August/Romance/humor

Rated M to be safe

A/N: I plan on having this story only 5-8 chapter long. It's like my own little One Piece fairy tale of sorts; I just want to see where this is going to go. So please review and tell me what you think!

A/N 2: This story is OP universe but it is also completely different time line so to speak. Like there will be some of the normal time lines mentioned in this story, but after thriller bark, I am completely changing it a bit. I hope no one minds that.

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece.

The Sleeping Cook and the Egg

Chapter One

Part One- Denial

~X~

A swirl of smoke drifted into the cool night forming a small grey cloud. Blond strands blew along with the wind as it gently passed by. Blue eyes stared up at the stars, for one final time.

A pool of blood surrounded his body, and he could hear the faint yells of his Nakama; they were barely recognized. He could feel his final heart beats thump against his chest and everything gone black.

The last cigarette falling

~X~

The Thousand sunny drifted off into the sea with a heavy burden. The Straw Hat Crew was now down one member. Sanji was in Acoma and Chopper wasn't even sure if the blond would ever pull out of it. His body now lay in a separate room hidden from any possible attacks the crew may have. Chopper checked on him daily and often a crew member went to visit. It was a sad day for the Straw Hat crew.

Luffy continued to smile however, he rejected anyone when they offered to get a new cook, or a temporary one, insisting Sanji will be fine.

Nami had cried as did Chopper, Usopp, and Franky. Nami however realized she needed a new chore boy to get her drinks and snacks for her. Without Sanji around she had to do it herself.

Robin was hurt about it, though didn't show it like the others. She shed a few tears but nothing more. It was a horrible lost and she thought mourning in silence was the best way to go with it.

The one who was taking it the hardest was Zoro. It was surprising to say the least, but he was having the most trouble excepting it. Well not counting Luffy, but he still believed Sanji was going to be okay.

Zoro on the other hand was still going through the five stages of grieving. Right now he was in the stage of denial. He was furious at everything including himself. He couldn't put it passed him that Sanji may never wake up.

Even now that a week has passed he was having trouble accepting what has happened and continued to tell himself that it hadn't happen and Sanji was just away somewhere. The more he told himself that the more he believed it.

Right now Zoro felt lost. He was in the crow's nest lifting weights, and staring out the open window watching the sea before him. His bright silver eyes focused on the water. The water that afternoon was a sapphire shade of blue and it reminded him of Sanji's eye.

He could still see the brought blue eye staring at him full of fury from one of their fights. He remembered how the cook used to smirk indicating he was having fun, and Zoro always smirked in return.

It was a ritual of some sorts, Zoro would say something Sanji wouldn't like and Sanji's attention would change from his task to the swordsman, even if he was attending to the girls. A fight usually started and would last until the marines or Nami had allowed it.

Now Zoro wasn't sure what to do. Fighting with Sanji was one of his favorite past times when he wasn't training, sleeping, or even fishing. He had no idea what to do if he were to get bored. He wasn't one to play with the others unless provoked. Even then it wasn't necessarily fun but out of angry or something along those lines.

"No one else on the ship to spar with," he said softly and dropped his weights, taking a seat on the bench. He was worn out and the whole thing was screwing up his mind.

Zoro never realized how much he cared for the cook until now. He knew he took care of Sanji as Nakama if the blond was in trouble in a fight he would help his back, but now, now Zoro wasn't sure what was going on.

"I couldn't even be there for him," he said and closed his eyes, trying to think back on the event. I was helping Usopp when it happened..., he thought to himself. "Damn long nose," he said and looked out the window. "Maybe if he learned how to fight…, or maybe if I learned to worry about the stronger ones now and then," he sighed. He wasn't sure what to blame it on.

He did feel guilty on it. He felt somehow it was his fault and he didn't know why. Did I hear his cries for help but ignored it? See something but didn't give it a second glance? What was it? Why do I feel like I am the one to blame? Those thoughts continued to run through his mind day after day for the last week.

Zoro knew he was the protector of the crew. He watched everyone back and made sure they were okay, he watched them as they watched their captain. He and Sanji were Luffy's right and left hand men. They worked together equally and with no arguments, a silent agreement amongst the three of them.

"We are the strength of the crew," he whispered and wondered if that was really true.

~X~

It was later that night and Zoro found himself unable to sleep. He thought getting some booze would help, but when he got lost he ended up in the last place he wanted to be; in Sanji's personalized room.

He didn't like it, not one bit. It was the scariest thing he ever seen before, Sanji laying there helpless and attached to all sorts of machines. It made the cook look small and it scared Zoro.

Frowning, Zoro made his way to the bed and sat down in Chopper's little doctor chair. He could clearly make out the cook's form. He still didn't like it. Sighing he rubbed his forehead and closed his eyes. Everything felt so messed up.

It got quiet then, and for the first time in many years Zoro felt something wet and hot run down his cheek. He blinked and rubbed at his eyes. "Tears?" he asked himself and quickly whipped them away, rubbing at his eyes fiercely.

As soon as he moved his hands away from his face he had seen something move from the top of Sanji's chest. "Eh?" he said and turned on the small lamp next to the bed. There he seen Sanji's little parcel he had received at the last island they were on, only moments before the attack.

"What is this?" he asked himself taking the little oval shaped bag and removed it from the cook's neck. He picked it up and looked at it. It was a small sky blue keep sake parcel often gifts from someone special or something to keep safe. It had little flowers decorating around it and felt warm.

I wonder what is inside, he thought to himself. He was there with the cook when the elderly lady gave it to him. It was a thank you gift for Sanji for helping her carry her groceries to her house. He at the time thought it was a waste of time, but he did vaguely remember the lady saying to keep the parcel safe. Scratching his cheek, Zoro slowly began to open the little package.

Just as he was, the thing moved causing Zoro to jump in surprise and drop it. He cursed and quickly went to retrieve it, only to see something roll out of the small bag. "Shit shit shit!" he cried out and quickly grabbed the small item.

"Eh? What's this, an egg? I told that cook this lady was crazy," he said frowning some, looking the egg over. It was a normal sized chicken egg, yellow in color with little swirls around it. "Reminds me of that annoying eyebrow," he grinned.

Just then the egg moved as if something inside it was trying to get out. Blinking in surprise, Zoro gently set the egg back on the bed next to the sleeping cook. "What kind of egg is this?" he mumbled watching as it hatched.

The egg bounced once and then second time and something popped out of the bottom of the shell. It rolled again and fell to the floor. Zoro quickly tried to catch it, but it was too late. The shell smashed and cracked the rest of the way open. Zoro watched as a little naked man tumbled out landing on his back.

"What the?" he said very confused. Carefully he reached down and picked the little guy up and slid him into the palm of his hand, Zoro's eyes widened yet once again; the little guy that had hatched out of the egg was a mini version of Sanji, the only difference was he wasn't much bigger than Zoro's middle finger and he had a childlike face.

The mini Sanji looked back at Zoro with wide eyes, looking rather confused and somewhat scared. He held onto Zoro's index finger as he sat there in the larger man's hand, it then squeaked and his face.

"Oh shit, uh ROBIN!" he called out, removing his bandana from his arm and gently wrapping it around the small cook, covering him up. "Oi Robin!" he yelled again leaving the hidden room and making his way to the front deck.

The little cook held onto his hand and the warm "blanket" close, still looking confused but not so much scared as he was a second ago.

"ROBIN!" Zoro yelled again, looking up at the crow's nest. He cursed when he seen Franky's bright blue hair pop out the window. "What's wrong Zoro?"

"Uh, nothing something, I dunno!" he said and turned around calling for Robin once more.

Lights flicked on in the girls bunk room and then in the boys. He could already hear Usopp's shrieks of worry and the tumbling of the guys waking up and running to the front deck. At this point Zoro went to the galley and turned on the lights, cupping the little cook in his hands, not sure what to do, or if this was even real.

Just then the door burst open and Nami came barging in looking livid, a thick blanket covering the thin nightgown she was wearing. "What the hell Zoro! Have you gone mad! What the hell is so important in three in the morning that you need Robin for!"

"Oi, calm down," he said looking in his cupped hands. The little blond was frightened again, shaking and huddling under Zoro's bandana. "Shh I know she's scary," he said softly to the little guy and stared at her. "Where is Robin?" he said, ignoring the Navigator's yells and lectures.

"Oh great! He's gone nuts! Luffy! Zoro has hit the loop!" she shouted, the sound of anger clearly rang through her loud tone.

"Shut up!" Zoro yelled back and growled. "Where is Robin?"

"I am right here Swordsman-san," Robin said as she entered the kitchen, the other crewmates entering one by one all looking tired and annoyed that they were waken up.

"Something hatched from an egg and I need to know what it is," he said swallowing a bit.

"Is it something I can eat?" Luffy asked as he walked in still looking rather tired.

"NO!" Zoro growled and sighed.

"Usually reptiles or birds hatch from eggs, Is it a bird?" asked Usopp.

"If it's a bird, then I can eat it!"

"No it's not a bird and it's not a reptile, it's… uhh a human," Zoro answered looking inside his cupped hand.

"A human?" Robin asked, frowning and making her way over to Zoro.

"See I told you! He has gone nuts!" Nami said, hands on hips and shaking her head.

"Humans come from eggs?" Luffy asked her, only to get smacked in the head. "Sorry."

"No look," Zoro said, gently opening his hand and removing his bandana from the little cook, showing the crew just what he meant. The little cook was holding tightly onto Zoro's index finger, looking wide eyed at the large people around him and scared.

The whole room went silent.

To Be Continued…

A/N: Well there it is the first chapter. Depending on the reviews I may update this each week or every few days. I might try and squeeze it in my already full schedule. It is going to be a short story I really don't think it's going to be longer then 5-8 chapters. I might even be able to finish it in three. I don't know yet. It really is just a story I have had in mind and want to get it out before I lose all time to do it.

I do know however, that I have the ending planed out, and some of the middle. If it go's the way I plan then it might only be 5 chapters long and longer if I add something, shorter if it doesn't go well. I guess we'll just have to see.

Thank you all, and please review! ~ Happy-Chan