Chapter Text
Fighting always felt amazing to luffy, being able to punch and kick. Have your full strength go up against someone else's. To bleed for your hardships and come out on top. The satisfaction of being strong and freeing people from something.
Naturally luffy took one look at the pleading and desperate folk in front of the crew and said ‘of course’ he didn't care why he needed to help or the history, just that he could help them. Help them be happy. Free.
He doesn't understand what happened. One moment he's punching some marines and laughing his ass off at the faces they make then suddenly he's being pushed and zoro is there. His right hand. His zoro.
Zoro who is always there, helping and keeping him safe. So why is zoros face like that? Why is he standing there, staring at him? Blood is blooming from zoros chest, soaking into his clothes. It's gushing really and luffy is stuck for a moment.
Zoro looks the same as always, a blank face and sturdy. Like all his blood is still inside him but luffy can see it. But suddenly it's a smile. Small and sweet almost. And falling.
watching zoro slump to the side. Blood pouring from his chest, he can't think of one good reason to do anything to help anyone but zoro. He rushes forward, catching zoro before he hits the ground. Cradling him in his lap.
Luffy can't remember what happens for the next few minutes. He comes back to himself and zoro is smiling. This soft acceptance of a smile and he's telling chopper it's okay, he's okay. Luffy doesn't remember everyone arriving, when the fighting ended or when zoro got so cold.
Then everything ends. Zoro's chest stops moving and chopper is hunched over his chest, bawling and screaming he's sorry. And luffy can't breathe. Everything is wrong.
‘Zoro?’ luffy whispers, he's shaking. Everything is wrong. This isn't right. No. ‘Hey zoro. Chopper is here now, wake up’ luffy starts shaking zoro too now. Bent over him staring at Zoro's face. It's too still.
‘Luffy..’ Sanji's voice is behind him and hands are pulling him back. Dragging him from zoro and luffy still can't breathe and there are black spots coming into his vision. But Zoro is right there. Everyone is here so nothing is wrong. Why is everyone crying? He cant- nothing-
-
Luffy shoots up from the beds he's on. He can't remember getting here but whatever. He scratches his head and tries to remember the dream he had. Zoro died? Humming to himself he thinks that's a pretty scary dream to have. Deciding to brush it off he hops off the bed and makes his way to the door.
The door isn't that big but something catches his eye is the corner of the room. Wado. Why would she be in here? Looking around he cant see zoro anywhere. Why would he leave her with luffy?
Picking up the blade he decides to take her with him to find zoro. Silly zoro must have gotten lost trying to find booze or something. Making his way through what he can see is a castle or something. He can't find zoro.
Eventually he starts to hear voices, yelling. Jogging up to the large door he can make out nami yelling something. Gosh, he hopes sanji has cooked something he's starving. Maybe zoro is in there too. Pushing the door open he can see everyone is in the room.
It's a large open space with a table in the center, with something on it. He can't see what it is because there's a cloth covering it. Strange. Walking in a little he can hear what nami is saying.
‘We can find a way. We have to go back. I'll fucking figure it out. Okay?’ She's gasping for air and there are tears streaming down her face. The door shuts behind him and everyone goes quiet
Sanji is next to the table near the back wall staring down, luffy cant see what face hes making but he can see hes shaking. Brook is against the back wall with franky next to him. Luffy cant tell what brook is feeling but franky is sobbing, eye liner smudged. Ussop is on the opposite side and he's staring blankly at the ground. Robin is closest to him with chopper in her lap.
She's got that blank face, the one like back at water 7. Nothing there. Chopper is hiccuping and crying. Zoro isn't in the room. She's the first to speak ‘captain, how are you feeling’ . Her tone is gentle and a little brittle. Luffy cocks his head ‘I feel okay! I'm looking for zoro tho. I think he's lost, he left this in my room! What's wrong?’
No one replies, only sounds in the room are the crying huffs. ‘Luffy.. do you remember?’ Nami moves towards him, placing a hand on his arm. Luffy is confused again, remember? Remember what? It's sanji this time that speaks up moving the cloth off the table slightly.
‘Mosshead is dead’ his voice is empty too. And when Luffy looks past nami he sees it. Him. Zoro is lying on the table. Still. He's covered in grime and blood, and it's weird luffy thinks. Luffy has never seen him so still, even when napping and meditating. Luffy takes an aborted step forward. ‘Why's zoro-’ luffy's breath hitches.
No. No no nononononnoo no.
Not zoro
His face is still a slight smile. And he looks peaceful, gentle. And luffy doesn't want this. He can't bear to see Zoro's face so he turns to nami. Her face is pale and she's still crying, its not any better.’luffy, zoro he- he's gone.’ Her voice is thick and starchy from yelling. ‘He- did he say what he wanted after?’
-
They'd been at sea for a few weeks now when zoro said it. ‘ When I go, I want to be somewhere calm. With trees and animal life. Back with the earth and land.’ He was staring at the horizon when he said it.
Luffy remembers how he looked, face lit only by moonlight, earring clanking quietly and luffy thought he looked beautiful. They were pressed side to side, thigh to thigh. Zoro had looked over at luffy after and cracked one of those rare big grins.
‘Not like ill die before im the greatest tho, so no need to worry captain’ luffy cant remember what he said in response just that zoro had laughed. Grin cackled open and crackled into the night sky.
-
Luffy felt stuck, staring into her eyes. ‘Somewhere calm with animals and trees’ he couldn't feel himself say it but he heard it echo in the room. Luffy moves past nami towards the table. Wado still in hand, he comes to a stop next to sanji. Gently placing her on the table his stares.
Zoro is dead. Laying there still and quiet. Zoro is dead. Standing closer now, luffy can hear that Sanji is crying too. Zoro is fucking dead. What the actual fuck. ‘We can find a small island without people to put him to rest’ Robin speaks softly, patting and rubbing at choppers back.
Luffys feels jumbled staring down at zoros face. He thought they had time, more things to do. To see. To tell each other. He wants to hit something. Hurt someone but there isn't anyone to hurt here. He wants to ask zoro what to do. Zoro would know.
He'd be standing behind him, arms crossed and a scowling face. He'd grumble something like ‘you're captain. You have to stand tall. Grieve later.’ And luffy would see the invitation in those words. The ‘im here for you, just keep it together a little longer’ luffy leans forwards hand grab at the sheet covering zoro.
‘I'll stand strong zoro’ he whispers to him. Hoping he hears. He stays there for a moment. Taking in his face, all the details. The slope of his nose, the shape of eyes and scar. The colour of his hair. Luffy then gently cups his face, and presses their heads together. And silently promises to keep them safe, to see this through.
Then he takes one of the earrings from zoros ear. He never got to ask where they were from, why he had them. Maybe he just won them once or maybe he's always had them. Born with them. Luffy barely notices sanji moving away or how everyone is now sitting in various states of tears.
Bringing the earring up he pierces his own ear, a dull throb and stinging come through but he barely feels it. Luffy one last time looks down at zoro, feels how the earring moves and smiles. Just as small as the one on zoros face. And he nods, he will do this for the two of them. And once at the top.
He'll call out for zoro, and hope he hears it.