Misunderstanding





Sanji thought he was prepared to talk to Zoro but when the swordsman left his friends and made a B-line for Sanji, his mind went blank. Zoro commanded the room, pure power and strength flowed off of him as he walked. Three swords hung on his hip adding to the menacing presence he already had. The rest of the opponents barely dared to look at him. The swordsman's face held a deadly serious look as he stared straight ahead, straight at Sanji.


Sanji mentally kicked himself as Zoro stopped next to him. Zoro hadn't even bothered to address Sanji yet. He just stood there, his dark eyes were unreadable as he stared at the mat in front of them. Sanji's brain was screaming to say something but what was he supposed to say. But he couldn't think of anything except the fact that he should not have come. What was he thinking, obviously Zoro didn't want him here? They both stood silently for what seemed like forever watching the first match until Zoro spoke up.


"You shouldn't have come to this match." Zoro's voice was firm and his words hit Sanji full force in the chest. He felt his heart began to ache, he was right he should not have come. How could he be so stupid to think Zoro would want anything to do with him. "It will be a waste of your time honestly."


"Yeah. Coming here was a waste of my time." Sanji snapped at him before turning to walk away. How could he have let them talk him into coming? Even if it were to make Nami happy he couldn't put up with the moss head. Not like this. "Tell Nami I'll see her tomorrow."


Confused Zoro stood watching the blonde shove his hands in his pockets and stalk towards the doors. Zoro legs started moving before he realized what he was doing. Everything about this seemed wrong but it didn't stop him as he chased after Sanji. He knew it was stupid to try to change Sanji's mind especially when he was pissed off. If there was one thing Zoro knew about Sanji, it was how stubborn the blonde was when his mind was made up


But he wasn't going to let his one chance to show off for Sanji slip through his fingers. Zoro caught up to him as he reached the doors. "Wait just because the match will be boring doesn't mean I don't want you here."


"Make up your mind Zoro, you just said I shouldn't have come to this match."Sanji was now glaring at him with such ferocity the swordsman almost took a step back.


"Yeah-" Sanji didn't let him finish as he stepped through the door he wasn't staying to play Zoro's little game. Before he could process what had happened he was up against the building with a very pissed off swordsman looking down at him.


"Let go of me, you shitty swordsman." Sanji tried to push the bigger boy off of him but nothing worked. Zoro has successfully prevented any ways of escaping by the way he had trapped Sanji beneath him and the wall.


"Will you listen for a damn second Cook?" For several seconds Sanji didn't say anything in response. Zoro may have been the one pinning the blonde against the wall but he could help but feel like he was the one who was trapped. Sanji turned his head to the side preventing Zoro from being in his line of sight. Was he really that repulsive to the blonde? And the words left his lips before he even registered what he had said."Please, Sanji stay."


For the second time that day Zoro had said his name and in that instant, a blue eye met his black pleading eyes. Sanji couldn't remember the last time he had seen Zoro look at anything with that much vulnerability in his eyes.


"Get off me first." Zoro held Sanji's gaze but did not move an inch. With a sigh, Sanji added. "Yes, I'll stay."


Satisfied with the answer, Zoro released this hold on Sanji. Zoro had never felt so weak before, but then again he was never good with communication. And yet here he was about to explain to a still very pissed off Sanji, that he wanted him to stay.


Zoro's mind raced trying to come up with the perfect thing to say.  Failing to communicate correctly was what had led them to this situation in the first place. He had tried so hard to come up with something to tell Sanji earlier but just being near the Cook made his mind a mess. God he wanted Sanji to be here but instead, he made it somehow seem he didn't want him here. Not many things intimidated him. In fact, he could count on three fingers the people who intimidated him. Sanji was one of them. The blonde was regarding him with a very bored expression, as he blew out a steady stream of smoke.


"What I meant earlier wasn't me trying to pick a fight or something." Sanji looked as if he wanted to laugh at Zoro. But this just drove him to further explain. "Dammit Cook, I have always wanted you to come to my matches or at least one of them. And the one you finally show up to is the easiest match of the season. Even Nami could wipe the floor with them." Sanji opened his mouth to say something probably to defend Nami's honor but Zoro never allowed him the chance. "The match would be a waste of your time because you would not get to see even a small fraction of what I am capable of. There will be nothing interesting about this fight. Nothing that will get the adrenaline rushing yah know. I am not good at very much else, especially in school where you see me all the time. We always hear about your amazing soccer skills after your games. You can also cook so well from the few things I have had, and you are good at school, which I am not. And I just want to show you that I am good at something too."


For several seconds there was silence, Sanji was dumbfounded. There was no way Zoro had just said that. He couldn't have, because he thought he was better than Sanji. What was he supposed to say to that? This was a joke, it had to be. His eyes wandered back up to face Zoro's. Only to find they held no smirk like he thought they would have. In fact, he had never seen such emotion from him.


"ZORO! I SWEAR TO GOD!" Nami screamed looking downright murderous as she marched over to them. Her hand collided with the back of Zoro's head "Stop wandering off, I turn around for one second and you are gone the next. We looked everywhere for you! Your match is almost up!"


"Tch," Was all he could manage rubbing the now sore spot on his head where she had hit him. The witch roughly grabbed him by the collar dragging him back into the building.


"Zoro I will get a leash for you if I have to." She threatened to cause Sanji to laugh as he still stood relaxing against the wall where Zoro had left him. Smoke spilled from his lips as he stared towards the ground as if there was something interesting. "Hey!" Nami, turned around glaring at the blonde. "Let's go, yes you too. I didn't just bring you to fight with Zoro."


Straightening the jacket around him, Sanji glanced quickly at her and hesitantly to Zoro before mumbling, "Don't make this a waste of my time Mosshead." as he brushed past Zoro heading inside.


"Nami he hates me, this match won't change a thing," Zoro said once Sanji was out of earshot. Nami shook her head laughing at him.


"What?" He asked accusingly


"He will be in the stands cheering, don't worry just put on a good show."


"Cheering against me," It was Zoro's turn to laugh. "You know like you do."


"Trust me he will be in the stands cheering for you," Nami smirked before teasing. "While wearing your jacket."


His eyes tore away from hers traveling up to the stands to find Luffy snacking away, talking to Sanji about the match at hand. They both were intently focused to see who Zoro would be facing in the final. His heart stopped at just the sight of him. Relief had flowed through his veins when Nami had made Sanji come back inside too. He honestly thought Sanji wasn't going to follow them back in the building. He was so sure that Sanji would leave, but yet here he was sitting in the stands. Although he would never admit it out loud he was thankful to her.


"Now go put on a show for him." She whispered to him before heading upstairs. He made no acknowledgment to her as his eyes were still glued Sanji drinking in the sight of him as he cheered for the end of the final semi-final. Would Sanji really cheer for him like that? Shaking his head, Zoro cleared his head, he had no time to think such foolish thoughts. He made his way over to the mat. Untying the bandana from his arm he tied it around his head. A swordsman is one with his blade/s. If he was to win that all he could be nothing more or less.


Stepping out onto the mat he briefly glanced up to the stands one last time, meeting a blue eye filled with curiosity, before sizing up his opponent. He could work with this, show  Sanji just how good he was. A wicked grin formed on his lips as he drew his swords, a murmur ran through the crowd, how was he to use three swords?


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I hope you all enjoyed sorry for the delayed update but I have the next three chapters almost finished!

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