"a smiling Luffy is the best" - has nothing to do with the fic, but i totally agree
AN: this isn't as well written as "The Night Before" and theres also less meaning and less emotions.. maybe because there dialog? .. ionno..i was never really good with dialog and its not a good writing day for me xP anyway there might be four more of these kinds of fics coming from me (one for each character, minus Luffy and Nico Robin) i guess these fics could be seen as continuations for "The Night Before" .. not really though, theres only the connection and Luffy is now dead.
Again, my editor will not edit this fic because she is not up to where I am in the anime (not that there are any spoilers in this fic... but w/e) so please, point out any spelling, grammar, or stupid mistakes i made.. thank you and enjoy :)
note: Shirane means I don't know
Baka means idiot/ stupid/ retard ... but i think we all know that by now :)
Finding Paradise in a Dream
By Uchiha Jin
Zoro is awake and Nami is somewhat happy. She had not seen the man for what seems like months. Nami calls out to Sanji and asks him to make a late lunch for the other man. Sanji is surprised to see Zoro alive and moving. They are now in the kitchen, alone. Zoro is eating his first meal in four days and Sanji is watching him. The two of them are calm and nothing seems out of place.
"Ne, Zoro .." Sanji puffs on his cigarette.
---
Ne, do you remember that day?
That day? No. I'm hungry, let's go eat!
That day when Buggy almost killed you.
Shirane. Now let's go! Sanji's calling us! Meat! Meat! Meat!
---
"Nami and I were talking," the cook pauses. "We think it's better if we all go our separate ways." Sanji waits for Zoro to replay, but continues when he sees the expression that the swordsman wears on his face.
"Usoppu and Chopper disagree," Sanji sits back in his chair and laughs a bit, even though he knows that there is nothing to laugh about. "They want us to fulfill Luffy's dream. All of us, together."
---
I thought you were gonna die. I was afraid I would never see you again.
Baka. How can I die? I haven't become Pirate King yet!
---
"It'll ease the pain, you know. If we don't see each other, we won't think about it too much." Sanji is disturbed by the other man's expression, but continues to speak. "We're dying Zoro, we're slowly killing ourselves. Usoppu doesn't realize it yet, he thinks theres still a chance for us to be happy. What bullshit. We all have to leave. We have to get away." Sanji thinks that Zoro is not listening, and that he's rambling to himself. Sanji doesn't mind though, he can see the pain behind Zoros eyes. He feels the same way.
"Zoro, it's up to you whether we leave or stay. You were Luffys first mate, you understood him best." Zoro is done eating and heads for the door. "Give us an answer when you're done thinking about it." The door closes and Sanji is left unheard.
---
Promise me that.
Eh?
Promise me that you'll never die till you become Pirate King.
Zoro, I'll never die as long as you're by my side.
Never?
I'll never never, never never never die! And I'll keep my promise as long as you stay with me! Now lets go eat! I'm hungry!
---
Zoro makes his way to the deck. Usoppu and Chopper see him along the way but do not bother to greet him, they only stare at the heart-broken man. Zoro reaches for the railing and stares out at the sea. A smile is on his face, but whether he is truly happy or not, he does not know. His grinning lips part to whisper out a word: "Never..."
Zoro tips forward and the ocean welcomes him with open arms.
End