A/N:
This fic is totally my escape fic. XD I'm updating this because I'm supposed to be working something in real life... but I just can't get myself in the mood. Somebody yell at me and tell me to get back to work. XD
And descriptive writing is the death of me. One of these days I'll sit down and practice it I promise, but for now, please have patience with me. XP
Sanji Kitetsu Chapter 31
Sanji steps forward onto the cool surface of the ocean. The water frizzles loudly where it connects with the skin of his foot, sending jets of steam up around him. The heat from the burning ship still warms his back, but the smell is replaced by the freshness of the salty sea breeze that's quickly drying his matted hair. The sun hangs low behind him, casting long shadows of him and the nearby ship onto the mucky green waves before. The shadows soon disappear under the thickening fog. The only thing visible now is the speck of green light in the distance.
That's enough. That's all he needs. He keeps on walking.
The outline of a figure appears before him through the fog just when he starts to feel sand under his feet. Shoulder length hair flair out on either side, matching the flair of a knee length dress. A tiny portion of Sanji's mind that's not occupied by the green light tells him that the dress used to be longer.
She speaks, and the sound of her voice is familiar. An ally. More so than the one within him. He tears his gaze from the green light for just long enough to see the outline of an invisible blade hovering against the foggy background, and its tip is pointed at the base of the figure's neck just a couple of steps away.
Sanji feels a chill spread through his back despite the suffocating flames wrapped around him. He tries to take a step back, but finds his body rigid, mechanically moves forward against his will. He pushes against his limbs, trying to sway them out of their paths, but they are heavy, as if made of lead. He feels his neck turning again, forcing his line of sight back onto the green light in the distance. The light pulls him in, threatening to wipe all else from his mind.
Zoro.
Yes, my child. All your wishes shall be granted. All who stands in the way shall be removed. The voice noticably grins. All. Regardless of gender.
Gender. Sanji fumes. The shitty old man knows all his weaknesses.
I do, my darling. I protected you all along. I will keep protecting for you as long as you still have the will to live. You are mine, my sweet child. You will always be mine.
While the voice seems distracted, Sanji swings one of his arms at the invisible blade with all his might. As expected, the blade moves aside to avoid an injury to his hand. He takes the chance to push the figure out of his path, feeling the fabric of her clothes catch fire at the contact. Her airy scream soon becomes muffled and distant like the ones before her. Sanji hopes, with the last sliver of thought of her, that the sea water would do something about the flame on her dress before it gets to her hands. He takes another step forward, eyes snapping back to the green light. Once again, nothing else matters.
So soft, my child. The voice gives a low laugh. Always so soft.
He takes a few more steps before the green light is shaken out of his view. He's momentarily airborne, and then the back of his head digs into wet sand. Shallow waves of sea water soak through his hair and the back of his gown, lapping over the left side of his body, frizzling and raising as streams of white cloud. The numbness on his left jaw tells him that something struck him. It doesn't matter though. He watches the clouds swirl above him, tinted orange by the setting sun. It's getting dark. He needs to go home. Zoro is waiting.
A different figure straddles him before he can get up. The thin translucent body wears a red buttoned vest, and a straw hat hangs on his back by a thread over his neck. Another ally, Zoro's ally. He can feel the boy's thighs burning where they press against his gown, but the boy doesn't seem to notice. He's shaking slightly, lips pulled back and baring teeth, eyes dark with rage.
An unfamiliar voice yells from somewhere around them. The boy answers, telling him to stay out of this, saying something about problem within his crew. He throws another punch at Sanji's cheek before blowing on his fist to soothe the burn. The strike tilts Sanji's head, and again he sees the outline of the invisible blade against the cloudy sky. Its tip points at the boy's heart from behind.
He reaches an arm up, much more easily than before, and wraps his fingers lightly around the front of the blade. The sleeve of his gown falls to his shoulder, and a single drop of blood slides from his palm down his bare arm.
Why, my child? He is in your way. All who stands in your way-
He's not standing. Sanji snaps back as he takes another punch from the boy. The vibration sends another drop of blood down his arm.
The voice huffs after a moment and dissolves the blade from Sanji's grasp. The arm falls onto the wet sand beside him, sending another puff of steam into the air. Sanji wonders if he has made himself useful according to Zoro's standards, according to the swordsman's command to him the day he sent Sanji up the mountain with this boy. He smiles as he takes another punch.
Are the swordsman's friends more important to you than I am?
You make it sound like I know you.
You hurt me, my child. The voice fakes a gasp. But you speak the truth.
Sanji stays trapped under the boy, taking punches that are quickly losing power, and feeling the skin on the knuckles blistering from the burn. He's thankful that the flames around him seem to have died down. The shitty old man is a soft one too after all. The boy stops punching him after a while. His usually carefree face twists in anguish. He cries, and his tears fall onto Sanji's face. They sizzle before flying away, leaving prints of salt crystals.
Sanji distantly wonders what has happened to bring the boy to such a state, but someone else shouts nearby, husky and magnetic, clearing his mind.
Zoro.
He stands, not caring about the way the boy tumbles into the water beside him. He looks around to find the swordsman standing in the distance, swords drawn and bandana over his head, eyes cold and cautious. He smiles at the master and breaks into a run. For a moment it appears that Zoro intends to swing his swords at him, but he doesn't bother to slow down. If Zoro wants him to die right here and now, he would gladly do just that. He spreads his arms and wraps them around the swordsman's shoulders and tackles him to the ground, nuzzling his forehead against the golden earrings.
"I'm back." He murmurs against the worn fabric of the white shirt.
He hears two dull thuds as swords fall onto sand, and large warm arms wrap around his back.
"Welcome back." He hears, and a wave of happiness fills him from head to toe.
He's home. This is where he belongs. He closes his eyes and gives in to exhaustion.
A/N:
So I'm trying to redeem Carmen. This won't be the last of her suffering in my plans, but it wouldn't hurt to get ideas. What would she have to do for you to forgive her?