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Chapter 45

Between the lines

Zoro headed for the cook leaning thoughtfully against the front deck railing while the rest of the crew was still having breakfast in the kitchen. The San Marsoni archipelago wasn't probably very far away but it was the fourth day of navigation since they had left Eloi Island and Ace had left. Sanji therefore had no more cigarettes since the day before and he was suffering agonies. In reality, restricting himself to one cigarette a day had only kept him addicted. Chopper had suggested the blond to take none until his arrival on the island to avoid reliving the lack as hard each time but the cook hadn't been able to resist knowing he remained some.

Arrived at his level, the fencer leaned on his side.

"Did it go well?" the blond asked worriedly while turning to him.

"Of course it did, curly", the swordsman calmly replied. "It was a breakfast."

Sanji sighed. Unable to stay locked up for too long, he had prepared everything before letting his crewmates eat without him. It was the last hours he had to endure, but his body couldn't take it anymore. Between his insomnia, his lack of concentration and his irritability, the urge to smoke was taking over his whole being.

"Fuck, I'm such a mess", he got annoyed.

"Obviously."

The cook grinded his teeth. What was he supposed to do to keep him busy during the longest minutes of his life before their arrival?

"Robin saved a plate of Luffy because Chopper says you have to eat", his partner added. "And he still apologizes for not having nicotine patch."

"I told him a hundred times I didn't blame him", the blond sighed again. "And I'm not hungry. All I want is to s-"

"I know, you wanna smoke", the fencer quietly cut him short. "You repeat it even in your sleep when you get to do it."

Sanji wearily shook his head and noticed his hands were shaking again. Upset, he squeezed them together hoping to calm down, to no avail.

"Fucking hell, I'm sick of it!" he suddenly lost his temper with himself.

Zoro's right hand peacefully grabbed his and squeezed them in a comforting gesture.

"Take it easy, cook. It's almost over."

The blond stared at the fencer before gazing at their joined hands then returning to Zoro. The swordsman wasn't looking at him, just enjoying the fresh sea air, and Sanji took a deep breath to relax in his turn. He forced himself to loosen each one of his muscle and tried to calm down by closing his eyes and breathing the salty sea air he loved so much, bathing in the serene aura of the fencer which was surrounding him.

After a few moments, he noticed with relief his hands had finally stopped shaking and he turned his attention back to his partner. This time, Zoro was also looking at him and the blond smiled when he noted that his warm hand was still wrapping his. Of course, he still didn't feel at his best but the fencer's gesture towards him was worth a few hours of torment.

When the coasts of the archipelago were outlined two hours later on the horizon, Nami gathered all the crew members on deck to brief them.

"We replenish our supply and then meet for lunch on the Sunny", she decided. "It'll give me time to know the charging time of the Log-Pose and to see if there are affordable prices. The climate is spring, we should be able to enjoy the place. I'd also like to know if our article concerning the four weathers island was well received by the scientific committee", she finished while turning to Chopper and Robin.

As everyone nodded and then shared the tasks, the blond was granted to only think about what was worrying him. At the height of gratitude, he swirled even more around the girls until Franky maneuvered the Sunny towards a location in the main port island of the archipelago. From that moment, even Luffy wasn't fast enough to disembark before his cook and the latter vanished in the city in a flash while his friends were commenting on the pleasant surroundings of the island.

When Sanji came out of the tobacco shop whose he had just raided the entire stock, he brutally put his bags on the ground then unwrapped his pack with emotion before lighting his most precious possession. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath on his cigarette butt and thought he was going to cry with joy. Never, never, never again would he run out of cigarettes, he promised himself. Never again.

He opened his eyes after a few more seconds, still euphoric, and his gaze slowly steadied on the storefront before him facing the tobacco shop. He then frowned and approached while continuing to take long drags from his cigarette to better examine what he had spotted.

"I can't believe it..."

The cook briefly looked up to find out what kind of store was offering the possibility of buying this little miracle and he winced as he understood where he was. However, he quickly leaned again against the window as his eyes were gradually tinged with anger while he was looking at the rest of the storefront.

"I'm gonna make him swallow his fucking swords, this bastard!"

He finished his cigarette, grabbed his bags and pushed open the door to the store. He then immediately went to what he had seen and grabbed the small bottle, turning it over and over to examine it for a long time.

"Can I help you?" a sympathetic looking man in his thirties asked him.

"Yeah. What's that?" the blond bluntly asked, still upset.

The man glanced at the object.

"Lubricant" he kindly replied. "Special a-"

"And how much is it for?" the cook cut him short.

"This one costs 50 berries but depending on the quantity and ingredients, it can double."

"Holy shit, I'm gonna chop him in pieces..."

The sales clerk gave him a small questioning smile although his customer was too busy grumbling between his teeth.

"Do you need something else?" he tried nonetheless.

Sanji suddenly looked up and was about to decline before changing his mind. Now that he had such important information, there was no way he would miss a chance to find out more, and too bad if that meant asking embarrassing questions to a stranger. After all, it was his job.

"You wouldn't have a... book? Or an explanatory thing about... Well, you know."

"Of course", the sales clerk replied with a professional smile. "We have a lot of books on different subjects so it depends on what you're looking for."

"Basics", the blond answered, shrugging his shoulders.

"All right, follow me."

He led him to the department at the back of the store and stepped aside to let him pass.

"You have all kinds of works here", he showed him. "On the left, conventional explanatory books, game books and large illustrated books such as Kama Sutra. You also have erotic literature on the right, which either heterosexual or homosexual."

"It's really big in here", the cook noticed while glancing beyond the set of shelves, impressed.

"We have several suppliers", the man approved. "All major themes are available: lingerie, cosmetics, games, books, and of course sex toys. All models, shapes, col-."

"Just the books would be fine", the blond cut him short.

The sales clerk nodded, understanding, and walked away while Sanji was frowning at the display. He would never have guessed there could be so many books on the subject... He knew this kind of shops existed but he had never bothered to cross the doorstep of one of them, too convinced that the female gender only needed sweetness and romance to be satisfied.

So that was before. Before he realized that his own partner didn't match any of these criteria and that it was probably urgent to find out more on his own.

After reviewing several set of shelves whose titles puzzled or turned him down, Sanji grabbed a small paperback supposed to explain the must-see regarding relationships between men, whether anatomically and scientifically, sentimentally or sexually. He then flipped pages to get an idea of its content, quickly skimming through the titles in search of some essentials he would ignore.

He suddenly stopped when he read the heading of the chapter he had reached: anorectal trauma. As he was glancing through the page, the blond felt his eyes bulge and his anger intensify.

He abruptly closed the book and strode towards the counter where the sales clerk greeted another customer. However, on the way, he stopped in front of the stunning stock of lubricants arranged methodically before him and he leaned towards to examine them: special sex toy, hydrating, water-based, in the form of gel or capsule, with hot or cold effect, with coconut or vanilla. Definitely lost, he therefore chose to keep the one he already had in hand and which seemed common enough.

He finally put down his purchases in front of the sales clerk who had advised him a little earlier and the latter gave him a worried look at his closed attitude.

"Haven't you found what you were looking for?" he inquired.

"Oh, I did, I have everything I need", the cook replied, still furious. "And I know someone who'll regret that I've been there..."

The man neatly stored his products and handed him the bag after having received the money, inwardly feeling for the one who would undoubtedly pay the price for the blond's anger.

"Zoro, stay a minute. I've got to talk to you."

It was the end of lunch and the rest of the crew curiously looked at the fencer, wondering what he could have done. Indeed, by the cook's tone, everyone had understood that the conversation was about to be sporty and they all quickly disappeared. Franky even patted the swordsman on the back in a gesture of encouragement before closing the door behind him, leaving them alone.

"Sit back down."

The fencer looked at the blond suspiciously. He didn't like is low, muffled voice. So he folded his arms tightly over his chest and sized him up.

"Why?"

"Because you're gonna get some reading."

At these words, Sanji threw a small book in front of him on the table and the swordsman raised his eyebrows.

"Reading?" he wondered.

He took the book to read the title before suddenly looking up, stunned and amused at the same time.

"What's that, perverted cook?" he sneered.

"Oh, but that's nothing", the blond ironically began. "It's just the description of everything that could have happened to me and everything you should have told me!"

"What you mean?"

Sanji tossed him the lubricant bottle he had bought earlier, red with anger.

"How could you forget to talk to me about this, idiot marimo?!"

Zoro stared at the bottle in his hands and read the label carefully before slowly nodding.

"That's not the worst idea", he agreed. "It avoids using saliva, there's never enough and it doesn't slide very well..."

Sanji thought he was going to make an attack in front of the swordsman's nonchalance and he got angry all the more. He grabbed the book that remained on the table, opened it to the right page and shoved it under his nose.

"Do you know what I was risking each fucking time, you moron?!" he yelled again.

Zoro adjusted his eyesight and ran his eyes over the lines.

"Lesions due to certain sexual practices such as anal penetration - or sodomy - can go from simple skin wounds, tears in the anal canal to ruptures of the internal sphincter. The use of suitable lubrication is therefore very highly recommended."

The fencer furrowed his brow before throwing the book away.

"That's disgusting", he growled.

"Goddammit, Zoro, why didn't you tell me about it?!" the blond spoke again, desperate. "I was counting on you in this area since you told me it wasn't your first time! Do you have the slightest idea of the pain it is with your non-existent tactfulness?!"

The swordsman looked at his partner, embarrassed. He had thought he was the one with the most information on the subject, but obviously he wasn't.

"I didn't know", he finally admitted. "I mean, I never used it before and they never said it was required to do it so... But you're right, it'll be much better with it, no doubt..."

Sanji sat heavily on one of the chairs, devastated, and Zoro stared at him.

"You could have known too", he reproached him then. "You are the guy who brags all the time about knowing everything about love!"

"Love isn't sex", the cook replied, lighting a precious cigarette. "And then, I'm a love specialist concerning women. Not men and not marimos!"

Zoro rolled his eyes before freezing and giving him an amused look.

"Where did you get all this, cook? I thought you went to get cigarettes", he pointed out with a little grin.

"I went to buy cigarettes, jackass. And I walked past this store. The seller must have taken me for a fucking beginner considering what I asked him..."

"There're stores for that?" the swordsman wondered.

The blond sighed a little more and blew out his smoke.

"Of course there're specialized stores in sex, marimo. Are you as naive as Luffy or what?"

"What are they selling?" his partner asked again, puzzled.

Sanji shrugged.

"Books, gadgets, all kinds of lubricants..."

"Interesting."

The cook then took the bottle from him before contemplating it in his turn.

"It is fucking interesting", he grinded, putting it back in his pocket. "You can find these things there for less than 100 berries, so try to remember it."

"What sort of gadgets do they have?"

Sanji stared at him for a moment before firmly shaking his head and putting the book back in front of his eyes.

"Forget it until you perfectly know what they say in there", he decreed.

Zoro scowled and flipped through the pages again. He then was surprised when reading a passage and showed it to the cook who had started to clear.

"You could try that."

Sanji glanced at the insert before rolling his eyes.

"This is stupid", he commented, stacking other plates.

"They say it's unforgettable", the fencer countered with a predatory smile.

"Meh, that doesn't seem exceptional", the blond shrugged.

"There're even several tastes!" the swordsman insisted. "Cherry, strawberry and apple."

"I don't like to play with food", Sanji winced.

"It's not food, it's candy for oral sex", he showed him again. "Candy that crackles in your mouth for a spicy treat."

At these words, Zoro burst out laughing and Sanji sighed.

"I don't know if this book was a good idea after all..."

When evening came, the crew went to a busy tavern to enjoy an enthusiastic dinner. Nami had decided that a night trip was possible given the state of their finances and everyone was delighted. The atmosphere was relaxed and the food and drinks were quickly disappearing in the midst of lively conversations. Yet the navigator got up from the table after a while, borrowing his little mobile Den Den Mushi from Franky.

"What are you doing, Nami-san?" Brook asked her, seeing her head for the door.

"I'll call the publication committee back", the young woman said. "I didn't manage to reach them and I want to be sure we'll be published in next month's edition."

"Oh, yes!" Chopper got enthused. "Next month's edition is dedicated to the greatest scientific specialists on Grand Line, it'd be awesome to have our article next to theirs!"

Beside him, Robin nodded with a smile and served sweet milk to the little reindeer while he was waddling in his seat. Nami went out into the backyard to be quiet and the discussions happily continued.

After a while, however, the blond headed for the toilet, the many glasses of tea he had drunk starting to weight on him. Yet when he came back to the noisy table around which his friends were chatting, he still wanted to order one because the drink went perfectly with the marinated salmon he was enjoying.

He was about to sit back down between Ussop and Luffy when he suddenly frowned, puzzled.

"Nami-san hasn't come back yet?" he asked.

The gunner glanced around the table before shrugging.

"Not yet", he answered. "She's probably on hold with the committee or she's trying to negotiate something with them... Yeah, that wouldn't surprise me", he concluded, finishing his plate.

Sanji didn't reply, but turned his gaze to the door for a second. He wouldn't be comfortable as long as he had any doubts about the young woman's safety so he grabbed his jacket and headed for the exit in his turn.

"I'm gonna see where she is."

Ussop vaguely nodded in response and the cook walked away.

The blond lit a cigarette as soon as he walked through the door and observed his surroundings in search of his red-haired goddess. He then heard a shrill cry in the adjacent alley and his heart missed a beat. He dropped his cigarette butt to the ground and rushed towards the navigator's voice, already ready to fight.

When he turned up in the dark and dimly lit street, he saw a man in black clothes carrying a golden emblem and his face hidden by a large hat lean towards Nami who had fallen to the ground. The young woman had obviously tried to protect herself and her Clima-Tact was lying a few meters away when she had fallen, painfully holding her ankle. As the man was about to grab her, she tried to push him away with all her might, frightened.

"Hands off, you dirtbag!" Sanji intervened, throwing him a huge kick in the stomach.

The guy gasped and quickly collapsed to the ground. Furious, the cook was going to crush his head for daring to attack his lady when she tried to warn him.

"Sanji-kun, watch out!"

The young man turned to her but couldn't avoid the bullet from the other man lurking in the shade who had aimed at him with his gun. The projectile hit him in the right thigh and Nami cried out in fright. The blond stared wide-eyed and instinctively put his hand on his leg. When he pulled it out, his fingers were stained with blood and he stared at them, as if in a daze.

Beside him, Nami put a hand on her mouth, horrified.

"My God, Sanji! You're hurt!"

"Don't worry, Nami-san, I didn't feel anything", the cook tried to reassure her, getting ready to strike his new opponent.

He gritted his teeth so as not to show the pain that assaulted him in waves and promised himself to make this bastard pay a hundredfold. He then tried to lean on his left leg to prepare to attack but even then the tension in his right thigh was unbearable and he couldn't help but wince.

"I recognize skilled guys at hand-to-hand combat when I see one", the man sneered, coming closer in the flickering light of the street. "I know you'd have been the best at this game so we'll play mine."

He fired again in the direction of the cook but this time, the latter avoided it and managed to kick him, which made him back off. Annoyed, the man suddenly changed weapons and the blond got ready to avoid the next hit when his enemy changed targets.

With horror, Sanji wanted to rush to protect the navigator but his thigh was preventing him from being as quick as usual and a dart hit the young woman in the left arm. Nami cried out and snatched the object away, but the damage was done. The cook darted towards her and had just enough time to throw himself on the ground to catch the now passed out body of the navigator while the pain caused by his injury was exploding from everywhere.

"Fucker, what did you do to her?!" he fumed at the man while catching his breath.

"She's just gonna take a nap, I need her to be quiet", the latter got amused.

"I won't let you, fat chance!" he spat back.

Sanji painfully got back on his legs and he prepared to destroy his opponent. He then believed his vision was clouding when six other men all dressed in black also appeared in the alley and came to stand next to his attacker, an evil smile on their lips. The blond took a breath and tried to control the tremors that were beginning to shake his right leg: he was losing far too much blood. He quickly took off his jacket and tore part of it to make a tourniquet. The pressure made him feel better and he straightened up, his eyes on fire.

He jumped without waiting at his enemies who had trouble avoiding him but despite everything, given their number and the blond's condition, Sanji quickly realized he was losing ground. So when an iron bar hit his injured leg, he knew he wasn't going to make it alone. His vision clouded for a second and he got unsteady. It was enough not to see a new blow coming that forced him to kneel down, overcome with pain.

As an answer to his prayer, he then heard Luffy plunged into the battle with explosives Gum-Gum and his enemies were instantly drawn to this new troublemaker. Sanji softly breathed to get up. His entire right leg was horribly throbbing but he was especially worrying for Nami who still wasn't moving and he took a few trembling steps until kneeling beside her. He then heard the peculiar clicks of Zoro's swords and he understood that his partner had entered the battle in his turn. The men were fighting pretty well but they were no match for the two strongest men of the straw hat crew and the blond knew it'd all be over soon.

Suddenly however, a man with an imposing stature broke away from the group, a strange weapon in his hand which he pointed at Zoro. As if in slow motion, Sanji saw the bullet hit its target in the abdomen, bending the fencer in half with a silent cry. Horrified, he then watched him fall to the ground while the man was reloading his weapon and now aimed at Luffy who was running up, his multiple fists ready to crush him.

Neither the captain nor his cook imagined for a second that the refill was containing anything other than ordinary bullets, but when they reached the straw hat boy at chest level, the seastone projectile stopped his advance by taking his breath away. A dozen more bullets hit him again and Luffy ended his race on the ground, unable to get up.

The fat man then came closer to Sanji who clenched his fists, ready to fight again. However, to his surprise, the man bent down to the navigator and easily lifted her, flinging her over his shoulder.

"Don't touch her, you freak!"

The man looked him up and down for a second before smiling again and punched him in the stomach, which threw him to the ground. He then put his foot on his leg injury, making him scream under the weight of suffering. Around him, the other men were standing up, the wounded helping the others.

"What do we do, boss?"

Sanji turned his head to his own captain and saw him groan in rage as he was crawling on the ground to join them. A little further, Zoro wasn't moving at all and his heart ached. He then tried to regain control of his body to face his opponent but before he could make a gesture, the latter leaned towards him.

"We're gonna take this one too, it'll be a bonus."

At these words, Sanji felt pain bore into the back of his head and he sank.

I hope you laughed in the first part because action and suspense will be the master words of next chapter!

Hope you're doing all right.

See you next week.