"Beat Loudly, Heartbeat!"

when he can bring the best smile out of him

I redrew this comic i made back in July

maybe it’s not so much zoro’s willingness to do anything for luffy that makes his devotion so special, but his happiness to be doing it.

when luffy gives him an order, it’s often accompanied by a smile on zoro’s face and a tinge of joy as he replies. when luffy goes somewhere, he follows with a grin and a content look.

for zoro who is a quieter character, more serious in tone, his instant happiness to answer luffy’s orders and to do something for him is so gratifying. and i think it really emphasises his devotion that helping luffy, being by his side, being able to do something for him, etc, is what brings him absolute guaranteed happiness through his cool character trope.

zoro doesn’t feel reluctance following luffy’s lead, he relaxes. for years, as a teenager, he’s had to make executive decisions alone and there’s something in me that feels like he’s happy to give that up. to let luffy decide his course in the comfort of the people he loves. he’s a follower by preference, and he’s found his leader.

and of course he thinks critically, his devotion and loyalty is not blind. zoro is very importantly on an equal footing to luffy, unafraid of combatting any ideas or paths he doesn’t agree with. and that makes his contentment even more special because you know it is wholeheartedly transparent. he would say otherwise, and so that grin on his face is plainly, completely true.

his devotion is so special because it is his happiness too.

canonically jealous tummy ache zoro is soooooo embarrassing for him and he knows it! bro knows the entire world sees him as luffy’s second hand man & first mate, that he’s been with luffy since day one, that he IS strong and loyal and fierce and these are all qualities that luffy values, that he understands luffy on a nearly telepathically linked level and their bond transcends definition……and yet the second luffy compliments how strong or cool another man is he cannot bite his tongue fast enough to stop himself from being a little bitch about it

cuddles with zolu <3

When I finally get around to writing the ZoLu smoking fic. 😅

Nami! Stop interrupting their make out session!

technically im late to zoros bday but im gonna pretend i live on the west coast