Title: Bathhouse
Author: kikokus (AoiTsukikage)
Rating: NC-17
Characters/Pairing: Sanji/Law
Chapter: 1/1
Word Count: ~7100
Summary: "You're certain you want your first sexual experience to be like this?" "I just want my first sexual experience." (Or, Sanji goes to a bathhouse looking for a casual hook-up and ends up getting so much more. Sanji/Law, modern!AU).
Spoilers: Very vague ones for something that happens at the end of Dressrosa
Bathhouse
He's never done this before.
No, it's not necessarily his first choice, but he's got a reputation for being a bit of a ladies man and there's a part of him that doesn't want to give that up.
It's shitty, and he knows it, but while he's perfectly fine being charming to women while on the job and in public, the instant he gets alone with one he turns into such a fucking mess that he's long since realized dying from embarrassment is probably more likely to happen than losing his virginity.
He's not sure how this revelation has led him to visit a bathhouse, but maybe he's so damn desperate that sex with anybody is preferable, and it's not like he's got anything against guys.
The way he sees it, as long as he's the one doing the fucking, it doesn't really matter who's on the other side and maybe it'll give him a bit more confidence the next time he has a chance to spend the night with a girl.
Still, the environment is…not what he'd expected. No, he wasn't expecting some sort of luxurious hotel, but the dimly lit hallways and crowds of men wearing nothing but skimpy towels around their waists are more intimidating than he'd first thought.
He probably sticks out like a sore thumb, awkwardly tip-toeing down the hall to the locker number that the key hanging from an elastic bracelet around his wrist is guiding him to, and when two guys stop directly in front of him, one shedding his towel and the other dropping to his knees, he's starting to think he's in over his head.
Maybe it would have been easier to hire somebody, but there's always been something a little unsettling to him about that sort of thing. Everybody here, at least, is likely here because they want to be and not because they'd being paid for it, and the romantic in him is much more appeased by that despite the fact that he's hardly looking for romance at the moment.
He finally finds the locker and shoves his clothing inside, glad that he'd worn casual things because the idea of putting one of his suits in a locker that had held God-knew-what before makes him shudder. He can hear one of the guys behind him start to moan so he quickly shuts the door and makes sure that it's locked, hurrying away from the dark hallway and into a more well-lit part of the building.
The door closest to him seems to lead into a large, wooden-paneled sauna, and while he might enjoy being able to sit and clear his mind there in a normal situation, a glance through the window shows that entering now would be throwing himself into the middle of what's shaping up to be some sort of orgy and he's definitely not comfortable with that.
He moves on, keeping his head down and his hands tight to his sides, and when a hand sneaks under his towel and fondles him none-too-gently he nearly lashes out.
It's a good thing he doesn't, since he knows his kick can break a man's jaw, but he'd never anticipated how informal things were at these places and apparently getting groped is just part of the deal.
"Hey, pretty boy," a voice much too close to his ear intones, hand creeping even farther under the thin fabric. "You look like you need a good fucking to loosen you up."
"Nn," Sanji replies, trying his best to say 'no, thank you' but apparently he's so hard-up (and ha, the irony of that thought isn't lost on him) that even an unwanted touch is causing his blood to flow to areas of his body he'd rather weren't waking up in that moment.
"Is that a yeah? My friends 'n I'll take good care of you," the man leans in and licks his neck and Sanji shoves him away, holding the towel closed and fleeing down the hall. His cheeks redden as he heard the man shout some rather uncomplimentary words after him, but he's so frazzled that he doesn't even process them.
He needs to leave.
…but that means going back the way he'd come to get to his locker, since he was hardly going out into the street in a towel and no shoes, but going back to his locker meant passing by those men again and…
Fuck.
He tries to get himself under control, telling himself that he's safe here, that nobody's going to do anything he doesn't want them to, but all that does is serve to make him more anxious and he ends up ducking into the nearest open door and yanking it shut behind him.
He sinks to the floor, lowering his head into his hands, and realizes he's shaking like a fucking leaf.
Great.
So much for an easy way to get laid.
"I don't recall giving you permission to close the…shit!"
He barely registers the voice, the roaring in his ears starting to overpower everything else. There's hands on his wrists then, gentle enough that he accepts the touch without resisting, and when he focuses on the room again he finds himself looking directly into a pair of golden eyes.
"Breathe for me," the man murmurs, something about the timbre and the easy fluidity of his voice inherently soothing, and Sanji can feel himself start to relax a little. "Good."
There's a slam on the door then and Sanji flinches, his breath quickening again.
"Fuck off, it's closed for a goddamn reason!" the man growls, suddenly sounding a lot less congenial, but Sanji can hear footsteps hurry away immediately. "You're okay. A closed door means I don't want anybody to enter," his tone softens again and Sanji realizes that he's probably not much older than Sanji himself is, though it's obviously not his first time frequenting this establishment.
"Sorry. I'll…"
"Speaking purely as professional, I'm not sure leaving this room would be the best thing for your state of mind at the moment," the man replies dryly and Sanji blinks at him. "I'm a doctor."
"Oh," he knows that's not really an adequate response but it's all he has. "Still, the last thing you probably want to think about here is your fucking job," he laughs nervously, getting a smirk in return.
"I've learned by now that it's hardly a job I can ever truly free my mind of," he gets to his feet and Sanji looks up at him, thinking that he definitely could have chosen a worse room to hide out in. "Here. Let's get you on the bed, at least," the man holds out a hand and Sanji takes it, letting himself be pulled up and then staggering over to the bed on legs that still feel far too weak.
"Sorry. Again," he can't seem to stop apologizing and he wants to kick himself in the head for it. "I'll leave right away…"
"Or you could stay," the man sits down beside him and Sanji turns his head to study him, eyes immediately drawn to his dark skin and the even darker swirls of ink covering almost every inch of his bare chest and arms. His eyes are black-rimmed, though Sanji can't tell if it's make-up or just the after-effects of no doubt working long hours. That, at least, makes Sanji believe he's a doctor, but the finger tattoos proclaiming 'death' on both hands and the double earrings in each of his ears don't really fit with any doctor Sanji's ever seen.
One thing's for sure, though: while he's not what Sanji had originally thought he'd be attracted to, the other man is fucking hot.
"I'm…I mean, are we supposed to introduce each other?" he asks, since maybe a doctor would want to be anonymous, but all he gets is a shrug. "Sanji."
"Law," the man holds out his hand and Sanji thinks absently how absurd it feels to be almost naked and shaking hands with a guy like they're in some sort of business meeting. "And trust me, I was no better the first time I came here. It took a few visits to realize that if you're not looking to go down on the first man you meet in the hall, renting a room is the best way to go about things because you can be as…selective as you want when it comes to choosing a partner for the evening."
"Thanks for the advice," Sanji lets out a little embarrassed laugh at that. "I don't feel quite so fucking hopeless now."
"Hmm," Law gives him a sideways glance, his smirk widening. "Still, I'm sure you came here for something tonight…" he trails off and Sanji realizes that he's letting him lead, something he's incredibly grateful for given his experience so far.
"Yeah. I've…uh…" he stops, sure that his face is beet red by now, and Law clicks his tongue.
"Ah," he nods. "And you're certain you want your first sexual experience to be like this?"
"I just want my first sexual experience," Sanji mumbles, lowering his face into his hands and realizing how pathetic he probably sounds.
"May I touch you?"
"What?" Sanji's head snaps up and he blinks rapidly, unsure if he'd heard right. "Did you-"
"I realize that the etiquette," he says the word disdainfully, "here seems to be 'touch first, ask later', but I'm not much of a fan of that, truthfully."
"Uh. Yeah. I mean…yeah," Sanji nods, sighing when Law's hand lands on his thigh. "What're we…"
"Well, I assume since its your first time, you'll want to be on top," Law shrugs, the words so casual that it takes Sanji a moment to realize that Law's okay with that and he gets hard so quickly after that it's almost comical. "I see," Law's eyes are drawn to the bulge under his towel. "May I?"
"Yeah," Sanji can barely get the word out, his throat feels so tight.
"Hold on," Law stands up and crosses to a small table set beside the bed, picking up two packets – lube and a condom, things Sanji had also been given as he'd entered - before returning. He reaches for the towel, waiting for Sanji to nod again before removing it. Law's blank expression doesn't change the entire time he rips the packets open, using the tip of his finger to swipe a drop of lube from it before he applies it to the inside of the condom.
"What…" Sanji's pretty sure he needs lube on the outside of the condom, at least from what he's heard, but…
"It'll help things go a little smoother, especially since it's your first time and I doubt you're fully relaxed," Law's lips quirk up as he glances at him. "And it helps increase sensitivity, so you'll feel more even with the condom in place," he intones, and hearing him rattle things off so clinically definitely convinces Sanji that he's actually a doctor.
His touch is expert as he rolls the condom on, but Sanji can barely react before his mouth follows, taking Sanji almost fully in and causing the blond to gasp.
"Holy fuck, Law…"
Law hums, which only causes Sanji's eyes to roll back in his head, and he tries to squirm away.
"Fucking hell," he whimpers, but seeing the almost pained look Law directs toward him gives him pause. "I mean, it feels amazing, but I'm…I'm not gonna last," he admits sheepishly, although the words cause Law's expression to soften again.
"I understand. We'll forego the foreplay," he stands up and removes his own towel, and Sanji licks his lips instinctively.
Okay, yeah, he's attracted to guys in theory, but he'd always thought he'd still be a little uncomfortable being in close proximity to a dick that wasn't his own.
That's not the case, though, and if anything it's arousing him even more.
He reaches out without thinking, running his hands down Law's chest and pulling him closer by his hips. "What…I mean, I dunno what…fuck…" he groans, trying to hide his face when Law chuckles.
"No, it's perfectly alright," Law straddles his hips, his cock brushing against Sanji's own and making the blond shiver. "This can be as personal or as impersonal as you'd like. If you wish to only fuck me and leave, that's acceptable," his expression makes it impossible to tell if that's what he wants, but Sanji realizes that, since Law's somebody he can at least trust for the moment, he wants it to be good for both of them.
"Can I kiss you?" he blurts out, but the almost shocked look Law gives him and the slight flush high on his cheeks doesn't make him regret asking it. "I mean, if that's…"
Law answers him by leaning down and covering Sanji's mouth with his own, and while Sanji's never kissed a guy before (hell, he's barely gotten that far with girls, if he's being honest) there's nothing about it that feels wrong.
He leans back on the bed, pulling Law with him so that their bodies are flush, and when Law's tongue flicks against his lips he parts them instinctively.
Law, he decides after a few seconds, is a fucking amazing kisser. He runs his hands down Law's back, craving touch in a way he never has before, and when Law pulls back they're both panting.
"Holy shit," Sanji gasps, burying his face against Law's neck.
"Are you prepared?" Law murmurs, getting his breathing under control remarkably quickly. He's got the packet of lube in his hand again and squeezes some more out, slicking Sanji's condom-covered erection.
"Yeah. Don't you…um…" he bites his lip, not sure how to ask it without it being awkward, but Law shakes his head.
"No. That is, yes, I do, but most of the men that come in here don't like to waste time with preparation so I tend to do it beforehand," he shrugs. "Sometimes it's unnecessary if my partner for the evening prefers to be on the receiving end, but it doesn't hurt."
Sanji nods, because he can see the wisdom in that, and he grabs Law's hips and tries to keep himself under control when Law lowers his body onto Sanji's cock.
"Oh, fuck," he groans, the suction almost unbearable and he wonders briefly how much more intense it would be without a condom.
"Okay?" Law doesn't sound affected in the least, his tone almost bored, and Sanji nods quickly because he doesn't trust his voice. "Good," Law gives him a smirk before rolling his hips.
The noise Sanji lets out is one he'll probably deny forever, because it's not really even a moan so much as a high-pitched squeak, but his hands clamp even tighter onto Law's hips as he bucks his own up.
"Ah," Law gasps, his indifferent façade starting to slip a bit, so Sanji does it again and watches with no small amount of pride as Law's eyes flutter closed and his mouth drops open.
Okay. So he's not totally useless at sex.
That's encouraging.
"Let me," Law urges, settling his knees on either side of Sanji's body and leaning forward so that he can brace his hands against the wall, giving himself better leverage. Sanji slides his hands up Law's back, leaning forward to press a kiss against his chest and thinking that, this time, he'll let Law show him how it's done.
"Okay," he darts his tongue out impulsively to flick against a peaked nipple and hears Law groan softly so he does it again, closing his lips around the hardened bud and sucking gently.
"Mm, fuck," Law sighs, starting to roll his hips again. Sanji pulls his mouth away and focuses on just hanging on, trying to stave off his orgasm as long as possible because otherwise this will be over embarrassingly quickly.
The extra support from the wall means that Law can fuck himself quickly, nearly bouncing on his knees as Sanji's cock drives deep into his body. He takes one hand off the wall to stroke himself, something Sanji thinks muzzily that he should probably do if he wants to be polite but he doubts he's coordinated enough at the moment.
Law's panting, and though he's quiet otherwise Sanji can tell when he's gotten himself close by the erratic rhythm of his hips and the almost-glassy look in his golden eyes.
"Fuck…wanna see you come, I…" Sanji babbles, not even sure what he's saying, but Law's entire body goes rigid, mouth hanging open as his climax hits him. Sanji can't even be bothered to care that most of Law's release ends up on his chest because the other man's ass clenching tight around his cock is all it takes for him to come, too. The most intense orgasm he's ever felt washes over him, fingers clutching at Law's sweat-slick skin and toes curling in the sheets as he swears his vision goes white for a moment.
He's gasping for air, body shaking with tiny aftershocks, and Law slumps onto his chest and lets out a groan of pure satisfaction.
"Are you sure you haven't done this before?" he murmurs, lips finding the blond's shoulder. Sanji laughs breathily and scratches his fingers through Law's hair, feeling his limbs start to settle with a pleasant lethargy.
"Nah. But thanks…y'know, for a first time, that was fucking amazing," he promises, getting a pleased-sounding hum in return.
"I concur. And I daresay you'll have no trouble whatsoever finding a partner in the future," Law mumbles, leaving Sanji a little amazed that he can use that kind of language after coming as hard as he seemingly did.
"Yeah? Cool," Sanji decides, his fingers still carding through Law's hair. The other man shifts enough that Sanji's cock slides out of his body, huffing a tiny breath and nuzzling against Sanji's shoulder, and oh, okay, apparently he's a cuddler.
He wouldn't have pegged Law for it on meeting him but it feels…nice, so he's not going to complain.
"So," Law clears his throat. "Clean up a little, go to the sauna for a while, and then back for round two?"
Sanji frowns, because while a part of him definitely is interested, a much bigger one is telling him that he should leave. There's something about the room now in the afterglow, in the impersonal and sterile décor, that makes him feel like it's all wrong somehow.
Fuck, apparently he's too much of a romantic to even have a casual hookup and be fine with it, but he's kind of suspected that all along.
Not that he regrets it, of course, because Law's…
Yeah. He doesn't regret it.
…but that doesn't necessarily mean he wants to repeat it, either, and the thought of spending any more time with the men out there who have absolutely no qualms about touching his cock without his approval is about the least appealing thing he can think of at the moment.
"Actually, I think I'm just gonna head home."
"Oh."
Law gets off of him rather quickly but Sanji doesn't think anything of it, figuring that if really wants a round two he's probably eager to get started on that. He eases the condom off, tying the top and leaning over the bed to drop it in the provided disposal bin. There are towels and washcloths stacked up nearby, thankfully, so he grabs one, wetting it at the sink in the corner to clean up a bit and wipe the remnants of Law's cum from his chest.
The washcloth goes in a different bin and Sanji's reminded again of just how structured everything is. The idea that he's had in his head of these sorts of places was of pure debauchery, but he supposes they need to make sure everything's done safely and in the most sanitary way possible.
Still, it's kind of killed whatever mood they may have built up.
Feeling like he's overstayed his welcome, he plans on just grabbing his towel and rushing back to his locker while hoping to not get accosted again, but as he's wrapping it around his waist a glance toward Law makes him pause.
"Hey. So. Thanks," he mumbles, not sure if he's supposed to do anything more.
"I'm glad it was enjoyable for you," Law gives him a smile that doesn't come anywhere close to reaching his eyes and Sanji feels a familiar guilt settling in his stomach.
He doesn't owe Law anything.
He doesn't.
He…ah, fuck it, he'll never forgive himself if he just runs away now, especially not when Law had done so much to help him calm down earlier.
Sighing heavily, he crosses back to the bed and sits down beside the other man.
"You can leave," the words are scathing and Sanji flinches at the icy tone, although it only furthers his suspicions that Law's being cold on purpose. "I'm sure there's somebody else out there who wants to use my ass."
Sanji blinks at that, because that's not what he'd…
Except it was.
Because he'd fucked Law and then said he wanted to leave when Law had made an offer for the night to continue.
Fuck, he's an idiot.
"I didn't mean it like that," Sanji rests his hand on Law's thigh, trying not to feel hurt when Law shoves it away. "Sorry."
"It's fine," Law mutters tersely, his teeth clenched. "Just go. Please."
And wow, he's doing a really good job fixing things, so he clears his throat and decides to try and sort out his jumbled thoughts.
"I'm serious. Given that it only took about two seconds to have some stranger shoving his hand into my towel, I really don't want to go into a sauna or a shower or anywhere there's going to be a lot of people. You saw how I reacted last time," he blushes because it's still a little embarrassing how badly he'd freaked out. "And I guess I've just realized that I don't want casual sex. I want to…fuck, I want to fall asleep beside somebody, and cook them breakfast in the morning, and just be able to lie there and talk and not worry about whether I'm following rules or procedures or how I'm going to get out of the building without being violated afterward," he wants to kick himself because that sounds way too sappy but he's never claimed to be anything but utterly idealistic when it comes to the concept of love.
"I see," Law's tone is marginally softer and he slides his hand onto the blankets between them, looking at Sanji almost hopefully. Sanji breathes a sigh of relief and clasps his fingers over Law's tattooed ones, his entire chest feeling lighter with just that simple action. "I'm sorry for judging you so harshly, but you wouldn't have been the first to treat me like that. It's expected here, of course, and technically nobody's supposed to be affronted by it since it's all part of the package deal, but I still can't help feeling that way."
"I get it," Sanji leans against his shoulder. "And it was shitty of me to not realize how what I said would have sounded," he lets go of Law's hand to slide his arm around the other man's waist. "If you want me to stay, I can handle it," he promises, because even if it's not his first choice it's not like he can't do it.
He owes Law, anyway.
"No. No, you shouldn't have to feel uncomfortable for my sake," Law assures him, causing Sanji to breathe a sigh of relief. "In all honesty, I don't much feel like staying here longer, either. Let me get my things and I'll walk with you to your locker," he offers, and while Sanji's first reaction is to tell him that he doesn't need to do that, in truth he'll feel a lot better if he's not alone.
"Okay. If you're sure," he adds, feeling like he should still give Law a choice in this.
"I am," Law presses his nose into Sanji's hair and breathes out slowly, and fuck him if Sanji doesn't just want to curl up with him for a while. Law doesn't seem all that inclined to move, though, and Sanji doesn't even mind because it's just…nice being close to somebody like this.
"Law?" he asks quietly, not sure if this is being too forward or breaking some sort of etiquette (though at this point he hardly cares).
"Hmm?"
"Can I kiss you?"
Law makes a low noise in his throat that Sanji can't really decipher, but just like the first time Sanji had asked that question he again simply answers by tilting Sanji's chin up and bringing their lips together.
Sanji wraps both of his arms around Law's neck, scrambling almost into his lap as the kiss deepens, but what strikes him the most in that moment is that there's nothing…sexual about it.
And fuck, if somebody had told him a few hours earlier that he'd come out of the night not only wanting to make out with another guy but initiating it…twice…he'd probably have laughed in their face.
They really should leave, he knows, but there's a rather large part of him that realizes once they get outside this door this…whatever it is that's obviously building between them…is over.
He doesn't want to let it go yet, and from the way Law's clutching at him, the other man feels the same way.
"Law," he murmurs, knowing that putting it off isn't going to make things any easier. "Law, we should…"
"Mm. Yes," Law moves back enough that Sanji can stand, and the blond watches as he wraps a towel around his waist and grabs some clothing and a messenger bag from the sole locker in the room. "Ready?" he stuffs the clothes into the bag, slinging it over his shoulder and replacing the key on his wrist.
Sanji looks to his own key, realizing he'd never even bothered to remove it, and tries not to start when Law grabs his wrist to read the number on it.
"I think I remember the way there," Sanji laughs nervously because the place is like a fucking maze, but he's got a decent sense of direction and he'll be far less panicky with Law around.
"Good. Let's go," Law holds the door open for him and Sanji steps out into the (thankfully) empty hallway. "Here, this might be easier if I…" Law's arm settles around his waist, his fingers spreading over where Sanji's folded the towel.
He realizes a moment later that, this way, nobody can undo it if Law's holding onto it, and he murmurs a quick 'thank you' while Law smirks at him.
They do manage to get to the locker and back to the entrance without anybody accosting them, and once he's in the private dressing room and back in his normal clothes he's starting to feel much more like himself.
Law's nowhere to be found when he comes out, and he tries to hide his disappointment as he hands in his key and avoids making eye contact with the bored-looking front desk employee. His feet carry him quickly through the doors and out into the crisp night air, fingers digging through his jacket for a cigarette and lighting up immediately once he's got one in his mouth.
After the night he's had, he fucking needs it.
He hears the door open behind him and half-turns, unable to hide his smile once he sees who it is.
"Hey, Doc," he raises his hand in a wave and Law doesn't hesitate to join him. "I know you're gonna give me shit for these, right?"
"Well," Law shrugs one shoulder and clears his throat. "I may have…not been entirely truthful when I told you my profession."
Sanji raises an eyebrow, because Law had certainly sounded like a doctor, but that's a strange thing to lie about. "Meaning…."
"I'm doing my residency at the moment," Law replies. "Surgery, actually," he adds, and Sanji thinks that makes more sense. He knows through Chopper how fucking long it takes to become a doctor and Law's probably mid-20s at most.
"Well, I won't hold it against you," Sanji promises, taking care to blow his smoke away from Law. "Still, you've gotta be fucking busy if you're still a student."
"I am," he sticks his hands in his pockets and stares up at the sky. "It…truthfully, that's the main reason I come here. We get stuck with the shitty shifts more often than not so having an actual relationship isn't viable since I'd hardly be around to spend time with anybody. So while it's not ideal, at least I know coming here is about the safest way to relieve my needs," he mumbles the last part, like he's ashamed of needing to do it at all, but Sanji can understand.
"So you live close, then?"
He's not sure why he asks that, honestly, other than that he still doesn't want to stop talking to Law and Law doesn't seem to mind conversing with him.
"A couple of blocks," Law points vaguely in the direction of the harbor. "And yourself? Obviously you haven't been here before, but…"
"You know the Baratie?" he asks, assuming that Law will because even if people haven't been there everybody knows the Baratie. It's hard to miss a giant floating fish-shaped restaurant, after all.
"The place down in the bay?" Law narrows his eyes and Sanji nods, dropping his cigarette butt and crushing it under the heel of his boot.
"Yeah. My old man owns it, so we live on-site since he spends about twenty hours a day at the restaurant anyway," he mutters.
"Are you a chef, then?" Law looks interested now and Sanji puffs out his chest a little bit, knowing this is one thing he can be rightfully proud of.
"I mean, not that the shitty geezer will ever call me that, but after him I'm the best damn chef in the whole city," he grins and while the look Law gives him is appraising, he doesn't look like he doubts Sanji's words.
"So when you said you wanted to cook breakfast for somebody…"
"Yeah. Lucky bastard'll get the best damn breakfast they've ever had," he meets Law's eyes as his words trail off, not meaning for that to come out as any sort of invitation but he can't deny that's what it sounded like.
He feels like he can hardly breathe when Law steps closer, the tension between them even thicker now than it had been back at the bathhouse.
"So," Law swallows, and there's the barest flicker of fear in his golden eyes that tells Sanji he's just as out of his depth as Sanji's feeling right now. "Hypothetically speaking, could I be that 'lucky bastard?'"
"Would you like to be?"
Sanji intends for it to be flirty but it mostly sounds hopeful and a little apprehensive.
Fuck, none of this was in his plans for the evening, but for some reason he's going along with it anyway.
"I…I think I would," Law almost whispers, and Sanji swears he can feel his stomach flip-flop and his heart clench in his chest because all of a sudden he wants this more than anything in the world.
"Yeah?" he asks hopefully, trying to keep the giddiness out of his voice.
He doesn't need a boyfriend. Law's literally just said that he doesn't do relationships because he's too busy.
He doesn't need a-
"Yes," Law murmurs, and Sanji decides to say 'fuck it' to all of his doubts because he and Law have already proven, even in one night, that they're good at making things work between them. "I have to warn you, though, that I'm a notoriously picky eater."
"Hey, I grew up in a restaurant. I can deal with that," Sanji's pretty sure that Law's requests aren't going to be as…particular as some of the one's he's entertained over the years, at least, and if they'll be at his place anyway it'll give Sanji a good idea of what Law does like to eat.
"Good," Law clears his throat and shuffles his feet a little awkwardly. "So. Shall we…"
"Yeah," Sanji slips his arm through Law's and gives him the most encouraging smile he can, because Law's surprisingly awkward out of the bathhouse environment.
"Right. It's only about five minutes," Law adds as they set off, and Sanji thinks that maybe he shouldn't be so eager to go to a stranger's house to stay the night.
Still, there's nothing Law's said or done that's made Sanji feel ill at ease, and he's a pretty good judge of people.
Plus he can kick anybody's face in with or without shoes on, so chances are he'll be okay.
They're quiet for the rest of the walk, the streets deserted with the late hour, but the building Law's heading toward is a one he knows well and that makes Sanji feel even better.
"You live here?" he asks, which is a silly question since Law's already punching in his code at the door.
"Yes. Is that a problem?"
"Nah, I've just got some friends in the building," Sanji replies, opening the door once the lock clicks off and heading into the familiar foyer. "I know you probably don't know all your neighbors, but if you've ever run into Ace and Luffy you'll remember them," he grins, even though Luffy's going to kill him if he finds out Sanji's been in the building and hasn't come to cook anything for him.
"…ah," Law sounds unimpressed in the way that only somebody well-acquainted with Luffy can muster, and all of Sanji's lingering insecurities fly away with that.
Because if Luffy likes Law, there's nothing to worry about.
Law leads him to the elevator and punches the button for the top floor, something that surprises Sanji since he's pretty sure the units up there are expensive.
He doesn't want to pry, but medical school can't be cheap so he's a little curious regardless.
"Right. The annoying boy in the straw hat," Law glances at him as the elevator goes up, but he's smirking just enough to let Sanji know he's not serious. "He's apparently decided I'm his friend, though I've hardly had a say in the matter."
"Yeah. He does that," Sanji chuckles. "I think that's how everybody becomes his friend. Once he found out I could cook I was pretty much his favorite person ever."
Law looks nonplussed but he doesn't say anything else as the elevator slows down and the doors open.
Sanji follows Law down the hall and waits for him to unlock the door, the beeping of an alarm system greeting them that Law quickly disengages.
"Make yourself at home," Law vaguely gestures around the space, dropping his messenger back and shrugging out of his jacket, but Sanji barely takes the time to toe his boots off before he's staring around the kitchen in awe.
"Holy fuck. This is amazing!" he probably looks like an excited child on Christmas morning but Law's got appliances with brand names Sanji's only ever dreamed of cooking on. "What's a med student doing with a full chef's kitchen?" he means it as a joke but Law looks strangely serious as he comes over, setting his hand on one of the gleaming granite countertops.
"The reason I know Strawhat and his brother…fuck, I don't want to burden you with my past, but I want to assure you I've come into this place by legitimate means," he murmurs, and Sanji feels a little guilty for doubting it earlier.
"You don't have to tell me anything," Sanji promises, still poking around the kitchen and zipping by Law to open the fridge and start menu-planning for the morning.
He doesn't have a lot, which speaks to him working odd shift hours and not spending much time at home, but there are enough staples that Sanji can whip something up - plus a fresh bowl of fruit on the counter that he can also find use for.
"Still, I want you to feel comfortable staying here," Law murmurs, something so endearingly earnest about his tone that Sanji already does. "I'll give you the short version, then. Luffy's grandfather is close friends with the man who's decided it's his responsibility to make sure I'm well taken care of," he shrugs and while that really only opens up more questions, it's an answer of a sort.
Sanji knows that Garp's got some high-ranking military position, anyway, so it's probably safe to assume that, whoever this friend is, he's got a similar job. Luffy and Ace's place is a few floors down and certainly not as nice, although that might just be because nothing expensive would stay in perfect condition with Luffy around.
He heads out of the kitchen and over to the long row of floor-to-ceiling windows, pushing open the balcony door and stepping out onto the deck. The view is incredible, the sprawl of the city fading away into the harbor, and if he squints he can even see the blinking lights on the top of the Baratie out on the water.
"So?" Law sounds like he's waiting for some sort of approval and Sanji turns around, deciding to take a chance and be a little bolder than he normally would.
He steps forward, wrapping his arms around Law's waist and kissing his cheek. "I fucking love it. Shit, I wouldn't mind living here," he stops, realizing what he's just said, but luckily Law doesn't look too affronted.
"Mm, I think the first date's a little too soon to be making living arrangements," he teases, and Sanji's about to reply before he yawns hugely and realizes that it's really late and he did put in a full day at the restaurant beforehand. "Bed, I think."
"Mm-hmm," he lets Law lead him back into the condo and down the hall to a spacious bedroom. Sanji tries not to face-plant on the bed but now that the adrenaline from the night has fully worn off he just wants to sleep.
"Here," Law props him up and Sanji manages to get out of his clothes, stripping down to his underwear before collapsing back against the soft pillows.
He should shower. Or at least brush his teeth. Or even just have a glass of water…
He's asleep before he can form another thought, the lure of a soft mattress and a warm body close to him much too strong to even try to resist.
000
He wakes up with his mouth feeling fuzzy, even though he's pretty sure he didn't drink anything the night before. It takes him a moment to realize he's not in his dingy, tiny old room above the Baratie's kitchen but in a luxury condo, but once he does his only response is to snuggle back into the pillow and sigh.
"Well, good morning."
"Hey," he peeks one eye open and glances at Law, who looks, if possible, even sexier in the morning light. His hair is a fluffy, disheveled mess and the dark circles under his eyes haven't really disappeared, but he's still so fucking gorgeous that Sanji can't quite believe the night before had actually happened. "Oh! Breakfast…"
"Stay. If you want," Law's arm slips over his waist and Sanji's powerless to resist as he curls back against Law's body and nuzzles his neck. "I'm looking forward to your cooking, but there's no rush. I mean, if you don't have to be anywhere…" he sounds hopeful and Sanji shrugs.
"I've probably got a hundred texts asking where I am, but I'm sure my old man can survive without me for a day," Sanji doesn't really get time off, after all, so he fucking deserves this.
"Oh. Good," there's obvious relief in Law's voice. "So," he continues after a few moments, his fingers tracing idle patterns over Sanji's shoulders and back. "We fell asleep together, and we're lying in bed talking, and you're going to make me breakfast…is there anything else on your list I should know about?"
"My…oh," Sanji groans, although he's impressed that Law can remember everything he'd rattled off the night before. Nothing he'd said was untrue, although looking back it's embarrassingly sappy. "Well," he pushes himself up enough that he can look at Law and smirks, narrowing his eyes. "Since you've been so accommodating to my requests, I think it's time we do some of yours…"
"Mm, and what would those be?" Law's voice drops, raspy and utterly sultry.
"Well, I don't think you've got a sauna hiding in here, but I think a joint shower and then back for round two is doable," he murmurs, feeling Law's breath catch when his lips press against the other man's throat.
"Good," Law's hands slide down to his ass and Sanji arches into the touch, although the mood is rather effectively broken when Law's stomach growls and Sanji starts laughing into his shoulder. "Fucking hell," Law flops back on the bed and throws an arm over his eyes.
He's adorable, Sanji realizes, and at first glance that's not something he ever would have expected but it only makes him like Law even more.
"So. Breakfast first?"
"I think my body's made that decision for me," Law shifts his arm down enough that he can blink at Sanji, his cheeks a little red.
Sanji doesn't even try to tamp down the giddy feeling in his chest this time as he swoops in and presses his lips quickly to Law's, squawking when Law pulls him down to rest against his shoulder again. "Lemme up. Breakfast," he reminds the other man, and Law lifts his arm. "Get ready to have your mind fucking blown."
"Mm, I look forward to it," Law replies, and Sanji has a feeling he's talking about more than just food.
He reluctantly slips out of bed and over to the kitchen, getting a pot of coffee started before digging through the fridge and thinking about how, even twelve hours ago, something like this happening had been the last thing on his mind.
Going to the bathhouse might not be an experience he ever wants to repeat, but since it ended up with him cooking breakfast in his underwear in a gourmet kitchen with a hot guy waiting in bed for him, he can't complain too much.
One thing's for sure, though: whatever happens after today between him and Law, he doesn't regret any of it.
And, in that end, no matter how he got here…that's what really matters.
Notes
1. This started out as an excuse to write utterly self-indulgent Sanji-and-Law-meet-in-a-bathhouse!smut and ended up as…7000+ words with barely any smut at all. So I apologize for that, and evidently it's even more proof that I can't write pure smut without actual plot/character-building/etc. somehow happening…
2. Still, if you enjoyed this, feel free to leave a comment/review/etc.! I had a lot of fun writing it regardless of it turning out quite different to how I'd originally intended.