Sanji listened in on Zoro's end of the conversation as he stood barefoot on the cold, tile floor of his bathroom. The bristles of his toothbrush ran recklessly over his teeth and Sanji growled in displeasure every once in a while when his gums received some especially rough treatment. Zoro stood in front of him with one hand on the end of the toothbrush and the other holding his phone to his ear.

"So, why did you have to call me this damn early when we're going to be meeting up at school in an hour anyway?" Zoro was silent for a moment before a short huff of laughter left his lips. "Yeah, you would forget wouldn't you?" Zoro seemed to quirk his eyebrows slightly and look questioningly at the phone. "Is Nami over there with you right now?" Zoro suddenly cringed and turned away from the phone. Sanji heard the unmistakable sound of Luffy's whine on the other end of the line.

"Fuck, whatever, just tell me about the job already." Zoro continued to run the brush over Sanji's teeth, moving to the top row and scrubbing almost viciously. "AND WHY THE HELL WOULD I WANT TO DO THAT?!" Sanji raised his curly eyebrows and moved his head around to guide the toothbrush to where he needed it. "Besides, we can't do that, we have school moron … … … Over the summer? Yeah, that makes more sense, but I still don't get why I would be the guy for the job … … was this Nami's idea? Is this her way of trying to con me into owing her more money?" Zoro growled the last part.

"She's over there, right?" Zoro asked as he filled a cup of water for when he finished brushing Sanji's teeth and Sanji needed to rinse. "Okay, well, put her on … … well then put her on when she's finished!"

"Whas going ong?" Sanji attempted to ask around the brush in his mouth. Zoro's attention snapped back to the blond and he shoved the brush to the back of Sanji's throat. Sanji gagged and cursed, he was about to lean over the sink and spit when Zoro started brushing his teeth again.

"Don't talk with your mouth full dumbass." Zoro smirked for a couple seconds until he heard something on the other end of the line and his face turned as red as a damn beet. "IT'S NOT LIKE THAT YOU WITCH! I'M BRUSHING HIS TEETH!" Oh, Nami must have gotten the line now. Sanji apologized to his beautiful swan in the privacy of his own mind as an idea crawled into his brain. Sanji felt an evil grin take over his face and stuck his tongue out so it lay over his bottom lip. Sanji groaned deep and loud. The look on Zoro's face was absolutely priceless and he took in a long breath so he could create another one when Zoro hit the brush against the back of his throat again. Sanji gagged and pulled away.

Zoro reluctantly helped Sanji to take a drink from the glass of water and Sanji swished around in his mouth. Zoro seemed to move out of the way so that Sanji could spit into the sink but Sanji made a point of swallowing, tipping his head up and showing off the movements of his throat. Sanji gasped loudly when he finished and dropped his head again to look at Zoro.

"Z-Zoro… not so rough." Sanji moaned and Zoro nearly screamed as he ran out of the bathroom. Sanji followed behind, laughing hysterically and wrapping his arms around his stomach for the second time that morning. If Zoro kept making him laugh this fucking hard, he would give himself a stomach ulcer. Zoro was hunched over in the living room, his hand clutching onto the cloth over his chest as he gasped and panted. Sanji sat down on the couch next to where Zoro was crouched down and waited for the Mosshead to catch his breath.

Zoro still had the phone pressed to his ear and was slowly standing up again. "SHUT UP! IT'S NOT-! WE'RE NOT-!" Zoro sighed and a realization suddenly hit Sanji so hard he almost stopped breathing.

"IS MY PRECIOUS SWAN OVER AT THAT DAMN MONKEY'S HOUSE?!" Sanji screamed. Zoro turned his head to look at Sanji and gave a Cheshire cat grin. Zoro straightened up and started walking towards the front door, scooping up his schoolbag and flinging it over his shoulder.

"So! How was the 'sleepover'?" Zoro asked as he toed on his shoes. Sanji shot up from the couch and ran over to the door, trying to press his ear as close to the phone as possible. Zoro pulled away immediately and smirked. "Oh yeah, Usopp was there too? How far did you and Luffy go?" Sanji grit his teeth as he attempted to listen but Zoro just kept evading him. Zoro suddenly seemed to choke on his own spit and yelped into the phone. "WHAT?!"

"What is she saying?! What is she saying?! LET ME HEAR YOU BASTARD! WHAT DID THAT DAMN MONKEY DO TO MY PRECIOUS SWAN?!" Sanji whispered aggressively as he tried to wrestle the phone away from Zoro.

"Damnit cook! What are you planning on doing with the phone when you get it?! Cut it out or you'll fuck your hands up even more! And Nami! Don't say shit like that!" Zoro growled as he pushed Sanji away. Sanji reluctantly slipped on his sandals and Zoro helped him to put his schoolbag over his shoulder.

"Gah- Don't say that either! Look, it's not that I don't think you're attractive enough for it! It's just- I don't think Luffy even knows what sex is. He didn't even show interest in girls until just a few days ago." Zoro kept his face twisted into a scowl as he checked the two of them over, probably making a mental check list of what they needed for school. Sanji motioned to his hair and Zoro rolled his eyes, but he went to the bathroom anyway.

When Zoro came back with tie in hand, he was still on the phone with Nami.

"Jesus Christ, Nami! If you would quit being such a damn chicken and just make a move already, you wouldn't have to worry about him finding somebody else. Anyway, aren't you talking a little loudly considering you're over at his house right now?" Zoro was silent for a moment as he put Sanji's hair up in a messy ponytail. "Fuck… Nami, seriously, why are you even asking me this? You know I don't really see girls like that, I can't tell you what you want to hear."

Zoro doesn't see girls 'that way'? Like… he wasn't into them at all? But, then that would mean that he was gay, right? Well, he did kiss you dumbass… and YOU didn't hate it, so what does that make you?

Sanji groaned as he thought more and Zoro continued to talk on the phone. It's not like that mattered to Sanji of course! That would never change the way that Sanji treated Zoro. He obviously wasn't against any of that kind of stuff. Actually, he didn't really give a shit who was fucking who as long as nobody was shoving it in his face or making fun of his own relationship status. Well, that and as long as it wasn't anything fucked up. So, no, Sanji didn't really give a shit if Zoro was gay. Well, he could say that all he wanted, but the idea of Zoro being gay made him… happy.

"You'd be much better off to ask the love cook. Of course, he thinks anything with boobs and long eyelashes is a damn god send." Sanji grit his teeth to keep from cursing out the grass-haired asshole. He wanted to hear more of this conversation after all. "No, I can't 'relate' to Luffy damnit! 'Gay' and 'Asexual' are two different things!" Well, there it is! It was pretty obvious at this point how Zoro felt, but it's one thing to guess and a whole other to actually hear it from his mouth.

"FUCK! Nami, seriously! A) I didn't think it was that big of a deal and B) My sexual preferences are none of your business! It's not some damn life changing event, I'm still me … … No, I know you don't see me any differently, that's not what I'm saying." Zoro was silent for a moment as he listened to the phone.

Now, Sanji would never say this to his most precious Nami's face. But just between us two, Sanji knew that Nami could be a little nosy. Okay, a lot nosy. It can be a good trait as much as it can be a bad one though. It helps her to get information that she needs but it can also get her in trouble sometimes. Sanji turned his head to look at Zoro when he suddenly heard him groan exasperatedly.

"GAH! This is why I don't do women! They make everything into such a big fucking deal! If you want to know how Luffy feels, just fucking ask him!"

"My precious swan has a crush on that moron?! How in the world did he get her attention before me~?!" Sanji pretended like he was about to cry and Zoro sneered, tugging a little harder on Sanji's hair tie as he finished it off. Sanji wasn't actually that disappointed though. He would never have been able to actually be with Nami, she was something special, but not meant for him. Besides, Nami had always acted a little differently around Luffy. Sanji noticed that since he'd moved to that town. Even when she was scolding him, she seemed to be having fun, even if her face didn't exactly portray it.

"What would I do? Jesus- I would have told him already! There's no point in not telling him, now is there? … When I like somebody they know it and if I don't, they know that too. Look, I honestly don't see why you're asking me about fucking relationship advice. Call Vivi about this shit, you're eating up my minutes so I'm going to hang up now. We can talk about the job at school." Zoro pulled the phone away from his ear and stuffed it in his pocket, rubbing a hand over his face as he sighed.

"Funny how that conversation started off with you getting offered a job and devolved into your sex life, huh?" Sanji laughed slightly as he spoke. Zoro groaned and nodded.

"Fuck, tell me about it!" Zoro sighed again and twisted the nob of the front door. "Well, come on. Already wasted enough time this morning." Sanji nodded and walked out the door, hearing Zoro shut it behind him and begin to follow. Sanji walked down the roadway until they were about to pass Zoro's apartment. Sanji stopped and turned around, causing Zoro to come to an abrupt stop behind him. Sanji had unmistakably felt his heart jolt in chest when Zoro had admitted that he was gay and he couldn't just ignore that. Sanji pulled in a deep breath and turned his head to look back at Zoro.

"So… you said that if you liked somebody, they'd know, right?" Zoro's cheeks pinked and he slowly nodded, looking away and Sanji could see the muscles in his throat working so that he could swallow thickly. There was no doubt nervousness in the way he was acting. "And if you hate somebody, they know that too, right?" Sanji asked as he turned around fully and slowly walked up to Zoro.

Now, Sanji didn't really know what he was doing at this point. His brain probably shut down and even though it sounded corny as shit, his heart was taking over. Forcing him to ask questions and act nearly as nosy as Nami. Sanji stopped just a few steps away from Zoro and leaned forward so that he was getting closer and closer into his space. He cocked his head slightly so that he was at least attempting to make eye contact with Zoro.

"So… do you hate me?" Zoro's jaw tensed and his face turned another shade redder. "Because you say that I'm… that I'm your best friend, but then you say that you can't stand me so…" Sanji's heart was suddenly thudding so hard in his chest that it felt like it was going to rip right out of his ribcage. Why was he suddenly doing this? Why was he pushing so damn hard? Sanji wasn't really sure what he was asking or what it was that he wanted to hear. He just… just didn't want to stop now.

"So… what am I to you?" Zoro's eyes shut tight and his entire body seemed to tense. Sanji could see that the tips of Zoro's ears had turned a dark shade of red, the same shade as his face. Zoro swallowed again and then his fists clenched at his sides before he turned his head back to look at Sanji. His eyes were wide and he stared determinately into Sanji's.

"I…! I-I..!" Zoro took in a deep breath and the look he gave Sanji was one that told the blond exactly what Zoro thought of him. But he still needed more, he needed to hear Zoro say it.

Sanji remembered back to the earlier part of the morning. How oddly… happy he felt when Zoro was feeding him. How embarrassed he'd been when Zoro had undressed. He'd felt this odd sort of… excitement when Zoro had gotten him undressed and he thanked every god that ever existed that Zoro hadn't opened his eyes or he would have seen exactly how excited it had made him.

He remembered how safe he felt when Zoro had wrapped his arms around him on Monday night. How relieved he'd felt when he told Zoro everything that happened in his past… well, nearly everything. He'd skipped out on a lot of the details and there was a lot of other shit that happened to him but for fucks sake, he was having a bad fucking day and didn't feel like giving the whole grisly story.

Sanji remembered the way his heart had practically jumped into his throat when Zoro had kissed him. How tempted he had been to wrap his arms around Zoro's neck and deepen the kiss. Make it last until his heart had stopped aching and his head had stopped throbbing. Until the pain in his hands was nothing but a memory.

Sanji hadn't stopped thinking about the kiss since it had happened. Sure, he's been able to act cocky and pretend like he got kissed every day but… but even if that were the case, the kiss Zoro gave him was different. Zoro's kiss was the thing that had made the ach in his hands seem like just that. Just a dull ach instead of a searing pain that destroyed all control he had over his life. Thinking about the kiss made him forget about the fact that he couldn't even piss properly anymore. Helped him to forget that he had scarred his hands for life. Sure, they would heal. But they will have changed forever. He would either lose some of the feeling in his hands or they would become over sensitized. He wasn't actually too sure about which one, he'd never been burned that badly. Back at the restaurant-

Oh fuck. How was Sanji going to contact Zeff now? He wouldn't be able to type on his laptop… he wouldn't be able to write up his expenses…

Sanji shook his head slightly as the nerve-wracking thoughts invaded his brain. That's not what he needed to be thinking about right now. Right now, he was with Zoro. He had to focus on Zoro. Sanji took a deep breath and leaned forward so that Zoro's face was directly place in front of his own, taking a step forward so that he had completely invaded Zoro's space.

Sanji could feel Zoro's breath puffing hot against his skin and was more than tempted to close the gap between the two of them but he couldn't. He had to hear what Zoro had to say. He had to know exactly what Zoro wanted.

"C-Cook…" Zoro's voice was nothing more than a whisper as his lips parted. It was an invitation if Sanji ever saw one. He wasn't sure whether Zoro was doing it on purpose or not, probably not. Zoro wasn't that keen to body language. Sanji often made fun of Zoro about the size of his brain and about being slow to pick up on certain things, and that insult did actually come from somewhere. Zoro wasn't as dumb as Sanji told him that he was but he could be a bit dense when it came to complicated things.

"Cook I…" Zoro steeled himself before continuing. "Earlier… earlier this morning, you asked me if you told me to kiss you, if I would do it." Sanji stayed silent as Zoro spoke. "I said that I wouldn't and… and that was a lie. The truth is, if you asked me to kiss you this second, I would be on you so fast you wouldn't even have time to blink. Because I…uh… I don't… I don't exactly know what to call what it is that I feel for you, I just know that it's not something I've felt with anybody else before. It's something that makes my heart feel funny and my stomach do these weird fucking flips." Sanji let out the breath he'd been holding and felt his heart jump wildly in his chest. Like an untrained dog trying to escape from his kennel. "Fuck… Sanji, don't make me say it…" That was enough, hearing that was more than enough.

"Zoro." Sanji looked directly into Zoro's eyes. Deep, ocean blue orbs meeting with hazel. Sanji saw emotions flickering like pictures on an old TV screen across Zoro's eyes. It was nearly overwhelming and Sanji felt like the air had been stolen from his lungs. Sanji felt his blood pulsing in his veins and his knees weaken, he licked his lips and just breathed. He'd never been so damn nervous before in his life. Sanji's voice was nothing more than a whispered breath when he spoke again.

"Kiss me." Sanji barely got the last word out before Zoro had sealed his lips over Sanji's. Sanji's eyes fluttered shut and he felt electricity coursing throughout his entire body. His blood flowed through him like lava and the tips of his fingers felt like they were on fire, itching to thread through Zoro's hair and bring him in even closer. He couldn't though. If he did, the pain in his hands would bring him out of the high that he was currently suspended in and Zoro would stop. Zoro could not stop.

Sanji felt Zoro's strong and calloused hands grip onto his bare shoulders, holding him in place gently but not forcing him to stay there. It felt more like he had placed his hands there just to assure himself that what was happening was real, that Sanji was actually there. Sanji made a short, pleased hum when Zoro turned his head to deepen the kiss.

Zoro placed one of his hands on Sanji's cheek and threaded it through his bangs, his fingers brushing against the hot tip of his ear before wrapping around his jaw and the back of his neck. Zoro's other hand trailed down Sanji's arm slowly, almost like it was just falling in slow motion. It followed every curve and bend in Sanji's arm like a single drop of water would do. Zoro's touches were so light it was almost surreal. The wandering hand finally landed at Sanji's own bandaged appendage. Zoro placed his palm over the back of Sanji's hand and wrapped his fingers around so gently that it could have just been his imagination. But he knew it wasn't when he ran his thumb just as softly over the tops of Zoro's fingers. Sanji whined at the intimate gesture and did everything he could to deepen the kiss further.

Sanji could faintly hear some passersby yelling some obscenities at them from their car but Sanji just didn't care. He could give less of a shit what anybody thought when they passed by and saw the two of them. He didn't care if everybody thought they were just a couple of horndogs who couldn't keep it in their pants, he didn't care if they judged him and saw him as lesser for any of this. He'd earned a fucking break and this was it. This was his chance and he was going to fucking run with it and never let go. It was weird and it was new and it was just a little bit scary but it felt so right.

Fuck everybody who didn't like that.

Zoro finally pulled away so that they both could breathe but Sanji's entire body was still humming with the euphoric sensations that had just assaulted him. Sanji wanted to pull Zoro back in and do it all over again but he knew he couldn't. They'd been standing there for god knows how long when they had school to go to. Sanji looked down to see Zoro's hands still wrapped gingerly around his own and felt Zoro squeeze ever so slightly.

"Do- do you want to…" Zoro attempted to speak but his voice seemed to catch in his throat.

"Be your boyfriend?" Sanji asked, looking up at Zoro's flushed face. Zoro lowered his hand from Sanji's neck and looked down at their joined hands.

"W-well… I was gonna ask if you wanted to go to school but that too." Sanji stared at Zoro for a minute before his lips slowly curled into a smile. Sanji's shoulders shook slightly as he laughed and he gave a wide and toothy grin.

"You're such a jackass."

Zoro laughed in response and gave a smile that rivaled the one he had seen Zoro give back at the stand. Wow, it hasn't even been two full days and we've just gone from best friends to… to lovers. Shit, lovers? Can I really say that? No… boyfriends. Guess that's high school… Zoro pulled away from Sanji, but kept their hands entangled.

"If you two love birds are finished now…" Sanji whipped his head around to look to where the feminine voice was coming from. Kuina was standing at the top of the concrete steps that led to Zoro's apartment, a smirk dancing across her face. She was leaning against the brick exterior of the building with a black, leather wallet held between two of her fingers. Her hair was tucked behind her ears, displaying the glittering rings and gems that decorated the rims. Some of the piercings were old and she'd had them since Sanji had moved there, while some of them were new and still healing. But all of them looked good on her. What was out of the ordinary though were her shoes. Her usual sneakers were replaced with creamy, white high heels.

"Damnit Kuina!" Sanji looked back at Zoro, whose face had turned back to that lovely shade of red it had been just moments before. Zoro seemed to have noticed the oddities in Kuina's appearance because he gave her a questioning look and used his free hand to motion towards her. "What's with the shoes?" Kuina rolled her eyes and pushed away from the building.

"If you must know, I'm going on a date tonight. I bought these the other day and I was just breaking them in when I saw somebody forgot his damn wallet!" Zoro sneered and pulled his hand away from Sanji's, patting down his pockets and frowning when he couldn't find the wallet that was obviously balancing between his sisters fingers. Kuina laughed and slowly began to walk down the concrete steps, wobbling in a way that worried Sanji slightly. She really shouldn't be doing stairs if she's not used to walking in heels yet, she could-

Time suddenly seemed to stop when a loud SNAP sounded. Kuina's foot rolled in a way that was certainly unnatural, her heel broke off, and she began to fall. Zoro's face went absolutely pale and he lunged forward, arms reaching out to catch but he was too far away. There was another, but much more sickening, almost wet, SNAP when she reached the bottom.