Fever
Disclaimer: Don't own it!
Chapter 4: Fever Broken
Thank you so much for your patience with me updating these fanfictions! I still don't have any access to the internet other than the occasional trip to my uncle's house for a few hours once every few weeks. I'll do my best to updates as often as possible and thank you so much to everybody who took the time to review!
"No!" Zoro shouted, diving to the floor to scoop the boy into his arms "No Luffy! Don't you dare!"
The swordsman couldn't believe it. Luffy couldn't be – he wouldn't believe it, it was impossible! Hadn't they just been about to cure him? They had! It couldn't end like this! This was Luffy they were talking about! Luffy. Did. Not Die!
Slowly Zoro realised the wetness running down his cheeks. He was crying. The rest of the crew followed suit as the tears began to flow. They begged for Luffy to be okay but he wasn't … he was dead.
"NO!" Zoro thought angrily "I promised him! I promised him I wouldn't let him die! I CAN'T let him die! I … I … need him…"
"You're not dead!" Zoro cried grabbing Luffy's hand and holding it close to his chest, "You can't be dead!" he sobbed as tears ran freely down his face.
Sanji turned away. He disliked Zoro, but no one should have to go through that kind of pain. Ace's teeth were gritted, his hands clenched as he held onto one last tiny shred of hope. Chopper ran into the room and stopped at the door. He took one look at Luffy and the book that was in his arms dropped to the floor. Usopp quickly grabbed the little doctor and pulled him into a tight hug. Nami's lip was trembling but she couldn't stop her tears from falling as Zoro rocked Luffy's limp body in his arms.
"You're not dead..." he whispered, cradling Luffy's head in his lap "You're not" he sobbed and then shuddered. "Fine. I love you, okay? I love you damn it!" he cried and pressed his forehead to Luffy's. "Come on. I know you can come back. Please? … don't leave me …. Don't leave us … we still need you" he whispered.
Aurelias watched for a moment hoping that it would still work the emotional display in front of her even made her tear up a little. She hoped this would work. Her own nails began to dig into her palms as they waited.
Seconds passed, turning into minutes and slowly Zoro lowered Luffy's unmoving body to the ground.
"He's not coming back…"
"You!" Zoro cried, pointing at Aurelias "You said he would come back if I said it! I said it and he didn't come back!"
"Did you mean it?" she replied past the lump in her throat "Is it too late now? Don't let me down swordsman"
"I did!" Zoro practically screamed "I love him with all of my heart!"
Aurelias's eyes widened as Luffy suddenly took in a deep gasping breath. His chest once again started to rise and fall. Zoro's head slowly turned back to his Captain, and he just watched as Luffy took in deep breath, after deep breath of air.
"Heh" Zoro grunted and then a smile spread across his face, "Ha! I knew it!" he cried,
Happiness beyond anything he had ever felt before was seeping through him. He squeezed the boy closer to him until he groaned slightly in pain making the swordsman release him again.
For minutes they all just stared at the sleeping boy before Zoro stood up and gently placed him back on the couch. His hands balled into fists at his side as he eyed his captain and scrubbed away any evidence of his previous tears.
"Don't you ever fucking dare do that to us – to me again!" he shouted, even though he knew the boy couldn't hear him. The rest of the crew were silent.
Slowly but surely they all collected their wits and turned back to the old witch, still waiting patiently behind them. She had a smirk on her face with her arms folded across her chest. A throaty laugh escaped her lips and the crew turned towards her.
For the first time Chopper took a long and hard look at the woman in front of him. He had been stealing glances at her for the entire time that she had been there, but was completely distracted by Luffy to really look at her. Suddenly his eyes widened and he gasped – she looked just like – exactly the same eyes as-
"Ace!" Chopper suddenly cried "You have the same tired eyes as Ace!"
The crew looked from the reindeer to the witch in curiosity, moving a bit closer to see if they could identify what the little doctor had. After a few seconds they all mumbled agreements.
"Who are you?" Ace asked curiously "Are we … related?"
Aurelias cackled lightly and ran a hand across Ace's cheek.
"That, my boy" she smirked "Is for another time"
She raised her arms and the Going Merry was engulfed by a blinding light, and when the light vanished, she was gone. Ace looked around but there was no sign of her.
"Well that was lame" Sanji stated, trying to hide the sniffle that had broken loose at the end of his sentence with a cough
"She didn't even answer any of our questions!" Usopp protested
"She was freaky man." Ace said. Sanji chuckled.
"I'm going to make us some lunch." he said but it was plainly obvious he was going upstairs to just get rid of his tears.
How it was obvious? Well, it was kind night time and sort of not the time for lunch. Not to mention his smoke had just run out. Chopper squeaked and ran over to Luffy, hooves clicking on the floor. He just had to make sure the boy was once again okay.
Usopp followed, scrubbing at his face. Zoro sighed and leaned against the couch, Luffy's hand still in his. Usopp stopped in front of him and Zoro glared up at him.
"Yes?" he asked. Usopp shook his head.
"Nothing." he replied to the question, and looked down at Luffy's sleeping form.
The boy seemed to be getting better with each passing second. Colour was returning to Luffy's cheeks and his fever was going down. Chopper giggled.
"Love!" he cried and then launched himself at Zoro and gave the swordsman a gigantic hug before running up the ladder, squealing happily.
Usopp smiled and followed. Zoro stayed where he was. He wasn't moving any time soon. Nami gave him a sly smile and wink before leaving and Ace just laughed outright before joining her. Zoro just knew he was going to get teased for this by them later. There was a soft sigh and Zoro looked up to see Luffy's eyes fluttering open.
"Luffy...?" he asked softly and then got onto his knees to lean over the smaller boy. Luffy smiled.
"Hey Zoro" he croaked, eyes slipping in and out of focus. Zoro smiled.
"Thought I lost you there for a minute buddy." he said. Luffy grinned.
"Nah … I'll always come back." Luffy replied. Zoro chuckled and there was a silence.
"Is what you said true Zoro?" Luffy asked softly. Zoro paused.
"You … heard all of that?"
"Yeah … it ws like I was traped iside, but I could see what was going on … was it true?"
"...of course." Zoro replied, the words coming from his mouth before he could even think. It was probably better that way. Luffy smiled.
Zoro leaned forward as Luffy craned his neck upwards. Their lips met in a shy first kiss. Slowly Zoro's hand wound its way into his captain's hair and YANKED IT!
"Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!" Luffy screamed as he bolted upright "What was that for!"
Sanji smirk and released his hold from his captain's hair.
"It's about time you woke up you little shit!" he grinned "We've been worried sick about you!"
"Wha?"
"You've had a bad fever for days now Luffy" Chopper offered "You got really sick and … you almost died … but … now its okay right?"
Luffy blinked once and then twice, looking around the room at the smiling faces of his Nakama. It was all a … dream? He glanced once more around the room and his eyes widened as they fell on the old witch, Sirchana D. Aurelias. She gave him a quick wave with an arrogant smirk and vanished from his sight.
"Hey old hag!" he called angrily "Don't leave yet! You didn't answer my Nakama's questions!"
The rest of the crew followed Luffy's gaze to the empty wall and raised their eyebrows.
"Oi – you better not be talking to Nami" Sanji warned "Or you really will die!"
"Not Nami!" Luffy protested "The hag that was in the corner – she's gone now though"
The crew exchanged worried glances.
"Maybe he does need more rest" Sanji muttered, walking out of the room "I'll go get the soup"
There were a series of muttered agreements from all around and Luffy grinned. His grin widened further as Ace walked in the room followed by Zoro, who had gone to get the dark-haired man after Luffy had shown signs of waking up.
"Ace!" the boy cried excitedly as he jumped out of bed and swayed dangerously on his feet. Before he had a chance to fall, Zoro was there with his arms wrapped around his waist to steady him.
"You okay captain?" he asked worriedly
Luffy looked into Zoro's eyes for second before grinning widely and turning to face his first mate.
"I love you Zoro!" he stated happily
The crew gasped as Luffy pushed forward, pressing his lips to Zoro's before the swordsman had a chance to do anything but stand there. It was a chaste kiss, but a kiss nonetheless. Ace smiled. He had kind of suspected this from the moment Luffy had introduced him to his Nakama. The boy had shown a particular fondness for the green-haired swordsman. As long as his brother was happy, he didn't really care what decision he made in life.
Nami burst out laughing as she quickly whipped out her camera to get a few shots of the two kissing. Usopp grinned and covered Chopper's eyes with his hands, even against the little reindeer's protests he refused to move them. Robin simply smiled that mysterious smile of hers.
Zoro blinked once and then twice. Somehow Luffy had managed to wrap his own arms around Zoro's and was now grinning cheekily at the man in front of him.
"Don't worry" he smiled "I already know you love me too, you don't need to say it!"
Zoro just continued to blink, and that was how Sanji found them when he walked back into the room, Luffy's soup in his hands. He shook his head, muttering about 'gay swordsmen being more subtle' which inevitable broke Zoro from his stupor.
With a fierce growl the swordsman spun on his heel, releasing Luffy who trotted over to his brother. The rubber boy watched as yet another fight broke out between his cook and first mate ad a soft smile touched his lips.
"You okay little brother?"
"Mmm" came the sleepy reply as Luffy leaned his head against his brothers shoulder "Great"
Luffy really didn't know if that old woman was a figment of his imagination or not, or if all of those things had really happened or were a dream, but right now it didn't really matter. He had his Nakama and he had his big brother and he had his Zoro and that was good enough.
Epilogue still to come. I know I could have put it in this chapter, but I thought that this was a good place to end the chapter. Hope you liked.
