Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

When Zoro opens his eye again, the sky is dark and there's no light in the room. He couldn’t have been out for more than a couple of hours. He doesn’t see Sanji, and even though he expected it, he feels hollow.

Then he smells cigarette smoke and Zoro’s eye finds Sanji sitting at the edge of the bed. His gaze flicks to Zoro and he gives him a half smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. Zoro’s hands itch, and he opens and closes them, willing himself to hold back—he doesn’t get to touch Sanji ever again, he better get used to it.

“You stayed,” Zoro says, half expecting to discover that this is a dream.

“You didn't tell me to leave.” Sanji exhales smoke, his head tilted back slightly. He’s still half undressed.

Zoro wants to bite his neck, cover it in marks to show the world that he was allowed to touch him.

“How long have you known?” Sanji asks, taking Zoro out of his reverie.

“Huh?”

“You know…” Sanji leans further away from Zoro, the smoke from his cigarette framing his face. “How I feel about you.” His tone is tired and resigned, and his eyes won’t meet Zoro.

Zoro sets his jaw and tries not to glare. Of fucking course Sanji thinks he’s an idiot.

“It’s not like you’ve ever made a secret of it, Eyebrows,” Zoro says, annoyed.

“I'm not ‘Sanji’ anymore?” Sanji smiles—small, sad and pained. “I kinda hoped that that would stay.”

“That was a slip of the tongue.” A moment of desperation and weakness. “It’s not happening again”

“Why not say it on purpose?” Sanji sounds on the verge of tears. “What’s stopping you?”

It’s a cruel question. Zoro can either lie or expose himself, finally giving Sanji what he has tried to protect since Cocoyashi.

“You’re really asking me that?”

Sanji lowers his face and doesn’t answer. Like this, he seems brittle, which is a word that Zoro never imagined himself associating to Sanji. He never imagined him to be cruel either, which goes on to show how little he knows.

Zoro furrows his brow. Only a couple of hours ago, he broke down in Sanji’s arms. Only a couple of hours ago, he’d been the brittle one, and that’s another thing he’d never have imagined possible. So maybe Sanji can be allowed to be fragile now.

There’s no reason for him to be cruel. No matter how much Zoro thinks about it, he can’t imagine why Sanji would want to hurt him with such a question now, when they aren’t arguing, when they aren’t actively trying to hurt each other.

If the question isn’t an attack, then that means it’s genuine. It means Sanji might truly want him to say his name.

Zoro sits up and studies him. His apparent vulnerability makes his hands itch to hold him. The possibility of cruelty worsens the buzzing under his skin. In the end, what Zoro needs is Sanji.

“How are you feeling?” Sanji asks, finally turning towards him. His gaze roams Zoro’s body and finally settles on his face, searching.

“I’m good.”

“Don’t lie to me.”

“I’m not lying.”

Sanji puts out his cigarette, kneels on the bed and reaches for Zoro’s face. He stops himself before he can touch him and stays still, one bandaged hand suspended in the space between them, shaking.

Finally, he sits back on his heels and brings his hand to his lap.

“I should have checked with you before I did all that. I’m sorry.” He lowers his head again. “I’m so sorry, Marimo. I don’t—” Sanji sniffles. “Shit, just tell me what to do to make it up to you. I’ll do anything you say.”

Yeah, no. This is wrong. This is completely wrong. Every possible alarm starts ringing in Zoro’s mind. He scrambles to reach Sanji, throwing caution and self-preservation away as he cups his face and guides it up.

“What are you talking about, Cook? I’m the one that did this wrong.” The one that failed. “I couldn’t give you what you wanted.”

“Are you listening to yourself, Marimo? I was— I almost—” Sanji’s face crumples and tears begin to fall from his eyes. “I talked such a big talk about how sex is supposed to be a good thing, how you’re supposed to enjoy it and I was pushing you to—” He grabs Zoro’s wrists and makes him let go. “I’m disgusting.”

Anger flares up inside Zoro’s chest. He puts his hands on Sanji’s shoulders and glares at him as he reminds him, “I could have said ‘no’ at any point, Cook!”

“But you didn't!” Sanji snarls. “You didn't want me, and I saw you didn't want me and I should have stopped! You shouldn't have needed to ask for it!”

“But I wanted you!”

“That's not what your dick was saying!”

“That's— That's not—” Zoro screams in frustration and grabs his own head. “I fucking hated it, yeah, okay!” he yells at the ceiling.

He looks down to find Sanji crying again, one hand covering his face, his shoulders shaking.

“I'm sorry, Marimo,” he says quietly. “I'm so fucking sorry.”

“It's not your fault, Cook!”If he thought his touch was welcome, Zoro would hold him. He needs to. “You told me what you wanted. I'm the one that couldn't accept it and failed!”

“It’s not a failure not to want sex, Marimo!” Sanji drops his hand. “If I’d kept going… Fuck, Marimo, I almost…” More tears fall, and Zoro can’t allow that. He can’t have Sanji hating himself for something that’s entirely Zoro’s fault. Better for Sanji to hate and pity Zoro than for him to be upset.

“It's a failure because I couldn't simply take what you were offering me.” Now that the words are out, Zoro finds it easy to continue. The truth is the only thing that can save Sanji, after all, and there’s nothing Zoro won’t give to ensure Sanji's happiness. “I wanted to see you. I wanted to touch you. I wanted… I wanted you on my terms, even after I promised myself I'd only do what you wanted.” He feels his own expression crumble, but he refuses to hide. “I didn't hate it because of you, I hated it because of me. I hated it because I want you.”

“You keep saying that.” Sanji laughs bitterly and shakes his head.

“Because it's true! Because…” Zoro rubs his eye with the heel of his hand. “I didn't sleep with that guy because he wasn't you and I want you. And then you were there and you wouldn't even let me kiss you and I hated it.” He drops his hand and hurries to explain, “But that's okay! Anything you want is okay! I don’t matter in this!” He swallows. “I know I'm not what you want, but I can at least be a good fuck. I can be… I’ll do anything you want.” He lost his chance to be Sanji’s lover, but he won’t lose the opportunity to be something else, whatever it might be. “I’ll learn to be even better than Ace, okay? Just tell me what to do.”

Sanji stares. He sniffles. He tries to wipe his tears off his face and only succeeds in getting his bandages wet.

“And what is it that I want?” There's something fragile in his voice, like there is in his posture, in his gaze, in every moment since he dug Nami out from under the rocks. Zoro will give him his own vulnerability in turn, so that he can build himself back up with the awareness of Zoro’s weakness.

“Ideally, Nami.” Sanji’s eyes widen. “Failing that, Robin. Then… I guess any pretty girl would do.”

For a moment, Sanji watches Zoro, his eyes slightly narrowed, confusion settling on his face.

“I sleep with men too.” As if Zoro didn't know that.

“Yeah, but you don't want to keep them.”

Something seems to click for Sanji. His hands come to Zoro’s face.

“Zoro…” Zoro wishes he was strong enough to push him away, to refuse him. Except he wouldn’t even if he could, because if Sanji wants to touch him, then he’s allowed to do so. “Do you want me to keep you?”

He isn’t a liar and there’s no avoiding a direct question. He nods, and the admission cracks open his ribcage, exposing his heart and its desires.

Sanji stares at Zoro like he’s a revelation “But… You’ve never let me. You… first you avoided me and then you kept sleeping with other people.”

Tears fall down Zoro’s face, the words pulling at his heart, dragging it out of his chest, cutting it into pieces for Sanji to chew up and swallow. He’s still brittle, raw from his failure, and now Sanji will know that he’s nothing but a wanting beast.

“I’m in love with you,” he says. “Since that night in Cocoyashi.”

Sanji shakes his head. “You rejected me after that. Every day, no matter what I did.”

“You rejected me first. You kissed me and then you went running after Nami. Every day, you ran after Nami. You only looked at me when nobody was around and I wasn’t going to be your whore.” Zoro takes a shaky breath. “Then Ace came along and… I realized that that was better than not having you in any way. I thought I could get over it. I thought… I have my pride. I figured that sooner or later I’d get over you. What sort of idiot stays in love with someone that only wants him for sex?” Zoro can’t help the bitter laugh that escapes him. “I guess I’m as stupid as you think”

“You’re not making sense. What about all the times you’ve gone with someone else?” Quieter, Sanji adds, “What about Skypiea?” It sounds broken. “You told me you wanted me and then you went and fucked some random guy. I was waiting for you. I thought I meant something to you.”

“You did. And when I was going to you, you got distracted by some girl.” It still hurts the same as it did back then. “I didn’t think you’d notice me leaving. It’s not like you didn’t have other options.”

Sanji gapes.

“I needed you, and you didn’t feel the same,” Zoro continues. “And then someone that actually wanted me showed up.”

“Shit.” Sanji lets go of Zoro’s face and puts his arms around his shoulders. “We’re both so fucking stupid, my love.” He kisses Zoro’s temple.

Zoro chokes on a sob.

“I told you not to call me that.”

“Then I’ll simply call you mine.”

“I’m not—”

“You are.” Sanji cups his cheek and leans back to press his forehead to Zoro’s. “I love you too. I thought you only wanted to fuck me and I loved you anyway, because apparently I’m an idiot too.”

Zoro sucks in a breath.

“Since when?”

“Since I saw you get cut open by a Warlord instead of giving up on your dream.”

Since the moment Zoro showed exactly what sort of beast he was: ambitious, stubborn, unafraid of death. Vicious, even in his defeat, vowing to his captain that he wouldn’t lose again, promising to be worse so as to become the greatest.

Without thinking, Zoro puts his arms around Sanji and pulls him towards him. They fall in a heap on the bed, but Zoro refuses to let go. He needs Sanji close, and he’s not losing a single second of contact now that he’s allowed to have it.

“After we hooked up,” Zoro says, “why did you go after the women?”

“Because I adore women, Marimo. I want to serve them and make them happy! That doesn’t mean I’m in love with them.” Sanji caresses Zoro’s cheek. “I thought you knew. I thought you saw the difference. I’ve never looked at any of them the way I look at you.”

“You only do that when we’re fucking.”

“Because I was sure you didn’t feel the same!” Sanji brushes his thumb under Zoro’s eye, wiping off some tears. “But when you touched me, I forgot to pretend I didn’t love you.” He presses a chaste kiss to Zoro’s lips. “Marimo. Zoro. Sweetheart. Darling.” Each word is punctuated by a kiss.

Zoro parts his lips and licks into Sanji’s mouth, desperate for him. He’d missed him. He needs him like air.

“My love.”

“Sanji,” Zoro says against his lips.

Sanji makes a sound like he’s been wounded.

“Sanji, Sanji, Sanji.”

Sanji catches Zoro’s lip between his teeth and tugs on it. Zoro whimpers and cradles Sanji’s face, needing to look at him.

“Fuck, you’re a mess,” he says, taking note of Sanji’s red eyes and wet cheeks. “And not in the fun way.”

Sanji hits Zoro’s shoulder. “You’re one to talk.”

“Don’t do that.” Zoro takes Sanji’s hand. “Your hands are injured.” He kisses Sanji’s fingertips.

Sanji’s expression softens.

“You really want me, huh?”

Another kiss.

“Why so surprised?”

“Because this never happens.”

Zoro furrows his brow. The words sound familiar.

“You’ve said that before.”

“It’s true.”

“I don’t get it.”

“Ah. Well…” Sanji licks his lips. “You see… every time I want someone, I have to convince them to want me back. I think you’re the first person that went for me instead of the other way around. And then when it’s over they don’t want me again.” He tries to shrug. It doesn’t really work, when he’s lying on top of Zoro. “It made sense that you rejected me afterwards. You’d gotten your fill and didn’t care for a repeat.”

“I’ll never get enough of you. I… If I tell you how much I want you, it’ll scare you.”

Sanji gives him a flat look. “Try me.”

Without warning, Zoro flips them over. He holds Sanji’s wrists over his head, careful not to apply pressure. There isn’t even a hint of nerves on Sanji’s face; if anything, he looks like he’s daring Zoro to do more.

“I want you to keep me.”

“You’ve already said that.” Sanji wraps a leg around Zoro’s hips and forces him down. “Try harder.”

“I want you to be mine.”

“I already am.” Sanji lifts his hips, creating friction between them. “Try harder.”

Zoro tugs on Sanji’s earlobe with his teeth.

“I want you to only look at me. I want you to only think of me when you get off,” he says in Sanji’s ear. “I want to brand you and I want you to do the same to me. I want everyone to know with just one look that we’re each other’s and not even think to come between us.”

“What’s stopping you?” Sanji tilts his head, exposing his neck, and moans as Zoro sucks a mark onto his skin. “I’m biting your chest later, Marimo.”

“Good,” Zoro growls. He kisses what little is exposed of Sanji’s chest.

“What else?”

“I want to kill anyone who’s ever hurt you.”

Sanji tuts. “I can take care of myself.”

“I know that. It’s one of the things I love about you.” Zoro sucks a mark right over Sanji’s collarbone. “I love knowing that the only reason I can do anything to you is because you let me. I love that you can do anything you want with me. It makes me want to worship you and it makes me want to fuck you in the most demeaning ways I can think of.” Sanji shivers. “I want to make you pay for each and every time you’ve wanted someone that isn’t me, and I want you to punish me for every time I fucked someone that isn’t you, even when I hadn’t met you yet.”

“Yeah,” Sanji breathes. “You should have known you’d been made for me.”

Zoro kisses Sanji’s jaw. “I want you to cut me open like Mihawk did, Sanji.”

“Fuck. Yes. Please,” Sanji moans. “You have no idea how jealous your scar makes me. He marked you and I’ll never get to do the same. I want you to carry me with you forever too.”

“I’d let you. Fuck, Sanji, I’d let you do anything.” He finally releases Sanji’s wrists, needing to touch more of him. He buries a hand in Sanji’s hair and unbuttons the rest of his shirt. “I want you to hold my heart in your bare hands.”

Sanji’s breath hitches.

“I’m sure we could get Torao’s help with that,” he says. “Maybe he can put your heart in my chest and mine in yours.”

Zoro curses and bites Sanji’s neck.

“You can’t say that, Sanji,” he pleads. “Don’t you get it? I want to take you apart.”

“I’m sure Torao could help with that too.”

Zoro whimpers.

“Is that all you’ve got, Zoro?” Sanji teases.

Zoro nods. Sanji holds Zoro’s face and looks at him tenderly as he says, “You’ll have to try harder if you want to scare me.”

“I don’t want to scare you. I want you to keep wanting me for the rest of our lives.”

“That’s easy, my love.” With barely any effort, Sanji gets Zoro on his back again. He holds himself over him. “As long as you’re you and as long as I’m me, I’ll be yours. Will you be mine for just as long?”

“Yes. Forever.”

“Then it’s settled.”

Sanji descends upon him, claiming his mouth. Zoro wraps his arms around him and runs his nails down his back, making him hiss.

“Greedy Marimo,” Sanji says. “Greedy, greedy Marimo.”

“You’re mine,” Zoro growls. “I’m allowed.”

“And so am I.”

In retaliation, Sanji bites Zoro’s lip, drawing blood, and then litters marks down Zoro’s neck to his chest. His dick is hard against Zoro’s thigh, and Zoro’s certain that Sanji can feel his cock digging into him in turn.

“Please let me fuck you,” Zoro says. “We can still do that, right?”

Sanji looks up at him. “Yeah? I should still be loose.”

“Loose?”

“I was already prepared when I found you.”

A wave of arousal crashes over Zoro, making him dizzy.

“Did you prepare yourself for me?” Sanji flushes. “You did, didn’t you?” Zoro cups his cheek. “You’re so good to me.”

“Only for you,” Sanji admits. “I’m so fucking easy when it’s about you.”

“I like that,” Zoro says, cradling his face. “I like that you always welcome me. I like that I can have you whenever I want.”

“Yeah? And what if I want to put some rules in place?”

Zoro smirks. “Go ahead, Pretty Boy. Tell me what you want.”

The smile Sanji gives him in return is sharp and dangerous. Worse than any sword that’s ever touched Zoro’s skin.

“I want you back on that chair, my love.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Sanji noses along Zoro’s jaw. “I want you to hold onto the armrests and stay still while I fuck myself on your cock.” In Zoro’s ear, he whispers, “I want to see how much self-control you have.” He takes Zoro’s earrings into his mouth and tugs on them.

The idea of a test makes excitement thrum in Zoro’s veins. He’s going to show Sanji how good he is.

“Can I watch you?” Before tonight, it’d have been embarrassing, how eager he sounds.

“You must.” Sanji kisses his cheek and sits up, straddling Zoro. “Since you like my face so much, I demand you don’t look away from it.”

“You really expect me not to look at the rest of you?”

“I’ll make it happen, sweetheart.” There’s a mischievous glint to Sanji’s eyes that makes Zoro shiver. He traces a line on the side of Zoro’s neck with a finger. His expression turns sober and he holds Zoro’s gaze as he asks, “Do you trust me?”

“With my life.” Zoro doesn’t even need to think about it, but Sanji shakes his head.

“This is serious, my love.” He licks his lips. “I want to hold one of your swords to your neck. Keep you from looking at anything that isn’t my face.”

The image comes to Zoro’s mind so vividly that it steals the air out of his lungs.

“Please.”

“You want that?”

“I need it.”

Sanji licks his lips. “You’ll tell me if you change your mind.”

Not a question, an order.

“I will.”

“And you’ll tell me if anything I’m doing bothers you.”

“Yes.”

“Don’t answer so fast, Marimo, this is serious.”

“I know.” Zoro grabs one of Sanji’s hands. “You think I liked how much I upset you earlier? I’d rather swallow my pride and tell you I don’t like something than make you feel like that again.”

Every word is worth it for the way Sanji looks at him. Like Zoro has done something right, like he doesn’t mind the effort it takes to keep such a beast, like Zoro is something worthy.

He kisses Sanji’s palm and holds his hand over his heart. “Use Wado, yeah? I don’t trust the other two.”

It startles a laugh out of Sanji, bright and precious, and Zoro loves him so much it breaks his heart and puts it back together again.

They wipe their faces, get out of bed and Zoro finds himself being pulled to and then pushed onto the chair. Sanji tosses him the lube.

“Get your dick ready,” he orders.

Zoro pours lube on his palm and strokes himself while watching Sanji finally remove his shirt and jacket before he goes to get Wado.

It occurs to Zoro that Sanji might have no idea what’s the katana he needs.

“It’s…” Zoro starts, and the rest of the sentence dies on his lips when he sees Sanji confidently wrap his hand around Wado’s hilt.

“What?” Sanji turns to Zoro, the question he just asked written plainly on his face as well.

The view nearly makes Zoro come: Sanji, gloriously naked, with marks from Zoro’s teeth on his neck, holding Zoro’s most precious possession. Zoro wishes he could burn the image into his mind. He’ll be jerking off to it for the rest of his life, he knows it.

“How do you know which one is Wado?”

“You told me her name in Cocoyashi.”

“Yeah,” Zoro says quietly. “I did.”

Sanji furrows his brow in annoyance. “You thought I forgot?”

“I never expected you to remember.” Zoro had made his peace with that long ago.

“Of course I remember.” Sanji tilts his chin up. “I love you.”

It’s embarrassing, how soft Zoro’s smile is then. “Yeah, you do.” He laughs. “Now come here and ride me, Pretty Boy.”

“You’re not taking it back this time?” Sanji approaches him slowly, every step measured.

“I shouldn’t have taken it back the first time.” Zoro makes sure to hold Sanji’s gaze. “You’re fucking beautiful, Sanji.”

Sanji swallows and licks his lips. “Hands on the armrests, Zoro.”

Zoro obeys. Sanji climbs on the chair and straddles him. He raises himself on his knees.

“You’re not allowed to touch me.”

“I can do that.”

Sanji grabs Zoro’s dick and lowers himself on it. He bites his lip as the head pushes past his rim and closes his eyes as he slowly sheathes Zoro in him. Zoro moans, but he can’t tell if it’s from the sensation of sinking into Sanji or from seeing Sanji’s expression change into bliss the more of Zoro he takes.

“You look so good taking my cock, Pretty Boy.”

Sanji’s breathing hitches.

“You’re doing so well. Receiving me so perfectly.” He hesitates before adding, “So fucking easy for me.”

“Yeah,” Sanji sighs. “Anything for you.”

“Were you made for me, Pretty Boy? Is that why you can take me so easily?”

Sanji whimpers and lowers himself further.

“That’s it, right? Your body was made for my cock, that’s why you always let me use your pretty mouth.”

“Look who’s talking,” Sanji says, finally opening his eyes. The look he gives Zoro is devious. “You sound so needy every time I’m inside you.”

They groan in unison when Sanji finally gets Zoro fully inside of him. He wipes his hand on Zoro’s shoulder and grabs Wado.

“Ready?” he asks.

“Ready.”

Sanji takes Wado out of her scabbard and holds her to Zoro’s neck. One wrong movement and there’ll be blood everywhere. He doesn’t let go of the sheath; instead, he taps Zoro's arm with it.

“Hold it, Marimo. With both hands.”

Zoro sucks in a breath through his teeth. He takes the open end of the scabbard in his hand and extends his arms as much as possible on the armrests. He holds the tip of the scabbard in his other hand and now he has Sanji caged, his area of movement restricted to what Zoro’s arms and Wado’s sheath have delineated.

No trapped man would look as smug as Sanji does. All he did was to ensure Zoro wouldn’t try to touch him; if he did, he’d push Sanji closer. He’d push Wado closer.

Zoro swears he just got harder.

Sanji raises himself slightly and lowers himself on Zoro’s dick. Zoro holds back a whine, the friction not enough, the distance between them still too wide.

“If it’s even remotely like this for you when I fuck you, I think I understand why you like it so much.” Sanji raises and drops himself again. Wado never moves from where she’s being held. “You always sound like you can’t function without my dick inside of you.” Zoro watches his face as he continues fucking himself on him and hungers—for his mouth, his skin, his cock. Every word, moan and sigh. The terrible things he’ll be allowed to do and the unbearable tenderness that will follow them. “Like you’re desperate for my cock.”

“I love your cock, Pretty Boy,” Zoro breathes. “Nobody else has ever fucked me the way you do.”

“And nobody will get the chance to try.” Sanji increases his pace. “You’re mine now, Zoro.”

“That’s what I want.” Zoro’s eyelid goes down slightly, the pleasure—of having Sanji on him, around him, using him—overwhelming.

“Eye on me, Zoro,” Sanji demands, brushing Zoro’s neck with Wado.

The sound Zoro makes is akin to a whimper. He refuses to acknowledge it as such.

“I'm too close, Pretty Boy,” Zoro admits.

“Yeah?” Sanji smirks and rolls his hips.

Zoro bites his lip to distract himself.

“Tell me about it.” Sanji stills. “Tell me how much you like me, darling.”

“You're one of the strongest people I know. Your legs, I want you to choke me with them.”

“That can be arranged,” Sanji says, moving himself up and down without even needing to use a hand for support.

“Your face, right now? I can see you're enjoying this. That you're enjoying me, and it's driving me crazy. I want to give you more. I want you to take everything you can.” Sanji clenches around him, making him moan. “I keep thinking about how beautiful you look when you come, Pretty Boy. I want to see it over and over. I want to tie you up and get you off until you can't take it anymore.”

“Tempting,” Sanji grunts, the effort of his movements finally getting to him. Or maybe it's the arousal, and that nearly pushes Zoro over the edge. “What if I want to tie you up and use you to get off whenever I feel like?”

“Yes.” It takes all of Zoro’s self-control not to thrust into Sanji. It's not the sword at his neck that stops him, it's the knowledge that Sanji wouldn't be pleased. Zoro wants Sanji to be pleased. He wants Sanji to be happy with him. He’ll make sure that Sanji’s happy with him.

“Some other day.” Sanji’s eyes are half-lidded. He's sinking deeper into his own pleasure, but he's yet to let Wado drop even a millimeter. The strength and precision needed for that is something many warriors strive for.

“There's nothing like sex with you, Pretty Boy.” Talking keeps Zoro from thinking about himself. If he thinks about Sanji, about what Sanji wants and needs from him, this stops being sex and enters the realm of devotion. Zoro can ignore his own body's needs when he trains, discarding his weaknesses in pursuit of perfection, and this is the same: he can pretend he isn't about to come, hold himself back from the edge in order to satisfy Sanji. “I love to use your mouth because I love knowing I can do that to you. I love this because I can watch you, because I can see how good you feel. I love when you fuck me because I like that you can feel good with me. I love being the reason you're like this, Pretty Boy.”

Sanji sets a steady pace and fucks himself in earnest, little moans and sighs coming out of his mouth with every movement.

“You're beautiful, Sanji,” Zoro breathes, struggling to keep control of himself. “I need to watch you come.”

Sanji meets Zoro’s gaze through his hair, which is half covering both of his eyes now.

“You can do better than that.” He moves the arm that's holding up Wado and the next second the flat of Wado's blade is digging into Zoro’s neck.

If Sanji had wanted him dead, he would be. Zoro almost comes at the thought.

He grits his teeth and tries to take slow breaths.

“Please. I need to see you. If I don't see you come I'll go insane.”

More pressure is applied to Zoro’s neck.

“Maybe that’s how I want you. Who says you deserve to see me come first?”

He won't last. If he comes, Sanji can't keep using him to get off. He can't come yet.

“Please, Sanji. I love you. I want to see you come.” He sobs, the effort of holding back finally getting to him. “I need you to use me to come. Sanji, Sanji, please -”

The rest of his pleas are swallowed by Sanji, who kisses him. The flat of Wado’s blade is still pressed to Zoro’s skin, and he feels Sanji’s cum hit his chest, marking him.

Now that there's no reason to hold back, Zoro lets himself go. Pleasure crashes over him and he goes with it, his body light and his mind blank, nothing but Sanji in his awareness. 

When he comes back to himself, Sanji’s slumped against him and his arms are around Zoro’s neck. Sanji’s nuzzling his neck, pressing light kisses to it, murmuring those pretty words that Zoro used to hate. Zoro’s still holding Wado’s scabbard. He's still inside Sanji.

“—so good to me, sweetheart,” Sanji’s saying. “So perfect.”

“Still not into praise,” Zoro mumbles.

“Liar.”

Sanji bites his shoulder. Zoro doesn't let go of Wado's sheath.

With a sigh and a kiss to Zoro’s jaw, Sanji straightens himself. He lets go of Zoro’s shoulders and brings his hands to the front, Wado still in his hold. Blindly, he reaches for the scabbard.

Zoro keeps his arms where they are.

Sanji resheathes Wado and leans to the side to leave her leaning against the chair.

Maybe it's because they're still connected, but Zoro’s body's finally sated. His hands aren't itching to touch Sanji and the buzzing under his skin is gone. He's content like this, with Sanji on him, studying him.

He'd like to touch him, though.

“How do you feel?” Sanji asks, his hands hovering in the minimal space between them.

“I'm good.” Zoro swallows. His mouth is dry. “You?”

Instead of replying, Sanji studies him. He tilts Zoro’s head back with two fingers and checks his neck, then he prods at the places he bit.

“I'm good, Cook.”

Sanji stills.

“You're not going to say my name again?”

“What sort of stupid question is that? Of course I will! But I'm not gonna stop calling you Cook, or Eyebrows, or Curly, or-”

“Okay, I get it!” Sanji covers Zoro’s mouth with his hand. “You can't blame a man for wanting to be sure.”

Zoro raises an eyebrow. Sanji lowers his hand.

“Sanji.”

Sanji shivers. Zoro smirks.

“Sanji, Sanji, Sanji.”

“Okay, no.” Sanji turns his head so his hair will hide his face. “Don't say my name.”

“There's nobody around. Nobody to see how much you like it.”

“You're pushing it, sweetheart.”

Zoro’s smile widens.

“Can I touch you?”

Sanji looks at Zoro again, blinking. He looks down at Zoro’s hands where they’re clutching the armrests.

“Fuck,” he breathes. He meets Zoro’s gaze. “You're so fucking good for me, darling,” he says softly, sweetly, full of desire. When Sanji speaks like that, it doesn’t matter that he’s praising Zoro. When Sanji talks like that, Zoro almost thinks that praise isn’t so bad. It sounds like he’ll keep Zoro, and that’s one third of everything that Zoro wants.

Zoro licks his lips.

Sanji leans forward until his lips are hovering over Zoro’s. “You can touch me, Zoro.”

Now that he’s allowed, Zoro doesn’t waste a moment to wrap Sanji in his arms and pull him towards him. He spreads his hands over Sanji’s back and welcomes Sanji’s kisses, his mouth hungry for him. He touches every part of Sanji he can, his fingers trailing down to where they’re still joined for additional confirmation that this truly happened.

“Greedy, greedy Marimo,” Sanji chastises. “You want more?”

“I bet you can take more,” Zoro replies. “You’re so easy for me, I think you’d like it if I filled you up further.”

“Just admit you can’t get enough of me.”

Zoro moves his hands to Sanji’s waist, trying to see how much of it he can circle with them.

“Is it an admission when I’m happy to say it?” He presses his palm to Sanji’s abdomen, trying to feel himself inside of him. “It wasn’t dirty talk when I told you I want to brand you and take you apart.” He trails his hands up Sanji’s chest.

“Will you still let me cut you open?” Sanji asks, one of his hands lightly scratching Zoro’s scalp.

“Yeah. Anything you want.”

Sanji kisses him softly. Zoro puts a hand around Sanji’s neck and waits until the kiss ends.

“I want to do anything and everything I can to you, and then put you back together,” Zoro says. He feels Sanji’s pulse against his palm, the warmth of his skin, the bob of his Adam's apple.

There’s no fear in Sanji’s gaze. He looks content and comfortable, as aware as Zoro himself that the hand around his neck won’t squeeze. Like Zoro had known that Sanji wouldn’t cut him.

With his free hand, he cups Sanji’s cheek and brushes his lips with thumb. Slowly, deliberately, Sanji closes his eyes. His arms are loose around Zoro’s shoulders.

Zoro traces Sanji’s features with a fingertip, caressing his forehead, his cheeks, his chin. He brushes back his hair to leave both eyes uncovered and to be able to follow the lines of his eyebrows. He trails his finger down Sanji’s nose.

“I want to push your trust in me to the limit.”

“That will take a lot of effort, my love.”

It steals the breath out of Zoro’s lungs. He cradles Sanji’s face and, breathless and shaky, says, “Look at me.” Zoro himself doesn't know if it's a request or a plea.

Sanji, at least, concedes his wish. Zoro can’t move, captivated by the peace on Sanji’s expression. Sanji trusts him. Sanji knows the kind of creature he is and still wants him. Sanji will keep him.

Sanji kisses him softly, tugging lightly at his hair to control the kiss, and Zoro lets him do as he pleases.

“I’m hard again, darling,” Sanji whispers. “Can you take care of that for me?”

Zoro still needs some time, his refractory period being normal instead of whatever monstrous thing there is that powers Sanji’s dick. He doesn’t mind, though. Not when it means he gets to be useful to him again.

“Take my mouth.”

Sanji whimpers. “Okay. But not here. We already tore a sheet, I don’t want to owe them a chair too.”

Zoro laughs, delighted that this is their reality now. That he can be Sanji’s. That he doesn’t have to see Sanji leave, that they don’t need excuses to linger around the other.

“Hold on to me, Sanji,” he says as he stands up. He tries to stay inside of Sanji on the walk to the bed.

Reluctantly, he pulls out in order to prop himself against the pillows. His reward is the view of Sanji’s dick, hard and leaking precum.

Sanji’s thighs are bracketing Zoro’s torso, and Zoro sees no reason not to touch them. He wraps his hands around them and feels the muscle tense under his touch.

“Ready, darling?” Sanji asks, one hand in Zoro’s hair and the other around his own cock. It’s almost touching Zoro’s lips.

Before replying, Zoro sticks out his tongue and licks the tip of Sanji’s dick. He almost closes his eye as he savors the taste.

“Yeah. I’m ready.”

Zoro doubts he’ll be able to take the entirety of Sanji’s length, but he’ll be damned if he doesn’t try. He relaxes his throat and focuses on breathing as Sanji enters him. He tastes him as well as he can like this and feels himself sink into mindless comfort as he thinks about how this is another way in which he can please Sanji. Maybe he can talk Sanji into letting him spend some time like this every day.

Sanji doesn’t hurry and he doesn’t push. The moment Zoro makes the smallest sound of discomfort, he pulls back.

“That’s enough for today, my love,” he says, rocking his hips slowly. “Some other time I’ll make you take all of me.”

Zoro groans in complaint.

“No, Zoro. You’re not in charge of this.” Sanji moves faster. “You were such a good little fucktoy for me today, I don’t want to break you.”

Zoro moans.

“Do you like this, sweetheart? Do you like it when I use you?”

Since he can’t reply, Zoro squeezes Sanji’s thighs.

“Good. Then I’ll do it more.” Sanji’s breathing becomes labored. “Maybe as a little treat to myself when I’m done with lunch.”

Please.

“Every day, after I’m done with the dishes, I’ll make you suck me off. It’d be a good way for me to unwind, don’t you think?”

Zoro hums in agreement. He wants that, to be Sanji’s reward.

He moves his hands to Sanji’s ass and tries to push him to go deeper.

“Stop that, sweetheart. I already told you I’m good like this.”

Zoro doesn’t like that. He can do more for Sanji. He can be better for him. He can offer him more.

“I can hear you thinking, sweetheart.” Sanji tugs more forcefully on Zoro’s hair and pulls out of him. He looks down at him reproachingly. “Whatever it is, stop that.”

Zoro must look pitiful, because Sanji’s expression softens.

“I’m enjoying this, yes? I’m enjoying you.”

“You are?”

Sanji nods and caresses Zoro’s head. “But I can’t really let go if I’m worried about you doing something I don’t want. Can you behave for me, darling?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I can do that.”

“Good.” Sanji smiles, pleased. “Here I go again, my love.”

This time, Zoro lets Sanji handle it. He relaxes and only focuses on being what Sanji wants, on taking him the way Sanji has decided it should be. The angle makes it difficult, but he knows Sanji’s enjoying himself from the way his breathing catches, the sounds he makes and the urgency in his voice as he gives Zoro compliment after compliment.

When he comes, Zoro welcomes it. He should have done this long ago, but he can make it up to Sanji. He can do this for him every day. He can be good for him.

He swallows as much as he can, eager to show how well he can do what Sanji wants from him, and his reward is to have Sanji in his arms, kissing him and praising him.

“We can rest for a bit, my love,” Sanji says. “You’ve been such a good fucktoy, you deserve a break.”

Zoro doesn’t want to rest, but Sanji looks tired. For him, he can stop.

They fit themselves into the bed that still has sheets and Sanji presses himself to Zoro’s back. In turn, Zoro holds Sanji’s hands to his chest.

This time, they fall asleep together.

A life on the road means you can't afford to be a heavy sleeper. Add to that a job as a bounty hunter, and you become someone that gets woken up by the barest change in your surroundings, unless you know yourself to be perfectly safe. Zoro is his crew's protector, which means he never allows himself to be so naive.

The moment he loses the contact of Sanji’s chest against his back, Zoro’s eye snaps open.

“It's just me, Marimo,” Sanji says quietly. There's barely any light outside, barely any sounds besides the rustling of the sheets as Sanji gets out of bed.

There's no reason to ask him where he's going. The crew will be up and crawling back to the Sunny for breakfast in a few hours, and Sanji has to take care of that. Of Nami and Robin.

The buzzing under Zoro’s skin returns.

He sets his jaw and turns to lie on his back. He covers his eyes with his arm and reminds himself that the crusty thing on his chest is Sanji’s cum, that the mild aches on his shoulders and neck are Sanji’s bites, that Sanji would let him take him apart. That Sanji wants to cut him open. That they're each other’s.

That Sanji loves him.

Zoro hears the shower and thinks about joining Sanji under the spray. Then he thinks about how insufferable Sanji would be if he knew Zoro already misses him. It's one thing to tell the guy you love how insane you are about him, and another to let him know you wouldn't mind a life with him.

Maybe he can pretend he's only showering because he's covered in dried sweat and cum. That would work.

Mind made up, Zoro heads to the bathroom. He finds Sanji awkwardly trying to clean himself without getting his bandages wet. He's already failed.

“Need help?”

“I'm good.”

“You don't look like it.”

Sanji shoots him a withering look. “Go back to bed, Marimo.”

“I need a shower too. I can help you.”

“You don't have to.”

“Eyebrows, you really want to risk your hands just to be contrary?”

A pause, and Zoro knows he's won.

“Fuck you, Marimo,” Sanji says, turning off the shower and stepping out of it.

The view of Sanji’s body is welcome, and enough time has passed that Zoro’s dick is able to take an interest. Sanji looks down at it and raises an eyebrow.

“Figures.”

Instead of deigning to answer, Zoro huffs, shakes his head, and grabs Sanji’s wrists.

“I'm taking off the bandages.” There's no point to them as they are now.

“Go ahead.”

The only sign left that Sanji’s hands were ever injured are some scars.

“Fast healer,” Zoro observes. He’s noticed it before, but it never ceases to surprise him.

“Yeah,” Sanji says quietly, and tries to pull away, but Zoro holds his hands between his own.

“I'm sorry.”

Sanji furrows his brow. “You're gonna have to be more specific, Marimo. You've done a lot that would warrant an apology.”

“Don't push it, Cook.”

No reply. Sanji only watches him, unimpressed.

“Your hands. This is my fault.”

“It's your fault I wanted to save you from drowning,” Sanji deadpans. “Care to explain?”

Maybe they shouldn't be having this conversation while naked in the bathroom. Too late to turn back now.

Zoro groans. He caresses Sanji’s palms with his thumbs and tries to figure out how to explain himself without pissing Sanji off further.

“Nami.”

“Huh?” Taken aback is better than annoyed. Zoro will take it.

“I didn't get Nami out of danger and then I didn't get her out from under those rocks before you got there.” Zoro lowers his gaze to Sanji’s hands, checking them for any remaining damage, just in case. “If I'd kept her safe, you wouldn't have hurt yourself trying to save her.”

“...you still think I was trying to save Nami-san?”

“Who else?”

Zoro looks up and catches the look of uncertainty on Sanji’s face before he manages to school his expression.

“Zoro… I didn't know Nami-san was there.”

“You said you did.”

“I lied.”

Zoro blinks. He understands the words, but the meaning is lost on him.

“Why the fuck would you lie about that!?”

“You asked me while I still thought you didn't care about me!” Sanji tries to throw his hands up, but Zoro hasn't let go of them. He ends up pulling Zoro’s hands up in a strange display of puppeteering. “I wasn't going to tell you how much I cared after you'd told me I was a slut that nobody wanted!”

Zoro winces. “Yeah, that came out wrong.” A beat. “You got hurt for me?”

“What do you mean, ‘that came out wrong’? I think you said exactly what you thought of me.”

“But that's not what I think of you!”

Sanji snorts. “Sure.”

“Listen, Eyebrows-”

Sanji rolls his eyes.

“-what I was saying is that I figured you only ever slept with me because I got to you before anybody else did. That's what I was trying to say. That if someone showed up wanting you before I found you, you would have gone with them because anyone would have been preferable to me.”

“How is that not calling me a slut? You think I can't say ‘no’ if I don't want to sleep with someone?”

“Of course you can say ‘no’!”

“Then didn't you think it meant something that I never refused you? You thought I couldn’t go and find somebody else?”

“Yeah, well, I also thought it meant something that you never went to find me! I figured that if I didn’t go to you, you wouldn’t care for me!” Zoro lets go of Sanji’s hands, not trusting himself not to squeeze them in his frustration. “I figured the only reason you slept with me was that you liked sex and anyone would do.”

“Again, how is that not calling me a slut!?”

“I don't give a fuck if you like sex, Cook! That's not the point of this!” It’s Zoro that gets to throw up his hands. “It's just sex, you can fuck a thousand people and it doesn't say anything about you! What I hated was that I was one of those thousand to you, while for me you were…” Zoro deflates.

“I was what, Zoro?” Sanji sounds hopeful. Zoro needs that to mean something. Zoro needs to go back to how things were when they fell asleep.

“Whenever I slept with someone else, I wanted it to be you. Then I saw you—” Zoro makes a twirling gesture “—going after women and I remembered you didn't feel the same.” He exhales heavily. “Every day since we met you made it obvious you didn't want me, except for when I was your only immediate option.”

Sanji sighs. “I think I understand what you're saying. Although you are calling me easy.”

“You are. I am too. I didn't think it was a bad thing.”

“It's not.” Sanji’s tone leaves no room for argument. Zoro has no reason to argue.

They stay silent for a moment. Tentatively, Sanji puts his hands on Zoro’s shoulders.

“I'm sorry.”

“For what?”

“For…” Sanji slides his hands up to Zoro’s neck and interlaces his fingers behind it. “For making you believe you weren't an option. For making you think I wouldn’t choose you, that I didn’t need you. For not giving you more attention when we weren't fucking.” He rests his forehead against Zoro’s. “For telling you I only fucked you for my ego. For always waiting for you to find me. For not waking you up just now to help me with the bandages. For being a shit lover outside the bedroom.”

“I didn't even try to be a good one.” Zoro puts his hands around Sanji’s waist.

“Now I’m allowed to say that we were lovers?”

“If you want to, yeah.”

Sanji exhales in relief.

“Come on, Marimo.” He takes Zoro’s hand and pulls him towards the shower. “Let’s get clean.”

The water is cold at first, not that either of them minds. Sanji grabs the soap and goes all over Zoro’s body, taking the time to massage his shoulders.

“Wash that well if you ever want me to put my mouth on it again,” he says, gesturing at Zoro’s dick.

Zoro laughs and does as asked while Sanji washes his hair.

“You’re a clean moss-ball now.” Sanji pats Zoro’s cheek. “You can go back to sleep now.”

“Yeah, no.” Zoro picks up the soap. “My turn.”

Sanji blinks. “You don’t have-”

“If you finish that sentence, I’m knocking you out and cleaning you anyway.” He suspects that’s not the way conqueror’s haki is meant to be used, but this is too important for him to bother with propriety.

“You could try.” The words are accompanied by a smile that Zoro dares to think of as fond.

Sanji extends his arms to the sides and gives Zoro an expectant look.

Despite knowing that Sanji won’t break, despite how roughly Zoro has treated him since they met, Zoro is careful with him now. He’s thankful that Sanji allows it.

Since he's allowed, he washes Sanji’s hair too.

Because he's allowed, he takes Sanji’s hands and kisses them.

“Don't let them get hurt for me again,” Zoro says against Sanji’s palm.

“I'll do it if you're in danger.” Sanji frees one hand and turns off the shower.

“Yesterday I wasn't in danger.” Zoro holds Sanji’s hand to his chest. Sanji puts the free one on Zoro's waist. “You should have known that some rocks wouldn't kill me.”

“I know that. That's why I was scared.”

Zoro’s eye widens. It had made sense for him to worry about Nami, but not for him to be afraid for Zoro. Sanji doesn't—

Except he does. He did when Kizaru almost killed Zoro in Sabaody. Before that, he'd been afraid in Thriller Bark, as he ran with Zoro in his arms and kept asking him what had happened with Kuma.

“Marimo, I know how strong you are. If you were still under those rocks, it meant something had happened to you.” Sanji closes his eyes, too late to hide the emotion in them as he explains himself. “Maybe your arms were trapped, or maybe you'd hit your head and you were unconscious.” He moves his hand to the back of Zoro’s head and guides Zoro to rest it on his shoulder. “Whatever the reason, you were under those rocks and the water was rising.” Sanji kisses Zoro’s temple. “I thought I was going to lose you and the last thing we did was fight. I thought you might die thinking I hated you.”

Zoro puts his arms around Sanji.

“I'm sorry it sounded like I was calling you a slut that nobody wants.”

Sanji lets out a watery laugh. “Where did that come from?”

“Nami told me to apologize for that. I hate to admit it, but she was right.”

Since he's holding him, Zoro immediately notices Sanji stiffening.

“...Nami-san knows about us?”

“She heard us in the galley.”

“Ah.”

Of course he cares about that. As much as he might have loved Zoro all this time, he still never wanted Nami and Robin to know they were hooking up.

After a moment, Sanji sighs. “Nothing to be done about it, I guess.”

Zoro is tired of arguing. He figures he might as well warn Sanji about the rest of the crew.

“Franky told me that none of you knew Nami was with me.” Zoro tries to pull back, but Sanji keeps him close.

“Yeah, the whole crew saw me run like a madman to save you.” Sanji sighs. “How undignified.”

Zoro doesn't reply. He kisses Sanji’s shoulder and raises his head.

“Don't you have food to make, Cook? We can't stay here like this.”

Sanji blinks at him.

“Yes, you're right.” Another sigh. “I would have liked to go for another round, but I can't leave Nami-san and Robin-chan without a proper breakfast.” He kisses Zoro’s cheek and finally pulls away from him.

In love with him or not, Zoro doesn't come first for Sanji. Truth be told, Zoro never actually expected it, but it still stings.

The buzzing under his skin demands Zoro does something about that. To brand Sanji as his. To claim him in front of everyone.

You're no better than a beast, Perona told him once. But he is. As bloodthirsty and territorial as he might be, as possessive and stubborn as he could get, Zoro was a man. He could ignore this animal need to own Sanji. He didn't want to own him—keep him, yes, but never own him. He didn't want someone he could control.

Sanji gives him a curious look. When he opens his mouth, though, it's to ask him what he wants to eat.

While they get dressed, Sanji talks about breakfast. He mentions the fresh fruit they sell early in the morning here and talks about how best to serve it, and he explains in detail how to make several pastries that Zoro can't bother learning how to pronounce.

Before they go, Sanji checks the chair again.

“Great news, we didn't break it!” He grins as he announces it, like it truly is great news.

“What would you have done then?”

“Ask Franky to build a replacement.” Sanji lights his first cigarette of the day and smiles. “I don't have the funds to buy a chair and new sheets.”

“You told me to tear it.”

“It was necessary.” Sanji goes over to Zoro and pats his face. “Better a few destroyed sheets than an upset moss-ball.”

Sanji pays extra when they check out and leads Zoro back to the Sunny through the only streets that have some activity so early in the morning: the markets.

They stop at some stalls to buy the fruits Sanji had talked about, and then on others because people keep recommending him things, or want to give him free samples. Everything gets piled on Zoro’s arms, and it’s like nothing has changed between them.

When the next vendor turns out to be a pretty girl, Zoro decides not to pay attention. Sanji twirls, fawns, and practically throws himself at her feet, and Zoro’s relieved when it's finally time to pay.

“My dear,” Sanji’s saying, syrupy sweet as he takes the woman's hand to give her the money, “it's been a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Alas, my heart is spoken for.”

The girl blinks. Zoro stares at Sanji, who has the gall to ignore him after dropping those words. He picks up his purchases, gives the girl one last smile and heads off, Zoro faithfully after him.

It doesn't come up again until the last stall, where a man shows them a picture of his daughter.

“She's young and smart!” the man says. “Sure, a pirate isn't a man's first choice for a son-in-law, but I can make an exception for our heroes. I’d be honored if one of you was interested in meeting her.”

The girl is pretty, Zoro supposes. She's got a wide nose, wide eyes and a wide smile, the kind that makes you feel welcome despite being a stranger. She looks like the sort of girl that was raised to be a wife, who'd need a lot of protection and would never let you skip a meal.

“Sir, your daughter is lovely and I will happily sing her praises on every island we visit after this, but I'm afraid I can't meet her with that sort of intention,” Sanji says, handing back the girl's picture. 

“Ah, I guess it's not a pirate's way to settle down, is it?” The man leans forward and waggles his eyebrows. “How is it? A girl in every port, like the Marines?”

“I wouldn't.” Sanji shakes his head. “A man like me can only have one true love, and my heart has already made its choice.”

This is mortifying. Is this what it’s going to be like from now on? What if Sanji decides to buy him flowers?

Maybe Zoro should run to the Sunny. He can see it clearly, if he drops the groceries and uses the surprise element to his advantage, he can get there without Sanji catching up to him.

…and afterwards he’d get brutally murdered by Sanji and Nami for dropping the groceries.

“What the fuck was that?” Zoro grits out as they leave the market behind.

“What?” Sanji deigns to take one bag from Zoro’s pile and doesn't acknowledge Zoro’s glare.

“All that shit about your heart!”

“You want me to tone it down more?” Sanji hums. “Forget it, Marimo. That's as subtle as you're getting from me.”

“Until yesterday you weren't saying anything like that about me!”

“Until yesterday I was sure you didn't love me.” Sanji blows smoke in Zoro’s face. Dick. “You're the one worried that someone will come and steal me away, yes? Well, if I keep talking about being in love, that won't happen.”

“And you're okay with that?” Zoro stops walking and moves all the bags to one arm in order to get a better view of Sanji, who stands next to him.

“With what?”

“Not getting a girl. Because you're with me, you can't be with any of those girls.”

Sanji raises an eyebrow. He looks at the sky as if asking for patience and Zoro wonders what it is that he sees in this man.

“Marimo, what would have happened if I'd truly been in love with Nami-san and she had loved me back?”

To think about Sanji loving Nami, even though it's not true, worsens the buzzing under Zoro’s skin. He can handle it.

“The witch only loves money,” Zoro says.

“One,” Sanji raises a finger and points it at Zoro, “don't call her that. Two,” a second finger, “this is hypothetical. Now answer.”

“I guess you'd have been with her.”

Sanji nods. “And if I'd been with her, then I wouldn't have been with any other girl either. Same thing.” Sanji takes another bag from Zoro’s arms and resumes walking. “I’m with you and I’m fine with that. Just don't ask me to stop adoring women, because I won't.”

Zoro feels a grin stretching across his face.

“What if I ask you to tell the whole crew that you're in love with me?” he teases.

“Zoro, I think everyone knows after yesterday.” Sanji makes a face. “They must be pitying me now.”

“I'm a catch, Cook,” Zoro says, his voice hard. “Just look at my bounty.”

“You're a catch for anyone that can turn you in, is what you're saying.” Sanji huffs. “But no, you idiot. The problem is that I made a fool of myself yesterday, and Nami-san heard me yell at you in the kitchen! Now the whole crew must know I love you and think you don't feel the same!” He throws his free hand up. “This is humiliating! They think I'm pining after you! Someone like me, pining after you!”

“You were pining,” Zoro points out.

“So were you! Why do I have to be alone in this shame?”

The Sunny is in front of them now. Anyone on board will hear their argument.

“So mutual pining is fine?”

“Yes! That's embarrassing for both of us, not just me.”

They begin to climb up the plank.

“If anything,” Sanji continues, “ you should be announcing that you love me.”

They reach the door to the galley. As he opens it, Sanji says, “Unless you don't want to, which is fine by the way.” It sounds like he means it. With how much Sanji has lied until now, Zoro’s not buying it.

Brook and Robin are already in the galley. They turn to look at Sanji when he steps in.

“Good morning,” Robin says.

“Good morning, Robin-chwan!” Sanji simpers, and heads for the kitchen.

“Good morning, Zoro-san,” Brook greets him.

Zoro’s still standing at the threshold.

“I'm in love with him,” he says, pointing towards Sanji with his head.

Something falls in the kitchen. It sounded like one of the bags. Zoro turns just enough to see Sanji gaping, then returns his attention to the others.

“Congratulations,” Robin says with a smile. “Love is a beautiful thing.”

“Oh, Zoro-san, this makes me so happy.” Brook takes out his violin. “I've been preparing a song for this moment, would you like to hear it?”

Wait, what.

“You knew how he felt!?” Sanji yells from the kitchen.

“I hoped!” Brook sighs dreamily. “After yesterday, I thought it would be beautiful if Zoro-san felt the same as you!”

“I can't believe this!”

“I knew,” Robin says. She doesn't shrug, but Zoro hears the gesture in her voice. “You were always disappearing at the same time at parties—”

“That could have been a coincidence!”

“—and in the morning, Zoro would have marks on his back. After the third time, I figured there was something between you two.”

“There wasn't anything there! We were just hooking up! It was casual!”

Zoro gives Sanji a flat look.

“We thought it was casual!” Sanji corrects.

“And we didn’t want it to be.” Zoro heads to the kitchen and leaves the bags on the counter. “Sorry you couldn't keep this from your Robin-chan.”

“It's fine.” Sanji sounds anything but fine.

Brook tries to ask questions, but Robin stops him. Zoro suspects it's out of deference towards how awkward Sanji looks and not from lack of curiosity. Knowing her, she'll get the information she wants later.

There's no reason to stick around after breakfast, even though Zoro wants to. Sanji’s his, he doesn't need to guard him. Sanji will still be his after he sees Nami. After he spends some time around her and Robin.

He tells himself that as he trains. He hates that this is taking effort, that part of his self-control has to be dedicated to this, to not being a possessive bastard. He wonders how other people do it, how they manage to ignore their bodies’ demands to keep the other close, the buzzing under their skin that can only be quieted by sex or violence. He wonders if other people need as much as he does, or if he's an exception, the one that only knows love the way monsters do, as mutual destruction and rebuilding.

Mid-morning, Sanji comes up.

“Hey,” he says, climbing into the crow's nest. He's brought fruit and lemonade, and instead of leaving the tray and returning to the deck, he sits down, grabs a towel, and throws it at Zoro’s face.

“Oi!” Zoro puts down his weights and picks up the towel. “What the fuck, Cook?”

“Clean yourself up and come eat.” Sanji pats the seat next to him. “You need a break.”

It's tempting to say no. Before yesterday, Zoro would have refused him, half because he enjoys antagonizing Sanji and half because he'd have been afraid of his own desire. Now, though… Sanji might leave, Zoro would miss him, and they'd both be unhappy.

Zoro wipes the sweat off his face and drapes the towel over his shoulders. His reward is a smile, and it's worth it. He bites his tongue so as not to ask who else knows about them now, if Nami’s back from town, if things between them are still the same as they were earlier.

The moment Zoro sits down, Sanji grabs his chin and kisses him.

Zoro freezes.

“Shit. Sorry.” Sanji lets him go and moves back. “I guess we're not doing it like this?”

“Like what?”

“Uh… you know… kissing just because and touching just because and…” Sanji shrugs with one shoulder and his gaze flicks away from Zoro. “I'm okay if it's only when we fuck.”

It takes a second to understand what Sanji means. His relief at what the kiss says about their relationship stops him from being offended that Sanji tried such a bad lie.

“Good for you. I'm not,” Zoro says, grabbing Sanji’s hand and guiding it back to his face. “Do it again.”

“Huh?”

“Kiss me again. Kiss me whenever you want to.” He releases Sanji’s hand and relaxes when his fingers caress his cheek. “Kiss me just because. If you're fine with it, be in love with me.”

“You really think I could not be fine with it?” Sanji cups Zoro’s jaw.

“You complain a lot about it.” Zoro closes his eye. “You didn't like that Robin knew you'd been fucking me.” He leans into Sanji’s touch.

“Oh, Marimo,” Sanji murmurs. “It's never been about you.” Sanji’s other hand rests on Zoro’s thigh. “I've only ever wanted to love you right.”

“What's the problem then?” Zoro rubs his cheek against Sanji’s palm. “With Nami and Robin knowing how you feel?”

“I thought they might be offended that I wasn't in love with them.”

Zoro snorts. “You think your love's in high demand or something?”

“No, you're right.” Sanji stops touching Zoro’s face. Zoro opens his eye to find Sanji staring at some point to the side. “But they are wonderful and deserve love. I don't want them to believe otherwise just because I don't feel that way about them.”

“Cook.”

Sanji hums.

“Sanji.” It's nice to say it during the day. It's nice how it makes Sanji smile a bit and look at him directly. “I'm sure that if they knew what they're missing, they'd be sorry.” Sanji’s hand is hovering near Zoro’s face. Zoro needs his touch. “But they don't know and it's better that way.”

“You're really bad at this, darling.”

“What else do you want me to say?” Zoro scoffs. “Those two won't crumble because you don't love them. If anything, they're happy you love someone that loves you back.”

There's nothing special about what Zoro just said. All he did was to state a fact, yet it makes Sanji smile like he did that first night in Cocoyashi. Like Zoro is something special. Like Zoro is part of Sanji’s dream.

“I'm going to kiss you now, my love,” Sanji says softly, his fingertips barely brushing Zoro’s face.

“Stop talking and do it,” Zoro replies, already tilting his head to the side and leaning forward.

He closes his eye when his lips touch Sanji’s.