Max was sick.
How it happened was uncertain; she wasn't out on deck a lot, so it wasn't like she'd decided to just stand in the rain until she caught hypothermia. She seemed to be eating well, clearing her plate of whatever Sanji gave her, so it wasn't some lack of nutrients.
And yet, somehow, Max was sick.
"It's just a cold," Sanji said, fighting back a smile and losing.
"What is it?" Zoro asked, narrowing his eyes.
"What's what?"
"What're you hiding?"
Sanji just smirked. "You'll see if you go visit Max."
"Why would I want to visit Max?" Zoro snapped, glaring at Sanji for the suggestion.
"I don't know, because you want her to feel better?" Sanji replied, rolling his eyes. "Do or do not - I don't care."
It only took a day for Zoro's curiosity to drive him to Max's door. "I'm coming in," he announced in place of a knock, though it left him feeling strangely intrusive. "Okay?" he added, an afterthought as he was already turning the knob.
Finally, he got a good glimpse at what had Sanji smirking for the past twenty-four hours. There, on her bed, was Max, wrapped in a circular bundle of blankets that made her look like a giant...
"Marshmallow," Zoro observed instinctively before grinning and alternatively scowling (but settling on the grin). "You look like a frickin' marshmallow!"
Max just glared at him from within her bundled cave. "I hope the sickness enters your lungs and you get infected."
"It's just a cold," Zoro said, laughing his butt off.
"And your face is just a little big ugly, but it's enough to ruin everything."
"Hey!!" Zoro shouted, both offended and a little surprised. Max had always been a little terse, but she'd never actually been mean. Or funny.
Max scowled, then sneezed, ruining her scowl with a look of vexation and confusion.
"Whatever, feel better," Zoro ground out before leaving Max alone. If anyone else had been sick, he would have tried to cheer them up somehow, but he just couldn't stand Max.
Even if she did look cute when she sneezed.
Dammit! Max doesn't look cute! Nothing about her is cute! She's a prickly b*tch with a knife fetish!
"You shouldn't say such mean things about her, Zoro!" Luffy complained, clapping him on the back.
"Luffy!!"
"That's me!! Just...give Max some time, okay?"
Zoro was surprised to see Luffy actually looking sincere. "Fine, whatever."
"Good!!" Then Luffy ran off to visit Max.
Zoro just growled and left the two weirdos to their own company.
***
The ship was attacked later that day.
***
"Zoro, you take the inner deck!" Luffy shouted while fighting off several pirates.
Zoro scowled. Luffy was powerful, sure, but he was incredibly stupid. Zoro knew that he'd be most efficient on the outer edges of the deck where the pirates were boarding, so he went there instead, stopping most of the pirates, but a few got past him.
Sanji and the rest can pick off the stragglers.
Zoro kept fighting.
***
An hour had passed before the fight was finished, the other pirate ship sailing away in retreat.
"Ha!" Zoro boasted, although his arms were heavy with sore muscles. "They thought they could beat us." He grinned, the fight putting a fire in his eyes.
Sanji smiled back coolly while Nami laughed, flexing her nonexistent biceps.
"Hey, where's Luffy?" Zoro asked a moment later, stretching. "He should get his butt over here so we can celebrate."
Just then, Luffy walked up the stairs from below deck, his face dark with anger. In fact, Zoro couldn't remember the last time he'd even seen Luffy angry, let alone to this extent.
"I told you to take the inner deck!" he shouted at Zoro, his eyes burning with rage.
"That's stupid! There's nothing in the inner deck!" Zoro snapped back.
"Nothing but the entrance to the lower deck!"
Zoro frowned as Luffy didn't really argue against him. "If there's nothing there, then why is it a big deal?"
"Because MAX WAS DOWN THERE!" Luffy yelled, furious. "And yeah, she's a bad@ss when she's healthy, but she hasn't been feeling well lately! So I told you to protect her! And you didn't!"
Zoro felt the onset of guilt plague him. "Well...is she hurt?"
"No."
Now Zoro was just confused. "Then why-?"
Luffy grabbed Zoro by the collar and dragged him below deck, pushing open the door to Max's room. Sticking out of the walls, the floor, and even the back of the door were knives, most of them likely hijacked from the kitchen.
Nowhere, in the mess, was Max.
Now Zoro was really confused.
"They took Max," Luffy said after a second, his sigh alleviating the anger and instead showing a deep sadness underneath. "They took Max."
Then he left Zoro there.