Disclaimer: So now I'm watching Final Fantasy 7, Advent Children and typing up chapter three. The last chapter I hope as this was supposed to be a short story… anyway… I don't own Final Fantasy or One Piece.
It seemed that no matter who I was with, I could only hear Nami and Sanji… why?
Well I owe Nami some money but I don't understand why that would be important.
Why Sanji? I just couldn't understand it; but there was a party a few days ago…
'Hey Sanji, can you come here?' I had so much to drink and I felt an urge for a chat to him
'What the hell do you want?' I grabbed the cook and whispered something to him, something that my hangover prevented me from remembering, but ever since the cook had always looked at me differently.
Maybe if I tried I could remember what I'd said to him… if I could just get him to think about it. In a discreet way of course
'Hi Zolo, have you paid me back yet?' I could hear Nami again; she was plotting some sort of way to annoy me I could tell from the tone of her thoughts. 'No, that won't do… Hey Zolo; I just came to see what you were up to. Came to see if you had any money?'
Maybe I should be kind to her. I did have a stash of money for such emergencies but I had almost forgotten about it because I had never told anyone.
To pay or not to pay? That is the question. I chuckled at my own joke despite the fact it looked like I was crazy.
"Hi Zolo," Nami said from out of nowhere. I jumped back in surprise and then held my chest to make sure my heart was still in the right place.
"What do you Nami?" I asked, my voice dripping with annoyance. She just laughed with her mouth hidden behind her hand. "What?" I moaned. I hated it when she did that. But I could read minds now… I think it's about time to try it out.
'Poor naïve Zolo, he knows damn well what I want…'
I did? Oh yeah right money, do I or don't I? Let's take a chance on a flip coin.
"Hey… Nami?" I asked
"Yeah; what?"
"Have you got a coin I can borrow for a second?"
"Only if you've got the re-payment." She smirked, I just smiled back.
"We'll see." I was given the coin.
I tossed it up in the air and said "Heads I do, tails too bad." I caught it; and opening up my hand I saw that it was on heads. "It's your lucky day Nami, I'll get you your money right now… but stay here or you don't get a Berri."
I ran off to the hiding place and made sure no-one was looking as I took out the emergency stash of cash. I thought for a while and then put half back. "It should be enough to shut her up for a while; I just hope I can earn that back somehow."
"Oh Zolo, what's that behind your back?" Nami asked in a daft yet seductive tone. I threw the little bag at her and watched with discontent as her eyes lit up over her gift. "Zolo… Thanks very much!" She must've been so overjoyed because the next thing I knew she was on my lips.
"Get off woman!" I said pushing her back gently; after all I didn't want to send the wrong signals… I just didn't want her kissing me.
"Well I was just saying thank you." Nami replied, but not angrily as her next thought was 'Besides the best kisser on this ship is probably Sanji. I should go see him sometime today' "I got to go Zolo, thanks for my cash!"
I watched as she ran off to the kitchens, no doubt to see Sanji. Well that may just have shut her up, but her thoughts were still in my head. I'll try and sort Sanji out later… he's probably a little tied up right now.
Then darkness fell and another storm seemed to be upon us. Just my luck, I bet if I tried to reverse the effects I'd die. But maybe then I could see her again. She had aged and looked just like Tashigi… except the glasses thing.
"…Oi…" Came Sanji's voice; and the same pang from where he kicked my leg. Was this a de-ja-vou moment or what? "You better come inside; I have to talk to you about something."
Ah the de-ja-vou was gone.
When we were inside Sanji motioned me away from the rest of the crew and sat me down. He sat next to me and then lit up a cigarette, I was so tempted to smack him in the jaw but maybe he needed it, especially because his thoughts were a mess
'Tell him Sanji, tell him… No he should figure it out himself, Nami's looking at me!' After a few drags on his cig however, his thoughts seemed to slow down slightly and I could understand him a little better. 'Okay, i'll say… umm, damn this is annoying. Why hasn't he said anything yet?'
"Sanji, what's this all about?" I asked, he just looked at me with cigarette ash dropping on the floor as the only response. "If it's about Nami then I can explain." He looked confused.
"Why what happened to Nami?"
"Nothing important, just tell me what the problem is here." I said with my tone of annoyance on full blast.
"Don't act all innocent!" He yelled at me, 'You said it to me and now you don't even remember, come on wise guy read my mind. I dare ya!'
"Oh that, look Sanji I was very drunk and I don't remember anything after my eighth gallon." I was being as truthful as possible. As in if I had had anymore to drink I would've passed out. "Can you tell me what I did, or didn't do?" I asked politely.
I think I had to somehow work this out before the storm passed otherwise I might be stuck with this pain in the ass mind reading crap forever.
"You, you came up to me and you, dammit you said you fancied me!" Sanji had tried to keep his voice down but it had risen with his anger. There was something more though, I could tell.
"Sanji, I have the feeling that I did more than that, your face wouldn't be a rosy colour otherwise." I stated, not wanting to pressure him but I didn't want to be nice to him.
"You, also, you then slammed me against the wall and well you kissed me… rather passionately." Sanji had kept his head down, his eyes concentrating on the fabric on his knees.
Thankfully at the moment he said 'kissed me rather passionately' Luffy had let out a very loud and very disgusting belch, saving both of us from a lot of public embarrassment.
I sighed but before I denied anything or accepted what I did, I listened to my own thoughts and tried to see if I really did like him.
… Do I fancy you Sanji? I'm not really sure. We're always fighting, but opposites attract… you've always cooked really great meals for us, and you've never really pestered me when I'm asleep… other than the other night but that was for food. I didn't remember kissing you though… If I fancied you or even loved, would I have remembered?
Sanji I, "Sanji, I was drunk, unfortunately I don't fancy you; and 'm sorry for mentally scaring you by physically putting my tongue in your mouth, but there is someone on this ship who does fancy you.
It's not like me to play 'matchmaker' but Nami really does… maybe that's why I can readher thoughts as well as yours. It would explain why she's always so fond of you."
A lightning bolt struck in the distance and the rolls and rumbles of thunder threatened our ship, it was now or never… I couldn't hear any thoughts from Sanji but he appeared a little dumbfounded. I left without a word; there was no call of objection either…
The sounds from Luffy and Usopp fighting over the food and the constant demands from the female, everything in that kitchen was silent. As I was deaf to them, not paying attention to the sounds of life.
Because I wanted something that sounded the same… but it was much different to not listening.
I think now more than anything, I wanted to be with her… even though it would mean breaking a promise. The word on my mind and soon on my lips was,
"Death"
I made that a little dark but it seems there will be four chapters to this epic story, please read and review one last time!
