Chapter 64

With you

"Where the hell is Luffy?" Nami was annoyed. "Each time it's the same! He pesters us to leave and the moment we can, he disappears!"

The navigator sighed before heading towards the new row of vegetables that she had just planted with Chopper and Sanji. The islanders had assured her that the varieties of carrots in particular were really tasty and the ship's doctor was eager to have his little sister Mink taste them as soon as he saw her again.

The night had been short and on deck, the rest of the crew was quietly busy during this late morning. Zoro had closed his eyes against the mast, his hands resting behind his head. He was exchanging a few words with Jinbei who was trying to plan their next route according to the destination the captain had chosen thanks to the information from the Hearts. The Fish-Man was expecting severe counter currents and if the swordsman tended to rely on luck, the helmsman rather intended to be wary. Indeed, Franky would not appreciate it if the Sunny came out in the same state as the other crew's submarine.

Sitting on the grass a few steps away, Usopp, Brook and Robin had started a game of cards while waiting for the departure. The archaeologist had gotten into the habit of enjoying complex logic games with the surgeon of death and her two crewmates were struggling to keep up. For his part, Franky had jumped down from the ship to make sure it was in perfect condition one last time.

A few minutes later, the cyborg climbed back onto the Sunny and sighed so loudly that all his friends, even those leaning over the vegetables on the first floor, gave him a surprised look.

"Luffy's saying goodbye to Torao and it's super emotional," he explained, his voice vibrating with emotion.

From the railing where she had approached, Nami rolled her eyes. "Of course he is…"

"It's not forever, they'll meet again," Chopper pointed out, coming up alongside the navigator. He froze immediately though, suddenly worried. "They will meet again, won't they?" He asked his companions.

"There's no reason." Sanji tried to reassure him, lighting his cigarette as he came closer, "Now that they're on the same wavelength, they'll probably think about a new alliance."

"That's one less problem, but we still have to escape death every day until Raftel," Usopp grumbled, choosing a card carefully.

"Our chances of survival are pretty slim," Robin agreed, her eyes fixed on her own cards.

"Yohohohoho! I have no doubts that these two young men will know how to force destiny to find each other!" Brook got enthused.

"I have to admit that I was not that optimistic about Luffy succeeding," Jinbei said. "I have witnessed his unwavering determination more than once, but that he would manage to change this man's mind on this subject, I did not expect it."

At his side, Zoro did not open his eyes. "When Luffy has something in mind, nothing can resist him," he reminded him. "Whether it's to bring down an enemy or to make a guy as stubborn as Trafalgar give in, it doesn't matter."

Now leaning on the railing, Nami glanced past the Sunny to see the beach. Between their ship and the Hearts' submarine, the figures of Luffy and Law were facing each other and she finally shook her head before turning away. "It's true that he deserved to enjoy it. Let's give him a few more minutes…"

"I thought about what you said, Torao."

"About what?"

The surgeon tried not to think about his crew who had entered the submarine a few moments earlier. They certainly didn't miss a single crumb of the show he was giving with the straw hat boy. Law knew that his crewmates like those of the other captain had figured out the new turn of his relationship with Luffy and even if he tried not to mind, he still felt uncomfortable when the others could witness it.

Not that he was ashamed, but the straw hat pirate revealed a shred of vulnerability and fragility in him that he did not like to expose and if things had been up to him, they would have been alone for their last moments together. Yet he was the only one who felt this way and the other captain had obviously no complexes about sharing his most intimate thoughts in front of anyone.

"You said that people die because of you but it's not true!" Luffy continued.

Law raised an eyebrow, surprised by his choice of conversation. "It is though."

"Maybe before but not anymore," the straw hat boy insisted. "You saved my life, Torao!" He reminded him then. "Iva-chan told me I was pushing my body beyond its limits but you managed to save me!"

"Are you talking about Marineford?"

Luffy nodded, a huge smile on his lips. "You also saved Jinbei! You're the best!"

"I have medical knowledge and I ate the Op-Op fruit," the surgeon tempered him. "These two skills combined allowed me to increase your chances tenfold but it was your will to survive that made the difference."

"Still, no one else could have saved us! And even after in Dressrosa, you were there when Mingo attacked Sunny, you protected my crew!"

"What's your point? I respect my commitments when I form an alliance," Law pointed out, offended. "And for your information, if I picked you up in Marineford, it's because I wanted you to be indebted to me in this way, nothing else."

"I'm glad you did it and I know you'll always be there now!"

Luffy chuckled and Law frowned. "I won't always be there, Straw Hat-ya, I'm not gonna follow you around to be your personal doctor. Tony-ya is very competent anyway and I have my own goals."

"I know but you'll be there," the straw hat pirate repeated, still grinning. "We make a good team!"

The surgeon rolled his eyes. "Can we really talk about teamwork? You tend to get carried away by your emotions, Straw Hat-ya. Whether it was against Doflamingo or Kaido, you only did what you wanted."

"But it works, I'm stronger when I let my emotions take over. I don't like it when people pick on my friends!"

In front of him, Law sighed before tightening his grip on his nodachi. "Anyway, just try not to die before you realize your dream," he concluded, turning away.

"Hey, wait!" Luffy grabbed his sleeve and Law stumbled back when the other captain wrapped his legs around his waist and his arms around his shoulders to face him. "I don't know when we'll meet again and I'm gonna miss you!"

At these words, Luffy tightened his grip abruptly and the surgeon felt like he was about to be devoured just like one of the pieces of meat that the straw hat boy loved so much. A second later, Luffy's lips crashed on his and his hands went up to the back of his neck to better deepen their contact. For a moment, Law thought about pushing him away like he had done on the beach of Wano but after the shock, he closed his eyes and let himself enjoy the sensation, his hand closed on his sword so as not to lose his footing. Things had changed since that day. He had changed.

Moments later, Luffy pulled their lips apart in a loud kiss and Law swallowed, baffled. Facing him, the straw hat boy's smile was still bright.

"Don't forget me, Torao!"

The captain jumped to the ground and Law grumbled to try to hide his red cheeks. "As if I could now…" Luffy chuckled before running towards his ship and the surgeon quickly turned around while catching his breath.

As he walked on the sand towards his submarine, his discussion with the swordsman the day before came back to him. Maybe for a little bit of emotions that Luffy triggered in him and which tied the surgeon to life in spite of himself, Law offered the straw hat boy some of his objective coldness to carry out his fights. Maybe they actually made a good team after all.

The surgeon opened the airlock of his submarine and slipped inside. He immediately heard the voices of his crew from the navigation room and he turned around to firmly close the door. At that moment, he glanced at the sun already high in the sky before activating the safety and blocking all light, a smile on his lips.

A long time ago, on a cursed night in Flevance, a sister of the Church had assured him that hope never disappeared, but Law had lost faith when he had seen her corpse among those of the other children he had known. Today, however, Law felt hope winning him over again. Hadn't he himself said in Dressrosa that he wanted to see with his own eyes the victory of the straw hat boy over Doflamingo or die at his side if he lost? Because that day, Luffy had taken up his goal when Law no longer had the strength to carry it. So that was exactly what he was going to continue to do because Luffy had always brought hope and today, Law wanted to believe.

"You wish, cook. That shit was disgusting, period."

"That carrot puree was perfectly seasoned, you bastard!"

"What do you know? You can't taste it anyway!"

"You say that as if you knew how to use your Haki for something other than waving your swords! You can talk when you stop getting lost thanks to it!"

Running out of patience, Zoro grabbed the collar of the cook's jacket, "You wanna fight, curly?" He growled a few inches from his face. In return, Sanji grabbed the swordsman's coat. "Whenever you want, Greenie," he retorted, just as furious.

"Take this noise outside," Nami's voice intervened behind them. "Some people haven't finished eating yet."

Around her, the other crew members nodded as they swallowed the last of their dinner around the galley table. They had followed the exchange with attention and if several of them had tensed up when some replies had been heard, they were now all perfectly reassured. The satisfaction of hearing the Sunny's two best enemies insult each other as usual was such that even Nami didn't want to stop them and Franky barely blinked when they passed through the door, their angry gazes fixed on each other. If the Sunny suffered a little from their upcoming fight, the cyborg would have enough to repair it.

When the door closed behind the swordsman and the cook, everyone continued their meal in good spirits and Luffy grabbed Zoro's dessert that had remained on his plate. Robin offered a cup of tea to Brook then to Jinbei and Usopp began the story of one of his adventures in front of Chopper's delighted face. Franky grabbed a new bottle of cola and Nami finished her mandarin cake with a sigh of pleasure.

The next few days looked bright.

Once on the deck, Zoro had wasted no time in drawing his three swords and Sanji had armed his right foot just as quickly. The blows had not taken long to fly but the anger had quickly diluted to make way for knowing smiles and provocative moves. The blond took the time to inhale deeply on his cigarette when Zoro's swords swirled more to follow than to cut him. Their attacks were precise and powerful but their exchange was more like a dance than a fight and they knew it. They even prolonged it with undisguised pleasure. This silent conversation was the last piece of the puzzle that they had finally solved.

Engaging in hand-to-hand combat had been their way of communicating since day one, and they had gone from pure hostility to the most ardent carnal desire after decoding the flicker of defiance that was constantly dancing deep in their eyes. They had used their natural rivalry to provoke impulsive encounters then, replacing kicks and swords with violent kisses and brutal touching.

Today, a new form of language was added. It was no longer face to face to display their brute strength. It was no longer a duel to see who would cave in first and break their confrontation to throw themselves on the other's lips.

Today, it was a duo. They still observed and answered back, but it was to accompany the other now and not to demonstrate their superiority. That's why Sanji took off towards the sky to fall back a few millimeters from the swordsman instead of crushing his foot in his chest and that's why Zoro didn't move when he approached, brushing the blond hair that twirled within his reach rather than cutting it with his sword.

Around them, the Sunny was racing across the sea and the sun would soon disappear completely from the horizon. Time continued its course for a moment and the dance of the cook and the swordsman became more languid. Now, their skins brushed and their eyes met, letting the tension slowly come over them. Soon, Zoro felt the pressure of Kitetsu in his left hand and he took a step aside to catch his breath. He slid Wado from his mouth to Enma's side in his right hand and looked up. In front of him, Sanji was also breathing heavily and the new cigarette he had put in his mouth a minute earlier barely hold between his lips.

Their eyes met again and this time, they remained fixed on each other. Zoro swallowed. In the end, he slowly raised Kitetsu towards his companion.

"Cook." The blond locked his gaze with his, attentive to his voice brutally full of desire, and the swordsman pointed to the blade between them. "I'd like to…" The sword grazed the cook's shirt between the folds of his open jacket and Sanji followed it with his eyes. He frowned before raising his head to fall on the swordsman's burning gaze.

"Not here. Let's go to the aquarium."

Zoro held his breath as the tip of his sword popped the buttons on his companion's shirt one by one. They had locked the door behind them but had not turned on the light, enjoying the hushed atmosphere of the aquarium and the blue reflections of the dimly lit water. On the other side of the blade, Sanji remained perfectly still, trusting the swordsman's moves despite the proximity of the sword a few millimeters from his skin. Kitetsu vibrated with contentment in its owner's hand and Zoro tightened his grip on its hilt. His sword was quick to feed on his desires and at that moment, the swordsman wanted to pounce on his crewmate so his blade needed to stay calm.

The swordsman exhaled deeply and went up to the tie knot already loose around the cook's neck. Sanji had given his consent and Zoro did not intend to spoil this moment that would probably never happen again. The blond had agreed to sacrifice his shirt and tie but he had taken off his jacket and forbade the swordsman from doing the same to his pants. It was already more than Zoro had hoped for and when the blade tore the fabric of the tie without a sound, the swordsman lowered his sword again towards the blond's chest, his throat dry.

He pushed back the shirt tails with the tip of Kitetsu that grazed the white skin within his reach. Not a trace adorned the cook's body and despite his permanent greed for blood, the cursed blade remained rather calm. Taking a deep breath, Zoro finally moved it aside to place it alongside the two other swords against the wall before staring back into the eyes of his companion who was watching him intensely.

"Satisfied?"

Zoro simply nodded, aware that his voice would only serve to betray his thoughts even more than his motions. He was already panting and he felt totally at the mercy of the desire that tensed his muscles and riveted his gaze to that of the cook, revealing all the temptation he felt for him right now. Sensing his trouble, Sanji smiled.

"Come here."

The swordsman didn't need to be asked twice and he crossed the distance between them in two strides to grab the cook's face with both hands and kiss him deeply. Sanji immediately pushed Zoro's coat away from his shoulders while kissing him back and very quickly, their two bare skins touched. Zoro growled, exalted by the sensation, while the blond impatiently played with his tongue along the swordsman's jaw. Quickly, the shirt joined Zoro's coat on the bench behind them and their hands grabbed their pants in the process.

Zoro's red belt barely undone, Sanji pushed the swordsman hard enough for him to stumble backwards and he landed as best he could on the bench next to their things. Panting, Zoro watched the cook get rid of his own pants, underwear and shoes and with trembling hands, he pushed his own pants down on his hips. He then contorted awkwardly to remove his last clothes as he devoured his companion's already naked body with his eyes.

Zoro had barely straightened up when Sanji sat on his thighs to kiss him with abandon. The blond had forgotten his embarrassment from a few days ago and he now let his desires into the open without shame and without hesitation, as if aware that the worst that could happen would be not to enjoy the happiness that he finally had within his reach. Zoro pressed his hands on his hips to increase their contact and the cook fixed his gaze on him when his pelvis began to move against that of the swordsman.

Zoro tried to catch his breath. "You wanna switch?"

"No. I wanna stay here."

Sanji kissed him again and let the swordsman's hands slide slowly along his back until they brushed between his buttocks. The cook shuddered and Zoro did the same. Now that he had opened his eyes to their feelings, the blond wondered how he had never noticed that Zoro's true pleasure was to see him take his own. The swordsman didn't care how, what he preferred was the connection between them, the exchange that took place beyond words. It was at that moment that Zoro expressed himself best, that his sensitivity and affection came to light. And Sanji was eager to receive. Maybe because he spent most of his time giving everything he could of himself and Zoro offered him to see himself differently, as a person who could also arouse love and desire. Maybe also in this way, Sanji allowed himself to practice it in turn since the swordsman did not seem embarrassed in the least by what he revealed.

Soon, his companion's fingers were no longer enough to satisfy him and Sanji gripped the bench behind the swordsman's head to look into his eyes, out of breath. Their bare skins already heated by their friction were beginning to cover with sweat and Sanji took a deep breath. He was thirsty for physical and mental pleasure and both could only come to fruition if Zoro moved on to the next step. But maybe he was waiting for a confirmation and the cook leaned over to his ear.

"I'm ready…"

The swordsman's gaze, both burning and gentle, pierced him through and the blond could only follow when Zoro guided him on his hips, taking care to let him decide the best moment to join their bodies. Sanji wasted no time and lowered himself, tearing a surprised moan from the swordsman who paused, panting. Hypnotized, Sanji immediately began to move, getting drunk because of the pleasure on the face of his companion and barely paying attention to his own. Yet Zoro's hand grabbed his hips before going up to his face and pulling roughly to kiss him feverishly on his mouth and jaw.

Sanji closed his eyes as the swordsman settled comfortably against his neck. Hearing his irregular breathing and feeling his moist skin against his own gave him sensations almost as incredible as his thrusts and the cook arched slightly when Zoro slid his teeth along his collarbone. Euphoria was rising faster and faster and if Sanji tried to straighten up to enjoy the show of his lover, Zoro beat him to it.

So, when the blond raised his head, he fell on the single eye of the swordsman fixed on him, searching for the slightest detail betraying his pleasure. His wish made his gaze shine with determination and fierceness and Sanji did not resist. He took advantage of the waves of desire that Zoro triggered in him and his thighs lifted him powerfully to fall back even faster.

Against him, Zoro withstood the load but his muscles tensed. The pressure of the cook's legs was considerable and his own body at the mercy of his thrusts. Yet it did not occur to him to push his companion away. Sanji was surrendering and what he offered him was invaluable so he simply tried to keep his breath while the blond approached orgasm. He grabbed his manhood to accompany him and Sanji arched, electrified by the sensation.

Zoro bit his lip before closing his eyes, unable to look at him any longer. The cook's pleasure was precipitating his own too much quickly and he wanted to enjoy it to the end.

A few seconds later, Sanji's body tensed up and Zoro sank his teeth into his shoulder as the blond's muscles clenched around him roughly. The cook let out a long groan before collapsing forward and the swordsman felt his own orgasm surge when his thrusts became erratic.

Zoro let his head fall back on the bench then, out of breath, before slowly loosening his hand from his companion's member, aware of his hypersensitivity. He briefly wiped himself on his coat next to him and Sanji lifted himself up to pull out before falling again against the swordsman's shoulder, also panting. Eyes closed and a smile on his lips, Zoro absently stroked his damp blond hair. He didn't know if the cook would be up for round two but for his part, he would be happy to enjoy the warmth of his body either way.

The two lovers were slowly catching their breaths when suddenly, Sanji shivered in his arms and Zoro raised his head, surprised. It wasn't cold and their two bodies were still shiny with sweat.

"Cook?"

Sanji didn't answer and lowered his head against the swordsman's skin, hiding his gaze while his blond hair covered his face. His hands tightened on Zoro's thighs and the swordsman ended up straightening up completely, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Cook, you're shaking."

"Sorry," the blond whispered.

Sanji tried to take a deep breath and Zoro ran a hand down his back. "What is it?"

The blond bit his lip. He didn't really understand himself. Was it the intensity of the moment? The realization of how far he had come? The feelings that clashed in his chest when he looked at the swordsman? The regrets he still harbored? The burden he had endured that was finally slipping off his shoulders?

"Hey, cook. You hiding?" Zoro's hand moved up his back to his face and moved his hair to reveal his two eyes. Sanji latched onto his gaze then. "Zoro, I believe you."

The swordsman raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

Sanji placed his own hand on his companion's cheek, caressing his skin. "You, Luffy, and the entire crew. When you say that I belong here, I believe you."

Zoro locked his gaze with his own and the blond felt emotion tighten his throat.

"When… I don't feel anything but you say that you care, I believe you. When…" Sanji took a second to suppress his emotion. "When I feel like I'm on a precipice and you say that you'll stay there, that you'll always be there… I believe you. When-when I feel like I don't belong to anything or anyone and you show me the crew's flag, I remember."

The cook closed his eyes and a tear rolled down his cheek.

"I-I believe you… That's why I fought and will continue to fight. For you, for the crew. And also for me. Because… I believe now."

Zoro ran his hand through his companion's hair to gaze at him carefully, the reflections of the aquarium creating shadows on his skin and making shine his eyes brimming with tears. In the end, he let his hand slide behind the cook's neck to pull him forward and the blond nestled against his shoulder. Chopper had said that Sanji would probably still be subject to sudden mood swings for a while, his emotions and the shifts he had undergone slowly regaining their place.

"Why are you thinking about that now, cook?" Zoro murmured when he felt the blond's tears soak his shoulder.

"It's… those fucking carrots," the blond sniffed against him.

"What?" Zoro turned his head to stare at him, stunned, "You're crying because I didn't like your mashed carrots?!"

Sanji bit his shoulder in return, visibly outraged, before wiping his eyes against his skin. "Of course not, idiot, it's not my fault if you can't appreciate good food. It's because Chopper wants Carrot-chan to taste them and it reminded me of everything that happened at Whole Cake Island…"

The swordsman leaned back against the bench, curious, and Sanji sighed, finally turning his head towards him.

"When we escaped the Tea Party, Big Mom was on our tail and we had to split up. We needed to make a cake to calm her hunger pang and I left with Pudding-chan and Chiffon-chan while the others headed to the Sunny…"

Sanji shivered again but Zoro didn't move.

"Pedro and Pekoms died in the battle," the blond breathed after a few seconds. "If Luffy hadn't had to come get me, I can't help but think that they'd still be alive… You should have seen Carrot-chan's eyes when I learned of Pedro's sacrifice. She tried to make me feel better but I could see that she was heartbroken."

"Well, Pedro was her mentor. They made a choice. They also decided to believe in Luffy. And thanks to them, you came back and Luffy became stronger."

"I know."

"You really are stupid, cook," the swordsman whispered while tracing the trail of his tears with his fingertips. "What would your wife have thought of you if she saw you crying like an idiot?"

At these words, Sanji turned pale.

"I-I'm sorry, Zoro. I'm sorry I wanted to marry Pudding-chan even though…" The blond didn't finish his sentence and the swordsman straightened up before rolling his eyes. "Even if you hadn't been forced by the Vinsmokes, you'd never have been able to refuse her anything, idiot."

Zoro looked at him for a moment before frowning in front of the cook's eyes, which were once again shining with tears.

"I don't care about that chick, twirly, I'm well aware that you're a mess when you're facing women and I'm still convinced that one day or another, one of them will end up killing you because you can't resist them, that's how it is. I'm stronger than you, that's all," he added with a smirk.

The reply had the desired effect and Sanji wiped his eyes with the back of his hand while Zoro watched him with amusement. "Nami said she got letters from Chiffon and she said Pudding had been crazy about you ever since you made that cake together. Didn't you like her after all? A princess who makes pastry sounds like a jackpot for you."

Facing him, Sanji shook his head.

"Pudding-chan wasn't in love with me, mosshead. She was under the spell of the first person who saw that she wasn't a monster, that's all. No one had ever considered her any other way and she had convinced herself that she was unworthy of causing anything but disgust and disappointment. She was locked into a role, just like me."

The blond sighed.

"We're too similar, it wouldn't have worked. We have the same wounds and the same thirst for attention that we were deprived of. Even if it allowed me to understand her better than the others, she'll need to learn to know herself and live for herself far from the image she tried to show. She'll meet someone who'll love her for the woman she really is, I'm sure. She deserves it."

The swordsman nodded, his hands absently caressing his companion's hips, and silence settled in the room. Sanji then put his arms around Zoro's neck while the latter put his shirt on the blond's back. Facing the water, the cook observed the fish in the aquarium. Jinbei had brought back dozens of all colors and shapes, more so that the crew could admire their beauty than to eat them, and Sanji lost himself in their contemplation until a grin stretched his lips.

"I'm so much stronger than you, mosshead. Did Nami-san tell you that my cake had knocked Big Mom down? Chiffon-chan saw it with her own eyes."

"Oh, now, this is your cake? I thought it was a team effort?" The swordsman mocked him.

Sanji nodded, his smile widening as his eyes never left the blue reflections of the water. "I work better as a team," he admitted. He then followed with his eyes a multi-colored fish that swam in the aquarium, lost in his thoughts. Whether it was to take Luffy to his dream, reach his own or overcome his demons, the cook needed the strength of his friends to carry out his mission.

Suddenly, Sanji straightened up to fix his gaze on that of Zoro who looked back at him, curious. "I got a new objective to put on my list, mosshead. An objective that can only be built with you."

The swordsman raised an eyebrow and Sanji looked deeper into his eyes.

"I wanna bring to life what I feel for you, these feelings that I have felt for a long time but that have always scared me because I felt like I'd never measure up. I wanna let this passion blossom to feel its strength. I wanna live this love that I've always sought to know. A love that ravages the heart and burns to the depths of the soul. A love that takes your breath away and gives you wings. A love that can destroy and rebuild everything. I know it won't be easy every day but I wanna try because you'll be with me. With you, I'll be stronger. So if you want it, I'm ready. This time, I am ready, Zoro."

The swordsman stared at him for a while, surprised by his sudden declaration, before putting his hand behind the blond's neck to pull him forward and seal their lips. He smiled when Sanji eagerly kissed him back.

"That's good, cook. I'm ready too."

Musical inspiration: You say by Lauren Daigle

So, next chapter is the last. 66 chapters was a nice opportunity in a story where Germa has taken an important place!