Debris.
Destruction.
Death.
These three things were the theme of the situation. Scattered around everyone's battered bodies was debris from the destroyed mansion that once stood as a symbol of hopelessness. The sun shining would have been a beautiful sight if not for the horrible sight on the giant ship harboring a habitable land. Large stones, bricks, and concrete laid on the floor, on bodies, or on top of each other as my crewmate's limp bodies fought to stay alive as well as everyone else's.
As for my body, it felt like I had gone through hell and back and then back again. The bruises from my fight with Sanji's fight were becoming evidently more tender and the back injuries and rib injuries from being thrown and tossed around by Oars had started to make it harder for me to breathe or move around, but for some reason my eyes had managed to open just in time to see Zoro attacking the Warlord, hanging on by a thread.
I yelled at my body to move. My heart cried in fear of losing the swordsman and everyone else. These people had finally set me free from my cage, I had to repay my debt. The Warlord and Zoro seemed to talk about something for a little before Sanji had appeared and joined the conversation. They were a little too far away to hear what the conversation was about, but I could take a guess based off the way Zoro knocked Sanji out and pushed him aside.
My fingers began to twitch, allowing the feeling of movement into my hands before slowly flowing up to my arms.
The Warlord had looked at Zoro for a few seconds before saying something and walking over to Luffy. He places his hand on Luffy's chest before withdrawing a huge paw bubble from it and walking back to his place in front of Zoro. I couldn't tell what it was or what it did until he had taken what seemed like a small sample and sent it to Zoro. The green haired man stood still watching it slowly approach him before groaning out in pain once it hit him.
The pain seemed more internal than anything as his body didn't seem like it was gaining more outside wounds. It wasn't the fact that he was hurt that scared me, it was the fact that the small paw bubble that the Warlord had sent towards him was only a small percentage of the entire bubble. If Zoro were to take the whole thing—which I'm assuming he is—then that'd be a ton of damage to one of our main forces. Not only will it take a very long time to heal, but he'd also have to go through an immense amount of pain that he might not even live through.
And that's when my legs found the courage to move once again. And soon enough I was back on my feet, wobbling and stumbling—yes—but back on my feet nonetheless. The adrenaline and sole motivation to help Zoro had driven the pain away from my mind for the time being as I walked over to Zoro, calling out his name.
The swordsman flinched at the sound of my voice before looking to me with furrowed brows, "Stay back, Nightmare."
I placed my hand on a broken off wall of the old mansion for support as I stepped over a giant piece of concrete to get over to him. "Don't be so stubborn," I continue to walk closer and with each step I take Zoro seemed to get tenser, "I'm not here to do what Sanji did."
Zoro narrowed his eyes at me in confusion as I got closer, his concerned gaze observing my physical state as I began to talk once more. The Warlord also watched in silence, a barley noticeable feeling of pleasant surprise radiating off of him as he watched me step forward.
"I know Im not strong enough to take all of that by myself. I'd probably end up dying," I let out a small chuckle followed with a cough before stopping to the left side of Zoro as I looked to the bubble while Zoro looked to me. My gaze moved from the bubble onto Zoro making our eyes meet, "And I know you're probably strong enough to live even if you do take all of that by yourself." I turned away from him again, my determined eyes fixated on the bubble that would cause one of us, hopefully both of us, pain.
"Stop talking nonsense, Nightmare. Get back. This'll be over in a minute," Zoro went to push me away, but I brushed his hand off my shoulder as I shook my head.
"It doesn't have to be one of us taking it all on. Weren't you the one who told me that I have people who I can rely on now? Why can't that be true for you too?" I placed my hand out in front of him, "I know I wouldn't be able to live if I took it all by myself, but if I could take it with you I'm positive I'll make it through. So...will you let me share this pain with you?"
***
Zoro's eyes shifted down to your hand as his heart beat became more evident. Not because of affection or love, but because of fear. He couldn't let you take on this pain with him. What kind of a crewmate would he be? His gaze trailed along your bruises, wounds, and dry blood.
He won't let you. You said it yourself, he could take this on his own and live so why would he make you get unnecessarily hurt? He didn't want that. He didn't want you to get hurt. In fact, Zoro didn't want you standing anywhere near this Warlord. It seemed to him that you had been taking all the hits for everyone today and he didn't like it.
He wanted you to stop. To stop this self sacrificing shit that you do because you think it's your "duty". You and your stupid "duty" shit. Zoro was pretty much fed up with that side of you. It made him so frustrated that he just wanted to keep you away from all the fights they get into.
But you weren't that type of girl. You weren't the type to run away from a fight or cower at the sight of a tougher enemy. You weren't the type to leave a comrade in battle with no remorse or stay back and choose the easier route. And that's what he loved about you. You weren't some fragile girl he needed to protect or keep away from battle even if he wanted to. He didn't have to worry about you feigning the damsel in distress show. You were strong. You could hold your own.
That's why he took your hand into his. That's why as the paw shaped bubble slowly came closer to the two of you he didn't knock you out or push you away, instead he squeezed your hand.
"You better not die, Nightmare," Were the only words that could come out of Zoro's lips at the time as he kept his usual cool facade despite the fear and nervousness running throughout his body.
You respond back with, "Same goes with you, Zoro."
Zoro held confidence in you. He knew you were strong and he knew you were capable. It was the tiny voice in the back of his head giving him anxiety, telling him that the idea of you getting hurt at all was a bad one, but he quickly silenced the voice as he looked down at you right before the bubble hit.
You weren't crying. You weren't scared. In fact, you didn't have a hint of terror in your eyes. Instead, you held a determined gaze with a serious face. He watched you take a deep breath in before letting it out and squeezing his hand more. A gesture that calmed his nerves down.
He couldn't help, but let a small smile creep onto his lips as he looked forward to the approaching bubble as well before the both of you experienced excruciating pain together.
~•~
Once Sanji came to, he immediately got up to look for Zoro, not aware that you were going to be there too. When he reached a clear opening with blood everywhere his eyes widened in terror as he looked at you two standing in the center. The cook's concern and fear easily overpowered every other feeling in his body, including jealousy, as he rushed over and called out to you two.
Zoro stood with one arm wrapped around your upper back and the other securing your waist so you didn't fall. You leaned your head against Zoro's chest, breathing heavily as you coughed up a little more blood. One arm on Zoro's back, secretly holding up his arm so that he didn't fall over as the other held his other arm for support.
Sanji was scared for the both of you, but more so terrified because he wasn't even expecting you there as well. He asked what had happened in which Zoro replied with, "Nothing...happened."
The cook clenched his jaw at the sight, he had never seen so much blood scattered in one place. It was as if the floor had been painted red and it was worse that out of everyone here one of the people who's blood it was...was you. A part of him cursed at himself at his lack of help with the situation. What did he do? Put on some fake speech about how he'll be stronger and then get knocked out? It was shameful. And to think his lack of actions led to you being involved was even more shameful.
So he quickly ran to get Chopper and they got the both of you medical attention, stopping any bleeding and bandaging wounds up before letting the two of you rest. He wanted to help somehow and this was the only way he could think of for now.
***
I smiled gently at the sight of everyone cheering and partying together. Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp danced on the table with mugs in their hands—probably full of water—as they sang along to whatever song was playing. People were laughing and smiling in celebration despite their injuries as their happiness seemed like it was too much to contain. Brook began to sing and play another song on the piano, this time everyone joyfully sang along, though you could hear in Brook's voice that this song was pretty important to him.
"Oi, Nightmare."
I turned over to look Zoro who had his eyes closed as it came to me that he was pretending to be sleeping this entire time. I looked at him curiously as I slightly tilt my head subconsciously, "Yeah?"
I hate that I responded to that nickname so fast...
"Thanks."
I blinked a couple times before a small smile crept on my lips, "I'm sorry, what?"
Zoro clicked his tongue in feigned annoyance as he turned his back to me, "I said 'Thanks', but don't ever pull that shit again. I can handle it myself next time."
I rolled my eyes affectionately as I look back at the crowd with a smile, "That's why you so willingly took my hand, huh?" Upon hearing him shift beside me I looked back at him to see him looking up at me with a contemplating look on his face, catching me off guard.
"I can't bring myself to say no to you, Y/n."
I recoiled back slightly in shock as I looked at him with curious eyes, "What's that supposed to mean?" My fingers tingling as the sensation travels up my arm and throughout my body at the intense gaze he sent towards me.
"It means," He got up slowly, onto his elbows as he leaned towards me. The bandages on his chests seemed to have gotten lose a little earlier so now it was begging to unravel from it's tucked place. Zoro's eyes looked at mine at a dangerously close distance before they traveled along my body and then back up to my eyes. He spoke in an amused, low tone as if the sentence he spoke was for my ears only, "You have a hold on me, Y/n."