Sorry for the wait~ I'm both lazy and busy... enjoy the chapter tho!

Her long silky hair glistered on the warm spring sun, accepting those gentle sun rays, shining beautifully and bouncing on her every move. The young woman wore a sakura pink yukata and light bamboo sandals. She took the sandals off once she saw a small stream, wiggling through the forest and in front of her. Glistering waves of the pure water caught her attention and she laughed more, running to it. The man she loved was following right behind her, observing girl's carefree spirit and her beautiful smile. He loved every bit of her – her soft silky, long hair, her gentle porcelain skin, her light touch, her voice, her smile. Most of all, he loved and enjoyed spending time with her, being alone with her and admiring all of her great aspects. The man quickened his walk as she hesitated to step in the water.

The sound, the smell and the beauty of a tiny river were captivating and she didn't want to disturb that perfection. She watched her blurry reflection in the waves, still holding the skirt of the yukata up, protecting it from the water. The girl heard his footsteps and woke up from her peaceful thoughts. She turned and smiled to her lover, her pearl white teeth crowning her gentle face. They both looked back at the crystal clear water and smiled to their funny reflections that the waves were making.

She suddenly jumped and splashed the water around her. The winter was long so the water in that little stream was still freezing cold. Feeling that, when the cold spread over her toes and all the way up her legs, young woman grimaced, shivering. That made the man, who was still on the rocky shore, to chuckle, making the girl laugh right after. Still holding her skirt up, she kicked the shallow water, splashing the man. Cold drops surprised him and he joined the play, wanting to get back at her by splashing the girl with the water in his hands. The girl ran out of the water and deeper in the woods. He followed, calling her name and jokingly threatening her. Her laugh spread the forest, her voice getting louder the deeper she ran in the woods.

But the forest got darker – the sun that warmed them was suddenly gone, the bird that happily chirped silenced and the warm air got colder. Girl's laugh was still thee; she laughed and called his name, but was nowhere around. The man stopped and looked around himself – he didn't hear her footsteps anymore, he only heard her laugh over and over again. He called her name repeatedly but she only continued laughing. He started running again into the darkness of the forest, hoping to find her. He still called her name but she still laughed and joked about how he can't catch her.

Suddenly, young man was in the open, in front of him was the vast sea and the orange sunset. He was standing on the cliff, far away from the edge but he clearly recognized the thin silhouette, standing right next to the end of the rock. That same silky hair he loved to touch, that same porcelain skin he loved to kiss, that same girl he loved from the bottom of his soul were right in front of him again. A sigh of relief escaped him and he walked up to her, telling her gentle words, sweet love words. But she was still facing now bloody red sunset and the sea, standing firmly at the end of the cliff. She finally spoke up his name, making the man stop and look at that fragile back of her. She said something but the wind and sea waves that clashed onto the rocks masked her words but silenced when she turned to face the man, a tear sliding on her cheek. Her gentle smile was still there, despite the tears. She turned to him fully and opened her arms. The wind blew hard again, rustling her long hair and white kimono which right side was crossed of the left. With more tears sliding down her face and a weak smile, she overpowered the wind with her words.

"I will always love you."

The woman closed her dark eyes and leaned back until her feet were off the ground. With her arms still open. She embraced the world and flew through salty wind and to the deep sea. And all the man could do was watch in terror and fear. He ran to the edge, expanding his arm when it was too late. Shouting her name through tears wasn't helpful – the girl was lost in the deep dark sea.

Hot clay teapot made contact with a soft skin of a finger, burning the top layers of it. Short sizzling noise of skin burning broke the silence and brought the man back to reality, though with red finger and damaged soul. He frowned and put the hurt finger in the small pot of cold water, calming the wound but not his heart. Screaming still filled his ears, along with girly laughing which later became endless cries. Images still flashed before his eyes – he again saw the forest, the water, the cliff and the deep sea. He still felt the cold of the streaming water in the forest, the touch of a spring breeze and the smell of salt from the sea below them. The image of her tears was like a sword, piercing through his heart and her smile was like a mallet, crushing what was left of that damaged heart of his. After all the things that happened, he often asked himself if he really has a heart to be crushed. He had done unforgivable things but that event will haunt him forever – it was the beginning, a trigger of everything. At first, it was a nightmare, he would wake up at night covered fully in swear with his heart pounding and lips dry as sand. But as time passed, the dream became less frequent but transferred as visions in real world. He would lose himself and his consciousness in broad daylight and the vision didn't stop until the girl was nowhere in sight and he was screaming her name in tears, over the cliff.

Man poured the hot water into the ceramic teapot where he already put the leaves. He covered it and waited for the healthy herbs to soften and let out their natural aroma. While waiting, he looked outside the window at the still peaceful autumn scenery and golden nature. A long breath came out of him slightly joined lips like he was trying to whistle and calm himself. A bird landed on the rim of the window, pecked some crumbs before its legs but straightened up like it felt something that disturbed its meal; the bird looked around and its tiny eyes stopped on the man inside the house. It looked the man straight into his eyes and continued to stare like it knew exactly how painful and sad man's memories and current thoughts were. The bird slightly tilted its head as if it was asking the man is he going to continue thinking about the past and not move on, was he really alright with that? Nobody got an answer to that question as the bird picked one more crumb and flew away, continuing its own daily life. The man just sighed, trying to solve the meaning of bird's tiny eyes and the warmth he felt from that small stare. Bird was a bird – it has all the freedom to soar through the sky, see the world with its tiny eyes and just live the way Mother Nature assigned to it. But he was just a fox spirit. He was no longer alive, only his powers made him look like that. But that body was nothing but an empty shell that could break any minute…

Sanji uncovered the porcelain tea pot and placed it on the wooden tray, along with two cups. He looked at the second cup and then again up the sky through wooden bars of the window. That bird flew away, upwards, towards the limitless blue sky. He wondered how was bird's life like – flying in the blue sky, feeling the wind, the warmth of the sun and just enjoying freedom. Hitting no boundaries, no obstacles, no trouble; unlike the solid ground, the sky was wonderful. Still, that bird had a purpose in life, just like every other living being that was brought to earth – life has a meaning.

Sanji again looked at the cups but his thoughts were broken by someone tugging onto his kimono. Someone pulled his dark red kimono and he looked down at the small child. Still holding the cloth, little one looked the grown man straight into his eyes, blinking couple of times. Yokai smiled and nodded slightly, reading child's thoughts completely from that gaze of his. Little fox let go of Sanji's kimono and hopped out of the kitchen, the sound of tiny footsteps mixing with melody of October nature. With tiny footsteps silencing, Sanji gripped the tray more firmly and exited the room, carrying the steaming hot and health sencha to enjoy it with his guest. He pushed the thoughts of darkness, late tragedy, the woman he loved and the free bird, trying to keep his composure and not let any of those troubling emotions show on his face.

…

"So, you finally woke up," yokai said, entering the room where the swordsman was already sitting by the table with sharp white katana lying next to his legs. As expected, Sanji thought for a second but quickly looked up at the green-haired man. His eyes, however, stopped on the bandages that were slightly showing under swordsman's kimono. "Does it bother you?" Sanji asked, noticing swordsman's annoyed scratching and tugging the bandages. But the other man didn't answer anything.

The fox came and sat across the stubborn man, placing the tray on the table. Without a word, he poured the hot liquid, offering the first cup to his guest. He could help but notice that the futon where swordsman slept was perfectly folded and put in the back of the room and that the man's kimono wasn't put on sloppy but tugged in and tightened with the obi. His face also seemed fresh and clean – he smelled on fresh winter and mountain water. In that moment, Sanji looked outside at the bamboo fountain and noticed some water drops on the dry yellow ground around the fountain. He finally poured some tea for himself and brought the cup closer. Few more moments passed in silence before Sanji spoke up again.

"How are you feeling now?" he asked, not really expecting an answer. He slightly, without anyone noticing, blew the surface of steaming green tea and quickly took a small sip of it. The green-haired swordsman only gripped his clay cup, looking at his expression on the surface of the tea.

"Fine… I guess…" Zoro finally answered, still looking at the tea. He often looked at his fingers and clenched the cup more. Yokai read his feelings and sighed, placing his cup back on the table.

"I know you're mad but if you want to survive, you need to stay here and heal your wounds. I don't care what you'll do after that but now you're under my responsibility. After I make sure that your chest is fine and your health back to normal, I'll let you go and you can continue on running around the forest as much as you want," pause came again; that silence full of tension filled in the room. The swordsman didn't start yelling or throwing arguments, he just pulled the cup of tea closer to him, still looking at his now frowning reflection.

"Thanks…" Zoro muttered, biting his lower lip. Something in his low and embarrassed voice made a spark fly to the fox. Sanji smiled and closed his eyes, taking another sip of green tea. Clean room and his sharp look were because Zoro was preparing himself to thank Sanji for giving him a chance to live.

And yokai didn't want to ruin the good mood by teasing him so he continued smiling after he put the cup back down, looking straight at the man in front of him, "It's okay…" he said and nodded, breaking the think wall of tension that was between them. Zoro finally looked up, meeting with warm feeling that radiated from Sanji and his gentle smile that crowned his face. Honest feelings reached the swordsman so he took a small step away from the table and with serious look on his face hit his head on the tatami floor.

"Thank you very much!" the tone in Zoro's voice and his actions surprised the fox and for some time they just remained like that in silence.

"O-oi… You can sit back now… tea is getting cold…" Sanji spoke up, feeling awkward because of Zoro's deep bow.

When swordsman straightened up, a trail of blush dwelled on his cheeks, making Sanji feel even more unpleasant. "T-this is the first and the last time you'll see me bow my head to you. I'm grateful for everything you've done, from saving me to keeping me in here and treating my wounds. But that's it; I did this because I hate to feel indebted to anyone, even if it's some shitty yokai like you…" Zoro quickly took a large gulp of his tea and nearly burned his throat but didn't show any of that to the blonde man in front of him.

Sanji's vein just popped and he tried to control his anger by coughing few times. Not minding the half finished tea, he took his pipe with golden leaves pattern and lit it. A large smoke calmed his nerves.

"You are very cocky for someone who was in his death bed just few days ago. I'll let it slide this time…" he paused and Zoro looked at him. Sanji rested his left arm on the table, facing the outside, with his right leg bent in his knee. The aura around him changed in instance – he once again became the head of the house. "I certainly didn't expect for you to actually bow your head that low," another puff of smoke left his mouth, "but I can guess we'll get along," he turned his head to Zoro, "That is, if you behave and do as I tell you to," warm smile from moments ago was replaced by cold expression and a deep frown which now made Zoro annoyed but the swordsman only drank his tea, sealing his mouth and drowning his curses with now lukewarm sencha tea.

Sanji turned his head back and looked outside and in the garden, smoking his pipe and enjoying the calming effect that burnt tobacco leaves had. To Sanji, having someone around meant so much – he will no longer have to speak just to his mini creations, trees and animals; he will have a person, a real living person to keep him company, to talk and laugh with him in a human language.

And to Zoro, having Sanji, his savior and protector meant that he will have some time to get ready before he continues his plan; he will have protection from the officers and palace guards but also have someone who will be there with him just so that he doesn't think about all the unpleasant things.

To both of them, having each other meant being saved, being alive and having a person close to them.

…

Cute small giggles came behind the opened door. Sanji clicked his tongue, letting out another trail of smoke. On the sound of yokai's foot tapping the tatami mat, four little helpers stopped their laughing and immediately ran down the porch. Sanji looked at the other man, noticing that he just put down his empty cup. Blonde man pushed his fingers through his hair and sighed.

"You must be hungry," he said and Zoro looked up,"I'll prepare something for lunch," Sanji stood up and put his free hand in the long sleeve of his other arm. Without any other words, he left the room, later ordering his small helpers to clean the table. While pushing up his sleeves, Sanji noticed mixed feelings surrounding his being – was it really all right to let that man stay in his home? Was this just a calm before the storm? What person was Zoro really? He didn't know a single answer to his questioning thoughts but he couldn't back off now. A confident smile formed on his lips.

I will okay, everything will be alright. I can get along with that guy… even though he looks like an idiot, Sanji thought and chopped the potato, confident enough that Zoro won't be any trouble to him.

…

A frown on young man's face grew bigger with his every chew. Every time he chewed on it, the fish would release all of its flavors and at the moment a salty flavor dominated the swordsman's mouth. He barely swallowed the bite of fish, filling his mouth with more rice than meat.

"What the hell was that?" he asked, swallowing some of the soup with small pieces of potato, chewing on the vegetable to clean his teeth from the previous bite of fish. But the soup didn't wash the taste he felt – that bitterness was still there.

Sanji, completely focused on his food, didn't look up at the man, "What do you mean? It was your meal, obviously," yokai exclaimed, enjoying another bite of his rice.

"Don't fuck with me! This is terrible! It's like this fish was bathed in salt!" Zoro slammed his hashi on the table, yelling at the calm man across the table. But Sanji couldn't keep calm forever; with one sharp glare he stopped Zoro's rage.

"What did you say, you shit?" Sanji whispered with a cold tone in his voice.

"I said that this fish tastes like shit!" Zoro lowered his yelling a bit but it still annoyed the blonde.

"So, you know how shit tastes like… interesting," Sanji pulled up a smirk, still frowning.

"Don't fuck with me!"

"You already said that once. Can't you think of any other insult, you green-haired moron?" Sanji tilted his head, ready for fight. In that moment he wanted to punch himself for ever thinking that Zoro could be a person that he could get along with.

"And I'll say it again: this is shit!" Zoro pointed to the fish in front of him, "You prepared a great meal yesterday so what the fuck is this now?!" and that was the drop that spilled the ocean of calm.

"Don't shit-talk about my food, you asshole! It's nothing different from yesterday," Sanji tried to calm down by taking another bite of his fish and carefully chewing it. He looked at Zoro again after he swallowed, "I just changed the sauce," he added and after that continued eating, not making any more eye contact with the swordsman. But that was just a half of the truth…

While cooking their breakfast, Sanji aimed to prepare the same dish as yesterday, seeing how Zoro liked it. But accidentally, when he was about to spice the Zoro's piece of fish with some herbs and soy sauce, the small tank where the sauce was dropped out of his hand and the content of the bottle ran out on the fish that was still frying. As he never threw food away, Sanji tried seasoning it more to mask the umami flavor of the soy sauce but nothing helped.

Zoro again made a disgusted face but took another bite of fish with double amount of rice and salad. It all mixed in his mouth, creating a mess of flavors with saltiness of soy sauce overtaking all, "This is still bad, no matter how you look at it," Zoro said after barely swallowing the food in his mouth, "Oi, chibi!" he shouted at the small fox spirit that was standing by the door with the tray in his small hands, "Bring me sake to wash this off; I can't take it anymore. Hurry!" the little one only continued to treble, shaken by Zoro's roaring voice.

"Hey, you can't order them like that, especially if you shout like an idiot!" Sanji protested, glaring at Zoro. He stopped eating and averted his eyes from the grumpy green-haired man to the little frightened helper. With only a warm smile and caring look in his eye, Sanji calmed the little one who nodded and went out of the room, followed by the other three. Sanji continued eating but Zoro didn't – he glared at the blonde one and how he could eat his food. Seeing how the fox ate his fish calmly annoyed the other man so he stood up and went to the other side of the table. Zoro sat next to the yokai, making him flinch in surprise. Sanji watched the swordsman who glared at the plated food and then back at him and he barely chewed with those black eyes piercing his.

"W-what?" Sanji asked quietly after swallowing the rice he carefully chewed. But Zoro continued to glare at him. In a sudden and fast move, Zoro grabbed the last piece of fish that was on Sanji's plate and ate it. His eyes widen in surprise but then sharpened again as he looked back at Sanji.

"You bastard…" Zoro whispered and in one move jumped on Sanji, making the blonde hit the floor hard. "That fish was damn delicious! You tried to poison me!" Zoro growled, gripping yokai's kimono.

"It's not like that…"

"Fucking hell it's not!" Zoro continued to grip the collar of the kimono, choking Sanji. "Your smile today was fucking fake! You're a sly lying fox! I saw your true nature when you attacked me yesterday and now you want to finish me off by poisoning my food!" Sanji frowned, getting annoyed by Zoro's words, "You convinced me to stay, not to heal me but to kill me and eat me later. You're just a monster!"

Blood rushed to Sanji's head and in one shift move he grabbed Zoro's arms, made him let go of the kimono and pushed him back on the floor, gripping his forearms and digging his nails into muscles.

"You don't fucking know what I'm capable of doing to you," Sanji's tone was cold and his glare sharp. Yellow eye stared at Zoro's black one, sending sharp shivers down swordsman's spine. He gritted his teeth, trying to fight back but Sanji's immense strength pushed him down more. "I can kill you in your sleep, open your stomach and feed the crows with your guts. Then I could peel off every bit of meat and tenderize it to the finest quality. I could make it look like it wasn't from a human but a wild beast I hunt down in the forest," Sanji frowned more, coming closer to Zoro's face, "But even then I wouldn't eat it. Ever. I don't eat humans, no matter how tasty they look," on that he licked his lips and tighten his grip around Zoro's forearms. For few moments they just glared at each other, their faces only centimeters away, which made one absorb the smell of the other. Zoro's nostrils filled with the mixed smell of food, tobacco and some unidentified smell while Sanji's sharp nose could still smell blood and healing balms, mixed with tiny fragrance of steel. Getting annoyed by the situation, Sanji let go of Zoro's arms and straightened up. "So no, I didn't intend to poison you. I just accidentally spilled soy sauce on your fillet…" he sat back to finish his meal. He then saw his small helpers by the door who held a sake bottle and tray with white cups. He nodded and little ones carefully placed the drink and cups on the table before running out of the room.

"Then, why didn't you eat that? Why would you serve that crap to me?" Zoro sat up and still glared at the blonde.

"I'm sorry for that, I really should've ate it myself instead of giving it to you…" Sanji reached for the plate with salty fish but Zoro was quicker and ate it first. Sanji looked at him with surprise.

Barely maintaining a face, Zoro chewed on the piece of fish, "Who said I was giving it to you?" Sanji only watched, slightly surprised, "But you'll give me that whole bottle to make up for your mistake," Zoro said, still chewing and pointing to the large white bottle on the table. After barely swallowing, Zoro quickly grabbed the bowl or rice and shoved what was left of it all in one go in his mouth. Sanji chuckled at his guest's bold attitude and slowly finished his meal.

I wouldn't mind that…

…

Birds were lively and chirped a happy tune as the sun slowly traveled across the sky to the west side. Temperature of autumn air slowly dropped the more sun approached the horizon but it was still pleasant to stay outside. In that manner, two men sat on the veranda and watched how the nature goes quiet and daily creatures going to sleep as the sun slowly went down. Painting the sky orange, still warm sun lurked over the top branches of high trees; the forest became unbelievably magical.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Sanji worried, watching as the swordsman beside him drank the very last drop of sake, emptying the second large bottle while he was just on his second cup. On his face can't be seen a single hint of alcohol overdosing but yokai still worried.

"This is some great booze!" Zoro smiled, looking at the bottom of his now empty sake cup. He didn't answer to Sanji's question but asked instead, "Hey, do you have some more?" on which Sanji just frowned.

"I think it's enough for this day… You really shouldn't drink that much," blonde man said, taking a small sip of his sake. Zoro didn't reply to that but turned his head and watched the trees in front of them. Sanji, noticing the calm Zoro had, asked "So, can you tell me why you were chased that night? And how you ended up here with that life threatening wound?" finally feeling a large weight being lift off his back. He looked at Zoro carefully but the other man just continued staring in front of him, supporting himself with his hands. After a while, Zoro sighed and looked back at the blonde man.

"And can you tell me what's with that curly eyebrow of yours? And why do you wear your hair like that?" on Zoro's questions Sanji immediately moved away, covering the left side of his face.

"Th-this is the way I wore it since I know for myself and that's all you need to know!" he stuttered, blushing but Zoro didn't say anything. If his questions were a joke, he didn't laugh. He looked back at the forest which was slowly getting darker as the sun went under the treetops.

Zoro closed his eyes and let out a long sigh as he tried to control the pain that made his wound ache and the memories that started flowing in his mind. It all felt real again and as more he remembered, the more his chest hurt. He instinctively grabbed his katana and opened his eyes – the enemy wasn't there.

"I tried to defeat a certain man," Zoro spoke up after a long silence. His arm moved and he slightly touched his chest, remembering the painful and deadly night that could've been his last, "But I failed drastically. I attacked the government official but ended up losing… almost my life."

"Why would you do that?" Sanji asked carefully, noticing Zoro's knuckles going white as he gripped the katana's scabbard.

"They chase me my whole life and I wanted to end that game of tag. I'm sick and tired of running around the country, barely getting to eat and a place to stay over the night. People are getting more aware of me as the scum from the court inform them more and more, adding lies just to make me the evil one while they're…." Zoro gritted his teeth, remembering his past and what he had to go through…

"Why…?" Sanji whispered but Zoro heard his voice. Still not looking away from the sun setting slowly, Zoro took a large breath before continuing.

"They want it… they want this katana," he stopped for a bit, "And I'll do everything to protect it. I lost everything so I won't let them feel satisfactory by taking the only last thing I have, even if that means I will become an assassin."

Sharp tone of Zoro's voice was silenced by the melody of the night. Sun went under the thick forest, its orange sun rays no longer reaching the old shrine.

x To be continued x