#or other luffy ships

[captkiddd]

Yeah, so I’m gonna talk about ZoLu.

Their undying loyalty to the point where one of them is willing to sacrifice their life for the other, is in my opinion, a much better concept than an enemies-to-lovers trope. Now don’t get me wrong, I think ZoSan is great— same goes for most other Zoro or Luffy ships!! I just feel as though the whole enemies-to-lovers trope (especially with ZoSan) is a bit??? Shallow, for lack of a better word. With ZoLu though, they compliment eachother so well. Additionally they have have similar values and place a large amount of importance in loyalty and keeping your word— they’re both very much the ‘actions over words’ type of people when it really comes down to it, I feel like. Also, considering how prideful of a person Zoro is, it makes their whole dynamic even better considering that he would normally never do the things he does for ANYONE else, but BECAUSE of that undying loyalty and love he has for his captain, he’s willing to give up his pride and everything else along with it, all for Luffy. Thinking back to Thriller Bark, we saw Zoro try to sacrifice himself for Luffy, taking on that pain that his captain endured during their time on the island, and nearly DIED because of it. On top of nearly getting himself killed for Luffy, he refused to tell him because he didn’t want his captain to worry. He is in love with Luffy to a disgusting degree (/pos), and it shows.

I enjoy other Luffy ships and i will always have a soft spot for the Aroace Luffy headcanons as well but I think ZoLu will by far always be my absolute favorite idea of the bunch.

also if you guys enjoy these types of posts lmk cuz i have a lot of stuff like this that id really like to talk about :3

@skysaysirrelevantstuff

[d-does-art]

Just a little guy.

More thoughts on this.

[sibmakesart]

[tekitothemagpie]

Luffy : have you ever been in love?

Zoro : yeah

Luffy : what's his name?

Zoro : Luffy

Luffy : damn, what a coincidence

[alevens]

zolu is maybe one of the easiest ships i've ever liked. they're dating, except when they're not, they're best friends even when they're kissing and they're still captain and first mate when they aren't. they hold hands, they hug. they have sex. they don't.

Luffy can hold Zoro's katanas and Zoro can hold Luffy's strawhat and no one bats an eye. one says "You're so cool!" and the other says "You're strong" and it's just another way to say "I see you, this is why I follow you/this is why I trust you". it's not seeing each other for a long time and still knowing how the other's steps sound like against wood and sand. the captain runs and the first mate follows. it's always "Zoro and the others" and "Where's Luffy?"

if they're just friends, if they're something more, if they don't have a label for it, at its core, it's just about how they get each other. they understand how the other's mind works. however you view them, it doesn't erase they fact that they love each other in a way they don't love other people.

[beaulesbian]

Every once in a while I think again about the end of Thriller Bark and feel completely insane and ill about Zoro's sacrifice, FOR LUFFY, specifically (you know, the character Kuma's threat was directed at). It wasn't even that long into traveling together, a few months maybe, yet Zoro was ready to give up everything in that moment - in the chapter with Kuma appearing being titled The End of the Dream ! - to protect his crew and Luffy, so he could continue in his journey.

Since Luffy and Zoro met, they always understand how words and promises were imporant to them - with Luffy punching Helmeppo in ch. 3 for lying to Zoro. Zoro learnt how serious Luffy was about his dream, and soon he realized he backed up his words with actions as well - untiying Zoro and giving him his swords back - his biggest treasures. It meant that Zoro could be honest and honor-bound in the same way to Luffy, to gain this mutual respect and trust between them since day 1. To wield his swords to protect both Luffy and later their whole crew, and to step in a way between Luffy and danger.

He was being actually more upset that Sanji got up from the previous Kuma's attack and interrupted their fight - Zoro was trying to keep the whole crew safe by this exchange for Luffy's head - if Sanji was offering his life for Luffy half dead and without much strength left to fight for himself (he started the offering of his own life already believing he woudn't survive, with a "you should find a new cook"), then this very specific sacrifice would be meaningless to the crew (- if this arc was taking place post WCI, then it would turn out very differently, with the strength of Sanji believing in Luffy, but it wasn't his moment during this scene) - it would hurt them more than help them, because as much as Zoro was prepared to die as well, he was prepared to keep fighting until the last breath.

Zoro was thinking he might die - Kuma's words were pretty certain he WOULD die - but he still had the willingness and strength to take on the deal for Luffy, for his captain and his crew. ("if i die here, it just means I wasn't worth much to begin with" this line he says times and times again during the overall story, like in Rogue Town throwing Kitetsu and waiting if it would cut off his arm, up until standing against King in Wano "it's my power that was lacking", and all the other times he was questioning his worth - it's something he tempts the fates he doesn't believe in, to actually harm him, to take his strength away if he doesn't deserve to survive. and it's him saying he knows and accepts his own weaknesses - of not being strong enough (in comparison to Sanji in this example), and always fights through them.)

He threw away his swords, including Wado Ichimonji - literally throwing aside his and Kuina's dream, to compell Kuma into a duel (with the anime playing 'The Very Very Very Strongest' when Zoro bowed down and pleaded Kuma, offering him his head instead of Luffy's) so Kuma wouldn't go after the crew and specifically Luffy later - no matter the outcome if Zoro would surive or not.

And then, he was actually strong enough to survive taking his captain's fatigue, agony and pain! Possibly being the only one who could survive taking Luffy's pain.

Zoro could have back out when Kuma offered him the 'taste' of the pain, with the realization of the scale of the hurt with the very possibility of dying from it. But that wouldn't be Zoro now, would it? He accepted and took all of Luffy's pain so his captain wouldn't have to suffer or die, and when they found him afterwards, he still kept standing, tense with the fatigue but alive! (again, with anime adding the music of 'Luffy's Fierce Attack' to underline the importance between these two).

He was training for this since the beginning - to become stronger to shoulder the pain of his crew if necessary. (And not only that - he was preparing for that so another Kuina incident didn't have to happen). He was the first one to fight one of the Warlords before anything really began: his fight with Mihawk at Baratie really set the tone and his own goals to overcome - a glimpse to see on how much different levels the Warlords actually were in comparison to Zoro, Luffy and the others, and if they were supposed to beat them so Luffy could become the Pirate King, that always meant to be ready and to get even stronger than them.

(small spoiler for egghead, ch. 1102: seeing Kuma (a Warlord at that time) remembering this Thriller Bark event later, during Egghead arc, and thinking that even he might have passed out from the pain, makes it all the more meaningful that it was Zoro who took the pain and withstood it - establishing how high was the strength of his willpower, already before timeskip.)

There could be so many other nuances and details from these last few chapters of this arc, and even what this deal meant for the following arcs! Zoro was still in pain on Sabaody, and because of that the crew wasn't as strong as it could have been (not to say they would have a chance anyway, knowing what all was in the motion).

The next is the tragedy and beauty of LUFFY never finding out about this. Half of the crew knew: Sanji, Brook and Robin knew the details, but would never tell Luffy - and that shows their loyalty to both Luffy and Zoro (and Zoro's decision). Luffy woke up and first thing he did was to jump up and down, excited not to be weighted down by his injuries, and only seeing his swordsman being down with injuries so severe he was out more days afterwards, knowing that something else attacked them (him = Zoro), after he was passed out from the fight against Moria, brought down his mood (even if it's not much noticable, but the change into subtle worry is there in the few next chapters).

"I can't explain it either!" - meaning he was thinking about it too, possibly how weird it was for him to move normally after such long fight. We don't really ever hear/see Luffy thinking about something, except when it's mentioned how he came up with a solution or idea, telling us there's more to Luffy than just being straightforward in his goals and speech. With Luffy being sometimes very emotionally intelligent when he wants to be, he could have figured it out from all these other people in the room asking similar questions and deducing. Even Usopp was putting two and two togehter. We might never find out if Luffy actuallly knows or not. Luffy probably wouldn't ask Zoro directly, especially if Zoro wouldn't tell first and didn't want to talk about it

- because for Zoro, nothing happened! Nothing, that would compromise his and Luffy's first promise. For Zoro to become the Strongest he couldn't back down from the duel with Kuma (just like before with his duel with Mihawk at Baratie. When he's faced with something he swore to overcome, he can't back down or evade. Even back then Luffy understood that as he held back Johnny and Yosaku, but Sanji was perplexed how far Zoro (and Luffy) would go to reach their dreams). When Sanji was asking him in front of Kuma "What about your dream?" Zoro was still thinking about his dream- it was just that the context has changed, it changed into a journey. His dream is the most important thing, but it wouldn't mean much, if, when on his way to accomplish that, he would betray his other words and promises.

[sabo-torao]

dumb thing i made while trying to fight artblock

[pensymbols]

ah yes the brook/franky/robin/jimbei polycule also known as the babysitters also known as monkey d luffys biggest enablers

[winchester101]

If you send me a ship template I’ll almost definitely fill it out

[foolilazuli]

Evil Luffy be like:

EAT YOUR SALAD

[beanghostprincess]

Nami being the one who's scared the most about Vivi's safety during her disappearance (everyone's worried, but it's obvious that she's the one still concerned even after admitting Vivi is strong enough to take care of herself) and Zoro, for once, being the one to comfort her. He catches her crying on a corner of the ship, all alone and hugging her knees close to her chest. Her long hair is getting stuck on her cheeks with how wet they are now. She obviously doesn't want anybody to see and pretends to be fine after telling Zoro to fuck off a few times, but when she doesn't manage to make him go away, she just ends up silently accepting his company and letting him sit down next to her. Zoro tries to say something. Anything. Because believe it or not, it fucking hurts to see their navigator like this when she's always the one taking care of others and everything. She has always been strong, but strong only gets her so far and even Nami needs comforting sometimes. Zoro might not be the best person to help her, but he tries.

Nami is always a few steps further. "You wouldn't understand. You-" She sobs louder, hiding her head on her arms, pressing her legs closer to herself. Zoro wants to hug her, but he doesn't know how. He knows he should. He wants to tell her, too, that he understands perfectly, but she would be the one not getting what he means. "Have you ever missed somebody so much it's impossible to live, Zoro?! Not even basic human functions, fuck, I- I spent so much time without her thinking we'd meet again and now I might never see her again. Do you even know what that's like?"

Zoro knows what that's like. He doesn't feel like it's the right moment nor the right place to confess something like this, but they've gone through so much shit already it's almost inevitable for her to not know this.

The swordsman grunts before he pronounces his next words, double-checking if somebody else is watching them. Nami looks ethereal even while crying. It's sort of annoying. "I understand." The redhead looks up from where she's sitting, with a confused glance on her face. Zoro keeps his stare on his hands. "Two years ago. I- I couldn't do anything to save him. I couldn't protect him. I lost him. Every day I wondered if he was going to be okay and, fuck it, it's the stupidest thing because he's a fucking god at this point and the guy never ends up dying but-" He turns his right hand into a fist and presses his nails on his palms, fighting the urge to shake under the memories. "I couldn't eat. Or breathe. Live normally." When he shuts up, Nami makes a face he can't quite understand. He can't tell the difference between disgust and discomfort. Perhaps she's just judging him for being this weak for their stupid captain.

But the girl just scoffs and hides her head between the arms resting on her knees once again. "Of course you would." Her voice breaks mid-sentence. "But it's not the same." Zoro knew she wouldn't get it, at least not right away. It takes a long seconds of silence and Nami looking up at his uncomfortable expression haunted by past memories for everything to click. "Oh, it is the same." Zoro looks away, but she just moves closer to him. Nami rests her head on his shoulder, and he hates to admit how much he has missed her scent of fresh tangerines and home. "I'm sorry."

"S fine." Zoro manages to say it, somehow, without his attitude fading away.

Nami buries her head closer to his arm, and Zoro doesn't fight the need to hold her closer anymore to pull her into half an embrace with his left hand. "I didn't get to tell her how I feel."

The swordsman shivers at her trembling, frightened voice. "Me neither."

Nami scoffs. "But you still have time." If he feels her tears run through his body, he doesn't say anything. "I don't even know if she's alive."

Zoro doesn't have to bring his mind back to memories from a long while, when the last time he felt this way was whenever Luffy fought against Kaido

But he says nothing, because he knows there's no way in earth he can fix what just broke Nami's heart into pieces. If he could take her pain, he would, without any hesitation. He can handle it. And Nami is strong and all, but he fears that seeing her this way might bring him to madness.

So Zoro unexpectedly, for both of them, kisses the top of her head —like he used to do back when they were only three. Back when their ship couldn't even be referred to as one— and lets her cry. "I'm sorry." She just cries harder, and Zoro understands. They keep saying he doesn't understand, but he does. "I know. I know."

It would be easier if he could just cut whoever hurt her in half like he always does.

Luffy is the strongest, most powerful man Zoro has had the privilege to love and worship, and even when he disappears he forgets how to live.

So Zoro can fathom the way Nami feels. Vivi is strong, but love makes Nami feel the weakest she's ever been.

Nami gladly accepts his hug, and he knows she understands. And he'll help her live until she finds her way to her princess again.

[assiraphales]

not to beat a dead horse but how can ppl say that opla gave viewers the wrong impressions about what relationships were important (ie highlighting zoro and luffy’s as captain and first mate) when the creator of one piece was heavily involved in production and signed off on it all…….not to mention in the animanga the importance of the relationship is JUST as prevelent, just shown in different ways. r we not reading/watching the same material ?

[crocodilenjoyer]

here’s the thing. about zolu. puts myhand on your shoulder Here’s the thing. luffy? aromantic. zero interest in romance. zoro? gay. very low interest in romance. has two braincells and they’re both devoted to thinking about swords. they are not dating. it is not romantic. it’s not sexual either because luffy, much like his views on romance, could not give less of a shit about sex. maybe if they both feel up to it at the same time, but that’s rare and when it does happen it’s more of a physicality and, to a lesser extent, affection thing than anything else. occasionally it’s a “hey wouldn’t it be weird/funny/fucked up if we [insert some david cronenberg-type shit]” thing and the other one goes “haha yeah do you wanna try.” but i digress.

however. HOWEVER. they Have A Thing. what that Thing entails is a mystery. luffy is both incredibly straightforward and frustratingly cryptic whenever he’s asked about it and zoro just kinda shrugs. they’re just luffyandzoro and zoroandluffy. the king and his lionheart. drift compatible. partners. captain and first mate. the sailor and the north star. sun and moon. they simply Are. what does that entail? well brother. they hang out

[tekitothemagpie]

Zoro, stroking Luffy's hair : Luffy... What are we..

Luffy : pirates.... We're pirates, Zoro

[inafallsaway]

Why doesn’t Robin do Saul’s laugh anymore I think that’s a crime >:(

[beaulesbian]

One Piece ep. 341 - Luffy getting Zoro to join them exploring Thriller Bark

+ when Luffy gets what he wants: *happiness*