The others didn't stop their questions. Soon the cake was finished as it was time for them to leave.
"I don't want to go to school just yet. Can't I stay with grandpa Zeff for my birthday?" Megumi asks giving her best puppy eyes she can muster. Sanji really wanted to let her, the same thing with everyone else. Her face made everyone, Sanji included, want to give her the world. Zoro just stood there, towering over her with a neutral expression. That doesn't work on him.
"Nope." Zoro picks her up and heads to the car with Sanji. He sits her down in her seat and buckles her up and she sat there arms crossed against her chest. He sits in the passenger seat and gets buckled. He looks over to see Sanji all set and ready. He nods and Sanji starts the car.
On the road for a while, Sanji looks at the rear view mirror to see Megumi still pouting. Sanji looks over at Zoro who also seems to be down, upset since they first asked the questions. "She's still upset." Sanji whispers to Zoro, not looking away from the road.
"Once she sees where we're going she'll feel better." Zoro whispers back. Sanji takes a quick glance at Zoro then back at the road.
"What about you? You seem upset."
"It's noth-"
"Zoro," Sanji growls between his clenched teeth. The car stops at a red light and he looks over at Zoro. "What have we decided, we've talked about this. Please talk to me Zoro," Sanji pleads and the look on his face makes Zoro's heart hurt. Zoro looks away, out the window, one hand holding on to his bicep. They did talk about it. If he were to tell Sanji how would he react? But it's no good to hide it either. Zoro closes his eyes.
"You should know I don't like it when people pity me. I've gotten enough of that as a child. It brings back unpleasant memories." Sanji takes a peak and looks forward as he drives, the light had turned green.
"Would you answer if I asked what type of unpleasant memories you're talking about?" He was curious but if they were unpleasant, so much so that Zoro hated it then it really must be bad. He knew about that and would want Zoro to relive it to tell him.
"Everyone at school would look at me like I'm pitiful because I didn't have parents, or the others kids that got adopted. The others kids were a bunch of assholes, as much as some of the caretakers, always pretending to be happy and loving but when they think no one's looking they are actually a bunch if fakers. Tellings us, the ones who haven't gotten adopted, telling me that 'no one would ever love a weirdo with green hair.' It just got worse when I turned thirteen. That's when I started caring less what others think." Sanji felt bad. That sounds horrible. Sanji got Zeff to adopt him but Zoro was left alone.
"That's around the time you met Luffy right?"
"Yeah." Zoro smiles remembering the day Luffy walked into the detention room where he was. He thought talking about his past would make him feel depressed, hes sad but he's not depressed. It's actually nice to reminisce about the past. It's not all bad. Plus he has Megumi. He turns his head to look back at Megumi, she has stop sulking and is looking out the window confused. Zoro smiles. She seems to have notices they aren't going to school.
"Where are we going? This is not the way to school." She says shaking her head.
"You'll know when we get there." Zoro says.
"It's your birthday surprise." Sanji says. He's really excited to see Megumi's reaction. They both are.
"I thought we were going to have a birthday party with everyone?" Megumi says.
"Thats tomorrow. Today is going to be with just us." Zoro explains. Sanji and Zoro looked at each other and smiled. Both of their heart beat faster. Sanji focused on the road and so did Zoro. A blush on their cheeks.
The car ride is quiet so Megumi could guess where they are going. It's going to be Sanji's first time going somewhere with Megumi. Taking her out the city. He didn't think he would be able to take her out. When he missed out on going to the aquarium with them he didn't think he would get a chance again.
As they got closer they could see the outline of an amusement park. Megumi was bouncing in her seat. When Sanji pulled in to the parking lot Megumi start jumping on her seat.
"Disney World! Mommy we're at disney world! We're here!" She says smiling and throwing her hands in the air.
"How about you change before we go in." Zoro says. Megumi looks down at her clothes to see she's wearing a blue and yellow striped short sleeve shirt with jeans her socks are red with no shoes on.
"Yes, please."
"Then wait till we find a parking spot. You get to wear the special outfit you've been wanting to wear."
"Really?" Megumi ask. She looks around. "Where are my shoes?"
"I have them. I'll give them to you when you change."
After searching the finally find a parking space in a good area. It's not too far from the entrance but it's not too close. When Sanji turned off the ignition Zoro turned to hand Megumi the outfit. She unbuckled her seat belt and took the clothes. As she changed Zoro got her shoes and Sanji just waited for them to finish. Zoro set her shoes aside while he check his back pack to see if he has everything. He's got sunblock, their lunches, his wallet, keys, and the tickets. He also has a first aid kit just in case. "Mommy, I need help." Megumi says. Zoro turns to see Megumi having trouble with the pants, or stockings in this case. Zoro moves so that he can reach over into the back seats. Zoro helps her while Sanji avoids turning his head slightly to the right. He could see from his peripheral vision that Zoro's ass is right there.
"Do you want me to do your hair?" Zoro asks as he reaches for her shoes. He feels around until he touches her shoes. He grabs them and gives them to her. He then sits back and looks at Sanji whose facing out the window with blush on his cheeks. "Where's the hair things."
"Should be behind my seat." Sanji points behind himself with his thumb. Zoro leans toward to see the small case with hair supplies in it.
"I want my hair in a bun. Make it look like mouse ears." Megumi says with her hands on her head to show Zoro what she means. Zoro nods with his smile on.
"Ok." Zoro moves to the back seat and Megumi moves to be in between Zoro's leg. Zoro opens the case and grabs the hair brush.
"How long are we staying?" She asks.
"Until the park closes." Zoro says splitting her hair apart, straight down the middle.
"Really?"
"Yup. This way we can enjoy all the rides we can." Sanji says.
"How about food?"
"We packed our own lunch." Sanji tells her.
"So I can't get food from the restaurants?"
"Well what do you want more, food or toys?" Zoro asks.
"Toys!" Megumi shouts. Sanji smiles.
"All done. Sanji pass me my backpack." Zoro puts away the brush and closes the case, setting it down on the floor again. Sanji reaches over the backpack and hands it over to Zoro. With his backpack Zoro opens the door and steps out. Megumi follows, when she stands behind Zoro he closes the door. He turns to Megumi whose smiling up at him. He takes his phone out and starts taking pictures of her.
She is wearing a black long sleeve shirt with a gold outline of Mickey's silhouette with the Disney castle inside, also in gold, in the middle of the shirt. She has red shorts with golden buttons, like the shorts Mickey wears. Underneath those is the black stocking she had trouble putting on. And lastly her yellow-brown timberland boots.
"Nami would be mad if i didn't sent her a picture." Sanji says as he sends her a picture of Megumi.
"Zeff would be mad if he didn't get picture." Zoro says sending Zeff a picture of Megumi. Sanji pauses. If anyone deserves this picture it would Zeff. But it felt weird to sent pictures to his adopted father, the way they work has never included sending pictures to each other. Zeff and Sanji's relationship is unusual but it works for them even if they aren't the best of buds. Zoro puts his phone away and puts the backpack on. "Lets get inside." Zoro holds his hand out for Megumi to hold. Zoro starts walking... in the wrong direction.
Sanji takes the initiative. He'll have to watch both of them. He takes Zoro's hand and leads them to the front gate, to busy thinking about watching them so they don't get lost that he didn't notices Zoro's whole face turn pink.
