Rewritten!
AN: New rewritten chapter is up! Hope you'll enjoy it. Sorry for the long wait, but thank you so much for your patience.
AN: So, someone doubted on that I wasn't updating every Sunday as I promised in each chapter. I just have to say to those who think that: Check the text just one more time, and then you'll see that there is a date for it was published and when it was updated. ^o^ Once again, thanks to all of you readers, who have reviewed; it always makes me happy and makes me wanting to write some more! You are my Muse! XD
Answers on reviews from chapter sixteen:
zoroVsanji: Yes, Hunter is a really sick bastard, and this isn't the worst side of him… and Sanji knows that, he have seen it! And Zoro will soon wish that he hadn't seen it too^^
I've kissed them on the cheek for you… the problem is just that they all are acting like idiots now; One is unconsciousness with a hell of a lot nosebleed, the other is mumbling, hiding in a corner and are blushing like mad, and the third are just laughing, smiling and giggling like a idiot… he even asked for another kiss! ^o^
Daschel: But I do! Just not yet. Hunter aren't showing his worst side yet, and Sanji have become good enough to come over this attack pretty well, thanks to Zoro… but the worst part haven't happened yet… but will, really really soon! XD
Rawr: My, thank you^^ Hope to see you again on next Sunday then^^
Michi-chi: Zoro is actually a kind gentleman, when it comes to those he loves… he just hides it often for other people, because he don't want to act 'weak' (actually because he don't want to get easy hurt again
IzzyIzMyRoleModel: That's reeaaaly good~! –evil smirk- just keep pushing her XD No mather of what; I love your reviews ^o^
Pisaj-Elf: Uhm… Sanji? …ah… he's fainted again ^^; Yups! Much more are to come, I'll just hope that you'll like that as well^^ I can just say this; Hunter hasn't shown his worst side yet, and Zoro will be set on a really hard 'test'… it'll be his worst nightmare EVER!
Mish1: Yeah, and guess who would like to end it? A whole crew!
grace121: Yeah, Zoro isn't known for using his head too often, ne? ^^ Shishi! But I think that would curse Franky for using so strong wood to just a door –big smile- Anyway, yes, that's true! Much more are to come… just look at this chapter… and the fallowing chapters^^
silentscreamer666: If destiny wants it, he will… a whole crew have promised that!
Minimoosethesecond:My dearest friend. Normally I wouldn't answer any of my reader from the newest chapter, through mail but through the next chapter. But you have to know this: It is exactly 16 weeks ago that I posted the first chapter, and since chapter 3 or 4, I have been posting every Sunday, instead of every Thursday. The date you're talking about is the date it was posted the first time. Right before this date you'll see another date, there are telling when I last posted it. The line must have said something like this:
Rated: M - English - Angst/Romance - Sanji & Zoro - Reviews: 146 - Updated: 07-19-09 - Published: 04-02-09 - id:4965207
Updated: Sunday the 19. July 2009
Published: Wednesday the 4. February 2009
Well then... is it too much to ask for an excuse? I'm really strict about my promises, and when someone says that I'm not telling the true, I can be angry as hell, because I have been accused for that too many times in my life. And I HATE that! Sorry if it sounds too harsh, but I think you would have reacted on the same way.
Aaaand! Next chapter WILL be out this Sunday... as promised!
But anyway, thanks for your review, but remember to check the page completely before you acuse me for not holding my promises, okay? ^o^ I'm actually working like a mad to keep my promise and feel like shit, every time when it's one or two days delayed (happened two times .,, )
I'm glad to hear that you like the story, and I hope that you will keep reading it and writing me a review, and not get angry at me, when you read this. Hope you'll understand PLUS! This had been some kind of a shitty day, when I have been in a depressed mood... there for the angry words to begin with, it wasn't really something there made me happy^^ But I'm trying to smile now again, if you just will understand. Once again, thanks! Take care! And I hope to hear more from you.
A big thanks to Jessica (Cloud-Ima) who once again have helped me with beta-reading this chapter, so it once again could come out in time. Thank you, Jessica! ^o^
Please enjoy! ~^o^~
Taste of bittersweet Disaster
-A One Piece fan fiction
By Crystalbluefox
It's hard to keep believing in you
When you once have lied to me…
What now, Kid?
17. Chapter
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
Confessions
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
Nine hours.
It had taken nine hellish hours to stabilize the cook. An overdose¸ had Chopper said, looking ever so grim when he readied himself to say the next thing. It hadn't been the first time either, not the overdose, but the drug in his blood.
Sanji hadn't got better… he had gotten worse.
"I wondered how all the morphine could disappear so fast, I didn't mean that I was using so much and started to write each dose down that I used, how much, how often." Chopper were wrenching his hooves nervously. "I did have a small suspicion and I should have caught onto it earlier, seeing that he was often drugged to be… abused. That's what Sanji told me once, they thought of him being too much trouble so they often sedated him or drugged him with narcotic, and sometimes just for fun." Did the cook really open that much up? As he asked this, Chopper shook his head. "No, but he often has some lively dreams, and often I can talk to him as if he was under a hypnosis. I guess it has something to do with the drugs he has been taking, I… I should've been much more aware - why didn't I see this before?"
"No ones' to blame about that, less you, you trusted him." Zoro reassured.
"But, Sanji would normally never do such a thing." Chopper sniffled, as he looked at said sleeping cook. Zoro laid a hand on his hat.
"No, he wouldn't, it's the drug messing with his head. It's their fault for even starting to fill him with this shit."
"Yeah, I know, but still. He's been hiding drug in the madras, clearly bought some as well, but how he'd managed to without us knowing, since he's practically been stuck to a wheelchair all this time, I have no idea of."
"He'll try again, until his body has stopped needing the drug, he'll keep on doing it." Zoro reminded him, not liking what he was saying himself. He knew this, he'd seen it before. Trustworthy people suddenly turns into liars just to get what they want. It'll be hell, for all of them, all depending on how deep the cook was in it.
He had to talk about the cook about this, alone.
"Don't tell the captain about this." Chopper looked up at him, "It's a big shame to the cook, as it is, he doesn't need to be exhibited like this to anyone. And, he was attacked and drugged in the bathroom, no more than that. Everything else is between us, for now."
"I know, Zoro, I got my secrecy. I am a doctor by profession after all, and we're bound to secrecy." He said with a small reassuring smile. Zoro patted his hat, thanking him silently.
Now, there was another thing to get cleared.
Zoro slammed the door open into the kitchen, leaving Chopper with the cook for now. Everyone was gathered in here, all eyes were on him as he entered the kitchen, awaiting to hear the results about the condition their cook was in. One of them, one of these people in this room hadn't done their work, one them had been sloppy about the search.
Or intently done so.
"Someone have been slobby with the search," he told them, "someone, who should have been checking the bathroom hasn't done this, or," He looked at them all, eyeing them one by one. One of these people had been at fault, seriously he couldn't get his mind around that fact. He halted as he reached the last person. No, not everyone was in here. "Where's Oliver?"
"Whoa hey wait, what are you saying?" Nicki protested, anger already spiting his mood "That he's at fault about this?" He got up, but was stopped by Robin's hand.
"I'm saying that none of us in this room have checked the bathroom where that freaking Hunter had hid himself, and Oliver isn't here to answer that question!" Zoro snarled loudly at him.
"Actually," Anna said slowly from the corner where she'd taken a nap, ever since she finished healing the cook's scratches and had collapsed into the nearest chair, gone in an instant "from my opinion, Oliver has acted quite strange since his nightshift." Zoro nodded, agreeing to this.
"Anna-sweet?" Nicki said shocked, "You seriously don't believe that Oliver has anything to do with this, do you?"
Anna sighed. "I'm afraid I do." The blond hammered his hand down on the table, making everyone jump in their seats. The brunette only merely raised a brow at him.
"But that's bullshit! Oliver would never do anything like that!"
"I would never do what?" Every head turned to the door where a confused blue-blond stood and blinked at them. "W-what is going on -?" Zoro was at him in an instant, hammering him up against the wall, making the kid wail in surprise.
"ZORO!" Luffy and Nami was up in their seats at the same moment, as their swordsman put a blade to the kid's throat. Nicki was on his feet, but was stopped by a tight grasp around his wrist as he passed Anna's chair. He looked bewildered down at her, but she only shook her head. He bit his lip and cursed under his breath. God damn it!
"Did you check the bathroom?" Zoro asked in a dangerously low whisper, but still loud enough for the others to hear. Oliver needed to swallow, but didn't dare to.
"I do-"
"DID YOU OR DID YOU NOT CHECK THE BATHROOM AS YOU WERE TOLD?!" Oliver opened his mouth, but no words came out as he stared horrified at the swordsman. Just as he was about to speak, the door in to the infirmary slammed open.
"Marimo! What the heck you yelling so loudly about, you damn prick-head?!" It was Sanji, the cook looked quite annoyed as he hobbled in, still no fully control over his one leg, Zoro visibly blinked at him, it hadn't been minutes since he'd seen the man out cold in that sickbay. Looking closer at him, it was no surprise that Chopper ran to the door, looking perplexed at the blond. He was trembling, if you looked carefully and close up enough, you could see how the cook was shaking, one hand with a death grasp around the cane supporting him to walk. His visible eye, the iris in it was large, larger than normal, colouring his blue eyes almost black. He was still affected, still high after that drug Hunter injected in him, even after nine hours of sleep, or rather unconsciousness.
"Sanji! You shouldn't be up walking like that," Chopper said, trotting nervously after the furious cook. "You should be in your bed resting!"
"How the hell could I when this idiot shrieks like a perplexed seagull?"
"Oi!" the swordsman protested with a sneer, even though he had mixed feelings of seeing the blond up and walking, and yelling. So typical Sanji, so typical normal for him. If he hadn't known what Chopper had concluded, he'd thought, as the rest of them, who was getting up in their seats with big smiles plastered on their faces, that there was nothing wrong with the cook, that he hadn't been touched mentally of what had happened to him, that he was getting better.
Oh how wrong they were.
"Sanji, you're up!" Luffy said, bouncing in his chair and laughing.
"Sanji-kun!" Nami said happily.
"Yo, bro, s'nice to see ya up on your feet again!" Franky cheered and gave him a thumps up. "Told ya that you soon would be up walking again, didn't I?"
Sanji didn't look at them, at any of them, only at Zoro, though, he wasn't actually looking at him either, his dark eye tried to look anywhere but his face. Zoro frowned, daring the cook to look at him, to really look at him. That asshole shouldn't even have been up yet. His hand shifted nervously around the cane's handle, white teeth gritted together as he nodded stiffly. "Yo, Shit-head. Trying to threaten all the wrinkles out of it?"
"The hell you talking about coo-?" Zoro froze as he looked down. Now he got the cook's joke. All he held in his hand was an empty shirt and the kid no where to be seen. Everyone was up in an instant, none had seen the kid sneak out on them. Nicki got free from Anna's grasp and ran to the door, Luffy and Anna following right behind him.
"Oliver!"
"OLIVER?!"
"Oi! Where the hell are you, kid?!"
"What's going on here?" Sanji asked confused, as he heard the others running around the ship calling for the kid. Zoro only turned to give him a stern look before disappearing out through the door.
Sanji looked down to the side, cursing.
Shit!
-TOBD- TOBD- TOBD—
Oliver shivered, tightening the grasp in his hair as he sat hiding behind one of the long curtains, in a room he didn't even remember which were. It was pure luck that Sanji had come at that moment. He needed time to think, being overrun like that almost made him slip it. Oliver pulled his legs up to his chest and cried silently. Hunter! That damn Hunter had ruined it all! Now he couldn't bring them to that island they were supposed to go to. Nami and the others would never take that eternal-pose Hunter had told him to give them. He pressed his body further up against the wall and sniffled. What should he do? What should he do? The others were calling for him, but he didn't dare to show himself. Didn't dare to see those disappointed looks, the expression of betrayal. And Zoro? Zoro would most likely kill him when he found him.
"Oliver?" the blue-blond froze at once, his eyes widened. Someone was sitting down next to him, at the other side of the safety of his curtain. "Why?" asked the ship's captain in a calm voice, Oliver only shook his head, more tears threatened to release. "Why did you let Hunter on board?" The curtain moved aside for a moment, only to fall back in place, after letting in the captain into his seclusion. He didn't dare to look, yet from the corner of his eyes he watched as the captain leaned forward to pick up the eternal-pose in front of him.
Luffy looked at it for a long moment before speaking.
"You were meant to give us this." It wasn't a question, it was a conclusion. Damn it. Oliver nodded, if he pulled his hair any harder, it would soon tear off his scalp. "You must have a really good reason to fall us in the back like that." Auch, that hurt… but it was true. A really freaking good reason, but… that's still not an excuse. He had the eternal-pose to an island that laid nine o'clock from this ship's position, there would bring the Straw Hats right into a trap, or rather, a certain blond cook, there belonged to this ship.
"Oliver?" For a moment he froze as he heard that voice and saw that face the moment the curtains were pulled aside, then relaxed slightly, as he realised that it wasn't this ship's chef there had choose to come just at that moment, only to almost panic and regret hundredfolds over what he had done, as he saw Nicki's face. The dam broke and he couldn't stop it. Nicki kneeled before him and looked him deeply into his eyes.
"Tell me they're wrong. Tell me that you didn't do it, Oliver." Nicki craned his neck to make sure he saw him clearly, and oh he did, he saw the growing disappointment and that small hope of it all to be a lie, a misunderstanding.
He couldn't do this anymore.
Oliver mustered courage and looked his friend stiff in the eye, his voice thick and close to break. "He got him."
"Who?" the blond asked as he didn't go on. "Oliver, who are you talking about?"
Oliver swallowed the thick lump collecting in the back of his throat, his lips were trembling as if from cold "If I, if I don't do what he tells me, i-if I don't, won't follow his orders, he will… he will kill h-him!" He let out a trembling sigh, his hands where shaking now, he clenched them. "He'll kill him! He'll kill William!" Nicki's jaw dropped and his visible eye widened as he stared at him in disbelief. "I-I had no other choice, I didn't dare to. But that's no excuse."
"Will?" The curtains were moved aside, Anna looked at them with wide eyes, behind her stood the rest of the crew.
Nicki looked down at the floor, clenching his teeth hard together. "That damn swordsman."
"Wait, who's this Will-guy?" Luffy asked confused. Nicki straightened a bit up and scratched the back of his neck.
"He's our second mate."
"Second mate?" Nicki nodded and pointed his thumb towards the desheveled teen.
"Well, the first mate, is he!"
Luffy blinked. "Oh? What? You're the first mate?" he looked at Oliver, who shook his head.
"No, I'm not."
"Eh?"
Nicki sighed and rubbed his temple.
"Oliver, you were the first one the captain chose back then, and then that promise doesn't count. You are and will forever be the first mate, until the captain says so. How the hell did that fucking drunkard of an ex-vice-commander get himself caught?" he mumbled for himself. Seriously, even after twenty bottles, he still didn't get drunk. Was it some kind of a swordsman-thing?
"So, all you had to do was to lead him on board Sunny and then give us this one?" Luffy asked, showing Oliver the eternal-pose. The blue-blond sat up, finally finishing crying like a pitty baby, and shook his head as he pointed at the eternal-pose.
"I was supposed to give you this and tell you about the big treasure hidden on that island, but that's a lie, because there are no treasures at all. And then I was supposed to be sure about that Sanji had gotten back to his normal self, so when we reached shore, Hunter could get him and break him again." Oliver chewed at the inside of his lips as he hindered himself, he was an ass, oh what an ass he was. "We hadn't made any deal that he should come here! When I saw him, he told me to keep my mouth shut and keep 'searching' for him on the ship… I, oh god, I'm so sorry, but-"
"…but you had no other choice," the first mate of the Thousand Sunny finished his line as he stepped forward, arms crossed over his chest. He looked down at him with a determined stare. "Who would?"
"I…?"
"Ne, let's head towards Long Moon Island!" Luffy cheered as he stood up, arms up in the air. Oliver blinked in disbelief.
"B-b-but he'll be waiting for you! He'll be waiting for you to come!" he protested.
"But your friend is waiting too, isn't he?" Another blond now stepped forward and gave him a playful smile.
"S-Sanji?" Oliver said in disbelieve, not believing what he was hearing. Anna smiled from the middle of the floor.
"You really believe in your crew, eh, captain?"
"Sure I do!" Luffy said, breaking into a full grin. Anna snorted.
"Confident ass-shit!" that only earned her a louder buffow in respons. Oliver looked baffled at them.
"You coming, Oliver?" Oliver looked from the hand and up to the smiling captain, down to the offered hand and then up again, before he dried his eyes and smiled back.
"Yeah!" He said, grabbing Luffy's hand and stood up.
"Yosh! Let's go, everyone! To Long Moon Island and kick Hunter's ass!"
"AYE!"
-TOBD- TOBD- TOBD—
Grey clouds hung over the dark sky, hiding the moon and covering the ship's deck in a blanket of near-complete darkness. A light flickered in the night as Sanji tried to light his cigarette, his tenth since he came out on deck. He kept flicking the lighter, but the flame refused to catch. He gripped the lighter tightly, damn it! His hand was shaking again! Grunting in annoyance, he pulled his legs closer against himself, arms leaning on them and buried his face in his arms. He sighed deeply, listened at his heart's beating. He dropped the lighter and spit the cigarette out, allowing himself to roll into a tighter ball, closing off the world around him. He didn't want to admit it to anyone, but he was scared, so damn fucking scared. Hunter's face kept showing up in his mind, whenever he closed his eyes, whenever he didn't, when someone suddenly showed up behind him, for a split second, he would think it was him, and was always close to flip out on whoever it was. He still couldn't forgive himself for almost kicking out towards Nami-san, for scaring the hell shit out of him by suddenly standing behind him, almost, thank god that he made to stop himself at the very last second.
Worst of all, Chopper and that swordsman knew, about that, and oh fuck he needed some of it now, he'd poisened his lungs with his smokes to try and get the same effect, but to no success. They'd searched all over the ship and found all of his hidden stash, those assholes had no freaking idea! He still could feel the places Hunter's fingers had pawed and roamed painfully around his body, and the sensation of being tied, used, tortured and raped was still tormenting both his mind and senses. His whole body began shaking uncontrollable as the feeling grew more real, as the withdrawels created the pictures in his mind more realistic. Those eyes, thouse haunting eyes.
Those idiots had no idea of what they had done to him. Stupid really, he knew that it was the withdrawels there was speaking, and he knew that they meant well, hell he hated himself for taking those drugs, yet he couldnt stop but wishing them all hell and pain in return for the shit they put him through now.
And now they were even sailing directly into his arms, because they had a stupid naive idea of being strong enough to beat him.
Idiots!
Pathetic moronic goodhearted idiots!
This, for sure, would only lead to their certain death!
Hunter was a dangerous man, not even Luffy could be able to take him down.
No… no what was he thinking?
The only one who was a pathiyic idiot around here, was himself.
A shadow moved in the night - it was hard to see in the darkness, but he could sense it. The swordsman had kept an eye on him ever since what happened two days ago… and one week… only one week more and they would be on that island. A shiver ran through the blonds' body just at the thought of it. He didn't want to go there, but they had to pick up this William L. Zoreo, or whatever his name now was, one of their new friend's friend. Sanji wasn't really angry at Oliver for what he had done, because he knew that he would have done it himself if he had been in the same situation; betray a friend to help a friend.
Steps approached him slowly, the sound of heavy boots against the planks echoed in the dark night. The steps stopped right beside him. He heard movements and then someone sliding down on the floor right beside him.
"Dark night," Zoro breathed out as he stared out into the darkness. Sanji only hummed in answer. The swordsman was staring at him from the corner of his eyes, yet not over glaring. Sanji knew that Zoro knew, surprisingly enough that grasshead could be a good listener, and what wasn't said, he mostly could figure out himself, yet another suprise - there wasn't only moss growing in that head. Even though he tried to play it off as if everything was normal, Zoro knew it was only a show. He knew the reasons to why he didn't much left the kitchen, why he made every excuse to be the last at the table when the others were almost done and why he never asked anyone for help in the kitchen; he didn't want anyone else to see close up, what a wreck he really was, how annoying he felt in their presense and how anoying it was, how much faith they had in him.
Only Zoro was allowed to see.
Only Zoro was allowed to know.
Stupid faith he had got in him.
"Sanji," the swordsman began, but Sanji stopped him.
Not tonight, just not tonight. Tonight he had… other "plans".
"Sorry just let me… I need a bit more alone time." He glanced at him, but didnt linger long enough to catch anything. He had thought of it long enough, there was no other way around it.
If there was a proplem, delete it.
Zoro nodded and stood up, though he didn't walk far away, but in this darkness, it was just enough, if he was careful, and fast.
Sanji took a deep breath and stood up. Turning around he stared up at the darkness above him, for then to look down at the deadly, cold darkness underneath him. A thicker cloud covered the moon, throwing the world into total darkness.
He grabbed tighter to the railing, nails scraping against the wood. It was time. If it should be done, and it had to be done, it should be done now.
Sanji gulped and closed his eyes as he leaned his head back. As long as he was on board, as long as he was in the near of them, they would be in danger, he told himself. That creature would come, again, and next time.. who would know if he would get out of it it this "easily" again? No, no he didn't want to go through that living hell again, not again, never again.
Therefore there was only one solution to that problem.
He climped up, held his balance as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Sanji looked up into the darkness, it was the best way to solve this problem, and then pushed the heavy training weight belonging to the swordsman, into the dark ocean.
And then.
Jumped.
-TOBD- TOBD- TOBD—
Zoro grunted at the darkness surrounding him. He couldn't see a shit and it irritated him to no end, as did the sudden feeling of dread nagging at him. Something was really wrong, he knew that, but he didn't know what. The feeling grew stronger to a level, that even his hands began to tremble. The hell was going on? An almost overwhelming urge told him to get back to the cook. As the thick cloud finally cleared and the ship was cast in a dim illumination, telling him that he was way off course, as he turned around, he was met by the sound of a loud splash, and an empty deck.
"COOK!" Zoro hurried to the railing, his heart beating with the speed of a locomotive's motor on high run. Nothing. He couldn't see a shit down there. Fucking nothing shit! He jumped up at the railing, and without hesitation, down into the dark waters below, taking a deep breath before crashing through the surface. Opening his eyes didn't help much, it was just as dark here, as it had been seconds ago up there.
He swam, the strong current was bringing him to his left, so he logically swam that way and dived deeper. There was nothing to see but the empty blackness. He was literally starting to panic. The cook, or anything else for that sake, was nowhere to be seen.
'Where the heck are you, cook?!' He dived deeper, swimming after nothing but pure instinct and luck. 'Sanji, damn it!!'
Suddenly in the darkness, from the illuminated moon's shine, he saw a weak glimpse of something yellow floating somewhere underneath him, and knew, that it couldn't be anything other than the blonds' hair. He dived deeper, ignoring the ocean's pressure around him, threatening his eardrums to explode. His lungs began to burn, screaming for air. Even though Sanji was the ship's best swimmers and divers, though smoking so much, he still had an incredible lung capacity, even though, even he would be at his limits by now. Reaching out he got hold of his golden coloured shirt -it was one of his favourites, meaning taking that one on and then that incredible dinner, this, had been all planned. This day, was meant to be the cook's last.
That fucking airheaded idiot!
He pulled him close, face to face, the blonds' eyes where tightly closed, a deathgrip was around the heavy weight, currently pulling them deeper down, closer to the grave of the ocean floor. He couldn't get him to let go, even trying to rip his hands off it, even for him it was impossible. Sanji had damn well made his decision. Fucking retarded idiot!
'Let go, Cook. Let the hell go already! Sanji, let go of it!' Still no such luck. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, looked up at the ocean's surface, there were getting further and further away, there was only one thing left to do. Zoro slung his arms around the blonds' cold, thin body and pressed his head against his chest. 'Take responsibility, you idiot!' Zoro closed his eyes as the two of them were being pulled deeper into the cold death the ocean promised. His lungs screamed and burned, but he ignored it. How pathetic and melodramatic it may sound, he couldn't live without the blond, he couldn't loose any more people that he held dear, he'd realised that already. His dreams, his promise to follow Luffy, it all was nothing compared to this he had here, loosing this, would be the end of his ambitions.
'Come on, Sanji… last chance or we're both done for!'
No responce.
Shit.
Sanji didn't think of it at first, when he felt something grab him, for then to grab around him. It could be one of the ocean's many creatures, it could practically be anything, when being on the Grand Line. But as no jaw swollowed him as its dinner and the embrace felt too humanly, he dared to open his eye, only to widen it in horror, as he saw no sea tang, but green humanly moss. No, this wasn't what was supposed to happen! The moss-head should have stayed up there, unkbeknown to what had happened to him. Had the splash really been that loud? 'Let go, Zoro! Go up! Go back up, damn it!' The swordsman's head tilted back to reveal tired eyes, where life barely existed any longer, a warm, almost comforting smile was given him.
Wait. No… what the hell was he doing?!
Sanji let go of the weight, the moment he did, he felt himself and the marimo being pulled slowly back upwards. He could feel the arms around him loose their hold, and bit by bit slid further down his body. Sanji grabbed tight around him and swam faster towards the surface.
The hell had Zoro been thinking? Why the hell had Sanji stopped believing in his friend's strength and just tried to throw his own life away like that? Why had he given up like that? He even had cursed them through the worst things possible. And it almost had come true. Damn withdrawels, could they really do so much trouble to his mind? Apparently it could, damn shit! That stubborn ass-shit wouldn't even have let go of him, even if it'd be his death. The arms around him was getting weaker, not a good sign. Sanji was far over his limits as he saw the reflection of the surface. He swam even faster, ignoring the painful feeling caused by the too fast uprise towards the surface. Finally, he broke through the surface.
Gulping in air and coughing half his lungs up, he heard Zoro doing the same. He felt sick and nausious, but that didn't last for long, as a fist hammered right in his face, not enough to send him flying, but enough to rumble up everything inside of his skull and jample his vision for a couple of seconds. Okay, he deserved that, and he definitely deserved a second punch much harder... yet, none came. As arms slung around him, he was prepared to reserve a broken back, instead he reserved a hug, strong, almost painful there almost send them under if he hadn't kept treaing water, but a hug none the less. Zoro buried his face against his neck and sighed deeply.
"Don't you ever fucking dare to do that again, curly-cook." The voice broke halfway, but the swordsman didn't seem to care at the moment. It hurt to hear, the only time Sanji had heard him this broken, was back at the Baratie where he lost to that Mihawk.
Sanji returned the hug the best he could, his head leaned against his. He wanted to say something, but couldn't find the strength. What was there to say? He was right, damn it, so damn –
It gave a jolt in his body. His toes was starting to cramp inside of his shoes – oh damn it! He loved those shoes! Now they were freaking ruined by the ocean's salt water and he hadn't paid small berri for – fuck shit in hell! The cramp wouldn't fucking stop spreading!
He went under for a second as he growled a curse, swallowing some of the seawater, and pulled under the swordsman as well.
"Cook?" Zoro asked, spouting water, as Sanji tried to keep his head above surface.
"Cramp, my leg freaking starts to hurt!" he told him, that was enough information he needed, before the swordsman grabbed hold of him and told him to start swimming. He did, but not for long. Barely ten strokes and about ten more to go, his legs gave up, the cramp sending jolts of pain out in both of them, tearing a curse and a cry out of him.
"Cook, move!"
"I fucking damn hell can't, damn it! My legs! My legs hurt! I can't move!" he sneered back, the panic grabbing even more hold of him as he sunk down and swallowed water, again. He sputtered and gasped as the arm around him held even tighter. "Shit! Cramp!"
"Just hold your arms around me and relax," Zoro said as he grabbed the bottom rung of the rope ladder that dangled down along the side of the ship. He looked up and saw Usopp stand at the railing looking down at them.
"Get up, fast!" the sharpshooter called, motioning them to do just that. Thank goodness that the longnose had heard them. Zoro looked at the blond in his grasp.
"Sanji? You hear me?"
"Yeah," Sanji said, nodding "Shit, m'tired."
"You've stressed yourself too much."
A weak chuckle, the head rolled to the side untill an eye looked at him from the curtain of hair, the eye was bland, he had to get them up fast. "Typical me, isn't it?" he said, humorless.
"Hold as tight as possible, we're going up." Zoro said, ignoring the blonds' comment. Another nod, a mumble and some growling curses. Okay, he was consious, but he wasn't completely off the hook. Zoro knew he had to hurry. When he was sure that the other was holding tight around him, he began pulling them up and climbed as fast as he could, before Sanji would lose his hold.
Zoro gasped as he finally threw both of them onto the deck. Sanji hissed, stretching for his legs there obviously hurt like hell when trying to move them just the slightest.
Usopp was at their side and talking about someting, but Zoro wasn't listening, he was staring at the blond. Water dripped from his pale face, his lips blue and trembling, his eyes closed. Both eyes. He could see both of them, he would have laughed at the eyebrows curling in the same direction and looking ever so ridiculous, if it hadn't been for that face eating scar gnawing across the usually hidden part of his face, and he was immediately glad that he served to block it from Usopp's view. Usopp said something about getting help before disappearing from his view.
Hesitantly, Zoro ran his thumb along the scar and the blond shivered under the light touch. Sanji opened his eyes slowly, Zoro froze as the left eye's white mirror showed his way. There was nothing there. The eye was milky white and didn't react to anything, as his hand loomed over it.
"Z-Zoro? What are you doing?" Sanji asked tiredly and only confirmed what Zoro was thinking. He didn't react to the movements his hand made over that eye. He didn't even flinch. And the words just slipped out of him, before he ever could stop himself from saying it:
"You're blind…?"
Sanji's eyes widened in horror as he finally realised what had caught his attention and looked panicked back up at him.
"I…" was all he could manage to say as fear halted any other words. It was pure fear. He could almost see all his thoughts rampage through his mind, his one eye a mirror of it. Zoro didn't move, he held his stoic expression and hopefully showed none of what the cook thought he was thinking about it, aparently it was a lot of horrible things. The heck had happened? "M-move." he pushed him away with his arm, his healthy eye didn't even dare to look at him, even though he saw anger roar in its depths. "Move it, damn it." he said through clenched teeth, he was trembling, not alone could he see it as the cook moved to get up, he could almost feel it.
No, he wouldn't let him get away with that. Zoro moved unexpectedly fast, before he even could think, and pushed him back down. The blond froze, no wonder in shock, and as he was about to throw a curse his way, Zoro muted him as he moved the curtain of hair aside, and kissed his damaged eye, pressing his lips softly against the rough skin and ran his tongue along the scar, from chin, across the now closed eye and up towards the hairline. The blue orb stared at him confused, not able to know what to think of this. Zoro didn't even know so himself. His hot breath bathed onto the cook's face, as he got in a better position, arms planted on each side of his head, his hand clenched together, trembling by the feelings cooking inside of him. But Zoro didn't think, words werent nissecary here, so he showed, his actions speakin volume of what he thought. He ran his tongue along the gnawed flesh again, licking, tasting, showing. He could be imagining it, but yet he was sure he heard the weak moan escaping the cook's lips, not one in pain, but one in pleasure.
A cloud passed over the sky and covered the moon once again, this time Zoro thanked it for leaving the deck in pure darkness, so no one else could see, but the two of them up close. Sanji was a beautiful man, even in this weak light, even with that scar, it told a story and it was a part of making Sanji to the person he was. The taste of salt water on the cook's skin somehow fit the blond well. He licked around his eye, planted small kisses along the scar, pausing, for then to place a soft kiss on the closed eyelid again, before daring and kissed the tip of his nose, nuzzled his against his in what they called a Eskimo-kiss, and then finally sealed his lips over the blonds'. He was actually surprised, but pleased, to feel the blond respond.
Sanji was caught in a bliss, any uncertain thoughts about the true feelings of the swordsman were now all gone. Zoro didn't care, of course he didn't, he wasn't the least disgusted by it, no, Zoro knew to look pass such things, since he himself had one mother fucker scar tearing through half of his body. But Zoro had the build for it as well, Sanji on the other hand – oh! A tongue sneaked pass his lips, dipping inside and carefully prying his mouth open to taste the inside of him, inch by careful sweet inch. Whatever the heck he had been thinking moments ago, where all blown away now. He hummed in appreciation, closed his other eye as he finally relaxed fully into the kiss. He had to give the marimo some credits, the idiot knew how to use his mouth for other than holding a blade, and his tongue, and, oh, those rough hands there knew to kill, to hurt, ran passionately through his wet hair, a thumb carefully caressingg his cheek. Sanji was sold, and he knew that Zoro knew as well, if you should go from that growing smirk as Sanji mirrored his movements.
Zoro hummed, it was sweet actually, the way he leaned into his touch while still maintaining to kiss him into heaven… that was words he'd never thought he would associate with the three sword swinging stoic marimo, and if anyone ever asked, nope, he'd never thought such words about the idiot. Sanji shivered as a slick tongue ran against his, he sighed, returning the favor. A bite in the lip, teeth pulling ever so slightly at the sensitive skin was more than enough to pull a satisfied moan out of him.
Honestly he'd never thought that the swordsman could be so gentle and caring. Zoro seemed to know what he needed. He felt hands searching further down along his side and when the other's body moved up again, he felt hands run up along his body and then clenching his shirt, unclenching and clenching again. A finger began playing with one of his buttons and Sanji murmured his displeasure as a memory of big hands tearing his shirt off appeared in his mind. Zoro's hands reached under the shirt and massaged his chest. He pulled away from the kiss and gasped as fingers brushed slightly over his nipple, and another memory played in his mind.
A memory of big claws grabbing his shirt and tearing it apart. Nails clawing through his skin and running over his chest, leaving more roads of long bleeding marks. A tongue as rough as a tiger's running along the gashes and licking the blood away, humming at the copper-rich taste.
Zoro nuzzled his nose against the juncture where Sanji's neck met his shoulder and inhaled the salty smell of him. They shouldn't be doing this and definitely not in plain view. If they others saw… yet the adrenaline kicked high just at the thought of the forbidden they were doing, or maybe it was the mix of what was happening and what his mind was about to construct. He shook his head as another vision relayed in his mind. As a tongue ran over his Adams Apple, it kicked a memory forth again, and for a split second he saw orange and not green, Hunter and not the marimo. He let out a yelp and hastily tried to pry himself free.
His mind turned blanc.
And then.
"Cook. Oi, Cook. Cook, you there? Sanji!"
Sanji stopped as in a command, blinking dumpily at Zoro who looked worried at him. When had he stopped touching? When had he got hold of his hands? It was terrifying to realize as Sanji didn't remember what the shit just happened. There was a faint mark blooming on the other's cheek. Sanji let out a trembling sigh.
"What… what did I do?" he asked cautious, dreading to hear it, though he had an idea from the prickling feeling in his hand. His hand. He had used his hand.
"Him?" Zoro only asked, not answering his question at all.
"Zoro, what did I just do?" Zoro sighed and leaned his temple against his. "I hit you." he concluded himself, spitting it out in disgust. His hands were released and Zoro leaned down to nuzzle his nose against his chin, before rolling over onto his side.
"S'nothing." he finally said.
"I hit you, with my hand. And I don't even remember doing it. So no, it's not nothing."
"It's not your fault. The withdrawels-"
"That's not even an excuse!" Sanji rubbed his face, exhaling a deep sigh. He stopped for a split-second as something dawned at him. The edge of a memory that he didn't even know of. Something he had said just seconds ago. No wait. It hadn't been seconds ago. Longer, but how longer? How long had Usopp even been gone? Had he seen anything in this total darkness? Had he heard anything? And if he had, then what?
Oh.
Oh no.
"I blamed you." he said, feeling the dread grapping hold of him as waves of memories washed at the shore of consciousness, Zoro didn't answer. "You're rambling. Shut up before you say something stupid." Sanji turned his head to look at him "You said that, didn't you?"
"Yes, I did."
"Shit. Sorry."
"Don't be."
"I said-!"
"Don't think about it, serious cook," Zoro gave him a stern look "don't give yourself the fault of something you can't control. Done is done, said is said."
"I'm too weak." Sanji sighed hopelessly.
"Then get stronger." Zoro was laying on his side as he watched him, Sanji glanced at him from the corner of his eye. "Don't let it control you, you control it."
"Easy for you to say." Sanji mumbled. Zoro pulled his shoulders. Sanji sighed again. "How?"
"A replacement?" he asked. Sanji snorted.
"Yeah that helped pretty well last time. But not a bad idea." He said more to himself, pulling a smirk. A replacement, he just had to control it, then there should be no problems. A replacement for drugs. He looked at the swordsman for a long time, who was slowly dozing off. If it was okay, then it could work.
"Damn I'm tired," Zoro yawned, stretching himself. "Sanji?" It gave him a thrill, hearing the swordsman speaking his name, a thrill he hadn't even acknowledged before.
"Tired," he said, not even realising before saying it how tired he even was, "and cold…"
"And your legs?"
"What legs?" Zoro rolled his eyes at him with no doubt.
"The ones you walk on?"
"Shut it." Sanji chuckled. "S'fine, but cold." Truth to be told he didn't even dare to move them, knowing pretty well that if he did so, the cramp would return painfully. Damn it!
Suddenly he heard a bump and looked to his side to see the swordsman now lying flat on his back, panting, and Sanji could swear that he saw a weak shade of red on the other's cheeks. "Oi, you okay?" Sanji asked tiredly as he studied the swordsman. He turned his head fully to look at Zoro, who was smiling playfully at him.
"I'm okay," Sanji raised a brow.
"Sure?" The swordsman nodded and leaned closer towards him, running his fingers through his hair, he came up close and licked a trail along that scar again. Sanji let out a moan and regretted it immediately right after, Zoro's smile grew and he did it again. Fuck, he hadn't known how sensitive he even was there.
"This place-" the swordsman said, his voice calm and caring as he brushed his thumb along the scar, "- is now mine,-" he brushed his fingers carefully over the blinded eye "- and no other's…! You're still beautiful," Zoro whispered, hot breath bathing his face as he spoke "no matter what other people says."
Sanji gulped and though feeling a stone being removed from his heart as it fluttered away up to the skies, he couldn't help but snort at him and then laughed as the swordsman frowned – the face was priceless!
"It's not funny!" Zoro sulked.
"It is! It's hilarious! Who'd thought that the mighty swordsman and first mate could sweet talk like that?" said swordsman's face was turning grim. "But," Sanji smiled at him, brushing his fingers through his hair, his voice going deeper as he spoke "I like it." Zoro raised a brow at him, Sanji motioned with a finger for him to get closer, his smile growing playfully as the swordsman looked from confused to knowingly at him.
"You are incorrigible." He said, but replied. Sanji snorted as he slung his arms around his neck, the moment he got in the right position above him.
"You only realizing that now?"
"Nah, always knew." Whatever what would have been said next, Sanji killed it by pulling the swordsman down towards him, kissing him deeply as their bodies were pressed together. Sanji pushed his hips up, a dare, a little try and oh, oh, not only did he get a moan in response, but he could also feel how hard the other already was. A waft of fear came over him, but he eliminated it immediately by sliding his hands down the swordsman's back, grabbing hold of his butt with both hands and then forced him down towards his own groin. Oh sweet Roger. Zoro could only agree with a deep moan. Damn, the man was rock hard. "Sanji." Zoro breathed heavily. A warning? Not sure.
"My call, mighty swordsman." He whispered sensually and did it again. It was okay, it was all okay as long as he was controlling it. The swordsman seemed to get him and let him do what he wants.
A sigh as Sanji licked a trail up along his throat and gave a testing bite in the Adams apple. He was breathing heavily, he knew that Zoro wanted to do more, that he wanted to be in control, but the thing that the swordsman let him being in control thrilled him to no end. He grinded his groin against his again.
"Fuck!"
"No, not yet." Sanji teased.
"Shut up." Zoro groaned. Sanji chuckled.
"Having a problem here, are we?" Zoro tried to glare at him, but with blushing cheeks it looked more adorable than anything else. He was feeling the heat in his cheeks growing for each time their hips touched, for each time he felt his hardness rubbing against his own growing lust. Shit, he was getting his own little problem.
"Sanji," Zoro moaned, Sanji looked shocked up at him when he heard the erotic voice speaking his name. Sanji swallowed hard and stilled his hips, letting the other having his break. He had never heard nor seen Zoro act like this before; it was both hot and tempting. The swordsman whetted his dry lips again as he shook his head and looked pleadingly down at him. "Please… don't…no more! I can't stop myself from touching you, from doing more, if you keep… doing that."
Sanji could swear that it became a hell of a lot hotter out here, but before he could say anything else in return, the swordsman's eyes suddenly rolled back in his head, before collapsing right on top of him. Sanji let out a loud 'Ouf!' as the heavy muscle-head landed on top of him and was out as a light. Great, how should he get him off of him? It took him five tries before he finally succeeded in rolling the other off of him and finally, finally he could breathe properly any other time he wouldn't have cared if the other had been laying on top of him, but he wasn't on his fully strength yet, and those freaking legs kept threatening to go into a cramp again by the smallest of movements. Where the hell had Usopp went to get Chopper? The New World or something?
Laying his head back, it didn't take long before Sanji realised how tired he was as well. The eyelids had become heavier to keep open, he looked to his side at the sleeping swordsman.
What the hell had he been thinking? He could have killed them both! And no, it wasn't the drowning part he was thinking on. If anyone found out about this, if anyone saw, they were both screwed, or at least he was. He had already caused too much problems in this crew. Or so he hoped so. If anything was to happen, at least he hoped they would spare the marimo.
Yet, he couldn't help himself to explore this new forbidden feelings swelling up inside of him, this new addict there was stronger than the drugs he had used. Zoro said that he should find a replacement, and the replacement he found was just as dangerous, yet it wasn't something there would ruin his organs except his thumping heart. This was getting dangerous, for both of them, yet this new addict he wouldn't let go of for anything in this world.
He was for sure screwed.
"Zoro," he mumbled as the moon now came forth from the dark clouds and illuminated the deck once again. The moonshine made the swordsman look so pale. Sanji felt his eyes swimming around in his head and was dangerously close to losing consciousness as well. "I think…" steps was approaching them, someone was calling "I lo…" a sickening feeling grabbed him and pulled him into the world of darkness. He neither saw nor heard anything anymore.
To be continued
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AN: The heat is rising and will get even hotter in the next chapter. Hope you liked this chapter. See you on the next Sunday! ^o^