Sooooo…. For a long time I had lost interest in this fic cuz I was writing a irondad spiderson fic. Its crossposted on ao3 as well, btw. But, as I have pledged in my description, I will NEVER abandon a fic. So, sorry for the wait and enjoy!

(also watch out for butchered medical facts)

"Ow ow- that hurts!" the boy didn't shriek, but he came dangerously close. He supposed it was because he was almost an adult and adults most certainly did not shriek. Chopper had to struggle to keep the amusement from his voice.

It was a close call.

"It's not as bad as it looks." Chopper did laugh when the boy before him just looked at him. "No, really, the only reason it has swelled up so much is because you probably put a lot of strain on your ligament. You said you played basketball?" He continued when the boy nodded. "I actually get a lot of people with similar problems. This must've happened when you attempted to go along with a technique you hadn't tried before."

The boy looked at him with wide eyes that clearly implied that Chopper's assumption was accurate. Before he could continue, another voice spoke up.

"So he'll be fine? There's- It's nothing serious?" it was one of whom Chopper supposed were the boy's teammates. They were a group of about seven and they had all but burst into Chopper's little clinic, completely destroying the quiet of the afternoon. All but forcing their injured friend on the chair and huddling in the corner, giving Chopper all the space he would need to work but ready to help in any way. It made Chopper smile but at the same time his heart twinged with longing – and, dare he say, nostalgia. It made him wonder.

Later after he had diced the technicalities of the resting and rehab procedure to the barest essentials because none of the boys looked like they understood a word he was saying, the boys left, gratitude and relief obvious on their faces. Letting out a sigh for reasons unknown to himself, Chopper leaned back in his chair and let his thoughts wonder.

He remembers how surprised the boys looked when they set foot inside the clinic. Most of his patients are, Chopper was unnaturally small sized for his age and qualifications. The clinic itself belonged to Hiluluk, Chopper's late teacher who was a father to him in everything but blood.

Well everyone isn't as unusual as those guys, who didn't doubt me even for a second when I said that I was a doctor.

Chopper straightened up in his chair, because where had that thought come from? Everyone he has ever met has been surprised on knowing his profession, even Doctorine. So, who were these people he just thought of?

Images swim past in his head, extremely blurry, and he could hear muffled voices. While he couldn't make out what the unknown (no, they're familiar, family, more) voices were saying, most of them felt like they have no idea what he is talking about. And okay, that is pretty normal for all of his patients, but he has never heard something like this (yes, yes you have). Because there is an underlying trust in the fleeting laughter that is so staggering in its intensity that it leaves Chopper breathless and makes his chest constrict with longing.

But then another person bursts in through his door and he's getting a lot of panicky patients today so he sets his thoughts aside and goes into professional mode.

There's a post-it note on the door of his clinic. It's an invitation to a party, and just states the address. Chopper supposes it must be a new kind of prank and he peels off the post-it to toss in the bin. But as he's about to do that, he sees something on the back of it. As if the 'prankster' knew that Chopper was going to throw it, there's a message that says: PS- this is not a joke. Underneath it is a doodle of a rather strange grinning skull.

A strange grinning skull with a straw hat on and cross bones behind it.

"I raise this skull against all diseases!"

"Do you understand the meaning of this flag? The skull mark is a symbol of conviction!"

Suddenly Chopper's heart wells up, with grief, with happiness, maybe both, and something more. Something so wonderfully overwhelming that Chopper has to steady himself against the door lest his legs give out.

He really should know better than to but his heart leads him to a house in the Grand Line district, the legal grey area where you can trust neither the citizens nor the police. Local residence of countless shady people that it was, a person like Chopper should really not be here, especially at this hour. Regardless, Chopper approaches the house.

He hears some….. questionable sounds from the inside. Instead of making him back away, it makes him smile.

He knocks on the door and waits.

And waits.

No one opens it. The noises keep growing louder.

Chopper tests the door knob and it twists open, leading him smack into the face of pandemonium.

The living room is bathed in warm lights and somewhat excessively decorated in a professional manner. Someone with really good designing and artistic skills must have done it. Next he notices the occupants of the room.

A very pretty girl with beautiful orange locks sat in one corner of the room, looking very much done with the three other occupants of the room in specific and the world in general and murderous at the same time. Her glare rolled off the others harmlessly, especially the boy with cropped green hair who was napping a few ways away from her despite the ruckus. Then there was a blond guy with his hair sweeping over to cover one eye who was doing most of the yelling and there was a muffled voice coming from under his feet where he had trapped a teenage boy and was holding back another one with an absurdly long nose from a common target: the massive cake on the center table which would put any pâtissier to shame.

The blond one finally pushed back the long nosed one who screamed about treacherous teammates as he fell, but not before he pulled his offender with him. With both of them on the floor, the other teenager uses his newfound freedom to dash over to the table. In the one fluid movement, half the cake is gone, most likely into the mouth of this boy with swollen cheeks like a chipmunk. That's the first time Chopper gets a good look at his face and again-

running away from a snow kingdom as a gigantic sakura tree blooms behind them

he feels-

before a bear man, feeling utterly defeated

so-

meeting after so long, vengeful and undefeatable, they're back

damned-

being so close, their dreams within the reach of their palms, and being crushed

overwhelmed.

One Piece. Grand line. Marines. Pirates. Nakama. Zoroussopsanjinamirobinfrankybrook. Nakama. Captain. Luffy. LuffyluffyluffyluffyluffyfuturePirateKing-

This time Chopper isn't able to steady himself when his legs give out.

1000 word chappie!

Yes, Nami planned the party and Ussop made? the decorations.

I'm actually pretty proud of how this one turned out. Do tell me your thoughts by reviewing!