I.
The air in the room turned parched. Sanji sat there, his stance rigid, his face emotionless. Everyone in the room felt it, and exchanged uncomfortable, worried glances. Chopper, ever sensitive, burst into tears.
"Did you ask her to come in?" Nami turned to Vivi, breaking the silence. Vivi wordlessly shook her head.
Sanji sighed and forced a smile. "Go ahead with the movie, I'll be right back."
II.
He stepped out of the door and gently closed it behind him. As soon as he stepped out, his shoulders sagged, and his smile dropped. He hadn't expected Pudding to come over to meet him, that too when he wasnt at home. It had been... what, three months since the break up? And NOW she had decided to land up not at his doorstep, but at Nami's. His fist slammed against the wall. The pain brought him back to the present. He took a deep breath and steadied himself. This mess had to be dealt with tactfully. Or at least, as tactfully as humanly possible.
"Pudding?" He called out softly, looking around. She wasnt in the flat.
He stepped out, and peered down the corridor. Sure enough, she was standing near the stairs at the far end, pacing back and forth, too preoccupied to notice Sanji approach her.
"Puddi-"
She gave a startled shriek and nearly toppled down the stairs.
In a flash Sanji was beside her, grabbing her arm and hauling her towards himself. "Careful there."
"I-I'm so sorry, oh my god," She gasped.
"Easy easy," Sanji smiled at her, gently letting go of her arms, and waiting for her to speak.
"Thank you, and, um, I'm sorry, I guess," she mumbled, looking away and clutching at her skirt.
"For what?" Sanji's voice was steady.
Her head snapped up. "What's with that tone?! Even though i took the trouble of coming all the way here-"
"I appreciate that," Sanji cut her short. He didnt have the time for another one of her episodes. "But apologise for what, Pudding?" He continued, his voice as level as ever.
"F-For breaking up, of course," she muttered, addressing her heels.
"You shouldnt apologise for the way you feel."
"And... Also, I'm sorry for what happened to Zeff."
Sanji"s jaw clenched, but he didnt say anything. Pudding continued.
"I'm sorry for calling you out that day, but I-I just felt i had to, you know, tell you, or it'd be too late."
"It's fine, isnt it? You dont have to feel responsible for the timing."
"That's not-" Pudding protested, dismayed, but one look at Sanji's face shut her up.
"A-Anyway, who cares about that," she huffed, stomping her foot. "You dont have any proof!"
"Hm, true," Sanji nodded, "Not that I need any," He added sweetly.
"Keep telling yourself that!" She yelled, her mocking laughter ringing down the corridor. "You dont know anything, you idiot!"
"Then why dont you tell me?"
His question threw her off guard, flipping her switch once again.
"M-Mama wont give up so easily," she stammered, "She'll try again and again till she gets exactly what she wants."
"Thanks for the heads up ," Sanji smiled one last time. "Anything else you'd want me to know?"
Pudding opened her mouth, then shut it again. Sanji could see her struggling to say something, pleading with her eyes. Then she abruptly turned away from him and gripped the staircase railing.
"Go die."
And with that, she stormed down the stairs.
III.
The city bustled with motion, never asleep. The moon glimmered behind the clouds. In the darkened room, Zoro sat contemplating, looking out through the glass wall. The ice clinked rhythmically as he took a sip of his whisky and put down the glass.
The monitor beeped. He put down his headphones and leaned back, going over the conversation in his head.
Judge didn't need to hear all of it. Would be easier for Zoro if he tweaked it a little bit, like the part where Pudding warned Sanji.
Time to get down to business.
