Some things can be obliviously obvious.

Enjoy~

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Chapter 5

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"Oi! Brook."

The skeleton looked up from the shop from the had been spying and glanced back. Soon his empty sockets focused on the swordsman approaching him. "Zoro-san~! Are you enjoying the island? They seem quite tolerant of pirates!" he seemed to chirp.

On reaching the musician, Zoro glanced behind the thin figure to see the terrified shopkeeper peeking out from behind the counter inside the shop. "… Right… Very tolerant… Look, I gotta question I need to ask you. Got a minute?"

"I have more than one if it suits you! What is this question, Hmm…?" he asked as he placed his full attention on the swordsman. Not noticing the panic stricken shop patrons quickly sneaking out of the shop when the skeleton's back was turned.

Ignoring the frightened natives running for their lives, Zoro waved for Brook to follow him. "What can you tell me of the North Blue?" he asked without hesitation. He wasn't letting this go until he had his answers.

Readily following the other swordsman, Brook let out a low hum. "North Blue? I've been there several times, but it was a very long time ago. It may not be the same as I remember, Zoro-san." he pointed out lightly.

"That's fine. I just want to know what makes it so different to the other blues." Zoro answered as he moved to the elaborate stone fountain in the middle of the town square.

When the first mate sat down on the edge of the fountain, Brook moved to settle beside him as he thought out loud. "It was called the Cold Sea back when I was small. Not because of the weather, but because you had to have a cold heart to survive. What land there was that held the most resources were coveted and usually only held by the marines or the world government. One didn't go there on a whim. One normally didn't trifle with the pirates that came from there. Savage is the best word I can think of to describe them."

Zoro was frowning the more he heard. "Savage?"

"I'm only speaking what I recall, Zoro-san. For all I know they could be a sea wide roller disco now. Yohohoho~" Brook laughed, finding the idea funny.

"Must have changed. The cook is hardly savage." Zoro muttered as he looked towards the direction he thought was the harbor. He was completely wrong, but in his head he thought he was right.

"Hmmm.. I wouldn't go that far, Zoro-san."

Zoro glanced back with a raised brow. "You feel differently?"

The skeleton shrugged and crossed his long legs. "Not a matter of feeling anything… Not that I do anyway, lacking nerve endings and such."

"Brook…"

"Yohohoho~ I merely mean you haven't truly seen Sanji at his worst. Deep down, if push comes to shove.. I wouldn't doubt his brutality." Brook pointed out.

"Are you saying that you've seen him at his worst?" Zoro asked, suddenly feeling more conflicted than before.

"No, but I've lived long enough to recognize the look one gets in their eyes." Brook pointed to his own empty sockets. "That look that appears when they've experienced the horrors of the human condition at its worst. It's a look that eventually all people of the North Blue develop. That's never changed. Haven't you noticed?"

Zoro glanced at Brook, frowning deeper. "Noticed what?"

"That Sanji-san and Law-san have the exact same look in their eyes."

That had Zoro silent for a long moment as he looked to the cobble stone. "Any idea what might have put it there?"

"It differs for every person." Brook looked up to the sky as he scanned his long lived memories. "Hm, it was almost a right of passage back then. My old captain used to describe it as the moment their soul dies. I found it very depressing, but it's the best way to describe it."

"The soul dies?" the swordsman repeated as a strange feeling made itself known in his gut.

The skeleton nodded. "Yes. That moment where any illusions that the world is a place of endless wonder is stripped away and replaced with cold facts. You survive or you don't. That's what is breaks down into. An entire sea of fatalists. Very depressing, really."

Zoro was left staring at the cobblestone beneath his feet. ".. That doesn't sound like the cook…"

"Doesn't it? Sanji-san has always been very practical and grounded the majority of the time. Yes he lets himself get swept up in the rest of our antics.. But I believe that is him trying to prove more to himself that he's still alive." Brooks replied thoughtfully.

That had Zoro frowning as he looked back. "Still alive? What does that mean?"

"It means that no one survives the Cold Sea without having scars. Most find ways to carry on, but there are a few that never recover. Sanji-san… I think he's always been stuck in the middle. He wants to believe, but knows better." Brook mused. "I've always felt sympathy for him. It can't be easy making yourself cheerful for the sake of nakama."

Those words left Zoro speechless for a moment. "… You make it sound like he might be miserable."

A thoughtful hum left Brook as he stood. "If you can't see it, there's no point in me saying anything, Zoro-sama. Some only see what they wish to see." He gave a tip of his hat before walking off whistling a jaunty tune despite having no lips. There were more shops to visit.

Left on his own, Zoro was staring off into space. Several things were brought to light and he was trying to process it all.

The cook wasn't happy?

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"Fuck… Fifteen minutes.. Fuckin fifteen minutes? Fuck…"

Chuckling as the doctor regained his breath, Sanji licked his lips and moved in close. "Don't tell me that's all you've got.." Sanji purred as he leaned in to nip along the captain's shoulder.

A breathy laugh left Law as he shook his head. "Not yet… but… I haven't finished examining you either.." His hands moved to grip at Sanji's waist. He pulled the cook closer until he was straddling his lap. Letting his hands roam over the pale body again as he let himself regain his composure.

Smirking, Sanji let his arms drape over the broad shoulders and held still. "So professional…" he chuckled.

"Can't leave a task half finished.." Law mumbled as he continued. His fingers traced out each vertebra, counting them silently as he nuzzled Sanji's temple. About half way up he paused and frowned slightly. He took a moment to start over only to pause at the same spot along the pale back. "… There's three extra…"

"Hm..?" Sanji questioned as he moved in to nibble at Law's ear lazily. Those hands turned him into putty so easily. He could let himself forget everything in this moment. No responsibilities, no outside world…

Just another warm body that understood.

"… You have three extra vertebra…" His hands moved along the cook's sides and paused again. ".. And an extra set of ribs… 13 ribs… Fascinating…" His eyes opened to focus on Sanji's. He was about to speak when he noticed the way the lights seemed to slightly reflect over Sanji's eyes. "… You've reflective eyes.. Like a cat…"

"Cat eyes, Hm?"

Law's hands reached up to up gently hold the blond's face. Staring intently on the blue eyes in the dim light. "…Your people must have developed a Tapetum Lucidum membrane… " he whispered.

"Think so?" Sanji asked with a lazy smile as he leaned into the touch. Finding Law geeking out over his anatomy rather cute.

"It must help you see at night and under the water…" Law stared for a moment longer before smirking. "More interesting than I anticipated."

"Glad to exceed your expectations." Sanji purred before closing the space between them and locking their lips together in a long lingering kiss.

He could feel Robin's eyes on them. Knowing they were probably hidden all over the room, checking out every angle of them. It added that extra little high that made this feel like something dirty and dangerous. It had been a very long time since he felt this excited.

The way Sanji was so confident and knew what he wanted was seriously taxing Law's restraint. He groaned into the blond's mouth. Hands slowly ran down the smooth back. Dipping under the water to settle at his firm ass. He gripped and pulled Sanji further onto his lap. Making their motions hitch and forcing them apart to gasp for air as they ground together.

"Nnn… Damn… you… Are seriously too tempting…" Law mumbled as he leaned in and nipped over Sanji's pounding pulse.

"Then… Why.. Are you holding back..?" Sanji asked before grinding down on Law's lap on his own. His blood was boiling as the water began to slosh around them. He wanted this.

Law looked to the heated blue eyes and felt his will crumbling. "… I don't think I'll be able to let you go without marking the hell out of you.. Your crew will know…"

A slow smirk curled Sanji's slightly swollen lips. "…Let em… I'm not letting this pass me by… Do your worst." He moved closer and let his tongue trail Law's lower lip. "Make me feel it.. Til it hurts…"

That had Law purring instantly. ".. I will if you will.."

Humming in satisfaction, Sanji tilted his head and let his tongue trail down Law's neck slowly. Focusing on the fast pulse that mirrored his own. He parted his lips and bit down. Tasting the salt off the tan skin and feeling the muscles twitch and tense. His eyes rolled back when he felt the attention returned on the other side of his own neck. Closing when the doctor's bit down harder.

Low growls echoed in the bathroom as they held on tightly to each other. Marking one another darkly, possessively. Teeth sinking in until skin broke and blood shed. Nails clawed across wet flesh as bodies arched and writhed in the wake of the pain that was stirring the pleasure to a new pitch.

That point where they were going to feel good until it hurt…

And hurt until it felt good.

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Franky paused in taking another chug of cola when Robin suddenly slumped over the table choking and coughing after getting a sip of tea. He raised a brow high and grinned. "Dirty Robin-chan~! HA! There's the nose bleed~!"

"You would….Too… If you saw this.." Robin panted out as she grabbed a fist full of napkins.

"I doubt Cook-bro would get the same high if he knew I was peeking." Franky snickered. "Besides, I'm fully entertained right here~!"

"…Pervert."

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TBC

Just because misery loves company doesn't mean that the company has to be miserable.

Later~