Zoro watched the silhouette of the blonde cook disappear into the streets at a fast pace like there was some kind of emergency. Funny. He didn't even know Sanji was in the dojo, the blonde hasn't been in for a while.

Zoro shook his head. Whatever. He had more pressing matters to deal with.

Love was something Zoro believes he would never find, or have for that matter. To behonest he didn't really give a crap about it. Until this mystery man came strutting into his life. For some reason, deep down in the depths of his heart, he couldn't get the feeling out that this guy was far more important to him then he realized. He knew he felt this feeling somewhere before, but he always ignored it and pushed it to the back of his mind. He never really paid any attention to this kind of stuff. Until now.

He always knew he wanted to be the world greatest swordsman. To keep his promise to Kuina. Yes this was his dream, his goal. He knew earning that title would be the biggest achievement in his life, and would have fufilled his promise to his sister.

But that was just a mere title.

He never thought of what he would do after he would achieve his dream. To settle down and have a life of peace with someone thay would make his heart happy. Make him feel whole, complete. Content.

Then he remembered his mystery man. He remembered the words that were said. The kiss that was given. Those beautiful blue eyes that were as bright, wide, and blue as the sea. Zoro cursed himself for not noticing who would have blue eyes around him.

He needed to find this guy. His mystery man.

Zoro groaned and moved away from his window to fall down in his bed. tthis was gonna be difficult. But he was determined to find this guy.

You were always looking, but you were never really seeing me the way I always see you.

Zoro sighed placing his arm over his eyes. That was the glue that was probably going to put this whole thing together. He was always looking at people. This guy made it seem they interacted with each other daily, and judging by the way he knew how Zoro was, and how he acted. They probably did.

He was so distracted by his thoughts he didn't even hear his bedroom door open, until he felt another weight on his bed. He only looked up just to see a grinning freckled face idiot sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Hey Ace." He said placing his arm back to resting over his eyes.

Ace grinned. "Stiill thinking about him?" Zoro scowles and that obly confirmes what he just said. "So let me get this straight. This guy just comes out of the blue, tells you he loves you, and then just leaves never to be seen again?"

Zoro nodded. "Pretty much."

"Well isn't he some prince charming." Ace grinned. "With my help it might be easy to track him down."

"Are you kidding me?" Zoro threw his arms up in the air. "Unless you haven't noticed Grand Line City is huge." Zoro held his arms apart to prove his point. "He could be anywhere in the city or worse." He let his next words come out as a whisper. "He could've left."

Ace just stares blankly at his idiot of a friend. It was obvious Zoro was serious about finding this guy. The determination in his eyes were the big give away. He only ever saw that determination when he was either training, or sparing with a certain blonde.

Zoro turned his head to the side. He decided to start his search tomorrow, hoping that he could have some idea on where to start.

XXX

By the time Sanji finally made it home, Chopper and Usopp were waiting for him outside by his apartment door. Letting them in, he decided to make warm tea, while his friends sat at the table reminiscing what Sanji had just told them.

"So?" Chopper broke the silence. "Zoro really does what to find you after all." The young teen just smiled. "That's great Sanji!"

Placing the teas right in front of them, Sanji took his seat scowling.

"Yeah its great." His voice sarcastic while taking a drink of his tea. "Until he finds out it was me."

"But Sanji I thought you wanted him to find out it was you?" Usopp said him too taking a sip of his freshly brewed tea.

"I did." Sanji nodded. "But, now that I did, and he still doesn't know who I am, I'm afraid of the consequences."

Chopper tilted his head. "Consequences?"

Sanji took out a smoke and lit, blowing out a stream of smoke. "The consequences of getting rejected."

"Sanji." Usopp said. "Weren't you willing to take those consequences when you started this whole plan?"

Chopper nodded. "Yeah, and besides you never know if Zoro is gonna reject, not unless you try, these things could go either way."

Sanji blew out a long stream of smoke before tapping the butt of the cigarette and letting the ashes fall in the tray.

"Thanks guys, but I think you're missing the bigger picture." Sanji huffed. "All the marimo has to do is take one scolwing look at me and were immediately fighting like were the worst enemies in the world."

The two teens sighed as they watch Sanji stub his cigarette in the ash tray, taking out another smoke and lighting it before leaning back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest and pouting like a spoiled child. For these two idiots who were about to be 20 years old, they sure acted like a couple of little kids. The young teens made a mental note that if they ever fall in love, they were gonna approach the situation the right and more sensible way.

"You know." Usopp shrugged his shoulder. "At the end of the night, Zoro still fell in love with you."

Sanji snorted. "No he fell in love with his mystery man." Sanji added on the quotation mark gestures.

"Which was still you." Usopp groaned frustrated rubbing at his temple. "Honestly. The way that I see it, is if you and Zoro actually took the time to understand each other, and act like the childhood best friends that you are, then everything could have probably turned out differently." Usopp explained. "Like i said, at the end of the night he still fell in love with you. Yes you were wearing a mask, but you were expressing your true self, and if Zoro really got to see that side and understand, instead of acting like an asshole all the time, along with having your stupid pride, everything would be different."

"You two already have a bond Sanji." Chopper spoke up. "A bond that goes beyond anything. Do you really think Zoro is stupid enough to not feel that connection?"

Sanji shook his head. "The connection we feel is completely different. He sees it as a brotherly/friend/rival bond, thebond that I see goes beyond friendship and brotherly feels."

"Well." Chopper said. "Its like what Usopp said, maybe if you two would stop fighting and for once have a real conversation, then maybe Zoro would see you in a different light."

Sanji wanted to believe that. He really did, but his insecurity conscious was telling him otherwise. His heart was saying one thing and his mind was saying another. As much as he did want Zoro to know it was really him behind the mask that fear of rejection was eating him up eveytime. The thought of never speaking to Zoro again crossed his mind, and as tempting as it was, he didn't have the heart to do it. He was really in a tight dilemma now.

XXX

The Baratie was packed on Monday, and for the first time Sanji was very pleased with that. Busy restaurant meant busy meals, and that meant concentration and being distracted and cooking nonstop, stripping everything from his mind. Especially green haired marimos.

Right now he finishing making two fresh plates of food, and once he was done he turned to the waiter so he could take the plates to the customers.

"Sorry Sanji." The waited shook his head holding up a handful of plates. "I'm pretty packed right now. Can you take them for me?"

Sanji shrugged. "Yeah no problem. Table 5 right?"

The waiter nodded and Sanji grabbed the two plates and walked out if the kitchen to the table to see who he was serving today. Hopefully some beautiful women.

Though when he past those double doors and eyed the table he was walking too. Sanji almost dropped the plates and his eyes widened in shock when he saw the familiar green hair sitting at the said table. With Ace.

Great. He could've sworn he was trying to avoid the idiot yet here he was. Sitting at a table in the restaurant waiting for his food that Sanji had made. Yeah today was his lucky day.

Finding tthe strength to walk again, Sanji took long strides over to the table, while at the same time trying to calm himself and look as neutral as possible.

Both men didn't even notice him until Sanji spoke up.

"Hey shitheads." He said in a calm voice.

He didn't miss Zoro's scowl.

"Sanji!" Ace said happily.

"Just what I needed." Zoro smirked up at the blonde not know his smirk was making Sanji's heart speed up. "A damn curly bdow cook to annoy me."

Sanji's eyebrow twitched, and he immediately forgot what it was he was worried about.

"Damn marimo." Sanji snarled. "Remember who's serving your food here." Sanji gently placed the plates down in front of them.

"Tch..damn curly brow."

"Moss head."

"Shit cook!"

"Shitty swordsman!"

The two scowled at each other and both looked away with an angry pout.

"Hey come on Zoro." Ace said putting his hands up to stop them from arguing and not have any unrequited attention in their hands. "We didn't come here to fight, remember were tying to find your mystery man."

And just like that Sanji's worries cane back in an instant, and his body slightly tensed up. Great here it comes. He could feel his heart beating loudly.

Sanji tried to keep his face impassive. "What?" He questioned curiously, while at the same time trying to make it seem like he had no idea what the older D brother was talking about.

Ace hummed. "Oh that's right." Ace grinned. "Zoro said you weren't there. Well Saturday at the ball, Zoro met this mystery guy who pronounced his love to him."

"His love?" Sanji said in a casual tone, but on the inside he was a nervous wreck.

"Yeah but then he ran off." Ace chuckled. "Stupid Zoro doesn't even get to see his face, but doesn't matter, because now Zoro is determine to find out who he is."

Sanji just wish Ace would stop talking, because his heart was almost about to beat out of his chest.

"Maybe there's a reason he left." Sanji said.

Zoro snorted. "Like Ace said doesn't matter."

"Well maybe he doesn't want to be found." Sanji pressed on.

Both men looked at the blonde. "You have no idea what your talking about curly."

"No you're the one that has no clue!" Sanji snarled pointing a finger at Zoro. "Have you ever stop to consider that maybe he doesn't want to be found, have you stopped to consider what that guys probably feeling right now? No you didn't , because you don't give a rat ass about what other people feel!"

"Well if he doesn't want to be found then why come tell me his feelings in the first place? Is he a coward? Is that why he was hiding behind a mask?!" Zoro argued back.

"Maybe he was hiding behind the mask because he knew you weren't going to accept him when you find out who he really is!"

That ended the whole argument.

Zoro and Ace were just staring at Sanji with wide eyes.

Sanji lit up a smoke just to calm his anger down.

"Whatever. Great to hear about your fantasy love story marimo but I've got work to do." And with that the blonde took off towards the kitchen ignoring the stares people were giving him.

Ace stared off worriedly at the blonde while Zoro just let his eyes linger in the spot where the cook was just standing.

"Well." Ace said awkwardly.

He knew there was no way to lighten the mood. Zoro's face was unreadable, but he knew the anger was all there. For as long as he's known them, he's never seen the two argue like this. Most of their arguements were just small squabbles and pointless fights that had no meaning. But for some reason Ace felt that there were more meaning behind Sanji's words then he let on.

"Zoro?" Ace broke the silence again when he noticed the swordsman eating his food once again. His face was still unreadable, but his eyes told a different story.

"Just leave him." Zoro spoke up finally. "He's probably just cranky because of all the work he's doing."

Ace narrowed his eyes. "That seemed a lot more personal than one of your regular spats." He accused lightly. "You guys have never had an argument like that before, ever for that matter."

"It doesn't matter." Zoro shrugged casually. "He'll get over it."

"I can't believe you're just letting this go so casually." Ace said in disbelief.

Zoro only shrugged. "It doesn't matter."

"No I think it does." Ace fired back making Zoro sigh in annoyance. "Come on, you and Sanji have been best friends, even before me, Luffy, and everyone else came along. You guys know things about each other that not even we know."

"What's your point?" Zoro groaned.

"If you know Sanji like you think you know him, then you would've noticed there was more depth, behind his words. I think he's trying to tell you something here."

"Like what?" Zoro narrowed his eyes.

Ace sighed at his friends stupidity. "Maybe you might be a lot closer to your mystery man then you realize."

When Zoro's face showed confusion, Ace knew he needed to let Zoro figure this out on his own.

Ace wasn't stupid. He had finally put all the pieces together.

Things were about to get alot more interesting.

XXX

When Zeff gave Sanji the ok to start his vacation, Sanji had immediately left without hesitation. It was about to get dark soon and the only thing he wanted was to go to bed and forget about everything that had happened earlier.

He didn't what came over him when he just started to randomly yell at Zoro. He didn't mean to, but he figured what he said was probably from all the frustration he was keeping in. He wanted Zoro to know but then he didn't, because he was afraid, and when Zoro asked if he was- or should he say the mystery man if he was a coward. Sanji just snapoed, and he had almost revealed his secret. Almost.

In a way he was trying to give Zoro some kind of hint that it was him that night at the party and not some other person Zoro might be looking for at the moment. He figured the marimo would know when Sanji was tying to say something, but he seemed he was wrong. But even if the idiot marimo couldn't take a clue that didn't change Sanji's feelings. Nothing would ever change his feelings. He still loved Zoro, forever and always.

He sighed sadly. Walking the way home with his shoulders sagging and his head hung low, with an unit cigarette dangling from his lips.

He felt horrible.

He noticed he was finally coming up to his apartment building, so as quickly as he could he fast walked straight for the door. When he stopped. His face surprised. Ace was leaning against the wall with a serious look on his face. Sanji knew what that meant.

"What are you doing here?" Sanji asked anyways but he was petty sure he already knew why he was here.

"We need to talk."

Damn. Sanji knew he was in for it now.

Sanji just stood there frozen. Great now he was gonna be lectured for being an asshole about Zoro and his true love or whatever.

"Look what I said at the-" but he was cut off by Ace.

"You don't need to explain anything, I already know." Ace said putting his hands up.

Sanji gulped. "Know?"

Ace nodded. "I know that your the guy Zoro has be looking for. Your his mystery man." Ace pointed at him.

Sanji paled more than he already looked. Great, he didn't think about Ace finding out, or understanding his hints that he was trying to give Zoro.

"You don't have to lie either. Zoro may not have seen through your little spat earlier but that doesn't mean I didn't." Ace admitted.

The blonde bowed his head, his hair shadowing over his eyes. His hands clenching into fists at his sides. "Please don't tell him." He said so softly that his words were barely heard, but still was able to reach the other mans ears. Sanji clenched his fists tighter that his nails were digging into his palm.

Ace just stared with a blank expression. "I'm not gonna tell him." He said making the blonde cook look up in surprise.

"Really?" He asked with a sort of relief in his voice.

Ace nodded. "But I think you should."

"No!" Sanji shook his head furiously. "He can't know, if he finds out it was me everything is gonna be ruined, our friendship, our bond, everything!"

"Did you think if that when you were planning on confessing to him?" Ace said in a stern voice that may have sounded to harsh for his own good.

Sanji gritted his teeth. "Yes I did. I did think about the consequences, but I thought everything would go so smoothly that night, but I was wrong." His voice was starting to crack. "I thought everything would just go back to normal, and everything would be forgotten. Then I went to the dojo yesterday and I overheard you guys talking, hearing him say he wanted to find me. I got scared."

Sanji started to shake. He wanted to start crying but he had to hold his composure for just a while longer.

"You think he won't accept you." Ace said as a statement than a question. But Sanji took it as a question and nodded at his friend.

"My actions earlier." Sanji admitted. "The reason I yelled at Zoro the way I did. Was because I was scared, and angry and frustrated."

The two stayed quiet for a while. People passing by without a second glance towards the intense atmosphere that was surrounding them.

Ace sighed and rubbed at his temples. This situation was completely crazy.

"Answer me this." He said getting the blondes attention. "If he does find out. What will you do?"

That was a good question, because even he didn't have the answer.