Back on the road, Zoro kept a hand clasped across his mouth in tense apprehension, elbow propped on the open window as the wind ruffled his hair. Sanji peacefully unperturbed as Zoro mulled over the events that had just occurred that would no doubt finally draw attention to his activity and what was currently going on.
Despite dealing with the dead bodies – along with the gas station attendant that had unfortunately been killed by the hit men while trying to flee – as well as deleting the surveillance footage of the area; Zoro still wasn't satisfied with how that situation had played out. Not only was it going to arouse suspicion among local authorities – even though they would never find the bodies – but it was bringing Zoro to the stark reality that he needed to get Sanji out of this situation now more than ever.
Zoro had messed up.
And it was by sheer dumb luck that the three men hadn't just shot the blond and came storming in after him to finish the job that their buddies had tried to start. A single bullet would've ended everything Zoro had been fighting to preserve, all because he hadn't had the forethought to presume that there may be more people after him. It was tactless mistakes like these - which happened in old age and after retirement - that was going to cost Sanji his life.
Which brought him to the inevitable conclusion that he had to get Sanji under surveillance and as far away from Zoro as possible. It was a painfully inevitable conclusion that would've happened regardless, but Zoro had the grace to admit that a part of him had selfishly been clinging to these last few days. Days spent in each others company that – despite the threat of death – had allowed him to spend such precious quality time with the blond that would no doubt immediately end upon their return to Merryville... or Zoro's death if he didn't manage to live through this whole torrid mess.
It was a solution he wasn't keen on, but had nonetheless thought about on occasion. Not a martyr, but returning to a town with a man that had no interest in him and a wife that no longer loved him wasn't incredibly motivating. There was a reason he had spent years using alcohol as a crutch, and maybe not returning at all wouldn't be the most terrible of solutions to everything...
Zoro was abruptly dragged from his spiralling, self-destructive, mental tirade as Sanji took the next turn off. Car rumbling over the gravelly parking lot as they pulled up to a brightly lit diner, wedged between a gas station and a rather grungy hotel. Concernedly glancing over at the blond beside him, Zoro asked, "What are you doing?"
"I want dinner." Sanji informed matter-of-factly though there was something in his expression that said there was clearly something else remaining unspoken. Casting a sideways glance at Zoro while clearly trying to attempt normalcy, he added, "Also I can smell your wounds."
Zoro remained silent.
He was acutely aware at this point that fighting Sanji on such matters was pointless and hardly worth the effort. Simply grunting softly in acceptance as Sanji pulled the car into a vacant space and jumped out of the vehicle to locate the first aid kit from the backseat. Zoro got out with much less urgency, watching balefully until the blond rounded the car and practically dragged Zoro behind him into the restaurant. Before even locating a table, Sanji was guiding Zoro through the diner towards the bathroom with a hand around Zoro's wrist as though worried he might not follow.
Scowling in mild embarrassment, Zoro muttered, "You don't need to hold my hand..."
"Knowing you, you'd try to get out of this," Sanji jibbed playfully, "Or probably get lost trying to follow me."
"Oi." Zoro grouched half-heartedly, following Sanji into the rather spacious and fairly well-kept bathroom, watching the blond balance the kit on the sink and flip it open for the countless time.
"C'mon. Off." Sanji ordered with an absent wave of his hand, already preoccupied with the first aid kit as Zoro stiffly wrestled his shirt from his torso. Zoro had never been self-conscious about his nudity, however with Sanji he always found himself getting nervous over having the blond so near his exposed skin. It was a ridiculous though because Sanji had explicitly stated he didn't think of Zoro in that way, but it didn't stop Zoro from getting uncomfortable anyway.
"Hip's looking good," Sanji noted after removing the old bandage and tossing it into the trash beside the sink, "but it would probably heal better if you weren't constantly reopening it."
"Can't really help it." Zoro huffed snidely.
Refusing to rise to the bait of Zoro's comment, Sanji cleaned and applied a new bandage before raising to do the same process with the other wound. Inspecting the stitches he had had to redo after Zoro had spectacularly torn them all free in their earlier confrontation, skin incredibly aggravated, but still healing remarkably well – mostly due to Sanji's continuous attentiveness.
With a swab, the blond set about cleaning the wound as delicately as he could while still inspecting the area for any signs of infection. Deft, confident hands worked seamlessly on Zoro's injury, but he couldn't help but notice Sanji's gaze continuing to drift down from snapping back up. His hands strayed ever-so-slightly from their work before returning with even more rigour as though the blond was embarrassed with himself for looking.
It only took Zoro a moment to figure out what Sanji was distracted by, and he muttered in simple explanation, "Mihawk."
"Huh?!" Sanji grunted in embarrassed shock, eyes rising to meet Zoro's as the smallest flush lit up his cheeks at the notion that he had been caught. Entire body stilling, hands hovering over the wound, he looked at Zoro with an expression of mild horror, "W-what?"
"That's who gave me the scar." Zoro elaborated shortly, knowing without a shadow of a doubt that it was likely something that had piqued the blonds curiosity from the moment he had first seen it in the ambulance all those months ago. It wasn't an injury easily forgotten, and certainly not one many people lived through.
"O-oh!" Sanji stuttered it understanding, gaze dropping to the floor as he floundered for a bit, clearly still flustered over being caught staring. Shaking his head, he finally managed to meet Zoro's gaze and kept it pinned to him firmly as he managed, "Yeah, um... yeah."
Zoro cocked an eyebrow at Sanji's odd behaviour – contemplating on letting the blond know that he didn't find his curiosity intrusive in anyway – but refrained from commenting. Instead, he watched as Sanji diligently pulled the packaging off a rather large stick-on bandage. Stepping in close to properly centre it as Zoro immediately tensed at the proximity. He was acutely aware of just how close the blond was, which parts of them were touching, and how good the man currently smelled.
Laying the patch with a firm press, Sanji kept a hand pinned on the corner as he ran his other across the bandage with a firm swipe to ensure it stuck properly. On the third pass, his hand pressed a little harder on the wound than usual, causing Zoro to inhale sharply at the sudden sting. Sanji's hand froze in the motion as his head snapped up and Zoro found himself inexplicably breathless at how close Sanji was in that moment.
Zoro was not sure he was ever going to get accustomed to having Sanji's hands on him – medically or not – and definitely never going to be used to having Sanji's face this close to him. The moment only lasted a second, as Zoro looked at a concerned blond while his hands still remained pressed far too intimately to Zoro's chest.
The silence was broken a second later by the bathroom door swinging open as a man made to step inside.
"Out!" They both barked on instinct.
The portly man looked significantly startled, but backed out of the room nonetheless. Sanji retracted his hands as though burned and took an embarrassed step back while Zoro remained stoic, not entirely sure what to make of the situation. Instead he just pulled his shirt back on while Sanji threw out the remnants of the old bandages and pocketed the anti-septic.
"Come on." Sanji urged with a tilt of his head towards the door, making his way back towards the dining area as he commented with a joking sneer, "I'm starving; not all of us can photosynthesize like you."
"Oi..." Zoro grumbled with slow realization of the insult, following after the chuckling blond with an indignant scowl.
~X~
Instead of continuing on, they decided to crash at the run-down hotel next to the diner for the night, Zoro reluctantly giving permission. Bringing some necessary gear in with them, Zoro dropped onto one of the beds with a muffled groan of relief as Sanji went off to take a shower. This was the first time in hours that he was alone in the room , agitation causing his brow to knit together.
Despite the heart-wrenching danger Sanji had been put in previously that day, Zoro couldn't deny that a fire had been lit inside of him since the confrontation that he hadn't felt in years. The danger, the exhilaration, the adrenaline; all that came from a good fight. All things he had so desperately missed. His hands were nearly shaking in excitement, not only from what had just happened, but also that he had managed to get through it without relapsing.
Zoro knew that given the circumstances, he was playing with fire, but couldn't stop his foolish mind from growing excited at the possibilities; that maybe a full mental recovery wasn't entirely out of reach... However, a more rational part of himself reminded him about the more pertinent issue and the painful vicissitudes of this ironic catch twenty-two that he was caught in.
It was evidently clear that Zoro's control was ultimately due to Sanji's presence, which meant that if Zoro got the paramedic somewhere safe then there was a chance Zoro would lose his ability to keep going. If Sanji was safe, then it could very quickly cause Zoro to start relapsing again in the heat of battle when there wasn't someone he was constantly having to look out for.
And the truly depressing reality was that it wasn't feasible for him to keep Sanji along with him and keep them both safe. Either he was looking out for himself, or he was getting injured to protect Sanji; the two injuries he currently had were a testament to that.
Which meant he had no other choice than to continue with his original plan as fast as possible and get Sanji under protection from someone not corrupted. Even though he knew once this was all over, the chances of seeing Sanji again were slim; it was time to make good on his promise and get Sanji home, remove himself from the blond's life.
Huffing in frustration at the situation, he pushed himself out of the bed and stalked over to his bag. He removed one of the many guns provided by Johnny and Yosaku, sat down at the desk, and began slowly taking it apart and cleaning it. The gun was in practically pristine condition, but the methodical task numbed his mind enough to calm him, while at the same time helped him concentrate better on managing his whirling emotions.
By the time Sanji had finished his shower – emerging back into the room with a towel draped sinfully across his hips – Zoro still hadn't figured out a solution to getting them both out of this safely. Firmly keeping his gaze fixated on his hands as Sanji began changing behind him, he determined that the easiest course of action was getting Sanji somewhere safe and just keep his handicap a secret.
"Hey..."
Zoro fought a grimace as he could already tell from Sanji's tone that he wasn't going to like what the blond was going to goad him about in a moment. Pointedly keeping his gaze on the gun he was disassembling, he gave a small hum to show he heard the blond, "Hm?"
"Show me how you did that thing where you disarmed the guy with just your hands."
"No." Zoro replied simply, continuing to check over his gun.
"Why not?" Sanji goaded petulantly, and Zoro could tell from his tone alone that the man was not intending on giving up that easily. Finishing pulling on his shirt, he made his way over to the desk and loomed over Zoro's shoulder curiously while completely ignorant with how much his proximity caused Zoro's heart rate to sky rocket.
"It's not something you need to know." He grumbled out as calmly as he could, frowning a bit harder as he tried to maintain focus on the weapon in his hands. The slide jammed in his agitation, and he had to wrestle with it for a few moments before finally getting it free and setting it aside.
"Bullshit." Sanji snorted derisively, placing a hand on the desk as he leaned around and held up his other hand directly in front of Zoro's face, "I've had no less than five guns pulled on me since I've known you; you're telling me that being able to stop myself from getting shot isn't useful?"
Lowering the gun, Zoro levelled a gaze onto the blond with a hint of annoyance and rephrased, "It's not something I have the time to teach you."
"Really?" Sanji raised a brow, "Cause from where I'm standing it seems like we're just bored and hanging out in a hotel room. Unless you have a better idea to spend some time?"
"I can't teach you something that takes years of practice to get right." Zoro attempted once more at convincing the blond, turning back to the desk to dismiss the man, "You'll more likely get yourself shot than actually be able to do any good."
"Jeez." Sanji scoffed with a playful eye roll, turning to lean his rear against the desk while crossing his arms, tilting his head back at the ceiling and bemoaning, "It's like you don't even know what fun is."
Zoro felt his eye unconsciously twitch at the words. Knowing immediately that it was all part of Sanji's game to no doubt manipulate him into doing what he wanted, but unable to completely stop himself from getting riled at the comment. He glared astutely up at the man, as the blond just looked down with an expectant, yet confident smirk.
"Fine." Zoro finally grunted in defeat, forcing himself to stamp down his annoyance at the smugness plastered across the blond's face and focus more on the simple ecstatic nature of his smile.
Pushing himself up from the desk, he snatched up his other gun that was not in the middle of being disassembled and stalked in front of the other man. Keeping his eyes on Sanji as he removed the magazine, and cocked the gun to empty the barrel before looping his finger through the trigger guard and allowing the gun to swivel down. Offering the grip to Sanji, he said, "Try and pull it on me."
Sanji took the gun and Zoro found himself mildly impressed with how confidently the man handled it in comparison to the first time he had used one. It seemed all those summer evenings had actually taught the blond something, and maybe, if Zoro hadn't been so self absorbed in his own anxiety, he might've noticed sooner. After finishing adjusting his grip, Sanji looked up at Zoro and made a sound of confusion as the man's previous words sunk in, "Huh?"
"Try to shoot me." Zoro clarified with a slightly slower tone meant to mock the blond just a tad, smirking as the corner of the blond's mouth twitched and he moved to raise his right arm. Shoulder barely moving before Zoro's hands were on the gun and easily snapping it out of Sanji's hand and into his own, cocked and raised to the blond's forehead before he could even blink. "You pull it on me and I'll consider showing you."
"Wha-?" Sanji managed, still catching up on the events that had just occurred, before scowling at Zoro's smirk, holding out his hand, and snapping, "Alright, asshat; lemme try again."
Shrugging, Zoro handed the gun back to him.
Once again Sanji adjusted it in his grip with ease and this time Zoro found an entirely new sensation of interest spark in his chest. A kind of fiery excitement that he had never before attributed to someone who happened to be handling a weapon, dealing with this new found attraction with mild horror as Sanji obliviously turned his attention back to Zoro.
Completely unaware of Zoro's minute freak out as his eyes watched Zoro carefully, the blond seemed to be waiting for something. Zoro was beginning to grow bored with Sanji's lack of movement and blinked tiredly, hearing the fabric of Sanji's sleeve move as he reached out and by the time his eyes were open again he had already recovered the gun and had it back pointed at the blond.
"Fuck off." Sanji barked with a laugh, still obviously annoyed but allowing his childish awe over Zoro's abilities to show through ever-so-slightly. They tried several more times, each attempt as futile as the last with Zoro not even breaking a sweat as he allowed the blond several handicaps all to no avail.
"Give up." Zoro muttered in exasperation, once more taking the gun from the blond single-handedly as Sanji's frustration was beginning to become apparent, "You can't get the drop on me."
Holding out his hand firmly, Sanji ordered, "One more time."
Rolling his eyes, Zoro handed off the gun and watched once more as Sanji went through the steps of getting it fitted into his palm before looking up at Zoro. Only this time his shoulders dropped and his face went white, gun going lax in his hands as his gaze was fixed on the hotel door behind Zoro in horror. Jaw dropping as his breath came out in a short, startled huff of fear that had Zoro turning abruptly and reaching for the second gun on his hip.
Everything going to still as there was nothing behind him, door still closed and the room completely empty as Zoro turned back to the blond in confusion only to find the barrel of his gun trained firmly on his forehead. The metal centimetres away and practically kissing the skin, Sanji watched Zoro with a large grin plastered across his face. Zoro's brows furrowed at the blond as Sanji lowered the gun and guffawed.
"Really?!" Sanji mocked in disbelief, "The ol' 'Oh no, look out! Behind you!' trick?"
Zoro's jaw dropped softly as the realization set in that the other man had tricked him, and had technically gotten the drop on him. And with the gun that close there was very little Zoro could have done to disarm him as the odds of him pulling the trigger and decapitating him before he could get the gun angled elsewhere were very slim. There was also the sudden indignation that Sanji had used such a dirty trick to disarm him.
However, the genuine look of glee on the man's face stifled all annoyance at his motives as he simply couldn't find it in himself to be angry. He just stood there with a small smile of credulity on his face at the gall of the blond as he basked in the blinding grin on his handsome face. Sanji eventually offered the gun back to Zoro, still chipper as he crooned smugly, "That counts right?"
"Sure."
"Well," Sanji made a moue at the response as he was clearly hoping for a better reaction as he continued, "A deal's a deal; show me some stuff."
Zoro was severely tempted to remind the blond that he had only offered to consider it, but couldn't find it in himself to crush Sanji's excitement. Giving in with a sigh, "...alright."
Despite his reluctant tone, Zoro actually found himself a little pleased at the prospect of being able to work with the blond again. It had felt like ages since they had just hung out without the threat of death looming over their heads, and being able to do this made it feel like they were back at home – back at the field – where everything had been so much simpler.
For the better part of an hour Zoro went over different disarming techniques with Sanji, much to the blond's excitement. Picking up on the things Zoro was showing him far faster than was to be expected and remaining interested for much longer than he had assumed. By the time Zoro had him running through different scenarios he was actually impressed with how competent Sanji was at it.
Though it was clear Sanji was getting a tad too smug for such standard drills, and Zoro couldn't help but want to knock the man down a peg. Waiting for just the right moment. When Sanji disarmed the gun from his rather relaxed grip, making to flip it around , Zoro sprung into action. Blocking off the elbow, he twisted around, and forced Sanji's arm up until it had nowhere to go but directly towards his own chin.
"Damn..." Sanji gritted in muted frustration, scowling in annoyance over how easily Zoro had changed his tactics and gotten one over on him. But Zoro had become accustomed to a lot of Sanji's tells, and it was clear their was competitive fury still burning in his eyes. When Sanji made to get out of the hold, Zoro eased up just enough to see what Sanji was going to do.
Dropping the gun completely, Sanji snatched it out of the air with his free hand and turned into Zoro's hold until his back was up against Zoro's front. Despite having an arm in a painful lock around his own throat, but the position allowed Sanji to wrap his free arm around himself and thrust the gun into Zoro's ribs.
Eyebrows raising in surprise, Zoro remained frozen with Sanji in his arms as he was properly at a loss of words for what the blond had managed to do, seriously impressed, considering a few attempts ago the blond had been fumbling and dropping the damn gun. Zoro's surprise only lasted a few more moments until Sanji shifted and he was speechless for an entirely different reason. Zoro tried to get his bearings beyond the sensation of the entire length of Sanji's rigid form pressed fully against him, desperately trying to focus instead on Sanji's clever manoeuvre and the barrel of the gun currently digging into his hip. Keeping Sanji locked in place, he noted as politely as he could muster. "You're a quick study."
"You're not the worst teacher in the world." Sanji admitted begrudgingly, words a little stressed due to the uncomfortable position he was still stuck in.
"I meant what I said earlier," Zoro warned, "If anything goes wrong; don't try any of this. I don't need you shooting yourself."
"Promise." Sanji jeered, before prodding with a taunting voice, "So, how would you get out of this?"
Zoro scoffed, tightening the choke hold he had on Sanji by a fraction to remind the blond that he wasn't entirely in charge of the situation. Allowing his grip to slacken once more as he growled, "Easy."
Sanji sucked in a sharp breath, and Zoro could feel the entire motion against his front. Trying not to think perverse thoughts as Sanji stilled for several moments before murmuring carefully, "Show me."
Zoro smirked against Sanji's shoulder, a small huff of amusement the only warning he gave before he leapt into motion. Disarming Sanji's hold on the gun with expert swiftness and spinning the blond out of the choke hold while at the same time bringing him to the ground.
Sanji barely hit the ground before the gun was trained on the back of his head, and when Sanji rose to roll over he froze as he felt the metal press against the back of his skull. Dropping down into a crouch, Zoro rested a knee lightly on the blond's back to keep him somewhat pinned, "Gotcha."
"Alright..." Sanji muttered into the carpet somewhat petulantly, grunting heavily as he began shifting his weight from where Zoro was bearing down on him, "so what if I do this?"
In a swift movement Sanji was turning to knock Zoro's hand away with a perfectly timed snap of his arm and another twist on Zoro's wrist as the blond rolled out of reach. Zoro let it happen out of mild curiosity, finding himself being pinned face first into the floor a moment later with Sanji on top of him. A hand pressing firmly into his left shoulder as the other held his wrist in a vice grip, keeping it extended as Sanji held him just shy of an arm bar.
"What'd you think about that?"
"I think..." Zoro grumbled irritably, "that you should get off my injured shoulder."
"Shit!" In an instant Sanji's hands were retracting in horrified concern, giving Zoro all the opportunity he needed to turn over and snag the distracted paramedic. Flipping him over onto his back, Zoro used the momentum to roll on top of the blond, nab both his wrists, and pin him firmly to ground.
A smirk of amusement crooked the corner of his mouth while looming over the blond who stared up at Zoro with a look of utter betrayal on his face. Pushing the blond a little more firmly into the floor while chuckling, "I also think you shouldn't drop your guard so easily."
"Cheap shot." Sanji huffed breathlessly.
"That's for earlier." Zoro rebutted smugly, leering down as the other man had the grace to look significantly guilty over what Zoro was alluding to, grimace eventually transforming into a sheepish smile that had Zoro rolling his eyes at the man's hardly apologetic behaviour.
Sanji's lighthearted grin eventually faded as the reality of where they were and what they were doing slowly crept back. Blue eyes darting down - for only a moment - allowing Zoro to realize just how inappropriate this whole situation had become, how unacceptable his behaviour had been.
Hands retracting from Sanji's wrists with a horrified jerk, he pushed himself from Sanji as quickly as he could while averting his gaze, not wanting to see the awkward - or pitying look - he knew was probably reflected in the blond's eyes. He kneeled beside Sanji as the blond slowly pushed himself up, propping his body up with his hands braced behind him. "Zoro..."
Tone speaking volumes of what Sanji was about to bring up, Zoro panicked and immediately pushed himself to his feet. Not in the mood for this ridiculous pity-party of a conversation Sanji kept insisting on trying to have with him, especially whenever Zoro accidentally over-stepped his bounds. Stalking away, he left Sanji still sprawled on the floor as he grumbled, "I'm going to bed."
~X~
Another couple days on the road without incident brought them closer and closer to the Nepalese border. Higher and higher into the mountains the highway took them as the road sides became more barren and rock edifices cradled them through the rising hills. Towns become fewer and farther between as the deserted highway left them truly isolated.
Days were spent in relative silence with one driving and the other sleeping, casual conversation taking place in between. Zoro was beginning to learn far more about the other man than he had ever expected to. Things like his favourite foods and colours, what tea he preferred – black – which numbers were lucky, and what he feared. Each thing adding onto the multitudinous pile of things that already made him fond of the man (which also meant it was more he was going to have to learn to let go when they returned to Merryville).
As they were now, Sanji had messily tied his hair back in the afternoon heat and cracked the window to enjoy a cigarette while waxing on about cooking with his uncle. Summer holidays spent in the back of his restaurant, learning to cook, and getting some proper manners bestowed upon him, chuckling over his bratty behaviour with a tender smile while staring distantly out the window.
A sign noting that they were soon going to reach the highest point on the highway piqued Zoro's attention as his gaze shifted to the blond. Gaze ever turned toward the view out his window in a relaxed wonder, but a slightly bored expression clear on his face from the hours spent trapped in the vehicle.
Easing up on the gas, Sanji's attention sparked out of his daze as he turned to watch questioningly. Zoro slowed the car as they neared the pull out, rolling to a stop before cutting the engine and removed his seat belt.
"What are we doing here?"
"Ditching you." Zoro replied flatly.
"Ha. Ha." Sanji grunted flatly, "Really?"
"A break." Zoro explained honestly with an innocent shrug, choosing to leave out the fact that it was a pitiful excuse on his part to spend even a few more moments with the blond. Even though they were still hours from crossing the border, he still had a suspicion that once he got Sanji to safety then everything would change, "Stretch our legs."
Sanji seemed honestly perplexed, but nonetheless followed Zoro's lead out of the car, both of them immediately caught up in the wind that gusted across the mountain top. Attempting to light a cigarette before giving up, Sanji sauntered over to the large boulder at the pull out area, Zoro only a few steps behind.
"What's it say?" Sanji asked.
"Highest point in the highway."
Nodding softly in understanding, Sanji's lips pursed in clear contemplation as he began walking towards the edge of the lookout. Zoro following shortly after as the blond came to a stop just a few feet from where the gravel of the parking area melded into the grassy knoll of the cliff, watching curiously as Sanji stood for several moments just staring out at the view in silent appreciation.
Zoro did the same as the summer sunset cast a glorious glow on the valley far below, highlighting trees and rock faces in a spectacular array of brilliant oranges and soft yellows. The sight a breathtaking view; reminding him of the lakes, mountains, and fields of home that he had never expected he would miss.
Glancing out of the corner of his eyes at the blond, his hands clenched in his pockets at the usual rush he would never get used to feeling upon seeing the man with his guard down. He remained curiously silent as Sanji cast a glance around to ascertain there was no one else around before turning back to the valley, arms raised with a sharp inhale before yelling suddenly.
"WOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Sanji bellowed the exuberant cry with a long, drawn out wail, a smile on his face and excitement in his eyes. Zoro's heart ached at the sight, Sanji's voice echoing through him as he tried desperately to remind himself that this man wasn't his to have, that smile wasn't for him, and those eyes were never going to look at him the way he wanted.
Cry finally trailing off, Sanji's shoulders sagged and his arms fell to his sides, turning to look at Zoro expectantly with a childish grin still plastered on his lips. Zoro just watched the blond as the smile finally faded until he was just calmly looking at Zoro, eyes darting towards the valley with a short incline of his head in invitation.
A reluctant sigh heaved from Zoro's shoulders as he took a step forward until he stood on the edge of the cliff top with Sanji, the valley stretching out below them with intense beauty. A wave of vertigo hitting him despite the distance he still maintained from the mountain's edge, the head rush an exhilarating spike of adrenaline as he raised his hand.
Coughing into his fist with a grumble, he cleared his throat as best he could before tossing his head back, spreading his arms wide and howled as loud as his lungs could handle. Fists clenching as the wind rustled his clothes and hair in a dishevelled mess, and the valley echoed with the sounds of his Tarzan cry.
"AAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
Shoulders sagging when he eventually ran out of breath, his arms slowly lowered to his sides and his fists unclenched as he turned to look at Sanji with a stupid grin still plastered across his face. Sanji was still smiling too, however it was overshadowed by the look of sincere surprise and misplaced fondness.
Zoro made a facial jerk as though to question the blond.
An incredulous laugh tore out of Sanji, splitting his face as he giggled ridiculously for several moments, crinkled eyes never leaving Zoro's before finally responding seriously, "Impressive."
"Thanks." Zoro inclined his head, mimicking Sanji's mock seriousness while a smile of his own was unable to be kept from his lips. Turning his gaze back out towards the valley as a comfortable silence fell between the two men, they spent the next several minutes simply remaining in each others company while the last few rays of daylight illuminated the vision before them.
Although it seemed as though Sanji had warmed up to him drastically over the past couple days, and he had admitted that a lot of what he had said back in Merryville had been due to shock, maybe once this was all over, Sanji wouldn't want to completely cut him from his life. Maybe he'd be okay with letting Zoro be in it despite his feelings for the blond, maybe it wasn't all for naught.
TBC...
