Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece.

Zoro wrung a cold towel and placed it on Luffy's forehead. His son, after two hours in a sobbing fit, had fallen asleep. He sat up and sighed. He knew his son wanted to go to the aquarium, but the fever wasn't going down any soon.

He stiffened when Luffy's eyes cracked open. The poor child was red in the face and panting in shallow breaths. Zoro sighed of relief when his son didn't cry.

"How're you feeling Luffy?" Luffy answered with a sniffle, so Zoro quickly added, "Do you want to eat something?"

Luffy, to Zoro's surprise, shook his head. That freaked Zoro out.

"...I'm not hungry."

"But you need to eat..."

"I feel sick..." Luffy coughed out a loud sob, "I don't want to eat."

Zoro brushed Luffy's wet bangs away from his face, "At least try and eat some apples. I'll cut them up small for you."

Luffy pulled down the saddest frown in the world. Zoro could easily imagine what Luffy was thinking right now, "...okay."

Zoro rested his hand on Luffy's forehead and gently caressed it, "I'm sorry Luffy. If only...if only there's some way to make it all up."

"D-Daddy...I want to go to the aquarium..."

Zoro's voice grew faint, "Luffy..."

"B-But with you a-and Ace." Luffy pulled the covers up to his nose and stared up with those sad teary eyes, "C-Can we daddy?"

Zoro didn't move for a second. His eyes were staring into Luffy's and the hand was still on his son's forehead. Then, his eyes gently softened.

"I-I'll...I'll try."

Luffy eyes remained teary, but there was hope glimmering in them now. Zoro smiled and then stood up to go into the kitchen to cut up apples for him. As he walked down the hallway, he stopped in his tracks and looked over his shoulder. Zoro never went to an aquarium or any public place for years. There must be a lot of people there. He was able to tolerate two to three people standing nearby in a small convenient store whilst in medication, but this was just recently. Just the thought of people, and lots of them, brought Zoro in cold sweat.

Zoro rubbed his arms to get rid of the goose bumps and resumed walking.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Zoro froze and hastily looked for his medications. On the kitchen counter, there were dozens of plastic medication bottles. He grabbed the one he most needed and swallowed two. He took few slow breaths and then slowly approached the door. He peered into the small circle window to see who it was. If it was someone he knew, he felt (somewhat) better; if it wasn't Robin told him to call her immediately.

When he saw Sanji in the window, he calmed down so much his knees almost gave away. He clicked two bolts to release the lock and slowly opened the door.

"Hey Zoro," Sanji eyed the grocery bag he was holding in his arms, "Sabo told me that Luffy got a cold. I-I was wondering if I can cook for you guys."

"Uh...s-sure." Zoro opened the door the whole way so Sanji could enter. "C-Can you wait here? I need to take a few more pills."

"Oh, okay." Sanji stood at the entrance as still as a statue. He watched as Zoro rushed to the counter, picked up a few bottles, and dry swallowed three colorful pills.

Sanji waited a second until Zoro finished taking the medication, so the other wouldn't get startled, "How can you swallow those without water?"

"I learned." Zoro answered matter-of-factly. He then approached Sanji and peered into the grocery bag, "What do you have in there?"

"Ingredients for white cream stew. Is Luffy alright?"

"Kind of. He's still depressed."

Sanji twisted up a frown, "Poor kid."

"...daddy?"

The two stopped when they heard the sound of Luffy's dry and quiet voice. They exchanged silent nods, and headed to Luffy's room.

Upon seeing Sanji, Luffy's lifeless smile grew genuine.

"S-Sabo's daddy!"

Sanji put the groceries beside the bed and knelt down to the futon, "Hey kiddo. How're you feeling?"

"Good..." Luffy replied with an obvious lie. Sanji chuckled dryly and patted Luffy's head.

"Guess what? I'm going to make something good to get rid of that cold fast."

"R-Really?"

"Yeah."

"D-Do you think I get better to make it to the field trip?"

Sanji froze at Luffy's remark. At the bedroom door, Zoro stiffened and put a hand over his eyes. They both wanted to cry so much right now. It seemed that there was nothing to make Luffy to not think of the field trip. Luffy got the silent message and his eyes started to fill up with tears.

"I-I'll make the best stew you've ever ate alright?" Sanji said quickly. He gathered up the ingredients and rushed out of the door. Zoro tailed after silently. The gloomy feeling toppled down on their shoulders and the weight was crushing them.

"My god, Zoro. That kid's going to tear our hearts and kill us."

Zoro merely chuckled.

"I'll cut up some apples for Luffy, and then you can have the kitchen."

"Thanks."

"I should be the one to be thanking you." Zoro replied quietly. Sanji smiled timidly and dropped the grocery bag on the kitchen counter. There, he could examine the different types of medication Zoro took. The first time he'd seen Zoro take the pills, Zoro took about eight. So, seeing him only taking three made Sanji relieved.

He turned and saw Zoro slowly peeling the skin of an apple. The thin string of the skin curled as it dangled off the fruit. When the apple was completely peeled, he cut it in half, then in quarters, then in eighths, pitted the seeds, and finally dropped them in a small Pandaman bowl. Sanji was amazed Zoro was able to do that while intoxicated.

"I'll go and feed it to Luffy. I-If you need any help-" The last bit Zoro uttered sounded weak.

Sanji knew Zoro was trying to offer help, and he also knew it bothered him incredibly.

"It's fine. Watch over Luffy. When dinner's done, I'll bring it over."

Zoro smiled, "Luffy will love that."

When Zoro disappeared down the hallway, Sanji was left alone in the kitchen. He didn't mind; cooking was a time to relax and be free of any stress. He did, however, scrutinize the room. A normal home these days had a television, computer, cell phones, and sometimes a music player. Zoro only had a wall phone, and the things mentioned were not in the room at all. Ace and Luffy loved video games, but they only had handheld ones and only played the ones with television at his home. Robin strictly refused any newspapers, catalogues, or even letters entering in Zoro's postbox.

There was nothing in the house that provided the news.

Robin, who was a mental institute doctor and took care of Zoro, told him. Since Sanji was stalking around Zoro so much, she thought he needed to know. Sanji had known the 'The Tragedy of the Kaigun Village Massacre' Zoro's father had done. He didn't know it affected Zoro and his mother.

The media destroyed Zoro's life.

He and his mother were labeled as 'the son/mother of a killer.' Nasty rumors spread by the media and shaded their personality. Survivors of the village massacre screamed, cried, beat and blamed them. Zoro was teased and picked on at school, and when he fought back the teachers accused him of having the same behavior as his father. His mother wasn't able to walk around the streets without disguising herself. They were ostracized by the community and no one helped them. The police sneered at them, stores kicked them out, and friends cheated and abandoned them.

Zoro was able to stand it, but his mother was devastated. She screamed and cried every night, and Zoro did his best to calm her down. Her once beautiful complexion was ruined with wrinkles, deep bruises under the eyes, and her hair was ghastly white and thin. Finally, when Zoro was in high school, he came home to find his mother hanging from the ceiling. On a small table was a note to him saying that she was sorry.

This roused up the media once more. News reporters barged into his mother's funeral to get information on how Zoro felt when his mother died.

One asked if he actually killed her and made it look like suicide.

That was the last string that connected to his sanity. He attacked that reporter and nearly killed him. Zoro was immediately taken to jail, but the police realized that he became insane. Then, Zoro was transported to the mental hospital and spent five years without positive improvement. The attacked news reporter accused Zoro and his mother of being weak and not being able to handle the pressure.

"I wouldn't have committed suicide or go insane even if I were in their shoes," the injured reporter wrote for an article five years ago, "That whole family is filled with messed up people." People who read it had sympathy for him and hated Zoro much more.

All of those stories made Sanji sick. He wanted to kill the news reporters who invaded their home demanding new information. He wanted to destroy all of the channels that constantly aired the village massacre, the murderer, and the portrait of the murderer's family. He wanted to shout back at the viewers, the neighbors, and Zoro's past friends that the village massacre had nothing to do with Zoro.

But people love to blame and put them on the spotlight. They blame the weak because they're afraid of the strong. Blaming others made people feel better. People blame to feel superior and they think it was the right thing. Blaming was what caused arguments, fights, and sometimes wars.

Not only Zoro became affected by this, his two sons were also. They were the children from the island that was destroyed off the map. This was supposed to be a complete secret, so not even Sabo knew about it (Luffy was too young to remember so he didn't know either). Zoro didn't want his children to experience the horrors of the media. Ace, however, tasted the bitterness in the Shabondy Orphanage, so it (kind of) explained why Ace acted so sour in front of adults.

Sanji dropped a batch of carrots, onions, celery, in a large pot with boiling water, red potatoes, and chicken breast. He gazed at the bubbling pot slowly lowering to a simmer by the cold vegetables.

He was thankful that Zoro was getting better and was beginning to start a new life he was forbidden to have.

-.-.-

Luffy felt a little happy of becoming sick. It was because he was allowed to eat in bed. Zoro never let Ace and Luffy bring food in the bedroom, so this was a wonderful privilege. He ate a few slices of apple, and that cooled his temperature a little to be well enough to eat.

When the stew arrived, Luffy had strength and the appetite to eat one small bowl. He asked for seconds, and was able to eat all except one large piece of chicken.

Luffy began rubbing his eyes as Zoro took the tray of the empty bowl (with one chicken piece) and the empty package of medicine away from the bed.

"You're getting tired Luffy?"

"Yeah..."

Zoro kissed Luffy's forehead, "Sleep well alright?" Luffy peered through his heavy eyelids and slowly nodded. Zoro turned to Sanji who was sitting across from the bed.

"I think he liked it."

Sanji smiled, "I'm glad he did."

They both watched the sleeping five year old, and Zoro chuckled when Luffy's little lips began to twitch.

Zoro lowered his head and whispered, "Luffy says he wants to go to the aquarium with the whole family."

Sanji slowly grew pale because he knew what Zoro was trying to say.

"...but you know me...I-I can't stand people yet. I don't know how long it'll take me to fulfill that promise. Luffy will probably be in high school by the time I'm normal again."

"Zoro, your kids know about your condition. Luffy's still a baby, but he'll understand."

"But I want to take him there as soon as possible. I don't want him to regret getting a cold. He'll be left out when his classmates talk about the fishes he wanted to see. " Zoro shielded his face, "...are there a lot of people in aquariums?"

"It depends on the day, but there are a lot."

Zoro groaned, "What am I going to do?"

Sanji's hands were waving in the air. He wanted to give sympathy by putting his hand on Zoro's shoulder, but Zoro wouldn't like that.

"Uh...um, hey! H-How about I go with you guys? Sabo too, of course." Sanji peered into Zoro's face, "And I'll research on the days when there's the least amount of people. W-Will that be alright? I mean about me going with you?" All Sanji wanted was to go somewhere with Zoro. He knew this was his selfish needs, but he one true wish was to go out on a date with him.

Zoro looked wary of the idea, but the answer surprised Sanji.

"T-That sounds like a good idea."

"R-Really?"

"Yeah," Zoro lifted his head and smiled a small smile, "I-I need to get out more. Maybe it'll be best to invite Robin too."

At first Sanji didn't like the idea that the date would look more like a family gathering, but he realized something: going on a date with two beautiful people. Not a bad idea.

"I'll pay for everything too."

"Oh god, no Sanji. Don't do that." Zoro shook his head, "I'll pay for my and Robin's share, and you pay yours."

"But you have more people-"

"I'm not that poor."

Sanji sighed, "Alright..." His heart was pounding hard against his chest. This was the longest conversation he ever had with Zoro.

"Um...Zoro..."

"Yeah?"

"I...I wanted to say this since the day I've met you, but I didn't because I thought it'll scare you. Can I say it?"

Zoro looked peaceful, "I don't mind."

"I love you."

Zoro's eyes slowly widened from mild surprise. Then, it softened into sadness.

"Oh...No, Sanji. You can't-"

"Zoro," Sanji leaned in, "I can't hold it any longer. I want to love you." He was so close he could feel Zoro's warm breath. He wanted to kiss him, but Zoro placed two fingers over Sanji's lips.

"Zoro..."

Zoro shook his head slowly. He breathed, "...Luffy's watching." Sanji stilled and he moved his eye to where Luffy slept. Sure enough, Luffy was poking his little head out of the covers and staring attentively at the two adults.

"Ooh ooh, are you going to kiss Daddy, Sabo's daddy?"

Sanji let out a dry chuckle, and he drew away from Zoro, "No no, we were just telling each other a secret."

"A secret? What secret?"

Zoro scooted over and patted Luffy's warm cheeks, "Something that you'll be excited to hear."

"Ooh! A-Are we going to an aquarium daddy?"

Zoro smiled and answered with an upbeat note, "Maybe."

Luffy started to squeal with excitement. Zoro grinned, knowing that Luffy can't wait for it now. "So, hurry up and get better, alright?"

"Okay!"

Zoro petted Luffy once more and gave his son a gentle kiss. Then, he and Sanji got up and left the bedroom.

When Zoro was heading down the hall, Sanji called out to him.

"Zoro..." Zoro silently turned to face him, "I-If Luffy was still sleeping, were you going to accept my kiss?"

Zoro simply smiled but shook his head.

"Why...?"

"I can't," Zoro's eyes began to shimmer with tears, "I'm not a normal person."

Sanji's voice rose to a yell, "But you haven't done anything wrong!"

"I'm a son of a murderer. That's my crime." Zoro turned, "I...thank you very much for coming by and cook for us, but you should go home. The pills are wearing off..."

"Zoro! I-I'll wait for you!" Sanji shouted, "I don't care if I have to wait until I'm eighty! I'll wait until you're free of those stupid pills!"

Sanji didn't see because Zoro turned away from him, but tears trickled down Zoro's face and onto the lips that formed a smile.