MiharuStar did some fantastic art work of Zoro on AO3 and I encourage you all to go look at the amazing pictures, titled 'In Your Dreams (fanart)'. They are SO cool!
Also, HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Zoro finally got some ale, but he didn't join the bonfire dancing that everyone else gravitated to. After he had a good fill of drink and his head was mildly buzzed, he found solitude outside in the snow. It was windy and cold, but he ended up stumbling upon a couple who were also making use of the quiet and the dark. He sensed the activity before he walked on them, mostly covered by a blanket and looking like they were mildly drunk but enjoying themselves. Zoro cleared his throat and mumbled a lazy apology and moved on to a less occupied spot on the edge of the path, where he could overlook the side of the mountain. He tried not to think about Sanji doing the same with one -or more- of the women.
"None of my business," he reminded himself and scoffed. "I don't need that asshole anyway." The view from the mountain was quite good and would probably have been better if it wasn't dark. The full moon was out and lit up some shapes of the forest and there was the glow of it on the surface of the sea. Lights that were probably from Piety lit up one edge of the island while the rest was just hues of black to blue.
It wasn't too bad outside, he mused as he lay down in the snow. He winced only once, reminded that he had wings and adjusted them slightly under the coat so that they weren't laid upon at an awkward angle. His fur was a thin layer of velvet but it kept him much warmer than just exposed skin in the snow. His winter coat only insulated him more so he closed his eyes, telling himself he'd feel much better if he got some energy.
Not many people were sleeping yet while the party was going on, but he could wait in the deamscape until someone dozed off drunk. Zoro chuckled at how ridiculously the air was filled with energy, pulsing even in the world of dreams. He wasn't the only one there though. The strange fox-deer was there as well and it watched him suspiciously for a time. Zoro watched it back. It had a fox face, small antlers, but long legs of a dear with hooves and a fox tail. It sat in the middle of the cave where the bonfire would be burning. It's coat was mostly tan with the decorations of a fox in light lavender.
Only when dreams started to appear and Zoro moved to take a look did the fox-deer speak. "Not that one."
"Eh?" Zoro stopped before he touched the cloud.
"That one's mated, so I don't suggest you touch it," the fox-deer said wisely. Zoro eyed the creature but he didn't push it.
"You some sort of guard?" Zoro asked.
"I'm a tattle-tale," the fox grinned wide with sharp teeth and Zoro scoffed.
"I guess there are rules here," Zoro guessed.
"You got it, Mr. Guest," the fox-deer said. "Not everyone is mated, so I'll let you know when one comes up." Zoro huffed but he suspected that he should follow the rules set or he doubted that old man would teach him about being a cambion.
"Guess I have no choice." He sat, and waited.
Several more mated clouds arrived, but then clouds came that were not, but they didn't have much lust to them.
"Guess they got a nice night cap before bed," the fox-deer teased. Zoro rubbed his temples, starting to get really annoyed with the back-seat dreamer. "Maybe you'd have better luck going and finding a stray lady dancing in the fire light."
"Look here, fox-" Zoro began but didn't get to finish because he was abruptly awoken by a sharp kick to the side.
"Fucking-" Zoro sat up and gripped a sword hilt before he looked up and frowned at a certain blonde cook, who had a mug in hand from the party.
"You're sleeping here in the snow, dumbass," Sanji told him and Zoro grumbled more curses under his breath as he started to dust powdered snow from his body. "If you die out here because of hypothermia, Chopper will be pissed at you."
"Fuck off, cook," Zoro said and as he came out of his half sleep state he realized Sanji was still radiating warmly with lust.
"The hell did you do, get lost out here?" Sanji crouched next to him and took a moment to balance himself on his heels before he spoke again, voice a bit more slurred. "There's food inside and it's warmer."
Zoro breathed the air and realized the scent of strong alcohol was coming from Sanji. "Are you drunk?"
"No. Don't change the subject," Sanji said with less harshness than usual. "Besides, even if I was, I'm a pirate, I can drink when I want when I'm at a party." He prodded Zoro in the shoulder. "But you weren't at the party."
"Too stuffy," Zoro said, amused by Sanji's new strange hand wave that he was pretty sure Sanji would not do sober.
"It's a pArty. You're supposed to be in dancing with everyone," Sanji said, sounding like a whiny kid and Zoro huffed in amusement. "Shut up, don't laugh, dumb marimo."
"I don't dance," Zoro said and stared at Sanji for a long moment before he said. "You know, it's the second day, and it's way past dinner."
Sanji stuck out his tongue at Zoro -a lazy excuse for a comeback- and snorted before he said, "That's all you think about." Zoro shrugged. He did miss lip locking with Sanji, but he wasn't going to admit that to his face.
"You didn't run off with another cambion," Zoro pointed out.
"I should have, but I made this deal with this demon that I'd feed him," Sanji huffed and Zoro was bemused when Sanji moved to straddle his waist with his knees in the snow and he tossed the empty mug in the general direction of the entrance of the cave. "Unfortunately I don't have any dishes for him to wash, which means I don't get much out of this." Zoro scoffed because now Sanji was saying it for the dramatics. He took Sanji's hips in his hand, really liking this position. Sanji was very attractive, looking half frazzled as though he had been dancing. He only had his winter jacket buttoned minimally. Sanji laid his forearms on Zoro's shoulders and leaned in a few inches, giving him a piercing stare. "What to have you do…"
"I'll do more dishes when I get back to the ship." Zoro folded his legs under Sanji's butt and leaned in to connect their lips, but Sanji tilted his head up, his nose bumping against Sanji's chin.
"That's not what I want," Sanji said snootily.
"Of course not," Zoro huffed and felt Sanji's neck shiver as goose bumps washed over his skin and the lust rose ever so lightly, like a ripple of water.
"I have been walking around for nearly two days with an aphree- aphrodack-," Sanji cleared his throat, "with a stupid curse in my system and I think you should help me with that." Zoro blinked and nearly rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, I'll gladly help with that." Zoro decided to play along since Sanji didn't fully seem to get that feeding would take care of that.
"Good. Good kitty," Sanji cooed and rubbed Zoro behind the ear, which both annoyed him and actually felt kind of good. Sanji gave him a blissfully happy smile. "I want you to fuck me."
Zoro did not quite believe his winged ears, even though they were quite open. "What?"
"I want you," Sanji pressed a finger to Zoro's chest and then pointed to himself, "to fuck me." Zoro's mind went numb for a few moments. Sanji was actually telling him to...
"How much have you had to drink?" Zoro asked.
"Shhh." Sanji waved a finger between their faces. "I drank until I felt better, and then I danced, but you weren't dancing, so I came to find you. But now that you're here, and I'm here..." Zoro felt the lust rise in a wave, steady and strong and he leaned his chest more heavily into Zoro's. "I really, really want to try..." Sanji's legs knees tightened against Zoro's waist and a stray hand dragged down Zoro's jaw. His eye was half lidded with desire and Sanji really shouldn't have been that alluring in the moon light. Then he dragged his teeth along his bottom lip which did all sorts of things to Zoro that he wasn't ready for; even after being in some of Sanji's vivid dreams. "I wasn't ready before, but I'm definitely ready this time." Sanji's hips rolled forward and Zoro's hands just tightened on them. Zoro's throat felt dry as Sanji leaned in and kissed him. The taste of lust was potent and only flavored with the warm ale and the boldness that was Sanji. No resistance detoured him from the pool of lust. Zoro closed his eyes and basked in it for several moments. He pulled Sanji against him by his waist and thigh. Sanji made a throaty noise that enticed him further.
Zoro drank down a share of the lust, enough to curb the hunger so it would not distract him. It tasted just as good as he remembered, and what he remembered felt like weeks ago. He didn't take too much, because if he was going to... Zoro shook his head and turned them over so Sanji was in the snow on his back. Sanji giggled and his thighs tightened around Zoro's waist, his throat exposed and fingers entangling in Zoro's hair. If Zoro was going to... Zoro stopped, hovering over Sanji. Going to what? Fuck a drunk Sanji? Sanji who clearly was not in his right mind if he was looking for attention from him. Zoro was absolutely sure it would feel amazing. He could imagine Sanji being hot and tight inside. He wanted Sanji's moans echoing off the mountain top; he bet Sanji could cause an avalanche.
But there was that god damn line Zoro put down and that was clear on the other side of being alright. There was really no going back after crossing that line and he certainly didn't want to do it while Sanji was so hammered that he didn't know what he was doing. Sanji wouldn't want this if he was sober.
"Zoro~" Sanji's thumb brushed Zoro's cheek, and then dragged over his three earrings, making the ear wing flutter. Sanji almost sounded endearing, which shook Zoro's reserves and made him ache to comply. "Kiss me." Zoro's throat bobbed and he steadied himself for a moment before he leaned down and kissed him...
Then he drank down every last bit of lust before he pulled back.
Sanji looked dazed under him for several moments, blinking up at him confused. Then Sanji tensed, eyes growing wide as he stared at Zoro. "Wh-what the hell did you do?"
"You'll thank me when you're sober, love-cook," Zoro told him and Sanji abruptly elbowed him in the head, causing Zoro to sit up and hold the side of his face briefly.
"God dammit! I don't want to thank you for anything when I'm sober!" Sanji flailed but his movements weren't that hard to block or duck because the alcohol had slowed him. He wriggled until he pulled himself out from under Zoro, vibrating with anger, frustration and... tears. Zoro stared, not ready for tears to fill Sanji's eyes as he sat in the cold and threw wads of snow that turned into dust before it made impact on Zoro's face. "You stupid, marimo-headed dipshit! I wanted to have sex with you!" A sob wracked him as he staggered to his feet and this was far beyond what Zoro was capable of dealing with presently. What the hell was he supposed to do when Sanji started crying? "Do you hate me that much, you asshole? Is that all I am too you? Food? Energy? I'm not even good enough for a drunken lay? Is it that easy for you to just ignore me after I feed you?"
"You're drunk, you're not thinking straight," Zoro told him and pushed himself to his feet.
"I'm thinking FINE!" Sanji snapped, his voice becoming much higher pitched for that one second when his voice broke. Zoro grimaced because Sanji was not a pretty crier and the fact that he was so wrecked over Zoro not taking advantage left him confused. Sanji breathed in a stuttering sob and scrubbed his eyes with his snow coated sleeve. "No, I'm NOT fine because I have to be in love with a bastard like you. You don't even feel normal emotions, stupid demon! You-you ignore me. You piss me off. And-and I hate you!" Another wave of tears poured down Sanji's face and he pressed his face into his snow chilled hands. "I wish I hated you... I wish I could just hate you…"
Zoro watched Sanji's shoulders shake as silent sobs racked his body and Zoro didn't think he should ever see Sanji this open and bare. He wasn't good at comfort. He didn't know soothing words or what he was even supposed to say to that. However, he did reach out, a hand gently grasping Sanji's arm, and pulled Sanji closer to him. Sanji hiccuped and was stubborn at first, smacking his hands on Zoro's shoulders and face. It wasn't exactly coordinated and it was more like a short lived temper tantrum.
"Fuck off. I don't want your pity," Sanji's voice was somewhat stronger but still gummed up as Zoro pulled them together.
"Shut up," Zoro told him firmly. He cradled Sanji's head in his hand and pressed his warm cheek to Sanji's chilled wet one. "It's fine. Be drunk to your heart's content." He said it softer than he intended, but it maybe took 3 seconds for Sanji to relent his stubbornness and press against him. Sanji clung close and buried his face in Zoro's shoulder, arms wrapping securely around Zoro's ribs and held on tight.
There were a few more shuttering breaths as Sanji calmed himself. Zoro held still and said nothing. He braced his back against the cold wind and waited for Sanji to find composure. Sanji's words rang in his head more than anything. Where the hell had that burst of emotion come from? Sanji wanted to have sex with him? More shockingly, Sanji loved him? What the hell was going on?
Sanji's face finally lifted from his coat when Zoro thought the chill was finally seeping past the fur on his legs. "You're warm," Sanji muttered tiredly in his ear.
"Happens when you're covered in fur." Zoro pulled back a step but Sanji's hands were fisted in the back of his coat, refusing to let go. Sanji stared at the ground, dejected as well as looking absolutely pitiful and sad. Zoro sighed and gave Sanji's shoulders a squeeze. "It's warmer inside."
Sanji didn't seem too keen on letting him go but Zoro pried off one hand so he could walk him back to the cave entrance. It was quiet and dark near the entrance but enough heat circulated from the huge fire to create a line that the snow couldn't cross. He could hear soft music further into the alcove but it was far from bothering. Zoro pried the other hand from his coat. Holding it, he felt Sanji's fingers were chilled. Sanji was being docile, which didn't bode well in Zoro's mind.
"You should sleep it off," Zoro told him. "You'll feel better for it." Sanji shook his head like a stubborn kid and Zoro sighed. Maybe fucking the cook would have been an easier problem to deal with in the morning instead of this confusing mess.
"You'll leave," Sanji muttered. "Wander off again and get lost."
"I will not," Zoro said with a scoff. He then dusted some of the stray snow from Sanji's hair. "I have to stay near by and make sure you don't do something stupid." He sat on the chilled rock were it was flat enough to lay comfortably and with a tug of his hand, Sanji did the same. "We both need to sleep this off."
"Zoro…" Sanji took a deep breath, as though looking for words but his grip on Zoro's hand said a lot more.
"As long as you don't scream in my face again when you wake up, I'll stay," Zoro said and laid down on his side. Sanji didn't hesitate too long and curled up to him, his face pressed to his chest like a pillow. Zoro let out a breath and secured his arms around Sanji. He'd confront Sanji after he was sober and not while he had the look of a kicked puppy.
"Thank you," Sanji murmured and Zoro swallowed, feeling his chest tighten.
"Shut up and sleep," he said. Sanji adjusted, getting more comfortable before soon enough he finally fell asleep. Zoro followed him not long after and he ignored the fox-deer that gave him a curious look. Zoro just let his own dreams take over for the night, not quite ready to dwell on how true alcohol made the cook's tongue.
I sort of love how this chapter came to be because most zosan fics incorporate the lovely element that enough alcohol would help them sleep together (Which I totally believe). Probably one of my fave chapters to write because it didn't go the usual route.