Zoro saw him, standing at the shoreline, holding the strings of supply balloons that glinted with rainbow colors in the sunlight. His collar was unbuttoned, his tie loose. The suit emphasized muscle that hadn’t been there two years before. The angles of his face seemed more defined. He had a mustache and goatee, neatly trimmed. His hair was slightly longer and parted on the opposite side, exposing an eyebrow that curled near his nose rather than temple. He was wearing an expression that read dumbass marimo, amusement curving the corners of his lips.
Zoro’s heart slammed in his chest.
He had been on Sabaody Archipelago for days. The people of Sabaody lived on the individual trees of the massive mangrove forest growing from the sea. Each tree was considered an island. Seventy-nine islands, called groves, made up the archipelago, with bridges connecting them. The mangroves were rooted in the ocean floor and produced bubbles that helped protect them from heavy storms.
Zoro had been wandering the various groves trying to keep busy. He’d found Franky and the ship at one point, and kept an ear out for the arrival of the others. But it was the man standing on the shoreline that he’d been eagerly waiting for.
It had been two years since they’d seen each other. Two long, gruelling years of training and bettering himself. Two years of making certain that he could protect his nakama against all challenges. Two years of missing the blond-haired idiot standing twenty feet away.
Zoro leapt from the remains of the ship he’d cleaved in two, to the shore. He’d changed as well. Intensive training had built up his muscle, making him broader. He wore his green hair a bit longer, but not long enough to fall in his face. He’d also lost an eye. Rather than a shirt, he wore a long green coat sashed at the waist. He still wore his haramaki.
He stepped directly in front of Sanji, inches away. He could see the flecks of black in Sanji’s visible blue eye. “Hey.”
“You lost an eye.” Sanji’s expression was inscrutable. His tone, flat.
“Uh, yeah.” Zoro wanted to grab Sanji and hug him tightly. His palms itched to do it, but instead he curled his hands into fists. He searched Sanji’s face. Maybe Sanji had moved on. Maybe he didn’t want damaged goods.
“You really are a shitty swordsman. Now I’m going to have to work twice as hard to protect your ass.”
Zoro scowled. “I’m not shitty! And I don’t need you to protect me!”
“Hn. Keep telling yourself that.” Sanji pulled a cigarette from the pack in his inner breast pocket, lit one, and put the pack and lighter away. He took a deep drag and exhaled a puff of smoke. “C’mon.”
“Why should I go anywhere…” Zoro’s words trailed off as Sanji took his hand, entwining their fingers. Sudden emotion clogged his throat. Sanji had missed him, too. “Stupid love-cook,” he mumbled.
Inside, Sanji was a mess. He’d spent the last two years in hell, with only okamas for company. The lack of women had played havoc on him. He adored women, for their shape and smell and soft parts. The only man he wanted to be with was Zoro and every day, surrounded solely by men, he had been reminded that they were apart.
Now, they were finally back together, and Zoro had lost an eye. Sanji couldn’t believe it. He’d trusted the idiot to take care of himself, and what happened? He came back missing a part. An important one! Zoro now had a blind spot and lacked depth perception. Sanji still believed Zoro would become the world’s greatest swordsman, but he’d made the path much harder for himself.
Sanji also wanted to kill whomever had maimed Zoro. But he’d do it slowly. Remove every single one of their body parts before ending their miserable life.
“You’re crushing my hand,” Zoro said.
Sanji blinked out of his murderous fantasy, and relaxed his grip. “Sorry.”
Zoro glanced sideways at him. “Since when do you apologize?”
“Unlike you, I have manners,” Sanji said. Now that he was out of his head, he took stock of their surroundings. They were in the middle of the shopping district. Around them, men and women bustled, and children darted to and fro. Two very attractive young ladies swished past him and his nose started bleeding. Real women. Curvy, bouncy, supple women. It was good to be in civilization again. He sighed lovingly.
Zoro snorted. “Trust you not to change.”
“Just because you do not appreciate the heavenly beauty of the womanly form does not mean the rest of us have to stop.”
“Eh. They’re just women.” Zoro stuck the pinkie of his free hand in his ear and wiggled it to scratch an itch. “No different than us.”
“No different!” Sanji sputtered. “Have you ever seen a woman before? Without…” He made a gesture to his clothing. The supply balloons floating above him bobbed as he did.
“Yeah. And?”
“Wait, really?”
Zoro rolled his eyes. “I’m not twelve.”
Sanji tried to imagine under what circumstances Zoro could’ve seen a naked woman. It was impossible. “Then you know they’re nothing like us.”
“They are where it counts.”
Trust Zoro to make a statement that made Sanji feel like a heel. Because Zoro was right. Sanji puffed on his cigarette and grumbled under his breath about stupid swordsmen being smarter than they looked.
“Oi, where are we going anyway? I wanted to go fishing.”
“You’re not going fishing. We’re going back to the ship.”
“I’m not.” Zoro scowled. “I'm going to the shore. I want to go fishing.”
“No way!”
Zoro stopped walking abruptly, digging his heels in. Sanji lost hold of his hand. For a moment, he felt bereft. But then Zoro opened his mouth and dumbassery came out. “Why not? You’re not my boss.”
Sanji scoffed. “I’m not letting you go off alone. You’d only get lost, mosshead. The others should be here any time now, so shut up and follow me back to the ship.”
“That’s rich. Number seven telling number one what to do.”
It took Sanji a beat to figure out what Zoro meant. “You think turning our order of arrival into some kind of ranking matters?” Sanji thought it was sweet, actually. Not that he’d let Zoro know it. “It’s a miracle you got here first. Don’t let it go to your head.”
“Tch. Whatever.” The smile hovering on Zoro’s lips and the amusement dancing in his eyes meant he was riling Sanji up on purpose. “Number seven.”
Damn, Sanji had missed him.
Picking a fight with Sanji was as natural as breathing. Zoro had missed it. Sanji annoyed the hell out of him in just the right way that made them fit. He didn’t want to be with someone who didn’t challenge him at every level. That would be boring. He wanted a man who didn’t put up with his shit and could hold his own mentally and physically. Sanji met that requirement, in spades. The fact that Zoro found him hot as hell didn’t hurt.
They threatened each other in the middle of the street. People walking along the street gave them a wide berth. The air around them crackled. Zoro rested his hand on the hilt of his katana. He was looking forward to seeing how much stronger Sanji had gotten during their time apart.
“You're going down,” Sanji taunted. “It's time you felt the force of this leg. I've been training to perfection in hell for two years."
“Bring it on.” Anticipation coiled in Zoro’s gut. “I’ll cut you in half before you can move.”
Sanji launched a kick that Zoro blocked with the swift draw of two blades. The impact of Sanji’s shoe against steel rang out like a gong, a blast of power reverberating from them both, causing the bubbles floating around them to fly off. Sanji’s supply balloons bobbed wildly. The ground rumbled beneath them.
Zoro’s brows lifted in pleased surprise and a wide grin appeared on Sanji’s lips. Every inch of him felt alive. This was going to be better than he’d thought.
Zoro sensed it before it happened, but he couldn’t jump far enough. The street opened up beneath his feet. He caught a glimpse of Sanji standing safely on solid ground before he was plummeting down into an abyss.
Zoro felt like he was falling forever. Twisted mangrove roots flashed past. Zoro activated his armament haki around his body as he fell, to protect himself when he hit the ground. Oof. He landed hard on his back and even with the haki, it still knocked the wind from him. He stared up the sunlight barely penetrating the gloom. Damn, he fell far.
He frowned when he saw something running - not falling - toward him from above. His jaw dropped when he realized it was Sanji. Sanji was using geppo. Lucky bastard. “What are you doing, you idiot?”
Sanji landed lightly beside Zoro, his face twisted with worry. “Told you I wasn’t letting you get lost, shit swordsman.” The quaver in his voice cut Zoro. His hands hovered over Zoro’s body. He no longer held the supply bubbles. “You hurt?”
“No.” Zoro grabbed one of Sanji’s hands and squeezed. “I’m fine. Armament haki.”
Sanji exhaled in relief. “Good. Chopper’d be beside himself if I brought you back already in need of a doctor.”
Zoro sat up, rubbed the back of his head, and squinted into the darkness. “Where are we?”
Sanji’s lighter snicked and a flame appeared. He held it aloft. Thick mangrove roots surrounded them, creating twisting paths into more darkness. The ground Zoro had landed on was actually another root. It appeared they’d fallen beneath the inhabited part of the island, but luckily not beneath the surface of the sea.
Zoro looked upward. “How’re we gonna get back up there?”
“I’m not lugging your heavy ass, if that’s what you’re thinking.” Sanji straightened from his crouch and offered Zoro a hand up.
Zoro used the opportunity to yank Sanji close, once he was on his feet. He wrapped an arm around Sanji’s waist. Sanji felt a lot more muscular beneath his suit than he used to feel. “You like my ass.”
Sanji’s expression twisted in a grimace. “Was that supposed to be a pickup line?”
“No. Just stating a fact.”
“Stop talking and kiss me already.”
With a joyful grin, Zoro obliged. Sanji tasted like cigarettes, spearmint, and coming home. Zoro held Sanji against him, kissing him deeply, reconnecting after two years apart. Every inch of Sanji still fitted against him, even though they’d both changed. The lighter disappeared. Long fingers twined in Zoro’s hair and another grabbed his ass. Zoro smiled into the kiss. He’d missed this man.
Sanji hooked a leg around Zoro’s waist, balancing easily on one foot, bringing their lower bodies even closer together. Zoro could feel the hardness growing beneath Sanji’s trousers. His own erection rose in response. He wormed his hand down the back of Sanji’s trousers, beneath silky boxers, and palmed bare skin. He wanted Sanji naked, now.
Sanji disappointed him, though, by breaking the kiss. Panting heavily, a heady flush to his face, Sanji attempted to disentwine them. “Not here.”
Zoro looked around. There was nothing but darkness. “Who’s going to see?”
“You’d rut anywhere if you could.”
“With you? Yes.”
Sanji got flustered at the statement, and Zoro grinned. Sanji shoved him away, smoothed his suit and hair, and retrieved his lighter from his pocket. He flicked it on again. “C’mon. Let’s find a way out of here before someone steals my packages.”
“What’d you do with them?”
“Tied them to a rail outside one of the buildings. I paid a kid to watch them, but who knows how that’ll work out.”
The groves of Sabaody had all types of people inhabiting and visiting, from workers to nobles, pirates and marines. It was the last stop before the New World and a booming business hub for travelers and traders. The packages could be safe or could disappear, depending which type of individual came along. Sanji wouldn’t be pleased if their supplies disappeared and Zoro really wanted to get laid.
“Let’s go.” Zoro started walking quickly along the wide tree root, toward the darkness.
“Oi! Don’t run off without me, dumbass. You’re going to get lost.”
“There’s only one way to go.”
Sanji caught up and fell into step beside him. “You can get lost in a water closet.”
“It was just that one time!”
Sanji chuckled. His lighter provided illumination as they walked. The root they were on led farther into the maze of mangroves. It twined down and around, intersecting with other tree roots. Occasional spears of sunlight could be seen overhead, between the groves. The buzz of unseen insects mixed with the sounds of the sea below them. Zoro let his thoughts wander. It would have been nice to have gone fishing.
Sanji unbuttoned his cuffs and pushed up the sleeves of his jacket and shirt. The dense roots and the moisture from the sea below made the air humid. Sweat dampened the back of his neck. Trust the marimo to get them into an uncomfortable situation. “You couldn’t drop yourself on a pleasant beach, with beautiful bikini-clad women frolicking in the surf?”
“Huh?”
“Never mind.” Sanji switched the lighter to his other hand. He was glad it was recently refilled or they’d be wandering in the dark. He wondered how the others were fairing. He knew most of them were on the island, but hadn’t seen anyone but Franky when he’d dropped off his belongings at the ship. Franky had given him a den den mushi before he’d gone off to get supplies.
The darkness and twisting mangrove tree roots seemed to stretch out before them for infinity. They were going to have to start climbing soon if they wanted to make their way out. So far, they hadn’t come across any viable paths. Jumping down to a root below would be easy, but they wanted to go up.
“Hey, what’s that?” Zoro said, pointing ahead of them.
Sanji had noticed it, too. It appeared to be a shimmer of light. “Dunno. Let’s find out.”
They continue walking. The closer they got, the clearer the shimmer became, not a singular light, but a multitude of them. The need for the lighter became moot, and Sanji put it away. The root they were on went under an arch of another one and they passed into a magical sight. Sanji was amazed. “Wow.”
“Wow is right,” Zoro echoed, staring around them.
The tree roots formed a dome over them and on the roots were hundreds of tiny lights. The lights had a soft pink glow. Two thick roots had overlapped each other, forming a depression where water had collected. The surface reflected the lights. It was as if they’d entered a magical cave, or grove as they were in the trees.
When Sanji lowered his gaze from the lights, he found Zoro looking at him with a soft expression. His heart sped up. “Why are you staring, mosshead?”
“I’m admiring the view.”
Sanji went to tug at his already loose collar. Stupid swordsman and his stupid sweet words.
Sanji had to admit, though, that Zoro looked exceptionally handsome in the soft pink light. Strong jaw, hard lines - nothing feminine about him. Of course Sanji would fall for the manliest specimen around. Zoro wasn’t overly bulked as if more muscle would make him better. He didn’t carry huge swords. His strength was compacted into a swordsman’s physique that made him all the more deadly. “I still can’t believe you lost your eye.”
“Makes me pay attention more,” Zoro said, reaching out a hand to tug at Sanji’s sleeve. “C’mon. I want to check out that water.”
“There probably aren’t any fish.”
Zoro chuckled as he wandered in the direction of the root-formed pool. He crouched and swiped his palm through the water. “It’s comfortable.” Straightening, he began taking off his boots.
Sanji frowned. “What’re you doing, marimo?”
“What’s it look like?” Zoro set his katanas aside and removed the sash around his waist. The long green coat he wore fell open. He shrugged it off his shoulders and dropped it to the ground.
They were alone. Zoro was taking off his clothing. What was Sanji waiting for?
Zoro chuckled when Sanji removed his jacket. “Shut up,” Sanji said, folding his jacket neatly before setting it on the tree root. He toed off his shoes as he removed his tie.
Zoro was naked and in the water before Sanji had his shirt off. Sanji couldn’t help but stare. Zoro grinned knowingly at him before ducking down beneath the surface. Sanji quickly finished shedding his clothes, to join him.
The water was somewhat cool, but still comfortable. It wasn’t that deep, reaching mid-thigh. The small pool was likely rainwater that had collected from the last storm that managed to seep through the mangrove roots and canopy. Sanji lowered himself to his knees, dunking his head back into the water. He slicked his hair away from his face.
Zoro surfaced directly in front of him, rising up like male water nymph. Strong arms wound around his waist, pulling him bodily against Zoro. Zoro smiled in a way that crinkled the corners of his eyes. “You’re not getting away this time.”
“Didn’t plan to,” Sanji murmured, and captured that smile in a kiss.
Zoro made a soft sound, arms tightening around Sanji. Sanji felt longing in Zoro’s embrace. The kiss before had been a hello. This one sang of being reunited. He’d been worried that Zoro might have found someone else during the time they were apart. Two years was a long time. But that worry was for nothing. Zoro still wanted him. And after his isolation in hell, Sanji knew that even if was surrounded by a hundred beautiful, willing women, he’d pick Zoro over them every time.
“Missed you,” Zoro murmured against Sanji’s lips, and Sanji’s heart fluttered. He fisted his hand in Zoro’s hair, angling his head, kissing him deeper. Their mouths met, parted, and met again, stoking passion, rekindling desire. The hard planes of Zoro’s body felt right pressed against Sanji’s own. No softness, only muscle that could overpower him if he allowed it.
Sanji could feel Zoro’s hardness digging into his belly and snaked a hand between them to grab him. Zoro squeaked in the back of his throat, and it was both funny and a turn on. Sanji grinned against Zoro’s mouth, earning a nip in response. He began to jack Zoro, slowly at first, then faster and with more firmness to his grip. Zoro broke away with a sharp intake of breath, chin lifting as his head fell back. “Yessss…”
The pink glow bathed Zoro’s arousal-flushed feature. Sanji’s erection throbbed. He worked Zoro with intent, wanting to see orgasm wreck Zoro’s control. The hands around his back tightened almost bruisingly. He licked a stripe along the salty skin of Zoro’s neck before purring Zoro’s name. “Zoro…”
Zoro’s face contorted and he made a strangled sound. The muscles in his neck stood out, and then he was pushing against Sanji’s hand and pulsing under his grip. Sanji watched with gratification as Zoro climaxed. He’d caused that.
Zoro nudged Sanji’s hand away from his now-sensitive body and gave Sanji a look of satisfaction. He kissed Sanji again, before murmuring, “Your turn.”
Sanji felt a buzz of anticipation. It sounded a lot like wings. He saw lights flying behind his closed eyelids. His observation haki tickled. Zoro drew back at the same time he did and they both looked up.
The pink lights that had been on the roots were now flying around the room, attached to hundreds of very angry looking insects. The insects were the size of Sanji’s hand. They had six legs, four wings, and sharp teeth. The lights hung over their angry multi-eyed brows like lantern fish. They swarmed Sanji and Zoro, darting down to bite at their exposed skin.
Sanji screeched, as any sane man should, especially once they started attacking. He fled the pool, dashing from the root dome down another root path. He didn’t even stop to grab his clothes. He heard Zoro yelp and then the thundering of bare feet. Sanji didn’t stop until he almost smacked into another root rising up in the darkness. Only his observation haki prevented him from hitting it head on.
Zoro slid to a stop beside him. Panting, they stood in complete darkness, waiting to see if the insects had followed them. Sanji felt something hard bump against his leg that wasn’t an erection. “Did you grab our clothes?”
“Uh…”
“Shitty swordsman.”
“I was in a hurry!”
“You could have grabbed our clothes, too!”
“They weren’t important.”
“And your stupid swords are?”
“Take that back, before you find out the answer personally.”
Sanji scoffed. He was wet, naked, in the dark, traumatized, and still horny. “Stupid marim-oh!” he squawked when he was grabbed. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“Finishing what we started.”
“Now is not the– nngh.” Sanji’s thoughts fled, and whatever hardness that had gone when they’d bolted came rushing back when he felt a warm, wet mouth enclose around him. “Fuck, Zoro.”
Zoro hummed, and Sanji’s bare toes curled and he grabbed Zoro by the hair. In the pitch darkness, Zoro sucked Sanji’s cock, the wet sounds of his mouth the only thing Sanji could hear. Every cell in his body was focused on the pleasure he was receiving. Zoro excelled at this. Sanji knew he should be jealous, as Zoro’d had to learn to be this good somewhere, sometime, but right now all Sanji could do was hold on.
Orgasm started from the depths of his being before building into an explosion of relief. He shuddered hard, spilling into Zoro’s mouth. He continued holding onto Zoro’s hair, his knees suddenly weak. It took a long time to catch his breath. He was out of practice. Two years was a long time to be celebate.
Zoro gave Sanji a naughty kiss on the tip of his dick before planting another soft one on his belly. He nuzzled the crease in Sanji’s thigh, his breath warm against Sanji’s damp skin. Sanji ran his fingers through Zoro’s hair, still wet from the water catchment. He wanted to stay there, cocooned in the darkness, content and quiet, with Zoro kneeling in front of him like this. He could feel the press of Zoro’s cheek against his thigh, the relaxation in Zoro’s shoulders as he brushed his hands downward to rest on them. It warmed him to know that Zoro felt safe enough to be with him like this.
Their relationship had been one of ups and downs since they started it. It hadn’t become serious until Thriller Bark, when Sanji tried to sacrifice himself in Zoro’s place. Zoro hadn’t let him. Once Zoro had recovered and Sanji had beaten him to pulp again for nearly dying on him, they fell into a new rhythm of trust that ran deep. Sanji didn’t feel like he had to be anything more than himself around Zoro. Zoro wasn’t constantly on guard while Sanji was near. Most importantly, Zoro was happy, and that happiness meant everything to Sanji.
He’d felt worried that the two year separation might have changed things, but now that anxiety bled away with the knowledge that Zoro was still his, in every way.
Sanji gently tugged Zoro by the ear. “C’mon, love. Let’s go and get our clothes.”
Zoro peered around the edge of a tree root into the doomed room with the pool. The pink-lighted insects had settled back on the roots, with only a few flying around. He and Sanji had blindly fumbled back through the darkness to the room. Zoro used it as an excuse to grope Sanji when he could, earning him several sharp kicks in the shin. He felt playful and relaxed. Happy. It was great to be with Sanji again.
“So what do you think?” Sanji asked, looking over his shoulder.
“I was thinking I could throw you into the pool and then run in and grab our stuff while you created a distraction,” Zoro said.
Sanji’s brow rose, and before Zoro could move, he found himself sailing through the air after a resounding kick to the bare backside. He landed in the water catchment with a loud splash. He sputtered and scrambled to his feet. “Shitty cook!”
The insects launched from the roots, aiming for him. Zoro drew two katanas and began slicing and dicing. He spotted Sanji darting into the room, wearing a rotten grin and nothing else, heading for their clothes. Zoro didn’t want the idiot cook to be bitten, or scared off again like a ninny. “Come and get me, you stupid bugs!”
The insects obliged, keeping away from Sanji. Once Sanji was in the clear, back to where he’d started, Zoro drew on his haki to add some power to his blow. Using two katanas, he created a whirlwind of energy that sliced through the air, cutting more than half the insects down. He took the opportunity to leave as the rest of the insects reeled from the power.
He met up with Sanji away from the doomed room. Fully dressed, Sanji was holding his lighter, the flame provided enough light for Zoro to see. Zoro shot him a scowl. “You didn’t have to kick me.”
“Yes, I did.” Sanji was unrepentant. “Put your clothes on. We still need to find a way out of here.”
Zoro grumbled, but complied. “If I have a foot mark on my ass, I’m going to gut you.”
“Hm.” Zoro glanced up in the middle of pulling on his trousers to see Sanji with a gleam in his eye. He frowned. “What are you thinking about?”
Sanji cleared his throat and heat flushed his cheeks. “Uh… nothing. Never mind.”
“Weird-assed cook.” Zoro would never fully understand him. Quickly finishing dressing, Zoro slid his katanas into the loop at his side and brushed his hands through his wet hair. “Let’s go.”
Zoro pivoted on a heel and started walking. A hand at the back of his collar pulled him up short. “Wrong way, dumbass.”
“I knew that,” Zoro said, spinning around and heading the other direction. Sanji snickered. “Shut up.”
Falling into step beside him, Sanji kept the lighter raised to light their way. More mangrove roots greeted them as they walked. They didn’t see any other deceptive lights, though Zoro thought he spotted a monstrous snake head peering at them from the twisted shadows. Zoro was starting to wonder if they’d be wandering below the groves forever and would think he was lost if Sanji wasn’t with him.
Zoro really wouldn’t mind being stuck down here with Sanji. Sure, eventually they’d need to eat, and it was hard to reach their dreams living amongst tree roots. But they were alone, with nothing pulling on their attention. No enemies, no crew, no worries. Just him and Sanji. They could just be.
Zoro wondered, sometimes, if Sanji understood how important he was to Zoro. This wasn’t a fling to while away the lonely nights. He knew Sanji loved him, but Zoro would give up his swords for Sanji. Sanji was the one person whom he could let his guard down around, knowing that Sanji would and could protect everyone in the crew if need be. That Sanji could protect him. It was a feeling Zoro cherished, and Zoro would be destroyed if anything ever happened to him.
“Aha. That might work.”
“Huh?” Zoro was pulled from his woolgathering at Sanji’s voice. Sanji pointed ahead of them.
One of the mangrove roots twined over the top of the one they were walking on. Unlike the prior ones, this one was angled enough that they could go up it. Zoro indicated he understood, and together they climbed the new path. This one led higher and higher, winding up through the other roots toward a taller tree. Zoro could see the underside of a bridge between groves when they reached the top.
“Now what?” Zoro said.
“I’ll hop up there and find a rope to lower down to you. I should be able to find one long enough,” Sanji said.
“That’s right. Geppo.”
Sanji nodded. “Don’t move. I mean it. I don’t want to have to search for your damned ass in these roots again.”
Zoro rolled his eyes. “I’m not going to move, stupid cook.”
Sanji gave him a narrowed look, and Zoro folded into a sitting position. “There. Happy?”
“Ecstatic,” Sanji said flatly. He hesitated, then reached out to caress Zoro’s cheek.
Zoro’s heart stuttered. He closed his eyes and nuzzled into Sanji’s hand. He heard the unsaid words loud and clear. “Me, too.”
He felt a kiss brush against his forehead. “Be right back.”
And then Sanji was gone.
Zoro heard the snaps in the air as Sanji created footholds from nothing. He rested his elbow on his knee and his chin on his closed fist. He didn’t know how long he’d have to wait. Maybe he’d nap. He needed to keep an ear out, though, for potential trouble. And if trouble came, he’d be ready. He just hoped he didn’t have to move from this spot. Sanji was annoyingly waspish when he didn’t listen.
He wasn’t dozing long when he felt something thwap against his head. He opened his eyes to find the end of a rope dangling above him. He got to his feet, yawned and stretched, and then tugged the rope. It felt secure. He began climbing. It took him little time to reach the top.
Sanji stood awaiting him on the bridge. The rope had been tied to one of the bridge anchors. “Glad you didn’t get lost.”
“I told you I wasn’t going to move,” Zoro scowled.
“I meant climbing the rope.”
“It was only that one time!”
Sanji chuckled, untied the rope, and coiled it around his arm. “I have to take this back, and then we need to get my packages.”
Zoro looked around. “Where are we, anyway?”
“Grove 27.”
“Weren’t we in 41?” Zoro was amazed that they’d gone that far traveling on the roots.
“Yes. I found someone to give us a ride back.” Sanji led the way to a nearby shop. He gave the rope to one of the employees standing nearby. Another one stood with a bubble bike that had a pull cart. Sanji hopped in and Zoro joined him.
The ride back to Grove 41 was uneventful. Zoro watched the people going on and about their business. Zoro noted he and Sanji hadn’t been gone too long. It was still light out, the same day.
Sanji gave their driver some Beli when they arrived at their destination. Zoro saw a kid sitting on a set of steps, looking bored out of his mind. Sanji’s balloon packages floated over his head. “Hey, looks like your supplies survived.”
Sanji was pleased. He gave the kid a tip, a huge one. “Thank you.”
The kid’s eyes grew enormous. “Thank you, Mister!” he exclaimed before scrambling off.
“Softie,” Zoro teased. Sanji shrugged and grabbed the balloon strings.
The den den mushi in Sanji’s suit coat pocket began to ring. Sanji pulled it out. As he spoke. Zoro noticed a ruckus on the next island. He stood on his toes, trying to see farther.
“Understood. The shore of Grove 42. See you there,” Sanji was saying into the den den mushi. What sounded like Franky answered back, and Sanji hung up.
Zoro looked at Sanji curiously. “What was that?”
“Weren’t you listening?” Sanji huffed an exasperated breath. “Marines come. We go ship. Run.”
“Why are you talking like that? Talk normally.”
Sanji smirked. “I thought I’d put it in a way you can understand.”
“I’m definitely going to cut you up later,” Zoro threatened absently, but the goings on at the other island had drawn his attention again. “Isn’t that island over there getting rowdy?”
Sanji looked in that direction and frowned. “Yeah. Island rowdy.”
“You’re not funny,” Zoro told him flatly.
“Whatever.” Sanji jerked his chin. “Let’s check it out.”
Zoro fell into step with Sanji once again. It looked like their little side adventure was over and a new one was starting. Zoro didn’t mind, since Sanji was still at his side. Maybe this adventure would trap them somewhere with a soft bed and lots of booze. He could dream.
End