Chapter 16; Shot to the Heart

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Stepping out into the humid night air, Zoro closed the door behind himself softly despite the fact that the deadbolt clicking echoed far louder in his ears than he had expected

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Stepping out into the humid night air, Zoro closed the door behind himself softly despite the fact that the deadbolt clicking echoed far louder in his ears than he had expected. That sound of the proverbial door being shut on his and Sanji's adventure, and the end of this oddly surreal time spent with the captivating man.

Forcing himself down the steps and to the street was a struggle, but each stride got easier until he was standing outside the vehicle softly idling by the curb. He threw open the door and fell into the passenger seat heavily as Viola watched him from her position behind the wheel. A predatory smirk on her gorgeous lips as he murmured, "Hey, you. Ready?"

Zoro gave a stiff nod.

After everything that he had just admitted aloud to Sanji – despite the blond being unconscious – Zoro still wasn't quite sure he could open his mouth without allowing his voice to crack. Far too much emotion still hovered near the surface that was threatening to spill out, and things he certainly didn't want to have to deal with while in the presence of this near stranger. While she was doing him a favour, it wouldn't do to have her see him break down now.

"Where's the cute blond?" She demanded petulantly.

"Not coming." Zoro grunted, nabbing his seat belt and belting himself in as he was doing his best to avoid too much eye contact and this conversation. Adjusting himself in his seat, he turned his gaze resolutely out the window despite the fact that Viola had made no motion to begin driving.

"Why not?"

"It doesn't matter." Zoro bit out quietly.

"Listen, darling." Viola crooned with a sinister tone, "I'm doing you a favour – a dangerous one – so when I ask a question, you answer it. Are we clear?"

Zoro's mouth opened to respond but found words completely useless as his throat began to close up on him. Memories of Sanji raced through his head as the full weight of what he had just done was hitting him. The fact that everything – even the small hope of affection he had suspected had been growing between them these past several days – was over.

Everything felt raw.

Like he had cried enough to spill all the tears he possibly could, and then some. Throat feeling like he had swallowed sandpaper, his eyes tender to the point of irritation, bridge of his nose itching with unshed emotion, and his chest a twisted, torment vortex of anguish that was slowly disrupting his ability to breath with every passing second.

"Yikes." Viola intoned nervously, "Why do you look like I just dragged your dog out back and shot it?"

"Kohza's taking him back to America." Zoro croaked out, "It was my fault; he was never meant to be here in the first place."

"I don't understand." Fingers drummed steadily across the steering wheel as Viola watched Zoro through narrowed eyes, "Wouldn't he want to stay here with you?"

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