One Piece Fan Fiction ❯ Broken, Only to Heal Again ❯ All hell breaks loose ( Chapter 3 )

CHAPTER 3

 

Sanji followed Zoro with uneasy steps. `What the hell is he talking about? Dreaming? What guy? I guess there was really someone watching him. I haven't seen him this worked up in years. The last time was when he saw Tashigi for the first time. He had nightmares about someone named Kuina after that. Luffy said she was his childhood friend that he made a promise to about becoming the greatest swordsman. He never seemed to want to talk about her. I wonder if this has anything to do with whatever happened to her.'

 

As they walked along, Zoro's steps seemed to even out. The sounds of the village grew distant behind them. He stopped at the edge of the docks to let Sanji catch up. Zoro's head hung low with the weight of his worries. They stood shoulder to shoulder staring at the sea. Sanji lit a cigarette and took a long, slow drag. Blowing smoke rings into the sky, he remained quiet. Time passed slowly for the two. Each lost in their own thoughts. The silence was oddly comfortable.

 

“I remember the first time I saw you,” began Zoro. Sanji's only visible eyebrow raised in question. “I thought you were nothing. Just a pretty boy in a flashy suit there to entertain the ladies. I thought you were weak. You got all mushy with one little look from Nami. You're a fool to be chasing her. All she thinks about is money. I'd be surprised if she could ever think of someone than herself. Women are all the same.” Zoro's brow furrowed and you could tell he was lost in thought again.

 

“You didn't seem like much to me either, ya know.” Sanji took another drag and began to make heart shaped smoke rings. “You were a buffoon, an uncouth sorry excuse of a human. Your ideas were illogical and stupid. I wanted to have the same courage, the same conviction you had. You had your dream and you were working toward it. When Mihawk struck you down, I thought you were a goner. Luffy had faith in you, though. Still does.”

 

Silence fell over the pair again. The only sounds were the waves crashing against the ships and beach. Sanji contemplated the information he had received this evening. `What the hell is going on? And, what am I suppose to do about it.' Sanji began to worry for him. Now he and Zoro might fight constantly, but when it came down to it, there wasn't anyone he would rather have at his side. Their relationship was in no way romantic, but he had to admit that there was a bond between them that went beyond nakama. Maybe Zoro was his best friend. Not exactly a brother, but someone close. He would admit that if he did swing that way, Zoro would definitely be at the top of the list of guys he found attractive. Sanji had an eye for beautiful things, and the image of Zoro bare-chested on the deck of the ship, swinging his weights, would easily fall under that category.

 

Maybe Zoro was attracted to that kind of lover. He never did see him with a woman. Even when they docked in port, he never saw Zoro go to any brothel or pleasure house, never picked up a woman at the bars, never even seemed to notice the lustful looks of the vendors in the markets. Could Zoro be asexual? The mens quarters were considered a “safe place” on the ship since the beginning. What happened there, stayed there. It was common for someone to be relieving themselves of some tension on the long nights at sea. Sanji himself had fallen to the basic desires on occasion. He'd heard Usopp a few times, and Luffy was never quiet about anything. But, Zoro? He could never remember hearing anything of that sort from the emotionally challenged man. Sanji chalked it up to Zoro's training. Maybe he conditioned himself to be that detached.

 

A small movement brought him out of his musings.

 

Zoro sighed. “We should probably go check on them. Luffy is quite a handful if he has too much to drink.”

 

Sanji nodded in agreement and turned back toward the village. “This way, marimo. Don't want you getting lost again. Luffy'd be pretty upset if I didn't bring you back tonight.”

 

“He'd only be upset because you wouldn't be able to cook for him because you'd be lookin' for me.” Zoro growled.

 

Sanji laughed and put his arm around Zoro's shoulder. “Come on. We could both use a good night's sleep.” Zoro couldn't help but agree. The stress of the day was catching up with him.

 

*********

 

Nami closed the door behind her. A shy smile on her face. `He's just so innocent it's cute,' she thought.

 

There on the bed in the middle of the room was Luffy, spread-eagle and grinning like an idiot. He was humming an unknown tune and tapping his feet along with the rhythm. Now, Luffy isn't the smartest person in the world, but he does have a strange instinct that allows him to have a keen insight into things that a normal person might not see.

 

For instance, he knew that something was off with Zoro the moment they stepped on the island. He didn't do anything about it because he had faith that Zoro would handle it or ask him for help. He also knew that Robin would always stay a step behind everyone on the ship. Not because she was slow by any means, but because she could always be counted on to watch everyone's back. She and Zoro may never get along, but they did respect each other's abilities. Sanji seemed to always go out of his way to flirt with any woman he could, but was never far from the rest of the crew. Whiskey Peak always seemed to be on his mind. Luffy knew Sanji would never let him down like that again. Usopp could always be counted on to run at the first sign of trouble, but he would come back and fight in his own way when things got out of hand. The ship's doctor never liked to be complimented or cuddled, but somehow Luffy always got away with it in the end. He knew that it was just the way Chopper was raised and that deep down inside the little reindeer was eating up all the attention.

 

Now we have Nami. Lately she'd been behaving odd toward Luffy. She would yell at him more when he didn't do anything, and less when he really needed to be scolded. She would give him more smiles, and even a quick hug before she departed for the night. Then there were the things she would say to him. And now, here she was in his room, acting drunk and very touchy. Luffy knew that Nami was flirting with him, he just didn't know what to do about it. He jumped off the bed and began to walk around the room. He knew he shouldn't have had so much to drink.

 

“Oi, Nami. Didn't we get enough rooms? I thought you were sharing a room with Robin. Did you two have a fight? You should go apologize. Everything will be OK then. How long do we have to stay here? Did you find out how long it will take for the log to set? Can we have an adventure while we are here? I wonder what kind of meat Sanji will buy for us at the market. Do you think it will rain while we're here? I wonder if Gold Roger stopped at this island while he was still alive. Can we…? Um, Nami?”

 

Nami had gotten tired of waiting for Luffy to quit rambling. She walked up to the captain and placed her hands, one on each side of his face, forcing him to look down at her.

 

“Do you know how angry you make me?” she began. Luffy's eyes got large and he shook his head. “I try and try to get your attention, but you always want to play and have fun instead. Well, tonight I'm not letting you out of this room without getting something straight.” At this, Nami brought her face up to his and the distance between their lips began to close.

 

CRASH!!

 

“By order of the Captain, I'm placing you under arrest, Monkey D. Luffy!” Marine guards burst into the room surrounding the couple. Nami was ripped away from Luffy and thrown against a wall, knocking her unconscious.

 

“Keep your hands off her” screamed Luffy. He began to draw his arms back. “Gomu Gomu no…”

 

A net made of sea-stone was tossed over Luffy's head rendering him defenseless.

 

Across the hall the ships gunner and doctor slept peacefully. Robin stood just inside her door down the hall listening and waiting. `Cook-san, please hurry.'

 

*********

 

As Sanji and Zoro approached the inn, they noticed the Marines stationed on both sides of the entrance. Unlike the ones from earlier, these were alert and ready, uniforms white and pressed. The men kept watch of the road. They seemed to be waiting for something. Guns were in hand and fingers ticked nervously at the triggers. The inn's desk attendant stood nearby, his body visibly shaking in fear. His eyes large and brimming with tears. This was not good. Why did no one inform them that there were Marines stationed here? Oh shit! Luffy! Nami! Everyone was in there.

 

Sanji and Zoro ducked into an alcove to assess the situation. “Oi, Zoro, how many do you see?”

 

“Just the two outside, but the way they're guarding the door I'd bet there are more inside.” Zoro swore under his breath. His mind clearing of the alcohol he consumed earlier, he began to think. “Do you think we can get in another way? We need to get the rest of them out of there.”

 

“Yah, but it needs to be done quietly. I don't know the condition of any of them. Like I said, when I left they were already quite happy.”

 

Just then the doors opened and a group of Marines exited carrying a large bundle with bare feet dangling out the end. The pirates looked at each other with determination. A silent plan formed between them. Sanji darted out into the road and caught the first man by surprise. Flipping gracefully to his hands, he took out half of the group with his powerful legs.

 

“Sergeant! We've got Roronoa. Fall back!”

 

Sanji paused to look back and deadpanned. There was Zoro being drug unconscious into the open. Sanji could see the blood dripping from a wound to the back of the head. A fist came from nowhere and sent him flying. Before he lost consciousness he tried to memorize their faces.

 

“The Captain will surely reward us for getting them both,” stated the marine. Echos of agreement floated through the men.

 

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