Win You on a Bet

Summary: Zoro makes a bet with Usopp that he can seduce any man or woman. Then a certain foul-mouthed chef walks into the bar and poses a challenge.

In the meantime Law attempts to escape his shady past and Luffy can't stop himself from being his curious self. (Modern AU, ZoSan and LawLuffy)

Author's Note: Big apologies for missing an update but it was exam season and I studied in the last minute as per usual xD! If you're having exams - I wish you all to pass and have great grades!

Chapter 25: Okay

"No, Luffy, you can't see him,"

"But, Chopper, he's my best friend!" Luffy whined as he sat back on the chair, crossing long arms over his chest, childish expression on his face.

"Best friends or not, you're not allowed in the ER," Law sighed from his side, plopping next to him.

His face was now stitched up and his hand was in a cast but that hadn't helped much with the desolate look in his eyes.

"Not fair," the shorter brunette mumbled under his breath but didn't argue further.

"Is he going to be fine though?" Usopp asked sheepishly, fully realizing the crack in his voice and not bothering to feel embarrassed by it.

He saw the hesitation in Chopper's soft grey eyes, the way he flipped away his bangs – a small nervous thick, as if showcasing his uncertainty. He didn't know the guy all that well yet, he was mainly a friend of Luffy but he could still tell this was not a good sign.

"It's still too early to tell, Dr. Kureha is now operating on him," he admitted, an apologetic look flashing through his face, "Gunshots are never easy to threat."

Usopp only nodded, while Nami took a hold of his hand and squeezed, half to reassure him and half herself. She had a few cuts and bruises but was overall left intact. Vivi was on her way to the hospital with Kaya. Franky and Robin were the only ones missing.

The archeologist had been called up to speak further on the Doflamingo case after they had all been briefly questioned by Smoker and Tashigi. Luffy had insisted for Franky to stay with her, in spite of the recent things she'd admitted and the bartender had eagerly agreed. They were bound to talk things through but loved each other enough to offer support in such times.

"I don't need any more of my friends breaking up," Luffy had insisted, "So you go and have a couple talk or…some thing,"

In the end they had listened to him, somehow he always had his way with bossing them around. Nami promised to keep them updated on Zoro's condition as soon as she knew something.

"I'll be going now," Chopper pointed out quietly, getting up to leave.

"Tell us something the moment you know it," Nami urged, a small flash of her strong temper coming to the surface. At times like this her personality was the only thing that made her keep going. Her lips curled into a tiny bittersweet smile as she realized Zoro had both loved and hated her explosive temper.

The young intern eagerly nodded, turning around to cast them one last soothing look before heading for the ER.

"Don't worry Zoro is strong, he'll survive this, I'm sure!" Luffy declared, injecting some much needed optimism in the whole situation as he graced them all with one of his million dollar smiles.

They were all worried out of their minds but his words helped, even if just a little.

xxx

Law's gaze fell over Sanji, the way he'd curled up on himself in the chair. His white shirt was still stained heavily with blood as were his prized hands while the look on his face was the epitome of dejection.

Guilt and worry washed over the Spaniard like a tidal wave, he knew it was Doflamingo's fault Sanji's lover was now fighting for his life. And as much as he hated Zoro for the entire bet fiasco, he realized a guy who took a bulled for you was the real deal. He didn't regret fighting him once he discovered what he'd hidden from Sanji but he knew at this point he owed the guy a apology for doubting his intentions.

He got up, bracing himself against the pain and fatigue as his body complained and walking up to the blonde.

"Hey," he mumbled, feeling ridiculous and out of place to say it. He was never a man of small talk but he thought that was what they needed now. Distraction, it seemed like a half-assed measure but it was still the only option in the current situation.

Sanji didn't stir at first, the look in his washed out blue eyes lost. He put his good hand over the other and squeezed his shoulder, effectively getting his attention this time.

The chef turned to him, pupils widening, almost as if he was surprised to see him,

"Hey."

Law recognized that look on him – it was the same look he had on when memories of the Vinsmokes returned to haunt him, the same look he had when his insecurities came out of the darkness of his mind and stepped up into the daylight.

It was a bad look and it made Law completely forget his own troubles, solely focusing on his best friend.

"Let's go get grab some coffee," he blurted out, not bothering to offer some to the others. Maybe it was a little rude of him but at this point he doubted they would even notice, their minds focused on Zoro.

They walked through the halls in silence, only sound they could hear was their own footsteps, echoing through the mostly silent hospital. It wasn't until the blonde finally spoke up, voice hoarse.

"Don't you dare say this is your fault," he pointed out, casting a steel look over his best friend.

The Spaniard sighed, she should have seen this coming. While he was looking out for Sanji, the other was doing the same for him. It struck a cord with him, made something in his heart melt as he realized how well they worked together. It wasn't often that he pondered on their friendship but on nights like this he wondered if perhaps he should.

"And how isn't it?" Law scoffed, leaning in against the coffee machine, "I'm the one who brought Doflamingo to town."

Sanji looked away from him but still didn't bother to interrupt.

"I'm the one who has caused trouble for us all… and now I'm afraid someone else might-"

"Law, he took the damn bullet for me!" Sanji all but screamed, effectively making several heads spin in their direction, "He might fucking die saving me!"

Trafalgar didn't have it in him to reply, the words hanged in the dense air between them, lifeless.

Sanji was quiet for a few moments which seemed to stretch to eternity before snorting,

"I was so busy being pissed at him for the fucking bet, I never stopped to think what kind of a man he really is. And now he-he,"

The Spaniard stepped closer to him on instinct, he could hardly keep up with seeing him in such a state. He wanted to offer some sort of comfort, even when he realized he wasn't the best at it. Still, his best friend needed him and he had to try calming him.

"I keep thinking he might die believing I hated him," Sanji finished, voice breaking somewhere in the middle of the sentence,

"Don't say that," Law began, carefully picking each word, as he wanted to offer comfort but was afraid of giving unrealistic hope, "I've seen men recover from worse injuries."

The blonde looked away from him, close to tears. Trafalgar wanted to say something more reassuring, figure out a way to console him but his brain came up with nothing, it was as empty as a blank canvas, only there to mock him.

"Luffy says he's pretty fucking strong and…" Law snorted, surprised at what he was about to say, "I've learnt the guy has some pretty good score at being right."

His efforts seemed to do trick as Sanji wiped away his eyes, hiding tears before they had to chance to roll down pale cheeks. He chuckled, a low and mirthless sound but it was better than self-accusations his silence hid .

"You really like him don't you?" the blonde asked, turning to face him.

Changing the subject, it was an old trick of the French but Law realized now he was only doing it to take his mind off the prospect of Zoro not making it.

"Well, having in mind he pretty much saved my ass and stopped me from murder in less than twenty four hours…yeah, I think I do. Plus you know...his looks and personality and a ton of other things about him."

The chef offered him a tiny smile, one that clashed awkwardly with the desolated look in his tired eyes.

"I'm happy for you. I really wish at least you two work out even if…"

"He's not dying," Law didn't even let him finish, grabbing at his hand and offering a squeeze, "I'm done letting people die for me so that bloody swordsman better not do."

Sanji nodded at him, a tiny speck of his usual stubbornness returning to the washed out blue irises,

"I swear I'd go to hell and bring his ass back if he did," he asserted but his voice was still small and broken, full of guilt.

xxx

Some hours later Sanji was sitting all alone in a tiny hospital room, the walls depressingly sterile and clashing against a bright neon spot of green somewhere in the sea of white.

His eyes fell over Zoro's unconscious form, taking him in.

He had miraculously survived the surgery and as Kureha had put it, he seemed to be just too stubborn to die. The chef shook his head, that seemed to just about sum up what kind of a man the other was.

He wasn't completely out of the woods yet but after one too many protests from Luffy they were allowed to see him, thinking it might to him some good if his friends were close. The gang had offered their support, each in their own way. Usopp's lucky goggles stood on the night stand and though Sanji really doubted Zoro would be the kind of man to appreciate trinkets much,he knew it was the thought that counted.

Nami had promised to forgive half of his debt if he were to recover, Kaya and Vivi had quietly prayed for him hand in hand and Luffy was all too certain he'd be fine.

"I told you Zoro wouldn't die!" he'd beamed at them, as certain and optimistic as always.

Law appeared to be a mess and as much as he tried to hide it, the French realized he was wrecked by guilt for luring in Doflamingo. Sanji didn't understand why he'd blame himself, Zoro getting shot was all his fault.

"Please be fine, moss for brains," he found himself saying, awkwardly leaning in above the man.

If he had been stronger, if he'd spotted the men first, perhaps he would have reacted differently and now the swordsman wouldn't be lying in bed, fighting for his life. He shook his head, he knew there was no merit in lamenting the past but that didn't stop him from doing it anyway.

He was angry at himself, it was the worst type of anger, red and hot and unforgiving. It made him want to smash his fist against the wall but his hands were already bruised and he'd promised Zeff a long time ago he'd keep them safe. Great, yet another person he'd disappointed his insecurities reminded him.

Sanji shook his head, feeling another bout of shame wash over him. Zoro had hurt him badly, he'd brought back the worst in him, he'd made him relive his past without even knowing it.

The feeling of him being never being good enough had been all he felt the minute he heard their relationship was all a bet. But…the swordsman hadn't even heard of his past in the first place. A part of him, the more rational one understood it wasn't right of him to expect for others to know when he did such a good job of looking perfectly happy, always hiding behind a myriad of masks.

What the swordsman did know was how to save his life. Without even thinking, without words.

No declarations of undying love, no nothing. Actions, pure and simple. That was what Roronoa Zoro stood for in a nutshell.

And for that…for that alone Sanji realized he loved him, in spite of it all.

"Thank you for saving my life," he whispered before leaning in over the other man, standing closer, his entire body and mind craving for intimacy.

He couldn't stop himself from running a hand down his face, feeling in the fading bruises from the fight with Law. For a guy who'd been shot and in intensive care, he looked good, almost too good. Maybe Luffy was right about his superhuman regeneration skills after all.

Sanji forced himself to smile as his fingers trailed down, dancing lightly over the bandages as another surge of guilt went through him. In the end his fingers lay next to the other's, pale white skin contrasting against warm tan.

On instinct, he intertwined their fingers together and gave a small squeeze, relishing in the feeling of warmth behind the contact.

He then became more bold and without thinking he leaned down, placing a tiny kiss over Zoro's cold lips. It was chaste and quick, as he felt he didn't deserve the right to be close to him. He pulled back immediately but his heart still raced, longing for contact.

The blonde stood like that for a long time, blue eyes locked over the sleeping form of his lover, if he still had the right to call him that. He was making sure the other was okay, keeping him safe if it were possible.

In the end he felt himself drifting off to sleep, the fatigue finally overcoming him. He leaned in, letting his head fall against the bed. It was an awkward pose, but he need to be close to the swordsman, in some attempt to soothe his guilt and please his heart.

And right now the only thing his heart seemed to want was lying close to him, despite everything they had been through.

xxx

Sanji woke up after what felt like ages. He was disoriented at first, as if waking from a nightmare. Then it all came back to him in a flash, the events from the previous night painted in vivid colour and contrasting against the sterile white of the hospital room. Robin's confession, Doflamingo, the attack on Puzzles, Zoro getting shot. It had all happened so fast, it seemed surreal, almost as if it were part of a movie.

He looked up, the gentle rays of dawn poking through from the window and casting a pleasant, soft pink colour over the pale the walls. His fingers were still intertwined with the swordsman's and the other appeared to be asleep.

"Oh, thank God you're alive, Zoro," he let himself say, too tired and too relieved to play pretend at this point.

"Well, I'm an atheist but I'm glad you're happy to see me,"

The gruff voice startled him and he almost jumped from his position, only to look up and meet Zoro's one remaining steel grey eye set on him.

The man looked beyond exhausted but having in mind he'd nearly died less than twelve hours ago, overall his state appeared to be a nothing short of a miracle.

Sanji was so stunned he had to pinch himself, unable to form a coherent sentence yet.

"It was about time you woke up, sleeping beauty," Zoro tried to joke, noticing his apparent worry.

"Shouldn't I be saying that?" the French asked weakly, too overwhelmed with relief for seeing the other alive and talking already to think of a witty comeback .

The swordsman smiled at him, it was a weak smile, laced with some pain which immediately alerted Sanji and he made sure to call for the nurse. He was about to leave, only to dial Nami and Luffy when he felt Zoro squeeze his hand.

He was shocked by the contact, the other rarely expressed his emotions in much of a "touchy-feely" way as he'd put it.

He looked up to meet his expression. Zoro's eyelids were half closed, he appeared to be struggling with keeping awake but still forced himself to speak,

"Stay," he said simply to which Sanji found himself nodding eagerly, a tiny smile playing over his thin lips.

Something warm spilled over his chest and then his entire being and he let the feeling take over him, relishing in it.

"Go to sleep, Marimo," he ordered and the other for one appeared to listen.

The French stared at his relaxed form, a sense of peace washing over him for the first time in weeks. Despite it all, despite the fact he didn't know where they stood and that Doflamingo still wasn't put away, he could finally feel a little ray of hope dispelling the darkness somewhere deep inside him.

He leaned in and kissed Zoro's temple before sitting back down. He debated the uncomfortable chair briefly, squinting his eyes into a glare as they fell over the piece of furniture.

"Merde," he swore under his breath before climbing into the bed, too tired of them pretending not to care for each other. After the Marimo had taken a bullet for him, he was pretty sure that was no longer an option any way.

He still had to call Nami and Luffy to tell them the other had woken up but for now he just wanted to enjoy the moment of quiet solitude between them and the slightly uneven breathing of Zoro.

Sanji snuggled in closer to the man, mindful of his injury as he closed his eyes for just a little while.

Something told him they would all be okay in the end.

Author's Note: So what did you think of the chapter? Sanji and Zoro finally making up…or at least having the intent to xD

Thank you for reviewing: lashayluv, HokkyokuNoOokami, Laludofan, maychewn, anniegirl132, fullmetalwords,

anniegirl132 – welcome to the story and thanks for all the comments!

Please review and share your thoughts on the chapter!