Thanks to Selkie circus for your review.

Chapter 83

Ground zero

"Coffee cream dessert. Tutti frutti crumbles. Apricot almond tartlets. Caramelized apple pie. Square shaped milk almond. Pineapple tarte Tatin. Mini cheesecakes. Chocolate tartlets," Sanji counted.

"Panna cotta. Fruit minestrones. Sparkling sweet chocolate mousses. Lemon crumbles in a verrine. Red fruit madeleine tarts," Malek listed in turn.

"We're good for desserts," the blond noted as he checked off each item on his paper. "I'll make the wedding cakes tomorrow just before the ceremony." He then moved to the other side of the All Blue kitchen where most of the dishes he and Malek had been simmering all day were stored. At the end of the afternoon, they were finally finishing their preparations to make way for those of the dinner service but they would still have about as much to do the next day.

"Farm poultry with yellow wine, pan-fried morels and seasonal tian. Duck leg stuffed with pepper and mashed sweet potato and baby vegetables. Rump of veal with vanilla and mashed vitelotte and roasted vegetables. Sea bass filet with Pad Thai sauce and stir-fried vegetables with coriander seeds. Lamb shank and spicy juice with fried polenta," Malek continued, pointing out each dish to his colleague so he could approve them.

"How much lamb shank?" Sanji asked.

"Doubled quantity," the other cook reassured him. "I also planned several portions of caponata leg of lamb with the ratatouille recipe we talked about."

"Perfect. For my part, I made the chicken supreme with smoked duck breast and its creamy juice and gratin dauphinois. Back of cod with Thai broth on revered rice. Roast beef seasoned with olive oil, parmesan and dried tomatoes. And finally, salmon steak with wakame and brunoise of Granny Smith apples. I don't think we forgot anything," he added with satisfaction.

"When I think we still have the starters and salads to make, not to mention the cheese platters to set up," Malek groaned. "And I haven't even started on the drinks yet!"

"Don't forget that I'll take care of the appetizers so you have time to do them," the blond reminded him as he began to cover all their dishes with cling film.

"But you have the cakes," his friend said, grimacing. "Are you sure you don't want me to take care of part of the appetizers?"

Sanji shook his head. "I'd rather you supervise tonight's service with Zeff while I start making them. Tomorrow, Elio and Sam will be alone and I don't want them to panic before they're even in charge. I gave Amy her evening off so she can get ready with Lily."

"Okay. Anyway, I already made the crew's meal, it shouldn't take me too long…"

The two cooks quickly finished wrapping their dishes and a few minutes later, Sanji glanced out the window to see that daylight was fading on the horizon. "I'm gonna store as much as possible on the Sunny to save space. Tomorrow, we won't have time to move everything and we'll need space for our new preparations."

"I'm gonna start heating up the crew's meal," the dark-haired cook approved. "As soon as Elio and Sam are here, we'll start on today's menu."

"Most importantly, don't let Luffy stick his nose into the galley for even a moment," Sanji warned him as he grabbed several trays. "If he devours our dishes, we'll be screwed."

"Don't worry, I'll be careful," Malek assured him as he opened the door to make it easier for Sanji to pass. "Besides, I asked Robin to keep an eye on him. I know it's not ideal to rely on her, but her devil fruit is really convenient," he added as an apology in front of his crewmate's displeased face.

In the end, Sanji shook his head in the doorway. "You'll offer her one of our coffee cream desserts then. It's the least we can do to compensate for asking her for such a thankless task," he decided.

"Count on me!" His friend promised him.

Sanji carefully placed his three huge trays in the Sunny's refrigerator before taking the ones the swordsman was holding behind him. He had enlisted Zoro to speed up his task when he had seen him polishing his swords on the deck of the ship, but he hadn't come across anyone else to help and it had taken them three trips back and forth to get through the mountain of food that the two cooks had made.

"We're gonna have a space problem," the blond mumbled, noticing that the fridge's shelves were filling up before his eyes.

"Of course, you two made too much food," the swordsman pointed out behind him.

Sanji turned around to shove a huge tray into Zoro's hands before taking the one he was still holding. "Put that one with the tarts and crumbles in the pantry, a dry place is enough," he indicated with his chin. As Zoro complied, Sanji put away his last tray of verrines and Tatin tarts. "And don't forget to lock the door with Franky's new padlock!"

A few seconds later, the refrigerator door was closed and the cook stretched before heading towards the exit and the railing that ran along the first floor. He then searched for his pack of cigarettes deep in his pocket and decided to give himself a few minutes of rest. He needed to quickly return to the kitchen to start making his cakes but first, he wanted a break and he decided to enjoy the clear sky and pleasant air of this early evening. In front of him, the sun was setting on the All Blue and Sanji lit a cigarette to appreciate the show, amazed by the magical colors reflecting before him.

As he smoked quietly, he suddenly heard his crewmate's voice from the galley doorway. "I put the key to the pantry on the table." Sanji kept his eyes fixed on the landscape, blowing his smoke skyward. "Come here, mosshead."

Behind him, the swordsman frowned. "What now?"

"I'm telling you to come here." Zoro scowled but joined the cook at the railing. Sanji pointed out the expanse of the sea lit up with flashes of gold and purple beyond the deck then.

"So what?" The swordsman asked him after a few moments of observing the empty ocean.

"Don't you think it's beautiful?"

Zoro looked him up and down for a second before making an effort to better observe his surroundings. The sun had begun its course towards the sea and its descent created elusive reflections on the Sunny. At his side, the figure of the blond also seemed to sparkle in the light of the setting sun and Zoro finally looked away.

"Maybe."

"It's a show I'll never get tired of," the cook said as he got rid of his cigarette, his eyes fixed on the horizon.

"I'm sure." Surprised by his remark, his companion turned to him and Zoro crossed his arms over his chest. "It's the All Blue", he reminded him matter-of-factly.

"True." The blond agreed with a smile as he turned his attention back to the sea, "I've always loved watching the sun rise and set over the ocean and here, I feel like there's something indefinable that makes this moment even more extraordinary…"

Zoro turned back to the ocean while shrugging his shoulders. "I'm not surprised. You look like the sun and since you were looking for the All Blue, you can only love looking at it…" The swordsman stopped when he felt the cook's astonished gaze fixed on him and he felt his cheeks redden in spite of himself. "What?"

"You think I look like the sun?" Sanji repeated, stunned.

Zoro tightened his arms a little more on his chest to give himself some composure and he focused on the golden waves in front of him. "Sometimes. You always have all this energy and when you fight, your leg catches fire so it reminds me of the sun, that's all."

The blond remained silent for a minute at his side and the swordsman relaxed. He was even considering going back to cleaning his swords when his companion's voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

"It's funny you say that because I always thought you felt better at night than during the day. That you looked more like the moon."

Zoro turned to the cook, surprised in turn. "The moon?"

"Yeah. By your way of keeping quiet and suddenly drawing your swords, like a creature of the night that no one would have heard approaching. Not to mention your habit of sleeping all day long…"

"I like the night," the swordsman said. "The atmosphere is calmer and it's easier to concentrate."

"The night is more threatening," the blond pointed out to him. "Shadows are often treacherous and hide invisible enemies."

"They allow you to hide what you don't wanna show, but that doesn't mean it's threatening. Always being in the light, that's what's exhausting. We all have secrets we don't wanna share."

Sanji fidgeted next to the swordsman, growing more and more uncomfortable. He glanced quickly at his hands before speaking again in a voice he hoped was cheerful. "The sun, the moon. We really have always been complete opposites, haven't we?"

"Maybe. But opposites are also complementary and one does not work without the other usually."

The cook felt his heart drop into his stomach at these words and he bit his lips to stop himself from screaming. For his part, Zoro kept his face calmly fixed on the sea and he clearly did not have the slightest idea of the torment he was inflicting on his companion by using metaphors that inevitably reminded Sanji of their past relationship.

In the end, Sanji chuckled and the swordsman raised an eyebrow. "I don't think you've ever used such accurate terms to talk about what we've been through," the blond explained, amused.

Zoro turned completely towards him and Sanji observed his serious face with curiosity. "That's what we're still going through, cook. That fight and my swords, it was you who made sure to give them back to me."

Sanji swallowed, the tension instantly back, and his gaze shifted to the sun that was now sinking into the sea behind the swordsman to seek inspiration. "It's… normal between crewmates, right?" He tried in a voice that seemed horribly uncertain in his ears, "I just did what anybody else in my place would've done."

"Probably. But I don't know if they'd have succeeded."

This time, Sanji turned his attention back to the swordsman and when he met his intense gaze fixed on him, he looked back. He knew that his words were sincere. Zoro was thanking him for his help and Sanji should have appreciated his gesture at its true value coming from a man as proud as the first mate of the Straw Hat crew. But he could not calm the increasingly dull beating of his heart, even if he was perfectly aware that these words were not intended to reveal any hidden meaning about the relationship they had shared. And yet, the blond could not help but see references at every opportunity.

The cook suddenly became frightened by the turn of his own thoughts. He was becoming completely obsessed with his feelings and he attributed motives to the swordsman that were not his own. It was time for him to put an end to it. He then abruptly tore himself away from the railing to gain some distance.

"What's going on, cook?" The swordsman immediately asked, his eyebrows furrowed.

"N-Nothing."

Unfortunately for his companion, Zoro was not fooled and he did not take his eyes off him when the blond tried to look away. At that moment, the swordsman even took a step in his direction and Sanji panicked. He knew that his unusual behavior was giving himself away but he could no longer think straight.

A second later, he was stuck between the galley wall and the swordsman's figure, guilt knotting his stomach. He could not let himself go now. They had endured too many trials to impose one more on themselves. The blond forced himself not to look away when Zoro looked into his eyes to study him carefully. Finally, he tried to regain control of his too rapid breathing.

"Listen, we should-

The end of his sentence died on his lips when the swordsman kissed him. Sanji felt his entire body freeze and before he could recover from the shock, Zoro's warmth escaped him again. The man sighed softly in front of him and rested his forehead against his while his hands brushed the blond's waist.

A few inches away, the cook remained petrified. "Zoro…"

"I know. I'm sorry."

The swordsman shook his head against him and the cook stared at him through his blond hair, completely helpless. If Zoro had kissed him, it was because he wasn't the only one to still feel this electricity between them so why was Zoro pushing him away after having half-opened this door that Sanji had tried so hard to ignore? Did Zoro regret it? Had he acted on impulse without measuring the consequences? Had he simply been caught in the whirlwind of their memories?

"W-Why?" He stuttered, unable to hold back any longer.

"Because I'm weak." The swordsman whispered, closing his eyes, "I've been thinking about it since we fought two days ago and I didn't want to give in but it was stronger than me. It won't happen again," he promised him.

Zoro placed a kiss on his forehead before moving away and Sanji felt like the swordsman was stabbing him a second time.

"Why not?" He murmured in spite of himself, feeling his eyes fill with tears. "For my part, I've been thinking about it for two years…"

At these words, Zoro turned around to stare at him, stunned, and Sanji looked away to try to swallow the emotion that he had never managed to completely repress. He couldn't take it anymore. He had tried with all his might to resist and he would have stuck to his decision if Zoro hadn't crossed the line on his own. Now his barriers were crumbling and the injustice of the situation hit him. He wiped away the tears that threatened to escape him angrily.

"I know it's stupid but I can't help it, you know. I promised you I'd build my life here and that's what I tried to do but you show up and come up with all these fucking romantic images with the sun and the moon and… What am I supposed to do? You can't put me through this again, Zoro. This time, I won't make it…"

"What are you talking about? What about Liam?"

Sanji looked up, taken aback. "Liam?"

"Liam," the swordsman repeated. "I'm not stupid, I saw the way he looked at you." The blond's eyes widened and Zoro interpreted his reaction as a confession. He then shook his head, his eyes fixed on the sea. "I don't wanna get in your way, I know what I asked you. I think I just wanted you to know that… I didn't forget about you. But I didn't want to cause you any problems and that's why it won't happen again."

The swordsman was about to turn away again, clearly uncomfortable, when Sanji felt anger take over him. He grabbed Zoro's arm sharply before he slipped away and the man staggered when the blond violently turned him towards him.

"You're really still the same idiot!"

"Wha-

The cook's lips crashed against his and the swordsman's eyes widened in shock. His companion then moved away slightly to look into his eyes, panting. "Don't you dare leave, you damn mosshead," he growled hoarsely. "I said I tried to make a life without you, I didn't say I succeeded!"

Zoro frowned and Sanji shook his head. "No matter how Liam looks at me, I don't see him that way. At least, not anymore." The swordsman was still staring at him and Sanji bit his lip, suddenly embarrassed. "I don't deny that… that something happened between him and me. And even a lot of things," he added with a sigh.

"You regret it?"

Sanji looked up at his companion, undecided. "Sometimes."

As Zoro raised an eyebrow, Sanji glanced at him nervously before lowering his eyes, unable to hold the swordsman's gaze a few inches from his own. Zoro didn't move, giving him time to decide what to do next, and the blond ended up slipping his arms around his haramaki to timidly approach the swordsman until he curled up completely against him, his hands trembling.

"It wasn't easy when you all left, Zoro," he finally breathed against his shoulder, his throat tight. "When… you left. I was in so much pain I thought I wouldn't recover… Liam helped me a lot, he gave me everything. And… I took advantage of it," he admitted, biting his lip even harder. "I needed to move on and he gave me his heart and…I couldn't resist."

Zoro remained still against him and Sanji shivered when the wind picked up. The sun had long since disappeared from their horizon now. "I'm not looking for excuses but-

"I don't wanna know," the swordsman cut him short and Sanji straightened up to stare at him, hurt by his coldness. "I don't wanna know because what happened belongs to you two and you don't owe me anything," Zoro added to appease him. "I left and I asked you to stay so I know that nothing will be as it was, that's how it is."

Zoro ran a hand over his cheek and Sanji felt the warmth of his fingers warm his entire being. He looked into his eyes and the swordsman's thumb gently caressing his skin overwhelmed him. "If we broke up, it's because I never managed to completely forget you," he murmured, his throat still tight. "Even against my will, you were here. You've always been here…"

The swordsman seemed to study him thoughtfully at these words and Sanji felt anxiety gradually come over him. "Was there… Was there… someone else?" He asked after a few moments, uneasy.

Zoro sighed and Sanji felt his heart shatter in his chest. His hands clung to his companion's haramaki without realizing it as if to stop himself from fainting and he tried to keep his gaze on his. "Is there still someone else?"

The swordsman shook his head but instead of feeling better, Sanji didn't know what to do in front of his gaze suddenly filled with regret.

"I tried to forget you too," Zoro sighed softly, "And since it didn't work, I did it again. Again. And again. And again."

Sanji looked at his companion for a long time to try to assimilate his words. In the end, he slowly loosened his fingers from Zoro's garment and lowered his eyes. "I think I'd rather not know either. Like you said, nothing will ever be the same again…"

Zoro nodded before increasing the contact of his hand on the blond's cheek and leaning towards him. "I missed you, cook," he whispered in a suddenly strangled voice. "Every day, I missed you…"

At these words, new tears beaded on the corner of the cook's eyes who violently met the swordsman's lips halfway, his hands gripping his green hair to better hold him against him.

"You have no idea how hard it was," he reproached him, his tears mixing with their kisses.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…"

"Shut up, you idiot."

Sanji pressed himself closer to the swordsman's body, refusing to hear more. These confessions were certainly bitter but they were also deeply sincere and he didn't want to waste them. All that mattered at that moment were Zoro's arms pressing him furiously and their breaths deliciously tangled under the force of their embrace.

I couldn't imagine this scene any other way than on the Sunny. Back to the roots! I was inspired by the magnificent music To the Grand Line to write it.

It may come sooner than expected, but in my opinion, it's not so much about knowing if they still have feelings for each other - it's pretty obvious - but rather what they can do with them after two years so far apart.

Also, I hope the translation of all the dishes is not too clumsy. It's definitely one of the hardest parts haha