Reiju dropped him home after the shift. Zeff had tried to pay him for the hours he'd done but Zoro had refused.

Arriving back he'd barely made it to the door before it swung open to reveal Rayleigh who pulled him quickly into a hug.

The embrace was desperate, the old man clearly having heard the voicemails left for him by the police.

A hand came to rest on his cheek as he was checked (fussed) over.

"Zoro! Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine, Rayleigh, I promise."

But his foster father still looked worried.

"I'm sorry."

You have nothing to ever apologise to me for.

"What for?"

"Not being there for you when you needed me earlier."

"Rayleigh…"

"I bet all your friends' parents came and got them, and then I'm too busy sleeping to come get my own kid."

"Sleeping because you have to work tonight, there's a pretty big difference."

"Zoro, where have you been?"

"The Baratie."

That seemed to catch the old man off-guard.

"What?"

"Reiju, uh, Sanji's older sister came to get him because they were working at the restaurant that night and I wanted you to get as much sleep as you could so when she asked if I wanted to join them I said yes."

"That old bastard, he better not have said anything to you!" Rayleigh quietly growled, protectiveness seeping off him in waves.

It made Zoro smile.

"It's okay, he was alright."

"Alright?"

"I had to kick some customers out and he thought I'd fucked up and pissed them off somehow, but it's nothing major. All that happened was I got demoted from waiter to chore boy so it's fine." He smirked, hoping the old man would see the humour rather than continue to be annoyed.

His foster father's hand came to softly land in his hair as he gently stroked a hand through it.

"What happened to your boat, bud?"

He shrugged.

"I have no idea honestly, one second it was fine and we were a little out at sea, and then the next water was gushing in and we just had to jump."

"Well I don't want you-."

"Rayleigh…" He paused the mother-henning. "The boat sank, I'm not exactly going to be getting on it anytime soon so chill."

The old man smiled before pulling him close once again and holding him against his chest, stroking a hand up and down his back. A kiss was pressed to his crown.

"Thank god you're okay." Rayleigh's tone was soft and painfully quiet and yet so full of fear.

Narrowly escaping suspension from the Principal thanks to the stupid boat incident was a lucky break for them, but no one celebrated, not even a little.

Everyone was quieter than usual, even Luffy and they all knew why.

Vivi.

Zoro had gotten a text after he'd arrived from the Baratie.

'I heard from the police that you saved my daughter. What you did was incredibly brave so thank you.'

He'd never expected her Dad to contact him but he appreciated it all the same as he sent one back denying the need for thanks because they were friends.

Sanji had been almost silent the past few days and it was starting to worry him.

Zoro flopped backwards on the bed.

Reiju joined him, adjusting her pillow behind her before exhaling deeply.

"So…" She grabbed her plush and wrapped her arms around it as she stared up at the ceiling. "…are you gonna' tell me what actually happened with those kids you kicked out?"

"There's nothing to say."

"Sure…"

"They were just being assholes so I told them to leave."

"No offence Zoro but you wouldn't get mad if anyone called you something so I'm finding it a little hard to believe your answer."

"Reiju…"

"There's no getting out of it so spill."

"Fine; they were from our elementary school, and my uh, my middle and high too."

The elder sister's eyes widened.

"As in the ones who used to…"

"Yeah."

"What the hell?! Who the hell do they think they are waltzing into the Baratie like that when Sanji's there?!"

"I don't think they'll come back."

"Those fuckwits better not even think about it. Thanks for getting them out before my brother saw them though."

"It's fine."

Reiju sighed.

"Has Sanji said anything to you?"

Zoro shook his head.

"He's not been himself at school."

"Damn, he has been here too. I'll try talking to him tonight to see if I can weasel anything out of him, he usually opens up to me. I have an idea what it might be but I'm not 100% sure." She turned to him. "Don't worry; he just gets a little quiet sometimes."

"I hate it when he's quiet it's weird, he's usually calling me an idiot or berating Usopp for something."

Reiju chuckled before a soft smile came to her face.

"All you can do when he gets like this is not let him retreat into himself; he wants to talk and will if you talk to him, he just sometimes needs a little push, he's been that way since he was a kid."

Getting home he walked in to find Rayleigh asleep upright on the couch.

Weird.

The answer machine was flashing with a new message. He pressed play.

'Hey Rayleigh, it's Roger, I'm just checking in to see how they're doing. We're all missing you at work; it's been quiet without you. Call me when you get this and we can just talk. My thoughts are with you.'

Zoro furrowed an eyebrow.

Has Rayleigh not been going to work?

He walked over and gently placed his hand on his foster father's shoulder.

"Rayleigh? Rayleigh?"

A little groan followed.

"Zoro?"

"Yeah it's me. Are you okay?"

He watched as the old man gingerly pushed him up before rubbing his eyes.

"I'm fine, just tired, that's all."

"You've been tired a lot recently, are you okay?"

"Of course I am, you don't need to worry about me." Rayleigh attempted.

Zoro took a breath.

"Please don't lie to me."

The smile fell away from the old man's face before his expression became serious.

"Now I just want to say that there's nothing to worry about, it's probably not going to be anything."

He really didn't like where this was going.

"But I went to the doctor's last week and they did some tests, I'll find out the results tomorrow."

Zoro tried to hold back a gasp before he quickly sat down next to him.

"I'll go with you."

"No no no, you're not going with me."

"Why not?"

"You have school."

"So what?!"

"Zoro, this isn't up for debate, you're going to school and that's final, the Principal of that place doesn't need any more excuses to kick you out."

He took a breath.

"What did they test for?"

"You know, all sorts of things, they were quite broad."

"But they must think it's something?"

"They're not sure so they didn't want to make any guesses just in case."

"Well you need to tell me as soon as you find out, okay?"

"I'll tell you when you get home, deal?"

Zoro reluctantly nodded.

"Fine."

He practically raced home the next day; fear a powerful motivator to run the entire way. Sanji had been worried but he'd tried his best to reassure him.

Rushing inside, Tashigi was in the living room with an exhausted looking Rayleigh.

Neither of them had noticed him.

"Rayleigh…"

"He is my son, I can't just leave him."

Zoro's eye widened.

'Son'

"And you can't look after him right now, not with the treatment you need, you know that? Does he even know?"

"He thinks I went to the appointment today, I said I would tell him when he got home."

"And are you going to?"

A silence followed for a few seconds.

"I don't know."

"You've got to."

"I can't."

"Rayleigh he deserves to know."

"Tashigi…"

"And you need to accept the treatment they offered you."

"No."

"Rayleigh this is serious, you-."

"I won't leave Zoro alone, I won't do it."

"He won't be alone; I'll find somewhere he can stay until…"

"You are not moving him again, he deserves better than that."

"We have no other choice; you're sick and wearing yourself out is only going to make things worse. Zoro will understand, don't leave him in the dark on this."

Zoro couldn't stay quiet any longer.

"Rayleigh…"

His foster father looked like a deer in headlights as he slowly walked into the room.

"What's going on?"

"Zoro…"

"This isn't just some bug so don't lie to me!" His lip wobbled. "Please… just tell me."

Rayleigh took a breath.

"When I told you I was feeling drained and sleeping a lot I wasn't lying, but I already went to the hospital a week ago. They said I had…"

He couldn't remember much about what happened next but as he came back to himself he was on the floor with his foster father's arms wrapped around him. Tashigi was kneeling in front of him with a bowl.

When the hell had he thrown up?

Rayleigh gently stroked a hand through his hair as he cood soft reassurance.

"It's okay, you're okay, kiddo."

But all Zoro could do was cry, not even sure what to say. He didn't want to leave the old man he'd come to love like a father, but there now was the real chance he could actually lose him forever and that terrified him.

He didn't want to be alone again.

But he couldn't be selfish, Rayleigh needed treatment.

Tashigi disappeared off before returning a minute or so later with a glass of water and a smile on her face.

"Drink slowly, sweetie."

He nodded before taking a sip.

"Thank you."

Zoro weakly pushed himself to his feet before stumbling towards the hallway.

"Zoro…" Rayleigh called after him.

"I… I need some air."

"Zoro wait!"

But he didn't stop.

The second he was out the door…

He ran.

The next half-an-hour was a blur, all he remembered was desperately texting Sanji asking if they could meet at the park. Sat amongst the grass he felt a finger prod him on the shoulder before the blonde came into view next to him.

"Hey!" He smiled before it melted away.

Do I really look that bad?

"Zoro?"

He tried to shake his head against the concern but it clearly didn't achieve much because the blonde only moved closer, his expression becoming ever more worried by the second.

"I'm fine." He attempted, fooling no one.

"Zoro, there is something really wrong and I need you to tell me so I can help."

"You don't need to-."

"And don't even say anything about not deserving it, you're my friend and I care about you." The blonde sighed. "So please… what's going on?"

And with that, he broke.

A sob escaped from his lips before he buried his head as he tried to hold back the tears threatening to fall.

Sanji's eyes widened.

"Zoro…"

"'M scared… I'm so scared."

His friend gently took hold of his hand and squeezed it in reassurance, his tone soft as he asked…

"Okay, what's got you scared?"

"I don't want to be alone again."

"You're not alone, you've got all of us and…"

"Rayleigh's sick."

He watched as Sanji's expression fell.

"Like really sick, they think he'll need to be hospitalised and I-" Zoro struggled to force the words out. "I can't…" His voice was barely a whimper as he took a breath. "I don't what I'm going to do."

It hurt him to admit that but in the back of his mind he already had an answer.

He knew exactly what he would do.

But Zoro couldn't deny that there was a part of him who didn't want to.

And it was all because of Sanji.

Breathing was becoming difficult.

"Zoro… look at me… you're okay…"

The blonde's hands came to rest on his cheeks.

But he was nearly hyperventilating as he felt the panic attack coming on; engulfing everything without any chance of being freed-

Sanji's lips came to press against his own.

The shock broke him immediately from any thought of panic.

The blonde leant back looking sheepish as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Sorry I just…"

That felt amazing.

"…Reiju always used to do this thing whenever I was having a panic attack where she'd find some way to shock me out of it…"

Wait… am I gay?

"I mean not anything scary like a fright just something as a distraction and I panicked. I'm really sor-."

"Thank you." He interrupted the blonde's muttering.

Sanji smiled.

"No problem."

Zoro took a breath.

I'm pretty sure liking a guy kissing you makes you gay, dumbass. Now kiss him back!

"Sanji."

"Yeah?"

Rushing forward his pulled the blonde close as he returned the gesture, placing his hand on his cheek and closing his eyes.

As they finally pulled away Sanji blushed.

"I thought you weren't gay?!"

Yeah same here.

"I don't really care what I am as long as we can do that."

The blonde looked confused before breaking out into a chuckle.

"That's really cute."

It was his turn to become a bright shade of red.

Sanji got to his feet.

"Come on."

They headed towards the gates of the park.

"So what do you want to do?"

"Could-." Zoro stared at the ground. "Could I stay at your place tonight, I… need to clear my head a little before seeing Rayleigh again."

"Of course you can."

"Thanks."

"You can stay for as long as you need."

Sanji held out his hand.

He smiled before taking it.

"I've never told anyone this, but Zeff got real sick once too. He had a tumour and it spread giving him secondary bone cancer in his leg. He was… well he wasn't good but he told us that he kept fighting and pushing through all the crap it threw at him because he was determined to get back to us. He was more scared of leaving Reiju and I then he was of the cancer and he ended up beating it." Sanji spoke proudly. "They amputated his leg in the process but the old man hobbles around just fine, most people don't even notice he's wearing a prosthetic in the first place, but he's usually barking orders so you're more likely planning the best kitchen utensil the stab him with."

Zoro smirked.

"What I'm saying is, Rayleigh is a tough guy and if there's anyone in this world he's got to live for it's you, he loves you to death. He's going to get through this and so are you; we're all here for you, me, Reiju, and the Straw Hats."

Those tears finally made an appearance.

Sanji smiled.

"Come here you big softie."

The blonde pulled him into a soft, reassuring hug.

"Thank you."