Zoro could hardly believe his eyes.
The delinquent Sanji, the terror of Grand Line High School, the womanizer of all womanizers, was donning an apron and working at a bakery. Zoro was having a hard time wrapping his mind around it, and could no longer hear the angry employee telling him to get out if he's not going to pay. His eyes were fixed on the man in the back of the store, watching him move in and out of his vision as he dashed around.
Even from how far away they were standing, Zoro could see that Sanji had ever measurement memorized, how his motions were fluid, uninterrupted, focused, and confident; once again, Zoro was shown a face he had never seen before on him.
Sanji was happy.
However, Zoro had been so surprised that he didn't notice that he was being dragged out by the collar of his shirt until he was almost out the door. He started flailing around his arms and legs frantically, trying to escape.
"HEY!" he bellowed, "Let me go, I told you, I was waiting for someone! You can't make me can't leave now, I just found 'em!" But his struggles were for nothing, as the employee gleefully tossed him out of the store, as if he was just waiting to do that to someone, and he looked much happier as he bowed.
"Don't ever come back again, you hear?" the man said in an oddly cheerful tone before waltzing back through the door. Zoro sat up, groaning again as he held his head. He really, REALLY needed to stop landing on it today, or else it was going to fall right off. He couldn't help but sulk. Sanji was right there, right in front of him, and he got kicked out because he just sat down without paying for something.
Maybe le Baratie was some sort of gang bakery or something. He didn't see a soul there that looked friendly. In Zoro's mind, his idea of a bakery was flowers, pink, lots of pink, lots of sweet, lots of girls forcing smiles, and the occasional fruity guy twirling around like a ballerina. The only thing le Baratie got right was the sickly sweet smell, but the atmosphere was completely strange. Was it popular? It appeared to be, judging by the line of people waiting for the food, but something still seemed off. It was probably just him. Most likely because he didn't like sweets.
But Sanji appeared to be the exact opposite.
Zoro finally stood up from the ground and dusted his pants off, approaching the door again. He didn't go inside, instead looking at the open and closing times of the bakery. It looked like it opened early, opening at five to cater to the breakfast crowds, and closed around eight in the evening. Zoro lifted his fingers, doing the math visually; if it was five in the evening now, then Sanji would be out by 9, at most. Zoro was stubborn. He didn't want to leave after coming all the way here to confront the blonde dartboard. Besides, if he did leave, there was no way he was going to find his way back, not unless he had some sort of map.
So Zoro decided that he would wait; he would wait until Sanji got off of work, and THEN he would punch him into next year. Yeah. That sounded fun. But that meant Zoro had quite a bit of time to kill before Sanji got off of work. He glanced around, finding a bench sitting in front of le Baratie, and walked over to sit down. The backpack he was carrying was set beside him, and he dug around to search for his homework. If it was going to be a few hours before the fun started, then he may as well get the not-fun stuff finished before then. He needed to get it done anyway, and then afterward he could take a nice nap, just like he planned. Nothing really changed in his plans save for the location and the fact he got to beat up Sanji.
Or WOULD get to beat him up, since he hadn't gotten to that part yet.
But he was going to get to it.
Zoro was going to make him pay for making a fool out of him, leaving him out on the stair landing like that for someone to find just laying there. It hurt his pride and his head just thinking about how pathetic he looked, laying on the ground like that for anyone who passed by to see. It wasn't like he was a bad fighter, which was the worst part; he was the captain of the Kendo club, and was know as the sturdy pillar, the one who couldn't be knocked down, yet he blacked out from a simple headbutt. It just wasn't his day.
The young man finished his homework within the hour, it unfortunately being easier than he had expected thus taking less time to finished. But, once Zoro reminded himself he'll get to take a nice nap, then he cheered up again. Naps were good, that was for sure. So he crossed his arms across his chest, making himself comfortable as he leaned his head over the back the of the bench, asleep before he even got comfortable.
When Zoro came to, it was obviously very late. Everything was dark with the outdoor lamppost providing the only light visible. Le Baratie was even dark, all the lights already cut off and there was no one bustling around there anymore. Zoro stared for a few moments before his eyes widened, jumping out of the bench and to his feet.
"Damn it!" he cried, scratching his head with a loud groan. "I can't BELIEVE this! I slept through closing time! My plan is ruined, I'm never going to get my revenge on him now, this sucks." His shoulder sagged, and he pinched his nose in regret. Maybe taking a nap was a bad idea. Zoro looked back to the bakery restaurant thing, then sighed again. This really wasn't fair. All that work tailing Sanji, and he couldn't even get his revenge.
With a shake of his head, he leaned down to get his backpack, and took a step forward after taking out his phone to check the time. Zoro couldn't help but grimace; it was almost 2 AM, it really was late. But suddenly, he realized that he had just stepped on fabric and not concrete. Zoro paused, then lifted his foot, looking down to find an apron laying on the ground. "Who the hell would leave an apron laying on the ground?" he murmured to himself, leaning down to pick it up. He recognized the glaring red colour from the uniforms the bakers and pastry chefs in the back were wearing, mostly because it was Sanji that was wearing it.
But Zoro was confused. Why would someone just leave an apron lying around on the ground? It seemed like a stupid thing to do, dropping an apron, but there it was, on the ground, with his dirty footprint on it. He frowned, looking it over. There was no nametag or anything of the like, so it was probably just some stupid mistake. So after dusting off his dirty footprint, Zoro laid the apron over the back of the bench, hoping it wouldn't get too wet from the morning dew, but didn't have much of a choice. There was no way he could take this home with him, he wasn't a thief. Plus, he wouldn't know what to do with it in the first place.
He then adjusted his backpack over his shoulders, put his phone back in his pocket, and started heading for home. He would just have to settle for talking to Sanji tomorrow. At least, if not tomorrow, then the next day. He might be too tired tomorrow because he still had a bit of a walk home.
The next day passed with no sign of Sanji, which was very odd because Zoro was sure that he usually saw him at least three or four times a day. Granted, they never spoke, but it was just passing by or bumping into one another's shoulders and getting sent to the principal's office for fighting. But he didn't spot him anywhere. Not even a faint glimpse.
That was weird.
Avoidance was unlikely. He doubted Sanji even noticed him sleeping on that bench. In fact, he was positive that Sanji never really paid him much attention at all, and that he was the first one to leave the bakery. Maybe he was the stupid one that had dropped the apron. But either way, it was just strange that he didn't find the curly-brow guy anywhere. Zoro was fuming.
Nothing was going right. He was supposed to make Sanji grovel before him, to make that guy pay for making a fool out of him. But nope. That wasn't going to happen, not today, nor did it happen yesterday. It wasn't fair, he was supposed to have the last laugh. But, unfortunately, the last laugh wasn't going to be had that day. It passed normally. Luffy tried to steal his food, he won this time. Usopp boasted about his homemade lunch from his friend Kaya again, he got the evil eye. Nami came and busted all their heads, they all took to the ground running. Class was nothing special, and soon the day was over.
Home was normal. Zoro did his homework, ate the bento he bought from the convenience store, then went to sleep. It was a terribly normal day.
However, the day after that day was different. Zoro didn't know if his luck had changed, or if it was by pure chance, but things had started to turn around. He knew so when he spotted Sanji taking his shoes out of the shoe locker at the end of the school day. For a short minute, all Zoro could do was stand there, dumbfounded. But the shock was soon melted away by the bottled up rage. It wasn't even about Sanji running into him anymore, it was the fact that he had to WAIT this WHOLE TIME to get his revenge when it should have been gotten two days ago.
Zoro didn't waste any time this time. He wasn't going to let this chance slip by, not a second time; not when Sanji was right there in front of him. The green-haired young man stomped over and before Sanji even knew it, he grabbed his collar. "You're coming with me," he growled lowly as Sanji whipped his head around in surprise. His wide eyes quickly narrowed into an angry scowl as he tried with all his might to wrestle away.
"Let me GO, you moss-head!" he shouted as Zoro dragged him away, pulling away but his steps stumbling backwards against his will. "I'm going to pound your face into the ground, you'll regret this!" He attempted to take a swipe at Zoro, but his missed thanks to the way he was facing. Zoro dragged him all the way to the back of the school, where he usually napped and never really got caught so he knew that they would be safe from prying eyes out there.
Zoro then let go of Sanji's collar, but before he could escape, he shoved his arm against the other's chest. There was a surprised gasp, and Zoro slammed him against the wall, pinning him down and not giving him any openings, no chance to escape. Not this time.
"What the HELL is your problem?!" Sanji spat after coughing, his breath coming short thanks to the wind getting knocked out of him. His eyes were angry, and Zoro could still see the bruise from the headbutt from two days ago. That only made him angrier, and he pushed his arm against Sanji harder.
"What's MY problem?," he shouted furiously, "What's YOUR problem?! What kind of guy just leaves someone out cold in the middle of the school, and what kind of guy HEADBUTTS people?! Come on, you should know better than to pick a fight with me." He started to feel the veins pop out of his neck, both embarrassed that he was found laying around in that kind of state, and embarrassed that he fell asleep in front of the place where he was supposed to tell Sanji off. But Sanji scoffed in his face, looking oddly smug despite the compromising position.
"Oh? You're still mad about that?" He rolled his eyes, not impressed and Zoro couldn't help but bristle, his shoulders raising tensely. "What an petty bastard, still holding a grudge. You know, you should play nice. But who are YOU to pick a fight with me, huh?" Sanji's eyes narrowed. "I know you know who I am, there's no one in the school who doesn't. But you're the only one who's stupid enough to drag me all the way over here and call me out like this. What are you, a girl trying to confess her feelings?" He sighed, shaking his head, and Zoro wanted to strangle him.
This guy was taunting him, and looking down on him like he was nothing. Did he think that just because he didn't have the same reputation as the blonde then he would be some sort of whining pushover? Well, he was dead wrong.
"Maybe I am still mad about that," Zoro sneered, not relinquishing his grip on Sanji for a second. "Maybe I'm pissed off because I don't let anyone humiliate me like that and get away with it."
Suddenly, he had an epiphany. The anger clouding his mind hadn't dissipated in the least, but he remembered something that had stuck with him clearly since he first saw it: Sanji worked in a bakery. This guy, who was looking down on him and calling him petty, made little cakes with little frosted flowers for little girls, and in an apron, no less.
But Sanji had noticed that Zoro was spacing out, and shook his head. "Not even worth my time," he mumbled to himself, taking the chance to push Zoro off of him and began to walk away. "Don't talk to me again, you bastard, or I will really beat the hell out of you-"
"Le Baratie, huh?" Zoro interrupted. He was still facing the wall, but he turned his head to look at Sanji, who stopped mid-step. This time, he didn't look at Zoro, not even a tiny glance. "I only saw you from far away, but you were there alright. So, what did you do, hm?" Zoro slowly began to smirk. He had the upper hand this time, his fingers were around Sanji's neck and they were closing fast. "Lose a bet? Wanted to impress a girl? Either way, I saw you there, making cakes."
"Why I work there is none of your freaking business." Sanji's voice was low and quiet. Zoro refused to let this chance slip away.
"Regardless, you work there, don't you?" The green-haired student became more and more confident as he spoke, his anger not dulling, but instead sharpening his senses. "You seem really proud of your reputation. I wonder what all those guys that fear you would think when they learn you were baking cakes. And oh, what would the girls think?" It was then Sanji finally started to turn towards him, his movements slow, but deliberate. While he was trying his best to keep his face stoic, Zoro could see the little bead of sweat dripping down his cheek, both angry and nervous in his eyes. "I'm sure they would be disillusioned, considering the bad kid that they're attracted to so much is making frosting flowers. Granted, I'm sure some girls love guys who can bake, but you? They don't like you because you bake, or because you're sweet; they like you because you can take them riding on the other side of the tracks."
Sanji's fingers clenched.
"So... what do you think they would be saying if they found out? Both the guys and the ladies?" Zoro wondered out loud, tapping his chin with a finger. "That Sanji the Black Prince is a really a pansy?"
"Shut UP!" the blonde finally snapped, his face pale and knuckles white. "You don't know ANYTHING! I'm not going to get on the ground and beg you to not tell, if that's what you want." Sanji spat on the ground, his eyes ablaze and Zoro couldn't help but flinch, slightly surprised at the manner of Sanji's outburst. He was, actually, kind of expecting Sanji to do just that. "I'm not anyone's dog, and I refuse to be your dog, of ALL people. So go on!" Sanji threw his hand up in exasperation. "Go, tell the whole school, hell, the whole WORLD, but I'm not going to lay myself down and just give myself to to you just like freaking that." His face darkened, and while anyone else would have ran for the hills from that expression alone, Zoro stood his ground, facing this foe head-on. "I'm not that easy, stupid. If you thought you could get the best of me, you thought wrong. Now leave me the hell alone, or you're seriously going to get a beating."
Zoro watched somewhat dumbly as Sanji stormed away, cursing up a storm. Even more dumbly, Zoro started to follow him again, this time making no effort to hide what he was doing. He wasn't sure what he was doing, exactly, but he was intrigued. And frustrated. Very, very frustrated. Who was Sanji, to tell him what he could and couldn't do?
What was worse was that he was right. Zoro wasn't the type to fight dirty, yet he had resorted to underhanded means. He wasn't the smartest guy around, but he wasn't dumb either; he knew his strengths and weaknesses. In other words, he was terrible at Usopp-tricking tactics, and was much better at just throwing the punches. In fact, he was starting to feel ashamed that he had even tried to resort to blackmail. It was shameful and he suddenly felt like his honor had been tarnished. He was going to have to fix that.
Luffy blinked. He had gone up to the roof to look for Zoro because he could sometimes find him napping, and he had seemed grumpier than usual the day before, so he wanted to cheer him up by drawing some faces on his sleeping face because that was always really, really funny. But somehow, he had tripped and nearly fell over the side of the roof. But, because of his awesome and super cool reflexes, he caught himself with his feet and dangled off the edge of the roof for a few scary moments a before bursting out laughing. But that wasn't the point.
In fact, it wasn't even close. But, because he got stuck upside down, he saw something interesting. At first, he saw Zoro, and was going to call out to him until he saw that he was yelling at some blonde guy. It had taken Luffy a minute, but he recognized him as his other friend too.
"Oh," he exclaimed to himself, crossing his arms across his chest as he watched the exchange from his upside down perch, "It's Sanji." While Zoro was his friend and neighbor, Sanji was in his class. They sat close to each other, in fact. Luffy always liked picking at his erasers and trying to throw them in the back of Sanji's shirt collar. But even thought Luffy knew them both, he hadn't really seen them do anything but fight, and was sure that they didn't get along. But Luffy always felt like they would get along. They just looked like they would be good friends to him.
But right then, they weren't being very friendly. Zoro had Sanji pinned, but Sanji ended pushing him away. Zoro got quiet, but when it came to food, Luffy could pick up anything. His eyes widened in delight, and he started to grin as he cupped his ears to try and hear better. Was that a bakery? Were they talking about a bakery? No one told him that Sanji worked at a bakery, he wanted to go! That sounds like a whole lot of fun! What did Zoro call it? La French Fry? That sounded right, La French Fry. He wanted to go. And it looked like both Zoro and Sanji were going without him, so why not?
Luffy grinned, lifting himself with his abdomen so he could reach the ledge of the roof with his hands, then quickly pulled himself up, zipping down the stairs and through the school, making it out of the gates just in time for him to catch Zoro and Sanji walking in the distance. The black-hair young man snickered to himself, rubbing his hands together in excitement.
"This is going to be SO COOL!"