Motivation

Title: Motivation
Author: Genuinelie(s)
Rating: PG-14 for language, I guess - it'll edge up to where you want it to be in the coming chapters. I promise ;-)
Disclaimer: No mine. No money. No sue.
Description: When Zoro gets irked with Sanji, it hits Sanji harder than he'd like to admit.

Author's Note: Thanks to everyone over at LJ's onepieceyaoi for reading this first :-)

*****
Chapter 1
*****
Sanji paused, hands dripping with dishsoap, and looked out the window to where Nami was reading and Zoro was practicing. Behind them both the sea streched, beautiful, calm and promising. High noon cast a yellow glow across its surface.

It was an odd thought, but Sanji mused that if Nami and Zoro could be squished together, they'd be the perfect person. Common sense and beauty coupled with determination and strength.

Though there was no way in fucking hell he'd admit that to the swordsman.

At that moment, someone he couldn't see flung what had to be a bucketfull of water over both Nami and Zoro. A second later, he saw why - a large fish, still attached to a fishing rod, landed beside Nami's chair, thrashing wildly and flinging water in all directions. Zoro just stood there, dripping, staring in disbelief at his swords. Nami seemed to be having the same reaction, holding her soaked book gingerly by its cover.

Sanji winced, knowing what would happen. He waited, counted to three - and the deck was in action. Nami gave an ear-splitting shriek and leaped out of her chair, and Zoro, his face dour, stalked after her. Usopp's high-pitched squeal came a second later, followed by a series of what had to be very painful crashes.

That, he reminded himself, was why Zoro and Nami should never be combined. Their tempers were terrifying enough on their own. Put together they'd probably spontaneously combust.

Sanji chuckled to himself and went back to his dishes.

****

That night's supper was tense. Zoro was sulking and Nami was glowering, Usopp was cowering and Chopper and Luffy were completely oblivious. Sanji ate his dinner by the stove in an attack of self-preservation.

"Mmmm, Sanji, this is really good!" Luffy said, his cheeks poufed like a chipmunk's.

Sanji winced internally at his manners but couldn't help beaming anyway. "You're welcome," he said. Normally he'd be fishing for compliments from Nami and berating Zoro for something or other (whether or not there he had a reason, he always felt compelled to taunt the taciturn swordsman), but as things were he held his tongue. He didn't want to start the fight that was brewing. Not, at least, in his kitchen.

Luffy, unfortunately, was not that intuitive. "Hey, Zoro, what's wrong with your food? You look like you swallowed a bug. I'll eat it for you if you're feeling sick."

Zoro's expression was like dark clouds passing over a red sky. His eye twitched.

"Hey, Zoro," Luffy repeated, oblivious. "Did you hear me? I said -"

Zoro slammed a palm down on the table, thrusting a finger towards Usopp. "That lummox got my swords soaked. And that damned fish wasn't even edible."

"Uh," Luffy said nervously, looking back and forth between the shrinking Usopp and the irate swordsman. "What fish?"

"The one he caught this afternoon." Nami's expression was dangerous. "He completely soaked us both. My book's completely ruined. All the ink ran. Not to mention my clothes stink like fish now."
"Ooh." Luffy stated, his eyes wide.

Usopp was by this point nearly entirely beneath the table, his long nose and mopp of hair poking out over the countertop.

Sanji took pity on him. "Nami-san, what a horrendous tragedy. A beautiful lady like yourself should never be covered in fish juice. But, I know your...uh...forgiving nature is unparalelled," Actually, Sanji knew no such thing. He had never met someone as unforgiving as Nami when she was pissed. He continued, "With your grace and your, uh, kindness -"

"Oh, stuff it." Nami sniped, pushing herself to her feet. "You!" She said pointing at Usopp, "Are going to owe me." She flounced out of the room.

"What'd I say?" Sanji asked, genuinely confused.

"No one likes being fed bull, kuso-cook." Zoro glared at him.

"This is fish!" Sanji cried, affronted, then got it. "Ah," he said.

Zoro rolled his eyes.

He felt vaguely hurt. "Leave Usopp alone. It wasn't his fault the fish flew up like that."

Usopp shot Sanji a look of pure gratitude. It was shattered a second later as Zoro scraped his bench back and shot them both a venemous look. "You're *defending* him?"

Chopper at this point had joined Usopp on the floor. Luffy was too busy snarfing down the food Nami left on her plate to pay attention.

Sanji sneered. "Are you really that bothered by a little water? What are you, a cat?"

Zoro narrowed his eyes. "I had *just* finished polishing them, you idiot. And that was more than just a little water."

"Let it go." Sanji stated, narrowing his eyes.

"It took me an hour to clean them!"

Sanji shrugged.

"You want to fight, kuso-cook? You'd be pretty pissed if that water had landed all over your suit. Or in your soup."

Well, yeah. Zoro had a point.

Usopp raised a trembling hand. "I-I'm s-s-sorry?"

Zoro, all of his attention now trained on Sanji, shrugged at him. "Whatever."

He stalked out of the room.

****

The next day, the both Nami and Zoro seemed to have worked out their irritation towards Usopp.

Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for the hostility Zoro was directing at Sanji.

The cook couldn't understand it. The shitty swordsman was obviously overreacting. Why would it bother him so much if Sanji stuck up for Usopp? Yeah, it hadn't really been any of his business. But they were nakama. And since there were only six of them on the ship it was everyone's business whether or not they got along.

Sanji sighed, and put his foot on the railing. He was out on deck, enjoying some free time and a cigarette.

Or trying to enjoy some free time and a cigarette.

"Oi, kuso-cook, go smoke that crap somewhere else. I want to train and I need to breathe." Zoro snapped from behind him.

Sanji didn't turn around. "I was here first."

"This is where I practice."

Sanji stuffed his hand in his pockets and turned, swinging a leg at the green-haired idiot. "No."

Zoro blocked his attack and grimaced, pressing his lips together angrily. They turned up at the corners in what wasn't quite a smile. "This'll work." He said. He pulled his swords from his belt, then suddenly swung them towards Sanji. Sanji jumped back then countered with a move of his own. They fought like that for a good ten minutes before Zoro suddenly and unexpectedly drew one silver blade from its sheath, effortlessly cutting Sanji's cigarette in half. Sanji hadn't even had time to lift a leg.

"Oi, marimo, what's your problem?!" He demanded angrily.

Zoro said nothing, but abruptly stopped attacking. He sheathed his sword, but stayed tense and ready. He stood there for a second, thinking about something, then straightened. "Just - stay out of arguments you don't belong in."

"What?" Sanji said, perplexed. He was so surprised he forgot to stay in his fighting stance.

"You don't care what it's about or who's really right. You always take the other guy's side."

That made Sanji's mouth drop. The other half cigarette dropped to the deck. He stomped on it before remembering it was already out. "He didn't mean to get your swords wet! You two were ganging up on him for hours!"

Zoro just clenched his jaw and walked away, leaving Sanji stunned on the deck.

****

"Whatsa matter, Sanji?" Luffy piped by his elbow, startling Sanji and making him nearly drop his spoon in his stew. "You look like somebody died."

Sanji glowered. "Nothing's the matter."

"Then why do you look all gloomy?"

"I do not." Sanji said.

Luffy frowned at him "Do too."

Sanji turned to the rubber man and stretched his mouth out wide, in something he hoped resembled a grin. "See? Do not. Now get outta here before you make me burn your supper."

Luffy cocked his head to the side but didn't leave. "Is this about Zoro?"

Sanji growled. "No! Why would it be about that bastard?"

"'cause he's mad at you and you've been sulking."

"I," Sanji said, drawing himself up, "do not sulk."

Luffy grinned at him. "Yes, you do."

"I -" Sanji turned what Luffy had said to him over in his head. "Zoro's still mad?"

Luffy turned serious, giving him a solemn nod.

"Damned shitty swordsman." Sanji muttered.

"He'll get over it, Sanji." Luffy said. "Don't worry."

Sanji finally got fed up and sent his leg crashing down, missing the boy on purpose.

Luffy skedadled, leaving the door to the kitchen swinging in his wake.

Sanji kicked the door closed and frowned around his cigarette. "Shitty swordsman." He muttered to himself.