Chapter Text
“Zoro, wait!!” Nami groaned as she turned to the man standing beside her, watching Zoro near the thick treeline. “Please go with him. This island has nothing for us and my log pose is already almost set to the next island, I do not want to be stuck here for hours.”
Usopp whined and draped his torso over the railing. “Why can’t you make Sanji go? He never minds when you ask him to go after Zoro.”
“Because he’s cooking lunch and Zoro’s already almost out of sight! Go!” The frustration was clear in Nami’s voice as she shoved Usopp towards the ladder.
Usopp grumbled but complied, calling after Zoro irritatedly to slow down as he climbed off the side of the Sunny. The small island was covered in dense trees, but from the Crow’s Nest the far side could be seen, and it was only about 8 miles away. Nami hummed as she calculated in her mind. Probably about 11 miles from East to West. She turned and stepped towards the library, hoping to have a rough sketch done by the time Sanji finished lunch.
–
Usopp jogged on trembling legs after the swordsman, who was clearly intent on finding some kind of trouble. Luffy had already climbed over the entire island by the time the sun had fully risen, and had concluded that there was nothing except trees and bugs. The latter he became enraptured with, and he and Usopp had spent the morning making little homes for them. Until Zoro ran off and Nami sent Usopp after him. He hoped Luffy wasn’t messing up his creations too much.
Luffy hadn’t seen anything dangerous on the island, but there was some kind of energy around making Usopp nervous. The bright midday sun was gleaming through the spaces in between the trees, filtering soft light around. It looked like a calm paradise, but Usopp couldn’t help but feel like something was off.
“Is there a smell?” He wondered to himself as he followed Zoro’s loud footsteps. He sniffed, and smelled nothing but dirt and leaves. He heard Zoro make a turn to the left, so he veered to the side and sped up, hoping to cut the swordsman off so he could bring him back to the ship. He burst through a velvety bush into the clearing Zoro was walking through, successfully gaining his attention before the ground suddenly fell out from under him.
“Oi! Zor-AGH!” Usopp landed with an echoed thud several feet down. The ground under him was hard, and the sniper gasped for air as the wind was knocked out of him.
“Usopp?” Zoro’s green fuzz of hair became recognizable as Usopp’s vision cleared. He was peering down from the hole that Usopp had fallen through. “You alright?”
Usopp assessed his condition. Shaken, but uninjured. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just find a strong vine or branch or something and-” Usopp squawked as Zoro’s boots thumped beside him. “Oh, come on, man! How are we gonna get out of here now?”
Usopp groaned and stood, eyes widening as he glanced around. He finally noticed that the ground he had landed on was metal, as well as the walls to the square room they were in.
“Oh shit-”
There was about half of a ladder leading through the hole Usopp had fallen through. The wood was rotten and had peeled away from the lower portion. There was a single rusty door on one wall, and Zoro began walking toward it.
“No no no, Zoro, we can just leave!” Usopp stumbled after Zoro anyway, wishing he didn’t feel safest around the man who only searched out trouble. The swordsman ignored him and reached out to grab the door handle. His face pulled into a grimace as he struggled to turn the rusty knob, finally succeeding as a loud creak reverberated around the room.
“Ok, that’s cool! A long, dark hallway. We’ve seen it, we can go now!” Usopp grabbed Zoro’s forearm and tried to pull him away from the corridor on the other side.
“Oi, come on, don’t be a coward,” Zoro grunted, glaring at the sniper. “It looks abandoned, let’s just look around.” Zoro reached around the corner of the door and flicked a lightswitch, stark white light flickering to life and illuminating several doors on either side of the hallway.
“I bet Luffy would want to explore with you! Let’s go back to the Sunny and get him!”
“What, so Nami can set sail before we get a chance to find him? Come on, we’ll find something cool and then everyone will want to come see.” Zoro grinned and continued forward despite the added weight of Usopp clinging to his bicep.
Usopp let out a long whimper, begrudgingly using his feet to march beside Zoro.
They passed by a few open doors, and Usopp clung tighter to Zoro as they paused at each one. The rooms were fairly similar, each containing two bare beds, a toilet, and a sink. Their footsteps echoed around the eerily silent hallway. Usopp counted 18 rows of these empty rooms before they stopped at the closed door at the end of the passage. Zoro pushed it open and they walked into what appeared to be an old science lab. Dark screens were sat on long desks, any snails attached long gone. A large glass tube filled with bubbling liquid loomed in the center of the room. Behind it were several cases of glass vials, some cracked, some empty, and a few containing something they couldn’t see from where they stood.
Zoro left Usopp by the door to walk around the tube and curiously pick up one of the vials. He turned it, leaning closer to get a better look when it seemed to explode in his hands. Usopp shrieked, peeking through his fingers. Zoro had dropped the shards of glass, and Usopp saw a silvery streak wriggling, before it disappeared behind the swordsman’s arm.
“Fuck!” Zoro uttered, grabbing at the inside of his elbow.
“WHAT?” Usopp screamed. “What is it?!”
Zoro grunted, shaking his arm. “Nothing,” he mumbled, turning his arm around and looking closely at it. “C’mon, let’s get back to the Sunny. I already owe Nami enough debt, I don't wanna raise it by being out here too long.”
“Don’t gotta tell me twice.” Usopp ignored the strangeness of the swordsman’s sudden mood change, he just turned and bolted back down the hallway. He was surprised that Zoro was close behind him by the time he made it back to the hole he had initially fallen in; at least the idiot didn’t get distracted by something else terrifying.
Usopp grabbed a ball out of his bag as Zoro shoved the door shut. He slammed it onto the ground, a giant leggy plant growing instantly. Usopp began to climb quickly, hearing Zoro’s boots scraping on the plant behind him. He had to redirect the swordsman towards the southern shore once they were out, and he kept a firm grip on his sleeve the whole way back.
–
Luffy called out to them as they neared the inlet where the Sunny was docked.
“Oi!! Usopp! The big beetle escaped!”
Sanji stood beside him. His blonde hair was a mess and there was fury in his eyes.
“Usopp, get your ass up here and find Luffy’s disgusting, stupid bugs!!” He shouted, and Zoro snickered. The shitty cook was terrified of the tiniest of bugs. Zoro heard Luffy cackle as he followed Usopp onto the boat, relieved that he scurried off without mention of the abandoned lab. Zoro wasn’t sure exactly how much the sniper had seen, but he didn’t need him worrying the rest of the crew. The tiny wiggly thing that had buried itself inside Zoro’s arm probably wasn’t even harmful. He could deal with it if anything happened.
“We’re setting off!” Zoro heard Nami yell, and he breathed a sigh of relief. No need for anyone else to waste time going to that underground place.
“Hey.” Zoro jumped at the voice that was suddenly next to him.
“What’s your deal?” The cook asked, leaning against the railing beside Zoro. “Something happen?”
Zoro cursed the man who somehow knew him so well. Sanji watched him for a moment, staring into his face like he would be able to see the words Zoro refused to say etched across his face if he looked long enough. He turned away so the blonde wouldn’t see the blush rising on his cheeks. “No,” he responded succinctly.
“Hmm,” Sanji hummed, lighting a cigarette and pausing to breathe out the smoke. It swirled around them, the smell making Zoro’s nose twitch. He made a show of coughing, always happy to take Chopper’s side and do anything to piss off the cook. It also helped ease the tension he was beginning to feel in such close proximity to the other man. Sanji rolled his eyes and blew a second puff into Zoro’s face. “Just wanted to let you know your food is in the kitchen, asshole. You and Usopp missed lunch.”
“Oh, right,” Zoro said, noticing only now that his stomach was rumbling. He walked off without another word, ignoring Sanji’s shouts of insult. Something about needing to learn manners. He grinned, and did end up thanking the cook silently as the always delicious and filling meal passed his lips.
~
“Stupid moss brain.” Sanji pushed himself away from the railing as he finished his cigarette. He stamped it out on the wood and walked back towards the galley, hoping Zoro was already done and had left. Something had him spooked but he wouldn’t say what. Zoro never let conversations sit for long, and especially not with Sanji. He always had to turn to a fight to let his swords or fists do the talking. Okay, it’s possible it’s only Sanji that he refuses to converse with. Maybe Usopp knew what was up with him.
Thankfully the dining room was empty of mossy hair and Usopp was sitting alone at the table, finishing the last bite of his rice. Sanji walked up to him, holding him to his seat with a glare. Usopp looked back at him with wide eyes.
“What?” He asked, sipping the pineapple juice Sanji had given him to pair with the teriyaki sauce the chicken had been dipped in.
Sanji narrowed his eyes. “Something happened on the island.”
Usopp chuckled nervously, peering over Sanji’s shoulder out the window. After a moment, his gaze shifted back to Sanji’s face. “Yeah, Zoro found this weird abandoned lab thing underground. Too bad we’re too far away now to go back.”
Sanji opened his mouth to chide the sniper for not speaking up earlier, but a serene voice cut him off.
“Oh my, now that does sound interesting. Was there anything inside?” Robin, who was followed closely by Luffy, sat down at the seat across from where Sanji was standing.
Usopp shrugged, wiping his face and piling his dishes. “Not really. A bunch of empty bedrooms and some broken computers. Zoro touched something but it immediately broke, so he left it there.” Sanji rolled his eyes. Of course.
“Awwww, why didn’t you tell me about it before! I wanna see the secret underground lair,” Luffy pouted.
Usopp glanced at the others with a guilty look. “Oops, I guess I got so distracted helping you find the bug that I forgot!”
Sanji rolled his eyes at the sniper before standing to take his dishes to the sink so he could finish washing them. That still didn’t explain why Zoro was being weird, but maybe Sanji was wrong about him. Maybe Zoro was just a little spooked by the place, too. Sanji grinned. What a wonderful opportunity for teasing.
–
Unfortunately the teasing would have to wait as a storm stirred up as they sailed closer to the next island. Sanji grit his teeth as he struggled to keep his grip on the soggy rope.
Zoro grunted from beside him as the Sunny jolted when it hit a wave. His face was pale as Sanji looked over, but he didn’t have time to question his well being when a huge wave poured over the side of the ship.
“Shit-” Sanji dropped the rope and leapt towards Nami’s scream. He carefully grabbed her, trusting Zoro to catch Chopper who had also gone flying across the deck. Together they set their crewmates near a railing for them to hold onto, racing back to continue pulling up the sail.
Luffy laughed from somewhere above him, and Sanji wished he could be that carefree. Instead he winced and wrapped his torn sleeves around his palms to avoid tearing the skin. He needed his hands to be safe. He handed his rope to Franky when the cyborg came racing over to take it from him so Sanji could run inside when Nami called his name. A pair of strong hands appeared at the helm to take Franky’s place.
Nami was leaning over a table, calling out directions to the woman sitting with her eyes closed beside her. Nami wiped her hand across her forehead, trying to get the dripping orange hair out of her eyes.
“Robin, a little to port! Sanji, can you please hold the table still, I can’t see shit!”
Sanji burst forward, happily agreeing. This was the best case scenario; he got to be out of the rain, and helping the girls!
Soon, the wind began to calm and Nami breathed a sigh of relief. She informed them they were just about out of the storm and could continue on soon.
Sanji carefully released the table as the ship’s rocking slowed. He took a deep breath and asked both girls if they were okay. Nami responded absentmindedly, and Robin assured him they both were with a smile. Sanji turned to the door to check on the others when it swung open and nearly hit him in the face.
“Woah, watch it, mosshead,” Sanji snapped at the man as he stomped by.
“Shut up, shit-cook.” Sanji sneered at the man as he walked past Sanji and into the boy’s dorm. His eyebrows were furrowed deeply as if he were in pain, and Sanji wondered if he had burned his hands on the rope. Whatever, he could take care of himself. Sanji scoffed and continued outside and was greeted by Luffy’s cheers and the rest of his crew in various states of exhaustion.
~~
The next island, if you had asked Luffy, would be considered extremely boring. To Sanji and anyone with half a brain, it was very convenient. The medium sized town had almost all the supplies they needed, and enough things to substitute that they would be well off for a while. The only major stuff they would be missing were a few things Chopper needed for the infirmary, but he was sure he could make do until the next town.
“Come on, numbskull, we’re almost back. Don’t go getting lost now.” Sanji pulled Zoro forward when he started to lag behind again.
“Let go, Curly. I’m coming,” Zoro hissed, finally picking up his pace. They stepped back onto the ship, and Sanji stopped to greet Robin, who was waiting on the deck with Brook and Chopper. Sanji could hear distant bangs coming from below, so he figured Usopp and Luffy were still in the workshop, making god knows what.
Zoro headed straight to the kitchen without a single glance around. Sanji rolled his eyes and waved a kiss goodbye at Robin, and followed him to put away the groceries. He entered to see Zoro sitting at the table, apparently falling asleep with his head laying on his arms, a pile of bags thrown on the floor of the kitchen.
“Geez, couldn’t even set them on the counter, you lazy oaf?”
Zoro didn’t respond except to raise one hand and flip Sanji off. The cook huffed and ignored the action, instead stepping forward to begin organizing. He thought for a moment about asking the swordsman to get off his ass and help, but realized it would go a lot faster and things would actually get put in their proper place if he did it himself. Especially since Zoro had been in such a nasty mood.
Once he finished organizing to the lovely sound of Zoro’s snores, Sanji quickly got started on dinner. He would never admit to anyone that truly, Zoro’s sounds of sleep filled him with a comfort he hadn’t felt since the Baratie . Something about having someone you trust able to feel safe enough to be willingly unconscious in your space made him feel loved. He hurried to finish cooking despite the domestic feeling of the galley; the sun was getting low in the sky and it was only a matter of time before Luffy came prancing into the kitchen.
He had Brook call everyone in once the grilled chicken and mixed local vegetables were plated and on the table. He knocked his knee against Zoro’s side, ignoring the angry yelp that resulted.
Zoro sat up and accepted his plate without any more complaint as the rest of the crew started to filter in. Chopper bounced up and down in his chair as he excitedly rambled about the sweet treats that Franky had convinced Nami to bring back for him.
“And my favorite one!” He yelled, waving his arms around. “Was this one that had raspberry filling and a really nice-”
Zoro’s head was hung low and he mumbled under his breath. Chopper evidently didn’t hear him as he kept going, until Zoro whipped his head up and snarled.
“Will you shut up?!”
The entire room froze. Chopper’s eyes filled with tears and Robin looked uncharacteristically livid. Sanji turned to Zoro and opened his mouth to yell, pausing when he saw Zoro’s wide eye.
“Shit, I’m so sorry, Chopper.” Zoro blinked and his hand came up to rub his temple. “I’ve had this massive headache, but that doesn’t excuse-”
“Zoro!!” Chopper cried, and Sanji saw Zoro wince and prepare for the scolding he knew he deserved. “You have to tell me these things. I am your doctor!” Zoro looked up in surprise. Clearly he expected Chopper to be mad about the yelling. “How long have you had it?” Chopper asked, all tears gone.
“Um… I don’t know, a few days?” Zoro responded.
“ Zoro!! ” Chopper shouted again. “How bad is it?”
Zoro was staring down at his plate, blinking harshly.
“Zoro?” Nami nudged him.
“What?” He glanced back up at the reindeer.
“You can’t even focus on what I’m saying!” Chopper said in exasperation. “I asked how bad it is.”
“Oh…” Zoro paused, his knuckles turning white where they were gripping his fork. “It’s pretty bad.”
The small conversations that had restarted quickly died out again. Zoro? Admitting the pain is bad? Sanji thought to himself. Shit, it must really be bad.
Chopper must’ve had the same thoughts because his jaw was hanging. He slowly pushed his chair back, lowering his voice as he changed to his humanoid form.
“Okay… Let’s get you to the infirmary, alright?” Chopper walked over and carefully took Zoro’s arm. “I’ll help you.”
Zoro nodded slightly and said nothing, accepting Chopper’s help as he supported him to the infirmary.
Sanji blinked in surprise . Did Zoro just willingly go to the infirmary? Was his head really hurting that bad? Sanji glanced around guiltily. I wouldn’t have made him a pack mule today- He didn’t say anything!
The rest of the crew looked equally as shocked.
“Well that was weird,” Franky noted as he resumed eating.
“Quite,” Robin said, her eyebrows still furrowed. “I’m glad our little doctor wasn’t hurt by Zoro’s outburst. I suppose he had a reason.”
“Still didn’t need to yell,” Sanji muttered under his breath. The conversation slowly turned to other things as Luffy reached across and grabbed Zoro’s food, cackling at Sanji’s chastising remarks.
–
Chopper ended up giving Zoro pain medicine, since there wasn’t anything he could immediately tell was wrong. Zoro fell asleep soon after the pain lifted.
“There’s no way for me to get a scan of his brain right now since this island doesn’t have a lot that can help us in that way. I’ll have to keep an eye on his condition until we get somewhere with more medical knowledge.” The doctor was clearly anxious, and even Sanji could agree he had never seen Zoro quite like this.
It was late when Chopper came to inform them of what was going on, and many of the Straw Hats had already gone to bed. Robin, Luffy, and Sanji were the only ones waiting in the galley when he returned. Sanji handed him a snack since he had missed dinner, and the reindeer smiled sleepily.
“I’m sure he’s fine,” Sanji said, returning the smile softly. “He’s an idiot and probably just drank too much. I bet he’ll be back to normal in the morning.”
Sure enough, the next morning Zoro was back to his usual self, trying to sneak out of the infirmary before Chopper could check on him.
Zoro groaned as Chopper sat him back down and pushed the thermometer under his tongue.
“Do you have any residual pain?”
“ Oh, I oo hot.”
Chopper removed the thermometer, sighing as he checked it. “What?”
“No, I do not,” Zoro repeated, although much more understandable without the glass in his mouth.
“Okay, well you don’t have a fever or anything. Just let me know if the headache comes back at all, alright?”
“Sure.” Zoro stood as Chopper turned to his desk.
Before he could walk any further away, the doctor spoke up again.
“Zoro, next time please tell me before it gets that bad.”
Zoro’s shoulders sagged with guilt. He really hadn’t meant to shout at him, the pain in his head had just built up nonstop for days, and it all came crashing down at once when the doctor’s excited yelling increased the ache tenfold. “Of course. I’m so sorry that I-”
“I’m not mad about that,” Chopper said seriously, turning and looking Zoro in the eye. “I just need to know how to best take care of you all, okay?”
Zoro nodded and got a sweet smile in return. He left the infirmary and walked into the galley, hoping Sanji remembered he didn’t have dinner.
Of course he knew. He always remembered. As much as he struggled to remain in the presence of him without turning to a fight to avoid letting himself acknowledge the feelings that grew when he was near him, Zoro never took for granted what Sanji did for the crew. Keeping up with Luffy’s appetite alone is an inhuman feat, not to mention memorizing everyone’s eating patterns and knowing how many different kinds of nutrients to give them. Sanji turned to watch him enter, pouring batter into a pan.
“Feeling better?” He asked, and Zoro shrugged.
“Pain’s gone. ‘M hungry though.”
Sanji laughed, a quick snort of a sound. “‘Course you are. Chopper took you away at the beginning of dinner and you passed out before you could eat. Your pancakes are almost done, the toppings are still on the table.”
Zoro looked down as he sat. Sure enough, there was an assortment of fruits in nearly empty bowls and sticky syrup covered most of the table. Zoro’s mouth watered at the sight. Damn, he was hungry.
Sanji came by and set down a plate with a buttery stack of pancakes.
“Here. And before you ask, no, I’m not giving you alcohol. Doctor’s orders, and they’re strict.”
“That’s fine.” Zoro didn’t know why, but he didn’t feel the need to argue. He didn’t even really want alcohol at the moment, just his pancakes. He grabbed the bottle of pure maple syrup and dumped some on, drowning the fluffy cakes.
From the counter, Sanji watched him stuff his mouth with a pinched face.
“Since when do you like syrup on your pancakes? I was about to put the shit away when you came in.”
Zoro shrugged again. “‘Dunno. Wanted some today.”
Sanji squinted in suspicion. “And no complaints about alcohol?” Sanji leaned forward and grabbed the bottle, holding it close to his face and sniffing.
“Wha the ‘ell are oo doin’?” Zoro asked, his mouth sticky and full of sweetness.
Sanji sneered at him and set the bottle down. “Making sure you didn’t spike the syrup.” He leaned forward, watching Zoro closely. “You’re being weird today.”
Zoro frowned and stuck his tongue out, covered in chewed food.
“ Gross !! Mosshead!” He effectively made Sanji give up and walk away. Honestly, he couldn’t explain the change either, but he had just been in bad pain for almost a week. Give him a break. Maybe his blood sugar was low. But Chopper had just checked, and it was fine. Zoro shook his head and decided not to think too hard about it.
–
Unfortunately, his choice to be ignorant did not extend to the rest of the crew, and it took two days and Chopper’s insistence that he could drink again before the crew began to do their own speculating.
Luffy leaned forward until he was just a few centimeters from Zoro’s face, which would be unsettling from his spot across the room if his crew didn’t know him so well.
“Zoro always wants a drink!” He stated, and Zoro shoved his face away lightly.
“Not today, I’m good.”
He distantly heard Sanji scoff from the kitchen as Nami also leaned closer to him, from a much more reasonable distance.
“What, are you going sober?” She asked in a disbelieving tone.
Zoro shook his head, grabbing a white chocolate truffle from the counter that Sanji had made earlier in the day. “Nah, just don’t want a drink tonight, I’m not sure why-”
“This is exactly what I was talking about, my dear.” Sanji sauntered up to the table to set Nami and Robin’s plates down. Talking about? Zoro wondered.
“Yes, I see now.” Robin smiled knowingly at Zoro. He paused mid chew, her gaze freezing him in place.
“What?” He asked dumbly.
“You,” Sanji marched over to him aggressively. “Never refuse alcohol, and have never liked my truffles. Maybe some of the dark chocolate ones, but not this.” He gestured to the pale cream still smeared on Zoro’s fingers.
Zoro’s face scrunched in anger. “Well maybe my tastes have changed!”
“Dude, you’re like, the most predictable guy I know,” Franky chimed in. “Sorry man, but this is weird.”
Zoro crossed his arms, glaring across the table at his crewmates who were watching him curiously. “I don’t know! I just feel like eating this today.” He closed his eye in frustration as his voice shook, exposing the nerves he was so desperate to believe weren’t there. Truthfully, everything in him told him to accept the alcohol, but ever since his headache, he just couldn’t get his arms to reach out and take it. He’s pretty sure he didn’t tell them to eat that damn chocolate either.
“Zoro?” A quiet voice piped up. Zoro opened his eye to look at Chopper, who was watching him with a worried look. “What’s wrong?”
Zoro took a deep breath and forced his body to relax. “Nothing’s wrong . I’m eating and staying hydrated just like always, why do you care how I do it?”
“Okay, first of all, alcohol seventeen times a day is not staying hydrated-” Sanji began, but Chopper put his hoof up to stop him.
“A change in appetite can mean a lot of things. If you’re sick or have an infection, I should give you medicine.”
“If you want to check me out, that’s fine, but I’m telling you there’s nothing wrong. Can it at least wait until after dinner?” Zoro pleaded, hoping the doctor would just forget by then.
“Of course! Unless you’re actively dying, I’m not gonna force you to do anything.” Chopper sat up and eagerly grabbed his silverware as Sanji brought out the rest of the crew’s food. “Honestly I should count my blessings, your liver will be glad for the break. Now if only you could spread it to Sanji and he would stop smoking…”
The table erupted into laughter, and Zoro smiled despite himself. He scratched absently at his inner elbow as everyone began eating and talking over each other.
~~
Usopp awoke with a start. He sat up slowly, wondering what had been the cause of his early rising. He looked to the side and nearly screamed when he saw a dark figure standing over him in the dim light of dawn. He sighed in relief and his shoulders dropped their tension when he made out the short green hair, but paused when he noticed two drawn swords.
“Uh, Zoro? Dude?” Usopp blinked. “What’s going on?” He dropped his voice to a harsh whisper. “Shit, are we under attack?” He moved to pull his blankets back but stopped when the swords clanged loudly to the floor.
“Mmmf- U’spp? Bro, what’s going on-” There was shuffling from a few feet away in Franky’s bed, and Luffy and Chopper, cuddled warmly around each other, began moving too.
“Zoro?” Usopp blinked tiredly, squinting in confusion.
“I… I don’t…” The swordsman stepped back awkwardly, stumbling over his own foot and crashing to the ground with a noise of surprise rushing from his lungs. “I didn’t…” Zoro rubbed his eye. “I think I was sleepwalking. I don’t remember coming over here.”
Usopp curled back into his bed, pulling his knees to his chest. “WELL DON’T DO THAT AGAIN. THAT’S TERRIFYING.”
Luffy burst into laughter from his bed, and Franky and Chopper joined once they saw there was no imminent danger. Zoro mumbled an apology under his breath and scrambled to grab his swords and get back in bed.
Zoro laid still as the snores from his crew filled the air again, but Zoro was far from sleep. He never lost control of himself like that. He didn’t even remember having a dream. But he had woken up drawing his swords. He felt his arms move to pull them out, and he definitely did not tell them to do that. Something was wrong, and he needed to tell someone before something terrible happened.
–
The weather seemed to be against the Straw Hats as another storm began to swell the next morning. This one gave an earlier indication of starting, and Nami knew she could lead them out of it quickly. A dense fog covered the air, and Nami squinted at her map as she worked to navigate without sight.
“Zoro! Sanji!” She called out over the roaring wind. “Raise the sail! Franky, hard to port! Luffy, make sure Brook gets inside before he blows away!”
Sanji found himself beside the mosshead again, pulling hard on the rope. He heard a faint yohoho~ carried in the wind. He turned to grin at Zoro, ready to make some quip and try to rile him up, but stopped short when he saw the swordsman drop his line.
“Ey? What are you doing, idiot? Nami told us to-”
“Fuck, not now!” He heard Zoro cry as he folded his arms.
“What are you talking about? Grab that-”
Zoro looked at him, a wild look in his eye. And was that… fear?
“I can’t- I don’t know-”
Sanji rolled his eyes. “Just grab the rope and pull, we’ve done this a thousand times!”
“They won’t listen to me!” Zoro’s voice nearly broke.
“What, your arms?”
To his surprise, Zoro nodded.
“The fuck do you mean your arms won’t listen to you?” Sanji yelled.
“I don’t know! It’s been happening the past couple days, I’ve been meaning to- Luffy! Come grab this rope!” Apparently the swordsman was willing to put aside his pride to make sure the crew made it through the storm.
“It’s been happening? And you haven’t said anything?” Sanji shouted indignantly. Luffy came running and he and Sanji finished raising the sails as Franky steered them clear of the rough waves.
“Marimo, wait-” Sanji turned to follow Zoro as he nearly bolted back inside, but Robin’s sweet voice held him back. “Talk to Chopper!” He shouted instead, immediately rushing to the lady’s aid.
Sanji stumbled as the entire ship shook, rumbling to a harsh stop. Several hands caught him before he fell completely on his ass, and he thanked Robin as she walked up to him.
“Not a problem, Sanji-san. It appears that we have crashed against an island that was hidden in the fog.” She gestured behind Sanji and he turned to see the dark shape of an island looming over the ship.
“Huh. Look at that.” It was strange how impossible it had been to see through the thick mist. He couldn’t tell if it was inhabited; it was still too hard to see anything beyond the rail of the Sunny.
“Perhaps we should give our dear skeleton friend a head’s up, I imagine it may bring back some difficult memories.” Robin had that calm yet terrifying neutral expression on her face. Sanji remembered the thick air around the Florian Triangle, and shuddered to imagine their crewmate lost there for 50 years, alone.
“Robinn!!” Nami came crashing through and into the arms of the older woman. “Fuck, I’m so sorry, I had no idea there was an island here! My log pose isn’t pointing to it at all!”
“Now, that is quite interesting,” Robin said, gently patting Nami’s hair.
“Nami, what the hell?” A shout came from above them. Franky peered over the side of the railing.
“Hey, watch your mouth!” Sanji yelled back, but Nami shushed him.
“I’m sorry, Franky! I had no idea there was an island there!” She cried apologetically.
“OOOOOH!!” Sanji grimaced as he heard his captain bounce to the side of the Sunny . “A mystery island!”
“Luffy, we should probably- well, he’s gone.” Sanji sighed as he watched the rubbery boy shoot himself far into the distance. “Who’s going on the Luffy returning mission?”
Nami and Robin stared at him impassively, and Sanji gave in immediately. “Of course, my dears, I will go if it would make your lives easier!” He reached out, hoping to take their hands to press gentle kisses to their knuckles.
Robin chuckled and shook her head. “It actually wouldn’t be a bad idea if a few members of the crew went. Who knows what horrible things could be on that island, we don’t want anyone being stuck alone, now do we?”
Nami shivered. “What… What kind of things do you think could be over there?”
“Anything,” Robin said flatly, then she grinned. “There could be any number of man-eating creatures, or pirates. However, there could also be mountains of treasure.”
“Treasure?” Nami perked up. “Okay… Maybe I’ll go too. But I’m making Sanji and Zoro both come with me!”
“As you wish, my dear.” Sanji bowed low, suddenly remembering the mosshead’s predicament. Hopefully Chopper had already figured him out. “Excuse me, my angels.”
Sanji turned and sprinted inside where he had seen Zoro disappear. He threw open the door, calling out as he went.
“Oi! Marimo!” He stopped when he saw Chopper and Brook sitting at the table together. “Chopper, did the mosshead talk to you yet?”
“No?” Chopper sounded confused. “Why, what’s wrong?”
“Damn idiot,” Sanji mumbled, marching to the boys’ dorm.
He slammed open the door and walked over to rip the blankets off of Zoro, who was curled up in his bed. “I told you to talk to Chopper.”
“I was working on it,” Zoro hissed. He sat up harshly and his eye widened, seemingly surprised by the movement.
“Zoro? What’s wrong?” Chopper and Brook had followed Sanji, and Chopper ran forward to Zoro’s bed, climbing up so he could get a closer look at the man.
“It’s not a big deal-”
“ NOT a big deal?! Marimo, you told me you couldn’t control your arms!”
“You can’t control your arms? What do you mean?” Chopper questioned, gently picking up Zoro’s arm. “Does it feel like weakness?”
Zoro shrugged. “I dunno. Not really? It’s hard to explain.” He lifted his arms and opened and closed his fists a few times. “It’s gone now. I don’t know how long before it’ll happen again.”
“You think it will happen again?” Chopper asked to clarify.
Zoro shrugged again. “Probably. It’s come and gone a few times.”
“ Zorooo… ” Chopper said in a long whine. “How long has this been happening? I told you to tell me!”
Zoro opened his hands in defense. “Not that long! I didn’t even really notice at first, I was about to come talk to you!”
Sanji snorted in exasperation. “What the hell were you doing falling asleep in your bed then?”
Zoro glowered at him. “Waiting to be able to walk in there.”
Sanji scoffed. Chopper began asking more questions so Sanji turned and stomped out of the room. His angry mumbling stopped abruptly when he saw Nami and Robin standing at the counter.
“Is Zoro ready?” Nami asked as she finished emptying out a large bag. “I wanna go find treasure! …And get Luffy back, of course.”
“I’m so sorry to disappoint you, my lovely, but it seems that our resident swordsman will be unable to join us today. Don’t worry,” he added. “Chopper’s talking to him. I’m sure it’s no big deal. But don’t fear, nothing will harm you while I’m by your side!”
“Uh huh,” Nami said, looking over Sanji’s shoulder. “Hey Brook!” She called. “Wanna go help us find Luffy?”
“Yohoho!” Sanji heard the skeleton step up behind him. “Sure, it does sound fun.”
“Great! We’re leaving in a few.” Nami looked back at Sanji with only the slightest guilt. “Sorry Sanji-kun, but I’ll feel better with more of us.”
“It’s alright dear, I understand.” Sanji nodded, thinking to himself. “After all, if we have to split up, I won’t be able to leave your side.”
She patted his cheek. “Good thinking, don’t you dare leave me alone out there.”
A blush rose up on Sanji’s cheeks and he nearly toppled over. “Ah, right, let me just… I’ll whip up some food for us really quick!” He bolted into the kitchen before his nose could begin to drip. It took him approximately ten minutes to complete their lunches, and he left a note for those staying to reheat theirs when they were hungry.
They waved goodbye to the crew as they stepped off the ship, asking Franky if he needed them to bring back any wood. He was hard at work fixing the damage the Sunny took when she hit the island.
“Nah,” he said, wiping his forehead. “There’s plenty nearby I can get. You guys have fun!”
The three of them set off across a grassy field. The fog was finally beginning to lift, and sunlight began to warm them as the trees thickened around them and they neared the shadowy woods.
–
It seemed that Robin might be wrong in her guess that there would be many dangerous beasts on the island, however her guess of treasure was also not looking good. Nami huffed as they kept hiking through the serene forest.
Eventually they began to hear the sounds of people. They stepped into a clearing and saw the bustling of a small village. Sanji noticed the smell of food cooking, and saw a hearty stew bubbling over a fire. The villagers were chatting amongst each other, and smiled as Sanji waved politely.
An older woman in a long purple dress approached them.
“Hello. It’s quite rare that we get outsiders here. You wouldn’t happen to be with the stretchy boy who came through not long ago?”
Nami sighed in resignation. “Yeah, we’re with him. What did he do? My friends here will help fix any damages.”
The woman laughed lightly. “Oh no, it’s quite the contrary! He actually managed to help us kill the beast that’s been bothering us for some time. If there’s anything we can do for you, just let us know. In fact, our midday meal will be done soon, if you would like some.”
“Yoho, that does sound delightful!” The woman seemed to be taking the sight of a talking skeleton quite well.
Sanji bowed low. “Thank you, I would love to try some of your cuisine. However, you don’t happen to know where the stretchy boy is now, do you?”
“Of course! He seemed to be quite interested in a trail of ants that had found their way to our storage. He followed their line down that way.” She pointed to the far side of the village.
“Excuse me for asking, but you said there was a beast? Are there more?” Nami asked with a slight shake in her voice.
The woman shook her head. “No, they don’t come this far. The one bothering us was a special case, and as I said, your captain already took care of it.”
Nami exhaled in relief. “Oh, good.” She turned to the two crewmates with her. “C’mon, let’s go get him.”
The woman waved kindly at them. “We’ll be sure to save you a bowl!”
Sanji nodded in appreciation and followed Nami towards where Luffy had gone. The villagers they passed by looked at them with careful curiosity, and Sanji returned their smiles with his own.
They found and followed the trail of large ants leading from the storage building, noting the sandal shaped footprints walking beside it. Sanji tried not to look too closely at the bugs and stared ahead as Nami and Brook tracked them. They walked for about a mile before they found Luffy squating next to a large dirt hill. He was poking it with a stick, giggling and jumping back a few feet every now and then.
“Luffy!” Sanji called, rolling his eyes as his captain jumped. “C’mon, Franky will fix the Sunny soon, let’s eat lunch and then head back.” There was no doubt in Sanji’s mind that Luffy would happily eat whatever the villagers kindly offered, as well as all the lunches Sanji packed for the three who came to collect him.
Luffy pouted from where he was, but then lifted his nose and began sniffing.
“Oh, perfect!” He bounded forward and reached into Sanji’s bag, the man sputtering in response. He pulled out the lunches and opened one, immediately digging in. “Thanks, Sanji, I was getting hungry!”
“You idiot, let’s eat back at the village!”
“Come on Luffy, I didn’t see any treasure here and I don’t want to overstay our welcome. I want to go back to the Sunny. ” Nami crossed her arms.
Luffy huffed and sat down hard. “I’m not done playing with the ants, though. I’m gonna find the queen!”
Nami looked up at the sky and sighed, shaking her head. “Sanji-kun, would you mind escorting me back to the Sunny ? Luffy can finish whatever he’s doing and we can try to leave before dinner.”
“I can’t leave before dinner, Nad-y said she’d cook the big bear for me!”
“Who?” Sanji couldn’t help asking.
“The lady at the village! I killed this giant bear and she said it’s been bothering them so she said she’d cook it for me as thanks tonight!”
“Fine. Sanji-kun, we can go back to the ship and get the others. We can all stay here tonight, the villagers seem kind, and maybe they have a secret treasure they wouldn’t mind handing over for Luffy’s hard work.”
“As you wish, my dear.” Sanji turned to the skeleton who was pretending he wasn’t also interested in the ants. “Brook, you stay here and make sure Luffy goes back to the village when he’s done. Nami-san and I will be back with the others by tonight.”
The musician nodded and knelt down beside Luffy, quietly humming a new song that definitely had the word ants in it that he and Luffy would probably be singing for days after this. Sanji rolled his eyes as he and Nami headed back to the village through the lush green woods.
–
‘Nad-y’, it turned out, was actually called ‘Nadia’, and she made an incredible stew. The broth was rich and thick, and the boar meat had been simmered to melty perfection. Sanji and Nami were overflowing with compliments and were happy to chat with the villagers as they ate. Sanji laughed and felt a little like Usopp as he explained a few of their adventures to the captivated listeners.
Eventually, they had to leave with a promise to be back before dinner. Nami seemed to have the same happy bounce in her step that Sanji felt, and they talked casually together as they walked back to the shore where the Sunny had crashed.
As the ship came into sight, Sanji could immediately feel something was wrong. Franky should have already fixed the small amount of damage the Sunny had taken, but it seemed like no progress had been made since they left that morning.
“Nami-san, wait.” Sanji held his arm out in front of her, her long tangerine hair brushing against it. “Something’s not right.”
Nami must’ve sensed the same thing, because she nodded slightly and stepped back to put herself behind him. Sanji stepped forward carefully, calling up as he glanced around.
“Oi! Franky! Robin-chan! Everyone alright?”
There was no answer and Sanji turned to Nami.
“Let’s go up. Stay close to me, okay?” Once Nami acknowledged that she heard, he gently picked her up. He skywalked to the deck, setting her down just as softly. He saw the shocked look on her face before he saw the blood.
“Oh god…” Nami whispered. The crimson liquid was splattered across the deck, getting heavier as it got nearer to the door. Sanji raced forward, Nami right on his heels. He tried to use his observation haki to feel where any intruders might be, but all he could feel were the energies of his crew. Fuck , their fading energies.
He burst into the aquarium, nearly gagging at the sight before him. He heard Nami scream as she took in the sight of their crewmates, unconscious on the floor and covered in cuts. Blood dripped down the side of the glass of the aquarium, and Robin was slumped on the table. Chopper was held tightly in Usopp’s arms, both lying on the floor in a pool of their own blood. Franky was collapsed against the side of the bench, his chest smoking and eye sparking with electricity. In front of him stood a heavily breathing Zoro, two swords drawn and facing away from the two who just entered. His swords were gleaming with red, and the man himself had it splattered across his back.
“What…” Sanji stuttered, taking in the sight of his mangled crewmates. “Zoro, what the fuck did you do?!”
Zoro turned around at the sound of his name, but for once in his three years of knowing him, Sanji couldn’t even begin to understand the look in his eye.