Chapter 1
Sanji finished washing and drying the last dish from dinner as the sounds of his nakama's laughter drifted in through the open porthole window. Smoke from his cigarette seemed to be the only thing he was contributing to the atmosphere. Sanji looked up through the window, it wasn't the first time he wished he could be as carefree as Luffy and the others.
He remembered when he had first met Luffy, it had amazed him how one person could be so happy. Sanji could act happy and celebrate, but something was missing. Walking out of the kitchen and leaning on the railing to watch his nakama's antics carry out on the lower deck.
Half an hour ago he had been fighting with Zoro, a normal occurrence. Three fights in one day was not something that would draw anyone's attention, but each one of those fights had been deliberately sought out by Sanji for an excuse to be close to the marimo without scaring him off.
For the past few months Sanji had felt a strong desire to be close to the shitty marimo, to hear his voice even if it meant the marimo was throwing insults at him, that was alright just as long as Sanji was able to hear the shitty marimo's voice, it would be fine with him. It hadn't taken Sanji long to realize the reason behind these feelings, even if they had managed to take him completely by surprise once he did realize them.
Sanji had fallen in love with the shitty marimo.
The idea was enough to make anyone who knew the two of them burst out laughing at the mere thought that they could possibly love each other. In truth, Sanji did burst out laughing and quickly dismissed the notion then and there.
But the more Sanji had thought about it the more and more he realized that maybe it was true, maybe he had actually fallen in love with the marimo.
Now Sanji often found himself watching the marimo with a new found interest, taking in the sight of him with the realization that his heart yearned for something that it could not yet have.
Sanji's eyes slowly fell upon Zoro; the muscular man was lifting a long and massive weight. His short green hair, the color of moss balls, stood out against the rays of the setting sun and sweat glistened off his well formed chest muscles. Sanji could not stop himself from staring.
"What's wrong?" Usopp asked as he came up the stairs with a big grin on his face and a fishing pole resting on his shoulder, although no catch in sight.
The question had taken Sanji by surprise and he figured the way he was standing there staring it would make anyone wonder if something was troubling him.
"No, just enjoying the sunset." Sanji lied quickly, pulling out another cigarette. Usopp raised an eyebrow.
"Really?"
"Yes," Sanji said more forcefully, hoping that it would get him to either leave him alone or change the subject. The marimo swordsman was nota subject he was willing to discuss with anyone.
Usopp briefly glanced in the direction that Sanji had been staring off into, Sanji inhaled deeply from his cigarette.
"What is the shitty morimo doing?" Sanji asked, turning his attention completely to Usopp, trying to seem disinterested. Usopp eyed him suspiciously.
"Why?" he asked, leaning in a little bit.
"He shrugged off his dish washing duty to go nap or something, even Luffy is more responsible, and not that he is allowed to wash dishes."
Usopp glanced onto the deck.
"You want me to go and get him?" he asked with a shrug.
Sanji leaned back and sighed, shaking his head. This could be going better, he thought as he blew out smoke.
"No, the shitty marimo will just make up some stupid excuse as to why sculpting his body is more important," said Sanji, hoping that put the conversation to an end.
"Nine hundred and two, nine hundred and three…"
Zoro kept count as he lifted his massive weight above his head. He had to continue training to become the greatest swordsman in the world. That was the only goal he had in life, the only thing that mattered.
Zoro slowly put down his weight and wiped the sweat from his brow. He simply wished that everyone would just let him be and let him pursue his dream. He didn't have time to fool around like the others.
Right now he just wanted to remove the pounding from his head. He had put more time in training then eating, he couldn't spare too many moments of leisure but he wasn't so single minded that he didn't know how to take care of himself, but lately he and the cook had been fighting more then usual.
The fighting between them was normal and didn't usually bother him, but for the past few days there had been an under lying tension between them that made that fighting uncomfortable although it wasn't something that should raise concern for the swordsman. Zoro let out a tired sigh, leaning against the cabin and placing his arms behind his head preparing to take a nap when Usopp approached him.
"Zoro, you're in trouble," Usopp said in a teasing tone, a big smile on his face.
"And how do you come to that conclusion long-nose?" Zoro grumbled and opened one eye to stare at him, wondering where this was coming from.
"You were supposed to help Sanji to do dishes," Usopp said, crossing his arms in a mock manner of disapproval as he watched him.
Zoro wasn't surprised that the cook was complaining about it to anyone who was willing to listen to his whiny mouth. He couldn't help but let out a small laugh.
"So he's unable to handle dishes?" Zoro asked with a snort.
"Sanji says that you 'shrugged off' your job." Usopp replied.
"I have a training regiment to follow."
"Well it was your duty Zoro," Usopp said casually, leaning against the wall next to him. "But I'm not saying you don't do your duties!" Usopp added quickly said to please Zoro. "I guess he just thought that you were just getting out of work, but you can take that up with him!" Usopp held up his hands and gave him a sheepish smile and a nervous laugh.
"Don't worry about it," Zoro assured Usopp. He knew his long-nosed nakama was nervous and was afraid of so many things, even after seven months he was still nervous. "If he's got a problem send him out to deal with me."
"Deal with you?" Usopp asked Zoro, glancing towards the kitchen. "Don't you think you guys have been fighting more than usual lately? Even for you guys it seems to be really tense."
"Nothing's really changed." Zoro said with a shrug as he stood up slowly.
"I'll go and confront the danm cook." he said with a yawn.
"Is there something going on that you two haven't shared with anyone?" Usopp asked, lowering his voice and staring right at him. "You know you can talk to me."
"Nothings going on."
"Would you talk to me if there was?"
"No, it would be none of your business."
Zoro scratched the back of his head and let out a bigger yawn before making his way back towards the kitchen. The kitchen was only a simple kitchen, but right now for Zoro it was the most uncomfortable room on the entire ship.
So the others had begun to pick up on the tension that was growing between him and the love-cook. He would never talk to any of the others about his personal problems because it was none of their concern. He was a private person and he wanted to keep his personal life that way. Of course living on a small ship made that a difficult task.
As Zoro entered the kitchen he saw the cook finishing putting away the dinner dishes, a cigarette hanging loosely from his lips. He has a delicate shaped face, blonde hair covering his right eye, stopping just over the collar of his dress shirt.
Everything about him screamed high class; nothing seemed to resemble a traditional pirate. He wore a nice light blue dress shirt, tie and a black suit jacket with matching black pants that nicely fit his long and slender legs, down to the black fancy dress shoes. Not a single thing on him said 'I'm a pirate.'
Sanji was drying his hands on a hand towel and he was either oblivious or he was purposely pretending not to notice the swordsman standing there. Zoro tried to think of a way to get his attention without starting a fight. It reminded him of how careful he had to approach Kuina sometimes when he was younger.
The cook finally turned and looked at him once he had finished drying his hands. Zoro had no idea how someone managed to have a curly eyebrow but the cook did, although it was the cook's one visible eye that held him-a beautiful ocean blue. The swordsman quickly averted his gaze.
"Zoro!" Chopper's panicked voice cried out as he ran into the kitchen behind him. "You've got to come quick!" Zoro let out an annoyed sigh, the reindeer tended to panic over everything.
The reindeer stood behind him now. Small and fuzzy, he was probably the least intimidating on the entire ship, but he was also the best doctor Zoro had ever dealt with, even if he tended to panic sometimes.
"Luffy and Usopp went back to fishing and Usopp thinks he caught a whale and needs help wheeling it in!" he explained excitedly. "And you're the strongest!"
"He's pulling your leg Chopper," explained Zoro with a little chuckle. Their long-nosed friend loved to tell stories and get people excited. The swordsman could easily see through the stories but people like Luffy and Chopper were reeled into them every single time Usopp told them, just like little kids.
"The marimo is right Chopper, he's probably exaggerating it," now the cook was holding his cigarette between his fingers as he blew out smoke, his voice calm and smooth.
"You think so?" Chopper asked the cook. "He seemed like he was having trouble bringing it in."
"It's just an act," the cook smiled, putting out his cigarette on the ashtray on the dining table. "And even if there was a whale, the marimo couldn't bring it in," he said as he patted Chopper's head. Chopper thought about that before turning towards Zoro.
"But Zoro can lift the anchor by himself," the reindeer pointed out. With a feeling of pride, Zoro puffed out his chest a little before facing the cook.
"And do you think you could possibly do something like that?" said Zoro with a smirk.
"I don't need to flaunt my muscles," the cook said with a grin. "I think keeping everyone alive and healthy, is a bit more important."
"We were doing fine before you." The swordsman stated.
"Luffy didn't think so."
Zoro stopped himself from replying, if they kept going down this awkward path he would say something he would later regret.
"Well let's go," the cook said as he took his cigarette from the ashtray. "Let's see what's got them all riled up."
"It's probably just Usopp." Zoro said as he followed Chopper to where he and Usopp had been fishing. He kept a distance from the cook, he didn't want to break into another argument and for the past eight months that he had known the cook it was all they ever did.
"Probably," the cook replied as he looked around the deck and took a drag off his cigarette. "He's probably trying to keep things lively for Luffy since things have been pretty peaceful the last couple of weeks. Nami-swan said the last time he got too bored he ate even more than usual, so Nami-swan's been keeping him fishing." The cook explained when a bottle suddenly hit him in the temple.
"Sanji!" Chopper cried out.
Zoro picked the bottle up and glanced in the direction the bottle had come from. The culprit's sheepishly put their fishing poles behind their backs, Luffy looking anywhere but at them.
Sanji sat up, pressing his hand against his head as he blinked a few times. "What the hell were you thinking Luffy? You could have hit Nami-swan with that! You need to be more careful when you're fishing!" Sanji shouted as he gently pushed Chopper away and stood up.
With a laugh Zoro looked at the bottle, noticing a rolled up parchment inside. It wasn't uncommon for people to throw messages in a bottle out to sea, what was uncommon was for it to actually be found.
"Oi, there's a message in it," he said.
Sanji took the bottle from the swordsman.
"A message, eh? Perhaps it is a beautiful princess locked up in a tower by a horrible wizard and, knowing the ocean would guide it to me, sent this out to find help!"
"We should lock you in a tower." The cook shot the swordsman a look.
"The only one that should be locked up here is you, don't you think so?"
"You think you can lock me up?"
"It would be a public service to do so."
"Come over here and try it then."
"It's not worth my time now, a beautiful lady needs me!" The cook exclaimed as he opened the bottle and removed the letter.
The letter was kept in an amber colored bottle; the parchment had yellowed with age and had curled from being in a bottle for so long. The writing was elegant, carefully penned out as the writer was pouring his soul into the very paper with each stroke of his quill pen.
"What's it say?" Zoro asked as the other's gathered around the cook. "It's probably just some letter someone wrote years ago that isn't even important now that just got caught onto Luffy's fishing line."
Sanji leveled a stern gaze at Zoro that caused a shudder to move through his body.
"And if it's a ladies call for help, we must answer it right away."
"Kuina would hand you your ass," Zoro muttered under his breath. The thought of his childhood friend ever needing help from a 'prince' made him laugh. Kuina was the only person who could ever defeat him, the only person who would never need rescuing.
"It's a goodbye letter." Sanji said.
"A goodbye letter?" Luffy repeated. "Don't just stand there; tell the rest of us what it says."
"My dearest Maria, by the time this letter finds you my life will already be over. Please know I regret never telling you in life, but know in my final moments I thought of you…"
Is this a pirate's final confession?
Zoro blinked, tuning out the rest of the letter has he dove into his own memories. When Luffy saved him from the marine base his only thought had been that he had to keep his promise to Kuina to become the World's Greatest Swordsman. Luffy had given him that chance. He had never considered what he should do if it had been his final moments. When you're a pirate that was something you had to understand and accept. Zoro agreed to that but would he really have anyone to say goodbye to? If you wanted to be a pirate you should not leave behind any regrets.
Zoro did have one thing he regretted, one thing he would not admit to anyone. That he hadn't been able to defeat Kuina, or to tell her the feelings that had begun forming inside him. True he had been just a kid, but he had begun to feel for her. The day she died was the day he resolved to never let anyone in again. Luffy had given him a chance to have an easier time of keeping his heart shielded. This letter was some fool's attempt to tell someone what they should have told the woman when he had a chance. Luffy had no regrets, but Zoro wondered if Kuina did.
Zoro saw the biggest grin on Luffy's face and it brought his attention back to his nakama who were now talking amongst each other.
"Zoro?" Chopper's voice broke the swordsman's thoughts, concern in his voice. "Are you ok?"
He turned to Chopper and patted him gently on his head and gave him a small smile.
"I'm just fine."
"Are you sure?" Chopper asked, placing a hoof on his hand, he always wants to make sure that everyone on the ship was happy and healthy.
Zoro put his hand on top of Chopper's head and turned his attention back to the others. Sanji folded the letter and placed it in his inside pocket of his suit jacket and Chopper watched them.
"We need to find her," the cook said and Chopper looked even more confused.
"Where is she?" Chopper asked Sanji excitedly.
Zoro watched half heartedly as Chopper hopped up and down excitedly as they talked about the message.
What's going on? He wondered as he stared at Sanji's face.
Zoro straightened up and turned and walked away. He hoped that eventually logic would kick in and they would all realize that what the cook suggested was impossible. Zoro wasn't one to chase after stupid fantasies and romantic notions. Such a thing would not help him become the world's greatest swordsman, trying to help someone's romantic notion of bringing this letter to its final destination would not give him the strength to defeat Mihawk.
He had a sneaking feeling that the others would be willing to go on this idiotic adventure.
Zoro walked back to his training area and sat down against the far wall preparing to take a nap when he heard the sound of the cooks' familiar footsteps approaching.
"Why did you leave?" the cook asked.
"Why does it matter?" the swordsman asked. "That kind of thing really doesn't interest me. It's not going to help me train to reach my goal." He opened one eye and stared at the cook before sitting up and bracing himself for the fight that he knew was on its way.
Sanji stood there before the swordsman, his stance was relaxed and the light from the moon that had now risen highlighted his delicate features.
"You know what's decided then?"
"Great, I'm sure Chopper and the others were just thrilled then." Zoro sighed and rubbed his head as he tried to make sense of this situation." Zoro stood up, walking towards the cook.
"You pulled everyone into your stupid romantic notion that you think is the right thing to do because you follow your heart and not your head."
"What's wrong with that?"
"Living like that is a good way to get you and others killed. Chopper already runs around in a panic because we follow our captain." Zoro knew he could be a little reckless too, challenging Mihawk when he wasn't ready or trying to cut his feet off to escape wax, but with those situations he knew what he was getting into and didn't charge in blindly.
There was the sound of approaching footsteps and both Zoro and Sanji turned to see who it was. Usopp stood there, carrying a few good sized fish with him.
"This is the fish me and Chopper caught for you to cook up Sanji! I figured if we're going on an adventure we're going to need some fuel for it." Usopp handed Sanji the three fish that he had hooked together before glancing over his shoulder back to the deck below. "I honestly didn't think we were going to catch anything useful." He turned and gave Zoro an apologetic smile and a small shrug. "Maybe you'll find someone to test your sword against?"
"These fish will be good for dinner tomorrow," Sanji said. Zoro stared at the cook as Chopper ran up beside Usopp.
"Are we going now?"
Usopp turned and looked at Zoro and gave him a concerned look.
"Is something troubling you?"
Zoro shook his head; it's not any of their concern about what he thought about the entire situation. Even if he voiced his opinion it wouldn't matter.
"Are you guys going to leave me so I can take a nap?"
"Why do you always want to take a nap after eating a meal?"
"It's to conserve my strength Chopper," Zoro said as he rubbed his head and he just wished that people would stop questioning why he did things. Then again he couldn't understand why anyone would follow Sanji's romantic notions, well maybe Usopp to get a story out of it and Luffy for adventure.
Usopp followed Zoro out back to the deck, like an excited child when Usopp placed a hand on his shoulder.
"It will give you some time with him."
"What does that mean?" Zoro asked, feeling uncomfortable with this conversation. What could Usopp be getting at with that comment? He didn't want to dare go down that road.
"I think that's the end of that, alright?"
Zoro leveled a stern gaze at Usopp, hopefully that would get him to drop the subject.
"Do you want some sake Zoro-sama?" He asked with a nervous grin. "I'll go and get some from…"
"You don't have to get me anything, you guys want to sail for who knows how long then fine." Zoro said with a sigh and leaned against the railing. Usopp stood there for a moment and then turned to walk away.
"I didn't join this crew for this." Zoro sighed.
Usopp then stopped and looked back at him and smiled.
"Don't you want to explore what could be waiting for us at the end of the letter? He promised anyone who delivered it his treasure he left behind." Zoro could tell Usopp wanted to have him agree with the others. "If there's treasure then there is someone guarding it for you to fight."
Zoro looked at him and rolled his eyes. He would go because his captain wanted to go.
"Of course I have to wonder why the letter seems to be so important to Sanji. He put the letter in his pocket and he's been quiet." Usopp glanced towards the kitchen where the cook had gone and Zoro watched. "Maybe you should go and talk to him, if you want."
Usopp smiled as Sanji walked out of the kitchen, lighting another cigarette. Avoiding his eyes Zoro slowly made his way down towards the lower deck.
"Why's it so important?" Zoro calmly asked the cook as he walked down. "You managed to talk everyone into your fantasy."
"I want to know what's going on with you shitty morimo, you seemed more dazed then normal." The cook moved in front of the swordsman.
Ignoring the cook, Zoro made his way towards the back of the ship in hopes of finding a place to nap and sort through his thoughts that he had been trying to ignore. More important, it was just wasn't natural for a man to have feelings like that. It was that men shouldn't have any feelings for another man.
The moon was just rising above the ocean, its reflection shimmering across the waves. Zoro ran a hand over his hair and thought that he had to keep himself focused on his goal and nothing else.
Sanji made his way out to stand next to the silent swordsman who shot the cook a glance, wishing that he would just go away and leave him alone.
"Zoro," the cook said softly. "I'm not going away."
The swordsman raised an eyebrow and stared at the cook, wondering what he was talking about.
What the hell is he up to?
It wasn't like Sanji to sit there and be attempting to start a conversation with him. That was more like something Luffy would do.
He's got to have some type of trick, Zoro thought as he watched the cook. He crossed his arms, fingers digging into the flesh of his own arms, trying to keep himself from lashing out prematurely before seeing where this was going.
"What are you up to?" demanded Zoro.
Sanji gave a casual shrug.
"Nami-swan as already set us on our course. Hopefully we can give a beautiful lady some comfort for the reason her love didn't come home."
Zoro stared at the cook who was smoking casually next to him. How could any man let their heart guide them so blindly? If you continue to do so you would eventually loose sight of your goals. Love took up too much time in someone's life and allow too big of a weakness to someone's enemies. A pirates life was already dangerous enough, why would someone want to invite even more danger in their life, or even someone else's?
It had hurt when he had let someone in and discovering Kuina had died had been the hardest thing for him to get over and move past.
He was beginning to wonder why all he believed was being threatened by a letter in a bottle that could be hundreds of years old with no person to return it to. Luffy had probably drove Nami crazy begging for her to allow him to go on this ridiculous adventure to curb his boredom.
"I'm going to get you to understand your heart," Sanji said softly as he blew out a puff of smoke and turned to face the swordsman. "You don't have to be afraid."
Zoro stared at him. He was tall, slender, a good looking man by any definition of the word.
Was it crazy for him to start viewing the cook in such a way?
The swordsman shrugged his shoulders casually. He couldn't show any signs of weakness, even to his nakama. If they could see his weakness so could an enemy. Was this part of the reason tension had been growing between them the past few months? Were their personalities just too conflicting to remain on the same ship? Was this just another obstacle to conquer on his road to being the greatest?
"I'm not weak enough to give into my 'heart'." The cook shook his head.
"That's weakness."
"That's your opinion." Zoro replied with a snort as he moved away from the railing and then gave a casual shrug. He wasn't going to let the cook get under his skin.
"Marimo, wait a moment!" Sanji called out, grabbing the swordsman's arm.
The swordsman glanced down at the cooks hand and then at the cook's eye. His stomach tightened in a knot and he didn't want to spend more time with him. He rather have Chopper operate on him while he was still awake then remain with the cook who was making him uncomfortable. It was a moment of silence between them, as if they were trying to communicate without saying a single word to each other. The swordsman wondered what was going on between them.
After a few tense moments Zoro yanked his arm away from the cook and stepped past him. This was of course one of the times that he wished the ship was much bigger so he could put more distance between them.
Sanji moved in front of him again, a sly grin was on his face.
This was what the cook wanted, to play some weird game of tag? Sanji was one of the most confusing people on that entire ship. The swordsman crossed his arms across his chest and was trying to remember all the training in patience that made him a swordsman.
He watched as Sanji took a threatening step forward, forcing him to step back. The cook's blue eye was sparkling with a mischievous light, a gentle smile rested on his lips as he leaned in even closer to the swordsman. The cook was too confusing and too handsome for his own good.
Zoro turned his eyes away; he didn't want to get sucked into the cook's gaze. He wondered how long it would take the cook to realize he hadn't wanted to be this close to him for the past three months, even the past few weeks he felt like he was loosing even more control of himself and he didn't understand why.
I need to get away, he thought as he felt a shiver going down his neck. It felt like he was being pulled into a current of life that he had to stay away from because he didn't fully understand it, not that he wanted to.
Drawing in a deep breath he pushed past the cook. If he didn't understand subtle hints then he would use physical force to get the point across…if he went to the bathroom maybe the cook would get the hint.
"I'm going to take a bath," the swordsman said with an agitated tone.
Sanji took a step aside and allowed the swordsman pass. The Going Merry was not a huge ship. It was a caravel class ship with two story deck, it was just big enough to fit the crew comfortably and allow them the ability to perform their daily tasks without constantly running into each other. Zoro and Kuina had spent a lot of time in close quarters which had allowed the swordsman to develop feelings further.
During that time he noticed that Kuina was growing more and more pretty. He found himself wondering what would have happened if she had lived. He was pretty sure he probably wouldn't be here or facing this dilemma.
"Leave me alone," he told Sanji as he walked downstairs.
"I'm not leaving you alone," the cook took the swordsman's arm again. "You're not getting away from me."
Zoro bit back the urge to take a swing at him.
"Your doing nothing but creeping me out," he saw a shocked expression turning to a look of hurt within moments. "Why don't you go and see if you can help Usopp out or something?"
"No."
"Why are you so persistent?" he demanded, pulling his arm away. When it came to women Sanji was stubborn, that was who he was, but why was he being so stubborn right now?
He pushed open the door to the bathhouse and stopped in his tracks and then looked over his shoulder to see if the cook was following him, which would make this situation even more uncomfortable.
The cook stood there for a moment before turning and walking into the kitchen.
Zoro leaned against the closed bathroom door and placed a hand over his mouth. What the hell is going on? He thought. If this goes any further I don't know what I'm going to do.
Sanji finished putting the pan of muffins in the stove as he turned back around and looked at the cooling rack muffins that he had baked earlier. Sitting on a barstool at the counter he lit a cigarette as he tried to figure out what to do with Zoro and the feelings that he had begun to grow and develop for him. Sanji had tried to confront him but he would have an easier time talking to Nami-swan or even Luffy for that matter.
Sanji knew what was going on, he wanted to be with the marimo. The fact that Zoro was oblivious to his own growing emotions made him even more adorable. His strong face and arrogant smirk just added to the handsomeness that just seemed to radiate off of him. True they were completely opposite of each other, but that was what attracted them to each other. Of course Zoro was oblivious to those feelings-trust a marimo to be late to the realization of a man loving another man.
Sanji remembered how tense the marimo had become and a wave of annoyance washed over him when he thought about how the marimo had tried to pawn him off to Usopp to get away. Why had the marimo brought up Usopp? Was he possibly trying to hint at something?
He laid his head down on the table with a sigh of frustration when the door to the kitchen swung open.
"What do you want?" Sanji asked, looking up to see Luffy enter.
"Food, I'm hungry!" Luffy whined as he flopped down on the stool next to Sanji. It was always the same with them, one word demands, but Zoro usually asked for booze not food.
"You had dinner not too long ago."
"I know, but Zoro said you were in here baking a lot of yummy treats to eat."
Sanji sighed as he rubbed the bridge of his nose and blew out smoke.
"And how the hell did the marimo know that?"
"I dunno," Luffy said with a casual shrug. "Can I eat some of these muffins?"
"Go ahead and take a few off the top rack, don't take more then a few because I didn't make them all to feed your gluttons appetite."
"Alright, alright, but I'm so hungry and it's been so long since we ate dinner," groaned Luffy. "Do you think you can make a snack for us later?"
"Yes I will, but only if you behave yourself the rest of the evening."
"I'm going to save my energy for the adventure." Luffy smiled as he happily began munching on some of the muffins.
"You really think delivering this letter is going to be some big, grand adventure?"
"Yep!"
"It could be a waste of time."
There was a moment of silence and Sanji couldn't help but wonder what was going through Luffy's mind.
"You didn't seem to believe that Sanji."
"Your right, I do think it's worth it to deliver this letter, to help a lady." Sanji replied, his face determined and his mind set on a goal. "However," Sanji sighed as he thought back to earlier. "I don't think everyone completely agrees with you and me that this little 'adventure' is worth our time and effort to complete." He was pretty sure he didn't have to explain who he was hinting at.
"That letter is important to someone and it was a man's final wish," Luffy said. "Someone deserves to have it, and Nami wants the treasure that's promised."
"Well, Nami-swan does enjoy her treasure very much indeed," Sanji said with a small laugh and smile. Nami-swan deserved all the treasure for having to deal with Luffy and the other idiots all the time without a moments break.
"Yep, just like I enjoy meat," Luffy said with a big grin and laugh. "She thinks there's a mountain of it."
"Do you think there is?"
"Maybe, I dunno. Usopp and Chopper seem pretty excited about it too."
"Well Luffy, that's what pirate's want." Sanji said with a big yawn. "Well most pirates anyway, baka marimo's just want a place to nape for twelve hours, then get some booze and food and then go right back to sleep."
"More like Zoro enjoys sleeping for about eight hours, and don't forget he trains too." Luffy pointed out as he finished the last muffin he had grabbed.
"True, now get out before you eat all my muffins." Sanji said, standing up and pushing the captain out. Once he was alone again the cook felt a longing for Zoro.
The strong, masculine face that was so serious that frown lines seem set in, dark black eyes focused on one goal and that danm moss colored hair that tempted the cook to run his fingers over it. He had seen many beautiful ladies in his life, but it was this danm shitty marimo that held his fascination.
Sanji laughed shortly, he couldn't believe how much he was acting like a love struck child. He couldn't believe that with all his flirting and dealings with women before hand would leave him falling for a man. It had come as a surprise, but one he could learn to live with. Why did it have to be a shitty marimo? Was it because they lived on a ship where they saw each other every single day and even slept in the same room together? After the incident with the marine on the Baratie, before Sanji had met his nakama, he never would have expected a man to take his heart.
Sanji made his way to the oven, carefully removing the last batch of muffins and to the cooling rack. Baking always helped him to sort through his thoughts.
Luffy and Nami-swan had a pretty simple relationship together. Nami-swan was the boss and for those two it seemed to just work perfectly.
Sanji shrugged, he had hoped to get her to fall in love with him in the beginning but after five months of failed attempts he came to the realization that it wasn't meant to be. Zoro, however, would not be the same case. It was a vow that he wouldn't lose this time. The marimo was stubborn and focused on a single goal, but the cook was certain he could eventually wear the marimo down.
Sanji rested his shoulder against the wall near the cooling rack as he smoked, shoving his hands in the pockets of his pants. The shitty marimo had to have something stirring inside of himself too, considering how he had been acting earlier.
Imagining Zoro might already be realizing his feelings made Sanji smile. That meant he wasn't more clueless then Luffy, who had to be told flat out what was going on. Of course once he was told the captain was able to move forward on his own. Would the baka marimo have to be told so bluntly too?
Sanji pushed away from the wall with a sigh and returning to the barstool. The kitchen was his sanctuary and where he went to think. Carefully he removed the letter he had tucked in his shirt pocket and gently unfolded it, reading over the carefully penned words of a man realizing his love too late.
With a small grin Sanji promised himself he wouldn't wait. If Luffy and Nami-Swan could get together so could he and Zoro. He would not wait until he was on death's doorstep to confess his love because by then it would be too late.
Though that task was easier said then done, so he vowed that he would tell Zoro before they delivered the letter to its final destination.