It was late April outside, the cherry blossoms on the trees were fading away, slowly being replaced with different shades of green. The semester would be coming to an end soon and Zoro was looking forward to spending most of his summer practicing his kendo at the dojo. Sanji had now been with the group for a few months and everything was going… not bad. A lot better than Zoro had expected it to go when the hot-headed blond joined them. They fought over nothing on a day to day basis, seemingly only doing so to get pent up anger out of their system. If anybody asked Zoro what he thought of the curly-browed moron, Zoro would call him exactly that. He would tell them just how much he hated the guy and that the only reason he put up with him was because Luffy liked his cooking.
Of course it was a lie. Zoro would say he hated the way the guy walked, even the way he breathed. Hated the way he fawned over every woman that he passed by, hated the way he sucked on those damn cigarettes like he would die without them, hated the way he would walk Zoro home every day so that he wouldn't get lost on the way. Zoro would say he hated his foul mouth, foul food, and foul attitude. The attitude that always seemed to get him into trouble. Zoro could easily say all these things to anybody that asked him, but saying them to himself? For some reason, that was the one thing he couldn't do. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't convince himself that he seriously hated the guy.
If Zoro was honest, he would tell anybody who asked that Sanji was the best cook he'd ever met, that he poured the most passion into his cooking that he'd ever seen from a single person. He also fought the hardest he'd ever seen from a guy still just in high school. He acted like he had everything yet nothing to prove, that he was too good for the people that wanted to fight him. He always let them know that very clearly as he turned his backs on any person that he pissed off, lighting his cigarette and tossing a middle finger in their direction whenever things were getting to intense. The only person Sanji ever fought over unnecessarily was Zoro. Zoro would of course tell people that he hated fighting with Sanji, hated being in the same room as him. But honestly, he loved every second of every fight they had. He couldn't risk the blond bastard over hearing that though, so he kept his mouth shut.
Sanji had set up a large table at the All Blue for the group for when they showed up after school. It was constantly reserved so they never had to worry about whether or not they would have a spot when they got there. Business was going great for Sanji as well, a lot of people loved the food and that didn't surprise Zoro in the least. Once word of the stand had gotten around, it had become nearly impossible to have some time to talk with the chef while he was at work. That's why Luffy had made Sanji agree to taking off one day a week to hang out with them. Sanji closed the stand every Sunday, which was the day he got the least amount of customers anyway.
More often than not, on their day off, Ace and Sabo would come home with a shitload of booze and they would all drink until they forget their own names. Zoro never really felt the buzz though. Everybody would practically be falling out of their seats drunk before Zoro was even slightly tipsy. Everybody except for Nami of course. They both had a high alcohol tolerance, something that came in handy when Zoro had to use the family car (slightly illegally) to drive everybody home. Luffy would of course stay with his brothers since he lived there and Chopper would stay over at Zoro's house while he slept off the hangover, he couldn't risk being caught by Kureha. She probably still thought it was alright to give kids a lashing when they acted up. That, and Chopper would have to deal with her at school the next day.
The worst part about those nights was when he had to bring Sanji home. When he would sling the blond over his back and carry him up the stairs to his apartment, fishing the keys out of Sanji's pockets and letting himself in. The house was always so empty. At first, Zoro had assumed Sanji wasn't finished unpacking yet, but that wasn't the case. He just… didn't have anything. He had cooking supplies, that was for sure. But not much else. A couch and a TV that didn't have cable. A small side table where Zoro would always put Sanji's keys after he's used them. The only things in the blonds bedroom was a bed, a dresser, a framed picture, and a bear. It seemed so out of place in his room. It was so creepy. Zoro was tempted to throw it out when he saw it the last time, but he left it where it sat, right next to the picture. It was a picture of what looked like a much younger Sanji standing next to an old man with a beard so long he braided it and a chef hat so tall it disappeared. They were standing in front of a restaurant called the 'Baratie' and the old man held his hand firmly on Sanji's head as the tiny blond struggled to free, mouth open in what Zoro could only guess would have been a string of his famous insults.
Zoro would carefully place Sanji in his bed, slipping him out of his heavier clothing so that he was only left in his under shirt and pants. Zoro remembered how much he'd hated waking up hot after passing out on his first night of drinking with Ace and the gang. Whenever he would get drunk enough to wake up hung over, he would be dizzy and his head would throb so badly that all motor skills he had would fly out the window. Trying desperately to unbutton a heavy coat while hurling into your toilet until there was nothing left in your stomach was the second worst thing he'd ever experienced and Zoro was happy with being able to take away at least half of that from the blonds Monday morning.
The absolute worst part about dropping Sanji off in his house after drinking was the feeling that would tug at his heart when Zoro laid him in his bed. Sanji's hair, long since pulled from its tie, would pool around his head, swirling and falling in all sorts of directions. His chest rising and falling as he breathed slowly. He would be flushed a deep shade of red from the alcohol, lips parted slightly and eyes shut gently. He looked peaceful, especially compared to the usual expressions he allowed Zoro to see. Sanji would groan softly as he shifted in his bed and the noise would send a jolt through Zoro's body, that would be the point where he would briskly walk out of the blonds house, keeping his head down and thinking about anything but that noise.
It was now Friday afternoon and for the twentieth time since he'd met Sanji, the blond had snuck up to the roof to smoke. Zoro joined him more often than not. He told himself it was because he got sick of hanging out with the 'crew'. Sanji would lean forward on the railing that surrounded the top of the building, smoke spilling from his mouth and curling around in the air. Zoro propped himself against the railing as he watched Sanji out of the corner of his eye. They were silent for a long time until Sanji finally stubbed out his cigarette and turned to Zoro.
"So, why is the Marimo learning Japanese?" Zoro scowled at the blond and grunted. Ever since he'd learned that word in class, he's used it as his go-to insult.
"Well… guess you could say I'm planning on going home." Zoro muttered as he stared up at the sky. It was overcast. Thick grey clouds stretched as far as he could see.
"Home? You used to live in Japan?"
"Not for very long… I was born there, left when I was a little kid." Zoro murmured and Sanji gave him a quizzical look. Zoro sighed before he continued his explanation. Maybe he could even get the stubborn blond to give him a little more on his own life. "I ran away from home. My parents thought I was a 'demon child' or some shit like that because of my hair," Zoro pointed to his head before he continued, "and reminded me of it every fucking day, so I left. I packed up my shit, got on a boat, and then ended up here. I'm taking Japanese now so I can go home, I… I have a right to be there and fuck them if they don't like it!" Zoro hadn't realized how agitated he had become until he heard himself yelling, carding his hands roughly through said 'demon child hair' as he calmed himself down.
"Demon child..? Holy shit." Sanji mused as he lit up his second smoke. Zoro noted how fast he tended to blow through those things. "So, how are you still here? Shouldn't you have been… I dunno, returned or some shit? The police don't usually just let some kid walk into another country."
"Parents never reported me as missing, so nobody was every looking for me. I just slipped right past border security, I don't remember how." Sanji made a comment under his breath about pretending to be a house plant in order to get over and Zoro grunted in response before continuing his story.
"Koshiro took me in when he found me. Got my citizenship after a few years too, I'm sure he would adopt me if he could... but then I would get found out and sent back." Zoro watched the slight emotions flickering across Sanji's face. He hadn't told a lot of people about his past, he'd told the group though. He'd seen a lot of reactions from them. Pity from Nami and Usopp. Anger from Luffy. Understanding from Chopper. A mix of everything. But Sanji's face was almost… neutral. Well, not neutral, there was something there, something strong. But he was masking it.
"Uh… So! Why are you studying Japanese, Dart-board?" Sanji blinked himself out of his trance and scowled as he mulled over what he was going to say. Zoro was sure that he'd given the blond enough information about himself to earn at least a little of his past. Not that Zoro was interested. At all.
"I… uh. I'm planning on moving to Japan too. Just need to get away from… shit." Sanji sucked thoughtfully on his cigarette, pondering where to go from there, what he would tell Zoro next. His curly eyebrows scrunched together and his fingers gripped a little tighter onto his butt.
"S' fine if you don't wanna talk, we can just forget this conversation happened… okay?" Sanji nodded his head and tapped his cigarette against the railing, ash falling and blowing away in the wind. Sanji took one last pull before crushing it under his shoe and gave a face splitting grin, a grin so big and so toothy after such a depressing conversation that it could only be fake.
"So, Marimo! Back to society we go! Before you try to run away from me too, we both know you won't find your way back." Zoro frowned as Sanji lead him to the door, walking through and then slamming it on his face. Zoro stood there for a moment scowling, before he let himself in and followed behind Sanji, heading down the stairs for their homeroom.
"SANJI! ZORO!" Luffy shouted as he jumped to tackle the two. Zoro fell backward slightly as he the boy wrapped his arms around his waist. "We should have a sleep over!"
"Uh.. what?" Zoro looked down at Luffy, his eyes were wide and smiling with mischief. His shirt hung loosely from his shoulders, black with skull patterns adorning it. The guy was so scrawny that Zoro was surprised Luffy was able to find clothes that actually fit him that well. Zoro raised his eyebrows inquisitively as he placed his hands on Luffy's shoulders and attempted, vainly, to shove him off.
"Usopp and Chopper need help with their math homework and you and Sanji are ahead of us so we should have a homework sleep over party!"
"And why are you involved in this if Usopp and Chopper are the ones that need help?" Sanji asked from where he stood next to Zoro just inside the doorway of the classroom.
"Because I'm the captain!"
"Yeah dumbass cook, it's cause he's the captain, isn't that obvious?" Zoro smirked and Sanji scowled as he turned to walk to where Nami sat.
"And will my lovely swan be joining us~?" Sanji asked, voice dripping with adoration.
"Sorry Sanji, but I'm helping Nojiko out with trimming the tangerine trees this weekend. Besides, I thought it might be nice for you guys to have a 'boys night' or whatever you wanna call it." Nami smiled sweetly and even though the blond was obviously deflated by the fact Nami wouldn't be participating, he smiled back and turned around to look back at Luffy, who was still hanging from Zoro's waist.
"Who's house and when?"
"Wow, I was expecting a lot more of a fight out of you Sanji." Usopp sounded surprised as he leaned back in his seat.
"Well there's no point fighting it anymore is there? If the bastard wanted us all to jump off a bridge I'm sure he's more than capable of convincing us to do exactly that!" Usopp shrugged and turned back to his lunch, scooping a heaping spoonful of yogurt into his mouth.
"Saturday! We'll meet at… Sanji's house at seven!" Sanji's eyebrow twitched irritably. The group had never been to Sanji's house before. Not as a group and not alone, Zoro was sure of that. He was the only one that had been there and Zoro was also sure that Sanji would probably not like everybody seeing his dirty underwear. AKA, the loneliest looking apartment on the planet.
"I work on Saturday Luffy! I can't blow that off to-"
"That's why I said seven and at your house! You can just get off work an hour early tomorrow, you are your own boss after all. Then you can go straight home, change out of your sweaty work clothes and we can PARTY!" Luffy shouted gleefully as he let go of Zoro, standing on top of one of the desks and pumping his fists in the air.
"Who's gonna be there to let you in then? I still have to walk home from work after all, I don't need you standing outside my apartment for half an hour!" Sanji continued to fight, despite saying he wouldn't even attempt to minutes earlier.
"Give Zoro a house key! He lives right next to you, he can't get that lost!"
"You underestimate Zoro's abilities Luffy." Usopp corrected. "I went over to Zoro's house once and he couldn't find the bathroom. HIS bathroom. His apartment only has five rooms." Sanji chuckled behind his hand and Zoro glared daggers at him. "He accidentally walked into his sister's room, twice." And now Sanji was full on roaring at Zoro, hunched over with one hand on a desk and the other clenched on his stomach. Chopper was laughing too, sucker still hanging from his mouth as he sprawled onto his back on the floor. Soon, laughter from the entire group filled the room and Zoro blushed madly in his embarrassment.
"All… All right Marimo." Sanji said in between gasping and laughter. "I'll drop off the key to my place before I head out for work." Zoro nodded, refusing to look directly at anybody.
*BRRRRRRRRRRR*
Zoro sighed heavily as he turned back out of the doorway and went about the rest of his school day. By the time it was over, he was more than ready to go home and lay down. Once he was inside, Zoro flopped onto the couch, sticking his music player in the speaker system and blasting it as loud as he could. Kuina and Koshiro would be having another late night so he didn't need to bother listening with his headphones. At least not until they got home that is. They usually cooked dinner but Friday's were special. Friday's meant pizza, burgers, fried chicken, or bad Chinese food. Whatever they had coupons for. Meaning he didn't even have to get up until they got home at seven. The music rang through his ears as he flung an arm over his eyes.
Zoro didn't mind today's music, it wasn't too bad, a lot of it was real repetitive, but there were some good bands out there. Fall Out Boy was one of his personal favourites, they'd been around for a while though, so he couldn't really count them as 'one of today's bands'. Any person in their right mind had to like at least a few songs that band made. Zoro groaned and turned over so he was laying on his side before the world around him faded to black and he drifted to sleep.
"Mmm…" Zoro groaned as he tossed in his soft bed sheets. Music played softly in his bedroom, he couldn't understand which song, it was all a bit of a blur, but he was never really paying full attention in the mornings anyway. Zoro rolled over and wrapped his arms around the soft body next to his, pulling it tightly to his chest and nuzzling into soft locks of hair. The body he'd curled himself around eradiated heat and it was so welcoming that Zoro couldn't help what he did next, darting out his tongue to lick and suck at red tinged ears. Zoro's hand trailed down and massaged at the soft inner flesh of strong thighs.
Zoro heard a gasp and smirked against blond hair, threading his free arm underneath a pale neck and reaching his hand up to soft lips, pushing two fingers inside and pumping them languidly. Zoro felt his arousal growing as moans filled the small room and he grinded his hips against heated flesh. Zoro pulled his fingers from the welcoming mouth and brought the now wet digits down to play with the pert nipples on a surprisingly flat… muscular chest? Zoro scrunched his eyebrows in confusion and pulled away, shoving the body next to him to lie flat on his back.
"C-Curly?!" Sanji's entire upper chest was flushed as deep a scarlet as his face and neck, eyes wide with arousal and lips parted slightly. The sheets of the bed covered his lower section, but the thin blankets did next to nothing to hide his modesty. Zoro's eyes were wide as he stared down at the blond cook. Sanji made no move to separate himself from the green-haired teen and even wrapped a calloused hand around the back of Zoro's neck. Zoro's fingers were still on Sanji's chest and he experimentally pinched at one of his nipples. Sanji arched into the touch and moaned Zoro's name, dragging the 'o' as Zoro continued to pinch and play with the blonds nipples. Zoro swallowed thickly and leaned down, his pulse racing and mind reeling as Sanji leaned up to meet him. He nearly closed the distance between the two, the tip of his nose brushing against Sanji's as he made to connect their lips and-
"GET UP YOU MORON!" Zoro yelped as he felt a strong yet small fist make contact with the center of his back. "Dinner's on so get up! It's Five Guys tonight. Oh! And STOP playing your damn MUSIC so loud!" Kuina turned and walked to the table, taking her seat and grabbing a handful of fries from the bottom of a greasy paper bag. Zoro groaned as was about to roll over and make for the table when he realized the… problem he had. His flushed face was buried in one of the couch cushions and he was laying on his stomach so if he could just play it off like he was really sore from gym class…
"Well? Gonna come eat with us or am I gonna get all the fries tonight AGAIN?" Zoro growled into the cushion but resisted the temptation to jump up and scream at her.
"Put mine in the oven, I'm too sore from gym to get up right now." Zoro turned his head slightly and saw Koshiro do exactly as Zoro had asked.
Now that the food situation was under control, Zoro was faced with a new problem. Zoro had guessed that this might be the case with how he'd been reacting to the blond lately, but was really hoping he could have gotten it under control, reigned it in before it could go this far. Sanji was… well SANJI. Ladies' man, love-cook, swirly-browed, cocky bastard. They kicked each other's asses the first day they met, the idea of them even getting along was so far out there that you'd need a telescope to see it. Zoro sighed heavily as he willed his hard on away, pressing his body as tightly as possible against the couch.
Why did the idea of Sanji's lips on his make him more aroused anything from the rest of the scene? Why was he so desperately disappointed when he was ripped away from his dreams at the moment he was? The whole thing pissed him off, which helped with taming his arousal.
By the time he felt safe enough to get up, Koshiro and Kuina had already finished and Kuina was now sitting on top of Zoro's back. Zoro grunted in displeasure but if Kuina heard him, she completely ignored him, opting for flipping through channels on the TV instead. Zoro could easily have pushed her off, he'd grown much stronger than he used to be back when they were kids and Kuina would easily beat him in Kendo matches against one another. He could easily beat her now, he just chose not to for some reason. Maybe it was a brother-sister thing, maybe it was a Zoro-Kuina thing, he wasn't quite sure but whatever it was, it was nice.
After watching a few episodes on Netflix of Doctor Who, Kuina got off and smacked Zoro lightly on the back of the head. Zoro made another grunt in response and she laughed softly before leaving and going into her own room. Zoro rolled himself off the couch, falling onto the floor and staring at the ceiling for a few more minutes before getting up and pulling his burger out of the oven. The lettuce and tomato had been removed which made him frown, he looked in the fridge to see if there was any leftover only to find that the veggies from his burger where in a plastic bag, kept nice and chilled for him.
Fuck. Zoro thought to himself as he dressed up his burger. I couldn't have gotten any luckier when I found you guys… There was still a few handfuls of fries leftover as well so he made sure to pig out on those before heading to his room. He stripped off his clothes from the day and changed into a pair of pajamas, jumping into bed and rolling around in the sheets a few times. Zoro reveled in the feeling before he remembered where he'd last felt the sheets against his skin.
"Zoro…"
Images of soft lips inches away from his own filled his brain and Zoro grumbled into his pillow as he willed the visions away and let sleep take him again. Tomorrow was going to be a long day and he would really need the extra shut eye. Besides, what were the chances of having the same dream twice in a row? Apparently very high.
