The Words I Love You

Grave

Bonney and Sanji leave after Smoker and Perona. When they started to get somewhere the sky darkened and the clouds rolled in. After a few minutes of silence rain started to pour from the sky. Sanji didn't like that. Who knows what is going through Zoro's mind right now. He needs to apologize to Zoro.

"You're Sanji right?" Bonney wonders not looking at Sanji, her gaze focused on the road. 

"Yeah."

"I thought it was you. We had dinner with Zoro over the weekend. He was happy. Even cooked for us. He was so happy. We asked him about it and he said that he and you had a big fight, stopped being friends during freshman year and had a fight this year too but after that he said you guys started to understand each other better and you guys got closer as friends. His smile didn't disappear." She says with a smile.

"He said that?" Sanji asked worried.

"Yeah. He wouldn't shut up about you. It's like he developed a small crush on you or something." She chuckles at that, remembering how Zoro practically radiated that whole day. "So, why haven't your so called friends told us what happened on Monday during lunch?" She asks. Sanji flinched. Bonney narrows her eyes, seeing him from the corner of her eye, so something did happen. 

"Sorry but I don't know if I should say anything."

"Why?"

"It's hard to talk about." Sanji says looking down at his lap. He felt bad, this was most likely his fault and he wanted to fix it. He and Zoro were friends again and he didn't want that to end, he wanted more, to be more than just friends. Bonney sighs. She should have known. If they were Zoro's friends then they would be just as stubborn as Zoro.

"Well I can't force you to tell me." Bonney says.

"Sorry." Sanji says.

"It's okay, but you do seem like your guilty of something." She points out and Sanji open his mouth to tell her he wont tell what it is but he did do something, but she stops him. "I won't ask, I will ask you to help Zoro when he really needs it. I have a feeling he will. The sad reality is that we aren't kids anymore. My sister and older brother are adults now. We aren't tied to that house anymore. We won't be there for Zoro when he needs us."

"Can I ask why? Why are you asking me?" Sanji questions confused.

"I love my dad and because Zoro was caught the truth that some of us have kept hidden was revealed but we, at least Smoker and Perona, even I have accepted  that dad will just not be prominent in our lives."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you know Zoro's gay?" She asks, she didn't hear Sanji gasp so she figured he knows. "You know. I don't know if he told you personally but he kept it hidden. At least until he caught Smoker. You see Smoker is bi, but Perona and Zoro are both gay. I'm straight but I knew their secrets. Dad is, or was homophobic. So we kept it all hidden, especially for Zoro. He was younger than we were. When he found out, it was like his world crashed down. He lost childhood friends and almost went into a depression if it weren't for Smoker's ex lover Ace."

"Ace! Luffy's older brother?" He asks shocked. Bonney laughed.

"Yes. That's the same one. One day Smoker went on a date and took Zoro with him because Ace had to watch his little brother and didn't want Luffy to be by himself."

"So that's how they met," the cook says thinking. He never knew.

"Yup, at first Zoro was reluctant but Luffy broke down a wall. Sadly things didn't end well with Smoker and Ace but that didn't change Luffy and Zoro's friendship but it was weird that he didn't want to help us find Zoro." Bonney thinks out loud, to that Sanji had to agree. Luffy and Zoro were like one in the same. If this were Luffy Zoro would be out looking. Bonney parks and as soon as they stepped out they got soaked by the rain. Bonney ran to the wall of the grave sight. Sanji followed her only to be stopped by the entrance to be closed off. Bonney scoffs. Who locks the entrance of a grave sight? Bonney tries to think about what to do. She looks over to see Sanji climbing over. Bonney sputters in shock. "What are you doing!" She yells over the rain.

"I have to get over this. If Zoro is here I have to get him!" Sanji yells hopping over the wall. Bonney stares at the wall. She has to get over the wall to. She just needs to figure out how Sanji got over the wall.

Sanji ran around like a mad man. Sanji looked around trying to figure out how this memorial is organized. If it's alphabetized, does it go top to bottom or is it by date of death? 

After minutes of searching Sanji was giving up hope. He's not here. Sanji's expression changed from determined to sadness. He wanted so bad to find him, to talk to him, to apologize. That's what he thought at least. Something caught his eye. He looked over to see it's a special grave. A family grave. He ran over, looking at all the graves till he spotted one with something on the floor in front of it. He sprinted over and saw that that something is Zoro laying on the floor in the rain. Sanji called his name but didn't get the reaction. Sanji bent down to Zoro to see he is sleeping?

He yelled his name, he pat his face, shook his body but still got no reaction. He knows Zoro could go to sleep and become dead to the world but even he would have woken up by now. "Zoro!" Bonney sprinting up behind the cook. She sits next to him. Relieved that Zoro is found but worried that he's on the floor, passed out and in the rain. Sanji reaches up to Zoro's forehead. He's kinda hot, warmer than he should be.

"I think he has a fever, we need to leave." He tells Bonney, she nods. Sanji moves Zoro so he can stand up and carry him. As he does that he sees a framed picture in front of the grave. It was of two people; an older woman and a little girl. Can't be younger sibling because Zoro is the youngest. Maybe cousin? Sanji carries Zoro in his arms as he follows Bonney to the front gate. When they reached the gate they stare at it for a while. He couldn't climb over while carrying Zoro.

"I'll apologize tomorrow." She says and before Sanji could ask 'for what' Bonney kicks the gate off its hinges. She runs to her car and opens the back door to let Sanji in. Sanji sits on the far end of the seat, resting Zoro's head on his lap.

Bonney gets in the driver seat and starts the car.