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After leaving the Kingdom of Alabasta, the crew had been taken by surprise when the stowaway Nico Robin had asked to join them on their adventures. But as she had said, she had nowhere else to go. After a few days, Zoro was the only one who was still apprehensive of her, while Sanji, as his diametrical opposite, of course had been the first to accept her with open arms.
''Thank you, Mr. Cook,'' Robin said from the comfort of the sun-bed out on deck, when Sanji placed refreshments for her on the little table next to her. ''I can tell you're a great gastronomist.''
''Anything for you!'' Sanji hurriedly exclaimed enthusiastically, as he noticed Zoro approach them.
''I've been wanting to ask you... Why did you join an organization such as Baroque Works exactly? I get that you were an assassin, but there must have been something you were hoping to gain,'' Zoro pointed out, and Sanji seemed shocked, while Robin had an amused expression on her face.
''A woman has her secrets,'' she answered playfully, then put on her sunglasses and opened the book that was lying by her side, signifying the end of the conversation.
''How dare you hassle Miss Robin! Someone should teach your mosshead some manners! I mean seriously... At times I wonder, were you dropped as an infant?'' Sanji snapped, his voice sharp as he glared at his fellow crewmate, and dragged him to the other end of the ship, so Robin could be left in peace.
''I must say, your brain malfunctions tremendously lately, because of our newcomer... Might want to quit the performative bullshit,'' Zoro hissed, while Sanji started laughing loudly.
''You've got a mouth on you today, idiot mossball. You sure you even know the meaning of those words?'' Sanji taunted, with a leg in the air.
''That's it, ero-cook,'' Zoro whispered angrily and placed a hand on the sheaths of his swords.
Though, to their surprise, arms sprouted, ones that restrained Sanji's legs and snatched Zoro's swords, and put them elsewhere. A sprouted eye on the railing was keeping watch over them.
''Play nice, you two,'' Robin's voice sounded, though she hadn't moved an inch from the sun-bed.
...
That night, for some reason or another, Zoro found it hard to sleep. So he decided to walk out on deck, and to his surprise, he noticed Sanji there smoking a cigarette, as the cook often did.
''Cigarettes are not healthy, haven't you heard?'' Zoro said and then huffed, ''the newspaper had an article about it being able to kill you, but we might not be so lucky...''
''Can you just be quiet?'' the blonde-haired man demanded, while exhaling a large cloud of smoke, and pointed at Robin and Nami's room. ''The ladies need their beauty sleep.''
''Fine... Why is it you hold women in so high regard? No jokes, I'm genuinely asking,'' Zoro then said, and from Sanji's expression he could tell that it was the last thing the cook had thought he would say.
''Have you been educating yourself with reading, or what? You use words you've never uttered before,'' Sanji teased, but then his face softened as he looked out at the ocean's waves, which were hitting against the Going Merry at every moment.
''I haven't told anyone this, so please don't tell the others... But I suppose it's because my mom and my older sister were the only lights in my life when I was a kid.''
Zoro was the one who was surprised this time, and raised both eyebrows, ''but I thought you were from that restaurant boat where we first came upon you?''
''Baratie was my home for a long time... But before then, I had another home, that I had to escape from. After my mom's untimely death, the only reason I made it out and stand here on my own two feet, is because my sister found a way out for me.''
Sanji sighed as he listened to the waves, which soothed him.
Zoro was stunned, he had not anticipated that Sanji would open up like this to him. Though, despite how they often bickered, they also trusted each other greatly.
''Shit, I'm so sorry, Sanji...''
''... You've never called me by my actual name before.''
A beat of silence followed, where neither the green-haired man nor the swirly-browed one had a clue what to say.
''Nevermind that, if we're on the topic of confessions...'' Zoro started saying, as his eyes met Sanji's, but then paused, as if he couldn't get the words out. To fix the awkwardness, he decided to say something else. ''I lost my childhood friend and rival Kuina as a child, so I know how you feel.''
''Did you know your parents? I've wondered,'' Sanji asked, his tone calm and invested, as he leaned against the railing and looked out once more.
''No, unfortunately not, but Kuina's dad was sort of a guardian for me.''
''I'm jealous of that. You'll never know how much it aches to know your mom died because of a sickness resulting from your birth... and... Some people are not cut out to be parents, like my so-called father. That's all I'll say of him, he was... Or, he is a goddamn nightmare.''
Sanji felt Zoro approach from behind, and soon both of them were leaning against the Going Merry and taking in the scene.
''I had no idea you suffered like this in your past. No kid should have to go through what you did,'' Zoro said, and then stared at Sanji's hand, and wondered if maybe, just maybe, the cook by his side also had lingering feelings...
''At least I made something of myself, I'm here with all of you, right? Luffy's going to be the Pirate King, I'm going to find the All Blue... We all have our own dreams we need to see through to the end. It's comforting,'' the blonde man smiled widely then, before he turned his head to Zoro, who was blushing, but the blonde could not see that in the dark.
''If I'm completely off-base here, hit me or whatever,'' Zoro nervously stuttered, ''but... all the bickering between us often keeps me going... and... well, truth be told...''
''Out with it. What, you despise me more than the fact that you have no sense of direction? Which is a feat in and of itself, to be honest. Seriously, you were totally dropped as an infant.''
Sanji flashed a heartfelt smile, revealing by his tone and demeanor that he was just being playful.
''Shut up,'' Zoro sighed and rolled his eyes dramatically, ''I'm trying to say something here...''
''If you're hungry fix yourself a sandwich your bloody self. Jeez,'' Sanji continued, and then couldn't help but laugh.
''Maybe I'm going about this the wrong way,'' Zoro admitted and studied Sanji's face while the blonde man looked at the sea again. He loved looking at him. He always had. ''Are you... only into women?''
Sanji's brows furrowed as his head quickly turned to Zoro, ''... you're hoping there won't be competition for the loving affection of Robin and Nami, I see.''
''For someone that likes throwing insults at me about my intelligence, you sure are daft as hell.''
Zoro placed his hand on Sanji's. He had never felt the warmth of his touch before. Which was what he deeply craved. What he hungered for.
''Sanji... I'm smitten by you.''
Sanji felt his world stop and moved his hand away in a hurry, but his eyes were calm as they gazed at the swordsman, ''wait, for real?''
Zoro nodded intently, ''yes. And you, do you feel anything for me?''
Sanji grabbed Zoro's shirt and pulled him close, and the green-haired guy thought it was to hit him, but instead, their lips met and a flurry of excitement rushed through each of their bodies. It went on for quite a while, as they felt up on each other.
''I think I might be in love with you,'' Zoro said and searched for Sanji's eyes with his own, but the cook was staring down.
''After that kiss, I'm sure you can tell your feelings are reciprocated,'' Sanji revealed as he turned away. ''But wouldn't it be weird to keep this a secret from the others? Now that we've kissed... We have to do so again.''
The cook felt his chest tighten up. After having kissed Zoro, he yearned for so much more. Not just kissing either.
Zoro smirked and hugged Sanji from behind, ''who says we have to keep anything a secret?''
On the mast behind them, an eye had been sprouted for the duration of the conversation, but then it disappeared.
''About damn time,'' Nami said, a tint of annoyance in her voice, as she exited the door to her and Robin's room, with the grinning former assassin behind her. ''You two creampuffs have been giving desperate signs of this since forever ago. I have personally known for quite a while. And I assure you, the rest of the crew won't mind.''
Zoro and Sanji were shocked, to say the least, to have been discovered; Zoro just sighed a little, while Sanji was on the verge of tears.
''I still won't give up on my love for you, Nami! And not you either, Robin!'' Sanji yelled with conviction, but Nami's face bore signs of slight disdain.
''Don't bother, dude. I'm a lesbian,'' Nami admitted dryly, before she turned around. ''Do you want him, Robin?''
Robin giggled, ''no, Mr. Swordsman and Mr. Cook are adorable together, I wouldn't want to impose.''
''Ahem. He's mine,'' Zoro said and dragged Sanji into an embrace, but the swirly-browed man was crying silent tears, because Nami would never return his affections.
By the commotion, Luffy, Usopp and Chopper had woken up. It was almost dawn, and the captain and the sniper each yawned as they noticed the others.
Chopper ran to Zoro and Sanji, as the swordsman pecked the cook on the cheek, but Sanji pushed him away.
''Stop it. My heart is damaged. Nami will never have me.''
Chopper watched in confusion when Sanji left for the other end of the ship, and Zoro ran after him in desperation.
''Is this what is known as love?'' the reindeer wondered, as Robin gave him a knowing smile.
Once Zoro caught up with Sanji, he hesitated, and placed a hand behind his head as a frown appeared on his face, ''so... where do we stand?''
''I have to keep up appearances around the ladies, and to answer your question from before, I'm obviously attracted to both men and women... But when we're alone, all I ask for is you,'' Sanji said quietly, as he pulled out his lighter from his pocket and lit up a cigarette.
This time, the one being grabbed was Sanji – Zoro took hold of his collar and french kissed him, before his hands let go and carefully caressed the cook's face instead. Because of his arousal, Sanji dropped the cigarette and it landed on the deck beneath them.
Once the kiss was over, Sanji scoffed, ''idiot mosshead. Making me fall for you and shit.''
''For the record, I'm solely into guys – but I've only ever felt what I'm feeling now with you.''
Zoro reached his hand for Sanji's. Their fingers touched, as if for the very first time. Soon, they would have to figure out what they could truly be together. But for now, the confessions and the moments they had shared this night had been more than sufficient.