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Zoro and Sanji have been seeing each other for a little while now. Ever since Zoro surprised him with an outing to see his favorite band. The night that he thought he was going to get murdered, instead he took him on a date.
But that was Zoro. Zoro didn’t always use his words, and that was fine. He had to admit he was caught off guard at first, but by the end of the night he really did feel like he knew Zoro’s intentions.
His emotions have been a little bit of a whirlwind since then. He knew he felt like a little bit of a puppy dog in love, although he tried to act cool on the outside. Hopefully he was succeeding. He didn’t honestly know. Maybe it was obvious, since he wasn’t flirting as much with Nami-swan and Robin-chan. But he didn’t care. It wasn’t like it was a secret. They just didn’t flaunt it.
He also knew he could get wrapped up in his head. One minute grateful that the universe brought this big lug into his life, and the very next wondering why he would deserve this. It can’t last long. Maybe it’s some long-form joke. Maybe somebody put Zoro up to it.
Sanji has never voiced his insecurities to Zoro. Not out loud. Despite not being that talkative, Zoro was very perceptive. He’s recently gotten the idea that Zoro knows he spirals. Since Zoro is a man of action, he has been working to reassure the blonde that this thing, this thing that they’re doing, is real.
But this could only work if they both give it a chance. Sanji knows that, and he’s been trying like hell.
He knows he could be a little over the top when in love, if that’s what this is. Is he in love? He doesn’t quite know. He’s never actually felt the way he feels right now. Maybe he had never been in love before. Either way, there’s no going back to the way it was before.
He was standing outside along the starboard rail. It wasn’t morning yet. The sun hadn’t peeked its head over the horizon. He was smoking a cigarette, watching wisps of clouds dust the stars.
Zoro, for all his bluster and blades, had surprised Sanji again with another romantic evening the night before. And Sanji swooned. Actually swooned. And afterwards, when their goodnight kiss became heated, Sanji had invited Zoro back to his room.
It was all mouths and hands and fumbling. There was laughter and surprising tenderness. It wasn’t perfect. But it was something. Would he dare call it magical? He wasn’t quite sure.
Especially now that he was awake after rousing fully nude in the other man’s arms. He had slipped out to get some air. If you even want to call it that. He really just needed a cigarette. He needed to corral his thoughts.
How did they get here from there? Where do they go from here? Was this what they really wanted?
He hoped so. But he couldn’t be sure.
He stayed there smoking his cigarette, trying to contain the stampede of emotions running through him.
He heard the sound of familiar footsteps behind him. He briefly wondered to himself when he had become so in tune with him. He didn’t turn to look, keeping his back to him. Although he didn’t mean to, he did stiffen imperceptibly.
Zoro didn’t hesitate. He came up behind the blonde, wrapped his arms around him with his chest flush against his back. He kissed the nape of his neck and rested his chin on his shoulder.
With that, Sanji relaxed into his arms.
Zoro sleepily and almost tenderly asked, “You okay, Love-cook?”
Sanji took a deep breath, deciding he’d try honesty for once, and quietly replied, “Yes. This is just new… different.”
Zoro hummed in his ear, which sent a shiver down Sanji’s spine.
“Different good or different bad?”
Sanji thought inwardly, but without hesitation responded, “Different good.”
Zoro said, “Good,” and kissed his shoulder.
And it was then that Sanji knew he didn’t have to run. He didn’t have to hide his feelings. He didn’t have to second-guess Zoro. He could let this unfold naturally and see where it took him.
So he relaxed into the strong man’s arms. He turned a little awkwardly to kiss him on the temple and whispered, “You big sap.”
Zoro squeezed tighter and didn’t let go.
They stood like that until the sun rose fully, taking in each other’s warmth. The worries tamped down, and the sunrise lit up the first day of their changed relationship.