Moy Mell 46

Sanji leaned back on the wall of the entrance hall and blew a cloud of harmless, flavored water to one side. He had taken the final step and removed the addictive tobacco, swapping it for various fruit flavors and spices instead. It was some time after breakfast and he was about to leave to head over to All Blue on the dock.

"So he keeps bugging her."

"And there's no way to contact him unless he answers to his name." Aizawa grimaced, one hand stealing around to rub at the back of his neck under his scarves. "I have a hunch he doesn't want to see me just yet."

"He'll come when he's ready."

"Yes. But then I have to be as well, don't I?"

Elly was on the phone with her girlfriend as Aizawa discussed matters with the cook inside. She was lounging by the pool, exhilarated by yesterday's events yet nervous as well.

"He told me he loved me yesterday."

"That's great!"

Elly fidgeted on the edge of the chair. "But Bella, I'm so freaking scared. What if he sees me - the other me -- and everything changes?"

"Someone that really loves you will love you no matter what," her friend insisted. "All those others said they did but they were liars! Besides, if you're so scared just let him see. You said he likes cats."

"You know I don't look like a cute little kitten," she said acidly. "Unless, of course, I want to."

"I really think this guy's different. It's something in his eyes when he looks at you."

She groaned loudly, then waved to reassure the guy that was helping Shaggy with his pool duties that afternoon. "We're talking about looking at me. You think he would have the same eyes for me with my hideous demon face?"

She took a deep breath. "No, I know - I'm sorry. I don't mean to yell at you. My emotions are all over the place and ... what's going on over there? The hell?" Elly paused, her ears alert as she heard yelling inside the house. "I'm going to have to call back. Something's happening!"

Sanji left for the restaurant with a casual wave, and Aizawa was about to join Elly on the deck when he heard a low voice nearby.

"We need to talk."

One glance at the man pulling himself to his full height in the corner and he knew talking was not what he had in mind. Aizawa dropped into a crouch, his eyes narrowing. "Go on."

"I saw you two yesterday."

"Great," he said drily, blinking his bloodshot eyes. "So you saw us kiss, I presume? And you're jealous."

Things went progressively downhill after that. Elly heard the screaming and ran inside to find a horrifying sight.

Aizawa stood his ground, his hair waving upright as the scarves around him floated in readiness about his shoulders. He had a cut on his cheek that was bleeding and his bodysuit was slashed in several areas, but he was smirking.

Zoro was standing in a familiar pose in front of him, all three of his swords out with a vein pulsing in his neck that spoke eloquently of his rage. He had dirt on his robes and the black bandanna he wore. Elly doubled her speed when she saw it, knowing he only wore the cloth over his hair when he was deadly serious. She strained to hear so she would know what was going on.

"There's no need to fight," Aizawa was insisting. "You're being foolish."

"The hell I am!"

The smaller man ducked neatly under a slice from all three blades and countered by whipping his thread out, wrapping around the swordsman's arms in an attempt to incapacitate him. Zoro snarled and was about to use the one he held between his teeth to cut himself free when she threw herself between them.

"What are you doing?! Her scream was understandable, given the situation, yet her glare was directed at her former guard only. "Stop fighting!"

He relaxed, and Aizawa unraveled his weapon, drawing it back to lay calmly about him again.

"As you wish."

Fuming, she turned to him and saw his injuries. Her face grew several shades whiter very quickly and she mewed with anxiety, her hands lightly touching near the cut on his face. "No," she whimpered.

"I'm fine," he assured her. "Just a few nicks and bruises."

Her ears folded back all the way and he was touched to see how upset she was at his injuries. "Doctor's," she commanded brusquely, pointing in the general direction of the on compound clinic.

He nodded and started to walk. Elly turned around and crooked a finger at Zoro, who was standing there with an enraged expression, as if he were being insulted. "You," she hissed. "Follow."

Black Jack was in the office today. The patchy man took one look at both men and laughed out loud.

"Finally decided to have it out?"

Elly gave him a scathing look. "Shut up, Jack, and make sure Sho's okay."

"What about..." He jerked his thumb at Zoro, who was standing there frowning.

"He can go later. Besides, we need to have a talk."

Aizawa looked like he wanted to say something, but he was ushered inside before he could speak. The door closed behind them and she whirled around, hissing with anger.

"What is wrong with you? I - I'm so angry I can't even see straight!" She directed the full force of her fury at the big man, shaking and upset. "Why did you hurt my Shota?!"

Zoro regretted it later, but he had reached his breaking point upon hearing her speak his rival's name that way. He leaped from the chair and, catching her by the upper arms, swept her around until he pinned her to the wall. Several things inside the medical cabinets rattled or fell and there were cries of alarm in the back. Instead of fighting she became terrified of the man she had been so close to only a few months ago. She struggled futiley in his grip but froze when he shouted at her.

"Because I fucking loved you for fourteen years and he comes along and steals you away in a damned month!" His single brown eye was filled with a hopeless, searing agony.

Elly became completely immobilized by his startling confession, coming so soon after the other man's yesterday. She simply sagged limply in his hold, her purple eyes blank as she struggled with what he had just told her. She hadn't much time to consider, however, as Aizawa slammed the consultation room door open, his weapon out and his eyes ablaze.

"Let her go!"

Zoro was rattled by the force of the scruffy man's blow. Aizawa punched him almost as hard as he could, blinded by the sight of him holding his beloved so roughly. He was ready to do more damage, but the other man let go immediately, registering that he had failed. Not only that, he had scared and upset the woman he professed to love.

Elly was gathered up in her bodyguard's arms and he scanned her for injuries, breathing easier when he saw there were only a few red marks where the big man's fingers had sank into her arm. He kissed her cheek and she simply fell apart.

Zoro flinched when she started to cry. These were not ordinary tears, either, but terrible, wrenching sobs that came from deep within. Too much had happened and she was overwhelmed, unable to stop as she trembled and clung to Aizawa tightly. He stroked her hair and murmured quietly to her in a soothing voice.

"This isn't good," he said after several minutes, so worried he slipped unconsciously into his native language. "Can't you give her something to help calm her down?"

Fortunately Jack knew Japanese and understood him. He nodded. "She has to be still enough to inject her, though," he warned.

Aizawa stepped things up, kissing her forehead and rubbing her ears. "You need to calm down enough so the doctor can help," he pleaded softly. "You'll feel better, and I won't leave you, my queen, I'll hold you for as long as you want. There... shhh. I love you, I've got you. You're doing great." He jerked his head at the doctor when she quieted slightly and he stepped up and administered the shot in a single swift movement.

"Shota? Shota, b - but Zoro said..."

He shook his head. "No. Calm down first, then you can think. Right now you concentrate on me, okay?"

"But -"

He kissed her so fervently that she relaxed and responded, her senses taken over completely by him. He stood, and, still kissing her, walked over to a chair and sat down. "That's better," he husked when she started purring. "No, look at me, not over there." He stroked under her chin.

"Over there" meant where the fully shamed Zoro was hunched in the corner. The extra security guards that were always following her had detained him easily but they were allowing him a moment to pull himself together before escorting him to the head office. He said nothing, since he knew it would be useless now. He only grunted when he stood up to indicate he was ready to leave.

Aizawa made sure she was distracted so she didn't see the once proud man's disgraceful exit.