A/N: Hey guys! I'm back again. Well I was not out for that long. Classes have resumed and this year will be hectic as well. But I'll try to keep up with my own conditions, that is, one new chapter after each 5 reviews and my goodness, you guys are doing a great job in reviewing. The reviews are what's keeping me going. Thanks a lot!
Now answers to your questions...
1) I'm sorry, Ace can't be Sanji's teacher cause he will probably appear in the future chapters.
2) Yep! The Straw Hats will appear! The first 10+ chapters will be concentrating only on these two cuties (Zoro and Sanji)
3) Yes. Zoro said 'sorry', Humgranola. He did mutter it.
And Jujus, I'm terribly sorry for my bad habit but I don't think I'll change that quickly. Sorry, you will all have to bear with me.
Now enjoy...
"What happened to you, kids?!" Sophia frantically rushed over to the two boys, inspecting their injuries. Zoro had a bruise forming on the side of his face after having been punched away by their aggressor. Sanji's hair was all ruffled up and the blonde had tried his best to hide his neck with his collar up, hoping that his efforts would not be in vain.
"Mama," Sanji started, thinking carefully about his words before he spoke. "It's nothing. Zoro and I had a fight, that's all." Sanji dreaded to see his mother lose her composure if he had told her the truth. He did not want her to take drastic measures again. Sanji had already started getting used to his new life here and would never wish to leave this place. He had made himself a few friends at school and absolutely did not want to be separated from Zoro. Sanji gulped as he feared that his mother would see through his lies.
Sophia straightened herself up and frowned down at the two. Her eyes wandered to study their faces and appearances. Sanji averted his eyes from her to look back up again with more firm eyes, hoping his mother would just let this time slide. Finally, she gave out a sigh and shooed the boys to take a bath before she tended to their injuries as they stank from sweat and were dirty.
"I'll be with you in a moment," she said before disappearing into the living room looking for the first aid kit which she remembered to have kept it at the top of a cupboard.
Sanji nudged his green haired friend with his elbow and motioned him to follow him. Zoro opened and closed his mouth wanting to say something as he was not happy that the blonde had lied. Sanji sent him a glare and he quietly followed him upstairs.
"Why did you lie to your mother?" Zoro asked anyway once they were alone.
"It's better if she does not know." Sanji looked down at his feet guiltily for a moment. Finally, he raised his head up again and breathed in a deep breath before making his way to his wardrobe to take out some clean clothes. He chose his orange T-shirt with an elephant motif in the front, a pair of dark blue shorts and his boxers. When he turned around after closing his wardrobe, he was surprised to see Zoro still standing at the doorway.
"Let's go," Zoro simply said to him.
Sanji's only visible eyebrow rose up questioningly.
"Where?"
"To the bathroom obviously," Zoro answered incredulously.
"Why?"
Zoro clenched up his jaw, at a loss for words. Was the blond seriously asking him to voice it out loud?
"Let's take a bath together. I thought you wanted one with me last time." Zoro muttered.
"Oh!" Sanji's face brightened up. "You mean you finally want to? What changed your mind? I remember that you were clearly super angry with me last time when I asked you." Sanji hopped along his way to the bathroom while following Zoro.
"That was because-" Zoro clamped his mouth shut, as at that time he had believed that Sanji was a girl and it was totally improper for them to have a bath together even if they were children.
"You know, taking baths together can create stronger bonds with other people," said Sanji while he unbuttoned his shirt.
Zoro had paused in his stripping, his jaw nearly fell down and he blushed. "Seriously?! Who told you that?"
"No one," Sanji said proudly. "I saw it on tv the other day. There was that man who told a lady that taking baths can bring them closer together."
Zoro's face reddened at his words. Seriously a man saying that to a woman clearly means another thing! Zoro practically screamed in his head as several images and scenes of situations which a normal nine year old should not know about rushed into his head. All blame can be put on the useless man who was called his father. The absence of the latter had driven the once pure innocent mind in watching and discovering films which was not at all suitable or even too soon for his age. It was indeed right to say parental control and selective viewing for children was important. As we all know, television had both its good and bad sides.
Sanji, completely oblivious to Zoro's internal struggle, stripped down naked immediately after his words and turned on the water which soon filled the whole room in steam.
Finally, the tub was filled with hot water and he got in, wincing a little at the burning hot temperature but eventually relaxed in it.
"Zoro? Get in already. The water is superb." Sanji sighed, letting him sank deeper in the water which was doing a marvel at releasing his tensed body. Sanji closed his eyes and re-opened them when he felt the water moved slightly as Zoro got in the tub.
"I'll wash your hair, can I?" asked Sanji shyly.
"Hmm," Zoro hummed in response and turned his back to him. He felt something cold being poured on his head and dainty fingers combing through his hair, massaging his head slowly.
Zoro winced slightly and had flinched away from Sanji's fingers when they had touched a sensitive spot at the back of his head. Alarmed at his reaction, Sanji held up his foamed hands.
"Did i hurt you?" he asked worriedly.
"No," Zoro replied but Sanji was not at all convinced by his words. Bringing his hands back on the green head, Sanji searched through it and saw a really nasty purple red bump among the green hair.
"Hey Zoro! You are seriously hurt here!"
"It's nothing," he answered.
"Of course it's something!" Sanji bent down and collected some water in a small bucket to hold it above Zoro's head. "Close your eyes," he said before gently pouring it over his head. "Wash the foam out well later by yourself, k? I don't want to hurt you."
"You are not hurting me." Zoro glanced sideways at him. "Sit down, it's my turn."
Sanji averted his eyes. "Ummm actually, I don't really want to wash my hair."
Zoro's eyes narrowed and he frowned at his words and expression which he had on his face. Suddenly he snapped them open wide when he recalled the blond being grabbed up in the air by his hair.
"You are hurt too! Let me see." Zoro pushed his shoulders down, forcing him to sit as his fingers combed through his silky blond locks. "Oh I see it." Zoro noticed the reddened skin at the top and back of his head where his hair had been pulled.
"Does it hurt a lot?"
"Not really. Yours seems to be a lot more painful."
Zoro bent down and placed a kiss on head. Sanji stiffened in surprise and looked up to meet his blue eyes with Zoro's dark ones, face flushed red.
"Oh my!" came a gasp from the doorway. Both boys glanced up to see Sophia's shocked expression which melted into a happy and full of moeness one. "That was so cu~te of you, Zoro." Sophia came forward and kissed his forehead.
It was now the turn of the green haired to flush a deep red. Sophia chuckled at his reaction and knelt down on the towel that she had placed on the bathroom floor.
"Let me see where you guys are hurt-SANJI! How did you get that mark on your neck!" Sophia nearly shouted.
Sanji's hands flew to cover his neck and gulped down the words which were forcing to come out.
"Answer me!"
Sanji pressed his lips together tighter, decided to kept it a secret.
"Actually," started Zoro as he locked eyes with the blond's again. The boy shook his head from side to side slowly to tell him not to speak but Zoro felt that it was wrong to do so and eventually told her the truth. "We...euh...came across a man on our way back."
"Who was it?" Sophia asked calmly.
"His name was Don Krieg, I think."
Sophia's breath caught in her throat and her eyes bulged wide in fear and shock.
"Old man Jinbe took care of him already!" Zoro quickly added when he saw her trembling form. Zoro turned to look at Sanji but was taken aback by his teary eyes which looked like he had betrayed him. Zoro's heart clenched painfully.
"Zoro! You stupid!" Sanji said through his clenched teeth.
"NO!" Sophia shouted. "It's a good thing that Zoro told me the truth! Do you realise what could have happened if you have kept it from me?!"
"I'm sorry, Mama. But everything is fine already! Jinbe saved us!" Sanji balled his eyes out.
"Jinbe? Your principal? For that, I'll give him a call later. Sanji, tell me the truth, where did he hurt you?" concerned was written all over her face.
"I'm… not… hurt. He just grabbed me… by the neck, that's all. Zoro's the one who's hurt seriously. He got a nasty bruise on his head."
"Show me, Zoro." Sophia urged.
Obediently, Zoro lowered his head for her to inspect it. Sophia inhaled a sharp breath through her clenched teeth when she indeed saw the nasty bruise among his short green hair.
"Does it hurt a lot, Zoro?"
"No, it does not."
Sophia smiled a little at his stubbornness.
"A little ice and a kiss for the pain to go away will make you better real soon." Sophia stroked his cheek affectionately.
"Mama?"
"What is it?" Sophia turned to look at her son. "If you are going to ask if I'm angry at you, well I am. You know I hate it when you keep everything to yourself, honey. Don't do it next time, you hear me?"
"Yes Mama."
"Good boy." Sophia gave him a kiss on his forehead gently like she had done for Zoro.
"Mama?"
"What is it again?"
"For the kiss to make the pain go away? Can I do it?"
Sophia froze for a split second before bursting out in laughter. Meanwhile, the green haired's already red face had became a shade darker at his words. "Yes you can. Aww," she pinched their cheeks, "you guys are so cute." She smiled but her smile slowly faded away.
