Sanji paced around his hospital room agitatedly, the fingers of his left hand jerking and twitching with every other step against his hip. The heat of the room was stifling, gray and devoid of color, and his small window overlooking the parking lot felt smaller than before. Sanji needed to get the hell out of this room.
He had officially eight more hours left until he would be allowed to check out, having one more final appointment that he didn't need in four hours.
After a final lap around the tiny room Sanji flopped onto his stiff bed, ruffling the thin sheets. He brought both of his hands up to tousle his hair with a frustrated growl and then dropped them to his sides, releasing a long breath. He went back to what he had been doing for the past hour since he had woken up: re-live the fire in his head.
Against his firm pillow, he could still feel the slight ache and shape of the large bump on the back of his head that had been the cause of his concussion. The thick, acrid smoke lingered on his palette, the crunch and crackle of wooden beams splitting and collapsing rang in his ears, he could feel the looming heat of those ravenous flames reaching out to devour him. As a chef, Sanji had never had a fear of flames: but he'd be damned if he wasn't scarred of burning alive. He was lucky to only receive minor burns.
When Zoro and Luffy showed up to the rescue, Sanji couldn't really see them: his vision faded in and out of spotted darkness, and when he was out of the darkness objects were blurred and unfocused. But he could still make out that shitty green head of hair.
Sanji was torn. Part of him wanted to rejoice in the fact that Zoro cared enough about him to run into a fucking burning building to save him like some romantic movie hero. The other part of him wanted to kick Zoro to heaven high for doing something so stupid.
"I've got you Curly Cue."
Strong hands that he had once been exchanging blows with latched on to him and he was pulled into a sturdy embrace, pushed into a broad chest and his head lightly cradled where neck met shoulder. Sanji wasn't one to enjoy being manhandled: in past relationships with men, Sanji was always the bigger of the pair and the more dominating. He didn't like a challenge to his masculinity. Yet being picked up by Zoro like that wasn't so bad. Granted it was a rescue from a burning building, but still it was being carried around by another man none the less.
He liked the safety he felt in Zoro's arms, how secure it was. How he knew he could trust the man to protect him, not that he really had a choice. Though Sanji was pissed that the Swordsman had come to get him he was still thankful. He remembered the heavy heartbeat against his ear, the slight tremble in the man's hands. The way his voice rumbled through his frame when he spoke.
"You fucking moron, don't you know not to run into a burning building shitty marimo?!"
It had hurt to speak, the dry air and ash scratched at his throat, but he couldn't just let the Marimo think that what he was doing was okay and had to remind him what a dumbass he was being. He still couldn't believe what the idiot's response was.
"Then don't get trapped in burning buildings! You don't get to go die in a fire before I can ask you out, you bastard!"
Sanji hugged himself slightly in bed, a smile seeping across his features. "…Before I can ask you out…" kept repeating in his head. His insides felt nice and warm, his heart happily sped up.
"What a shitty way to ask for a date." Sanji mumbled out loud with a shake of his head, trying to kill the butterflies that fluttered in his stomach. The man was a complete bone-head and yet Sanji still liked the guy. Go figure.
Sanji turned his head when he heard a soft rustling from behind his door, followed by a sharp knock and none other than the moss head himself shuffled in through the doorway.
"Hey." Zoro muttered awkwardly as Sanji sat up.
"Don't you 'hey' me you shitty moss head." Sanji barked, his eyebrows drawn into a knot. "Why'd you go and do something so fucking stupid like that."
"I don't know." He mumbled, not meeting Sanji in the eye. He felt like he was quizzing a five year old, Zoro shifted on his feet and kept his hands behind his back.
"Don't give me that bullshit! Like hell you don't know!" Sanji spat. "That was really fucking stupid of you! You could have gotten killed!"
"And you could have died in there! Luffy ran in with me too, you know! We were worried about you." Zoro retorted.
"I've already chewed out Luffy's sorry ass, I'm talking about you!"
"Well, what would you have had me do?! Just stand back and watch that house burn down on top of you?! Hell no!" Zoro yelled back. "It just kinda happened, okay? I was scared out of my fucking mind!"
Sanji let the air settle as he leaned back into his bed.
"Alright, alright." Sanji sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a little guilty for being so harsh, but he was still pissed.
Zoro walked over cautiously, gave Sanji a worried look, and slowly sat down on the edge of the bed. Sanji watched his pull a newspaper from behind his back that Sanji hadn't noticed before and tossed it in Sanji's lap.
"Look Dart Brow, we're famous." He said with a wry smirk. Sanji curiously picked up the paper and looked onto the front page.
LUFFY D. MONKEY'S DARING RESCUE OF UPCOMING ACTOR DUVAL
Heroes Emerge on Set of Summer Blockbuster Double Take After Flames Erupt in Studio
Below were three pictures, a larger above two smaller. The larger of the pictures was a photo of a stoic Luffy carrying Duval out the burning front door on his back; it looked like a scene from a comic book. One of the smaller was another picture of Luffy, giving the camera a large goofy grin covered in soot, off in the distance you could see the back of Usopp's head.
"How's Duval?" Sanji wondered aloud as he looked down at the third picture. The photo was of him and Zoro.
Zoro snorted. "He's fine, he didn't even have to stay overnight in the hospital. Tougher than he looks I guess." Sanji continued to stare at the last picture.
It was the moment they came crashing out that window, Sanji tucked in Zoro's arms as Zoro's shoulder took the blunt of the force. From the look of Zoro's face in the picture it had to have hurt like crazy.
"How'd they even get these photos?" He asked, keeping his eyes on the paper, skimming the contents.
"I think other cameras that weren't in the house were left rolling when the cameramen panicked and ran. Except for the small picture of Luffy, I'm guessing they're just cut out pics from the footage." Zoro shrugged. A frown pulled at the corners of Sanji's mouth as he looked up at the man.
"How's your shoulder?"
Zoro rolled his shoulder in question slightly. "Its fine I guess, it was sorer yesterday when they popped it back into place." Sanji winced at the thought.
"Sorry…" Sanji murmured. Zoro glared at him.
"It wasn't your fault." He said in an unwavering voice. Silence awkwardly fell between them for a moment before Sanji could speak up.
"Thanks… For saving me." Zoro just gave another simple shrug so Sanji continued.
"I guess I kinda owe you now, huh? So…" Sanji took a deep breath and turned to face Zoro. "How bout I take you up on that date?"
The affect was immediate. Zoro became a pink, sputtering mess, and Sanji had never seen that dark eye so wide before. The man gave a weak display of trying to collect himself and failed, settling for staring at the tiled floor with his jaw clenched tightly.
"W-what are you talking about?" Zoro barely managed. Sanji loved the flush of embarrassment strewn across the swordsman's sharp features, the way his eye brow quivered slightly like the man couldn't pick an expression to wear.
"You do realize I was still conscious when you carried me out right? I could still hear you dumbass." Zoro's face fell, then his face became so red it pulled a small laugh out of Sanji's lungs, which evolved into a laughing fit.
"It's not funny, you bastard!" Zoro quipped quietly, looking away in humiliated horror.
"Oh my god you should see your shitty face! Ahahahaha it's so fucking cute!" Sanji managed to gasp out. Zoro's head cocked to the side and raised a sharp eyebrow.
"Did you just call my face cute?" Sanji's laughter died down into short breathy chortles.
"Yeah marimo your shitty face is adorable." Sanji giggled, his cheeks sore and rosy from laughing.
"I'm not cute!"
"Oh my god yes you are!"
"Psh, you're the cute one curly cue!" Zoro challenged.
"Shut the fuck up moss head I am not."
"Are too dart brow."
"Shit for brains."
"Stupid eye brows"
"That was weak and you know it, shitty marimo." Zoro grumbled playfully and shoved Sanji back down into the pillow. Sanji kicked Zoro off the bed in retaliation who gave an ungraceful grunt when his ass hit the floor.
"So you actually wanna go on a date with me, shit cook?"
"Was that not clear, shitty moron? Yes dumbass" Sanji rolled onto his stomach and held his head up with a hand at the foot of the bed. "I was thinking I could make us dinner at my place."
"Aw, did you plan out your dream date for us?" Zoro mocked. Sanji swatted at Zoro's head below him.
"Yeah I did shit head; I'm gonna romance you with my cooking." Sanji mused. Zoro smirked in response. "So how bout tomorrow around 5, my apartment? I'll text you the address." Zoro gave a nod.
"Sounds good to me." Zoro paused. "But why not tonight?" Sanji groaned.
"I can't leave here until like 6. It fucking sucks. I can't do anything here, it's boring as hell and I can't smoke." He complained. Zoro glanced at the door then looked back up at Sanji.
"Wanna escape?" He said in a low voice, an evil grin growing on his face.
"Hell fucking yeah."
"Alright, then come on, put your clothes on." Sanji leaped off the bed and over to the chair where his dad had put a change of clothes for him when he had visited. He threw off the hospital gown and grabbed his black trousers. He turned back to Zoro as he began to throw on his black shirt, who was staring at Sanji with a mischievous glint in his eye.
"Pervert." Sanji accused. Zoro chuckled in response.
"Not my fault you look that good." Zoro mused. Sanji glared at him as blush heated his face, causing Zoro to laugh.
"Enough of that, shit swordsman. Let's go." They walked over to the door and Zoro cracked it open to stick his head out, Sanji grinned in anticipation.
"Okay, ready…. GO!" Zoro shouted, grabbed onto Sanji's hand and pulling him along as the man broke out into a sprint. They dashed through the hallway, causing a commotion behind them.
"No running!" and "Hey wait!" echoed after them as they ran to a stairway and raced down them. Sanji's heartbeat fluttered in his ears and he couldn't stop smiling even if he tried as he tightened his grip on the swordsman's hand, lacing their fingers together. They burst into the lobby, startling a few nurses and receptionists. Warm sunshine greeted them as they flew out the main door. Zoro came to a sudden stop a couple yards from the exit, his head looking from side to side.
"Marimo?"
"Uh… One second, I'm trying to remember which way I parked my bike." Zoro muttered.
"Are you kidding me?! You shitty lost looser!"Sanji yelled in disbelief. He took the lead this time, yanking at Zoro's arm and taking off in one direction as he heard security come through the doors behind him. "Do you at least remember the street name?"
"Umm… No…." Zoro muttered. Sanji sighed as he ran, turning his head to glare at the swordsman.
"You are so useless, Marimo."
"Shut up shit cook! I think it was a block from here, by a pizza shop. I think."
They ended up running around for another five minutes until they finally stumbled upon Zoro's motorcycle. It was a large bike, with a low seat and wide handlebars.
"Jesus Zoro, this isn't a bike this is a hog!" Zoro gave a proud smirk as he led Sanji over to the ride, sitting Sanji behind him and starting the engine that gave a low roar, vibrating his whole body. Sanji's motorcycle was sleek and quite, he wasn't used to something so loud and obnoxiously macho.
"Where's your helmet dumbass?!" Sanji yelled, Zoro laughed and reached behind him, pulling two helmets from the back. Sanji quickly strapped his on.
"Hang onto me Curly cue you wouldn't want to fall off!" Zoro shouted as he kicked off, Sanji clung onto to Zoro tightly as the bike sped off. Sanji was used to being the one driving, to having someone else hanging on tight to his back, but this wasn't too bad either.
With his chest close to the swordsman's back he could feel him breath in and out steadily, feel each slight movement in his muscles. Sanji slowly slid his hips against Zoro's, delighted in the slight hitch in Zoro's breath, and pressed his forehead between Zoro's shoulder blades. He could get used to riding like this.
"Where do you wanna go?" Zoro yelled over his shoulder. Sanji thought for a moment before responding with,
"The Baratie, my dad's restaurant. He had my bike waiting for me there." Zoro nodded and drove on, then turned back to Sanji a minute later and said, "I have no fucking clue where that is."
"Thanks for the ride shitty swordsman."
"Yeah yeah curly cue." Zoro said as Sanji walked over to his bike, looking back at Zoro. "So…. We still on for five?"
"You bet you're sorry ass we are. Don't get lost and don't be late!" Zoro gave him a short grunt and nod, then revved his engine and pushed off.
"Who the hell was that?" Shouted a gruff and familiar voice from behind Sanji jumped three feet in the air like a cat that had water poured on it.
"Don't sneak up on people shitty geezer!" Sanji screeched to face an older man who was frowning at him through an impressive braided mustache, arms crossed in front of a wide chest that sporting an all white chef's robe.
"Who was that guy, eggplant?"
"He was none of your business shitty old man!" Sanji tromped into the closed restaurant, followed by Zeff as Sanji stormed up the back stairs to the home above the kitchen.
"Watch your mouth brat. I thought you weren't going to be out of the hospital until 6?"
"I got out early." He groused while searching the countertops.
"You don't just get out early from the hospital. Does this have anything to do with that boy?" Sanji whipped his head back to shoot the man a flustered scowl.
"His name's Zoro."
"Mhmm." Zeff grumbled. "So is this Zoro one of your little crushes?"
"Where are my keys and wallet shit geezer?"
"Top left drawer there. He's not bad looking, bigger than your usual pick. Changing it up a little I see."
"Oh my god would you please shut the hell up." Sanji hissed as he snatched up his things. He made his way to try to push past Zeff who moodily stepped aside, kicking the back of Sanji's calf as he walked by. Sanji was just barely able to keep his balance and chose to ignore the quietly chuckling old man and slammed the restaurant door behind him hard enough to rattle windows.
"Shitty fucking geezer needs to mind his own shitty business…" Sanji grumbled to himself quietly as he approached his own motorcycle.
Sanji swung his leg around his bike and jammed his sleek helmet on his head. He started the bike and revved the engine loudly like he knew Zeff hated and kicked off, the restaurant quickly fading behind him as he made his way to his apartment.
He had more important things to be thinking about other than his father's sass. Like cooking a kick ass dinner. Like his date tonight.
He wasn't sure yet what he was going to make but he knew it was going to wow the swordsman. He couldn't wait to see the man's face when he realized how talented Sanji was, how great Sanji was, and how Sanji was the perfect boyfriend. Then they'd drink some wine and Zoro would be even more impressed in his taste in alcohol. They'd make out on his couch and Zoro would just be blown away by what a good kisser Sanji was. Then they might move it to his bedroom and he would-
Sanji snapped out of his daze as a car blared its horn at him, making him quickly swerve his bike away from the center line he had been drifting into.
So maybe Sanji was thinking a little too far ahead of himself. But he knew for sure that this date was going to be perfect.
A/N
Hello all! Sorry for this update being a little late, life has just been a little hectic. Hope you enjoyed!