Work Text:
A little idea I've had for a few days. Apologies for any medical inaccuracies.
Sanji dragged Luffy up onto the shore with Zoro following behind. Luffy hacked up water from his lungs as Sanji pulled him through the sand. Looking out at the sea, they couldn't see the Sunny at all, but at least the marine ship had sunk. Taking in their surroundings, the island looked uninhabited. There were no signs of civilization, which was good and bad.
Mostly bad.
“So, we really just fell off the ship and got stuck in a storm,” Zoro glowered.
“Sowwy,” Luffy whined. He’d fallen off the ship and both Zoro and Sanji had jumped in after him.
“Well, there weren't many islands around here. The others should find us soon,” Sanji said, projecting calm as he took off his clothes to ring the water out, as did Zoro. Luffy just laid on the sand, spread eagled. It had been a long time since any of them had been separated and stranded on an island.
Well, at least the three of them were all strong enough that the crew wouldn't need to worry too long before they found them. Luffy finally sat up, making sure he had his hat on, and stretched. “Let’s take a look around! Maybe this is the start of another adventure.” Sanji rolled his eyes at the positivity, while Zoro immediately started to follow Luffy as he walked away.
Sanji quickly used diable jambe to carve “SOS” into the sand, the heat making the marking more permanent. Then he followed the other two idiots as they explored the abandoned island.
They did find food, and fresh water fairly quickly, so they made camp. They were roasting meat over a fire due to Luffy’s demands. He was chattering about plans while they were on the island, on how to make the most of the situation, when Sanji stiffened, realizing something the other two clearly hadn't thought of yet.
“Did you take this morning’s pills, Luffy?” Sanji asked, interrupting his captain. Luffy’s face went pale in real time. Zoro’s eyes were wide in alarm, looking at the emperor. It was hidden from everyone but his crew that Luffy had epilepsy that was expertly controlled by medications he’d been taking since he was a child.
He took his meds multiple times a day, and hadn't had a seizure since the crew got back together. But if he suddenly started missing doses for however long they were away…
“I took this morning’s,” Luffy said. He fished around in his pockets without much hope, but the little capsule he kept with spare pills in it was missing. He lowered his head, eyes shadowed by his hat.
Sanji so wished he had a cigarette right now. “Well. The island is uninhabited. No marines or pirates should be able to find out about the epilepsy,” Sanji said, trying to lighten the mood he’d tanked. Luffy didn't respond, shoulders slumped. “Chopper trained us all on how to handle any seizures… we just have to hope nothing happens while we’re here.”
“Yeah…” Luffy mumbled.
“If you have a seizure, we’ll easily protect you if anything comes up,” Zoro promised.
“I know,” Luffy replied, lifting Sanji’s heart a bit. He wouldn't need to worry about being incapacitated if he did have a seizure. But not having a doctor available if he did have a bad seizure was definitely not ideal. Zoro and Sanji tried to keep Luffy distracted, but it wasn't working, and they eventually just went to bed, Zoro taking first watch.
Nothing much happened, and hopefully their time here would stay uneventful. But knowing their luck, that was not how things would play out.
-x-
They managed two days without issue. They caught fish with sharpened sticks, hunted animals, and gathered fruits. Sanji didn't need spices or cooking tools to be able to make a good, healthy meal, so food was not an issue, and he could keep them all fed. The exploration of the island kept Luffy well distracted, but Zoro and Sanji were both incredibly tense and hyper aware of all of Luffy’s mannerisms. Which he noticed, and kept sending them what were meant to be reassuring smiles.
They were still tense, though.
And then, while Luffy was eating lunch, they all noticed a change. “Sit down, Luffy,” Sanji said. Luffy immediately complied, pressing a hand to his head, looking dizzy and tired. “Okay, lay down captain,” Sanji added kindly. Luffy laid on his back, frowning, eyebrows pinched in such a sad, resigned way.
Zoro pulled out his swords and stood up to make sure nobody would disturb them. And maybe he didn't want to see Luffy have a seizure. He’d only ever had one around Chopper and Robin. He was generally annoyed by any attention being put on his medical condition.
“You’ll be fine, we’ll be here the whole time,” Sanji said, showing the kind of care he usually reserved for the ladies on the crew. But Luffy needed it right now. He suddenly stiffened, jaw clenched and neck muscles straining. Sanji loosely held his hand as he began to fully enter the seizure, limbs locking up and shaking in a very non-rubber looking way.
Sanji just repeated that Luffy was safe as he counted how long the seizure was. It was less than a minute, thank goodness. Luckily, Luffy had not wet or soiled himself, so he could avoid that embarrassment even if neither Sanji or Zoro would shame him for it.
After the seizure passed, Luffy was exhausted and confused. He looked completely wiped, worse off than the aftermath of some of his hardest battles. Sanji talked quietly about their crew as a distraction while Luffy’s brain worked to reorient itself.
Eventually, Luffy sat up, though he winced. “Shit, I’m sore,” he huffed, rubbing at his arms and calves. “Sorry,” he said, voice thick with shame.
“Not your fault, captain,” Zoro said.
“If I hadn't fallen off the ship,” Luffy mumbled, frustrated but still very tired.
Sanji sighed. “No use complaining about it, now. Besides, it's not like you haven't fallen into the ocean about a billion times since starting your journey.”
“Shishishi,” Luffy laughed softly, both of his crewmates’ shoulders relaxing just a bit at the sound.
Luffy eventually fell asleep from his exhaustion, and Zoro and Sanji both deflated, sighing tiredly. It was hard to watch and be helpless to assist in any way but just being there. They couldn't stop or prevent it. It just sucked to be so powerless when Luffy was having such a hard time.
-x-
The next day was riddled with seizures and symptoms. Luffy refused to just lay down and do nothing all day while letting his seizures ravage his body, so he piggybacked on Zoro’s back around the island, looking for cool bugs. Both Zoro and Sanji humored him. It was the least they could do when he was suffering so much.
Luffy moped most of the day, but boredom was a worse fate than sadness.
When Luffy’s latest seizure lasted for three minutes, Sanji went back to the beach and built a giant bonfire. They needed back on the ship ASAP. The seizures were only getting worse and it was only a matter of time before a bad seizure occurred. They didn't have time to wait.
The bonfire was massive, and Luffy wanted to sit around it and roast fish. His body was so weak after the three minute seizure that he sat propped up in Zoro’s lap so he could sit up and hold his skewer. Sanji was grateful that both he and Zoro didn't make Luffy feel ashamed or closed off. So clearly their support was successful.
When Luffy was sleeping, unable to take over any watch, Sanji quietly asked, “Have you ever seen a seizure before now?”
Zoro shook his head. “You?”
“One time there was a little girl at the Baratie who had a grand mal seizure. She choked on her meal during it. Took a mouthful and then it just started. I don't know what happened to her after. It lasted four minutes.”
“How old were you?”
“Thirteen.” Zoro just nodded, and looked at Luffy’s sleeping face. It wasn't relaxed. His expression was pinched. “He’s strong. I know he’s been medicated all this time. But to set out at all with epilepsy that can be this bad. It’s hard to imagine.”
Zoro smirked. “What, you think you couldn't do it?”
Sanji was itching for a smoke, but was keeping his withdrawal symptoms to himself as best as he could. He just sent a glare to Zoro, who was amused. “Dickhead.”
“I’ll take first watch and tend to the fire.”
“Right…” Sanji laid on his side, facing Luffy, and managed to find sleep. As much as he hated Mosshead, he trusted in his competence to defend them if something were to go wrong. Especially with their captain in such a compromised position as he was now.
-x-
In the morning, their salvation came in the form of their family. The bonfire was still smoking steadily as the sun rose. Luffy was depleted of energy after another bad night, and Chopper was the first off the ship, jumping over the railing and running full speed towards their captain.
“How many seizures and for how long?” he demanded, fully in doctor mode.
So Zoro and Sanji gave him the run down, and Chopper quickly carried Luffy back to the ship for treatment and to give him his medication. Sanji was glad the others weren't there to see Luffy in such a state. It was hard for himself, it would have been even worse for Nami, Brook and Usopp especially. Though he did wish Chopper had been there to help.
Zoro and Sanji headed up onto the ship, made sure Luffy was alright, before taking much needed showers. Their captain was safe, being treated by his experienced doctor. Soon things would be back to normal, and Sanji would ask that everyone on the ship carry a few doses of Luffy’s meds on them at all times. If that had been the case now, maybe much of Luffy’s suffering could have been avoided.
Sanji got to work on a meal for them all, and Luffy’s favorite sweets. He more than deserved it after the last four days.