Title: Of Dreams and Desires
Pairings: Smoker x Ace, Sanji x Zoro, and other side pairings
Ratings: T - NC-17
Chapter: 11 of ?
Summary: A Cook's Musings…
Disclaimer: I do not make any profit from this story; all props go to Eiichiro Oda.
Author Note: Thanks to everyone who is viewing my story. :D
Beta Reader: descriptionsalive21, thank you so much!
Noir Sanji
"Cut the anchor! Loosen the sails! We need to leave immediately," Nami bellowed.
The Straw Hat crew rushed around Merry to complete all tasks assigned so they could make a break from the port before the Marines spotted their ship. Usopp rushed to the bridge to take over helm duties, holding the sheep's head tightly and waiting for the order to move the ship. Zoro lifted the anchor out of the water and attached it to the side of the ship; Vivi cut the ropes that bound the ship to the port; and Sanji began to release the cleats that bound the sails. It wasn't until they were fully set to sail that they noticed something wasn't quite right.
"I… think…" Usopp trailed off.
"Something feels off," Zoro said as he looked around the ship, checking to see what was out of place, only to ground his teeth when it dawned on him.
Nami let out a growl. "Damn it, Luffy!"
Vivi, also known as Miss Wednesday amongst the Baroque Works, held a worried expression on her face as she patted the top of Chopper's head, who was hugging her leg. "Do you think we should set sail without him?"
Nami pinched the bridge of her nose as she said, "We have no choice… the harbor will be swarming with Marines before we know it." She looked back to Usopp at the helm and gave a curt nod.
Understanding the command, the sharp shooter steered the ship away from port and into the open water. The Straw Hats stayed on the lookout for Luffy and any Marines as they sailed along the coast, hoping they would find their captain before he caused any more trouble.
Sanji sighed out some smoke as he observed his worried crewmates.
He noticed Nami's hands were still clutching the guard rail tightly and he hummed to himself–she was probably the most worried out of all of them. Her relationship with Luffy was a bit different than the rest of the crew's and Sanji wasn't sure if their relationship blossomed on a friendship level or maybe something more; but Luffy had bonded well with Nami at Arlong Park. Since then she has been the only one to be able to talk sense into the brash young man. He couldn't say that he'd be upset at the idea of her and Luffy being together. He loved Nami, but then again he loved every woman he came across. He loved her appearance and attitude the most, but as for him ever taking their relationship past their flirtatious friendly stage, well… Noir just couldn't see it.
His eyes roamed over her flat stomach up to her round breasts before he sighed and stamped out his cigarette, flicking his gaze to Usopp. He was on high alert, squeezing the life from the poor sheep figurine, while steering the ship with shaky hands. Sanji wasn't quite too sure about the long nose's role in the crew–besides the lying and his impeccable ability to run away, he had yet to see what exactly what Usopp had to offer. However, he did notice when push came to shove and, if the almost always terrified young man actually concentrated, he was an excellent marksman and surprisingly had some courage in his shaky bones. He was in the crew before Sanji was, so maybe there was some hidden talent that Luffy had seen that Sanji and possibly even Usopp had yet to discover.
Sanji's blue eyes trailed to Chopper, their doctor, who was hanging on the side of the rail next to Zoro, looking out at the coast for Luffy. He wasn't ashamed to admit that the reindeer had grown on him; he'd become really attached to the physician and viewed him as a little brother. It did damage his pride to know that all Chopper had to do was look at him with those big eyes and he'd do basically whatever for him. Sanji want to be an example for Chopper; he'd rather the boy learn how to be a ladies' man than a brute, a coward, or an idiot.
He chuckled at his thoughts as he eyed Carue and Vivi, the newest additions to the crew.
Vivi was very appealing to the eyes, but she was a little young for Sanji's taste. He had taken note that her skin was pale despite living in the hot climate her whole life and her hair was dull and sandy from the harsh conditions of the desert. His heart went out to her situation; it had to be rough to be put in a position where saving the whole kingdom is placed on your shoulders at such a young age. She was a princess and Sanji would never over step his boundaries with her, but that didn't stop the black leg style protégé from flirting with her. He knew though that realistically, Vivi was far out of his league.
With a huff, Sanji glanced at Zoro, who had a pair of binoculars in his hand and was occasionally looking out them, shifting his stance every so often to rest against the mast.
He and Zoro may have their differences, but he couldn't deny the feelings the brute of a man had instilled in him. Don't get Sanji wrong, he was a grade A ladies' man. He did all he could to please and ensure the happiness of any woman surrounding him–even at his own expense–but when it came to Zoro, he just didn't understand. He looked forward to their arguments and fights, it made his heart race at the thought that he'd finally found someone who could give just as bad as they took. He'd never gotten such a physical reaction from anyone as he did from the swordsman and when he watched him exercise with his shirt off, he always felt a tingling sensation in his groin; but physical appearance wasn't the only attractive thing about the swordsman. It was his fierce determination against Mihawk that ultimately captivated Sanji and it pushed him to join the crew in pursuit of his own dream. If it weren't for Zoro and their captain, Sanji would be at the Barite now serving food and kicking rude customers' asses.
His thoughts were interrupted by the same man who he had been admiring. "Oi, I think I found Luffy," Zoro's deep baritone voice spoke, sending shivers down Sanji's spine.
Everyone rushed to the edge of the rail to see that Zoro had indeed found their lost captain, pulling a sigh of relief from all of them as they watched Luffy call upon his devil's abilities and extend his rubber hand to the rail in front of Zoro. The familiar movement captured the first mate's attention and he looked back up at the straw hat wearing boy, watching as he readied to jump.
"Oh hell no, not this time," Zoro said as he side-stepped at the same moment Luffy rocketed himself onto the ship, colliding with the unsuspecting Sanji and Chopper, laughing the whole time.
Once regaining the breath that had been knocked out of him, Sanji jumped up and shook Luffy. "What the hell, Luffy?! Do you not know your own strength?! I oughta throw your ass overboard!"
Chopper groaned, muttering in agreement as Luffy laughed out, "No, Sanji, guess I don't know my own strength."
Luffy released himself from Sanji's angry grasp and went to the side rail, searching. "Aw, I think I left Ace behind."
"Ace… that's your brother, right?" Usopp asked, searching with Luffy for the older man.
"Is it ok to leave him behind with all the Marines?" Vivi spoke, voicing the crew's concerns.
Luffy turned around to face his nakama. "Yeah, he'll be fine. Ace is strong, even before he ate his devil fruit I was unable to beat him."
Usopp's lips puckered and he turned slightly pale, muttering, "Great, so, the brother of a monster is a super monster."
Luffy let out a shishishi. "Yeah, Ace is super strong, but if I fought him now I'd totally win."
Sanji was about to reply when a voice interrupted him. "You'll be winning against who?"
Luffy turned around to see his brother crouched on the rail of the Merry Go, holding the bag that he had earlier and he laughed at his brother's sudden appearance. "Ace! You made it!"
Sanji gave Luffy's brother a once over, just to see if there was any signs of attraction and when none came, he shook his head. Still only wanting one man it seems. He thought as he took out a smoke from his pocket and held it between his lips.
"Hello everyone, I trust my brother has been in your care," Ace said as he looked at all the surrounding faces with a smile.
The Straw Hat Pirates all bowed in greeting. "Yes, yes he has."
"Ah, he has no manners, so I apologize for any inconvenience my brother has given you all." Ace tipped his hat down in apology.
The crew waved their hands dismissing the apology. "No problem."
Ace chuckled at the uniformed reply. "I know he's a lot to handle sometimes."
"Yes, yes he is."
Luffy laughed at his crew's responses. "They're funny aren't they, Ace?"
Ace smiled at his brother before addressing the Straw Hats again. "Thank you for taking care of him for me," he said, bowing his head in appreciation.
Shocked at his politeness, the crew stumbled out. "You're welcome."
Ace smiled at his brother's nakama then noticed the blond haired man was dangling an unlit smoke between his lips. He pointed his finger at it and his smile widened when the cigarette sparked before lighting. He'd been working on a new technique with Mera so that he could set fire to objects that he couldn't touch and it excited him to know his hard work was paying off.
Sanji let out a surprised noise in the back of his throat before taking a drag and asking, "Why don't you come in for some tea?"
Ace hopped off the rail to follow Sanji. "I would greatly appreciate it."
Before the pair could travel into the galley, Vivi let out a gasp and pointed behind Ace, catching everyone's attention. "Baroque ships, Billions by the looks of them."
Ace sucked his teeth in irritation. "Those boys don't give up do they?" He turned to the crew and tipped his hat. "Let me take care of this for you." He dropped his bag and leapt in the air, onto his one man boat before he called on his devil to propel himself in the direction of the four Billions ships, leaving behind his brother and everyone else.
The Straw Hats watched as he got further away with concerned faces. "Are you sure it's ok to let him go on his own like that?" Nami asked.
Luffy crossed his arms and chuckled. "Yup, Ace can handle it."
Zoro grunted in agreement. "Yes, let us see what being Whitebeard's Second Division Commander really means."
Ace's face showed determination as he looked at the ships in front of him, mentally forming the best plan to rid of them. Once his mind was set, he pushed his boat underwater and jumped into the air to gain a better view of the ships. A grin crossed his features as he summoned Mera, which happily came out and encompassed his lower body, allowing him to make it over the ships and land on his boat as it reemerged out of the water. Having angled himself so the ships aligned perfectly, Ace reared his fist back and allowed his devil to flow freely from his body with a scream of, "Hiken!"
Jaws dropped on the Merry Go as they watched the massive flame in the shape of a fist punch its way through the four ships, demolishing them and their riders completely. Ace called back his devil with a smile, putting a finger under his hat to push it out of his eyes as he steered his boat back to the Straw Hats.
Zoro let out a whistle and ran a hand through his hair. "So… that's what it really means to be Whitebeard's Second Division Commander."
Luffy laughed and slapped his first mate on the back. "Told ya he was bad-ass."
Getting back to the ship, Ace tossed up a rope to secure his vessel before jumping back on deck, gazing at the amazed faces of his brother's crew. "Is the offer for tea still on the table?"
Sanji, having regained his composure from his awe-filled state nodded his head. "Yeah, this way."
Once inside the galley Ace took a seat on one of the benches and Sanji went to work prepping the tea and lunch. With the cook focused on the task at hand, Ace began to zone out, the time he spent with the Marine still burned fresh on his mind. He'd fallen in love with the overwhelming feeling of attraction he'd felt when he was around the white haired man. It was almost as if his devil sung out with glee at being near the other and just the thought of it had Mera's fire move within him without calling upon it. The entire situation was strange but it excited him and, honestly, it frightened him a little bit. He wasn't lying when he told the Marine that a fight between them would be futile; his smoke smothered out his fire and his fire wouldn't allow the smoke to expand too far. After their battle, his devil was not satisfied like it normally would from being released, it craved more of the other devil that it had touched, and even now he could feel Mera searching for him.
Ace mumbled to his devil to calm down as he shifted in his seat to adjust his growing erection. He wasn't even sure how they ended up in the alley. After their skirmish, Ace had every intention to go meet up with Luffy, but seeing the Marine's eyes, his body, and, by the gods of the sea his devil, it lured Ace into his arms and next he knew they were humping like bunnies on the wall of a dirty alley in no time flat. Portgas felt fire travel to his loins at the memory and he placed his elbows on the table, linking his fingers together and resting his forehead atop them as a soft groan escaped from his lips when he felt his member twitch.
The sound alerted Sanji who looked at him over his shoulder. "Is everything alright, Ace?"
Lifting his head and resting his chin on his threaded fingers, he replied, "Yes, sorry."
He smiled at Sanji who nodded and turned back to the stove, getting the plates together to put the food on. He must have spaced out for longer than he thought because the tea that was placed in front of him at some point had already cooled and lunch was ready. As soon as Sanji called for the crew to come eat, Ace received firsthand experience of lunch aboard the Merry Go.
N.S
After scolding Luffy and Usopp for playing with their food, the occupants of the Merry Go found themselves on the deck with cups filled with water in their hands. Sanji watched as Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp kanpai'd to anything and everything they could possibly think of.
"Ace is our new nakama! Kanpai!" The boys yelled as they clanked their cups together and drank heavily, ignoring Ace's denial of the statement.
Sanji grinned at the smile on Ace's face as he watched his younger brother make a fool of himself. He lit another smoke before noticing that a certain green headed swordsman was not among the rest of the crew. Sanji hummed quietly to himself as he went to the galley, having a gut feeling that that was where the man would be. Sure enough, he found Zoro sitting on the bench looking at the wall, drinking his sake–which was not the drink the cook had provided to the crew–alone. Taking a drag of his smoke, he leaned back against the door and watched the tan skinned teen.
They sat in silence for a while before Zoro spoke, "Why aren't you outside with everyone else?"
Sanji's fingers twitched, shaking a bit of ash from his cigarette before he answered. "I could ask you the same thing."
The ex-pirate hunter grunted before taking a swig of his drink, letting the silence grow once again.
Things had been different between them since Little Garden. It was then that Sanji hadn't really understood the severity of their situation and when he finally met up with everyone and the giants, he'd turned all of his attention to Nami. He didn't address Zoro because it made something in his stomach twist into a knot to see him sitting on the rock with bloody feet. But once they returned to the ship, worry filled Sanji when Chopper requested help from Usopp and Luffy in getting Zoro to the men's sleeping quarters so he could began work on him. When he had heard about exactly why Zoro was going to be walking around looking like Frankenstein's twin, anger replaced his worry.
Sanji's fingers tightened on his cigarette, bending it slightly.
He remembered, after finding out from Vivi the events of what happened that day, he had burst into the men's sleeping quarters, scaring the shit out of poor Chopper. Sanji had ranted and raved until his throat was sore and would have kept going had Zoro not cut him off with a deep growl of, "Why the hell do you care?"
That question made him stop in his tracks and just stare at Zoro then to Chopper who had taken to hiding behind the swordsman for protection. Not fully knowing the answer to that question, Sanji left the room wondering just why he did care about the barbaric man.
He was drawn to Zoro after his fight with Mihawk. Seeing so much resilience in Zoro for his dream, it pushed him to join Luffy's crew. The decision scared him, it'd be his first time being around other people his age; but as much as he was worried by how they would react to his personality–it excited him.
Sanji took another drag of his now low burning smoke. He wasn't sure if the more time he spent around the swordsman would cause his feelings that he currently held to turn into something more or if it was just a fleeting thing, so he cleared his throat and said, "I think we should be landing soon. Come join us."
Zoro let out a, "yeah," but he didn't move from his place at the table.
Sanji didn't wait for him, instead he left the galley just in time to hear Luffy's question to his brother. "Are you going to be my nakama, Ace?"
Sanji took a seat on the stairs and soon felt the presence of Zoro next to him. He looked to the man before returning his attention to Ace. "Sorry, Luffy, I can't. I'm headed to Yuba, there's word on the grapevine that a man by the name of Scorpion might have some information on a man I'm hunting."
Luffy cocked his head to the side. "Mm, hunting?"
Ace nodded and said, "Yeah, looking for a guy named Blackbeard."
"You've mentioned that name before, Blackbeard… he's the man who ransacked Drum Island. Who is he and what did he do that made you want to hunt him?" Vivi moved from her spot beside Carue to sit near Nami so she could better hear his response.
Ace put a hand to his chest, feeling that dull pain that he'd thought he'd gotten rid of come back at the thought of Thatch. "He was a pirate in Whitebeard's Second Division and he was my subordinate. He committed the greatest crime one can on a pirate ship… he killed his nakama." Ace grasp tighten on the handle of his cup as a slow heat buildup from his palm. "That piece of shit fled the ship and as his commander, I have to find him and bring him to justice."
Luffy ran a finger under his nose in thought. "Hm, that doesn't sound good. Oi, Nami, where are we going again?"
"Seems we're going to the same place," Nami said, unrolling a map from her pocket and spreading it out on a barrel.
Vivi stood over the map and set her finger down on Nanohana, tracing a path to Yuba. "We just left Nanohana. We are traveling up the Sandora River where we will disembark and continue on foot through Erumalu and cross the Sandora Desert before we arrive at Yuba."
Feeling excited to be touching land again, Sanji jumped from his spot of the stairs accidentally brushing against Zoro, causing him to shiver slightly. Zoro raised an eyebrow at Sanji's reaction to their skin meeting, even as the cook pretend it didn't happen and danced his way over to the girls. "I'll follow you anywhere, Nami-san and Vivi-chan!"
Zoro snorted into his drink. "Whatever, Curly Cue."
"Anyways," Nami turned all attention to the conversation at hand when she sensed a fight was about to break out between the two. "We should hit land soon, so we should all get ready."
Luffy smiled at his brother, overjoyed that they could travel together after such a long time of being apart. "Let's make this a good trip, Ace."
Portgas raised his drink in salute to his younger brother and said, "Yes, like old times."
Luffy lifted his cup to his crew. "Prepare for an adventure!"
The crew mimicked the movement in response to their captain, "Aye!"
A slow start for Zoro and Sanji but promise they will progress in their relationship. Thanks for reading and reviewing! Stay tune for the next chapter: Crocodile - Huredhiel