Hi! I'm back again with Chapter Three…sorry to keep you waiting. I've been thinking of other ideas for a new fanfic so this one got delayed. I'm really new to this and I screwed up the editing and deleted this story so I had to re-upload it and gaah! If I get to be reborn I want to be a sea cucumber…

The onslaught they called dinner was finally over. The dining table looked as if a violent storm had passed by; the plates were scattered everywhere and there were no traces of leftovers. But like any other storms, the aftermath is also as awful.

"Oi, someone help me with the washing." The cook rolled up his sleeve and collected the used plates and silverware. "Aren't there more plates than before?" And to think Usopp isn't even here…

Robin offered to help, since she has so many hands to spare (literally) the job would get done faster.

"Thank you Robin-chan, but a lady's hand must not be bothered to do dreadful housework." That surely was a polite excuse to avoid being pressed about his 'surprise'.

Now that he made that excuse, he couldn't possibly ask Nami. Well, not that he would, anyway. Zoro was already asleep on the couch. That useless lout! Luffy, well, he was really bloated, much like a stuffed gomu gomu no fuusen. No good…if I force Luffy to help me, he'll get hungry again and demand more food! That only leaves their furry little doctor Chopper. I hope he's not shedding his fur this time, or else it'll stick to the plates!

The young reindeer could plainly read what the cook was thinking from his facial expression; he had no choice but to volunteer. "I guess I'll help you, Sanji." Chopper transformed into his gorilla-like human form, obviously so that he could be able to reach the basin and carry stacks of plates.

Sanji took a quick drag-and-blow from his cigarette. "Thanks, Chopper. Those guys are really useless. Prepare yourself, we have a mountain of plates to wash!" He grabbed his pink Doskoi Panda apron from one of the kitchen drawers and put it on; he also gave Chopper a spare white apron.

Chopper followed Sanji to the wash basin and started washing the plates which were sterilized and soaked in hot water. "I remember when Usopp told me a story about him beating a bubble man when we were washing plates." Though he had a brutish form, he can't hold back his tears and for some reason, he can't stop shaking.

"Ch-Chopper…!" Concerned for his younger nakama, he wiped his tears with a clean and unused wash cloth but the doctor won't stop sobbing. Sanji patted Chopper's thick, broad back, hoping it would somehow calm him down. "Chopper, I'm sure Usopp will think this through so stop crying and be a man-"

"I'm not crying because of that…" He turned to his left and to his right, looking for the source of his unease. "There's something here that nngh, g-gives me an intense headache." Chopper has a super sensitive sense of smell which was proven to be very useful on most occasions (i.e. he can trace the smell of his nakama). This time, it was causing him a good deal of trouble. His sinuses felt like it was being impaled by a sharp object, and his eyes were slightly becoming red, too. "Sanji, that smell is coming from those bags…" He pointed to the groceries, his finger shaking.

He didn't bother to ask any questions seeing Chopper in his miserable state. He scoured the contents of the bag; he can't figure out what's causing the reindeer to squirm seeing that everything in the bag was utterly harmless. Wait…reindeer?

"Oi shitty cook, what're you up to?" Zoro, who was awakened by Chopper's sobbing, gave a lazy yawn and approached the two. "You annoy the hell out of me and now you're bullying Chopper?"

"Ugh. Great, shitty swordsman." He just had to place his hands on his forehead in disappointment. "I was trying to figure out what's causing Chopper so much pain, and you had to interrupt!" Sanji took another drag and exhaled the smoke through his nose. "Besides, if there's supposed to be a bully here, it's you! You goddamned killjo-"

"Are you alright, Chopper?" Zoro assisted the poor doctor to lean back on the basin.

"Oi, I'm still talking to you!" And don't ignore me!

"Nngh…" Chopper went back to his normal form, feeling woozy and unable to hold that massive body. "I don't think I can continue washing the dishes."

"You go rest. I'll help the dart-brow."

The little reindeer managed to smile, relieved that he could finally get away from the smell. "Thank you, Zoro." He limply walked towards Sanji and bowed his head. "I'm sorry if I wasn't able to help."

"No, it's okay. I promise I'll find what caused your headache and get rid of it as soon as possible." He gave Chopper an assuring look, hoping it would cheer him up. "You take care now."

"Thanks, I will." And so he went to his room. As he got farther from the kitchen, his steps seemed to get a little steadier.

"Good going, idiot cook. What the hell is in there, anyway?" Zoro crossed his arms and leaned on the basin.

"I did try searching for the cause, but everything in those bags are harmless." The confused cook didn't notice that his hands were diving into the hot water. "Yeowch!" His reflex from the slight burn made him withdrew his hands; he turned on the faucet for cold water and placed his hands under the running tap to soothe the burn. The cold mixed with hot water, and figuring that he could tolerate the temperature, Sanji started washing the remaining plates, . "Oi, aren't you going to help me wash?"

"Booze."

"Is that all you think about?" If those plates weren't submerged in water, he might have broken it all.

Zoro looked away and took a deep breath, not wanting his enthusiasm to be appraised. "So what do you have for me?"

They both exchanged expressionless stares for a moment until the cook burst in laughter, unable to hold it in anymore.

"What's so funny, asshole?" Zoro squinted his eyes on Sanji who was smirking at him like a maniac.

"You know…" Sanji rinsed his hands and wiped it with the wash cloth that Chopper had used. "There were times like this when I'm alone washing the dishes." He threw the previous cigarette he was smoking and lit another. "I'd let the others take a bath first so that I'll be the last."

"Get to the point already." Zoro was trying to hide the excitement in his voice.

"Don't butt in when people are talking, idiot marimo." The blond wasn't really annoyed; he's just as excited as Zoro was. "Anyway, whenever I'm the last to get in, I can take a longer bath since no one's waiting behind me. I'd pour myself some wine and drink while enjoying a warm bubble bath."

The green-haired man just stared at Sanji, who was puffing swirls of smoke; the cloudiness helped him create a mental image of the blond offering him a glass of red wine with his private parts being covered by obstructive soapsuds and coquetting, "Come drink with me, Zoro." If that would really happen, Zoro might have dived at him right away.

Sanji didn't get to see the shade of pink that appeared on the swordsman's naturally tan cheeks when he went to open the box that was lying in a corner. "I got you a dozen bottles of sake, so I thought you might like to try it out. You know, bathe while drinking…"

"I didn't know you were this thoughtful…I mean, except for the ladies." He looked away, trying to hide his cheeks which were getting redder and warmer. "And why do you even bother…"

"Don't compare me to yourself, marimo. I'm always thoughtful." He hummed to himself while getting a bottle from the box and tossed it over to Zoro. "But that's not all…" That smirk appeared on his face again, remembering his little gifts that would add up to the marimo's 'vegetation'. "Now help me finish washing so I can prepare your bath."

Zoro removed the cork with his teeth, spewed it to the direction of the trash bin and took a quick gulp. He wiped his mouth with the back of his free hand and held the bottle forward with the other. "Want some?" That drink was a subtle 'thank you' that he could offer to the cook, since he was already too embarrassed to say it outright.

"No. That would be an indirect kiss. And unlike an uncivilized person that you are, I don't drink from bottles."

"Damn, so demanding…" His voice was low, in a sexy kind of way. Zoro took another sip from the bottle, but this time he didn't swallow. He placed the bottle beside the basin, then both of his hands grabbed Sanji's waist, yanking him to come closer.

The blond removed his cigarette from his lips and held it instead; he wrapped his arms around the other's neck and leaned forward. He tilted his head a bit sideways and knowing that it was the right angle, he pressed his lips onto Zoro's. Sanji opened his mouth to receive the liquor that has warmed from the other's mouth and swished it around their tongues, savoring its bittersweet tang while the peppery spirit exited through his nose. It tasted so much better, and the sensations from his nape being caressed by Zoro all make it very sensual.

Sanji gradually swallowed the sake while their tongues battled.

After a few minutes, their lips parted so that both of them could gasp for air but their bodies were still pressed together, feeling each other's warmth.

Zoro pressed his forehead on Sanji's. "You're good at this…" His right thumb stroked the cook's wet lips. "You didn't even spill."

"Of course I won't. I don't waste food, you know." Just when his partner was about to lean for another kiss, he shrugged him away. "Woah…down, boy."

Zoro was surprised, but didn't say a word. He crossed his muscular arms and raised an arched eyebrow, demanding an explanation.

"Help me with the damn dishes already, idiot!" So that you can meet your siblings already! He put back his cigarette between his lips and puffed the smoke to the swordsman's direction so that he would back away.

He fanned the smoke away, though he was pretty much used to it. "You stupid love cook! You flirted with me and then you'll just ruin the mood!"

"Just get to work, useless marimo!" Once again, Sanji soaked his hands into the basin and started washing the plates. His hair was covering the bright color on his flushed cheeks from Zoro's view.

He was really excited to know what his partner's 'other surprise' was so he thought he should keep quiet and finish washing already. Zoro's hands worked at an amazing speed, to the extent that he would have been mistaken as a member of CP9.

Little do they know that BOTH of them are in it for the surprise…

The aroma of wine heightens slightly when it gets warmed. So if you're not holding a wine glass from its stem but rather on its body, your body warmth can affect the aroma. Also, when you sip the wine and gargle it a bit (not like how you would do with a mouthwash, just let it swish around in your mouth) before swallowing, it tastes better. Well, that's what I heard when I was in a seminar. (I hope I remembered it right!) I just don't know if it's the same for sake...

See you in Chapter Four!