...

[mettathron.livejournal.com]

One of these days, I'm just going to post un-beta'd, before my courage and confidence gives out. Sheer determination to stick to the schedule allows me to post this crap. I really need to learn how to write something else.

More of the same from me, nothing new here. Move along, move along.

Title: In The Dark
Word Count: 296, after massive slicing, dicing, and trimming
Topic: Edge
Rating: Dark PG
Pairing: ZoSan

Disclaimer: One Piece belongs to Eiichiro Oda. God forbid he ever see this crap.



He’s standing on the edge, staring down into the endless dark. He wonders how he got out of that fight alive before he stops, thinks, remembers, and realizes he didn’t. Not yet.

Sanji was shot.

The epiphany that he is Sanji is met with only slightly more acceptance than the next.

Sanji was shot protecting Zoro.

He wouldn’t say he stepped into the bullet. That’s the kind of thing gentlemen did for a lady (which Zoro was definitely not). It was sheer bad luck that caused Sanji to cross the bullet’s path just as the trigger was pulled.

He’s probably lost too much blood, but he can’t see it. His limbs are probably heavy and cold, but he can’t feel them. Zoro’s probably cursing him, but he can’t hear it…

Just the way Zoro didn’t hear him when Sanji asked him to stay. Ten more minutes, five, and they wouldn’t have been spotted by that patrol. But Zoro doesn’t do “afterglow”, and Sanji’s habit of curling around his bedmate makes it impossible for the swordsman to sleep.

Zoro threw on his clothes and stalked off to find someplace without clingy cooks. Sanji followed him to keep him from getting lost. Then… then there was the battle.

Now he stares into the dark and listens, hears the thin edge of desperation in Zoro’s voice as he calls his name. Sanji. Not “dartboard-brow”, not “ero-chef”, not even “bastard”. Just Sanji.

In the dark, it’s always “Sanji”.
On the other side, there are insults.
In the dark, there’s a warm body beside him.
On the other side, he’s cold and alone.
In the dark, there’s no promise of tomorrow.
On the other side, he knows.
In the dark…

He smiles, steps off the edge, and falls into the dark.

Comments

[mettathron.livejournal.com]

This fic so didn't turn out the way it was supposed to.

... What does the cat have to do with crying and anger?

[mango-32.livejournal.com]

It's sad...but it's beautiful.

"Just the way Zoro didn’t hear him when Sanji asked him to stay."
Poor Sanji...

In the dark, it’s always “Sanji”.
On the other side, there are insults.
Loved this especially.^^

[mettathron.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I seem to be incapable of writing anything that's not sad/depressing/angst. At least it's good, though. ^^; I'm glad you enjoyed.

[ptps.livejournal.com]

I love how your drabbles always seem to cover a larger expanse of time than what 300 words would normally allow. I echo mango_32's comments. The last line just...argh.

[mettathron.livejournal.com]

.... I didn't have this fully beta'd. Please shoot me to keep me from embarrassing myself like this again in the future.

I'm glad you enjoyed it, though.

[vampire-otaku.livejournal.com]

You may write a lot of angst, but it's good angst. That heartbreaking, chest aching sort that leaves me sitting here in quiet contemplation and sometimes in or near tears.

Your description of Zoro leaving and refusing to enjoy the afterglow was heartwrenching enough, but this:
In the dark, it’s always “Sanji”.
On the other side, there are insults.
In the dark, there’s a warm body beside him.
On the other side, he’s cold and alone.
In the dark, there’s no promise of tomorrow.
On the other side, he knows.
In the dark…

He smiles, steps off the edge, and falls into the dark.
;_; God, you are good at what you do.

[mettathron.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much! I practice a hellofa lot. And I guess I'm just naturally cruel. But I'm very glad you enjoyed.

[winterwaltz6.livejournal.com]

That was excellent. You really have a way with words.

[mettathron.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Glad you liked it~!

[kotszok.livejournal.com]

NOOOO-OOOOO?!!! NO NO! What! No! Why does t have to hurt so much! orz How are you capable of making it so utterly DARK and DESPERATE. *_____* Ugh, lovely writing all the same...

[mettathron.livejournal.com]

Pssst. There's rumor of a sequel in the works. ^_~

[rabid-pup.livejournal.com]

oh... my.. it's so GOOd. yet i feel like throwing a mad-fit over it o_o"
ur writing is eXcellent! i love how the fic seems to make the world come into a kind of standstill, or slow-mo as Sanji falls into the darkness. i can't imagine the pain and regret zoro would feel after tis episode.... *ow i hurt*

[mettathron.livejournal.com]

Thanks muchly!

You may not have to imagine... I'm thinking about attempting to write it.

[paxnirvana.livejournal.com]

...and then the stubborn marimo bastard marches down into Hell and hauls the damn cook's ass right back out. [As if he'd let Sanji beat him to the afterlife. *snorts* Riiiight. King Enma's shaking in his boots in anticipation of these guys showing up, methinks. *grins, shakes head*]

There's nakama-ness, blood, unrequited love, regret, and angst, angst and more angst. Lovely work. *sniffles, grins*

[nike-victory.livejournal.com]

...and then the stubborn marimo bastard marches down into Hell and hauls the damn cook's ass right back out... King Enma's shaking in his boots in anticipation of these guys showing up

I'm suddenly reminded of a not-death-fic by xparrot where Zoro very calmly and firmly tells Death that, no, he's not dead, and if Death doesn't want hell to pay, then his nakama aren't dead either.

[mettathron.livejournal.com]

::snickers:: Oh, and he would. He'd haul Sanji up by his tie, if need be.

Thank you very much. I'm so glad you liked it. Coincidentally, the sequel is now up...

[nike-victory.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's absolutely gorgeous. The loneliness, the desperation, the heartbreak... You'd better write that sequel you're hinting about!

[mettathron.livejournal.com]

I have, and it's up on my journal. It's just a teensy bit too big to justify posting it to OPY100. I hope you enjoy it as much as you liked this one, if not more.

[bumpgrrl.livejournal.com]

*sniffles* *pouts* *nearly begins to cry*
why does tragedy have to be so tasty?????

oh, i do hope there's a sequel - there's a whole lotta potential here for blame!angst.

[mettathron.livejournal.com]

::offers tissue, just in case::

Um... because tragedy is high in calories and sugars, thus making it terribly unhealthy and therefore much better tasting than anything that's actually good for you? ^^;

Sequel's up, too.

[yuki-kokoro.livejournal.com]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! NOT BLAME!ANGST!!! ...but I'd deal with the pain to get a sequel. It would be rip-your-heart-out-and-watch-it-bleed gorgeous I'm sure, as your work tends to be. ^_^;;

I second everyone else in the opinion that the final section really was horribly wonderful. The concept of Sanji giving into death because only in the darkness can he get what he wants/needs... *sighs* Oh the pain.

*settles in to wait eagerly for more, 'cause fangirls can be vaguely masochistic at times*

[mettathron.livejournal.com]

...rip-your-heart-out-and-watch-it-bleed gorgeous...

I really love that description...

Ah, well. Sequel's posted to my journal, with a link on the general OPY100 list. It's a bit long to post there. ^^: I hope you enjoy it as much as you liked this one!