A/N: Well, this is the final chapter, thank you to everyone who have read, reviewed, favourited, and followed this fic. It really means a lot to me. I am more than happy to write extras for this fic, if given prompts. x

Re-edited 17/11/14


Stopping at the entrance to Shanks' Bar, Sanji nervously brushes down his jacket and fixes his shirt collar. Thinking about seeing everyone again frightens him. How are they going to react? Will they even want to see me?

Sanji is still mentally debating about whether to go through with this or not when a warm hand is gently placed on his shoulder and squeezes it softly. He smiles at the silent reassurance from Zoro, and takes in a few deep breaths. Once he feels ready, he opens the door and steps inside.

"SANJI!"

Before he can even blink, the blonde gets tackled to the floor by a sobbing Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper.

"We thought you'd been eaten by a giant bird! But don't worry, if it comes back, the great Captain Usopp will shoot it down!"

"Make me some meat, I'm hungry!"

"Have you been eating well!? Have you been getting enough sleep!? Are you feeling okay!?"

He chuckles and ruffles Chopper's hair as the young boy looks him over, "I'm fine, but I'd like to get up now."

The three of them jump up, muttering apologies as they Sanji up from the floor.

"Sanji," hearing the serious tone in Luffy's voice has him feeling nervous again, "I'm glad you're back, but don't ever leave like that again. And don't hide things from us either. If you ever feel down don't be afraid to talk to one of us, that's what we are here for. You will always be our nakama Sanji, never forget that."

Wide-eyed he looks from one to the other, Usopp and Chopper nod in agreement with their captain and Sanji can't help but feel overwhelmed. He thought that they would hate him, but he was obviously wrong.

"Yosh! Now make me some meat, Sanji, I'm hungry!"

"I'm not making you anything, you bastard!"

Fuming with rage from the sudden change and messing with his emotions, he kicks his captain, sending him flying and crashing into the bar. Luffy only laughs and grins widely as Usopp and Chopper run over to help him.

He hears Zoro laughing from behind him and he clenches his fists and spins around, ready to attack, "What's so funny marimo!?"

"Sanji-Kun, could you get drinks for me and Robin, please?"

Stopping himself from kicking the swordsman, he swoons with hearts in his eyes and grins, "Nami-Swan! Robin-Chwan! I'll do anything for you, my angels!"

Zoro smiles as he watches Sanji run off to the bar and hisses when Nami whacks him on his head, "And what are you smiling about Zoro!? You idiot! You could of at least told one us you'd found him before you went up there! What would you have done if Sanji didn't want to come back?!

Folding his arms across his chest, Zoro glares at the red haired witch, "I would have brought him back by force," he says seriously.

"Ugh, I shouldn't have expected anything less…. Thanks Zoro," Nami smiles as she glances at the rest of their idiot crew who are still at the bar.

He grunts in reply and watches as Nami walks off to the crew's table.

"Swordsman-San," Robin nods once at him then glances over to Sanji and back with an all-knowing smile, before following after Nami.

Does she know? Zoro looks over to Sanji once more before joining his nakama at the table.


"Shanks! Can I get my lovely angles their drinks please~!?"

"Of course, just give me a minute!"

Still swooning over meeting the ladies again, he finally snaps out of his daze when he feels something being put on top of his head. Looking to his right, he's met with a grinning Luffy, minus the straw hat.

Smiling, he pushes the hat into place, and can't help but feel overwhelmed once more while Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper, rush off to join the rest of their crew.

I haven't worn this since the first time I met them….

Feeling a tap on his shoulder, he turns around and beams at the beauty in front of him, "Kuina-Chwan~! Oh how lovely it is for you to grace me with your presence!"

Kuina glances behind to Zoro, who has his back facing them, and Sanji quickly stops swooning over the lady when he detects how anxious she is, "Are you ok? Want to take a seat?"

He pulls out the stool next to him at the bar, which Kuina gratefully accepts, "It's great to see you back Sanji. I know you'll take good care of Zoro. You both deserve to be happy."

Huh...?

"What do you mean by that, Kuina-Chan?"

"He hasn't told you yet then, otherwise you would understand….."

"Told me what?"

"I think it would be best for you to hear it from him. I'll see you around Sanji-Kun."

As she gets up to leave, he gently stops her by her sleeve, not wanting to accidently hurt her, "Ah, wait! Why don't you go talk to Zoro? I'm sure if you speak to each other, you can sort things out. He needs you Kuina-Chan…..Why did you break up with him?"

Kuina looks at him with a warm smile, but he can clearly see the sadness in her eyes, "That's something you'll need to ask Zoro. I know you'll make him happier than I ever could."

Sanji lets go of Kuina's sleeve as she gently places a kiss on his cheek before leaving, undetected by the rest of his crew.

"Sanji…"

Turning back to the bar, Shanks is waiting patiently with the drinks for Nami and Robin. How much did he hear? Smiling, Sanji carefully takes the ladies drinks.

"If you ever want your job back…"

"Thank you Shanks… Start next week?" He asks hopefully.

The bar owner grins and nods at him in agreement before Sanji makes his way over to his nakama. He places the drinks on the table in front of the ladies, giving them a warm smile as he sits next to Zoro.

"Sanji-bro! It's SUPER great to see you!"

"Yohohohoho! You're looking well Sanji-San."

"Thank you and it's great to see you guys too. All of you."

Glancing from one to the other, they all smile at him, and as he looks to Zoro, he can't help but blush slightly at the man grinning happily to him.

"Sanji~~ Can you cook some meat now!?"

Sighing, he gets up from his seat. Shanks will probably let me use the kitchen in the staff room.

"If it will shut you up, then fine."

He grins as he makes his way to the staff room. Remembering what Kuina had said to him earlier, he decides that as soon as he gets the chance, he's going to ask the marimo what happened with him and the beautiful lady. Maybe I can help them get back together? It's not like they haven't split up before…


One week later, and Sanji still hasn't found out the reason for why Zoro and Kuina broke up. The swordsman won't tell him anything. Whenever he would ask or bring it up, the idiot would change the subject. Sanji had tried being nice about it, and so far it has gotten him nowhere. Enough of this shit! He's telling me today!

Flinging the door to the spare bedroom open, he makes his way downstairs and into the living room. Zoro has fallen asleep on the sofa, in the middle of the afternoon, as usual.

Swinging his leg up, he goes to kick Zoro, not surprised at all when the swordsman grabs his ankle harshly before it can connect.

"What do you want, shit cook?"

"You know what I want."

He moves backwards from the couch, jerking his ankle out of Zoro's grip, and glares at the swordsman as he sits up.

"Can't you just leave it alone?"

"Of course I can't leave it alone. You always used to tell me what happened when things would go wrong with you and Kuina."

"Yeah well, you left."

Fuming with rage he clenches his fists to his sides and lashes out at the marimo. A few kicks meet powerfully at Zoro's sides and the swordsman effortlessly blocks the remaining attacks with his forearms, softening the blows against his stomach.

"What the hell does that have to do with anything!?" Sanji screeches.

"A lot actually!"

The swordsman backs up out of reach and paces around the far side of the room, away from him. Sanji can tell how much he's riled up his rival, and watches the idiot pace a few more times before focusing on fishing out a cigarette from his pocket.

"Why the hell should I tell you anyway?" Zoro growls, "You don't tell ME everything! And you won't tell me about what happened to you when you abandoned us!"

"That's different." Sanji states calmly as he pops the cigarette into his mouth, leaving it unlit and rolls it around with his tongue, "And besides, I didn't abandon you, it wasn't like that."

"YEAH? WELL IT SURE AS HELL FELT LIKE IT!"

Flinching slightly, Sanji growls quietly and tries to hold back from shouting at Zoro. He watches as the swordsman keeps pacing around the room, "Just tell me what happened."

"I can't."

"Why the hell not?"

"I JUST CAN'T OKAY!"

"I AM NOT LEAVING THIS ROOM UNLESS YOU TELL ME, YOU SHITHEAD! NOW TELL ME WHY!"

Growling, the swordsman lunges at him, grabbing onto his shirt with both hands, and he grips onto Zoro's wrists.

"BECAUSE I FUCKING LOVE YOU, YOU BASTARD!"

Before he can even process what has just been said, Zoro yanks the cigarette out from his mouth, pulls him forward the short distance, and crashes their mouths together in a harsh kiss.

Sanji's eyes widen and his face reddens as he holds on tighter to Zoro's wrists. The kiss quickly becomes gentle, but before his mind catches up with him to respond, the swordsman has pulled away a little, their lips still close.

This time it's Zoro's eyes which have widened, and the swordsman lets go of his shirt. Stumbling back, Zoro's cheeks take on a hint of red as he stares at the blonde, "Shit….."

Sanji hears the panic in Zoro's voice, and before he can reassure the clearly startled man, Zoro has left the house, slamming the door behind him.

Gaining his composure, Sanji sits down on the sofa, and turns on the T.V. He doesn't listen to whatever programme is playing, instead it gets blocked out by his thoughts. Zoro….. Loves me?

Zoro… Loves me? ... He loves me ….

Grinning, he digs his phone out of his pocket and types a quick text to the stupid marimo, and slumps back into the sofa. It's not the best approach, but he doesn't want the other man to spend the rest of the night thinking that he'd ruined their- well what was- friendship in a bad way.


Shit! … Damn it… What the hell did I do that for! I've ruined everything! Grasping at his hair, Zoro rushes down the street. He hears his mobile go off, recognising the text message alert, and he takes his phone out from his pocket. Biting his lip, he prepares for the worst, and opens it.

Shit Cook:

I love you too. Don't stay out too late, you idiot.

Eyes going wide, he nearly drops his phone. Standing in place, Zoro re-reads the message again and again, making sure that he is seeing it correctly. Grinning, he places his phone into his pocket, and makes his way back down the street, deciding to stop in Shanks' Bar for a drink. His pride won't allow him to go straight back home after running out like that. He'd deal with that later.


Sanji's eyes slowly drop shut as he lies on the sofa, and as smiles as he falls asleep. Although things are okay with Zoro now, and he is going to be with the man he loves, he knows that his struggles are only just beginning, and he still has a few loose ends to tie up with the apartment that he was living in before he moved back home to his nakama.

Depression is not an easy thing to get rid of. For some, it may never truly leave, and will just linger in the back of their minds until it is triggered again. Sanji is well aware of the fact that love from another person cannot 'fix' him. He knows that he needs to work at helping himself get better, along with the right help.

And the one thing that Sanji is completely sure of is that with Zoro's support, he knows he can get through anything.