Author's Note: So I've decided to update! On the 11th of November (for Zoro's birthday!) there will be another post, and then I'll be silent for at least 4 days (doing an awesome thing that'll take up all my time) so you'll have to live without an update and my irregular schedule for a while. I don't own One Piece.


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

IX


"Smoker? Yeah, I've heard of him," said Ace. "Why?"

He came to my work place today, Sanji wrote. He glanced over at Roronoa who was sleeping on the couch. Sanji knew from several late nights he had collapsed on that couch before and it did nothing for your back.

"On orders?"

I don't think so.

Ace laughed. "That's just like him. I hear he's like a rogue policeman," he said. "Follows his own rules and totally ignores protocol, but more often than not he gets the guy in the end so I suppose it's not all that bad. You suddenly interested in getting involved in your local community?" he teased. "I could give you a tour of the fire station if you want."

Would they let me smoke?

"Can't guarantee anything," Ace admitted.

Then no.

Ace laughed loudly. "But seriously, why was he over at your place?"

Don't know, didn't say. Sanji wrote, wondering if Ace could tell he was freaking out on the inside. He shrugged. He wouldn't make the same mistake before, mentioning why Smoker had come would reveal too much about "Choro".

Sanji still found it hilarious. Choro, to run fast or dash. Or a cutesy say of saying Zoro. Looking at the Marimo sleeping on the couch with his limbs sprawled out, light snoring coming from his otherwise quiet form, Sanji could understand the term.

"So breakfast was good?"

Sanji gave a look that clearly said he hadn't realized Ace was still talking to him.

"You know, you ate with Choro? Why'd he run away?"

If Ace wasn't a fireman, Sanji wouldn't be surprised if he took up a job in the investigation unit of some police station or something. He'd probably have fun wielding a gun. Sanji had always found Ace's personality to be refreshing, he and Luffy were one of the first to be so accepting of his decision to be mute.

Mute. It sounded like such a nasty word.

It was good. Breakfast I mean. As for him running away, he's kinda embarrassed about it so I don't want to break his confidence, Sanji wrote. Good, he didn't have to think of something, especially since he couldn't imagine something that could ever make Roronoa Zoro run rather than face his enemies head on. He didn't seem that way.

Ace eventually left after forcing Sanji to endure a few horrible episodes of that nature channel (which sacred him for life, knowing how cats mated) and he was in the apartment alone with Marimo.

Sanji prepared dinner while the TV hummed with quiet white noise and when he was done, he was ready to wake up the swordsman.

Sitting on the armrest of the couch since the man's large body took up a large amount of the his make-shift bed, he gently rocked the green-haired man's shoulder.

Wait, this wasn't the position he left him in.

Roronoa Zoro's legs were now slanted towards the floor, as though the moment he woke up he'd be bolting out of the room, his hands in front of his chest in what seemed like a fighting pose and he was sweating. His body— shit he was shaking. He scrunched up his eyes and when the man seemed to realize Sanji was shaking him, one of his hands reached out and grabbed his arm tightly, his nails digging into Sanji's skin harshly. His back seemed to arch as he contorted himself, letting out incoherent muttering a that were by no means intellectual.

"Let ... Let go," gasped the —unconscious?— swordsman, pulling at Sanji's arm. Sanji was forced forward and before he knew it, lying on his back, staring up at his ceiling.

Note to self: don't try to wake Roronoa Zoro.

Sanji wasn't sure what he was supposed to do. He could let the Marimo continue to sleep as he was, looking ready to throw a fit and squirm around on the couch, clearly in what appeared to be silent pain, or he could try to wake him up once more. The pain in his back said it'd probably be best not to though.

Great, now what was he supposed to do?

Fortunately, the swordsman answered that question for him by rolling over for some unknown reason and hitting the carpet, waking himself up.

Unfortunately, he landed on Sanji.

Sanji bit his lip to stop from grunting, but he did let out a gasp at the sudden increase of weight on him. What if the very person he was offering hospitality to ended up squishing him to death? He kicked harshly and Roronoa Zoro was pushed to the side. Where the coffee table was.

"Fucking hell," the swordsman moaned, holding his head and standing up. Sanji thought it was nice to breathe again.

The green-haired man smelt the air and seemed to realize for the first time that food was ready to be eaten. Almost immediately, like a dog following a bone, he raced into the kitchen and took a seat. Sanji followed him in and noticed how he stopped abruptly while staring at the place mat in front of him.

Roronoa squinted.

Sanji picked up the fork and handed it to him.

The swordsman glared at him, as though to tell him he didn't need his help, and proceeded to eat his food. "Who was here?" asked Roronoa chewing loudly. "I heard the door open at some point."

Sanji didn't know what to do. If Roronoa Zoro was dyslexic, therefore making it hard for him to read anything Sanji's wrote, then he couldn't write using a paper and pen. Though he could write on his hand, Roronoa was eating and from the look on his face, he wasn't going to give up his fork anytime soon. His other hand was in his lap. Okay then …

Sanji stood up from the table and got behind the tanned man. He raised a finger to his back and almost instantly, the man jumped, nearly choking on his food.

"What the fuck are you doing?"

Sanji rolled his eyes and instead continued to write. Slowly, he let his hand rise and make a bridge. He noticed the way Roronoa's body seemed to shiver as his finger trailed along his spine. He made an upside down V with a line through it.

"A …"

A sideways n.

"Ac …"

A sideways capital M.

"Ace. Ace was here?"

Sanji nodded, then realized Roronoa couldn't see him and instead made a quick checkmark on his back.

The swordsman's question answered, he went back to eating, but Sanji still stayed behind him, staring. His back, those scars. Almost every time Sanji saw the back of the swordsman, he was reminded of those scars and he wondered if he'd ever see them up close, ever get to run his fingers across them. Battle scars, he found, told so much about a person. A human could lie as much as they wanted, but the marks and tale engraved in their skin could not.

The swordsman stopped eating and turned around, suddenly very close to Sanji's face.

"I was wondering … am I causing you trouble?"

Sanji shook his head, paying more attention to the various colours that floated in the swordsman's eyes than his words.

"Bullshit," the swordsman declared. "You're hiding a criminal in your shitty apartment. A criminal you know nothing about, you don't know why I was convicted or how I escaped or if I'll murder you in your sleep. You're too kind hearted, I could be … I could be …" The steam Zoro had suddenly ran out and his chest rose and fell in a rather rapid motion as he tried to catch his breath. "You don't know anything."

Sanji's brow furrowed. What was he getting at?

"I said it before, I'm not a charity case, I can take care of myself." Then why are you shaking? "I … I'm strong. You've never seen me fight, I'm really strong." I'm sure you are. "So … so you don't need to do this." But I do. "Just …" Zoro's eyes shut tightly and his hands fisted on the table. "Stop fucking pitying me, okay?!"

Sanji shook his head.

I don't pity you. I see myself within you and that's why I'm helping you. Because you have a beautiful voice, loud, obnoxious, full of rage. You have a purpose, you have a fire in your eyes, no matter how much it's wavering. You have a goal and you want to reach it, but you're hesitating. You have scars, so many of them. You're me, before this. And I don't want you to become like I am. Because I like the sound of your voice.

But of course, Sanji said nothing. Not a word.


Author's Note #2: The thank-yous!

bronze andromeda shun: Isn't that the way it works with every character?

lilcutieprincess: Sorry about that, I was just kind of thinking about that scene (remember all the way back if you can) how in Loguetown when that girl spilt ice cream on Smoker's pants, he joked with her and gave her money for more ice cream. I just thought that'd be the way he'd treat Sanji because of his "disability".

crystalbluefox: Happy belated birthday!

Random Person: Wait, wait, wait, there's 806 CHAPTERS NOW?! SINCE WHEN?!

Ideop's: Well too late, already e-mailed you back and all, got a reply, wrote back again and am waiting for another reply. If you so chose to.

tenshuni: My friend's laughed when I told them about that review of yours, and Zoro's chapter is coming up.

NaruHinaLuvr: THANK GOD!

Dyloa: I swear, every long silence from you makes me think you might've gone and died somewhere by accident or that I've offended you, especially since the intervals between them make me freak out so much!

Okay now for my question: It seems I like to compare this story to my past story of Beautiful Disaster. Here's my question: do you think the relationship Zoro and Sanji are developing in this story has healthier beginnings than Beautiful Disaster? (if you've read Beautiful Disaster)

Also, the official Beautiful Disaster playlist is on my profile, and it's long and diverse and weird because I listen to so much random stuff there's Celine Dion on there with All Time Low. Yup, diverse music taste. Check that out if you want and tell me if you recognize any of the songs, further more, tell me which is your favourite!