Two Dreams, One Adventure

An Unsatisfied Victory

Zoro was sitting next to Luffy's head when he heard some breathy gasps. He looked down to see Luffy's eyes were opened but he looked terrified, wasn't looking at Zoro. "Luffy?" He jumped from the noise.

"Zoro?" he asked. The older teen bit his lip but affirmed he was right there. "I-I can't see." Chopper said he had eye damage, but that it should heal. Zoro cut his arm with one of his swords and put it to Luffy's lips.

"C'mon, captain, drink so you get better," he said softly. Luffy grabbed his arm and started drinking deeply, breathing in a panicked way. He was clearly trying to push Zoro's arm away but was only pulling it closer to his mouth. He didn't stop until Zoro felt like he should. He easily pulled his arm away, and Luffy could see again! Everything was tinted pink, and his eyes were dry, but he could see.

He saw his boyfriend all bandaged. "Do you remember what happened? You were in a really bad shape, you know," he said softly, moving his hair out of his eye. It had been four days since the battle was over, and Crocodile was found, defeated and missing a lot of blood. But for some reason, it didn't show he was bitten, but just a bad knife wound. Which Cobra said hadn't been there before he left.

"I... Crocodile killed me again. Then I came back and I was so thirsty, cause I was dried out, and then I found a horse and drank for it and then got really sick. It hurt, and my eyes were bleeding. The marine girl... she was nice and tried to help me get medical attention. I threw up a lot of the horse blood and followed where Crocodile was.

"I don't remember much other than I drank a lot from him. I... I didn't even win the fight, Zoro. I only beat him because I was sick and deranged," he said, putting his arm over his eyes, so ashamed and disappointed in himself. Zoro kissed his hand and asked for the rest. "Then I was still really sick, but Miss All Sunday seemed to help me and I threw it all back up. I felt better after that but then passed out. Then I'm here."

He sniffled. "I'm so ashamed," he confessed. "I died twice, both times Miss All Sunday helped, but I didn't even win the fight. I'll always be the loser to him," Luffy finished. It was humiliating. He won, but in an underhanded way, and he didn't even remember it. The king walked in, and smiled at seeing Luffy awake.

"How do you feel?" Luffy asked what happened in the tomb. What he did. "You were very sick when you found us. In a very bad shape, but when you got Crocodile, it ended pretty quickly. It took almost no effort for you to defeat him. Yes, defeat. You attacked him and slammed his face into a pillar before you drank. Yes, I know all about it. Don't worry, I will tell nobody." Luffy nodded. "You did win. He lost because he was taken off guard. If he was aware, he could have won."

Zoro smiled. "It was a victory. Just not in the way you expected or wanted," he said kindly, thumbing Luffy's cheek softly. "Do you want to see everybody?" he asked. Luffy nodded. His hat was on the bedside table. He asked if he looked okay.

"You were bathed. No blood left," Zoro said. Luffy was wobbly on his feet but was able to walk. He headed with Zoro to the kitchen. It was lunch time. He smelled good smells and found the others at the table, all looking resigned. "Yo, somebody woke up." They jerked up and cheered at seeing him.

He smiled a wobbly smile. "Sorry for worrying everybody," Luffy said. "I'm glad you're all alright. Vivi, how's everything? The kingdom and stuff?"

Vivi smiled and said the country was already healing, everyone happier than they'd been in years. "It's also rained twice. The marines have come here looking for us - the pirates - but the guard kept them away. Crocodile was taken away by the marines. I heard they were going to say Smoker did it."

They were all sour, but Luffy wasn't upset. "It doesn't matter who takes the blame publicly. We saved your kingdom. Now you don't have to worry so much," he said, sounding more back to normal. Vivi smiled and nodded her head. Many were in bandages, and he asked for all of their stories. What happened to them while he was gone.