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Blood trickles from Zoro’s nose and he wipes it away with the back of his hand. He barely has time to dodge another punch, hearing a fist woosh past his ear. He reaches for a second sword, unsheathing it and holding it out. He runs at full speed against his enemy, slicing them across the chest. Their body goes limp and they fall to the ground.
“GUM GUM GATTLING!” Luffy yells from the right, ploughing through enemy pirates. Zoro smirks, ready for a good battle. His promise to Luffy echoing in his mind – to find the one piece or die trying.
Behind him, Sanji kicks someone in the neck, a strangled sound escaping them as they writhe on the floor. He scoffs and turns away, another enemy charging at him. They let out a roar, increasing their speed, metal spikes emerging from their knuckles. A smirk spreads across Zoro’s face, the blood from his nose trickling into his mouth and staining his teeth.
He dashes to the right but they predict it, a fist full of haki knocking the wind out of him. Sanji calls out something from behind and he grits his teeth, pushing himself back to his feet. He blocks another attack with his two swords, the enemies metal knuckles screeching against them. With all his might he pushes against them, throwing them backwards.
His head whips around hearing footsteps from behind and his sword pierces through flesh and muscle, impaling another enemy lacky. While distracted, the man he knocked back cackles some odd sounding laugh. He’s close. Too close.
Before Zoro can pull his bloody sword from the lacky, his ears start ringing and his vision blurs. The world tilts and with a thud he hits the floor, dust dispersing around him. His grip on his swords loosen and they’re thrown across the battlefield. He’s yanked onto his back, blood spirting from the wound on his head, his eyes barely tracking the figure looming over him. Pain throbs in his head, confusion washing over him.
The man raises his fist and it collides solidly into Zoro’s jaw, a metallic taste coating Zoro’s tongue. A spiked knuckled fist meets his chest and his eyes widen, an intense sharp stabbing pain in his chest. Someone kicks the man off of him, sending him sprawling across the dirt. They call his name. Maybe ask if he’s ok but he can’t hear over the ringing in his ears.
Each breath he takes makes the pain in his chest worse. More metallic tasting fluid coats his tongue and he barely manages to roll onto his side before coughing up more blood. The sounds of yelling and fighting across the battlefield are muted. Zoro remains wheezing on the ground. His unfocussed gaze shifts to rest on the sky. The puffs of smoke and clouds of dust rising upwards. The stars spotting the deep dark void blurring the edges of his vision.
The stars double and flicker. Zoro blinks trying to stabilise his vision but it doesn’t work, the stars continuing to smear and fracture. He swallows the blood collecting in his mouth, trying to ignore the stabbing pain he feels with each inhale. He chokes, another sharp pain shooting through his lungs.
He curls into himself instinctively, trembling weak fingers moving to his chest, his clothes damp with blood. He can’t seem to get enough air and each breath hurts so much that he considers just holding his breath.
“Oi!”
A shadow looms over him smelling of cigarette smoke. Someone kicks his shoulder lightly.
“Marimo, get up.”
Zoro grunts and rolls over, trying to push himself up. His arms tremble and as he stares at the shifting dirt it speckles with blood. A cough tears through him, his vision fading for a moment, more blood spilling out onto the dirt. His fingers dig into the ground and he blinks rapidly waiting for his vision to come back. It trickles in slowly but remains blurred around the edges.
Sanji’s eyes widen, his body tensing up but he relaxes when Zoro murmurs something stupid about his swords. He must be fine, right?
“My swords.” Zoro chokes out, gritting his teeth. He turns his head, squinting the battlefield into focus as blood drips down his forehead, collecting in his brow. His swords aren’t that far away but at this point he isn’t sure that he can make it that far. He needs to get up. Luffy’s still fighting – even the shitty cook is still fighting – so he needs to get up.
“Go get ‘em yourself.” Sanji grumbles, his leg quickly extending out behind him, knocking out an approaching enemy. He turns his attention back to the fight but keeps an eye on Zoro as he finally gets to his feet, swaying and stumbling as he walks. He’s fine. He’s always fine. That’s just how Zoro is.
The world shifts and spins as Zoro takes shaky steps towards his swords. They’re just out of reach. He senses someone behind him and grabs the Wado Ichimonji from its sheath. He turns around and slices someone across the chest, a choked sound leaving his mouth as he stumbles and falls over beside his swords. Something blows up beside him and he’s flung across the battle field, a burning pain radiating from his torso.
He smacks into the ground, gasping for air and coughs up more blood, pain ripping through his chest. He tries to swallow the blood collecting in his mouth but it makes him feel sick to his stomach. Footsteps approach him and he reaches for his sword.
“Fucking idiot.” Sanji curses under his breath, grabbing Zoro from under his arms and yanking him to his feet. Luffy calls out something in the distance, the enemy pirate captain launched into the sky. Zoro leans heavily against Sanji as he drags him to the ship, Sanji still complaining under his breath.
Zoro’s head lulls forwards and he fights to keep his eyes open. The nausea gets worse and he retches, blood spilling out from his mouth and trickling down the front of his shirt, coughing and spluttering. Panic starts to bubble up from his gut, clawing up this throat and his eyes gloss over with tears.
“Sanji,” his voice comes out raspy and unsteady, “I don’t feel so good.”
He feels Sanji’s grip on him tighten and braces for more insults. None come. That scares him even more. He inhales a shuddering breath, a pained grunt leaving him as he exhales and shuts his eyes tightly, tripping over his own feet. Sanji adjusts his grip, catching him and pulling him back to his feet.
“Chopper!” Sanji calls out, panic seeping into his tone as he looks down at Zoro’s paling face.
Chopper runs out of the Sunny, waiting for everyone, with Usopp, to come back from the battle. Usopp freezes in place seeing Sanji dragging Zoro along. He grasps the ship’s railing and then runs over to them, supporting Zoro from the other side.
“Don’t worry, Zoro. The great warrior Usopp is here.” He smiles.
Zoro makes a murmured sound in response, letting Sanji and Usopp take him into the ship. They practically drag him into the medical bay as Chopper gathers some tools. He’s put down carefully on his back while something cold and metallic presses against his chest.
“Take a deep breath for me.” Chopper instructs.
“I can’t.” Zoro wheezes, tears clouding his vision. His breath hitches, “It hurts too much.”
Chopper nods and grabs a few things from the various drawers and cupboards around the room. Zoro catches glimpse of a needle but it doesn’t scare him much. He just wants this to be over. There’s a slight prick to his skin and then his throat goes numb.
“What’re you doing?” Sanji asks hesitantly, his voice quiet.
“His lung has collapsed.” Chopper explains, “I need to try inflate it again.”
Chopper turns into his human form, finding it easier to maneuverer the equipment with hands rather than hooves.
“This is going to be uncomfortable. Just try not to move too much.” Chopper tells Zoro, his tone steady and assuring.
Zoro nods, barely processing the words, his vision still doubling and swirling sickeningly. He opens his mouth as Chopper instructs and a wire is inserted down his throat, guiding the chest tube. It reaches his collapsed lung, draining the collected blood. Tears roll down Zoro’s cheeks and he feels a steady hand on his shoulder, squeezing him gently. Then finally, Chopper manages to inflate the collapsed lung. Slowly and carefully, he removes the tube.
Zoro takes a shaky breath, the pain still there but nowhere as sharp as before. He tries to sit up but the hand on his shoulder stops him.
“Easy there, Marimo, you’re still half burnt and have a nasty gash on your head.” Sanji reminds him, worry still flickering in his eyes, “Don’t be an idiot.”
Zoro rolls his eyes and regrets it because his vision spins faster.
He winces as Chopper disinfects the wounds on his head and chest, then moves to examine the burns on his torso from the explosion. Apparently they aren’t too bad and they’ll heal on their own which makes Zoro feel slightly relieved.
The adrenaline starts to wear off and the stinging sharpens but at least he can breathe now. Exhaustion hits him hard and fast but he refuses to let sleep take him.
“Where’s Luffy?” He manages to ask, his voice still raspy and thin.
“He’ll be back soon.” Sanji shrugs, lighting his cigarette in the corner of the room and taking a seat. Chopper gives him a look for smoking in the medbay but doesn’t make too big of a deal out of it.
Usopp teeters nervously in the doorway, “Zoro? Are you going to be ok?”
Zoro nods, wincing slightly from the movement.
Usopp’s tense shoulders drop and he smiles, “Good.”
Boisterous laughter enters the ship with the sound of Nami yelling at Luffy. Footsteps bound though the hallways and stop at the door. The wide toothy smile on Luffy’s face faulters and he remains in the doorway, Usopp glancing over at him.
“Zoro?” Luffy’s voice comes out quiet. It’s strange and catches everyone off guard.
“I’m ok.” Zoro assures him, giving him a weak thumbs up, “Chopper fixed me up.” A small smirk stretches across Zoro’s face.
The tension in Luffy’s shoulders starts to lessen and his signature smile returns. His attention is now on Sanji, asking him when they can eat. Nami appears behind him and wacks him over the head, telling him to keep his voice down to let Zoro rest ad Zoro finally lets himself close his eyes.