Sacrifice

The news

My eyes slowly flutter open as I feel myself laying on something hard. I sit up even though my body is fighting against it as my eyes start to focus. I look around around at where I'm at and I realize I'm in the infirmary on a make shift bed on the floor. I look to left and see Zoro. Barely breathing. My throat begins to burn and tighten as the memories of what happen prior begin to replay through my head. Why would he do that? Why give up yourself WHEN YOU ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT?! These thoughts keep spiraling through my head and I don't even try to stop them. W-why? Why do I care so much? Did he think I was too weak? Not worth it? Not strong enough? I feel myself shaking and get up abruptly. Stumbling as I now realize I got up way to fast. Slowly, I walk to the door and take one last glance at the swordsman who looks like death reincarnated.

As I step out, it's eerily quite. I make my way to galley to try to clear my head. As I'm approaching, I quite mumbles coming from inside. As I open the door, it becomes silent.

"SANJI! Y-You're awake" the rubber man said with his big childish grin plastered on his face. As everyone else is just staring.

"S-Sanji you really shouldn't be up right now!" Chopper exclaims breaking out of his shock. He rushes over checking around me making sure I'm not over working myself.

"Chopper I'm okay I swear! I'm just sore and that's it." I explain while breathlessly laughing. "I don't want you over-exerting yourself yet okay? We need to make sure you're okay to move like you did before." I sigh and begrudgingly nod. After the short discussion, I go to start making lunch as I'm guessing it's around that time since where the sun was when I walked out. As I start getting dishes and the necessities I kick everyone out to start lunch. To make everyone lose the gloomy feeling, I start making everyone's favorites. I soon realize we added to our crew and I need to speak to Brook to see what his meals of choice are.

"Hey Brook! Can you come here for a second?" I holler out the galley doors. I close the doors and wait for him to come in. I gingerly sit down still feeling somewhat sore from the beating my body took not too long ago.

"Hey Sanji. You called?" The skeleton said as he walked through the door. "Yeah! I'm making food for everyone and to try to lift some of the spirits of the crew I'm making their favorites. I just need to know your likes, dislikes and your favorite food if you don't mind." I say kindly. Knowing he is the newest, putting a lot on him especially after everything that has happened, overwhelming him is the last thing I wanted to do except make him comfortable and let him know we accept him to our crew.

"O-ohohoho! Thanks Sanji! I personally like Curry the most! Lemons tho... my worst enemy. Nothing is worse eating sour foods and not being able make a face!!" He pretends to faint over the table. I chuckle, "Okay perfect lots of Curry and no lemons" I write that down in the notebook where I put most of my notes on food for the crew.

"Hey Sanji. U-um I saw everything. That happened with Zoro." I stop. I feel my breath catch in the back of my throat. "you did?" I whisper out.

"He pushed you out of the way. Knocking you out in the process. He took all of Luffy's pain. That's why Luffy seemed so chirpy. H-He sacrificed himself in order to keep his captain safe." I swallow thickly trying to hold myself together. Why do I feel like this? Why is this effecting me so much? I can't care about that damn Marimo. I can't. As much as I'm telling myself that I know it's far from the truth. I sit there. Letting everything he said seep into my mind with a million thoughts going through my head at the same time. Do I care about him? Maybe even more? NO! I can't. If this was the other way around would he be feeling the same way?

"Um. Could you maybe not share that to the rest of the crew? If Luffy found out that Zoro did that for him, he never will forgive himself. I know it's something big to keep to yourself, but keeping it a secret will probably be the best for right now." I say with barely any emotion in my voice.

"I will. Until it needs to be said okay?" "T-thank you." After that I let him leave the galley Im left with my thoughts and job to do. I get up from the bench and start making lunch for everyone. Usually making food clears my head, but right now it feels like a million people are talking in my head at once. I need him to be okay. Why do I care?! Do I need him more than I thought? NO! I can't. These thoughts won't stop. I can't like him like that right? I adore woman. Not men. Especially one like him. No manners, alcoholic, strong arms, muscular chest. NO THATS ENOUGH. I shake those thoughts out of my head and continue with lunch.

——— time skip: to everyone eating ———

As everyone is eating they are chatting trying to ignore the gloom looming over everyone head.

After a few minutes of small talk, a captain with his hun low enough where his hat covers his eyes finally asks, "Chopper. We need to know. What is going to happen with Zoro."

When this is brought up the whole galley goes silent. Everyone but Sanji looks up from table waiting for a response. Not a single recipe could stop the emotions that were about to happen. No invention. No amount of treasure. No maps. No song. Nothing could be done to remove the amount of despair the crew felt after hearing what Chopper was about to say.

"I-I'm sorry Luffy. I've done everything I can. He's fallen into a coma and I don't know w-when he w-will wake u-up." Chopper explains with his head looking down and his usual cheery voice now turned into heartbreaking whimpers, wavering as we all could tell he was getting choked up.

Ringing.

That's all I can hear.

Ringing inside my head as I can feel my eyes starting to water and oxygen in my lungs escape. Knowing there's a possibility that the swordsman may never wake up.