One Piece 1. Meeting

_Well this is it._

Zoro lay on his side on the ground panting. His right arm was numb, mostly from his own weight baring down on it as it lay under him, but he was pretty sure it was broken as well. He knew for a fact his wrist was. The way the blow had struck, sending Shuusui flying from his grasp with a loud crack; there was no other conclusion.

His whole body stung too. The countless cuts, gashes and bruises had his heart working overtime, not that it really mattered anymore.

Somehow he managed to pull in another breath, swallowing dryly as he felt the familiar hum of Kitetsu at the edge of his finger tips. His left arm was stretched out in front of him, the discarded weapon all but jumping for joy as it bathed in his own blood. The deep dark red was a decent color for the cursed blade, Zoro thought as his eyes closed; only to slowly reopen them in what he hoped was merely a blink and not a loss of consciousness.

In the end he hadn't known what exactly it was that hit him, but it was enough to bring him to the ground, to leave him stunned and bleeding out. Vaguely he wondered if he would ever be able to return Wado Ichimonji to her pristine white after laying in this much blood and dirt for so long...

A foot connecting to his shoulder, forcibly rolling him to his back brought Zoro back from wherever the hell it was he went. His whole body felt sluggish, his eyelids heavy, yet somehow he managed to open his eyes.

The man standing over him had his arms crossed, an unamused scowl on his face as he sighed and rolled his one visible eye at him. The left, the swordsman noted and why Zoro choose to take in that small piece of information he wasn't sure of. "Well, this figures," the man was saying, stuffing hands into his black dress slacks. "I get stuck with a masochistic moss ball."

"Who..." Zoro's voice sounded feeble in his ears as he literally choked out words. "Who the hell are you?" He made an attempt for a still laughing Kitetsu but the moment he went to stretch out his fingers pain shot up his arm.

He knew the blond standing over him caught his wince. "Ya know," he said, voice husky if not a tad hoarse. "You shouldn't really water yourself in your own blood. It's not healthy."

Blood shot and widened from pain, Zoro's eyes flicked him his katana to the other man as he growled out. "Just do it if that's why you're here."

"Do what? Oh." He nodded as a smirk broke out across his mouth and he laughed. "I'm not here to kill you, although, it certainly did cross my mind. No, fortunately for you, I am here to keep your shitty ass alive till someone comes and finds you."

"You're not..."

"Nope," with a shake of his head, the other man cut him off. "I, lucky me, got the amazing task of being your Guardian Angel. So, as much fun as it would be to watch you die; I can't do that." As he spoke, the blond pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and lit one, returning the pack and lighter upon inhale. That would explain the slightly thick tone to his voice. "Name's Sanji, by the way."

Zoro managed a snort as Sanji exhaled. "I don't believe in that shit. Besides, you're dressed in black and smoking."

"So?" The blond raised an eyebrow at him. If it had been any other time, Zoro was sure he would make a comment about the bizarre curl it had, but right now, it seemed to be too much of an effort.

"Aren't you supposed to be wearing white? Bathed in light and have fucking wings?" Zoro's vision was starting to blur again, each word harder to get out than the last. He was going to die arguing with some jerk off who was trying to convince him at the end God was real.

"Yeah yeah, everyone says that. Ever hear of the pale horse? Don't go into the light buddy; that's the last thing you wanna do." Taking a drag off his smoke, Sanji toed Zoro in the leg. "Hey, come on, don't you go dieing on me now. I just got here!"

Zoro managed a chuckle as he closed his eyes. He was so tired now. Sleep was what he needed. "Hey," Sanji's voice pierced the edge of his hearing, although he was beginning to sound farther and farther away. "Hey Zoro!" He sounded a bit frantic now, calling his name. It didn't even register that the swordsman hadn't told him that, yet, he was a wanted pirate after all. It shouldn't have come as a surprise that Sanji knew it. "Oh for fuck's sake!"

The only word he could use to describe the sensation was warm. And dark. There was a light, but it was shadowed, almost like it was filtered through something, tinged with blue. He took a deep breath, the action rocking his body as his back arced off the ground and air filled his lungs. The swordsman heard gravel grind under shoes and he cracked his eyes to see Sanji stand with a sigh, cigarette dangling from his lips.

This wasn't what caught Zoro's new founded attention though. The large pair of black wings, the end of each feather tipped in a dark blue, arcing out over the blond's head, did the trick. The blond's entire being seemed to glow with the same dark blue as the wing tips, giving off an almost dark aura. This was were the warm feeling was coming from, but it seemed too awkward coming from something bathed in colors every one associated with death. The long flight feathers gracefully curled in to almost meet at their highest point, before sweeping out to the side and settling easily against slim shoulder blades. "You really do have a death wish don't you?"

Pulling the smoke from his mouth like having a fucking set of wings was no big deal, Sanji slipped one arm under the elbow of the other, holding the cigarette high in his up right hand. "You're gonna be a problem aren't you, ya retarded moss. Didn't I just tell you _not_ to go into the light?"

Zoro opened his mouth to speak, but someone called his name. Sanji's head snapped to the side in the direction it came from and nodded. He stepped back away from the swordsman, ruffling the wings once against his back, the light fading away from him and leaving him as he was before. No wings, no aura, just an annoying blond man with a cigarette. Placing the cigarette back in his mouth, he gave a mock salute with two fingers as he turned. "See ya around moss head."

Chopper swam into his vision and Zoro passed out once more.


	2. Eye

Sanji watched calmly as Mihawk walked away like what had just happened had not been one of the most horrendous things Sanji had ever seen. And well, let's face it, he had seen a lot. A few feet from him, Zoro hit his knees then fell to his side, his back facing the blond. He watched as Zoro slowly closed in on himself and he could hear the short gasps of air coming from the fallen man, a swallow, then more panting.

Bracing his hands on his knees, Sanji stood, walking the few yards needed to reach the swordsman, stepping not only over him, but the discarded swords he had come to know so well. Shoes ground gravel under them as he crouched down, pulling a drag off his cigarette and blowing smoke into the air. "Well, that could have gone better."

Zoro's breathing was coming in short labored breaths as he flicked his visible eye up to the blond man. The other was hidden under a mass of blood soaked black bandana and a bloodied hand. He moved an arm, a minimal movement Sanji noted, fingers reaching for that white sword of his. "Where..." The swordsman started, mouth closing just long enough to swallow again. A small cloud of dust hung before the man's nose as Sanji carelessly took another drag of his cigarette, one arm resting lightly across his knee. "...you..."

"Where was I? Is that what you are asking me moss ball?" Sanji paused only long enough for the slight nod of green hair, before chuckling. "You are no where near dead. Pretty beat up, but you have had worse."

With a grunt, Zoro closed his eyes again. It had been a hell of a fight, but he still was no where near ready to take on Mihawk. This had proven it. And again, Mihawk had marked him for his over confidence. This time though, Zoro would not be able to hide the scar. The other man had made sure of that.

His limbs was tired and weary, a slight shake settling in as his body went into shock. He felt heavy and cold. A warm pool was under his head though and Zoro could feel himself slipping closer to unconsciousness.

He blinked, trying to keep them open, trying to stay awake. "I'm here mostly to make sure you don't bleed to death before that girl gets here. That bastard will take his time telling her." The husky voice flooded his senses like it had so many times before.

"Hmm..." Zoro nodded slightly, dirt grinding against his cheek as he did so. His eye drifted closed again; it was hard to focus. And Sanji's voice always seemed to make him tired. He could sleep while he was here. While the blond kept a watch over him.

"That's quite the cut there. Gonna loose it ya know." Sanji flicked his cigarette butt away. "Alright, let's get this over with."

Zoro heard the rush of wings and he felt the warmth radiate through him as Sanji touched the middle of his fore head with two finger tips. It was the lightest of touches, barely there as that dark blue aura thrummed through him. The swordsman relaxed into it; it was so familiar now.

Feathers brushed his nose and the green haired man cracked his good eye to see the blue tips in front of his eyes as the Angel stretched his massive wings forwards, enveloping his in a pure darkness. They were beautiful, the blond's wings; glowing with that soft dark blue, making the tips stand out against the black. Even with their deep color, they were a welcomed contrast to the dullness around him.

He looked forwards to his meetings with Sanji; wondered briefly if he sought them out at times, pushing to see how far he could take his body before he collapsed and the shit talking Angel would appear.

The warmth faded as Sanji stood up, the wings whipping back away from Zoro with a rustle and settling against the lithe form as the blond brushed off his dress slacks. "I stopped the bleeding at least." He shrugged, stuffing a hand in his pocket to grab a new cigarette.

"You're a shitty Guardian Angel," Zoro sneered.

Raising an eye brow as he inhaled his first drag, Sanji crouched back down, splaying his wings out over his head to keep them from touching the dirt. Leaning forwards slightly, he poked Zoro in the forehead with a finger, causing the man to wince in pain as he grit his teeth. "How many times have I kept you from dieing? Hell, how many times have I _brought you back_? Hmm? Answer me that shitty marimo."

"You..." Zoro panted. "You can't even heal me."

"I'm an Angel, not a miracle worker," Sanji grumbled. "Besides, what is lost I can not replace." Standing his wings snapped closed, a small gust of air ruffling Zoro's hair as the blond's aura faded away. Roughly, and looking down his nose to Zoro as he did so, the blond toed him in the shoulder, rolling him to his back.

The wings were gone again, Zoro noted, leaving nothing more than the blond in his black suit. With a faint smile, the swordsman closed his eye again, nodding weakly at the Angel's remark to his eye. Taking a drag, Sanji grunted with a nod. "Well, my jobs done and that girl will be here soon." He exhaled with a sigh. "Until the next time you try to get yourself killed Zoro."

When Zoro opened his eye again, Sanji was gone.


	3. Kuma

Sanji sighed. He was getting used to this, but it didn't make it any easier to only swing by to make sure the damned moss ball made it through what ever in the hell type of torture he had put his body through at that time was. He took a long slow drag off his cigarette, holding the smoke in his lungs for a moment before exhaling; the toxic cloud obscuring the mess in front of him.

"Well Roronoa Zoro you most certainly did it this time."

Zoro didn't answer, not that the blond expected him too. He was having a hard enough time standing up right now. In the still air, the sound of his rushing blood was maddening to the angel's ears and he bit down on his cigarette butt, grinding his teeth.

His wings shot out to the sides, the dark feathers gleaming in the light of the day as they extended to their full lengths and Sanji took a step towards the other man. Pulling the smoke from his mouth, he flicked it aside as he spoke. "Alright, let's get this over with."

Zoro's eyes moved to him then. It was the smallest of changes, but Sanji caught it. Caught the dilated pupils and bloodshot whites surrounded by dark eyes. He caught the twitch in the swordsman's brow as his eyebrows lowered in defiance. "No?" Sanji tilted his head to the side slightly, pulling his immense wing span back towards himself ever so slightly.

"You are gonna die ya know." Sanji frowned at his own words. "Well of course you know, you are the one who offered your life up aren't you?"

Zoro didn't move and the dripping of his blood sounded like thunder to Sanji's sensitive hearing. There was so much, how the man was conscious, let alone standing was beyond him. He felt a small swell of pride though; as the blond had been the one tasked with watching over such a monstrous creature and he was looking death in the eye and laughing.

Well not literally, but you get the point. "Okay, here's the deal you shitty bastard." Pulling a new cigarette, Sanji cupped his hands against the slight wind and lit it easily, pulling in the first drag quietly. His wings settled against his back as he walked up to the other man, stepping over the rivers and pools to blood to come looming into Zoro's vision.

The swordsman's skin was pale, Sanji noted, even under the tanned complexion, his whole body shaking. The amount of blood he had lost was way beyond his limit, way beyond any amount he had lost before. "I won't touch you..." Sanji started, peering into those glassy and near dead eyes. "But I'm not leaving either. It's my purpose, as shitty as it is with you, to stay here."

"I leave this to you," He continued with a drag off his smoke. Sanji shifted his head to the side, but his piercing gaze never left Zoro's eyes and he exhaled, blowing a thin tight stream up into the clear sky. "Do you want me to bring you back as I have so many times before? Or do you want to die here? You have passed his test."

The most minute widening of Zoro's eyes gave Sanji a glimmer of hope. Maybe the masochistic man really wasn't ready to die here. Maybe he did want to continue on and complete the impossible goal he had set before himself. Any other would never have caught the movement, but with his eyes trained with millennia of practice, the dark angel caught it easily.

"Look at me." He growled out and was slightly shocked when the swordsman's eyes slid to meet his. His wings ruffled on his back at the slight backwards jerk of his head. His voice lowered, the words he spoke soothing as he picked each word carefully. "I need an answer Zoro. Something; anything. If you die here..._do you want me to bring you back?_"

Blood ran down the side of his face, over his cheek to drop off his chin. The sound of the tiny drops hitting the dirt like explosions to his ears. Zoro looked away, the slight flick as his eyes stared off at some point once more. Sanji made a noise in frustration, hands snapping into fists at his sides as his wings shot out over his head in a dramatic display.

The bright sun filtered through them, dust cascading down around them like a fine mist of rain. "You are impossible, you know that!" He barked angrily, pulling the cigarette from his mouth and getting as close as he dared into the other man's face. "You have proven your point! What's left? Do you really want them to find you dead?! Think of what that will do to him? The one who's place you took!"

Nothing. The swordsman was done with him and Sanji sighed, stepping back away from him and placing the cigarette back against his lips once more. "Alright," He said calmly, shrugging and kicking at a small stray rock. "If that's your answer then."

He stayed though, as promised, watching the man intently for any sign of a different answer; only disappearing in a rush of wings when he heard foot steps approach. The moss head's resolve was impeccable, Sanji had to admit, even if he was just human as he heard the faint words spoken. The first words Zoro had uttered since he had arrived.

"Nothing...nothing at all..."


	4. Depth

Zoro took a deep breath through his nose and exhaled the same breath out through his nose. He was trying to stay calm, focus on meditating and not the air around him. It wasn't enough, his lungs burning as he tried to keep his breathing calm and steady. He should have known something like this would have happened, it usually did, but everyone being back together had set his blood on fire and he had willingly sought out the thrill of the fight when it had been presented.

"Well this is a fine mess you got yourself into this time huh? Not back together for more than a couple hours and already here I am." The voice was soothing in a way, despite the mocking tone and condescending chuckle that came with it.

Zoro looked up, squinting out into the dark waters, catching just a hint of blond hair. He should have been surprised, but he wasn't. His Guardian Angel was becoming a regular sight. The blond sneered at him from outside his weird ass bubble, toeing at it easily, unaffected by the pressure of the water at this depth.

He took another shallow breath, a bead of sweat rolling down the side of his face despite how cold the bubble was to the touch. His chest felt tight, his lungs burning. Swallowing dryly, he nodded weakly. "Sanji,"

"Hmm? What is it moss head?" Hands in his pockets, the angel kicked effortlessly at the water, moving around with ease. Reaching into his pocket, the blond pulled a cigarette, resting the item against his lip casually like this wasn't a life or death situation. Zoro guessed to him it wasn't though.

"Can you..." He trailed off ending in a pant. It was getting harder to breathe with each lungful of air. There hadn't been much in this little fucking thing to begin with. His heart beat was becoming erratic as his body realized it was going to die soon. With throbbing pain his head swam and he felt dizzy, a loud ringing humming in his ears.

"I can." He gave a sharp nod, hair fanning out around his face.

"Hmm." The swordsman nodded, closing his eyes and bundling up his swords into his lap, leaning them against his shoulder. He fought his body against the pain, kept his breaths short and shallow, but it seemed like with each passing second it just grew hotter in the confined space.

His eye slid closed, welcoming in the cool against his back from the side of the bizarre bubble. He had never feared death, but this was not the way he wanted to go. The ringing in his ears grew louder as he settled into the black that swam behind his vision even with closed lids.

A hand shook his shoulder and Zoro couldn't help the gasp, wasting what little air was left, as he opened his eye. Sanji was close, closer than he had ever been to him before, noses practically touching, his wings surrounding them, blanketing them in the darkness.

The familiar dark aura washed over him, flooded through him as the dark blue glow cast strange shadows against the high cheek boned face of his angel. The blue tips of the flight feathers brushed against his neck and cheeks, but the swordsman didn't even feel their caress as the pain from his deprived lungs took the center stage.

"Stay with me." Sanji's hand came up to press against the swordsman's cheek. His voice was quiet as his visible eye searched Zoro's face. He could feel the man's breath on his face and Zoro couldn't help but close his eye one more time. The final time. It was so hard to stay awake again. He knew what that meant, but Sanji was here. Sanji would make sure he came through this. "...Zoro..."

Cool air filled his lungs as Zoro took a deep breath, eye snapping open to see the familiar faces of his crew. They gave relieved gasps and sighs, most leaving him to lay on the grass of the Sunny's deck. The swordsman's stared up at the lifeless Jolly Roger of the ship in thought. His whole body still tingled with the angel's aura, but he knew Sanji would be no where around now. Not with his nakama standing over him.

Still...the touch lingered.


	5. Poison

_Poison._

That had been the word used. That had been the fire that had rushed down his throat, burned the membranes of his nose and filled his lungs.

The fine mist looking nothing more than like a small yellowish haze. Shuusui was angry, Kitetsu was screaming for the culprit's blood while Wado Ichimonji remained silence and solace between his teeth. They all had faith in him else they wouldn't belong to Zoro, but the quiet comforting hum from his oldest blade was reassuring even to him. He ground his teeth against the leather of her hilt, determined to end this here and now.

To end this even as his vision began to blur and his head began to swim. He needed to take this fucker down quickly and get back to the others. Chopper would know what to do, how to counter act the venom now coursing through his veins.

Each breath was coming harder to him, each lungful of air burning from within. He shifted his grip on Shuuisui, the blade in his left hand was beginning to feel heavy, even for him. Was this draining his strength as well? Kitetsu danced with glee as if his own light was keeping him aloft in the other hand.

Rolling his neck and hearing the crack, Zoro crouched down for one final attack to stop this mocking laughter and get back to the rest of his crew. The cut was a sloppy one for him, and he cursed under his breath at it. The excuse of their being two at the last second not being a reason to falter.

Kitesu seemed to be laughing and Zoro could only picture the sword as a child playing in a puddle, if the puddle was soaked in blood. Shuusui fell silent, his weight heavy enough to dip the sharpened edge of his blade into the earth. Only Wado Ichimonji's hum seemed to show true concern for him.

Stumbling he took a step forwards, towards what he hoped was where he needed to go. Everything was blurry now and no matter how many times he blinked, his vision would not clear. Pulling the white weapon from his chapped lips, the swordsman noticed the tell tale black lines of his veins, the poison spreading quickly.

One more step and he was falling to his knees, panting with burning breaths, his precious possessions scattered around him as his hands gripped into the dirt. He could feel his whole body weaving, swaying against shaky elbows and knees on the verge of giving out.

"Do you seek this shit out?"

Zoro smirked down at the dirt, raising his head slowly till he came across the black dress shoes just beyond the smeared blade of Kitetsu.

"I swear, the shit you get into." Sanji crouched down, burning stub of a cigarette between thin lips. "Every time I see you; you give me a hell of shit storm to deal with."

"Is...isn't that the point of an angel?" He couldn't help the panted sneer, his voice hoarse and raw from the mist tearing apart his throat.

"Fucker." Sanji flicked the cigarette butt away and stood back up. "You made short work of him though."

"Don't piss me off..." With a heavy breath, Zoro fell forwards and to the side, his right shoulder hitting the ground sharply. Swallowing, he managed to drag the bloodied bandana off his head, reveling in the few seconds of cool relief it gave before his body heated again, sweat dripping across his forehead and towards the ground.

"You're not gonna like it this time..." The blond trailed off as the oh-so-familiar aura of the angel flooded over him. The darkness was cool and welcoming, flowing over his neck and shoulders, down his spine, humming along his legs till it came to his toes. At the same time, he heard the rush of wings, the large shadow falling over him and Zoro closed his eyes.

"Just...just do it." The green haired man nodded, grinding dirt into his cheek.

"Well alright; but this isn't the same as healing cuts and keeping your soul here. You're infected and I have to _pull it out of you._ It's gonna hurt." The tone was somber and the swordsman couldn't help but chuckle. He was beyond feeling at this point anyways. His body was shutting down and everything felt numb underneath the wave of darkened aura.

"You...act like you know." The large black wings swooped up as Sanji knelt down in front of him, carefully moving the cursed blade aside to do so.

"Che..." The angel looked away, eyes narrowing with the movement. "Maybe I do, from a time long ago." The words were quiet and remorseful before the tone hardened once more. "Shitty moss for brains..."

Zoro choked, his body feeling way to heavy as he lay panting and dieing in the dirt at the knees of an angel. He swallowed once more as a hand ran through his hair, almost soothing in a way before it gripped tightly and Zoro's entire body began to burn in sharp pain.

With a strangled and broken yelp, he jerked his body, the flash of pain considerable close to the time he had taken that jolt from Kuma and his brain went numb, his eyes snapping open and going blank, hazing over from the horrible sensations.

"It's not ever simple...Zoro..." Sanji's voice was low and on that slight caring verge again as the presence of his aura intensified along with the pain. With a desperate cry, Zoro's world went dark.

When he woke, Zoro was on his back and he blinked his eyes open to find he was looking up to the turned away face of Sanji, a cigarette lazily curling smoke hanging from his mouth. His eyes were lidded and the swordsman noticed the low hum of the angel's darkness as the wing tips brushed the ground. With a groan he tried to move,to raise his head from where it rested against the blond's knees, but a hand to his chest kept him from doing so.

"Just lay still." The blond spoke around the item in his mouth. "This takes a lot out of me."

"Not all powerful?" Zoro raised an eyebrow, but didn't attempt to move again.

Sanji simply shook his head, his weird fringe of a bang swaying slightly as he did so. The two remained quiet; Sanji continuing to stare off and smoke his cigarette while Zoro attempted to tune his body to the hum of the angel's aura. "It won't work," He spoke in a knowing tone, the wings vanishing from his sides with a flutter of feathers. "Don't bother." Zoro realized he had never actually seen Sanji's wings appear or vanish before as he nodded against the blond's knees.

With a sigh, the swordsman simply closed his eyes once more.


	6. Temptation

Sanji knew it was a bad idea. He knew what could happen in he got too close...too attached. He had seen it before and the fall from grace was anything but. Yet, here he was, standing in the middle of this field with the one person he should be staying away from.

Roronoa Zoro was an enigma if he had ever seen one. Nothing but chiseled muscle and tanned sweat slicked skin, why he had come here was still a mystery to him. The swordsman hadn't seen him yet, but he was almost positive he had sensed his presence. Still he continued on, dancing gracefully through his practiced moves with his strange and possessive weapons.

Sanji had never seen another like the pirate before him. His dedication and resolve were beyond the limits of most people. His tolerance for pain past even his own limits and he was immortal. What drove him forwards amazed and confused the angel and he always found himself lingering just too long when he came to save him...no, maintain his body for this man's soul was beyond even him.

The grass was high and thin, the strands swaying in the light breeze like the waves of an ocean and Sanji ran his hand lightly over the top of it, feeling the slightly rough edges catch on his skin. He could still back out of this; _should _back out of this. Should stretch his wings and vanish before he regretted something that he could not fix.

His steps took him closer though and as the man in front of him made one final graceful arc, cutting a wide opening in the grass, he stood, sheathing the weapon and looking at him with a tilt of his head. "Sanji?" The blond have a shallow bob of his head and swallowed. Raising his arms slightly with a frown, the other man looked across his body. "The hell? I'm not even injured. What do you know that I don't? I feel fine."

"You are fine..." The words came out breathless and Sanji cursed himself for it. He was a fucking angel after all, he commanded dominance and power, yet in front of this man; this _mortal_ all Sanji wanted to do was fall to his knees and worship him. He could feel his body shaking, quivering at the thought that he might actually be doing this. That this man might let him do this.

Zoro was still scowling at him and the blond shoved his hands in his pockets to give them something to do. "Then what?" The swordsman's voice was gruff and calm; stable. So unlike the many times Sanji had heard it, shaking and broken as he panted out his last breaths for him. He wouldn't be able to save him anymore if he did this, yet if he didn't he would never know if he had stood a chance.

"I..." He stopped, looking back to the swaying grass. He gripped at his lighter in his pocket and bit at his lip. Zoro's footsteps in the grass caused him to snap his attention back to the green haired man. He was close, close like they had been before, only this time Sanji's body trembled with the urge to touch him. To caress him in ways that did not involve keeping him alive or reviving his lifeless form.

Roronoa narrowed his one remaining dark eye at the blond, grasping hold of his swords out of habit. "You...what?"

Sanji took a deep breath, feeling the unneeded air fill his lungs and he sighed heavily, eyes moving to meet the other's almost sheepishly. He felt foolish acting this way, this defeated. He was in a way though, so the angel figured the actions fit. "I wanted to see you."

"To see me?" He got an arced brow at this and a small sarcastic grin. "Miss me?"

_You have no idea!_ He wanted to scream the words at him, take hold of him and throw them both down to the grass and ravish the rustic swordsman. Sanji didn't even know if Zoro would allow it though and so he calmly shook his head, his bangs brushing his nose as he did so.

"No? Then what?"

He opened his mouth to speak, but words failed him and he closed his jaw with a snap. How did he explain to Zoro what it was that he wanted? That he wanted to become mortal so the other man would hold him at night, whisper to him in the dark and make him feel needed beyond the simple touch of life and death.

"Che...stupid angel." Zoro gave a mocking laugh and Sanji felt the hair on the back of his neck rise, like hackles on a dog in anger and he took that last step forwards. _Fuck it,_ he thought, pulling both hands from his pockets and reaching up to grasp hold of Zoro's cheeks as he crashed their mouths together sharply. Zoro froze against him, his only reaction to raise his hands into the air.

The force of the hit actually caught him off guard and Sanji stumbled back, catching himself and snapping his head up to see Zoro wipe the back of a hand across his mouth, a low growl escaping him as his free hand went to his blades. "What the fuck was that?"

White; and Sanji found it highly ironic that the swordsman pull his white weapon against his black angel. It seemed...fitting to him somehow. He didn't move from his crouch, hanging awkwardly on his feet as he stared up the edge of the weapon to the cold eye that stared back. "I crossed a line..."

"You're fucking right you did!" The words came out harsher than anything he had heard come from the other man. The angel knew his heart would be beating faster than it should be, if it needed to beat, as the deadly gaze locked onto him with such intensity.

Slowly he stood, raising one hand in the air and pausing half way. "Zoro...I..."

"You what?" With every word spoken Zoro just seemed to get more upset. The rage that was barely contained behind the snapped words had Sanji backpedaling with no idea of what to do. This wasn't supposed to happen this way. This was not supposed to be the outcome even though he knew it was possible.

He didn't know what look his face held but from the contorted sneer on the swordsman's, he was almost positive it was one of hurt and pain. "Just go." He was saying and the bitter words bit harshly into Sanji's mind. "And don't fucking come back." And Sanji watched him walk away. The tanned unmarred back the image that would haunt him till his last days as an angel. The final words spoken that would never fade from his memory.

_I don't need you anymore._


	7. Solace

Zoro stumbled forwards, blood masking his vision as he tripped over the rocks and debris before his feet. He caught himself and staggered before righting his balance once more. Lines blurred and his sharp gaze was quickly darkening around the edges as he teetered on the balls of his feet, his balance once again unsure of itself.

His strength was failing him, , knees on the verge of buckling, fatigued muscles just giving up. His jaw was stiff and sore from grinding his teeth against Wado Ichimonji's hilt for so long. The joints in his fingers swollen and bruised from Kitetsu and Shuusui's grips. The battle had been long and ongoing, relentless for almost two days now and Zoro was finally beginning to feel the dull ache seep into his toned flesh.

Sleep had been non existent as the crew had been scattered and the swordsman could only hope they would all return to the Sunny alive. He stumbled again, his broad chest toppling over his weak knees and his brain was slow to react, even with the trained years of muscle reflex, he felt himself falling...

Arms caught him and Zoro opened his eye, brow furrowed under the sweat and blood soaked bandana, against a still chest. Shifting to look up, he saw Sanji and the moss head frowned, fighting to pull away. Yet his body betrayed him as they sank to the ground under the angel's will. "I told you..." He growled out the words, feebly reaching for a katana. Any; it didn't matter at this point. "_Not_ to come back."

"I am your Guardian Angel Zoro...it's my duty." Sanji's voice was quiet and calm, remorseful and full of sorrow. The swordsman had never heard it sound like that before and for a brief moment he wondered if his reaction before had been uncalled for. A bit too harsh and over reactive.

"Just don't die you shitty plant." Sanji's wings enveloped him, the dark blue tips brushing against the ground as the thrum of warm dark energy flowed through him. It soothed his aching muscles, calmed his frayed nerves and he closed his eye, body relaxing against his will as it bathed in the dark aura.

No, there could never be a way. The swordsman was a demon after all and there was no way they could ever be together, the mortal and immortal. The most sacred of forbidden loves. Zoro gave a small snarky laugh as Sanji finally released him, laying his weakened body upon the blood stained ground.

He didn't want that anyways. Zoro knew this as the familiar aura fell away from him once more. He didn't want the other man. Didn't want him to change just to be with him. It would be a waste and a weakness and the swordsman despised the angel for ever even thinking about the possibility.

His angel stood, strong and proud, hand plucking the cigarette from his mouth. Black wings hung taunt at his sides, poised as if the man were to take flight at any second. Each wing bent into a tense stiff peak, flight feathers pulled apart slightly. His eyes were darkened and narrowed; his mouth set into a hard line.

Sanji made no other move towards Zoro as he lay there panting in the dirt, wincing as a wave of pain came over him that even he couldn't bare. In fact he really wasn't entirely sure what it was the angel did. He hadn't felt all that close to death, but if the blond had appeared, he had learned by now, not to question it. With a slight nod, he swallowed, trying to coat his throat that was raw and dry from dust, his own hard gaze shifting up to the other. The one who stood before him. "You just don't quit do you?"

Sanji's mouth tightened at that, one hand snapping into a fist at his side. There was a small shuffle of feathers as the blond lifted his head to stare the swordsman down. "And neither do you." Each word was hissed out, the voice deep, stern and husky.

Zoro laughed at this. A loud honest chuckle that ended off in a cough as his lungs spasmed and pain rocked his body again. The angel sneered down at him and Zoro wondered what it would be like to be on this angel's bad side. He figured he probably was now. Who had ever heard of rejecting an offer such as he had been given. "Fuck you Sanji."

With a snort, Sanji turned and walked away.


	8. Justice

Blood welled from the wound, ran sluggishly down Zoro's shoulder. He didn't know what was on that arrow, but fuck if it didn't sting. He was getting dizzy, light headed from something and the swordsman staggered forwards, catching himself on the side of the small ruin he had come across on his chase through the jungle.

Leave it to Robin to find the one Poneglyph surrounded by native pygmies. Zoro rolled his eye, pulled off his bandana and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he tied the sweat soaked cloth back around his arm. It had been a lucky shot, the little monkey looking shit, nailing the swordsman in the flesh of his shoulder from above.

The arrow was buried deep, but he could still move his arm and roll his shoulder, even though it was painful. There was no scrape of bone that he could hear or feel, so that must have only meant one thing. He could pull it out safely.

The sound of the sickening squelching pop and the new river of blood actually brought Zoro to his knees, but not because of the pain. With a panted huff, he tossed the annoying arrow aside and tried to stand, slipping back to one knee. His heart was beating fast despite his best efforts to try to calm himself and his body was trembling slightly. He hadn't over exerted himself...well, anymore than usual; so then what?

"It's called a Poison Dart Frog..." Ah, yes, that explained everything. "Beautiful aren't they?"

Narrowing his eye, Zoro glanced to his left and up. Sanji sat on the top part of the broken stone structure, feet crossed, a small blue and black frog in his hand. He was watching the small animal, one hand raised near his face, the other flat on the crumpling stone. "Poison huh?" Zoro grunted out. With that question cleared up, the effects on his body made a bit of sense. He was starting to feel like he had last time this had happened, his body going weak and betraying him as he slipped down the wall a little more.

He twisted, pressing his back to it, sliding the rest of the way till his ass firmly and heavily planted itself in the grass. The blood from his wound flowed easily down his arm towards his tingling fingers. Looking back over his shoulder now, the swordsman watched as the blonde set the small creature down on the wall next to him, swinging his feet once before jumping the impossible height to the ground. He landed perfectly, crouched down and stood smoothly. It was an effortless movement as he fished a cigarette out, lighting it and taking his time.

All the while, Zoro's vision began to blur and a ringing picked up in his ears. His entire body was starting to go numb now and his heart was beating for the sole purpose of pushing blood out of this hole in his shoulder. Slowly, carefully the angel took a long drag off his smoke before shoving his free hand into his pocket and finally turning towards Zoro. "Hurts doesn't it?"

The pirate simply shook his head with a swallow. Hurt? No, it didn't hurt, but things were beginning to get a little too numb for his liking. He was short of breath as it came in small labored pants and he had stopped being able to feel his toes before the arrow had even come out. "Were..." He didn't know what made him speak when he did, some part of Zoro wanted to know he guessed. "Were you like me once? Mortal I mean."

This drew Sanji's attention as he flicked his half spent butt away, raising an eyebrow at him in question. "I was. A long time ago."

"Then you know how it feels to die." Darkness threatened the corner of his vision, but Zoro pushed it aside to glare up at the other man. Stupid Sanji, just milling about and being a smug prick about shit.

"I don't." Sanji grunted out the response as he crouched down in front of the swordsman, legs parted over Zoro's own. "It was quick. Painless. Unjustified. I don't remember it." He jerked his head towards the other man. "You though. You remember; don't you?" A sneer crossed his face, baring his teeth in some sort of sick triumph.

Zoro simply nodded. Words were beginning to become too much of an effort for him to use. His mouth felt dry, his tongue swollen. Silently he would rather just glare at the angel mocking him; like he had time and time again. "Ya know," Sanji shifted his weight a little, bringing his hands up to show small marred patches of skin on his hands. "The poison from those frogs is strictly dietary. If you keep one for a pet, it becomes harmless; well depending on what you feed it of course. Fascinating creatures really. Even I am not immune to them."

Zoro wanted to tell the angel to fuck off, to tell him to either do his job as he had so reminded him the last time he had arrived or get the fuck gone as the swordsman had told him the time before that. If he was supposed to die here it just meant he wasn't strong enough, he didn't need some shit talking blond messing with him in the meantime.

He threw another glare the man's way to which Sanji simply chuckled, leaning in close to Zoro's face. His blue eyes seemed darker than they were before, more haunting and destructive than the pirate could remember them being. It could also be this poison fucking with his head. "What's it like to lay dieing and know that I am..._right. Here."_ The words were growled out threateningly, the angel's voice dropping to a deep tone Zoro had never heard before now.

A hand snapped out and grappled into his hair, dragging Zoro's head to the side sharply. He didn't fight it, in fact the effort to jerk away from Sanji was simply too much as he body just gave up, the toxins from the little frogs taking their toll.

He felt his heart slow and could feel the burn in his lungs from the lack of oxygen. His eye lid grew heavy and the black he had been keeping at bay swam into his vision. There was no cold aura radiating from the angel, no wings, no comfort. Sanji just gripped tightly at his hair, head pulled to an awkward angle exposing his neck as the blue eyes darted about the swordsman's face. The bastard was really going to let him die this time...

Darkness took Zoro once more.


	9. Awakening

"What's it like to lay dying and know that I am..._right. Here._" Sanji spat the words out in a growl, getting right in the swordsman's face. The marimo simply looked back and the blond snapped a hand out, roughly yanking Zoro's head to the side, watching contently as the man passed out from exhaustion and his body breaking down. The final little wisp of a sigh that he was dead and the angel pulled his hand away with a frown.

He knew he shouldn't have been quite as vengeful with the mortal, but he couldn't help it. He was still pissed he leveled that sword on him. The rejection he could take, but there had been no need to draw his weapon. Why he had gotten stuck watching such a masochistic maniac he still wasn't sure about, but Sanji had been, so time to get to work.

"...everything with in my powers..." Sanji mumbled under his breath, reaching out to run a hand through the darkened green stands of hair, wet from sweat and blood, before pulling away to look at the mess of his hand. With an unneeded sigh, Sanji shifted in his position, dropping forwards to his knees over the swordsman and resting comfortably on the mortal's thighs.

Throwing his arms out to the sides to hitch up his sleeve cuffs, the blond brought his hands back in, moving them to Zoro's face, running his thumbs over the stressed cheekbones as his fingers ran up into the soft and damp hair. Leaning forwards, his wings sprouted from his back, arcing straight up and high over his head, like a bird raising its plumed crown.

The dark aura rolled off him in dense waves and Sanji could see it running along the ground like a dense fog, black and gray with a hint of a blue inner light to it. Mortals couldn't see this manifestation of his powers, but they could most certainly feel it and part of him was saddened that he let the marimo die before he could sense it this time. Part of him was also overjoyed at the slight hint on anguish and fear that crossed Zoro's dark eye as the man realized his angel was going to simply sit by and watch him expire. Small flickers of what looked like lightning threatened to break free as Sanji leaned over the man, masking Zoro's form in shadows from his body and wings.

He felt stronger now, had been recently and his aura was now portraying the new strength he thought he had only been imagining. He was capable of this now, of returning the dead; not just pulling a soul from that lingering edge. And Roronoa Zoro was his test. If anyone was going to fight to get back to this existence, it was the stubborn swordsman.

He hesitated though, face hovering slightly above the pale one below him. His wings drooped just a sliver as Sanji thought this through, the thumb of his right hand idly tracing the lower edge of the scar on his cheek, leaving a smear of blood and sweat as he did so. All around them his aura radiated, growing stronger and darker, almost humming with energy, the blue light pulsing now, breaking cracks in the thick and dense darkness of his power.

It was now or never he supposed. Besides the longer he waited, the deeper the swordsman would sink and the last thing Sanji wanted to to cross _that_ line. It was just simply better to pull Zoro back from the light and restore his broken body. It wasn't all that fair to Zoro anyways, if Sanji really wanted to be honest with himself. Despite what the mortal had said about not needing him, the pirate clearly did or he wouldn't be here right now.

Shifting his hands slightly, palms moving closer to Zoro's jaw, the angel closed his eyes and pressed a simple kiss to the middle of the swordsman's forehead. Last time he had done this, the drain that came over Sanji had been instant as he pulled away, bringing with him everything that had been plaguing the other man. His body weak as he waited quietly for Zoro to open his eye and breathe again.

This time however was different. Vastly different as the blue light crackled up his being, sparking into and over Zoro like lightning dancing across the skies. Sanji pulled away, feeling the pulse of the poison on his tongue and sat back, hands dropping onto his knees.

There was a low hum in the air as the blue energy faded away, worming its way into the swordsman's body easily till every trace was done. The roll of his aura shifted, returning back upon itself, folding and twisting as it faded away along with his wings and he was simply him again. A blond in a suit as Sanji fished out a cigarette and waited.

For what exactly the angel couldn't say as he lit up and pulled a needed drag into his lungs. The taste of the toxins faded away to be replaced by the tang of his nicotine and he stood; knees slightly wobbly, but as a whole, much stronger than he had been the last time he had done this. As the last of the auras visible presence faded, the hum of the light did as well and the angel slowly exhaled, almost afraid to move and disturb what was at work here.

Whatever was at work here. Sometimes he, himself, didn't even understand what was going on. He just rolled with his abilities most of the time, caring more to torment shitty moss balls and pass the free time smoking where he pleased.

A loud crack, like that of a thunder strike right over head sounded and Sanji jumped in his place, looking about. Then he felt it. Slow at first, but rapidly increasing and growing stronger. Clawing its way to the surface and breaking free, rushing through the pirate like water breaking a dam. Vital and warm and so so full of radiating power. And he could help the small smug smile that graced his mouth around his cigarette. Nor could the blond help the small triumphant chuckle as he tilted his head downwards to watch the swordsman below him.

The familiar radiating thrum of life.


	10. Presence

With a sharp gasp, Zoro's eye flew open and he panted out, swallowing once in a failed attempt to wet his mouth and throat. He felt like he hadn't drank anything in days as his blurred vision focused in on the ceiling.

He had to of been on the Sunny. That was the only logical conclusion and the swordsman tilted his head slightly to the side, sliding his gaze down his bare arm to the IV he found, a clear tube leading from the spot in the crook of his elbow. Chopper's infirmary, Zoro realized. When had he gotten here? And how long had he been there?

With a groan he sat up, leaning forwards as his arms dropped into his lap as he shifted one leg into a half crossed legged sitting position. Scratching at the back of his head, Zoro took a deep breath, closing his eye and exhaled slowly, feeling out for the others amongst the ship's rooms.

The first thing that came to him was the energetic hum of his katana, just barely within arms reach of where he was sitting. The little reindeer doctor had learned long ago never to let those stray too far from Zoro's side and the swordsman was grateful for that. Everyone else came to him slower, their presences milling about the ship idly. Just another day it seemed if he could go from what he was sensing. Pulling his other leg in, Zoro set about dropping into a meditation while it was quiet and his nakama still thought him asleep.

He needed to refocus and figure out what exactly he was going to do about Sanji. That damned fucking angel was haunting him and not in the typical sense. The blond wanted something Zoro was just incapable of giving him and then taking out his aggression at the situation on the swordsman himself...

Roronoa Zoro sighed, deep and heavy, feeling it all the way down in his core as he exhaled through his nose. He never asked for the angel, had even told him to go; yet still he lingered, mocking him in ways that he couldn't do anything about. Toying with his being and soul like the swordsman was some plaything for the blond's simple amusement.

And maybe he was. His brow furrowed in thought, thinking back to the last encounter he had with Sanji. The blond had been angry, riled beyond what Zoro had seen him before. A crazed and wild look in his blue eyes. He had stood by while the poison worked its way through his veins, coursing about his system and numbing everything it touched with ease.

He was no fool; Zoro knew he had died. Then why? If Sanji was on the vengeful side of his all knowing powers, then why did he bring Zoro back again? Why was he toying with him in such ways? It couldn't possibly be good for him; to have his soul dragged back from the depths of wherever he was headed. That deadly white light, so pure and tempting...why then? He had questions and he wanted answers. Answers Zoro was most likely never going to get.

"I don't have to tell you why I do anything." The calm smooth voice invaded his senses and the swordsman's eye flew open as his head snapped to the side, putting on his best glare as his gaze fell on the blond sitting in the chair. Legs crossed at the knee, cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth with a huge shit eating grin on his face. "Oh, don't glare at me like that. I'm immune to your ferocity."

"What the fuck do you want?! And don't even think of trying that bullshit again." Reaching out, Zoro's hand clenched around Shuusui, bringing the old blade into his lap easily.

"I wouldn't _dream_ of it Roronoa Zoro." Sanji rolled his eyes as he spoke, the smile never leaving his face. "You were thinking about me...it's cute, really. So I just had to come see what was up. Nice ship by the way."

"Not my ship." Zoro growled out, his grip never faltering on his weapon. "And I was thinking about why you bothered me. Why you chose me."

"I didn't." Sanji shrugged, shifting in his position to pull his lighter from his pocket and lit up his cigarette as he continued to speak. "We never choose who we are supposed to watch over. We are assigned. Lucky me." Sanji chuckled at that, pulling the stick from his mouth and exhaling a white cloud across the room. "Okay, so listen," Leaning forwards, the angel crossed his arms over his bent knee, smoke lazily drifting from the red lit end of his cigarette in hand. "I have been thinking."

Zoro grunted at this. Who really gave a fuck anyways? He most certainly didn't. Unless the next words out of Sanji's mouth were either a peace offering or him telling the swordsman he was leaving, Zoro really could have cared less. His grip shifted on Shuusui's hilt, drawing the blade slightly from his saya.

"No need to get defensive moss head." The angel raised the stick back to his lips, sucking a drag off it as he smirked, raising an eyebrow. "You don't even know what I am going to say do you?"

"I don't really care!" Zoro snapped, pausing only when he realized his voice bounced off the wooden paneling. Damn this Adams Wood sometimes. Sanji seemed to hear it too, looking about the room at the dying sound before turning back with a grin.

Zoro opened his mouth to speak but didn't get any of the words out as the door slammed open revealing a wide eyed Chopper. The little doctor wailed, tears welling in his eyes as he ran towards Zoro. The swordsman returned the surprised look before snapping back to the chair where Sanji had been sitting, different excuses and reasons as to why a stranger was on board and in the infirmary with him no less. Chopper's head buried into his chest and Zoro mindlessly placed a hand on the reindeer's helmet, mumbling to him quietly.

Sanji was gone.


	11. Encounter

"Ya know, it's funny," Zoro snapped awake at the voice. Only slightly dozing off against the couch of the crows nest to begin with, the instant he heard the sound, he was alert and sitting upright. "Every time I see you, you are on your ass."

The swordsman growled, rolling off the couch into a crouch as he gathered up his katana. Kitetsu hummed in his grip, but as he laid eyes on the owner of the voice, he knew there would be no blood for his weapon. None the less, he didn't relax, cold glare fixated on the blond in front of him. "Don't smoke up here." He grunted out, annoyed at how casually the angel had recently invaded his life.

"You can't tell me what to do you shitty bastard." Sanji snapped, purposefully exhaling a cloud of smoke in Zoro's direction. The marimo ground his teeth at the action. This angel was so infuriating and nothing he seemed to do would make him go away.

"I thought you were only supposed to come around when I was dying. I'm sure as hell not dying right now. Unless you plan on killing me. Then," He drew Shuusui from his home as well, rising to his feet with the tips of each blade hovering near the mats on the floor. "We have an issue." He raised in eyebrow with a smirk and a jerk of his head.

"You really think you can take me? You know nothing about me shitty swordsman. All you know is that I hold your life in my hands." Snubbing the butt on his shoe, Sanji pocketed it before shrugging and sneering back at Zoro. "Think you can really defeat me? Bet you can't even touch me."

Zoro dug his bare toes into the familiar mats of his workout space. Honestly, he didn't know if he could defeat an angel, but dammit, he was going to try. The unimpressed half lidded look he was getting from the blond only further spurred his intent. With a low growl, Zoro struck out, swinging around in a circle and raising Shuusui in the air, in what would hopefully be a nice slice through that cocky fucker's throat. He would deal with Franky later if, in fact, Sanji did bleed.

The swish of air was the swordsman's only reward as he finished the arc, spinning on his heel and swiping out with Kitetsu at the feel of the blond at his back. If _that_ didn't annoy him, than nothing was going to. His angel gave a snicker, simply ducking out of the way and stuffing his hands in his pockets. Annoying and smug. Just what Zoro needed right now.

"Are you even going to fight back fucker?" Taking a step back, Zoro dropped into a stance, shifting his weight and preparing for another attack, yet keeping himself poised if Sanji decided to come at him instead.

He didn't want to take his eyes off the other man this time; didn't want to give Sanji another chance to get behind him. So, he just glared, eyebrows lowered as he waited to see what, if anything, the blond would do.

"You can't even hit me." The deep husky mocking tone rang through the small room, followed by a barking laugh. A teeth showing grin was the final straw as Zoro lunged again, sweeping both blades forwards in a cross attack meant to slice the schmuck to pieces.

Sanji simply vanished, leaving Zoro blinking at the open air where he had been standing. "You're pathetic. I know you're better than this. I've seen it."

Snapping his attention over his shoulder, Zoro found Sanji standing by the closed hatch and growled low in his chest. Even with all the tension rolling through his body, he carefully picked up his last weapon, drawing the blade smoothly from her saya and biting down on her hilt eagerly. If he started letting loose with attacks up here he would never hear the end of it, but this bastard was pissing him off to the point where he would just deal with the cyborg later.

"Oh, there we go." Sanji grinned again, pulling his cigarettes from his pocket and resting one casually on his lip before flicking his lighter and inhaling deeply. "The infamous Santoryu."

"Shut the fuck up!" Flawless speech spurred him into action as Zoro darted for the hatch, grips on his weapons shifting to make the attack effortlessly. Smooth and flowing, the Adam's wood creaked under the strain and pressure of his attack, but again hit nothing but air.

"This is fun actually." A poke to the forehead had Zoro shifting his gaze, discovering his angel actually crouching weightlessly on Wado Ichimonji's blade. Both feet placed one in front of the other, Sanji's forearms were on his knees as he sucked a drag from his smoke and exhaled towards the ceiling. He gave a grin and raised an eyebrow.

"Get off." Flicking his head to the side, Zoro jerked the weapon up, displacing the blond, who vanished in a swirl of displaced air again. He spun once more, coming face to face with the cold steeled glare of deep blue eyes. Play time was obviously over now. He jerked back slightly, noses brushing as he did so.

Sanji closed the gap again, letting his aura rush around the two of them and Zoro could feel the dread well in it as it surrounded his body, the need there something he had never felt from the angel before. "I have a request." Zoro swore he heard thunder crack and a flash of blue tinged light, but darting his eye to the window revealed a clear night sky. Looking back, the swordsman swallowed.

As he spoke, his wings appeared, the large black arms reaching out to the sides, the blue tips dusting the ground carefully. Zoro pulled his weapon from his mouth, fingers gripping the two blades expertly as he raised an eyebrow at the angel in front of him. What in the world could he do for Sanji? He expressed this, wrinkling his nose as he once against jerked his head away from how close the blond was to his face. Sanji's tone was serious and low, each word spoken having a meaning deep beyond what Zoro could comprehend.

"I want you to kill me Roronoa Zoro."


	12. Resignation

"What?"

"You heard me." Sanji grunted out the words, finally stepping back and away from Zoro's space. He squared his stance and lifted his wings slightly, feeling their weight against his shoulder blades as his aura rolled about them, licking at the swordsman's heels and crawling up his own legs with ease. Small bolts of what had now, in fact, become blue lightning flickered about the darkness, a deep rumble following close behind. A power he was barely containing as it was now. A power he didn't want anymore. Hadn't wanted to begin with.

His gaze strayed down the other man's frame, drifting from the hand that held the two swords carefully, one silver and glinting blade; one dark and humming with an age of experience. Biting at his lip, he let his eyes linger just a moment too long. Then he looked over to the other, the energy of this blade knew him. Knew what he was and it hungered for him, Sanji could feel the crack on the air, the hum and trembling want as it waited in Zoro's relentless grip. It wouldn't hesitate to lash out at him if his master gave him the chance and that was what Sanji wanted.

Lightning crackled up his legs, arcing over his shoulders and down his wings, driving into the blue tips at the end and disappearing as he flicked his eyes back to the steeled expression on the stoic swordsman's face. He opened his mouth, closed it with a snap of his jaw and opened it again, the words coming out slowly, picking them one at a time as he narrowed his one remaining eye at him, scrutinizing him and laying judgment as Sanji had done to him time and time again. "Is that even something I am capable of doing? Why would you want that?"

Sanji shrugged, taking a drag off the half burnt butt between his fingers. He could feel the toxins fill his lungs, but it did little to comfort him now, more of a habit than anything. He truly didn't even know why he did it anymore. "You are just the wielder of one who can."

Sanji watched the wave of tension bolt through Zoro's system as he stood a bit stiffer, hands gripping at his swords tighter, recognition dawning on him as his grip shifted in the smallest of motions on the single blade. Slowly, he sheathed the white one, holding the old blade and the cursed one in his hands still. They followed the first, more reluctantly before, with a deep sigh, Zoro fell to the floor in a crossed-legged position, burying his face in his hands.

More low thunder rumbled as the dark cloud like fog rolled over the mortal, burying him in a presence he most certainly could feel but not see. It banked the whole room now, lapping at the edges of the walls and churning in on itself in an effort to climb the paneling. Much like how the angel felt inside his own skin now. He was clawing to get out, always faltering and failing at the last second.

"That day...in the field..." Zoro trailed off, voice muffled from behind his hands.

"That was desperation at its finest." Sanji crouched down in front of Zoro, exhaling his final drag as he pocketed the butt. The moss head looked up at him, eye visible through played fingers. "I shouldn't have tried that." The blond spoke quietly. "I know now that was the wrong way to approach what I am asking of you."

"And letting me die after wards?" Zoro's voice was gruff and his question lingered on that biting edge of anger. Sanji really didn't blame him, it kinda was a dick move after all.

The angel shrugged. "I don't have an answer to that."

"You're a sadistic asshole." The swordsman hissed, dropping his hands to his lap. "Why me?"

"I already told you that." He spoke flatly, before standing once more. Ruffling his wings slightly, Sanji stepped back, arcing them out to their full height over his head, the long blue tips brushing against the ceiling. The lightning popped and snapped and the angel saw the unwanted shiver run through Zoro's body. The swordsman looked up at him as Sanji craned his neck, looking down on him for possibly the final time.

"I don't believe in god," The mortal stood, groaning out the last word as he squared his feet and crossed his arms. "But for whatever reason I believe in you. You have done things I didn't think possible."

Sanji nodded, bringing his hand to his chest, resting over his heart. "The red one," he spoke calmly, lids lowering slightly as the swordsman gripped at the hilt. "Right here."

The movement was fast and as his brain caught up to him, Sanji felt the cool metal against the back of his hand. Could feel the haunting laughter of the demonic blade as it shuddered in the swordsman's grip. Zoro kept his face neutral, but Sanji knew what lay beneath that mask. He had gotten to know the swordsman rather well after all this time.

Zoro would be contemplating his own upcoming actions. The mortal was cruel and cunning, unwilling to waver when he came to that final decision and right now the angel was depending on that rock solid nature to carry our his dying wish; as funny as it sounded.

Moving his hand, he dropped to his knees, gazing with a forgotten longing up the length of the blade to the hands that held it. Zoro shifted his grip, right hand against the weapon collar, while his left splayed against the kashira. Closing his eye, the swordsman took a deep breath, letting it out slowly and opened his eye again. "Will this hurt?"

"Excruciatingly so." Sanji nodded slowly, feeling the biting tip pierce his jacket. Lightning sparked up his wings, thunder rumbled and rolled about the dark fog of his aura, demanding an answer for what he was about to. He wasn't listening though, gaze focused on the man in front of him as he locked his jaw, shifted his weight and leaned forwards.

Sanji felt the bite of the delighted steel. Felt the hum of the curse as it drank in his essence. Felt the cold dark blood well from the spot, trail down his chest and soak his clothes. The swordsman's mask finally broke as the crack of his ribs came and the sharp blade slid home smoothly, eyes wide in awe and shock at what he was doing and how the blond just sat there on his knees without moving, seemingly with out feeling. Sanji was feeling everything though.

Never had pain felt so good.


	13. Beginning

Blood.

Thick, rich and a deep, deep black. Darker than anything the swordsman had ever seen before welled up around the glint of Kitetsu's blade and swam down Sanji's skin, soaked his clothing and pooled around his knees, ebbing at Zoro's bare toes. Never had he thought he would be at such a point; literally holding the life of a supposed immortal in his hands. And he was killing it.

He hadn't even questioned Sanji's motive or reasoning, just stood and did as he was asked, pressing his blade home without faltering. He hadn't paused when the blond sucked in a breath, gritting his teeth as the ribs snapped, ruthlessly and unrelentingly sliding his cursed blade deeper into the other man. Nor had he paused when he choked, the same dark blood spilling from the corners of the angel's thin lips.

Zoro watched, eye wide and fixated on the blond as he saw the light go out in the raging blue iris, watched that last flicker of gleaming hope darken and die, fading into nothing, the contorted grimace of pain smoothing over. He saw the slight roll of the quickly graying orb as his body crumpled, head lolling back and body sliding back off the angle of his blade to land heavily in the pool below. The pale skin soaked up the darkness of the other worldly liquid, marring the idea of the Angel's perfect complexion instantly, slamming home just exactly what the swordsman had done.

The large wings, now lifeless, fell as well, with a heavy, yet muffled thump against the mats. The dark, yet comforting feeling of sorrow drifting away as they fell, letting in Zoro's own sense of dred. It rolled over him, chilled his skin and he couldn't help the slight surge of panic that hit him. He had killed the unkillable, even if offered up for him to do so and the lump in his throat as he tried to swallow proved only to further his turmoil. Now what?

The moss head didn't have time to ponder though, the blade singing in his hand, overjoyed to be given such a luxurious treat, humming happily for his master, when he heard a crack in the glass. Small at first, Zoro raised an eyebrow at it, narrowing his eye, side stepping towards it as he focused in on the small white spiral on the clear glass. Reaching his free hand up, index and middle fingers poised to touch, the crack shifted, spidering with a swiftness that it shouldn't have possessed and with a sound as light as the rain tapping against it on a calm day. It's eery creak rebounding too loudly in Zoro's ears.

It overwhelmed the small room and the swordsman jumped back, watching as the entire pane of glass became nothing more than crevices marring the blank surface. His own image, once whole, scattered in a million tiny frames against the mirror like pane. He saw his own shocked expression reflected back at him, the horrified reality of his actions breaking through. There was a deep groan from the wall, as if some outside force was baring down from the other side, rattling the entire window. And in the silence that followed, the small ticks and clicks of the splintering glass the only sound, tension built in Zoro's body, anticipation narrowing his vision to the second. As the last of the small cracks hit the edge of the window, everything exploded.

Glass rained down upon the room, showering everything it touched. It cut into Zoro's cheek before he could duck and throw an arm over his face, the sound of falling and smashing glass deafening in the enclosed room. A gale force wind whipped into the space, throwing everything from its places and dragging the swordsman to the floor fully, pinning him in place as glass flew about wildly overhead.

"Zoro!"

He woke with a start at the call of his name, blinking as his weapons knocked into the side of his head, bumped from his shoulder by the sudden movement. The sun was high and the shade of the tree was past his feet, warming his boots and shins. He pulled his left leg up, shifting against the trunk and stretching his arms over his head in a wide yawn, watching as Luffy bounded around the deck, calling for everyone.

His dream trickled back to him as his gaze followed the Captain, the tight grip in his chest that he still wrestled with. The sight plagued him, dreaming about the Angel's death every time he closed his eyes, yet when that whipping wind finally let him stand, all traces of Sanji were gone. The blood, the wings, even the broken glass, back in place as if nothing had happened. Even the stain on his blade was clean of any evidence that the other had even been there. If Zoro didn't have the other memories of the strange blond, he would have just figured he was dreaming.

Every time he entered the crows nest all he could hear was the sound of the shattering glass, all he could see was his splintering reflection, fracturing into tiny pieces as he stood wide eyed at the unrecognizable creature that stared back at him. The dark gaze bore into him, the sneer baring sharp teeth and he shook his head to dislodge the thought.

It nagged at him, ate at him and he couldn't get beyond the feeling that this was a line he shouldn't have crossed. Something had...broke at that moment and no amount of soul searching and meditation had yet to bring about the solace he was looking for; craving at this point. Kitetsu still hummed in his grip, proof that this was real. The only concrete thing he had to show was the slice of his cheek, but it was such a thin and straight line that Chopper had only asked if he had been practicing new techniques in enclosed spaces again. He had grunted and shrugged, not even sure himself at that point if that honestly hadn't really, truly been the case.

Luffy landed in front of him, strange rubbery arms snapping back to place as he grinned down at the swordsman. "Guess what Zoro?!"

"With you, who knows." He pushed a hand into the other man's face, the devil fruit user laughing as he bounded away again. Sitting up, Zoro adjusted his weapons back onto his shoulder and watched with a lidded expression as the rest of the crew gathered about. Luffy was all flailing arms and gibberish words, barely making any sense till Nami thunked him one on the head.

"New nakama..." Luffy garbled out through the bruise forming on his cheek. A clunk on the lowered gangplank drew everyone's attention and even Zoro craned his neck to see the new presence making its way aboard the ship. Obnoxiously long blond bangs, piercing and collected visible blue eye, crisp black suit and the lingering smell of cigarettes. The Strawhat swordsman bolted upright fully at the sight before him.

_Sanji._


End file.
