Hey everybody,
so today we get to the last part of this little side quest before we're making a short jump into the future next time.
Have fun ;-)
Experiential learning – Part 3
-Zoro-
He was hot, infinitely hot. He knew the feeling, this heat, this fire in his lungs. He was burning.
But that didn't matter, the main thing was that the others were safe, on the Sunny, everyone was safe on the Sunny. But what about the Cook? Had Zoro managed to throw him into the sea in time? Before the explosion?
No, no, what was he thinking? He, the Cook, and Usopp had been separated from the others because of the storm. They had wanted to meet the others again. They had been chased along the way, right? Were they safe now? Had there been a fire at some point? Right now, there was a fire burning.
He opened his eye slowly, could hardly see anything because of the white smoke that occupied his airways. His body was so heavy, he was so hot. But if there was a fire, would Usopp and the Cook be safe?
"Zoro, you woke up. Would you like to drink something?"
Jinbei was there. Jinbei was there! Had he pulled the Cook out of the water? After Zoro had thrown him into the sea? Of course. Of course! Jinbei took care of the others, no doubt.
"Where...? Where are...?" It was difficult for him to speak, the fire in his lungs made it almost impossible. He was so hot.
"What are you saying?"
"The Cook..." Jinbei had certainly pulled him out of the water. And Usopp... Usopp had followed Nami to the gate... yes, they had managed to pass below the gate. He had held it up. Before he... Before he...
Luffy!
Suddenly he sat upright.
But what about Luffy?!
He had... he had wanted to get the Cook out first and then find Franky and Brook and then... after that he had wanted to find the devil fruit users of their crew...
But all he remembered was running towards that huge gate with the Cook, Usopp, and Nami, and now everything was on fire.
"Hey, hey, Zoro, stay down, stay..."
"Get off, I have to... Luffy... and Chopper... Robin..." He fought his way up, out of the flames. His body was weakened. The injuries were bothering him. But he... he had to find them...
Around him was hot, white smoke, almost like fog. He hardly felt the heaviness of his body, only the heat of the fire, the burning, the pain. He fought his way forward sluggishly, stumbled. His legs barely obeyed him, as if he were wading through water.
"Hey, now wait a minute."
He tore himself free when Jinbei tried to hold him down. He must have been unconscious, from the injuries, the fire, the explosion. But there was still some strength in him, he could still stand, he could still walk.
"You have to lie down, Zoro. You are..."
"Leave me!" He slapped Jinbei's hand away, stumbled forward, could hear the crackling of flames, far away the splashing of waves. "Stay... stay with the others, Jinbei."
He had to get through the fire, to the other side. There, somewhere there, the others had to be. Usopp and the Cook with whom he had been on the road. Had they been separated? Were they... They had gone up this mountain range, on the way... on the way to the Sunny. Had they been separated? By a fire?
And Jinbei had found him? Only him?
But then he had to...
"Roronoa? What are you doing?"
Mihawk had appeared in the smoke, a black shadow in the white mist, his eyes burning, just like Zoro's whole body. Where had he so suddenly appeared from?
Of course he was there. How could Zoro have forgotten? He had been in Mihawk's room to get clothes for... to get his swords before... before Kuma had appeared. Where were his swords? And... Kuma...? He had them... all...
"I have to get to Luffy," it escaped him breathlessly, while he had the feeling that he was still being held by arms of fire, wanted to fight his way free, but hardly got a step further. "He wants his head. He wants his head."
"He seems confused, Dracule. He doesn't seem to listen—Ah!" Finally Zoro had been able to free himself, stumbled over some stones, debris from collapsed walls. He had run up the stairs with the Cook.
But had the Cook been able to run at all? He had sprained his ankle... Or had something been broken? No... no... Luffy had broken something. His bones had cracked loudly when this Hakkai had attacked him, something in him had gotten broken. Maybe his ribs.
"But he's a rubber man..." But what if it had been Haki?
Zoro had to hurry. Luffy was injured, who knew where Chopper was, and the castle was on fire. They were in the dungeons. Zoro hadn't known that Kuraigana had dungeons, but they had to be there, and somewhere there was the Cook, with his broken ankle. He and Usopp, after all, they had been with Zoro...
"Roronoa!" He stumbled again, fell against an ice-cold wall, was held, otherwise would have crashed to the ground. "You have to go back into the water! Otherwise you will burn."
"No!" He tried to fight back, but his injuries were so bad and Mihawk was so strong. Zoro could not defeat him. No one could do that. But if he didn't do anything, the crew would be destroyed. They had already lost to these marines, Luffy to this Hakkai, to Kuma, and Zoro... against Homura. "The others, I have... It's my fault!"
"What are you talking?"
He stared at those burning eyes that reflected the flames around them.
"It was only because of me that we were... on this island and... the campfire! They were hiding behind it, couldn't see them, and they attacked us!" Of course, now the scales fell from his eye. "The fire! It's my fault!"
Hawk Eyes just looked at him uncomprehendingly. Of course, what did he care about some crew of rookies from the East Blue? But why was he here? To stop Zoro? No, maybe to... help?
"What is your fault?"
"The fire of course! I caused it! That's why everything is on fire now" He clung desperately to the other's arm when his body hardly wanted to obey him, discarding his last pride. No matter what the Shichibukai thought of him, Zoro begged that Mihawk would help him save his crew as the flames flickered along his lungs. "I have to get them out of it. Otherwise, they will burn!"
Mihawk stared down at him with wide eyes, but Zoro hardly saw him in the flames that reflected his eyes.
"Roronoa," he said now, still holding him. Why was he still holding on to him? Why didn't he run? They had to... "You are confused. There is no fire. No one in your crew is in danger. They are all..."
"No!" Now he tried to free himself, but this icy grip was stronger than that of the fire before. "The Cook and Usopp, they were with me... And now... And now everything is burning... I have to... I have to..."
"Jinbei. The Chef should be downstairs. Get him!"
Zoro stumbled back. All of a sudden. Without warning. Fell to the ground.
The force of the explosion must have knocked him down, took his breath away. For a second the heat was gone, as if the force of the explosion itself had blown away the fire, for a moment he was cold, the air around him heavy and cool, held him in an icy embrace, as if he had followed the Cook into the…
Damn! Where was the Cook?! After all, he had been...
"Calm down, Roronoa. Everyone is doing well. They are safe and..."
"No!" He fought his way up again; the heat was back. Somewhere he must have lost the Cook. They had run up these stairs together...
"Zoro!"
There he stood in front of him, in the wafts of mist. He seemed uninjured, fortunately uninjured. So Jinbei had pulled him out of the water after all, of course he had, of course he had.
"Hey, what's going on?" He looked anxious. Of course. There was fire everywhere and he probably didn't know where the others were either.
"We have to look for the others. Can you walk?" Zoro asked, glancing at the other's cracked ankle, feeling how he himself was calming down. He didn't know whether his body would be able to hold out much longer, but the Cook was strong, strong enough. If Zoro only coul... "Usopp should still be here somewhere... and Luffy and the others are still in prison... I haven't made it there yet."
"What? What are you talking about?"
"The fire, damn it!" Did no one want to listen to him? Didn't they see how everything around them was burning? Didn't they feel this heat?
Shaking his head, he took a deep breath, tried to fight his way forward again, but his body no longer obeyed him, soon his legs would give way. "Above ground, everything is on fire. But... if we hurry... the dungeons are a few floors below us... I think... Yes, I think..."
"He thinks he is on Senichi," he heard a tense voice behind him. Was that the Vice Admiral? No, no, he knew that voice.
Almost deliberately, the Cook took a step towards him.
"Why are you still standing here!", Zoro roared now and his voice broke, choked by the flames. "Come on, we have to look for them! If we don't hurry, then..."
"They're safe, Zoro." The Cook took another step towards him. "Don't you remember? We left the cell together and then we went to Franky and Brook. And then we split up. You went to Nami and Usopp, Franky and Brook got the Sunny, and I got Luffy, Chopper, and Robin out."
Oh right...
"And you made it?"
"Yes, of course. I sent them to the Sunny and then followed you and we went outside with Nami and Usopp."
"But you and Usopp were..."
"Usopp escaped through under the gate, together with Nami. Don't you remember?"
Slowly he nodded. Yes, that was true, yes, that was… true.
"But the fire! We have to get out of here, we have to..."
"We are safe." Zoro could hear the splashing of waves again, this time louder, as the Cook overcame the last step and grabbed him by the forearm. "You got us all out of there."
Zoro took a deep breath. Only now did he realize that his body was soaking wet, still burning hot, but soaking wet.
"We jumped into the sea," he whispered, it couldn't be any other way, "and Jinbei got us out."
"Wa... um... Exactly... But you're hurt. Remember? You got badly wounded. That's why you have to lie down now. As Chopper told you. Lie down." The Cook pulled him to his knees and Zoro followed him.
They were all safe, they were all safe. His hands trembled.
"But Luffy is injured," he said, already wanted to fight his way back up, but the Cook held him tight.
"Chopper is taking care of him right now. He's fine, Zoro. He is doing well. Come on, lie down again. Lie down, please."
It was a bit strange to hear the cook plead like that, a bit pathetic. But Zoro was also tired, so incredibly tired, his body was so hot and when he followed the Cook's request and sank backwards, it became a little cooler, a little more bearable.
He heard voices from far away. Probably the others. They must have finally arrived, with the Sunny, after they had been separated and Mihawk had picked them up.
"It seems to be a fever dream," Mihawk spoke from afar. Was he talking about Luffy? Did Luffy have a fever? An inflammation from all the injuries?
"Should I get Chopper?"
Yes, Chopper could take care of it. Chopper could handle that.
"No. I think this is a sign that the heat has now reached its peak. He will probably have overcome it soon."
That was good. Soon, Luffy would be better. Very good. Soon he would be better and then they would all set sail again.
"Oh... Okay, if you say so."
Zoro no longer listened to what the others were talking about. The crew was fine, Mihawk was fine. They were all safe, he could sleep. He could...
-Mihawk-
Roronoa had been lying in the water for well over two days now, but since that feverish delusion in the much too early hours of the previous morning he had been asleep.
Since then Mihawk had guarded him and was just rolling his eyes when he once again had to explain to the Chef, who had been more worried than even Doctor Chopper since the previous night, that there was no reason for his overprotective behavior. It was obvious that the situation had disturbed him, as Roronoa had stumbled around, mumbling incomprehensible nonsense, but Mihawk had no interest in the well-being of the Chef.
"His temperature has reached an almost normal range for a fever patient," he repeated his words, "so your worry is unnecessary."
"You're really an ass, you know that?"
"Above all, I am tired of your presence. You should finally go to sleep; you are no help either way."
The other glared at him for a moment, then he left.
Mihawk, on the other hand, did not waste another thought on him. His words had not been spoken out of kindness or sympathy, but only to finally get rid of the other, this time successfully.
As so often in the last few hours, he took the cloth out of the ice water and wiped Roronoa's forehead. Now that he no longer radiated supernatural heat, the ice lasted longer and the water was cooler. A good sign.
A deep sigh made him pause and then Roronoa stirred, tilted his head slightly to the side and then looked up at him out of a half-open eye.
"Good evening, Roronoa," he greeted him.
„… mhm n'evening," Roronoa murmured, his cheeks still reddened. "You're still here."
Pretended to be piqued, Mihawk snorted. "Well, what a greeting after I took care of you day and night." He put the cloth aside. "How are you feeling?"
"Should take a break," Roronoa mumbled, then he sighed again, closed his eye and leaned more against Mihawk. "Warm... otherwise... fine."
"That sounds much better than before," he simply ignored the other's admonition. "Can you transform?"
He received no answer.
"Roronoa, you know, as soon as it is at all possible for you, you must..."
"Yeah, yeah... just gimme a moment." Roronoa grunted softly, trying to straighten up a little more, but seemed to be barely able to move, as if this strange illness had weakened him too much.
Subtly Mihawk helped him, could hear him breathing deeper, it was obviously exhausting, and then the weight in his hands lightened all by itself, while Roronoa shrunk in front of him and his hair grew, pouring into the water like liquid metal.
Tremblingly, Roronoa took a breath and leaned more against Mihawk again.
"It worked," he whispered, perhaps out of relief.
"Very good," Mihawk said, holding Roronoa. "You still have to stay in the water until the fever has subsided."
"Mhm."
So they were silent. Mihawk had to admit that he was at least relieved. Once again, Roronoa had exposed himself to a danger that could have killed him, once again he had survived it.
"You know it can happen again from now on. The probability has increased that it..."
"Mihawk?"
"Yes?"
"Shut up."
His eyebrow twitched.
"Roronoa, this is..." He cleared his throat unpleasantly when Roronoa bumped his elbow against his groin with surprising dexterity.
"I know what it means," he murmured, much more agile than the last few days, before he yawned. "I can feel it. But you don't have to worry about it just yet."
"Because it is so unlikely that you will forget once more that you have another body?" he asked ironically.
Roronoa laughed softly, as if it were actually funny. Then he leaned a little more against Mihawk.
"I'm fine, don't worry so much."
He faltered. This time Roronoa had sounded different, thoughtful.
"Oh, Roronoa," he whispered and then he put an arm around the slender figure of the other and as rarely before, his partner allowed this kind of affection, perhaps too weakened to fight it. "Like I could stop worrying about you when you are always doing such stupid things."
Roronoa only growled in agreement, which always sounded quite peculiar in this form, then he let his head sink to one side, propped up against Mihawk's arm.
"Good, then sleep a little longer."
"Mhm..."
Tap… tap… tap…
Astonished, he looked down at Roronoa's hand and quite unintentionally, he also squeezed Roronoa three times, saw how he smiled softly and then finally fell asleep.
-Zoro-
It would probably be an exaggeration to say that he was doing brilliantly. But it was okay. The worst thing was probably that Chopper and Mihawk kept scurrying around him like startled chickens, and that he couldn't transform. Which didn't really surprise him, but it was still annoying.
He could still feel it in his bones, the exhaustion after his body had fought an uncontrollable fire for hours. His memories of the last few days were blurry, but it had been a very strange feeling when he had finally been allowed to leave the water.
Naively, he had insisted on walking on his own, which had only ended with him almost falling over. Mihawk had then lifted him up, carried him out of the water, placed him on a stool like a little child, and put a towel around his shoulders. His care was even more annoying than usual in such moments.
After a good night's sleep in his bunk, Zoro was actually doing quite well now, except for the tiredness, the body, and the annoying care. He yawned again.
"Now eat up already," grumbled the Cook. "Chopper said you must eat this."
He stared sullenly at the rice balls in front of him, he was not hungry and eating seemed draining to him. He had slept through breakfast and had not been unhappy about that. He had the feeling that he could not stand the otherwise pleasant volume of this crew at the moment.
The Cook was cleaning up the kitchenette and checking every few seconds whether Zoro was finally following Chopper's instructions. Sighing, he first reached for the glass of water.
"Don't just drink," came the instruction from the side.
"Don't get on my nerves," he grumbled, took a sip and then reached irritably for the onigiri. He really wasn't hungry, but after a soft sigh he took a bite.
"Finally," the other reacted immediately and made Zoro roll his eyes.
But obediently he ate the first one and then the second rice ball before rubbing his tired eyes. He would like to go straight back to bed and then he realized that he could actually do that... as soon as he had eaten, as Chopper had said. A small ray of hope.
"Hey." The Cook came over and Zoro recognized his voice immediately, rolled his eyes inwardly. He didn't feel like taking care of such crap now. "Can I ask you something?"
He stood at the table, a kitchen towel thrown over his shoulder, his arms crossed and looked at Zoro. It was rare for him to look so directly at him when Zoro was in that form.
"Do... do you remember the last days?"
Zoro raised an eyebrow questioningly and obviously embarrassed, the Cook rubbed his neck.
"I don't know how to put it. You had... a... fever dream or something and you... were talking about… Senichi. Do you remember?"
"No, I don't."
Now the Cook looked at him again.
"You were pretty upset," he said now, "and I... I don't know, but it kind of seemed like you were... scared back then?"
The Cook looked at him almost uncertain, as if he hardly dared to ask. But Zoro didn't even understand the question and confused, he put both hands on the table. The answer, however, was simple.
"Of course I was scared," he answered, not sure why the Cook was asking something this weird. He now seemed genuinely surprised when his visible eye widened.
"Really?"
This astonishment confused Zoro even more.
"Really," Zoro grumbled and then reached for the last onigiri. "I mean, it was a totally shitty situation. We were to be put on trial, had no idea how the others were doing, and only knew that Luffy was badly injured, and if we didn't make it, then... Well, that would have been it."
He ate his last onigiri while the Cook still looked at him in astonishment.
"What?"
The Cook snorted softly.
"I wouldn't have thought it," he murmured then, almost dissatisfied, "back then, you didn't seem like you were afraid at all."
Zoro replied nothing. He had often heard people say stuff like that about him. He sighed softly before shrugging his shoulders and giving the Cook half a grin. "It was about the crew."
Again the Cook looked at him with wide eyes, then he nodded.
"I was scared, too," he said and now showed a small smile. "To be honest, I was fucking scared, almost shit my pants when you blew up the base."
For a brief moment, they both grinned.
"Do you think about it often? What happened back then?"
"Well, it's hard to ignore when your own body turns into this every few days," he said with a dry grin, but he could see that the Cook had meant the question seriously. "But otherwise... Not really. It happened, as so many things have happened, but now we are here. What's the point of brooding too much about the past?"
Now the other laughed softly. "Of course you would say something like that."
With a soft sigh, he sank onto a chair opposite Zoro.
"Hawk Eyes told me that it... was quite dangerous this time." He looked at Zoro. "You're also part of this crew and I... I was pretty scared this time, too."
This open confession surprised him.
"It may be that a lot is happening, and it may be that there is not much point in brooding over the past, but... do you always have to scare us like that?"
Zoro grinned tiredly. "Well, we don't want to bore ourselves to death, do we?"
The Cook also showed a little smile.
"It could be a little quieter from time to time." Then he rose. "Now come on, you look totally done, so make sure you finish eating and then get some freaking rest."
Zoro couldn't and didn't want to contradict that, so he forced down the last rice ball and then slouched towards the bunk.
"Hey, Cook," he grumbled and stopped at the door. "Thank you."
Without waiting for an answer, he left.
In the evening, he felt much better, only the fact that he couldn't transform actually bothered him.
"Please listen to what Doctor Chopper tells you," said Mihawk. They stood alone at the railing. The sun was about to set, and he was about to leave.
"Don't worry that much," Zoro grumbled. "I'm fine."
"I would not worry that much if I knew you would take better care of yourself."
Zoro groaned. "Gosh, you're all so annoying. I was sick, so what? It happens to everyone."
Mihawk clicked his tongue softly. "We both know that it was not an ordinary disease. Besides, maybe you should appreciate our concern a bit. It just shows that none of us want to risk losing you."
They looked at each other.
"That was a bit too direct for you," Mihawk then remarked with a smile. "My apologies, but it is the truth. So please, take care of yourself a little better, for the sake of your crew and also for my sake."
Blushing, Zoro lowered his eyes. It was one thing for the Cook – or anyone else in the crew – to admit this kind of fear so openly, but it was always another thing for Mihawk to say such strange things.
"You're really annoying sometimes."
"Yes, sometimes I am," Mihawk replied unimpressed, as if he had already expected this reaction. "Well then, unfortunately I really have to leave now. But before that, I have a question for you."
Zoro looked up skeptically as Mihawk approached him, grabbed him by the upper arm and tapped him three times with his index finger. Then he let it go.
"Would you like to explain that to me?" he asked with raised eyebrows.
Instantly, Zoro blushed even more and lowered his eyes. Couldn't remember that he had done that, but knew immediately what it meant, why he had done it.
"So it is supposed to mean what I think?" Mihawk asked and Zoro nodded.
"Was Robin's idea," he murmured after a second of silence.
"Of course it was."
Slowly he looked up, saw Mihawk's curious gaze. He probably expected more words from Zoro, but it wasn't easy for him. He didn't know why, had never known why this topic was not easy for him.
He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck so as not to have to look at the other. "It... it's not easy for me, no idea why, so she had... you probably think it's silly."
"Not at all." He looked up in surprise, saw Mihawk's gentle smile. "I am aware that words are not that easy for you and some words mean less to you. It is a clever idea from Nico Robin, as you have always been able to attach more importance to actions. At the same time, I find it a subtle and intimate gesture that is not perceived by outsiders. If it is easier for you to implement and you can attach more value to it than to some words, then for me it is not just a... solution, but actually a gesture whose importance I more than appreciate."
Now Zoro was almost as hot as he had been during the past few days, when he had been feverish. Why were these things always so complicated?
"You don't have to overblow it like this," he grumbled.
"But is it as I say?" Mihawk asked. "Or are you just doing it because...?"
"It feels right, okay?" Zoro said directly, didn't want to hear these doubts, which he then had to dispel again at great expense. He looked up at the other challengingly. "Is that okay with you?"
Mihawk's smile warmed and he put a hand in the crook of Zoro's neck. He let him.
"You are asking me whether I am fine with you not only thinking about our relationship, but also how you can show me your affection in a way that is appropriate for both of us? Oh, Roronoa, after the past days of sorrow, this is really a very lovely gift from you." Now Mihawk blushed, or was it only the light of the setting sun? "Yes, it is okay for me. I even ask for it."
"You don't have to ask."
"Oh, I wish you had said that when I asked you to listen to Doctor Chopper's advice."
Zoro raised only one eyebrow. "Are you trying to be funny right now?"
The other's smile seemed a bit wooden now.
"Well, we all try new ways sometimes." Then he sighed, looking at Zoro with that longing that he had always hidden before. "I really have to go now, Roronoa."
"Alright. I'll get in touch."
"Yes, plea..." He interrupted himself and smiled. It was rare that he was in this mood like right now. It probably had something to do with the past few days, but Zoro didn't want to think about that. "I love you, Roronoa."
"I know," he only replied, holding up to this gaze, feeling Mihawk's hand for another moment before he pulled it back.
"So please, tahaihaiHA Achoo!"
They stood there. They looked at each other.
Zoro had never seen — or heard — Mihawk sneeze, and even that he managed to do so with some freaking elegance, as if it were impossible for him to make a bad impression. Mihawk seemed as surprised as he was.
"Bless you," Zoro said after another long second and this time Mihawk blushed quite clearly. "Well, you better take care of yourself, too, not that you end up getting sick as well."
"Nonsense!" replied Mihawk, obviously offended, whirled around with his mantle waving and jumped overboard.
Zoro watched as the small ship hurried towards the setting sun. There was a strange feeling in his chest. This strange feeling of homesickness.
With a sigh, he decided to suppress this feeling with a few hours of pleasant training. But up in the lookout, Chopper was already waiting for him, like a dragon awaiting adventurers in his cave.
It took a few days for Zoro to be able to transform like normal, but he accepted this fate without complain, the sniffling voice of the other over the transponder snail seemed to be worth this small price, even if Zoro had to promise not to mention it to anyone – especially not to the Cook or Jiroushin -. As Mihawk demanded that he got more and more into his usual ranting rage and even though Zoro had been amused at first, he feared that this conversation would drag on for hours, so he only tapped the mouthpiece three times and it seemed as if he had discovered a new magic trick, because Mihawk immediately fell silent and after that he sounded much calmer when he spoke.
As so often the case, Robin had been right. Zoro might be a pinhead, but even he learned from the past sometimes, just not as often as he should. So he transformed and started his usual night session, while Mihawk actually wanted to read the newspaper but then finally dozed off at the transponder snail, his unusual quiet snoring an almost pleasant sound in the silent lookout, a perfect rhythm for training.