Chapter 4

Your silence against my own

"We should all be able to enjoy the next island. We have chosen the most perilous to reach and the Marine must not expect that destination as they must think we haven't stocked up on fresh supplies yet." In doing so, Nami grabbed her napkin while Sanji placed the appetizers on the table, spoons of cream of peas with mint and avocado mousse with ginger.

"Finally!" The captain exclaimed, literally sucking up his spoon of cream. "It's about time!"

"We still need to be on our guard," Jinbei reminded them while waiting for everyone to be served before starting his share, "We haven't come across any News Coo and we have no current news on the world situation."

"In the worst case, we can favor discretion thanks to Sanji," Usopp pointed out, grabbing a hot piece of bread. "This outfit is very convenient."

"I'd like to study it," Franky approved, pouring himself a glass of cola, "This technology looks amazing for making a garment invisible! Your family is skilled, bro!"

"My 'family', as you put it, is a bunch of power-drunk assassins and I feel absolutely no concern for their past, present or future actions," Sanji hissed between his teeth while filling a new basket with olive and onion breads on his worktop.

"Yeah, sorry. I heard they're indeed quite bloodthirsty," The cyborg apologized.

The blond didn't add anything and a short silence stretched in the galley before Robin spoke. "Does this island have any special characteristics?"

"Not that I know of," The navigator replied, remembering what she had read about it, "The climate varies between fall and winter depending on the location but that doesn't seem to be too big a problem since the island is populated."

"I hope we can stretch our legs and that the inhabitants are welcoming," Chopper said, greedily swallowing his avocado mousse. "The change of air is important to speed healing!"

"In this regard, I would be delighted to find a typical establishment where to dance and sing," Brook chimed in at his side. "Easing our minds would do us all the greatest good."

"Tell me about it," The gunner sighed, helping himself for the second time, "We just can't let it get out of hand…"

"It's the biggest unknown factor," Robin admitted with a smile.

"We're gonna party!" Luffy got enthused, showing his empty plate to the cook who sighed.

"If it's possible, we'll take advantage of it, but don't get carried away," Nami dampened his enthusiasm. "These appetizers are delicious, Sanji-kun," She congratulated him afterwards.

"I'm the happiest of men to be able to satisfy you, Nami-san!" The blond replied immediately while batting his eyelashes.

"It's light and perfectly spicy," She appreciated. "What did you plan for the next dishes?"

"Chestnut truffle velouté and mini leek and walnut crumbles as a starter then seafood quiche with a salad and pancakes for dessert!" His friend whirled even more.

"Pancakes!" Luffy yelled, drunk with joy.

"Good idea. It's dietetic enough while remaining gourmet, it suits me perfectly," The navigator approved.

"I also planned fruit juice, tea and coffee!"

"Well, since the meal is perfectly balanced, I'd like to know if you have any puff pastries left with ham and fresh cheese that you served yesterday. They were simply divine!"

"Of course, Nami-san! Just give me a minute, I'll reheat them to make them as crispy as possible!"

Zoro watched the contorted figure of the crew's cook twirl a little faster to satisfy the navigator's request. The blond gave her a plate of cakes as well as a huge glass with flashy colors, his eyes heart-shaped, before inquiring about what the archaeologist wanted in an equally grandiloquent way. The swordsman continued to follow him with his eyes. He had always hated this exuberant behavior with the girls. He considered it not only degrading but also perfectly stupid and usually, he quickly turned away, annoyed at the blond's obvious inability to behave with dignity. But since they had returned to sea after their victory, the fencer examined with a sharp look his slightest movements, on his guard. Indeed, Sanji had extended to all the crew and without any apparent reason his extreme helpfulness.

Of course, the cook didn't whirl with the boys as he did with the girls, but some details were not deceiving. Whenever Brook, Usopp or Franky mentioned the idea of a snack or an upcoming meal, the blond would come rushing to serve it to them. Chopper didn't even need to beg for sweets anymore and Jinbei, however newcomer, didn't know which way to start because the cook was covering him with fish. Even with the swordsman, Sanji barely hesitated to offer him bottles of sake he had previously guarded jealously and his snacks were always hot even if he got up in the middle of the night for his watch.

Yet the most obvious was the way Luffy was treated. The straw hat boy had only to turn his gaze in the blond's direction for the man to come running, a piece of meat very often within reach at the same time. The captain's eyes lit up and even when he jumped on his cook's back to ask for more, Zoro had seen the blond answer more often with a smile than with his usual kicks.

When Sanji almost fell flat on his face because of his eagerness to execute yet another request from Nami, the fencer ended up losing interest in the scene, almost disgusted. If the cook now rejoiced at the idea that the whole crew considered him a slave, that was his problem. Zoro, on the other hand, had no desire to participate in this masquerade.

As he silently swallowed his bowl of soup, the swordsman remembered the days that had followed their departure from Wano. The fact that the blond had unexpectedly served him fish and rice during his special meal a week earlier had finished convincing Zoro that something was wrong with his crewmate. At that moment, the cook's behavior had seemed so strange to him that the fencer had remained silent.

At first glance, Zoro might have rejoiced and attributed the cook's reaction to a crushing victory for him. Indeed, from an outside point of view and knowing their rivalry, Sanji had just given in to him. However, this fact was so improbable that the swordsman had never considered this possibility. And for good reason. Never had the blond failed to respond to the most insignificant of Zoro's provocations since they knew each other. One never wavered in front of the other and this state of mind had persisted despite their two years of separation and the growing danger they had encountered since they were in the New World. It was a matter of principle and pride. That's why at that moment, when Sanji had seemed so happy in revealing that he had actually granted his request, the swordsman had been flabbergasted.

Since when did the cook was so happy at the idea of humoring the fencer, and above all by voluntarily complying with his wishes? The one Zoro had known would have preferred to concoct the sweetest dishes possible with the sole objective of seeing the swordsman frown at his plate and remind Zoro of his absolute power when he was in his galley.

And Zoro had been waiting for this reaction. He had waited to see Sanji's smirk stretch his lips and his mocking gaze daring the fencer to open his mouth to contradict him in order to draw his blades in return.

But Sanji had just offered him the meal that was most likely to please him with a disarming smile and his whole previous strategy had crumbled. Zoro barely remembered the taste of the food he had swallowed without paying attention to it that day, far too taken aback by what he had just experienced and understood: the blond didn't want to play his game. He didn't want to provoke him and he didn't want to fight. He didn't want to upset him.

This revelation was so absurd that Zoro had spent a good part of that day replaying the thread of events to be sure that he hadn't been dreaming. While the cook had gone shopping with his ridiculous outfit to avoid being spotted, the fencer had had time to analyze the information. And since then, he interpreted all the cook's actions in the light of this new fact. He had then noticed how Sanji's actions had changed, subtly but unmistakably different from what he had always known.

Zoro wasn't sure he was the only one who noticed it. He had seen Robin's gaze lingering a little longer than usual on their cook and that had confirmed his assumptions, even though he didn't want to look for evidence from the archaeologist.

And as if to confirm his suspicions, the blond had served the special meal for his captain the next day. The feast had really been outsized and the cook had ended up laughing nervously in front of the stunned faces of his crewmates. Because at lunchtime in the Sunny's galley, an incredible amount of meat had been served on the table as well as on the counters and even outside since the blond had requisitioned the ship's huge barbecue. Luffy had been so euphoric that he had clung to his cook while sobbing, actual tears of happiness flooding his face as he was thinking about eating whatever was in front of his eyes. The reaction of the straw hat boy had torn his crew members out of their amazement and the blond's beaming face in front of his captain's gratefulness had made them smile as they sat quietly at the table.

An endless stream of meats of all kinds, grilled, marinated, braised, seared or even raw topped with sauces of the most diverse flavors had then begun and before the blond had managed to overcome Luffy's appetite, all the other members of the crew had already left, unable to swallow even one more bite.

Undeniable proof of the excessiveness of the meal, Sanji had waited two days before serving Jinbei's and the Fish-Man paella had almost seemed light in comparison despite the extravagance of shellfish and the mountain of saffron rice that had simmered in the biggest pot that the swordsman had ever seen. The following days, the cook had slowed down at the request of the girls who didn't want to see their wasp waist affected by this orgy of food. Nevertheless, Sanji couldn't prevent himself from covering them all with discreet attention which made the fencer think that his frenzy wasn't over yet.

Zoro was still wondering about the real reasons for this sudden outburst. The blond had always flooded them with dishes as studied as each other and everyone had learned to rejoice in the succulent dishes at every opportunity, whether at ordinary meals, at their victory banquets or in comfort after a particularly difficult event. Sanji was a cook and he took care of them when he made sure to fill their stomachs with the most delicious and nutritious foods so that their bodies and minds could do their best. It was his place and role with the crew and Zoro couldn't deny that the blond had always fulfilled it admirably.

The fencer was convinced that food was his ultimate means of expression and today, Sanji was trying to tell them something. Whether he was aware of it or not, the blond translated into dishes what he couldn't express in words and the swordsman suspected that his attitude had to do with what the blond had experienced in Whole Cake Island. It was the most logical explanation.

Indeed, with the avalanche of events they had to face on Wano, the crew had never had time to discuss the adventures of some of them on Big Mom's territory. Zoro himself had simply been happy when his captain had returned and everyone then inevitably focused on defeating their current foes. But now that the threat had receded, the context of that particular episode resurfaced.

Sanji had mentioned a personal matter he needed to take care of and Zoro had accepted his act for what it was. Admittedly, he hadn't appreciated to see that the cook had taken the risk of leaving part of the crew alone to rush into the territory of a new Emperor, but at the time, his personal resentment had also had something to do with it.

After thinking about this a little more, the fencer hadn't found it so surprising after all. Indeed, he knew his crewmate and the blond had assured that he would return. Zoro had had no objective reason to question his statement then. Sanji could be incredibly stupid in front of women but even at the prospect of marrying one, the swordsman knew that his loyalty to his friends was much stronger. That the cook decides to leave alone for an unknown land so as not to involve his crewmates was more like him. Especially since according to the words of Brook, Nami and Chopper, the blackmail included that Luffy would be targeted by that shrew Big Mom in the event of refusal or forced to obey her if the cook actually married her daughter, making the Straw Hat crew her underlings.

Yet Luffy had returned with the cook. Their captain hadn't joined Big Mom and if she had come to track him down to Wano, it was precisely because he had ruined her plans. So of course, they had had two Emperors to handle at the same time, but an alternative would hardly have been possible knowing the straw hat boy.

Zoro closed his eyes for a second amidst the ambient cacophony of his friends' playful discussions. Had Sanji married this girl in the end and did he regret leaving her at home to come back to the Sunny? The cook could totally fall in love with the enemy and maybe he had seen it as his only real chance to get married one day? No, it didn't fit. Luffy wouldn't have failed to spread the news and a banquet would have followed. Moreover, the captain would have welcomed her as one of their own on the ship. The blond himself wouldn't have been able to not shout it from the rooftops and swooning over his wife's angelic face.

Maybe she had actually refused to marry him upon meeting him and the blond had been truly heartbroken this time. This idiot was quite capable of getting severely depressed because of such foolishness, his romantic soul not being able to bear not being worthy of his goddesses.

The swordsman opened his eyes again and watched the cook twirling behind his worktop to flip his pancakes expertly before sprinkling that of Chopper with a large squirt of maple syrup. Either way, his attitude was surely a reflection of his guilt. Indeed, Sanji had always tended to hide his torments behind a dazzling smile and an incomparable burst of energy. The fencer had been the privileged witness.

As he slowly finished his slice of seafood quiche, Zoro sighed inwardly. What if Sanji felt guilty because of him? Was he afraid he had hurt his crewmate after running away to meet the woman of his life? The cook excelled in this kind of astonishing self-accusation. Convinced of having hurt the fencer, he could very well try to redeem himself with his exaggerated behavior.

The swordsman swallowed his bite wearily. This idiot would never change, always feeling guilty for elements that he didn't even control. Maybe Zoro had made it clear to the blond that he was ready to have more with him but Sanji hadn't answered and he wasn't so stupid that he didn't get the message. He had offered and the cook had said no, it was as simple as that. Zoro had never held it against him. He had also known from the start that his offer would be rejected but his pride had urged him to go through with it. So when the cook had disappeared around the same time, it had been a bit painful at the moment, but the fencer had quickly moved on.

But today, he was wondering. To see the cook toiling to shower them with attention, was he the one who couldn't move on? Should Zoro reassure him to hope to resume an ordinary daily life? Because, on second thought, ignoring their rivalry and therefore their special relationship was more hurtful than seeing that his crewmate didn't share his feelings. Didn't the blond know how to make sense of things?

The swordsman didn't want to stoop to begging or talking about the situation though. Even when he had revealed himself, he had made sure not to open his mouth so he wasn't going to start now. He had liked Sanji first and foremost because he was his equal and their interactions didn't include comforting each other. The other never needed comforting. They were both strong, proud and reckless and Zoro would never have been attracted to someone lacking in courage or strength.

The fencer finally finished his plate and pushed it away slightly. Whatever the reason for the cook to behave like this, Zoro only wanted Sanji to get over it quickly so that they could both resume their habits serenely. Indeed, otherwise, the swordsman knew he would feel obligated to talk about it and to put an end to his silence.

And this silence which had always characterized Zoro even in their intimacy, he didn't want to break it today when there was nothing left of those moments they had shared. He didn't want to trade Sanji's silence for his.

The next morning, an overcast sky greeted them along with the outlines of their next destination, and everyone leaned eagerly over the railing hoping to find out whether they could actually disembark. After several minutes of careful observation from a safe distance, Nami finally lowered her binoculars and gave Franky permission to approach the port. Overjoyed, her crewmates began to dance on the deck before stamping in front of the navigator, asking her to give them some money to spend.

"Most importantly, no fuss," She warned them firmly, "At the first sign of trouble, everyone goes back to the Sunny without waiting. We managed to fool the Marine, it's not to attract attention now." She then distributed more or less thick wads of berries to everyone at the same time as she distributed the list of their necessary purchases. "Jinbei, you stay with Luffy. He can't keep still and I haven't been able to locate Law," She admitted. "I'm not giving you any errands to run so I'll hold you responsible if he manages to start the slightest riot."

The Fish-Man's eyes widened but the navigator ignored him and moved on to Brook and Franky. "You take care of the cola and materials to maintain the Sunny," She decided. "If you come across a nice place where we could spend the evening in a quiet way, that'd be perfect too."

"You can count on us!" The musician assured her.

"We're gonna find a super place for tonight," The cyborg approved while counting their coins with satisfaction.

"Zoro, you stay on the Sunny," The redhead continued. "After Luffy, you're the one who is most likely to get us into trouble by starting fights or getting lost so you don't get off the ship, got it?" The man shrugged and the navigator finally turned to her last three crewmates. "As for you, you're in charge of food and medicine. We need as much reserves as possible on these two crucial points so I'll give you twice the usual berries. But be careful, we are not talking about spending everything for one or two gargantuan meals," She insisted for the benefit of the cook. "We need to be able to anticipate an eventual impossibility of stocking on the next island."

"I'm going to make a detailed menu for the next three weeks," The blond offered.

"I'm going to focus on large quantities of stocks to have some for a while," The little reindeer promised her in turn.

"I'll take advantage of it to replenish my supplies of powder," The sniper informed her, "You never know, it might come in handy."

"Very well. Robin and I take care of gleaning information on the movements in the region whether those of pirates, Emperors or the Marines," The young woman concluded. "Everybody's ready?"

"Yeah! Yoohoo!"

At these words, Luffy ejected from the ship and the redhead gave the helmsman a disapproving look. The Fish-Man blinked. Their captain had disappeared so quickly that he hadn't had time to move. He sighed then and decided to swim to the coast which was not so far anymore. Thanks to his condition as a Fish-Man, he would be there in no time.

Before he dived however, Nami gave her friends one last recommendation. "If any of you see recent newspapers, take them. We'll need to do our best to avoid the riskiest routes. I'll ask for the Trilog-Pose's reload time, but, if necessary, we'll just go to one of the two remaining destinations," She pointed to her bracelet.

All the crewmembers nodded, and Franky twirled the Sunny's helm enthusiastically. "Let's go!"

"This market is pretty well stocked," Usopp commented, noting the fruits the cook had selected. "Those blood oranges look so juicy!"

"The products seem of quality and the prices aren't excessive," The blond confirmed when he received a crate of lemons and another of pears. "On the other hand, they have less choice in meats than what I had hoped."

"They mainly have agricultural resources," Chopper noted, "Luckily I make my own potions from medicinal herbs because they didn't have many medicines already prepared."

"I think they're doing pretty well," The gunner pointed out to them, putting their last bags up on the back of the little reindeer who had chosen to be in his Walk Point form, "With their climates, I rather imagined that they couldn't grow much."

"They do a lot of greenhouse cultivation," Sanji agreed as he paid the shopkeeper. "It must require a lot of energy and investment when they don't seem to have a lot of customers."

"You're right," Chopper noticed, glancing at their surroundings. "It's market day but there aren't many people…"

"It must be said that their island isn't so accessible," Usopp reminded them. "For example, we chose it only because the road that led to it was the most dangerous in order to avoid the Marines so for tourists, it's not necessarily very attractive!"

"The inhabitants seem to be quite poor," The doctor acknowledged, saddened as they saw frail bodies wrapped in weather-worn clothes around them.

The three friends then walked past a new fruit and vegetable stall and a sudden outburst of voices caught their attention. A particularly angry shopkeeper was railing against a poor little girl in rags and they came closer, intrigued.

"You little thief, gimme back that apple right now! I know it was you who took it, you already did it last week! Thief!"

The offending child trembled under the furious gaze of the man who towered above her before opening her hand, revealing a red apple she had already bitten into. At this sight, the shopkeeper grabbed her brutally by the arm, absolutely furious. "And who's gonna pay for that apple now, huh?! If you don't have money, you must face the consequences! I don't tolerate pilfering from my stall!"

At these words, the man pulled a knife from his belt to cut off her hand and the little girl began to scream as her apple fell. "No, please! Please, I won't do it again, I promise!"

Around them, people had gathered and some turned away in front of the terrible spectacle that was going to ensue while others offered a sorry look to the little thief. Obviously, the law of retaliation prevailed here and no one dared to intervene. The shopkeeper raised his knife and the little girl tried to struggle, in vain. Her eyes were wide with terror and her tiny arm was trapped in his huge hand.

As the blade was about to fall on its target, Sanji's right foot deflected it from its path and the weapon landed on the ground, surprising all the witnesses who turned to the newcomer in astonishment.

"She's just a kid and she's hungry," The blond who had intervened growled.

"So what?!" The man in front of him protested, outraged. "She knows the law! Those who steal must pay back or pay for it with their blood!"

Sanji took a coin out of his pocket and stuck it on the shopkeeper's fat belly. "Here's for your apple. Leave her alone now."

The man examined the money before turning away, grumbling while glaring at the little one who was still trembling behind the man who had intervened on her behalf. "You, I don't wanna see you here again."

The girl nodded vigorously before running off, pale with fear, and Sanji watched the small crowd of spectators disperse quickly. He then turned to where the little girl had disappeared but before he could attempt to run after her, Usopp and Chopper hurriedly joined him.

"Two officers are coming towards us," The sniper informed him, worried.

"They must have been attracted by the noise, we mustn't stay here," The little reindeer added.

Sanji hesitated for a second before following his friends away from the market. He would have liked to do more for the hungry little girl, but he couldn't jeopardize the crew by revealing his presence. The Straw Hat Pirates were now too well known and simple soldiers could identify them in no time. Gritting his teeth, he nevertheless promised himself to come back a little later to rectify this injustice.

I hope you liked this Zoro's point of view, and some of you may have noticed that a few elements were already in the trailer. You'll find out more about his past relationship with Sanji as you go along now!