Author's Note: Okay, oh my God, I'm on this chapter! So here's the deal, I didn't super check this thing over, when the story's done each chapter will be revised once more, just so you know. I didn't mean to make people assholes in this story, but it turned out that way. I hoped I didn't screw them up too badly. All of the characters are a bit out of character, even for an AU, but I hope you don't hate me for it! I don't own One Piece, but I am progressing slowly but surely to watching more. Also, there is a poll up on my profile for which story I'll write next. It'll be open until January. I highly recommend you listen to this song because I love it and it's awesome and I chose these songs because of how much I find they fit, so I would appreciate if you checked them out.
Beautiful Disaster
By: Setkia
Full Summary
Sanji is the assistant cook of the world-renowned restaurant, the Baratie, the only restaurant like it in the world. He's a successful chef and flirts with the customers every chance he can get but there's a problem. It's all a facade. The cooks give a new meaning to the word "abusive", both mental and physical. The only thing keeping Sanji alive is his love for cooking and a good ol' pack of cigarettes.
Zoro Roronoa is a swordsman who suddenly has more change in his pocket than he expected and enters the Baratie by recommendation. His waiter happens to be a curly browed man with an adoration for cigarettes. An attempt speak to the head chef goes horribly wrong and he gets sucked into the crumbling world of the chef's, wondering how he can possibly save him and better yet, why does he want to save him in the first place?
Chapter 37: Superheroes
When you've been fighting for it all your life
You've been struggling to make things right
That's how a superhero learns to fly
(Every day, every hour
Turn the pain into power)
—The Script, Superheroes
"No."
"But I didn't say anything yet!"
"You didn't have to, I can tell by looking at you I won't like what you have to say."
Zoro sighed. "How is that even fair?"
"Life isn't fair," Sanji pointed out.
"At least hear me out—"
"I can already see what you're saying," Sanji told him, opening the fridge. "And I don't like what you're saying."
"Oh, so now you're a mind reader?" Zoro rolled his eyes. "So then what am I saying?"
Sanji sighed. "You're saying that you've known me since the beginning of August about, right? And I've been living with you for nearly six months. I've been to the Baratie once since I've started living with you and from what Moodie told you during your visit, it went less than perfectly. You hate the bastard cooks over there, but you still think I need to get myself organized because in all the time I've been staying here, I haven't gotten a single pay-check and that's a bit weird. You think I should really go over there and figure out whether or not I still have a job, for starters and you're getting curious about this Zeff person who never seems to be around." Sanji placed the milk and eggs on the table. "Is that about right?"
Zoro gaped.
"I'm right, aren't I?" Sanji sighed. "To answer the questions and/or statements of yours, the trip to the Baratie I made in November went rather badly, yes. I got into a fight with Patty and had a few nightmares about it. No, it's not as bad as you're probably thinking, worst he did was nearly choke me. He was in a public place after all, though he has little restraint it's still there. Zeff hasn't been in the restaurant in nearly half a year, he's busy off somewhere, last time I checked, it was India. A food convention or something, he sends the pay-checks through the mail to the Baratie. The cooks are forced to give me my share, but since Zeff hasn't been there and I haven't been there either, they're probably having fun off of my money. Now, if you didn't turn up to a kendo tournament for about a year, say, they'd think you'd have quit, wouldn't they? So tell me Zoro, am I right in assuming that the end of this conversation you wanted me to have with you would be you asking me to go to the Baratie and deal with the cooks?"
Zoro's mouth opened and closed like a gaping fish once more. "I- I …" He couldn't seem to find words.
"I don't want to go Zoro, and you're not going to force me," Sanji told him, taking a bowl and cracking an egg swiftly into it. "Now hand me the whisk— the wires that make a weird dome shape— and I'll make you scrambled eggs."
Zoro got the whisky thing and took his seat at the kitchen table. He waited, thinking to himself.
Zoro knew he was right. Sanji really did need to go back. He could admit that his abduction hadn't been the most planned out thing he had ever done before, but there was always a time that came where someone had to face the music and after nearly half a year of avoiding the topic, it was about time Sanji faced them again.
What Zoro had seen was amazing. It was a complete transformation that had him utterly speechless.
If he remembered Sanji from when he first met him, he remembered a lanky, tall blond man who claimed not to be a waiter, but a cook in the kitchen. The assistant cook on top of it all. He was careful and calculating as he walked around the room and ket his head down, trying to ignore all others who were around him. He had seen Sanji has a man who was a chain-smoker who enjoyed the ladies and in a few mere hours, his opinion on the blond changed when he saw Patty strike him.
It seemed every time he saw Sanji at the Baratie, a new kind of anger boiled inside of him. At the beginning, he thought the man was a pain in the ass and then after an attempt to speak to the head chef, he was replaced with an anger towards the obese man who was towering over the blond. His next visit, the way Sanji knew that Zoro knew and yet tried to pretend as though everything was normal… Fuck, it had pissed him off.
Each visit, trying to get something new out of the cook, make him speak, make him talk, make him confide in him. Instead, he got cryptic answers and an empty wallet for his efforts.
Then when he had abducted him, he watched as Sanji changed before his very eyes, even if the man himself didn't realize it.
The way Sanji had learnt to lean into Zoro's touch, the flinches came less and less as time wore on. The way he learnt to smile again and not that overly fake smile that he flashed to customers. When he laughed for the first time, when he directed that genuine smile towards Zoro. He watched as Sanji learnt to fight with him for the remote, for control over the TV, for space in the kitchen. How he learnt that he could step inside Zoro's room without worrying too much, the way he learnt he could talk freely again. He wasn't even sure if Sanji knew himself the moment when he seemed to walk like he was on air, when he looked as though all of his horrible tragedies in the past were gone. He didn't know, did he? The moment Sanji learnt how to breathe again, learnt how to live again, that he wasn't just getting by, that he was living, he was alive, he was free and he was a human being who had his rights, had his own chance at life, who was able to do as he wished without any restraints.
Seeing the transformation was beautiful. It was like watching someone being born again and he was, Sanji was free.
Zoro knew there were still insecurities in Sanji's mind, there was no doubt, it was impossible to go through what he had without being a little paranoid. But the time it took to convince him to stay became shorter, he became more trusting. The fact that he trusted Zoro … It meant everything to the swordsman.
It took a lot to get Sanji's self-esteem to what Zoro wanted it to be. He remembered seeing Sanji and watching his carefree attitude, the way he had held his cigarette lazily, the way his eyes seemed slightly lidded, the casual, polite way he spoke. The way he walked, the way he chose his words. At the very first glance of seeing him, he had looked so cocky, so arrogant. Once he opened his mouth for an extended period of time, you realized the reality was far from it.
Zoro wanted to see Sanji like he had first thought he was. He wanted to see Sanji arrogant, cocky, self-assured. He wanted to see the blond ask for what he wanted, take what he wanted. He wanted to see a cook who fought for what he believed in, who didn't back down because of insecurities, who realized he was worth it, that he deserved so much more than the cards he had been dealt.
And he could see it happening, could see the potential as Sanji seemed to grow before him. He didn't believe Sanji would ever learn to be selfish, there was no way. Sanji knew far too well what it was like to have nothing which meant he'd never dare take from anyone. But he had to know it was okay to make Zoro spoil him, Zoro wanted to spoil him, wanted Sanji to realize that he would never be without, not as long as he had Zoro.
"Eat up Marimo," said Sanji, breaking through Zoro's thoughts, placing a plate before him. "And uh, something you ought to know," he added, "Nami might … possibly know about the whole … uh … thing."
"What thing?" asked Zoro through a mouthful of food, which came out sounding like, "wut fing?"
"The uh …" Sanji coughed into his arm.
"Wut?"
"The hmmhmm thing," Sanji repeated, covering his mouth with his hand.
"Hanji, till 'e!" (Sanji, tell me!)
"Sex thing, alright?!" Sanji snapped. "Nami might know about the sex, okay?!"
Zoro gulped down his food, feeling as though it was suddenly too much to swallow. His face paled as Sanji fiddled with a napkin at the edge of the table. He put his fork down and took a deep breath.
"Zoro, don't freak out alright?" asked Sanji in a voice that was desperately trying to sound calm. "It isn't that big of a deal, right? I mean, I think Luffy talks a bit too much of his sex life sometimes. For an oblivious guy, he doesn't hold back much, does he?" Sanji let out a nervous laugh. "Zoro?"
"Hmm?" Zoro didn't trust himself to speak.
"Are you okay?" Sanji asked worriedly. "You've gone really quiet."
"Fine." His tone was clipped, abrupt, short.
"You sure? Because I mean, I personally don't think it's any of their business about what we do and don't do, right? We can just ignore them and all, or you could walk 'em with your swords or I could kick them and they could just forget and— Zoro, you're starting to breathe weirdly, it's freaking me out. Do we need to send you to the hospital?"
Zoro pushed out his chair, put his utensils on his plate and stood up. He pushed his chair in roughly and turned around, grabbing the house phone. With more force than necessary, he pushed at the buttons on the phone.
"Who are you calling?" Sanji's voice was quiet as though he were talking to a wild animal.
"Hospital."
"But I'm fine," Sanji said. "I don't think I'll have another attack, I've been doing well, haven't I?"
"Not for you," Zoro said in a clipped voice.
"Hello, this is the Tokyo General, how may we help you?"
"How good are your doctors at bringing a man back from the brink of death?" asked Zoro, his grip on the phone tightening.
"Um, sir, if there's someone in need of medical care, we advise you bring him in immediately, especially given the condition you're speaking off—"
"Oh, he's not hurt yet," Zoro said calmly. "But he will be soon."
"WHERE THE FUCK IS USOPP?!"
Luffy and Nami jumped from the couch at the sound of Zoro's loud voice booming through their house.
"Oh, hey Zoro!" greeted Luffy with a big smile. "What's up?"
"Where is he?" demanded Zoro. "Where the fuck is that bastard?!"
"Who ever are you talking about?" asked Nami, fluttering her eyelashes in that innocent way that Zoro had learnt not to trust very early on in his life.
"You know who I'm talking about!" he growled.
Luffy let out a laugh. "Zoro, you look funny like that! Your eyes look like they have steam coming out of them!" He smiled widely. "What'd Usopp do?"
"He told you, didn't he?" asked Zoro, glaring at Nami. "He told you about … that."
"You're blushing, Roronoa," Nami teased.
"You know what I'm talking about!" Zoro said.
"Hey, come on Zoro," Sanji cut in, "I didn't say they knew, I said it was possible—"
"She knows," Zoro said, glaring at Nami. "The little bitch knows. She wouldn't be smirking like that if she didn't know."
"Do you have something to hide?" she asked. "A dirty little secret, perhaps?"
"She fucking knows," Zoro insisted, clenching his teeth. God how she pissed him off.
"Actually," Nami said, standing up and walking over to him. "I didn't know. But now I do."
Zoro gaped. You have got to be fucking kidding me.
"I'll have to call Usopp and collect my money." With that, she went over to kitchen and picked up the phone to dial the long-nosed man's number. Zoro knew the man would be shaking in his boots when the call came. He almost felt bad for him. Almost.
"So you guys did it?" Luffy asked.
Zoro and Sanji both seemed to cough into their hands at the same time. Zoro knew his face was on fire and as for Sanji, he wouldn't doubt it. Nami grinned from the kitchen and winked, as though she knew the pain he planned to cause her for this unfortunate predicament.
"That's none of your fucking business!" Zoro snapped, ears turning red.
"So you did."
"I didn't say that!"
Sanji laughed, rolling his eyes. "You may not have said it, but even Luffy can read between the lines."
Zoro rolled his eyes and sent a glare in Sanji's direction. He paused though when he saw the look on Sanji's face. His brow was furrowed in anticipation, a slight frown on his lips. It seemed as though he was waiting for something, for Luffy to say something and judging by the way Sanji seemed to be bracing himself, it wouldn't be something Sanji liked.
What's he thinking about?
That's when something Sanji had told him the night before stuck him.
"He said that there was a girl in our relationship."
"Hey Luffy," Zoro said, lacing an arm around Sanji's shoulder. "What do you think of our relationship?"
The best way to prove a point to Sanji always seemed to be to have an outsider's perspective and Luffy was just the right person to get it from.
The straw hat gave him a strange look. "What do you mean?"
"I mean what do you think of the relationship Sanji and I have?" Zoro asked. "Do you think there's something's wrong with it? Do you think the power balance between us is uneven? That one's more masculine than the other? C'mon Luffy, tell us what you think."
Sanji gave him a look. What are you doing? he seemed to ask with panicked eyes.
Just listen, Zoro replied wordlessly. The way Sanji tensed in his hold made Zoro worry but once Luffy started talking, it felt as though Sanji was melting into him with how lax his body became.
"Why are you asking me this Zoro?" Luffy said with his head tilted to the side, rubbing his head in confusion. He shrugged. "I dunno, is there supposed to be something wrong with your relationship? You're dating, right? What's wrong with that? Your power balance? What's that supposed to even mean? We all know Sanji can kick your ass, I think Nami might've made a video of it. But otherwise? I've seen you two spar sometimes, you're pretty equal. I mean you each get each other down just about the same amount of times and you each get up about the same amount of times. As for the masculinity …" Luffy shrugged again. "You're both really feminine you know. Sanji might be lean and have a delicate looking figure, but Zoro, you spend hours when it comes to shopping for your clothes and you're one of the pickiest eaters now a days. What's wrong with your relationship? You both like each other, enjoy spending time in the other's company and you live under the same roof. What's wrong with that?" Luffy shook his head. "Honestly Zoro, I just don't get you sometimes."
Sanji blinked. He looked up at Zoro and grinned. "Okay, point proven."
"Huh?" Luffy scratched his head. "Did I do something?"
"Not everyone's like Luffy," Sanji pointed out as he drove them back to their apartment. "You know that, don't you?"
"And not everyone's like Usopp," Zoro said. "And besides, Usopp isn't like that anyway, he's just confused. I think he's just like my parents really. When I told them I wanted to learn swordsmanship, they told me to go for it. When I came back from my first lesson though, they took one look at my bruises and how tired I was and told me to quit instantly. They didn't know they were agreeing to. It takes time to warm up to something. We can tell Usopp we're in a relationship and he'll be fine with it. But then there are moments like the one you had yesterday, when he finally realizes what being in a romantic relationship with another man entails and suddenly, he's not so sure he's okay with it. He's fixating on the matters that to people like Luffy, don't matter at all. He just doesn't see the bigger picture yet, but he will. I'm not saying it's going to be perfect or anything, or that he'll accept it easily. It's a process and to be honest, I don't think some people ever get past the small stuff. But I trust Usopp. He'll get there. I know he will."
There was silence until Zoro turned to Sanji and noticed him staring. "What?"
"Nothing."
"Liar, that's so not nothing." Zoro shook his head. "You don't just stare at someone like that for no reason."
"Well maybe I do! Ever thought of that?"
Zoro laughed. "Do you have any idea how ridiculous you sound?"
"Yeah well …"
"Come on," Zoro said in a softer voice, all teasing gone from his tone. "You can talk to me. If you can't tell your boyfriend, who can you tell?"
"It's nothing, just …" Sanji trailed off. "You're kind of like Luffy, you know. You act like you don't get it and there's this honest confusion in your eyes if I were to ask you something on, say quantum physics, but you have these moments where … I don't know, there's just these times where you just seem to get it, you know? I can't really explaining it, but it's like you completely understand the world around you and everything it's made up of and in that moment, you just say the right thing." Sanji shook his head. "I don't know, do you get it?"
"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about," Zoro declared. "But the light's green and you need to turn left."
Sanji rolled his eyes. "You're full of shit, the light's still r—"
"HEY DIPSHIT, MOVE THE FUCKING CAR!"
"Told ya."
Sanji pushed the car forward and turned right. "You're still wrong though, Marimo. If you went left, you'd end up circling the mall again."
"What happened to me just getting it?"
"You lost it," Sanji replied simply. "It comes and goes. Some days you're a marimo and some days you're a marimo with a brain." He shrugged. "Or rather, you're always a marimo, who gains a brain for a few select minutes before you tumble back into having a brain made of algae."
"Why the fuck are we here?"
Zoro unbuckled his seatbelt and opened his side of the car door. "We need to face the music, cook," he said. "You can't avoid it forever." He went around the car and opened the door on Sanji's side, waiting for the blond to come up but the blond stayed put in the car, sinking low in his seat.
"I'm not going in."
"You said you'd let me drive today."
"Yeah and I thought we were going to Luffy's."
"We will. After this," Zoro said.
Sanji turned his head away from him.
Zoro sighed and bent down. "Look at me Sanji. Please."
Sanji did not look at him.
"Fuck, Sanji, I'm not trying to hurt you. I'm not doing this because I want to, I'm doing this because we have to. This isn't pleasant for me either. Trust me, I'd rather be anywhere but here. Do you remember twenty-nine?"
Silence.
"Number twenty-nine: your strength. You're strong Sanji. You've been through hell no one should ever have to bear through. You've seen things no one should ever have to, dealt with situations you should've never been placed in the first place. You've dealt with bullies and you've dealt with the cooks. You've dealt with loneliness and fear, you've conquered it. Don't ever be ashamed of your scars, they're signs that you're stronger than what tried to kill you. Do you remember what I said? When people get scared, instead of facing their fears, they try to destroy them, try to make them disappear through means that should never be used. Sanji, you have to face them. You may have dealt with the cooks, but this is your last battle. This is your last fight and it's the most important one. Because if you just push it away, it'll find a way to creep back up and try to strike you again. This is the fight where you defeat them. They won't ever reach you again, you'll never have to fear them, never again. I know you're scared Sanji." Zoro took Sanji's hand that was tightly gripping the edge of the chair and put it to his chest. "Can you feel that? I'm scared too. It burns. But it's a good kind of burn. It's your last match Sanji and this time it's different. I'm here. I'm here and I don't plan on leaving unless you force me." He squeezed the hand he was holding.
Sanji was shaking. Zoro could feel him shaking. "Z-Zoro …" He took in a deep breath and the the smallest trace of a rasp was audible. His grip on Zoro was tightening, Zoro's hand turning pale. He said nothing, watching the way Sanji seemed to quiver as he tried to speak. "Z-Zoro, I … I c-can't breathe …"
"Shh," Zoro told him softly. "Just copy me, okay?" Zoro breathed in slowly through his nose, waiting as Sanji shakily copied him before exhaling slowly. "Is your chest tight? Remember, don't speak, just nod or shake your head."
Sanji nodded slowly.
"Do you want to leave?"
Sanji shook his head.
"Okay."
Zoro stayed silent, waiting as Sanji tried to control his own breathing. He tried not to show how much he was freaking out. Instead, he sucked in a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. He listened to the sound of Sanji's breathing, watched the way Sanji's fingers seemed to follow the path along his blazer into his pocket, trying to take out a pack, but coming out dry.
Zoro didn't know how long they stayed like that, silent and still before he dared to speak again.
"Better?"
Sanji nodded.
Zoro nodded. "Okay. I didn't want to force you, I'll drive us back, okay?"
Sanji's hand reached out and grabbed Zoro's arm, stopping him from leaving. "No," he gasped. "G-give me a m-minute."
Zoro stayed put.
Sanji took a deep breath, his whole body shaking before he spoke. "I'm better." He took a moment of pause before he continued. "I want …" He sucked in a deep breath, a hissing sound coming out. "I want to k-kick their fucking a-asses."
Zoro smiled and kissed him softly. Their lips brushed each others gently for a moment. Just as Zoro was pulling back, Sanji wrapped an arm around his neck, pulling him closer. He kissed him forcefully with vigour and anxiety, with strength. It tasted like his resolve.
They parted and Zoro let out a gasp, smiling brightly. "Come on. We've got some asses to kick."
Sanji got out of the car, his feet shaking on the pavement. It was clear he was beyond nervous and he clung to Zoro tightly, like he expected him to disappear. He didn't grip his hand, though it wasn't as though Zoro had been expecting him to. Through everything that had happened, he had seen Sanji's pride fluctuate, his dignity waver, but never had it ever disappeared. He'd be damned if it went away now.
Zoro opened the doors to the Baratie the same way he had done so many months ago, countless nights, but this time it was different. This time he wasn't here to see Sanji, he was here to fight alongside Sanji.
It wasn't like in the movies where everyone seemed to pause and stop, realizing that important people had just entered. Rather, the restaurant continued on as normal. The receptionist behind the desk greeted them with a smile.
Zoro glared at him.
"Do you have a reservation?" asked the man.
"No," Zoro replied in a clipped tone. He felt Sanji grip his arm tightly, as though to tell him to be quiet.
"Good evening, Tom."
The way Sanji spoke, it was strained and forced. He plastered on a fake smile, one that Zoro hadn't seen in a long time. He was still good at it, he still knew how to charm others.
The stuck-up man behind the counter wearing a sweater vest looked up to see them for the first time and his eyes bulged out of their sockets. If he hadn't been wearing those ridiculous looking glasses, Zoro thought they'd have fallen out of his head.
"S-Sanji?" the man asked. "W-what are you doing here? We thought …" The man gnawed at his bottom lip. "We thought you were—"
"Dead?" Sanji cut him off. "Died in a ditch maybe? Hoping I had ended up on the bad side of town and the yakuza dealt with me?" The way Sanji spoke now, it was so different from the way Zoro remembered him talking to Patty. There was something in his voice that hadn't been there before. Confidence. It was kinda sexy, when Zoro thought about it, the commanding tone Sanji's voice was taking.
"I—"
"Oh, it's okay Tom," Sanji said, "you don't need to hide it. You never liked me, did you? None of you ever did." He shook his head. "No, you weren't very fond of me. Look, I didn't come here because I wanted to catch up on old times, I cam here to talk to Patty and Carne. Where are they?"
"T-that man," Tom stuttered, "standing n-next to you. Is he …?"
"I can speak for myself, thanks," Zoro snapped. "Zoro Roronoa, nice to meet you, Tom," he snapped, venom laced in his voice. "Remember me now?"
"The kendo champion …" Tom seemed to be in a state of shock, but considering he had been what Zoro assumed was a bystander to all of Sanji's abuse, he wasn't feeling particularly bad for him. "B-but …"
"Where's Patty and Carne?" Zoro demanded.
"I-in the kitchen," Tom said, still clearly shaken. "B-but there's something you should know—"
"Thanks Tom," Sanji said, cutting him off. The tone he used, though confident, at the same time held a different kind of malice from the kind Zoro was used to. It was almost hidden, under layers and layers of other emotions, but it was still there, present and obvious. Throughout the entire thing, if one were to see this conversation from afar, Sanji would appear to be the perfect gentlemen whereas Zoro seemed to be lashing out for no reason. Was this another difference between them? How was Sanji so refined, even when insulting someone?
With that, he tugged on Zoro's arm and they headed straight for the kitchens.
They stood outside the doors and though Zoro expected Sanji to pause or take a moment to breathe before he opened the doors, he didn't. He didn't even waver or blink as he pushed the doors open and walked straight in as though he owned the place.
"Patty! Carne!"
The two cooks turned at the sound of their names and almost immediately, their eyes widened. It was the kind of look one got in their eyes when they were terrified.
"Hello Sanji," said Patty, managing to speak through clenched teeth. "Long time no see, how have you been?"
"Yes, how have you been dear Sanji?" asked Carne, smiling a little too widely.
What the fuck?
"W-what?" Sanji asked and it seemed as though he was shaken off guard. He was clearly as confused, if not more, than Zoro was and it was making him even more nervous.
"Old buddy Sanji's back!" one of the cooks said with a big grin. They patted him on the back harshly and Sanji flinched, his grip on Zoro tightening.
"Oh, you found happiness with that swordsman? Wonderful!" said Patty. "Knew you deserved someone special."
What the fuck was going on? There didn't seem to be any logic to anything that was going on. What was happening?
Zoro squeezed Sanji's hand tightly.
BAM!
The doors to the kitchen were slammed open and in walked a man with a large chef hat, blond hair and a very strange moustache, though the strangest thing about him had to be his peg leg.
The moment he laid eyes on Sanji, he walked up to him and gave him a kick in the head.
Sanji didn't even blink.
Zoro expected Sanji to freak out, or flinch or do something that wasn't what he did. Instead of doing anything Zoro predicted, Sanji's lips curled into a smirk. "Old geezer!" he yelled.
"Fucking Eggplant!" the man yelled back. "Where the fuck have you been for the past six months?!" He made a move to strike at Sanji again but Zoro stepped in front of him and held up his arms in a defensive manoeuvre.
"Hey!" Zoro snapped, glaring at the man. "Don't you fucking dare touch him!"
The man raised an eyebrow. "Who's he, Eggplant?"
Eggplant? What the fuck is this man talking about? Sanji's not an eggplant— holy shit, is this man …?
"Zeff?"
The word was choked out, half in shock, half in pure stupidity.
"I want you to tell me something, Marimo," the man said, lowering himself down to Zoro's level, "how is it that you know my name, while I have no idea who the fuck you are? And how do you know Eggplant over there?"
"He's Zoro Roronoa, sir!" one of the cooks said. "He's a world famous kendo champion."
"Is that so?" asked Zeff, looking at Zoro with scrutinizing eyes. "You're a kendo champ?"
"He was all over the news a while ago," the cook who had spoken before supplied.
"Don't watch the news, its full of lies," Zeff declared. "And how about you? Are you a liar?"
"N-no," Zoro said. He wondered to himself why he was quivering so much. "Sir. No sir!"
Zeff nodded slowly before standing upright again. "Patty! Carne!"
"Yes sir!" the two cried in unison.
"Get everyone out, I want to have a personal talk with Eggplant and Roronoa over here."
"Yes sir!"
The two bastard cooks practically clicked their heels in compliance before rushing everyone out of the kitchen, escorting them to God knew where. Zeff looked to Sanji this time. "Where have you been?"
Sanji bit his bottom lip. "Well, you see there was this thing and uh, you see, I kinda got kidnapped by this guy and uh— no, it's okay! He's a good guy! We're fine now! Stop glaring at him, you old fart! But uh … He told me he wouldn't let me go until my mentality returned to a regular person's state and uh so … he kinda kept me hostage?"
"Is that a question or a statement?" asked Zeff.
"Don't make me out to be the bad guy!" Zoro snapped, glaring at Sanji.
"I don't know," Sanji said. "Zoro's not bad, I swear."
Zeff nodded slowly. "It seems like your mentality is at a normal state. Why are you still with him?"
Sanji blushed and turned his head away. "I … I decided to stay. With him, I mean."
"Oh yeah? Was this rust bucket not enough for you?" Zeff asked, raising an eyebrow. "Eh, Eggplant?!"
"Shut up you old geezer! I'm trying to talk here!"
"Well you're doing a shit jab at it! Is this the way I raised you? Respect your elders, you fucking moron!"
"Fucking bastard!"
Zoro watched the exchange, wondering what exactly was going on. It didn't seem like the usual exchange between father and son. The way Sanji had spoken of Zeff, he had made him sound like a father figure, with such respect and admiration. This was not what he had been expecting.
He eyed the exit. Perhaps he could escape? He really did want to beat those bastard cooks into the ground.
He started towards the door, slowly tiptoeing when—
"Don't you dare fucking move, Roronoa."
Zoro froze in his place.
"Sanji, go to the dining hall. I want to have a little talk here with Mr. Roronoa." The cracking of his knuckles and menacing glare were implied.
"Don't tell me what to do, old man!" Sanji snapped, but he left anyway.
Wait! Don't leave me here with this nutjob! But of course, Zoro's voice didn't work and instead the kitchen doors closed and there was only him and Zeff in the room.
"Zoro Roronoa," said Zeff slowly, "Eggplant seems rather fond of you. What happened in the months he's been gone?"
"Shouldn't you ask him that?" Zoro asked, wondering what to do. He felt as though he were on a minefield, unable to tell where the bombs were. One wrong move and he'd be dead.
"I did, didn't you see?" Zeff asked. "The bastard doesn't tell me anything."
"It's what he said it was. I took him in."
"You abducted him."
"I didn't abduct him—"
"He called it kidnap."
"He's overdramatic—"
"He called himself a hostage."
"Sanji calls himself a lot of things." Zoro shook his head. "Look, I just took him in."
Zeff nodded slowly. Zoro was about to up and leave when Zeff spoke again. "Hurt him and I kill you."
"Excuse me?" Zoro asked.
"You heard me. He's very important to me and he seems to trust you fully. If you ever do anything to break that trust, I'll snap your neck and boil you in a pot."
Zoro let out a sigh of disbelief. "You care about him? He means a lot to you? Do you even know why I had to get him out of here? Do you even know why I took him from here? I needed to get him away from this place. He would've died here!"
Zeff gave him a strange look.
"Don't tell me you seriously don't know." By the blank look on Zeff's face, it seemed as though the head chef really didn't understand. "You don't know what he's been through? How can you fucking call yourself his father if you don't even know what's happening to your son?!" he demanded. "Sanji … Sanji admires you, he respects you, do you even realize that? And you, the bastard, you don't even know when he's in pain?" Zoro shook his head. "How often are you actually around? Do you have any idea how those cooks treat him? Like he's garbage, like he's worthless. They push him around and kick him when he's done, they call him names, they made him fucking hate himself! They … They're fucking monsters! They abuse him, they hit him, they beat him, they fucking raped him, you fucking retard! Don't you dare tell me you care about Sanji if you can't even bother to know the shit he's been through!"
Zeff looked visibly shaken. "R-rape?"
"Yes you fucker, they raped him!" Zoro screamed. "They took him by force, they violated him, they fucking broke him! Do you get it now? You think you care about him? How the fuck can you say that, with the hell that's been going on right under your nose that you never bothered to fucking notice?!"
"I … I didn't know …"
"Of course you didn't fucking know! He didn't want you to know! The pain you have, you hide it from the ones you love because you don't want to hurt them. He hid it from you. Do you know anything about him at all?" Zoro demanded.
"I see."
There was silence and Zoro took deep breaths, trying to reign back in his rage. He wouldn't snap at this man again, he felt as though he had already crossed the line talking to him the way he had. Finally, the blond chef spoke again.
"Is he happy?"
Zoro stared at him.
"I said, is he happy, Marimo?"
"Don't call me that," Zoro said stupidly. "Only Sanji calls me that."
Zeff sighed. "I told him I'd make him a home … I'd make him a place where he was safe, where he didn't have to hide, where he could just live, doing what he loved." He shook his head. "I lied to him, didn't I?"
The look in the old man's eyes shook Zoro to his core. "You didn't know, it's not … it's not your fault …"
"Sanji put his trust in me," Zeff said, "and I couldn't help him. I made it worse, didn't I? I failed him when he needed support, I didn't know." He looked up at Zoro, meeting his gaze head on. "Is he happy with you?"
Zoro's lips parted to speak but no words came out.
Sanji had never said it, never told him aloud that he enjoyed time with him exactly. He never turned to him and said, "I'm having fun" or anything like that. But Sanji had chosen to stay with him still, that meant something. Sanji had told him he loved him.
"I believe so, sir," Zoro said.
"You make him happy?"
Happy. It was such a simple word but it held so much meaning. Happy. Zoro knew Sanji made him happy. He knew that he was happy every time he heard Sanji's slightly too refine speech escape, he was happy whenever his name was said in that baritone voice, he was happy every time he smelt Sanji's latest meal cooking, he was happy every time he kissed the man, every time Sanji initiated a kiss, every time they had ever done it, he hadn't been happy, he had been euphoric.
"I can only hope I do," Zoro said honestly. "Sir."
"He deserves to be happy, doesn't he?" asked Zeff in a quiet voice.
"Yes," Zoro replied. "More than anyone, sir."
Zeff looked at Zoro. "If you make him cry, I'm going to kill you."
Zoro let a ghost of a smile cross his lips. "Of course, you can kill me the sixth time around."
"Sixth time?" Zeff asked raising an eyebrow.
"Well, first Sanji will have killed me to make himself feel better, then I most likely would've killed myself for making me cry and of course, my friends would each have a go at me. So yes, you'd be sixth to kill me."
Zeff nodded. He reached out and ruffled Zoro's hair with his large hand. "I like you, Strawberry."
Zoro paused and gave him a strange look before nodding.
"I'm trusting you with him," Zeff said. "Remember, if you make him cry, I get to kill you sixth."
Zoro shook his head. "I don't think it'll ever come to that."
"Oh really? Why is that?"
"Because I'll die before I let myself be the reason for his tears."
Zeff looked at him. "Something tells me he'll be the one crying the most at your funeral."
Zoro bit his bottom lip. "Um, there's something I should tell you, about our relationship, that is—"
"I know," Zeff cut him off.
"You do?"
"Strawberry, have you seen the way he looks at you? Anyone could tell. Just because I'm old, I'm not blind."
Zoro nodded. "Are you … okay with it?"
"Would it matter if I wasn't?"
"What do you mean?"
"If I told you I didn't approve of the fact that you were in a homosexual relationship with Sanji, would it matter?"
Zoro didn't even blink before the answer was coming out of his mouth. "No." He shook his head. "It wouldn't."
"And that's why it doesn't matter to me," Zeff said. "Sanji needs someone who's going to fight for him through all his insecurities, who's going to stand strong and be his pillar when he needs it. He needs someone who's his equal, who he can have a fair fight with."
"Quite frankly, sir, Sanji kicked my ass this January," Zoro admitted with a big grin.
"That's my boy," Zeff said, his eyes shining with pride. "Now go on, Strawberry, I'm sure Eggplant's getting antsy outside in the dining hall."
"One more thing, before I go," Zoro said slowly.
"What is it?" asked Zeff, his voice gruff.
"Does my head really look like a strawberry?"
Zeff gave him a pointed look.
"Right, sorry."
When Zoro entered the dining hall, he saw Sanji speaking to Patty and Carne. From the way they were talking to him, they seemed to have dropped the nice guy act and were harassing Sanji. He was about to interfere, to march over, push them aside and yell at them for being such assholes, when he got close enough to hear what they were all saying.
"— noa's slut, eh? Do you like it? Taking it up the ass from him?"
Zoro saw red, ready to let his mouth fly off and his fist to connect directly with Carne's face when Sanji spoke.
"Your insults are rather mundane. Do you realize that's the fourth time in the past two minutes that you've made a comment about my ass?" Sanji asked, raising an inquisitive eyebrow. "I think you may have a little obsession, a bit unhealthy, don't you think?"
Zoro wanted to laugh at the look on Carne's face when Sanji said that. He'd pay a over a million yen to see that expression again.
"D-don't rope me in with your lot!"
"My lot?" Sanji repeated. "If I remember this correctly, I believe you've already had your fair share of me. And you liked it," he added. "Now, I'm not saying I liked it, but it seemed as though you were enjoying yourself quite nicely. You too Patty, weren't you the first to take a dive in?" he asked.
Patty's face was beet red.
"Now listen to me boys. When I tell you that I'm not coming back here, I think even your microscopic sized brains can comprehend that I mean it. Take a good look, because I'm never entering the Baratie again. Understood?"
"Little twerp!" screamed Patty. "You think you can talk all-mighty to us just because Zeff is here to bail your ass out?"
"It's not because of Zeff," Sanji told him. "I can assure you of that."
"Bastard's suddenly got a backbone now? What are you going to do, Blondie?" Carne sneered. "Tell on us?"
"No," Sanji said firmly. "I won't. And if you think I'm not telling because for you, I'm not. I'm doing it for Zeff. Because if someday the Baratie does go up in smoke, it will never be by my hands."
THUD!
Zoro watched, open mouthed as, with one swift kick, Sanji had the cooks on the floor, sporting large and painful bruises on their cheeks. Zoro could feel the pain from when Sanji used to kick him around, it hurt like hell. He didn't feel an ounce of sympathy towards the poor bastards.
Zoro grinned and approached Sanji, who was towering over the two cooks, breathing harshly.
"You okay?" he asked him.
Sanji took a deep breath and turned to him. "Yeah. I'm okay."
And he felt as though Sanji meant it and he knew it and he believed it himself. He was okay and he was going to be okay.
"So are we leaving?" Zoro asked.
"Yeah, sure. But one last thing." Sanji crouched down so he was level with cooks. "Just a parting message my boyfriend taught me. Mange ta merde."
"Fuck that's hot," Zoro couldn't help gasping. The way Sanji spoke French … It was almost as though he was meant to speak French with that mouth of his. They said French was the language of love. Zoro realized in that moment that, forget dirty talk, if Sanji just spoke French to him exactly the way he just had to those cooks, he might just cum on his voice alone.
With that, Sanji and Zoro exited the Baratie for the last time.
The second they were in the car, Zoro kissed Sanji. It was almost like Valentine's Day all over again, a hot make-out session in the car, except this time, Zoro practically crawled into Sanji's lap, caressing his face, holding him tightly, making sure he couldn't get away.
"Do you have any idea how sexy your voice is?" he whispered in a husky voice, blowing softly in Sanji's ear. The cook shivered. "I need to teach you more French," Zoro decided. "Tu es beau. Tu es tellement beau."
Sanji's brow furrowed in confusion but Zoro ignored his questioning gaze and instead kissed him again, harsher. His lips moved from his lips to his neck, leaving trails of soft kisses before biting down on his collarbone. Sanji jerked, his hips thrusting upwards.
"Fuck," he hissed through clenched teeth.
"Tu es le mienne. Et je suis le tienne. Toujours. Je t'aime, Sanji. Je t'aime tellement." As Sanji seemed to come undone under Zoro's wandering fingers as he whispered into his neck, he gasped out a mixture of Zoro's name and profanities. "Seulement le mienne, tu es seulement pour moi, aucun d'autre peux t'avoir. C'est la même avec moi, je suis seulement à toi, pour toi seulement. Je t'aime."
"Fuck, Zoro!" Sanji's hips thrust upwards again, trying to rub against Zoro as his lips came back to Sanji's mouth. "I … I need you."
"When we get back," Zoro told him, kissing him softly and slowly. When he parted from him, he went back to his seat and then proceeded to break the speed limit in order to get to the shit apartment as quickly as possible.
Author's Note #2: Okay, now for the thank-yous!
Michikuni Mayu: I have a huge interest in yakuza stories, ever since I learnt what it was. I don't really know much about the mafia or anything like that, but I'm willing to do research. I actually tried writing a bit of The Yakuza's Son beginning which is about 2000 words long right now, but anyway, yeah, I really like the ideas which is why I had them. Yup, I did love that scene in the anime and the manga and decided it was totally like Zoro so yeah, I put it in there. I hope you liked this chapter, I know I totally screwed Zeff up! Sorry!
Cara-Dolce: I'm happy you reviewed, especially since the review you sent me kind of made me feel like you wouldn't review again, but you have, multiple times and it makes me really happy! I really wanted to show how some people look at gay relationships, in a non-offensive way and I didn't set out to make Usopp a bad guy, I really didn't, but it's like Zoro said, "when someone says I'm gay and you reply, I'm fine with it, after a certain amount of time, you realize what being gay actually means and maybe you're not as okay with it as you thought". Thinking you're good and actually being good are two different things and I wanted to show that, I don't think it's something personal towards them, it's more like, since Usopp's coward, this change is really new for him and he's trying to cope with it, in means that may not be the best, but he's trying. He'll come around.
fangal4life: I always did love randomly placed confessions.
KleinXDgirl: I'm serious, I might write a oneshot with that happening.
JustCallMeLucie: Well I hope you'll like the ending when it comes! I'm working really hard on it!
Raigon: Well now you know. Dear God, I think I screwed it up, but its there!
Random Person (x2): Yeah, I'm working on a teaching French portion, it will come, I promise you. It'll have to come (for reasons you shall not know! Hahahaha, wait in suspense!) and I hope you'll like my other ZoSan stories as much and I won't just be a one-hit wonder. And I'm thinking about it, I need people to respond to my poll.
Shizuka Taiyou: I just know one thing about Killa Kill, (well, two things). One, my friend told me the ending sucks and I should never watch it and two: after watching Hunter x Hunter (some of it, not all of it, cause like One Piece, it's a HUGE endeavour, but luckily, it's on Netflix. All the big shows are on Netflix, but One Piece, I'm sad it got left out!) the name of that show reminds me of Killua (LOVE KILLUA!).
lilcutieprincess: Would you believe me if I told you I haven't tried writing a straight couple in a while? It's been a while since I've read about a straight couple on top of it all. Money Can't Buy is one of the less developed ideas, but I've got some, I'll probably shove some ZoSan in there too in the corners, if I end up writing it. I think I'll write them all, but I don't know which one I'll do first.
Nachtwolke: Inspired by strange things, I am (and now I feel like I'm talking like Kenshin. Bonus points if you know who I'm talking about without looking it up). And I don't know why, but I've got a thing for waiters and therapists. I've got a Naruto story in mind with Naruto as a waiter and there are two stories that have Zoro has a therapist, interesting, isn't it? And I hate the colour pink, and I've walked into the wrong locker room so many times! Plus, for some reason, I have 4 math textbooks. WHO THE HELL NEEDS 4 MATH TEXTBOOKS?!
Tulula-Mate: Yup, beautiful people indeed.
crystalbluefox: If you've updated yet, I haven't seen it, but dear God I can't wait! I need to do a lot of research for Like Heroin and The Yakuza's Son because I know nothing about the yakuza or drugs (I'm free of contaminants, as I like to put it) but I will look forward to writing about Sanji smoking again because it's just a tad weird for me when he's not doing it and then I go and watch an episode and am like, "hey! You're smoking!" And actually, there are two more stories that should be added to that list of potential stories that I came up with. I'm really glad you reviewed, since you hadn't for a while and I was like, "did I freak them out by saying I worship them? SENPAI, I'M SORRY!" but yeah, thanks for reviewing! I will be updating weekly, on either Sundays or Saturdays. Today it seems it'll be on Saturday.
This is the first chapter to get so many reviews in such a short time. I know it's going to be a pain, but I ask you go to my profile page and resubmit the stories you want, because that way, I can keep better tabs on it and come to a decision on which one I'll write next first. I want to write them all to be honest. Now for the questions!
First: what did Zoro say? I did not plan on hm speaking French, but he ended up speaking French anyway!
And second: I asked it before a long time ago, but if you haven't noticed, each chapter is told by a different person. Sanji gets even numbered chapters, Zoro gets odd. Which chapters do you prefer?