BEYOND OUR DREAMS

Sequel to Looking for balance. Their dreams are the very source of their presence on the Sunny, the origin of their determination and journey. But when the goal is achieved, it comes up against the reality of everyday life. Will what has bound the Straw Hat crew together end up pulling them apart?

Genres: Romance, Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Action/Adventure, Angst, Family

Information:

This story is a translation of my fiction Par-delà nos rêves.

English isn't my mother tongue. I apologize for every grammar, conjugation or spelling mistakes you may find. I have a wonderful beta who's currently editing the first part of the series. In due time, I'll ask her to edit the second part.

I like to take the time to develop my stories and delve into the psychology of the characters, so be prepared for a very long story. It's 100 chapters and +400K words.

I tried to respect as much as possible the characters' consistency and everything that happened until the end of the Thriller Bark arc. I also take into account the consistency with the first part, Looking for balance. I advise you to read it first even though it's not required.

The story begins several months later.

Main pairing: Zoro/Sanji

Secondary pairing: Luffy/Nami

This is rating M for raw and vulgar language, canon-typical violence and sex scenes - very suggested and/or explicit. Attention, those are scenes of homosexual relations between men and I will not warn you at the beginning of each concerned chapter for not spoiling them. Just so you know, there will be smut now and then.

I would be delighted to have your opinion on my story so don't hesitate to comment. I answer each one of them.

Enjoy your reading.


Chapter 1

An ordinary day

Sanji looked up and pushed back his rain-soaked blond hair dripping down his face. He quickly dodged his opponent's next attack and his powerful kick into the man's chest sent him rolling several dozen meters away. Taking advantage of a short respite, Sanji looked at the scene around him.

In the middle of the ruins of the houses and the gray sky which had been pouring out its bad weather for quite some time, the battle was raging between the Straw Hat crew and an army of pirates of all kinds. Luffy was a bit ahead of him and rushed at thirty of them, using his Gear Two elastic arms and superhuman speed to knock them out in one fell swoop. Not far from him, Brook used his Swallow Bond en Avant attack on three other pirates and he struck them so quickly with his sword that they only realized it once on the ground. He then allowed Chopper in his Arm Point form to fend off several other men with his superpowered hooves.

Looking up once more, Sanji noticed that about twenty pirates were rushing in his direction again and he gritted his teeth around his sodden cigarette butt. His right leg flared up despite the still pouring rain and he quickly decided on the most effective way to get rid of them.

A second later, his first opponent met a Flambage Shot and he received the cook's hot foot in the ribs before collapsing. However, before he even landed, three others of his companions had joined him on the ground while blows were raining down on the blond's next enemies.

When the head of the last of his current attackers hit the wet cobblestones of the city, Sanji immediately looked around for his other crewmates whom he hadn't had time to see. He spotted Nami and Usopp's figures behind a half-destroyed building. They were protecting Robin, Nami thanks to a Cyclone Tempo which literally made his opponents fly away, and Usopp thanks to his Impact Dial which sent back all the blows to their owners.

The archaeologist had closed her eyes to better visualize and reach the pirates armed with rifles, hidden on the roofs of the surrounding dwellings. The young woman then used her Hundred Floret: Delphinium technique to grow dozens of arms everywhere and get rid of the pirates by rolling them to the edge of the roof from where they crashed below.

The earth suddenly vibrated under his feet and Sanji instantly fixed his gaze on Franky and Zoro who were enjoying themselves about twenty meters from him, shaking the ground around them. Both had come face to face with huge pirates over five meters tall that Sanji suspected to be half-giants. To get rid of them, the cyborg had dislocated his shoulders and pounded his opponents with his Franky Destroyer Cannon. The men received the attack in the stomach and ended up collapsing with a dull noise in the middle of the drops of water while a few steps away, the swordsman used his Three Swords Style technique: Leopard Spinning Shot, leaping and rushing in turn towards his enemies whose bodies he sliced with a precise blow of his blade.

At this moment, a breath of air on his right reminded the blond of his own fight and he nimbly dodged the huge fist intended to knock him out. He turned on himself and heavily brought down his foot on the back of the pirate who collapsed. He then noticed that other enemies were still coming towards the crew and he frowned. They were fighting for at least twenty minutes but the number of their opponents didn't seem to decrease. Now he understood better why the island had seemed deserted and in ruins when they had disembarked a few hours earlier.

In search of provisions despite the state of the city, they had only bumped into two inhabitants who were hurrying to reach the other side of the island, their arms full with their meager possessions. They had just taken the time to explain that everyone had fled when a bunch of pirates had claimed their land a few days earlier. Despite Usopp's frightened look, the crew had continued to roam the streets in search of merchants before running into a dozen men unhappy to see them wandering around in their new territory. Of course, Luffy had answered back and in no time, it seemed like a whole army was running towards them.

Sanji suddenly heard the heavy breathing of an enemy behind him and he turned around to deflect the attack of a big pirate who was clearly too slow. The blond then defended himself with an Epaule Shoot. The man collapsed on the ground and Sanji stared at his new shoes now smeared with mud and water with an annoyed sigh. Resuming his observation of their surroundings, he felt his jaw twitch.

Not only had these pirates taken the island hostage, but in addition, they seemed to have rallied all the strong heads of the region and getting rid of them wasn't so easy. His crewmates were proudly standing up to them but as time passed, the men they got rid of were replaced just as quickly and fatigue was beginning to be felt. Indeed, Sanji noticed that Nami's Cyclone Tempo was losing its power, that Chopper had given up swallowing a new Rumble Ball so as not to turn into a mad monster and that Usopp's Impact Dial had just broken after an excessive use.

At the same time, the earth shook again under the cook's feet, but this time he looked up at the city limits from where the rumbling seemed to rise. After a few seconds of trying to identify the noise, the blond's face froze and his eyes widened in stupor. Now they had a new problem. A huge problem.

He instinctively turned to his captain who was repelling an impressive mass of pirates with his Jet Pistol technique, protecting Chopper and Brook from a salvo of bullets in this way, and Sanji decided not to call him. The straw hat boy was already busy enough.

His attention was then drawn to the swordsman's figure who was looking questioningly at him through the curtain of rain after he had sliced his last adversary. Answering his silent question, the blond showed him outside the city and when the fencer turned to him again, frowning, Sanji knew what he had to do. With a nod, he motioned for Zoro to follow him then rushed towards the city limits while the swordsman shouted something to Franky. The cyborg got the message and moved towards Nami, Usopp and Robin to close ranks.


The swordsman rushed after the cook and a minute later, he passed the last buildings to turn up in a wide plain of green grass swept by the rain and wind. Stopping abruptly his race when he arrived next to his companion, he noticed that the blond was catching his breath in the middle of the dripping water and increasingly strong tremors of the ground. Perfectly still, Zoro followed his gaze fixed on their next target below: a real giant of almost twenty meters rushing in their direction and escorted by fifty pirates who were running ahead of his gigantic strides.

"It's safe to say there are many of them," The fencer simply commented.

"We can't let him in," The blond answered, "They're already surrounded."

The swordsman nodded and undid his bandana from his arm before fastening it on his head. "What do you suggest?"

Sanji took a few more seconds to watch the avalanche that threatened to wash over them. Zoro and him should be particularly effective in preventing this giant from entering the city and they had no time to develop a real strategy. His gaze still fixed on the giant, Sanji finally threw his water-soaked cigarette butt.

"He's got armor, our only chance is to hit his skin."

"That's damn high," The fencer pointed out, adjusting his three dripping swords in front of him.

At that moment, the tremor of the earth turned into a continuous vibration and the swordsman tightened his grip on his blades while Sanji felt his leg tense in anticipation of the titanic fight that was to come. The cook then took a deep breath to focus.

"We wait until he's close enough and I'll send you up there," He decided, his teeth clenched.

Zoro frowned before looking at the tense profile of his crewmate. "It's risky, the others are gonna take advantage of it to fall on us."

"If you got a better idea, you have ten seconds to share it," The blond snapped.

The swordsman looked up at the still running giant, his heavy step pounding the ground constantly to get closer to them. He knew that once in the air, he would be safe. The cook, on the other hand, would have to stand alone against fifty unleashed pirates. In the end, he cracked the bones in his neck.

"Gimme twenty seconds before I come over, curly. Are you gonna be able to endure it until then?"

"By the time you find your way up there, I'll have them all buried, mosshead."

Zoro couldn't prevent a predatory smile from stretching his lips, his eyes fixed on his target. "Is it a bet, cook?"

"It's a fucking promise," The blond replied, just as focused. "Get ready, they're coming."

The swordsman nodded and relaxed his arm muscles as Sanji took a few steps forward, his shoes so carefully polished this morning sinking into the muddy grass of the plain. The cook then took out a new cigarette from his inside pocket which he stuck between his lips while thinking. Zoro would need to gather speed to reach the giant but if he got too far, he would be attacked by the pirates before he could send his companion flying.

Eventually, Sanji stopped, realizing that he couldn't get any closer. The ground was now shaking violently and he still needed to be stable enough to control his movements. He was hearing the cries of the pirates but resolutely turned his back on them. Their enemies would be upon him in a few moments now and he looked up at the swordsman to let him know he was ready. Immediately, Zoro rushed towards him and the blond closed his mind to forget the screams which grew to only focus on the fencer's figure. His priority was to send Zoro right at the giant because they wouldn't get a second chance and their crewmates couldn't escape him amid the rickety dwellings and their own fights.

A second later, the swordsman pounced on him and Sanji spread his leg, feeling the breath of his opponents on his neck at the same time. He gritted his teeth on his already damp cigarette and focused all his strength on his right leg.

"Armée de l'Air: Power Shot!"


Zoro took off skyward towards the giant, his blades outstretched and ready to strike. He forced himself to keep his gaze fixed on his enemy while Sanji was being engulfed by the fifty or so pirates and he dodged the too slow punch of the heavy warrior who saw him coming. He easily bounced off his hand and used it to propel himself to his left.

"Oni Giri!"

The crossed swords in the shape of a demon cut the giant's flesh in the throat and he gave a cry of surprise, stopped in his tracks. Indifferent to the blood gushing from his neck, Zoro wasted no time and as he was landing across the giant's left shoulder, he jumped again to avoid his opponent's hand.

"Three Swords Style Ogi: Three Thousand Worlds!"

The movement of the swords hissed through the air and slashed part of the giant's exposed neck but he turned away in time and avoided most of the attack, knocking the swordsman off balance as he bounced off the steel armor of his chest. Frustrated, Zoro violently hammered Wadô and Shuusui into the joint of the armor to stop his tumble. The giant had clapped a hand on his wound to prevent too much blood from escaping but he was still quite lively and Zoro had to shift quickly to avoid the enormous hand thrown at full speed ready to crush him.

Again in the air, this time he aimed for the right side of the giant's throat to surprise him. "Three Swords Style: Bull Needles!"

Blood spurted around him as his blades reached their target, and the giant let out a cry of pain before stumbling forward. Zoro then placed Wadô between his teeth while he nimbly jumped on the giant's head to lean on his helmet. Without giving him time to regain his senses, he rushed again.

"Flaming Oni Giri!"

The flaming swords sliced a little deeper into the tender skin of his enemy's throat, who made a muffled gurgling sound. Trying to protect his throat, he didn't see that the swordsman was taking the opportunity to attack him from all sides, delivering murderous blows while the fire of his blades was fanning his wounds.

Moments later, the giant fell to his knees and Zoro prepared for the final assault. "Great Buddha Chop!"

The force of the attack slashed the throat along its entire length, and a tide of blood spilled out of the giant's body, which staggered further. Following his fall in a controlled movement, Zoro let himself fall and softly landed in front of his opponent who crashed with a huge thud in the wet grass.

The swordsman turned towards him to check that he was indeed out of harm's way and in front of his inert body, he finally lowered his swords before putting them away. Wearily removing his bandana, Zoro noticed that the rain had finally stopped. He then cast a glance around him and saw that he was now alone on the battlefield. Indeed, many bodies of pirates were piled up everywhere but the cook was nowhere in sight.

Zoro took a few steps before frowning. He saw on the ground many signs of struggle that moved away in the middle of the reddened grass and he looked up in the direction of the city where they were heading. Everything was eerily quiet now and he slowly moved on. The giant's blood was dripping down his face and arms but he ignored it, as he did for the unpleasant feeling of his stained clothes clinging to his skin.

When the fencer arrived at the threshold of the first dwellings, large bloody footprints as well as new bodies were lying everywhere on the ground but he couldn't see any visible direction. Zoro looked at the desolate landscape of the city around him. Right or left?

In the end, he went straight ahead.


Sanji casually leaned against an old, ramshackle porch and lit a cigarette, a smile on his face. He was seeing the swordsman going in circles a little further but he was in no hurry and he just followed him with his eyes, amused, remembering his fight a little earlier.

After he had gotten rid of most of the pirates who had pounced on him in the plain, he had rushed towards the town to lead them away and gotten ahead with his powerful strides. This is how the rest of his assailants had surrendered one by one at the gates of the city and Sanji had been able to find the rest of the crew. When he had arrived, the battle was over for them as well and Chopper had taken the time to make sure everyone was okay.

Focusing on the present moment again, the blond noticed that the swordsman was finally moving in the right direction and he blew his smoke into the damp air before throwing his cigarette butt away.

"Twenty seconds, huh?"

The hoarse and slightly mocking voice of the cook caught the attention of his crewmate, who froze when he discovered him leaning against the still dripping stone. Zoro approached, clearly annoyed and ready to reply. However, once at his side, he frowned when seeing the bloody trace half-hidden by the cook's hair on his forehead. Sanji didn't move when the swordsman shifted the blond lock that was blocking his view or when it revealed a large cut and multiple scratches on his face.

"I knew you'd get lost," He quietly continued as he felt the swordsman's gaze silently examining him.

Zoro didn't answer and Sanji ran his hand over the fencer's reddened arm and then looked at his bloodstained t-shirt. The man shivered when he felt the cold touch of his fingers on his warm skin and he suddenly relaxed before pulling the blond into his arms. Sanji let himself go despite the blood on Zoro's clothes which stained his own a little more, resting his head against the fencer's shoulder with a mocking smile.

"Don't tell me you were worried, mosshead?"

A muffled groan against his own shoulder answered him and the cook couldn't suppress a laugh. He then took the time to fully enjoy the powerful embrace of the swordsman around him, closing his eyes. Whatever he said, the fight had been intense and he was happy that it was finally over.

After a few moments, however, Zoro stepped back to look questioningly at him. Around them, a fine rain was slowly beginning to fall again.

"Where are the others?"

"Everyone's fine, there are only minor injuries. They went back to Sunny so Chopper could heal them."

The swordsman nodded silently, secretly relieved to know all of his friends were safe. "Why didn't you go back?" He pointed out to his companion.

"I came to pick you up," The blond replied with a smile.

At these words, the fencer's smile turned mocking in his turn. "Worried, cook?"

"That you can't find your way back, yeah."

Amused, Zoro pulled the cook against him again, this time seizing his lips greedily. Sanji answered him just as impatiently and soon, only the hurried rhythm of their breathing was heard in the old alley.

The calm that suddenly followed the storm of energy needed for a battle always left them a little euphoric. It was then another kind of need that was taking hold of them. And while the crew was basking in that elation to celebrate their victory in a memorable way, the cook and swordsman had soon discovered that they could use that exhilaration in a much more intimate way.

This is how quickly, caresses mingled with eager kisses and while the hands of the cook were lost in the hair of his lover to better hold him, Zoro was slipping his own under the blond's shirt more and more explicitly. The rain that was falling harder didn't stop them and Sanji suddenly grabbed the swordsman's buttocks over his pants with a playful smile. In response, Zoro pressed closer against him, stifling a moan against his neck.


A few minutes later, a thunderclap was heard and the cook's head limply raised to the sky. Heavily supported by the wall behind him, he was feeling Zoro's mouth devouring his chest, the tails of his shirt and jacket floating by his side.

"Mosshead…"

The swordsman answered with a busy growl and Sanji sighed in pleasure when he felt his teeth sink slightly against his belly.

"Mosshead… It's raining."

Zoro slowly straightened up to meet his gaze, clearly unconcerned. "It'll pass."

He was about to return to his task when Sanji placed his left hand on the swordsman's cheek, gently wiping away a trace of blood now barely visible thanks to the water streaming down his face. The blond then noticed that the rain was erasing the last signs of their fight on their skins and he ran his tongue over his wet lips.

"Now that we're clean, can we find a quiet corner?"

The clear and precise invitation didn't escape the fencer who took a quick look at their surroundings before grimacing. "All these shacks are falling apart…"

"I think I saw what we need not far away."

Suiting the action to the word, the cook grabbed the swordsman's hand and dragged him towards the heart of the city. Above them, thunder was rumbling and lightning was growing closer, but only the prospect of the next minutes made them quicken their pace.

After they turned the corner of a small street, the blond headed firmly towards a building that was still almost straight and he kicked the jammed door to enter. Inside, Zoro understood that it was a small hotel in view of the adjoining lounge and counter behind which his companion was already leaning.

"What you doing, cook?" He wondered when he saw him rummaging among the many keys arranged in a small cabinet.

"I'm looking for my favorite number," The blond answered.

The swordsman rolled his eyes. "We don't need a key so hurry, choose and get in here," He got annoyed.

"With the beating those pirates took, the inhabitants are gonna come back and they'll have enough to rebuild without needing their doors to be ransacked," The cook replied, reaching for a bunch of keys.

As the blond finally made his way to the stairs, the swordsman shrugged. "A little more or a little less…"


"You idiot, what's the point of us coming up here…"

Zoro was panting against his lover's neck lying on the bedroom carpet. The cook was using the strength of his legs tied above his waist to amplify the friction of their entwined bodies and the fencer was already losing his mind.

Somehow, if Sanji had bothered to open the door normally, he suddenly couldn't wait for them to reach the bed and he had pounced on the swordsman who had ended up knocking him directly on the floor after he got rid of the cook's pants.

"Take off your t-shirt, mosshead…"

Zoro sat up as best he could despite the blond's grip on him. He got rid of his wet clothes and plunged back towards his partner's shivering chest. Sanji's shirt was still wide open and if he judged by his red cheeks and irregular breath, the cook liked the fencer's tongue on his white skin. Caught by pleasure, the power of Sanji's legs suddenly knocked the wind out of him and past his amazement, Zoro couldn't restrain a low moan: the cook's flexibility was a real aphrodisiac.

"I'm dying here," He breathed, his voice heavy with desire.

"Don't just stand there then," The blond whispered back, just as eager, "Get down to business…"

The fencer had neither the strength nor the inclination to get up so he sank his teeth into his lover's right shoulder while sneaking his hand to unbutton his own pants which he hastily pushed back onto his hips at the same time as his underwear. However, Sanji had arched against him and he had a hard time keeping himself from moaning because of the increasingly sharp friction.

Yet the blond pushed him away a second later, throwing his boxer a little further with an impatient gesture. He then tied his legs again above the waist of the swordsman who rose slightly on his knees to position himself, stroking the formidable muscles that surrounded him.

"You're so fucking flexible, cook…"

"I know it turns you on so enjoy it," His companion urged him again, a mischievous smile mingling with his short breath.

Zoro slowly moved towards the intimacy of his lover. He knew that the blond was as feverish as him but he didn't forget his responsibility. In those moments, Sanji entrusted him with his body as well as his mind, and the swordsman cherished his trust by trying to find that perfect balance between the power of their desire and the reality of their bodies: he didn't want the passion to turn into too much suffering for the cook. So, while he tried to contain his irrepressible urge to sink into him immediately, he looked into his eyes for what to do.

Sanji preferred to bite his tongue rather than tell him he was going too hard and Zoro never pointed out that his face and body betrayed his thoughts. Looking straight at him, he gradually adjusted and got his answer without a word, preserving their pride. The cook's elated sighs and half-closed blue eyes were his only victory. The most beautiful one.

So when he saw the blond biting his lips to keep himself from exploding too quickly, the swordsman finally let his true strength speak and his thrusts increased as he bent down and tasted his burning skin again. Feeling his tongue against his neck, Sanji couldn't suppress a lascivious moan and the hands of the swordsman sank even deeper into the carpet beside his blond locks.

Zoro closed his eyes a little tighter. He was no longer able to think when his senses became intoxicated with his lover's pleasure. His sensations increased tenfold and the body between his arms became his only anchor. He seized the cook's parted lips passionately and tried to lose himself even more inside of him. His craving was feeding on that of his companion, and the two of them quickly dragged each other into the point of no return.

Body wet with rain and sweat, Sanji soon arched his back as the swordsman's hand on his member was giving him the last sensations he needed. He then seized the face of the fencer and violently kissed him to better enjoy the orgasm that was shaking him. In response, Zoro stiffened against him and his last thrusts triggered his own pleasure which he stifled in the cook's mouth with a hoarse moan.

It took several minutes for the two lovers for their breaths to finally stabilize and for the fencer to reluctantly pull away from the warm embrace of the cook. His pants still on his hips, he sat down on his knees before letting out a long-defeated sigh.

"I don't like it when we have to move afterwards…"

Sanji chuckled while slowly straightening up on his forearms. "Why can't you ever wait until we get back to Sunny then?"

"You're the one who dragged me here!" The swordsman replied.

"Yeah, you'd have wanted to do it in the rain if I had listened to you," The blond reminded him, pushing him away to grab his things.

Zoro mumbled, then got up to adjust his pants and buckle his belt. He leaned down to put his t-shirt back on, still grumpy, when a light kiss on the back of his neck stopped his complaining. He turned and looked at his lover who had put on his own pants and was now looking for a cigarette. His gaze was then again drawn to the wound on his forehead and he frowned.

"You should go and see Chopper."

Sanji didn't have time to answer because Zoro had turned away to put his swords back to his hips and he just nodded, a knowing smile on his lips as he put his sodden jacket on again.

Both knew the power and stamina of the other and they never allowed themselves to question their involvement in a battle, however perilous. Half-word remarks tinged with concern were enough for them. As well as the strength of their embraces after a fight.


Here we go, I hope this first chapter brings memories back!

Musical inspiration for the fight scene with Zoro and Sanji: Shingeki St-Hrn de Hiroyuki Sawano (Attack on Titan OST).

Please let me know what you think and see you soon!