The lights on the highway were a red and yellow blur against the night. Slight drizzle were dropping on the windshield of Zoro's car as it thread through the light traffic. Zoro's reflection was overlapping in the car window with the blonde in the passenger's seat who was smiling softly next to him. He wanted to smile too, but hurt was playing in his eyes. Roronoa Zoro, formidable swordsman, was in pain for the love of his life was currently engaged to someone else - someone that he currently loathed. He had no choice, but to move on. Still, how could he? He was in love with him since they were kids.
They cruised the highway in silence; the night deepening as Zoro gripped the steering wheel. He didn't need to know if Sanji wanted this or not. Of course, the blonde had no choice. His parents wanted him to marry the bloody woman who was the heir to one of the richest companies in the country. He wanted to break the engagement, kick ass if needed to, but he had no choice at all. Sanji's parents were against their relationship ever since they started. Not to mention that his family did not own worth anything except for the dojo that his adoptive father had.
Slow music in stereo was softly playing in the background. It should not affect him, but it did. He did not react; however, it was breaking his heart into pieces like a mirror that was shattered. A soft groan came from his throat when he reached a fork. The car halted to a stop as he parked it on the side. He turned to the blonde that was sitting beside him. "What are you going to do?" His voice was soft; too soft to know that it came from him.
Sanji was too close to him, but he could not even reach out and touch the blonde's hand. A gentle , but sad smile creeped on the blonde's eyes before he spoke, "I don't know. You know that I can't break my promise to my parents."
Yes. The fucking promise. Of course, how could he forget? He was not one to break his promises, not even Sanji. Even the promise that he gave Kuina, his sister, was not lost in his heart and mind even after the girl died in her younger years. When he promised the girl that he would become the greatest swordsman in their era, the girl had died in his arms. Kuina was his sister, his adoptive father's daughter, and was his inspiration to become the greatest swordsman.
He wanted to runaway and never look back. He wanted to snatch Sanji away from his duties as the heir of his family, but how could he? He knew how much Sanji wanted his parents' respect. He could not deprive Sanji that. Zoro knew how long Sanji had waited for this moment to come. Still, he needed Sanji in his life. The blonde had become his inspiration since Kuina died. He didn't know how he could live without him anymore. If only he could make him only his.
When Sanji told him about the engagement, he was shocked; mortified even. Not that he didn't know what Sanji's parents had thought about. Of course, he knew about it. Sanji's parents told him that when Sanji turned twenty, he should back off and leave. They even gave him money to leave town, in case this happened and they were still together. He accepted the bribe, not because of the money, but because he wanted Sanji to be happy, not that Sanji was really happy. If Sanji were happy, he would have told Zoro that. Instead, the blonde called him and told him to be with him tonight.
He wanted to runaway and never look back. He wanted to steal Sanji from his family and make him his, and only his. Even if the dawn broke, he didn't want to give up his love for the blonde. He drove in circles just to make sure that Sanji would be his this night, even just for tonight; for Sanji to be reminded how much he loved him. He did not want the blonde to go home and leave him alone with his shattered feelings.
Right this instant, Zoro could see the changes in the skyline's colors. Hues of violet, blue, and red were playing in the horizon as dawn broke. The car's engine hummed under a bridge as Zoro spoke, "You know how much I love you, Sanji."
And, yes, Sanji knew how much he loved him.
The stretch of the highway seemed too short. He sighed as he gritted his teeth and averted his eyes to the infinite road that lied ahead. "I can't let you go. You know that though, Sanji." His voice broke as he tried and failed to keep calm. He loved the blonde so much that he just wanted to snatch him away from all of this shit.
Zoro could not even say that he wanted Sanji; that he wanted the love that Zoro needed from Sanji. Sanji was his life; his everything. But when Sanji left him for his family, he had to move on. He had to, but he just couldn't.
His heart was crying out loud inside its shackles. His heart wanted to shout out that Sanji was his; that Sanji would be forever his and that no one could claim Sanji except him. Unfortunately, that was impossible. The blonde had to follow his father and mother's orders whether he wanted to or not.
Zoro needed him like air; despite the fact that he knew that Sanji would listen to his parents; to follow their orders, whether he wanted to or not. It was always Sanji's call and not his. And at this very moment, his breathing was shallow and uneven as his heart was being ripped into shreds.
He needed to move and continue driving, but he was stuck. He only kicked on the gas when Sanji gently pat him on the shoulder, breaking him from his reverie. He shook his head and tried to maintain focus.
As he passed through the endless highway, his line of sight was muddled as the drizzle turned into rain. It was as if it was copying the tears that he had to hide. Zoro clenched his teeth as he bit down the other words that wanted to leave his lips.
He chanced a look at Sanji as the obscured moonlight shone down on the blonde who sank into silence. The blonde was biting his lower lip, eyes singing with sadness. He gripped the steering wheel harder as he pushed his emotions down into the depths of his body. He should not make this hard for Sanji, not that their situation was not difficult enough.
He craved to touch Sanji, but no matter how small the space in the car was, he just couldn't embrace the man that he loved - the man that he still loves. As they aimlessly wandered on the highway, unable to stop, Zoro's eyes were becoming clouded as the tears that he attempted to hide were already on the edge of his tear ducts.
He missed so much the excitement of the blonde's kisses. He could still remember their first, the day when Sanji said that he would date him. It was summer of their last year in high school. They had just received their diplomas and were goofing around at the rooftop of the school.
Nami, the redhead witch as Zoro often called her, dared him to ask Sanji out when he told her - not that he had any choice since he lost a bet - that he liked Sanji. She knew that Zoro would likely avoid confronting his feelings because they all knew that Sanji was straight as fuck, but Nami knew better.
Sanji was pining for Zoro's affections that was why the blonde kept on riling the greenhead. Of course, they all thought that Zoro was asexual because he didn't show any attraction to other gender nor the same. When Zoro told Nami about his feelings for the blonde, the redhead jumped ahead and thought of a plan to get them both together.
So when Zoro lost the bet between the witch and him, Nami's eyes shone with glee. She told him that he had to confess to Sanji that he liked him on their graduation day, the time and place didn't matter as long as Zoro asked Sanji out.
The conniving witch all but sang when Zoro told her that they kissed and that they were going to have their first date on the following day. The kiss was... sweet and unhurried. It was as if fireworks burst inside him when Sanji wrapped his arms around his neck and tilted his head to kiss him after accepting his confession. They had been together since then; that was until Sanji turned twenty.
They were both hurt and confused when their dreaded day came. Zoro only told Sanji that he was leaving. He didn't tell where or when. Nobody knew about the bribe - about how brash Sanji's parents were when they told Zoro that their relationship was a facade. That Sanji was already betrothed to someone else.
"Stay with me?" Zoro's heart ached as Sanji asked him to be with him.
His thoughts about the past came crashing down on him as he heaved a sigh. "Of course." Even if tonight would be the last time that he could be with him.
He yearned for Sanji - for his affections again, though he knew that they were not lost at all. He wanted to scream and tell the whole world that Sanji was his. That no one could take him away from him. Even so, he knew that all of those were lies. He couldn't tell the whole world that the blonde was his; that no one could take him away because he was nothing in the eyes of Sanji's parents who the blonde adored and worshipped.
His love for Sanji was superfluous. If he could, he would. Everything that he could give Sanji, he would give him. He would steal the stars from the sky if he had to. That was how he loved the blonde. He didn't need anything else except see Sanji happy. But right at this moment, the blonde was hiding the tears that were falling. He wanted to reach out and stop them from pouring, but his hand stopped midway. No, he had no say in this any longer.
If Sanji told him to wrap him in his arms, he would. But Sanji was quiet, silently crying his heart out. Both of them were in so much pain, but either of them were doing nothing to escape. They were just prolonging their agony; waiting for the inevitable.
As they continued to wander aimlessly, Zoro wished for Sanji to turn his heart towards him. He wanted Sanji to give up his marriage, life and family for him because he didn't want to let go. Zoro did not want for Sanji to leave him. But all his wishes would never come true as Sanji was a man of his word, and so was he.
If soul mates existed, then Zoro and Sanji were fucked up souls. Unfortunately, their destiny was something that no one could break. They were meant to be, even if just for a while.
"Don't cry. I'll stay with you." Zoro broke his promise not to touch Sanji. He just couldn't. Not when Sanji was broken just like he was. If only he could pick up the pieces of their broken hearts and fix them up so they would work again. Again with all the ifs.
Zoro parked the car once more, took off his seatbelt and did the same with Sanji's. He prompted the blonde to come to his side and together they embraced their melancholy.
"I love you. I love you." Zoro chanted the words, willing time to stop and stand still.
He rubbed circles on the small of Sanji's back as the blonde held on to him like he was drowning and Zoro was his lifeline. Sanji cried a river and Zoro choked on his tears. Zoro prayed that this moment would last forever. He prayed that time would let them be forever in each other's arms.
What good would it do if Zoro told Sanji every single word that he wanted to say? Even if he hid away the words that he wanted to tell the blonde, his love would still overflow... so much to the extent that would make Sanji shiver.
The light in the horizon was a kaleidoscope of colors now. In a matter of time, Sanji would be leaving him for good. Zoro's hold around Sanji's trembling body tightened. He needed more time. For just a little bit longer, he had to convey his feelings that were lost somewhere in the past and in the present.
A/N: This is sort of a song fic. Two - Ohno Satoshi