Wine for Your Sake [Zoro x OC]

14. Bliss

(POV: Zoro)

"You guys were sparring?" Chopper asks, horrified.

"It's just a bruise, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Chopper cries. "A bruised bone."

I frown. "Are you sure?"

"I'm the doctor here!"

"Okay, okay."

"Did Juniper get hurt?"

"Not really."

"What do you mean 'not really'?"

I wince as he rubs a healing ointment on my forearm. It's swelled up now.

"Hey." I change the subject. "Can I take a roll of bandages?"

His eyes sparkle. "Finally. You're taking my advice and keeping extra bandages for your injuries!"

"Mhm."

"Just don't spar again until that's recovered. Okay?"

"Mhm."

Chopper pouts. "Why do I even bother giving you advice at this point..?"

He wraps up my arm before sending me off.

"Thanks, Chopper," I say.

By the time I get outside, it's somehow hotter than it was half an hour ago. Luffy lies flat on the grass, his limbs spread out.

"It's so hot..." he whines.

Usopp groans. "We should have brought a blue tree with us."

"I already told you; it won't work," Nami scorns. "And you have to be prepared to deal with this for another few hours."

"Ah, I don't wanna get a sunburn!" Brook exclaims. "Not that I have any skin. Yohohohoh!"

"Nami-swannn! Robin-chwannnnn!" Sani calls enthusiastically. "Should I prepare some ice cream?"

Robin nods. "Yes, please. Thank you, Sanji-kun."

"Thanks, Sanji-kun!" Nami echoes.

My sweat starts collecting on my shirt, so I take it off before it can get completely soaked. I climb back up to the crow's nest.

Jun is in the same state as Luffy. She's still on her back with her arms spread out. Her leg warmers, socks, and boots are taken off and pushed aside.

"It was so cold last night," she complains. "Why is it so hot now?"

"That's the Grand Line," I answer frankly.

She cranes her neck up to see the roll of bandages in my hand. "Oh, thanks."

Come to think of it, it is quite stuffy in this room. I walk along the wall, opening each window halfway and letting the mild draft settle in.

She sits up immediately. "Those can open?"

"Yeah," I say. "You just undo the latch."

She looks back at the cut leg warmer. "You don't happen to have leg warmers, do you?"

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(POV: Juniper) - Present

"Dinner's ready!" Sanji shouts.

Finally.

I hop up and climb down the ladder. I don't mind spending time with the Pirate Hunter, but something about today made it barely tolerable. Maybe it was the suffocating heat radiating throughout the room. Maybe it's how he didn't seem to be apologetic for anything he did.