Zoro couldn't take his eyes off the festering injury. The image of it was burned into the back of his eyes, and every time he blinked, he could still see the dark blotches. He felt sick to his stomach. He should have demanded to see what was wrong sooner. And to make it worse, it somehow got to this point in the short amount of time they were here.
"Sanji...how stupid are you?" he asked, nearly seethed.
The blond scoffed to himself. "What difference would it have made?" he shot back, just as harshly. "Tell me, if you had known sooner, what could have been done? I'll tell you, not a damn thing."
"If I knew, I wouldn't have let your dumb ass wander around by yourself! You probably made it worse with all your searching and exploring!" His voice echoed through their small shelter, causing the cook to wince slightly. But he didn't back down. He didn't give in easily to the brute's intimidation.
Calmly, Sanji pulled himself straighter. "Well, now you know. So, what do you intend to do about it now?"
Zoro said nothing, but he sat back as well. Honestly, at the moment, there was absolutely nothing he could do. With no knowledge of these things, he wouldn't know what to do even if he had the supplies needed. "How are you feeling?" he opted for instead.
The blond shrugged with one shoulder. "Alright, considering." He felt the other's glare on him and reluctantly changed his answer. "Awful, alright? Is that what you want to hear? Everything hurts, I'm tired and I constantly feel like I'm about to hurl. Anything else?" In that short amount of time, he managed to sink back down a good few inches.
Now, the fever was making itself apparent on the man's cheeks and in his eye. Sweat was starting to roll down the sides of his face and his breathing was quicker than it had been. It was as if now that the truth was out, he no longer tried to fake being well. It appeared as though his health had just taken a sudden plummet, but Zoro knew this was just a visual representation of what he had to have been enduring for a while now.
The swordsman grew quiet, listening only to the roaring storm just outside. He could feel whisps getting in still, and feel drops of rain pelting his back. This in mind, he moved a little to the right, making sure his body blocked the majority of it to keep Sanji dry. Him getting a cold now was definitely not something either of them could afford right now.
Through the night, they stayed like this. Sanji fell asleep within the next couple hours while Zoro stayed exactly where he was, keeping a close eye on him. More importantly, he kept a close eye on that wound. It was gradual, but after some time, he was positive it appeared slightly worse than it had.
Every few minutes, the cook's breath would hitch and his face would contort in pain. With every sign of the man's discomfort, Zoro wondered more and more how he hadn't noticed how bad it was earlier. Silently, he swore at himself as he felt a slight throb in his head. He should have noticed the moment something was off, really. He held his breath as he continued to watch Sanji as the night wore on until he could no longer see anything aside from his outline. But even then, he listened to his breathing intently, focused on every inhale and counted until each exhale.
Slowly, he could tell they were becoming more labored. They hitched every so often, even in his sleep. Through every minute, and every hour, that many did not make a single sound or move an inch until the winds and rain finally slowed and the first signs of morning began to shine in.
Zoro swallowed down the lump as the other gradually became more visible. His heart pounded in his chest. He could see the rise and fall of Sanji's chest again, and gradually his face was starting to become clearer. The swordsman held his breath when he could see the wound once more. It was the first thing he looked to other than the blond's face. His brows instantly furrowed and teeth clenched. It was definitely worse. In just the hours of the night, the purple blotches spread and the blackened edges claimed more of the chef's flesh.
"Dammit," he muttered. He risked a glance back, things seemed to have calmed down enough. All he knew was they were lucky the storm was moving so quickly.
Sighing in what little relief he had, Zoro crawled in a little farther until he was on his hands and knees, hovering over Sanji. He didn't know how he was supposed to do this without causing pain or making this awkward.
Shaking his head, he finally just reached out and gently tapped the blond's cheek. "Hey," he muttered, somewhat silently. "Hey, wake up already." With no response, he tapped again with more force behind it. "Come on, you idiot, we have to get going. Storm's gone, gotta get back to the shore before we get stuck here forever." Maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration.
But, with that said, the cook finally stirred with a grown. His eye squeezed shut and his back arched slightly. "Shit…" he whispered between tight hisses. He got his eye partially open, unfocused, and it seeked the source of the disturbance out. Despite the man being just a few inches from him, it took some time for recognition to set in. "The hell you want?" he rasped, hand already reaching for his side. Once more, the second he made contact, he yanked his hand away.
Without missing a beat, Zoro was wrapping an arm around the other's shoulders. "What I want is for us to get the hell out of here and back to the beach." He wasn't sure how worried he should have been when the other man didn't fight against his pulling.
Then again, if the scrunching of his face was anything to go by, moving his body was causing him too much pain for him to care enough. As soon as Zoro had him an inch off the ground, one slender hand shot up to cling to his shoulder. He knew the guy was strong, but damn, his fingers were digging deep. He just had to bear with it. To be honest, the way Sanji gasped and whimpered hurt far more than any grasping ever could.
"Sorry, I know it hurts, but not much I can do," he muttered. He didn't know why he was apologizing, it wasn't as if he was directly causing this. But...at the same time, Sanji probably wouldn't be in this mess if it weren't for him.
"Just...hurry," the blond replied, face turned to hide itself against the larger man's chest. Nodding, Zoro tried not to think about it too much and gathered the other in his arms, ducked and got them both out as soon as he could. It tugged at his heart, the sounds Sanji made, but he shoved those aside for the time being. The faster he got them both to the shore, the sooner he could lie the man down and let him compose himself.
He held Sanji close, being extra wary of his side. Never once did he touch anywhere near it. He was moving as quickly as he could, hating how every step jarred the other man, causing him to cling tighter. "Almost there," he promised. Though, once they were there, it wouldn't make any difference if the ship wasn't there yet. Until the others got there, he could do nothing but watch the man suffer.
After what felt like an eternity, the swordsman finally slowed, slightly out of breath. The beach was a wreck, driftwood and other debris scattered everywhere. He was beginning to see it as a miracle that they survived their first encounter as well as they did.
"Ready?" Zoro asked, looking down at a man who appeared barely conscious.
Subtly, Sanji nodded.
Slowly, gently, the swordsman lowered him to the ground. It had to have taken him at least a minute to complete such a simple action. As soon as the blond was on the ground, he took matters into his own hands, and dragged himself. He pulled himself until he was propped against a downed tree, one arm draped over the side of it. The cook wasted no time inspecting his wound, or as best he could without actually touching it.
He could have sworn a fire had been lit to it. It took a few seconds for him to take it all in and process what he was looking at. Zoro was surprised to hear what could only be described as a bitter chuckle come from the other. "Guess this is...pretty bad, huh?" Sanji muttered, turning to rest his head on his arm.
"Definitely not a good thing," Zoro muttered, dropping to sit next to him. Damn thing was still spreading rather fast. The whole thing wasn't leaving a pleasant taste in his mouth. For a moment, he sat there in silence. He had his gaze directed at the ocean. The moment the ship came into view, he wanted to know, and not a second later. He was only pulled from his concentration when he felt a slight shift to his right. Not long after that, there was a weight leaning against him. Zoro cut a glance over, only to be faced with a mop of unkempt golden hair.
He wasn't asleep, so that means he leaned over fully aware of what he was doing. Either that, or the fever was so bad he was just delirious. Either way, Zoro didn't mind and he allowed him to remain how he was.
The fact that Sanji seemed to be more comfortable was reason enough not to disturb him. In fact, he found himself reaching with his left hand and before he knew it, he was running his fingers through the man's hair. What was even more surprising than the cook leaning against him was that same cook leaning into the touch and letting out a contempt sigh.
Zoro felt a slight warmth rise to his face when he felt Sanji relax. "I think you're enjoying this a little too much," he muttered after a small, nervous cough.
"Shuddup and don't stop," the blond mumbled before sliding down until his head was resting on the larger man's lap. "T'feels good."
Doing as he was asked, Zoro could sense a small tremble running through the other, and it took him a little while to realize he was shivering. Then he remembered: the dumbass left his jacket on the beach. That thing was long gone by now. All he had was a shirt, and he doubted that would do much good. The only other thing he could think of was to use his free hand and rub it up and down Sanji's arm. It wasn't much, but it should at least generate some sort of heat.
Gradually, the shudders calmed down. Unfortunately, his breathing did not; it was still forced and uneven. It was difficult to tell if he was getting worse or not. It was clear as hell that he wasn't doing any better. Zoro couldn't stop from constantly stealing glances at the man's side. With a low hum, he tore his eyes away and back towards the ocean.
For a while, they sat there, the swordsman never stopping his hands, not even after Sanji had long since fallen asleep on him. Zoro was beginning to feel impressed with just how much the man was sleeping. It didn't take long for the trembles to pick back up. As he stroked the blond's hair, his fingers trailed closer to his hairline, then to his forehead. There was no reaction as he flattened his palm over the heated skin. He was far too warm for Zoro's liking. Clearing his throat, he went back to brushing fingers through hair. "Hurry the hell up," he muttered, allowing his other arm to finally stop and rest, wrapped around the cook's shoulder.
It was so quiet now, too much so. It was already driving the man crazy. He was starting to get tired now, the weariness was finally catching up to him now that everything had calmed down. To put it simply, he was flat out exhausted. His eyelids tugged and his body was begging him for sleep. But, he couldn't allow his guard to drop for a single second. Just as he was starting to get impatient, foot tapping with antsy nerves, he finally spotted something a ways off. It was just a spec at the moment, but there was not a bit of doubt in his mind.
Zoro perked out, hand drifting away from the blond's forehead as he instinctively began to stand. His breath caught as the spec got closer and he could start to make out details. There was a lump in his throat, and he finally got to his feet, careful not to jar the other too much in the process.
"Hey," he muttered, dryly without turning his head. "Hey, wake up will ya?" he muttered, louder. With no response, the swordsman finally turned toward the cook. Jaw stiff, he crouched down and gave the man a light shake.
Finally, some sign of life as he groaned. He waited only a second as Sanji struggled to get things into focus. "You with me? We're getting out of here." For a moment, the blond appeared nothing short of bewildered. His brow knit and he looked at the larger man for answers. "The others, they're almost here," Zoro clarified, beckoning the chef to slowly turn his attention towards the sea. That was all it took to get a little bit of energy back into him.
"What?" he rasped, propping himself onto one elbow. He hissed with the movement. With a little bit of welcomed assistance, he got to his feet unsteadily. Sanji stumbled slightly, but Zoro was swift to keep him upright. Even now though, it looked as though he wouldn't be able to hold that stance for very long.
"Think you can make it?" the swordsman half-teased, hefting the other up, cautious of his side.
A dry chuckle scraped its way out. "Give me a bit more credit, would ya?" Even as he spoke, he was leaning more and more against the other. Together, slowly, the started closer to the shore. By now, smaller details of the Merry could be made out. They could see her face, could start making out the other crew members. And soon enough, their expressions ranging from relief to worry. As they neared the water, Zoro paused as the weight against him suddenly tugged down.
"Everything alright?" he asked, noticing the other's head was bowed.
Nothing.
Taking his free hand, Zoro grabbed Sanji's chin and angled it to face him. His eyes were shut, mouth slightly open. And now his own heart was racing. The idiot seriously passed out on him. Not skipping a beat, the held his breath and scooped the blond into his arms. "Sorry, but you're not doing this when we're right there," he muttered.
There was no mistaking the man's fever now. He could still feel heat wafting off, even with his face so far away. The sheen of his skin was beginning to grow more concerning. But, he reminded himself, Chopper was just a few yards away now. Soon, this would all be over with, and everything would be fine. He'd treat whatever the hell this infection was, Sanji would get the rest he needed, and all would work out.
Before he knew it, he was running, his feet moving of their own accord. He was so damn close. Everything happened in a blur. Upon his request, Luffy stretched his arms down and took the cook from him, allowing him to free up his own and climb on board. Words were thrown his way, questions, concerns, but he heard not a single one of them. He could only watch as their doctor fussed over their chef.
The look in the small reindeer's eyes caused Zoro's insides to freeze over. As skilled as he was, even he appeared distraught and fearful of the sight. He changed into his human form and hauled Sanji away. He tried to go after them, but he was held back. By who, he had no idea. Whoever it was was adamant on him staying right where he was. Growing frustrated, he finally looked over his shoulder, seeing the face of his captain, arms wrapped around him a few times at least.
"Zoro," he ground out. "Stop, you have to stay out here, Chopper needs his space to work."
It was a rare sight, but it was the seriousness on his face that finally convinced Zoro to relax as he forced the tension from his muscles. He took a couple deep breaths before finally dropping where he was, taking a seat right there. "It's bad…" he muttered, as if the others didn't already get a sense of that. Anyone who had sight would be able to tell just how severe the infection was. Never before had he seen one that caused the skin around the wound to blacken...and at such a fast rate on top of that.
Even now, thinking about it made him want to vomit. He didn't want to accept it earlier, but now that it was in Chopper's hands now, he was willing to. Whatever it was, it was killing the man, right in front of him. At the rate it was accelerating and he was declining, he had no doubt he would have been dead if given a few more days.
"Chopper knows what he's doing," Nami assured, voice somewhat uncertain. "We just have to trust in him."
Zoro let out a heavy sigh. "I know that," he snapped, getting back to his feet. "Why should I be concerned anyway, it's that damn idiot's fault in the first place. No one asked him to do anything, and I sure as hell didn't ask for his help…"
He grit his teeth and quickly turned his back to the others to make his way towards the kitchen. No one stopped him, no one said a word. He made sure to give them all a warning glare to keep them at bay. The last thing they wanted right now was to get on his bad side when he was clearly on the verge of biting their heads off. He practically slammed the door behind him, making it more than clear he wanted to be alone
Once all was silent again, he took a shuddering breath and slowly released it. It felt like everything was finally hitting him at once. He didn't get it, why the hell did he care so much anyway? There was no understanding it, but for some reason the idea of Sanji actually dying… He ground his teeth and sauntered towards their stash of ale, pouring himself a generous amount. The moment he sat himself down at the table, he had downed half of it.
"Fucking idiot," he muttered between gulps.
He didn't like this feeling of caring so much, it was so much easier when he didn't give a single damn. In one more swallow, he finished off his drink and slammed the empty tankard down with a sigh and swiped the back of his hand over his mouth. But, there was no fooling himself, he knew he did care, a lot, maybe even too much. To think, it took something of this magnitude for him to finally realize it.
Zoro shook his head and leaned back to fold his arms over his chest. He closed his eyes, trying to find what little rest he could while he could. Because he knew the moment Chopper came back out with news, he likely wouldn't be getting any. Pushing his mug to the side, the swordsman placed his arms on the table and laid his head on top. He must have been more exhausted than he thought, it wasn't long at all before he could feel himself drifting off. And once that was hit, there was no chance of him fighting sleep any longer.
For what had to have been hours, the man was completely out of it. In the back of his mind, he could make out someone moving around him, could hear slight clatters, soft steps. Even felt something soft brush and drape over him. But he never woke up long enough to take a look to see who or what it was. It wasn't until he heard something being placed next to him and a sweet smell hit his nose that he really began to stir.
His eyes scrunched as he tried desperately to stay asleep, but the scent was calling to him, urging him to wake up. Slowly, his eyes cracked open, and the first thing he realized was the fact that the lights were on, meaning night must of already rolled in. The second was the steaming cup sitting less than a foot from his face. That explained where the strong, welcoming aroma was coming from.
With a low moan of annoyance, Zoro lifted his head, rubbing the side of it as it throbbed. It was then that he noticed someone else sitting just next to him. As he sat up straighter, something slipped from his shoulders, something that he already knew was a blanket.
"Finally awake huh?" the other man asked, voice laced with weariness.
The swordsman tilted his head at the tone. "Should you really be up?" he asked, trying his best to hide the relief from his own voice. He failed miserably, but the question was completely genuine.
Sanji took a sip from his own cup and gently placed it back down. "No, not really." At least he was honest. Zoro looked at the man more thoroughly, instantly looking at the bandages wrapped tightly around his abdomen. On the other side, he could see hints of crimson. "But, Chopper is asleep, and I couldn't take the quiet down there."
Zoro noticed he still looked like shit. "So, you decided to come up here and make tea?" he muttered, brow raised. "You really are as dumb as you look."
The blond didn't answer as he took another sip. Lines of pain still decorated his features. From the looks of it, it was taking all he had left to be sitting there now. "So," Zoro muttered, finally asking what's been on his mind, "how is it?"
For a second, Sanji looked confused, then he released a slow breath and an unconscious hand moved to hover just over his side. "Well," he started, quieter, "we were right about it not being good." His voice teetered between humor and bitterness. "I guess you could say...I was literally rotting." He shrugged nonchalantly, ignoring the mask of shock worn by the other. "He had to remove the dead tissue and start me on antibiotics."
Zoro didn't understand how he was saying all this so casually. "W-What…" he breathed out. Surely he didn't hear that right.
"Flesh-eating infection," the blond summed up, as if that would make it any easier to swallow. "But, it's fine, it didn't have time to do any fatal damage." As he got up to pout himself another cup, Zoro caught a glimpse of his side, and he immediately grew cold. Even through the bandages, he could see a slight indentation. It wasn't too obvious, but he could definitely make it out. There was no way he should have been walking around.
In a flash, he was by the cook's side, hand clasped tightly around his wrist. "I'm not going to make you go back to bed because I know your stubborn ass won't stay. But, I would appreciate it if you'd at least have some damn sense and sit the hell down." He didn't give the man the chance to reply as he pulled him along, back towards the table where he basically forced him to stay. Without another word, the swordsman plucked the cup from Sanji's hand and proceeded to pour the beverage himself.
Sanji lowered his head, both hands around the cup and jolted lightly as the blanket was now dropped around his shoulders. "What's this all about?" he asked.
"Returning the favor," Zoro replied flatly. "You're only in this mess because… of me."
The blond didn't reply, he just remained how he was, couple golden locks falling out of place. "I didn't think about what I was doing," he finally replied. Again, it was so casual. "If I didn't, I don't think I could live with myself knowing there was something I could have done. It was a natural reaction, it doesn't need to be repaid."
Zoro sat back down and finally took his own tea in his hands. "Is that so?" He slowly took a sip, closing his eyes as the taste coated his tongue. It was good, but that was no surprise. "I still didn't ask you to do it though."
"Well, too late for that now, isn't it?"
Sanji was really starting to get on his nerves now. "Yes, but don't you ever pull that shit again," he ground out. "Do it again, and I'll kill you mysel-" He stiffened, feeling the all too familiar weight against him. "What are you doing?" he asked, glancing to the mop of gold. "You know, if you're tired, which I know you are, you can just go to be-"
"Shut up." Zoro's eye twitched at the second interruption in the last minute. "This is more comfortable…"
The swordsman took another sip of his tea before setting it back down and wrapping an arm around the cook's shoulders. Pulling him a bit closer, he muttered, "Fine, but just for a little while. If Chopper finds out you're up, I'm not taking the fall for it."
"That's fine." Sanji breathed deeply, content. "Just a few minutes is fine."
Zoro just shook his head, unable to keep the amused smile from slipping onto his face. "Ok, a few minutes, but that's it. Chopper's not the only one disapproving of you being up." Sanji just hummed in response. The swordsman leaned his head over, resting it one the other's. "But...I don't mind if you'd rather sit here for a little while longer."