Zoro put the finishing touches on the hair. She was smiling happily, excited about how her hair will be like. "Done." He says. There's no mirror he could use at the moment to show her so... "Stay still I'll take a picture of your hair to show you." Zoro says taking his phone out. He takes some pictures of her from the back and side. He shows her his phone.
"Wow! Its so pretty." She reaches up to touch her hair with a smile. He smiles too. It's always nice to make a child so happy.
"How pretty!" They look up at to see Ruby standing there with Steven in her arms. "Sorry to have bothered you with this. I've always had short hair so putting up long hair is foreign."
"I don't mind. It gave me something to do." Zoro puts everything back in the make up kit.
"Still I'm sorry and sorry but can you watch Steven. I want to go see the others and I'll be taking Jj. I don't want to bring too many babies with me." She explains.
"That's fine." Zoro says. He only has Megumi, but even sometimes she is too much for him so he can't imagine having as many kids as she has. She bends down and hands over Steven to Zoro. Zoro held him close. It's been a while since he held an infant in his arms. He was reminded of the days where he would hold Megumi like this.
"I'll be back." She says, then looks at Sapphire, "be a good girl," she says. The blue haired girl nods with a smile. How could she be bad when shes so happy. She was always jealous of Megumi, she wished just once to have her hair up all pretty like her classmate, like her friend always has. And now her dream has come true. Sapphire is to distracted to answer to her mom. "Thank you again." She says before taking the hand of Jj and leaving.
"I wish I was Megumi." She says.
"Why?" Zoro asks. It was kind of weird to hear that. Sure Megumi has nice clothes and toys but look at her parents. They aren't married, her father didn't know she existed until a couple months ago and her mother was a prostitute. Who'd want to be in a family like that? Zoro couldn't help but feel sad that Megumi might not have what other families have. Sure she has a dad but she doesn't have a father.
"So you could do my hair every morning." She says. Zoro just smiles. Kids, so happy with the littlest things. But grown ups could learn a few things. That it's ok to be jealous and that it's ok to enjoy the small things in life sometimes. They sat there in the shade of the tree talking about small things like toys or tv shows.
"Sapphire!" They look up to see Megumi and Sanji walking towards them. Sapphire stands up waiting for Megumi to come closer. Megumi runs forward with Sanji walking behind her. "Mommy did your hair?" She asks. Sapphire nods showing her braids that lead to her ponytail. "How pretty. It suits you." Megumi says.
"But why can't you ask your older sisters for help?" Zoro asks scooting so Sanji could sit down too.
"Pearl has short hair and Amy doesnt do her hair. Its always down."
"Well what did the headmaster say?" Zoro asks looking at Sanji who has been staring at him since he got back.
"She really enjoyed the meal. And is glad about your new job." Sanji says. Zoro nods.
"Can we go play?" Megumi asks. Zoro nods.
"But I want to be able to see you, both of you." Zoro says sternly. They both nod and Megumi takes Sapphires' hand and they run off.
When Sanji got close to Zoro and saw something in his arms the cook couldn't help but be curious to what is was. Then he sat down and saw the baby in Zoro's arms. He's always been around old men. He's never seen an infant close before. He's only ever seen babies on tv. He doesn't know how to hold a baby. Hes extremely nervous to ask so all he could do is stare and observe.
"You're staring." Zoro says Looking down. Ruby left the baby bag with him.
"What?" He looks away from Zoro then back at him. Zoro turns to him, eyebrow raised.
"Don't act stupid. You were staring. Why?" Zoro asks.
"It's because... I've never been near a baby before." Sanji looks down at his lap.
"Never?" Zoro asks. Sanji shakes his head. "Do you want to hold him?" Zoro asks turning towards him. The baby comes closer to Sanji and he scoots back. "He's just a baby, he's not poisonous." Zoro says. "Here." Zoro hands Steven over to Sanji or tries to. "Come on Sanji. He's almost six months old. He's not an infant, he's not that fragile."
"No I dont think I should. I really shouldn't."
"Why not?"
"I'd hurt the baby or something." Sanji whispers the last word.
"Why do you think that?"
"Lohan, my ex girlfriend, the one I broke up with said that I shouldn't have kids or be near one."
"Does she have kids?" Zoro asks.
"No." Sanji answers as he shakes his head.
"Then how would she know? Has she seen you with Megumi?" He sees Sanji shake his head. "I have. And Sanji you are a good father, a good adult. You are there when she needs you and you make her smile. That's all she needs from both of us. Forget what Lonah said. Here." Zoro says. He hands Steven over successfully. As they touched hands Zoro notice how Sanji hands tremble. He slowly retracts his arms leaving the baby in Sanjis.
Sanji smiles down at the little bundle of joy. The only person in his eyes is Sanji and vice versa. Its amazing holding a baby in his arms. To have someone fully dependant on him, to keep him safe. Sanji only had one word: wow! He look up to see Zoro staring back at him with an expression he's never seen before. It is beautiful.
"Thanks." Sanji says. Looking at Zoro.
"I know you missed out on raising Megumi. I've seen how you look at the baby pictures." Zoro smiles. Sanji didn't think Zoro would notice or care. Yes he wished he could have taken care of Megumi when she was a baby but he can't turn back time so now he could only look at baby photos. Steven starts whimpering and Sanji get nervous again.
"W-what do I do?" He looks to Zoro for guidance. Zoro turns to the baby bag. "What wrong?" Sanji asks, panic in his voice, eyebrow furrowed upward.
"Don't know." Zoro says, he turns back to Sanji and shoves a blue pacifier in his mouth and Steven starts sucking on it.
"How did...?"
"I didn't." Zoro says.
"Then..."
"If the pacifier didn't work I would have tried the baby bottles of milk next." Zoro says. They look down at Steven to see his eyes slowly closing.
"H-he's falling asleep?" Sanji asks.
"He's a baby, they sleep whenever, wherever." Zoro says.
"Oh so like you." Sanji retorts.
"Hahaha." Zoro mocks robotically as he frown at Sanji. He turns around to hide the smile that came on to his face. He's having fun with Sanji. It's really nice.
"Has Megumi ever slept somewhere weird?"
"One day I caught her stealing juice because she fell asleep climbing the chair."
They continue to talk about Megumi in her younger years.
