Chapter Text
The leaves had started to turn, patches of green dotted by yellow and vivid reds by the time Zoro reached the village.
The village looked quaint, but an uneasy feeling settled in his gut. A man on horseback had stopped him earlier along the path and reminded him no one was to be outdoors tomorrow, on the day of Mabon. The man had a strange intensity in his eyes as he spoke.
Later, as he stopped by a farmer’s well to parch his thirst, the farmer had approached and once again he was warned to stay inside the next day.
Superstitions, no doubt. The people in these small rural places always had their share of folk stories and peculiar traditions. That was why he was here, after all, to chase a rumour spoken about in whispers by travelers on dark nights. He didn’t believe in such things, but he suspected a certain elusive prince would take them more seriously.
His feet had brought him to an inn, wooden beams aged but sturdy, ivy crawling up to the slate roof.
He stepped inside.
Immediately he spotted a familiar head of blond hair from across the room.
In the opposite corner, seated on a bench before a small table, was Sanji. His golden hair was immaculate, as always, falling across the side of his face. His lips – pale and soft-looking – were curled at the edges in a gentle smile.
He hadn’t noticed Zoro yet. Despite the fact his spot put him in prime position to keep an eye on the door, his attention was otherwise occupied. A woman in a faded brown dress and a white apron tied around her waist leaned over from her spot on the other side of the table.
In a few strides, he had cornered the blond against the table and the wall.
Zoro watched as Sanji’s expression shifted from the pleasant face he directed to the woman, to annoyed at the interruption, then surprise as he registered who exactly had interrupted them.
One curly brow rose, bright blue eye wide.
Then surprise shifted back into annoyance.
“You-!” He was on his feet in an instance, though bracketed by the small space between the bench and the bounty hunter.
“Hello, curly,” Zoro answered with a smirk.
He’d expected Sanji to fight, had readied himself to parry a bone-shattering kick. Instead, Sanji leaned forward, grabbing his cloak like he had at the festival. Zoro grabbed the man’s arm in turn, gripping him tightly.
“Excuse me, my flower,” Sanji’s voice was calm, but strained. “I have some business to take care of.”
“O-Of course!” The woman replied with a nervous smile, her gaze flicking between the two men. “I should get back to work anyway.” She rose to her feet and scurried off towards the kitchen.
Zoro’s gaze hadn’t left his target. Sanji fixed him with a glare.
“Upstairs,” he hissed, and pushed the swordsman back, then jerked him in the direction of the stairs.
The inn wasn’t busy, but the few occupants stared openly at the two of them. Sanji flashed them a smile as he dragged the other man upstairs.
Zoro was confused, but his grip on the prince’s arm was still firm and he wasn’t trying to escape, so he let the man lead him to the upper floor.
Sanji pulled Zoro into a room and shut the door with a kick of his foot, shoving the swordsman against the closed door with a thump.
Said swordsman looked around the room, taking in the small fireplace, simple bed and small table. He raised a brow.
“You’re being forward,” he said.
Sanji blinked at him, then turned a bright shade of red.
“You wish, asshole! As if I would-!” He cut himself off, taking several deep breaths and closing his eyes for a moment.
“Look, marim- Zoro,” his voice was taking on a softer tone. “I need a little favour from you.”
Sanji released his hold on Zoro’s robe and offered a strained smile.
“No.” Zoro answered simply.
“At least hear me out first, bastard!” Sanji glared at him. “I need you to hold off on this whole thing for two days – no, one day. That’s all. Until this time tomorrow.”
“No.”
Sanji continued to glare at him, the moment stretching into several, tensions high in the small bedroom.
Zoro rolled his eyes. “What, trying to charm that woman downstairs and need some time to bed her?”
“No!” Sanji insisted. “But… it is about her.”
The swordsman sighed, leaning back until his head bumped against the door. “’Course it is.”
“Listen, you directionless mossball,” Sanji growled, pulling at Zoro’s cloak until their faces were inches apart. Zoro could see every blond eyelash, could see his pink tongue dart out to wet his lips and nearly missed what the man said next.
“They’re going to sacrifice her!” The words are hushed, urgent. “Tomorrow, just after dawn. I heard there’s a god or a beast or something in the forest and every year these cowardly barbarians offer it a maiden to devour.”
“And you’re going to go and… kick it to death?”
Sanji’s glare darkened. “Yes. I’ll kick the damn thing to death and kick your ass right after.”
Zoro couldn’t stop the snort of laughter. At some point he’d come to enjoy the prince’s threats.
“Alright.” Zoro grinned. “I’ll help.”
Sanji’s eye opened wide and he pulled back from the other man. “You will?”
“Yeah,” he answered easily, taking a step forward to get back in the other’s space. “But you’re not leaving my sight. Got it?”
They eyed each other for a long moment.
Sanji sighed.
“Deal.”
Zoro smirked. “So what’s the plan?”
“For now, we act normal. We can’t let these people suspect us. We’ll slip out in the early morning and follow them to their ritual site.” Sanji glanced around the small room. “Let’s head downstairs and eat something for now.”
Downstairs, Sanji took a seat in his previous spot, Zoro sliding onto the bench beside him and trapping the other man in the corner.
The evening passed without any incidents. The inn served a simple but hearty stew and a surprisingly good ale. A fire crackled in the hearth, enveloping the inn’s main room in a pleasantly warm haze.
As the last rays of light dipped below the horizon, Sanji nudged Zoro to move as he rose from his seat.
“Where are you going?” Zoro didn’t budge.
“A bath.” Sanji frowned. “I can at least do that, right?”
The swordsman shrugged. “Lead the way.”
At the bathroom, Zoro peeked in. The room had a small window high up on the wall. Just a bit too small for an adult man to escape through, even a lean man like the prince. Zoro shrugged and moved aside, allowing Sanji to brush past him and close the door firmly, lock clicking.
He leaned against the wall, shutting his eyes for a moment as the sound of running water started in the other room.
“Excuse me,” a soft voice trembled.
Lazily opening an eye, he saw a young woman with dark braids standing a few steps down the hall. Her hands twisting nervously in her apron.
“Hmm?”
“I, um,” she glanced nervously around the empty hallway. “I was wondering, did he tell you about tomorrow?”
“Yeah,” he grunted.
Her dark eyes softened. “Thank you,” she half-whispered. “Whatever happens, I am deeply grateful to the two of you. And I wanted to let you know I’m not trying to- to step in anything.”
He looked at her in confusion.
“With your lover,” she said a little more confidently. “It seemed a bit tense when you saw us together earlier. He’s very sweet but I promise there’s nothing between us.” She smiled brightly at him. “I need to get back to my chores. Goodnight, sir!”
She scurried away, leaving the man frozen behind her.
The water shut off a minute later and Zoro prayed the prince hadn’t overheard.
-
Sanji groaned.
“Come on, marimo. I’m not going anywhere; can’t you get your own room?”
“No money.” Zoro shrugged.
Sanji groaned again, flopping dramatically onto the small bed.
“You better not snore,” he whined.
Sanji shifted to his side, facing the wall, and pulled the covers over himself.
Zoro carefully laid down, resting on his side and facing the prince’s back. The narrow bed forced them close, his breath ghosting along the other’s neck. There was an uncomfortable tension in the air.
The bounty hunter shifted a few times, trying to relax his tense muscles.
Minutes passed, and then:
“What the fuck?” Sanji muttered, an edge of disbelief in his voice.
“What?” grumbled Zoro.
“Something is poking me. Have you no shame?”
“Don’t flatter yourself, curly. That’s a sword hilt.” Zoro answered with a yawn.
“You’re wearing your swords to bed?” Sanji hissed, turning his head to shoot the other man a glare.
“You have your weapons in bed too,” Zoro replied, a hand reaching out to squeeze the other’s thigh for emphasis.
Sanji made an undignified squeak.
“I can’t exactly leave my legs on the table, you moron!”
Zoro chuckled, looping an arm around Sanji’s waist.
“Shut up and go to sleep.”
Sanji grumbled something incomprehensible, but settled down and soon his breathing evened out. Zoro drifted off soon after.