Happiness. It was the only word that tore through the young man's mind as he lay there, wrapped in his lovers strong arms. He smiled slightly, craning his neck to see the face of the man he lay with. His partner Zoro was snoring contently, one arm around Sanji's waist, the other on his stomach, intertwined with the boys fingers. Sanji had his head on Zoro's chest, and he breathed silently, taking in the moment. They couldn't lay like that forever. Nami would come to wake them...she'd see them. The cover they'd had for months would be blown. Just a few more moments...and then he'd move...
Sanji awoke to a finger prodding at his forehead.
"Sanji. Sanji. Sanji. SANJI."
"LUFFY WHAT?!" The boy shot up, or at least tried to, forgetting that he had fallen asleep in Zoro's arms.
"I think you're in the wrong bed." The young cook glanced around drowsily, screaming, which woke the swordsman.
"Sanji?!" Zoro did his best to act surprised. Sanji jumped off the bed, wearing only pajama pants, like usual, he blushed like mad.
"We were so tired after our conversation last night we must have fallen asleep."
The cook was calm, slipping a cigarette in between his soft lips, lighting it.
"So...breakfast?" He sighed.
"Yes Luffy. Wake everyone up." Luffy bounded off, grinning and laughing. Sanji took a deep breath, the nicotine filling and coating his lungs, before letting it out slowly.
"It was too close that time."
"You're the one who didn't leave at the correct time."
"You're the one who fell asleep!" The boy glared at the swordsman, huffing. He took a drag on his cigarette.
"Damn you..." He sighed.
"Love you too." He chuckled in his deep, gruff voice. The blonde stretched. It was much too hot for his usual suit.
"Alright. Breakfast time." He shoved his hands in his pockets and left the room.
When the swordsman arrived at breakfast, Luffy and Usopp were fighting over their food again.
"You idiots!" Sanji smacked the back of their heads, giving Zoro a hidden half smile, placing a plate in front of Nami.
"Nami! Look at the wonderful breakfast I made you!" He grinned. It was easy for him to carry on as if he still 'loved' Nami, to cover up his and Zoro's love. Zoro chuckled and took a swig of his whiskey, not even bothering to sit down.
"I still have a lot of training to get done…"
"But we're almost to the island!"
"Yeah Zoro! Don't you wanna wait out here with all of us?" Luffy stuck out his bottom lip, and Zoro waved him off.
"After that back injury…" His voice trailed off. Everyone believed that the back injury had been from training in the middle of the night. Only Sanji and Zoro knew the truth.
"I still don't understand how that happened." Chopper had padded up behind him, placing his hooves on Zoro's lower back.
"I told you! I was fighting and I threw out my back."
"But it's never happened before-"
"It happened."
"Zoro! Tell the truth." Sanji sighed and took a long drag on his cigarette. Everyone looked from the blonde cook to the green haired swordsman.
"Sanji…?"
"Is there a problem my love?" He smirked. Chopper started laughing.
"Sanji told me a while ago how you hurt your back. It was just a matter of time before you told everyone." He smiled sweetly as the blonde strode over, dropping his cigarette on the ground and grinding it to dust under his heel, kissing the swordsman lightly on the lips. Zoro blushed madly, wrapping his arms around the boys waist and kissing back.
"Well? Got anything to say?" Sanji turned towards their now shocked crew-mates.
"So…you guys love each other then?" Luffy's voice was quiet.
"Yes you knucklehead. Got a problem?"
"No. I'm fine with it. As long as it doesn't interfere with our travels."
"That's right." Nami piped up, standing. "As long as there's still food on the table and enemies being sliced in half, you guys will be fine."
She smiled. "But if you two get so wrapped up in each other that we can't sleep because there's a racket coming from your bedrooms-" She looked between the two. "Then you'll have to find another ship."
" Isn't it Luffy's job to say that?"
"YEAH!"
"Fine. But don't think just because I'm not the captain I wont be making rules around here." The crew kept fighting and laughing, but it was all distant to the boys. Sanji turned to look Zoro in the eyes, reaching up to press their lips together. Usopp gently pushed them towards the cabins, and Zoro led Sanji away. They could do whatever. They were being given the opportunity to make love and mean it, and not have to worry about being caught.
"I don't get it." Nami looked down at Chopper, hearing his voice.
"What don't you get?"
"Why did Sanji pretend to love you for so long?" He looked up at Nami, an innocent expression across his face.
"They were afraid of what we would think. So Sanji kept cover for as long as they could. But it had to come out sometime." She laughed, going back to her desk to check on their course, leaving Chopper to glance around at the crew.
The couple had hardly made it to Zoro's bedroom before they were tugging restlessly at each others clothes. Their kisses had gained intensity and got longer, as Sanji was pushed back on the bed. The swordsman straddled the cook's waist and kissed him deeply, his hands roaming the boy's chest.
"Zoro…" He paused, pulling away for a moment.
"I love you."