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Zoro looked at the agitation around him. Every servant was running everywhere, putting the last chair, the last flower... Every detail must be perfect. There must be no overstepping.
In a few hours, the most awaited wedding will happen in this place. Millions of people made the travel to assist to the wedding. Of course, the Strawhat crew was all there, too. How could they miss the wedding of one of their companion?
Zoro didn't want to be there, but he had an obligation. So, he stared at the agitation. It was too much for him. All he could do was look at the spectacle from the outside.
Flashback
"We receive a letter from Nami." Robin arrived running to tell the other.
"And what did she say? Did they find Sanji? Are they coming back soon?" Usopp inquired.
Since the crew separated in Zoo land, they haven't received any news. Luffy, Chopper, Brook, and Nami left to find Sanji in Whole Cake Land. Their mission was to bring back Sanji, who left for a wedding arranged by his parents. The crew was sure Sanji wanted to be back soon because he had a dream to fulfill and wasn't going to give up. At least, that's what Zoro was hoping.
Zoro and Sanji were like cat and dog, always fighting, always sparring. And yet, Zoro was having a hard time coping with the cook's disappearance. Obviously, he didn't let anything show to the others. But a strange feeling of sadness, jealousy, and anger had crept into his heart.
He didn't want this wedding to happen. He wanted the cook back. He wanted to feel his presence. The smell of the cigarettes. The singing he does when he cooks. Zoro missed every little detail about the blond.
Zoro had come to realize that Sanji's absence had made him realize his true feelings.
Sanji was much more than a companion for him. He didn't want to imagine Sanji holding someone else at night. He didn't want to hear Sanji talking about her when he was in the room. He didn't want to hear anything about her.
Zoro focused on the discussion again. Robin had read the letter out loud. But Zoro didn't listen. He was now trying to understand if the blond was coming back soon or not.
"Does that mean the marriage is still on?" Usopp asked, astonished.
"I think so." Robin nodded, thinkfully.
"I'm so happy for Sanji-bro. He is going to be wed. That's super!"
Zoro couldn't believe what he was hearing. He took the letter from Robin's hand and read carefully.
"Sanji's wedding is planned in three days.
We talked with him, but he doesn't want to hear anything.
He is ready to give up everything for this wedding.
Please, come to the wedding as it will be our last day with the crew complete before Sanji leaves us.
Nami"
Zoro felt his heart melt in thousands of pieces. The emptiness he felt was horrible. Without realising it, he crumpled up the letter.
Was this shitty cook ready to give up the dream, his dream, everything he breathed for a woman? How pathetic... Zoro thought.
End of the flashback.
Since he arrived at Whole Cake Island, Zoro had managed to avoid Sanji. He wasn't ready to face him. If he did, he wouldn't keep his mouth shut.
"Zoro!" Nami called him. "Are you crazy?!" She continued checking him from bottom to top. "You still aren't wearing your suit! What are you waiting for? The wedding is going to start in a few hours. And Sanji wants to talk to us before the ceremony. So, hurry and let's meet at Sanji's room."
Zoro sighed but didn't protest. He knew that one day he would have to face the blond. He went to his room and took the suit that Nami and Robin had chosen for him. They had decided what every guy would wear, and for Zoro, they found a forest-green suit that matched his hair perfectly.
Once ready, he went toward Sanji's room, or at least he tried. In reality, he ended up in the kitchen where he met Luffy, already eating.
"Zoro! You are ready! Well, I think the crew is waiting for us. Let's go." Luffy said as he was waiting for Zoro. It was as if Luffy knew that Zoro would arrive here and not in Sanji's room.
Luffy grabbed Zoro by the arm and pulled him along without letting go to ensure they didn't get lost. Nami had asked him to bring Zoro back as quickly as possible and promised him a triple slice of cake if he succeeded. Luffy's mouth was already watering.
They finally entered Sanji's room, where the crew was gathered. Everyone was perfectly dressed. The girls had beautiful dresses, and the boys were all wearing suits of different colours, even Luffy.
But Zoro couldn't take his eyes off one person. Sanji. He was magnificent. Breathtaking. His outfit was all white with certain details, like the handkerchief in a very light blue pocket that brought out his ocean eyes. Zoro couldn't look away. He was breathtaking.
Both men shared a glance, but neither of them told anything. It wasn't either a silent conversation. They were both looking at each other, trying to figure out how they arrived at this situation.
Sanji was the first one to look away. He cleared his throat and started.
"First of all, I wanted to thank you all for coming to this important day. After all these years together, you became my family, and I couldn't imagine this day without you all. I love each and every adventure we share. The laugh, the wars, the cries, the sweat, the smile, the happiness. I won't ever forget any moment." Sanji stopped trying to control the tears that were ready to fall. He didn't want to be sad. He didn't want the other to see his tears. "I thought a lot before taking a decision. It wasn't easy at all. But then, I met Pudding, and she was the light in my life that I never imagined I miss. Every day, I got to know her a little better, and every day, I fell a little more in love with her."
Zoro closed his eyes. He didn't want to hear another word. He didn't want to hear about her. He didn't want to know any words the blond was saying. Because it was breaking his heart. Every word he was saying was a direct stab to his heart. But the blond continued.
"I love you guys, too. But I think everything I need in my life is right here. You all know that I always wanted to find a spouse, and with Pudding, I felt that she could be my everything, that I could be myself with her. I love all our adventures and will always cherish them. But it's the moment for me to fold up the apron and leave my place for someone else. It's heartbreaking for me to leave you, but I know my happiness and my responsibilities had to come first. So, thank you for respecting my wishes. I love you guys." Sanji concluded, with tears now falling.
Chopper, Nami, Usopp, Brook, and Franky were also crying. Nami and Chopper ran to take Sanji in their arm at the end of the monologue.
"We will miss you so much, Sanji." Nami replied.
"I will miss you too, Nami-san."
"Promise me you won't ever forget about us." Chopper cried even more.
"How could I?" Sanji smiled at the little one. They both left his arm to let the others do their goodbyes to Sanji.
"I know you will be a great husband, Sanji-bro. Pudding is lucky to have you." Franky continued.
"Thanks, Franky!"
"I will miss taking my cup of tea with you while you cook something delicious." Brook said, and Sanji smiled at the skeleton.
"I will miss you and your smile, dear cook." Robin smiled.
"And I will always miss you, my Robin-chan." Sanji replied with sadness.
"Nothing would be the same without you, Sanji." Usopp said, and Sanji couldn't reply. He started his adventures just after Usopp, and it was a pinch in his heart. All he could do was hug Usopp.
"SANJIIII!!!" The captain jumped on his cook's neck. "Who's going to make me great meals, great snacks, and great drinks? I'll never survive without you." Luffy cried like a child, and Sanji smiled. How much he loves his captain. He will miss him so much.
"Thanks for all, captain." Sanji whispered, and Luffy replied with his famous beautiful smile.
Luffy climbed down from Sanji and looked around the room. He met Zoro's closed gaze. He knew perfectly well that for Zoro, it was more difficult than for anyone else.
"Let's get out, everyone." Luffy ordered the others, and Zoro exchanged a look with Luffy to thank him. The crew complained a little, but they followed their captain's order. Leaving Zoro and Sanji alone in the room.
Sanji sighed. He knew the green-haired man was avoiding him. He imagined how furious he was. Zoro, a man who lived for his dream, would never understand his choice. The two men didn't talk for some minutes. Neither of them was ready to break the ice. They both could feel the wall that was separating them. But for Sanji, it was too much of tension.
"Zoro... I know that..." He started, but Zoro cut him furiously.
"You don't know anything! How can you abandon your dream like that? You are Sanji, the black leg, and at the left wing of the future king pirate. How can you abandon the crew like that? We believed in you, and at the first opportunity, you just left us!" Zoro was now shouting. All his frustration from these past days was now on its way out.
"I'm sorry." Sanji looked at the floor. Zoro falsely laughed.
"Of course, you are. Tell me the truth. Are you really happy with this woman?"
"Don't talk of her like that! Her name is Pudding and of course, I'm happy with her."
"You told the crew that she knew you. But does she know how you shake with excitement before every fight and how you light your cigarettes when you're ready to fight? Does she know that you hide one of your eyebrows because you're afraid that two twisted eyebrows will look bad? Does she know how much you take care of others, forgetting yourself far too often? Does she know how you hum when you cook the favourite dishes of those around you when you're happy? Tell me, does she know like I know you?"
"Zoro..." Sanji replied saddly.
"Don't, please."
"I wouldn't find anybody else who loves me like she does. Who loves all my default without thinking? I can't turn my back on her."
"I would..." Zoro whispered, but Sanji heard him. He finally looked at the green-haired man surprised.
"Zoro, what we had was a moment. We were both drunk... We were disorientated and felt lonely, that's all."
He didn't want to respond. He would have preferred to fight against every yonko than having to face the blond and his feelings for him.
After all these days, he kept hoping that the cook would change his mind. That he will come back to the crew. But today he saw that Sanji took his decision and nothing will come to disturb it.
He sighed defeated and left the room without another word or another glance. His heart was heavy to care. The sensation in him was terrible. His stomach was in knots.
He went to the ceremony room. A room fitted out for the occasion in white, pink, and pale blue. It was beautiful if it wasn't for something he wasn't for.
The ceremony will start in a few minutes now. Zoro stayed behind the seat and leaned against a wall. Sanji appeared a little later accompanied by Nami, Chopper, and Usopp. It's honour boys. Originally, he wanted Luffy to be part of it but decided to abandon the idea when he realised that the straw hat had to stay put for several hours.
The music started, and the discussion stopped. Everyone stood to welcome the bride. Pudding was wearing a simple but with a lot of different details white dress. Every whispered how beautiful she was. When she arrived at Sanji's side. He took her hand and kissed her before whispering something to her ear, which made her giggle.
The master of ceremonies began his speech, and the ceremony went on. Zoro didn't move, knowing perfectly that this shittycook was making the mistake of his life. He couldn't do anything and just witnessed the moment.
Chopper happily brought the engagement rings to the bride and groom. The ceremony was drawing to a close end. The master of the ceremony began talking again.
"Do you, Mrs Charlotte Pudding, take Mr Vinsmoke Sanji to be your lawful wedded husband, and do you promise to be faithful to him in sickness and in health, foreverand ever?"
"Yes, I do!" She replied happily.
"Do you, Mr Vinsmoke Sanji, take Mrs Charlotte Pudding to be your lawful wedded wife, and do you promise to be faithful to her, in sickness and in health, forever and ever?"
Sanji paused, he didn't reply right away. He took the time to look at the people they invited. He didn't know most of them. He saw Jeff and a few cooks of the Baratie. He then looked at his crew, and finally, his eyes met those of Zoro's.
The contact lasted a few seconds. Zoro didn't want to be the first one to look away. Deep inside of him, he still hoped for Sanji to change his mind. Silently, he was trying to make the blond reconsider.
Sanji murmured, and Zoro read on his lips: "I'm sorry." Before turning away to smile again and say 'I do'.
Zoro didn't hear the last words, as he had already left the place. He wanted time for himself. He didn't want to witness this joke anymore. He didn't have the strength in him to continue. He walked, not knowing where he was going.
He reached the edge of the cliff and decided to sit on the edge. He let his gaze wander into the depths of the sea. The sound of the waves crashing against the cliffs calmed him a little. He used his meditation techniques to relax.
Zoro was staying with the crew, and Sanji was leaving them. It was now official. Nothing will be the same as before. The cook will never come back again. He was leaving him. For the first time in his life, he opened his heart to someone. For the first time in his life, he hoped for something bigger. But also, for the first time in his life, he was the one who stayed and not the one leaving.
When he looks at the sea, he can't stop thinking about Sanji's blue eyes. The depth, the blue, the intensity... Everything reminds him of the cook. When he thinks of his eyes, he feels his heart break.
"Zoro!" A voice behind him called him. The swordsman didn't need to turn around to recognize it. Of course, his captain saw his distress and came to talk to him.
Luffy sat beside him while Zoro still was watching the sea.
"We will never replace Sanji fully, but we will learn to live without him. He made his choice, and we can't do anything about it. You know Sanji and how stubborn he is. We just have to respect his decision even if we don't agree with it."
"I know, but I can't stop thinking he is making a mistake." Zoro sighed.
"And?" Luffy knew perfectly his crewmate. It wasn't only that. Zoro knew he didn't have the choice but to tell the truth.
"And I'm mad at him for leaving the crew, for leaving you in your journey, for leaving me..." He whispered the last words. Luffy put his hand on Zoro's shoulder.
"You have all the right to be angry. But you have to respect his decision and stop pushing him to stay. We need to put our feelings aside for Sanji. It's his day. He made a big decision and he wants us to be there for him. So, we have to respect his wish."
Zoro sighed. He knew his captain was right. Before everything, Sanji was his crewmate, and he shouldn't forget it. Luffy stood up and dusted off his trousers.
"I've heard that Sanji has ordered over a hundred different types of meat. I hear there's a lot of alcohol too. Are you coming?"
"If there's alcohol, I can't say no." Zoro said while standing.
Both men left the place. Luffy was crooning till they arrived next to the buffet, where he started running to eat all the meat. Zoro went toward the alcohol, and for once, he found his path on the first try. He took three bottles of sake and went to sit on a tree. From this place, he could see everyone.
After the second bottle, the bride and the groom finally made their appearance. People stopped them to congratulate them, which they replied to with a smile and laughed. Zoro didn't leave them once, following every step they made with his eyes.
The master of ceremonies took the microphone and announced the bride's opening dance. The two placed themselves in the centre of the dance floor, and the rhythm of the music began to sway.
Zoro stared at them. Sanji looked pleased.
Sanji was beautiful in his white suit.
He couldn't help but feel jealous.
It should have been him in the blonde's arms.
It should have been him today and forever.
But all he could do was stare at the couple and feel in love from the outside.
And Zoro thought :
"Do You Know What It's Like
To Fall In Love From The Outside?
And I Don't Know
But I've Been Trying For You, For Me
Now I Know What It's Like
To Fall In Love From The Outside."