24th Dec - Chopper's Birthday pt. 1
French Affairs – Chapter 15
24th December - Chopper's birthday pt. 1
Zoro didn’t know how long he had sat there. It had gotten dark already and cold. He could see his breath steaming in little clouds before his face. By now even his anger had completely subsided and gotten replaced by emotional emptiness.
With every thought about his situation he had had, he had grown more paranoid. Reasons for keeping his father’s identity a secret had refused to come to his mind no matter how hard he had thought about it. Therefore other thoughts had stirred.
When Garp had known about Mihawk all along, who else had?
Ace? He had shown up just once over the last six years—when Zoro had been nearly killed by Mihawk. That was suspicious. He had known.
Ruffy? Considering that Garp had known and Ace had known left only one possible answer. He had known.
Nami? She had lent money to Zoro even though he would most likely never pay her back. That was naïve. Nami wasn’t naïve. She didn’t do anything without backup. She had known.
Lysop? He was an idiot. A braggart. Though he avoided sensitive topics like “fathers” when Zoro was around. Most likely because he was afraid of Zoro smashing his head for telling him “bad” news like who his father was. He had known.
Chopper? The youngster was such a sensitive and sensible person—he would never be able to lie to Zoro for so long, wouldn’t he? But breaking Zoro’s heart was another thing he would never consider. So if he guessed that telling Zoro about Mihawk would hurt him, he would most likely have remained silent. He had known.
Last but not least, Sanji. There was no way he couldn’t have known about it. Jeff was a friend of Mihawk’s and so Jeff had to know about it. And if the old man knew, Sanji did as well.
So all of his friends had lied to him.
He hadn’t been able to believe it, but it had felt so real in the beginning. It had been real to him. But… Did it even matter? No, it didn’t. Now, after brooding over his situation for a couple of hours he knew that it made no difference.
He was a liar himself in so many things.
No, what bothered him now, was the next step he would have to take and he hated it. Even thinking about it was bothering him so much he had begun to just stare into the darkness around him, thinking about nothing.
It was paining him. It hurt like hell and he wasn’t used to those feelings. His stomach tightened and it felt like his guts were on fire. Physical pain was one thing but this… this was beyond him. All he knew was that he had to take it out on somebody if he wouldn’t go insane. This feeling he couldn’t describe was eating away at him.
Even though he knew that it was about time for him to go home to Sanji and the guys, he didn’t feel like it. Not knowing how to feel or behave around them was an entirely new experience for him and he didn’t have the faintest idea of how to deal with it.
“Monsieur, you can’t spend the night here. You might freeze to death,” an unknown voice interrupted his thoughts. Zoro looked up and met the concerned gaze of a middle-aged police constable wearing a large moustache and having frightfully huge scars defacing him. His colleague, a rather young looking man with purple hair, stood a little further away but looked equally concerned, even thought he relaxed a little when Zoro moved. So he had assumed that he already had frozen to death. Lovely.
“Just let me stay a little while longer, please, gentlemen,” he replied as politely as he could.
The looks the two men exchanged spoke volumes to Zoro, even though he couldn’t quite decide of which story. The one who had spoken to him before began to speak again: “Sir, you’ve already sat here for more than eight hours. We just came over to see if you were frozen to death already.”
Honest guys, really.
“I’m sorry I’m still alive,” Zoro said without really thinking about it.
“Sir, I must insist on you going home now,” the constable demanded and Zoro felt wretched again. There was no home for him to return to anymore. All there was were the place where Sanji lived here in Paris and the place where his friends lived in London. Naturally, the constable couldn’t know that and so Zoro abruptly rose to his feet, unintentionally startling the policemen with his sudden motion.
Standing tall again made him realise something: The Zoro sitting on the park bench had been a lost and confused puddle of emotions; the Zoro standing in front of those policemen now was most likely still the same inside but he felt his confidence return. He wouldn’t surrender to what had happened, wouldn’t run away anymore. He was a fighter, the kendo vice world champion and a marine! He was a man, god damn it! A man who knew what he had to do: Face his troubles and solve them. The only problem was that he had absolutely no clue where the hell he was.
“Ahm, gentlemen,” he stated, a quizzical look appearing on his face. “Would you be so kind as to tell me where exactly we are? I sort of… got lost, I guess.”
Much to Zoro’s surprise this admission broke the tension and the constables started laughing.
“Okay, son, listen. Our shift is over anyway so we can take you wherever you want to go before we head back to the head quarters. My name is Genzo, pleased to meet you. His name is Corby,” the older man said introducing him and his colleague and offering Zoro a hand.
“Hi, my name’s Zoro Roronoa. Pleased to meet you, but I can’t accept your offer.” He shook his and Corby’s hands before Corby asked: “Why’s that?”
“Well, I don’t know the address.”
Both policemen were staring at him like he had grown a second head.
“So that was what you’ve been meditating about all the time. How to get home? That’s hilarious!” Corby stated and burst out laughing again but almost choked on it as soon as he saw Zoro’s frowning face.
“I was not and it is none of your business.”
“So, do you know any significant establishments near wherever you need to go, son?” Genzo asked friendly smiling at Zoro.
“A cemetery and a restaurant called something with glasses and the devil. It must be anywhere near the basilica of Sacre Coeur.”
“Well, that’s a rather precise description and you are lucky I know it. So, son, now let’s get your stuff and take you home.” This Genzo guy really seemed to be a nice person but Zoro couldn’t stand two things about him: firstly, his babbling about home all the time and secondly, his calling him “son”.
“Sir, I would appreciate it, if you could drop the ‘home’ and ‘son’ things. I’m staying at a friend’s place, not at home, and, as much as it pains me, I am definitely not your son.”
Luckily Genzo took it as a compliment, not as a complaint. He seemed very satisfied to hear Zoro’s regret of him not being his father, even though Zoro had talked about Mihawk as his “pain” and not about Genzo being a nice person. Be that as it may, he was glad that he didn’t have to call Sanji to come pick him up. He wouldn’t have called him anyway.
The policemen were quite nice but way too talkative while they saw him home to Sanji’s.
“Is this your first time in Paris?” Genzo asked genuinely interested meeting Zoro’s gaze in the rearview mirror.
“Yes, it is. How did you figure?”
“I didn’t. It was just a question. So, how do you like it here?”
That was most likely the worst question one could ask him. He hated it. Without beating around the bush: He despised, loathed and detested it. So, what should he tell Genzo? He wouldn’t lie. He had had enough lies for an entire lifetime already.
“So?” Genzo asked again, when he didn’t receive an answer.
“Right now I’m not really able to appreciate being here,” he said and the glance Genzo shot him through the rearview mirror was full of concern again. Well done, Zoro, you idiot.
“I’m sorry for asking,” the older man apologized and changed the topic. “What do you do for a living? Your appearance is quite impressive, you know?”
“I serve in the Royal Navy.”
“Oh, that is impressive,” Corby butt into the conversation. “One day I want to become a marine, too.”
“Not that again, Corby. You are a coward. Why would you join the marines of your own free will? I don’t even get why you are a policeman.”
“That’s mean of you. Monsieur Roronoa, tell him I can do it, please.”
“Why would I? I’m glad to leave this shit behind in a couple of days and live a normal life at home again. If you want to be sent away for six years without seeing your family once, I’m sure you can do it. But you must be sure you really want it.”
That shut Corby up and Zoro felt sorry for disillusioning him. Of course life in the navy wasn’t that bad but he was getting angry again thinking about what had happened during his time serving and he felt the need to take it out on Corby, since the younger policeman had stirred it up again. Fortunately, they passed the entrance of Sanji’s house and Zoro even recognised it.
“You can drop me off here,” he quickly stated, glad to get out of the car. “He lives right here.”
“Sure, if you say so,” Genzo replied and pulled over to stop and let Zoro get off the car. He smiled at him in encouragingly and nodded at him when the car had come to a stop.
“Thank you very much for your kindness, Sirs. Good bye,” he thanked them and got off the car.
“Good bye, Monsieur Roronoa,” they bid their goodbye and Zoro shut the door closed. The car drove away and he was alone again, standing on the street in the middle of the night, surrounded by snow and silence.
He paced the way back to Sanji’s apartment and thought about what to do next, how to behave now. Finally standing in front of the entrance door now wasn’t as easy on him as he had imagined it to be. All his former self-confidence in handling this situation slowly but surely poured out of him and the longer he hesitated to ring the doorbell the more it was unsettling him. He didn’t even know what time it was and if the cook would be pissed off at him for coming here so late. He might as well try and find out. Taking a deep breath he rang the doorbell and just a moment later the door clicked open. That moment his stomach tightened again. Heavens, this was making him insane.
Arriving at Sanji’s apartment the cook was awaiting him leaning against the door frame. He looked really tired but not fed up; more like he was expecting bad news.
“Thank goodness, it’s you,” Zoro was welcomed. “I saw a police car from the kitchen window and assumed they would either come to tell me they arrested you for some stupid reason or to inform me about your death.”
“Even if something had happened to me—you would be one of the last persons they would inform about anything. You are no family,” Zoro snarled and passed him by. It was irritating him that he was mad at Sanji for showing concern. Somehow he wanted to hurt him and to show him what it was like to be not considered family. “You are right, I am not,” Sanji admitted and the “but” he wanted to add was clearly tangible lingering in the air yet he didn’t say it. He just looked hurt, as Zoro could tell from taking a quick glance over his shoulder, and left a stale taste in Zoro’s mouth. That damn idiot had no right to make him feel bad about his words now.
Without saying anything Zoro went to the bathroom and did his evening toilet while his mind raced around Sanji’s behaviour, analyzing it. Why had he been relieved to see him again? Jeff would probably give him hell and consequences if Zoro died on him. After all he was the son of his dear friend Mihawk. But that didn’t explain why Sanji had looked as hurt as Zoro had wanted him to look. That was untypical for the blonde pest and confusing the hell out of Zoro. Usually Sanji should have come back with a sharp reply like being glad about not being his family or something like that. Being mean was not satisfying at all like that. It made him the bad guy he didn’t want to be.
When he stepped into the living room to get to his room, Sanji had already prepared a pillow and blanket on the sofa and waved him over.
“You are going to sleep here until the others get up. Since you haven’t been around I decided that Lysop was to sleep in your room together with Chopper so I wouldn’t keep him awake waiting for you. If you don’t feel like sleeping you can wait for about another hour or so and I bet you will have access to your room again. After all it is bloody 6 a. m., moron.”
That dumbfounded Zoro. It really was that late already? So the policemen had highly underestimated the time he had spent in that park. Damn, that explained their worried expressions at least. Shaking his head slightly he paced over to the couch and slumped on it. This was bothersome. He wasn’t really keen on spending more time with the cook than necessary right now. Well, thinking about it, sharing his bed with Chopper wouldn’t really lift his spirits either. The mere thought felt weird somehow but he could also not spend every night drinking. Maybe sleeping on the couch wasn’t that bad of a deal. He sighed.
“What’s wrong with you?” Sanji asked and Zoro didn’t even feel strong enough to raise a single finger for smashing this nuisance’s head.
“None of your business, dartboard brow.”
“You left all of us worrying over you and now you dare to tell me it is none of my bloody business? Fuck you, shithead! Like hell it is not!” Sanji hissed through his teeth to not wake his friends. Zoro clearly preferred the angry Sanji to the sensitive one. It made it easier to not like him.
“You didn’t call me so you couldn’t have been that worried. Now leave me alone. I’m tired,” he replied turning his back at Sanji ending the conversation.
“At least you are sober this time,” he heard Sanji grumble before he blocked his voice out. This day was so going to be a pain in the arse. It had started bad, gotten worse and was bound to culminate in the worst way possible--whatever “worst” would be.
He couldn’t really sleep. All he did was nodding off every once in a while just to be awoken by footsteps, half-whispered conversations and the shutting noises of doors. It was uncommon and unwelcome to him to experience his first lasting period of lacking sleep in years. France sure as hell was cursed.
Being about to nod off again he heard his name and listened up.
“I didn’t think this would affect him so much.” Lysop. It would be wiser for the dimwit not to think but shut his bloody mouth.
“Yeah, it has always been a precarious topic but I never thought he would just disappear on us.” Nami. The damn witch sure as hell didn’t know him well enough to judge his behaviour.
“I can’t say I’m surprised that he ran off for the third time since he has come here.” Zoro’s skin started tingling. Sanji. Arsehole. As if he really had the right to gossip about him. After all they just knew each other for a couple of days. But, well, he definitely had gotten to know him better than Nami did. Sad but true. Morons! All of them!
“I’m worried over him. You said he drank frightfully much over the last days and didn’t sleep properly last night.” Chopper was so… chopper-like. There was nothing one could do about it.
“Yes, but you and I also drank way too much over the last days. Moreover, I didn’t sleep as well. I don’t think it’s going to harm the moss-head as long as he calms down any time soon.”
“But he was just so epic yesterday!” Ruffy cheered. Hopefully all of them had had a good laugh at his epic face when he had learned the truth about Mihawk. Fuck! He didn’t need that shit first thing in the morning.
“He and Mihawk really are birds of a feather when it comes down to business.”
The sensation of his tingling skin was making him sick. He had to do something or he would definitely go crazy.
Without making a sound he got up and went over to his room to fetch new clothes before he stepped into the bathroom to take a shower. While the cold water ran down his body to calm him down he remembered one little detail he had almost missed. Today was Choppers birthday. His eyebrow twitched.
He didn’t have a gift for the youngster. Shit. This day would become the hell he had always known he would get into after death. Sure as hell he had frozen last night.
He put on black trousers, which shimmered a little greenish, and a yellow shirt with a full length zip and went over to the kitchen. His bare feet made no sound on the wooden floor. Taking a look at the clock hanging opposite the door on the wall he realised that it was almost noon already. Well, maybe he had slept more than he had guessed.
“Zorro! How are you? Did you get hurt in any of the matches yesterday? Should I examine you?” Chopper sputtered and Zoro couldn’t help but to smile until he glanced at Sanji. His expression turned blank and so did his voice, without him noticing. All he knew was that he felt sick. Maybe he had a fever. Perfect.
“No,” he simply stated and leaned against the worktop. Raising an arm and waving Chopper over he added, “Come here,” and sounded as pissed off as he was by now. Being sick was sure as hell not on his agenda. Who on earth was stupid enough to get a fever from sitting around in a park? His friends’ expressions shifted to somewhere between surprised and worried. It was unnerving him already.
“What is it?” the boy asked alarmed but stepped closer nonetheless.
“Happy Birthday,” Zoro said as nicely as he could and forced a smile on his lips, pulling Chopper in a tender hug. Yes, he was fed up to the back teeth but he wouldn’t take it out on the boy, because he knew Chopper would cry and Zoro was weak against his tears. It would cause him a murderous headache to be the reason for the boy’s tears.
Over Choppers shoulder he looked at the others and his mildly warm expression cooled down immediately. The only possible reason why he couldn’t hold his charade up was that he was lacking sleep. He couldn’t find any other reason why he would become feverish so that even his hands started trembling.
Now wonderment showed on their faces when they noticed the quick changes in Zoro’s expressions.
“Zoro, is something wrong?” Nami asked and Zoro smiled at her all nicely and warmly again to keep his muscles relaxed and to avoid jumping her right into the face. As if he would want her to worry over him. He wasn’t a baby.
“How could it?” he asked and he knew that everyone in his right mind could hear his tension loud and clear, even though his voice was as smooth as silk. Chopper didn’t. He just looked up at him and smiled back.
“I’m glad you are alright,” he said. Poor fool.
“Chopper, be so kind as to let go of the mug and let him eat his share. I can’t have him starving in my apartment,” Sanji said and stepped next to Zoro to prepare a plate for him. Today was Chopper’s birthday so, naturally, all the food was vegetarian as Zoro noticed. Baked beans, chocolate cream, cheese, salad, marmalade, this fancy bread Zoro had eaten before, and fruit. In Zoro’s opinion, all of this didn’t really fit together and, what was even worse, it didn’t not fit his sense of breakfast, but also found its way on his plate nonetheless. This day was no fun at all. His stomach started twitching again.
“I’m not supposed to eat this, am I?” he asked Sanji and raised an eyebrow in mockery. “You are supposed to be a cook and don’t even know that all of this shit doesn’t fit together. That’s a lousy performance of yours.”
Chopper instantly let go of Zoro and hurried over to his friends to be out of the firing line and not a second early.
“Shut the fuck up or I’ll throw all of it in a mixer and make you drink it, poison ivy!” Sanji spat back and pointed the knife he held at Zoro’s chest. “It is not my fault that you always have a bad day so stop messing with me! I’ve already had enough of you for a lifetime and I’m glad to see you leave tomorrow!”
“That makes two of us!” So they had something else than their need for physical fights in common after all. Too bad knowing this was to no avail. Zoro felt sick and gulped hard. Seconds passed and neither of them moved or said anything. Sanji just looked at him as if he was waiting for something particular to happen.
“You are still here?” he sneered a moment later. “That’s quite uncommon since you tend to run away all the time, vice world champion. I guess that makes you a real champion there.”
Zoro just stared at him, pondering if he had any plans for his life, except for being imprisoned for homicide. He decided on postponing the revival of his being a “demon cutter” and replying instead, hissing in a low voice: “I have a very good reason for leaving each time I gravely consider homicide. You better pray that I never lose my temper while you are around, Sanji.” Yet, the malice he put into his words wasn’t really there. He felt empty like all the life had flown out of him with every word he had said.
“Zoro, Sanji, it’s enough!” Nami butted in and hit both of them on the head. “Just calm down and stop your ridiculous macho attitudes!” she demanded and for the first time of his life Zoro was grateful for her being a witch.
“So, what are the plans for today?” he changed the topic and completely ignored Sanji while putting on his mask of mild interest and decent behaviour again. Maybe pretending everything was alright until he was back home in England and could fix this situation. As soon as he would leave godforsaken France behind he would be able to start his life all over again and simply forget about everything that had happened here. His little cheap and self-deceitful plan nearly made him laugh and sob at the same time but he suppressed it, nearly choking on it—quietly, without anyone noticing.
He knew he would never be able to forget what had happened. His life would never be the same again.
--- End of chapter 15 ---
