"Everyone, gather around!" yelled Nami from the deck. Everyone dropped what they were doing and walked over, except for Zoro, who Sanji had to kick in the side to make him stand up from his laying position.

"We'll be reaching an island by toni-"

"Ooh an island! What kinda island?! Is it a meat island!" asked Luffy with stars in is eyes and a little drool coming out of his mouth at the thought of meat. Sanji bonked him on the head.

"Don't interrupt Nami-san while she's talking!"

"Thank you, Sanji-kun. No Luffy, it isn't a meat island. But, it has a very dangerous insect which you should look out for."

"What, an insect? That's all?" Luffy whined disappointedly.

"Shut up and listen! This wasp is very dangerous! If it bites you - yes bites, it has teeth - even once, you nerves will go crazy! Your body will start madly hurting all over until the nerves give out, and if it isn't treated properly or in time you could stay paralyzed for the rest of your life or die!" Nami was really angry and worried by Luffy's lack of fear for such dangerous things. But she knew she should have expected it from him.

"Nami" Luffy said seriously and she raised her head to look at him, not remembering when she lowered it in the first place.

"Don't worry, Nami. We'll be fine. Shishishishishi." he said with his wide, toothy smile.

"Even if you say that..." but the others were already back to their earlier activities. All except for Zoro, who put a hand on her shoulder in a reassuring manner.

"Don't worry Nami. I'll watch over him." he said and walked away, probably to take a nap or train.

Nami smiled at his antics, but couldn't help the nagging feeling in her gut. Something bad was gonna happen.

Evening came quickly and Sanji announced it was time for dinner. Luffy flew through the door of the galley, almost crashing into the table Luckily Sanji was there to stop him. Unfortunately for Sanji, he did it with his own body. Unintentionally.

"Shitty rubber, why can't you walk in like every normal person!?"

"Oi, don't yell at him, ero-cook!" Yelled Zoro, coming to poor Luffy's rescue.

"You say something moss head?" yelled Sanji back and let go of Luffy who calmly walked over to the table, sat down and began inhaling the food.

Nami came through the door and, seeing the two fight, bonked them both on the head for being idiots. The three of them walked over to the table, two of the m sporting big bumps on their heads, and sat down. Luffy burst out laughing, almost chocking on the meat in his mouth.

"What are you laughing at you brat?!" Zoro yelled, sounding a little more than irritated.

"But Zoro, you look so funny! Ahahahahahaha!" Luffy was laughing so hard he had tears streaming down his cheeks sand almost fell out of his chair a few times.

"Stop laughing, damn it!" Zoro slammed his hands onto the table and stood up. Luffy stopped laughing . Zoro sounded pissed and... upset. He looked at Zoro curiously with a hint of serpiousness.

"What's got you so riled up Zoro? I was only joking, ya know."

"So I'm that funny, ah? Well see if I come to your rescue again, then." Zoro said bitterly and walked out of the room.

They sat in silence until Usopp spoke.

"What's up with him? Like this has never happened before."

"Yeah. it's a little weird, and it's not like him to get so easily offended." mused Nami.

Luffy stood up and walked to the door.

"I'll go talk to him." he said and exited the galley.

Luffy walked onto the deck and looked around.

"Where would Zoro go, hhmm... Oh well, I'll just have to search the entire shi- Oh an isladnf! Everyone, island!" Luffy yelled and forgot why he was outside and not eating in the first place.

The three that were still inside eating went out to see the island, and Luffy heard someone in the men's quarters move to the door but not open it. So that's where Zoro was.

"We should probably wait until morning to go and explore the island. The map says there should be a village on the other side." said Nami.

"Hai, Nami-swaaaaan!" swooned Sanji, something about Nami being beautiful when she's explaining things. Luffy heard Zoro move to the door once Nami was done.

"Usopp, it's your turn to take the night shift. Noe if you'll excuse me, I have to get some beauty sleep. Good night, boys."

A chorus of 'Good night Nami (swaaan)' was heard and they split up; Usopp to the crows nest, Nami to the women's quarters, Sanji to the kitchen to clean up and Luffy to the men's quarters.

When Luffy walked into the room, Zoro was already in his hammock, asleep. Even so Luffy walked over to Zoro and stopped beside him, Zoro's back turned to him.

"I know you're awake, Zoro." but Zoro didn't even twitch. After a while Luffy left Zoro's side, lay down in his hammock and promptly fell asleep.

Zoro turned onto his other side and cracked open an eye. When he saw that Luffy was asleep, which was already apparent by his already loud snoring, he closed his eye and fell asleep as well. For real this time.

The next day was cloudy and Nami said it will rain in a few hours, but Luffy didn't mind as long as he got to explore the island. Usopp declared he had a I-can't-go-to-a-dangerous-island-with-a-dangerous-insect disease, which only got him a laugh from Luffy.

When Nami declared Zoro and Luffy were to be paired together, Zoro looked at Luffy for a second before turnign his head to look elsewhere. Luffy looked at him curiously for second the dashed into the forest, intent on exploring every inch of the island. Zoro grumbled something under his breath and went after him. He kept track of him only for a while and then... got lost. What a surprise.

"Damn it, where'd that idiot run off to?"

A few miles form Zoro's current location as Luffy, who decided it would be cool to make his own bug collection. So with his hands full of bugs he darted around, looking at different bugs. The majority of the bugs actually looked pretty normal, contrary to the other islands they've been to, but after a while he came across an insect that looked like a mix of a bee, a wasp and a... turtle?

"Oooh so cooooool!" he reached to grab it and when his hand got close enough, it bit him. he immediately snapped his hand back in pain.

"Ow, that hurt, stupid bu- ah" he gasped when a surge of hot pain passed through his body, and then another, and another... and he screamed.

A few miles away, Zoro heard the scream and started sprinting in the direction it came from, his instincts kicking in. The screaming continued and Zoro started praying -for the first time in his life - for Luffy to be okay. But the screams only increased.

When he got there he found Luffy sprawled on the ground, trashing around in pain, a trail of blood mixed with drool coming from his mouth. Zoro crouched down next to him, but when he tried to touch him, Luffy screamed louder if possible, the nerves reacting to the touch.

"Damn it, what do I do! He reacts to a single touch, so I can't carry him. Dman it!"

Luffy heard Zoro and made himself talk, although it hurt like hell.

"Zoro... do it... I'll endure it..." he managed to say between gasps and screams.

"Are you su-"

"Cap *gasp* captains orders."

Zoro nodded and picked Luffy up, unable to oppose direct orders of the captain, quickly sprinting in the direction of what his instincts told him was the village.

It seems his instincts were correct and he soon he ran out of the forest and onto one of the streets of the village. He ran over to the nearest person to ask for a doctor.

The nearest person, a young woman with long auburn hair, told him that the little hospital was on the other side of the village. She started running and told Zoro to follow. Luffy seemed to have lost the energy he had and would scream now and then if something really hurt, and it pained Zoro to hear the strangled screams. He told Nami not to worry, That he would watch over Luffy, but he was 'too busy' being angry for no good reason. And because of that Luffy will die if not treated properly. He could feel tears gather in his eyes at the thought of his captain, his whole world, dieing.

The woman, as if sensing his despair, spoke.

"Don't worry, we always have patients that were bitten by the wasp. How long ago was he bitten?"

Zoro calculated the time for a moment before answering.

"I would say about forty minutes minimum." at the answer the woman gasped.

"Forty minutes?!" she yelled but didn't stop running.

"Yeah, is that bad?"

" Let's just say you've got a reason to worry now."


It hurts... pain... so hot... help... it hurts... Zoro?... Zoro!... apologize... didn't... gotta apologize... apologize for what?... Zoro... angry... it hurts... it hurts so much... so painful... Zoro... Zoro... didn't tell... gotta tell Zoro... love... pain... hurts... I... apologize... tell... Zoro... so painful... love... please... make it stop... Zoro... angry... why?... Zoro... help...

"We're losing him!"

It hurts... please... make it... stop...

"His heart rate is going down!"

Gotta... didn't tell... Zoro... love...


Luffy opened his eyes and gasped. He frantically looked around the room, looking for someone. When his eyes landed on a familiar tall man with green hair, his breathing calmed and he sighed in relief. He moved to sit up but... the 'move' part kinda didn't come. Luffy felt a pang of panic.

"Zoro, why can't I move?" he asked tying to sound calm. Zoro didn't say anything. Luffy felt another pang of panic.

"Ne, Zoro, say something!"

"... you're paralyzed, Luffy." Zoro said. Luffy's eyes widened.

"What?"

"The doctor said the poison was inside you for too long. The nerves are damaged, and there's 1% chance of you getting better." Zoro said in a monotone voice.

"So? That's still-"

"You could have died! We don't have a doctor on the ship and had there not been a village on this island, you would've been dead now!"

Luffy, half expecting Zoro to say this, spoke calmly.

"Zoro, you're right, I could've died. But I didn't. Because you were there and you didn't let me. And even if I am paralyzed, there's still that 1% chance, and I'm gonna use it. There's no way I could give up on becoming the Pirate King." he finished with a wide smile.

Zoro stood still for a moment, soaking in the words, before smiling a small smile.

"Yeah, you're right, captain."

"Yeah, and we will be right next to you in your recovery."

Luffy and Zoro looked to the door where Nami, Sanji and Usopp stood with smiles on their faces.

"Nami, Usopp, Sanji!" Luffy said with a wide smile at seeing the rest of his crew.

"And Luffy..." Nami said with a questioningly sweet smile.

"Hm? What is it N- OW! Nami, that hurt! Why did you do that!" Luffy now had a new bump on his head.

"You idiot! What were you thinking, going around gathering bugs when I told you there was a dangerous insect flying around!?" Nami tried to sound angry, but failed with Luffy smiling up at her. So she decided to direct her anger at a certain swordsman, who tried getting away while she was occupied with Luffy.

"And you! Don't think I forgot about you! You promised to look after him, but not long after that you go and get angry and forget all about it. And look what happens!" Nami was slightly panting by the time she was done yelling.

She looked at Zoro and expected to see a scowl directed at her, but she was surprised when she saw a very rare expression on his face. His eyes were filled with guilt, his hands were clenched into fists by his side and she could see blood on his fingers, and he wasn't looking at her. His gaze was directed at Luffy, who curiously looked from her to Zoro. After a while, Zoro turned and walked out of the room.

"Ne, Nami, it wasn't Zoro's fault, you know."

"I know, Luffy. And I feel guilty about saying all that, but someone had to say it. And now it's your turn to cheer him up." she looked down at Luffy and smiled.

"Eh~ why me?"

"Because I say so. Now if you'll excuse us, we gotta go do something, now don't we. Usopp, Sanji-kun?" Nami sent a meaningful stare at the two of them.

"Of course Nami" "Of course Nami-san."

"Naaah okay. But bring me meat later, okay!" Luffy demanded, his stomach reminding him he missed lunch.

"Will do, captain." said Sanji as he walked out. Nami stopped at the door and turned her head to look at Luffy.

"And Luffy, be sure to tell Zoro as soon as possible, or he will go crazy, okay?" and with a small wink she walked out and closed the door.

Some time passed after the others left and Luffy was starting to get bored. But sadly the only thing he could do was lay down and sing along some songs that played on the radio. But that got boring pretty fast. Luffy was about to call for someone to entertain him when his keen hearing picked up the sound of footsteps in the hallway. The person stopped in front of the door and hesitated a little before turning the knob and walking in. And woe and behold, it was Zoro, who looked much calmer then when he left.

"Where were you Zoro? I was really bored~" Luffy whined, but there was a little teasing tone there.

"I was... busy." Zoro said as the thought of how much time it would take that half of the forest to grow out again.

"Hey... Luffy..."

"Hm?"

"I... I'm sorry... for getting angry at you... and-"

"Don't, Zoro." Luffy said firmly." It wasn't your fault, I was careless. So don't apologize. Captains orders."

They looked at each other for a few moments before coming to a silent agreement smiling at each other.

"Hey Zoro, I gotta tell you something."

"Hm? What is it?"

"Come closer."

Zoro moved to stand next to the bed.

"Closer." Zoro bent down a little.

"Closer." he bent down more, and it went on until their noses were touching.

"I love you, Zoro." and with more willpower than strength, Luffy raised his head a few last inches and kissed Zoro on the lips.

Zoro was a little surprised at first, but then responded with putting some pressure into the kiss. When they parted, Luffy gace him a big and warm smile. Zoro gave a smile of his own and gave Luffy a little eskimo kiss.

"I love you too, Luffy."

THE END.


That took a hella lot time to type. Review and tell me what you think, and tell me if you maybe want an epilogue. If you do want an epilogue, tell me if it should have some lime and lemon... :D

Now that that's taken care of, Jarg is out!