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Ignoring the humans passing him by, Sanji made his way to the Bentley. Its black lacquer reflected the neon lights of the streets and as per usual the impression wasn’t ruined by a single scratch, he noted with pleasure as he opened the door and got in.
He didn’t notice when Zoro appeared, but it didn’t exactly surprise him either. One can’t get thrown off by someone appearing and disappearing as they please as a demon, not unless one wants to be a rather useless one, at least. Thus, Sanji just got straight to the point.
”What are you doing here?” He asked, peering at Zoro through the dark lens of his monocle (He’d been told on numerous occasions that it made him look a little odd, but it did the job of covering up what his hair couldn’t quite nicely. Besides, he thought it made him look dashing).
Zoro didn’t meet his gaze, just stared out at the people passing by the car.
”I needed a word with you,” he said, not elaborating further. This, of course, forced Sanji to ask him what said word might be, annoyance seeping into his voice. For once, though, Zoro didn’t seem to react to it.
”I work in Soho, you know. And I hear things.” He paused. ”Hear that you’re setting up a…caper to rob a church.”
Sanji sighed and rolled his eyes, mentally cursing whoever had let slip of the venture (And in his case, mentally cursing someone, actually meant something for that poor sod). Before he could say something pointed to Zoro, he was cut off.
”You know it’s too dangerous. Holy water, I mean, it won’t just kill your body. It’ll destroy you.” Zoro’s tone had been casual, but Sanji thought he sensed some worry as the angel added. ”Completely.”
Too bad he couldn’t enjoy it properly.
”Yeah, you told me what you think,” he snapped. ”A hundred and five years ago, to be precise-”
”And I haven’t changed my mind.” Zoro raised his voice as well. ”But I’m not letting you risk your life. Not even for something dangerous, so…”
He reached down to the floor of the passenger seat, retrieving a plastic bottle in a dreadful, neon green with the words ”NATURAL gym” on it. It made a sloshing sound and Sanji’s eyes widened as he realized what he was looking at. Without a word he reached out when Zoro handed it to him.
”You can call off the robbery,” Zoro finished, just as Sanji’s hands touched the bottle. For a moment he would’t let go, and Sanji was afraid he was going to change his mind. But finally he let go and finally he looked Sanji in the eye, with an expression too much of a mix of emotions for Sanji to be able to completely read. There was that angelic sternness, of course, but beneath was something else. Almost a plea.
”Don’t go unscrewing the cap.”
Sanji swallowed.
”It’s the real thing?” As if the very cells in his fingertips loudly protesting just from holding the plastic wasn’t confirmation enough.
”The holiest you’ll get.” Zoro nodded, once again turning to the street. Sanji held onto the bottle for another moment before he carefully put it down on the floor.
”After everything you said.” He tried to sound teasing, even tried a smile, but it came out sounding more starry-eyed than he liked. Lucky for him, Zoro didn’t seem to be listening entirely. He just stared at the street in silence.
”Well,” Sanji tried after a few minutes of neither of them talking. ”Can I drop you off anywhere?”
”No, but thank you.” Zoro turned to Sanji again, his voice just barely slipping into a familiar, teasing tone as he continued. ”Now don’t look so disappointed. Perhaps we could go for a picnic or something one day, I don’t know. Dine at the Ritz. Now wouldn’t that be something?”
”I’ll give you a lift,” Sanji offered. ”Anywhere you wanna go.”
He held Zoro’s gaze, feeling something hopeful grow in his chest at the lack of an immediate declination. But then, Zoro’s eyes shifted to the floor of the Bentley.
”You go too fast for me, Sanji,” he murmured.
And he left the car.
And the moment was over.