V: OMG!!! I updated!! o.0 to those of you who said I couldn't do it HA!! To those of you who sent me e-mails to get me to do it, thank you. But, in the future, only spam my in-box once if you'd be so kind, thank you.
The last few embers of the setting sun clung vainly to the sky, even as the moon's sliver face began to peer through the darkness. Beams of crimson and gold poured through the kitchen window, painting the iridescent spheres of soap, and making it appear as if a bit of the dusk sky had found refuge in the Going Merry's sink.
Sanji rinsed the final dish, setting it to dry on the small tray besides the sink, hazarding a glance out the porthole.
Even muffled the blonde could hear the steady clink of metal as Zoro practically flung his weights through the air, a mask of deep thought oddly plastered to his face. Sanji could tell the man had lost count a while ago, and had simply become content to go through the motions until he collapsed or his weights shot out to sea.
Nothing out of the ordinary.
Save for the fact that this activity was now drawing close on it's third consecutive day.
He hadn't eaten. He hadn't slept. Hell, he hadn't even taken a piss in the last three days. Just swung those weights around as if it were the last task of his miserable life.
They had talked about it at dinner of course, one could hardly ignore the burly, and apparently mute, swordsman swinging iron in the middle of the deck.
Luffy, whose odd timing in deep perception never failed to amaze, was the first to comment. Leading everyone else to voice their concerns about the current predicament.
Of course the fact that the swordsman had neither eaten or slept had been the main topic, as Chopper voiced his medical concern of Zoro's over taxation of his body without proper nourishment or rest.
Nami had shrugged and suggested that they just shove some food down his throat and then throw him in the storage room, and not let him out until he fell asleep.
Ussop had pointed out the many flaws to this plan, much to Sanji annoyance, and suggested that they drug him and then, possibly, do all of the aforementioned steps.
Soon voices were raised as Nami, Chopper, and Ussop poorly deliberated the best methods to put out the swordsman.
But, Luffy had remained oddly silent, sharing looks with the archaeologist. Looks that said there was more to worry about than the lack of food or rest.
And now, as Sanji stood at the sink, freshly lit cigarette balanced between his lips, he had to agree.
In the past few days, Zoro had never even looked at his swords.
Not once.
It was more than enough to convince Sanji that something was up. Adding in all the other detrimental effects of Zoro's sudden death round workout…
Well, it lead to nothing good that was for sure.
Sanji sighed, tapping a lump of dead as free of his cigarette, and watched as the swordsman made an exaggerated swing through the air.
Everyone had concluded that someone would have to go talk to the muscle bound idiot. And, through a process of elimination that the blonde still didn't quite grasp, he had been named the sacrificial lamb.
Pulling the wet cloth free of the sinks depths, he pulled free the stopper and watched as the small suds swirled in one last flicker of light before being swallowed by the dark depths of the drain.
Mind now working on the task set upon him, his body occupied itself by wiping any remaining food scraps from the counter.
Upon Sanji's third pass over the counter he had finally concluded as to how he was going to try and snap the marimo out of it.
He was going to kick him.
Hard.
Not a fantastic plan to be sure. But, as Sanji mind argued, Zoro was a man of few words, save when it came to fighting. So if it was a fight it took, then he would kick the mans face to the other side of his head and hope that all went back to normal.
However, just as the dish rag landed on the edge of the sink, the door opened, and all of the cook's lamentations were for not.
In the doorway stood the dehydrated, underfed, sweat coated bane of his existence, panting as if the atmosphere was suddenly devoid of usable oxygen.
Sanji stopped his busy work and merely watched as the rank green-haired man took a seat at the table, arms folded over its surface and eyes trained on the floor.
The silence, save for Zoro's gasping breaths, was nearly palpable.
After a moment Sanji took the liberty to clear his throat, and when Zoro didn't so much as blink, he pressed on.
"You missed dinner…" for the past three days. Sanji had figured the last bit of news wouldn't make a difference in the current moment, so he let it echo through his head momentarily before pressing on. "And don't bother asking me to fix you anything because-"
Sanji stopped, the end of that sentence now caught in his throat as Zoro finally looked up.
"How do you know?" was the graveled question.
Sanji blinked " Well you're empty seat, and the pleasant lack of odor were pretty much dead give anyways-"
"No, I mean…How do you know," Zoro shifted in his seat, as if he were suddenly very uncomfortable. "How do you know if you… you lo- love someone."
Sanji promptly swallowed his cigarette.
As the blonde doubled over in pain, the look on Zoro's face flickered from five year old curiosity, to momentary concern, to utter annoyance.
"Oi, kuso-cook knock it off. 'S not funny."
Sanji did the best to straighten himself out. Eyes watering as he nervously attempted to loosen his tie.
"Wasn't cough fucking laughing at you baka marimo." Sanji spat, or attempted to, it was difficult to sound fully menacing with a smoldering cigarette now digesting in you stomach. "You don't just swallow a fucking ember and go 'damn that hurts, now what were we talking about'" Sanji finished, a fresh round of hacking coughs left to punctuate this sentiment.
Zoro stood up in a huff, "Che, don't even know why I bothered." With that he stalked to the wine rack and made to leave the kitchen.
But Sanji wouldn't have it. He had just physically suffered from one of the oddest questions the swordsman had ever thrown his way, and he was damned well going to find out why.
"Oi, oi look." Sanji said positioning himself between Zoro and the door. "Just… why do you need to know?"
Zoro's scowl chiseled even deeper.
"None of your bloody business ero-cook, now move."
"The fuck- You're the one who asked me the damned question." Sanji glowered, stabbing a bony finger into the swordsman's sternum.
Zoro grabbed the offending digit, and without a comeback at his ready merely flung the hand back in the cook's direction before stepping dangerously close to the blonde's personal space.
"I asked first." Was all the green-haired man supplied, before taking a few steps back to wait for his answer.
Sanji just stared, mind whirling to process the last few moments of utter absurdness.
Deciding it was a lost cause, Sanji sifted a hand through his hair and freed a heavy sigh. "You want to know… how you know if you like someone." The blond repeated, hoping it would all sound less absurd if he said it aloud. He was not really all that surprised when it didn't.
Zoro just waited, eyes never leaving Sanji's.
Sanji contemplated lighting another cigarette, and then decided it might be safer if he just waited until the current oddities of his day had settled for a bit.
"Well…" Sanji began, pulling his tie straight. Fuck but this was weird. "Usually when… You know because… Why the hell are you asking me?"
"You're the fucking love-cook," Zoro stated bluntly and waited for the blonde to continue.
Sanji made a valiant attempt to reply, but all that came out were a series of unintelligible sounds and slurs, until the basics of speech were to be considered a great accomplishment.
"Well," this is weird "I suppose it's different for different people really." Damn this is weird. "Some simply appreciate and adore the beauty of others-"
"I didn't think falling all over yourself was a form of love." Zoro smirked, seemingly very content with himself.
If that's the way he wants to play this…Sanji grit his teeth. "Well most people wouldn't have to ask when to know that they are in love. Not every one is an emotionally stunted bastard and are fully aware of the attraction they have to another person, and the effects it will have."
Zoro didn't so much as blink "Such as?"
Sanji, exasperated by this point, tossed his hand in the air. "Such as a change in mood, feeling comfortable around that person, spending more time with that person than any other friend, the desire to kiss-"
Zoro snapped to attention at that point. "That's it."
Sanji stopped mid-tirade "What's it?"
But Zoro, seemingly suffering from sudden enlightenment, pushed the cook aside and made his way onto the deck.
Sanji watched the door swing shut, still a bit dazed about the near heart to heart he had just had with the swordsman. Sinking into a chair, he decided it was time for that cigarette.