Blood
Blood. There's so much blood. Too much blood. This is nothing new for Zoro, but the blood is pouring from the stump of his right arm. The stump of his arm that is very much not attached to his body.
The blade in his left hand shudders slightly, dripping crimson, his grip faltering. His good eye is screwed shut and he's clenching his jaw in pain.
"You okay, Doctor?" he huffs through gritted teeth, and if his face wasn't so twisted with pain it would almost look like he's smiling.
Chopper makes a sound in the back of his throat and realizes he's crying.
"Your arm…" he whispers, trying to swallow the tears that are already falling into the fur on his face.
"I know," Zoro grunts in answer. "It got in the way. I took care of it."
Chopper fumbles with his medical bag, trying to see past the tears burning his eyes- blood, blood, oh god there's more of it now, too much blood, even for Zoro. The battle is still raging on around them but he trusts his crew the keep the enemies at bay, to keep them safe while Zoro bleeds out and Chopper tries to mop up the blood.
Chopper's stomach heaves as he presses gauze against the cleanly sliced flesh. He's a doctor. He's seen worse.
But this is Zoro, and no matter what happens nothing's ever supposed to be permanent. The eye should have told him otherwise, but Chopper wasn't there when it happened and he told himself that he would never, ever have let it happen.
And yet he couldn't stop Zoro from taking his own arm.
But he can stop the bleeding.
"Chopper?" Zoro grunts, his face pale and his left hand shaking.
"It's okay," Chopper says, and the steadiness of his own voice surprises him. "I'll fix this."
"I know," Zoro answers.