Chapter Text
Currently, it had been around five days since Ichiji had crash-landed onto the Straw Hat pirates’ ship. Overall, it was going pretty well, him and Sanji had gotten as close as ever, thankful the weight of Judge’s mindset wasn’t forcing their bond to split now. Franky had been oddly interested in Ichiji’s body and how his genes work, spending more time with Robin and the redhead than with anyone or anything else. Meanwhile, Chopper was still worried about how Ichiji and Sanji’s genes were modified, always ranting on about the risks of changing genes.
At this very moment in time though, a ship had the audacity to try to attack Luffy and his crew, proving to be a walk in the park as Ichiji lands the final hit to the captain. Although, Zoro attempted to insist he does it, since he had overheard the captain commenting on Ichiji’s body, mentioning the muscle on his slim body. It pissed Zoro off, because could you really call Ichiji’s body slim? Sure, he had a slight curve, but it wasn’t… slim. In the end, however, Ichiji had the last hit, which Zoro had no choice but to allow.
Ichiji huffed, before turning and scanning their slightly ruined ship for Zoro. “Roronoa-chan, where are you?” He called out, eyes glancing at Franky as he hurried towards a large piece of the railing that had been blown off and landed on the ship’s deck. Robin was helping Chopper gather all evidence of medical equipment sprawled around the ship, Nami attempting to collect and save the maps that had been ripped after a fight broke out near her map room, which ended up finishing inside the room. And lastly, Usopp and Sanji were helping each other clean up small pieces of gadgets Usopp made a few weeks ago, attempting to repair them. Unfortunately, they were beyond easy repair.
“I told you to call me Zoro,” mumbled a deep voice right in Ichiji’s ear, causing the strawberry-haired man to jump slightly, a light gasp leaving his mouth. He turned around, heart slowing back down once he made eye contact with Zoro. Everything seemed to slow down when it was just Ichiji and Zoro. Well, it felt like it, but the loud crashing and banging of a hammer were definitely not in slow motion. “Anyway, what’s wrong, Ichiji?” Zoro’s hands then lazily slipped around Ichiji’s waist, making the other male blush furiously.
Turning his body, still held by Zoro’s tanned and oddly attractive hands, Ichiji felt just how close their bodies really were. Thankfully everyone else was busy, so they didn’t really see what was occurring right now. But ignoring that, what did Ichiji want? To make sure Zoro was still alive? To make sure he wasn’t hurt? Well, he highly doubted Zoro would get hurt or killed. Not with how muscular and strong he is, not to mention his determination and will to fight put into each swing of his katanas. Ichiji just stared blankly at him. “I don’t know,” he answered. It was partly true, he didn’t really know what he wanted, but at the same time he knew he wanted something.
Laughing subtly, Zoro lets his hand caress the slight dip at Ichiji’s sides, going as slow as he could be bothered to, drinking in the heat crawling down Ichiji’s neck, flushing his pretty pale skin. “Well, would you like me to help you know?”
Ichiji froze.
It was only meant to be a tease, Ichiji knew that. But, it felt… meaningful. Sincere. As well as sexual, but Ichiji erased that part of his thought out, his hands resting on Zoro’s forearms, the muscle feeling hard and well-built. The feeling turned Ichiji on in a way. He wondered what it would feel like if a strong, muscular, brute of a man like Zoro shoved his face into a pillow and brutally—
“Hey.” came Zoro’s voice again, breaking through all of Ichiji’s thoughts. Suddenly, he shoved the stronger man away, turning around and covering his mouth as he felt a weird tingle course through his body. He had an idea about what this feeling was, but he didn’t really want to admit it to himself. Looking around, everyone else seemed to be on task. Well, Franky looked like he was having a bit of trouble, so maybe Ichiji could— “Ichiji?” Oh, for crying out loud. Can’t Ichiji finish his thoughts to himself without interruption?
“Sorry, Zoro-chan, but I have to help Franky, I just remembered.” It was an obvious lie, Zoro knew that and so did Ichiji, but he didn’t care. He hurried over to the cyborg, not daring to look back at Zoro as he sat himself down in front of Franky, ignoring the way his ass hurt from the impact. Meanwhile, Zoro was left standing there, confused out of his mind until Luffy came launching into him, yelling in his ear about how Sanji’s cooking food and that in the meantime Zoro should train with him.
Reluctantly, Zoro agreed, giving one last glance towards Ichiji, something in his stomach churning as he walked away then, taking Luffy to his usual training spot on the upper deck, right in the sun. It was surprising how the sun wasn’t impacting the crew as much as the first day did, especially Chopper. That furry reindeer should be cooped up in the shade, being manually fanned while the rest of the crew burned in the heat. Or maybe Franky or Usopp could create a fan that could run on electricity, or whatever fans run on.
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It took a few hours, but soon enough lunch was laid out nice and neatly on the long, oak table, everyone sitting in their rightful seats. Except Ichiji, who always refused to sit for some reason, always choosing to stand and eat. Zoro gave a few glances towards the redhead, curious as to why he wouldn’t sit down for once. It wasn’t like there was no room — they could easily budge up so he could sit. But it wasn’t up to Zoro to make Ichiji sit down, that’s a decision for the Vinsmoke to make.
“Ichi, why don’t you sit down for once?” Sanji’s voice echoed, managing to silence everyone and catch their attention. Ichiji looked towards his brother, then at everyone now looking at him with food still stuffed in their mouths, Luffy still reaching for a large piece of meat. Then, Ichiji caught Zoro’s eyes, and he felt his body freeze. Not a bad freeze, but… a surprised freeze. Or something. Ichiji wasn’t sure how he should describe it.
Instead, he ignored it, answering Sanji with, “I just prefer to stand. Surely there’s no issue, correct?”
Sanji stuttered. “I— I mean, no, of course… not.”
“Just as I thought,” Ichiji hummed. Then, he placed his untouched plate down on the wooden countertop, smiling widely at Sanji and then the rest of the crew. “Right then, I’ll be off, doing… whatever comes to mind first!” Everyone looked at each other, before watching as Ichiji almost flew out of the room, the galley door slamming shut. Sanji frowned, staring at the closed door for a minute before turning to stare at the plate. Not even the cutlery had been moved a single inch. Everything was exactly how Sanji had made and left it.
He offered Luffy the plate, knowing he wouldn’t be able to force or convince Ichiji to eat the food. The captain happily took it, despite everyone else frowning at the sight. They all knew too. Ichiji not eating was… odd, to say the least. Ever since he landed on the ship, he’s never skipped a meal and quite happily shoved it all down his throat, complimenting Sanji more times than necessary while he licked the plate or bowl clean. Hell, he even drank until there wasn’t a single drop of liquid left in the cup. It didn’t matter what it was, Ichiji always managed to completely clean it of anything it had on or in it before. Sanji should know, he remembered all those times he watched Ichiji be forced to eat cement when they were kids, to the last tiny piece. All to ’test out Ichiji’s abilities’ as the doctors told them.
Zoro stood up, the shift making everyone turn to him. Nami gave him a weird look. “Zoro, what are you doing?”
Franky chimed in, “Yeah, are you okay, Zo-bro?”
Zoro only gave them each a glance, before quietly nodding to Franky. “I’m fine, just going out to train is all,” he mumbled, excusing himself and placing his plate in the sink with the fork, walking past everyone and out the door. Silence then took over the kitchen, everyone confused and trying to process what on Earth was going on right now. It was unlike both of them to act like this. Especially now. Maybe it was the heat getting to them slowly and steadily. It seems to have been affecting everyone lately, even Chopper confined himself to the infirmary, Robin having to manually deliver his food.
Out on deck it felt like a large sauna the ship was trapped in, unable to get out. If it was like this while they were nearly nowhere near land, imagine how hot the land itself would be. Zoro sighed, pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it, standing at the railing and scanning the areas of the ship he could see for any sign of Ichiji. If he isn’t in Zoro’s current line of sight, he’ll either be in a room or over by the ship’s figurehead. Zoro really couldn’t be bothered searching all over the ship, but at the same time he wanted to know what was up with Ichiji.
Suddenly, his eye caught something. Movement in the small, circular window in the door leading to the storage room. That was where they left all their backup food crates and alcohol. But, why would Ichiji be there of all places? Either way, Zoro hopped the railing, landing on his feet but grunting slightly as the pain from the landing impact shocked his body. He looked towards the window again, seeing that familiar, vibrant red hair that no one could miss, not even in a crowd of millions of people with different hair colours. Ichiji’s hair was just… that unique.
When he opened the door, he froze. Ichiji was there, moving a few crates out the way of the far corner hardly anyone notices. In his hand, a glistening, sharp katana. One that looked freshly sharpened, easily able to slice anyone and anything. At first, Zoro had the urge to call out Ichiji’s name, but he restrained himself from doing so. First, he wanted to make sure Ichiji wasn’t doing what Zoro thought the redhead was doing, in case it was all a misunderstanding. However, when he watched Ichiji go and kneel in the corner, carefully raising the katana blade to only slightly graze his neck, gently placing his other hand flat on the straighter side of the blade, Zoro knew what he was doing.
“Ichiji!” He screamed out, lunging forward and quickly disarming the Vinsmoke, causing an audible gasp to echo in the small room. Zoro stabbed the katana into the wooden floorboards, turning to face Ichiji, his blood boiling and face visibly angry. “What the fuck were you thinking?” His voice was stern, furious. But there was also a hint of worry in there. Sadness, too. Ichiji stared blankly at Zoro, his eyes still wide and hands hovering in front of him before they lowered to land on his lap.
Looking down, Ichiji mumbled, “I… I don’t know.”
“Fuck, Chopper!” Zoro yelled, making his way to the door, forcefully grabbing Ichiji’s wrist and dragging him up and out the storage room. Then, the small reindeer came charging out of the galley, the rest of the crew following, worry written on all their faces. Once Chopper was down the steps and rushing toward Zoro and Ichiji, Zoro gripped the other man’s wrist tighter, causing him to wince in pain. “You need to give him some damn therapy, he’s most definitely not okay.”
Chopper almost jumped out of his skin at Zoro’s words. Then, he looked towards Ichiji, who looked away in what seemed like shame and embarrassment. Frowning, Chopper only nodded and gently guided Ichiji towards the infirmary, asking endless questions like he always did with his patients. By now, the majority of the crew had rushed down to Zoro, a million questions already flying towards the swordsman. When they all silenced to wait for Zoro’s answer, all he did was sigh to himself for a moment, looking at Sanji with a look that said I’m sorry for what I’m about to say.
“Ichiji almost tried killing himself.” Zoro said bluntly. The crew gasped.
“Ichi—what?” Sanji muttered, stumbling back before furrowing his brows and running up to the infirmary, everyone else turning to each other to whisper. Zoro just watched Sanji run off to see Ichiji, most likely going to scream at his brother for what he was trying to do. Zoro would do the same as well, if he… knew someone was about to attempt and managed to stop them. He straightened himself up, glancing between the crew and sighing again before walking away, going to his usual training spot to lift more weights for however long he can manage. His current PR was ten-thousand, three-hundred and thirty-two. He wanted to see if he could double that.
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When Ichiji finally decided to show himself again, everyone was getting ready to sleep. Zoro was up in the crow’s nest, as it was his turn for night watch. Clearly Ichiji hadn’t been informed, as he made his appearance in the crow’s nest too, in long-sleeved, satin pyjamas. Who knows where he managed to buy them from, but Zoro didn’t bother dwelling on what the other was wearing. He could be fully naked and Zoro wouldn’t have that much of a reaction. He’s pretty sure.
“So,” Zoro started, startling Ichiji slightly, although he forced himself to calm down too fast for Zoro’s liking. It felt as if he’s done that before. Too many times before. After a moment, Zoro spoke up again, “why’d you try killing yourself?”
The question hung in the air, Ichiji swallowing hard as he went to sit across from Zoro, looking down at the wooden boards holding the two up. “I… can’t remember,” he mumbled, glancing at Zoro who gave him a look, clearly showing he knew Ichiji knew why he tried to kill himself. “Well,” he began, fidgeting with his hands, “when I looked at the food, my appetite was lost suddenly. I’m not sure why, but recently my appetite’s been… nonexistent, basically.” He looked up to see if Zoro was looking at him. The swordsman hadn’t taken a single glance away.
“Then… I heard it. It was like a little voice in the back of my mind. A familiar one. Cold, cruel, manipulative. It sounded exactly like… my father,” Ichiji mumbled the last two words, sitting straighter and pulling his crossed legs closer to his body. “When I left in such a hurry, it was because that voice was getting loud. Too loud, as if it wasn’t just in my mind, but there in real time, real life. It was telling me I was weak, just like my brother. Insignificant, irrelevant now I had run away. It told me, over and over again, that if I abandoned my life back in Germa, I may as well not have a life at all. That I should give up attempting to create a life I’d never get the chance of having. So, I made the choice to attempt suicide, hoping it would get rid of that filthy voice, beckoning me to… the choice of suicide.”
Ichiji sighed, not even realising the tears that had flooded down his cheeks. It had been years, maybe even a decade and a half, since he had last cried. And, God, did he feel so pathetic. But when he looked at Zoro, all he saw was a soft yet firm, kind yet cold look. It felt comforting, in a way, like it was only meant for Ichiji to understand and find warmth in. Like it was only meant for Ichiji. And it made him feel special. Wanted, cared for, significant. It made him feel things he couldn’t describe because he had never truly felt them before, not once in his whole life.
Then, slowly, he leaned forward. Moving to kneel, Ichiji gradually got closer to Zoro, who leaned forward too. Their faces inched closer, both men eyeing the other’s lips, breathing slowing down once they paused, moments before their lips made contact. Zoro looked at Ichiji’s eyes, still hidden behind tinted glasses. He raised his hand, gently peeling the glasses off Ichiji’s face. And the redhead allowed it. He didn’t stop Zoro, didn’t verbally say no to it. Just allowed it. And when the swordsman finally got the glasses off and looked into Ichiji’s eyes again, he froze. They were the most vibrant shade of blue he had ever seen. Possibly bluer than Sanji’s and the sea.
“Your eyes…” Zoro whispered, swallowing saliva he didn’t realise had built up in his mouth. Before he could finish his sentence, Ichiji smiled and finally connected their lips, the warming sensation melting Zoro instantly. It felt so intimate, so real, so sweet. Like this was all Zoro needed in life. It was perfect, all of it. Ichiji’s hand slowly wrapped around Zoro’s neck, his other one held his thigh so he could balance himself on the floor. And it felt magical. Like a new high Zoro never got, not even from training or fighting.
When the kiss broke, Ichiji opened his eyes casually, a glint of soft desire and intimacy shining in the only visible one. Zoro’s heart skipped a beat, his face heating up quickly. The sight in front of him made him feel something weird. Something familiar, from the first time he laid eyes on Ichiji. That same feeling of love, just stronger and painfully more powerful than before. He knew he’d love the Vinsmoke since he first laid eyes on him, but now that he truly felt it, it was a feeling he would never be able to avoid. Not with Ichiji.
Ichiji chuckled as Zoro snapped back to reality, the sound echoing in the swordsman’s ears. A heavenly thing, Ichiji’s laugh. It was something sent from the holy Saints above to reinforce that aching feeling of love Zoro had for the other man. And, man, was it working. “Zoro-chan, I’m… really happy we managed to do that.” The pounding of Zoro’s heart went up to his ears, as he felt that warm buildup rushing through his body. His nose started to tingle, ears heating immensely, body on fire. Was this what Sanji felt whenever he saw a woman? A finger went to Zoro’s nose, pulling back with a line of blood on it. Then, a metallic taste haunted the green-haired man’s mouth, slowly leaving its traces behind as it was swallowed.
Nevermind what it felt like to be Sanji, he’s acting like that bastard right now! All because of his brother! But, could you blame him? Just look at Ichiji, gorgeous laugh, stunning smile with dazzling white teeth, well-built but also slightly slim body, snatched waist as if he was a woman, everything that makes him perfect. Even his personality was perfect. “How is that possible…” Zoro thought out loud, Ichiji catching the confused words.
“What is it, Zoro-chan?” The redhead tilted his head slightly, staring at Zoro’s confused expression, trying to pinpoint what exactly had him questioning was possible. The swordsman looked up at him then, a slight blush returning to his cheeks when he realised he said that out loud. Ichiji smiled softly, making Zoro blush further and look away, crossing his arms over his chest.
“How are you so perfect?” Zoro questioned.
Ichiji laughed slightly. Giggled, even. “Well… you’re either perfect, or you’re not me,” Ichiji smiled brightly, almost bursting out laughing again when Zoro looked at him with a confused expression. It felt like a reference only he understood, but he knew loads of others would understand. But he simply winked at Zoro, not saying a single word other than the ones he just spoke.