#especially usopp (who has much more confidence now to act on his feelings towards his partners)

[ms-all-sunday]

post timeskip they start calling zoro a good boy because he's taking orders and being so much less grumpy about it and he gets painfully turned on in public. sabaody like is the start of this it starts really fucking early

[kenbunshokus]

this is a (super late) update to this fic rec post! i was planning to just keep editing and updating that post, but it’s been so old it no longer appears on tumblr search system and all, so here we are. be ready for some old school zosans in the mix

all complete

absolute favorites will be noted with a ♡

list will be updated as i find more

story count: 30 fics

last update: jan 5th 2020

CANON-VERSE

Goings On by clarify  ♡

Zoro and Sanji understand each other, and sometimes have a very similar sense of humor. Even though they're worlds ahead of most, sometimes they can't help but to act their age.

easily one of my favorites. zoro and sanji are completely in character, being themselves and comfortable in each other’s spaces. for anyone who thinks zoro and sanji can’t get along in canon, this fic can easily prove them wrong.

Part Timer by 8ball ♡♡

Sanji really, really doesn't want to give Zoro a job at his restaurant. Zoro doesn't really even want to work there in the first place, but, well, there’s this thing with Sanji, and this thing with feelings and the whole thing is pretty damn stupid all together.

Zeff just wants grandkids. He’s too old for this bullshit anyways.

a wonderful, heart-wrenching, roller coaster ride of a post-series fic. this fic is not just a mere fic — it’s a zosan magnum opus with guest appearances by so many other characters, lots of crew hijinks and a must-read for everyone who craves for a happy ending for these good boys.

Say It Again by 8ball

Zoro tells Sanji how he feels. And then again. And again. 

since we’re talking about 8ball i just want you to know i’d rec everything they’ve ever written, but special mention to say it again — a classic miscommunication trope fic done well where the miscommunication stems from fundamental misunderstanding of each other’s principles and views instead of just some plot-convenient coincidences. and soft zoro. god, he is soft.

The Wedding Night by cuethe-pulse (lj)

Zoro had never expected any of this.

major character death warning. don’t let the first few scenes fool you. note the warning; the last few lines were like a punch in the gut for me, except, you know, the good kind of punch. also, a quick rec of a drabble by the same author to soothe the pain after this one.

Roronoa Zoro: World’s Greatest Bug Killer by insaneidiot ♡

Sometimes, Zoro's life really sucks. He should've known better than to make fun of Sanji's bug phobia, though...

zoro’s internal monologue is hilarious  — until today, this author is still my go-to expert on zoro’s voice, especially his more sarcastic side.

Quitting’s Easy by insaneidiot

Sanji decides to quit smoking. This is not quite so easy as he thinks it will be. Also, his crewmates (excluding Robin and Nami, of course!) are assholes.

fun, fun strawhat hijinks and oblivious sanji. the crew dynamics and especially sanji’s voice are pitch perfect. there’s a hint of luffy/nami that you can easily scroll past if it’s not your thing.

I can’t stop thinking that i can’t stop thinking by hieiandshino ♡

In which Brook changes tactics and Zoro is not amused. Everyone else is, though.

holy shit is this fic hilarious. i love comedy fics that manage to slip in thoughtful observations and character study in between the hijinks, and this fic pulls that off with flying colors. 

The Walls See All by threesipsmore

Reiju hides a snail cam in her brother's room.

fun short fic from reiju’s pov. there’s never enough zosan set in whole cake island arc and this fic delivers.

Stormbird by Judin ♡

The Straw Hats' first landing in the New World is on Arashi Island, where it looks like they'll be spending a fun week attending the local festival and making new friends. Until they spot a strange pirate ship in the harbour, and Sanji starts behaving oddly. The Straw Hats become entangled with the mysterious Gently Pirates, a crew that harbour many secrets, and whose captain is a man out of Sanji's past who has the power to tear the Straw Hat crew apart. 

it cannot be overstated how wonderful this fic is, and how it could’ve fit into the canon just nicely, like a better-written one piece movie, except with zosan. not only are sanji and zoro in character, every strawhat gets a spotlight and has pitch-perfect voices. brook is especially lovely in this fic.

Unintended Consequence by itsmylifekay

A group of marines charge, Zoro slices through them, and in that instant Sanji feels his own eyes grow wide. Because there, on the arm now outstretched towards him, steel glinting in hand, is the stupid bracelet he’d given Zoro. The bastard is actually wearing it.

there’s a reason this is the most kudo-ed zosan fic on ao3 right now — it’s so soft without being ooc, and there’s a quiet undercurrent of affection laid throughout the fic that will warm you up from the insides.

Somewhere Between Sorrow and Bliss by srididdledeedee

Sanji has never cared for winter.

He can see himself, is the thing. There are bits and pieces that poke through, but it’s not all him. It’s like staring in a fractured mirror. He knows, intellectually, that the person staring back at him is himself, but his face is splintered and his shape is distorted and his body is wrong.

a fantastic character study on trans!sanji and how he comes to terms with his identity with the help of his crewmates. supportive strawhats are always a lovely addition to a zosan fic

Give In To Love by libbylune

Zoro knows better than to think about it too much, but between the rowdy festivals and ancient unexplained temples on this island, it's hard to forget about wanting Sanji.

i love how this fic puts as much focus on the boys after the confession as it does before the confession. a good case fic with its own unique island adventure and i’m always a sucker for soft!zoro

Laundry by libbylune

Dealing with Sanji makes Zoro develop a lot of opinions about clothes.

there’s absolutely nothing hotter than bi!sanji who’s completely comfortable with his gender identity and sexuality. also gay disaster zoro fumbling his words whenever sanji is around is 1) accurate 2) hilarious.

Language of Swords by HaveMyWeedCookies ♡

It took them for a while but finally, Zoro asked if Sanji wanted to hold his sword.

i love fics that explore zoro’s relationship with his craft and his swords, and adding zosan into the mix is something i didn’t know i needed. an interesting outsiders pov zosan in the pov of zoro’s swords.

Ghost of a Chance by sabershadowkat

“I know, for sure, that I didn’t expect to miss everyone so much, including you.” Sanji cut a glance at Zoro and rephrased correctly, “Especially you.”

this fic handles tropes that are usually associated with character death fics, but manages to end it with a happy ending. zoro’s devotion here is heart-wrenching.

Idiot Romance by sabershadowkat

"This has to be a joke," Sanji muttered, poking at the colored petals. Zoro couldn't have just given him flowers.

a classic  — this is literally the first zosan fic i’ve ever read — and a lovely one at that. sanji is oblivious and zoro attempts romance, not that zoro ever needed to.

festival night by thisislegit

“ANOTHER FEAT BY THE WORLD’S STRONGEST MAN, JORIRI.” The woman turned to Mr. Mohawk and with faux sympathy said, “Oh! Sorry, sir. Maybe next time. We can’t always beat the best, but we can do our best and that’s what matters. Do we have any other takers? ANY OTHER TAKERS READY FOR THE STRONG MAN CHALLENGE? HOW ABOUT YOU SIR? MADAM? YOU OVER THERE? ARE YOU INTERESTED?”

“What kind of shit name is Joriri,” said Zoro and Sanji in unison.

i’m an absolute sucker for fics that have zoro and sanji simply hanging out and enjoying each other’s company, comfortable in a way they couldn’t with their other crewmates, and this fic exemplifies that. just them being little shits and having fun with one another.

No Victory in Hesitation & the Past Has Its Lessons by EudaimonErisornae & vageege

Zoro has a lot of things he wants to say to Sanji, but he just needs one more day. || Zoro tries to fix a mistake he made in the past.

major character death warning. i died a little bit inside after reading this tbh. there are some devil fruits-explained time travel hijinks, but mostly it’s this looming, grim inevitability of death that’s written so pervasively throughout the fic that really got me.

Imperatives by dollcewrites

Zoro is confident in saying that Sanji is a man who doesn’t do what he’s told. Which is why, when a command accidentally slips from Zoro’s lips during foreplay, he is expecting to hear the cook’s scoff as he continues to do what he pleases.

i don’t tend to do pwp, but this isn’t just one — it’s a completely in-character piece about their relationship and dynamics.

when you say by bluewalk ♡

It's a long time in coming. Usopp can promise, but.

this fic is as much sanuso as it is zosan, and usopp here is — still very much usopp, but also a very beautiful take on his character as someone who spent a lot of time behind sanji’s back, and realizes that when he watches sanji’s back, he gets to see zoro’s, too.

a complete guide to falling in love by ThousandSunny

Sanji was trained in the Bridal Arts; this does not go unnoticed by the rest of his crew.

while the main ship is still zosan, the fic also focuses a lot on zoro and sanji’s relationship with the rest of the crew, and it’s one of those fics that really makes you realize how much of a family the strawhats is. a lovely read all around.

destructivity is a poison that run through our veins by wasteofmind

Zoro thinks that, someday, they are going to kill each other.

a dysfunctional take of their relationship. it’s fascinating in the same way a car crash is fascinating  — there’s an undercurrent of something violent, something visceral. this is one of the fics that inspired me to write migratory animals.

ALTERNATE UNIVERSE

Ocean’s Child by 8ball  ♡

Here's the truth: Zoro couldn't swim. He fell in the water and sank like a stone because there had never been anyone to teach him how to move his arms. He forgot that if he screamed for help the water would get in his mouth, and he even opening his eyes hurt.

Here’s the other truth, the one that stays a secret: a mermaid saved him.

a fascinating retelling of the one piece canon with mermaid!sanji. it feels a lot like a love letter to the seas, and it’s mesmerizing how sanji’s mermaid backstory is seamlessly weaved into the one piece canon.

with you by Cirro

How to find your life partner in three easy steps: 1. Punch them in the face 2. Insult their cognitive abilities 3. Embarrass them so much they agree to marry you

a wholesome two-part modern au series. my personal favorite is the second part, where sanji brings zoro home to meet zeff — complete with the two of them teasing sanji in their own ways.

The Proper Reaction (or What To Do When Your Son Brings His Boyfriend Home by three_days_late

Holidays at the Baratie were always hectic, but it's nothing Zeff can't handle. Sanji's new boyfriend, on the other hand...

on the topic of meet-the-family: the only thing more fun than zoro meeting zeff is zoro meeting zeff and the entirety of baratie staff. also includes one of my favorite line about bi!sanji: “sanji loves nice girls and bad boys”.

Exclusive by cuethe-pulse

Zoro loves Sanji, Sanji loves Zoro. Zoro wants to be exclusive, so Sanji should, too. Right?

this is a circus/bakery au. yes, you read that right, and yes, it works. i went into this fic with a lot of doubts and came out very satisfied with how fleshed out everyone in this au is, and i’m forever in awe with how the author can set up an entirely separate, vivid universe with so few words.

Delivery by styx_in_the_mud

Sanji is stuck delivering pizzas when Patty is out of commission for a while. Zoro likes to order pizza after training. Both of them are sort of idiots, but Zoro can be smooth as fuck if he puts his mind to it.

a fun, in-character au with good ol’ banter and cute get-together.

The End of It All by xpiester333xx

Humans have been forced underground due to the effects of a chemical weapon that has made surface life impossible. Sanji lives in one of these underground colonies and though he dreams of bigger things his life has been mundane; spent following strict rules and obeying higher commands. Or it was, until a stranger shows up and changes everything.

the author labelled it as sci-fi au, but I personally think it’s more dystopian-like? either way, while this fic is on the long side, it manages to keep everyone in character until the very end, which is something that can’t be said for a lot of fics.

well, there we go! feel free to drop me an ask if you want to rec me fics or ask for a more specific/themed rec list; i’ll also update this post regularly !!

i also have an ao3 donutsandcoffee if you want to see my take on these dorks o/

[sanjisock]

blue

ao3. aoharu/hungry days-verse. warning for referenced child abuse

Zoro doesn’t see it, until he does.

Sometimes it’s just as simple as that. Like flipping on a light switch — one moment you didn’t see it, and then you do, all happening in the blink of an eye.

One moment everything seems normal — Sanji meeting him at the back of the gym building, passing Zoro his bento before the Kendo club starts like usual — and then Zoro sees it, the way Sanji stands with a weird slouch on his shoulder, his back leaning to the side, like he’s favoring his left. Zoro always thought the slouching was just an act, a way for the stupid Love Cook to look “cool” and impress the girls in their school, but a different thought crosses his mind for a second.

A different, terrible thought.

“Wait,” Zoro blurts out as Sanji is about to turn and make his way out of the school grounds. “Did you get into a fight?”

Sanji scowls. “Yeah. With you , two days ago.”

Well. They did get into a fight over some mundane shit Zoro can’t even remember anymore, but they both know their fights are more playful than anything. Neither of them intended to hurt . Sanji is still wearing their standard uniform, the long sleeves of their school blazer covering his arms, but Zoro would swear Sanji is —

“You know what I meant, Shit Cook.”

“Actually, I don’t ,” Sanji dismisses, clearly refusing to meet Zoro’s eyes, and the gesture makes something in Zoro’s chest feel heavy and uneasy. “So if you don’t have anymore bullshit to spout, my shift at the Baratie is starting in an hour —“

“I said wait ,” Zoro grabs Sanji by the arm, and Sanji winces. There’s a flash of pain in his eyes, and Zoro’s stomach churns at the sight.

“Let me go,” Sanji says, trying to tug his arm away from Zoro’s grasp, but it’s weak, weaker than Zoro would expect from the Cook.

“Your arm,” Zoro says, slowly putting two and two together. “I know you got hurt — I know you . You’ve barely moved your right here this whole day. What I don’t get is how, because you wouldn’t — you don’t fight with your hands —“

“I said let me go ,” Sanji hisses, clearly desperate, “Marimo —“

“And I didn’t have club yesterday,” Zoro ignores him, his heart pounding in his ears, this can’t be how he thinks it is, it can’t be — “We walked home together, and we didn’t walk past anyone, didn’t get into a fight with anyone. I saw you got into your front door —“

“ Zoro —“

“Then who could’ve done this to you —“

“I SAID LET ME FUCKING GO,” Sanji yells, snapping Zoro out of his train of thoughts.

That finally gets Zoro to release his grip, and Sanji quickly pulls his hand away, shrinking into himself like a wounded animal. Everything about it is so unlike the Sanji Zoro knows — foul-mouthed, confident Sanji, who could stare Zoro down without a hint of fear in his eyes.

The person standing in front of him is an entirely different person — Sanji is breathing erratically, his other hand absentmindedly rubbing his injured arm, and his voice shakes as he says, “I didn’t get into a fight, okay? This isn’t one of your Kendo matches.” He grits his teeth. “This isn’t something I can just fight .”

Like a flip of a light switch. In that moment, Zoro understands.

The Vinsmokes .

Zoro could feel his heart sink into anger, so visceral that he suddenly can’t see straight. He looks down to see his hands trembling with inarticulate rage, a thousand questions running through his mind — how could he have not seen this before? The way Sanji rarely, if ever, talked about his family; the way Sanji works in the Baratie even on the weekends, like he would rather be anywhere than back at his house. How did Zoro not notice that something was wrong?

How could he let this go on for so long?

Zoro fucking walked him home almost everyday. Like leading a lamb to slaughter.

All those trainings and after-school practices, all that talk about becoming the strongest, and yet he cannot protect those important to him still. He thinks of Kuina — remembers the feeling of hopelessness that gripped him like a vice the day she died — and feels like he has not taken a single step forward ever since. Nothing more than a mere child throwing a temper tantrum.

Zoro looks away in shame. “Have you told anyone?” He asks. Even if it wasn’t me, please, let there be someone who has reached out, who has helped —

Sanji shakes his head. “They’re the richest family in the whole city — hell , probably the whole prefecture,” Sanji points out, and Zoro doesn’t miss the word they , in third person; Sanji has never considered himself to be part of the Vinsmokes, how did Zoro not notice this before, how could he be so blind — “even if I had spoken up, they would’ve easily swept it under the rug. Can’t risk having the black sheep of the family ruin their reputation.”

There’s something in Sanji’s voice that reminds Zoro too much of desperation that he can’t help reaching out again towards him; softer, this time, mindful of Sanji’s wound under the sleeves, a light touch against Sanji’s upper arm. Sanji can pull away if he wants to. He doesn’t.

Zoro takes a step closer. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Sanji makes a face he usually does when Zoro says something particularly stupid. “Because you would think I’m weak , obviously,” he scoffs at that, bitter, and the sound rattles against Zoro’s ribcage unpleasantly. “I bet you’re thinking that now, right? Finally realizes that I’m just a weakling who can’t even stand up against my own brothers —”

Before he can stop himself, Zoro steps into Sanji’s personal space and wraps his arms around the Cook.

Sanji’s sentence dies in his lips.

“Cook,” he says, pressing his lips against the side of Sanji’s temple, willing the words to sink in, “ Sanji . Listen to me. You’re one of the strongest and bravest men I’ve ever known, and the fact that you’re still standing tall in front of me right now is proof of that.” He tightens his embrace, his hand instinctively burying itself in Sanji’s golden locks. “These wounds do not define you.”

He can hear Sanji’s breath hitch at that.”I know this isn’t my fight,” he continues, mostly because Sanji needs to hear this, but also because it’s true: “but you’ll always have me, in any way you want to have me. This is your fight, but I will always have your back.”

He can feel Sanji finally — let go. Sanji slumps against his body, the taut muscles of his shoulders visibly relaxing. They stay like that for a while, Sanji’s face nestled in the crook of Zoro’s shoulder, Zoro’s hand buried in Sanji’s hair, and Zoro can’t help thinking how it feels so right , being with Sanji like this. They’ve never been tactile with each other — open displays of affection like hugging are more of Luffy and Usopp’s department — but this is… not bad. Not entirely terrible. Zoro could even say he likes it.

Zoro pretends he doesn’t see Sanji wiping his eyes as they break apart, and it’s another moment before Sanji says, “I — I haven’t told anyone this, but I’m planning to move out.”

Oh. Finally, a piece of good news. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Sanji nods. “I mean, we’re not adults yet, so I can’t do that immediately, but as soon as I turn eighteen…” he frowns, suddenly embarrassed. “I haven’t worked out the details yet, like where to live and all that. I’ll probably ask Zeff for a raise? I will have to pay for rent, and —”

“Live with me.”

“ — that is on top of daily needs, and,” Sanji pauses. Blinks. “Wait. What?”

It takes a few seconds for Zoro to realize the words that have come out of his mouth, and when the gravity of his request finally sinks in, he can feel his face heat up. “I mean — I was —” he clears his throat. Fuck it. Roronoa Zoro does not back down from a challenge, especially one he started himself. “It means what it means, Shit Cook. Live with me. That way you don’t have to worry about rent.”

He watches Sanji’s face turn deep red in record time, and he would burst out laughing if he wasn’t sure that his own face was equally as red. “Are you — what the hell —” Sanji sputters, “are you proposing , Marimo?”

Zoro suddenly feels like swallowing his kendo sword. “No, shut up!” Shit, how did it come out so wrong? “I was just thinking — there’s a spare room in my apartment, and Koshiro’s the one paying, I just — I thought you wouldn’t have to pay for rent, and we can make a home for you.” Holy fuck, that sounds even worse , and Sanji looks like he just washed his face with a tomato sauce now —  “We as in — I’m talking about everyone, shut up. Me, Luffy, Nami, Chopper, everyone. They can come over and do stuff.” He looks up and meets Sanji’s eyes. “We can make a home for you.”

Zoro thought Sanji would kick him in the head for spouting all these nonsense, but Sanji laughs instead, the kind that’s bubbling all the way from his chest. “You just — do you even hear yourself?” Sanji teases. “You should at least take me for a date first, Mosshead.”

“Shut up!” He yells, and absolutely does not pout.

Sanji smiles at that, a small and quiet thing, and it is his first smile of the day. It is as heart-stopping as it’s always been, Zoro thinks, and feels something bloom in his chest at the sight.

Zoro doesn’t know what this feeling means yet, but —

He huffs and turns to walk towards the gym building. He has a club to go to. “Whatever. We’ll figure it out,” he says, unsure if he’s talking to Sanji or himself. “Together.”

Sanji catches up to walk beside him. “Yeah,” he agrees. “Together.”

The smile stays on Sanji's face for a long time. Zoro counts it as a win.

[vannahfanfics]

Woow.... so Maybe this request might be too much, but I‘d love a One Shot or „head Canon-sh“ thing for Sanji x Nami in an Avatar AU .... if you know what I mean.... Maybe??

~waves~ Hi, sweetie! Hmm, I’m afraid you are right, this request is a little to much for oneshot purposes; knowing me, I would get bogged down in the details and backstory to the point where it became a monster, so we’ll stick with headcanons for now, okay? (However, don’t be surprised if somewhere down the line this becomes a multi-chaptered monstrous fic. I am known to do this. LOL)

So, headcanons for Sannami in the Avatar universe, with inspirations from both canons:

Sanji is a firebender for obvious reasons. Nami is an airbender… Also for obvious reasons.

Nami hails from the Eastern Air Temple, and was the sole survivor of the Air Nomad Genocide from that temple, having narrowly escaped. Though very young (not old enough to be granted tattoos), she somehow managed to navigate her way through the wilderness and ended up in a small Earth Kingdom village. She collapsed there, and that’s where Bellemere found her. Nojiko had been picked up from a village ravaged by the Fire Nation during their other war campaigns at the time.

Sanji is a cook on a Fire Nation naval vessel. He’s actually the son of a very high-ranking noble (i.e., the Avatar equivalent of the Germa 66 family) but he was considered much weaker than his siblings and thus outcasted. He landed in with Zeff, who found him a starving urchin on the streets of the Fire Nation, and Sanji has thus devoted his life to him.

Nami grew up to be a thief who stole from nearby Fire Nation encampments, often using her winnings to bribe the soldiers who were occupying her village for better treatment of the civilians. She hid her airbending, practicing in secret, so that one day she would be strong enough to take over the firebenders, especially after they killed Bellemere for standing up to them.

When Nami was 16/Sanji was 17, the naval ship Sanji was on rolled into the port of the village for some routine military check-ins… Sanji was exploring the wilderness looking for cool local delicacy kinds of things when he happened upon Nami airbending.

He was honestly more shocked about finding a pretty lady than the fact that she was an airbender… Their contact was of course loud and comical and attracted the attention of nearby firebender soldiers.

They wanted to apprehend Nami and execute her because she was an airbender, but Sanji stepped in and saved her. Nami runs away before Sanji can go after her.

Sanji is of course smitten… How can he not be? Zeff notices and of course all but kicks him off the ship telling him he has more important things to do in life than hang out with them, and so Sanji leaves to embrace his destiny… Nami!

Sanji catches up with her and they become a duo (with much reluctance from Nami at first). By events and some chance, they fall in with Luffy, the dumbass who is somehow the Avatar and survived the genocide by pure, dumb luck, and Zoro and Usopp, a couple of non-benders from the Earth Kingdom who found his idiotic ass wandering around. Needless to say, they were not hopeful on the fate of the world with it being in his hands at the beginning.

Nami is pretty harsh towards Sanji at first. She doesn’t trust firebenders and struggles with Bellemere’s death, but our Sanji is ever-vigilant in his devotion to her. He’s of course respectful of her boundaries and never pushes his luck. He just lets her know that he’s there for her, and he’s always there to have her back- and he always comes in to dramatically save the day when Nami gets in a little over her head.

Gradually this fact warms Nami, until she finds that she thinks that maybe all firebenders aren’t that bad… She starts spending time with him, and they trade skills; he teaches her about cooking (finding with glee about her love of citrus fruits and affording every possibility to capitalize on it) while Nami teaches him about her passion of maritime navigation, which he finds funny because why would somebody who flies around on a bison need it? But he loves it all the same.

Soon the banter between them because less hostile and more playful. Everyone notices, except Luffy, Robin, his waterbending teacher, had to explain it to him. He decided it was too hard to think about and went penguin-sledding instead.

One night in the Earth kingdom, while trying to find Luffy an earthbending teacher, the last element he had to master, they had set up camp for the night and Nami crept a little away from her sleeping friends to stretch out and gaze up at the stars. Sanji, who had not been asleep, of course went to check on her, and somehow the conversation ended up with them revealing the deepest parts of themselves- Sanji with his past and Nami with her desire to avenge Bellemere.

They both felt a really good sense of closure then, that they had confided in one another. Nami looked into Sanji’s eyes and felt so at peace in their gaze. She realized then that she loved Sanji, and next thing she knew she was leaning in for a kiss… Sanji had to use a lot of willpower to act cool and not freak out right then.

But he did afterward, he was a gushy mess. Our poor, romantic, fool of a cook.

After that it was obvious they were a thing because Sanji wouldn’t shut up about it. Nami at first was a little embarrassed by his constant fawning but she grew to love it. What girl doesn’t love to be showered in affection, especially when you’re on a mission to stop a war and all? Might as well enjoy it.

So, when everything was settled for the night they would often sneak off for a few precious moments to be with only each other, under the moonlight and so in love, holding each other close while trading sweet nothings and soft kisses.

Hehe, I hope that’s kind of what you were hoping for? I dunno, my process of headcanons might be a little weird, but I gave it my best shot. :3 Always feel free to request again!

[allblueblues]

Zoro & Usopp in Syrup Village arc

Instead of talking about these two in bits and pieces throughout my reading of this arc, I thought I’d wait til the end to pull it all together and put all my thoughts into one big post. Usopp and Zoro’s relationship is really important to me, and this arc has so much great stuff between them that is either often overlooked or just not discussed as much or as often as I think it should be. This is pretty long, and it starts off more general, so I’m putting it under a readmore.

Going way back to the beginning, it’s Zoro who first notices and points out Usopp and his friends spying on the pirates when they first arrive at the island. To Usopp’s credit, he stands firm (while the younger boys run away) and tries to scare the pirates off with his classic line about having 8000 followers. Nami calls him out, and they all end up at a restaurant together.

While Usopp is talking about Kaya, neither Zoro nor Luffy seems particularly interested, and when he offers to join their crew as captain, Nami’s interest disappears, as well. At that point, it seems none of them think very much of him. This starts to change when Piiman, Tamanegi, and Ninjin appear and explain that Usopp goes to tell Kaya stories to cheer her up -- but Zoro’s reaction here is unclear.

I think it’s during Usopp and “Klahadore’s” clash at Kaya’s mansion that all three pirates start to see that there’s more to this kid than they originally thought. They watch and listen to the exchange with serious expressions. Afterwards, when Usopp has disappeared and “Klahadore” has ordered the rest of them away, Zoro -- in true Zoro style -- sits back and waits to see what’ll happen, not following Luffy, who goes after Usopp, declining the younger kids’ offer to take him to where they believe Usopp went.

And what happens is this: Usopp comes running by, determined to warn the villagers about Captain Kuro’s plan. Zoro and Nami wonder what he’s up to, but don’t follow him. None of their business. Instead, they get the kids to show them the way to the beach, since Luffy’s still MIA. When they find him, Luffy explains what he and Usopp overheard. The next time they see Usopp, the following happens:

He hides his wounded arm behind his back and claims that everything Luffy told them about Kuro and the pirate attack the next morning was a lie. The kids eat it up and leave, but you can see that Luffy, Nami, and Zoro are all surprised by this declaration. They obviously know Usopp is lying, and it must be important, if he’s willing to damage his friends’ opinion of him. With the kids safely out of the way, he confides in them that the attack is happening, and makes another declaration:

... and they’re all visibly surprised again. And Zoro understands why Usopp lied:

In the next moment, the three pirates are all saying they’ve decided to fight with him. They say they’re doing it because he’s obviously outnumbered (Luffy), and they can tell he’s scared (Zoro). Usopp takes this as a slight, but Zoro explains:

This, to me, is extremely important. Zoro is an absolute powerhouse, one of the strongest crew members (certainly in battle) since the beginning, a man who is seemingly unafraid of anything ... and he’s praising Usopp, the liar and the “coward”, for his courage. We know that Zoro doesn’t often say things just to be nice. He calls ‘em like he sees ‘em. And at this moment he sees that Usopp is brave.

During the battle, Zoro shows concern for Usopp (and Nami) without being at all condescending about it. For example...

Then, while Zoro is fighting Siam and Buchi, Usopp decides to help him out by firing on them with his slingshot, but Zoro steps right into its path.

He calls Usopp’s an idiot and asks if he wants to die, and Usopp and Nami realize that he purposefully took the hit to protect them -- if it had hit either of the Nyanban brothers, they might have changed targets from Zoro to the two of them. Even though Zoro is barely fending the brothers off, he goes out of his way to protect Usopp and Nami, knowing neither of them is in any fit state to take on even one of the brothers.

Later, when Kuro, Kaya, Piiman, Tamanegi, and Ninjin have all arrived on the scene, Usopp tells the three boys to take Kaya and run, saying that as their captain he’s giving them the important task of protecting her. As the kids run off with Kaya, Zoro is shown thinking:

(or, as the official translation says, he gave the boys and Kaya an honorable reason to run.)

To me, Zoro looks impressed. At the very least, he approves of what Usopp has said/thinks Usopp made a good decision with his order. He even looks like he’s smiling a little.

The next little detail comes when Usopp collapses in his attempt to go after Jango, who has gone after Kaya and the boys.

This happens just before Kuro mocking Usopp and the Black Cat Pirates laughing at Usopp royally piss Luffy off (discussed here), and it’s clear just by Zoro’s expression and utterance of Usopp’s name that he’s affected by Usopp’s words and the determination in them. I feel like there is so much respect and even admiration here coming from Zoro, and that’s so important to me because it’s pretty obvious that Usopp would end up respecting and admiring Zoro -- he is, as I stated earlier, strong and practically fearless -- but to see that it goes both ways, that Zoro appreciates that Usopp is brave and does fight to protect what he cares about to the best of his ability and beyond is so, so great.

Very soon after this, Zoro defeats Buchi and tells Luffy that he’s going to take Usopp and go after Jango. With Luffy holding off Kuro, they head into the forest, and Zoro says:

Since this is Zoro we’re talking about, I don’t think this is in any way an excuse for bringing Usopp along and/or to make him feel like less of a burden. It’s just the truth. This is Usopp’s home, he definitely knows his way around way better than Zoro, and the quickest and most effective way to find Kaya, the boys, and Jango is to work together. Likewise, they display impeccable teamwork when they finally see Jango getting ready to attack the other:

Instead of taking Jango down himself, Zoro makes room for Usopp to do the honours. Usopp’s skill as a sniper makes this an easy feat, and Zoro grins as he watches him blast the hypnotist. Perfect.

When the battles have been fought and the pirates shooed away, Usopp says that if it hadn’t been for Luffy, Zoro, and Nami for helping him out, the village couldn’t have been protected. Zoro is the first to respond:

With this, he’s really giving credit where it’s due -- to Usopp. While the Straw Hats are, I believe, generally good people, they’re still pirates. They’re not out to save the world. They have their own standards for whether they step into a battle or not. And if it hadn’t been for Usopp’s determination to protect the village, it’s quite likely they would simply have sailed away and left the island to its fate.

I also think that Zoro’s smile is important here simply because it’s such a friendly expression, especially compared to the neutrality and disinterest he originally displayed towards Usopp.

Finally, we have the departure from Syrup Village. Luffy, Zoro, and Nami are all set to sail away in their brand new ship, and Usopp is ... getting into a small boat?

Zoro and Luffy both seem to have assumed that when Usopp said he’d be going to sea, he meant he’d be coming with them! The fact that they act as if Usopp being part of the crew now is obvious just sets in stone how much they like and respect him.