Beast of Shadows

》Ten《

"Hello Sanji, what can I get for you and your friend?" The waitress, Gwen, was a older lady. Nice like a grandma though, not that Sanji had a grandma to compare with...but still. Gwen knew Braxton since he was a teen and, therefore, knew the young blond the idiot would drag along with him.

"I'll have the blueberry muffin and the tea of the day. Marimo?" Sanji shifted his gaze over to Zoro, who was staring out the window in the seat across from him.

"Order for me." He quipped, not even glancing at him. Sanji's eye spazzed, but he turned to the ever patient Gwen with a irritated smile.

"He'll have the sweetest thing you serve and coffee, black." Gwen nodded and scribbled it down before moving away to complete the order. The blond kicked Zoro's shin as soon as she disappeared into the back, the Marimo jolted before turning to scowl at him.

"Quit being rude." Sanji hissed, his eyes shifting to the side when he saw movement from across the street.

It was Braxton.

The man had spotted him and was flailing his arms to get the blonde's attention while attempting to cross the street before the walk signal allowed him to. Sanji cringed and ducked his head, Zoro's face went from angry to on guard within mere seconds.

"What? Is he an enemy? Shall I kill him?" Zoro's eyes narrowed at Braxton's beaming face as the man scrambled to the bakery door. Basically throwing himself into the quaint shop and hurrying to Sanji's booth to slide in next to the chef.

Zoro sat completely still, tense and ready to lunge over the table at the drop of a hat. Sanji stared the Marimo down with a fierce glower, trying to tell Zoro that Braxton was not to be killed with his gaze.

"Hey Sanji! Who's your...friend?" Braxton purred, waggling his eyebrows as he threw an arm over the blonde's shoulder.

"What are you doing!?" Sanji whispered when Zoro got the chef's message and looked away, but he still he kept glancing at the two of them every few seconds or so.

"Helping you out. You want a good romp yeah? Jealousy makes the best sex, buddy." The blond stomped down on Braxton's toes with his heel, pulling a sudden yelp from the man. The Marimo's neck cracked he turned his head so fast, leveling Braxton's red face with a dark look.

"Okay! Okay! Have mercy!" Braxton begged, the red fading into a more worrying purple until Sanji lifted his foot. The idiot proceeded to hunch over and rest his forehead onto the table with a continuous stream of thanks and pleads for forgiveness. Sanji rolled his eyes at Braxton's dramatic tendencies, brightening when Gwen came back with their order. She smiled down at Braxton warmly, a twinkle in her hazel eyes.

"Why hello there honey, I didn't see you come in. Did you want to order something?" Gwen questioned as she handed Sanji his muffin, placing his tea onto the table in front of him before giving Zoro his. The Marimo made a disgusted face as the triple chocolate slice of cake was set in front of him, but he accepted the coffee with a murmur of gratitude. When Gwen left them to their shenanigans, Zoro immediately bared his teeth at the blond and his friend.

"I don't like sweet things." Sanji and Braxton shared a look, the blond turning back to the Marimo with the most serious expression he could muster.

"Then order yourself next time, mosshead." Braxton howled with laughter after his eyes took in Zoro's tan skin and the extremely noticeable bright green hair.

"Oh! That is too good! So how'd you two meet? Thought you had a date with...oh what was her name- Heather!" Zoro went still, like a statue as Sanji shifted; he had to come up with a story on the spot.