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“You’ve got to help me get him back.”
This was the first statement that had come out of Zoro’s mouth the moment he’d picked up the phone call from his best friend, Luffy, two weeks ago.
“Geez, ZoZo, buy me lunch first.” Luffy teased, and upon receiving silence as his response, cleared his throat and added, “Just kidding… I should’ve read the room first I guess.”
The main purpose of their call was to drag Zoro out of the miserable hole he’d been in for the last six months after his breakup with his boyfriend of eight years and figure out how the hell he was going to win him back.
Over the last six months, he’d texted, called, and even emailed Sanji, but had received nothing but silence as his response. It wasn’t like the breakup was unjust—it definitely wasn’t—but Zoro had expected more time to get his act together. What he had failed to realize at the time was that Sanji had spent the last six years of their relationship being patient, and after a while, even the most patient of partners would have cracked.
And that was exactly how their story had gone.
The two weeks between his initial request and the plotting had passed at a sluggish pace, with Zoro spending every second thinking about how he would approach Sanji, and what he would say or do, and most importantly, what the outcome of each approach would result in. Luffy was more moral support than actual help, but it was enough having someone in his corner, someone who believed he could actually pull it off.
He didn’t want to fuck this up. It was his one chance to win back the love of his life.
Amidst the anticipation of reuniting, Zoro gave himself space to feel the misery that had ruled his life for half an entire year, and especially now was as good a time as any to reflect on the ways that his relationship ending was a result of his shortcomings.
Zoro was at the halfway mark in the journey to the cabin where Usopp and Kaya were getting married which meant it was time to stop for a much-needed coffee break to cleanse himself.
Luckily for him, the cafe was empty, probably due to the unwillingness of the town’s locals to fight with the snow and make their way out to spend 300 berries on a simple latte.
When he was done ordering, Zoro grabbed his table number from the cashier, muttering his thank you as he scouted a comfortable seat to plant himself in. As soon as he sat down, he felt a pang of nostalgia.
It was the combination of watching the servers rush around the small building bringing people their piping hot lattes and warm, inviting breakfast orders and the soft ambiance caused by the music playing overhead that reminded him of simpler times.
As much as he wanted to convince himself that he was stronger, he was reminded of his humanity when his eyes began to water, the salty, regret-filled tears threatening to expose the pain he was working so hard to keep under wraps.
Zoro had made himself a promise that he intended to keep, but it was getting harder and harder with each passing day. Especially with the gathering he was taking his sweet, sweet time to arrive at. It wasn’t that he was avoiding Sanji (of course not)…it was more like, he didn’t want to show up to the beautiful winter cabin that his best friends had rented for the weekend early, because that meant feeling the anxiety of Sanji’s arrival for however long it took for him to get there.
He also didn’t want to be the last to arrive, though, because that meant showing up after Sanji, giving him the upper hand to explain their situation in whatever way he felt necessary.
That was another complication about the situation: the fact that nobody but Luffy knew that they’d broken up. This was largely because when he’d ended things, Sanji’s one request was that they wait until after Usopp and Kaya’s wedding.
“I don’t want to ruin it for them,” Sanji had explained. “Just because we can’t be happy doesn’t mean they should have to figure out logistical changes or babysit our emotions.”
“That’s true.” Zoro’s response had been numb because at the time, he’d been two minutes fresh out of the breakup and his brain was functioning at 3%.
If Zoro thought back to the breakup, he could imagine himself sitting in what felt like this exact spot in an entirely different cafe, waiting for Sanji to show up. It was almost summer then, and his hands had been clammy from the nervous build-up of sweat from his body.
He looked down at his hands now, a small smile sneaking its way across his face. Sure, he was still nervous, but this time, it was for an entirely different reason, and he didn’t have the distraction of clammy hands to make him focus on something else.
“Iced Americano?” A voice said suddenly.
Zoro looked up at the server in silence. She stood there for a moment, her excited smile morphing into something more nervous and unsure.
“Iced Americano with extra sugar, right?” She asked again, eyeing the table number he’d grabbed at the cashier’s for confirmation. “That’s your order?”
“Yeah, sorry.” He cleared his throat. “That’s my order.”
She placed the drink on the table and smiled again, grabbing the plate as she began making her way to the front.
Zoro sighed; he was definitely out of it today.
At least I don’t have to be nervous about getting dumped , he thought.
Yes, that was the benefit of knowing the relationship was over. He knew what he was walking into: a situation where his focus was on Usopp and Kaya… and winning Sanji back, of course.
Zoro sighed, his shoulders slumping as he lifted the cold cup to his lips. As he people-watched, he relished every sip, the rich, robust flavors dancing in his mouth, transforming each mouthful more into a symphony of flavor.
He needed to get going soon, but the memories were more important… preparing himself for the awkward experience of attending a wedding with his hopefully-soon-not-to-be-his-ex-boyfriend was more important.
He knew what was coming by deciding to dig up his memories, and yet he couldn’t stop himself. Unfortunately, there was something very addicting about giving into the misery of remembering.
Zoro recalled the moment when his world shifted, the chords of the song playing overhead serving as an unwanted soundtrack to the breakup. The cafe, once a haven of shared laughter that he was enjoying observing, now felt like a sort of mental prison. Regret hung in the air, heavy with unspoken words and the painful acknowledgment that such a beautiful and important aspect of his life was slipping away so quickly, and he was trying to do everything in his power to hang onto it.
He fought back tears, reminding himself of the promise he’d made, his gaze fixed on the cup before him, determined not to let the vulnerability surface in the presence of strangers.
Zoro was the sort of man who felt his emotions so deeply, but he often had to remind himself that he didn’t have to feel guilty about being emotional—he could simply be, and feel, and love , without the constant fear that he was doing the wrong thing.
It was an ironic thought now, though, because he’d lost the one man he’d ever loved because he’d done the wrong thing anyway.
If he started at the breakup, he would never leave that dark place, so Zoro decided to start from the beginning, the start of the steady decline of his eight-year-long relationship.
The invite for Usopp and Kaya’s wedding had come months before Zoro and Sanji’s breakup. Initially, when it had arrived, Sanji had jumped up and down excitedly, rushing to the front door to grab the crisp white envelope right out of the mailman’s hands, thanking him graciously as he sauntered into the apartment, his hands clutching the thick envelope like it was a billion berry check.
A smile tugged at the corners of Zoro’s lips, accompanied by the warm sensation of a blush forming on his cheeks. His mind wandered into the space where his cherished memories rested, captivated by the image of Sanji’s glowing, happy smile as he waved the letter around, playfully refusing to give it to Zoro.
“Hand it over.” Zoro attempted to sound stern, but his seriousness was drowned by his laughter.
“Only if you come and get it from my hands yourself, Marimo.” Sanji grinned, sticking his tongue out.
“Don’t test me… I will,” Zoro said, straightening himself as he started making his way to Sanji, who was now retreating, a clear sign of their favorite game starting.
It took two seconds for the chase to start. As Zoro chased Sanji, their laughter echoed around their small shared apartment, Zoro desperate for the wedding envelope, and Sanji teasing him by slowing down and picking up his running pace in an unpredictable manner.
As they darted through the tiny rooms in their apartment, the playful chase became a dance of love and laughter. Furniture became temporary obstacles, and the air was charged with a sense of competition. Usopp and Kaya’s wedding envelope, though a symbol of a significant event, quickly became the least important thing about their game.
“I’m out of breath.” Zoro stopped suddenly, placing his hands on his hips as he let out loud, dramatic exhales to steady his beating heart.
“You’re getting old, mosshead,” Sanji teased, regardless of the fact that they were both twenty-seven. He stopped in his place as he slowly walked towards Zoro, holding the envelope loosely.
Zoro was silent, continuing his rough breathing as he watched his extremely easily tricked, yet beautiful boyfriend stop in front of him, his hand resting on his shoulder, eyes filled with concern.
“And you’re getting gullible .” Before Sanji could react, Zoro snatched the envelope out of his hands, raising it in victory.
“Hey!” Sanji exclaimed. “Have some decorum! It’s an expensive wedding, so the invite is probably just as expensive and we should open it with care.”
Zoro had rolled his eyes, sticking his tongue out in defiance. “You should’ve thought about that before you made me chase you around. Anyway, the biggest thing this invite symbolizes is that we’re going to be partying it up with our best friends who we haven’t seen in months .”
To others, not seeing your friends post-college for three months was not a cause for dramatics. However, to Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, Nami, and Luffy, not seeing each other for three months was the same as not seeing each other for three years .
Sure, they’d graduated college over five years ago, but there was something so special about the way they’d still managed to stay connected and see each other often, regardless of how busy their lives had gotten.
Zoro and Sanji of course had moved in together midway through college at an appropriate time after they’d “finally admitted their feelings for each other” and had “stopped torturing their friends with their slow-burn romance” according to Nami.
Over the years, they’d focused on running Baratie, which they’d slowly started taking over from Uncle Zeff. Between that and the chaos of their side business at the Karate Dojo, the two of them were up to their necks in responsibilities and barely had any time for anything else, which had affected them more than Zoro had realized.
They’d spent less time on dates and more time in front of the television having rushed dinners with short conversations, the birthday gifts and ideas had dwindled down from elaborate showcases of love to simple, thoughtless presents, and worst of all, their intimacy had declined significantly. It wasn’t so much about making love or connecting with each other sexually, but the neglect of physical touch had been enough to drive both of them crazy and while Zoro was willing to let himself be distracted from the problem, Sanji was not.
Back then, though, business was not yet the core of their issues.
When it came to their relationships with others, everyone having less and less time for each other made sense the older they got. Everyone was well aware of Luffy’s big adventures across the seas as a travel blogger where he shared his adventures online and in articles, trying out different seafood dishes and tropical customs from wherever he was at any given week. It was the perfect career for him, considering he was the sort of person who had no interest in being in a romantic relationship.
And then there was Nami—she was a character .
Nami had always had the air of someone who could bring whatever world you imagined in your head into real life, and her career as an artist had proven to be the perfect fit for her. What had started as Nami doodling and sharing her pieces online (whether it was illustrations of intricate maps in worlds of her own imagination, portraits of people already in existence, or fashion illustrations) had turned into a full blown career before she even knew it.
Zoro and Sanji had never anticipated that Nami’s greatness would affect Baratie as much as it had, but putting up three of her paintings had proven to be a massive draw for people who were visiting town and wanted to see some of her pieces in real life.
That was the thing about Nami: people always wanted to be near her, and they would do whatever it took, even if that meant only being near something she had created instead.
The final piece to the puzzle was Usopp, who had always had an incredible skill when it came to telling tales. Nobody in this world could tell a story in the way he could, and for Usopp, that had meant entering a career in film.
He’d always wanted to be the person creating the stories that made people feel something when they sat down to watch a movie or television show, so he’d easily found his place as a producer, creating stories that evolved into blockbuster movies and incredibly popular shows. Zoro and Sanji had finished watching all 6 episodes of a new mini series he had produced and spent hours talking about how good the story was, sending him a series of messages about how well he did.
The only member of the group that wasn't quite a member, but was a beloved addition to their group was Kaya, Usopp’s now-fiancé.
Usopp and Kaya were childhood friends way before the friend group had been formed, but hasd lost communication for several years due to an illness she’d faced that had resulted in her dropping out of public school.
Nobody has been happier than Usopp when he’d received a follow request from her online two years ago. He’d wasted very little time reconnecting with her and making his move, unwilling to let his childhood love slip away again.
Kaya was gorgeous. She possessed a striking beauty with long, flowy blonde hair that gracefully framed her soft, inviting features. She was elegant and gentle, her tall, slim frame filled with confidence that was complemented by kind eyes that were hard to forget.
She was an easy person to love, so it wasn’t a shock when Usopp had called everyone five months into their relationship and announced that he was going to propose to her, and they would be married quickly.
“That’s so fast,” Nami had commented. Usopp had estimated less than a year between his proposal and their wedding on top of the speed of the engagement in the first place. “I mean…Kaya’s great, but don’t you want to see what else is out there? Not just about relationships, but about life?”
“Nami, a lot of people get married in under a year.” Zoro had commented.
“You’ll have a lot of food at the wedding, right?” Luffy questioned, voicing his one and only concern.
“Yes, there will be a lot of food, Lu.” Usopp laughed on the other side of the call. There was a brief silence before he continued, saying, “I love her, you guys, and I have only ever wanted to be with her, so why wait?”
“Then we’re with you, dude.” Sanji added from beside Zoro, as they’d taken the call from their living room couch. “We’re looking forward to your fancy rich-people invites!”
The invites had come and gone, and every member of the friend group had RSVP’d.
The only problem now was that very shortly after the invites had come their way, Zoro and Sanji went their separate ways, and now, he was using this trip as an opportunity to mend what had been broken.
—-
Two hours later, the crisp winter air cut through Zoro’s nerves as he parked his car in front of the snow-covered lodge and listened to his tires crunch on the fresh snow beneath.
He could hear his heart beating, the anxiety running through his body like adrenaline.
The lodge was adorned with twinkling lights and looked like a festive and welcoming sight, the total opposite of how he felt. Between the reflection at the cafe and the long drive, Zoro had managed to convince himself that seeing Sanji would not be a big deal, but clearly he was wrong.
If not for the all-consuming anxiety he felt, Zoro would have appreciated the beauty of the lush, inviting cabin and how it sparkled against the setting sun, the orange and purple hues of the sky adding layers of beauty to the entire atmosphere.
Stepping out of the car, an immediate chill made its way through his open coat, making his breath visible in the icy air as he exhaled. The wind whispered through the trees around him, reminding him that perhaps this was not as good of an idea as he initially thought, and contrary to his belief, the truth about his split with Sanji would in fact ruin the entire wedding week.
Zoro’s nervousness clung to him like the frost on the branches as he hesitantly approached the lodge entrance.
He knocked once and the door instantly flew open, a pajama-clad Luffy standing in the entryway, his eyes wide and his lips spread out into a big smile.
“ZO-ZO!” Luffy exclaimed, spreading his arms out as he wrapped them around Zoro, embracing him in a tight hug. As they collided, the months of not seeing each other melted away, the warmth of familiarity blurring the world of pain that Zoro had become accustomed to.
“Were you literally standing in front of the door waiting for me to walk up?” Zoro laughed softly, wrapping his arms around Luffy as he returned the warm embrace.
“Maybe…” Luffy trailed off in an attempt to be mysterious, his eyes scanning behind Zoro as if he was looking for something behind him.
“The answer is yes, by the way.” Nami said as she strolled casually into the entryway, a smile on her lips as she made her way to the two men. “Nice to see you, Fantasista.”
Zoro let out a breath. The familiarity of one of his favorite nicknames felt exactly like the sensation of walking into a warm room after spending hours out in the cold with nothing shielding him from the weather’s harshness.
As the two of them hugged, Nami patted his back, then mirrored Luffy’s gesture of looking behind him in search for something, which Zoro now had a fearful suspicion was actually someone . If he had the power in him, he would have dragged Luffy to the side and asked him why he was making everything so damn obvious .
Nami and Luffy were silent after their excited greetings, the two of them stepping aside to let him into the warmth of the lodge. It completely enveloped him, but did little to thaw the icy tendrils of anxiety gripping his chest.
“Is that the Roronoa Zoro?” Usopp’s voice spilled into the room as he entered, followed by Kaya, whose face was filled with a bright, sparkling smile. A mix of emotions circulated through Zoro, caught between a nervous smile and a natural excitement about the wedding ahead.
As he stepped past Luffy and Nami, burdened by his suitcase, Zoro felt Nami’s hand rest on the heavy bag, a friendly reminder that someone was there to help him. As he relinquished his hold, he felt the immediate ease of the suitcase’s weight on his shoulders, and momentarily, on his heart.
“Where’s Sanji?” Kaya asked suddenly, her neck extending as she looked behind Zoro, waiting for the eccentric blond to announce his arrival.
Zoro was silent for a moment, shocked by the fact that his ex-boyfriend had not arrived at the cabin before him. It wasn’t like Sanji to be late to such an event, if at all, and the fact that he’d yet to arrive at the venue was more than a little bit concerning.
“What do you mean, where’s Sanji?” Zoro asked. “He’s not here yet?”
Nami’s eyebrow raised as she gave Zoro a skeptical look. “You don’t know where your own boyfriend is?”
“He’s… handling some stuff before he heads this way. We had to leave separately because...” he trailed off, trying to make his brain think of a reason that would be sensible and believable, but at the same time, was easy for Sanji to pick up on when he showed up.
“Oh!” Luffy suddenly exclaimed. “He’s still picking up the medicine, right?”
“Med—oh, yeah. Just in case someone’s got an allergy to something he makes this weekend…” Zoro let the rest of his statement hang in the air.
“That’s so silly,” Nami commented. “You know Kaya’s probably got every medicine known to man in that cabinet of hers.”
“You’re right.” Zoro nodded, realizing his excuse made no sense. “But you know what they say about medicine… the more, the merrier.”
“Nobody says that.” Nami crossed her arms sternly.
“They do!” Luffy countered. “I’ve heard it myself!”
“When?” She challenged, her eyebrow raised.
Luffy, refusing to respond, suddenly began whistling and looking around for something to distract himself. His attention quickly landed on Koby, who was making his way into the room.
“I guess we just need to wait for him to show up then?” Koby suggested as he held onto the towel that was wrapped tightly around his head.
Koby’s long, pink hair was matted to his neck and he looked like he’d just finished expelling his body weight in sweat, his eyes red and swollen. He looked at Zoro for a second, and then at Luffy, who was now bouncing on his feet.
“What the hell happened to you ?” Zoro asked, his eyes wide with shock.
“That sauna,” Koby responded. “It’s no fucking joke--my entire body was melting in there…I think I’m going to be sick.”
“I told you not to stay in there for an hour,” Nami chided.”But nobody listens to me until there’s a problem.”
Everyone was silent for a moment, taking in Nami’s efforts to rebuke Koby’s obedience, and Zoro couldn’t help but smile.
“Maybe you should call him, Zoro,” Nami suggested.
“Call him? Oh, yeah, that would be a good idea.” Something about calling Sanji made him nervous, especially because he hadn’t heard Sanji’s voice in months. It would be strange to call him up like this now without warning, but it was now or never, and above all else, he was grateful that he hadn’t deleted Sanji’s phone number. It would’ve made things even worse if he had to ask for it on top of his flimsy excuse.
Zoro looked nervously at his friends as he pulled his phone out of his pocket, making sure to enter his phone number directly rather than opening his messenger app. He didn’t want to be reminded of how long ago they’d spoken, and his refusal to clue his friends in on his broken relationship felt stronger than any other urge he’d ever felt.
Zoro’s finger hovered over the call button, heavy as lead as he stood still for a second and took a deep breath before pressing the green button and lifting his phone to his ear.
Ten seconds never felt longer as the silence in the room stretched on, nothing but the sound of the call filling his ear.
Just when Zoro thought the call would move to voicemail, the ringing tone stopped and on the other end of the call, Zoro heard, “um… hello?”
“Hi.” Zoro was aware of how stiff his voice was, but he could not bring himself to sound cheerful or excited when he had no time to prepare for the smooth sound of Sanji’s voice for the first time in so long. “Are you on your way?”
“Yeah.” Sanji’s voice sounded stiff. “I’m about an hour away…I think.”
“An hour?” Zoro nodded, repeating it for the group’s sake as he continued to listen to the phone call. “That sounds good. See you soon… um, I love you.”
Before he could wait to hear the response back from Sanji, Zoro hung up, shoving his phone back into his pocket. He didn’t want to take the chance of hearing silence behind the other end of the call, but there was no way he could end a call with Sanji without telling him he loved him—not when his friends were watching so closely on the edge of their seats, their faces primed and plucked in humorous ways for the wedding that was happening in less than 24 hours.
Zoro spent the next hour unpacking his suitcase in the bedroom he and Sanji would be sharing for the weekend. There was no way in hell Zoro would have suggested separate rooms, as that would’ve clued the happy couple into the possibilities of trouble in paradise with “their favorite cook and his moss-haired lover” as they liked to tease them, but it hadn’t really occurred to him that there wouldn’t be a separate bed either. Which, of course, wouldn’t have been a problem for two people dating, but for two people secretly broken up... well, maybe Zoro could use it to his advantage.
He sat down on the bed and tried to get his thoughts together. Under no circumstances would he allow his shame and pain to bleed through. This weekend was about two of his favorite people tying the knot, and he was going to do everything in his power to make sure this would be a happy memory for them for the rest of their lives.
Even if that meant breaking his own heart.
—
When almost an hour had passed, Zoro made his way upstairs, freshly showered and in a pair of new pajamas that he’d bought specifically for the weekend (certainly the need for new pajamas was not because he’d been cycling through his non-sleepwear clothes to avoid the laundry pile that had been slowly growing for the last six months).
As he walked into the living room, he saw his friends all gathered around the coffee table, each of them with a steaming cup of cream colored liquid, many of their faces filled with disgust and concern as they looked anywhere but at Luffy who was excitedly humming in the kitchen.
Zoro stepped closer, his eyes planted on a cup of the same mystery substance making its way toward him, held by Luffy a little too excitedly.
“What’s this?” Zoro asked.
“Luffy tried to make spiked eggnog.” Nami said, struggling to stand up as she grabbed her very-full cup and walked towards the kitchen without looking back at the rest of the living room inhabitants. “Emphasis on tried .'“
“Well, everyone was saying they wanted something warm and boozy.” Luffy shrugged. “So I made them something warm and boozy. It’s a tough crowd out here.”
“Luffy, you cracked an entire egg into a bowl of milk and poured half a container of sugar into it,” Usopp sighed as he sank deeper into the couch.
“It’s called eggnog,” Luffy mumbled.
“It’s called following a recipe,” Nami called back.
“It’s called taking creative liberties and inventing new things,” Luffy argued back, lips curling into a smile.
“Recipes exist for a reason , Lu,” Koby reminded him. “And besides, eggnog already exists. It’s not like you made something new.”
“I can’t wait for Sanji to show up.” Kaya said softly, her eyes refusing to meet Luffy’s as she carefully handed her drink to her husband-to-be. Standing for Usopp was a struggle, partly due to juggling two incredibly full mugs of boozy eggnogs, and partly from the pressure of Luffy’s intense stare-down.
“You too?” Luffy groaned. "Wow… you really can’t trust anyone out here.”
“Sorry, Luffy.” Usopp shrugged weakly. “Sometimes you gotta leave these things to the experts.”
“At least I have Zoro.” Luffy’s smile was contagious as he looked at Zoro, eyes sparkling with anticipation of his agreement. “Right? I can count on you, right?”
“No.” The statement was simple and blunt, but it was enough to make Luffy raise his eyebrows.
“You okay?” Luffy asked, suddenly lowering his voice to a whisper as he stepped closer. “Nervous about Sanji’s arrival?”
“No?” Zoro prickled. “Why would I be nervous about that?”
“Well…” Luffy trailed off, looking left and right before suspiciously leaning in further. If there was one thing you could rely on when it came to Luffy, it was him doing a terrible job at secrecy and stealth. “I thought maybe you were nervous because this is the first wedding we’ve had in the friend group, and I don’t know, maybe the whole you-guys-are-broken-up-and-you’re-trying-to-win-him-back thing?”
“Why would that make me nervous though?” Zoro raised an eyebrow. “He either wants to get back together or he doesn’t.” The truth was, he was extremely nervous, but he wasn’t going to let it show.
“Well, if you’re not nervous, why are you standing around like you’ve got a pickle shoved up your ass?” Luffy questioned. “You might not be an easy guy to read, but I’ve known you long enough to—.”
Before Luffy could finish speaking, bright headlights shone through the curtains, the clear marker the final arrival. Everyone was alert immediately, their eyes darting to the door, and then to Zoro, who was still standing there awkwardly.
This is my cue , he thought. Everyone’s waiting for me to do something .
Zoro inhaled, abandoned his drink in Luffy’s hands, and made his way to the front door.
This was the moment that Zoro had spent the last six months trying to figure out how to react to. He opened the door, finally laying his eyes on the man he had so desperately loved for the last eight years of his life and would probably keep loving for the rest of it, no matter how the weekend went..
“Hey.” He smiled, despite the feeling of his heart caving in, because he couldn’t help himself. He needed to keep his positive energy up. That was the only way to keep things moving forward.
“Hey Zoro,” Sanji breathed out, his face unreadable as he stepped around him.
As Sanji fully entered the warmth of the living room, he was greeted first by Luffy, who immediately embraced him in a warm hug, their bodies swaying from side to side as Luffy squeezed him close, Sanji gasping for air. Usopp and Kaya were more tame, each of them taking their turns to hug Sanji, Kaya delicately embracing him, while Usopp held onto his shoulders and stared into his eyes, an unspoken moment happening between them. Much like Kaya, Koby’s greeting was simple and pleasant.
“So you’ve finally decided to show up, have you?” Nami teased, going in for her hug as she let out a hearty laugh. Her hug was warm and friendly, and as she pulled away, she locked eyes with Zoro, adding, “I see you saved yourself for last.”
Zoro and Sanji locked eyes, the two of them unsure about how to proceed with their greetings. Zoro had been so focused on cataloging the stark difference in his ex-boyfriend's appearance that he hadn’t really considered the logistics of their first hug post-breakup.
Once impeccably groomed, Sanji now appeared disheveled, his usually polished demeanor replaced by a disarray of untidy clothes and unkempt hair.
Sanji’s eyes were dulled by the persistent lack of sleep. He was frail and thinner than he’d been the last time the two of them had seen each other, and the lines of worries etched on his face did nothing to improve his overall frail demeanor.
The unexpected sight left a lingering tension in the air and a pang in Zoro’s heart.
The rest of the night was packed with excited chatter, the conversations increasing several decibels after Sanji’s arrival. As they argued over what movie to watch, which version of Sanji’s famous (and less toxic) boozy eggnog to drink, and what time they’d be waking up in the morning, Zoro couldn’t help but steal glances at the miserable blonde he sat a few inches away from, his face changing from extremely engaged and excited to blank every time he thought nobody was looking at him.
Zoro looked at him out of the corner of his eye, amazed at how well Sanji could light up the room for him just by sitting there, even when he clearly looked like he'd been run over. And then that bus or truck had backed up to hit him again.
Maybe this was the worst moment to do this, but the fact that Zoro and Sanji were sitting on the couch together made him feel like there was some hope to cling to. Sure, they hadn’t spoken much or really at all over the last few months, but there was a focus now on the two of them, and that, in combination with the replacement spiked eggnog meant that Zoro felt brave enough to rest his arm over Sanji’s shoulders, smiling as the other man’s eyes widened.
“You guys look so cute like that,” Luffy said suddenly, springing up and grabbing his polaroid camera. Before either Sanji or Zoro could protest, he was shushing them, arms flapping left and right as he commanded them to get closer, causing a commotion until the two men were pressed further into each other, fake smiles pasted on.
The camera light flashed bright white, capturing their awkwardness forever. As the polaroid spat out the dark square, Luffy grabbed it and shook it around, his wrists frantically working to make the photo develop faster.
“It’s probably smarter to just set it down somewhere to develop, Lu.” Nami suggested, looking up from her phone for the first time in the last hour.
“This way’s more fun,” Luffy countered, continuing to shake the polaroid around.
Nami grinned, sure she was not going to win this battle, so instead, she nodded and resumed her energetic tapping on her phone.
“Alright, this is a good time for us to head to bed,” Usopp said as he stood up a little abruptly. It was more of an announcement that he was ready to go to bed, and had clearly been dreaming of much needed beauty sleep all day amid the games and excitement, but he wasn’t wrong..
“Lu and I should probably head to bed too,” Koby added, brushing the cookie dust on his pajama pants to the floor.
Slowly, everyone in the room began peeling off and heading to their own beds until, with a look from Luffy that existed somewhere between nervous and encouraging, Zoro was left with Sanji..
“Looks like it’s just the two of us.” He meant for it to come off as flirty, but he could tell by the look on Sanji’s face that the same level of amusement did not exist in his head. The two of them traveled through the cabin silently, with Zoro on Sanji’s heel, his head angled towards the floor as he worked up the courage to say something to his silent ex-boyfriend.
Getting into bed was more awkward than Zoro had originally planned. His idea of romancing his ex and making him see that they were meant to be together was more work than he was suddenly sure he could handle. Once it had been the most natural thing in the world to pull Sanji close to his chest, and now they laid with their backs to each other like strangers.
Were they, now? Was it too late for Zoro’s plan? Was his last chance slipping away from him faster the longer it took to unstick the words from his throat?
“It made me happy today.” Sanji said suddenly.
Zoro was holding his breath, nervousness keeping its hand around his windpipe. If he didn’t play his cards right, Sanji would calm up again and he was running on a tight shift.
“Zoro, are you awake?” Sanji’s voice was low, his breathing slowed.
“Yeah, I’m awake,” Zoro said. “I’m awake, baby.”
“Baby...” Sanji sniffed. “You’ve missed me too, haven’t you?”
“Yeah.” His voice was loud in the silence of their room, but the confession was quiet, close to his chest..
“You never called me. You never even sent a text message,” Sanji said. “How can you miss me when you never tried to talk to me?”
“Sanji, you broke up with me ,” Zoro reminded him. “You broke up with me and then you went radio silent. I’d have to have zero respect for myself to contact you after that.”
“Some would say that was you fighting for me, by the way.”
“You wanted me to fight for you?” Zoro sat up, baffled. If he’d known this, he would’ve done it months sooner.
He could hear Sanji’s sighs as he waited to respond, finally saying, “Nobody breaks up with someone like you without expecting them to fight. Let’s go to bed, I’m tired.”
Zoro started to say something, but Sanji’s voice had a sharp edge of finality to it. He decided instead to take a deep breath and ready himself for bed, at the very least feeling safe that this conversation wasn’t truly over. He still had a chance to fight, if that was what Sanji wanted.
In the quiet stillness, Zoro watched Sanji lightly snore, his body rising and falling, wrestling with the unresolved emotions that hung in the air. The weight of unspoken words and his desire to embrace him was too much to bear.
As he stared into the darkness, contemplating reaching out to Sanji, a wave of fatigue washed over him. Zoro's eyelids grew heavy, and the allure of sleep called out to him.
He took in a breath, each passing second pulling him closer to the embrace of slumber, and slowly closed his eyes, allowing his sadness and weariness to carry him away into the realm of dreams; into a world where he and Sanji had never parted ways in the first place.
The unspoken words lingered, suspended in the night as he gave in.
—
The wedding morning was filled with an air of chaos, the bustling energy of preparation consuming the entire cabin as everyone ran back and forth from the venue trying to sort things out. In the bride’s room, dresses were strewn across the bed, Nami aggressively painting and dabbing and rubbing an array of make-up on Kaya’s face. At the same time, Koby was tugging at Kaya’s long, blonde hair, a steaming curling iron rotating back and forth as he curled her hair into thick, shiny ringlets. Between the patting, the curling, and the blend of hairspray and nerves filling the air, Zoro didn’t know how any of the people in that room maintained their sanity.
Downstairs, Luffy and Usopp navigated a confusing yet colorful maze of mismatched ties and missing cufflinks, desperately trying to stay on task and stick to the schedule. Flower arrangements were being frantically arranged by hired florists and the scent of the fresh blooms mixed with the aroma of the breakfast Sanji was whipping up in the kitchen.
“Need any help?” Zoro had asked earlier while he was traveling around the cabin.
Sanji looked up, a small smile on his face. It was obvious that he wanted to ask, but he didn’t know how. “No, I’m good,” he said. “I’ll let you know if I do later, though.”
His statement felt like an olive branch, and Zoro was willing to accept it for now. He had faith in the idea that their time for a conversation would come, and when it did, it would be magnificent.
Amidst the chaos, guests scurried around like busy ants, attending to last-minute details and making sure everything was in its rightful place. The wedding day was going smoothly with the promise of a clear sky, already-fallen snow coating the cabin, trees, and surrounding landscape with a gorgeous blanket of thick, perfectly white. However, nature had its own plans.
As the ceremony began, the guests seated themselves in the indoor hall. Usopp stood at the top of the stage, his eyes already glassy from the thought of finally marrying the woman he loved so dearly.
Gentle strains of music filled the air, all eyes turned to the entrance. Kaya, adorned in a breathtaking gown that sparkled from head to toe, the fitted bust accentuating her shoulders and chest in a way that captured everyone’s attention. Kaya began her journey towards Usopp, her hand looped into Koby’s.
The atmosphere in the venue shifted, charged with a palpable sense of anticipation and emotion. Zoro sniffed, hearing as Nami did the same, joyful tears slipping down her cheeks as she stared in awe.
Kaya’s steps echoed like a rhythmic heartbeat, drawing closer to Usopp, the tension in the room building. Every guest had their eyes peeled on her, watching in awe, their breaths collectively held as Kaya, a vision of grace and perfection, moved gracefully down the aisle.
Usopp, standing at the altar with a mixture of excitement and nervousness, couldn't help but be captivated by the radiant presence of his soon-to-be wife. A tender smile played on his lips as he locked eyes with Zoro for a moment, and then his bride, the depth of their connection evident in the unspoken language only they understood.
The collective hush in the room was a testament to how powerful witnessing their union was. Usopp and Kaya read their vows to each other, the two of them pausing to wipe tears from their eyes, and many in the audience joined them.
Outside, tiny snowflakes began to descend from the heavens. At first, the delicate snowflakes seemed like a whimsical dance, creating a magical atmosphere that was easy to enjoy from the warmth of the indoors.
As the snowfall outside intensified, it transformed the surroundings into a winter wonderland. The initial blanket of snow was quickly rising to duvet levels and higher . It was a beautiful scene, the contrast of the delicate snow against the vibrant colors of the wedding attire added an enchanting touch to the occasion.
When the ceremony was over, the crowd rushed outside with their coats, desperate to take photos with the happy couple against the magical backdrop, people cycling in and out as Kaya and Usopp froze in their efforts to capture the perfect wedding photos.
Later, when everyone had settled and it was time to warm up with food and cocktails, Luffy came storming into the room, his eyes filled with worry.
“I need you to go to the store right now,” he demanded.
“The store?” Zoro furrowed his brow. “It’s snowing outside, Luffy. Very heavily, might I add.”
“Doesn’t matter.” Luffy shook his head. “I need you to go to the store down the road and get this specific ingredient for me,” he said, holding up the dire necessity in question.
“Okay…” Zoro trailed off. “Luffy, we definitely have vanilla extract in the cabinet.”
“Yeah, but we don’t have enough .” He rolled his eyes. “I need it for the dessert I’m making for all of us tonight and there’s like, one drop in there.”
“You’re making something?” Zoro felt his stomach turn in preparation. “Maybe you should leave that to Sanji.”
“Sanji!” Luffy exclaimed. “You’re so right. You should take Sanji with you. I might need some other things too, and he’d be able to help you carry them.”
Before Zoro could properly protest, Luffy had managed to drag a very exhausted looking Sanji into the room.
“I don’t need any help carrying groceries, Luffy,” Zoro protested. “Plus it’s cocktail hour right now, probably not the best time for two of the celebrants’ friends to disappear out of nowhere for baking supplies.”
“Sanji, say something,” Luffy whined. “You know how important the right ingredients are for baking.”
“I guess you’re right.” Sanji shrugged.
“So you’re going to go with Zoro then?” Luffy asked.
“Yeah, let me get my things.”
Zoro stood frozen in his spot as he watched Luffy and Sanji run around. As expected, what had started with a simple request for one singular thing had morphed into every member of the group tacking something onto the rapidly growing grocery list.
“You should take my car,” Usopp suggested. “There’s more room for all the bags you’re going to be bringing back from the store.”
“Nah,” Zoro said. “I should be good with mine. I need something I’m used to driving in this weather.”
As the two of them headed out the door, they were greeted by a freezing cold gust of wind. Zoro shivered as he and Sanji ran ahead to his car, shutting the door quickly as he started it, desperate for the heat to come through and give them some much needed comfort.
There were a lot of things Zoro hadn’t been taking care of lately, and his car was one of those things. Luckily for him, it had made its way smoothly to the cabin, and he could only pray it would make it through the entire weekend as he turned it on. It sputtered for a second, then started. Zoro let out a breath and then pulled out, getting on his way. The drive to the store was smooth and silent, Sanji looking out of the window longingly as if he’d rather be anywhere but here.
The store that Luffy had instructed them to go to was fortunately open, despite the inclement weather, and as the two of them walked up and down the aisles reading off the list and grabbing what was needed, the awkward silence continued to stretch out.
Maybe he didn’t want to talk, but Zoro could hardly understand why he’d accompany him if there was going to be no attempt at a discussion.
They checked out, carefully walking over the icy sidewalk with their inadequate shoes, the two of them trying to hang on to the groceries and make it to the car safely. If things had been resolved, Zoro could have held Sanji’s hand to keep it warm, but if Sanji wasn’t going to try then all he could do was try and telepathically will the wind to stay away from him. He’d always been the warmer one between the two of them, and he missed Sanji relying on him for it more than he realized.
After loading everything into the trunk and backseat, they rushed into the car, taking a second to breathe. One thing Zoro couldn't understand was why a store like that in a city like this where it apparently snowed so much couldn’t have a closer parking lot.
But they were safely inside the car, at least, and now they were stuck together for a little while longer while Zoro waited for his car to heat up. He rubbed his biceps and watched Sanji hold his hands over the vents until he couldn’t take the silence any longer.
“So… how have you been?” Zoro cringed, knowing he sounded as awkward as he felt, waiting in anxiety for the other man to respond.
Somewhere during the grocery run, he’d started wondering if it was even worth it to try and win him back. Maybe Sanji had only fallen under the night’s spell and regretted trying to talk to him after walking up. Unfortunately, Zoro didn’t believe in forcing someone who was clearly uninterested in having a conversation, so he was losing the will to keep fighting when he couldn’t trust that it was what Sanji truly wanted.
“Zoro, what is this?” Sanji sighed. “What are you trying to do here? Are you asking me these questions because you feel uncomfortable being around me?”
“No.” Zoro bit his lip and then put the car in drive. The car wasn’t warm yet, but the sooner they were separated again, he was starting to feel like it’d be for the better.
The snow continued to fall gently as Zoro and Sanji drove back from the grocery store, their breath visible in the frosty air as the heater finally began to warm up. The windshield wipers swayed rhythmically, clearing the accumulating snowflakes.
The car hummed along the snow-covered road, but suddenly, everything went silent. Well, silent after the car made a sound that sounded like a screech of metal and a pathetic splutter before going completely still.
"Fuck—looks like the battery is dead," he muttered, trying to restart the engine to no avail.
Sanji sighed, his breath forming a visible cloud. "Of all the times for the damn car to die, it had to be in the middle of nowhere, in this freezing weather when we’re not even a mile away from the cabin."
The two men bundled up in their winter coats, stepping out into the biting cold. Zoro popped the hood, inspecting the engine as Sanji paced around, rubbing his hands together for warmth.There could not have been a worse time for this to happen; things were already awkward enough as they were between the two of them without the added pressure of a dead battery in the middle of an incoming winter storm.
"Hey, Marimo, any idea how to fix this?" Sanji asked, his irritation evident in the cold air.
Zoro fought to not roll his eyes playfully. Of course Sanji had had nothing to say to him for the entire drive to the store, but now he suddenly had energy to showcase his irritation.
Zoro shook his head. “Unfortunately, I’m pretty sure this battery’s lost its life. We should call Luffy to jump it or something.”
With reluctant acknowledgement, Sanji took out his phone and dialed Luffy's number. As they waited in the freezing cold, Zoro noticed Sanji shivering. "You look like you're about to turn into a popsicle," he remarked.
Sanji was silent for a moment, returning to his awkward, thoughtful self that he’d been since his arrival. "I'm just trying to survive this icy hell and get back."
Luffy's voice crackled through the phone’s speaker. "Hey, what's up? Where are you guys?”
Zoro explained their predicament and Luffy, ever enthusiastic, agreed to come to their rescue. As they waited for him, the cold became unbearable, their winter coats doing little to shield them from the frigid air.
Zoro looked over to Sanji, who looked like he was icing over in real time. He stared up at the sky, trying not to think of how quickly his plan had seemed to fall apart. It was a silly idea, he admitted, thinking he could show up here and win Sanji back with nothing but words when Sanji didn’t want to truly talk to him.
“We should get back inside the car,” he suggested. “So we can at the very least savor the warmth from the heater earlier. At the very least, we can avoid the wind.”
“Yeah,” Sanji agreed.
Zoro gestured for Sanji to enter the back seat, the two of them scooting in close until their shoulders were pressed against each other.
Zoro couldn’t help it. He was already taking his opportunity to be so close to Sanji, he couldn’t resist looping his arm around the other boy and pulling him into his body heat.
"Damn it, Marimo." Sanji grumbled, sniffing as he huddled closer to Zoro. “You could have called me at least once.”
“I thought about it every day,” Zoro admitted, shifting even closer to Sanji. “I missed you so much, but I didn’t know how to say it. I knew the breakup was my fault.”
“The breakup was on both of us,” Sanji told him. “We had less time for each other, and you were putting in less effort, and I wasn’t saying anything about how miserable it made me.”
“Yeah,” Zoro agreed, “but you were in pain, and I didn’t even notice. What kind of person doesn’t notice something like that?”
“The kind of person who’s just as busy as their counterpart, I guess.” Sanji sniffed.
“I’m sorry,” He said simply. “I wish we could fix it.”
“You do?” Sanji sat up, looking the other man in the eye as he searched for something—and then Zoro realized he was looking for any sign that Zoro was feeling the same pain he had been all this time, on his own.
“Yeah.” Zoro nodded. “I want to fix things… and figure out how we can be together again, in a better way this time. I had this silly plan with Luffy to spend the whole weekend doing romantic things to win you back, but...”
He trailed off, given it was clear to both of them how that had gone, but there was no shame in the silence. Only hope as Sanji huddled closer to him Sanji's usually confident demeanor crumbled under the biting chill. Shivers racked his body, but despite the physical and emotional discomfort, a deep, hearty laugh erupted from him. It was a laughter laced with irony and resilience, each chuckle punctuated by the visible puffs of breath in the frigid air.
Zoro glanced at him, eyebrows raised. "What's so funny, Cook?"
Sanji continued to laugh. "Isn't it just typical? Stranded in the middle of nowhere, freezing our asses off while trying to work through our bullshit."
“Yeah, almost like a romcom, isn’t it?”
“Well, we’re in a Hallmark special right now, Moss Head,” Sanji said with a grin, his shoulders shaking as he held back another laugh. “We broke up, we’re at a winter wedding, you’ve been trying—terribly, might I add—to make attempts to win me back, and now we’re stranded in the middle of the freezing cold in a dead car huddled up like peasants. It doesn’t get cheesier than that.”
“I guess I really did horribly, but in my defense, Luffy was a terrible assistant.” Zoro defended.
“Something tells me you’re wrong about that,” Sanji said. “ I know we had enough vanilla extract for whatever he wanted to make, and Luffy doesn’t even know how to bake well. This was definitely a plot to get us out of the cabin together.”
“You think?” Zoro raised his eyebrow.
“Yes, you fool,” Sanji chuckled. “You were failing horribly and I thought maybe you hated seeing me again after I broke your heart, so I was walking on eggshells around you. If we’d kept it to the two of us, we wouldn't even be having this conversation.”
“I guess you’re right,” Zoro told him. “I just..I’ve been reflecting a lot over the last few months about why we broke up, and why I really struggled so much to give you space in my life. I think deep down, I was scared. Scared of committing, scared of my life changing, and scared of losing you… but that happened anyway, didn’t it?” He laughed bitterly.
“You lost me because it stopped feeling like you needed me,” Sanji admitted. “I felt like anyone could’ve been by your side and it wouldn’t have mattered.”
“Nobody would ever matter more than you.”
“I wish you’d told me sooner, Marimo.”
“I’m telling you now . In the middle of a snowstorm, after a winter wedding, in a car with a dead battery.”
The freezing air hung heavy around their huddled bodies, their proximity closer than ever. Their shared struggle against the cold had brought them physically close, but their shared torture about the breakup had brought them emotionally closer, which felt more important than anything else.
Zoro’s intense gaze met Sanji's, their breaths visible in the frosty air as their bodies generated more warmth. The proximity was undeniable, and for a fleeting moment, it seemed like the frigid weather had sparked an unexpected warmth between them.
Maybe Sanji was right about Luffy’s plan, and this was a plot concocted by their messiest best friend, and if it was, Zoro was going to have to thank him in the greatest way possible, though that was a thought for later.
As the two of them looked into each other’s eyes, the world around them faded, and in that delicate moment, their lips hovered just inches apart.
But before the tension could escalate further, the distant sound of a familiar voice broke the spell, a hand frantically knocking on the car window. "Hey, guys! Need a hand?"
Luffy's voice cut through the almost-kiss, shattering the brief, charged atmosphere. Zoro and Sanji swiftly pulled away from each other, their faces reddened not just from the cold but also from the sudden interruption.
Luffy, with his usual obliviousness, attempted to open the car door, causing Zoro and Sanji to nearly spill out onto the snow. "You guys okay? You look like icicles."
“That’s what happens when your car dies in the middle of winter and you have to sit in it, Lu,” Zoro grumbled.
As Luffy enthusiastically inspected the car, completely unaware of the near-missed moment, Zoro and Sanji exchanged a glance—a mix of relief and embarrassment. The icy air that had moments ago held a hint of warmth now returned to its biting chill, and the almost-kiss hung in the air as an unspoken, interrupted chance.
As Luffy tinkered with the car, attempting to jumpstart the dead battery, Zoro and Sanji couldn't help but steal glances at each other. The tension from the almost-kiss lingered, Zoro’s eyes traveling to Sanji’s lips, and then his eyes, a soft smile making its way onto his lips.
Sanji's lips curved into a small grin in response. Maybe this unexpected rendezvous in the frozen wilderness was a turning point, a chance to mend what had been broken, and he would win the love of his life back after all.
Luffy, paying little attention to what was happening, finally got the car engine roaring back to life. "All good now! Ready to roll and make some baked goods!"
As the car sputtered to life, Zoro and Sanji exchanged a final glance, a shared understanding passing between them. They watched Luffy rush back to his car, waving at them as he got in, his engine starting almost immediately.
They followed suit, Zoro’s car pulling away from the snowy roadside, leaving behind their almost kiss, and the awkwardness of their breakup discussion behind with the cold, wintry air. The unspoken promise of a renewed connection bloomed in their chests and they knew that, despite their months of pain and tears, the awkwardness of seeing each other for the first time in so long, the frosty interruptions, and the icy chill of the winter night, they were on the path to fixing their relationship.
The car's engine hummed loudly, and the warmth in the car returned in full force, not just to the vehicle but also to the hearts of two lovers finding their way back to each other.