The
calluses on Zoro's fingertips caught against the imperfections in the planks of
the galley wall. Braced in the
windows' blind spot between the icebox and the preparation counter, he leaned
his forehead against the rough wood, swallowed a moan, and rocked into Sanji's
thrusts. Sanji's hand was planted
beside Zoro's head, the other gripping his bare hip.
The heat from Sanji's body blanketed his back.
The metal lantern on the table reflected in each of the galley's portholes, an orange-yellow glow against a backdrop of night. The door was latched, as was the hatch leading to the navigation cabin below. An open bottle of cooking oil made a slick ring on the otherwise spotless preparation counter. The musky odor of sex hung heavily in the air.
Black trousers hanging around his knees, Zoro dug his bare toes into the grooves of the floor for purchase, as Sanji's pace increased. He panted harshly through his slacked mouth. It felt so good. Sanji plunged deep with every twist of his hips, sending pleasure radiating through Zoro. They'd been fucking for months, whenever they were both off the midnight watch. Zoro had approached Sanji one night for no reason other than being extremely horny and in the middle of the ocean. The tip of Sanji's cigarette had flared as he'd stared at Zoro for a long moment, before he'd said, "I'm not being the girl."
Zoro had no problems with that, considering, while Sanji enjoyed women, Zoro liked men. He wasn't about to tell Sanji what he was missing.
The ship creaked as she settled on the waves. Zoro stared blindly at the joint where the wall met the floor, his hand working fast over his cock. The rhythm was off, his hips bucking jerkily between Sanji's thrusts and his fist. His thoughts focused solely on coming. Pressure built behind his balls. A lust-wracked cry escaped from his throat, choked off like his breath as orgasm hit. He spattered the previously stained wall with his release.
He shuddered hard and went still, his cheek pressed against the wood grain. Sanji pounded into him, seeking his own release. Zoro closed his eyes and licked his dry lips. His mind drifted on clouds of nothing, the day's tension bleeding away. His limbs grew heavier as he leaned against the wall, still deriving pleasure in waiting for Sanji to finish.
The grasp on his hip tightened and Sanji's thrusts stuttered. Sanji's gasping sounded loud in the galley before it cut off completely and Zoro felt Sanji's cock pulse inside him. He squeezed his muscles, earning a strangled noise from Sanji, and grinned.
Shifting so his forehead rested against his forearm braced on the wall, Zoro was content to stand there until Sanji regained his bearings. Sex made him less antagonistic for a short time, though it didn't mean he liked Sanji any better.
Which was why the kiss on the back of his neck surprised Zoro. His eyes popped open and he turned his head, craning his neck to look over his shoulder in disbelief.
Sex-flushed and sloe-eyed, Sanji stared back at him with an odd weightiness to his gaze. He caught Zoro off-guard again when Sanji cupped his chin and rubbed the pad of his thumb across Zoro's lower lip. Zoro was too stunned to move as Sanji pressed fully against his back and brushed a kiss on the corner of his mouth.
Completely floored, Zoro couldn't speak. Kissing was an intimacy Sanji hadn't wanted, or so he'd thought. In the many months they'd been fucking, not one kiss had been exchanged. Sanji shifted, pulling out of Zoro. With a firm pressure against Zoro's jaw, Zoro was turned around until his back was against the wall, and Sanji leaned in for another kiss.
Sanji's lips were warm and firm against his own. Zoro could see the fan of fair lashes against the pale skin beneath Sanji's closed eyes. He didn't know what had gotten into Sanji to make him change his mind, but a lick along the seam of his lips caused a fresh surge of arousal in Zoro and he no longer cared. Eyelids slipping shut, he fisted a hand in Sanji's shirt, dragged him closer, and kissed him back.
A pleased rumble came from Sanji and he angled his head to deepen the kiss. His half-hard cock twitched, nestled beside Zoro's reviving erection, their trousers still around their knees. Zoro's tongue slipped into Sanji's mouth, teasing, tasting and taunting Sanji into reciprocating. Sanji didn't let him down, plundering his mouth with more passion than skill. Zoro's desire was stoked further by the lack of finesse, turned on by raw hunger replacing careful seduction.
Breathing heavily, Sanji kissed along Zoro's jawline and down the column of his neck. Zoro's hips bumped against Sanji's, the sensitive head of his cock tickled by Sanji's pubes. He moaned softly, grabbed Sanji's hipbones, and rubbed against him. Sanji returned to Zoro's lips with an impassioned kiss that weakened Zoro's knees.
It didn't take much to get him on his back on the floor. His surprise at the position was fleeting; like the kissing, Sanji hadn't shown any desire to look at him when they fucked. Zoro had enough experience to know sex was usually good any which way he could get it, and he kicked his trousers off as Sanji greased himself up with the cooking oil.
Zoro was amused by the slightly befuddled look on Sanji's face once he was prepared and took pity on him by propping an ankle on one shoulder and hooking the other leg around Sanji's waist. Sanji pressed forward and Zoro sucked in air between his teeth at the familiar stretch. Once fully seated, Zoro dragged Sanji down into another kiss.
Braced on his forearms on either side of Zoro's head, Sanji returned the kiss greedily, seemingly more interested in it that fucking. Zoro supposed it was the novelty of something new. Finally, Sanji began rocking his hips, and Zoro saw stars. He nearly clunked his chin against Sanji's face as he threw his head back, his head scraping against the plank floor.
Clutching the nape of Sanji's neck, Zoro rode the sparks of almost overwhelming pleasure with every hit of Sanji's cock against that perfect spot inside him. He could feel Sanji watching him, but he didn't care about the contortion of his features or the sounds he made. He enjoyed sex without that spot being hit, but when it was�
Heat radiated between his and Sanji's body and sweat plastered his shirt to his chest. He wormed his hand between their stomachs and wrapped his fingers around his hardened cock. He jerked himself off with a needy noises coming from his throat. He balanced on the precipice of orgasm until he thought he'd go out of his mind.
He finally came, with a white-out behind his scrunched eyelids, shooting his release on his and Sanji's shirts. He milked his cock until it became too sensitive and let his hand fall to the floor. The jolts against that spot were too much now and he shifted his leg off Sanji's shoulder, changing the angle.
Sanji adjusted to the move, allowing Zoro to hook both heels around his waist. Breathing raggedly through his mouth, Zoro opened his eyes and gave Sanji a languid smile. For some reason, Sanji thrusts stopped abruptly and he stared at Zoro like he'd volunteered to do the dishes or something. An indefinable expression chased across Sanji's face, leaving Zoro wondering what the hell was going on in that stupid head. But then, Sanji lowered his mouth and kissed Zoro, and Zoro forgot about knowing.
He wove his fingers into Sanji's blonde mess of hair, encouraging him to continue. Rocking his hips again, Sanji obliged and the kiss went on, growing in intensity until Zoro's lips tingled. Sanji broke away as his rhythm faltered and Zoro watched with sated eyes as Sanji found release again. A crimson flush spread over Sanji's features, his kiss-bruised mouth contorting almost as if he were in pain. He came with an undignified grunt and then collapsed on top of Zoro like deadweight.
"Get off me," Zoro said, hardly allowing Sanji time to recover this time. Sanji's quick pants were warm against the side of his neck, making him feel all the more hot and itchy from sweating.
"You've got no class," Sanji said, pushing up and pulling out of Zoro in one smooth movement. He wiped his forehead with his shirtsleeve, still breathing unsteadily from exertion. "A person could wait until their lover recovered."
"A person could," Zoro sat up and reached for his trousers, "but I'm not going to."
Sanji straightened his own clothing and frowned at the drying semen on his shirt. "This better not stain."
Zoro rolled his eyes. "It hasn't yet." A yawn cracked his jaw and he scratched his belly as he stood. A pleasant lethargy weighed his limbs, the kind that could only be brought on by good sex. He'd have a quick wash and then he was going to bed.
"Zoro." His name on Sanji's lips made Zoro pause in unlocking the galley door. He glanced back over his shoulder. Sanji leaned against the table, an unlit cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth. That odd expression had returned. Sanji opened his mouth to say something, shut it abruptly, and looked away.
Zoro scowled. "What is it, cook? I want to take a shower and go to bed."
"If you disturb Nami-san or Robin-chan, I'll kick your ass."
Scoffing, Zoro unbolted the door and walked out of the galley into the warm Grand Line night.
Out of the corner of his eye, Zoro could see Sanji looking at him again. He continued curling the weights. The overhead sun beat hotly against the decks of the Going Merry. Sweat coated his bare chest and back and dripped from his chin. Keeping silent count, Zoro watched Sanji watching him. Sanji had been doing it for the past few weeks, with a furrow between his brows that wavered between annoyance and confusion. Zoro was sure his expression matched Sanji's each time he caught the cook staring. Confrontation yielded no answers, just an insult or a demand for some chore to be completed.
Whatever was on Sanji's mind didn't affect their fucking, which was why Zoro didn't care too much about the reasoning behind the looks. The addition of kissing made sex that much better, in Zoro's opinion. Sanji had a great mouth and arousal burned hotter with the raw passion behind the kisses. Zoro also got fucked on his back more because of it, but that definitely didn't bother him.
Leaning against the aft-side rail, Sanji smoked a cigarette down to the filter, watching Zoro the entire time. Zoro ignored him, as usual, working steadily through his training routine. He didn't notice when Sanji left, only that he was gone by the time Zoro finished.
Zoro wiped his face with his previously discarded shirt, slung it around his neck, and put up his equipment. Nami was sunning herself on the foredeck, with Robin seated under the table umbrella reading a book, a short distance away. Chopper and Usopp sat side-by-side holding fishing poles on the rail. A third fishing pole dangled in the water without a person holding it.
Zoro wandered inside the lower cabin, carrying his katanas that were never too far from reach. A short, cool shower washed the sweat from his body. The three earrings hanging from his ear tinkled as he toweled dry his hair.
Redressed in his white shirt, black trousers, and haramaki, Zoro slid his sheathed katanas into their holding loop, as he headed up to the galley for something to drink.
"But Sanji, I'm hungry," Luffy's whine greeting Zoro. He sat cross-legged on the table, rubber arms stretching towards the stove, where a round pie dish sat cooling on the top burner. The sweet scent of strawberries drifted in the air and made Zoro's stomach rumble. He loved strawberry pie.
Zoro grabbed his boots from the corner he'd kicked them in at breakfast and sat on the edge of the hatch stairs to pull them on. The knife blade in Sanji's hand flashed in the sunlight streaming through the portholes. He slapped the back of Luffy's hand with the dull edge. "I told you, no."
"Saaaaaaanjiiiiii."
"Lunch will be ready in an hour. You can wait that long." Sanji's shoulders shifted beneath his pale blue shirt as he continued food preparation. "Now, get out of my kitchen."
"Okay, Sanji." Luffy jumped off the table and headed out the door. At the last moment before it swung shut, his arm shot back inside and he snatched the pie right out of the dish.
"LUFFY! YOU ASSHOLE!"
Zoro had never heard that tone of voice directed at Luffy before, no matter how many times he'd stolen food. Sanji banged the knife on the counter, curse words flowing from his mouth. He threw open the cabinet beneath the sink and began kicking something furiously. "Fucking asshole! Rubberdicked pegboy! Mongrel fucking whore!"
Worrying about damage to the Merry, Zoro rose from the steps, crossed the galley, and snagged Sanji by his collar. "Stupid idiot, you'll destroy the ship."
The rage on Sanji's face was startling. Zoro leapt backwards, out of the range of Sanji's kick. "What the hell?" Zoro said, gripping the hilt of a katana. "It's just a pie, you dumbass cook."
Sanji's body shook with anger, his lips thinned and his hands clenched into fist. He turned his back on Zoro. "Get out."
"This is ridiculous," Zoro said, straightening from his defensive stance. "If dessert's that important, make another damned pie." A dented hunk of metal under the sink caught his attention. He realized that was what Sanji had been kicking and was probably put there for that reason. By the state of the metal, Sanji must have gotten irrationally angry a lot. Zoro wondered how many dents that he was the cause of and grinned.
Zoro saw Sanji's shoulders slump, the anger leaving him as suddenly as it came on. "There's no more strawberries," he said, sounding tired and defeated.
"Too bad." Zoro stepped closer to the stove and wiped his finger through some strawberry filling that had stuck to the pie tin. He sucked the filling off his finger and moaned at its deliciousness.
Sanji arched his curled eyebrow at Zoro, leaned back against the edge of the sink, and searched through his pockets for his cigarettes and lighter. "It's good," Zoro said, wiping his finger thoroughly around the pie tin. "Strawberry's my favorite."
"I know."
Zoro cut him a glance, sucking his finger in his mouth. Sanji was frowning fiercely at his feet. It didn�t make a lick of sense how upsetting Luffy's pie-thievery was to him. "It's really not a big deal, moron. There'll be other pies made and stolen by Luffy."
"Hn." Sanji lit his cigarette and took a slow drag from it. He looked at Zoro and a smile twitched his lips. "Don't lick the tin, asswipe."
Zoro slid his tongue over the still-warm surface of the tin, licking up the remnants of the pie. "'S'really good. Might have to kill Luffy myself."
That earned a chuckle from Sanji, and Zoro felt oddly proud of himself for it. He deposited the clean tin in the sink behind Sanji. "You have some on your face," Sanji said.
"Where?" Zoro lifted a hand, ready to catch whatever remained with his finger. He didn't want to let any go to waste.
It didn't, because Sanji leaned forward and licked the corner of his mouth. Heat flared in Zoro's belly, underscoring his surprise. "It's in the middle of the day."
"So?" Sanji smirked at him and took another drag on his cigarette. "Something to think about 'til tonight."
Zoro
glanced out the porthole to ensure no one was watching and then dove in for a
dirty kiss. Sanji's surprised exhale of cigarette smoke wasn't that
pleasant, but Zoro didn't mind because being one-upped was a good look on Sanji.
"Later,"
he said, and sauntered back outside.
"You.
Come with me." Sanji
pointed at Zoro, who was lounging with his feet-up on the table, drinking from a
full stein of rum. Pirates,
drunkards, and other disreputable men sat around scarred tables on rickety
chairs in Scally Wagg's Tavern. Bounty
posters with knife slashes and bullet holes decorated the crumbling walls.
Boasting and bragging became more boisterous with the number of drinks
had, filling the dim room with lively shouts and booming laughter.
Zoro
scoffed at Sanji. "Forget it,
dartboard eyebrow. I'm not being
your packhorse."
The
Going Merry had docked in the early evening hours on one of the many islands
that populated the Grand Line. Luffy
had run off immediately, in search of meat.
Zoro had escaped almost as quickly, especially once he'd seen the supply
list Sanji waved after the anchor had been dropped.
He'd wandered around the clapboard town for an hour before he'd finally
found the tavern. His goal was to
drink his money away and was only sixteen steins in.
"The
supplies have already been taken care of, no thanks to you, shitty
swordsman." Sanji kicked the foot of Zoro's chair, sending it crashing
backwards onto the floor and Zoro's rum spilling everywhere.
"Asshole! What did you do that for?" Zoro demanded, jumping to his
feet. The empty stein rolled under
another table. Zoro gripped his
katana hilt, ready to slice into Sanji. "You
wasted perfectly good rum."
"You
could always suck on your shirt," Sanji said.
The patrons around them listened with anticipation for a fight, but they
weren't to get one. Sanji was
already heading for the door. "Come
on."
"Who
said I was going with you?" Zoro said.
"Just
shut up and follow me."
Zoro
bristled and went after Sanji for the sole reason of giving him a piece of his
steel. Night had fallen outside.
Candlelight burned behind shuttered windows. Unsavory hands beckoned into the shadows between buildings.
Zoro marched after Sanji on the dirt-packed street, avoiding the
scuffling of some ragamuffin children. "Where
the hell are we going?"
"Here,"
Sanji said, cutting suddenly into an open doorway.
Grumbling,
Zoro backtracked and followed Sanji inside.
A wrinkled old man sat on a stool behind a tall desk in an otherwise
featureless room. The man eyed them
suspiciously, but said nothing, and Sanji breezed past him like he wasn't even
there. Zoro's curiosity began
outweighing his annoyance, as he climbed a rickety set of stairs.
Doorways lined the age-yellowed hallway on the second floor.
Sanji stopped in front of the third door on the left and fitted a key in
the lock.
Zoro
stared at Sanji in confusion. "This
is an inn."
"Brilliant
observation, dumbshit." Sanji
pushed open the door and motioned for Zoro to go inside.
Zoro stared some more. "Why?"
"Even
you can't be that stupid," Sanji said.
Of
course he wasn't that stupid. He'd
gotten hard the moment he figured out where they were.
It didn't explain why, though.
"Too good for the galley now?" Zoro said.
Sanji's
nostrils flared in irritation. "Do
you want to fuck or not?"
Zoro
sneered at Sanji and pulled his rum-dampened shirt over his head as he walked
inside. The room was spartan. A
wide bed with thin sheets stood in the corner, with a piss-pot hidden beneath
it. Orange flame flickered on a lit
candle in its wall sconce. A
chipped washbasin and pitcher balanced on a short, cockeyed table beneath a
broken mirror. The shutterless
window looked out onto the street across from the door.
Zoro
dropped his shirt on the scuffed wood floor, followed by his haramaki.
The door lock clicked into place, as he leaned his katanas against the
wall beside the bed. He tied his bandana around one of the hilts. He lifted one foot and then the other, yanking off his boots
and tossing them aside. He was
turned by a hand on his shoulder, and he caught a glimpse of the unbridled lust
written on Sanji's face before he was being kissed senseless.
Zoro
parted his lips and Sanji plundered his mouth hungrily.
The stiff ridge of Sanji's erection pressed against Zoro's thigh and an
answering heat pooled at Zoro's groin. Clutching
fistfuls of Sanji's hair, Zoro kissed back with interest, the kind that Nami
charged.
The blunt edges of Sanji's fingernails scrapped dully against Zoro's bare back.
Sanji nudged him backwards and their lips parted as they tumbled onto the
bed. Zoro fumbled with Sanji's buckle as Sanji worked the buttons
of his shirt. The husk mattress
crinkled with the movement. Sanji's
shoes thumped on the floor as he kicked them off.
Need
made Zoro clumsy and he cursed the button on Sanji's trousers.
Sanji took care of the problem and got rid of Zoro's pants at the same
time. Zoro ogled unabashedly as
Sanji searched the pockets the pants he held in his hand.
The candlelight tinted Sanji's pale skin gold. Shadows played over the lean muscle and emphasized the length
of his legs. His cock curved from
his body, flush and heavy from arousal.
Zoro
realized it would be the first time they'd been fully naked when they fucked.
The bed was quite a novelty, too. Maybe
sometimes the shitty cook had good ideas.
Sanji
came up with a glass vial from the pocket of his pants, which Zoro recognized as
body oil. Zoro was surprised.
Body oil was expensive. "You
sure you want to use that on me?" he said.
"I
don't see any other idiots here." Sanji
opened the stopper on the vial, poured a little into his hand, and slicked
himself. The heady scent of spice
tickled Zoro's nostrils. Leaving
the re-stoppered vial within reach, Sanji moved over Zoro on the bed.
Zoro
shifted his legs and hissed as Sanji breached him after minimal preparation.
Foreplay was for girls, and Zoro liked the stretch and burn, a barefaced
reminder that he was with another man. Ankles
braced on Sanji's shoulders, he kissed Sanji's waiting lips, hovering
centimeters from his own.
The
kiss grew with a passion to rival their fighting as Sanji rocked into him.
Zoro couldn't get enough. Being
fully naked and in an actual bed apparently made his hormones run wild.
He clasped the back of Sanji's neck and ravaged the lips fitted against
his, until they were both more panting into each other's mouths than kissing.
Sanji's pace sped up and he rested his sweat-dampened forehead against
Zoro's. His ragged breaths were hot
on Zoro's face.
Zoro
snaked his hand between their bodies and grasped his aching erection.
He wiped his thumb over the damp head, smearing the pre-come he'd leaked.
Pumping his fist, he jacked his cock in rhythm with Sanji's thrusts.
His chest was sticky with spilled rum mixed with sweat.
The slap of skin against skin sounded dirty to his ears.
His thigh rocked against his arm with every stroke of Sanji's hips.
That perfect spot inside him wasn't being hit, but the sex was still
awesome and a moan was torn from his throat.
Sanji
muttered a curse, pressed more over Zoro, and banged him fast and furiously.
He came with a stuttered gasp. Zoro
felt the pulse of Sanji's release inside of him and was turned on even more.
He continued jerking his cock, reaching for his own release.
Sanji shifted back and, peering through his eyelashes, Zoro saw him
watching. It was enough to push
Zoro to the edge.
He
came over his fist and on his belly with a sharp exhalation.
His body hummed with relief. Sanji
shifted out of him and off the bed. He
heard the clink of Sanji's lighter and the scent of the cigarette roused him
enough to realize he was thirsty. He
stretched with a pleased sigh, sat up, and scratched the back of his head.
The tavern with its rum called to him again.
He threw his legs over the side of the bed and reached for his pants.
"What
are you doing?" Sanji said. He
leaned against the wall by the open window, the smoke from his cigarette curling
outside.
"I'm
going back to the tavern," Zoro said.
"Don't."
With
one foot in the pants leg, Zoro looked at Sanji with a frown.
"What do you mean, 'don�t'?"
Warring
emotions flickered across Sanji's face, but he turned his back before Zoro could
name them. "Never mind. Do whatever you want, marimo-head."
Zoro
hated when people did that. "If
you have something to say, then say it. Tell
me what the hell you mean by 'don't."
The
tense line of Sanji's back belied the uncaring in his tone.
"I don't have to tell you shit."
Zoro
kicked off his pants, stalked over to Sanji, and spun him around.
"You're acting like a damned girl."
"The
fuck I'm not." Sanji knocked
Zoro's hand off his shoulder. "Piss
off. Go drown yourself in a rum
barrel."
"This
is about my drinking?"
"No,
asshole. It's not about anything but fucking. Just fucking. Otherwise,
I don't give a shit about you." Sanji
flicked his cigarette out the window, surged up, and kissed Zoro savagely.
There was nothing nice about the cut of his teeth or the bruising
pressure against Zoro's lips.
A
rush of fresh arousal slammed through Zoro.
Not to be outdone, he crushed Sanji against him and upped the assault.
He attacked Sanji's mouth without holding back.
He fought for dominance with his lips and tongue, refusing to be cowed.
Sanji ripped at his hair, holding his head in a punishing grip.
Zoro's blood heated, his heart pounding in excitement and anticipation.
Sanji
pulled away first, but Zoro's crow of victory vanished beneath a wave of desire
when Sanji growled, "On your stomach."
Zoro's
nostrils flared and his throat ran dry. A
demand made by lust rubbed him just right.
He moved back to the bed and spread on the wrinkled sheets.
Crossing his arms beneath the pillow, he watched through slitted eyes as
Sanji used the oil and stroked himself to hardness. His own cock firmed again, trapped between the mattress and
his abdomen.
He
started to rise up on his knees as Sanji climbed on the bed, but Sanji shoved
him back down. He entered Zoro with a long, firm slide and then blanketed
Zoro with his body. Sanji pushed
his arms beneath Zoro's armpits, under the pillow, and clasped Zoro's hands.
His legs ran along the inside of Zoro's legs and he pressed a wet kiss on
the nape of Zoro's neck. "Damned, shitty swordsman," Sanji said roughly and
began to move.
The
pillow muffled Zoro's moan. Sanji
thrust with a screw of his hips that drove Zoro's pleasure-sensors insane.
Zoro rocked with Sanji, rubbing his cock against the bed.
It bordered on being too sensitive, so soon after his previous orgasm.
The pressure built slowly and steadily.
Sanji's fingers tightened over Zoro's hands, his forehead pressed against
the back of Zoro's neck, driving in with solid slaps of skin-on-skin.
Zoro turned off his mind and gave himself over to the feel of being
fucked, and fucked good.
He
came first, orgasm raking up from his toes to spill onto the sheets.
Sanji stifled a cry of completion against Zoro's shoulder when he finally
found release. Sated and lax, Zoro
lay listening as Sanji caught his breath, his body a warm weight on Zoro's back.
Faint sounds of late revelry drifted through the open window.
"I
have the room until the morning," Sanji murmured eventually, his cheek
resting on Zoro's shoulderblade. A
weighty silence followed, but Zoro could hear what was being asked.
Content
not to move from the bed, he knocked his ankle lightly against Sanji's, with a
grin on his lips. "You're such
a girl."
He
could feel Sanji's scowl. "Shut
up."
Still
grinning, he shut up and drifted off to sleep.
Sunlight
streamed through the open window onto the occupied bed.
Street vendors' calls blended cacophonously with the jingle of cart bells
and clap of horse hooves on the dirt roads.
Zoro snuffled awake slowly with a jaw-cracking yawn.
He blinked groggily, squinting in the brightness.
The cracked ceiling streaked with grime confused Zoro a moment before he
remembered where he was, and he shifted his head on the pillow.
With one leg thrown over both of Zoro's, Sanji lay curled on his side
facing Zoro, snoring softly.
Zoro
brushed back the hair fanning over Sanji's face and traced his fingertips along
the curve of Sanji's cheek. Something
fluttered in his stomach. He yanked
his hand away sharply when he realized what he was doing.
The blonde strands fell over one closed eye, as Sanji slept on. Blowing out a slow breath, Zoro scrubbed his hand over his
face. What had that been about?
Deciding
Sanji's touchy-feely girlishness from the night before had rubbed off on him,
Zoro shot Sanji a sour look and climbed out of bed.
Sanji stirred as Zoro slid on his pants.
Sitting up, his hair sticking up in the back like a ducktail and with
pillow creases on his cheek, Sanji stared blankly at the window across the
room before looking blearily in Zoro's direction.
"It's morning?"
"That
would be why the sun is out, dumbass," Zoro said, disturbed by the fact
that he found sleepy Sanji endearing. He
grabbed his boots and shoved his feet in them.
"I'm going back to the ship."
"Oh.
Okay."
Zoro
cut a glance at Sanji out of the corner of his eye.
Sanji had swung his legs off the edge of the bed and was reaching for the
cigarette and lighter sitting on top of his discarded pants.
His expression revealed none of the disappointment Zoro had thought he'd
heard.
Shrugging
to himself, Zoro slid the katana sheathes into the loop of his haramaki, slung
his stained shirt over his shoulder, and headed for the door.
"Don't forget to bring back the oil, love cook."
The
snick of the lighter was Sanji's response, as Zoro left the room.
The
old man behind the desk in the lobby of the inn shot Zoro the same suspicious
look as the night before when Zoro strolled past.
Zoro ignored him, stepping out into the sunny morning.
Dirt kicked up from horses choked the air and the buildings appeared even
more rundown in the daylight. Squealing
children darted past him, being chased by a fat man with a rolling pin.
Tiny flowers along the borders of the walkway tried vainly to live, while
trampled underfoot by shopping women. Zoro's
stomach rumbled when he passed a fruit seller and was pleased to remember he had
unspent rum-money in his pocket.
The
strawberries had few bugs and he bought some extra to get Sanji to make him a
pie. There were a couple of
exotic-sounding fruits that he bought, too, that he thought Sanji might like.
Sanji enjoyed weird food, and the stinky, spiny Durian and star-shaped
Star Fruit were definitely weird.
"Oi,
Zoro," Usopp greeted him as he climbed onto the ship.
He'd only found himself on the wrong end of town once while searching for
the docks and he'd had the strawberries to fight off hunger.
"What do you have there?"
"Nothing
for you," Zoro said. He
glanced around the empty deck. "Where's
everyone else?"
"Robin
and Chopper went to go and find Luffy, and Nami's in the cabin, checking her
charts." Concern colored
Usopp's face and he drew down one of his targeting goggles to peer in the
direction of town. "I don't
know where Sanji is. We haven't
seen him since last night."
"He'll
be here soon," Zoro said, scratching his bare belly.
Dried come flaked under his nails. Leaving
Usopp, he dropped the fruit off in the galley and went down to the head for a
quick shower. "'Morning,
Nami."
Nami
didn't raise her from her charts spread over the desk in the lower cabin.
"Good morning," she said absently, as Zoro walked past her.
After
his shower, dressed in a clean shirt, trousers, and haramaki, Zoro untied his
bandana from the hilt of the katana and retied it around his bicep.
Combing his fingers through his damp hair, he made his way back up to the
galley from the men's quarters. Sanji
had returned and was standing in front of the preparation counter, the exotic
fruits spread before him.
"Did I get enough strawberries for a pie?" Zoro asked immediately,
spotting his favorite fruit in a bowl in the sink. He plucked one from the bowl, damp from rinsing, and bit into
the end. Flavor exploded on his
tongue and he slurped the juice that trickled on his lips.
"You
bought the fruit?" Sanji wore
the oddest look, a sort-of surprised disbelief with a mixture of something that
brought pink to his cheeks.
"Yeah,
why?" Zoro bit into the
strawberry again and chewed as he spoke. "St'awbewwies
fa' me. I 'daught you mi' li'
dose." He pointed at the
Durian and Star Fruit.
Sanji
blinked at him a couple of times, then suddenly turned and began rearranging the
fruit. His cheeks grew pinker.
"Don't talk with your mouth full.
It's disgusting."
"So?" Zoro popped the rest of the strawberry in his mouth.
"Pwie?"
"Yes,
there's enough for a pie, if you stop eating them.
Now, go away, you shit swordsman. I've
got things to do."
Zoro
stole another strawberry from the bowl, ducked the kick to his head, and
chuckled on his way out the door.
Zoro
blocked a strike, swung around, and sliced through his opponent.
Blood spurted on his shirt and with a grin around the katana hilt in his
mouth, he attacked the next pirate. His
katanas flashed in the sun, one in each hand and the third between his teeth.
His bandana kept the sweat from dripping in his eyes, as the fight with
the Bogu Pirates continued.
The
brute-sized men wore armor plates strapped to torso and limbs.
They fought in Naginata Style, using wood shafts with a curved blade fashioned onto the end.
The Bogu were fearsome and Zoro could tell they had the skill to back up
their reputation in the Grand Line.
They
were still no match for Zoro or his Santoryuu Style.
Zoro
jumped over a naginata slash and cut down his foe as he landed.
The sounds of battle rose from the decks of the Bogu Pirates' ship.
Blood stained the air with its metallic tang.
Zoro danced over the dead bodies sprawled around him, katanas flashing,
exhilaration zinging through his veins.
"GOMU
GOMU NOOOOO PISTOL!" Luffy's bellow came from the foredeck and Zoro ducked
as a Bogu came flying past him. Laughing,
Zoro plowed through his foe, his strength and focus allowing him to slice
cleanly through the Bogu's armor. He
was intoxicated by the fight against strong opponents.
Weeks had stretched with nothing but water around the Going Merry.
A break in the monotony of training, sleeping, and fucking was exactly
what he needed.
Zoro's
katanas rang against the Bogu's nagitana, knocking it aside before he drove
Yubashiri's swordpoint home. He
jabbed backwards, under his arm, with Sandai Kitetsu, spearing another Bogu on
the demon blade's tip. He pivoted
on his feet, drawing his arms apart, and charged the Bogu circling around him.
All
too soon, the battled ended. Zoro's
chest heaved as he looked around for more of the enemy to fight.
The dead littered the decks, the weathered wood varnished with blood.
The Bogu Pirate flag fluttered down from the mast in tatters, torn from
its place of honor.
Sliding
his katanas into their sheathes, Zoro's shoulders slumped with disappointment.
It was over already. He
pulled off his bandana, tied it around his arm, and jumped from the rail back to
the Going Merry.
Usopp
slid down the mast, slingshot still in hand.
He pushed up his targeting goggles.
"Is it over?"
"Yeah."
Zoro examined his arms as Usopp sighed loudly in relief.
The Bogu had gotten in some good swings.
Several gashes and slices criss-crossed his arms and a few on his chest. He poked at a deep wound on the back of his wrist and frowned
at the pain. "Where's
Chopper?"
"Inside,
patching up Sanji," Usopp said.
Zoro's
head drew up sharply. "What's
wrong with the cook?"
"I
don't know. Luffy flung him back
earlier and Nami and Chopper dragged his body�"
The
rest of whatever Usopp said vanished beneath the loud pounding of his heart.
Zoro stumbled as he rushed up the steps to the galley, his knees not
working properly. A bleak weight
pressed against his chest. Sanji�
The
galley door banged against the wall as Zoro burst inside.
Nami and Chopper jerked in surprise and Sanji � sitting on the edge of
the table, shirtless and bandaged, but quite alive � scowled at him.
"Watch the door, you idiot marimo."
Zoro
suddenly felt more angry at Sanji than he'd ever been.
"Stupid, shit cook. What
the hell were you doing? They were
nothing! You can't even fight
without getting hurt?"
Annoyance
creased Sanji's features. "You're
one to talk. Crashing in here,
looking for Chopper to bandage your tender wounds."
Zoro
stomped over to the table, siezed Sanji by the shoulders, and shook him hard,
ignoring Chopper's exclamation of protest.
"They were nothing!" he repeated, spitting out the words.
"I trust that you can take care of yourself and then you let those
worthless pirates mess you up."
"It
was a lucky shot." Sanji
brought his knees up and kicked Zoro backwards with his feet.
"What the fuck do you care, anyway?"
"I
don't care, asshole. Go get
yourself hacked to pieces if you want," Zoro snarled and stalked out of the
galley.
Standing
at the stern rail, Zoro glared out over the sea with his jaw clenched.
Damned cook. What the hell
was wrong with Sanji? Getting hit
by a lucky shot. He should feel
lucky Zoro didn't kill him. Next
time, Sanji should just die if he was going to be so careless.
An
image of Sanji lying dead, a shroud covering his face, appeared in Zoro's mind
and he bowed quickly over the rail, feeling like he was about to retch.
He breathed rapidly, the salty air making his throat tighten.
Behind him, he heard Luffy's gleeful "Woohoo!" and Robin's
light laughter as they landed on the deck, returning from the Bogu Pirate ship.
Zoro
straightened and pushed the image forcefully from his mind.
It would never happen. Sanji
wouldn't give him the satisfaction of being able to say "I told you
so."
Turning
around, Zoro dropped into a sitting position, leaned his katanas against his
shoulder, and closed his eyes for his usual post-fight nap.
Sleep
was a long time in coming.
The
heat from the stove and Usopp's room-warmer invention helped fight the chill in
the galley. Outside, the wind
whistled sharply, blowing gusts of snow over the Going Merry's decks.
Luffy made a bright speck against the white, bundled in his winter coat,
seated on the Merry's figurehead. The
rest of the Straw Hat crew played wise and stayed indoors on the blustery day.
Across
from Zoro, Nami was reading a book, her chin resting on her hand.
Robin and Chopper played chess at the other end of the table. Mugs of hot cocoa steamed beside the board.
Usopp sat on the floor, tools spread around him, building yet another
contraption.
Seated cross-legged, sideways on the bench seat, Zoro sharpened Wadou with a
sharpening stone. He lifted the
katana in the light coming through the porthole, examining the bevel of the
blade. Satisfied, he set the stone
aside and began to wipe Wadou down with a polishing rag.
"Taste
this." A ladle was thrust in
his face, filled with dark liquid. He
opened his mouth and slurped automatically.
A disgusting flavor coated his tongue.
Making a face, he looked up at Sanji.
"It tastes like someone's used socks."
A
deep furrow etched between Sanji's brows. "So,
I wasn't mistaken."
"Did
you forget how to cook, cook?" Zoro smirked.
"Shut
up, dickhead." Sanji went back
over to the stove and stirred the bubbling stew pot.
The pink apron was tied over his clothing.
"It tasted fine twenty minutes ago. None of the vegetables were rotten, and I thoroughly
pre-cooked the meat�"
Trailing
off, his shoulders tensed suddenly. He
lifted the ladel from the pot and turned slowly around.
"What. Is. This?" he bit out.
A
striped sock draped over the edges of the ladel.
Zoro
burst out laughing. "No wonder
it tasted like socks!"
Nami
giggled and Robin laughed behind her hand.
Chopper chortled unabashed. "A
sock in our soup! Ahahahahaha!"
"Usopp,"
Sanji growled.
Usopp
halted mid-crawl to the floor hatch, with only one stripped sock on.
"IforgotsomethingIneed," he blurted and disappeared in a whirl
of dust.
"Get
back here, you long-nosed shit!"
Usopp,
of course, didn't come back. Sanji
stomped around the galley, muttering curses as he pulled his winter coat on.
He heaved the soup pot off the stove and went to dump its contents
overboard.
Zoro
grinned tauntingly at Sanji when he returned.
"Guess your soup's only good enough to do laundry in."
A
wet, striped sock hit him in the face.
Nami
giggled again, though her eyes were on her book once more.
Chopper and Robin had returned to their game.
Zoro
dragged the sock off his nose. Sanji
tossed his coat on the bench seat beside him.
He smirked down at Zoro, with a challenging lift of his curled eyebrow,
daring Zoro to retaliate.
Zoro
slung the sock around Sanji's neck and used the ends to pull him down into a
short kiss. "Asshole," he said with a smile.
Sanji's
expression was priceless and Zoro chuckled, releasing the sock.
It was then that he remembered they were not alone.
Nami and Chopper stared at him, jaws on the table.
He felt a heated blush spread over his face.
Robin
didn't appear surprised. "Mr.
Cook, may I please have a refill of cocoa?"
"Um,
ah, y-yes, Robin-chan." Sanji
matched the color of his apron. He
snatched her empty mug and went over to the stove. The warmed pot clacked loudly against the edge of the mug,
knocking it over as he started pouring. He
righted it, cursing quietly.
Zoro
glanced at Sanji's back and then averted his eyes.
Tension thickened the air. He
couldn't believe he'd kissed Sanji in front of the others.
He hadn't even thought about what he was doing; he'd just acted.
It wasn't an impulse, either, to try and rattle Sanji.
It had been a natural action, like breathing, or walking, or swinging his
swords.
"Here
you are, Robin-chan." Sanji
handed her the refilled mug.
"Thank
you," she said.
"Sanji�,"
Nami had found her voice first, though her words were stuttered, "�you? And Zoro?"
"Ah,
it's� it's not what you think," Sanji said, fumbling for his cigarettes.
Nami
looked incredulously at him. "What
is it, then?"
"We�it's�"
"I
love him." Zoro looked up at
Sanji, who stared back with impossibly wide eyes.
"You. I love�"
What the hell was he saying? He
scrambled to his feet, shoved Wadou in her sheath, and ran out of the galley.
He was freaked out by his own confession. Since when did he l�have feelings for Sanji?
If he'd been falling in l�that emotion, he would've put a stop to it.
Slipping
on the snowy deck, Zoro threw open the hatch and jumped down into the men's
quarters. The wind blew snowdrift into the forecastle, but Zoro didn't
care. He threw himself onto the
couch, braced his elbows on his knees, and buried his face in his hands.
"Stupid, fucking idiot," he cussed himself with a harrowed
groan.
It
didn't change the fact that he was in love with Sanji.
"Shit."
Midnight
rolled around and it was Zoro's turn on watch.
No one had bothered him in the men's quarters, which was both surprising
and thankful. He'd managed to wrap
his head around what his heart had decided without any input from him. He didn't know when he'd fallen in love, he just was and that
was all that there was to it. Now,
he needed to know where Sanji stood about it.
He'd have to corner Sanji alone sometime in the morning.
Not
wanting to face the others yet, he dug a spare winter coat, scarf, and gloves
out of one of the booty sea chests in the hold.
His own winter weather gear was in the galley still, where everyone had
been sleeping the past few weeks, to keep warm.
A pile of snow stood at the bottom of the ladder to the deck.
Zoro closed the hatch behind him and then climbed the rigging to relieve
Robin.
Only
it wasn't Robin on watch, like it should have been � it was Sanji.
Bundled
in his thick coat with fuzzy green muffs covering his ears, Sanji watched Zoro
intently as he climbed into the crow's nest.
Discomfort made Zoro awkward and he nearly fell on his face.
Sanji's arm shot out, catching him.
Cheeks burning, Zoro unhooked his toe from the edge of the crow's nest
wall and found his footing. "Thanks,"
he mumbled.
"Shitty
swordsman," Sanji replied, and kissed him.
Zoro
made a sound of surprise in the back of his throat.
He stared cross-eyed at Sanji, as Sanji's warm mouth covered his own.
Sanji kissed him ardently, one hand holding his shoulder, the other firm
on the back of his neck. His
eyelids slid shut as realization set in, and he wrapped his arms around Sanji
and clutched him tightly. His
stomach fluttered, as he sunk deeper into the kiss.
Sanji
broke away first. He rested his
forehead against Zoro's, breathing heavily.
"I want to fuck you, right now."
Zoro
ached swiftly with desire. "Hell,
yes."
"I'll
meet you in the men's bunk. Robin's
waiting to come on watch."
Zoro
nearly went tumbling again, this time awkward from arousal.
He made it safely down the rigging and into the men's quarters.
He lit a lantern and tugged off his clothes. The hammocks cast webbed shadows on the hull.
The hatch overhead closed and Sanji's boots rang on the ladder.
His nostrils flared when he saw Zoro naked.
He
took a mostly used vial of body oil from his coat pocket, tossed it to Zoro, and
started undressing. The oil smelled
like lavender, bought again by Sanji at their last island stop.
Zoro poured a dollop on his fingers, braced a foot on the couch, and
reached back to prepare himself. Sanji
cursed and a boot went sailing. It
thumped against the hull and tumbled to the floor.
Zoro
glanced over his shoulder and was burned by Sanji's heated stare.
Shirtless and wearing one boot, Sanji gave up stripping and move swiftly
behind him. Shoving his trousers
down, Sanji snatched the vial from Zoro and coated his rigid cock.
He capped the vial, tossed it on the couch, and positioned himself.
With a firm press forward, he slid inside Zoro.
Zoro
exhaled sharply at the stretch and burn. His
toes curled on the cushion, his foot still propped on the couch.
Bent forward, he braced a hand against the seat back and the other on his
knee. Sanji wrapped around him,
chest to back, and began fucking him hard.
Zoro's
rumble of pleasure rolled across the men's quarters.
Sanji thrust with full, fast stabs.
It felt unbelievably good. Sweat
beaded at Zoro's hairline and on his upper lip.
Sanji was hot and heavy against his back.
Panting breaths underlined with nearly inaudible whimpers gusted past his
ear. The ridge of Sanji's pants
zipper rubbed abrasively against the back of his leg.
Sanji's
hand closed around Zoro's hard cock and Zoro hissed.
Body oil slicked Sanji's palm from using it on himself.
Zoro moaned unrestrainedly, as Sanji jacked him in rhythm to his thrusts.
He bucked reflexively and the slight change in angle sent sparks
spiraling through his vision. "There,"
he begged raggedly. "Right
there."
Sanji
complied, and Zoro was gone. His
balls tightened, pressure building with every stroke against that perfect spot.
Sanji pressed against his back, holding him tight with his other arm,
riding him with smacks of colliding flesh.
He came with a hoarse cry, shooting onto the couch.
Head
hanging, Zoro's mind floated in a post-orgasmic haze as his body was used.
Sanji mouthed his shoulder and bit down as he came, snapping Zoro back to
reality. "Ow, you
asshole."
Sanji
grunted and lay like a dead weight on him.
Rolling his eyes, Zoro waited until the count of six before arching his
shoulders. "Get off."
"You
have no sense of romance."
"Having
you cling to me like a barnacle isn't romantic, either."
Sanji
snorted, shifted out of him, pulled up his pants, and flopped onto the couch.
He lit up a cigarette, putting the case and lighter back into his pocket.
Zoro found Sanji's shirt first and used it to wipe up, earning a
"Fucker."
Stepping
into his own pants, Zoro sank onto the couch beside Sanji.
He leaned his head on the seat back and closed his eyes.
Lethargy weighed his limbs. The
acrid scent of smoke wafted past his nose.
He
was just drifting off when he felt Sanji's hand on his thigh and a kiss on the
curve of his shoulder. "Love
you, too, you stupid shit."
He
slipped into sleep with a smile on his face.
"Nami-saaan,
Robin-chaaan, I have sundaes." Sanji swaned down the steps with hearts
swarming around his head like a plague of locusts.
Zoro rolled his eyes and continued the remainder of his repetitions.
Sanji stopped beside the table where the two ladies were seated and
placed a tall, glass dish in front of each of them.
The pleasantly warm weather was a nice change from the solid week of spring storms
they'd sailed through. The Going
Merry bobbed on the choppy waves, following the course that Nami set.
Small repairs had been made to the mizzen sail and seeds planted where
one of the mikan trees had been lost.
"Oooh,
sundaes!" Luffy charged Sanji
and went flying when he received a kick to the chest.
Sanji
bent, his still leg extended in the air, and held the serving tray out for
Chopper and Usopp, both seated on the foredeck. "One for each of you."
"Thank
you, Sanji!" Chopper burbled happily, his hooves clinking against the glass
dish.
Sanji
straightened after Usopp took his, picked up a dish, and held it in the air.
Luffy snatched it as he rubberbanded back on board the ship.
"Thanks, Sanji!"
Zoro
completed his repetitions as Sanji reached his side.
Somehow, the cook always appeared with treats right as Zoro was finishing
up with training in the afternoon. Sanji
took a seat on the deck, placing the tray in front of him, and picked up one of
the two remaining sundaes. His and
Zoro's foot came down hard on Luffy's hand before it reached the tray.
Laughing,
Luffy's hand snapped back when they released him.
Zoro
flopped down cross-legged beside Sanji, their knees knocking.
"What's the purple crap on this?" he said, taking the last
dish.
"Boysenberry. Shut up and eat it."
Zoro
ate a spoonful. The fruity flavor
was sweet on his tongue, mixed with the vanilla ice cream.
"This is good."
Sanji
shot him a look that read: Of course it's good.
I made it, dickhead.
The
clink of spoons against glass drifted across the ship, as the crew enjoyed their
sundaes. Zoro finished his � it really was good � and put the
empty dish on the serving tray. He
stretched out on the deck, shifting to use Sanji's thigh as a pillow.
Closing his eyes, he sighed contentedly and listened to the wind play
with the waves.
"Get
off me, marimo-head."
Without
waiting for Zoro to move, Sanji pulled his leg away.
The back of Zoro's head smacked against the deck.
"Ow, you stupid cook. What'd
you do that for?"
"I'm
not a pillow." Sanji flicked
Zoro's forehead. "And that did
not hurt. Your head's as hard as a
brick � and as thick as one."
"At
least I can't use my eyebrows as a dartboard."
Sanji
rolled his eyes at the lameness of Zoro's comeback, picked up the tray, and
headed for Nami and Robin's table. "Robin-chwan,
Nami-swan, did you like the sundaes? May
I bring you anything else?"
Zoro
folded his hands behind his head and closed his eyes again.
Sanji's fawning voice rose and lowered in volume in response to the
girls. He'd join Sanji in the
galley in a few minutes, to wash the dishes and get in a few gropes to tide him
over until midnight.
"AHOY,
MARINE SHIP!"
Luffy's
bellowed greeting brought Zoro to his feet and the others hurrying to the rail.
Closing in on them was a Marine battleship, its broad sails billowing in
the sharp breeze. A canon fired a
return greeting that splashed off the Merry's bow. Luffy cackled from his perch on the figurehead and he flung
both of his arms forward. "GOMU
GOMU NOOOOOO�"
Zoro
shoved his katanas in the strap on his haramaki and latched an arm around
Luffy's neck. Another arm crossed his and he glanced at Sanji, who gave him
a quirk of a smile. "Fighting
always makes me horny. How about
you?"
Zoro
grinned wolfishly in return. Maybe
he wouldn't have to wait until midnight.
"�ROOOCCCKKKEEEETTTTTT!!"
End