Can I admit it?

Chapter two: bouncing fire

The cave was small, just big enough for two maybe three people. With great relief Zoro had located some dry wood that had somehow found its way into his and Luffy's temporary shelter.  It seemed a little convenient but when your captain is turning blue and is suffering from god knows how high of a fever you don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

When he managed to get a fire lit with the old spinning stick routine he was grateful to all that time he had spent on the road before Luffy had found him tied to a cross and left to die.

Zoro owed the little rubber moron lying on the cave floor his life and he would be damned if he let him die on his watch. With a sigh he tore his soaking white shirt from his body, peeling the fabric off like a second layer of skin. Throwing the wet material against the wall with an echoing plop he shivered in the cold air that met his wet tan skin. Relieving himself of his swords he leaned them up against the cave wall next to his discarded article of clothing. He felt more naked without his swords than he did without his shirt but he only had one priority right now.

Walking around the fire he had built he made his way to Luffy. He had never seen his captain look so horrible. For all intensive purposes he believed the younger man could bounce anything off of him. Bullets, cannon balls,  fists, and he had thought major sickness as well. Shows him what he knows.  The fool he signed on under was more fragile than he seemed.

He reached out to unbutton Luffy's red vest but his hands paused half way to their destination.  He knew he shouldn't be hesitating but it was a reaction he couldn't help. A switch that automatically flipped when he was about to touch his captain in a way that passed the normal contact of a friendly touch.

Zoro's eyes looked to Luffy's unconscious face. He seemed to be sleeping, except it was far to peaceful for a normal Luffy sleep. Zoro had lost track of the number of times he had received a hard kick in the back after making the mistake of choosing the Hammack right above Luffy's claimed one. The boy couldn't live if he wasn't being rambunctious.

In the bouncing lights of the fire Zoro disconnected that switch in his head and deftly removed Luffy's vest. before he knew it the boy sat half dressed in his shorts and precious straw hat.

"Your always a pain in the ass," Zoro grumbled before taking a deep breath and once again lifting the unconscious boy into his arms.

Walking over to the cave wall closest to the fire he skillfully maneuvered himself into a sitting position next to it, being sure not to jostle the boy. Once adequately situated he leaned against the wall and place the boy between his legs, leaning the boy against his chest.

He had to keep Luffy warm, even if that meant he had to do something he wouldn't even admit to himself that he wanted to do. With awkward movements Zoro raised his arms and wrapped them around Luffy's bare chest, holding him tightly against his own. The sensation caused his breath to hitch and something in the pit of his stomach to tighten.

Exhaling a shakey breath Zoro leaned his forehead against the back of Luffy's head and in a husky voice he said, "One hell of a pain in the ass."