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Zoro had known the cook was his soulbounded mate since Thriller Bark. He didn’t tell anyone, but he did die. Not for long, but long enough that he knew who his soulmate was and he knew he couldn’t tell the other man about it.
So, he kept it for himself.
Vowing to suffer in silence as he knew Sanji wouldn’t feel the same thing and while he had thought about it. He hadn’t felt the need to act on that, until he knew, which is when he knew he couldn’t act on it.
Hurt as they were, Sabaody was even worse as it felt like they failed. Being forced to separate only to hear that Luffy went through a war alone meant he was more than willing to throw his pride out of the window and beg Mihawl to train him. To use the two years Luffy dictated to get strong enough to be there next to his Captain the next time it happened. That he wouldn’t need to be scared that he wouldn’t be enough.
Sanji kept being a part of that too, mostly in his mind he wanted to know if the other man was alright. He hadn’t been as hurt as Zoro, but both Kizaru and Kuma had gotten a shot in. What if he died, or worse, what if he found out and never looked at Zoro the same way. He wouldn’t be able to deal with that.
With that in mind, he trained.
Through losing an eye, he trained.
Even when the world seemed to want to take him out, he kept on training. Kept on being stronger and the moment he could, he left the island to go and make his way to Sabaody. Wanting to get back there to meet his crew, to see Luffy and check up on him. To check up on Sanji, even if he had to disguise it under their sparring and arguing.
Seeing Sanji again, it felt like a breath of fresh air.
He looked different too, more confident. His bangs swept over the other eye, a different cut of suit and in general much more comfortable with himself. For all that Zoro promised himself he wouldn’t act on it, Sanji didn’t make it easy, looking so good after they saw each other again.
—
Of course, nothing is ever easy when you’re a Strawhat.
Dressrosa meant splitting up again when Big Mom had it out for the Sunny and those on board. Sanji went to help, after dealing a kick to Doflamingo in hopes of getting him to back off and promised Luffy he’d wait for them on Zou.
Except, Sanji wasn’t there when they arrived.
Nami was tearing up in Luffy’s arms, as she shared what had happened and how Sanji left them. Hearing he had left to marry some woman he had never met, because the family they never knew about told him, hurt more than Zoro could say. He had known all along that it would never work out, but that didn’t mean that he expected the Cook to just bail on them.
Luffy was adamant of getting Sanji back, so Zoro let him lead that team. He’d join Law in heading to Wano. Making sure they had a foothold there and hope that, in time, he could both forgive and forget Sanji. That he could let his feelings go as this, once again, proved that they had no future together.
Zoro knew Luffy would manage. He had known all along that his Captain was the most stubborn little shit on the planet. But still, his heart skipped a beat when he found Sanji standing at his side as they defended Toko. How the blond hair was something he had missed, despite other blondes being in Wano. It had been this particular blond he had missed.
“I could have done it alone,” he says instead, seeing the way Sanji gears up and they are bickering even when there are people out to get them now.
Sanji snarks back, and for a moment they’re back on the Sunny without all the shit that has been happening around them. A slight smile breaks through, before Zoro stops it to make sure he can get out of the situation they’re in.
Things only get worse from there. In the sense that he takes on Kaido and almost dies (again). Having Sanji take care of him and eventually striking down King after his soulmate calls with the request to kill him if he isn’t himself after this fight.
He doesn’t need to, but the fear and trust in Sanji’s voice when he asks that of him is something he’ll remember for a long time to come.
—
It’s once he wakes up after taking out King that Zoro feels like something has shifted between him and the Cook. Did Sanji die and does he know? Did someone figure it out and tell him (as much as he would hate for that to happen he can think of several Nakama who would be able to do that)? Or is there another variable that Zoro doesn’t know about?
Sanji finds him, looking troubled, once they set out from Wano.
There is a tremble in his hands as he asks if Zoro meant it.
“I did,” he mutters, “If I think you were a danger to the crew I’d kill you. But, Curly, I don’t think you’ll ever be that.”
He can see the relief in Sanji’s face and leans in to pull the blond close. It’s more than they ever did in terms of contact and comfort. But they’re different people now and as much as Zoro knows he can never tell. That doesn’t mean he will allow Sanji to think he doesn’t care.
Yet, it appears he doesn’t have to tell Sanji anything. As the Cook pulls back, only to cup Zoro’s cheeks to pull him close and kiss him. Softly, longingly, sighing in the way he’d normally do when a pretty woman walks by, “I’ve been wanting to do that for ages, but never really found the time.”
Stumped, Zoro barks out a laugh before leaning in, “Good, same here.”
They laugh about it, kiss some more and once they walk into the kitchen hand-in-hand, the whole of the crew sighs in relief. Mentioning that they had been waiting for this to happen.
Zoro never tells Sanji they’re soulmates, but over the years; through every hardship and victory. He’s quite sure Sanji already knows.