All right Sanji admits he did the worst thing imaginable. He shouldn't have just stood there while Zoro was obviously suffering with his emotions. Zoro felt like he was left behind. Which to Sanji made Zoro's half awake and crying "don't leave me" more understandable. He should have gone and talked to the man instead of ignoring him and trying to go back to the way things were even thought they couldn't. He knew that now.
It was hard to change his feeling. He tried hard too. Throwing himself into cooking. Treating Zoro the way he did before but nothing worked and now he's here. Of course he's trying to make it work. It's not going as easy as he thought it would be. Zoro had locked himself in the crows nest since that night. It has been two days since then. Zoro only allows Chopper near him. Which angered Nami who wanted to talk to him about the treasure that Zoro seems to have forgotten about. Zoro may be the richest one on the crew and didn't even know it.
Sanji was glad though. While he and Chopper were waiting for him to wake up Chopper had discussed with him then the rest of the crew about the possibility of Zoro losing his memories. Zoro's could have lost an hour or years worth of memories. Sanji feared that was going to happen. He had wasted useless time being uncertain and now it was going to bite him in the ass because he took too long.
But that didn't happen. And he's happy for that but now he has to find some way to get close to Zoro. With that in mind he came up with the apology checklist. He made a list of the top ten things that Zoro loves and he's going to buy them and give it to him while begging on his knees sorry.
Knowing Zoro and his stubbornness he knew that is wasn't going to be that easy. It'll take a few weeks, maybe a month and he's prepared for that.
With that set, and determination to rival Zoro's stubbornness Sanji went up to the crows nest. He opened the trap door and walk in, the first things on his list in his hands. He looks around to see nothing at first. He knew Zoro shouldn't be training just yet but Zoro never really listened to Chopper once he deemed himself healed enough and talked about how the bandages were in his way.
He found Zoro hidden away in the corner reading the diary again. He looked over to the shelf to see on top the other two diarys and a small vase with one Sing Song in it. He cleared his throat and watched as Zoro jumped in his skin shocked. Zoro looked up at him and frowned. He looked back down at his book. That reaction is to be expected.
"Would you like to cook with me?" Sanji asks.
"No. I don't want to be anywhere near you." Zoro answers. Yeah, he didn't think that would work plus it would be a little weird. Zoro still can't eat solids so Sanji had been making something special for him and giving it to Chopper to deliver it to the swordsman. He deserves everything Zoro has coming for him.
"Here." Sanji says setting down a bouquet of Sing Songs. Zoro just watched Sanji. Zoro then looks back down at the diary. Sanji just stands there awkwardly. Then he decides to start a conversation. "So... you're reading the diary again." Sanji says. Zoro just looks up at him. Sanji looks at the bandage around Zoro's head from when he fell down the cliff, he had smashed his head against the rock. "So you can still read it." Sanji says. Trying to start a conversation. Zoro just stared before he closes the the book using is finger as a bookmark.
"If I talk will you leave?" Zoro asks.
"I just want to talk."
"If you haven't noticed I'm mad."
"I know and I'm trying to make it up."
"A little too late. You don't know how it feels to be loved and open with your friends and the person you love only for it all to stop. To be ignored, made fun of, alone. To be happy one day, then uncertain the next." Zoro says. Sanji shakes his head. "Then let me show you." Zoro says looking down at the diary and reading from where he left off.
"I'll be back with a snack." Sanji says stepping back slowly to the trap door watching Zoro reading. He didn't even give his normal grunt as an answer. Sanji left. He made his way down to the kitchen.
He started on Zoro's snack but didn't get far before he stopped. Sanji poured himself some water and sat down at the table. He needed something to calm his nerves. He didn't know what Zoro specifically went through but he knew what it felt like to be made fun of and alone. His own family did that and to think he made Zoro feel that too. He was horrible.
But he had a feeling he wasn't talking about just Sanji. Zoro must be talking about the others. They were the same way. Being close to Zoro then being distant with him the next day. He wasn't the only one at fault.
Chopper came trotting in with some bags. "Oh Sanji. How's Zoro?" Chopper stops to look at the chef.
"He's fine. Just sitting down and reading the diary." Sanji says. Chopper nods.
"Did he talk to you?"
"Yeah. But not a lot."
"Sanji, how do you feel about Zoro? If you don't love him anymore then leave him alone, please. I know he hurts. He cries and no one knows. Everyone thinks it's gone back to how it use to be but it can't. It will never be like that again." Chopper says.
"I know. I'm trying to make it up to Zoro. And I think it'll take longer than I thought." Sanji says.
"You're trying to make it up to Zoro?" Chopper asks.
"Yes, I still love the idiot." Sanji says.
