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Chopper was in the improvised cerurgic room, trying to forget his friend's life was in his little hooves. If he thought about Zoro instead of focusing on the wounds of the body before him, let his worries and the weight of the situation distract him from doing his job like he was supposed to. He would not allow himself to be called a doctor again.
Meanwhile, at the other side of the room lay the rest of the strawhats, each putting all their hopes in their friend's skills. Wondering why such a horrible thing had to happen to Zoro, and wishing they could've at least been there like he had for all of them.
Nami was sobbing without a care of who could see her. Robin was holding her tight in her arms, whispering small reassurance that Chopper would never allow Zoro to leave them.
It felt as if she was doing it for both of them.
Sanji had both of his hands buried in his face, his fingers gripping his hair tightly enough it was a wander how not even a single strand of hair had left his head, silent sobs coming from his throat while curses left his mouth. Whether it was at Zoro for bearing everything alone or the world for being so cruel with him, it wasn't clear.
Usopp hugged his knees and buried his face between them. He could not bear letting his friends see him break down again so soon. Luffy was hugging him from being, no tears falling, no words being said, no expression in his face. It was a mystery that was going on inside his mind at that moment.
It was almost as if, like Usopp, he could not afford to break in front of his crew. What type of captain would he be if he could not maintain a cool head in the face of a crisis.
Franky held the three boys in his arms, letting them cope the way they wanted. He knew their sadness, anger, and the impotence of being unable to do nothing more than wait.
Brook sat there by their side. He knew better than anything, even better than music chords, how painful it was to do nothing more than sit and wait.
Wait for something, anything, to happen. Death or life. He knew it all too well.
And it pain him greatly to see a crew, no, a family like the strawhats, who were so warm and welcoming, to feel that kind of pain.
Hours passed, cries came to a stop, and all that was left was silence.
The oh, so painful and overwhelming silence.
Then.
Something.
A sound of a door opening.
Little hooves against concrete floor.
A tired little doctor in front of the anxious faces of his crewmates, impatient for answers.
"He's alive." The little doctor said, making loud sighs of relief be heard all across the ruins of what was a castle.
"He needs a lot of rest," he continued after his crewmates quieted down their exitiment from the good news. "And we'll need to take turns keeping watch on him in case anything happens." He finished, sitting on the dirty ground, tired from the amount of hours he had to stay awake.
"I'll keep first watch." A tired cook made himself be heard. Chopper was going to protest that between everyone and Zoro, he was one that needed to rest the most, but their captain spoke faster. "You and the rest will go to sleep, I'll keep watch," Luffy spoke with a tone that left no room for argument.
Sanji did not seem to care and was ready to argue with their captain but was cut off before he could protest.
"That was an order. I'm feeling better than everyone so I'll keep watch." Luffy finished this time, making sure no one could argue. The same emotionless expression from hours before still laying in his face.
They knew he was right, and they did not want to argue with their captain, even less at this expecific moment.
Sanji still looked like he wanted to protest, but stayed silent, and let himself be helped by Franky to walk back to the ship.
Each of the strawhats got up from their spots for the first time in hours, helping one another, slowly making their way back at their ship, their home.
None of them got any proper sleep except for Chopper, who was being held by Robin. All of them lay in the same room, no one wanting to be away from the others.
Luffy never left Zoro's side until the next morning, and Brook stayed with him through it all. He knew the young captain was strong, but even the strongest men needed a gentle voice to reassure them from time to time.
It was hard not to overthink everything they had to face in the past weeks, especially all the really shitty things they had to endure. But at least they had the confort of no longer being alone.
No one would stay alone anymore. That was an unspoken promise they made far before they landed on Thriller Bark. One they would keep no matter what.
...Or at least one they kept until Sabaody became a living nightmare.