It's nice to be friends again. Everything felt complete.
Like the golden days.
After lunch they walked to class together, the strawhats are back. Things are slowly going back to normal. It's nice that things are like that but now Sanji realized that he has to share his boyfriend. That fact escaped his mind. It's too late now. He can't think that long when everyone looks so happy. Zoro looks somewhat worried but he knows it's because it's all sudden. It'll be fine, he knows they won't hurt Zoro again.
School went by rather fast, more so than usual. Zoro and Sanji found their routine interrupted. Usually after changing their slippers they walk to the school gate together, alone, well not anymore. As they neared the gate Luffy called to them, with the others running behind him. They came running and with smiles on their face.
"Heading home?" Chopper asks a giant smile on his face.
"No just dropping Zoro off at work." Sanji answers.
"Actually, I don't work anymore. Dad said I didn't have to anymore?" Zoro says looking at the blonde.
"What about Elliot?" Sanji asks.
"I have his number," Zoro answers, "plus he said to visit him anytime."
"So what are you planning to do now?"
"Dad wants me to go straight home after school." Zoro tells them.
"Alright." Sanji smiles. Zoro raises his eyebrow. His dad never said he couldn't bring a guest.
"Can we come to?" Chopper asks innocently.
"I don't see why not." Zoro says not finding a reason why he'd tell them no. Sanji just stands there frozen, there goes his alone time with Zoro.
With that settled they leave for Zoro's home. They are nervous, they have never been inside the house before, they've only ever seen where he lives. And it was dark when they saw his place. It took a few minutes to get to his house. It looks different in the daylight. Less forbidden and more welcoming. And larger than they remember. Sanji walks in like he's use to it. They follow close by. They leave their shoes by the entrance, but Zoro didn't have enough slippers for everyone. He leads everyone to his room, Sanji hasn't been in there since that night.
"Come on Cook, you can do better than that." Zoro taunts the blonde, about what his family couldn't tell. But they did worry.
"Stop teasing me." Sanji growls back. So they ran to his room bursting his door open.
There he sat on the floor around an chabudai, along with the blonde and his other friends, all holding cards in their hands. Zoro looks at his sisters and brothers shocked. He wasn't expecting to see them today. They all wave at each other, this situation a little awkward for the adults. Bonney looks down at Zoro. "Zoro did dad not tell you about today?" she asks grabbing Zoro by the arm and pulling him up.
"All he told me was that I no longer needed to work and to come home after school, why?" Zoro asks, no clue on what is going on but lets himself be pulled up.
"He said he was here for breakfast," Zoro's brother says.
"He was, but he was staring holes into my head this morning." Zoro tells them. They all frown and shake their head.
"How can the man be bad at communicating?" Bonney asks rhetorically. "Come we need to go shopping," she says. Zoro nods then looks back at his friends and Sanji.
"What about them?" he wonders. Bonney stares at them then Sanji.
"They'll be fine, either they'll be here when you get back or they won't. And don't worry I'm sure it'll be fine. Come on." she pulls Zoro, Smoker following behind.
"Looks like Zoro won." Perona says sitting down with them scaring them all, they didn't really notice her.
"Perona!" Bonney yells from downstairs. She lays down Zoro's cards and gets up leaving the room.
It got very quiet, even long after they are gone. It is still very weird to see Zoro's siblings. "Well we can't leave, who'd lock that door?" Nami says to everyone.
"I have a key, don't worry." Sanji answers reaching for his cup of juice.
"You have a key?" Nami asks, very shocked.
"Yeah Bonney, she gave me a key." Sanji says sipping from his cup of juice.
"Zoro's sister just gave you a spare key to the house, where Zoro lives?" Nami clears to make sure she has the facts straight.
"Yeah, so are you guys going to leave?" Sanji asks, looking at them all.
"I'm going to stay. I want to hang with Zoro longer." Luffy says.
"I will stay too." Chopper agrees. The others nod.
"Sanji can I ask you something?" Nami voices.
"Sure." he says, clearing the table.
"How long have you and Zoro been dating?" She asks. All eyes are on the blonde. A light blush forms on his cheeks. Getting straight into it, okay.
"For a while." Is all Sanji says, honestly that's all he will ever say. He doesn't need to tell them anything more.
"Sanji have you gone out on a date with Zoro?"
"A date? Sure, I always come here and we hang out. Play games, watch things, read together, eat." he tells them with a smile.
"No, I mean gone outside, in public, for a date?"
"I guess not. Zoro gets nervous sometimes after he was..." raped. Attacked on multiple occasions. "He doesn't like being out too long." they all remembered finding Zoro getting attacked. "Do you think I should?"
"You don't have to, I was just curious. Zoro has been hurt a lot, but he seems happy with you." Nami points out. Making the blonde blush. He liked hearing that. Maybe they should have a date outside. Of course he'll let the marimo know, he doesn't want to make his boyfriend uncomfortable. He can always have Zero plan it, let the man have control. If he plans the date then he won't be nervous, maybe even relaxed.
The group continued to talk, trying to catch up as they wait for Zoro. It was almost time for dinner when Zoro came walking back to his room. A shoe box in hand, and shopping bags in another. They watched in silence as he put everything away then started stripping.
"Marimo!" Sanji shouts to let the man know they are there. Zoro turns shocked around, everyone looking at each other shocked. He didn't know that they were still there.
They all go downstairs while Zoro changes.
Sanji made dinner as Zoro came down in something comfortable.
It was fun hanging out.