Zoro

Life in Blue City is tough. It's stuffy in the summer, freezing in the winter, there's too many people, too many crimes, too many lost and loveless. But we get by, Luffy and me. We rent a flat at the edge of East Blue, right next to the Grand Line. Luffy's idea. He says we can go anywhere from there. The Grand Line runs right through the city, passing all the places we ever need to go to: The shopping district, the Dojo, several of Luffy's workplaces, even the airport if I ever need to catch a quick flight home. Anywhere. Just hop on a train, and you're there. No need to walk down any roads, which is perfect for me. I don't like roads, too confusing.

Of course, the rent is expensive. It is a nice place after all, and a nice neighbourhood. Well, almost nice neighbourhood. This part of East Blue is rumoured to be the Foxy Gang's territory. I've heard a lot of things about them. Terrible stories. Not enough to scare me. If Luffy says we'll live here, we'll live here. That's how it's always been. Luffy decides, and I follow.

But that doesn't mean I'll always like his decisions. I'm not talking about the flat anymore. I admit, I was a bit iffy over that, but it's settled now. We've lived there comfortably for a year, survived a broken pipe flooding and no heating for whole month in the winter. But it's become home.

Well, until the rent shot up by a hundred Belli. Now it feels a little less like home. We were just about getting by with how it was before. But, as usual, Captain Luffy has a solution to this problem.

"Let's get another room mate!"

I watch him sip happily from his drink like a two year old. Sakura bubble tea. His favourite whenever we eat out at HyuFung's.

"I didn't think about that."

It wouldn't be too hard to get another housemate, we have an extra room. I don't know why Luffy decided to rent out a two bedroom flat. He always ends up sleeping in my bed. For a moment, I think he planned it all, predicting the rise in the rent before it happened. But then I look at the hard, concentrated scrunch he's wearing on his face as he struggles to suck out the tapioca pearls in his drink, straw hat nearly slipping off the back of his head.

I try not to laugh. "Wouldn't it be a little weird with the way things are?"

I know there aren't many people left in the world nowadays who have anything to say against a couple like me and Luffy. But even other couples would find our relationship a little strange. I don't really care what Luffy does with himself, and with whom. It's his business. It's never bothered me too much. That's probably how I ended up being with him, letting him in so easily.

It's kind of a non-verbal open relationship with us. There are too many people in the world who love Luffy and want him for their own. That Nami girl who lives downstairs, other girls from his workplace who have unwittingly come over many times for dinner hoping to get it somewhere, and probably other guys I don't know about. I can't blame them. I want him too.

"Luffy," I try to catch his attention. He glances at me, tongue stuck in the wide straw, trying to reach a ball of tapioca stuck halfway up it. "Who's gonna want to live with us?"

I try to fight a tiny bubble of jealousy I can feel rising in my chest. Flat mate means intimate for Luffy. There are no boundaries between people who live under the same roof. That's what he told me when I decided to live with him.

Luffy grins. Then I see it. His wide, confident smile, the blush in his cheeks…

"You've already found someone you like," I say. He laughs, long and loud. I missed that look when he made it for me. Now I'm seeing him make it for someone else. For a moment, I feel dread, jealousy, anger, then I push it all away.

"He's a cook," He says, with such a happy tone in his voice.

Of course it would be a cook, but a he? Another he. I grit my teeth and glance out the window, trying to quell the queasiness tightening my chest. It's not good. I can't be so selfish. It's a good idea. Luffy's idea.

"He needs to move out of his old place," says Luffy, breaking my thoughts. "I said he could look at the spare room in our flat."

Simple as that. It's always been Luffy's style. Nothing is ever complicated for him. I sigh and finish the last drop of my sake, just as the waitress hands us our bill. If it's what Luffy wants to do…

"When's he coming to see the flat?"

Sanji

I'm ranting again. The fucking chefs, the fucking customers, the fucking ethics in this shithole.

"And you'd think the shitty waiters would show a little fucking shred of manners to us cooks," I add. "We have to make their fucking food too, you know?"

I know I should stop, but I can't. All he does is sit there and listen, this guy with the straw hat. Doesn't complain, doesn't look away, just listens like he's genuinely interested. We do this every Thursday. He comes in for lunch at the same time I finally get allowed a fucking break. I always make his food, take it out to him and sit with him. I hate the other fucking cooks in this shitty restaurant. No ambition, no passion, I'd rather sit with a complete stranger.

"I hate this shitty place."

I don't know why I feel so comfortable telling him everything. I take one look at that innocent face, and I just wanna spill it all out, even things I would never want to bring up again.

"Why don't you quit?" His answer comes out so simple. It startles me to hear his voice.

I clench my fist. "I can't quit, idiot. I'm already behind on my fucking rent, and it's taking everything just to pay the shitty bills." I regret my words immediately. I didn't mean to sound angry to him. It's not his fault. But I needed to let off some steam, I guess. I fumble in my pocket and light a smoke. I don't even care if the boss sees me.

I feel relief when the straw hat guy smile at me, like he sympathizes with my problems, and carries on eating the soba I made him. The look on his face when eats is the same as the kids we get at the restaurant. All big, wide eyes and stupid, careless smile. But I like his look. Even the shitty head chef would never show any gratitude for the fucking effort and heart I put into my food. But he does, this nameless, straw hat wearing guy.

"I'm sure you wouldn't have any trouble finding another job, Sanji-kun," he tells me. "You're a great cook."

I sigh. "Do you know how many jobs I've had for the whole eleven years I've lived here in this city?"

He shakes his head, noodles dangling over the bottom of his chin, like he's some kind of sea monster. I smile. "Thirteen."

I'm greeted with the same reaction I always get. Widening eyes, a short, questioning hum.

"I got kicked out of my last job for smoking in the kitchens," I continue. "The job before that because I kept hitting on my manager, or so she said, and the job before that for beating up a customer."

Straw hat laughs. "You beat up a customer?"

I can't help but smirk. "He kept sending back his food to the kitchen, saying it was too hot, or too cold, or too much salad, or not enough dressing. I got pissed and kicked him in the face."

I lost straw hat guy in a fit of laughter. It's infectious and I find myself chuckling with him. "I've been working at this restaurant for six months now. That's the longest I've managed to hold a job here, so I'm not about to quit. No matter how much I fucking hate it."

"Maybe you just have a little bad luck at the moment."

"A little?" I shake my head. "It's always been this way. I may be the best chef in Blue City, but I'm about as lucky as a fucking black cat under the full moon on a Friday the thirteenth."

Straw hat laughs again, clutching his belly with one hand and pounding the table with the palm of his other. The sound of his laughter shakes my bones. "Maybe I just need to find a cheaper place to live." I think aloud.

Straw hat perks up at that. "You looking for a place?"

I shrug.

He places the chopsticks down on the side of the bowl then and folds his hands under his chin. "We have a spare room in my flat."

We? I raise a brow. He answers my thoughts like he's reading my mind. "Me and my flat mate, Zoro. He's a Kendo Instructor."

"Kendo, huh?" I say and take long, slow drag from my cigarette.

It would be nice to live somewhere cheaper. North Blue is so damn expensive, and being on my own, the rent and bills are a lot harder to pay. I think about seeing straw hat guy's face every time I come home from work. That grin, that infectious laughter. It might not be a bad trade.

He stares intently at me. Clearly I've gone too long without answering. I stub my cigarette on my empty coffee cup.

"Where do you live?"

Straw hat grins, pushing aside his empty soba bowl. "At the end of East Blue. Really close to the Line, so you can still make it to work. It'll be great living with you. You can cook for us!"

I smile, kicking his legs under the table lightly as I stand, collecting our dishes. "Don't get too ahead of yourself, I haven't even seen the place yet." Balancing the plates on my arms, I start to make my way to the kitchen. "Leave your address and phone number at the bar. I'll give you a ring when I'm free to check out the place."

"Okay!" He chirps brightly. That's the last I hear of him before I disappear into the kitchen. I realize I've agreed to the whole deal and I don't even know his name, or anything else about him besides the fact he always wears that weird straw hat and likes his soba with extra pork. Fortunately, he leaves his name with his details in reception. Monkey D. Luffy. I smile. Maybe my luck is finally starting to look up.