A/N: Disclaimer - This is a romantic AU mainly focusing on Zoro and Sanji. There might be other characters added in, who knows. But it won't be the case now. Please enjoy


Chapter One – The One Who Comes Knocking


"So this is it, huh?" Zoro asked. "All the time that we… I… wasted."

"Yeah," Sanji answered. What else could he say? There's nothing more except the broken relationship that hangs in the air, collapsing in. Suffocating the both of them. "I'm sorry." A heartfelt apology, something he owes. It wasn't those kinds of relationships that were toxic, they just fell apart. Saying goodbye without a true enemy to throw your rage at, hurts more than anything.

"Don't be, shit cook."

"Someone has to… Marimo."

Zoro gives him a warm smile, a heartbreaking one but still, warm enough. With that, his hand leaves the cook's and trudges off into the snow, never to be seen again.


That was three years ago, and why Sanji is thinking about it now is just confusing. It isn't like he hasn't been successful without Zoro. No, Sanji has gone onto owning his dream restaurant, Baratie on All Blue Street and he wasn't a failure at love either. He succeeded at winning the hearts of both men and women. Yet, those endless flings and countless relationships seem to mean nothing to him.

It's for him to really let that green haired punk go. Not with the endless interruptions and countless arguments that ensued between the two. And honestly, Sanji misses that. He misses the rush that he got from arguing over nothing and the kissing… Oh god, the kissing. Sanji could just fantasize about the kissing along and that'd make him too hot and bothered to really function anymore.

Zoro's kisses were rough, passionate and strong, attacking his senses endlessly, making him crave more. Sure, some (namely his ex-boyfriend, Ace) could make Sanji feel similar to that. No one could match the intensity that Zoro brought to the table.

Not only that, Zoro could pull every fragile emotion out of Sanji. Making him feel everything and nothing at the same time, all from a single touch.

This is so stupid, Sanji thinks as he prepares today's menu. The usual swarm of people that invade the Baratie is normally more than enough to keep the young chef occupied. But, for some reason, today is just throwing him off. Maybe it's due to the fact that today is the three year anniversary of the break up and it just so happened to be the same day he met the green haired man. Just maybe…

Sanji has kept some hope that the green haired man will walk back into his life but all hope is lost when he realized that Zoro has not been seen for three years. Three years, no one has seen him and for three years, no one was looking.

It has been a simple case of him just getting up and disappearing without a trace. All the words Sanji wanted to say are gone. All the words Sanji wished he has said has faded into a distant memory.

It hasn't been easy, forgetting Zoro. The first few nights, Sanji cried for hours on end, hoping he'd just come back and be right next to him. Hold him close and tell him that everything is going to be alright. That didn't happen, and the painful reality came crashing in, hitting him harder than he initially expected.

"Order!" shouts the young waiter, Chopper – who works there part time in order to save up for medical school. Sanji listens as Chopper shouts out the meals. It should be easy enough – a basic soup along with a garden salad as their appetizer, and a nice lamb brisket as their main course. It sound like a meal for a couple.

Lunch melts into dinner and soon the nightfall arrives. Exhausted, Sanji returns to his one bedroom apartment, hoping to soak his feet in some hot water and call it a night. As he prepares his bath, someone rings his doorbell. Now who the hell could that be? Sanji thinks to himself to himself as he walks to the door, ready to tell the salesperson to fuck off because he isn't interested.

His jaw drops open when he sees the visitor.

"Surprise," Zoro says, giving him a smirk. "Can I come in?"


A/N: I actually love writing romance so, I'm trying my hand at it again. And yes, it would help if you listen to the song The Last Time - By Taylor Swift Ft Gary Lightbody (Of Snow Patrol!) It'll definitely help with the overall tone. I really hope you'll enjoy this, and follow, favourite and review. I really would appreciate it a ton.

I love you all!

(Okay, I fixed up the glaring typo! Whoops! Thank you to for letting me know!)

-Lithium012