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Chapter 23

Exercise in style

Zoro grunted. The pain in his left shoulder was more and more throbbing and he sighed as he put his dumbbell down. He couldn't turn back now, he had to tell Chopper. The swordsman was perfectly furious with himself. Not only had he been hit by a wood splinter during their last battle but in addition, he very likely had an even bigger injury that didn't pass since that day. He was feeling really ridiculous and particularly weak for being had like this.

The fencer glanced through the windows of the crow's nest and noticed calm was prevailing on Grand Line for the moment. Their next destination wouldn't be in sight before ten days according to Nami and the climate hadn't stabilized yet.

The last island they had left two days earlier hadn't been a very pleasant stay. It was packed in a mass of houses and concreted business centers that made the atmosphere uncomfortable and stifling. They had stayed there only to stock up on food and plant, and time enough for Chopper to drag the cook to one of his colleagues to make sure his diagnosis had been correct. Obviously, it was the case but the little reindeer had come out reassured and Sanji had been forced to continue to swallow his medication without the possibility of protesting to permanently eliminate the toxin from his body.

As he sighed again, Zoro made his way to the infirmary and knocked on the door a few minutes later. The little reindeer opened it immediately.

"Can I do something for you, Zoro?" he asked him kindly.

"I get this pain in my left shoulder."

Chopper winced and nodded to him to sit on the bed.

"How long?" he asked, grabbing his instruments.

"Since we fought against these pirates who attacked us."

The doctor twitched.

"I hope you're kidding. It's been days and I've seen you carry huge weights just yesterday. Besides, you didn't tell me about it when I examined your arm!"

"I thought it would pass with a little bit of exercise."

"Zoro..."

Chopper first observed the swordsman's arm where he had got a wood splinter. Wound healing was fine and any mark would completely disappear soon. He then moved the hurt shoulder and didn't miss the little wince of the fencer according to the motions.

"Did you fall on the left side?" he asked him, turning up his patient's tee-shirt to examine it further.

"No. I made a move and I felt an ache. Since that, as soon as I use my shoulder, it's throbbing more and more."

"You have bruises..."

"Oh?"

"Yes, they're in your back along the dorsal muscles."

Chopper then examined the symmetry of the swordsman's shoulders and sighed.

"You have a pretty huge muscle tear. As you continued to force, I guess your body has compensated and you have a slight anterior dislocation of your left shoulder."

"Ah."

"I told you to be careful, Zoro", the little reindeer reproached him. "Your body has been extremely weakened at Thriller Bark and you'll take months to fully get over it. If you continue like this, you'll never recover!"

The swordsman scowled and let the doctor apply cold on his muscle for several minutes, which relaxed him a little. The reindeer correctly repositioned his shoulder and the fencer clenched his teeth although he immediately felt relieved. Chopper then fixed him with an immobilizing sling to hold both his shoulder and prevent the motions of his back muscles.

"No training", the doctor said firmly. "Muscle has to rest for healing. If you're in pain, you need to get some ice. There's nothing else to do."

"How long?" the swordsman inquired, grumpy.

"One to two weeks."

Zoro sighed heavily before getting up and leaving the room. Chopper watched him move away, shaking his head. He knew the swordsman would have a hard time to stay still and he was going to have to watch over him.

The little reindeer didn't expect to be so right when he bumped into his patient three days later on deck.

"Zoro! Where is your immobilizing sling?!"

Chopper jumped to his side, eyes sparkling with anger.

"I should have fixed it so that you couldn't take it off but I trusted you!" he severely reminded him.

"The pain was gone so I took it off", the fencer answered, shrugging his shoulders.

"You didn't do any work out, do you?!"

Zoro thought for a second.

"No, no. It just bothered me for... something. But anyway, it was less painful."

Chopper sighed.

"It doesn't matter, it's only been three days, you have to keep your sling!" he went on, uncompromising. "Come to the infirmary, I'll fix it to you again."

"I'm telling you there's no need", the swordsman said, walking away. It bothers me..."

"Of course it does, it's meant to immobilize your muscles!" Chopper kept on, rushing behind his patient.

"Chopper, let me go", Zoro grunted, now dragging the little reindeer at his feet.

"No way!" the doctor clutched. "Your muscles must be preserved! You need to rest and it's my duty as a doctor to treat you!"

"Can't you gimme something to make it go faster?"

"I can give you ice packs but you have to stop using your shoulder or you risk having a dislocation again and then it'll probably need surgery!"

The swordsman finally stopped and scowled. He didn't want to waste any more time with a bigger injury.

"Okay..."

The little reindeer got up and pushed him toward the infirmary, delighted. Once inside, he fixed the immobilizing sling again and handed a cooling gel to the swordsman to apply it when necessary.

"A good diet will also help you recover faster", the doctor added.

"What you mean? I thought the cook was already paying attention to food balance?" the fencer wondered.

"Yes but we can strengthen certain food groups to accelerate healing in your case. We should check with Sanji. He's totally getting better now so it shouldn't take him too much time."

"Forget it. He'll never want to do anything special for me and there's no way I'll ask him anyway", the swordsman swept aside.

"I'll tell him it's medical advice!" Chopper decided.

The little doctor then went to the kitchen and Zoro followed him with a sigh.

"Sanji, Zoro needs a special diet for a few days", the reindeer told him as he entered the kitchen.

"A special diet?" the cook grunted, turning to the newcomers. "What's wrong with this bastard now?"

"It's about his shoulder dislocation and his muscle tear", Chopper answered in a professional tone. "Proper nutrition can help heal it faster."

"That's because you can't sit still for five minutes, do you?" the blond realized, staring badly at the fencer. "And now, it's up to me to make up for your congenital imbecility! You think I don't have enough work to do?!"

"I didn't ask you anything, shitty cook!" the swordsman replied, furious. "It's Chopper who absolutely wants to cure me!"

"Of course, he does! He's a doctor, you idiot! And you, you're the worst patient!"

"Sanji, please, it's really important", Chopper suddenly implored him.

The reindeer gave him his most pleading eyes and the blond couldn't help but find him adorable. Softened, he put his cigarette butt back between his lips.

"All right, Chopper, I'm gonna make special marimo menu for a while. I'll focus on fibers and proteins."

"Don't bring down the number of calories too much. Zoro has a considerable muscle mass and his energy expenditure, even without activity, remains very high."

"Okay. So white meat, fish, vegetable protein, vegetables and fruits?"

"Perfect, thank you, Sanji! Zoro can help you if you wa-"

"That's not gonna happen" he cut him brutally. "He'll just make me lose time, this moron."

"And I don't wanna spend more with this curly eyebrow", the swordsman added in the same tone.

"All right", the reindeer sighed, shrugging his shoulders. "But that would have forced you to stay a little quiet, Zoro. It'd be a shame to waste everything."

"Clearly, you better not move an inch if I work my ass off for that", the blond gritted.

Chopper then went to the door to take leave before turning around and staring at his two friends very seriously.

"One last thing. I told Zoro not to do any physical activity involving his shoulder and that means not a single one. It's not because it isn't a training that muscles aren't used and if the shoulder is dislocated again too quickly, I'd immobilize it completely."

"What?" the swordsman protested. "But-"

"And I'll ask Luffy to order you", the little reindeer threatened him. "I trust you both", he concluded as he left.

Sanji and Zoro heard the door close behind the reindeer with relief, blushing.

"Fuck, marimo, it was pretty humiliating to be lectured by Chopper", the blond noted after a few seconds of silence.

"If you hadn't jumped on me last night though", the swordsman grumbled.

"Are you serious?! It's you who turned up like an animal in heat in my kitchen!" the cook got indignant. "Besides, you had removed your sling, I thought you were cured!"

"What was I supposed to do with that thing when you told me you were, I quote, "so hot even if Luffy came in for his meat, we'd continue to fuck madly"?

Red as a tomato, Sanji hit him on his bruised shoulder.

"Of course, moron! I was finally able to do something since that fucking poisoning!"

Zoro replied with a mocking smile to the memory of their evening and the blond sighed before pointing out a chair to his companion.

"Okay. Put your ass here and stay there."

"Why?" the swordsman wondered.

"How long will you last without jumping on me or training?" the cook snickered in his turn. "Don't you wanna heal as fast as you can?"

The swordsman stared at the chair for a moment before sitting down with determination.

"Chopper thinks that in a week or two, I'll be all patched up."

"Well, we're lucky 'cause usually, we need a good month."

The fencer nodded gravely and watched Sanji resume the rinsing of his vegetables.

"And what do I do?" he asked him.

"I guess alcohol isn't recommended so get some water, it'll change you. Hydration is essential for a good recovery anyway", the blond replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"If you say so."

Zoro grabbed a glass and a bottle of water. He drank slowly but at the end of the third glass, he sighed. Water wasn't as good as his sake and he was still bored.

"Gimme something to cut", he suddenly asked the cook.

"To cut?"

"Yeah, that's the thing for which I should be the most gifted."

Sanji winced and gazed at his vegetables.

"Okay, make me a julienne", he decided. "But no sword!"

He set him two knives and vegetables down on the table before turning away to clean out fishes. Zoro picked up all the vegetables and one of the knives before closely examining it.

"Oh, cook."

"Hm?"

"What's a julienne?"

The blond sighed deeply. He had told Chopper the swordsman wouldn't save him time...

"These are small sticks."

Zoro looked carefully at the vegetables in front of him. He used his left hand constrained by the sling to trap an eggplant and raised his knife, ready to crosscut it.

"Fuck, marimo, don't do that!"

Sanji snatched the knife from his hands, furious.

"You'll cut the table with your primate strength if you stand like that! And what's that knife? There's a good reason I put two! I'll show you..."

The cook took a carrot.

"First, you peel it. Then you make small segments and you cut the edges to have a stable and aesthetic base. Now you take the other knife, you make the smallest slices possible, you stack them... There you go!"

Sanji had illustrated each of his words by the realization of his motion and he passed his utensils to the swordsman with a smile. This one had watched him with concentration. This slicing story was a little crazy and too full of manners to his taste but it was eventually about cutting so he could do it.

As the blond moved away, he positioned all his vegetables one behind the other to save time and crashed his blade down at the speed of lightning. Moments later, he watched his result, satisfied.

"It's done."

Sanji glanced curiously at his vegetables and bit his lip.

"What? That's not so bad", the swordsman showed him.

"The problem isn't cutting, Cactus-kun", he sighed.

Zoro stared at his sticks, frowning.

"You forgot to peel them, idiot", the blond showed him.

"Oh, yeah. No big deal."

"No big deal?! In this case, it'll be you who'll eat them!" he became enraged. "That's it, cook some noodles for your meal, I'll add fish and then get the hell out of here. I'll go faster alone."

"Can I have rice instead?"

"No, I planned noodles with broth."

"I'd like rice", the fencer mumbled.

The cook turned and stared at him for a moment, puzzled.

"What's got into you, marimo head? Since when you're such a nuisance about food?"

Zoro scowled and folded his arms. Sanji rolled his eyes.

"I know it's hard for you to not move but just ride it out. I'll make you rice balls for dinner, okay?"

As the swordsman was smiling again, the blond took pity on his companion.

"Forget about the noodles and go take a nap. I know you're good at it."

The fencer nodded and walked out of the kitchen toward the ship's sunny lawn.

Three more days had stretched for the swordsman. The absence of activity was a real ordeal, especially since everyone was quietly keeping themselves busy around him. All had assumed he would take advantage of his forced rest to increase his sleep time and this would certainly have been the case in normal times but for once, Zoro was annoyed.

Chopper was attributing his grumpiness to his instructions and had several times apologized while still maintaining his orders. To keep him busy, Luffy had showed him how to fish but the fencer had been so bored he had preferred to give up. To top it off, Sanji was standing his ground and they weren't doing anything that could have relaxed him in any way...

Secluded in the crow's nest, Zoro had fallen back on meditation that morning but that wasn't enough. His body needed exercise. Especially when he felt it weaker than usual. In the security of his brain, the fencer had finally admitted it. He was worried. His body had never been lacking so far and he didn't understand why his stamina seemed diminished lately.

After two hours of focusing, he wanted to change his activity, hoping to relieve his mind. He got up and grabbed his swords to clean them somehow despite his immobilized arm.

A few minutes later, he heard the trap door open and saw Sanji brutally place a plate in front of him. The blond seemed to be in a bad mood.

"You didn't come to eat, stupid musclehead", the cook reproached him. "Maybe you think I'm at your service and I'll come to serve you at home every time?!"

"Why did you do it then?" the swordsman replied just as aggressively, failing to say he had simply forgotten mealtime.

"I'm stuck with preparing meals specially for you, moron, I won't waste them in addition!"

Zoro shrugged and continued his activity without making a move toward the plate.

"Yeah, well, you shouldn't have. I can eat like everyone else, no need to get all worked up over."

Sanji frowned at his lack of repartee.

"What's happening to you, marimo? You're even weirder than usual since a few days", he pointed out to him in exasperation.

Zoro shrugged again but seemed to scowl a little more.

"Don't tell me it's your wound that getting you so upset about", the blond continued. "In a few days, you'll be able to hurt yourself as much as you want, you know?"

"Exactly", the swordsman grumbled.

"Exactly what?" the cook kept on, the fencer attitude puzzling him.

"I can't stop hurting myself lately", he mumbled half-heartedly.

Sanji stared at him in disbelief for a moment before rolling his eyes.

"Of course, marimo! Did you see the way you treat your body? It's like a miracle you're still standing!"

The cook was going to dump this stupid swordsman there to return to his business when he noticed his posture more withdrawn and less proud than usual. He stopped and looked over him more carefully. Zoro's shoulders were low and despite his obvious care for his weapons at all times, his gaze seemed preoccupied as he cleaned them. Sanji felt as though he perceived the true measure of his spirit injury. Zoro treasured his body, it was the extension of his blades and an essential instrument to pursue his dream.

The blond took the time to light a cigarette and slowly turned to the fencer who couldn't take his eyes off his swords.

"Chopper said it'd take you a while to recover from Thriller Bark, you just have to be patient. Your condition is only temporary", he said, blowing his smoke.

"And what if it's not?" the swordsman grumbled as his gaze was still on his blades.

Sanji seemed to think for a few seconds before smiling at him even though Zoro couldn't see him.

"If it's not, I know you'll find a way, marimo. I don't know anyone so stupidly stubborn as you when it comes to be the best so I have no doubt you're gonna make it."

With that, the cook quietly slipped away and the swordsman finally raised his eyes to his now absent figure, letting his words warming his heart despite himself.

The next day, Sanji brought drinks to his friends in the middle of the afternoon and he found Brook and Zoro on deck, visibly being busy with sword fighting against each other. The cook immediately wanted to protest. He didn't do particular menus and have a restriction of sexual activity so that the swordsman could waste everything as soon as he had his back turned!

"Marimo, are you serious?!" he barked as he approached. "You remember what Chopper said or your memory is shorter than the one of a goldfish?!"

"Shut up, swirly", the man replied while parrying a stroke of the musician. "You can see that I respect his instructions."

"You respect his instructions?" the blond repeated, setting abruptly his glasses down not far from the fighters. "Are you fucking kidding me, stupid?!"

Zoro and Brook ended their fight and the skeleton approached to get a glass, terribly out of breath.

"Do not worry, my friend, this is a simple training for him", he assured him, wiping his face.

"I kept my sling", the swordsman added, showing it to him. "With a single blade to perfect my Ittoryu techniques."

"I'm not sure Chopper would approve", the blond still mumbled.

"Doesn't matter. I found a way."

The swordsman gave the cook a shining glance of determination to remind him of his words the day before, before emptying his glass in one gulp. This one sighed. To say that it was him who had given him this idea...

The musician then dropped to the ground to catch his breath.

"Just one sword and an immobilized arm, and I'm already on the verge of fainting", he complained. "Sanji-san, I do not know how you can stand up to him with his three blades..."

The latter shrugged.

"He's predictable."

"Bullshit!" the fencer immediately protested. "I'll take you on whenever you want, shitty cook!"

"Gladly, marimo man, but I think I remember you must first recover, don't you?"

The cook emphasized his double meaning answer with a suggestive smile and Zoro's eyes widened. He then glanced at the skeleton sprawled on the ground who didn't seem to have understood their true exchange before straightening his head, a glimmer of defiance deep into his eyes.

"I'm counting on it. And the sooner the better."

Sanji nodded as he looked back at him and took the glasses back before returning to his kitchen with a smile on his face. After all, he was delighted the fencer got back on his feet again.

Four days later, Sanji put his towel back down after the dinner dishes. He glanced at the kitchen clock and gave a hint of a smile. It was finally time to meet the swordsman.

They day before, Chopper had allowed him to remove his sling and since then, the best Zoro could come up with was to lock himself at the crow's nest to train tirelessly. In the evening, the blond had been annoyed to note that his crewmate didn't intend to go down and that visibly, improvement of his body was more important to him than anything else. However, he hadn't come to make a scene. As if the fencer needed to know his frustration was reaching a peak...

Yet tonight, Sanji was determined to demand thanks if only for all the efforts he had made. He then went quickly to their room and appreciated finding the swordsman there. Unfortunately, his enthusiasm was dampened by his wince when he saw him roll his left shoulder.

"I thought you didn't feel pain anymore", he attacked, frowning.

"I pushed a little earlier", the fencer grumbled. "As Chopper allowed me to resume training, I wanted to catch up the delay."

"I don't fuckin' believe this, you can't start that again!" the cook lost his temper. "After all the efforts I made!"

"Don't tell him", the swordsman muttered. "I don't wanna him yell at me again."

To call himself down, Sanji suddenly grabbed the cooling gel on the shelf the little reindeer had given the fencer.

"Turn around, I'll put you some."

The swordsman frowned and the blond shook the bottle in front of his eyes, furious.

"You better treat it right now 'cause there's no way I'll be penalized on account of your bullshit again, is that clear?!"

The fencer gave him a smug smile back.

"Pervert cook."

Sanji shrugged.

"Lame swordsman."

Responding to his provocation, Zoro wanted to approach the cook but this one brandished the gel under his nose again. Maybe the blond was dependent on his hormones right now but he had always more common sense than his shipmate and he knew that not dealing with the problem right away would aggravate it in the future. And he still preferred to postpone his activity for a few minutes rather than a few days.

In front of his intransigence, the fencer sighed before acquiescing. He turned his back on the cook and pulled off his tee-shirt. Sanji then put a good amount of gel in the palm of his hand and applied it to the swordsman's left shoulder blade who flinched.

"It's cold", the chef confirmed with a mocking smile.

Zoro jabbered something unintelligible and the cook massaged his shoulder to get the substance in. The fencer's muscles were tensed under his fingers and Sanji frowned. He then used his second hand to massage his right shoulder and Zoro grunted.

"What are you doing?"

"I think your muscles are contracted on the left. I'd like to compare."

After a few moments, the blond shook his head.

"The other side is also tensed, but less. You really should be careful."

"Yeah, yeah..."

Sanji continued his motions for a few more minutes, playing his fingers along the shoulders and scapulae of his crewmate. He felt the swordsman relax bit by bit and the cook suddenly became aware of the tanned, thin skin that ran under his hands. He then increased some movements by slowing down while spreading the perimeter of his massage. Now that his duty was done, nothing prevented him from taking the swordsman where he wanted... Besides, for his part, the latter wasn't flinching and was obviously enjoying the sensation on his muscles.

"Feeling better?" the cook inquired after a moment.

Zoro rolled his shoulders again as the blond had stopped moving before stretching.

"Cold seems effective."

Sanji pouted. The fencer didn't seem to be aware his massage was also supposed to give him other desires...

Not wanting to despair, the blond pushed him toward the bed and settled on his back but Zoro tensed, half-turning.

"What's the matter with you now?"

"Shup up, marimo. Enjoy."

The cook pushed him back onto the bed and grabbed the gel again before spreading it over the back of the fencer whose skin shuddered. He then began his massage, starting this time from the base of his neck to his shoulders, his shoulder blades, and then following his entire spine to his hips.

The gel was gliding his hands along his skin and the swordsman gave a small sigh of contentment while closing his eyes. Delighted, Sanji rolled the skin under his fingers for long minutes, taking care to let his hands linger on the small of the fencer's back before gradually lowering the intensity of his massage until he just put light caresses all along his back.

When he finally stepped aside with a smile on his face, he expected Zoro to immediately rush at him but this one didn't move. Sanji then frowned as he saw the swordsman had fallen asleep and he rolled his eyes. After all, he didn't know if he should feel offended or happy the marimo had fallen asleep because it proved at least his massage had relaxed him enough.

He gazed at the swordsman's body whose breathing regularly lifted his chest and hesitated on what to do. He could wake up Zoro and take things in hand but his peaceful look stopped him. Still, he didn't want to get back to his bed in the boys' quarter either and he preferred to stay here to enjoy the room's tranquility.

Sanji sighed. The only time Zoro and he had slept together without enjoying each other was dating back to the last attack the crew had suffered when he was recovering from poisoning. He had wanted to feel his impressive presence against him without knowing why and his extreme fatigue had prevented him from thinking too much about his actions. He didn't know exactly what the swordsman had thought of if but he remembered he hadn't rejected him.

Sanji finally shrugged and straightened up to undress. Zoro had let himself go that night so if he woke up and didn't like his presence, he could still leave.

When he slipped between the sheets after turning off the light, the fencer grunted beside him. Half awake, he lifted himself slightly and tried to slip into bed in his turn. Amused, Sanji watched him struggle with the rest of his clothes and collapse on his pillow as soon as he managed to do it.

"It was a barely decent massage, darts eyebrow", he mumbled, already asleep.

The blond smiled and turned to his side of the bed. He knew very well the swordsman didn't mean a word of this. This nice certainty in mind, the cook fell asleep quietly to the sound of his crewmate's breathing.

From now on, their relationship will clearly change.

When, how and why, you'll know it pretty soon!