Hello Everyone! As many of you know, my name is Dragoscilvio and I've written many fanfiction for One Piece, Yu Yu Hakusho and even a large drabble series for Rise of the Guardians. While most of my One Piece fanfiction focus on Zoro, this fic will focus on the relationship of our two favorite rivals, with Sanji being the main point of view.

This is a belated birthday/Christmas gift to my amazing friend CardboardHut, who writes a stunning One Piece series of fan fiction that mixes our pirates with Greek epics!

Also, this will NOT be a yaoi fic, it will only be friendship that grows into a brotherhood.

With that being said, ENJOY!

Sanji crashed through the underbrush of the jungle, the flush of humiliation still burning across his cheeks even as his clenched fists swatted irritably at the ferns slapping his face. He was angry. Or more accurately, he was livid, furious even. His heart beat hard enough that it thundered in his ears, drowning out the sounds of the environment; and while his mind begged him to turn around and go back, Sanji couldn't. He was beyond any form of rationale, and his only wish at that moment was to disappear. Or at the very least, for someone else to.

Pearly teeth ground against each other as Sanji swung an angry foot at a fallen tree, cracking it in half and effectively clearing the path. Chest heaving, the blond strode between the wreckage, his mind drifting back to what had brought him to such a low situation. It had begun like any other day; the Straw Hats made landfall at an uninhabited jungle island and the crew all agreed to hold a beach party. The chef snarled, his eyes growing misty with a flashback from just an hour previous, and how within just a few moments everything went terribly wrong.

Sanji loaded up the grill with meat from countless coolers, striking up a cheerful tune as his skilled hands snatched various cooking supplies. Spices flew, and soon the air was filled with the delicious smell of pineapple porkchops, steak and of course mountainous helpings of kabobs and burgers. Sanji smugly looked on at his handiwork. He needed this break, even though he would never admit it. The last two months had been a blur of strenuous activity. From sea battles with the Marines, to facing other strong pirate crews, and in the midst of this very few islands were to be found making their supplies begin to dwindle at a terrifying rate. The least of these things being that Sanji had run out of cigarettes and had been suffering through withdrawal, but he hadn't, and wouldn't, complain. Not when their somewhat tight budget demanded they prioritize groceries over luxuries, and Sanji would never put the lives of his crew at stake over something as small as his smoking habit.

So here he was. Riddled with anxiety, a bundle of raw pulsing nerves, and the remnant of countless nights of very little sleep as his stressed brain mentally ran through the list of items in their fridge and pantry, the entire time biting his lip praying that they would have enough to make it to the next island. The fact that his heart had leapt in pure joy when Luffy announced the sighting of this island; and the fact that it was a tropical one, with evidence of an abundance of ingredients that would more than amply fill their larder, only proved to the frazzled cook how much he needed a break. So, with the grill fired up and the sounds of local wildlife around him, Sanji could safely cook his anxiety down to a murmur and enjoy this lovely day with the people he loved best.

"Oi! Be careful idiot, or you'll break it again!"

Or at least most of the people he loved best. Turning to the source of the bellowed scolding, Sanji found himself frowning at a muscular figure topped with horrendous green hair. The resident swordsman stood stretching his arms above his head, involved in a game with the other crew idiots. An oversized water balloon was being tossed around while the guys stood in a circle. What was supposed to be a game of careful tosses had quickly devolved into an all-out slugfest with the balloon being pelted across the distance. Sanji merely sighed and turned back to the grill to find his beautiful angel Nami-swan standing nearby.

"Nami-Swan!" he gushed, flipping several pieces of meat with assuredly impressive dexterity "how may I help you?"

Nami gave an adorable giggle, making the cook's heart flutter "Just watching the game," she grinned "whatever you're making smells amazing!"

Sanji danced happily in place, dusting the steaks in spices with a flourish "Your food will always taste as heavenly as you look, my angel!"

The navigator scoffed "You're always so free with the compliments," she teased.

"Only because they're deserved," Sanji returned, glazing honey onto a smoking ham "you are beautiful, intelligent and you keep this ship going in the right direction. Who wouldn't want to flood you with compliments?"

Pink lips pursed in thought, as downcast chocolate eyes considered his statement "Sometimes, though, I wonder what's truth with you and what is just mindless flirtation."

Sanji felt his breath catch in the bottom of his throat "Do…Do you want me to stop?" he asked, anxiety hitting his stomach like a sea squall churning the waves of the sea "If it is uncomfortable for you, I can. That is, if you want me to?"

Nami gave a playful roll of her eyes, before leaning forward to entangle her fingers in his tie and gently pull him towards her "I'm not saying stop, I'm just saying I would like to know what is real and what is just flirtation."

Chocolate brown eyes grew sultry, and Sanji felt his heart rate speed up to at least Mach 5. "My feelings are always real," he said in barely a whisper, his chest heaving with husky breaths as his gaze was pinned on a mouth he dearly wanted to kiss "I only await your permission to show you just how real they are."

Nami gave a vague hum of interest, her grip on his tie tightening. Sanji desperately tried to stop the quivering of his hands, fully aware of how much her presence was affecting him, and how very different this moment was in comparison to every other moment they had ever shared. Her full lips drew closer, and the cook's eyes fluttered closed, his own lips puckering into a kiss. The warmth of her skin brushed his cheek, until seconds before their lips met Sanji heard a shout of warning, a sudden rush of air and the unpleasant sensation of water filled rubber explode across his face.

Sanji flew backwards, his arms splayed in front as water rippled around his head in a slow-motion wave. Time seemed to stand still as the blond arced in midair, his face completely obscured by the obnoxious green balloon but now had a halo of liquid. Sanji barely had enough time to process the shocking change from near kiss to apocalyptic water balloon before his back hit the sand. The beach went silent. Even the singing birds had hushed in their song as all zeroed in their gaze on the fallen cook.

Sanji tore the balloon off his face and threw it aside with a wet splat before slowly sitting up and regaining his feet. Clearing his throat, the cook returned back to Nami, hoping they could regain some of that spark they had been enjoying. To no avail. Nami was looking at his face in something akin to stunned amusement.

"Nami…Swan?"

The navigator bit a quivering bottom lip, clapping her hand over her mouth even as her eyes watered with the effort to hold her emotion in. However, it all came crashing down as laughter snuck out from between her fingers, growing into chortling guffaws. "I…I'm so sorry, Sanji…" Nami snorted, her face flushed from the force of the laughter wracking her ribs "B-But…your hair! The water! And the balloon! You….You look like a pineapple!"

The beach rung out with laughter, Nami the loudest among them as she clutched her sides, helpless tears of mirth streaming down the smiling face. Sanji felt indignation and stark humiliation burn across his cheeks. He was about to experience a moment of bliss with Nami-Swan and now it was ruined! Turning towards the gaggle of people who had been throwing the balloon around in the first place, Sanji searched for the person responsible. It didn't take long. Standing with one hand clutching his stomach with the other braced on his thigh, the one and only Zoro cackled at Sanji's predicament.

"Oops," Zoro chuckled swiping at his eyes "honestly, I was aiming at Luffy, but it hit you. Not that I mind, the end result was still awesome."

Normally, Sanji would take out his fury in a screaming sparring match. One that would have sorted things out relatively painlessly had it been two months, a boatload of stress and a cigarette pack earlier. However, it was none of those things, and Sanji felt nothing but pure murderous intent for the man. A deep abiding anger that was so intense, it scared even the cook. He knew that it was one thing to spar when he was mildly annoyed or even somewhat ticked off, but this level of fury burned at a lethal temperature Sanji honestly wasn't sure he trusted himself around anyone, even Zoro. So Sanji did the only thing he felt he could do. He took a walk.

Which was what brought the man to now. He had hoped that a short jog into the jungle would calm his nerves, but the further he went, the harder it became to turn back. No doubt Zoro would pick on him for turning tail, and Nami would be embarrassed of his horribly weak behavior. Plus, the crew would wreak havoc for the rest of the night calling him a pineapple. Sanji just didn't have the mental or emotional fortitude to deal with it all.

"I wish today didn't implode like it did," the cook sighed, sinking down onto a tree stump and placing his head into his hands "I wish that for once Zoro wasn't a mossy muscle head. I wish he wasn't so annoying, or at the very least he wasn't the way he is now. Then maybe I could have had that kiss."

"I can arrange that,"

The blond head popped up his blue eyes wide "Who's there?!"

An old man with a long white beard, shabby clothes and a walking stick stepped out from behind an impossibly thin tree, almost like magic. Sanji's jaw went slack, slowly blinking as he processed the grin that could rival Luffy's coming out from a wrinkly face while an equally gnarled hand gave a goofy wave of greeting. Sanji shook his head, blinking rapidly and then once again giving an incredulous gaze back at the elderly man. "Um…what?"

A loud laugh greeted Sanji's query, even as he shook a teasing finger at the cook "No, I guess you wouldn't know me. However, you may know my story."

"Your story?" Sanji asked, his gaze growing suspicious "What do you mean?"

"Never mind about that," the old man waved away "let's just say I am a wish granter. My entire reason for being is to help people find their happily-ever-after."

A curly eyebrow raised up in interest "And how do you propose to do that?"

"You're wishing for a reality where the swordsman was different, where he wasn't the person he is now. Someone who wouldn't get in your way with the cat burglar. Right?"

Sanji shifted in his seat, fingers itching for a cigarette as he pondered this tantalizing offer "You could do that?" he asked slowly "Change Zoro? Make him less…Zoro?"

"I could give you a reality where the swordsman would be your best friend, who looks out for your well-being and isn't annoying to you in the slightest." The old man's smile turned almost feral, his hands open and strange power glowing behind his eyes "So what do you say? Shake my hand, and I can give you the reality you desire, where you get the girl and the swordsman no longer a hinderance."

The cook wrung his hands, hesitant and yet so tempted. He shouldn't, he knew that. There was something unsettling about the old man. And changing Zoro, changing who he was could have massive repercussions. Ones that might hurt the crew. However, if he could actually change Zoro the way he said he could, then it didn't sound too bad. He would just tone him down a bit, make him less lazy and more kind to the ladies. Maybe that kind of change, it was worth the sin. Right?

Clenching his hands, Sanji took a deep breath before squaring his shoulders and sticking out his right hand "Right," he growled but it broke off into a choke as the old man grabbed his hand and magic exploded from his walking stick making the object fly around them in a whirling dervish.

Sparks flew, a cascade of flaming embers even as a swath of burning light wrapped itself around the duo in a luminescent cocoon. Sanji took in all this as fear thudded heavy in his chest, and a stark dread whispered in his ears that he had just done something very, very stupid. Looking back at the elderly man, Sanji started to say that he took back his wish but found himself unable to speak as the face of the old man melted away to reveal a grinning sprite with pointed ears and shark teeth. Not only did his appearance change, but Sanji quickly noticed that their linked hands were growing hot, with the temperature rising by the second.

The cook pulled at his hand, desperate to be loosed from the burning grip, until suddenly as quickly as they had appeared the magic was gone. In fact, everything was gone, even the creepy old man. Sanji sat up, his chest heaving while his heartbeat thundered in his ears. Bringing a hand to scrub at his face, Sanji noticed another alarming clue. He was in bed, in a dark room that seemed vaguely familiar. Where was he? Kicking at the bedding tangled in his legs, Sanji attempted to stand up and open the curtains of a nearby window, but only succeeded in crashing onto the floor like a landed fish. Wincing at the horrendously loud noise, Sanji scrambled to his feet and opened the windows only to gasp in horror. He was on the Baratie.

Pale hands shook, knees knocking together as fluttering lungs began to hyperventilate. Why was he here?! The old man! Blue eyes grew cold as white teeth grimaced into an angry snarl. The old man would know, he just had to find him, but where was he? Taking a step back, Sanji clenched his hands into balls of sheer fury "Hey old man!" he bellowed "You better tell me what's going on! Oi! Old man! Get back here, NOW!"

Nothing, only silence. Drawing in another deep breath, Sanji prepared to let loose another screamed demand for the sprite to show himself but was interrupted by the sound of his bedroom door being slammed open. "What's with all the shouting?!" A very familiar voice hissed in the dark "Zeff is still sleeping, and you know how he gets if you wake him up!"

Sanji turned a stunned eye on the one and only moss head, Zoro. He was somehow standing in the doorway of his room on the Baratie, which was impossible enough but this Zoro was also different. Weaker, less muscles, and an open innocent gaze that wasn't on his face when they first met. Not only that, but this guy was hurriedly buttoning a kitchen staff coat, and had an apron slung across one arm.

"I mean it Sanji," Zoro muttered as he finished with the last button and began tying his apron around his slim waist "if I find out you're still drunk from partying with another girlfriend all night, I'm going to kick your face in. I'm not going to do ingredient prep all alone again!"

"I…I'm not drunk," Sanji stammered, his mind still reeling.

Zoro simply scoffed, "Could have fooled me. Now, would you do your dear, patient brother a favor and get dressed? I'm going down to the kitchen to start washing the potatoes. You better be down there when I start peeling or I'm leaving the onions all for you."

"My what?" Sanji gasped, feeling like he was punched in the gut "what did you call yourself?"

Zoro paused, his eyes suddenly concerned as he assessed the blond and strode forward to rest a hand on the pale forehead "Are you sure you're not sick? Or is this just a really bad hangover?"

Sanji slapped the hand away, uncomfortable with the casual behavior Zoro was exhibiting "I'm serious, I didn't catch what you said."

"I said your brother, because that's what we are? Duh?" Zoro drew a deep breath and then heaved a sigh "Look, if you need the morning to get yourself back together fine, you don't need to get so dramatic about it, but like I said, I'm not doing ingredient prep by myself. I expect you to help with the chopping at least, got it?"

The moss headed teen gave Sanji a stern glare before walking out of the room without even a backward glance, leaving the once cook of the Straw Hat Pirates to sink to the floor in a boneless heap.

"I don't understand," he whispered, "I thought the old man said he was just going to change Zoro, so why…?"

That was when the sprite's words came back to the blond like a clanging bell, making Sanji gasp in horror. "I could give you a reality where the swordsman would be your best friend, who looks out for your well-being and isn't annoying to you in the slightest."

"He never said he would change Zoro, he only said he would give me a reality where he isn't annoying…Oh God," Sanji quavered as the terrible reality began to hit him like an ice cold wave "He changed my reality, meaning…the Straw Hats don't exist, I never left the Baratie and Zoro…"

Blue eyes darted up to the table where Sanji had kept a photo of his family at the Baratie in his room, and there in color was the figure of two smiling young teenage boys standing in front of all the kitchen staff, arms slung around each other and giving twin peace signs. Somehow, in this reality Zoro was taken in by Zeff and raised alongside him. Because, what closer friend can a guy have than a brother? Trembling hands gripped blond hair, but now Sanji wasn't shaking from fear or even shock. He was angry, and he knew just who to take out his fury on.

"I'm going to kill him!"