What's Not To Love

Chapter 22

Zoro looked at Sanji, speechless. It was a nice feeling to know that he was wanted this badly but it was weird to hear it from the cook.

"Look Sanji, we don't have to talk about this. I get it,really, I do." Zoro said, reaching across the table for the glass of liquor.

Sanji picked the cup up and finished the contents before Zoro could get to it. Placing it back on the table, and away from Zoro, Sanji responded calmly. "No, Zoro. We need to talk about this. I need to make you understand."

"Yeah, you said that already. "Zoro looked at the door for a moment before looking back at Sanji. "But this conversation probably won't change anything." Zoro knew this was lie. He didn't want to have this conversation because he didn't want his heart to ache for the Cook more than it already did.

"We won't know until we try, right." Sanji said.

Zoro closed his eyes and sat back. He focused on slowing down his nerves before opening his eyes again. "Okay Cook. You win."

Sanji gave a half-hearted smirk as he stared into the glass. He tipped the contents back and shut his eyes as the liquid burned his throat. He slammed the cup back down and looked towards Zoro. Zoro stared at the glass, looking as though he wanted to take away the alcoholic beverage. Looking back at the glass, Sanji spoke.

"Just let me have this, Zoro." Sanji saw Zoro's head tilt from his peripheral vision. Meeting Zoro's eyes, Sanji continued. "I'm in the process of quitting cigarettes but I really need something right now. I promise I wont get drunk...just a little tipsy."

Zoro folded his arms and scrunched up his face. "You quit?"

"Mostly." was the shortened answer he received in response.

Both members sat in silence for a few minutes until Sanji interrupted it by speaking quietly.

"When I was 17, I dated the girl you saw, Iz-"

"Sanji -"

Sanji interrupted Zoro."Zoro this is a critical part of my history. You need to understand why she was here and why I was with her."

Zoro heaved a sigh and motioned for Sanji to continue.

"Her name is Izzy Makrosa. Her family came to eat at the Baratie and they were kind to the staff. The old man was quite fond of them too. He would invite them every time he made a new recipe and they came every time. Sometimes he would just call her father over to have a few drinks."

Zoro stared at Sanji when he paused. He saw a mixture of emotions swim across his face before he settled on one. Sadness.

"A few weeks after meeting them the ship was attacked. Of course we handled the problem but the ship was a wreck. We were forced to dock at an island for a while. The closest one was a seasonless Island called Makrosa. We found out that the island was owned by Izzy's Father, just like the one we just left."

"Huh?"

Sanji glanced at Zoro and saw the questioning gaze.

"Her father owns it? What is he?"

"A very rich navy general. "Sanji replied in a dry voice. "Though he just passes everything off to the lieutenants"

"I'm sorry," Zoro said as he sat forward with a humorless chuckle. "A navy general? So you mean to tell me that you cheated with the general's daughter? And here I thought you had some common sense."

"Zoro-"

"I mean did you even think about the fact that we're pirates. Do you know what she could've done to us if yo-"