Thank you guys soooo much for the reviews. These stories are what keep me sane during the day with nothing to do so I'll be updating fairly quickly. And all the great reviews are helping me get the chapters out sooner. Thanks again.
Sanji gathered his things as the bell rang for the end of the day and began to think of what he would need to buy to satisfy the two D brothers that were coming over, he sighed as he couldn't think of anything; he would just wait and see what the market had out today. As he waited for Zoro his skin crawled as Kid's voice sounded at the front of the class.
"Mr. Blackleg, would you stay after, I wish to speak with you about something."
"Uh, y-yes sir."
Zoro looked over at him giving him a hard look and than pointed to the door silently letting his friend know he would be right outside the door, this made Sanji feel slightly better but the red headed man still made him uneasy. He watched Zoro leave the room and walked up to the front stopping at Kid's desk. The older man stood and walked around his desk to stand in front of Sanji and than crossed his arms over his chest leaning on his desk. He gave what Sanji was sure Kid thought to be a friendly smile but to the blond it looked sinister and cold.
"I wanted to ask you about your father."
"Uhm...what about him sir?"
"How much did he teach you?"
"In what aspect are we referring?"
"Well, in self defense. Of coarse."
Sanji almost instantly went into a defensive mood and listened more carefully to his own answers.
"As much as he knew sir. And I must say I took to it rather well."
Kid nodded and his smile widened.
"I see, that's good to hear. Tell your father I said hello would you?"
"Yes sir. Is there anything else?"
"No Mr. Blackleg, that's all."
Sanji nodded and headed for the door when Kid spoke from behind him.
"See you around Mr. Blackleg."
Sanji felt a shiver run through his frame as he exited the room and turned the corner running into Zoro.
"You okay?"
Sanji nodded and took a deep breath.
"What did he want cook?"
"Wanted to know about my self defense...and than, right before I left he said 'see you around'."
"I don't like it, that guy puts me on edge."
"You sure you not just worried about me?"
Sanji smiled as Zoro frowned but couldn't hide the pink flush that filled his cheeks lightly.
"No, I know you can handle your self shit-cook."
Sanji smiled as he headed out the door and shot a look at Zoro as the swordsman let out a yawn.
"You want that sushi you better not be falling asleep on me moss head."
"Yeah, like I can do that while I'm walking."
"It's you, you never know."
Zoro snorted and shook his head as a small smile graced his features, he looked over as Sanji rubbed his arm on his hip.
"That poison ivy STILL bothering you scarecrow?"
"Only sometimes, it's alot better thanks to the lotion you had."
"That's good, if it starts to bother you to much again let me know and I'll help you out alright?"
Sanji nodded and sighed as they heard the hustle and bustle of the market and began to look through the stalls as they came upon them. After loading up Zoro's bulky frame and his own slighter frame full of bags and bundles of food Sanji sighed and looked up at his roommate.
"You think this will be enough?"
"How much meat did you get?"
Sanji chuckled as Zoro smiled and than he looked at all the food stuff frowning.
"Aren't you missing something?"
Sanji shook his head and handed Zoro the keys to the apartment.
"No, here head on home and I'll meet you there. I have more stop to make and than I'll be right behind you."
Zoro nodded and turned around heading back to the apartment calling over his shoulder.
"Becareful will you? I don't want to hear the two bottomless pit bitch about not getting fed."
Sanji smiled and waved a hand as he headed to the back of the market towards the seafood portion of it, looking over the selection he finally decided on a good looking tuna belly, salmon, eel, halibut, and some sea-bass. Gathering the bundles of fish he handed the stall keeper the money inclineing his head with a smile he headed out of the market and towards home. Upon getting there he saw Zoro putting everything in it's proper place and sighed with relief that he wasn't going to have to do it all on his own. Zoro turned to look at him as he stepped into the kitchen and raised an eye brow at the extra brown paper bundles under Sanji's arm.
"Told you I didn't forget anything."
He lay the bundles down on the island and began to unroll them revealing the diffrent fish, Zoro let out a low whistle.
"I oughta help you with shopping more if this is the thanks I get. These are all my favorites."
"I know, I do make note of what you eat, neanderthal, wether you know it or not."
Zoro gave Sanji a shocked look that turned soft, even though the chef failed to notice but Zoro was quiet enamored with the thought of the cook making note of the things he liked to eat and made sure to duplicate them from time to time. He looked away and put the cream and butter into the fridge as Sanji put a pot of rice on to boil and pulled out a few knives he would need for this or that.
"So any idea what your making for the vacuums?"
Sanji let out a bark of laughter for Zoro's choice of words and nodded.
"Yeah, I figure I'll just make a mix pot of different stuff, they can pick out what they want out of it and we can have whatever is left....scratch that idea, there's never anything left."
Zoro nodded and pulled out the biggest stock pot they had and set it on the stove.
"This one the one you need?"
"No not that one, the ceramic one."
Zoro grunted and put the steel pot pulling out an equally large ceramic pot with wooden handles on the side and the lid that also had a wooden handle.
"Why this one?"
"Traditional stew pot."
Zoro raised an eye brow but didn't question it further and asked the chef what he could do to help.
"Clean the mushrooms and carrots, than slice the pork and beef into inch thick pieces. After that clean the bean sprouts and cabbage I'll handle the rest. But before you do that can you mix that rice?"
"Uh, yeah. No problem."
Zoro was secretly happy the chef hadn't asked him to do anything more complex than cleaning a few vegetables and cutting the protein, it was no secret he really wasn't all that great behind a stove and usually left that to the so named chef. He worked at his tasks silently as he heard Sanji behind him working on his sushi, Zoro was actually impressed that the chef hadn't complained like he usually did about it, it was always alot of work to make and it was a rare treat for the swordsman to receive and was very happy that one of his favorite snacks was being prepared and solely for him as well. The smell of wasabi hit his nose and he took a deep breath letting it fill his senses, on top of that the smell of fresh fish made his stomach growl in approval.
"Hold your horses moss for brains, I'm working on it."
Zoro shook his head, Sanji's voice had been full of amusment, no anger or annoyance, Zoro quickly shook the idea that it even had a loving tone to it. He let out a quiet sigh and looked over his shoulder.
"Hey cook, can I talk to you?"
"Sure, what's up?"
"Well it's like this...I think I-"
"SANJI! FOOOOD!"
Zoro felt like killing the tangle of arms and legs that came bouncing through the doorway screaming at the top of his lungs, his brother walking in calmly behind him, right up to Sanji to wrap his arms around Sanji's waist and kiss his cheek. Biting his lip Zoro concentrated all his efforts on what he was doing and not thinking about tearing the older D's head off his shoulders. Sanji blushed as Ace looked over his shoulder and let out a soft laugh.
"Sushi huh? I love it thanks alot babe."
Sanji thwacked Ace's hand with a wooden spoon that was close by as it reached for a piece of salmon that Sanji had already sliced.
"Don't even think about it pryo, this is for Zoro, yours and Lu's in on the way in a bit, your the ones who decided to show up early you can wait."
Ace put on his best puppy dog face and was met with a small piece of carrot stuck up his nose.
"Luffy can't pull it what makes you think you can Portagus?"
"Cause I'm cuter?"
"Nuh-uh!"
Sanji rolled his eyes as Luffy joined the fight and soon him and Ace were rolling around on the living room floor arguing about who was cuter.
"Oh well, at least they're out of my hair or the time being."
He wiped his hands on his apron and picked up the tray he had placed all the fish and set it in the fridge covered with a sheet of plastic wrap to keep it from drying out in the least as he waited for the rice to finish and to start of the infamous D brothers dinner. He walked up and stood beside Zoro who had just finished his job.
"Hey, thank Marimo."
"Not a problem shit-cook."
Zoro went and sat down on the couch watching in slight amusement as the two D brothers tried to get the small carrot piece lodged in Ace's nose to loosen. Sanji shook his head as he peered over his shoulder trying to find out why the room had suddenly gone so quiet. He continued on where Zoro had left off and had everything that was supposed to be in the pot in it rightful place, he than turned to the pot of sushi rice that was cooling on the stove and began to prepare Zoro's sushi. It was around forty five minutes later when everything was done, he whistled to the others and smiled as they gathered around the table, Luffy and Ace digging into the pot instantly and inhaling everything out of it that they possible could. Zoro on the other hand ate silently, enjoying the taste of the sushi as he closed his eyes and hummed in approval. After dinner they all gathered into the living room to sit and watch Ace and Luffy play a round or two of Halo and it didn't seem like to much longer after that they had left allowing Sanji and Zoro some time alone. Sanji sighed as he placed the last plate in the dish washer and closed it turning it on. Wiping his hands he turned and looked at Zoro who was picking up the last of the infamous D mess they always seemed to make when they came over.
"Hey, mosshead. I'm jumping in the shower."
"Alright, I got everything here, you go on ahead."
Sanji nodded and headed towards the bathroom, neither really trying to think of how much they sounded like a couple just than. Zoro sighed, tomorrow was the party at Ace and Luffy's...he was gonna have to tell him tomorrow. He had to...if he didn't he felt as if he would regret it for the rest of his life.