Not gonna lie, don't know the conditions of Luffy and Shanks promise. I know he has to return the hat to him when he is stronger, probably when he has become Pirate King. I think till then, they can't see each other, dunno. Not too sure. Anyways, for the sake of my story it's okay for Luffy to accidentally see Shanks once in a while, but can't talk to him.

The door swung open as Sanji walked in with a tray in his hand. He had barely slept the night before. Not after he had found out that Nami had stripped for Shanks. He had wanted to see her too. That was not it though. Luffy had spent the whole night constantly flashing the firefly into Sanji's face. He was like a little kid. Sanji had been hoping that maybe Luffy would have matured a little, but he was still the same old Luffy, only stronger. He yawned and opened his half asleep eyes.

Not wasting his time, he placed the tray on the table and cocked his eyebrow at Shanks and Zoro. He rubbed his eyes and looked again, to make sure he was not seeing things correctly. Zoro was clearly spooning Shanks, his hand gently over Shanks wound. Shanks seemed rather comfortable too. The blankets were on the floor and so were their clothes.

Chopper followed behind with his medical kit, "I've come to check on ARGHH!"

The kit fell to the ground as he covered his eyes with his hooves, leaving enough space for him to see them. Sanji kicked them both awake.

"What do you want you shitty cook!" Zoro shouted as he shot up, feeling the breeze against his skin. He looked at himself to find himself naked, "ehh...where are my clothes!?"

He picked up his sword and attacked Sanji, "it was you wasn't it?"

Shanks laughed in the background, "well, you see. It's a funny story actually."

His voice was lazy and he was dragging each word, yet the depth of it was enticing. Zoro picked up his kimono and slipped into it, hiding away his forest of green pubes. He picked up his swords.

"I don't want to know," Zoro growled as he began to walk away, "I'm not hungry. I'll just go to the crow's nest."

"I'll tell you anyway. I was feeling cold and what better way to warm up than get naked and snuggle up," Shanks drawled.

"Franky said you are not allowed to take anything sharp to the crow's nest any more, not after what happened," Chopper said, his innocence forever lost. Ignoring Shanks' comment.

"..and you need to eat your food idiot swordsman. I'm not going to waste any of it. If you knew you didn't want any food you should have said-"

"Shut up Sanji! Luffy eats right about anything. Go give him my share then. Nothing will be wasted," Zoro retorted.

"It's not just the food. Are you forgetting you were put in here so that Luffy would not worry about the shitty idol being alone," Sanji smoked, "he was worried when he found out you two weren't on good terms. Usopp had to lie and ended up taking the lie too far. Luckily, Luffy believed every word. Until he leaves, you will be staying in here. No more crow's nest."

"You can't order me around dartboard brow!" Zoro said as he opened the door.

"Captain's orders," Sanji replied as he placed a cigarette in his mouth.

"May you please put on some clothes Shanks," Chopper asked nicely, as he continued to look at him through his hooves, "I would like to take a look at your wound again."

Shanks did as he was told as Sanji smoked his cigarette. Zoro glared at him. He was smart enough to know it was all Sanji's doing. As he was thinking of excuses to give Luffy for killing Sanji, he heard Shanks scream out in pain and immediately turned round.

"Sanji, Zoro!" Chopper shouted as he transformed and carried Shanks in his hands, "this is bad. This is really bad. Shanks is infected. Shanks, Shanks! Have you been drinking? I told you not to drink!"

He looked to the side to find barrels of sake rolling on the floor. Completely empty, "how can you both be fine after drinking this much?"

"Well, compared to what the marimo head usually drinks," Sanji commented, "this really is nothing. He is a stupid dr-"

"Did anyone ask you to give a freaking-" Zoro said but was cut off by Chopper's shout.

"SHANKS IS DYING!" Chopper cried out, "and it's my fault. I was negligent when I saw him the other day. I had only thought it was a cut. I did not realize that he had been infected. I was unable to get any new supplies since we were almost ambushed on that island by the marines. THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO TO SAVE SHANKS' LIFE! All I can do is prolong it but I can't cure him."

Chopper had started crying, his tears dropping onto Shanks' smiling face, "Luffy would is going to be so-"

"Hey, Chopper," Shanks said as he lay in his arms, "it's not your fault. I shouldn't have been reckless. Now stop crying."

A smile crossed his face, "I'm fine with it. Really. And Luffy doesn't need to know. Give me the medicine and I will leave."

"I will never allow that!" Chopper said, "now that you are my patient. I will see it through to the very end."

Sanji remained silent as they watched Chopper, unaware of how to react. Zoro opened the door so that Chopper could leave with Shanks. He let out a frustrated sigh and told Sanji to leave. Sanji did not argue. He left without saying a word, with the tray of food.

When he was alone, he picked up his weights and began to exercise. He was going through all the reasons why he hated Shanks.

Stupid red-haired man who thinks he can just do whatever he wants. Taking off my clothes like that.

The way he played Mihawk, even though he knew his heart belonged to another.

Drinking all my sake like he bought any of it. Why did I not realize earlier that it had been my sake? Urgh. I'm stupid.

Constantly laughing and smiling, even when he knows his about to die.

"Shanks," Zoro whispered as the weights fell out of his hands, "the idiot! Only been causing trouble since he came."

Zoro walked towards Chopper's medical room and entered. Shanks lay on the bed with his eyes wide open as Chopper wore his gloves and protective attire. He looked at Zoro who was just closing the door.

"Great, wear these," Chopper said as he threw a gown, gloves and a mask at Zoro, "you will need to wash your hands first. I could use an extra pair of hands."

In an isolated part of the room where no one could see, an ear bloomed. An ear had been blooming wherever Zoro and Shanks were, though they had been completely oblivious to it. No one ever questioned why Robin always read the same chapter of the same book each time. No one ever realised that though Robin was always quiet, she was constantly listening to every conversation going on in the whole ship. She knew anything and everything. She was good at it too. Unlike Sanji, she was not obvious. When she learnt what she needed to know, she would move on, waiting for the right moment to use it, if ever needed.

"I have been analysing the infection and it seemed he was poisoned by a plant I know nothing of," Chopper choked, "if only we knew."

Shanks turned his head and smiled at Zoro, "you came? Thank you."

He winced and faced up again. Shanks' voice was making his body go crazy. He washed his hands and did as Chopper had asked him. After hours of assisting Chopper with treating the wound, they both sat down. Shanks was now sleeping.

"How is he going to be?" Zoro asked as he removed the mask, "can nothing be done for him?"

"At this point onwards," Chopper said as he began to clear up the room, "we will need miracle. His death his certain."

Zoro looked at Shanks. He looked so peaceful and his soft snores were cute. Shanks tossed to the side and grabbed onto the pillow.

"Zoro-san..." he whispered in his sleep as Zoro's cheeks turned round. He looked at Chopper. Chopper had been too busy to notice Shanks had just called out Zoro's name in his sleep. The ear that had once bloomed before the treatment disappeared.

Robin who was watching Luffy and Usopp fishing smiled as she put a strand of her hair behind her ear. Brook sipped his tea as he stopped looking through the window of Chopper's door.

"Yohohoho," he laughed silently as he walked away, "Zoro-san?"