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Sanji knew it would happen eventually. He tried to push it off for as long as he could after their last stop. Only making it back to the ship after the last island had gone… bad to say the least.
They’d meant to stop at the small island to stock up on some supplies they’d run low on, but instead found themselves in the middle of major trouble. Zoro was lost for the entire time they’d been there, bandits had captured Nami and Robin, and Luffy had somehow ended up in the island's jail cell. Sanji had spent the entire week pushing away that feeling to save his crewmates and friends. He even fought a lady to get his precious Nami back.
Frankly, Sanji did have to admit that Chopper and Usopp were a great help as he worked to help everyone. No matter what anyone else said, Sanji always thought they were great fighters, even if Sanji still joked that he could make a delicious meal from Chopper.
Making a quick and simple lunch, Sanji couldn’t help but tug at his suit as it suddenly became too tight and too uncomfortable. He plopped down on the couch in front of the aquarium, his eyes scanning for the fish as he let himself fall into the fuzziness.
“Hi fishies,” Sanji murmured, his thumb making its way into his mouth. Pulling his legs up to his chest, he rested his head on his knees.
The fish swam around the tank, unaware of what Sanji was doing or that his brain was happy as he watched them. Sanji started babbling at the tank, his hands pressed up against the glass as his eyes went wide, a rainbow colored fish stopping in front of him.
“R’nbow. Pretty r’nbow,” cooed the blonde. Tugging on his suit, he kept his eyes glued to the fish swimming around, not noticing when the door opened and someone had walked in.
All the fish that had surrounded him swam away quickly. Sanji pouted at the loss of his new friends. Letting out a small huff, he turned away from whoever it was that made the fishies go away. His arms crossed over his chest as tears welled up in his eyes.
“Go ‘way,” he mumbled. “You ‘ared th’m.”
“Why are you talking like that, cook?” Sanji stayed silent as Zoro stepped closer. “Why are you acting like this?”
“You ‘ared th’m,” Sanji mumbled, wiping the tears away with the back of his hand. “You made th’m go ‘way.”
Sanji’s sniffled whines pierced right into Zoro’s heart. As much as he despised the cook, he didn’t want to see him upset, in this state.
“I scared who? You’re the only one in here, Cook,” Zoro said quietly. He moved slowly and calmly, sitting next to the tearful blonde.
“Fishies,” Sanji said. “You ‘ared th’m.”
“I scared the fish?” Zoro asked, watching Sanji turn towards the tank.
“Mhm.” Sanji looked at Zoro with tear filled eyes. His bottom lip quivered within his pout. Sanji didn’t know what else to do other than let the tears fall. Sanji kept his eyes glued to Zoro, as the green hair blurred, Sanji couldn’t stop the lump forming in his throat.
“I’m… sorry.” Zoro watched as Sanji scrambled across the couch, landing on Zoro’s lap. “What?”
“’Ro.” Sanji looked up at Zoro. The swordsman wrapped an arm around his shoulders, keeping him from falling. “You ‘ared th’m.”
“I’m sorry.” Zoro’s eyes widened when Sanji sank against his chest. “I didn’t mean to scare them.”
“You sow’ry?” Sanji’s voice was small. Smaller than he felt, much, much smaller. He gripped onto Zoro’s shirt; his cries dwindled to sniffles and small hiccups.
“I am. Very sorry.” Sanji moved to lay his head on Zoro’s lap, his eyes watching the tank as the fish swam about.
“Swimmy swimmy fishies,” Sanji mumbled, his voice slurring as his eyes struggled to stay open.
Not fair. He wanted to keep watching the fishies. Why did he need sleep if the fishies are awake?
Zoro was confused; he’d never known the crew's cook to be quite childish at times. He always had that demeanor that any adult would wish to have. But seeing Sanji like this, in a seemingly much younger state, it tugged at Zoro’s heart.
Zoro’s hand came to rest on Sanji’s hair, his fingers raking through it. It always looked soft, but Zoro couldn’t imagine how soft it actually was. A soft hum coming from the blonde caught his attention, quickly followed by a yawn. Zoro smiled slightly, a shimmer of content settling over him.
“Are you tired?” Zoro asked, his hand stilling in its movements. Sanji grumbled, burying further into his lap, his thumb placed in his mouth. “Why don’t you take a nap?”
“Uh uh.”
“Co - uh, Sanji.”
“‘M not tir’d.”
“You’re about to fall asleep on me.”
“No ‘m not.”
“Yes, you -” Zoro stopped himself. He would not argue with the cook, as it seemed he was a child right now. “Come on, let’s get you to the bunks.”
“No!” Sanji exclaimed, moving to sit on Zoro’s lap, his arms wrapped around the swordsman’s shoulders. Keeping himself in place, he rested his head on his shoulder. “I wan’ stay up. No nap.”
“You’re almost drooling on me.”
“Uh uh.”
“Sanji.” Zoro was quiet, his hand coming to rest on Sanji’s back. “You’re about to fall asleep on me.”
“No!”
“Sanji.”
“No! No nap! Nuh uh!” Sanji climbed off Zoro’s lap, facing away from him. He crossed his arms and let out a deep huff.
Why did Zoro get to stay awake? Sanji wanted to watch the fishies more; they were even talking to him again! He didn’t want to take a nap. It’s not fair! He should be allowed to stay awake.
Sanji was about to protest again when another yawn hit him.
“You’ve been yawning,” Zoro pointed out.
“Nuh uh,” Sanji said through another yawn.
“Don’t think I haven’t noticed. You’re tired.”
“Am not!”
Zoro didn’t know what to do. He had very little experience with kids, and none with adults in a kid mindset. What in the world was he supposed to do? Force him to take a nap or just let him be?
Zoro sat there, his hand resting on the hilt of Wado. His eyes darted over to Sanji, who had gone back to staring at the fish swimming in the tank. His yawning became more frequent. Zoro knew he would give in eventually.
“Sanji.”
“No nap. I wan’ watch fishies.”
“If you take a nap, you watch the fish later.”
“I wanna watch now.” Sanji yawned again.
Zoro waited, just watching as Sanji tried to suppress his yawns. After a few minutes, Sanji made his way towards the swordsman again. Plopping down on his lap, he rested his head against Zoro’s chest.
“‘M ‘eepy,” Sanji mumbled, his eyes fluttering shut.
“Let’s go to the bunks. You can nap there.”
“Uh uh. Here,” Sanji mumbled. “Nap with fishies.”
“You want to nap with the fish?”
“Mhm.”
Zoro situated himself so that he was lying on his back, Sanji on top of him, Zoro playing with the blonde’s soft waves, almost immediately sending Sanji to sleep.
Zoro didn’t know what was going on. Didn’t know why the cook was sleeping as peacefully as a baby, mumbling about the fish swimming around. Zoro just knew that as he held onto Sanji, he didn’t want him to know any pain or distress in this state.
Zoro would do his damndest to keep the little cook happy.