"How long 'till she gets out?" Sanji asked around the cigarette that hung between his lips. He swung his legs back and forth as he shifted around on the stool he'd brought inside. Thank fuck he'd thought ahead when he opened the All Blue and bought some extra stools. He felt like he didn't really need to be sitting down but Zoro had insisted between clenched teeth.

"Couple days. She's fucked up her leg pretty bad though so she's stuck on crutches for at least a few months after she gets out." Zoro explained as he prepared the vegetables he'd be using to cook for the rest of the night. Sanji watched as Zoro roughly chopped green onions and pickled ginger. He was wearing a hair net and had a dark black apron wrapped around his torso. It looked odd.

"You're cutting the onions too big, make 'em smaller." Zoro grimaced but did as he was told, chopping the veggie to about half the size he was originally doing. "They say anything else..?" Sanji asked cautiously as he turned his hands over on his lap a few times.

"Yeah… she's gonna have some nasty bruises on her back, stomach, and on the arm she used to catch herself." Sanji nodded as he listened. He watched Zoro silently for a minute or two, rolling the cigarette around between his lips and flipping some loose hairs out of his face every once in a while.

"You know… if you're not feeling up to cooking today…" Sanji started but was silenced when Zoro turned to him and glared. Sanji frowned and bit down roughly on his smoke. "You don't have to look so damn offended! I'm just trying to give a shit about you! Most people who watch their sister wipe out that bad might need a day or two!"

"And most people who watch their mom get murdered in front of them end up-" Sanji tensed visibly and Zoro stopped, cursing under his breath and chopping a little faster.

"End up what Zoro?" Sanji asked as his teeth clenched down on his cigarette and some of the tobacco began to swell out of the end. "Don't chop so fast, you'll cut your fucking fingers off!" Sanji scolded.

"Don't nothing! And you cut this fast all the time, why are you getting pissed at me?!" Zoro growled.

"I've been cooking since I was seven! I can cut as damn fast as I want! You can barely even dress a waffle properly without absolutely fucking drowning it in jam and syrup!" Zoro stopped chopping and huffed angrily at Sanji before turning back to the cutting board. Zoro pushed all the ingredients off the board and into their respective compartments. Zoro leaned against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest, raising his eyebrows as he waited for his next direction.

Sanji glared at Zoro for a good minute. He was sorely tempted to curse Zoro out for his earlier comment but the Mosshead probably didn't need Sanji bitching him out on top of what happened with Kuina. Sanji sighed and rolled his head around on his shoulders, hearing the bones crack and feeling the tension that had built up in his shoulders relax and release.

"Next, you're gonna chop cabbage. Let's say four heads for now. Make sure you shred it so that it's easy to incorporate into the batter." Zoro nodded and pulled a couple cabbages out of the large fridge, dropping them on the counter and chopping as Sanji directed. Sanji kicked at Zoro's legs a couple times as he watched and corrected. Zoro's responses were mostly noncommittal grunts and either a shake or nod of his head. He only actually spoke after about two heads of cabbage were finished being chopped.

"You didn't have to come you know." Zoro mumbled. "To the hospital I mean."

"Of course I did jackass. Who else was gonna hold your hand while you cried and cursed the very existence of those damned stairs." Sanji's voice was dripping with sarcasm and Zoro immediately picked up on it, scoffing and pulling out the next cabbage.

"You were a lot more distressed than I was moron." Zoro laughed and Sanji kicked him a little harder for that one. Zoro was right though. Watching Kuina fall down the stairs wasn't nearly the same as what happened to his mother, but then Zoro had lifted up her shirt to see if she'd hurt anything too drastically, besides breaking her leg. The bruising was already beginning to form and large splotches of deep red and purple had stained her skin, along with thin, white lines that identified where she'd hit the edge of the stair. That had brought back some memories. Zoro probably sensed that because he didn't make fun of him too much for the way he'd reacted after mentioning it.

"Seeing a lady in that kind of condition isn't right…" Sanji muttered and Zoro glanced over at him briefly. Zoro sighed and reached into his pocket, pulling out Sanji's lighter and flicking it open. "Oi, I can't smoke in the kitchen dumbass."

"Then get out. You've already given me a run down and had me tape up directions so simple that a damn third grader could follow it."

"Oh, so we're going to make cracks about following directions? Is that what we're doing right now? Cause I have plenty of things that I would love to say to you about that!" Zoro shook his head and set down the knife, clenching his teeth and hissing from between them. "We could talk about the time that we all went to the mall and you got so lost that we had to have the mall security call for you over the loud speaker."

"YOU HAD THOSE BASTARDS CALL ME A 'LOST CHILD WITH STUPID, GREEN HAIR'!"

"Got you found pretty quick… outside the mall!" Sanji laughed hysterically as Zoro growled his displeasure. Sanji slowly walked out and around the stand, taking a seat on one of the stools at the small bar. He leaned forward on his elbows and gingerly lay his hands down on the lacquered wood surface. Sanji bent forward and flipped around the cigarette between his lips before Zoro took the hint and lit it for him. "So, let's go over the rules. Number one. If they complain about the food, you charge them extra. Number two. If they complain about the service, you charge them extra. Number three. If they-"

"Complain about the swirly-haired moron bossing me around in the back, charge them extra?" Zoro smirked and Sanji rolled his eyes. "And if they refuse to pay?"

"Kick their ass. Or, a more legal option, write down what they look like, their name, and their licence plate, if they have one. I'll call the cops about it later." Sanji sucked in a deep breath and enjoyed the smoke that invaded his lungs, allowing it to seep out of the corner of his mouth moments later. "Rule four. Wash your hands after you do anything other than cooking." Zoro nodded and turned to the sink, washing his hands in hot and soapy water.

Sanji sighed happily as he watched Zoro turn back to chopping the final head of lettuce and push all the shreds off the chopping board into the container Sanji always kept them in. Sanji smiled at that. He hadn't shown Zoro where to put those yet… guess that meant he paid attention whenever Sanji cooked. A slight blush tinted at Sanji's cheeks as he got lost in the thought and smiled dopily.

"Yo… captain swirly space-cadet! What next?" Zoro antagonized the blond as he waved his hands in front of Sanji's face. Sanji just continued to smile and Zoro sighed. Zoro reached out with one of his hands and flicked Sanji right between his eyes. Sanji yelped and pulled away, shaking his head and scowling. "What next?" Zoro repeated.

"Damnit you ass! Fine, rule five! If you need glasses to see what you're fucking doing, then you better damn well wear 'em!" Sanji yelled. Zoro rolled his eyes but complied, pulling his glasses out of one of his pockets and sticking them on his nose.

"If I've told you once, I've told you a hundred times, I don't need them." Zoro complained.

"Yeah but… you look really good when you wear them." Sanji teased and Zoro's face coloured. Zoro looked around nervously and nodded. Sanji smiled and decided that he really liked the way Zoro acted when he was embarrassed. It was fun as hell riling him up and getting him pissed, but seeing his face turn red and his body shifting around nervously under Sanji's gaze made the blond feel kinda fuzzy inside. Proud of himself in a way.

"N-now what?" Zoro asked and gestured around the kitchen.

"Now, I want you to make me lunch." Sanji ordered and once again began kicking his feet around. He could tell that was going to become an annoying habit for as long as he's stuck without hands. He was always doing something with his hands, always keeping himself busy, always keeping his body moving. Now that he couldn't do that, it would mean lots more kicking and lots more dicking with Zoro to satisfy his boredom. Thus, Zoro is now forced to make him lunch.

"What?!" Zoro growled. "I haven't done enough for you already?" Zoro acted pissed and put out but… Sanji knew he wasn't. There was also no way that Zoro would attempt to start an actual fight while he's in the stand, he would risk fucking up the interior, or, more importantly, the exterior. They'd gotten into a fight once before at the stand and Sanji had attempted to kick at Zoro's head. Zoro of course had ducked out of the way just in time and Sanji's leg had collided with one of the walls of the stand. He'd bruised his leg but the wall had come out much worse, it needed replacing.

"Hmm, I don't think I like your attitude, I'll have to talk to your boss about that." Sanji complained. Zoro frowned but pulled out all the ingredients to make the batter and slammed them on the counter.

"What d'ya want?" Zoro grumbled and crossed his arms. Sanji hummed thoughtfully and let his head sway back and forth as if he were in thinking deeply about his decision.

"Hmmm, I don't know, what's good." Sanji smirked at the way Zoro's frown deepened. Of course Sanji knew what was good, it was just hilarious to see Zoro getting pissed off but not being able to a thing about it. Zoro can't wail punches at his face like usual while he's back there, not like he would right now. Sanji glanced down at his hands for a short moment before looking back up at Zoro, all smugness in his features still in place. Zoro sighed.

"I dunno… it's all good… as long as he's making it. Not sure how mine's gonna taste." Sanji raised his eyebrows at that. Zoro seemed much less confident now that he was actually taking orders, or maybe it was just because it was Sanji. Yeah, probably that.

"I'll just have the original I guess, the recipe is taped up on your far left … Zoro, left … THAT'S THE OTHER DIRECTION DAMNIT!" Zoro groaned and looked around until he seemed to find the recipe and got to work. Sanji gave him directions at the points where he seemed to get confused or where he was beginning to fuck up. He seemed to know the basics of what he had to do though, further implying that Zoro really had been paying attention while he cooked. Sanji dropped his smoke on the counter.

Zoro finished cooking the pancake and it didn't look all too bad. A little overcooked but Zoro had had enough brains in his head to decide putting the burnt side down was the better idea. Zoro looked around on the counter until he found all the different sauces and shakers. Sanji pointed out how much of each that he wanted and Zoro nodded. Zoro drew a swirly pattern on the okonomi-yaki and Sanji immediately felt slightly irked at the sight. Zoro gave the blond a smug look as he continued to draw curly patterns until he'd finished with the sauces and gave it all a dusting of fish flakes and seaweed flakes. He dropped it in front of Sanji unceremoniously and re-crossed his arms.

Sanji gave Zoro a sarcastic look and leaned forward. He pushed himself down until his head was level with the rim of the plate. Sanji bit down on the rim and the outside edge of the pancake together, sliding the piece of food off and chewing on it. Sanji glared at Zoro the whole time and Zoro gave him a confused look. He seemed to have an 'aha!' moment and grabbed a fork, using the edge of it to make the meal into bit sized pieces and jabbed one, waiting for Sanji to finish his first bite.

Sanji chewed slowly and noted all the points where Zoro went wrong with his cooking. The damage wasn't as extensive and Sanji had expected. As it had appeared, it was burnt on the bottom, but the flavours covered up the slight taste of char well. It was well spread out so it was thoroughly cooked, no raw dough. Some of the flavours overpowered others but it wasn't anything that can't be worked on. Sanji swallowed and licked his lips of any excess sauce.

"S'good." Sanji said as he smiled. "Could use some work, but it's edible. It'll have to do until I'm healed anyway." Zoro rolled his eyes and shoved another piece past Sanji's lips, shutting the blond up. Sanji happily chewed on the next piece as Zoro pulled out his one fork and sampled the pancake. He frowned and set it down. Sanji quirked a curled eyebrow at him.

Zoro filled two glasses with ice and water, setting them down in front of the two teens and then taking a good chug of his glass.

"It doesn't need to be as good mine Zoro. I really didn't expect you to do half as good as this anyway." Sanji didn't want to compliment him too much because, well, because that's just not what they did. He just didn't want Zoro to think his food was worse than it was. Sanji had really needed the tough love that Zeff gave when it came to cooking, it kept him from getting too cocky about his cooking and fucking it up. But Zoro wasn't planning on being a five-star chef or anything like that, he just needed to get through the month.

"Just don't wanna drag your shitty restaurants reputation through the mud any more than it already is." Zoro grumbled as he fed Sanji another bit. Zoro reached up and pulled at the net wrapped around his spiky, green hair and scowled. "Do I really have to wear this shit? It makes me look ridiculous."

"I'm not gonna let you shed your greasy, mossy hair in my food. So, yes, you have to wear that shit." Sanji scolded and opened his mouth for another bite.

"Can't I just bring a hat..?" Zoro asked in a voice that was almost a whine. Sanji thought about it for a moment and eventually nodded. Zoro smiled a little bit at that and fed Sanji another bite. At that moment, a passerby seemed to notice that there was people behind the stand and walked up. She was a pretty dressed up lady, sporting a business suit and her hair tied tightly in a bun. Probably a banker or something like that on her lunch break.

"Excuse me, are you open right now?" Zoro looked to Sanji, a little panicked but not really willing to show it too much. Sanji nodded slightly and Zoro swallowed, obviously not wanting to fuck up the first customer and not exactly prepared. Zoro turned to the black-haired woman and fixed his glasses before speaking in a calm, relaxed voice.

"Yeah, what d'ya want?" Zoro asked and Sanji bristled. He'd have gotten his ass kicked if he acted like that back at the Baratie, the restaurant his dad owned and he worked at or most of his life. But since he'd opened his own stand, he'd decided that if people didn't like his attitude, they could leave. Zoro was acted much of the same as he usually did with the male customers. Of course, he treated the female customers differently, talking sweetly and complimenting them on whatever feature caught his eye on that day, because it always made their faces brighten dramatically. He would usually mention their hair or how vibrant the colour of their eyes were. Rarely would he ever mention their clothes because that could be taken as perverse and he could get in real shit for that.

"Oi! Be polite to a lady you bastard!" Sanji yelled and Zoro rolled his eyes, shoving another piece of pancake into his gob. Sanji chewed angrily. He would have loved to have spat it back at Zoro's face in protest but that would be a health and safety issue. It would be insanely unhygienic considering Zoro was cooking right now. Plus, it would waste perfectly edible food.

The woman that was now sitting on the stool beside Sanji sighed, rolling her eyes and gave the two a look of mild disgust. Sanji felt a jolt run through his body but did his best to tamper it down. Well, that was fast… Sanji thought to himself as he swallowed. The woman crossed her legs and reached between the two to grab a menu, obviously lingering to make a silent point clear. She wasn't comfortable with the way Zoro and Sanji were acting towards each other. And it wasn't about the fighting.

As she was looking through the menu, Zoro cut up another piece of pancake and fed it to Sanji. Sanji smiled at the woman and she sneered back, turning her back ever so slightly to the two. Suddenly, she whapped the menu down between the two and pointed at the order she wanted with well-manicured nails. Zoro fixed his glasses and looked down, nodding and getting to work silently. Sanji sat and watched as Zoro worked, his eyes glancing back at the woman every once in a while to see her tense expression. Sanji had never before been pissed at a woman, especially one that had said nothing to him specifically, but she was putting off these vibes that just got his blood boiling.

Sanji wasn't sure how the whole thing with Zoro and him was going right now… they'd sort of agreed to something early that morning. More than 'sort of' actually. The word 'boyfriend' had been used, kisses had been exchanged… the only thing that could make it more… official were if they went on a… date. The idea was so foreign. Going on an actual date with Zoro. But that's not what Sanji needed to worry about right now.

Sanji hummed sweetly until he got Zoro's attention. Zoro eventually set down the bowl of batter he was working with and glared at the humming blond. Sanji nodded his head towards his glass of water and Zoro sighed, picking it up and helping him drink from it. The woman sitting next to him gave an exasperated sigh and whipped around to glare at them.

"Nobody wants to see that, okay? It's rude, it's wrong, and it's honestly sickening. I would say to take it somewhere else, but I would really rather you stop doing any of that. It makes me want to fucking puke." She gave them a disgusted look as she finished her sentence. "Now do you wanna finish making my food or am I gonna have to take my business elsewhere, fag?" Sanji saw Zoro's entire body tense to the point of breaking, but he said nothing, just silently got back to work on the woman's food.

"Just don't wanna drag your shitty restaurants reputation through the mud any more than it already is."

Zoro refused to say anything because he didn't want to risk Sanji's reputation… Sanji sucked in a deep breath and turned to look at the woman, giving her a sweet smile and offering out his hand for a shake. She turned around to face him, arms crossed over her chest.

"Good afternoon madam. It's a pleasure to meet you- oh shit, I forgot." Sanji pulled his hand away just before she could even attempt to reach for it. "I injured my hands, can't touch anything for a while, can't even feed myself, how silly of me!" The woman's face immediately fell. It turned into a mix between relief and 'Oh, fuck I'm sorry.' Zoro's face, however, looked immediately hurt that Sanji was inadvertently denying their relationship.

"I'm so sorry, I thought you were-" She began, but Sanji silenced her by raising his palm closely in front of her face. He smiled gently and stood up from his seat, leaning ever so slightly further over the counter and closer to Zoro. He looked at the green haired teen and cleared his throat so Zoro would look at him.

"Thanks for the food babe." Sanji smirked as he wrapped his arm around Zoro's neck, his hand falling limp over Zoro's chest. Sanji dragged Zoro into a kiss that immediately had Zoro melting with relief. Zoro deepened the kiss and laid his hand gently over Sanji's, running his thumb over Sanji's wrist. Sanji heard the woman make a sort of gasping noise next to him and smiled as he pulled away. "It was delicious." Sanji pulled his arm off a very shocked Zoro and turned to the woman.

"Now, I'm gonna have to ask you to get the fuck out of my face." Sanji gave the woman a look of disgust that rivaled the one she had given them. Her jaw went slack as she guffawed at what she had just seen.

"And who the fuck do you think you are to tell me what to do?" She growled. Sanji gingerly picked up his discarded cigarette with his fingertips and placed it between his lips. He stood and waited until Zoro lit it for him and he took a good, long drag, blowing the smoke in the woman's face.

"I think I'm the owner of this damn place." Sanji smirked as her face went absolutely red with fury and she clenched her fists at her sides. "Now get off my property." Sanji sat back down at his seat and leaned forward on his elbows, giving Zoro a toothy smile. Zoro looked at Sanji with wide eyes, but eventually gave the blond a goofy laugh and smiled enthusiastically. "Now, you've probably got some batter set up and ready to cook, how about another round of food?" Sanji winked and Zoro nodded, immediately getting to work setting everything else up. Sanji turned to look next to him and, for the first time in a long time, was happy to see that he'd scared a woman off.