Author's Note: I know, I'm an awful person. I think I just want the first five chapters out this week just to leave you guys hanging and then you need to wait till the next week for more, in which case my updates will become just one every week. I don't own One Piece. I know this is unbelievably unrealisitic in terms of the way you act when you've been kidnapped, but you know, Sanji and Zoro, they're special. WHY DO I KEEP KIDNAPPING THEM?!
Speechless
By: Setkia
Full Summary
Sanji is a cook at the Baratie who, for a reason not fully understood by all the other cooks, has not spoken a word in three years. He goes through his life normally, communicating through paper and pen. He hasn't felt the urge to speak since he's decided he would never speak again. Things change though when one day, while taking out the trash, he accidentally runs into the "Demon the Streets".
Roronoa Zoro, the "Demon of the Streets" is a mystery but he's feared by everyone who hears his name. He's on the run from the police with a wanted poster and a big prize if he's found and captured. With an accidental wrong turn, he encounters a strange man with long legs and blond hair. Zoro learnt pretty early on that in his line of work, you don't get attached to people and yet somehow this cook is working his way through his barriers.
PART ONE: BATTLE SCARS
IV
The only sound in the room was the sizzle of the pan. The look on Roronoa Zoro's face resembled that of a child approaching a large animal, cautious and tentative. "Can you understand me?"
Sanji raised a challenging eyebrow.
"You're not actually deaf, are you?"
Sanji shook his head.
Subtlety was lost on this man. Sanji never liked it when others found out. It was always complicated. They always wanted to know the reason why he didn't speak, was he born mute? Had something happened to him? All sorts of questions Sanji was never, and was pretty sure would never be, comfortable enough to answer, never mind feel the desire to admit aloud.
"Then … talk to me." He said it as though it were that simple. As if!
Sanji shook his head again. He reached for a pen and paper, writing.
Don't wanna.
The swordsman didn't laugh at the childish sentence. Instead, his brow furrowed, a crease forming. He didn't ask why. He just stared at the paper with intensity, rotating it.
Sanji wanted to ask him if he could read, but realized if he couldn't, it'd be pointless. Sanji carefully wrote his name in big, capital letters.
The Marimo read it over. "Anjis?"
Sanji took the swordsman hand in his. Tanned skin against pale, large calluses to small bumps. The only thing their hands had in common were the scars.
Slowly, Sanji began to trace on the palm of the tanned man's hand. He was careful to avoid any scars that looked fresh as his nails gently scrapped the surface of other man's skin. He knew how much fresh wounds hurt.
"Die … dice … diesil … dyslex— hey, wait a minute, I'm not dyslexic Anjis!"
Sanji rolled his eyes. Obviously this man didn't like admitting to things and if he kept screwing up his name like that, Sanji would start to get seriously pissed. He tightened his grip on Roronoa's hand and continued, tracing a new pattern. A swirly curve, a circle with a stick attached, a small bridge, a fishing line and a line with a dot on top.
"S … Sah … San … Sanji. Your name's Sanji?"
The blond nodded.
Roronoa Zoro laughed. "That's a weird-ass name!"
Sanji raised an eyebrow and began to trace again, this time his fingers not as gentle as before, nearly digging into the man's flesh as he punctuated his point.
"Zoom? Agh, that hurts! Zoo? Zorro— hey, it's only one r!" He frowned when he realized Sanji's point. "My name's not that weird."
Sanji raised an eyebrow.
"You're judging me. You may not be saying it aloud, but your mind is full of judgemental thoughts," the swordsman accused.
Sanji shrugged.
"You know for someone who doesn't speak, you say a lot." Those grey eyes of his looked contemplative and he nodded, as though to confirm his point.
Sanji blinked.
No one had ever told him that before.
He had been expecting different things. Questions, probing, mocking, an interrogation perhaps. He expected Marimo to try and force him to talk. Instead, he did nothing of the sort. Rather, he stayed silent.
Sanji took this to mean he could return to cooking.
Cooking while someone was watching, he wasn't used to it. Cooking at the Baratie, everyone was cooking as well, meaning no one was concentrating on him. He could feel Marimo's eyes on him as he moved. It was almost reassuring to know there was someone else there.
That he wasn't alone.
"Why are you doing this?" asked the swordsman when the plate of food was laid out before him. He poked it with a fork. "It isn't poisonous, is it?"
Sanji's raised eyebrow said everything.
The Demon of the Streets took a tentative bite of the food in front of him.
The green haired, muscled man pushed his chair out slightly, tilted his head back, closed his eyes and let out the most erotic moan Sanji had ever heard. It almost made him blush.
"Holy shit," said Marimo through parted lips. "I think I just died." He pulled his chair back in and stared at the food in wonder. "I just saw white. I think I just had ecstasy."
Sanji turned away. He now knew at least one thing: Roronoa Zoro liked his food.
"Where'd you learn to make this?" He looked so giddy, so ecstatic, like a child on Christmas. The word "human" that had been in his mind was replaced by "child", then "innocent" and finally "burdened".
Sanji didn't know why he was running from the police, he didn't know what had earned him the title "demon". He wasn't aware of the extent of his swordsmanship ability, didn't know why he was lost. He didn't know how he got his scars or the wounds. He was ignorant to this man's past troubles, but he did know one thing.
He was tired.
Roronoa Zoro was tired. Tired of running, hiding, of getting lost. He was tired of the secrets, of the deception. He was tired of doing things for others, of being guarded.
Because Roronoa Zoro had not smiled in a very, very long time.
And Sanji understood.
This prideful "demon" swordsman was slowly but surely heading down the same road Sanji was already treading on.
To his surprise, he didn't want it.
A man he barely knew and yet the idea of those dull grey eyes losing their shine altogether terrified him.
Sanji hadn't been able to save himself. He was a lot like the Marimo; stubborn, prideful, guarded and just a tad insecure. A little awkward in different areas, but unwilling to admit it.
Maybe he couldn't save himself. Maybe he was too late, in too deep before he realized the cause of his depression. But Roronoa Zoro … he was a slightly dulled diamond, losing its shine. There was still hope for him.
Now Sanji knew the signs. Now Sanji could save him.
Author's Note #2: The thank-yous!
lilcutieprincess: I hope that these aren't too short, I think their length will fluctuate depending on what I want to happen in the chapter. That's a very interesting theory, I've been watching One Piece (obviously because as you know, I'm not the most experienced in this fandom) and I've found that really, Sanji seems smooth with the ladies when he wants to be. I'd totally go for him (that and he's a literal ass-kicking badass cook).
Aj the human: I don't mind knowing, it just came as a surprise to me.
SmAc: I read this story where Sanji was a mermaid (I can't remember which one it was that made him into a The Little Mermaid) and it first introduced that idea to me. Also, it gave me the idea of Sanji not speaking. I've found I've come to like stories where one or both members of your pairing are handicapped. No, I don't promote injuries or anything like that, I just find it gives the story a different dynamic that's interesting to watch.
siberianRS: My God, I'm very glad you enjoyed it.
tenshuni: Um, surprise? Are you surprised? Please be surprised.
Random Person: Hello Random Person, thank you for encouraging the flames and the smoke. Mixing fire with fire ... or fire with smoke ... oh God, it's gonna be hot. Stop me, I'm horrible at puns.
bronze andromeda shun: Well, hopefully you'll stick around and I'll try to make it worth your while? You never know, I might suddenly decide I like Marco and Ace together (I haven't met this Marco person yet, yes, I'm far behind in the series. I haven't even hit the 200s) God I have so many pairings for One Piece. Zoro, Sanji and Luffy all together, Zoro, Sanji and Ace all together, Ace and Smoker, Ace and Vivi, Nami and Zoro, Nami and Sanji, Nami and Luffy, Zoro and Mihawk (I think secretly, Zoro's a masochist which is why he likes to encourage pain and suffering upon himself), Nami and Vivi (yes, I support lesbian couples as well!), Chaka and Pell, Smoker being gangbanged by everyone in the Marines ... (I like forcing Smoker onto his knees), Smoker and Tashigi, Robin and Zoro, Robin and Luffy, Robin and Nami ... Yup, I think I just shared enough pairings to traumatize you. My job is done.
We're on day 3 of this fanfiction and it has 23 follows. I am so proud of myself! Wow I sound conceited. Well, moving on, my question for this chapter: do you think Zoro having dyslexia makes sense? Yes, I've experimented a lot with these characters ...
