A/N: I sincerely apologize for the lateness...And thank you for the suggestions of Sanji's teacher. I will pick one soon.
Sanji tossed and turned around for the umpteenth time. He kept his eyes shut tight while he slowly breathed in and out to calm himself down but it was of no use. These past few nights, the blond had been having troubles of falling asleep. Most of the times, he would sleep for a few hours only to awoke up in a sweat. He was also not doing a great job at keeping himself awake during classes. For that, he got reprimanded a lot and even got a detention once. Zoro had dutifully waited for him until the punishment was over and as always, sent him home before going to his own kendo lessons.
The blond snuggled deeper into his big pillow after giving it a taste of his fists, and tried to bury himself under his covers. It was not that cold of a night but from time to time, the blond would shudder from a chill.
Even if a week had passed since the dreadful encounter with Don Krieg, the scene of how Zoro and he got hurt kept replaying vividly in his mind. Sanji whimpered and shook his head, ridding it out of his mind. But the latter had other plans and wandered back on that same night on which he had eavesdropped on the adults. What he had heard made him overjoyed of course. But the thought that his mother was already making plans to leave again made him depressed. It was the first time Sanji ever felt attached to someone apart from his mother. Both of them were constantly moving and Sanji almost got used to it but this time it was different.
Sophia would not explain to him the reason why they had to be on constant move and be alert of anyone who could turn out to be their enemies. Sanji grew up to be wary of others and most of the times he would blame his father whenever he saw his mother struggling to make a living. A good natured woman she is, she would always hushed him whenever he was bad mouthing him. With time, Sanji learnt to be patient and not ask any questions concerning his father. He would instead eavesdrop on his mother's conversations with anyone in the hope of gaining bits and pieces on his father's whereabouts and doings. However, with the amount that he had gained, it was not enough to make out any useful information. Noticing his impatient attitude, his mother had once told him that he would understand everything in due time. But when?
Sanji finally gave up. He groaned out in frustration and sat up on his bed. Ruffling his hair a little, he looked around the room in order to find something which would distract him to finally exhaust him out to sleep. He found nothing except for a soft sound which caught his attention. Sanji strained his ears and held his breath. It sounded like a faint tapping sound, as if someone was knocking at the door. Sanji froze in fear.
Who could it be at this hour?!
The person knocked again, this time it sounded more loudly and firm. It was definitely coming from at the front door of the house. Sanji trembled yet his curiosity won against his fear. He got out of his bed and felt the cold floor with his toes for his slippers until he found them. The blond pulled the elastic band of his pajamas pants higher in a way of mustering up his courage. His hand froze in the air near the door handle when he heard some hurried footsteps across the corridor which disappeared downstairs.
Mama?
Sanji frowned? Was his mother expecting a visitor at this early hour? Probably not, as he had heard a silent cursing from his mother when she passed by his bedroom.
Sanji pressed his ear on his door and waited to hear some voices. Indeed after he heard the main door clicked open, his mother had exclaimed in surprise.
"Jinbe! What brings you here at this hour?!"
"I'm really sorry to have disturbed you at this hour. Trust me, it was not my intention."
"Come on in."
"Thank you."
Moving around the house without making any noise had now become Sanji's forte. He stopped dead in his tracks when he heard his mother suddenly raising her voice.
"We have to leave today?!"
"Yes. I'm sorry. Yes." Jinbe said again and sounded almost exhausted.
"Where to?" Sanji couldn't help but asked the two adults who jumped in surprise.
"Sanji!" his mother's hand pressed against her chest. "Don't scare us like that!"
"We need to leave?" Sanji asked again.
"Oh sweetheart..." Sophia bent down to pick up her son in her arms and rubbed his back like she had always done whenever she felt guilty or insecure. "Jinbe, have a seat first and explain this properly to the both of us."
The large man seemed to hesitate before he spoke but eventually explained the reason of his visit.
"Mihawk just called me. He probably will arrive um…just in time for your…um…departure. I'm sorry for being so sudden but he got the information that All Blue will stopped by this port at five this morning."
"All Blue you said?!" Sophia exclaimed. "Are you sure it is true?"
"It is indeed."
"What's that, Mama?" Sanji enquired.
"It's the big ship your Papa is working on! You remember I told you?"
"Oh! You mean Papa is finally coming to see us?" Sanji perked up excitedly.
"It's not really like that. The ship is only stopping for supplies. It will probably set off again in about one hour," Jinbe answered his question.
"Five this morning…means we don't even have one hour to prepare before we drive to the port?! But that's way too sudden!" protested Sophia.
"I will take you there by my car parked outside-"
"Will we come back?"
Jinbe stopped midway through his sentence, mouth still hanging agape as he tried to formulate an answer. Impatient for a reply, Sanji then turned to look at his mother but she averted her eyes.
"Are we going to leave here for good, Mama?" Sanji asked again, his voice trembling as tears threatened to fall down.
"But what are we going to do with Zoro?!" Sanji almost climbed onto the dining table. The blond heard his mother heaved out a sigh while this time; it was Jinbe's turn to avert his eyes.
"Zoro will have to stay here." He said calmly.
Sanji glared at the adult with all his might. "No…wa-ay… He will come with… me." Sanji knew his suggestion was absurd but still had to voice it out.
"Oh…Sanji…We can't bring him with us. His place is here…" Sophia cupped his son's face in her hands and wiped his tears with her thumbs.
"We can bring him along…I mean to the port at least," Jinbe intervened.
"It would be better. I will not allow Zoro to wake up in an empty house with us all suddenly gone!" Sophia agreed to this point.
"Then let's hurry!"
Sanji quickly climbed down from his mother's lap and scrambled his way straight to the green haired's bedroom taking two stairs at a time.
Opening the bedroom door, he could hear the quiet snore of the green haired. Even if dawn was approaching, it was still dark outside and Sanji could faintly make out the silhouettes in the room. He switched on the light and as soon as the sleeping boy's figure was in sight, Sanji did an amazing high jump to land onto the green haired''s bed.
"RISE AND SHINE, ZORO! WAKE UP, ZORO!" he shouted with all his might.
"Grrr," Zoro growled, not at all happy for being woken up so brusquely. "What the hell is it this time?!" he bellowed.
"We need to leave, Zoro. Come on. Get up, get up…" Sanji shook his shoulders.
"Wait-who-when-why-what are you talking about?" Zoro stared at Sanji's face drowsily. Seeing dried tears at the slightly red eyes' corners, Zoro felt suddenly alarmed. "Is he back to HURT YOU?!" Zoro shouted angrily.
Sanji's chest felt tight and his throat hurt. He threw his arms around Zoro's neck and held him close. "That's not it, dummy. My Papa will be at the port in less than one hour. So we need to go."
"O-oh," Zoro heaved a sigh of relief. He let himself be pulled up and guided along as the blond prepared him.
"Come on, brush your teeth!" Sanji pushed his toothbrush already coated with tooth paste in his hand. "Brush, brush!" Zoro complied and Sanji did the same. After washing their face, both of them felt immediately more awake.
"Hey-hey HEY! I can put on my own clothes, ok?!" Zoro snapped Sanji out of his frenzied state.
"Huh? Okay, I'm sorry.." Sanji apologized but still could not stop his fidgeting hands.
"You are panicking," Zoro stated the obvious.
"Of course I am not!"
"Yes you are."
"No, I am not."
"You sure you are not panicking?"
"Of course, I am! Ooops!" Sanji covered his mouth.
Zoro chuckled. "Stupid!" He bonked his head.
"Oww what's with you?!"
"I could not help it," Zoro grinned. Sanji seemed as if he had calmed down.
"I'm going to pack my things-"
"Pack your things? You mean you are leaving?!" realization then hit the green haired. Hard.
"…Yeah, I am…" Sanji's eyes were glued to the floor.
"Oh," Zoro did not know what to say. "Umm, well, why the gloomy face? Aren't you happy you are finally going to meet your father?"
Sanji blinked. "Well, yeah. I am," he gave him a small smile which Zoro returned back.
"So, what are you waiting for? Go pack up quick! I'm sure you must be enthusiastic to leave this place-"
Sanji gasped and pushed him on hearing his words. Zoro stumbled back a bit but regained his balance quick. He immediately felt bad for what he had said. His want to cheer the blond up only had the opposite effect. He did not mean what he was saying and Sanji knew that deep inside of him but putting it like that still pierced his heart.
"Zoro, you stupid!" Sanji fled the room and Zoro followed after him.
"I did not mean it like that! Hey!"
"I know…" Sanji said, not turning around to look at him. Instead, he went on grabbing his things and carefully put them in his backpack which he used for his travels. He did not have much to bring, just a few clothes and his precious picture book.
He unclothed himself, totally ignoring the fact that the green haired was still in the room and put on some proper clothing. He reached out for the dark green scarf which was gifted to him by Zoro. Feeling it in his hands for a moment, he took a deep breath and turned around to face the green haired.
The latter had averted his eyes out of courtesy when the blond was dressing himself up. "Zoro?"
The said boy raised an eyebrow at the scarf in Sanji's hand. He was inwardly horrified at the thought that Sanji was returning his gift to him.
"Can you put it on me?" Sanji held his gaze, a tint of red smeared across his face. Zoro let out a big breath he unconsciously held. Relief could clearly be seen across his face.
Zoro took the textile item in his hands and Sanji bowed his head down to enable Zoro to put it on his neck and wound it a few times around it.
"That's too much, Zoro."
Zoro unwound the scarf twice and adjusted it around his neck. The dark green colour really contrasted with his blond hair and pale skin. However, it looked nice and made Sanji's features stand out.
"Merci."
Zoro was caught by surprise as Sanji had never spoken a French word since the first time he came to his house. Even though, he did not ask for the meaning of the word.
Both boys were brought back to the real world when they heard Sophia calling for them from downstairs.
Their feet moved almost mechanically until they were found at the doorstep of the house. Sophia had a duffel bag at her feet and again at the sight of it, Zoro felt a pang of sadness. The green haired gave a small nod at Jinbe for a greeting and the larger man just approached him to give him a pat on his head.
"It's time to go now," he said and loaded his car with a few things that the mother and son had.
Once, they were in and the engine started, Sophia opened a container of food, giving it to the two children seated at the back. Sanji took it and Zoro stared at the content.
"It's the breakfast I prepared last night. I just heated it up. You guys need to eat a little," said Sophia.
Zoro was touched for her concern and he reached for the delicious looking egg rolls.
"Jinbe, have one too," Sophia picked one up to give it to their driver.
"It's really delicious! Thanks!"
"It really is…" Zoro whispered. It would be the last time he was going to eat Sophia's food. They were indeed going to leave him and he would be alone again. He probably would never see them again. Tears welled up in his eyes at the thought. He licked it fingers for any lingering taste of the egg roll he had just eaten and grabbed another one with his other hand. He ate slowly, savoring each food.
He glanced up at Sanji's red face and trembling hands while he ate. The blond was trying his best to hold back his tears ending up in a fit of hiccups. Zoro choked back a sob to finally explode. His whole face became a mess as he let out all the tears he was holding back: his hands continued to stuff the food in his mouth while he chewed slowly. The green haired sucked back the snot sliding down from his nose and he used his arms to wipe his tears.
On seeing his tearful and messy face, Sanji broke as well and he cried as loudly as the other boy. The car was filled with sobbing and wailing from the two children seated at the back. Even Sophia quietly sobbed in the front.
The way to the port felt too short. In the middle of his cries, Sanji even choked out to Jinbe telling him to slow down.
Even if the two boys always had a brave front up, it was expected to see them finally broke down. After all they were still children and they had to go through so much.
Jinbe would glance at the interior rear mirror from time to time to check on the two boys. Sanji was clutched onto Zoro's shirt still balling his eyes out while Zoro was stubbornly trying to stifle his own cries.
Jinbe smiled sympathetically at the both of them and silently made a wish for them.
