Chapter Text
Surgery after surgery. Procedure after procedure. And Zoro still couldn't see.
Law struggle to repair his damaged eye. Not the one the devil fruit blinded, no. The surgeon was trying to fix the eye that Zoro lost during the two years apart from the crew.
According to Law, there was extensive nerve damage to his eye and he wasn't promising any miracles.
After every surgery, Zoro woke up with less and less hope of seeing again.
“When's your next procedure?”
“Tomorrow..” Zoro muttered under his breath, slamming back a bottle of sake to drown his sorrows and the swirling thoughts in his mind.
Sanji stopped what he was doing and made his way over to Zoro. “I know you're nervous.” He sat on the ledge of the table while gently parading his fingers through Zoro's soft green hair. “Law is a very talented surgeon. I know things seem hopeless but I feel like he's going to nail one of these operations.”
“And what if he doesn't?”
“Then we'll try again.”
“Yeah.. Sure.”
“He's tried a dozen times. I can tell he's not going to give up easily. In fact-”
Zoro cut him off. “He told me that tomorrow is the last one and if he doesn't succeed-” He cut his own words short so he didn't stutter or break down crying. “I-i just want to see your face again..” He shakily breathed out saying, “I don't remember what you look like..”
“Mossy.. It's only been a few years..”
“And that feels like an eternity for me! You have no idea how I feel!” He screamed as loud as he could. “You don't know- you couldn't possibly know.”
Sanji slipped into the seat to his left and wrapped his arms tightly around him. “I'm sorry. I don't know what to say to help you feel better.”
“Hold me..” Zoro sniffled. “Please hold me..”
Sanji nodded, pulling Zoro closer so their bodies touched and his loving aura surrounded the both of them. “He'll get it this time. I promise you'll be able to see me again.” Sanji whispered into his ear. “Promise me, no tears until then.”
“I promise.” Zoro whispered, wiping away the tears accumulating in the corner of his eyes.
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“Ready Zoro-ya?” Law hovered over him wearing a mask, gloves, and scrubs.
“Yeah.. I guess..”
Law grabbed a rag and gently placed it over his eyes. “Close your eye and go to sleep. When you wake up, you'll be able to see.”
Zoro closed his eye but he didn't believe he'd see again. Law said this every time he was put out for surgery. And given he'd been put out a dozen times for surgery.. He had little to no hope in seeing again.
Law nodded to Chopper who then injected the anesthesia into Zoro's IV. In minutes the swordsman's body went limp in the cot and they could start operating. “Ready racoon?”
“Yep!”
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Law stepped out of the infirmary, removing his mask and gloves. “If he can't see after this.. I'm sorry. I've done all I can. This time I used some of my devil fruit's abilities but I can only do so much.”
Sanji nodded slowly, removing the outer layer of an onion and slicing it up.
“I think Sanji's sad.. He's crying..” Chopper mumbled to Law.
“It's just the onion.” Sanji choked out. “I'm not-” He put the knife down. “I'm sorry.. I can't cook today. I'm not feeling well..” He quickly tossed his apron off and left the kitchen.
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Sanji stayed up in the crows nest for the rest of the day. He refused to come out, let anyone in, and passed the time by smoking cigarette after cigarette.
In his left hand he gripped Zoro's haramaki. In his right he held the bundle of his swords. Zoro asked him to keep them safe while he was unconscious. Sanji kept his word. He always kept his word. But he might not be able to keep his word about Zoro seeing again.. That was sadly out of his control
’I promise you'll be able to see again.’
“Please.. Please let him see again.” Sanji buried his face into the haramaki and cried softly. “He wants to see me again more than anything.. Please..”
____________________
Sanji spent the restless night smoking and polishing Zoro's blades for him. When he finished, he placed them safely on the bed then exited the crows nest to make breakfast for the crew. Today he couldn't abandon his job because of his own selfish emotions.
____________________
Zoro woke up to nothing but darkness. Before he could panic and process the heartbreak of another failed procedure, Law spoke.
“There's a bandage on your face. Don't count this surgery a failure just yet.”
“How long do I need to wear it?”
“Normally a few days but I used my devil fruit abilities during the operation. It's been just shy of a day now. I'll take it off soon and assess the condition of your eye. For now, lay still and take a nap. I'll wake you up in a bit.”
“I can't sleep.. I'm too anxious.”
“Sleep will be your friend if you're able to see again. You'll need to rest them- specifically that one eye or you'll lose it permanently.”
Zoro nodded. “Okay..” He laid there until he drifted back to sleep.
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The next time Zoro woke up, he was starving. An unknown amount of time had passed since his “nap” and his stomach was letting him know that the time he spent asleep was significant.
“Law???”
“Ya?”
“You didn't wake me up.”
“The longer you go without using your eye the better. If I get my way, it'll be a few days.”
“Then why did you tell me you'd wake me up and take the bandage off? That's quite misleading, don't you think?”
“Because you wouldn't have gone back to sleep if I told you it'd be a few days. You'd insist on being up and about when the best medicine for you is rest.”
“I suppose that makes sense..”
“I'm not going to do anything that'll harm you Zoro-ya. The longer you wait the better your chances are of seeing again. Patience is key.”
“I'll listen to whatever you say. I want to see again..”
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Zoro spent a few days in the infirmary with the bandages covering his eyes. It's not like he wasn't already used to being blind. This was nothing new for him. Although the anticipation was killing him slowly.
Law finally told him that it was time to take the bandages off. He was extremely nervous. What if he couldn't see?
Oh boy he wanted to see again more than anything..
“Here's what's going to happen. I'll cut the bandages and slowly remove them. I need you to keep your eyes shut. I have to remove the gaws and check to make sure it's not infected. Once I determine how much you've healed, I'll clean the wound and either wrap it again or let you open your eyes.”
“Okay..”
Law picked up a pair of scissors and cut one layer of the bandages. Slowly, he unraveled them and tossed them in the trash. Very carefully, he removed the gaws and cotton protecting Zoro's eyes. As he grabbed a wet disinfect cloth, he noticed Zoro's eyelid twitch. “I know it's hard but you need to keep them shut.”
“I'm trying..”
“Try harder. If your eye isn't ready then you'll ruin everything I've done. Please be patient for a little longer.”
Zoro nodded once and let Law continue to work on his face.
“There.” Law tossed his bloodied gloves into the trash bin beside him. “Okay.” He helped Zoro sit up and positioned his legs over the edge of the cot. “Now, slowly and very carefully, open your eyes.”
Zoro slowly opened his eyes and blinked away the tears that formed and fell. His eyelid hurt A LOT and so did his head after sitting up.
“Well..?”
Zoro gripped the edge of the cot while tears pouring down his face. He broke down hysterically sobbing then he shouted for Sanji. “Sanji!?”
And when Sanji heard his name, he dropped everything he was cooking and dashed across the room into the infirmary. “Baby?! Are you okay!?”
Zoro stood up and stepped towards him, he was still groggy from sleep and a little hungry but determined to get to Sanji. “Sanji..” Zoro cupped his cheeks and stared at him through his scarred eye. “I can see you..” Zoro cried, balling his hands into Sanji's hair, his fingers entangling between the soft curls. “I can see you..” He repeated, pressing his forehead against Sanji's.
“You can see me?” Sanji choked up with emotions and he couldn't speak. He wrapped his arms around Zoro's trembling body and held him tightly.
“I can't see in color.
“You can only see in black and white?” Law questioned curiously.
“Yeah.. But I don't care. I can see again.” Zoro traced his thumb along Sanji's curly eyebrow then he kissed it. “I can see you.. I can see you..” Zoro missed seeing him so much. “I never.. I never thought I'd ever see you again.” He felt beyond overjoyed and blessed to be able to see Sanji again.
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That night Zoro lay in bed, entangled in Sanji's limbs with his face buried into the smaller man's chest. He breathed peacefully and refused to take his eye off Sanji for a minute.
“Can't sleep?”
“Thinking.”
“About?”
“You.”
“I didn't take you as the romantic type.” Sanji playfully rolls his eyes.
“I'm thinking..” He tears up and the grip he has on Sanji's shirt tightens, gripping the fabric so tightly between his fingers that his knuckles turn white. “About the last time I went to sleep being able to see..” He starts to breathe heavier and his body shakes. “I woke up to the darkness.. What if this is all a dream? What if I wake up and I'm still blind?”
“But it's not a dream. This is real Marimo. I'm not sure how I can prove that to you..”
Zoro sniffled and shrugged. He loosened the grip on Sanji’s shirt and mindlessly twirled his fingers around the curly hairs peeking out from the V of his shirt while listening to his breathing and heart beating.
“I have an idea.” Sanji shifted. “I want you to see me.”
“I can see you though..” Zoro sounded confused.
Sanji smiled. “Not like that.” He kicked off his boxers and tossed his shirt aside. “Like this.”
Zoro gulped. His eye trailed along Sanji's body, eating up every detail.
“I know we've touched and been intimate but you were never able to see me during those times. Now you can.” Sanji kissed him on top of his head. “Touch me anywhere your heart desires. You'll remember what you've already touched in the past and that's how you'll know that it's real.”
Zoro memorized every detail of Sanji's body with his hands and after seeing it with his eyes, there is no doubt in his mind that he's not dreaming. Even so, he feels up Sanji's hips, dipping down to his ass, not feeling the need to go any further.
“You're hesitating.”
“I didn't think you'd present yourself to me like this after my sight was restored.. It's a little overwhelming.”
“Why is it overwhelming? I've been nude around you before.”
“When I couldn't see.” Zoro reminded him. “You have seen me naked dozens of times - in the bath, in bed, changing clothes.. But I've never once seen you naked until now.”
“I can put my clothes back on if you're uncomfortable.”
“Not uncomfortable. Just need to get used to it is all..” Zoro trailed off, trailing his hands down to Sanji's flaccid cock. His fingers shakily hesitated when he traced the veins he was all too familiar with.
“Feel like fooling around?”
“Maybe- I don't know..” He mumbled.
“Jerk me off and watch me come undone. Engrave it into your mind. Watch the way I moan for you and cum from your hand.”
Zoro's cheeks turned red and it traveled down his neck. “Mhm..” He slowly grasped Sanji's length and started pumping it in his fist.
“I have lube under the bed. Ahh~” Sanji moaned quietly. “Use it.” He knew how Zoro liked it rough and dry when it came to hand jobs but he was the opposite. He liked things gentle and slick. Rarely did he like getting jerked off dry.
Zoro nodded, letting go and leaning over the edge of the bed, digging around for the bottle in a box of toys Sanji had.
After they became an official couple, Franky built them a bed in the crows nest and they both sorta just moved up there. Now they had privacy and could be as loud as they wanted without disturbing the other crew members.
“I got it.” Zoro uncapped the bottle and squeezed a dot into his palm. “Do you want me to go fast or slow?”
“Doesn't matter to me. Do you want to get me off fast or spend more time watching me get off to your touches?”
Zoro swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded.
“If you don't want to do this then we can go to bed. Don't make yourself do something you don't want.”
“I want to. I just need a minute to breathe.” This was a little quick in his mind and he didn't know if Sanji was just looking to get off again. The blonde's sex drive was a lot higher than his own.
“Forget the handjob.” Sanji grabbed a tissue and wiped the lube off of Zoro's hand. “Lay with me and touch me however you feel like. I wouldn't feel comfortable with you touching me if you had even an ounce of doubt in your actions.”
Zoro curled up on his side, burying his face into Sanji's neck and mumbling something under his breath.
“I know love. I love you too. And that's why I won't let you touch me that way if you're not sure about it. You're more important to me than sex and pleasure.”
Zoro shifted so that he was laying on top of Sanji. He rubbed his nose between his hairy pecs and closed his eyes.
“And when you wake up, I'll be here and you'll still be able to see.”
“I promise.”
And with that, Zoro was easily able to calm down. Sleep overcame him and lulled him calmly into slumber.
Sanji stayed awake for a little while and mindlessly rambled to Zoro who was sound asleep. “I never knew how much I truly missed you. These past few years have been amazing but I always knew deep down you weren't truly happy. Today I watched you smile again. It was genuine and not forced like usual. I'm grateful that you're able to see again. And now I get to watch you love me with your sight. You've already drowned me in so much love with your actions, I honestly feel spoiled, but now I get to experience what it's like to see the love behind your eyes. Now more than ever, I can't wait to see what the future brings us. I'm relieved that you've found your happiness again, Zoro. I hope that it's never ever taken away from you ever again. I hated seeing the heartbroken look on your face day in and day out. And after everything you've endured to get here, I see a night and day difference in you. And I know it's because of your sight being restored but also because of me.. Because you can see me again and seeing me makes you unbelievably happy.”
Sanji would never forget what Zoro had told him in the past.. He engraved the words into his mind.
“It's killing me every damn day that I'm unable to see your face.. I hardly remember how beautiful your eyes are.. How golden your hair is.. God I miss being able to witness your glamor and beauty.. I'd give my life if only to see you one last time. I hate it! I hate it so much! I want to see your face again! I want to see it so badly! I miss seeing your eyes sparkle and watching your hair flow in the wind and how you do that little cute little smile after you taste test your meals.. Please.. I beg whatever God that is out there.. Let me see his face one last time..”
“I didn't- I didn't know you cared that much about me.”
“Of course I care about you.. I love you. I love you more than life itself. It's killing me that I won't ever see again. I lay awake at night wishing that I could. I rather die than spend my entire life without your smile, without your blue eyes, I get lost in those beautiful spheres. I mourn the night before I lost my sight. If I knew- I wouldn't have gone to sleep. I'd have laid awake watching you the entire night. Fuck sleep. I should've stayed awake. I should've looked for even a minute longer. I'm not faking this. I'd never lie about being blind. It's fucking tearing me apart that I can't see you!”
“I'll never let anyone take your sight from you again. Even if I have to sacrifice my eyes to prevent it from happening.”