Zoro's in the kitchen, pouring himself a cup of the already made coffee that Sanji had told him to help himself to, trying to once again think about what he's done. He's never in his life has done favors like this to someone he's just met. Moreover offer it himself.. He just blurted it out without thinking when he heard how desperate and troubled the man sounded.

He sips his coffee as he walks into the living room where the boy was sleeping. "Why isn't he sleeping in his bed?" He thinks aloud. However he just shrugs and settles on an armchair next to the couch before placing the coffee cup on the coffee table not too far from him.

Now what? He's wasted a good opportunity for a great nap. Goddamnit! He leans back into the chair and let his head rest on the soft Cushion. Next time, he fucking need to think before letting his mouth take charge.

Eventually, the moss head fell asleep from over thinking his situation. He wakes up with a jolt, a sound like a door slamming waking him from his slumber. His eyes open wide as he looks around the unfamiliar room, still half-asleep and barely conscious. He realizes where he is and why is he here with a low "Ohh." His eyes wander to the empty couch to check on the little guy―WHA! Empty?! Where did her go!

"Crap, crap, crap, CRAP!" He jumps to his feet quickly. Trying to push all unwanted thoughts away. He didn't sleep that long, right? So the boy didn't actually wake up, freak out from seeing him and not his brother there, and flee―! That thought was cut short with muffled thump from somewhere in the apartment.

He listens for more noise while trying to deicide from where that sound came from.

Thump.

"AHA!" He smiles triumphantly at that and stalks to the closed door leading to the room where he is positive that he heard that sound from. He held the door handle, turned it and walked into the room, which looks like Sanji's cause there's no way a child would have a queen size bed. A small gasp was heard once he stood next the bed.

The moss head lets out a silent groan, this looks like a since from a movie where the bad guy, which in this case is him, is looking for the small kid that he's there to kidnap and finds him under the bed. Fucking shit what did I get myself into!?

"Hey, little guy, it's me, Zoro, You can come out." That was answered with a small whimper from the boy.

"Sanjiiiiiiiii." Aki weeps for his brother. Great. He's crying. Zoro thought. "It's okay," What was his name again? "Uh…Sanji is coming soon." He didn't get an answer

.

Fuck it all, I'm pulling him out from under the bed. He thought as he gets down on his knees so he can peek under the bed. Seriously, this can't get worse.

He sees the boy, he's not crying but he's pale as a ghost. He's closing his eyes and his hands covering his ears. Zoro had to stop himself from laughing at the boy. He looks like a scared bunny.

"Hey, champ, no need to be this scared." Zoro whispers. "I won't hurt you, I promise."

Not a sound from the boy. "C'mon, buddy. What would Sanji say if saw you like this?" He'll kick my ass that's for sure.

"C'mon… He asked me to watch the apartment with you. Are you going to disappoint your big brother?" This causes the boy to open his eyes wide and perk his head up. It's working!

Zoro smiles at him. "He told me to ask you if I needed anything too. He trusts you so much."

"Really?" The boy asks. His eyes are sparkling.

"Yep, Can you do that?"

"Unh!" The boy nods his head excitedly. Good think the bed is higher otherwise he'd be suffering a huge head bump.

"Alright then, come out of there." Zoro moves from his embarrassing position and the boy, thankfully, crawls from under the bed.

"Hey." Zoro greets him with a smile. He crouches down to be in the same level with the boy. "How about we start over?" Zoro asks as he holds his hand out.

"I'm Zoro, And you're Akihiko, right?" The boy laughs and shakes his hand.

"No! my name is Akihito!" He says with a giggle.

"My bad, Akihito, I've never been good with names you see." Zoro say and he doesn't know why the hell was he explaining himself to little kid.

"You can call me Aki, then." The boy says quickly.

"Alright, Aki. How old are you?"

"Four!" Aki exclaims holding his open hand out. Zoro chuckles and gently bend one of the tiny fingers. "This is four."

"Right!" Aki says flashing a bashful smile.

Zoro smiles back at him and gets up. "Let's get out of here. Sanji won't be happy if he finds us here."

"Why?" Aki asks, tilting his head to the side.

"Because it's his room, right?"

"Yes!"

"Then we should go out. Plus there's breakfast waiting for you in the kitchen."

"Okay~!" Aki replies running towards the kitchen.

That went good, I guess. Zoro sighs going after the boy.

At the Baratie, Sanji is standing in the kitchen rubbing a bump on his head. "Shut up already old man, I said he's okay!"

"I'LL SHUT UP IF YOU MEAN HE'S AT SOME DAYCARE, YOU IDIOT!" Zeff yells at him.

"He's at hOME!" Sanji yells back blocking Zeff's peg leg with his hand which makes him yelp painfully. This bastard. His kicks won't be this powerful if he's just put on his prosthetic leg! Maybe that's why he refuses to put it on?!

"HE'S NOT ALONE YOU SHITTY BASTARD HEAR ME OUT BEFORE ATTACKING ME!"

"Oh? He is?" Zeff asks, removing his leg.

"Yes, I asked my neighbor to watch him." Sanji answers, his chest swelling proudly.

"You just moved to that apartment, do you trust that neighbor to watch Aki?" Zeff asks hoping that that neighbor has a kid of his own or something.

"Well, He said that his work ihas something to do with kids, so you can trust him. He must be a teacher or something."

"Teachers are supposed to be at school about now and not watching someone else's kid."

Sanji's eyes widens at the realization. "….Crap!" He leaves the kitchen stumbling into the staff room and to his locker. He slams the door open and take out his phone from his jacket pocket and calls home. He frowns down at his locker for a few rings before he hears Aki's voice.

"Hello!"

"Thank god, aki! Are you okay?" Sanji asks in the phone, clinching his white, chef jacket.

"Yes, I'm good." Aki answers cheerfully.

"Good, good." Sanji sighs in relief. His heart finally calming down a bit. "Where's Zoro, Did he do something strange to you?"

"He's here. We're eating breakfast!" Says Aki, too oblivious of his situation.

"Listen, Aki did he―" Sanji's question was cut off with a Zoro's think voice.

"Hello?"

"Ah, Hey! I was just calling to check on you guys." Sanji laughs nervously. "Is everything okay?"

"Oh, yeah. Everything is fine. He was surprised when he woke up and saw me though."

"Yeah? I hope he didn't cause any troubles."

"Not at all."

"I see, So, Why are not at work again?" Sanji asks cautiously.

"I told you, I don't start in the afternoon."

"Ah, right, and what is it that you do?"

Zoro doesn't answer for a couple of seconds and Sanji isn't comfortable with this silence. Then Zoro speaks. "Are you seriously getting suspicious now?"

"WHA―No! That's not―I'm just wondering!"

Silence.

"Okay maybe a little! But what do you expect? I just met you And I just left my little one with you―It's just―"

"Don't worry, I didn't lie to you and your 'little one' is just fine." Zoro laughs but continues. "I teach kendo and kenjutsu at a nearby dojo."

Sanji can feel his face heating at the embarrassment. He thanks his lucky stars that the man is not in front of him to see his face. "Oh, I see."

"Is there something else you need to know?"

"Ah, N-no That's all."

"Alright."

"Thanks and sorry for―" He seriously doesn't know what to apologize for. "―all this."

"Don't worry about it. You were in a rush this morning you didn't have the time to ask about anything. I'd do the same if I were you."

"….Thank you." The cook says bringing a hand to cover his flushed face as he lean against the locker. Fuck this is more than he can handle. "Like I said, I'll be home at eleven thirty."

"Alright, we'll see you then. Here's Aki." Zoro says handing the phone to the little boy.

"Sanji~!" Comes Akihito's excited voice.

"Heey, little prince~" Sanji chuckles softly. "Be a good boy okay? I'll be home soon."

"Okay!" He Says. "I love you."

"Love you too, bye."

"Bye bye." Aki says before hanging up.

Sanji lets his hand slide limply to his side. "Thank god…"

"Everything is fine, I assume?" Come the gruff voice of Zeff.

Sanji jumps slightly and turns to face his old man. "The hell! How long were you here?"

"Since you took out the phone." The old man responds nonchalantly.

"YOU WERE HERE FROM THE START!"

"That's what I said."

"You should've said something to let me know that you were here!" Sanji glares.

"And miss all the shit you just did?" Zeff laughs gruffly. "Too bad I couldn't see your face from this angle"

Sanji can tell how red his face is as Zeff's laughter grows louder that he started to clough.

"Fuck you old man!" Sanji says as he stomp off leaving Zeff to his own coughing. He hopes that he'd choke and die. The bastard, having fun.

Soon it was time for Sanji to end his shift and leave so he breaks out as soon as the clock ticked eleven thirty and Zeff could see nothing but the dust after him.

He was running so fast that it didn't take more than ten minutes to be standing in front of his apartment door all sweaty and panting for breath. Damn, he should quit smoking.

That aside, He opens the door and he's greeted with the Aki sitting on the ground in the living room, burying his face in his hand on the couch, clearly crying.

"Aki!" Sanji rushes to his little brother side. Crouching beside the boy. He didn't see Zoro anywhere in the room. Certainly He didn't just leave Aki alone like this!?

"Sanji!" Aki look up at his brother happily and Sanji tiles his head in confusion. He's not…. crying!?

"Hey, I'm back." He says in his confused state.

"Welcome home~" Aki jumps to his feet and hugs Sanji

"What are you doing? Where is Zoro?"

"We're playing!"

"Playing?" This doesn't help Sanji to understand a bit. "Where is Zoro?"

" Shhhh! Hide and seek." The boy says with a finger to his lips. "I look for Zoro."

"…..Okay." Sanji looks around the room for a certain green head. Not sure how he feels about the man hiding somewhere in his apartment.

"Ready?" Aki calls loudly.

Sanji smiles and whispers to Aki. "I don't think he'll answer, so you should just go and find him."

"Oh." Cooed Aki as if he just realized that. "Here I come!" He calls again.

Sanji just gets up and after Aki to see the end of this. The moss-head wasn't in the living room obviously and the apartment was quite big so he actually have a lot of places his could hide in. Alright Aki. Do your best and find the big baby.

Aki leaves the living and into the closest bedroom to it. Sanji's bedroom. He'd better not be hiding there. Sanji thinks, following Aki. Not here.

Aki grumbles something under his breath though, looks like he was he was going to find the moos-head here. Don't mind, Aki. Sanji cheers for him mentally.

Next is Aki's bedroom. No sign for moss. "Eeeeeh?!" Akis lets out as he runs to the bathroom between their rooms and doesn't find him there either. He seems at loss now and Sanji had to stifle a laugh when Aki looks up at him with big eyes.

"There's still one place we didn't look." Sanji says in a whisper, pointing to the kitchen.

Aki's eyes opened wider if possible before he runs to the kitchen and yells at the top of his lungs. "I FOUND YOU." Sanji chuckles as he walks into the kitchen to see Aki clinging to Zoro's leg like he wasn't so scared of him this morning. Sanji feels like pouting at that, but he's not a kid and HE'S DEFINITELY NOT JEALOUS OF THAT.

Zoro, however looks surprised as Sanji walks in, apparently he didn't hear him when got home. "You're home!"

"Yeah," Sanji smiles. "For a while now, I had to look for you with Aki." He laughs softly when he sees a flash of pink on the other's cheeks. Yep, Sanji's more than glad at catching the man playing hide and seek now.

"Yeaah, well." Zoro saying scratching the back of his neck. "He got all energetic after breakfast and wanted to play all kind of games…"

"Sure." Sanji sneers. He didn't really mean anything by that. He just wanted to tease the other.

"It's ture! Ask him!" Zoro says his face getting redder.

"True, true!" Aki repeats.

"…" Well someone had made a friend! Sanji averts his gaze from Zoro's face to Aki, who's still clinging to Zoro. It really bothered him that Aki got attached to the man in such short notice. He doesn't say anything thought, Just walks out to the living room with a small pout on his lips.

Zoro follows after him with Aki behind him. "I should get going then." He announce lazily.

Sanji looks at him over his shoulder but Aki manages to answer before Sanji does. "NOO!" The boy yells and clings to Zoro's leg tightly.

Sanji wants to protest but he didn't want to sound rude either. He doesn't even know if the man had slept at all. He seemed tired and troubled. And Aki getting too attached to the man is another thing! What's with that? Aki didn't get that attached to him when he first came from France last week!

He doesn't like that at all.

"Come on, buddy. Your brother is here so I have no reason to be." Zoro says causing Sanji's scowl to grow even more. These two acting like he's un-fucking-wanted.

"Aki…" Sanji says barely audible.

"Noooo." Aki objects with teary eyes.

Sanji hates that look and never wants to see it on Aki's face. He sighs heavily and runs a hand through his hair. Aki has the stronger hand in everything now it seems.

"Why don't you stay for lunch?"

"I really have―!" Zoro says but Sanji cuts him short. "Come on it's the least I could do to repay you."

"But I didn't do that to get anything in return. I just helped a neighbor out."

"Yeah, still. Can you leave with him giving that look though?" Sanji insists, pointing at the little boy clinging to Zoro's leg.

"I guess not." Zoro smiles in defeat as he looks down at the boy. "I'll stay for a little while then."

Aki looks more than ecstatic at his victory over the two men. He tugs at Zoro's pants and pulling him towards the living room.

Sanji only sighs as he shrugs his coat off his shoulders and hangs it up on the coat rack by the door. It wasn't like he can't stand the man or anything. On the contrary! Plus he's more than happy to feed people. It's just that―Aki didn't greet him when he walked like he'd expected. Argh, whatever. He pushes all grumpy thoughts away as he makes his way to the kitchen. It won't get him anywhere anyways. He's not even jealous or anything.

"Alright~!" He says rolling up his sleeves as he decided that today's lunch will be seafood pasta. Aki's favorite just as it's Sanji's favorite. Hah. Beat that moss-head. He thought as he started taking out the ingredients and placing a frying pan on the stove. "Ah."

He quickly peeks from around the kitchen door at the other's in the living room. "Hey, Mos―uh Zoro. Do you have any food allergies?" He says quickly covering up what almost slipped his lips.

Zoro looks from the drawing Aki on the coffee table. "None." He says.

"Alright." Sanji says as goes back in the kitchen.

He starts with cutting the vegetables. He's too focused on his task as made sure to cut in the right size. He'd never make a mistake in cooking but he wouldn't risk it and end up with a choking Aki. Nope. Better be careful that sorry. And so he doesn't notice when the moss-head― Zoro, walks into the kitchen and stands behind him. "Do you need any help?"

"GAH!" Sanji jumps slightly at the closeness of the man's voice. He turns to face him and glares at him.

"Don't sneak up on me like that! It's dangerous!" Sanji says gesturing to the knife in his hand.

"Sorry." Zoro chuckles.

"Yeah, yeah." Sanji grumbles to himself. "And no. cooking the last thing that I'd need help with." He says before turning to his chopping. He places another pot filled with water to boil for the pasta later.

He can still feel the man's presence behind him and can't help but to feel the need to impress him. Alright. brace yourself for the magic show moss-head. Sanji thought smugly as moved ever so slightly so the man can see what he's doing.

He lets out a breathe to relax and starts moving his hands with elegance and speed. The ingredients seem to fall apart before him with little more than a flick of his wrist before they were tossed into the steaming pan. He glances over behind his golden hair at the man to see his face.

He seems transfixed and watching his hands intently. Sanji smirks and feels his chest swells with―something…. he's never felt before. What's this feeling? It's actually rather nice and fuzzy and warm. It's like when Aki was born… Althought that was the happiest moment of his life, it brings some toher memories that he'd tried to bury long ago. In his distracted state though, he accidently bumps the handle of the boiling water pot with his hip and knocks it overand he caught the falling pot with both his hands out of reflex before it hit the floor.

"Watch―" Zoro says but it's too late. He's already caught it. a sharp pain in his hands makes him curse his stupid fast reflexes and he drops the damn thing.

"Shit, shit, shit. Fuck." Not my hands! The cook starts to panic as he looks around for something. Anything to put on his hands.

A warm hand grabs his wrist and pulls him over to the sink.

"Calm down." Zoro's says in gentle tone as he moves Sanji's hands under the tab. "It doesn't look bad." He says again in the voice as Aki rushes into the kitchen to see what's going on.

"Sanji?!" He looks at them with wide eyes.

Sanji swallows hard and tries to contain the fluttering in his stomach. He doesn't know if he's just feeling sick from his hands or something else from the gentle touch and that voice.

"I'm―It's nothing Aki. I just dropped the pan." He says with a trembling voice. "Don't slip on the hot water."

"You should've let me help you." Zoro says casually And that causes the cook to harshly pull his hands away from the man. "I told you I didn't need it!" He tries to glare but the pain in his hand is making it hard to do so.

"This wouldn't have happened if you did."

"This doesn't usually happen, okay! I'm more careful…Argh, wait till the old man hears about it! I can't work like this!" He bring a hand up in an attempt to face-palms but he miserably fails as it stings with pain. "Ow!"

"Who's this old man?" Zoro asks as he tries to surpass a laugh. Damn bastard is enjoying this.

"Dad." Aki cuts in happily and Sanji flinches at that.

"Oh, what's that got to do with your hands?" The moss-head asks. Again.

"Well, he's my boss and I just started working last week! He'll not be pleased by this." Sanji grumbles.

"What do you do anyway?"

"I'm a chef." Sanji says, annoyed. Seriously it's not the time.

"Ohh, that explains.." Zoro cooed in understanding. "Do you have a first aid kit?"

Sanji ignores the fist pat though and tries to open a cupboard with his elbow. "Here."

Zoro gets the first aid kit and tells the cook to sit down on the chair by the table. Sanji huffs and walks out to sit down on the couch instead cause fuck moss-head he doesn't take orders from now one…. Except Zeff.

Zoro and Aki follows the fuming cook into the living room, Aki rushes to his brother side and looks at his hands worriedly. "Does it hurt?" He asks.

"He's not crying isn't he?" Zoro says as he sits on the floor with the first aid kit besides him in front of the cook.

Sanji glares at the man. "Of course I'm not! It's nothing!" He answers Aki. To Sanji's surprise, Aki takes one of his injured hands in his and holds it to his heart.

Zoro and Sanji looks at him with confusion written all over their faces. Zoro turns to Sanji and he just shrugs. Honestly, he has no idea what the boy is doing.

Aki lets go of his hand and does the same to the other. "What are you doing, Aki?" Sanji just couldn't help but to ask.

"It's a charm." He smiles up at the older blond. "Dad told me if I do this and wish with my heart the pain will go away."

"Ohh" Zoro and Sanji said in unison and Sanji tries his best not to 'Aww' too loud at how adorable that is. Oh boy, Sanji can't wait to tease the old man about that. He actually turned soft. Sanji thought while Zoro is applying an ointment on the burned hands.

He looks over at the man and watches silently. Way to impress him with cooking huh? I just got him to fix my hands now. Adding to what he's already done for me today. I just keep dumping troubles wherever I go, huh.

"Sorry." Sanji said the word before realizing.

"What are you apologizing for?" He says without looking up from rubbing the ointment on Sanji's hand. It's feeling really nice now and he wants the man to keep doing it forever.

"I caused you nothing but troubles today and we just only met." He says watching Zoro's fingers as he swiftly wraps his hand in gauze. That brings a sore feeling in his chest. It's like the man is used to doing this.

"Do you see me complaining?" Zoro remarks as he pats Sanji's hand and starts with the other.

"No, but still…"

"Then don't." Zoro smirks as he presses a little too hard on the injured hand.

"Ow!" Sanji tires to pull his hand from the asshole but he's got him in a vice grip.

Aki, who's still there and watching the two in silence, jumps at the green haired man and starts to kick him. "Don't hurt Sanji!"

"Oi, Hey, calm down I'm not hurting him." Zoro says to the flailing boy.

Sanji grins at that but leans over and pulls the flailing boy onto his lap with his free hand. "Good job, Aki. You protected me from the moss monster." He chirps happily.

Aki copies his brother grin and points at Zoro. "Moss monster."

"OI." The moss monster growls at them. "Don't push your luck, both of you." He says as his lips turned up in small smile that made Sanji's heart flip around in his chest.

When Zoro finished wrapping Sanji's other hand, he pats it gently. "I don't think it'd get worse but if id it did you should go to the hospital."

"It's not that bad. Thanks." Sanji says. "Oh, and about lunch…"

"Don't worry about it. I think I can make some sandwiches if you'd let me?"

"Wh―I wouldn't―"

"You can't cook with your hands like that. Unless you want to starve with your brother then. That's that."

"No! I was thinking of calling my old man to tell him to get us something. Since I really have to call him and tell him that I won't be able to work tomorrow."

"Are you seriously going to tell your old man to get all the way here to bring you food? Isn't that just cruel?"

"Cruel my ass! He can do shit better than me and you." Sanji says and clasps a hand over his mouth as he realized that he said a bad word in front of Aki. He looks over at the boy and Aki is looking back at him with wide eyes screaming that he caught that. Shit. He should be more careful with his language and his HANDS DAMMIT.

"Alright. I get it you can make whatever you want. But I'm warning make a mess of my kitchen and I'll kill you!" Aki gasps by his said and Sanji kicks himself mentally.

"Roger~!" Zoro as he makes his way to the kitchen with Aki on his tail.

TBC