Work Text:
“And why the hell do I have to be the one to go out and find the stupid idiot?” Zoro rolled his eyes in annoyance.
“Because I’m too hungry. Go get him for me, Zoro!” Luffy responded with a desperate expression, holding his stomach to show just how much he was starving.
“Besides, it’s usually Sanji who has to go looking for you, when you’re lost.” Nami added with a mocking grin.
“And it’s already dark out. It’s way too scary for anyone else of us to go.” Usopp said, giving Zoro a pleading look.
“Pleaaaase!” Chopper tugged on the fabric of Zoro’s pants. “What if he’s hurt? You gotta find him!”
Zoro sighed in defeat. Sanji had disappeared from the ship at some point during the day and hadn’t returned from the island even after the sun had gone down. Personally, he couldn’t care less, he was sure the cook was just fine. But his crewmates were worried out of their minds, so someone had to go look for him. And that lucky person was him.
“Fine. Quit bugging me, I’ll go.” Chopper cheered and hugged his leg.
“Any idea where he could be? Did he say anything?”
The straw hats all looked puzzled and shook their heads.
“I know he already finished grocery shopping yesterday because he made me help him carry them. So he probably wasn’t out shopping?”, Usopp said with a thoughtful expression.
“The cook looked kind of sad lately.” Robin looked up from her book as she spoke. Nami nodded.
“Yeah. I noticed, too. He wasn’t quite as cheerful as usual.”
“Nooo! What if he’s crying somewhere? Maybe he’s all alone and sad?!” Chopper had tears in his eyes, looking at the others with great concern. Zoro just scoffed and patted Chopper’s head to calm him down.
“I’m sure he’s fine. He’s probably just lost track of time chasing after some lady on the island.” Chopper sniffed loudly and Zoro turned to leave, hopping off the docked ship and disappearing into the darkness after a few steps.
“Good luck Zorooo!” Luffy’s encouraging yell cut through the silence of the night that surrounded Zoro now. With every step he took towards the town center, he was feeling more and more annoyed. If not for the stupid cook being missing, he could be sleeping by now. He probably was just out flirting with some woman who was playing with his feelings. Or maybe he had been caught by the Marines? Which would be hilarious. Sanji would be furious if Zoro were the one who rescued him.
“Alright, where the hell did that idiot end up...” Zoro mumbled when he finally reached the town center. He scanned the area. There were a lot of shady figures in the darkness of the many alleyways surrounding him. Didn’t seem like the place for picking up women. Maybe there was a bar around here? Zoro continued his search. He checked out several spots and even quickly popped his head into a brothel to see if maybe there was a man passed out from a nosebleed inside, but he had no luck. An hour had already passed since his departure from the ship and he still hadn’t found the damn cook. His annoyance was steadily growing, but slowly, so was his concern. When he opened the doors to another bar, he didn’t have high hopes, so he was surprised to finally spot Sanji.
He was sitting by the counter, surrounded by empty beer bottles and absolutely shitfaced drunk. When Zoro entered, he stared at him for a few seconds, blinked a few times, then frowned.
“Mosshead! You’re here too?” He was slurring his words.
“Yeah.” Zoro didn’t even bother to say more. He grabbed Sanji by the shoulder and tried to drag him to his feet, but the cook stubbornly leaned back against his seat.
“What the fuck is your problem?! Get your hands off me, you brute!” Sanji looked mad, and not at all willing to get up from his seat.
“You’re coming back with me.”
Zoro's patience was running thin, so he just threw Sanji over his shoulder and carried him out of the pub into the night.
“Hey!!!!” Sanji was furious at being picked up like that. He struggled hard, making it difficult for Zoro to carry him. ”Stop!! Let me down!! I’m gonna kick your face in!” Sanji sounded both angry and whiny. He was hitting Zoro in the back with his fists and tried kicking him with his feet.
“You’re drunk.” Zoro simply stated, trying to ignore Sanji’s fighting, but it was getting harder and harder with the way Sanji kicked him in his ribs.
“What do you mean, drunk? I’m just tipsy.” Sanji yelled, sounding pissy. That offhand comment pushed Zoro over the edge and he stopped walking. Before Sanji even had time to realize what was happening, Zoro dropped Sanji and he fell onto the street.
“What the hell was that for, you ass? First you just…grab me and then you drop me again? You’re…” Sanji trailed off, the alcohol seemingly making it hard for him to find the proper words. He sat up, his upper body slightly reclined and propped up by his elbows in the dirt as he glared up at Zoro.
“For being a pain in the ass all week! You've been nothing but rude and sarcastic and annoying, and now you're not even willing to put in the effort of walking back to the ship. Well, I'm not going to drag you there.” Zoro crossed his arms and stared down at Sanji.
Sanji rolled his eyes. “I didn't ask for you to pick me up!!” He struggled to get on his feet again, wobbling and swaying in obvious drunkenness just from sitting up. “I wanted to stay at the pub some more, but you just had to ruin my fun and drag me out there, you stupid Marimo!”
“You drunkard... You have no right to complain after you got too drunk to do anything other than piss and whine. You can barely even stand, you're in no position to complain.” Zoro kept staring down at Sanji with an annoyed frown, waiting for him to get to his feet and start moving again. Sanji looked disheveled, his shirt half-unbuttoned and his hair was messy. It was fascinating to see the cook not as carefully put together as usual, but Zoro would gladly do without that if he didn’t have to deal with his drunk ass now.
“So what if I’m drunk? I can take care of myself!!” With these words, the cook attempted to get up and walk away from Zoro back to the bar, but the act of standing up alone seemed to be quite a challenge. He clung to the wall of the alley for dear life and wobbled so hard that Zoro feared he might just fall over again.
“Take care of yourself, huh? Yeah, right. Look at you- If you keep walking, you're gonna break your neck before getting even halfway to the ship.”
For a moment, Sanji was angry at Zoro's words and angry at the fact that Zoro was right, but then a wide, mocking grin spread on his face, his mood changing completely.
“What? You worried about me?” Sanji laughed, his head falling back and he almost lost his balance. “You must love me so much huh? To care about me?” The cook giggled again, the alcohol affecting his speech. Despite being intoxicated, teasing Zoro brought him more joy than anything else.
“Don’t make me laugh, you drunk idiot.” Zoro narrowed his eyes at Sanji and put his hands on his hips. He was still annoyed, but he couldn’t help feeling a bit amused by Sanji’s behavior.
“You should see your stupid face, Marimo. You totally-” Sanji tried to take a step towards the bar again, but stumbled. Zoro grabbed him before he could fall down. Sanji blinked with wide eyes.
“Whoops. I guess I am a bit wasted after all...” He wrapped his arms around Zoro, hugging him tightly in an effort to stop himself from swaying so hard.
“God, you’re such an idiot. Can’t stand a couple bottles of beer and now you’re too drunk to walk.” Zoro sounded frustrated. He sighed, but didn’t push Sanji away. Sanji giggled, enjoying the hug. If he was sober, he would never ever cling to Zoro like that, but right now, he was feeling content.
“You’re warm and soft…” He mumbled against Zoro’s shoulder, doing his best to not fall over again.
Zoro blinked a few times, surprised at the cook’s words.
“You’re a pain in the ass and you reek of alcohol and cigarettes.” Zoro’s response wasn’t quite the comeback he was hoping for, but he tried to play it off. Sanji laughed again. He leaned on Zoro with most of his weight, closing his eyes.
“Why are you here again? To bring me back to the Sunny?” He asked, his words a bit slurred.
“Well, yes.” Zoro didn’t know what else to say, he was a bit flustered and awkward. Sanji's drunk behavior was unlike anything he had ever seen from the cook before.
“So.... I'll take you back with me.” Zoro's tone was somewhat softer than he would usually use, though only a little bit.
“Problem is…”, Sanji giggled. “I’m afraid I can’t walk that far, Mosshead.” Sanji tilted his head and drunkenly grinned at Zoro. He seemed much more compliant than just minutes ago, he probably wouldn’t put up a fight anymore.
“I know, Curly.” Zoro looked exasperated, but he was still holding Sanji tight so that he didn’t fall over. It was clear he had given up on the idea of Sanji walking back on his own.
“Alright. I’ll carry you. But don’t kick me this time.” He sighed again, then picked Sanji up into his arms. Sanji squealed in surprise.
“Don’t drop me again!!” He struggled for a moment, but then settled down and allowed himself to be carried bridal-style.
“If you keep talking, I will absolutely drop you.” Zoro was annoyed at Sanji for being drunk in the first place. What business did the cook have randomly getting wasted all on his own and not telling anyone? The way to the ship was long. They would be walking for quite some time. And the cook was a burden to carry, he wouldn’t stop moving and talking. Still, there was something about Sanji’s drunkenness that intrigued and amused Zoro. He almost found Sanji’s drunken antics to be kind of cute, but he would never admit that.
The threat shut Sanji up and they walked in silence for a while. Sanji rested his spinning head on the swordsman’s chest while he carried him. Zoro walked slowly and steadily, trying his best to carry the cook without shaking him too much. He had no idea if he was going the right way, but at least they were going somewhere. Sanji’s body felt hot pressed against his, and he felt his chest rise and fall rhythmically. He scolded himself for feeling like this, but Zoro was kind of getting flustered the more he thought about how close Sanji was to him right now. Sanji snapped him out of his thoughts by tugging on his clothes.
“I’m feeling dizzy! Can you put me down for a minute?”, Sanji whined, starting to struggle again.
“Shut up.” Zoro didn’t put Sanji down and just ignored his complaints and struggles. He kept holding him in his arms, walking with a slow but determined stride.
“I’m just trying to get you back to the ship, stupid.” He added as Sanji kept tugging on his shirt. He sounded annoyed again, still a bit frustrated at the fact that he had to carry the cook.
“Are you dumb?!” Sanji cried out. His kicks and squirms were making it impossible for Zoro to keep carrying him.
”If you don’t want me to throw up on you, let me sit down right now!!” He sounded a bit panicked.
“You want me to just put you down on the ground?! Look around, Curly! We're in the middle of the street!” Zoro sounded pissed, but there was a hint of concern in his voice as well. He sighed, holding Sanji tighter to make sure not to drop him despite his squirming.
“Fine. I’ll find a bench or something.” He was walking faster now, keeping an eye out for a suitable place for them to sit down. He spotted a lone bench and walked over to it, sitting down with Sanji still in his arms and then carefully putting him on the bench next to him.
Sanji closed his eyes, trying to stop his head from spinning too much. He leaned to the side, letting his head drop onto Zoro’s muscular shoulder, then let out a sigh. He was feeling better already.
“You’re such a good friend…” He mumbled drunkenly. Even though he was quite out of it, he was very glad Zoro was with him.
“Yeah, yeah.” Zoro sighed and rolled his eyes slightly. Hearing Sanji talk to him in such an openly friendly manner still felt a bit odd to him. He tilted his head to the side to look at Sanji resting against him and felt his chest getting a bit tight. He didn’t know what it was, but he … he cared about Sanji. That drunk idiot meant something to him, and he couldn’t help but feel a bit of concern at seeing Sanji like this. Zoro was bad at understanding his own feelings, though, so he didn’t really think about it further.
Sanji was quiet for a while, and when he spoke again, he sounded quiet and apologetic.
“I'm sorry for being such a drunk tonight. I kinda overdid it. I was sad and wanted to forget it.”
His words were slightly slurred, but Zoro could tell that he was concentrating to get them out right.
“You were sad?” Zoro was surprised. He looked down at Sanji with a tilted head, curiosity in his eyes.
“Why? What happened?” He asked, his tone softer. It was a rare occasion for Zoro to show concern for someone else's feelings like this, and he sounded genuine.
Sanji’s eyes widened at Zoro’s question and he looked sad again.
“Lovesick.”, he said, quietly. He fumbled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and put one between his lips. Zoro watched him struggle with the lighter for a few moments before he took it from the cook’s uncoordinated hands and helped him light his cigarette. Sanji gave him a grateful hum and took a long drag.
“Lovesick…” Zoro repeated, sounding lost and unsure. He narrowed his eyes, looking down at Sanji.
“Did you, um… did you get your heart broken?” He sounded almost teasing, but only because he wasn’t certain how to handle this. Sanji’s sadness had caught him off guard, and his curiosity was real.
Sanji didn’t pick up on the teasing undertone and just drunkenly rambled on.
“I wasn’t turned down or anything.” A deep exhale sent a large cloud of smoke up into the air above the two. “But I’m in love and he doesn’t like me back.” He sighed, unaware that he already said too much.
Zoro nodded slowly, thinking about what Sanji said. Did he just say “he” or did he mishear it? His attitude shifted. He no longer felt annoyed at Sanji’s drunkenness or his babbling. Instead, he looked down at Sanji, his expression becoming softer and more serious than it had been all night.
“You’re in love with somebody?” He asked, trying to keep his tone casual as he said the words. He didn’t want the cook to get alarmed and maybe realize that he was oversharing.
Sanji was too intoxicated to even think about making up lies or denying anything. He was just glad he could talk to somebody, so he was completely honest.
“I am. But the stupid idiot just doesn’t like me that way.” Sanji replied, his face full of sadness.
“Who is it?” Zoro’s question came a bit too fast, his serious tone startling Sanji. The swordsman looked at him with sharp eyes, not missing a single detail of Sanji's face or his body language. He didn’t blink even once, all his attention focused on Sanji.
Sanji blushed and shook his head. He took another drag from his cigarette.
“I can’t tell you. It’s a secret.” He blinked a few times, seemingly slowly realizing that he didn’t even want to admit to being in love with a man in the first place.
“Oh, a secret, huh?” Zoro sounded even more serious now. He kept his gaze on Sanji as he watched him throw his used-up cigarette to the ground.
“Is this man strong?” It sounded almost like a joke, but Zoro really wanted to know. If a man made Sanji fall in love with him, then Zoro was curious. He had to know who it is.
Sanji smiled, the alcohol clouding his mind again. He didn’t want to say the name, but he was more than happy to talk about him. He leaned back and let himself fall onto Zoro's lap, resting his head on his thighs and looking up at him.
“He is. He's scary strong. He wants to be the strongest one day.” Sanji looked dreamy, happy to talk about this secret man he was in love with.
Zoro looked a bit surprised as Sanji fell onto him, and he froze for a second, clearly confused. But he let Sanji rest on his thighs, trying to ignore the way his chest tightened up as they got closer. Sanji sounded completely honest. And he confirmed again that he was actually talking about a man.
“And what else do you like about him?” Zoro’s casual tone did nothing to conceal the curiosity in his voice. Sanji smiled while thinking.
“He's always so serious, but deep down he's a real softie. He just doesn't want anyone to know, but I do! And he's pretty, too. Although he'd hate being called pretty. But he is. In my eyes.” Sanji giggled and Zoro blinked, unsure if he heard Sanji right. He leaned forward a bit, staring down at him.
“Does he know you feel this way about him?” Zoro sounded serious again, and he leaned closer to Sanji, his expression sharp. The cook had his full and undivided attention.
Sanji shook his head in response, a bit of a blush creeping up his cheeks and ears.
“No. I can’t tell him. Too embarrassing. Also, he’s my friend so I don’t wanna mess things up.” He didn’t seem to really be aware of who he was talking to.
“Does your friend... does this man like someone else?” Zoro's expression was serious, but there was a little bit of jealousy in his tone as he asked the question. Even just hearing the word “friend" in this situation made Zoro's chest tighten up a bit more, and he didn’t want to think about why that was. He didn’t want the cook to be in love with some random man. Sanji shook his head again, closing his eyes.
“No. I don’t think so. Bastard just cares about his swords and getting stronger…” He mumbled drunkenly, seemingly in thought. He didn’t realize that he was giving Zoro way too much information.
Swords? Zoro seemed confused at Sanji's words, but that only made him more determined to get Sanji to say the man's name. He narrowed his eyes and leaned forward once more before speaking. His voice was cold and sharp when he asked, almost like he was trying to intimidate Sanji. He wasn’t going to let him refuse to answer again.
“Curly, what's his name?” He asked again, waiting for Sanji’s response. Zoro’s heart was beating so fast he felt like it might just burst out of his chest at any moment.
Sanji froze, he seemed a bit startled. He thought about it for a moment, then spoke again.
“Alright, fine. Come closer, I’ll whisper it into your ear. But you have to promise not to tell him.” Sanji’s words were slurred. He was too drunk to realize who he even was talking to. Zoro frowned.
“I promise. I won’t say a thing. Come on, tell me already.” He leaned down closer to Sanji’s head on his lap, every fiber of his body strained in anticipation to hear the answer to his burning question. He was so close to the cook now that he could see his face in more detail. His eyes were still closed and there was an adorable blush spread across his face. His hair was a mess and Zoro could see both of his curly eyebrows. It was a rare occasion to see Sanji unkempt like this; Zoro felt like he had glimpsed behind the scenes, a private look that wasn’t meant for him. It made just looking at Sanji feel much more intimate than usual. He could feel Sanji’s breath, and a wave of tingly excitement washed over him.
Sanji giggled in embarrassment and he had a soft smile on his lips as he whispered.
“His name is Zoro.”
Zoro’s eyes widened as he heard Sanji’s words. He was frozen for a split second, his chest so tight that he couldn’t breathe. He tried to stay calm.
“Right.” Zoro's voice was steady, but his eyes were wide open. He swallowed thickly, taking in the words he just heard. His heart was racing as he stared down at the cook, who was blissfully unaware that he had just confessed.
Zoro suddenly remembered that they were in public, and he jerked his head up and he quickly surveyed their surroundings. But no one else was there, it was just him and Sanji, alone on the bench. The silence of the night was only broken by a few crickets and the air was warm. All of a sudden, Zoro had the urge to get back home as fast as possible. He stood up, gently removing Sanji’s head from his lap and pulling him upright with him.
“Come on. We're headed back to the ship.” Zoro tried to sound stern, but his voice was shaking a bit. Sanji slowly opened his eyes and blinked a few times. He seemed confused.
“Wait!”, he started to protest as Zoro wrapped his arms around him again, but he was too drunk to put up a good fight.
“Come on now, Curly.” Zoro said in a firm tone, unwilling to deal with another temper tantrum. His movements were softer than his tone though, and he picked Sanji up with surprising delicacy. He was being gentle with the drunk cook, not wanting to agitate him any further.
Sanji felt utterly confused. Zoro had wanted to know who he had a crush on so badly and now he didn’t even respond? Sanji’s head was spinning again and he was too out of it to really think about why Zoro was behaving so oddly. So he just allowed Zoro to carry him without further protest. He wrapped his hands around him again and buried his face in the crook of his neck as he was being carried.
“You talk too much…” Zoro mumbled under his breath as they were walking again. He walked silently through the streets for several minutes before pausing when they reached a crossroad, taking a few seconds to decide which direction to go in. He sighed. He had no idea which way was the right one.
“Left or right?” He whispered to Sanji, looking at the wasted cook for guidance.
Sanji chuckled, his hot breath tickling Zoro’s skin.
“You’re such an idiot with directions.” He mumbled into the crook of the swordsman’s neck before lifting his head and looking around.
“Left.” Sanji said matter-of-factly before letting his head drop again, nuzzling up against Zoro and closing his eyes in a drunk exhaustion.
“Left it is.” Zoro sounded amused as Sanji called him an idiot, and he laughed under his breath as Sanji nuzzled his face against his neck again. His heart was beating so fast, he was sure the cook could feel it. His emotions were all over the place and he just wanted to get home to think about what the hell just happened.
He started walking in the direction Sanji said, his steps a bit faster than before as he carried Sanji like he weighed absolutely nothing. Soon, they reached the dock and the Sunny came into sight again. Zoro spotted their fellow straw hats anxiously waiting on deck for their return. Their eyes widened in surprise as Zoro entered the ship carrying Sanji in his arms. They looked both overjoyed to see them return and confused as to why the cook wasn’t walking himself. Before any of them could ask questions, Zoro spoke up.
“He’s fine.”, is all he said as he walked past them, carrying Sanji to their sleeping quarters. He gently set Sanji down on his hammock and looked down at him with a curious expression.
Sanji let out a tired groan at finally being put to bed. He was utterly exhausted and so thankful that Zoro had brought him back home. He looked up at him with a bit of a sad expression and whispered.
“You don’t hate me now, do you?” Zoro wasn’t sure if he meant his drunken behavior or his confession, but Sanji didn’t know what he was referencing either.
Zoro shook his head, his face softening. He looked down at Sanji in a way that Sanji hadn’t seen before. It was as if Zoro was looking straight at Sanji’s soul right now, taking him in from head to toe without missing any details. Sanji felt himself blush a bit at the way the swordsman was looking at him.
“I don’t hate you. Not even a bit.” Zoro’s words came out in a soft tone, and it was clear that he truly meant what he said. Sanji smiled at him, then he couldn’t force his eyes to stay open any longer and he fell asleep. Zoro shook his head in amusement and quietly left the room.
٠—– ·—– · • —– ٠ ♡ ٠ —– • · —– · —– ٠
The next day, Sanji woke up horribly hungover. He felt like absolute shit. His head felt like it was going to explode and his throat was burning. He sat up in his hammock, holding his pounding head and groaning. He froze. Slowly, his memories of the night before came back. The alcohol. The way Zoro had carried him. The confession.
He cursed under his breath, face flushing with embarrassment. How could he have been so reckless? He had actually confessed to Zoro! And Zoro most likely wanted to talk to him about it, now that he was sober again. Sanji felt like he was going to die from embarrassment just thinking about it. He sat on his hammock for several minutes, just staring into space and panicking with a racing heart. Then he got dressed. He couldn’t hide in their sleeping quarters forever. He had to prepare breakfast after all.
He hurriedly exited the room, rushing into the kitchen, and slamming the door shut behind him with a loud thud that echoed in the small room. Sanji let out a relieved sigh at reaching the sanctuary of his kitchen without any confrontation. With shaking hands, he started gathering the ingredients he needed from the pantry when he heard the kitchen door slam shut.
“Morning.” Zoro spoke loudly, making Sanji jump and nearly drop the eggs he had in his hands. He hesitantly stepped out of the pantry to see Zoro looking at him with a smirk on his face.
“Sleep well?” Zoro’s tone was teasing. He sat down at the dinner table and leaned back, crossing his arms behind his head confidently. Sanji was close to panicking. He put the eggs on the counter and turned his back to Zoro, unable to bear the way he was staring at him.
“Good morning.” Sanji was blushing so hard that his face was totally red. He had no idea how to deal with this situation. He was such an idiot. Getting drunk and spilling everything. He really shouldn’t have done that.
“You were quite talkative last night, weren’t you?” Zoro’s tone was still teasing, and he raised an eyebrow, waiting for Sanji to respond. Sanji instantly froze up in his movements, unsure of what to say now that he was sober. Even though he couldn’t see Zoro with his back turned, Sanji could practically sense the smug expression on Zoro’s face as he spoke. Silence settled over the kitchen as Sanji contemplated his words. His shoulder slumped and he sighed deeply before he finally spoke up.
“Look, Zoro… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable yesterday. I understand if you never want to see me again.” Sanji sounded very sad. He shut his eyes, bracing himself for Zoro getting angry or laughing at him. He could already see himself getting kicked out of the crew. But nothing happened. Zoro stayed quiet for a few seconds. Sanji desperately wanted to see the swordsman’s face to know what he was thinking, but he couldn’t bring himself to turn around.
Zoro frowned. Sanji looked so defeated, almost like he had already given up. But Zoro hadn’t even said anything yet.
“You didn’t make me uncomfortable.” Zoro’s tone was neutral. Sanji’s eyes widened in surprise and he spun around, staring at Zoro in shock.
“You’re- you’re not?” Sanji repeated in disbelief. He looked closely at Zoro’s face, trying to figure out what he was thinking. He took a nervous step towards the dinner table where Zoro was sitting, straightening his back as he spoke up again.
“But you need to know that it wasn’t just the alcohol speaking. I’m totally sober right now, and my feelings haven’t changed. I really meant what I said yesterday.” Sanji’s voice was quiet and small, yet he held Zoro’s gaze as he spoke, his face still burning with a deep shade of red.
Zoro looked at Sanji with an expression that was difficult to decipher. But it wasn't anger, as Sanji had expected. In fact, Zoro's expression softened, and he gazed up at Sanji with a fond smile.
“You shouldn’t be sorry.” His voice was low but resolute. “I understand.” He leaned forward, reaching out a hand to gently touch Sanji’s cheek. He didn’t seem to mind the proximity, even though it made Sanji blush even harder. The touch sent a jolt of electricity through Sanji's body.
“You understand? How?” Sanji's voice trembled with a mix of hope and nervousness, as if fearing the next words would shatter his dreams forever. Yet Zoro continued to gaze at him with the same smile, filling Sanji with a glimmer of hope.
“Because I feel the same way.” Zoro's warm tone made Sanji's heart flutter. Zoro looked up at him with a fond smile, taking in the sight of the cook’s shocked expression. His breath caught in his throat, a swarm of butterflies stirring in his stomach as he watched Sanji’s bottom lip quiver slightly. Zoro reached out both his hands now, gently cupping Sanji's face in his hands.
“You do?” Sanji sounded choked up. His heart was beating so hard that he feared that it might just burst out of his chest. He gazed down at Zoro with soft, begging eyes, his own hands reaching up to cover Zoro’s on his cheeks. Zoro’s eyes shimmered with love.
“You have no idea how long I’ve loved you.” Zoro's voice was gentle and serious. He didn’t sound like he was joking around; he sounded like he meant every word he said.
With disbelief, Sanji nodded, a shy smile gradually spreading across his face. He leaned his head into Zoro's embrace, his whole body shaking with joy. His heart raced so fast that he felt dizzy. Looking down at Zoro with wide eyes, it was as if a tremendous burden had been lifted from his shoulders now that he knew Zoro loved him too. Unable to contain his emotions any longer, he pulled Zoro into a loving embrace, a hug so tight that they could both feel the other’s racing heart beating against their chests.
“I love you so, so, so much.”, Sanji whispered. He had never felt so happy before. He could hardly believe that Zoro actually returned his feelings.
“I love you too, idiot.” Zoro replied with a soft chuckle, hugging Sanji back just as tightly. He gently brushed his fingers through Sanji's golden hair and smiled. It all felt like a dream come true, but both of them truly meant every word they said.
Sanji smiled too. He had never felt as if he belonged somewhere as much as he did at that moment. He pulled back slightly, his face now just a few centimeters from Zoro's. The atmosphere was thick, and both of them were fully focused on each other, blocking out everything else. Sanji looked at Zoro with wide eyes sparkling with love and whispered.
“Can I kiss you?”
Zoro couldn’t help but smile at that question. His lips curved up into a little grin as he nodded softly.
“Of course you can.” Zoro's words carried an intensity that made Sanji's heart swell. Zoro seemed almost relieved that Sanji had asked, rather than just going in for the kiss without warning. Slowly, he leaned forward, closing the distance between their lips. Both of them closed their eyes in anticipation. It felt like an eternity before their lips finally touched, and when they did, both of them sighed in relief and leaned into it even more.
It was a kiss full of love, and both of them seemed like they wanted to stay there forever. Sanji felt like this moment was never going to end, and he never wanted it to. He was never going to stop loving Zoro again, and Zoro felt the same way about Sanji.
For a few seconds, Zoro and Sanji were lost in the kiss, as if in heaven. The world around them faded away, leaving only the two of them, the kiss filling them completely. Nothing else mattered at that moment. Finally, Zoro pulled away, looking at Sanji with a soft smile. Sanji's eyes fluttered open, and when he saw Zoro looking at him with such an adoring gaze full of love, his lips curved up into a gentle smile. Suddenly, Sanji chuckled.
“I can't believe I confessed like that.” He shook his head in amusement before taking Zoro's hand and gently intertwining their fingers.
“A man should confess his feelings with a bouquet of flowers ... a love letter! or at least some chocolate…” His romantic side was coming through and he spoke with an almost theatrical voice. “But a drunk confession? That's so unromantic!”
Zoro raised an eyebrow, his voice playful as he responded, “Are you saying you need to do it over, Curly?” It seemed like he wouldn't mind hearing Sanji confess to him again. He squeezed Sanji's hand lightly, a little bit of love in every movement he made.
Sanji smiled, finding comfort in the fact that Zoro was still teasing him like always. He leaned forward, giving Zoro a gentle kiss on the cheek.
“I might just have to. I'm a gentleman after all. I'll get you your flowers and your love letter and confess again. You deserve only the best and I'll make sure you get it.”
Zoro chuckled, allowing Sanji to kiss his cheek without protest. He enjoyed seeing Sanji so happy, and his smile only grew wider as Sanji talked.
“Make sure not to take too long, then. I don't want to be waiting too long to hear it again.” Zoro's tone was playful but with a hint of seriousness. Sanji's face softened. Zoro’s words ignited a fire in Sanji’s heart, setting his heart ablaze with a sense of love that was almost overwhelming for the cook. He brought their interlocked hands up to his lips, placing a soft kiss on Zoro's hand.
“Don't worry, I'll confess to you over and over again. I'll never grow tired of telling you how much I love you.” Sanji truly meant it, understanding the sincerity of Zoro’s request.
Zoro nodded, his cheeks blushing as Sanji leaned in to kiss his hand. He looked like he was melting at Sanji's words, and he blinked a few times so he didn’t look like he was too deep in his own feelings already. Still holding Sanji's hand, Zoro smiled shyly, a bit overwhelmed by his own feelings. After a brief moment of quiet, he spoke again, his voice soft and filled with love.
“Okay. And I'll never get tired of hearing it either.”