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When all that is left of Sanji is a dying cigarette and his blood drawing patterns on the ship deck, the chaos seems to quiet down. A small swirl of smoke escapes his cracked lips and he settles his eyes on the shaking silhouette casting its shadow on the main sail. It's the darkest hour of the night and yet he can see the ship with so much clarity—he wants to blame it on the full moon but the more blood he loses, the sharpest everything appears to him. It's like his eyes are defying him to dare watch the scene with a blurred vision.
Luffy and Chopper are stuck under a net which must be lined with seastone, since they haven't moved for the best part of the battle, likely unconscious. He can't see Usopp but he heard the thud of a body falling a while ago and he doesn't want to think about what that could imply. Nami was knocked out by the first wave of stones that where sent out their way. She seems fine, aside from the bruise on her temple where the stone hit her.
Robin, he's the most worried about. He had watched helplessly when they took her away, a seastone collar around her delicate neck. There was just too many fighters around him and he had no way to get to her before they disappeard on the other ship. And even if he had found a way, the second wave would have stopped him. At that point, Zoro and he were the last ones standing in the way of the attackers. Trying to escape the stones meant letting the ennemies get to Luffy and that wasn't an option.
As much as he trusts Zoro to watch his back, he knew that at the time the man just couldn't do it. He hadn't seen the boulder coming and when he turned around to kick it, it was too late. The massive rock shattered his leg in three places. The pain had made him stumble, almost gagging in shock. That was his second mistake. A second later, a dagger pierced his left shoulder from behind.
Sitting down became his only sensible course of action. Barely ten men were still fighting with Zoro, and they were quickly losing. Sanji hadn't been worried. He lit himself a cigarette and watched as his nakama did a swift job of getting rid of them. Until the smooth sound of blade leaving its sheat echoed in the night and they had to stare, livid, at the man who had put the dagger under Luffy's throat.
And now, when all that is left of Sanji is a dying cigarette and his blood slowly leaving his shivering body, the ship finds itself embraced in an almost peaceful atmosphere. Zoro is completely still but Sanji can see him shaking with a fury tainted of terror.
The man is panting, obviously still recovering from the fight where he had faked a mortal blow out of a long slash on his chest. Sanji watches in quiet horror as the man's captain comes back with a couple more seastone shakles and collars, Usopp on his shoulder. He quickly restrains Chopper before putting their sharpshooter on the floor.
"Good thinking, son," he praises.
"Thanks, cap'tain."
"Now, now. Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro and Black Leg Sanji, at my mercy. Not that I wasn't expecting my plan to work, but this is very nice indeed."
"Get away from Luffy," Zoro growls, still not moving.
"See, that won't be possible. What you're going to do, however, is to put two of your swords on the floor. Now."
When Zoro doesn't obey, the man nods slowly and his crewmate presses his blade closer, drawing a few beads of blood. Too fast for the eye to see, the swordsman drops Kitetsu and Yubashiri. The clattering sound rings in Sanji's ears.
"Good. I believe one sword should be enough to kill your nakama, right?"
The cook can see the blood leaving Zoro's face in a matter of seconds. He lets out a ragged breath. So that's the man's plan. He finds himself looking at the dark sky where millions of stars shine of the purest light, unaware of the tragedy under their watch. The captain raises an amused eyebrow.
"Do I need to repeat myself? Either you finish this one off, or my man slits your precious Strawhat's throat."
Zoro sends a panicked look in Sanji direction, before staring at the blade and getting back to looking at Sanji. The blond gritts his teeth and sits a bit straighter, before taking a deep breath. He's made peace with this life a long time ago, but it's another thing entirely to face death and accept that he's not going to make it. That he'll never find All Blue, and won't go back to Zeff to tell him all about it. God, the old man's going to be so pissed.
"Come on, marimo. Do it," he rasps. Zoro turns his head fast enough to cause himself whiplash.
"Shut up."
"You know he's serious. This crew can't loose its captain, but you can always find another cook."
"Shut. Up."
"Zoro—"
"SHUT UP!"
Sanji swallows around the man's name, so unused to speak it out loud. He's shivering, with more blood on his shirt than in his body, and he needs the marimo to act fast. The asshole threatening their crew doesn't look like a very patient man.
"You shoud listen to your nakama, Roronoa. Or should I give you a little incentive?"
"No! No, leave Luffy alone," coughs Sanji. "He's going to do it. Zoro, tell him."
The swordsman looks deeply sick, on the verge of throwing up, but he eventually nods.
"Y-yeah, I'll—" He has to pause, looking for air and the courage to say it. "I'll do it."
Sanji closes his eyes in relief. They're going to be okay. He has to believe that, if anything. But fuck, is he scared. He's not even twenty and his dream is so far away. He doesn't want to die.
"Zoro— Zoro, listen."
"Shut it, cook. I don't want to hear it."
"Listen," he continues, ignoring him. "When you find All Blue. I know you're going to find it, Nami is the best navigator there is. So when you find it, please take Zeff to see it if you can. And if not, bring him something from it. Hell, ask Usopp to draw a picture so he can hang it in his stupid restaurant."
"Do it yourself."
"Yeah, right," he snorts.
When he hears Zoro's footsteps getting closer, Sanji opens his eyes. He studies the other man's face and finds nothing but sheer determination. Good. He doesn't want Zoro to wallow in guilt for the rest of his life. The marimo has a dream to fulfill too and Sanji doesn't want to be the reason he can't achieve it.
"I'm sorry, Sanji."
He barely have a second to be astonished at the use of his name before Wadō slides in his chest like a knife through butter. He lowers his eyes until he can see their reflection in the sword. Zoro's breath is warm where it meets his cheek. He raises his eyes again and looks straight into the swordsman pupils.
"Go save our captain," he whispers.
Zoro doesn't nod but his jaw is set and he carefully wraps his hand around the hilt of the dagger Sanji just gave him. It's still sticky from his blood but no-one has seen him getting it out of his shoulder. And Zoro is very close to being the best swordsman in the world. The damage he can do with one little blade is incredible.
As incredible as his ability to stick his sword in a place that looks deadly but is instead slightly less dangerous. Just enough to be believable. A place carefully chosen, between his heart and ribs, where Chopper can easily remove it after Zoro frees him from the seastone collar.
Before he slips into unconsciousness, the swordsman kneels next to the infirmary bed and puts a hand on his uninjured shoulder.
"Hey, Sanji."
"Whaddya want."
"Don't take too long to get better. All Blue is waiting for you."