Be Mine

Patience

Sanji stood at the door to the infirmary looking at the kitchen table. He recalled what he said to Zoro as he collect the plates from the table. Sanji thought it went well, he didn't get angry, they didn't fight so that's a plus. Thinking about it now did he say the right things? What if he accidentally said something wrong  and now Zoro will never tell him? What happen if he just made things worse? Sanji start cleaning the dishes worrying about what he told Zoro. Then he started thinking about Zoro. He knows the swordsman, after what happened on Thriller Bark and Sabaody, Zoro didn't let it rule him he got stronger, everyone did, so why is this any different?

One. It was targeted towards him. What happened on Thriller bark was meant for Luffy and he chose to take Luffy's place. On Sabaody it wasn't just them getting attacked it was the whole crew and any other pirates on the archipelago. They just got special treatment because Luffy punched the celestial dragon. Luka specifically went after Zoro, he didn't care for anyone else.

Two. It didn't show that he was weak. On Thriller Bark Zoro chose to give up life for Luffy and survived, that just proved how strong he was at the time. Sabaody made everyone feel weak and they got stronger after it. The fight with Luka didn't prove anything other than Luka was weaker than Zoro and all he could do to him is cause him pain but Zoro didn't let that stop him. Zoro fought even when he was in immense pain from Luka's devil fruit.

The only option that makes sense is that Luka did something to Zoro that he didn't like. Zoro is strong so what could it be? It must have been horrible and if it is does he really want to know what happened? It might help Zoro to get it off his chest. Sanji thought more about the situation, and what lead to it. He started to think about hypothetical situations. What if this and that.

What if he wasn't so indecisive about his feelings? 

Would Luka have still pursued Zoro if he knew Sanji and Zoro are together? 

Would the baby still be alive now? 

Would Zoro be in this situation now?

Would things have turned out the same?

Sanji kept thinking about the small difference in decisions he's made these couple months and how they could have affected the outcome for the better. He doesn't notice the girls walking in the room, he just cleans the kitchen as he worries.

"Sanji?" Nami asks calling his name for the fourth time. "Sanji!" Nami yells this time getting his attention. He looks up from scrubbing the counter meeting their faces.

"Sorry, what can I get you?" He asks nonchalantly. Nami looks at him and grins. She thought to herself, he must be joking? Acting like they don't know he talk to Zoro.

"Zoro, you talked to him right?" Robin asks.

"What'd he say?" Nami questions. Sanji looks away from the girls pondering what he should tell them. "The whole crew knows you talked to him." Nami adds.

"He said nothing."

"Nothing?"

"He didn't tell me what happened, only that he can't tell me."

"Your response?"

"I told him that we are all worried. That I know he's hurt. That I miss him. That if he doesn't want to tell me then that's ok but I think it would help if he did. I also told him that I won't pester him."

"Well at least he knows you care." Robin says.

"Do you think he'll ever tell you?" Nami wonders.

"I don't know but I'm going to be patient. He was with me so I will be with him."

"I suddenly got this feeling. Like a mother who is so proud of her son." Nami says looking away from Sanji, Robin just chuckles at her.

"Hopefully it doesn't take too long for him to decide."

"Why?" Sanji wonders.

"Oh. Well we are almost to the first island of Lover's cruise."

"Really?"

"Yes. You can finally restock on supplies and maybe Zoro could take the triplets out for a walk." Nami says walking out of the kitchen with Robin following her. Sanji is glad to hear the news.

Sanji finished cleaning the kitchen and joins everyone on deck. Luffy sat in his favorite spot sulking that he wasn't able to play with the triplets. Nami and Robin just sat in the sun. Usopp is tinkering with something. Chopper sat in the front doing something with the herbs. Franky is walking around the Sunny, most likely looking it over. 

Time passed and the triplets woke up from their nap so Zoro took them to the deck to play. While Zoro entertained the triplets Sanji goes back in the kitchen and gets some juice for Zoro. Sanji walks back out with a blue ice cold drink just for Zoro. He walks up to Zoro and Sanji could tell Zoro tenses up when he got closer. 

"Here." Sanji says holding out the drink for Zoro who slowly looks up at Sanji's hand. He examines Sanji for a second. "You're the only one who didn't get a drink this afternoon. I thought you would be thirsty since you were with the triplets this afternoon." Sanji explains. Zoro accepts his explanation and takes the drink. The triplets see this and start to crawl a little closer to Zoro. He takes a sip from it as the triplets stare at him. He looks down at them still staring. Kuina crawls up to Zoro's lap and tries to reach for the drink, on her knees with one hand holding on to Zoro's shirt while the other hand is out reaching for the drink.

"Sorry you can't have some." Zoro says looking down at her moving the cup in his hand further from her reach. She seems to have understand what he said because she puts her hand down and sits on her butt on Zoro's lap. He feels hands on his knees and looks to the see the boys looking at him. He scans their faces and he doesn't know how but they all seem to have learned how to give puppy eyes to Zoro. "I wonder where you learned that." Zoro says. Zoro dips the tip of his finger in the drink and lets Kuina suck on his finger first, then Sora, and lastly Touma. Sora and Touma didn't seem to like the bitter drink by the faces they made and Zoro just laughed. Sanji smiles at the sight of Zoro laughing. It felt like so long since he saw the swordsman laugh or heard his laughter. Kuina didn't react much to it suggesting she might not have hated it. 

Sora and Touma went to go continue to play while Kuina just enjoy being on Zoro's lap. Zoro finished the drink and handed the empty cup to Sanji who took it and walked back to the kitchen. He really is being patient, Zoro thought as he stare at Sanji walking away.