The Fallen Angel And The Demon In Green

Chapter 23: Worst Case Scenario

Why did it have to be this way?

The sun is already coming up from its usual hiding spot, uncaring if the world has a problem with his annoying routine. Wouldn't it be great if he decided to take a day off? Maybe a weekend? He could go and have a pina colada in a sunnier galaxy or whatever celestial bodies enjoy doing these days. But no, he had to come up again. Diligent as ever, that fucker.

The salty taste in my mouth is probably from my own tears, not from the sea. I lean against the railing, considering, not for the first time today, if I could avoid the upcoming disaster altogether by jumping and seeing how far I can get before getting eaten by a sea king. Probably not too far.

Just joking, Saphir. Jeez.

She never really understood sarcasm. And she would for sure not believe me if I explained it to her. Though I'm certain she would say something nice and comforting if she were here right now. Well, maybe not particularly nice, but she would have told me to toughen up and get over with this, and that's all I need.

If I had the courage, I would've left the Sunny before sunrise. But, alas, I'm weak. Besides, I just can't disappear after last night. It wouldn't be fair to Zoro.

One last day. That's all I can haggle. I'll be gone at midnight, escorted by a small marine ship under the night veil, courtesy of my beloathed brother. It almost feels like a death sentence, but with table manners.

Heated stomping directs my attention to the entrance behind me, and I rush to the side of the door, hoping whoever it is will go back to bed. It's too early for being that agitated, and I thought I still had an hour or so before anyone woke up.

However...

I swear my heart just stopped: it's Zoro. The footsteps could only be his.

And as if on cue, the swordsman dashed to deck, shouting my name.

"Shut it!" I whisper-shout, putting a hand over his mouth and tugging his arm to my side, "Do you want to wake everyone up?"

Zoro's eyes widened for a second, before relaxing, "Fuck you. I thought you had left."

"Not yet," I mumble.

To my misfortune, Zoro turns to face me completely, "What?"

"I'm not leaving yet, I have until midnight," I say, still with a hand caressing his face. He stares at me, disbelief radiating off of him, but he doesn't move away.

"What the hell is going on?" He demands, his tone matching mine this time, but angrier.

I wish I could just hug him and reassure him that everything will be okay, that nothing is changing. But that would be a lie, and it would only harm him more.

"You know, your voice has always been one of my favourite things, even when you are mad at me." I can only promise him my undying devotion, that much will never change.

"This shit is Deliops' doing, isn't it?"

"That doesn't matter now," I caress his cheek, feeling the tingling of his earrings. He usually leans on my touch, but this time it's different.

Zoro takes me by the wrist. "You are going back to your family? To that idiot brother you got? The one who was going to kill you if I hadn't interfered?"

Yeah, don't remind me. "It's... complicated."

"Whatever he has against you, we can fight him," he keeps on pushing.

Always. No matter what, Zoro never gives his back to his friends. To me. I love that about him, I love him. That's why I can't get cold feet about this.