Love Island
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Love island.
That was the name of the island they are approaching. True to how it sounds the island is shaped like a heart and even though it's a ways off from the ship the red and pink foliage is clearly visible.
The night before Robin had described the island from a book she had read about it. Apparently a hot destination for people who are looking for love.
According to the archeologist while on the island you can see the red string of fate that ties you to your soulmate.
Sanji was really looking forward to this.
Really really looking forward to this.
While you could only see the string while on the island, the romantic in Sanji hopes that his soulmate would be waiting for him there.
He imagined a cute woman walking over to him with blushed cheeks lifting up a dainty little finger to show his string ended where hers began.
He danced around the kitchen, and smoked out little hearts into the air. He imagined gently tilting up her cute little chin and kissing sweet plump lips. She would wrap her arms around his neck and melt into him and it would be perfect. He could almost already feel her tiny waist as he pulled her close.
"No wait!" He heard Zoro yell from the deck, and their captain's maniacal laughter.
Sanji stuck his head out of the kitchen just in time to see Luffy and Zoro flying through the air towards the island, fall short, and Zoro drag the captain to shore.
Nami was shaking her head, "We will make it to the island within the hour" she says, already sounding exhausted.
"Bentos will be ready soon~" Sanji noodles at their navigator before heading back to the galley.
He was a little irked by the fact that the stupid swordsman was already on the island. What if Zoro found his soulmate first? Then again, the thought of Zoro having a soulmate was an odd thought. The Marimo only seemed to care about becoming the world's greatest swordsman… and Luffy.
Sanji smirked to himself, what if Luffy was Zoro's soulmate? That would be hilarious.
He finished up and everyone except for Chopper and Jinbei left the ship.
As soon as their feet hit the ground of the island everyone had a red string dangle down from their finger.
Some part of Sanji had worried that somehow maybe he was the only person who wouldn't have one but when he looked down sure enough there it was wrapped around his pinky.
He looked up at Robin, who at his hopeful look, shook her head, "Sorry "
Sanji then looked at Nami who also looked between their pickies, when she realized they didn't share the same thread she let out a relieved sigh, "Oh, thank goodness."
A very laid back looking man approached them, "Hello, and welcome to Love Island. Everyone is welcome here, because everyone deserves to find love" the man nodded lazily to himself, "Just to clear some things up, everyone has a red string of fate that ties them to their soulmate, and everyone has only one. Soulmates are always romantic and you can only see the string while on this island. Please enjoy your time, hope you can find your other half, and if not we have lots of souvenirs to enjoy instead."
They all started to make their way past the man when the guy grabbed Sanji's sleeve, "Wait a minute my dude" The guy pointed to Sanji's string, "You got a glower, that's awesome!"
"A glower?" Sanji asked, looking at his string. Was there something wrong with his string?
"That means your soulmate is on the island. That's super lucky. The closer they are the more your string will glow and the tighter the string will appear."
His soulmate was on this island?
Again Sanji thought about a cute girl waiting for him, maybe she stayed on this island for years just to find him!
Sanji gently tried to caress the string around his finger but his hand went right through it like it wasn't even there.
Everyone split up to enjoy themselves, leaving Sanji to follow his string. It was nerve racking knowing whoever was at the end of this string was the woman that was made for him, and he was made for her in return. As he followed the string he decided right then and there that whoever she was, whatever her story, no matter what she looked like he would cherish her and treat her like a princess.
This was his soulmate!
He already knew he wouldn't abandon his crew or his captain for her but maybe she could be persuaded to join. He was her other half, so he was hoping that she would.
He smiled happily to himself while he followed the glowing string which was only getting brighter and brighter with every step he took. He planned on having a romantic picnic with her, maybe by the shore for their first date. Perhaps picking her up and sweeping her up into his arms. He would give her a slow romantic kiss at sunset. As the wind blew by he would gently tuck her hair behind her ear. She would tell him how handsome and chivalrous he was, and he would in return tell her how beautiful and sweet she was.
Yes, he had it down perfectly in his mind.
The string had less and less slack, and as he approached an alleyway he noticed two people. A woman was there in a pretty emerald top and a brown skirt, her silky long black hair draping over her shoulder as her hands were wound another man's hands. The seemingly romantic embrace of hands would be upsetting enough as is, but it was worse than that. Not only was another man's hands intertwined with his soulmate's hands, but the man had an irritated expression on his face, wore dirty clothes, and had green hair.
Zoro was trying to steal away his soulmate!
Sanji ran over in a fury and kicked his crewmate in the head hard, Zoro more preoccupied with holding her hands than defending himself wasn't able to block. (If Sanji took a moment to look closer he would have noticed that she was the one holding Zoro's hands, not the other way around, but Sanji would never acknowledge such a thing anyways.)
"Did that ogre scare you, my beautiful flower? No need to worry, I am here."
"Oi" Zoro yelled at Sanji, "What the hell was that for shit-cook!"
Sanji yells right back at him, "Me!? You're the one who's trying to steal my soulmate."
Zoro started to yell back when the woman interrupted in an excited voice, "Your thread!"
"Yes~" Sanji turns back to her, "We are made for each oth-" his voice trails off as he looks down to see the string trailing behind him instead of toward her hand. The string is bright red and looks taught, so he turns and comes face to face with Zoro again.
He follows the red string with his eyes from his pinky to Zoro's. He follows it back and forth several times over, hoping that somehow he is seeing this wrong but without a doubt the -now really short- string is attached to both of them.
"No" Sanji whispers softly before he gets louder and louder as he repeats the words over and over again. "No no no No NO!" He glares at Zoro before shoving an accusatory finger in the swordsman's face, "This is all your fault!"
"What? How is this my fault!" Zoro yells back.
Sanji falls to the ground, running his hands through his hair, hyperventilating. "This is all wrong!"
The woman either doesn't notice Sanji's very obvious distress or simply doesn't care, "This is so great! Two soulmates finding each other should be celebrated! My father owns a tavern. Please come and celebrate with us. A round of our best drink will be on the house."
"Free booze?" Zoro asks instantly.
"Of course! It's just across the road. It's called The Lovers Kiss, you can't miss it" She happily waves and saunters off.
Sanji expects for Zoro to immediately follow her so he's surprised when the other man is still standing there, relaxing against the wall.
"Don't you have free booze to drink?" Sanji snapps angrily at him.
"Yeah, so stop throwing a hissy fit over a piece of string and let's go."
Sanji feels his anger coil angrily in himself. How can he call the thread of fate, a stupid little string?
"Do you have any idea what this string symbolizes moron?"
"I'm not dumb" Zoro grumbles dismissvly.
"You could have fooled me!" Sanji groans pathetically, deflating once again, "This is the worst day of my life."
"You're so dramatic" Zoro grabs Sanji's arm and starts dragging him to the tavern.
"Don't touch me, asshole." Sanji grumbles, yanking his arm back, "Just go drink by yourself"
"They are only giving free booze because we're soulmates. Don't ruin this for me, Swirls."
"If we go in there together everyone will see we share the same thread!"
"Don't care"
Sanji finally relents to go in with him long enough to get the beers, he leaves both drinks for Zoro though and escapes. He no longer wants to check out the town, all he wants to do is wake up from this nightmare.
Once he steps foot back onto the ship again the thread disappears and he feels relieved somehow, like maybe it was never there, and Zoro wasn't his soulmate. He takes his time going over what he needs for the kitchen before he sets foot back on the island and his chest sinks as his string reappears as his foot hits the soil.
He tries to ignore that the string even exists but every vendor he goes to brings up the glow, and asks if he's seen his soulmate yet. He keeps avoiding the questions the best he can and ignores the red string. By the time he's done shopping, he finally looks at the string to find it twisting its way into a large forest that outskirts the town, away from everything.
Sanji frowns, realizing that the Marimo was once again lost. How does someone even get lost when they could just follow a string back?
As he's about to get back on The Sunny he notices the man who had greeted them earlier. "Is it ever wrong?" Sanji asks him.
"What?"
"The string of fate" Sanji snaps irritably, "Does it ever make a mistake?"
The man shakes his head, "When a soul is made, it is split in two by the gods. Your soulmate is the other half of you, the string is only what connects you"
Sanji nods once, and brings everything on board. When he is finished and steps foot back on the island his string is leading even further away from the town and even the harbor.
Glaring at the string he mutters, "At least it will be easier finding him now."
Sanji easily followed the string through the forest. Despite the shitty situation he found himself in he had to admit to himself that this was the most beautiful forest he has ever seen. All the flowers and petals were in shades of reds and pinks, even the fruit that grew here was shaped into hearts.
He picked one of the fruits and gave it a sniff. The odor was very appealing, it was the consistency of a grape but about the size of a cantaloupe. Sanji took a cautious bite to make sure it would be safe to serve and was delighted when not only did it taste amazing, but somehow the flavor was comforting, and it made him feel… happy?
He took the fruit with him and decided he would pick more on the way back to the ship after he met up with Zoro.
It didn't take him long to locate Zoro, he was sitting cross legged in front of a tree, meditating.
"You clash with the foliage" Sanji said as he approached the other man.
"Why are you here, cook?"
"Locating the lost Moss, what else?"
Zoro opened his one good eye, "Not lost."
"Sure, sure" Sanji clicked his tongue, "You purposefully wanted to get as far as possible from the ship and town" Sarcasm dripped from Sanji's tongue.
"Wanted to give you your space. Seemed like you wanted your distance from me and I don't give a shit about this island."
Sanji narrowed his eyes, "When have you ever cared what I wanted?"
Zoro's shrug was his answer.
Sanji sighed, "Do you really not care?"
"Nope" Zoro closed his eye again and Sanji felt some relief at that.
"Good" Sanji looked down at their string, glowing brightly, "I don't want anything to change."
Zoro huffed and stood up, he walked right up to Sanji, and stared deeply into his visible eye. Zoro glared as if trying to get Sanji to back down, but the cook had no idea why he was getting that look.
"Got a staring problem!?" Sanji snapped angrily.
"Tch!" Zoro walked past him and started to head off deeper in the forest.
"Where the hell are you going Marimo?"
"Back to the ship" Zoro grumbled, which made Sanji scoff.
"Wrong way. Follow me and don't get lost again."
"How could I? All I have to do is follow a string."
Sanji nodded, "Too bad it will disappear when we leave. We wouldn't keep losing you everywhere we go."
"Just because you can't see it anymore, doesn't mean it's not there." Sanji glanced over his shoulder at Zoro, surprised by the oddly romantic words. Zoro looked just as indifferent as usual, probably didn't even realize how that sounded.
Sanji lit a cigarette, "Let's take some of these fruit back with us to the ship" Sanji got a grunt of affirmation.
Sani plucked fruit as he went and started to pile them high in the swordsman's arms. By the time he realized how much he had, he turned to see Zoro's arms absolutely stuffed with the heart fruits.
"Awww you look so cu~te with all your little hearts~." Sanji teased him, talking to him like he was a baby.
Zoro's face went red in embarrassment, "Shut up Eyebrows or I'll drop them. I don't even like fruit."
Sanji knew he wouldn't drop them, no matter what he said. "I think you'll like these actually. Here-" Sanji pulled off a new fruit and held up the large heart shaped fruit to Zoro. "take a bite."
Zoro grumbled but bent over the best he could with his hands completely full and took a bite out of the heart shaped fruit being held in Sanji's hands.
Zoro stood back up, his lips glossy from the fruit juice. Sanji wasn't sure why, but Zoro's face was absolutely scarlet, and he looked away from Sanji, "Not too bad" he almost whispered.
Sanji smiled broadly, loving when he was right. Zoro looked at him for a moment before looking away again.
"Green and red" Sanji laughed at Zoro blush clashing with his hair, "guess Christmas came early."
"Shut it Cook!" Zoro sounded more embarrassed than mad though and it just made Sanji laugh harder.
"Okay, okay, let's head back. I need to start preparations for our next meal."
The rest of the walk back was silent but Sanji felt like Zoro was looking at him, but he didn't want to keep turning around to check so he just ignored it. When they finally arrived at the ship he made Zoro stand near the counter so he could unload all the fruits from his arms.
When he finally unpacked Zoro he shooed him away, but even after he had set the oven and finished chopping the vegetables for dinner Zoro was still there.
He went to yell at him to get lost but when he turned to face Zoro, Zoro was staring at his pinky where the string had been visible earlier.
"I thought you didn't care?" Sanji half teased, feeling slightly uncomfortable.
Zoro looked up at Sanji, "I don't. Not about some stupid island. What we learned here it would be idiotic to ignore though."
"The string disappears when we leave, it doesn't matter." Sanji tried to wave off Zoro's words.
"What it means won't change, and now we both know it."
Sanji thought about how when he arrived on this island he had expected a beautiful fair maiden and not the tactless idiot in front of him. Everything he had expected and hoped for shattered into dust the moment he realized Zoro was his soulmate. Couldn't they just pretend it never happened?
"Why is it such a problem that it's me?" Zoro asked.
The question made Sanji freeze up, what was he supposed to say?
"It doesn't make sense."
Zoro crossed his arms, "It makes a lot of sense actually. Even though you are annoying we just ..." he seemed to struggle for the right word, "fit."
"How about actual physical attraction!" Sanji glared heatedly, venom in his words, "It doesn't matter if we aren't physically attracted! We fight constantly!"
Zoro met Sanji's glare dead-on, "We don't even fight that much and it's never serious."
"We're both straight!' Sanji yelled, "How about that?"
"I'm not."
Those words were like a shock of cold water, "What?"
"It was only physical before, so I managed to get over it… over you. With the way you act around women it was actually pretty easy."
"Well" Sanji sputtered, "Keep it that way!"
"Only the weak and scared run from their destiny."
Sanji saw red, "Fuck you!"
"What are you so afraid of?" Zoro asked.
"I'm not scared or running away! I could never love you!"
"Why?" Zoro walked over and got into Sanji's personal space.
"Because I can't!"
"Why?" Zoro asked again.
"I don't know! I just can't!"
"That's not a reason."
"I don't want to fall in love with a man! I like being straight!"
"Because it's easy and you're used to it, right?" Zoro leaned in, and Sanji froze, his breathing getting heavy as he was sure he was about to be kissed. Zoro hovered in front of Sanji like that for what felt like forever but no more than a few seconds before the swordsman pulled away and walked off, "Coward"
The door shut and Sanji felt frozen on the spot. Why hadn't he pushed Zoro away, or moved away himself? Why did he feel disappointed that Zoro didn't kiss him?
Sanji felt so unlike himself, and he hated it. He liked who he was and he didn't want to change. He fell into being mad at Zoro because that was something that he was comfortable with, used to… safe. "Stupid Swordsman" He muttered as he went back to cooking, purposefully letting all of his attention go to the food he was making.
…
"Sanji" Nami happily greeted him as she made her way back on the ship. "Did you meet her? Is she here?" She looked around as if there may be a woman somewhere that she didn't see.
"I didn't find them" Sanji easily says, "Would you like a snack?"
"You were excited to meet her though, and you just needed to follow your string. What happened?" She had a hand on her jutted out hip and a face that showed just how much she knew something was up.
"It was…" Sanji looked for a word to describe what he meant before settling for, "wrong."
"Wrong?" her eyebrow arched. "A thread of fate can't be wrong. What happened? Did she reject you?" Nami seemed irritated by the mere thought.
"Not exactly."
Nami was about to say something else when Luffy spoke up from next to her. "It's Zoro isn't it?" He rubbed his belly, as if he didn't say anything abnormal, "I'm hungry, I want meat."
"Zoro?" Nami gave Luffy a look that spoke volumes on how stupid she thought the idea was, "Why would it be Zoro?"
"Lots and lots of meat okay Sanji! Nami keeps yelling at me and she won't let me do anything by myself. I listened to her and now I'm hungry."
Nami was notably more upset at being ignored than anything. "Luffy! Why would you say it's Zoro?"
"It just makes sense. They are really great friends."
Nami sighed irritably, "No, Luffy, they fight constantly."
"They play, and they just fit together, you know?"
"No, I don't know" Nami seemingly finished talking to Luffy, turned back to Sanji, "Now Sanji, you don't have to tell me, but I think you should. We will be here for a few days, I know how important this is to you, and you have my support." Nami turned to leave but turned on her heel after a few steps, sticking up a finger, "Unless it concerns money, then you're on your own" before turning sharply on her heel again and calling over her shoulder. "Also a snack sounds great."
Sanji looked at Luffy, who was back to begging for food, "Do you really think me and Zoro make sense?"
His captain was all smiles, "Yes, it's my job as captain to know these things. It's also my job to eat lots of meat. Let me do my job Sanji!" Luffy started whining and pulling on his clothes.
"And It's my job to make sure everyone is fed" Sanji ruffled Luffy's wild black hair, "But I can't start cooking with you hanging off of me… And don't wrinkle my suit!"
Luffy laughed and unattached himself, "Don't get in the way of your own happiness Sanji."
"What if…" Sanji sighed "Never mind."
…
Zoro was obvious.
They were all eating but the entire damn time Zoro just kept staring at Sanji. The cook wasn't even sure how he managed to clear his plate because he didn't take his eyes off of him for the entire damn meal. Not once.
Even when people talked to him.
"Hey Zoro, does it hurt to move your neck? I can take a look at it for you."
"No, 's fine Chopper"
"More like he wont stop staring at Sanji" Usopp laughed but immediately stopped when Sanji sent him a glare.
Sanji felt like for the rest of the meal everyone was looking back and forth between Zoro and himself.
It was no surprise when Zoro stayed behind as the others filed out, but also Robin had stayed behind. Seemingly completely undisturbed she pulled out a book from under her arm and started to read while she sipped on tea.
Normally her presence would be enjoyed but the entire time she read Zoro just sat there and watched him like a hawk. It was beyond unsettling and even when he had finished cleaning up the kitchen his two crewmates were exactly the same. Zoro's eyes still tightly trained on him and Robin enjoying her book.
He almost wanted to leave but his stubbornness would not see him being chased or pressured out of his own domain. Instead he sat across from Robin and refilled her teacup.
"What are you reading, my lovely flower?"
Robin finished reading the sentence she was on and smiled sweetly up at Sanji. "It's a book about soulmates, and the string of fate." She says softly.
"Oh?" Sanji can't stop from nervously looking over to Zoro who is still staring at him, "How is it?" he asks nervously, looking back to her hypnotizing azul eyes.
"Interesting" She practically purrs the word. She leans down cupping her delicate chin into her palm, elbow supporting her against the table. "It can be seen as unromantic though. Wouldn't you agree?"
"Pardon?" Sanji asks, nervously. Robin has this way of talking to people at times like they are the book she is reading.
"People can find the string very romantic knowing that something ties you to the person who is perfect for you, always connected, and in some ways never apart." She smiles slyly, "Some others find it off-putting, finding that it takes the romance out of falling in love. If someone is with you just because they are supposed to be, it's not like they ever fell in love with you, is it?"
Sanji's throat feels incredibly dry, and he can't seem to find his voice.
"That's stupid" Zoro's voice almost makes Sanji jump, he had been quite for such a long time and Robin's eyes where so piercing he almost forgot the other man was even there for a moment. "It's fate, why fight it? It can just happen sooner than later. Unless-" Robin looks over to Zoro but Zoro's eyes are still glaring holes into the cook. "You are a coward."
Sanji glares back at him, "What if they never do?"
"Destiny and fate are absolute but the journey toward it is ours to choose." Zoro has that challenging sneer on his face.
Sanji stands up, slamming his hands on the table. Why is Zoro so okay with this!? Why is being such a bastard about it? Why talk about this infront of Robin!?
"How are you so relaxed about this!? Are you secretly in love with me or something?"
Zoro scoffs, "No, but I run towards my destiny, not away from it."
"You wouldn't choose this given the choice right?" Sanji asked.
Zoro shrugs.
"I don't want that! I want someone who chooses me! I want someone that-" Sanji cuts himself off, realizing what he was about to admit. Realizing that he was making a scene. Sanji takes a deep breath, "You don't want me."
Sanji turns and leaves.
…
"You're rude, uncultured, insensitive, filthy, smelly, and a complete jerk." Sanji rounded in on Zoro. "You hardly ever bathe, drink too much, talk with your mouth full, and all you're good at is swinging your swords."
Zoro looks like he's about to insult Sanji back but Sanji doesn't let him. "You don't think things through, your hairs stupid, and you can't even achieve being a great swordsman without losing a damn eye!"
"Oi!" Zoro manages to get out.
"And you don't love me, despite the fact I've always loved you. I hate that I feel like this over a neanderthal like you! I hate that you wouldn't have done anything if not for the red string of fate!"
"Cook-"
"I'll just disappoint you and you'll regret something you didn't want to begin with. It won't affect you, but it'll affect me. I'm working on getting over you, and I feel like I was finally almost there. I was supposed to meet someone here that was my soulmate and would love me but it's just you again!"
Zoro's gaze is piercing, "You can never get over me, shit-cook. I won't let you."
"You're so damn selfish!" Sanji was breathing heavily.
"Yes, I am. How could I not be when you just confessed?" Zoro smirks.
Sanji's face goes red, "No I didn't."
"Yes, you did."
"Well, I take it back!"
Zoro crossed his arms over his chest, "Can't"
"Why does it even matter to you! You said you got over it and it was just physical anyway!"
Zoro frowns, "Who cares?"
"I do, you fucking ape!"
"Do you wanna have sex with me?"
"No! I'm not even attracted to men!"
"So we are even. I'll fall in love with you, and you'll end up finding me attractive eventually."
"It's not that easy!" Sanji screamed, he felt like he could have a better conversation with a rock at this point.
"Why not?"
"Because that's not how this works!"
Zoro grabbed Sanji and jumped off the deck, when they landed Zoro roughly dropped him again, but before Sanji could throw a fit Zoro knelt down next to him and grabbed his hand in his own. The red string around their clasped fingers glowed so brightly it was almost blinding.
"This is exactly how it works, chicken cook. I don't need to love you yet to promise you that I'm yours. You don't need to find me attractive to love me." Zoro smirks, "The rest will come later." Zoro tugs Sanji closer, "I don't share though. You can look, swoon and nosebleed all you want, but you're mine."
Sanji and Zoro look at each other's lips, and it's not clear who moved first, but most likely at the same time they leaned in, and kissed.
Sanji expected Zoro to be rough or awkward but the kiss wasn't either of those things. It was just sweet and left both men smiling.
Sanji thought to himself, after a kiss like that, it wouldn't be that hard to end up getting attracted to Zoro. He was incredibly attractive looking right now actually.
Little did Sanji know that Zoro at that same moment thought it wouldn't be that hard to fall in love with Sanji. He was already falling.
Sanji looked down at Zoro's exposed chest and wondered if his scar was sensitive at all. What kind of faces would the stoic swordsman make while pleasured.
Sanji's nose dripped some blood and Zoro's chest swelled as those blue eyes looked at him like that.
No it wouldn't take long at all.
Not when faced with your soulmate.