I Drank The Tap Water 🐸

(second disclaimer, it's not thought out that well. To be honest the first time I thought about it was the initial drawing I did, so it's not that developed. Things might change and all that, but you get it, anyway!)

So. Onigashima happens, and it goes as you would expect. The classic Sanji turns into his evil germa self and Zoro has to kill him. They battle it out in Wano, on the beach in front of the Sunny. At some point Zoro hesitates, seeing a flash of humanity in Sanji's eyes. This gives Sanji an opening who kicks Zoro into a rock. Basically half his face gets sliced off. At that point Zoro realizes Sanji is gone and he stops hesitating, driving Wado through Sanji's heart. Sanji dies.

(some of you may remember I said Zoro gets kicked off the crew in this au. I decided not to keep this premise, even though I think it's cool, because I genuinely cannot realistically see Luffy kicking anyone off the crew lol. Even if Zoro lied and said he killed Sanji for some other reason, luffy would still see through it. )

Zoro becomes depressed, as one would expect. He's now lost two people close to him and carries the weight of two near impossible dreams on his back. He struggles to eat and train, and no matter how much the crew tries to help him he's closed off and distant.

After about a month or so of this, (between Wano and Egghead, I refuse to believe all of the canon islands are so close in time) Sanji appears randomly on the ship. Zoro thinks he's going crazy. He might be. None of the others can see Sanji, so he never brings it up.

Now he can't even wallow in self pity because he has a ghost bastard over his shoulder at all times. Yup, Sanji is tied to him. If he tries to stray away, he gets pulled back like a magnet.

At some point Zoro gets fed up with everything, and decides enough is enough. He gives Luffy Sanji's tie which he'd tied around Wado, leaves the crew and goes to fight Mihakawk one last time or die trying. But Mihawk sees the state he's in and refuses to give him an honorable death. He gives him a second scar instead, not as a promise but as a punishment.

And......that's it so far.

Sorry if it's not satisfying. I'm definitely going to develop it better, but so far this is all I've got.