Kiza: Hi guys! here's chapter 7 please R & R! love you!


"GOD DAMN IT! LET ME GO!" Zoro roared in anger, it took all of Ace's and Usopp's strength to keep the first mate in place as Chopper and Robin once again strapped Sanji to that damn machine of theirs. This was the third time this week and he was growing sick of it.

"No way! Zoro this has to be done. There's only one way to find out whether or not this could work! Please calm down! Just a few more minutes and you can take him away to the Crow's nest!" Usopp tried to reason, but the green-haired man growled at him. He was unable to actually harm him thanks to Ace who was holding his arms down while the sniper worked on tying his wrist and feet together.

"I swear to god, if you don't let me go…I'll cut you to pieces! Then you'll have a real reason for fearing me Usopp! And you, Ace, who are you to meddle with our crew's affairs!?" Zoro growled as he struggled against the pesky ropes.

"I'm your captain's brother, and Sanji is a friend of mine too Zoro." Ace retorted looking up at the door to the medical ward as it opened. Chopper stopped and stared at the three men in confusion. "He was going to stop you again." The doctor nodded. "How is he?"

"Sleeping. He passed out. We have to restart again after he wakes up. And then we-"

"HELL NO!" Zoro screamed as he manages to rip the ropes and run into the room, shocking the others as they watched him walk out of the room clutching Sanji close to his chest. "I swear you people are trying to kill him!" with that, he stalked out of the galley and up to the crow's nest, which had become Sanji's hideout since the treatment started.

"Zoro has become more protective of our cook hasn't he?" Robin observed, Ace nodding with a small smile. If Zoro kept this up, maybe he would finally be able to tell the blond that he liked him. But Ace couldn't be sure. There could be a draw back.

Zoro sighed in relief as he sat down with the cook on his lap. This had become a routine for him and Sanji. And honestly, he didn't mind doing this three times a week, it allowed him to bond with the cook. And over the period of time, he had learned things about the cook that he never knew, such as, one, the cook had a soft spot for kids. He loved them, he would actually make a good father. Two; he actually enjoyed cuddling with people. Affection was something he fed off of. Thus the reason why he acted the way he does with women. Three; he had a fear for thunder storms since the day he had first met Zeff. A trauma from when he had lost his first family to violent storm as a child.

"Z-Zoro…" Looking down, the swordsman let the blond pull away slightly. "S-sorry…this happens three times a week…it must be getting annoying." Much to his shock, the man shook his head.

"No. I've actually gotten used to it. How are you feeling?" he asked, Sanji winced, looking down at his leg, he could see the bruises getting worse causing him to groan in annoyance. Zoro snorted slightly. He couldn't help but think it was cute when the blond would pout like that. Reaching over, he ruffled the male's silk like golden locks of hair. This cause Sanji to gently push his hand away, but, no further protest as Zoro begins to gently run his hand through his hair, causing the cook to close his eyes and relax.

"Better now that I'm away from that place…Zoro, think you can get someone else to cook dinner? I'm exhausted." The green-haired man nodded, of course the male would be. After having to go through that treatment twice now in one week anyone would be tired.

"Sure shitty-cook. No problem."

"Do you want me to kick your ass?" Sanji growled, of course, he knew that he wasn't going to get an answer from the swordsman. And he knew why. Now a days there would be no way he would stand a chance against the other male. He had no way of fighting him anymore.

"Hey," Zoro called, gently wiping away the tears that where falling from the blond's face. Sanji looked up at him. "No matter what I have to do…I'll make sure to find a less painful way to fix you up…I promise…" Sanji nodded as he let the bigger male pull him into a hug. These moments have also become more recent, it actually became a thing to do, whenever the blond would begin to doubt his chance of recovering, Zoro would always (even if it was awkward for them both) hold him close. Patiently waiting until he had calmed down. In reality, they were actually starting to get along.

"I don't want to do tomorrow's treatment…I'm sick of it, and it doesn't feel like it's working…there's just no point in trying anymore." Sanji mumbled, Zoro remained quite. "On the next island, there's something I need to tell everyone."

"Which is?"

"You'll have to wait moss-for brains."

"I'll cut you. Say that again." Zoro dared, causing Sanji to chuckle and push the taller male to the floor as he proceeds to sit on his back. Zoro grunts but makes no attempt to move the blond, plus he wasn't going to risk being too rough with him and hurting his leg further. "Comfortable?"

"Oh very much so." Sanji said with a smile, an actual genuine smile that caused Zoro to smirk. At times the cook would have his good and bad days. But, normally he would have bad days, which in turn would cause Ace to tell the green-haired man to go and cheer him up. "Hey…I wanted to ask you something…"

"Go ahead."

"What…or what I mean to say is, who do….you know what, never mind." Zoro looked up at the blond.

"What? Just say it."

"No it was nothing." The swordsman growled.

"No it wasn't 'nothing.' It has to be something." Sanji shook his head negatively as he got off of the man's back and laid down next to him. Absent mindedly toying with the gold earrings Zoro had. "Oi, Shit cook."

"It will become something when I decide to say it's something." Zoro rolled his eyes but didn't further question him. He wasn't going to if the cook really didn't want to tell him. Sanji sighed as the two men laid on the wooden floor in compete silence. The only sound being from the waves of the ocean and the creaking of wood from Merry. It was relaxing. He felt at peace with everything around him. Looking over at Zoro he could see that the man had his eyes closed, but wasn't sleeping.

A frown formed on his face. He was happy that he and Zoro were getting along better, but he knew it was only because the other male felt sorry from him. It was out of pure pity and he hated it.

"If only it wasn't out of pity." Sanji mused un-knowingly out loud causing Zoro to look at him.

"What?" he asked, Sanji looked at him then away from him.

"If only you being nice wasn't out of pity, maybe I could actually believe that we could get along." Sanji stated plainly. This caused Zoro to look at him with shock.

Pity? He thought him being nice to him was out of pity, the taller male scowled at him.

"Pity!? I'm not doing any of this out of pity! I'm doing it becase-"

"Because it's your job as first mate? Oh yeah, that sure shoots my self-esteem right through the clouds." Sanji cut in, now Zoro was standing up and glaring at the blond. "I'm not an idiot Zoro. People like you who have hated since the day we met, just don't suddenly start being kind hearted to each other overnight." Zoro by this time, was out right angry. How can this damn cook even think of that!

"Okay, you know what? Your right, it is out of pity. Your sorry ass can't seem to keep yourself out of a damn depression. And all because of your damn leg. You're a sorry excuse for a man and a pirate."

"I'm a sorry excuse for a Pirate!? At least I don't get lost! I'm far more useful to this damn crew than YOU are!" Zoro smirks.

"Oh really? Besides cooking, what can a cripple like you do?" Sanji was shocked into silence, suddenly he got up and walked down from the crow's nest not saying a damn word. "Maybe Luffy should just get rid of you. You'll just get in the way!" Sanji growled as he limped right past Nami and Robin who had heard the whole argument, he wasn't going to deal with anyone right now, not even the girls. He needed to be alone right now, whatever friendship he had built with Zoro had just went to hell.

Once reaching his room, the cook fell face first into his pillow and started to cry. Maybe Zoro was right, maybe Luffy should just get rid of him. He wasn't any use to him anymore. What good was he if he was just going to be the chef? He had fought alongside them for a while, and now only to be restricted to a Chef on the ship? He didn't like that. It hurt to hear Zoro say all of that. It honestly did, he was really hoping maybe he was going to finally be able to tell him his actual feelings for him, but…after that, no. There was no way in hell.

Ace sighed, he was lying down on the deck enjoying the nice day, next thing he knew, Nami was standing over him with a worried look on her face. The look automatically set him on edge and he immediately stood up.

"What's wrong? Did something happen?" he questioned, she nodded. "What?"

"Sanji." Hearing the blond's name leave her mouth made him groan. What did that Idiot Zoro do this time!?

"What happened?" she frowned in annoyance.

"He and Zoro had a pretty bad fight…not physical, but still a verbal fight….and Zoro said some pretty heartless things." Ace growled as he stomped past her and looked around the deck until his eyes fall on the swordsman, walking up to him, he tapped the younger male's shoulder.

"What?" Zoro grunted turning around, next thing he knew, Ace's fist met his face causing him to fall to the ground. "What the fuck!? Are your trying to pick a fight!?" Ace scowled as small sparks of fire come from his fingertips.

"What the fuck did you say to Sanji!?" he yelled, Zoro got up and glared angrily at the Logia.

"That is none of your fucking concern. What happened between us doesn't matter to anyone else."

"It does when he starts crying his eyes out, and locks himself in his room." Nami cut in angrily, that caused the fire user to growl again and turn heel and walk away to the galley to see if he could ease Sanji into opening the door. God only knew what that idiot of a first mate said to cause his cook to lock himself in the room.

Once reaching the room he walked up and knocked.

"Go away!" Ace's frown deepening, he sounded so broken. He knocked again. "I said go away! I don't want to talk to anyone!"

"Not even if it's me?" Ace asked in his calmest voice, he could hear something hit the door causing him to back away from it, looking closely he could see the point of a knife sticking out. Why the hell did he keep knifes with him!? "Hey…Sanji open the door please."

"No! !" Sanji yelled angrily, rolling onto his side, his back facing the door as he curled into a ball and let out a sob. He hated everything and everyone right now. He didn't want to talk to anyone, or see anyone. Right now, he just wanted to be alone. He could hear Ace's footsteps as he walked away from the door.

He couldn't wait to get to the next island. Maybe there, he could finally get away from everything.