(Untitled)
Who: Roronoa Zoro (threesword), Sanji (baratiesbest), Umi Ryuuzaki (embracethewaves)
Where: Outside the Northern Lights
When: August 11th, During the party at the lights
Rating: PG-13 at least :|
Summary: Things finally reach their breaking point between the two Straw Hats.
the log: ( We can only go on like this for so long )
Where: Outside the Northern Lights
When: August 11th, During the party at the lights
Rating: PG-13 at least :|
Summary: Things finally reach their breaking point between the two Straw Hats.
the log: ( We can only go on like this for so long )
Really, that's all there was to it. It wasn't necessarily the action itself - it was how it was all happening. It was the way he'd act the way he did with Umi, and then do this. It was the way he was sure Zoro knew this girl was engaged. Hell, he did and he barely knew Anemone, but he knew that much about her.
It didn't make Anemone right for doing it either, but that wasn't really his bone to pick. This ran deeper. This was something that remained between the two Straw Hats. For a while, things had been calm between them - maybe it was death that did it to them both. Trying times meant they had to stick together.
But the last conversation they'd had before Sanji had disappeared had resonated. Festered under his skin like a parasite. And then he was gone. Sanji had been gone, and Zoro was bitter. Well, for a while. And sure, it sucked. But one afternoon with Umi had changed things for him.
So Sanji returning had become nothing more than a nuisance. Within minutes of his return, he was zeroing in on Umi - despite everything the cook knew about the situation.
It was all coming to a head, and he wasn't going to give up without a fight.
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Sanji rolled his eyes with a dramatic sigh - this was getting old fast. Zoro had always been over-reacting when it came to anything even remotely connected to Umi but this was laughable. Yes, she might be upset if she found out. Yes, Sanji had made a huge mistake and he was pretty damn sure he was going to pay for it. Dearly.
But none of this had anything to do with Zoro. Not even a little. In fact, he was the only one not involved in this messed up affair so why the hell was he so pissed off about it?
This was between Sanji and Anemone, a girl that - as far as the cook knew - Zoro hadn't even talked to before. The only reasonable explanation was that all this was some twisted way for the swordsman to protect the girl he loves from... what? Unless the shitty marimo babbled about this she wouldn't even find out and if she did... well, one less rival. Bad for Sanji but good for him.
But for some fucked up reason the shithead seemed to take this personally. Well, that was his damn problem in the end, wasn't it?
"What happened in there is none of your fucking business, shitty marimo. So stay out of it."
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Zoro stared Sanji down, seething. The more he thought about it, the more he had to say. But at the very same time, his blood pressure was raising, his heart was pounding, and he was practically shaking from his anger. He wasn't going to strike quite yet, but he didn't hesitate to draw Wadou Ichimonji from it's scabbard, pointing it straight forward.
"If someone else walked in, then what? What if it had been Umi, you moron?!" In a short burst, all the right words started coming out. In the swordsman's head, it was jumbled, mixed with his rage - but it seemed to come out of his mouth coherently enough. "You saw her when you got back. You saw how excited she was. If she does..."
He had a hard time spitting out the sentence. The prospect of Umi choosing Sanji wasn't one he liked - but it was realistic.
"...You know how she'd feel? Aren't you the one who's always babbling about how to 'treat a lady?!' "
This was it. He was about to fly completely off the handle.
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Real stupid, especially when you allow your hormones to run wild with you. As much as Sanji hated this sudden interest in his personal life he was by far more upset with himself - it had gone so well for months. Why tonight? Why at all? He might be a womanizer but he did have some principles - touching another mans woman was taboo, especially if she seemed happy with him.
And that was the thing, wasn't it? Anemone had been upset, she wanted to talk and he had been there like the friend he wanted to be. Except one thing had lead to another and before they knew what hit them-
The fact still remained though - this had nothing to do with Zoro. If Dominic wanted a fight then Sanji would be happy to oblige, that guy at least had a reason to be angry. But Zoro... Umi didn't even know and she sure as hell wouldn't find out.
Unless...
"Are you going to tell her?"
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Zoro took a step back, dropping his arm. His hand still gripped Wadou Ichimonji's hilt tightly, but he was beginning to wonder if it was even worth it at this point.
Technically, it wasn't his business. And yet he was making it so. Why he kept doing this, Zoro was never really sure. There was something about Umi, about this place that changed him in that respect. And he couldn't deny that he hated it.
"Don't be an idiot. I wouldn't put her through that."
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Of course he knew Zoro wasn't going to go tell Umi but even so it was a relief to have it confirmed. She didn't need to know. No one needed to know, but especially not her. It would cause a lot more damage than it was worth and even though Sanji was more than willing to pay for his mistakes there was no reason to over-do it.
But this tip-toeing around the issue was getting annoying. They had been doing it for months, ever since he first arrived and the breaking point had to come sometime. The recent slip-up seemed to serve as a perfect catalyst; they couldn't go on ignoring the issue like this anymore. If Zoro got this worked up over something that didn't even directly affect him... well, it was just a matter of time before shit turned really nasty. If it hadn't already.
Gritting his teeth Sanji fished out a cigarette from his shirt pocket, taking his sweet time lighting it. This wasn't over yet, even though Zoro seemed to have second thoughts.
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Walking away meant these things would all continue to rear their ugly head. Just as it had already been happening since Sanji first arrived. Ripping him to shreds wasn't much better. He'd nearly killed the blonde before, and if he pulled anything like that again, it could be bad news for the Straw Hats.
The word "Nakama" was compromised too many times due to Discedo. And it would have to be again if things kept up the way they were. At its core, Zoro knew what he wanted to say: 'Make up your mind. Pursue it or don't.' It was frustrating to watch the situation. He held all women in the same regard - they were on a pedestal. But Sanji didn't have to say a word for Zoro to also know that his feelings for Umi was escalated furth than that.
The whole thing was a game that he was tired of being involved in.
He stood, sword in hand. He didn't move forward or backward. He was still. Ready if he needed to be. The question that was aimed at him had an adverse effect, and he knew this was more likely something Sanji needed to figure out himself. "More like what the hell are you going to do about it?"
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Nothing. The damage was already done, there was no way he could take that back and to be quite honest he wasn't entirely sure if he wanted to. He liked Anemone a lot and if she wasn't engaged this would have happened a long time ago, that much he was sure of. But as things were... there really was nothing he could do. Lay low. Pretend like nothing had happened. Talk it over with her, obviously, make sure she wouldn't get in trouble. But beyond that? Nothing.
When it came to Umi he could do even less. The three of them were locked in an impossible situation - Zoro wouldn't make a move for whatever shitty reasons he had, Sanji couldn't without risking his life and whatever friendship he could salvage with the idiot moss head. And Umi... he just didn't know. She seemed to like both of them, but how deep that ran only she could know. It was a pain, all of it and as long as things remained unchanged it would only get worse.
Either he had to give up the chase or Zoro had to, but something told him that they were far too long gone for that. It wasn't an option anymore - this had to be solved some other way.
Taking a deep drag Sanji stood silent for a moment, studying his rival. The cold night air did little to clear his mind and the frustration was hard to miss when he finally spoke again.
"That's none of your fucking business."
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But why should he expect an explanation? Because they were crewmates? When had that logic ever really made sense before?
It was boiling down to a point that Zoro wanted to deny. His jealousy of sorts was out of control. Sure, Sanji knew that, but there were things that wen along with it he didn't share.
The things Sanji knew: Zoro liked Umi. Zoro disliked Sanji's advances on her.
Things Sanji didn't know: If Umi knew about Sanji's feelings - or even if Sanji chose to seriously pursue it, he'd let it happen. This wasn't like his competitive spars, or his battles with Kuina as a child. It was about keeping someone important to him happy, and if that meant it was someone else, he'd find his way to deal with it.
So if he wanted Umi that bad, Sanji was going to have to do something about it. Zoro would fight for her, but he knew better. He knew that if it wasn't what she wanted, he would have to step back.
He could be stupid at times, but he wasn't completely inept.
"Well, whatever it is, make up your goddamn mind already." He spoke with a fierce intensity. It wasn't the loud, frustrated yells it usually was. It was serious - he meant what he said and the tone of his voice didn't lie.
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This was ridiculous. Was the damn swordsman actually encouraging him to make a choice..? He had expected a lot more screaming. Cursing. Vows that if Sanji ever so much tried to lay a hand on Umi he'd lose it. But even so, after everything that had happened that night Zoro still didn't tell him to back the hell off?
It was mind blowing. Either the damn moss head was more of a gentleman than Sanji had given him credit for or he was simply out of his fucking mind. This was his big chance. The cook had the disadvantage and he knew it - it wouldn't take a whole lot of persuasion to make him give up the blue-haired goddess. Not after tonight... and not just now, if he had to be completely honest. As bizarre as the thought was, Sanji had actually been holding back ever since he realized just how serious Zoro was about Umi. He had kept an eye on the clumsy bastard, reluctantly encouraged him and most of all - he hadn't gone all out in his romantic pursuits. The poor bastard deserved a fair chance and that was what Sanji had given him, even though it hurt like a bitch.
Instead this had turned into one hell of a mess. There was nothing he could do but laugh at it, so utterly at a loss for how to fix it. Zoro apparently wanted something from him - an explanation? Apology? - but Sanji wasn't going to just shoot blindly and hope to hit the right target. Oh no.
"You're fucking insane."
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Maybe he was. Maybe he really didn't know what the hell he was doing or why. Things had been so much easier back on the Grand Line. Well - in some ways. Sure, the constant struggles, the battles... and navigating the Grand Line itself weren't easy. But this? Things like this didn't happen.
Back home, there was one goal - to become the greatest swordsman. Everything Zoro had done up until coming to Discedo entailed things that would ultimately help him achieve that goal. There were no ifs, and or buts about it.
But Discedo... it had been different. The goal was... almost pushed aside, in a sense. He could still train to achieve it, but it wasn't the same. And just the entire way the city worked - the way death was worthless (unless of course, it happened to you), and how there was a certain intimacy that you never had on the Grand Line.
It had really screwed with Zoro's priorities. At home, there was never the distraction of falling for a woman. That wasn't to say it wasn't possible, but. He was a pirate. A swordsman. He was young. There would be time for these other things later, if he chose to walk away from his piracy to pursue these things.
He'd never expected to fall for Umi, but now that he had, it was hard to remember what things were like before. She'd infiltrated his priorities inadvertantly. It started with banter, and spars. And then the friendship followed. And then everything changed.
At this point, he barely knew how to deal with it.
Zoro shifted slightly, still gripping the sword tightly.
"What the hell have I done to be insane, you idiot?"
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To call this travesty of a conversation frustrating would be a gross understatement - Sanji for one couldn't stay still anymore, hands shaking with equal amounts rage and restlessness. The afterglow from the meeting with Anemone was starting to disappear and the relaxed bliss was giving way to restrained tension.
They were just going around in circles at this point. Name calling in all honor but it really didn't get them anywhere closer to a solution - hell, by now Sanji wasn't even entirely sure what the problem was. He had made a mistake. Zoro was being an idiot about it. And, like always, everything had to do with that one amazing girl they both had fallen so completely for.
Something had to change. No more avoiding the problem, no more holding back or walking on eggshells. They had to settle this. Here. Now.
"What the hell do you want from me? Huh?"
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There was no way that Sanji could be this oblivious to what he meant. Either the cook was going to pursue Umi or he wasn't. It was clear he wanted to. But yet all he'd done was his normal routine.
Maybe that was a part of why it all pissed Zoro off so much. Zoro had never wanted to put Umi through anything unnecessary while in Discedo. He hadn't planned on telling her his feelings because it seemed pointless. If she felt the same, then what would happen if they left? Would one or both of them forget and it would be all for naught? Or would they remember and hate the fact that they had to be separated despite it?
There was already a lingering dread of knowing that when he left, he wouldn't see her. Friends... or more, it wasn't something he liked. She was practically a part of the crew.
Zoro didn't know what he wanted. And it wasn't that he didn't want to pursue the feelings either. But he didn't want to go through something like that here.
Confusion was definitely something that was coursing through him. All of it was too foreign for his liking and dealing with it was growing more and more difficult.
What would Sanji do in the situation? Would he pursue it? Would he even tell her how he felt in a way that wasn't just typical, ignorable banter?
For a moment, his eyes closed and he sighed. His tone was still serious. "If you like her, you need to do something about it. That isn't going to hurt her."
Like sleeping with other girls. Because if she did like Sanji, that would surely become a problem.
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Surreal, that was the word he was looking for. He had never imagined a day when Roronoa Zoro would be giving him a lecture on proper behavior when it came to dealing with women. The guy was practically asexual, had never shown the slightest interest in a girl before. And here he was telling Sanji what to do? Fucking hell.
The blonde was getting antsy though. Under normal circumstances the argument would have evolved into a full-blown brawl by now, effectively ridding them of all this tension and solving the problem at hand in the process. But this... so mature. So reasonable. It wasn't like them and he was almost itching for some sort of physical response by now. Motions still restrained he took a couple of steps in Zoro's direction, eyes dark with defiance.
"I like her. I haven't gone after her out of consideration for your sorry ass, but since that doesn't seem to be an issue anymore... I'll just go ahead and take her."
Talking about women like this (a woman he cared for deeply at that) left a bad taste in the cooks mouth, but he was so sick of holding back that it didn't matter. Give him five minutes to cool off and the shame of it all would be enough to kill him. Right now though... he was seeing red.
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If there was one thing Zoro wasn't going to accept, it was that Sanji backed off as some sort of.. pity. Sanji could call it consideration all he wanted, but it sure as hell felt more like a pity statement.
And here was the straw that broke the camel's back.
Without even a second thought, his arm shot up, raising Wadou Ichimonji to Sanji's throat.
It wasn't as if he was giving up all hope on Umi, and treating it as such wasn't something he was going to accept either. They would settle this like they settled everything else - the perpetual cock-measuring.
"Who the hell says it's 'not an issue anymore'?"
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So much for being considerate, so much for going out of his way, so much for not messing with Zoro for once. It had taken a lot of energy and all he got for it was shit in return - no more of that. He liked Umi, a lot. If the stupid fucking moron couldn't take a chance when it was basically handed to him on a silver platter then Sanji was definitely not going to hold back anymore.
"Sounds just like you're giving me the go-ahead here. Giving up, shitty marimo?"
A shift in his stance, hands shoved deep into his pockets. The cook didn't have a bandanna to tie or a strawhat to keep safe, but the way he moved right now signified just how serious he was about the upcoming fight.
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