Chapter 54

Between you and me (through him)

The Sunny shook under the assault of the cannons bombarded in her direction. Immediately though, Luffy's elastic stomach and Zoro's swords deflected them from their trajectory while the cyborg turned the helm to avoid the following ones. Not far from him, Chopper was knocking out officers relentlessly and Brook was piercing those who escaped him. At the mast, Robin was strangling the soldiers who were loading the cannons on the opposing ship and above them, Nami was making rain clouds rise. At last, on the first floor of the Sunny, Malek and Usopp adjusted their weapons to shoot at their enemies from their high position to help everyone in turn.

A large Marine frigate had been trying to board the Sunny for several minutes now. As soon as the ship had been within sight, the captain had stood on the figurehead, a wide smile on his face, and Malek had quickly realized that he would soon be fighting his first battle as a member of the Straw Hat crew. Indeed, judging by Luffy's determined and excited look, they wouldn't try to escape. Nami had tried to dissuade him and Usopp had even shaken him while mentioning an illness Malek didn't know about, but the captain had remained intractable and quickly, his entire crew had prepared for fight.

For his part, Malek had run to get his bow, excited. It was an opportunity for him to demonstrate his value and contribution to the crew beyond his role as cook and at the same time, he would be able to observe his new friends in action. Although he suspected their strength given their journey on the Grand Line and now in the New World, he was also aware that the slightest mistake could be fatal. He had then realized his responsibility, as great as that of the others. And when the fight had begun a few moments later, he hadn't been disappointed.

Luffy and his crewmates all released exceptional power and the cook had noticed that each of them had a particular technique and place, alternately protecting and defending the ship as much as the other members of the crew. That's how Franky's disjointed body became a real war machine who spread panic with the slightest of his movements. In contrast, Brook's already dead body jumped gracefully from one point to another to better destabilize his adversaries. Chopper masterfully used his inventions to surprise his enemies with his various forms. Nami disconcerted those who pursued her thanks to the acuity of her knowledge which ultimately gave her the advantage. Robin puzzled the officers who saw her limbs pop up in the most unexpected places. Usopp disarmed his targets one after the other with the precision of his shots. Zoro terrified his opponents as much with his swords as with his gaze. And Luffy literally beamed among them, using improbable blows thanks to his elastic body and ideas as crazy as they were formidable.

Malek had felt all the more obliged not to fail in his task then. It was imperative that he did his best to keep up with the Straw Hat crew.

This is why when Usopp suddenly tensed at his side before letting out a horrified cry, the cook instantly turned towards him so as to be able to defend him if necessary. Yet he didn't have the time to do so since they were both swept away by the tail of a huge crocodile thrown at the Sunny from the enemy frigate. Malek lost his bow and Usopp fell abruptly to the ground beside him as the reptile snaked towards them, its mouth open and fangs gleaming. The official ship was carrying some sort of menagerie and several predators had already been found on the deck as the battle progressed. The cook had seen a tiger, a hippopotamus and monkeys, all knocked out more or less quickly by a member of the crew.

The one they were facing now had nothing to envy to its companions about strength judging by the size of its jaw and Malek jumped back to his feet, his heart beating fast.

"Usopp, get up!"

Malek looked desperately for his bow but it must have fallen on the deck and the sniper's weapon also seemed to have disappeared. The cook felt sweat drip down his back. They couldn't fight with their bare hands against such an opponent.

"D-Damn…"

The cook immediately turned his head towards the sniper. Usopp was clearly suffering and struggling to stand up and Malek instantly understood the problem: his right leg was dripping blood under his pants. He wouldn't be able to get up on his own.

Malek rushed to his side and put his hands under the sniper's arms to lift him while looking for the door to the galley or the infirmary so that they could take shelter. Unfortunately, the crocodile quickly blocked their way and soon, its jaw closed on the sniper's already bloody pants with a snap. Usopp screamed and Malek felt his body petrify in his arms. In shock, he stood frozen for a second before sighing with relief when he saw that only the fabric had been torn off. Without wasting another second, he grabbed his friend's trembling body tighter and pulled him with all his strength towards the galley door.

Unlike them though, the reptile had four legs and he moved effortlessly even if they weren't in the water. The two men got cornered again in a few seconds against the wall and Usopp shrank when he saw the beast rushing towards him. The pain from his injury made his gestures clumsy and had exhausted his body. He was incapable of defending himself and the crocodile knew it, targeting the most fragile prey first. The beast opened its enormous jaw and its fangs gleamed in the sunlight. Usopp closed his eyes.

Malek pounced on the reptile's open mouth to punch it. The crocodile turned slightly in his direction when it saw him jump and the cook's hand touched several sharp fangs, instantly causing a trickle of blood to gush along his fingers. The dark-haired man didn't pay attention to it though. His blow had been powerful enough to destabilize the animal and he grabbed the sniper's shivering body to rush down the now clear staircase.

Arriving at the bottom of the steps, Chopper rushed in their direction while Luffy propelled himself up to knock the beast out with an avalanche of elastic fists. The little reindeer immediately examined Usopp and asked Robin to come help him while Brook positioned himself near the cook for him to catch his breath.

Malek leaned back against the wood of the Sunny gratefully, the adrenaline pulsing a little less strongly in his veins. Franky continued to alternate between the helm and his metallic punches and Zoro was spinning in the middle of twenty officers that the captain had left. In the distance, the cook saw Nami's black clouds gathering in the sky above the frigate and when he saw her send some electricity inside, he knew that the fight would be over soon.

"Malek!"

The man jumped when he heard the furious voice of the swordsman from the other side of the deck. He looked up in his direction and involuntarily took a step back when he saw him approaching with long, threatening strides, his eyes flashing. He didn't know what justified the first mate's wild gaze on him, but his mind screamed that he didn't want to know. Unfortunately, before he could react, Zoro's hand grabbed him by the collar of his jacket and his back hit hard against the wood of the Sunny behind him.

"What do you think you're doing?!"

The dark-haired man's eyes widened in disbelief, and the swordsman's hand tightened on his clothes, his dark aura spreading around him. Malek shivered. He had had a glimpse of Zoro's destructive power a few minutes earlier and in that moment, he understood their enemies: the first mate of the crew was terrifying with his swords at his belt, the blood streaks of his adversaries everywhere on his body and his cold eyes piercing right through him. Malek swallowed.

The last officers had returned to their ship a few moments before and Chopper had taken Usopp to the infirmary with the help of Robin while the others had followed them, more or less worried. The injury wasn't too serious according to the doctor, but the amount of blood the sniper was losing was enough that it had to be taken care of immediately. Chopper had also asked Malek to follow him because his hand was red with blood but the cook had first wanted to retrieve his bow and he was looking for the rest of his arrows scattered on the deck. He regretted not having followed the little reindeer now.

"I swear that… I don't know what you're talking about," he whispered. He was completely unable to free himself from the iron grip that pinned him against the wall.

At these words, Zoro stared right through him and Malek made an effort not to look down. In the end, the swordsman grabbed his right wrist brutally and the dark-haired man winced when the fencer pressed on his wound.

"Do you realize what you've done?!" Zoro roared again, his face tense.

"Wh-What?"

The swordsman abruptly brought the cook's hand back in front of them and Malek really fought against the pain this time. Zoro didn't give him a second of respite though, and he placed his own hand next to his head, locking the cook in his space.

"You're an archer and you're a cook so if you don't take care of your hands, you've got no business being in this crew," he growled in a dull voice. "Luffy may have accepted you among us but I won't stand for this kind of behavior. Is that clear?"

Malek stared at the fencer, stunned, while the man finally released his grip on his hand. The dark-haired man fell back against the wall then, panting, and unconsciously protecting his injured limb. Zoro turned away and the cook took a few seconds to let the pain subside before carefully examining both of his hands. They were trembling and it wasn't just because of the injury. He closed his eyes and tried to calm the erratic beating of his heart.

Someone soon cleared his throat though and Malek opened his eyes.

"Are you okay?"

The cook spotted Usopp a few steps away and nodded gently. The sniper was just out of the infirmary judging by the bandage on his right leg and the cloth he was holding in his hand. "What about you?"

"Several stitches and a slight muscle tear but nothing I can't handle. I landed awkwardly when that stupid crocodile fell on us… Thank you by the way. If it wasn't for you, it could have been much worse."

Malek nodded again and grabbed the wet cloth the sniper handed him. "You should go see Chopper; he's waiting for you. The others went to the galley. Looks like you made drinks earlier."

The cook simply nodded again, gently cleaning his wound, and after a few moments of silence, Usopp sighed.

"Malek, look… Don't blame him too much."

The dark-haired man looked up at his friend before shaking his head. "I just wanted to help but I don't know, it seems like he doesn't trust me…" He looked at his hand again, now free of dried blood, and more specifically at the open wound that stretched a few centimeters along his palm. He sighed then. "I can't figure him out. I know he has to protect the crew but I really don't know what more I can do."

Usopp placed a caring hand on his shoulder. "It's not your fault and if you hadn't intervened, I could have lost my leg so no one will blame you for anything and especially not me."

"It's just that he doesn't like me then," the cook deduced with disappointment. "Yet I do my best…"

The sniper shook his head. "It has nothing to do with you, Malek. It's…" Usopp glanced hesitantly at his friend but in front of his hopeful look, he capitulated. "It's Sanji," he finally blurted out.

"Sanji?"

The gunner nodded. "Sanji never fights with his hands. He protects them like a treasure and keeps them only for cooking."

Malek's gaze was automatically drawn to his own hands and he looked at them, stunned. "But… how can he defend himself?"

"He learned some kind of technique from the old cook who raised him. They only use their feet."

"Only their feet?!"

Usopp nodded, a proud smile on his lips. "It's very effective, you know. His bounty is 77 million berries and let me tell you that is well deserved. His kicks have disfigured more than one pirate and even elite members of the Government in the company of Sniper King! Along with Luffy, he was the only one who could stand up to Zoro."

At these words, Malek immediately looked for the swordsman but he had disappeared. He returned his attention to his hands then. "Okay, I understand why he was surprised. Still, he was pretty rough…" He grimaced as he remembered the cold eyes of the fencer when he had looked at him. "I'm not Sanji. I'm nowhere near as strong as him and no one taught me how to fight with my feet."

The cook gently rolled his shoulder which had hit the wood and facing him, Usopp sighed. "Yeah, that's the thing. You're not Sanji."

Malek frowned and Usopp bit his lip, embarrassed. Yet he ended up shaking his head and pointing to something with his chin in his direction.

"Behind you. This was their room."

The cook turned around and faced a door he had indeed never pushed open. He examined it from bottom to top. "What do you mean 'this was their room'?"

"Well, you know. Like a room. For them. With only one bed."

The dark-haired man took a step back then, his eyes wide. "You mean…"

"Yeah. They were together."

Malek abruptly turned his attention back to the sniper to stare at him and Usopp shrugged his shoulders awkwardly. "I know, they don't seem to get along. What's written in Sanji's notebook is true, they kept insulting each other and fighting. For a long time, we believed they couldn't stand each other but it seems that love is full of mysteries and… And you know the drill."

The cook glanced at the door again before looking back at the sniper. "What happened?"

Usopp shook his head. "I don't know. Nobody knows. All we know is that the day Sanji chose to stay on All Blue, they decided that their relationship would end at the same time."

"Was Zoro mad at him?"

"That's what we thought," Usopp agreed, "But that's not it actually. And frankly, this is beyond comprehension because Zoro was clearly heartbroken for months and Sanji was no better when we had him on the Den-Den Mushi."

The sniper sighed sadly. "Now you understand why Zoro reacted so violently earlier. And believe me, I'm not trying to excuse what he did, but if you could not hold it against him too much… He's just starting to get back on track despite what he may say."

"He probably hates me," Malek realized, in shock. "I took Sanji's place!"

"You didn't, what are you talking about!" The sniper tried to calm him down, although he was also uncomfortable. "It's just a little more complicated for him but you're doing very well. And don't forget that Luffy chose you, Zoro will never go against his decision."

The cook nodded slowly but he was visibly unconvinced and the sniper ended up putting his arm around his shoulders to lead him upstairs. "Stop worrying about that, these guys are tough. On the other hand, you better find Chopper quickly if you don't wanna spend the next hour listening to his moral lesson. The worst is when he starts crying…"

Malek was carefully examining the contents of the galley cupboards to check the supplies when the door opened behind him. The meal had only ended a few minutes earlier and even for Luffy, the timing seemed unlikely. Curious, he glanced over his shoulder and froze when he saw the imposing figure of the fencer stopping a few steps away from him.

The cook tensed unwillingly. The atmosphere was still joyful since the incident between him and the first mate of the crew, the rest of their friends laughing and having fun as usual. Malek suspected that no one knew anything except Usopp. For his part, he had been a little quieter but nobody had said anything. Chopper had carefully disinfected his wound and with an elastic bandage, Malek had been able to prepare the meal as if nothing had happened even though Robin and Franky had insisted on helping him with the dishes.

Slowly closing the cupboard door, the cook finally turned to the swordsman.

"I'm sorry about earlier."

Surprised, Malek met the indecipherable gaze of his crewmate. "I, uh, it's no big deal. I mean, thanks."

An awkward silence stretched between them and the dark-haired man ended up clearing his throat, uncomfortable. He had been far from imagining that he would get an apology from the fencer, and even less so quickly. And although he was happy about it, the embarrassment of the situation didn't seem to dispel.

"You… needed something?"

Facing him, Zoro nodded. "A bottle. I'm on watch tonight and I wanna train."

"Oh. Sure." Malek walked over to the pantry and rummaged through the dozens of bottles available. In the end, he grabbed two and showed them to the fencer. "I don't know which one will suit you best."

Zoro stared at the cook for another second before looking down at the bottles. He quickly chose the one with unpasteurized sake to enjoy it cold and Malek nodded, turning back to put the other one away.

When he returned, Zoro hadn't moved and the dark-haired man glanced around the galley, looking for inspiration. He really didn't know how to behave and seeing the swordsman silent and still in front of him didn't help him relax.

"I can fix you something if you want for tonight," he tried carefully. The fencer made a kind of growl in response and Malek bit his lip, clearly lost. "I have, uh… oleaginous fruits with cottage cheese or smoked chicken… I also have eggs if you-"

"Rice."

Malek immediately agreed, relieved. "Rice, okay. Wild rice or white rice? I think I also have some basmati rice somewhere…"

"Sticky rice. With… eggs or raw fish. If you got any."

The cook finally looked up at his crewmate and a genuine smile lit his face. This was Zoro's first request regarding food and now knowing what this role meant to him, he was aware of the step Zoro had just taken.

"I do. I'll bring it to you in about twenty minutes."

The swordsman just nodded before finally turning on his heel, his bottle in hand. For his part, the dark-haired man reopened his cupboards.

About half an hour later, Malek searched for the fencer as promised, his dish in hand. He had regained his confidence thanks to the short conversation they had had and while he watched the rice cook, he had even pinpointed what was still eluding him. He was now determined to address it if he could.

He had thought that he would find Zoro in the crow's nest but he spotted him sitting on the railing of the Sunny's bow. The swordsman had taken his dumbbells but obviously, he had preferred to start with his bottle while looking towards the sea. His swords were carefully placed on the grass not far from him and Malek didn't remember seeing him without them. His posture gave the impression of some vulnerability which totally contrasted with what he had always known of the fencer. He seemed kind of melancholic.

The cook slowed his pace until he stopped a few steps from his crewmate, keeping a respectful distance. He didn't want to disturb his thoughts but at the same time, he wanted Zoro to know that he understood his reaction and didn't hold it against him. He took a short breath then.

"I'm sorry too. For my hands and… for Sanji."

Zoro was about to take another sip of sake and Malek didn't miss the way his back tense as he slowly lowered his bottle. He turned towards him then.

"Who told you?"

Malek looked down for a second, uncomfortable. "Usopp," he finally admitted, "He meant well, I didn't understand why you were so upset…"

The swordsman turned away before raising the bottle to his lips again. "Don't be sorry about him, there's nothing you can do."

The cook nodded even though the fencer could no longer see him and he placed his snack on the grass. He then crossed the last meters which separated him from the first mate of the crew and leaned carefully on the railing at his side.

"I'd have never thought of that if you hadn't pointed it out to me," he admitted after a few moments. Zoro looked at him questioningly and the dark-haired man pointed to his hand. "It's true that if I damaged or lost them, I'd have nothing left. I'd no longer be able to defend myself or cook. I'd never be able to open a restaurant with Shuri."

The swordsman didn't respond and Malek examined once again the injured skin of his right hand protected by Chopper's bandage.

"Sanji's right, they really are treasures and… I'll be careful from now on."

Zoro simply nodded before tilting the bottle to his lips again and Malek gazed at the reflection of the moon on the sea for a moment.

"How is he?"

The swordsman took the bottle out of his mouth and raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

"Sanji," the dark-haired man replied. "How is he? I live in his environment every day and I almost have access to his thoughts through his recipes and remarks about each member of the crew. Thanks to him, I was able to get my bearings here quickly, because he knows you by heart. So of course, I know a little something about his personality but I can't grasp him. He says nothing about himself, his tastes and preferences."

Malek shook his head and Zoro followed him with his eyes, surprised.

"Don't get me wrong, I just wanna find my place while leaving him his own, but no one talks about him. His absence is still too painful for you all and… it's like he's slipping through my hands."

The cook then turned to the fencer who was listening attentively.

"I know you're probably not the person who would want to talk to me about him the most, but I also think you're the one who knows him best. In his writings, Sanji is always particularly blunt when he mentions you but it's a form of honesty and I think you surely shared this vision of things with him."

Zoro didn't move for a long time, carefully studying his new crewmate, and Malek underwent his scrutinizing in silence. He knew he was asking a lot. And yet, it was true. He felt the love that Sanji had for his crew and the love that his friends felt for him in return, and Malek simply wanted to slip among them without putting one of them in the shade. Despite all the goodwill of the crewmembers, he knew that he was bringing up a sensitive subject each time. Because one of them always talked about something else at one point when Malek asked questions about the cook's habits. Because everyone was a little too enthusiastic about praising his dishes every time. Because he felt that his presence was cathartic as well as revealing of the fragility of the crew since they had resumed their journey without their cook.

Malek didn't want to know everything though. He was aware that part of the crew's life in Sanji's presence didn't belong to him. But he didn't want to trample on this bond that united them because he didn't know its issues, limits or nature. He just wanted to understand. Understand if the sadness they felt because of Sanji's absence was due to regret that he hadn't followed them or if the new cook was missing a piece of the puzzle. Luffy had told him that Sanji was still a member of the crew but then why did he let him go? Malek felt that he needed to know Sanji to be able to answer his questions and move forward.

"The cook is a perv, cocky and cheeky. He can't shut up for more than five minutes, always chattering about one thing or another and especially if there's any chicks around. This moron is also totally addicted to his cigarettes."

Malek stared at his crewmate, stunned. There was a kind of gentleness in this description despite the harsh words and he searched for his own for a moment.

"I never thought Sanji was a smoker… His food combinations are so creative, you'd think they were put together because he has the best taste in the world…"

Zoro shrugged, returning his gaze to the black horizon.

"Cooking is the most important thing to him. And finding the All Blue was his dream because the seas from all over the world come together out there."

Malek nodded, also turning his attention out to sea. "That's why he doesn't fight with his hands. So that he can cook on All Blue."

"No, it's not."

Surprised, the dark-haired man turned his head towards his crewmate but Zoro continued to stare at the sea.

"The cook's true passion is being able to feed people and All Blue is the place where he can find the best ingredients. Cooking makes him happy because it makes people happy so if he ruins his hands and can't cook anymore, he's gonna die because he won't be able to participate in their happiness. He's a fucking sap…"

Malek looked at the swordsman without a word. There was a real tenderness hidden under the gruff tone of the first mate which betrayed the esteem he still felt for his companion.

And for the first time since he had boarded the Sunny, the cook felt like really seeing Sanji. He pictured him on the deck, smirking while Zoro grabbed his swords to try to silence him. He pictured him rushing towards Nami and Robin to offer them his dishes, which explained the multitude of hearts at each mention of their names in his notebook. He imagined him locked in his galley, leaning over his recipe books and a cigarette in his hand, which gave meaning to the ashtrays he had found even though no one seemed to be smoking on board.

Sanji wasn't just a simple chef. He had built unfailing relationships with the other members of the crew through his food as much as through his generous personality and unwavering principles. It was for his principles that Sanji had stayed on All Blue. And because he had stayed true to who he had always been, he had maintained the respect of his crewmates and his place among them, wherever he was. His friends mourned his absence as much as they admired his determination.

"He also has the most twisted and stupid eyebrows I've ever seen."

For a moment, Malek observed the mocking smile of the swordsman who was still staring at the horizon obscured by the night before returning to his own contemplation of the ocean, a smile on his lips. He knew now. What mattered to the Straw Hat crew was the strength of its member's dreams.

I wonder what you think of this chapter!

It meant a lot to me because I think the chapter is important to understand the bond between Sanji and Zoro as well as the entire dynamic of the story. I hope you liked it!