"I want a break." Zoro felt warmth engulf his head, fresh tears threatening to spill down his cheeks.
"What do you mea-"
"Im tired." He looked up at the blonde who'd been sitting by him in the dark kitchen, barely illuminated by the moon shining through the window, but enough to outline their figures and Zoro's features.
The flame of Sanji's cigarette illuminated his own face, revealing a confused expression obviously directed towards the swordsman.
"Sleepyhead, go to sleep then, it's la-" Sanji was cut off when Zoro placed a palm over the cooks mouth, looking him dead in the eye to reveal a look of pain.
"That's not what I meant."
Zoro sat back down on the bench, looking down at the carved wooden seat and tracing a nail over the engravings.
"What do you mean then? What are you tired of?" Sanji cocked an eyebrow in question to Zoro, the swordsman refusing to look up at him.
"Nothing."
"It's something." Sanji pulled Zoro towards him, embracing him tightly into his warmth. He put out his cigarette into his ash tray and laid his chin against Zoro's shoulder.
He felt the swordsman shiver, then wet tears drop onto his shoulder blade. Zoro didn't make a noise, just let the tears flow.
There was no denying the fact that he had pent up emotions that he had to release.
"Hey, even if we aren't on the best of terms all the time, your still my nakama. I'll listen to you if you gotta talk to someone about your feelings, 'Kay?" Sanji looked at Zoro, his head still drooping.
"Yeah, thanks." His voice cracked a bit, of course he'd deny that it did in the future though.
Sanji patted him on the back and stood up. "I'll make a huge dinner for everyone the end of this week, alright?" The cook looked back at Zoro and smiled, the swordsman wiping the tears from his face.
"Yeah, I'll be there."
"I promise."
—
Did he keep the promise?
He didn't.
—
Sanji opened the kitchen door, looking back at the lovely ladies with hearts in his eyes.
"Make sure to take Zoro his food!" Nami smiled at Sanji, waving him off.
"Of course, nami-swannn!!!~~" Sanji beamed brightly, closing the door behind him.
In all seriousness he was worried, but angry that Zoro hadn't kept the promise. That lazy lard was probably sleeping away in dreamland!
Sanji walked down the deck of the merry and stopped in front of the men's quarters, holding the platter of food in one hand and tugging on the doorknob with the other.
"Oi, open up!" The cook kicked the door a few times but got no response, man was Zoro was a heavy sleeper.
He gritted his teeth and kicked the doorknob, causing the door to fly open.
"Hey, I brought food for yo-"
Dead silence.
The rushing waves crashing against the ship.
The creaking of the floorboards.
The creaking of the rope.
The rope.
The clash of the platter hitting the floorboards and sliding down the deck.
"Zoro?"
Sanji's eyes gaped. His cigarette fell from his mouth, hitting the floor and sliding down and off the deck, into the sea.
He blinked.
Rubbed his eyes.
A dream?
A nightmare
Yeah, just a nightmare, right?
Sanji's dress shoes creaked against the floorboards.
He walked into the men's quarters and felt the blood leave his body, he went pale.
"Ah...h-hey..this is a joke, right?" Sanji took a step.
Another.
The rope.
It ripped.
Bang.
A loud bang.
Sanji looked down at the lifeless, pale body on the floor, unmoving.
"Hey...no.."
He got onto his knees and crawled up to the body.
"Zoro?"
"Hey, wake up. This isn't funny."
Sanji felt tears spill down his cheeks.
Zoro cracked his mouth open.
"Hey...I'm tired, cook."
His mouth shut.
Heartbeat.
None.
"Thank you."
More tears.
Heat?
No, it was cold.
A blur.
Nothing.
He couldn't see
Sight?
No, he was blind.
To what?
What was he blind to?
Was he blind?
To someone?
Something?
How could he tell
If there was nothing.
After all, Zoro was gone.
He was tired is all.
