Of Straw and Steel
Summary: Zoro was always warned of the dangers of falling for the Captain's daughter. He just never imagined the dangers that came with falling for the Captain herself. Oneshot series on people's reaction to the Captain and First Mate's relationship.
Chapter Warnings: It's Chopper so it's pretty innocent!
Chopper used to hate the title "monster".
Monster.
Monster.
Monster.
The word echoed through his mind, through his thoughts, through his memories like a deadly poison. The first time he recalled the word being shouted after him from the humans was a dark place in the corner of his mind. He didn't belong, and the shouts that followed him through the snowy days and fear filled nights only proved it.
The Doctor had given him a home, given him love, but it had not erased the painful memories. Nothing could wipe his mind of the rejection he faced so many times. From his family, and eventually from the humans.
The Doctor allowed him to redefine the meaning of the word "family". The Doctor, along with Doctorine, allowed him to create new memories, happy memories.
The word still haunted him, but it was pushed away, to the back of his thoughts. No matter how he argued with Doctor, he never once felt like the monster people had accused him of being when he was with Hiluluk. And how could he? The Doctor treated him like a son, going through such troubles to make sure he was happy, that he was comfortable, that he was loved. It was a feeling Chopper really didn't understand until he met him.
And as soon as it had started, it came to a crippling end.
For a long time, he was completely unable to recover from the loss off his father. The word haunted him again, returning from the shadows of his mind with a malicious bite he ha never felt before. No longer was the word filled with fear from an unnamed human, but instead... In his mind, his own voice, filled with anger and betrayal, shouted the word at him.
It took him a long time to recover from this depression. Kureha's distractions helped, and slowly, the words became a distant echo in the back of his mind. Never forgotten, but easier to push aside.
Then she had arrived.
Doctorine and Doctor had created family for him, but he had never really understand friendship until his encountered her.
She was a strange one, even for a human. Her skin was rubbery, unlike any human he had ever tended to before. Her eyes were bright with passion and light and a will he couldn't imagine. She, who had scaled the steep drop of the icy mountain without any hesitation. She, who had reached the top, doing what no human had dared before. She, who bowed her head and pleaded for her friends to be saved. She, who showed him what friendship truly was for the first time.
He wouldn't lie. He was more than a little bit jealous of the two she had dragged up the slope. She had gone through such lengths to ensure their safety...
Chopper watched the three as they slept, taking care of them as Kureha focused her attention on the feverish girl. He had never expected what was going to happen once the weird human woke up though.
Monster, she had called him upon learning he could speak. He had come to a halting stop, the word hitting him like a ton of bricks. He had gotten angry immediately but...
When he thought about it later, he found himself repeating the word. He mimicked the way she said it, and the word was not as heavy as usual. No, it was light, curious, almost... excited.
It was then that he decided humans were stupidly difficult to understand and that he should stop trying beyond a medical perspective.
And yet he found himself sucked up into their adventure, found him calling the girl who puzzled him so "captain" or, dare he say "friend".
Only a few days aboard their ship and yet... He still found himself confused by the lady-pirate. Sometimes, as he slept, the cursed word echoed in his dreams before suddenly being drowned out by her voice. Sometimes, though... he still woke in the night as he remembered other times, before her. Before Doctor even...
Like now. Chopper had woken suddenly, finding himself panting and his heart racing. It wasn't a feeling foreign to him, but it was uncomfortable nonetheless.
"Luffy, really? Again?"
Zoro's voice took him off guard. Slowly, he turned towards where the voice had drifted from. Zoro had claimed the couch after first watch. But to Chopper's surprise, he wasn't the only one on the couch. In the darkness, Chopper could make out two human bodies.
"I had a bad dream! Lemme sleep here!"
"Nami already got angry at you for sneaking over here last night!" Zoro said, but it really didn't sound as though he were complaining. If anything, he sounded slightly amused by her insistence.
Luffy shifted in Zoro's lap restlessly until she seemed comfortable. At one point, she elbowed the swordsman and caused him to yelp out loud. At the sight and sound, Chopper forgot all about his nightmare and couldn't help the giggle that escaped. He instantly clamped his hooves over his mouth, but it was too late.
He ducked into his hammock, expecting to get in trouble for spying but instead... One of Luffy's rubbery limbs suddenly caught him by surprise and he was sent flying into their little pile. The suddenness managed to knock the breath out of both Chopper and Zoro, but Luffy kept laughing through the entire ordeal. He somehow found himself joining them, fitting right in with the two on the couch.
"Were you having trouble sleeping? Nightmares?" Luffy asked, after her laughter eventually calmed down. Chopper bristled slightly at the question. Luffy seemed to notice and frowned. "It's okay if you were. We all do!"
Zoro chuckled, a deep sound that was almost comforting. He reached out and pulled Luffy's cheek, releasing it and letting it snap back in place. "Even this monster has nightmares."
"You're a monster too," She pouted back at him before Chopper could get a word in edgewise. Zoro grinned, and to his surprise, Luffy shifted and kissed him softly. "But Zoro helps my nightmares!"
Chopper still didn't quite understand how humans worked, nor would he ever. He didn't know why people did certain actions, and what he was seeing was still something foreign to him. But what wasn't hard to see or understand was the complete love and dedication the two pirates held for each other.
Chopper grinned, saying nothing as the two pirates bantered and eventually drifted off to sleep. Chopper followed shortly, smiling as he curled closer to his friend and Captain.
Perhaps being a monster wasn't so bad, he thought, if it meant being able to protect the people you loved.
There we have Chopper's. Poor thing is too innocent for anything more than this. shhh... I'll protect this reindeer with my life.
If you guys want to see anyone besides the crews' and Luffy's families' reactions, lemme know and I'll work it in. Already planning on: Robin, Franky, Brooke, Grap, Coby, Shanks, Law, Rayleigh, Boa Hancock, Sabo, Conis, Viper...
Thank you to everyone who reviewed, faved, alerted... or even read. I appreicate it! :D
Sorry this is a day late... Damn social lives, getting in the way!