The first chapter was so short that I decided to put up number two at the same time. They mostly go together anyway.

Weirdo Base Strikes Back

Chapter 2. Match Sick and Memory Skip

Zoro cocked his head to the sky, where a bird glided across the clouds. He shook his head, as if to clear a thought, and scooped up the basket of now clean clothes.

He didn't really mind being in charge of laundry. Sanji always cooked, organized, and went shoping for stuff they needed, so Zoro cleaned things that needed to be clean. It was a fair enough trade. Besides, he hated trying to buy stuff. People were always shoving things under his nose and lying about prices.

He walked calmly out of the building and headed back to his and Sanji's house. For, in reality, it was more of a house than anything. He had expected it to only have three or four rooms and cramped space, but it was roomy, with three bedrooms and even a fireplace and an upstairs.

You'd think those wackos wouldn't spend so much on two people, when they wouldn't even be living in the thing for more than a month. He wasn't comlplaining, though.

He unlatched the iron gate and shut it behind him as he entered the property. Past the row of cherry threes, and up the porch steps. It really was a nice house.

"Yo! I'm back!"

Sanji lept down the stairs in one bound and landed much like a cat, his lean figure and cool demeanor adding to the effect.

"How'd it go?" Usualy it wasn't a question one would ask of someone back from doing laundry, but in Zoro's case it was standard.

"Everything's clean. Even though it took about three trips to do it all. Do we really need that many clothes? It's silly."

He held up the basket to prove his point. Sanji took the clothes and ignored him.

"No private flying lessons, right? And no going berserk on random people?"

"Hey, that was a one-time thing. It's not going to happen again. Stop treating me like a delinquint, you worry wart." Zoro was grinning. Again. Dangit, did he HAVE to do that?

"You almost killed that guy, you know."

"I know. That's the reason he's still alive. If I'd've meant to kill him, he'd be dead already."

"Oh, go lift weights or something. The rematch is tomorrow, and the only reason there IS a rematch in the first place is because of you. So go away."

Zoro didn't bother arguing. Sanji needed some space after what happened yesterday. Everything had been going smoothly, they hadn't lost a match once, then suddenly Zoro had come down with a fever. Aparently he had eaten something he wasn't supposed to. He had gotten sick- not so sick that it would've interfered with his fighting, but he wasn't allowed to come to the match because of it. Something about contagious and effecting other teams, or something.

So Sanji had to go off on his own, and as luck would have it, the match couldn't be completed without a partner. They had lost by default, but the rules say they were allowed a rematch in two day's time before the final score counted. He wouldn't get sick this time. He couldn't, otherwise they'd be out of the game. And if they were out of the game... Well, Zoro wasn't going to think about that.

He stared out of the second floor window at the almost visible stars. Even with the sun still shining brightly in the afternoon, he could still see little specks of light here and there.

On a whim he slid open the window and stood on the sill outside the wall, back to the house, leaning forward. The wind pushed him back, and he stood there, arms outstretched, eyes closed. It felt so nice, just to stay there, the strong breeze ruffling his clothes and hair.

The wind died down some, and he started leaning forward. It was too late to rebalance himself, so he calmly fell, head first. Half a second before he hit the ground, he tucked into a roll and tumbled onto the grass, unhurt, without even opening his eyes.

"Would you quit it with the acrobatics and come eat dinner?"

"Hai, chotto matte, just give me a second." He laid there for a few moments, before tucking his legs in front of him, rolling back, and pushing the ground with his arms to spring to his feet.

"Hey..." Sanji gazed at him for a moment, confused. "I do that. All the time."

"I got it from you. Come on kid, let's eat. I hope you made something good this time."

"Wait, what do you mean, 'this time'? Hey you, answer me!"

Zoro enthusiasticly ducked the malicious kick and ran for the front door, laughing.

Sanji sighed and tucked his hands back into his pockets, and strode back to the house. He didn't know why that guy was so happy all the time. He never was this energetic before, only in fights. Usually he would just sleep on the deck.

Wait. Sleep on the deck? He didn't remember ever going on a boat... Come to think of it, he didn't even remember seeing Zoro sleeping at all, except this morning when he was sick. But there it was, as clear as if he was seeing it right now, the green haired man, slightly younger, lounging with his back to the mast on a brown and white ship.

Sanji's heart thumped loudly in his chest. The salty breeze, the rocking motion, the creaking of ropes... the Jolly Roger. Pirates! Marines! Islands, storms, giant fish...! All those images and more raced through his mind faster than he could comprehend. And then...

Luffy.

'I've found you! My cook!' 'No! I decline!' 'Make fun of this hat and I'll send you flying!' 'This guy makes five.' 'We're going to the grand line!' 'I'm gonna be the king of the pirates!'

Eyes wide and blank, he went back inside to find Zoro serving himself dinner. He flopped down onto the couch and set his hands in his lap, staring at the brown haired swordsman before him. Swordsman... that was right, wasn't it. And he was a cook. A tough one. And Usopp was a sniper, and Nami-san was a navigator.

Zoro hesitated in wolfing down his food, glancing at the human-turned-statue. "Aren't you going to eat?"

He didn't move. "Hey, kid. You want some food or what? I'm going to eat it all if you don't answer."

Still nothing. Zoro started to get confused. Usually he got angry if Zoro ate too much of their food.

"Hey. Kid. S... Sanji? What's up? Hey Sanji!"

Sanji abruptly snapped out of his revere, all previous thoughts dispersing and fading out.

Zoro had NEVER said Sanji's name before. He just called him 'kid',- if he needed to call him at all- even though they were the same age.

"Huh? What...?" He finnaly noticed what what going on around him, Zoro, the warm sent of dinner, the house...

"You spaced out on me, kid." That dumb grin again.

"I was just... thinking about..." What had he been thinking about, anyway? He couldn't remember.

"Knowing you, I'm sure it wasn't anything important."

"Care to say that again?" Sanji growled. Zoro knew he was back to his old self.

"Just come and eat, idiot." he returned, but playfully. Zoro could always tell when he was bugging him.

"Who's the idiot," Sanji muttered, and sat down to eat.

To Be Continued...

What's up with the world? Zoro and Sanji sharing a house? Heaven forbid! Mleh, I'm joking. .If you didn't like the chapter, it's worse not to say so. If you did, it's still worse not to say so. Tell me what you think.