A/n: Erm.. this chapter turned out to be longer than I anticipated because I couldn't break off in the middle. It does end quite abruptly because it was getting too long and I had to stop. So here's some angsty-angst~

P.s, I love torturing these two please don't hate me orz

P.p.s, I love Sanji but Zoro loves him more so have some Zoro love!

P. , review, favorite and follow!

Thanks for reading!

Love~

Chapter 27

Zoro awoke to the overly familiar sound of screaming. As he opened his eye and waited for his groggy mind to wake up, he strained to discern his surroundings. His blurry, shifting vision told him he was in a black room, or atleast everything in the room was black. Something prickled in the back of his mind and the weird black throne in front of him seemed oddly familiar. Unfortunately, the familiarity seemed to heighten his sense of trepidation than placate it.

He swallowed and winced at how dry and raw his mouth was. He tried to move, but found that one, he could barely feel his limbs, let alone move them around, and two, even if he wasn't numb from whatever drug he'd been sedated with, he couldn't move from the binds holding his arms and legs stretched out beside and under him.

He was tied spread eagled, vertically against some metallic contraption that burned against his sensitive skin. He found that the more he tried to focus on something, the faster his brain began to shut down. And so, he breathed out slowly, his eye hooded and unfocused, and let himself slip into a semi-conscious trance like state.

He didn't know how long it was that he felt the skin on his back tingling and burning. He didn't remember how long he heard the constant screams of pain. He wished they would stop. He just wanted them to stop. From his bound position, he could barely look to his side, so he assumed whoever was screaming was somewhere behind him, out of his field of perception. He tried many a time to turn his neck, as much as possible, to catch a glimpse of the screaming person, but men dressed in black would immediately snap his head back and the screaming would escalate.

Eventually he just gave up, deciding that he was resigned to his fate and he could do nothing to help the person in pain. Several hours of the same screaming, burning and cold numbness and finally just as Zoro was about to let his consciousness drift off, something happened.

Six men entered the room through some sort of trap door that nobody would have noticed unless they knew it was there. The two in front marched smartly upto the center of the room and stopped. Zoro realized that he was on a level higher than the men, seeing as their feet were out of sight. The four men behind the two that had just entered, were dragging someone who was writhing and kicking and screeching out curses non-stop.

Zoro began to feel dread well up in his chest; he knew what the man was going to face. The men dropped the prisoner near the step and smashed his head against the landing. The man was naked and had horrendous wounds all over his body. But it wasn't the sight of his wounds, or the thought of the danger he was in, that got to Zoro.

It was the golden hair - that was now a murky brown from all the much and blood in it - and the crystal blue eyes that stared at him that caused Zoro to choke. He noted vaguely that whoever was screaming had stopped momentarily and Zoro assumed it was because of the new entry to their torture room.

Sanji's eyes went wide as saucers when he saw Zoro. He paused in his cussing to eye Zoro with what looked like subdued horror. Zoro wanted to say something to reassure the blond, but before he could find his voice, there was a sharp crack and the screaming started again.

The way Sanji's expression changed nearly ripped Zoro's heart out of him. The man's face contorted in pain and disgust. He grit his teeth and bowed his head, unable to look at the sight in front of him. Zoro would have been enraged at the way the blond had reacted, but he knew the man's emotions had more to do with Sanji himself, and his helplessness, than Zoro.

There was another sharp crack and the screams became shrill and broken, like the person was finally breaking from all the pain. Sanji's head snapped up and he stared at Zoro with a completely broken look on his face. Zoro wanted to tell him to stop looking at him like that, but his mind smoothly interrupted with a crushing realization.

The screams belonged to him.

It was as though he was suddenly jolted back to reality. Putting two and two together, he realized that the burning of his back and the cracking of the whip were associated. But his body was too numb to comprehend it. His back burned, as did his arms. But his torso, legs and hands were freezing cold, like they were put in blocks of ice. His skin was hyper-sensitive yet unfeelingly numb. Although he finally knew he was the one being hurt, his body could not perceive the pain.

It was as though his mind and body were two separate entities that had nothing to do with each other. His body was obviously reacting to the pain, from the bloodcurdling screams, but he couldn't feel it. It was like a dull ache against his skull; there, but not there at the same time.

There was a sudden shout and Zoro glanced up to see Sanji being bound and pushed to the floor. He was shouting something desperately to Zoro, but Zoro couldn't hear him over his own screams. The four men around Sanji grabbed him roughly and forced him to his knees, pulling him by his hair and twisting him around so his neck was bared. While Zoro watched, Sanji argued rapidly with one of the men standing over him, jerking his shoulders and trying in vain to break from their grasp. Finally, the man said something and Sanji glared at him, his mouth pressed into a thin line.

He then did something that shocked Zoro; he bowed his head and surrendered himself to his captors. Zoro wanted to scream at him for giving up so easily, smack his head for being such a pathetic wreck, but his throat was too raw and too sore for any words to come out.

As Zoro watched, the men surrounded Sanji, standing extremely close to him and snickering to themselves. As Sanji raised his head one last time, and their eyes locked, Zoro felt a deep sense of regret and crushing grief come down on him. The look of complete apathy and disregard in Sanji's cold, uncaring eyes pierced Zoro like a molten sword picked straight from the burning flames and thrust through his chest, ripping him apart and shredding him to bits.

There was a grating and clicking sound above Zoro and he suddenly felt like he was floating in mid-air, before he fell flat on his face, banging his jaw against the cold marble. He felt a rib crack in his chest and he turned his head to rest his cheek against the cool stone. He lay there panting, blinking rapidly to refocus his vision and letting the cold floor calm his searing skin. Shifting slightly, so he could see Sanji, Zoro's blood boiled, as he laid eyes on the man.

The blond was being raped by his four captors. They had forced him onto the platform and as one of the men pounded him from behind, two were stuffing their hard-ons down Sanji's throat and the last was whipping him all over while jacking off at the sight. Zoro's insides roiled and coiled around themselves, the bile rising to his throat. It wasn't the sight of the man that was causing him to feel such immense loathing and disgust, it was the complete lack of expression or light in the blond's eyes.

Those cerulean orbs that always flashed and sparkled with life, were dead and lifeless. Like the man had completely given up and had nothing else to wait for except his imminent death. The thought of that hurt Zoro so greatly, he would have much rather had those men slice him up bit by bit or even continue whipping him while he screamed mindlessly, than see Sanji get desecrated like he was living trash that no longer had any use to the world.

He grit his teeth and groaned, forcing his arms to fold beside him. He rolled onto his side, pressing his check against the hard floor and using it to support his weight as he tried to force blood into his limbs. He smashed his forehead against the black marble, hissing as a jolt of pain shot through his spine. Using his head to support his weight, he placed his sweating palms on both sides of his head and heaved, trying to push himself up. His elbows groaned from being tied to one spot for so long, his wrists burned from the binds cutting into him, his lungs heaved from the pressure of his inability to move and his mind screamed for relapse from the torture it was being put through.

Yet he persisted, the only thought that was running on a loop in his head, the only reason for him even trying, was that he had somebody to save. Somebody who needed his help, whether they asked for it or not. Someone he had continuously failed to protect multiple times on multiple occasions, because of his weakness, his incompetence, his ineptness…

Zoro grunted and growled, forcing his knees to bend, forcing his arms to stretch out, forcing his legs to support his weight. After what seemed like hours of futile attempts and clumsy failures, he was finally able to get on his feet, unsteady and shaky. He drew in a breath, willing his vision to clear and his body to hold him up. He placed a nervous foot in front of him, his body swaying dangerously, his arms reaching out for support. He swallowed, his head bowing, his chin touching his neck, as he steadied himself. Another shaky breath and he repeated the process.

One foot forward, stabilize, breathe, pause. Another foot forward, stabilize, breathe, pause.

The entire time his mind was rattling out instructions and precautions to him like an annoying old lady, he continued to stare at Sanji and his assaulters. At the moment, the blond's face was in one of the men's pubic hair, his face and back splattered with drying semen, his arms bound behind his back and his knees spread apart on the floor. His brows were furrowed and his eyes closed, like he was trying to concentrate. Whatever he was doing was working, because the man swore and doubled over, shoving his cock deep down the blond's throat. Sanji's eyeballs rolled into his head and he was bent almost completely backwards, his spine curving to its maximum extent. One more push and he would break.

Zoro watched as the man pulled out of Sanji's mouth, white sperm spraying all over the blond's face and dripping down his chin. The blond heaved and coughed, but somehow managed to swallow whatever was left in his mouth. Apparently the man in his ass was done too; he pulled out and slapped Sanji's cheek, laughing maniacally. The other man kicked the blond in the stomach and he doubled over, vomiting on the floor. The men groaned and made disgusted sounds, kicking and whipping Sanji as punishment for what he did.

They then continued to laugh as they left the room, all six of them, not even bothering to glance back at the two left alone in the torture chamber. Zoro collapsed on his knees beside the blond's head, his heart pounding in his ears. He reached out and touched the golden hair – now covered in cum and blood – and winced as Sanji bodily flinched. Zoro rolled the blond onto his back and breathed out when he saw Sanji heave and cough.

His chest was so sunken, that his ribs were as clear as though they were carved into his skin. He was so pale, the veins looked like a design on his translucent skin. His cheeks were hollow and his eyes dead and Zoro's stomach dropped another few feet when he saw the man was wheezing and gasping for breath.

Finally, Zoro pulled the blond to his feet, and when he saw that Sanji was too weak to even stand on his own, he draped him over his shoulders and lifted him onto his back. Slow, calculated and deliberate steps towards the trap-door with pauses every minute or two so Zoro didn't collapse as well, and they reached the place Zoro had seen the door swing open.

Luck had apparently decided not to completely forsake the duo, because with some miracle the trap-door swung open and Zoro stumbled out and collapsed on the warm, carpeted floor. He laid Sanji on his back and sat leaning against one of the many book shelves that ran along the walls of the library they were in, panting for breath.

He took several moments to allow his body to calm down and return to some state of normalty. Once he was sure he wouldn't fall on his face while bending over, he ripped off the tablecloth that covered the small tepoy beside the door and used it to clean Sanji. He wiped away the sticky white semen from his body and brushed away whatever he could of it in his hair. Now the blond looked remotely better off, without all the cum stuck on him.

Zoro wiped a feverish arm across his forehead that was drenched with sweat and sighed, tired and worn and sick of everything that had happened to was so physically, mentally, emotionally and psychologically drained, that he didn't even bother reacting when the door to the room creaked open and someone stepped into the shadows.

He eyed the stranger wearily, even as warning bells began going off in his head. He was too worn out to care enough to even sit up or try and defend himself. The state he was in, he was just as good as dead. As two feet entered the light, a broken memory flashed in front of his eyes; of golden-blond locks and violet eyes and then faded away into nothing. He strained to make out who the person was, because he realized belatedly, that they had their back to him. He waited with bated breath, his mind churning with ideas of how he could atleast protect the blond if not himself.

Whoever it was, slowly spun around and stuck their head into the light. Zoro's eyes nearly bugged out as wide, red eyes stared back at him curiously.

"Who—"

"You really are no end of trouble, aren't you Zoro-san. I suppose you don't remember me, then. I'm—"

"—Diara..?"

Diara's eyebrows raised ever so slightly as the rest of her body finally stepped into the light. She cocked her head in answer and Zoro sighed. He leaned back against the hard wood of the shelf and closed his one good eye, trying to calm his racing heart. There was a soft rustle beside him and he glanced upwards, nearly jumping out of his skin we saw Diara's face inches from his.

"The fuck is wrong with you, damn brat—"

"Why do you remember me?"

"Hah?!"

Diara raised a thin finger and wagged it, tilting her head to the side curiously. "Why do you know my name? You should have lost all memories prior to being wiped out, so why is it that you remember me, when you didn't even remember yourself?"

Zoro frowned at the girl and opened his mouth to snap at her, but he froze as the impact of her words finally dawned on him. He bent his head and gazed at his palms in confusion, his mind trying to sort out the sudden change that had occurred.

"I don't—" he frowned, wondering what exactly he was about to say and raised his head to meet Diara's eyes. "Why do I remember you?"

Diara propped her hands under her chin and looked at Zoro like he was an interesting bird from some exotic land caged in a zoo. She slowly reached towards him and laid a hand against the side of his face. Zoro flinched but didn't pull away. Satisfied, she hummed softly in her throat and Zoro felt like life was being given to him again. Warmth flowed through him like a dam had suddenly burst, pouring out its contents into everything beyond. He sighed and relaxed, closing his eyes and letting the warmth caress and spread through him. He grunted when his back smarted, but it was nothing compared to the soothing feeling the enveloped him.

Diara nodded slowly, satisfied with his response and stood up. She twirled on the spot and swayed back and forth on her heels. Zoro frowned up at her in frustration for breaking the spell just as he was immersing himself into it and made to snap at her, except when she began to smile, he paused, breathless.

She giggled quietly and walking upto Sanji, squatted beside him and laid a hand on his forehead.

For a moment, nothing happened. And then the air around her palm began to shimmer and quiver and Zoro exclaimed in surprise. He watched as Sanji's forehead slowly began to turn pink and then spread to the rest of his face. Zoro watched with bated breath, as the pinkish tinge began spreading from the blond's neck to his shoulders, then his chest and arms, his hands and torso, his stomach and waist, his thighs and calves and finally his feet. Sanji breathed in deeply and his chest puffed out like a balloon, like someone had just blasted air into his lungs and expanded them.

Diara smiled with satisfaction and turned to Zoro. She eyed him for a moment then disappeared out the door. Zoro continued to stare at the blond even as his breathing returned to normal and his lips and cheeks began to flush. He exhaled, unaware that he had caught his breath and felt another emotion crush down on him.

Relief.

Immense relief like nothing he had felt before. He was too relieved to even batter himself about his hopelessness and weakness. He was so glad the man was alive, he wouldn't mind beating himself about his uselessness as much as possible later on. He leaned forward and took a strand of Sanji's hair between his fingers, caressing it gently as he watched him breathe silently.

Vague emotions and memories were flitting through his mind and at the fore front of all of them was an emotion he honestly would never have believed he could feel.

Affection.

Zoro felt so much tenderness and warmth toward the blond, if it was any time else, he probably would have shaved all his hair off just for even feeling something as pointless and vain, let alone towards someone who unrelentingly managed to piss him off no matter what.

But at that moment it felt so right, so perfect, it didn't even matter. More so than that, it felt so familiar to him that he was sure it wasn't misplaced affection that he was feeling, due to the unforeseen circumstances they were in.

He brushed Sanji's cheek lightly with the back of his hand and swallowed a lump that had formed in his throat when he felt the flush of warmth from the other's skin. He sighed and pulled back reluctantly, his mind reminding him that there was someone else other than the two of them.

Just as he began to stand, Diara walked in with a bundle of clothes in her arms and a knowing smile on her face. Zoro chose to ignore the way her eyes sparkled and dutifully began to dress himself. He then began dressing the blond, but even as struggled to push his arms through the shirt, Sanji groaned and shifted.

Zoro sat back an his haunches and stared wide-eyed at the man. Sanji brought one hand up to rub at his eyes and blinked. He looked remotely confused, even as his pupils constricted at the sudden light and his eyes swiveled around trying to figure out where he was and what he was doing lying on his back on the floor. As soon as his eyes landed on Zoro, he sat up and winced, leaning heavily on his arms as a wave of dizziness hit him.

Zoro couldn't help the grin that spread across his face and Sanji returned it just as easily. When the blond opened his mouth and spoke, Zoro could have cried with joy.

"Yo, Marimo. You look like crap."

"Not so bad yourself, curlicue."

The two men continued to grin at each other until Diara cleared her throat. Immediately a wide, crystal blue eye and an annoyed gun-metal one looked up expectantly. Diara smiled at the mix of emotions that passed across Sanji's face at the sight of her, to finally settle on confusion. She tilted her head like always and smiled amusedly at him.

"I don't think we've met before, but we have spoken once. Or twice, if my memory serves me right. I'm—"

"Diara…san?"

Diara twirled a lock of her hair around a finger and continued to stare at Sanji. "You both really like doing that don't you?"

"Doing what?"

"Alright, enough chit chat. We've spent too much time idling. Better get outta here before those bastards come back."

Zoro turned to Sanji as if to make a point and grimaced as a shadow passed over his face. He pulled on the rest of the clothes handed to him and nodded quietly. Neither Diara nor Zoro commented on his somber expression or the way his kept hugging himself as they made their way out the doors and through the winding maze.

It was a short while later that Zoro stopped abruptly and looked around suspiciously. Sanji and Diara turned to look at him curiously and he ran a hand through his short, unkempt hair and drew a shallow breath.

"Don't you think it's a little too suspicious that we're just walking out like nobody's business and no one seems to care?"

Diara cocked her head at Zoro as though she was asking him if he was questioning her. The back of his neck tingled and he swallowed, unnerved, but managed to keep eye contact. That seemed to convince Diara somehow and she shrugged her shoulder matter-of-factly.

"I got rid of them all, of course."

And the smile she gave them turned both Zoro and Sanji's blood cold. Sanji laughed nervously and tugged on the sleeve of his sweater. He looked out the window closest to him and gazed blankly at the lifeless town outside. He then spoke slowly, still looking outside the window, "Diara-san, it seems some of our memories have returned?"

Diara blinked and Zoro thought she seemed surprised at the sudden question. She nodded and then realizing Sanji couldn't see it, said, "I think parts of it are returning."

"What does that mean?"

"I suppose it means whatever drug they used to sedate you is a component of what they use to erase memories. The dosages are timed in such precision that just when people start getting their identities back, as in, the effects are wearing off, their memories are erased again. The dosages are so closely monitored because the side effects of administering them too close together are unknown and to be wary of. So, I suppose it was someone's stupidity that is getting your memories back."

Zoro scratched his chin distractedly and asked, "So whoever gave us the drug didn't know we'd get our memories back?"

A strange expression flitted across Diara's face, disappearing before Zoro could identify it. She brought her hands together and held them an inch away from each other, as though measuring the perpetrator's stupidity. Then she said in an odd sort of voice, "I don't suppose.. thinking that he had given it to you knowing what the consequences would be, is sort of a long shot?"

Zoro opened his mouth to reply, but Sanji beat him to it. "He," Sanji commented offhandedly, reaching up as though to run a hand through his hair and then dropping it, as though he thought better of it. Diara almost frowned at him. Her eyebrows drew close ever-so-slightly and she clasped her hands together. "Yes?"

"He," Sanji said again in the same tone of voice, turning around slowly and leaning against the sill. "You said he, like you know who the person is."

Once again the strange emotion passed her face and this time Zoro caught it. It was something remotely close to endearment. She shifted from one foot to another and batted her eyelashes, like she couldn't come up with a good enough response. When she finally raised her head, as though making to reply, she froze, her eyes looking past Zoro and at something beyond him. Zoro was a second too slow in his reaction.

"My, my Diara. It's strange to see you slip up. Strangely delightful, I suppose."

The silky voice and the flowery speech hit both the men like a bucket full of ice cold water. They froze, Zoro half turned, his muscles taut and straining against his skin. From the corner of his eye he saw that Sanji had gone rigid. He was still facing toward Diara and so he turned around ever so slowly, without making a single sound. Zoro almost winced at the look on the blond's face. When he spoke, his voice was like a dagger made of ice.

"Zeher."

A/n: Ok seriously tho you can't not like the guy ok. Like seriously. I decided to add a very unconventional plot twist because I dunno I can? -laughs manically- Annnnywho~

Hope you enjoyed the chapter!

Review, favorite and follow!

Love~