Chapter Text
It’s obvious when Sanji’s having a nightmare, Zoro’s learned. First his eyes will twitch. Then he’ll roll on to his side. Next his whole body will curl into a ball. Then he’ll start shaking, occasionally accompanied by muttering. Finally, he’ll awake with a jolt upright and a startled gasp.
Zoro observes this cycle night after night from his own hammock above Sanji’s. His heart starts pounding every time he sees that familiar roll into fetal position, knowing well what’s about to happen. Zoro doesn’t dare ask what the nightmares are about-Curlybrows would react with something to the tune of kicking him into next Tuesday-but he doesn’t need to know. All he knows is that when Sanji suffers, the whole crew suffers from the after effects.
That’s why on this night when he sees Ero-Cook curl into a ball, Zoro quietly climbs down from his own hammock and crawls next to Sanji. He’s shaking and his face is twisted into a panicked grimace as Zoro wraps his muscular arms around him, one arm cradling his head and the other around his shoulders. Zoro holds him tight and Sanji continues to tremble, fear etched on his sleeping face.
“Hey Cook, snap out of it.” Zoro whispers as Sanji’s breathing picks up. It comes out in terrified gasps.
“Curlybrows.” Zoro tries again, squeezing him a little tighter. “You’re okay, I promise that you’re safe. It’s all in that stupid head of yours.”
Sanji mutters something into Zoro’s shoulder, somehow tensing even more. Zoro braces himself for what’s next.
“Sanji, calm down-you’re safe.” Zoro starts rubbing Sanji’s back. “Just relax, you’re okay.”
A tense moment passes. Then another. Zoro feels Sanji’s entire body unclench at once under his firm grasp. Sanji’s body gradually unfurls and the grimace on his face softens. Zoro lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. He continues to absentmindedly rub the cook’s back, coaxing the tense muscles to relax under his touch.
Sanji’s eyes lazily crack open. He tilts his head upward and his sleepy, half-lidded gaze meets Zoro’s. Zoro fully expects him to kick him out of the hammock, screaming loud enough to wake up the whole crew, but to his surprise Sanji closes his eyes and nuzzles his head into Zoro’s shoulder while wrapping his arms around the swordsman’s broad torso. He’s asleep within seconds, his features relaxed.
Zoro readjusts his grip on Sanji and closes his eyes as well. He doesn’t know what Sanji’s dreaming about now, but he can hope it’s not another nightmare. Zoro drifts off easily, still holding Sanji in his arms.
.
.
.
The sun is barely above the horizon when Sanji opens his eyes. He’s comfortably warm, the kind of warm that makes you want to sleep a couple extra minutes. His heart isn’t hammering in his chest and he isn’t fighting to regain control of his lungs-all good things. Sanji shifts his gaze upward only to see the sleeping face of Mosshead in his hammock. His other senses start to wake up and he takes inventory-his face is nuzzled against Zoro’s shoulder, their arms embracing each other and their legs loosely tangled. Sanji can hear Zoro’s reassuring heartbeat from his angle as well as his steady breaths in his ear.
As much as Sanji refuses to admit it, he’s quite comfortable in Zoro’s arms. Almost too comfortable to leave.
But he promised Nami-chan a fancy breakfast, and enthusiastically plans to keep that promise. Sanji sighs and soaks in the warmth radiating off Zoro for a few more moments before quietly slipping out of his embrace. Zoro shifts a little but doesn’t wake up. Sanji envies Mosshead’s ability to sleep like a rock but is nonetheless grateful for some semi-decent sleep for the first time in weeks. He lights himself a cigarette and heads into the kitchen, busying himself with breakfast.