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cheers from the captain, chopper, franky and usopp created an exuberant atmosphere along with the melody flowing from the delicate strings of brook's violin. the girls sat at the garden chairs which sanji carefully brought down to the deck with deliberate care, knowing full well they would be seating his beautiful goddesses.
gawkily, the usually well rounded chef stumbled across the deck. he had sloppily trodden his way towards the straw hats navigator and archaeologist, a knowing grin upon his face.
"nami-swan, let's dance !!"
slurring, sanji presented his hand to the ginger. nami scoffed. glaring, she checked the cook up and down, completely unamused by his drunk antics.
"bug off, drunkard."
holding eye contact with the navigator, he desperately searched for any signs of deception in her eyes, only to pout as he found pure honest intent. but of course! another gorgeous, mature lady was only inches away from him, sitting elegantly, enchanting him enough to leak small drops of blood from his nostrils. readily, he turned to face the blue eyed woman, extending his hand to hold her own.
"robin-chwan! would you like to dance?"
she smiled sympathetically, a light desire to endorse the chef in a dance barely present.
"i'm sorry, cook-san. i'm afraid i cannot dance, nor have i ever learned to."
sanji's face brightened at the words, a pure smile creasing his eyes.
"i could teach you then robin-chwan! i'm quite good at it!!"
dropping his hand back to his side, he attempted to walk further towards robin in vain. he aggressively stumbled towards her, his footing lost between a few too many drinks to keep him just buzzed.
expending a soft crash into the intelligent lady, he was surprised to feel a solid grasp catch his arm- withholding the chef from making a fool out of himself any further. a deep, gruff voice spoke to him in an accusative manner.
"if you can't drink that much without turning yourself into even more of a moron, then don't drink that much, swirly."
the swordsman sneered, once again disagreeing with the way the cook viewed women as their own superior deity. snapping his head backwards, he furrowed his brows comically at the swordsman, sporting a severe pout that may have made the swordsman's heart flutter for a millisecond.
"shut up mossy! moss can't dance! i wanna dance!"
the cook turned his head back around, attempting to weakly yank his arm from zoro's vice-like grip. also in vain. he spun the cook around to face himself, to be met with a slight hint of conviction in the swordsman's eye. the cook narrowed his own, only finding his sense of rationality blurred by the alcohol in his system. the melody of bink's booze finally shifted into a more intimate, slower sound to celebrate the successful defeat of the small navy fleet who attacked them only hours prior. brook poured his heart out as a tribute to his nakama and their unbreakable bond.
zoro smirked at the shift in tone, pulling the cook towards him and onto the middle of the deck where luffy and the others were not more than 2 metres away.
"shall we dance then, swirly?"
once again searching deep into the swordsman's eye, he saw no ill intent. he yanked his arm out of zoro's grip, turning to face the green haired man. tentatively, the cook placed one arm on the first mate's shoulder, stepped closer into his personal bubble and intertwined his other soft hand with the swordsman's rough and calloused one. zoro slid his hand delicately along his hip. relishing in the firm yet elegant dip of the cook's waist, he momentarily faltered.
finally, he rested his hand on the outside of the cook's upper ribs, beneath where sanji's arm was propped on his sturdy shoulder.
clearing his already clear throat, the swordsman spoke,
"let's waltz, shitty cook."
sanji snickered, stepping closer and further invading the swordsman's personal space. he could count every individual lash on the swordsman's face, the hint of a blush warming his tanned skin.
"better keep up then, marimo."
zoro's frowned, ignoring the jab and signaling to brook instead.
"brook, waltz music!"
the distinct cheer of a yohohohoho could be heard before the music shifted from generally intimate to elegant. taking the initiative, zoro pulled his counterpart across the deck with expertly placed steps. sanji followed his lead perfectly, taking comfortable strides to keep up with the rhythm. the cook was moving perfectly, any signs of his drunken actions now buried under the concentration of the dance. he stared into the cook's piercing blue eyes, knowing all the alcohol clouding him would be wearing off within the next few minutes.
the duo expertly twirled across the deck, various cheers from luffy had subdued as the crew watched the strange yet intimate atmosphere cloud the dancers' heads. luffy sported a gentle smile, along with brook and robin who also wore the same expressions. however, the rest of the crew fell silent, watching in awe as the duo moved with each other rather than against each other.
their chemistry was balanced; perfect. even when the music slowed down and zoro's hand lowered to rest on the cook's hip, breaking the bond of his other hand (which held the cook) to rest it on the other hip. sanji's hands both rested on both of the swordsman's collar bones, palms resting shyly above his pectorals. they stared into each other's eyes, a faint blush of their own replacing what could have been influenced by the alcohol. zoro pulled the cook closer to him, his face mere inches from his own. they swayed gracefully around a smaller area of the deck with the warmth of the melody, eyes locked onto each other, as if it was only them on the deck. their movements were perfect, no clashing, no arguing, no problems at all.
as the music slowed down slightly, zoro gracefully dipped his counterpart, following him into the arch he created with his flexible spine. sanji searched into the swordsman's grey eye, lifting one hand to caress the scarred left side of his face. the golden trio of earrings clicked against each other as the cook slid his fingers over them. zoro leaned into the soft touch, eye fluttering shut to try and grasp the warmth in which the cook let him have. zoro sighed, slowly willing his eye to open once more and scan every inch of sanji's face. the world around them fell silent, the music blurred into the background and the duo inched closer towards each other. their breaths mingled, flush high on their cheeks. the cook finally shuddered, closing the distance. gently, their lips moved in perfect harmony. zoro's hands gripped slightly harder at the chef's hips and at the small of his back, earning a soft sigh from the blonde. chest to chest, they could feel each other's hearts beating erratically. zoro angled his head to slot his lips perfectly against sanji's. they continued to feel each other's lips for the next few minutes, hands roaming the others' bodies.
with a hand softly squeezing the cook's ass, they finally parted. sanji wore a light, dusty blush on the apples of his cheeks as the swordsman lifted him back upright again, a blissful expression evident. zoro gently smiled at him, adjusting the chef's arms to drape over his shoulders and hook at the wrist behind his head.
brook took it upon himself to glide the strings of his violin to sing a more romantic melody, softly complementing the atmosphere surrounding the two.
sanji lightly pressed his forehead against zoro's, swaying to the melody.
"didn't know you could dance, marimo."
he murmured, fully sober now. who wouldn't be sober after such an enticing kiss? the blonde inhaled sharply through his nose, glancing down at zoro's creased boots. noticing the change in demeanour, zoro caressed his waist further, a soothing gesture.
"swordsmanship is similar to dancing. one step follows the other in time, fluidly, like a dance. you mess up and it ruins the overall performance."
the cook hummed, urging zoro to continue. he bent his arm at the elbow to gently scratch the base of the swordsman's skull, relishing in the dull prickles of his shortly trimmed hair.
"it used to be a part of my training when i was younger, and i also did it frequently during the two years."
sanji smiled at his reply, closing his eyes and immersing him in the melody. he was soon ripped from his total comfort in zoro's strong arms, the stares of his nakama prickling the expanse of his spine. the latter felt sanji's discomfort, pulling him into a warm embrace in an attempt to melt away the nerves. he hooked his chin over the cook's shoulder, nuzzling his ear in the collar of the expertly threaded suit.
"go on, swirly. tell me."
"everybody's watching us."
the blonde remarked. peeking over zoro's shoulder to gage the gobsmacked reactions of his nakama, not including luffy, robin and brook. he shifted his head to nuzzle against the strong column of the swordsman's throat, inhaling the metallic, alcohol scent he always had stuck to his skin. sanji could feel the words buzzing through his throat as he spoke,
"yea. it's about time they realised."
sanji replied with a hum, inhaling the swordsman's natural scent once more. he felt himself grow heavy with exhaustion. he did not expect himself to show the crew his bond with zoro just yet, though some of their perceptive nakama had already caught on. sanji replied with a tired, heavy tongue.
"surprised nami didn't realise. she usually finds these things out rather quickly."
the swordsman hummed in agreement, chuckling as he felt sanji's eyes drooping with sleep through his haki.
"seems like you're becoming more like me, always needing a nap."
they continued to sway, reducing their movement.
"shut it, marimo."
he replied, not even bothering to open his eyes. maybe he picked up more habits from the swordsman than he would've liked to admit, but it went both ways as zoro actively tried to take more showers and keep clean. only god knows how he could go weeks without showering while sweating his guts out every day. zoro caressed the expanse of sanji's back, urging him to relax further in his arms.
"tired?"
humming in affirmation, he nuzzled his nose into the swordsman's neck further. he allowed himself to be scooped up by zoro like a princess, letting himself be carried away by his counterpart. he allowed himself to be shown in quite an effeminate manner- which made his anxiety spike. however he felt safe with his nakama, especially in zoro's arms.
"let's go sit with the others"
eyes still half shut, he languidly hummed his affirmation.
the swordsman walked him back towards their nakama, still in his protective hold. he slowly placed himself against the railings, between luffy and chopper. warmth emanated from the flickering flame of the campfire, urging the duo to relax further into the atmosphere surrounding them. carding his calloused hand through the silky blonde hair, he gazed at the flushed tip of the cook's nose. half sat half laid on zoro's lap, head nuzzled back into the junction of his neck and shoulders, sanji lowered his arms to encompass zoro's surprisingly narrow waist. they shared a small knowing smile before zoro hardened his expression once more, looking up to gage the reactions of his nakama.
after repressing a waterfall of tears with an automatic glass dam in the skin beneath his eyelids, franky broke the silence,
"are you bros a thing?"
zoro looked up with his one eye, meeting the other's questioning look.
"yea."
nami screeched, in complete shock.
"for how long!!"
"we actually thought you would be one of the first to catch on, witch."
the swordsman replied, immediately hissing at the vicious press of teeth at his neck. he glared at the mop of silky hair beneath his chin,
"don't call her a witch, mossy."
slightly amused at his antics, he flicked the crown of the cook's head. nami tutted, frowning and pestering the swordsman further.
"tell me or i'll increase your debt by 150%"
their captain let out his distinctive laugh before jumping into the open conversation,
"that's not fair nami. it's a personal question, ne zoro?"
the navigator faltered. she forgot how smart her captain actually was sometimes, that he actually had a functioning brain. she pouted at the point he made, having no reason to dispute it.
"swirly will tell u if he wants. i don't mind telling, but he might want to keep it hidden for a bit longer."
sanji could feel the crew stare at the back of his head, nami's more prominent as her curiosity seemed to be overflowing at this point. he willed the lump at the roof of his mouth to subside. sanji did not want to hide anymore, but fuck, saying it out loud is way more pressuring than saying it to yourself in the mirror. courage filled him through the supportive hand lightly scratching his suit at the ribs, and so he spoke:
",,,our three year anniversary is coming up next month."
half the crew gasped, in utter shock. usopp gulped at the revelation, and so he stated,
"luffy founded the strawhats three years ago last week…"
he answered with a yawn. he eased his head away from zoro's neck, his piercing blue eyes returning the warmth given by zoro's own. he let himself respond.
"he just happened to love my personality a little more than my ass in some tight slacks, and i just happened to be a hopeless romantic, and incredibly loyal at that."
luffy and robin giggled at the reactions and bright flushes of their nakamas cheeks.
"yea!! sanji is always happy when zoro is around!! and zoro doesn't get grumpy when sanji wakes him up from a nap!!"
"but they argue so much!!"
"that's just how they show their love. they keep each other on their toes, they help each other get stronger, they love one another despite being away for so long. they soothe each other when they need it, and love each other even when they can't seem to love anything else. their love is probably unparalleled in this world."
robin spoke up for the first time during the duo's public reveal, already knowing.
the crew turned their heads back to the couple, only to be met with the sight of the two softly exchanging small pecks on each other's lips. they completely tuned out everybody but their counterparts, a warm envelope of serenity now shrouding them. no more hiding, no more secrecy weighed in on their minds. sanji let his hand caress zoro's cheek for the second time that evening, leaning in to plant a slow, languid kiss upon his mouth. zoro once again reciprocated, this time lightly grabbing the column of his throat with one hand and the underside of his thigh with the other, rubbing up and down with a renowned sense of fulfillment accompanied by sincere affection for his actions. sanji sighed into the kiss, sliding his other hand across the chiseled expanse of the swordsman's scarred chest. slowly, they disconnected, opening their eyes once more to stare deep into the others' souls, leaving themselves bare for the other to read.
"i love you, sanji."
the cook once again let his eyes droop from exhaustion, a familiar warmth blossoming in his chest,
"love you too, zoro."
soft snores left the cook's full lips, and zoro couldn't stop himself from smiling at the one he loved. he shifted the other to give him maximum comfort as he napped, sweeping the stray hairs from his face.
chopper quietly trod across the deck with a bundle of blankets in his arms, at some point leaving to retrieve them from his stash in the infirmary. they were insanely soft to the touch. stopping in front of zoro, he urged him to take them.
"humans get cold when they sleep, you should take one too since you nap a lot."
the doctor had a smile on his face, returned by the swordsman as he reached for the fabrics.
"thank you chopper, you're the best."
his cheeks flushed; he twirled in embarrassment,
"shut up! that doesn't make me happy at all, you bastard!"
zoro, draped the blanket across his cooks lanky body, taking extra care to cover his feet, up to his neck.
yawning, the swordsman tipped his head back against the railing, letting the cooks sleep invade his system too. around his nakama, and with his love, he fell into a comforting slumber.