This went through rewrites four or five times. I owe my beta big for what she had to put up with this time. She is awesome. Thank you Lira-san. X)
Anyway, hope you guys are still liking it and I hope you enjoy this chapter. Thank you for the reviews this last time, thank you thank you! And please, for those of you that asked me questions in reviews last chapter: if you don't have an account or leave me an email, I can't answer you. Lol.
Chapter 21
Zoro ruffled the ears of Chaka and Pell's black Maltese Terrier and threw the tennis ball one more time before he climbed the stairs to the porch. Brook nodded to him as he stood talking with Pell. He was smoking a long clove stick, and the spicy smell invaded Zoro's nostrils. Pell was smiling as the two conversed. He tucked a long, blond strand of hair behind his ear and folded his arms delicately across his chest.
The swordsman studied Pell, intrigued at just how similar he was to Sanji. They had the same graceful body; the same long, supple neckline. Soft, pale skin and expressive eyes made them beautiful, but strong jaws and refined noses made them handsome. It was obvious that Pell did not have Sanji's strength or speed, but his movements were sure and precise; the same as Sanji when he was cooking or cleaning his knifes.
Pell also did not hold himself with as much confidence as the cook did. Where Sanji stood comfortably, making his own space out of wherever he happened to be and calmly filling any room he entered with his presence, Pell held back. He seemed more the wallflower type, confident enough in himself to stand proud, but not enough to stand out. Pell was reserved, unobtrusive. His body language said that he was more of a talker than an enforcer. A body of water filled with depth and mystery, but calm and clear as glass.
Smiling, Zoro remembered Sanji standing and defending Usopp at the kitchen table, his ferocity at hearing his friends threatened. The blond was very hot when he was angry.
No, Sanji was far from a body of calm water. He was a tsunami, a great flood that came in and took over everything in its path, a force strong enough to tear down buildings and uproot forests.
Zoro moved away from Brook and Pell, slipping back into house and making his way into the kitchen. Sanji was there, stirring a thick, red sauce and looking up when Zoro entered. The swordsman couldn't help but smile and moved around the island to open the fridge.
Sanji made a suspicious face. "What?"
"Nothing," Zoro shrugged and pulled out a beer. "Can't I just look at you?"
"Not with that dopey look on your face." Sanji said as he sprinkled something into the pan. "What are you thinking about?"
Zoro opened the bottle and took a swallow. "I was just comparing you to natural disasters."
"Oh really?" Sanji looked at him and quirked an eyebrow. "Do I wanna know?"
Zoro put up his hands. "Naw, don't ask."
Sanji stared at him deadpan before he shook his head and turned his attention back to his cooking.
"I'm just gonna file that under 'Zoro Dash What-The-Fuck' and be done with it."
Zoro snickered and leaned against the counter. He took another swallow and watched Sanji taste the sauce while turning the potatoes.
"How's the hand?" Sanji asked.
Zoro glanced at his freshly stitched and bandaged palm.
"It's fine. Doesn't hurt anymore."
Sanji nodded absently, his attention on the food. "Can you take a peek into the living room for me?"
Zoro looked over his shoulder and saw Chopper and Chaka sitting on opposite ends of the couch. Chaka was talking quietly, and Chopper was listening as varying expressions of shock played out on his face.
"Chopper finally getting the whole story?" Zoro asked.
"Yup," Sanji murmured. "I'm really glad he and Chaka kinda worked things out 'cause I didn't want to hash through the whole thing a second time today."
"Yeah..." Zoro smiled as Chopper asked a question. The little doctor's eyes widened further and further as Chaka answered, and he leaned so far forward in his seat that the swordsman was worried he would fall right off the couch.
"So." Sanji lowered his voice to a whisper. "What were you guys talking about upstairs before I came in?"
Zoro shook his head slowly and raised the bottle to his lips. "We can talk about it later. It's kind of… complicated."
"Seems to be a lot of that going around," Sanji grumbled. "Seriously, while we eat, restrict all conversation to the weather or some shit."
Zoro chuckled and leaned in to kiss Sanji on the cheek. The cook surprised him though, and turned his head at the last moment, pressing his lips to Zoro's. The swordsman blinked at Sanji as he pulled away. The blond's blue eyes looked up at him through his lashes and the cook's cheeks flushed pink.
Shivering, Zoro gave in to an overwhelming urge and set his bottle on the counter before pulling Sanji close. He slid his arms around the other man's waist and closed his eyes. He breathed in the spicy Sanji smell as he nosed the skin of his lover's neck. There was a tap on the stove and then Sanji's fingers threaded their way into his short hair. The cook kissed the top of his head and Zoro leaned back onto the counter, pulling Sanji with him. He shifted so his legs were on either side of Sanji's and he melted against the other man.
Sanji's voice rumbled in his chest as he spoke softly into Zoro's hair.
"Natural disasters, huh?"
Zoro nodded, his voice caught up in the fact that Sanji was holding him so gently.
The blond kissed the top of his head again. "You always compare me to mother nature's PMS?"
"Nope," Zoro answered, teasing. "This is the first time."
Sanji's fingers massaged circles into the swordsman's scalp. The cook was silent for a few minutes before he murmured softly.
"All this stuff's going on and you're thinking about me?"
Zoro's heart started to beat faster at the question. He sighed and his arms tightened around Sanji's waist.
"I think about you all the time," he said simply. "No matter what's happening around me you… you're always first…."
Sanji stilled for a moment, but then his hands left Zoro's hair and his arms came around his neck. The swordsman felt a soft puff of air on his skin before Sanji whispered into his ear.
"Let's eat quick and go home."
Zoro smiled into Sanji's shirt. Hearing words like that from the cook, even if they were purely innocent, made the swordsman's stomach flutter. He nodded once again and released his hold on the slighter man.
"Food's ready if you wanna call people in," Sanji said as he moved away. He opened the oven door and peeked inside. The smell was heavenly and Zoro's stomach grumbled loudly.
"Sure. You want any help with anything?"
Sanji shook his head. "Nah, everything's done, we just need plates and stuff. But they can get them themselves."
The cook removed the pan from the hot element, and opened the oven to take out the sheet of baked chicken. Zoro's mouth watered as Sanji spooned the sauce over the sizzling meat, and he turned to call the others.
"Zoro…" Sanji said quietly.
"Hm?" The swordsman glanced over his shoulder. The blond looked sure and confident as he focused on what he was doing, but as he spoke to Zoro, his voice was uneasy.
"About before… in the bathroom…" Sanji shook his head in frustration, "If I disappointed you I'm really s-"
"No, no." Zoro turned back around and moved to stand beside his lover. He put a gentle hand on the cook's arm and murmured softly. "I'm not expecting anything more than what you're giving me, Sanji. I'm so happy with us right now I wanna… sing or something. I say I love you because I do. I don't say it fishing for you to repeat it back." Zoro leaned in and whispered firmly into the cook's ear.
"Don't you dare say it to me unless you mean it."
Sanji turned to him then and his eyes studied Zoro's lips. "I won't. I promise."
The swordsman froze at the blond's look. Who knew that Sanji being fixated on his mouth would turn him on so fast? Zoro took a few calming breaths, his energy focused on calming his libido. His hand moved to Sanji's shoulder and he squeezed. "All right then. Now, I'm starving, let's do this."
"Well," Sanji pushed at his chest and waved the spoon at him, "go get people!"
"I'm going!" The swordsman whined.
Zoro leaned in once more and Sanji met his lips. He was never going to get tired to Sanji's kisses. The swordsman pulled away grinning, and turned to the sliding glass porch doors.
"Hey losers!" he called out. "Food!"
X x X x X
Dinner turned out to be a very entertaining affair. With Chopper smoothing things over with Chaka, everyone else found they could relax and enjoy the meal. Granted there was still tension: it was obvious Zoro still had some trust issues, and Sanji admitted to himself he was slightly uncomfortable with how familiar he felt with Pell, but the overall atmosphere was pleasant--especially with Brook for entertainment. The musician told outrageous stories of his travels through Europe and about the many groups he had played with. The man was wise in the way of breaking the ice and keeping it broken. Conversation flowed easily from his direction, and Sanji was silently grateful to his friend for giving him a rest. He ate his meal in relative silence, enjoying the chance to just listen.
After plates were cleared and the leftovers were placed in the fridge, Pell handed Zoro a slip of paper saying it was their informant's contact info. The swordsman thanked the blond as he helped Chopper with his coat. As the four were heading out the door, the little doctor hesitated, turning to look up at Chaka. Pell stood back, as did Sanji and Zoro, waiting to see what Chopper was going to say.
"I…" he started, so quietly his voice was barely over a whisper. "I um…"
Chaka came close and leaned down to better hear Chopper's mumbling. The younger man took the chance and threw his arms around Chaka's neck. The dark-haired man's eyes widened with surprise and shock, but he recovered quickly and returned Chopper's hug with a small smile.
Pell met Sanji's eyes and he grinned before waving and turning back into the house. Sanji waved back, and started for the car.
Twenty minutes later, Sanji glanced in the rearview mirror and chuckled softly. Chopper's shaggy brown hair covered his sweet face as he slumped against Brook in the back seat. The young doctor had fallen asleep the moment he climbed into the car.
"Chaka is really nice," he had mumbled softly, as Brook put an arm around his shoulders. "He just made a really bad mistake… shouldn't have yelled at him…"
Zoro sat beside Sanji in the passenger seat. He held the small piece of paper Pell had handed him between his pointer and middle fingers.
"'Baseball game Monday. Bring ten case banano'," Zoro read Pell's neat handwriting. "I don't get it."
"Probably has something to do with drugs." Sanji answered. "It doesn't matter. We just gotta meet him and tell him that we're friends of Chaka and Pell."
"I'm not entirely sure, but..." Brook frowned thoughtfully out the window. "I think that 'baseball' refers to freebase cocaine."
Zoro turned around and cocked an eyebrow at their musician friend.
"Brook, do I really want to ask how you know that?"
Brook chuckled. "College was an interesting time in my life."
Sanji rolled down his window and pulled out his lighter. "You seem to be leading an interesting life in general, Brook."
"True…" the musician said whimsically.
"So," Sanji said, lighting his cigarette, "how does this go down?"
Zoro slipped the piece of paper in his pocket and rubbed his eyes. "This says send the message to the email at the bottom and supposedly, he'll get back to us in about an hour."
"Sounds easy enough," Sanji nodded. "What's this guy's name?"
"It's not on the paper and I didn't ask," Zoro answered.
Sanji shrugged and turned onto Chopper's street.
X x X x X
Sanji stood with Zoro at the entrance to their apartment building, watching Brook stroll down the hill to his car. The musician waved over his shoulder as he fished his keys from his pocket.
"See ya, Brook," Sanji called.
Zoro sighed at the cook's side and ran a hand over his eyes. "What a fucked up day…"
"Yeah…" Sanji agreed.
The two made their way silently through the lobby to the elevator. Once they had stepped inside and the door slid closed with a soft 'ding', Zoro reached out and caught Sanji's hand in his. The cook looked down, still taken aback by the sight of his fingers laced together with the swordsman's. He was used to small, slim digits, manicured nails, and jewelry-- not rough, calloused, and slightly larger than his own.
"Still weird?" Zoro asked quietly.
Sanji nodded. The swordsman started to pull his hand away, but the cook squeezed, stopping Zoro. The larger man looked at Sanji, his eyes uncertain.
"I said it was strange." Sanji rolled his eyes. "I didn't say it was bad."
Zoro's face lit up. His smile chased away every trace of fear and doubt, and he leaned forward to press his lips softly against Sanji's. The cook smiled and pressed gently back. The kiss was quick, nothing particularly spectacular or passionate, but it still left Sanji's heart racing. The elevator dinged and the two stepped out into the hallway. Zoro's fingers separated from Sanji's hesitantly as they made their way to their door. Zoro unbolted the deadlock and crossed the threshold, shedding his shoes and jacket in the entryway.
"I think the blood on my pants seeped all the way through to my skin."
Sanji shut the door behind him and wrinkled his nose. "Oh, well that's not gross at all."
Zoro chuckled. "I'm gonna take a quick shower."
Sanji shrugged out of his coat, his mind remembering back to that morning and the shower he had shared with the swordsman. He felt his cheeks heat and he looked away, making a project out of hanging his coat on the peg by the door.
"I'll be here," he said, and patted himself on the back for how steady his voice sounded.
Sanji listened for the sound of the bathroom door closing before he turned and started unbuttoning his shirt. He made his way down the hall to the bedroom. He put the soiled garment on top the dresser and fished out a clean pair of sweat pants and a white t-shirt. He changed quickly and started headed back out to the living room, but stopped in front of the closet. Getting an idea, he opened the door and pulled out the cardboard box filled with pictures. Closing the flaps to keep any from spilling out, Sanji carried the box to the living room, set it on the coffee table, and switched on one of the small reading lamps.
There's no good reason why these shouldn't be put back up, Sanji thought to himself, there's no reason to hide them anymore.
Sanji pulled out the top two frames and smiled at the faces of himself and Zoro. They had their tongues out in one, and Sanji was sitting in Zoro's lap, biting the swordsman's cheek in the other. They looked so happy, so content with each other. It was no wonder that Sanji had felt an instant connection with the swordsman the 'first' time he saw him. A bond like the two of them seem to have had could never be broken with something simple like the loss of memory.
Luffy had been right: Sanji's head had forgotten, but his heart had not.
Sanji spent the next few minutes putting the pictures up in the empty spaces on the mantle over the fireplace and on the tops of other furniture. There were obvious spaces meant to house some of the frames on the bookshelves as well. The cook found pictures of himself or Zoro at tournaments, cheering over a victory, or shaking hands with Shanks that seemed to belong in spots of honor amongst the trophies.
Looking at some of the pictures, like the ones of the tournaments, Sanji could not figure out why Zoro had taken them down. There was nothing in them that gave away that the two of them had anything more than a platonic relationship.
But then again, maybe they held some significance in Zoro's mind, and before, when Sanji was still in the dark, it hurt the swordsman to look at them.
Nearing the bottom of the box, Sanji stopped and scratched his head. Before when he had been looking through the pictures with Zoro, the swordsman had pulled out a large black frame and held it to his chest like it had been some kind of treasure. Looking through the rest of the frames in the box, Sanji discovered that it was missing. Why wasn't it in the box? Had Zoro taken it? Why in the world would he hide a picture?
The bathroom door opened, and Sanji perked up as he saw a glimpse of Zoro passing down the hall wearing only a large, blue towel around his waist. The cook heard the drawers of the dresser open and close, and a few moments later, Zoro's footfalls returned. The swordsman appeared wearing only a pair of black sweat pants and running his fingers through his damp hair. He slowed as he entered the living room, and smiled as he surveyed Sanji's work.
"Looks much better in here," he said softly.
Sanji nodded, but then frowned into the box.
"Hey, Zoro…" he started.
"Hm?"
"There was a picture frame in here when we first looked through it a couple nights ago. It was big and black, you know the one?"
Zoro's smile faltered and he placed his hands on his hips.
"Yeah, I know which one you're talking about."
Sanji spread his hands. "Where'd it go?"
Zoro looked away, studying the floor for a few seconds before he answered. Sanji was surprised that the swordsman looked so uncomfortable all of a sudden.
What the hell is in that picture?
"I…" Zoro started. "I'm not really ready for you to see that one yet…"
That awful hurt had returned to Zoro's eyes. Sanji could not understand why a picture would evoke such heavy feelings when the two of them were working things out, but whatever it was, he could tell the memory still haunted Zoro. The cook wanted nothing more than to know what that memory was, but he felt like an ass for bringing that pain back up for the other man and he turned back to the shelf.
"It's okay, Zoro," Sanji said reassuringly. "I won't press."
"It's not…" Zoro stammered. "It's not like I don't want to show you, and it's not anything bad… I just…" The swordsman rubbed the back of his neck, looking uncomfortable. His cheeks gradually grew more and more pink as he spoke. "It's something that's gotta be timed just right. If I told you right now, it would sound really stupid."
Sanji was charmed by Zoro's embarrassment, and he smiled at the other man. "I told you it's okay. Tell me when you're ready."
Zoro stood quiet for a moment, but then he relaxed his shoulders and grabbed the last two pictures from inside the box. He moved to stand beside Sanji and held out a frame to the blond.
"Here's a good picture of your restaurant," the swordsman said quietly.
Sanji turned, startled at Zoro's words. "My restaurant?"
Zoro nodded. "You're not just head chef… It's the first thing you bought after we started doing the underground fights-- well, after you paid off all your school debt of course."
Sanji took the frame and examined the picture. He saw himself, dressed in a basic cook's coat, his arm around Zoro's shoulders. The two of them stood on a balcony, and behind them spread a lush dining area with black lacquer tables, table cloths, cushion accents in deeps blues, and sparkling white and silver dining sets. The carpet was also blue, as were the curtains. Across the room, Sanji saw a giant fish tank mounted between two pillars. Large koi swam between colorful bunches of kelp and a sunken pirate ship.
"Oh… oh wow…" Sanji breathed. "Oh wow…"
"They left it just like that." Zoro put a hand on Sanji's lower back. "After the accident, I had to sell it, but the guy that bought it worked under you and admires you a lot. He didn't want to change anything in case you came back someday."
"What's the place called again?"
"Rocksou," Zoro answered. "You were working on changing the name though; you had gotten the license and ordered new menus and stuff."
"But then we got in the accident," Sanji murmured.
Zoro nodded. "Yeah…"
Sanji ran his fingers over the glass of the picture frame and sighed happily.
"It's been my dream to have my own place since I was little…" he whispered.
Zoro leaned in and kissed the blond just below his ear.
"I'll help you get it back," he whispered. "I'll fight a thousand matches if I have to."
Sanji turned and smiled lazily at his lover. He was so happy at the moment, he felt a little light-headed.
"You're so good to me, Zoro."
Zoro lifted his hand and brushed Sanji's bangs out of his eyes.
"I try…"
The cook turned away, but only for long enough to place the frame on the shelf. He smiled at the picture and everything that it implied, before he turned around and grabbed Zoro's hand. He pulled the swordsman close and ran his hands over the gnarled scar across Zoro's chest. He fingered the smooth dip where the flesh had come together, spread his palms over the length of the old injury. Sanji wondered briefly how Zoro had lived through something like this.
"How deep was this?" Sanji asked.
Zoro took a long breath. "Pretty deep; it didn't go all the way through the ribs, but it did slice them up pretty bad."
Sanji trailed his fingers down over the strange topography of the swordsman's flesh. It was smooth in some places, but in others, the skin was bunched together and hard as rock.
Zoro lowered his head and Sanji felt the other's warm breath across his cheeks.
"You know, you held me together while we waited for the paramedics to come."
Sanji looked up, surprised. "I did? What about the referees and coaches and stuff? They're all supposed to know first aid and shit."
Zoro shook his head. "This happened in a parking lot after a tournament. Remember when I told you I was stupid and challenged Hawk to a match? It wasn't official. I got this retarded idea that I could beat him if I just had one more chance." Zoro's eyes became thoughtful, and he smiled a soft smile as he remembered. His hand came up and covered one of Sanji's. "I don't really remember much except you screaming at me for being a fucking idiot. Come to think of it, I don't even know why you were there…"
Sanji's gaze lowered back down to the scar. He teased the tip of the rough line, the spot where it ended just below Zoro's collar bone. He thought of all the reasons he might have gone with Zoro to watch him fight his most powerful rival, but only one made any sense to him.
"I was probably worried about you…" the cook said softly.
Zoro snickered. "I doubt it, Sanji. You really hated me. You probably jumped at the chance to see me lose to Hawk again."
Sanji shook his head, and studied the scar intently to keep himself from looking up and meeting the other man's eyes.
"I don't think so. I bet the reason I went with you was so that I'd be there if something happened."
Zoro's hands came up to cover the cook's. The swordsman squeezed gently and rubbed his thumbs over the other's knuckles.
"How can you know that?" he asked softly.
Sanji shrugged. "I have no idea…" With that, the cook lowered his head to the place his fingers had been teasing a moment before. His lips brushed across the bunched flesh and the blond's heartbeat quickened as Zoro hissed through his teeth. Sanji gently ran his hands down the larger man's sides. His attention never leaving the massive scar, the cook flicked out his tongue and ran a wet trail up the smooth dip. Zoro gasped and Sanji felt the other man's large hands grip his upper arms. Adrenaline kicked in and the blond's breath quickened as he realized how much these simple touches were affecting the swordsman. He felt powerful as his hands trailed back up defined abs to flick pebbled nipples with his thumbs.
Zoro all but writhed under his touch. The swordsman was making soft whimpering noises in the back of his throat. The sounds were so unlike the stoic man, they fueled Sanji's need for undoing Zoro further. The cook's already half hard arousal jumped at every sigh and mewl he pulled from the other man. His mouth trailed up Zoro's throat, as his hands made their way down the swordsman's body once more. Sanji gripped the other's narrow hips and pulled Zoro's body closer against his own.
Sanji liked this control. He liked this command. He liked this side of Zoro that submitted to him; let Sanji violate him with a sinful mouth and tongue. The thought of all Zoro's power, reined in and tethered so Sanji could do as he pleased, made the cook's lust spike. He pressed his hips into Zoro's and crushed the other man against the wooden shelves. Zoro's hands were suddenly in his hair, his hot breath puffing against Sanji's temple.
"Oh, God…" Zoro panted. "God, Sanji… it's been so long…"
"What are you talking about, Zoro?" Sanji kissed the other man's jaw and ran his palms down the swordsman's thighs. "We did it in the shower this morning."
Zoro's hands slid out of Sanji's hair to cup the blond's cheeks. He turned Sanji's face to him forcing the cook to look him in the eyes. Sanji held his breath as the swordsman whispered so close to his lips, the cook felt he could already taste him.
"No, Sanji. You're touching me… Your hands, your tongue… It's different."
Sanji stared into Zoro's eyes. It was not hard to read exactly what the swordsman was thinking. The man had been without his love for a year, waiting patiently, hoping. Then when Sanji awoke, Zoro had to, not only wait longer, but he also had to take Sanji back through everything they had already worked out before. He had been toiling so hard all by himself, leading Sanji through every excruciating step, reaching out to the cook as hurtles they had already come to once had to be cleared again.
Sanji knew it was time for him to carry some of the weight.
"Zoro…" Sanji whispered. He brushed his lips over the others as he spoke. "You're incredible. I don't deserve you."
Zoro's breath hitched. The swordsman clenched his jaw and blinked back tears before he could respond.
"Sanji, I told you not to say--"
The cook pressed against him again, harder this time, pinning Zoro's lower body and restricting his movements to almost nothing.
"Shut up," Sanji growled. "It's time you learned how to take a fucking compliment! You waited for me for a year, Zoro. A year! You believed I'd get better when no one else did. You took care of me and got me through one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to face in my life." Sanji's hands went to Zoro's cheeks. He kissed the larger man's nose, his eyelids, and his forehead as he spoke. "You make me feel so fucking good, Zoro. I can't even begin to tell you how good… You had me falling for you after only knowing you for a couple of days… so don't say stupid fucking things like I can't say I don't deserve you."
Zoro's breaths were ragged. His cheeks were damp with the tears that had begun to fall as Sanji spoke. The cook caught them with his lips and tongue, savoring the salty taste. He hummed happily as Zoro's arms came around his shoulders to hold him tight.
"Sanji…" the swordsman murmured into his neck.
The cook felt his lover trembling and decided to take this moment of weakness to do something he hadn't really planned on. With Zoro like this, Sanji felt he could muster enough courage to go to places he would have normally shied away from.
Sanji slid his hands down Zoro's stomach. He teased the elastic waistline of the other man's sweatpants, trailing his fingers along the edge carefully before he slipped underneath. Zoro froze with a harsh intake of breath, his arms above his head. Sanji looked up at his face and smirked as he sunk his hands lower. The swordsman shuddered and fumbled around the shelf above his head, trying to find something to hold on to.
Coarse hairs met Sanji's fingertips, and he stopped. He took a breath, trying to steadying himself; tried to calm himself as he did this thing he never thought he would do. His hands moved slowly down and he brushed the stretched skin over Zoro's arousal. The swordsman let out a moan and his head fell back. Sanji looked up, watching Zoro's reactions to his exploration, craving more of that sweet abandon the larger man was revealing.
"Oh God, Sanji…" Zoro groaned.
Sanji slipped one hand in farther and trailed his fingers up Zoro's cock from tip to base. It was like touching his own… only backwards. The shape and size were enough the same that it actually wasn't as unfamiliar as he thought it would be. He wrapped his hand around the hot length and gave one experimental stroke. Zoro let out a harsh cry and arched his back off the book shelf.
Oh wow… Sanji thought to himself as he slowly pumped his hand again. Zoro was exquisite like this. He was baring everything for Sanji, stripping himself of his outer layers. Coming apart and revealing a Zoro that was sensitive, needy and submissive. This newly exposed Zoro chased away all of Sanji's reservations and the blond kissed the swordsman hard on the lips.
"Come 'ere," Sanji's voice was muffled as Zoro's mouth attacked him.
Sanji's hands retreated and Zoro pushed off the shelf. The cook led him back to the couch and all but shoved the swordsman into a sitting position on the cushions.
"Sanji?" Zoro panted heavily, his hands gripping the leather at his sides.
Sanji said nothing and stepped in between Zoro's legs. He gently kicked the swordsman's ankles apart and knelt slowly between the other man's knees. He slid his hands up Zoro's thighs and looked up at his lover through his eyelashes.
"Was I any good at this?" the blond teased.
Zoro stared down at Sanji, his heart trying to hammer a hole through his ribs. He had expected Sanji to maybe crawl into his lap, or possibly to kiss him until he passed out, but not this—definitely not this. The blond's blue eyes looked up at him under heavy lids and the swordsman felt every muscle in his body tighten in anticipation for what Sanji was offering. It had been so fucking long! He had been craving Sanji's touch for over a year, and now, here he was with his perfect fantasy kneeling before him with promised mischief painted on his face.
Zoro opened his mouth and concentrated on not choking as he tried to sound in control.
"I… don't remember…" Zoro's voice came through with only a slight tremor. "You'll have to remind me…"
Sanji chuckled, his breath hitting the skin of Zoro's stomach. The swordsman inhaled sharply and held his breath as the cook lowered his head and laid soft kisses on the flesh below his navel. Sanji's soft lips trailed down his skin, and slender calloused fingers hooked the elastic of his sweatpants. As the blond pulled, dragging the cotton over his thighs, Zoro lifted his hips in a trance. This was so unreal that the swordsman was afraid if he blinked he would wake up from this impossible dream.
Sanji gently pulled the sweatpants down, catching the tip of Zoro's cock under the waistband. When it sprang free, the arousal bounced back, hitting the swordsman's stomach with a soft 'smack'. The cook studied the member closely in the lamplight; the smoothed skin, the thick tip, the perfect shape and color. He was fascinated by the sight of it, intrigued and mesmerized, as he had never been able to look at a cock up close like this. Not that he had ever wanted to, of course.
"Sanji…" Zoro gasped.
Sanji looked up and met the pleading eyes of his lover—his prisoner. The swordsman looked as if he was about to cry, his jaw tight and his nostrils flared as he seemed to be trying desperately to calm his breathing. Sanji could only grin and hold the other's gaze as he lowered his head to gently lick the underside of Zoro's tip.
Zoro whimpered again, and the cook felt the muscles in the swordsman's thighs tense. His confidence boosted, Sanji felt a rush of inspiration and pulled back to yank the sweats the rest of the way off Zoro's legs. The cook grabbed hold of Zoro's inner thighs and pushed the swordsman's legs further apart. His lover responded by sinking lower into the cushions and lifting his arms over his head to hold the back of the couch. Sanji was momentarily frozen as he realized, in this position, Zoro was more erotic to him than any pinup or Playboy model he had ever seen. The need in Zoro's eyes, the desperate look the swordsman gave Sanji as he panted above him, the fine sheen of sweat that had begun to collect over his tanned and shaking body—all these things went to Sanji's head as he leaned in, his lips a hair's breadth away from quivering skin.
"When you look at me like that," Sanji growled, "it makes me want to do nasty things to you, Zoro…"
Zoro's control was already shot; his nerves fried. There was no way he was going to be able to hold out if Sanji was going to start talking dirty on top of everything else. The swordsman arched, flexing the muscles in his stomach, and let his head fall back, exposing his neck. This was a move he knew from experience that got Sanji hot. He knew Sanji liked to dominate him. Zoro took pleasure in submitting to the blond. He got off on letting go and letting the cook do whatever he damn well pleased. It freed Zoro on some fundamental level to be able to place himself in Sanji's hands and know that his lover would take care of him.
"A… anything, Sanji," Zoro groaned. "You can do anything you want to me…"
Sanji was stunned at Zoro's display. Just when he thought the swordsman couldn't get any sexier, the man flexed and arched and writhed under his hands. The cook lifted his arm and ran his palm over Zoro's defined abdomen. The skin was slick, shining in the glow from the small reading lamp. He moved his touch lower, to the narrow hip, down a trembling thigh. Sanji slipped his hand under the heavily muscled flesh and lifted Zoro's knee. The swordsman responded and bent his leg, bringing his heel to rest on the cushion. This move exposed every part of the swordsman to Sanji and the cook found himself gazing down at Zoro's sack and the small, pink pucker of his anus. This was the most vulnerable position Zoro could place himself in, and Sanji's lust was fueled by this act of trust.
The blond slid his hand around Zoro's bent knee and leaned in to catch a bit of sweat from the swordsman's inner thigh with his bottom lip. He moved lower and kissed the junction where thigh met hip, then still lower to run his tongue over the bunched skin around Zoro's entrance. This was a place on Zoro's body that was almost familiar. Sanji had never before touched a cock, and Zoro was the first flat and muscled chest he had ever run his hands over. A man's body was foreign territory for the blond. Instead of soft bouncy parts there was hardness; lines and angles where he was used to feeling delicate curves.
But this place, the sensitive skin that twitched and flexed beneath his tongue, this he knew. Man or woman, this place was the same. He grasped the familiarity and worked off it. He teased the swordsman mercilessly. He licked and sucked and pressed in with his tongue, driving the other man to a breaking point. He pushed his lover with everything he knew, listening with deep satisfaction as Zoro cried out, the swordsman's breath hissing in and out through his teeth.
"Sanji… Sanji…" Zoro moaned, and the cook felt trembling fingers in his hair.
"Sanji… I'm gonna die…"
Sanji ceased his torture and rose up. He scooted closer to the couch, keeping a firm hold of Zoro's knee as a support for himself. He slid his other hand up Zoro's inner thigh and wrapped his hand around the base of Zoro's thick length.
"What do you want, Zoro?" he whispered.
Panting heavily, every muscle in his body singing with tension, every nerve screaming for release, Zoro gazed up at Sanji through a haze of dizzying arousal.
"Your mouth… your mouth on my cock, now…"
"Ask nice," Sanji said, his voice quiet but firm.
Zoro shuddered at the sound of Sanji's command. He felt the cook's slow strokes around his base and steeled himself.
"Please, Sanji…" He licked his lips and murmured in a broken whisper, "please… do it…"
Sanji stroked Zoro slowly, his heart hammering in his chest so hard if felt as if it was crawling up into his throat. Nervousness made it hard to breathe, as he lowered his head and ran his tongue up the underside of Zoro's erection. For some reason, this was a bigger deal to the cook than having sex with a man. Zoro had made love to him already, but this was something entirely different. Sanji knew he had accepted Zoro, he had accepted their relationship. It was just that this was that last hurtle that needed to be cleared. This was it. There was no turning back after you willingly put a cock in your mouth.
Fuck it, Sanji thought. I'll think about it later.
Taking a firm hold, Sanji wrapped his lips around the tip of Zoro's cock. He sucked gently, moving slowly down, taking bit by bit more into his mouth. He let his tongue slide along the underside as his hand kept up a steady rhythm.
Zoro clenched his jaw, his breath caught in his throat. He couldn't move, couldn't speak. Sanji's lips were around him, the cook's tongue was caressing his cock. Sanji's calloused, talented, beautiful hands were stroking him. The swordsman was overwhelmed, too caught up in sensation. Tension and heat built in his lower gut and he knew, though he wanted this to last forever, he would not be able to hold on much longer.
Sanji was surprised; this was not as easy as it looked. His jaw hurt, and trying to keep his teeth from Zoro's sensitive skin was difficult. But he kept it up, letting the hot flesh slide in and out of his mouth. He continued to suck, and pump with his hand. He was determined for this to be good for the swordsman. He wanted to make Zoro feel as good as he had when his green-haired lover had done this for him.
Then Zoro started to make the most fantastic sounds.
Sanji tiled his head up to look at the swordsman. He met the larger man's eyes just as Zoro slid the fingers of both his hands into his hair. The cook almost choked at the site of his lover's impassioned face. Zoro was obviously lost, taken over by lust and impending orgasm. His eyes were intense, gazing down at Sanji with the same focus the blond had witnessed when Zoro had been fighting. The look renewed Sanji's vigor and the cook pressed down as far as he could go, taking most of the swordsman's twitching length down his throat.
"Oh God…" Zoro moaned, his fingers tightening in Sanji's hair. "Sanji… Sanji if you don't want it in your mouth…"
Sanji palmed Zoro's balls before he moved his hand up to stroke Zoro hard and fast. His mouth pulled away just sucking on the very tip.
"Sanji… off… get off… Ah… c-coming…"
The cook felt Zoro's sharp tug on his hair, and he pulled away quickly. He pumped Zoro's cock ruthlessly, feeling the tell-tale pulse under his fingers. Come splattered his chin and cheek as Zoro growled harshly above him. Sanji looked up, watching the swordsman's face as he released long and hard. Zoro's body bucked, his eyes closed, his jaw clenched and his teeth bared. Yet another display that got Sanji's drive up, made him hot. He couldn't wait to see if this was the face Zoro would make when Sanji fucked him.
"Shit…" Zoro murmured as he came down.
Sanji turned his head and wiped his jaw and chin on his shoulder, his t-shirt was toast anyway. He was shaking, adrenaline still coursing through his veins. He had never realized how completely vulnerable one felt after giving head for the first time. He had been raging drunk and with someone much older his first time with a woman. He thought back to all the times he had taken a virgin to his bed, and thanked God that he had been brought up to respect women and treat them with gentleness and kindness, otherwise he would be packing some seriously bad Karma.
He wanted to shout for joy but simultaneously wanted to crawl in a hole and cry. Sanji met Zoro's eyes as the swordsman came back from wherever he had gone. The cook felt a gentle hand on his cheek and he nuzzled into the warm palm.
Zoro slowly sat up and kissed Sanji's forehead, his mouth trailing down to lap up the lingering mess on the blond's skin. Sanji knelt between his legs, still as death, clutching his bent knee and trembling as Zoro cleaned his jaw and neck with soft kisses and gentle licks. The taste of the salty come mixed with the spicy flavor of Sanji's skin always pleased Zoro's palate; yet another way to season the blond to perfection. Sanji, service à la française, just the way the swordsman liked.
"Thank you…" Zoro whispered softly.
Sanji turned to meet his lips. They shared a brief kiss before the cook relaxed, his posture indicating that he also was coming down from the high.
"You're welcome," he answered, smiling softly.
Zoro's hands slid around the cook's waist, and he sighed a content and sated sigh.
"May I have my pants back?"
Sanji chuckled. "No."
Zoro pulled back, an eyebrow raised.
"No? Why?"
Sanji pulled away, grabbing the sweatpants off the floor and standing.
"Because I'm not done with you. You said I could make love to you tonight, and I intend to do just that."
Zoro smiled and leaned back on the couch once again.
"I think my words were that I'd let you 'fuck' me."
Sanji shrugged. "Whatever. We'll see how I feel in a few minutes."
Zoro held out his hand. "Can I have my pants at least while I'm recovering?"
Sanji shook his head. "You can't 'have' them. But you can try to 'take' them if you want."
With that, the cook whirled and ran out of the living room. Zoro wasted no time, jumping up from the couch and chasing after him. He'd get his pants back, damnit. He liked it when Sanji took them off.
TBC
A/N- Reviews make me post the promised seme!Sanji sex faster! xD