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For as long as he can remember, Sanji was a romantic. Poetry, chivalry, literature. He was a huge cliché worthy of the greatest romcoms and he couldn't even deny it. When the entrance exams arrived, he already knew exactly what he was going to do. He studied literature and left college with good indications to be a successful teacher.
But not everything was a bed of roses. Germa Catholic School was his seventh circle of hell. The obvious reprisals, the threats whenever he tried to give advance notice, the prejudice he suffered from his co-workers. Zeff, his father, tried to convince him to leave Germa, if his benefits were threatened be damned. But Sanji was well aware of his financial conditions, he wanted to help his father as much as possible.
Suddenly, love had left Sanji. He no longer felt passion for his life.
But that was five years ago. For certain reasons he ended up being fired, some murmuring between the students parents about a meeting that Sanji had with another man and was photographed - a poor attempt by a friend to cheer him up by finding someone for him and that Sanji doesn't know if it was luck or a misfortune - And Sanji found himself free, despite being unemployed.
Later, he was hired by Going Merry, a school with a bad reputation, run by a crazy director and with even worse staff. There, he met who would become his new family, wonderful people who welcomed him. And… Zoro.
His relationship with the math teacher began somewhat turbulently. Zoro hated literature and had the same impression as all the damned people who chose this field: prissy blondes. And that was Sanji. I mean, in appearance at least. But that's not what Zoro thought. his prejudice made him see Sanji as a boring and moron man, but Sanji wasn't like that at all. When Zoro had the courage to say this - more or less a few months into the relationship - Sanji laughed. He was the last person he would consider a straight-laced snob. For love, he lived on the street for a while, before Zeff took him in. He was always a simple man.
They ended up understanding each other, after some disagreements. It started with secret meetings and quickies in the copier room. But soon, Sanji felt like he wanted something more. As I said, Sanji is a romantic, always has been. He wanted love. He thought Zoro didn't love him. When he finally had the courage to finish whatever they had, Zoro wasn't happy. They had a big fight and didn't speak to each other for weeks. Sanji thought about leaving Going Merry. When Zoro found out about his advance warning, he could no longer let his pride prevail. He ran after Sanji, he told him he loved him.
“I'm begging you, Sanji. Stay with me."
The rest is history. Two years later they moved in together. Zeff had to kick him out of his house, Sanji didn't want to leave his father alone. But he also told Zoro: We're going to live in East Blue, if possible on Baratie's block. And so it was. Today, they live in a small apartment, with three kittens: Marlboro, Onigiri and Smirnoff - Zoro's ideas.
– “I have loved many women and men, but I love none better than you”. – Sanji reads. He had a book in his hand and a half-asleep Zoro on his lap. Both arranged on the couch with their cats.
– Hmm? – Zoro murmured, sleepily.
– Have you heard that before?
– You know i didn’t. – He yawns.
Sanji responds with a laugh. He closes his book and removes his reading glasses, stretching. Then he kisses Zoro's forehead, running his hands over his face.
– Tell me… – He says. – What do you think of this verse?
Zoro opens his eyes, seeing Sanji upside down, staring into his blue eyes with a serious expression.
– Kind of silly. – He says, uninterested.
– You… – He hits his forehead with his hand, receiving a complaint from his boyfriend. – How dare you say that Walt Whitman is “silly”?
- What do you think of the verse? – Zoro returns the question.
The blonde looks at him in surprise, half not expecting this question. Something he's thought so much about.
– Well… – He stutters. – I… I always liked that verse. Like a private desire, I guess.
– Desire?
– You might think it's stupid. – Sanji goes on the defensive. – But I always wanted to think of someone when I read this poem.
– You thought of me? – Zoro asks, sitting down and facing him.
– I… – He stares, speechless. – You thought of me?
– I don't think that.
– Oh… I… – Sanji replies, withering.
– Not this specific verse at least. – He smiles mischievously. – Since I don’t like women.
Sanji stares at him dumbfounded, his patetic desire to cry immediately disappearing.
– What? – His expression closes. – You… fool! – He throws a pillow at his boyfriend, who is laughing victoriously.
- Hey Hey! – He defends himself against the pillow. – Sorry! But the opportunity was at the door.
Sanji attacks Zoro, who defends himself while trying to immobilize the blonde, who was shouting things like“let me go you seaweed-headed idiot”and offensive variations that remind us of something green. Zoro manages to finally immobilize him, however.
– Sanji, hey Sanji! – He holds him in his arms.
– What it was? – The blonde screams in fury.
– I've loved many men, in fact almost none, but I haven't loved anyone better... bigger... more, I don't know, damn it! – He shouts frustrated, not remembering the verses. – I love you.
– Let go of me, you brute! – He says laughing. – How is it possible for me to love a man who doesn’t know how to recite a line from my favorite poem?
– There is! You love me. – He points. – You can't go back, son of a bitch.
– No! I hate you. – Sanji laughs, stopping the fight and grabbing Zoro's neck.
They kiss tenderly, hands lazily roaming each other's bodies as they snuggle on the couch. A lazy afternoon ahead on your day off. A gesture of love exchanged without words.
As much as Sanji still plans to use many to say that he loves his man.