(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 )
She could say over and over that she wanted to be able to make her own decision. Coming down to that final question, though, the all important one...it was honestly something she didn't know how to answer. What did she want? Of all the things in the world they could have asked...it was the one thing she couldn't answer. Now it was Umi who didn't meet their eyes, looking down at the snow.
No matter what she said, would one of them end up hurt because of it? That, she knew she didn't want. She knew she didn't want them to fight like this anymore, but also that she didn't want either of them to disappear from her life. She knew that, ideally, someday she would like to fall in love...but that always seemed like a distant dream. Something for the future. Even if it was something to think about now, was it worth this much conflict?
"I want," she began, slow at first -- now she raised her eyes to look at them. "...for you two to stop fighting like this. Like you're both out for blood. This place...it's bad enough, without friends turning on each other. And-- you're both important friends to me. I don't want that to change."
It wasn't an answer. And she was starting to get nervous. How did other people do this...? It wasn't like a movie or a book, where a sudden revelation dawned on her, where suddenly music began playing as the right choice became clear. All she could hear was the sound of her heart, pounding harder and harder in her chest.
"But-- my decision..." She drew in a deep breath; her voice was shaking a bit again. There really was nothing good about this situation, but her only option left was to blurt out the one thing she knew was true, as weak and silly and stupid as it might have been. "I can't-- I like you both...and care about you both, a lot. But-- ...I don't know...how to choose between two of the most important people in my life," she admitted at last. "I'm sorry. It's not fair to say that at all, to either of you, but..." She couldn't finish. She had lost the words.
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Sanji had to admit that he wanted the exact same thing - to go back to how it was back home or even just on the good days here. The spar outside of the hospital that second time... that had been good. Fun. The way things should be and he desperately wanted to return to that.
But could they? Was it even possible for things to return to normal anymore? It couldn't continue like this, that much was clear but perhaps they needed to look forward instead of to the past. Figure out something else. If Umi wanted them both in her life (and he thanked his lucky star that she hadn't just downright dismissed them) then that was what she was going to get. Somehow.
And then it hit him, a stupid idea, something he'd never think of let alone say out loud. But... it seemed to be the only solution. If she couldn't make a choice then maybe there wasn't one. The thought was absurd but somehow it fit. They'd all get what they wanted, with a little (or a lot) of work.
"If that's your decision then that's what you'll get. At least as far as I'm concerned."
Quick glance in Zoro's direction - would he pick up on it?
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But hell, he would try if he was given the chance. If they were on the Going Merry, things wouldn't have been like this. Nobody would have let it get that fair - chances are, Nami would have concussed them both already by this point. Even with the Straw Hats being in the city, it wasn't the same. Everyone was doing something different - it was unlikely Luffy, Chopper, or Robin had even the slightest idea what was happening. Even Usopp didn't have a full grasp on it, but he probably was a bit more well informed than the others.
He listened to what Umi said, watching with careful eyes. She.. couldn't choose? It wasn't something he'd expected. But he did understand it. She always showed them an equal amount of concern. And he couldn't really blame her. He'd known her a bit longer, but Sanji was definitely endearing in his own right - as much as Zoro generally disliked admitting that, it was completely true. They'd both grown close to her for different reasons. Where they really expecting that she'd be able to choose? Especially after everything that'd happened over the course of time they'd known each other?
He eyes shifted, looking towards Sanji as he spoke. It took him a moment to process what he said, but he understood. Somehow... it made sense. Despite the fact that they were always at one another's throats, there was something else. Maybe it was that their feelings for her overpowered everything else.
It wouldn't be easy. There would probably be plenty more arguments.. times that they didn't see eye to eye. But if this is what it was going to take to make Umi happy... then he was willing to give it a try.
Zoro nodded his head in agreement, quirking an eyebrow at Sanji for a brief moment before looking back to Umi.
"Yeah. If that's what you want."
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Though, even if she had acknowledged that, it wouldn't have made her less nervous as she waited for their response.
It was a weight lifted. Maybe things would never go back to the way they were. Maybe they couldn't...and maybe that was a good thing, if that had turned out this way. She expected them to still bicker, and she expected to be right there bickering along with them. But the sort of fighting she had seen between the two pirates tonight...was something that couldn't continue, no matter what happened. It was something she would do anything she could in order to put a stop to -- that much she could resolve without question.
She still felt a pang of guilt for her answer. It seemed selfish and unsatisfying. Still -- no matter how things ended up from here on, whatever choices ended up being made, whatever ended up changing, she wouldn't lose them...either one of them.
And, honestly, she hadn't realized until then how afraid of that she had been.
"...Thank you," she said, and really, truly meant it. This was a start, at the very least, and an attempt. Even if it was small, and even if they were doing it only because she asked, she was grateful. She took another deep breath and released it, and then the reality of the world that had come apart when she first saw them fighting came back together. Not just the street or the snow -- the chill in the air and the blood on the snow...all of it.
"So," when she began speaking, she found the energy to muster a little, bemused smile. "Can I help you guys get patched up, or do you wanna hang around here all night and get sick?"
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He let out a sigh of relief, followed by a suppressed wince as he realized just how badly those wounds hurt. Getting somewhere relatively warm and dry seemed like a great idea, he definitely didn't want to catch something by standing out in the cold.
"That sounds like an excellent idea."
Flicking away the burnt down cigarette (third tonight, damn) he smiled, a little weak and hesitant but still a smile.
"And thank you."
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Obviously, he could see where things could possibly go wrong. But this felt like a step in the right direction. It would be difficult, but he did want to mend things between himself and Sanji, and if this is what was going to help, by all means, he was going to try his damnedest to make it work.
"Yeah..." Was all Zoro could manage to sputter out right then. All his wounds were beginning to throb hard again, and he could feel the blood loss going to his head.
He was tired.
The swordsman would have said more, but before he even had the chance, he'd gone into collapse, crashing against the cold, snowy pavement like a ton of bricks.
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This wasn't Cephiro. Her armor and sword wouldn't evolve when her heart matured. But she knew that, at this point, she could no longer afford to remain ignorant -- to cast a blind eye over the situation and hope for the best. Things had gotten to this point partially because she had taken that stance -- it would be important not just to recognize that responsibility, but to try and grow from it.
After all, that had been one important reason for them to return to Cephiro.
More importantly at the moment, those two idiots really had done a number on each other, and even just looking at them, Umi was beginning to wonder if-- ...And before she could even finish thinking it, it basically happened: Zoro fell completely over. It caught her by surprise, for sure, and she went to make sure he was, well-- ...still alive. "Z-Zoro?! Hey--!"
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The attack had been powerful but not nearly enough to kill - maybe the chip was actually making a difference these days or maybe he had simply held back without realizing it. Either way the swordsman would be fine after some rest. They couldn't leave him out here in the snow though...
"Don't worry, he'll be fine. He does this all the time."
Sighing Sanji crouched down next to his fallen comrade and carefully nudged his shoulder. An odd warm sensation seemed to spread throughout his chest - either it was the early signs of a really nasty cold or... something else. The air seemed clearer, easier to breathe.
"Oi. Broccoli head. Get up, I'm not carrying you all the way to Gohl."
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And then there was the nudge from Sanji. The swordsman let out a protesting groan. He really didn't care about moving from that spot. Really, it was going to be hard to.
But after a couple of minutes, he forced his eyes open. He made an attempt to push himself off the ground, but exhaustion had really done it's part right then - or at least, the plethora of injuries had. He willed with all his strength to get up, eventually being able to do so - though barely. He'd worried Umi enough for one night, he'd push as hard as he could to prevent doing any more damage in that regard. He'd just sleep it off later.
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"Right...right," she said at Sanji's reassurance, admittedly feeling a bit ridiculous for worrying.
She had to admit, even after knowing these guys for the months that she had, they still did weird things like this to surprise her.
"Jeez, way to make a girl worry," she sighed. "Hey...at a time like this, even I might not argue, but it's still snowing, y'know. You're gonna get sick or something."
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He sighed. This would hurt so bad, but what else could he do? If you make a mess you clean up after yourself, Zeff had bashed that into his head within the first year. So he simply grabbed Zoro's arm (even making sure that he was messing with the good side) and made an attempt to hook it over his own shoulders.
"C'mon. Help me out here."
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When push came to shove, they had to be. No matter how often they fought, or anything else when they needed it, the other would be there.
If Umi hadn't stepped it, it probably would have ended differently - that was the scary part. It seemed they'd always need a mediator to keep their tempers at bay. On the Grand Line, it was Nami, but here... it could be nobody else but Umi.
A slight hiss passed through pursed lips as Sanji hooked Zoro's arm over his shoulder. Yes, it was the was the good one, but it still stung like a bitch. He'd be okay though, he knew that much.
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It was like a silver lining on the night that they could still help each other after everything that had just happened, at least.
Nakama, huh... She had heard the term a lot, from all of them, but had never fully understood it. She certainly felt similarly about Hikaru and Fuu --they had all adopted one another as sisters, an act that was surprisingly easy and...natural, even-- but... It wasn't often that a person got to see something similar from other people. Maybe that was what difficult circumstances did, though -- bonding almost perfect strangers into family.
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"Fuck, you're heavy..."
This worked though, as long as the bastard didn't pass out again. Sanji was strong and more than a little stubborn but he was really in no condition to drag his crew mate half-way across town. A little out of breath he turned his attention towards Umi, effectively ignoring the drops of blood that were already staining the snow.
"Could you lead the way, Miss?"
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It couldn't be denied, Zoro was woozy. His head was spinning, and it was a fight to keep himself awake, let alone standing. But he put all his weight and energy into standing and limping forward. A slight sigh escaped his lips as he looked over to his crewmate.
"...Thanks."
He did appreciate it. It had to have been strange for Sanji to help him... after what had happened. After being the reason that he was in that state to begin with.
Aside from that, he waited. Umi was going to lead the way, and they'd follow - and besides, there really wasn't much else Zoro could do on his own anyway but fight to remain conscious.
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She blinked at Sanji's request. "R...right!"
They were both in bad shape...really bad -- that was evident just by looking at them. But Sanji had mentioned getting back to Gohl...
That was a long, long walk from the Lights, and it would be even longer when they could barely stand up. It was a bad idea, basically, a very bad one -- if they even tried it, Umi was sure she'd end up needing to carry them both. That would be impossible, of course...so the hospital it was. And that way...even if they couldn't make it all the way, she could get supplies. Or bring a doctor.
So she led on, slow enough so that they could keep up, trying not to keep too far away, just in case.
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