Charging, Sanji came face to face with the lengthy one. He searched him, watching for hints, ticks, tense muscles - he watched his feet part, one behind the other and his weight shift. He bent backward, watching the bat swing over him with fierce velocity. This man meant to kill him.
Sanji shift all his weight onto one foot, lifted the other, and kicked him square in the chest. He sent him flying into the rust fence that broke and crashed into pine needles bleachers.
He heard the other's steps before he saw him and jumped back. He avoided a downward bat swing but he couldn't get back far enough. The tip of the bat collided with his knee sending painful vibrations down his bones and through his toes.
He winced when he set it down but he can deal with the pain if he doesn't straighten his leg.
He let the guy come to him, the bat raised again, ready to strike him down and potentially kill him. This is the moment he realized he had an easy out. If he were to just stay in place, not fight back and just let the bat have at him, he could escape. He could leave early. Life is giving him an out. Finally the pain could be over, he'd see Zef again, and his memories erased.
He stayed in place, watched Death check it watch on the bleachers. Its misty figure stalking closer and closer, Depression standing right beside him, shaking his hand now, signing a deed to his life now.
He could just stand there.
"Sanji! Move!"
He didn't want to. He really didn't want to, but he did - but it was too late.
CRACK
The bat collided with his brow at an angle and broke flesh. Immediately blood started to pour down his face and especially into his eye. His left eye had a film of red while the other took a moment to adjust. He wouldn't be surprised if he had a concussion but there was no time to debate. The guy was coming at him again with a back hand swing and he swatted down to avoid his ribs being caved in. From there, he swept his legs out from under him, and could hear Usopp cheering him on. He found a new type of excitement in his chest - not the willingness to died, but to live. He wanted to be alive. He want to stay with Usopp and make sure he got home safe, he wanted to apologize to Chopper, gawk at Nami, rely on Frankie and Robin, listen to Brook's music, keep Luffy's trust, and fucking see Zoro again. I wants to see him again, walk beside him again, argue, fight, talk, anything to keep his attention. Being dead gets people forgotten, he doesn't want Zoro to forget him. He wants to wash the dishes together, scream into the sunset, and hold each other to Hell and back.
He wants him, needs him, but right now, Usopp is counting on him to keep his own life safe. What trust he doesn't deserve but will never tarnish.
The crunch of glass caught him off guard but it wasn't a threat. The guy had landed in a pile of shattered glass and wasn't moving.
Sanji stood and checked his pulse. Just unconscious. Probably hit his head on the way down.
He limped towards Usopp who was babbling on about how awesome he was.
"Thanks. But we should call 911. Can't leave these guys here."
"Good point."
And they called 911 from Usopp's phone.
"Are you sure you're alright?"
"Ask one more time and I will kick you."
"It looks like it hurts."
"Doesn't."
"It's all swollen."
"It's healing."
"No, it's broken."
"Just shut up." Sanji wobbled, Usopp put his hands out, but he caught himself.
"I won't ask but… ya know."
"Dammit all to Hell, just take me to Robin's house if you're that worried. It's close, isn't it."
"You are bleeding a lot still. Ruining your shirt. You look like a dead man walking."
"Gee, thanks."
By motorcycle, Sanji and Ussop drove to Robin's Nest. It definitely wasn't as big as the Franky Family mansion, in fact it looked like a small countryside cottage misplaced in the city of Ohara - the University town of Seven Spout. Robin's little cottage was surrounded by college frat houses - yards filled with lawn chairs and red plastic cups - and local restaurants.
Her little house was made of wood paneling, a flat roof, and a wrap around porch filled with different types of flowers - he could hardly see the front door. There was a large front window beside the door and he could see even more plants on the inside. This doesn't look like a place the masculine Zoro would live. It make Sanji chuckled.
Walking up the porch steps did require Usopp's help but neither cared to tease or mutter a thanks. Sanji had too much pride and Usopp knew the price he'd receive afterwards. They opened the screen door, it's springs groaned, and before they could nock, the door swung open. Robin stood there in black leggings and a white turtleneck, holding a book like normal, but her smile fell when she saw the blood.
"Come in. Come in," she stepped aside, and shut the door behind them. She lead them to a table next to the kitchen - the dining table Sanji guessed - and put down her book.
"Stay," she said then disappeared down the hall.
Sanji looked around now, seeing foliage everywhere. A full wall in the living room was dedicated to wood panels making a sturdy web that supported various vine type plants that intertwined themselves into the wood. Some vines even made it to the ceiling, dug into the plaster, and hanged down in loose spirals. The overall layout of the house had an open floor plan. The front door in the living room, a sunroom to the opposite side, a kitchen behind the living room separated by a bar. Dining room, then a long hall with four doors. More of the wooden web extended down the ceiling of the hallway - sourwood flowers hanging at various length. These flowers were bell shaped, pure white and angelic. Some glowed gold from the warm lit light bulbs twined with them.
Robin reappeared with a med kit. "This is quite the surprise visit." She sat down in front of Sanji and opened the tin case.
"Trust me," Sanji sighed. "It was a surprise to us too."
She started wiping some of the blood from Sanji's face with a washcloth. Didn't matter the color it once was, it was red now.
Robin smiled. "Oh this one's just a bleeder. Just a little cut, really." She dabbed it with a disinfectant cotton ball. Sanji winced.
"One of you going to tell me what happened?"
"Ok so," Usopp sat up, "there were these two guys at the baseball field and they started beating on Sanji. But I was there, kicked their asses, and saved the day. I knocked them out cold, Robin. Out. Cold."
Sanji snorted, then winced again with another swipe from the swab.
"So two dudes tried to jump you and Sanji saved you both."
"Hey!"
Even the bandaid she stuck on stung.
Next was his knee, and all she asked for was for him to rise and bend it back. That was fine. Not broken or torn. But it was still swollen and she guessed the bone was bruised.
"Try ice." Robin tapped her chin.
"Thank you, doctor," Sanji chuckled.
She smiled, retrieved her book then gluided towards the sunroom.
Sitting there, Sanji looked around some more, familiarizing himself with the new surroundings. The air was crisp yet warm, like a cool summer breeze but with spring's scent and refreshing rebirth. But what really made it all the better was the lack of Death and his impressions. A considerably lesser lack thereof.
From his position in the dining room, he could see into the living room, over the couch and to the tv, but what was on the television wasn't what caught his attention. It was the familiar blue hair of "Princess" Vivi swaying over the side of the couch arm. He could barely see the hint of bright red - orange hair intertwined with it. Must be Nami, too.
"They're sleeping. Saw them on the way in."
Sanji turned to Usopp. He didn't realize his awking was that obvious. He looked the other way, then: "I like it here."
"Yeah," Usopp smiled, looking around too, "This place is definitely just like an exotic forest. A walk in garden within itself."
They spent another moment just appreciating their surroundings.
"His room's the second on the right."
"What?" Sanji turned. Where'd this come from?
"Zoro's room. Second to the right. I think he's at practice right now if you want to go check it out."
"Why would I want to?"
"You guys," Usopp hesitated, then: "I thought you two were a thing."
Sanji gaped at the long nose. "What?" He had half the mind to stand, but he knew he's fall. Instead, he leaned as far back in his chair as he could. "That Marimo?!"
Usopp stood, backing again with raised hands. "Nevermind, my bad. Just thought, ya know."
"Well stop thinking!" He was blushing, he could feel it on his cheeks, forehead and down his neck.
"Okay. Okay," Usopp shrugged. He backed towards the front door. Standing beside it, he said, "I'm going to get Chopper to take a closer look at your knee. Shouldn't talk long."
Sanji watched the door swing open, heard the screen door creak, and without shutting the front door, the screen slammed closed.
But the silence was filled, not with tv garble or the slight breeze outside, instead it was the rattle of pipes and the ringing of a shower curtain closing. Peering down the hall, he assumed it to be Luffy, having quietly snuck across the hall and into the bathroom to shower, since Nami and Robin were here and Zoro was out. Looking down the hall made him curious. Curious about what else Zoro keeps in his room aside from bats. Slowly, carefully, he stood from his chair and planted his feet with extra care. He could walk in. He could check every room to see if it's his. He could stand there, bask in the essence of Zoro's room. He could look through his drawers, shuffle through until he finds something revilationary.
But he turned the other direction and into the sunroom.
He hobbled quietly around the couch and couldn't help but sneak a peek at the girls sleeping. Vivi backed into couch cushions, and Nami clinging onto her as to not fall off the other side almost made his heart jump. Not in the sense that he wanted each of his arms around them, but with the immediate knowledge they were going to last a long time. A long time. He accepted their love for each other and, in that moment, all the more happiness.
It felt as though, with just that single thought, he had given up all his own golden glow to the two before him. But he didn't regret it. He'd be happy to deal with their pain to help their relationship move along.
His heart ached. He found his hand fisted over his beating chest again. How easy it was to regain this feeling make him chuckle through the pain. This sensation will always be with him, won't it? Always waiting, lurking in the shadows for the right time to strike.
The pain grew with each envious gaze at the girls. He wanted someone to care as much they they do for eachother. He wanted someone to hold on to, to wake him up when he is having a bad dream, to calm him when dreams turn into daytime nightmares. He wanted it so bad, even Loneliness hugged him from behind. He could feel its translucent touch pressed against his back and wrapped around his hips. But it was not good at comforting, it was only a reminder of how truly alone he felt even surrounded by Alice's Wonderland.
He turned away from the arche ways of the sunroom, scared of what else he'll be greeted by while he's lost in the throws of nature, and wondered back to the dining room. But instead of sitting, he kept walking. Down the hall, passed the room with the shower still running, and knocked on the door second to the right. Zoro's room held no answer in reply.
He pushed his way through.
It was a standard ten by ten room with a desk and a bed but filled floor to ceiling with band posters on three of the four walls. Only the two windows weren't covered and even that was to an extent with the blinds blocking all the sunlight. He could point out Metallica, Nirvana, AC DC, and The Rolling Stones. The rest he had no clue, but his attention was diverted to the fourth wall
That his bed was backed against. Pictures. At least a hundred photos - some of Zoro, others of everyone's posed smiles, but most of them were candid shots of people Sanji met like Luffy and Nami, and others he's never seen before. Some photos over lapped others, heavy layers of tape here and there, but Sanji didn't mind the messy organization. How could he when he found the small section of Zoro as a small child? Zoro had spiky green hair even as a child, but longer than his crew cut now.
There were pictures of him riding a bike for the first time with a young twenty year old Franky pushing behind him. Then another at a t-ball game. And another with Robin teaching him how to read. There was even one of him picking his nose with Luffy doing the same. And though all these photos looking happy, there were none of the life Zoro must've had before getting to this point. There was a photo of a man with gold ringed eyes in a police suit standing beside a young girl with pink pigtails. They held some familiar features like their strong jaw and sharp cut cheekbones but not enough to be called father and son.
This wall almost proved Zoro had no childhood before coming into Robin's and Frankie's care.
Sanji sat on the bed now, still gaping up at all the photos, but the more he looked the more he found Depression in each picture Zoro appeared in. It made the photos a little more gray with it just standing off to the corner or over Zoro's shoulder. Sanji wanted to rip each tainted photo off the wall, spare Zoro of seeing his own pain anymore. But maybe this was just him, just his eyes able to see the dreaded truth.
Through the wall, Sani could hear the shower turn off and the shower curtain clater open. He paid no mind to Luffy's shuffling until the door opened and in walked Zoro wearing only a towel.
"Shit!" Zoro growled, gripping the hem of his towel closer to his body.
Sanji stiffened and scramble off the bed. "Yeah, shit! You scared the shit out of me!"
"I should be the one saying that! What the hell are you doing here?"
His heart pinged with Rejection's rough hand on his shoulder, pulling him back a step.
Of course. How could he have not seen it sooner? Of course he's not welcome here, either.
"Sorry," Sanji muttered, "I'll get out of your way." He heart ached like no other. His fist clenched over a tight chest, but before he could step around Zoro, the other reached his arm out, placed his hand on top of Rejection's and singed its hand away.
"You know I didn't mean it like that." His voice was deep but whisperish with acceptance that made Sanji's heart jump the good way.
"Stay."