Sanji appreciated the little delights in life. A finely aged wine, a tailored suit, the curve of a woman's hip, the smattering of freckles left by the sun on Zoro’s cheeks and across his nose.
Sanji was counting those delectable freckles while Zoro’s lashes fluttered each time he sank into him. Sanji’s elbow hooked Zoro’s knee, keeping the angle just right. He savored every stuttered breath, every rough gasp, every whispered plea that fell from Zoro’s kiss-bruised lips.
The Merry was quiet, the night warm. Her sails were furled as they waited for sunrise to continue on. The nest they'd made from spare blankets and sailcloth in storage provided privacy. The lantern burned softly on a nearby barrel. The ship rolled on the waves that splashed softly against the hull.
Sanji’s hips rocked slowly, indulging in taking his time. He’d gotten Zoro off once already, using his mouth and fingers until Zoro had spilled with an arch of his back and a cut-off cry. He loved making Zoro lose himself in his own pleasure, seeing the uptight swordsman fully unrestrained – the way his body flushed and shook, the scrunch of his nose, the spatter of spend across his lower belly. It was beautiful, and Sanji adored beauty of all kinds.
He never expected to be enamored of Zoro when he joined the Straw Hat crew. Then again, he never expected to leave the Baratie, so what did he know?
The swordsman was stoic, stubborn, straightforward, and seemingly incapable of relaxing, even when he napped. And he napped often, anywhere he sat down. Sometimes he didn't even sit. His expression seemed permanently set between grumpy and annoyed. It was all Sanji could do to get a smile out of him, a challenge which Sanji took up with enthusiasm.
Teasing the man was Sanji’s favorite pastime, and the way Zoro would show up in the galley for no reason at all and curl up on the dining bench told Sanji all he needed to know about how Zoro really felt about it. Sometimes Sanji liked to think of Zoro as a cat – not a tomcat, but a prickly house cat who played favorites, and all he was waiting for was a treat or a pet from Sanji.
And Sanji loved petting him, seeing the blush steal across Zoro's cheeks, the way his lips would part unintentionally, silently begging to be kissed. Sanji had been drawn to him quickly. It wasn't just the repartee, but the way Zoro seemed completely surprised by Sanji's flirting or the little smile that would tug at the corners of his mouth whenever Sanji said something particularly witty.
He'd first noticed it in Cocoyashi. After everything was said and done, Zoro had come up for another plate of food, and Sanji had made some saucy remark about how he didn't need three swords to prove he was a man. It had been his first flirtation with the other man, wrapped in a barb.
Zoro had stared at him, stunned for a second, before a small, seemingly involuntary smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. He'd turned away quickly, as though he hadn't wanted Sanji to see it. But Sanji had, and it had intrigued him.
So he'd kept at it – little asides, biting flirtations, verbal roses still bearing their thorns. And those small smiles kept appearing, each one a bit of treasure for Sanji to enjoy.
Sanji adored both women and men equally, but there was something about Zoro that set him apart. It wasn’t the challenge – Sanji could pull anyone when he set his mind to it. It wasn’t that he was pretty, either, though that had drawn Sanji’s attention immediately. Maybe it was the way he took everything so seriously, even when he said he didn’t care. Commitment was a sexy thing. Same with determination.
There was also the flare of hurt Sanji had seen in Zoro’s face when he’d caught Sanji and Usopp with their pants almost down at Whiskey Peak. Not jealousy – actual hurt. Like something he’d thought had been broken. They hadn’t even been together at that point, but it stuck with Sanji, and he’d made his interest known after Little Garden.
Now they were here in the storeroom again, months later, with Sanji enthralled by Zoro laid out beneath him. He wanted to stay in this moment indefinitely, sliding into Zoro with a slow roll of his hips, counting the freckles scattered across his unguarded face.
Zoro opened his eyes, and Sanji was immediately caught in the inky depths. Zoro searched Sanji’s gaze for a long moment, stripping away pretenses, before he wound his arms around Sanji’s neck and pulled him into a kiss.
Sanji’s heart fluttered in his chest as he melted into him. Maybe Zoro wanted to stay, too.
End