Thanks to yukino76 for your review.

Enjoy your reading.

Chapter 20

The hungry one

A few days later, Nami was reading the newspaper around the breakfast table where everyone was chatting loudly. When she finished reading, she folded the paper before throwing it to land it on the counter. She then met Franky's gaze and he nodded to her. Delighted, she stood up to get the attention of her friends.

"I have great news for everyone", she announced with a smile.

"What is it?" the others asked inquisitively.

The navigator made a motion towards the cyborg who handed her a key. The young woman then solemnly handed it to Sanji while Luffy was taking advantage of the general inattention to finish all the plates.

"Key to heaven. For our eyes and ears."

As the cook didn't understand, Nami's smile widened.

"Franky built your room using some of the space in the boys' quarter. It's perfectly insulated so make good use of it."

The blond turned red as a beetroot while his crewmates sneered around the table. On the other hand, the swordsman didn't look embarrassed in the slightest.

"It's about time", he said to Nami as he was necking the bottle he had on hand so early in the morning.

"Don't get too excited, buddy", the redhead replied. "Expenses are withheld on your debt."

"What?! What about the cook's?!" the fencer choked.

"As well. With all the inconveniences we have had, interests don't seem superfluous to me."

"Greedy woman!"

"Exhibitionist!"

"Why are Sanji and Zoro going to sleep together?"

All turned their heads to their captain, stunned.

"You explaining it to him or I'm doing it?" Zoro asked the navigator provocatively.

"For you to traumatize him?" Nami retorted sharply. "Lame swordsman!"

"Two-bit scammer!"

"Let's not have this fight again", Franky grumbled, already tired.

"Forget it, Luffy, I'll explain to you later", the young red-haired woman suggested him.

"Okay. They're gonna have babies?"

Faces turned to him again, this time panicked.

"Chopper, you explain to him!" the navigator ducked out.

"What?! But I... It's..." the reindeer stammered.

"Stop that, he's still a kid", the carpenter of the ship intervened.

"I didn't think you knew all that, Luffy", Ussop noted in astonishment. "In fact, you're further along on the subject than I thought..."

"You can get that fantasy out of your head right now", the cook grinded beside him. "A baby as stupid as the marimo wouldn't be a gift."

"You're one to talk", the fencer sniggered. "A brat with your eyebrows would be outright abuse!"

"I don't think that's the point our captain really wanted to raise", Brook said nicely.

"Look, Luffy, it's not that simple", Franky began seriously. "To make babies, you n-"

"Relax, I was kiddin'! You're so funny!" the captain exclaimed, banging his fist on the table and delighted with his effect.

Nami frowned, not convinced.

"You were kidding?"

"I know how babies are made, I'm not stupid!" the straw hat boy explained to her, continuing to laugh.

"Really?" the archaeologist inquired with interest.

"Robin, no!" the gunner begged her but it was too late.

"Well..."

Luffy took time to think before shrugging.

"I don't know all the details but I think I remember it's always a woman who has a baby so technically, Zoro and Sanji can't have one!"

A good part of the crew sighed with relief. Chopper for not having to explain, Nami for noticing she wasn't wrong and Zoro, Franky, Sanji and Ussop for stating that their captain was still naive on some topics. For her part, Robin chuckled and Brook raised his glass of milk to the glory of his captain.

A figure poked his head through the half-open kitchen door cautiously. She quickly scanned her environment and her gaze focused on her prey.

A bowl filled with a melted chocolate preparation.

The figure twisted to go through the door without opening it further. She knew how much the master of the place could have good hearing and she didn't plan on getting caught.

As soon as she had entered the room, the figure began to salivate. The smell of the hot chocolate filled the room and it was impossible to resist. Forgetting all precautions, she jumped on the salad bowl and plunged her finger inside before licking it with relish. She had never eaten melted chocolate so delicious...

The figure grabbed the salad bowl and began to empty it like a bowl of milk. The chocolate dripped around her mouth and her chin but her only concern was to swallow her snack before being spotted. She then licked her lips greedily and tried to wipe properly. She was just finishing cleaning herself when footsteps resounded in the infirmary next door. Panicked, the figure noticed Sanji was talking to Chopper and they seemed to be coming towards her.

She left the empty bowl on the table and ran like the wind.

Sanji opened the infirmary's door leading to the kitchen, his arms full of aromatic herbs as he we was thanking Chopper behind him. He froze however, discovering multiple marks of chocolate on the table, the floor and even the handle of the outer door. His gaze immediately turned on his salad bowl filled to the brim with melted chocolate a minute earlier. Empty.

The cook felt his blood boiling in his veins and he flushed with anger. Not only he didn't tolerate people who assume the right to help themselves in his lair without his permission but also, this cake was supposed to allow him to think of something else than his nervousness at the idea of sharing a room with Zoro openly and publicly. And someone had just made explode his entertainment in full flight.

The bastard who had ravaged his kitchen wasn't going to end the day alive.

The straw hat crew cook's cry of rage echoed into the library. Robin looked up from her book and looked out of the window, curious. She heard scared squeaking and frantic flight noise and leaned a little closer to the window. She saw the chef in a state approaching hysteria dragging Ussop and Brook along before flinging them into the kitchen. Then he went back in search of his next victims and brought Luffy while Franky was following him, grumbling. The blond then screamed at the sleeping swordsman who growled at his loud voice before the cook ordered him to meet his crewmembers in the kitchen.

Robin chuckled as she realized the fencer had decided to follow him while covering his ears. Really, Sanji could be terrifying when he got angry. This didn't, however, prevent the archaeologist from quietly resume reading a few moments later.

"All right, you fuckers, which one of you stole my chocolate mix?!"

Nobody moved and the cook's fury intensified.

"You better fess up cos I know it's one of you!" he shouted even more. "I was preparing this for a tangerine cake for Nami so until I know who it is, you'll stay here!"

"How do you know it's one of us?" Franky pointed him out. "Why Chopper and the girls aren't here?"

"Chopper was with me and it's simply unthinkable Robin-chan or Nami-san stoop to such malfeasance!"

The blond glared at each one of his crewmates.

"Who did this?" he repeated in a deep voice.

"You wanna know who?" the swordsman muttered. "Okay, I'm gonna help you. It's not me."

"It's not me, either!" Ussop added.

"How should I know?! I have to take your word for it?!"

Sanji stared at them carefully for long seconds and took time to think. Quite logically, he could already cross two people off his list of suspects.

"Okay. Franky and Marimo Head, you can go out."

"Why are they eliminated?" Luffy asked with curiosity.

"Franky only needs cola, food is optional for him. I don't see why he'd have done that", the blond grinded while nonetheless staring at the cyborg.

"You got that right, bro! I had nothing to do with this!" the engineer agreed.

"I'm fine with Franky but why Zoro?" Ussop asked suspiciously. "It ain't right if he has a free pass because you're together."

The cook saw red and gave him a violent clout behind his head. The sniper then massaged his skull painfully, grumbling.

"That stupid musclehead has no free pass! Zoro doesn't like sweet foods so it makes sense he's innocent, that's all!"

The swordsman nodded and went out with the cyborg, happy to get away from this hell.

Sanji turned to his last three crewmates and ignited a spark out of his lighter to light a cigarette. The gleam that light up his face was evil.

"I will find whoever did it and he will regret it."

Franky sighed. Lunchtime was long past but no one had access to the kitchen until its owner had unmasked the culprit. Sanji had simply taken a break in his questioning to bring their meals to the two young women who had eaten in their room. As for the boys, they were forcing to wait.

"Investigation is still unresolved?" Robin asked as she set the empty plates down near the kitchen door.

"No. I think food deprivation is part of his method to bend them", the cyborg explained her.

"And we're lumped together", the swordsman not far from them grumbled.

"Sanji gave me sweets to wait", Chopper showed them. "We can share if you want."

"No thanks", the two men grunted with a sigh.

For her part, the archaeologist accepted one before leaving again to the library with a smile.

Ussop noisily swallowed his saliva. The psychological pressure the chef was imposing on him was unbearable.

"You're continually lying, Ussop! For once in your life, tell me the truth!" the blond hurled him.

Sanji wasn't taking his eyes off him and the gunner wanted to confess. Anything and everything as long as he could be left alone. Finally, he cracked.

"Okay, it was me who took the last shortbread in Crookshanks's shape last time!" he admitted, bursting into tears. "But I missed him so much, I wanted to have a memory! I still have it, I didn't eat it... I'm sorry... But it's not me who ate the chocolate, I swear!"

The cook sighed. He hadn't even realized a biscuit had disappeared and Ussop seemed about to faint. He could reasonably cross him off from his list of suspects.

"It's fine, you can go out. I know you didn't do it."

The sniper raised eyes filled with gratitude in front of his executioner's compassion and he went off to the door without further ado.

Sanji watched his last two crewmates for a long time. One of them was guilty of theft, he was sure of it. But which one?

Chopper rushed towards the still trembling gunner who had just walked through the door.

"So?" he asked. "Who is it?"

"I don't know", Ussop sniffed. "But he finally believed me and let me go."

"What the hell did he do to you?" the swordsman wondered. "Why are you such a mess?"

The sniper shook his head and wiped his red eyes.

"He threatened me to the worst tortures with cooking utensils. He told me that on the Baratie, cooks were training on customers who didn't pay their bills. That they had disemboweled a man with a butcher knife to take out his viscera and cook it for him, and that he had used a bottle opener to tear out his fingernails! I'm gonna have nightmares for the rest of my life..."

Ussop felt himself turning pale again and the little reindeer shuddered. For their part, Franky and Zoro shared a look before sighing. Sanji wasn't going halfway to unmask the thief...

"Now, who wants to go first?"

Brook and Luffy froze. Neither of them wanted to suffer this atrocious torture and they took a step back in spite of themselves. They didn't believe Sanji would carry out his threat until the blond forced them to undress, leaving them only their underwear.

"I'm waiting", the cook quietly continued, shaking the object of their fear in his hand. "Who sacrifice himself?"

"Is it... Is it really necessary to come to that?" the musician stammered.

"Absolutely", the blond replied. "It's about the good of the community. Such an act can't go unpunished."

Sanji approached the straw hat boy and shook the feather in front of his eyes, which followed his movement, hypnotized.

"Any last words, Captain?"

"Is it a seagull or a duck feather?"

The cook refrained himself from kicking him and turned his gaze into his.

"You have just sealed your doom."

He approached the captain and slid the feather along his ribs. Immediately, Luffy bounced up and down to escape from tickle and he couldn't help but burst out laughing when the feather migrated to his belly.

"Ooohhh, please, Sanji, ple- Hahaha!"

The straw hat boy collapsed on the ground, shaking with spasms. After a few minutes, the cook straightened up and stared into the empty orbs of the skeleton who shook. Luffy had watery eyes and was short of breath. He hadn't got up.

"It's your turn, Brook."

"But I am innocent, I assure you!" he protested, stepping back again.

"As long as none of you confess, you won't get out of here."

"How long has it been?" Nami asked.

"Nearly an hour", the cyborg answered.

"Hm. I'm surprised by their stamina", the young woman admitted.

Jerky laughs were rising regularly from the kitchen. They had successively heard Luffy then Brook, and then again Luffy begging the chef but this one obviously had no mercy.

"He's gonna kill them", the engineer commented. "They can barely breathe."

Zoro opened an eye from the mast where he was leaning on. He was trying to forget his hunger and his need for beer but the screams of his crewmates were preventing him from concentrating or sleeping. For his part, Chopper had brought a blanket to the gunner who was slowly regaining his composure by jumping at each noise coming from the kitchen.

"They better confess", Franky sighed. "The longer they wait, the more he'll be furious."

"Neither is smart enough to understand that", Nami shrugged before walking away.

The ship's carpenter sighed again. The navigator was certainly right.

"O-Ok-Okay! It's the-the ne-newspaper! Ple-please, Sanji..."

The blond stared at his captain lying on the floor and on the verge of asphyxiation.

"What about the newspaper?"

"They... They said in the newspaper that... it's my lucky day."

The cook wondered if the straw hat boy hadn't lost his mind before seeing the unfolded newspaper on the counter. He grabbed it and flipped through it.

"Your lucky day? What does this have to do with chocolate?"

"In his horoscope."

Sanji fixed his gaze on the skeleton who was having a hard time to catch his breath as well. He lit a cigarette and turned the pages.

Taurus. Today, nothing can touch you. It's your lucky day.

The blond frowned at the sight of the astrologer's name. Basil Hawkins. This name reminded him of something.

"So what?" he grumbled, turning his attention to Luffy.

"I thought that... nothing could happen to me. It's my lucky day... Sorry, Sanji..."

This one removed the cigarette from his mouth and stared him intently for long seconds. He then turned to Brook.

"You knew about this?"

"I read him his horoscope but I didn't think it would give him such ideas", the musician admitted, straightening up somehow.

The chef rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"You really think your lucky day would have allowed you to raid my kitchen, Luffy?" he snarled, glaring at his captain.

"I was hungry and there was no meat but you were out and there was this huge bowl of delicious chocolate! It looked like my lucky day", the straw hat boy pleaded.

"In this case, you'll have the right to take a second helping only once today", Sanji decreed while his captain was turning pale. "That way, you'll think twice about believing your horoscope is smarter than me!"

With these words, the cook kicked his two crewmates out with their jumbled clothes before locking the door behind him. He then swung the newspaper on the bench and took his dishes out of the fridge. He still had to feed the rest of the crew anyway.

Sanji twirled the key for the umpteenth time between his nervous fingers before inserting it into the lock and opening the door. The late meal was over and he had prepared a snack for his two princesses. So he had nothing to do until the evening and he finally made up his mind. He wanted to discover the room alone and without waiting for the night when the swordsman would be too eager to take the time of anything other than their business. He didn't know why he had taken the newspaper with him tough.

The room was sober and a little bigger than he had imagined. A double bed occupied most of the space and thin wooden planks on the walls would allow them to put some personal items down. He even noticed three locations on the left wall, a likely attention for the fencer's swords. He also appreciated the cyborg has kept a porthole that lavished a little light and doesn't make the place look like a closet thanks to its view of the ocean.

The cook sat on the bed before plopping himself down thoughtfully. This place was theirs, only to them, and a delicious thrill of anticipation ran through him at this thought. Zoro was right. If he didn't want to stay, he would just have to go away and nobody would find fault...

Sanji unfolded the newspaper and looked at the horoscope again. He hadn't even read his own earlier. Anyway, in view of what was predicted to Luffy, he didn't want to give it much credit but he was still curious.

Pisces. Today, you dream of distant horizons, new exhilarating adventures or places to discover.

Seriously? Did this astrologer realize that most of the people on Grand Line did so in search of discovery and adventure?

Sanji sighed. It was stupid. He nevertheless decided to look Nami's.

Cancer. Highlight your creative power that everyone seems to enjoy. Especially as your friends can help you to realize certain plans.

Now, the blond had to acknowledge a certain truth in these few lines. Nami was unquestionably a strong person and everyone praised her intelligence. And he would always be ready to help her, of course!

His eyes then wandered off to another column.

Scorpio. Thanks to your will and authority, you achieve your aims. But admit it, without your partner or colleagues, you would have had more difficulties, wouldn't you?

Sanji's eyes widened before bursting into laughter. This horoscope perfectly described the marimo! The chef resolved to give more value to this Basil Hawkins eventually.

He then set the newspaper down by his side on the bed and closed his eyes a few moments to rest, a smile on his lips.

He was slowly falling asleep when he heard the sound of the handle turn. He opened an eye but had no time to catch a glimpse because a weight slammed him against the mattress, taking his breath away.

"Move, idiot", he grumbled, recognizing Zoro against him.

"You really are moody as hell today", the man snickered, breathing down his neck.

"Move! Your fucking swords are crushing my hip!"

The swordsman rolled over and put his weapons down against the wall. He was about to attack the cook again but he had gotten up. Fortunately, the blond just went to close the door and Zoro threw himself at him, falling with his back on the bed and holding his prey against his chest.

"You're gonna pay for the way you behaved this morning", he whispered in his ear before brutally nibbling his neck.

"I exonerated you right away!" the cook reminded him, struggling.

"You traumatized the crew. Ussop hardly dares to look at you now."

The blond shrugged in spite of his position and tried to turn around but the swordsman was firmly holding him against him by using his legs and he continued to torture him under his kisses. Deciding to trick, Sanji took off the buttons of his jacket then those of his shirt before spreading the fabric to the maximum so that the other man was tempted to move, and so to leave him room for manoeuvre. His strategy was rewarding as Zoro quickly slid his hands along his chest and stomach in the form of delicious caresses that distracted him of his goal for a moment.

A minute later, he had managed to turn around and thus impose his pace. He straightened up and sat on his crewmate's hips with a triumphant air. However, it didn't take him a long time to lean forward in order to lengthily kiss him before going down to the hollow of his neck and shoulders.

Between the more and more rapid breaths of the swordsman, he suddenly looked up at him, amused.

"By the way, you know why Luffy did it?" he asked him.

"Why?" the fencer answered in a distracted voice, more focused on his strokes.

"Because his horoscope told him it was his lucky day!"

"His lucky day?"

"Yeah. And you'll never guess who's writing those damn horoscopes", he sneered, putting his lips down to his jaw again. "Basil Hawkins."

"Who's that?" the swordsman inquired in a hoarse voice.

"One of the Supernovae. It hit me this afternoon. I knew he was interested in predictions but he must be short of money to do things like that..."

The cook slid his shirt off his shoulders and helped the swordsman to get rid of his tee-shirt. He then put his tongue on the fencer's pecs who flexed at his touch.

"Anyway, I knew you had a bossy side but it seems you're sadist too, cook", he whispered to him, letting his hands wander over his bare shoulder blades.

"You prefer my natural suppleness?" the blond suggested, nibbling him.

"Definitely..."

Sanji stifled a laugh against his lover's warm skin before standing up again. Zoro followed his movement with a hazy look. The cook knew the swordsman was now obsessed by his desire and he sensually moved his pelvis against his, causing delicious sensations in their crotches. He then leaned forward slightly and stared at the fencer who had set his hands on his hips to guide him.

"Will you let me do this today?" he asked softly, continuing his languid motions. "We're alone, no one will bother us..."

"What are you talking about?" the swordsman whispered, lost in the sensations spreading throughout his entire body.

"You know... Let me take you and fuck your pretty little ass..."

Zoro froze before wincing.

"Shit, don't talk like that", he mumbled. "It doesn't suit you..."

Above him, the blond had an amused smile.

"So, speaking bluntly isn't your thing?"

"No, that's just... vulgar."

"The great Roronoa Zoro is a sensitive being. Fine, I'll remember that", the cook whispered to his ear.

The swordsman began to move again, dragging Sanji who followed his pace with his hips.

"And if I used more politically correct terms, would you agree?" the cook continued, placing small kisses on his neck.

"No, I... I don't know... I'd rather not", the swordsman whispered, breathing speeding up.

"Why? I promise you I'll take care of it", the chief kept on, looking up at him.

"It's not that. I just... don't wanna."

Sanji sighed without slowing down his movements and kisses. Zoro always had a good excuse not to give in but at the same time, he didn't want to force or beg him. He still had his pride.

"One day?"

"One day."

Suddenly, Zoro straightened up and ran a hand behind the blond's nape of neck to kiss him passionately. He was then carried away by the delicious sensations on his mouth and his crotch his lover had just started to massage. Sanji let the swordsman topple him over the mattress after he got rid of their last clothes with sudden moves.

The cook understood his impatience but he didn't see why their clothes had to suffer each time or why the fencer wasn't able to take his time or to restrain himself in order to increase their desire.

Sanji gave up his thoughts when Zoro began kissing him greedily, starting from his neck, going down to his chest and stomach and venturing even lower.

To hell with his questions, he would see that later...

Another chapter thanks to the holydays!

For the record, I imagined Luffy's horoscope but every others were real horoscopes I found on the internet!

I don't know why I dragged Basil Hawkins in this mess, I don't think he'll be interested in writing horoscopes but it was fun anyway!

I wish you the very best for this New Year.