Chapter 58
Victory and defeat
Law opened his eyes at the sound of the library door opening. In the doorway, Robin stopped on the threshold.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb your rest."
The surgeon straightened up slightly, feeling uneasy. He didn't like being caught in a weak position and he wanted to reply that he wasn't sleeping but that lie was useless. In the end, he shook his head before falling back into the soft armchair he had chosen a few hours earlier. Not far from the windows, it allowed him to enjoy the calm atmosphere of the Sunny's library while keeping an eye on the outside. Law then noticed that it was still dark outside and when the archaeologist headed towards a shelf, he assumed that the Straw Hats were returning to their ship.
Since the return of the shuttle and its inhabitants in the mid-afternoon, joy and gladness were everywhere on the island. The straw hat boy's pirates had inspired fear upon their arrival, but this rescue had seemed to break all the reservations that the islanders could still harbor towards them. As soon as the heroes had been in sight, there had been nothing but outpourings of joy, tears and cries of joy. Obviously, the Straw Hat crew had immediately enjoyed this atmosphere of euphoria and the first of them had been quick to ask for a victory banquet. At his side and despite his obvious exhaustion, no one had been able to hold back Black Leg for long and after a quick examination by his doctor, he had rushed to his lair to come out a little later with his arms full of food. Several long tables had been set up on the still-dripping port to accommodate everyone and the party had started without delay.
Law had grimaced from the start in front of this big show of jubilation and fervor in which he had been dragged into. After an hour, he had reached his limit and had gone to take refuge on the Sunny to put an end to the dramatic outpourings of joy from the inhabitants because he had not let them drown under the tidal wave that had ravaged the center of the island. Besides, the surgeon did not understand why the inhabitants were so happy. The buildings, already almost in ruins, had ended up collapsing completely in many places under the force of the water and they had half their city to rebuild. Yet they had never seemed so happy.
Finally at peace, Law had decided to pick up a book, certain that he wouldn't be able to sleep and wanting to keep his mind busy. Amidst the shouts and laughter that reached him from afar, he had chosen a book randomly and the hours had passed peacefully until he probably ended up succumbing to fatigue.
"Did you enjoy your reading?"
Law glanced at the book still open on his lap as the archaeologist had reappeared while she was still examining those in front of her. In the end, he shrugged. "The description of the native culture is interesting, but I would question the author's bias. A civilization frozen in prehistoric times could only survive by taking advantage of its isolation. Opening it up to the world won't allow it to develop better; it'll more likely be absorbed and disintegrated by the rest of the world by being exposed to issues it cannot imagine."
Robin nodded, her finger stopping on a cover. "Isolation is an effective protection when you're not aware of what is hidden on the horizon, but the discovery of another world makes it difficult to bear. After all, we all thirst to discover other beings and the desire to explore is part of the characteristics of human beings."
"I don't deny it. It is just regrettable that this way of working condemns the knowledge and practices of a civilization that has survived for a millennium and developed treasures of adaptation to ultimately take the common path and end up getting lost."
"Some would speak of the law of evolution," the young woman pointed out to him.
"Evolution is not synonymous with progress, Robin-ya. It can lead to annihilation."
Robin did not answer and silence spread again in the library. Law let his gaze get lost among the lights of the port. The sounds of the city no longer reached him and he supposed that indeed, everyone had finally gone to bed.
"Do you think that the people from the clan of D. necessarily have a specific destiny?" The archaeologist suddenly asked him. Law turned his attention back to the young woman who continued to search for something among the shelves, her eyebrows furrowed.
"What do you mean?"
Robin grabbed a book to leaf through it. "This is a hypothesis. It seems that these people have a destiny that influences history in one way or another. But maybe that's not the case. Do you know of people with the moniker of D. who have led a life devoid of this meaning? At least, in appearance," she added.
Law took the time to think. "I don't think so. But it's likely that most D's remain unknown. Few of them voluntarily expose their names for fear of reprisals and the fear it arouses. That was the case with my family."
"Hmm, it makes sense." The young woman finally turned to him, her book in her hand and a small smile on her lips. "People with the name of D. remain full of mysteries."
For his part, Law looked away to observe the moving reflection of the lights in the water of the port. "That's why I wish to know the true meaning of this name. I'd like to know what I can expect and why I am here today."
Robin raised an eyebrow at these words. "Are you looking for an explanation for what you've experienced through the destiny linked to your name?"
The doctor sighed, his eyes still fixed outside. "I can't believe that this is just a coincidence. Or rather, I don't want to," he admitted. "I need to find meaning."
"I understand." Surprised, Law looked back at the archaeologist who nodded. "The meaning of my own life has long been to search for the poneglyphs to figure out why Ohara had disappeared."
"But now you don't anymore?" The surgeon wondered.
"I do. But it is no longer the only reason and as such, it has become my goal rather than my reason for living." Law looked at her questioningly and Robin sat in the chair opposite his, crossing her legs to open her book and begin reading. "I was not strong enough to achieve this dream alone. I needed to find companions I could trust."
"Then you met the Straw Hats."
"I met Luffy," the archaeologist agreed. "He had a D. in his name."
"Did you see it as a sign?"
"Not at the time. All I cared about at first was finding people I genuinely cared about and who cared about me too. I didn't want to be alone anymore. This life had exhausted me."
Law fell silent for a moment, letting his gaze wander over the cover of his own book. "I can relate to that."
Robin nodded and turned a page in her book. "It was only later that I realized the significance of a sentence that had accompanied me all my life and that I had ended up forgetting."
The surgeon turned his attention back to her, curious, and the young woman raised her head to look into his eyes.
"No one is born to be alone in this world."
Law felt the intensity of her words spread through the room and he tensed in spite of himself but Robin resumed her reading as if nothing had happened. "A former Vice-Admiral told me this the day Ohara was annihilated by a Buster Call. Jaguar D. Saul."
"Another D.," the doctor noted as the tension ebbed.
"This is a strange coincidence, isn't it?"
"Not so much. After all, you're the last survivor of Ohara capable of reading the poneglyphs. Your successive encounters with the D. prove the importance of your knowledge and the role you'll play in revealing the truth."
Law looked at the young woman who was perfectly relaxed in her chair. "Your survival is a determining factor in overthrowing the World Government that protects the Celestial Dragons. It is likely that our final victory depends on you. It is a heavy responsibility."
"I realize that, but as I said in Zou, I'm not worried. I'm no longer alone and I have great friends who'll protect me."
Silence returned to the library and a few minutes passed peacefully while Law was observing distractedly the book still on his knees. Finally, Robin spoke again.
"Do you know what's the hardest thing when you've lived isolated and hunted by the rest of the world for so long?" The surgeon raised an eyebrow and the young woman turned another page of her book. "Asking for help. Being alone teaches us to count on no one but ourselves because we fear betrayal."
As the surgeon continued to look at her, visibly confused, the archaeologist developed her thoughts, her eyes still fixed on her book.
"It is something that our chef has also come to understand and that allows him today to overcome the ghosts of his past and open up to a new relationship. He relies on us as much as we rely on him when necessary. In this sense, it's not just about acknowledging your limitations but also believing in the strength and resources of others because there are things that you can't do alone, even with the best will in the world. But I'm sure I'm not telling anything you don't already know, am I?"
Facing her, Law just stared at her without answering and Robin didn't raise her head from her reading. Only the muffled sound of the wind among the leaves of the tangerine trees below was heard for the rest of the night.
Sanji was flushed and he stumbled as he entered the crow's nest. Behind him, the swordsman growled. Zoro hoisted himself inside, the cook's tray balanced precariously in his hand. He might not feel the effects of alcohol despite the quantities he had ingested, but he was not good at delicately carrying the glasses and other plates that the blond had insisted on taking.
Like everyone else, Sanji had enjoyed the party, but more than alcohol, it was fatigue that was making him sway now. He hadn't really rested despite Chopper's insistence, who had barely been able to examine him before Sanji had run to his galley to prepare the feast his captain had requested. Then, serving the inhabitants, checking that no one had been forgotten and filling the crew's plates and glasses had kept him busy for a good part of the evening. Yet it was surely the whirlwind of thanks and congratulations that had fallen on him that had left him the dizziest.
Some of the islanders had already gotten to know him thanks to his regular presence at the market for several days and when they had learned that the cook had gone to the limits of the atmosphere to allow the shuttle to return to Earth, their last resistance had been shattered. Sanji had been acclaimed as a hero and his friends had let him enjoy this recognition that he had barely dared to hope for. At that moment, the inhabitants didn't care if he was the third Vinsmoke son or even a wanted pirate. They had only seen Sanji, this man who had risked his life to save some of their own that they had thought lost.
The hatch of the crow's nest closed behind them, Zoro put the tray on the floor and Sanji collapsed on the bench, exhausted but happy. The swordsman took the opportunity to get himself a drink and bring his plate to the blond. Sanji had been so busy ensuring the well-being of everyone that, as was often the case, he had forgotten his own needs. Yet Chopper had chased him for a while so that he could eat before ending up falling asleep on Luffy's rounded belly on the port. Not far away, Usopp, Franky, Jinbei and Brook had also collapsed among the remains of the meal. Law had been invisible for hours already and, with a smile on his lips, the blond had started to clear away when the last inhabitant had gone home and Robin had left for the library while Nami had preferred to sleep in their cabin.
While the cook was barely standing on his legs, Zoro had decided to give him a hand and when he had insisted that he rest, Sanji had offered to go with him to the crow's nest so that he could finally eat. In no time, he had gathered several leftovers without forgetting two glasses and the swordsman had taken his tray when he had seen the blond still in front of the rope as if he no longer knew how to climb it.
Zoro handed his meal to his companion who grabbed it without arguing, his gaze fixed on the calm waters below. He then ate in silence while the swordsman placed his swords against a wall before sitting down not far from him, his own drink in hand. In the end, Sanji put his empty plate back on the tray and the swordsman ended up turning his head in his direction, feeling the weight of his observation. Instead of lighting a cigarette as he usually did, the cook openly stared at him, his chin resting on one of his legs folded on the bench, and Zoro stared back.
"What's up with you, cook? Still don't feel like sleeping?"
In reply, Sanji held out his hand to the swordsman's face, brushing it with his fingertips, and Zoro froze, his glass clutched between his fingers. A few seconds passed without a sound and once the surprise had passed, the swordsman felt the air ignite between them. His hand unconsciously tightened on his glass and Sanji straightened up before straddling the swordsman to sit on his thighs, his own knees resting on the bench on either side of him. Zoro barely had time to notice that his heart was racing before the cook pounced on his lips, grabbing his messy hair to bring him closer. The swordsman immediately felt his senses flare up and he clumsily placed his drink to his left to better grab the blond's waist and intensify their kiss.
If he had believed that Sanji would finally seize the opportunity to rest, the swordsman could not have been more wrong. Against him, the cook seemed to come alive with a formidable energy that he poured into his companion's mouth while his hands tightened on his neck. His body itself tensed more and more under the swordsman's fingers and Zoro quickly perceived his impatience. The blond's muscles twitched and the power of his thighs increasingly pressed his pelvis trapped between them.
Zoro moved back slightly to try to catch his breath, dizzy. This sudden embrace was pleasant, but their contacts had always remained quite chaste since the cook had kissed him in the crow's nest. For his part, the swordsman had settled to follow the rhythm, satisfied with the turn of events. Zoro liked taking the time to rediscover his companion and no longer considering their relationship in terms only of sex as in the past. This is why he had never tried to go further, enjoying these quiet moments that they could finally share.
But facing him tonight, the blond's panting breath and gaze full of desire promised him more torrid than tender hours and if he wasn't opposed to it, Zoro still needed to know that Sanji was aware of what he was getting into. Not that he didn't trust his crewmate but the last few days had been tough for the cook between his treatment and wearing his suit again. So it was a matter of not burning any steps despite the kisses that the blond was now languorously placing on his neck and Zoro ended up gently pressing his shoulder.
"Cook…"
Sanji froze before slowly looking up and the swordsman immediately perceived his nervousness. Zoro straightened up, his eyebrows furrowed. "What's wrong?"
"I'm sorry…" The cook let his head fall into the crook of the other man's shoulder and after a minute of immobile silence, Zoro ran a hand down his back. "Talk to me, Sanji…"
Against him, his companion turned his head and their eyes met again before the blond sighed. "I just wanted to… I've wanted this for a long time but…"
"But what?" The swordsman encouraged him when he fell silent again.
"I didn't know how to approach the subject," the cook admitted, embarrassed. "Before, we didn't think twice but now, it's different. It's not the same relationship and I can't do just anything so I was wondering if there was some kind of… protocol?"
Facing him, Zoro couldn't help but burst out laughing. "A protocol, curly? Seriously?"
"What do I know?" His companion mumbled, burying his head in his neck again. "I've never been in this kind of relationship and I don't see why you'd have stopped me otherwise…"
At these words, the swordsman ran a hand through his blond hair, regaining his composure. "I wanted to make sure you know what you're doing."
"How so?"
Sanji straightened up on the swordsman's thighs, hesitating between worry and discomfort. Zoro traced the slight cut visible on his temple then. "You just tried to deflect a shuttle with your bare hands using that suit that started everything and you ended up at the bottom of the ocean today. I wanna make sure you're okay."
"Oh."
The cook relaxed, suddenly observing his hands that the Raid Suit had protected until the end. He had not escaped a few burns and scratches but given what he had done, he knew that it was a miracle that he did not have more injuries. And he owed it to this outfit that had, for its part, practically ended up in tatters.
"Stealth Black helped me."
Zoro raised an eyebrow and Sanji nodded slowly, "He protected me… in a way. Thanks to the Raid Suit. It was strange, it's like we had finally managed to agree instead of constantly opposing each other…" The cook shook his head then. "I know Stealth Black isn't real. But he is for me somehow…"
"He wouldn't exist without you," the swordsman acknowledged.
"If he allows me to help others, that's fine with me."
"If you use him to change the image your family has drilled into your mind, I have no objection."
Sanji smiled as his fingers jangled his companion's three earrings. "I'll be the one to define what I do with my name from now on. And I'll make it a name I can be proud of through my own actions. Those of others are irrelevant. I am different and I will prove it whenever necessary."
"You're the one in control," the swordsman agreed.
"I'm the one in control."
At these words, Sanji leaned down to kiss the swordsman's lips and Zoro naturally wrapped his arms around him. Their breaths mingled again but this time, the urgency of their desire had ebbed in favor of the sweetness of the moment. The blond shifted slightly after a few minutes though and the swordsman looked at him questioningly when he noticed that Sanji was biting his lips.
"Zoro, I want you to…" Sanji took a short breath. "I want you to be the one in control tonight."
The swordsman locked his gaze with the cook and time seemed to stand still for a moment between them. In the end, Sanji looked down. "I'd like to continue creating new memories. If that's okay with you."
Zoro grinned in front of his red cheeks before grabbing his chin to seal their lips. "Anything you want, cook…"
Sanji shivered and Zoro closed his eyes, focused on the caress of their tongues. The swordsman was terribly aware of the decisive nature of his companion's request. Indeed, the blond had often demanded to completely dominate when they were together, a condition sometimes essential for Sanji to agree to find the swordsman in the privacy of the crow's nest. Zoro had never protested because he did not care about this kind of supposed power that a role could have given them over each other. Conversely, Sanji had needed to feel a sense of superiority for reassurance and Zoro had never been fooled even if he had only understood the reason much later. At the time, he had accepted it because he did not acknowledge any value of subjugation on his part because of this and he had also been able to enjoy the blond's body this way.
For Sanji to give up this need for control was just further proof that he was now considering their relationship from a whole new angle, that of equality but above all of sincerity. He allowed a glimpse of vulnerability in front of the swordsman and it was revealing of his desire to commit himself completely this time. Without pretense, without dissimulation and without trick. Today, Sanji had no reason to hide. He revealed himself and Zoro could not have wished for a more beautiful outcome than to see his companion assume himself entirely after the torments he had endured about it.
A surge of pride suddenly seized him and Zoro tore himself away from Sanji's lips to place a kiss on his forehead. Surprised, the blond stared at him.
"What are you doing?" He asked when the swordsman looked at him with amusement.
"I let you catch your breath. You're gonna need it."
"You son of-"
The swordsman didn't give him time to answer as he grabbed his hips and then let himself fall to his knees on the floor, laying the blond down in front of him. Immediately, the atmosphere changed. Zoro had wanted to provoke the cook as usual but the intensity of the moment had quickly taken over, plunging the room into feverish expectation filled with desire.
Zoro turned to the bench behind them and rummaged among the cushions for a moment. He pulled out a small vial and Sanji blushed when he realized that it had probably been there since the last time he and Zoro had used it. For his part, after putting it down a little further, the swordsman turned back to the blond and stared him straight in the eye. He untied his belt and undid his kimono before sliding it down his shoulders. Sanji could only follow the movement with his eyes, fascinated, until Zoro removed his haramaki and placed his kimono at his side. The cook let himself fall backwards while Zoro slowly moved above him, trapping him between the floor and his imposing body. He then placed his lips on the blond's neck and Sanji jumped.
Sanji abruptly closed his eyes, already overwhelmed by desire as much as by emotion, and when he felt the swordsman's hand brush his stomach, he actually trembled. Zoro then slowly went up his kisses along his jaw to the hollow of his ear while his right hand played with the buttons of the shirt that was still between them.
The cook shivered even more before grabbing the swordsman's face to better kiss him breathlessly. Zoro was so gentle it troubled him and taking action gave him back some serenity. Being the object of such reverence left him stunned and this decision to rely on Zoro made him experience sensations that he had never allowed himself. A sensitivity that he had always possessed but that he had never known what to do with. That's why Zoro's lips against his took his breath away as much as they allowed him to breathe freely for the first time and the cook soon gripped his companion tighter, pleasure taking over his agitation. Against him, the swordsman redoubled ardor and Sanji relaxed.
Zoro felt a shiver run up his spine on his already damp skin when the blond deepened their kiss and he stifled a sigh against his lips. The attraction he felt for the body under his was becoming irresistible. His hips naturally sought to meet those of the cook and the perception of their two erections rubbing awakened a fever he had not been aware of for months. An incandescent inner turmoil that he had thought he would never find again. Which he had convinced himself he could live without. And Zoro would have done it if he had had to. He would have given up on this blaze that Sanji was unleashing if fate had not brought them together again. Because he had first thought that his companion and he were ultimately too different. Because he had then understood that the blond needed to heal before he could open up. Because the cook could just as easily have decided not to take this path again now that he understood the challenges he would encounter on his way.
But Sanji was here tonight and all the feelings that had been clashing in the swordsman's chest for months came flooding back under the effect of everything they had been through. The uneasiness, the remorse, the disappointment of their first weeks after leaving Wano. The confusion, the anger, the incomprehension of the blond's actions. The dismay, the rage, the helplessness when Zoro had witnessed the cook's distress. The hope, the determination, the respect that had emerged despite the pain. This whirlwind of emotions that had finally pushed them towards the shore of renewed trust after having torn them apart so violently. Towards the feelings that had never ceased to exist and that they could finally express.
Zoro shifted to his left as his mouth traveled down his companion's throat to his panting chest. He had pushed the cook's shirt back over his shoulders a while ago but his eagerness was too great and he quickly plunged his hand into the blond's pants, whose breathing stopped. Zoro kissed him some more, now eager for sensations, while he freed his companion from his last clothes. He no longer had the patience to make them wait after all they had endured. He could not contain such a surge of passion. He wanted to make it live, to share it.
Sanji kissed him back eagerly and the swordsman took advantage of it to blindly unbutton his own pants and then lower them on his hips at the same time as his underwear. Wanting to hear more muffled moans from his companion, Zoro groped for the vial he had put not far from them. Its content half spilled on his fingers, he finally grabbed their two erections in his right hand which he immediately squeezed. Sanji arched under him and the swordsman immediately picked up his pace, increasing the cook's kisses on his jaw and the scratch of his nails on his neck.
The blond was panting against his ear and Zoro laid his head in the hollow of his shoulder, unable to control the pleasure that was already overwhelming him. Sanji then wrapped one of his legs around his waist and the swordsman raised his head while maintaining the pace of his hand. His companion's gaze was sparkling with desire but also impatience and Zoro gritted his teeth. He did not want to move away from the warm skin of the cook and taking them to the point of orgasm in this way was more than a possibility. He also had a devouring desire to completely possess his companion though, not only because Sanji had asked him to but also to completely seal their new relationship.
Zoro loosened his fingers from their shafts and slid them to the blond's private part who shifted against him, releasing the vice of his legs to allow him to move. The swordsman fixed his gaze on his and began slow back and forth movements, attentive to the tensing of the cook's body. The intrusion made Sanji wince and Zoro used the oil that had leaked to facilitate his moves. He could not take his eyes off the cook who was out of breath in his arms and he would have almost forgotten his own pleasure if the vision did not fuel him a little more.
Finally, Sanji's hands became more insistent around his face, still pulling him against his lips, and Zoro straightened up. The muscles of his left arm were trembling under the continuous effort to support him for several minutes. Sweat was now beading on his forehead and on the back of his neck, and he met the blond's gaze, which suddenly became blurred.
"I thought I'd never experience this again," Sanji breathed, his throat tight, "I thought I'd missed my only chance…"
At these words, Zoro leaned towards his companion, moving the hair that blocked the cook's view before kissing his temple, his cheek and then his lips.
"Men create their own luck, Sanji. You fought for yours, you're not here by chance."
The blond nodded, trembling, and the swordsman kissed him slowly to allow him to recover. He went down to his throat then his chest and to his stomach before straightening up again. Their eyes met and if the cook was still feverish, his eyes were clearer. The swordsman then grabbed the vial that had fallen a little further and emptied the rest of its contents on his hand to coat his member generously.
He approached his companion and Sanji instinctively wrapped one of his legs behind him as the swordsman began to thrust into him. Zoro gritted his teeth because the move had pushed him forward and the two men paused. The swordsman huffed, trying to resist the impulse of his body that was just waiting to sink further inside his companion. The veins in his right arm on the floor popped out at the same time as his muscles contracted under the effect of his will. His left hand gripped the blond's hip to hold himself in the same way and he closed his eyes with all his might.
Sanji's hand brushed his cheek then. "I'm okay."
Zoro opened his eyes and fell on the cook's peaceful gaze despite his slightly heavy breathing. He leaned down to kiss him and in doing so, filled the last few inches between them. Sanji arched against him, stifling a moan, and Zoro kissed him, his body trembling because of the effort he still imposed on himself not to move immediately. He then let his right hand go up the cook's thigh and caressed his powerful muscles still wrapped along his own body. Sanji's breathing became faster and the swordsman followed his breathing to accustom them to a slow pace. After a few moments, the blond's hands tightened on Zoro's back and the man placed his head against his chest to enjoy the increasingly powerful rolling of their hips.
Their movements quickly gathered momentum, becoming more erratic. The swordsman traded his tongue for his teeth to mark the white skin of the cook and Sanji's nails more than his fingers dug into his companion's shoulders to better cling to him. Their skins glistened against each other and Zoro felt that he was about to tip over, their jerky breaths speeding even more.
In a final effort, the swordsman straightened up slightly and fell on the face of the cook lost in the limbo of pleasure. Sanji looked up at him and Zoro read the same devouring hunger he was feeling. He nodded softly. Their emotions were too powerful to allow them to enjoy it any longer tonight and the experience in itself was already unexpected.
Zoro slid his arms under the blond's shoulders to press him against him and Sanji immediately wrapped his own arms around his neck in return. Being so close did not make it any easier to move but their proximity was more important right now. The intensity of the moment precipitated their orgasms much more quickly than rubbing and Zoro trembled against the cook's mouth when pleasure finally caught up with him. For his part, Sanji was already catching his breath. The friction of his virility between their skin had been enough to rush him towards the point of no return a few moments earlier, and he ran a hand through the swordsman's damp hair before Zoro moved away to let him breathe.
Sanji caught his breath, his gaze turned towards the ceiling of the crow's nest while on his left, Zoro turned to the side to gaze at him, also panting. After a minute, the swordsman glanced at their exhausted bodies.
"You gonna sleep here, cook?"
The blond turned his head towards him and Zoro looked back at him, knowing full well that Sanji had understood the real meaning of his question. The cook smiled despite his exhaustion then.
"Didn't I say I wanted new memories?"
Zoro smiled in turn and leaned down to kiss him again. The blond welcomed him and kissed him back before trembling slightly as his body finally cooled down. The swordsman grabbed his shirt and placed it on the blond as a blanket. He then observed his companion who was also looking at him. A silent minute passed until finally, Sanji wrapped his fingers around those of the swordsman before kissing his fingers then closing his eyes, keeping their two hands clasped against his chest.
Zoro fixed their intertwined hands for a long time. Sanji had never wanted to fall asleep with him before. To put some distance between them and remind himself that they shared an intimacy that was limited to their physical relationship rather than an emotional one, the cook had always taken care to never stay beyond these few moments. Only a few times had he fallen asleep, too exhausted, but he had always managed to disappear before the swordsman opened his eyes the next day.
Zoro squeezed his companion's hand in his and closed his eyes in turn. He was not afraid that the cook would sneak away. Sanji had proven that he was a different man today and yet, he had never been more himself.
What a ride it was!
I remember that the scene between Robin and Law took me longer than expected because at first, it was a scene between Zoro and Law that I kept for a later chapter in the end.
And then, the scene between Zoro and Sanji was so important I spent a lot of time musing about it and the chapter became much longer than expected.
Anyway, I hope you liked it!
