Title: One Plus One – The Sickness
Pairing: Zoro/Luffy
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Don't own any of the characters, Oda-sama does
Thursday, 19th
The Conference
"Doctor-san? May I have a word with you?"
Chopper looked up from the old worn book in front of him and to the woman kneeling down by his side. "Robin. Is something wrong?"
Robin pursed her lips, frowning faintly. "About Luffy-san's health... I've been noticing a certain unmistakable trend, though I wasn't sure how it was possible."
At the word 'health' Chopper's ears had twitched and he was sitting up straight, hanging onto her every word by the time she started her second sentence. "Have you found anything?"
Robin offered him a small leather bound book. "I remembered this yesterday. It's a compilation of the physical changes one is supposed to possibly undergo after consuming a Devil Fruit."
"Where did you get this?" Chopper asked hesitantly, handling the item delicately as he peeled back the cover, slow and methodical as if worried if would shatter.
Robin smiled quietly, features easing back into her infamous mask of mystery. "It was sent from Marine Headquarters by an old friend."
Chopper nodded distractedly. "You said you found something as to why Luffy's been sick lately? He's energetic all throughout the day, though I agree his sleeping patterns are increasing dramatically. There's only one condition close to how he's been acting but that would be impossible-"
Laughter cut short, Chopper looked up again from to book to stare at Robin with wide eyes.
"Chapter fourteen was most intriguing," Robin noted into the heavy silence before rising back to her feet. "I hope that helps you, Doctor-san."
Chopper blinked at her in disbelief before nodding and turning once again the item in his grasp. "Yes. Thank you, Robin."
Friday, 20th
The Inevitable
"Luffy, come here," Chopper said when the teen passed by him on the deck.
"Hn?" Luffy hummed as he turned. "What's up, Chopper?"
"Sit down," Chopper said, motioning beside him and waiting until Luffy was cross legged in front of him. He frowned at the boy. "I'm not sure how to say this..."
"Is something wrong?" Luffy asked.
"It's about your condition," Chopper said slowly as if choosing his words carefully. "Robin and I have been talking it over and we've come to a strange conclusion."
Luffy blinked. "You mean the throwing up? Yeah, am I sick? I've never been sick before."
"No, not sick..." Chopper eyed him nervously. "We think you're pregnant."
Luffy blinked. "I'm a guy, Chopper."
"I know, I know," Chopper said, dismissing the comment with a wave of his hoof. "But Robin has a book on Devil Fruits and there's a chapter inside that talks about this. Apparently all users are susceptible to hormone malformation and possible physical gender confusion."
Luffy blinked.
"You're able to become pregnant because you've eaten a Devil Fruit," Chopper said, hoping Luffy would understand in those terms.
"Oh," Luffy said, looking down at his vest. "Are you sure? That's weird."
"Chest tenderness, fatigue, nausea, mood swings, cravings and food sensitivity... They're all signs of pregnancy," Chopper said. "I can't understand it fully and I'll have to do some more tests to confirm it, but as far as we know, pregnancy is the only answer. Have you and Zoro been... doing anything different lately?"
Luffy frowned. "No... I don't think so."
"Well, tell me if you think of anything," Chopper said distractedly, rummaging around in his bag for a handful of paper strips.
"Sure. Can I go now?"
"Are you going to tell Zoro?"
Luffy stood and scratched idly at his stomach. "I guess so."
The Father
"So," Luffy said casually as he slid into a seat at the table next to Nami and across from Zoro and Usopp, arms crossed and chin resting on his forearms. "Chopper told me I'm pregnant."
The reaction was immediate and explosive; something crashed behind them as Sanji choked on his cigarette, Usopp sprayed his drink out and Nami's quill snapped, ink streaking across her map.
"What?" Usopp wheezed. "You're joking. Chopper's joking."
"He's not joking," Luffy said.
"Luffy, you're a man," Nami reminded him slowly. "You can't get pregnant no matter how hard you try."
"Yeah, I know, but Chopper said it was a Devil Fruit mystery," Luffy explained before turning to Zoro who was staring back at him. Then he grinned. "We're having a baby!"
Zoro's face was flushed red but he otherwise remained impressively calm. "Are you sure?"
"No but Chopper and Robin are. They had a book."
Zoro seemed to struggle with himself, licking his lips as if ready to speak but then hesitating again.
"Well..." Usopp said hesitantly after clearing his throat. "Congratulations?"
Luffy stared at Zoro, watching the swordsman intently. "Zoro...?"
"Do you want to?" Zoro asked finally.
Luffy smiled faintly. "Yeah. It's my only chance, right? Yours too."
Zoro returned the smile before laughing and covering his face with a hand, grinning a little hysterically. Looking back up, he smiled helplessly at Luffy. "Okay."
Luffy beamed and leaned over the table to kiss him. "I'm really happy, Zoro. A baby!"
"If Robin really is behind his theory as well, I think the three of us will have to have a talk," Nami said with a frown as Luffy sat back down. "A few things are going to have to change."
"That child," Sanji muttered, kneeling down to pick up the broken plate, "Is going to be the death of me, I just know it."
Sunday, 22nd
The Talk
"Sit," Nami ordered, pointing to her bed. Waiting until Luffy was settled down and Sanji had left them with two drinks and a coffee for Robin, Nami shut the door and followed him over.
"You never let me in your room," Luffy said nervously. "Is this about what Chopper said?"
"Yes, it's about that," Nami nodded. "Since Chopper's confirmed his theory, I want you to realize how important this is, alright? Right now you're holding an entirely separate life inside that body of yours so you have to be careful. There are a few changes that have to happen, first of all being how you treat yourself."
Luffy blinked comically at her. "What do you mean? I like myself."
"No, I mean the way you throw yourself around like a ragdoll," Nami retorted. "You may not be hurt when you take a bullet, but we don't know what's going to happen to the baby."
"I'm not going to stop fighting," Luffy said flatly.
"Only if you promise to be careful and not get hit," Nami told him just at sternly.
"Perhaps it would be best to monitor Captain-san's activities?" Robin offered, mug still held to her lips. "It would be best to see how things work out before too much happens."
"That's true," Nami nodded. "Stress isn't a good thing, even this early. We still have a long ways to go."
Luffy blinked. "Huh? How long does it take?"
"Nine months."
"Nine months?" Luffy yelped, shock written plain across his face. "That long? What if something happens before then? Nami, that's a long time to not fight!"
"You're not the only one who can defend themselves aboard this ship, Captain-san," Robin noted with faint amusement, but her eyes steeled strength enough for Luffy to deflate.
"Okay," Luffy nodded dejectedly.
"You really want to go through this, don't you?" Nami asked. "It isn't easy, you know."
"I know," Luffy nodded. "I really want to."
Nami smiled warmly. "Then I'm sure everything will be fine."
The Fear
"Zoro, are you mad at me?"
Zoro cracked an eye open and frowned at the boy standing over him. "No."
"You're not talking to me," Luffy pointed out.
Zoro sighed and caught the boy's hand to drag him down across his lap, one hand wrapped around Luffy's waist and the other pressed against his stomach. "You idiot, I'm not mad at you, alright? I never was and there's very little you can do to change that."
"But now I'm-"
"Luffy," Zoro interrupted sternly. "I love you. If I didn't want this to happen, I would have said so. You know I don't lie."
"I know," Luffy nodded, "But Zoro, you looked really scared when I told you and I know you don't get scared a lot."
Zoro chuckled. "It scares me to no ends. I never thought I'd have to deal with this sort of problem."
Luffy frowned. "You don't want a baby?"
"Being scared and not wanting it are a little different, you idiot," Zoro said and kissed Luffy's shoulder. "It's your baby so I know things will work out. Things always work out around you somehow."
"Hmm," Luffy hummed pleasantly as he thought, pressing closer to capture Zoro's lips with his own. "I'm really happy we're having a baby, Zoro. I always wanted to be a father. Don't you?"
"I guess so."
"Good. I wouldn't want to do this without you."