…If It Works…
Sanji departed the train, both hands filled with shopping bags. As the train left he set the bags down and lit himself a cigarette, and checked his wrist watch
"Jesus, that took forever" Sanji looked away from the clock that read stated it was well past 11 in the morning.
He quickly picked the bags back up and started at a brisk pace back down the path he came. Occasionally he would throw a glance to the river, or dodge an oncoming person, giving them a wide berth. And before long the Baratie came into view in the distance.
As he got closer a cold wind wisped at him, and he started to speed up. Faster and faster as his mind got clouded with faces and smells, sounds… and the single word repeating.
'Regret… regret…regret. Regret. Regret,regret,REGRET!' his mind yelled at him until he whipped into the side entrance of the Baratie. He slid to the floor, placing the bags safely at his sides as he balled up and put his forehead on his knees, wrapping his arms around his legs.
A small tear ran down his cheek, dangling at his jaw line, as if getting ready to fall.
"Oi, Eggplant, you alright?"
Sanji quickly looked up, wiping away the tear, "Yeah, long walk home."
He watched as his father's face shaped into concern. The kind of face that basically said 'bullshit'
"Did the meeting go well?" Zeff asked, leaving alone what Sanji didn't want him pressing
In response Sanji smiled and leaned his head against the door, dropping one elbow onto his knee and extending the other leg out so that it lay flat. "Yeah, it was… it felt good to open up a bit" Sanji skipped over that green haired man, although part of him wanted to ask Zeff if he knew who it was, but he was scared of what the answer could be.
"Good" Zeff offered a small smile "Well get your lazy ass off the ground and put those groceries away before they go bad, and you're late for work!" Zeff's face turned to one of annoyance
Sanji felt the atmosphere return to a warm one, even if the warm one was a lot of yelling and annoyance, it was comfortable. "Oi, cant you give me a minute to relax damn old fart!"
Sanji quickly got up and grabbed the bags, heading upstairs to their family fridge.
"Relax? You are late for work you brat, and you're asking for a minute to relax! Ballsy little… hurry up!"
"I'm going I'm going, don't give you're self a heart attack yelling old geezer!"
Yeah, warm and comfortable, and annoying.
…
*door slam*
"huh…?" Zoro slowly opened one eye and looked at the early morning sun. He took his hands off the back of his hand and sat up, only to find himself on the roof of his dad's house.
"Oh yeah…" he said to himself before a car motor caught his intention, he scooted over to the edge of the roof and saw his dad's car backing out of the drive way. It honked at him, and in return he rose one hand in a wave stand still wave. And watched as it drove off.
"Must be 9" Zoro said to himself as he thought back to his dad's job.
Zoro was just making himself comfortable again when his stomach growled at him, letting oh so graciously know that he was hungry.
"Fine." He opened his eyes back up and crawled over to the open attic window, also known as his room. Taking in a few deep breaths Zoro calmed his nerves
'It's just a room, just a room' he repeated, then taking in a big breath he swung himself in, and immediately flopped face first onto his bed.
Staying still for a moment, Zoro slowing released his breath and lifted his head. And before long he stood up and made his way for the door. And upon opening he felt a cool wind prickle his skin, giving him goose bumps. But he knew better to think it was the cold doing that. As he made his way to the kitchen he rubbed his arms in a futile attempt to smooth his skin.
Upon finding the fridge he also found a paper note magnetized to its door. Plucking it he read the short note;
'Zoro, remember to come to the party today 12 sharp, and pick up a wine as a gift, one of these three would do nicely…'
Zoro skipped over the names, knowing he wouldn't remember them and he would just have to take the note and instead skipped down a little bit
"I left some money on the table for it, remember to wear something nice, love dad"
Zoro looked at the table and saw a small pile of bills, he then pocketed the note and got out some milk. Taking a few swigs of it he put it back then grabbed the left over sausage on the stove and made his way to the bathroom on the ground floor to get ready for his day.
…
*ding ding ding*
Zoro stepped into the store and was welcomed by a greeter
"Hello and welcome to river side wines"
Zoro looked at him and smiled "thanks, can you help me?"
"Of course what do you need help with?"
Zoro pulled out the note and folded it to only show the wine names "Can you tell me if you have any of these, and where they would be?"
"Of course" the man leaned in a read the names then frowned "Well we don't have the first two, but the third one should be in a red wax on the back shelf" the Man said helpfully and pointed to the back of the shop.
"Thanks" Zoro said and walked further into the store, moving in-between brown and auburn wood shelf's housing various wines, until he found himself down a narrow isle in the small shop nearing the back. A light chime made its way to his hears and the greeters welcome sounded out while Zoro looked for a red wax bottle. Scanning the back wall for a few moments, reading off a few of the slanted, displayed bottles names to himself, he finally found a name match and took a stride for it grabbing, then when he tried to pull the bottle off by the neck, he met resistance.
"Huh?"
"Huh.."
The second voice caught Zoro's attention and caused him to turn to his left, only to be met with a heavily breathing blonde.
"You" Zoro said smartly in shock
"You" Sanji responded, equally smart, then they both cast their glances down to the bottle they both had hold of.
"Oi, marimo, this is my bottle"
Zoro stared at the blonde with a neutral face "What was your name again?" Zoro asked staring into the blondes eyes
…
Sanji blinked a few times to make sure he heard right. "What?"
"You're the guy from the train right? And the group? I forgot your name." the green haired man responded
"um… its Sanji."
"Right right." Zoro said putting his free hand on his chin "I knew it started with a S."
Sanji closed and opened his mouth a few times, then shook his head, getting himself unconfused and refocused on what his old man woke him up to get "Can you let go of the bottle now? I kinda need it" Sanji said raising the bottle of the rack and trying to pull it towards, but the other mans grip wouldn't give a inch.
…
Zoro got out of his thoughts and returned to the bottle, his free hand going back to his side. "No, I had it first. Get another one."
"This is the last one." The blonde answer back blandly
"Then too bad I had it first" Zoro pulled it a few inches towards him before the blondes grip stopped him
"No I had it first" Sanji pulled the bottle back towards him a few inches, getting it on his side.
"Yeah right, whatever, look I need it." Zoro said trying to be diplomatic, and gently pulling it back to his side.
"Well so do I and I had it first" Sanji dragged it back to his side
"Look, I need it for a gift, my dad's seeing friends he hasn't seen in a while and needs this wine." Zoro said getting slightly ticked and dragging it to the middle.
"Shitty excuse, my dad needs it because he is hosting a party for his old friends"
They both just stared at each other for a moment. The Zoro turned and walked down a isle heading for the cashier, Sanji and bottle in tow.
"Oi, moss brain, what are you doing, let go of the bottle!"
"No, I'm going to buy it, then you'll have to let go." Zoro stated blandly, a small smirk playing on his lips. 'this blonde is kinda fun'.
"Oh, that's just… screw you I'm buying it first" Sanji briskly walked ahead of Zoro pulling on the bottle and one handedly grabbing his wallet and pulling out the necessary amount of cash.
Zoro followed suit, pulling out the wadded cash he stuffed into his pocket, then slightly more briskly walked ahead of Sanji. This continued back and forth then they both reached the counter slamming the bottle up right onto the counter and saying in unison "I would like to buy this bottle!"
Then they both growled and glared at each other, their heads basically catching fire.
"My bottle marimo"
"piss off Curly brow"
"What was that!"
"I said that your eyebrow is a curl!"
"You wanna fight kelp head!?"
"Please I'd get your ass then play darts with your brows!" Zoro shouted back.
They both blissfully ignored the cashier and greeter who both slowly shrunk back in fear.
"Ugh! You barbarian! I clearly had the bottle first!"
"In your dreams! I had it first! See my hand is at the top!"
"Well my is closer to the bottom so I set it on the counter first, which means its mine!"
"What kind of crack pot logic is that?"
"screw you, here cashier, take my money!"
"No take mine!"
Zoro and Sanji both slammed their money on the counter at the same time, causing the cashier to shrink back more.
They both passed glares at each other then at the cashier
"Well!?" they asked the poor cashier in unison
Thinking quickly the cashier took half the amount of the price from each stack of money, then printed off to receipts and handed one to each.
All three of them froze, Sanji and Zoro staring down at the receipts and the cashier, who was frozen in fearful anticipation of what would happen next…
Then after a few moments of silence Zoro smiled a shit eating grin and turned to Sanji "Its mine." He said calmly
"How?" Sanji asked back neutral faced.
Zoro's smile widened as he said; "he printed off my receipt first, so it's mine"
Then Sanji exploded "Bull shit, if anything, he printed my receipt the newest, so I'm the newest owner, its mine!"
Instantly Zoro's smile fell "Bull shit its mine!" Zoro grabbed the money and receipt off the counter and put it in his pocket, Sanji did the same with his.
"Mine! Sea weed!"
While exchanging shouts and insults and claims they both made their way to the exit and onto the sidewalk. Then, in the middle of one of Sanji's insults Zoro held up a finger indicating for Sanji to give him a moment. Then Zoro pulled out a phone and slide it open, expertly typing into it one handily.
"Oh green, what are you doing?" Sanji asked impatiently and none too happy to be interrupted
"Checking where I need to go" Zoro replied "Say do you know where a place called the Baratie is?"
Zoro calmly looked up and at Sanji, who he found to be in total shock and ah, his eyes wide, and jaw practically on the floor, hair frizzled, then he snapped back into reality and gave a long and exuberant sigh. "Let go marimo"
"Why?"
"Cause were going to the same place."
"Oh"
"Yeah"
"Nope"
Sanji turned back to Zoro "Why not?"
Zoro closed his eyes and looked forward, a small smile playing at his lips "I don't know, just don't want to let go…"
Sanji stared at him for a moment, but then Zoro continued
"You could be lying after all."
"You're a douche" Sanji said shaking himself back and started walking
"I hear that a lot" Zoro said holding the neck of the bottle and letting himself be lead.
"Good, cause you are…" Sanji lamely finished then looked away 'fuck… not again.' Passed through his mind.
…
Sanji looked up from the river and saw the Baratie in the distance, and picked up his pace, again the thoughts starting up in his head.
Zoro felt the sudden tug on the bottle as he was walking and adjusted his pace, then he cast a glance at the blonde who had his eyes laser focused on a building in the distance
"Blonde, you okay?"
"Yeah, just we are almost there"
"Ah I see." Zoro thought back to the text and then another question popped into his head. As they walked he tried to figure it out for himself but couldn't and while they walked through the parking lot towards the front doors he asked it
"I'm confused, why did we bring wine to a restaurant? Why are we even here I thought we were going to a house party."
…
Sanji who was very eager to get inside lifted his hand towards the door as they walked quicker and quicker, nearing the door "me and my dad live on the second floor, that's where the house is." Sanji quickly said they reached for the handle one step out of range when suddenly he stopped moving. Quickly searching for the cause he found it to be the other person holding the bottle, who at the current moment looked a bit paler than what he remembered.
"Oi, moss head, come one I want to go in, what's the matter?" by the second Sanji was getting worse. The chant getting louder and louder making him want to go in even more.
"It's a home…" Zoro answered deftly staring at the second floor.
Sanji's mind emptied at the statement a warm feeling washing over him. "So?"
"I have problems with homes"
That's when it clicked in Sanji's head 'Shit he mentioned that in the meeting'
"You going to be okay?" Sanji asked concerned, then the chant begun up again "I'd really like to go inside"
Zoro took a few deep breaths then exhaled "Yeah, sorry, lets go"
Sanji nodded at him then opened the door and they both entered.
A warm feeling quickly encircled Sanji, while on the other hand Zoro's skin prickled up, and he became slightly stiffer.
"This floor is just the restaurant, the stairs are over here to go up, I'm sure my dad is waiting for me, since someone made me late" Sanji glared slightly friendlier feeling at home.
"Well I'm a little early" Zoro said spying the 11:30 on the clock hung on a wall
"boohoo, let go or come on" Sanji said walking to the stairs
"Yeah yeah whatever" Zoro said following him as they ascended the spiral stairs and entered through a door.
"Back old man" Sanji said entering the room, Zoro in tow
"Oh look at that, my idiot didn't get lost"
Zoro looked up and at his dad "I thought you said 12 sharp was when it started!"
"Yeah well, I got off work early, seeing as how I called in a half day, they just gave me the day off, so I came over early" he replied
"And Smoker was so kind to ask you to bring a gift bottle of wine, we were actually laughing at it since I told Sanji over there to go get some wine, since his stupid ass forgot it." Zeff piped in
"Whatever old geezer, I got it, so here" Sanji tried to move it towards his father, half successful
"Tch, asshole, here, I got it!" Zoro said pulling it slightly towards Smoker
"Oi, let go!"
"No you let go!"
"Shut up idiots!" Zeff shouted
"Yeah the point is, that its hear" Smoker said grabbing the bottle from both their hands and placing it on the long 8 seat table.
"God, 23 and still acting like a damn brat" Zeff scoffed turning back to Smoker and their game of checkers
"Well sometimes idiots don't grow up"
"Shut up!" they both shouted in unison
"What was that?" both Smoker and Zeff turned one eye dangerously and looked at the younger men
"how about you go wait for the other guests Sanji" Zeff barked "like a proper host"
"And make yourself useful Zoro, take out there trash for them, the least you could do for the great meal that will be served."
Both of the younger mean glared daggers at their fathers while begrudgingly going to their tasks.
TBC
Okay so here is chapter two. I wanted to continue, but I'm tired and the party scene will probably be a ton of work, so I'm saving that for the next chapter, still I hope you enjoyed this insightful little chapter and reviews are loved!
