╰┈➤ TWO HEARTBEATS

《FOURTEEN》

ワンピース

"I swear to god-," you grumpily whisper, for good closing the cold air transferrer.

It was sure a dark night and you still haven't fallen asleep yet. Great.
You were planning on going back to your bed to not make much noise but abruptly the door to your quarters opened up, startling you into a frozen state.

A gasp left you. Zoro's eyes met yours.
"Where the hell is chopper?!" He yelled, not caring for the two other sleeping ladies in the room.

"This is the women's quarters! Why would chopper be here-,"

a quiet whimper made you stop.

In the dark, it wasn't too easy to see but zoro's arms were carrying him, one arm around his legs and one arm at his back to support him against his chest securely. sure it was dark but you recognized the urgent name he was struggling out over and over again.

"Ace!"

Luffy sucks in a gasp, one hand fisted tightly around Zoro's clothing while His eyes were pressed together in a fixed manner. The slight moonlight from outside makes his cheeks highlight, making you catch on the drops of tears rolling by the side of his cheeks.

Your heart shatters.

"What h-," your voice cracks.

Zoro's lips are pursed in a thin line, not waiting for you to recover before he is lunging outside, disappearing after the door towards the doctor's section. He is not sure what to do expect for holding him firmly Against him so he doesn't start thrashing his legs or scream out violently. He is not even inside the room before chopper slams open his own door, asking zoro what's all the commotion.

luckily his reindeer eyes scan the image in front of him quicker. Choppers eyes slide wide but he immediately open up his door farther, inviting him in and getting started.

"Place him here." Chopper guides to his patient bed. Zoro hesitates, not wanting to let go but still, obeying, his arms leave his captain, placing him gently on the bed.

Not gently enough.

Luffy's eyes snap open with a scream, tears following Right behind while one of his hand reach up, nails digging on the large X scar on his chest, the skin there not covered by his open red cardigan.

Chopper's hooves are on his shoulders, holding him back down but luffy can't help but sit up in a quick motion, his bare heels digging on the bed sheets. His back collides with the wall the bed is against, a gasping whimper heard from his parted lips.

"Zoro!" Chopper quietly says, motioning toward Luffy so he can get his stuff to check up on him. first mate abruptly nods, kneeling beside luffy on the edge of the bed, his own rough hands trying to pin him down.

"Luffy!" He tries, holding his shoulders and one of his knees so he is not moving too much. "Hey! Snap out of it, it was just a nightmare." Zoro fusses out, his own heartbeat his coming to his ear just by looking at him and he really really wants to get a hold of his swords and murder out whoever is the cause of this.

Luffy's eyes doesn't rest, instead he is squirming away more towards the wall while his eyes wonder around the doctor's room in confusion and wide horror. His breathing is uneven again, unknowingly tears are still forming in his glossy pupils. His fingers are clawing on the skin of his chest, scratching against the edges of his scar.

Zoro notices the red forming there and highly concerned, he Grips his wrist, stopping his urges.
Luffy cries out loud, now finally making Zoro come in front of his vision.

"Z-Zoro?" He whispers out hesitantly.

Zoro hums in a eager emergency, more than ready to provide what his captain wants or needs.

You are not aware of Nami and Robin waking up, Robin's hand comes on your shoulder as she and Nami marches towards where zoro is with you. Along that, you are met with the other males who have also woken up from the hustles and with the way everyone is breathing silently, you can figure out that they also know.

Your lips waver. "How long?"

Sanji's head raises up, his fingers for god sake removing his cigarette and leaving it to burn into ash. "Not sure. This is the first time we noticed." He confesses.

Oh.

Not sure what now, you nod, getting the lead and making them follow you towards chopper's room. Heading in, your legs are already pausing when you process what you are witnessing.

Chopper is just near luffy, checking his temperature and other sort before collecting data to provide him with a reassuring medicine to rest better. Zoro's hands are the one pining him down. Luffy struggles against the hold, weakly but desperate enough.

The others march forward deeper inside the room before being stopped by a lift of choppers hands.

"Don't come all at once, he will most likely get overwhelmed. Keep your distance for now." He softly warns.

The whole ship is now dead quiet aside from the gasps leaving our captain.

And all you guys could do is watch, eyes forced to look at his form in such state. Luffy is usually portrayed as laughter and full happiness and seeing him like this? It hurts. It aches.

"L-let me go." His arm wriggles away from zoro, held closely while his pupils search for something rather desperately but they are emptier than normal, they are wide awake, a mix of despair and horror right in the depths of them.

He audibly gulps, then raising his arms to grip the either side of his hair.
It's a long silence before he really speaks. "Hey zoro?" It's a really quiet whisper, almost swayed by the wind.

Your eyes dart to zoro who stands up from the bed, less guarded on luffy moving too much. "Hm?"

Finally, one of luffy's cheek is laid flat on the bed as he peers straight at his first mate on the side.

"Where is my brother?"

Zoro's breath trembles.