Chapter Text
It Start as it always did.
A fight.
Even after three years, even after the quieting of life- Or rather as quiet as the life of the crew of the Pirate king could be. But after settling and learning to live without the constant need to check over one’s shoulder, that hasn’t changed about them.
If anything it grew worse.
At least in Sanji’s eyes. Because now instead of trading blows , instead of the ring of heel against metal , the strain of muscles as he and Zoro challenged each other, taking out everything unspoken between them. Zoro tried to talk. Sanji had noticed before they confessed, how Zoro’s anger had.. tamed. How he wasn’t as quick to draw steel, how he would redirect Sanji’s anger, no longer rising to the bait, undoubtedly something he had learned during his training with Dracula Mihawk. Something Sanji had come to resent the older swordsmen for. Because now he couldn’t just be angry without feeling like an asshole. And it had only gotten worse as they got older, because Zoro- Sanji’s darling Zoro- was patient, he never pushed, never argued. H’s simply ask, and wait and if Sanji didn’t feel like explaining he would go on like nothing happened until Sanji broke and spilled every tormenting thought that was stuck in his mind on repeat.
Not to say that Zoro didn’t give as good as he got, no, he had simply learned to wield that silence just as masterfully as he did his swords. It had blindsided Sanji the first time. The silent treatment from Zoro all while the man continued through their routine of helping with meal prep for the restaurant, washing dishes, bringing Sanji a cup of tea or water between rushes. But not allowing a single word to pass between them or touch. It burned, worse than anything his brothers or Judge had ever said or done. Because , despite all he tried to ignore, Sanji had come to crave Zoro. His company, his voice, his touch, his scent, it was difficult to imagine a time when his world didn’t start and end with Zoro. And being frozen out was like starving. And Sanji knew what that felt like.
But over the years he had learned how to navigate Zoro’s brand of anger. It always started with reflection, then apologies, and an effort to change. As shameful as it was to admit, Sanji had become a sort of master at quelling Zoro’s ire.
But today was different.
The crowd has just begun to die out as the La Grande Vue began to close for he night. Sanji had been saying goodbye to one of his more high profile visitors. One of princess Vivi’s allies from a neighbouring island. Lady Armell was as lovely as she was dangerous. She had arrived with sharp eyes and an air of a women who did not need the two guards who accompanied her. She had explained that Vivi had raved about the Grande Vue, and that she had to try it , she was on a sort of personal endeavour to try the best restaurants at each island before her coronation. Sanji had immediately been swept away into the way she spoke of the different dishes she had. The way they were garnished, seared, then she had began speaking of her mother and how they used to cook together and soon the five minutes Sanji had sworn he could only spare turned to and hour, and that turned to two, then three..and soon time had little to no meaning.
Of course he couldn’t help himself from complementing her appearance. After all she was quiet literally a diamond of the sea, her pale skin was almost a pale hue, her vibrant blonde hair was lined with silvers and hazels, and her eyes… They themselves could only be compared to the seas of the All blue itself.
It only felt natural.
It wasn’t until Armell sighed, glancing out the ornate windows with such a wistful look and apologizing for having to leave, that Sanji realized what time it was. And dread filled him.
Not because she was leaving , although he did quite enjoy their conversation.
But because always, for the past three years, Sanji would meet Zoro at the dock. It didn’t matter if his restaurant was in the midst of a rush, although it hurt him to leave in the beginning, but to see Zoro’s smile- not the quiet one, or the bloodlusted one. But the one that was solely reserved for Sanji.
And after the last year a smile reserved for Haru also.
All because Sanji would join him to watch the sunset.
Sanji stood, pushing in his chair and trying to mentally calculate if he somehow could skywalk fast enough to somehow catch the last hues of sunset. But the darkness outside as he held the door open for Armell and her guards told him otherwise.
“I thank you again for such a pleasant meal.”
Sanji tried to muster a smile through the bile in his throat. “I thank you for your wonderful company, please visit whenever.” He had held his hand out to say goodbye properly to the lady as any gentlemen should, but was shocked when Armell flipped his hand to press a kiss to the back of it herself.
“I certainly will.”
With that she was off into the night, her guardsmen blending into the darkness around her.
With one last look around the restaurant Sanji bolted out the door. He was thinking over the quickest path to the dock only to come up short when he ran into Zoro himself.
The swordsmen was dressed in a deep green Nemaki that nearly looked black in the night.
His hair which had grown over the years. Had fallen over his face except for the stubborn spikes at the front that would never lay flat. Only Waco sat at his waist. After defeating Mihawk and settling with Sanji in the All Blue , Zoro had happily hung up Kitetsu and Enma. In his hands was a small boy- five years old, his own smaller Nemaki was a light blue, with near offensive bright green flowers painted on that Haru had insisted he needed.
Zoro had laughed his ass off while Sanji stared in horror at the once exquisite garment, but over time it had become his favourite thing.
Haru’s dark hair was braided back, no doubt Zoro’s work , something he learned from perona.
The sight of the two made Sanji’s heart twist. It always did when Haru clung to one of them. The boy certainly wasn’t planned, but in their search for the All blue, they had stumbled across a shipwreck, no survivors except a three year old child. Most had expected Robin or even Sanji to grow soft on the child and take over his care, but suprising to everyone on the crew but Robin, it was Zoro who took over the more, parental role. Haru had instantly became attached to the swordsmen, an when the crew had finally decided that it was time to go their separate ways Haru had not hesititated to stay with Zoro. And of course Zoro had decided to stay with Sanji.
It wasn’t the life he had imagined for himself.
Not when he was young, naive and filled with too much trauma, hate and bitterness and most of all fear, to admit that his eyes may stray towards men as much as it did women.
But Sanji would never trade them for the world.
“Darling, I apologizes, I swear I wasn’t flirting we were quite literally talking about cuisine-“
Sanji rattled, because he had learned that all his flirting and swooning over the fairer sex had hurt Zoro over the start of their relationship. It wasn’t until when he asked for the mosshead’s hand in marriage and when the normally stoic man had asked if Sanji was sure, that he realized he needed to put a damn stop to it.
It had meant a lot of talking with Robin, and Ikanaov , a visit back to Momoiro island. For him to confront his ill placed disdain towards men and his complex with women. But he had done it because he refused to lose Zoro and he had sworn never again would he make his heart question his place.
Zoro stopped a few paces away, expression suddenly blank. Even as he continued to caress Haru’s back. “Why would I care, and why the heck are you calling me darling.”
Sanji frowned, this wasn’t Zoro’s normal anger and it made his skin crawl. “ Love if you’re angry with me I’d prefer you just say, I know I lost track of time, there’s no excuse for that but just be honest.” He went to reach for Zoro’s waist since the other’s arms were occupied only to be side stepped.
Ah. There it was.
A look Sanji hadn’t seen in years.
That scowl that was more warning than anything. Like a viper poised to strike.
“Is this some joke, cut the crap cook.”
Whiplash hit Sanji, okay, old nicknames, but it still felt odd to hear, he had come to love hearing his name form Zoro’s mouth and definitely hadn’t mourned when the Marimo began using his name instead of the many nicknames Sanji had grown used to.
“Zoro please.” Sanji took a step forward and Zoro took one back.
“Who the hell set you up to this, Nami? Usopp? Because I suggest you stop.”
“What on Earth are you talking about-“
“Flirt with whoever you want, flirt with a wall if you want, but don’t pull your whole mellorine shit with me, I wont fall for it and I don’t enjoy being messed with.”
“Who else would I pull my mellorine shit on if not you?” Sanji was feeling hysterical, he had to be dreaming. Surely. “Did you hit your head?”
Zoro scoffed, “Like hell, as if you’d ever look at me the same way you look at a women. “
Sanji was at a loss.
The same man who had sat beside Sanji as the nightmare of his past kept him up, the same man who was so attentive for Sanji to get his head of is as, the same man who pushed Sanji’s bangs back to look at his mismatched eyebrows, smiling softly before kissing them. The same man who had looked on the verge of tears when Sanji had asked for them to be stuck together for the rest of their lives and had asked Sanji if he was sure. As if the idea of marrying anyone else had occupied his mind the past five years they were together.
That man, Sanji’s heart , was looking at him with such reserve that it made Sanji feel sick.
“Zoro , who am I to you.”
The green haired look a moment away from murder, “Nakama, but right now I’m reconsidering it.”
Not a friend, not a partner not a husband, just crewmate. Dragging his hand through his hair and barely resisting the urge to tug and pull until he bled. Sanji nodded, rolling his shoulders and forcing himself to remain calm. “You’re right, I’m sorry, it was just a poor joke, thought I’d have some fun when I came to look for you. Now can we please head inside it’s rather cold.”
For moments Zoro searched his face and Sanji fought to remain composed, to not scream at the heavens, to not burn the entire All blue to the ground because his love didn’t look at him with an ounce of remembrance or affection that he had come to expect.
After some more time Zoro nodded, shifting Haru before heading in the opposite direction until Sanji called him back.