Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The grass felt surprisingly warm underneath the swordsman’s bare feet as he grabbed water and a towel for his workout. Today was perfect to get some sunshine while they could since it’s only a matter of time before they have to handle another crisis once again. Trouble always finds the Strawhat Pirates after all and their stretchy hell spawn of a captain wouldn’t have it any other way. Everyone was doing their own thing at the moment-Nami longed in a chair catching rays with Robin while Brook serenaded the ladies with the enthusiasm of a songbird. Dumbass was probably busy cooking like the cigarette snorkeling dartboard he is. Chopper was busy grinding herbs while the sniper boasted about the amazing adventures of Captain Usopp. The only people who weren’t out and about were Franky and Luffy. Strange… Usually he’s running a muck causing trouble like an unsupervised child in a restaurant. 

Not that it mattered either way to Zoro as long as he wasn’t bugging him during training. Believe it or not, it’s a pain in the ass to drag out some of his equipment since they’re so ridiculously huge. Plus, he has to check, double check, and even triple check to make sure his weights are secured so they don’t burst through a wall during a nasty storm. There was an incident where he dropped one on accident and it crashed through the floor of the crowsnest (the shipwright was super pissed that day). But if he’s doing his routine with little to no interruptions, then Zoro can avoid any potential mishaps. Before he had the chance to grab the rest of his stuff, the blonde poked his head out of the kitchen to announce that food was ready. He also followed it with, 

“And can you guys get Luffy too?” Sanji pointed at the deer and the teen. “He’s usually out here by now and I don’t see any sign of him,” the greenette hates to admit it but the pervert’s right. It’s impossible to say the word ‘food’ without Luffy getting all twitchy. Hell, he could practically smell meat from a mile away and track it down like a shark when there’s blood in the water. So the duo followed his orders and went down the slide before making they’re way to the men’s dorm while Zoro racked his brain for ideas. Something was off but he couldn’t place it. Or maybe he was just standing there with his arms folded getting worried over nothing like a dumbass. But as that last thought crossed his mind, the nineteen year old gasped while the reindeer screamed in terror.

“Guys get down here, Luffy’s out cold!” Usopp exclaimed. 

“Someone get a doctor, please!” Chopper begged and everyone dropped what they were doing to rush over to their Captain. Zoro would like to think after two years he’d stop asking for a medical professional since this is his field of expertise but there are some things that never change. Just like how their leader probably did something he wasn’t supposed to and knocked himself out in the process. It wouldn’t be the first time anyway. He sauntered his way over to investigate and the smell of vomit slapped Zoro in the face while the others gravitated to their Captain. Luffy was hanging over the side of the bed with his arms dangling above his head. His fingers were dipped into an obscene amount of puke on the floor and somehow he managed to coat the side of his cot with it as well. The puddle had to have been the diameter of a decently sized carpet. 

His pupil shrunk to a mere pinhead. He remained frozen in the doorway as heart battered itself against his ribcage like a trapped hummingbird and he felt terribly light-headed all of a sudden. There was rarely an instance where the crew got sick, especially this kind of sick. Closest thing would be Nami but she got bit by an insect and it was only a fever. This can’t be happening, right?  Just play it cool, he thought to himself. Don’t give yourself away. His breaths came out in shorts pants as he tried to speak up, even as his voice wavered. “That’s- a lot of…” he couldn’t even finish the sentence before everything turned to black. Faintly, he heard one of his crewmates exclaim “Oh crap!” before he collapsed on his back with a hollow thunk. 

The man woke up to a high pitched voice calling his name as he started to open his good eye. He was greeted with a familiar blue nose and a set of tiny antlers before they let out a sign of relief. “Goodness, you had me worried,” Chopper said. “Do you know where you are?” He nodded, sitting up only to wince as the back of his head throbbed. It’s like someone just ran up from behind and punched him with brass knuckles covered in armament haki. Even his back aches from laying on the floor of the infirmary-wait, why was he on the floor? And why the fuck did he have a needle in his arm?! “What the hell happened?” the greenette asked, putting his palm on his forehead. 

“I don’t know,’ the doctor answered. “You were fine one minute and the next you hit the dirt after you saw Luffy,” That was when the memory flashed through his head like lightning and his stomach dropped to his boots. Not only did he fail to keep himself collected, he also failed his captain. The warrior wanted to help-he really did-but his body wouldn’t let him. It simply refused…This was the first time in a great while where he doesn't have control and his subconscious had the wheel. But he had to ask, “Is he ok?”

“He’s stable for now but I’m sure he’ll be fine. I don’t think a stomach bug’s gonna take him out that easily. But he really should’ve told us he was sick. I could’ve whipped something up to make him feel better,” and he points over to the bed next to him (well above him but same difference). “But why don’t you take a look for yourself,” his gaze drifted over to the bed to see an unruly mop of black hair with a bucket placed next to his bedside. The 21 year old yelped and scuttled backwards to the far wall of the medic’s office like a crab who forgot how to walk. He took the IV drip with him by accident and it would’ve joined him on the ground if the mechanism didn’t have wheels. Hell, he's thankful that he didn’t tear the thing out of his arm like a seam ripper. “Whoa, take it easy,” the doctor held his arms up like he’s trying to tame a feral creature. “What’s wrong?”

“N-nothing,” Zoro responded but he said it in a way that made it sound like he was questioning his own answer.He could see his captain was asleep, the covers shifting with the patterns of his breath but he looked awfully pale. “I need some air,” Before he had the chance to get up and escape, Chopper transformed into his human form with his arms crossed. The reindeers brows were knitted in a scowl that said ‘Leave, I dare you.’ What a freaking menace! He was exasperated by the situation at hand. 

“C’mon, I’m being serious,” and the other quirked an eyebrow in disapproval but remained silent. He sighed in defeat before claiming, “I promise I’m fine. You worry way too much.”  

“That’s my job,” the doctor gritted through his teeth. Crap, he practically walked into that one. He treats the sick and injured day in and day out so of course he’s gonna be worried when the protector of the crew, the King of Hell itself, scurries away to a corner like a terrified rodent. The swordsman was anything but fine.

“You’re not gonna let me go until you get an answer, huh?” 

“That was a pretty extreme reaction for some ‘fresh air’” and he emphasized his point using air quotes. He’s always been relentless when it came to the well being of his friends, even if it meant strapping them down so they can’t escape the doctor's care (not that he’s speaking from experience anyway). It was annoying to say the least. “Damn it,” he groaned out. “Guess I got no choice. Just-don't tell anyone, alright.”

Chopper nodded. “Of course. I take doctor confidentiality very seriously after all,” How the hell is he gonna explain it? Fuck, he’s starting to have second thoughts as the medic gave Zoro his full, undivided attention. This was a bad idea, he needs to… no, don’t even think about it. You can freak out later. Take it like a man and get it over with. But he also followed it with, “And you better not laugh or else I’ll skin you alive,” He jabbed a finger at the medic to emphasize his point and the animal knitted his brows together. 

“Why would I laugh?” 

“‘Cause it’s a stupid thing to get hung up on,” he reasoned. As far as the greenette knew, Zoro was the only person who had this  and even he doesn't understand it. 

“When it comes to my patients, there’s no such thing as a stupid hangup,” he claimed. “I wouldn't be in this position if I wanted to judge people so lay it on me.”

“A-alright then,” the greenette pauses to let out a shaky breath. He felt sick to his stomach at the mere thought of revealing the truth and it wasn’t doing him any favors at this point. He’s only told a couple of people throughout his life and they acted like he was the crazy one. Soon, word would spread like wildfire and everyone would make fun of him again. The man planned on taking this secret to his grave. He never thought this day would come. God, even the stench was still stuck in his nose from earlier, which is impossible since his friends got him cleaned up. Was he hallucinating? “I’m kinda-sort of-” he mumbled the last part of his sentence under his breath. Damn it, why’d he chicken out at the last second? He was Roronoa Zoro for crying out loud and that man never backs down. Chopper had to ask him to repeat it and he finally blurted out, “I’m scared of puke, alright!” Zoro snapped out of frustration only to gasp and cover his mouth with both hands, mortified by his own actions. Fuck , that was too loud. He may not worship an almighty deity, but god help him if anyone was in the room next to them. The band aid’s been ripped off. It’s a wrap. 

As his friend shrunk back into brain point, the man was hugging his knees like his life depended on it and ducked his head down to hide his embarrassment. Yeah, that’s right. Hiding. That’s all he does whenever this kind of stuff comes up.  Zoro has been plagued by this fear since he was little. The swordsman can’t recall exactly when it started but he’s lived with it for a very, very long time. All the kids at the dojo picked on him for it; from name calling to petty little pranks that made the  mini swordsman bawl his eyes out. Usually he didn’t care about what other people thought, but this was one of the exceptions. Everyone claimed that it was unheard of and how he was lying just to get attention. His teacher was kind about it, sure, but he figured the swordsman would just grow out of it because, ‘no one likes to throw up.’

He knew it was far beyond a simple dislike. It’s on his mind constantly, like a busted up video transponder snail looping the same few seconds of a clip. It seemed like the majority of his daily routine consisted of avoiding certain places, food, even specific people if the situation called for it. Long story short, his body was his greatest enemy and it was a fucking joke. He shouldn’t be petrified of anything let alone something that cannot hurt you. This weakness will be a burden to his crew, to his family. If word gets out, all of their lives would be at risk.   

“Really?” he asked and the mosshead tossed his head back against the wall before saying, “Yes, really. You can’t make this shit up,” The doctor was puzzled. It was a pretty common fear that usually resides in small children and women but it’s rare to see this in an adult male. Especially someone who has a high constitution like Zoro. His friend drinks enough liquor to kill ten horses, comes out of every battle soaked in his own blood, and he’s got a phenomenal immune system. Very interesting…

“Then- how come you didn’t say anything? We could help-”

“Look, I don’t want to talk about it,” the man cut him off. “You got your answer so I’m free to go. That was the deal.” his friend took a moment to pause before he stated, “I’ll drop it but you still need to rest. You took a pretty nasty fall.” 

“Chopper you don’t understand. I have to leave.” 

“But-” he glared at the doctor with all the fury he could muster before exclaiming, “Do you honestly think that any amount of rest is gonna fix this!?” he lifted his hands up and away from his body. They were quivering worse than Usopp coming down with a case of ‘can’t go to that island’ disease. The doctor’s  eyes widened and his mouth dropped open like a trap door, taken aback by the fearless warrior trembling in terror. “Now do you see where I’m coming from?” he remained frozen at the sight. Hell, Zoro was more freaked out by it than he was. How pathetic can he be? He growled, slapping his palms to the floor. “Just forget it,” and he stands up on wobbly legs, ripping the surgical needle out of his arm.  The man stops in the doorway for a brief moment to look back at Luffy. He’s the one who’s sick in bed and he can’t do a single thing to help. The swordsman scoffed at himself before shutting the door behind him. 

As Zoro stormed out of the infirmary, he got about half way across the kitchen before he realized that Dartboard was cleaning up after lunch. Shit, was he here the entire time? What if he- wait, no don’t be stupid. There’s no possible way he could know. Zoro would never hear the end of it if he did. Sanji was scrubbing away at some dishes when he heard the familiar tromping of a certain one-eyed freak of nature. The cook didn’t turn his head to acknowledge him but he chided with, “Well, look who’s finally awake,” he smirked. “Did you enjoy your nap, princess?” the swordsman responded with, “Fuck off, cook, I’m not in the mood.” The chef chuckled as he continued to push his buttons. “Aw, still feeling grumpy after your tantrum?” the other man snapped around and crossed his arms. 

“The hell are you even talking about?” he asked. 

“Well, to me,” he leaned his hand against the edge of the sink with the other on his hip. “It sounded like you and Chopper were fighting.” 

“We weren’t fighting. And why were you eavesdropping?” he tossed his arms out to the side before they dropped down to his hips. “Don’t you have better shit to do?” Sanji took a moment to puff on his nasty cigarette before saying, “Hey, it’s your fault for bitching about how you're scared of vomit. Maybe next time you should use your inside voice if you don’t want people to find out,” He pursed his lips, turning them into a fine line. If looks could kill, Sanji would be reduced to a pile of ground beef. He was enraged, ashamed that he sold himself out like that. But he wasn’t going to back down from this blonde piece of garbage. He trudged over to the cook with his hands balled up into fists. Their noses were about an inch away from each other as tangible tension crackled in the air like a fuse ready to blow. 

“You breathe a word of this to anyone,” he shoves a finger into the other man's chest. “Then I’ll bury you myself,” to the swordsman, this was a promise. He was not going to have a repeat of what happened back in his village-becoming the punchline of everyone's jokes because he was stupid enough to open up about it. They held eye contact for a moment before Sanji did the unthinkable-he lurched over and gagged. In hindsight, he should’ve known it was fake and the cook was trying to get a rise out of him. However, his body reacted before his brain could register and Zoro jumped back a couple of feet with cat-like reflexes. A scaredy cat if you will. Sanji cracked up, laughing his ass off as he held his belly. 

“Holy shit,” he wheezed, trying to get it together long enough to say, “You weren’t kidding! Ah, I can’t believe it.” Sanji wiped a tear from his eye, trying to calm himself down only to lose it all over again. “Out of all the people on our crew, you’re the one who can’t handle a little puke? What’re we in, the Florian Triangle?” Oh, that does it. Looks like they're gonna have to find a new chef. Zoro yanked him by the collar of his shirt and the other man let his legs give out a bit so he was harder to hold. It’s like when a child doesn't get their way so they flop to the ground like a ragdoll and the parents have to drag them out of the store. Annoying but effective. The pervert’s  got a giant grin on his face that makes Zoro want to break his jaw. “You asshole!”

“‘Least I’m not a wuss like you are,” he goaded. 

“I'm gonna string your guts up like Christmas lights if you don’t shut the hell up!” 

“Well, if you want to play it like that,” he started. “I’ll just grab Luffy’s bucket and toss it on your bed,” and the swordsman drops the chef on his front before taking a few steps back. Blood was racing through his system as the color began to leave his face. To say he was appalled was the biggest understatement of the century! This was the beginning of the end in the greenette’s eyes. How can anyone take him seriously when the man can’t stomach the sight of barf? ‘Cause he sure as hell wouldn’t if the roles were reversed. He’s done for…As the cook stood back up, it took him a minute before he could formulate a mediocre comeback.“You’re disgusting,” he tried to leave but Sanji grabbed his arm.

“Hey, wait-” Zoro ripped away from his grasp and yelled, “Don’t fucking touch me! In fact, stay away from me all together you sick bastard,” he stomped his way out the door leading to the main floor. The chef was speechless. Sanji’s never seen him act like this before. Shit, did he take it too far? He sighed, lighting up another cigarette before digging around the pantry for booze. He was holding onto this one for a special occasion but he would consider the situation as a 'top shelf’ kind of crisis. 

Metal clanged against one another as Zoro lifted them up and down in a meticulous rhythm. As long as he focuses on the cadence of his routine then everything else will fade away. Having control over himself was not only his biggest strength but also his weakness. And frankly, getting sick wasn’t an option. How can you fight when you’re- no, knock it off, he groaned in his head. You’re fine, you’re not actually queasy so chill out. People lie to themselves all the time and Zoro was no exception. He just needed to stop thinking about it and move on with the day. The man took drinking into consideration but with the way his stomach was flopping around like a fish out of water, Zoro didn’t want to take any chances. 

“Damn it,” he slammed his barbells down with a ka-clank and he sat down on the cushioned bench, keeping his posture straight. He figured out a few years back that sitting up was better than laying down when he felt sick. He didn’t understand how it worked but it helped him out at least. This entire thing was irrational, through and through. The young man gets himself in a tizzy and spirals in his own misery before he can even comprehend what’s happening. Really, it’s self-inflicted and he can only blame himself for not being strong enough to squash the issue at hand. He kept backtracking to what Sanji said before he took off. He wouldn’t actually do it, right? There’s no way he could. It would make him look bad in front of the ladies’ or some dumb crap like that. But a part of him couldn’t help but ask what if… 

“God, doesn’t he ever think before he opens that fat freakin’ gob of his?” he asked out loud. To be fair, those two never got along but that was petty even for him. This was coming from the guy who was afraid of bugs so everyone deals with these kinds of things in some way, shape or form. Why should the swordsman be an exception to that rule?  ‘Cause it’s not weird like yours, dumbass, a thought answered and the protector scoffed at himself. Oh, shut your mouth! I didn’t ask… he retorted. Great, now he’s having some imaginary argument with the pathetic little voice in the back of his head. That’s not going to do him any good. I’m losing it, aren’t I? Zoro sighed, squeezing his eye shut as he slicked back his hair. Then, he leaned forward and clasped his hands together in order to recenter himself. He stayed like that for a while when the cook decided to pop his head through the hatch with the bottle in his hand. 

The swordsman didn’t realize he was here before the other started with, “Yo, Mosshead,” his gaze snapped over to Sanji and he groaned. “What do you want?” the man spat, his voice dripping with all the venom he could muster. The blonde walked over to his side and took a seat, passing the rum to Zoro. The greenette could tell immediately this was the expensive shit. The kind of liquor they rarely had around since he would chug it instead of ‘enjoying it’ like some high class snob (according to Sanji anyway). “Figured my ‘fat freakin’ gob’ owed you an apology. So, I got you a peace offering,” he stated. It made Zoro cringe when the chef threw his words back at him. He doesn’t like talking about other people behind their back and he broke his own rule. This wasn’t like him at all. None of this was.  

“Thanks,” he muttered. The man absentmindedly picked at the label of the bottle. “I guess I should apologize too,” Sanji leaned back a little and chided with, “Too bad we both suck at it,” the other chuckled. “Yeah, that's true,” Zoro agreed. The blonde was thrown off when the greenette set the booze on the floor instead of ripping the top off with his teeth and going to town. “Aren’t you gonna drink it?” 

“I’ll get around to it,” he answered. 

“What, you’re not feeling good or something?” Zoro propped his elbows on his knees and rested his head on both hands. His brows were knitted with worry as he stared off into space, almost like a daze. “I don’t know, Sanji,” the cook could count on a single hand the number of times his rival called him by his name instead of an insult. Even then those rare occasions were reserved for catastrophic circumstances where their lives were at risk or when the swordsman was delirious from blood loss. It’s unnerving. He crossed his leg over the other and led with, “Wanna talk about it?” 

“What is there to talk about?” the other asked and he flopped his body back again with his arms stretched out along the spine of the circular sofa. “It freaks me out-plain and simple,” and his friend mimicked his posture as he blew out a puff of smoke. “Luffy’s down there sick as a dog and there’s nothing I could do to help.” Sanji gave him a curt nod as his attention remained undivided. It wasn’t like before where he was cackling like a hyena; the man was here to listen. But still, it was hard to get the words out. 

“He’s gonna be fine, don’t worry,” the chef assured. “Our captain’s been through way worse than this.” 

“And I’ve been there every step of the way,” Zoro retorted. “I’ve never felt this helpless before.” Well, aside from everything that took place during the Paramount War. Nobody could be there for him since every member of the crew was flung off to different parts of the world. Even then, they had orders to train for the next two years to get stronger after what happened to Ace. When Mihawk broke the news to him, the swordsman was crushed. He broke his promise then and he’s breaking it now. There’s no way he could ever make it up to his captain. 

“Well, if it's any consolation,” Sanji responded. “You’re scary enough even if you are squeamish around puke. Besides, our friends aren’t gonna care about your hang up-we all have them. I’m sure they’ll understand,” Zoro sighed. There’s a small part of him that agrees with Sanji but it doesn’t change the situation. When people find weakness in someone, they exploit it. If he can't get this under control, then he’s gonna get them killed and he’ll be the one at fault. The protector couldn’t live with himself if he allowed that to happen. “How about you go down and get some sleep,” the chef stated. “I’ll keep watch.” 

“Nah, it’s fine,” he assured. There’s no way he would get a single ounce of rest after what happened today so he might as well let them take advantage.  “I’d rather be up here for the night.” 

“You sure?”

“Positive,” he confirmed. The chef told him that if he ever needed to talk it out or even decompress with some sparing, just let him know. “Sure, now go get your beauty rest, Curly,” and the blonde stood up to take his leave. “Whatever you say, asshole,” the swordsman smirked, relieved by the sense of normalcy as his rival made his descent.

Chapter Text

The sun peeked over the horizon, shattering light across the surface of the water like broken glass. Zoro could hear the faint sounds of Brook’s joyous violin only to be disrupted by Nami’s screeching. It was hard to tell what she was yelling about but if he were to guess, it had something to do with the musician’s impromptu concert at the crack of dawn. He yawned as he rubbed the tiredness out of his good eye. It wasn’t uncommon for him to stay up all night but man did it kick his ass this time around. He’s sure the others are worried after his ‘episode’ from the previous day so he should at least let them know he hasn’t keeled over from a restless night. Maybe he could sneak off and get some shut eye in the-oh, that’s right…The men’s dorm. He almost forgot about that. 

It’s probably safe to go down there, he thought before scolding himself. What did he mean by safe?! There’s nothing inherently perilous about it. Whatever, he’ll just scope it out and in the worst case scenario, he leaves. No harm no foul. Still, the protector couldn’t help but feel uneasy. What if it sat there all night while the guys slept in the same room? It probably dripped between the floorboards and dried up like chunky, disease ridden cement-He groaned in disgust and shook his head in disapproval. Dude, would you quit it?! The fuck’s wrong with you? The greenette tossed on his coat and secured his swords to his waist before approaching the hatch, sliding down the ladder. It reminds him of the time he tried to teach Usopp and let’s just say he had to wear a cast on his nose for a week. Once his boots thumped against the grass, he marched over to the door of their shared room and stopped in front of it with his brows furrowed. The swordsman paused with his hand on the knob, holding his breath as he flung open the door. His eye locked onto a knot in one of the planks before he dared himself to look up. 

The amount of relief he felt in that moment was immaculate . It was gone! If Zoro didn’t know any better, he would’ve assumed everything that happened yesterday was just a bad dream and his Captain wasn’t actually sick. However, he doubted the faint stench of puke and harsh chemicals were just a figment of his imagination this time. Maybe he should spend a couple of nights in the crowsnest until the smell clears-Er, because he wants to.  Yeah, that’s it. After all, it can be difficult to get some peace and quiet when there’s nine people occupying the same place. “Morning Zoro,” Usopp got his attention and the greenette realized he was standing in the doorway like a complete dumbass. “Good morning my dear! You’re up early,” Brook greeted as well. 

“Well, that’s strange,” the sniper replied. “It’s like pulling teeth just trying to get Zoro outta bed, especially if it’s early. It’s like trying to wake up a dead pig,” he chuckled and the swordsman folded his arms. “I was on watch while you lazy bums got your beauty rest,” he explained, leaning on the side of the door frame. 

“Hey, you got no right to call us lazy after Brook and I scrubbed the ever loving hell out of this room,” the teen retorted and the greenette tensed. This is going to be a long day if this type of conversation keeps coming up. How fun… The other chimed in with, “First of all, Franky was the one who helped me clean up the mess since you came down with a sudden case of  ‘Can’t-Go-Near-Vomit’ disease,” for once, Zoro could agree with the sharp shooter. He can assume Usopp finds it repulsive like the majority of the population and it doesn’t come across anyone’s mind until it becomes relevant to their current situation. The swordsman would be golden if that’s all he had to deal with. “You know damn well it’s terminal Brook. I could’ve died!” 

“Say what you will but I think I know a little more about dying than you do, my friend,” he laughed at himself. The moss ball doesn’t get why he’d make so many jokes about death but he supposed when a man has lived as a bag of bones for fifty plus years, nothing bothers him anymore. His mind wandered, looking through the skeleton while they had a heated discussion. It boggles his mind how the other guys were able to sleep in their normal bunks after that happened. Now everyone’s gonna catch whatever bullshit virus patient zero brought upon the ship and then they’ll… Ugh , he shuddered at the thought. Just don’t think about it, the warrior told himself. “Besides, Chopper was tending to him during that time and Zoro needed to recuperate so don’t be so harsh.” 

“Hmm?” he inquired when he heard his name and said, “Yeah, sure,” before his brain caught up with him. Damn, he’s so tired that he can’t even keep track of the conversation. Luckily, they didn’t seem too interested in his little slip up. “Ok but-I don’t think you’ve fully recovered yet,” the sniper asked. “You look a bit pale, actually.” Nope, Zoro will completely disregard that last sentence. He wasn’t sick, he didn’t feel sick so his complexion should be normal. Why did he have to ask such a dumb question? “I’m fine, don’t worry about it,” the swordsman scoffed, acting like they were ridiculous. Bah, who was he kidding. Try as he might, his body’s reactions will sell him out eventually. He just has to keep up with these mental gymnastics until he can put the kibosh to it. “Chopper would have me tied up in his office if I wasn’t,” he chortled and the other two shrugged it off. “I’ll meet you guys upstairs,” and he took off before they could respond. 

“What’s up with him?” Usopp asked, putting a hand to his chin. “He’s been acting weird for the past couple days.” 

“He does seem a bit off,” Brook agreed as he placed his hands on his hips. “He probably got a concussion when he fell so maybe he’s not feeling like himself,” Granted, it’s a solid theory but it’s not adding up. Usopp and Chopper were the first ones on the scene when they found Luffy unconscious and they also saw the greenette collapse without stepping a single foot into the dorm. Before Zoro went down, the sniper caught a glimpse of something that he’s never seen from the unofficial first mate: fear. Absolute, raw terror that made the teen’s skin crawl. And if a stone cold killer was quivering in his boots then who knows what untold horrors were creeping around the Sunny. 

“No way,” the sniper countered after a pause. “He’s been hit in the head so many times I don’t think it even fazes him anymore. I’m surprised his brain hasn’t turned to mush yet,” the musician stifled a laugh as the sniper continued. “This is no time to be laughing, Brook. That brute saw something so terrifying that he fainted. Fainted , I tell you! And whatever it was is probably lurking in this very room right now,” the other gasped. 

“My word, you’re right,” he exclaimed. “And if it scared Zoro then we don’t stand a chance against the monster!”

“Run for your life!!!” The sniper shouted in unbridled terror and the two of them scrambled out of the men’s dorm. 

Man, that was close, the swordsman thought. I really gotta get my head together. It was time for him to overcome his next obstacle: his Captain. Zoro trudged up the stairs like he was on his way to the electric chair when he saw Brook and Usopp scurrying onto the main deck, flailing their arms and screeching like a couple of startled seagulls. He watched for a moment before rolling his eye and shaking his head. “Idiots,” he muttered under his breath. It’s annoying whenever those two hang out together. Either the sniper tells some scary story that chills the skeleton to the bone or the musician goes into gruesome detail about what it feels like to be dead. Well, at least you don’t act like them when you’re scared. 

The cook furiously whisked some eggs as bacon crackled and popped in the frying pan like high fat fireworks. Sanji saw a certain brute burst into his kitchen with the enthusiasm of a lethargic seal. He stopped what he was doing to say, “Wow, you look beat. You weren’t up there all night, were you?” The swordsman grunted and scratched his lower back as he made his way to the island bar. He used his hand to prop up his head so he wouldn’t bash his face on the cold marble. “Couldn’t sleep,” Zoro admitted while the chef poured some pancake batter into another pan. Suddenly, a loud gag from the infirmary carried throughout the galley and Zoro covered his ears to muffle the sound as he cringed with sympathy. “Damn, he's still at it,” Sanji turned his attention back to the eggs and the protector muttered a curse. “Is it really that bad?” he asked, bracing his forearm on the countertop. 

“Yeah, but at least he’s got Chopper with him,” Sanji assured. “We’ll just have to get him to eat something without blowing chunks again,” and the greenette let out a repulsed groan, covering his eyes with his hand. “Shit, my bad,” the cook acknowledged but the swordsman was caught up in his own head again. The last thing Zoro wanted to think about was someone getting sick right before breakfast. In fact, he didn’t want to think about it ever. This was a mistake. There’s no way he’d be able to check on Luffy without freaking out in front of him. Oh god, what would his Captain have to say about his weakness? He could already feel his chest begin to tighten with dread and the rubber man wasn’t even in the same room as Zoro. The swordsman gets back on his feet to take his leave when the chef asks, “Wait, where are you going?” 

“Somewhere,” he answered vaguely. 

“Aren’t you gonna eat?” Please, like he could even think about eating right now. “Later,” and the cook, like the jackass he is, chucked an apple at the greenette and nailed him square in the back of the head. “Ow, the hell is your problem?!” he exclaimed as his scalp started aching again. Of course he’d hit him in the one spot that was sore from yesterday. “Just take that with you and get the hell outta my kitchen,” he said. Oddly enough, there wasn’t any malice behind Sanji’s words. It was strange but he almost sounded concerned for the swordsman. Then again, his job is to make sure everyone on the crew gets fed so the chef would’ve done the same no matter who it was. Begrudgingly, he grabbed the piece of fruit off the floor and made his way out of the galley. At least now he’ll get a chance to take a nap and forget about everything for a while. 

The swordsmans’ steps echoed against the rusty walls of the metal corridor as the oil lamp flickered in his grasp. “Hello?” he called out and his voice bounced down the hallway. It didn’t matter which way he was facing, Zoro couldn’t tell where it ended or where it began. Then, he heard whimpering coming from behind him, the hairs on his neck standing on end. “It hurts…” the person said and the greenette immediately recognized it. “Luffy?” his captain gave him a hollow groan that reverberated throughout the space but he was nowhere to be seen. “Just stay where you are, I’ll find you!” the teen sniffled but this time it came from the other end of the hallway. “Help me…I can’t-” his captain choked before he let out a horrendous gag that shook the metallic panels. Wind blasted past the swordsman, sour with the stench of blood and vomit as lights above him came to life. That was when Zoro saw it: the red tide. 

“Shit!” he turned tail and bolted in the other direction as the retching persisted. He could hear his Captain sobbing between breaths, begging for it to stop. The smell-that putrid fucking smell-stuck to his tongue like a fly on a glue trap. He was gasping for stale air as the hallway began to heat up, his heart pounding in his ears. “Don’t leave me,” Luffy croaked. “Please!” he wailed just before Zoro encountered a door that blocked his path that had no handle. He reached for his swords only for his hand to pass through like a mirage. He slammed his body into the metal but it didn’t budge and inch. He was trapped! The swordsman tried ripping the doors off the hinges, scrambling to get purchase but to no avail. It was too late. The fate of the warrior was sealed and the wave claimed yet another victim. 

Zoro jolted up with a shriek that was an octave higher than his normal voice, startled by the fictitious string of events as he clawed at his chest. It felt like he got the wind knocked out of him by a cannonball. Sweat dripped down his temple and his entire body was vibrating. Even his stomach was fluttering, almost like having butterflies except these ones were being strangled with piano wire. He looked to his left, then his right and saw he was on the upper level of the ship next to Nami’s tangerines. There wasn’t a colossal sized torrent of barf threatening to drown him (though it’d be a cold day in hell if that happened) . It was just a dream. A horrible, disgusting dream. He was absolutely floored that his brain was capable of constructing such a thing. “Man, that was fucked up,” he muttered to himself, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

“Zoro, you alright?” Nami shouted and the greenette tensed. Crap, not again. She must have heard him from inside the galley. Hell, he wouldn’t be surprised if everyone in the New World did. “Y-yeah,” he responded but it came out more strained than he intended so he cleared his throat and said, “I’m ok.”

“Geez, don’t go scaring us like that,” the navigator retorted. “It sounded like  you were getting murdered or something,” God, did he really? Yikes, he hasn’t screamed like that since the time he was getting stitched up in Cocoyashi village. This was going to be a tough one to brush off.  “You should come down for lunch before our captain decides to go off of his broth diet. I’m sure you know how that’ll turn out,” trust him, Zoro knows more than anyone how it’ll go down if he had free reign on food with his current condition and the very thought turned his blood into a chilled slush. He told the woman he’ll join them in a minute and she returned to the dining area. He was never a fan of lying to begin with but there was no way the swordsman could bring himself to do it. Besides, he was away from the group for the past few hours so what’s the harm in staying a little longer? With that out of the way, the swordsman didn’t believe he was out of the woods yet. 

He wasn’t nauseous at all-he knew that deep down-but Zoro was afraid he was going to be. And it becomes this perpetuating cycle that leaves him frozen like a cornered animal with no way of defending itself. Does he feel sick because he's worried or is he worried because he feels sick ? He really can’t tell and he hates having no control of what his stupid body decides to do; how it’s cemented into his very being. Or maybe…he just hates himself in general for his own weakness. Just breathe, a voice said in his head but it didn’t belong to Zoro. It was Koushirou. This will pass… The protector recalled a time where he really flew off the wagon after one of his classmates threw up during practice and his teacher had to talk him down. That one simple phrase has gotten him through a lot of battles, both in the literal and metaphorical sense, but it was targeted toward this particular situation. He took a slow, deep breath through his nose. 

“This will pass,” he slowly repeated the mantra a couple of times on each exhale and it didn’t take long for him to calm down. Carefully, he shifts into a more comfortable position and he notices something moving inside of his belly band before it drops to the ground, rolling about a foot away from him. Oh yeah, the apple… A moment later his belly growled and he winced at the sound. Guess it was bound to happen if someone didn’t have a proper meal (Or anything for that matter). Zoro picked up the fruit, rubbing his thumb over the shiny red surface as he contemplated his next move. He started pressing his nail into the skin, creating crescent marks on the apple. You’re overthinking it, the swordsman concluded. There’s no doubt he’s hungry and staring at it isn’t gonna help so he takes a bite. See, you got yourself worked up over nothing… 

Chapter Text

A couple of hours had passed before Zoro decided to descend the upper deck and make his way to the crowsnest for his next workout. The swordsman had more than enough time to get his shit together so he might as well be productive, right? Maybe he can hit up the bottle of booze Sanji gave him if he feels up to it. He was walking past Franky, who was taking advantage of the nice weather to work on making some modifications on the Hobby Horse, when the shipwright noticed the greenette. “Hey, Zo-bro,” he said. “How’s your head feeling?” and the young man told him it was fine. Just a little sore. “That’s good to hear. You went down super hard yesterday so I hope you’re taking it easy,” and the swordsman smirked. 

“Oh please,” he answered. “It’s gonna take a lot more than that to take me out.” 

The cyborg started with, “But still, it was kinda weird that you just fainted out of the blue. Any clue how that happened?” Ah yes, the million berri question. He paused for a moment, trying to come up with some kind of answer. It was hard enough explaining his situation to Chopper, who was a medical professional in the Grandline. He specializes in the strange and unusual. Franky on the other hand would be considered immature for his age. The dude’s in his thirties and he still giggles at fart jokes for crying out loud. It’s going to put another target on Zoro’s back. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to,” he said and the brute was brought back to the present.

“Nah, it’s fine,” Zoro responded, folding his arms.  “Chopper couldn’t figure it out so I guess it was some weird one off or something,” he shrugged, pretending like it wasn’t a big deal and feigning ignorance. “It’s probably because you’re chugging booze instead of water,” Franky chuckled, the other playfully rolled his eye and shook his head. Good, the cyborg bought it and he’s none the wiser. “What can I say,” he took a seat in the grass next to the shipwright and continued with, “ You work hard, you play hard.” 

“Amen, brother,” he agreed, drilling a screw into the wood. “Enjoy it while you can because as soon as you get to my age, your body can’t handle it as much.”

“Pfft, you trying to say you’re a lightweight now?” 

“Yeah right!” he retorted with a smirk. “I would’ve drunk your ass under the table in my twenties.” 

“Keyword, ‘would’ve’” the other smiled. “I guess you could call it natural talent,” 

“It’s called a young and healthy liver, bro,” the cyborg said before going back to his original point. “So don’t come crying to me when you’re puking your brains out after drinking all night,” It cost the shipwright nothing to say that. Zoro is more than familiar with the concept of a hangover so he takes his drinking habits with precautions set in place. All it took was a night under the stars in the East Blue and the giant bottle of chocolate cream liquor when he was looking for Mihawk; nastiest shit he ever tasted! But it was the only thing he could get his hands on at the time and the man was desperate. Let's just say he had a mishap the day after. The greenette would  rather choke down a handful of razor blades than to take a sip of that nauseating garbage. It’s also the reason why he hates anything sweet to begin with. “Noted,” the swordsman said dully, letting the awkward silence change the subject for him.

“You sure you’re feeling alright?” Franky asked. “You seem a bit off,” well, that’s one way to put it. Everything that Zoro was going through was closer to crawling out of his own fucking skin than just ‘a bit off.’ 

“I already told you, I’m fine,” he snipped, crossing his arms. “So quit asking.” 

“Dude, you’re clearly upset-”

“I’m not-” he came off strong trying to argue but he stopped to bring it down a couple of notches. Franky didn’t deserve this. No one did… He could only assume everyone will come to the same conclusion in one way or another. It was only a matter of time. “I’m not upset,” he said flatly. Franky scooted closer so he could put his large, metallic hand on Zoro’s back. Sometimes he forgets how huge the shipwright got over the last two years and the swordsman wasn’t exactly small either. It was kinda freaky feeling so…tiny. “I don’t know what’s going on but I’ll level with ya: bottling stuff up like that will eat you from the inside out. You’ll only hurt yourself in the end.” 

“It’s the way of the swordsman,” he said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “If you let your emotions get to you, then what use are you to anyone?” 

“That comes in handy during a fight, sure, but living like that all the time can’t be fun,” the cyborg responded. “None of us would be here if we didn’t trust one another with our lives, so who’s to say we can’t do the same for the personal stuff?” 

“It’s not that I don’t trust you or anyone else on the crew. It’s just…” he sighed, pausing to find the right wording. He wanted to say that it wasn’t right to put this burden on the crew. That he didn’t want to be judged for dealing with a weird phobia nor to be treated like he was made of tissue paper. The swordsman doesn’t want his relations with his friends to change because of this obstacle. Everything was perfect the way it was! So instead, Zoro groaned and said, “ It’s complicated.” 

“Just tell us what you need,” he answered and a small burp escaped from the shipwright, making the greenette flinch. Now it’s harmless just by itself but according to the swordsman’s line of reasoning, usually this leads to other things coming out if you catch his drift. He was ready to leap out of the line of fire, dive into the ocean, and swim into the Calm Belt to take his chances with the Seakings. “ ‘Cuse me. My guts have been acting funky for a while now,” oh crap, that ain’t good! Zoro remembered that Franky was the one who came in contact with the stuff just to make the men’s bedroom livable again and now the swordsman has been infected for sure. This is bad, this is really fucking bad- “But that’s just one of the perks of getting old. Your body does weird stuff and there’s-,” the cyborg noticed that the warrior had his hands digging into the grass at his sides and his eye was squeezed shut, almost like he was in pain. Franky also saw that the greenette might’ve been green around the gills himself. “You good, bro?” he asked and the unofficial firstmate snapped his head toward the other man, bewildered that the mere mention was enough to get him into a twist. 

“Headache,” Zoro said the first thing that came to his mind, leaving behind claw marks as he released his death grip from the dirt. Just another white lie to lead them off the path of truth to preserve himself. He never would’ve imagined that he would become the very thing he resented the most: a dishonest coward. The shipwright nodded and suggested, “Go pound some water and lay down instead of taking it out on the grass. Nine times out of ten it’ll fix it.” That’s- actually not a bad idea. The swordsman believed he had some water stashed away in the crowsnest for post workout purposes and he really did not want to return to the kitchen just to get some. “Yeah,” he answered and stood up, dusting off the grass and dirt on his butt. The greenette slowly took a couple of steps back and continued with, “You should do the same if you’re not feeling good. I know it’s hard when you’re dealing with that sort of thing, but- it’s better than having nothing in there,” He pointed at the other’s belly as he moved further away and the cyborg gave a weak chuckle. 

“Wow, I never thought I’d get that kind of advice from you,” and the younger man shrugged his shoulders. “I’m no expert by any means but I do know a thing or two,” he was selling himself short. Zoro could probably write an entire book about how to dodge puke about as thick as the dictionary. Keep in mind, he was by himself for a while before he met Luffy so he had to figure stuff out on his own. Mending clothes, dealing with injuries, even the extremely rare cases where he was coming down with something. He could count on a single hand the number of times he’s gotten that kind of sick throughout his life in an excruciating amount of detail so he’s picked up a few tips and tricks along the way. “Now go lay down before ya keel over,” the swordsman said before heading to the men’s dorm.

Alright, Zoro started as soon as he shut the door behind him. Currently, no one was in the bunkroom so he wouldn’t have to wring his brain dry like a wet dishrag to try and explain his lack of attendance. First order of business was to hit the shower so he can wash up and get the contaminated clothes off of his back. To his knowledge, Franky contracted the same thing as Luffy and he couldn’t afford to take the risk.  Just a quick in and out and you’re home free. At this point, he didn’t care how ridiculous he sounded, Zoro had to do something so he could shake it off and feel normal again. He marched over to the lockers only to pause next to the foot of the bed. Where this whole thing began… He knew exactly where the spot was, like it was imprinted in his brain. He stepped around the imaginary mess like it was still there and grabbed a set of fresh clothes from his locker-black pants and a loose, gray t-shirt with a blue Criminal logo on it-before making a beeline to the bathhouse. 

It took him way longer than it should’ve to find the library and he climbed the ladder leading to his destination. The sign on the bathhouse door was nowhere to be found which meant that it was unoccupied. The bathroom, on the other hand, was a different story. Zoro heard someone retching and it made him wince. Just when the swordsman thought his luck was beginning to turn, his stomach followed suit instead. “Crap,” he muttered under his breath and he practically scrambled into the next room, fumbling with the lock before planting his back against the door. That makes it three so far and that was three too many for the swordsman. He placed a palm on his forehead, weaving seafoam strands between his fingers and the man snapped a couple of hairs as he tightened his grip. He growled, frustrated with himself as he shuck off all his clothing like they were burning him alive and turned the faucet on the highest setting. Steam billowed from the showerhead as water skittered across his skin like oil in a frying pan. As much as it pains him, as twisted and delusional as it sounds,  Zoro was grateful that the water was loud enough to drown out that disgusting noise.

Then the greenette got to work. He lathered up the loofa until it was covered in suds and aggressively scrubbed every inch of his body, even the places he wouldn’t usually pay much attention to such as his arms and legs. Even after he completed one cycle, he’d start over again because it wasn’t enough to put him at ease. By the time the swordsman believed his efforts were sufficient in the cleanse, his skin throbbed with his irrational heartbeat and it was sensitive to the touch. The steam from the hot water clogged his lungs and Zoro began to feel dizzy, almost like he was floating away from the planet. He couldn’t have been there for that long, right? “Damn it,” he murmured, swaying like a buoy in the middle of the ocean. Acting quickly, the man adjusted the temperature and he jolted as soon as the cold water rushed down his body, bracing his forearms against the wall as he shivered. The swordsman’s head hung below his shoulders as he took a moment to control his breathing. Soon, the pulsing in his face slowed down and he found his center. “Can’t even take a damn shower without getting freaked out,” he said out loud, turning off the faucet. 

He dried off with a towel as he started to chew  himself out. “Seriously, how can I become the world’s strongest if something as little as-” he hesitated at the word ‘puke’ only to continue with, “ that… has me running for the hills,” he wacked on his new set of clothes and without skipping a beat, Zoro said, “It’s fucking ridiculous.” Suddenly, he heard a knocking on the door followed by a certain voice that belonged to the Wicked Witch of the East Blue. “You know what’s ridiculous?” she retorted while the swordsman popped his arms through his sleeves. “Taking up all the hot water without any consideration for others. You better head straight to the pump and get more before I skin your ass alive!” Ugh, bossy as ever. He swore, Nami’s timing was absolutely impeccable. The man picked up his dirty laundry as he turned the lock on the knob to confront the woman. 

“I’d be down there by now if you weren’t barking orders,” he argued and she was taken aback by the swordsman’s appearance. “Holy shit, you got cooked! You look like a goddamn tomato. How long were you in there?” Then, the navigator waved it off before saying, “Nevermind, you probably fried the last two brain cells you have in the shower so I can’t trust you to do it.” 

“Screw you!” he exclaimed and another gag came from inside the bathroom, making the swordsman clench his teeth with an audible click. Nami cursed and flung open the door to find Usopp on his knees in front of the toilet. She got down to his level and placed a hand on his back to comfort him while Zoro remained frozen, catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror above the sink as he tried to shut out the scene that played before him. Fear was plastered across his blistering red face and his hair draped over his scalp like a dead spider. He clutched the clothing in his trembling hands like his life depended on it as his heart stomped in his chest like an ill-tempered brat. All he saw was the same, helpless child from his village who was picked on for something that was out of his control. He was defenseless… The navigator whipped her head around and glared at the twenty one year old. 

“You knew about this, didn’t you?” she asked, angered by the swordsman’s carelessness. “Why the fuck didn’t you tell anyone?!” he was ripped back into reality and the greenette struggled to find an answer. “No, I-” and Nami cut him off with, “You should be ashamed of yourself. You knew Usopp was sick and instead of helping him, you took a shower. How could you be so heartless!” That sliced him down to the bone. Of all the wounds he’s collected over the years, this was by far the most painful. His words were caught in his throat like a spiked softball as she growled an order. “Quit standing around like an idiot and go get Chopper!” The swordsman complied with hast. He didn’t argue, he didn’t complain- nothing . That’s the only thing he can do…nothing.

Zoro found the reindeer grinding herbs on the main deck as the sun began to disappear below the horizon, smattering reds and oranges across the sky. It wasn’t normal for the doctor to do preparations right before dark but he had to keep up with the rate of infection so he could at least make his friends comfortable. He told the medic what was going on with Usopp in the upstairs bathroom and Chopper immediately went to his aid without a single thought. The greenette was glad that at least someone could help out. It’s gotta be overwhelming for the doctor to have this pressure on his shoulders. Then he thought about what Nami said earlier and it made his heart take a swan dive to his boots as he stood at the bottom of the ladder to the Crowsnest. Does she really think I don’t care…  

After he entered the Sunny’s gym, Zoro went after the rum and took a couple of hard pulls from the bottle just to take the edge off before taking a seat on the wrap around bench. From an outside perspective, drinking booze should be the last thing he wanted to do, right? It made just as much sense as someone who’s scared of dogs going to an animal shelter to adopt one. At the end of the day, it’s about control and it goes beyond this phobia as well. Whether it’s his body, his mind, even his emotions-he has the reins when it comes to his pain and his pleasure. Drinking was one of the few things the swordsman allows himself to have because it’s his job to ensure he doesn’t over do it. The man could down two more of these bottles if he wanted to but he chooses not to. The ball is in his court and no one else's. Bah, who knows…maybe it’s some messed up illusion he paints up for himself to preserve his pride and compensate for his downfalls. 

But when the swordsman has to face something where control is out the window, he feels lost… a lonely sea turtle drifting in the vast and perilous sea struggling to keep its head above water.

The greenette was over halfway through the rum before he put the cap back on, letting the liquor take effect as it heated up his gut. He flopped both his arms and his head along the back of the bench, staring at the ceiling as he let himself sulk. Yeah, you heard right. The same man who had nerves of steel was dwelling on the words of a red head who is more than acquainted with fear and everything that comes along with it. Sadly, he somewhat agreed with her. It wasn’t that he didn’t care (he’d lay down his life for any of them) but he really couldn’t do anything. Once it gets to that point, it has to run its course. There’s no stopping it. “Hey,” Zoro lazily lifted his head to see Sanji coming through the hatch. He had a cloth bag hanging from his teeth and the thing inside had a box-like outline. He swapped it over to his hand and sat down next to the swordsman. “It was a pain in the ass to get up here with this, so you better eat it.” 

Carefully, he untied the knot at the top of the bag to open it. Sanji brought him a bento box with six hand made onigiri-his favorite. He was surprised that the cook went out of his way to do this for him. The greenette stared for a moment with his mouth watering as the other continued with, “I can’t let you skip breakfast, lunch, and dinner so don’t make me force feed you,” It wasn’t like he was trying to go hungry (hell, being tied up in Shells Town for almost a month was enough to deter the swordsman from starving himself). He was so concerned about avoiding everything that it didn’t come across his mind until now. And the man was a good distance away from his sickly crewmats so- I guess it wouldn’t hurt to try, he reasoned with himself . Slowly, Zoro took his first cautious bite. Fuck, that’s good.  With the pumps primed, he promptly scarfed down his food and Sanji couldn’t help but smile. “You’re gonna choke if you keep that up,” the blonde chuckled. He watched as the swordsman shoved the last piece in his mouth, puffing out his cheeks so he’d have enough room to chew. The warrior swallowed and let out a pleased groan. “Thanks.” 

“Anytime,” the blonde was relieved that he got Zoro to eat more than a stupid piece of fruit but he was still concerned about his overall well-being. He only saw him for ten minutes, give or take, before the swordsman had to remove himself. “How’re you holding up?” He already knew the answer, or at least had a general idea. Nami came to the chef to bitch about the swordsman after Chopper took over for her and he couldn't help but feel disappointed in the navigator. Maybe it’s wrong to have these negative opinions towards the woman since she wasn’t in the loop but a part of him believes it’s justified. Empathy was a big chunk of who he is as a person, even if it’s toward a pig-headed brute. It took a moment of the mosshead to answer and frankly, he didn’t care about coming up with some idiotic excuse so he settled with, “I’ve been better,” he reached for the rum to take another swig and passed it off to Sanji. “Seems like Usopp and Franky caught whatever bullshit Luffy has.”

“Franky too?” the swordsman explained how he found out the shipwright wasn’t feeling good and the chef responded with, “I didn’t think cyborgs could get sick but the more you know, I guess,” he sighed to collect himself and said, “ Nami told me about Usopp and she seemed pretty ticked off.” The greenette growled and the chef gave him the booze after he took a swig. That witch probably spouted all sorts of garbage about him. He grumbled in a sour tone, “What did she have to say?” The man tried giving it to the chef again and he prompted the protector to take another sip. “Oh, let me guess; I’m a heartless piece of shit and I should be ashamed for letting him suffer alone,” he scoffed and Sanji shifted a bit, rubbing the back of his neck. 

“Something like that,” he admitted. “But I wouldn’t let her get to you,” he advised, lighting up a cigarette. “I know but,” the greenette started. “It still hurts,” he admitted. Zoro doesn’t typically get offended by nasty words or empty threats but it struck a chord in him that he’s tried to part with for years. Sanji placed a hand on his shoulder. “She just doesn’t understand. I mean, shit; I don’t get it either,” he stated. “But I can try if you let me.” Oh, where does he even begin? Zoro could think of a million reasons why and the blonde skirt chaser wanted to hear him out? He better not be messing with him. “Cook, I appreciate the offer but,” he hesitated for a moment. “I  don’t wanna talk about gross stuff after I just ate something five minutes ago. I rather keep my insides where they fucking belong,” Zoro finished.

“Pfft, yeah that’s fair,” he laughed and the swordsman followed up with, “We can continue this tomorrow. Same place, same time.”

“Sounds like a plan,” the blonde said before standing up. “You wanna come down and get some shut eye?” Zoro pondered this for a while even though he already knew the answer. It took a moment for Sanji to dawn on him. Is that why he hasn’t been sleeping in his own bed? Now that he’s thinking about it, was the swordsman getting any sleep? Sheesh, there’s more layers to this than freaking red onion! “How ‘bout you sit tight while I grab a blanket from storage. Robin washed them the other day so they should be good to go,” the chef offered and the greenette had no qualms with it. After the blonde left, Zoro relaxed on the bench. Almost like the walls he put up were starting to chip and crack. Sure, they stood strong to protect him but a small part of him hoped that one day, the slabs of concrete that surrounded him would be blown to dust and scattered across the wind like a faint memory. 

Chapter Text

The swordsman stretched out on the bench and his singular eye fluttered open as sunlight crept through the windows. He managed to stay asleep for the majority of the night but he didn’t feel fully rested, like it wasn’t enough. The man laid there under the soft covers until the warm, fuzzy feeling eventually wore off and he had to come to terms with reality. That idiot cook said he wanted to have a discussion about his particular issue last night, but the greenette was starting to have second thoughts. One of the few downsides of drinking, in Zoro’s case, is that he isn’t as reserved as usual (his mouth alone has gotten him in trouble quite a few times).  To put it bluntly, he doesn’t know when to shut the fuck up. No, he’s gonna follow through this time! To hell with the hiding and bullshit excuses. If the swordsman can’t do it for himself, then he has to for his friends.   “It’ll be fine,” he told himself and a different voice  assured him. “I’m sure it will be.” 

Startled, the greenette whipped his head to the side and saw Robin sitting a couple of feet away from him with a book in her lap. “Geez, are you trying to give me a heart attack?” he griped, placing a hand on his chest and the woman chuckled. “My apologies, I didn’t mean to frighten you,” she placed a ribbon between the pages and closed her book. The swordsman asked why she was in the Crowsnest. “I was simply keeping watch,” the woman answered. In an even tone, she also stated, “I’m just glad we weren’t murdered in our sleep.” And there it is. To be fair, this was mild compared to the gruesome thoughts she usually has but still. 

“Morbid as ever, huh?” Zoro commented and the woman smiled. It kinda made sense considering the stuff she’s been through. Pirates, seakings, crooked marines with a twisted motive-hell, the sun would have to implode to get a reaction out of her. She was truly unnerving by nature. “There are many dangers in this world but I find those awful possibilities comforting.” 

“How so?” he raised an eyebrow. 

“Everything must have a balance,” Robin started. “Good and evil, light and darkness-you can’t have one without the other. So if you eradicate the terrible aspects of life, then there’s no need for its counterpart. Therefore, our existence wouldn’t have any purpose,” Damn, this was way too early to get into the philosophy crap. But he saw where she was coming from. No one can grow without adversity so if accomplishing your dreams is as easy as snapping your fingers, then is it really a dream to begin with? On the other hand, it also implies that a person wouldn’t have the ability to improve themselves. Life would be static. “I suppose,” the swordsman replied. 

“I know it’s a bit unorthodox but I believe everyone should find their own way to make peace with themselves, including you.” 

“What are you trying to get at?” 

“Zoro, from what I’ve noticed,” she began. “You’ve been battling your own demons as of late, haven’t you?” of course she would be the one to hit it on the nose. He has been fighting with himself on and off for several years now so- who’s to say it’s anything less than a monster? The powers of observation were as easy as breathing for the historian. It was some kind of stupid human trick like Brook playing by ear or Nami sensing changes in weather. Oh well… the greenette couldn’t be too mad at her for it. “I guess you could say that,” he admitted and Robin’s brows knitted up with worry like a concerned mother. 

“I’m very sorry,” she said. 

“Pfft, it ain’t your fault,” Zoro scoffed. “We’ve all got shit we don’t wanna deal with. I’m not special,” he clasped his hands together as the uncomfortable silence lingered. The swordsman had a feeling that Robin wished for him to elaborate but she wasn’t a fan of prying. So instead, the historian led with, “I’m sure you’ve heard the tale of The Thirsty Crow, right?”

“When I was a kid, yeah,” he replied. “It’s a story to teach dumbass brats to use their head,” Zoro shook his head in confusion while the woman giggled at his jab. “What does that have to do with anything?” 

“The crow had to find enough pebbles to raise the water level all by itself,” the archaeologist stated. “So if there were more crows to collect the stones, then the task would’ve been easier to complete,” sorry Robin but Zoro had no patience for riddles and metaphors. Sure, in a perfect world, the stupid birds would pitch in and they’ll live happily ever after. Those feathery bastards only look out for themselves and people are the exact same way. There’s only two options: you keep up the pace or you get left in the dust. Either way, the world will move on. She saw the gears spinning around in the swordsman’s head and the woman followed up with, “It’s just something to keep in mind but-we’ll be more than happy to give you the stones if you ask.” Huh, ain’t that funny? Three people came down with the stomach flu and another set of three decided to give him solid advice (well, four if he counted Chopper but he didn’t stick around long enough for the doctor to help). Guess it really is his lucky number. Maybe it was time he-

BOOM!

The ship listed to the side upon impact and Zoro was nearly flung to the ground while Robin braced herself by using her devil fruit. The swordsman scrambled over to the window and he saw a black spec in the distance. No vessels were to be found anywhere near them let alone close enough to launch a goddamn cannonball! The warrior peered into the telescope and his jaw dropped. Smoke billowed from the stacks on gallion and on their main sail had the word ‘steampunk’ plastered across a skull and crossbones. It was swarming with sailors decked out in gears and weird gadgets intermeshed with standard pirate attire. They were dancing around like they just won the fucking lottery as their ship charged at the Strawhats. “How the hell did they hit us from this far?” he asked and Robin took a look as well. “I don’t know but they’re closing in fast. Way faster than a ship that size should.” 

“We gotta warn the others,” now this was the kind of distraction Zoro needed. No thoughts or emotions were required to beat the ever loving bark off of some subpar pirates. Sure, their captain is out for the count but the swordsman is more than happy to pick up the slack. “Let’s go!” he exclaimed with conviction and they were off.

As soon as the crew members were gathered on the main deck, he could see the enemy ship tearing across the water like a speeding bullet. He’s never seen a boat move that fast before. Not even ten seconds in and the vessel came to a screeching halt, drifting until it was parallel to The Thousand Sunny. Canons dropped out one by one along the side and men were armed to the teeth with strange weapons that loosely resembled guns and swords. A lady with short, blonde hair stepped into the center of the line of goons. Her face was littered with scars and her right eye was replaced with a glowing blue mechanism. She had a wicked grin plastered on her face as she boasted, “Well, well, well, if it isn’t the notorious Straw Hat Pirates. I’d recognize your tacky little ship anywhere. Anyway-” 

This was all to be expected the moment he saw the cloud of smoke. It’s the same shtick every time. ‘I’m here to collect your bounties,’ or  ‘You’ll never become King of the Pirates because I’m stronger than you.’ More often than not, it’s a nuisance. Zoro’s learned that it’s easier to tune out the whole ‘villain speech’ and make them eat their own words by taking action. However, he did not anticipate his freaking captain and the shipwright of all people joining the battle. “Alright, let’s kick some ass!!!” he shouted, cracking his knuckles. “Damn it, Luffy!” the doctor exclaimed. “I told you to stay in bed. What the heck do you think you’re doing?” 

“But Chopper,” he pouted. “I feel better now. You can’t have me laying in bed while you guys hog all the fun-it’s not fair!” 

“Leave him be,” Sanji chimed in. “There’s no point in trying to stop him.” 

“Yeah, Chopper,” the captain taunted, sticking his tongue out at the doctor. Damn, Zoro could feel the panic coursing through his veins. He wasn’t as concerned about Franky as he is with the 19 year old since the cyborg wouldn’t be out here if he was still under the weather. Luffy may have recovered some of his strength but the rubber man isn’t in top shape. The warrior has no idea what his captain’s like when he’s sick; Luffy could be like everyone else where they can feel it coming on or he could be the type to puke out of nowhere like a damn house cat. Point is, Zoro has no interest in finding out but if one of those two gets sick on deck, it’s all over. “Don’t ignore me, assholes!” furious, the woman ordered the men to board the Sunny and the so-called ‘battle’ commenced. As blades clashed and phantom hands slapped on one side, fiery kicks and punches landed on the weak lackeys who were flung off in the opposite direction. It’s honestly kinda sad how fast the first wave went down. 

The nameless lady blinked a couple of times only to realize the trouble she got herself into. “The hell’s all this?” That, dear madam, was the wrath of one of the most formidable crews in the New World. She didn’t actually think this was going to be easy, right? Disgruntled, the blonde captain gave the command to fire the cannons and they shot off back to back. Sanji punted them off into space and Zoro cut them in half like tender sashimi. Luffy got the ones in the middle, inflating himself to bounce them back at the enemy. But once he went back to his normal size, the nineteen year old clutched his belly. “That didn’t feel good,” he muttered to himself and his stomach gurgled. Don’t do it, don’t do it, don’t you fucking- and there he goes. Right on the damn grass. Everyone groaned in disgust, even the leader of the enemy ship cringed. Zoro snapped his eye shut before it happened-a near fatal mistake. A group of five men lunged to attack him. The swordsman blocked them at the last second, straining against them as his vision began to shrink into a small tube. Goddamn it Zoro, get a grip, he cursed himself out. The greenette was shaking like a leaf on a windy day and his heart a monstrous storm thundering in his chest. You’re better than this, I know you are! 

The chef stepped in and launched the goons into the wall with his foot before landing next to the other man. The chef yanked him by the collar of his shirt and got in his face.“Get your head out of your ass and pay attention! You could’ve been killed,” he yelled and shoved the swordsman away. Zoro was so freaked out he couldn’t formulate a proper sentence. “But he-Luffy… I-” Fuck, why is he like this? No one else on this freaking  marble would be crippled by something this stupid. It just had to be him, didn’t it? Thankfully, Sanji understood what the warrior was trying to say despite the stuttering. 

“I know he’s in trouble but we’ll protect him,” the other assured and pointed at the woman. “Just ignore it and take care of the pretty lady- I mean the captain,” he corrected himself and he ran off to defend the rubber man. Oh, he’s gonna get this bitch, mark his words. The sooner he can kick her ass, the better. Zoro ran to the railing and jumped towards the woman with a sword raised above his head. Before he could strike, she took a step back and a giant hammer swung out from below the floorboards and hit him dead on. The swordsman was launched back to the Sunny where he landed on his back, stars dancing in his eye. “Gross!” Nami exclaimed while Zoro sat up to gather his bearings as the smell of vomit assaulted his nose. Hold on…why does his back feel wet? He lifted one of his arms and his face contorted into horror as it dripped off; by some astronomical, revolting chance, he was thrown into his captains-Luffy’s…

A blood curdling scream left the swordsman, nearly shattering everyone's eardrums within a one mile radius. They watched as he scrambled as far away from the mess as possible, tearing at his clothes. “Get it off, get it off, GET IT OFF!!!” Zoro begged in a shrill tone, his swords falling to the ground as he squirmed out of his defiled shirt. Once he’s pitched the soiled piece of clothing, he frantically padded down the rest of his body to make sure it’s not- “Oh god,” he sounded winded as he grazed the back of his head. “It’s in my fucking ha-!” he was gonna say ‘hair’ before a dry heave racked his body. The man gripped his hands on weakened knees as he gritted his teeth. Each breath came out as a hiss as he panted, letting out choked whimpers of dismay as nausea festered in his gut. No… no, this can’t be happening.  He’s not gonna do it, right?! He can't, he refused- anything but that, please! The man stared at the ground as his legs wobbled where he stood and his skin was slick with sweat. The protector refused to acknowledge the tears that filled his eye: Zoro’s worst nightmare had become a tangible, horrific reality. Suddenly, he heard laughter coming from behind him. The swordsman turned his attention to the woman on the other ship. 

“Good god, that was the most pathetic thing I have ever seen!” she cackled and the cannoneers below deck followed suit. His face and ears became hot with embarrassment as he pursed his lips. “Looks like the Pirate Hunter isn’t as tough as I thought. The poor dear,” As she continued, Zoro was seeing red. Her words became muffled as he was overtaken by fury. All he could do was sit back and watch as his instincts took the helm. The swordsman made short work of the vessel, slicing and dicing until it was reduced to mere splinters. Zoro’s victim fell through the air and he took the chance to make the finishing blow, cutting the woman across the chest in a burst of blood. Once he heard the splash below him, he retorted with, “Now look who’s pathetic,” and he plummeted into the ocean with her. 

Everything was a mere blur after that since his vision was seeing double. He wasn’t sure if it’s because of the frigid sea or if it’s the adrenaline wearing off that’s making him woozy. Someone managed to fish him out of the drink and propped the swordsman against the railing. Zoro wasn’t submerged long enough to inhale any sea water, thankfully, but it didn’t stop the crew from fretting over him. Once he came to his senses, the greenette insisted, “Guys, knock it off. I’m fine,” when everything in him screamed otherwise. Fear has caught him hook, line and sinker; he almost got them killed because of his negligence. It's all his fault…

“That was awesome, Zoro!” Luffy exclaimed. He tried recreating the swordsman’s fight using sounds like sheen and clash as he held an imaginary katana, even closing his left eye to impersonate the unofficial firstmate. “Oh, and then you were like, ‘Now look at who's prophetic.’ You were so freaking cool!” That took him by surprise. His captain didn’t even acknowledge the events prior. Surly, he saw the protector wigging out like a damn lunatic, right? 

“I think you mean ‘pathetic’, Luffy,” Robin corrected with a smirk. 

“Yeah, that’s what I said,” the leader argued and Nami intervened with, “Guys, don’t you think there’s a bigger problem we need to address?” she fixed her attention to the greenette as if to say, ‘well, go on. Fess up!’ There was no way he could talk himself out of this one. The reins have been ripped out of his hands and now the spotlight was on the swordsman. If he could’ve been stronger, if he could’ve kept his cool, the man wouldn’t be in this position. Zoro messed up. He really did. 

“C’mon, Nami, that’s not fair,” Sanji stepped in. He wasn’t mad but he did sound disappointed. “You can’t tell me you wouldn’t have the same reaction if you were rolling around in someone else's-”

“For the love of everything, do not finish that sentence!” the swordsman shouted and the crew were taken aback by the outburst. He felt nauseated enough and he didn’t need a reminder of the horrors that transpired in the last fifteen minutes. The cook tried to protest but he cut him off by raising his hand. “Just stop. I don’t need you to defend me, Sanji,” he stood up on weakened legs and scanned the group to gauge their expressions as he continued. “I put all of you at risk and I damn near got you guys killed. I’ll explain as soon as I get this shit off me-” he reached for his katanas but they were no longer on his belt. “Wait, where are my swords?” He looked to the side to see his most prized possessions on the ground coated in yuck. The thought of possibly touching that stuff again was enough to overwhelm the protector. 

Everything was too much: his head spun, his stomach sloshed, even saliva pooled in his mouth. Every fiber of his being was shaking and he was feeling worse by the second. It’s like his body was trying to shut down. It’s all eyes on Zoro and they burned him to his very core. He stumbled a bit before his knees gave out. He would’ve fallen to the ground if Sanji didn’t catch him in time. The cook gently placed him on his back and he noticed that the swordsman lost consciousness. “Zoro?” He tapped his face a couple of times as the rest of them gathered around the greenette. “Zoro, can you hear me?” Still no answer. The blonde pried open his eye and saw nothing but white. It completely rolled to the back of his head! Suddenly, it snapped back into place to glare at the chef and it startled everybody. “You dipshit, you scared the hell out of me!” He turned to the other crew members and said, “It’s good guys, he’s back with us. Give him some space,” The protector may have been out of only a few seconds but it felt like an eternity for the Strawhat Pirates.

“I was gone again, wasn’t I?” the swordsman asked. 

“Let's just focus on getting you cleaned up, yeah?” the cook suggested. “We’ll have Chopper take a look at you after,” he tossed one of Zoro’s arms around his shoulders and hoisted him to his feet. He was practically limp in Sanji’s arms. The man tried asking about his swords and the chef said, “They’re on the ship safe and sound, I promise. Let’s get going,” and the duo took their leave to the bathhouse. The crew didn’t have much to say, dumbfounded by the chain of events and Zoro could help but think, I blew it. I really fucking blew it this time…

Chapter Text

The end of a stethoscope pressed against the swordsman’s chest as Chopper listened to his heartbeat. First to the left, then the right before proceeding to the back to check his lungs. “Take a deep breath for me,” Zoro complied, holding for a few seconds. “And out,” the swordsman exhaled on his command. They did this a couple of times and oddly enough, the warrior actually felt relaxed. Usually he hated being stuck in the infirmary but it didn’t bother him this time. The chef made quick work of him in the bath (e.i, dumping a bunch of water on him with his clothes on) and he was back in a new outfit: a plain black T, camo pants, and his belly warmer. Sanji was leaning his back on the wall while the doctor was examining him to make sure he was in good health after his episode. Once he was done, the medic took the device out of his ears. “Well, everything is working as it should but I am worried about you fainting again.” 

“Yeah, you and me both,” the greenette sighed. 

“It’s probably got something to do with your phobia right?” Sanji asked. “I mean, people can pass out when they're scared enough.” 

“That’s what I was thinking too,” the reindeer added. “What else did you feel before you lost consciousness?” 

“How’s that gonna help?” Zoro asked, crossing his arms. 

“It’ll give me a better idea of what I’m working with,” Chopper answered, grabbing a clipboard so he can take notes. The swordsman paused for a moment, trying to recall exactly what happened beforehand but everything was fuzzy in his mind. But there was one thing that stuck out. “I felt really sick to my stomach if that helps; mouth watering and everything. I’m kinda shocked I didn’t…well-you know,” he trailed off and the two of them put the pieces together. 

“Weird,” the cook commented. “Once it gets to that point, you’re kinda screwed.”

“Hmm,” Chopper hummed. “It’s like your body was trying to save itself from getting sick. That could pose a problem,” Shit, if that means Zoro will never have to deal with it ever again, he’ll take it. The swordsman willed himself not to puke and it worked. To hell with the consequences, he’s got a freaking super power! “I don’t see a problem with it,” he deadpanned. The medic insisted,“But it's a defense mechanism used to get harmful bacteria out and if you can’t do that, then it could kill you.” 

“Still better than the alternative,” he retorted and Chopper slapped a palm to his face. “Oh please, there’s no way a person can stop themselves from getting sick. It’s probably just anxiety induced nausea,” Sanji chimed in. 

“Damn, why didn’t I think of that?” Chopper muttered. “It does feel a lot different compared to actual queasiness. However, it’s difficult for someone with emetophobia to differentiate between the two.” 

 “Emetophobia?” Zoro asked and the doctor's eyes narrowed at the realization. “Oh crap! I’ve been so busy looking after Luffy and Usopp that I never got the chance to tell you!” 

“For three days?!” the other exclaimed.

“I didn’t even see you the last three-”

“Guys, we’re getting off track here,” Sanji interrupted and the two stopped arguing. Chopper then explained that emetophobia is a fear that occurs when a person had a bad experience with vomiting in the past; how the swordsman is stuck in a loop of nausea and anxiety. He also gave a few examples of behaviors someone will partake in to avoid getting sick and he’s done every single one of them down to a T.“You’re fucking with me, aren’t you?” the reindeer couldn’t help but chuckle at his response. “I’m not fucking with you,” he stated. “Now it’s not as common as the fear of heights or spiders but it’s not unheard of. Personally, I’ve never seen it in an adult male before but I wouldn’t be surprised if other men have it.” This was an eye opener for Zoro. All this time, he believed there was something wrong with him.He’s been walking around his entire life thinking he’s the only one in the four blues who’s freaked out by puke and now he finds out that he ain’t?! There’s no way this is real. 

“I’m really not the only one?” and the doctor answered by shaking his head. A huge weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. Zoro wasn’t the weirdo of the dojo anymore. Now, he was just some random schmuck from the East Blue who isn’t comfortable around vomit just like others from around the world. That was true relief. “I’ll be damned,” he muttered. 

“I wish I could’ve told you sooner but I hope that helps,” the deer offered. 

“It does. A lot, actually,” he replied. “I thought I was starting to lose my freaking mind.”

“How can you lose something you’ve never had to begin with?” Sanji jested. 

“Oh piss off, Dartboard,” Zoro retorted. The man turned to Chopper and asked, “So, what’s the cure?” The doctor looked down at the wooden floor for a moment. “I’m afraid that’s not how it works. A phobia isn’t an illness that you can remedy with medicine. I mean, I can give you something to relieve the anxiety but that’s about it,” hard pass. The swordsman wasn’t fond of the idea of getting pumped up with some drugs. Not that he has much experience or anything but he doesn’t want to risk either A-getting sick, or B-not be in the top shape to protect his friends. “Well, there’s gotta be something, right?” the greenette asked.

“There is one thing but… I’m afraid you’re not gonna like it,” he started. “We can try to desensitize you but with your particular case-It may prove to be difficult,” Zoro could already see where the medic was going with it and he was shaking his head. “Nuh-uh, absolutely fucking not! Are you nuts?” 

“Most phobias fade over time through exposure so we’d have to figure out how to do so without traumatizing you further,” the doctor answered. 

“Chopper, you can’t really expect me to go through that again,” he gestured towards the door in reference to the incident from earlier that day. “That was straight out of a damn horror story!” 

“What kind of horror stories involve getting soaked in vomit?” Sanji inquired.

“Cook, I swear to god-!” 

“Guys, please!” the doctor interjected. “Zoro, what happened to you was a freak accident that no one had control over and I’m sure that was scary,” Chopper continued to reassure the greenette. “But I promise it will never go that far if you decide to go through with it. And if you’re not ready, that’s ok too. Everything takes time, afterall.” Even though he feels faint at the idea of the whole ‘exposure’ thing, the swordsman couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like living without this phobia: he could go to pubs instead of drinking on the ship, party with his friends instead of staying on the outskirts by himself-he could actually help take care of his crew members while their sick and support them just like they do for him when he’s injured. Zoro could get closer to his new found family all without a single ounce of fear. He could finally kick this in the teeth and leave it behind him for good. 

“Y-yeah,” he hesitated a bit, gripping the sides of the bed as the paper crunched beneath his fingers. The man started nodding. “Let’s do it.” his voice wavered a bit so it made Sanji question his decision. “Zoro, you don’t have to-” 

“After that fucking stunt I pulled out there,” he interupted, his voice dripping with contempt. “I don’t have a choice.” Chopper and the blonde looked at each other for a moment, almost asking ‘are we really going to do this?’ This was the kick in the pants Zoro needed and as much as he wanted to shove it down and suffer in peace, the man had to prove himself. This was the New World and they can’t afford to fuck around anymore. Even though he wasn’t the captain, he has to lead by the example he preaches. “O-ok then,” Chopper hesitated. “If at any point it gets too much or you feel overwhelmed, let me know so we can stop.” 

“Whatever, let’s just get it over with,” he replied curtly. 

“Now, I think the first thing we need to find out is how your phobia came to be. When did it start?” Oof, that’s a tough one. Zoro’s been scared of puke for his whole life and he could never pinpoint the cause of it. How about the time he got food poisoning-no, that can’t be right since it happened after he left the dojo (To this day, the swordsman’s embarrassed he didn’t catch his mistake sooner since he’s usually pretty good at avoiding sketchy food). Or maybe when he overdid it during a solo training session -no, that’s not it either. The swordsman can’t recall a time where he wasn’t afraid of it, so he answered with, “I’m not sure. I’ve had it since I was a kid.”  

“C’mon, there’s gotta be something,” Sanji persisted. “Don’t tell me the mold on your head is messing with your brain.”

“Maybe punching your lights out will help jog my memory,” he sneered.

“That checks out,” Chopper ignored their little spat, scribbling on the pad . “Phobias do tend to stem from childhood experiences so the fact that you don’t remember tells me that it must’ve been pretty intense. But what could've caused it?” Zoro racked his brain for ideas and he could swear it’s on the tip of his tongue but it was just out of reach. C’mon, think damn it! “Maybe someone had a hand in it?” Sanji offered and  the swordsman felt something tugging at the back of his mind and dread settled in his stomach. Call him crazy but he thinks that pervert might be right. “Shit, my brothers put me in a closet full of spiders when I was little and I’ve been scared of them ever since.” The other two had bewildered expressions and their jaws were on the floor. “What’re you guys staring at? There something in my teeth?” he asked, picking at his gums. 

“What kind of childhood did you have?!” Zoro and Chopper exclaimed. 

“You don’t wanna know,” the chef replied. “Since Zoro can’t remember, we gotta find someone who can give us some insight.” 

“Good idea,” Chopper said. “We can call them on the transponder snail and see if they know anything,” he offered. 

“Yeah but we gotta make it quick. We don’t want those shithead Marines pinging our location,” Sanji took a few steps to the brute. “It’s up to you, Mosshead. You wanna dig up some old bones or leave them buried?” There was only one person he knew who would have the answer but the swordsman was hesitant. If his mind really blocked out that memory, then who knows what kind of messed up stuff he’s gonna find. “Fuck it. What do I got to lose?” 

The three of them went up to the library so they could borrow the snail from Nami’s desk. Zoro felt a little nervous about calling up his teacher. ‘Hey, I haven't talked to you in a couple years and I’m still afraid of puke. Can you explain why I’m so jacked up?’ Ugh, all he could do was shake his head.  The whole thing sounded weird. Nonetheless, he dialed the number. They watched in anticipation as the creature rang a few times before the person on the other end picked up. The mollusk had his eyes shut and extra wrinkles decorating its face to mimic the user. “Hello, this is Koshiro. To whom am I speaking with?” 

“Hey, sensei. It’s Zoro,” the swordsman said, taking a seat at the desk with Sanji standing to his left and Chopper to his right (not that the medic could see anything but he was all ears). The snail had a wide, joyous grin on its face as his teacher said, “Zoro, my boy! I haven’t spoken to you in years-how’ve you been?” 

“Um-I’ve been better,” he admitted. “I wanted to ask you something,” 

“Ask away, I’ve got all the time in the world. I have so much to tell you,” the greenette smiled to himself. It was good hearing his father figure's voice again but he had to cut to the chase. Nervous, Zoro clasped his hands and rang them together.  “As much as I want to catch up, I’m afraid we’ll have to keep this short.” 

“I understand. I’m sure it’s one of the perks of becoming a wanted criminal,” Koshiro laughed. “I keep telling these kids not to look up to you but they can’t help it,” Zoro had to stifle a chuckle, picturing a group of kids trying to mimic his three swords style. “Really?” 

“Of course, they admire you,” he replied. “So what is it you wanted to ask me?” 

“We’re trying to figure out how I got this weird phobia thing and,” he paused for a second, picking at his nails. “We were hoping you might know how it started.” 

“Goodness, you’re still dealing with that dreadful nonsense?” the older man asked and he hummed a response. “That’s terrible!” 

“Ugh, tell me about it,” the warrior agreed. “I thought I would’ve gotten over it by now but-” he rolled his eye, swiping his hand down his face in exasperation. “Well, let’s just say it didn’t work out.” 

“I’m sorry, Zoro. This never would’ve happened if May hadn’t come to visit that night,” his brows furrowed with confusion and he sat up straight. “Who’s May?” 

“You don’t remember?” and the young man told him ‘no’. The three of them listened closely as Koshiro went on about how he was trying to find love again after Kunia’s mother passed away. The teacher went on a couple of dates with May, a woman from the local tea shop. She came over to his dojo for the first time to spend the night and things started to heat up between them-

“Ew dad-Sensei,” he corrected himself, cringing as he covered his ears. “I don't wanna hear that stuff,” Zoro groaned as Sanji and Chopper snickered at his disgust. 

“Do you want to know or not?” he said sternly and the greenette dropped his hands back to the desk. 

“Yes sir,” They leaned forward to listen carefully. The sword master then explained how they were interrupted by a small, sickly child who had green hair. He told the couple that he threw up on his bed and they went to investigate. After seeing the mess, the woman pulled Zoro by the ear and shoved his face into it like a damned dog to teach him a lesson and color began to leave the twenty-one year olds face as his teacher continued. “I had to pull her off you and kick her out myself. You were so frightened I didn’t know what to do.”

“Why the fuck would she do that?” he asked but he sounded quiet, almost like the greenette was in a trance. Zoro was dumbfounded, shocked, downright stupefied by the news. You’d think someone would remember something so ridiculously revolting but nope! The only part of the story that rang a bell was getting sick in his room. The rest was blank after that. He couldn’t recall where, when, or even the woman who was the root of this entire thing.  The snail gave the brute a disapproving scowl which only deepened Koshiro’s squint. “Language, please! I thought I taught you better than that,” the older man snipped before sighing. “I’m not sure why she did it but we stopped going out after that.  A part of me blames myself for what she did to you. I hope one day you can forgive my selfishness,” and the mollusk bowed after the apology.

“There’s nothing to say ‘sorry’ for. You did nothing wrong,” the man quickly replied. “Don’t blame yourself for other people’s actions,” If anything, he felt terrible that his father figure had to forfeit his chance at finding love again. Granted, it was never Zoro’s thing to begin with but he’s seen it do good and bad (Shit, look at the pervert cook, for example). Koshiro was not at fault; end of story. A warm smile came from the transponder snail. “You’re a good man. Farewell for now,” the greenette thanked him for his kind words before Koshiro added, “And Zoro?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Please call more often.” 

“I will,” Ka-chak. The protector leaned back in the chair with his arms crossed. Wow, that was a lot to absorb. To think that all of this started because some sour woman wanted to take her frustrations out on a kid. He was at a loss for words. How could someone be that… evil? “I can’t believe a woman would do such a thing,” Sanji muttered to himself as he adjusted his tie. The chef only does that when he’s distressed or properly pissed off and Zoro believes it could’ve been either one.   

“Yeah, that’s just plain mean,” Chopper added and he placed a hoof on Zoro’s calf. “Are you doing ok? I’m sure that was a lot to take in so we can take a break if you want,” the swordsman patted him on the head.

“I’m good,” he said with a weak smile. “If anything, I’m glad we did it.” Maybe ‘glad’ wasn’t the best word for it but it’s a start. The reindeer was skeptical about the swordsman’s well being, so he suggested that they can come back to this later so he can check on Luffy and Usopp in the meantime. “Wait, I thought Franky was sick too,” Zoro commented. 

“He didn’t say anything to me,” said the other. “But I’ll keep an eye on him too. Thanks for letting me know,” Chopper then exited the library to fulfill his duty. The rivals sat in quietly for an uncomfortable amount of time. Sanji mumbled something about needing a cigarette and possibly a stiff drink to ease his temper. “You and me both,” the swordsman said. “There’s something I should take care of first,” Zoro stood up and headed for the door to open it.

“What is it?” the chef asked and he stopped in front of the exit. He turned his head to the side so Sanji was in his peripheral vision. “I ain’t fucking around anymore. They need to know the truth,” and he shut the door behind him before the blonde could get a single word in. 

One by one, Zoro gathered as much of the crew as to the main deck. It's bad enough to say it out loud let alone repeat it eight more times. As much as he wanted Usopp to be here as well, the sniper wasn’t in the best shape to be up and about. Luffy seemed to be feeling better but it’s hard to tell. Like the swordsman, their captain bounces back pretty quickly even if he isn’t healed all the way. Nonetheless, the nineteen year old was catching up with his crew like he’s been missing for a month, trying to hang on them like a set of monkey bars. “Luffy, quit screwing around and keep your germs to yourself!” Nami scolded. 

“Relax, I’m all better,” he retorted. “You worry too much.” She went on a tangent about how the rubber man would get them infected and he stopped listening as soon as he saw the protector. “Zoro!” He rushed over to him and the greenette held his hand up in defense. “Wait, dont-!” Luffy gave him the biggest hug, nearly toppling them over. The recipient tried to wriggle out of it but the little bastard had his arms and legs stretched around him like fleshy garden hoses. Shit, it’s getting hard to breathe but he didn’t know if it’s because of his leader’s tight embrace or if it’s his hangup that’s causing it. “It’s so good to see you!”

“Likewise,” he said through gritted teeth. “Now get off me,” Luffy refused the demand by shaking his head ‘no’. “Don’t make me drown you!” That threat was enough for him to let go, dropping on his ass. He was surprised one of his best friends would yell at him like that. Zoro almost felt bad about it but he had to get this off of his chest. He looked over at the crew who stood in a semi circle facing the swordsman with his captain sitting less than a foot away from him. “I wanna say I'm sorry for acting like that back there. I lost my cool and you guys could’ve been hurt or-”

“No one got hurt, everyone’s fine,” Luffy stated matter of factly while he picked his nose. “I mean, I threw up and that wasn’t fun but-”

“Would ya just shut up and hear me out for a second?” 

“Ok, sheesh! Grumpy much?” 

The swordsman ignored his captain's petty remark and he took a deep breath. “Guys, there's something that’s been-haunting me for a while,” This could make or break his relations with his friends. Things won’t ever be the same again. But he has to do it now or else he won’t have the balls to ever tell them.  Here goes everything, he thought to himself. Zoro explained his phobia to the crew, keeping it short and to the point. He really didn’t want to go into much detail but just enough to justify himself. Once he was done, the warrior could see the gears turning in their heads once he finished and that didn’t sit well with Zoro. He rubbed the back of his neck, looking down at the grass  and said, “I know, it’s stupid and-” 

“Well, that explains a few things,” Everyone except Luffy responded in unison and the greenette was bewildered by the mild reaction. “That’s all you guys have to say!?” Zoro exclaimed. This is going a lot smoother than he originally anticipated. 

“To be honest, I had my suspicions,” Robin said, holding her chin between her thumb and forefinger. “But I’ll give you that, it would’ve taken me a while to guess.” 

“I thought something was going on but damn,” Franky chortled. “That was a super big show you put on earlier.” 

“Zip it!” Zoro snapped, his face flushed with embarrassment as he suppressed a shudder. “That shit was disgusting and you know it.”

“Goodness, what a relief,” Brook exclaimed. “I thought there was a horrific creature lurking in the men’s dorm that chilled our green haired swordsman to the bone,” he chuckled at his own joke and that’s when it clicked for Zoro. “So that’s why you and Usopp were freaking out yesterday!” 

“Indeed,” he confirmed. “We assumed you fainted because of the untold terrors that lied within the shadows. I haven’t had a single ounce of sleep ever since,” the musician then clarified with, “Not that I need it or anything but it’s nice.” 

“Wait, Zoro passed out? When the hell did that happen?” Luffy turned his head to the group and asked only to point at them and say. “You guys never tell me anything!”

“You were knocked out too, idiot!” Nami insulted only to turn her attention back to Zoro. She took a couple steps toward him until she was right next to Luffy. “So-back at the bathhouse,” the navigator started. “I didn’t think you were actually afraid. Hell, I’ve never seen you like that before today and…I’m sorry for being a bitch about it,” He was taken aback by how the crew treated him at that very moment. No one dismissed him, no one made fun of him or acted like he was crazy. It was all out of love and the greenette  couldn’t have asked for anything more. “Bah, it's nothing,” he waved it off. “I would’ve done the same if I were you.”

“I don’t get it,” Luffy stated. “He’s dealt with way scarier stuff than puke so how can Zoro be afraid of it?” Chopper told the captain that phobias don’t follow the same rules and logic as the fear for one’s life. “Sounds like a mystery to me,” he muttered before he gasped. “Wait, does that mean Zoro’s scared of me?!” he exclaimed in a sad tone and the other was startled by the accusation. 

“No, it’s nothing like that, I swear!” he said quickly to assure his friend. The swordsman squatted so he could be on the same level as Luffy. “Where did you come up with that?” he asked.

“I saw it in your eyes during the fight-well, eye, I guess,” he giggled at the silly wording. “I haven’t seen that since you spotted Mihawk at the sea restaurant. It was freaky.” Huh. Maybe his captain wasn’t as dense as he lets on. Even back then, the warrior wasn’t terrified of the world's greatest swordsman but rather overwhelmed by the sheer power of his presence. But for those on the outside looking in, Zoro believed his reaction could’ve been read as fear up until he went toe to toe with the guy. “I’m not afraid of you, Luffy. Never have and never will.”

“But-”

“Let me finish,” he held his hand up. “It’s nothing against you or Usopp or anyone on the crew. I just don’t do well with people getting sick in front of me. Hell, I can’t stand going through it myself,” he tried to keep it as simple as possible and it wasn’t just for Luffy’s sake. There’s so many threads that connect to each other like an entire spider web of fucked up. Even this single string is hard to unravel for himself let alone for his crewmates. Hopefully it explains why his captain’s so quiet. 

“Eh, I’m not gonna worry about it then. If Zoro doesn’t like it, so what?” he replied. 

“So, you don’t think it’s weird?” 

“It’s not ‘not’ weird,” Luffy said bluntly. “But everyone on my crew is and it’s the best thing ever! Wouldn’t want a bunch of squares taking the fun outta everything,” A nice way to look at it but clearly some of this stuff is going over the leader’s head. But Zoro could live with that. It’s difficult to understand something you’ve never experienced before. “I’ll take that as a compliment, I guess,” he said with a weak smirk.

“So tell me,” Nami began. “If it was bothering you that much then how come you never said anything until now?” The swordsman stood back up so he could answer. “It’s selfish of me to put that burden on you guys on top of dealing with a stomach bug,” then he continued with, “I don’t want someone to feel bad about something they can’t control.” A feminine arm grew out of the swordsman’s shoulder to flick him hard on the forehead. Before he could retaliate, the phantom appendage disappeared in a flurry of flower petals. “Ow, what was that for?” he rubbed the sore spot as he glared at the historian. 

“While I appreciate the sentiment, it shouldn’t diminish your struggle either,” Robin said with her arms crossed. “If anything, it’s selfish to let yourself suffer alone when you’re surrounded by people who care about you.”

“Yeah, what she said,” the captain agreed. 

“Do you even understand half of what she said?” Sanji retorted. 

“No, but it sounded really cool,” The chef pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering something  about Luffy having a smooth, rubber brain as Franky stepped into the conversation. “Point is, it’s ok if there’s something you can’t handle, Zo-bro. We got your back!” 

“Just like you have ours,” Chopper chimed in. 

“We’re always happy to help, my dear,” Brook stated as he played a rift on his guitar. “My heart may be long gone but my compassion knows no bounds.” The greenette was speechless. Zoro imagined this scenario more times than he could count and it ended in disaster every single time. This was the best he could’ve hoped for, really. He even got a little misty eyed towards the end but he’ll deny it until he’s blue in the face. To think that all this time, the swordsman didn’t allow himself to be vulnerable in front of his friends when it never was a weakness to begin with (not to say that it’s a good thing but his point still stands). He doesn’t have to hide anymore. There’s no need to when he has friends who love him for who he is no matter his faults. It took him a while to formulate a response but the only thing he could say was,

“Thank you…” 

Chapter Text

The light refracting from the water gently swayed and shifted along the tile floor of the aquarium bar at random. Zoro was facing the glass of the fishtank, his knees on the couch cushion while his arms were folded in front of him as they rested on the spine of the furniture. It maybe a childish thing to do but this way, the swordsman could see the hustle and bustle of the sea life they’ve managed to catch: schools of vibrant fish chasing one another, colorful starfish and sand dollars creeping around-apparently someone managed to get their hands on a massive stingray and decided to add it to the mix. It’s not often he comes down here but it’s a good place to take his time to absorb everything that happened today. 

The battle, the “incident,”even the better parts where he found out how he got this phobia and his friends didn’t shame him after he revealed the truth. It felt kinda odd to him. Usually, after someones done making fun of him, they would interrogate him about why it freaked him out and ask him a bunch of stupid questions like ‘oh, would you freak out if I puke in front of you?’ or ‘what happens when you feel like you're gonna throw up?’  Even better yet, they try to do things to scare him (like Sanji after he initially found out but he never did it again) as if they need to find some goddamn proof . It’s like this sick fascination with his fear. That being said, none of his friends did that to him. In fact, after the conversation everyone dispersed and moved on like nothing happened. This really was the best outcome for him, even though he’s avoided everyone after his confession.

A moment or two passed before he heard someone come into the room. This didn’t come as a surprise to the greenette since he was expecting the company. “Geez, what took ya so long?” Zoro asked, changing his position so he could take a proper seat on the couch. The chef came in with a bottle of sake, a couple of cups, and those weird finger sandwiches people make for tea parties.

“Ugh, Luffy wouldn’t stop bugging me for lunch and the ladies were peckish so it kinda snowballed from there,” the blonde replied. 

“Were they actually hungry or were you just trying to get on their good side?” he smirked, popping off the cork with his teeth and Sanji rolled his eyes before sitting next to him. “What can I say, I can’t let my delicate flowers wither away. Besides, it’s my job to feed people,” the other hummed to acknowledge him before chugging the booze. “C’mon, I brought cups for a reason, use them.” 

“Why bother?” the swordsman replied, wiping his mouth. “It goes to the same place anyway, so might as well cut out the middle man.” He takes another pull before giving it back to the chef who noticed it was already half gone. Big surprise. “Well, at least you got Luffy to eat something without, uh….” Zoro paused at the last word and Sanji understood what he meant. 

“Yeah, let's just say I had to get creative,” he started, plucking the snack off the tray and taking a bite. “I froze a couple blocks of broth, put some skewers in it and told him it was a meat popsicle,” and the greenette had to stifle his laughter. “I’m sorry, you gave him a meat-sicle?!” 

“What, it was the only thing I could think of,” Sanji got all defensive about it and Zoro cracked up, the kind of laugh that would make your sides hurt just hearing it. Geez, he can’t remember the last time he completely lost it like that. It was…kinda nice. “And besides, he bought it so I can’t complain too much,” Sanji finished with a chuckle of his own. 

“Oh man,” the swordsman caught his breath. Even then, he can still picture his captain gnawing on frozen broth like a damn dog.“I'm not sure whether to be impressed that it worked or disgusted by the fact he went for it.” Sanji passes the booze to the swordsman again and he takes another swig. The chef pauses for a moment, lacing his hands together as he ponders how to phrase the question. “So,” the blonde starts. “You said earlier that it bothers you no matter who it’s coming from, right?” It took a second before Zoro understood what he was talking about. The greenette chugs some more sake before he nods his head ‘yes’ and sets the bottle on the tile floor. 

“Can you tell me more about it?” Sanji asks and he saw the other hesitate so he then added, “I know you wanted to discuss this in the crowsnest but-” 

“What do you wanna know?” the swordsman interrupted. 

“I’m just trying to figure out what triggers it,” he says, shifting in his seat so he’s facing the brute. “Like is it just the act itself or does the thought of it set you off too?” 

“Both,” he answered. “But there’s more to it like Chopper said earlier.” He goes on to explain some of the stuff that gets to him: the noise, the sight and other things that wreak havoc on the senses that he wouldn’t normally say out loud. Zoro even goes into how he doesn’t go near anything that he associates with vomit. When Sanji asks him what he means by that, he answers with, “Remember that shirt that got ruined during the fight?” The cook nods. “There's no way I could wear that thing again no matter how many times it gets washed.” The blonde looked a bit surprised by the information so he quickly followed up with, “I know it sounds like I’m being a prissy snob about it but I just-I can’t…” the swordsman trailed off and shook his head. He can only imagine how psychotic this must sound to the cook. Hell, even hearing himself talk about it makes him cringe. 

“It’s ok, don’t worry about it,” Sanji assured him but yikes . This ran deeper than the chef initially thought. Almost makes him wonder how his rival managed to keep it hidden from the crew for nearly three years. But that did bring up another burning inquiry. “So-how would you handle being sick yourself?” Again, this was one of the questions that Zoro really didn’t want to answer because he doesn't want to imagine being in such a position. Hell, he hasn’t gotten sick like that in years! The chef noticed how the other man shuddered so he placed a hand on his shoulder. “You don’t have to answer if you're not comfortable with it. I’m just trying to get a better understanding of this-thing you have,” and the warrior sighed. 

“I know and I appreciate it,” he said. “Shit, no one’s ever tried to hear me out before so this is new territory for me.” Sanji’s brows furrowed with sympathy. He figured this was the case for the swordsman. It’s like a ‘takes one to know one’ kind of deal since the chef never had support with the Vinsmokes, his biological family. Don’t get him wrong, what he went though was way different compared to Zoro but…it's a feeling that hits pretty damn close to home. “I think I get what you mean. It’s like-an archipelago.” The swordsman gives him a confused look, waiting for him to elaborate. “Even though you're surrounded by multiple islands, you’re still an island nonetheless.” 

“What does that even mean?” the greenette asked. 

“Geez, sometimes I forget how smooth that brain of yours is, like a flower pot for the moss to grow in” he chuckles, scratching his chin. 

“Hey, at least mine isn’t overrun with dirty thoughts all the damn time!” 

“You might wanna fix your wording, pal,” It takes a solid five seconds before Zoro realizes what the cook meant and he tossed his hands up in frustration. “Oh, goddamn it!” He then pointed at the chef, “You know that's not what I meant, asshole.” Sanji couldn’t help but laugh at his flustered state and the other gritted his teeth. “Relax, I’m messing with you,” the blonde answered. “What I’m trying to say is even when you're in a room full of people you still feel alone,” the other man stared at him, shocked that he came up with that conclusion. Damn, he really did hit the nail on the head. He shook his head and grabbed the bottle. 

“Whatever,” he muttered, gulping down the rest of the booze. While he's swallowing, Sanji asks him point blank, “Why do you drink so much if you're scared of vomiting?” Zoro is caught off guard by the cook and he chokes on his drink, spitting a mouth full of booze into his forearm as he sputters. The cook slaps him on the back a couple of times until he catches his breath again. “Gonna live?” he asked, trying to hold back his laughter. The swordsman wiped his mouth off with his sleeve. 

“I’m fine,” he croaks, only to cough a couple more times and he still feels the chef’s palm on his back. “Quit touching me.” Sanji moves, resting his hands on his own lap as the greenette straightens up to gather his thoughts. “Anyway, I know my limit so I ain’t worried about that.” Zoro answered curtly as he brushed the liquid off of his arm. The chef didn’t quite understand but he figured prying any further on this particular aspect would just irritate the swordsman. There was a pause between them before Sanji decided to break the silence. “So long story short, if there’s even a hint that barf’s gonna be involved, you’re screwed,” the blonde summarized. 

“Pretty much,” Zoro winced at the wording but tried to cover it with a scoff. “The panic sets in then I start feeling sick and- well, you get the idea,” The chef replayed the events from earlier today in his head when he grabbed the greenette by the collar and got in his face. The other man didn’t retaliate or even cuss him out for getting yanked around. He just froze like a rabbit, waiting for an opportunity to escape the clutches of Death itself. Sanji feels bad for creating such a degrading metaphor but it was the best way he could describe it. Not to mention, this was the second time Zoro fainted because of it which was extremely concerning. So with that coupled with the knowledge from the Mosshead and his teacher, the blonde could only nod and say, “It freaks you out-plain and simple,” The swordsman's brows furrowed when Sanji’s tone shifted from curiosity to melancholy. 

“Hey, don’t feel sorry for me, Curly,” he smirked and nudged the other man with his elbow. “I’m still the same guy, ya know.” 

“Yeah, the guy who’s a pain in the ass twenty-four seven,” Sanji chuckled. “But I wouldn’t change it for the world.” Zoro scoffed and retorted with, “Sappy as ever, huh?” 

“Shut up,” the blonde said playfully and he stood up from his seat to stretch. “Well, dinner isn’t gonna prep itself so I better get going. You should join us tonight,” The swordsman tensed up at the idea, squeezing the neck of the bottle in his hand to ease his frayed nerves. He never had issues with having a meal with the crew under normal circumstances but knowing there’s a flu bug on the loose- he wasn’t feeling good about it. When Sanji noticed how quiet the other got, he turned over to him and said, “Zoro, look at me,” it felt weird that the chef didn’t give him some half-assed insult so he complied, wary of what he’s going to say. “I know it’s not something you wanna do but I think it’s a good first step. Nothing bad is gonna happen.” 

“How do you know?” the warrior asked, clearly worried as the cook explained. “Trust me, the worst you're gonna see are a few empty seats and a nice meal so today’s not gonna be any different,” Sanji patted him on the shoulder to reassure him. “It’s up to you but I promise it’s gonna be ok,” The swordsman knew he genuinely wanted to help so… he’ll just have to take the leap then; come hell or high water. 

“Alright,” he took a shaky breath as he made up his mind. “I trust you.”

Zoro headed outside after his conversation with the cook for a couple of reasons: fresh air and most importantly, his damn swords. He hasn’t seen them since those ‘Steam-Prick Pirates’ attacked them and he was getting agitated. The man never felt like himself without them so the sooner he gets a hold of them, the better. Not that he isn’t proficient in battle without them; he’s been in plenty of fist fights since he left his village. But that doesn’t mean he wants to! A lot of people don’t realize that it actually hurts to punch someone so by the time the fight is over, you walk away with bloody knuckles at the minimum. So why waste precious time and energy beating someone up with your bare hands when you can just slice them up like deli meat? Maybe that’s just how he operates but it ain’t for everyone. 

He spotted Brook sitting at the base of the main mast holding a large cotton swab in one hand and white blade he was more than acquainted with out of its sheath, resting across the skeletons lap. Kitesu and Shusui were propped up next to the musician in beautiful condition (damn near perfect if you asked the warrior). He remembered Sanji said his swords were safe and accounted for but the protector was relieved that they were under the skeleton's care since he was familiar with the blade as well. The greenette walked across the lawn to approach him when he felt something squishy under his boot. Immediately, he hopped over to the side with a startled shout, thinking the worst as he looked at the ground and- it was just a wet patch of grass… Zoro flinched over fucking grass! Granted, there was something way grosser on that spot before it got hosed off but c’mon, really?! The older crew member turned his attention to the commotion he made. 

“Is everything alright?” Brook asked and he wanted to give some sort of snarky comment like ‘I’m just freaking peachy,’ or ‘you saw nothing’ but instead he sighed in defeat and slapped a palm to his face. “I’m fine,” he dropped his hand and folded his arms as he approached the musician. “Guess I’m just…” startled, jumpy, so high strung that it’s ripping him apart from the inside like a ragdoll. “Tense,” It was the best way he could put it without sounding like a complete wimp. The swordsman is aware that his friends don’t think less of him for it; they made that pretty clear. But it’s a learning curve for him since ridicule sticks more to a person than praise. The musician acknowledged him with a nod, shifting his hollow gaze back to the task. 

“I don’t fault you for it, my dear,” he said. “Although, I will say it’s a strange thing to be fearful of.” 

Oh, you don’t say,  Zoro retorted in his head with bitter sarcasm. Tell him something that he doesn’t know, right? Then, he decided to dodge the comment by asking, “Why are you calling me ‘dear’?” Brook then explained that it’s short for ‘dear friend’ so it's a term of endearment for the people he cares about, even Laboon. Confused, the greenette raises an eyebrow. “I wouldn’t be so sure of that. Back where I’m from, couples use that as a nickname for each other when they're getting all lovey-dovey and crap.” 

“Aw, how cute,” the older man then muttered, “Good gracious , I’m getting old…” under his breath, gazing at the ground for a moment. Zoro was getting concerned enough to try and speak up only for the skeleton to exclaim with a smile, “But at least I have these luscious locks of mine!” Sheesh, talk about a full one-eighty with this guy. It was damn near impressive if the protector was being honest. Then again, musicians tend to make a show out of everything to draw in an audience so you’d have to be somewhat theatrical. He awkwardly chimed in with, “Sure, it's uh- nice?” 

“Why thank you! You want to touch it?” 

“Not really,” He pouted for a second only to notice how Zoro kept glancing at his swords like they’d disappear out of thin air so Brook then said, “Not to worry, I’m almost done so I do appreciate your patience. Have a seat if you’d like.” 

“No thanks, I… I’m just confused, that's all,” he admitted. He gets nervous during the rare occasion where his crew have to look after his katanas. At the end of the day, they’re tools for murder just like any other weapon; especially the cursed blades that seem to have a mind of their own. Those things can and will seek out blood given the chance (so thank god the skeleton doesn’t have any to begin with). Even so, Brook doesn’t have as much experience with cursed swords as Zoro so he prefers to maintain them himself for the crew's safety. “I mean, not to look a gift horse in the mouth but- how come you're doing this for me?” and the musician shrugs. 

“I figured you could use the help,” Brook  said nonchalantly. 

“And I’m grateful but you should’ve let me handle it. You know my swords are dangerous,” Zoro replied and the skeleton shook his head. “I don’t think that would've been wise, my friend.” 

“What the hell’s that supposed to mean?” As soon as he finished his sentence, that was when the pieces fell into place for the swordsman and his eye widened with horror. Although the chef told him his swords were safe, he never explained why they were out of his possession for so long (and for good reason too). “Eugh, that's disgusting!” the greenette exclaimed, quickly turning away from the musician to cover his mouth and suppress a gag. How did it not cross his mind until now?! He doesn’t know which is more disturbing: the fact that it happened or how that revolting detail was blocked from his memory. The older pirate couldn’t help but chuckle at his reaction and Zoro bawled up his fists. “This ain’t fucking funny, Brook!”  

“My mistake,” the skeleton replied. “I’ve never seen this side of you before so it's a bit humorous.” Yeah, watching a tough guy getting all squeamish and shit is hilarious apparently. A real freaking knee slapper! Screw it, maybe Zoro should quit the life a piracy and become the world's greatest stand up comedian since his misery is so goddamn entertaining. “I’m glad you’re getting a kick out of it,” he said with a sarcastic tone before he could stop himself and he shook his head. No, you shouldn’t be this harsh, he thought to himself as he took a deep breath. He did you a favor after all. He turned to the musician and apologized for his outburst and the other waved it off. 

“It’s quite alright, there’s no need to fret,” Brook then continued with, “I was the one being insensitive so I should apologize.” 

“You weren’t, you're just being human,” well, about as human as a bag of bones can be but Zoro wanted to leave that part out. “Besides, you wouldn’t have cleaned that gunk off my swords for me if you didn’t care, so… thank you,” the greenette believed those two words weren’t enough to express how much gratitude he had for Brook. The very thing that revolted him the most in this world and the skeleton handled it for his sake. The swordsman doesn’t know how he could ever repay him for his kindness so he then added, “I owe you one.” 

“Well, since you offered, there is one thing you could do for me,” Brook mused and Zoro let him continue. “Could you perhaps acquire one of Nami’s panties for me?” 

“I’d rather cut my tongue out with a butter knife,” he retorted in a calm tone instead of following his initial response which would have been ‘EW!!!’ Of course, there’s the obvious where getting strangled to death by their navigator (which is not good for your health, FYI) but it’s just plain revolting. 

“C’mon, please! What about Robin’s?” 

“Fuck no!” and the skeleton laughed at his reaction. Like seriously, she’d snap Zoro in half like a damn candy bar if he pulled that shit. “Well, it was worth a shot,” the younger swordsman rolled his eye and collected his katanas, latching them onto his waist. Maybe he could meet the guy in the middle and buy a set of girly underwear for him on the next island. Let him go panty crazy or whatever perverted reanimated corpses do with those things…  Gah, I don’t even wanna think about it, that just freaking nightmare fuel! “I’ll figure something out, just stop being weird,” Zoro griped and turned to take his leave in search of a way to decompress before the dreaded dinner. Then, Brook called out,

“You’ll understand when you’re older, my dear!” the musician retorted in a sing-song tone.

“Not a chance in hell… !” the moss ball mocked. 

His world around him slowly rotated as he gazed at his surroundings. The background was blurry, he could barely make out the shapes of the swaying trees and a building further into the distance. It was like the swordsman was looking through a glass bottle, only seeing things that were up close such as the dirt beneath his feet and- ‘Jesus CHRIST!’ he jumped and lost his balance, landing on his ass and scrambling away from the puddle of vomit. Afterward, he heard giggles coming from all sides. Zoro was in the middle of a circle of children (between the ages of eight and twelve) pointing and laughing at him, making the greenette irritated as he stood up to confront them. 

“The hell’s so funny?!” he exclaimed and glared at them when he noticed something familiar. All of them were wearing the same uniform back at the dojo he practiced in but none of them had proper faces, like slabs of marble with devious smirks carved into them. Zoro was home! Oh god, he was home… One of the children poked his side with a wooden sword to get his attention and taunted, ‘You're such a loser!’ 

‘What kind of sword master is afraid of vomit?’ said another. 

‘A stupid one, that’s who,’ a third one answered and the group were in a fit of cackles. Zoro’s face was burning with embarrassment as he growled, “Shut up, all of you!” The swordsman put up a front but his breathing became short and shallow as his environment seemed to be spinning faster and faster as his former peers picked on him. 

‘Aw, are you gonna cry, Spew-anoa?’ one said in mocking sympathy and the children seem to be slowly moving closer to trap him. “Stop it, get away from me!” Zoro pleaded and tried shooing them away but they held strong, dead set on bullying the poor greenette. ‘I bet he’ll piss himself if we throw him in,’ another child suggested and the crowd was swayed by the idea. No, this isn’t real, it can't be- 

“God, please no! You can’t- ” he looked frantically around, hoping someone would see what’s going on and save him. Anyone to get him out of here, someone help! Zoro can’t feel himself breathing and his heart pounded in his ears in a chaotic rhythm like rain beating up a window sill. His classmates grab him and he tries to fight them off but he doesn’t have the strength no matter how much he squirms.‘Yeah, it's his fault anyway!’ 

‘He’s worthless.’

‘Zoro is so disgusting!’ Tears stream down his face as he thrashes around to escape from the children's grasp. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-” he sobs as he shakes his head, his entire body trembling with terror. “I’ll never throw up again, I swear- Don’t do it, please!!!” 

The warrior startles himself awake and doubles over, gagging at the memory of the nightmare. Zoro clamps a hand over his mouth and starts breathing through his nose to calm himself down as his stomach turns. The swordsman closes his eye and focuses on the sounds around him instead of the self-induced nausea: the ocean lapping at the hull of the ship, the rustling of the leaves in the tree above him, even the occasional call of a sea bird passing by. Just anything that’ll get him to stop thinking about it. A few minutes go by when he hears heavy footsteps approaching him. “What's up with you?” Franky asked, crossing his arms and he waved the cyborg off. 

“It’s nothing,” he said through gritted teeth as he leaned back against the trunk, raking a hand through his hair as he tried to collect himself. “I’m fine,” the robot was shocked once he got a better look at his face before it turned into genuine concern. “Bro, have you been crying?” 

“Huh? Of course not, that’s absurd!” the swordsman retorted, touching his face to check only to be proven wrong. His cheeks were, in fact, stained with tears. “What the fuck…?” Zoro murmured under his breath, dumbfounded by this discovery. It must've happened while he was sleeping. All because his imagination and his phobia decided to have a freaking playdate to make him miserable! This was starting to really freak him out, this is far from normal. He locked up for a few seconds before pivoting the conversation so he wouldn’t have to acknowledge it. “What the hell are you doing up and about anyway? Aren’t you sick too?” Franky couldn’t help but laugh. 

“So you’re the reason why Chopper keeps fussing over me, huh?” he replied. “Don't be silly, cyborgs don’t get sick.” Zoro was about to explain why he thought that when the robot interrupted him. “Nope, you’re not wiggling out of this one, buddy. Tell me what happened.”

“Franky, no-” 

“Franky, yes ,” the older man took a few steps closer and leaned against the tree, looking down at the protector with sympathy. “Seriously, I’m all ears, man,” Zoro turned away from him with a grimace. He felt like a damn child, crying over something that wasn’t even close to real. He hasn’t seen any of his peers for years and the only one who held any significance to him was Kuina and she’s been dead for a little over a decade. Sure, she’d tease him about his phobia back in the day too, she was the closest thing to a friend he had as a kid. After a moment of silence, the cyborg continued with, “You know, I was like you once.” The warrior whipped his head around and gawked at him. “What?” 

“Back when I was younger, I was a bit of a hard ass. Kept to myself, focused on my craft, and acted like a macho moron to drive people away.” 

“Watch it-” Zoro sneered and the other chuckled at his irritation as he explained, “And you wanna know what that got me?” Being a nosy pain in the ass, was the geenette’s first guess but he kept that thought to himself and decided to hear him out. “Nothing good, I can tell you that much. I spent a good chunk of my life alone, throwing myself into whatever kinda work I could get to forget about my own problems. Even though I seemed fine, I didn’t want to let on how much I was suffering.” Good god, he hated how accurate that was. Zoro did the same thing after Kuina passed away, training day in and day out not only to get away from the other kids but more importantly, to fulfill a life long promise. He wasn’t gonna waste time and wallow in his own pity just because his childhood wasn’t perfect. Life isn’t all sunshine and rainbows after all. 

“Sucks to be you, I guess,” Zoro mumbled, not wanting to acknowledge the older man's response. “Look, I know you’re trying to help but I shouldn’t have to use everyone as a crutch to work through my own issues. It’s my battle to fight, no one else’s.” Franky sighs and shakes his head, pausing for a moment before smirking a bit. 

“Well, if that’s the case then-” Zoro yelps when Franky suddenly grabs the protector by the ankles with one hand and hangs him upside down, his swords slipping from his belt and clattering to the ground. Not only did this angle make the queasiness worse and his head feel woozy, but this was utterly humiliating! He got picked up like he owed the cyborg lunch money* and that was not ok. The greenette wasted no time to try and squirm out of his grasp.  “What the hell do you think you’re doing? Put me down!” 

“Hey, you said this was your own fight- so fight it,” the shipwright said nonchalantly, like picking up your crewmate by the feet like a damn chicken was the most normal thing in the world to him.  

“That’s not what I meant you bastard,” The shipwright starts walking around the deck as if he was parading around with a freaking prize and Zoro can’t squirm his way out of his iron grip. It felt like his stomach was sloshing around like a water balloon rolling downhill and the warrior was not having it. Franky flips him upright without warning and holds him up by the scruff of his shirt. “Seriously, let me go!” he shouted and the other shrugged. 

“Suit yourself then,” and he drops the greenette on his ass, making him wince in pain. He then situated himself with one leg close to his body and the other stretched out, resting his arm on his knee as he hung his head low to catch his breath. The sudden headrush made him feel dazed like his brain was filled with transponder snail static so he kept his eye shut while his stomach was doing hula hoops around his waist. “You alright, man?” Franky asked and the young man gave him the finger, refusing to say a word to him after what he just did. The cyborg laughed at the offensive gesture and said, “Yeah, I deserved that. Sorry, I was trying to-” 

“Trying to do what, act like a jackass?” Zoro snapped with a scowl. Furious didn’t even cover how pissed off the swordsman was at his older crewmate.“ ‘Cause you were on the right track, fuckhead.” 

“I was proving a point,” the other responded and the younger pirate shook his head in disbelief as the robot continued. “Sure, I could carry you around all day but that would restrict you from doing the things you wanna do. And on the flip side, I could knock you on your ass until you give up and stay on the ground. But the reasonable thing to do?” Franky offers a hand, “Is to help a friend on his own two feet who’s willing to help himself. You feel me?” Zoro frowns for a moment to soak in the pep talk. It's solid advice, sure but that really isn't necessary.  Nonetheless, the warrior accepted the cyborg's hand to stand up. 

“Yeah, I think I get it,” the greenette answered. “Too much is bad, not enough is bad, so you gotta find that sweet spot- kinda like booze.” 

“Ha, of course your mind goes straight to booze,” he chuckles and tussles the swordsman's hair, making him groan in irritation as he swats his hand away. Zoro then retorts with, “Oh, shut up,” as he begrudgingly fixes his hair and the older man shrugs. “Hey, if that’ll help make it stick, then I’m cool with it. See you around, bro,” Franky takes his leave, disappearing into his workshop before the warrior could protest. Oh well, at least it gives him time to reflect on their conversation and his belly finally starts to calm down. That was by far the weirdest, most emasculating way anyone has given him advice (then again, it’s Franky we’re talking about so of course he has to do things in the strangest way possible). But it came from a good place and that’s all that matters. Damn… how in the world did he get so lucky to end up with a crew like this one?

Chapter Text

One by one, the members of the Strawhat Pirates filter into the galley for dinner and Zoro wasn’t exactly thrilled with the idea. Even though he was dragging his feet, the swordsman reached the entrance sooner than he hoped for and he glared at the door with his arms crossed. He hasn't sat down for a meal with them since this whole debacle started a few days ago and sure, it sounds good on paper. However, his worries were getting the best of him and he was already trying to talk himself out of it. Oh, don’t worry about it, they'll understand if you miss another night, and it can't hurt to eat in the Crowsnest again, right? There was irrefutable proof that his captain isn’t sick anymore and yet-his skin is still crawling at the thought of what if . What if Luffy’s not better, what if no one is getting better, what if he can’t keep it together long enough to be there for his friends in their time of need.

And what if he’s next…

 Zoro is no stranger to uncertainty by any means, whether it’s a fight to the death or the unpredictable weather on the Grandline. It’s almost guaranteed when you're living life as a pirate. He couldn’t tell you how many times he thought his time was up in this life and he was willing to accept his fate like a true warrior. But this? This was a battle he could never dream of winning. And yet here he was, standing outside like an idiot letting his mind twist his stomach into knots like a spool of fishing line. He groaned in annoyance, clenching his fists. “I can do this,” he muttered this a couple times to himself despite everything else begging him not to. “Just empty seats…” The swordsman reminds himself, taking a deep breath before walking  into the galley with artificial confidence. 

It was clear he was the last one to arrive since the majority of the crew were already settled in their chairs with plates of food and chatting it up. He saw that Chopper was missing (tending the sick, no doubt) then Usopp, then- Fuck, Nami and Sanji were gone too? Zoro could feel it starting up again; his palms slicked up with sweat in a snap, his heart hopping its way up his throat as his lungs burned like the air itself became toxic. He was locked in place until someone tapped the back of his shoulder. “GAH!” The startled sound left him before he could stifle it and he whipped his head around. “Dude, it’s me ya moron,” oh, thank goodness, it’s the chef he was wor- wait a minute, no! Zoro was gonna knock his teeth out for sneaking up on him. “I thought you had grass on ya but it was just hair from that stupid mop of yours,” the blonde roughly brushed his shoulders off to make his case.

“Shut up!” he argued but Zoro could appreciate the cover up. The protector guessed that Sanji was trying to check in on him without drawing any more attention than he already has. “Damn, if you lose any more of it, I’d have to call you Cue-Ball instead of Mosshead,” the chef chided and the swordsman growled. 

“At least I don’t leave wet clumps of hair stuck to the shower wall like a certain blonde psycho I know. Seriously, who in their right mind does that?” Zoro retorted and the cook tried to defend himself. “What am I supposed to do, let it go down the drain and clog it?” 

“I don’t care, it’s freaking nasty-” 

“Boys, knock it off,” Robin intervened while sitting at the table. “No one wants to listen to you bicker about bathroom habits during supper. It’s off putting,” Sanji stammered out an apology for both of them while Zoro groaned at the others' display. Sure, she wasn’t wrong (even though the ladies are the biggest contributors of this mildly gross annoyance) but hearing that twirly-browed idiot crooning over her was more tortuous than discussing stray hairs lying everywhere. Oh well, at least the bastard was here in good health instead of the alternative so the swordsman can’t complain too much. The blonde gestured him to go take his seat while he finished making his plate and the greenette reluctantly complied, still iffy about this whole thing. 

The swordsman places an elbow on the table, resting his head into his palm as he focuses on an old discolored stain in the teal table cover. The way that Zoro sees it, no one in their right mind would want to be around food when their stomach’s beatboxing like a douchebag street performer. That seems normal enough so why should he be concerned? And as much as he hates the phrase, it still rings true- no one likes to throw up. Unless the person was completely out of tune with their own body (or something really messed up was going on), then they’d take off like a shot to spare themselves the embarrassment. It’s a very logical course of action that most people will take if worse comes to worse. He takes a deep breath as he talks himself down, his knee bouncing anxiously under the table. All in all, this should be fine. He’s going to be fine… 

Zoro didn’t realize he zoned out for a second until Sanji put a meal in front of him- white rice with some veggies on the side. But what really caught his eye was the main portion of the meal was seasoned chicken; a rare delicacy on the ship. Most of the time the crew ate whatever they’ve caught on the end of a fishing pole or the stuff they stashed in the aquarium during long stretches out at sea. So getting the chance to eat chicken that has been grilled to perfection is usually a nice change of pace if the swordsman wasn’t so wary. It’s not that Zoro doesn’t like it but it’s called ‘fowl' for a reason. Bird and pork are two things you don't wanna mess with if it’s undercooked. Sallomenilla, trichinosis, and who knows what other kinds of horrors lurk under the surface- 

No, knock it off Zoro! He scolded himself. The chef may get under his skin sometimes but he’s good at what he does (even if the swordsman rarely admits it out loud). No matter who he’s cooking for, he’s very meticulous when it comes to food and he takes pride in it. Sanji would never feed you anything that would make you… do that. The greenette shuddered at the thought which caught the attention of the skeleton sitting to his left. “Everything alright, my dear?” Ugh, Zoro knows the older man isn’t trying to be weird about it but he really wished he’d stop calling him that. Although, it’s better to be mildly creeped out for a second than sit here with his own disgusting thoughts milling about.

“I’m all good,” He answered quickly, trying to be nonchalant as he went after the veggies on his plate. “There’s like a draft in here or something,” Brook nods in understanding, thinking nothing of the lie (to Zoro’s relief) as he starts chowing down again. It’s probably because the musician isn’t as sensitive to small temperature changes as the rest of his crew mates- you know, being a skeleton and all. The fact that he even has a little bit of sensation despite having the anatomy of a cheap Halloween decoration is mind boggling in of itself. “No way,” Sanji chimed in, readjusting his tie as sweat glistened off his brow. “It’s damn near boiling in here.” Wait, the cook didn’t have a fever did he? The remaining crew members appeared to be fine and he didn’t feel uncomfortable so something else must be at play. 

“Well, you were running around cooking and stuff so you’re probably just overheated,” Franky reasoned and the swordsman wanted to smack himself in the face. Damn it, why didn’t he think of that? It’s so obvious! “Makes sense,” Sanji agreed. “I’m going out for a smoke. Do you need anything from me, Robin dear?” he asked in a sickly sweet tone and the woman shook her head to politely decline his offer. “Alright, eat up everyone- Luffy, don’t steal anyone else's food.” 

“But I’m still hungry,” the captain griped. 

“No ‘buts’. Just give your stomach time to settle and keep your hands to yourself or else you’re going on the broth diet permanently,” The blonde waved a finger at him with a frown and the younger man held his hands up in defense. “Ok, geez I won’t! Don’t be mean.” Sanji sighed, heading out of the galley to cool off and have a smoke. The whole interaction got a chuckle out of the swordsman, finally feeling a sense of normalcy as he took a sip of his water. It’s a strange concept, missing the people you see nearly everyday all because you’re wrapped up in your own head. Sure, having a meal with friends seems simple and all but it means a lot to Zoro. Maybe ‘proud’ would be a bit of a strong word for following through with this step but that’s the best way he could explain it. This isn't so bad.

Wait a minute, his train of thought comes to a screeching halt once he cuts into his chicken. It’s always been a habit of his to slice up meat and inspect every piece before he puts it into his mouth just to make sure it was cooked all the way through. And clearly it’s not raw, considering he didn’t see any pink but… there was a brownish-red dot on the meat near the surface of the cross section that made his stomach turn as he stared at it, his body completely still like a statue as his mind ran rampant. Is that blood?! God, has it been there the whole time Zoro was eating it? But he was so careful, surely he would’ve seen it on the first bite so there’s no way he ate it by accident. Dear lord, please don’t tell him he did, he can’t-

“Zoro, what’re you doing?” Luffy asked and the warrior looked over at his captain with his functional eye wide open and his teeth clenched like he saw a ghost. In that moment, all he could think about was how his belly roiled with disgust as the others looked at him with concern. Even with silverware in his grasp, his hands trembled enough for the metal to clink against the porcelain plate as his eye flicked back and forth between his friends. Cmon, think! He’s gotta calm down enough to have some kind of answer for them but it’s hard to ignore the horrid scenarios that made his heart throb in the back of his throat. They’re not just mere thoughts, he can actually see images flashing in the back of his head like frames of a camera- him getting sick in the galley, his friends scolding him in disgust and anger while he’s pathetically miserable. He can’t, he can’t, he fucking cant! 

“ ‘Cuse me,” Zoro tries to keep his tone even as he stands up from his seat but it was a hard thing to sell since his voice was a mere murmur. The man snatched up his swords and he didn’t even bother to clip them to his belt before he hurried out of the room walking a little faster than he normally would. If it were up to him, the swordsman would’ve bolted but he didn’t want to piss off his stomach even further. He could barely make out their protests as he stumbled out of the galley, slamming the door harder than he meant to.

Zoro quickly turned a corner and headed for the railing, dropping his swords to the ground as his hands gripped the wood hard enough for the structure to groan and his knuckles turned white. A sense of doom loomed over the swordsman on this calm evening, threatening to swallow him whole. It’s just like what happened during the fight earlier- his breaths were shallow and frequent, dark blobs floated around his vision as his head spun like a whirlpool; the greenette’s heart was beating so fast that he couldn’t feel it in his chest and his entire body throbbed with pins and needles. And his stomach- oh god, his stomach- a molten tar that bubbled in the pit of his gut that caused his fear to mount nearly ten fold. Oh god, it’s gonna happen, isn’t it? There’s no way; Zoro refused to accept his fate. How could his body betray him like this!? Please don’t do this, a faint voice pleaded in the back of his head in his throes of vicious panic. Make it stop…

“Woah, what’s going on with him?” a voice asked faintly through the ringing of his ears and it sounded almost as frightened as he felt. Damn it, not now-stay back! Usopp is within a few feet of the swordsman. Just his fucking luck that someone who’s infected found him like this. Tears pricked up in his eye, silently begging for the sniper to get away from him since the crippling nausea locked him in place. “Just stay put and keep quiet. I’ll handle it,” another said in a calm tone but this one belonged to the chef of the crew. Crap, he must've breezed past him without realizing. Sanji approached the protector carefully so he wouldn’t spook him any further, leaning against the railing on his forearms as he offered a hand to the swordsman. “You wanna hold onto me?” The greenette accepted the offer without hesitation, squeezing a lot harder than he meant to and it made the chef grimace in pain. 

“Ok, that’s good; you’re doing great,” Sanji said, trying to keep his voice gentle and understanding even though it feels like his damn hand is about to shatter in a million pieces. The blonde took a breath to collect himself and then said, “I know this is scary but it won’t last long, I promise. Just keep your eyes on me,” Zoro does what he says, his vision blurred from the tears welling up in his eye as he struggles to breathe. The cook puts on a smile to reassure him and to hide his own worry. “Perfect. Now, I want you to breathe with me nice and slow like this,” He demonstrates the action and the swordsman tries to copy him, his breaths getting stuck in his throat before they come out in shuddering hiccups. The smell of cigarettes that usually irritated the swordsman had become an anchor of familiarity to brave the storm within him. “Phenomenal, keep going,” he encourages. The greenette does his best to focus on the rise and fall of the other's chest, taking shaky inhales and winded exhales as he attempts to breathe in sync with Sanji. As far as the cook could tell this was working, since the warrior's grip on his hand began to loosen. The process was slow and it felt like an eternity in Zoro’s eyes even if it lasted for a few minutes. Finally, he looks up at the sky briefly to blink out the remaining tears and manages a final breath before releasing Sanji’s hand. 

“Good job, Zoro,” Sanji replies, rubbing his sore hand and the swordsman lets out an exasperated sigh, wiping the wetness from his cheeks. “ ‘Good job’? There wasn’t anything good I did. I just had a fucking melt down right in front of you-I should be stronger than this goddamn it!” The blonde was taken aback by his sudden anger but there was a particular phrase that stuck out to him that didn’t sit right with him. 

“Wait, melt down?” Sanji asked with concern. “What’re you talking about?” 

“Ok, can someone please tell me what’s going on right now? “Cause this is starting to freak me out,” Usopp chimed in from behind the chef and his eye widened. Crap, Zoro completely forgot that the sniper was here the whole fucking time! He starts shaking his head quickly as he takes a few trembling steps back. At this point, he’s so on edge he doesn’t even know what to do anymore, Zoro needs to keep his distance for his own sanity. “Get away from me, now!” 

“Not the time, Usopp. You’re scaring him,” the chef said to the sniper through gritted teeth. The other’s jaw dropped in response for a second before stammering, “ I’m scaring him!? C’mon, this is me we're talking about here and I’m not even doing anything!” Ugh, that’s right: He wasn’t around for the whole cluster fuck that took place this morning so the marksman is completely out of the loop. Sanji looks like he’s gonna blow a gasket but instead, he pinches the bridge of his nose and lets out an irritated exhale. 

“Look, you didn’t do anything wrong.  Just go lay back down and I’ll explain later once I get this under control,” Sanji picks up his swords and passes them to the greenette so they wouldn’t fall into the sea. Yeah, control- the only damn thing in this world Zoro prided himself in and he freaking lost it. Just poof, gone; evaporated into the nothing he had become. He could tell that the younger man seemed offended, watching one of his friends gawk at him in terror but instead of arguing, he says, “You know what, fine. I’m too sick to be dealing with this shit anyway.” Usopp storms off before they could get another word in. This wasn’t fair, Zoro wasn’t trying to be an asshole to his friend. The protector doesn’t want anyone to feel bad about being sick-ever! And he could see why he was upset, given the whole bathroom incident a while back where Nami ripped the swordsman a new one and now he just dug a bigger hole for himself for acting the fool. He felt defeated, angry for losing his composure and letting the fear get the better of him.

“God fucking damnit!” Zoro flashed, kicking one of the posts of the railing clean off and it hurdled into the ocean with a splash below. Now it wasn’t his intention to break off a part of the ship but sometimes he forgets his own strength. Startled, the chef held out his hands like he was trying to tame a wild animal. “Calm down, there’s no need for that!” 

“How the hell can I be calm when I’m a liability to the crew?!” he sneered, raking a hand through his hair as he shook his head. The words come flying out like water from a busted copper pipe, his voice cracking as he continues. “The only thing I’m good for is my strength and if I don’t have that, I’ve got nothing Sanji. I’m fucking noth-!” The blonde cuts him off by rushing in with a hug, making them both wobble on their feet. He knew words weren’t gonna help much to get the swordsman out of this self-deprecating death spiral so this was the next best thing. Zoro stands there awkwardly with his arms to his side, not knowing how to process the sudden turn of events. “Stop being so damn hard on yourself, idiot.” 

“I…” the protector was at a loss of words for a moment, cautiously wrapping his arms around Sanji to return the hug. He let out a sigh and mumbled, “I’m sorry.” 

“Don’t be,” Sanji said, giving him a reaffirming squeeze. “It’s ok to not be ok.” 

“But I failed,” the greenette’s voice cracked as he insisted. “I tried to push through and I failed.” 

“And that’s fine,” he answered and pulled away to look him in the eye. “You can’t get over something like this overnight but putting yourself down like that sure as shit,” The chef poked his forehead three times as he said the last three words just to emphasize his point and it irritated the swordsman. “Ain’t gonna do you any favors.” 

“Ok, noted so quit poking me,” Zoro griped as he swatted the other man’s hand away from his face.

“Trust me, I’ve been down that road before and it’s never a fun time- that’s all I’m saying,” Sanji reasoned. “Now, how’re you feeling?” Zoro went silent for a moment as if the blonde asked him a trick question. It seemed like he was ok physically but he readjusted his belly band just to confirm that his stomach was fine. His mind seems to be more stable but over all he was exhausted by the mental strain of this brand new ordeal. The swordsman nodded yes to answer the other man. “Good cause I’ve got some questions: one, what the hell happened in there and two- why did you call a panic attack a melt down?” 

“The fuck is a panic attack?” the swordsman asked with a confused expression and Sanji was absolutely gobsmacked by the question. “Oh you’ve got to be shitting me.”  

Zoro decided to try sleeping in his own bed tonight. He was still pretty bummed out about how dinner went so he figured he’d give this a shot so it wasn’t a total loss. The swordsman climbed into his cot and laid on his back, staring up at the bunk above him as he thought back on everything the chef explained to him. That dark spot he found in the chicken was in fact a blood vessel so the warrior wasn’t technically wrong on that part. But apparently it was completely harmless according to the chef since it was cooked to the correct temperature so if the greenette did in fact consume some of it, the chances of him becoming violently ill were next to zero. This new found knowledge only deepened his embarrassment because he assumed the worst and made a mountain out of a molehill. Again. 

And, as it turns out, what he went through after his mortifying discovery wasn’t a meltdown; it was a panic attack. The sense of doom, the hyperventilating, the light headedness- those were just some of the myriad of symptoms he experienced in a very short amount of time. It felt like he was on the verge of death. The greenette has always called them meltdowns because that’s what his teacher called them. Sanji was absolutely furious when he told him that which made the whole thing kinda funny. It’s not like Koshiro was trying to be dismissive or malicious back then; his mentor just- didn’t have the knowledge for that sort of thing. He was a former swordmaster, not a mental health expert. Even though the old man had to dish out some tough love every now and then, it didn’t mean he lacked compassion for his students.

At least now he knows for the future but good god that was horrid! Definitely worse than the last one during the naval battle. Zoro was completely exhausted after that and his eye dropped as his body tried to mend with the mattress. Damn, he forgot how nice it is to rest on an actual bed instead of that dumb couch thing in the crowsnest that left him sore from sleeping on stale cushions. Not to mention the stupid headache he had behind his left socket that kept pestering him. Ever since he lost his eye, he’d sometimes get these sharp jolts of pain like his brain was pissed off that he was missing a vital body part. And of course, the added stress hasn’t been helping either. He was just gonna close his eye, relax and… then he heard someone enter the dorm and the man jerked his head up to see who it was. Ugh, can’t this day just fucking end already?

It was Usopp who had a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. He looked better than he did when Zoro saw him in the bathroom but the other man still seemed shaky on his feet. It made the greenette’s heart sink, replaying the snipers harsh words in his mind. He knows he shouldn’t be ashamed of the phobia but he hated the fact that it prevented him from comforting his friends while they feel like total dogshit (not that the greenette was any good at it but hey- it’s the thought that counts). The older man remained still, hoping the other would ignore him as he pretended to be asleep. The teen rolled his eyes at the display as he walked over to the lockers. “Dude, I know you’re awake,” he stated and the swordsman sat up with a groan. “How’d you know?” Zoro asked. 

“Observation haki-how else?” Oh yeah, the marksman had that ability now. Usopp isn’t as savvy with it as some of the other members of the crew but it’s still there nonetheless. The protector sighed, rubbing the back of his neck to ease his nerves. He’s sure that the sharp shooter was still pissed at him so might as well get the chew out over with. He opened his mouth to speak only for the younger man to beat him to the punch. “So, Sanji said you’ve got emetophobia, right?” Zoro tensed at the mention of it but he reluctantly nodded his head. He seemed fine; the swordsman knew that he wouldn’t be here otherwise but he can’t help but feel uneasy around one of his ill crewmates. 

“Uh, yeah?” the protector replied slowly, his brow furrowed in confusion and the sniper’s eyes widened at his confirmation.“Wow, um… That explains a few things but it’s kinda ironic, huh,” Zoro sternly crossed his arms, getting defensive. “Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?” 

“Well, you’re not bothered by blood or guts and yet p-” the sniper pauses a second to correct himself, “Er, getting sick is the thing that gets to you,” the greenette gives him a scowl. He’s got a point but still, Zoro would be the shittiest swordsman in the history of the Grand Line if he got faint around the sight of gore. Sure, it's gross but that was a necessary milestone in swordsmanship that he achieved a very long time ago so he could hone his skills for his promise. After all, you can’t get your message across to the enemy by simply knocking them out and calling it a day, can you? That mistake could be fatal for the warrior if he underestimates the opponent. And last time Zoro checked, dealing with vomit wasn’t in the fucking handbook! “Relax, it was just an observation. I’m not making fun of you,” Usopp held his hands up in defense as he continued, “If anything, I understand.” 

The protector nearly does a double take at the admission. Don’t tell him he… really? Maybe Usopp actually has the same issue as him since he seems very genuine- no, that can’t be right. Anyone with a phobia like his would’ve taken one look at Zoro during his ‘episode’ and ran the other direction without a second thought instead of getting passive aggressive. For all he knew, the sniper could’ve been lying just to save his own skin but that isn’t anything new. So, he decided to call his bluff. “And how exactly do you understand then?” 

“Remember Kaya back in my hometown?” he asked in turn. 

“Yeah, she’s the girl we saved from that creepy cat butler. What about it?” Usopp began explaining the things Kaya went through before the three of them arrived at Syrup Village. The blonde lady told them that her parents passed a year ago before she gave them the Merry but the grief was damn near debilitating when it first happened. She couldn’t move, couldn’t sleep and she could eat anything without feeling sick afterwards. Even drinking water was a struggle for the girl and she lost so much weight that Kaya was basically skin and bones in the beginning. So the sniper took it upon himself to help her during those times. “I did everything I could at the time to get her to eat something, even if she-you know did that after,” he let the swordsman fill in the blank at the last part and then said, “And Kaya hated getting sick; like really hated it. I was with her every single day just to make sure she was still there, even if it meant getting beat up by those bastard bodyguards.” 

Oh god… Zoro knew Kaya wasn’t doing so well when he, Nami, and Luffy visited the island but he had no idea it was that bad. He’s been through the grieving process when Kuina passed (hell, it feels like he still is at times) so he understands a thing or two. Personally, it took a couple days before it hit him at full swing and he couldn’t stop crying to save his life once it did. Even on the anniversary of her death the swordsman gets a bit misty eyed as if it happened just yesterday. And sure, he didn’t have much of an appetite either when his friend first passed but- well, he was eight so of course he was gonna cave in eventually even if nothing tasted good to him at the time. He’ll never forget just how hollow he felt the day his childhood friend snapped her neck falling down a flight of stairs and it sounds like Kaya experienced her own loss on a whole nother level. 

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Zoro replied, fidgeting with his belly band awkwardly as he lowered his gaze to his own lap. He didn’t expect this conversation to get so heavy. “It was a hard time for sure but she’s all good, I promise. I think she’s studying to be a doctor now.” The swordsman couldn’t help but smile.  It’s pretty clear Usopp still has a crush on her even after all this time out at sea, given the fact that the other’s eyes light up at the mention of her. If that woman asked him out, he’d take the chance in a heartbeat but the marksman would deny it until he was blue in the face. 

“So you keep in touch with her?” Zoro asked. 

“Sometimes, through a transponder snail. We try to keep it short but it’s so damn hard sometimes,” Zoro agreed with him in a way. As much as he wanted to catch up with Koshiro today, the marines would be on their asses if they ever tracked down the signal. “But enough about that. I figured I owed you an apology for getting snippy earlier.” 

“It’s fine, you didn’t know,” he assured him but Usopp shook his head. “No it’s not; I should’ve known better after watching Kaya struggle with it. It never came across my mind that you could be scared- like, ever,” he answered. Really, Zoro couldn’t blame him for coming to that conclusion because that’s the reputation he built for himself. He’s always had to be the strong one, regardless whether or not he wanted to. But he was human after all, even if he tried his damndest to suppress that side of himself to protect those he loved. 

“Yeah, I get scared just like anyone else,” the swordsman admitted as a blanket statement. There were some battles, like back in Sabaody, where he really thought he was gonna die right then and there. Even though he was willing to accept it, nobody knows for sure what awaits them on the other side. All he knows is that he’d never accomplish his dream nor be able to protect his crew if he just dropped dead and that’s the part that scares him. “I’m not immune to it.” 

“Huh… I guess we're not so different after all,” Usopp claimed and the warrior chuckled, shaking his head. The sniper wasn’t wrong but the two experience fear by varying degrees: the teen having exaggerated reactions to mundane dangers and the swordsman playing it off and internalizing it until he’s bursting at the seams. However, he can relate to the feeling of constant uneasiness. Always keeping his eyes peeled for any possible danger even if it’s unrelated to his emetophobia.“I guess not,” The protector yawns, rubbing his good eye as he lays back down. He could feel himself fading faster than he anticipated, like the exhaustion finally caught up with him.“G’night Usopp.”  

“Wiped out already?” The marksmen questioned only to hear the greenette’s snores travel through the room. “Damn, that was fast,” he muttered to himself and he shrugged, pulling the covers over the protector before climbing into his own bed to sleep as well. After all, it wasn’t that unusual for the swordsman to pass out at the drop of a dime.

Chapter Text

When he woke up this morning, the first thing Zoro did was fling off the blanket. He was covered in sweat and the bedsheets kept sticking to his skin like velcro as he curled up on his side. The sun wasn’t even out yet so most of the crew were still snoozing but he could tell something was wrong. He was on fire and yet his body was racked with chills as if he was lost in a blizzard. It seemed like everything ached; the swordsman’s bones akin to molten steel that seeped into his muscles. And worst of all… his stomach was writhing. The swordsman carefully wriggled out of his belly band and lifted up his shirt to take the pressure off his belly in an attempt to relieve the nausea. 

All Zoro wanted was to go back to sleep and hope this was a false alarm like every other time but this  felt different. This wasn’t something that’ll pass after a few deep breaths and a good distraction, this had way more substance to it compared to the previous bouts. Instead of the usual twinge in his gut wherever his phobia was set off,  he could feel it everywhere; from his throat, his chest- he couldn’t even stand the way his tongue felt against the roof of his mouth. The warrior didn’t dare to take anything more than shallow breaths; his gag reflex on a hair pin trigger.  He felt horrible in every single way possible. No escape, no mercy, no way to fight. This was it for him. It was only a matter of time…

Damn it all, he’s gotta do something at least! Zoro can’t just hurry up and wait until his body decided to give his bed a new fucking make over. As tiring as it feels to just lay here, he’s gotta move. Slowly, he lifts his head up a few inches to scan the room within his field of vision. He has to strain his eye just to get an idea of what he’s looking at but he found it-a trash bin. Ok, here’s the plan: the protector’s going to make a run (or rather a very cautious shuffle) to the bathroom and lock himself in there for the time being until the nausea either pisses off for good or until the inevitable happens. If worst comes to worst, he’ll have to use that bin in front of a dorm full of people for everyone to see and he’ll die of embarrassment… Yeah, no pressure. Both options sounded absolutely horrible but the swordsman knows which of the two evils he preferred. 

The warrior grits his teeth as he braces himself to sit up, wincing as his stomach wobbles like water droplets on a searing hot frying pan. Once upright, Zoro slowly swings his legs over the edge of the bunk and he grabs the side of the cot in a white knuckle grip. It was terrifying how weak he felt in that moment; too exhausted to even panic about his impending demise. All the greenette could think about was how awful he felt and how much he wished the illness could just magically evaporate into thin air. But no matter how crazy the world can get at times, they didn’t live in a fantasy. Sometimes, you’ve gotta pull yourself up by your bootstraps and face reality- even if it’s one that made Zoro’s hair stand on end.  

Carefully, he scooted off the bed until his feet touched the floor and stood up, grimacing at the pain that flares up in his abdomen. It came in waves but when it peaked, it felt like someone got a hold of the swordsman’s belly and started shoving it through a garlic press. Zoro was beginning to wonder if moving at all right now was a good idea but the thought of how horrific it would be if he got sick right then and there was enough of a motivator to get the hell out of the men’s dorm. The greenette took slow, shaky steps only to stop a couple times to make sure his stomach was behaving. He took crawling into consideration but that would make him look even more gross and pathetic than he already felt. 

Some of the weight slid off his shoulders as soon as he made it outside, grateful for the cool morning breeze that soothed his heated skin. The fresh air did little to help his nausea but it was still comforting in a sense. Zoro had to squint from the light of the moon near the horizon just to prevent this headache from worsening as he went down the stairs. The swordsman got a little over half way when his knee suddenly buckled and he slung an arm over the railing to catch himself, his eye wide and his teeth clenched. Shaking his head, he used his free hand to pull himself up with a groan and it took a lot out of him. Man, he really wasn’t doing well at all if he almost ate shit just walking down the last few steps. After he made it to the main deck of the Sunny, the greenette realized he didn’t have his swords on his person. He must’ve forgotten them next to his bed (Or maybe they were on his bed? Damn, his mind was so muddied up he can’t recall). 

Whatever, it’s better they don’t see this anyway. The three of them have been through enough no thanks to this stupid illness everyone’s getting. Zoro didn’t have the energy to double back for them let alone deal with their presence mocking him for having a moment of weakness. His katanas have respect for him but he can tell they enjoy giving him a hard time every now and then even if they can’t verbalize it. Hell, sometimes he can sense the reactions of his blades whenever they’re poking fun at each other and it’s kinda funny to witness. Truly a rambunctious trio if he ever saw one. Needless to say, his swords gave the greenette a good scolding after Brook got them cleaned up. 

The swordsman stops, leaning his shoulder against the wall as the nausea began to crest again. Zoro covers his mouth with his hand to make himself breath through his nose, squeezing his eye shut like he was bracing himself for mortar shots from the Marines. He has to swallow a couple times to suppress the urge to start gagging and his body shakes; whether it was from the strain or terror from losing the battle and making a mess on the deck, the greenette honestly couldn’t tell ya. And his thoughts were basically zipping around in his skull like a nest of angry hornets and it sure as hell wasn’t helping to calm him down. This will pass, this will pass, this will fucking pass- why isn’t this passing?! C’mon, don’t do this to me now. It takes a few minutes for the nasty feeling to recede again and Zoro takes the opening to close the short distance between him and the restroom, locking the door behind him. 

He may not feel like the demon most people chalk him up to be right now but he sure as hell must have the devil's luck on his side since a single soul didn’t bear witness to his current state. 

Once inside of the half bathroom, Zoro clutches the sink to steady himself as he sighed. He was completely alone with no one to bother him so he can let this thing run its course without drawing attention. He glanced up at himself in the mirror, almost wishing that his appearance was completely fine and it was just his mind playing tricks on him again. But nope- he looked like a sea train wreck and the man found it revolting. The bags under his eyes are more prominent than usual and the thin sheen of sweat makes his skin shine whenever the light hits it at the right angle. The swordsman’s hair was greasy at the roots and his complexion was paler than a worm in a hook shop. Hell, he might as well crawl on the ground and eat dirt for the rest of his life since he didn’t have the spine to deal with the stomach flu. 

If he saw someone walking down the sidewalk looking as rough as he did, Zoro would cross the street without a second thought to avoid them. 

Ok, Zoro has to stop looking before he makes himself feel worse so he averts his gaze from the reflective glass. Slowly, he sits down in the far corner of the small restroom about arms length away from the toilet, bringing his knees to his chest to hug them as he shivers. The greenette doesn't know how long it’s gonna be until his body decides it's fed up with his stubbornness but at least if it’s gonna happen, he’ll be in a good spot to do so. This was by far the worst part of the process. He’s essentially playing tug of war between what his body needs to do and what his mind wants him to do. He can’t just make himself throw up when his belly is acting up; that ain’t how it works for him. Last time, the protector sat there for hours fighting it because he couldn't bring himself to get it over with and that was what-almost five years ago? Six maybe? It was well before he joined the Strawhat Pirates, he knows that much. Long story short, Zoro has to wait it out until his stomach can’t hold it back anymore. 

Course, it doesn’t help that the warrior’s mind is wandering through his previous memories of being sick like this. Maybe it’s because most of which occurred under a similar circumstance or even the fact that he’s got some kind of laser focus on every little sensation dwelling in his gut. It’s like you almost know exactly how much- stuff is in there during a bout of queasiness and it’s the creepiest feeling in the world to Zoro. God, even the smell from the toilet is starting to get to him. It wasn’t like the typical odors most people think of; the bathroom gets cleaned every few days so that ain’t the issue. He means that disgusting metallic stench you get a whiff of right before you toss your guts up into the bowl and it makes him bury his face into his kneecaps. He wanted to cry, wanted to punch something- Zoro would do anything if it meant he’d never feel like this again for the rest of his life. 

But he had a better chance of asking the moon to outshine the brilliance of the sun… The odds are stacked against him. 

The swordsman doesn’t know how much time has passed since he locked himself here but it's getting harder and harder to stave off the nausea despite his efforts. Even with the tight feeling in his throat, somehow the occasional whimper escapes whenever his insides clenched. It reminded Zoro of a wounded animal; hiding from the rest of the world during those final moments as it draws its last breath. The greenette knows from a logical standpoint that getting sick isn’t gonna kill him. It would have to be pretty damn extreme with no medical attention whatsoever for that to happen and even then they have one of the best doctors a crew could ask for so the chances are extremely low. But good lord did he feel like he was dying. If someone didn’t know him personally, one would assume he was in line for a public execution in Loguetown with how miserable and frightened he was. 

A sudden knock at the door startled him and his eye was as big as a golf ball when the person on the other side tried turning the handle. “Is someone in there? C’mon, I know you can hear me,” someone called out and Zoro immediately recognized that it was Sanji, who seemed annoyed that the restroom was occupied. Fuck, this is bad- no, it’s absolutely catostrophic! He can’t let the cook see him like this; he can’t let anyone see him! It’s so goddamn disgusting and the swordsman doesn’t want anyone to label him as such, not again- “G-go away,” the other pleaded and he sounded as terrible as he felt, which set off alarm bells in the blonde's brain. 

“Zoro?” he said, confusion and worry lacing his voice. “What’re you doing up this early? Is everything alright?” Sanji pressed his ear to the door waiting for an answer. When the swordsman tried to reply, a sudden gag was torn from his throat instead that made the cook jerk his head away with a cringe. Yup, he’s definitely not ok. The protector clamps a hand over his mouth as he hunches over, swallowing thickly to keep himself composed. The blonde jiggles the handle again as his concern grows even more. “Open the door-” the chef barley finished his sentence before the greenette exclaimed, 

“NO!” The cook is briefly taken aback by the outburst but he was persistent. He can only imagine how terrified the other is right now and he won’t turn his back on him. Sanji takes a step back and lifts his leg up, ready to strike. “Damn it dude, I’m not gonna suffer alone. Let me in,” Zoro groans, shaking his head. He didn’t want the other man to have a front row seat to the inevitable torment he was about to endure. “Just leave!” The greenette tried to sound menacing but all it did was make him sound desperate as his stomach clenched harder.  The added stress of being discovered made Zoro feel even more sick as shame and panic entered the flurry of emotions swirling within him. The chef finally had enough and he kicked the knob clean off the door with a metallic thwack , making the swordsman’s blood turn to ice as if he got caught stealing from an old lady. 

Sanji entered the bathroom and he was horrified by the swordsman’s sickly condition, quickly squatting down next to the man on the floor to assess him. His back was leaned against the wall next to the toilet and his legs were sprawled out in front of him, keeping his eye squeezed shut as he clutched his stomach. “Jesus, you look like hell,” The blonde places a hand on the other's forehead and Zoro doesn’t even bother to smack it away. “You’re burning up pretty bad too. Why didn’t you tell anyone?” The greenette pauses for a bit to take a couple deep breaths before he feels confident enough to speak without upchucking. “Didn’t wanna-” his body jolts as he holds in another gag behind gritted teeth and Sanji couldn’t help but wince. “W-worry you guys,” which was also true; the warrior doesn’t want the others to fuss over him when some of his crewmates are bedridden as well. They need it more than he does. But the biggest concern right now, was possibly being sick in front of someone. Sanji scoffs at his answer. 

“And what, locking yourself in here would make us less worried? You’re supposed to be smarter than this, Zoro.” 

“Shut up-” he quickly clasped both hands over his mouth as bile came up his throat, making his cheeks puff out a little as he strains to hold it back. Holy shit , that’s vile! It’s like he shotgunned battery acid from the bottom of a dumpster fire. As much as he wants to spit it out, Zoro’s afraid that his body will take it as an invitation to fully purge and he ain’t gonna let that happen. Acting quickly, he swallows it back down with a sour grimace and he shudders in disgust. Meanwhile, Sanji is absolutely floored by what he just witnessed as his jaw hangs open. He won’t lie, that’s one of the nastiest things he’s ever seen the greenette do in a while and he’s watched the Mossball pick his own boogers in broad daylight. “...You did not just do that.”

“I had to,” Zoro retorted but his words were muffled behind his hand and Sanji blanched at him. 

“No you didn’t!” Sanji exclaims, dragging his hand down his face in exasperation and continues with, “Look, holding it in like that will only make it worse. You have to get it out of your system so you can feel better,” the chef tried to reason with him but Zoro shook his head no as he curled up his legs again. He’d rather make another attempt at chopping off his own feet then go through with it, even if it meant feeling like dogshit for who knows how long. Once the blonde realized he wasn’t getting through to his friend, he decided to take a more gentle approach. It worked last night so he can’t see why it wouldn’t work now. “Zoro, look at me.” Hesitantly, the swordsman follows his instruction even though keeping his eye in focus took a lot of effort. 

“I know it’s scary and it’s the last thing you wanna do but- you trust me, right?” The swordsman refused to use his words in the current state he’s in but he mulled over the question in his head. They usually don’t get along most of the time; whether it’s spitting petty insults at each other or even getting into brawls that cause damage to the ship and potential bystanders. But they’re still friends and when shit hits the fan, they can rely on each other just as much as they do with the rest of the crew. None of them would be here otherwise. Even though Zoro knows what’s coming, even though it’s gonna be absolute hell for him… He trusts Sanji with his life. After a moment, he looks down and gives the blonde a slow nod to finalize his answer. The cook clasped his shoulder in reassurance. “Then you have to let go.” The other groaned through his nose at the thought but goddamn it, the chef was right. Despite every fiber of his being screaming with terrified protest, the protector admits defeat and scoots in closer to line his head over the porcelain bowl, bracing his arm on the back of the seat to cushion his forehead. 

***

Zoro flinches when Sanji places a hand on his back, rubbing between his shoulder blades to comfort his ill crewmate. “Just relax, ok? It’ll be over before you know it,” a couple beats pass and the warrior shudders as another wave of nausea rises to its crest. He spits out the excess saliva that’s been coating his mouth and takes one final breath before he’s swept away by the tide. His body convulses as he retches and there’s this excruciating burn from the inside out. The sounds that echo through the room only made him want to gag more; Zoro couldn’t even believe he was the cause of such repulsive noise. Even though he lost his eye years ago, they were both watering profusely as he squeezed them shut. It smelled horrible, taste was even worse, and with all of his senses being bombarded at once the swordsman couldn’t stop dry heaving to save his life. God, what did he ever do to deserve this torture? 

The chef’s eyes widened with concern when the other didn’t stop even when nothing was left. “Whoa, take it easy. Deep breaths, man; deep breaths,” he repeated in the hopes of shifting Zoro’s focus as he kept rubbing his back. The greenette coughed a few times and spat in an attempt to get the taste out, his breathing only coming out in short, shaky pants as his head pounded at the same rapid pace as his heart. It took him a few tries but his inhales and exhales gradually slowed, taking pauses between each one whenever his bastard stomach clenched. Once he could take in air without having the urge to gag, the protector wiped his mouth off with a grimace and pulled away from the toilet. Zoro was clearly shaken up by this turn of events since he wrapped his arms around himself to quell the trembling. He couldn’t bring himself to look at the chef, he was so ashamed. It felt like his soul wasn’t even in his own body anymore. 

***

It was over… for now at least. 

“Zoro?” the blonde tried to get his attention and the other winced at the sound of his own name like it was the foulest curse he’s ever heard. The greenette was disgusted with himself; he wanted to disappear at that very moment. “Are you ok?” Sanji asked in a caring tone and the other didn’t even know how to respond. All he could think about are the things that might be going through the perverts head about what he saw- about how gross and pathetic he must’ve looked during the whole ordeal. It’s not like he didn’t want to help the swordsman and he was sincere but- it just nags in the back of his brain like he did something wrong even if it’s far from the truth. Sanji even said it himself- It’s ok to not be ok. Zoro just needs to allow himself to believe it. The warrior leaned forward and covered his eyes with one hand. With a hoarse voice, he mutters his reply.

“Ok, nice and slow,” Sanji instructed while they shuffled across the deck, the sun barely peeking over the ocean in the wee hours of the day. He held onto the arm wrapped around his shoulders so Zoro could lean on him. Even though the greenette was embarrassed as all hell, he did feel a bit better after- ugh, going through that bullshit. Sure, it was replaced with exhaustion from the exertion, at least he wasn’t on the verge of throwing up anymore (always a plus in his book). It’s almost like a weird sense of… relief, he guessed? Kinda like a sneeze but way more revolting. The warrior didn’t know if that was a normal thing and quite frankly he doesn’t want to know. His thoughts were interrupted when the chef added, “And if it starts up again, just let me know so I can take you to the railing, yeah?” Oh god, that’s scary to think about. Just, right out in the open like that? Zoro can’t help but groan in distaste at the idea. 

“Got it, just…” he paused as a shudder went through him. It was horrible enough the first time around and he just scrubbed the ever loving hell out of his mouth after. Even then, it still didn’t feel clean no matter how much toothpaste the swordsman used (which got a chuckle out of Sanji since he looked rabid while brushing his teeth). He’s pretty damn sure it’s stopped for now but Zoro really didn’t want to take that possibility into consideration.“Stop talking about it, please.” Sanji complied with the swordsman’s mumbled demand as he kept an eye out for any signs of the other’s condition depreciating. First order of business would be to take Zoro somewhere quiet so the blonde figured the aquarium bar would be the best bet since the rest of the guys are still sleeping. 

Once inside the room, the chef carefully laid the warrior down on the couch on his back, lifting his head up slightly to place one of the throw pillows underneath it. Even though was dimly lit, Zoro draped his arm over his eyes with a groan in a half-assed attempt to hide how ashamed he was at the moment. The swordsman can’t help but dwell on it, wondering if this will be the only time it’ll happen or if this will be one of many until his body fights off the sickness; the unknown was pure hell for the greenette. And to add insult to injury, the chef watched the whole thing unfold before his eyes. This was even more humiliating than all the times he’s gotten lost in a straight path combined. “Alright, just hang tight while I grab a couple things.” The protector gave him a weak hum of acknowledgement before the chef took off, leaving him alone with thoughts that made tears prick up in his eyes. 

It doesn’t make sense how the swordsman feels abandoned in the few minutes the chef was gone. Sure, emotions don’t follow logic just like phobias and other weird stuff people go through but it’s like his heart got stomped in a grease spot on the pavement. Zoro was familiar with it since he’s carried it with him all of those years he’s spent alone. The only real company he had after Kuina passed was his teacher and that’s if he wasn’t training for hours at a time. It was his only escape from the teasing; from the fact she was really gone . After that, he left his village and spent three or so years by himself, wandering the East Blue before Luffy bailed him out back in Shell’s town. He has a crew who loves him for who he is and every single one of them would go to hell and back for him, even the cook. So he doesn’t understand why he’s questioning that simple truth. 

The sound of the door opening startled him a bit as Sanji came in with the necessary supplies: a cloth, bottle of water, and he grimaced at the last thing he saw- two buckets. Zoro had to rub his eye just to make sure the fever wasn’t making him see double and his stomach dropped when he realized that his mind wasn’t playing tricks on him. C’mon, there’s absolutely way he’s gonna need two of ‘em unless… Nope, he refuses to even entertain the idea of it. He’d rather deep throat a fucking cactus than think about coughing up two buckets worth of sludge. The greenette buried his face into his arm again as Sanji approached him and he could hear water sloshing around in one of the containers much to his relief. “Hey, move your arm a sec,” once the swordsman complied, the blonde placed the damp rag on his forehead in the hopes of bringing down his temperature and it made him shiver. “I know, it sucks but it has to be done,” Sanji sympathized. 

“I’m sorry,” was the only response the swordsman deemed as correct given his current state. Zoro was being taken care of by the chef while almost half of the crew had succumbed to the same illness. It’s not fair to them that they’re suffering while he’s being doted over like a damn child. He’s supposed to be the tough one after all: someone who was unbreakable, someone who laughs in the face of death, someone who they can rely on for his protection. But this fucking phobia has reduced him to a pathetic mess and now his friends are being punished for it because he wasn’t strong enough to face it head on. Sanji gave him a confused look, like he just told him the ocean was purple. 

“For what, being sick?” he asked before shaking his head at the absurdness of it all. “There’s nothing to say sorry for, Zoro. You have the flu; it’s not something you can control,” the cook does his best to reassure his crewmate but it’s hard to convince him since he’s not even looking at the blonde. Goddamn it, the greenette understands he didn’t do anything wrong but his stupid brain is making him feel guilty and it’s frustrating. Imagine if he started apologizing to his crew everytime he got shot, stabbed, or any other miscellaneous injuries he’s had the displeasure of being acquainted with during his time of piracy. None of those are his fault and this bullshit ain’t no different. As long as Zoro can keep that in the forefront of his mind, then he can get a step closer to overcoming his phobia. Why can’t he give himself some slack for once? He sighs heavily, placing a hand on his belly. 

“But I’m disgusting-” The greenette tried to argue with his own self- deprecating rebuttal but Sanji wasn’t having it.“You’re not disgusting, Zoro,” he insisted, trying desperately to get through to the protector.“We’ve all done it at one point or another so no one will think less of you for it.” The chef places a hand on his shoulder to comfort him and the warrior finally gets the courage to look up at him with exhausted defeat. “So please quit beating yourself up about it, ok?” The other sighs, focusing his gaze to the ceiling as if he was counting the lines between each panel. He can’t hold himself accountable for something that’s literally out of his hands, even if his emotions are trying to come up with some irrational reasons why he should. Point is, Zoro needs to accept that he’s under the weather and there’s only so much he can do to mitigate it just like anyone else. He slowly nods, trying to get as comfortable as possible on the couch. “Ok… I’ll try.” 

“You better or I’ll have to knock some sense into ya,” Sanji replied with a light hearted smirk, patting his shoulder. “Now, do you want me to stay or should I leave you alone for a bit?” Zoro waved him off and stated, “You’ve done way more than enough for me. I won’t hold you hostage.”

“That wasn’t the question, moss for brains,” the blonde bluntly countered. “I’m asking what you need right now.” The swordsman hesitated for a bit, debating whether or not he should be honest. He’s so used to handling stuff on his own that having someone actually offer was foreign to him. And Sanji has been patient with him the whole time so he shouldn’t be worried about the chef turning up and leaving him at his lowest point. Although Zoro never liked the idea of being perceived as weak or selfish by anyone- maybe he can give himself a pass this time. “I need you to stay,” the greenette answers, his voice trembling slightly. “Please…” With that, the cook sits down right next to where his head is resting when a thought occurs to him.  

“Oh, and one more thing,” The cook started. “If it gets that bad again, please for the love of god spit it out. That was-” Sanji wanted to say it was gross but instead he paused for a moment to rephrase the next sentence. “That didn’t seem pleasant.” Zoro groaned, hiding his face with both of his palms. He regretted it the second he choked it back down so there wasn’t a reason to mention it. The warrior shuddered in revulsion, his stomach twisting at the memory and he gave the chef a muffled answer. “Ugh, alright I won’t, just shut up about it before you jinx me.” Then out of nowhere, the greenette feels fingers carding through his hair. He freezes but he doesn’t pull away from the touch. The swordsman removed his hands from his eyes and gave Sanji a puzzled look. “What’re you doing?”

“Just trying to take your mind off it,” Sanji casually replied and the swordsman didn’t even try to protest, letting his arms fall to his sides as he tried to relax. Even with everything that’s gone down over the last few days, this was definitely out of left field. Not that Zoro’s complaining, it felt nice and his eyelids were becoming heavier by the second as the blonde kept massaging his scalp. It wasn’t long before he was teetering on the edge of consciousness. Who knows, maybe he can just sleep for the next week so he won’t have to throw up again. Now is it possible? Fuck no but the swordsman can only hope. Either way, he’ll survive this- just like everyone else. 

Chapter Text

It’s only been a little while since Sanji left since breakfast wasn’t gonna cook itself and Zoro kept his eye closed, focusing on his breathing. He doesn’t know how long he’s been drifting in and out of the waking world, but the only thing that’s stopping him from sleeping was his gut. It’s this general feeling of uneasiness that just wallowed within him like a hog in mud. God, all the greenette wanted to do is sleep but nooo - his stomach just had to be an asshole. The swordsman can’t even move without that nauseating pang zapping through his core. Even his temperature went back and forth from hot to cold like a metronome that left him in a near constant shiver. His heart really goes out to the other three members since they’ve been dealing with it longer than he has. And yes, he understands that there’s nothing he or anyone else can do other than wait it out but the protector still reserves the right to bitch about it. 

They’ve only been sailing for a few days in the New World and this is the first challenge the crew has to overcome? Talk about some bullshit if you ask him. Everyone’s being held back by this stupid sidebar and it’s beyond frustrating to Zoro. Now they have to take a few steps back instead of showing the world who’s boss all because of this dumbass illness. The crew’s in a vulnerable position surrounded by miles upon miles of deadly ocean- what could possibly go fucking wrong, right?

God, this is making his head hurt even more. Zoro gritted his teeth as his worried thoughts wandered, opening his eye to look at the ceiling instead of imagining what would happen to the crew if he wasn’t there to help. Now don’t get him wrong; the swordsman knows his friends are more than capable of handling shit on their own but you could never have enough help running a ship like the Sunny. Poor Chopper’s got his hands tied tending to them and he’s sure the healthy members are pitching in as well with the doctor leading the charge. There's no way of knowing what’s gonna happen next on the Grandline so if he can’t be there to protect them… 

Damn it, I need to stop, he thinks to himself, rubbing his sore belly to prevent further upset. The thought of losing them makes him sick to his stomach so he can’t let himself get worked up over this in his condition. The greenette takes a slow, deep breath as he tries his best to relax; making a conscious effort to unclench his jaw. They’re gonna be fine- the crew’s been through worse. 

We’ve got this… 

Zoro nearly jumps out of his skin when the Captain bursts through the door with a scowl on his face. His eye widened as Luffy stomped over with- what is that, a bottle in his hand?. “Zoro, you jackass! Why didn’t you tell me you were sick?!” he scolded the greenette, who was at a loss for words. Dude, that’s what he’s mad about? Like what, was he supposed to make a public freaking announcement on the PA system in the Crow’s nest? His Captain’s chewing him out like he swiped the last piece of meat from the table. He sat up way quicker than he should’ve and he clutched his head as the throbbing increased. That was when he saw Chopper clinging to the leader's leg in an attempt to hold him back only to be dragged across the floor. “Calm down, Luffy; he just needs rest!” He glared down at Chopper as he tried to shake him off. 

“Doesn’t mean he has to be alone!” the younger man argued. “And Zoro’s my friend. He has to let me help- Captain’s orders!” 

“That’s sweet of you but I don’t think he wants alcohol right now,” the deer tried to reason but Luffy scoffed. “Sure he does. Here catch,” he turns to the warrior and tosses the bottle at him and he fumbles it since his hand eye coordination is terrible right now. The bottle smashes on the tile floor, filling the air with the sharp odor of hard liquor. It was enough to make his stomach turn and he coughed a couple times, covering his nose with his sleeve. That’s the messed up part about queasiness, it makes everything smell and taste disgusting. It doesn’t matter if it’s something you’d normally enjoy, your guts are gonna fight tooth and nail over it as a way to ‘protect’ you.

“Eugh- ok, I need some air,” he grimaces, slowly standing up. Despite taking his time, the dizziness made Zoro’s eye spin and he started to tip over. Acting quickly, Chopper turned into his human form to help steady the swordsman. “Easy- you don’t gotta push yourself,” the reindeer said. He looks over at Luffy and says, “I’m gonna take him outside. Can you go get some water please?” 

“Like saltwater, or-?” the doctor cuts his captain off with. “ Regular water, Luffy. How in the four blues would sea water help?” 

“I don’t know; I ain’t a doctor,” the captain said with a shrug and Zoro lets out a huff at that. Go figure that the leader of the Strawhat pirates needed clarification on what kind of water is ok to drink. The crew could call him stupid in a thousand ways but it's not like they have room to talk. After all, it was their choice to follow him so who’s the stupid one now? “Ok then you can take him to the main deck and I’ll meet you guys there.” Chopper stated and the rubberman gave a short ‘kay’ before scooping up the greenette into his arms bridal style like it's no big whoop. How could he be so nonchalant about it?!

Once the initial shock wore off, Zoro started squirming in protest. Dude, he can still walk; what is it with his friends deciding to literally sweep him off his feet like a damn damsel in distress? “What the fuck are you doing, Luffy!?” His voice cracks mid-sentence as he tries to make his escape from the leader’s grasp. “ Put me down!” It didn’t matter how much the greenette complained, the younger man still had a firm grip on him and a stupid ass grin pasted on his face. Fat chance he was gonna get outta this one with the way he’s feeling. He swears, the second the swordsman is back to normal, he’s gonna tie that rubber bastard to the mast like a goddamn ribbon. The nineteen year old giggled at his escape attempt. “Nope. You’re stuck with me,” he then stuck his tongue out to taunt the other and Zoro bopped him under his chin to retaliate, making the leader bite his tongue.

Luffy yelped at the action, more shocked than hurt by the action. “Ow, hey- be nice!” he griped, rubbing the sore spot on his tongue along the roof of his mouth. “Don’t make me drop you.” 

“That’s the point, moron,” the greenette argued, feeling winded after his squirming. Whatever, Zoro’s not in the mood nor the proper shape to deal with his antics. Hell, it’s a miracle that he has the energy to be embarrassed right now. However, that doesn’t stop his face from turning a smoldering shade of red. The fever isn’t exactly helping his case but at least it gives the swordsman an alibi for the blushing. He lets his body go slack in defeat, groaning in annoyance. “Ugh, just get me outta here- the smell’s killing me.” Luffy nodded and began carrying him to the main deck, leaving Chopper to mop up the slurry of broken glass and booze from the checkered floor. 

Fiery red clouds drifted across the sky, occasionally covering the rising sun for the briefest of moments as glowing beams of light crawled out from any gaps they could find. It didn’t seem like anyone else was awake yet (much to the swordsman's relief) but he couldn’t help but wonder who was in the crowsnest. Whoever's up there right now would surely see Luffy lugging him around like a freaking puppy. Ugh, whatever- it’s not like it matters so there’s no point in fixating on it. Not to mention, it wouldn’t be the first time someone’s had to carry him but usually it's because he got knocked out during a fight or something along those lines. 

Even so, it always weirded out the greenette whenever his crew steps in to take care of him. And Zoro knows why; he’s used to doing everything himself and then some for the people around him that it's strange being on the other side of the fence. The man understands they're trying to help but there’s a good chunk of him that feels guilty- hell, even helpless at times. He’s proven his strength time and time again throughout their adventures so he takes pride in pulling himself up by the bootstraps and taking on any challenge he faces. So sometimes when the swordsman can’t, it leads him to believe that all of the work he’s put into himself was for nothing. Like all of his feats are tarnished over a single sign of weakness. It sounds absolutely bat shit when he takes a step back to think about it but Zoro has that feeling more often than not. 

Luffy carefully places the protector down in the grass propped against the wall. He sighs in relief, allowing his head to fall back onto the wood behind him. Zoro let the cool air fill his lungs and it made a world of a difference compared to earlier this morning. His hand went down to fidget with his belly band only to realize he ditched it in the men’s dorm. It’s kind of a nervous habit he’s developed ever since Koshiro gave it to him some odd years ago. According to his teacher, belly bands were a talisman of sorts to ward off any harm that may come to a warrior, which Zoro found hard to believe. For one, a piece of clothing isn’t gonna stop someone from stabbing you in the gut (although, his teacher probably meant it more in the metaphorical sense rather than literal when he thinks about it but hey- the swordsman wasn’t wrong). And for two, if it was essential for a swordsman to have then why was he the only one in the dojo wearing it? It never made any sense to him until he wore it on a regular basis.

The greenette doesn’t know if there’s a science to it or if it’s some kind of placebo but Zoro gains this sense of… comfort, he guessed? Whenever he has it on, it puts him at ease most of the time. He’s not sure if it’s because it keeps his core warm or if it’s the light pressure on his stomach that calms him down. The second thing seems a bit odd when you’re afraid of being sick but- look, it feels nice when you don’t have a queasy stomach, okay? Or maybe it’s just the sentimental value of it that grounds him, having that piece of home with him as a way to say, ‘I’ve got you,’ even when the protector’s on the other side of the planet. 

His moment of contemplation was interrupted when he heard rope creaking under pressure and looked over to see his captain sprawled over the swing on his front, using his feet to sway back and forth. It was something that Franky installed on one of the trees when he was building the Sunny so it doesn’t get as much use as it did when they took her out to sea for the first time. But that’s just the novelty of something new: once it fades, it becomes ingrained into everyday life instead. Once Luffy starts picking at the blades of grass beneath him, the swordsman decides to speak up. “What’re you trying to do?” The younger man shrugs. 

“I dunno, just bored,” he rolls over onto his back, turning his world upside down and folding his arms behind his head as he shifts his attention to Zoro. “It’s been kinda lame since the crew’s getting all yucky.” The greenette snorts at that, letting out a weak chuckle. 

“Oh yeah, says the guy who brought this crap back to the ship,” he replies but there’s no malice behind it, given the half-hearted smirk. It’s just funny to him that their leader would describe it as ‘lame.’ Being a buzzkill at a party is lame, not trying to survive the stomach flu. It’s just a different way of looking at it, he supposed. The captain frowned and retorted, “Hey, it’s not my fault I caught it.” The teen sat up, fiddling with the string connected to his hat now that he was facing away from Zoro. His mood shifted and the swordsman wanted to smack himself for what he said as the other continued. “I mean… it can’t be, right?” The warrior winced at that and thought, Wow, way to go, Zoro- good fucking job. Now he feels like shit in more ways than one but at least this was something he could fix. 

“Captain,” he tried to get the rubber man's attention but he didn’t respond. The swordsman sighed and then asked, “Just- look at me for a second. Please?” Luffy gave up on his attempt to ignore the protector and turned to face him, the ropes on the swing twisting into an ‘X’ above him. “You remember what I said after our run in with those dumbass pirates?” The leader pauses for a moment, scratching the back of his head as he recalls the fight. “Hmm… You mean before or after the screaming?” he asked and Zoro let out an offended scoff, an embarrassed flush overtaking his cheeks from the memory alone. 

“A fter , ya dingus,” he stammered a bit in disbelief, a little taken aback from the question. He’s pretty much convinced that Luffy has a goddamn kick ball for a brain- nothing but air and if you smacked him upside the head hard enough, it'll make the same sound as one. His reaction got a giggle out of the Captain as the other man shook his head. Oh, good to know that he can provide some kind of amusement to him. Zoro shoots him a glare and the teen attempts to stifle his laughter. “Heh, dingus; that’s a new one.”

“I’m trying something out,” Zoro retorts in sarcasm as he runs a hand down his face. He huffs out a breath as he speaks in a way that’s almost vulnerable. “Look, I gotta be honest- I ain't feeling well enough for your usual…” he hesitates for a moment to find the right word so he settles with, “Goofiness. So I need you to be serious and listen for a second, okay?” Luffy blinks a couple times as he’s caught off guard by the greenette’s request. He’s never heard him talk like that before in all the time they’ve known each other and it was kinda freaky. Nonetheless, he nods and lets the swordsman continue. “That day, I said I’d never want you guys to feel bad about something you can’t control. And I stand by it, even now,” His heart clenched along with his belly as he thinks back on the conversation he had with Koshiro, of what happened to him back then that made a huge impact on the protector to this day. 

Zoro closes his eye and sucks in a breath, struggling to get his thoughts out. He debated on telling him the incident with May but he decided against it to spare himself from a churning stomach. Even so, his throat is taut with emotion that gradually increases into a firm tone like a crescendo. It’s more to show the truth behind his words so he can get his point across even if it came out as irritated. “It is not your fault you got sick in the first place so don’t even think about blaming yourself for the others catching it.” The swordsman crosses his arms and then states, “All we can do is try and look out for each other until it passes, okay?” There’s a pause between them as the words hang in the air, making the swordsman nervous because he didn’t know if he made things worse or-

“Oh, okay,” Luffy answers, sounding like his usual self. Huh… You know sometimes he forgets how easy it is for the captain to let go of stuff and move on like that. It almost makes Zoro jealous in a way; the number of headaches he could save himself from having that ability would be a game changer. The greenette did a double take at the young man’s response and asked, “Wait, that’s it? You’re not upset anymore?”

“Nuh-uh,” Luffy shook his head, popping his feet off the ground to swing. But instead of moving forward, the rope snapped back to its original position and the Captain scrambled to catch himself. Zoro snorted at the near tumble as he smiled. “Pfft, careful there.” The other looked over his shoulder with a deadpan expression.“...You saw nothing.” That got a chuckle out of the warrior and he decided to go along with it since Chopper was approaching them. 

“Yeah, sure thing Captain.” 

The second Zoro sees a water bottle in the reindeer’s hooves, his stomach twists like it's being rung out to dry and it makes him grimace. He must’ve grabbed it from the aquarium bar on his way out. Oh, this was the moment he’s been dreading since Chopper offered it in the first place. He has no idea whether or not he can keep it down and frankly, the greenette does not wanna find out first hand. This is gonna sound bad so bear with him but in the past, he didn’t eat or drink much whenever he was sick like this so he just laid down in one spot (barley moving a muscle) until he got better. Hell, the protector refused to have anyone even near him in that condition- he just wanted to be left the fuck alone. 

His poor teacher was so worried the first time Zoro did this as a kid, he had the local doctor take a look at him to make sure it wasn’t anything serious. But once he figured out that was his ‘normal,’ Koshiro would just leave some crackers and water in his room in case he gathered the courage for it. Even so, his father figure would check in every now and then to see how the tiny mossball was holding up and he may have dished out a few dirty looks. Especially when medicine was involved; that stuff was just absolutely vile!  Zoro doesn’t know what kind bullshit that old doc ground up into paste but the consistency alone would make anyone dry heave. If you told him that the “remedy” was just dirt and rotten leaves mixed with water from the gutter, the swordsman would believe it in a heartbeat. 

Long story short, the protector had his own methods when it comes to dealing with illness. Now is it the right way? Nope- far from it. He’s heard it all before from Koshiro, the doctor, and pretty much any sane adult that dwelled in his village. It was always, ‘You gotta have something in your system’ and ‘That’s not good for you,' or 'Goddamn it Zoro, just drink the water!’ Trust him, the swordsman understands he shouldn’t handle it like this and he’d be just as pissed off as they were if he found out one of his friends barely ate or drank while they were under the weather. It’s just really difficult for him to accomplish because of his phobia. He's afraid his body will reject it and then he’d have to try again and- it’d just be a whole thing. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

When the medic saw how his face scrunched up with distaste, Chopper tried to reassure him with, “Look, you don’t have to drink the whole thing, just do your best,” but Zoro wasn’t buying it. The closer he got with the container, the further the greenette’s head turned away from it as if a single drop of water would kill him. It’s childish, he knows, but he can't help it. The thought of having anything in his stomach right now is making him shudder. “Yeah, it’s not icky salt water-it’s good water,” Luffy chimed in and the swordsman shook his head. Ugh, why is he back on that again? 

“That ain’t the issue, Captain,” he retorted through gritted teeth, looking a bit faint at the idea. God, Zoro really didn’t wanna do this but he can't get better unless he starts somewhere. Besides, Chopper’s dealing with enough as is and it's not fair for him to add onto that because of his own hang ups. Even after he shifted to face the reindeer, his hand trembled as he reached for the bottle and let it rest on his lap. He unscrewed the cap very carefully, as if the warrior was stalling to mentally prepare himself. The greenette never would’ve guessed he’d be intimidated by a beverage but here he was. Course, having a rubbery teenager and a talking reindeer acting like a peanut gallery wasn’t exactly easing his nerves even if it did come from a good place. 

Despite the apprehension that rippled through him like the water in his grasp, Zoro’s gotta give it a shot at least. He can’t let this phobia win again. The swordsman sucks in a slow, shaky breath and holds it for a beat to quell the uneasiness before he takes the first cautious sip. As expected, it tasted like nothing and it was still cold even though Sanji gave it to him about an hour or so ago. This… wasn’t as bad as Zoro thought it would be. Like- at all. The greenette had some embarrassment tugging at the back of his skull for fabricating a catastrophe over a drink but more than anything, he was glad this didn’t turn into a shitshow. With a new found confidence, he decides to take a couple more gulps and the other two members are relieved. “See? I told you it’s good water,” the captain pipes up with a smile. 

“Luffy, there was never a concern-” Chopper cuts himself off with an exhausted groan. “You know what, you’re right: fresh water is good water so as long as you know that, the rest isn’t important.” The doctor turns back to Zoro and asks, “So, how’re you feeling after that?” He pauses for a second as he takes stock of his body. The only thing that felt weird was when the cold water hit his stomach but that was probably because it was empty at the moment. That’ll be the next challenge and he shudders just thinking about it.

“Uh, ‘bout the same but so far so good, I guess-” Suddenly, Nami bursts out of the women's dorm with urgency sporting a set of cat pajamas while her hair was akin to a birdsnest. Normally, he wouldn’t be able to suppress a chuckle at her disheveled appearance but the red head this panicked look on her face that set Zoro’s teeth on edge. She starts making her way down the stairs despite the wobble in her gait as she shouts, “Guys, we gotta move!” Her legs suddenly give out and the navigator collapses to her knees in the grass. The other two rush towards Nami to see if she’s okay and the swordsman tries to do the same but the protests of his stomach slow him down. 

She tries to stand back up again and Chopper intervenes with, “Hey, stay down- you’re not in the best shape to be moving right now.” Nami scoffs and stubbornly shakes her head. “I’m fine; we’ve got bigger problems so quit worrying about me.” 

“Man, you’re a bad liar-” Luffy mutters thoughtlessly and Zoro gives him a stiff elbow to the arm to get his captain to knock off his shit. The other pouts in response, rubbing the sore spot as the greenette looks over at Nami. He’s a bit apprehensive as to what her answer will be but the swordsman asks anyway as he kneels down in front of her. “Alright, spill it- what’s going on?” She turns her gaze over to the sea for a brief moment looking up at the sky, as if glaring at the heavens themselves on this peaceful day. 

“There’s a storm heading this way.”