers. Checking on him, making sure he and Zoro are alive.
Their streak ends when Sabo summons them to a party at his place, insisting that they should go.
The blonde even goes so far as to message Zoro himself and threatens him just a tiny bit. And because Zoro has promised Luffy's older brother he would always take care of Luffy, he caves and thus makes Luffy move. Luffy is very unhappy to have to take a shower, not that either of them bothered in those three days, or to be forced to put on clothes.
Yet they do it, they are here, surrounded by people, at Sabo's party. Everyone is loud, the music is nice, the food is good, and usually, Luffy would be the first one to fight Usopp to get hold of controller number one, but no. His face is still buried in Zoro's neck, one hand full of snacks and the other one playing with the hem of Zoro's blue shirt.
"Looks like someone wasn't ready to go out," Robin muses as she points to Luffy. Zoro just chuckles; it makes his chest rumble, and his one arm around Luffy gets even tighter.
"Nah, but we'll go home soon enough," Zoro says. He kisses Luffy's temple, and Luffy sighs happily, still in Zoro's neck. He only looks up at that one silver eye, with hope in his brown ones.
"Really?"
"Yes, really, we'll go back to doing what you wanted."
"Yeah!" Luffy feels so much more motivated to be here and to be present now. He raises one arm, finally turning to Robin. But still very much against Zoro, he looks at Robin from Zoro's neck, never wanting to part.
He can't really, not with those strong arms around his waist and not with Zoro feeding him next. It's perfect, he sticks his tongue out at Nami, calling them sappy and cringe next (isn't saying cringe the cringiest things of them all? Zoro argues back), and he ignores Sabo, who reminds him that Zoro is not going to disappear anytime soon.
He was away for a while, so maybe, just maybe, he might.
Luffy's favourite moment is definitely when the party dwindles as the evening drags on, Nami and Vivi have already disappeared, Franky and Robin are chatting in their own corner, and even Sanji couldn't be less interested in feeding more people. He's too busy staring at Usopp, who's in the middle of a story, with literal heart eyes. Luffy laughs at them, wondering when exactly Sanji is going to make his move, only to have Zoro lift him and then carry him towards the door.
"Let's go," Zoro whispers, and Luffy can only nod, wrapping his arms around Zoro's neck and relaxing against that big, broad chest.
Because that's what he wanted all along: nights with Zoro. All the nights, the short ones where there is no sleep, and they stay up kissing, fucking, playing dumb video games. But also, the long ones, when the silence can be found, when Zoro gets philosophical and starts explaining some math theories to Luffy, when Luffy decides to cook and either makes the most perfect dish or a mess of the kitchen.
The in-between is good too, Luffy muses, as he inhales Zoro's scent once more.
And this? Right there?
This is perfect.