Author's Note: The reason for Zoro's confusion in this chapter is that he doesn't distinctly remember Sanji speaking, or he thought he was hallucinating and dreaming. Just clearing that up. Yes, this is a sad, short chapter (not as in depressing, just ... yeah, it makes me depressed how short it it). This is my first attempt at this character, so don't kill me! Also, please review, 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 TWO: GOOD FIGHT

Even in the road blocks (yeah)
Even through the rough spots
When you're feeling you've given all that you've got
I'm with you in the next step
Giving you in the next breath
I'll be the voice saying "You're gonna make it"
When you're out there on your own
You are never alone

-Good Fight, Unspoken

XVIII


Entering the jail again feels weird, but Sanji's glad he's divided up his time nicely. He watches as Zoro looks up at him when he hears him enter. Maybe Zoro's glad he's here? That would be nice.

"Hi," says Zoro in a soft voice.

Sanji wonders if Zoro's finally dug himself out of that hole of his and realized that the has to fight back. Probably not though, Sanji himself is still six feet under. He wonders though how someone as strong as Zoro has managed to fall so hard and so deeply into that horrible, empty pit of darkness. Seeing Zoro as he is now is just a reminder to Sanji. A reminder of the fallen.

"Two weeks."

Sanji stares at Zoro and frowns. What is that supposed to mean?

"The trial. It's in two weeks. They're charging me of arson, escaping government property and ..." Zoro takes a deep breath. "The murder of at least fifteen people."

Sanji stares at him.

Zoro shakes his head and sighs. He doesn't seem to have words for this either so Sanji stays quiet, wondering who on earth decided Zoro was a killer. He can't see why. Sure the man is tall and brutish and maybe he had muscles and piercings and carried three swords ... Okay fine, Sanji understands.

Sanji frowns. "Do ..." Sanji takes a deep breath, his whole body shuddering. It's not natural, it doesn't come to him easy. Zoro sits up almost immediately at the sound of Sanji's raspy voice. "Lawyer?" he manages.

Zoro stares at him. "You just ..." He gapes, obviously searching for words. "Sanji?"

Sanji nods slowly.

"You just spoke." Zoro seems absolutely flabbergasted. He scratches his head. "I thought I was hallucinating ... That really was you, wasn't it? Calling my name?"

Sanji nods and turns his head away, a blush surfacing on his cheeks. He tries to fight it back down, but it doesn't seem to be working.

"Talk to me," says Zoro. "If you want? I ... I want to hear your voice."

Sanji shakes his head. He writes on his notepad; avoiding.

Zoro frowns. "But.." He sighs. "Nico Robin," he finally says. "My lawyer's Nico Robin. Now, will you talk to me?"

Sanji doesn't say a word. He can see Zoro really wants to hear his voice but Sanji doesn't like it. He doesn't like it at all. Once with a smooth baritone, his voice has turned into something of disgust to him. He can't stand the sound of it and he's still scared. Every time he speaks, he knows if Ace pays close enough attention, he'll notice that Sanji's knees are hitting each other as he speaks. He doesn't like it. He doesn't like his voice. He doesn't want to talk and he doesn't like the way he sounds.

Zoro sighs. "You're fucking stubborn," he says.

They fall into silence.

Zoro breaks it.

"Why'd you do it?"

Sanji stares at him, confused.

"You're scared of talking, I know it, I can tell," Zoro says in a soft voice as though not to alarm Sanji. Zoro has a beautiful voice, nothing like the scratchy vowels that come from Sanji's lips. He can sit here and listen to the Marimo all day, but this lower tone does something to him. "So why? Why'd you talk?"

Sanji shrugs. He doesn't want to think too much about it.

A guard clears his throat and declares that Sanji has to be leaving. Sanji stands and exits the room, spotting a nicely dressed woman in a purple jacket standing at the door.

"What's your relation of the inmate?"

"I'm his lawyer," says the woman in a strong voice. She sounds cold.

This must be Nico Robin.

"You already know this is a hopeless case, don't you?" says the guard.

"I don't believe it's your job to tell me how to do my job," she says.

"But Roronoa Zoro—"

"Is my client and you're wasting my time, now move aside," she cuts him off.

She's cold, but she's strong.

Sanji feels as though Zoro's in good hands.


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

lonewolf: Yeah ... I've got my whole story worked out (okay, like, 3/4th of it worked out) and so I hope you like what I have planned, though I do like theorizing... Game theory! I'm too much of a nerd ...

crystalbluefox: Happy new year to you too and I am SO happy you're still reading! Don't ask me why but I always get this inexplicable feeling that I'll lose readers if I'm not interesting enough and to have you especially still reading makes me beyond glad.

lilcutieprincess: So yeah, that's why Zoro didn't mention Sanji's voice.

Guest: Maybe it is, maybe it's not. YOU'LL NEVER KNOW! Till a new chapter comes at least.

Alright, question time: what do you find more attractive, a baritone voice (like Sanji tends to have, or Zoro in Japanese subs, and Sanji's (good) flirting voice in the Funimation english dub, a low voice, basically), or a slightly higher voice, like Todd Haberkon (I think that's what his last name is. Think Natsu from Fairy Tail)?