Title: So Good So Far
Author: AoiTsukikage (kikokus)
Rating: NC-17 overall
Characters/Pairing: Zoro/Sanji, Law/Sanji, eventual Law/Zoro/Sanji
Chapter: 24/24
Word Count: 2800 / Total Word Count: ~84,000
Summary: Written for a prompt from curlybrow who requested "Sanji confesses his confused love for Zoro, but Zoro refuses him, then Sanji turns to Law for comfort, and when Zoro secretly learns that Sanji and Law are doing it, he becomes really jealous…".
Spoilers: For recent chapters

Chapter Twenty-Four

When Sanji woke up the next morning, both Zoro and Law were still fast asleep. He slid out from between them, stepping carefully onto the rug and padding his way to the bathroom. His entire body ached in the best possible way, but it was still better if he didn't try to move too quickly, he figured.

Last night had been…amazing, for the most part, although he was still a little taken aback that Law had so easily promised a 'next time' when to begin with Sanji honestly didn't think he'd go through with it at all.

'Next time', though, was a tricky thing, because 'next time' implied all of them making it out of Dressrosa alive, and that feeling of foreboding he had whenever he thought about Law facing off against Doflamingo hadn't gone away.

He knew it meant something bad, but he still couldn't figure out what exactly it was warning him about, and he had to trust Law to take care of himself because there was certainly no way he'd stand any chance against Doflamingo.

Well, worrying about it wasn't going to help any of them, so all he could do was enjoy the time they still had to spend before reaching Dressrosa and then hope for the best. He glanced at himself in the mirror, groaning, because his skin was covered in bruises and it looked like he'd been on the losing end of a street fight.

Damn pale skin, he thought irritably, wishing he'd brought his cigarettes with him so that he wouldn't have to walk back to the bed to get them. He straightened up, squeaking at the pull on his back.

He heard light footsteps from behind him and sighed when Law's arms slid around his waist, the other man's chin resting on his shoulder.

"Feeling okay?" Law asked softly, pressed warm against Sanji's back, and Sanji leaned into the embrace.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," he shrugged, letting Law hold most of his weight. "I need to ask you about last night, though…"

"What?" Law yawned, adorably half-asleep still, and Sanji smiled to himself at just how fucking human Law could be when he didn't bother putting all of his walls up.

"You and Zoro. Was that…for me, or do you guys…" he shrugged, not sure how to say it without sounding jealous or possessive. He wasn't, not really, even though it was a surprise just how…enthusiastic they were about the whole making out thing.

"I can only speak for myself, but I believe it was a bit of both," Law still sounded drowsy, his words slurring together, and Sanji figured he was more likely to be honest when he was tired so that might have been a good thing. "Of course I knew it would be easier for you if we were getting along, but I don't typically engage in deliberate acts of intimacy with anybody I don't like on some level. Does that bother you?" he asked softly, and Sanji shrugged.

"Nah. Not really. It's better if you actually like each other, especially if there's gonna be a next time," he reached to pat Law's hip, hearing the other man sigh heavily.

"I did say that, didn't I?"

"Mm. So no backing out of it," Sanji said, trying to sound as threatening as possible. Law laughed quietly and kissed his shoulder, holding him tightly, both of them knowing without saying that of course 'next time' wasn't at all a sure thing.

Law didn't get a chance to reply because of a pounding on the door, and Sanji glanced up to meet Law's eyes in the mirror, the other man looking as perplexed as he felt.

"Sanji-kun! Are you in there?"

"I'm coming, my darling!" he called, because he still thought it was impossible to ignore Nami when she called for him, and he snagged a robe off of the bathroom door, quickly slipping it on and trying to smooth his hair into some semblance of order.

Law grabbed his jeans from beside the bed and slid into them, nodding at Sanji while he was doing up the zipper, so the blond pulled the door open to find a very panicked-looking Nami waiting on the other side.

"Oh, good. We…" she stopped, her eyes taking both of them in, before she coughed rather awkwardly and blushed. "Sorry."

"It's fine, Nami-san," Sanji knew he was probably just as red, because there really wasn't any question as to what had been going on. "What's wrong?"

"The air pressure's changing, and from the way it feels there's a hurricane…or at least a really massive storm-front…heading this way. I talked to the owner and she said that it's the right time of year for bad weather, so I think we're going to have to leave today unless we want to get delayed again," she did look apologetic, twirling a lock of long auburn hair idly around one slender finger. "So get whatever fresh supplies you need from the market and meet us back by the Sunny around noon. Okay?"

"Yes, I don't think we can afford another delay," Law noted with a heavy sigh. "We'll be there, Miss Nami."

"Thank you," she looked relieved that they'd agreed so readily, but her face grew more serious a second later. "Have either of you seen Zoro, by any chance? He's the only one I can't find, and…"

Sanji cleared his throat, ducking his head to hide the fact that he'd probably grown even redder, and Nami blinked at him curiously.

"Don't worry about Mr. Zoro. He'll be there as well," Law broke in and Sanji was grateful for it, because he didn't think his voice was working at the moment. Luffy and Robin were safe, maybe, but he honestly didn't know how anybody else on the crew would react to the news of their…rather unconventional relationship.

Nami looked suspicious, eyes narrowed and her arms folded under her breasts in a pose that Sanji knew meant she'd pry the answer from him one way or another.

After all, it was equally as impossible for him to not tell her the truth when she cornered him about it, and not just because it was normally accompanied by the threat of violence (Nami wasn't a large woman by any means, but he honestly thought she could lay out a giant with one of her punches).

"Right. Well. Be sure he's there, or we're leaving him," she spun around, hair whipping behind her, and stalked down the hallway

Sanji stayed in the doorway, blinking after her, his mind reeling a little because he'd assumed he'd still have a day to come to terms with what might happen once they got to Dressrosa. Yes, they'd still have the time it took to sail there, but it had been hard enough just finding a private place for him and Law to fool around without adding Zoro to the equation and he was betting all of them would have…other things on their minds anyway.

"Well," Law's voice broke into his thoughts and he half-turned, seeing that Law's face was entirely unreadable. "I suppose it's for the best. Every other time we've planned to leave it hasn't worked out favorably, after all," he touched his side, even though there was truly no sign any longer that he'd ever been nearly fatally injured.

"Yeah. Right," Sanji cursed himself for how tight his voice sounded. "I should…Zoro. I need to wake him up. Nami-san's serious about leaving him behind," he laughed, the sound false and hollow, and tried to sneak past Law.

The surgeon grabbed his arm, stopping him from moving, and Sanji really had no choice but to turn and face him. Law's expression was still guarded, but there was a tenderness to his gaze that Sanji knew was entirely for him and it still made his stomach swoop a little to see it so openly displayed.

"There will be a next time, Sanji. I promise," he sounded sure, even though Sanji knew he himself probably didn't believe the words for a second.

"Yeah. I know," he didn't even have a witty retort ready, unable to be nothing but completely honest. "I should…"

"Yes," Law didn't let go of his arm, however, and when he tugged Sanji closer and into a kiss there was an air of finality about it that left an ache in the blond's chest. "Right. Go wake Mr. Zoro," he stepped away and turned to gather the rest of his clothing, Sanji watching him in silence for a few moments before sighing in resignation and walking over to the bed where Zoro was still snoring away.

000

"He thinks he's gonna die," Zoro didn't seem fazed by that at all. Sanji looked over from where he was picking out some fruit, a little surprised the swordsman was so seemingly unaffected by the news. "Look, it was the same for me before I fought Mihawk, and back with Kuma. Sometimes there's just this feeling, that you're not going to make it out alive, and instead of sending you into a panic it calms you down and focuses you somehow. That's where he is right now, and that's a good thing," he promised, even though Sanji failed to see how it could be.

He guessed Zoro would know more about it than him, maybe, but it was still fucking depressing.

"Look," Zoro stopped him after he'd paid the clerk, his feet already carrying him toward the fish market, and he let the other man draw him into an alleyway to talk. "You know how important this is to him, probably more than I ever will. He's not the type of guy to go on a suicide mission, but he's also a guy that's gonna fucking do everything he can to make sure if somebody has to get hurt, it's gonna be him over anybody else. I'm the same way, and I respect that," he said quietly, although all his words really did was cause Sanji to flash back to Thriller Bark again.

He'd always known Zoro and Law were far more similar than probably either of them would ever admit, but it was more evident than ever now. Sanji knew he'd sacrifice himself in a heartbeat for anybody he cared about, but he was somebody who reacted to the situation and he couldn't rationalize expecting to go into something and not come out alive before even knowing what any of them were up against.

"Trust him," Zoro added, glancing around to make sure nobody was near before he clapped his hand on Sanji's shoulder, thumb gently stroking along his collarbone for a few seconds.

"I'm going to have to, I think," Sanji admitted with a half-smile, leaning in to give Zoro a chaste peck on the lips before withdrawing and hefting the bag. "C'mon. We've still gotta hit the fish market and I want to be back well before noon so Nami-san has no reason to come after us."

Zoro grunted in agreement, scowling and stuffing his hands in his pockets, and while Sanji didn't feel better about the situation at least Zoro's words gave him some comfort.

It was small, and it didn't make the roiling anxiety or feelings of impending doom go away, but it was appreciated nonetheless.

000

He'd been right about them not having time to do anything once they were back on board the ship, and for what turned out to be their only night aboard they'd all mostly fallen asleep in a heap of blankets in the corner of the galley, Sanji's hands clenched in Law's sweater as if he could keep him safe just by holding on tightly enough.

Morning had come far too soon, and with it the inevitable need to make breakfast. He'd left the warm cocoon of blankets regretfully, feeling Law squeeze his hand before he withdrew completely.

By the time breakfast dishes had been cleaned up Dressrosa was in sight, looming on the horizon, and Sanji hurried to put everything in its place and went to go change before they made landfall.

He stopped on his way to the men's quarters, seeing Law standing on the deck with his hood pulled up and the back of his coat clearly visible. It was a new one, emblazoned with a variation of Law's Jolly Roger that Sanji hadn't seen before, but if the word 'Corazon' underneath it was any indication, it was clear who it was meant for.

Law's body posture was tense, although his shoulders were hunched, and in what was probably a misguided attempt to lighten the mood Sanji pulled the hood of his own sweatshirt up, crossing his arms and sauntering up to stand beside Law and match his posture. He slid a pair of sunglasses out of his pocket, the bright sun reflecting off of the waves hard on his eyes after the dimness of the galley, and slid them onto his face. He looked ridiculous, he was sure, but for once he couldn't care in the least.

"Feeling okay?" he asked after a few minutes, knowing Law knew he was there. "Nerves?"

"Surprisingly, no," Law's fingers flexed against Kikoku's sheathe, his voice even. "Perhaps I'm even a tad relieved this will all be over soon, one way or another," he shifted, pushing his coat back, and for the first time Sanji saw that he wasn't wearing anything underneath it and had to look away because he really wasn't used to seeing Law show so much skin outside of the bedroom.

Now wasn't the time, of course, so he pushed those thoughts aside for the moment.

"You'll make him proud," he said, laying his hand over the symbol stitched on the back of Law's coat. "I know you will."

"I only hope so," Law sighed heavily and finally turned to look at him, something so resolute in his gaze that Sanji almost felt his own confidence strengthen.

"Hey, you've got a promise to keep," Sanji reminded him, lighting up a cigarette and sticking it in the corner of his mouth with a grin.

Law gave him a sickly half-smile that dropped almost instantly, his hand coming up to point. "Your hood's on fire."

"My…shit!" Sanji swatted at it rather ineffectually, taking a step back and catching his heel on an uneven plank on the deck, a move that resulted on him landing flat on his ass with his legs pointed straight up in the air.

Luckily, the crash to the deck had smothered the tiny fire. He pushed himself upright with a groan, retrieving the crushed and smoldering cigarette and staring at it mournfully.

"Fuck, I'm never that clumsy," he rubbed at his tailbone and stood up, turning back to Law, but instead of being amused as he'd expected the older man was staring at him as if he'd just seen a ghost. "What?"

"You're never that clumsy because, I think, somebody was guiding your hand. Or your feet, as it were," his voice was almost robotic, uneven and full of awe, and Sanji moved the sunglasses down so he could see Law's expression more clearly. "Everything you just did…down to the way you look right now, that was…" he swallowed, some hidden emotion making his voice shake, and Sanji understood because as far as he knew only one person could affect Law so much.

He wasn't sure he believed in any sort of god, or even in miracles or acts of divine intervention, but this was all just too strange to be anything but and he stared up at the sky, feeling foolish but silently asking Corazon, if he was up there, to watch over Law and keep him safe.

"Do you think he likes me, if he just tried to kill me?" he asked seriously, and Law settled an arm around his shoulders and chuckled.

"Yeah. Knowing him, that was a good sign," he rubbed Sanji's arm, his eyes once more locked on Dressrosa. Sanji heard footsteps behind him and knew just from the pacing and weight of them it was Zoro. The swordsman came up on his other side, his eye narrowed as he scanned the ocean in front of them.

"Well, time for another adventure," he adjusted the katana at his side, a kind of coiled anticipation in his stance. Zoro lived for that excitement, that adrenaline rush, and his familiar predatory grin was starting to form as he looked over at the cook. Sanji lit up another cigarette, confident now that he wouldn't set himself on fire again, and blew out some smoke that he watched dissipate in the warm air.

"Yeah," he agreed, looking from Zoro to Law and letting himself believe, even for just a few seconds, that things would turn out alright.

"Let's go."

End

Notes:

1. Yes, friends, we have come to the end of this adventure. This fic has been incredibly fun to write and I'm still so amazed at how well it's been received and how much encouragement I've gotten for it throughout the process. I hope the ending was satisfactory, even though it probably didn't end on the most positive note, but that's because….

2. There is a sequel in the works. I've already got most of the first chapter written so it shouldn't take too long to start up, and it will take place post-Dressrosa and be a lot more AU since, of course, I have no idea where Oda is going with the end of Dressrosa or what comes after. It'll also deal with some…things that have happened in recent chapters, so be warned if you're not caught up with the manga.

3. Thank you all again so much for your kind words and comments on this fic, and I do hope to see you all for the sequel :)