He was running. Always running. Long legs carrying him over even longer distances. Today he ran too. He ran. Then he collided. He fell. Ocean blue orbs gazed up through golden bangs at the wall like figure. A stuttered apology burst out from thin panting lips. "S-sorry sir."

The figure, as the blue eyed boy's eyes adjusted, became a man cloaked in all black with a mop of green hair. Apologetic mouth became ridiculing as a snort sounded into the quiet alley. "It's a m-marimo!"

Said Marimo frowned down at the boy and grumbled irritably, "Shut it, swirly brow." The blue eyed boy clapped his hands over his forehead and shouted in anger. "My name's Sanji and don't insult my eyebrows!"

The man only stared at the boy, seeming to ponder his existence. "Okay then Sanji, what were you doing running through my alley?"

"You're alley?! You don't just own alleys! Idiot Marimo!"

"Hmmm, but it's mine. I own all these backstreets. And as you've introduced yourself I may as well too." The man grabbed Sanji's hand and shook it with a smirk. "The name's Zoro, Roronoa Zoro."

Sanji shivered as he heard those words. Zoro. He knew that name. He was the Straw Hat Mob's right hand man. Second only to the infamous Luffy. The boy began to panic and attempted to run away, but Zoro kept a firm hold on his hand. "I didn't mean anything! I swear it! I've got to get back home!" Sanji lied. He had no home, sure there was his 'fathers' house but that wasn't exactly home. More like a prison.

Zoro scanned the boy's face reading his emotions easily. "You have a very expressive face don't you?" He asked in a belittling voice. When he got only a scowl in response he continued to talk. "Do not worry. I'm not going to hurt you. How about you just come with me to somewhere?" Sanji's whole body shuddered in fear. He thought his father was bad enough and now he had to do something for a mobster? At that point Sanji had pretty much concluded that the world loathed his guts. He decided to plead his way out of his most certainly doomed fate.

"I'll do anything, just please not that! I'll do your chores and cook and clean; just please don't make me do that!"

Zoro frowned in confusion. "What is 'that'?" He saw the absolute terror on the boy's face and watched as fat tears started to pour from those beautiful oceanic eyes only furthering his puzzlement. He awkwardly patted Sanji's head with his free hand and murmured in a hopefully soothing tone. "It's alright. I just wanted to take you to meet someone. No one is going to do anything to hurt you." Zoro continued to utter comforting nothings until the boy was completely lax and no longer struggling.

Sanji felt surprisingly safe and calm as the giant man promised that no foul would befall him. He even felt a pull from the man, like he wanted to be closer to him. "Okay then. But where are you taking me?"

Zoro chuckled. "It's a surprise."

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Sanji peered around the grand room. He had been told to wait and not move a muscle while Zoro went looking for his boss, but that was practically impossible for him due to his impatient nature. He paced around the room, taking in as many details as possible. There was a large chair and a few smaller ones surrounding a table in the right corner, a fireplace was tucked into the wall directly to the right, and straight ahead was a wall of large windows that gave a splendid view of the outside. This was all from the point of view of the doorway and Sanji couldn't help but think that it was very homey.

"You like what you see?"

Sanji startled as the now familiar voice spoke into his ear. With a sneer he replied harshly. "Meh, it could be a lot better."

"Shishi. I like you!" Another voice exclaimed. A young man's face appeared from behind Zoro and laughed amusedly. A straw hat was perched on his head and he wore a simple outfit of black suit pants and a red dress shirt. The peculiarity of his hat sent warning signals off in his brain. There was only one person who still wore a straw hat in this day and age. As if he had read Sanji's mind the man proceeded to say in his loud voice. "I'm Luffy! Zoro said you ran into him in an alley. Shishi, you should watch where you're going!"

Sanji stared at the enthusiastic man for what seemed like minutes before collecting himself. He bowed low and used the most polite manner of speaking he could think of. "I'm very sorry sir. I will try to be more careful from now on. Just please don't make me do that." He gestured to his lower body before continuing on. "I know how to cook! And I can clean! So I'll do any of that type of housework for you." Sanji looked dolefully at the two men with puppy eyes and red lips pushed out in a pout.

Zoro and Luffy looked at each other and proceeded to hold a silent conversation. Luffy glanced back to the blonde first and grinned from ear to ear. "It's decided then, you are now my personal chef!"

Sanji sighed in relief and almost fell backwards with the sudden loss of tension in his body. He really did fall on his rear end when he heard the rest of his new Boss's proclamation. "W-wait, what?"

"Shishishi. I said that from now on you will live here with my nakama."

The blonde felt his jaw drop in horror and disbelief. "But I can't do that. I have to go home. Speaking of which, what time is it?"

"Ten o' clock, PM."

Sanji shuddered before standing and waving his hands, highly flustered. "Oh no. No no no no no! He's going to kill me. What do I do? I haven't been this late in a long time." He started to pace the room again, agitation and fear not letting him rest. He turned to face his boss with his mind made up.

"I-I'll do it for you. Just please let me stay here and not tell my father about my whereabouts." Sanji dropped to his knees and shuffled closer to the young man. "Father tells clients that I'm good." He stopped when only a few inches from the man and started to reach for the man's zipper. But then he noticed a dark aura leaking from him and hesitated. The brim of his hat covered Luffy's eyes casting his face into shadows.

"Sanji." The significantly less happy man demanded. "Stay here. There'll be someone stopping by to give you some things later, okay?" He then left the room with Zoro not too far behind. Sanji could only stare after them helplessly and drown in confusion.