Last chapter:
"How come you're so early?" Sanji asked as he opened the door.
"Oh I would have been here earlier, but you know how the traffic is."
Sanji stood in the doorway, frozen. IT wasn't Zoro who had rung the bell.
"Surprise surprise", Donquixote Doflamingo said, grinning as he pushed himself inside, closing the door behind him.
Sanji backed away as Doflamingo walked closer. He could feel how the color of his face drained slowly.
"D- Don? How- What the hell!"
"Now, now Blondie; aren't ya happy I'm here to visit you?"
Doflamingo had backed Sanji into the living room and Sanji almost fell over the couch, but the taller male caught his arm and tugged him to his chest.
"I have missed you around lunch at the Baratie. The shitty chief didn't wanna tell me anything about your absent. Luckily, I have my way of finding the information I want; but you look healthy."
Sanji squirmed, he felt powerless. Ask him to kick jerks out of the restaurant, or kick Zoro's sleeping ass, or save any fridge from Luffy's greedy appetite; he could do that any hour of the day. But this man had some freakish technique to make people go all limp and give in to his every wink. Maybe that was a reason for his wealth, that shitty bird!
"So are you just ditching the shitty chef, or are you hiding from me?"
Sanji snapped his attention back to the bird-boy.
"It's neither of that", Sanji muttered and had to really force himself not to look at the door that led into the improvised baby-chamber. "It was just some… family issues, that's all."
Doflamingo raised an eyebrow.
"Then it is the old man, or maybe your sister?"
Sanji cringed when the bleach-blonde mentioned Maria. How did he know about her anyway? Sanji got cold inside. What if Doflamingo knew about Joshua too? Sanji didn't really want the bird-man to come anywhere near his nephew. A quiet whine made his whole body froze. Of course the stupid brat had to wake up and want his feeding bottle right now.
"You got a pet?" Doflamingo asked with a nasty grin and let Sanji go, walking towards the closed door when another, louder whine was heard.
"And what have we here?" Doflamingo asked rhetorically when he saw the half-asleep child lying in the bed.
"Don't you even dare", Sanji hissed as he slid in between the huge man and the bed.
The blonde cook picked his nephew up and started to shoo him, hoping to get him to fall asleep again. He picked up the ready bottle from the bedside table and gave it to Joshua. The baby made a happy gurgle before closing his eyes. Three minutes later the kid had started to breath slowly and deep so Sanji lowered him back in the bed again.
"So… am I the father?"
Sanji spun around and gave the bird-man an angry glare. The longer male had sneaked up behind him and whispered the question in his ear, something he did not like!
"Out now!" Sanji hissed between gritted teeth and pushed Doflamingo out of the room, closing the door carefully.
"Now when you know the reason to why I'm not at the Baratie, can you leave?" the cook asked and leaned his fore-head against the door's cool surface.
"Are you kidding me? I have you exactly where I want you."
Sanji didn't get any time to react before Doflamingo threw him over the couch. His arms got caught over his head, tied down by one huge hand. Doflamingo sat down beside him on the couch, calm as ever.
"Now, you won't make so much noise right? We don't want to wake up the little baby."
"You're an ass", Sanji cursed and tried to wiggle his hands free, but the bleach-blonde had and iron grip around Sanji's wrists.
"Ouch, we could put that sweet mouth to so much better work than cursing", Doflamingo said and traced Sanji's lower lip with his thumb. "But I do think your legs are my favorite part of this wonderful body."
Sanji bit the inside of his cheek when the hand slid down his chest, stomach and over his hip; stopping to caress his right thigh.
"Stop", Sanji warned when the hand came dangerously close to his crotch.
"Make me", Doflamingo dared him, playing with the hem of his sweatpants. "So, who do you expect for company?"
Sanji meet the same colored sun-glasses that Doflamingo always wore, his confused expression mirroring in the glass.
"As much as I would like to think it was me you meant when you said 'you're early', I'm not that thickheaded. Is it potential shag? Or are you wooing some man by showing of your motherly skills?"
"You're sick."
"I'm perfectly healthy than you very much", Doflamingo said dryly. The flamboyant man didn't feel like playing any longer.
"Be a good boy and tell me Sanji", Doflamingo purred and squeezed Sanji's crotch, making the blonde yelp painfully.
"A… a friend", Sanji stuttered. "It's just a friend coming over."
"A friend of yours, huh?" Doflamingo repeated and stroked Sanji a little gentler.
"Hey cook, I'm here."
Sanji cursed under his breath, he had hoped to get Doflamingo out of here before Zoro arrived. He didn't want the marimo to see him like this; weak and defenseless.
"Oi Sanji, are you-", Zoro started, but stopped when he saw the two males on the couch.
"Welcome", Doflamingo said and stood up, dragging Sanji up with him in the process. "So you are the friend Blondie is waiting for? Did you get in with a spare key? How come you've never given me one, huh Sanji?"
"Stop it", Sanji whispered looking anywhere but at Zoro.
"I'm the friend", Zoro answered Doflamingo and crossed his arms. "Who are you?"
"I'm just an acquaintance, wanted to check on the baby."
Zoro saw the cringe that went through Sanji's body and the swordsman's eyes narrowed. He knew who this man was. Donquixote Doflamingo was a member of the seven Under Grounders; a society of former criminals who had been accepted by the government so they could take care of other criminals and mafias. Of course, these seven people's identity was strictly hidden; but Zoro's uncle was one of them. Dracule Mihawk wasn't that fond of this group he had joined, but it was more convenient that way, and he had even had meetings at his home at some times. That was how Zoro recognized Doflamingo, but it wasn't necessarily for the tall blonde to know that; so Zoro pretended he didn't know.
"If you have done that, then you can leave" Zoro muttered.
"A little stingy aren't we?" Doflamingo chuckled. "But I have meetings to attend and people to see. I'll keep in touch babe."
With that said Doflamingo pushed Sanji flush against him and claimed the cook's lips. The cook whimpered into the hard touch and he tried to push away, hands on Doflamingo's chest. When the flamboyant male realized Sanji, he gave the cook a last smirk before he walked to the door. When he passed Zoro, the blonde's sunglasses slipped down on his nose a tiny bit, and a challenging glance was exchanged between the two males.
As soon as Doflamingo closed the door behind him Sanji fell down on the couch, hands covering his face. He was shaking uncontrollably. He didn't want to be like this, especially not in front of Zoro. That kiss wasn't supposed to have happened, and Zoro was not supposed to know about all this!
"Cook… oi cook… Sanji!"
The blonde jerked up from his trance and looked at Zoro. The swordsman had rushed over to the couch and kneeled in front of him, worried look on his face.
"Sanji, what's wrong? Did he hurt you? Did he do anything more to you before I came? Tell me."
"Not so loud marimo", Sanji whispered. "You will wake Joshua."
"I- right, I'll talk quieter. Tell me what's wrong."
"… He disgust me, freaks me out. I know it's weak to react like this, I- I just… fuck."
"Oi, oi", Zoro interrupted and pulled Sanji down to the floor with him. "No one's saying your weak. That man's dangerous; being afraid of him is nothing to be ashamed of. Is Joshua all right?"
Sanji nodded and his breath started to slow down.
They sat like that for a long time: Zoro on the floor, back resting against the couch and Sanji half-sitting in his lap; head resting on his friend's shoulder. One hour later, they could both hear Joshua starting to wake up.
"I… I should get him", Sanji said quietly, standing up.
"Sanji", Zoro said and grabbed the blonde's wrist. "I don't think he'll come back anytime soon, but if you want I can stay the night."
"No! I- I mean no, it's okay. Its school tomorrow and we're both going, right? But stay for now, Joshua will be glad to see you."
Zoro looked after Sanji when he disappeared into Joshua's room. Something was definitely up with the blonde. The excuse with school was just lame, 'cause he knew Luffy had stayed over here many times. Then what was it?
Zoro shrugged his shoulders and decided to let it go for now.
The dinner Sanji had made that night was delicious: rice and woked vegetables with chili fried chicken. After dinner, Zoro and Joshua placed themselves on the floor between the coffee table and the television, trying to piece together a puzzle while Sanji cleaned the table off.
"You want some help, ero-cook?" Zoro asked from the floor.
"No, you sit on the floor where you belong marimo", Sanji said with a grin.
Zoro didn't talk back, pleased to see Sanji smile again.
When the blonde was done, he sat down in the couch to finish the rest of his homework and the new assignments Zoro had brought. Around eight, Sanji put down his pencil and fell back in the couch, head resting against the fabric. This week has been exhausting, with way to little sleep-time for him and very much taking care of Joshua. With Zoro here, everything was so much easier. Sanji felt how much he had calmed down now too. It felt reassuring to have the stupid muscle-head around; someone with strong arms and a secure embrace. Sanji shook his head. He couldn't let his thoughts go that way, not with Zoro. The marimo was a nagging-partner and a rival. Besides, Zoro was only interesting in training and definitely didn't seem to have a thing for men. He had seen Zoro with a few girls, some at school and some at different bars; but the swordsman seldom seemed to have long-lasting relationship.
'Okay, now I really have to stop with this thinking', Sanji told himself.
The blonde made himself comfortable in the couch and watched the two other boys' play.
"Oi Sanji", Zoro said when he caught Joshua yawning big time. "When does this kid usually go to sleep?"
When he didn't get an answer, the swordsman turned to the couch. Sanji was laying silently, his head tilted and mouth slightly open; the cook was asleep.
"Good," Zoro mumbled to himself. "He looks like he could need a good night's sleep. Come on kiddo, I'll make you ready for bed."
After putting Joshua in bed, which was quite hard because the kid was cranky, Zoro made his way back to the living room. Sanji was still asleep on the couch, and Zoro wondered if he should wake him up but decided against it. Slowly, Zoro wiggled his arms under Sanji's knees and behind his back; then he lifted the blonde up from the couch carefully.
'Shit, he's even lighter than he looks', Zoro thought as he walked towards the bedroom.
The cook's bedroom was very classy. The colors went in blue and grey; the walls and floor matching the bed-covers. The bed was huge, so much more than Zoro's own single-bed. Seriously, did someone need more than that if they lived alone? Apparently the love-cook liked space, or to have company over.
Zoro placed the fatigue cook on the bed, sliding him out of his socks and grey sweatpants. He let the shirt and boxers stay on; he didn't want to be accused for molestation or something, especially not after what Sanji had been through today.
The clock was almost nine, but Zoro didn't really feel that tired. He wondered if he should go home, but seeing Sanji was exhausted and probably needed as much sleep as he could get, Zoro figured he could stay and take care of Joshua if the kid woke up in the night.
Zoro fished up his phone from his pocket and speed-dialed his uncle's number. Three signals rang before someone answered.
"Yes?"
"Hey uncle, it's Zoro. I'm staying over at a friend's place tonight, so don't wait up."
"When would I ever wait up Zoro? I stopped worry long time ago."
"Since when have you ever worried? You would probably fall asleep anyway", Zoro said with a grin.
"Probably, so at which place of all your friends are you?"
"At Sanji's."
"The cook? I thought you never got along."
"Neither did I, but we've come on better terms I guess."
"Well wasn't that good."
Zoro could hear the underlying mocking tone.
"Oh shut up Mihawk, it's not like that", Zoro muttered and rubbed his eyes.
"I've said for a long time now that you and the cook are on to something. I still stand for it."
"Well sorry if I don't agree on your fairytale ending."
"It's quite alright; it will still happen sooner or later."
"Whatever uncle, good night."
"Good night."
Zoro closed the phone and put it on the coffee table. Mihawk could be damn annoying sometimes. Ever since he had meet Sanji a few years ago, he had nagged Zoro in his own special way to keep Sanji close. Honestly, sometimes the younger swordsman didn't even get those cryptically meanings Mihawk threw at him.
Zoro spend one more hour in front of the TV, looking at a game of American football, desperately trying not to think about the happenings earlier this day. When the time was ten, he turned off and walked in to the bedroom. Sanji's couch was comfortable, but it was leather and it stuck on your skin so Zoro would prefer the floor before sleeping in that couch; and Sanji's bed was big enough for three grown up men to sleep in. Zoro stripped down to his boxers and slid under the covers. The bed was really comfortable too, just like the couch. It smelled washing powder and something spicy, Sanji's smell.
"Night love-cook", Zoro mumbled and patted the blonde locks.
And there… no cliffie this time… right? It was fun writing Doflamingo in this scene. He's one of my absolute favorite characters, at least of the bad guys. I hope I gave him justice. He will appear later, but he may not be so nice then… Zoro will have an interesting awakening tomorrow and he will realize the reason why Sanji didn't want him to stay over! So be nice babies and review and I'll hurry up with the next update! Ciaossu / Milow