Hello everyone! So I was in the mood for a hurt/comfort chapter. This has been running around my head for a bit, and I wanted to write it out. So here we go!
To say that Zoro woke up feeling like he had been run over multiple times by the sea train, then fed to the kraken, and spit onto a beach covered in poison ivy and thumbtacks would be an understatement. In short the man felt horrible.
Every sway of the ship sent his vision tumbling, resulting in his constant groping for a wall or railing in the effort of not falling over, although the swordsman had to admit that sinking to the floor and falling into a deep hibernation held a great deal of appeal for his poor aching body. His muscles hurt like he had spent the entire week doing nothing but harsh training without even breaking to sleep, though that was not the case. His throat burned, even as coughs ripped their way from his chest, and his nose was clogged beyond repair. Misery was his closest friend right now, it seemed, and Zoro was desperate to find a way to end the relationship.
He had made it most of the day without incident, excepting the strange looks he got from the crew when his façade of stoic normal slipped to reveal the tiniest shred of evidence that pointed to his physical wellbeing being less than perfect. But a huge storm had ruined any plans he had of making it to the end of the day with his disguise well intact, because after four hours of wrestling with the sails and bailing out water not to mention the lovely dip he took into the ocean to rescue his captain, Zoro was at his limit.
He didn't notice this of course, and had trudged into the warm galley for hot soup and a chance to dry off with everyone else.
Sitting at the table the man pinched the bridge of his nose as his eyesight tilted and blurred; silently hoping that it would go away with time if he just ignored it long enough. Sporadic shivers wracked his body, making the broad shoulders shudder, and the slowly drying material of his still mostly wet white shirt clung to his skin in an icy embrace. But the odd thing was, his face felt horrendously hot, which was strange because all Zoro felt was cold. The swordsman was torn between the agonies of wanting his body to be warmer, even as he wanted something to cool his flaming cheeks.
A strange buzzing began to ring around him, almost like the sound of a voice coming from a radio that was out of tune and drifting underwater, it was making his newly developed headache pound even harder, and Zoro mentally swatted the sounds away ignoring them even as he felt another tremor slink down his spine.
The buzzing continued however, as something heavy and blessedly warm was dropped across his shoulders from a delicate touch that brushed the nape of his neck as it situated the warmth around his body, only to freeze and fly to his face. A delicious cool spread across the skin of his forehead, and Zoro unconsciously leaned into the touch in a desperate claim of the soothing cold, trying to get as much as possible on his burning skin. The buzzing hit an all time high, and the swordsman let out a small agonized grunt, slowly heaving his eyelid up to at least half mast where it quivered from the strain of staying open, and he vaguely noted that a blurry shape slightly resembling Sanji was running a wash cloth under water at the sink, before wringing it out and rushing over. The blonds' face came into focus, and with features set in what could only be described as worried concern, the cook spread the cold rag across the back of the swordsman's neck, making his spine dance yet again as another shiver shook his frame.
The hand covering his forehead moved away, and had he been in his right mind, Zoro probably would have puked at the slight whimper that whispered past his lips at the lost contact that was fighting the furnace located under his skin. A small buzz came from his right, and the soft touch returned to his forehead, accompanied by two others covering his jaw line below his ears. The swordsman's eye drifted closed, and once again he allowed himself to lean into the soothing caresses, not really caring how he may look at that moment.
A gentle shake jostled his right shoulder, and Zoro turned his head and once again opened his eye to see Chopper staring at him sternly, the man noticed that the reindeer's mouth seemed to be moving, but all he heard was the out of tune buzzing. Giving it up as a lost cause, Zoro ceased trying to understand much less communicate with the diminutive doctor, and allowed his eye to flutter closed. The poking and prodding continued, refusing the green haired man the rest he so desperately wanted, only this time when he opened his eye he was somehow standing up, supported on either side by Sanji and Usopp as they carried him across to the infirmary. Feeling this also wasn't worthy of his concentration, which came at a painful cost anyway, the man shut his eye and drifted away allowing the noise around him to fade.
…
"Y-You got him?!" Usopp gasped, his legs quivering from the sheer amount of dead weight he was carrying.
"Yeah," Sanji nodded, his teeth grit in the effort of not dropping their resident swordsman before making it to the infirmary "you just focus on your side."
"Here," Luffy came around to pick up his nakama's legs in an attempt to help, and the three somehow maneuvered into the doctor's own personal sanctuary.
"Put him on the bed," Chopper instructed as he dug through his cabinets "Luffy, can you get some dry clothes? Usopp, fetch a couple more blankets. Sanji, I want a bowl of water and a rag."
The trio nodded to set off for their respective jobs, though Franky stopped Luffy short by handing him the needed clothes, and Brook had already prepared the bowl of water leaving Sanji to just need the washcloth.
Nami and robin hovered by the door, each of their features dark with concern "Is he going to be ok?" Nami asked softly.
Chopper looked up at the girls, and merely smiled "I think he'll be ok. The fever is pretty high, but I don't see any signs that would make me worry about his safety. It's probably just a small cold that got out of hand from exposure to the storm."
The female members of the crew released small sighs of relief before giving resolute nods "Then we'll leave him in your capable hands doctor." Robin replied in her usual soft tone.
"You idiot," The reindeer danced merrily "don't think that compliments will make me happy!"
Robin released a small chuckle before steering Nami away from the door to allow the other members entrance with their needed items. After accepting them, Chopper shut the door and set to work changing the now unconscious Zoro out of his wet clothes, and into the dry ones provided by Franky and Luffy. With that task taken care of, he covered the shivering man with multiple blankets, before draping a wet rag across his eyes. Quickly administering drugs that he knew Zoro would yell at him for, The reindeer finished up the memorized routine with a sigh.
Sitting back, the doctor assessed his patient, noting every ragged inhale and shuddering breath. The pale skin flushed with fever, and covered in a thin sheen of sweat, that twitched and trembled with each shiver that shook the muscular frame. Though not ideal, all in all Zoro wasn't too horribly off, Chopper had seen him live through much worse and this illness wasn't something to really worry about. He was confident that the fever would break and the chills would eventually go away, and despite being knocked down by the symptoms, Zoro would make a full recovery and live to complain about the impending fussing over he was doomed to receive. Settling in for a night spent in careful monitoring of his patient, the little reindeer patted the adopted older brother he so admired and loved, vowing to give even this small cold his best effort.
…..
Zoro pried his eyes open to squint at the early morning sun peeking through porthole windows, and his sleepy brain noted fuzzily that something warm and soft was attached to his side under his arm. His head wobbled, and the stray thought that he had been drugged pierced his brain with a sharp pang making the man wince, before he resituated himself on his side so to sink back into the mattress with a sigh of content. Chopper, for that's what it was, merely shifted in his sleep, subconsciously allowing Zoro to move before clinging to his chest with his own soft breath. The swordsman smirked, one arm reflexively moving to wrap around the furry body and cuddle it closer, he would never admit it but he had gotten fond of the way Chopper inevitably climbed into his cot every night. Zoro had never really had siblings, and he found the role of doting older brother a rather comfortable fit, something that he enjoyed indulging in when he had alone time with their youngest member.
Pursing his lips, the swordsman slowly came to the realization that he was never teased by the other members of the crew for his blatant (at least for him) favoritism with Chopper. The other men had never given him grief for the all too common mornings when they woke up to Zoro and Chopper cuddling in his cot, especially after nights when the reindeer in question had had a nightmare. The green haired man had his own way of interacting with the rest of the crew, and each person had laid claim to a unique and personal side of the swordsman that few others were allowed to see. Chopper just happened to get more of the softer side that he only gave in carefully rationed portions to the rest of the crew more often than anyone else.
One tired hand searched until it found the edge of his many blankets and pulled them up to his ear while he slithered deeper into the warmth they provided, and he buried his nose into nutmeg scented fur hugging his little brother just a little closer, and drifted back off into the sweet release of a drugged sleep. It honestly felt like it had only been a few minutes, but a soft shaking forced his eyes open yet again, and Zoro woke to late afternoon shadows, and his hot water bottle had abandoned him. Looking to the side where he was being shaken, Chopper stood with Sanji behind him holding a tray of aromatic food that immediately made his mouth water and stomach rumble in response.
"Zoro," Chopper exclaimed happily as he saw the green eye slowly come into focus "how are you feeling?"
Zoro blinked as he drugged brain slowly processed Chopper's words before giving the reindeer a gentle smirk "Better," he croaked "you did a good job, doc."
Chopper fell into his usual dancing routine all the while insulting the swordsman, and Sanji chuckled as he reached over Chopper, hovering the tray just slightly over Zoro's legs "Do you feel up to lunch?"
An emerald eye gazed blearily at the food in question, before giving an unsteady nod "Sure,"
Chopper shifted to heavy point so to assist the swordsman to a sitting position before the cook placed the tray across Zoro's knees, and the moss headed man fell to in careful deliberate movements that betrayed the drugs weighing his limbs down and making his normally precise motions jerky. Creamy chicken and rice soup accompanied by hot buttered rolls, Zoro's personal favorite comfort food that he preferred whenever he was under the weather, and smirk of approval quirked his mouth given Sanji the unspoken compliment to his cooking that was rarely (if ever) spoken aloud.
The cook grinned to himself, before wandering outside so to finish cleaning up the lunch mess left by the crew he had served earlier. Chopper watched Zoro eat a little longer before also leaving the man to the privacy of his lunch. The swordsman in question leaned back against the headboard, dipping a piece of bread roll in his soup, and popping it in his mouth with a happy sigh. True enough his crew was weird, yelled at him, teased him, and even physically abused him (particularly the sea witch) but they made up for it by the care and concern they showed when one of their nakama was hurt or in trouble. They were a family, and for that the swordsman was abundantly thankful.
So what did you guys think of that? I tried to put in some fluff between Zoro and Chopper which was requested by one of my reviewers, and I'm so sorry I haven't put enough of that in here. I'll make sure to remedy that!
REVIEW!