Hi, long time no see. I've been held up with laziness, a bit of block and exams which kinda killed me. Well yeah, I do have a load to edit and post. Sorry to keep you guys waiting and thanks for keeping up with this story!
Thanks for reading! c:
The auction went on, draining the last of Sanji's energy as he racked his brains for more bullshit for the audience. He glanced at the list.
"I'm sorry ladies and gentlemen. The item you have all been waiting for has been put on hold due to health problems. We wish to sell her in prime condition. We appreciate your patience and apologise for the inconveniences caused." He bowed low. The audience rumbled.
"What?! I've heard that the Mermaid was the specialty of the night!" a furious person shouted. Others voiced their outrage.
"Yeah, are you try'na cheat us?"
"Hurry up and show her!"
"Filthy cheating liars!"
Sanji stood, frozen as the crowd hurled insults.
"Fuck you!" A wine glass flew on the stage, sending glass pieces spilling across the stage. Sanji flinched, trying to calm the audience down to no avail.
Clamour and angry shouts filled the hall as others began to move, joulsing and climbing over the seats to join in the angry mob. More things were thrown onto the stage, all shattering and sliding.
A wall of flame erupted between Sanji and the crowd. Sanji leapt backwards, barely able to avoid the scorching heat. A strong hand grabbed his wrist.
"Let's go." A green haired man pulled him to the edge of the stage to the far left. There Sanji saw Ace lying down, smothering his own flames, providing a small opening in the fiery wall. He grinned and motioned for them to jump across.
"Just step over me. I'm holding the flames down." They stepped over his lounging torso and pushed their way through. Sanji fell forward with a cry, grabbing Zoro's shirt to steady himself. Zoro glanced back to find broken glass on the floor and pierced through Sanji's dress.
"Fuck!" Zoro cursed. "Keep going, we'll get that treated after!" Sanji wearily nodded and allowed himself to be lead. They pushed through a haze of bodies and ear-splitting voices. There were too many sensations, all blurred together in a suffocating whirlpool of overwhelming senses. Sanji tripped and was jerked up by his arm. "Come on!" Zoro dashed up the stairs.
"Hey Zoro!" Ace called after him, clambering up the stairs.
"Let's get out of here."
"Yeah man," Ace agreed. "The auction is going to hell. They won't be selling for a while." He wriggled his fingers.
"Nice," Zoro grinned.
"Let's fucking roll."
Sanji flopped on the back seat of the van, stomach down.
"Oh right." Zoro remembered. He reached over, grabbed back of the collar of the dress and tore down, exposing Sanji's cut up back and relieving him from the glass fragments embedded in the cloth.
"Dude," Ace pouted as he saw glimmers of the little shards spill onto the seats and floor of his van. "Couldn't you have done it outside?"
"Eh. He's suffered long enough." Zoro shrugged. Ace laughed.
"Yeah no shit. His masculinity has suffered enough." He shoved Zoro into the van, earning a glare, which he ignored. Ace settled into the driver's seat, cracking his knuckles as he started up his vehicle. "My house?"
"Yeah."
"Yo Sanji, you awake?" Ace called cheerfully, a few minutes into the drive. There was no answer. "Is he asleep?"
"Probably."
Sanji woke to an aching back and an unfamiliar room. He groaned.
"What the fuck happened?" His head pounded. This sucked. He didn't remember even drinking last night.
Then it all came flooding back. Sanji rose up and leapt out of bed. Whose bed was this? Even the clothes he wore were unfamiliar. They were too big on him and sagged off his slim frame. He opened the door and descended the stairs, taking in the interior of this foreign house. A simple living room surrounded a large blaring TV, which was on, although he couldn't see anyone watching it.
"Hey Sanji!" a voice called, Ace rose up from his sprawled position on the couch. Sanji jumped. Oh right, Ace knew about last night. "You feeling better?"
"Uh, I guess. Not really."
"Go do whatever. Treat this house like your own. If you need a lift back then just holler and I'll drop you off." Ace bobbed out of sight, slumping down into the lounge again. Sanji wandered around the house, gaining an insight into the layout of the house. When he came across the bathroom he washed his face and scrubbed off the last bits of makeup he could find. There were no traces of anything he did yesterday. Nothing. Not even his loafers were to be seen.
"Can I use your kitchen?" Sanji called, exiting the bathroom.
"Sure but I don't think you'd find anything useful there. Luffy stocks it full of snacks instead of ingredients." Snacks were okay, Sanji decided. For now at least. He opened the fridge to find it full of meat. He opened the freezer compartment. More meat. He expected no less from Luffy. Well, whatever. He could make do for now.
"Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you. You should see a doctor about your back." Ace joined Sanji at the table and grabbed a chunk of meat to shove in his mouth, oblivious to the disapproving look from Sanji. "We tried to get out the bits in your back but just in case…"
"Right." Sanji felt at the bandages wrapped around his torso.
"Get in my van. You should shotgun front seat thought, the back is still kind of messy."
"Chopper!" Ace dashed through the hospital, puling Sanji along behind him.
"Sir! You must report to the reception first!" The receptionist rose from her chair.
"Sorry!" Sanji called. . Ace led him up several flights of stairs and through a corridor. Closed doors lined the hallway.
"Chopper! It's Ace!" he called. "Which room are you in? You're always changing your office to somewhere…"
"Ace! Shush!" Chopper opened the door a crack and poked his head out, frowning in disapproval. "My office always stays in the same place. It's because of the patients that I'm always moving about. Come in and be quiet." They sidled in the room.
"He got glassed yesterday." Ace motioned to Sanji. Sanji recognised the patient under Chopper's care.
"Mermaid!" Sanji kneeled. "I'm glad you're in good health!" The green haired mermaid gasped in recognition.
"What?! Sanji! I'm sorry! We spent too long…" Chopper interrupted and his eyes grew wide with guilt. Sanji shook his head, smiling and raising to pet the child's head. This kid was precious. "Lie down on this bed right now!" Chopper waved his arms and ran to fetch equipment. "Take off your shirt!" he added before disappearing out of the room.
"I can't do that in the presence of a lady!" he gawked, scandalised. He turned to the patient. "I'm afraid I never caught your name, my lady." The woman giggled.
"I'm Camie, Sanji-chin!" she beamed. Sanji felt energy from her radiant smile. Today was a good day, despite the shitty start. He acquainted himself with a new beauty.
"Sanji! What did I say? Shirt! Lie down! Now!" Chopper returned balancing a stacked pile of medical gear.
"But-"
"Sanji!" the little doctor frowned sternly. Sanji gave in, willpower crumbling against the cute determined face. He peeled off his shirt and lay stomach down onto the spare bed. He heard a disgruntled squeak. "Don't move okay."
Sanji's back tingled.
Plink. A glass shard fell into a metal dish.
Plink.
Plink.
Plink. Shit, how many pieces were still in him?
Sanji dozed off.
"Sanji, you have to stay and rest. Camie has already contacted your boss and he's perfectly fine with it so just rest," a young voice warbled into Sanji's consciousness. A hand patted his cheek.
"Urgh…" Sanji groaned, turning his head to focus on the blurred figure.
"Just go to sleep."
"Mmm."
"Line up and look sharp about it!" A man with a bizarre clown outfit strode up and down the ranks of workers. Zoro rolled his eyes. He was kind of relieved work would be cut short but listening to this man really pushed his patience. "Do you know who I am?" The man threw up his arms.
"Mr Buggy!" the workers chorused.
"That's right! I've heard some of you were causing trouble here for Spandam so I, being the responsible me, will discipline the members who have been acting out of line!" Zoro cheered half-heartedly with the rest. Everyone gets it, you're the most wonderful person in the world! "So," Buggy declared taking a piece of paper from his pocket and puffing his chest, "I'll be calling out names now. Stand before me! Zoro, Cabaji and Kuroobi" Zoro groaned, pushing his way through the workers to stand in front of the irritating supervisor. "Everyone else is dismissed! Back to work men!" Zoro rubbed his temples. "Now," Buggy sneered, thrusting his face into Zoro's, "I've heard you've been threatening towards your boss and your cowokers. Don't think you can keep up that behaviour on my watch!"
"Yes sir," Zoro replied, barely around to reign in the sarcasm.
"Cabaji! I'm disappointed you! I've heard that you've been annoying Zoro here!" Buggy straightened and turned.
"Please understand boss, I was only trying to defend myself against Zoro here," Cabaji whined, adding venom into the name he spat.
"Oh I see, well in that case you're forgiven!"
"Thank you boss! You're the greatest man alive!" Cabaji kneeled on the factory floor, raising his clasped hands in a prayer.
"Sir, may I get back to work?" Zoro cut in before Buggy could go off on another pompous speech.
"Eh- well, of course!" Zoro had changed his mind. He'd rather work extra shifts than be stuck here listening to this fool.
"Ace! Where's your bike?" Ace glanced up from his makeshift laboratory and spoke through clouds of gunpowder.
"Zoro took it," he muttered through his face mask, focusing back down to his work.
"Why?"
"Actually, I gave it to him."
"Why?"
"Because it'd be a good present and I have a van now."
"But I wanted it," Luffy whined.
"No way. You'd crash and burn it."
"I wouldn't!"
"Yes you would."
"But it was so cool…" Ace looked up once more at his dejected brother.
"You're getting a car. Definitely no motorbikes for you."
"Make me!" Luffy stuck out his tongue.
"I'm will burn down every motorbike you get," Ace said in his most threatening voice. Luffy's jaw hit the floor.
"You wouldn't!" he shrieked, eyes popping.
"I will."
"I'll hide it from you!" Ace laughed.
"You're not going to win Luffy!"
"Shut up!" Luffy thundered into the house, sweeping past Ace.
"Sanji made leftovers!" Ace called to the retreating form.
"What?"