Punctilious Island gleamed from a distance, the pure white stone walls of the massive castle reflecting the sunlight. Five towers stood sentry around the fortifications that surrounded the castle on all sides of the island, separated by battlements and covered parapet walks. A tall keep stood at the center of the island, with pointed spires and pinnacles. There were no homes or shops, no town surrounding the castle. A port with four piers extended into the water for passing ships. The docks converged at an arched gatehouse with steel portcullis.
The island was on the tri-log pose route roughly three weeks from Wano. The Thousand Sunny needed to stopover overnight for the new route to set. The Straw Hats were searching for the last Road Poneglyph, but they had yet to find a clue to its location. They continued to sail where Nami directed and the wind blew.
Of the crew, only Brook had heard of Punctilious and he knew scant information. The ruling government was a monarchy that placed etiquette and decorum above all else. Cleanliness was held in high regard, as well. It was decided that the Sunny would dock and no one would go ashore unless they absolutely had to, and Zoro and Luffy had to stay on board no matter what.
Luffy was disappointed, but Zoro didn’t care. He’d rather not spend his time concerning himself with how far to bow or what constituted polite and proper conversation. He planned to spend the wait training and keeping Luffy corralled.
No marines were docked at Punctilious when they sailed into the harbor late in the afternoon. No other pirate ships, either. A tugboat was tied to the middle berth. Jinbe and Franky worked in tandem to execute a perfect turn, allowing the Sunny to dock with its figurehead pointed back out to sea. They’d had to escape quickly from too many places not to plan ahead.
“Uh-oh,” Usopp said. He stood at the rail, rope over his shoulder, which he’d planned to tie to the cleat on the dock. “It looks like we have a welcoming party.”
The crew, save Franky who was still below deck, joined Usopp at the rail. Below, they could see the portcullis had opened. A large party of exquisitely dressed people emerged from beyond the gatehouse, along with several guards in gleaming white armor. Behind the front two guards strode a tall, rotund man with rouge on his cheeks, wearing a pure white suit and gold crown.
“Welcome, Straw Hat crew, to Punctilious Island,” the monarch called up to them. “And especially welcome Prince Vinsmoke. You honor us with your presence.”
Standing between Zoro and Luffy, Sanji’s entire body stiffened. He glanced at Luffy, then down the line at the rest of the crew. Then, he took a deep breath and plastered a courtly smile on his face. Standing taller, with a slightly haughty tilt to his chin, Sanji looked back down at the monarch and bowed politely. “The honor is mine, Your Majesty.”
Zoro frowned. He heard something odd in Sanji’s voice, barely noticeable but there. Zoro cut a look at Luffy, whose hands were clenched into fists. Sanji indicated for the gangplank to be lowered.
“Sanji…,” Nami whispered, but Sanji shook his head.
“It’s fine,” he told her. “It’s only overnight.”
The gangplank was lowered. Sanji neatened his black suit, buttoned the collar of his white shirt, and straightened his dark green tie. He patted at his hair to ensure it was in place. Then, he descended the gangplank with a regal air that was off-putting to Zoro. Sanji might be a better dresser and knew the difference between fancy forks, but he was still as crass as the rest of the crew.
“Please allow us to extend our hospitality to you and your entire crew,” the monarch stated, his voice carrying. “We are preparing rooms as we speak.”
“You are too kind, Your Grace,” Sanji replied. He reached the bottom of the gangplank, glanced back at his nakama, and went to join the monarch in conversation.
“It appears we shall be disembarking, as well,” Jinbe commented.
Chopper and Brook came over to Nami’s side and they bowed their heads together. Zoro couldn’t overhear what they were saying. Franky emerged from below and joined them at the rail. “What’s this?”
“We’ve been invited to stay in the castle,” Usopp told him.
“Super! I’ll grab my formal speedo.”
Nami spoke up before Franky could walk off. “We’re going with Sanji to the castle. Be on your very best behavior, all of you.” She gave Zoro the stink eye, to which Zoro took offense. He knew how to behave. “We’re not going to let Sanji-kun down.”
Zoro scowled. What the hell? Who cared if they let the cook down or not? They didn’t need to impress him.
“Let’s go,” Nami said. “I’m sure they’ll be providing us with clothing and necessities.”
Nami led the way down the gangplank, the rest of the crew, except Luffy, following her. Luffy still stood at the rail, hands clenched. Zoro stepped beside him. “What is it?” he asked the captain in a low voice.
“Sanji is not a Vinsmoke,” Luffy said tightly. “He’s one of us.”
Zoro glanced down at those gathered on the dock. Nami and the rest of the crew had joined the throng of people, being welcomed with stiff formality. “It’s his name, isn’t it? And so what if these people know he’s a Vinsmoke? It’s getting us the royal treatment, apparently.”
Luffy shot Zoro a look that had him taking a step back. He’d never seen such fury aimed at himself before - others, yes, but not him. “It is not his name.”
Zoro nodded once. Message received. He didn’t know what the big deal was, but it meant something to Luffy. Maybe it had something to do with whatever went down on Whole Cake Island. No one had told Zoro what had happened, and he hadn’t asked. Sanji’s business was his own. “What do we do?”
“Stay with him,” Luffy said. “Nami is right, we can’t let him down.”
Zoro still wasn’t sure what the hell that meant, but he would follow through. “I won’t leave him alone.”
“Good.” Luffy resettled his hat on his head, shading his eyes, and headed down the gangplank.
Zoro took one last look at Sanji from above – a real look – and didn’t like what he saw: tense shoulders, stiff jawline, a finger tapping against a thigh. None of Sanji’s usual confidence or swagger. He was putting a show of royalty, but it was definitely that – a show. Coupled with Luffy’s words, Zoro didn’t like it. He rested his hand on the hilt of a katana. He definitely wouldn’t leave Sanji alone.
Zoro’s relationship with Sanji was different. He’d never met anyone who could irritate the crap out of him, yet he trusted implicitly. The trust went beyond what he had for his other crewmates, except for Luffy. He had faith that Sanji could protect the others and carry Luffy to his dream. When they were heading into battle, he and Sanji could read each other as if they shared a mind. He knew he could count on Sanji, and that mattered. Sanji meant a lot to him, more than the others, even if he never said it.
Zoro was also attracted to Sanji, which added to the difference. He’d never been attracted to someone who drove him crazy. Then again, he’d never been attracted to anyone besides Sanji. Zoro hadn't realized that he could be interested in anyone until Sanji had kicked him across the deck of the Merry, soon after they’d reached the Grand Line. He went through puberty and the annoyances associated with it, but when other people commented on finding someone hot, he never saw it.
He didn’t know why he was attracted to Sanji. Maybe it was because Sanji didn’t back down from him. Maybe it was because Sanji was nearly as strong as him. Maybe it was because Sanji would do whatever it took to protect their nakama and people in need. Maybe it was a trust thing. Zoro didn’t know. It didn’t really affect anything. Sometimes he’d stare at Sanji’s legs too long when the cook was training or fighting and he’d get a hard on. He’d retreat to the W.C., deal with it, and move on. That was the extent of it. Sanji continued to be the foul-mouthed, idiotic, annoying asshole he’d always been and Zoro didn’t like him any more or any less than usual despite his attraction.
Zoro followed silently along with the group of Punctilious regals and the crew. He noted that the guards surrounded them on all sides. A subtle threat, or a warning. Sanji walked beside the monarch, who called himself King Decorious. The other regals were his top court advisors. They appeared to be snubbing the Straw Hats, but Zoro figured it was because they were pirates who behaved like people and not stuffed up snobs.
They passed through the portcullis beneath the gatehouse and into the brevity. Green grass, trees, and an expansive garden spread before them. Robin murmured an appreciative comment. Zoro spotted a rainwater well near the outer fortification. The keep rose before them, six floors high with a parapet at the top. It was a square building, the white stone sparkling in the sunlight. Narrow windows with diamond shaped panes were spaced evenly on every floor. Zoro could see a pair of guards on the rooftop.
Steps led up to a massive wooden door flanked on either side by guards in white armor. Zoro noted the position and number of every guard they passed. Yet another guard opened the door from the inside before they reached it.
They walked into a long hallway lit by hanging crystal chandeliers. Their footsteps sounded on the white marble tile. Art and statues flanked the walls, along with more guards standing at attention, They each held a poleaxe. Doorways led off the hallway into different rooms and corridors to elsewhere in the keep.
“I’m afraid to breathe,” Usopp whispered to Franky.
An older gentleman wearing a dove gray suit stood with his hands behind his back near the door. It was the first time they’d seen anyone not in white. King Decorious addressed Sanji and included the rest of the Straw Hats. “Statler will escort you to your rooms, to freshen up. Servants will be available to assist you in dressing. This evening, we will have a banquet in honor of your visit. Please do not hesitate to ask if you require something not provided.”
“Your Grace is quite generous,” Sanji said.
King Decorious acknowledged the compliment with an incline of his head. “We shall meet in the second parlor after you have refreshed yourself, Prince Vinsmoke.”
“Of course, Your Grace.”
King Decorious and his court strode off, leaving the Straw Hats, Statler and the guards. Almost as one, Nami, Chopper, and Brook closed ranks around Sanji. Sanji did not acknowledge them, which Zoro found irritating. Luffy stood with his arms crossed behind Franky, Jinbe, and Usopp. There hadn’t been the usual conversation they’d be normally having when they arrived at a new destination. A tense pall hung in the air.
Statler bowed slightly and motioned with a white gloved hand. “If you would follow me, Your Highness.”
Still putting on a show, Sanji strode down the hall as if he were better than the rest of the crew. Zoro’s upper lip curled in disgust. He didn’t like Sanji acting like this.
Statler took them down an equally white corridor adjacent to the main hall. A set of stairs led upward at the end of it. They went up one floor, where they met another person in a dove gray suit. Zoro figured the suit color marked them as a servant. Guards were present in the hall. Statler addressed Sanji. “You shall be staying on this floor, Sir. Your crew will be on the next level.”
“If you would please,” the second servant indicated for the crew to follow him.
Luffy gave Zoro a significant glance before turning on his heel and going up the stairs. Jinbe, Franky, and Usopp followed immediately. Nami, Chopper, and Brook all exchanged nervous looks. “Go,” Sanji told them.
Nami hesitated a moment, then nodded and the three left. Zoro stood there still, arms folded. Statler cleared throat as if irritated Zoro wasn’t leaving. “Bodyguard,” Zoro stated. Sanji’s brow climbed, but Zoro could see relief in his eyes. Zoro’s presence shouldn’t be a relief, not to Sanji. A surge of protectiveness swept over Zoro and he took a step closer to Sanji before Statler spoke again.
“Very well,” Statler said. He turned on his heel and led the way down the white hallway, lit by chandeliers and displaying art, to the second wooden door on the right. He opened the door to allow Sanji and Zoro to enter.
The suite was large, with three narrow, diamond paned windows set into the wall across from the door. The door opened into a sitting area with a brocade white and gold sofa and two matching chairs. A low glass table stood in front of the sofa. Beyond the sitting area, a set of doors led into a bedroom with a king sized bed, wardrobe, and an attached private bath. More art hung on the walls, and a few small statues stood on stands here and there. Plush white throw rugs covered the plank floors.
Zoro stayed near the door. Sanji stopped by one of the windows after surveying the room. “This will do.”
“A manservant will be in to assist you within the hour,” Statler said. “If you require anything, do not hesitate to pull the bell.” He indicated a cord hanging behind Zoro.
Sanji did not respond, turning his back to Statler dismissively. Statler cut a glance at Zoro, then left, closing the door behind him.
Sanji deflated before Zoro’s eyes. It was unnerving. Zoro wanted to know what it was about. “You gonna tell me what the hell is going on?”
Sanji unlocked the window, pushed it open, and lit a cigarette. He perched on the edge of the narrow sill, taking a deep drag. He blew the smoke outside before answering. “Weren’t you listening? Prince Vinsmoke is here.” His words dripped with disgust.
“What does that have to do with anything? It’s a name. Your name,” Zoro said. “That doesn’t explain why you look like someone told you they didn’t like your cooking, or why Nami, Chopper, Brook, and Luffy are acting like you can’t be left alone.”
“They don’t need to do that,” Sanji said, more to himself than Zoro. His expression grew troubled.
“Well, they are, so explain.”
Sanji took another drag off his cigarette, looking out the window again. He tapped the ash outside. “They know that I don’t want to be that person, that’s all.”
Zoro got annoyed. “What person? Talk to me like I don’t know what the hell is going on, because I don’t.”
Sanji gestured irritably with his cigarette. “Prince Vinsmoke. Failure son of the ruler of Germa Kingdom.”
Zoro’s brow furrowed. “But that’s who you are, aren’t you? Not the failure thing – except around women – but a Vinsmoke.”
“No ,” Sanji replied sharply. “I am nothing like them. My ex-father denounced me again and I’m grateful. I don’t want to be associated with him.”
Zoro should’ve known this. It was significant. “Why didn’t you tell me this before now?”
Sanji shrugged. “You didn’t want to know anything about what happened while I was gone.”
True, but Zoro hadn’t thought it was important. This was important. “I thought you’d gone to deal with an arranged marriage. That maybe you might come back married, but obviously you didn’t. I didn’t know that you had a falling out with your family.”
Sanji laughed bitterly. “‘Falling out.’ You could call it that.”
Zoro huffed angrily. Talking seriously to Sanji was sometimes like pulling teeth. “What would you call it then, cook?”
“A reminder that I am a worthless piece of shit that doesn’t deserve to exist.”
Zoro was taken aback. Sanji said the words bluntly, as if they were a matter of fact. “You don’t think that about yourself.”
Sanji didn’t respond. He blew smoke out the window, face turned away from Zoro.
Zoro crossed the room and grabbed Sanji’s shoulder. “You don’t think that about yourself,” he repeated. He said it as a statement again.
“Of course not,” Sanji said, jerking away from Zoro. But he wouldn’t meet Zoro’s eye.
Zoro got pissed at the same time he felt his heart crack. Now he knew why Luffy and Nami had said what they’d said. He seized Sanji’s chin and forced him to look at Zoro. “Don’t ever say that about yourself. Don’t even think it. You’re worth more than a dozen of me. You damned well deserve to exist. Do you hear me?”
Sanji appeared shocked by Zoro’s words. It was followed by a stormcloud of emotions in his eyes, many that Zoro couldn’t read. He didn’t respond, though. “Answer me, cook,” Zoro demanded.
“I hear you,” Sanji said in a gruff voice.
“Good.” Zoro let go of Sanji’s chin and gathered his roiling emotions. Sanji thought he didn’t deserve to exist? He recalled Sanji’s mini den den mushi call during the middle of his fight with King back on Wano, asking Zoro to end his life. He’d thought that Sanji had changed his mind and told Zoro that didn’t need to worry about it anymore. Had that been a lie?
Sanji finished his cigarette and put out the butt on the metal edge of the window. Then he wiped the mark away with his sleeve. The butt went into his pocket. He cast side glances at Zoro that looked both unsure and contemplative. Zoro had the strong desire to shake Sanji and demand when he’d started thinking that way, that he wasn’t worth anything. But Zoro already had the answer, didn’t he? Sanji’s father. The family the Straw Hats hadn’t known existed, likely because they hadn’t wanted Sanji to exist – until he was needed for an arranged marriage.
Fuck, Zoro was an idiot. He’d brushed off Sanji’s departure to deal with the marriage thing like it was nonsense. He’d told Luffy not to go after him. His dismissal meant Sanji nearly had to deal with some seriously damaging shit by himself. In fact, it sounded like he still had, despite Luffy going after him anyway. Zoro was insanely grateful to Luffy at that moment for ignoring him and rescuing Sanji.
“Don’t you think about leaving again without us.” Zoro told Sanji, continuing his thoughts out loud. “I don’t care how strong you are or about your need to protect us. You’re too damned important to me – to us – to be lost. You understand?”
“I get it, marimo,” Sanji said, trying to sound annoyed. Zoro could clearly hear a note of something else, something like gratefulness but with a relieved edge, and saw a tremor in Sanji’s hand. It was as if Sanji still didn’t believe that he meant it.
Zoro’s hands curled into fists. Now he knew why Luffy had gotten so angry at the monarch and at Zoro. “You are not a Vinsmoke. We’re going to tell King Decorator to fuck off and we’ll wait on the ship. Or we’ll sail to one of the other needles on the log pose. I’m not going to let you beat yourself up for the sake of the crew.”
“It’s–”
“Stop,” Zoro interrupted Sanji’s dismissal. “It’s not fine or whatever the hell you were going to say. I know we don’t do this heart-to-heart crap often, but you mean a fucking lot to me. This isn’t a fight you need to have. We should leave.”
Sanji stared at him with widened eyes. “I mean a lot to you?”
“Yes, stupid. Of course you do.” Zoro blew out an irritated breath. “In case you haven’t noticed, I don’t give many people the time of day. You annoy the piss out of me, but I still like you. Take that for what it means.”
“Oh.” Sanji brought his hand up to his tie and fiddled with the knot. “I didn’t know.”
“Well, again, stupid.” Zoro jerked his thumb toward the door. “Let’s get the others and get out of here.”
Sanji seemed to gather himself together and he shook his head. “No. I can do this. It’s only one night. And you have my back. I can do this.”
Zoro heard the determination in Sanji’s voice. “Cook–”
“No. I’m going to do this.” Sanji straightened his posture, standing tall and sure. “That name is dead to me, but we can use it to our advantage. We’ll get a good meal, a good bed, and perhaps Nami-san will find something to steal.”
Zoro studied him. He didn’t like it, but he wasn’t going to cut Sanji off at the knees. “Okay. I’m not leaving, though.”
Sanji nodded. “A bodyguard is not unexpected.”
“Good.”
“And it’s King Decorious, not Decorator,” Sanji told him. “That’s what I was going to say before.”
“Oh. Whatever.” Zoro didn’t care. “Now, tell me what I need to know, besides that, so that I don’t make an ass of myself.”
“We don’t have a month.”
Zoro scowled, and Sanji grinned. It was a much better look on him than the expressions he’d worn a few minutes ago. “Just give me the basics, dartbrow.”
“The best thing you can do is not say anything,” Sanji told him. Zoro’s scowl darkened, but Sanji shook his head. “No, I mean it, idiot. A bodyguard wouldn’t speak unless it was to get me to safety. Otherwise, you can just lurk and look pretty.”
“Pretty?!”
Sanji reached over and patted Zoro’s cheek. Zoro thought about biting his hand. “You’re going to have to get dressed up. Probably something in white. Or maybe gray. The servant will be here soon. They’ll likely have a selection for us and have it tailored swiftly. Same with the others.”
Zoro huffed. He hated wearing a suit. The one he wore on Dressrosa pulled uncomfortably. “What about when we eat? I’m not gonna use six forks.”
Sanji chuckled. “You likely won’t be eating with us as my bodyguard, so you don’t have to worry. I’ll have them send something up before we go to dinner. You’ll have to taste my food and drink, though, before I do. Most royals have a taster with them for that purpose. My family had them.”
“Why?”
“To check for poison.” Sanji frowned as if he was realizing something. “Someone tries to off the rulers every so often. Especially someone like my father.”
“What’s that face for?” Zoro asked, hoping Sanji wasn’t about to spiral again. If he did, Zoro was carrying Sanji out of here over his shoulder.
“I remember several different tasters from when I was a child. I didn’t understand until now that the reason is because the prior ones died.” Sanji appeared pained.
Zoro clenched his teeth. “Assholes.”
“Heh. Yeah.” Sanji tried to shake it off. “They shouldn’t be trying to poison me here. Killing me off wouldn’t do them any good. They can’t elicit any favors if I’m dead.”
“Poison won’t hurt me,” Zoro told Sanji confidently. He didn’t know that for sure, but the couple times he knew he’d been poised had only given him a stomach ache. “Besides, Chopper will be there.”
Sanji eyed Zoro with sudden concern. “Take tiny bites and sips, shit swordsman, okay?”
“Whatever. Anything else?”
“No. I’m more concerned about the others. Proper etiquette and decorum isn’t everyone’s strong suit.” Sanji gave Zoro a faint grin. “I’m sure Nami-san and Robin-chan are trying to hammer it into their heads and convince Franky to put on trousers. Luckily, they have a while before dinner.”
A knock on the door sounded and they both looked in that direction. “You should answer it,” Sanji told Zoro, as he closed the window and began neatening his appearance again.
Zoro crossed the room and opened the door. Outside, a man in a dove gray suit stood beside a movable rack of clothing. A second, identically dressed man stood behind him, carrying a tape measure, with a pincushion on his wrist. He stepped back to allow them into the room. When he glanced at Sanji, he saw Prince Vinsmoke had returned. The haughty expression, the slight tilt of the chin. The falseness of it was now obvious to Zoro, but the servants seemed not to notice.
The servants swept into the room, bowed differentially to Sanji, and the one in the lead spoke. “We have garments for you and your bodyguard, Your Highness.”
“Very well. Show them to me,” Sanji said, exhibiting boredom. Zoro really didn’t like this Sanji.
“Yes, Sir.” The man began removing white suit after white suit from the rack, presenting each one to Sanji. They all looked the same to Zoro. “Are any of these to your liking, Sir?”
“This one.” Sanji indicated one of the suits. “Now, for my bodyguard?”
The servant repeated the process, with dove gray suits. Zoro was getting bored. He leaned against the wall near the door and thought about taking a nap.
“This one.” Sanji finally picked a suit for Zoro.
“Very well, Sir.” The servant set the suit aside. He picked up the white suit Sanji had chosen for himself. “Do you require assistance in dressing, Sir?”
“No.” Sanji took the suit from him. He swept toward the bedroom. Zoro didn’t know if he was supposed to stay put or follow, but Sanji didn’t look over at him, so he guessed he was okay to remain where he was.
Sanji closed the bedroom doors. Zoro watched the two servants as they straightened the suits on the rack. The one Sanji picked for Zoro remained at the end. They began pulling white shoes off the shelf beneath the suits. They didn’t talk, and Zoro didn’t try to engage them in conversation. Sanji said not to talk to people, which was simple enough instructions to follow. Zoro didn’t like talking to people anyway.
A few minutes later, Sanji emerged. The suit looked no different than any other suit he wore, except it was all white. White trousers, white shirt, white suit coat, white tie. The hems of the trousers touched the floor and the suit coat sleeves were long. The servant with the tape measure bustled over and began pinning the clothing after asking, “By your leave, Sir?”
Sanji allowed the man to do his job, then returned to the bedroom to change again. “Your turn,” Sanji told Zoro when he emerged in his regular clothes, sans jacket and tie.
One of the servants handed Zoro the gray suit and Zoro went into the bedroom to change. He felt like a stuffed sausage once he had it on. He hated suits. He opened the bedroom door, stomped out, and glowered at Sanji. Sanji’s lips twitched. “I believe a bigger size is necessary.”
The servant with the tape measure hustled over to Zoro and began measuring him from neck to ankle. He got rather personal with the inner leg and Zoro jumped back. “Watch it, pal.”
“Hold still,” Sanji told him. Zoro huffed and let the man practically fondle his junk.
The servant finished measuring Zoro and Zoro darted back into the bedroom to strip off the offending suit. He threw on his trousers again, but left the rest of the clothes on the bed. He brought the suit out in a wadded bunch along with the hanger. He thrust it at one of the servants. “Here.”
The servant took the garment. “If that will be all, Sir, we shall have the alterations done within the hour.”
“Very good.” Sanji dismissed them. Zoro was happy to usher them out and slam the door behind them.
Sanji picked up a pair of white shoes the servants had left and brought them into the bedroom. Zoro followed. “Why can’t I wear my normal clothes again?” He knew he sounded like he was whinging, because he was. He didn’t want to wear a suit.
“Decorum. Etiquette. Playing the part.” Sanji disappeared into the bathroom adjacent to the bedroom. “I am going to clean up. Take a nap or something.”
Zoro didn’t have to be asked twice. He removed his katanas, threw himself across the bed, and bounced a few times before settling down. The bedding was soft beneath his palms. He wouldn’t mind spending the night on this. “We’re gonna bunk together, right?” Zoro called toward the bathroom. The bed was big enough for four people, five if one of them was Chopper. He and Sanji could share, no problem.
Sanji didn’t answer. Zoro took it as a yes. He folded his hands behind his head, closed his eye, and settled in for a nap.
Zoro was unceremoniously woken from his nap by a drop kick to the gut. “Oi! Watch it, cook.”
“Clean up, you stink,” Sanji told him. He wore his shirt unbuttoned, trousers loose around his hips. His damp hair curled at the ends. It was strange to see it pushed back away from Sanji’s face, revealing his mismatched eyebrows. Zoro felt like he was intruding on something private. Usually, Sanji toweled his hair dry and finger combed it into place almost immediately after bathing. Zoro figured he must be doing something Princely to it.
Grumbling, Zoro got up and went into the bathroom. Everything looked too nice to touch, even though it was meant for cleaning up dirt. It had a wash sink, a shower, a small W.C., and a single bath. A mirror hung above the sink. There were bottles of all shapes and sizes arranged on a shelf beside the mirror. Zoro eyed them disgustedly. Who needed that many products for primping?
Zoro chucked his trousers aside and availed himself of the shower, remembering to scrub behind his ears. He used the soap Sanji had left pointedly out for him on the sink. Once done, he dried off with the fluffiest towel he’d ever felt. He’d walked back out of the bathroom without clothes on, drying his hair, towel half-covering his face. “These towels are super. We should steal some for the Sunny.”
Zoro heard Sanji’s sharp intake of breath and he dropped his arms to see Sanji staring at him. “What? Is something wrong?” He quickly glanced around the room. He didn’t see or sense any danger. His brow furrowed as he returned his focus to Sanji, who was standing by the open bedroom window, smoking another cigarette.
Sanji turned his back swiftly to Zoro. He took a drag from his cigarette. “Nothing, marimo,” he said in a slightly weird voice. “Put some clothes on. No one wants to see your dick.”
Zoro glanced down at his nakedness. He shrugged uncaringly. “We’ve all been naked around each other before.”
“Hn.” Sanji’s non-response came with more smoking. Zoro rolled his eyes. He tossed the towel on the bed, retrieved his trousers from the bathroom, and pulled them on. He picked up his katanas as well.
A knock sounded at the door. Zoro went to answer it. If the servant had a problem with his shirtlessness, Zoro didn’t care.
The servant who’d had the tape measure delivered the suits, which he passed to Zoro when Zoro refused to let him into the room. He also brought a message. “The King requests His Highness’ presence in the second parlor once you have dressed.”
“I’ll tell him,” Zoro said, and closed the door in the servant’s face.
“You could’ve been nicer, shit swordsman,” Sanji said from the doorway of the bedroom. “He’s only doing his job.”
“He felt me up.”
Sanji’s lips twitched. “He wasn’t feeling you up.”
“He was!” Zoro glowered. “He moved my junk with his knuckles!”
Sanji’s amusement only seemed to grow. “He had to measure your inseam, and your junk, as you crassly call it, was in the way.”
“Just because you like being felt up by strange men doesn’t mean I do,” Zoro said. He carried the suits past Sanji, into the bedroom, and laid them on the bed.
“I do not like being felt up by strange men!” Sanji’s defensiveness came with a kick at Zoro’s ass.
“Oi! You wanna fight, love cook?” Zoro popped the seal on his katana, happy to go at it.
Sanji appeared as though he was about to raise a knee, but then he shook his head with a sigh. “Can’t. We need to get dressed and get down to the second parlor.”
“Sure we can’t skip it?” Zoro asked with hope. “We can still run for the ship.”
“I said I was going to do this and I am,” Sanji replied stubbornly. “Let’s get dressed. We shouldn’t keep His Majesty waiting.”
It looked like Zoro was going to have to wear the suit. Damn. He’d tried.
They dressed in the bedroom, Sanji on one side of the bed and Zoro on the other. Zoro noticed Sanji kept glancing at him and he wondered what was up with that. Maybe he thought Zoro would put the suit on backwards. Zoro wasn’t that dumb.
Zoro wouldn’t deny he’d taken his own glance at Sanji when he dropped his trousers to exchange them for the white ones. Sanji was wearing his stupid lipstick kisses boxers. He looked ridiculous. Yet somehow Zoro was still attracted to him. Go figure.
The suit the servant had brought back for Zoro wasn’t the same suit he’d tried on. This new one actually fit him. It still pulled at the shoulders, but he could move freely. He stepped into the borrowed black dress shoes and was about to pull his haramaki on when Sanji stopped him. “No, marimo. Leave that here. It’ll ruin the lay of the suit.”
Zoro frowned but tossed the haramaki back on the bed. He searched for a place to hook his katanas. There were belt loops on his gray trousers, but only two katanas would fit in one loop. He’d have to wear the other on the other side. Not ideal, as he was left-handed, but it would have to do.
Sanji finished knotting his tie before he rounded the bed and approached Zoro. He picked up the dove gray tie Zoro had left on the bed. “You have to wear this.”
Zoro sighed again. “Fine.”
Sanji popped the collar of Zoro’s white shirt before looping the tie around his neck. He swiftly knotted it before straightening Zoro’s collar. Zoro could see the starburst pattern in Sanji’s eyes. He’d never noticed it before. Sanji patted Zoro on the tie over his chest with a smirk on his lips. “Told you that you’d be pretty.”
“Shut up.” Zoro shifted his shoulders beneath his suit coat. “Can we go now?”
“I need to fix my hair.” Sanji disappeared into the bathroom and emerged a minute later looking like he always did, with his hair hanging over one eye. Zoro supposed it looked smoother than normal, but what did he know? “Remember, no talking. Lurk quietly.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Zoro followed Sanji out of the bedroom and to the door. He watched as Sanji slipped on his royal persona before they exited the suite into the white hall. Statler stood outside the door across from it, waiting for them. “Sir, this way please,” he indicated toward the stairs with a gloved hand.
They were escorted back down to a doorway off the main hall. The second parlor was a small room. White, like everything else. A plush settee and two plush chairs anchored by a white rug sat in front of an unlit stone fireplace. A white desk stood in the corner of the room. More art and statues decorated the parlor between the narrow, diamond paned windows and along the opposite wall. A guard stood beside the door inside the room and another across from him, near the fireplace. Two white-suited court members sat near the desk on white wooden chairs. King Decorious was seated on one of the plush chairs near the fireplace. He did not rise when they entered the room, although the court members did.
“Ah, you have arrived,” King Decorious greeted, motioning to the settee. “Please, join me.”
Sanji inclined his head, crossed the room, and took a seat in the corner of the sofa closest to the monarch. Surprisingly, he sat casually, one leg crossed over the other, one arm along the back of the settee. Zoro decided to stand near the statue of a naked woman carved from white marble, between the two guards. He could get to either one of them that way.
King Decorious flicked a glance at Zoro with a small frown that disappeared quickly. “I trust you have found everything to your satisfaction?”
“Your hospitality has been noted, Your Grace.”
“Good, good.” King Decorious settled back on his chair. His crown caught the waning sunlight filtering through the narrow windows. “Tell me, what brings the son of the Germa ruler to our shores?”
“Our tri-log pose indicated Punctilious as a destination and I knew I should stop and pay my respects,” Sanji lied smoothly. In reality, the wind was favorable to the northeast, toward Punctilious, rather than the southwest, where the other two needles pointed. They also rarely knew where the log pose was going to lead them until they arrived, with the many uncharted islands in between larger, established ones. It was Nami’s dream to chart them all.
“Wonderful.” King Decorious preened. “We have read of your recent exploits as part of the Straw Hat pirate crew. I take it your father is in search of the One Piece.”
“Hn, yes.” The lies fell easily from Sanji. Zoro was impressed. “I have been embedded with the Straw Hats for years. Although we claim Luffy is the captain, it is in reality my ship and my command.”
King Decorious tapped his nose. “Clever. I would not have known one of the Vinsmoke Princes was pretending to be a pirate if not for the most recent Wanted poster that came with the World Economy News Paper.”
“The informant has paid dearly for the treachery.” Sanji ran his hand over his tie in an idle movement. “The advantage is that I may dispense with hiding my role within the crew.”
“A benefit, indeed,” King Decorious agreed. “It must be trying to pretend to be below one’s station.”
“Yes. A ruling son should not stoop to perform a servant’s job.”
Zoro had let his mind drift to what it might look like if the room was bathed in blood, but now he turned his attention to Sanji. Those words had an edge to them. This was not a lie Sanji was telling, this was him repeating his father.
“Tell me news of King Vinsmoke,” King Decorious said. “I hear that the famous mobile kingdom is on the Grand Line. Punctilious has close diplomatic relations with Totto Land. We traded servants for interesting new technology several months ago.”
“It is,” Sanji said. Zoro heard the truth in his words. “There was discussion about forming an alliance with Big Mom, but my father turned it down. Rightly so, as Big Mom has been defeated.”
“A wise decision.” King Decorious leaned forward slightly. “I also heard he was offering an army of soldiers. Clones, if I am not mistaken.”
Zoro noted the slight stiffening of Sanji’s posture. “Yes. Though, obviously, that has been taken off the table,” Sanji replied.
“Tell me, were they perhaps lineage clones of you and the other Vinsmoke sons?”
Zoro’s observation haki went off like a flare. He wasn’t as attuned to the emotional haki like Luffy and Sanji, but he could sense the big emotions. Sanji radiated a mess of emotions: anger, loathing, guilt, and sorrow so strong it hurt Zoro’s heart. Zoro rested hand on the hilt of his katana, ready to draw and strike Decorious down.
Sanji must’ve sensed what Zoro planned to do, because he glanced over and gave a minute shake of his head. Zoro didn’t like it, but he lowered his hand again.
“No,” Sanji told the monarch shortly. “These were the standard clones of the Germa 66 army.”
“Pity.” King Decorious leaned back in his seat again. “I have heard marvelous things regarding the co-commanders of Germa 66’s forces’ genetic modifications. I believe you possess these modifications as well?”
Sanji’s lips thinned. “You have heard correctly. Though my father currently has no plans to extend that line.”
“Ah, well, perhaps in time he will change his mind.” King Decorious looked over at the two court members who were seated in the corner. They both nodded, rose, and left the room. Zoro found it odd, but what did he know about royal behavior? “Dinner shall begin shortly after sunset. I believe your crew is enjoying my gardens. Please, feel free to join them.”
Sanji took the dismissal gracefully. “Of course, Your Grace.” He stood, inclined his head politely to the monarch, and headed for the parlor’s door. Zoro fell into step behind him until they were in the main hall.
“What was that lineage clone thing about?” Zoro asked him.
“Not here.” Sanji glanced at the guards lining the hallway. He led the way out the front doors to the path that led into the extensive gardens. There appeared to be no guards within the gardens that Zoro could see.
The gardens bloomed with a variety of flowers, green plants, and trees. A white marble path wound its way between them. Massive outdoor statutes stood here and there, as did several four-tiered fountains. White stone benches dotted the paths. The weather was warm, a late spring or early autumn temperature. The sun hung low in the sky, as sunset approached.
Once they were out of earshot Sanji spoke again. “I told you about the modifications, when I told you that you didn’t have to kill me anymore, remember?”
Zoro did remember. He’d picked a fight with Sanji to find out why the moron had contacted him in the middle of a battle to make him promise to end Sanji’s life. “Oh, right.” Another time Sanji had wanted to cease existing. Why hadn’t Zoro seen that Sanji was hurting so deeply until he’d been told today?
“King Decorious was asking if the clones were of myself and my brothers. The perfect soldiers,” Sanji went on, horror now coloring his tone. “If they were, this world would burn.”
Zoro frowned. “They could still be killed, though, right?”
“Yes, with the right ammunition or weaponry, like the Candy Jacket coating that Totto Land developed, but it would be difficult,” Sanji said. He started to pull out his pack of cigarettes, then glanced at the castle keep and tucked them away again. “But with hundreds or thousands of soldiers like my brothers loose, with no empathy or morals?” Sanji shuddered. “Luckily, Judge is a controlling narcissist. He wouldn’t allow more to be made as they might be a threat to his throne. He’ll probably pick only one of my brothers to wed and their offspring will be modified in the womb to continue the Vinsmoke line. Otherwise, the modifications will stay within the Vinsmoke family.”
Ahead, Zoro spotted the rest of the Straw Hats gathered around one of the fountains. They waved to Zoro and Sanji. Sanji lowered his voice. “Let’s not mention this to the others. Since there aren’t any clones of us, it doesn’t matter.”
Zoro nodded. It didn’t do any good to get riled up over something that hadn’t happened yet. They’d address it if the time came.
Nami was the first to meet them as they reached the crew. She immediately went to Sanji. “Sanji-kun, are you all right?”
“I’m fine, my sweet Nami-san,” Sanji told her. “You look ravishing in white!”
The crew must’ve had a visit from the handsy servant, as well. They all wore white suits or dresses of varying styles. Franky even wore trousers. Only Zoro was dressed in gray. Luffy still wore his hat, though it wasn’t pulled as low as earlier in the afternoon. He nodded his head to Zoro. Zoro heard the unspoken approval that he was taking his task seriously. He would not let Luffy down. Moreso, he would not let Sanji down.
Sanji fell into conversation with Nami, Jinbe, Brook, and Franky. Robin, Chopper, and Usopp were enjoying the gardens surrounding the fountain. Luffy leaned against a bench and pretended to nap. Zoro stood aside and listened to the lilt of Sanji’s true voice, the one that fawned over Nami one moment and cussed at the men the next. He liked it much better than the royal posturing one.
The sun set beyond the horizon, casting an orange glow against the fluffy clouds drifting across the darkening sky. Reluctantly, Sanji and Zoro split from the others again, heading back into the keep. “It wouldn’t do for a Prince to arrive at dinner with his supposed underlings. I’m surprised they’re wearing white.”
“Maybe King Doofus was going along with the farce that you’re undercover with us,” Zoro said.
Sanji’s lips twitched into a smile. “Decorious. And maybe.”
They re-entered the keep and were met by Statler again. “If it pleases, Sir, the members of the royal household are gathered for cocktails in the lounge.”
Sanji had switched on his royal persona the moment they’d reached the guards outside near the stairs to the keep. He indicated negligently for Statler to lead the way. Zoro followed a step behind again.
The lounge looked like the second parlor, only bigger and with more seating. The white on white theme continued. King Decorious was not present, but it appeared he had a large family in residence. Siblings, grown children, relatives from both sides, all dressed in various styles of white. Sanji wove among them with ease, holding polite conversation with a drink in his hand. Zoro lurked. He knew Sanji had been with Zeff since he was about ten. He wondered how Sanji could remember how to play Prince after so long. Maybe such things were ingrained.
Dinner was announced, and everyone made their way to the dining room. Crystal chandeliers lit the white dining room with dazzling prism patterns. Ten, white round tables set with ten chairs each filled the floor. This room had no statues, only art. Six guards were posted around the room, and several servants stood at the ready. One of the servants guided Sanji to the head table near the far end of the room. The royal family members filtered to other tables, accustomed to pre-set seating arrangements. The Straw Hat crew were escorted into the dining room a few minutes later and led to the table nearest the door, separated from Sanji by the other royals. Zoro understood it was a sign that the Straw Hats were beneath them, but the fact they were in the room at all meant appearances must be kept.
Zoro picked a spot close enough to Sanji that he could kill anyone at the table in a single blow, without making it obvious. Everyone rose when King Decorious entered the room along with his wife. The king smiled, thanked everyone for coming, and took his seat at the same table as Sanji. Once he and the Queen were sitting, everyone else resumed their seats.
Zoro didn’t eat, as predicted, but he did taste test Sanji’s food and drink, taking small bites and sips. When he didn’t taste anything weird or feel any effects, he shrugged. Sanji took it as the go ahead, though he didn’t seem concerned about being poisoned.
Conversation around the King’s table was dreadfully dull. Zoro glanced longingly at the crew. Though they were acting much more subdued than normal, there were smiles, some laughter, and a tiny pea war flicked between Usopp and Franky. Zoro wanted to be over there with his nakama. He wanted Sanji to be there, where he belonged, not with the pompous pricks he’d been forced to sit with for dinner. Zoro felt like this night would never end.
“Next time, fuck the log pose,” Zoro told Sanji, once they were behind the closed doors of the guest suite again. He yanked the tie off and chucked it into a vase.
Sanji laughed. It was a good sound. “I agree.”
Dinner had gone on for nine courses and then there were after dinner drinks with only the male royals. The Straw Hat crew had been excluded. It was well past midnight by the time Zoro and Sanji had been escorted by Statler back to the suite. Zoro was hungry, but at this late hour he’d rather sleep.
Sanji toed off his borrowed white shoes, yanked off the white socks, and padded barefoot to the window. He cracked it open and lit a cigarette, which he took a deep drag off of with a content sound. “Finally,” he muttered to himself.
Zoro rolled his eyes. “You and your stupid cigarettes.”
“Keeps me sane,” Sanji commented offhandedly. Zoro narrowed his eyes at the remark. Sanji shouldn’t need a vice to keep himself in balance.
“You should meditate instead,” Zoro told him, shrugging off the gray jacket. He let it fall to the floor.
“Can’t meditate and cook, or fight.” Sanji took another drag from his cigarette and blew the smoke out the window. “Why do you care, anyway, mossbrain?”
Zoro popped the buttons off his shirt as he ripped it open. “Why do you ask stupid questions, dartbrow?”
Sanji heard the clatter of buttons scattering across the marble floor and turned toward Zoro. He saw what Zoro had done and snapped, “You ruined your shirt, asshole!”
“I’m not going to wear it again.” Zoro pulled the shirt off and dropped it to the floor. He stretched his arms and shoulders and turned his torso from side to side. He felt much better no longer constricted.
“But someone made this and now someone has to fix it.” Sanji came over and picked the clothing off the floor. The cigarette dangled from his lips. He laid the shirt and suit coat out carefully on the sofa. Then he crouched and began gathering buttons. “Don’t just stand there preening. Pick these up!”
“I’m not preening!” Zoro thought about knocking Sanji over, but instead began to help pick up buttons. “Why is this such a big deal?”
“Because, unlike you, I am not a jackass,” Sanji said. “Maybe you should think before destroying someone’s hard work.”
Zoro felt chastised. Sanji was right. He never thought about the fact that someone had to create the shirt, or anything else that he’d purposefully or inadvertently destroyed. The fact that Sanji did think of things like that was a testament to his character. “Sorry,” Zoro muttered. He wasn’t above apologizing when he was in the wrong.
Sanji seemed to accept it. “Don’t do it again.”
They finished picking up the buttons and Sanji made a pile of them on the glass table. He retrieved Zoro’s tie, adding it to the clothing draped across the sofa, before returning to the window to ash his cigarette outside.
Zoro set his katanas aside, pulled off his boots, removed the gray trousers, and laid them neatly with the rest of the clothes. “I’m going to bed.”
Sanji glanced back at him and choked. His face turned red. “Why are you naked?!”
Zoro looked down at himself. “I just said, I’m going to bed.”
“Naked?!”
“I don’t have any shorts here.”
Sanji made some incoherent sounds and turned to the window again. Zoro shrugged, picked up his katanas, and went into the bedroom. Starlight shone through the narrow window. The bedroom was shrouded in shadow, the only light coming through the double doors from the living area of the divided suite. Zoro shoved his regular clothes onto the floor, leaned his katanas within reach, and threw the covers back on the bed. He climbed in, drew the sheet up over his bare hips, and sighed contentedly. The bed was seriously comfortable.
He yawned and pillowed his hands behind his head. It had been a long, stressful afternoon, not so much because of the royal pageantry but because of Sanji. He still couldn’t believe Sanji had thought so little of himself. Sanji was such a strong, caring, kind-hearted person. He could still be an asshole, but so could Zoro. And he cooked like a dream. He was also good looking, but Zoro wasn’t going to think too much about that fact, considering he was naked and about to share a bed with Sanji.
Except now Zoro was thinking about it. He was going to share a bed with Sanji. The naked thing would normally be whatever, but now interest was stirring below the sheet. Zoro quickly flipped over, hiding his crotch against the mattress. Not the best idea, because the pressure against his cock only made it harden faster. Damn Sanji. This attraction thing was maddening. Good thing it was only Sanji that did this to Zoro. He had no idea how he’d survive being turned on all the time, like Sanji was with women.
A little jealous monster took up residence between Zoro’s shoulder blades, taunting him about Sanji’s love for the ladies. Zoro did his best to ignore it. He knew where Sanji’s interests – and dick – pointed. There was zero reason to be jealous of facts.
The jealousy thing, and Sanji’s salivating over the ladies in Zoro’s mind, helped to curb his arousal. He steadfastly closed his eye. Sleep would save him from it returning.
He heard the light click off in the other room and then the pad of Sanji’s bare feet on the floor. Sanji went into the bathroom. Zoro listened to the water running in the sink. A minute or so later, Sanji re-emerged. Zoro could feel Sanji staring at him. He didn’t move.
Sanji walked around the other side of the bed. Zoro cracked open his eye. He watched as a boxer-clad Sanji lifted the sheet on the far side of the bed before climbing in. There was enough distance between them in the king sized bed that Zoro could reach out his hand and wouldn’t be able to touch Sanji.
Zoro wondered what would happen if he did. If he closed the distance and touched Sanji. Would Sanji yell, call him disgusted names, or kick the crap out of him? Or all three? It was only in his imagination that Sanji would respond positively. That he would accept Zoro and reciprocate. That they’d touch each other in ways that Zoro fantasized about but had no experience with. Zoro didn’t believe in wishes, but that didn’t stop him from making one. I wish that Sanji wanted me back.
Zoro closed his eye and buried his face in the pillow. He forced himself to go to sleep.
An unknown amount of time later, a hissing sound woke him from a dream about Sanji chasing Zoro around the Sunny with hearts in his eyes, while Zoro was wearing nothing but a flouncy skirt. Zoro’s erection was wedged between himself and the bed. He also felt something warm pressed against his side, his back, and the back of his legs.
He opened his eye and found Sanji’s face right beside his. Sanji had cuddled up to Zoro, his arm and leg thrown over Zoro’s body. Sanji’s blond hair was mussed in sleep, revealing both his closed eyes. Zoro was close enough he could count Sanji’s individual eyelashes. A warm breath from parted lips dusted across Zoro’s chin.
Zoro’s heart began to race. Sanji was beside him, touching him. This was what it actually felt like when it didn’t involve kicks or bandages. All he had to do was turn, and he’d have Sanji in his arms like he’d thought about occasionally for years. He didn’t want to ruin this, though, whatever it was that had Sanji holding him in sleep. There was also the hissing sound still happening in the background that had woken him up.
Trying not to move too much, Zoro raised his head to glance one way then the other around the bedroom. He couldn’t see anything. He didn’t sense anyone dangerous present. It didn’t sound like a snake. Maybe it was an air vent? His mind was becoming cloudy and it was getting hard to think. He was so tired.
Unable to keep his eye open any longer, Zoro dropped back into sleep.
The second time Zoro awoke, it was with a splitting headache and the sun hitting his closed eyelids. He shaded his brow before cracking open his eye. He could see the sky. Brow furrowing, he glanced to his left. He spotted Chopper, Brook, Usopp and Jinbe sprawled on the main deck lawn of the Sunny in various states of waking and dress. A check the other way revealed Nami, Robin, Luffy, and Franky, also partially dressed. He also spotted piles of clothing with a clima-tact, a shikomizue, and three swords dropped atop of them.
What happened to the castle? Why was he on the lawn of the Sunny? Why did his head hurt so much? His brain finished waking up and he realized one of the crew was missing. He sat up swiftly, searching. Where was Sanji?
“Cook?” he called, climbing to his feet. He felt a breeze between his legs. Glancing down, he realized he was naked. Fuck it. There were more important things. He looked around the deck again. “Hey, cook! Where are you?”
“Huh? Zoro?” Luffy sat up and clutched his head with a groan. “Ow, my head hurts.”
Jinbe sat up next, as did Chopper. As the rest of the crew began rising with confusion and headaches, Zoro darted for the steps leading to the galley. He banged open the door. “Cook, you in here?”
The galley was dark and empty. Shit. Where was Sanji?
Zoro headed for the bathroom next, checking the Aquarium Bar and library along the way. He could hear his crewmates talking on the main deck. The bathroom was as empty as the galley. Zoro rushed back down to the main deck. Maybe he was in the men’s quarters?
“Zoro! You’re not wearing any clothes!” Nami gasped as he ran by.
“My eyes!” Usopp cried.
Zoro threw open the door to the men’s quarters. “Cook!” He could hear the panic in his voice. The men’s quarters were as empty as the other spaces. “Shit, shit, shit.”
Zoro darted back out onto the deck. “Sanji’s missing.”
“What? Are you sure?” Nami quickly climbed to her feet, now fully dressed. The others had dressed, as well. “I’ll check our room.”
“I’ll look below deck,” Franky said immediately.
Usopp jumped up and rushed after him. “I’ll help.”
“I will check the crow’s nest,” Jinbe said and began ascending the rigging.
“Sanji!” Luffy yelled. He stretched a rubber arm to the second, exterior crow’s nest on the other mast and shot up to it to check there.
“I’ll check the infirmary and also mix up some headache powder,” Chopper told Zoro. He rushed off.
Robin finished shaking Brook awake. “He must be somewhere, Zoro-san,” Robin said.
Brook sat up with an unhappy, “My brain hurts, and I don’t even have one, yo-ho-ouch.”
Robin gathered Zoro’s clothing and katanas and passed them to him. “Get dressed. We will find him.”
Zoro’s heart felt like it was stuck in his throat. His palms were sweating. A headache pounded behind both his eyelids. He nodded to Robin and began pulling on his clothes.
Luffy jumped down and immediately launched himself into the branches of the tree on the main deck. “Sanji! Are you up here?”
Nami checked the storage next to their room before coming back outside. “Robin, check the storage area in the galley.” She threw the keys down to Robin.
Robin nodded, catching the keys. She hurried off. Standing at the second level rail, Nami swung her gaze around the ship. Her jaw suddenly dropped. “We’re out at sea!”
“What?” Zoro finished pulling on his shirt and looked over the Sunny’s rail. He could see nothing but the ocean. He whipped his head in the other direction. It was the same thing. Blue water as far as Zoro could see. No dock, no castle, no Punctilious Island.
Luffy landed on the grass beside Zoro, and he and Brook, who had pulled on his clothes, darted to the rail. “This can’t be,” Brook commented. Luffy leapt for the bow, as Nami joined Zoro on deck. Zoro could see Luffy standing on the figurehead, arm shading his eyes, staring off in front of the ship.
“It’s gone!” Luffy called back to them.
“Oh, fuck.” A terrible thought slammed into Zoro’s aching head. “What if Sanji is still on Punctilious?”
Nami gasped. “No, he couldn’t be. We’re all here. Why would he be there?”
“The log pose,” Zoro said desperately. “Is it still pointing there?”
Nami checked her wrist, her eyes widening in horror. “No! It set last night, before we went to bed. I’d checked.”
Zoro thought he actually might collapse to his knees. He couldn’t seem to breathe all of a sudden. “Sanji…”
Jinbe climbed down from the crow’s nest with a shake of his head. “He is not up there.”
Nami grabbed Jinbe’s arm. “Jinbe! We need to figure out how to get back to Punctilious.”
Robin emerged from the galley, looking defeated. Franky and Usopp rejoined them next, also unsuccessful. Luffy remained on the figurehead. Chopper bustled out with glasses of milky liquid on a tray and began passing them around. He wore a concerned look on his face. “Sanji was not in the infirmary.”
Jinbe glanced up at the sails. “The sails are furled. We did not drift from Punctilious randomly.”
“We must’ve been towed or pushed,” Franky said, accepting the glass from Chopper. He drank it down. “I can check for marks.”
“Do that,” Nami told him, and Franky hurried off. “There was a low wind last night and it’s still low. Wherever we are, we could not have drifted too far.”
“What do we do?” Usopp asked anxiously. He gave Chopper back the empty glass.
“Usopp, head up to the crow’s nest and use the telescope. See if you can spot the island or any ships.”
“I’m on it.” Usopp scrambled for the rigging.
“I will use the binoculars,” Brook volunteered, following him.
“I’m going to grab my maps and a compass. Jinbe, determine which direction we’re currently heading and if we could have swung around in the night.”
Jinbe nodded, and Nami ran off. Robin put her hand on Zoro’s shoulder. “We will get him back, Zoro-san.”
Zoro nodded, setting the glass on Chopper’s tray before he broke it. Another thought had come to him while Nami was giving orders. He was supposed to be protecting Sanji and he’d failed.
“Why would they want Sanji?” Chopper asked, stacking the empty glasses on his tray.
“Ransom, maybe?” Zoro spoke up, his voice sounding rough in his ears. “Sanji mentioned something about it not being advantageous to poison him, but that king was interested in the Germa clone soldiers. Maybe he wants to do a trade.”
“We see no islands or ships in any direction,” Usopp’s voice carried over the loudspeaker.
Nami returned with a rolled map and her compass. She spread the map on the grass. Franky returned and reported, “We were towed.”
Nami nodded, and she looked over at Jinbe. “Jinbe?”
“We are heading south by southwest. We did not turn in the night,” Jinbe told her.
“Okay. Franky, what can tow us?” Nami asked.
“Any type of tugboat,” Franky said. “We saw that one tied to the dock. That’s probably what they used.”
Nami nodded again. “How fast would it go?”
“About ten to fifteen knots. Towing us, probably between six to eight,” Franky said.
“Okay. We can’t see the island or any ships from our position. And it’s only seven in the morning,” Nami said, studying her map. “We didn’t go to bed until eleven–”
“The cook and I were still up until after midnight,” Zoro interrupted. “And I woke up sometime in the middle of the night and we were still in bed.” He remembered the feeling of Sanji lying against him and his throat closed completely. What if he never saw Sanji again?
“So let’s say it was between two and five in the morning that we were put on the ship and towed out to sea. The fact that we can see no ships means the tugboat had to have time to sail past our view, which is about three nautical miles. If it was going fifteen knots untethered, and we factor in the three hour time frame, our search area should be only this big.” Nami used the compass to draw a circle around their position in the water. “Since we haven’t turned and there’s a low wind, we can safely assume the island lies somewhere behind us in this search area. Two of the tri-log pose needles still point to the southeast, while the other is pointing northerly. The two heading southeast are likely the ones still set from before we stopped at Punctilious.”
Jinbe and Franky both studied down at the map. “We can travel roughly eight knots per hour with full sails,” Jinbe said.
Franky nodded. “I can increase the speed for short bursts.”
“I will go up to the crow’s nest and let them know of the plan,” Robin said. “Then I shall arrange for breakfast for everyone.”
“I’ll help in the galley,” Chopper said. Robin nodded and she ascended the rigging. Chopper carried his tray of empty glasses up the stairs toward the galley.
Zoro stood there, fists clenched, not knowing what to do. He felt like he might fall apart. “Zoro,” Nami said, and there was a softness to her voice that he rarely heard directed toward him. “Let Luffy know what we’re going to do.”
Zoro nodded and turned on his heel. He left Nami, Jinbe, and Franky to set their course. He climbed to the navigation deck and up the stairs to the figurehead where Luffy now sat. He stopped behind his captain. In front of him was a wide expanse of blue. The rising sun cast a shimmer over the water. Puffy white clouds dotted the sky.
Zoro had to clear his throat in order to speak. “Nami has a plan to locate the island.”
Luffy nodded, though he didn’t turn.
Zoro clenched his fists again. Acid coated his stomach and throat. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault,” Luffy told him in a low voice. “You wouldn’t let anything happen to him if you could stop it.”
The words should have been a balm, but Zoro still felt like a failure.
“We will get him back,” Luffy swore.
Zoro could only trust that his captain was right.
Usopp spotted the gleaming white stone of the castle island six hours later. Breakfast and lunch had come and gone, and the Sunny zigzagged in a steady pattern through Nami’s marked search area. Usopp and Brook had remained in the crow’s nest searching. The fact that Punctilious Island was swiftly found meant King Decorious underestimated the Straw Hat’s loyalty to Sanji. The monarch thought they were only servants, who may happily abandon their ‘Prince.’ Either that, or he thought they were too stupid to figure out how to return without a log pose pointing to the island.
Zoro tied his bandana around his head as they neared the coast. He stood behind Luffy still, on the figurehead. He hadn’t moved the entire search and only ate because Luffy insisted they keep their strength at the ready. The Straw Hat jolly roger snapped as the Thousand Sunny tacked in the wind. Usopp and Franky had been loading the cannons. Chopper stood with Brook on deck in his bigger, upright form. Brook held his shikomizue. Robin and Nami were on either side of Jinbe, arms crossed, as they closed in on the island. Nami’s clima-tact hung from her belt.
When they were within distance, Franky opened fire. Cannonballs launched from the Sunny’s gun ports, raining onto the castle’s fortifications. Jinbe sailed for the harbor at an angle to allow the bombardment to continue. Guards spilled onto the battlements and began firing at the Sunny. Cannons emerged from the front tower parapets and unleashed a volley in return.
The moment the island was in reach, Luffy stood and grabbed Zoro around the waist. He launched his arm at the gatehouse spire. A second later, they were flying through the air. They sailed clearly over the fortification walls and landed in the garden with a crack of the ground beneath Luffy’s feet.
“Find him. Bring him home,” Luffy told Zoro, with a deadly gleam in his eye. “I’ll take care of the rest.”
“I will,” Zoro vowed. He drew two katanas and sprinted for the keep.
The air cracked as he split a path through the guards pouring through the open doorway of the keep. It was followed by an explosion as Luffy used his conqueror's haki to level more guards. Zoro darted up the steps and through the open door, slicing through any guard in his path. The white armor did little to protect against Zoro’s blades.
Zoro ran from room to room along the main hall, throwing open doors, cutting down guards, shouting at anyone he saw, “Where is he?!” Anyone who cowered, he left alone. Anyone who fought found their white clothing bathed in red. He left a swath of bodies in his wake as he continued to search for Sanji.
He found the corridor that led to the upper levels and took the stairs two at a time. The guest suite he and Sanji had been in was empty. Zoro saw two suits draped neatly over the sofa. Sanji’s normal clothing still lay on the end of the king bed, his shoes discarded on the floor. Sanji was nowhere to be seen.
Zoro flew back out of the suite, fear and fury driving him. “Where is he?!” he bellowed. The keep’s walls shook. He could hear battle raging outside. The Sunny must’ve reached the dock.
Zoro picked a direction and continued his rushed search. He didn’t worry about getting lost because he was going to check every room, every closet, every crevice on every floor of the keep. Two levels up, in one of the rooms, he found the court members who had been in the small parlor with them yesterday. He seized one of them by the throat and shook. “What did you do with him?” The man’s eyes bulged, unable to breathe.
The other one stuttered in terrified tones. “D-d-d-d-down. M-m-m-m-m-m-morgue.”
Everything suddenly stilled. Became calm. A red curtain descended in front of Zoro’s eye. He dropped the man he was holding and gestured with a katana to the one who had spoken. His voice was cold, flat. “Take me there.”
The court member nodded frantically. The other one was passed out on the floor. Zoro stepped aside and followed the court member as he rushed from the room. Around Zoro, the sounds of battle rattled the windows. Guards who charged at him with poleaxes or pistols were felled with a flick of a wrist. He felt nothing but an icy calm as they descended to the main floor, went through several corridors, and down two more sets of stairs.
At the bottom, the court member pointed with a shaking hand. “Th-the end of the-the-the h-hall.”
Zoro stepped past him, allowing him to escape. Zoro was below ground, the white stone walls now a uniform gray. The temperature was cooler. Utility lights ran along the corridor and branched off in two directions. Zoro ignored the other closed doors as he walked to the end of the hall.
The door on the left of the hall led to a storage room filled with science and medical equipment. The door on the right opened to the morgue. Zoro stood in the doorway, surveying the room with a detached glance. Gray stone walls and floor. Multidoored corpse storage. Metal beds on wheels with sheets draped over unseen lumps. Jars and jars filled with organs, eyes, and other body parts lined shelves that took up the entire back wall. In the center of the room, a man in a blood-spattered surgical gown stood with his hands inside Sanji’s split open body.
Zoro could see Sanji’s heart beating beneath his exposed rib cage.
The calm vanished. With a roar of rage, Zoro sheathed his katanas and charged across the room. He grabbed the surgeon’s bloodied gown in his right hand and punched the man with all his strength. The man’s neck broke instantly, his head falling limply to rest against his back. Zoro dropped him to the ground and spun toward Sanji.
Sanji lay naked on a metal table, secured by wrist and ankle shackles. A full helmet of some sort was over his head. A tube led from the helmet to a gas canister behind him. His torso had been split open from neck to pelvis and the skin and muscles were peeled back, exposing his organs and rib cage. Heavy blood stained the table around him and the drain in the floor beneath. A discarded, broken bone saw along with other bloody surgical equipment sat on a tray table next to him. One of the bloodied scalpels looked like it was coated in candy.
Zoro could definitely see Sanji’s heart beating, though, tissue pumping up and down beneath the rib cage. He didn’t spot any organs missing, but he wasn’t a doctor. There were empty jars lined up nearby with nothing inside of them. He did see signs of charring, sooty skin and circular marks on the bottoms of his bare feet. Electrocution signs. They might have tortured him before doing this. Zoro didn’t want to be thankful, but it had bought enough time for Sanji to be saved before being harvested.
Zoro’s body was shaking from head to foot. The rage had left him in a rush, to be replaced by distress. Despite being split wide open, blood wasn’t leaking from Sanji’s body like it should be from a wound this bad. The beating heart was the one sign that Sanji wasn’t dead.
Zoro reached out a trembling hand and touched Sanji’s bare shoulder. Then, he was a whirlwind of movement. He grabbed a sheet off one of the other tables, revealing a cut up, naked corpse with no eyes and no balls. It stunned Zoro for a second, then he shook it off. Sanji still had his nuts. He’d soon know if Sanji had his eyes.
Carefully, Zoro closed Sanji’s body, folding the muscle and skin flaps together. He broke the ankle and wrist shackles before wrapping Sanji’s torso as tightly as possible with the sheet. He couldn’t stop shaking even as he worked, and he kept having to clear his vision. His breaths came in short pants. He rounded the head of the table, found the valve to turn off the gas canister, then pulled the helmet off Sanji’s head.
Trapped gas from the helmet wafted toward Zoro’s nose. It made him slightly light headed. He dropped the helmet onto the ground. Sanji’s eyes were closed, his face ashen, his expression lax. Zoro gently opened his eyelids and found two intact, but unseeing eyes. Zoro was relieved Sanji was still intact and seemingly only unconscious.
Gently, Zoro picked Sanji up, cradling him against Zoro’s chest. He walked as fast as he dared, not wanting to cause further injury. When he reached the main level, the keep was crumbling around Zoro. Statues had toppled, art had fallen off the walls. Chandeliers had crashed to the ground. Zoro stepped over the bodies of guards littering the hallway as he walked to the open front door.
Outside, his namaka were battling what remained of the monarch’s guard and gray and white-suited fighters. Jinbe and Brook were fighting in the open. Robin’s devil fruit hands sprouted from surfaces and attacked foes. Zeus floated overhead, sending lightning striking down. Guards toppled from the front battlements under Usopp and Franky’s distance rounds. Chopper was near the open portcullis, goring anyone who tried to lower it. Zoro didn’t see Luffy.
Zoro picked his way through and over fallen bodies to meet Chopper at the gate. Chopper’s eyes widened, even though he didn’t know the extent of Sanji’s injuries. “Bring him to the ship, quickly,” Chopper said.
Zoro crossed beneath the portcullis and along the dock to the lowered gangplank. Chopper was at his heels. Nami stood on the Sunny’s figurehead, controlling Zeus. Franky stood beside her, shooting the enemy with his wrist and shoulder cannons. Usopp was in the open crow’s nest, using his Kuro Kabuto as a sniper.
Zoro carried Sanji across the lawn, up the steps, and into Chopper’s infirmary. He set Sanji down very gently on the infirmary bed. He could hear Chopper washing in the galley sink. Leaning down, Zoro pressed a kiss to Sanji’s forehead. “Don’t leave us,” he whispered in a tight voice. “We need you. I need you.”
Chopper hurried into the room and Zoro straightened quickly. He dashed a wrist across his damp eye. “Tell me what you know,” Chopper instructed in a no-nonsense clip as he drew on a clean surgical gown, followed by gloves.
“They had him wide open,” Zoro told him, clearing his throat. “Neck to pelvis. I think they were going to harvest his organs. It looks like they’re still all there. Lots of blood loss. He wasn’t bleeding when I found him.”
“Okay.” Chopper checked the pulse in Sanji’s neck, then his wrist, then his ankle. “His heart is beating strong still. That’s a good sign. I’m going to hook him up to a transfusion bag before we unwrap him.”
Zoro crossed his arms over his chest, hugging himself. He bit his lower lip as he looked at Sanji lying helplessly on the bed, being held together by a sheet. This was Zoro’s fault. He hadn’t been strong enough to protect Sanji. He’d fallen victim to some sort of sleeping gas like a wimp. Zoro was going to learn to hold his breath for hours to make sure this never happened again.
Chopper finished inserting a line in Sanji’s arm. A blood bag with Sanji’s specific blood type hung from the hook above the head of the bed. Chopper kept a large stock because it was so rare. He motioned to Zoro. “Help me unwrap the sheet.”
Zoro stepped up beside the bed to support Sanji while Chopper undid the sheet. Zoro had only wrapped Sanji’s torso. His lower body remained bare. Zoro had the urge to cover Sanji’s lap, to protect him from being seen naked without permission. Chopper finished unbinding Sanji and Zoro lowered him back onto the infirmary bed. The discarded sheet went into a sealed bin.
Chopper motioned Zoro toward the door. “I need you to go now.”
Zoro nodded, took one last look at Sanji, and left, closing the infirmary door behind him. He swallowed past the knot in his throat and walked to the front of the second level deck. He was just in time to see Luffy, on the roof of the castle keep, send a screaming King Decorious plummeting to his death six floors below.
The fighting stopped almost instantly. Zeus shot one more bolt of lightning to the ground before all went silent. Luffy jumped down from the roof out of sight. Thirty seconds later, he strode through the open portcullis, with Jinbe, Franky, Brook, and Robin spread in a triangle formation behind him.
Nami recalled Zeus. Usopp climbed down from the crow’s nest. Zoro descended to the deck and met his seven crewmates on the lawn.
“Sanji?” Luffy asked.
“Chopper’s with him. It was… not good,” Zoro replied.
Luffy looked toward the infirmary, his hand holding the top of his hat. “He’s strong. He’ll be okay.”
Zoro had to swallow past the lump in his throat again. “Yeah.”
“I don’t know about you guys, but I vote we leave this place,” Usopp said, holding his Kubo Kabuto at his side.
“Agreed,” Franky said.
“Jinbe, let’s set a course for the new log pose route,” Nami instructed. Jinbe inclined his head and together they walked to the helm.
“I will see to dinner,” Robin told them before retreating to the galley.
“Usopp, give me a hand securing the cannons, bro?” Franky asked Usopp. Usopp agreed and they headed below deck.
Brook remained with Zoro on the deck. “Are you all right, my friend?” he asked with quiet concern.
“No,” Zoro answered truthfully. Now that it was over, it was possible that he might shatter into pieces.
Brook laid a boney hand on Zoro’s shoulder. “Let’s go sit and have some tea, while we wait for Chopper to tell us that Sanji will be fine.”
Zoro nodded, and he followed Brook up to the galley. Brook pointed to his spot at the table after they came through the door and Zoro moved on autopilot to sit down. Robin was already busy behind the bar that separated the kitchen from the dining area. A large table with eight chairs bolted around it filled half the room. A long couch stretched between the infirmary door and the one to dry storage. Sconces hung on the wall above it. A service elevator, which led to the Aquarium Bar, stood beside the door to the deck.
Behind the bar, the full kitchen had an oven, four-burner stove top, lock-secured refrigerator, and plenty of storage. A prep counter ran along the back side of the bar with a wash sink set into it. Robin was fixing dinner, while Brook filled a kettle and put it on the stove. They murmured quietly to each other.
Zoro rested his elbows on the table and his head in his hands. He still wore his bandana. Blood stained his clothes from striking down guards. He should get cleaned up, but he couldn’t seem to move anymore. Not when he didn’t know if Sanji would be okay.
Brook brought a tray over with two steaming cups of tea on it. He placed a cup between Zoro’s elbows on the table. “Drink. You’ll feel better.”
Zoro wanted to laugh at the ridiculousness. Instead, he wrapped his hands around the warm cup and brought it to his lips. Steam rose from the cup to tickle his nose. He took a sip.
Brook chose the seat closest to Zoro, a cup of tea in hand. He sat in silence with Zoro, his mere presence a comfort. Zoro was grateful to have such nakama.
Chopper finally emerged from the infirmary in his normal form rather than his human-sized one. The surgical gown and gloves were gone. He closed the door to the infirmary behind him and joined Brook and Zoro at the table. Robin came around the bar to offer him a cup of tea and the sugar.
“Thank you, Robin,” Chopper said. He added heaps of sugar to the cup. Robin remained by the table, waiting for news. “I didn’t find anything missing or injured inside Sanji. He appears to be only suffering from blood loss. I stitched him up. Now, we just have to wait for him to wake up. His new regenerative ability works quickly. Hopefully, it won’t be much longer.”
Zoro couldn’t say he felt any better by Chopper’s words. Only when Sanji was cursing at him again would he feel relief.
“Do we know why he was taken?” Robin asked quietly.
“Organ harvesting, according to Zoro,” Chopper said. “His organs would be extremely valuable because of his genetic modifications.”
“I wonder how many guests fell victim to Decorious over the years,” Brook said. His words cast a pall over the galley.
Robin returned to making dinner. Zoro pushed his empty tea cup aside. “I’m going to get cleaned up. Let me know when he wakes up.”
“I will,” Chopper promised, and Brook nodded to him, as well.
Zoro left the galley and made his way to the men’s quarters to get a change of clothes. He thought of Sanji, naked in the infirmary, and opened the cook’s locker instead. Zoro carefully selected a suit, blue shirt, tie, belt, socks, and the spare pair of shoes. He found a half-smoked pack of cigarettes and a lighter on the upper shelf.
Zoro returned to the infirmary, using the back door rather than going through the galley. Sanji lay unconscious in the bed, sheet covering him to the waist. Neat black stitches made a zipper seam down the front of his torso and branched to the sides at the top and bottom. A closer glance revealed a faint red line running beneath the stitches. The char marks were gone.
The blood bag on the hook above the bed was three-quarters full. It must be the second or third one. The line was anchored to Sanji’s arm. Zoro remembered Sanji needing transfusions at Fish-man Island after seeing the mermaids. Stupid pervert. But if he’d recovered from that, surely he’d recover from this.
Zoro carefully draped Sanji’s clothing over Chopper’s swivel chair, left the shoes by the side of the bed, and placed the cigarettes and lighter near Sanji’s hand. He brushed his fingers over the back of Sanji’s wrist before inhaling slowly with his eye closed. Sanji would be okay, Zoro told himself. He had to be.
Robin served dinner, and the crew ate at the table with subdued energy. All of them kept glancing at the infirmary door, waiting for Sanji to either call out or emerge. After cleaning up, Zoro had changed into a t-shirt and clean trousers. His haramaki warmed his belly and his boots were on his feet. The bandana was tied around his bicep. He volunteered to do the dishes and no one protested, though they were slow to leave the galley, lingering long after the meal was done.
Eventually, Zoro was the only person left. Once the kitchen was fully put to right, he stretched out on the sofa facing the infirmary, his katanas on the floor beside him. Chopper had gone in to change the blood bag one more time before he’d left the galley.
With a hand pillowed behind his head, Zoro settled in to wait. He held his breath, counting how long he could do so before he required another. It was quite a while, maybe an hour, but not long enough. If he was going to protect himself from being gassed in the future, he needed to be able to do it for several hours and also while he was asleep. Only then would he be able to do his job and protect those he loved.
And he did love Sanji. He loved all his nakama, but Sanji held a special place in his heart. He’d known it for a while, he simply didn’t put a name to it. There had been no need. But the thought of Sanji really being dead, seeing him cut open like that, had held a mirror in front of Zoro’s emotions that allowed him to see them for what they were.
Sanji would never reciprocate, though. Zoro was okay with that. As long as he knew that Sanji was alive and well, Zoro could be happy. Love didn’t have to be returned for it to exist.
Zoro’s ears perked when he thought he heard movement in the infirmary. The Adam wood had sound deadening qualities, so it was difficult to tell. He swung his legs off the couch and sat up, thinking he’d go and check, when the door opened between the rooms.
Sanji walked through the doorway, smoking a cigarette and wearing the suit Zoro had left for him. His hair was disheveled, but his face had a healthy color to it. He glanced at Zoro before heading for the kitchen. “Who left my clothes?” were the first words from his mouth.
Relief didn’t come close to defining what Zoro felt at seeing Sanji walking around under his own power. He stood up, sat down, and stood up again, fighting the urge to grab Sanji into a hug. Instead, he answered the question. “I did.”
Sanji looked surprised for a moment, followed by an expression that disappeared too fast for Zoro to interpret. Then, Sanji snorted, filling a glass with water in the sink. “Of course you did. There weren’t any boxers. Pervert.”
“Hey!” Zoro scowled at him from across the room. “Not wearing underwear doesn’t make me a pervert.”
“You keep telling yourself that.” Sanji removed the cigarette from his mouth and drank the entire glass of water before filling the glass again. “I take it we won?”
Zoro picked up his katanas, crossed the dining area to the bar, and took a seat on the linear bar stool. He set his katanas on the surface of the bar. “Yeah. King Desecrated is dead.”
Sanji’s lip twitched up in one corner. “Decorious.”
“Tch. Whatever.” Zoro rested his forearms on the bar. “Did you remember what happened?”
Sanji nodded, taking a slower drink from the water glass. “I woke up in some sort of prison cube that electrocuted me if I moved. Didn’t feel great. I was there for a while. Then I was knocked out by some sort of gas and the next thing I know, I’m strapped naked to a metal table freezing my balls off and some guy in a surgical gown was trying to cut those balls off. I broke one of my legs free and kicked him across the room. Then someone else stuck something over my head…” He trailed off as his face paled again. The glass started to crack beneath his grip.
Zoro was off the stool in an instant, rounding the bar into the kitchen. He took the glass and Sanji’s cigarette from him, set both on the prep counter, and took Sanji by the shoulders. “Hey, you’re here. You’re fine. I got that helmet thing off you. They were feeding you gas.”
“I couldn’t move. I froze.” Sanji touched his own face, and Zoro could hear the edge of hysteria in his tone when he whispered, “I was wearing an iron mask again.”
Zoro had no idea what that meant, but he could tell Sanji was suddenly about to break. “It’s gone. You’re fine. Come on, look at me. There’s nothing on your face.”
Sanji’s wild, panicking eyes didn’t focus on Zoro. “Zoro…”
“I’m right here. You’re with me. What happened is done and over with. You’re safe now.”
Sanji’s hands shot up to grasp Zoro’s wrists. “Don’t let them do that again,” he begged.
“I won’t. I won’t. I promise.” Zoro didn’t stop himself this time from gathering Sanji in his arms. He held the cook tightly against him. “I won’t let anything like that happen to you again.”
Sanji clung to Zoro, face tucked into Zoro’s neck. His entire body trembled in Zoro’s arms, his breath coming in fast pants. Zoro didn’t understand what had caused this, but he didn’t have to - he only needed to be here for Sanji. Zoro continued to hold him and murmur reassurances in his ear.
Zoro could feel when Sanji started to come back to himself. Zoro stroked his hand comfortingly up and down Sanji’s back. Sanji’s breathing eventually slowed. His body stopped shaking. He started to shift on his feet. “This is fucking embarrassing,” he finally muttered.
“No, it’s not,” Zoro told him firmly. “Everyone falls apart sometimes.”
“You don’t.”
Zoro huffed a short laugh. “You didn’t see me earlier, worrying if you were going to be alright.”
Sanji lifted his head, his gaze clear once more. Zoro could see the starburst in his eye. “I thought you didn’t worry about me.”
“No, I trust you not to get yourself killed. Doesn’t mean I don’t worry about you.”
Sanji studied him thoughtfully. “You mean that, don’t you?”
“What is with you and the obstinate disbelief that people actually care about you?” Zoro exhaled a frustrated breath. “You drive me crazy. If I didn’t lo-ii-nn-mmm.” Zoro snapped his mouth shut. He couldn’t believe what he’d almost admitted. His eyes widened in slight panic. He realized, suddenly, that he was still holding Sanji in an embrace.
“Lo-i-n-m?” Sanji stared as if Zoro had lost it. “What the hell does that mean, marimo?”
“Nothing!” Zoro dropped his arms and quickly backstepped. “I’m, um, glad you’re okay. Chopper will want to know. I’m going to go and tell him.” He snagged his katanas, pivoted on his heel, and fled.
Once outside, Zoro pressed his back against the wall and stared up at the night sky. Stars twinkled with laughter at him. “Shut up,” he told them.
Across the deck, he could see the lights on through the portholes in both the men’s and women’s quarters, even though it was late. Everyone would want to know that Sanji was awake and feeling better. They had all been scared by Sanji’s disappearance and worried about his injuries. They were true nakama.
Zoro went to tell them the good news.
It had been three days since the events at Punctilious Island. Sanji’s stitches had come out the first day and it didn’t look like he’d been injured at all. Still, the crew hovered around him, touching him, talking to him, reassuring themselves that he was home. Even Luffy, assured as he was that Sanji would be okay, spent extra time with the cook. He likely understood that not all injuries were visible.
Zoro, on the other hand, avoided Sanji like the plague. He was still worried that Sanji had seen through his cut off word and knew the truth. He hid up in the crow’s nest and trained until his body ached. He only came down to eat, sleep, and bathe.
Zoro knew better than to skip meals, not if he didn’t want to get into fights with Sanji over it. The purpose of avoiding Sanji was to avoid him, not give him a reason to go after Zoro. It would help if Sanji wouldn’t keep staring at Zoro during meal times. Sanji would do his normal refills, dancing around the table and fawning over the girls, but then he would find a spot to stand and glance repeatedly at Zoro with a contemplative expression on his face. It was driving Zoro nuts. Why was Sanji staring at him? Did he know what Zoro had almost said? Was he trying to let Zoro down? Was he thinking that Zoro was in need of a haircut? What?
Zoro cut his hair, in case that was it. It wasn’t. Luckily, Robin promised to fix the back.
As the days kept passing and Sanji kept staring, Zoro grew more and more agitated until he couldn’t take it any longer. He banged open the door to the galley once everyone had left, after another meal under Sanji’s thoughtful glances.
Sanji was seated at the end of the sofa, using the small table the den den mushi sat on as a writing desk. He was jotting something down in a notepad on the table. He was dressed in black and yellow today, like a prissy bumblebee. “Don’t bang the door open like that, shithead,” he told Zoro, not lifting his eyes from his notes.
Of course, now he wasn’t looking at Zoro. This aggravated Zoro even more. “Why do you keep staring at me?” Zoro demanded to know, looming in the open doorway. He wasn’t going to pussyfoot around.
Sanji didn’t glance up. “What are you yapping about?”
“You keep staring at me at meals!” Zoro snapped at him. “It’s driving me crazy. I want to know why.”
“Hn.” Sanji shrugged his shoulders, still not looking up. “Maybe it’s your stupid face.”
“My face is not stupid!” Zoro wanted to throttle Sanji.
“I’m not the one-eyed moron with a bad haircut.”
Zoro’s hand shot to his head self-consciously. Then he realized what he was doing and scowled. “I cut it because you kept staring at me and I thought maybe it was because I needed a haircut.”
“You cut your hair because you thought that I thought you needed a cut.” The way Sanji said it made it sound like Zoro did something ridiculous.
“That’s what I just said.” Zoro folded his arms defensively. “You’re the one into appearances and looking good and shit.”
Sanji’s hand, which had been moving the entire time as he wrote notes, stilled. His face was turned down and Zoro couldn’t read his expression. “You wanted to look good… for me?”
That was not what Zoro was expecting Sanji to say. Zoro felt a blush steal over his cheeks. This was coming dangerously close to what Zoro had been trying to avoid. “No. Maybe. Shut up.”
Sanji didn’t say anything. Zoro took it as his chance to escape. He grabbed the galley door, pulled it quickly shut, and descended the steps to the main deck. His heart was hammering in his chest. He liked it better when he’d still been oblivious to what his feelings for Sanji actually meant.
He fled back up to the crow’s nest to train. Lifting weights was simple. It had a purpose. It didn’t require thinking. And Zoro was one hundred percent for not thinking right now.
Zoro lay on the grass on the main deck, shirt off, katanas leaning against the tree nearby. The sun shone down brightly from the sky, bathing him in its warm rays. He had one arm thrown over his eyes to block the light and his bare feet were crossed at the ankles. He was wearing only shorts, having gone diving off the side of the Sunny with Jinbe that morning. Now he was using the sun to dry himself off and catch a nap.
Days passed with little excitement. The weather had been warm and sunny. Robin sat in her deck chair under the shade of a tree, reading a book. Brook was leaning against the tree around the backside, working on a song composition. Nami lay on a stolen Punctilious towel – smuggled with other things in Franky’s compartments – sunbathing in her swimsuit. Franky’s hammering could be heard as he fixed a board on the helm deck. Occasionally, Jinbe’s laugh floated down from the same area.
Zoro felt the disturbance in the grass before Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper jumped over him again. They’d been doing it for a while now, using him for their game. They would leap and pose over his body before landing on the other side. He didn’t mind, as long as no one landed on him.
“This is interesting,” Robin spoke up. “It says here that someone with the name Lili may have been the person who spread the poneglyphs throughout our world.”
“The Road Poneglyphs?” Nami pressed up onto her elbows, sounding interested. “Does it say the full name?”
“No. There is no last name written.”
Zoro lifted his arm, cracked open his eye, and glanced over at Robin. “This get us any closer to finding the last one?”
“Doubtful, Zoro-san, but I shall keep reading,” Robin told him.
“Hn.” Zoro was about to drop his arm back over his eye when he spotted Sanji standing outside the galley, leaning against the second level rail, a cigarette between his fingers. He wore an orange shirt sans jacket, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. A black tie hung loose around his neck, the collar of the shirt unbuttoned. He was staring at Zoro again, of that Zoro had no doubt. Robin and a barely dressed Nami were far enough away from Zoro that Sanji’s direction of focus would be obvious. And unlike during meals in the galley, this time, Zoro could read the wistful, tender expression on his face.
Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp sailed over Zoro again, pulling their hats down over their faces and sticking out their tongues at him. After they’d passed his line of sight, Sanji had turned away. But Zoro wasn’t going to let him go. “Oi, cook! Stop farting around up there and join us.”
Sanji paused, his hand on the galley door, and glanced back over his shoulder. The naked hope Zoro could see even from where he was lying made his heart twist. Seeing his family again on Whole Cake Island, the physical changes on Wano, and what happened on Punctilious had done a number on Sanji. If Zoro ever met the supposed father who’d hurt Sanji this badly, death would be a blessing.
“I’ll be down in a minute,” Sanji called back before disappearing into the galley.
It was longer than a minute, but Sanji brought snacks balanced on a tray when he came down, because of course he would. Sanji showed he cared through food. Zoro sat up on his elbows.
“Food!” Luffy exclaimed, greedily jumping over Zoro. Sanji kicked him across the deck as he bowed, lowering the tray within Robin and Nami’s reach. “An afternoon refresher for the lovely ladies,” he cooed.
The tray held small bowls of apricot fluff, which was made with fruit, marshmallows, and whipping cream. There also appeared to be bowls of chocolate covered banana slices mixed with nuts. Zoro wasn’t a fan of chocolate, but he didn’t mind other less sweet-tasting things.
“Thank you, Sanji-kun,” Nami told him, taking a bowl of apricot fluff.
“Yes, thank you, Sanji-san,” Robin echoed, taking another bowl of the same.
“Anything for my sweet Nami-san and Robin-chan,” Sanji fawned. Zoro rolled his eyes.
Sanji served Usopp and Chopper, who had been waiting patiently. They both took chocolate banana dishes. “Thanks, Sanji!” Chopper said.
“This looks delicious,” Usopp commented. “I remember when I used to make chocolate covered bananas for thousands.”
“Thousands!” Chopper exclaimed in shock. They both sat down in the grass.
“Yes, thousands. Once, my army and I landed on an island filled only with bananas, and we were starving. But bananas only taste good for the first three days…”
As Usopp began weaving his ridiculous tale, Sanji went around the tree to serve Brook, then he disappeared up to the helm deck to give a snack to Jinbe and Franky. Zoro would pout that he’d gotten skipped, but he always got his snack last so he was used to it.
Sanji extended the tray above his head as Luffy rubber-banded past. “Thanks, Sanji!” Luffy called as he snatched a chocolate banana dish on his way through the air. He landed on the figurehead to eat.
Sanji finally returned to Zoro, folding himself onto the grass into a cross-legged position. Usopp’s tale had grown wilder – apparently, chocolate came from special chocolate fishes – and Chopper’s eyes were the size of his head. Sanji set the tray between himself and Zoro and picked up the remaining chocolate banana dish, leaving the apricot fluff for Zoro.
Zoro turned on his side, facing Sanji, resting up on one elbow. He pulled the tray closer to himself to use as a table. The apricot fluff was light on his tongue, sweet but with a distinct tartness from the fruit. “It’s good.”
“You expect me to serve bad food?” Sanji appeared offended.
“No. Except that one time, but I told you to do it.” Zoro spooned another helping of apricot fluff into his mouth. “You know, you don’t have to wait to be invited to join us.”
Sanji’s hand stopped partway to his mouth, with a chocolate banana on his spoon. He averted his eyes. “I know.”
“If you know, then why do you wait?” Zoro asked, curious about what Sanji thought.
Sanji sighed, lowering his spoon. “Somebody pointed out that I have an obstinate disbelief that people care about me.”
“Wonder who that was.” Zoro ate another bite before speaking again. “Not your fault, though. We get it. Won’t judge you for it.”
Sanji ate a chocolate banana, a contemplative look on his face. “Huh. I never realized that my ex-father’s name is Judge and all he ever did was judge me and found me lacking. Guess he was named correctly.”
Zoro tamped down on the desire to find the man and beat him to a pulp. “Forget about him. You got a better father after that loser, right? Zeff?”
“Yeah.” A bright smile crossed Sanji’s face. It was a great look on him. “Zeff’s an asshole and treated me like shit, but the right kind of shit, you know?”
Zoro didn’t actually know. It had been so long that he’d had living parents that he could barely remember what it had been like. Maybe it was time he shared that about himself. “I don’t remember my parents. Not really.”
Sanji looked at him in surprise. “You don’t?”
Zoro shook his head. “Bits and pieces. Something will remind me of my childhood and then I’ll remember, but it’s more of a picture than anything.”
“It’s like that with my mother,” Sanji admitted with understanding, fiddling with the dish in his hand. “I didn’t see her often, because she was sick. When I remember her, it’s mostly an image of her smiling and her enjoying the meals I brought her. She died when I was about six. I don’t remember when exactly, other than she was gone.”
“Must’ve sucked,” Zoro commented quietly. He could hear the others chatting around them, enjoying their snacks, but Zoro felt like he and Sanji were in their own small world.
“Yeah. Things were bad before then, but they got worse after that.” Sanji took a deep breath and sighed. “I’d pushed it aside, you know? Buried it deep once I left Germa. I’d promised never to reveal who I really was to anyone, ever, as a condition of my escape. As the years passed, I stopped thinking about it altogether. But then the Vinsmokes showed up again, dragging everything back to the surface. It was like nothing had changed, like I hadn’t changed. All those feelings of not being good enough, of being made to feel like my very existence was an abomination, came rushing back. And it’s not going away this time.”
Zoro set his spoon down and reached across the tray to rest his hand on Sanji’s bent knee. “You haven’t had the chance to grapple with it. I was thinking about it before, when I saw you up by the galley. You went from seeing your family again to having those genetic modifications happen to having to pretend to be a Vinsmoke Prince without any real time in between. Give yourself a break. As long as you know, in your heart, that we care about you, the rest will fall into place.”
Sanji glanced at him from the corner of his eye. “You were thinking about me?”
“I’m always thinking about you, dumbass. That wasn’t my point,” Zoro growled in exasperation. And people called Zoro dense. “My point is- what are you smiling at?”
Sanji’s lips had curved upward at the edges. “Nothing. Something was verified, that’s all.”
“Tch. Whatever. Stupid cook.” Zoro picked up his spoon again and ate the rest of his snack. His ears tuned into Usopp again.
“...our bellies were so big we no longer fit on our ships in the fleet. We kept knocking each other overboard.”
“Oh, no! I hope no one drowned,” Chopper said with worry.
“Everyone in Usopp’s army is an expert swimmer,” Usopp reassured Chopper. “Plus, our bellies helped us float!”
Sanji’s hand came within his eyesight and Zoro started to rear back. Since he didn’t want to give away that he’d been startled, he stopped moving and glared at Sanji, even as Sanji’s hand came closer to his face. “What?”
Zoro held himself still when Sanji touched the corner of his mouth. Sanji swiped with his thumb. Zoro’s heart began pounding so loudly he was certain everyone on deck could hear it. “Messy marimo,” Sanji said in a low voice, pulling his hand back. A light orange smear of apricot fluff was on his thumb.
Zoro felt his face and ears heat. “What are you doing?”
“I… don’t know.” Sanji glanced between his thumb, Zoro’s mouth, and Zoro’s eye. “Is that all right?”
“Of course it’s all right,” Zoro said, because Sanji sounded worried and touching Zoro’s face shouldn’t worry him. It was weird, but not worrisome.
Sanji appeared comforted by the response. Still weird. Without another word, he stacked their empty dishes with the spoons beside them and stood with the tray. He started collecting the other empty dishes, to the praises and compliments from the crew on deck. With deferring comments, he went up to the helm deck to collect the others.
Zoro sat up properly, debating on whether to have a training session or get in that nap. He caught Robin and Nami smiling at him, and frowned. “What’s up with you two?”
“Nothing, Zoro-kun,” Nami told him. “We’re happy, that’s all.”
“Yes, quite happy, Zoro-san,” Robin said.
“You two are weird.” Zoro climbed to his feet. “I’m going to train.”
“Have fun,” Nami said, wiggling her fingers at him in a wave.
Zoro shook his head as he walked toward the rigging. He’d never understand women.
Time passed as it always did. They reached the next island on the log-pose route. It was nothing more than a pile of rocks sticking up from the water. The water was shallow around it, with corals and plenty of fish. Jinbe took Luffy, Chopper, Brook, and Robin swimming with him, wearing masks so they could see. The rest of the crew free dove on their own. Zoro used it as an excuse to test how long he could now hold his breath. He’d been practicing.
Sanji sat on a water-level outcropping of rock when Zoro surfaced, staring out over the ocean. Arms wrapped around his knees, Sanji looked wet and content in his black swim trunks, his hair slicked back from his face. The swim goggles hung around his neck.
The bright, afternoon sun danced on the surface of the sea. Zoro swam closer and rested his forearms on the outcropping in front of Sanji, the rest of his body still in the water. “What’s going on, love cook?”
“I’m cooking pancakes. What’s it look like, mosshead?” Sanji shook his head as if Zoro was a moron. “You were under a while.”
“Only two and a half hours.” Zoro frowned. “Not good enough yet.”
“Not good enough for what?”
“To prevent myself from getting gassed,” Zoro said, annoyed with himself. “Can’t protect you if I’m knocked out, can I?” He was going to have to work harder. Maybe he should see if Nami could stick him in an air-tight bubble with her clima-tact, forcing himself to hold his breath longer.
He was surprised when Sanji suddenly scooted forward, his legs dangling off the ledge on either side of Zoro’s shoulders. Zoro looked up at him. Sanji’s expression was one of determination. It caused Zoro’s brow to rise. “What are you doing, cook?”
“This,” Sanji told him. Then he caught Zoro’s chin, bent forward, and kissed him.
The breath left Zoro in a whoosh. His heart tried to explode from his chest. His arms suddenly felt like jelly and he lost his purchase on the edge of the rock. He fell back into the water, nearly cracking his chin on the rock. It was such a surprise that he inhaled what felt like half the sea.
He resurfaced, splashing and sputtering, grabbing for the outcropping. Sanji was laughing loudly. The sound was bright and clear. Zoro swiped a hand over his wet face and glared up at Sanji. “Shut up.”
“Never.” Sanji’s grin stretched from ear-to-ear.
Zoro put both hands on the ledge in front of Sanji’s splayed legs and surged up, putting them face to face. Bracing himself on strong arms, he looked into Sanji’s suddenly widened eyes before kissing him back. Lips pressed to lips, Zoro continued to look at Sanji with blurred vision. His breath stuttered and his heart once again began racing in his chest. He was kissing Sanji.
He pulled back after a moment, bringing Sanji into focus before sinking into the water to take a beat. He held onto the rock with a hand and rubbed his tingling lips together. He’d imagined this happening, but hadn’t known what it might be like. Sanji’s lips had been warm pressed against his, and Zoro had felt a type of connection different from touching Sanji’s arm or knee. He wanted to feel it again.
Sanji was touching his lips with his fingertips, wearing a thoughtful expression. His voice sounded far away. “It isn’t that different.”
“What isn’t?”
“Kissing a guy.”
Zoro’s brow furrowed. “Is that a bad thing?” He hoped not. He’d liked it.
“No.” Sanji continued touching his lips. “I’ve been attracted to men before, but I never did anything. Hadn’t wanted to.”
“Me, neither.” Zoro may as well admit to it. “I wasn’t interested til you came along.”
Sanji laughed softly, more to himself than at Zoro. “How long have you known?”
“That I was attracted to you? Since we reached the Grand Line, thereabouts.”
Sanji was surprised. “You never let on.”
Zoro shrugged and hoisted himself up to sit on the outcropping beside Sanji. Their legs dangled in the water, side by side. “You’re obsessed with women. Of course I didn’t let on. It didn’t affect anything except having the need to jerk off every once in a while, so I ignored it.”
Sanji’s cheeks turned faintly pink. “What about the other thing?”
“What other thing?”
Sanji stared out over the water intently, his hands gripping the edge of the rocks. “The whole caring about me thing.”
“Eh, I don’t know.” Zoro rubbed his hand over his wet hair. “It happened over time, I guess. Kinda like with the others, except different. It was just… more. Didn’t realize it was love til we almost lost you.”
Sanji’s breath caught. “You love me?”
“Of course I do. That’s what we’re talking about.” Zoro cut an annoyed look at him. “Stop being such a dumbass.”
“I’m not a dumbass!” Sanji snapped at him. “Excuse me for not being able to read your mind.”
“You don’t have to read my mind,” Zoro shot back. “I just told you what I felt.”
“But I didn’t know that you felt that way until you told me!”
“That’s why you’re a dumbass!”
Sitting side by side, their heads turned toward each other, Sanji glared at him. Zoro glared back. He felt the crackle of energy between them. He’d never known anyone who could irritate him so easily, yet make him care so much. “You drive me crazy,” Zoro told him.
“And you’ve upended my world,” Sanji growled. “Now I want to kiss you again, but I’m also annoyed with you.”
Zoro tilted his chin mulishly, like a challenge. “Well, I want to kiss you, too.”
“Okay, then.” Sanji closed the distance between them and muttered, “Shitty swordsman,” just before their mouths met.
Zoro forgot about being irritated instantly. He also forgot how to breathe. He might have to use this for breath-training. This third kiss sent his pulse racing off like one of Franky’s rockets. Sanji’s lips were firm and warm, and they felt pleasurable pressed against his own. He’d seen people kissing but he hadn’t known this was what it was like. That connection he’d sensed earlier which meant more than friends.
Sanji moved his mouth a little against Zoro’s, like he was trying to talk, but Zoro stayed still. He wanted to enjoy it as long as possible. He protested when Sanji drew away. “No. Where are you going?”
Sanji gave him an amused look. “I’m not going anywhere, marimo. Just making sure you’re actually into this. Only one of us is allowed to question our identity at a time.”
Zoro got confused. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Because you’re not responding.”
“To what?”
“What do you mean, to what?” Sanji sounded exasperated again. “To the kiss. To kissing me.”
“I was kissing you.” Zoro pointed his finger between their mouths. “We were just kissing!”
“Yes, we were kissing, but we were kissing like… maiden aunts.”
Zoro made a disgusted face. “What?”
“Not actual maiden aunts, idiot,” Sanji said. “I meant chaste. Virginal. Like we’ve never done this before.”
And Zoro was back to being irritated. “But we’ve never done this before.”
“I know we’ve never done this before!” Sanji looked like he wanted to tear out his hair. “I was talking about with other people.”
“Why would I have kissed other people? I’m only attracted to you!”
Sanji stared at Zoro like he’d suddenly grown a second head. “What do you mean you’ve never kissed other people?”
“Just what I said. I’ve never done this before.”
“When you said you hadn’t acted on being attracted to men–”
“I’m not attracted to men,” Zoro interrupted, correcting him. If they were going to argue about this, Sanji needed to get his facts straight. “I’m attracted to you. Only you.”
Sanji opened and closed his mouth like a fish, and Zoro could see his brain trying to comprehend what Zoro had said. Zoro didn’t know why it was so difficult. Finally, Sanji asked, “Women?”
“What about them?” Zoro said.
“Are you attracted to them?”
“Do you need to get your hearing checked? I’ve told you, I’m only attracted to you, cook. I’ve only ever been attracted to you.” Zoro thought about shoving Sanji into the water. “Why the hell does it matter? What does this have to do with us kissing?”
Sanji laughed, a funny little sound that was a cross between amazement and disbelief. “Nothing and everything, marimo.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“It means that I am going to kiss you again.”
Zoro grumbled. “We could have been doing that this entire time.”
Sanji turned his body toward, tucking a knee. He reached out to cup Zoro’s cheek. “You know I’ve developed feelings for you, right? I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t.”
“Why would you kiss anyone otherwise?” Zoro said, liking the feel of Sanji’s palm against his cheek.
Sanji shook his head slightly, fondness curving his lips. “Yeah. Why would I?” he said, and leaned in to press his lips to Zoro’s.
Zoro could only think finally. They stayed like that, mouth against mouth, kissing as the sun shined down upon their heads. Zoro felt like this is what he’d been waiting for without knowing it, a final piece to an incomplete puzzle. He’d been willing to never have this, but now that he did, he didn’t want to let it go.
Sanji drew back first, his blue eyes glittering like the sunlight on the sea and a content smile on his lips. With his hair slicked back from swimming, Zoro could see his mismatched eyebrows. This time, the intimacy of seeing him like this didn’t feel like an intrusion.
“Did you feel it, too?” Zoro asked. Sanji tilted his head in askance. “That connection? When we kiss?”
Affection spread across Sanji’s features. “Of course I do.”
“Okay. Good.” Zoro was relieved. He didn’t know if it was normal or not, but was glad to learn it was. “I didn’t want to be the only one.”
“I don’t think you’ll ever have to worry about that,” Sanji said. He took Zoro’s hand, entwining their fingers. It was new, different. They’d grabbed each other’s hands before, but not like this. The feel of Sanji’s roughened palm against his calloused one, the strong fingers intermeshed with his own, made Zoro feel closer to Sanji even though they were only touching hands.
They faced the ocean, watching the dance of the wind as it created waves. Zoro was content to sit with Sanj in silence, listening to the sounds of their nakama play.
“So what comes next?” Zoro eventually said, as the sun began to descend over the horizon. “With us, I mean.”
Sanji took a deep breath and released it slowly. “I don’t know,” he said. “Some of this is new for me, too.” He squeezed Zoro’s hand and graced him with a warm smile. “But I’m looking forward to finding out.”
End