revelations
Chapter Two
It ended up taking Zoro a lot longer to arrive because, of course, he got lost on the way. When he finally arrived Brook was already there.
Zoro passed through Brook and over to his body where he watched the slow rise and fall of his own chest. Why couldn’t he just wake up? He went over to his body and laid on top of it, willing it to somehow absorb him and bring him back to the real world.
It didn’t work.
He was about to try again when musical notes filled the room. Zoro turned to see Brook was playing his violin. The music started off very slow but steadily increased in tempo. At first, Zoro couldn’t say he recognised it but as it progressed he did feel like one part of it was vaguely familiar. Zoro was certainly no expert on music but if he had to describe the way the piece made him feel, he would say… sad.
Watching Brook play was something else, though. The precision with which his skeletal fingers moved was beyond impressive; Brook had dexterity like Zoro hadn’t seen before. And while he was only bones, the way he held himself while playing really did shine a light on his professional experience as a musician. You’d never guess that the skeleton playing such music was the same skeleton who asked to see ladies’ panties and made lame skull jokes. But who was Zoro to judge? They all had their vices.
The music was slowing back down again and eventually came to a stop, but Zoro still couldn’t place the part that he recognised.
“That was a piece I like to call ‘When the Sun Stopped Shining’,” Brook said to the now silent room. He rolled Chopper’s chair over to Zoro’s bedside and sat on it, placing his violin on the table next to him.
“You’ve maybe heard it before or at least one part of it. I struggled for years to perfect the bridge and as such played that same part repeatedly. It was only when accepted into this crew that I managed to finally piece it together.”
Brook smiled, as much as a skeleton could, Zoro supposed. He continued. “But Brook, ‘how could our crew enable you to perfect such a sad song?’ I hear you ask, Zoro-san. And the answer is simple. Coming into this crew has healed me in ways I could never have imagined. While part of me will never forget the suffering, a larger part of me embraces today and tomorrow and the day after tomorrow with all of you by my side. One chapter of my life has been closed, the next one is in session.”
Brook cleared his throat and wiped his dry eye socket. “Ah, speaking to you has moved me to tears, Zoro-san. But I have no eyes! Yohohoho! Skull joke.”
“I know my time with you all is limited due to your own mortality, but I wish to make music and travel with you all for as long as you’ll have me. Which means, Zoro-san, that you have to wake up! Our journey together is not over yet; in fact it’s barely just begun. You still have much to teach me in the way of swordsmanship.”
Brook paused and looked up at the ceiling, like he was really considering his next words. He sighed.
“I watched all my former crew die one by one by my side and I’m not going to have that happen again. That’s not how our chapter is going to end.” He clenched his fists on his lap.
Brook pushed back on the chair and stood. “So wake up, Zoro-san,” he said quietly, patting down his suit jacket and pants and grabbing his violin. He headed for the door.
Zoro let go of a breath he didn’t know he was holding. He hadn’t been prepared for that. He knew Brook carried trauma from his past — all of the crew did — but he hadn’t quite been expecting him to be so open or serious. Part of him felt bad for listening. It had been intended for him but perhaps not a conscious him.
But it was true, each of the Straw Hats had their own histories and experiences, however they were something that were not spoken about so openly. Zoro gazed up at the ceiling with a slight smile. The fact that Brook had been so candid with Zoro’s unconscious self was actually rather fulfilling. Zoro didn’t need to be reassured about his nakama’s feelings for him, however he did care about their feelings for themselves. Being reassured that Brook’s emotional and mental wellbeing were in a good place with the Straw Hats was warming. It was just further proof they were family.
After Brook left, Zoro looked back at his unconscious self. He attempted to slap himself in the face but his hand just vanished through his head.
“Wake up already!” he said, but there was no response.
With a sigh, Zoro left the infirmary. As he did so he couldn’t help feeling weirdly lighter, as if he was relieved of a slight weight in his spirit-like form.
He was probably imagining it.
The crew were all out on the deck, having drinks. The sky had darkened and the moon was full and glowing. Zoro couldn’t really tell the temperature as this current form of his did not experience senses as normal, but if he was to go by what the crew were wearing he would assume it was a warm evening. Everyone was in their summer clothes, even Sanji, which was the most convincing proof of warm weather. That man loved his suits. His summer outfits were fascinating, Zoro would say if he were being charitable, but he somehow always made them look good.
Zoro paused at that thought. Did he really just compliment the cook? He shook his head, like that would dispel the thought and made his way over to the circle the crew had formed on the deck. As expected, they’d left a space for him. Zoro smiled and took his place.
“It’s weird not having Zoro-bro here,” Franky said before taking a chug from his bottle of cola.
Zoro snorted. If only they knew he really was there.
“He is here, though. I can sense his presence,” Usopp said, his eyes closed and stroking his chin. Zoro chuckled. Had anyone else said that, Zoro might have believed them. But their resident Long Nose story teller? Yeah, no.
Chopper’s eyes lit up though. “Really? You gotta tell him to wake up immediately!”
Usopp nodded. “He is aware. But he says he can’t simply wake up.”
“Why not?” Chopper said, his brows furrowed. Zoro was interested to hear the answer too.
But before he could hear the answer, Sanji cleared his throat.
“Don’t,” he said, the firmness of his tone leaving no room for negotiation.
Usopp sunk back into his chair looking down at his hands. “Sorry,” he said.
Zoro frowned and walked up to Sanji, waving his hand in his face. “Hey, shit cook. Stop being a killjoy.”
There was no reaction. But Zoro hadn’t expected there to be. He made himself comfortable on the deck and laid back so he was gazing up at the stars. There were so many in sight; it was something he loved about living on the ocean. You got a real good look at the night sky.
“So… who wants a song?” Brook said, filling the silence that had followed Sanji’s outburst.
“I think that’s a wonderful idea, Brook,” Robin said.
“I’ll go get my guitar.” There was scuffling and footsteps and then a minute later the sound of Brook’s guitar filled the air. Zoro was somewhat relieved. He didn’t think the violin would be so appreciated presently. Whenever Brook’s played Binks’ Sake on his violin, it had very different vibes to the other instruments.
Currently, the piece Brook was playing was upbeat but not overly so. Zoro recognised it; it was one of the songs Brook had played on his world tour — the same one that he had played for them the first night they were reunited after being years apart.
Zoro tapped his fingers on his chest to the beat.
There was the sound of a chair scraping along the deck. Zoro sat up and watched as Sanji stood up.
“I need a smoke,” Sanji muttered as he walked away feeling for his cigarettes and lighter in his pockets.
Zoro frowned. The cook really was being a killjoy this evening, it seemed.
Brook didn’t stop his playing, though, and Nami was tapping her foot to the beat while Chopper happily swayed side to side.
Robin shared a glance with Franky and then got up and followed Sanji. Curious, Zoro followed behind her. He normally would have no interest, but given the circumstances and the fact Zoro himself was in the middle of it, he was intrigued.
Sanji was at the back of the ship, his forearms on the railing as a cigarette sat between his lips. He jumped when he saw Robin approach, the cigarette almost fell from his mouth but he managed to catch it at the last moment.
“Robin-chwan, I didn’t see you there,” Sanji said, with a smile. But you didn’t have to be an expert at emotions to know it was fake; the smile never quite reached his eyes. Zoro had long since become aware of Sanji’s expressions; the man had a tendency to put on fake smiles despite the situation. Zoro knew when they were fake because they somehow always made him feel uncomfortable in the pit of his stomach. Just like this one did.
Robin smiled and stood next to Sanji, looking out towards the sea. Zoro joined them. “Are you all right, Sanji?”
He turned to Robin with that same fake smile in place. “Of course, Robin-chwan. I just needed a smoke. But I appreciate your kind and caring nature! We are so lucky to have your beautiful self here.”
It was Sanji’s usual spiel when it came to the ladies, only it really lacked the energy it usually had. Zoro wasn’t fooled. And by the looks of it, neither was Robin.
Robin hummed and waited a moment. “You want to talk about it?” she said.
Sanji dropped his head with a small chuckle. “As usual, you’re so observant.” He took a drag of his cigarette. “I just…” Sanji hesitated. “I don’t know. It just feels wrong being happy when he’s not there, you know?”
Robin gazed out at the ocean. “You mean Zoro?”
Sanji huffed. “Yeah, the damn marimo.”
Zoro frowned. It felt wrong to listen in on the conversation but the weariness in Sanji’s face froze him. Had Sanji always looked this tired?
“Do you think Zoro would like knowing we’re moping about because of him?”
“I’m not moping,” Sanji said. Zoro snapped out of it and snorted at the man’s defensive tone. “I just… You know what, forget it. It’s stupid.”
Sanji made to move but Robin stopped him with a hand on his arm. “Whatever it is, I’m certain it’s not stupid,” she said.
Sanji placed his hand over hers and sighed. “I’m okay, Robin. It’s nothing. Let’s go back.” Zoro didn’t believe him.
There was a slight frown to Robin’s face; she didn’t quite believe him either, but she nodded and let go of his arm. “If you want to talk though, you know where to find me.”
Sanji chuckled. “Yeah, on this ship.”
Robin smiled and the two wandered back to the rest of the crew.
Just what was that? Was the cook actually that worried for him? No, that couldn’t be it. Sanji knew first hand to have more faith in Zoro. Sanji had been there when Zoro took Luffy’s pain—heck Sanji had tried to do the same. Surely he knew Zoro would be fine.
As they walked back to the others, Zoro was truly baffled by the conversation. Had it made sense to Robin? Probably, given how quickly she acquiesced.
A slightly uncomfortable feeling crawled up his throat; one that Zoro recognised immediately. Guilt. He had intentionally witnessed their private conversation. Normally, he wouldn’t care, but Sanji’s behaviour was guarded, like it was not for Zoro’s eyes. Zoro had followed out of curiosity but usually he was largely disinterested listening to other people’s conversations. The spirit-like form he was in was messing with him in many ways.
He couldn’t really avoid eavesdropping entirely, given his circumstances, but he could avoid listening into some conversations. At least, he reasoned with himself, nothing had been disclosed between Robin and Sanji.
Zoro turned his attention to Brook who was still playing some music. The rest of the crew were chatting casually. Zoro overheard Luffy talking to Usopp about how he had caught the seaking that Sanji cooked for dinner, while Nami was chatting away to Chopper about a letter Vivi wrote to her. Jinbei and Franky, on the other hand, seemed content to just listen to the music. Both of them nodded their heads to the beat.
As one song played out, another one quickly took its place. And so the night carried on. It was a relief to see the crew maintaining some sense of normalcy, despite his absence. By the time they packed away their drinks and got ready for bed, Zoro was beat. This was perhaps the longest he’d ever gone without a nap in recent years. But he didn’t understand how he could be tired when he wasn’t even attached to his physical body.
He was sure if he asked Chopper, Chopper would lecture him on how his mental and emotional wellbeing was equally as important as his physical. And how if those parts of his health were declining, then it would have repercussions for his physical health too. The difference was, Zoro was sure he felt fine in those departments.
Zoro sighed as he watched as the guys got comfortable in their beds. Once they all said their good nights Zoro left the men’s quarters and headed back to the infirmary. Chopper was just exiting there as Zoro moved through the door. The little reindeer looked more resolute than he had all day. His eyes were focused, like his determination had renewed. Had there been some good news?
Zoro didn’t want to get his hopes up, and he tried not to, but as soon as he laid eyes on his unconscious body he felt that little bit of hope he had starting to dissipate. He looked the same. No changes. He went over to the clipboard with Chopper’s notes to see if maybe his vitals had changed or something. It was no use though, he didn’t understand what any of it meant. Lots of abbreviations, weird words and random numbers.
He was at a loss. Why could he not wake up!? The nagging worry at the back of his head was slowly getting bigger. He ignored it and then laid on top of his body again. He would lay there at least until morning in hope that it triggered his consciousness.
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