Sanji sighed as he stared out the window of the bus. Today had been an extremely testing day for him. He'd sat quietly in a restaurant as he watched a gorgeous woman flirt with his boyfriend, let himself be manhandled in and out of the water since his hands were still all fucked up, and announced to a huge group of people that, not only was he gay or bisexual or ¬whatever he was, but also that he had and Zoro were seeing each other.

He'd even thanked Zoro while they were in the damn Black Hole ride. He hadn't said it much, if at all, in the past and he knew Zoro probably hadn't heard what he'd whispered over the intense rush of water through the slide.

Then there was the kiss after the restaurant. After what Olivia had brought to his attention, it would be impossible for anybody to keep their hands off.

-"Your boyfriend is real hot you know, make sure he knows how lucky you feel or I might snatch him up."-

As soon as the words left her mouth, Sanji had all but dragged Zoro to the back of the restaurant and tongue fucked him. Sanji shivered at the memory of invading Zoro's mouth with his tongue, licking at the roof of his mouth, his teeth, his gums, everything he could reach. Sanji remembered the way Zoro's lips glistened with saliva when he finally pulled away.

And that sound… that restrained groan that had ripped itself from Zoro's throat when Sanji had brushed over Zoro's tongue-

"Oi!" Sanji jolted in surprise when he felt Zoro's hand on his thigh and his low baritone voice rang through his ears. "You okay? You look spaced out, are your hands sore?" Zoro asked in worry. Sanji blinked in a dazed confusion.

"Asshole, I'm fine. Just thinking…" Sanji answered through a slight blush. How long have we been going out again, a few weeks? Is it too early to think about… that? Sanji felt his face heat. Definitely too early.

"Cook, you'd tell me if the chlorine got into your wounds-"

"Yes mother!" Sanji drawled in a sarcastic voice but immediately regretted it as that familiar twinge of despair he gets whenever he thought about his mom struck him like a shockwave. Sanji visibly flinched and turned back to the window, hoping that Zoro wouldn't notice, or at least wouldn't say anything. Unfortunately, it was a long bus ride home, and it would be pretty much impossible to expect it to go by silently.

"So… I was thinking… we're pretty much done with school now, we just have our tests left…" Zoro suddenly seemed really nervous as he spoke. "And you're hands are healing well… So maybe we could, I dunno, go on a… date?" Before Sanji even knew he was doing it, he was nodding intensely, his face flushed a deep crimson as his mind wandered this way and that.

Zoro smiled widely at him and wrapped his arm around Sanji's shoulders, dragging him into a sort of hug. Sanji expected him to let go after the initial squeeze, but was pleasantly surprised when he didn't, continuing to hold on and smiling like he won the lottery. Sanji gently placed his bandaged hand on Zoro's knee and squeezed as tightly as his injuries would allow him to. Zoro leaned his head to the side to slightly and his soft, green hair tickled Sanji's jaw.

"When do you… want to go on this… date?" Sanji asked as he stared at the top of Zoro's head.

"Well, I guess whenever we have free time."

"Free time? I own a business that's six days a week, you're going to be playing mommy and daddy with Luffy during the summer-" Zoro whacked him on the back of the head at the mention of his daycare job. "You've also got your training at the dojo every Tuesday and Thursday. Then we have the group to hang out with every Sunday. When are we gonna have ti-" Sanji was suddenly caught off by Zoro's lips covering his own and a strong grip wrapped around his jaw. Sanji's eyes fluttered shut after a moment, before Zoro pulled away.

"I'll make time." Zoro said, his voice soft and almost pleading. Sanji really hoped that Zoro would continue to be this sweet with him, even after his hands had healed. What he'd expected when he and Zoro had agreed to go out was non-stop fighting and hostility, just like they had always been. Of course, it was still there. But the tender moments that Zoro always seemed to gift him with out of nowhere continued to sweep him off his feet. Olivia really had no idea just how lucky Sanji was.

Sanji nodded weakly at Zoro's statement and Zoro smiled at him again before leaning against his shoulder. Within seconds, Zoro was snoring and Sanji laughed quietly to himself.

Sanji spent the rest of the ride thinking of ideas as to when they could actually see each other. Sanji wouldn't be opening the stand for breakfast so they could always go out for breakfast together, or Sanji could invite him over and make him something. Then again, the daycare probably opened pretty early in the morning for parents leaving for work. Sanji frowned as he continued to think. Maybe Zoro could visit after work at the stand? But that would be really late at night and he'd either have to go home really soon after or stay the night.

Those thoughts coupled with the feeling of Zoro leaning against him and a strong arm wrapped around his shoulders caused him to shiver. Zoro was still asleep so he thankfully didn't feel the tremor that had run through Sanji's body. Sanji sighed and kissed the top of Zoro's head, happy that the man was too busy sleeping to actually notice that he'd done it. It reminded him of when they were in the whirlpool and Zoro had kissed Sanji's head as he held him out of the water. Maybe Zoro hadn't realized he'd done it, but he'd been acting all lovey dovey in front of the group without even realizing it, and the two hadn't even agreed to tell everybody at that time. Zoro had been so lucky that nobody had seen and had been too busy fighting with each other to notice the kiss, that, and how red Sanji had gone when Zoro had wrapped his arms around his waist.

Then there was Ace. It was like the guy already knew that they'd started dating! Sure, everybody else teased them about it, but Sanji had seen the look Ace had given him under the rim of his life guard's cap. Ace had looked at him like he knew some damn secret and it had been one of the reasons Sanji decided to tell everybody. The two of them were hardly masters at keeping their relationship a secret and if Ace already knew then there was no point in hiding at all anymore.

Then the restaurant, and the announcement… and then that kiss… Sanji shook his head as his mind wandered again to the absolutely bone melting kiss that Sanji had dragged Zoro into. Sanji bit his lower lip and squeezed a little harder on Zoro's knee. Zoro opened his eyes and looked back up at Sanji. Sanji nonchalantly stuck his tongue out at Zoro and turned back to the window. Just stop thinking dumbass!

When they reached the school, Sanji entwined his fingers with Zoro's and began walking back home. He'd have to take a shower and change into his regular clothes before heading over to the stand for work, and so would Zoro. Sanji's hands had healed enough to be picking up light things and feeding himself again, but he still wasn't allowed to cook yet. Not until the bandages came off.

Sanji sighed when they finally reached his house and he invited Zoro inside.

"You've got a change of clothes for the stand in your backpack, right?" Sanji asked as he sat down on the couch.

"Yeah, I can change in your bathroom and then we can be out of here in a few minutes." Sanji frowned when he heard the Mosshead say that and closed his eyes as he leaned his head back on the cushions.

"You should really take a shower first, you're hair and skin will be covered in chemicals from the water."

"What about you? I don't see you hopping in the shower."

"Because I don't have to do any cooking right now. Besides, I was gonna take one after you, dumbass." The room was absolutely silent for a moment right after Sanji said that, before he felt breath against the shell of his ear.

"Do you want to shower with me?" was whispered huskily into his ear and Sanji shivered. "Because if that kiss today was anything to go by, I think you do." Sanji felt Zoro's hand on his shoulder, it slowly trailed over to his neck and down his collar bone. Zoro kissed Sanji's jaw and Sanji whined. Sanji felt a smirk creep across Zoro's face where his lips were still connected with the flesh of his jaw. Then, Zoro was gone and Sanji was left sitting and stunned.

Sanji opened his eyes to see that Zoro hadn't left, but had just repositioned himself to be right in front of him. Zoro had his hands gripping the couch on either side of Sanji's head and was leaning so close into Sanji's personal space that he could feel Zoro's breath against his lips. Sanji heard Zoro swallow thickly, most likely out of… nervousness? And then Zoro was kissing him.

Sanji sighed as Zoro turned his head to deepen the kiss before licking at his lower lip. Sanji immediately allowed his boyfriend entrance and groaned when Zoro's tongue dragged against the roof of his mouth and fuck! That felt good! Sanji felt one of Zoro's hands grip onto his knee tightly and Zoro's thumb massaged his leg in slow circles. Sanji felt his cheeks flushing as Zoro continued to slowly work him up until, suddenly, he wasn't sitting on the couch anymore.

"Jesus Christ-!" Sanji yelped when Zoro wrapped Sanji's legs around his waist and hoisted him up by his ass, giving a short squeeze. Sanji held onto Zoro as tightly as he could and the teen laughed, hugging him to his body and burying his nose in soft, golden hair. Zoro carried Sanji to the bathroom and sat him down on the counter before trailing his hands underneath Sanji's shirt. Sanji's skin burned at every point that Zoro was touching and he leaned in to capture Zoro's lips in another kiss. Sanji grabbed onto the collar of Zoro's shirt and made a move to drag it over his head, disconnecting their lips for only a moment before diving back in, pleased with Zoro's newly exposed skin.

Then Zoro stopped.

"Marimo?" Sanji asked, concern laced through his words. He hadn't done anything wrong. Had he? Zoro was looking down at something on the counter and Sanji cringed when he realized that he'd forgotten to put away his medication. Sanji sighed when Zoro picked one up and shook it in front of him. Sanji took it out of his hands. "This is for sleep. That's all, it's- it's nothing big." Sanji picked up the other one and showed the label to Zoro. "And this one is for… anxiety."

To Sanji's surprise, Zoro wrapped Sanji up in a bone-melting hug and took in a deep breath.

"For a second I thought you might be dying or something…" Zoro murmured quietly, almost more to himself than to Sanji. Sanji cringed again, he hadn't meant to worry the Mosshead. Sanji hugged Zoro back as tightly as he could and turned to kiss his temple.

"I take the sleep medication because I have nightmares about my dad sometimes… and I take the anxiety medication because I sometimes remember what happened with my mother and have to have something on hand that reminds me I'm not… I'm not stuck in that room anymore." Sanji's voice trembled a little bit as he said that. It rarely happened anymore, but it used to be that even seeing a mother and child walking down the street together could set him off and leave him a quivering pile of frayed nerves.

Zoro let out a shaky breath and released his hold on Sanji, leaning back and gripping onto the edge of the sink. He trailed strong, calloused fingers through Sanji's bangs and moved them out of his face, revealing two eyes as blue as the ocean Sanji had named his stand after.

"Well aren't you being such a sweet kitty right now Marimo." Sanji teased and Zoro smiled. "You're being so tame right now I wonder if I could make you purr." Zoro laughed at that one.

"Funny, cause that's what I was just about to do to you…" Zoro smirked as he leaned into Sanji again, stripping the blond of his own shirt so that they were both naked from the waist up. Sanji laughed and Zoro started to kiss his chest, trailing soft lips over every inch of revealed skin. Zoro ran his hands over Sanji's shoulders, down his arms, and grabbed onto his hands. Sanji closed his eyes as Zoro guided his hands to his scarred chest.

"Sometimes, when I'm stressed out or when I'm feeling like shit, I'm reminded of how I got this…" Zoro whispered as he pressed his forehead to Sanji's shoulder. Sanji ran his fingers over the marred flesh and felt the shiver that ran through Zoro's body at the contact. Sanji suddenly felt Zoro's fingers running along the waistband of his swim trunks and he almost jumped in shock. Sanji ran his hands over Zoro's chest and Zoro grunted in response, pulling Sanji's body closer to himself.

"Come on Marimo, purr for me." Sanji continued to tease and Zoro growled. Sanji laughed again and Zoro ground his hips against Sanji's, dragging a surprised gasp from him.

"That good enough, cook?" Zoro whispered as he sucked on the point of Sanji's jaw just below his ear. Sanji groaned in approval and used his feet to push at Zoro's own trousers. Zoro smirked against his skin and trailed up to his mouth, capturing the blonds lips in a searing kiss. Sanji panted into the kiss as his fingers tightened on bronzed flesh and he ran his toes up Zoro's sides. Zoro flinched away and grumbled something that sounded kind of like, 'Cut that out'. So of course he did it again.

"Damnit Cook-!" Was that laughter in his voice? Oh shit, the Mosshead was most definitely ticklish. Sanji did it again. "Asshole! I swear to god, if you don't cut that- aha! Ha ha- COOK!" Sanji started to laugh in return as he heard Zoro struggle against the onslaught. Zoro grabbed Sanji's feet and held them away from his sides as he panted. "I swear I'll kick your ass you little shit!" Sanji laughed almost maniacally at the way Zoro was threatening him, completely red-faced as his chest heaved. Sanji lunged forward and tickled Zoro's sides with the tips of his fingers.

Zoro yelped and dropped Sanji's ankles in favour of grabbing onto his wrists. Sanji hyperventilating he was laughing so hard by this point, tears blurring his vision. Zoro wrapped Sanji's arms around his neck and dragged the blonds body flush with his own. Zoro grabbed onto Sanji's thighs to keep him from moving his legs in another attempt at tickling him. Sanji hugged Zoro tightly and kissed up and down his throat, feeling his thundering heartrate through his pulse.

I actually love this guy… don't I? Sanji thought to himself as he trailed feather-light kisses along Zoro's throat and jaw.

"You know… we should really be getting ready to open up the stand…" Sanji murmured against Zoro's neck and Zoro groaned. "Zoro, you know we can't afford to skip any days of work. You've seen the finances." Zoro nodded slowly.

"I know… but I would really rather just stand here… with you." Zoro pouted against Sanji's shoulder and Sanji's heartrate sped up.

"No, you'd rather not have to do any work. You would also rather go to sleep, cause you're a lazy asshole." Sanji scolded and Zoro laughed again, this time, not from being tickled.

"Yeah, but I'd also rather not be tickled while I'm trying to be lazy…" Sanji rolled his eyes.

"Maybe if you do a good job at work… we can, uh… finish what we started to here…" Sanji mumbled the last part almost inaudibly, scratching at the back of his neck as his face flushed a deep shade of red. Sanji heard Zoro gasp slightly against his skin and pull in a sort of shuddering breath.

Zoro pulled away from the hug he'd practically buried himself in and grabbed Sanji's jaw with one of his hands, forcing him into a deep, almost threateningly harsh kiss. Sanji responded in earnest, turning his head to deepen the kiss further. Sanji gasped as Zoro licked at his teeth and tongue, pulling away with a string of saliva connecting the two.

"That a promise?" Zoro asked, his voice husky and low. Sanji nodded, his eyes lidded and face practically tingling with the amount of blood rushing to his cheeks.

"Get in the shower, you have work to do." Sanji said as he lightly thumped Zoro's back. Zoro groaned and squeezed Sanji's thighs before letting go of him completely and turning to the shower, allowing the water a moment to heat up and shooing Sanji out of the bathroom.

After the two had finished getting ready, Sanji packed up his laptop and paperwork and locked up the apartment. Sanji had taken to doing his counting up all his stock and doing his finance work for the stand while Zoro worked, since he didn't really have much else to do. He no longer had to keep his eyes on Zoro constantly, worrying if he was cooking right and serving it properly and blah blah blah.

Business had slowed down a little bit since he'd told off that one customer. It was barely noticeable at first, but there weren't as many company men and women visiting anymore. Of course she'd gone blabbing to all her co-workers how she'd been treated. And of course she would have coincidentally forgotten to mention that she had acted completely out of line to start it off.

Oh well. Once summer time hit, there would be more students with more free time who would be coming to pick business back up. They would spread the word and Sanji wouldn't have to worry about impressing some snob who thought she was better than everybody else. Sanji was never one to turn down somebody who was hungry. Then again, he was also never one to treat a lady as he had. Exceptions had to be made every so often.

When they arrived at the stand, Sanji spread out all his paperwork at the seat that was no declared his at the end of the bar. Sanji spent the night clacking away at his keyboard as Zoro worked. He got all the finance work finished by the time the first hour was over and spent the rest of his time pissing off his boyfriend.

Fuck, we aren't going too fast, are we? Thoughts flittered across Sanji's mind and he cringed. They had known each other for over a half year now, it's not like they barely knew each other… but taking the next step to- to sex. What if Zoro didn't want to yet..? Bullshit, of course Zoro wanted to, he'd practically devoured him in the bathroom. Sanji was actually a little curious as to where all the confidence came from considering how timid Zoro had been in the whole sexual part of the relationship.

They wouldn't be jumping right into it anyway. Would they? Most people would start off with hand jobs or something… not full on sex. Sanji was beginning to feel like his brain was cooking inside his head it was being overworked so much.

"Cook? Stand is closed, ready to go?" Zoro asked and Sanji was so lost inside of his own mind that he didn't even hear it, until Zoro repeated himself. "COOK?!" Sanji startled and whipped around in his seat to look at Zoro.

"Oh, yeah, let's go Mossy."