.:.
It was dark. Very dark. Luffy couldn't see a thing. He didn't know where they were going anymore. Were the people in white still chasing after them? He couldn't hear any footsteps either. Perhaps they had run far enough? Far enough that they had lost their hunters? Zoro was starting to lag behind again, breathing heavily from his lack of exercise. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his pounding heart. He could taste blood in his mouth from sprinting so fast for so long. It was… exhilarating. This taste of blood at the back of his throat, the sweat pouring down his back, and the thrilling feeling of energy pumping through his veins and having every muscle in his body stretch as he ran… But Luffy had slowed to a stop now. Zoro felt his hand tug in another direction and he walked silently after, following and trying his best to trust the other hand in his own. Luffy's eyebrows furrowed in thought, squinting into the darkness as if that would help him capture what little light there was down there. Suddenly, his face hit something hard. He nearly cried out in pain from having his nose crushed again but the boy quickly stifled his cry and lifted up his free hand to massage his nose to relieve the pain. What did he just bump into? Something really hard… was it… a wall? Luffy's eyes widened in realization and he brought his hand away from his nose to pat at the invisible wall in front of him. Could it be? Could this wall be the one he had bumped into when he tumbled down the steps earlier…? He pressed himself to the wall, gently pulling Zoro towards the wall. The green haired man tensed as he felt the solid surface against his side, but he quickly relaxed when the hard surface did no harm to him. He glanced curiously towards Luffy's general direction. What was the boy planning…?
"Right…" The black haired boy whispered and turned on his heel so that his back was pressed against the wall, "Now… just go straight forward…" He took one step forward. Then another step. And then another, one foot in front of the other, slowly leading Zoro in as straight a line as he could in the dark. Hopefully this would lead them to the staircase and not back to the glowing crystals where the people in white and the principal waited. After nearly twenty more steps of one foot in front of the other, the pressure upon Luffy was starting to bear down on him. He was losing his patience. Did he really tumble down this far? The boy started striding forwards, trusting that his instincts would take him to the right place. And then, his foot hit something hard and he tripped forward, dragging Zoro down with him. His head slammed into a sharp edge and then a surprised Zoro fell on top of him, pressing his forehead further into the sharp edge. Tears sprang into his eyes. "ITEEEEI!" The raven haired boy rolled over and his hands flew up to clutch at his head. He pouted. There would no doubt be a bruise there by the time they got up to the surface.
Zoro blinked as he felt Luffy's hand leave his own. A twisting feeling leapt into his gut, wrenching at his stomach. Where had Luffy gone? Why had his hand disappeared…? He had just fallen over after Luffy's hand tugged him down. Then, the boy had rolled aside and Zoro couldn't find him…! The green haired man moved his hands along the floor in panic, searching for Luffy's lost hand. That hand of comfort. "Luffy…?" He whispered harshly, not wanting to let go. Not in all this darkness and this foreign environment. At least in his cage, he knew what to expect. Days after days of torture, insults, and humiliation. But with this new floor and with no shackles holding him down… he didn't know what to do. He didn't know what to do at all. He was… lost. Lost without that hand. So, he had to find it! Feeling lost felt… it felt… so helpless… "Luffy…?"
The raven haired boy detected the hint of urgency in Zoro's voice and realized what he had done. He had left Zoro all alone in his darkness. Just because his head hurt. How could he be so stupid? "Ah! Sorry, Zoro. I'm right here, don't worry… hold on. I'll find you in just a second…" He reached his hands out in the direction he remembered Zoro had fallen. But when he reached out, he felt nothing but empty air. A tightening feeling rose in his chest. What? Wasn't Zoro supposed to be there…?
The two young men patted at the ground, trying to find their way towards each other. At every second, their feeling of panic and fear rose and rose. Where was the other? If only they could see! Luffy grit his teeth in frustration, forcing away the fear threatening to take over. He would definitely find Zoro. Even if it took hours or days. "Zoro, just stay where you are. Don't move. I'll come to you, ok?" The green haired man nodded slowly, paralyzed by the fear of being left in this unknown place all by himself. Luffy crawled forward, knowing in his heart that the green haired man wouldn't move. His hands roamed across the floor, continuously searching for Zoro's hands. And then, finally, he felt his hand brush against the ice cold hands of the green haired man. Zoro almost drew his hand back from surprise but Luffy quickly snatched the man's hand in his own, relief washing over him like a soothing waterfall. "I found you…" Zoro registered the warm hand in his own and he felt all of his previous panic dissipate. He felt at ease again.
Luffy smiled and patted the surrounding area around them. He had tripped over something… what was it? Maybe if they were lucky, they had found the staircase…? His fingers felt along the angled edge of the solid object and then he moved his hand upwards, feeling for anything that felt like a step. After the edge, there was a smooth, planar surface… and then his hand hit another wall. The boy grinned and patted the second step happily. Yes! He had found it at last! He stood up and helped Zoro up onto his feet. "Good news, I found the way out!"
Zoro felt his heart beat in excitement. He would be able to walk on the surface of the earth again…!
Luffy brushed the tip of his toes across the steps shrouded in darkness, just to make sure that they were really there and not just some figment of his imagination. He smiled in satisfaction when his sandals touched solid steps. The boy lifted one leg up and stepped up onto the step. Zoro blinked blindly, wondering how Luffy had seemingly managed to grow taller. The man stepped forward and stubbed his toes against the solid steps. He paused, feeling around curiously for the solid thing in front of him. It didn't make sense… it felt like a wall, yet Luffy had walked through it…?
The black haired boy gently tugged Zoro's hand, urging him to climb the steps. His eyebrows creased together in thought. Could it be possible that Zoro didn't know how to climb steps…? "Zoro…!" The green haired man snapped his attention back to Luffy, focusing his ears upon the boy's voice. "Lift one foot up and bend your knee." Zoro did as he was told and stared into the darkness, utterly puzzled. Luffy squeezed the man's hand. "Now, move forward." Zoro stayed frozen to the spot for a moment, debating whether or not to listen to Luffy's words. Then, he took a tentative step forward, leaning towards the wall he knew would be there, while miraculously using Luffy's hand as support. When he brought his foot down, he felt his body pass through his mentally constructed wall in front of him and landed on something solid and higher than his other foot. Zoro stared into the darkness with wide eyes. Why was he standing at different heights…? He testily lifted his other leg and bent his knee, taking another step forward while unknowingly advancing to the surface at every step. Luffy grinned as he felt Zoro move up the steps slowly. "Nice, Zoro!" The boy led the man slowly up the stairs, searching for the pale and glowing moonlight that should be flooding in through the windows. The green haired man allowed a faint smile to grace his eyes and he licked his lips excitedly.
"Luffy… I'm moving upwards…!" His knees creaked from the burden of climbing up the steps and the lack of exercise, but nevertheless, Zoro was feeling a strange bubbly feeling in the pit of his chest. He didn't know what it was… but it felt warm and nice.
"Just a little further…" Luffy smiled widely, quickly taking notice of Zoro's obvious enthusiasm, "I'm starting to see a little bit of light…" The both of them climbed the steps silently, going around and around the cylindrical staircase, reaching closer and closer towards the moonlight. They walked in sync, lifting foot after foot and pushing off towards the next step. At last, the glow of moonlight reached Luffy's face and caressed his cheeks, welcoming him back to the surface. The raven haired boy smiled at the blue moon in the sky and helped Zoro up the last steps. "Look, we've made it, Zoro!" Luffy laughed happily and jumped towards the center of the classroom. He turned to watch Zoro balance at the top of the stairs. The green haired man was standing right under the peeled canvas Luffy had left hanging in his haste to tear apart the wall but he stepped forward, as if he had sensed the strange presence hovering over his head. Zoro started moving forward awkwardly and Luffy smiled, striding forward to help the man maneuver his way through the desks and chairs of the classroom. The green haired man sniffed at the air, noticing a nice crisp smell in the air. What was this smell…? It seemed familiar… There was a sweet rubbery smell in the air along with the scents of freshly sharpened pencils. But mixed with all these odors, he could also sense the crystalline and icy smell seeping in through the windows. The green haired man moved forward slowly, sniffing every corner of the new place. But even with Luffy's help, Zoro occasionally still bumped into a few things. The black haired boy frowned slightly. Wasn't there a way he could restore the man's eyesight? "Naa, Zoro?" The man focused an ear upon the boy to inform Luffy that he was listening. Luffy glanced to the side for a moment, uncertain if he should ask Zoro such a personal question, but then he let his eyes fall back upon the man before him. "Do you… remember anything about how you were blinded…?"
Zoro's eyebrows creased together in thought, trying to dig up his earliest memories. From what he could remember, he had almost always been blind… there wasn't a single day in his past that wasn't dark. The green haired man shook his head, signaling to Luffy that he couldn't remember anything on how he had become blind. The raven haired boy frowned and scratched his head, taking in Zoro's appearance.
"You should really go and take a bath or something…" Luffy stared at the man's grimy hands and feet and the thin sheet of yellowed white robes hanging on the man's body. His face and hair had splotches of dried blood as well… speaking of hair… Luffy stared at the uneven lengths of green hair on the man's head. "You know what? I'll cut your hair, too. So it'll look neater. And since you don't have anywhere to stay, you can come to my home!" A child-like smile spread across his face as he started planning the things he could do together with his new friend. Zoro merely stared at Luffy in confusion. His home…? He was going to Luffy's home next?
Luffy stepped behind Zoro and started pushing the surprised man towards the door of the classroom, swiftly maneuvering his body so that he didn't hit a single corner of a desk or leg of a chair. Just as Luffy was about to shove the man out the door enthusiastically and towards the doors out into the snowy country, he came to a halt beside the light switch glued innocently to the wall. The black haired boy stared at the crystal switch on the wall and then warily eyed the crystal lamps on the walls. Zoro's power could supply this school with energy for three years just from a tiny handful of hair. Could it be possible…? He lifted a hand out to the switch, almost afraid to know what the answer would be. But he carried on and his index finger moved under the light switch slowly, preparing himself for the inevitable unveiling of the truth. Luffy glanced at the dark room and then with a gentle flick, sent the crystal lamps lighting up. The lamps seemed to burn brightly, the light dancing along the walls. The boy's eyes grew round in wonder and he looked from the warmly flickering lights to the tall green haired man standing before him, looking very confused with his cloudy eyes. It was true…! Zoro actually had enough life energy and power to provide endless light and energy for the school! And for another three years…? That was incredible! Any normal person would have died by now. Luffy stared at the weary looking man curiously. Just who was this person…? But then his large eyes, shining in wonder dimmed a little, realizing that if it had been Zoro's powers that had been providing energy for the entire school, then how long had the green haired man been locked up…? Had he been forced to provide energy for the school since he was a child? Since the making of this school? How long ago had the school been built? Fifteen years ago…? Sixteen?
Zoro blinked a few times, wondering why Luffy had stopped all of a sudden. He heard the sound of the light switch being flicked and he turned his head over his shoulder as if he would be able to see what Luffy was doing through his clouded eyes. "Luffy?"
"Zoro?" Luffy asked quietly, "How old are you? Do you remember anything before you were locked up…? Like… did you go to school or… your family?"
The man's eyebrows creased together. School? Family? He frowned and started to remember one of the earliest memories in his mind. The image of blinding light in his eyes and a warm hand on his head, sowing caringly through his hair… Zoro was brought back from his peaceful thoughts as he remembered Luffy's question and he swallowed, wondering whether or not he should share such a personal memory to the boy or not. He didn't know Luffy well enough… but even if Luffy did know about his memories before being locked up, what could the boy do with them? It wouldn't harm himself if other people knew, right…? But as he opened his mouth to answer, he found that he didn't have the voice or words to say anything. "I…" Zoro lowered his head, not wanting Luffy to look at him anymore. "I…"
Luffy watched the green haired man struggle internally and was immediately sorry for asking such personal questions. He smiled sheepishly and waved his hands nervously in front of him, "Ah, I'm sorry, Zoro. It's okay, you don't have to tell me anything." The two stared at the floor in an awkward silence. Luffy peered up from the floor to sneak a glance at the green haired man. His face was set in a grim expression, pale skin glowing from the blue moonlight. He almost looked like a ghost… was the man hungry? The black haired boy smiled to himself. It really didn't matter how long Zoro had been locked up or what he remembered. All that mattered now was the present! And he was sure that he could help Zoro right now. "Right then!" Luffy's sudden loud and cheery voice bounced along to Zoro's ears, surprising the man from his frozen form.
"Huh…?" Zoro blinked and was suddenly pushed from behind again, shoved from the doorway and into another place that seemed more spacey and open.
"Let's go to my home and get you washed up and fed properly!" Luffy laughed and ran towards the school entrance, pushing Zoro along the waxed floor so that the man seemed to be gliding across the floor. The green haired man tensed up, eyes widening in astonishment. Why was he moving so fast now…? Without even moving his feet?
Just as Luffy was about to burst through the doorways along with Zoro, the boy stopped, noticing Zoro's bare feet and the icy snow outside. "Uhh…." The man's muscles were too tense to even move his neck.
"Huh?" He voiced, completely confused by the way events had gone so far. Luffy glanced down at the sandals he were wearing and nodded, slipping them off. He walked in front of Zoro and gently tapped at the man's feet. Zoro flinched from the unexpected touch and took a step backwards. But then, realizing that the person who had touched his foot must've been Luffy, the man stopped moving backwards and took a small step forward.
"Lift up your foot, Zoro." Luffy smiled tapping at the man's left foot with his finger. The green haired man did as he was told, lifting up one foot off the ground by a few millimeters. The boy chuckled from how little Zoro had lifted his foot and he slipped on the sandal onto the man's foot. It looked like it fit… but he would have to get Zoro his own shoes and clothes soon… obviously, Zoro shouldn't be going outside in such little clothes as he was wearing now. The man was only wearing a thin sheet of robes that must've been white some time ago but was now splattered with dried blood, dirt, sweat, and who knew what else. "Your other foot, now."
Zoro lifted his other foot and balanced on his sandaled left foot. He felt Luffy slip something onto his right foot and then the boy sighed in satisfaction. The green haired man twitched his toes curiously and then took a few steps in place. Luffy had put some strange things on his feet… what were they for? Luffy had grabbed his hand again and he heard a click from something in front of him. And then, there was a gust of cold wind that swept right through his clothes to his skin. The green haired man felt what little warmth he had in his body tingle and disappear in the coldness.
When Luffy had opened the doors to the school entrance, he immediately noticed the shiver that Zoro made when the cold air hit his figure. The dark haired boy frowned and grabbed the man's hand, pulling him out into the wintry environment. His house was quite near to the school compared to the other students' houses. So it would be best if they charged out into the cold quickly and made it back to his house as fast as possible. Zoro shivered as Luffy pulled him out from the warmth of the school and into the chilliness of whatever it was that lay outside. The smell of crisp ice and dead leaves surrounded him. He nearly gasped as his feet touched something cold and wet. The things that Luffy had slipped onto his feet prevented his soles from getting wet but his toes were starting to freeze… Where was Luffy taking him? Weren't they going to his home? Why did they have to go through such a cold place?
Luffy felt Zoro tremble through their clasped hands and the boy pulled the larger man closer to him, to shield out the wind. He trekked through the layer of snow, ignoring the numbing and stinging pain coming from his feet as he trampled through the icy white surface with his bare feet. Almost there… The boy chanted in his head, urging Zoro to move faster so that the both of them could find shelter and warmth. We're almost there…
The two young men battled their way through the chilling wind and the frozen snow and ice. In the distance, Luffy spotted his small cottage with the inside lights off and wooden structure wet from the snow that piled up against it. A wide smile split across his face as he found his humble refuge. He tugged on Zoro's hand and pulled the man towards the cottage. "Zoro, c'mon. We're almost to my home." The green haired man struggled through the thickening snow around his ankles and he shivered trying to move his freezing limbs faster to stay warm and reach Luffy's home more rapidly. He almost tripped but Luffy quickly supported him with his other hand, firmly gripping Zoro's arm up so that the man didn't fall into the snow and become colder.
With a few last steps, the two made it to the doorway and Luffy shoved open the wooden door of his home, pushing off the heavy pile of snow from the front step. He hastily led Zoro inside and securely closed the entrance door, shutting out the cold. Letting out a sigh of relief, the boy looked up and smiled as the green haired man sniffed at the air, trying to make sense of his surroundings. Zoro took in a deep breath. This was definitely Luffy's home… it smelled just like him… a soft, warm, and meat-like smell wafting around in the air. It smelled good... The green haired man let a ghost of a smile touch his lips betraying the joy in his heart. The smile had been so small that it almost seemed as if it had never existed. But Luffy caught it and grinned widely, happy that Zoro liked his home. "Ok, let's go and get you cleaned up!" He sped towards his drawers and pulled them open, searching for some clean clothes that might fit on the man. The boy glanced over his shoulder, studying Zoro's form. The man was a little taller than him so his pants might be too short… his shoulders were wider than his as well… Luffy pouted. This would be harder than he thought… why were their body structures so different…? The black haired boy noticed that he was studying Zoro's body too intensely and he flushed slightly and puffed out his cheeks, returning to his task at hand. He fingered through the articles of clothing. Too small. Too short. Too tight. Still too small. Did he have nothing that fit Zoro?
The green haired man played with his fingers, something he had made a habit of whenever he had felt uneasy. He had felt Luffy's gaze on him previously and he wondered what Luffy was doing now. It was still cold even though they were already inside the house… maybe Luffy went off to make it warmer…?
The black haired boy finally spotted a large dark blue T-shirt that he normally didn't wear. Stuffed at the back of his drawer was another pair of baggy black sweatpants. They looked long enough to fit on Zoro… "Aha! Found them!" He held up the two articles of clothing victoriously and then turned to the green haired man. "I've got you some clothes! Now let's get you cleaned up." The boy led the man into another room where a small bath, that looked almost like a metallic barrel, stood over a few bricks and a fireplace. Luffy handed Zoro the clothes and sat the man down on a stool in the room. The boy then quickly lit the fire by pulling out a string of hair from his head and blowing it into the furnace. A warm fire sprang into flames and danced cheerily for him. Luffy smiled and tossed a few bricks into the fire, waiting for them to warm up.
Zoro fingered the clothes in his hands curiously, feeling the soft fabric repeatedly with his fingers. Were these for him…? They felt so nice compared to the sticky coarse sheet he was wearing right now… The man heard Luffy stand and walk towards him. Then, the boy's hands took him by the arm again and he let himself be pulled in a random direction. As he walked, he felt something warm in front of him. Luffy grabbed the stool Zoro had been sitting on and placed it on the ground so that Zoro could sit again. "I made a fire. I have to heat up the water before you take a bath so…"
The green haired man nodded and sat in front of the fire, staring at the warm flames although he could not see them. The two of them sat side by side, warming themselves up. Luffy stared at the flames and then glanced at Zoro curiously. His gaze dropped again and he picked up a pair of tongs from the ground to check and see if the bricks were ready. He poked at the bricks and sighed, knowing that they probably hadn't heated up enough. The boy snuck a glance at Zoro again and he licked his lips, watching the man's cloudy eyes. "Umm, Zoro?"
"Hm?" The green haired man turned an ear towards Luffy so he could hear better. The boy scratched his chin idly.
"Ah, well… I was just wondering. Can you see anything now?"
Zoro's eyebrows furrowed together and stared at the warmth that was coming from only a foot away from him. "Is that warm thing supposed to be really bright…?"
Luffy glanced at the fire and watched the dancing flames for a moment before answering simply, already knowing Zoro's answer. His eyes lowered to the ground. "Yeah."
A weary look fell upon the man's face and he stared straight at the fire with a wistful look on his face. "Then I can't see anything." A tense silence fell upon the two as he finished speaking. Luffy poked at the brick cooking in the fire and Zoro fingered the soft cloth in his hands as if it would comfort him. Suddenly, the black haired boy slammed the tongs to the ground and stood up, a scowl on his face. Zoro blinked in surprise, feeling Luffy standing over him. Fear leapt into his heart. Why did Luffy suddenly change character like that? Had he done something wrong? Would Luffy beat him now…? Would he start throwing him across the room and claw at his head…? The man braced himself, waiting for the blows. But they never came as he had expected. Instead, Luffy's voice came to him in a low yet powerful tone.
"There must be a way to get you to see things …"
Zoro stared up into the darkness, trying to imagine what the boy looked like as he listened to his determined voice. But then a smirk crossed his lips and he stared at the ground. "It's ok. I don't mind being blind…"
"Liar." Luffy retorted, his own smirk in place, "I'm sure you don't like bumping into things in the dark, either. If we find a way to cure your blindness, you could see again!" The boy paced the room, scratching at his head, trying to think of a way to help Zoro. He weaved his fingers through his hair and then realized what he could've done earlier. "Ah! I've got it! I can use magic!"
Zoro's head shot up in surprise. "Magic…?"
"Yeah!" Luffy smiled, "Actually, you seem to have more magic than normal people, Zoro. Don't you listen to what the principal says?"
Zoro blinked, a look of puzzlement ingrained onto his face. "Principal…?"
"Yeah! The one who took your hair and used it to power the school." Luffy crouched down next to the green haired man, mirroring the look of confusion on his face. "Wait… you never knew you could use your magic…?"
"I…" Zoro shook his head. Magic… he could use magic…? But… how?
Luffy tapped his chin and stared at the fireplace in thought. "Hmm, maybe that's why the principal locked you up there… he doesn't like people using magic. And maybe he found out that you had a lot of life energy so he forced you to grow your hair long…" The boy nodded to himself. It all made sense…!
Zoro fiddled with his fingers. He could do magic…? Magic existed…? But how? And what was Luffy talking about? Growing his hair long… what did that do? "Hair…?" He asked quietly, unsure if he should ask in case Luffy grew impatient with all of his questions. But the boy merely grinned.
"If you use your hair, you can do magic!" The boy explained, "You just take one strand of your hair and make a wish on it. And it will come true depending on how much life energy you have." Zoro's eyes widened in fascination, listening to the unbelievable words Luffy was speaking to him. He could've escaped a long time ago…? And by himself…? He could've wished to be free and he would've been free…? "But, the things you do with magic also trades an equal amount of life energy from your body. So, for example, if you tried to bring someone back to life with your magic, you'd probably die, lose your soul, and your existence would vanish from the face of earth." Luffy recited as if it were from a textbook. The boy studied Zoro carefully and then scratched his head, "But…I wonder if you would be able to bring someone back to life…? Your magic is providing light and power for the school for the next three years and yet you haven't collapsed in exhaustion yet… that's just amazing…!"
Zoro flushed pink from the praise, feeling his entire body shoot up in warmth. What was this feeling? Why did he grow so hot just from hearing those words spill from Luffy's mouth…? No one had ever told him that he was amazing before… The green haired man ducked his head into his arms, trying to shield the boy from seeing his bashful face. Luffy blinked and then laughed loudly.
"Haha! Zoro, it's nothing to be embarrassed about. You really are amazing, you know?" The raven haired boy smiled widely, "The first time I saw you, I thought you were a mythical creature. You looked so calm…" And lonely… the smile on Luffy's face dulled a little, but the joy in his heart still pounded happily in his chest. Because as long as Zoro was here with him, they both wouldn't be alone anymore. They knew that the other existed and as long as someone knew that he had been living once, it was good enough. Luffy was sure Zoro would never forget him. And he was sure he could never forget Zoro…
The fire from the furnace suddenly crackled loudly and Luffy blinked, snapping out of his thoughts. Zoro still had his head buried in his arms, face and ears flushing bright pink. Luffy chuckled and checked small bath to see if there was enough water inside. He nodded in satisfaction as the container of water was full and then stooped down to pick up the tongs from the ground. He peered into the fire and pulled out a flaming brick. Then, he carefully moved it towards the water and dropped it in. A loud hiss came from the hot brick as it touched the water and sunk to the bottom of the bath. Zoro flinched from the sound and looked up from his arms in surprise, wondering where the sound had come from. Luffy grabbed another two bricks with his tongs and tossed them into the bath. He set the tongs against the wall and wiped the sweat forming upon his brow. "Whew… right, now we just need to wait for the water to heat up and wait for the bricks to cool down." Luffy smiled and poked a finger into the water, feeling around for the temperature. The water had heated up considerably but it still wasn't warm enough. The boy sighed and glanced towards Zoro, noticing that the man was still wearing his filthy robe. His mouth fell into an 'o'. Then he took the clothes from the man's arms and hung them up on the wall. Zoro waited nervously, wondering what Luffy would do next.
"Zoro, I'm going to wash your hair. Can you bend forward…?" The green haired man blinked but then complied. His hair had never been washed before… how would it feel…? He leaned forward and waited, holding his breath anxiously. Would it hurt…? Luffy grabbed a small bucket and sponge from the corner of the room and filled its contents with the warm water from the bath. He walked over to Zoro's form and lifted up the bucket over the man's head. Then, with a gentle tilt, the water cascaded down from the lip of the bucket and pressed down upon the man's green head, cleansing and brushing through his scalp. Zoro gasped as he felt a warm and wet liquid engulf his head. He could feel a dull stinging pain coming from his scalp and the smell of blood… But then he quickly grew used to the gentle pressure being applied to his head by the water. The stinging pain dulled so much that it didn't hurt anymore. And the smell of blood faded as the smell of winter, burning wood, and Luffy surrounded him. It felt so nice… so relaxing… he could feel his worries washing away along with the water, running down his face and onto the floor. Luffy put the bucket on the ground and picked up a bar of soap from the shelf. He lathered up a few bubbles and wove his hands into Zoro's hair, smiling as he felt the soft strands of green hair in his hands. The clumps of dried blood dissolved into the water and as Luffy massaged Zoro's scalp, the blood broke away into smaller bits, turning the soap a faint brownish color. Zoro closed his eyes, sighing as Luffy's hands worked at his scalp, rubbing at all the right spots, ridding the itchiness from his head.
When Luffy finished he grabbed the bucket and filled it with water again. Then, he brought it over Zoro's head and poured the water down, washing away the soap and the filth from the man's hair. The boy smiled when he saw the nearly clean mop of messy green hair before him and he noticed the man glancing towards him, the strands of green hair falling over his cloudy eyes. Zoro looked so much better now…! And there was a small pout on the green haired man's lips that had to make Luffy stifle a laugh. What a strange look! Zoro pouting. Did he want him to wash his hair again? Luffy smiled widely and he lathered up his hands in soap bubbles again before standing over the green haired man and massaging his scalp for a second time. Zoro hummed happily and closed his eyes again, thoroughly enjoying the cleaning. He wished he could do this more often… cleaning himself felt so good…
As Luffy finished pouring a third bucket of water over Zoro's head, he went to feel the water. It felt hot enough to soak in… The boy nodded and then moved towards Zoro to tug on the man's coarse robes. "Ok, Zoro. The bath is ready. I need you to take off your clothes so I can wash you clean."
At first, the green haired man froze but then he slowly did as he was told, peeling off the robe he was wearing. He was a little nervous. By taking off his clothes, he would feel extremely uneasy and exposed. At least with the sheet wrapped around him, he felt more protected. But by taking off the clothes, he would be trusting Luffy to take care of him… Zoro swallowed and then finished undressing, holding the sticky robes in his arms while standing naked in the bathroom, shifting uneasily from foot to foot. But Luffy merely responded by sitting the man down in the stool and taking the dirty robes from him. Zoro shivered, sitting on the stool silently. Where was Luffy now…? What would happen next…? His body was starting to grow chilly from the small gusts of wind blowing in through the cracks in the walls. Then he heard Luffy dip the bucket into the bath of water. The boy walked towards Zoro and slowly emptied the water out onto Zoro's pale and naked body. The man sat through the waterfall of warm water but then shivered as the wind blew against his wet skin. "Sorry. It'll be a little cold for a while. But when you're clean, you can go soak in the warm bath." He heard Luffy murmur into his ear. Something soft suddenly started rubbing against his right arm and Zoro almost flinched away if it wasn't for Luffy's firm grip on him. "It's just a sponge, Zoro." The green haired man heard the hint of amusement in Luffy's voice and couldn't help but blush at his cowardly actions. He let the boy scrub at his arms and back and chest and the boy washed his legs and feet thoroughly before applying another bucket of water to the man's body. When Luffy finished, Zoro sat up straight, blinking at how strangely fresh he felt. The sticky and greasy feeling was gone. And the heavy stink that he used to smell around him had disappeared. The man stretched his toes out and flexed them a few times, feeling astonished by how clear and unleashed they felt. His back was breathing. He could feel the wind blowing at his chest and he welcomed the fresh and crisp feeling. A small smile spread across Zoro's lips and Luffy smiled back, happy with the amazement the green haired man showed while studying his clean body.
"Ok, into the bath now. The bricks shouldn't be too hot anymore." Luffy helped Zoro up from the stool and towards the barrel of heated water. He pulled off the sandals on the man's feet and led him to the small bath. "Just climb in. It's warm." Zoro nodded and lifted a leg over the side of the barrel, feeling the warm water engulf his foot and leg. A tingling feeling rushed up his spine and he slowly brought his other leg into the bath. Luffy grinned, watching Zoro settle into the bath with a confused look on his face. "Feels nice, huh?" The green haired man blinked and leaned his back testily against the edge of the bath. Then he nodded, eyes smiling in delight. It felt wonderful…! Luffy laughed and he picked up Zoro's dirty clothes from the ground. He'd wash these, just in case Zoro wanted to keep them. Because although they were useless against the cold of the country and were probably a reminder of the lonely and torturous past he once had, the old robes were a link to Zoro's past and links such as that should not be so easily thrown away. Luffy smiled at the disgusting robes in his hands. It was better to accept the past and then learn how to move on, forever forward…
"I'm gonna go make some food for us, ok? You just sit there and enjoy yourself!" Luffy chimed cheerily and stuffed the dirty robes into the bucket, planning to clean them later. Zoro nodded, causing his wet bangs to flop up and down carelessly. Luffy chuckled and watched the hair flop around wildly. Speaking of hair… he still had to cut the man's hair so that it looked more neater. Right now, Zoro looked so disheveled with some hair sticking up here and there and part of his hair longer than the other parts of his hair.
Luffy slipped out the door of the room and headed towards the kitchen. He started searching and checking for anything edible. He spotted a bag of bread on the kitchen counter and a few eggs in the ice box. The boy grinned, happy with his find and lit the stove up with another strand of hair. Hopefully Zoro would like eggs and bread? Maybe if he could find some cheese it would make the bread more tasty… After clumsily cracking four eggs over a frying pan and stirring them over the stove, he let the eggs cook and sizzle light brown. He sniffed at the dish, mouth starting to water from the simple smell of cooked eggs. Then, he plated the eggs, dumping the entire thing onto one of the ceramic plates lying on the counter. The dark haired boy brought the dish and the bag of bread to the middle of the room where a low table with a comfortable rug underneath it stood. He set the food onto the table and then headed back to the bathroom to check up on Zoro. The green haired man was still sitting in the same position he had left him in but the man's eyes were closed peacefully. Luffy stood at the doorway, feeling as if he had seen Zoro like this before. He smiled to himself, studying the man's face. He had that powerful calmness surrounding him again. Except this time… it didn't feel as closed off and lonely. The dark haired boy knocked on the door, causing Zoro to open his eyes in surprise. "I've got the food ready!" Luffy grabbed his towel from the wall and waited patiently for the man to clamber out from the warm bath. Once Zoro had stepped out, the boy wrapped the towel around Zoro and proceeded to pat him dry. Then, he let Zoro pat himself dry and he left the man's side to fetch the clean clothes from the wall. "Here, I couldn't find anything else that could fit you so…"
Zoro nodded and accepted the clothes gratefully. Then, he tried to put them on but he wasn't sure which side was the one his head should enter. Luffy laughed and bounced over to help the man into the clothes. After pulling up the sweatpants, Zoro looked over to where he thought Luffy was. "Food…?" He asked timidly, remembering Luffy mention something about making and finishing the food. The black haired boy stepped back and observed the clothes on Zoro. Mmhmm, not bad. Everything fit perfectly. Nothing looked too tight. He smiled, the edges of his lips stretching from cheek to cheek. "Mmhmm!" The boy took Zoro by the arm and brought him to the middle of the room, pushing the man down into a seated position on the rug. The smell of eggs wafted into Zoro's nose and the man's stomach growled loudly. His cheeks grew pink in embarrassment but Luffy wordlessly passed him the plate of eggs and bread. Then he grinned, "It's not much, but it should fill you up. Eat as much as you want!" Zoro held the plate of eggs in his hands in shock. He could eat as much as he wanted…? All of this…? When Luffy handed him a fork, it completely answered his question and the man dug into the plate of eggs, wolfing down the food. The strong egg flavor filled his nose, mouth, and stomach with warmth and he set the plate down, reaching around the table for the bag of bread. He took a few bites of the tender bread and then he wolfed the entire thing down. Luffy laughed as Zoro shoveled food into his mouth and he grabbed a few pieces of bread for himself, ripping off larges pieces of the bread with his teeth. He stood up and opened the ice box, searching for any cheese leftover from his last visit to the grocer's. There were still a few pieces of cheese in the ice box. They sat there, smiling cheerily back at Luffy's face. The boy hastily grabbed them and brought the pieces of cheese to Zoro. "Wanna try this?" The green haired man felt for Luffy's hands and felt a lump of something cold in the boy's palms. What was it? He picked it up and sniffed it curiously. It didn't smell bad… He took a small bite of one piece. Then, his eyes lit up and he smiled at the sweet yet strongly salty taste of cheese. He finished the cheese and ate another piece of toast. Luffy chortled, holding his stomach to support his laughter. At this rate, it seemed like Zoro could eat more than he could! And that was saying something…
When Zoro started to calm down and eat slower, Luffy glanced out the small window of his house. The pale blue moon was slowly setting and the boy started to think about what he would do with Zoro for the next few days. Would the man stay with him in this house? He couldn't bring Zoro to school… the principal would try to lock him up again… Then, Zoro would stay in the house? But he couldn't see anything… if he wanted to go somewhere in the house, he might bump into something and hurt himself… Luffy's eyebrows creased together. Maybe he had to use his magic… but Luffy wasn't stupid. He knew that the cost of curing Zoro's blindness would be very large. After all, regaining one's senses was almost equivalent to regaining another life. The raven haired boy frowned slightly. With the rest of the energy he had left for today, he could probably restore Zoro's eyesight a little bit. So, the green haired man would probably have one blurry eye and another blind one. Luffy idly watched the small moon reaching for the horizon, wondering what he could do in order to use the least amount of energy to restore Zoro's eyesight.
Oblivious to Luffy's thoughts, the green haired man reached a hand out to Luffy and fortunately found the boy's uniform sleeve. Zoro pulled at the sleeve, wishing to gain the boy's attention. Luffy shook his head and then fixed his eyes upon Zoro. "Huh?"
The green haired man jumped in his seat on the rug and he was quiet for a few seconds. But Luffy waited patiently. Zoro licked his lips and then finally opened his mouth to speak. "…thanks…" He mumbled in his throat. Luffy felt a surge of warmth rise in his cheeks. Someone… had said thank you… to him? He beamed at the green haired man.
"What are friends for, right?"
Zoro couldn't see the bright smile pasted onto Luffy's face but he could feel the vibrant energy that had flooded off of Luffy in waves when he had spoken a word of thanks. The green haired man smiled. "Friends…"
The black haired boy nodded and then got distracted by Zoro's uneven hair cut. He giggled and then pushed off of his knee, rising to his feet. "Those people did such a bad cut with your hair. I'll fix it up for you! Hold on, lemme go find a pair of scissors." And then he left the man's side to find the pair of scissors. Zoro felt his smile slide from his face. Hair cut? Scissors…? A feeling of dread rose in his chest, nearly choking him. Could he have trusted Luffy too much? Was the boy going to abuse him now? The green haired man sat frozen to his seat, too afraid to move, too afraid to stay.
Luffy returned, a pair of scissors in his hands, to see a very tense looking Zoro, sitting on the rug. The large smile on Luffy's face fell and he realized that his mention of scissors must've scared Zoro. He sighed and set the scissors down on the table. Zoro still couldn't completely trust him, huh… As Luffy moved closer to the scared man, he grit his teeth in annoyance. Just how long was Zoro going to act like this?
The green haired man tensed even more when he felt Luffy come near him. And then suddenly, an unexpected blow hit his cheek. He could feel the inside of his cheek cut open from brushing against his teeth. Zoro flew across the floor, cheek stinging in pain. Luffy frowned, eyes shadowed by his black bangs and he stood in his spot, fist still clenched tightly. Stupid Zoro… if he wouldn't do anything about it, he'd just have to teach the guy a lesson! Zoro lay on the ground, completely shocked from Luffy's punch. He was right all along… Luffy wasn't his friend. He had only lured him into a trap... to leave him completely defenseless and then attack. He should never have opened up to Luffy so much. By trusting the boy, it only hurt him more when he betrayed him. The green haired man stayed on the ground in a weary slump. He was so tired of this. Tired of not being able to trust anyone he met…
Just as the green haired man was about to give in, to let the boy do whatever he wanted with him, Luffy's stern voice rang in his ears like a jolt of electricity.
"Stand up and fight, Zoro."
The man's half closed eyes suddenly widened as he registered Luffy's words. Stand up… and fight…? No one had ever told him to do that… he had always been beaten to the ground mercilessly. Could he stand…? Was he allowed to fight back…? "Fight me, Zoro." The green haired man lifted his head from the ground, cloudy eyes staring at Luffy in confusion. Then, the rest of his body moved. Slowly, slowly, like a morphing caterpillar into a butterfly, Zoro raised himself from the ground. First his arms, then his knees and legs. And then, he was up. Standing on his feet, facing Luffy. The dark haired boy grinned. "Finally." And then he jumped forward, a fist at the ready. Zoro heard the swish of Luffy's clothes and his stomach lurched nervously while his heart beat in excitement. He was coming! The man hastily threw out his own punch and managed to knick Luffy's cheek. But Luffy was faster and punched Zoro in the gut, causing the man to sink onto one knee and clutch at his stomach in pain. The two boys took a few deep breaths from the sudden exertion of energy. Then, Zoro stood up again, a little quicker this time. He wouldn't fall without putting up a fight anymore. No more… Luffy charged forward and aimed another punch for the green haired man. But Zoro clumsily blocked the boy's blow and threw one of his own, knocking his fist into Luffy's nose and sending the boy tumbling backwards. Luffy hit the wall of his house with a heavy thud and Zoro froze on his feet. Was Luffy ok…? He took a tentative step forward, wondering whether or not he should help the boy. Suddenly, he heard the familiar carefree chuckle he had gotten used to hearing ever since he met the raven haired boy. An easy smile fell across Zoro's face and he relaxed his muscles, listening to Luffy's chuckles change into full-blown peals of laughter.
"Now you know what to do the next time you meet the principal, naa?" Luffy laughed lightly and rubbed at his nose for the third time since this day. Then, he bounced onto his feet and then walked towards Zoro. "Now let me trim your hair. You look really stupid with your hair like that. I'll fix it up so that you look more cooler!" The boy grinned and gently pushed Zoro to the ground so that he could stand and cut the man's hair easily. Zoro obliged this time, feeling less anxious. His heart still pounded quickly in his chest from the short but exhilarating fight he had just had with Luffy, but if there was anyone in this world he could trust, he had no doubt it would be Luffy… and that thought put a smile in his heart. He sat calmly on the floor of Luffy's cottage, waiting for the foreboding sound of snipping scissors. He would fight this. He would fight and get rid of this fear once and for all…!
Luffy grabbed the scissors from the table and walked to Zoro, studying the man's hair and wondering how he should cut it. Maybe… shear off the top and leave the bottom…? Or shear off the bottom and leave the top…? Finally, he just decided upon cutting the hair so that everything looked at even lengths. The boy set himself to work, snipping the scissors and slicing through bits of Zoro's short green hair. The man flinched the first few times he heard the scissors snip and a few times, when Luffy's scissors strayed too close to his scalp, his hand twitched involuntarily. But, Zoro kept calm and closed his eyes, trying to remember the feeling of sitting in the warm bath Luffy had made for him. He started to close off all sounds of snipping scissors or the memories of painful stabs to his head ever since he had been locked up, and he started to focus solely upon Luffy's hands. Luffy's fingers weaving gently through his hair, Luffy's palms patting his head so that the excess hair fell to the floor and did not get in the way of his job. Luffy's sweet smell. Luffy's warm touch… Zoro's hand lifted off of the floor and grabbed the boy's hand, holding it lightly in his own. He was so glad he had met him…
The boy paused in his work, surprised by Zoro's sudden impulsive motion. He stared at Zoro in confusion, blinking a few times. Why was the man holding his hand? Had he done something Zoro didn't want…? The man snapped out of his thoughts, realizing what he had done, and quickly withdrew his hand, flushing completely red in the face, thoroughly embarrassed by his actions. Luffy smiled and continued his work, snipping and trimming at Zoro's green hair. He didn't really understand what had just happened but the tingle on his skin where Zoro had held him felt good… so it shouldn't have been a bad thing, right?
The moon was disappearing under the line of the horizon and Luffy finished up with Zoro's new hair cut. "There!" He threw the scissors onto a chair and eagerly ran around Zoro to observe the man's new look. The boy's eyes went round. "Wow, you look so cool, Zoro!" Luffy laughed, staring at the now shortly cropped hair and short side burns on either side of his face. He put his fingers over the man's forehead and traced the lines near his eyebrows. He chuckled good naturedly, "But you look so serious, Zoro. Your eyebrows are all creased together." The boy rubbed the creases with his thumbs, trying to smooth them out and make Zoro look more happier. The green haired man smiled at Luffy's actions and closed his eyes.
"Thank you, Luffy…" This time it wasn't a whisper. A wide grin spread across the boy's face, glad that the man was gaining more confidence and acting more openly around him. Luffy stared into Zoro's cloudy eyes when the man opened them again. Now all he had to do was get rid of his blindness… but how could he do that…? He glanced out the window behind Zoro and noticed that the sky was growing steadily brighter. Suddenly, it dawned upon him. The raven haired boy smiled brightly and he plucked a strand of hair from his head. He held it up in between Zoro and himself and then he started to speak.
"Zoro, I'm gonna make you see the sunrise, no matter what…" He smiled and Zoro's face changed into a look of puzzlement. "Although you'll turn blind again during the night, wherever the sun's rays touches, you will be able to see clearly. This is my wish." He blew softly at the strand of hair and he watched it disappear into the air between him and Zoro. And then he felt the energy drain from his body, as if a leech was slurping out every last bit of blood in his body. His muscles relaxed and he felt his body start to slack. His vision was starting to grow unfocused. The last thing he saw before slumping over, like a bag of loose grain, was the sun's rays breaking in through the window, illuminating the entire cottage and snowy lands surrounding them.
A few seconds after Luffy finished his words, Zoro felt something fall heavily into his lap and then he felt the warm rays of the sun upon his back. Suddenly, he was staring at something dark brown and a few other colors. What was that…? The wall of the house…? He blinked a few times and then glanced around in astonishment, a little unnerved by his sudden ability to see clearly. This was what the world looked like…? This was what was outside of his darkness…! A bubbling feeling threatened to burst from his chest and the man felt like jumping up in glee, feeling so at joy for having gained the ability to see. He could look out the window, he could see the messy plate of eggs he had eaten on the table, and he could see the sun's blinding rays flooding into the room. Zoro stared over his shoulder and out the window, watching the beautiful scene wordlessly. The snowy fields sparkled back at him, as if welcoming him into the world, and the sun peered over the edge of the horizon, waving back at him in greeting. "Luffy…! Luffy, I can see! I can see the sunrise!" Zoro whispered, trying to hold back the excitement flooding out from his body. He glanced down at his lap, where the heavy thing had fallen and his eyes widened as he found a black haired boy lying lifelessly in his lap. "Luffy…?" Zoro shook the boy gently, hoping that he would wake up and that it wasn't what he feared. "Luffy?" He shook the boy a little more roughly this time. The boy let out a loud snore and hummed in a small whining tone before curling up against the green haired man. Zoro let his muscles relax. Luffy was only sleeping… The man chuckled softly, a little unused to laughing. But this occasion called for some sort of laughter. He stared at the sleeping boy in his lap and shook his head. "You're a stupid idiot…" A smile graced the man's lips and he studied the boy's features with his newfound ability to see. Luffy looked almost like a child. His face looked soft and smooth to the touch and his black hair lay messily upon Zoro's right leg. There was a small scar on the boy's face and Zoro ran a finger across it, wondering where it had come from. Some dribble was threatening to drip from Luffy's mouth. Zoro chuckled again and shifted the boy's head and body so that he could comfortably sleep in his lap and not drool on him at the same time. Zoro studied Luffy's face over and over again. A countless number of times, trying to engrave every feature of Luffy's face in his memory. The boy was everything and more than what Zoro had imagined Luffy would be like. And he smiled. And smiled, staring at this slumbering boy in his lap.
.:.