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One normal day, as everyone is doing their own things, Franky working on the ship, Usopp tinkering with a new invention, Nami drawing a map, Robin reading a book, Chopper mixing herbs into medicine, Luffy gobbling a pile of meat, Zoro working out in the crows nest, and Brook playing Binx's Booze, Sanji takes a smoke break, taking a slow drag, watching his crew be themselves, a soft smile on his lips.
Then, a newsbird flies by and plops a newspaper down next to him
"eh, why not read it for once." Sanji thinks, flipping open the newspaper and slowly reading it
"heh... my bounty's gone up." Sanji thinks, reading through the pages.
Then, Sanji lands on a page with a small comic strip.
Germa 66.
The plot of the story is, ironically, the Germa kingdom having a secret 4th prince, his death faked, and locked in a basement with a metal helmet over his head, locked in a cage, with his siblings beating him. but, one day, a marine hero comes and saves the prince, getting a happy ending.
the story is obviously about Sanji.
only difference, his name is never mentioned, and the story ended differently.
a heroic marine never came and saved Sanji.
Sanji had to escape on his own.
The newspaper starts shaking as Sanji's hands start shaking violently, his breathing coming in fast, ragged hitches, he looks around frantically to see if anyone is watching, and then runs off into the kitchen.
Sanji stumbles into the kitchen, practically gasping for air as he struggles to bring air into his lungs.
Sanji slumps into a chair in the corner, clutching the edge of the table until his knuckles turn white as he keeps gasping for air, hyperventilating as the room closes in on him, just like the cage.
memories Sanji buried for years start to resurface, his breath coming in a deeper hitch as the memory of his father locking him in that cage, his cries for help ringing in his ears.
the memory of his brothers beating him flickers in his mind, and then his father just asking why when he asked for help.
Sanji starts feeling like sand is in his lungs, trying to gasp in air but failing, and he clutches his chest as an intense ache forms in his chest.
Sanji keeps gasping for air, one hand clutching his chest, the other clutching the table, as he closes his eyes trying to block out the wave of memories.
he doesn't even realize it at first, the sound of the cage too loud in his ears. he only notices it when he hears a strong voice say "oi, cook."
This makes Sanji jump, his eyes snapping open as he looks up at Zoro, shaking violently.
"What's wrong?" Zoro says, staring down at Sanji, his gaze strong and grounding.
At first, Sanji doesn't even have the energy to say something, just keeps trembling and breathing heavily until he finally says, his voice shaky and broken "n-nothing. just... just catching my breath..."
Zoro stares at Sanji, not buying it, and then sits next to Sanji and says "you idiot. just tell me what the hell is wrong."
Sanji flinches slightly, not at Zoro, just the memories of the Vinsmoke's scaring him, and he whispers, his voice trembling "m-m-my biological family..."
Zoro says "family? isn't he Zeff? that guy seems cool, so why're you breaking over him?"
Sanji quickly shakes his head and says "no, no. Zeff's my adoptive dad. my biological father, he... he was awful."
Zoro says "how awful?"
Sanji whispers "enough to make me pathetic like this."
Zoro stares at Sanji and says "pathetic? how is this pathetic?"
"because I'm a damn burden! every time I do something like this, I'm holding somebody back!" Sanji snaps, struggling to hold back a load of tears.
"no, you're not." Zoro says bluntly, his eye contact still direct and firm.
Sanji stares at Zoro, his pupils shaking, and says "no... no no no... you're lying... nobody-" Sanji chokes back a sob, and Zoro wraps his arms around him, letting Sanji grip his shirt.
"I hate the Vinsmoke name. I hate it, I hate it so much. everytime I hear it, I just think of-" Sanji sobs, his voice cracking painfully halfway through, gripping Zoro tighter.
"you idiot. if you hate that damn name so much, then just take mine." Zoro says, like its the most obvious thing ever. like that doesn't mean the world to Sanji. like this isn't the very moment he has been waiting for his whole life, a chance to finally escape the Vinsmoke name.
Sanji feels his chest cave in, sobs coming out more intense and loud, full-on ugly crying against Zoro, and Zoro awkwardly pats Sanji's back, not the best guy for the comforting job.
"yes... yes yes yes... I accept... I'll do anything... to get rid of that name..." Sanji whispers quickly, a shaky smile on his lips as he grips Zoro, sobbing every few seconds, but slowing down more.
Zoro nods, awkwardly patting Sanji's back more, a small, an invisible smile playing on his lips.
Sanji leans his face into Zoro's chest, breathing in his scent of sake and steel, before slowly drifting to sleep against him, sleeping softly as Zoro holds him.