After leaving the gym, Zoro got lost on the way back to the apartment, to his great dismay. A few loops around the block lead him back to a place where he could see the "SUNNYGO" sign on the building that was home. When he arrived he took a hot shower and thought curiously about the red-headed man he had sparred with. The man had been physically attractive, but Zoro wasn't sure if it was his resemblance to his roommate that captured his appeal, or if he was genuinely interested in Ichiji. He supposed he would find out tonight during whatever the man had planned. Would they go on a date? The fiery stranger didn't seem like the dinner-and-a-movie type. He hoped that something more interesting was planned, it sure sounded like it. Hopefully the man wasn't just implying sex. Not that Zoro was averse to the idea of a healthy romp with someone as attractive as Ichiji, but the swordsman found sex less enjoyable when he didn't have a strong connection to his partner.

When he got out of the shower there was a knock at the door. Zoro opened it, wet and wrapped in a towel, to find Nami standing in an elegant business dress with her tablet in hand.

"Zoro! Put some clothes on." She said with a half-irritated smile.

"Yeah yeah," replied the swordsman, turning and letting the lady in.

While getting dressed Zoro spoke to Nami from his room, "What brings you here?"

"Oh, I just thought I'd check up on you two," she started, "and Sanji invited me over for dinner."

"Right." That lecherous chef. Zoro exited his room in a fresh pair of black slacks and a dark green v-neck.

"So how are things with Sanji? Are you two getting along?"

"Nope." Zoro replied bluntly.

Laughing nervously Nami asked, "Oh come on, it can't be that bad."

"He cooks me dinner, and I wash the dishes and he yells at me."

"Aw, sounds like you're married."

Zoro made a sour face.

"But aren't you lucky to have the renowned five-star chef cooking you dinner every day."

"Yeah. It's just leftovers though," He said modestly, rubbing a hand in his hair.

"But still, he's making you dinner and you both eat together… It's like you guys have a date every night!" Nami teased.

Zoro made another face, He had thought the same himself. And it just so happened that Zoro was terrible at dating, he hadn't been on a single date that didn't end in disaster. He was a bad date, so basically every night with the chef had probably been a bad date, or so he thought.

"You look troubled. What else is going on."

'Women's intuition. Scary.' Zoro thought, searching for the right words to say. "It's just, there are things about him that really irritate me. I mean he's a good guy, but there are some things he does that really bother me."

"Like what?" Nami asked, sipping a glass of water she had gotten herself.

"Like he's," Zoro paused, searching for the right words, "he's really heterosexual."

Nami nearly spit out her water, choking, then laughing, "what?"

Zoro looked at her with uncertainty, "Like, the way he acts around women, it's just ridiculous. Anything in a skirt and he immediately starts to flirt. And he gets offended at everything," Zoro thought back to the night before, how Sanji had been horrified by seeing the swordsman's nakedness. The swordsman didn't hate straight people, not by any means. He himself was bisexual. But he did hate straight people who flaunted their heterosexuality all over the place, and no one was worse than Sanji. He was an insatiable flirt. Every woman he passed, any woman who so much as looked their way, he would fawn over them, dote on them, compliment everything from their hair to their toenail polish.

Nami's face was still red from choking on her water, "Well he certainly does act goofy around women," she agreed, "but he's… you know…" she studied his face for an answer to her dilemma.

Zoro just looked at her quizzically.

"You… don't know?"

"Know what?"

Nami sighed, rubbing the back of her neck at the awkward situation, "It's really not my place to say. Why don't you bring it up when he comes home, tell him you think he's too heterosxual," she laughed at the thought of Sanji's reaction. Because Sanji was about as non-heterosexual as they come.

Zoro made a face, that was absolutely not a conversation he wanted to have with his roommate. He decided to change the conversation, "So why are you really here?"

Nami grinned. The man had good intuition. "Well Sanji had a very important job today, and he's gonna tell me all the juicy details. Plus we need to talk about some plans for expanding the restaurant, and, there was one more thing… What was it…I forgot!" she laughed, having genuinely forgotten.

"What kind of job?" Zoro asked.

"Some big-shots, and from the sound of it, seriously big movers and shakers got together and had Sanji cater a fancy dinner party. I think something big is going down, and whatever it is, we need to be prepared." Nami had a serious look on her face.

Zoro ginned dangerously, cracking his knuckles, "Sounds like things are about to get interesting."

Nami laughed nervously, "Don't make such a scary face!"

"Sorry, got excited," the swordsman laughed. He glanced over at the clock and noticed it was 8:50. "Oh, I have to go," he said, standing.

"Go? What, you have a date or something?" Nami joked teasingly.

Zoro looked at her, grinning, and simple shrugged before leaving the apartment.

"Wait! Zoro! You have a date? Are you serious?! Tell me more!" She called after the man.

When the elevator opened in the hallway the swordsman came face-to-face with his roommate who must have just gotten home from work.

"Zoro?"

"Chef."

They exchanged nods and walked past each other awkwardly.

When Sanji came to his room he was delighted to find Nami waiting for him. "Nami! I hope I didn't make you wait. Can I get you anything to drink? Tea? A cocktail?"

"A cocktail would be wonderful, thank you," Nami replied smiling, "I was just here with Zoro, he's a terrible host, I had to get my own water!"

"The brute" Sanji laughed, sounded about right. "Where'd he go anyway, he's usually home for dinner."

Nami grinned wickedly, "It seems like he has a date."

Sanji couldn't stop his smile from faltering. Something in his stomach clenched and his heart fell. Nami noticed this and her expression changed to one of surprise, then understanding. In that one moment she was able to put the puzzle pieces together.

"Sanji," she said softly.

Looking up with his bright smile plastered back on his face, Sanji laughed, "what? Zoro on a date? I feel bad for the girl!"

Nami noted Sanji's assumption that the swordsman was straight. She wondered if it was her place to correct him, but decided against it. It was her general policy not to out people, regardless of the circumstances. The chef seemed unwilling to talk about his feelings so she let it go, for now, saving it for a later conversation, possibly one with more alcohol.

"So tell me about your dinner party," she started, getting down to business. "Who was there?"


Ichiji arrived in an extraordinarily shiny red sports car.

"Hop in," the man said with a smirk when he pulled up to the curb.

Zoro obliged eagerly, sliding into the front seat of the powerful vehicle. The interior of the car had warm red lights and a digital dashboard that made him feel like he was inside a space ship flying through the night. "So where we going?"

"You'll see," the red-head replied deviously, glancing at Zoro and offering a sly grin and a wink, "I have a feeling you're going to love it."

The car pulled up to what appeared to be a busy club. Zoro was apprehensive as he hated dance clubs, hated the crowds of people, hated the dancing and the loud music, and hated the obligatory socialization and flirtation that always ensued.

"What is this…" He asked skeptically.

"Don't worry, it's not what you think." Ichiji reassured.

There was a long line of people wrapped around the club but the red haired man walked right up to the bouncer and showed him some kind of card. The bouncer nodded and said, "right this way Mr. Vinsmoke," permitting the pair to enter. They walked down a short hallway which lead to descending stairs that grew louder and darker as they went down. Ichiji walked in front of Zoro, and when he reached a large set of double doors he glanced back at his date with a wild look in his eyes and pushed the doors open.

Zoro's senses were flooded with pounding music, neon lights, and the smell of sweaty bodies. But there was something else, the unmistakable scent of dried blood lingered in the air. He looked at the red haired man in front of him curiously, what exactly was this place? At first glance, it looked like a strip club, with elevated platforms with cages and poles for dancing. Two women stood in one of these cages, but they were not dancers, no, they were fighting. Zoro's eyes lit up with understanding as the two of them travelled deeper into the space. They pushed past the crowd until they hit a metal railing, and beyond the railing was a lowered pit, about the size of a boxing ring, perhaps a bit larger. The swordsman's face was now painted with an excited grin as he looked up at his partner.

Ichiji looked over at him with the same dangerous expression, then leaned in and shouted loudly into his ear over the music, "I knew you'd like this place. You can't fight tonight since you're new, but I signed us both up for tomorrow"

"Awesome. Are you fighting tonight?"

"Sure am, are you gonna root for me?"

"Only if you're good."
Ichiji let out a rowdy laugh that vanished into the sounds of the club, slapping Zoro on the back, then pulling him away from the ring and towards a raised seating area. A small section with plush leather benches was tied off and the red-headed man stepped up to his table, offering Zoro a seat on the bench. Soon a young woman arrived with menus to take their drink order.

"What do you want?" Ichiji asked, "Don't hold back."

"Don't regret it," Zoro smirked, "Do they have sake?"

"We have everything," the cocktail waitress said with a smile.

A bell rang and a booming voice could be heard over the speakers "How are we all doing tonight? Who's ready to see some blood?!"

The crowd cheered and Zoro smirked at the sinister announcement. Their drinks came shortly and Zoro sucked down a bottle of sake to bring his alcohol level up to match his adrenaline. The red head watched him in amusement, glad his date was enjoying the night so far, and downed a glass of red wine.

The announcer introduced the first fighters of the night as they walked out into the fighting pit from the wings in the back. One man was tall and lean, walking out casually. On the opposite side of the pit, a heavily muscled man stomped out, beating his chest and roaring which riled up the crowd even more.

"Who's gonna win?" Ichiji asked, leaning into Zoro's ear.

The swordsman smirked, the average person wouldn't be able to make such a prediction without first seeing them fight, but Zoro was not the average person, and he studied the fighters, their gait, their composure. "Clearly the big guy is quite emotional. He's focused on himself. Despite his size he could be very agile, but I can already see that he favors his right side side. His center of balance is low which is to his advantage, but he doesn't know how to stand. The skinny guy, he's hard to read, which already tells me he's experienced and had good control of his body. He's calm, level headed, he's analyzing his opponent. I would bet on the skinny guy, but that being said, if he's weak there's only so much he can do against an overpowering opponent."

Ichiji grinned, "Good analysis. I happen to know that The skinny guy has won his past few fights against much larger opponents, so," he turned towards the waitress who was back at their table with more drinks, "put me down for five on the little guy."

The waitress smiled and confirmed by showing "five" on her fingers.

"Five what?"

"Thousand," the Vinsmoke heir smirked.

Zoro muttered a "damn" under his breath. Rich people. The swordsman preferred the thrill of fighting over the thrill of betting money he didn't have.

The men in the pit fought, and for a while they appeared evenly matched, until the larger man began showing signs of weariness. That was the turning point, and the smaller man suddenly rounded on his opponent with strength and agility that he had been reserving until that point. The match was over in a flash and the large man lay face down in the pit, heaving heavily.

"Good call," Ichiji muttered into Zoro's ear, lingering with a breath on his date's neck, sending a chill down Zoro's spine. Both of their bodies were coursing with adrenaline and alcohol, and the red haired man found himself very excited by the scene of the men fighting below. The swordsman didn't find watching fights to be particularly arousing, but he could sense the energy coming off the man next to him in waves, he could sense that the man wanted him. This in itself was highly erotic.

As the next pair of fighters entered the pit, Zoro watched them beat each other up with his date breathing on his neck, lips a hair's breadth away, ghosting up and down the swordsman's muscular neck. Ichiji was also watching the fight with barely contained excitement, holding himself back from devouring the his alluring date. In the pit below a larger man threw a decisive blow, smashing his opponent square in the jaw sending blood splattering across the stage. The lips at Zoro's neck turned to teeth biting down suddenly, making him gasp in surprise and sending a jolt of electricity from his neck to his groin. The fight ended and Zoro's date was all but feeding on the muscles around his throat. Ichiji could feel the vibration of Zoro groaning on his lips which only made him mouth at the skin more hungrily. He slid a daring hand onto Zoro's knee and onto his thigh, feeling the muscle tense under the slacks.

"Relax," the red-head growled lustily into the swordsman's ear.

Zoro wouldn't be surprised if the man intended to stroke him off right there in the club in the middle of the fight. The prospect was both exciting and terrible. His body was responding to the touching and kissing but his mind was hesitant, he wasn't sure he wanted this, not yet, not here, not him.

The waitress came back to the table and stood awkwardly, noticing her, Zoro pushed his partner away and gestured towards her. The girl leaned in to speak to the red-head, "Mr. Vinsmoke, you're up next."

A sinister smile crooked the man's face as he looked back at Zoro, "root for me," he winked.

Zoro smiled, but in all honesty he was lost in a whirlwind of feelings. He was secretly glad the woman had come for Ichiji, he didn't want things to go any further with him, everything was just going too fast for his liking. He didn't know this guy well enough to be making out with him in public. Since when was Zoro the kind of guy who kissed in the club. He shook his head at himself. From the booth he had a good vantage point to watch the fights. Currently a man and a woman were fighting, and Zoro was pleased to see that the fight club was mixed-gender.

The woman took several hits, buckled, but stood back up, stumbled, turned around and then spun, sending a flying roundhouse kick into her opponent's face, catching him off guard. The man was a good fighter, but he had clearly underestimated his opponent for being a woman. Zoro knew better. The man stumbled, catching himself and stood up, charging angrily. He lost the match the moment he lost his temper. The woman, still cool-headed despite the beating she had taken, planted her feet and waited for the man to come at her. Just as his blow nearly landed she swiveled, grabbing the man's arm and swinging him around in the direction he was going, using his momentum to manipulate him into her fist. The man crumbled to the floor and the fight was won. The crowd went wild.

"And she did it! That's our Boa Sandersonia, taking down Bellamy!" came the announcer's voice.

'Bellamy… why does that name sound familiar…' thought Zoro.

"Up next we have a treat for you! Sparking Red, a name to be feared from the West coast, right here in New York!" Ichiji strolled out, arms up in the air, sunglasses on his face, red hair shining like fire in the spotlights. The crowd cheered, the ladies seemed to love him.

"And on he other side, we have the Candyman!" An extremely tall and eccentrically dressed man walked out and bowed deeply. He was wearing a long bright yellow coat and a tall, candy-cane colored top hat trailing feathers.

Lot's of weirdos here.

The bell rang and the fight started, Ichiji circled his opponent, who stood still, watching him. The red-haired man was like a wildcat circling his prey, and after thoroughly surveying his opponent, he pounced. In an instant he was at the man's throat, but the 'Candyman' had slipped out of his trenchcoat and Ichiji was holding the yellow garment in surprise. And the man was behind him, in a purple and pink polka-dotted suit. The red-head sensed his presence and without turning around sent his elbow sailing back, catching the colorful man in the chest.

Zoro watched with interest as the two fought. His date was sharp, intuitive, a natural fighter. The opponent was slippery, sneaky, Zoro didn't like this fighting style but he acknowledged its effectiveness. Watching Ichiji move was invigorating, and the swordsman found himself captivated by the steady and efficient fighting style, the strong arms and powerful legs, and his ever-calm and confident smile.

The red hair was becoming slick with sweat but his moves were only becoming sharper, faster. He had just been warming up. The taller man noted this as well, deciding he'd better finish this before the Vinsmoke heir released his true power. Candyman got in a few shallow hits, but Ichiji was just toying with him. The crowd watched in awe as the fiery Sparking Red played with the colorful Candyman in the palm of his hand. The tide of the fight had changed entirely and was now a sadistic display of Ichiji's dominance. This made Zoro slightly uncomfortable. He found toying with his enemies to not only be disrespectful to the idea of fighting, but also a foolish effort. He had seen many cocky sadistic bastards have the table's turned on them when they pushed an opponent too far. He wondered if the Candyman would lash out like a cornered animal to take down his date. The eccentric man did lash out, but it wasn't enough to take down Sparking Red. The fight ended violently with Zoro's date dominating the other man in a brutal display of unbridled strength.

Ichiji's power and control certainly excited the swordsman, but his feelings towards the man were still uncertain. On the surface he reminded him of Sanji, but underneath his looks they were nothing alike. Sanji was introspective, thoughtful, emotional, romantic… he had a depth to him that Zoro had yet to unveil. This man was… none of those things. Everything was out in the open, his confidence, his hunger, his brutality. He was quick-witted, critical, direct, intentional, but in many ways almost superficial. Zoro didn't feel that depth, that magnetic connection when he looked into his eyes. They were almost hollow.

Midway through the next fight Zoro's date returned to his side with a wild grin and sweat-slicked bangs. He slid onto the bench next to the swordsman with eager eyes.

"What did you think?"

"You were great," Zoro replied.

The man beamed "I'm excited for tomorrow, I'll get to see you fight."

Zoro grinned, "I can't wait," he said cracking his knuckles.

"You wanna bounce?"

Zorro looked back at the pit, but decided he had seen enough fighting for the night, "yeah, let's bounce."

Ichiji stood and they walked to a window on the back wall where he settled his tab and earnings. He ended up taking home a tidy sum from both his betting and his fight.

"We're gonna take home even more tomorrow," the fiery man said. Zoro didn't care so much about the money, but he was looking forward to a good fight.

Zoro was escorted to Red's sports car and they drove off into the night, the glowing interior casting red highlights and dramatic shadows on both of their features. They arrived at the SUNNYGO complex and Ichiji looked over at Zoro lustily before leaning in close, slipping a hand into the cropped green hair, and planting a lascivious kiss on the swordsman's lips. Zoro didn't resist, finding the touch and pressure of the man's lips against his to be satisfying a craving he hadn't realized was growing within him. He kissed back hungrily, then pulled away to look into the man's face.

Sanji.

The thought caught him by surprise, but he didn't resist it. The alcohol in his system inhibited him from stifling the thoughts of his roommate that came pouring into his brain, and he kissed the red-head feverishly, imagining his hands running through blond, not red, hair. The kiss was much more enjoyable if he imagined it was with the chef. A heat was rising inside him, burning his neck, his chest, turning his stomach, and awakening his loins. Almost on queue, Ichiji moved his hands to Zoro's thighs, massaging the firm muscles and moving closer to where his legs joined.

Sanji.

The swordsman let out a deep, lusty growl, and tightened his grip in the man's hair, opening his eyes and momentarily stunning himself with surprise when he realized the hair was red.

Ichiji growled into Zoro's mouth, biting down on his tongue and pulling, sucking on his lips, travelling to his neck to devour his throat.

"Let's take this inside," the red haired man groaned with lewdly.

Zoro paused, "My roommate…" he didn't want to take this further… Not yet at least, not while his head was full of someone else. He felt conflicted. Kissing was one thing, but going further with someone while thinking of another was indecent.

"Damn," Ichiji muttered, pulling at Zoro's earrings with his teeth, "Maybe tomorrow then," he grinned lasciviously, "you can come to my place."

"We'll see," Zoro replied coyly, his face unreadable.

"What a tease," his date smirked.

Zoro got out of the car feeling hot and light-headed from the alcohol and adrenaline. When he reached his apartment he remembered that it was late and his roommate was alseep.

Sanji.

The swordsman turned on the shower, stripped briskly and hopped in, feeling the warm water wash over him. The heat translated to hot hands stroking his chest and he recalled the day Sanji discovered his scar. He remembered that look of awe on the chefs face, how captivated he had been by Zoro's body. It had made him hot then and was making him hotter now. Were Sanji's lips at all like Ichiji's? Soft but firm, needy, pressing into him wantonly, sucking on his lips with ardent desire. The chef was a hopeless romantic, was he gentle? Was his touch delicate and soft or stern and commanding. He certainly had a temper on him, yes, the blond was feisty. He was a feisty lover and Zoro imagined that sharp mouth nipping at his skin, lithe fingers sliding down his body, curling around his stiffness with expert precision.


Zoro, on a date. Laying in bed and struggling to sleep, Sanji's thoughts were occupied by the unbelievable prospect that his roommate, his brutish, ungentlemanly roommate was on a date. When Nami had left Sanji found himself checking the clock every minute, waiting for the swordsman to come home. He thought hopelessly of how desperately he wanted the man, and how he couldn't have him. Since his night in the shower he just couldn't tear his thoughts away from the visage of Zoro's body, and when he did manage to stifle the image something else would pop up, something he had said in conversation, something endearing, something heart-wrenching. The torrent of emotions was unbearable, and all he'd seen of the man today was just that glimpse as the passed in front of the elevator, barely exchanging words.

Now he was tossing and turning, unable to sleep as he imagined Zoro, that Zoro on a date. Where did he meet her? Did he take her to dinner? A movie? A stroll through Central Park? Perhaps something more interesting, maybe they went to a museum, one of the interactive ones, like the ice cream museum. Maybe they went to see a show, or a fight. Some women are into that sort of thing, and Zoro seemed like the type to like that sort of woman. But now it was late, past midnight. Was he there at her place, did the date go so well that she invited him home?

The door clicked. Sanji jolted out of his thoughts and listened intently as his roommate snuck in, crept to the bathroom and started the shower. Glancing at the clock he saw that it was well past midnight, nearly 3 AM. They had definitely engaged in extracurricular activities. His mind wandered and his heart faltered. Was he gentle with her? Was he rough? Zoro was a rugged man but Sanji could tell he had a tender heart, he was a sensitive lover, attentive, but also assertive. That powerful body, Sanji couldn't help but sneak his hands down between his legs at the images rolling through his brain.

Sanji

Zoro began stroking himself desperately to thoughts of his roommate. Ichiji's kisses still emblazoned on his lips, he imagined they were Sanji's, hungry and desperate. Sanji's hands on his thigh, those curious, dexterous fingers dancing down his scar, gripping at his hips to grind them together, Sanji's naked body, under him, Sanji's mouth over his lips.

In his own room Sanji's thoughts mirrored those of Zoro's. He imagined that muscular body, those powerful sword-wielding hands gripping him by the hips and pressing their heat together with urgency. That hungry mouth that had eaten so many of Sanji's meals with pleasure, sucking at his lips and biting at his tongue.

The two roommates longed for each other in their separate rooms, unaware of the other's feelings and desires.

Zoro came powerfully on the tiled walls where Sanji had only the night before. Sanji released over his chest, wiping himself down with tissues. As the euphoria faded, a flood of shame hit them both simultaneously and their fantasies crumbled around them.