Blinking beads of moisture out of the corners of both eyes while the huge gulp of alcohol he's just taken burns a broad trail of liquid fire down his throat, through his chest and into his belly, Zoro raises the hand clutching his mug to swipe at his mouth with the back of his wrist before uttering an explosive, sputtering cough.

"Oi, you okay?" asks his captain, twisting around to peer at him with eyes squinted slightly in concern.

"Y-" Voice choked and thick, made hoarse by his spasming windpipe, he coughs again, free arm giving an involuntary little flex around Luffy's middle. "Y-Yeah, I'm good, Sencho. This stuff just packs a wallop." He squeezes his now badly watering right eye shut, ignoring the resulting tear that rolls down his cheek to hang suspended from his jaw. "Must have some strong-ass shit in it."

Fingers caress his face, wiping the dampness away, and he blinks his eye open again to find Luffy regarding him with bemused curiosity.

"Mmm, Zoro's face is pretty red," the younger man teases. "... is he sure it's just the booze?"

"Well, I dunno WHAT ELSE you think it might be," Zoro fires back, a hint of laughter in his growling tone, and ducks his head to nuzzle his face into the junction between Luffy's shoulder and collarbone. His tongue flickers out, eliciting shrieks of laughter from his suddenly flailing boyfriend as the split tips of the forked appendage tickle the sensitive skin along his neck.

The commotion they're causing prompts quite a lot of attention from their own crew members as well as the mermaids and fishmen surrounding them, but the swordsman finds himself grinning broadly despite the embarrassment darkening his already flushed cheeks and adding to the sensation of warmth suffusing his skin.

Seated within what began the evening as a careful arrangement of coils that's become progressively looser under the influence of alcohol, sliding into a haphazard pile, Luffy squirms, helpless shrill giggles erupting from his open mouth as he tries to shove Zoro away with a palm braced under his chin.

When he becomes aware of just how many additional gazes he's drawn in their direction with his actions, Zoro relents and begins to ease away, but then- emboldened by the same intoxication rendering his tail a hopeless tangle- he changes his mind and lunges forward again. This time to kiss Luffy firmly on the mouth, and when the rubber man parts his lips with a soft sound of interest and tilts his head to give him better access, the older pirate raises a hand to clasp the nape of his neck and draw him closer.

The exchange proves a bit more awkward than their previous experiment with kissing while in the Sunny's bathhouse. Zoro's still concerned that he might accidentally bite his captain- or even himself- and alcohol consumption has made him far clumsier than he anticipated.

To his mingled chagrin and delight, Luffy doesn't seem troubled in the slightest, returning the kiss with considerable and amorous enthusiasm. Unfortunately, he also doesn't seem inclined to help PREVENT disaster, because after only a moment or two, he wriggles farther upright in Zoro's grasp, twisting towards him to fling both arms around his neck and shoulders in a series of loops to pull him closer. Misjudging the amount of force required to shift the other pirate's now greatly increased weight so that when his limbs retract, instead of yanking Zoro towards him, he inadvertently hurls himself into the swordsman's torso and collides with him forcefully enough to knock him over backwards and send them both sprawling.

The part of Zoro's brain still capable of coherent thought sends a brief flash of alarm and apprehension through his skull- and not just at the odds of accidentally giving Luffy an impromptu tongue piercing. But thankfully, although his serpentine coils are collapsing into further disarray, his tail tip twitching and occasionally writhing in response to his captain's proximity and the pressure of his mouth and increasing strength of his scent, there's none of that mindless, animalistic urgency he'd been struck by in the bathhouse earlier.

He feels a desire to keep kissing the younger man despite their growing audience and the lowkey hum of pleasure and normal arousal tingling throughout the mostly human portion of his body, yes… but nothing to suggest he's going to suddenly pop a monstrous boner or three and begin frantically trying to hump Luffy in front of their friends and allies. Thank fuck- that's the last thing I need…

While his hemipenes are a different story, at least his original, human dick's hidden from sight beneath his haramaki and buttoned coat flaps, so even if it starts getting hard enough to push free of the slit at his groin, he shouldn't flash anyone. Which is a damn good thing too; Luffy's either forgotten or doesn't care that they're not alone, and he's evidently also forgotten about promising to take it slow, because he's getting pretty handsy. Fingers delving inside Zoro's clothing to grope his pectorals and caress the scattered scales embedded in the skin around his waist, showing every intention of dipping past the top hem of his haramaki.

Before he can speak up and remind him, however, a well-aimed shoe bounces off the back of the rubber man's skull, courtesy of the exasperated-looking cook who's been scowling at their antics from only a few feet away.

"Either cool it or find yourselves a room," Sanji warns them. "-but knock it off with that shit before I go looking for a hose."

"Oh, leave them alone, Sanji-kun," Nami scolds, momentarily turning her attention away from the pair of mermaids with whom she's been chatting and- knowing their navigator- most likely flirting. "They're just happy to see each other again. There's no harm in letting them kiss a bit." She turns a chastising eye on Zoro. "So long as they're ONLY kissing. Because if it looks like they're about to start fucking right there on the floor, I'll not only help you find a hose- I'll help you strangle them with it."

This last remark draws a flurry of bemused giggles from the mermaids and incomprehensible sputtering from the cook, who apparently doesn't know how to handle such filth dropping from the lips of his red-headed goddess.

Zoro wants to argue with her, mostly to ask why HE'S the one getting side-eyed when LUFFY'S the one doing all the touchy-feely shit, but he's too preoccupied with trying to hook his tail tip inside the shoe that's tumbled somewhere into the overlapping loops of his lower body so he can lob it back at the cook, while ALSO reassuring his boyfriend, who's attempting a sheepish apology for getting carried away but looks a lot more distressed than the situation warrants.

In the end, he opts for ignoring the navigator, giving up on the shoe, and tossing his captain over one shoulder so he can slither away from the central celebration in search of a quiet corner where they can talk without being disturbed AND without disturbing anybody else.

The alcove he eventually locates wouldn't have been an issue for his old body, but it's a tight squeeze for this new one. He makes the best of it, easing his upper body inside and piling his coils just outside to form a wall, blocking the view of anyone who wanders past before setting Luffy down.

"Zoro, I'm sorry," the rubber man resumes. "I-"

"It's fine, Sencho. Like I said, no harm done." He emphasizes this statement by drawing the younger man into a firm embrace. Surprised when he feels how tense his body's become. "Oi, Luffy… what's wrong? What the hell's got you so freaked out?"

For a few long moments, Luffy's silent, fiddling with one of the toggles on his coat, but then he looks up, meeting the swordsman's gaze with troubled eyes. "I know I said it's no big deal, if Zoro doesn't wanna have sex… 'n I DON'T want 'im to feel like he's GOTTA do anything that makes him uncomfortable. But-" He looks away. "I just-" Swallows. "I told you I want you, right? Well, I don't just want you a little- I want you a lot…"

Zoro strokes his back to let him know he's still listening as he shifts a coil beneath them, giving himself a comfortable place to recline with Luffy resting against his chest.

"Sometimes I- I feel like I'm gonna EXPLODE if I'm not touchin' you," his captain admits. "But it's not always just about sex either. It's-" His face contorts with frustration as he struggles to find the right words. "It's like-"

"Take your time, Sencho."

"I feel like I gotta keep checkin' if Zoro's really there, or if I'm just dreaming," Luffy mumbles. "I missed 'im so bad 'n I was so excited to see 'im again… 'n when I found out he almost died, I- I-" His voice wavers, his eyes- focused on the coat toggle he's still twisting between his fingers- going shiny with excess moisture.

Oh. Oh-oh-oh. Pulling his boyfriend tighter against his chest, Zoro squeezes him hard. "Oi oi- it's okay, Captain. I'm right here, I'm fine, 'n I'm not goin' anywhere."

Luffy's arms slide around his torso, hugging him back until his ribs are creaking in protest, but he doesn't complain or try to pull back. Just nuzzles his nose into the younger pirate's hair and holds him, murmuring more soft reassurances when he feels his shoulders hitch a few times.

They stay like this for a long time, and when Luffy eventually draws back to look up and meet the swordsman's gaze again, his eyes are glistening and his cheeks are damp, but his face no longer bears that hint of frantic concern. "... sorry 'bout the snot on your coat…"

Zoro kisses his forehead. "No worries."

Luffy frees one arm to scrub the heel of his hand over each eye, wiping away tears. "... it- it still hurts, but- it's getting better, I guess."

There's no need to ask for clarification; it's obvious he's referring to his brother's death, so Zoro remains silent this time, letting him choose how to continue unprompted, although he does resume rubbing his back, palm moving slowly up and down the curve of his spine.

"I used to-" Luffy's voice is choked with emotion, and he breaks off to wet his lips, swallow, and take a deep breath before continuing. "I used to- to dream he was still alive. That what… actually happened… was the dream."

Seeing the pain in his captain's eyes- the despair and the loss that's still so raw, it may as well be bleeding- Zoro feels as though he's been skewered through the chest by one of his own katana. Knowing Luffy's hurting like this more than two years following the events at Marineford makes him want to break something. To cut something. To do damn near anything in his power to drive that look of torment away and ensure it never returns.

"Sometimes I-" The rubber man's voice drops so low, it's barely audible even though he's speaking mere inches from Zoro's ear. "Sometimes I still dream about when everybody got sent away… only… it gets mixed up with the other stuff 'n-" He turns his face up to regard the older pirate with eyes that are once again far too wide and far too anxious. "I- I dream everybody dies- I dream ZORO dies- 'n there's nothing I can do to stop it! No matter WHAT I try'n do, NOTHING WORKS 'n I'm ALONE 'n- 'n-!"

Zoro kisses him. He honestly isn't even aware of his own intentions until he's already ducked his head to claim Luffy's lips, gently silencing his escalating panic, but once he's brought their mouths together, he realizes this really is the only thing he can think of to do. He doesn't know what to say, and anyway, words don't feel like they'll be enough. It's actions that seem much better suited for reminding his captain that he's here and he's real, not just a figment of his tortured imagination.

Fingers trembling as they clench into fists around handfuls of the swordsman's coat, Luffy whimpers and kisses back hard, pouring desperation and longing and pure, unadulterated need into the resulting liplock and maintaining it for so long that he's practically reeling from lack of oxygen when he finally reluctantly draws back. And then, even as he's gasping for air, he's burrowing deeper into his boyfriend's embrace, refusing to let go.

Thanks to the enhanced capacity of his transfigured lungs, Zoro experiences no such difficulties - in truth, he's not the least bit short-winded and probably could have continued without needing to disengage for quite some time - but he stays quiet anyway, and for several long minutes, the only sound in the alcove is Luffy's soft panting as he struggles to catch his breath.

Tentatively, the swordsman shifts his lower body, coiling himself around and around Luffy in loose loops until he's formed a protective spiral with the younger man at its center. Holding him tight against his torso by arms and tail alike, and to his relief, he can feel his captain slowly relaxing under the pressure. Sagging against him with a shaky sigh, face hidden in the curve of his neck and shoulder.

"Z-Zoro?

"Mmmn?

"Can I- can I sleep with you tonight?" And then, stumbling over his own tongue to quickly clarify. "Not sex-sleep! I mean… actual sleep-sleep. 'Cause I-" His tone hushes again, tinged with embarrassment and so thoroughly muffled by his mouth being pressed to the swordsman's clavicle that it's almost inaudible. "I don't- I don't know if I'll be able to sleep by myself…"

Zoro squeezes him tighter involuntarily- and then does it deliberately a second time, pressing a soft kiss to his temple. "Yeah. Sure, Sencho. Of course you can." Wishing he could do more. Wishing he could turn back time.

xxx

Returning to the main group is all it takes for Luffy to resume behaving like his rambunctious, jovial, normal self, and Zoro doesn't have a clue how he feels about that.

On one hand, he accepts that his partner's decision to hide his inner turmoil is probably for the best- at least for the crew's morale. Because with them poised to enter the New World, it's crucial their nakama are focused on the challenges ahead and confident in their captain's ability to lead them through unfamiliar waters.

But on the other hand… he's worried how much damage Luffy might be doing to himself, pretending he's fine when he's just demonstrated that he's most definitely not. At least he told me, the swordsman thinks as he watches his boyfriend bouncing back and forth between nakama and allies alike, stealing food and prompting laughter. He trusts me to watch his back. To be HIS rock, while he's theirs.

The thought causes a poignant ache in his chest. A sort of sweet sadness, because while knowing Luffy has so much faith in him- so much CONVICTION- makes his heart pound so hard he's nearly overwhelmed by the love and affection he feels for the younger man, he also wishes it hadn't been necessary for Luffy to confide in him in the first place.

But unfortunately it was, and there's no changing that fact, which leaves him with only one acceptable course of action. Doing whatever's necessary to support his captain and defend their crew.

The buzz he'd acquired earlier has long since worn off, and Zoro casts a longing glance in the direction of the barrels where a cluster of celebrants are refilling their tankards. Looks… and sighs and remains where he is, tail coiled into a tidy pile beneath him. Because as much as he'd enjoy getting positively smashed on some of the most potent booze he's tasted, now that he's aware of Luffy's vulnerability, he's not comfortable with the idea of being seriously impaired in the event his partner might need him.

If he needs to be the rock standing sturdy and resolute beneath Luffy's sandal-clad feet, then by god, he'll make himself the hardest, most supportive variety of stone imaginable. To keep his captain safe, he'll continue doing what he started over two years ago. He'll carve himself into a goddamn diamond.

xxx

The Straw Hats' post-battle tradition of piling into the same quarters- sometimes even into the same bed- remains consistent even after they've spent so much time apart, and in fact, now that they've been reunited and have so much to tell each other, almost everyone's quite adamant about sharing a room despite King Neptune's offer of private suites for them each.

Honestly, Zoro would've been perfectly fine with remaining in the banquet hall to sleep sprawled on the floor with his lower body serving as a mattress for his torso, but of course Luffy won't have it, refusing to be separated from the others- who have no intention of sleeping on the floor when there's a bed available. And arguing does him no good; when he tries to claim somebody needs to keep watch, his captain insists it'll be easier if they're in the same room and shows every sign of seizing him by the tail and DRAGGING him bodily down the corridor to the room the crew's been assigned.

The hour's late, the celebration having stretched on long into the night, and Zoro's tired enough that his mood's starting to edge into mild irritability. Being manhandled in front of their nakama isn't likely to change it for the better, so he pushes his misgivings aside, allowing Luffy to take his hand and lace their fingers together before they fall in alongside their crewmates.

He tries to hang back at first, knowing his tail will likely be a tripping hazard for the others, but his boyfriend's evidently unconcerned and tows him directly into their midst. Using the grip on his hand to swing their arms back and forth in unison, which prompts scattered laughter and a few teasing remarks, and he can feel his face growing hot, but it's worth the embarrassment to see Luffy beaming, cheeks flushed and eyes dancing. To see him genuinely happy and not merely pulling on a mask.

The swordsman's pleasantly surprised to discover that the beds aren't as small as he'd feared, which he supposes he should've guessed considering the wide range of heights and body shapes among the inhabitants of the island. And his concerns are further diminished when, after inspecting the feet and other lower supports, Franky announces they can be pushed together.

"Super bed!" Luffy cheers, dropping Zoro's hand to rush over and assist the shipwright. "Check it out, guys, we'll ALL fit!" He throws a grin back over his shoulder, gaze locking momentarily with Zoro's and holding it steady.

Shoulda guessed he'd figure it out, the older pirate thinks, acknowledging him with a barely perceptible dip of his chin. It's too damn easy to forget how observant Sencho actually is…

"Zoro! C'mere 'n check it out!"

Zoro hesitates, not liking the thought of finding himself the center of attention, but a surreptitious glance about him reveals that their other crewmates aren't staring at him but rather are busy divesting themselves of footwear and weapons. Their interest in these activities is perhaps a bit too intense, highlighting their determination to appear focused anywhere but on him- but that's alright. He appreciates their attempt at discretion.

Wary of simply subjecting the bed to his full weight all at once, he slides only a coil or two up onto the mattress at first to test its capacity, and it creaks a bit ominously beneath his weight but holds.

Watching, Franky rubs his chin thoughtfully. "I've been thinkin' 'bout modifications for your bunk, Haramaki-bro. If I dismantle the box hammock you used to use, there oughta be enough spare Adam wood in storage for me to build you somethin' squarish 'n lower to the floor- kinda like a big nest box."

"That'd be a hell of a lot easier to get into," Zoro agrees. Unsecuring his katana and settling them against the nearby wall, he strips off his coat and drapes it over their handles, leaving only his haramaki in place as he grabs the headboard with one hand to steady his torso while he heaves the remaining bulk of his remaining coils onto the bed.

"I'll do some blueprint mockups once we're back on the Sunny," the shipwright promises before turning away to deal with his own pre-sleep routine.

Even with several decently-sized four posters shoved together, Zoro discovers he still takes up a startling amount of the combined mattress once he's hauled himself completely onto it. After several false starts, he manages to gather his tail beneath him, freeing up considerably more space.

The moment he's settled his coils into an oblong pile that he's hoping won't prove too much of an obstacle for the others- located along the edge so he won't need to slither over anyone in the event he needs to get back out- Luffy's diving into the center to cuddle against the swordsman's bare chest and prop his legs up on the coils, crossed at the calves. He's still wearing his sandals and, grumbling even as he slips an arm around the younger pirate's middle to pull him closer, Zoro reaches over to yank them off and discard them over the side of the bed.

"You look like you're in a bathtub," Usopp teases Luffy as he and Chopper join them, and immediately the captain brightens and begins relating how he found Zoro asleep on the bottom of the ofuro earlier, while their doctor takes the opportunity to inspect his bandages and ascertain if any need to be replaced or merely readjusted.

Much to Zoro's relief, Chopper no longer freezes involuntarily if he moves a bit too quickly. They'd had a few tense, incredibly awkward moments until the reindeer had been able to conquer his natural fight or flight response and stop viewing the swordsman as a predator, but he no longer reacts as though he's expecting he'll be eaten whenever he gets an unexpected sniff of giant snake.

Satisfied his patient hasn't destroyed his work too badly, the physician looks up at Zoro, resting a small hoof on his uppermost coil. "I know it's a little late, but…"

"Go ahead," the older pirate sighs, knowing he's not likely to get to sleep anytime soon anyway because Luffy will probably want to snuggle for a while until HE'S sleepy enough to settle down. Then, as Chopper's beginning to rummage happily in his nearby medical bag, he quickly adds, "-but nothing- uh, y'know, below the belt 'til we get back to the ship."

"Of course, of course," Chopper agrees, approaching armed with a stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, thermometer, tongue depressor and one of those things for looking in ears that Zoro can never remember the name of, and he allows himself to be poked and prodded for the next few minutes. Watching bleary-eyed as their nakama wander the room, making their way to the bed one-by-one, and occasionally shifting his captain to one side or the other to give Chopper room to work.

Nudging Usopp aside to pull back the comforter and flat sheet so she and Robin can both slip beneath them, Nami rolls to face them, propping herself up on one elbow. She reaches up to pinch one of Luffy's big toes between her thumb and forefinger, giving it a warning shake. "You'd better not kick me in the middle of the night or I'm doubling your debt."

"He's got debt already? It's barely been a DAY!" Usopp exclaims incredulously.

The navigator narrows her eyes. "Pretty presumptuous of you to assume everyone's previous debt hasn't carried over-"

"... oi." "What?!" "-the hell?" "Ah, Nami-swan's such a shrewd businesswoman!"

"-with interest…"

Protests erupt around her, but Nami's no longer paying attention. A slight frown furrows her brow as she abandons her grip on Luffy's foot to run her fingertips gingerly along the nearest of Zoro's coils, tracing one of the darker blotches spaced along his spine.

"Mmn?" Slowly opening the eye that's been drifting shut despite his best efforts to stay awake, the swordsman blinks down at her. "N-Nami?"

She's leaning closer, examining his scales. "Is there something wrong with your colors? You look… washed out. Paler."

Drawing the last foot or so of his tail into Luffy's lap- much to the rubber man's delight- Zoro peers down at himself and sees that she's right. Shit. His irritability should've been a warning, but he'd been too distracted by his earlier conversation with Luffy to pay much attention to the prickly sensation that's been developing in his lower body, beginning at his midsection, where human flesh intersects unevenly with snakeskin. "... yeah. 'M gonna- uh…" Voice dropping slightly in embarrassment because this is another new thing- another WEIRD new thing- his nakama hadn't known about yet. "... I'm gonna shed soon…"

Arms wrapped around his tail, hugging it to his scarred chest, Luffy squeezes tighter, letting out an excited and far too loud "WHAT? WHOA! Zoro DOES THAT TOO?"

The cook, seated on the bed's opposite edge as he removes his shoes, gapes. "I'm sorry, moss head- you're going to WHAT?"

"I'm half SSSNAKE," Zoro snarls back, far too annoyed to be bothered trying to contain his hissing let alone take the time needed to phrase his response to avoid troublesome words. "Sssnakes shhhed, dumbassss- what'd you exssspect?" He's aware he's overreacting, but he's tired and itchy and also- on a subconscious level he's barely aware of- worried about how the coming days in the New World will affect his captain, whose physical strength he doesn't doubt but whose potential mental and emotional fragility have him feeling VERY concerned.

Stung by the insult, Sanji mutters something about premenstrual syndrome, serpent edition, and Zoro's temporarily blinded and deafened by the sudden rush of fury that's demanding he lunge across the bed and BITE the fucker-

but Luffy's soft "Oi, Zoro?" and familiar hand caressing his cheek cuts through the noise in his head, bringing him back to reality and grounding him there. Making him aware that attacking the blond from here would involve throwing himself on top of several other people in the process- and even worse, starting a serious fight so soon after the crew's reunion will accomplish little more than upsetting everyone- ESPECIALLY his boyfriend.

He forces himself to relax and hears Usopp give an audible sigh of relief. Beside him, he discovers Nami's turned away and begun berating Sanji, a defense he didn't expect… and privately hopes won't incur some sort of charge.

"Oi, Zoro?" his captain calls to him again, continuing to stroke his face. "Is Zoro okay? He got real, real tense 'n kinda spooky for a second there. It- uh- it kinda scared Chopper a li'l…"

"I-I'm- I'm okay, Luffy," the reindeer protests from the floor, although the tremor in his voice and the fact he's resting upside-down still in Guard Point somewhat diminishes the impact of his words.

Zoro winces. "Ah, shit. Sorry, Chopper…"

Once he's returned to normal and righted himself, Chopper climbs back up to the mattress, where he resumes looking the swordsman over. "It's alright, you just startled me, but- Zoro, how often do you moult?"

"He's talking about shedding, Kenshi-san," Robin clarifies from beyond Nami, seeing the confusion on his face as well as the faces of a few of the others. "Our doctor's asking how often you shed."

"Ah…"

Luffy's laughing. "Ohhh, okay- I thought he was askin' how often Zoro gets MOLDY!" he wheezes, earning himself a half-hearted swat.

Smirking, Sanji opens his mouth, clearly intending to make a quip of his own, but Nami smacks him before he can say anything.

"... 'm not really sure what's… normal. For me, I mean. 'Cause it WAS pretty much every month for a while 'til I-" He falters, not knowing how to explain the absolutely awful shape he'd been in until he'd gained enough weight for his tail to support his torso and for his upper body to stop resembling a somewhat fleshier version of Brook. Not wanting to explain because the memory of it makes him feel nauseated and because he doesn't want his nakama- all of them, but especially his captain- knowing just how close he'd been to death. "... it was every four or five weeks for a while, but then it started stretchin' out a lot more. Been maybe… two-three months since the last time?"

Chopper dives for his bag, retrieving a somewhat battered notebook in which he begins furiously scribbling once he's also located the necessary inkwell and quill.

By this time, everyone's settled into bed except for Franky, who's claimed a spot on the floor where he can lean his shoulders and head against the foot of the mattress. Brook's stretched himself out across the bottom of it, where he's less likely to jab bony elbows into one of his bedfellows, and Usopp's squeezed his way into the gap between Zoro and Nami, probably so he and Luffy can stay up talking for a bit while the others fall asleep.

Chopper's bursting with more questions and Zoro tries to answer them as best he can, but it doesn't take long for him to start drifting off and missing at least half of whatever the doctor's attempting to ask him, lulled by the comfortable warmth of his captain's body atop him and the sniper stretched out beside him.

The third or fourth time he startles back to consciousness and finds Chopper peering up at him expectantly, Luffy finally takes pity on him and intercedes, telling the reindeer that he can ask all the questions he wants TOMORROW but that he's kept Zoro awake long enough now.

When the swordsman raises groggy protest, more because he feels guilty for scaring Chopper earlier than out of any genuine desire to continue updating his medical record, his captain shushes him. Gives the section of tail he's still holding another firm squeeze before tucking it around himself and informing Zoro that he'd better get to sleep. Captain's orders.

"... 'kay, Sencho," he manages to mumble, eye shutting even while this acknowledgment of Luffy's directive is still leaving his lips. Sinking into much-needed slumber, the last things he registers are the steady thump-thump, thump-thump of his boyfriend's heart and the comforting vibration of his voice rumbling through his torso as he speaks with Usopp… one hand resting on Zoro's upturned palm with their fingers laced, while the other absentmindedly strokes the tail curled snugly over his midsection and hugging him just as firmly as the arm the older pirate's wrapped more securely around his midsection.