AN: No excuses, just an apology for it's lateness. A special TY to all the people who have just started reading in the last week and have flooded my inbox with WONDERFUL comments. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
Leaving It All Behind Chapter 7
Zoro shifted the shinai in his hand once more and debated if bashing the blonde over the head would be worth the beating he was sure to get from Smoker for injuring his witness. Seeing the strange man in his bed, drooling all over his pillow was the last straw. Zoro picked up the bamboo sword and prepared to strike when the alarm on his phone went off, signaling that he only had ten minutes to get to work. Koushirou told him that Zoro would have to work around his personal problems because they were already two instructors short and they couldn't afford for Zoro to be absent as well. Not knowing what to do with the blonde, Zoro had tried to wake him several times, and only received grumbles in response. Another beep of the phone and Zoro dropped the sword to his side, knowing that if the guy did wake now, it would be pointless because there was no way he could be ready in time for Zoro to make it to work before eight. He grabbed a piece of paper and wrote a short note for his new guest and put it in the top of the man's bag so he could find it easily when he got dressed. It was then that Zoro realized he had no idea what the idiot's name was.
Zoro ran out of the apartment with his keikogi thrown over his shoulder and shinai out of its case. He jumped into his car and tore out of the parking lot, uncaring of the attention he was drawing as his tires burned log strips of black down the street. The same black Porsche that had followed him to the dojo Saturday night, pulled out of the alley down the road to slip in behind him once again. This time, the green-haired man noticed the tail though and became pissed when he made out the round white hat atop a blonde head of hair. Zoro grabbed his phone and dialed up Smoker, groaning in frustration when he got the detective's voicemail.
"Run a plate for me. S-A-L-M-zero-one. The driver is that asshole from Kohza's."
He didn't bother saying goodbye as he snapped the phone shut and pulled into an empty space not far from the dojo with only two minutes to spare. His sensei sighed and shook his head as Zoro ran past him to get changed and ready to teach his classes. Kendo, akido, and meditation; at least two of them were things that he fell into naturally. Zoro looked out the front windows by the desk as he passed by on his way from the locker room to the training rooms. The blonde in the car gave him a catlike grin and waved, deliberately bating the green haired man into anger. Zoro heard the bamboo beneath his hand creak with the strength of his grip and lifted the shinai to his shoulder, attempting to look as though he still kept his cool. If he let the bastard know he was vexed, that would mean Zoro lost and that was not an option. He would continue his day like normal and hope that the blonde in his apartment had enough sense to stay put until he got back. He should have gotten the cook's number so he could check in on him.
-/-/-/-/-
Sanji woke slowly, clawing his way out of probably the deepest sleep he had ever been in. His body ached from being still for so long and his mouth felt like it was full of cotton. Long pale arms stretched above his head as he arched and twisted, trying to release the stiffness in his muscles. The soft sheets, down pillows and perfectly firm mattress alerted him that he wasn't at a safe house, causing Sanji to jerk upright into a sitting position. His head swam and he fell back into the warm bed, his eyes squinting shut against the sunlight pouring in through the window.
This time with a bit more caution, Sanji sat up and opened his eyes to look around the room. A tasteful cherry wood dresser and nightstands, complimented by red, black and white bedding, gave the room a sharp, classy look. Memories from last night began to resurface and Sanji released the breath he hadn't realized he was holding. This must be one of the bedrooms in the apartment that Smoker had brought him to last night. His new keeper had good taste at least. Unfortunately that's all Sanji knew about the man. Well that and he had bright green hair as a child. Sanji wondered why the boy and his mother would want to do a thing like that.
Sliding his legs out from beneath the warm confines of the bed, Sanji stretched again and wondered how long he had been asleep. While his body was feeling refreshed, it also ached as if he hadn't moved it in several hours. He recalled drinking tea on the couch before things got hazy. A deep frown graced his features as he realized that there must have been something in his tea and Sanji vowed to tear the detective a new one for slipping him a sleeping aid, no matter how much the blonde really did need it. However it was water under the bridge, or over the dam, or some other nonsense that he really didn't feel like dwelling on at that moment. He set his feet on the floor and stood, his stomach growling in protest at the emptiness it was feeling.
The apartment was eerily silent. Sanji assumed he was left alone, which was something of a rarity recently. The blonde was unsure whether he liked the feeling or not. Sanji walked down the hall, stopping in the bathroom along the way and noticed the added clothes atop his own in the laundry basket. The worn jeans looked like they were about to fall apart, but would be oh so comfortable to wear until then. Nothing beat a good pair of pants that just molded to one's body in all the right places. The black t-shirt held the logo of a local shipping company, the Galley La, which Sanji knew was headed by the mayor before he took office. Maybe the guy worked down at the shipyard. As Sanji continued looking around the apartment, he knew that couldn't be true. The guy's taste was way too expensive for that kind of salary. Though the furniture was well worn, the design and quality were both very familiar to the blonde. This guy was, or at one time had been, loaded. Sanji liked him already.
He began to explore the bookcases in particular, since other than the family picture on the wall, that was the only place any personal items seemed to be stashed. Numerous trophies littered the shelves, all saying first place, some just with words and others had a samurai looking man atop holding a sword. It amazed Sanji that most of the awards were from national professional tournaments. So this is what Smoker had meant when he said that the cook would be protected here. Sanji wanted to laugh though. Who carried a sword in this day? A photo on the middle shelf caught his eye and Sanji picked it up to look at the image closer. Even at their young age, he could recognize all but one man personally, the remaining dark haired individual now only known to him through another photo hanging only a few feet away. Even if his new host wasn't connected to the police, it seemed that his father had been close friends with several people who went on to become officers.
Sanji put the photo back carefully, respecting that it was an old picture and should be treated gently. He skimmed over the titles of books, amazed to see the vast range of literature that was stored there. Car magazines, computer manuals, government studies books, Shakespeare, Poe, Tom Clancy, and the list went on. Not in the mood to settle down and read, Sanji continued his exploration and pilfered through the movies, seeing just as much diversity as in the books. He did notice that there was little added to the collection in the last few years though, which piqued his interest. Adding the question to the unbelievably long list he had already mentally started, Sanji sat down on the bench of the BowFlex and reached for one of the grips.
The thing didn't budge, not even the slightest when Sanji yanked hard on the cord. Thinking that it must be in some kind of locked position, he turned to examine it. His eyes shot wide when he found that the reason it wouldn't move wasn't because of a lock, but rather the ridiculous amount of weight that the equipment seemed to be set at. If the man watching over him was really this strong, Sanji should probably be more scared of him than anyone else. Holy shit, the guy must be some kind of mutant monster if he could do reps with this.
Closing his eyes, Sanji tried to picture what that grumpy little boy in the picture might have grown up to look like. Images of the Incredible Hulk kept getting in the way and Sanji finally gave up, knowing that whatever the guy looked like, he had to be one bad assed mother fucker if Smoker had this much confidence in him. Sanji wandered into the kitchen, where anger started to build slowly at the poorly stocked shelves and fridge. He didn't want to even think about the mismatched cookware and utensils that were unceremoniously shoved into the lower cabinets. His stomach grumbled again and Sanji hoped that his new, now deemed moronic, guard would be back soon; hopefully with food.
There was a door he hadn't notice before between the kitchen and bath, but opening it revealed only a spare bedroom with a few boxes of computer equipment. Sanji wondered why he had been put in the other man's bed when there was a perfectly good bed in here. Did the guy just crawl in bed with him, or was it the detective's doing and Sanji had put the man out of his bed for the night. Either way, the blonde decided that he'd make sure to sleep in this room tonight. Leaving the door open now, Sanji returned to the master bedroom and quickly made the bed, noticing the picture on the nightstand and smiling softly at the beautiful woman who stared back.
He had just turned to leave when he noticed that his bag had been brought in and placed by the dresser with a white piece of paper sticking out of the top. Slowly he walked over to it and withdrew the note.
Shit-cook,
Don't leave the house till I get back.
Z
Sanji wasn't sure what pissed him off more; the salutation, the order or the simple consonant that signed it off. He decided that he'd stick with all of the above. The note was tossed onto the dresser carelessly as he looked through his bag for something decent to wear. The ratty jeans were at least two sizes too big and the shirt was a hideous shade of green that he considered closer to baby shit than anything. He shoved them back in the duffle and looked around. Well, if his host was going to be such an ass, he'd just make his life as miserable as possible until it was time to leave. Sanji began digging around in the drawers, looking for something to wear that wouldn't fall off his hips each time he moved. A pair of black sweats was found in the third drawer and Sanji pulled them on, cinching up the ties to help them fit. A double sword logo appeared on the upper thigh and Sanji wondered what its significance could possibly be. He heard the front door open, then shut loudly, and he smirked at his reflection in the mirrored doors of the closet. Without a shirt on, Sanji knew he didn't look like much of a fighter, but he was about to show that idiot swordsman out there that he'd picked the wrong cook to fuck with.
"Hey, you shitty-bastard, what's up with that fucking note you left me? Don't leave? I'd like to see you stop me-" Sanji stopped in his tracks at the end of the hall, the rest of his rant dying in his throat as he stared into the equally shocked eyes of a very familiar part of his past. "Ace?"
Ace dropped the leather pouch he'd been holding as well as the bag of food and stood there slack jawed as his eyes traveled over Sanji's half naked body. Sanji walked slowly to him, almost afraid that the man would disappear if he moved too fast. The dazed look on Ace's face told him that the older man was just as confused as Sanji was; even though the dark haired man's eyes kept drifting over pale skin, his grin widening with each pass. With a whispered 'fuck it', Sanji closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms tightly around Ace, fighting back the flood of emotions as he melted into the man's touch. Sanji didn't resist when the raven eagerly claimed his lips in a hungry kiss. They parted slowly, light nips and licks showing their reluctance to stop.
"Fuck I've missed you."
Ace nodded in agreement and nuzzled his nose against Sanji's soft blonde hair. "I haven't seen you in what, two years?"
Sanji chucked and laid his head on Ace's shoulder, enjoying the feeling of strong hands rubbing up and down his bare back. Standing like this it felt like Sanji had never left his boyfriend's house and they were still together. Unfortunately, he opened his eyes too soon and the unfamiliar surroundings brought him back to the present, quite harshly. Their time was gone, Ace wanting something more domineering than romantic and Sanji unable to comply. Still, Ace had been a good friend and the blonde wondered how they had managed to fall so far apart.
"I thought maybe you'd forgotten about me, or did that last threat from my father actually cause you to worry." Sanji chuckled as he remembered Zeff screaming and throwing things at Ace as the raven ran for his life.
Ace hugged the blonde tighter and laughed. "Nah, nothing like that. Not long after that I started getting really busy with working for Pop and things just went from there."
Sanji allowed himself a few more minutes within the missed embrace before he let the reality of his situation to take back over. As much as he wanted to be back in Ace's life again, he knew that he needed to keep his ex-boyfriend out of trouble as much as he could. He lifted his head and gave Ace one last peck on the lips before he stepped back and out of the comforting arms. Maybe when this was all over, he could see about patching things up between them, but until then, he needed to find out the connection between Ace and his new watcher. They were supposed to work out a cover story and Sanji had no clue if the man had already established one or not. If he contradicted anything that had been previously said, Sanji could ruin everything.
"So what are you doing here? I didn't know we'd be having any company today or I would have made sure that we went to the store before you showed up." Sanji patted his chest out of habit, searching for his cigarettes and scowled as he tried to remember if there were any left in his bag.
"What am I doing here? I think I should be asking you the same thing. I go away for a month and all of the sudden one of my best friends starts dating my ex." Ace chuckled as he pulled out a pack of smokes from one of the pockets on his cargo pants and offered it to the blonde. Sanji smiled gratefully and immediately stuck one between his lips, his eyes blinking in surprise at how quickly his friend was to bring a light to the tip. Ace's eyes widened with shock as the raven apparently made some connection in his mind. "He wasn't kidding when he said he had a hot blonde waiting for him. Holy shit."
"Wait, he told you I was here?" Sanji didn't have to pretend to be annoyed, his earlier aggravation from the note still fresh in his mind. What bothered him about Ace's revelation was that he couldn't remember telling anyone he was gay. It wasn't like he was hiding it, but he didn't go around shouting it to everyone either. Maybe it was just a joke and Ace had heard him wrong. "When did he tell you this?"
"Last night when we were leaving the Arena to meet over at Makino's for dinner. He said he didn't want to be out too late because of work and a blonde. Though I hadn't imagined that it would be you." Ace grinned at him sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck. His foot kicked the bag of food and he hurried to snatch it up, his eyes wide with delight as he looked through the contents. "Hey, it's not exactly your thing, but it's edible. You hungry?"
Sanji's stomach answered for him and they both laughed as they walked over to the table. It was then that Ace paused and looked around in wonder at the cleanliness of Zoro's apartment. He remembered Luffy saying how different the place looked, and if Zoro was really with Sanji, that would answer a lot of things. The haircut, change of clothes, tidy apartment; it all fit. But how did the two of them hook up without him knowing.
"So how long have you known him? I don't ever remember hearing you talk about the guy when we were together," Sanji asked, beating Ace to the punch. He nibbled at the overcooked fries and wondered, not for the first time, how Ace could stay that skinny with all the unhealthy stuff he ate.
"Yah, well you know he went through some tough times when his parents were killed and he wasn't exactly the nicest guy to be around." Ace could tell that this was news to Sanji and wondered if he should be the one to tell the story or not. Knowing the green-haired man like he did, Ace had a feeling he would keep the secret forever, and if Sanji wanted a true relationship with him, the blonde needed to know what he was getting into. "About four years ago, Zoro was competing in a topnotch kendo tournament. He had just finished wiping the floor with the regional ranking number one guy, Daz Bones, when his godfather showed up."
Ace shoved the last of the burger into his mouth and barely swallowed before continuing. "Apparently the plane his parents had chartered suffered some mechanical problems and went down. The wreckage sank into the ocean and no bodies were ever discovered. After six months, we finally convinced him to hold a funeral, though he never believed they were actually gone. He vowed to find out the truth and spent just about every penny his parents left him to hire diving teams, investigators, specialist, you name it. In the end, still nothing."
"Damn that's pretty messed up." Sanji sat back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest to keep his hands from fidgeting due to their need to hold another cigarette.
"Yah, well that's Zoro for you. I doubt it'll ever come up, but don't tell him I was the one that filled you in on that." Sanji nodded to him and Ace pinned him with a look that said he wouldn't take anything less than the truth. "So how long have you been with him?"
"Not long. It was kind of a sudden decision," Sanji tried to laugh, but even to him it sounded pathetically fake. Ace's look told him he didn't believe and that Sanji was a dumbass for even trying. With a heavy sigh, the blonde scrambled for a way to still keep his reason for being here secret. It wasn't that he couldn't trust Ace to keep quiet, it was just that… well, he couldn't trust Ace to not get involved in the situation. True, Whitebeard probably had connections that could eliminate the men targeting him, but Sanji knew that if he didn't testify they would never be able to get to the bottom of the entire thing and find the mastermind behind the whole ordeal. He had no idea what to tell Ace, but he knew it couldn't be the truth. That and he still wasn't completely sure what his cover story was supposed to be. "Look, Ace, this shit is really new to him and I don't think he's ready to go telling everyone that he's living with a guy now. I mean, you know how he is about relationships."
"Yah, I suppose." Ace pretended to buy it, but knowing both men, he could tell there was much more to the story than what Sanji was saying. He could smell a cover-up, and it bothered him that the blonde felt that he couldn't be trusted. Whatever was going on must be big, so until they clued him in, Ace decided he would play this lie up as much as possible. Maybe Zoro was finally acting out that old fantasy of his and it was about damn time in Ace's opinion. The guy hadn't been with anyone in forever, but it was a bit odd that Ace didn't know anything about this beforehand. However, if they were going to pretend to be in a relationship then Ace would give them all the help they needed and support their newfound love while doing everything in his power to make their lie as hard as possible.
Keys jingled in the lock and the door opened, letting in a man with his arms full of groceries and a mouth spilling profanity.
"Fucking worthless, piss-poor excuse of a shitty Super... I hope that fucking lift breaks with him in it on the top floor. Send the fucking asshole to hell where he belongs." Zoro froze when he heard feet shuffling towards him and a few of the bags were taken from his arms so he was able to see Ace's grinning face. Confused for a moment, Zoro tried to figure out why Ace was even there. He took a step forward and kicked something on the ground, stopping to see what it was. Zoro's eyes narrowed when he identified the leather case. "You fucking picked my lock again. Damn it, Ace, how many times do I have to tell you to use the key?"
"Yah, well Luffy had it and I thought you'd be home. But that's ok, I had someone to keep me company while you were gone," Ace commented innocently as he stepped to the side, out of Zoro's direct vision to reveal the other occupant in the room.
Sanji's first impression of the man was that he was an arrogant asshole. The baritone voice held a bit of an aggressive tone to it, the sound fitting in with the image Sanji had begun to build in his mind, and it instantly got on his nerves. He stood up from the table when Ace went to help the man, and leaned against the support post at the end of the bar counter in the kitchen, waiting to see how his presence would be addressed. He wasn't prepared for the handsome features, or the shocking green hair that peeked out from beneath a black knit cap. Sanji had expected someone much rougher, possibly more villainous or at least more intimidating and definitely not a man that young. He couldn't have been any older than the blonde himself. The glare from the guy's dark eyes sparked annoyance in him though, and Sanji bristled at the heated look that was sent his way by his new guard.
"It's about time you brought your ass home," Sanji quipped.
Zoro narrowed his eyes further, trailing over the blonde's half naked state before noticing the sweats that were hanging dangerously low on the man's slender hips. They were his favorite ones that had been a gift from someone special. Zoro looked back up, realizing that where he was staring might be misinterpreted since the logo was located just below the waist on the front side of the hip. An amused blue eye watched him from beneath that ridiculous eyebrow he had noticed earlier. "If I didn't have to stop for your shitty smokes, I would have been here sooner. Next time you run out you'll just have to quit."
"Yah, I'll quit smoking when you stop drinking," Sanji pushed off the counter and grabbed a few more bags out of Zoro's arms, satisfied at the miffed look on the other man's face. He heard Ace snickering in the background and remembered that they hadn't had a chance to work out the cover story. He was about to try and ask quietly when Ace walked back out of the kitchen.
"I didn't know you and Sanji were living together. Maybe now you'll actually have some decent meals instead of running to that diner all the time."
Zoro struggled for something to say, but his mind had suddenly blanked, having no answer as to why this blonde was in his home. He had completely forgotten that he asked Ace to come over last night and now that he was there, there was no way Zoro could sit down with the blonde and work out a plausible cover story before the curious smartass started asking more questions. Zoro looked to the new houseguest who just smirked at him and headed to put away the goods. Zoro let Ace take the last of the bags and watched the two men in the kitchen chat as they put things in their proper place. Zoro blinked a few times, wondering how in the world they had been able to get along so quickly. He pulled the strap for his shinai case over his head and set it carefully against the wall before slipping out of his jacket and hanging it on the peg by the front door. His keys were tossed on the small table beside it along with his hat as he watched the pair put their heads together in quiet conversation. Worried about what they could be possibly talking about, Zoro took a seat on one of the barstools, catching a slight blush on the blonde's cheeks that disturbed him.
"You know, when you told me you had a hot blonde waiting back at home last night, I thought you were just pulling my leg. If I had known you were serious, we would have let you go instead of insisting that you eat with us." Ace tried to keep as straight of a face as possible as he watched the tick start in Zoro's eye. "But I have to admit, I was a bit surprised to see that you were dating someone like Sanji. I would have figured you to be more into the athletic type."
"We're not dating. He's just staying here for a while," Zoro argued.
Sanji could see the questions in Ace's eyes and scrambled to try and salvage the beginnings of the lie he had started. He walked around to Zoro's side and slid a hand up the well defined arm, resting his pale hand on the top of a broad shoulder, resisting the urge to reach up and play with the gold earrings dangling from his left ear. Sanji felt the man freeze and hoped that the idiot would have enough sense to play along with him. With a disapproving frown, Sanji looked over to his old friend. "Ace, I told you he wasn't ready to admit anything."
"That's because there's nothing to admit, asshole." Zoro stood up and spun around, narrowing his eyes in warning at the blonde.
"You fucking moron, work with me on this," Sanji hissed, tightening the hold he managed to get on the sleeve of Zoro's white t-shirt when the man rose from his seat. "You weren't exactly here and I had to think of something."
"Wait, the best idea you could come up with was this? You're the fucking moron! He'd never believe that we're dating," Zoro scoffed and tried to shake out of Sanji's hold but the blonde tightened his grip and took another step closer.
"He would because he knows me. He's my fucking ex, you shitty bastard. But I guess you had a better plan, one that would make more sense as to why you would let a seemingly complete stranger just appear in your life." Sanji's eyes shone with a defiant fire as he got right into Zoro's face. Zoro's eyes widened slightly as he finally understood why the two were so relaxed in each other's company. Most of Ace's stories had gone ignored, so he had no recollection of any blonde other than Marco in the guy's life, but somehow he knew it was the truth. The man standing before him was gay and currently trying to convince him that their cover should be that they were dating. Sanji's voice deepened with anger as he failed to keep his volume down. "That detective said you were the best he had, but I'm beginning to wonder how in the world a fucking idiot like you could ever do anything right. I think the real reason your shitty hair is green is because your brain has fucking rotted. You could have played along, but no, you had to be a shitty prude and turn your nose up at the idea, killing the only chance we had at keeping this whole thing under wraps."
Zoro grabbed pale shoulders and practically bumped foreheads as he leaned in close and growled at the slighter man. "You know what you shitty-cook, I don't give a fuck what you think! I didn't ask for this bullshit. I come home from dinner to find you crashed in MY bed and that fucking asshole telling me to babysit you. I have enough shit to deal with; I don't need you to complicate things further. Come up with something else. I'm not your damn boyfriend. I've got better taste than that."
Ace watched the scene unfold with intense interest, though concerned as he realized that the situation was a lot worse than he had first imagined. Taking things into his own hands, he held up his cell phone and took another picture. The one he had snapped a moment ago would have fooled anyone into thinking that the two were together in an intimate way. The part of Sanji's face that was not covered by his blonde hair was blocked out by Zoro's head. The pale skin of Sanji's upper body stood out in contrast to the tanned hands on his shoulders, the obvious lack of breasts showing his gender. Having one of Sanji's hands clenched in Zoro's shirt helped play up the scene. Ace had even managed to get the shot at such an angle that the dojo's logo was able to be seen on the sweats that Sanji currently wore. In truth it looked as if the two were engaged in a passionate kiss, though they were actually fighting with each other. "You look like a couple to me."
"Fuck you!" both Sanji and Zoro shouted at the same time, turning their heads to yell at the grinning dark haired man.
Ace shook his head as he slipped his phone back in a random pocket of his pants before trapping them both with a leveled stare. "Well, now that I know you're not together, and that you, Sanji, are in deep shit again somehow… Who wants to tell me what is really going on?"
Sanji swallowed hard and looked back to Zoro's angry face, torn between killing the man whose hands were still on him and begging Ace to forget everything he had just heard. Zoro shoved him away and pushed past Ace to stand at the window and look out at the park across the street. Sanji looked back and forth between the two men, one staring at him expectantly while the other ignored him. "I_"
"It has to do with that favor," Zoro interrupted as he walked past them to dig through one of the remaining bags on the counter. He figured that if Ace was an old friend of the blonde's that it wouldn't hurt to let him in on what was going on. Besides, having one of the D's as backup wouldn't be a bad idea either. So far these people were proving to be quite troublesome. "He's the only surviving-"
"You idiot," Sanji screamed, his bare foot catching Zoro in the chest and sending him flying towards the front door.
Zoro coughed a few times, trying to get the air to flow properly in his lungs again before noticing the black bag by his hand. His lips curled into a feral snarl as he released the tie and withdrew his weapon of choice. Well, technically the preferred weapon would have been the actual katana currently resting in the hard case a little further away, but Zoro had a feeling that the blonde wouldn't be of any help if he was sliced into three sections so the bamboo practice sword would have to do. "You really want to start this curly-que?"
Sanji tapped his toes on the floor and wished that he had his shoes near. This would hurt a little, but he'd make sure it was worth it. "Bring it on, moss-head."
Wood slats connected with Sanji's shin as the blonde blocked the first swing with ease. Zoro's eyes widened when the cook didn't seem severely affected by the attack, impressed that the man was more solid than the swordsman had first assessed. His heartbeat picked up, adrenaline coursing through him with the excitement and anticipation of what promised to be an interesting fight. His hands itched to have the familiar weight of metal in them, but he steeled himself to keeping this somewhat low-keyed and instead decided to test his opponent's limits. He watched in carefully veiled amazement as each blow was either blocked or dodged with impossible flexibility. Bare feet hit him with more force than he could have ever imagined and it took all of Zoro's training to keep from falling to a knee when the blonde's heel caught him across the side of his head.
Pissed off now, Zoro forgot all about his initial mission and bore down on the enemy. He broke through the blonde's defenses and caught him across the chest, sending the wiry body flying over the couch and into the coffee table, crushing the innocent piece of furniture beneath the man's weight. Zoro was on him in an instant and held the covered tip of his sword at the pale throat. "Had enough?"
Red welts littered Sanji's upper arms from where he had blocked several hits, but the worst looking one was the line across his chest from the final blow. Sanji tried to ignore the burning in his feet as he took in ragged breaths, one hand clenched into a tight fist at his side while the other lay on his chest in a vain attempt to ease the pain. He cracked open an eye to look up at the towering man above him and sighed lightly in satisfaction at the sight of blood dripping from a busted lip. He wondered, if you took the other man's clothes off would he be sporting just as many bruises tomorrow? Judging from the labored breathing, he had a feeling it would be a close count. The weapon was withdrawn and the green-haired man turned to walk away, dark red stains seeping through the white shirt as the thin material brushed against his skin.
"What the fuck? You're bleeding?"
"Shit." Zoro lifted his arm and felt the wound on his side break open more. He couldn't believe that Daz had even gotten that hit on him. "Don't get too proud of yourself, it's not from you."
"I didn't say it was asshole. Take your shirt off so I can see how bad it is." Sanji winced a few times as he lifted himself out of the shattered table, the pain from fighting barefooted taking its toll on his soles. He reached for the other man and saw him stiffen; rolling his eyes at the skeptical look on Zoro's face. "What, modest?"
Ace laughed, startling both of them, and hopped off the counter where he had been sitting as he watched the entire fight. He leaned in and gave Sanji a wink as he walked by. "I forgot how good you were." He continued over to flop down on the couch and wove his fingers together behind his head as he watched the two men stand there, each a little uneasy and uncertain as to what to do. Enjoying their discomfort Ace continued to remain silent, waiting for one of them to come clean with what was going on. Unfortunately, his eyelids drooped and he began snoring right as Zoro opened his mouth to speak.
"Typical," Zoro grumbled. He gave the blonde a sideways glance and decided that this was as good of a time as any to discuss the current situation. "If you know Ace, you know he can help keep you safe. In fact, it would probably be better to put you with him than me."
"No," Sanji insisted. His shoulders slumped as he looked down on his sleeping friend. "I don't want his crew involved in this. Besides, if you're really that close with him, do you think it would be very productive to have him work with Detective Smoker? Or has his crush finally burned out for the guy?"
Zoro wiped the blood off his mouth with the back of his hand and studied Ace for a moment. Actually it might not be a bad idea to force the two to be in the same room. Maybe they'd actually sit down and talk that way, possibly even working things out. Sure, the likelihood that they would get back together was slim to none, but that didn't mean that they shouldn't try to get along. Parties were so tense when the both of them were invited. He looked up when he felt tugging on his clothes and frowned as long fingers pulled his t-shirt from his jeans. "What the fuck are you doing?"
"You're bleeding, moron. If you were wounded, you should have protected your side better." Sanji's breath caught as he lifted the fabric and saw the long slash in the man's side. It wasn't deep, but the scabs had been ripped open and it was bleeding enough in a few spots to soak through the man's clothes. "Here finish taking this off and I'll go get the first aid kit from the bathroom."
Zoro watched the blond walk away; a very slight limp well hidden, though noticeable to his trained eye. He remembered Smoker telling him that the skinny guy had taken out a couple of the attackers last night, and before they fought Zoro couldn't have imagined it to be true. But now, he knew the strength concealed beneath his favorite pair of sweats. Even if it was grudgingly, Zoro had to admit that he held a little bit of respect for the so-called cook now. Like that idiot could ever make anything worthwhile to eat. Zoro pulled his shirt over his head and used the already bloodstained material to wipe his mouth again. The ache in his body was equivalent to what he was used to after a night at the cages, and it was strange that to know that it came from a half-naked, unarmed man.
"Come here and sit."
Zoro looked up to see… who was he again? "Smoker never did tell me your name."
"Sanji. Sanji Black. I didn't get your name either." Sanji sat the box of medical supplies on the dining room table and pulled out a chair. He let his eyes wander all over the scarred, muscular, sun kissed chest and wondered just where the tan lines were. The large gnarled scar caught his interest, but he knew he could ask Ace about its origins later. His gaze finally made its way back up to the other man's face and smirked at the narrowed glare he was receiving.
"Roronoa. Zoro Roronoa," Ace called out from his spot on the couch. He sat up and blinked a few times as he took in both shirtless bodies before noticing the blood on Zoro's side and the first aid kit on the table.
"Roronoa…" Sanji mumbled. "It sounds familiar."
"You've probably heard the detective say it without realizing." Zoro sat down in the chair and propped his arm on the back to keep it out of the way so he could tend to the wound himself. "I know you don't think Ace should know the truth, but I already filled him in on most of what's going on last night before you even showed up. Like it or not, he's involved and it wouldn't hurt to have someone else to help back up our story as to why you're here."
"I still say that you guys need to be a couple." Ace held his hands up in defense when both men glared at him, Zoro admittedly with greater hostility. "Just think about it. First you cut your hair, then you clean, and you even washed all your clothes. Sudden changes like this usually mean something life changing has happened and I can't think of anything better than coming out of the closet."
"No Ace, and I'm not getting involved with kelp for brains, pretend or not. I have my own reputation to protect here too. Do you really think I could be seen with an uncouth ass like this and have people believe it?" Sanji reached for his breast pocket reflexively in search of his cigarettes before remembering he wasn't even wearing a shirt. "Hey, you said that you bought me some smokes. Where are they?"
"My jacket pocket; by the door. I agree. Can you imagine the shit I would have to put up with from everyone if they thought I was actually in a relationship with this prissy bastard? I could see it if maybe he wasn't so scrawny." Zoro dug through the box of supplies, looking for something.
Sanji had lit his cigarette and was smiling gently as the nicotine filled his lungs once more while Zoro grumbled as he fought with the tape and gauze. Rolling his eyes, Sanji strode over, taking the materials from Zoro's hands and within seconds had the white pad secured in place. Ace watched the two of them for a moment, scheming plans beginning to solidify in his mind as he took out his phone and snapped a few more pictures. Satisfied that he had enough ammunition for blackmail if needed, Ace stood and started putting on his worn coat. Now that he knew Sanji was involved, the favor he had been asked to look into took on a whole new meaning, so he needed to hurry over to the warehouse and see what everyone knew. Zoro had his number, and if anything came up Ace was sure his friend would call.
"I have to go meet Pops soon so I'm heading out." He walked over and patted Zoro on the shoulder before wrapping both arms around Sanji and waiting for the cigarette to be removed so he could kiss him deeply. Ace moaned happily as he ran his hands up and down Sanji's bare back before slipping beneath the waistband of the sweats to grab the blonde's ass. "Damn, it's too bad you're not available."
"Maybe when this is all over we can change that," Sanji mumbled against Ace's neck as he breathed in the man's scent.
"We'll see." Ace gave one last kiss before looking over to a mortified Zoro who was beet red, whether from embarrassment or anger Ace wasn't sure. "Zoro, I'll call you when I find something out."
"If you want to keep your hands, you won't touch me until you've at least washed them." Zoro quickly stood and backed away from his friend. "Preferably with iodine or alcohol."
Both Sanji and Ace laughed as the blonde walked with the freckled raven to the door. "It was so lovely to have you Ace, please come visit us again," Sanji said in his best British accent.
"Oh I plan on it." Ace waved to him as he headed down the corridor to the lift. "Make sure he takes care of you, babe. Real good care."
Sanji stood in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest, cigarette dangling out of the side of his mouth, and pants ridiculously low on his hips. The red welts were fading, and his hair was completely messed up leaving Sanji looking a little rough, but the contented smile told a different story to the two girls that had peeked out of the lift when the doors opened.
"Mizu, Kiwi, how's business lately?" Ace gave them his best charming smile when he saw the occupants in the elevator. "You seen Zoro's new haircut yet?"
"No!" They both cried and leaned further out of the lift to look down the hall. Their eyes went wide as they took notice of the unknown figure leaning on their favorite resident's open doorway; half naked and looking quite sexy in their eyes.
Ace grinned and put his arms around them, pulling them back in so the doors could close and whispered to the blushing girls. "Let's keep that little secret between us, ok? He doesn't want everyone to know yet."
Sanji stood there watching Ace curiously as the man disappeared with the girls. He was shoved callously aside as Zoro pushed past him and headed for the stairwell, pulling his jacket on over a clean shirt as he went.
"Where are you going?" Sanji called after the green-haired man.
"It's Tuesday. I have places to be," Zoro mumbled, annoyed that he should be expected to answer someone like that.
"Fine asshole! Don't expect me to cook any dinner for you when you get back!" Sanji yelled before slamming the door and sulking alone.
Zoro took the steps two at a time and was out the front door of the building before Ace had even gotten off the elevator. The instant the engine fired on the car, Zoro tore out of the parking lot, leaving Ace to stare curiously after him.
-/-/-/-/-
He pulled into the last empty space in front of the small diner and walked inside to see his favorite spot piled with bus trays filled with dirty dishes. Zoro snorted at the strange way the staff had of saving his place for him. It took him two trips but he hauled everything back to the kitchen to be washed, earning him even more brownie points that he never realized were accumulating.
As much as Zoro had tried to alienate himself over the last few years, he had failed miserably in his efforts. From the tenants at the apartment building to the cashier at the market where he shopped every week for groceries; they had all formed some kind of attachment to the green-haired man. It was a collection of nonessential things including stopping to help someone on the side of the road change a tire, putting a hand on a child's shoulder to keep them from walking out in front of oncoming traffic, and even loading purchases in the back of a pickup. It was the little things he did that he never thought twice about that had endeared him to everyone. Things like bussing his table at the diner. Zoro did it because it was the right thing, never expecting acknowledgement for his actions and therefore never knowing that what he was doing could be seen as a kind gesture. Of course their "Thank yous" to him were just as silent. A quarter in his expired parking meter when his errands ran longer than he expected, a bag of apples that hadn't originally been amongst his purchases, extra care in preparing his meals, and always a kind word to others when his name was brought up.
The list of people who considered themselves friends of the stubborn man was much longer than Zoro would have ever known as well. If asked directly, Zoro would admit to having less than a handful of friends, but in reality he had a small army of people who would drop everything to rush to his side if he ever needed it. For someone who had such keen awareness in battle, the idiot could be completely clueless in his own life.
When Zoro had taken off his hat and coat, the surly waitress had ribbed him for several minutes trying to find out the reason for the change. His warning look when she suggested he had found someone special was enough to shut her up in his presence, but not when the woman was behind the closed doors of the kitchen. Zoro's dinner was on the house that night, the cook insisting that it was his treat for whatever reason it was that Zoro had decided to clean up. Red faced with embarrassment from all the compliments about his looks, the green-haired man hurried out of the diner and locked himself in his car. A small white envelope that he hadn't noticed before was sitting in the passenger seat and Zoro picked it up cautiously.
There wasn't any writing on the outside, but he could tell that there were several pieces of paper folded within. He gently broke the seal and looked inside. A small smile eased the features of his face as he pulled out the childish drawings he quickly identified as Chimney's. There was one with him saving the children from Jigorou, one of him driving Franky's Hummer, and the last one of Kokoro, Zoro and her at the park. Zoro's chest tightened as he realized that he hadn't been to see the old woman yet. Sure he had spoke to her on the phone a few times and always checked with Franky to see what the doctors had said, but Zoro hadn't been able to work up the courage to actually see her face to face. Putting the car in reverse, he decided it was time to fix that mistake. It took him twenty minutes to make his way over to the hospital with only an hour of visitation left.
-/-/-/-/-/-
Kokoro looked frail and small, despite her plump frame, lying there in the hospital bed. Her color had paled and her eyes had dark circles under them. At least it looked like someone had taken the time to brush her hair and put it in a long braid. Zoro was about to leave her to sleep when she cracked an eye open and gave him a tired smile.
"I was wondering if I would see you." She patted the edge of the bed and tried to scoot over some more so he had room to sit. Her smile grew when he removed his jacket and hat. "Much better. You look so much like your father, too."
Zoro huffed and shook his head. "If that's the truth, I'll let my hair grow again."
She chuckled and patted his arm when he was finally close enough. "How are things?"
Deep frown lines creased Zoro's brow as he thought about all that had happened in the last few days. A week ago his life had been much simpler, and now it was a whirlwind of chaos and nightmares. "Things could be better."
"And they could be much worse. You could be the one lying here in the bed." She looked up at him in disappointment and sighed. "I hope you deserved the knock on your head."
Zoro touched his swollen cheek, remembering the bare foot that had connected with it earlier. "He seemed to think I did."
"Hm, this wouldn't happen to be the blonde that Dr Kureha saw at your apartment last night, would it?"
A frustrated groan escaped as Zoro realized just how many people had seen the man at his place now and he wondered if it was too late to get Smoker to change his mind about all of this. How was he supposed to keep the man under wraps if everyone kept seeing him? "Yah, the asshole had the nerve to attack me in my own home just because I'm not some fucking mind reader."
Kokoro laughed, which turned into violent coughing and sent Zoro into a panic when she began gasping for air. He immediately grabbed for the nurse's call button since he had no idea what to do. Two women came running in seconds later, shoving him politely but forcefully out of the way so they could check on the patient. Zoro stood in the doorway; just out of sight with his fists clenched tight enough to have his blunt nails dig into his palms. Soon the wheezing eased and one of the nurses appeared in front of him.
"I think you should probably tell her goodbye," the woman started, immediately backpedaling when she saw the distraught look on the young man's face. "I just mean for tonight. She's had several visitors today and I think it's worn her out. She needs to rest now."
Zoro swallowed hard and tried to rid himself of the knot that had formed in his gut.
"She is a tough old bird. It will take more than just a coughing fit to take her from this world." The woman smiled gently at him and took his still clenched hand in hers, pulling lightly to get him to come back into the room. "I think it would hurt her more if you left without saying anything."
He nodded numbly and stumbled after the middle aged woman, stalling again when he saw the oxygen mask covering most of the lower half of his auntie's face. Kokoro motioned him over, and he slowly responded. The second nurse helped pull the mask away for a moment so she could speak.
"I want you to promise me that you will open your heart again. People die, Zoro. The difference is in what you do with them while they are alive." Kokoro's eyes fluttered shut and the oxygen was replaced, leaving Zoro standing there in shock.
"I'm sorry, but you need to leave now." A gentle hand was placed on Zoro's forearm, startling him out of his daze.
Zoro sat in the cold on one of the benches outside the hospital until he could no longer feel his toes, admonishing himself for not coming to visit his aunt sooner. He thought about the irony of the whole thing. His parents and Kuina, the three most important people in his life, were all taken from him without warning; never giving him a chance to properly say goodbye. Now, a woman who had wormed her way into his life without his consent was slowing fading and giving him all the time in the world to say anything he wanted, yet he couldn't think of a word.
People die, Zoro.
He ran a hand across the large scar on his chest and thought bitterly to himself, "Not if I can help it."
The blonde cook might not be important to him, but Zoro knew that both Ace and Smoker's lives would be turned upside-down if he didn't protect the man. All he had to do was keep the idiot out of sight from anyone else and see about getting in touch with that cat-like guy again. At least Zoro didn't have to worry about that pink-haired girl breaking into his place anymore. Remembering his plan to buy new locks, Zoro stood and rubbed his arms to get the circulation going. The hardware store was already closed, but he was sure that Franky would be able to hook him up with something. The green haired man turned up the collar on his jacket and wandered out of the sheltered area into the wind to retrieve his car.