Disclaimer: I do not own Once Piece.

One and a half years ago

Sanji felt miserable. His girlfriend-now ex-told him it was 'over' and left. His son was late also; he should be at home by now.

Sanji thought she was the one, so he took time and money to please her. Today, when she found out that he had a son, her angelic perfection crumbled. She yelled at him that he hated children and scratched at him for lying to her. Although Sanji had to admit his son tend to interrupt his romantic relationships, he was mad that she criticized him. After a few loud exchanges of yells, she flung the necklace he had bought her, and stormed out of the room.

He gripped the necklace and clicked his tongue. Did she know how much this cost? Sixty-thousand beli! And she threw it away as if it were trash. He threw his eye to the clock; Sabo was thirty minutes late. Where was he? His son always came home perfectly on time. This was strange for him to be so late.

His impatience had thinned from anger, so he got up to get his keys. He decided that searching for him was faster than waiting. He hastily locked the front door and walked down the road Sabo took to school. He scanned the neighborhood and empty lots for a young boy with blond hair.

He walked by an old dilapidated apartment. It had six rooms in all: three on each floor. The staircase leading to the second floor was rusted from the rain and outside exposure. The apartment was never used in years, so the soul of the building was long gone. However, that same apartment looked like it was breathing. It got a new paint job (who knew when), but the old creaking look remained as its charm. What made a building alive was human existence, and - to Sanji's surprise - a truck was parked in front of the creaky gates.

The truck was gray and box shaped. There was no label on the outside, so it wasn't an average moving truck. Sanji shivered at the vehicle and at the apartment. Who was going to live in his neighborhood that drove such an ominous truck and attempting to live in an apartment that children called it 'haunted?'

All of a sudden, he heard bright giggles from the entrance of the apartment. Out from the dead bushes ran out a cute infant. He looked about three and had the most adorable smile in the world. The town was so small, so Sanji knew the infant was moving in because he had never seen him before. If a child this cute was moving in, maybe the neighbor wouldn't be as bad. When he was about to greet the infant, another figure appeared. Sanji stared at the other and froze.

The man was around his age, or maybe younger. He had the strangest hair color Sanji had ever seen. But he was gorgeous. Sanji blinked twice to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Once he made sure the man wasn't a mirage, he examined him from head to toe. The man had a perfect figure with semi-broad shoulders, slender hips, and nice looking legs. He wanted to ran his hands down the man's hips and pull him close to know what he smelled like. He was on the skinny side, but Sanji could fix that. The man's eyes were smoky gray and sharp like a wild animal. It captivated him, and his heart palpitated quickly. The woman he had been moping before was gone. Love was new and beautiful again. Yes, he was single! Hallelujah! However, the gray eyes were wide open from absolute fear, and his frame trembled. The man was extremely terrified of something. Sanji looked around, but there was nothing between them.

"Hey," Sanji took a step, "Are you okay?"

"Robin!" The man suddenly screamed. It was a type of scream someone used when one was about to get murdered. He scooped up the infant in his arms and took staggering steps back. He knelt down to grab a log and brandished in front of him like a sword. "Go away!" The infant started to wail because the man was squeezing him too hard.

Next a woman came running from the old apartment. She was beautiful too. Man, how many beauties were going to live here? She and Sanji's eyes locked and she reacted first. She tapped the frightened man and urged him to evacuate into the building. Then, she got out through the gates and pushed Sanji out and away from the apartment. When they got to a corner of a block, she handed him a business card.

"I'm sorry for surprising you. I'm Nico Robin."

"I-I'm Sanji Black." Sanji stared at the crisp, clean card with letter printed in black. "Y-You're a doctor?"

"Yes. I take care and treat the mentally ill." Robin glanced back where the apartment was, "He's my patient."

Sanji was relieved that she wasn't the man's wife, but her second statement settled in his mind. The man was mentally ill?

"His name is Roronoa Zoro," Robin narrowed her eyes, "have you heard of that name?"

"I...I never heard of 'Zoro' but Roronoa I know." Robin was silent; she urged him to continue, "The man who massacred Kaigun Village. His name was Roronoa too."

Robin's expression turned bitter, "Zoro is his son."

"What...?" Sanji paled and the world started to spin. He was suddenly afraid to look at the apartment. The son of a notorious murderer was going to live here? Fear clawed on his back, tearing at his nerves. Robin stilled when he saw Sanji react. She placed her hands on his. Her beautiful slender hands were warm and comforting. It lifted him out of the fear.

"Zoro isn't like his father!" Robin pleaded. He saw her eyes shimmer, "He hasn't done anything bad! He's a wonderful, kind man, and he loves children very much! He...he finally got his freedom. Please, please give him a chance!"

Sanji was vulnerable toward woman's tears. He always lost his guard and would do anything to reverse the mood. He squeezed Robin's hand: a silent affirmation that he agreed to not do it again.

He handed her a handkerchief, and she pressed it over her mouth.

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright."

"He's emotionally unstable, but under medication he's almost like everyone else." Sanji smiled and nodded, but the word 'almost' flickered like neon lights. It seemed to counter what she was saying. "He's afraid of people around his age or older, any type of media, and whispering..."

"Then," Sanji swallowed, "What things is he comfortable with?"

"He loves children," Robin smiled, "Did you see one of his sons? They're sweet angels."

"He has two?"

"He adopted them." There was something off in Robin's tone of voice.

"W-Well, I've seen the little one."

"That's Luffy. Ace should be around here somewhere..." Robin paused because she was going off topic, "Ace is almost seven years old. Do you have...children?"

"Yes...one. He's almost seven also."

Robin smiled, "Oh, how wonderful! I hope he and your son become good friends."

"W-What about Zoro-"

"He would take a while. I've been with him for five years, and he's still afraid of me."

Hope fell to a simmer. If a professional doctor couldn't make Zoro normal what could an average man with a pathetic love life do? Barely anything probably. He would scare him like he had done on their first encounter. That didn't lower his last bit of hope he had. Miss Nico (he assumed she was single since she had no ring around her finger) said Zoro loved children. If he could convince Sabo to be friends with Zoro's kids then maybe he could get close to Zoro too. Sanji's smile grew sloppy at the imagination. Maybe Zoro was shy and new to everything. He could teach him the ways. It would start from the touching, then the kissing, and then...

"Well, I need to help Zoro with the rest of the moving..." Did he stretch his face in front of her? "He can't negotiate with the other doctors either, so they might be having trouble directing Zoro around..."

"Oh, yes! Um...nice meeting you." Sanji smiled and brought out a hand. She smiled kindly and shook hands. She handed the handkerchief, but Sanji declined. She smiled, slipped it in her pocket and turned to head back. Sanji felt like he was floating in air. He forgot why he got out of his home in the first place.

As he skipped up the street, he saw his son running the front door. He was in a hurry, as if he was trying to make up for the absence. Sanji knew Sabo was late, so it didn't matter.

"Sabo!" His son literally jumped and dropped his bag. He didn't expect his father to be standing behind him. Sabo turned cautiously and jumped again.

"H-Hi Dad..." Sabo muttered and smiled nervously.

"Why are you late?" Sanji put his hands on his hips," It's dangerous to be walking around at this time."

"I was showing a kid around."

"Who?"

"A new kid." Sabo answered, "He was lost, so I helped him get to his house. He lives in the haunted apartment Dad!"

Sanji suddenly broke into a wonderful smile, "Is the kid's name Ace?"

"Y-Yeah...how do you know?"

"Ahaha!" Sanji grinned and patted Sabo on the head, "Good job! So, how's the kid? Is he nice? Is he beautiful like his father?"

"Huh? You met his dad?"

"When I was looking for you," Sabo lowered his head in shame, but Sanji patted him again, "I'm not mad. I'm very proud of you son."

"I-I don't get it."

"You don't need to understand."

Sabo raised his head and stared up at his father, "Were you dumped again?"

"Shut up."

"Aha! No wonder you're acting like that! So, you're going fishing again?"

"Fishing" was the term they used when Sanji was searching for a new love. Sabo saw that his father 'prepared' by buying all the rarities and flattery, but always ended up losing the fish.

"He's a rare one." Sanji smiled cheerfully, "I'm not going to lose him."

"Hm?" Sabo asked, "You're going to like a guy Dad?"

"Yeah."

"Hmm...okay." Sabo answered nonchalantly. Sanji never taught him anything bad about men liking other men, so Sabo naturally thought it was normal. "Is Ace's dad pretty?"

"Hot."

"Is he sick?"

"No," Sanji laughed, "It means he's sexy."

"'Sexy' is a bad word."

"Not around my age."

"So I can say 'sexy' when I'm old as you?"

"Sure, I'll give you permission when the time comes." Sanji answered on a light note.

"Cool!"

"So, so how's the kid? Is he nice?"

"He's a bit...grumpy, but I like him."

"Then, keep on liking him, so I can be closer to his dad." When Sabo looked up to Sanji, his father had a strange expression. He secretly called it a booby face because he found his father made his expression reading magazines of naked ladies.

-.-.-

Sanji stared up at the ceiling. He couldn't sleep at all tonight. He replayed the past over and over again, so it was clear in his mind. It took a year and a few months. Finally Zoro began to speak to him. He was surely behind schedule. He hadn't touched him, but he was very close to kissing him. They were so close! He was almost able to feel the breath on his lips! Sanji hugged the pillow and rolled around in a bed meant for two people. He groaned sadly while wiggling like a caterpillar as he imagined what it would be like if Zoro was sleeping next to him. Sanji had been single for over a year; Sabo called it a world record.

Sheesh that kid, acting mature each and every day.

The kids were coming home tomorrow, and in the near future-! Sanji smiled sheepishly and grinned like child in a candy store. He and Zoro were going to an aquarium (with the kids of course)! He couldn't wait. He was already figuring out on what dishes he was going to make for lunch.

Sanji stayed up all night planning out the lunch menu, but he was looking forward to it just as much as Luffy.