Chapter Two
Abandoned
Zoro shifted on the sofa. The heat that clung on to him when he was sleeping was now on the second floor of the building and the sofa was just not that comfortable without the body pressed onto him. He opened his eyes and reached for his IPhone 6 gold to check the time: 9:40 AM.
He threw back the covers and walked to the kitchen. Sanji liked to cook, it was his second favorite thing to do after photography, and their kitchen definitely showed it. When they had first gotten the apartment, the living room had been the biggest room, with the kitchen a much smaller size. But Sanji had fallen in love with the view, so they had decided to extend the kitchen and make the living room a bit smaller, giving plenty of room in the kitchen to add a wide kitchen island and a six-burner gas stove instead of the traditional four-burner. The floors were marble, as were the countertops, but the cabinets were mahogany, giving the entire kitchen a much warmer and live-in feel.
Of course, Zoro didn't really care for things like decor, so most of the beauty of the kitchen was lost on him. Instead, he grabbed a glass from one of the wall cabinets and poured himself some water before he trudged to the bathroom to brush his teeth.
It was when he stood in front of the mirror that he realized he was standing still naked, causing last night's memory to flow in and remind him of the promise Sanji made before leaving. He grinned at himself, the white bubbles frothing in his mouth and covering his lower lip. The time Sanji and he got to spend together was limited because of his job which only made the off-season all the more important. It was the only time of the year that Zoro could devote all of his time to his husband, the only time he had to show the man he had married how much he loved him.
He rinsed his mouth and proceeded to the gym, picking his favorite grey sweat pants from the hooks behind the bathroom door. He might as well workout while he waited for Sanji. He knew the blonde liked watching him after he was done.
Sanji paced in Chopper's bedroom, his long legs barely needing four steps to cover the distance between the two walls before turning around and retracing them in each round.
Chopper and Nami were wedged together on the recliner chair, heads moving as their eyes were fixed on his oscillating form, as were Hitomi's who was sitting on the bed, her feet dangling off the side. Andrian, on the other hand, was now lying down - Chopper said he had received a kick in to the shin, nothing too serious but it would definitely hurt to walk on it for the next couple of days.
Sanji's face was scrunched up in concentration. He tried remembering, assaulting his mind to recall if any of the girls he had dated ever told him they were pregnant. He poked his brain to remember if he had ever been unsafe but the last unprotected sex he had - with a girl - was eight years ago, when he turned eighteen and was too drunk to think before it happened.
But the kids here were two months shy of turning five. And he had been with a few girls in the ideal time period, having had a terrible breakup and indulging in some guilty rebounds. There was something nagging him at the back of his mind. He knew he was missing something obvious, but the more he concentrated on it, the more it buried itself deeper in his subconscious.
He turned to look at Hitomi , instantly losing his uptightness and asked politely, "You really don't remember?"
She shook her head. "No. We have been in different foster homes. Don't think we were ever with our mother."
Sanji looked at her intently. He felt horrible, to say the least. There was no doubt that the twins were his. They had his eyes, hair, and not to forget the curly brows. Hell! When the girl smiled, she had the same sweet smile he gave to his clients when he was trying to be polite and Andrian had his scowl.
He took a deep breath, turning away from the blue flames that were trying to melt him and practically already half way through the process. He reached for his cigarette pack as he resumed his hustling. Pressing the deathstick between his lips, he reached for the lighter in the other pocket when Chopper cleared his throat. He turned to look at him warily and the doctor arched an eyebrow at him before pointedly looking at the kids.
Great. Fantastic. First the marimo makes smoking rules at home and now Chopper was following his lead. He huffed and returned the lighter to his pocket and stuffed the cigarette in his other one.
He wanted to understand the situation. He wanted to know who the mother was and why she never told Sanji about the children. Sanji was a romantic at heart and an absolute gentleman if you ignored the pervertedness. If he knew that a lady was bearing his kids, he would have…
"We know you don't want us." This was the first time Andrian spoke since Sanji had met the two. His voice was so similar to Hitomi's, it took a moment for Sanji to realize he was the one who had spoken. His voice was a couple of octaves lower, but nothing too noticeable. Sanji startled to a stop and looked at him, surprised.
The boy sat up, wincing a little. Sanji took an involuntary step forward, worried. Andrian looked at Sanji straight in the eye, one ocean meeting the other. There was a dark turmoil in Andrian's eyes, something no child his age should ever have to bear, but something Sanji was familiar with. He didn't like the way it darkened the blue of Andrian's iris, turning the electric blueness of their eyes into a darker, slate-blue."We know we're unwelcome. If you don't want us to stay, just say it. We'll go back to the house we came from."
"I…" Sanji cleared his throat, "I.. don'.. what?" He was shocked into stammering. He didn't know what to say or do or how to react to the words being thrown at him.
Hitomi looked at him sympathetically but kept quiet in silent agreement. Andrian spoke again, "We know. We understand. It's why we've been sent to various foster homes, isn't it? You didn't want us and neither did our mother." The sadness behind the words hit Sanji with enough force to take a step back.
Hitomi shifted on the bed to sit next to her brother. "We saw you in a magazine. They had a photo of you as a child and you looked exactly like Andrian. We… I decided to meet you, some way or the other. But now that we have, we can go back. It's okay if you don't want us." Her eyes betrayed the strong facade she was holding. They looked… broken.
His feet carried him to the bed and he slipped off his shoes before climbing on to sit in front of the two kids. "Nami, Chopper." He didn't turn to look at them, eyes still locked with Hitomi's. "Could you give us some privacy?" Nami and Chopper were on their feet in an instant and they left the room immediately. Chopper squeezed his shoulder in silent support before closing the door behind him.
Sanji offered one hand to Hitomi who looked at it hesitantly before slipping her dainty hand on his palm. Sanji closed his hand around her's, his heart beating frantically at the first touch with his daughter. He looked at Andrian who was still scowling at him. Sanji smiled a little, the boy really reminded him of himself when he was a child. He understood that at this moment, he had to be true to both of them.
He sighed and hung his head low, his back curled in on himself. "This, is a lot to take in," he spoke to the sheets. "I.. I didn't know that I had… that I was a father." He took a deep breath as he admitted the fact to himself for the first time, trying to reassure himself; feeling Hitomi trying to squeeze his hand in the hopes of achieving the same. Sweet. She was sweet. He returned the pressure as he looked back up at the two, a small smile pulling on his lips.
"If I knew… If I had even the smallest of clues or even a hint, I would have done all I could to make you a part of my life. I would have wanted you." He looked at Adrian, the boy's scowl replaced by a small partition of the lips as he stared at Sanji. "I wouldn't have… If I had known, I would've raised you on my own. I don't know who your mother is and for that, I am sorry. I am so sorry that I wasn't there. But..." He looked at Hitomi , who was smiling a little, her eyes an exact replica of the shock reflected in her brother's eyes "...I am now, and I'm not leaving you alone."
It was important that they understood. He knew his complete explanation sounded aloof, wrapped in a plea for them to know, to understand what he was saying. It was true. If he knew, he would have taken full responsibility of them. He would have loved them and pampered them, given them the love every child in the world deserves.
The small hand slipped out of his as Hitomi flew at him, flinging her arms around his neck and clung to him. Andrian hesitated but a second later, coupled with a small wince, he got his arms around Sanji's neck as well, crushing him into the most enamored hug ever. Sanji's hands acted on their own accord, squeezing the two bundles of joy closer to him, shifting to sit on his knees, crouching low and practically dangling them on his neck.
He felt his shirt dampen on his shoulders and was not surprised to find his own eyes stinging with tears, threatening to shed. He bowed his head between to rest on their shoulders. He wanted this. He wanted the two to stay with him. It scared him but he wanted it. He wanted to raise these two children, his blood, his flesh, a part of his own soul.
His eyes snapped open. A part of his soul... Zoro!
"3998...3999...4000...4001...4002.."
Zoro had balanced his body in a perfect plank, the weight of his torso supported by his knuckles, as he worked on his abdominal muscles and pectorals with each push up while upbeat music blared through the speakers.
"What do I tell him? How do I tell him?" Sanji was hyperventilating, sitting between Nami and Chopper on the beige sofa, palms pressed into his eyes and fingers clenching the skin in his scalp. Chopper was repeatedly telling him to calm down, and Nami rubbed a consoling hand on his back.
He had told the kids to get ready so he could take them home and then ran to Nami and Chopper, freaked out about how Zoro would react. He was so taken aback with the news of being a father of the two five year olds that he had practically forgotten he was married.
Zoro and Sanji had never discussed a thing about having kids. They were both men so they knew that they would either adopt or go for a surrogacy when they decided they were ready for kids. And now, they were had simply been gifted two children, courtesy of Sanji, and Zoro had no clue what was about to hit him. Would Zoro believe him? That Sanji knew nothing about this?
He groaned and pressed his face harder into his hands. He was about to ruin their marriage. Zoro was definitely going to leave. He could picture him leaving despite Sanji's fingers clawing into his biceps, begging for him to stay, face contorted in fury and a duffel bag slung over his shoulder… Fuck. Now he was overdramatically visualising the situation.
He didn't realize he had vocalized his thoughts until he heard Nami scoff.
"Oh, c'mon," she snorted. "Give Zoro a little credit. I'm sure he'll understand."
Would he? Did Zoro even want kids? Yeah, they always knew they had the option, but Zoro's career was finally taking off and kids were a huge responsibility. Sanji didn't have a choice, not that he wanted one; he had always dreamt of having children, but Zoro could always walk away.
"You need to talk to him," Nami continued firmly, grabbing his face to force eye-contact. "Sanji, talk to him."
He was still scared-and yes, right now he could admit that he was scared, as much as his pride cringed at the word-but if anyone could convince him of doing something he didn't want to do, it was Nami. Besides, what else could he do?
"I….yes," he murmured absentmindedly, his mind still quietly panicking. "I'll...talk to him…"
"It really is for the best," Chopper piped in, his face pinched in awkward comfort. They were all out of their comfort-zone, to be honest. None of them had ever expected to be in this type of situation and Chopper, the youngest in the gang, clearly didn't know what advice to give. But it didn't matter. His presence was enough.
Sanji took in a deep breath and nodded. Yes, he needed to talk to Zoro. He could figure out everything else next. His feelings didn't matter. He didn't have the luxury anymore. Now what was important was Hitomi and Andrian. They were the ones suffering, they were the ones who had been cheated, they were the only innocent ones in this whole mess.
They were what mattered now.
"We're ready!"
Sanji, Chopper, and Nami looked up to see Hitomi and Andrian by the hall. Andrian had an arm wrapped around his sister's shoulder for support, since his leg still probably hurt. They were dressed in the same clothes Chopper had given them, but Hitomi was holding a small backpack Sanji hadn't seen before.
That bag probably held all of their belongings.
Sanji thought of his apartment, of all of the luxuries he was used to while his children lived in poverty...fuck, he was going to be good to them. He was going to make it up to them. He was going to be the best father he could ever be.
"Are we going home now?" Andrian asked. Sanji could still read some suspicion and a small amount of hostility from him, but it was clear his sister's excitement was rubbing off on him.
"Yes," Sanji said quickly, getting to his feet. "But before we go...I have something important to tell you…"
"What is it?" Andrian snapped, his suspicion doubling.
"Well…" Shit, this was awkward. How do you tell your children you're married? And with a guy? Okay, he needs to just spit out. Just like a band-aid, the quicker you pull the less pain you feel. "I'm married," he said quickly, and with the same breath, "His name is Zoro and right now he's probably working out in our apartment."
"You're married?" Hitomi exclaimed but before Sanji could freak out, her face broke into a wide smile copied by her brother. "Yesterday we had nothing, and now we have two dads! Isn't this great, Andrian?"
"It's alright," Andrian shrugged, though Sanji could see the excitement sparking in his eyes.
He stared at both of them, surprised by their response. He hadn't expected their excitement, especially considering Andrian's feelings towards him. It was clear that they had been hurt, so the fact that they could already consider him, and even Zoro, a father only made him realize just how innocent they really were.
The look in their eyes made them look older than they really were, but they were, after all, five years old. Too young to be anything but innocent and naive.
The realization only made him want to protect them all the more and in that conviction, he found the courage to face Zoro.
"Well, let's go meet him," Sanji said with a smile, holding a hand out to Andrian. "Do you want me to carry you? That leg looks like it really hurts."
"Not really," Andrian shrugged, though he winced when Hitomi shifted. Sanji waited patiently, his smile never wavering, until Andrian hesitantly let go of his sister and grabbed Sanji's hand. He bent down a little to pick him up his son... he was picking up his son… and he wrapped his arms around the slender body, supporting him from his hips.
Shit, he was so skinny. Sanji could practically feel his ribs through the thin shirt, and his heart ached in sympathy.
He felt something warm touch his hand and when he looked down, Hitomi was holding his hand and looking up at him with a teary smile.
"Thank you," she whispered at the exact moment Andrian sighed softly and laid his head on Sanji's shoulder, his warm breath tickling Sanji's neck.
Sanji swallowed thickly, hating the emotions that bubbled up and threatened to spill. No, he had to be strong. He looked up at Nami and Chopper, letting out a shaky breath when he met their eyes and read the tenderness in their gaze.
"It'll be okay," Nami assured him.
"I'll come check on Andrian tomorrow morning," Chopper added. "Right now what they really need is warm food, a warm bath, and a comfortable bed."
Sanji nodded quickly. "I'll do that," he promised earnestly. "Anything you say, Chopper."
He wouldn't let anything harm the two small children in his arms. He didn't care what happened next, he just knew he didn't want to let go of them.
Whatever happened, Sanji would never let them be alone again.
Zoro paused halfway through the salmon ladder, his body hanging straight, listening intently for the tell-tale sound of a door closing. He grinned when he heard the quiet click and let go of the bar, landing lightly on the matted floor. He grabbed the bottle of water he had brought from the fridge before starting his workout, though it was room-temperature by now. He screwed the cap off and attached the bottle to his lips, tipping his head back and allowed the elixir of life to run down his parched throat, some of the water trickling down his neck in his eagerness.
He ignored the towel he had brought to wipe away his sweat, knowing how much Sanji liked seeing him just after a workout. He still had a lot of excess energy built up inside of him, energy that he knew just how to work off.
He grinned in anticipation and quickly made his way to the living room. As he approached, he could hear the familiar sounds of his husband in the kitchen and hurried before he could get distracted cooking.
He crossed the living room and walked up to the kitchen entrance, leaning against the frame and crossed his arms in a way he knew made his pecs bulge out and looked at his husband, the smile on his face vanishing when he saw the two children sitting on the counter.
Two blond children with identical curly brows and blue eyes.
Two children that were very obviously small replicas of his husband.
And then, even as he tried to blink away what could only possibly be a hallucination, one of the kids looked at him and frowned.
"Why is your hair green?" he asked, his eyebrow raised, "It looks stupid."
No. Not a hallucination. A dream.
The fact that it made no sense meant Zoro had to be dreaming. Two younger versions of his husband, one of them speaking the same sentence Sanji said to him the very first time they met: this had to be a dream.
The second carbon-copy glanced at him in curiosity and nodded. "Just like a marimo," it said-except it was a she and now this dream really didn't make any sense.
He moved his gaze to his Sanji, the Sanji he was married to, the fully grown man with a goatee he always made fun of but secretly found very hot, and his hopes were crushed when he saw the guilty expression on his face as he stared at him with wide eyes.
"I can explain."
