Chapter 13 - No More Torture

It took all of Sanji's self control not to look back after he locked Zoro's cell. He almost had to hold his head in place to avoid it, his body almost moving on its own. During the long and awkwardly silent walk back to the door, Sanji made sure to retrace his steps, hoping to secretly pick up the bagged den den mushi. When he reached its hiding place, it was gone, nothing in its place except for the bent safety pin.

Figuring there wasn't anything he could do for the poor animal, Sanji kept his professional expression, allowing his tongue to secretly linger around the inside of his lips, trying to savor the slightly metallic aftertaste of Zoro's kiss as he left the freezing level in the watchful company of the other guards.

The idiot swordsman didn't look it, but holy fuck could he kiss. Sanji's lips still tingled with excitement, and it felt like forever since he had last kissed. Of course, Sanji had kissed and been kissed plenty of times before. He had always had plenty of attention from both genders. He'd flirted with his fair share of women, and during a dry spell, he'd even flirt up an occasional man who caught his eye. Sanji loved to flirt.

He was a flirter by nature; he'd often been scolded back at the Baratie for giving women free desserts and fawning over them. Sanji knew most of the women who responded to his flirting back at the Baratie were only hoping to skip out on the bill or get a discount. He had convinced himself he didn't care about those minor details. If it was by lovely ladies, he didn't mind being used a little!

Sanji would even admit that the majority of the charming women that had blessed him with a night of intimacy had only been superficially attracted to him. He didn't expect them to remember his name, and despite his inner gentleman reprimanding him for it, he barely remembered theirs. He knew all of this, yet he couldn't help it. The love cook loved to love!

Or at least, he had thought that was what he loved.

Most of his romantic advances had been either one night stands with occasional customers or on and off flings with the delivery men who supplied the Baratie. Most of Sanji's kisses had been fevered and desperate in the heat of the moment. Kisses had always been the side dish, never the main course.

Then the damn swordsman had swooped in and kissed him out of the blue in such an innocent and agonizingly cautious way that made his heart flutter. At first, it had only been an innocent kiss, a harmless peck in an almost childish display of emotion, the kind kids give on playgrounds before they learn the value of true affection.

But it had been heart wrenchingly honest.

There hadn't been any sexual intent or even tongue at that point; it had been a kiss for the sole purpose of it being a kiss. That was something Sanji had never experienced before. In a way, it had been Sanji's first kiss.

Sanji expertly navigated his way up to the staff canteen with skill Zoro could never hope to possess. As usual, Sanji joined his fellow chefs at their designated table at the back. Before he began eating, he eyed the food with slight paranoia, and he made sure to eat from shared serving bowls only. He couldn't be sure that Impel Down's 'respect-your-co-workers' policy covered spicing his food with some truth serum or something equally damning.

He could effortlessly participate in the routine conversation about cutlery and ingredients, allowing his mind to wander back to the way Zoro's skin had twitched under his fingertips when they kissed and how hot and eager Zoro's tongue had been.

Zoro had kissed him with the desperation of a drowning man; Sanji remembered how overwhelmed he'd been by the need. It had been a different kind than he was used to: it hadn't only been sexual; it had almost been like the other man's emotions had reached their boiling point and poured over.

Sanji was so zoned out in his thoughts that he was visibly startled when the chef beside him elbowed him in the side. The flustered blond almost dropped the bowl of soup onto the table before he looked up at the crowd of expectant faces. He swallowed thickly; had they asked him a question?

"Can't you shitty bastards see I'm eating?" Sanji frowned, placing his bowl on the table.

The cooks glanced apathetically at each other before the one who had elbowed him grinned solemnly at him. "We thought you'd like to join us; he did idolize you after all."

Sanji blinked a few times, the subject and expectant looks confusing him. "Who? What are you talking about?" He had the uneasy feeling that he was acting inappropriately.

Another chef leant across the table, cupping his hand at his mouth in an obvious whisper. Sanji felt uncomfortable; he didn't need to look any more suspicious than he already did, and he knew the guards at the nearby table were watching him.

"Shukaku was 'demoned away'."

Sanji blinked and stared wide-eyed at the other man. He remembered Shukaku, that shy new recruit in the kitchen who'd always been asking him for tips. He'd promised to teach him to debone an elephant tuna what felt like a lifetime ago. "What? He's just… gone?" Sanji's voice was filled with disbelief.

The other chefs nodded solemnly. "It happened a few days ago. It's so very sad. He had a lot of potential." One of the other cooks sighed, raising his glass. "To Shukaku!"

Sanji couldn't help but shudder as he joined the subtle toast. Occasionally prisoners or staff were 'demoned away', seemingly eaten by Impel Down itself. The ones who disappeared never came back; it was one of Impel Down's biggest mysteries and most carefully guarded secrets.

Sanji was itching to get away from the guard who was following him around. He wanted to check on Zoro's swords and spy on Magellan and Hannyabal to see if there was any new information. Knowledge was power, and Sanji needed all the help he could get right now.

Sanji faked an excessive yawn, heading for the barracks where the guards slept. It was still in the middle of shift , so the people inside were all fast asleep and wouldn't have to get up in the next four hours or so.

That meant Sanji had a two-hour window to spy on his superiors when he managed to throw this guy off. He heard the double footsteps halt as the base of small staircase leading to the guard barracks, where he had been stationed weeks ago after his 'promotion'. He kept walking as if he hadn't noticed anything, entered the room, and leaned against the doorframe.

He couldn't hear any footsteps. He tiptoed between loudly snoring guards, keeping to the wall and cautiously looking around. The walls were completely void of all surveillance den den mushi, suspiciously so. Even if the only official exit from the sleeping quarters happened to be the main entrance, this was too careless.

After a casual stroll around the area closest to Sanji's bed, the cook was assured that there were no surveillance den den mushi watching him to make sure he was sleeping for real. This didn't ease Sanji's worries at all; there had to be something. For a moment, Sanji sat on his bed with his legs crossed, casually smoking as he contemplated where HE would hide a surveillance den den mushi in the room.

Suddenly, he had an idea.

"Ah… shit…" Sanji casually stretched his arm out, unceremoniously dropping his trusty Zippo on the floor with a soft clatter. He slid out of the bed, resting a knee and hand on the floor as he reached out for his lighter. He turned it slightly sideways towards the dark brick under the bed as he picked it up, seeing the stalk eyes of a surveillance den den mushi reflect in the metal.

Gotcha, Sanji thought proudly, snatching his lighter from the floor and his pajamas from his nightstand and sauntering victoriously over to the bathroom. Alright, he had a surveillance den den mushi recording everything that happened in front of his bed along with audio. This was much more believable than a single guard outside the room.

Sanji went over the plan as he buttoned up his blue pajamas. The other guards had appeared soundly asleep, and each 'room' had a rather high divider, because no one wanted to see someone else masturbate. Unless… No, he had limited time and had to focus; Zoro-related thoughts came later.

When Sanji returned from the bathroom, he sat down on his bed, wary of the den den mushi recording his every move. Roughly calculating the creature's position, he placed his shoes directly in front of the animal and discarded his pants and jacket on a chair in clear view of it. He sat like a mischievous child on top of his bed, making subtle squeaking sounds and ruffling his cover like he was tucking himself in.

Now I just have to hope it works.

Trying to make as little noise as possible, Sanji balanced his weight on his nightstand, jumping soundlessly onto the tall divider, walking on the dusty top of the walls like a cat. Sneaking up at night to cook at the Baratie was really paying off in more ways than one.

Sanji felt a little vulnerable in his pajamas, but his bare feet didn't make a single sound as he waited for his chance to sneak past the guard and down the hallway towards the slipped into the entrance he had used to exit the tunnel on the night of the heist without hesitation. These tunnels were almost too convenient, and Sanji cautiously tiptoed past various exits and peeking holes on his way to Magellan's office.

Taking a short detour down a side tunnel on his way , Sanji stopped briefly to see if the swords' hiding place had been disturbed; luckily nothing seemed to have been disturbed so the swords had not been discovered yet.

The cook let out a slight breath of relief. It would be terrible if the swords were found; not only were they covered in his fingerprints, but also because he hadn't even told Zoro they were safe yet! He hadn't been able to with the heavy surveillance over the day, and as soon as he had gotten the chance, Zoro had interrupted him and kissed all the sense he had right out of his head!

When Sanji arrived at the wall separating the dark tunnel from Magellan's office, he felt a slight tinge of regret in his chest. He heard his name dropped on the other side, and his heart sank; the conversation had already started. Sanji carefully peered inside the office, determined not to miss another word. What if he missed the one detail he needed to get Zoro out of Impel Down alive?

"So there was NO recorded footage from what happened on Level 5 today?" Magellan growled from across the room. The massive poison man was sitting at his desk, holding his stomach to alleviate the pain. Sanji nervously rubbed his chin, straining his eyes to watch Magellan's expression.

"No, the bag we pinned on him seems to have fallen off." One of the guards standing by the other side of Sanji's wall apologized. It was one of the guards who'd been watching Zoro while he was sleeping in the infirmary. That explained how they managed to get that den den mushi on him without him knowing.

Sanji would have been angry, but delivering bad news to Warden Magellan was almost punishment enough. Almost.

"And the wolves?" Hannyabal pressed, walking closer to the unlucky guard. He almost seemed to be trying to take over Magellan's job right there, probably subconsciously. "What did you find out?"

The guard closest to Hannyabal became flustered; Sanji could see the other guards exchange confused and sceptical glances. "N-nothing... Sanji seemed to have scared them off. Roronoa's cuffs were still locked, and they weren't even talking when we arrived." The guard was sweating, clearly uncomfortable with having Hannyabal's face so close to his own. "There was no evidence of anything other than hostility between them… I don't think Sanji is guilty of anything."

"How can this be!?" Hannyabal hummed, turning to Magellan with an annoyed expression. "Warden! If there isn't any evidence, then you must be wrong! Step down and allow ME to become War—"

"Be silent, Hannyabal. It could very well be that we have just read the situation wrong." The Warden rubbed slow circles on his stomach. Hannyabal tried to object to the 'we' but was comically interrupted by poison breath."If we act without evidence and we are wrong, it would be a disgrace to Impel Down!" Magellan grumbled, glancing at the guards, who all tried their best not to inhale.

There was a pause when Magellan's poison breath prevented Hannyabal from opening his mouth or inhaling. The Warden seemed to misunderstand the silence for approval, since he leant back in his chair with a groan.

"I still want them watched carefully, Hannyabal. If we see even as much as a hint of anything suspicious, immediate action will be taken. We just need a single slip of the tongue here, a touch or gesture." Magellan stood up, heading for the bathroom. "I am expecting a call early in the morning, so we'll call it a night. Take the opportunity to check on Sanji as you change shifts."

The guards saluted stiffly, mumbling to themselves about how absurd the whole concept was. Sanji heard various heated discussions about his sexuality arise between his coworkers as he dusted off his sleepwear. He watched Hannyabal occupy Magellan's seat and spin gleefully in the massive chair, singing something about how his 'warden-ness' was the greatest.

Sanji made his way back to his bed, waiting a few heart-pounding minutes for his opportunity to slink up the stairs past his guard. He'd always been good at sneaking; he supposed he could thank the old fart for that, as well as almost everything else.

His heart was still beating madly by the time he was under his covers, the adrenaline still rushing in his veins hard enough for him to feel it. His mind was fluttering with both relief and worry. So Magellan had no evidence of him and Zoro sharing anything more than insults.

At the same time, Magellan wasn't giving up; he'd have to be very careful not to give a single eyebrow waggle at the wrong time, no matter the circumstances. He couldn't lose his cool, or it could cost him greatly.

When it was time for the shift change, the guards returning to their rooms walked over to him; he could feel their eyes on his body, some of them even trailing a little too low and intimately for his tastes.

He had to remain calm, no matter what. This was practice, just practice for the moment he brought Zoro out of Level 5 and they had to pretend again. If he could just get one honest kiss at the end of the day, he'd suffer all these dirty looks and even pretend not to care when Zoro was being insulted.

"You think he goes for men? I always thought he was trying to get with Domino," one of the guards whispered as they walked off, clearly thinking Sanji was asleep from their conversation. No one would talk about these things in front of a fully awake and listening Sanji.

"I dun'no. I guess he's pretty cute if you like that kind of stuff; maybe he plays both teams."

Sanji's curled eyebrow twitched slightly; so what if he played both teams? Most sailors did. He'd been raised on a ship since he was a kid. Just because he usually preferred women, it didn't mean he wouldn't take what he could get when times were hard. Pun intended.

Sanji barely slept a wink the rest of the night, listening intently to the snores of all of his coworkers as his subtle paranoia and thoughts of Zoro fluttered along with him back and forth from consciousness.

It was during one of those lucid moments where dreams crossed over with reality when Sanji could practically feel the warmth of Zoro's body in the bed next to him; the green-haired man was turning away from him, snoring softly. Sanji groaned in disappointment; he knew it had to be a dream because he could hear the sounds of the ocean mixing in with Zoro's soft snoring. He hadn't heard the ocean since he had entered Impel Down, even if he was surrounded by it.

It had been so long since he had slept without a nightmare. Ever since he had been brought to Impel Down and walked past that desert, he hadn't been able to sleep peacefully for a single night. His body felt so tired and heavy now that he was almost inside his dream. He reached out for Zoro's shoulder; with more effort that he thought he would need, he turned the larger man around, eager to see his peaceful sleeping face.

The doors to the barracks practically flew open with a loud bang, startling Sanji and several other guards out of their dreams. Damn it. He wanted to have a nice dream for a change. Before Sanji could even properly sit up and complain, various guards stormed his little cubicle, some with weapons drawn and hard looks on their faces.

Sanji felt his heart skip a beat; the world became so terribly cold all of a sudden as he saw the stern faces of his coworkers. Hannyabal joined them, scowling down at Sanji more seriously than usual. Sanji remembered his resolution, putting on his most innocent face as he looked around in a confused manner.

"Search it. All of it. The other beds too." Hannyabal's tone was stern, and he wasn't taking his eyes off Sanji, who felt like he had just been stripped naked and pretend not to care. He looked at the various guards searching his room and under his bed, securing the den den mushi and putting it in a bag before they shook out all of Sanji's clothes.

"W-what's going on?" Sanji asked, trying to keep his voice as newly-awoken and hoarse as he could. That phone call Magellan had been expecting was probably Marineford. They knew Zoro's swords were missing.

"Stay where you are," Hannyabal instructed, leveling the massive pitchfork at Sanji's face as the guards spread out to search all the other beds in the barracks. Sanji stilled his slightly trembling hands. They were looking for the swords in here. They would never find them here, so again they had no evidence.

For a few agonizing minutes, Sanji simply sat silent in his bed, faking confusion and reminding himself that there was nothing they could find that would incriminate him. The swords and haramaki were all bundled up in a safe place, and he didn't have anything else—

Earrings.

Sanji felt the world slow down around him. He had put Zoro's earrings in the same hiding place, right? He had tucked all of them away into the dark. He recalled his hands fishing the smooth jewelry out of his pocket and dropping both of them into the haramaki.

Both of them or was it all three of them?

Sanji's jacket was raised, his pockets searched, and the blond snuck a nervous breath when the guard rummaged around in the fabric. The man pulled up a lighter and Sanji's cigarettes, dismissing them casually and throwing them back into the pocket.

Good. He had put all three of them there.

A few uncomfortable minutes later, the guards returned, whispering something to the Vice-Warden, who lowered his weapon in response.

"The Warden wants to see you. Right now," Hannyabal said awkwardly, tossing Sanji's uniform to him as he took a step back. "We apologize for waking you up extra early." The pot-bellied man didn't leave, instead courteously turning halfway from Sanji as he dressed. He was being polite, but Sanji knew he was being watched.

He felt like a criminal as he was walked by a group of people down through the sweltering heat of the Blazing Hell on his way to Magellan's office. He went over how a single Freudian slip or eye contact lasting too long could very possibly damn him and crush all of his hopes of ever sailing the ocean with the Marimo.

Magellan was standing by his table and going over papers with a furious scowl on his face. It eased a bit when Sanji entered, his eyes looking a little less deadly than before. Sanji stood still like a man before the guillotine, watching Hannyabal walk to the Warden and shake his head before he whispered something.

Magellan looked thoughtful for a moment, whispering something back before Hannyabal walked out of the office, leaving Sanji alone with numerous guards, a furious Warden, and almost crushing silence.

"Good morning, Sanji," Magellan began, Sanji's alarms raised by the terrifyingly casual tone. It was almost like the Warden knew. Sanji donned his professional mask, feeling calm wash over him as he saluted stiffly.

"Good morning, Warden," Sanji offered, trying to sound more surprised than terrified. The massive venom-man put the papers down on the table, turning fully to the blond. Sanji felt like a cornered mouse; he desperately tried not to show how petrifiedhe was.

"I'm sorry about the sudden search, but something dreadful has happened," Magellan began, not giving Sanji enough room to force in a token 'Oh no!' before the giant continued. "Roronoa's swords have disappeared. This is a disgrace to Impel Down." Magellan growled, poison passing from between his lips.

Sanji faked concern and shock, hoping he didn't go overboard. "Gone? How is that possible?" Sanji instantly regretted his phrasing, as Magellan took a step closer, hovering over him like a predator.

"That is what I would like to know as well." Magellan was glaring him down, his narrow eyes seemingly staring into his soul. "Do you know anything about this?"

"No, Warden Magellan." Sanji suppressed a shiver; Magellan was starting to sweat poison. One drop of that and he'd be comatose. If it wasn't lethal, it would knock him out for at least half a day. He had to be strong, or he would never get Zoro out of Impel Down. He had to remain calm.

"We'll see about that."

Just as Magellan let go of the words, the door to his office slammed open as ten guards entered the room along with Hannyabal. It took Sanji a minute to realize Zoro was in the middle of the crowd. The swordsman looked bemused and even furious. For a second, their eyes met. The tension was almost palpable; heavy, audible silence hung in the air.

Sanji knew Magellan was watching him for any reaction, but he couldn't break the eye contact, desperately trying to warn Zoro against doing or saying anything drastic. The tension in his face hurt; it was so hard not to make an expression.

Zoro was caught by the throat and forced down on his knees with a painful smack against the brickwork. A particularly brave guard let go of Zoro's shoulder to yank his hair back, exposing his neck and face to the Warden, who gave the swordsman an apathetic look.

Zoro was glaring at the Warden, tension rippling through the well defined, strong muscles. Sanji could see Zoro's eyes glaze over softly with concentration. It was going to be alright, Zoro wasn't going to say anything. They would be fine.

"Roronoa Zoro." Magellan's booming voice filled the room and rattled Sanji's high strung nerves. "Where are your swords?"

There was dead silence in the room. Sanji's professional mask almost slipped off for a terrifying second; he hadn't managed to tell Zoro he had his swords. He had been so distracted by the kiss he had completely forgotten. This would mean that Zoro wouldn't have to act or fake his reaction to the news. As long as he didn't provoke the guards or the warden, he'd be alright.

Please don't do anything stupid, Zoro.

The look on Zoro's face was a mixture of anger and pure horror. His eyes were wide, and his mouth was slightly open in shock. For a moment, he stared in disbelief at Magellan, as if his brain was trying to register what he had just heard.

"MY SWORDS?" Zoro's voice boomed around the room as a deadly look fell across his face. "YOU HAVE THEM." Sanji could hear the pain in Zoro's words, those swords were apparently precious to him and now the Marimo thought they were gone forever.

No, I have them. They are safe.

Magellan wasn't even the slightest bit intimidated; why should he be? Zoro was outnumbered and not even a very high profile prisoner. "No. We sent your swords to Marine HQ yesterday, and they were gone when they opened the box," Magellan calmly continued, his eyes staring into what felt like Zoro's soul. Sanji desperately tried to calm his heartbeat. Zoro looked highly disturbed by this news, almost wounded.

Please don't make me watch this.

Hannyabal was watching Sanji's face closely, looking for a hint of weakness. Sanji felt like he had to throw up. Zoro began struggling, his chains rattled, and Sanji could see the pure murder in Zoro's expression.

Please. Zoro. Don't make them hurt you.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'GONE'?!" Zoro's voice rattled Sanji's core; it sounded so hollow. What exactly did those swords mean to him?

Calm down. Just a little.

"They were shipped from Impel Down and disappeared. Their location is unknown." Magellan studied Zoro for a sign of weakness or even mental breakdown. The guards desperately tried to keep Zoro down on his knees, pushing him down and aiming their guns.

They want to make you talk; keep your head clear, Zoro.

"GIVE ME BACK MY SWORDS." Zoro was the closest Sanji had ever seen him to the demon people described him as. The swords were safe but Zoro looked so shaken with anger and grief. Sanji wanted desperately to scream his reassurance about the weapons' safety out loud.

It hurts so much.

"We can't." Magellan's expression was set in stone. "They are lost; they could be on the bottom of the Grand Line for all we know." There was a hint of malicious intent in the Warden's tone. It was obvious Sanji was being tested just as much as Zoro was. He had to keep calm for both of them.

Make it stop.

"DON'T GIVE ME THAT BULLSHIT. DON'T LOOSE THINGS THAT DON'T BELONG TO YOU!" Zoro was absolutely livid; the guards were gasping in pain and the effort of dog-piling Zoro to the ground. Magellan seemed unfazed, watching the struggle on the floor in front of him.

Zoro.

He wanted to tell Zoro he had them. He felt Hannyabal's unfaltering stare on his face. He couldn't let them know. Sanji felt the burning sensation of angry tears at the back of his eyes. This was so unfair. He couldn't let them do this. Magellan calmly stood beside him, watching them both for any sign of weakness.

I can't take it. No more.

"GIVE HER BACK! SHE WAS ENTRUSTED TO ME! I PROMISED!" Zoro's voice was desperate and angry. It hurt to see the calm and level-headed Zoro so distraught, his teeth gritted in anger and his eyes dark with sorrow and bloodlust. Sanji felt like his heart was being ripped right out of his chest.

No more torture.

Sanji's nails pressed into his palms, leaving deep marks in the soft skin. He had to be strong. Magellan took a single step closer to Zoro, crouching down until he was face to face with the struggling prisoner. Sanji's eyes widened.

No, please no. Not Zoro. Not my Zoro. Leave him alone. Zoro. Anything but Zoro.

The guards screamed in fear when Magellan opening his mouth, poisonous vapors escaping and wafting across their and Zoro's features. The swordsman's face scrunched up in terrible pain, and then his body went limp. Sanji's breath was caught in his throat, and his heart skipped a beat; the world seemed to slow down for the second time that day.

Zoro fell face down into the brick floor with a sickening crack of jaw. The guards around the swordsman collapsed as well, piling around the swordsman like dead insects. Hannyabal yelled something incoherent, looking at the pile of limb bodies in shock.

Sanji tried to muffle his horrified scream by biting down on his tongue hard enough to draw blood. His nails punctured his palm, and he felt his knees tremble, threatening to give in. He couldn't move; his body was frozen in shock and loss.

Sanji's face was numb in utter disbelief. Zoro. Was Zoro dead?

He couldn't breathe; everything was swimming before his eyes. He couldn't make a sound; his tongue was numb between his teeth. He had never gotten to tell Zoro how he felt either. First time he had ever truly been in love, and he never got a chance to confess.

Once again, he had been unable to stop the cruelty of Impel Down. It had seemed like the most sensible thing to do, enduring the torturous display so he could walk the halls relatively free, so they could make their escape. Now, it just seemed cowardly. Weak.

If Zoro was dead, he didn't care about escaping. He was going to go down fighting; he was going to kick Magellan's ass right into the pot of blood. Sanji felt strength slowly return to his limbs along with the tingle of adrenaline. His blood was boiling; he could feel the heat bloom in his chest.

"WARDEN! Be more careful!" Hannyabal yelled in outrage at Magellan, who sent Hannyabal a sheepish look. "Don't poison OUR MEN too!"

"They aren't dead, Hannyabal."

Sanji froze in the middle of shifting his weight.

Magellan gave the Vice-Warden a hit on the head. "They are all unconscious. Roronoa was going wild." Magellan turned to the guards that had been far enough away to avoid the poison gas. They all looked about as relieved as Sanji was. They had all been scared for their coworkers lives.

"Without knowing where Roronoa's swords are, it's too risky to let him walk around Impel Down." Magellan pointed to Zoro's limp body. "Take him and lock him up on Level 3. Marine HQ wants him dead."

Magellan turned to Sanji, who was still paralyzed with shock. "Sanji, now that this Roronoa case has been finished, you are no longer needed as a guard. I think you have made up for your crimes on Level 3, and I would like you to return to the kitchen."

Sanji's alarms were raised; there was no way the Warden would allow him to return to serving food for the staff of Impel Down if there was even the slightest hint of him not being trustworthy. Cooking was power; it was having the health and life of those who eat in the chef's hands. This had to be a trap.

The Warden took his seat at the massive desk, watching as the guards picked up Zoro's body and cooperated in carrying it out of the office. Sanji watched Zoro's unconscious face disappear around a corner before turning to the Warden with the most professional face he could muster.

"I had my concerns about your connection to the prisoner, but you surprised me," Magellan continued in a pleasant tone. Sanji's body was tense; this had all been a test. They had specifically made sure Sanji had been there to witness the whole ordeal to see if he would react.

Hannyabal started picking his nose, mumbling something about Magellan not being fit to be Warden, and that he should replace him. Sanji nodded once, hoping to be dismissed so he could go lock himself in a bathroom and scream out his lungs. He had to save Zoro, somehow; he had to save Zoro from that horrible place of starvation and heat.

"However," Magellan continued, leaning over on his desk. "I will not allow you to prepare any food without surveillance, and you are to make food for the prisoners alone. None for the staff." Magellan started filling in some paperwork. "You will be under watch during your work hours, and if you are seen anywhere inside or around Level 3, you will be charged with treason and locked up. Understood?"

"Yes, Warden." Sanji forced the answer, saluting stiffly.

Magellan nodded and dismissed him with a subtle hand movement. "Move your things back to the staff quarters and get to the kitchen and help out. There is a lot of food that needs to be cooked before mealtime. "

Sanji nodded again, lowering his hand from the salute and walking towards the doors. Domino arrived in her beautiful glory with a group of guards, who scooped their unconscious coworkers up and carried them out of the office. Sanji barely noticed the lovely woman, his calculative mind already spinning with potential plans.

He had to get Zoro out of Level 3. Zoro couldn't wait for Luffy on that floor; he would die or be beyond repair when his captain arrived. One of the guards followed him casually towards the guard quarters, watching as Sanji gathered the few personal affects he had into a the same bag he had brought them in.

Sanji was relieved to see that his old bed in the chef quarters was still empty. He felt a little sting of loss when he noticed that Shukaku's bed was also completely devoid of sheets. All of the little personal things the young chef had kept around his cubicle were packed neatly into two boxes on the floor; ready to be shipped to his closest of kin.

After changing to the chef's uniform, Sanji entered the kitchen, donned an apron, and walked to the chef stirring the massive pots.

"Ah, Sanji!" The chef smiled widely. "Good to see you back where you belong!" The other chefs smiled as well, welcoming Sanji back warmly.

Sanji grinned to them in return, yet his smile wasn't genuine. "My prisoner was sent to Level 3 moments ago, so I'm back in the kitchen." Sanji faked relief, his eyes travelling over the multiple surveillance den den mushi that practically covered every corner of the kitchen. This was what Magellan meant by surveillance?

Sanji would never poison food, but he didn't blame the Warden for being cautious. This was better than live surveillance too, even if he was certain there would be at least one conveniently strolling guard following him back and forth when he left the kitchen for a walk to smoke.

Sanji fished around in his pocket for his packet of cigarettes, his nerves screaming for a shot of nicotine he had been too busy to indulge in since he returned to his room the night before. He pulled one out of the packet. Tucking it between his lips, Sanji hurriedly lit up and took a deep inhalation of smoke as he felt the nicotine flow through his system and nerves.

He had to calm down. He had to concentrate. The battle might be lost, but that war was not over.

What he really needed was to get Zoro out of Level 3 without being suspicious or caught. The newly discovered tunnel system could be his ticket to Zoro's freedom. He could even hide Zoro in the narrow and dark corridors until the mythical captain of the Straw Hats somehow managed to barge in with an entire pirate crew and ship and magically spirit Zoro away.

Zoro and him? Could he maybe go too? Those adventures all sounded wonderful and exciting, and the open ocean and exotic ingredients were tempting.

Sanji added some more oats to the thin slop he was stirring. No. He couldn't leave Impel Down; he owed the old fart that much at least. Zeff had given everything up for him; the least he could do was repay him properly.

The day seemed to pass painfully slowly for Sanji. Even if he was allowed to cook again, even this damn slop, Sanji sometimes felt like each moment passed slower than the one before. It was probably the effort of keeping a neutral expression and occasionally faking joy that caused Sanji's day to drag on to a torturous, everlasting, sweltering hell. Even cooking became a bittersweet occupation knowing Zoro was currently going hungry in a pile of dried up human remains.

Sanji's mouth dried up at the thought alone. Zoro's soft yet rough lips were probably dry now. Soon, they would become cracked, and then the dirt would set in the sores. The 'sand' might even be speeding the process. Sanji's hand trembled as memories of thirst and hunger flooded back.

The day ended up being one of the worst in Sanji's life, right up there with the day he crossed Reverse Mountain. While trying to occupy himself in the kitchen, Sanji got more irked by the constant stares of the surveillance den den mushi and even being followed to the bathroom by a not-so-inconspicuously placed guard.

It wasn't until evening that Sanji managed to slip away from the guard on his way to the chef sleeping quarters. He crept past a surveillance den den mushi and darted down a hallway back to the kitchen. There were at least ten surveillance den den mushi in the kitchen alone. After his initial annoyance, Sanji had spent a large part of the day trying to find their patterns and calculating a relatively safe path to the storage room.

Yes, Sanji had finally discovered how food disappeared from storage. Whoever was using those secret paths had an entrance in the freezer. Luckily, it was too cold to keep a den den mushi inside, and Sanji had by chance discovered this very cold entrance while running towards the infirmary the night of the heist.

Sanji used his trusty lighter to illuminate the cold interior of the freezer. Luckily it only took a few bone-chilling minutes to locate the hidden button. The temperature inside the cooler was nothing compared to the biting winds of Level 5. Sanji's mind flickered back to the kiss, his body heating up at the memory alone.

There were small ice crystals coating the inside of the tunnel closest to the freezer, forming condensation on the floor where the heat of Level 4 met the ceiling. Sanji made his way through the labyrinth of tunnels, following the hallway leading to the infirmary.

These tunnels were a lifesaver; Sanji made his way past numerous hallways covered with den den mushi, completely undetected by the guards patrolling the prison. There was a faint scent of perfume in the hallway, a strange but not unusual occurrence.

Sanji had a feeling someone else was using the tunnels as well, someone who used perfume but didn't have the delicate scent of feminine pheromones. He strained his ears to listen for extra footsteps, but he seemed to be alone for the moment.

Knowing someone else was also using the tunnel made it hard for Sanji to relax. He had originally thought the tunnels were a safe hiding place for Zoro's swords, but after noticing some fresh footprints, Sanji had decided that it was better to be safe than sorry.

The blond looked around casually studying the brickwork in the tunnel. He raised his lighter to look for the marked brick, eventually finding the one with an obscure X mark in the corner.

X marks the spot. Three down, two left, and the pirate treasure is yours. Sanji hummed to himself, counting three bricks downwards and removing two inconspicuously loose bricks from the left side of the row. He stuck his hand into the dry dirt wall behind the brickwork, pulling out the soft fabric.

Glittering in the glow of Sanji's lighter were Zoro's swords, wrapped carefully in the beaten old haramaki and coated with a light layer of dust and dirt. Sanji fished the three golden earrings off the top of the fabric and rolled them around in his palm lovingly. He let go of a nervous breath he hadn't realized he was holding; the swords were safe and all earrings were accounted for after all. All he had to do now was get the swords to Zoro and get him out of Impel Down.

Somehow.

Sanji laughed softly to himself, falling backwards against the wall and sliding down in hopelessness. He stared at the jewelry in his palm. How was he supposed to do all of this? Without a ship or backup, he was sure he could never make it past the gates. He was only human: a handsome, talented, and modest human, but human none the less. If Luffy never came for Zoro, what would he do?

The blond pocketed the earrings with one hand and untied the swords with the other. Zoro hadn't reacted with even the slightest hostility when he was being tortured, whipped, and put to hard labor. But he had reacted so violently, so utterly and completely franticly when he thought his swords were gone. Sanji placed the weapons on the floor, avoiding all contact with the Kitetsu.

Sanji took the sword with the flowerlike hand guard, placing it gently in his lap and dusting the hilt with his thumb. He lit himself a cigarette, allowing his eyes to adjust to the dark as he slipped the blade out of its guard. The blade was black and beautiful; Sanji could feel the sword humming in his hand, surging with power so it practically vibrated in his palm.

It was very heavy, extremely heavy even. Sanji flicked off the cigarette, tucking it back in the corner of his mouth as he returned the sword to its home. How was he supposed to get Zoro out of Level 3 without being caught? Magellan was already keeping an eye on him; if Zoro disappeared while Sanji was nowhere to be seen, he'd know he was the one who did it and he'd never be able to walk the hallways of Impel Down a free man again.

The cook rolled the cigarette to the other corner of his mouth. There had to be some way to get Zoro out of his cell without being suspicious. Maybe if he found someone who sort of looked like him and knocked him out? Then he could pretend he was napping somewhere?

No, bad idea, mixing in other guards was just going to cause a lot of trouble. Sanji shook his head slowly, trying to clear his mind for long enough to formulate a plan. Maybe he could just disappear as well?

Sanji carefully brushed dirt off the white hilt of the Wado Ichimonji. There was no way he could handle living the rest of his life like a rat in the walls of Impel Down. Besides, Zoro had to become the world's greatest swordsman, and he was going to watch.

The Wado felt heavy in his hands but not physically heavy, more like it was heavier than it felt, like there was some great burden on it. Sanji tapped ashes off his cigarette before he drew the blade slowly, enjoying how the soft light of his cigarette illuminated the perfectly straight edge of the blade. Sanji felt warmth creep up his fingertips when the blade slid from its resting place.

It looked older than both him and Zoro but was obviously very well cared for. Maybe it was some sort of heirloom passed down from Zoro's father and grandfather? That would explain why he was so upset about losing them. Zoro had been yelling something about a promise in the Warden's office. He allowed the blade to slide back into its housing, the reflection of his agonized expression disappearing as the hand guard hit the top of the sheath.

"I'm sorry." Sanji's voice was barely audible in the deafening silence of the tunnel, the ember of his cigarette burning out as Sanji's hand clenched tightly around the hilt of the Wado. "Because I forgot to tell your idiot owner I saved you... "

Sanji couldn't help it; his shoulders started shaking, the bottled up frustration and emotion he had so desperately tried to hide from every single member of the staff flooding out of his mouth without his consent. His hand trembled around the Wado as he covered his face with his free hand.

"It's my fault... I should have told him right away..." If he had told Zoro his swords had been saved, then maybe the Marimo wouldn't have lost his control. Maybe Zoro wouldn't be in such an unreachable place. No matter how hard he wracked his brain, there was no way he could get Zoro out of the cell without being the prime suspect.

The only way for Magellan not to lock him up the moment Zoro disappeared was if he was standing right in his office when it happened. It was completely impossible. Sanji's chest began to hurt terribly; the guilt was coming back, washing over him like it had so many times before.

Zoro was starving on Level 3, and here Sanji sat on the floor like a coward. He was such a terrible person; the old fart was right: he was a completely useless little eggplant who couldn't even protect both the men he loved at the same time.

I can't protect anyone. I can't protect anything.

"Shitty old man..." Sanji held the white sword close as he buried his head in his knees. "...what do I do?"

Sanji would have been able to notice the extra strong perfume smell if he hadn't been covering his face. The distraught chef was startled by a rough manly voice, disguised in a feminine tone.

"We found the intruder!"

Sanji's survival instinct and adrenaline kicked his reflexes into overdrive as he instantly collected Zoro's katana in his arms and prepared to run for his life. He didn't manage to rise further than his knees before his eyes met the double barrel of the shotgun brushing against his bangs.

"Come with us in the name of the Queen!"

TBC

SUPER CHAPTER to make up for the wait!

Thank you for all the lovely reviews! over 10.000 views and 85 followers?! That's more that I thought I'd get... ever! Your comments, guesses and reviews make me smile so big my cheeks hurt!

Thanks to my lovely darling beta CopperClouds for reading this chapter over and over to hammer it into shape!

-BBB