The first time it happened, Zoro chalked it up to reflexes.
He and Sanji were headed up to the galley after they’d finished fighting – Chopper screaming after them for aggravating Zoro’s still mending King-related wounds – when a sea king bumped into the Thousand Sunny from underneath. Zoro stumbled and Sanji steadied him by placing a hand on his lower back. It was only for a moment, and then Sanji’s hand was gone and he was daring Zoro to fetch the sea king for dinner. Chopper used a rumble ball to turn into horn point and threatened to skewer Zoro where the sun didn’t shine if he accepted the dare. Zoro quickly decided that he’d rather have a drink.
The second time it happened, Zoro thought it was unavoidable.
He and Sanji were working their way through a madman’s fortress, with maze-like hallways that shrank and grew. They were in a tight corridor with a door in front of them and the close quarters made it difficult for Zoro to use his swords. Sanji’s hand rested on his lower back as he squeezed around Zoro. Then, Sanji back-kicked the door off its hinges and they continued on their way.
The third time it happened, Zoro was starting to wonder what the hell? Even though it could have been an accident.
Zoro and Sanji were coming down the steps, side by side, arguing about who defeated the most pirates at the island they’d just left, when Luffy barrelled past. Sanji jumped close to Zoro and put his hand on Zoro’s lower back, as if catching his balance. Except that Luffy barrelled past them regularly, which always caused Sanji to jump close to Zoro, but Sanji had never put his hand on Zoro when it had happened before. Which made Zoro wonder, what the hell?
The fourth time it happened, Sanji definitely did it on purpose, but he had a reason.
Zoro stood in front of the closed door leading into the reception hall, yanking at his collar. He was wearing a suit and tie and it pulled irritably at the neck and shoulders. He wanted to go back to the ship, not be forced to socialize. He sucked at people-ing. He never knew what to say and his responses to questions were always too blunt that it put others off. But Nami said they were all required to go to the banquet in their honor and try to brown-nose reward money from the King.
Sanji came up behind Zoro and put a hand on his lower back. “They’re not going to bite you,” Sanji said, as he opened the door.
“They might,” Zoro grumped.
Sanji propelled him through the door with his hand.
The fifth time, there was absolutely no question that Sanji was touching him for no reason.
Zoro stood at the aft rail, watching the lights from the island they’d left grow smaller and smaller as the Sunny sailed away. It had been a little over a month and a half since they’d left Wano to continue their search for the last Road Poneglyph. All the islands they’d stopped at since hadn’t had any information, though they had provided challenges in defeating local enemies and any pirate crew that happened to be in the area looking for a fight.
Zoro heard the distinct footsteps of Sanji coming around the galley, followed by the snick of Sanji’s lighter. Sanji joined Zoro at the rail, which wasn’t surprising. What was surprising was the hand that rested briefly against his lower back.
There was no reason for it. None. Zoro wasn’t falling over, they weren’t in a tight spot, and he didn’t have to go anywhere. So why the hell was Sanji touching him? They didn’t touch beyond the occasional helping hand. It was weird. Zoro didn’t know what to make of it.
Zoro cut a glance at Sanji. Sanji now rested both elbows on the rail, cigarette between his lips. The breeze ruffled his blond hair. He stood in silence with Zoro, looking into the distance. Nothing seemed different about him. There was nothing to indicate that he touched Zoro’s back to begin with.
Zoro debated on bringing it up, but too much time had already passed since it happened – even though it had been less than a minute – and it would make things awkward. Zoro didn’t like being awkward. He also didn’t want to look like an idiot in case there was a reason that he just couldn’t figure out. So Zoro went back to watching the lights on the island and pointedly ignored what had happened.
Only it happened again, not too long later. Zoro was sorting shrimp from one barrel into two other barrels, big ones for eating and small ones for bait. Sanji came up behind him and rested his hand on Zoro’s lower back to peer over his shoulder. “Any day now, marimo.”
Zoro rounded on Sanji immediately this time. Sanji’s hand fell away as he turned. “Why do you keep doing that?” he demanded.
Sanji frowned at him. “Doing what?”
“Touching me.” Zoro folded his arms with a scowl, daring Sanji to deny it.
Sanji hesitated, then straightened his shoulders before answering, “I was testing the waters.”
Why couldn’t the cook talk in a way that made sense? “What the hell does that mean?” Zoro said.
Sanji gave Zoro the look that meant he thought Zoro was being stupid. Zoro hated that look. “I know you’ve only got the one brain cell, but you can’t be that dense.”
Zoro’s hackles rose. “Of course I’m not that dense, stupid cook.” The fact that he didn’t know what Sanji meant didn’t count.
“Then are you interested or not?” Sanji said. He was quick to add, “I’m not looking at anything long-term, if that’s what has your boxers in a bunch. Just something to tide us over between ports and when Beli is tight.”
Zoro still didn’t know what the hell Sanji was talking about, but he didn’t want to look like a moron for asking. “Maybe,” he hedged.
“Okay. Good.” Sanji laughed a little weirdly and tucked his hands into his pockets. “We’re almost to the next island. I can wait ‘til then to scratch my itch. But after, we’ll hook up as needed.”
“Fine.” Zoro wanted this conversation done. He wanted to finish sorting the shrimp and then take a nap. “Can I get back to it now?”
“Yes, and speed it up. I need to start deveining those soon if we’re going to have them for dinner,” Sanji said, and walked away.
Zoro stared after him, then shook his head. Whatever. Sanji had been acting weird since Wano and that whole kill me if I become a monster thing. Sanji’d said Zoro could ignore it, afterward, and Zoro took Sanji at his word. The weirdness still lingered, though, and for Zoro to notice it was saying something. Zoro had trouble noticing things like that. He could recognize that if someone yelled, they were angry; if they cried, they were sad; if they screamed, they were either in fear or pain; and if they laughed or smiled, they were happy. But the in-between emotions that people had, Zoro couldn’t read them.
Zoro remembered Nami acting extra mean shortly after they’d left Arabasta, way back when. Not yelling, but saying nasty things about the crew and then disappearing for hours at a time. It had pissed Zoro off. He hadn’t understood what the hell was going on, but he hadn’t liked it. Robin, who was new to the crew, had asked him, “Can you not see that your Navigator-san is hurting?”
No, Zoro couldn’t see it. His brain worked on straightforward things. It was why he’d gotten angry that Sanji had up and left them when they were about to raid Wano. He focused on one problem at a time until it was solved, then moved onto the next. Sanji had created a second problem by running off and had dragged Luffy after him. Zoro had been irritated about it until Luffy had returned. When Zoro had muttered that he’d hoped it had been worth possibly messing up the raid, Luffy had told him, “Sanji is worth everything.” That had put Zoro in his place.
After the dust had settled post-raid and the Sunny had set sail again, the crew fell back into a routine of chores, horseplay, and working on individual things. For Zoro, that meant training, drinking, and naps. For Sanji, Zoro knew that usually meant cooking, cleaning, and doing supply things, but Sanji was acting a little differently this time. Sanji spent a lot more time behind the galley, smoking a cigarette. Zoro noticed because one of his favorite napping spots was on the upper deck of the galley by Nami’s mikan trees. Zoro would sometimes hear Sanji calling himself an idiot or a fool. Zoro agreed with both, but he didn’t speak up. He didn’t want Sanji to think that Zoro was listening on purpose. It wasn’t Zoro’s fault that Sanji had picked the aft deck to smoke.
Another different thing was that Sanji fed Luffy a lot of meat, more than he ever had in the past. Whenever Sanji served mid-morning snacks or late afternoon drinks, Luffy always received a meat dish. If the girls got a special treat, there was meat given to Luffy as well. Zoro couldn’t figure out the reason, and he wasn’t about to ask, but it was odd.
Then, there was the whole touching-thing, which maybe had to do with fishing? That had hooks. Zoro enjoyed fishing. It was taking a nap, with bait. He didn’t know why Sanji needed to touch him to see if Zoro was interested in fishing, but who knew what went on in that idiot cook’s head.
The Sunny docked in Misty Bay two days later. The small autumn island was shrouded in fog, with lights from the town beckoning to them like faint will-o-the-wisps. It was evening and the shops had long closed. A tavern near the harbor was the only place open and the crew enjoyed a few drinks in front of a cozy hearth while making plans on what needed to be done the next day.
Zoro didn’t know how it happened. He only went to the restroom. But somehow, he got turned around and now he was outside in the fog with no clue how to find the tavern again. The lights that had beckoned to them from the high deck of the Sunny had disappeared at ground level. The fog was thick and Zoro could only see about a foot in front of him. He picked a direction and started walking, figuring he’d run into something eventually. He tripped over random rocks that appeared suddenly in his path and the hard ground turned into soft mud. He nearly smacked into a tree that loomed out of nowhere. Annoyance settled in his gut. Where were the buildings? Shouldn’t he have seen a light by now?
When a low branch thumped Zoro in the forehead, he’d had enough. He found the tree the branch was attached to, sat on the ground, folded his arms, and decided to go to sleep. Maybe in the morning the fog would be gone and he would be able to find his way.
A kick to the head woke him up an indeterminate amount of time later. Since his observation haki hadn’t alerted him to any danger, he knew immediately that it was Sanji before the cook even spoke. “Oi, dumbass, wake up.”
Zoro glowered at Sanji for the kick. Sanji held a bright lantern in his hand. His face was set in its usual scowl. “What d’you want?”
“What I want is to be back at the tavern, enjoying my wine, instead of tramping through the woods looking for a lost mossball,” Sanji snapped.
“I don’t need help.”
“You’re gonna need help when I’m through with you.”
Sanji aimed to kick him again. Zoro sprang to his feet, drawing his katana at the same time, and blocked the blow. Sanji immediately spun around to kick him from the opposite direction and the fight was fully on. Zoro blocked, dodged, and struck out with armament coated blades. He needed to use haki now when they fought, to prevent Sanji from accidentally snapping the steel. He still used the flat of his blades, though. They weren’t fighting to kill each other, even if they went hard at it. And it was always exhilarating. Fighting with Sanji ranked right up there with naps.
Fighting in the fog by lantern light was a new twist. Sanji never put it down as his body contorted and flipped. Zoro thought it gave him the advantage of knowing where Sanji was at, but Sanji was wearing black trousers and shoes and the cook’s insanely long legs continued to shoot out of the foggy darkness to catch him in the arm or against a thigh. He got in a few hits himself, and the trees around them earned a few bruises, as well.
The fight ended when a particularly hard blow caused half the colorful leaves on one of the trees to rain on their heads. Sanji straightened his hair and his tie. Zoro sheathed his katanas and brushed leaf bits from his shoulders. “C’mon, marimo,” Sanji said.
Zoro fell into step beside Sanji as they made their way out of the woods. Zoro didn’t know how Sanji could tell where they were going. “How’d you find me?”
“Combination of observation haki and idiot detection,” Sanji replied.
Zoro should’ve figured he’d used observation haki. Sanji and Usopp both excelled in finding people that way. Zoro was better at armament haki and he knew how to use conqueror’s haki, although he didn’t have the best grasp on it yet. He knew he’d get it with practice and time.
“What time is it?” Zoro asked. It had been dark when he’d found himself outside and it was still dark.
“Late. The others are probably back on the ship by now,” Sanji said.
The muddy ground of the woods gave way to the harder ground of town. “Still time to get another drink?” Zoro wondered.
“No, marimo.” Sanji sounded exasperated. Zoro knew what that tone of voice meant because he heard it from the cook all the time. “The tavern’s probably closed and–”
The sky suddenly opened up on them without warning, interrupting Sanji mid-sentence. A deluge of cold, heavy rain dumped onto their heads. It cut visibility in an instant. Within seconds, they were drenched and the lantern went out. Sanji cursed. “Fucking marimo ruining my fucking night.”
“I didn’t tell you to come looking for me,” Zoro said. He drew the lapels of his long coat closed and fought a shiver.
“You’d rather be in the woods with it raining? I can kick you back in there, no problem,” Sanji threatened.
Zoro wasn’t stupid enough to rise to the bait. “What now? We got no light.”
“Unlike some idiots with the sense of direction of seaweed, I know where I am,” Sanji told him. He unbuttoned his wet suit coat and held it partially over his head, his arms still in the sleeves. It seemed ridiculous, since they were both already soaked. “Keep your hand on my belt. If you get lost again, I will hunt you down and kill you.”
“Pft.” Zoro knew it was an empty threat, though he latched onto Sanji’s belt anyway. He’d rather not spend the night outside in the rain.
Despite the fact that it was dark, raining, and foggy, Sanji led without hesitation. He took three turns and a lighted building appeared. Zoro would never stop being amazed that people could find places so easily. Sanji ushered Zoro into the lobby of what appeared to be an inn. There was a register desk and a rack with hanging keys behind it. A smiling man with a pointy beard stood behind the desk, wearing a nametag that Zoro didn’t bother to read.
“What’re we doing here?” Zoro asked, as they dripped inside.
“Spending the night. It’s closer than the ship. How you managed to get across town and get lost in the woods while going to the bathroom is beyond comprehension,” Sanji said. He lowered his coat and wiped his shoes on the door mat, even though they were both leaving puddles in their wake. Sanji went up to the counter. “How much for the night?”
“One hundred twenty-five Beli,” the man at the desk said.
Sanji muttered about streetside robbery as he pulled a soggy money clip from his pocket. He counted out the Beli. “Only enough for one room.” He passed the money over. “You owe me, marimo.”
“Add it to Nami’s debt,” Zoro said, as he rolled the hem of his long coat and wrung it out.
Sanji was given a key, directions to the room, and a wish for a good night. He latched onto Zoro’s wrist, dragging him down one of the two hallways that branched off the main foyer. “Oi, no need to drag me around,” Zoro said.
“I’m not taking the chance that you’ll make a wrong turn and end up in Skypiea,” Sanji told him, rounding another corner. Floral wallpaper decorated the halls, with random pictures of fruit hanging on them. The doors were numbered and Sanji stopped in front of room fourteen. “This is us.”
Sanji opened the door to the room and switched on the light. The room looked like any other inn room. A big bed with a beige cover over white sheets took up the majority of the space. There was a small closet to place clothing and bags. A tiny round table and two chairs sat near a window overlooking a rainy courtyard. The room had an attached full bath, which didn’t always happen. A lamp stood on a night table beside the bed, casting a soft yellow glow over the room.
Zoro kicked the door shut behind him with his heel and made a face at the bed. “Could’ve gotten us two beds.” Sharing a bed was a pain in the ass. There were always arms, legs, and stinky-breath in unwanted places. At least it wasn’t with Luffy, though. He bit.
“I didn’t see you offering to pay.” Sanji toed off his shoes and began removing his sodden clothes. “I’m going to use the bath first. Don’t drip on the bed.”
“Whatever. Toss a towel out before you do.” Zoro pulled his katanas free from the loop at his side and set them on the small table. He pulled off his boots and chucked them by the door. A towel came winging his way a moment later. He caught it and set it with his katanas before unwinding the red sash around his waist.
Zoro heard water running in the bathroom through the closed door, as he stripped out of the rest of his clothes. He left them in a heap by the door. He quickly ran the towel over his wet body before taking a seat on one of the two chairs. The wood was cold beneath his bare ass. He picked up Wado and dried off the sheath and hilt with the towel. He pulled her from her sheath and ran the towel over the blade, as well. It would have to do until he got back to the ship, to properly care for them after being soaked in the rain.
Zoro repeated the procedure with Enma and Kitetsu, ensuring they were free from moisture. He heard the water stop in the bathroom and a couple minutes later, Sanji emerged drying his hair with a towel. Another towel was wrapped around his bare waist. “All yours, marimo.”
Uncaring of his nudity – they lived in close quarters on a ship – Zoro carried the towel he’d been using with him to the bathroom, instead of wrapping it around his waist. Sanji turned quickly away when he passed.
The bathroom was small and simple. A sink and a toilet nestled in one corner. A small tub with a shower wand above it nestled in the other. A stool sat in the bathtub, for washing. Sanji’s wet clothing hung neatly from the towel racks on the wall.
Zoro made quick use of the toilet before washing up. The heat from the shower felt good on his skin. He’d never admit that he was glad Sanji had found him before the rain started. The short time they were in the rain had chilled him. Having to be in it all night would’ve been a frigid nightmare.
Warm and getting sleepy again, Zoro dried off thoroughly and tossed the towel over the edge of the tub before leaving the bathroom. He saw that his clothes had been draped over the chairs nicely, to dry. Sanji was standing by the courtyard window, which he’d opened a crack, smoking a cigarette. The towel rode low around his waist. His eyes roved over Zoro when he came out of the bathroom, took a last drag on his cigarette, and stabbed it out.
“What side do you want?” Zoro asked, scratching his bare belly absently.
Sanji closed the window. “Doesn’t matter.”
Zoro picked the left side and crawled onto the bed. He collapsed face first onto the surface, not bothering to pull back the covers since he was still warm from the bath. His arms scooped around the pillow and he pressed his cheek into its soft surface. Not a bad bed. He might sleep extra long tonight, just to enjoy it.
The light turned off and then the bed depressed as Sanji joined him on the other side. Steady rain pattered against the window and tinkled on the roof. Zoro nuzzled into the pillow beneath his cheek. He was already ready to go to sleep. Beside him, he heard Sanji take a deep breath and exhale quickly.
Then, there was a hand on his back.
Zoro froze. Sanji was touching him again. His hand was definitely on Zoro’s lower back. Why was Sanji touching his lower back? Why was he now rubbing in small circles? Why did his fingers brush even lower? Did Sanji just touch the crack of his bare ass?!
“The hell?!” Adrenaline shot through Zoro, causing his heart to hammer in his ears. He flung himself off the bed, clutching the pillow to his chest. He stared at Sanji incredulously. “Why are you touching me?”
Faint light came through the uncurtained window from the courtyard. Sanji was lying on his side, his hand hovering over where Zoro had been. “Thought since we had the room, we’d take advantage of it.”
“Take advantage of what?” Zoro had no idea what Sanji was talking about or what it had to do with Sanji touching him. Especially touching his ass!
Sanji’s curled brow raised. “The bed and the privacy, nimrod. What do you think?”
“I think you were touching me!” Zoro exclaimed.
Sanji sat up with a frown. “I thought you said you were interested.”
“What does fishing have to do with this?”
“Fishing?” Sanji said. “What are you talking about?”
“What are you talking about?” Zoro said.
“I’m talking about having sex.”
Zoro’s eye grew wide. “Sex?” He heard the squeak in his voice.
“You… thought I was talking about fishing,” Sanji said slowly. “Not sex.”
“Why would I think you were talking about sex?!” Zoro couldn’t wrap his mind around what was happening. Sanji wanted sex?! Zoro’s gaze darted to the door. He wanted to flee.
Sanji put a hand to his forehead and made a sound Zoro couldn’t interpret. “Of course you wouldn’t. Look who I’m talking to.”
The urge for flight turned into the urge to fight. Zoro’s eye narrowed. It sounded like an insult. “What does that mean?”
“Just that I’m a fucking idiot, like usual.” Sanji got up. “Pretended I didn’t say or do anything.”
“But you did say something,” Zoro told him. How was he supposed to ignore it? “You really want to have sex with me?”
“I wouldn’t have propositioned you otherwise.” Sanji tightened the cinch on the towel around his waist in an agitated manner.
“But why?” Zoro couldn’t fathom why Sanji would want to have sex with him of all people. Zoro did like Sanji. Respected him, even. Trusted him implicitly. But Zoro didn’t have boobs.
Sanji went silent. The heavy rain continued its ratatat on the roof. Zoro didn’t think he was going to answer, when he finally said, “Because who I am is not a failure.”
Well, that was as clear as mud to Zoro. He was glad his heart had stopped racing so he could pay more attention to the words being spoken. “Who says you’re a failure?”
Sanji barked a laugh. “My father. My brothers. My so-called intended bride. Me. Take your pick.”
Zoro frowned. “Is this about your trip to Whole Cake Island?” Sanji had never spoken to Zoro about what happened while he was gone, and Zoro had never asked. Since Sanji had come back alone, Zoro figured out the wedding hadn’t occurred, but otherwise he didn’t know anything.
Sanji looked away from Zoro. They still stood in the semi-dark on either side of the bed, the faint courtyard light barely piercing the rainy window. Half of Sanji’s face was in deep shadow. “It has more to do with my mother.”
“Your mom?” Zoro said. Sanji didn’t talk about his mom. Then again, no one had known that he was an actual Prince of Germa Kingdom, either. It explained a lot, though, about the suits and prissy manners.
Sanji sat on the edge of the bed, his back to Zoro. He was silent again for a long moment before answering. “She poisoned herself in the hope that one of us would have emotions and be human, when we were born. That one turned out to be me.”
If I become a monster, promise that you’ll kill me. The words drifted through Zoro’s mind. “That’s why you made me make that promise. For your mom.”
Sanji nodded. The rain continued to patter. The mostly dark room seemed to add a layer of protection, allowing them both to speak more honestly and freely. “I was terrified,” he confessed quietly. “My mom killed herself to protect me from becoming one of them, and my body went and turned itself into one of them anyway. I thought I was going to lose myself. Lose her.”
“But you didn’t,” Zoro said it as a statement. “You wouldn’t have told me to back off that promise, otherwise.”
“No, I didn’t,” Sanji confirmed. “I’m still me, painful emotions and all.” He took a breath and let it out slowly. “I promised myself that I would do everything that I could to live up to her gift and that includes accepting who I am as a person and what I want, and not hide behind the fear that I’m not good enough.”
Zoro sat down on the other side of the bed. He rested the pillow on his lap. “And what you want includes me?”
Sanji tensed but then he bowed his head and laughed softly with a note of something Zoro couldn’t define. “Yeah. It does. Tried to play it off as casual, but I couldn’t even get that right.”
Zoro had a feeling that this wasn’t just about sex, but he was having trouble picking up the clues. Sometimes, it was difficult having his brain when conversation mattered. “What do you want specifically? I don’t want to misunderstand.”
Back still to Zoro, Sanji’s hands moved as if he were searching for a cigarette, but he was only wearing a towel. His hands dropped and gripped the edge of the bed. He took another deep breath and appeared to steel himself. “I wanted to see if maybe you and I could have something more than friendship. Stupid, huh?”
Zoro had been right. It wasn’t only about sex. “But I’m a guy.”
Sanji chuckled in a not-nice way. “I’m well aware of that.”
“And you still want me?” Zoro wanted to be sure he wasn’t mishearing anything. “Like you would a woman?”
“That’s one way to put it.” Sanji’s hand came up to tug at his hair. “Fuck, I need a cigarette.”
The pieces slotted together in Zoro’s mind, finally, giving him a clear picture of what Sanji was telling him. Sanji liked him. Sanji wanted to do couple-things with him. A low-down tingle formed in Zoro’s belly when he pictured it, the same one he got when he was about to go into a battle he didn’t know if he was going to win. His pulse began to speed up again. Zoro always listened to his body. It knew him best. And it was currently informing him that he wanted what Sanji was asking.
But there was a problem. Potentially a big one, since it was what started this whole conversation. However, if Sanji said he wasn’t going to hide behind fear anymore, then neither was Zoro. He wasn’t about to be one-upped by Sanji.
He clenched his jaw, drew on his resolve, and blurted, “I’m afraid of sex.” Immediately, he felt his face heat.
Sanji slowly turned, bringing a knee up onto the bed, to face Zoro. He stared through the dimness at Zoro with owl eyes. “Did you just say that you were afraid of sex?”
Zoro’s hands tightened around the pillow on his lap. He’d never told this to anyone. “Yeah. Well, orgasms, specifically. I don’t like being out of control of my body.” He’d had an orgasm once, when he was fifteen, and it had freaked him out. His mind had gone blank and his body had spasmed all without him saying so. He’d hated it.
Sanji’s lips twitched up in the corners. “Why does that make perfect sense to me?”
Zoro felt his shoulders start to hunch. He forced them back. He wasn’t a coward. “Now you know. So if you want to take what you said back, I’ll understand.”
“You haven’t told me what you want, yet,” Sanji countered.
Zoro’s body already told him what he wanted, so the answer was easy. “I like that you like me like a woman.”
A laugh startled from Sanji. “You do know that men can like each other, too, marimo.”
“Considering that you’re a guy and I’m a guy, I got that,” Zoro said. “I just wanted to be clear.”
“You’re lucky that I speak fluent Zoro.” Sanji pulled his other leg up onto the bed, so he was sitting cross-legged, facing Zoro. “I’m going to flat out tell you that I still want to have sex with you.”
Zoro tensed slightly, but Sanji went on. “I won’t do anything that you don’t want to do. I’m not that kind of man. But I don’t mind having orgasms and losing control, myself. Cards on the table, I want your hand and your mouth on my cock. I want to be in your ass. I’m telling you this bluntly so you’re aware of it. Maybe one day I might even want you inside me, I don’t know. This is new to me, too.”
Zoro latched onto something Sanji said. “Wait, are you saying that you’d have all the orgasms and I don’t have to have them? You can have sex like that?”
“Uh… yeah. It’s possible.”
Zoro grinned, relieved. That solved everything. “Let’s do that, then.”
Sanji opened his mouth, closed it, opened it and closed it again. He shook his head hard. “Are you saying you’d want to have sex with me, as long as I’m the only one getting off?”
“As long as I don’t have to have orgasms, I’m good,” Zoro said. Why hadn’t anyone ever told him that he didn’t have to have orgasms to have sex? Maybe he might have tried it before now.
Sanji made a strange noise, almost like he was choking. Zoro frowned. “You okay there, cook?”
Sanji waved him off, then cleared his throat. “Correct me if I’m wrong. You do want to have a relationship with me.”
“Like a woman one, yeah.” Zoro would trust his gut on that.
Sanji made another sound, but went on. “And you are willing to have sex with me, as long as I’m the only one having orgasms.”
“Yeah.” Zoro eyed Sanji’s towel. “You’re gonna have to tell me what to do, though.”
“And if I want to fuck you?”
“That the ass thing?” Zoro never thought about whether he wanted something stuck up his ass or not. He supposed he could try it and if he didn’t like it, he’d say so. “That’s fine. We can try it.”
Sanji’s nose started to bleed. “What if you get an erection?”
“I’ll make it go away.” Zoro got erections off and on, either when he woke up or after a good fight. It was an annoyance, but he could wrestle them under control. “It’s more the orgasm thing that I don’t like. You can have them all.”
The blood dripped from Sanji’s nose onto his towel. “It’s possible that I love you.”
Zoro snorted. “You say that to all the women.”
Sanji wiped the blood from his upper lip. “This is not how I expected tonight to go.”
“What did you expect?” Zoro asked curiously.
“That we’d get each other off and I’d pretend that it was casual and tell myself that it was good enough.” Sanji hesitated. “Are you really okay with this being not casual?”
“Told you I was.” To Zoro, it was simple: did he like Sanji? Yes. Did he like picturing him and Sanji doing things like he’d seen couples do? Yes. The low-down tickle was still there. Since he didn’t have to have orgasms, they could have sex. It was a win all around. He was willing to try it. “I already liked you and my gut is telling me I’m going to enjoy being your woman, whatever that entails. I always listen to my gut.”
Sanji burst out laughing. “I’m going to remember you called yourself that, marimo.”
“Whatever. You know what I mean.” Zoro moved the pillow from his lap to behind his head and scrunched down until he was lying on his back. He wasn’t concerned about his nudity, especially since he knew orgasms were off the table for him.
Sanji sucked in a sharp intake of breath and Zoro glanced over at him. Sanji was staring at Zoro’s body like Luffy stared at meat. “You’re not going to eat me, are you?”
Sanji’s gaze jerked to Zoro’s face. “What?”
Zoro was bemused. “You’re staring like you’re going to eat me up.”
“Oh. Uh…” Sanji’s hand fluttered, as if he were trying to smoke an invisible cigarette. He steeled his shoulders again before speaking. “You’re very attractive.”
Zoro’s brows furrowed. He glanced down at himself. He had large muscles, many scars, brown nipples, green pubic hair, normal cock and balls, and his toenails needed a trim. He never thought he looked attractive. “Huh.”
“Is it alright…,” Sanji trailed off and cleared his throat. “Is it alright if I touched you?”
Zoro shrugged. “Sure.” He’d seen couples touching each other. Not nakedly, of course, but a hand on a clothed chest, or arm, or a thigh. They also hugged a lot and kissed. He was sort of intrigued by the kissing. He’d never done it before and wondered what it was like.
Sanji slid over to Zoro’s side. The movement caused his towel to ruck up and Zoro caught a peek of an erection. Sanji was hard? Interesting. Glad it wasn’t him.
Zoro watched Sanji in the dim light coming through the rain-spattered window with some amusement as Sanji’s right hand hovered over Zoro’s chest. Sanji worried his lower lip, his shoulders tense again. Zoro bet if he yelled “Boo!” Sanji would jump out of his skin. Zoro debated on doing it, but before he could decide, Sanji blew out a quick breath and laid his palm on Zoro’s chest.
Sanji’s hand felt warm, calloused. His hand was as big as Zoro’s, but shaped differently. Sanji had long fingers and a narrower palm. Zoro’s fingers and hands were blunt. Sanji’s hand smoothed over Zoro’s pec, down his abdomen, and across his lower belly. It felt different. Good. Zoro didn’t mind this, at all.
Sanji’s hand slid down Zoro’s hip and over his thigh. He avoided Zoro’s groin, for which Zoro was thankful. Sanji watched his own hand as he brushed it over Zoro’s skin. Zoro could make out a hint of a pink flush to his face in the shadowed light. “You like doing that?” Zoro asked him, curious.
Sanji nodded and licked his lips. “Is it alright if I kiss you?”
“Definitely.”
Sanji shifted onto his knees. The towel tented over his lap. He kept his hand braced on Zoro’s chest as he leaned forward, bringing their faces near one another. He paused inches from Zoro’s mouth. Zoro could feel his hot breath gust against his skin. Then, he lowered his head and pressed their lips together.
Zoro felt a tingle zip from his lips all the way down to his toes. His heart sped up. Sanji’s lips felt warm, a gentle pressure that held meaning. He stared blurry-eyed at Sanji’s nose and wondered why he’d waited so long to try this. But he knew the answer already; he’d never wanted to before. But now, with Sanji, he wanted to try all the things he’d seen but never experienced. Holding hands. Getting flowers. Having an arm around his waist. Having someone run their fingers through his hair. Dancing with someone. Being held. Having someone smile at him because they were happy to be with him.
Sanji drew back and he came into focus. He looked into Zoro’s eye. “That okay?”
“More than,” Zoro told him.
Sanji smiled at Zoro and Zoro’s heart thudded harder in his chest. This is what it felt like when someone couple-liked him. He felt a sting in the corner of his eye that he quickly blinked away. He’d always told himself that he wasn’t interested in things like this. He was wrong.
Zoro brought his hand up and tentatively cupped Sanji’s cheek. Sanji turned into it and brushed a kiss against Zoro’s palm. It sent another tingle down to his toes. “I like you kissing me,” he said in a gruff voice.
“Then I’ll do it again,” Sanji said, and lowered his lips to Zoro’s once more.
Another tingle, and this one intensified when Zoro felt Sanji’s tongue swipe against his lower lip. He inhaled shortly, his mouth parting in surprise. Sanji’s tongue darted inside to brush against his own. Zoro felt like the air had been stolen from him. His mouth parted more, hoping that Sanji would do it again. Sanji took the invitation, his tongue sliding against Zoro’s. Zoro tried it back, repeating what Sanji did, and Sanji made a soft sound in his throat. Zoro didn’t know if it was good or bad until Sanji’s tongue returned, more aggressively. It was like a sword fight, Zoro realized, only they were using their tongues.
Once Zoro figured that out, kissing became all he wanted to do. He was a swordsman, after all. He chased after Sanji’s tongue every time he tried to get away. Sanji’s mouth moved against his, angling for a deeper kiss. Zoro wrapped his arms around Sanji’s neck, keeping him trapped, wanting to best Sanji and be bested at the same time. His heart still hammered in his chest and his breathing was a bit wild. He loved everything about this.
He felt Sanji shift and then moan against Zoro’s mouth as if he were in pain. That broke through Zoro’s delight in a new type of battle, to cause concern. He didn’t know kissing could cause injury. He pushed at Sanji’s shoulders as he pulled his head back further into the pillow beneath him. A furrow creased his brow. “You okay? You sound like you’re in pain.”
Sanji’s face was flushed pink and he was breathing heavily. His lips were wet from kissing. “I’m horny as hell,” he said in a roughened tone.
Zoro glanced downward, to where Sanji knelt beside him. Sanji was pressing the heel of his free hand hard against his lap. Zoro had forgotten that Sanji had an erection. “Want me to touch it?”
Sanji made a strangled sound and his fingernails scratched Zoro where they rested on his chest. “Fuck. Please?”
Zoro grinned. Sanji never said please to him. He wondered if he could make Sanji do it again. “You sure?”
“Yes,” Sanji said desperately. “Please.”
Zoro chuckled and gave Sanji a light push until he was sitting upright on his knees again. Zoro shifted into a cross-legged position in front of Sanji. The heavy rain danced against the rooftop. The dim light shrouded them in intimacy. Zoro tugged at Sanji’s towel and Sanji moved enough that Zoro could get rid of it. Sanji’s cock stood hard from his groin, spearing outward, flushed and angry-looking. Darker veins ran beneath the pale skin. It was a little shorter than Zoro’s hand, from tip to base, the bulbous head leaking from its slit.
Zoro didn’t hesitate to close his fingers around Sanji’s erection. His thumb pressed against the first knuckle, forming a solid grip. A choking sound came from Sanji and a drop of blood hit the fleshy part between Zoro’s forefinger and thumb on his hand. Zoro glanced up. Sanji was pressing his fingers against his nose, staring at Zoro with wild eyes.
“Now what?” Zoro asked, and was rewarded with Sanji’s hips bucking up into his grip. The silky skin beneath his palm moved over the solid steel hidden beneath it. It was a strange sensation to feel. When Zoro had his orgasm, long ago, he’d rubbed his erection against his futon using his hips. He’d never touched his cock when it was hard. He just willed it away.
“Stroke it,” Sanji said in a choked voice. “Please.”
Three pleases. Zoro was getting good at this without even trying. He took Sanji at his word and stroked his hand upward. Sanji moaned loudly, lewdly. It made Zoro grin. He stroked Sanji again, going down this time and then back up. A breathy string of curses fell from Sanji’s lips. Zoro did it some more. He realized this was like rubbing down his katana, only it was shorter and thicker. Another benefit of being a swordsman.
“Faster,” Sanji begged raggedly, and Zoro obliged. Zoro firmed his hold and pumped Sanji’s cock. The head repeatedly disappeared beneath the curve of his grip. His forearm muscle bulged as he stroked. He thought it might work better if he was behind Sanji, arm wrapped around him instead. It would create a more natural angle.
Sanji whimpered softly, his hips thrusting to meet Zoro’s strokes now. Sanji’s hands gripped his own knees, squeezing tightly, his eyes clenched shut and his lower lip caught between his teeth. Zoro liked the way he looked, like this. Vulnerable, a bit wrecked.
“I’m going to come,” Sanji warned, and Zoro geared himself up for the orgasm. His own stomach knotted with long-held fear, but he reminded himself that he wasn’t the one going through it. That Sanji wanted that loss of control.
Zoro kept pumping Sanji’s cock steadily, watching Sanji’s face as it twisted into a grimace. Zoro almost removed his hand, thinking he was hurting Sanji, but then Sanji inhaled a sharp, high-pitched breath and his cock erupted from the tip, shooting onto Sanji’s knees and all over Zoro’s hand. His entire body shuddered hard as milky fluid kept spurting from him. Zoro stared at it in fascination.
Sanji slumped suddenly, as if his muscles had given out, and he began breathing heavily. He pushed lightly at Zoro’s wrist. “That’s enough. Sensitive,” he murmured. Zoro let go of Sanji’s cock and brought his hand closer to his face. He rubbed his thumb over the liquid coating his fingers. It was slimy, and thick. He brought his hand to his mouth to taste. Very salty. Like he’d licked the ocean.
When Zoro looked at Sanji, he could see Sanji watching him with hooded eyes. He’d gotten his breathing under control. “You… um… that was okay, right?” Sanji asked. “I don’t want you to do something you don’t want to do.”
Zoro wiped his hand on the discarded towel on the bed. He gave Sanji a reassuring look. “It was fine. Kind of like polishing my swords. I’d do it again.”
“Oh, thank goodness.” Sanji sounded so relieved, it made Zoro laugh. Sanji scowled at him. “Shut up.”
Zoro grinned. “I liked it when you said please.”
Sanji groaned and pulled on his bangs, as if trying to hide his face. “I changed my mind. I hate you.”
Zoro laughed again. It felt good. He didn't laugh often. “Is all this sex stuff like using swords? First the swordfighting with our tongues and then polishing your erection. Should I put you in my mouth like Wado?”
Sanji’s softened cock jumped on its own at Zoro’s words. Zoro found it amusing. “As long as you don’t bite it,” Sanji said. “I will seriously kill you if you chomp off my dick.”
Zoro snorted. “You’ll just have to tell me what to do.”
Sanji leaned forward and snatched a kiss from Zoro’s lips. “I look forward to it.”
Zoro got that zing again and it had only been a brief kiss.
Sanji crawled out of bed, padded nakedly over to the window, and cracked it open. The rain sounded louder as it splashed outside. Sanji lit a cigarette from the pack sitting on the sill, took a deep drag, and blew the smoke out the window. The light from the courtyard painted the planes and angles of Sanji’s face.
Zoro slipped out of bed and joined Sanji by the window. He lightly nudged Sanji’s shoulder as he braced his elbows on the sill, breathing in the fresh scent of rain and the familiar smell of Sanji’s cigarette. “I’m glad the bathroom door led outside tonight.”
“Tch. Stupid marimo,” Sanji said, but he nudged Zoro affectionately in return.
This time when it happened, Zoro leaned into the touch on his lower back and smiled.
End