Title: Nightmares

Rating: PG

Warnings: "Angsty" Luffy, shounen-ai

Pairings: Zoro x Luffy, of course

Disclaimer: You know the drill.

Nightmares

Luffy has a nightmare and needs Zoro to comfort him.

Luffy looked down at the faded, blood-stained black bandana in his hands. Whose was this? It wasn't his. It looked like Zoro's. Why did he have it? Zoro was sitting right there next to him. Why was it so bloody?

"Zoro, what happened to your bandana?"

"I bled on it."

"Well, yeah. But why?"

"I couldn't help it. I was shot."

Luffy looked up at Zoro, concerned. "Well are you okay!"

Zoro smirked. "Yes, I'm fine now. It doesn't even hurt anymore."

"Good. I'm glad you're okay, Zoro. Because . . . I don't know what I'd do without you."

Zoro's face fell. "Luffy. . . ."

"What? What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry. . . ."

"About what? Zoro? Zoro!" Luffy reached out to grab his first mate, but his hands closed around air. He couldn't see Zoro anywhere; it was as if he had evaporated. . . . "Zoro? Zoro!"

"Luffy, wake up. For the love of . . ."

Luffy gasped and shot upright in his hammock. "What--"

"Calm down. It was just a nightmare." Luffy looked over into his first mate's slightly annoyed face, but the swordsman's expression quickly changed to one of concern. "Luffy, are you all right?"

"Huh? Yeah, I'm . . ." Luffy felt wetness on his cheek, and was embarrassed to realize that he was crying. He hastily brushed the tears from his eyes. "Yeah. I'm okay."

"Then why are you crying?"

"I'm not crying!"

"You just were."

Luffy shrugged. "I had a really bad dream is all."

Zoro raised an eyebrow. "Bad enough to make you, of all people, cry?"

"Well, it was confusing, but . . . I think you died." Luffy's eyes filled with tears again. "I don't want you to die, Zoro. Don't die. . . ."

Zoro grinned and ruffled his captain's hair. Luffy sniffled and shuffled forwards to hug the swordsman. "Don't leave me. . . ."

Zoro hugged his captain closer to him, and Luffy sighed in contentment. "Don't worry, Luffy. I won't die. I still have to become the world's greatest swordsman, and see you become the pirate king."

Luffy sniffled again. "Promise?"

"Yes, I promise. I won't leave you. Now get some rest, okay?"

Zoro started to go back towards his hammock, but Luffy wouldn't loosen his embrace on his first mate. "Don't go. . . ."

Zoro blinked, then he sighed and climbed into the hammock with Luffy. Luffy snuggled up against him, burying his face in the swordsman's chest. "You . . . ?"

Zoro wrapped his arms around the younger boy and planted a kiss on his cheek. "I promise you, Luffy, I will not leave you. Now go to sleep. I'll still be right here when you wake."

OWARI--