Chapter 15
The happiness melody
Sanji took a puff on his cigarette while glancing off again before forcing himself to turn away to gaze at the land that would house All Blue's future restaurant. Since the beginning of the afternoon, he had walked up the top of the viewpoint, taking the pretext of checking the location of the place with the plan he had sketched. In reality, his gaze was constantly drawn to the sea and the blond wasn't fooled by his own tricks: the Sunny was supposed to arrive today and from this place, he wouldn't fail to see her sails, wherever he was.
Carefully observing his drawing, the cook forced himself to concentrate for a moment. Despite his excitement, he could still try to make the most of his time. Taking a few steps back, he raised his arm to visualize the restaurant on his sheet in the middle of the landscape. Then he frowned, unsure, and the smoke from his cigarette rose above him. It was hard to know if what he had planned would be feasible and until he showed it to Franky he could only speculate. What he was sure of though was that he wanted the terrace to overlook the beautiful cherry tree by the cliff. Indeed, despite the arrival of autumn, the tree was still as resplendent and the blond knew that it would enhance the place whatever the season.
Sanji suddenly spotted movement on the ocean out of the corner of his eye and he lowered his sheet all at once. A huge smile lit up his face then. Without wasting a second, he rushed towards the beach, the plan of his restaurant pushed deep into his pocket.
The Sunny was in sight. His friends had returned. Finally.
"Ahoy, Sanji!" The cook had forced himself to slow down and got rid of his cigarette butt when he reached the shore. Despite his impatience and his heart pounding in his chest, he didn't want to show how eager he was to find the crew. Yet when hearing Chopper's cry, the blond forgot his resolution and quickened his pace.
A minute later, the little reindeer rushed into his arms, laughing out loud. "Sanji, I missed you!" The doctor exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with happiness.
"You too, Chopper," The cook answered, a broad smile on his lips. "You look great," He noticed then, putting him back on the ground.
"Really?!"
"Absolutely, you're radiant!"
"Stop it, I don't need that kind of praise at all!"
Sanji laughed in turn at his friend's characteristic attitude and he didn't notice that the shipwright of the crew had joined them on the beach until the cyborg clapped him hard on the back and he was propelled forward. "Damn, Franky, you haven't lost any of your strength," He grumbled, straightening up.
"I'm in super shape too!" The cyborg got enthused.
Usopp and Brook turned up at that moment and the sniper sighed in relief. "It feels good to be back here after the last few months, it seems so peaceful… Not like on the Sunny where you had to manage schedules and risk your life every time you needed to go through one of those doors!"
"This trip was very inspiring and I composed several songs to tell you about it!" Brook said to the cook. "I can't wait for you to hear them!"
"And I can't wait to hear you sing," The blond admitted. "I wanna know everything that happened!"
Immediately, his friends assailed him with a diverse range of information, from their hectic crossing of an island to the difficulty of transmitting the mass of data they had accumulated, as well as the carefree attitude of Luffy and Nami's anger at every opportunity. Each had experienced the events in a different way however and soon, a joyous cacophony rose on the beach.
In the midst of the tumult, Sanji tried to follow the conversation as best he could, intoxicated with this warm reunion.
"Sanji! Food!" Raising his head, the blond noticed that the straw hat boy was running at full speed in their direction and he grimaced. He was seeing Luffy the tornado rushing on him without him being able to do anything about it and for that matter, his crewmates cautiously moved away from him when the cook was suffocated between elastic arms with superhuman strength. "S-San-Sanji, I've-I've missed you so-so much…"
The man managed to free himself a little and stared at the tears streaming down his captain's cheeks with circumspection. "Did you miss me or my cooking?"
"Both!" Luffy asserted, instantly smiling dazzlingly again.
Sanji shook his head reproachfully but he was smiling. Then he saw the two women of the crew approach. He noticed that Robin's extra arms were carrying two large bags by her side and he felt his eyes bulge.
"Nami-san! Robin-chan!" He brutally pushed his captain who fell on the sand and rushed to his princesses. "Robin-chan, let me help you!" He immediately offered her, taking her bags off her. "You're both even more marvelous than I remembered!" He gushed, blissfully happy. "I prepared a meal worthy of your magnificence for this evening and I planned several types of cocktails but I couldn't take them to you directly on the beach as I didn't know the exact time of your arrival and-"
"I too am very happy to see you again, master chef," The archaeologist interrupted him with a frank smile.
"Yes, you seem full of energy," Nami noted.
"Oh, you're way too gentle for me!" The blond replied, literally drooling at their feet. "I missed you so much! I couldn't sleep, I couldn't live, all I could think about was you and the day of your return!"
The cook continued his tirade under the amused eyes of the two young women until the navigator pointed out something behind him with a smile. "I'm sure you dearly missed someone else too."
Sanji turned away limply and received an electric shock when he saw the swordsman with arms full of bags too. The cook had been terribly impatient to see all his friends again but obviously, seeing Zoro again was of particular importance to him. Since Nami had announced their return, Sanji hadn't wanted to think about his behavior towards the fencer during their next reunion. Because as usual with his crewmate, everything was intense and unpredictable. And he wouldn't have changed that for anything in the world because this attitude suited him perfectly. This is how he felt the most natural but also the freest.
"I'm sure you two have a lot to talk about," Nami continued nonchalantly, nudging him because he was still frozen. "You should show him where to put the bags, those are the foods you asked for."
"Oh yes, of course."
The young woman nodded with satisfaction before glaring at the rest of their friends who were coming back with the obvious intention of monopolizing the cook to tell him about their adventures. "Come on, you guys have to unload the Sunny; hurry up!" Usopp and Franky were the first to understand that the navigator was trying to give a quiet moment for the swordsman and the cook and so they led the rest of the crew towards the ship behind the girls.
This little interlude allowed the blond to regain his senses and he calmly approached the swordsman who had frowned before stopping when he had seen his crewmates heading back to the Sunny. When Sanji reached him, his stupor had completely faded and he smirked at the fencer. For his part, Zoro's face betrayed no emotion and the cook realized that he wouldn't have expected anything else from him.
"You're gonna bring those bags home, mosshead. Use your muscles for something," He ordered defiantly.
"Why? Have you become even weaker since you twiddle your thumbs on your ocean, cook?" Zoro replied in the same tone.
Sanji felt his smile widen and his desire awakened under the swordsman's defiant gaze. Without further thought, he brutally grabbed the collar of the fencer's shirt to bring him closer and pressed his lips on his with fury. Zoro abruptly let go of his bags and responded to his kiss with the same energy, leaving them breathless after a few moments.
"I didn't miss your marimo head at all if you wanna know," The blond whispered, his forehead a few centimeters from his.
"Nor me your stupid eyebrows," The swordsman murmured in return. "Besides, I could finally enjoy the silence without hearing you jabber all the time."
"Liar. I'm sure the others made the same racket as usual." The cook then cast a glance at the bags spread out on the ground before looking back at his companion who was watching him without batting an eye. Sanji bit his lips, his senses already on fire. "If you want your surprise, you'll need to be more careful with food…"
"I'm really glad I'm not risking my life at every meal anymore," Usopp said with a voice shaking with emotion.
"That much?" The blond was amused, putting down a salad bowl generously filled with a mixture of melon, mozzarella and avocado for the starter.
"You have no idea! I had such a stomach ache two weeks ago I thought I was gonna die!"
"This allowed us to discover something very interesting," The skeleton approved while passing the bowl of olives to Chopper. "Lasagna from Forna's island looked delicious and the idea of storing it so that we wouldn't need to cook for days was tempting but, in the end, it went bad on the second day. Survival is a serious matter."
Finally complete, the crew was seated with Liam and Lily in Sanji's little garden to share a festive meal together. Night was falling and the table was lit by a few candles as the sun slowly set in the sky. The air was still pleasant and with the calm of the island, the atmosphere was both relaxing and playful, the conversations joyfully filling the space.
"Why did you eat them if they were bad?" The cook asked, putting down several baskets of bread now.
"The brave Captain Usopp wanted to try the experiment," His friend answered gravely. "He had the choice between the burnt steak and the lasagna…"
"Neither of them was a good choice," Franky completed cheerfully, opening his can of cola.
"Brook's pasta bolognese was a hit!" Chopper remembered, two slices of toast in hand.
"It's the only dish he didn't burn," Zoro grumbled, gulping his bottle down.
"I must admit that the preparation of meals has often left something to be desired," Nami sighed, a glass of fresh juice in her hand. "The schedules were a good idea but some people aren't made for cooking…"
"It is an art in its own right," Robin confirmed with a smile towards the cook who twirled to bring her a glass of white wine.
"For our part, we have nothing to complain about," Lily intervened. "We were treated like royalty at each of our meals!"
"I discovered totally unknown flavors," Liam approved.
"You're so lucky!"
His mouth full of appetizer toasts, the straw hat boy swallowed loudly before grabbing the bowl of olives with a greedy gesture. Sanji then watched in bewilderment as Luffy emptied the basket and swallowed the salad in a single motion. Even coming from his captain, his desperate attitude was painful to see and Nami sighed again.
"Luffy suffered the most," She explained. "It was difficult for us to prepare the usual quantities he needs each time…"
"He practically ravaged every island we passed," Usopp added, watching him finish the pot of tarama with his fingers.
"What do you think you're doing?!"
While some might have thought that the blond would take pity on the straw hat boy when hearing this news, they quickly revised their judgment as Sanji stretched his right leg to violently kick his captain over the table. Indeed, his wild eyes were already staring at the smoking meat grilling on the barbecue, tarama smeared on his outstretched hands in its direction.
The force of the impact startled Lily and Liam but Luffy just scowled, his head aching. "But I'm hungry and it's so good!" He protested.
"We ain't in a pigsty, there are ladies!" The cook roared. "Use your napkin and behave yourself or you can forget about second helpings!"
Luffy complied, heartbroken, and everyone relaxed around the table, savoring this so ordinary gesture as much as the delicious salad that was served. The blond still brought a few more slices of toast to his gluttonous captain before presenting his racks of lamb accompanied by a thyme cream as well as a huge dish of small vegetables and fragrant rice. The whole crew then quickly ate their share and an almost unreal silence settled in the garden. Sanji then cast an anxious look at his friends who all had their noses in their plates.
"Oh, my God, thank you!" Usopp suddenly sobbed into his rice.
"It's super great," The cyborg sighed.
"What a joy to be able to taste your cooking again!" Brook praised him.
"That's really good, you've outdone yourself, Sanji!" Chopper exclaimed.
"I must say that I have the same impression," Nami approved, looking up from her plate. "Is it a new recipe?"
Captivated by the general approval, the blond twirled around the table. "It is, Nami-san! It's a variation that I adapted to the characteristics of All Blue: the lamb meat comes from the neighboring villages where their animals graze the grass near the coast all year round. It has a unique marine taste thanks to the salt of All Blue, it's even better than that of Aqua Laguna!"
"It really is tasty," The archaeologist complimented him in turn.
"I made new coffee-based desserts just for you, Robin-chan!"
"Sanji, more!" The cook checked with a glance that the straw hat boy had wiped his hands and that he hadn't stolen food from one of his princesses before nodding and taking his plate. He generously served him again and Luffy devoured his dish in a flash. The blond knew his captain and he had foreseen this. There would be enough.
Sanji breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Luffy was finally coming to the end of his insane appetite. Yet he had prepared industrial quantities of lamb, rice and dessert in the form of a multitude of seasonal fruit tarts but the cook had still been afraid of not being able to fill his disproportionate stomach. Luckily, while the rest of his friends had long since finished tasting their slices and the conversations continued more slowly as the night progressed, Luffy finally put down his fork.
"I'm full!" Skin stretched like a balloon, he patted his huge belly, a satisfied smile on his lips.
"It's about time," The redhead sighed.
"I thought you wouldn't stop," Usopp added, yawning. The rest of the guests around the table nodded slowly, their eyes clouded with sleep. After the uproar due to the reunion and the exchange of many anecdotes, the excitement had fallen as the meal progressed until the discussions were no more than a hushed exchange in the middle of discreet laughter.
"We'll talk about the data tomorrow," Nami decided as she got to her feet.
"It's time to go to bed," The scientist approved, doing the same.
"I'll take care of the dishes!" The blond offered.
Everyone soon got back on their feet and Lily and Liam were the first to go home after warmly thanking the cook and his crew for sharing their meal.
As he walked with his friends, Sanji placed a kiss on Robin's and Nami's hand before they passed the small fence of the garden that separated them from the way back. "I'll serve you breakfast tomorrow on the Sunny," He assured them, a charming smile on his lips. "You deserve to rest after those difficult weeks!"
"It's good to be back," The navigator sighed contentedly. "Good night, Sanji-kun."
"Good night, my princesses!"
The crew members then saluted the cook but as the swordsman was heading for the fence too, the blond held him by his collar. "Oh, no. You stay here," He whispered to him, "Special treatment."
Zoro raised an eyebrow and their friends walked away, but not without winking many times knowingly while Sanji was pretending to ignore them. The cook then quickly turned to the table and gathered the dishes before handing a huge pile of plates to the swordsman. "Take care of this, mosshead."
"What? Why?" The fencer got indignant.
"Hurry up. The sooner we're done, the sooner we'll move on."
Zoro sighed before complying and soon, the table was cleared and the foam filled the sink of the small kitchen. The blond tidied up while the fencer focused on the dishes. However, the cook finished much faster than his companion and he ended up leaning against the door frame to observe his figure bent over his task.
Sanji shivered. All evening, he had bathed in uninterrupted happiness at the sight of all his friends gathered around his dishes, but now that he was alone with the swordsman, another kind of pleasure was seizing him.
"Mosshead…"
Zoro frowned when the cook pressed against his back. The blond's hands brushed the skin of his stomach under his yellow shirt and Sanji's lips lightly kissed the back of his neck, making him quiver in spite of himself.
"... did you think of me?"
The swordsman snorted disdainfully. "Not for a second. As I told you, I was finally in peace."
"I did think about you…"
In doing so, the blond's right hand slipped directly into his lover's underwear, who jumped at his touch, clearly surprised by his boldness. "Cook, just so you know, I'm doing your fucking dishes!"
"But I thought of you… Many, many times…" Sanji's warm breath turned to full kisses on the back of the swordsman's neck and his hair brushed Zoro's already shivering skin. The blond's pelvis pressed a little more to his back and Zoro gently hit the edge of the sink.
"I thought of you in the shower, in my bed, in the kitchen, in the ocean…"
"Pervert," The hoarse voice of his lover whispered, his hands clenched in the hot water.
"Do you wanna know what I did?" The cook continued against his ear. "Every time I thought of you?"
Breathing hard, Zoro tried to swallow his saliva. He was always flustered when the blond ventured to say this kind of thing. No matter how hard he tried to prove him wrong, Sanji's words left him strangely paralyzed every time.
"I like it when you're blushing," The chef's amused voice sounded.
"Stop it," The fencer growled awkwardly, trying to push him away.
"You sure?"
Zoro abandoned the dishes and turned to his crewmate who had no other choice but to follow the movement, tearing himself away from the contact of the fencer's skin with disappointment.
"You promised me a surprise, cook, have you already forgotten?" The swordsman said defiantly.
"I haven't." The blond sent him back facing the sink to press himself against his back again and the fencer had to cling to the edge of the counter so as not to lose his balance under his force. Sanji's hand then quickly relieved him of his three swords which he put down a little further before plunging again under his underwear and immediately wrapping around his shaft which was beginning to wake up.
Zoro gasped in surprise.
"I've thought about it so often," His companion resumed languidly, making his tongue tinkle his three earrings.
"What did you think about, pervert cook?" The swordsman managed to articulate in return. "What's this surprise?"
"I had the idea… to play with food."
"N-No kidding? You? Playing with food?" His lover muttered, definitely out of breath from the firm caresses he was now receiving.
"It's your fault, mosshead," The blond whispered as his teeth slid along the throbbing skin of his neck, "When you read this recipe last time, I reconsidered."
"You really are… a pervert."
The blond's pelvis pressed more and more generously against the swordsman's lower back, whose eyes were closed under the onslaught of pleasure. At that moment, Sanji moved his other hand up to guide the fencer's lips against his own and Zoro stifled a moan, grabbing his lover's hand to make him quicken his pace. The cook's rubbing increased as well, and when the swordsman tensed, Sanji's hand slowed abruptly.
"But I changed my mind eventually," He whispered, panting.
The swordsman barely opened his eyes, breathing heavily. "Really?"
"Yes. Let me make love to you tonight, Zoro."
The fencer froze in spite of himself. "W-What?"
"Surprise," The blond was amused, maintaining the rhythm of his caresses on his member.
"Fucking… curly bastard."
"You say that but you don't hate it," Sanji reminded him, kissing the barely uncovered skin of his shoulders.
A growl was heard from the swordsman. "Fine."
At those words, Sanji stifled a moan of pleasure as he sank his teeth into the shoulder he was kissing. The fact that Zoro acceded to this request always increased his desire tenfold. This act was the culmination of their relationship and the realization of all the trust they had in each other. Yet the swordsman remained shy in this respect and the cook was even more honored. Sanji then put his mouth violently against Zoro's while he undid his lover's belt without seeing it, his gestures feverish because of the excitement. He then quickly pushed back the fencer's pants and boxer shorts, feeling the muscles in Zoro's arms secure a hold on the sink where he was already leaning.
Sanji took the time to unbutton the swordsman's shirt and when it revealed the intact skin of his back, the blond couldn't help but let his tongue play along his shoulder blades. This part of his companion's body was special because as a swordsman, Zoro was specifically careful never to leave it within reach of his opponent. The cook was always amazed to taste the soft, muscular skin that rolled under his lips with each of his caresses. He knew he was lucky. The fencer was exposing himself before his eyes, shattering the aura of invulnerability that always draped him. He was offering him his most prized possession, his pride as a swordsman, and Sanji could only be grateful.
The solemnity of the moment equaled the heat of passion the blond was feeling and, unable to stand it any longer, he quickly took off his jacket and his own shirt before pressing once more against his companion's warm back. When their bare skins finally found themselves, a shiver of desire as much as of pleasure ran through the two lovers. The blond's hands instinctively curled around the swordsman's chest, intoxicated with their contact and mixed scents. He never thought he would feel such a desire for this man he hadn't seen for nearly three months. His body as much as his mind bathed in an overwhelming feeling of euphoria knowing they were reunited again.
The cook redrew the impressive musculature of the fencer, letting his hands trail sensually to his hips, his head buried in the hollow of Zoro's shoulder blades, which he kissed fervently. He then slid his fingers between his lover's thighs and went up, making the swordsman tense.
"Relax…"
Zoro didn't reply but Sanji tried to help him by using one of his hands on his hardened member. Playing to drag more and more lascivious sighs from him, the blond took the opportunity to open a drawer and take out the lube he had wisely planned to have close at hand this evening. He quickly put some around his fingers which he then inserted slowly, taking great care never to neglect the swordsman's pleasure. He knew this part was the one the fencer liked the least and he was often ready to skip this crucial step.
Sanji suddenly closed his eyes to control his own racing breath. Knowing he was about to possess the swordsman after all these months overwhelmed him and he felt like he was going to come before he even penetrated his lover.
"I lied earlier, mosshead…"
"About what?" Zoro muttered, also struggling against the waves of pleasure that his lover's hand was giving him.
"I missed you."
A low growl answered him and the blond focused on increasing the intensity of his preparation for several long minutes. However, when the swordsman began to gasp, clearly impatient, Sanji didn't seem to want to move on.
"He-Hell, cook, what are you waiting for?" The swordsman got annoyed, panting hard.
"I don't wanna hurt you," His companion languidly replied, resuming his caresses on his upper body.
"I ain't one of you fucking chicks, so get moving!"
A soft laugh then sounded in the ears of the swordsman. "That, I had noticed…"
Sanji then agreed to his request and for a second, he abandoned the warmth of his lover who leaned a little more against the worktop to catch his breath. Breathing just as hard, the cook awkwardly unbuttoned his own pants then quickly lowered his boxer shorts. He couldn't take it anymore. He didn't regret these last minutes but he was about to explode. Feeling the fencer's body tremble under his fingers was one of the best aphrodisiacs he knew. He grabbed the lube again and smeared it liberally over his throbbing member, biting his lip under the caress of his own hand.
A few seconds later, Sanji finally sank deep into his companion but he quickly had to freeze and felt his hands tighten on the swordsman's hips. Not that Zoro seemed to be in pain, but the cook was already on the verge of orgasm. He then laid his head against the back of his lover who was leaning forward and sighed deeply.
"Shitty bastard," He growled.
"Wimp," The fencer sneered while breathing heavily, knowing exactly what his dilemma was. "You should leave that to those who can do it."
"Let's see if you won't be the first to collapse," The blond challenged him instantly.
At these words, the cook vigorously bit the fencer's shoulder and Zoro straightened up abruptly under the avalanche of pleasure that resulted. Sanji then took the opportunity to pull out before pushing again with a powerful thrust. Zoro arched against him to resist the shock and the blond decided to surprise him, imparting a slow and deep rhythm. The aim was to prolong the festivities.
If the swordsman's breath was his only indication, Sanji knew he was on the right path to victory, but after several minutes of struggling with himself and pleasure, he also felt his control slipping away. Hearing the fencer's hoarse breathing jerking out of him with each thrust always proved to be his greatest weakness. Sweat beaded on their bodies and his sweaty hands clung to Zoro's waist to better direct his pelvis but his gestures were becoming less precise and pleasure was catching up with him faster and faster.
Feeling that he wouldn't last any longer, he grabbed the swordsman's virility to impose a sustained rhythm identical to the movement of his hips and Zoro's breath caught in his throat. Overwhelmed by his lover's pleasure, Sanji closed his eyes and his mouth crashed against the fencer's upper back, indiscriminately biting and kissing his warm skin in a vain attempt to control whatever was happening. Zoro then found his breath in the form of soft moans and just as quickly, the blond's thrusts became erratic against the moist skin of the swordsman.
Sanji was struggling not to lose track of his wrist movements on the fencer's member but when he felt his lover tense violently around him, his own will broke. The pleasure engulfed him suddenly and his body unconsciously accompanied that of the swordsman while the orgasm finally broke.
When he came to his senses a few moments later, Zoro was trying to regain control of his breathing against the counter, his eyes still closed, and the cook slowly loosened his fingers around the fencer's now drained member. Hand sticking and legs shaking, the blond slowly pulled out before turning his companion around to face him. The shirt hanging around his arms, the swordsman opened his eyes with difficulty and Sanji couldn't help but smile in front of his gaze still clouded by pleasure. He kissed him lightly on the lips before looking into his eyes mischievously.
"It's a draw but there's still all night to decide between us so don't sleep."
"You're gonna get it, curly brows," His companion replied in a low voice, still clearly out of breath.
The cook licked his lips before sensually running his tongue over those of his lover, obviously already ready to start the second round. "I can't wait."
It was my first time writing a SanZo scene but I liked it! Both have a different sensibility which makes it nice to explore other facets of their personality. I know some of you have been waiting for this moment for a long time and others have been dreading it so I really hope you found it realistic enough.
This chapter was longer than expected and as you noticed, the last scene isn't over…
