Chapter Text
Sanji opened his eyes to find that the bunk above him was sagging heavily, almost touching his face. This was unusual, as the mosshead was usually awake and training before he even got up to make breakfast for the crew.
He dragged himself out of bed, stretching to try and wake himself up. As went on his tiptoes to check if the little plant really was still sleeping, he found a green and blacked striped tiger, lying on its side, panting.
Sanji’s eyes widened , but he kept his cool.
“Feeling a little under the weather today, Marimo? ” He jeered, hiding his worry until he was sure it was really needed.
Everyone knew Zoro returned to his tiger form, whether he wanted too or not, when he was sick. Though usually during these times he retreated into a quiet area to be alone, most often using the crows nest as his own personal cat tree. The fact he was still lying here in his bunk was surprising.
Tiger Zoro’s eyes cracked open, revealing his golden yellow irises. His beady pupils stared the blonde down like he was about to pounce, however they were glassy, glazed with pain.
“Fuck off…shit-cook…” the beast growled. His hackles were raised, obviously not wanting to be seen like this, especially not by his rival.
Sanji could understand that, most hybrids didn’t like to be seen in their full animal forms as often times it meant they were feeling weak and vulnerable. Although Sanji would rarely go full goat, even when he was ill, he could sympathise with the defensive tiger.
“Woah, calm down tiger-boy” he laughed “You should probably go see Chopper, you look like shit”
“I’m fine, besides he’s sleepin’” Zoro groggily murmured, closing his eyes again.
The little reindeer was in fact, peacefully asleep in the bunk just across from them.
Since he was full animal, the only one on the crew, he stayed in that form all the time.
Sanji wanted to argue how he really wouldn’t mind being woken up and he was the ships doctor so this was his job, however he knew it was pointless.
“D’ya think you’ll be back to normal by the time he wakes up? You’ve got…” Sanji looked out of the window. The sun was just rising, so it was probably around 5am. “about 2 hours, you should definitely get checked out when he gets up, mossy”
“I told you ‘m fine, I’m gonna go to the crow’s nest and start training in a minute” the tiger replied, completely ignoring Sanji’s question.
You mean you’re going up there to hide from everyone Sanji silently thought. And you’re clearly not ‘fine’.
“Whatever you say…” Sanji sighed, waving is hand as he walked away to get started on breakfast.
He didn’t care. It was his own funeral, that damn stubborn tiger-hybrid could go up there and die, for all he cared.
He would tell Chopper to go and check on him later.
For now he retreated to the kitchen, finally beginning to cook the large feast required to satisfy his captains huge appetite.
‧°꒰🐾꒱༘⋆ ≽^•⩊•^≼ ‧°꒰🐾꒱༘⋆
Breakfast was the usual chaotic affair.
Luffy, a monkey-hybrid, using his unnaturally stretchy arms to try and steal anyone and everyone’s food, easily reprimanded by a sharp slap. The only person whose plate he wouldn’t try to pillage was the cat-hybrid, Nami. She would often stab or scratch him with her fork, ginger ears flattening in frustration.
The table was arise with chatter about mundane things, such as marine kill count or their recent adventures on thriller bark. Zoro had gotten injured badly there and was still meant to be recovering, worrying Sanji even more about his condition this morning.
During breakfast he pulled Chopper, who was just about to dig in to his third helping of pancakes, aside.
Once they were in the hallway, away from the crew, Sanji began to explain
“Why didn’t he just come to me?” Chopper asked once Sanji had finished. He looked slightly hurt.
“I trie to tell him you wouldn’t mind, but you know how that bastard acts…” Sanji sighed, taking a long drag from his cigarette, auburn ears flicking in well hidden anger. He hated Zoro’s immortal god act, it made him want to shake the mosshead, make him understand that his crew would support when he was hurt, not ridicule him for being weak. But whatever.
“He’s in the crows nest right now, I’m about to bring some food for him, would you come with me to at least give him a check up?” Sanji looked down at the reindeer, who nodded in silent understanding and ducked into the infirmary to grab his doctors bag, whilst Sanji quickly went back into the galley to scoop some food onto a plate.
When they climbed up to the crows nest, a cruel sight met them.
Zoro, no longer in tiger form, panting hard, led on the floor, crimson blotting his once white shirt.
Sanji winced. He knew how much energy Zoro must be exerting just to stay in regular form. On top of that, it looked as if he had been lying here for at least an hour, judging from the pool of blood around him.
“ZORO!??” Chopper yelled, in shock at how bad Zoro’s state had gotten, right under his own doctor’s nose.
He ran over to the barely conscious boy, Sanji following close behind him.
He watched helplessly as Chopper checked Zoro’s vitals. He was so stupid. He should have pushed that idiot to go see Chopper before he had gotten this bad. He pulled at one of his golden locks in frustration.
Suddenly, Zoro’s eyes flickered open, now their regular stone grey. They looked even glassier before; as though he was dancing on the line between life and death.
“Chopper?” he weakly muttered, face red with fever. He was clearly very out of it, so it was a mystery to everyone how he had managed to stay human.
“Zoro! What happened?” The doctor replied, eyes welling up.
“Some of my wounds reopened a few days ago during training…. didn’t wanna bother you with it… m’ fine” Zoro slurred, very obviously not fine
“Zoro…” chopper grimaced, sounding heartbroken. He shook his head, changing into doctor mode.
“Sanji, help me get him to the infirmary” Chopper commanded, any sign of sadness gone.
“Roger” Sanji replied, moving to help pick up the moss.
Together they carefully brought him down from the crows nest, chopper switching into heavy point and draping Zoro over one of his arm whilst he slid down the ladder. Sanji waited down below to catch him in case anything went wrong.
Eventually they got the tiger hybrid, who was still somehow holding onto consciousness and staying in human form, on to the infirmary bed. His breathing was still heavy, cheeks burning red
“Zoro, can you still hear me?” Deep worry plagued Chopper’s mind , however he tried to keep his composure.
Zoro simply grunted. ‘ Yes, I can’ is what Sanji and Chopper deciphered this as.
“Zoro, I’m guessing you probably won’t be able to keep this form for much longer?” Chopper asked
Another grunt. It was clear to anyone that his stamina was running thin.
“Honestly, treating you in tiger form would be near impossible so I’m going to give you an adrenaline shot now, is that ok?” Chopper explained, not really expecting a coherent answer
Yet another grunt. ‘ Do what ever you need to…’
“Chopper, doesn’t than mean he’s going to have to be awake whilst you stich up the wounds?” Sanji chided in, aching sympathy building up in the back of his throat.
“Yes, but I’ll numb the area, so he won’t feel anything, don’t worry!” the little reindeer reassured him “I may need you to hold him down, though. Zoro has a hard time staying still during these types of procedures”
Sanji sighed. Why did the mosshead have to be so childish? He was just doing this for Chopper he told himself, not because he cared.
Chopper carefully inserted an IV into Zoro’s arm, hoofs working with practiced ease. He hooked a bag of saline solution onto it. Than got a needle and injected in the adrenaline.
Whilst waiting for the drug to kick in, he set about cleaning Zoro’s reopened wounds to asses the damage. With Sanji’s help, he peeled off the soiled shirt, revealing a sea of blood underneath. The swordsman’s face scrunched up tight, no pain relief having been applied yet. As soon as chopper began to go in with a cloth to wipe the dirt and blood, Zoro started uncontrollably thrashing.
Choppers eyes widened.
“Sanji, hold him down! He could do more damage to himself!” Chopper instructed.
“Damn tiger instincts…” Sanji muttered to himself as he moved to restrain the beast.
He leaned over and held Zoro’s arms down, spewing words of comfort as he did so, trying to reassure the swords man in his delirious state.
His eyes were wild, pupils grey pinpricks, darting around the room like a trapped fly. His green ears were pricked, listening for then first sign of attack. Apparently, they found it. The strong, blonde arms holding him down. Without thinking, the tiger sunk his sharp canines deep into the flesh of whoever had dared to try and restrain him.
“Ahh shit marimo! What the fuck?” Was what he heard next as the arms withdrew. “Chopper, are you sure you can’t sedate him?”
“He’s already had the adrenaline now!” Came a panicked squeaky voice.
“You got me good, shithead…” spat the angry voice.
As the drug worked its way through his system, Zoro’s awareness was starting come back, wild instincts repressed. His mouth was filled with the taste of cold iron. He wiped it and saw red. Who had he bitten?
He looked around the room, confused until he saw familiar golden hair, two little horns poking out of it from either side, auburn ears flicking.
“Cook?”
Why was swirly brow here? Where was he? Last he remember he was hiding away in the crows nest, on the premise of ‘training’ trying desperately to revert back to his human form so he could get checked out by Chopper.
“Where am I?”
“You’re in the infirmary, tiger-boy” swirly replied, clutching his arm.
Zoro’s face fell when he say the drips of scarlet leaking out of it. Had he seriously BITTEN the cook? He’d really fucked up this time.
“Did I- Did I do that?” Zoro asked, already knowing the answer. His chest was aching, rapid breathing not helping his case.
“Yes you did, idiot marimo” Sanji replied, lighting a cigarette, earning a scolding look from Chopper.
Guilt hit him like a tidal wave.
“I’m… I’m so sorry, I didn’t know what I was doing I-“ Zoro faltered, tripping over his own tongue.
The blonde just put his hand up.
“It’s not that deep, besides you’re the one who needs medical attention right now” Sanji asserted, eyeing his still bleeding chest “just stay still and let chopper do his job. Preferably WITHOUT biting anyone this time” Sanji added with a smirk.
Zoro blushed (though it was hard to see over his fever) and did as he was told. Chopper went in with the cloth again, wiping off the now crusted blood.
As he applied numbing cream too the area, his brow furrowed.
“Just as I thought, almost of all of the wounds you reopened are infected” Chopper declared. Now all the dirt was gone, it was easy to see the angry, puffy skin that surrounded the gashes. “That explains the fever… You’ll need to take some antibiotics for a about a week. This wouldn’t of happened if you’d come to me earlier, you know”
Zoro just looked down in shame.
“He’s right marimo” Sanji’s voice practically sang, I-told-you-so undertones as strong as ever. His arm was hastily self cleaned and bandaged, as Chopper was busy with Zoro.
“Ok, let’s get to stitching.” The reindeer finally said, side-eyeing Sanji “Zoro, will you be able to sit still? You won’t feel anything.”
A firm nod was the only answer.
“Sanji, stand beside him, just in case”
Sanji rolled his eyes, but obediently did as ordered.
Chopper grabbed the needle and began. Zoro mostly stayed still, if not for the occasional jerk from the tugging sensation on his skin and a couple of coughs. Sanji barely had to step in, instead opting to try and comfort the moss by stroking his hair, being careful to avoid his sensitive ears.
When Chopper was finally finished he wiped away any pearls of blood and bandaged it tightly. He took the bag of saline off the stand and replaced with the first course of Zoro’s antibiotics.
“You need rest now, so I’m going to give you some sedative to send you to sleep, as you’re still under the influence of the adrenaline. There’s a chance you may turn back into tiger form, is that ok?” Chopper queried. It was more of an order than a question, as he needed rest whatever he said next.
“Whatever… but do you mind not letting anyone into the infirmary?” Zoro pleaded, eyes already darting around nervously.
Chopper agreed, knowing about Zoro’s vulnerability, and started to prepare the anaesthetic.
Sanji let out a little laugh. No matter how tough Zoro pretended to be, apparently even he had his limits.
“What are you laughing about, shit-cook?” The tiger snapped, teeth bared.
“Nothing, mosshead” Sanji waved him off “I’m going to go tell the crew what’s happened, they’re probably wondering where we are”
Zoro frowned a little as he left the infirmary. He kinda wanted him to stay, not that he would ever admit it.
As the heavy wood door slammed shut, Chopper turned around, prepared needle in hoof.
“You ready?” he asked
“Mmm” replied Zoro, not really paying attention
Cold hooves took his arm, and there was a little prick.
“It will work quickly, so please relax” the reindeer added when he was finished.
He could already feel his limbs getting heavier , any previous strength dissipating. He closed him eyes and sunk further into the firm mattress. His mind felt floaty.
“Tell… tell the cook he can come back if he wants” he sluggishly murmured, praying Chopper heard him.
Damn, this drug must really have made him go insane. Did he practically just ask for that useless love-cook to come back? He may have heard chopper saying something in reply, but it was muffled. As his consciousness finally slipped away, he hoped that he would see those sunshine locks when he came too.