Sanji had never fancied himself the thought of being alone. He was a dreamer with a level head, no matter how to the ground he was, he was always thinking of the other things. It was a hard toss up between the ocean and it many wonders and women and all of their wonders. He knew he would fall in love, that love and him would go hand and hand. He wanted the romance, the flowers, nice dinner and especially the idea of having the one who made you feel total peace.
Sanji was a fighter though, fought tooth and nail for everything that he wanted, and all that he had. He loved woman so much that he would do anything for them, sadly though after a few months of slave Sanji, most just got sick of him. Leaving him yet again cold and alone wondering why love always seemed to go right through his hands like sand in a hour glass. This went for years, till finally Sanji had seemed to give up. This woman was the one that finally made Sanji question if love was really worth it.
Sanji was seeing this woman who by all right was marriage material, and Sanji was thinking of putting a ring on it. This to Sanji seemed perfect, he had made it past his three month hill, they seemed closer after that time as well and Sanji had known that he found the right one. Sanji gave her everything that she would ever want, took care of her in ways that no other man had. To his friends something was off, they all knew how cursed Sanji was when it came to women, and this one would be no different. The real question was how long would it take for the truth to come out.
The new year had started out with a bang as always, telling his love that he thought they should become more serious, more committed to each other. To all of Sanji's friends this was a bad idea. Six months is never enough time to determine how you should be spending the rest of your life. Sanji brought the idea up to her, telling her that moving in together would prove how much they loved each other. Would prove to all the others that their love was endless.
For Sanji all thoughts of love seemed to rule his mind, to how to make his woman more happy, to all the things he would cook for her to make her heart his even more. Walking up to her place fixing the flowers he had picked up he knocked on the door and waited. No matter how long, or how much in love he was, he was still a gentleman. After waiting for what seemed like a lifetime he grew worried when she didn't answer. Opening up the door everything looked normal no sign of trouble, Sanji had heard the shower going. Ah, it all made sense on to why she didn't answer him, finally calming down his racing heart and felt the gentleman sink deep within himself and let Mr. Prince come on out.
Sanji could hear the shower going, feeling that Mr. Price could be some use here he felt himself shift into the refined man that made women jump his bones. Walking through the living room like he had done time and time again something made him stop. His eyes widened as laying across the back of the couch seemed to be a men's jackets, he knew it wasn't his. Thinking the worst he raced to bathroom ready to kick the ass of any man that dared to break in here.
Opening the door he was shocked to see the shape of not one body, but two holding each other in such a loving embrace. More loving then she had ever used on him, Sanji had have more problems with women then he could count. This though too the cake, it could have been the fact that he caught her cheating, it could also be the fact that he was thinking about marrying her no matter what his friends had said.
His heart had told him it would be okay, that everything his friends said are lies, that his heart was strong and true. Oh, how he was wrong. Closing the door in a daze he didn't even notice the water turning off, the frantic noise that was coming that woman. All Sanji could hear was Zeff telling him how much women should be treated with respect, love, and be taken care of. Out of all it though he could hear him saying " A man forgives a woman's lies."
Could he forgive this? Could he ever trust again? He needed to leave, walk away before he broke the other mans jaw, sadly he couldn't do something like that to her. For beating the ever living shit of the man that had his hands all over his girl, or ex-girl would just mean blood on her floors. Sanji heard her saying things to him, trying to explain herself, to make it seem like it was his fault for not loving her. That though was all bullshit, and lies, but again Zeff''s voice rang through his head.
He knew what he needed to do, to make the point clear that he would not be a total fool and go crawling back to her. Glancing back at her with as much of a normal face that he could he took out his keys and slowly removed a key. She knew what it was as soon as she noticed what he was doing. Asking the gods for some sort of strength he tossed the key to the man that seemed to be able to love his woman better than he could. He walked out door not bothering to look at her, or if that piece of shit caught the key or if it smacked him in the face. The rain outside should have felt cold, but to him it felt just right.
He wanted to get drunk, and not just drunk but I will be hungover for the next two weeks drunk. He had made sure to cover his steps and told Zeff he wouldn't be in tomorrow, due to the stomach bug. Thank gods that it was going around the restaurant so it didn't seem to alarming to the old man, stopping at the liquor he spent far too much on stuff that will knock him off his ass.
The walk home should have been a quick one, rain drizzled down on his head to his the tears the seemed to break out every once and a while. He was kicking himself in the ass for not seeing it sooner, could the signs have been there? Did he just not seen it? Does he really get that blinded by the thought of being in love that all logic seems to fade away?
How many times had he done something like this? Have his heart broken only to try and patch up the seams again till the next time it breaks. Could this be his own personal hell, never to love, never to met his soulmate. That one that is his missing link, the ying to his yang, sun to the moon. Was that girl out there?
Somehow in the midst of having a full discussion going on in his own head, he had killed off half the bottle of rum. Looking back at the empty glass all he wanted to do was know he answers to why he couldn't find love. What if he never found that one person that he should spend forever with?
No matter how many times Sanji filled up the glass, he looked down at the empty glass and wondered if then the answer would show up. Whole bottle of Rum later and it was still an unanswered question that he had.
Sanji knew he had too much to drink after looking across the table and seeing another man sitting there. Laughing to himself he had finally hit the point of his drinking, it would only get better from here on out. The drunk vision is one that shocked him, why would he be thinking of a guy, and to boot one with green hair. The look on this face was one of boredom, like he had been sitting in a chair like that for at least the thousandths time.
This green haired vision just looked at Sanji as if waiting for some kind of freak out to him sitting there, he was built, not to big. He was not lean like him though, with a scar over his eye, the suit though was definitely a good thing for him. It seemed like it was a custom fit in all the right place, Sanji only wished that this day dream would stand up to see what the back of him looked like.
Wait, what? No, he was into girls, he loved the women. Shaking his head pushing the bottle towards the dream in hopes of stopping and getting his head together. Could this be just something that drinking had done, playing a sick game. Next time, he would binge on vodka. Finally getting along with the idea that this vision was not going anywhere he knew it was high and time to talk to version of himself that seemed to be sitting there. Hell if a few hours ago he was okay with talking himself in the head, why not face to face. Being the chef he was, he always made sure to treat every guest with respect.
"Would you like a drink Mr…" Sanji walked over to grab another glass and few ice cubes, didn't want to water down the drink.
"Zoro, and make it a double." Sanji looked over at the man that seemed to be sitting there like he owned the damn place. The voice though was something that seemed right for him, rough, with a hint of passion. Passion for what? He was talking to himself about the dream version his drunken stupor seemed to be playing on him. He needed to stop drinking, alas he wanted to keep going.
"Zoro, what brings you here to have drinks with me on this fine day."
"You don't know what today is do you, it is a day made just for the thing you believe most in." Zoro eyes seemed to glow with a unforeseen story was being told, almost like it was repeat for him. Had Zoro done this before, and if yes, with who else? Was he even human, maybe Sanji finally lost it and somehow in all the drinking sold his soul to the devil. Shaking off the feeling like he was missing something he turned back to the table glass in hand.
"I think today the day is day I might just be done, with love or with women, those answers will be at the end of this bottle we are going to be sharing." Sanji knew he shouldn't be able to be talking as clear as he was. Something was off, why wasn't he feeling as drunk as he should be? Did he make himself something to eat and didn't even realize it? Sanji started to pour Zoro's glass than his own.
This man whether part of some drunk delusion that he was having, or if Zoro was really sitting there should be freaking out. Sanji was calm though, a sense of ease that he didn't know could happen at a time like this. He should be unhappy and upset with the fact the the women that he was going to love and give the world to, wanted nothing to do with him. Who had he pissed up upstairs to let his lack luster of love happen.
Keep an eye on Zoro as he poured his own glass, his brain seemed to be clearing as the fog slowly passed over a town. Sanji couldn't look at this man anymore, gripping his glass taking it slowly to his lips his eyes widened as Zoro took the double glass like it was water. Tossing his own head back feeling the warmth move down to his stomach warming him from the inside out. Slamming the glass down feeling good about how fast he finished his own drink.
"Heh, so even a loveless fool can take a drink, I am so proud of you."
"How about I kick your ass and see how much a fool I am'"
"You know I can't get drunk, I can't sleep, eat, really do anything but help poor bastards like you so you don't end up like me." Zoro's firm voice put him on edge, he was real, very much real. Grabbing the bottle from Sanji , Zoro chugged the rest like it was a bottle of water.
"Who the hell are you really?"
"Oh, so you finally realized that I am real, guess you aren't such a dumbass."
"How about you get the fuck out of here, I don't need you shitty ass help, I don't want to hear a single thing you're dumb moss head has to say." When had he felt such a fire in him, fighting with Zoro made him feel alive. Lit a fire that he was sure he would have never felt again, it had been years since he even felt a little flicker. No, this was the booze talking, he had too much to drink, hell he should even be standing, well sitting here.
"Will you just shut the fuck up curlicue and listen to what I have to tell you so you don't end up like me." Zoro's rage filled Sanji's place, rolled off him like waves off a deadly storm moments from reaching shore. Sanji had opened something, he watched in shock as Zoro slammed the now empty bottle on the table causing a good crack to run through said bottle. "This is my job, to lead lost souls to their missing piece, in hopes that they don't end up like me. Do you want to walk the earth never knowing the pleasures of being mortal. That is what will happen IF you don't shut the fuck up and listen to me." Zoro's eyes had changed from warm hazel to almost red in mere moments, the glare turned to one that was so fearsome a small shiver ran down his spine.
"You got ten minutes...before I kick your green ass out of here." Zoro's deep sigh seemed like a sign that he would agree to Sanji's terms, and if he didn't like what was said it will be less.
"You might not really have an idea of who I am as a person but I will tell you that I have been walking this world for a long time. I made a promise, to find the other half of my soul. At the time I had wanted a dream of mine to come true, after much hard work I had achieved this dream. But the start of the after affects became too much for someone one dear to me. I lost them, in a way that left my soul unable to move. I made a promise to live out my life with this person, but my dream took over the promise."
The look in Zoro's eye was one of pain, pain of years past, telling a story that must hurt not matter how times it has been told. Would Sanji turn into him? His dreams are to own his own restaurant, but his luck with women hasn't been because of that. Had it? Yes he wanted to find love, to find that one person who would forever complete him, but he never out weighed on more that the other.
"You must never give up the search to find that one, and for even the smallest of moments today, you lost your track. You thought that finding love would mean nothing if this kept happening. When you fall for a women you think she is the one right away. You must take things slow or else you drink your weight in liquor and doubt yourself in a way that could cause you to become like me. If you were to say stop trying to find a women or love interest till after your dream what would happen?"
"All of my time you have gone to the dream, and not to finding the piece of my soul I get that. I never made a promise to one person cause I have yet to find them, how can I become you if I don't know who that person it." Sanji knew there was something missing, it didn't make sense. Zoro's story was sad yes, but he was nothing like him.
"You might be focusing on the dream, but your soul is bound to finding its missing piece. You will start to fear that you missed out on this person, to know the fear of being alone scare you Sanji? Do you think you can be like the old man, he had a love once, I wonder what happen to her? Is that you fear that you will be just like him, do you know what will happen to his soul?" Zoro's eyes took almost sick look, this man was a true demon. In the start Sanji thought he could have been a cupid almost, a green haired cupid to help him find what he was missing. How to find that missing something, the warmth, the fire? This man sitting across from him was sick! He wasn't afraid of being alone, no. Zoro held up his hand to stop Sanji from saying something stupid that would piss off this green haired demon again.
"You do, if you only knew how many times I have done this, people who I have talked to. I know the difference between ones that will listen to me, and one who think they know everything. You must never believe that you will be alone, you have a strong will to live, to enjoy everything that life has to offer. You remind me a little of how I was when I was human. Besides keeping faith in yourself and in others, there is one other hint that will let you know that you have found the one."
Sanji was getting more and more lost, tell him that is a fool, then call him strong. Sanji couldn't sit still anymore, walking over to grab a back bottle of wine he need more to drink to keep up with the lost fool.
"So let me get this straight, you lost the other piece of your soul, and are too far lost to find it." Sanji glanced over his shoulder just in time to see a pink dusting over the others man checks. "What will it take for you to be human again, will you ever be able to find it, that person for you are you lost forever. Or are you destined to wander around and help poor fools like me?"
"I DIDN'T GET LOST...she just happen to not be in the spot she should have been. The missing piece of my soul is somewhere in this world, I just need to find it. If you would let me finish, there is a warmth that comes from finding it, that missing piece."
"So you are still lost then…" Sanji wanted to push his buttons, wanted to see the fire in his eye. It did funny things to him, made a little flutter go off in his gut. Or that could be he drank way too much and just a sign that he was going to be sick. Either way he didn't want his guest to leave.
"Oh will you drop that, I am trying to save your soul from becoming a monster like me and all you want to talk about is how I am lost puppy."
"So you are lost!" The smile that made it way on Zoro's face looked like his own when he talked about his dream restaurant All Blue.
"If I am lost, you are hopeless with women, you will never get anyone, they would look at the site of your eyebrows and think you to be a huge fool."
"Oi what the hell did you just say!"
"You heard me you dartbrow." Zoro had stood up from his chair, he seemed to pass his eyes over the clock then back to Sanji's face.
"You want to go, I don't care who the hell you are, but I will kick your ass straight to the missing piece of you since you can't seem to do it yourself." If this was going to be the last time they see each other he was going to make sure it would be one that the lost bastard would always remember.
Fury rolled off Zoro as he stalked over to him, one fist was clench, the other reaching out to grab him. Sanji wasn't sure what he was going to do, but all the liquor made him feel a little off on his feet. He took his own hard reaching to throw the man off him before he took too many steps forward. In the efforts of trying to keep Zoro from punching him in the face, and him not falling on his ass he let go of the bottle of wine. The sound of bottle shattering all over the floor was the only noise that seemed to echo through the walls.
"You wasted a perfectly good bottle of wine."
"Look what you made me do, I liked that wine."
Zoro had made the first move to start picking of the bigger chunks of glass that seemed to litter all around them. Sanji knew he would have to be careful not to cut open his feet, reaching down he started to copy Zoro. Like most things that seem to go wrong with Sanji's life this had to be one of those moments.
They both reached for one piece, Zoro's fingers just seemed to graze over Sanji;s hand and warmth flowed through his body. Iit was like fire racing through his blood, unearthing feelings he didn't think were possible to do. Sanji;s dropped all the glass he had and looked at Zoro to see the man was already looking at him.
"Whaaa…" Sanji felt his world shift, falling forward into Zoro like he was drawn to him. Zoro caught him and pulled him to his chest in a bone crushing hug. For being a monster he was strong, and felt more human than monster. The warmth that radiated out of Zoro and to him was more that he could handle. Yet some how Sanji's arms seemed to make it around Zoro in a welcoming hug, like he had done this before. Wasn't this what Zoro was talking about, warmth in a soulmates touch? Does this mean he finally found his? WAIT! It was Zoro, a guy... maybe though it wasn't such a bad thing.
Sanji's head touched Zoro's shoulder like it was the most perfect pillow he had ever felt, his body resting for the first time all night. Sanji felt his eyes start to close, what time was it anyway...didn't matter he wanted to sleep.
"Oi, you can't sleep now, the glass, and we have too much to talk about."
"I don't know what you have done to me, but all I know is I am warm and I am going to fucking sleep. Pick up the glass and we will talk tomorrow over pancakes. If you don't like that answer I will still kick your ass, just after a nap…." Sanji couldn't stay awake, drained more than he has ever been from working or doing anything else. He felt Zoro shift him, it was like he could be floating on a cloud. This by far had to be one of the craziest night he has had in a while. Warmth never left his body as he finally gave in the the dream that lulled him further away from what had happen tonight.
Zoro walked back into the kitchen wondering how lucky he was to be free, but also how he could freak the cook up in the morning. His new mission now was to see how much he could piss of the blond. Living again never felt so good.