Dramatic reunion
Meme12 here and before you summon your sharp knives, pitchforks or flaming arrows whatever; I sincerely apologize for not updating for so long especially on this story (Bowing on knees). I was caught up with the real world aka school. In addition I'm somewhere else in the world for 3 months and it took a while to get the internet up. But I really apologize for making you guys wait and I hope you will enjoy the following chapter despite its length.
Pairing: Initial Luffy x Zorro, eventual Zorro x Mihawk
Previously
Mihawk finds Zorro and Luffy washed up on shore with an infant.
"Where is that man!? I swear that once I get a hold on him…" Perona growled in annoyance as she paced to and fro in the castle. It was a routine for the ghost girl that Mihawk will disappear into the greenhouses to take care of the plants and then return to the palace to have dinner. "What does he have to do there that needs to take 3 hours!?" Perona exclaims while her ghosts surround her in attempts to calm her down. "I swear to god once I get a hold of that idiot I will…" Perona's rant was cut short by the sound of the castle door being pushed open. "Where have you been you idiotic…?" The girl stop short of her ranting as her jaw slackens at the scene before her. "Perona, it would be best if you close your mouth and come over to help me now." The pink hair girl needn't be told twice as she conjures several ghosts to help Mihawk with a long lost swordsman, a certain rubber man and an infant.
Silence resume as Perona finds herself gazing at the green-haired swordsman who she had been wishing to come back now lying on the bed unconscious. On the other bed; Luffy laid there as well however he seemed to be in a much worse condition as compared to Zorro. "…What on earth…happen to them…? And that baby is it…?" Mihawk says nothing as he gazed at the infant in his arms silently before gazing back at the unconscious green haired swordsman and the black haired captain of the Straw hat gang. "We will know when they have awoken." Mihawk states as he handed the infant over to Perona. "H-Hey wait a sec where're you going!?" "To call a doctor, that fever isn't going to cure itself and Monkey D Luffy looks like hell warmed over him."
Perona turn to look at Luffy and was shock at the paleness of the pirate. Immediately; she drove her body to work in getting the supplies to bring down the fever while her ghostly friends helped in keeping the infant occupied. As the pink hair girl rushed out; she fails to notice the green hair swordsman struggling in his sleep, the grip on the blankets tightening by the seconds.
Zorro's dream
The flames…they were everywhere… Screams were everywhere and the green haired samurai desperately tried to find his lover among the flames. "Luffy! Luffy, where are you!?" The swordsman desperately ran through the flames, braving the heat to find his lover and his new-born son. The swordsman ran into a clearing and was relieved to see a familiar figure, standing there motionlessly with his back facing him. "Luffy, we have to get out of here and put out the fire. Where's Ryu?" Luffy remained motionless and Zorro's worry and agitation soared. "Damn it Luffy-splash!" Zorro paused midway at the sound and looks down. His eyes widened when he sees the red blood pooling on the ground. The source of the blood were from familiar forms, his nakama…all lying in their pool of blood; lifeless eyes staring unblinkingly at Zorro. The swordsman's eyes widened as Luffy turned to face him; an unrecognizable maniac grin on his face. "Zorro, die."
Dream end
"NO!" The green haired swordsman screamed as he sat up in the bed that he had been lying in. Cold sweat dripped off his brow as the male panted. Immediately he looked around; realizing that he was in a completely unfamiliar yet familiar place. "Where the hell am I…? Shit Luffy!" The green hair male concern was soothe as he turns to find his lover laid in another bed close but the relief was short-lived when he couldn't see his son. "Ryu… Ryu!" Zorro bellowed and reaches for his sword only to find his swords taken away from him. Soon, the swordsman heard the sound of running footsteps and immediately grabbed the nearest thing he could find (a table lamp) for defence. It will have to do, until he can find another doctor who can cure Luffy and to protect his son; he will do anything to ensure their survival.
Normal POV
Hearing the loud uproar, Perona had immediately dropped all the items that she had been carrying and dashed to the room. She had barely flung open the door only to find a table lamp heading straight at her face. "What the… Zorro!? What are you doing you idiot!?" The question had barely left the pink-haired girl's mouth and the girl finds herself once again dodging the pathway of the lamp and finds a fist heading in her direction. Perona squeaked and barely dodge the punch aiming at her face. "Damn it you green head idiot what is wrong with you!?" Perona shouted and flinched when she looked at Zorro. The male had pure rage and desperation in his eyes; looking so much like a tiger trapped in a cage with nowhere to go. "Z-Zorro…?" Perona stammered while the male growls and charges towards her.
"I didn't want to this… Negative ghosts!" The ghost immediately passes through Zorro and the male falls to the ground simultaneously. "I'm so useless…" "Take that crazy idiot. This will teach you to mess around with me." Perona brags happily when she realizes that Zorro was murmuring. "I'm so useless… I can't even save Luffy… I couldn't even save my nakama…" Perona didn't know what to say as she heard the words emerging from the swordsman's mouth. She had always known that the swordsman had his negative moments but he always bounced right back after a while so it was the first time…she had ever heard the male sounding so broken before… Shaking her head out from her thoughts, she immediately summons some ghosts to help her tuck Zorro back into bed. "…What on earth happened to you Zorro…?"
"Yes, I know… No I am not joking. Just get here as soon as possible…" Mihawk had immediately paused at the faint crash sound that he had heard in the distance but from the noticeable direction of the room he had placed Zorro and Luffy in. "You still there Mihawk?" "…Yeah, just get here as fast as you can." Without waiting for a reply, Mihawk hung up and dashed up to the room, dread and worry swirling in his gut along with guilt for leaving Perona alone with the two males who may be not in their right mind due to them just regaining consciousness. The black hair male dashes in only to find, Perona unharmed and her ghosts tucking Zorro in bed, the broken lampshade on the floor.
"Are you hurt?" "I'm fine; it was easy to knock him out anyway… Please tell me that a doctor is on the way." Perona questioned urgently as one of her ghost dabbed a wet cloth on Luffy's burning forehead. "Yeah Keith's on the way." "EH! Why must it be him!?" "Do you want to be arrested for harboring wanted people?" "But they're no longer wanted!" Mihawk rolled his eyes at Perona's naivety. Even if the case has been placed aside; the moment any one of the straw hat crew had shown themselves; the marines will immediately take the chance to take the group down. That was how it worked anyway and knowing the government; they are dying to take the group down.
Running a hand through his hair; Mihawk sighs at Perona's screeching when he notices the missing infant. "Where's the child?" "Here, I don't leave children unattended you know." Perona complained as one of her ghosts showed up with a clean & dried infant swaddled in warm cloth.
"Until we can get him some baby clothes it will have to do for now." Perona commented as she tries to carry the infant only to have the infant wail loudly in her arms. "H-Hey! I'm trying to carry you here brat!" The infant just wailed louder and Mihawk sighs as he takes the infant from her. Instantly the wailing stops and Perona blinked like an owl at the scene before her. "You were holding him wrong plus…your nails scratched him." The pink hair girl immediately glanced down at her manicured nails before proceeding to emo in her little corner muttering about the unfairness of green haired babies and the tragedy of having to give up her beauty for the babies.
Mihawk sighs at the scene before turning back to face the little infant in his arms. Mihawk is no doctor so there was no way that he could determine the baby's age. But the baby did share very similar features to Zorro minus the green hair. The baby who had stopped wailing was now staring at the male who was holding him. Gold eyes gazed into black orbs as the infant seemed to study him before smiling and giggling at the black hair male. At the baby's actions, the gold eyes softened and Mihawk let loose one of his rare smiles as he tickled the infant who giggled some more and grabs hold of his thumb.
The tender moment would have continued if there wasn't a sudden flash and the swordsman glared in the direction of Perona who was holding a camera. "Perona…." "Come on it was a loving moment besides it's also payback for insulting a lady…" "And for blackmail." Perona added as an afterthought as she grins evilly at the thought while Mihawk turned his attention to Zorro. "What happened just now?" "It's not obvious enough!?" Mihawk stared back and Perona resisted the urge to pull her hair out. "Grass head here attacked me. It was like… I don't know… like he had gone totally nuts. I heard him scream and the next thing I know he's trying to throw a lamp into my face."
Mihawk gaze turned from Perona and landed on Zorro who was currently unconscious but it was evident from the frown in his brow that he was having a very non peaceful sleep. Gold eyes softened immediately in worry as Zorro struggled in his sleep and the swordsman felt for the first time helplessness in being unable to relieve the nightmare that plagued the man he loved. "He also…said something." Mihawk immediately turns to Perona who jumps a little at the sudden action but regains her nerve and continues. "He said something of…couldn't protect his nakama and the straw hat idiot…"
Mihawk's eyes widened slightly at the words as he glanced over to the unconscious black hair straw hat captain. The straw hat crew were strong as far as he knew if not the military would have already over taken them. In addition, only the two males had been found. If that was the case, where were the other Straw hat crew members? Knowing the group, they would never move alone especially with their latest addition to their little family. Mihawk continues to ponder deeply when the infant whined before proceeding to chew on the ruffles of his shirt. Perona sniggers but eventually reaches out to pry the infant away from Mihawk. "I'll get something for him to munch on. You just stay here and look after the green head."
Mihawk raised a brow. Although he was glad to be able to meet Zorro once more, the male also felt flustered as he was afraid that he would behave inappropriately and let his feelings out of the bag. "Why not you?" "I just survived from almost being stabbed by a standing lamp. At least if he goes berserk you can knock him out with your superior swordsman skills. I'd deal with a baby any day more than a crazy Zorro. Besides…guys communicate better anyway. Right?" Before Mihawk could comment Perona had long floated out of the door leaving Mihawk with the two unconscious males.
Sighing slightly, Mihawk sits in the chair beside Zorro's bed. Gold eyes trailed over the unconscious male who had suddenly begin to growl in his sleep. His brows furrowed more and his teeth gnashed together as cold sweat dripped down his forehead. Mihawk watched on worriedly, he had no clue on how to comfort someone much less help someone in their unconscious state. As Zorro continues to growl, the pang in his heart grew and the master swordsman stretches out a hand. As the hand reached inches from Zorro's face, the male seemingly snarled in his sleep and Mihawk momentarily retracts his hand.
As Zorro's face contorts in his sleep further, Mihawk felt the increasing desperation arising in his heart as he could only sit here watching over Zorro. "There's no point in being here if I can't help you." Mihawk murmured with renew determination as he places his hand firmly on Zorro's cheek. There was an instant snarl but it soon died down in to a whimper as Mihawk's thumb stroke the skin softly. "Everything is alright now… Just rest... I will stay right here and be here when you open your eyes." The words that tumbled out from his own lips lips surprised the master swordsman himself. The last time he had ever said any sort of emotional words was back in his last relationship.
The corners of the black hair swordsman's mouth tightened at the bittersweet memory but it was quickly pushed aside as the green hair swordsman visibly relaxed at his touch and his words. Mihawk heaves a sigh of relief before proceeding to take the wash cloth from the basin and dab Zorro's forehead tenderly, almost lovingly while the green hair swordsman relaxes under the touches. It was by far the reunion that the black hair swordsman dreamed off but until Zorro awakens and shed light on to their situation; he will remain by the man's side no matter what it takes...
To be continued
I'm not sure whether it turned out great but I supposed you can call this a filler chapter and rest assure I will disclose the secret of what happened to the straw hat gang. With that said, this is meme12 saying sayonara matta O.