I do not own anything besides these words and the cover art.

Zoro coughed as the smoke rose from the pot. He cursed and ran to open the balcony door to vent the burning smell. Suddenly a knock came from the door, and Zoro groaned at the newest distraction. All he wanted to do was make Sanji's soup, but it involved over 50 steps and patience was not Zoro's virtue. Regardless, Zoro was pleased the smoke finally cleared but the knocking did not. He rushed to the door and swung it open.

A doughy woman with a perpetually smile held Brook by the ear. Beside her was a young and vibrant girl, who wore her green hair in pigtails that stood upward, with its end as giant puffs. Her sandals and a short white shirt over an orange and red striped dress contrasted the older woman's white conductor outfit and a giant hat. By the girl's feet was a light blue and cream-colored cat that looked like a rabbit, with long ears and a cottontail. The cat scampered inside between Zoro's legs and the girl chased after it and screamed, "Gonbe! Come back!"

Zoro barely had time to stop her when the larger woman stumbled in, her face fully flushed and she incoherently said, "Is this your laundry?" She dropped the big basket down. All the items Zoro brought down to wash looked folded and clean, with Nami's various panties right on top.

"Y-yes", Zoro mumbled as he tried to move it away from the strange people who invaded his-Nami's space.

The woman gurgled, "I knew it! You hear that, Brook? You disgusting panty thief!"

Brook chuckled but winced as the woman held onto his ear, "Yohoho-Ah, I told you, Madam Kokoro. I was simply taking them up!"

The girl finally appeared by Zoro's side, the cat-bunny creature in her arms. "Stuffed inside your jacket, Brook? You filthy pervert!"

Kokoro chuckled as Chimney grinned, "You see that, Brook? Even Chimney knows your bullshit. Besides, you never steal my panties."

Brook shrugged and spoke without humor, "I don't need old lady-"

Kokoro shoved him out of the door with a kick of her boot. "And stay out you old fart!"

Zoro blinked as he took in the scene and now Kokoro and Chimney stood in the foyer of Nami's apartment. "Um-" he started, but Chimney cut him off.

"Hey, hey! What are you killing in here, Zoro?"

Zoro was taken aback by the sudden address the girl gave him and Kokoro laughed, though she looked highly intoxicated herself. "Yeah, young boy. What are you attempting to cook?"

"I-I am trying to make soup. Nami is sick so…"

Kokoro pushed Zoro aside and went into the kitchen. "Oh, goodness. Well, no wonder! You're doing everything wrong. Chimney, run up to the apartment and grab some meat and broth. Then get the hearty vegetables and bring them down." Chimney ran out of the apartment with a frenzied energy.

"Now, wait-" But Kokoro stopped Zoro's protests.

"Brook said Nami was sick." Zoro nodded, and Kokoro continued, "Does she have children under 5? Is she older than 65? Pregnant? Have a weakened immune system? Chronic illnesses such as asthma, heart disease, kidney disease or diabetes? Obese or with a body mass index of 40 or higher?"

"Um, no, how can she be all those things at the same time?"

"You silly boy, no. I mean does she fit any of those criteria?"

"Uh, no. Not that I know of?"

"You don't know if your wife-"

"No, no. She's not my wife."

"You're living with a woman who is not your wife? You've changed her clothes and are intimate, but are not married?"

"Yeah, I mean…what's it to you, old lady?"

Kokoro grinned, and Zoro swore he smelled alcohol on her person but he needed the help. Even if it was a from a frog-looking woman and her hyperactive kid. "Move over, son. Let me help you before you kill your girlfriend."

Chimney came running back with the ingredients and handed a small bundle to Kokoro, "Here you go, grandma. I got the sick kit, too."

Kokoro smiled and opened the package. She took out a small bottle and took a swing of it, to which Zoro complained, "Hey, are you just here to get drunker?" Chimney chuckled but handed him a thermometer, to which Zoro looked at it confused.

Kokoro slurred her speech, "Okay, boy-o. Go get her temperature." Zoro continued to look at it as if it was a foreign object. "What? You've never taken someone's temperature?"

Zoro shrugged, "I don't get sick."

Kokoro scoffed and waved him away, "Go on. Just put that in her mouth for a minute, preferably under her tongue. Or would you like me to go into your bedroom, too?"

Zoro shook his head and opened the bedroom door slowly. Nami was nestled in the sheet, her forehead glistened with sweat and Zoro cursed. He did not want to have to change her yet again, especially not with people present. He quickly walked over and wiped at her forehead with the back of his hand, and she stirred beneath him. "Mmm…Zoro? Why…why am I so hot?"

Zoro smirked, glad that she managed to actually recognize him now. "You're running a fever, I think. Here, just put this in your mouth so I can take your temperature."

Nami fluttered her eyes and chuckled dryly, though she coughed all the way, "Hehe, that sounds like that start of a…of a…dirty movie."

Zoro smiled and sat beside her as he put the thermometer in her mouth, "You would know, wouldn't you, witch?"

She talked with the tube under her tongue, "You…you wish."

Zoro moved the hair out of her face and took a towel to dry her neck and forehead. "I just wish you'd get better."

Nami seemed to doze off but managed to mumble, "Then say you won't let go."

Zoro pulled the thermometer from her lips and tried not to acknowledge the feeling in his gut. The one that told him to hold her as close as he could. It made him imagine them gray and old, still laughing and joking…still happy. Still in love. He shook his head of the silly thoughts as he heard a clatter in the kitchen. He backed away and let her go back to sleep and closed the door quietly behind him. Zoro returned to see the kitchen in more disarray, but instead of smoke filling the air, a delicious scent went to his nostrils. He handed Kokoro the thermometer and she looked at it with a grin, one still plastered on her face from what he could only assume was booze.

"Yup, she does have a fever. It's over 100.4 Fahrenheit. So, good thing I came when I did. What have you done?"

"Well, I mean she sweated through her clothes and blanket so I had to change her and gave her a quick bath since she threw up on herself."

"Oh my, goodness. Unwed hormonal kids!"

"Hey! Don't get the wrong idea here." Zoro blushed.

"I'm sure. Okay, let's get some fluids in her and something warm. That should help keep her healthy while her body recovers."

Zoro nodded as he stood beside Chimney and was directed by Kokoro to cut whatever that needed to be cut. Gonbe constantly went between his legs, so while Zoro cut, he would shout and yell at the cat, which only brought bubbly laughter from Chimney and a drunken chuckle from Kokoro.

Kokoro finally spoke again, "You're just like a boy I once knew."

"I'm not a boy." However, the comment only earned him a swift slap to the back of his head and Chimney smirked.

Kokoro continued, "Nope. Just like him. Stupidly headstrong. Only drank Coca-Cola. Surprised he didn't blow up like a balloon from all the sugar."

"Like you?" Zoro muttered, which made Chimney laugh again.

"What you say?" Kokoro threatened with a wooden spoon, but Zoro backed away and focused on his work.

Kokoro watched Zoro interact with her granddaughter and beamed. "Nonetheless, he would have been 34 now."

"Wow, you're old." A spoon collided with his head, and Chimney nearly fell over in glee.

"Say something smart again, you ungrateful bastard," Kokoro promised but went back to her soup. Her eyes seemed to drift away as she stirred. "He wasn't my son…but he practically was. Knew him since he was four."

"Hmm, I understand the feeling. I was practically adopted, too", Zoro said as he tossed the vegetables into the pot.

"And her?"

Zoro stopped for a moment but went back to cutting. "She…she had a family, too…and now, she has…"

"You?"

Zoro glanced at the woman and tilted his head in agreement. "Yeah, I guess. She's my…family now, too."

"Just put a ring on it and let's make it official, huh?" Chimney piped in with Gonbe in her arms.

Zoro rolled his eyes, "I told you, we're not like that."

"And I'm not drunk," Kokoro said sarcastically.

"Wait, what? You were drunk this entire time?" Zoro put the knife down and looked at the woman with wide eyes but she put a spoon filled with hot soup in his mouth. Zoro groaned and fanned his mouth from the heat, but as it died down, he licked his lips in enjoyment.

"Okay, soup should be ready. It has a bit of a kick to flush out whatever is holding her back. Chimney sometimes hates taking medicine or her food, so when she's sick, I put her in my lap and feed her. It helps."

Zoro scoffed, "Yeah, Nami is not a child."

"And you're not her grandmother….you're her…" Kokoro suggested with a wink.

"Yeah, I get it. Okay, thanks so much."

Kokoro collected her things and pushed Chimney to the door. "She's young and healthy, so seasonal influenza usually isn't serious. Although she may feel miserable while she has it, the flu usually goes away in a week or two with no lasting effects."

"That's a…real relief, Mrs.-"

Kokoro turned and brought Zoro in a big hug, his head lost in her chest. "Please, Zoro, just call me Kokoro. And if two ever need anything, just come up to the seventh floor, kay?"

"Yeah, Zoro! You can play with Gonbe, my cat!" Chimney held the animal up to Zoro.

Zoro responded emphatically, "Again, that's a rabbit."

"Let the girl live her life," Kokoro chortled as she put the girl and her cat out the door and turned to leave.

"Yeah, thanks again," Zoro said.

Kokoro turned around when she was finally outside, "And remember, she should be taking antiviral drugs within the first 48 hours after you first noticed symptoms so that you can reduce the length of her illness and help prevent more serious problems."

"Yes, got it. Soup and pills. Got it," Zoro said emphatically.

"Good luck, boy. She looks like a fighter."

"She is," Zoro said with a grin and closed the door. He sighed with relief at the peace and quiet. The apartment smelled wonderful, so he went to the kitchen and filled a bowl for Nami. He carried it carefully as he opened her door. She was still fast asleep.

Zoro came by her side, put the bowl down, and nudged her. "Nami…Nami, come on. You need to eat."

Nami groaned and turned in the bed, "No."

Zoro tried to flip her, but it was hard to get a good grip on her. When he finally managed to turn her, she would not sit up to take the soup. "Come on, Nami. Don't act like a kid."

Nami stuck out her tongue but she looked loopy. Zoro finally placed the bowl back down and pulled her sheets. Now, Nami was more aware and she tossed around, "What are you doing?"

Zoro climbed in behind and had her settle against his chest, "Well, you're acting like a child, so I guess I need to treat you like one."

Nami chuckled, "By crawling into bed with me? Pervert."

Zoro wanted to shout at her stupidity, but he figured it was her illness making her much more irritable. He picked up the bowl and blew on the contents and he brought the spoon to her mouth. She tried to twist her head away, but his chest stopped her from moving anymore, so she gave up and opened her mouth to eat. Nami turned to look up at him with a strange smile. "What?" Zoro asked, thinking he said or did something that made her uncomfortable.

Nami shook her head and went back to eating. "I just…I don't remember the last time someone took care of me. Belle-mère was a Marine so she would always say tough it out…but the second one of us got sick, she dropped everything to take care of us."

"Sounds like a good mom."

Nami nodded, her eyes getting wet, "She was…the best. But her soup was crap."

Zoro laughed and Nami loved the way it made her bounce against him. "Hey, hey…who made this soup?"

"What? Don't believe I can cook?"

Nami chuckled and cleared her throat, which was still sore. "No…just don't believe you could do it so well."

Zoro told her about his day. About the cat that looked like a rabbit and the woman that looked like a frog. How Brook tried to steal her underwear, and how a girl named Chimney thought he was the funniest person ever. Nami smiled at each word and felt lighter as she snuggled into his hold more.

"Now, was that so hard?" Zoro asked as he fed her some more and became her new pillow and bed.

Nami licked her lips, in pain but certainly hungry since she could not remember the last meal she ate since Friday. "You're lucky I'm…I am starving, ass-hole. And you're warm."

Zoro chuckled, "That's cause I'm wearing this stupid pink outfit of yours."

Nami groaned about him stretching the fabric, but Zoro put another spoon of soup into her mouth. He continued to feed her until the bowl was empty. He put it back on the nightstand and grabbed the bottle of aspirin Koroko left him and pushed it into her mouth. He handed her some water and began to move, but Nami turned to lay her cheek on his chest. She got comfortable and went right back to sleep. Her quiet breathing no longer rattled, but she was still warm. Zoro did not know what to with his hands until Nami took an arm and wrapped herself with it. Zoro snickered but went along with it. He would have to tell her all that she made him do, but for now, he held onto her and laid his chin atop of her head. Zoro drifted to sleep soon after her, content with not letting Nami go.

Music Inspiration/Theme: "Say You Won't Let Go" (Boyce Avenue Cover)

Ya know me likey those covers/remixes! Also, yayayaya, cuddle time with ZoNa:)

I'm just saying...all the fluff is a happening...a maybe crying. Happy/sad crying.

XoXo shipfiend