Wishfull-star: Thank you.

Shorter chapter this time. Also! I finally wrote another non-crossover/au story! It features recently turned vampire Luffy and dad Katakuri. Don't know when it will be posted! Enjoy~

Zoro was sitting next to Luffy's head when he heard some breathy gasps. He looked down to see Luffy's eyes were opened but he looked terrified, wasn't looking at Zoro. "Luffy?" He jumped from the noise.

"Zoro?" he asked. The older teen bit his lip but affirmed he was right there. "I-I can't see." Chopper said he had eye damage, but that it should heal. Zoro cut his arm with one of his swords and put it to Luffy's lips.

"C'mon, captain, drink so you get better," he said softly. Luffy grabbed his arm and started drinking deeply, breathing in a panicked way. He was clearly trying to push Zoro's arm away but was only pulling it closer to his mouth. He didn't stop until Zoro felt like he should. He easily pulled his arm away, and Luffy could see again! Everything was tinted pink, and his eyes were dry, but he could see.

He saw his boyfriend all bandaged. "Do you remember what happened? You were in a really bad shape, you know," he said softly, moving his hair out of his eye. It had been four days since the battle was over, and Crocodile was found, defeated and missing a lot of blood. But for some reason, it didn't show he was bitten, but just a bad knife wound. Which Cobra said hadn't been there before he left.

"I… Crocodile killed me again. Then I came back and I was so thirsty, cause I was dried out, and then I found a horse and drank for it and then got really sick. It hurt, and my eyes were bleeding. The marine girl… she was nice and tried to help me get medical attention. I threw up a lot of the horse blood and followed where Crocodile was.

"I don't remember much other than I drank a lot from him. I… I didn't even win the fight, Zoro. I only beat him because I was sick and deranged," he said, putting his arm over his eyes, so ashamed and disappointed in himself. Zoro kissed his hand and asked for the rest. "Then I was still really sick, but Miss All Sunday seemed to help me and I threw it all back up. I felt better after that but then passed out. Then I'm here."

He sniffled. "I'm so ashamed," he confessed. "I died twice, both times Miss All Sunday helped, but I didn't even win the fight. I'll always be the loser to him," Luffy finished. It was humiliating. He won, but in an underhanded way, and he didn't even remember it. The king walked in, and smiled at seeing Luffy awake.

"How do you feel?" Luffy asked what happened in the tomb. What he did. "You were very sick when you found us. In a very bad shape, but when you got Crocodile, it ended pretty quickly. It took almost no effort for you to defeat him. Yes, defeat. You attacked him and slammed his face into a pillar before you drank. Yes, I know all about it. Don't worry, I will tell nobody." Luffy nodded. "You did win. He lost because he was taken off guard. If he was aware, he could have won."

Zoro smiled. "It was a victory. Just not in the way you expected or wanted," he said kindly, thumbing Luffy's cheek softly. "Do you want to see everybody?" he asked. Luffy nodded. His hat was on the bedside table. He asked if he looked okay.

"You were bathed. No blood left," Zoro said. Luffy was wobbly on his feet but was able to walk. He headed with Zoro to the kitchen. It was lunch time. He smelled good smells and found the others at the table, all looking resigned. "Yo, somebody woke up." They jerked up and cheered at seeing him.

He smiled a wobbly smile. "Sorry for worrying everybody," Luffy said. "I'm glad you're all alright. Vivi, how's everything? The kingdom and stuff?"

Vivi smiled and said the country was already healing, everyone happier than they'd been in years. "It's also rained twice. The marines have come here looking for us - the pirates - but the guard kept them away. Crocodile was taken away by the marines. I heard they were going to say Smoker did it."

They were all sour, but Luffy wasn't upset. "It doesn't matter who takes the blame publicly. We saved your kingdom. Now you don't have to worry so much," he said, sounding more back to normal. Vivi smiled and nodded her head. Many were in bandages, and he asked for all of their stories. What happened to them while he was gone.

"Wait. What happened with Miss All Sunday?" Vivi asked sadly. "Nico Robin, I mean."

Luffy sat at the table, and clasped his hands together. "I never thought she was evil. The first time I lost to Crocodile, it ended with me being sucked into quicksand. Her devil fruit pulled me out of the sand, and she brought me blood. She knows what I am, at least a little bit, maybe where I came from. Then she left. I don't remember much after drinking the horse blood, but I do know she was there and helped me again."

The table was shocked. "Father said she was smart. Maybe she does know about you," Vivi said stiffly. "She did such horrible things to me, and I don't know if I'll ever forgive her, but I'm so thankful she was there for you," Vivi said with a warm, true smile. Luffy nodded, and then they all told him their stories. He was so proud of each of them for their respective fights and accomplishments.

Usopp firmly said he couldn't ever drink animal blood again. It was really bad. "I won't. I just had nothing. It was the only living thing in the area. I just… assumed, y'know? I guess it was the wrong assumption, huh?" They nodded. "I really am sorry."

"Just don't do it again and all is good. It's just a relief to see you looking and acting like yourself. If not a bit mopey," Sanji said with a smile. Luffy grinned. Then Sanji faltered, and looked at Zoro and Chopper.

"What? What's wrong?" Chopper said it while everyone looked awkward.

"Your appearance changed a bit. I think it was from the intense trauma your body went through in a short amount of time. You nearly died twice, hours apart, and didn't get any rest, just chugged some blood to get better. Then you were incredibly sick and injured." Luffy asked what changed.

Vivi came over with a mirror, and Luffy saw that a larger portion of his hair had turned white. At least, the roots had. Half of his hair had white roots. It was still black, but would grow in white. He lifted his shirt, assuming the change has to do with the other parts of him and saw there were a lot more markings.

His eyes were the same, thankfully. No slitted pupils. His canines were larger, though not excessively. Now it would be easier to bite things? "Well, it's not too bad, right? It's all covered, isn't it?" It wasn't too big of a problem. They all smiled in relief. "It'll be weird to have my hair like that, but I can always dye it."

They were all glad to have him back and cheerful, if not a bit distracted. "Hey, does anyone know who that marine girl was?" Luffy asked at a surprisingly calm and civilized lunch. Luffy was full of blood already, so wasn't hungry enough to snatch everyone's food away. Nami said she heard her name was "Tashigi". Luffy was glad he had a name for her now, and not Kuina look-alike. Luffy was relieved Alabasta was safe.

The captain had more check ups willingly, but everything was okay. He was healed up well enough to not need to worry. Zoro was really clingy, and so was Chopper. But it was fine. Hugs and cuddles were great. But the real feast was how they expected it to be. Loud and obnoxious, tons of food and uncouth manners.

The Straw Hats and Vivi had a great time, while the guards around were grossed out by the pirates and their manners. But Luffy had fun, and it was great food. He missed the Merry, though. Missed sharing the couch with Zoro at night. Sitting with him on deck. They would be leaving the next day.

The big question was if Vivi was coming. Luffy had taken Nami aside on their ways to the bath. "What are you gonna do about Vivi?" he asked. Nami swallowed and gave a sad smile.

"I don't think she'll come. We got really close, but I was careful. I knew she'd always choose her kingdom and family over us. So, I'm okay. You don't have to worry, promise. But thank you for deciding to help out Miss Wednesday." She hugged Luffy, which was surprising. Luffy pat her back. "And I'm so happy you're okay. It was scary."

Luffy gave a small frown. "It was like a repeat with captain Kuro. Where I attacked my opponent in such an underhanded way and won." Nami said that his win against Crocodile was not the same. He was strong, he took effort to fight and survive against. "I guess. It's still disappointing. I pictured myself punching him with my own blood covered fists! Yea, my blood burned him, but nobody else."

They were walking to the bathhouse again. "Weird. But interesting. There are still many secrets to your body it seems."

"I want Robin to tell me everything," Luffy said. "She's a good person, besides her knowing. She helped me twice. I would have died the first time if she hadn't been there."

Nami said she was grateful for her, then. They went to the separate bathhouses. Luffy kept a towel wrapped around him and so did Zoro for one another's comfort. Sanji teased them, but they were embarrassed about it and wouldn't be naked in front of one another. Vivi and Nami had no problem with it. Luckies.

The bathhouse was really nice, and Luffy mentioned he'd never been to one. "Really?" Sanji asked. Luffy nodded. He'd also never had an indoor plumbing bathtub before the Going Merry. "Man, how uncivilized."

"Sanji," Chopper said in disapproval. Luffy laughed it off.

"Nah, we were uncivilized. We lived in the jungle, after all," Luffy said, sitting in the water. He rested in the tub with Zoro, both still towels on, but relaxing against the side. Zoro washed his hair for him, and it felt really good. He smiled with his eyes closed, enjoying the sensation.

Then he washed Zoro's and then themselves, while everyone else peeked over the side to the girls. Gross. "Vivi is probably not coming."

"Yeah. I expected her to stay," Zoro said quietly. "And Nami got so close, too," he added in sympathy. Luffy said she had been happy, even if Vivi didn't come with them. "Yeah. Well, hopefully we'll find another female crew member, right?"

Luffy nodded. "Where do you think Robin is now?" he wondered.

"Dunno. She's been running from the government for 20 years, she has to be somewhere far away by now. You know she might have only saved you because you're interesting, right? She was pretty bitchy to all of us when we met. Even you didn't like her." Luffy nodded. But she seemed like she made herself unlikable. "Still. I don't think we can trust her. Even if she isn't long gone."

Luffy agreed. "She'd have to build it. With the others, we spent time together first. It was never on the way out. Still, I want to know more about myself," he said simply. He looked down on the intricate designs on his stomach and chest, and his face in the reflection. He touched the underside of his eye.

It had been terrifying to know he was crying blood. Why? He could see through his mouth and nose, but why his eyes, too? He wanted to know, but also was afraid to. Chopper didn't know. It was scary with his doctor not knowing what his body can do and does do. He wished he was normal.

"I like you not 'normal'."

"You'd like me if I was normal, too, right?"

"Of course," Zoro said, kissing his clean forehead. Luffy believed him fully. "Love you."

"I love you, too. Time to look for another adventure, huh?" Zoro nodded, smiling. Things were okay. Hopefully they'd get better and not worse. Hopefully Luffy wasn't dealt too much damage from drinking the animal blood.