Conducting Business

7 - The Hospital Really Can Heal Broken Hearts.

  Zoro sat and waited in the restaurant, as usual, but when Zane asked if he wanted any wine he refused. He wasn't going to drink. He wanted to be clear headed when he saw Sanji.

  Which...was proving difficult because Zane just kept coming in. After the 3rd time Zoro was about to get pissy....except...he noticed that Zane was worried. He was fiddling with his fingers, eyes darting around, and pacing. What had gotten the waiter so worked up about? Zane had never been nervous about serving them before. He'd laugh at any joke said or offer and words of wisdom he had.

  Zoro decided to find out what was going on. The 5th time Zane left, Zoro got up and followed. He left through the secret and cornered a jumpy Zane.
"Z-Zoro!"
"Alright, Zane, spill the fucking beans."
"B-Beans..?! Wh-what beans?"
Zoro narrowed his eyes and growled. "Zane, you're jumpy and something is wrong. Now tell me!"
"A-Alright..!! Alright...." the waiter gulped. "Sanji...Sanji hasn't been in today."
"What? That's it? Maybe he's running late, you idiot."
"No..! No he...Sanji loves this place and is here hours before it ever opens. He's never late and he's never not here...."


  Zoro knew that Zane was right. Sanji would be here, he should be here. Why wasn't here? Now Zoro was staring to feel panicked. 
"Any idea where he would be if not here...?"
"Zeff's place or his apartment, but Zeff's away for a month."
"What about a...a girl named Nami."
"Nami..." Zane'd face screwed up in thought. "Yea...there's a Nami. They go shopping some times. Sanji was sweet on her for a while but then they just became friends."
Zoro tried to not show his annoyance and jealousy. He swallowed down his feelings and took a deep breath. "Do you have Nami's number?"
"No I..."


  Suddenly, Zoro's cell phone started ringing. It wouldn't have been so odd except all his contacts knew not to call during these hours. He took his cell out of his pocket. The number was one he didn't recognize. 
He pressed the answer button, "Hello...?"
"Hello? Is this Zoro?" It was a girl's voice. Who the fuck was calling him?
"Maybe. Who is calling?"
"Listen, I got your number off of Sanji's cell phone. My name is Nami. I'm a friend of Sanji."
Nami. It was the girl from earlier. The fact she was calling him and got his name off Sanji's phone made a pit form in his stomach. 
"Ok, Nami. Why are you calling me."
"Sanji...Sanji is in the hospital."


  Zoro felt his blood turn to ice. His hand trembled as he held the phone. "H-hospital...?"
"Yea. He...he just passed out. His heart beat was slow and his skin was white and cold. I took him to the hospital but I've been sitting here for 2 hours with no information. I...he talks about you a lot so...I thought you should know..."
"What hospital?"
"The one on 3rd and Devin Street. You don't have to come, I'll call when I get anything."
"No...I'm coming..." I'm the one who put him there...
"Alright. He's on the 2nd floor."


  Zoro hung up, then immediately turned and walked back into the secret room.
"Z-Zoro...?" called Zane. "Wh-what's going on?"
The green haired man dismissed all his men. They asked what was wrong, but he didn't answer. He only said he needed to be elsewhere. He grabbed his coat and hurried out the back. He knew he owed Zane some sort of explanation, but that had to wait. He got out side, jumped on his motorcycle, and roared off.


  When he got the hospital, he ran inside. He pressed the elevator button, but it was too slow for him so he sprinted up the stairs, taking 2 at a time. When Zoro reached the second floor, he went to a nurses station, asking about Sanji Black.
"Sanji Black...hmm...well it seems they finally got him into a room."
"What room...?!" Zoro's patience was wearing thin, but he was trying to hold it together.
"Room 223."
"Thank you..! Thank you so much..!" He was about to run off again, but stopped and turned back to the nurse. "What....what happened...?"
The nurse scrolled through some files for a moment. "It says here he passed out from exhaustion and some pills he took. Sir...?"


  Zoro was gone. He was sprinting down to the room Sanji was at. When he reached it, the door was cracked open a bit. He could hear a couple hushed whispers, but that was it. Didn't sound like a doctor was in there. He opened the door and winced as it creaked. Why couldn't a hospital oil their fucking hinges? 
Nami was sitting by the bed but got up and went over to him. "Zoro I'm so sorry." Nami said, whispering. "I would have called but everything happened so quickly and I can't call in here and I didn't want to leave him alone." Nami seemed to really care about Sanji, which made Zoro feel agitated but relieved. At least someone was here with Sanji.
"It's ok, Nami. Hospitals can be as slow as a snail at times but also lightening fast. You never know what's going to happen."
Nami nodded, "Listen, I need to get a drink. Can you sit with him?"
"Of course."
"Thanks. Be back soon, promise." And she was gone.


  Zoro walked in and what he saw he would never forget. Sanji was definitely thinner and paler, but sickly thinner and paler. Like he hadn't eaten much in the weeks that had passed. His lips were a pale blue and his eyes were so sunken in they were dark. His hair was thin and lifeless. He had an oxygen tube and an IV with a couple bags being dripped into him. 
Zoro walked over and sat down, his eyes resting on Sanji's hand and wrist. He reached out and gent;y ran his fingers over it. It was cold and his wrist was thinner, more fragile. He carefully wrapped his hand around Sanji's trying to warm it. Zoro leaned down over it and put his lips against his hand. he wasn't kissing it, he was trying to warm it but also feel how deathly cold it was.
"I'm sorry..." Zoro whispered,  his voice tightening. "I'm so fucking sorry..."


  When Zoro sat back up, he almost fell out of his chair backwards. Sanji was staring right at him, his eyes as dark as a stormy sea. The green haired man just stared back. He wasn't challenging though, at least he hoped that wasn't what it looked like to Sanji, he just...he didn't want to look away.


  "What the hell are you doing here..." Sanji's voice startled Zoro, even though it was low and hoarse. 
"Nami called me." Zoro say, voice calm.
"Nami...? Why would she..fuck." Sanji groaned a bit. "She must have taken my cell."
"That's what she told me."
Sanji huffed and looked away, looking out the window. There was a long silence between them before Sanji spoke again.
"So...you're sorry, huh...?"
Zoro nodded. He didn't dare speak, but he also couldn't as his throat was so tight.
"Sorry for what....sorry for making me feel like shit, for being an ass, for what?"
Zoro thought carefully a moment before he spoke. "Right now, this moment, I'm more sorry I wasn't there for you when you needed someone."


  Sanji face twisted up, and Zoro thought he was angry, until he saw a tear run down Sanji's face.
"Needed someone...? I didn't just need someone I needed my best friend....I needed him not to have been an ass to me. I needed him to care just a little about my feelings..."
"Sanji, I do care..."
"So caring for you is calling the person you fucked a needy bitch?"
Zoro growled and stood up, covering his face with his hands in frustration. Why wasn't time travel a thing?! 
"Is caring not even once calling your so called best friend?"
"You told me not to!" Zoro said, trying not to yell. 
"So the one time you do actually listen if go in the hospital!!"
"Dammit Sanji I didn't want to hurt you anymore!!"


  Sanji looked at Zoro, and was shocked to see his eyes, which were usually so emotionless, tearing up. 
"I didn't want to keep hurting you...I fucked up that morning...and I hate myself for it." He looked at the wall. "You...you do things to me...sometimes they're good and sometimes not...one of those things is....when you get all fired up and such, I become a dick. And I hate it, and I don't know why I become a dick, why my dammed ego likes to show it's ugly head...but it does." He looked back at Sanji. "This isn't a excuse for how I acted....I'm just trying to explain..."
Zoro went back to the chair and sat back down, but leaned forward with his elbows on his thighs.
"You....you make me want to do better....and I fuck up a lot when I'm trying for..for someone I care a lot about...." Zoro looked up at Sanji and Sanji's eyes widened. "I said...some awful shitty things...you were not any of those things I called you." Zoro's face turned to a blush and he had to look away. "You...you were amazing, and cute, and sexy...and beautiful...and I...I was just so happy to even be there to see it..."


  Sanji felt his chest tighten up, and before he knew it, he was sobbing. He wasn't sure if he was sobbing because he was sad, or happy, or relieved...maybe it was a mix of both. What he did know...was hearing what Zoro said made all the anger and bitterment he felt for so long just melt away. He wasn't sure if that mean he forgived Zoro, but it felt like it.

  
  Suddenly, Zoro was leaning over him, staring into his face.
"I-Idiot don't stare like that....I'm all snotty and gross..."
"I don't care....I think you look great...other than being sick and such." Sanji laughed a little bit, but stopped when Zoro's hand was on his cheek. It felt so good, so comforting. He looked up at Zoro.
"Sanji..." Zoro started, "Can you give me another chance...a chance to show you that...that what we did wasn't just a one time thing...I don't want it to be that. I want it to be more."
Sanji nodded, laughing and crying. "Yes, moss head..I can do that. But...but when I get out of here...you have to take me out..."
Zoro grinned, "I already planned on it, cook."


  Zoro leaned down and kissed Sanji gently. Now that Sanji was sober, he expected that sane part of him to come screaming. It never did. Instead, the chef felt peace finally rush over him. He also felt his body tingle. He knew what it wanted, but he also knew he wasn't ready for that, yet. Time would tell if he would ever be so vulnerable to Zoro again, but this was a good start.


  On the other side of the door, Nami was peeking through the crack in the door and smiling. She knew Sanji needed Zoro, but it looked like Zoro needed Sanji a lot more than she thought. 


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This may seem like a good ending, but it's not the end.
SORRY!!
I have plans for some more stuff. Some fluffy stuff, some dramatic stuff, and then some more smut stuff!