A/N:: Hello! This is my first ZoSan fic, and the first fic I've written in a couple years. I'm a bit rusty, but, I did my best. I got my inspiration for this fic from tumblr. So, I hope you guys like this!
Walking barefoot, dripping wet across the worn planks of the ship, Sanji felt the familiar boards of the Thousand Sunny underneath his feet. This ship had seen a lot of fights, a lot of scuffles. It had been through a lot. Sanji's hand caressed the mast of the ship, memories of the crew assaulting his senses.
He looked around smiling wistfully. Each and every part of this ship had a memory so very near and dear to his shitty heart. Lifting a soggy cigarette to his lips, he didn't even bother to try and light the cigarette. His pack was soaked, they couldn't be saved. Sanji walked along the ship, imagining the merrymaking of the crew. He could hear Brook's laughter, Luffy's cries for meat, Usopp's lies, Franky's cries of 'Super!', and Chopper's squeals of delight, reverberated through him. If he listened carefully, he was sure he could faintly hear the sound of Zoro's breathing echoing through the ship, but that was all gone now.
Sanji blinked, and just like that, the Thousand Sunny from his memories was gone.
In its' place, something out of a night mare.
At his feet, Chopper's tiny reindeer body lay bloody, beaten and battered, his expression frightened, but empty. Chopper, poor Chopper. He had always been the most caring out of all of them. The most human. He'd been the heart, the beloved and treasured Doctor. Dead. Sanji dropped to one knee and scooped the broken, fragile body up. Walking to the middle of the ship, he stepped around holes made by cannon balls and attacks. Laying Chopper there in the middle of the ship, he said quietly "Good job, you shitty doctor. Take a break."
He turned then, his eyes catching sight of another person near and dear to him, - Usopp.
Usopp's expression was one of fear, but it wasn't a cowardly fear. It was a fear of dying. Usopp was so battered, that had Chopper been still alive, he'd be doing anything he could to keep Usopp together. Sanji quietly walked over to Usopp. Usopp's nose, his infamous long nose, gone. Blown off by a bullet, now it was half what it once was. Usopp's arm was hanging by a thread from his elbow. It was a miracle the arm was still attached. The rest of Usopp's body was a mess of cuts, bruises, burns, and other unidentifiable marks. Sanji quietly picked Usopp up and quietly carried the body over to where Chopper's body rested. Settling Usopp down, he crossed Chopper's hooves over his chest, and smoothed the little reindeer's expression into one of peace. He turned to Usopp, and with as much care and reverence, repeated the same process.
Usopp, the liar. The skin of the crew. His lies gave the crew a shell, something to protect them from the truth, stories that they knew to be false, but could pretend for a little while that they were true. If only this was another one of his lies. Sanji chewed on cigarette and whispered "You shitty liar, you had better be telling the truth wherever you are now."
Sanji turned on his heel to look around.
Nami.
Sanji's feet numbly carried him over to Nami's body. She was the luckiest of them all it seemed. A bullet to the head and heart, and she was gone. She looked so peaceful, so unafraid, so fearless. She hadn't known what hit her, she hadn't had time to be afraid. Dropping to his knees, Sanji reached out and caressed her face. Nami, the brain. She was the brains of the crew. Nami, always so smart. Sometimes she was too smart, but that was Nami. Sanji quietly picked her up, showing great care in how he carried her.
Carrying Nami to where he'd laid out Usopp and Chopper, he lay Nami next to Usopp. Gently folding her hands over her chest, he gently brushed her hair from her face. He smiled at her then, "Good night, my sweet Nami. I hope they're treating you well, wherever you are, or I'll kick their asses." Sanji then pushed himself to his feet, staggering a little bit.
He didn't have to go far for the next body.
Robin.
Sweet, calm, gentle, wise, Robin. She was the voice of reason. She wasn't the oldest in their crew, but she had been the wisest, the most knowledgable. Walking over to her body, slumped on the stairs, Sanji dropped to sit next to her body for a moment. Where Robin's heart should have been was gone. Instead, there was a gaping hole. She hadn't gone peacefully. Sanji could see her furrowed brow, and almost angry expression. Sanji smiled weakly. Turning, he scooped Robin up, and gently pulled her lax form into his lap. Brushing the hair from Robin's face, he quietly soothed the furrowed brow and angry expression from her face. Getting to his feet, he carried her over to where the crew lay. Settling Robin down next to Nami gently, he whispered "Robin, my sweet lady, I know you're reading all the books you can get your hands on. I hope they're good ones."
Sanji shift to kneel in front of Nami and Robin's heads. Leaning over, he gently kissed each of their foreheads and said, voice rough with choked emotion "Sleep well, my beautiful ladies." Sanji managed to stand. Ignoring his trembling legs, he turned to where Franky lay sprawled out. Franky lay there a couple feet away, and it wasn't too far away from Sanji, that by the time he reached Franky, Sanji hadn't had time to look for anybody else. Franky, the band-aid. He fixed problems, took care of the ship, and was, like Usopp, the almost father figure to the group. He was the one who knew how to have fun, but when it came down to it, he was the one they could rely on for serious matters.
Sanji could only find Franky's upper torso.
Everything below his belly button was missing.
Sanji quietly grabbed Franky by his arm, and dragged the remains of Franky's body over to where he'd laid out every one else. Resting Franky next to Robin, he crossed Franky's arms across his chest. Reaching down, Sanji adjusted the sunglasses, knowing one side was completely shattered. Franky wouldn't care now, though. He was dead. Still, the action calmed Sanji.
Sanji couldn't find Brook's skeleton anywhere. He didn't know what had happened to Brook, or where Brook's body was. He knew that Brook was dead though. How he knew, he wasn't sure, but he knew. Instead, he placed Brook's top hat next to Franky's body, a place holder for the missing crew member's body. Brook, the oldest of the group, and the most merry. Their musician. He lifted their spirits when they were down, and always, always was there for when music, or a good story was needed. He was the vitality, the life of the crew. Gone, gone like everyone else. Sanji said softly "Shitty Brook, hope you're getting to see all the panties you want."
Luffy's body was harder to find. It was all in pieces. Sanji found himself scouring the ship for Luffy's body parts. He found a hand, Luffy's torso, obvious by the red jacket and scarred 'x' formation on his chest. He found something that looked like Luffy's leg, but he wasn't sure, he brought it to the rest of the pieces of Luffy's body. Luffy's head, and his beloved hat, were gone. Taken away to be used as proof of death. Luffy, oh, Luffy. He'd fought the hardest out of all of them. He'd held out the longest. He'd fought until the very end. When they'd cut off his leg, he used his hands, when they cut off his hands, he used his leg, when they cut that away, he'd used his head...until his head was gone. Sanji had watched Luffy fight valiantly. He'd watched helplessly as Luffy died, fighting like only a man destined for greatness could.
Luffy, their captain.
He was the child of the crew, the good in everybody. He was the light in the darkness, the hope in the hopeless. He wasn't the last to go down, but he'd gone down nonetheless. Sanji had been horrified to see the man who'd always had his admiration, his respect, die. Luffy was gone. Sanji settled to sit next to Luffy's mangled body, and he spit the chewed up cigarette out. He said quietly "Oi, Luffy. Don't eat all the meat they give you, it'll make you sick. Don't forget to eat something healthy too, okay? What we had...What we did...Sailing on the Going Merry...and then the Thousand Sunny...Shit...it was fun, y'know?" Sanji inhaled deeply, before exhaling quietly through his nose. Sanji smiled bitterly and said "We didn't make it, but we gave it good run, didn't we, Captain?" Sanji didn't move for awhile, content to just sit there for a few moments in silence.
He was lucky compared to the rest of the crew. He'd been knocked overboard, and when he'd surfaced, the battle was over, everybody was dead, or gone. He was barely injured, not even a scratch. His shoes were missing though, and he didn't know why. Yes, he'd been the lucky one.
He'd survived.
After a short amount of time, he got to his feet, and went looking for the one person he wasn't ready to see yet.
Zoro.
Sanji found Zoro not long after.
Zoro was pinned to the wall, Sandai Kitetsu and Meitou; Shuusui lay at his feet, shattered and broken, much like their master. Zoro's beloved Wado Ichimonji, a memento of a girl long dead, was buried in his stomach. A mockery of her memory, and of Zoro.
Sanji felt the tears now.
Reaching out, he quietly, tenderly, pulled the sword pinning Zoro's left palm to the wall, followed by the sword pinning Zoro's right palm. They'd pinned Zoro to the wall like a butterfly. His Zoro, his beautiful Zoro, gone. He'd fought beautifully. Sanji could still see it in his mind's eye, the way Zoro danced with his blades, killing his opponents. He had truly been a demon then. When they'd pinned him to the wall, he'd died with that demonic grin twisting his lips, defiantly glaring his opponents down. Zoro had never looked more beautiful then.
The last sword, Ichimonji, clattered to the ground as Zoro was freed from the wall. Sanji barely had time to catch his lover, but Sanji did.
Dragging Zoro away from the wall and into the fading sun's rays, Sanji sat down with his back against the railing, cradling his beautiful lover in his lap and cried.
If only they'd had more time! Sanji would have shown Zoro more! Done more for him! Sanji would have loved Zoro like he should have! Not- Not left Zoro to die without Zoro knowing how much he loved him! Sanji's voice was hoarse as it shook weakly "O-Oi! M-Marimo! You can't be dead-" A sob wracked Sanji's frame as he sobbed "I-I love you, dammit! Don't- Don't die one me now, sh-shit head!" Sanji buried his face in Zoro's chest, sobbing weakly. Shaking, with tears still running down his cheeks, he sat back and reached out to gently pull Zoro's bandanna free from his head. Using it as a cloth, he gently, tenderly, wiped Zoro's face clean of blood, crying silently all the while. Zoro was dead. His Zoro. Dead.
Sanji dropped the bloody, ratty bandana on the floor next to him. He gently traced Zoro's lips with his thumb, only to jerk back when those very lips, lips he knew very well, parted, a small, wheezing gasp for air escaping those same lips. Sanji looked startled, and then concerned. "Oi, Marimo! H-Hold on! D-Don't die on me! J-Just take one of your damn naps! You'll be fi-fine after that, right? Right?" Sanji watched as Zoro's eyes opened to slits. Zoro's eyes were glazed over, unfocussed. He rasped "L-Love-cook. I-I'm sorry." Sanji shook his head and said "Sorry? For what, Marimo? You don't have anything to be sorry for, shit head! Just live and-and I'll forgive you! You want to become the world's greatest swordsman, right? You ca- You can't do that if you're fucking dead!" Zoro coughed, and Sanji held his breath, worried that Zoro would- No, he wouldn't think about that.
Zoro rasped "I-I don't th-think so c-cook. I-I won't m-m-ma-make it that fa-far." Sanji interrupted, his voice desperate "Then I'll carry your shitty ass there!" Zoro smiled weakly. He lifted up a hand to cup Sanji's cheek, and Sanji leaned into the touch, fighting back the tears as his own hand cupped Zoro's hand to his cheek.
Zoro was crying.
He hissed "I-I'm sorry, Sanji." and was gone.
Sanji's eyes widened, he shouted "Zoro! Oi! Marimo! Zoro! Do-Don't go! Don't leave me!" He released Zoro's hand, letting it thump to the deck of the Thousand Sunny as he shook Zoro by the fist full of shirt. He shouted "D-Don't leave me Zoro! D-Don't leave me! I love you, you fucking idiot! You hear me? I fucking love you! You can't die on me, not like this you shit head! I love you!" Sanji sobbed then, breaking down and sobbing into the limp Zoro's chest, knowing that his lover was dead. Zoro's eyes were still open slits, unshed tears pricking the corners of his eyes.
Sanji reached down to shut his lover's eyes, knowing that he was alone now. But he hadn't escaped unscathed. He would join them shortly. It wouldn't be long now, he-
Sanji awoke with a start.
Sanji sat up, reacting to the dream. He hurriedly patted the mattress beside him, turning to see his lover, Zoro, still sleeping soundly on their bed, rolled onto his side and facing away from Sanji. Sanji wiped the unshed tears from his face, ignoring everything to quietly drape his shirtless frame over his lover's naked, sheet covered frame. Resisting the urge to sob, he buried his face in Zoro's shoulder. It wasn't long after that, that Zoro stirred, feeling Sanji's body shaking and the tears wetting his shoulder. He muttered sleepily "Cook?" When Sanji didn't answer, Zoro sleepily craned his head to look back at Sanji. Shifting to sit up with his back against the head board, he guided Sanji to rest half way in his lap. Sanji immediately latched onto Zoro's waist, burying his face in Zoro's midsection. Zoro gently reached down to caress Sanji's hair, his eyes darting to the digital clock on the bedside table. One AM, the end of the witching hour.
Zoro asked softly "What's wrong, Sanji?" Sanji's muffled voice, hoarse from his crying, mumbled "I had a dream?" Zoro said, sounding more amused than upset "A dream? What kind of dream was it that you're crying so hard and holding onto me like the world is ending?" Sanji pulled back to look up at his lover's amused expression. Instead of feeling embarrassed for how weak he was being, he felt more relieved. Zoro was okay. He wasn't dead, their friends, Robin, Nami, Luffy, Chopper, Usopp, Franky and Brook weren't dead. Zoro wasn't dead. Sanji inhaled and buried his face in Zoro's waist once more. He murmured softly, words hushed, as if he were afraid saying the words out loud would make them true. "I-I had a bad dream."
"A night mare?" Zoro prompted.
The sound Sanji made in response confirmed Zoro's suspicions. Zoro smiled softly at his lover, his expression faintly sad. He said softly "It was just a dream, Sanji, go back to sleep." Sanji shook his head, and clung on tighter to Zoro. Sanji whimpered "I don't want to! I just need to hold you...To make sure you're alive..." Zoro smiled softly and said as he continued to play with the blond's hair "Alright, fine, just remember to take the day off from work tomorrow, okay, cook?"
Sanji made an affirmative sound, to show that he had heard Zoro, and that he understood. As Sanji held on tight to Zoro, he tried to not think about why Zoro's body was so slippery, or why Zoro smelled of copper and gun powder. He tried to not think about what Zoro had looked like in his dream, and instead focussed on the fact that Zoro was alive, and definitely not full of holes from being pinned to the wall like a butterfly.
As he drifted back to sleep, he could only sleepily wonder 'If that was a nightmare, then why does Zoro smell like blood?'