Blood...copper smelling, sticky, warm...so much blood; the breaths on my neck are far and in between, labored and fast; the body being supported by me is heavy and weak, dead weight as they call it; it scares me...I knew this was going to happen...I told him he was going to get him self killed, I didn't want to be right about it though...
But I was...I hate being right...
The waiting room was silent, it unnerved him, made him nervous and itchy; he wanted to light up a million times over but like the man across from him he didn't have the nerve to leave and possibly miss something, but he was thankful for the gum he had received from a nurse walking by. He took a deep breath and let it out trying to calm his nerves but felt his teeth grind together as it only made him light headed. How long had they been there? How long ago was it that he was holding the other man up, feeling the blood trickle down his back and legs, hearing the breathing in his left ear slow the longer they waited for the ambulance...feel his own panic rise...
He put his face in his hand and took a shuddering breath, this is not where he wanted to be tonight, he wanted to go to a bar and have a couple drinks with the person who was still in surgery to celebrate his victory...but here he was, in a to sterile hospital with the rest of the man's fighting team, waiting on news about their friend...
Not where he wanted to be at all.
He looked up as Ace took a deep breath and stood stretching his back, a black shirt now covering his bare chest, Sanji remembered the girl from the club throwing it to him before they ran out; thoughtful. Sanji heard joints pop and the groan erupt from the man.
"I can't stand this, we've been here for nearly three hours and still nothing...how long does it take to stitch a person up? I wanna know what's going on, is he even still alive or are they playing humpty dumpty."
Sanji sighed and looked at the floor, his own thoughts running along those same lines although he didn't want to admit it; his mind brought back the events between getting the green - haired man from the arena to the hospital again...like a film with no sound. It had been like being stuck in a nightmare that he couldn't wake up from, no matter what he did. His sigh echoed throughout the room and was answered by one from Luffy. Sanji looked up as the door opened allowing Robin and Franky to enter, they had been visiting family when the phone message had been sent out and had seemed to have just driven in from Water 7. He looked up as the stoic woman stopped in front of him and blinked as she held out a small Styrofoam cup, he could smell the bitter brew through the lid and smiled gratefully. He had been debateing for the past hour on wether or not to go and get coffee and now he didn't have to worry about missing anything.
"Thank you Robin."
"Your quite welcome Sanji, has there been any news about our swordsman?"
"None, he's been in there for hours..."
Ace stood suddenly causing everyone in the room to look in the direction he was staring, Sanji blinked in confusion as one of the men from Zoro's team walked over to them dressed in scrubs, Law was his name if Sanji recalled correctly. Ace met him before he even took a full step into the waiting room, everyone crowded behind him to hear what the man had to say.
"Trafalgar, what's going on?"
Sanji frowned, why would Ace be asking Law?
"He's in bad shape Ace, Mihawk didn't hold back and it's a wonder that he's even still alive."
Many people sighed in relief, Sanji included.
"But?"
"I'm not sure how he's hanging on really...the cut is deep, nicked a couple of organs, any further up on his shoulder and it would have been his throat. If he lives, it's gonna be one hell of a scar."
Luffy slammed his right fist into his left palm, a smirk playing on his lips.
"Zoro'll make it, he's strong!"
The people in the room had different reactions, many nodded in agreement with the younger D, the rest shook their heads at his simple logic. Sanji looked around at the people that had gathered in the room, Kaku sat the furthest from the group, his back to the window that was starting to turn grey with the oncoming morning, Kid wasn't to far from him, his arms crossed over his chest and eyes closed as he listened. A blond woman with glasses sat near the desk, Kalifa; Kumadori, Paulie, and Bepo were in a corner of the room playing cards with Ussop and Franky. Chopper and Nami were leaning against one another sleeping peacefully. Sanji too another deep breath and stepped forward towards Law.
"Is he going to make it?"
"I'm not sure right now, we're trying to repair the internal damage first and foremost, but if we can do that and he can manage to hang on long enough for us to close him up, there's a good chance."
"What are the odds right now?"
"Not good, but the longer he stays alive while we work, the better they get."
Sanji opened his mouth to ask when a nurse came rushing in, her face pale and slightly green, Sanji's stomach dropped to his feet; the others in the room were no longer busy with other things.
"Doctor!"
Law spun around and faced the nurse.
"What's happened?"
"He's awake Sir!"
"Impossible! We're still in surgery."
"He woke up a few seconds ago, we're trying to put him back under but-"
"No! He already has more drugs in his system than a normal person should, any more might kill him!"
Sanji could only watch as Law followed the nurse back down the hall, as they opened the door to the room containing Zoro he could hear the man screaming in pain; it made Sanji queasy. His head jerked up as Law began to yell at the swordsman before he was fully in the room, the words giving Sanji a glimmer of hope that his friend was strong enough to pull through.
"Roanoa, lay your ass back down on that gurney right now! Your in no condition to try and stand let alone walk, don't make me strap you down!"
"Law get me out of here now!"
"Shut the hell up Mosshead, your injured!"
"I hate hospitals!"
Sanji blinked as a few people behind him began to chuckle, the mood in the room brightening, the blond looked back at Chopper who had a small hand over his mouth covering his smile.
"Chopper, why does he hate hospitals?"
The boy let a giggle slip past his hand.
"You'd never guess it by looking at him, but he's terrified of needles."
Sanji's mouth fell open in shock, he blinked at the teen in question and shook his head.
"Zoro? You mean, bad -ass, no fear Zoro is afraid of needles?"
"Yeah, if he sees one his face turns the same color as his hair and he breaks out in a cold sweat, first time I tried giving him a shot I had to threaten to hide his sake."
"Your kidding me."
"Nope."
As if to confirm the young man's statement the subject of their discussion could be heard bellowing from the operating room, sanji joined in the group of people he was quickly becoming able to call friends in a much needed laugh, everyone feeling better about their friend than they had in hours.
"No, god dammit Law; you point that thing at me one more time - OW! What the fuck was that for? Wait-don't, we can talk about this, c'mon! I'm begging you don't do it...AGH!"
"It's called a pain killer moron! I can't stitch you up without it!"
"Than give me a pill! I'm not a fuckin pin cushion! And get these damn restraints off me!"
"Will you sit still?"
"No!"
"Than there's your answer."
Sanji shook his head and continued to wait with the others as Law finished patching up their friend, the slow ticking of the clock echoed in the room as one by one they began to do their own thing, Ace and Luffy went first, falling into light snores and twitches, their stomachs grumbling in protest to lack of food, Kumadori, Kalifa, Blueno and Kaku had retreated from the vicinity requesting to be contacted on the man's status. Kid and Paulie had resumed the card game with Ussop, Franky and Bepo, Robin flipped through a book while Nami and Chopper had gone in search for the lunch hall. Sanji covered his eyes with his hand and took a deep breath, Robin's voice pulling him from his thoughts.
"Is everything alright Sanji?"
"I just didn't realize I was that worried about him is all. I've never had a whole lot of close friends."
"I understand the feeling, it is to be expected though, you and our swordsman have grown very close these last few months since the first time you met. You two are even living together am I correct?"
"Dear Robin, you make it sound as if we are romantically involved, I hate to imagine such grotesque images are being thrust into your intelligent mind."
Behind the blond Franky gave him a 'you have no idea' look and shook his head.
"Sanji, I do not believe I said anything along those lines, I merely said you were living under the same roof as Zoro, am I wrong in assuming that nothing has happened between you and our dear friend?"
"No! No-thing...had - has! I meant has...happened...shit."
Robin covered her smile with her cup.
"Are you attracted to him Sanji?"
"No! He's pig headed and grouchy all the time, he leaves his dirty clothes everywhere and drools on the couch every time he falls asleep there! He could wake the dead with his snoring and he smells like a swamp after his training."
"All that may be, but I think you were the most worried of all of us here. You were after all the first one to his side."
"That just means i care about my friend. That's all."
"Or your not aware of how you really feel about him."
Sanji opened his mouth to respond but was cut short yet again as Law emerged from the room sighing, he looked at the group and gave them a tired smile that was returned with sighs of relief.
"He's fine, you can go and see him one at a time."
Robin looked at the blond and nodded in the direction of the room Zoro was in, he took the invitation without waiting and strode forward; his hands sweating and mouth beginning to go dry. Pulling the curtain back that hid his friend he blinked at the tan chest covered in white gauze, Zoro looked up meeting his eyes.
"Ey' cook, you look green. Everything alright?"
Sanji looked at the floor, his teeth grinding together.
"Cook?"
He closed the distance between the two of them.
"You alright? Sanji?"
He was next to the hospital bed now.
"Hey cook, your scaring me..."
Sanji let out a growl and balled his fist, he brought it up and than slammed it down on to the injured man's head.
"What the hell shit cook?"
"Don't what the hell me, do you even realize how worried we've been? Huh? I told you, you were gonna get your self killed!"
"I'm not dead dumb ass!"
"But you almost were! You-you almost did..."
"Cook?"
Sanji looked back at the floor, the tears he was sure would never come threatening to over flow.
"We were worried...I...I was worried for you. There was so much blood...Zoro I thought you were dead."
"Look Sanji, I'm fine now. I'm gonna be fine, just have one hell of a scar."
Sanji looked at the bandages covering Zoro's chest and took a shuddering breath which caught in his throat as he felt a calloused hand touch his cheek lightly, looking down he met dark eyes and sighed; Zoro traced his thumb across the pale cheek in his hand.
"Thanks."
"For what Kelp head?"
"For worrying."
"Heh, I was just scared that I'd end up paying your bills if you died."
"Sure you were dartboard... Sure you were."
Okay, so shorter than last chapter I realize, but I still feel relatively accomplished by getting another chapter up so soon. I will be bringing the dancing back into this story within the next few chapters so do not fret about that. Please keep the reviews coming, they give me motivation to get this story done before I leave for boot-camp!
