It was a perfectly normal day on the Thousand Sunny. The sun was shining bright and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Zoro and Sanji were having their latest fight—over what, no one could tell. They'd fight over anything, after all. Nami was drawing maps, Robin was reading books, Franky was being his normal "super" self, Luffy was sitting on top of the lion's head and watching the fight, Chopper was studying textbooks and wondering how in the world he was going to get the crew to participate in their monthly check ups, Brook was playing his guitar, and Usopp was on watch duty.

A storm that would interrupt their more peaceful than usual day was brewing just on the tip of the horizon. Nami couldn't feel it just yet, but by dinnertime she would know of the decrease in pressure and finally take notice of that ominous feeling in her gut.

Sanji was vaguely aware something was amiss, but he decided to ignore it and just concentrate on his fight with Zoro. Neither of them were winning, by the way.

Thunk. Pow. Thud. CRASH. These sounds were annoying Nami, and surprisingly, the rest of the crew to no end. When the bits and pieces of their argument were more intelligible…that was the last straw.

"WILL YOU GUYS BREAK IT UP?!" The rest of the crew shouted at Zoro and Sanji.

They stopped. Sanji was mid-kick, and Zoro was in mid-slice. They drew away from each other, grumbling.

"Shitty swordsman."

"Idiot-cook."

"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?!" They said.

Luffy jumped off the lion's head, walked in between the two brawling idiots, stretched out his arms, and pushed them away from each other.

"Guys…shut up already! You're givin me—me—a killer headache."

They muttered something. Luffy seemed satisfied now though, so he left them alone and went to join Usopp in the crow's nest.

Fortunately, the two men backed off. Deciding they'd save it for another day. Zoro went to take a nap somewhere and Sanji headed to the galley. Sanji sneezed. It took a moment to register that he had, in fact, sneezed. With him…a sneeze was never a good sign. Sanji denied the fact the sneeze had ever happened and went on with his daily routine.

A few hours later, around dinnertime, Sanji was feeling considerably worse and doing his best not to show a thing. Nami had no time to notice Sanji's change in behavior—no. She was far too worried about the storm fast approaching them to do that.

Zoro noticed, though. He saw how Sanji clutched the handle of his knife just a smidge tighter. He saw how Sanji's skin looked paler than usual against the vegetables he was cutting. Zoro noticed that Sanji's posture was tense—strained even. Zoro watched Sanji who looked to be more careful and observant of his cooking, instead of like it was second nature, which was the usual behavior.

He wondered what Sanji could be hiding. Perhaps it was simply a headache, Zoro thought, maybe he was tired—the latter reasoning satisfied him and Zoro continued eating as though he hadn't seen anything.

"A storm is coming, guys."

Luffy groaned. "Another one? NO FUN! We won't be able to play!"

The other pirates sighed and mentally face-palmed. Of course that's all Luffy cared about. Other than meat and food, that is.

Sanji was spacing out, but he heard Nami mention the storm. Shit, he thought, this oughta do wonders for my cold—or whatever it is. Sanji stared dazedly out the window. It smelled like rain and danger. The tides were loud and large, impossible to mistake as regular. Sanji closed his eyes to fight off an oncoming throb behind his temples and the wave of nausea that came with it. He sighed softly.

"Oi." A voice came from behind.

Sanji jumped a tiny bit, surprised. He turned his head to look Zoro in the eye.

"What do you want, Marimo?" Sanji smirked.

Zoro narrowed his eyes and furrowed his brows. "Why aren't you resting?"

Sanji's eyes widened in astonishment; the question had caught him off guard. "W-what? What kind of nonsense are you spouting now, shitty swordsman?"

Zoro frowned. "Whatever, love cook." And with that Zoro left the galley, and Sanji, alone.

Sanji let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. If Zoro found out he was sick he would never hear the end of it.

A wave rocked the ship. Sanji lurched to the side. Too much more of that and Sunny would be engulfed by the waves. He rushed out on deck and took a look around. As he had feared, the ship's deck was flooded with water and it was pouring rain. The ship tipped to its side violently and Sanji lost his footing.

"SHIT!" he cursed. Sanji slid down the now diagonal deck, fell onto the rail (fun fact: a bulwark is that wooden, short wall-like thing surrounding the ship and the rail goes over the top! Hehe~ I learned something new~) and grabbed hold. He was completely over the side of the ship.

"Damnit!" He was slipping and unable to pull himself up over the rail, due to the onslaught of raging water.

Luckily, Nami decided to come out at that moment. When she saw Sanji struggling to get over, she screamed and ran for him. Zoro and Luffy heard and rushed out on deck.

Their eyes widened. "SANJI!"

Zoro ran to the blonde and grabbed onto Sanji's arm. Another wave crashed over the deck, threatening Zoro's hold on Sanji. As Sunny tipped precariously again, Zoro's grip loosened only slightly. But it was enough once another wave hit the Thousand Sunny good and hard. Sanji plummeted down into the water.

Zoro cried out, enraged. He grabbed a rope from around the mast, tied it to his waist, and jumped overboard.

Sanji was only a few feet away, struggling to stay afloat. He was gasping for breath and being forced under the water's surface over and over again. Zoro reached out and wrapped an arm around Sanji's middle, the other grabbed hold of their lifeline.

"LUFFY! PULL US UP! NOW!" Zoro yelled over the thunderous tide.

The answer came as a tug, and then they were flying over the bulwark and onto the deck of the Sunny. Zoro's chest heaved with effort, and he looked over to check on Sanji, but when he saw that Sanji wasn't moving, he lifted him up slightly and tapped Sanji's face.

"Sanji! Sanji, wake up, Ero-cook!"

Sanji did not move. "Chopper! CHOPPER! Get out here!" Luffy called for their reindeer doctor.

Chopper dashed out of the hold and saw Sanji. Chopper eyes grew big. "Oh no…Sanji!" Chopper ran to Sanji's side and told Zoro to do CPR while he looked over Sanji's body for any wounds.

Zoro squeezed Sanji's nose shut, bent down, and forced air into his lungs. After three more times of giving Sanji air, Sanji jolted forward into a sitting position and coughed out so much water he was choking. Chopper slapped Sanji's back to hopefully help the water out quicker so Sanji could breathe.

After what seemed like ages, Sanji's lungs were finally clear. He sat there in the swordsman's lap, cradled against Zoro's chest.

"H-heh. Thanks, shitty swordsman," Sanji smiled crookedly. His body went limp again.

Zoro panicked and felt the cook's head. It was like touching a furnace.

"Chopper, he's burning up!"

"What?! Bring him inside quickly!"

Sanji was placed on a cot and Chopper began putting him on an IV. He was officially down for the count.

Suddenly there was thunder and multiple lightning strikes all at once. Their ship creaked and moaned in protest. The world was still as a white light covered the sea like fog and blinded the whole crew.

*~xXx~*

The world was a deep grey, filled with sorrow and anguish. Clouds littered the skies, heavy and dull. The smell of rain was in the air and a small breeze was beginning to pick up. Death's presence could be felt everywhere.

The funeral procession moved forward in small steps, as if in slow motion. Black adorned every body. Some wore hats or veils that covered their faces, but the tears running down their cheeks were unmistakable.

Another death—another life taken before it was ready. The footsteps came down heavily on the gravel. The steps came back as an echo. As if this place weren't haunted enough already, the constant echoing of footsteps made it worse.

These grief-stricken times had touched everybody. This time, it had hurt a lot of people. Eight directly, and whoever else she had met along the way. She, too, had been taken by the illness.

Sanji didn't know what to do. He walked with everyone else, memories playing through his head like a movie, but no matter what he tried—he just couldn't cry. Usopp, Luffy, Franky, Brook, and Chopper were though. And now that he got a good look—the first one he'd gotten in a long time—at Zoro, he could see that he wasn't crying either and neither was Luffy or Robin.

The only way life could get any crueler is if it took his hands…or the rest of his nakama. Sanji's and Zoro's relationship had escalated to lovers some time ago, about ten years, maybe. Five years ago, they'd gotten married. They were still "together", if you could even call it that.

They hadn't had a decent conversation in weeks; there was constant fighting whenever they did talk. They both had no time to themselves, they were watching people die left and right, and they hadn't even kissed. The last time they had was probably six months ago. Now Sanji was spending more and more time by himself and Zoro spent most of his time drinking and being unfaithful. Which was odd, all things considered. It was like the man was an entirely different person.

To mince words, their relationship had gone to crap. They didn't even live together anymore. Sanji was a train wreck and Zoro was fed up. All of their friends thought there was no way in hell their relationship, or even friendship for that matter, could ever be repaired.

They were right. Until…

Sanji and Zoro had run into each other on the road not too long after the funeral. They'd decided to get something to eat together. Sanji gave a sad smile. The last time they'd had a date was a year ago. It made him want to cry—scratch that—it HAD made him cry, but not recently. It was almost like Sanji's tear-ducts were all dried up. Or maybe it was just his heart that was dried up.

The only time they spoke was to give the waiter their orders. The café was quaint with its light wooden floors, wooden barstools, and classic booths. The atmosphere pleasant and cheerful; one of the few places left like that.

After an excruciatingly long and awkward silence, Sanji finally spoke up:

"Zoro…listen…we need to talk."

Zoro turned his head away from the window to face Sanji.

God how Sanji missed those eyes staring into his! It shattered his heart and made what he had to say—needed to say—so much more difficult.

Zoro squinted at him. "What?" He asked in that dull, uncaring voice Sanji had been well acquainted with recently. It made Sanji's heart drop to the floor.

He missed hearing that voice too. Why was life so cruel? Why did his heart hold on to some false hope that Zoro still loved him?

"Look…I—"

The restaurant shook violently. Plates crashed to the floor, lights threatened to fall, and windows vibrated with the intensity of the shake. A concerned voice reverberated throughout the café.

"EVERYBODY DOWN! UNDER THE TABLES! TAKE COVER!"

A panicked voice shouted back:

"EARTHQUAKE!"

The shaking grew worse and Sanji could feel the earth's crust shifting below his feet. He heard a snapping sound and looked up to realize he had moved from his chair too late. The light would hit him.

A white flash broke through the windows, freezing everyone's eyes. But Sanji, with his back to the windows, had managed to see emotion on Zoro's face, and he smiled. Even if it would only be one last time.

*~xXx~*

Zoro couldn't believe it. Truthfully, when Sanji said they'd needed to talk…he agreed, but that didn't mean he wanted to do it. The earthquake, Zoro thought, was sort of his "saved by the bell". In a way it had saved him, but it had also taken a precious person from him. Zoro was unable to move and breathe when he saw the light fixture fall onto Sanji.

The adrenaline was pumping through his veins as knelt by Sanji, praying that nothing was too serious. Damn. He really wanted to know what the cook wanted to say. Why he'd had that look on his face. Then, he really wished they hadn't drifted so far apart.

"Sanji. Sanji!" Zoro's voice was low, begging. He couldn't stand the thought of having to bury another loved one today.

Sanji didn't move. Blood was pooling beneath Sanji's head. Zoro willed himself not to cry. He didn't have the right to care after what he'd done. Maybe if he'd loved Sanji like this all along…he wouldn't be gone.

The ambulance came to take all the wounded away. Zoro rode with Sanji to the hospital. Barely heard the doctor when he announced Sanji was in a coma. All he could think about was how he was going to tell Luffy.

In the last year Luffy had grown more than just a little disappointed in Zoro. Zoro had never seen the man so angry when he'd found out how Zoro wronged Sanji. The captain had taken Sanji's side of course, because even though the cook flirted, he was never—ever—unfaithful. Mind you, as Sanji became older his flirting lessened ever further, something that had already diminished since he'd married Zoro. Now, he barely even gave a woman the time of day.

Zoro took out his cell phone and calmly dialed Luffy's number.

"Hello? Zoro? What's up? Did you feel that crazyyy earthquake? It shook everything up!"

Zoro gulped, his throat dry.

"Luffy. I—" Zoro could tell that he had Luffy's attention now. "—I'm sorry." He lowered his head in shame, even though he knew Luffy couldn't see it.

"…What did you do, Zoro?" His captain's voice was cold.

Zoro clenched his jaw. "I—I didn't—he just—" his voice broke, "…I couldn't protect him, Luffy."

"Are you talking about Sanji? What happened?"

"He…Sanji…the earthquake…we were in a restaurant having lunch, then the earthquake happened and Sanji—Sanji—Sanji's hurt, Luffy. A light fell on him. He's in a coma…what have I done? Why did we ever stop talking? Why couldn't I have loved him like I do now? Luffy, I—"

"What~ so it wasn't your fault! Geez, Zoro, don't be so hard on yourself."

"But I was right there! I saw the light and I couldn't move! I was…frozen."

"Zoro, just because you couldn't do anything doesn't mean you were at fault. And back up—what do you mean why did you stop talking? It's pretty obvious, Zoro."

"What…?" Zoro scrunched up his nose. He didn't understand any of this. "Luffy…I don't get it…"

"Of course you don't get it. You're the one who cheated, you won't understand what that meant for Sanji."

"What? Luffy, I need to make it right! Please, tell me what it means!" Zoro realized he was begging. He also realized that he didn't care. This was one mistake he really, really needed to fix.

"…Wait…Sanji, didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what? No, he was about to when—when the—the earthquake…"

"Zoro…Sanji was…Listen, don't tell Sanji I told you, okay?"

"Why…?"

"Sanji was going to end things with you."

Zoro's eyes widened. He was going to what…? Zoro slumped down onto the hospital couch in shock. Zoro thought to the conversation before the earthquake. "Zoro…Listen…we need to talk." Was this what he was going to say? Would Zoro even get the chance to talk to him again? And more importantly…would Sanji forgive him?

"He was…" Zoro chuckled bitterly, "Do you think he can forgive me?"

"You are such an idiot, Zoro. If he didn't forgive you then why in the hell did he stay WITH you all those years?"

Zoro couldn't answer that question. It was a mystery to him too. Zoro answered honestly, "I have no idea."

Luffy huffed in disbelief on the other line. "Unbelievable. Nami, tell—" the captain stopped himself and his breath caught in his throat.

"Oh, Luffy…I'm so sorry…I know you two just got engaged…"

Luffy's voice cracked. "Zoro…listen, if there's one thing I gotta teach ya it's this: you don't know how much you love a person until they're gone. So…take it from me, okay? If you don't make this right," the boy sniffed and tears started to flow (Zoro could tell), "I'll kick your ass." Luffy hung up.

Zoro smiled a sad, sad smile. Zoro had always thought that Luffy and Nami made a good couple, when he found out they were engaged he couldn't be happier for the two. Nami had that "glow", whatever people said came from pre-marriage, and she was planning the wedding already. He'd even seen that small piece of paper with the elegant script reading: Luffy & Nami, Groom & Bride.

Robin even chipped in to help Nami plan her wedding, since Robin herself had married Franky a few years back. Kaya, Nojiko (Nami's sister), and Vivi had all been ecstatic that they were asked to the bridesmaids; Robin of course was the matron of honor. Ace was to be Luffy's best man and all the other groomsmen were Zoro, Usopp, and Chopper. Franky and Sanji had decided they'd much rather watch. Brook, of course, would be the musician for the evening.

However…six days before the wedding, Nami caught the disease. No one has survived the disease yet, and most don't last more than two days. Nami held on for three. She passed away shortly thereafter. The crew had been heartbroken, but none were as hurt as Luffy.

Two days from now the wedding would've taken place. Luffy hadn't eaten since the day before yesterday. Because yesterday, he'd held his fiancé's hand until her heart of gold stopped pumping. It broke Zoro's heart just thinking about it. How Luffy must've sat there with her, as she was saying her last words, and then just slipped away. It must've been terrible.

Zoro hung his head in shame. How could he have done that to Sanji? If what Sanji had gone through had been anything like the heartbreak Luffy felt in that moment…Zoro didn't think he'd be able to live with himself.

The doctor emerged from Sanji's hospital room again.

"Mr. Roronoa," she called.

Zoro stood and walked over to her. "Yes?"

The doctor frowned. "Are…you his significant other?"

It was a perfectly logical question. After all, there were quite a fair number of gay people in this world and this society had come to accept them by now.

Zoro had never felt so guilty in his life. He hesitated. "Yes."

The woman looked at him with such sorrow in her eyes that he knew immediately that something was terribly wrong. "What is it?" he choked out. Not sure if he even wanted to know.

"Sanji…has permanent brain damage…" she said slowly and lowered her eyes, "and…the chances…the chances of him waking up are astronomically small…I'm so sorry." The doctor bowed her head and left Zoro alone.

He went into the small, white room and sat down in the chair at Sanji's bedside. He picked up Sanji's hand and held it tightly within his own.

"Sanji," he whispered, "I'm sorry. So sorry." And then, he cried.

*~xXx~*

It was dark, and cold. Sanji had never felt so cold in his life. Not since that deserted island anyway. Sanji struggled to open his eyes. Why wouldn't they open…? He'd only fallen into the ocean right? So why in the hell was he not waking up?

His eyes opened painstakingly slow, as if coated in glue. The room, or wherever he was, was dark, but he could sense another's presence there with him. The presence was frighteningly similar to his own, if not the same. Sanji looked to his left and sure enough he could see just well enough to make out a body.

Sanji sat up, his joints popping and creaking from disuse. He turned his stiff neck to the body once more.

"Hello?" His voice cracked.

The body didn't move. Not even a little bit. Not a flinch or even an exhale or inhale. Sanji's first thought was: corpse. It had to be. If it wasn't then what the fuck was it?

Sanji crawled to the body. He felt for a pulse, he found one, but it was scarily weak. Sanji ran his hands over the man's face. He came across hair. Finding that incredibly strange, Sanji followed it to the top of the head, to the left ear, to the neck, and finally landing on the chin. Sanji's heart beat erratically in his chest. It couldn't be. It just…couldn't be. Either this person's hairstyle was a striking copy of his own…or this was another SANJI. The thought was terrifying.

Sanji bent closer to the man's face hoping to smell something—anything. The man smelt like Zoro, spices, and medicine. What a strange combination, Sanji thought.

"You're tellin' me." A voice came from out of nowhere.

Sanji jumped away from the man. His senses on fire and thoroughly spooked.

"Who…? Who said that?"

"I didn't SAY anything. I thought it. I suppose we're communicating via minds."

The voice was a complete reflection of Sanji's own. It was unnerving.

"Are you…me?"

"Technically: I am you and you are me. We are one and the same, but different."

"How do you know that?" Sanji asked bewildered.

"Read it in some parallel universe book once. Never thought the shit it talked about would be real. Man, do I believe it now."

"So…we're the same person…what's wrong with you, by the way? You're like a corpse."

"Better off as one," the voice said with such sorrow and PAIN that Sanji had a difficult time believing it was himself.

"Better…?"

"Listen, we're about to switch places in a few minutes; something called 'The Freaky Friday' effect, okay? I need to tell you about my world—and you yours—so we don't fuck each other's worlds up and have a Butterfly Effect, or worse a paradox, on our hands."

"Okay, I'm all ears."

"I'm sure you know of Zoro?" the pirate Sanji nodded. "Good. Because in my world we're in a fucked up relationship."

"Relationship…?"

"Yes, as in…romantic. Don't make that face; it's not that strange if you think about it. So basically there's this horrible disease going around—street name is DS—and it's killing thousands, maybe even millions, every week. Once you get infected it's the same thing as getting a death sentence. DS stands for death sentence. So, Nami just passed away and left Luffy a widower."

"Wait—they're married?"

"Three days away from it, yeah. Alright moving on: Zoro is one hell of a motherfucker in my world. He cheats, and he doesn't even realize he's doing something WRONG. Not until someone tells him it's wrong."

"He CHEATS…as in…on you?"

"Yes. Again—don't make that face it makes me want to kick you. If anything you should feel angry—you're about to me in my shoes after all. Also: Robin and Franky are married; Kaya and Usopp are engaged, and Brook has a girlfriend, Chopper and Vivi are also dating."

Pirate Sanji snorted and laughed uncontrollably. "T-that REINDEER and VIVI are dating?! HAHAHA!"

"Reindeer? What the hell you talking about?"

"…Doesn't Chopper have fur…? And isn't Brook a skeleton?"

"…No…they both have skin and normal appearances…Anyways Ace is still alive—before you ask how I knew: I read your mind."

"Read…my…mind…" Sanji couldn't wrap his ahead around that one. Sure he knew devil-fruits could do weird things but he'd NEVER heard of a mind-reading one. "Okay, but what about you? How do you act over there?"

The voice exhaled quietly and was silent for what seemed a long time. "Let's see, if I had to describe myself…I'd call myself…broken," the voice chuckled bitterly, "funny how love can kill you like that."

"Zoro cheated THAT much?"

"Yeah. Sometimes he even did it while I was still in the house."

"Holy shit! That's—"

"Horrible? Morally wrong? Get used to it. I need you to break things off with him over there for me while you're in my shoes. I can't…be with him anymore. I don't wanna leave 'im…but…I need him to love me like he used to…" For a moment Sanji could see the Voice's—his—face as he traveled back in time to a better place, filled with love and happiness. It was a dreamy look, but the voice had a sad note to it.

"If he has even vaguely realized his mistake…don't forgive him, Sanji. Don't. I can't take any more heartbreak. Don't even give him a chance. Please…if he…I can't." The voice begged. And before Sanji could tell him that he'd be sure to, they switched places.

*~xXx~*

Sanji woke in a bed that looked startling like a cot. And the walls were wood. The dream came back to him like a sack of flour hitting him in the chest. So. This was the Thousand Sunny.

He sat up and settled comfortably against the pillows behind him. He was looking out the window when Chopper came in, and lost in his own thoughts, hadn't heard him come in.

"SANJIIIII!" The little reindeer ran at him full-speed ahead, and before Sanji could even fully turn around, he was tackled by FUR—and lots of it.

"What the hell…?" He said softly, distantly. Not at all like the Sanji this Chopper knew.

From the dream, he remembered Sanji saying something about Chopper being a reindeer. Guess he wasn't kidding. "Chopper…" the cook said gently and affectionately. He missed the kid's jovialness.

Chopper stiffened. "Sanji…?" The concerned doctor lifted his head and stared at Sanji questioningly.

Just then Luffy burst into the room having heard Chopper's shouts. He smiled a million-watt smile when he saw Sanji awake.

"GUYS! SANJI'S AWAKE!" The captain yelled cheerfully.

Franky, Usopp, Brook, and Nami all rushed into the room in a hurry, Zoro and Robin took the longest to join the crowd. Sanji visibly flinched when he saw Zoro, but quickly put up a mask to hide his feelings. Robin saw him flinch and was instantly intrigued by the odd behavior.

The crew, minus Zoro and Robin, were all talking over each other and making quite a fuss when Chopper yelled: "Everybody quiet!"

Sanji laughed very lightly. He looked to the back of the room and met Robin's eyes.

"Guys, I'm gonna have to ask you to leave for just a minute, okay? I need to talk to Robin." The crewmembers shrugged and left with not much of an argument. "No eavesdropping either!" He quickly added. He heard a bunch of boos and "awwwws" from behind the door, then heard all the feet shuffling away.

Robin knew. When Sanji hadn't called her Robin-chwan, or even Robin-chan, she'd known. This was not Sanji.

She sat down in the chair next to his bed and they stared at each other for a while.

Robin broke the silence, "who are you?"

Sanji gave a bitter smile, "I'm Sanji. Just…a different Sanji."

"So I noticed. How did you get here?"

"Switched places with him. Something my world calls 'The Freaky Friday effect'. I need your help."

Robin's eyes narrowed. "With…?"

"A disease, finding a cure."

Robin hmmed. "Well, cook-san, wouldn't Chopper be a better choice?"

"Maybe. You're an archaeologist; you'd know if there'd been a type of disease like that here and if that disease came with a cure."

"Name of the disease?"

"The street name is DS."

Robin's eyes widened, briefly, in surprise. She'd heard of it all right. "I have come across it before," she stated simply.

"Do you remember the cure? Or the cause maybe?"

"No cure. The cause is from a certain plant—a flower. Its an ugly brown color and smells wretched. Should technically be more classified as a weed, but…anyhow the disease won't end until it makes its roundtrip. When the disease infects the plant—its own carrier— then it'll go away. The disease resides in the air, because when the plants release oxygen the infection is released with it."

Sanji nodded sullenly. "I see…gotta wait it out huh…" Sanji looked detestably at his hands.

"How different are you two?"

"He can fight. I cannot."

Robin looked at him, confused.

"…I no longer have that strength." The cook said forlornly.

"Why not?"

The cook gave a gruesome smile. "It was . . . drained out of me."

Robin narrowed her eyes. Not at all pleased with the answer.

"Elaborate please, cook-san."

Sanji closed his eyes and bent his head forward. "I can't do that." He looked back at Robin with such sorrow in his eyes that she didn't ask again.

"Fine, but can you at least still cook?"

Sanji gave a distant smile…a smile from the memories. "Not for a long time. But I remember."

"You didn't cook in your other world?" This visibly shocked Robin.

"No…I did…I just…haven't in a while is all."

"Why? It's your passion, is it not?"

"It's…complicated. I was a really screwed up person there."

Robin arched an eyebrow. "Then, would you care to explain your… discord with Swordsman-san?"

Sanji sighed, weary. "It's a long story."

Robin studied him for a moment. "You had a grave conflict with the Zoro from your world."

Sanji winced with a half-hearted smile. "As perceptive as ever, Robin-chan. Yes…it was something like that. Though it's all that idiot's fault." Sanji spat in anger.

She raised a brow again, interested now. "Clarify, please?"

Sanji drew a long, shuddery breath. "In my world…Zoro and I are…a thing. You know, an item?"

Robin, being the smart lady she was, instantly understood. She grinned widely. It was bound to happen eventually. "Of course, cook-san. I know very well. Please continue."

Sanji threw her a side-glance. "Zoro, to say the least, is an asshole there. He's a lying swindler with an inability to keep his hands to himself. That fucking drunk." Sanji was on the verge of tears. Having to remember all those times he had come home to hear sounds coming from the bedroom…to go check and find that his lover was putting his hands on someone else…usually a woman. But, every once in a while, when Zoro was being especially cruel, he would bring home a male. Those particular days were the hardest.

Sanji stood in the doorway of their shared bedroom. Tears threatened to fall. Sanji shouldn't have been surprised; he shouldn't have been shell-shocked. But he was, and his heart suffered for it.

"Zoro?" His strangled voice came out.

Zoro lurched away from his latest lover. He turned to face Sanji with a deer-in-the-headlights look. Sanji heard him mutter "shit".

"What the hell are you doing, shitty swordsman?"

Zoro lip curled up in a snarl. "What does it look like?"

The lover sat up and looked Sanji in the face. "Fuck, Zoro. I thought you said you were single." The boy hurried out of the bed, threw on some pants, and was out the door in less than five minutes.

Sanji turned a hurt look on Zoro. That boy had looked a hell of a lot like Luffy.

"Why?" Sanji locked his gaze onto his feet.

"'Why'? Honestly, Sanji? I'm sick of you. You're annoying."

Sanji balked. "Wh-what? A-annoying? I—"

"Shut up, Sanji. Stop gaping. You look like an idiot."

Sanji gasped and then his rage-switch flipped. "I look like an idiot?! You're an unfaithful piece of shit and you have the gall to call ME an idiot?! You're the one who looks stupid! With your bringing home all these lovers and shit when you're married for God's sake! I—I—I HATE YOU, ZORO! JUST DROP DEAD YOU SON OF A BITCH! Don't bother coming back home after this! Get the fuck out! NOW!"

It had been the final straw. Before this…fifteen times…fifteen times Zoro had brought home a one-night stand. He had sex with fifteen other people in their bedroom. But, for what it's worth, Zoro did as was asked and left with a slam of the front door. And when he was gone…Sanji dropped to his knees and sobbed all night long. He didn't sleep. He didn't eat. And he didn't answer the phone with its persistent ringing. No…Sanji Roronoa had died.

Sanji snapped out of his memory to find tears sliding down his cheeks.

"Sanji-kun?" Robin asked more than a little concerned.

A sob escaped his throat and he dropped his head into his hands. "I…I love him…so much…and I just can't be with him…not anymore…because he…he doesn't love me." Sanji's tears rolled faster.

Robin looked at him with sympathy and pity. "I'm so sorry, Sanji-kun. Do you wish to tell me what happened?" She soothingly rubbed her hand along his back.

"He cheated on me. Cheated fifteen times within the course of five years. During our marriage." He sobbed again. "Who the hell knows how many times he cheated on me when we were just dating?" And that fact, more than any other, is what killed Sanji the most. For all Sanji knew, Zoro could have bedded at least 30 people by now.

"If I could change one thing about my life, just one thing," he said sadly, "I'd take back ever confessing to Zoro. So that way…I only suffer heartbreak once. Instead of fifteen."

A/N: so… this is the redone chapter 1… dedicated to HappyMe-O cuz she got me off my lazy toosh to rewrite it xD now I'm aware that apparently some things have been causing minor confusion so here I shall explain:

Zoro is OOC for a VERY, VERY good reason. I don't like him unfaithful (-winces- something I HATE more than anything) any more than the next ZoSan lover, but I felt like the whole Sanji-would-so-cheat idea is overused… so i… improvised… -smirks- and made Zoro the cheater. Ah. That's only my inspiration. Not the actual reason. The actual reason will be revealed in later chapters. So you gotta keep readin~ ^^ muahahaha

ALSO

*runs for cover* GOMEN-NASAI! GOMEN! GOMEN-NASAIIIII~! T.T I honestly almost cried while writing this...oh my word...its SO sad...GAH I TOLD YOU IT WAS ANGSTY! poor Sanji...pwease don't hurt me~

ROFL LOL I just figured out how to do the little line-y thing-y...all by myself! hehe i feel so proud XD nah seriously i had no idea i was all like "Ohhhh so THAT'S how you do the little line-y thing-y! XD lol"

ah... by the way. if you have ANY COMMENTS AT ALL-leave. it. in. a. review. honestly, how in the hell am i s'posed to know if you enjoyin' it if you don't flippin review?! 'scuse my improper language.

And holy chihuahua buckets this was a long ass chapter. 6,281 words. i didn't think i had it in me ROFL.

BUT SERIOUSLY. reveiw. you know you want to XD