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A black shadow darts across the Sunny, hidden in the darkness of the night, cautious glances left and right and a knock on the door. One heartbeat and a curt “Come in” later, Sanji slips inside the room, otherwise known as the crow’s nest. Or just simply Zoro’s room.
Zoro looks up at the man who just entered and puts down his training weights, panting slightly. “You made it.” It was but a simple statement, however, Sanji knew that deep down Zoro was glad he did.
“Told you I’d come. And unlike some people,” Sanji pauses and throws a pointed look at Zoro, “I always keep my promises.” Zoro grabs a towel and starts drying off his hair before he settles on the floor beneath the window, leaving just enough space for a certain Cook to fit in next to him. “Watch it, Cook. I don’t wanna remind you of the time you bailed on me ‘cause Usopp suddenly got sick and had to stay on the Sunny with us.”
Sanji cringes at the memory and takes his place next to Zoro. “I told you, that was an exception. Even you have to agree that there was no way Usopp wouldn’t have found out. There was no way we could’ve… you know.” A grunt was probably the best response was going to get from Zoro on this and Sanji watches him from the corner of his eye while lighting a cigarette. “Anyways, if we’re talking faults, I’ve got quite a list for you.”
Zoro’s head instantly perks up at this, his eyes glinting with excitement at the challenge. “Don’t push it, Stupid Lovecook. You’re the most annoying person I’ve ever met and that is counting Persona and that fish guy. If you have a list, I’ve got a book.” Sanji’s expression changes from aggravated to incredulous before he finally bursts into laughter. That sentence has got to be most ridiculous thing he’s ever heard coming out of Zoro's mouth and that's definitely saying something, considering Zoro was the king of stupid statements. The man in question just cocks his head to one side defiantly. “Something funny, Curly Brow?”
“No no, of course not, do go on, enlighten me.” Sanji waves his hand in the air in a go-forth motion, still laughing and clearly not taking him seriously. That Oaf couldn’t even assemble a list of groceries, if his life depended on it.
Zoro growls at being dismissed like a little child and catches Sanji’s still waving hand in the air, grabbing his wrist tightly. Sanji abruptly stops chuckling and opens his eyes only to find Zoro nothing short of a few centimetres away from him. “Well. First of all,” he gestures to the cigarette in Sanji’s hand, “you smoke.” The blond tuts and breaks his arm free from Zoro's grasp, suddenly agitated. “Tsk, yeah, I do. So what.”
“You should stop,” Zoro elaborates and the tone of his voice, like he was talking to a toddler, made Sanji’s blood boil.
“Oh yeah?!”, Sanji takes a provocative drag of his cigarette and wills himself to calm down. This is not worth it. “Well, I don’t want to.” He crosses his arms. “And that’s not even a fault, anyways. Me smoking does not affect you, in case you hadn’t noticed, Stupid.” Sanji turns away from the other, evidently satisfied with his answer and puffs out a cloud of smoke.
“It tastes disgusting, Shitty Cook.” Zoro obviously isn't finished with this.
“Your face is disgusting,” Sanji shoots back straightaway, anger blazing in his eyes.
“That’s not what you said last night, though.” Sanji turns red like a lobster.
Zoro laughs heartily and Sanji can feel his chest vibrating beneath him. What the…? How did he wind up lying on Zoro like this again? “Quiet, Idiot! You’ll wake the others,” Sanji hisses through gritted teeth and punches Zoro in the side. Sanji wasn’t completely satisfied with this approach, he’d much rather just kick him in the stomach to be honest, but it does the trick and Zoro finally stops laughing.
After a few minutes of amicable silence, the blond can feel his eyelids getting heavier and his breath steadying, the familiar scent of metal and sweat lulling him to sleep. Zoro is surprisingly comfortable, Sanji muses. At least he’s good for something.“Oi… Sanji.” Sanji stirs awake at the mention of his name and blinks up at Zoro. “Do you ever wanna… I dunno… tell the others? About us, I mean?” Zoro was staring at a point in the wall above Sanji’s head, avoiding his drowsy eyes.
Sanji blinks a few times and ponders the question. “Well, yeah… I guess so. If they haven’t figured it out by now, anyways.” He sits up and turns to face Zoro. “But I also kinda… like it like this. You know? Just…” he gestures towards Zoro and himself. “Feels more charming somehow. More us.” He looks at the brusque and simpleminded Zoro in front of him and adds, “Well, as charming as it can be with you at least.”
Zoro opens his mouth in protest, ready to start another argument about who really was the problem here but stops himself and closes his mouth again, the expression in eyes softening. Instead, he lifts his hand and begins stroking Sanji’s hair, contemplating.
“I really kinda want you to stop smoking though, Cook,” he announces eventually.
“Well, tough luck, ‘cause I really kinda want you to stop being stupid.”
Zoro rolls his eyes and decides to just call it a night.
~
Show me your love before the world catches up.