Zoro's eyes went hard."What the hell are you doing here? You should be in jail, dart brow!"

"I thought I would come to see how my cute partner was fairing without me." Sanji smirked, taking a drag of his cigarette.

"Unnecessary," Zoro grumbled, glaring at Sanji."Go back to the station before your sentence gets worse."

"Are you perhaps...worried about me?" Sanji asked, stepping towards Zoro. He had that joking smile on his face that Zoro hated.

Zoro wouldn't give him the satisfaction of a real answer."No, I just need you around to make food and give me money."

Now that ticked Sanji off. But, before he could reply, someone else decided to step in."Vinsmoke Sanji, looks likes I didn't make as big of an arrest warrant as I should've."

"Yeah," Sanji said, dropping his cigarette on the floor and stubbing it out with his foot."Maybe next time you should give the police something other than 'A suspicious character in my neighborhood was gone during the Whitebeard incident'. It was far to vague and I already set up aliases for myself. It was a useless effort."

"It wasn't one of my best works, I admit, but I just needed an opportunity to talk to your swordsman while you were gone for at least a couple minutes." Their ex-client smiled."But thank you for the advice."

"Wait, you weren't going to jail?" Zoro asked, rage suddenly filling him. What was the point of him coming here then? That cook was just making him look like an idiot again.

Sanji let out a nervous laugh."Well, I never really had the time to tell you. But you made it to the enemy headquarters, right? So no harm."

"No harm?" Zoro shouted."He was threatening to kill you!"

"There is so little understanding between the two of you," the ferret man said, cutting off their argument before it got worse."Such a relationship will never last, so you should just stay with me instead, Roronoa Zoro."

"I refuse." Zoro glared at him. He had already made his decision, no going back now. The ferret man simply clicked his tongue.

"This idiot will never go with you," Sanji confirmed with a smile."Because we're partners."

The ferret man shook his head, anger running through his features."You fools, you absolute fools!"

The ferret on the man's shoulders peeked up, standing up for the first time. He then started to vanish, particles leaving his body and floating into his owner. With the dozens of new particles the man grew bigger and gained more hair. He soon stood well over Sanji and Zoro, figure almost breaking into the ceiling. He had fused with his ferret, Sanji and Zoro realized.

"Fools, fools! I'll pulverize you!"

Sanji and Zoro came at him with there most effective attacks, easily subduing him with one hit.

"Surprisingly weak," Sanji said, standing over the enemy who was passed out of the floor

"All his strength went into his men," Zoro responded, humbly putting his swords away.

Sanji just hummed back, getting out his pack of cigarettes."Shall we call the police?"

"Don't have a phone," Zoro grunted.

"Me neither."

X

"Good work," Smoker said, coming up to greet Sanji and Zoro, who stood off to the side waiting to be questioned. It had been a hassle getting out of the house and tracking down Nami, Usopp, and Chopper, who had been hiding in some bushes, to get them to call the police. Yet, it had been worth it.

"What did you get him on?" Sanji asked.

"Our main reason is attempted murder, but I made sure to slip in a few charges about him being involved with aiding Whitebeard," Smoker murmured, looking around to make sure no one was listening.

"So we're clear?"

"Not completely." Smoker waited a bit as a police officers passed by them."I managed to make a convincing argument as to why he tried to go after you but other officers are still suspicious of you so watch out."

"What a dirty move, Smokey." Sanji smirked playfully.

"Dirty cop," Zoro hummed.

"Shut up, this was a one time thing!" Smoker yelled a bit to loud, quickly going silent and looking around right after to make sure nobody noticed."Anyways, just wait here and cooperate with all the officers. That's the fastest way you'll be able to get out."

"Thanks for everything, Smoker." Sanji said seriously, Zoro nodding from behind him.

Smoker just walked away, mumbling to himself."I guess I'm a bit of a sap myself."

X

Sanji and Zoro stood next to each other in silence, still waiting for the police to question them. It was taking far to long.

Sanji looked to Zoro, as if debating something, and them finally spoke."You were lonely without me, weren't you, Zoro?"

Zoro stiffened, turning to Sanji with a glare."I wasn't."

"Don't lie, marimo, it's addictive," Sanji quoted. Robin would be proud.

"Shut up," Zoro said halfheartedly, rubbing his neck. He looked nervous, but Sanji couldn't say for sure."It's just..."

And there it was again, an opportunity to finally hear what Zoro really felt, what Zoro really wanted. Sanji couldn't screw this up, not like last time. If what Robin said was true, the gap had already been closed so Sanji just needed a little faith. He needed Zoro to reach out his hand for once and seal the gap shut so it looked like it was never there in the first place.

But for such a thing to happen maybe, just maybe, Sanji needed to push him in the right direction. Zoro did get lost far to often, maybe this was the same.

"What is it?" Sanji prompted, hoping with all his heart Zoro wouldn't run away from his words.

Zoro looked down, brows furrowing."There was something there, some kind of gap that closed. It feels weird. I'm not sure..."

Zoro was lost, of course Zoro was lost. He was brand new at this sort of thing and, by the looks of it, needed all the help he could get."I know what you're talking about, Zoro," Sanji said.

"Huh?" Zoro looked up at him."What is it?"

"It's love." Sanji smiled.

"Love...?" Zoro questioned, trying the word out on his tongue. It felt right, yet it was also...

"Weird, right?"

"Weird," Zoro responded.

This was too good, Sanji couldn't handle it. Zoro was acting so confused and docile, Sanji could barely contain himself. They were finally on the same wavelength, after all."Zoro, come over here," Sanji said.

And Zoro came, still to confused to process what was going on. Sanji grabbed his face, kissing him on the lips desperately. Zoro, not knowing what to do, just stood there in shock. So what Sanji did back then was also part of it? It felt ten times better than back then.

Sanji pulled away and Zoro wished he hadn't."How was it?" Sanji asked with a smile.

"Ah..." Zoro mumbled off, honestly not knowing what to say.

"Zoro?" Sanji questioned. God, he looked so cute. This was to much. He wanted to kiss him again but he knew he needed to wait.

"Too much nicotine, shitty cook."

Sanji's heart shattered.