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Enjoy your reading.

Chapter 68

Fireworks

Zoro slammed the cook a little harder against the bathroom wall. Steam and heat were building up in the narrow space of the tub surrounded by a simple shower curtain, but the cold touch of the tiles on his skin didn't bother the cook. On the contrary, Sanji tightened the grip of his arms around the swordsman's neck and the one of his legs around his waist so that his mate increased his hips' moves. Wanting to avoid straining his lover's back too much, Zoro passed his hands around to support him in turn, devouring his neck with hungry kisses. Their breaths quickened amid the drops of water and the ambient humidity, forcing them to hold on to each other even more. Finally, Sanji rested his head against the wall for a few seconds to catch his breath. However, he quickly felt pleasure catching up with the fencer's body and he kissed him again to accompany him.

Moments later, the swordsman pulled away and set him down in the middle of the hot water. As the blond was recovering from his own orgasm, he heard the fencer come out of the shower and he painfully relaxed his legs before grabbing the soap. He was rinsing himself when Zoro called out to him.

"Hurry up, cook, we're gonna be late for breakfast."

Sanji felt his eyes narrowing in the midst of the trickling water around him and he violently pushed the curtain back to glare at his partner who was quietly drying.

"I'll have you know it's your fault that we're late!" he sharply replied. "I told you we didn't have time!"

"Then why are you splashing around instead of getting ready?" the fencer pointed out, slipping on a tee-shirt.

"I gotta rinse myself, asshole! It's easy for you, I'm doing all the work!"

Zoro sneered back and Sanji firmly pulled the curtain down to finish showering, exasperated. A minute later, he also went out and dried himself vigorously. He then shoved the swordsman to seize his shirt while grabbing his brush.

"Move it, marimo, you take up all the room", he got annoyed, pushing him to access to the mirror.

"Where did you put my belt?" the latter growled, tossing the clothes left on the ground.

"It's your things, I didn't touch it", the cook grinded.

"My ass, you move them all the time", the fencer who had found a sock grumbled.

"Only when they're not put away", his mate reminded him, buttoning his pants. "You just have to stop leaving everything lying around, that's not where those go."

Zoro shook his head and Sanji put his towel back on the towel rail after drying his hair as best he could.

"Let's go", he decided after taking one last look in the mirror to check his outfit.

"I don't have my belt!" the swordsman grumpily reminded him as he was moving a new pile of towels.

"Go look in your cupboard and stop disturbing everything here", the blond replied, putting the pile back in place with irritation.

Sanji hurried out of the bathroom and put on his shoes. He then grabbed his jacket and quickly adjusted it before heading for the door.

"You good?" he called out the fencer who had found his belt.

"I'm good", the latter muttered, adjusting his swords. "But I wasn't the one who put it in the cupboard", he added, walking past the cook.

"Well, you should have been because it's its place", the blond retorted, quickly closing the door behind them.

Zoro violently hit the balloon which landed with a spray of water in a powerful smash between Usopp and Luffy, powerless to catch it.

"Thirty-two to twelve", the swordsman commented with a smirk. "Service is ours."

He high fived Chopper's paw who was waddling beside him and Usopp threw the ball to him with a sigh.

"Come on, Usopp, let's play!" Luffy encouraged him, visibly delighted despite the beating they were taking.

"We should have been playing beach volleyball", the gunner muttered, repositioning himself.

The four friends were playing by the sea thanks to the net they had set up after lunch. They had decided to stretch it in the ocean so that the players had water up to their calves and could enjoy the coolness but it was handicapping for the devil fruit users and when they were rushing to catch a ball, Luffy and Chopper had to deal with the rubber ring around their waists. Usopp didn't have this problem but he nevertheless had to compete with the endurance of the swordsman and in this area, he wasn't up to the task yet.

Chopper threw the ball vigorously and the game resumed as their crewmates were enjoying the sun on the beach among the other vacationers. The girls were reading under the shade of a large parasol while Brook and Franky were happily commenting on the shipwright's latest invention ideas who had received Adam's wood from the seller that morning.

Sanji was sitting on the sand not far from them, a hat and large sunglasses on his head. Temperature was hot but he had kept his shirt on, fearing sunburns. His gaze lost on the ocean with sparkling reflections, he was breathing in the salty air amid laughter and conversation, lulled by the peaceful atmosphere.

It had now been nearly a week since they had disembarked on the island of lost paradises and their happiness was total. No incident had disturbed their improvised vacation and no one had triggered a disaster either. This serene and unexpected ambience was delighting the whole crew and the blond wasn't left out on this side. He was joyfully enjoying these moments of ordinary life in the midst of his friends and his partner. As he had foreseen, the daily life alongside the fencer wasn't always easy but in reality, he had known for a long time what to expect and his scattered clothes or his endless sleeping in weren't so unbearable that he wanted him to believe.

However, as the days went by, he was overcome by a sweet torpor and a certain melancholy. Knowing already to what he owed his condition, the cook shook his head before smiling when he heard Usopp sigh heavily at the defeat of his team. He then looked up after lighting a cigarette and saw Luffy celebrating the victory of his opponents by wiggling in his rubber ring. In front of him, Chopper had grabbed the ball like a cup and Zoro soon lifted him into the air, spinning the little reindeer who laughed out loud.

Sanji closed his eyes and took full advantage of this unique scent. The scent of pleasure and freedom.

The cook froze to watch the sun slowly going down into the sea. Temperature was still high and the sand was enveloping his bare feet pleasantly. He then sat down a few steps from the waves and lit a cigarette which he slowly smoked. At last, the beach was calm at this mealtime and he enjoyed the surrounding silence with relish.

After the beach games, the crew had gone back up to change and take a shower, but when it had been time to go to dinner, the blond had preferred to take a walk. So he had walked along a part of the beach until he had seen the Sunny before coming back to the hotel.

"Sanji!"

The blond turned and watched the reindeer scamper towards him.

"I saved you a fruit skewer!"

"You're adorable."

The doctor blushed and waddled on the sand, handing him his gift.

"Why didn't you come to eat with us?" he asked next.

"I wasn't that hungry."

"Do you feel sick?" he immediately became alarmed.

"No, don't worry. I've lived at sea most of my life and spending a few days on dry land is always a bit strange to me so I like to enjoy some time alone", the cook reassured him, eating a piece of mango that was melting in his mouth.

"It's the opposite for me! I had never left Drum Island before embarking with you!" Chopper recalled.

The little reindeer sat in the sand next to him to eat his own dessert.

"Luffy ate all the food of the buffet", he told him.

"Again?" his friend sighed.

"Yes, but the cooks said they were gonna prepare some again."

"They're brave", the blond commented, nibbling a raspberry.

"There's a salsa party organized in the reception hall!" Chopper then informed him.

"Brook must be delighted."

"So is Franky. He said he had a super secret dance technique he never told anyone about!" the reindeer told him excitedly.

"Sounds promising", the cook said with a smile.

"You know, I think you can participate", the doctor continued, taking a spoon of meringue. "Your back is almost completely healed so I don't see any problem."

"That's nice, Chopper, I'll take a look."

Sanji then finished his fruit skewer before stretching and getting up. Extending his hand to the little reindeer, he leaned over him, smiling.

"Let's go offer our help to the cooks at the hotel, I think they'll quickly end up exhausted at this rate."

"That's true!" his friend agreed, laughing as he grabbed the blond's hand to get up.

Sanji had settled down on one of the lounge chairs on his bedroom balcony. Facing the sea, he was quietly smoking, the softness of the night air carrying him the sea sprays.

"Why did you leave so early, cook?"

The blond turned his head towards the swordsman who had just entered their room and passed the bay window before resuming his contemplation of the ocean.

"Just needed some time alone, that's all."

"You dragged yourself along all day, you didn't eat and now you stay here instead of hitting on the girls at this dance party? What's going on? Is this because of this morning in the shower?"

Sanji slightly smiled and blew out the smoke from his cigarette. Zoro had disappeared with Luffy and Usopp as soon as dinner was over, not interested one bit in the salsa party and he hadn't seen the blond go away less than an hour later. Yet at that moment, Sanji realized the fencer was perhaps watching him more than he thought.

"It's no big deal."

The swordsman loudly sighed behind him and the cook felt more than he saw the man fold his arms over his chest, a clear sign of annoyance.

"I don't wanna seem pushy, but we've been having a real fight the last time one of us didn't wanna talk so just to be clear… You sure there's nothing?" the fencer muttered.

"You were the one who didn't wanna talk", the cook scoffed, turning to face him again.

"Yeah… Well, you know what I mean."

Sanji nodded, frankly smiling now. After all, he could tell him.

"It's just this island that's having a funny effect on me", he confided then.

"What effect? I didn't notice", the swordsman said, frowning.

"It doesn't surprise me", the blond retorted, still smiling. "See… This sun, this beach, this holiday flavor… It's a bit special and it gives me strange ideas…"

"Like what?" Zoro asked, totally lost.

Sanji watched him with amusement for a moment then nodded for him to sit next to him on the lounge chair and his partner did so after placing his swords against the bay window. The cook then took the time to gaze at him. His proud look under the moonlight made him devilishly sexy and he forced himself to look away for a second.

"So? Spit it out, cook", the fencer got impatient.

"You're not gonna like it but it puts me in a terribly romantic mood", the blond calmly explained to him.

Silence fell for a few seconds on the balcony before Zoro frowned.

"That much?" he finally winced.

"Oh, yeah", the cook confirmed lightheartedly. "I want us to spend time talking, I wanna kiss you at sunset on the beach, hold your hand and take you to a restaurant… That kind of things you hate, actually."

Zoro moved, definitely uncomfortable.

"I see. That kind of things."

Sanji slowly nodded and dragged on his cigarette again.

"It's you who wanted to know", he reminded him when he saw his embarrassed face. "Don't worry, I'll get over it as soon as we set sail", he then reassured him. "But in the meantime since we're talking about it, I still have something to tell you."

He turned completely to the swordsman and fixed his gaze on his. He saw in his mate's eyes a dull concern rise in front of the intensity of the moment. The fencer was obviously fearing what he was going to hear knowing the context they were in and the cook softly smiled at his tense expression.

"You really are the last person I'd have thought to share those kinds of feelings with one day, but tonight I can say I wouldn't like to trade you for the world."

Sanji watched his small effect as he was blowing his smoke out into the night. In front of him, Zoro had probably analyzed his words but no sound managed to come out of his mouth.

"I, uh…"

"Above all, don't say anything, marimo", the blond cut him short. "Don't ruin this moment."

Sanji watched his partner's relief reflect on his face and smirked knowingly. He knew Zoro was unable to utter this sort of things and besides, he didn't want him to. He had just needed to say it out loud for once because their environment was appropriate. Whatever the swordsman can imagine, it wasn't in his temperament either to show his feelings so easily and especially in front of him.

"I'm not gonna offer you a walk hand in hand in the moonlight so close your mouth and come to bed", the cook finally decided, getting up.

Without waiting for him, he turned on his heel and headed for the bathroom.

The fencer slowly breathed again, unaware of having held it back, and followed him with his eyes. This guy was driving him crazy just looking at him and throwing words in his face as dangerous as his blades. He shivered. Even now, he wouldn't have known what to say so he thanked him inwardly for having spared them a horribly awkward silence. It wasn't that he didn't care but he just didn't have words to describe how he was feeling and that didn't particularly bother him. Until now.

The swordsman quickly reviewed what the blond liked in order to be able to use it and answer him up to his declaration: Sanji liked cooking, gentleness, romanticism, refinement.

Zoro felt himself grow pale. He was screwed.

"Cook…"

"Hm?"

"What are you doing up so early?" the swordsman asked him in a sleepy voice.

"It's habit", the cook replied, shrugging. "Go back to sleep."

Zoro closed his eyes but didn't go back to sleep, annoyed. After their discussion the day before, he had struggled to fall asleep, looking for a way to please his mate that he could bear himself. But as he had watched the blond's breathing quietly lift his body in his sleep, nothing had occurred to him. And he had ended up falling asleep just a few hours before, thinking he could ponder it again the next morning in his lover's arms. Indeed, Zoro had very quickly appreciated the fact that the cook, exempted from his main task, was lying in bed much longer than usual since their arrival here. Obviously, their occupation par excellence was to start late frolics that Sanji blamed him for before giving in, but the swordsman had also discovered he appreciated the calm surrounding them when they were waking up. The cook was coming to snuggle up against him and Zoro was dozing, pleasantly wrapped in the warmth of his partner and his silent presence.

Hearing the bedroom door close, Zoro opened his eyes again and let his gaze lose itself in the curtains obscuring the bay window that Sanji had taken care to pull out. He stared at it absentmindedly for several minutes before sitting up abruptly. He then jumped up from his bed and grabbed his clothes and his swords before rushing outside.

As he had hoped, the blond was smoking a cigarette facing the sea, sitting on the small wall that separated the outside tables from the sand of the beach. The place was deserted at this early hour and the swordsman slowed down as he was coming closer.

The cook saw him sit down beside him with surprise and looked questioningly at him.

"I was awake so…", the fencer tried to explain, uncomfortable.

Zoro then fixed his gaze on the horizon and the sea which continued endlessly to run aground a few steps away.

"What is it, marimo?" Sanji asked, closely watching him.

"Nothing. Come on, let's walk."

"Huh?"

Zoro had already stood up and the cook followed him, puzzled.

"What are we doing?"

"Sit there", the swordsman suddenly said, pointing to a place a little further to the right on the beach.

"Okay…"

Sanji settled down obediently on the sand, knowing full well he would eventually have his questions answered. Zoro sat down next to him and remained silent, presumably watching out for something. The blond took out a new cigarette from his pack but the fencer stopped him.

"Not now. You'll ruin everything."

The cook raised a questioning eyebrow, more and more astonished.

"But what-"

The swordsman threw himself on his lips and Sanji had to rebalance with his hands so as not to topple over. Moments later, Zoro tore himself out of his mouth just as brutally, leaving his mate totally stunned.

"Uh… What was that?" he asked, straightening up.

He then saw Zoro scowl before observing the flush on his cheeks.

"That's… your thing", the fencer grumbled.

"My thing?"

"With the sun and all that."

Sanji stared at him with astonishment for a second. The sun, the beach, the kiss. Of course!

"Oh. I wasn't expecting it", he finally admitted with a smile.

"It wasn't like it was supposed to be, was it?" Zoro sighed. "I knew it'd be ridiculous…"

"No", the cook reassured him, amused. "You thought about the sun and even if it's sunrise and not sunset, it doesn't really matter. The beach is perfect, you even placed us right in front of the sun. The kiss… Well, the kiss could have been more natural but it wasn't that bad."

The swordsman gave him a suspicious look and Sanji burst out laughing.

"You're not made for romance, marimo man, but I really appreciate you tried to make that effort for me!"

Zoro frowned, unconvinced, and the cook quietly wrapped his hands around his neck to bring him closer, fixing his now fevered gaze on his.

"Let me give you a glimpse of what I was exactly thinking about."

He gently put his lips on his and closed his eyes, playing with his tongue against his mouth. The swordsman immediately followed his moves and let himself be carried away by the rhythm of the kiss. Slow and deep, sweet and passionate.

Before their desire got too much, the cook reluctantly broke away from his partner and watched him with a smile. The sun was rising in the sky and the waves were lazily running aground the sand not far from them.

"That is romantic", he explained to him.

Zoro glanced around their surroundings before shrugging. If that suited him, he had pulled it off.

"Look at that, you're on time this morning", Nami sneered at the breakfast table two hours later.

As she has expected, Zoro ignored her remark but the blond's dreamy smile baffled her. Deciding to ignore her friends who were settling in, she grabbed the program for the next few days while sipping a glass of grapefruit juice.

"A hike is organized to discover the other side of the island", she discovered, delighted.

"Good idea, I'd like to stretch my legs", the cook said, filling his plate with buns and pastries.

"Lounging around the beach is nice but a little exercise won't hurt me either", the cyborg on his right added.

"I'm gonna train a little bit on the Sunny", Zoro agreed, gulping down his share of rice.

"I'm also interested in this hike", Robin who was spreading some jam for her rusk to accompany her tea informed. "Its magnetic characteristics preventing the Log-Pose from functioning are unique."

"Maybe I'd better come too", Chopper wondered, adding more chocolate to his milk. "If there are discoveries to be made, I wanna be there!"

Beside him, Brook poured himself a large cup of tea after filling the archaeologist's.

"As for me, I am highly satisfied at the prospect of spending another day doing nothing by the sea", he claimed. "Last night's salsa party has just exhausted me!"

"There's nothing on this island, I've been around", Luffy confirmed, swallowing up a huge slice of waffles. "Only trees and sand."

"There's a big fireworks display tonight!" Usopp who had recovered the program exclaimed. "I'll go see the installers, maybe they'll have some powder to trade!"

"I'm coming with you!" his captain immediately decided with enthusiasm.

As the crew was quietly eating again, Usopp called out to the navigator.

"Did you see? They're having an official dinner", he showed her.

"Lemme see."

The young woman took the program back and carefully read the small insert.

"It can be really interesting to meet important people!" she rejoiced after a few moments of reading. "After all, everyone is shipwrecked but maybe there are famous people!"

"When does it take place?" Robin asked her.

"The day before we left", her friend read. "Perfect, I'll be able to participate!"

She put the program down and grabbed a chocolate croissant the cook was presenting to her.

"Holidays are definitely relaxing but I'm up for getting acquainted with some persons we might find useful in the future!" she concluded with determination.

The firework was magnificent. Usopp and Luffy were particularly excited and they were commenting on the illuminated figures without stopping.

"This one's Leo's, I'm sure!" the gunner showed.

"Look, they're using the green powder he gave us!" the straw hat boy exclaimed beside him.

The two friends had spent the day with the three pyro-technicians hired for the occasion and who, given the knowledge of the first and the enthusiasm of the second, had quickly invited them to follow them in the putting together the show. Usopp had observed the use of unknown powders and had learned to create mixtures to obtain original lights. For his part, he had shown his new friends techniques he had discovered with Kodama on Fireworks Island.

He then had collected several new powders in return and had promised his captain to create a real bonfire for him as soon as he would have learned how to use it.

"Stolka's figure!" the sniper suddenly marveled.

The rest of his friends were listening to them absentmindedly, absorbed in the performance. When the crackling of the finale finally died down, the crowd wildly applauded for several minutes and Usopp and Luffy rose their voices to congratulate the pyro-technicians while everyone was commenting on the evening enthusiastically.

After a few minutes however, Nami shivered.

"I didn't take a vest", she regretted, running her hands over her arms to warm herself.

"It's not cold", the shipwright beside her said.

"The air has cooled down all the same and the hike has tired me", the young woman answered.

"You want me to go get your sweater, Nami?"

The navigator suspended her moves on her arms to stare at her captain, downright surprised that he had heard her conversation and even more that he was ahead of Sanji on the subject. By the way, a few steps away, the cook and the cyborg were staring at him openly.

"That's very sweet, Luffy, but I was thinking about going to bed", she finally said.

"Oh, okay."

"But if you wanna take me home, I'd be very pleased", she added then.

"Great!"

Nami's face lit up and her friends wished her good night before she walked away to the hotel with the captain.

Arrived at the door of her room, Nami invited him to come in for a few moments and Luffy opened his eyes wide when he discovered the girls' room. He then rushed on the bed of the young woman to test its elasticity and began to bounce on it, shrieking with laughter.

"Those beds are awesome! Ours aren't like that!"

Nami watched him for a moment before taking a deep breath. The journey had been silent but she had taken the opportunity to think. And she had decided to try her luck.

"Luffy."

"What?" he asked, turning to her.

"There's a thing I really wanna do."

The navigator closed the door behind her and approached with determination the captain who sat down on the bed and looked at her questioningly given her serious demeanor.

"Would you like to come with me to the party the day after tomorrow?"

"The party?"

"The one with the official dinner. I'd really like you to come with me."

"Okay then!"

Nami gave him a beaming smile and put her arms around his neck. Luffy then watched her lean over before she kissed him passionately. He had fully understood the principle by now and so he quickly closed his arms around her waist to keep her close to him, delighted with this attention he hadn't expected.

The young woman sank a little more against his body and increased her kiss until their tongues touched. To her surprise, she felt Luffy's hands start to move all the way down until the small of her back. Shivering again, she got rid of his straw hat before leaning to topple him over the mattress, still kissing him passionately while her hands were blindly unbuttoning his red vest. When she ran her fingers over his finely muscled chest, she felt him flinch and she fixed his astonished gaze for a moment before gazing at him defiantly.

Emboldened by his previous attitude towards her, she didn't take her eyes off him as she was tracing a trail of kisses all the way to his stomach. For his part, however, the straw hat boy froze, totally in shock until he couldn't breathe. The navigator then went up to his lips to relax him and Luffy seemed reassured by this move since he answered it forcefully.

At last, Nami pulled away from her captain a few minutes later to catch her breath. He was eyeing her greedily, panting, and she couldn't help but smile.

"Too bad we have to stop there but I think we shouldn't cut corners", she whispered.

Luffy nodded without a word and she softly kissed him.

"You should go. Robin will be back soon."

The young man got up like an automaton and left the room without saying a word. Behind him, Nami's smile widened.

Some action between Nami and Luffy, isn't it nice? Of course, they're nothing like Zoro and Sanji but the captain is doing some progress. I hope he's still in character for you…

I have loved writing for Sanji and Zoro about their daily life! I wanted them to be cute but not silly.

See you soon!