So not quite as long a wait thi time guys, huh? I warn ye now, work and uni have left me very busy so please don't be upset if the next update takes a while longer...I will try my best I promise!
So this is the chapter where everything shifts...enjoy!
Thanks very much to all of you who are taking the time out to review, you've no idea how much it helps.
Chapter 5
He was going to kill the bastard.
Sanji stood outside, glaring at the dark, clouds that hid the stars and threatened to rain all over him. Sucking a cigarette angrily, he growled to himself.
"Where the fuck is he?"
He, being his apparently loving boyfriend Roronoa Zoro. The biggest night of his life and Sanji's partner was late because he'd be two towns over in some fucking sword fight. The All Blue awards were almost halfway through now and there was still no sight of any green hair or tanned skin. Sanji wasn't sure how much longer he could wait.
"Sanji-kun?"
Downtrodden mood lifting like flicking a switch, Sanji turned and beamed at the redheaded beauty standing in the doorway.
"Nami swan, you should stay inside. It looks like it's going to rain and I wouldn't want you to ruin your beautiful outfit."
If she did hear the compliment she didn't acknowledge it, Nami was too distracted with concern. She understood why he was upset, but knew Sanji's temper well enough to realise he probably won't be thinking about Zoro at this point, and when he's already nervous there's a good chance he'd take all his tension out of Zoro when he arrived.
"…Come back inside Sanji-kun, he'll be here soon."
"Che, the jackass. Like I need him here anyway." Nami frowned.
"Zoro wouldn't miss this Sanji, he wants you to win more than anyone. You should know that."
Sanji sighed, flicking the dead cigarette to the floor.
"I know Nami-swan, I just want him to hurry the fuck up before he misses it."
"Sanji-kun, be reasonable. The tournament today was really important for him too, you have no idea how many strings Johnny and Yosaku had to pull to get the officials to let him enter. Or the money he had to lend from me for the entry fee either. Luffy says he almost cancelled when he learnt this was the same day, but thankfully you still persuaded him to go..."
Sanji remembered that fight. It was the day after Paula told Zoro about the awards. The argued for hours, both trying to highlight the importance of each event. Sanji tried to calm him down, which was difficult thanks to the already angry mood he was in from the restaurant. But he did want him to go to the damn competition because he knew that some Officials would be there and it might help his career, and eventually they managed to settle for this compromise so Zoro can make it to both. Though a result had been reached, it had made for an awkward few days.
"I wouldn't ever get in the way of his contests Nami-swan, not even when it's making him late for the All fucking Blue awards. I just want him here."
Nami sighed, patting Sanji's arm as she lead him inside.
"I checked with Yosaku, he told me they planned to be home around 8, so he should be here any minute. Now come inside and enjoy this, it's your big night after all."
Sanji gave one last forlornly frustrated glance down the still empty street before walking back inside.
--
The All Blue awards were the top event of the cooking calendar. Winning one of the awards turned you from a well respected cook to a superstar chef, with all the extra popularity, customers and money that came with it. And there wasn't a restaurant in the country that didn't want to have an award standing on display in their entrance.
The Baratie and its staff were no exception.
They took up two tables altogether. Being a family run business Zeff didn't have anyone else to bring other than Sanji, his two top chefs Patty and Carne, and Gin. This allowed Sanji to bring everyone else to fill the tables. And everyone, all of his friends were there. Well, almost.
Heaving for breath as he rushed through the entrance, Zoro barely paused to gaze in splendour at the extravagance involved for one awards ceremony. Flashiness was never his thing, anyway, which was why he was currently feeling like an ass in the suit Sanji had left out for him to wear. His lithe yet muscular frame always felt wrong stuffed into such fitted clothes. Zoro growled as he hurried through the crowds in the foyer. Ignoring the contemptuous looks given by some high class chefs he passed, he readjusted his hastily applied tie and scanned the room for…
"Sanji"
Zoro exhaled the name, gazing at the blonde. Sanji always looked good with his well fitting suits, but in that oh so perfect tux he effectively rendered Zoro speechless, and he took instead to gawking at the legs that seemed to go on forever. A blue eye glanced his way, and all of Zoro's senses noted the shift in the air when the eye pierced him. The awe of his partner was quickly displaced when he saw the angry gaze. Great. He knew what was coming alright.
Trying his best to shrug off his slightly beaten up appearance, Zoro slunk into the chair next to Sanji, trying not to disrupt the awards. Whoever was talking on stage continued to everyone's rapt attention allowing the blond to whisper scathingly.
"About time you showed up."
Sanji's eyes were trained up at the speaker as he spoke. Pouring himself a glass of wine, the swordsman sounded apologetic.
"I'm sorry Sanji, the fights overran then traffic was bad and you know Yosaku can't drive for shit…"
"You've almost missed the whole thing asshole; there are only our awards left. And you haven't even cleaned up from the fight." He turned to face Zoro as he tapped at the still-sore cut on Zoro's forehead and watched the swelling lip hiss in pain.
"I did! And I went home and put on the fucking suit like you asked, I got here as quick as I could!"
"Everyone else has been here all evening, even Luffy's been acting properly yet you, my supportive boyfriend, didn't care enough about me to come for the whole show." Sanji glowered, and Zoro seethed.
"I'm unsupportive?! I had that tournament booked for weeks! You seem to forget Sanji that I've been waiting to see you appear at my fights for ages, and you've not showed up once. You're not the only one with a dream you know."
Fists clenched on the tablecloth, Sanji turned away from Zoro again as he muttered.
"It was just a tournament; you have one every other week."
"I told you weeks ago this was an important tournament Sanji; the officials turned up and I needed to make a good impression. And it would be nice if just sometimes you gave me support rather than just caring about your damn self"
"What's there to support? A lazy ass who every now and again goes and bullies weaker opponents?!"
Zoro froze at that, torn between punching Sanji square in the jaw and reeling from sock. Is that what Sanji thought of him? From across the table, where she had been pointedly ignoring the escalating argument like everyone else, Nami shushed both of them with an evil gaze before Zoro went insane.
"Sanji-kun quick! They're announcing your award"
All fifteen heads turned towards the stage, and Sanji felt his heart leap to his throat. Despite their previous arguing, his nervous hand found itself wrapped up by Zoro's calloused fingers.
The seconds seemed to last for hours
"And the winner is…"
'Hurry up stop stalling stop stalling hurry up of shit please'
"…Sanji Redleg!"
Sanji's world went numb, lost amidst a group hug so large it was more like a tackle. He couldn't remember stumbling towards the stage, not even the three minute speech he rambled, or even running back to his seat clutching a shapely statue in his hand. By the time his head has sunk from the clouds he was back at the table, gripping the award like a lifeline and smiling like Luffy after being presented with a table full of meat. He had done it…
Zeff was smiling at him with pride, hiding the happy tears in his eyes, and Patty and Carne were bawling into each other's shoulders. Gin looked ecstatic and all his friends were cheering. The only one not looking quite as pleased was Zoro. He was about to open his mouth to say something when Luffy launched himself on him.
"Sugoiii Sanji! You won! Your life's dream! You have an All Blue."
And with that, all Sanji could think was that the very same thing.
--
Even in Sanji's wildest dreams, he never imagined that this night would be so successful. Both he and Zeff won their awards, and the Baratie picked up the best new restaurant award as well, so he and their group were on floating away on cloud 9.
After drinking far too much, Patty and Carne persuaded everyone to go to Maxim Arc for some celebratory drinks. Still wrapped up in a post-victory haze, Sanji stood in the bejeweled bar and watched his friends interact.
Robin and Franky were dancing up quite a stir on the dance floor with their rather raucous moves. The all knew the couple was rather…promiscuous…but they rarely showed it to him. Sanji had to look away to avoid a nosebleed. Luffy was nearby, pulling some shapes that quite frankly, neither Sanji nor anyone else were really sure how to take. After all, how does someone bend like that?
Crowded around a booth, Zeff, Patty and Carne were downing more and more drinks, reminiscing of their days at the Baratie and desperately trying not to let their tears of joy flow. Chopper, Usopp and Kaya sat at another booth nearby, laughing at one of the long nosed man's tales. The younger boy was struggling to stay awake, head rested in his hand as he tried with all his might to stay listening to his friend.
Over by the bar, Brooke was in the process of arguing with the DJ to put on some different music (probably some of his own – egocentric idiot), and by sliding his eyes along he could see Gin sitting at the bar discussing different cocktails with the barman. Both seemed very interested, and he could see the barman reaching to grab drinks Gin was pointing to. Nami was also leaning against the bar, all smiles and niceness as she flirted with the rather pompous man who sat drinking port and the poor rich bastard she was all over had no idea his lovely swan was about to swindle him from all the cash he held and then some.
"It's good that everyone's here."
The warm voice brought him right back down to earth. Everyone was happy, he was happy, and as over the moon he was, he couldn't forget Zoro's expression when he sat back down at that table.
"Hm, though thanks to you, it almost wasn't everyone."
He felt Zoro's sigh shift his hair more than he heard it, and it aggravated him greatly.
"I already told you I'm sorry Sanji. What else do you want?"
"…You haven't even congratulated me, you know…"
"Wha?"
A not so gentle tug pushed Zoro's arms from around him, and Sanji turned to look into the confused eyes of his lover.
"The award Zoro. You've not congratulated me, not even spoken to me since I won it."
"Well you've kinda been busy…"
"I've barely seen you, you ran off as soon as we left the awards. Did you not want to find me?"
"Well, you seemed distracted talking to everyone else to bother with me."
"You could've come to me first asshole. Did you not think maybe I wanted to hear my boyfriend tell me well done?"
Zoro ran a hand through his hair, growling in frustration of an all too familiar argument.
"Maybe I didn't want to get interrupted and treated like shit by all of your fancy new friends."
"You've never liked my new friends, looking for any excuse to avoid them and the show. You don't like the fact I'm successful now, do you? Did you want me to lose? So I could stay floundering like you do?"
The bass pounding through the club had been hiding the argument, but the raised voices were getting difficult to ignore. As Sanji poked his partner's chest to affirm the point, Zoro gripped his hand with crushing force and took everything he had not to roar in frustration.
"What the fuck? I watch all your shows, come to the restaurant whenever I can, come to filming whenever I can, and you say I don't want you to be successful?!"
"That's right! You're just trying to hold me back, stay stuck with you because you can't get anywhere, not when none of the officials will fucking touch you with a ten foot fucking bargepole for fear you'll almost fucking kill someone else."
Sanji's angry voice echoed around the bar, and he could see out of the corner of his eyes his friends and family eyeing the pair with worry. Zoro simply stilled, frozen with shock and hurt. When he answered his voice was cold.
"Don't talk about that."
"You won't talk about anything! Just fucking sleeping and training and fighting and complaining but you never talk to me anymore!"
"You're the same! Too busy with the restaurant and the show and fucking showing off to your new friends to even remember me! When you do finally remember it's all bitching and moaning, like you're sick of me or something!"
"Well maybe I am!"
Zoro swayed slightly, taken back by the turn into dangerous territory he didn't dare step into. Sanji shook his head as Zoro's calloused hand gently pushed him out of the way. The blond did not take it well, yelling after him.
"What the fuck! Are you running away, too scared to talk to me?"
Zoro didn't even turn to face him, only tilted his head to the side so he could see his partner as he spoke with words of suppressed venom.
"I can't fucking talk to you right now Sanji. We're drunk and we don't know what we're saying."
Sanji watched the strong shoulders tremble as Zoro walked away, all the while calling constant streams of insults and expletives he couldn't even recall saying until he heard them leave his mouth.
--
Those who know Roronoa Zoro well know his varying stages of anger. Only those he classes as Nakama know how to deal with him when he is in the latter stages of his moods. It would begin almost subconsciously; a twitch of the eyebrow, gnashing of teeth. Shouting would come next, angry baritones roaring like the call of a beast. Most were aware that Zoro's bark was a mere mewl compared to his bite.
The volume would normally be followed by strength. Years of training and the need to vent anger usually leads to many big, heavy things being smashed.
But the worst, the very worst stage of Zoro's anger was the final level. Where all frustration and hate was fighting so hard to get out, yet the swordsman would be so livid he became as calm as a stagnant lake. Everything was clearer, like a battle, and Zoro would either go cold and attack or simply walk away and drink enough alcohol to quell the angry fire in his stomach.
Sanji always used to consider himself one of the few who knew how to deal with this Zoro, the demonic angry Zoro, and come off unscathed. But as his own incensed tongue finished spouting filth he realized for once in his life he had no idea of what to do. Why had he said those stupid things? What was Zoro going to do? Panic quickly crashed over him, like a tidal wave so rapid he needed to sit down.
As soon as the back of his knees fell against the sofa nestled away in the corner of the room, a large glass of wine, a cigarette and a lighter found their way into his hands.
"Um, Sanji? Is everything okay?"
Gin had one of those voices, it sounded like Sanji's did yet without the need to smoke 20 cigarettes a day. Smooth and sensuous, like smoke drifting atop a calm lake. Sanji looked up into those warm grey eyes and smiled sadly.
"I don't know Gin."
The barman sat tentatively next to the cook, taking a sip from his own beer. You could see his mind calculating his words before his mouth spoke them, not wanting to upset the cook further.
"I…overheard…your disagreement."
"Fucking idiotic jackass."
The silence seemed to swell, despite the thumping baseline from the dance floor and the raucous laughter of their friends. Gin shrugged, unsure.
"What are you going to say to Zoro?"
"I don't even fucking know! Why should I say anything anyway?! IIs it too much for me to ask Gin, that Zoro supports me a just a little, rather than lie on his ass all day like he usually fucking does?" Sanji seethed.
"He is trying the best he can Sanji, give him some credit…It can't be easy for him either."
Sanji took a large sip of his wine, nudging Gin to continue his train of thought.
"You say he just sits around, but he does have his own life to live while you continue yours. And for him to train every day, to toil and get nowhere whilst watching you get better and better, well that can't be easy for him."
Sanji's free hand pulled at his hair "I never meant to hurt him, you know? It's like I'm trying to juggle all these new lives and I can't let the Baratie or the show down, not now, so I'm hurting him without realizing it. The bastard should've told me about his stupid contests!"
Gin rested a hand on Sanji's shoulder comfortingly.
"You know it's more than that."
Hands twitched as Sanji absently wished for a cigarette. He turned to face Gin's supportive expression.
"I know. But what are we supposed to do?"
"Do you know where he's gone?" a shake of the head was the response, blond hair obscuring worried eyes.
"Fucking hell…I was so horrible, bringing up all that shit. What if he hates me now?"
"From what you tell me Sanji, Zoro is very forgiving. It may be hard at first but you'll figure it out."
The now empty wine glass was set gently on the side table, and Sanji leaned back into the sofa.
"You know, when we first met I couldn't stand him. Thought he was a bullheaded, arrogant prick. But you learn about him, his determination and drive and how he pours everything he has into ambition and desire to help those he cares about…I can't even remember it, just one day realizing I loved him. But now….He's not my Zoro now, he's the bullheaded Zoro I met. And I'm not the Sanji I was either."
Gin voiced, curious "And where does that leave you both?"
"Maybe…People drift apart. It's natural; after all we don't stay the same forever. That's what Zoro's been trying to do but look where that got us."
"So you're both changing?"
"Exactly. So we either have to fucking fight for what we have or we'll lose it."
Sanji watched Gin finish his drink as if it were the first time he actually looked at him.
"I won't give up that easily. And I know that shitty swordsman won't either."
Gin smiled, the dark features of his fashionably stubble laden face softening.
"I think Zoro isn't the only determined one." The cook snickered before succumbing to the worry wringing in his guts
"But what if he won't give me the chance? What if he hates me now, after treating him like shit?"
Sanji's mind remembered the past few weeks, arguments, fights, bickering and him generally being rude to the swordsman at every opportunity. Yet Zoro was constantly there, still trying to be supportive, always happy for him, doing little things to cheer him up. Trying so hard to be nice even when he was treating his boyfriend like dirt. He wouldn't be surprised if Zoro hated him now, but if he did then he wasn't sure how he would cope. Gin sensed Sanji's concern, frowning.
"How could he hate you? I mean…yea you can be a bit hot headed at times but you're determined and talented…" His arms circled as he tried to find the right words "I mean look at you. Barely a few months ago you were still a struggling chef in an underrated restaurant. Now you a top TV celebrity, one of the best cooks in the country! And you pour just as much care into your relationships."
Sanji felt his cheeks redden at the compliments, but Gin had drank a bit too much and didn't know how to stop.
"You spend too much time worrying Sanji, you are far more popular than you realize. If Zoro is stupid enough to let you go then it's his loss, there are plenty of others who be proud to be with you instead."
"Che, yea? Like who?"
When Gin didn't answer the panicked drunken haze around Sanji shifted somewhere altogether different. Somewhere along the conversation Gin's hand had moved from his shoulder to the small of his back, and it was only now Sanji realized. He looked down into Gin's slightly embarrassed face, and his drunken mind tried to process what had just been said.
"Gin?"
"M'sorry. I know you have a boyfriend and you want to make it work with him but I hate seeing you this worked up Sanji, I had to let you know. I-"
The smoky barman stood up, preparing to confess his feelings and run before Sanji could answer him in a way that would be upsetting. Yet the cook's drunken mind had other ideas.
Before he even registered what was happening, Gin felt his back against the wall and fists in his shirt. The rest was blissfully blank as he soared into the warm pressing of lips on his own.
Sanji had barely registered what he was doing when he pulled away, flushed, embarrassed and confused. He wanted to say something to the molested barman when a choked growl drew his attention.
It was like slow motion, as Sanji turned his wide eyed expression behind him to see Zoro with the most heartbrokenly betrayed expression on his face. Before he could even stop him the swordsman was charging away.
This time, Sanji knew his desperate voice was audible over the thumping beats, but knew that Zoro would not be listening.
-.-.-
You think I'd be apologetic for the horrendous cliffhanger but there you go! Im not too happy with this chapter...not sure why but meh...its done now!
Thanks for Reading! - Pample
