A/N:
Alright, that's it. I'm calling this story a slow burn ZoSan. You can bite me if you disagree. XP
Sanji Kitetsu Chapter 23
The trip down the snow mountain back to the ship happened in a quick and chaotic blur, and by the time Zoro cared to spare a glance from Kitetsu's healing cracks to their surroundings, they were already back at sea.
Zoro has been feeding the blade as much blood as he would take, and it seems to have made the cracks marginally better. The ugliest one across the back of the blade, where the dislocated spine was on the blond, is now just like the others, and the swordsman gives his deepest gratitude to the granny for it. Some of the shallower marks seem to have faded slightly over time, but it might just be Zoro's wishful thinking.
You should stop moping about and join the party, Moss head. You're making Chopper feel unwelcome. Kitetsu speaks in words for the first time since Zoro retrieved him from the castle bed. His voice is still a bit weak.
The swordsman looks up to find that they're in the middle of a celebration, most likely to welcome the newest crewmate and Nami's return from certain death.
"Not in the mood."
Really? You're saying no to booze? That's a first.
Zoro shrugs, not wanting to let himself have any kind of reward after failing his blade so miserably.
Well then, will you at least introduce me to your crew?
"Huh?"
If I'm gonna be teaching Carmen-chan how to fight with her legs, I'll be walking around in my human form from time to time. You don't want them to take me for an intruder and attack me, right?
"Who said I'd still let you do that after what you just did to yourself?"
What? Oh come ON! Almost the whole crew is here, and you've fed me enough blood already for me to transform anytime! Plus I'm just saying hi. What can possibly happen? And we AGREED on Carmen-chan's training. Are you going back on your words now?
Zoro huffs and glares at the blue gem, slightly alarmed by the possibility of him slowly losing the ability to say no to this problem child. A quick survey tells him that everyone is on deck except Carmen, who's probably in the kitchen getting refills for the almost empty plates. He takes in a big breath.
"Guys!" He yells over Usopp's and Luffy's obnoxious singing and waits a few seconds for all eyes to find their ways to him.
"There's someone I'd like you to meet." He says and holds out the cursed blade.
Sheathe me, idiot! I don't want to be naked again! Kitetsu snaps.
Heat creeps up Zoro's face as he quickly slides the blade back into the empty sheath and holds him up again. Once he's sure that the blade is hovering, he takes a couple of steps back.
Kitetsu transforms in silence, glowing dimly as he stretches into the perfect human form the same way he did in the castle, but this time the wounds and bruises are hidden underneath the wine red suit. Zoro watches the process in awe with a swell of pride. This mystical blade is his, who chose him as the master and followed him out of the blade's own free will.
"Sanji Kitetsu. He wanted me to introduce him so that he's not mistaken for an intruder. Luffy, you've met him, and so have Carmen and Usopp, briefly."
Luffy gives an excited yell of "Sword Guy!" while Usopp gasps and covers his mouth with both hands. The blond, however, pays absolutely no mind to the pair and does a twirl in the air before his feet even touches the deck. With his back towards the swordsman, he floats in a straight line to Nami and lands himself onto one knee as he takes the woman's hand and kisses it.
"Hello there my angel, I've been dying to meet you in person. Please call me Sanji."
Zoro should've known this is why the pervy sword wanted to be introduced. Nami pulls her hand from his grasp with a guarded smile. The blond gives no physical indication of his injuries, but a soft telepathic hiss suggests that he's feeling the broken arm with that pull.
"And you, my sweet princess!" The blond turns to Vivi with a similar gesture, and the princess takes a step back in shock.
"That's enough. Cut it out. You're scaring her." Nami gives the blond head a smack. It's not a hard smack like the ones Zoro is used to receiving for no reason, but the blond visibly winces, making the swordsman's blood boil.
"Keep your hands away from him, Witch!" He warns, barely registering Chopper's voice saying he recognizes the blond as the guy with the dislocated spine, and asking Usopp to help him carry the out-of-bed patient back into the men's dorm. He glares at the navigator, fighting the urge to draw his swords at a nakama, and Nami glares back in defiance.
"He was being a creep!"
"He was, but YOU of all people have NO RIGHT to hit him." Zoro shouts, feeling his rage pouring out of his mouth. Kitetsu's current state was Nami's fault just as much as it was the swordsman's. "You have NO IDEA what he's done for you! He's MY sword. He didn't have to give a DAMN about you, but he whimpered at your bed 24 hours a day while you were sick, and he broke his FUCKING SPINE to get you to a doctor in time in one piece."
The swordsman's heart hammers in his chest. The rush of blood to his head makes him a little dizzy. A tad of guilt and a shit ton of confusion dance in the navigator's eyes. She gives no reply, and Zoro's rather satisfied by the result.
"So let me repeat. Don't ever touch him again." He spits through clenched teeth and storms into the men's dorm behind Usopp.