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They’re traversing through an odd patch of the sea. Empty ship after empty ship, all anchored in place. Some old falling apart with rotting planks and others new, still shining as if their crews had just disembarked. It’s eerie, creating a tense atmosphere. It’s impossible to relax and the sky is a depressing grey complimenting the mood. It’s been putting Zoro on edge all day and the crew has been in a similar state.
Zoro stands on the deck watching near the bow of the ship. He stares at the water, dark waves softly lapping at the Sunny’s hull. The stars twinkle and a soft breeze gently ruffles his hair, it’s deceptively beautiful. Something compels Zoro to stand near the railing instead of the safety of the crows nest. He can enjoy this night, he’s strong but part of him is still worried. Still paranoid that something is in the water.
Robin talked of a myth, a sailor’s tale even. Mermaids who beckon pirates into the waters with their tempting looks and enchanting songs. However these aren’t the friendly mermaids they’ve met before but something she called “sirens”. Evil creatures who take the form of beautiful women to lure sailors to their deaths. At least that’s what Robin knows. Not much is known about sirens but the pirate graveyard they’ve seen is evidence enough. Something lurks here and it’s best to be cautious.
Zoro took watch, the crew decided he’d be the best against the Sirens. Partly for his will power mostly because of his sexuality. The crew assumed since sirens are said to be beautiful women, Zoro wouldn’t be tempted. Being gay has its perks.
So Zoro stands, alone and patient just waiting for the ship to get through this area. He almost falls in a meditative state that is until he hears humming, familiar humming. He also vaguely hears soft splashes from below so Zoro looks over the railing.
Sanji lays floating in the water, softly paddling in circles creating patterns. He hums and it echoes through Zoro’s skull.
“Cook! The fuck are you doing? You’re not supposed to be out here.” Zoro yells at him, Robin theorized that Sanji would be especially weak to the sirens so Zoro hasn’t seen him much all day. The crew practically locked him in the boy’s room only allowing him out to cook. The only time he saw Sanji today was when he was walking to the kitchen. Just seeing Sanji on the deck gave him a mini heart attack, seeing him in the water makes Zoro want to do something crazy.
“It’s fine, the water feels amazing” Sanji just smiles up at him, his eyes looking particularly bright as starlight reflects off of them.
“Don’t make me come down there to save your perverted ass from drowning.” Zoro taunts Hoping to draw Sanji to the ship by pissing him off.
Unexpectedly he doesn't react to the taunt and instead starts to sing.
His voice carries all the way to the deck perfectly as if Sanji was standing right in front of him. The words he sings don't make sense to him, as if the words are in a different language yet somehow still recognizable.
Zoro’s head feels fuzzy and he finds himself leaning closer to the rail, his head hanging off the edge. He takes in more details of Sanji’s appearance, oddly his hair is dry despite swimming and he’s shirtless. Zoro can’t see his legs due to the dark water and vaguely something in his mind finds that suspicious.
“Jump into the water and swim with me” Sanji arms reach up almost like he’s asking for a hug or praying up to him.
“It’s dangerous, you won’t be able to do shit against mermaids get up here” it takes a tremendous amount of effort to get the words out. Zoro so desperately wants to jump over the railing into Sanji’s arm.
“You don’t believe that do you?” Sanji tilts his head at him, his arms unmoving “You trust me Zoro, I have your back don’t I? Even if there are Sirens we could take them. Together.”
Zoro doesn’t say anything, he instead grips the rail harder wood creaking beneath his fingers. What Sanji is saying is true, Zoro is sure if he had to face the sirens he’d find some way out of it. Sanji always finds the solution, comes in at the last second with the perfect answer whenever the crew needs it. Realistically being next to Sanji is the safest place, there is no one else Zoro can see as an equal. Zoro doesn’t understand why he’s hesitating
“You’re too worried, always so stressed. Constantly on guard but you don’t have to do that with me right?” Sanji’s words feel like honey clouding his mind, so smoothly, soothing his worries.
He’s right Zoro is always on high alert, it’s his job as second mate but with Sanji it’s different. He can relax even if it’s just a little, Zoro feels better when he’s with Sanji.
Zoro didn’t realize when he started standing on the rail barley balancing. He can’t focus on his body but rather only on Sanji’s voice.
“Aren’t you tired Zoro? You’ve been so strong, I could make you feel better. You’re safer with me, you can relax when it’s me.” Sanji smiles even brighter and even sharper “Just jump into the water!”
Zoro feels himself start to fall leaning off the ship. He wants to give in, he wants to be with Sanji. So he does.
Or he would’ve if he wasn’t pulled back. Two arms encircle his legs and yank him away from the railing causing Zoro to fall backwards.
Zoro falls on top of someone but he doesn’t care. He scrambles forward attempting to reach the railing and get back up at the same time. He’s stopped again this time by a pair of legs pinning his arms to his sides. The stranger's arms return as well, holding his entire upper torso in place. Zoro struggles in the person's steady grip, kicking his legs out attempting to somehow gain ground but Zoro is too disoriented to actually put up a good effort.
Distantly he hears a voice, once again similar, speaking to him. “Fuck, stop it you idiot!” the person sounds panicked and stressed yet Zero doesn’t care because another voice comes from the ocean.
“Zoro come into the water, Don’t leave me alone!” Sanji speaks to him and Zoro is suddenly energized struggling harder elbowing his captor in the gut.
“Zoro, it's not me! That’s not me, I’m right here” suddenly Sanji’s voice comes from behind him. The confusion of hearing two Sanjis causes Zoro to pause and in that moment dozens of hands sprout from the ground holding him still.
The hands combined with Sanji’s strength completely immobilize him. Zoro doesn’t stop fighting and the Sanji who’s in the water begins to sing again. At the sound of the indiscernible song Zoro begins to scream.
He needs to get over, he needs to be with Sanji.
“Chopper quick, now!” Sanji’s words don’t register but the small prick of a needle and the drowsiness he feels does. He goes limp and the hands retreat. Despite his body being pure dead weight, Sanji maneuvers him so he lays flat his head cradle in Sanji’s lap. Although blurry Zoro can see Sanji’s face now. A soft hand cups his cheek and then smooths his hair.
“It’s okay, go to sleep. Go to sleep, Zoro.” Sanji whispers to him and Zoro is helpless to deny him.
Zoro wakes up slowly, his eyes feel heavy and his body weak. He’s lying face up on a bed staring at a wooden ceiling. Eventually he recognizes it as Sunny's infirmary, not an uncommon place for Zoro to be, especially after battle. Zoro doesn't remember fighting anyone though. He remembers strong legs holding him in place. Being cradled with Robin and Chopper hovering over him.
He can still hear Sanji’s singing in his ears.
Zoro moves to sit up and is pushed down immediately.
“Don’t even think about it mosshead” Sanji sits next to the infirmary bed, perched on a stool he recognizes as Chopper’s. One hand pushing Zoro down via his chest and the other holding a lit cigarette. Zoro’s pretty sure he isn’t allowed to do that in here.
“You’ve been out for two days, and your ribs are broken so don’t move, idiot.” Sanji says
“You broke my ribs?” Zoro goes to poke at the bandaids around his torso and Sanji slaps his hand.
“Yeah because your dumbass almost jumped off the deck for a siren.”
Zoro is reminded suddenly of the siren, its voice and mainly its appearance. Looking back it seems so obvious that the person in the water wasn’t Sanji but in the moment all he could see and think was Sanji.
“Cook, what happened?” Zoro asks bluntly, some part of him recognizes the answer to this question might be a bit embarrassing but Zoro had always been a blunt person.
“The siren messed with your head. We found an island a day ago and the islanders told us a bit more info, their voices can hypnotize you and make you see things that aren’t there." For some reason Sanji turns away when he says this. Zoro can only see his hair but he can see Sanji grip a bit harder on his cigarette.
“Why did the siren look like you?” This time Zoro hesitates a little, he has a feeling he knows the answer.
Sanji doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t even turn to look at Zoro.
“Cook”
“Marimo”
“Tell me” Zoro hasn’t stopped looking at him the entire time so the second Sanji turns to face him he sees it.
Sanji’s entire face is flushed red. The blush goes all the way to his ears and down his neck. It’s an incredible sight, something Zoro has dreamed of. He wants to see how far Sanji’s blush can go.
Zoro sits up then and Sanji doesn’t say anything, a testament to how emotional he must be. He wants to grab or hold Sanji, comfort him in some type of way but that’s something they simply can’t do. There’s always been this barrier between them, the wings of the pirate king, a bond formed in blood, yet unable to have any serious intimacy. They can never seem to have any real conversations, everything hidden under layers of sarcasm and hidden meanings. Zoro has fought death for Sanji yet he can’t even hold his hand.
Maybe this could be an opportunity for them. Zoro can connect the dots himself. Beauty, temptation, and hypnotization. What else would the siren make Zoro see besides Sanji? If everything is out in the open already he might as well after all a swordsman never runs away from a battle.
So Zoro extends a hand clutching Sanji’s free one and makes direct eye contact. No tremor, no hesitation, Zoro says “Just say it Sanji.”
“They said.. the islanders said Sirens take the appearance of whoever you find the most attractive.” Sanji answers him. His eyes are bright almost like the sirens but different. Sanji’s eyes aren’t illuminated by the sky, they sparkle with emotion and meaning.
“Huh, I thought it would be whoever you were in love with” Zoro thinks his guess was pretty close.
“Those are basically the same thing you-“ somehow Sanji turns redder
“In love?” He shrieks then but doesn’t move away so Zoro thinks that’s a good sign.
“I’m in love with you” Zoro bows his head and brings Sanji’s hand to his mouth. He kisses Sanji’s hand, he’s tempted to kiss every knuckle.
Sanji beats him however as he moves forward and throws his hands around Zoro’s shoulder.
Zoro is being hugged by Sanji. Perhaps the siren did get him. Either way he buries his face In Sanji’s neck, fish or not he’d never reject anything Sanji gave him.
“You moss brained idiot, how dare you! You almost fucking killed yourself and now you’re confessing to me like it’s nothing” Sanji squeezes him a little too hard.
“Well it be fair I thought you were gonna get eaten alive by mermaids” if Zoro knew sirens could mimic peoples appearances he wouldn’t have volunteered for watch.
“So what dumbass, you’d just jump into infested waters to save me?” Sanji asks stupidly
“I’ve sacrificed my life for you, a fish isn’t anything compared to that” Zoro is feeling a little more honest than usual, he’s probably been drugged with something but he doesn’t mind right now.
Sanji pulls back a little, his eyes are wet but he’s smiling. “I cant believe I’m in love with suicidal idiot”
Zoro perks up at that. His heart aches in a good way. A warm sensation floods his chest and he tightens his hold on Sanji.
“Can I kiss you?” Zoro asks.
Sanji hesitates for a second but he ultimately decides “We aren’t doing anything until you take me on a proper date, I want to be properly wined and dined.”
Sanji is obviously serious about this and while the prospect of properly courting Sanji satisfies some instinctual part of him he’s a bit disappointed he can’t get a kiss now.
“Tch, the things I do for you” Zoro guesses he can wait a little while longer.