The Nature of Things (SanjixZoro, ZoroxSanji) Chapter 14: Part Two
Part 2. Not beta'd so all mistakes are mine.
Title: The Nature Of Things
Authors: sinisterbug and stark_black
Rating: Big fat R to NC-17
Paring: Zoro/hookers/Zoro, Sanji/hookers, and eventually Zoro/Sanji/Zoro
Warnings: Yaoi, language, and general stupidity.
Summary: When the Sunny docks, Sanji and Zoro sometimes seek out relief in some not so savory places. After crossing paths in town on more than one occasion, the two find they have a lot more in common than they would like to admit.
<< Part 1 Here
All previous chapters here.
Leaving Null Island was uneventful, as had been the entire excursion, thankfully. The Strawhats returned to their regular duties, and by duties, of course, that meant the various ways they passed the time while at sea. They ate a delicious dinner, played a few games of cards on the grass-ridiculous and incomprehensible rules provided by Usopp and Franky of course-and then as the sun set and the stars twinkled in a night sky above them, they lounged in chairs or huddled in soft blankets as Robin read them adventure stories about dragons and knights in shining armor.
After most of the crew had gone to bed, and Sanji had finished the prep for the morning, he made his way into the aquarium and found Zoro there, his arms folded across his chest, calmly watching the fish.
Not wishing to disturb the swordsman when he was looking so content, but unable to stop himself from reaching out his hands and sliding them over Zoro's hips, Sanji pulled himself close, relishing the swordsman's soft intake of breath, and whispered against the shell of an ear adorned with three gold earrings.
"I'm here, what did you want to show me?"
Zoro turned his head and his cheekbone brushed against the stubble on Sanji's chin.
"In a minute," he said softly, and then turned and faced the cook. "First, we have to set some ground rules."
Sanji laughed, it was almost a giggle. "What, like safe words?"
Zoro's grin was wide and almost dopy, "No, idiot, not like that… well, unless you're into that."
Leering, Sanji lowered his voice, "If they're for you, then yeah."
Surprised and delighted, Sanji watched a blush spread over the swordsman's cheeks, but then, still grinning, Zoro closed his eyes and shook his head. "Goddamnit, I forgot what I was talking about."
"Ground rules," Sanji almost laughed again.
"Yeah. Ground rules for around the ship. I don't really care if the crew knows about us, but I do want to set some boundaries. It's our private life and I don't want to flaunt it all over the place, or give Luffy's enemies extra ammo."
"Ah," Sanji nodded, "that's smart." He knocked a cigarette from his pack and slipped it between his lips. As Zoro talked he lit up and pulled the smoke into his lungs.
"We keep things the way they've always been outside, on the deck, the helm, places like that, and we keep the stuff between ourselves to like, the galley."
"After dark, and after night prep," Sanji agreed.
Zoro nodded. "I was thinking the crow's nest too. I mean, no one's up there in the gym but me most of the time."
Sanji puffed again and blew out a long, thin stream of smoke. "What about the washroom?"
Lifting a finger to scratch at his temple in an absurdly bashful way, Zoro nodded again.
"Yeah, that… that's a good idea."
The way he was standing sparked the cook's interest. This was a strange edition of the Zoro Sanji knew. He was like a younger, more vulnerable version and it was charming, but also confusing.
"Are you okay, Zoro?" Sanji asked.
Zoro looked at him and nodded.
"Then," Sanji shrugged, "what's up?"
Looking almost guilty, Zoro rubbed his fingers over his mouth and then put his hands on his hips. Sanji could not imagine what could possibly have the swordsman in this sort of state but damn it was cute as hell.
"I need you to trust me for a few minutes, okay?"
Sanji nodded, "All right."
"Follow me."
Curious, Sanji crushed the butt on the bottom of his shoe and slipped the half-smoked cigarette back into his pack. He followed Zoro from the aquarium and out onto the grass deck. They made their way to the main mast but just as Sanji was readying himself to climb, Zoro stopped and turned to him.
"It's a surprise and I know you'll peek if I tell you to close your eyes so..." Zoro then untied his bandana from around his bicep and took a step forward. He held it up and took a breath.
Sanji chuckled quietly and took the bandana from Zoro's hands. He was giddy suddenly, excited like he always was before a fight. When he put the bandana up to his eyes in a makeshift blindfold he grinned again and spoke in a whisper, as not to alert the rest of the crew.
"You sure we don't need to go over some safe words, Marimo? This shit is bordering on kinky."
He heard Zoro's soft chuckle as he knotted the ends at the back of his head, and then he felt a soft touch guide his hand to the ladder.
It was awkward climbing without his sight, but the cook managed without too much fuss. When he reached the top, he opened the door to the crow's nest and pulled himself up inside. He heard Zoro climb up behind him and shut the door. There was nothing for a moment, and Sanji was about to say something, but then Zoro's hands were at his hips, turning him to face the center of the room, and the swordsman's deep voice was at his ear.
"Okay, you can look now."
When Sanji pulled the bandana from his eyes, he stood frozen for a few seconds, unsure he could believe what he was seeing.
Candles were placed throughout the room, they sat on the bench and on the floor beside the bench at varying intervals. Their soft glow gave the space a dreamlike feel and threw the world outside the windows into an even deeper shadow. It was like they were floating in their own separate place outside of time and space. A futon lay on the floor dressed in a few pillows and a single red, blanket. Beside the futon was a bottle of wine and two glasses.
And there were rose petals.
Sanji's gaze swept over the floor, the carpet of petals, and breathed in the sweet scent of the flowers, his heart skipping and dancing behind the cage of his ribs. It was hard to breathe, hard to think. No one had ever done anything like this for him before, no one had even tried.
"Z-Zoro…" he tried to say, but his voice seemed to get lost in a wave of emotion.
"I'm not great at this whole romantic thing," Zoro murmured behind him, "but I know you really like it so I thought… I don't know. I just thought you deserved something nice."
Sanji turned to him, meeting the swordsman's eyes, not knowing what to say or how to deal with the powerful rush of desire and love the overtook him. He feared it would sweep him up and carry him away if he didn't grab on to something quick.
He took Zoro's arms in his hands and tried to speak.
"You sweet… beautiful bastard. I can't believe you did this, you goddamn, fucking perfect…"
Zoro's eye was wide with surprise and it seemed he was about to say something, but Sanji cut him off by kissing him. Zoro made a soft noise in the back of his throat and slid his arms around Sanji's waist. They were breathless, shaking in each other's hold, excited and afraid at this new and wonderful new territory.
"Fuck you," Sanji breathed into Zoro's mouth. "I love you, you son of a bitch."
Zoro laughed and shook his head. "Do you like it or not? You're sending me mixed signals."
"Idiot, of course I like it." He kissed Zoro one last time before he pulled away. He shrugged out of his jacket and yanked at his tie. "Now, we're gonna drink some wine naked."
Zoro's eyebrows shot up. "Okay, I like this idea."
They stripped out of their clothes, tossing them on the floor and sending rose petals dancing across the wooden planks. Sanji sat on the futon and took the wine bottle from Zoro's hands as the swordsman sat in front of him. They were so close that their shins and knees touched, and as the cook worked the cork free Zoro took one of Sanji's legs and pulled it over his thigh. He caressed the skin stretched over a knee and Sanji had to focus on steadying his hands as he poured wine into each glass.
"I have to admit," Sanji said softly, "you drinking wine out of a glass is a little weird for me."
Zoro grinned and took the glass from Sanji's hand. "Don't tell anyone."
Sanji snickered and held his glass up just below his jaw. He watched Zoro's face as the swordsman touched his glass to Sanji's, his one open eye darker than Sanji had seen it in a long time. The cook sipped, rolling the wine over his tongue, savoring the mild berry and chestnut flavor before swallowing. When Zoro downed the entire glass in one go, Sanji laughed and pinched the swordsman's arm.
"Ouch! What?!"
"Uncultured swine," Sanji smiled.
"Wine is for drinking, cook," Zoro muttered, to which Sanji laughed again.
He poured the swordsman another glass and set the bottle down. "How did you do all this with no one seeing you?"
Shrugging, Zoro took another long drink but stopped himself before he drained the entire thing. "Usopp has a stash of candles in his workshop. I told him they were for training. The futon was already here, I keep it under the bench for when I train late and don't want to wake Luffy up."
"Eh?" Sanji made a face, "This has sweaty after-training Marimo all over it?"
Zoro made a face, but it could not hide the humor beneath it. "No, I shower first. Anyway, the wine and the glasses I snatched from your stash when you went to give the girls their after-dinner coffee. The roses are from Robin's garden."
"You stole flowers from Robin-chwan!?" Sanji was appalled.
"Man, you have no faith in me," Zoro growled. "I get flowers from Robin all the time, for training."
"Training." Sanji cocked an eyebrow.
Zoro nodded again. "For training."
Sanji was skeptical, but also curious.
"Show me."
That one dark gray eye opened wide and the swordsman's caress on his thigh froze. "Right now?"
"Yes, right now."
Zoro blinked and then looked around as if he had forgotten where they were. He let out a breath, finished off his wine, and gently moved Sanji's leg from his lap. "Okay."
He stood and moved to where he had propped his swords against the wall. He took the white one, the one he cared for so reverently, and straightened. The candlelight reflected off his skin, throwing shadows against the hard lines of his back and buttocks. He was such a sight to behold, and Sanji was still having trouble believing all that skin and muscle and power was literally at his disposal.
Zoro turned and caught Sanji watching him.
"You just want to see me train with my clothes off."
Nodding sagely, Sanji took another swallow. "It's a bonus."
Smiling softly, Zoro moved to the center of the room and picked up a single petal from the floor. He examined it for a few seconds, and then the smile dropped and he backed up towards the ladder. He stood still for about a half minute before he changed his stance, spreading his feet and readying his sword at his right hip.
Sanji could feel the change in the atmosphere. It was like the charge in the air just before a storm. His hair stood up at the back of his neck, and he shivered as Zoro's face darkened and a surge of energy pulsed through the room.
It took less than three seconds. Zoro moved, gently tossed the petal into the air, and then he reached across his body to take the hilt of his sword in his left hand. Another pulse of energy filled the room, and the petal split into two perfectly equal pieces and floated to the floor.
Sanji didn't realize he was holding his breath until the two halves of the petal had actually touched down on the floorboards. He let it out in a long rush and looked back up at Zoro. The swordsman's eyes were closed. He hadn't even drawn the sword.
"Holy shit…" Sanji whispered.
Zoro opened his one eye, looked at him, and Sanji felt desire hit him and rocket through him like a bolt of lightning. He tipped his glass, downing the last of his wine, and set the glass on the floor next to the futon. Turning back, he licked his lips and motioned to Zoro with his hand.
"Come here."
Zoro set his sword carefully on the floor where he stood and came to the futon. He moved like a predator, stalking his prey through the tall grass at the edge of a field. Sanji however, did not feel like prey, he felt powerful. He watched the ripple of muscle under scarred, tanned skin and swallowed in anticipation of running his hands over every inch of it. His mouth dropped open the tiniest bit and he let out a soft noise as Zoro crouched and then crawled on his hands and knees to where Sanji sat. His hands glided over Sanji's thighs, and he pushed his way underneath Sanji's jaw to kiss at the skin of the cook's neck.
Sighing softly, Sanji put his hands on Zoro's shoulders and lay back on the soft blanket. Zoro came with him, kissing and sucking at pale skin, gripping strong thighs with his calloused hands as Sanji's legs came around his hips.
When Zoro's weight came down on him, Sanji let out another soft noise and ran his hands up a scarred torso. The swordsman's body was covered in a fine sheen of sweat, and though Sanji wasn't sure if it was from the strain of the technique he had just executed, or merely from the heat of their bodies coming together, he didn't care. Zoro's skin was slick against his own, and the two rocked together smoothly, their cocks sliding easily in the clefs between thigh and groin.
Slowly, Zoro began to leave open-mouthed kisses down the column of Sanji's throat, and then down to his chest. Sanji tucked one arm behind his head and let the other rake through the swordsman's hair. He watched those lips kiss his skin, that tongue dart out and flick his nipple, while little ripples of pleasure swam through his veins. His breath caught every time Zoro's rough thumbs caressed over his abs, or across the angle of his hips. He pulled at Zoro's hair when teeth nipped at the flesh around his navel.
When Zoro reached his cock, Sanji fell still. His hand froze.
"Zoro," he said softly, "you don't-"
"-I've been thinking about this all day," Zoro growled, and then looked up and Sanji, his smile mischievous. "This time you can watch."
With that Zoro ran his tongue up the length of him, his gaze never leaving Sanji's. The earth trembled around the cook and Sanji reached for a second pillow and propped it underneath his head. His hands stayed fisted in the pillowcase as Zoro's lips came down over him. It had been two years, but the sensation of Zoro's mouth around him was exactly as he remembered.
Sanji let out a soft gasp as pleasure tightened everything in his body from the hips down. He watched as Zoro's lips hollowed and he sucked gently as he slid back up, and then down again.
"Fuck…" Sanji whispered breathlessly.
Zoro continued to work him slowly, watching the cook with his one dark eye. His hands came up, one arm sliding beneath Sanji's leg and wrapping around his thigh. The other teased through dark blond curls and cupped Sanji's sack. Pleasure clouded Sanji's senses, his breathing turned into short, broken panting. He felt his loins tightening as Zoro started to work faster, his strong hand pumping him along with his mouth.
Sanji cursed again, but his throat was so tight the sound barely got past his lips.
He writhed, tried to twist with the pleasure of it but Zoro had a firm hold on his thigh. Sanji knew somewhere in the back of his mind, it would be a simple enough thing to buck the swordsman off, kick him across the room, but he had forgotten how to do it. He had forgotten everything except the burning heat building up inside him. He sat up halfway and supported himself on an elbow, his other hand reached down and his fingers gripped the hair at the base of Zoro's skull.
He wanted to warn the swordsman so the man could pull off before he came, but he still couldn’t remember how to speak, and it was no use anyway, it was happening. Every muscle in his body coiled like a spring and then released. Pleasure bloomed as he spilled into Zoro's mouth. He let out a soft cry when the swordsman's eye lifted to meet his, and the two held their gaze as Zoro slowly worked the last of the orgasm from Sanji's body.
When it was over, Sanji's eyes slipped closed and he fell back onto the bed. Zoro crawled over him and kissed his jaw, sliding his hands into the cook's sweaty hair. When he spoke, his voice was low and husky.
"I don't think there's anything sexier than your face when you come."
Sanji laughed breathlessly, "I disagree."
"Yeah?" Zoro said, leaving another kiss on his temple.
"Yeah," Sanji repeated, trying to catch his breath. "The way you looked when I fucked you two years ago… shit, I want that to be the last thing I see before I die."
He felt Zoro chuckle against his skin and Sanji lifted his arms to run over smooth biceps.
"You didn't happen to snatch the lube from the galley, did you?"
Zoro shook his head. "No, but I have some of my own. Not my first fishing trip."
Laughing, Sanji smoothed his hair back out and watched as Zoro grabbed a bottle from the corner of the futon. When he returned and knelt between Sanji's legs, the swordsman paused. He ran his hand up Sanji's thigh and a thoughtful, almost concerned look crossed his features.
"You know, we don't have to do it this way. I'm perfectly fine with the way we did it last time."
Sanji shook his head. "I've been waiting two years for this, don't chicken out on me now."
"I'm not chickening out," Zoro growled, popping the cap on the bottle and pouring some onto his fingers. After he tossed the bottle aside, his features softened and he looked back up into Sanji's eyes.
"I'll go slow. Tell me if it hurts or you don't like it. I promise I'll stop."
Sanji smiled and shook his head again. "Don't worry, Marimo. The island I ended up on was Hell and the people were crazy, but they had some nice toys."
Zoro's one gray eye sparkled as he leaned over Sanji and pulled one long leg up and around his hip. "Yeah?"
Sanji's hand trailed up the scar on Zoro's chest. "Yeah."
Zoro's fingers slid into him and Sanji's focus narrowed. There was pressure, but Zoro was gentle, there was no pain.
"Tell me about the toys," the swordsman said softly.
Huffing a laugh, Sanji lifted his other knee to give Zoro a better angle and felt his back arch almost on its own as Zoro's touch slid deeper.
"Not much to tell," Sanji murmured. "I got a couple as gifts and got a little curious. I tried it on myself and tried not to cuss you out too loudly."
"Cuss me out?" Zoro snorted. "I wasn't even there. Not my fault."
"It was so your fault. You were there in my head and it fucking hurt the first few times. Not like… not like this…" Sanji's loins were tightening again. The pleasure was slowly seeping back into him through every pore, collecting in his lower gut and awakening his spent cock.
"Shit, how are you doing this?"
"Good with my hands," Zoro smiled against his lips.
"Bastard," Sanji growled before he reached up and pulled the swordsman down to him. He kissed Zoro's lips again, tasting salt and bitterness on his tongue, but not minding at all. The fingers inside of him were moving slow and gentle, brushing against places he himself hadn't been able to find so easy.
But it wasn't enough. He wanted more.
Knowing he had the swordsman sufficiently distracted, Sanji planted one of his heels into the futon and pushed. His hips came up and he rolled them both, throwing Zoro onto his back. The swordsman uttered an oof! as he landed, and his fingers left Sanji's body in a rush.
"Woa, cook," Zoro grinned up at him, "a little impatient, aren't we?"
"Yeah," Sanji said. He rolled his hips, sliding himself over Zoro's hard length and the swordsman groaned in approval. He glanced around, looking for the bottle of lube and spied it not far from Zoro's head. He grabbed it and squeezed some into his palm. When he slicked Zoro's length, the swordsman made a noise that had Sanji fully hard once again.
"You want me on my stomach?" Sanji asked.
If Zoro's eyes had been dark before, it was nothing compared to how that one iris flashed at those words. It was now a night sky devoid of stars, a canyon at the bottom of the sea in the deepest part of the ocean. The swordsman's hands gripped his thighs hard enough to leave bruises and he shuddered beneath Sanji's hips.
"Yes."
Sanji moved off him and stretched out on the futon. He folded his arms underneath his chin and turned his head to watch over his shoulder. His legs were sprawled slightly, inviting.
Zoro sat up and ran a hand up the back of Sanji's thigh. He lowered his head and laid kisses along the line of Sanji's spine and moved to kneel between the cook's long legs. Sanji startled at Zoro's touch but shivered almost violently as he felt the head of the swordsman's cock slip inside him. His hands moved to tangle in the blanket and he continued to watch Zoro's face, stony with concentration as he slowly pushed himself into Sanji's body.
The pressure was great, but again, there was no pain. He had opened himself up enough times before so his body understood what to do, but oh god it was so different when it was with another person. When that person was Zoro.
Sanji cried out softly when the swordsman was fully seated, but his cry was not one of pain. The feeling of Zoro filling him up had overwhelmed him on an emotional level he had not expected.
"Ahh… shit…" he said softly.
"You okay?" Zoro whispered against the back of his neck.
Sanji nodded and opened his eyes. Zoro was watching him with a mixture of love and desperation, trembling over him, shuddering a little at every breath Sanji took.
That sent the cook's heart fluttering. It gave him the courage to arch his back and lift his hips. Zoro's mouth fell open as he did, and he pushed forward with his own hips, meeting the cook in a gentle thrust. Another one of those sounds that had Sanji's dick jumping escaped from between the swordsman's teeth.
"Like that?" Sanji's voice was low, rough.
Zoro's lips moved but there were no words. He tried again but failed a second time. Finally, he closed his eyes and nodded before letting his forehead fall between Sanji's shoulder blades. He pulled out slowly and then pushed in again, the movement sending a jolt of pleasure through Sanji's whole body. The cook grunted softly, dropping his own forehead to the futon.
They moved like that for a small space of time, Zoro thrusting in and out gently, getting Sanji used to the intrusion. And then just as Sanji was about to tell Zoro to pick up the pace, he felt one of the swordsman's arms slip underneath his own, and the weight of Zoro's torso come down on his back. He felt the hand beneath him, slip fingers in between his own and tears stung his eyes as he realized that Zoro was wrapped entirely around him, cradling him as they fucked slow and gentle. Sanji had never imagined this was how it would be, that Zoro would prove this romantic, this sweet and loving.
Zoro's lips were on his neck, his face buried in the crook of his shoulder. He was panting heavily, making soft noises every time Sanji's hips lifted or his thighs squeezed.
Sanji turned his head to put his lips within reach if Zoro wanted them.
"Is this how you always dreamt it?" he asked, his voice nothing but a breathy whisper.
Zoro groaned, "Better," and squeezed Sanji's hand.
That did him in. Sanji let himself be washed away with the tide of Zoro's tenderness, his passion. He felt his heart break open and warmth bled out through his chest, through his veins to his fingertips and toes. The pleasure that built as Zoro moved in him, was fueled by that warmth, and Sanji knew there was no way he would ever be satisfied with anything else ever again.
Sanji felt the futon dip by his head as Zoro braced himself on his other hand. Their movements were quicker now, the swordsman's hips drove into him harder, faster, the slap of flesh punctuated every delicious peak of friction; every lightning bolt of pleasure that sent stars swimming across the back of Sanji's eyelids. He felt his legs spread wider as Zoro pushed them farther apart with his thighs, felt the swordsman's gasping breaths against his shoulder, the frantic press of lips on his skin.
Sanji felt himself racing toward another release, reaching for it blindly amongst a sea of pleasure, pain, and overwhelming ecstasy. And then Zoro's voice was at his ear, panting, desperate.
"Tell me you love me. Do it now, I'm coming."
"I love you," Sanji said without hesitation. Zoro's words sent him flying, hurling over the edge. He turned his face back into the futon and came hard enough to knock the wind out of his lungs. He couldn't even cry out or gasp in his pleasure. He felt he would pass out as the world wavered and faded out around him, faintly aware of Zoro growling against him, and sharp pain flooding his shoulder before he finally came down and started to come back to himself.
Zoro's weight left him and he slowly rolled to his back, breathing heavily and shivering with the last remnants of the most amazing orgasm he had ever experienced. He lay there, cursing under his breath, wanting a cigarette but feeling too good to move. When Zoro's lips pressed against his jaw and the swordsman's fingers trailed over his cheek, Sanji opened his eyes and met his gaze. It was calm, still tender, but now it was concerned as well.
"You okay?" Zoro asked softly.
Sanji smiled tiredly. "I told you I can take anything you can dish out, Marimo. I'm fine. Good even."
"Yeah?"
Nodding, Sanji ran a hand through his sweaty hair. "Yeah. Could definitely use a cigarette though."
The warmth of Zoro’s body left him for a moment, but the swordsman returned quickly with his pack and lighter. After lighting up and pulling a drag deep into his lungs, Sanji exhaled and turned to find Zoro resting at his side, his head propped up on his elbow and his temple resting in his palm.
“I was-” Pain, sharp and exact flared in his shoulder and the cook lifted his hand to prod at the spot. His fingers came away spotted with blood. When he looked at Zoro the swordsman made a face and lifted his own shoulders.
“Sorry…”
“Holy shit,” Sanji chuckled. “All right all right I get it, we’ll do it. Safe words. I’ll get you a collar.”
Zoro snorted and leaned in to kiss the bite mark. Sanji watched his face, and the way his eyes narrowed in concentration as he studied the wound up close. He liked the serious side of Zoro as much as the flirtatious side, or the teasing side. He liked every part of Zoro from his directional faults all the way to his incredible power and swordsmanship. Sanji loved him. All of him.
“Zoro…” he said softly.
Zoro’s gaze shifted from his shoulder to his face but he said nothing.
Sanji swallowed. “You said your feelings haven’t changed in the last two years, so what does that… I mean, what should I expect?”
Taking a slow breath, Zoro spoke so softly that Sanji could barely hear him.
“You want me to say that I love you?”
Sanji crushed his cigarette out between his fingers and dropped it into the nearest wineglass. When he turned back to the swordsman he lifted his hand and ran the backs of his knuckles over Zoro’s cheek.
“I only want you to say it if you mean it.”
A few seconds passed by, a few that seemed like a hundred, and Sanji found he was holding his breath. Finally, Zoro reached up and took his hand, kissed his fingers, and shrugged his shoulders.
“Then, I love you.”
It was so simple, so easily said, and sounded so perfect coming from Zoro’s lips that Sanji could do nothing but smile.
Epilogue
The sun shone through a canopy of palm trees, painting the stalls on either side of the cobblestone road in irregular splashes of golden light. Vendors called their wares, children laughed and frolicked, people chatted and bartered and shouted greetings to one another, and Sanji took it all in with a smile.
The cook’s gaze returned to the stand in front of him and he motioned with his head.
“Can I get just one?”
The woman he was addressing smiled a wide smile and pulled a thick, long-stemmed rose from a wooden box and carefully wrapped it in tissue paper.
“For someone special?” she asked.
“Yes, very.”
He took the rose and place a few beli in her palm, insisting she keep the change. She thanked him, and he was on his way.
The island was beautiful, the people were friendly, and the food was a good quality. Sanji could have spent another few hours shopping or even just wandering, peeking into windows to watch cakes being decorated, or tasting bits of grilled meats on the end of sampling sticks.
But he had somewhere to be.
Making his way towards the harbor, Sanji shifted his mountain of packages and bags and crates and bottles to sit better on his back. When he neared Sunny’s dock he slipped the rose into his jacket and then placed a cigarette between his teeth. Nami and Robin were just heading out and he waved enthusiastically to them as they passed him on the gangplank. They waved back, laughing and promising to be back for dinner.
His stop into the galley was only long enough to put a few perishables away, and then he was out, crossing the deck and climbing the ladder to the crow’s nest. Just before he reached the door, he pulled the rose from his jacket, and folded the tissue paper down so the ruby red of the petals could be seen clearly.
Reaching for the handle, he started as the door opened and a head of green hair appeared. A tanned face peered down at him and a dark gray eye moved to the rose in his hand.
Soft lips pulled back in a smile, and that handsome face softened into something almost beautiful.
“Hey, cook,” Zoro said softly.
Sanji felt his own mouth turn up in a smile. “Hey, Marimo.”
Zoro took the rose, Sanji climbed the rest of the way up the ladder, and shut the door behind them.
THE END
Thank you ~ <3
Title: The Nature Of Things
Authors: sinisterbug and stark_black
Rating: Big fat R to NC-17
Paring: Zoro/hookers/Zoro, Sanji/hookers, and eventually Zoro/Sanji/Zoro
Warnings: Yaoi, language, and general stupidity.
Summary: When the Sunny docks, Sanji and Zoro sometimes seek out relief in some not so savory places. After crossing paths in town on more than one occasion, the two find they have a lot more in common than they would like to admit.
<< Part 1 Here
All previous chapters here.
Leaving Null Island was uneventful, as had been the entire excursion, thankfully. The Strawhats returned to their regular duties, and by duties, of course, that meant the various ways they passed the time while at sea. They ate a delicious dinner, played a few games of cards on the grass-ridiculous and incomprehensible rules provided by Usopp and Franky of course-and then as the sun set and the stars twinkled in a night sky above them, they lounged in chairs or huddled in soft blankets as Robin read them adventure stories about dragons and knights in shining armor.
After most of the crew had gone to bed, and Sanji had finished the prep for the morning, he made his way into the aquarium and found Zoro there, his arms folded across his chest, calmly watching the fish.
Not wishing to disturb the swordsman when he was looking so content, but unable to stop himself from reaching out his hands and sliding them over Zoro's hips, Sanji pulled himself close, relishing the swordsman's soft intake of breath, and whispered against the shell of an ear adorned with three gold earrings.
"I'm here, what did you want to show me?"
Zoro turned his head and his cheekbone brushed against the stubble on Sanji's chin.
"In a minute," he said softly, and then turned and faced the cook. "First, we have to set some ground rules."
Sanji laughed, it was almost a giggle. "What, like safe words?"
Zoro's grin was wide and almost dopy, "No, idiot, not like that… well, unless you're into that."
Leering, Sanji lowered his voice, "If they're for you, then yeah."
Surprised and delighted, Sanji watched a blush spread over the swordsman's cheeks, but then, still grinning, Zoro closed his eyes and shook his head. "Goddamnit, I forgot what I was talking about."
"Ground rules," Sanji almost laughed again.
"Yeah. Ground rules for around the ship. I don't really care if the crew knows about us, but I do want to set some boundaries. It's our private life and I don't want to flaunt it all over the place, or give Luffy's enemies extra ammo."
"Ah," Sanji nodded, "that's smart." He knocked a cigarette from his pack and slipped it between his lips. As Zoro talked he lit up and pulled the smoke into his lungs.
"We keep things the way they've always been outside, on the deck, the helm, places like that, and we keep the stuff between ourselves to like, the galley."
"After dark, and after night prep," Sanji agreed.
Zoro nodded. "I was thinking the crow's nest too. I mean, no one's up there in the gym but me most of the time."
Sanji puffed again and blew out a long, thin stream of smoke. "What about the washroom?"
Lifting a finger to scratch at his temple in an absurdly bashful way, Zoro nodded again.
"Yeah, that… that's a good idea."
The way he was standing sparked the cook's interest. This was a strange edition of the Zoro Sanji knew. He was like a younger, more vulnerable version and it was charming, but also confusing.
"Are you okay, Zoro?" Sanji asked.
Zoro looked at him and nodded.
"Then," Sanji shrugged, "what's up?"
Looking almost guilty, Zoro rubbed his fingers over his mouth and then put his hands on his hips. Sanji could not imagine what could possibly have the swordsman in this sort of state but damn it was cute as hell.
"I need you to trust me for a few minutes, okay?"
Sanji nodded, "All right."
"Follow me."
Curious, Sanji crushed the butt on the bottom of his shoe and slipped the half-smoked cigarette back into his pack. He followed Zoro from the aquarium and out onto the grass deck. They made their way to the main mast but just as Sanji was readying himself to climb, Zoro stopped and turned to him.
"It's a surprise and I know you'll peek if I tell you to close your eyes so..." Zoro then untied his bandana from around his bicep and took a step forward. He held it up and took a breath.
Sanji chuckled quietly and took the bandana from Zoro's hands. He was giddy suddenly, excited like he always was before a fight. When he put the bandana up to his eyes in a makeshift blindfold he grinned again and spoke in a whisper, as not to alert the rest of the crew.
"You sure we don't need to go over some safe words, Marimo? This shit is bordering on kinky."
He heard Zoro's soft chuckle as he knotted the ends at the back of his head, and then he felt a soft touch guide his hand to the ladder.
It was awkward climbing without his sight, but the cook managed without too much fuss. When he reached the top, he opened the door to the crow's nest and pulled himself up inside. He heard Zoro climb up behind him and shut the door. There was nothing for a moment, and Sanji was about to say something, but then Zoro's hands were at his hips, turning him to face the center of the room, and the swordsman's deep voice was at his ear.
"Okay, you can look now."
When Sanji pulled the bandana from his eyes, he stood frozen for a few seconds, unsure he could believe what he was seeing.
Candles were placed throughout the room, they sat on the bench and on the floor beside the bench at varying intervals. Their soft glow gave the space a dreamlike feel and threw the world outside the windows into an even deeper shadow. It was like they were floating in their own separate place outside of time and space. A futon lay on the floor dressed in a few pillows and a single red, blanket. Beside the futon was a bottle of wine and two glasses.
And there were rose petals.
Sanji's gaze swept over the floor, the carpet of petals, and breathed in the sweet scent of the flowers, his heart skipping and dancing behind the cage of his ribs. It was hard to breathe, hard to think. No one had ever done anything like this for him before, no one had even tried.
"Z-Zoro…" he tried to say, but his voice seemed to get lost in a wave of emotion.
"I'm not great at this whole romantic thing," Zoro murmured behind him, "but I know you really like it so I thought… I don't know. I just thought you deserved something nice."
Sanji turned to him, meeting the swordsman's eyes, not knowing what to say or how to deal with the powerful rush of desire and love the overtook him. He feared it would sweep him up and carry him away if he didn't grab on to something quick.
He took Zoro's arms in his hands and tried to speak.
"You sweet… beautiful bastard. I can't believe you did this, you goddamn, fucking perfect…"
Zoro's eye was wide with surprise and it seemed he was about to say something, but Sanji cut him off by kissing him. Zoro made a soft noise in the back of his throat and slid his arms around Sanji's waist. They were breathless, shaking in each other's hold, excited and afraid at this new and wonderful new territory.
"Fuck you," Sanji breathed into Zoro's mouth. "I love you, you son of a bitch."
Zoro laughed and shook his head. "Do you like it or not? You're sending me mixed signals."
"Idiot, of course I like it." He kissed Zoro one last time before he pulled away. He shrugged out of his jacket and yanked at his tie. "Now, we're gonna drink some wine naked."
Zoro's eyebrows shot up. "Okay, I like this idea."
They stripped out of their clothes, tossing them on the floor and sending rose petals dancing across the wooden planks. Sanji sat on the futon and took the wine bottle from Zoro's hands as the swordsman sat in front of him. They were so close that their shins and knees touched, and as the cook worked the cork free Zoro took one of Sanji's legs and pulled it over his thigh. He caressed the skin stretched over a knee and Sanji had to focus on steadying his hands as he poured wine into each glass.
"I have to admit," Sanji said softly, "you drinking wine out of a glass is a little weird for me."
Zoro grinned and took the glass from Sanji's hand. "Don't tell anyone."
Sanji snickered and held his glass up just below his jaw. He watched Zoro's face as the swordsman touched his glass to Sanji's, his one open eye darker than Sanji had seen it in a long time. The cook sipped, rolling the wine over his tongue, savoring the mild berry and chestnut flavor before swallowing. When Zoro downed the entire glass in one go, Sanji laughed and pinched the swordsman's arm.
"Ouch! What?!"
"Uncultured swine," Sanji smiled.
"Wine is for drinking, cook," Zoro muttered, to which Sanji laughed again.
He poured the swordsman another glass and set the bottle down. "How did you do all this with no one seeing you?"
Shrugging, Zoro took another long drink but stopped himself before he drained the entire thing. "Usopp has a stash of candles in his workshop. I told him they were for training. The futon was already here, I keep it under the bench for when I train late and don't want to wake Luffy up."
"Eh?" Sanji made a face, "This has sweaty after-training Marimo all over it?"
Zoro made a face, but it could not hide the humor beneath it. "No, I shower first. Anyway, the wine and the glasses I snatched from your stash when you went to give the girls their after-dinner coffee. The roses are from Robin's garden."
"You stole flowers from Robin-chwan!?" Sanji was appalled.
"Man, you have no faith in me," Zoro growled. "I get flowers from Robin all the time, for training."
"Training." Sanji cocked an eyebrow.
Zoro nodded again. "For training."
Sanji was skeptical, but also curious.
"Show me."
That one dark gray eye opened wide and the swordsman's caress on his thigh froze. "Right now?"
"Yes, right now."
Zoro blinked and then looked around as if he had forgotten where they were. He let out a breath, finished off his wine, and gently moved Sanji's leg from his lap. "Okay."
He stood and moved to where he had propped his swords against the wall. He took the white one, the one he cared for so reverently, and straightened. The candlelight reflected off his skin, throwing shadows against the hard lines of his back and buttocks. He was such a sight to behold, and Sanji was still having trouble believing all that skin and muscle and power was literally at his disposal.
Zoro turned and caught Sanji watching him.
"You just want to see me train with my clothes off."
Nodding sagely, Sanji took another swallow. "It's a bonus."
Smiling softly, Zoro moved to the center of the room and picked up a single petal from the floor. He examined it for a few seconds, and then the smile dropped and he backed up towards the ladder. He stood still for about a half minute before he changed his stance, spreading his feet and readying his sword at his right hip.
Sanji could feel the change in the atmosphere. It was like the charge in the air just before a storm. His hair stood up at the back of his neck, and he shivered as Zoro's face darkened and a surge of energy pulsed through the room.
It took less than three seconds. Zoro moved, gently tossed the petal into the air, and then he reached across his body to take the hilt of his sword in his left hand. Another pulse of energy filled the room, and the petal split into two perfectly equal pieces and floated to the floor.
Sanji didn't realize he was holding his breath until the two halves of the petal had actually touched down on the floorboards. He let it out in a long rush and looked back up at Zoro. The swordsman's eyes were closed. He hadn't even drawn the sword.
"Holy shit…" Sanji whispered.
Zoro opened his one eye, looked at him, and Sanji felt desire hit him and rocket through him like a bolt of lightning. He tipped his glass, downing the last of his wine, and set the glass on the floor next to the futon. Turning back, he licked his lips and motioned to Zoro with his hand.
"Come here."
Zoro set his sword carefully on the floor where he stood and came to the futon. He moved like a predator, stalking his prey through the tall grass at the edge of a field. Sanji however, did not feel like prey, he felt powerful. He watched the ripple of muscle under scarred, tanned skin and swallowed in anticipation of running his hands over every inch of it. His mouth dropped open the tiniest bit and he let out a soft noise as Zoro crouched and then crawled on his hands and knees to where Sanji sat. His hands glided over Sanji's thighs, and he pushed his way underneath Sanji's jaw to kiss at the skin of the cook's neck.
Sighing softly, Sanji put his hands on Zoro's shoulders and lay back on the soft blanket. Zoro came with him, kissing and sucking at pale skin, gripping strong thighs with his calloused hands as Sanji's legs came around his hips.
When Zoro's weight came down on him, Sanji let out another soft noise and ran his hands up a scarred torso. The swordsman's body was covered in a fine sheen of sweat, and though Sanji wasn't sure if it was from the strain of the technique he had just executed, or merely from the heat of their bodies coming together, he didn't care. Zoro's skin was slick against his own, and the two rocked together smoothly, their cocks sliding easily in the clefs between thigh and groin.
Slowly, Zoro began to leave open-mouthed kisses down the column of Sanji's throat, and then down to his chest. Sanji tucked one arm behind his head and let the other rake through the swordsman's hair. He watched those lips kiss his skin, that tongue dart out and flick his nipple, while little ripples of pleasure swam through his veins. His breath caught every time Zoro's rough thumbs caressed over his abs, or across the angle of his hips. He pulled at Zoro's hair when teeth nipped at the flesh around his navel.
When Zoro reached his cock, Sanji fell still. His hand froze.
"Zoro," he said softly, "you don't-"
"-I've been thinking about this all day," Zoro growled, and then looked up and Sanji, his smile mischievous. "This time you can watch."
With that Zoro ran his tongue up the length of him, his gaze never leaving Sanji's. The earth trembled around the cook and Sanji reached for a second pillow and propped it underneath his head. His hands stayed fisted in the pillowcase as Zoro's lips came down over him. It had been two years, but the sensation of Zoro's mouth around him was exactly as he remembered.
Sanji let out a soft gasp as pleasure tightened everything in his body from the hips down. He watched as Zoro's lips hollowed and he sucked gently as he slid back up, and then down again.
"Fuck…" Sanji whispered breathlessly.
Zoro continued to work him slowly, watching the cook with his one dark eye. His hands came up, one arm sliding beneath Sanji's leg and wrapping around his thigh. The other teased through dark blond curls and cupped Sanji's sack. Pleasure clouded Sanji's senses, his breathing turned into short, broken panting. He felt his loins tightening as Zoro started to work faster, his strong hand pumping him along with his mouth.
Sanji cursed again, but his throat was so tight the sound barely got past his lips.
He writhed, tried to twist with the pleasure of it but Zoro had a firm hold on his thigh. Sanji knew somewhere in the back of his mind, it would be a simple enough thing to buck the swordsman off, kick him across the room, but he had forgotten how to do it. He had forgotten everything except the burning heat building up inside him. He sat up halfway and supported himself on an elbow, his other hand reached down and his fingers gripped the hair at the base of Zoro's skull.
He wanted to warn the swordsman so the man could pull off before he came, but he still couldn’t remember how to speak, and it was no use anyway, it was happening. Every muscle in his body coiled like a spring and then released. Pleasure bloomed as he spilled into Zoro's mouth. He let out a soft cry when the swordsman's eye lifted to meet his, and the two held their gaze as Zoro slowly worked the last of the orgasm from Sanji's body.
When it was over, Sanji's eyes slipped closed and he fell back onto the bed. Zoro crawled over him and kissed his jaw, sliding his hands into the cook's sweaty hair. When he spoke, his voice was low and husky.
"I don't think there's anything sexier than your face when you come."
Sanji laughed breathlessly, "I disagree."
"Yeah?" Zoro said, leaving another kiss on his temple.
"Yeah," Sanji repeated, trying to catch his breath. "The way you looked when I fucked you two years ago… shit, I want that to be the last thing I see before I die."
He felt Zoro chuckle against his skin and Sanji lifted his arms to run over smooth biceps.
"You didn't happen to snatch the lube from the galley, did you?"
Zoro shook his head. "No, but I have some of my own. Not my first fishing trip."
Laughing, Sanji smoothed his hair back out and watched as Zoro grabbed a bottle from the corner of the futon. When he returned and knelt between Sanji's legs, the swordsman paused. He ran his hand up Sanji's thigh and a thoughtful, almost concerned look crossed his features.
"You know, we don't have to do it this way. I'm perfectly fine with the way we did it last time."
Sanji shook his head. "I've been waiting two years for this, don't chicken out on me now."
"I'm not chickening out," Zoro growled, popping the cap on the bottle and pouring some onto his fingers. After he tossed the bottle aside, his features softened and he looked back up into Sanji's eyes.
"I'll go slow. Tell me if it hurts or you don't like it. I promise I'll stop."
Sanji smiled and shook his head again. "Don't worry, Marimo. The island I ended up on was Hell and the people were crazy, but they had some nice toys."
Zoro's one gray eye sparkled as he leaned over Sanji and pulled one long leg up and around his hip. "Yeah?"
Sanji's hand trailed up the scar on Zoro's chest. "Yeah."
Zoro's fingers slid into him and Sanji's focus narrowed. There was pressure, but Zoro was gentle, there was no pain.
"Tell me about the toys," the swordsman said softly.
Huffing a laugh, Sanji lifted his other knee to give Zoro a better angle and felt his back arch almost on its own as Zoro's touch slid deeper.
"Not much to tell," Sanji murmured. "I got a couple as gifts and got a little curious. I tried it on myself and tried not to cuss you out too loudly."
"Cuss me out?" Zoro snorted. "I wasn't even there. Not my fault."
"It was so your fault. You were there in my head and it fucking hurt the first few times. Not like… not like this…" Sanji's loins were tightening again. The pleasure was slowly seeping back into him through every pore, collecting in his lower gut and awakening his spent cock.
"Shit, how are you doing this?"
"Good with my hands," Zoro smiled against his lips.
"Bastard," Sanji growled before he reached up and pulled the swordsman down to him. He kissed Zoro's lips again, tasting salt and bitterness on his tongue, but not minding at all. The fingers inside of him were moving slow and gentle, brushing against places he himself hadn't been able to find so easy.
But it wasn't enough. He wanted more.
Knowing he had the swordsman sufficiently distracted, Sanji planted one of his heels into the futon and pushed. His hips came up and he rolled them both, throwing Zoro onto his back. The swordsman uttered an oof! as he landed, and his fingers left Sanji's body in a rush.
"Woa, cook," Zoro grinned up at him, "a little impatient, aren't we?"
"Yeah," Sanji said. He rolled his hips, sliding himself over Zoro's hard length and the swordsman groaned in approval. He glanced around, looking for the bottle of lube and spied it not far from Zoro's head. He grabbed it and squeezed some into his palm. When he slicked Zoro's length, the swordsman made a noise that had Sanji fully hard once again.
"You want me on my stomach?" Sanji asked.
If Zoro's eyes had been dark before, it was nothing compared to how that one iris flashed at those words. It was now a night sky devoid of stars, a canyon at the bottom of the sea in the deepest part of the ocean. The swordsman's hands gripped his thighs hard enough to leave bruises and he shuddered beneath Sanji's hips.
"Yes."
Sanji moved off him and stretched out on the futon. He folded his arms underneath his chin and turned his head to watch over his shoulder. His legs were sprawled slightly, inviting.
Zoro sat up and ran a hand up the back of Sanji's thigh. He lowered his head and laid kisses along the line of Sanji's spine and moved to kneel between the cook's long legs. Sanji startled at Zoro's touch but shivered almost violently as he felt the head of the swordsman's cock slip inside him. His hands moved to tangle in the blanket and he continued to watch Zoro's face, stony with concentration as he slowly pushed himself into Sanji's body.
The pressure was great, but again, there was no pain. He had opened himself up enough times before so his body understood what to do, but oh god it was so different when it was with another person. When that person was Zoro.
Sanji cried out softly when the swordsman was fully seated, but his cry was not one of pain. The feeling of Zoro filling him up had overwhelmed him on an emotional level he had not expected.
"Ahh… shit…" he said softly.
"You okay?" Zoro whispered against the back of his neck.
Sanji nodded and opened his eyes. Zoro was watching him with a mixture of love and desperation, trembling over him, shuddering a little at every breath Sanji took.
That sent the cook's heart fluttering. It gave him the courage to arch his back and lift his hips. Zoro's mouth fell open as he did, and he pushed forward with his own hips, meeting the cook in a gentle thrust. Another one of those sounds that had Sanji's dick jumping escaped from between the swordsman's teeth.
"Like that?" Sanji's voice was low, rough.
Zoro's lips moved but there were no words. He tried again but failed a second time. Finally, he closed his eyes and nodded before letting his forehead fall between Sanji's shoulder blades. He pulled out slowly and then pushed in again, the movement sending a jolt of pleasure through Sanji's whole body. The cook grunted softly, dropping his own forehead to the futon.
They moved like that for a small space of time, Zoro thrusting in and out gently, getting Sanji used to the intrusion. And then just as Sanji was about to tell Zoro to pick up the pace, he felt one of the swordsman's arms slip underneath his own, and the weight of Zoro's torso come down on his back. He felt the hand beneath him, slip fingers in between his own and tears stung his eyes as he realized that Zoro was wrapped entirely around him, cradling him as they fucked slow and gentle. Sanji had never imagined this was how it would be, that Zoro would prove this romantic, this sweet and loving.
Zoro's lips were on his neck, his face buried in the crook of his shoulder. He was panting heavily, making soft noises every time Sanji's hips lifted or his thighs squeezed.
Sanji turned his head to put his lips within reach if Zoro wanted them.
"Is this how you always dreamt it?" he asked, his voice nothing but a breathy whisper.
Zoro groaned, "Better," and squeezed Sanji's hand.
That did him in. Sanji let himself be washed away with the tide of Zoro's tenderness, his passion. He felt his heart break open and warmth bled out through his chest, through his veins to his fingertips and toes. The pleasure that built as Zoro moved in him, was fueled by that warmth, and Sanji knew there was no way he would ever be satisfied with anything else ever again.
Sanji felt the futon dip by his head as Zoro braced himself on his other hand. Their movements were quicker now, the swordsman's hips drove into him harder, faster, the slap of flesh punctuated every delicious peak of friction; every lightning bolt of pleasure that sent stars swimming across the back of Sanji's eyelids. He felt his legs spread wider as Zoro pushed them farther apart with his thighs, felt the swordsman's gasping breaths against his shoulder, the frantic press of lips on his skin.
Sanji felt himself racing toward another release, reaching for it blindly amongst a sea of pleasure, pain, and overwhelming ecstasy. And then Zoro's voice was at his ear, panting, desperate.
"Tell me you love me. Do it now, I'm coming."
"I love you," Sanji said without hesitation. Zoro's words sent him flying, hurling over the edge. He turned his face back into the futon and came hard enough to knock the wind out of his lungs. He couldn't even cry out or gasp in his pleasure. He felt he would pass out as the world wavered and faded out around him, faintly aware of Zoro growling against him, and sharp pain flooding his shoulder before he finally came down and started to come back to himself.
Zoro's weight left him and he slowly rolled to his back, breathing heavily and shivering with the last remnants of the most amazing orgasm he had ever experienced. He lay there, cursing under his breath, wanting a cigarette but feeling too good to move. When Zoro's lips pressed against his jaw and the swordsman's fingers trailed over his cheek, Sanji opened his eyes and met his gaze. It was calm, still tender, but now it was concerned as well.
"You okay?" Zoro asked softly.
Sanji smiled tiredly. "I told you I can take anything you can dish out, Marimo. I'm fine. Good even."
"Yeah?"
Nodding, Sanji ran a hand through his sweaty hair. "Yeah. Could definitely use a cigarette though."
The warmth of Zoro’s body left him for a moment, but the swordsman returned quickly with his pack and lighter. After lighting up and pulling a drag deep into his lungs, Sanji exhaled and turned to find Zoro resting at his side, his head propped up on his elbow and his temple resting in his palm.
“I was-” Pain, sharp and exact flared in his shoulder and the cook lifted his hand to prod at the spot. His fingers came away spotted with blood. When he looked at Zoro the swordsman made a face and lifted his own shoulders.
“Sorry…”
“Holy shit,” Sanji chuckled. “All right all right I get it, we’ll do it. Safe words. I’ll get you a collar.”
Zoro snorted and leaned in to kiss the bite mark. Sanji watched his face, and the way his eyes narrowed in concentration as he studied the wound up close. He liked the serious side of Zoro as much as the flirtatious side, or the teasing side. He liked every part of Zoro from his directional faults all the way to his incredible power and swordsmanship. Sanji loved him. All of him.
“Zoro…” he said softly.
Zoro’s gaze shifted from his shoulder to his face but he said nothing.
Sanji swallowed. “You said your feelings haven’t changed in the last two years, so what does that… I mean, what should I expect?”
Taking a slow breath, Zoro spoke so softly that Sanji could barely hear him.
“You want me to say that I love you?”
Sanji crushed his cigarette out between his fingers and dropped it into the nearest wineglass. When he turned back to the swordsman he lifted his hand and ran the backs of his knuckles over Zoro’s cheek.
“I only want you to say it if you mean it.”
A few seconds passed by, a few that seemed like a hundred, and Sanji found he was holding his breath. Finally, Zoro reached up and took his hand, kissed his fingers, and shrugged his shoulders.
“Then, I love you.”
It was so simple, so easily said, and sounded so perfect coming from Zoro’s lips that Sanji could do nothing but smile.
Epilogue
The sun shone through a canopy of palm trees, painting the stalls on either side of the cobblestone road in irregular splashes of golden light. Vendors called their wares, children laughed and frolicked, people chatted and bartered and shouted greetings to one another, and Sanji took it all in with a smile.
The cook’s gaze returned to the stand in front of him and he motioned with his head.
“Can I get just one?”
The woman he was addressing smiled a wide smile and pulled a thick, long-stemmed rose from a wooden box and carefully wrapped it in tissue paper.
“For someone special?” she asked.
“Yes, very.”
He took the rose and place a few beli in her palm, insisting she keep the change. She thanked him, and he was on his way.
The island was beautiful, the people were friendly, and the food was a good quality. Sanji could have spent another few hours shopping or even just wandering, peeking into windows to watch cakes being decorated, or tasting bits of grilled meats on the end of sampling sticks.
But he had somewhere to be.
Making his way towards the harbor, Sanji shifted his mountain of packages and bags and crates and bottles to sit better on his back. When he neared Sunny’s dock he slipped the rose into his jacket and then placed a cigarette between his teeth. Nami and Robin were just heading out and he waved enthusiastically to them as they passed him on the gangplank. They waved back, laughing and promising to be back for dinner.
His stop into the galley was only long enough to put a few perishables away, and then he was out, crossing the deck and climbing the ladder to the crow’s nest. Just before he reached the door, he pulled the rose from his jacket, and folded the tissue paper down so the ruby red of the petals could be seen clearly.
Reaching for the handle, he started as the door opened and a head of green hair appeared. A tanned face peered down at him and a dark gray eye moved to the rose in his hand.
Soft lips pulled back in a smile, and that handsome face softened into something almost beautiful.
“Hey, cook,” Zoro said softly.
Sanji felt his own mouth turn up in a smile. “Hey, Marimo.”
Zoro took the rose, Sanji climbed the rest of the way up the ladder, and shut the door behind them.
THE END
Thank you ~ <3