Chapter Text
3:07AM. What a great time to be outside right ? Sanji wouldn't agree. He'd rather be in his bed... But here he was, stumbling around the streets of this big city. Desperately searching for somewhere to rest his injured body.
Yesterday, Judge barged in the blond boy's bedroom. Sanji being half asleep, didn't register what was being yelled at him. Until he heard the words "Cooking" and "Zeff"...
«What ?...» Sanji mumbles in the messy part of hair that covered his sleepy face.
«I said what is this.» Judge shoved the journal in his face.
Front page:
"New restaurant juste opened in East Street ! THE BARATIE" With a picture of Zeff in front of the newly built restaurant.
«Well, what's wrong ?» Sanji looks up at Judge. «I stopped talking to that old man. Just like you asked me too...»
Judge's frown deepened. He points at the picture again.
The younger finally noticed a teenager in the background, carrying a box of furnitures inside the restaurant. That's definitely him...
Well shit.
«I... I can explain ?»
«There is no explaining to do. You've disobeyed me again. You, don't care about your title as a prince. If you did you wouldn't be serving peasants in the streets. No son of mine will be a servant.»
Before Sanji could react, he was grabbed by the arm. Painfully so, might he had... And pulled out of bed. Dragged down the corridors of their big castle.
The blond fully woke up once he noticed the door at the end of the corridors. The basement door.
«No ! Wait ! I'll stop I promise I'll never stand in a kitchen again please !» Sanji begged. His breath fastening. Anxiety pooling in his throat. He tried to pull away from Judge but his father's grip was too harsh on his arm. He could feel his bone cracking more each second.
He's been down there before. He knows how it is. He's being thrown down there to be forgotten. Because he failed at obeying the King.
Just thinking about that cell made him feel claustrophobic.
Judge pulled him down the stairs, his sacrum bone hit each stair. That would leave a bruise. His legs dangled uselessly in front of him.
«Until you learn to listen. And to stop defying those who are stronger, you'll stay down here.»
The tall man threw the boy against the cell's wall. Sanji's breath caught in his throat. Making him cough when his body meet the floor.
«*Cough* w-wait ! Father ! *Cough cough*» Sanji stood up and ran towards the cell's door, grabbing the bars. But judge was already gone.
Few days passed. He didn't get to eat anything. His siblings didn't come down either. Forgotten. Alone in this cell.
He laid on the floor. His arm hurts. His head hurts. Everything hurts.
And just when he thought it couldn't get worst, Judge sent them. His brothers.
«Oh you're still alive ? Father sent us down to get rid of your body. Guess we'll keep you around a little longer !» The blue haired boy laughed.
But when all hope was lost, the guards that came down to clean the cells, somehow forgot Sanji was in there.
He was in the dark, far corner of his cell, taking as little space as possible. And it worked. They didn't notice him. They left the door opened.
He waited. He waited a little more. And he took his chance.
Running out of the basement. He wanted to make a run for it, but he couldn't. As quietly as an injured teenager could be, he went upstairs in his old room. They hadn't moved anything, they left his old room to rot. His phone was gone.
He thanked his past self for hiding a second phone under his mattress.
He grabbed it and this time, ran to the front door.
He ran like he's never ran before.
3:07AM. Sanji stumbled down the streets. On his way to the closest park. Where he knew he could hide without danger.
«Fuck... Shit. Fuck.» Sanji looked at his phone. Thousands of notifications from his friends. He opened the first conversation.
Fat ass dumbass
12 days ago: SANJI ! Why weren't u at school today ? Can u bring me food tmrw !!?
11 days ago: Are u sick ?
10 days ago: SANJI IM HUNGRY PLEASE COME BACK TO SCHOOL !
4 days ago: I miss ur cooking :(
1 day ago: Sanji ?
+54 missed calls
Beautiful princess Nami Swan
12 days ago: I took the homeworks for you since you weren't at school
Dont get used to it ! You better be there tomorrow.
9 days ago: hey are you okay ? You've never not read my messages...
4 days ago: we're all worried Sanji kun, please answer us.
+26 missed calls
Miss Nico
6 days ago: Hello Sanji. I'm not allowed to send messages to my students. But I've noticed you haven't been at school at all this week.
Your father is telling us you're sick. But your friends told me they didn't hear about you in days.
Is everything okay ?
Long nose dumbass
10 days ago: Hey man, uhh... Why are you not answering the phone ? Nami and Luffy keep trying to call you. They're worried...
5 days ago: Please man, be careful. Whatever it is you're doing...
3 days ago: You're not dead right ...?
+19 missed calls
Cutest doctor ever
11 days ago: Sanji you haven't been coming to school ! Are you sick ? I can help you if you want, skipping school is very bad for you future !
8 days ago: I'm scared please answer us...
Zoro says you'll be fine but I'm worried... If you get injured or anything, please call me
3 days ago: Sanji... We all miss you a lot, where are you ? :'(
+33 missed calls
Dumbass N°1
12 days ago: you didn't come to school. Too scared about losing against me in PE ?
12 days ago: Eyebrows ? u there ?
10 days ago: You're not even answering Nami ? Really ?
Are you dead or something ?
8 days ago: Hey, are you okay ? You've been missing for 4 days dude. Our friends are worried about you.
6 days ago: Miss Nico tried contacting you and your father, apparently you're sick ?
You've never been sick before
4 days ago: Weirdo
Dumbass
U suck
U ugly
2 days ago: Alright, seriously what are you doing ?
Today: I don't understand you
+ 2 missed calls
Sanji looked at his phone. God, he didn't mean to worry everyone...
As he read, he finally reached the park. He chose to crash on the first bench he saw.
He tried calling his friends but it's 3:17AM. They're sleeping... Well, there is one last number he didn't try to call.
Calling Dumbass N°1
Sanji put the phone down on the bench. Looking at the stupid name he decided to give Zoro. Hoping. "please don't answer... But, please answer..."
Having an internal battle with himself. He needs help right now, he's injured, he's dirty, he's hungry and in pain. But it's Zoro. He can't let Zoro see him so weakened. It's not how they worked together. They didn't help each other. They're rivals.
«Yeah ?» A tired voice talked through the phone.
«...» Suddenly the blond didn't know what to say because Zoro doesnt seem surprised to receive a call from a man who's been missing for 12 days.
«Okay, I'm gonna hang up.»
«No ! Wait ! It's... I.. I just need help.» Sanji hurriedly said. Straight to the point. Too tired to walk around the problem. He just wants to sleep in a real bed and eat some real food.
He just wants everything to stop.
Zoro was woken up by his phone ringing loudly in his ear. «Who's calling at this stupid hour anyway ?»
The green haired man answered the phone and stuck it to his ear.
«Yeah ?» He asked. And no one answered. Few seconds passed. He just wants to sleep some more.
«Okay, I'm gonna hang up.»
«No ! Wait ! It's... I.. I just need help.» Zoro was now wide awake. He definitely recognize that voice.
He looked at the screen and bingo, "Stupid eyebrows" appeared. He quickly took noticed of the weak and shaky voice. Along side the uneven and too fast breaths.
«Oh fuck, Sanji ? It's really you ?»
«Yeah... Uhh, I don't know where to go...» He sounds on the verge of tears. Something is wrong.
«Where are you ?»
«At the park, on a bench.»
«Don't move, I'll be here in a few.» he hang up.
Jumping out of his bed to grab his jacket and pants.
He fast walked towards his sister's room.
Slamming the door opened, the pink girl flinched and frowned at her brother's brutality.
«Perona, I'll be back. I'm just gonna go get a friend.»
«At 3:30AM ?» the insomniac ghost girl raised an eyebrow.
«Yeah. Can you get the med kit while I'm gone ? I think he's injured.»
«Uh, okay I guess ?»
And with that, Zoro was gone. He jumped on his motorcycle, sticking a second helmet between his legs. Taking the road as fast as he could without getting himself killed.