A cut deep through rubber. Luffy x Zoro angst.

An explanation long overdue. (Pt.1)

Authors note:
Speaking of things long overdue, there is a shoutout that I keep forgetting about. Sorry about that, by the way. @KillicintheButt69! I know I promised you one, and it's long overdue! Also, shoutout to @AngelMaries08 for being the first person to ever comment on this story! (If I made a mistake, let me know and I'll fix it.) Also, I think I might make you hate Luffy in this chapter. Sry in advance.

+++~~~~————3rd person POV:————~~~~+++

For the next 3 days Luffy was unconscious, and Zoro refused to leave his side. He still trained, and he trained hard, but he did it right next to Luffy. He didn't seem worried, but Zoro was terrified. The water could've drowned Luffy, the salt in the water messed with his head wound-wich Zoro only found out about when he saved Luffy-making it even more excruciatingly painful, especially when Chopper had to actually clean the inside of the deep wound. At first, Luffy was unconscious on his own for about a day. Then Chopper -he had already cleaned the outside, but waited a little to clean the inside, letting Luffy rest for a bit- tried to clean the inside of the wound. Let's just say his screams as he bolted upright were... horrifying. Zoro, Franky, Robin, Sanji, & Usopp all struggled to hold him down long enough for Chopper to put him back to sleep.

Even though Zoro knew he overreacted to what Luffy said ... it triggered him. His last few exes before Luffy accused him of cheating also... and they were toxic. Every single one. Toxic pieces of shit. 2 girlfriends and a boyfriend, each relationship at least 1 year of heart-wrenching  torture, and abuse, and threats, and things that were just pure evil......so of course Zoro quit relationships to protect himself... but he thought Luffy was different! He-he wouldn't leave him over something like that. He thought Luffy wouldn't hurt him...

They barely even fought...... and then for Luffy to just outright call him a cheater out of the blue? Sure sounded like how the abuse in the past started. If the mental and emotional abuse started, it wouldn't be to long before it got physical. But, Zoro could've sworn that Luffy was different. But what was he expecting? Of course Luffy was just an asshole like the others. Getting Zoro's heart, then destroying it. At least this time he was more prepared and experienced. He actually kinda expected it. How would someone like that not only survive in this cruel world, but thrive in it. And pick him? Never. Impossible. It's what he gets for trusting anyone other than himself.

Zoro shook his head, trying to clear his head of the weak & dark thoughts... ^Just focus on the weights in your hands, Zoro. Just the weights in you hands, nothing else matters right now. Just get stronger.^

Zoro trained for a good 6 hours, then left to go get some booze, food, and water. He contemplated having someone come and watch Luffy, but figured he would just be gone for a second. It was fine for him to leave Luffy by himself for a little, right? What's the worst that could happen?

About 30 mins later,

^DANG IT! I've been on this ship for how long? AND I STILL CANT FIND MY WAY AROUND.^ The second Zoro thought that silly little thought, he walked into the kitchen. ^I should've complained 30 minutes ago, I swear...^ As Zoro walked up to the fridge, he remembered the lock Sanji put on the thing. ^I should just cut the dam thing... but I don't want to have to deal with that stupid ero-cook. Ugg... guess I'll just go find the baka.^(Baka means idiot, so that's why I used it. Correct me if I'm wrong.) 

"Good to know your doing ok, Marimo-head." Oh. So the fuckbucket is here. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just open the fridge for me, would ya?" Zoro was not in the fucking mood to deal with his crew-mates today. Or any day in recent times. "Good to see you haven't changed. Sure thing." Sanji seemed... weird. Almost tired, almost bouncing off the walls... what the fuck?

"Oi. Ero-cook. You seem off. Something happen?" Sanji chuckled in part reply as he moved to undo the lock and get some food, and of course booze out for Zoro. Sanji also observed that Zoro was sweaty and shirtless, so he must've been training, so he also got some water out. "Aw, so the muscle-man actually cares. Well, if you must know, Ussop made me something. It didn't go as planned, and I ended up having to fight some guy for it before we left the island we were docked on last night. It was a long fight. Fun, though." Oh. Zoro hadn't even realized  they had docked at all. Let alone be there long enough to leave. "Shit. Why didn't anyone tell me that we were docked?"

"We all had the common sense for you to stay with Luffy, and to have you watch the ship without even knowing we were leaving you behind onboard." Sanji said as he moved the stuff onto the counter and started putting the complicated Luffy-prof lock back on.
"Do you even need to put that lock on? Luffy is knocked out. The little shithead is barely alive." Sanji seemed surprised by the remark. He went silent and finished putting in the lock before answering. "Zoro, you've known Luffy longer than any of us here. You should know that he could be and the verge of death, and still steal meat from the fridge. And look, whatever is going on between you two, it either needs to stay between you two or you need to accept help when it's offered. Otherwise you'll just drive a wedge between everyone in the crew. I mean, poor Chopper is overworking himself to the point we have had to drag him to bed. He has had not 1, not 2, but 5 mental breakdowns because of y'all. Luffy traumatized the poor kid. And you haven't been kind to him either. Just...... fix it." And with that Sanji set the goods down and left without another word. Zoro did have to admit, he did feel bad, but... he can't change it. He'll just have to make it up to Chopper after this is all resolved.

Once Zoro had gotten the stuff he needed, a whole whopping 45 minutes later, he made his way back to Luffy and his training. It took him another 18 minutes to get there. An hour & 3 minutes after he left, he arrived, and almost dropped his booze.

"Luffy?"

Luffy was sitting up now, and trying to stand up. He was in the middle of attempting it again when Zoro said something. Luffy panicked, fell, and tried to swing away. He only managed to make it a few feet away-probably trying to hide behind some of Zoro's giant weights-before Zoro dropped his goods,ran up, and hugged Luffy.

Luffy made a noise of surprise and pain, a mix between a yelp and a groan. (A yelroan? A groelp?) Luffy-who was already crying from the pain of trying to escaped- felt his tears double as Zoro held him close on the floor of the training room.

"You're awake, you're awake..... you're ok...it's going to be ok...your going to be alright!" Zoro was muttering to himself, only speaking for himself, not meaning for Luffy to hear, but he did. He heard every word, and it just caused more tears to burn the back of his eyes, and more to spill out onto Zoro's chest, where Zoro was hugging and holding him close.

Zoro slowly sunk back from his knees to sit on his heels and bring Luffy into his lap. Tears were hot in the back of his eyes, but he was fighting them with all that he had. That was a battle he soon lost, when Luffy said "Z-Zoro...a-...am..I-I a-alive......is t-t-this a d-dream?"

Yep. That did it. Zoro was full blown sobbing into Luffy's hair. Luffy's tears were running down his face and onto Zoro's chest, but he didn't care. His captain was alive. Sure, he was still pissed, but after that, and in that moment, all he cared about was the fact that Luffy was alive. His perfect, lovable, beautiful, albeit an idiot- boyfriend was alive.

🗒️✍️:
Hehe! I'm really sorry for not posting in so long. But, I hope you like this chapter!