Members of the crew had been sick before, it wasn't a huge deal. But when it was Luffy that was sick, that seemed to change things.
The whole ship wasn't nearly as animated as it should have been. Even Zoro and Sanji's hourly arguments did nothing to liven things up. Chopper had assured the worried Strawhats that the fever would pass soon and he'd be back to his normal self in no time. While some were skeptical, seeing that he was sleeping most of the days away, they were sure their captain would be up to his usual antics again soon.
They'd docked at a small island, intent on going on a much needed supply run. The dishes from lunch had just been cleaned, and the crew began to emerge from the galley. Luffy had eaten earlier than all of them. It'd been hard for the young Strawhat to keep anything down, and it hurt them all to watch his ill little body reject food. Eating was one of his favorite things, after all. He'd fallen back into a peaceful sleep after his small meal, everyone relieved that they'd actually gotten him to a point where he could eat. The cook could only gather the dishes and head back to serve the rest of the crew, hoping he was doing enough.
When it was time to set out to the island, Robin and Franky had graciously offered to stay behind and watch the ship. The cyborg would be able to tinker with some new inventions, and the archaeologist could get a nice head start on some new books.
Before they'd gone, Chopper had waved the woman over, asking that she check on their sick crewman frequently. The doctor had assured her it would be a simple job, given the fact that he shouldn't be waking up anytime soon. She smiled, told him she'd be sure to do so, and waved the group off as they left.
For a half hour she remained on deck, paging through one of her novels. It had gotten considerably colder, though, so she got up to grab one of her sweaters from the women's quarters. As she passed the sickbay, she couldn't help but notice the muffled sounds coming from inside.
Whimpering, perhaps?
Robin gently pushed the door open, gaze falling on Luffy's small form. He was laying on his side, blanket pushed down near his hips, hands clenched in the sheets. His eyes were closed, teeth ground together in a grimace. "N-no, d-don't….A-Ace.."
She cocked her head to the side, venturing into the room further.
A hand sprouted up near his forehead, brushing some of his long black bangs from his face. His skin was still incredibly hot to the touch.
A fever dream, then.
She pulled the sheet up over him again, running her fingers over his shoulder in a gentle caress.
Dragging a stool near the bed, she sat, opening up a book. He moved again, reaching an arm out to grab at only empty space.
"A-Ace?" The hand continued to reach out blindly, searching for something to grasp onto. Robin frowned slightly, offering her own to him. Luffy wrapped his hand around hers with as much strength as he was capable of, and she could only squeeze it back reassuringly. The woman stole a glance at his sleeping face once more, noting how he looked just a bit more at ease now.
She shifted, "Would you like to hear a story, Captain-san?" Not really expecting an answer, she flipped a few pages before she was satisfied with the short story presented before her. "Once upon a time…"
