Chapter Text
Sanji adjusted the frame on the wall before stepping all the way back, his hand to his chin in thought as he assessed the space in front of him. “I think it’s perfect.”
Zoro watched from where he’d been sitting half asleep at one of the minimalistic beech wood dining tables in the open room, his eyes taking in the wall to wall oil paintings, the one Sanji had just finished placing fitting naturally in with the rest despite its ornate golden frame. He hummed in agreement, his cheek resting on his palm as Sanji looked back at him, rolling his eyes at his reaction.
“You could afford to have a little more of an opinion, Moss,” he said, Zoro closing his eye in exhaustion.
“I’m sick of having opinions for the day, Cook. You have them for me from now on,” he mumbled, waving his other hand lazily in the air. He could hear the cook walking toward him, not bothering to track his movements as he waited patiently for his partner's attention.
He didn’t have to wait long, Sanji’s lips brushing his teasingly as fingers combed through his hair gently. “Say ‘it looks good, Cook’.”
“It looks good, Cook,” he parroted lazily, leaning in a little only to have Sanji lean back teasingly, Zoro humming, too tired to be annoyed.
“Say ‘I love it, Curly’,” Sanji said warmly, Zoro’s lip curling in amusement as he leaned back, feeling Sanji follow him.
“I love it, Curly,” he said again, cracking his eye open to meet bright blue.
“Now tell me you love me,” Sanji grinned, Zoro matching his amusement.
“I love you, Sanji,” he said, leaning in and kissing him soundly. Sanji made a pleased sound, kissing him back, keeping the touch slow and intimate, only pulling back a hair’s breadth.
“Love you too, Zoro,” he said, Zoro grinning as he moved back in to kiss him again, pulling his bottom lip between his teeth teasingly.
“It looks just like you’d imagined,” Zoro noted gently, kissing him again. “Everyone’s going to want to come here to eat. No ulterior reason for a full wait list, just your damn good cooking. And the good atmosphere.”
“You always know what to say,” Sanji grinned, pulling away and stretching backwards, his hands against his hips. Zoro moved to stand, crossing his arms against his chest as he looked through the looping letters that decorated the glass of the window, eyeing the building across from them. “Ready to head over?”
“Yeah,” Zoro agreed, pushing the chair he’d been camping on for the past two hours back beneath the table before looking once more at the walls around them, finding the clutter of Usopp’s ships incredibly charming. “It’s a good look.”
“I think so too,” Sanji said, smiling wide. They stepped through the front door, Sanji pulling the keys and his pack of cigarettes from his pocket, sticking a cigarette between his lips as he locked the door to the restaurant. Zoro waited until he had finished lighting his cigarette before taking his hand, lacing their fingers together as they walked lazily across the street.
Zoro pulled open the door, stepping in and nodding at Usopp who sat playing on his phone at the front desk. Usopp nodded back at him, opening the top drawer of the desk and pulling out a manila envelope that he dropped onto the tabletop, waving lazily. “This is for you, Sanji. Zoro you have a request from Barto, he said something about ‘an audience with Luffy’. I usually tune him out as soon as he brings him up.”
“God,” Zoro sighed, not looking forward to whatever it was Barto wanted in the slightest. The guy had met Luffy and had immediately acted like one of those teenage fans of a popular band. Something seemed to come up every week, the leader of the, for lack of a better term, Straw Hat fan club always finding some argument that justified pulling Zoro away from his real work. It had gotten to the point that Zoro dreaded hearing the rooster head’s name.
“You can see him about it tomorrow.” Zoro turned just in time to watch Kuina wheel herself out from the back office, her eyes thin with annoyance on his behalf. “Today is a special day for us and they’re well aware of that. The whole underground isn’t going to collapse if they wait one damn day.”
“I think that the lovely Kuina is right as ever,” Sanji grinned, earning a scoff from Kuina, who crossed her arms over her chest.
“You still haven’t won my approval,” she said pointedly, her voice somewhere between teasing and very, very serious. Sanji pouted at her, turning to Zoro who only shrugged in response. He wasn’t about to get in between the territory dispute the two had been having since Kuina had woken.
“It’s only been a week since you’ve gotten to leave your room, I’ve still got plenty of time to win you over,” Sanji said in response. Zoro couldn’t stop himself from snorting, earning a look of betrayal. Kuina had only just come around to the idea of the decision Zoro had made while she had been in her coma, it was going to take her some time and no small amount of punishing asides for her to come around to the cook, since he was the one who had brought Zoro into the crime world.
“I mean it, though. We’re celebrating today. Everything else can wait,” Sanji said, Zoro humming in agreement. He didn’t have to be told twice to leave Barto for another day.
“What about yours?” he asked, nodding towards the envelope that had been waiting for Sanji. He glanced at it, picking it up lazily and opening it before dropping it back down on the table like it was meaningless.
“It’s payment, no work to do other than counting it and putting it away. Now that we finished my decorations in the restaurant, I’m completely free for the rest of the day,” Sanji smiled, pinching the back of Zoro’s arm gently.
Zoro turned to him more fully, wrapping his arms around his waist and leaning back a bit, meeting his gaze. “It’s been awhile.”
“It’s been a busy year,” Sanji agreed, wrapping his own arms around Zoro’s waist, his smile genuine. “It’ll be nice to have a night off at the same time.”
“God, you two are insufferable,” Kuina groaned, genuine humor in her voice that made both of them smile as they simultaneously flicked her off, Zoro leaning in to kiss the blonde pointedly.
Kuina gagged, wheeling herself back towards the office. “I’d rather do the shitty accounting for this place than watch that. Unless you two want to finally clue us in to what exactly we’re celebrating tonight. Everybody’s wondering!”
“Love you too,” Zoro called after her, unable to help the way his chest expanded with happy affection for the people surrounding them. It was so good to have the closest thing he had to a sister back, and having Sanji at his side as well, his friends all happy and healthy, working together with them. It made him feel whole in a way that he hadn’t known was possible.
“I need to start cooking,” Sanji muttered, his brow pinched. “I’m not sure if I have enough time, when does it start again?”
“I told you we can cater,” Zoro huffed, Sanji shooting him an absolutely venomous glare. Zoro shrugged innocently, “I’m just saying. Feels like you’re working.”
“Say it again, Moss,” Sanji threatened, Zoro grinning at the challenge in his voice. He leaned in, pressing their foreheads together.
“We could always cater,” he said. He could claim he’d just been doing what he was told all he wanted, but it wasn’t worth it since they both knew he was only saying it because he knew exactly what the result would be. Sanji growled as he pushed him back, his leg already swinging for Zoro’s head as he ducked to avoid the hit, diving forward to tackle him.
“That’s my queue,” Usopp said, Zoro looking up from where he’d just bowled the cook onto the floor to see Usopp with his hands in the air, shaking his head as he walked back towards the office. “Kuina is right, you two are meant for each other.”
He shrugged before returning to the threat at hand, Sanji already reaching his legs up to try to twist Zoro off of him. Zoro knew he was going to face hell for not reminding the cook he had a lot of food to make in only a few hours, but he couldn’t resist, and he was fairly certain Sanji couldn’t either. They always had time for a fight.
✾✾✾✾
“Would you quit it?” Sanji said, smacking Zoro’s hand with a wooden spoon, Zoro pulling back as his knuckles smarted from the hit. He pouted as he reached out again, flicking the blonde in the back of the head in retaliation, Sanji turning the full power of his glare on him. “Fuck off, Moss.”
“Hurry up, then,” Zoro said, a whine to his voice that he would deny to the ends of his days. Sanji side eyed him, smirking slightly as he turned back to the sauce he’d been stirring, Zoro certain he had an eye on him despite.
He wandered towards the living room, making another huffing noise of complaint loud enough for the blonde to hear as he looked over their decorations again, trying to see the dining room table through the cook’s eyes. Me moved a couple of forks, frowning in annoyance and wishing not for the first time that cooking was less of a time consuming affair.
It didn’t help that the cook would rather die than let Zoro help him in the kitchen. He’d tried more than once, and every time he was shooed away with a claim that it was ‘bad enough he had to share his kitchen at work’. So Zoro was left to occupy himself whenever the blonde cooked, and while he was usually rather good and finding something to do, that day was different. He wanted to enjoy it with the cook.
It wasn’t meant to be, though, a knock at the door ten minutes later making Zoro groan heavily, casting an unseen pout of abandonment towards the kitchen. He walked to the door, opening it only half an inch before it was being pushed the rest of the way open, Luffy pushing through and falling forward into the apartment with his typical level of enthusiasm.
Zoro couldn’t help but grin, his mood always improved by the presence of their boss, who had indeed quickly grown to be one of his closest friends in the past year. Luffy wasted no time running right past him, headed straight for the kitchen. “Is the food ready?”
“I wish,” Zoro complained, Luffy making a noise of utter despair as he stopped where he stood, falling to his knees on the floor. Zoro snorted as another knock sounded at the door, pushing at him with his toe and watching as he fell to the side like he’d been stunned by the grief of having to wait for dinner. “C’mon, Luff. Just a little longer, I bet he has a snack ready if you just go ask.”
“Snack!” Luffy shouted, scrambling up from the ground like a man possessed as he rushed towards the kitchen. Zoro smiled to himself, more than happy to have sicked Luffy on the cook, not at all sorry about it as he walked back to the door, opening it to Kuina and Chopper, the small doctor a regular companion for his friend since she’d woken.
“You’re late,” Zoro teased, Kuina grinning at their age-old joke as she wheeled herself into the apartment, looking around them.
“This place is ridiculous,” she said, moving over to observe the sheep skin that decorated the back of one of the couches in the living room.
“Not exactly that shit hole you remember, I guess,” Zoro grinned, walking up to her and ruffling her hair in that way she’d always hated. “There’s electricity, for one.”
“You’re spoiled now,” she said, swatting his hand away from her hair. “How the hell am I supposed to train back to my full strength if you’ve grown soft as a house cat.”
“You can fight the Cook,” Zoro said with a shrug, Kuina gagging at the insinuation.
“I’d rather go back to the coma,” Kuina responded, Zoro snorting as he slapped her head gently, looking over to Chopper.
“Chopper, want to see if you can find the cotton candy I hid in the gym?”
The small doctor’s eyes grew wide with excitement as he rushed off in the direction of their home gym, leaving Zoro and Kuina alone as he’d intended. “It’s not his fault.”
“He didn’t stop it,” Kuina grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest.
“I chose to join on my own. He did nothing but help me when I needed it most, and he never asked for anything in return,” Zoro promised, walking around her to sit on the couch to face her. “I was drowning.”
Kuina didn’t say anything for a moment, watching him with a guarded expression. “I know, Zoro. I liked him for you as soon as I met him. It’s just a lot to get used to, a lot has changed since my accident. It feels like you have a whole new life.”
“A whole new life that felt wasted without you in it, Kuina,” Zoro promised with all of the sincerity he could muster. He set his hand on her knee, meeting her gaze and ignoring the insistent knock at the door to try and emphasize his point. “What we invited you all here for today, what we’re celebrating, it wouldn’t have happened unless you’d been here.”
Kuina grinned wide, all of her earlier anxiety completely abandoned as she leaned forward and pointed a finger right in his face. “I knew it.”
Zoro snorted, squeezing her knee as he stood, shaking his head. “You’ve always known me best. Just keep it to yourself, we’re trying not to make a fuss about it.”
“Roger that,” Kuina said, saluting him as he went to answer the door again, finding the rest of their guests waiting, Nami tapping her foot impatiently.
“Took you long enough,” she complained, Zoro flicking her off before standing to the side. They all filed in, Nami leading the way with Usopp, Franky, Robin, and Brook following behind her, Zoro greeting each of them politely.
He led them all into the living room where Kuina was waiting, Luffy having appeared from the kitchen with an entire turkey leg. He was perched on the armchair of the couch, speaking with Kuina animatedly. “It’ll be a little bit until dinner. Anyone want something to drink?”
“You acting like a good host is freaking me out,” Usopp said, holding up his hand like he could get Zoro to stop. “What in the world is this all about?”
“Do you want a drink or not, moron?” Zoro asked, his voice losing patience immediately. Usopp snorted, leaning back into his chair.
“I think we would all love a drink once you’ve told us what the hell this is all about,” Nami said, backing Usopp up. Zoro threw his hands in the air, looking to the ceiling like it might give him strength. “You said we’re celebrating today. Not sure how we’re supposed to celebrate something we know nothing about.”
“Can two guys not want to have their friends over for a dinner party? Jesus, you guys are acting like we invited you here to tell you horrible news,” he said, loving his friends but hating their undying curiosity at that moment. He and Sanji had agreed- they wanted to celebrate but they didn’t want to bring too much attention to the two of them. Just a nice evening with their friends, that’s all they wanted. “What god damn drinks do you want?”
“I’ll take a red wine, if you have it,” Robin said. Zoro sighed in relief at the request, giving her a look of gratitude that was met with an understanding smile and a nod. Zoro looked around to the rest of them, earning mumbled requests, Usopp giving him a look of suspicion while Nami made it clear the conversation was far from over.
Zoro took their orders with him and fled to the kitchen, leaning against the counter and hanging his head back in exhaustion as soon as he got there. “They’re grilling the hell out of me out there, Cook.”
“You can’t take a little interrogation, Mossy? Maybe you aren’t cut out for family life after all,” he teased, walking past Zoro and giving him a chaste kiss before reaching into the spice cupboard.
“Fuck you, you go out there and talk to them. See how long you last,” Zoro said defensively. Sanji turned his head just enough for Zoro to see his amusement, continuing to cook while Zoro groaned. “The worst part of you cooking every meal is that I have to do the hosting. I hate it.”
“They’re your friends, Moss,” Sanji laughed, Zoro groaning in acknowledgement.
“It’s different when I’m in charge of making them all feel comfortable and happy at the same time that they interrogate me about ‘what exactly we’re celebrating’. We should have never used that word,” he whined, turning around and putting his forehead to the cold counter to emphasize the weight of the task that was keeping a conversation going in a room.
“Speaking of what we’re celebrating, my dear.” Zoro stood up when he felt arms wrap around his waist, turning to meet the blonde who kissed him, swaying his hips teasingly. “I still agree that there’s no need for any pageantry, but I’m tired of not wearing these.”
Zoro looked down as Sanji shoved his hand beneath his apron, pulling it back out and putting out the palm of his other hand. Zoro gave him his hand, unable to help himself from grinning as the blonde slipped the discrete silver band onto his finger, Zoro putting his palm out to receive the other in the matching set. He pushed the blonde’s ring onto his finger, smiling as he did so, his chest as full as the day they’d walked by the ring shop and both stopped with that same thought in mind, knowing like an instinct that it was time.
“Well, Mr. Black Leg Roronoa,” Sanji said, his eyes lifting from their hands to meet Zoro’s gaze. “I believe you have some guests to entertain. I’ll only need five more minutes, think you can last that long?”
“I’ve lasted this long, Mr. Black Leg Roronoa,” Zoro said, leaning in to kiss him affectionately. “What’s another few minutes?”
✾✾✾✾
Sanji knocked his knife against his wine glass, drawing the entire room to a lulled quiet as he stood with a broad smile, the same coy smile that Zoro had fallen in love when they’d first met, this time there to conceal a secret that only he and the cook shared. Zoro leaned back in his chair, lifting his glass as he watched his husband raise his to the table, eyeing all of them with beaming affection.
“Thank you all for joining us-”
“What the hell is this about, Sanji,” Nami demanded before he could even get a word in, Sanji pouting at her in only the way the cook could.
“Does it have to be about more than celebrating our friendship, my dear?” he asked, echoing Zoro’s exact words. Nami frowned, unsatisfied, her eyes flicking to Zoro before returning to Sanji, like she would be able to convince one of them to spill their secret. “We’re just wanting to have an evening with our friends, celebrate our family and our success. It’s nothing more than that, my dear, I swear it.”
“Then what are those rings on your fingers?” Robin asked, Zoro paling as his head spun to meet her gaze, Robin raising an eyebrow teasingly, showing no remorse as the table erupted around them. She was always noting something gone unnoticed just to sit back and enjoy whatever show it unraveled, and as much as Zoro respected her ability to notice small details, but in that moment it was an unbearable pain, Zoro telling her as much with a scowl. She was too damn observant.
“Your what?! ” Nami demanded, reaching for Sanji’s hand as he was the closer of the two to her. Franky put two fingers between his lips to wolf whistle at the same time that Luffy cheered, Usopp reaching for Zoro’s hand just like Nami was doing. Most of the time Robin’s quiet game was the kind of thing Zoro happily took part in. Sitting back and observing was a past time the two of them shared and appreciated. Zoro despised having it used against him.
“What is this?” Usopp asked, waving Zoro’s hand in front of his own face as he looked at the cook and then to Kuina, who was smiling at him knowingly. She offered no salvation, though, raising her glass cruelly as their friends continued to melt down around them.
“We weren’t planning to say anything,” Sanji defended, Nami slapping his hand as she pulled back in horrified shock.
“What the hell does that mean you weren’t going to say anything,” she turned to Zoro, making sure to look at both of them. “What did you think, we’d just never notice? That we wouldn’t want to celebrate with you?”
“Nami…,” Zoro said, meeting her gaze before pointedly motioning around the table and the room, earning a flick to the ear from Sanji.
“ That’s what we’re celebrating tonight?” Nami shrieked, throwing her hands in the air. “And you didn’t think to tell any of us?”
“Congratulations,” Brook said, clapping his hands quietly, across the table. “Many happy years to the happy couple!”
“Yes, congratulations,” Robin agreed, Usopp patting Zoro on his back excitedly. He couldn’t help the flush that sat on his face, a matching one clear on Sanji’s as they both sat silently, taking the unwanted attention as it was given, the two able to take compliments with all of the strength of a blade of new grass.
“This is exactly why we didn’t want to tell you guys,” Zoro grumbled, Usopp clicking his tongue in annoyance.
“Come on, Zoro. You guys don’t have to have some big ceremony but you can let us be happy for you. You deserve this.” Zoro’s blush deepened, his scowl growing heavier as he stared at his plate. It was a kind thing to say, and he hated it.
“Whatever,” he said, bumping his shoulder against Usopp’s to show the gratitude he couldn’t bring himself to speak. He looked at Sanji, who looked similarly uncomfortable but with a far better way of hiding it, a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes on his face as he thanked Brook and Nami quietly.
“So are you going to give your speech or are we going to wait all night?” The entire table turned to look at Kuina, who was staring straight at Sanji, her lip curled in a smirk. “I was rather looking forward to whatever my new basically brother-in-law was planning to say.”
Sanji’s eyes widened, blinking in surprise at the sudden change in tone from Kuina, Zoro smiling to himself knowing that Kuina had heard him. Or at least was making an effort. He reached over to slap the back of Sanji’s knee, the cook’s leg buckling as he cast a furious look at Zoro as he nodded at the blonde in encouragement.
“Fine, well. It doesn’t feel like it has quite the same impact after that, but I was just going to say how grateful we are to have you all in our lives. How special it is to get to work with you, have fun with you, and change this city with you,” he said, his face endearingly red from the attention. “We can’t thank you enough for being a part of our lives, and fighting at our sides.”
“Cheers!” Luffy shouted once it was clear the blonde was finished, putting his drink in the center of the table, everyone clinking their glasses together.
Nami put her palm to her cheek as she tapped her glass against Sanji’s and then Zoro's, looking at the two of them curiously. “So will there be a honeymoon?”
✾✾✾✾
“Yes sir.” Zoro turned away from the front desk, eyeing his partner where he stood speaking with another couple quietly, his charming smile on full display.
“Cook, I got our room keys,” he said, waving them in the air as he walked over, eyeing the strangers carefully.
“Mossy, these two are here on their honeymoon, too!” Sanji exclaimed, Zoro noting the pointed look he received from the blonde. He looked back at the couple, noting the gray hair and beard the older man wore and the jagged scar that ran across his right eye, much like Zoro’s own. His eyes shifted to the woman, a tight bob that hugged her chin doing nothing to soften the sharpness in her eyes, Zoro noting the cigarette in her hand despite the fact that they were indoors.
“How did you two hear of this place?” Sanji asked, voice the picture of innocent curiosity. The man smiled, a knowing look in his eye as he nodded.
“We live near here, actually. But a good friend occasionally offers us a weekend here, it just felt like the right place to celebrate after so many years.” Zoro looked at Sanji, not sure what to do after hearing the code phrase. This was the couple they were supposed to be meeting, but that was the only instruction Luffy had given them. ‘Go and find Rayleigh and Shakky.’ That was all he’d said, and now that they had, they were lost.
“So you must be Rayleigh and Shakky,” Zoro said bluntly, Shakky raising an eyebrow before they both started laughing, Zoro scowling.
“You would be correct, if a little indiscreet,” Rayleigh grinned, nodding as he clapped a hand to Sanji’s shoulder, Shakky stepping over to link her arm with Zoro’s. “Come along, we’ll show you the more enjoyable part of the grounds to take lunch at. We can speak about business there, make it a little less miserable, as it were.”
“So how long have you two been married?” Zoro asked for a lack of something better to say, certain they were supposed to be blending.
“Over twenty years,” Shakky said from next to him, Zoro’s eyes widening as he turned to look at her, meeting a proud smirk.
“We like to take a honeymoon at least once a year,” Rayleigh explained with a broad smile, Sanji looking over at Zoro with a bewildered expression.
They reached a small grotto only a few minutes later, the couple explaining to Zoro and Sanji that it was important to take time alone away from home, giving the two of them unsolicited advice on keeping a long marriage. When they arrived there was already a spread of food waiting for them, Zoro happy to see two bottles of champagne waiting on ice.
It was picturesque, a pathway made of stone slabs leading into a secluded table with just enough seats for four, an archway over the top of it that was covered in full vines running up and over to create a sort of ceiling and walls around the place. Flowers decorated a small garden surrounding it, and small lights had been put out to make up for the shade the ivy caused.
They all sat down, Sanji taking a coffee while the other three went straight for the champagne, Zoro appreciating the heavy pour Rayleigh used before including a splash of orange juice to each glass. “Did he tell either of you why we are meeting?”
“Not a thing,” Sanji confirmed, smiling fondly at the predictability of their fearless leader. Rayleigh chuckled, taking a long drink of his mimosa before leaning forward.
“Alright, I guess I’ll fill you in, then.”
✾✾✾✾
Sanji closed the door, turning around and loosening his tie, Zoro already having the suit he’d been forced into halfway off. The blonde walked over to the small counter at the back of their room without a word, Zoro watching him go from where he sat on his bed, tearing off the uncomfortable dress shoes he’d been in for nearly two hours. “You took way too many risks during that fight.”
“Hm, we won in the end, though. Now you know how I felt with King.” The blonde turned around, holding a bottle of champagne in the air and waving it teasingly as he walked over to Zoro, his expression tired but his grin wide. “Now though, it’s official, the rest of our time here is just us. The honeymoon is on, Moss.”
“I still can’t get that greasy bastard's face out of my head,” Zoro complained as the cook walked up the rest of the way to him, pushing between his knees.
“Don’t think about him. He was a weakling that won’t be a problem any longer. People with no spine should know better than to try to cross us,” he said, Zoro lifting a brow at the blonde’s words, smirking.
“Talk like that some more,” he said, reaching his arm behind the blonde’s thighs to hold him close. Sanji’s grin widened as he pulled the cork on the bottle of champagne, turning it towards Zoro who lifted his head eagerly.
“Anyone who threatens our family,” Sanji said, his voice low and husky. Zoro drank happily from the bottle of champagne until the cook pulled it back, replacing the sweet dry taste of the alcohol with his lips. “Anyone who threatens our family will face my shoe and your sword.”
Zoro made a low sound, painfully attracted to the man in that moment as he pulled him down onto the bed, not paying any mind to being careful of the bottle of champagne his partner held. “Careful, Moss, we do still need to sleep here tonight.”
“Can sleep on the floor,” Zoro mumbled, ripping at the buttons on Sanji’s shirt as he kissed at his collar bone, kissing up his neck. “You can’t say things like that and expect me to not want to lick it from your skin.”
“Protective Moss,” Sanji crooned, leaning up to meet him for a kiss, pressing deeper, kissing him slow and languid. “I would expect nothing less. I knew you’d be the right person.”
“For the family?” Zoro asked teasingly, Sanji giving him a knowing look as he kissed his sternum, his free hand lifting to run up Zoro’s waist to wrap around his back.
“And for me.” Zoro grinned, dropping down to kiss him again, lifting his hand to run through blonde hair.
“And you for me, Cook.”