I do not own anything besides these words and the cover art.

Tashigi looked at Nami with tears streaming down her face, "Please trust me to take care of the children."

Nami looked at her confused at first, as they were in a bar after Zoro's win. Tashigi found her once Sanji arranged for the children under Enel to being taken under police care. Nami was, of course, wary at first, but upon seeing the once stern and cold women bow and ask for permission, Nami could not help but let a tear out, too. She quickly wiped it away and mumbled quickly.

"Well, of course. I mean, it's not like a fighting ring is an ideal place for them." Tashigi stood up and nodded as she wiped her face. Suddenly, Nami came in close and pulled Tashigi by the jacket, "But I hope you know I am keeping my winnings. I do appreciate you being discrete about this. Saving the children is important, but I want my money."

Tashigi frowned. When she got the call from Sanji, she at first thought it was a joke. However, upon pulling the file for Enel, she learned that it was actually a very serious matter. Even more confusing was that it was Nami's idea according to Sanji. Tashigi did not want to like the woman who was still a murderer, thief, and liar in her mind, but this small act of goodness shook Tashigi. However, as she pulled away from Nami and pushed her glasses up, she responded without humor, "Of course. Well, I am not here to babysit you or your green-haired fighter…just for the kids."

Nami nodded and played with her glass, as she seemed to stare off, "Yeah…just for the kids."

Tashigi paid it no mind and fixed herself as she headed for the door, but before she left, she stepped back and spoke into Nami's ear, "But don't think I'm not on to you. This is a good thing…but I know your story, Nami…and I'm still a cop."

Nami smirked and looked at Tashigi, who blushed at the sudden closeness. Nami whispered back, "I expect no less from a strong and good woman."

Tashigi fumbled with her glasses and exited the bar as Nami giggled. Sanji took the seat next to Nami and swayed, "Wow, looking at you two beauties being so strong and in charge…I'm in love!"

"Careful, Sanji. If Perona hears that…you might just get tied up-" Nami stopped and frowned, "Oh, wait. You guys probably like that."

Sanji laughed, "Well, I would be lying if I said Perona was like anyone else…"

"Yeah, you would be," Nami said with a chuckle.

Sanji glanced a look and took a sip of his drink, "But I really thought Zoro was going to get knocked out, you know."

"He couldn't…he's the toughest guy in the ring."

Sanji watched her smile and took a big sip, "Careful, Nami. It looks like you are falling in love."

Nami glanced at Sanji but went back to her glass, "And you would know all about that, wouldn't you?"

"About what?" Sanji said without looking at her.

"Being in love with Zoro," Nami said calmly but Sanji's drink caught in his throat and he coughed.

He turned over and faced her fully now. "Well, don't worry about me getting in the way of things. He doesn't care for me like that."

Nami put her cheek in her hand and propped up on the table. "Then why are you still here?"

Sanji gave her a somber look and spoke with a hint of sadness, "He is my friend. I do not expect anything out of our friendship."

"You're not selfish then," Nami said as she drank her frothy beer.

Sanji watched her swallow and sighed, "Actually, I am very selfish. I feel like I know he is going to get hurt and though I know I should and can stop him…I let him."

"In the ring? Oh please, Zoro is tough. Remember?" Sanji did not want to elaborate on how much he knew about Nami, so he silently nodded and went back to his drink, but Nami continued, "So, how did you meet Zoro? I never asked."

Sanji grew more relaxed as this topic had no secrets or tiresome plans. "Haha, well…he saved me from getting killed, essentially."

"Knight in shining armor?" Nami asked with a brow raised.

"Nope, the very opposite I think. It's a long story."

Nami leaned in, "I like stories…and it would help me get to know you guys. If you don't mind."

Sanji sighed, "For you, Nami, I would give you my life's story." She smiled at him as he cleared his throat and looked out ahead.

"Uh, I did not have a very great home life. My family…we did not love or care for each other and I wasn't what my parents, or at least, what my father wanted. I liked to cook and smile. I liked to show affection and dance and wanted to just be…happy. They wanted to be everything but that. My siblings would actually just…treat me like shit and beat on me, and so I ran away. Very young.

I found Chef Zeff…or more importantly, he found me eating out of his restaurant's dumpster. He took me in, well after he scolded me for eating garbage, and just…healed me. I mean, he cooked pretty amazing food and he taught me everything I know, but he just…loved me like the father I had never would. He wouldn't say it to my face, but he looked at me like the son he never had. I felt…and feel…so…loved."

"And Zoro?"

"Ah, right, Zoro. Well, you know with Zeff, I got to learn cooking and just be myself…and I guess it was in middle school or something that I learned about drag. You know…the campy performance of mainstream culture?"

"I am…um, aware," Nami grew more intrigued.

"Well, I kinda got into it. I mean, I have always been a lover…always felt things more than others have. I always liked to sing and dance, and just…be alive, and the drag queens I saw, they just seemed so comfortable in their skin and knew who they were. Don't get me wrong, there was a bit of exploration and…experimentation, but it made me happy. Once I got out from an abusive family, I made a promise to do what made me happy. But, you know, it wasn't exactly popular when I was a kid and it did give me enemies. People who considered me, once again, less than for who I was or wanted to be."

Nami was hesitant to ask, "And Zoro was a...part of that?"

Sanji blinked at her and suddenly bellowed out a giant laugh, "Ha! Can you imagine? Ugh, I would wipe the floor with that bitch if he tried it. He can barely make it down a street without getting lost, can you imagine him in heels and on the runway?" Nami laughed along with Sanji and tried to imagine Zoro dressed to impress but she just could not. Sanji continued, "But anyway, um, I was out, you know…dressed as I wanted to be dressed, and some kids from school found out and said they'd kill me. I tried to fight, but they had brought weapons…like the cowards they were and I think…I would have died that night. Then comes Zoro…barreling in like some idiot. Helps me fight these kids. And you know what he says?"

"No, what?"

"He looks at me, in my tossed wig and dress and just says, 'This isn't the grocery store.'" Nami started laughing and Sanji joined her. "This idiot comes into a random fight he's not even a part of because he thought we were blocking the way to the grocery store. Such an idiot."

"Wow, I can hardly imagine," But Nami stopped and pondered, "Actually, Zoro…helplessly lost? Yes, yes I can imagine that!"

"Well, little did I know about his uselessness until later…but well, I mean, female friends…I had tons of them, but guys did not generally like me…partially because girls thought I was cute or amazing and well, boys my age either found me weird or as competition."

"And what did Zoro think of you?" Nami glanced at the green-haired man who drank pint after pint of some cheap beer in a contest with some local bar-goers and smirked. She wanted to know his inner workings as if he was a mystery just waiting to be discovered.

"You know…at first, I was really embarrassed and thought he'd mock me like all the others, but he just looked at me and said that I should be as strong as the person who smiled with heels on. And of course, Zoro…isn't known for his kind words, and I know it looks like we always fight and bag on each other, but he never once tells me to change or be…less than me. If anything, he always pushes me, though his words seem mean, he pushes me to make choices that make me happy. He just…is that way with people. He doesn't go out of his way to change the world and lead revolutions, but he just…is him."

They both turned in their chairs and followed the commotion to see that the bar was bustling. Several men were pulling a big table into the center for another contest.

Her smile grew smaller as she asked, "And so what made him be…you know…so…distant?"

Sanji looked at her carefully and gave her a sad smile. "Luffy. You want to know about Luffy?"

"I um, well…" Nami was embarrassed, as she knew this was quite a personal topic, but she was unsure if Zoro would tell her more. She knew he had more to tell, but the wound, even after years, seemed fresh.

"No, it's fine. I think Zoro has a habit of keeping things to himself because that's just who he is. And you," Sanji smirked at Nami, "Have a habit of wanting to know things about people, and that is who you are.

Luffy was a friend to us both, but mostly Zoro. Zoro met him before he met me…and Luffy…Luffy had the ability to change the world. He just had…desire. He had a destiny for greatness, you know? It made him so attractive to people, not in looks I mean, but in a way that made you gravitate towards him. Luffy did not see injustice and say, oh this needs to change…he just saw people hurting and he wanted the hurt to stop. Especially when it came from people in power. Luffy took it upon himself to bring them down. He wasn't exactly political, but the things he did, made it so.

Well, it got him killed. The, uh, official death certificate says accident…lighting struck an old building twice and brought it down with fire. He died inside. But…Zoro and I…we know it was a set-up. Some people in power did not like the way the general population looked up to him. Just a kid, but so…fiercely independent and unafraid of anything around him. The rich and the government always have crooked people, and if this town tells you anything, it is that there is always someone willing to profit on people's misery.

So, he died and Zoro just…Zoro just lost a bit of hope…a bit of his faith. He always left things to chance, but with Luffy's death, that stupid foolishness of his…left him. And, he blamed himself. Didn't want to be a cop anymore."

"A cop?" Nami felt unsure of how to take the news as if it was a scary new understanding.

"Yeah, he was in the academy and everything. Tashigi told him to try and he did…and I think he really wanted to succeed but then he blamed Tashigi for using him to get to Luffy and well, that ended that."

"Tashigi was involved in Luffy's death?" Nami did not believe it, but then again, she did not really know Tashigi or Zoro, at least not in this context.

"Until the night that she dropped him off home…I don't think they've spoken in years. And honestly…I am not sure what to believe…but I know Zoro does not like to look back."

Nami wanted to know further, and the fear rose in her gut at the possibility of her being found out, tracked, or worse, not knowing Zoro as much as she thought she did. Before Nami could continue, Zoro grabbed her hand and pulled her to the tables.

"Come on! They are placing bets and I trust you to win it all."

"You want me to place bets on you?" Nami asked incredulously.

He turned and smiled. "Well, I know I can win. I just trust you to make us rich. Come on, just follow my lead…"

Nami could not help but return his gaze with a squeeze of her hand. "Yeah."

Sanji watched them go and frowned. He pondered telling Zoro everything he knew…from Tashigi, Perona, and Usopp, but that was not his job. His job was to make sure his friend was safe and happy, and as he watched the two of them together, they were that. He took out the burner phone Usopp made him get and slipped it into Nami's purse. Usopp explicitly told him to keep everything a secret, and Sanji's head began to hurt from all the information that swarmed inside him. He just wanted to it all to end, but he could not shake the feeling that it was all going to…just not in a good way.

Nami called him over to challenge Zoro, and Sanji left his spot and joined his new and old friend as the hours went on and drinks continued to pour.

Music Inspiration/Theme: "Shape of U" (Alison Wonderland x Naderi)

Welp, kiddos - hope that was at least somewhat believable? Haha. Like I said, I wanted to flesh out Sanji a bit more, and this seemed most logical to the story (to me). But aw, Zoro just helping Sanji fight…but then just doing it because he was lost. Typical Zoro, no?

Honestly, Sanji can work a dress and heels, and I don't like to think of him being on Okama Island as some comedic hell, but maybe, just maybe- a progressive way of saying - hey, Sanji is a little bit deeper (as they all are).

Also, an ode to Tashigi & Nami's scene on Punk Hazard where Nami trusts Tashigi with the kids. I felt like that was true…but….

Is Usopp going to call Nami? What does he need to say that he can't say on the other phone? Where is that other phone? Is Tashigi still on the hunt? And will Zoro and Nami finally consummate this marriage (ahah not but really tho)?

Here's to the next chapter, lovelies!

XoXo shipfiend