AN: Hi hi and early Season's Greetings! I figured that while you all wait for the next instalmet of All for Naught (which I'm SERIOUSLY stuck on ;A;) I'd give you guys a present. Semi ZoLu fluffy goodness! And angst, of course. It wound't be a BB story without angst, right? Anyway, you read this, and I'll go work on other things. :D
I don't own OP, I'm just twisted.

It took everything Zoro had not to scream as he bolted up from his spot on the sofa. His heart was racing, his skin was clammy, and he just knew he was crying.

How could he not after a nightmare like that?

Normally, he was too stoic and "tough" for dreams to affect him, if he dreamt at all, but that…that hurt. He needed proof that it wasn't real. That he hadn't just seen the one he cared about most die in front of his eyes.

Panting, the swordsman looked over to where the younger man was supposed to be sleeping, only to find an empty hammock.

He'd forgotten Luffy had watch tonight.

Realizing the boy was outside, alone, with no one to help him if something went wrong, made the nineteen year old's blood freeze for a second before he began to try and talk himself out of his emotional state.

Luffy's too stupid for that. Shit, I bet he doesn't even know how! ….Right?

But the inner pep talk was no use.

With a small groan, Zoro swung his legs over the edge of his makeshift bed. He didn't even consider going back to sleep. He had to see his captain. Had to make sure he was still here with them. With him.

Slowly, he made his way on deck to where he knew the younger boy would be. The cabin door creaked as he opened it, and the young man briefly heard a groggy complaint of "shut the damn door, Marimo!" from behind him, but his thoughts were on one thing and one thing only.

Make sure he's okay.

The crisp night air slapped Zoro's tan face as he looked around for the boy in question.

"Luffy?" he called softly, panicking a bit when there wasn't an answer. The bushido tried again, this time a little louder.

"Luffy?"

Still no reply.

"LU!"

Nothing.

Frantically, Zoro raced his way up to the crow's nest. Just as he hoped, maybe even feared, there was Luffy. He was leaning up against the mast, hat covering his eyes, and very, very still.

Zoro began to panic a lot more.

He reached out to shake the boys shoulder, calling his name.

Luffy didn't move.

No. No. It was just a dream. This isn't happening. He's just asleep!

Zoro could feel the tears beginning to sting eyes as he hollered, "DAMN IT LU! WAKE. UP."

With one final jolt, the raven haired boy woke up with a start.

"WHAT? I DIDN'T DO IT! Are we under attack? Oh…Zoro. It's just you. Is it time to switch already?"

Upon seeing his startled friend's wide, innocent eyes, the first mate let go of everything he'd been holding on too until that moment.

"Oh thank the gods. Thank Gold. Roger. Thank. You. Anyone. Listening. You're okay. You're alive. You're alive!"

Luffy blinked, confused by his best friend's unusual behavior.

"Um..Zoro. Are you okay? What are you talking about? You're kind of squishing me."

The swordsman just continued to cry into Luffy's straw hat, not caring how it irritated his skin.

"You're okay. You're okay. You're okay."

"Of course I am, I was just sleepin'! Sure it was a little quieter than usual, but still! Zoro, please. You're scaring me. What happened?"

Sniffing, Zoro pushed the smaller boy away from his chest just enough to take in everything about him. His round, pouty face, his ruffled mop of black hair, and even how terrified those large eyes seemed at the moment.

"I…I…I had a nightmare."

The captain blinked again, "Okay. As weird as that is, 'cause you're Zoro and Zoro doesn't get nightmares, why did that make you try to crush me and sob and get my hat all gross with your Zoro snot?"

Zoro couldn't even fake a smile at the other's antics, "My nightmare was about you, baka. You died."

"Everyone dies eventually."

Green hair swayed in the wind and he shook his head, "You don't get it!" he threw his hands up in frustration, "You're not supposed to die! You're Monkey D. fricken Luffy. Do you know what that means?"

"That I'm related to a bunch of crazy people?"

"IT MEANS THAT YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DIE, LU. Not while I'm around. Why can't you understand that?"

Luffy smiled sadly before inviting the other to sit beside him, "Tell me, then. Make me understand."

Zoro nodded, choking back another sob as he began to relive everything in painful detail.

It was any other battle with enemy pirates. Zoro was busy with one of them while the others took care of themselves elsewhere. He really wasn't worried about this fight. The crew was weak, their captain having run away as soon as he found who they were. As for the swordsman's own captain, he was currently kicking quite a few asses all on his own.

Of course.

Luffy's laughter filled the air as they fought. He didn't give a damn about anything other than beating the enemy as soon as possible. He had places to go and food to eat. Zoro found the noise beautiful.

Out of nowhere, his opponent charged him. Zoro knew he wouldn't have time to doge, so he braced himself the best he could.

But the blow never came.

He looked to see what had stopped the attack, and immediately regretted it.

There his captain stood, sword penetrating his abdomen.

"L-Lu…why?"

The boy turned to smile at him, ignoring the blood now oozing from his wound and mouth.

"Because."

Zoro felt his world collapse around him.

"Luffy…"

"Don't worry about it Zoro. Just go help the others"

Silently, the first mate looked to where his friends were fighting. Each one was winning by a landslide. He knew Luffy could see them too. So why did he want to send him away?

Then, it clicked.

Luffy didn't want Zoro to see him die.

The enemy pirate's voice broke their silent vigil, "Dammit, kid, you're taking too long," he smiled sadistically, "Just die, already, would ya?"

Then, he pulled his weapon sideways, slicing open Luffy's gut.

Zoro didn't see where the man went after that. Frankly, he didn't care. Instead, he cradled his broken captain in his arms.

"You didn't have to do that."

Luffy coughed, releasing more blood from his lips, "Yes I did. You're nakama."

Zoro stared at the dying boy.

"Luffy…"

"Don't bother Zoro. Just…" Onyx eyes began to fade, "Just make sure you…you beat Mihawk, 'kay?"

"Not without you."

Luffy forced a laugh, "I-If you don't…I'll kick…your… ass."

Zoro took his friend's hand in his own, "Sure, Lu. Sure."

The captain smiled once more, and he was gone.

"And then I woke up…I couldn't save you."

Zoro was crying again, staring at the weathered floor beneath them. He didn't want someone he respected so much to see him like this, but it couldn't be helped now. Luffy hadn't said a word throughout the entire story, and it was starting to bother the green haired youth.

The other stared at the sky, thinking about what his companion had said. It wasn't an unlikely scenario. Every single member of Luffy's crew knew what he was willing to do for them. He knew they had a few issues with it, but seeing his stubborn bushido like this was different. He figured it was best just to be honest.

"Zoro?" he said after a while.

"Y-Yeah?"

"I'm gonna die. We've been over this. You shouldn't let it shake you so hard."

"But I failed you…"

The rubber man shifted until he was in front of the taller pirate, and gingerly wrapped his thin arms around Zoro's broad frame.

"Bullshit. You're the best first mate ever. And if, no, when, I go, just remember that I left this life with no regrets about it. And that it'll severely piss my ghost off if he finds you moping and blaming yourself."

The first mate couldn't help but smile through his tears, "Well, I wouldn't want that." He touched his forehead to his captains and sighed, "I'm just so scared of losing you."

Luffy shifted again, and Zoro thought that his display of weakness had upset him. He jumped when he felt a hand pressed to the left side of his chest.

"It's okay to be scared Zoro," he put Zoro's hand in a similar position on his own chest, "But I'm still here, see? Just like you are. The dream you had tonight doesn't change that. There are other dreams that have to be finished first!"

The swordsman was beat, but he didn't care. He could feel Luffy's steady heartbeat under his calloused palm and he knew that nothing could take that away from him right now. So instead of arguing his worries further, Zoro held the smaller boy closer and smiled, "You're right, Pirate King."

"Shishishi! Damn straight I am. Now go to sleep, silly. I promise you won't have any more nightmares tonight."

He didn't.

AN: WHY DO I WRITE THESE THINGS? I'm not depressed, I swear...

ACK. That dream. And the ending. Just...ACK. I tried to make them better and failed miserably. Lo siento. But anyway, I hope you still enjoyed this, and chapter four of All for Naught should be done as soon as I finish it. Whenever the feck that is o.O

Okay I love you, bye bye!