Author's Note: So it was after I published the chapter and checked the site that it told me I had reached over 200 thousand words and I nearly died. Granted, a lot of it is from author notes, but still ... Anyway, I've got chapter 31 written as well, but chapter 32 is pissing me off. Also, some info, I have at least 40 chapters imagined with plots in them but after that I'm drawing a blank. I can't figure out where this story will end. I think I'm one of those few people who are writing a story where the reviewers haven't killed me since I've written 200 thousand words without any sex despite the M rating (unless you count rape and that scene still leaves a bitter taste in my mouth ...) Okay, so I don't own One Piece or Rurouni Kenshin (I just like to watch it, I'm trying to find the live-action movie with English subs, but it keeps stopping and starting so uh yeah, that's pissing me off). The grammar of these lyrics written-wise are killing me, but I'll suffer anyway because I really do love this song. Another thing to note, there are some things in here you might not understand. One, the term kare-shirt. I read it from Love Stage ! ! It's the erotic sight of seeing a girl in her boyfriend's shirt. Aishiteru is different from daisuki and suki. Suki and daisuki both mean a form of "like", saying "I like you" or "I really like you". However in the case of "Aishiteru" it means "I'm in love with you". I've been told that this is a phrase that's rarely used by anyone because t's very personal and such. Therefore, someone saying this, it means a lot and I swear, every time I watch an anime and someone says they like someone I read the subs and then rewind and I'm like, "Did they say like or love?". I read a manga call Count 10 (well, I'm reading, I'm not done but I'm close but it's still going on, I think my manga app's weird) and for some reason, I really think I might write a fanfiction for Zoro and Sanji based off that manga ... Once I get some complexities figured out. I'm not a big fan of stories that just replace characters with other ones and keep the story line the exact same to the last detail (reading Titanic stories, I read one for Harry Potter and nothing changed at all from the film) so I would be changing it up. If you're interested, let me know. I already have another One Piece story I want to write, along with 2 Naruto stories, but the details haven't been figured out yet.


Beautiful Disaster
By: Setkia


Full Summary

Sanji is the assistant cook of the world-renowned restaurant, the Baratie, the only restaurant like it in the world. He's a successful chef and flirts with the customers every chance he can get but there's a problem. It's all a facade. The cooks give a new meaning to the word "abusive", both mental and physical. The only thing keeping Sanji alive is his love for cooking and a good ol' pack of cigarettes.

Zoro Roronoa is a swordsman who suddenly has more change in his pocket than he expected and enters the Baratie by recommendation. His waiter happens to be a curly browed man with an adoration for cigarettes. An attempt speak to the head chef goes horribly wrong and he gets sucked into the crumbling world of the chef's, wondering how he can possibly save him and better yet, why does he want to save him in the first place?


WARNINGS for this chapter of Beautiful Disaster:

There's a bit of hotness


Chapter 30: Say I Love You

There's only
ONE thing (one)
TWO do (two)
THREE words (three)
FOUR you... (four)
(I love you) I love you
There's only
ONE way (one)
TWO say (two)
Those THREE words (three)
And that's what I'll do... (four)
(I love you) I love you- The Plain White Ts, 1234


As of today, I am officially dating a younger man. Heh. I wonder what Zoro thinks of that. He's probably not happy, knowing him.

Sanji smirked, staring the ceiling of the guest bedroom. Living with Zoro … He honestly hadn't expected it to last this long. He had thought that the swordsman would take him in for perhaps two months at most and then send him on his way with a pat on the back and maybe, if he was lucky, a couple of yen. But two months had come and gone and now he was on the fifth month, he believed. Something like that.

He remembered waking up in what he later found out was Zoro's room and of course, that awful mixture of gunk that somehow passed as food in Zoro's eyes. Six months of knowing him, at least. He had spent the better part of the first half thinking he was an utter asshole, while he had spent the more recent months wondering what he had done to deserve him.

When Sanji had imagined getting into his first ever serious relationship, he really hadn't pictured this. He hadn't pictured days of sparring, people wearing straw hats demanding meat, gambling addicted redheads or liars who could put Pinocchio to shame. He hadn't imagined that the first person he'd kiss would be a man, never mind a man like Zoro. He had never imagined that he'd have left the Baratie, or that he'd stop cutting.

While he hadn't been expecting this outcome which he was beyond elected about, he didn't like the circumstances and the events that had caused this to happen. Of course, he didn't regret them, but he would've been just as happy had they not happened. But then again, who was to say he'd have even met Zoro and gotten to know him the way he did now if he hadn't?

The most surprising thing about this entire situation to the newly turned twenty-four year old wasn't that his lover —fuck, boyfriend (that flower shop person was rubbing off on him) was well, not a girlfriend. It wasn't that in order to get here, he'd have needed to be abducted. In fact, he wasn't sure when it was but, but eventually he began to look at the kidnapping as one of the greatest things that had ever happened to him. It wasn't that he was now earning himself money via fighting against his idiot boyfriend, or that his boyfriend had green hair. Natural green hair. Perhaps these things may have worried a normal person, would make them rethink their situation, but not for Sanji. No, rather, it was one thing that was nagging at him and it was about what he wanted for his birthday.

Most of the time on his birthday, he didn't hope for much. Maybe a little less shoving in the kitchen, maybe a chance to sneak away and buy himself new cigarettes. The concept of even daring to ask for a birthday cake was out of the question. He had been living without much, so he didn't expect much. But there was one thing he wanted for his birthday and it wasn't even materialistic. No, it was something from the swordsman.

Sanji shut his eyes tightly and sighed, his chest tightening at the thought.

I want Zoro to tell me he loves me.

The idea was just plain unfair, he knew that. Sanji wasn't even sure if he loved the swordsman and he wasn't going to say something he didn't mean, he had never been one of those guys and he liked to think he'd never be. But to hear Zoro tell him … He'd like for it to happen. He sat up in his bed and lit a new cigarette.

You're fucking spoiled, aren't you? he mused to himself. You have an amazing boyfriend who made Christmas more than just bearable and treated you out on a holiday he admitted to hating. You know he's out of your league, don't you?

Sanji tried his hardest not to grit his teeth at that thought. He knew. He knew and maybe that was part of the reason why he wanted to hear the swordsman tell him he loved him.

Zoro was like Sanji, he didn't often say things he didn't mean and that would mean that if he told Sanji he loved him, it would be real. It would stop the large bubble of insecurity that just kept inflating each and every time he looked at him. Though that strange voice was gone, it didn't mean he didn't still feel self-conscious.

"Sanji?"

"Yeah?" Sanji called to Zoro. He wondered why his voice sounded so close when there was a soft knock on the door.

"Can I come in?" asked Zoro.

Sanji's brow furrowed. "Why not?"

Zoro walked in and Sanji was in for quite a surprise.

Zoro stood before Sanji trying to balance a tray in his hands. The tray was filled with an assortment of things, from fruit salad to oatmeal. It was a pretty standard breakfast, didn't contain all the nutrients that half of Sanji's meals provided, but it made the blond smile nonetheless. There was a glass of milk that seemed to be what was troubling the swordsman very much as he tried not to make it spill.

"You can balance swords, but not a tray?" Sanji teased.

"Shut up," Zoro muttered. "I had to get up really early to make this," Zoro told him in a slightly snappish voice. "And then I had to call the witch and ask for instructions."

"You went to Nami? And don't call her a witch," Sanji said, frowning slightly.

"No. First I went to the Internet because I didn't want to talk to her and besides, no one besides you is up at this ungodly hour," he added. "Um, I tried to make eggs, but uh, that didn't go so well …" Zoro was blushing. He turned his head away, as though trying to hide it but it was there, across his tanned cheeks.

"So that's the strange smell …"

"Hey!"

"I'm just teasing," Sanji assured him. "So what's the occasion?"

"It's your birthday," Zoro said in a soft voice. "So I figured …"

"Breakfast in bed?" Sanji let out a light laugh. "I know what day it is, I just wanted to make sure you knew."

"Like I'd forget," Zoro muttered.

"That's sweet," Sanji teased. "So are you going to give me my miniature feast?"

Zoro shook his head. "I can take it back and we could go out, I know I'm not good at cooking," he said. "I think it's kind of an insult to feed a cook as good as you food that's crappier than some American pop music. I can just—"

"No," Sanji said. "I want it."

Zoro blushed.

"The only reason you're blushing so much is because you think you're embarrassing yourself."

"Aren't I?"

Sanji shook his head. "Come on, eat with me."

Zoro took the tray off the table and slowly sat on the edge of Sanji's bed. He placed the tray on Sanji's lap and then proceeded to twiddle with his thumbs.

"Could you get me a shirt?" Sanji asked, suddenly realizing he was bare-chested. "It's um, kind of cold in here."

Zoro shook his head. "No it isn't."

Sanji turned his head away. "Zoro, please," he said quietly. "I'm cold," he lied.

He expected Zoro to get up and go over to his closet, asking him if he wanted pinstripes or just a plain dress shirt. Instead, the bed shifted slightly, but not because the man had stood up. Instead, the bed shifted as Zoro shifted his weight, leaning over the edge of the bed as he took off his shirt.

"W-what are you doing?!" Sanji demanded, his voice rising to a rather feminine and unmanly octave (not that he'd ever admit it).

"I'm giving you a shirt," Zoro said with a shrug. He threw the grey shirt over to Sanji and in shock, Sanji still managed to catch it.

"B-but now you're …" Sanji trailed off.

"Shirtless, I know," Zoro said with a grin. "It's fine." He took a bagel from the tray and took a bite out of it. "I think I put too much cream cheese … Fuck, I should've asked how you like it, shouldn't I have? Baka," he muttered to himself.

"It's fine," Sanji said, slipping Zoro's shirt over his head.

The shirt was a bit big on him, but it was comfortable and smelled like Zoro. The familiar scent of steel, mint and Zoro filling his senses. He took the glass of milk, wondering if Zoro could see how his hands were shaking as he brought it up to his lips.

Zoro turned away from him, blushing.

"What?"

"Nothing," Zoro muttered. "Just … I've never experienced kare-shirt like this before …"

Sanji gaped at him.

He … he thinks I look good in his shirt?

No, Sanji, you idiot, he thinks you look erotic in his shirt!

And then Sanji remembered exactly what kare-shirt was. "I'm not a girl!"

"I know you're not," Zoro said, rolling his eyes.

"Are you going to stare at my blazer during all of breakfast?" Sanji asked, raising an eyebrow at him. "Or are we actually going to engage in normal conversation?"

Zoro let out a grunt. "Just give me a minute …"

Sanji shook his head and dipped his spoon in the oatmeal. It was a little watery, but otherwise it was fine. "So what are we going to do today?"

"Anything you want," Zoro said with a shrug, slowly turning back around. He seemed to be trying to breathe like a normal person, but he was having difficulty. "Unlike some people, I'm not going to distract them with word games all day."

"And if I just want to play a word game all day?"

Zoro bit the inside of his cheek. "I suppose we could do that, if you want to …" He trailed off. "How's the food?"

"Not bad," Sanji said with a shrug.

"There's no need to be nice," Zoro said. "I know I'm not good at this."

"Then I suppose it's a good thing you have me, isn't it?" he teased. "Come on Marimo, I'm not going to bite. You can come closer."

Zoro shook his head. "I'm good."

"Get your fucking ass next to me now or else I'm throwing this oatmeal at you."

Zoro quickly moved himself around the bed until he was lying next to Sanji, his feet hanging off the side of the bed. He put his arms behind his head in an attempt to get more comfortable but with the small space of the bed, it was pretty hard. It was funny, Sanji considered Zoro to be tall, but not to a giant and yet in this small bed, that was the impression he was getting.

"Shut up, it was your idea," Zoro told him with a huff.

"We kinda look like a married couple, don't we?" Sanji asked. "Like a husband treating his wife on Mother's Day or something."

"Are you saying we'd have kids?" Zoro asked. "I didn't know I worked so fast."

It was at that moment that Sanji froze. "I just referred myself as a woman, didn't I?"

Zoro smirked. "I was wondering when you'd notice."

Sanji kicked him, the covers over his legs softening the blow, but since Zoro was lying in such a strange position it didn't take much for him to fall off the bed.

"Fuck, that hurt!" Zoro complained, sitting up on the floor. He sighed and rubbed his head. "I think I'm in an abusive relationship. Should I call and report domestic violence?"

"Oh yes, I'm so cruel to you," Sanji said, rolling his eyes.

"Come here," Zoro said, waving a finger at him. "I need to get even."

Sanji moved a bit farther from the edge of the bed where Zoro was. "If you hadn't told me that I might've come."

"Shit, my plan's been ruined, hasn't it?" Zoro teased. He stood up and took the tray off Sanji's bed, just as the man was about to take another spoonful of the oatmeal. He put it on Sanji's desk, smirking. "You have the list here?"

"Yeah," Sanji said softly. "But I was eating," he changed the topic, feeling a blush on his cheeks. It was a hot in here, wasn't it?

"Do you remember number nine?"

"You didn't number them, Marimo, remember?"

Zoro's smirk could be felt, despite the fact that his back was to Sanji. "I didn't want you to think that all of your traits were so few in number that they made a list. Giving you a list of reasons with numbers, that gives you a limited number of compliments, doesn't it? Besides, I think I'm going to add another on there."

"Oh yeah?"

"So? Do you remember it?" Zoro asked.

"Remember what?"

"Number nine."

"Yes," he said softly. Zoro didn't have to know he had practically memorized the list of reasons down to the last coma. "The way you bite your lip." As he spoke, he gnawed at his bottom lip.

"That's right."

"Can I have my food now?" Sanji asked. His throat was dry and while watery oatmeal wasn't the greatest thing, it helped quench his thirst at the moment.

"If I did," Zoro said softly, turning around and getting back on the bed. "I wouldn't be able to do this."

And then he kissed him.

Well, fuck oatmeal, Zoro's mouth was so much hotter.

Sanji gripped the swordsman who towered over him, pulling him closer. His heart was racing, his breath caught in his throat as he ran his fingers through Zoro's hair. He could feel Zoro brushing his hand against Sanji's cheek and the older man felt like melting into his touch. Zoro's kisses were always hot, no matter how they were delivered, always made him feel lightheaded. The fact that his hands could now roam across his bare skin was amazing, he could feel the scars underneath his palms, the rough texture and the outline of his abs.

With a light push on Zoro's chest, he gasped, trying to catch his breath.

"Good point," he said in a hoarse voice.

Zoro was looking at him with eyes that seemed to hold so much, speaking volumes without a single word coming out of his lips. They parted slowly and he took a deep breath, as though trying to prepare himself for what he wanted to say. "Sanji …" His voice was soft and Sanji found that he loved the way the green-haired man said his name. "I …" Zoro licked his lips, Sanji watching his tongue as it traced over them and instinctively, he copied the movement. "I—"

DING! DONG! DING! DONG!

"Fuckers," Zoro muttered. He pushed himself off the bed and left the room to answer the door.

Sanji let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. God his chest felt tight … He needed a smoke.

Taking out his pack, he lit one up and breathed it in.

That look in Zoro's eyes … it haunted him. What had he been about to say? He had looked so anxious, so … scared and yet at the same time, he had looked like there was nothing more he wanted to do than tell Sanji what was on his mind, even if the words wouldn't come out.

"Sanji!" That was Luffy. It was early, what was he doing at their apartment? "Can you make me some meat? Nami says we're out of bacon!"

With a sigh, Sanji left his room and entered the living room to see Luffy wearing a big grin on his face. "So that's where Zoro's shirt went!" He grinned and turned to Zoro. "You know, you have that sex glow again."

"I didn't have sex," Zoro said in an annoyed tone. "Sanji, make the man bacon so he can get the fuck out of here."

Sanji complied, laughing all the while during the time Zoro yelled at Luffy rather loudly that he hadn't "gotten laid to the point where he could be a skin model". Sanji remembered hearing once that sex was good for your skin. He laughed lightly and turned the bacon over. "It'll be ready soon," he told Luffy. "It's like, almost eight, what are you doing up?" he asked the straw hat.

"I always get up early," said Luffy with a big grin.

"I thought you were like Zoro, sleeping in until it's practically night again."

"No, I get up early," Luffy replied. "But I take a few naps …"

"At your age?"

"Nap time was the greatest thing about school," Luffy said fondly. "But anyway, what's up? Why's Zoro up?"

Zoro whispered in Luffy's ear and the dark haired man's eyes widened. "It's your birthday?!"

Sanji nodded. "Yeah, it's no big deal though," he said hastily, taking the bacon out of the pan and slipping it onto a plate. "You sure you don't want anything else? I don't mind making more than bacon."

"Now I feel bad," Luffy said with a small frown. "It's your birthday and I made you cook for me …"

Sanji took a piece of bacon off the plate. Bacon was too greasy in his opinion, but he ate it anyway. "There. Now I've cooked for myself as well." He tried not to cringe as the horribly oily piece of meat went down his throat.

"Hey! Don't touch my bacon!" Luffy said, pulling the plate away from him.

Sanji gave him a strange look.

Luffy picked up the plate and waved at the two. "I should go, shouldn't I?"

"Why?" asked Sanji, wondering whether or not he really wanted an answer.

"Well, since it's Sanji's birthday and all," Luffy said slowly, "you're going to spend the day in bed, right?"

"WHAT?!" both he and Zoro demanded, their voices cracking.

Luffy laughed loudly. "I'll leave you to it, okay? Just remember to be safe!"

With that, he left the apartment, shutting the door with a loud SLAM!

Sanji and Zoro stood dumbfounded for a few seconds.

Finally, Sanji managed to speak. "He … he thinks I'm going to spend my birthday being fucked by you?"

Zoro shook his head, a disgusted look on his face and though Sanji wasn't planning on having sex with the Marimo for quite some time, he felt a little disappointed. Was the idea of fucking him so bad? He remembered how Zoro could get hard just from kissing him. Surely, he wasn't repulsed by Sanji … was he?

"I can't believe that guy!" Zoro said in a huff.

"Yeah, I know, right?" Sanji let out a nervous laugh. "The audacity …"

"I know! How dare he think I've got some STD?!"

Sanji blinked.

"What? Did I say something wrong?"

Sanji blinked again. "No," he said finally. "But … that's what you're focusing on?"

Zoro stared at him strangely. "Was there something else I should've been focusing on?"

"Well, I mean …" Sanji rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't know …"

Zoro rolled his eyes. "If I'm not clean, I don't know what I am," Zoro said. "I haven't done it in so long, unless there's some incubus or something fucking me in my sleep." He paused, looking at Sanji out of the corner of his eye before his brow furrowed in concern. "Did you … Did you think I was talking about …" He trailed off.

"No," Sanji muttered, turning his head away.

"Sanji."

Zoro's voice was soft, standing in front of the blond. He was holding him by his shoulders, letting his fingers trace random patterns over his shoulder-blades. He leaned closer, whispering in Sanji's ear. "Did I ever tell you how fuckable you look in my shirt?"

Sanji's breath hitched as Zoro licked his ear, taking his earlobe into his mouth before letting it go. Sanji didn't have an ear fetish, not at all, but the only sound he seemed to be able to hear in the entire room was the sound of their combined breathing and the soft swaying sound Zoro's three hoops seemed to make. Oh fuck, he was starting to get hard, wasn't he?

"N-no," Sanji said in a soft voice.

"I could just fuck you right now," Zoro said, "you've got me so hard. Do you know what you do to me, Sanji?" he asked, his hot breath sending shivers down Sanji's spine. His chest tightened as Zoro whispered dirty words to him and he realized maybe Zoro had a kink for dirty talk, and maybe Sanji had it too. "My cock's so hard right now for you …" He pressed his body a little harder against him. "Can you feel it?"

Sanji hissed, the friction making his head spin. "Fuck," he gasped, feeling his breathing increase.

"Sounds good to me," Zoro whispered, moving from Sanji's ear to his neck, licking gently at the skin, sucking slightly. "Number eleven, do you remember it?"

"Skin," Sanji muttered. "You l-like my skin."

"No, you're wrong," Zoro told him softly. "I love your skin."

Zoro pushed against Sanji and the two backed up until the back of Sanji's knees hit the sofa and he fell into a sitting position. Zoro fell to his knees and ran his lips up and down the valley of Sanji's neck, making the blond moan, trying to keep himself quiet, but it was getting harder the more Zoro sucked, his hands moving from Sanji's neck lower into the dip of the too big shirt.

Sanji let out a gasp, gripping Zoro's hair tightly. "Z-Zoro," he choked out in a raspy voice.

"Twenty-three," Zoro muttered.

"My voice …"

"Thirty-four," Zoro said.

"T-there— ha! Oh fuck! T-there isn't a thirty-fourth," Sanji tried to speak when Zoro bit him, nibbling on his neck.

"There is now," Zoro said. "The way you say my name. Number nineteen, do you remember it?" he asked as his other hand went underneath the shirt and gently ran over Sanji's stomach. Sanji sucked in a breath, but when Zoro bit his collarbone, he let out a sigh, forcing himself to release his intake of breath. "Do you remember?" he repeated.

"My … my sensitivity."

Sanji pulled at Zoro's hair, trying to detach him from his neck. He brought the Marimo to face him, pressing his lips against his. Perhaps it was the teasing, the wait that made him feel this high, this needy as he pulled the swordsman closer to him. Leaning down to meet Zoro who stayed on his knees, kissing him back with as much ferocity as ever.

For some reason, this kiss, it felt like it was more intimate than the act of sex would be. Zoro was pouring everything into it, he could practically feel his emotions as he pulled at Sanji's hair gently, as though trying to mould them together. Passion, want, desire and … there was something Sanji couldn't name, couldn't name because he had never felt it before.

Zoro's hand wandered further up Sanji's chest underneath the shirt, the fabric bunching up the more Zoro went. As he kissed Sanji, his hand seemed to explore Sanji's body, trying to memorize it. Sanji let out a moan into the swordsman's mouth when his breath suddenly hitched.

Zoro pinched his nipple lightly. It hardened even more as he let his thumb brush over it slowly, ghosting over it. "Sensitive indeed," he mumbled.

Sanji's back seemed to arch as Zoro left his lips to go to his neck again. "Number thirty-five; your neck. God …"

Sanji was having trouble breathing, the way Zoro was sucking on his neck, surely there'd be a hickey. He'd be marked … Marked as Zoro's. He hated people who were overly-possessive, but he wouldn't mind all that much if Zoro owned him. Not if he could own Zoro too. His breathing quickened, his chest tightening.

Zoro froze. "Sanji," he said, pulling away, his hand slowly falling from Sanji's chest, "Sanji, can you breathe?" he asked softly.

"Ahou, why couldn't I?" Sanji asked. He wanted Zoro's touch back, he wanted the heat. He hated feeling this needy, but his head was spinning and the world seemed unsteady and he needed Zoro to stabilize himself. He needed Zoro to touch him, to feel his callused, rough swordsman hands on him …

Zoro took Sanji's chin in his hand and made him look at him. "Sanji, copy me, okay?"

Sanji was confused, his lungs constricting as Zoro slowly breathed in through his nose and held it for a few seconds before breathing out through his mouth. "Sanji, your gaze is getting glassy, look at me," he said. "Focus on me, just me."

Sanji did and slowly, he began to copy him. He wasn't sure why, but there was something calming about matching his breaths with Zoro's, inhaling as Zoro inhaled, exhaling as Zoro did. It was at that moment that he heard it. The sound that made Zoro get that worried crease in his forehead. Sanji's breath … it was coming out like a wheeze.

He froze the moment he realized it and his throat seemed to choke up on him. "W-what's …" He trailed off and coughed.

"Don't talk," Zoro said, "Don't talk," he repeated. "I'm going to ask you question and you're going to nod or shake your head. Does your chest hurt?"

"A little—"

Zoro covered his mouth with his hand and shook his head. "Don't talk," he said again. "Shake your head or nod. Does your chest hurt?"

Sanji nodded.

"Breathe for me," Zoro said. "Just take a deep breath."

Sanji wanted to ask since when was Zoro a doctor, but did as he was told, taking a deep breath and then letting it out.

"Does your chest still hurt?"

It hurt less, not as much. He could ignore it completely. He shook his head.

"Good …" Zoro stood up and pulled Sanji up as well. "Get dressed, I'm going to take you out."

"Partys?"

"No," Zoro shook his head. "Nah, not now. How about we go see a movie? Is there anything you want to see right now?"

"Depends. Am I allowed to talk?" Sanji shot back. The pain was gone, he could breathe again. Why Zoro was making such a big deal out of it was beyond him.

"Yeah, sure," said Zoro distractedly. "What do you want to see?"

"Rurouni Kenshin, there's the last movie out," Sanji said.

"Okay," Zoro agreed. "Get dressed, I'll check the papers for the times."

Sanji nodded. He was about to leave to change, as Zoro requested, when he paused. "Are you okay?" he asked Zoro.

"Fine," Zoro replied. But he wouldn't look at him.


"Two for Rurouni Kensin: The Legend Ends," said Zoro to the woman behind the counter. "You want popcorn?" he asked Sanji.

"Sure."

"Anything on it?"

"Butter," Sanji decided, taking out a cigarette.

"Excuse me sir," said the woman at the counter, "smoking isn't allowed here."

Sanji sighed and put out his cigarette with a sigh. "Whatever."

"I'll get us one big one, okay?" Zoro asked.

"If you eat it all during the trailers, I'm kicking your ass," Sanji warned.

Zoro smirked. "Wouldn't dream of it."

"Theatre five," the woman said, handing Zoro two tickets. "Please enjoy the movie."

Zoro turned to Sanji. "We have fifteen minutes before it starts. You wanna go in first?"

"Nah," Sanji said. "I think I'm going to go outside. I need a smoke."

"They're cancer sticks you know," Zoro said with a sigh. "Fine. Just don't be late."

"Good luck finding the room, Marimo," Sanji teased.

With that, he left the cinema to stand outside. He lit up another cigar, smiling to himself as he stared at the engraving from Zoro. He slipped it back into his pocket before putting the cigarette to his lips.

Inhaling slowly, Sanji let it fill him when he stopped. He pulled the cigarette out and coughing into his sleeve. Was it allergies? It was that time of year after all. He hadn't coughed on a cigarette since maybe a month after he started. He tuned the cigarette over in between his fingers. It was still cold, snow was still on the ground, but nothing new seemed to be going to fall any time soon. It was cold enough to see his breath and it was around March, Sanji found, that you could really watch the seasons change.

He hadn't people watched in a while, he realized, watching as a man and his daughter entered the theatre, hand in hand. There was a couple approaching the entrance, their hands swinging between each other, the boy blushing from the cold or the close proximity to his girlfriend, Sanji didn't know.

He brought the cigarette back to his lips and sucked in a breath. It irritated his throat, he found.

Strange. Has it ever done that before?

It scratched at his esophagus, burned a little, nothing he wasn't used to, but the urge to cough again rose up in his throat. He pushed it down, causing him to let out a few choking sounds. Whatever, it wasn't like it was all that important. Maybe the cigarette was old, it was a pretty ancient pack … He shrugged and put away his cigars, reentering the cinema.

The first thing he spotted was a tall green-haired man looking both left and right, holding a large bag of popcorn and two sodas.

Sanji rolled his eyes and approached him. "Come on, we'll be late."

"It's not my fault theatre five is hidden," Zoro muttered under his breath.

Sanji decided not to mention that each theatre had their number written over their doors in neon lights. "It's upstairs," he said, rolling his eyes. "Come on, Marimo."

It was the first time Sanji could say he didn't feel a shred of embarrassment as he pulled Zoro by his hand up the stairs. There were some people staring at them, but Sanji gave them no notice, the only thing he was focused on was how good it felt to have Zoro grip his hand even tighter, even if it made him look like a lost kid on a school trip.

They entered the theatre and fell into seats in the back.

"You know, this is where people who want to mess around sit," Zoro whispered in Sanji's ear as the lights dimmed and the trailers began.

"Oh really?" Sanji asked with a smirk.

Zoro gently nibbled at his ear. He could see the smirk, even in the darkness. "Want to?"

"To what? Mess around?" Sanji asked in a teasing voice.

"Amongst other things …"

"You're such a pervert," he accused, but he couldn't help smiling.

"Sanji …"

There was that tone again. The one that made Sanji feel as though Zoro was about to tell him something really important. Something that could alter the course of their relationship completely.

Sanji sucked in a breath, waiting.

Could he …?

"I …" Zoro was silent for a moment. "I wanted to tell you that …"

Don't rush him, it's not his fault he's so slow at this. Calm down, fuck, Sanji, it might not be what you think.

"Yes?" Sanji pressed anyway, feeling his heart race.

"See, I really want you to know that I …" He could imagine Zoro biting his lip slowly, licking his lips. "Ai-aish—"

"The movie's starting," someone in front of them hissed, silencing both Zoro and Sanji.

Sanji really wanted to kick the guy in the head. He waited for a moment before whispering, "What was it?"

"Nothing," Zoro said quietly. "It wasn't important."

Correction: Sanji really wanted to kill the guy in front of him. A kick would never suffice.


"So?"

"So what?" Zoro asked.

Sanji stared at the swordsman expectantly. They were at Luffy's now. The straw hat had decided that since it was Sanji's birthday, they ought to throw a party. He was pretty sure that Luffy just wanted to eat more cake, but whatever. Nami, Usopp and Luffy had each given him a gift, sort of rushed, but much appreciated. Zoro on the other hand, had known about his birthday for a while. Surely he had gotten him something, right?

"My present?" Sanji pressed.

"God you're so needy," Zoro said, rolling his eyes. "I'll go get it."

Zoro got up and left in search of his gift when Nami slid into the seat Zoro had just occupied. "So?"

"So what?"

"Zoro's glowing," Nami said. "It's a sex glow and now that I look at you a little closer, you have perfect skin."

Sanji rolled his eyes. "Moisturizer," he told her. "Works wonders." He shook his head. "Whatever you're thinking, you're wrong. I haven't slept with him, he hasn't slept with me, there has been no sex."

Nami sighed and crossed her arms. "You're no fun!"

Zoro came back and gave Nami a look. "Move away," he told her.

"Possessive much?" she teased.

"I know my boyfriend's hot, but you've already got one," Zoro said.

"Aw, but Zoro—"

"Move. Now."

Nami moved, a stupid grin on her face all the while.

Zoro placed the bag in front of Sanji. "I can't wrap things, as you know so I kinda just …" He trailed off.

"Shoved it into a bag with tissue paper and hoped for the best?" Sanji finished.

"The damn woman at the store did it, okay? She said I wasn't doing it right anyway. All you need to do is stuff the shit inside, right? But apparently that's worng so …" He blushed. "Look, just open it, okay?"

Sanji grinned.

Reaching into the bag, he held onto a thick … book? He slowly pulled the volume out and immediately, his eyes widened. "This is …"

"A fucking fortune, I know," Zoro muttered. "You better be damned grateful, Curly Brow," Zoro told him.

In Sanji's lap was a giant book. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare.

"Oh my God, Zoro, how did you find this?" Sanji asked, staring at it open mouthed.

"I knew you told me once you had memorized all of his stuff, but I mean, doesn't hurt to have it, right?" Zoro asked, scratching the back of his neck sheepishly.

"I can't believe you did this Zoro," said Nami. She frowned. "I'm expecting an amazing birthday present this year, Roronoa."

Sanji smiled. "I love it," he declared. "Thank you Zoro, thank you so much!" He wrapped his arms around the swordsman, pulling him closer into a tight hug before pulling back and giving him a quick kiss. "You're fucking amazing Zoro, did you know that?"

"Nope, but it's good to know," he said with a grin, giving Sanji a quick kiss.

The party went on, cake was eaten, sake was given out (Zoro refused it) and Sanji smoked a few more cigars. Of course, doing so each time he had to hold in his urge to resist coughing and he couldn't figure out why that was. He was standing outside with a newly lit cigarette in hand when Zoro found him. He didn't want the others to know that for some reason, smoking was becoming harder for him.

"Hey," said Zoro in a soft voice.

"Hey," Sanji replied in an equally soft voice.

"Um, about today …" Zoro bit his bottom lip. "There's been something I've wanted to tell you … but I haven't exactly gotten the chance to …" He trailed off and coughed into his hand. "It's cold here, isn't it?" he asked, letting out a light laugh.

"You're stalling, aren't you?"

Zoro ran his fingers through his hair. "That obvious?"

"Kinda." Sanji inhaled slowly. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone you're acting like a virgin," he teased. "So why couldn't we go to Partys? I'm sure Makino would've loved for us to use the actual bar seeing as its called Partys Bar, wouldn't she?" he asked. "What, is it only good for fights?"

"Um, didn't think of that to be honest," Zoro admitted, blushing deeply.

"And how could you get lost in a movie theatre? It wasn't all that big you know," he said, rolling his eyes. Dusting off a speck on his pants, Sanji watched the smoke swirl around him. "Oh yeah, I left your shirt in your room—"

"You can keep it," Zoro said. "It's fine. Besides, we live together, we can just swap clothes."

"Not with the way your clothes fit me," Sanji said. "Though you should wear dress shirts more often," he mused aloud. "You were fucking sexy on Valentine's …"

"Oh really?" Zoro's voice raised an octave.

"Are you nervous?" Sanji asked curiously, raising an eyebrow at him.

"I thought we weren't playing that game," Zoro said.

"You didn't answer the question," Sanji reminded him. Are you nervous?"

"A little," Zoro admitted.

"Why?"

Zoro blushed. "Why aren't you nervous?"

Sanji pondered this. He supposed he should be, considering his relationship with the man and how he had felt prepared to ask Zoro to fuck him that morning. He felt strangely at ease. "I dunno, perhaps I'm just used to you by now." He shrugged. "Could be because I trust you. Could be a lot of things really, why do you—"

"Je t'aime."

"—ask …" Sanji trailed off. "You're speaking French again Marimo, I can't understand you."

"A-aishiteru."

Now that, Sanji understood.

He could feel his chest tightening again, his lungs refusing to function. He tried to breathe, but instead all that came out was a whistling sound. He tried to suck in air, but it felt as though his wind-pipe was blocked, like he couldn't get air, like something was trying to stop him. He started to panic. The cigar slipped out of his hand, hitting the porch and burning the wood. His hands began to clam, his face began to heat for a reason that didn't seem to be a blush. He felt like he was suffocating.

"Sanji?" Zoro asked, "Sanji, can you hear me?"

It was like there was white noise everywhere, spots of white, he couldn't see properly. The world was spinning, his chest kept tightening as though trying to knot itself up, his lungs felt like they were filled with water. There was pressure, so much pressure, he wasn't sure what was going on around him. He stumbled forward, grabbing onto Zoro, who held onto him tightly.

"Sanji," Zoro said, his voice raising slightly in panic. "Sanji, look at me!"

Sanji's eyes rolled into the back of his head and he saw black.


Author's Note #2: The thank-yous!

fangal4life: Seriously? You have NO IDEA how worried I was that I totally screwed them up, writing each chapter gets harder the more their relationship develops. I remember reading this story where the plot was pretty standard and stuff, but then I got really pissed when the two main characters got into a relationship cause the girl just totally ditched her best friend cause she didn't like her new boyfriend and her boyfriend was like, "I think you should really talk to her" and she was like, "Fuck no, she's wrong! You're amazing, I don't care about her anymore!" God, idiots sometimes, eh? Zoro seriously does remind me of a ballerina though sometimes, he's very graceful, you know, when he's not bleeding profusely and all.

Shizuka Taiyou: Yeah uh, sorry, this chapter was planned in advance to be this way but I will do a chapter where there is an anime marathon. I just can't figure out where yet... I meant to call it a PVR, I don't think there's much of a difference between DVR and PVR. My TV calls it a PVR so I wrote PVR.

Dyloa: Okay I am so sorry! If I offended you and your chocolate, I'm sorry! Let me explain myself, even if it doesn't excuse me. First of all, saying that it had alcohol in it was a reference to Junjou Romantica because at one point, this girl gives this guy chocolate and his boyfriend gets jealous and eats them all and there was alcohol in it so he got drunk by accident. It was Belgian chocolate so that's why I said that. Also, Sanji enjoys swearing and I, like Zoro, am not a big fan of chocolate so I've never had more then like a millimetre by millimetre cube off of a chocolate cake which I then spat out. Anyway, lastly, the internet said that that form brand of chocolate was the most expensive kind so I wanted Zoro to spend a lot of money. I watched Friends recently, in which this guy get felt up by a tailor while doing the seam so originally, the tailor wasn't a pervert and then I saw the episode and he became one! Tada! And God was summing up the chapter by Zoro's rushed and hurried speech (which, according to my word count on Pages is over 500 words long) fun!

Random Person: I don't know Latin, I had to translate what you said, sorry! But I do know French. But I suck at writing it ... Anyway, moving on, the word I put into google was "yield", but yeah, he surrendered while speaking in Latin. I don't think he'll speak it often, especially considering I know nothing about the language and feel guilty about screwing up the Japanese language with my random inputs of "baka" and "ahou". I'm female, just so you know. And thank you! It really means a lot to me.

mandacub: Okay, would you kill me if I said the original first sex scene was going to be chapter 28? But then I realized that the format I had there left out so many things, like Sanji's birthday, Zoro's birthday, Christmas and a bunch of other things and I was like, "uh, Sanji was raped ... um, not going to jump into bed all that quick, eh?" And I wanted more time to cause more sexual tension. I've never written sexual tension between two boys, but I hope I did it well. I like to tease. Don't worry though, it IS coming. And you should review more, I wouldn't mind hearing from you! I always like when I learn someone else is reading my story!

lilcutieprincess: Well yeah, it is, turns out. I swear I wasn't trying to make it that long. I considered making the count-down a short amount of time that wasn't a week and then I was like, I can skip days. In the end, I only skipped one day ... I'm glad you liked it though, I really enjoyed writing it. Especially Sanji's reaction to Zoro's long speech. I was like, "he has to do something that'll totally surprise him, he can't maul him in the restaurant, they'll probably get kicked out ... Hmmmm... What if he's just silent and then just totally attacks him?" And then the long speech he gave him about what to do for the next Valentine's Day was something I was like, "should he respond to his long speech in the restaurant or in the car?" And I thought about having them make-out and have them hit the horn of the car, but then I was like, "no, Sanji would make Zoro get into the passenger seat and Zoro isn't flexible enough to get himself over the arm rest, but he is pretty flexible."

VampireKoiBite: Yup, Junjou Romantica! Yay! I love it so much, you have no idea! I totally blew off talking to my friend when I was like, "OH MY GOD! SEASON 3! THERE'S ENGLISH SUBS!" and she was like, "YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!" And then I gave her this long rant about what it was about and I feel really stupid cause I hadn't seen it in forever and when I was talking about Miyagi and Shinobu I called Miyagi Miyugi and I was like, "dammit, so close!" and I totally forgot how big that age gap was! I was like, talking about how the author likes age gaps and said that Shinobu had one that was bigger than Nowaki and Hiroki's, but smaller than Usagi and Misaki. I WAS TOTALLY WRONG!

Marimohead: Thank you! I seriously suck at romantic stuff so this is probably how I'd screw up my relationship on Valentine's Day.

Ayamichan34: Nice songs. I don't listen to much of Beyonce but I do like Evanescenece (if i could just spell it).

Alright the people at the shop: they were Yukina Kou and Kisa Shouta (God I love how his name is Shouta) from Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi, also written by the author of Junjou Romantica. I love this couple, I swear to God. Kisa looks young, like 18, but he's actually 30! He's too cute for 30 though, it's not fair! Like Yukina said, "isn't there a limit to how young you can look?!" But that aside, I laughed so hard when I realized that the place Yukina worked was called Marimo Books. MARIMO. God I'm pissed Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi didn't get another season.

Now I have a question for you (besides the fact that you're disappointed because the chapter is so much shorter because I write REALLY long author notes and stuff), I do want to write an anime marathon chapter so here's my question: what animes do you want Zoro to react to? It doesn't matter if he's already reacted to them before, just tell me the names and I'll put them in!