Sanji/Zoro (4)

Im making them spend more time on Sabaody then they did in canon.

——(xXx)——

(Why is it hard to ask?)

He didn't do it on purpose. Well... not all of it at least.

A few times he had tried to approach Zoro to talk to him, but each time what came out of his mouth, instead of a request to talk, was an insult. Or something else would happen that needed the crew's focus more than talking.

Though he had been more observant of the swordsman since Robin had suggested the possibility of his own feelings possibly being returned. He'd notice Zoro hesitate for a small moment before looking at him, when Sanji called. He noticed Zoro always had his eyes on him when the cook spoke. He noticed that Zoro's taunts seemed more out of habit than a real fire.

It gave him hope that.. maybe he wouldn't have to feel like this anymore. Wouldn't have to hate himself for feeling this way towards a crewmate. A male at that.

Since he had known Zoro he couldn't deny an attraction that had grown. He'd been surprised by it, disgusted by himself, for a while, after all he was destined to be in love with a woman, even dreamed of his future bride! But then.. he grew more accepting of those feelings as time passed... future dreams of a bride with curves and soft skin, turned into wishes of a life so beautiful, that he couldn't be disgusted by his bride of rough patches of skin and muscle.

It had been weird. And it had taken a lot for him to accept it in himself. But... he eventually did.

It was the outside he wasn't sure about.

He tried to treat Zoro no differently than he always had. Challenges to prove who was stronger, throwing insults back and forth, (though the insults changed more from actually insults about the other and was instead just weird names like; moss-head), and sporadic spars out of nowhere. He didn't want people to know, because he was afraid that with how much of a womanizer he had always seemed like, Zoro would more likely think he's making fun of him if he ever found out. He didn't want that. He didn't want to hurt Zoro like that.

So, because of his habits of staying brash towards Zoro, it was hard to broach the subject.

Then Kamie appeared.

Don't get him wrong. He still adored women, thought them the only, and most, beautiful living beings in the world. His worldview of that though had only grown by one to accompany Zoro into it. But because he still thought women were beautiful and goddesses, he still, and always would want to see a mermaid. (He will forever deny that Kokoro is one of them)

So when Kamie appeared. He couldn't help himself. She was beautiful and so sweet. He felt the need to wait on her hand and foot almost even more so than Nami-Swan.

His affection towards the mermaid though, didn't make him totally oblivious to everything.

Didn't make the way Zoro disappeared invisible to his eyes. Or the way Robin's gaze pierced into his back.

He wanted to make it right. But he'd screwed up, again, as he had so many times before.