15 Reasons to Fall in Love

Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece.

11. Zoro is emotionless and boring.
Zoro has the emotional range of a rock. He keeps himself so in control of his emotions Sanji can never tell what he's thinking, if he's thinking anything at all.

Chopper forced Zoro to stay in the sick bay for another week, despite the fact that the swordsman had seemed right as rain ever since he woke up. Chopper had said something about overexertion being bad for the healing process. Zoro tried to refuse the little reindeer's demand, but Chopper was a force to be reckoned with when he gave out a medical order, so Zoro had no choice but to obey.

So Zoro stayed in the sick bay, much to Sanji's annoyance. Sanji did bring the marimo meals three times a day, sitting with him while he ate. Of course that was all he could do, under Chopper's watchful eye. For some reason, now that Zoro was awake, the little doctor didn't trust the two of them to sit in the same room together without doing something that could compromise Zoro's health. Of course he was probably right to be suspicious, but Sanji didn't think Chopper was imagining the same things he was.

But as much as their doctor's watchful behavior annoyed Sanji, it also gave him a sense of relief. In all of his life, Sanji had never felt himself attracted to a man. Women, with their supple figures, graceful curves, and delicate features had always been Sanji's preference. Zoro had none of these features. He was the very opposite of what Sanji usually considered attractive.

It wasn't that Sanji didn't find Zoro attractive, just the opposite. What Zoro lacked in soft curves and graceful features he more than made up for with rigid, defined muscles and raw power that could make anyone weak in the knees. No, Sanji was definitely attracted to Zoro, and that was the problem. Zoro was new and completely foreign to Sanji. Sanji had spent plenty of time wooing women; he had plenty of experience when it came to the opposite sex. When it came to the same sex though, he felt entirely out of his league.

Especially when the other person was Zoro. The first day Zoro had woken up, they'd had a moment. It had been (at least on Sanji's part) very emotionally fueled, and seemed to shake the very foundation of their relationship, altering it into something entirely knew. Or so Sanji had thought. Though judging by the bastard's current attitude, Sanji almost wondered if he hadn't dreamed the whole thing.

"Oi, Shit-cook," Zoro frowned into the bowl Sanji had presented to him. "What the hell is this?"

Sanji glared down at the ungrateful marimo. "It's your dinner, Marimo, now eat it and be happy I go out of my way to feed your bed-ridden ass."

"There's nothing to it," Zoro said bitterly, swirling the liquid around the bowl before spooning some up and letting it fall back to the bowl.

"There's plenty to it!" Sanji growled, offended by the slight against his meal.

"Sanji's right, Zoro," Chopper added. "It's filled with the proper vitamins and nutrients you need while still being easily digestible. I worry that your system isn't quite up to digesting large amounts of solid food yet."

Sanji smiled warmly at Chopper. "Exactly, I wouldn't want to upset a fragile marimo's stomach," He said mockingly, turning back to Zoro.

Zoro took a skeptical sip of soup. "It tastes like garbage too," He winced.

Sanji's face reddened as his temper reached boiling. "Then don't eat it! See if I care, shitty-marimo bastard!" Sanji roared, making for the door. There was absolutely no chance of him being able to spend another minute with the shitty swordsman without killing him.

He slammed the door behind him (earning a squeak of protest from Chopper) and leaned heavily against it. This was the problem. Despite that brief moment when Sanji had almost completely given into Zoro, the bastard still acted like nothing had happened. It was unnerving for Sanji; he wasn't used to opening up to people quite like he felt himself doing with Zoro. All the pretty women he'd ever wooed to bed or spent sweet evenings with had been little more than flings. Sanji loved spending time with these women, but it went no deeper than that. Sanji still kept them at a distance from his emotions and his dreams.

With Zoro it was different. Zoro was nakama, so he knew Sanji better than those faceless women ever had. He knew Sanji's dream. He'd never laughed at it or told Sanji it was impossible. Zoro had fought so Sanji could live his dream. Zoro wasn't another faceless sweetheart that Sanji would woo to bed; he was Sanji's friend, rival, family.

Zoro wasn't someone Sanji could keep distant from his emotions either. Mostly because he would probably fail if he even tried. Zoro seemed to be able to read people loud and clear, even if they were impossibly good actors. Odd for a moss-brained creature with the emotional range of a rock, but sometimes life is like that, Sanji mused. With Zoro, Sanji was an open book. He couldn't safely lock his emotions away from the swordsman the way he had been so accustomed to doing with his past lovers.

Even if he could, he wouldn't want to. Because Zoro wasn't another one of his one night flings. Zoro was something Sanji wanted much longer than that. Zoro had been a major part of Sanji's life even before he went and fell in love with the marimo head. Sanji was going to be with Zoro while they accomplished their dreams; that had always been the plan. Of course that plan applied to the rest of the crew as well, and it wasn't until recently that Sanji had taken on more personal feelings in the matter. Now that he had, Sanji was even more sure he couldn't let go of the swordsman.

This is what made this whole situation stressful. Sanji was sure of his feelings, he couldn't deny them anymore, but these feelings made him vulnerable. He wasn't used to being so vulnerable. He could count on one hand the number of people that he'd let into his life emotionally. One was a shitty peg-legged old man who'd nearly given up his life to save Sanji's and taught him everything he knew now. The other was a hyperactive, rubbery, captain who'd taken Sanji on a journey to live his dream. Now the third was Zoro, who'd stood for his dream, supported him, believed in him...loved him?

He'd been the one to confess, after all. He'd planted the idea in Sanji's head, had asked Sanji took see him differently. Sanji knew the swordsman well enough to know he hadn't been lying that day he'd kissed Sanji in the galley; Zoro didn't do things like that. But even so, the damn marimo had been so damn normal since he'd woken Sanji was beginning to wonder if maybe Zoro really had hurt his head in the fall. Sanji had finally given in to his feelings and Zoro could care less about him anymore.

Sanji shook the whirling thoughts from his head. He needed to make lunch for the others and there wasn't anything he could do about the present situation anyway. Besides, it was hard to act on their feelings with Chopper not five steps behind them, so perhaps when Zoro was finally released from his medical imprisonment things would actually change. Sanji felt satisfied with that thought and headed to the galley.

The next day, shortly after his breakfast, Chopper gave Zoro one last medical checkup before giving him the okay to leave the sick bay and join the rest of the crew on deck.

"But keep your weight lifting to a minimum for a little while longer," Chopper called out to the back of the fleeing swordsman. "I mean it Zoro or I'll make you stay in here again!"

Zoro visibly flinched at the threat. He'd been held captive for so long in the small infirmary that he thought he would go insane. Any more time in there and he might actually hurt Chopper in his attempt to get free.

On deck, Sanji was serving a late morning beverage to the ladies and a before lunch snack to Luffy and Usopp. Both boys had fishing poles and were chattering excitedly about what kinds of fish they'd like to have for dinner. Zoro's emergence from the sick bay seemed to go unnoticed until the cook glanced up from his conversation with Nami.

"You're out," He stated, looking surprised.

This of course prompted the others to notice him as well. "Zoro," Nami eyed him suspiciously. "Are you allowed to be up?"

Zoro scowled. "Yes," He replied, irritated by her assumption. Of course she was right to be suspicious, sneaking out was something he'd strongly considered at one point, but that was beside the point. "Chopper gave me permission."

Nami watched him carefully, her clever eyes trying to detect the hint of a lie. She found nothing though and instead sent him a smile. "Well then we're glad to see you," She said.

"Zoro!" Luffy shouted, launching himself at the swordsman. "Does that mean you can play games with us now?"

"Captain-san, I'm fairly certain you shouldn't be so rough with Kenshi-san," Robin said wisely, ignoring the look of annoyance Zoro was giving her. "I'm sure Doctor-san would not appreciate having to re-stitch his wounds."

"Why bother?" Usopp asked. "Zoro's just going to start training and tear his stitches again himself."

"Unfortunately that's probably true," Robin sighed before returning to the book she'd been reading.

Sanji remained quiet through the exchange, watching the swordsman try to wave off the two younger boys and argue with Nami, growing steadily more annoyed as the minutes ticked on. Zoro hadn't even so much as looked at him since he'd first emerged from the sick bay. Sanji had taken to eyeing the door to Chopper's medical room several times a day, hoping today would be the day Zoro would be allowed to leave. Well he saw the swordsman making his way towards them he almost thought he was imagining it, but the heavy footsteps of Zoro's boots assured him he wasn't.

Sanji had sincerely hoped Zoro's freedom would resolve all the questions Sanji had regarding their current relationship, and set him at ease about the swordsman's feelings. He wasn't necessarily expecting the marimo to immediately whisk him up to the crow's nest for some personal time or anything of that nature, but Zoro's lack of attention of any kind was definitely not what Sanji wanted either.

It didn't seem like Zoro was actively avoiding him, more like he really hadn't considered the cook's presence worth his notice. Exactly like Sanji would expect the Zoro he'd thought had hated him to act. Which was not the way Sanji had wanted or expected him to act at all, and quite frankly it was pissing him off.

With a loud clatter he dropped the tray of snacks and drinks onto the small table beside Nami. The drinks sloshed sloppily over the sides of their glasses and poor Nami and Usopp jumped at the sudden noise. Sanji would have felt bad for his sweet Nami, had his rage not hit a boiling point already.

"I have to get started on lunch," He announced. "Help yourselves," And with that he made his way to the galley.

"Oi, Sanji!" Usopp called after him. "You spilled the drinks into the food!" However if Sanji heard him he ignored him and slammed the door to the galley. "Hey Luffy! Don't eat that!" Usopp shouted, watching Luffy shove the now soggy food into his mouth. "It's wet!"

"Who cares?" Luffy shrugged, his mouth stuffed with food. "It's still good!"

Usopp eyed the food skeptically before picking up a bit and trying it himself. He nearly gagged and only the idea of Sanji finding out he'd wasted food kept him from spitting it back out. "It's disgusting," He groaned wearily.

"More for me then!" Luffy laughed, quickly gobbling up Usopp's portion as well.

Zoro's eyes had followed the cook back to the galley. "What's the cook's problem?" He asked.

"Hm, I wonder," Robin said thoughtfully, looking towards the galley. "He seemed perfectly fine a moment ago."

"Until Zoro came out. What did you do this time Zoro?" Nami asked him while carefully picking up a now messy drink.

"I didn't do anything," Zoro frowned. "I've been locked up in solitary, if you hadn't noticed."

Nami shrugged but didn't answer; instead she began to clean off her drink. Robin gave the swordsman a considering look before shrugging and turning back to her book. Zoro frowned, annoyed with their lack of answers. He looked at the galley once more before deciding it was probably safer to leave the cook be for the time being. Sanji tended to get temperamental when he wanted to be left alone.

Sanji's anger hardly dissipated in his galley. A dangerous problem because he was now in his kitchen, and his tools were acceptable weapons in the kitchen. He hoped for their sake, the crew knew better than to enter, but just to be safe he flipped the latch on the lock of the door. He'd hoped the familiar sanctity of his kitchen would give him the peace of mind he needed to calm down and think rationally, and perhaps it would have, had it not been for the shitty window.

The shitty window that was shittily placed to look right out onto the shitty deck where the shitty swordsman liked to practice. Which he was doing now. Sanji didn't know why he expected Zoro wouldn't immediately race to his swords and begin practicing with them. It was a daily thing that the swordsman had been deprived of for two weeks now. Of course Zoro would want to get reacquainted with them and continue improving himself. Sanji bitterly wished he had the flour to bake bread; he'd certainly like to beat the dough into submission and pretend it was Zoro's head or something.

Instead he stomped over and nearly ripped the curtains off with the force of his pull as he tugged them shut. With the window now covered the light entering the galley was filtered and dim. He couldn't turn the power lights on until dark; Franky was worried they may run out of cola before the next island, but Sanji could navigate his kitchen in the dark and felt the trade off of not having to see the swordsman was fair enough he'd do just that.

When Zoro had emerged from the sick bay Sanji had been elated, relieved, and happy. He'd spent the last week in complete uncertainty and he needed answers, but he'd been waiting patiently for the swordsman to be let out. Certainly then he'd show Sanji a shred of the emotion Sanji'd been expecting from him. Except he hadn't. Instead he'd ignored the cook's existence and carried on as usual.

Sanji snorted. It wasn't like him to feel so insecure. He was a pirate, a man who sailed the seas of the Grand Line, chef to the future Pirate King. He wasn't someone who would get worked up over something as stupid as the swordsman. If Zoro wasn't interested anymore, that was that and Sanji would move on. There were plenty of fish in the sea, after all, and Sanji was certain a beautiful woman could easily wipe the marimo from his mind.

His heart he wasn't so certain about, but Sanji was quite used to burying his feelings and could do so again. He could do that easily, especially if all he had to do was continue his previous relationship with Zoro, it was easy enough to want to kick the bastards head in every time he saw him. That decided, he pulled out the ingredients for lunch and began preparing their meal.

"Why's it so dark in here, Bro?" Franky asked, flipping his shades up off his eyes as he entered the galley for lunch. His eyes flicked over to the covered window before looking back at Sanji.

"Sorry about that," Sanji smiled, moving to the window and sliding the curtains back. He was just in time to see Zoro finish his final stance before sheathing his katana and heading for the galley where Sanji had just called for lunch. "The light was bothering my eyes," He explained to a still confused Franky.

"Are you sick, Sanji?" Chopper asked with concern.

"No, nothing like that, Chopper," Sanji assured the little doctor with a smile. "I was just testing out a new cooking method. Your senses are supposed to be enhanced by the dim lighting and it gives you a new perspective of taste," He quickly lied.

"So which was it? Was it bothering your eyes or were you trying out a new cooking method?" Usopp asked, digging into his plate.

Sanji wanted to hit the long-nosed bastard for pointing out his obvious contradiction. "If you want seconds you'd better shut it, shitty long-nose," Sanji growled out, low enough for only Usopp to hear.

"Yes, sir!" Usopp squeaked out, breaking out in a nervous sweat.

Sanji sent him one last glare before moving to tend to the ladies. At some point during his exchange with the others, Zoro had entered, but Sanji pointedly ignored the swordsman and hid his anger away by showering special praises down on the beautiful ladies. If Zoro noticed or cared, Sanji didn't know, but he wasn't going to bother finding out either.

Sanji did well during lunch, and was actually starting to feel quite pleased with himself. He'd been careful not to lash out at the swordsman especially, while maintaining his usual disdain for the other man. Meal time was really the only time Sanji usually spent too much time with Zoro, and if he could handle meal time he was well on his way to moving on and forgetting the swordsman.

As they finished their lunches, the other Straw Hats drifted off, heading for whatever chore or pastime awaited them. Sanji grew steadily more nervous as one by one his nakama left the galley and still Zoro remained. He couldn't promise he wouldn't lose it if he was alone with the other man.

To busy himself, Sanji collected the dishes and silverware from the crew that had left and set about preparing to wash them. Only Zoro and Luffy were left at the table now, and Sanji prayed Luffy's never ending appetite won out over Zoro's.

His hopes were crushed though when Luffy pushed away from the table and rubbed his full stomach. "I love your food, Sanji," He sighed dreamily. "I can't wait until snack time," And with that he left Sanji alone in the galley with the swordsman.

Sanji took a deep, calming drag of his cigarette. He could handle this. He just had to busy himself with the dishes until Zoro left, he could do that. He heard the scrape of the swordsman's chair and approaching footsteps. He scrubbed harder at the cup he was cleaning. It had long since been washed, but Sanji was hardly aware of it any more. All of his senses seemed to be focused on the approaching swordsman. He's just bringing his dishes to the sink, Sanji assured himself, and then he'll go away.

"What's wrong with you, Cook?" A hand barely brushed against his shoulder, but this coupled with Zoro's low voice caused Sanji to jump. He'd been so focused on the swordsman, expecting the other man to drop his dished in the sink and move on, that the unexpected touch actually caught him off guard.

The cup he'd been scrubbing at for the last minute was tossed into the air, turning over and over before crashing into the ground and shattering.

"Shit, shit," Sanji muttered, bending to pick up the shards.

Before he could reach them though, a second hand shot out and grabbed his. Sanji knew he was losing it when he became captivated by the sight of his hand in Zoro's. The contrast of their skin tone and the shape of their hands, Zoro's large and blunt from weightlifting and sword work and Sanji's more tapered and delicate for the finer movements of cooking, was beautiful and fascinating to Sanji.

"Get a broom, Cook," Zoro spoke, breaking into Sanji's observation. "You'll cut yourself."

Remembering where he was and the situation he was in, Sanji ripped his hand away from Zoro's. "I know that, you shitty-marimo," He growled, standing and stomping over to the cupboard where he kept the broom and dustpan.

Zoro watched, taking note of the rigid line of Sanji's back and the tenseness in his shoulders. Definitely not a normal reaction from the cook. Zoro's brow creased in confusion. "Are you alright?" He asked.

"I'm fine," Sanji snapped shortly, sweeping at the glass on the floor. His swipes were hardly controlled though, and all he was truly accomplishing was to send the glass scattering in different directions. "Why are you still here? Shouldn't you go lift weights?"

Zoro frowned. "I can't really lift until my stitches come out," He replied, though the cook wasn't really listening. Instead he was brushing haphazardly at the glass in short, angry strokes that hardly looked effective. In fact the cook himself just looked distressed, his mind elsewhere and not at all concerned with the mess of glass before him. That was Sanji's excuse though, to not have to talk to Zoro, and Zoro could see right through that.

Tugging the broom from the cook's hands earned him a glare, but at least Sanji was looking at him now. "What the hell is the matter with you?" Zoro asked again.

"With me?" Sanji ground his teeth. "What the hell is the matter with you?! I'm trying to clean here!"

Zoro didn't look impressed with his answer. Instead of handing him the broom so Sanji could carry on cleaning and pretending Zoro wasn't doing this right now, Zoro dropped the broom somewhere behind him and gave the cook one harsh shove.

Sanji cried out when he stumbled backwards, the edge of his countertop digging sharply into his lower back. Before he could retaliate and lash out at the swordsman, Zoro closed in, effectively trapping Sanji's legs with his own and pinning him back against the countertop.

"Now," Zoro continued, seemingly satisfied with their current position. "Do you want to explain to me why you've been treating me like I'm lower than the dirt on your shoes ever since I woke up?"

Sanji gaped. It was as if Zoro had just stolen the words right out of his mouth. Only those were the words Sanji wasn't ever going to say. Instead he was going to bury them away and forget about them. Or he was until Zoro said them. "Me?" Sanji asked indignantly. "What about you? You've hardly looked at me!"

Zoro blinked in surprise at the cook's outburst. "What are you talking about?" He asked, confusion written plainly on his features.

Sanji glared at him, wishing he could free his legs from Zoro's grip and kick the bastard across the face, but struggling proved futile. "Remember when you woke up? There was this moment when I almost kissed you, you shitty bastard," He hissed venomously in Zoro's face. "But I'm glad I didn't. That would have been a huge mistake. Because ever since then you've been ignoring me and treating me like second hand trash you can't be bothered wi-"

But Sanji never really got to finish his sentence. He was rudely interrupted by the press of Zoro's lips against his.

Hurt, and outrage ran rampant through Sanji's system and he shoved at the swordsman's chest, trying to force the other man away from him. Zoro was having none of it though. With one hand he managed to snag both of Sanji's wrists, preventing them from shoving against his chest. The other hand tangled into the hair at the back of Sanji's head and held it in place while his lips continued their assault.

Sanji tried but failed to struggle out of Zoro's hold, but his efforts were wasted, and eventually the desire he'd been holding back and denying came rushing in. Sanji felt himself kissing back, his body betraying his intentions as he tilted his head ever so slightly and allowed Zoro to deepen the kiss.

Sanji gave up the fight entirely when Zoro's tongue met his. For a moment he forgot entirely what he'd been so worked up over in the first place. Sensing the resistance leaving Sanji's body, Zoro freed Sanji's wrists from his hold. Now instead of pushing Zoro away, they pulled him closer; one gripping at his shoulder and the other around the back of his neck, playing lightly in his green hair. Zoro groaned happily against Sanji's lips, savoring the spiced taste left from Sanji's last cigarette. Zoro's free arm looped around Sanji's waist, pulling the cook impossibly closer and earning a happy sigh against his lips.

Sanji lost himself in the kiss until the need for proper oxygen won out over his desire to never stop kissing Zoro. He pulled away, gasping against Zoro's lips while Zoro did much the same.

"You," Zoro panted against his lips, causing a shiver to run down Sanji's spine. "Are an idiot."

Sanji almost wanted to laugh, because it was so very Zoro for the bastard to insult him after kissing him completely senseless. But the insult also rang a bell in the more logical parts of Sanji's brain. "Why am I an idiot?" He asked, frowning.

"Because I already told you I loved you," Zoro said, his eyes falling closed as he nuzzled the hair by Sanji's ear.

The swordsman's breath against his ear was doing horrific things to Sanji's vision, but he tried to stay focused. "You've hardly acted like it lately," Sanji swallowed.

Zoro pulled away to look into Sanji's eyes. The cook looked back at him and Zoro could see traces of the hurt Sanji was trying to hide away. Zoro could see his own emotions reflected back at him, the uncertainty, and the fear that maybe he'd been imagining their previous exchange. It wasn't until the cook had spelled out their almost-kiss that Zoro realized he hadn't been dreaming, it had really happened.

Zoro chuckled and knocked his forehead against Sanji's. "Idiot," He mumbled. "What did you expect me to do in front of the rest of the crew? I didn't think you wanted to out us so quickly…"

"I don't!" Sanji cried out suddenly. "I mean, at least…" He frowned. "Not yet," He paused a moment before continuing. "But I still thought, maybe you'd try and catch me alone or…" Sanji trailed off leaving Zoro to figure out the rest.

"I thought I was finally going crazy," Zoro muttered before pressing a gentle kiss against Sanji's forehead. The kiss was so tender Sanji couldn't help the blush the crept onto his face. "I thought that I'd thought about you so much I was living out a fantasy, and then after…" He frowned. "You were so normal I thought I really had imagined it."

The sudden urge to laugh bubbled up in Sanji's chest. All the worries and insecurities he'd been feeling, Zoro had been feeling too, and if they'd just spoken they could have easily figured that out. "I don't think I'm the idiot here," He chuckled.

"You definitely are, Shitty-cook," Zoro smiled. "But maybe I am too."

Sanji beamed like he'd won a prize. "Admitting it is the first step, Marimo," He said playfully. "Maybe there's hope for you yet."

Zoro leaned in, fully intending on silencing Sanji with a kiss when the galley door burst open. Both men jumped at the sudden intrusion but they didn't have time to scramble apart and were clearly caught by the intruder.

Luffy stared blankly at the frozen pair for a moment before a broad smile spread over his face. "It's okay Chopper!" He shouted, leaving the galley and pulling the door closed again. "They aren't fighting! They're doing the dishes!"

Zoro and Sanji remained frozen until the door fully snapped shut behind him. "I think we just got busted by the captain," Sanji sighed.

"I think he gave us his consent," Zoro smiled.

Sanji returned the smile and shifted to resume kissing Zoro, but the crunch of glass under his feet caught his attention. With a regretful sigh he looked down at the mess in his kitchen. "I should probably clean this," He said.

Zoro noted the cook's wistful tone and couldn't resist the broad grin that broke his face. "Clean up," Zoro shrugged, kissing the cook's forehead once more. "I'll start the dishes."

Sanji nodded and grabbed the broom, carefully sweeping the glass away from the sink so Zoro could wash the dishes without having to move. As he swept Sanji occasionally glanced at the swordsman. He did feel like an idiot, but at least he wasn't the only one.

A/N:

Thank you my wonderful reviewers! I got so many amazing reviews the last chapter, they had me all smiles. You guys are the most amazing readers and thank you so much for all the kind words and support. I'm always happy to hear your thoughts, opinions, and critiques. Thank you all!

Phew! If only you guys knew how close I came to not putting this chapter out today. Writer's block was killing me and I almost threw in the towel and decided you could wait. But I forced myself through it. That being said, I'm sorry if the beginning (Or any of it really) feels chunky or doesn't flow right. I powered through the writer's block by sheer force of will, but that tends to lead to messy writing. I edited it and I think it sounds better now than it did, but I'm sorry if it still didn't sound right.

Aww look at all the fluff. That could be a really cute ending right there. Hold on though, we've still got four more reasons to go!

That being said, I'm up in the air about next week's chapter. I may need to take the week off to let my wrist recover. Truthfully, I have pretty bad carpal tunnel. I was hoping to stubbornly power through it, but I'm not really doing myself any favors that way. As for now, plan on a new chapter next week, but if it doesn't come please, please forgive me. It will be out the week after without fail, I promise.

I hope you enjoyed! Until next time~!