Work Text:
Sanji walked quietly, strolling through the streets observing everything around him with a small smile. There was an impressive crowd of people doing the same as he him, food or things of all kinds that he had never seen before covered the various stalls occupying the streets of the market. He could spend all day in these kinds of places if he could, he loved it when they landed on a new island just to discover all the things these places had to offer.
Unfortunately, the young man was so absorbed in his contemplation that by dint of going through the small shopping streets one after the other he ended up getting lost without realizing it. "Damn it... I feel like the Marimo." He didn't recognize anything of what was around him and the sun was starting to set so he tried to get higher, hoping to find the port so that he could return to the Sunny with his comrades. He climbed up on a roof and looked for the direction of the harbor but was suddenly amazed by the view under his eyes.
The sun, like a fireball suspended above the water illuminated the sky, tinting it with fiery shades from bright orange reflecting off the ocean to pale pink and then to the deep blue of the night sky that was beginning to settle. At the level of the star, some clouds lingered, also colored with the hypnotizing colors of fire.
In front of this spectacle Sanji decided to stop and sat on the roof to observe the sunset while lighting a cigarette.
On the same island and on the same day, the Polar Tang arrived at the dock. Each of the crew members of the Heart pirates left the ship and explored the city after several weeks at sea. Their captain decided to go for a walk too so he left his submarine and noticed not far away a ship that looked familiar to him because he had spent some time on board. "Huh? Mugiwara-ya's crew is here, which means..."A smile blossomed on his face as he thought of the Straw Hats' cook and he was about to head for the Thousand Sunny before he changed his mind. After a moment's reflection, he didn't really feel like being subjected to Luffy's overwhelming energy at the moment so he headed towards the city instead, hoping to run into Sanji.
He walked for a long time, looking around distractedly, watching the surroundings to see if there were any marines or if he crossed the path of the young blond man. During the time he had spent with the Straw Hat he had become attached to him... in a way he was not used to, and just the thought that he could run into him at any time his heart began to beat faster.
He sighed, feeling stupid to get himself in such a state and shook his head as he continued on his way. As if by reflex, his steps led him to the city center, where it was most crowded, and he began to slalom between the passers-by, his gaze passing over all the faces he came across, hoping to see one he knew. "You're a dumbass, Law...”
After a while the captain of the Hearts noticed night was beginning to fall and hesitated to return to the port, when suddenly a silhouette he thought he recognized passed in his field of vision. He turned his head and saw Sanji jumping on the roofs of the surrounding houses so he made a Room appear and joined him without losing a second, wondering what he was doing. He found the young cook sitting on the tiles, facing the setting sun. "I knew it was you, Kuroashi-ya.”
Sanji turned around, surprised when he heard his name, but before he saw who was talking to him he already recognized the voice and nickname. "Law? What a coincidence our crews landed on the same island at the same time." He smiled warmly, surprised but happy to see him. "Did you arrived today ?”
Law nodded and sat down next to the other man on the tiles. "We reached this island in the afternoon. What are you doing alone on a roof?"
Sanji chuckled and felt a bit embarrassed. "Well... it's a bit stupid. I got lost so I thought I'd gain a bit of height to try and see the Sunny Gô but then I got struck by the view,"
Law smirked. "Isn't it Zoro-ya who's supposed to have a poor sense of direction?”
Sanji glanced at the surgeon next to him and felt his cheeks blush slightly at this remark. "Shut up... it's not the same thing. This stupid mosshead isn't even able to follow a straight path." He brought one of his legs back to his chest and turned his attention back to the setting sun while placing his chin on his folded arms.
With an amused smile Law turned to the view in front of him and he had to admit he understood Sanji, the sun setting above the ocean and the whole city beneath them was beautiful. For a second he almost forgot all the sound coming from the city, as well as the presence of its inhabitants as he was so absorbed in the landscape.
Now that Law was by his side, Sanji could hardly focus on what was in front of him and couldn't help but turn his head to look at him in secret, his cheek resting on his knee. The golden, almost red light of the sun illuminated his black hair and his tanned skin, and a small smile fluttered from his lips. Without realizing it, Sanji's gaze remained fixed on it for several seconds before he started studying the rest of his face, especially his eyes. The setting sun was reflected in his golden eyes, giving them a fiery hue even more captivating than the fireball disappearing into the ocean, and he stared at the surgeon for long minutes without realizing it, his world being reduced to the two of them on this roof, alone. "Beautiful," he thought.
The cook liked to chat with Law and just spend time with him. When he had traveled with them he had many times spent long hours exchanging anecdotes about their adventures in the evening or early morning while he was cooking and without really realizing it he had begun to cherish those moments and become attached to their ally.
The sun had now disappeared behind the horizon, but the sky kept the shades of fire, although they were no longer so bright. It was at this point that Law came out of his contemplation and felt a look on him as he turned his head towards Sanji and noticed he was already looking at him with a soft smile on his face. He was surprised to see a look of such tenderness on him and felt his cheeks slightly reddening by this observation.
Sanji's gaze crossed Law's and when he saw his eyes on him it took him a long time to realize he had been caught staring at him and he quickly looked away, embarrassed, and began to get up to flee. "I-I have to go. It's getting late, the others must wonder where I am and-...”
"Wait, Kuroashi-ya." Law grabbed his wrist to prevent him from moving away, forcing him to look at him again and noticed his shifty eyes. Somehow he liked seeing him all flustered and with this blushing face. He was drawn by him, he couldn't deny it and didn't want him to disappear now. He had the opportunity to spend a bit of time with him and wanted to make the most of it, he didn't know how long it would take to the Log Pose to recharge and when he would see the cook again.
He hesitated for a moment but finally Sanji sat down again beside Law and was almost disappointed that he couldn't feel the warmth of his touch when he let go of his wrist. He chuckled and tried to display a teasing smile to put on a good face and hide his ever-present embarrassment. "What, you like spending time with me so much?"
" ...maybe, yeah. Don't you?"
The blond man raised his eyebrows in surprise and felt all the more reddened by Law's look at him, he could only read honesty and something else that he couldn't identify and he just nodded hesitantly for any answer.
Law chuckled softly and they both resumed looking at the scenery for a little while, each of them thinking about the other. "Hey Kuroashi-ya..." He saw Sanji turn his eyes to him in his field of vision but kept staring at the horizon, not daring to look him in the face. "..I like you.” He might not have another opportunity to have a moment alone with him and he wanted to take this weight off his heart.
Sanji thought he misheard and felt his heart miss a beat as he understood Law's words. "M-Me? Really?”
The surgeon finally turned his eyes to him. "What, it surprises you that much?"
He chuckled softly and then neither of them dared to say a word for several seconds before Sanji finally broke the silence again. "I like you too...Law.”
The latter felt the joy rise in his chest as a smile bloomed on his lips and then, his gaze falling on the blond man's lips he leaned slowly towards him, placing his hand on his cheek.
The latter could hardly believe Law could like him but he felt the warmth of his touch and quickly noticed he was getting closer until his lips touched his tenderly. He closed his eyes and cupped Law's face between his hands to draw him closer and deepen the kiss. He never thought he would be able to kiss the surgeon this way so he enjoyed it as much as he could, appreciating the feeling of his lips against his own and the way he bit them softly between kisses.
It was only when they both needed to breathe again that they parted, their hearts beating rapidly in their chests and short of breath. "You know... I've been wanting to do this for quite a long time." He smiled and stroked Sanji's cheek with his fingertips.
The latter chuckled. "Hm... yeah, me too." He kissed his lips again then after a while, noticing it was getting dark the two men separated, though reluctantly.
They climbed down from the roof and walked together to the harbor before leaving on their own to join their respective crews, planning to have a drink later in the night and wanting to make the most of the time they have while they're both on the same island.