"Zoro... What really happened out there? When did you guys finally find me?" Sanji found the guts to ask, after resting back on the plush of their bed, staring at the ceiling.
It'd been a few hours or so since Chopper left, having informed him of the dire situation they'd been in. Since then, with a few little things mentioned here and there from the couple, it was nothing but silence, both of them lost in thought. Zoro had laid back down beside his blonde for some shut eye, his arm resting across Sanji's chest where his abdomen began to peek.
His face, more affectionately, nuzzled its way against the blonde's collarbone, allowing him to take in more of the comfort of his cook, whom he hadn't seen in so long and could never get off his mind.
His dark eye opened though when he heard his lover's words and he shifted his chin to get a better glance. In all honesty, he had wished Sanji would take this as a win and not pry on the details. However, Zoro knew better. Sanji liked understanding and processing situations before moving on past them, otherwise they would just haunt his consciousness as nothing but what ifs.
"That chick said you'd just fallen when we arrived."
"Chick? Elisa-chan? Is she alright?" Sanji asked with worry.
It made Zoro scowl. Oh of course the cook would try getting up from his bed rest when some chick was mentioned. He held his arm across him still though, keeping him retrained into his embrace, much to Sanji's distaste.
"Yeah she's whatever. Left a few days ago on something Franky made for her. Some bullshit about it wasn't safe is she stuck around much longer... having been wrong before, her voodoo or magic crap is out of whack." Zoro's eye shifted over. "Told us everything that happened to you guys though..."
Sanji's mouth went dry. Great so everyone knew then? Yeah of course he did as well, hell he lived it, but it didn't change the uneasy feeling in his gut of not knowing exactly what was said and told about it. There weren't any secrets to hide of course, but still. He met Zoro's gaze, a slight shiver running through him. Was that glare sympathetic or judgmental? He purposely looked away, not wanting to deal with such a puppy dog expression right now.
So Elisa-chan had already left though? He found himself somewhat sad. For reasons he felt like he owed her a little, even if she thought her predictions weren't true, which a lot of them he could recall were pretty spot on. She had kept his spirit going telling him that the crew was on their way after all. And in the end, wasn't that true as well? Maybe she had just left, feeling guilty at the way Sanji had gotten injured, despite her reassurance that they'd be okay. But really where would he have been if she hadn't been on that ship coincidentally?
A small huff to the side brought his attention back to the Marimo, craving more attention. He narrowed his eyes. Idiot.
"So then..." He began, changing the subject just a tad. "You killed him? That Marine bastard?"
Sanji watched with mild interest as Zoro actually turned his face away, annoyance painted across it. He didn't like talking about that asshole very much either.
"Yeah, he's gone."
Sanji made a sound of disgust in the back of his throat. "Please tell me you scrubbed the hell out of your swords after that."
It made the swordsman snort. "As if I would dirty my blades with that." He mused.
Sanji raised his eyebrow. Well, the scene he'd imagined in his head was pretty nice, the one with Zoro literally mincing the son of bitch into pieces, but he supposed if Zoro really wanted to, he was strong enough that he didn't even have to make contact with the actual blade. The healed cuts before had been out of warning, or perhaps even mercy.
Silence fell between them again, causing the swordsman's heart to speed up gradually, the memories of that day coming back to him. All he could think of was when the Sunny landed after a burst and his eye had scanned over the deck of the ship, finding and settling on the image of Sanji plastered against the deck in blood. Without even realizing it, his hand moved downward and was massaging Sanji's stomach lightly, making circles with his fingers.
"You really scared me out there cook, the hell huh?" he grumbled again to himself, finding comfort in the emotion that was easiest, irritation. "Tch. How did you let guys like that even hit you-"
He paused his scolding, an awkward feeling protesting against his hand. He propped himself up, his brows furrowing more as he looked at the cook's abdomen. It didn't help that Sanji, who as usual was only giving maybe half a fuck about his complaining, had a knowing smirk. Had that been what he thought?
It would seem there was another someone in the room that didn't care much for Zoro's over protectiveness either, finding it as bullshit as his mother did. But still Satoru, back home, wanted to greet his father in a way he hadn't been able to before. Perhaps he recognized his voice? The Marimo was still for a moment before a grin spread across his face so large, moving closer toward where he rested his hand, but being gentle as Sanji still was bandaged.
"Was that...?" He found the words escaping his lips in the jumble of thoughts inside his mind.
Sanji rolled his eyes. He'd only seen that expression once or twice and maybe or maybe not when it involved the possession of sake. Still the cook was wearing an equally thrilled expression. There was something just warm about seeing Zoro feel Satoru kick for the first time, despite if he'd been feeling it for a while now.
"Alright alright, Marimo." He drew the line when Zoro was totally trying to accomplish some sort of secret knock with his son. "Don't get too carried away and start talking to it or some shit now. Jeez."
"Like you talk to him when you change or sleep?" Zoro shot back, kissing the skin lightly where the pajama shirt struggled to cover the cook's abdomen.
Sanji only flushed and shoved at him to get away, using his hand to push at his shoulder.
"You shitty stalker! I don't talk to him in my sleep!"
"It's nothing to be embarrassed about, I think it's cute."
"Cute!? You asshole, I should kill you."
Zoro was grinning with all his teeth, though. Oh how he did enjoy the view of a blood red Sanji, having to use all his strength to hold himself back from jumping to attack Zoro. Or maybe he just really wanted to jump his bones again? Ohoho, that had him lightly purring. But no, Zoro knew when to be pervy and when to keep it simple. He continued to dance his fingers along Sanji's tummy, a sort of thoughtful expression controlling him.
"Come on cook, you gotta admit you're excited." He said low in his thinking. "Now that you're back, you'll heal then... we'll have a son."
Sanji watched Zoro's expression with perplexed interest while quietly sighing and forcing his face to soften. Damn asshole, always worked him up more than he wanted, but he supposed that was natural. Still, there was something serene in talking to Zoro like this that he wanted to taste. It wasn't often they got to think of the future and the last time they had had been before the navy separation.
"Of course I'm excited bastard, why wouldn't I be excited?" He replied, letting his head rest back into the pillow. "I've always wanted a son. It's more of... being the one carrying it that still gets to me."
He scowled at the low chuckle escaping Zoro, though. Always thinking that he was silly for still worrying about that. Sure, he could just give in and deal with it, hell he already pretty much did, but even if it was the last thing he did he wasn't going to let it be obvious he was somewhat enjoying himself, or had been. If he did that, who knew what was going to happen. The shitty Marimo might be encouraged to try this again down the road.
"I knew you were at least good for something, cook." Zoro grinned. "It really suits you."
Sanji reached out and yanked Zoro back by his hair, flames in his eyes. Like hell it suited him! Zoro, even though scowling and in pain laughed, having gotten the reaction he wanted.
They were interrupted next by the long yell from above deck of Sanji's name however, causing the cook to release him so they could exchange glances with each other before glancing at the door, where they heard movement. It was Luffy, of course, hell it was always Luffy screaming out like that, and he was hurrying down into the hull until he was able to slam the door open wide with a magnificent grin. In between his teeth was a stick of meat and there were a few under his arm.
"Sanji!" He gasped breathlessly, bouncing into the room. "Eat meat, it'll make you feel better!"
Sanji's jaw slightly dropped. This moron. Was meat his answer to everything?! But even still, bursting into their room with food tucked under his arm? What the hell was he even supposed to think? Zoro was just as surprised, but not so much about bursting in with meat, as much as his logic of the food having any healing properties whatsoever.
"Luffy! Give that back, that's for all of us!" Usopp's yell came next as he ran and stopped in the doorway.
Luffy had already run inside and turned, a mischievous grin wrapped around that stick of meat, daring his sharpshooter to continue chasing him. Which he did. He chased Luffy to the side, mimicing him as he jumped up, his foot hitting the corner of the bed and they literally went in circles and odd pathways around the room, oblivious to those they were disturbing.
Chopper came next, pleading out two both of his comrades that had come before him.
"Luffy! Usopp! You can't! Sanji needs to rest!"
The chase they began looked more like a conga line by this point. Zoro looked over at Sanji, who had gotten his attention by resting his hand on his shoulder and squeezing tight with a death grip, his face shadowed... With his free hand he lightly tugged at the blanket to cover himself then he turned his chin to gaze at Zoro, matching in his annoyance. He only needed to give him the permission though, which proved much useful.
"Stop them."
Zoro didn't reply, he only leaned forward out of Sanji's grasp and watch. He timed the right moment, when Luffy had jumped back onto their mattress about to jump off and Usopp had just jumped on. He reached out super quick, grasping his hands around one of each idiot's ankles and watched as their eyes widened and they began to descend.
They collided with each other and fell back on the end of their bed. Luffy let out a whine.
"Zorooooo! We were having fun!" He cried, sitting up quickly and gathering the meat back into his lap.
Chopper skidded to a halt from his point in the line and jumped up onto the bed as well. Zoro didn't say much though, only slid off the side of the bed and gripped both his foolish nakama by the collar of their shirts.
"Come on, princess needs his beauty sleep." He grumbled, dragging them towards the door.
"OI! I heard that!"
Chopper frowned, watching them go and looked back at Sanji who seemed still red in the face.
"I'm sorry, Sanji! Are you still feeling alright?" He asked, hopeful that the interruption he wasn't able to stop hadn't bothered his bed rest too much.
Sanji sighed and looked back at his doctor. Yeah, he was fine, but still he had lots of things running through his mind that not even a small event like that could distract him from.
"Yes Chopper, I'm fine." He said softly, smiling to his doctor. "We're both fine." He decided to quickly add.
It seemed to make Chopper giggle.
"Ah! I'm so glad! I'll go get you some water in case you get thirsty alright-"
"Chopper wait."
Sanji called out, stopping the doctor before he jumped down off his bed. There seemed to be a bit of urgency in his voice that made Chopper turn slowly and look back at his friend. What was the meaning of this? Was something really going on that Sanji hadn't wanted to discuss in front of the others?
"Something wrong, Sanji?" Chopper's expression went straight to worried and he rushed over to begin checking basic vitals.
The cook nodded his head though, peeling him away to sit beside him and assuring him that yes again he was fine.
"I'm alright, it's just... when I was on the Navy ship something didn't make sense to me."
"Eh?"
"You see, the doctor there checked me out before they locked me up and, well, I know what they found, you know what they found, but I still over heard him talking to the captain about it. How come when you told me about this whole, weird pregnancy shit, you acted like it was some normal thing that's occurred a lot. Yet the last two places I've been, it's been nothing but legend or unheard of?"
Chopper lowered his eyes, letting out small hums of the beginning of sentences he wasn't sure how to continue. Sanji took this moment to come to the conclusion on his own.
"Is it that rare?"
Chopper fumbled his hooves together. "I was really lucky to find those cases in the book from Robin. I wanted you to believe me so I might have exaggerated. There aren't really any famous pirates with male mothers, but there have been cases of them being born. There just aren't many. I didn't want to scare you away. Just like the people on Elisa-chan's island said, it's more of a legend then anything so..."
Sanji's heart sunk and he tried to relax back into the pillows. His hand found his tummy again and protectively caressed it, these thoughts running through his mind. So it was really rare, just like he knew. Otherwise, he guessed there would be more people comfortable with it and less confusion. But it was frightening that this meant there was still so much unknown about it. Was he really going to be okay? Will Satoru?
"Chopper... am I going to die because of this?"
After all, that legend had come off as a curse right? A long painful nine month death of a pirate's lustful sins or some shit. But for some reason, the cook just couldn't wrap his head around that having a baby and bringing a life into the world would only be for a man's death, they must have greater purpose.
Chopper was just silent and continued avoiding Sanji's eyes.
"The birth process is a little more complex than that of a woman's, of course... After you get to the end of your pregnancy, you'll eventually go into Labor. I haven't been able to find anything to read about how it's been done before so I don't know if there will be any signs... water breaking and stuff like that.."
"Then how will we know?"
"Well, you'd feel it. But we don't even have to wait until then. If the baby is close enough to full term I should be able to go in and take him out before any of that with no harm done... but I can't guarantee... that you won't have any complications. I'm going to try my best, Sanji! I've been restudying my anatomy and and.."
Sanji patted Chopper's hat and sighed again.
"It's fine Chopper, I was just curious." He said, lifting his face up with a smile. "I know that I'm in great hands and I wouldn't trust anyone else with my life."
Chopper lifted his chin, his eyes growing bigger and more moist as the tears began and he frowned. Sanji was so brave! He had just told him the risks that they were going to face, not 24 hours after only just finding out that his baby was still alive and he'd have to be on strict bed rest... How was he able to handle so much with a smile still? Chopper wiped away his tear and hugged his friend.
"Leave it to me, Sanji! But..." He began before pulling away. "Can I ask you something?"
"Hm?"
"Who is Satoru?"
It had been bothering the doctor since Sanji had woken up again, having asked where this person was that they didn't know. Was it someone he had met on the ship? The last time he'd made a motion to ask he was brushed off as if it didn't matter, but in the rare case that Sanji went insane and had an imaginary friend now named that... he felt he might need to know.
Chopper's question turned Sanji's smile genuine.
"Can you keep a secret?" He asked, watching as it brightened Chopper's face. He was so much like a kid that of course it made him excited. The little guy nodded, so Sanji glanced down at his pouting stomach.
"Take a wild guess."
Author's Note: Worth waiting 22 days for? No? I cant even begin to go into apologies, Im just gonna really try and be more on top of this updating. I kind of just got stuck in terms of plot, like I had planned to a certain point then some at the end but... mind went blank on how to get there. I'll do more brainstorming for you all I promise! I hope this chapter is okay though because I basically have been working on it a little here and there so if something is out of whack its possible. Thank you to my beta MyLadyDay!
ALSO, if you love this universe/time line with this Sanji and Zoro family, I'm making a separate story on my account called "AUP Extra" where I'm posting random one shots (this time a Halloween one) based in this universe that don't exactly fit in the main storyline. There will probably be one for Christmas as well, check it out if you'd like!