I was asked for tension.

Here's a taste.

Enjoy~

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Chapter 3

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"LAND~!"

The traditional cheer spread over the Sunny as they approached the next island in their journey. Luffy and Usopp dragged a squealing Chopper into the ritual land dance across the deck as the others bustled about making preparations for making shore. It was the same old same old. Almost.

As the ship drew closer to the shore, the wider the smirk on Law's face grew. He looked across the deck towards the galley and soon caught the blue eyed gaze as Sanji stepped out and glanced in his direction. He licked at his lips when he knew the cook was watching. The slight blush on that pale face was something he was growing to like quickly.

On seeing the doctor leer at him from across the ship, Sanji coughed and loosened his tie. He felt warm despite the island being an autumn one. The air was crisp and cool, but he was starting to sweat. He knew what he was in store for.. At least he thought he knew. Pretty sure. Maybe.

Law was all set for seeing how many buttons he could make the cook pop open on his shirt from afar, but attentions were diverted from one another as Luffy's typical demand boomed over the deck.

"SAAANJIII! Pirate bento!" the captain ordered as he bounded towards the cook.

Sanji raised his hands quickly and barely dodged a tackle. He was clearly distracted, but was able to recover enough to address his demanding captain. "Okay, okay.. Pirate bento. You don't have to attack me every time you want food, you know." he pointed out dryly.

"It makes the food taste better!" Luffy declared with a wide grin.

A bland glare was fixed on the idiot captain before Sanji rolled his eyes and headed back for the galley. "Right…" he muttered.

He was keeping a tight lid on his nerves.

He'd never admit out loud, but it was a bit.. Exciting?

It was ridiculous. Him getting excited over… Over…

"Goddammit.." he growled at himself before hastily focusing on cooking. If he thought about what… Was possibly going to happen later that weird fluttering would return to his stomach. It was a different sort of nervous…

A sort of nervous one got.. When they were finally alone with someone that could potentially understand. Everything. He hadn't been around anyone from North Blue for years. Let alone anyone that knew exactly who and what he was. It was like finally capturing a part of his past.

That and the fact North blue people tended to be ruthless due to the harsh environments. In every aspect of life. "Holy hell, we'll tear each other apart…" He knew it was twisted, but Sanji was actually.. Looking forward to it.

So lost in his thought, he didn't notice the door to the galley opening behind him. He nearly jumped when a pair of hands moved to rest on his shoulders.

"Not nervous are you..?" Law asked on a purr very close to Sanji's ear.

That Damn fluttering returned instantly. "… The kind you get when you go charging into something potentially deadly…" he answered as he put the knife he had been using down.

Law let out a low chuckle. "That excited hm? I'm flattered."

"Heh.. Cocky.." Sanji mused on a smirk.

"Not at all." Law let his hands roam down and run along Sanji's arms until his hands were resting over the pale ones on the counter. "I have the same feeling."

"Heh.. We're going to kill each other, aren't we?" the cook mused as he watched the dark hands settling over his pale skin.

"Not right away, at least. Wouldn't be much fun going straight for the climax, would it?" Law teased, his expression turning wicked. "I have to admit I experienced a dark pleasure when you threatened to butcher me like a pig… Makes me wonder if you've done it before…" he whispered as he leaned in to breathe in the scent of Sanji's hair.

Sanji let out an amused hum. "Not personally."

"But… you've watched it?" the doctor pressed as he moved closer.

"… Yes.." Sanji was feeling very warm.

"Ever… Consumed human flesh before? I heard rumors of the nomads practicing cannibalism…"

Sanji snorted and found himself pressing back against the warmth that was behind him. "That was a rumor. My people never did that."

"Maybe not your people…" Law pressed himself against the slender back and nipped at a lightly blushing ear. "But how about you?"

The nip made Sanji tremble. "… Only twice.."

"Twice huh?"

"In my defense, the first time was a matter of survival and I had very little choice." Sanji countered.

"And the second?"

Sanji was quiet for a moment before he let out a chuckle. "It's impolite to refuse a meal when you're a guest."

Law smirked wide. "So it is. Such a polite guest. I'm curious, what's it taste like?"

"A lot like pork, really. Pork that's been fed butter its whole life." Sanji mused with a shrug.

"Sounds decadent." Law wrapped his arms around Sanji's waist and held the blond tight against him. "Making me curious about it myself."

"Heh.. You'll excuse my reluctance to volunteer to sate your curiosity on this one." Sanji replied dryly.

"Naturally. I'd want something with a bit more meat on its bones anyway." Law mused .

"Naturally." Sanji rolled his eyes and looked to the arms around him. "… So… Do you want to go onto the island.. Or stay on ship?"

Law rested his chin on Sanji's shoulder. "It doesn't matter to me… Where ever we can have the most privacy."

"Tough call. Depends on how much trouble Luffy decides to get into. Could be days or hours." Sanji answered.

"Hmm.. Let's hope for days then. I could do a lot of research with that amount of time.." he purred before nipping at Sanji's pulse.

The touch made Sanji feel heated as his head tilted to the side to let Law have more room. "I'm.. Sure you could.."

Law was just about to taste the pale skin when the Galley door opened. He glanced up to see the first mate frozen in place in the doorway. His one eye staring wide at the two of them pressed so close.

Law gave a wicked smirk and let his tongue trail over the pounding pulse point. ".. I'll wait until I can have you to myself…" he released Sanji and walked to the door. Motions smooth and unhurried, like nothing had been about to happen. On reaching the door he looked to the man standing in his way. "Excuse me."

It took three seconds for Zoro's face to shift from confused surprise to a deep suspicious frown. Looking between the doctor and the cook who had immediately returned to cooking the moment Law let him go. "What's going on?"

"Of your concern? Nothing." Law stated in a matter of fact tone. He waited for a moment just to see the confusion that flickered back on the swordsman's face to be replaced with something a bit more hostile. Before the swordsman could think to comment, Law easily ducked around him and began walking out on deck with a smug smirk on his face. This was definitely going to be fun.

A one eyed scowl was fixed on the doctor as he left with a far too confident stride, then shifted to the cook. Zoro stepped further into the galley and was silent for a while as he tried to process what had just happened. "… What was that?" he finally asked when the answers his head was supplying didn't satisfy him.

"What was what?" Sanji asked readily as he began packing Luffy's Bento.

"You know what. Since when did you allow men to touch you like that?" Zoro asked, a strange edge on the usual gruff tone.

"I don't let men touch me like anything." Sanji easily countered.

"Then what did I just see?"

"Two adults?" the cook offered with a shrug. "Hard to tell. I've always thought you hallucinated."

The swordsman's jaw ticked as he clenched his teeth in annoyance. "I don't trust him." he stated.

"Me neither." Sanji glanced over his shoulder and smirked. "That's what makes it fun." He didn't give Zoro time to respond as he finished packing the bag. "Luuffy~!" he called out.

Zoro seemed to wait for the last second to step aside in time for Luffy to come charging into the galley. He didn't like this… What ever it was.

"Bentooo~!" The captain snatched up his overstuffed backpack, hopping about happily as he put it on. "Aren't you guys excited?!"

"Thrilled." Zoro grunted, still glaring at Sanji.

"Who's staying to watch the ship?" Sanji asked as he lined up the rest of the backpacks to be filled. Pointedly ignoring the look he was getting form his nakama.

"Usopp keeps saying he wants to, but I'm making him go anyway haha!" Luffy chuckled as he looked to Sanji. "But I think everyone's eager to get on land. I don't think anyone's volunteered yet."

"I suppose I'll stay then." Sanji offered. "Just promise me you'll bring back something fresh for the storeroom."

"Yosh! I can do that. Wonder if Law will want to come with us." he said as he glanced back for where the doctor might be on deck.

The thought of Sanji being alone with the doctor around had Zoro's eye narrowing. "Better go ask, Luffy…"

Blissfully oblivious to the tension, Luffy grinned wide and nodded obediently. "Okay! Hey LAW!" he called out as he bounced out of the galley.

When his captain bounded off to harass his ally, Zoro turned his attention back to the blond. ".. Maybe I should stay on ship.."

"Oh, well if you're staying I guess I'll go out then. No sense in both of us staying on ship." Sanji countered smoothly as he finished up. He glanced up and gave Zoro a look that said he was fooling no one. "What reason would need us both staying on ship, hm?"

His eye twitching, Zoro turned and walked away stiffly. "… Whatever…" Clearly annoyed, but refusing to go deeper than that.

Sanji watched, a slight smirk curling his lips as the galley door was slammed shut. Once the swordsman was gone, he hummed lightly and resumed his work.

"Stubborn marimo."

He had more interesting things to think about than perpetually silent moss.

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TBC

Funny how you can ignore something until someone else takes an interest in it.

More? Tell me.

Later~