The memories were like freshly fallen snow. Not ice nor water but still there and still snow. It was their first Christmas after their arrival in to the New World and a party was long overdue. He could still remember the taste of the Old Man's special sea bream stuffed with that secret recipe filling that he recreated a few nights ago. He smiled fondly in reverie, the happiness bubbling up in him from simple treasured memories. Their smiles. The feast. The full and satisfied hums and boisterous laughter. The graceful dances and stumbling drunks. His nakama, happy and content. The very people he thinks who should only deserve the best food he could give them. It was a Christmas fitting of the great pirates they are. And there was the exchange of presents. The consideration of the presents that were given to him made him glow in pride. One in particular from a special someone. A wooden carving of the Baratie, the replica encased in a glass globe. Who would've thought that he knew. That he knew of his love for snow.
But the greatest gift would always be their happiness. Their smiles.
Tonight, the sea was calmer, as if it was asleep as well. The night was silent with its shining moon and accompanying stars. The sound of the waves lulling the inhabitants of the Thousand Sunny to slumber with the exception of two men. The festivities had died down but not their happiness. And even with this happiness, they still had jobs to do. He wondered why was he doing Zoro's job. He started to miss the arms of the man he was sharing this still night with. He stared out to sea, admiring the way the sky was reflected in the opaqueness of the water below. A sigh sounded from the chef's lips, wondering how long it would take that lost marimo to come back.
The trapdoor opened and Sanji jolted at the sound to an upright position, expecting the swordsman. "ZOR-oh… it's you…" The disappointment in his voice made Usopp feel sheepish as he climbed into the Crow's Nest. "Uhh… yea… I'm here to relieve Zoro…" He murmured awkwardly as he watched the blond stand up and pet himself down. "Know where the shitty swordsman is?" He asked, sighing again. "Probably lost, maybe you should try checking the galley… he seems to be attracted to that place." He muttered before starting to settling into his favourite spot. "Yeah… I'll check… G'Night" Sanji began to climb down, making a beeline for the galley as Usopp watched with a smirk.
The long-nosed sniper chuckled, looking at the blond's attempt to be inconspicuous. He could see the slight blue tinting within the usual yellow glow of the light from the portholes of the galley. He gave a casual shrug and a smirk. Wishing the swordsman luck.
Sanji stopped somewhere between the mast and the galley, eyes straying up to the darkening sky above them. His curly brows frowned slightly as his heart beat softly, dulling his thoughts into a daze. He could easily imagine white dots appearing, slowly becoming more abundant and larger. He could feel the soft freezing touch of a sweet and gentle snowfall, reminding him of the conversation between him and the stupid swordsman several days ago.
Looking up at the sky, the blond sighed. He had a heavy heart, wishing to no avail for a white Christmas. There was one night left. The shitty swordsman settled beside his lover, mirroring his position. Arms crossed, leaning against the rail, legs crossed behind them. The marimo swayed his hip, bumping his own into the blond's. "Why so gloomy shit-cook?" He chuckled, the damned drunkard with half a bottle of rum in his hand. "Nothing a dumb brute like you would understand…" The blond sighed. Zoro leaned close, lips brushing against the blond's ear as he whispered softly. "Come on… tell me lover boy…" He encouraged his reluctant chef. "I want a 'White Christmas'… Zeff would always sail the Baratie where it would snow… so I miss 'White Christmases'." The blond murmured, leaning his head against the swordsman's strong shoulder. Zoro's eyes narrowed into confusion, wondering how Christmases could be white. "Err… what's a 'White Christmas'?" The blond stood straight, surprised that there COULD be someone who does not know what a 'White Christmas' is. The swordsman eyes soften as he watched his lover spoke of the mysterious 'White Christmas' like he does All Blue.
As the blond finished his passionate rant he hurried off back to the galley to prepare snacks. The swordsman thought, 'Maybe I can make him one… a White Christmas'.
The blond snapped out of his reverie as he felt the cold and wet droplets of rain, the transparent liquid starting to descend upon him in a slight shower. With a heavy sigh, the chef made his way through the rain towards the galley. He frowned at the blue glow within the yellow one, the blue becoming more and more distinct as he approached the door. As soon as he opened the door, the lights snapped closed. Instead of darkness, he was greeted with soothing yet eerie blue lights that were scattered around the galley in paper lanterns. Lanterns that painted the walls with shadows that were shaped into snow. There was the sweet smell of burning rum in the air. But what spell bounded the blond was not the beautiful lighting or the delicate shadows but the snowfall. There was snow inside the galley. Snow. Beautiful, sweet, gentle and delicate snow.
He could hear the soft whirring of dials, probably the source of the constant falling snow. His eyes wandered, everything made meticulously and beautifully that his heart skipped a beat. There was a winter wonderland within his pride and joy. His wandering eyes met a set of green. Those sharp and emerald eyes bright in the blue glow. Instead of the usual snarky gaze or sassy leer, what filled those evergreen eyes were something akin to love. The shadows flickered against the wall as he gazed into those captivating eyes.
Sanji did a double take, finally placing those familiar green eyes to the set of the man he loved. "Zoro… what is…?" His question trailed off and faded away as a white flicker caught his eye, gently landing into his open palm. The snowflake was thin and delicate, like the real thing. He realised that the snowflakes were paper, all of them. The shock was evident in his face as he examined the fine and minute perfections of the snowflake, it was only slightly larger than the size of his fingertips. He thought to himself that something so small and perfect must've took a long time to make… He turned in a circle, eyes shining in amazement, certain that there were at least thousands, if not millions of them falling around him.
He thought about the way the swordsman acted in the past couple of days. How Christmas and Boxing Day was not spent training somewhere in the open or in the Crow's Nest. It was as if Zoro disappeared for a few days. Only to be found in Robin's library, petals falling around them as if to conceal something. A snow-like something. He thought that even at meals Zoro was weird, small genuinely sweet smiles popping up here and there, the swordsman quiet most of the time, a small knife which he fidgeted with in his hand. For the past few days, the chef wondered about his marimo in silent anxiety, glad for a night to themselves yet not expecting snow.
He returned his gaze to the man in question, who chewed on his lips, acting like a child waiting for the approval he knew he was going to get. A hand held up in wave and an awkward smile on his giddy and innocent marimo face. He fidget under the silent and gawking scrutiny, scratching the back of his head. His eyes never left the blond as Sanji approached, his baritone breaking the icy silent. "I know it's a bit late…" He turned his head shyly, nodding at the snow. "But Merry Christmas cook… a white one for you." He grinned, a crooked smile forming on those nervous lips.
The blond beamed in utter delight and tackled the swordsman in a hug. Both of them falling into the 'snowfall' causing a bunch of them to flutter around them. The snow flew everywhere, scattering and falling. Zoro grinned up at his love, brushing away some of that snow, eyes gazing lovingly into those blue orbs that reminded him of the sea. Sanji leaned close, a breath away from a kiss. "It's beautiful Zoro… b-but how did..?"
The swordsman gave a cheeky grin, kissing the blond as he hummed. "My secret…" Zoro started to move, trying to get up before being forcefully pushed down. "Tsk tsk Zoro… if you move so roughly you'll break the delicate snowflakes you've created." He held the swordsman's hand, kissing each tiny cut on those fingers, a mirror of his own. He smiles suavely while the swordsman looked up in a blushing daze, his haze broken by the light laugh as the blond scooped up a handful, blowing the snow away and watching happily at the pretty way they fell. The chef blushed when he looked back down, that sweet and genuine smile surfacing once again in full force. Making his heart skip.
Zoro bit his lips as his hand encircled the knot of the blond's tie, pulling him down for another kiss. The blond kisses back with fervour as his marimo tried to keep up with his lover's speed. Slowly, the blond loosened his tie, grinding his hips down to Zoro's, holding him in place with his legs. The swordsman carefully stripped the blond of his shirt, undoing his pants as he kissed back, already panting from arousal. Sanji pulled Zoro up into a sitting position, pulling his shirt away. "Do I also get a special Christmas treat?" He purred into the ear of the green-haired man. Zoro shuddered and stiffened, pressing kisses and marking his lover. Sanji set aside the swordsman's beloved weapons before tugging his haramaki off. "You get all the candy canes you want." The blond chuckled at the ridicule of it as he slipped his fingers into Zoro's mouth, who complied as Sanji used the other to undo the marimo's pants expertly.
"Aw… but I wanted to be the one giving the candy canes." He hummed slipped his fingers into the swordsman's pants, always glad that the man went commando. He was surprised how easily a few of his fingers slipped in, looking up at the cheeky marimo. "So predictable cook…" Zoro bit his lip and tightened around his lover's fingers. "Give me some of your candy cane~" Sanji hesitated no further, slowly and temptingly stripping them both till they were naked. Easily, he slipped into his prepared marimo, moving against him as his hips met his. Zoro panted, flushed as they began to make love.
SANJI GRABS ZORO's MAN BOOBY.
Squeezing it as he thrusted hard into his lover. The swordsman arching at the blond's touch. He leaned back down for a kiss, the same hand sliding down to his marimo's neglected erection. It twitched in response to the chef's touch, slowly as he began to build to both of their climax. Zoro pulled his lover down for a sweet kiss, arching high and tightening hard as he came. Sanji's own engorged flesh followed Zoro's as he gave a few final thrusts. They panted, kissing another in a sweet lazy manner, both glowing from the pleasure of making love.
Sanji woke up. Body tired and sated but humming from the events of last night. He laughed softly, warm and safe arms still wrapped around his waist as a green head nuzzled his chest. One of his hands entwined themselves into those green mossy lock as the other one reached to his bedside table, caressing the glass fondly. Tearing his eyes from his lovely marimo, Sanji gazed at the love-filled presents he got that Christmas. The snow globe stood straight and proud. And beside it was a jar full of snowflakes.
Snowflakes that will never melt.