Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece or any of the characters.

Warning: Rushness; Grammar; OOCness; Yaoi; Lemon; swearing; repetitiveness (I'm a repetitive person) and anything you notice that isn't on this list but is on this list.

Hello Everyone, this is a new Zosan story! I know I'm working on two others: 'Beautiful encounter' and 'Fallen in Love with you', I have some draft chapters written for them, but I keep re-reading and changing it so it's taking longer than usual and plus i'm doing Uni work as well, so enjoy this instead to pass the time? :L

Sticking with M as a rating for now, probably for upcoming chapters and swears.

EDITED: 2 April 2014
Previous word count: 1,819 2,363
NEW word count: 2,650

Chapter one: Tears for a friend

"Sanji-kun!"
"Sanji!"
"Cook!"

The calls of his nakama rang in his ears as he plummeted head first into the water, creating a large splash upon impact. Sanji knew he had been careless and he couldn't help but curse himself mentally for it. He should have known better, even if he had been distracted for just a moment, but that one stupid moment had been enough for his enemy to strike at him continuously with his powerful hits. His fast movements had left him no room to counter, and now he had to face the consequences.

What had been that distraction you ask? Well, you might think that Sanji had a slight moment of insanity, but he swears on his life that he had seen the reflection of a woman in the ripples of the water, drowning, calling for help; calling for his help.

He drifted comfortably in the water, slowing down to a halt his eyes enjoying the blueness of the ocean. It was truly beautiful and he couldn't help but wonder if all blue would feel and look as clear as this but with more colours of the varies fish. He mentally sighed, knowing that this peacefulness was currently forbidden for he knew, he shouldn't be down here, but back up there fighting.

The fight had been a sudden - literally out of nowhere - ambush on them by another group of (stupid) pirates, just as they had arrived at the dock to go into the village for some supplies.
He mentally sighed again, could they never catch a break? Maybe this wouldn't have happened if their captain hadn't decided to stuff his face full with all their food supplies forcing them to stop at the nearest island.

Sanji, forgetting all previous thoughts, focused on swimming, preparing to lift his arms in a swimming motion so he could swim up...
...yet...
why?...
...Why wouldn't his body respond to him!? No matter how much he willed his body to move, it just wouldn't respond, it was like his nerves had all been cut off, unable to send messages to mind so he could move.

He could feel his heart race, thumping rapidly against his chest, his mind kicking into a panic frenzy as it flashed back to his enemy; the words he had uttered to him, promising that he would hit all his pressure points and paralyse him before sending him to his death. Had that not been just a mere threat? But then what other reason could there be for him to be motionless in the great blue ocean...?

He growled lowly in the back of his throat. He didn't want to die, he couldn't! Not now, not at this moment! He didn't want to die with some shitty regrets because some weak bastard had sent him to his death, this was not how Sanji Black-leg would croak. In fact he shouldn't be croaking at all!

Despite thinking that, he could feel the darkness seep into the corner of his eyes, it was surrounding him, engulfing him. He couldn't breath, his chest was tightening in pain; it hurt. Death was beckoning him, holding his hand out to the blonde, ready to stop the pain.

Was this really going to be the end of Black-leg Sanji?

He couldn't believe he, one of the powerful trio of the straw hat crew, was going to rely on them or think this but, Why!?.. Why was no one coming to save him? Nami? Ussop? Franky? Even the shitty marimo would be fantastic right now!

His chest was heaving, wanting, no demanding his mouth to open; he needed air!
He struggled with himself, but in the end Sanji's mouth coughed open, choking on the water, letting it into his lungs and with that he slowly began to lose consciousness...

'...I didn't find my all blue...I won't be able to go back to the Baratie...I want to see them, face to face, once more...everyone...'

His eyes closed gently. Mentally crying his last thoughts.

'Most of all...I didn't tell him how I really feel...shitty...ma...ri...mo'

His thoughts trailed off as his body continued to sink at a steady pace; down to the darkness of the ocean, his heart beat slowly halted to a stop and the last few air bubbles seeped out of his mouth. Fish swam around him, too scared to get even an inch close to the strange creature that had was invading and disrupting their home.

In the distance, in the dark shadows of the waters, eyes gleamed bright, watching Sanji's unmoving lifeless body. Hands slowly reached out to him, brushing against his cheek with a gentle touch.

—

On the thousand sunny, the fight steadily continued, lasting longer than they had originally intended when it had began. Everyone had their minds filled with thoughts for the safety of their cook who had yet to resurface from the waters and back up to them, that they were an able to focus.
Sanji was a great swimmer, they all knew that, so had he swam elsewhere? Was he going to do what he always did, and defeat the enemy another way, just like all those other times when he had ran off on his own, if so, shouldn't he be back now?
It didn't matter because, right now, all they could do, was prey, and yet, no ones' minds would settle as the seconds ticked by.
Ever.
So.
Fucking.
Slowly.

"Fuck this!" Zoro shouted loudly as he spun around slicing the air with his swords and striking his surrounding enemies, leaving them to fall to the ground one by one. He couldn't be pissing around with these bastards, whilst that curly bastard was somewhere in the fucking ocean like a fucking fish. He sheathed his swords and ran towards the edge preparing himself to dive off, but alas, Sanji's previous enemy wouldn't let Zoro do that. He kicked him back, painfully hard in the chest, laughing a sinister and disturbing laugh.

"He's dead! Dead! Dead! Dead! Kekeke, I para...paralyzed him, hu hu hu!" He giggled, spinning around on the railing as he twiddled his fingers, hopping foot to foot.
"S'nathing you can do! " He continued to giggle, staring at Zoro with his wide deep black eyes, his smile stretched ear to ear as he danced around, now on his hands.

Zoro grimaced, his hands tightened around the hilt of his swords.
This guy honestly creeped him out - another on the list of creepy ass enemies - but if he wasn't going to move out of his way he would slice him down instead, he slowly wrapped his hands around the hilt of his swords and as he was getting ready to attack, Luffy screamed in anger at the mans words, disrupting the both of the them.
"Shut up! Sanji will not die!"

Zoro agreed with the younger boy, shouting angrily as well at their enemy.
"As if the cook would let a stupid thing like that happen to him! Luffy!"
Luffy didn't have to be told twice, "Gomu gomu gatling gun!" and with that said, Luffy stretched his hands and with great speed, a barrage of fists knock down many enemies including the creep that had blocked Zoro from his rescue attempt.

Zoro smirked at Luffy right before he dived head first into the cold water; he knew Sanji wouldn't die, the shitty cook was stronger than that...yet why was he feeling doubtful?

'Fucking cook!' Zoro swore in his mind as he dived deeper, the salty water burning his eyes as he swam, he couldn't see anything; it was blue and blurry.
'Golden hair...Just a glimpse...Come on!' He looked around frantically, begging just to see the blonde mop of hair, but no matter how much he begged, he couldn't see it at all. Shaking his head, he swam up to the surface, taking a deep breath before immediately diving back down. No way was he giving up, not yet, he would attempt to go past his limits and dive deeper, his lungs could, no it would, handle the pressure changes, they were going to have to handle it, the cook's life depended on it.

For the rest of the crew, it felt like hours whilst the swordsman was underwater, but the only thing the rest of them could do, was wait, wait for him to bring the cook up…but why was it taking so long for him to save Sanji? Zoro resurfaced, his eyes meeting with the eyes of everyone else, he looked into their hopeful faces, their expressions slowly fading to see him empty handed, but no one said anything, they continued to hope beyond hope that it was fine.

Zoro didn't know what to say to them, so he murmured what he thought would be acceptable for this moment. He gulped, and breathed deeply before the words were uttered, spilling from his mouth.

"I'm sorry..."

It had been quiet and low, but still loud enough for them to hear it so painfully clear. Zoro looked away from them, from the ship where the cook should be standing aswell...he couldn't bare to see their soon to be crestfallen faces as the words would sink in and realisation kicking in.

Those words were all it took for all hope to disappear. In all honesty, they knew…they had already known Sanji's fate the moment Zoro surfaced, but they just wanted to feign ignorance. Now they couldn't, they had to face the truth.

The cook was gone.

Was Sanji going to be able to rest in peace, floating somewhere in the vast sea?

"Oh god!" Nami gasped as she clasped her hands to her mouth, too shocked to think that Sanji was well and truly gone. She imagined their flirtatious cook sinking in the sea, calling for their help before he had died and it tore her apart to know they had let it happen. Robin didn't say anything, she just widened her eyes at the swordsman, before looking out to the sea. Was he out there, somewhere? The remains of the cook that they couldn't find floating in the ocean soon to be devoured by a sea creature. It was indeed a horrible thought.

"No way..." Ussop whispered, holding Chopper close to him as the little reindeer began to sob violently.
"Sanji died alone! He must hate us!" Chopper cried voicing out his guilt, "We didn't save him! He must have been so scared!" Chopper's words slowly become inaudible but what he had said had been heard, it was hurtful and almost true.

Franky covered his eyes as he began to cry, just as much as the little reindeer. The reindeer was right, the blonde must have been scared, floating alone in a cold and dark place, had they practically let him die? Abandoned him in the midst of the battle and not attempted to save him when they were suspicious of him not coming back up.

Brook was staring down to the deck floors, not wanting to say anything, he had watched his previous crew all die and now here he was, in a new crew having to witness the very first death…

Luffy's eyes was shaking, in anger, in sadness as he stared at his crying crew, understanding their thoughts exactly as they're tears streamed down their face. Choppers words pierced Luffy and he yelled at them all.
"No way!" he shouted as loud as he could, biting back his own tears.

A fiery gaze in his eyes flashed, angry that they were saying things so easily like that, couldn't they be positive, why were they so negative when there was no evidence that their cook was gone?
"Just because we couldn't find him doesn't mean he's dead! Just look at it like it's a good sign! Sanji is still alive! I know he is!"

His fists were shaking beside him as he clenched them tightly, his nails painfully digging into the palm of his hand, why was no one agreeing with him? Just a nod of their head or something but everyone continued to stare, they're voices lost.
"Don't...Don't write Sanji off just like that!"
He was their cook, their friend, he was powerful and strong and the best swimmer they knew, he had a high chance of survival yet why was no one believing in him?

They all stood quietly, holding back any more sobs and cries, the only sound was of the gentle splashes of the water against the ship, so calm and soothing, yet it didn't sooth the tears that fell once more.
Minutes had ticked by and yet, nothing changed and the more nothing changed, the more Luffy felt pathetic. So pathetic.

What kind of captain was he when he couldn't protect Sanji, his nakama? He tipped his straw hat down to cover his tears that slowly slid down his face, dripping down to the wood of the ship.
How could he be the king of pirates like this? How could he face Shanks again one day, when he couldn't protect his crew from moments like this?
He was useless, pathetic and weak, who else was going to die because of him being a moronic captain?

Zoro glanced at them all, watching them all mourn in silence, noticing that Luffy had finally accepted the fact that their cook wasn't coming back. Sanji deserved a few minutes of silence, one from each of them, and more for all of them to overcome the loss that seemed to happen all to soon.
He didn't say anything else, nothing could be said, nothing could fill the air and fill the gap the cook had now left behind.

Zoro didn't cry. He wouldn't cry.
He slowly climbed back on to the deck of the ship, quietly as he could, not wanting to disturb the others in their mourning. His boots tapped gently on the wood, the water pooling around him; he leaned against the side of the ship and slowly slid down into a crouching position.
He was tired, physically and mentally, maybe he was beyond exhaustion.

So, the cook was really gone...finally, he had longed for the day Sanji would get off the ship, taking his shitty attitude with him. He had hated him ever since they had met at the Baratie, witnessing his arrogant attitude for the very first time. His prissy looks, his perverted attitude, his curly eyebrow and their fights, their arguments, their talks and insults. He hated it all to the very core of his soul and now, he wouldn't have to deal with that asshole and his smokes, he wouldn't have to enter the kitchen to only be kicked out.

Never again would he have to look at him, watch him twirl around the ship, to feel his kicks... to see him cooking...He could never call him again, to utter his name, to whisper it...
He covered his eyes, a few tears slid down his tanned face. To cry was a sign of weakness...and yet he was crying for the cook...
Images and memories slowly flooded his mind as he thought about him.

He'd never get to walk into the kitchen again and see the blonde happily cooking away, lost in his thoughts as he hummed a beautiful melody, he would never get woken up rudely by him and get into those arguments he hated so much, he'd never get to tease him...or eat his cooking...or help him shopping again...or...or...tell him how much he really did love his food...how much he really valued their friendship...he really didn't hate him. In fact, he enjoyed their fights, he enjoyed the mans company...

Now it was all gone...in just a blink of an eye...they had taken the presence of the cook for granted...

A few chapters are already written. So I'll post at least one a day until I run out of chapters.