The more that try, the brighter the outcome.

Enjoy~

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Chapter 13

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"Ah! Look! It's Zoro and Nami! Hey! Over here!"

The pair that had been on their way back to the ship glanced back to see Chopper and Robin heading towards them across the beach. They took the pleased expressions on their faces as a good sign, so stopped to allow them to catch up.

"Hey! How did you two fair?" Nami asked as they drew closer.

Chopper was instantly beaming as he came to a stop in front of the navigator. "I found the rest of my bottles! And look!" He held up something long and narrow wrapped up in a piece of cloth. "I found two of Sanji's knives!"

Nami's eyes immediately lit up on hearing that. "That's great, Chopper! Sanji will be so happy!"

Blushing, Chopper held back from his usual denial as he looked over to Zoro. He knew that Zoro was trying to patch things up with the cook, so he held up the wrapped knives in offering to the swordsman. "Would you like to give them back to him?"

That offer was unexpected, but Zoro was soon shaking his head as a slight smile twitched onto his lips. "It wouldn't mean anything if I gave them to him. You do it. He'll be happier if it came from you."

Frowning slightly, Chopper tilted his head curiously. "Why wouldn't it mean anything from you?"

"Because I didn't find them. I won't take credit for your hard work, Chopper." Zoro pressed the bundle back into the little reindeer's small arms and gestured towards the ship in the distance. "Go on. Cheer up that psychotic cook."

Although he wasn't sure he really got it, Chopper smiled and gave a firm nod before heading off for the ship.

A bit surprised, Robin hummed softly as their doctor went on ahead of them. "That was very considerate, Swordsman-san, but why did you decline his offer?"

"I'm not going to fix this by using others. I'll make it up to him my way." Zoro stated without hesitation. He knew too well how much Sanji disliked people taking credit from someone else. He disliked it just as much.

"You were awful free with my money..." Nami muttered, but quickly glanced away when Zoro's narrowed gaze shifted towards her. "We best get back. I don't like the looks of those clouds on the horizon." she said to change the subject before walking away.

Hardly impressed with the evasion, Zoro stared at her back in annoyance for a moment. "I don't see what she's complaining about. I feel like I sold my soul to get her to pay." he grumbled loudly.

That piqued Robin's interest. "Oh? Have you bought something for Cook-san?" she asked with a little smile.

"Half bought at least. I'll have to wait and see how it turns out later." Zoro mused out loud. Now that he was alone with Robin, he glanced towards her and regarded her calmly. "You've been very quiet throughout this entire thing."

The comment had the older woman thinking silently for a moment. She gave a soft hum and folded her arms before speaking. "I honestly don't know what I should do or say in this situation. It's always been my experience that when a situation explodes like that, the two sides part with a great deal of animosity." She looked to his dark eyes with a perplexed frown. "The fact you're trying so hard.. And Cook-san's still trying as well... I'm at a loss."

Seeing that she was being honest, Zoro found himself thinking that over as well. "The obvious answer would be that we're still nakama. No matter what we do, that doesn't change. I could very well fail miserably, but he's at least granted me that much." It was far more than he really deserved. Zoro knew too well that he was seriously testing his luck with this venture, but he at least had Sanji's trust. He knew that if he lost that trust there was no getting it back.

Bitter thoughts filled his mind, but he quickly turned and headed for the ship. "Succeed or fail, I'll accept what I've earned."

Robin watched him for a moment. There was a determination about him that she hadn't seen before. It made a wider smile curl her lips. "I believe you shall earn what you work for, Swordsman-san." she said quietly to herself as she soon took up step after him.

At the ship, Chopper hopped up the gangplank in time to hear a chorus of laughter coming from the galley.

"Hahaha! That was so awesome, Sanji! Do it again!"

"No! That really hurt! Bastard cook! Stop doing that!"

"Then stop cheating, Shitty sniper."

"I told you! It's strategizing!" There was a sudden 'twang' sound. "Ow! Stop that!"

"That's too awesome! Maybe you should try being the sniper, Sanji!"

"Hey! No giving my job away!"

Instantly worried that Sanji was doing too much, Chopper quickly rushed up the stairs to the galley. He jumped into the open doorway, but the chiding words instantly died on his lips at what he saw.

Seated on either side of the kitchen table was Usopp and Luffy. Luffy was cackling like mad, banging his fist on the wooden table. Making the checker pieces bounce on the board sat in the middle. Usopp was grumbling loud curses as he rubbed a little red welt on his nose.

Perched atop the end of the table was Sanji. His legs folded underneath him as he held up a rubber band up around his left thumb and index finger that was pulled back and loaded with a little wadded up piece of paper. He was aiming directly at the sniper and appeared to be in waiting. "You're doing this to yourself, Usopp. Stop cheating and I won't have to fire."

Usopp was about to snap back, but he noticed the figure at the door. On turning his head, Usopp bolted to his feet and pointed rigidly to the cook. "Chopper! Tell Sanji to stop.. Um.. Overexerting himself! Yeah! He needs to go back to bed!"

"Oi! No stealing my judge!" Luffy yelped as he threw a black checker at Usopp. He then turned to the little doctor and grinned. "Hey Chopper! How was your search?"

For a moment Chopper tilted his head in confusion, but soon shook his head to focus on the question. "Ah! Yes! I found the rest of my bottles.. And..." Chopper looked down at the wrapped bundle in his arms. He then looked up to the cook and held it up to him. "I found this, Sanji."

"Hm?" Sanji looked up from his target, and eyed the bundle Chopper was holding. On seeing the length of it, his visible eye widened. Slowly, he slid off his perch on the table and walked around to the door. On reaching the reindeer, Sanji seemed to hesitate for a moment before he reached out to take it. On feeling the weight his throat felt tighter.

Turning around, Sanji moved to the table and sat it down on the end. He looked at it for a moment longer before he pulled open the cloth. On seeing the two knives resting on the gray cloth, Sanji bit at his lower lip.

When the cook's shoulders seemed to be tense, Chopper grew worried. "They.. They are yours right..?"

Hearing that concern...

"Yes..." Sanji turned back around to the little doctor and stepped up to him. He then knelt down to the floor and reached out. His long arms then pulled Chopper to him in a firm hug. "Thank you, Chopper... Thank you so much..."

Startled by the embrace, Chopper blushed and looked lover Sanji's shoulder to the pair at the table. Both of them were smiling happily, and Luffy readily gave him a thumbs up.

Seeing that made Chopper smile as he hugged the cook back.

He had made his nakama happy.

"You're welcome, Sanji..."

He held on for a moment longer, then Sanji pulled away to smile brightly at the doctor. "Anything you want, just name it. As soon as you give me the go ahead, I'll make you a buffet of sweets that will keep you on a sugar high for a month." he declared as he beamed genuinely.

The happiness that Chopper saw made him grin as he gleefully wiggled in place a bit. "Don't think that makes me happy, you stubborn bastard~!" he practically chirped as his blush grew brighter.

A lighthearted laugh left Sanji's lips as he patted the top of the pink hat. "I wouldn't dare presume."

At the gangplank, Nami found herself smiling as she watched what was happening. "It's been a long time since I've heard that laugh..." She glanced behind her when she heard heavy boots begin up the plank. On seeing Zoro, she gestured lightly towards the Galley. "You were right. Sanji is thrilled."

Zoro glanced up in time to see the radiant smile that was on the blonde's face as he listened to Chopper explain where the knives had been. Although he wasn't the one that put it there, Zoro was still smiling on seeing the life back in that too pale face. "He appreciates genuine effort. It coming from Chopper is better. Chopper has nothing to prove. He did it to make the cook happy on his own. That's what means the most to him."

"Sounds as if you've learned quite a bit about Cook-san." Robin observed as she joined them on deck.

A slight snort left Zoro's lips as he shook his head. "That I always knew." He turned his attention to the navigator and looked at her expectantly. "Do you want to start finding a way to head inland? The sky is getting darker on the horizon."

"Inland?" Robin repeated curiously.

The redhead nodded as she pulled a folded piece of paper from her khaki shorts pocket. "Someone in town told us that these storms happen in a fifty year cycle. He said they usually come from the east, and recommended we should head for the nearest river." She looked up to the galley and called out. "Sanji! Are Usopp and Luffy up there?"

On hearing the navigator's voice, Sanji immediately moved to the railing, picking up Chopper and holding him like a teddy bear as he waved eagerly. "Nami-swaaan~! Yes, they're here!" He quickly looked over his shoulder at the pair in the galley. "Oi, shitheads! Get out here. Nami-san wants something!"

Readily following the cook's usual exuberant orders, Luffy and Usopp were soon at the railing beside him. "What's up, Nami?" Luffy asked while poking at the blush on the squirming Chopper's face.

"We need to head for the nearest river. More storms are coming, so we need to head inland. Can you secure everything?" Nami requested as she unfolded the map that the tailor had given her.

"Already done!" Usopp called out with a grin.

"Done..?" Nami repeated in surprise.

Luffy pointed at Sanji. "Yeah, Sanji had us do that an hour ago. We're ready to go whenever you are. All we need is to raise anchor."

"Hope you don't mind, Nami-san. I didn't like the way the wind suddenly shifted." Sanji said while placing the wiggling Chopper on the railing.

"Ah.. No! In fact that's perfect. Thank you, Sanji-kun! Luffy, Usopp, raise anchor. We have to leave now."

"Yosh! Let's go, Usopp!" Luffy wasted no time by hopping over the railing to the deck.

"Right behind you!"

As the two rushed off to raise anchor, Chopper glanced back towards Sanji from his perch on the rail. He was glad that he had helped put the smile back on his face, but one thing still nagged at him. "Sanji.. I want to ask you a question.. But I don't want to upset you."

Sanji looked at the little doctor curiously. "Do you think it would upset me?"

"It might..." Chopper shifted uneasily on the railing, but he had himself meet the visible blue eye. "I.. Want to know how you kept everything from me. I'm not going to ask why you kept it from me.. But with that much blood you were losing.. Why didn't I notice the scent?"

"Ah. That." Sanji busied himself to get another cigarette lit as he answered. "I was over seasoning your food. Every time you ate, it dulled your sense of smell. It really was paranoid of me, and I apologize. I.. Just have some previous issues that drove me to think it was all necessary."

A slight frown furrowed Chopper's brow, but he still nodded. "I see.. Do.. Do you still think it's necessary?"

The blonde head shook. "No. Don't worry, Chopper. I won't hide anymore."

Chopper's smile soon returned on hearing that. "That's good. How are you feeling? Do you need anymore medicine?"

That concern made Sanji's lips curl into a smile as well. "It's starting to pull a bit when I move, but I guess that's because it's starting to heal."

The doctor nodded. "It'll probably start itching too as the skin knits itself back together. As long as you don't overdo anything and keep it relatively dry, you should be able to get back to some cooking and light ship chores next week."

Sanji slumped slightly at that news. "Dammit.. I'm going crazy with nothing to do." he grumbled as he absently chewed on his cigarette filter.

"You really should be resting. Usually the best way to deal with an injury or an illness is to just sleep through it."

"Blaaah... There's only so much sleeping I can do before even my dreams get boring." Sanji grumbled with that perpetual bored look back on his face.

Hoisting the anchor up and hooking it in place as he always did, Zoro glanced back to the galley to see Sanji lightly arguing with the doctor. Chopper was glaring as best he could in his smallest form while pointing and nagging at the blonde who looked as if he was barely paying attention. He could tell Sanji's retorts were sarcastic from just looking.

He sorely missed being the victim of that sarcastic wit. He missed the arguments. The teasing. The random fights over nothing.

'I miss him... I want that annoying bastard back...' As he continued to try and make amends, that was what was constantly wearing on his mind.

Would he get back the man as he was, or will this chain of events change the blonde?

It was the only thing he feared.

More than failure. More than anything.

"Ow! What the fuck?!" Rubbing at the sore place on his forehead, Zoro noticed a wadded up little piece of paper next to his boot. His glare shot around until the only person he saw was Sanji still standing at the rail in front of the galley. He was twirling a rubber band around his finger and staring with that same bored expression on his face.

Realizing that the cook had shot him with the projectile, Zoro's glare became confused. "What the hell was that for?"

A snort left the blonde's lips as he reached into his shirt pocket for another little wad of paper. "You were becoming depressing to look at." He was soon aiming with the rubber band again as a slight smirk curled his lips. "Stop that broody shit, or the next one puts your eye out. Stupid Marimo."

The moment he heard that sarcastic insult, a broad smirk was pulling over Zoro's face. "Whatever, Shit cook. You just try it. I-Ow! Bastard!" Zoro yelped as he rubbed at the welt forming on his right ear.

Chuckling at that indignant glare he had missed, Sanji flipped off the swordsman and turned back towards the galley. "I talked Chopper into letting me make simple things. I was going to make some white rice and some vegetable stirfry. Want anything?"

He had expected the one finger salute, but the offer attached to it was unexpected. However on thought of the blonde's cooking his stomach growled and his mouth watered. "That sounds fine."

"Alright. It'll be ready in half an hour." Sanji called out before disappearing behind the galley door.

As the door closed Zoro began to feel a bit more confident. Sanji was far too stubborn to change for anyone. And that was a fact he was more than pleased to finally understand.

With that fear no longer on his thoughts, only one thing filled his head.

"I can fix this."

For the first time, he really believed he could.

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TBC

Anything can be fixed if you learn from how it was broken.

Later~