"Hey, wake up. Didn't you say we can make it to your house soon?"
Sanji looked up, "Today or tomorrow. You're Eleven today… did your voice get deeper?"
"I don't think so."
Sanji smiled and rubbed his hand along the fur on the top of Zoro's head, "Don't do that, idiot. I'm not a kid."
"Oh, of course not. Eleven is so old." Sanji rolled his eyes.
"I'm going to be a man soon." The beastman reminded him.
"Yeah, but I would prefer you stay like this."
Zoro looked oddly upset, "Why? I'll be really strong, you said men should be strong right?"
"Well you need to be for the ladies. A strong man is respectable, but…"
"But what?"
"Well you're really cute right now, when you get older you'll just be another man."
"You won't find me attractive?"
"Well, aren't beastman really muscular, strong, and kinda…" Sanji made a motion in the air with his hand to show he couldn't find the right word, "Masculine."
"Yeah" Zoro puffed out his chest.
Sanji laughed, "Are you looking forward to that?"
"Yeah, I'll intimidate everyone and be super strong."
"I'm sure you will. A real pain in the ass I can tell."
Zoro leaned in and whispered into Sanji's ear, "and sexy, right?"
Sanji startled, not expecting that, "No, of course not!" He tried to fix the words realizing how awful that sounded, he didn't want to hurt Zoro's self-esteem, "I mean women will find it sexy I'm sure. Sorry you just startled me, I never expected such a cute little kid to say something like that."
"I'm not that much younger than you, it's only six years biologically for humans! In a few days we will only have a year's age difference and I'll be older than you!"
"Zoro-"
"No, I'm not a kid! Stop treating me like a child, you're making this even harder than it already is!"
"What's hard?"
"Everything! Humans are so weird! You need to stop thinking about me the way you do and see me as a man. In seven days my mating season starts!" Zoro was practically snarling at the speechless cook, "Snap out of your delusions now, or things are going to get much more difficult for us both!" Zoro huffed angrily, grabbed the bag of his belongings and stormed off. "Give me 15 minutes, I'm really pissed, you curly-brow idiot!"
Sanji gave him twenty minutes before he found him meditating against a tree, a white sword in his lap. Sanji leaned against a different tree and lit a cigarette.
"I would be pissed if a guy treated me like a kid when I considered us to be about the same age too. I kept seeing it from my point of view. I won't treat you like a kid okay?"
"When people apologize they normally use the words I'm sorry in their sentence."
Sanji sighed, "Can you at least see my point of view?"
"I can… it's just a stupid point of view to have."
"In my culture-"
"I know, and I can understand. I hate it though. Humans and beastman don't mature the same, we are different."
"I'll try to be better. I won't even hold your hand anymore."
"And have you get lost?" Zoro scoffed. "Also still not an apology." The young beastman stood up, "You can really piss me off, you know that?"
"Yeah… Do you regret coming with me?"
Zoro glared at him, "I will never regret that."
That made Sanji feel better, but he couldn't help but to ask. "Why did you come with me?"
"I can't tell you yet."
"We should go so we can make it to my home by tomorrow."
Zoro didn't pack his katana back away. He slung his bag back over his shoulder, and grabbed Sanji's hand.
Sanji decided not to mention again how cute he was. He didn't want to get in another fight with him.
When they took breaks Zoro practiced with the sword. He explained that he was taught how to use them before, but never got to practice.
"How can you already be that good, if you've never actually handled one?"
Zoro shrugged, "It's a beastman thing I guess. We pick up on stuff really fast."
"Even for a eleven year old human that practices everyday it would still be impressive."
"You find my swordsmanship impressive?"
Sanji nodded, "Extremely."
Zoro puffed out his chest again, "I'll be the best swordsman ever."
"For me?' Sanji half teased.
"Not just you… for them too…" Zoro looked at his white sword.
Zoro seemed to practice even harder after that, lifting and carrying boulders that were three times the kids size.
They had made it close back to his home but decided to call it a night and finish the trek in the morning.
"Hey Curly?"
"I have a name."
"I know you love that witch but is it possible that you could-" the young beastman sighed, "never mind."
"What is it?" Sanji asked.
"You could still fall in love with someone else right?"
Sanji hummed, looking up at the twinkling night sky through the tree branches above them, "That's true I suppose."
Zoro crawled on top of him, "You should try."
"Love isn't so simple."
"I know." Zoro whispered softly into Sanji's chest.
They drifted off to sleep like that.
Just like the previous nights, the green haired boy was in Sanji's dream again.
"Could you love me too?"
"What?" Sanji asked, confused.
"Humans can love more than one person. You can love me and her, can't you?"
"Who are you?" Sanji asked.
"Then when you realize how much better I am for you, you can just love me, right?"
"Slow down." Sanji had no idea what this kid was talking about.
"I can't ever slow down. You're mine."
Sanji woke up to chirping birds and Zoro already practicing again.
They had a quick breakfast and it wasn't too late into the day when they reached the village. They headed straight to Sanji's house when a man stepped in front of them.
The purple haired man was glaring at Zoro, "Get that thing out of here."
Zoro immediately growled, but Sanji ignored the man and kept walking.
"Hey I'm talking to you Vinsmoke. Your father had hoped you wouldn't return, forever a disappointment to your family."
Sanji kept walking, sending a warm smile to Zoro, "Let's go, I'll make a cake to celebrate our return."
The man followed them though, "Bringing that thing to Lady Nami won't help you gain her favor! She could never love a fuck up like you!"
Zoro snarled and turned to the man, fangs showing.
"Put your dog on a leash." The man sneered.
Sanji grasped Zoro's hand, and before the young beastman understood what was happening Sanji's foot slammed into the middle of the man's face, throwing him down to the ground.
Sanji glared at the man, "Zoro is not a pet or a dog. If you ever disrespect him like that again you will have a lot more broken than a nose."
The man clutched at his completely destroyed nose, "I'll destroy you! You hear me, you'll regret this!"
Sanji ignored him and kept walking along with Zoro. "Who was that?" The young beastman asked.
"Spadam, please don't think of all humans as being like him."
"I could have taken him."
Sanji smiled down at him, "I'm sure you could have." He pointed out a small house, "That's my home, and I guess now it's yours too."
Sanji gave Zoro the not so grand tour of his home. It was definitely a house of a single man. The tour was short, the nicest room was the kitchen. When they entered the bedroom Sanji looked apologetically to Zoro. "Sorry, I'll try to get you a bed of your own."
"My own? Why?"
"Don't you want your own? There is not really room for two people on this one."
"I want to sleep with you."
"Well, for now, I see no problem with it." Sanji shrugged it off.
The rest of the day was spent showing Zoro everything around the house, and how to work everything properly.
Sanji made Zoro a grand meal of some things that he hoped the young beastman would love.
"What do you think?" Sanji asked while Zoro ate his cooking.
"I didn't know food could taste like this."
"In a good way?" Sanji asked a little nervously.
Zoro nodded, making the cook smile larger than he had in a long time. "It will just go up from here. I'll perfect my food for you even more."
Zoro scoffed, "Trying to ruin all other food except yours for me?"
Sanji's heartfelt laugh echoed around the small house, a large grin across his face. "That's the plan."
Zoro was just looking at him, staring intensely at the cook. "Why are you looking at me like that Marimo?"
"Nothing Curly."
Sanji made them the cake that was promised -which made Sanji realize the beastman didn't enjoy sweet things- and they started to retire for the night.
Zoro cuddled up on Sanji, and all the cook could think about was how awkward this sleeping arrangement would be in a few days.
That night he didn't see the boy in his dreams. He heard his voice though, a little deeper than it had been before, "You're running out of time curly~" the voice taunted before someone nibbled on his ear.
Sanji opened his eyes to a new day.
"Aren't we running out of time curly?"
That voice.
Sanji looked at Zoro and couldn't look away. Zoro was still covered in fur but just a thin layer now, looking even more human. His snout wasn't so pronounced, or his eyes as animal looking. Not only that, but the voice from the dream… could the boy in his dream be…
"Zoro?"
"Yeah?" Asked the beastman scratching behind one of his ears.
The boy in his dreams had always been human though, but that voice.
Sanji laid his arm over his eyes, "Your voice is definitely getting deeper."
"No it's not" Zoro and Sanji both flinched at the sound of his voice cracking.
"Suuuure. So what do you mean about us running out of time?"
"I've been practicing, but I want to fight you."
Sanji uncovered his face and looked back at Zoro again, "What?"
"That kick yesterday… you know how to fight, don't you?"
"Well yeah, but-"
"Fight me, I can practice all I want but I need someone to fight against."
"I don't use swords though, there's no rush, we can find you someone to spar with."
"I only have five more days."
"Five days… you'll be an adult in five days right? Why is that the time limit."
"Remember when I said beastmen learn really fast?" Sanji nodded, "It's only until adulthood. Whatever I want to be best at, I need to learn the most about now."
Sanji sat up, "I should be teaching you how to be a gentleman!"
Zoro crossed his arms, "Not happening."
"You'll be meeting Nami soon though and if you-"
Zoro was suddenly yelling at him, "I don't care! If the only way to get her to like you is by buying her affections then she was never worth it to begin with!"
"I love her!"
Zoro slammed Sanji into the bed glaring at him, a low growl in his throat, "Can't you see she's just using you!? She had you go to the land of the beastmen! You could have died! You don't need someone like that!"
"You haven't even met her yet!" Sanji yelled back.
"I don't have to meet her, I hate her anyway! You just need me you stupid love cook!"
"Ugh! You'll understand when your older, that-"
"Stop it! Stop saying shit like that! Get up and fight me!"
"You wanna fight so bad? Fine! Don't expect me to go easy on you Marimo!"
Zoro's smile was predatory, "Good, give me everything you got."
Sanji suddenly looked away, "First off let's find you some pants."
The idea of finding Zoro some pants was easier said than done, he was only thirteen now and had small hips. Sanji was tempted to go shopping for him but he would probably out grow them by tomorrow so they settled for a pair of Sanjis with a belt and the legs rolled up.
Zoro's tail was an issue and Sanji had to kiss those pants goodbye and alter the back to accommodate the young man's tail.
Once Zoro was dressed they headed to Sanji's back yard and Sanji ordered Zoro to attack him. Sanji wasn't sure what to expect but the sheer speed, strength and precision that Zoro had while fighting was not it.
Sanji was still better than him at fighting but the longer they fought the better Zoro got. It was like he was learning as they went and advancing every move on the spot.
Sanji had managed to win but it was an upward battle that he barely won. Seeing as how hard it was to normally find someone worth his time to spar with, it was extremely surprising.
"How was I?"
Sanji laughed, "Well I have never struggled so much to win against someone."
"It would kill you just to say that I'm amazing huh?"
Sanji laughed, "Yeah, and there is no way I'm going to let you be the death of me."
Sanji startled slightly when he felt Zoro grab onto his hand. For a thirteen year old his hands were already pretty big, then again Sanji always had slim fingers.
He wasn't sure why Zoro was holding his hand, it's not like they had to worry about him getting lost. Perhaps it was an accident, so Sanji started to gently move his hand but Zoro just held onto it tighter.
Sanji wasn't sure what was going on but figured it was fine, after all holding hands was an innocent enough action.
"Hey, shitty cook?"
"What, shitty swordsman?"
"I'm hungry."
"Oi, you can't call me a shitty cook and then ask for food, idiot."
"Well you called me a shitty swordsman, and we both also know that's not true."
Sanji sat up, "Fine, but we really should work on your manners."
"If I did, would you still talk to me like this?"
"Hell no"
"Then I'll pass"
Sanji stood up and the young swordsman released his hand and got back to training.
Sanji made a large plate of seafood fried rice for both of them and some green tea. When the food was ready he called out, "Okay, you little bastard get your ass in here and eat."
Zoro came in sweaty from his training, "You expect me to learn manners when you talk to me like that?"
Sanji smirked, "Eat your food Marimo."
They both ate although with the way Zoro ate you would think he had been starved.
Sanji contemplated if maybe Zoro had a point with the way that Sanji talked to him. He probably was a really bad influence.
"Do you think if I acted differently around you it would help you with your manners at this point?"
"You don't have to do anything special around me. Just be yourself stupid."
Sanji chuckled, "Probably wouldn't help you anyway. Tomorrow I'm going to visit Nami and set a date for you two to meet. Can you handle the house fine without me? I'll be here for breakfast, have something in the fridge for you to heat up for lunch and should be back again for dinner."
"You want me to meet her right after I am an adult?"
"Yeah, that shouldn't be a problem right?"
Zoro looked down at his now empty plate with a deep frown on his face. "Wait an extra week after I turn eighteen. "
"For you to meet her? Why?"
"Just trust me on this."
Sanji sighed, it was obvious the beastman wasn't going to talk about it, but he did trust him.
"Fine. I'll request she meet with you…. In twelve days."
"Or never" Zoro smirks, "That would be even better." Sanji looks like he's about to get angry so Zoro laughs. "I'm mostly joking, I would like to know the competition, easier to win that way."
Sanji is visibly confused, "Competition?" He isn't sure what Zoro would mean by that. It suddenly hit him though. "Wait, you know about Mihawk? I suppose that makes sense."
"What?"
"Well I've never really met him, but he's also a beastman and the best known swordsman in the world. I should have guessed you would somehow have known about him."
Zoro is suddenly standing up, "And he will be there when I meet Nami?"
"Yes, he's a royal guard at the palace."
"Can I meet him when you visit Nami tomorrow?"
Sanji contemplated that, "You're not ready to meet Nami yet."
"I don't care about Nami, he's the one I want to meet."
Sanji let out a long exasperated sigh, "I suppose that would be fine."
"I have to go train, call me back for dinner!" Zoro runs out the back door to continue his training and Sanji just shakes his head. He really should be teaching Zoro some manners or to love humans but at the same time Zoro looks so incredibly excited that Sanji just can't tell him no.
Instead Sanji just prepares things for tomorrow, cleans around the house and tends to his garden. By time dinner is ready it is actually fairly late, later than he would usually have his evening meal and calls Zoro back in from the dark backyard. He was surprised that Zoro could even train with it being that dark out there.
He asks Zoro about it over dinner and he tells Sanji that losing vision helps his other senses be trained better. Zoro complains that people rely on vision too much and that it is a weakness.
"Maybe we should spar with you wearing a blindfold," Sanji jokes.
Zoro gives him an approving look though, "That would be a good idea but I wonder if you would be even helpful. In two days I'll probably be much stronger than you and you won't be much of a challenge."
Sanji grips the fork in his hand tightly, glaring at the younger man, "Watch your mouth or I'll make you eat those words you little shit."
Zoro only smirks in return, a challenge in his eyes, "How would you do that? A toddler can kick harder than you can."
"We'll have that match and I'll wipe your face into the dirt outside so hard that for the next several years of your life you'll be coughing up rocks!" Sanji stood up from the table leaning over it, mincingly letting off a dark aura.
Zoro licked his lips, "Maybe I'll make you cry."
"I wouldn't cry!" Sanji takes a deep breath to calm himself, "You really piss me off sometimes. I miss when you were just a cute little pup."
The look on Zoro's face disappears, "You really piss me off too. Let's go to bed."
Sanji snorts, when did Zoro get so commanding? "Help with the dishes first."
Zoro dries the dishes while Sanji washes them and when they are all done both men crawl into bed.
"There really isn't room for two people on this bed." Sanji says with a frown.
"Sure there is" Zoro pretty much lays on top of Sanji completely.
"Your getting heavy"
"Tomorrow you can lay on me then."
"Pff, not happening"
"We'll see"
Both drift off into sleep.
Once again he dreams of the boy, this time he can see his face and holy shit it's Zoro. He looks completely human but there is no mistaking it anymore. A completely human looking Zoro is straddling him as he lays there.
"I'm going to win, because I refuse to lose." Zoro states
"Win what?"
"I'm going to win against Mihawk and then-" Zoro leans down into Sanji's neck, "I'm going to win against Nami."
"What are you talking about?"
"You're mine Curly." Sanji feels hot breath on his neck and sharp teeth graze the sensitive skin there.
Sanji wakes up to Zoro missing. When he finds him Zoro is back outside and training once again. Sanji scoffs and absent mindedly runs his hand along his neck where Zoro in his dream almost bit him. He wasn't sure how to be taking these weird dreams but decided it best to shove them off to the side for now.
Zoro was fourteen today huh?
Since Zoro said rice balls were his favorite food, Sanji made some for breakfast as well as some eggs.
The food didn't take long to prepare and when he was done he called Zoro back in.
Now he actually had a good look at Zoro he was amazed at what he saw. Zoro's fur was completely gone in some areas and the fur in other areas was so soft and fine it didn't even look much like fur at all any more, and it actually looked like hair on his head.
Also Zoro was already getting extremely muscular. Are fourteen year olds supposed to be able to get that fit at that age?
Zoro's skin tone was much more tan than Sanji's but it seemed to match him really well.
Zoro smiles as he looks at the rice balls, and grabs one shoving it into his mouth, moaning at the flavor.
"Hey! Wash your hands first you neanderthal!" Sanji berates him.
"Yeah, yeah." Zoro shoves the rest of the rice ball into his mouth making his cheeks puff out as he walks over to the sink to wash his hands.
"Holy shit…"
"What?" Zoro says swallowing so much food at once it makes Sanji's throat hurt just looking at it.
"Your voice"
"Oh yeah" Zoro makes his way back to the table grabbing another rice ball, "Guess it has dropped."
That deep voice did not match the child that Sanji had grown to know. It matched Zoro's attitude though. With the voice and the way that Zoro was starting to fill out, it occurred to Sanji that Zoro was turning into an absolute hunk of a man, and… he wasn't sure how to feel about that.
The thought of Nami falling for Zoro and Zoro finding Nami to be his mate seemed far too real of a possibility. What would he even do? He loves Nami and wants her happy, and he wants Zoro happy too, he is probably closer to Zoro than he has ever been to anyone. At the same time though that would be a very difficult thing to deal with.
Even if Nami didn't fall for Zoro, how was Sanji ever supposed to compete with the man that Zoro was becoming if Zoro chose to pursue her as well?
He tried to feel better about the fact that Zoro would not be meeting Nami today. Maybe if he talked to Nami about Zoro she would fall for Sanji. Perhaps he could be something more with Nami before she ever met Zoro. If she fell in love with Sanji first she wouldn't be as interested in Zoro right?
"Oi! What the fuck are you thinking about?" Sanji finally realized that Zoro was giving him a probing look, eyebrows furrowed and a small frown on his face.
"It's nothing."
That small frown turned into a large frown, maybe even with a hint of anger, "Don't lie to me. I can pick up on your emotions."
"What if Nami is your mate?" Sanji asks before he can even stop himself.
Zoro looks really upset now, "Not gonna happen."
"But you can't know that."
"I can and I do."
Sanji didn't want to argue, so he just dropped it. "Fine, let's head out right away. It's not too far but I want to drop you off with Mihawk before I meet up with Nami."
Zoro's mood picked up considerably at that.
When they arrive at the gate Sanji is immediately let in, the guards already knowing him.
"Hi Luffy" Sanji nods to one. "Ace" he nods to the other. "Where would I be able to find Mihawk?"
Ace rolls his eyes, "The training grounds, where else would he be?"
Luffy on the other hand has his face in Zoro's, eyes wide and sparkling, "Wow you're the only other beastman I've ever met besides Mihawk, and he hardly talks! Sanji, can I have him? Please, please. Please. Pleeeeeeease?
"He's not an object Luffy!" Sanji yells at him.
Luffy just laughs, "I know that. But he's so cool looking! He can be my best friend!"
"Hey!" Ace barks angrily, "I'm your best friend!"
"You're my brother though! Zoro could be just my best friend!"
Sanji ignores the two bickering guards and heads to the training grounds with Zoro close in tow. He doesn't even make it completely to the training grounds when he spots Mihawk approaching him.
"Feline" Zoro says, eyes immediately on the other beastman.
Mihawk's cat like eyes gaze into Zoro as if reading him and knowing everything he needs to know about him in an instant. Mihawk turns that look to Sanji for just a moment, his face unreadable before he looks back at Zoro.
"You're foolish," Mihawk tells Zoro. Mihawk turns to Sanji, "I'm sure you have prior engagements. I have much to discuss with your companion, we shall reconvene after. I'll find you when ready."
Mihawk turns and saunters off. Sanji had never actually met Mihawk before, but found that man seemed difficult to be around. Zoro has a look in his eyes that Sanji can't read but that smile on his face made Sanji feel worried. Zoro turns to Sanji, "I'll see you later" before Zoro follows after Mihawk.
There is a tightness in his chest, and he doesn't know what it means. He felt like Zoro was stolen away from him and Zoro was really happy about it. Was that a beastman thing? Sanji pushed the feeling to the side and walked off to meet up with Nami. The thought of seeing her cheered him up considerably.
Nami wasn't a princess or anything but she was a high enough class to be able to live in the castle. When he spotted her he bowed before her and gave her his most charming smile. "The heavens have gifted me with the pleasure of looking upon your beautiful face."
"Sanji?" Nami looked beyond shocked, "What are you doing here? I thought-"
"I wished to see you and hear your angelic voice."
Nami crossed her arms, "So decided your life was more important than gaining my favor? I'm honestly relieved."
"Oh no my beautiful rose. I have gone to the land of beastmen and brought back one who I am currently raising."
Nami's face turned to shock, "You did!? However did you manage that!? Many have died from traveling foot into those lands much less have lived to tell the tale. Yet not only have gone and returned but also came back with the company of an actual juvenile beastman?"
"Yes I would like for you to meet him in eleven days' time."
Nami clapped her hands, "This is amazing Sanji. I can't even believe this is happening!"
"It is my love, perhaps now you can see that I can and will do anything for you and your happiness."
Nami wasn't really listening to him though, "Is he mated yet?"
"Pardon?" Sanji asks, it feels like a rock is starting to settle into his stomach.
"Is he mated yet? You know I hate to repeat myself!" the beautiful redhead crosses her arms over her plentiful breast.
"Um, I'm afraid not." Sanji isn't sure why she is asking this, but he isn't happy about it.
"This is perfect! Try not to over socialize him with other people, I don't want him to be mated before he comes back here. If he does that's fine but try not to let that happen, okay?"
Sanji doesn't like this, "If that is what would please you"
"It would!" Nami still looks very delighted. "Let's talk over some tea, shall we?" Nami asks.
Sanji agrees and luckily as they talk the subject changes to more light hearted things to the point that Sanji can mostly forget about what Nami had requested.
It was late afternoon when a bone thin man, Sanji knew to be named Brook, ran into the dinning area. "There has been an incident and two beastmen had a duel. The visitor Zoro has been gravely injured!"
"What!?" Both Nami and Sanji cry out in unison
"Take me to him!" Sanji cries out to the man, and follows after him, completely forgetting to say his farewells to Nami in his haste.
Brook leads him into a room where a young but skilled doctor has finished patching up the beastman. The young doctor is yelling at him, "You're so lucky that you're a beastman, anyone else would have died!"
"Thanks doc, but it will be healed by tomorrow."
"It's going to leave a terrible scar" the doctor argues, "And if you weren't still in your first eighteen days than it wouldn't have even healed that fast in the first place!"
Sanji walks up to the bed to see a nasty wound trailing along the beastman's chest starting from one shoulder and all the way down the other side's hip. "What the hell happened?"
Zoro avoided Sanji's gaze, "I dueled against Mihawk"
"Are you crazy? You could have died!" Sanji yelled at him.
"Some things are worth dying for. Besides, I'm not so weak that something like this would kill me."
"Mihawk is the world's best swordsman! He has killed others before."
"I'm not like them. I have another fight to win, so I couldn't be taken out there."
"Another fight? No Zoro. No more fights!"
"It's a different type of fight. You wouldn't understand!"
"I don't care what kind of fight it is, the answer is no. Whatever it is, it's not worth it."
"Don't ever say that!" Zoro yelled. "It has always be worth fighting for and always will be. Your just too stupid to understand!"
"Fine. Go and get yourself killed!" Sanji yelled back. The blond angrily kicked a chair and stormed back out of the room.
Sanji let out some of his anger by practicing his own fighting for a while and when he returned back to the sick bay it was already really late and Chopper told him Zoro would sleep through the night.
That night Sanji held Zoro's hand and fell asleep halfway on the bed.
Of course once again he dreamt of human Zoro. The Zoro in his dream looked close to his age now.
"No one can have you but me. I already claimed you as mine, Sanji."
"What are you talking about?" He asked.
Dream Zoro closed in on the cook, he was so close they shared the same breath. "This" the word was more like a breath and Zoro kissed him.
The kiss was sweet and chaste but it felt right, like a part of him he didn't know was missing had been filled.
He woke up to his back and neck screaming in protest from the awful position he had just slept in. As he sat up, rubbing at the protesting muscles he noticed he was still holding Zoro's hand.
He looked at the beastman and Sanji felt the air leave his lungs.
Zoro looked completely human except for his tail and ears. Not only that but the wound from the day before was completely healed. The worst realization though was how incredibly handsome Zoro was. The realization mixed with the inappropriate dream was mortifying.
What kind of sick pervert is he!?
Zoro is already awake, and just staring at their hands intertwined like it holds the secrets of the universe.
"Holy shit Marimo, look at you."
"Look at you… both go the same direction."
Sanji was about to ask what he had meant when he felt Zoro touch the eyebrow that should be covered. Sanji's face grew hot as he fixed his hair to cover his eye again.
"Has anyone else seen both halves of your face before, or am I special?" Zoro teased.
"Just forget you saw it. I've hidden it for as long as I can remember."
"Good, because it's kinda stupid." Sanji was about to argue when the beastman continued, "I'm glad it's only me. I want to be the only one who gets to see every part of your body."
Sanji's face is back to being scarlet. "Watch what you say, grass-head! People will get the wrong idea!"
"Or maybe" Zoro grabs Sanji's shirt and pulls him close, which is awkward because of the bed, "You'll get the right one."
When did Zoro get so incredibly handsome? He is only two years younger than Sanji at this point but it looks like they could be the same age.
Zoro looks exactly the way that most boys wish to look like when they turn into men. All sharp lines, muscles, broad shoulders yet thin hips.
Zoro is sexy.
Sexy?
The thought is like a slap to Sanji's face. What kind of sicko finds someone sexy when they practically raised them?
"We should head home."
"Yeah I have a lot to do curly, and not much more time."
They ate a quick breakfast and headed out.
When they headed to the gate both men were surprised that Mihawk was there. Sanji was furious, "I thought you two were going to talk and then you almost killed him!" Sanji screamed at the intimidating man.
"He wished for the duel, not me" Mihawk says casually and indifferently. Mihawk walks past him to Zoro and Sanji can hear him say, "Heat is a serious matter" before leveling Zoro with an even more serious look than his regular face and walks off.
"Heat?" Sanji asks, turning to look at Zoro, "Like heat stroke or something."
"I'll tell you later." Zoro grabs Sanji's hand and drags him away.
"Where are we going?" the cook asks.
"Home dumbass. Where else?"
Sanji plants his heels into the ground, stopping them in their tracks, "You're going the opposite direction."
Zoro grumbles looking even more frustrated and starts leading them in the right direction… for about two minutes before he starts to get lost again.
Sanji laughs, remembering how Zoro wondered off on his own as a pup, "Stupid Marimo, follow me." Sanji keeps holding the other man's hand but leads them instead.