"Daijōbudesu!"
Sanji shook his head. He could feel tears beginning to fill his own eyes.
"Nani utten no?" Sanji yelled.
Zoro looked away, all he wanted was for Sanji to hold him and make this better.
"What happened between us was obviously a mistake," Sanji said biting down on his lip. "We're both hurting, mecha!"
Zoro couldn't bear it. Those words. Did Sanji really think that, that it was a mistake!?
"Gomen ne, but I can't be there for you. Not while you're still with Nami," the cook said as the tears began to trickle down his cheeks.
"Please?!" Zoro said but it was only audible as a whisper.
His eyes begged Sanji and this time he was the one to turn away.
"Please!" Zoro shouted and Sanji could hear him scramble to his feet.
Zoro swallowed his fear, "I need you. I need you to hold me."
The cook stayed facing away from the marimo.
I can't," the cook walked away and once around the corner began to run.
He kept running as the tears streamed down his face. Sanji didn't know where he was running nor did he care. Somehow he ended up back in the kitchen. He threw himself into Zeff's open arms. Sanji balled his fists around the fabric of Zeff's apron as the tears continued to flood out.
The cook and Zeff were not related but they may as well have been. Zeff had been like a father to Sanji ever since they were stranded together. The head-chef knew with Sanji when to talk and when to just be silent. This was one of those times. Sanji eventually stopped crying and was able to take a seat and tell the old geezer everything that had happened.
Zoro had stood there unable to do anything as Sanji walked away. The tears would not stop even now. He had been so stupid as to think he could ask Sanji to make this all better.
"Sanji," he whispered.
Zoro could feel himself breaking and without Sanji he wasn't sure whether he'd be able to pick up the pieces. With the last of his will, he managed to find his way back to the Thousand Sunny house. From there he went to the dormitory. He curled up in bed, the tears still refusing to stop.
Sanji wiped his eyes once he had finished telling the story to Zeff.
"I can't do that to Nami. Even after what she said she's still nakama."
"What else?" the chef asked.
Sanji turned his head, avoiding Zeff's hard stare.
"I know you're not telling me something," he persisted.
The cook ran a sweaty palm through his already messy hair.
Nami walked down the halls towards the kitchen. She had decided to get a sandwich for her and Zoro to have before second period. She heard the faint sobs of Sanji and decided it best not to intrude. Instead she stood by the door listening to the conversation between the two cooks.
"I know you're not telling me something."
"I think I'm falling in love with him. I'm falling in love with the marimo."
Nami gasped. Screw you Sanji, she thought. Those last words, there was no way her and Sanji were still nakama.