Chapter Text
The crew had been on the water for weeks now. Maybe a month, maybe even longer. It was dull and droned on. The Marines few and far between. It had been boring for so long now. Which was never good for the Straw Hats. Sure there were some of them that liked their down time. Nami, Robin and for once Franky, currently out of the belly of the ship, were seen lounging on the deck soaking up the sunshine. Usopp and Chopper played ‘run for your life’ while Luffy chased them, slingshotting all around the Sunny. Zoro was even trying to soak up the relaxed atmosphere. One more nap in his near future because there was nothing else to do.
Or there wasn’t until the gally’s door slammed open an overexcited cook whirling out onto the deck in a blur while Brook’s laugh and the sound of the skeletons sing song voice wafted out behind the blond. “Yohoho! You’ll never convince me you’re just a ladies man~!”
“Shut up and die, shitty skeleton! Who says crap like that-” Sanji shouted before his voice quickly mellowed into a grumble. Face coming into view showing the red taking over his cheeks while his teeth clenched down on an unlit cigarette. Embarrassed Sanji wasn’t a difficult beast to handle. Maybe that’s what Zoro could do to pass the time…Hmm.
Good eye slitting open and Zoro was silent as he was drawn to the impromptu show. Eyebrows twitching furrowed together because he still never got it. Didn’t understand why Sanji was still persistent in his protests whenever he got a compliment. ‘At Least it’s just Nakama.’ That was something that the swordsman took to heart to sooth that ill temper he struggled with since his youth. If it was their Nakama it didn’t make the samurai’s teeth grind together like it did when it was some random idiot on any of the islands they stopped at.
“Ooouu don’t do that Master Sanji! The frozen drink gave me a pleasant chill right down to my bones!” A quick flick of his gaze at the glass was in the skeleton's hand. It answered any questions or at least until Luffy shouted at the announcement and shot right at the musician. “SNACK TIMEEEEE”
With a crash, a shriek and some shouts the three devil fruit users moved as if to disappear back into the gally. Only for the blond to twist back mortified “DO NOT RUIN MY KITCHEN!” While raising the dray of glasses above his head. An ill fated offering because now the captains eyes were on the cook. Meanwhile the tray of glasses in hand managed to stay perfectly balanced. Ignoring any of the responses Sanji got Zoro watched the blond go rigid where he stood no doubt realizing what he just set himself up for. Only to let out a breath of amusement when the cook decided to power through and ignore the mayhem and walk with purpose right to the ladies of the ship before Luffy could be felt shaking the deck of the suny as he slingshot himself to the cooks position.
“Nami-swan! Robin-chan! There was extra ice so-” “You’re welcome for that bro!” Ignoring Frankies gracious commentary the cook just seemed to appear near the targeted two. Hearts in his eyes and that stupid eager grin stretched across his face while he bent and presented the tray for the taking. “Ladies first of course! Just something to take the edge off I hope.”
Nami could only be bothered to adjust her sunglasses further up her nose with a sigh. “Thanks Sanji.”
Robin sat up though, hair brushed back over her shoulders while she leaned onto an elbow and delicately plucked a glass off the tray with a hum. “A treat indeed Mr. Cook. Thank you.” Pulling the decorated glass close, Sanji stayed where he was. Eyes practically laser focused while Robin took her first sip as he hovered wanting to be sure it was to the standard he gave himself. Only when she hummed and smiled at the idiot with a pleased “It’s delicious as always!” did Sanji stand up. The one visible eye practically glittering while his grin stretched wide. Zoro swore if the other had a tail it’d be wagging.
Fucking idiot is always so obvious. Only for that to stop when rubber arms were suddenly snaking in loops around the blond from behind and hooves and grabby fingers were reaching for their share.
“Let go, you animals! I made some for everyone- hey wait! Chopper first he’s not good in the heat-” Swarmed by the rest it was quick footwork and that effortless balance that kept the tray level as he twisted it out of their reach until he swooped down with a designated glass to be pawned off on the little doctor before holding the tray back out for the rest of them. The song and dance always did something that had Zoro’s gut twisting. A pleasant thrum of affection for all of them when in times like now.
No one commented that it was one glass short for the number of people on the ship.
Honestly they didn’t really have to. As soon as the tray was empty a boot was striking out at the back of a suit covered knee. “Oi! I don’t get a drink Shit cook!?” Ignoring the collective groans from the others, Zoro was grinning almost maliciously. Or he was before he had to shoot back to avoid a roundhouse that whipped past where his head just was. Barking out a laugh the greenette felt that thrum of excitement as it started.
“Save you shit lazy Marimo, the hell did you do to deserve one!” Tucking his tray against his side, Sanji slotted a hand into the pocket of his slacks while his other hand flicked a flame into existence to light the cigarette he had been chewing on. With eye meeting eye, Zoro felt that familiar rush twist up hit him. Nothing better than the blond to get his blood pumping on a peaceful day.
“Trying to fight dumbass?” Hand moving to the hilt of his swords, Zoro sneered as he taunted. Knowing as well as everyone else just how to get a fight started. It was typical, easy and them. It was what they did on days like this.
Side stepping a jabbing kick; Sanji was scowling at the swordsman barely dodged. “What’s there to fight?” was all he huffed out before the cherry of his cigarette glowed brighter as he inhaled. Smirking himself meanly as that steel eye tracked the smoke lofting from his lips. They both knew what they were doing.
That was how the cook wanted to play it then. Well that was fine by Zoro. As easy as breathing the two were at it. Wildly ignored by the rest of the crew while the leather of dress shoes met the blunt end of steel clash against clash. If anything the rest of the crew sat around and enjoyed the breezes the two stirred up as they fought wildly. Dancing across the deck with well practiced and well known maneuvers around each other. At least Franky and Usopp had nothing to complain about, there was a lot less damage nowadays than when they were back on the Merry.
No one really kept track as it went on. Minutes ticked by with a dozen attacks from each and it was a typical afternoon. Business as usual until Luffy shouted “There was that glass in the kitchen still- I want it!” Apparently the perfect thing to fuck it all up.
Sanji had been in the perfect spot to receive the blunt brush of Wano to that stupidly hard head of his until the blond jerked to the left. His stupid bangs swaying just enough that Zoro saw that flash of panic in wide eyes while his mouth fell open with a strangled “Wait!” at their captain before he hissed and stumbled at the shearing slide along the underside of his jaw.
“Shit!” “Sanji!” “Oh my…” a chorus of shouts sounded as the blond stumbled took two unsteady steps to the side with a hand flying up to grasp at his chin. Hissing as he gripped along the surprising wound and turned an embarrassed look to the swordsman.
The swordsman who should probably be doing no more than zeroing in on deft fingers gripping at an awkward spot steadily being covered in blood. Sheathing Wado instantly, it was Zoro’s turn to stand tense on deck. Hand leaving the white hilt he was going to apologize. Well try and take a steadying breath before maybe offering something close to an apology, but distraction is the bane of any swordsman.
He had meant to stop it there in an instant; they didn’t do this to take it that far when they got into these sparring matches. No matter what everyone else in the seas or the ship thought it wasn’t like Zoro wanted to really kill Sanji. But he was careless, distracted, sloppy and it obviously only took a moment for things to go sideways. Then the back of Zoro’s knuckles brushed the hilt of Kitetsu and the cursed sword's energy pulsed so glaringly obvious with want that every single member of his crew turned varying types of shocked stares in Zoro’s direction.
Which was exactly what Sanji needed to make a break for it. Stepping right past Chopper’s crying face to turn tail and run-
The cook fucking knew better. Trampling down Kitetsu’s cursed energy with a flare of his own haki, Zoro started to stalk after his blond silently. Single focus in mind until a hoofed grip grabbed at his hand pulling. “Don’t fight him in his kitchen! You cut him Zoro!” Yes he did, even if he hadn’t meant to; that very much happened and of course Chopper was going to protest. “I’ll go patch him up, we all know Sanji’s bleeding is bad-”
“Sorry Chopper, I think it’s my fault.” With the doctor turning an incredulous stare on their captain Zoro smirked at Luffy over the reindeer's head before dropping his gaze. The fond affection he had for his captain there and gone as soon as he looked down and noticed a few dark drops staining the deck. No. He knew Sanji had an issue with his bleeding. Chopper always went overboard panicking about the cook ever since their visit to fishman island. Or Zoro had believed it was overboard; but with his gaze moved to trail along the drops of blood staining the deck of the Sunny, and maybe Chopper had a point to be so concerned. How bad was the cook bleeding? A thrum of something sparked along the back of Zoro’s head with the thought.
It was a nick at best; a brush of his blade on a downstroke with no real intent behind it. Not with Wano being the blade he had in hand. Yet there it was. a haphazard trail that led the swordsman like the fiendish demon he was aptly given the monochar of the perfect trail to follow. Demon of the East Blue indeed.
There was that damn heat curling low in his gut as he moved to step away from his Nakama. Sanji ran right to that carved out space of the ship in his little moment of weakness and even if Zoro was thought to be a directionless fool that paid attention to nothing besides booze and training it would be hard pressed for him to get lost now. He could get lost a lot of the time but Zoro always did know how to find Sanji even when it wasn’t obvious to the others. Even without the blood leading him right after the blond.
Whatever debate the others were having behind him turned to silence as the galley door shut once he passed it. Whatever was being said to keep Chopper away none of his concern as he swept his gaze across the empty room and found what he was looking for. “Ero-cook.” Voice rough and Zoro watched Sanji give up his frantic shuffling in the drawer he was digging through with a surprised squeak as he whipped around.
Eyebrow cocking at the noise, and that heated feeling only felt more intense while he watched the cook sputter. “You a mouse now?” Not getting a verbal response Zoro’s jaw visibly flexed before he ticked his head to the side. “Cat got your tongue?” With a practiced ease he reached back and let the dull thud of the latch to lock the galley door shut be the only noise in the kitchen before taking slow silent steps around the island between them despite the thrill that was edged on at that stricken face staring him down as he closed the distance between them.
–
Back digging into the counter edge behind him, Sanji could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Steadily every muscle in his body was going tight while he watched the stupid moss head stalk closer. All the while he could hear his own blood rushing in his ears. Fingers digging against his own neck at the reminder that he really needed to calm down until he could stop the bleeding. The blond just shook his head in silent protest. Feeling too awkward in his own skin to really say anything. Tongue too thick to get what he wanted to say out in the moment when Zoro looked at him like that.
“What’s with that face Marimo.” It was meant to be firmer. He wanted to stomp a foot on the ground as if a flash of his own violent temper would warn the other away. Instead Sanji was frozen as the words came out in a hushed whisper. How embarrassing. Feeling heat crawl up from his chest to his face, Sanji blushed and loathed himself just a bit right then.
That uncomfortable feeling curled in his gut while he broke the little staring contest they had going since Zoro followed him away from the others. He hated this. Hated how easy it was for Morimo to just not care that the rest of their crew watched him follow after Sanji so obviously. Sanji didn’t mean to be put in this position!
“You bleed so easy.” A full body jerk at the brush of warm breath against his ear, Sanji’s eyes were wild as he tried to move back and look at the other man. Getting nowhere fast as Zoro’s grip fisted around his wrists. Locking the cooks one arm at his side and the other forced to press into the cut on his jaw a fraction stronger. Hissing at the burn of ever salt soaked skin rubbing into the wound until he felt that slugging drip of blood oozing out to sooth it while a wobbling breath left the blond feeling almost dizzy as the position he was in registered.
“Let me see.” Nose pressing into that patch of skin just behind his ear; Sanji’s legs twitched with pent up energy before letting out a deep breath and twitching his head to the side barely a fraction of an inch. Earning himself a growl of warning. “Let me see, Sanji.” A harsher squeeze forced the bones of his wrist to grind against themselves and the blond barely kept the urge to bite through his own tongue at bay. Blue eyes cut down and away at the warning tone of the repeated demand. Barely catching that sluggish stream of blood starting to curl around the swordsman's fingers gripping at him before listening this time.
Eyes drooping into a half lidded stare; he looked past Zoro’s shoulder and watched the galley’s door unseeing. Choking back a noise with a sharp breath when the warm drag of a tongue traced- “Animal! What a-are you doing!?” Shocked at that moment of foolishness; blue eyes went wide as he tried to jerk himself away to the side. Only for a strangled noise to get caught in his throat when a muscled thigh pressed between his legs and the other man's hips were used to keep him pinned back against the counter along with the rest of Zoro’s heaving muscled weight slotting against him.
“Seriously, what the hell-”
“Shut up.”
Teeth clicking together and Sanji felt his chest burn with how deep a breath he forced himself to take through his nose. His mind started to circle because he didn’t get it. Didn’t understand where that glint in the swordsman’s gray eye came from. Zoro always teased, goaded, made smart ass comments about Sanji getting his nose bleeds and making a mess because he couldn’t control himself all the time. It wasn’t as if it was the first time he bled around the samurai. So the look he had gotten out on the deck, the look leveled at him now shook Sanji just a bit. Yet he still couldn’t get himself to say anything close to the thoughts steamrolling through his mind.
Tried and shot down and- and forced! Zoro absolutely forced him to twist his face away and try to hide the fact he was practically chewing through his bottom lip into the shoulder that was practically hiked up to his ears. While the green haired buffoon moved torturously slow to get closer still until he felt the other's nose brush against his cheek and traced up the line of his throat like he was… Oh fuck.
Despite Zoro trying to keep him pinned, Sanji shook with a full body shiver. Hand at his side flexing and pushing forward until he twisted fingers into the side of the Moss heads shirt. To push away or pull closer the blond had no idea. He could only keen when his wrist was allowed the slack to move. The moss for brains grip moving to instead fist at the hairs at the back of his neck. Twisting into blond hair and pulling to keep Sanji’s face where he wanted it while the rest of the blonds body went loose and feebly pressed into the others.
–
“That’s more like it.” With a pleased noise rumbling in his chest Zoro knew he had Sanji now. Every time he got the cook like this the samurai felt unstoppable. Which was exactly how he liked it.
Taking the blond's weight against him; it was nothing to drop the others wrists. He didn’t need to pin the blond down to keep him here now. Just a fist of silky blond hair to keep the cook's neck arched so pretty and the other moved to squeeze at the narrow waist. All the while he dragged hungry open mouthed kisses along Sanji’s neck. Seeking out that smeared red heat that felt deliciously scorching as it met the swordsman's tongue.
It was intense. He could feel the body heat of Sanji searing against his own but nothing quite like the wet heat he was currently licking off the others skin.
Demon. Demon. Demon.
Kitetsu chose him for a reason. The cursed sword was diabolical on its own. To bring something like that to heel had always been more than luck. No matter what he told other people. He was going to be the world's greatest swordsman. A disgraced nameless samurai turned demon. Zoro was very self aware of what he was, what he wanted. It was that blood lust he had that curbed the cursed sword to begin with. The promise of the violence and gore that the swordsman wanted to bleed out of everything around him to get what he wanted that quelled the thing into Zoro’s bidding.
Now it just happened to be something Zoro wanted that was bleeding and everyone knows Sanji would be furious with him if he wasted anything.
Dragging his mouth up; Zoro groaned when he finally got to the source. Dragging teeth just on this side of being rough against that sharp slash along the blonds jaw. The press against it was enough to have blood trickle out just a bit faster. Smearing across the swordsman's lips hot and messy before his tongue chased the taste with another drag.
“Zoro…” The slurred whisper against his ear registered right before warmth bloomed against the larger mans cheek. Pressing his hips forward for a bit of his own relief; his hands flexed tighter where they were before he pulled himself back. Just for that flexing grind of his hips against the other to register in the blond and give Zoro this sinful view.
The perfect closeup display of shiny blue eyes nothing but a hint of color around blown pupils, perfected blond hair messed up with a few strands sticking to the sweat of his cheeks and curling around his ears as soft pink lips dropped open around short desperate breaths for air while a trail of blood trailed right down over them and down his chin adding to the mess.
Forget that slow heat he had thought he could keep it at. Sanji got a nose bleed because Zoro was depraved? Fuck control. With that reaction, what was the point? It was all the swordsman needed to surge forward with a single goal in mind.
A hard pull of the hair fisted in his grip and everything was burning when Zoro pushed forward. A small shift and their hips aligned just right to cause both men to let out a punched out moan met by a rough muted snarl. All the while Zoro threw any decorum Sanji had tried to beat into him over the years overboard. Practically biting into the other's mouth the kiss was nothing short of brutal. Smearing the taste of salt, iron and the barest hints of sweetness together as teeth clicked against one another. Sanji had ran away before and Zoro chased. Zoro always followed. He was still chasing now. A demon chasing hellfire; a curse chasing blood, Zoro chasing Sanji. He wanted what he wanted and it didn’t matter in the moment because Zoro could get it and thrive in his victory enough or the both of them.
Biting into Sanji’s lower lip; Zoro let go of his hair to cinch both hands around the other's waist. Tugging narrow hips harder against his own while his thigh flexed up and pressed into the noticeably tighter slacks the other was wearing as he pressed the growing harness into the other's hip. Practically swallowing the others moan at the move and Zoro might be losing his mind. Astonished once again at just how riled up the other man could get him. Sanji could claim ignorance all he wanted; act shocked and get all shy and quiet but Zoro was a demon ready to worship the other on a bloody altar of his own making.
“Baby.” Lips still brushing against Sanji’s as he pulled back to say it and Zoro felt his lips stretch into a lecherous smirk that had far to many teeth to it at the others wordless whining over the nickname.Taking in the squeezed shut eyes and flushing warmth high on Sanji’s cheeks with delicious satisfaction. Pressing his forehead into the others temple; Zoro’s hands slid down to curl around the meat of the blond's hips fully ready to bend and wrap around those muscled thighs and lift the cook up to drive the other insane enough they’d squeeze bruises into the samurai’s hips like tattoos.
“God I’m going to fucking-”
Wood splintered and crashed as the galley’s door burst in. The sudden interruption caused Zoro to pull his chest away from Sanji and stand at full height and instantly ready. Instinct had his fingers clawing into what was already in hand. Instinct and rage demanding it be the hilts of his swords. Tearing his mouth attention from Sanji was an effort he was ready to demand recompense for.
No one would fault him for the sudden violent flare of Haki that took over the expanse of the kitchen, the deck, hell all of the Sunny. All of that bloodlust that was being teased into enjoyment twisted into a violent urge he only barely managed to keep from lashing out before thinking through the knowledge it was just their Nakama on deck and not a visceral threat. He had to ignore the three typical urges that tickled at the back of his consciousness crowing out their own forms of rage over the interruption. Their weight combined at his hip practically pulsing to be used because now was not the time.
The weight of the silence stilled everything for a moment. Heavy and pressing down in an imposing unmeasurable weight while far too many people tried to make sense of what they were seeing.
Chopper and Luffy were at the front just past the door now barely hanging on by a single hinge. The reindeer wide eyed and in a kind of shock Zoro was ill equipped to handle in the moment like he typically would. Luffy’s lips pursed into a stilted pucker at what they saw before he pushed the doctor's hat forward over his eyes in a belated attempt at protecting any innocence still had and the other fisted his own straw hat to yoink over his own eyes in earnest embarrassment. “Oi, I told you Zoro was apologizing!”
“WHY IS THERE SO MUCH BLOOD!!!!” Chopper's scream couldn’t have been worse. It cracked through the air and snapped any control of the situation away and Zoro felt that flood of cold fury when a muted broken noise sounded from his blond. It wasn’t just his own indignant anger- Zoro had- Audibly his teeth ground together at the situation he had cornered the blond into in hindsight.
Zoro would do anything for his Nakama. He knew objectively so would Sanji. Both would steal, kill or die to protect the crew they both cherished full of their makeshift family. But as much as Zoro would face hell for Luffy he would destroy it all for the cook. And both feelings clashing now were doing the demon samurai no favors.
It wasn’t as if the crew were ignorant to what the two of them did together. The sunny was a big ship and it was hard to carve out uninterrupted alone time or space without conscious effort and the scene now was nothing beyond instinct insistent for reward that caught them all by surprise. The fact did nothing to stop the fall out though.
“Get out.” He bit out instead of the demands to get the fuck away from his blond when he had moments ago had all but melting against him. They could fault Zoro later but he was trying and struggling to keep his temper in check and find that center he had spent years of his life to master.
Keeping his hold on Sanji; Zoro dragged a palm from hips to waist to ribs to chest until he circled a steadying grip around the blond's neck and pushed that absolutely broken face frozen in horror to hide against his chest instead. Widening his own stance to act as a shield from prying eyes as he twisted his good eye back to glare over his shoulder. It didn’t bother him at all that he had blood smeared across his mouth and chin; dried droplets staining his white shirt. Sanji was… no. Fuck rationality. That rumpled shirt with rust soaking into the collar; the bitten and kiss swollen lips, the blood smeared and drying against alabaster skin wasn’t something Zoro would share. He didn’t care who it was, or how deep their understanding would go.
With the three of them frozen; even the two blinded by hats, Franky tried a pathetically aborted “Sorry bro-” before his bulky shoulder caught in the doorway trying to corral the other two out with him the way they came. The sound of metal thumping against wood had Sanji flinching even if the blond couldn’t see anymore and there was a protective urge Zoro typically had for his crew rearing it’s ugly head in full force.
“OUT!”
Later he’d plead apologies into the bruises he no doubt left behind. Now he just kept Sanji tucked close to his chest and glared. Steel eye glinted sharp and bordering murderous as he looked back and watched the three to make sure they listened. Only to ease minutely as flower petals and a few dozen arms appeared to push and pull the idiots back out of the galley. Only for that hardened glare to turn molten as another pair of eyes and lips appeared above the doorway. “Apologies. We couldn’t stop Chopper before the interruption. Take all the time you need.”
While another voice further outside called out “There’s an island-! We’re docking!”