Zoro could've looked out better for his captain.
"I'm sorry."
There's something hot pooling under his hand, under his captain's hollow chest, and it's by just a second that he realizes how his hand trembles the more red scatters around him. It's no good. He needs to be strong.
for everyone.
and yetー"it's okay."
… he can't.
Luffy smiles, gentle and kind, despite the growing coldness of his bodyーdespite the fact any second now, his breath may never come back after one.
It should be noisy around them; screaming, shoutingーdying. But all he can hear is the faint, slow breathing of the man below him; ever so small and constant as if his captain's resigned to what life leaves him to.
"You can't go yet." Zoro tightens his hold around his friend. The familiar scent of death around him makes his head spin, the strength on his knees leaving him alone to just him and Luffy. And then he adds firmly, thatー "Not yet."
There's still so much that Luffy promised them.
Luffy breathes. He feels the raise of his friend's chest, then down. one. two. Zoro thinks each one matters, but then a weak (cold. too cold. He shudders as if it spreads inside him.) hand caresses his cheek lightly. a simple gesture that often happens when there's only the sea to accompany them, but now it's different.
So he stares at Luffy's face.