Epilogue

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"I must say, Sanji-kun, that I've always wanted to murder you for making my little brother feel awful," Robin admitted honestly with a sickly sweet smile. She wouldn't sugarcoat her feelings, not even for her baby brother's infatuation. Sanji went deathly pale at Robin's honesty, continuing to cook and keep his steady composure. Robin always did make him feel uneasy and scared, mainly because she did try to kill him once. But apparently that was water under the bridge now.

"Nee-chan," Zoro growled lowly at his sister's mocking chuckle. His warning was cut short when Luffy happily bounced on his back, wrapping his arms around the greenhead's neck. Zoro gasp in surprise, but didn't bother in pushing his best friend off. It would be useless to try to keep Luffy from touching you when he wanted. Sanji, however, already knew this little fact and aimed a metal spoon for the younger man's head.

"Owww! Aren't you supposed to be meaty cooking burritos?"

"Aren't you supposed to be obeying my rule about touching my marimo?" Sanji countered casually. Zoro felt his cheeks burn as Luffy reluctantly obeyed and let go. He despised how the blonde treated him like fine china ever since he found out about his "money plan". Besides the two of them, only Robin knows about his two-year choice, and they intended to keep it that way. Sanji forgave and forgot, but promised to lock Zoro in the bedroom at the mention of Vergo's name.

Franky could be heard from the living room arguing with Brook about some perverted topic, while the college students, Usopp and Nami, bickered a bit more seriously than them. This is what Sanji loved about the holidays, spending time with all of their friends. Zeff wanted to play Scrooge and stay home this Thanksgiving, claiming that Luffy wouldn't let him rest and make him to cook as well (which wasn't at all a lie).

It interested Sanji to no extent how Zoro could talk to Robin like they rarely saw each other. Topic after topic, casual answer after casual answer; they never ran out of things to say. Sanji envied how Zoro only spoke to her like that; he even told them that a while ago. He wished he could do the same with his own sister. He briefly wondered what she was doing for the holidays, since they haven't seen one another for years. She was always so busy working to visit or be visited. Sanji sighed as he stirred. It would be nice to spend an evening with blood besides Zeff for once.

The doorbell rang, which caused Sanji to purse his lips in puzzlement. Everyone was already here, weren't they? Zoro stayed in his chair, not bothering to get up and check before telling him, "It's for you."

The blonde would have called him a lazy bastard if Robin wasn't sitting with him. That woman could slap him so fast it would appear as if she spontaneously grew another arm.

Sanji made it past the fighting students and starving Luffy to the door, straightening his dress shirt in case the person got the wrong house. Once the piece of wood was removed, Sanji's jaw dropped. The alleged woman only grinned as she outstretched her arms to him, waiting for the other to regain his sanity. Sanji wasted no time in embracing her lovingly; he noticed how he has grown up to her height.

"Nee-chan? But h-how? I thought you work on holidays?" Sanji stuttered in disbelief. Her long blonde hair was pulled into a loose ponytail, her thin black glasses slid off of her nose like always, and her puffy coat told Sanji that she's been outside for quite some time. Kalifa cupped his cheeks and pinched them hard, drawing several winces and "ow"s from his stretched lips.

"Oh, little Ji! Look how much you've grown! How old are you now, twenty-three?"

A stiff nod of approval.

"Awww! Damn it, I missed the drinking parties, didn't I?" Kalifa frowned. Sanji laughed, ushering her inside and shutting off the cold winter air that drifted in. The blonde couldn't contain the happiness that was beaming from him. How did Kalifa know where to come? It must have took a hell of a lot of overtime and ass-kissing the boss to get time off. And to think that she did it for him!

"Ow! Who's this fine little lady?" Franky swooned, frantically eyeing Kalifa up and down with a wiggle of his eyebrows. It wasn't long before the older man ended up with two large black eyes, one from Kalifa and one from Robin, both declaring their own insults and complaints. Sanji chuckled as he watched, walking back to the kitchen to check on the food. Zoro hadn't moved from the table, half a bottle sake in hand and a hidden smile threatening to show. The blonde smirked, straying from his path to the stove to silently creep behind the greenhead. A hand brushed against the tanned cheek, making Zoro fearfully jump and suck in a breath. He glared up at his lover, whose smirk never fell.

"Bastard," he stated flatly.

"Oh, I'm the bastard? Says the person who almost gave me a heart attack! How did you contact her?" Sanji asked curiously. If he couldn't for years, how did Zoro do it in a day?

The hidden smile only grew wider as Zoro softly kissed one of the fingers the pale hand had floating beside his cheek. "I...just wanted to make you happy."