Not all storms come from the sky.
Enjoy~
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Chapter 7
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"I wonder if Sanji calmed down yet.."
Lightly shifting the two large gun powder kegs he had his arms wrapped around, Zoro wasn't sure if the answer to that would be positive. "We'll just have to see..."
Their shopping trip had proven to be successful, and uneventful. The two didn't say much to one another, which wasn't that strange on Zoro's part. He normally gave noncommittal grunts in response to whatever Usopp decided to ramble on about.
This time Usopp kept quiet almost the entire time.
It was weird. Not hearing him prattle on about some elaborate story he had concocted on the fly.
'Just proves how much he's worried about Sanji..'
Ahead they saw Merry in no worse shape, which was a miracle if the short tempered cook really was mad. The two of them were actually prepared to return to a pile of burning slag. Seeing the ship still afloat seemed promising.
The closer they got, they soon could hear Luffy carrying on about something as he bounced around the deck with Chopper in tow.
"Only three more bottles, Chopper!" Luffy cheered excitedly.
"I know! Thank you, Sanji! I have no idea what I would have done if I lost all of them!" Chopper squealed in delight.
"Heh. Hopefully the others will turn up before we leave. Anyway, dinner will be ready shortly if everyone would like to go into the galley."
"Shouldn't we wait for Zoro and Usopp?" Nami questioned lightly.
"Eh, I'm sure they'll be back soon."
"If not, I have claim to their shares!" Luffy declared.
On hearing the threat of his food being swiped, Usopp ran for the gangplank. "You're not getting my food, Luffy!"
Expecting the outburst from the sniper, Zoro kept up a more moderate pace as he boarded the ship soon after. The moment his feet hit the deck he was suddenly face to face with the cook. Seeing the blonde had Zoro stopping in his tracks as his gaze flickered over the pale man. His bandana was still tied around the blonde head. In fact it looked as if it hadn't been touched at all.
The only thing that Zoro noticed different was the loose black sweater that now hid the thin upper body.
That and the aloof stare that was fixed on him.
Sanji seemed to hesitate for a brief moment. Like he was waiting for the swordsman to say something. When nothing left the tan lips, blue eyes narrowed slightly for a moment longer before the cook turned away to head for the Galley. "Everyone's here. Let's go ahead and start dinner." he called out to the others.
Blatantly brushed off, Zoro bit back the growl that wanted to form. 'Dammit.. This is seriously starting to piss me off...' his mind grumbled as he sat down the gunpowder kegs.
What the hell was his problem?
In the galley, dinner started like it always did.
Sanji was all over the kitchen serving everyone. Pampering the ladies, fighting off Luffy, and making sure everyone was taken care of with his usual dramatic flare. However when he stopped by Zoro's place at the table, he didn't even bother to make eye contact as he sat down the breadbowl pasta dish that had been entirely made from scratch. No insults. No sarcastic comments. No words of any kind.
It was like Zoro was just taking up space in the cook's kitchen. 'I'm getting tired of this.. He better say something soon, or I'm going to go off..' he thought while taking up his fork.
"Sanji-kun, you've really outdone yourself. This pasta is amazing!" Nami chirped before taking another bite.
The cook was immediately beaming at the compliment. "I'm glad you're enjoying it, Nami-swan! I figured we all need a bit of a treat after all the shit we've had to deal with lately."
"That's for sure. This island is crazy! I thought this was going to be a routine supply stop." Usopp whined lightly before digging back into his meal.
"As long as everyone's okay, it's not that bad." Luffy called out while gnawing on his extra large breadbowl.
"Are we going to look for more of our missing things tomorrow?" Chopper asked, still worried about his missing bottles.
The sniper nearly choked on the bite he had just taken. "Ack! Yes! I still need to find my goggles!"
"Perhaps Doctor-san and I should go out tomorrow to search." Robin suggested. She looked to the blue nosed doctor and smiled. "Maybe you could locate the items by smell while I could place a few eyes around to increase our coverage."
The reindeer blinked for a moment then smiled brightly. "I can do that! As long as they're not in the water, I should be able to find them!"
"That's a great idea, Robin. You should be able to find everything in no time." Nami said happily. Happily because then she wouldn't have to shell out the extra money for replacements.
"Oh yeah.." Luffy turned to his first mate across the table and grinned. "When are you going to rescue your bandana from Sanji, Zoro? He's been wearing it all day."
Zoro's eyes flickered towards the cook who was lightly picking at a smaller portion of dinner at the counter. The reason being that the only free seat at the table was beside Zoro. "Hn, I'm biding my time. I don't want it ripped apart, so I'll have to take it back when he's not looking."
"You? Sneak up on Sanji-kun? That's rich." Nami snickered into her drink.
"Haha! What do you say to that, Sanji?"
Sanji looked to his captain after a brief glance at the swordsman. "Heh.. Marimo's welcome to try."
Luffy's hands shot up in the air in excitement. "Yosh! Bandana fight! This should be awesome!"
A strange expression flickered over the cook's face. It was there barely a second, but Zoro saw it. That barely contained anger.
"It'll certainly be interesting." Sanji picked up his plate and took it over to the table. "Here, Luffy. I snacked a bit too much during my prep work. You can have the rest of mine."
The captain immediately snatched the food with a wide grin. "Thanks, Sanji! You're awesome!"
Hearing that chirping answer made a little smile twitch at the pale lips. "It's no problem. I'm gonna go out for a smoke. You guys enjoy." he called out with a wave of his hand.
Usopp watched the blond leave, and, the moment the galley door was closed, he looked uneasily at Zoro.
Zoro noticed the questioning look he was getting, but he gave a faint shake of his head. He didn't want the others dragged into a dispute that didn't involve them. 'At least not when I haven't even figured out what the hell is going on..'
Maybe he would find out tonight.
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Zoro waited.
And waited...
... And waited...
'Dammit, where the hell is he?'
His eyes locked on the empty hammock that was normally swaying with the weight of a certain blonde. He had turned in at the normal time, as did the rest of the crew. However as the minutes ticked by, the cook never showed.
Now that he thought of it, he couldn't recall seeing Sanji from the moment dinner was through. It was as if the cook disappeared like a cloud of his precious smoke.
That thought had Zoro's eyes growing wide as he stiffly stood up from the couch. The rest of the boy's cabin was drowned in snores of various pitches, so he made a quiet escape to topside.
A cool breeze was the first thing that met him when his feet touched the deck. It felt good against his skin and carried a sweet smell from the flowers that grew around the deserted beach. Normally things like that held no impact with him, but the brightly shining stars above did make this moment seem very peaceful. Had he been in a more relaxed state he probably would have enjoyed sleeping out on deck.
But his mind was too preoccupied to focus on the pleasant scenery for long.
His eyes quickly scanned the ship for any sign of the idiot. Soon his attention focused on an open porthole to the galley. From it he caught the scent of fresh smoke. "So that's where he is.. What the hell is he doing up there in the dark?" he asked the silence around him.
Climbing up the stairs, he headed for the galley door, but he couldn't hear any signs of life. His heart threatened to drop when the dark images filled his head, but he roughly shoved all of that aside. He wasn't going to get carried away with this annoying paranoia.
Forcing past any ridiculous anxieties, Zoro took hold of the handle and opened the door. It was pitch back in the galley. Everything was silent other than the sounds of the ocean and creaking of the shifting wood. He was forced to squint for a moment, but he soon caught sight of a figure in the corner.
Perched atop the futon that sat out for anyone Chopper had to work on, was the missing blonde. He was still as a statue facing the empty wall next to the futon. The light from a nearly spent cigarette barely allowing his silhouette to show.
Zoro could almost taste the tension in the air along with the thick smoke. He was walking into a potentially explosive situation. Despite the risk, he stepped inside and closed the door behind him.
He wasn't sure how this encounter should begin.
And he didn't have to.
"Was beginning to think you wouldn't show, Marimo."
The quietly spoken words confused the swordsman. "You.. Were waiting on me?"
A strained pause filled the air. Sanji kept his eyes focused on the wooden boards in front of him. His steady hand took hold of the cigarette's filter and inhaled deep, finishing it off. He smashed the filter into the overflowing ashtray next to him as he held his breath. His mind focused on the feel of that smoke. The taste. The way it made his heart beat steady out. The way it fought off that angry haze that threatened to take over his thoughts.
After a minute passed, he let it out the smoke slowly. Watched it curl into the air before it joined the cloud he had managed to work up. Seeing it fade away made an empty feeling tug at his chest. "... Guess it doesn't matter. Just go back to bed, Zoro."
That listless tone had Zoro's eyes narrowing. His hand immediately shot out and swatted at the switch that would turn the light overhead on. On seeing the back of the cook he was about to ask what the hell the blonde was babbling about, but he bit his tongue when he saw the case of bandages resting next to the bed on the floor.
Sanji had ruined his bandages in the sea water to save his bandana.
Zoro had offered to change them.
Zoro completely forgot about it.
"Shit..."
"Yeah, you are." Sanji readily answered as he lit up another cigarette. After another drag, Sanji waved the dense swordsman away. "Just get out of here. I'm not about to get jerked around by some idiot fucker with a hero complex."
"Hero complex? What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Zoro asked in irritation.
A sarcastic snort left the cook, but he made no move to turn to the man behind him. "If I hadn't been injured back at that hotel, you wouldn't have given me a second thought." Blue eyes narrowed from under the edge of the bandana he still wore. "You never gave a damn about me. Now get the fuck out of here before I lose what's left of my composure."
The accusations and the threat had Zoro staring in alarm. Not because he was shocked the cook had said them. Because they were right. If Sanji hadn't been injured, he would have carried on without another word about it. Probably try to forget the act ever occurred.
Now feeling like a heartless prick, Zoro looked away in shame. 'Dammit... Was anything I felt real..?' Zoro had never felt like that before. He had no idea if any of it was real.
"Sanji.. I.."
"Save it. I'm not in the mood. Go away." Sanji cut in abruptly.
The thought of leaving just like that didn't settle right with Zoro. He looked to the box of bandages on the floor. "At least let me change your bandages."
"I don't need your help."
Growing annoyed with the curt answers, Zoro glared at the blonde's back. "Those bandages are getting changed one way or another." He turned for the door. "If you won't let me, then I'm waking up Chopper."
The sound of the metal ash tray clanging as it hit the floor was the only warning he received before a hard force plowed into the center of his back. The air knocked out of his lungs, Zoro flew forward at the force of the blow and knocked straight through the closed door. In a hale of splintered wood from the cracked doorframe, he fell over the railing in front of the galley door. Dropping the eight feet to the deck below. His left shoulder twinged painfully from landing on it, but he didn't have time to worry about it when he heard heavy shoes landing on the deck next to him.
Landing in a crouch from where he had jumped over the railing, Sanji slowly stood and placed his attention on the swordsman at his feet. "Get up."
Zoro was still trying to process what the hell had just happened. He was able to get to his knees when another kick landed in his ribs. It was hard. Ruthless. Zoro felt a rib crack.
"I said get the fuck up."
Having to spit out the blood that gathered in his mouth, Zoro's head lifted to look at his attacker. Even in the dark, he could see those cold blue eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. They were after his blood. "Sanji..."
A sneer twitched over the pale lips. "Don't you dare say my name!"
Sanji launched a kick so hard that it sent Zoro flying off the ship and towards the beach. He struck the sand in a violent collision, and was forced into a roll before he finally came to a stop. It knocked him into a daze, but he was able to shake out of it fast enough to dodge the impact that made the ground next to him explode into a crater.
Jumping back as far as he could, Zoro skidded to a stop in the sand. He clutched at the intense pain centered at his stomach. The cook had never kicked him that hard before. 'Shit.. He's.. He's really trying to kill me..'
"Stand up and face me, you fucking bastard!"
His gaze shot up to see Sanji approaching him. The dark aura that whipped violently around the blonde made Zoro's heart clench tightly. "Stop this! I don't want to fight you, dammit!"
A vicious growl was torn from Sanji's throat as he reached up and ripped away the bandana from his head. "I don't give a shit what you want! Either fight me, or die!" he snapped before throwing the bandana to the sand.
Seeing his bandana cast away made Zoro feel numb. It felt like he was being cast away. Thrown out of the cook's existence. It was like he truly mattered nothing to Sanji anymore.
With that thought weighing heavily in his mind, Zoro stood straight and allowed his hand to fall away from his stomach to hang at his side. His eyes lingered on the enraged face before him a moment longer before they slid shut. "I'm not going to fight you."
Sanji's breath hitched when the swordsman stood there. Willingly allowing himself to be wide open to any attack. Seeing him just surrender made his teeth grind and his fists clench painfully tight. "You.. You bastard..."
His vision was blurring in and out. His chest was beginning to hurt with how hard his heart was pounding. His head was spinning, and his back felt like it would tear apart any second. But none of the pain he knew his body was feeling was able to break him from the pain the overbearing rage was crushing him with.
'Make it stop.. Make it stop!'
The figure ahead of him was the cause. He had to get rid of it. He wanted to breathe again.
Barely aware of what had just crossed his mind, Sanji shot forward for the form awaiting him.
His feet left the ground as he leapt to the air.
His right leg reared back. Ready to attack with everything he had
Just as he was about to lash out at the source of his pain, his head snapped back when something jerked him to a stop.
"Sanji! Stop it! Now!"
The familiar feel of rubbery arms wrapping around him had Sanji instantly thrashing about as hard as he could. "Dammit, Luffy! Let me go!"
The captain gritted his teeth and held the resisting form tighter. "No, Sanji! This isn't right! What's going on?!" he demanded, pulling the cook's body against his chest. He had to dig his feet into the ground in order to resist the wild strength that was trying to throw him.
Zoro's eyes snapped open when he heard his captain's voice. "Luffy..?" They grew wider when he saw how viciously the blonde was fighting against the arms wrapped around him. The shadowed blue eyes were trying to rip him apart with just a mere look. "S.. Sanji..."
Hearing his name again only seemed to fuel the fire. "You bastard! I'm gonna kill you! I-" Sanji's voice suddenly gave out.
His eyes widened, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't see anything around him. His heart pounded in his ears, making him deaf to people shouting out his name. His body refused to obey him as he fell limp in the firm hold around him. His mind was screaming, but not a single sound made it past his lips.
Then...
Then there was nothing.
"SANJI!"
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TBC
Some storms rip themselves apart.
Later~