Gray World

"Oi eggplant, don't forget, we have that party Saturday!" Zeff yelled from the kitchen.

Sanji, who was in the middle of putting on his shoes, sighed "I know old man, remind me everyday why don't-cha! I'm picking up the groceries today!"

"Do you have the list?"

Sanji stood up and grabbed his work bag, small blue bag. "Yes" he replied and made sure he had his keys.

"Remember to get the good Sauce!"

"What else would I get?!" Sanji snapped his hand on the door knob

"And get an ashtray!"

That caught Sanji off guard

"Why a ashtray? You don't smoke, and I always go outside!"

"Smoker is coming remember!" Zeff shouted "We need one for that guy."

"Fine fine. Be back later!" Sanji said as he opened the door

"Good luck Egg plant" Zeff said in a calm, strangely warm tone.

And quickly Sanji closed the door behind him. He knew his old man meant well, but it made him feel weak. He walked down the inside stairs that separated the shared apartment and the Baratie. He slowly made his way through the empty restaurant, awaiting the change of atmosphere.

He stood at the doors, willing himself to exit them, but failing. 'Weak' ran through his mind. "Come on, you can do this." he told himself, then with one great stride he left the building. And he felt the change. Not just the cold morning and crisp air, but the whole change, from a loving atmosphere of safety, to a cold, dead world of regrets.

'Weak'

Sanji shook his head and walked towards the train stop. On the walk he took in the scenery spring mornings. Some snow still hung around, melting in the brilliant sun. warming Sanji's black T-shirt and forest camo pants. 'Probably three years old now' Sanji thought to himself as he looked at his clothes. Then he returned his gaze to his path, a simple side walk, light gray, cracks with grass and moss, trees on one side growing back their leaves and a tall and diverse array of streets and buildings backing the trees. On the other side, the ocean, to be more correct a river that leads into the ocean. So Blue, empty, full, unexplored, peaceful, chaotic. No matter how hard Sanji tried nowadays, he couldn't romanticize the ocean like he used to. His mind kept getting in the way. Before long his route changed into a tree less, water less alley way, and he emerged on a platform for the city train. As he walked onto it he found a bench and went to sit. He watched a train going the opposite direction of where he needed to go zoom off with its passengers. And he waited. While he waited his fingers traced over a pack of cigarettes in his pants pocket.

"Mind if I sit down next to you?" a polite young man's voice asked him, and without looking Sanji simply got up and walked a few paces away.

"Oh, I didn't mean to make to get up." The voice said out

Sanji didn't respond, and soon enough the man sat down in the bench. Sanji considered if he had time to light one up, and got so far as to pull out the pack, then the train came into the station, slowly, and slowly, then stopping. Sanji walked towards it and waited for an old woman that was getting off, then he got on to the mostly empty train. Most people headed into downtown for work and other stuff at 8 in the morning, but Sanji was heading away from that.

He moved himself toward the window seat and watched as life flew by, green, gray, glass, steel, people, things…

'7 stops' Sanji thought as he went over the directions in his head again. 'then a left, walk till baking road, and then it's the third…'

"Mind if I sit down?" A velvet voice broke Sanji from his thoughts. He heard the strain in the voice to make it sound so nice. He internally chuckled to himself and looked up, his breath hitched. Regret stinging in his chest.

"I thought it was you" the voice said sitting down "glad I found you. Want to get together again sometime?"

"I don't do that" Sanji replied pushing himself away as much as possible. Obviously his point didn't get across as the man moved closer. Touching hips and laying a arm around Sanji. Sanji turned to mouth off to the intrusive man and was met by a puppy dog stare and a jutted out lower lip "Not even for me?" the man said sadly, then he moved in too close for Sanji's comfort "But it was so fun" he sounded out seductively.

"Yeah… my stop is coming up" Sanji said as the train started moving again. He made a move to stand, as did the other man.

"Then we still got some time, give me your number"

"No" Sanji said bluntly

"Then I'll give you mine" The man went to grab a pen that hung in his pocket

"Don't you understand no?" Sanji said and moved past him, making his way to the doors

"Hey, wait up" the man quickly caught Sanji's arm "Just give me a chance, how about a drink?"

"Dude just leave me alone" Sanji shook off the offending arm and tried to get to the doors again. He felt the train start to slow down.

"Hey come on, I just want to-"

THUNG…

The sound of flesh hitting metal sounded quietly in the space for such a strong impact.

Sanji turned around, after the initial shock washed away, he saw a tan arm, head level for sanji extending from its owner to the opposite wall of the train, blocking the man from pursuing Sanji.

Sanji traced the arm up to the face that it owned to and found a head full of… moss staring at him.

The train came to a stop and the doors opened and Sanji turned away silently thanking the man and he left the train, ignoring the other mans cries for him to come back. As soon as the train left Sanji took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth and then searched his pockets for his lighter, quickly finding it he lit the stick up and inhaled, the nicotine calming him. Looks like he had a lot of walking to do.

…

"Hey Zoro, why'd you stop me like that, it was a total cock block." Ace looked up at Zoro while the said man brought his arm back to his side.

"The guy said no like 3 million damn times, I didn't want you to get arrested for being an obsessed stalker Ace. Besides, I think I know him. He looked familiar."

"Ugh, look I'm happy to come with you for this thing, but unlike you, I don't see what we have as a problem. I'm just here to be your buddy." Ace replied leaning against the opposite wall.

"What do you mean happy to come along, Marco practically killed you to make you go."

"Yeah well, now I'm happy to come along, forget about before, all that matters is what I think now"

Zoro chuckled to himself "That's part of the reason your going you know."

Ace slumped a little defeated "Yeah, shut up Zoro, big green meanie"

…

Sanji, jogging now, turned down a street. "Third on the right, third on the right, ah there" he jogged up to the plain looking building and looked for a door. Quickly finding it he entered, as quietly as he could and went through a small arch styled door way into the meeting room.

"ah, and that's everyone, glad you could make it" a guy with a clip board seated in the circle of chairs and faces said with a bright smile. "Feel free to grab some coffee and doughnuts, we are going to begin shortly."

Sanji went to the coffee table, not really looking at anybody, feeling a bit embarrassed being there, he quickly poured himself some straight black coffee and looked at the small selection of fixings for it that they had, opting for a generous amount of half and half milk, and a slight amount of chocolate syrup he grabbed a stick and started to stir it and took a seat. Looking around briefly his eyes caught green. At first he thought it wasn't anything, but then his mind caught up making a connection and his eye darted back to the man, who just so happened to be starting at him. That damn hair, it was familiar, but he couldn't place it.

Sanji looked down into the man's eyes, gray or silver. From the distance it was hard to tell. Sanji smiled slightly.

The man smiled back, then his focus was diverted by a blacked haired friend who sat down next to him.

'its him…' Sanji thought to himself and hid his face, hoping to not be seen, but of course…

"Oh hey, it's the blonde from the train, Zoro check it out" Ace said loudly into the room "Dude give me your number!"

Sanji bit his lip, and then saw the green haired man smack his friend in the head.

"Okay folks, let's get started here, I see that we have three new members, would one of you like to start us off? Give us your name and condition. And whatever you're willing to share with the group, safe space" The clip board guru as Sanji called him mentally started off.

"Sure" the black haired, freckled man said "I'm Ace, people call me a sex addict, including my boyfriend, who nearly killed me to get me here, but I just think that my philosophies are to enjoy life to the fullest, we don't have much time, so what's the use of morals. I know who I love, and nothing is gonna make me leave them. But on the other hand I get hated on for sleeping around, things like whore, and slut get passed around a lot, even by the friends I consider to be family. Personally I think I'm freed. I don't place any importance on the society rule of faithfulness. I don't date my one night's, I just fuck them, then leave, maybe fuck them again after that" Ace paused and sent a wink to Sanji, who simply sighed internally at the suggestive gesture. "But love and sex are different things. I don't confuse them, I love who I love, and I find sexy who I find sexy. But never the less people pressure me to conform, and if it's worth them to threaten my love, then I guess I will, because I place faith in love."

"Thank you, that was insightful Ace, how about you?" the clip board guru pointed to the man on Aces right, the green haired man.

"Sure" the man said sitting up a little

Sanji unconsciously leaned forward

"I'm Zoro, and I'm a recovering sex addict, 50 days without a slip" they were some claps from the crowd, Sanji included. "and I attend these groups to keep it that way. I found it extremely hard, and still do find it hard to form bonds with people on an emotional level, the hardest level being romantic feelings."

"And how has that affected your life?" the clip board man asked

"Well, besides from my father and sister, and a few friends I have nothing, when my condition first started I had a healthy life, plenty of friends, good standing job the whole nine, and now I'm back at square one. So I guess you could say pretty extreme. It's hard for me to even go home, like when I walk in the door I get flooded with all my regrets and the despair I caused on my family and the strain I put on friendships. It's just… like getting punched in the chest. All the air gets knocked out of you and you go light headed." Zoro finished slowly, solemnly

"Mmm, I'm sorry to hear that Zoro, and what about you?" the group leader turned to Sanji, who was staring at Zoro intrigued, and… connected… "Sanji?"

Sanji snapped out of his trance when he heard his name, but quickly recovered "Yeah sure, I'll go next. My name is Sanji, and I'm a Sex addict, I recently sought out help and was pointed to this group by a friend."

"And how has your condition affected your life?"

"Horribly. See my condition is that I fall for people quickly, and a endless stream of heart break and one sided love drove me to find comfort where ever it was, which well, most of the time was just physical, but I used it like a shield, and I leapt for more. Driving myself deeper into the pit. Until one day my father just kicked my ass tell I understood what I was doing, honestly at home is the only place that has color for me, true color. And every morning that I have to leave it's like I hit a rock wall. Once I leave the house… it's just regrets, and mistakes, and gray."

Sanji finished and closed his eyes. When he opened them up he found the gray/silver eyes of the moss headed man, who nodded at him. The rest of the meeting went by in a blur the twelve or so many others introduced themselves, then the clipboard guru shared his story of losing his house, and job and nearly losing his wife because of his obsessive condition for hookers. Then he shared a story of his recovery, how he still had his wife, he got a new job, he has kids now. And so on. Then the meeting was brought to a close. The group leader held the door for everyone and wished everyone the best.

…

"Well that guy can sure talk" Ace said while him and Zoro walked towards the train stop

"Respect please, a lot of these people have lost a lot" Zoro said walking beside him

"I'm just saying, an hour on house and wife and kids, the inspirational story should not be that long."

Zoro remained silent as they emerged on the platform, his eyes quickly finding golden locks of hair. Then Ace's arm wrapped around his shoulders "Whatcha looking at? Blondy?"

"None of your business" Zoro said keeping a neutral face and shrugging off the arm.

"Oh, you find him sexy don't you?" Ace smirked "Can't blame you, but I call dibs"

"I don't find him sexy, just… intriguing"

"What cause you guys are like opposites? Ani't that a cliché for recoveries?" Ace mocked

"You watch too much T.V. if you can find clichés in support groups." Zoro finally fully turned to Ace

"How do you know it ani't first hand knowledge?" Ace dared

"Cause I know you better then that" Zoro smiled

"Yeah I wouldn't be going to them, but maybe they get my motor running if you know what I mean." Ace waggled his eyebrows.

"As surprising as it is for me to think this, I think you're above that. Even with all your disrespect"

"Man, you just insulted me and put me on a pedestal, impressive, very nice Zoro, didn't think you could do that"

"I'm smarter than you think Ace" Zoro said turning back to the blond who was now smoking, then back to where he heard the train coming.

"So you gonna to talk to him?" Ace asked as they walk forward, awaiting the train

"Maybe… if I was someone else." Zoro said simply and emotionless "But I'm me, so no."

"Cool… maybe I can get laid before work." Ace said as they boarded the train "Im going to talk to him now, see ya"

Zoro simply grabbed the back of Ace's shirt to hold him there "Sorry, Marco's orders." He said unapologetically when Ace glared at him.

…

TBC

So new story, I don't know when I'll get started on more chapters but let me know what you guys think of this one. Im trying to challenge myself and I figured this set up would be a good challenge. Also I want to get plenty of thoughts on if they are believable characters or not, so Reviews are much appriacted!