Sometime after the time skip.
One cold night, the water was still, and the moon was bright, the thousand sunny was quiet, everyone was asleep like usual around this time. Brook was the only one awake due to him being on the nightly watch.
Luffy was tossing and turning while gritting his teeth when his rubbery foot launched its self-right into Zoro's back sending him flying.
Zoro stood up ready to go mad at his captain but before he could he noticed the sorry state Luffy was in, tears running down a swollen face, pain riddle moans and grants were leaking from his mouth, to make the matter worse a sorrowful voice uttered out "ace". Zoro put his anger aside for he knew what this was all about, how could he be angry at the poor boy, his Captain, that's suffering.
Zoro grabbed Luffy's hand with a gentle but firm grip, pulled it to his forehead while whispering calming words. Zoro placed his free hand on Luffy's head, gently patting him trying to calm him down.
The tears and aggressive movement subsided. The boy with the tears-stained face slowly woke from his torturous sleep.
Luffy followed along his arm to finally lock eyes with a green-haired swordsman. It was silent for a moment until Luffy whispered "sorry" with a broken voice. Luffy sat up and leaned into Zoro and said thanks, snuggling his head into the nook of Zoro's neck.
Zoro leaned into Luffy's hug and said, "There's no reason for you to be sorry or for you to say thanks." Once Luffy was comfy he ushered the word "warm," as he wrapped his arms around Zoro's neck and legs wrapped around his waist, Zoro stood to readjust Luffy a little before gently laying down, Luffy still within his arms.
Once settled, Zoro compassionately rubbed his big, calloused hand in small circles on Luffy's back, hoping it would bring comfort to his mournful captain.
"Was it the same one," Zoro slowly asked with a gentle tone, not wanting to intrude too much.
"Yeah... I thought this was over ...these nightmares but it still haunts me... He was right there, right in front of me, I thought that things... We almost made it out, almost won. I'm weak," more tears ran down Luffy's cheeks, staining the already stained face more.
A regretful voice filled Luffy's ear as Zoro uttered "I wish that I could have been there, by your side, even if I wouldn't have been any help, I wish that I had gone through it with you at least, to share this burden of pain," Zoro finished, wanting to take the agony away from the boy in his arms.
Luffy sat up, and gave Zoro a smile, putting their foreheads together, "Silly, you and everyone else we're busy getting stronger so we could kickass next time someone gets in our way... But yeah... I wish you were there, right by my side," Luffy readjusted himself back into Zoro's arms and mumble something about meat before he was sound asleep in Zoro's warm embrace.
Zoro whispered, "sweet dreams," as he slightly shifted into a comfier spot with the smallest of movement, so he didn't wake Luffy up.
Soon both were asleep and not to be woken until breakfast.
Nami walks into the kitchen ready for breakfast, happy to see Sanji in his normal good mood and to see Robin and Usopp already sitting at the table ready for delicious food to come.
Sanji greets her as usual, but something was different, it was too quiet, really quiet for food time, Nami looked around and then realized that Luffy was missing.
Robin realized that Nami was looking for their captain and thought she would put Nami's concern to rest, "It's okay he's still sleeping, it seemed to be another bad dream. Zoro comforted him last night as it seems from what Sanji was telling me," Robin finished, hoping that the nightmare wasn't too much.
"Luffy's wrapped in Zoro's arms, so we'll let them sleep a little longer," Sanji adds as he put a plate of food in front of Nami, glad that the swordsman was not ruining his view of the ladies.
