He stood outside watching the car pull up into the driveway, it looked in good condition though it's blue paint was dulled with age. He watched as the man wearing a grey yukata got out of the driver side, his dark black hair pulled back into a ponytail and he nudged his glasses up before heading towards Sanji.

Sanji had made a breakfast for the others, making sure everyone had eaten, he'd tried to get Zoro to eat and had been left frustrated when he refused.

It was that frustration that had him outside smoking to calm down, leaving someone hungry left him on edge. He couldn't help but wonder when was the last time that Zoro had eaten and just how hungry he was.

He stubbed out the cigarette and greeted Koshiro leading him into the kitchen where everyone was waiting except for their hostage and their stowaways.

The room was tense, no one knowing how to react, they just looked awkwardly at the older man. The oddness of a calm Luffy wasn't lost on Sanji.

'Where is he?' Koshiro asked Luffy his face stoic giving nothing away.

'He's tied up in the basement' a flash of guilt crossed Luffy's face and Sanji felt it too but what the hell were they supposed to do with him, he had came to kill him after all.

Luffy nodded at Sanji and he led Koshiro into the basement. It seemed to have become his job to take others down there, the oddness wasn't lost on him. 'We didn't hurt him much, just knocked him out but' Sanji paused not wanting to hurt Koshiro but he needed to be warned 'If it really is him then he's not the same person we knew' This job sucked, he wished he'd gotten someone else to do it, but Luffy had decided during breakfast that he was to take Koshiro down here.

Koshiro nodded, Zoro really took after his father. Not looks wise but with the stoic expressions that gave nothing away. It used to irritate him as a kid but now he knew to watch for little things that gave away how people felt. Little things like the small tremors that showed how anxious and nervous the older man really was.

Sanji reached the basement first and looked over at Zoro, he was back to glowering at him. He shuddered, although he looked less intimidating with his bandanna off he still had a murderous aura. He couldn't help feeling relieved that Robin had intercepted the assassin, although he could hold his own in a fight he wasn't sure he could have beaten the demon sitting in that seat. Not that he would ever admit that out loud, especially to Zoro.

Sanji felt Koshiro move past him, walking slowly towards the tied figure, 'Zoro?' he could hear the nervousness in his voice. The assassin didn't respond at all, Koshiro walked up, he gently pulled Zoro's face up so that he was looking him in the eyes. The dark demonic eyes met the gentle calm ones and still there was nothing, Sanji's gut twisted he didn't know what exactly he had hoped for. Maybe for Zoro to suddenly snap out of it upon meeting the gaze of his father, they would untie him and everyone would go upstairs, they would find out what had happened and everybody would live happily ever after. Somehow things never worked out that nicely and smoothly, most of the Luffy's nakama would agree with that, they all had their reasons for being here.

Koshiro leaned in placing his forehead against his sons, 'Zoro' he could hear the crack in his voice 'I finally found you' his voice wavered and Sanji could almost feel Koshiro's pain. The old man's face still gave nothing away, the same face and demeanor that he had held together when he had buried his daughter all those years ago.

'Has he been like this since you found him?' Koshiro didn't take his eyes off his son.

'Pretty much, he was a bit calmer when Chopper was down here. I don't know if you remember him he's the reindeer, he was really close to Zoro as a kid.' Sanji had a theory that Zoro was calmer with Chopper not because of their close history but because he was an animal.

Koshiro nodded 'Why did he come here? If he doesn't remember anyone, why would he try to attack you guys?'

Sanji felt his stomach drop, he hadn't expected this, what the fuck had Luffy told him on the phone. He ran his hand through his hair, he could feel the mental itch starting, he really wanted a smoke, no he needed it to fight off the stress. He pulled one out, made a motion at Koshiro to ask permission and when the old man nodded he lit up and sat down on the stairs.

'A friend of ours caught him in the backyard' he left out the name of his precious wanted flower 'They knocked him out and tied him up down here, in his pocket was a picture and some information on me'' he sighed and stared at the floor hoping it would just swallow him up so he didn't have to say the next bit. Alas the floor remained solid and he had to continue 'He admitted that' he paused again shit saying this was not only bad for Zoro but it would probably raise so many questions about Luffy, he looked at Koshiro and knew that he deserved the truth 'he came to kill me, he said that his boss was paid to have me killed'

Koshiro looked strangely calm as he looked from his son to the blonde on the stairs 'I think we need to talk' he looked at his son with sad eyes and ran his hand through the green hair 'I'll be back' he walked past Sanji and up the stairs. He was about to follow, when he was stopped by the voice behind him.

'Hey Curly' Sanji snapped round he hadn't heard that nickname in so long.

Zoro was sitting his face scrunched up in confusion, for the first time he looked his age, even when Chopper had been down here he looked older. Could he finally be remembering them?

'What's up Marimo?'

'I don't get what you guys are doing'

Now it now his turn to be confused.

'You gave me a weird ass name and keep sending people down to see me, is this some weird torture, or are you just deciding who's going to kill me?'

Sanji shuddered, yea they had wanted answers but they were never going to torture him. As for killing, Luffy would never let that happen, what the hell Luffy had planned for the assassin after questioning he had no clue. Actually he did knowing Luffy he would have befriended him and sent him off, probably to come back and try again later. Luffy had this way of finding the best in people, even people who really had no good to find.

'Weird ass name. Do you mean Zoro?' Sanji wanted to check that it wasn't one of the nicknames

The teen looked grumpy 'Yea that'

Sanji couldn't help it, he tried so damn hard to fight the urge but he burst out laughing, he laughed so much his chest hurt and he fought to breath. With all the stress and tension he figured he must have snapped, he needed to calm down again.

He slowed his breathing with a few deeps breaths and managed to stop the laughing, he looked at the glowering teen.

'Sorry that was just too funny' he couldn't help but grin at his would be killer 'it is your name you moss brained idiot'

He could see the look of confusion come back removing the glare.

'Well if that's not your name what is?' any information would help he figured.

Zoro shook his head 'I don't have a name, just a code'

'So what's your code or is that a secret?'

'It's tattooed on my right arm, so it's not exactly a secret' part of Sanji worried that this was just a trap to get him closer, but what exactly was he going to do tied up to a chair and unarmed.

He went over and pulled up the right sleeve of the t-shirt, and there it was in black ink just down the arm a bit from the shoulder 3S-11.

'Seriously? your name is 3S 11' Zoro nodded 'That's your name and you think Zoro is weird' he nodded again. Sanji could feel the frustration building.

'You really don't remember any of us?' Zoro shook his head, Sanji sighed and ran his hand through his hair again.

'You're just a mark, once you're dead I can go back' he could see Zoro forcing himself to stop

'Back where?' but it was too late, he seemed to realise he had been saying too much, feeling frustrated Sanji stubbed his cigarette out on the wall, the way Zoro watched him do that left him with a sick feeling.

'Look, we're not going to torture you and Luffy will never kill anyone. You're safe here' all of this felt wrong, he wanted the Zoro back who argued with him and fought with him, not the Zoro who warily watched where he stubbed out his cigarette.

'We're your friends Marimo, that was your dad, just hurry the fuck up and remember us.' he yelled 'You belong here with us not out there with whoever the fuck took you.' he was so damned angry, angry at whoever had done this and angry at the broken Zoro, he knew it wasn't his fault but fuck it he was angry anyway

.

Zoro was just sitting glaring at the ground as though somehow it had the answers, Sanji couldn't help but think if it hadn't fucking swallowed him up when he wanted it to, it had better give some answers. Nothing like stress to make you irrational.

He had made it back to the stairs and was about to head up them, when something clicked.

'Why did you call me Curly before? You know my name it's on the sheet'

Zoro glanced up 'Cause you've got weird as fuck eyebrows'

'Yea but why not just call me my name?'

Zoro shrugged 'Dunno, just really don't want to and your eyebrows are fucking ridiculous'

Part of Sanji wanted to go and kick fuck out of the stubborn plant, the other part won and he grinned.

'Okay Mossy, I'll be back'

Sanji counted that as a win, never once in their entire friendship had Zoro used his name, it was a small thing, potentially a coincidence but right now Sanji would take it. He walked up the stairs to his friends, who had all been crowded round the doorway listening in, clearly they hadn't wanted to interrupt but had wanted to hear any information. Koshiro had been standing at the doorway next to Luffy and as he came through they all moved back to the table, Sanji lit up and stood near the open window close to the table. This conversation was going to be unpleasant and he needed all the help he could to get through it.