Chapter Text
The next day, Zoro stands up and starts walking towards the closet.
His hands slowly hover over the door, debating, building courage, then he knocks.
"... cook?… you in there?" Zoro whispers, pressing his ear against the door.
No response.
Zoro rattles the doorknob, locked.
Zoro knocks again, this time harder.
"cook! Answer!" Zoro says louder, still rattling the doorknob.
Then, after several seconds, the door creeps open, the room inside dark, and Sanji standing right at the door, his bangs pulled over his eyes, hiding them, then he replies quickly, a bit too quickly, "I'm fine!"
Zoro stares at him for a few seconds, trying to look in his eyes, but failing due to the bangs, and he whispers "Sanji. Don't lie."
He never says Sanji's name. Never. Always 'Shitty cook' 'dumbass' 'curly brows' but this time... he said it? Why? Sanji freezes for a few seconds, his voice catching in his throat, then he says "I'm fine. Stop pushing."
Zoro grunts and moves to the side, and Sanji shoves past him, hurting him slightly, making Sanji freeze up again, his hands shaking in his pockets, then he starts walking again.
"somethings wrong with that damn cook. He doesn't freeze after hurting me." Zoro thinks, secretly walking after Sanji, but stopping when he walks into the kitchen, locking the door.
"damn cook..." Zoro thinks, already walking towards the door.
Zoro stares at the locked doorknob, and listens to Sanji's panicked breaths from inside, then turns his head and spots a window.
Zoro steps closer then pulls out his sword.
"cook! prepare yourself!" Zoro yells, smashing the window open.
Sanji jumps, his eyes blown wide with alarm as Zoro crawls in through the window.
"WHAT THE HELL?!" Sanji yelps, jolting away from the glass shattering on the floor.
"you're not running anymore." Zoro growls, stepping closer.
"w-why did you break the glass?!" Sanji snaps, shifting the topic away.
"how else do I get in?" Zoro says, kicking the glass away.
"wha-no-that's not-UGH!" Sanji sputters, rubbing his hands over his face, letting out a long, exasperated groan.
"I warned you. should've prepared yourself." Zoro replies casually.
"HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO EXPECT THAT YOU'D SMASH THE WINDOW OPEN?!" Sanji screams back, gesturing wildly at the glass shattered all over the floor.
"suck it up. anyways, back to what I came here for, what the hell is wrong with you?" Zoro says, looking carefully into Sanji's eyes.
Sanji freezes, then looks back down sharply, his bangs falling over his face, hiding it, as his hands shake in his pocket, he clenches his fists, trying to force them to stop, but failing, and his breathing starting to come in shaky, shallow gasps. "leave it alone."
"cook-" Sanji interrupts Zoro halfway "leave. it. alone."
Zoro stares at Sanji, then scoffs "no. I've left it alone for days, I'm done."
a wet, sharp chuckle escapes Sanji's throat and he snaps "shut up! just... stop!"
Zoro puts his hand on Sanji's shoulder, letting his touch linger, before he pulls Sanji to his chest, arms tight around him. "Sanji. tell me. what's. wrong." Zoro whispers, his tone not open for deflection.
Sanji grips Zoro's shirt, knuckles going white, and he finally, finally chokes out, "the marine base... at the marine base... I... I hit a woman."
"...so?" Zoro whispers in response, looking down at Sanji with a confused expression.
"so?! that's my one code! never hit a woman! its my whole identity!" Sanji sobs, finally letting the tears fall down his cheeks.
"ah, so that's why its so important to you. i thought you were just being an idiot." Zoro says, nodding in understanding, finally getting it.
Sanji lets out a wet, hysterical laugh "of course you'd say that. trying to comfort me, and then calling me an idiot. so Zoro."
Zoro does a proud smile with a thumbs up
Sanji stares at Zoro, his eyes still wet and glassy, his cheek glistening with tears, and feels a warmth spreading in his chest, his eyes no longer sad and empty, instead filled with hopeless adoration.
"and cook, I know that chivalry means everything to you, and I'm not asking you to forgive yourself, but please, don't beat yourself up over it, and don't push us out. we're here to help, not hurt." Zoro whispers, lightly kissing Sanji's forehead, and Sanji leans into it, the warmth growing more intense as Sanji nods slowly.
"alright..." Sanji mutters, not forgiving himself just yet, but not beating himself up anymore.
"ok, now that that's over, get the hell off me. that was so soft it makes me want to vomit." Zoro says, shoving Sanji off.
Sanji hits the floor, shocked for several seconds, before letting out a laugh
"of course you'd do that. you're love language is punches and kicks." Sanji laughs, and despite Zoro's words, a wide smile spreads across his face, his muscles relaxing as he lays on the ground.
Zoro smiles proudly, this dumb, stupid expression that makes Sanji flush.
Zoro lays next to Sanji, staring at the roof, and then whispers "where's the sake?"
"of course that's what you're thinking about, drunkard." Sanji mumbles, a small, soft smirk on his face as he points to one of the cupboards.
Zoro jumps up and sprints over to it, slamming it open and grabs several bottles
"not sharing." Zoro says, cracking open a bottle and chugging it.
"didn't expect you to." Sanji chuckles softly, staring at Zoro chugging.