Three days went by since the second incident took place within the Straw Hat Pirate's Sunny, and no one ever found out about the dangerous hunt Sanji, Zoro, and Luffy went on, to find the unknown abuser.
Currently, it was lunchtime and they were all gathered around at the table.
Though Zoro asked Luffy why he had been limping for the past two days after he was able to walk around so much better than before, the boy admitted he had twisted his ankle during his fight.
This fact wasn't proven true until Chopper examined Luffy and found he had, in fact, sprained his ankle.
In addition, he had also fractured two ribs and was currently bandaged from his chest to his waist.
The young Doctor let them know that both his ribcage and ankle would heal up on their own, but that he couldn't make any brusque movements that would worsen his injuries.
In spite of that, the boy could still manage to sit rather well on his own, with the help of an extra cushion on his seat.
The seas grew colder overnight and ever since that night, Luffy refused to change out of his favorite red hoodie that snuggled him into a warm hug, keeping him from getting cold.
Oddly enough, the boy was also wearing long pants for the first time in quite awhile.
Everyone found this strange, coming from their Captain: He never wears long pants, no matter what the weather circumstances are.
"Someone's still feeling cold." Zoro smiled, wrapping his arm around the boy's shoulder as they continued to eat peacefully.
"Mhm! 'as nuffim! Just wait 'til it starffs do dnow!" Luffy spoke with his mouth filled to the brim with food.
"CHEW YOUR FOOD PROPERLY!" Nami and Usopp shouted, unintentionally bumping each other's heads while scolding Luffy.
This action of theirs made their Captain laugh loudly with tears of sheer joy over spilling from the corners of his eyes.
"UWAAHAHAHAHA!!"
His laughter was almost therapeutic for everyone to hear, knowing that the boy hasn't been acting like himself lately.
By now, he was spitting crumbs out everywhere.
And the longer he laughed, the less amount of food remained stuffed within his mouth.
When it all went down his pipe and left his mouth with clearer view, Zoro tucked his hand beneath the boy's chin.
In his eyes, Luffy could see the way Zoro's expressions gradually became concerning with a hint of perturbation lost in the man's gaze.
"Luffy, look up." The Swordsman spoke with curiosity.
Luffy's locks of dark brown hair dispersed from his forehead, while some remained almost glued to it as gravity made his strands move around freely when he tilted his head up.
"Open your mouth."
Upon saying this, Zoro realized that a few of the crewmates were eyeing him, wondering why he was acing so secretive with his Captain, all of a sudden.
"I think I saw something lodged back there," he said, wrapping his arm underneath the boy's bottom.
"Wh- Ouch! Ouch! Zoro..." Luffy watched Zoro mutter a silent apology to him, promising to be more gentle the next time when carrying him.
Currently, the older man wasn't focused on his surroundings at all.
He could only think of the new discovery he made when Luffy was laughing seemingly normal around everyone else.
"Did anyone else see it? Or was it only me because I was sitting right beside him." He thought to himself.
"Zoro, what is it?" Luffy questioned, giving the man a look of mindless innocence.
"Can I take a look inside of your mouth for a second?"
"That's weird, don't cha think?" The younger giggled, showing Zoro a bright, contagious smile.
"It'll only be a minute."
"O... Okay then." The boy shrugged his shoulders, parting his lips.
"Tilt your head back a little bit."
"Ah, c'mon!! My neck hurts!" Luffy groaned, becoming impatient.
"Just one more time, Monkey-Chan." Zoro's new nickname for his Captain was so unexpected, the boy grew flustered immediately.
As a result, his jaw dropped out of embarrassment and he ended up revealing everything to Zoro.
"What happened back here!?"
Inside, the Swordsman found shades of greens and blues and a hint of purple bruising the roof of Luffy's mouth.
"Back where?" Luffy asked the older male.
"WHAT? Haven't you seen it yet? Look here." Shining a mirror against his face, Luffy opened his mouth.
"EHHHH!!???" Luffy's scream was loud enough for everyone else to hear.
"Luffy, you okay?"
"YO! Is everything alright?"
Sanji and Franky shouted from afar.
Zoro opened the door and let everyone know that everything was perfectly fine; opposite of how things really were in between him and the younger boy.
"Luffy-"
"Come to think of it, I brushed my teeth wayyyy too roughly this morning. Those toothbrushes are pretty tough! Nishishi!"
Before Luffy could walk away, Zoro kicked the door shut and stood in front of his Captain.
"Unless you've got a toothbrush made of bricks, then I'd believe you." Luffy gulped, moving his hand towards his throat.
His pale, almost colorless complexion was becoming a new concern to Zoro.
"Hey... You don't look so good." He caressed the boy's forehead, he was cold to the touch.
His woolen red hoodie no longer heated his body.
"Let's sit down. Is this comfortable enough?" Zoro asked, placing a pillow against a bench he lead Luffy towards, out on the deck.
Agreeing to sit down, the boy attempted to do so, but failed in the process when he felt something stabbing him from the inside of his lower body.
He let out a disturbing yelp, readjusting himself against the bench.
"Luffy? What's wrong? H-hey, don't tell me..."
A flash of light went right through the older man's eyes when he saw a flying lunch headed towards his face, missing him by a hair.
"Don't touch!!"
Removing his hand away from Luffy's shoulder, Zoro listened to what the young man was about to say.
"Luffy, don't take your jacket off out here. It's too-" By now, the Swordsman had nothing left to say.
Luffy had left him speechless by showing him the horrific traces that were scarring his skin.
"There's no use in hiding it from you."
~~~
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His Fault | Monster Trio
Fanfiction"It's not my fault that happened to Luffy!" "Go to hell! You stupid Newkama Queer..."
