Sanji Kitetsu Chapter 28
"Here's the afternoon snack you missed." Carmen sets down a small plate holding two onigiris beside the dinner plate by Zoro's feet.
"Give it to someone else. I don't think he wanted me to eat his stuff anyway." The swordsman gives the snack a sideways glance and picks up his dinner.
The cook taps her foot on the floor for a few seconds, watching Zoro shove the food into his mouth.
"Why would you say that?" She gives a longsuffering sigh. "He made them all with minced sea king meat as filling, your favourite. Pretty observant for a sword if you ask me."
Zoro eyes the white balls of rice, picks one up, and takes a bite. The filling has just the right touch of spice to bring out the texture. He thinks back to the chirpy blond in the kitchen before Nami came along, humming a melody and filling each piece with giddy anticipation of what Zoro might think of it.
The image almost brings a smile to his face until he remembers that the blade would be happily spending the night in the women's dorm tonight with the cook. The next time he tries his hands in the kitchen, he'd probably be making Carmen's favourite food instead. He finishes the rest of his food in silence.
Next morning is the apparent start of Carmen's training. Zoro doesn't have to try very hard to figure out their schedule. One session on stretches and strength training after breakfast, and one session on techniques and sparring after dinner. Twice a day, just like Zoro instructed. Carmen starts to cut her floor-length dresses short, replacing them with long leggings for ease of movement. The blond demonstrates and corrects forms with a seriousness Zoro didn't think he was capable of around women.
Zoro tries not to intrude, even when the blond is in his sword form. He stays away from the kitchen all day and only goes in to quickly grab his food or return his plates. It's not until late afternoon on the fourth day that Carmen comes to the swordsman's hiding place behind Nami's tangerine trees to return the blade for a cleaning. She brings with her another small plate of snacks, green tea mochi.
"You know I don't need snacks in the afternoon."
"I didn't make it." The redhead shrugs.
I... I know you don't like sweets. The cursed blade speaks, and Zoro is forced to admit that he misses the voice dearly. I made these lighter, so don't waste it, shithead.
The swordsman bites, and again, it has just the right hint of sweetness that brings the image of a blond in focused contentment, molding each piece of dough with care.
Your arm... does it still hurt?
Zoro has forgotten about the kick to his arm until now. He gives it a quick flex and feels no pain, so he shakes his head and finishes eating.
He knows it's awkward to stay silent after an argument, especially with his sword, his partner in battles. He doesn't know what to talk about though. He doesn't want to ask if the blond likes his nights in the women's dorm. He doesn't want to hear about Carmen giving the blond cooking lessons during the day. He doesn't want to know about the cook's progress during their training sessions. He doesn't want to think about the blade, his blade, enjoying life away from him, even for a second.
So he does the cleaning without a word. Then he sends his blade to the cook again to continue their training. He doesn't call them out on using his blood an extra time in the afternoon to make snacks. He goes to Chopper's office to give another bag of blood in case they run out. And he stays out of their way, again.
Luffy and Usopp fished up a weirdo one day, and the guy turns out to be Mr. 2 of Baroque Works with a face-shifting ability that might prove troublesome. The crew comes up with the mark of a nakama on the left arm. They form a ceremonial circle, stretching their hands toward the center. The blond stands between Carmen and Vivi with a bright smile across his face. Zoro averts his eyes, swallowing the objection that he's not even a nakama.
He's carving out a space for himself right there in the crew, a place where he belongs, away from Zoro. That's where he wants to be.
How long are you planning on lending Sanji to Carmen? Kuina asks one day. Zoro is not sure how to answer it, so he doesn't.
Carmen's not a swordsman you know. The white blade presses on.
He doesn't want a swordsman. He wants a place among the humans.
That's what I mean. I don't understand why.
Why what?
Wado told me before. The sense of belonging is a human drive. I lost that when I became a sword. We swords don't feel lonely, and we don't need to be around people to be fulfilled.
Zoro's eyes shift to where the blond is adjusting the height of the cook's raised leg.
We don't need a sense of purpose either, or hobbies. Kuina continues. Those are all human drives.
Maybe he's more human than sword then.
Maybe you can find out what's going on with him if you try tuning him again?
If he lets me. Zoro scoffs. I'll try when... if he comes back to me.
You're not going to ask Carmen for him back?
There's no point if he doesn't want to.
And what if he doesn't?
Again, Zoro doesn't know, so he doesn't answer.