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This thing with the cook wasn’t supposed to end up this way. His little crush was just supposed to be lustful. Built out of being on the sea with a small crew, and no way to relieve himself of his desires. Zoro had tried to proposition the cook early on in their voyage that night in cocoyashi village. The blonde had blushed, and brushed him off blaming his proposal on the booze. The swordsman had a theory that if they had just fucked that night he probably wouldn’t have developed an emotional attachment to the idiot, but even he knew that theory was shaky.
They flirted in their own way, although Zoro would deny it. Nami picked up on it early on. When they were celebrating at the palace in Arabasta she had cornered him after he was several drinks in and asked him if he and the cook were sleeping together. He had told her no such thing was happening, but with some promises to lower his debt ever so slightly, she was able to get the fact that he did like the cook out of him.
In Skypiea the cook had laid down next to him in the forest of Upper Yard after their campfire. That was the thing, for as much as they fought, they often found their way back to each other's side. In the middle of the night he had rolled over and wrapped an arm around Zoro. Zoro had woken up before him, before anyone actually, and didn’t move him. So when Sanji woke up he checked if Zoro was awake, and when he met his eyes he blushed and let out a quiet apology. Zoro had shrugged and said it was fine, knowing full well if the ladies were awake the cook would have made a scene.
By the time they left Water 7, Zoro knew he was thoroughly fucked. He started making himself get up early when he knew the cook was alone in the galley preparing breakfast. He would walk into the kitchen and sit down at the counter, and the cook would promptly set a cup of coffee in front of him. They didn’t speak about this new development. Sanji never questioned why, the swordsman who seemed to love sleep just as much as his swords, was suddenly joining him bright and early. Sometimes they talked, but mostly Zoro just watched Sanji cook. The silence was welcomed.
Now, Zoro found himself looking at the cook's sleeping form, and the way he had curled up in the chair across from the infirmary bed. How long had Sanji been there? How long had he been out? His body ached in a way he had never experienced before. It was a dull numb ache, and he could feel every joint in his body. He quickly learned that taking a deep breath wasn’t an option. So he opted to try and sit up. As he shifted, the cook stirred. The blonde's eyes quickly shot open, looking Zoro over in a complete panic.
Zoro watched as Sanji quickly composed himself once he determined Zoro was in fact alive and okay. He stood and took out a cigarette, he let it hang in his mouth as he continued to stare at the swordsman. Zoro knew he wanted to say something, hell, so did Zoro but he didn’t even know where to begin.
“I’ll go get Chopper.” Sanji stated, almost too composed. He spun around and made to open the door.
“Cook…” Zoro’s voice was hoarse, and he watched as Sanji tried his best to hide his wince. Sanji stopped with his hand still on the doorknob, his ear turned towards Zoro. “I…I need water.” God he was such a chicken shit. He can sacrifice his life for his captain and crew, but he can’t just tell Sanji how he feels.
“Sure, Marimo.” Sanji’s face was mostly turned away from him, but Zoro swore he saw a tear roll down his cheek and drop from his chin to the floor.
Zoro could just make out the ruckus Luffy, Usopp, Franky and Chopper began to make as Sanji let the crew know he was awake. He was also able to make out Chopper yelling at them to wait till he could check Zoro over before they could visit.
He was surprised though, to see Sanji walk back into the infirmary with Chopper. The blonde sat back down in the chair. Watching as Chopper handed him ice water, and set down the pitcher he had in his other hand next to the bed. Zoro hated ice in his water, it just seemed wrong to him.
“Ice is good for your fucked throat, Marimo. Drink it” Sanji ordered. Being the ship's cook, he knew all their preferences.
“I didn’t say anything shit cook!” Zoro’s retort came out a lot weaker given how he had to strain to speak and his voice was hoarse. He downed the whole glass of water in one go and chewed the ice just to spite the blonde. Chopper looked him over, and the swordsman answered every question the little reindeer asked.
“Most importantly Zoro, you need to rest. It's going to take us two weeks to get to the next island. You should stay in bed the whole time if you even want to step foot on that island.” Chopper said seriously. Zoro looked at the cook, who rolled his eyes. He knew that wouldn’t fly with the swordsman.
“Can’t do that.” Zoro made to get out of the bed, prompting Chopper to transform into his human form in order to physically stop him.
“Zoro! You need to rest! You will bleed through your bandages and I only have so much blood!” Chopper pinned his legs to the bed, and shot Sanji a pleading look.
“Oi seaweed brain, you stay in bed today I’ll let you have all the sake you want until we reach the next island.” Sanji bargened, resting his hand on Chopper's shoulder. The doctor shrank back down and gave Zoro a pleading look.
“Fine curly, but I want breakfast in bed.” He smirked at the cook.
“It's the afternoon mosshead.”
“Lunch then.” Sanji looked at Chopper, who silently begged him to agree.
“Fine, you ape.” With that Zoro shifted his legs back on the bed, sitting against the headboard. Sanji was hiding his feelings well, but Zoro was sure they couldn’t ignore each other forever.
Sanji entered a little while later with a tray of smoked sea king, rice, and the aforementioned sake. He set it on the swordsman's lap and promptly made for the door without a word.
“Oi, Cook!” Sanji stopped, faced him and sighed. Zoro scanned his face. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days. His cigarette from his lips wasn’t lit, out of respect for the infirmary, and, Zoro noted his shirt looked like he had worn it for longer than usual. “How long was I out?” Sanji Scoffed, and brought out his lighter. The blonde opened the door and stated. “Ask Chopper.”
Zoro didn’t see Sanji the rest of the day. The rest of the crew paid him their visits. Nami came in again after dinner. She opened the door, seated herself in the chair across from the bed and stared him down.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“Not nothing, Sanji’s been a wreck since he found you. He may try to hide it, but he was in here almost every moment he could be.” He was? Zoro had thought that's what it looked like when he woke up, but he told himself he was just being selfish.
“Nothing happened.”
“Fine, you don’t have to tell me, but you are going to talk to Sanji.” Zoro Crossed his arms.
“I will. He's not the easiest to talk to, you know.”
“Oh, don’t act like I’m dumb. You two talk all the time. I think you mean the subject matter isn’t easy.”
“Sure.”
“Want my help?”
“No way, Witch, you already have enough of my money!” Nami laughed.
“For free, Zoro. I’m not that heartless.”
“I’ll figure it out.”
“Zoro if I’m correct, you’ve been figuring out how to talk about this subject since you met him practically.” Zoro grumbled.
“I’ve got it handled.” Nami uncrossed her legs and got up, patting him on the shoulder as she made for the exit.
“Sure you do.”
Chopper had checked on him a few hours ago, and now it was midnight. It was technically the next day so he could get up and still stick to his agreement, right? Zoro shuffled out of bed, his body still aching more than he would ever admit. When he reached the deck, he was just going to sit under the stars and breathe in the sea air, but he noticed the galley light was on. He hesitated. He could wait to talk to the cook, but hell he’s been doing that this whole time.
He made his way to the door, and paused. Why did he feel like he should knock? He disregarded the impulse and walked in. The cook was at the kitchen counter writing away in his notebook. He didn’t even look up when he spoke.
“Figures you would get up right at midnight. Sake is in the fridge, all yours as promised.” Zoro stood there taking him in. He had so much to say, but like always he couldn’t read the cook, not when it came to this. They talked, yes. They worked together seamlessly in battle. Zoro knew when Sanji needed help without him having to ask, and the other knew the same of Zoro. But feelings? They didn’t talk about those things. Zoro’s hesitation must have tipped Sanji off to something because he stopped his writing and stared back at him.
“You lost on our own ship, Moss?”
“Why haven’t you been sleeping? Only an Idiot weakens himself like that.” From the way Sanji’s body shrunk at his statement, he already knew he fucked up. Sanji closed his notebook and got up from the counter. He grabbed the bottle of sake out of the fridge, and shoved it into Zoro's chest. As Sanji made to move past him to the door, Zoro grabbed him by the waist with one arm.
“Cook, that…I’m sorry. Can we talk?” Sanji sighed but didn't move.
“I’m tired, as you pointed out, and you're shit at this.” Still the cook stayed wrapped in Zoro’s arm.
“Let me say what I have to say, and then you can sleep.”
“Not going to happen. You don’t get to give me the disadvantage in this fight.” Fight? They were going to fight? Here Zoro wanted to let the cook know that he valued him, hell if he felt confident enough he might tell him he loved him, but he never expected a fight.
“Fight? I don’t want to fight you, Curly.” He relaxed his arm so it hung loosely around Sanji’s waist. Sanji removed Zoro's hand from him, and walked past him towards the door.
“I’ll see you in the morning, Marimo.”
Zoro Retreated to the crows nest after that, he would sleep up there to give him some space.
He woke up early enough to join the cook in the kitchen while he cooked breakfast, but found himself hesitating at the door again. See you in the morning meant this, right? Zoro’s usual coffee with him? He walked in and sat at his spot at the counter. Sanji deposited his cup of coffee in front of him without sparing him a glance.
Silence. The cook was saying nothing to him, and their crewmates would be up in an hour give or take. Zoro cleared his throat. The cook did nothing, just went about checking the oven.
“Damn it Curly, are we talking or not?”
“I’m not fighting with you about this while I make sure the pastries for the ladies rise correctly.”
“I’m not fighting you, Cook. There’s just things I have to say.”
“You really are dense, you know. You think this is just about your dedication to the crew, and your heroic moment. It doesn’t fucking cross your mind that we could have lost you!” Zoro didn’t know what to say, the cook raised his voice at him constantly, but this was different. Sanji’s fist was clenched around his spatula, his jaw was set tensely, and if Zoro wasn't mistaken he was almost trembling.
“Cook…” Before Zoro could finish, Sanji cut him off.
“Out! Get out of my kitchen!”
Zoro did as he was told and left. He felt…guilty? Embarrassed? Ashamed? He never really expected the cook to care that much. Sure they were nakama, but he just assumed it wasn’t really that deep for the cook with him. Sure they flirted, but he was the love cook, it was kinda his thing. Even if Zoro was the only male member of the crew he flirted with. He just assumed it was because Zoro flirted with him. Lost in thought he bumped straight into Nami coming out of the Library.
“Zoro!” Nami took a step back, and studied him. “Don’t think so hard, you're going to hurt yourself.” She smirked at him, and made to move past him.
“Nami?” Her smile faded, and she stopped. Stepping back once again she read his expression.
“Come with me.” She grabbed Zoro by the wrist and dragged him back inside the library. They walked to her survey desk and she motioned for him to sit down on one of the chairs across from it. “Speak, it will cost you nothing.”
“Tell me again how the cook acted while I was out?”
“Like I said Zoro, he may hide it well but he was a wreck. He forgot to make Robin and I snacks in the afternoons. He stopped flirting with us at all. He just got quiet. He cooked, and when he wasn’t cooking he was in the infirmary with you.”
“Did he say anything to you about why?”
“No, but it's obvious why, Zoro.”
“It…wasn’t obvious to me, and he seems extremely angry with me because it's not.”
“Zoro…do you? Do you not know how Sanji feels about you? I assumed you two have worked some stuff out, but I never try to ask too much because you are both so private.”
“We’re nakama, but I just assumed it was circumstantial for him when it came to me.” Nami let out a dry laugh.
“You can’t be serious Zoro. After all this time? He’s by your side constantly. You two flirt constantly. I know you spend your mornings together.”
“That's all because of me. I started all that, because, well you know…”
“He doesn’t tell you to stop, he reciprocates. Hell, Zoro, I have seen him initiate flirting first all the damn time. How do you explain that?”
“Circumstantial, and flirting doesn’t explain why he just kicked me out of his kitchen.”
“Zoro, be serious with me right now. You thought this whole time, Sanji was what? Just killing time? Hanging out with you because he’s a part of the crew? Flirting with you because he likes the attention?”
“Yes.”
“You’re an Idiot.”
“What do I do, Nami? Everytime I try to talk to him he says he doesn’t have time to fight, and I’m not looking for one.”
“Well, you could start by apologizing for being an idiot. Then you just…listen.” Zoro got up from his chair.
“Thanks, Nami.” It's said in a low grumble, but Nami hears it nonetheless.
Zoro waited till he’s the last in the kitchen. Nami must have said something because the crew clears out fast after dinner. Zoro made his way to stand next to the cook at the sink, making sure to grab a towel. Sanji said nothing, and handed him dishes to dry anyway.
When they were done Sanji leaned against the counter and lit a cigarette. Zoro put the last dish away and leaned against the opposite counter.
“Look, I’m sorry for being…an idiot. Will you just talk to me?” Sanji Took a couple drags and stared at him.
“Why didn’t you let me do it?”
“That wasn’t an option. You said to find another cook, couldn’t let that happen.”
“And you think you’re replaceable?”
“Yes.”
“You’re right, you're an idiot.”
“Explain to me why I am an idiot?” Sanji put out his cigarette and crossed his arms.
“You’re an integral part of this crew. We need you, luffy would be devastated if you didn’t make it.”
“So this is about the crew, that's it?” Sanji stared down at his feet, and fidgeted with the lighter in his pocket, Zoro knew any second now he would pull out another cigarette, and end the conversation. He couldn’t let that happen, not after Nami drilled it into him that their relationship meant something to the cook. “It wasn’t just about the crew for me when I knocked you out.” Sanji raised his visible eyebrow, stopped fidgeting and met his gaze. “Look. Shit… Cook, I’m not good at this. You’re…you’re important to me. It’s different. You're not just nakama to me.” Sanji held his breath.
“What am I then?” Zoro raked his hand through his hair and groaned.
“Hope.”
“Hope?”
“Hope for a future beyond my dream.” Sanji laughed nervously.
“I’m going to need more detail Marimo.”
“I just never really thought I would want to settle down. I never really thought what life would be like after I achieved my goal, after we all achieved our goals.”
“And you want to settle down with me?”
“I do, yes, I would take whatever you would give me. I understand if you don't…feel the same way.”
“You’re being an idiot again.”
“That's what Nami said, but I need you to spell it out for me.”
“I spent a whole fucking week curled up in that chair, and you think I don’t feel the same way?”
“You never said anything.”
“I flirt with you all the time! You’re the only person I ask to play pack mule, not because you're strong, but because I enjoy your company. I always make you an alternative to dessert, since you don’t like sweet things. Ya, it's usually booze, but that's what you like. I didn’t go past that because I assumed you just wanted to sleep with me, like when you offered that one time when we first met.”
“I don’t just want to sleep with you..” Zoro sighed and locked eyes with the man he has been crazy about since he can remember. “Sanji, I just want to be by your side. I love my mornings with you. I love fighting with you and beside you. Just because I am an idiot doesn’t mean I don’t see everything you do for me. I just thought maybe you had grown from hating my guts to accepting my presence, maybe even appreciating it a little bit.”
“I never hated you. You just overwhelmed me. I knew I was fucked as soon as I saw you fight Mihawk. Then you asked me to sleep with you, like it was nothing for you. I didn’t want to risk feeling so much more for you and you feeling nothing. Especially since I just joined the crew.” Zoro let out a small chuckle.
“I thought if we slept together I wouldn’t grow attached to you, I was wrong.”
“We really make a great pair, aye marimo?”The swordsman watched in awe as Sanji smiled and laughed. He was truly beautiful. He watched the other man as if he was the most important thing in the world. Sanji, catching onto his gaze asked, “What are you staring at me for moss?”
“Do you know how pretty you are?” Sanji, caught off guard, blushed and put out his cigarette. “I’m serious, cook.” The blonde laughed nervously.
“Marimo…” Zoro stepped forward, wrapping his arm around Sanji’s waist, and with his other hand he brushed his hair behind his ear so he could see both of his eyes. Sanji looked at him and took a deep breath. He dropped his forehead against Zoro’s. “Promise me that from now on the only reason i’m going to want to kill you is for saying stupid shit like that, and not because you’re out to kill yourself.” Zoro smiled.
“Not stupid, and you know I can’t promise that.” Sanji leaned in and pressed his lips against the swordsmans. He smiled in between kissing him “I know.”