[ why. it's the eternal question that sanji keeps asking himself as he boomerangs away from zoro and back again, always back into his orbit and into his arms, somehow pulled toward him like a ball on a string. it's pathetic. being here has unearthed all the loneliness he thought was permanently buried since the moment reiju pushed him away from the vinsmoke mansion and toward his freedom with the command to never return home again. he's a ghost walking these halls without nami's connection tethering him to something, without zeff's presence, without the merry being able to take them far away to the next adventure. they're stuck. and sanji would have thought he'd know better how to deal with being stuck by now, but he's not dealing well at all. ]

Because someone has to take care of you.

[ because you always take care of me.

the scar running jaggedly over his healed eye is proof of that, normally covered, but he doesn't have many secrets from zoro. just his fragmented past, but that's a secret from almost everyone. even nami has just bits and pieces of the story, maybe enough to put everything together if he doesn't start acting normal again soon. his fingertips brush zoro's earrings, a slight metallic tinkle in the air, and then he's rubbing suds behind his ears, traveling down the strong line of his throat to the dip of his shoulder blades. after a moment he comes back up, draping his arms around his shoulders to rest his fingertips at his collarbones. ]

There's something wrong with this place. Nami's gotten too comfortable, and I don't want to scare her. I need you to help me figure it out.

[ he dips his hands into the tub, washing away the suds and scooping up clear water, cascading it over zoro's shoulders. ]

I need you with me. I can't do this alone. This place, it — it scares me worse than where we just came from.