The last thing Zoro remembered before being rudely awoken by the shrill screech of joy from his captain was putting back his head and resting his eyes. When he opened them again the sun had risen and the deck of the ship was littered with frost. He instinctively put his hand over his chest expecting the small body of Chopper to be where his hand was only to stare down and find that he was alone. His hand hit his abdomen as his eye caught sight of several long brown hairs sticking to his shirt. He brushed them off quickly as he got to his feet and rubbed his forehead.
"Did you seriously fall asleep during night watch?" Nami's voice came quickly from behind Zoro. She was glaring at him. "Jeez we coulda crashed into that island if Chopper didn't come wake us all up!"
"Oh… There's an island?" Zoro asked.
Nami gave a groan and then a dismissive wave to Zoro before turning and heading to the front of the ship. Only now that he had woken up a bit he realized that tucked around his shoulders was a blanket that he did not have when he fell asleep.
"You shouldn't make a habit of falling asleep when it's so cold out," A voice came from near Zoro's legs. He looked down to see Chopper. He was wearing his backpack and gripped it with both of his hooves. He had a bit of a teasing expression on his face.
"You're one to talk," Zoro said with a slight nudge of his foot toward Chopper. "You fell asleep an hour before me, smartass."
Chopper giggled, and Zoro had to admit the sight of it distracted him from just how chilled he felt.
"I need a real jacket," Zoro grumbled. "I'll be back in a sec."
"Oh, alright," Chopper said just as Zoro took a few steps past him. Just as he was about to turn toward the cabin Chopper followed up with a shout. "Zoro? Do you wanna explore the island together?"
"Yeah, sure thing!" Zoro shouted.
His mind instantly pictured the way Chopper probably smiled by his simple response. He hadn't even thought about agreeing, really. In a way he sort of assumed it was a given that the two would stick together.
Zoro ran a hand through his hair and let out a groan as soon as he entered the boys cabin. He looked down once more to the hairs on his chest he hadn't been able to brush off. He wondered briefly just how much longer the two could keep it under wraps if he allowed himself to be casual enough to fall asleep with Chopper laying right on his chest.
Sanji was the one Zoro would want to have told about him and Chopper right before his worst enemy. He had mocked the cook endlessly about the way he fawned over the girls and how it was both creepy and a little desperate. He had openly told Sanji on several occasions that love was so stupid to waste your time thinking about so much.
Zoro paused on the last button of a jacket he had found. He realized he had just associated Chopper with such an intense feeling. It was the first time it had crossed his mind so clearly. He groaned again and pinched at the bridge of his nose.
He thought about the night the marines attacked for a second time. His mind had gone back to it again and again. He only remembered three things vividly. Chopper, the marine, and the gun pointed at his friend. It was such an intense rush the way his body had moved. He didn't feel the pain of the bullet in his arm until the marine's body had hit the deck. He knew then, perhaps pushed by Chopper's interrupted confession, that he too had been thinking similar things about the reindeer even without noticing it.
Zoro exited the cabin swiftly. By now an island was in sight. He saw a world of white just beyond the grey cloudy sky. The cool weather they had been experiencing for days now was finally rearing its ugly head in full. He made his way up to the front of the ship where most of the crew were waiting.
"I think I see buildings," Usopp said as he raised the goggles on his hat. "Jeez, I hope there aren't any marines here."
"Me too," Chopper said. He was below Usopp staring out through the railings toward the island. "Restocking on medical supplies so soon is already gonna blow my budget."
"Hey, do you wanna do your shopping with me?" Usopp asked.
"Oh, um… Me and Zoro kind of…" Chopper said before trailing off.
"We already made plans," Zoro said. Without warning he leaned down and grabbed at Chopper. The reindeer gasped as he was suddenly put right onto Zoro's shoulders. Chopper lightly dug his hoof against Zoro's ear to express his displeasure at being picked up without warning.
"Hey, no fair calling dibs on Chopper!" Usopp snapped. "Your jacket bigger than mine!"
"Did you just want me as your personal space heater?" Chopper snapped back.
Zoro didn't give much time for the two of them to bicker back and forth before he walked away and took Chopper with him. He wrapped his arms around Zoro's head and gave a slight grumble of protest that became muffled in Zoro's hair.
—
Once the Thousand Sunny had been docked near the village it was decided that everybody was free to roam until it was time for lunch, and then return to the ship. Unlike all the others Zoro didn't take Chopper into town. Instead he took a turn toward the thick forest toward the towering mountains.
"I can walk, y'know," Chopper said after the town was out of sight and all he could see behind him was trees. He was still sitting on Zoro's shoulders. "I was sort of built for this kind of land."
"Shut up and relax," Zoro said. He tightened his grip around Chopper's ankle and drug his thumb lightly against the sole of the reindeer's hoof.
"Mhmhmhm, fine!" Chopper snapped after a few moments of clear discomfort. Zoro released his tickling finger and chuckled.
It was unlike Zoro to be so blatant and playful, even when they were alone. He must have been in an especially good mood. Chopper buried his smiling face into Zoro's mossy green hair and resisted the urge to giggle.
They walked for some time. They didn't have to talk, which made Chopper happy. He enjoyed the silence where he could simply enjoy being so close to Zoro. He was able to lose himself in the smell the swordsman gave off as well as the warmth of his touch. They were mushy, romantic thoughts that he could probably never explain out loud without at the very least blushing. Still, they were his favorite times.
"Hey, Zoro," Chopper asked after a good ten minute stretch of silence. "I've been thinking lately."
"Thinking about what?" Zoro questioned. His voice was slightly strained as the way they had been walking was beginning to go uphill.
"About… dreams," Chopper said. It felt a bit silly to say out loud but he tried to press on without showing too much sheepishness. "Your dream and my dream, specifically."
"Yeah, well what about them?" Zoro asked as he lifted a branch up to Chopper so he could guide himself out of the way as the path got thicker and more narrow.
"Well, I know you want to be the world's greatest swordsman," Chopper said. "And… I—"
"Aw, what the hell?" Zoro snapped. It cut Chopper off and made him jump. "This is just some crummy hill! Those mountains over there are way bigger!"
"Huh," Chopper said as he glanced up over Zoro's head. He could see mountains on the clear opposite side of the mountain, but none near them. "Didn't you… walk right towards them?"
"Shut up," Zoro grumbled.
Without warning Zoro hit the ground by falling onto his butt directly in the snow. Chopper gasped and was forced off. He just barely kept himself from falling flat on his face. Zoro leaned back and let out a huge groan.
"Sheesh, Nami just had to wake me up from that damn nap," Zoro grumbled.
"I told you you didn't have to carry me," Chopper said.
"Can it, deer," Zoro growled before glaring toward Chopper. "What the hell were you saying about dreams? C'mere."
"Oh, um…" Chopper felt himself be caught off guard and struggled to recover. "It's nothing important."
Zoro gave a look that Chopper read as pure skepticism, but he didn't press the reindeer. Chopper let out a quick sigh and sat down right on the snow next to Zoro. The silence they shared was nice. The wind that blew at Chopper's face felt familiar in the strangest of ways. When he closed his eyes he could forget all he had been through since he had left his island, and it was easy to imagine his old life.
"Doubt we'll be able to make it to the mountains before lunch," Zoro said with a grumble. Chopper opened his eyes and saw Zoro stare out toward the tall peaks. "At least we're finally a hell of a long ways away from the others."
Chopper blinked. He hadn't thought about it until now, but he and Zoro hadn't actually been off the ship since their decision to be together. A few weeks was a long time, and their meetings were always sparse and with fear that somebody would spot them. There were times where Chopper couldn't stand having to be so far from Zoro stealing glances from across the ship, and other times the idea of the others knowing scared him so much he'd wait until the rest of the ship had been dead for hours before sneaking off to meet with Zoro.
Chopper moved closer to Zoro until he was sitting right up beside him. He was doing his best to keep his antlers from poking into Zoro while still remaining as close as he could. Zoro stared up at the sky while Chopper lowered his head and pressed his face into Zoro's coat.
Then the first snowflake fell and landed right onto Chopper's leg. He looked up with a start as the cool liquid melted into his fur and saw a mix of grey and white clouds litter the sky. He could feel his eyes widen and heart pound. The air felt chillier than it had been just a few moments ago.
"We gotta go," Chopper said quickly before scrambling up to his feet.
"Huh?" Zoro asked with an annoyed expression. "Don't you got any sympathy to let me rest a minute before I turn into your pack mule again?"
"Zoro, I'm serious," Chopper said. "Please."
Zoro was frowning, but after a moment of staring into Chopper's eyes he simply nodded his head and got to his feet. Chopper felt a wave of relief hit him only for a moment before anxiety began to kick in. Quickly he turned himself into his reindeer form and nodded to Zoro.
"Follow me," Chopper snapped.
Zoro followed Chopper the best he could. His legs while strong and speedy weren't nearly as suited for the harsh climate like Chopper's were. It only took them about a minute of walking before it became evident that they were running out of time. Thick clumps of snow were falling down in flakes.
"The hell did all this snow come from?" Zoro asked. "It was fine just a damn second ago!"
"Look for shelter," Chopper said. His eyes scanned his surroundings quick. He was hoping he was wrong about his gut instinct, but the shape and color of those clouds were all too familiar. Quickly he spotted a large black opening of a cave about thirty feet away.
"C'mon!" Chopper said and charged again. Zoro was just barely able to keep up as they ducked into the cave. Chopper's hooves hit the cool stone and before he had even stopped running he had turned back into his regular form. Zoro was behind him and breathing quick.
Chopper turned and saw not only Zoro in the mouth of the small cave, but also a wall of pure white behind him. The snow had grown so quick so fast that he struggled to make out the trees just ten feet from the cave's mouth.
"You could've just said snowstorm," Zoro grumbled with a cough before pressing his back to the wall of the cave and sliding down to a seated position. His breath was quick. "Gave me a damn heart attack."
"Sorry," Chopper said with a bit of guilt in his tone. He approached Zoro slowly and put his hooves on the swordsman's arm. "It's a white flash. They hit really fast and really hard. I thought they only happened back on my island, but I saw all the signs a minute ago and…"
"It's fine," Zoro said before putting his hand on top of Chopper's hat. He looked back out toward the now storming outside. "We found shelter… but how long until these things normally blow over?"
"Um… a few hours," Chopper said. "Usually not more than three."
"Seriously?" Zoro groaned. "So much for making lunch."
"Just worry about staying warm, okay?" Chopper asked. "It'll be over soon, we won't starve or anything, but it's gonna get really cold soon."
"I noticed," Zoro said as he rubbed his hands up and down his sides. "You mind getting over here and sharing some of that fur?"
Chopper blinked and stared, as it took him a moment to understand what Zoro was asking for. After the swordsman gestured to his lap he got the idea.
"O-Oh, yeah, sure," Chopper said. He got close to Zoro and seated himself down on the swordsman's lap. Zoro made a noise as he wrapped an arm around Chopper's front and pulled him up to his chest. "I'm probably not all that warm with you bundled up, though."
"Are you trying to get me to take my clothes off now?" Zoro asked with a chuckle.
"I'm gonna pull my doctor card on you if you don't stop teasing me," Chopper mumbled. "It's just common knowledge that you only warm up with body heat. Your coat is too thick for me to help with that."
"If you insist," Zoro said. His tone made Chopper think he was probably rolling his eyes, but still he listened. He undid his jacket and opened the sides to put around Chopper. Soon the reindeer was pulled even closer to Zoro until his back was pressed right up to the thin shirt the swordsman wore. The scent of the swordsman from the inside of his jacket flooded Chopper with both warmth and tingling sensations.
"B-Better?" Chopper asked. His voice trembled but he tried his best not to show it.
"Better," Zoro said.
—
An hour had passed, and still the outside of the cave was thick with a blanket of white. Zoro let out a long breath as he once more tightened his grip around Chopper. His ears were beginning to feel numb, but for the most part Chopper had managed to keep him warm. Zoro had focused on controlling his breath as well as his thoughts in silence. Chopper had done his best to snuggle up inside his coat, and he stared out of the cave.
"You think the others are worried?" Chopper asked.
"Doubt it," Zoro said. "They know I wouldn't die in something like this. Plus, you're sort of built for this weather."
"Do you think they're all okay, then?" Chopper pressed.
"I heard the others talking," Zoro said. "They all said they were gonna stick to the town. They're either on the ship or huddled up in some store waiting for this to pass, I bet. Don't worry so much."
Chopper gave a slight nod of his head, yet his gaze didn't drift away from the exit of the cave.
"I used to get really scared when these hit back on Drum Island," Chopper said. His voice was quiet, and barely audible to Zoro over the rushing and violent winds outside. "Sometimes I went to try and find herbs and plants for Doctorine on my own, and one of these would hit. She always got upset with me when I finally got back. I think she was just worried."
"She was worried for a reindeer dying in the snow?" Zoro asked with a chuckle.
"It happens," Chopper said with a hint of seriousness in his tone. He glanced down again. "Normally reindeer bundle up together when they hit. The whole herd gets close and looks like one big furry blob."
"That makes it easier to wait out?" Zoro asked.
"I think so," Chopper said, though his words trailed off. He looked down away from the snow outside. "My herd didn't… I never got close to them when it stormed like this. I usually just found caves like this to hold up in."
Zoro grew quiet. Chopper rarely talked about his life before he had eaten a devil fruit. It was difficult for him to imagine Chopper as anything but what he was now, and the idea of a reindeer who couldn't speak nor understand his own words felt alien.
"Zoro?" Chopper said after a few moments of silence had passed.
"Hmm?" Zoro responded.
"Everything's gonna be different when we tell the others, isn't it?" Chopper asked.
Zoro didn't answer, not at first. He would be lying if he told Chopper no, that it would all be the same. He would also be lying if he said he hadn't thought about it, because the thought had lingered on his mind.
"Yeah," Zoro said. "It's gonna be weird for a bit."
"I thought so," Chopper said. He sounded melancholy and distant.
"It's gonna be fine," Zoro said. He ran his hand along Chopper's belly and pressed his chin down to the top of the reindeer's hat. Chopper made a noise that told Zoro he was unconvinced. There was a weight on the reindeer's shoulders that Zoro could almost feel.
"I like things how they are," Chopper said. "I like listening to Usopp tell stories and Brook play his music. I like how loud everybody gets when we're eating dinner and all trying to talk over each other. I don't feel like people stare at me the same way they did before I met all of you. I feel… happy. I don't think about how different I am as much anymore."
Chopper trailed off for just a moment.
"I don't wanna go back to hating myself like I did before," Chopper said. "You and the others all make me feel normal. I don't want that to change when they find out."
Zoro ran his hand over Chopper's chest in a circular motion. He could feel the tenseness in the reindeer's muscles throughout his entire body. Zoro shut his eyes and focused only on his breathing and the warmth of the reindeer bundled so close to him.
"You know you won't be alone when you tell them," Zoro said. "No matter how they all react I'll still be with you. I'm not gonna abandon you like that."
"I know," Chopper said. He raised his hooves and put them over Zoro's hand.
"If anybody has a problem with who I'm in a relationship with I'll slice them a new mouth to talk shit out of," Zoro said with a slight chuckle.
"Relationship?" Chopper asked. Zoro could feel the heart of the reindeer beat rapidly against his palm. "Is… Is that what we're doing?"
"Don't get all mushy on me right now," Zoro said as he ran his hand up and pulled down Chopper's hat by the brim to cover his eyes. "We still have another hour to wait out and I don't think I'm ready to have you cry on me. I'm drained on the emotional stuff for today, alright?"
"I-I wasn't gonna cry!" Chopper snapped.
"Sure," Zoro said with an unconvincing chuckle.
"I-I'm not happy just because you wanna date me, you jerk!" Chopper snapped. He was squirming in Zoro's jacket despite his words struggling to turn himself around so he could wrap his small arms the best he could around Zoro's body.
"Ass," Chopper grumbled.
"Yeah," Zoro said as he rolled his eyes and ran his hand under Chopper's hat to feel the soft hair on top of his head. "I am."
"J-Just because we're… d-dating doesn't mean I won't go sit on the other side of the cave and let you freeze," Chopper said. His words were trembling, and it was clear the happiness he felt was starting to overwhelm him.
"You know you don't have to act like you aren't happy," Zoro said with a chuckle. "It's only me here."
Chopper made a sound of annoyance, and buried his face deep into Zoro's chest where the swordsman could no longer see his face. Zoro ran his fingers through the fur on the back of the reindeer's head and smirked to himself.
"You know, you are kinda cute when you get all pissy," Zoro pressed.
"ARRRUGH!" Chopper cried out and dug his hoof into Zoro's gut. "Stop itttt!"
The reindeer wouldn't stop squirming, and it was hard for Zoro not to start laughing. Chopper tried to snap at him to knock it off, but it became quickly evident that his own happiness was about to win over and he simply settled against Zoro's chest and tried his best to hide his face so Zoro wouldn't see him smile.
At most they had a few more hours before they were able to leave the cave. Zoro let out a sigh and hugged Chopper close to him. For once he didn't care about his own affection going too far, and simply enjoyed how it made him feel.