Zzzz.
The evening sun glowed orange in the sky as it readied its descent beyond the horizon. The ship of the Thousand Sunny floated across the tranquil waters as a gentle breeze pushed them along to their next destination.
"Oi, Chopper!" The marksman called with a devilish grin.
The daily routine of the boys' scare marathons was about to commence. You can just smell it beginning. The fear. As outlandish as most of their gibberish sounded, some of the stories succeeded in scaring a few members of the crew, making the chance of attaining any sleep what so ever rather difficult at nighttime.
"Hmah?" Chopper turned to look over his shoulder.
Chopper, possibly the most gullible crew member aboard the Sunny. As loved to death as he is, he tended to believe many things (everything) he was told all too easily. He was also the one that got scared often during the night, disturbing the other slumbering members of the crew. They all understood his nightly outbursts, which have thankfully decreased over the months he has been out at sea with them, and they helped him slowly get over his fears whatever they may be. As much as Nami disapproved of the other boys sharing ghost stories and involving the little reindeer she just couldn't tell him that he had to go somewhere else while the others had their fun. Besides, Franky had said, it will help him become a man. Psh, yeah. Because waking up almost every night screaming your head off and waking everybody else helps you become a man.
"Have you ever heard of the Death Coach??" Usopp asked in a eerie voice.
"The Death Coach??" Chopper gaped in awe, torn between being intrigued and horrified.
"Yes, yes!" Usopp nodded. "The Death Coach is a black, closed coach with dark gaping holes where the windows should be."
"Eh??"
"I want to hear it! I want to hear it!" Luffy called as he bounded over with such merriment you would think that Usopp was telling the story of Peter Cotton Tail hopping down the bunny trail.
The marksman said in a low voice. "The front shafts of the coach are empty, but you can clearly hear the sound of hooves against the pavement as it is pulled along, collecting the souls of the dead. It comes for those on their death bed, in the still of the night where mortals only get a glimpse of it. It is indeed a terrifying sight to behold."
"Can a living being ride the coach??" Chopper asked.
"That's a very excellent question, Chopper-" Usopp pulled the reindeer closer and leaned in. "For you see, it just so happens that I, the brave Captain Usopp have ridden upon one of these-"
"Impossible." A curt voice cut him off, killing Usopp's spirit instantly.
Five heads turned, the extra two being Franky and Brook, who had gotten absorbed in the story somewhere along the way, to look at the blond cook as he came up the stairs. One hand tucked in his pocket while the other balanced a tray of drinks for the crew members. Just a light beverage for the evening.
"You can't follow the dead, because once you do, you can never come back." He said simply. "Nami-san, Robin-chan. Here are your drinks."
Nami nodded her head. "Thank you, Sanji-kun."
"Thank you very much, Cook-san." The archaeologist smiled softly at him as she accepted the glass.
The ladies took the first sips of their drink as the boys seized theirs. Sanji balanced the last two on the tray so they wouldn't tip over and cause a mess.
"Oi, Marimo." Sanji called, holding out the glass towards the swordsman. "Come get yours."
"Hmph." The swordsman's brow furrowed. "I don't want it."
The blond frowned, chewing on his cigarette. He opened his mouth to say something but he was interrupted by Robin's soothing voice.
"Where did you hear that line, Cook-san?" Robin asked. Her fingers twiddled with the paper umbrella.
"Oh, uh, it's just an old saying. . ." The cook mumbled, momentarily distracted from the rage he was about to unleash on the first mate. "The old man back on Baratie told me."
"What about Skinny-bones, here?" Franky asked, patting the skeleton heartily on the back and almost causing him to drop his drink.
Sanji stared at the skeleton with a deadpan look. "Shitty-skeleton doesn't count."
"HA?!" Brook's jaw dropped, almost losing his straw in the process.
"Technically, Musician-san, you are still "alive"." Robin said.
"Ah. You are absolutely right, my lady. How silly of me!"
"Hey, Usopp!" Chopper hopped up and down excitedly. "Do you have anymore scary stories???"
"Hmm, maybe. . ." Usopp rubbed his chin and eyed the cook. "Maybe some popcorn will jog my memory. Oh if only, if only there was someone here who could whip us up some popcorn-."
"I get the hint, Long-nose!" Sanji threw his hands in the air. "You're lucky I'm in a giving mood right now."
"Yay!" Chopper and Luffy danced around. "Popcorn! Popcorn! We get popcorn!"
"Could you bring some Cola too, Curly???" Franky called.
"Don't push your luck!!!"
As Usopp engaged in the story of the tale of Bloody Mary, the smell of popcorn soon wafted through the air. The popcorn was brought out and Cola was served. The boys probably wouldn't be sleeping well tonight.
"From that day to this, anyone foolish enough to chant Bloody Mary's name three times before a darkened mirror will summon the vengeful spirit of the witch."
"What happens if you do?" Luffy asked through a mouthful of popcorn.
"Well, it is said that she will tear their bodies to pieces and rip their souls from their mutilated bodies." The marksman explained, giving himself chills. "The souls of these unfortunate ones will burn in torment as Bloody Mary once was burned, and they will be trapped forever in the mirror. "
"Hey, Franky! I dare you to go chant Bloody Mary three times in the bathroom mirror!"
"Let's not. . ."
"GAAAAH!!" Chopper screamed as he pressed his hat down on his head. "I don't want Bloody Mary to tear me to pieces!!"
"That story gave me goosebumps, but, alas, I don't have any skin in which to get goosebumps on!"
The skeleton laugh as he, Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper all cried "SKULL JOKE" and commenced rolling around on deck in a fit of hysterics.
"Hey, Zoro!!" Luffy called. "Aren't you scared that Bloody Mary will come for you??"
"Like hell I am." The swordsman scoffed.
"Would you go and chant "Bloody Mary" three times in a mirror?"
Zoro frowned. "Now why would I waste my time in doing that?"
"I dunno, because you're scared, maybe?" Usopp laughed.
The marksman was quickly silenced with a look that promised a fate worse than Bloody Mary.
When the boys had their little scary story time it was the time where Zoro did not want to be around, because then he would have Chopper and sometimes Usopp clinging to him for protection. That and he didn't believe in any of the stories they told, especially when they came from the long-nosed liar. When it was time to turn in he made sure to put in the ear plugs good and tight, that way, in the morning he'd not only get the satisfaction of a good night's sleep, but he'd also sometimes get to see a very disgruntled and sleep-deprived cook.
Zoro was beginning to believe they used this story time to initiate some sort of game, who could tell the most scary story and have the longer after effect. Like they wanted to see their friends suffer at night. Because it was always oh so wonderful to have someone rocket into your bed when you least expect it and jerk you awake to scare the living daylights out of you.
A glass was shoved before his face. Zoro blinked and looked up to see a placid faced cook standing before him.
"What do you want?" Zoro growled, putting on his best scowl.
Sanji matched him. "I made one for everyone. This is yours. Now take it."
"Well, I don't want it, shitty cook." Zoro ignored the cup.
He was half surprised when the cook withdrew the glass and then gazed at Zoro through half-lidded eyes, before turning on his heel and walking towards the kitchen.
Zoro rolled his eyes. He didn't need the shit cook nor did he want his damn drink, but he glared at the man nonetheless as he walked away. It was rare to see the other man walk away from him without an act of any sort of violence. Hm, maybe he wasn't feeling up to fighting Zoro. Ha, not that he could ever match the swordsman's skills.
As much as Zoro would have liked to chuckle to himself at that though he didn't feel the laugh bubble and rise in his throat. Darn, it would have been fun to scare the others.
With a great sigh and a roll of his eyes, Zoro slapped his knees as he stood up. The others ignored him as he tread across the lawn deck and up the stairs. With a firm hand he grabbed the knob and turned, stepping inside without hesitation. He braced himself for a kick or a pan to the face at any moment. The aggression never came.
"What do you want, marimo?" Sanji growled. It seems he was already beginning to prepare dinner. "I'm kind of busy and I'm not in the mood to deal with you."
"Who said I wanted to deal with you either?" Zoro said as he sat down in one of the dining table chairs. He was purposefully trying to push the cook's buttons before he could push Zoro's. Like the boys' scare game, Sanji and Zoro had a game of their own they liked to play almost all of the time; see who could piss off the other first.
"Well, if you don't want to deal with me either then what are you doing in here?" The blond asked. "I'm sort of required to be in here, which means I won't be leaving to relieve you of your undesired stress. In other words: get the fuck out. You'd be doing both of us a favor."
"What if I don't want to?"
"First you deny my beautiful creation that I spent so much hard work on and now you come in here just to annoy the hell out of me." Sanji gritted his teeth. "You are a real jackass, did you know that?"
"Hey." Zoro shrugged as he leaned back in his seat, lacing his fingers behind his head. "I'm not doing anything at all to annoy you." He placed his feet up on the table. "It's all inside that big head of yours."
"Ignoring that last comment, when I turn around I had better not see your filthy shoes on my kitchen table or there will be severe consequences." The cook threatened menacingly, but he didn't turn around. Zoro didn't care, he wouldn't move unless he had to. "It doesn't require you to do anything to annoying me." Sanji spat. "Just your very existence is annoying to me."
"Wow, that hurts." The swordsman clutched his chest. "That really hurts."
Sanji chose to not respond to him, he resumed his cooking. He could feel eyes piercing the back of his head. The blond wasn't one to feel unfamiliar with someone watching him as he cooked, usually he didn't pay any attention to it, but, just because he knew just exactly who was staring at him made him. . . uneasy. Zoro was Zoro and had Zoro-ish thoughts, thoughts that Sanji didn't quite always understand, but when it came to the subject of Sanji himself, he knew Zoro wasn't thinking of him skipping through a field of brightly colored flowers, rainbows, and butterflies while singing the happy song all the way to grandmother's house.
Or was he?
Sanji shuddered. His reflex to cover up this action forced him to slam the small pan he was holding down on the stove top. With a sigh he leaned heavily against the counter on both hands, growing weary of this game. "Is there something on your little mind, marimo? If it actually exists that is."
The swordsman smirked mentally, he was aggravating the blond. As far as a physical response, Zoro only stared at the back of the blond's head.
"Because, unfortunately, I am not a mind reader, never have been, and I don't like playing these guessing games with you."
Whether or not the swordsman realized it, he was taking way to damn long to answer the cook, and Sanji didn't have the time nor patience to fuck around with him tonight. He had only been in a forgiving mood with the boys because he found it to be in his best interest that he gave them snacks. It opened a window of opportunity in which Luffy would keep quiet and occupied while the cook prepared dinner, in peace. Now how to get rid a certain shit head swordsman. . . If Sanji knew the answer to that he wouldn't be having this problem right now, now would he?
Desperate to get the green haired man to go away, Sanji opened his mouth to tell the marimo to just take some booze and fuck off, but Zoro spoke first.
"When are you going to tell Chopper?" He finally said, all joking put aside.
A pale hand froze, the sharp kitchen knife held laxly in its grip threatened to drop to the floor any moment now.
The boiling water was the loudest sound in the room as steam rose up from the large pot on the stove. Outside Chopper was yelling about a ghost touching him and the sounds of him running around on deck could barely be heard over Luffy and the others laughing. The sun would be setting sometime soon now. Its telltale rays of soft light peeked through the galley's windows, bouncing off the metal objects that the cook kept so well polished.
Sanji resumed chopping the vegetables. Thunk thunk thunk. "Tell Chopper what?"
Zoro kept a straight face, resisting the urge to glare at the man. "You know what I'm talking about."
He hadn't even said "You should tell Chopper." or "Are you going to tell Chopper?". He went straight to the point like he expected him to tell the ship's doctor. Guaranteed, the next time around it will become a demand, and if that isn't heeded then there was no doubt the swordsman would go and tell Chopper himself what was on his mind.
"What is there to tell him?"
Zoro frowned, no longer able to refrain from making a face. The cook was playing dumb with him. That was a game the man was incredibly good at.
"If you don't tell him now it could very well get out of hand, you know that, right?" The man raised an eyebrow. "Do I have to tell him before that happens?"
"Why are you so suddenly concerned about it?" Sanji snapped.
The frown remained on Zoro's face. He didn't reply.
"What's this?" Sanji asked, chuckling slightly. "Nothing to say now?"
Saying that didn't make it feel like a battle won. Not only did he feel like he had spat out a lame remark, but he felt as though he may have just provoked an argument from the other man.
Zoro's eyes narrowed. "Look at you, putting on a front. What are you trying to hide?"
Sanji remained impassive to him. "I'm not hiding anything."
Again, for a while Zoro did not respond. Usually there were not this many pauses in their conversations. Then again, they didn't actually "converse" often. They'd rather kick and beat the shit out of each other as a form of communication.
Sanji heard Zoro growl in the back of his throat.
"Look, there's no reason for me to worry him about it." Sanji spoke calmly. "It isn't that big of a deal. So, just stop bringing it up."
"It seemed like that big of a deal a few nights ago." Came Zoro's emotionless reply.
Despite the fact the man had his back turned to him, Zoro could tell Sanji's features had darkened as his shoulders went rigid under his black suit jacket.
Sanji lowered his gaze. "I went to you in confidentiality, because I didn't think you would tell anyone."
"I haven't."
"But you want to." Sanji pointed out. "You want me to."
"This isn't like you wet the bed or anything like that." Zoro argued.
"No, because that could mean I have a kidney infection. Which would be serious, unlike the current matter at hand."
"Why," Zoro rand a hand through his hair. "just, why do you have to argue about it??"
"Why do you have to make it into an argument??"
To be honest, Zoro couldn't solidly validate why he wanted Sanji to go to Chopper. Maybe it was because of that first night, when he woke the swordsman up with heavy breathing, a request escaping past his lips in a hushed whisper. The strange way he held Zoro's wrist tightly like he would lose himself if he let go. . . It had made Zoro feel something he hadn't wanted to feel, this, vulnerability, that he sensed from the cook that night frightened him. Maybe it wasn't easy for Sanji to think about, but it had taken Zoro by surprise, and never left his mind since then. He had refrained from bringing it up, for what happened that night and the night after stayed between him and Sanji. Everything went back to normal the next day, like it never ever occurred.
The swordsman decided to give a different strategy a try. Something not so straightforward and blunt.
"What if. . ." Zoro proposed. "What if I said I was concerned. What if I am worried about you?"
That got a better response from the cook than expected. The blond turned and looked at Zoro with a solemn expression.
"Then I would tell you that it isn't anything to be concerned about and don't be so worried about me."
"It's-"
"SANJI!!!" Came their captain's call. "The popcorn is all gone!!
Both Sanji and Zoro looked to the wooden galley door where the voice had come from.
"Dinner will be ready soon. Let the ladies and the other shit heads know for me, will you?"
Zoro opened his mouth to protest, or at least let out an insult, but it died on his tongue as he gave in and stood from his seat.
He had come in here with the intent to annoy Sanji into oblivion so he would finally have no choice but to give up and talk to the doctor, but Zoro had the feeling it all backfired. Instead, now both of them felt like shit. Zoro felt shitty for bringing it up, it shouldn't be talked about really, but what if it started occurring more often? They may soon need a therapist aboard. And Zoro didn't want the other man to think that he was going to use this as some sort of leverage over him. Sanji probably felt like shit too since Zoro was showing. . . "concern" about this. If that's what you wanted to call it.
Sanji didn't look at anyone, not even the women, in the eye at dinner that night. Nobody but Zoro seemed to notice.
Luffy, Usopp, and Franky became engaged in a pillow fight that night while preparing for bed. It could be said that Chopper was involved in the pillow fight too but he was being used as ammo, much to his disdain, but Zoro wasn't so sure if that counted.
The door opened, momentarily frightening the men into thinking the short tempered navigator had come with very angry thoughts in mind. It was just the cook who had finally finished cleaning the dishes and putting away after dinner. They others relaxed and resumed their rough housing, enjoying the time they had before the fist came down.
"Bombardment!!" Franky shouted, chucking a pillow at Luffy only to hit Brook full on in the face.
"Thank goodness I have no eyes." Brook laughed.
Sanji stepped lightly over the mess that had been caused by the battle. Zoro couldn't help but watch as the blond made his way to his locker and got ready to turn in for the night. He didn't pay any attention to the pillow that struck him in the back of the head, ruffling his short green hair. As long as it wasn't accompanied by another one he would dismiss it as an accident, a misfire. Besides, he could always severely beat them later if they weren't by the demon witch. It was a wonder she hadn't come in here yet to pulverize their skulls for making such a racket. Sanji, however, drew that line with his foot when a projectile, also known as Chopper, smashed into the back of his head causing him to head butt his locker painfully.
After much panic and chaos of attempts to escape the sudden outburst, a heartfelt "Sowwy" was given by the four in unison, their thoroughly abused faces made it difficult to speak clearly.
The peace was short lived as they all fought for a bunk that wasn't right next to the door.
"I don't want to be the first to die if an ax-wielding murder comes in here!" Usopp complained.
"That totally convinces the rest of us to sleep by the door."
"Wait a minute." Brook interrupted. "Wouldn't you want to be close by the door? That you can be the first one out of the room if a ghost decided to walk through the wall."
"I thought you had watch tonight anyway, Usopp." Chopper looked up at the marksman who had gone considerably pale at that statement.
"Oh. . . that's right. . . Uh." Usopp bit his lip as his eyes darted about the room. "Anyone wanna take my place?"
No one leaped at that opportunity. Night watch was pretty boring anyway. You had to have the right mindset to enjoy staring out into the vast ocean waters during night. The boys, after their story telling, were definitely not willing to go sit up there alone and secluded.
An idea popped into Zoro's head, he abruptly stood up. "I'll take it."
The others turned and stared at him. Sanji paused just as he was taking off his shirt, but remained with his back facing the swordsman, acting as if he hadn't been fazed in the slightest. Usopp, surprised by the first mate's sudden generosity, looked at him disbelievingly.
"Are you sure, Zoro? But. . . don't you have the watch after me?" The marksman frowned and placed his hands on his hips. "Are you just pulling my leg?"
"Oh! Haha, Zoro made a funny!" Luffy slapped his back. "You're such a jerk, Zoro! Good one!"
"I don't joke. When I say I'll take your shift, Usopp, I mean I'll take your shift." The swordsman scratched the back of his head. "Unless you don't want me to and you want to sit up there. Alone."
"Ahaha! No! That's okay, Zoro!" Usopp waved his hands. "You can take my shift if you insist! By all means go ahead!"
"That's what I thought." The man chuckled darkly.
"I have a feeling he's going to use this against me later." Usopp mumbled. "He must be learning from Nami."
"Is this some kind of new endurance training, Zoro?" Chopper asked, slightly wary of Zoro's decision.
"No." The swordsman shook his head, growing a tad irritated. "If you don't like it, would anybody else like to take watch?"
Nobody raised their hand or stepped forward.
"I didn't think so."
There was no remark as he made his leave about how he didn't need the sleep anyway considering how much he slept almost all day. Before Zoro disappeared through the door, he caught a piercing blue eye, gazing at him with a look that Zoro could not place as he left the men's quarters for the long night ahead of him.
I love my reviewers~~