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At first, Zoro has very little to complain about in the land of Wano. The booze is decent and plentiful, the people largely leave him alone, and he can wander around unimpeded, free from the glorified tin can Trafalgar Law calls a ship, safely content in the knowledge that Luffy will soon be arriving with a certain curly-browed idiot in tow. All in all, he’s doing okay.
Then of course, everything promptly goes to shit. He gets arrested for a bunch of murders he didn’t commit, stabbed multiple times, loses one of his favourite swords to an asshole on a bridge, and winds up saddled with a constantly laughing kid and a soppy woman who turns out to be some kind of long lost princess. By the time he makes it to the Flower Capital too late to save old man Yasu, he’s just about had it with Wano, Kaido, and everything else in between.
Telling himself that he can at least avenge Yasu, he’s in the middle of facing down a bunch of Orochi’s goons when a now familiar scream reaches his ears. Rolling his eye in exasperation, he leaves the fake shogun to flee in favour of racing in the direction of whatever trouble Hiyori’s gotten herself into this time.
Said trouble turns out to be a pair of Orochi’s personal guards because that is frankly just his luck these days. Diving into the fray, he slashes at the two assailants with Kitetsu, once again feeling the loss of Shusui as he catches Hiyori with his free hand.
Hoisting her up, Zoro tucks the flailing woman against his side, cradling her carefully as much to keep her from distracting him as anything else. He feels her bury her face in his chest, and resigns himself to having to fight like this when a new player arrives on the scene.
He hadn’t gotten much of a good look at Sanji when he’d handed Otoko over to the other man at the executioner’s block, what with them having more pressing matters to attend to in the form of getting the distraught little girl to safety. Figuring he’s alright in assuming that’s been taken care of at this point, he opts to drink his fill in now.
Corny though it sounds, the cook looks fucking radiant. His blond hair is slightly longer than normal, with a few tresses curling around his face in an exceptionally inviting manner. Meanwhile, there’s a fire in his brilliantly blue eyes that wasn’t there before, and he moves with the fluidity of a dancer as he deals with their current enemies in a brutally effective manner.
He also, when he finally turns to meet Zoro’s eye, looks irrevocably, furiously pissed.
Well versed in both that look and what it usually means for his general happiness, Zoro bites back a sigh. He has no doubt that Sanji will explain to him, most likely in great detail, whatever he’s done wrong this time, and he’s fully prepared to add it to this list of all the things he hates about this place.
Wano fucking sucks.
*****
Wano sucks slightly less when Hiyori offers him a new sword to make up for the one he’d lost. Much though he’ll miss having Shusui, who was a sturdy, dependable piece, especially in comparison to Kitetsu’s usual cursed bullshit, he has to admit he likes the sound of wielding the only sword to ever permanently mark the King of Beasts.
He can feel the power coiling off Enma from the moment he lays eyes on it. The sword rests innocently enough inside its case, but Zoro doesn’t need to touch it to know this is a weapon that will take all the strength he possesses to control.
Enma proves him right on this from almost the moment he picks it up. Grasping the hilt loosely in one hand, he feels a burst of power course through the blade, forcing him to lash out with haki to contain it. Only once he’s positive he’s exerting enough pressure does he give the sword a single, tentative swipe.
That alone is enough to level an entire chunk of forest. Shouts of alarm ring out from a number of their assorted allies, Usopp’s distinctive shriek among them, and Zoro resheathes the sword with a satisfied nod. He’ll need to take some time to learn this particular blade, but he’s confident it’ll be a worthy replacement for Shusui.
Nodding again, he turns to glance at where Momonosuke is watching him, the young lord having recently been made aware of Hiyori’s offer. “It’s a good sword,” he says simply, figuring that, as Oden’s son, he’ll recognize that statement for the sincere compliment it is. “Thank you.”
Momo beams at him, bouncing in place slightly at the praise. “I’ll be sure to tell Hiyori you said as much when I finally see her again.” He clears his throat then, his expression turning awkward. “If you don’t mind my asking, what is she like now?”
Zoro pauses to think about that for a moment, figuring it’s only fair to give a genuine answer. “Smart,” is what he goes with. “And wily. People underestimate her and she makes them pay for it. She’s a survivor.”
“That’s so kind of you to say.”
Zoro shrugs, not really seeing how it’s kind, and honestly caring even less. New sword acquired, now all he wants to do is go find Sanji so the cook can get whatever yelling he feels the need to do out of the way, and then they can set about making up for lost time.
Content with this plan, he offers Momo a terse goodbye and glances around for said cook. Not spotting him immediately, he shrugs and heads in the direction he last remembers seeing the other man.
Unfortunately, one of the other annoying things about Wano is that the trees rearrange themselves as much here as they do everywhere else, if not more so. Not wanting to risk straying too far from the camp, he sits himself down on a ridge overlooking the bay, hopeful that Sanji will maybe come to him.
He’s not left waiting long. He’s just unhooked Enma from his belt and is calmly examining the embossed purple sheath when he hears the sound of familiar footsteps.
Sanji puffs on one of his ever-present cigarettes as he gazes down at the new sword, then his eyes flick to the two remaining blades attached to Zoro’s belt. “What happened to Shusui?”
“Some guy stole it,” Zoro replies, feigning a casualness he doesn’t feel. Enma is a decent replacement, but he’d liked Shusui, and he’d won it from Ryuma fair and square, regardless of what the population of Wano seem inclined to believe. “Momo’s sister offered me this one to make it more of a trade.”
“I heard that.” Sanji admits, and to a casual observer he probably sounds like he’s at best mildly interested. Zoro, however, is not as stupid as people tend to think he is, and therefore feels the hair on the back of his neck stand up in warning. “I can’t help but notice how that beautiful woman seems oddly taken with you.”
Damnit.
So that’s the problem then. Sanji’s annoyed about all the fuss Hiyori’d been making, and wishes she’d directed her attention elsewhere, most likely at him. Zoro can’t help but feel a flicker of his own annoyance at the proof that, even after all their time together, the other man can’t stop being such a ridiculous flirt.
“It was a trade,” he repeats. “An exchange of one sword for another where we both got something we wanted out of the deal. That’s all.”
“Sure it was,” Sanji scoffs, taking a heavy drag from his latest cigarette. “I have no doubt there were no ulterior motives present whatsoever.”
“There weren’t.” Zoro stresses, his annoyance beginning to turn to outright irritation thanks to the fact that this is the conversation they’re having for their reunion. “Quit being an ass, cook.”
“Excuse me?” Sanji snarls. He’s pissed alright, more so than Zoro would normally expect for such a mundane insult, if he’s being honest, and his teeth clamp down around his smoke hard enough that he’s lucky he doesn’t bite through it.
He regains his composure, however, and his face soon shifts into a haughty sneer. “Well,” he says pointedly, “I guess I shouldn’t have expected anything better from someone with such a low bounty.”
Truth be told, Zoro could barely care less about the reversal of their usual roles where bounties are concerned. Unlike Sanji, he hasn’t been in the news recently, and a mere ten bellie difference means that he’ll likely flip back into the lead once the dust has settled in Wano.
Unfortunately, Sanji’s using a damn tone that never fails to make him see red. The cook’s clearly spoiling for a fight, and at this point Zoro’s ready to give him one. He draws Enma with a simple jerk of his hand, the move not only taking a chunk out of the cliff face they’re standing on, but neatly slicing Sanji’s cigarette in two as well.
Sanji watches as the severed end of the smoke falls to the ground, his cheeks heating with visible outrage, and the next thing Zoro knows they’re pressed forehead to forehead, snarling in each other’s faces. If it weren’t for Nami suddenly appearing to knock their heads together, he’s sure things would have degenerated into an all out brawl.
“We don’t have time for this, you morons!” The navigator shrieks, her fist raised to hit them again if she deems it necessary. “Knock it the hell off!”
“Of course, Nami dear!” Sanji croons from his spot on the ground. “I’m so sorry to have bothered you, my sweet.”
“Ugh!” Nami and Zoro say at the same time, albeit for vastly different reasons.
*****
The preparations for the raid continue, and before long it’s the night before they’re set to depart. Much to his frustration, Zoro still hasn’t managed to break through whatever wall the cook has thrown up, thanks to the way the other man keeps hissing at him like a scalded cat every time he comes near.
Zoro doesn’t think this level of animosity is deserved at the best of times, at least not over a little thing like some random woman fussing over him instead of the cook, but he especially doesn’t think it’s warranted on the eve of the biggest battle they’ve ever fought. He may not know much about relationships, but he knows they should be spending what’s quite possibly their last night on earth together.
That’s why he goes seeking Sanji out later that evening. Most of the crew has dispersed to do their own thing, but he spots a familiar shock of blond hair over by the campfire.
Sanji’s sprawled on his back when he approaches, with his hands hooked behind his head to prop it up as he gazes up at the clear night sky. The firelight makes his skin practically glow, and it turns his hair the colour of molten gold, making Zoro want to reach out and touch.
He clears his throat to announce his presence. “Hey.”
“Hmm?” Twisting his head slightly to the side, Sanji lets his eyes roam over Zoro, and for a second his expression is so soft it looks like they’re finally going to be able to get over whatever the hell’s been going on with him.
Then he catches sight of Enma, cradled loosely in Zoro’s right hand, and his whole face hardens. “Where are you going?” He asks.
Taken aback by his sharp tone, Zoro’s maybe a second later in responding then he could be. Thinking quickly, he shifts the sword up a little higher. “I need to go break this one in better, and …”
“Whatever. Just don’t get lost.”
… I was wondering if you wanted to come with me.
Well. There’s no way Zoro’s going to be getting any further now. He knows a dismissal when he hears one, and Sanji’s just shut him down effective immediately.
Unable to help himself, he stands where he is for a few moments longer, his mouth working like an idiot, but with no sound coming out. Finally, he grunts and lets his shoulders sag. “I won’t get lost,” he mutters.
Sanji’s closed his eyes in the ensuing silence, and doesn’t bother opening them now. “From what I hear, you’ve been getting lost all over this damn country. But I guess that’s what happens when you’re left to your own devices.”
It’s on the tip of Zoro’s tongue to remind him exactly who it was who’d left him on his own, but given that he wants to live to see tomorrow he keeps his mouth shut. Grunting, he moves to head out.
“Oi, Marimo!”
Glancing back over his shoulder, Zoro finds Sanji now propped up on his elbows, watching him intently. “Yeah?” He asks, wondering if they’re finally done with this little song and dance. “What is it?”
Sanji’s mouth works, his expression pinching like he’s not happy with what he’s about to say. “Brook told me he found you and Hiyori in bed together when he tracked you down in Ringo. Is that true?”
Zoro gives serious consideration to finding a handy rock to go bash his head against. “That damned skeleton needs to learn to keep his mouth shut,” he growls.
“You’re not denying it,” Sanji notes, his tone stilted.
“Cuz there’s nothing to deny,” Zoro snorts. “It was fuckin’ freezing up in those mountains and we didn’t have any blankets, or firewood for that matter. Hiyori made the call after I was already out cold, but it made sense at the time.”
“Brook said you two looked pretty comfortable.”
“Brook doesn’t even have eyes,” Zoro counters. “What’s your point?”
“What’s my - Are you serious?” Sanji demands, his eyes narrowing dangerously when all Zoro can do is shrug. “Fucking forget I said anything,” he snarls. “Go get lost in the woods with your shiny new toy and see if I bother to come looking for you later.”
“Fine!” Zoro snaps, frankly more hurt than he’d care to let on. Turning on his heel, he stomps off in the direction of the trees, muttering about curlybrowed bastards and their unreasonable tempers under his breath the whole time.
*****
Zoro’s no longer muttering when he pulls a hidden transponder snail out of his haramaki and said curlybrowed bastard demands he put him in the ground. At that point he’s flat out furious, with a side order of insanely confused. He can’t even begin to comprehend what’s going on with Sanji, and is now realizing he should have maybe pushed the issue before they’d started the raid on Onigashima.
Still, Sanji sounds desperate in a way he never has before, and it’s a running joke among the crew how much of a whipped idiot Zoro is for a reason. He agrees to the cook’s demand without hesitation, knowing it’s what the other man needs to hear to keep fighting. Then he tucks the snail away and glares up at King.
He suddenly finds himself in need of something to take out his frustrations on, and it seems like Kaido’s second in command has just volunteered.
*****
Zoro wakes slowly, and to the sound of a celebration going on around him. He doesn’t open his eye right away, taking a moment to try and silently categorize the extent of his injuries, but finally cracks it open once he assures himself that all parts appear to be in working order.
He immediately looks around for Sanji, and is just as quickly disappointed when he doesn’t find him. Instead, he gets Chopper flailing all up in his face, with Hiyori of all people right behind him.
Chopper yells at him a whole bunch about needing to know his limits and putting too much pressure on his body, yadda yadda - basically the usual song and dance about how he’s going to kill himself one day if he’s not more careful. Zoro largely tunes him out, and only clues back into the conversation again when Hiyori starts gushing over how she’s spent the past week bathing his wounds and changing his bandages.
“Uh, thanks.” He says, wondering how many people had gotten hurt that they’d been forced to use a member of the royal family as a nurse. Things must have been pretty dicey for a while there.
Shrugging, Zoro figures he can always get the full details once he’s dealt with more pressing matters. Turning away from Hiyori, he glances at Chopper. “Where’s the cook? Is he okay?”
His question accidentally cuts Hiyori off mid-sentence, but he can’t bring himself to care too much. He stares down at Chopper, who starts fidgeting nervously, rubbing one front hoof repeatedly over the other.
“Sanji’s fine,” he says, and that much is said with enough conviction to let Zoro breathe out a quiet sigh of relief. “In fact, he was here most of the time you were unconscious.”
“But?” Zoro asks because that was definitely a sentence that was meant to have more to it.
Chopper’s hooves start moving faster. “He, um, he left when it was clear you were starting to wake up. I’m not sure where he is now.”
“Did he say why?” Zoro demands, leaning forward with enough intensity that something twinges in his shoulder. He ignores it like it deserves, but doesn’t miss the way Chopper winces.
“You should really - ” the doctor starts, only to give up when Zoro gives him a look. “Sometimes I don’t know why I even bother. Fine. I don’t know why he left or where he went, but he’s probably somewhere by the food knowing him.”
Hiyori tentatively clears her throat. “I would be happy to help you look for your friend,” she says when Zoro cranes his neck around to stare at her.
“He’s not my friend, he’s my idiot,” Zoro retorts. “And no, thank you. We’re probably going to wind up screaming at each other, and then cook’ll be pissed at me for yelling in front of a woman. It’s not worth the trouble.”
“Oh. I - I see,” Hiyori replies, looking taken aback. “You really have been gravely injured, though. Perhaps it might be better to have someone bring your fri - the cook to you?”
“I’m good,” Zoro says, already struggling to his feet. He wobbles minutely for a moment after getting upright, but quickly retains his balance. A short scan of the area reveals his swords leaning against a nearby table. Shuffling over to it, he grabs them and hooks them onto his belt.
“Which way did the cook go?” He asks once he’s as ready as he’s going to get.
Chopper doesn’t answer, no doubt hoping in vain that not saying anything will make Zoro give up his plans, but Hiyori helpfully points in the right direction. Zoro gives her a grateful nod in return.
“Wish me luck,” he says grimly, marching off like a man prepared to meet his fate.
*****
Zoro finds neither the food nor Sanji. Instead, he stumbles over Law, Kid, and Killer, at least two thirds of whom are steadily making their way through an entire keg of beer.
Law looks up as he approaches and gives him a stilted nod. “Zoro-ya,” he says, which Zoro supposes is a step up from his previous title of ‘Roronoa-ya’. “Good to see you back on your feet. Though, as a doctor, I feel compelled to tell you that’s probably a bad idea.”
“Don’t care,” Zoro grunts. “Have any of you lot seen the cook?”
“He means Blackleg,” Law clarifies when Kid arches an eyebrow pointedly. “Their entire crew will only ever grant that title to one person.”
Kid makes a face like he isn’t surprised but also doesn’t really care, and takes a swig from the tankard in his hand. “Last I saw Blackleg, he was letting Strawhat and a couple others drag him off to go do up some grub.”
“And where was that?” Zoro asks.
Kid gestures vaguely back the way Zoro had come, which is no help whatsoever. Then he flashes an obnoxious grin that immediately sets the swordsman’s teeth on edge. “So does the fact that you’re lookin’ for him mean you’re done making him pay?”
Zoro blinks at him, confused. “ … pay for what?”
Both Kid’s eyes narrow, and beside him Law makes a noise that from anyone else would be considered a snort. “I told you,” the smaller of the two Supernova captains says, his voice pitched in a smug lilt. “He has no idea what he’s been doing.”
Kid shakes his head like he can’t believe what he’s hearing, and on his other side, Killer makes an inquiring noise. “Trafalgar told us all about Blackleg’s little stunt with Big Mom and Whole Cake Island,” the redhead explains. “Ain’t you pissed?”
“Not really,” Zoro admits. “More so in the beginning when it was a huge inconvenience, but I always knew he’d be back.”
Kid gapes at him, and then jerks the thumb of his metal hand in Killer’s direction. “If I took off to go marry some woman I’d never laid eyes on and dragged my crew into a war in the process, this one’d cut off my other arm before he let me back in our bedroom.”
Killer scoffs, the sound slightly muffled thanks to his mask. “It wouldn’t be your arm I’d be aiming for,” he says, and Zoro very much wishes he could unsee the leer Kid gives him in response.
“Well, good for you,” Zoro says for lack of anything better. “The cook and I aren’t like that.”
“Guess not,” Kid says, scratching his chin thoughtfully. “But I gotta say, things made a lot more sense when I thought you were cozying up to that princess to make him sweat.”
“Hah?”
“Hiyori.” Law clarifies after the two men have spent a few moments staring at each other blankly. “Eustass-ya, along with many of our allies might I add, was under the impression that your frequent association with her was at least in part to make Blackleg jealous as a form of punishment. Given your behaviour on my ship during the trip here, I was disinclined to share that opinion, but it was nevertheless an effective strategy.”
No matter how Zoro twists those words around in his head, he can’t make them make sense. “What are you talking about?”
Law sighs, sounding put upon. “Blackleg-ya,” he says flatly, “is jealous.”
“Of Hiyori?” Zoro asks dubiously.
“Yes.”
Zoro stares at him. “That’s the stupidest fucking thing I’ve ever heard.”
“And yet,” Law says, now looking pained. “It’s also fact. He abandoned your crew under poor circumstances, and returned to find his lover with a beautiful woman hanging off his arm. What did you expect him to think?”
“I don’t know,” Zoro says, tugging on a few strands of his hair in frustration. “Definitely something other than ‘Wow, Zoro’s somehow rearranged his entire sexuality while I was gone. That’s weird’.”
“You’re sure that’s what’s been going on?” He adds as Kid guffaws into his drink.
Even Law briefly cracks a smile. “He hasn’t said as much in so many words, but - it’s pretty obvious.”
“What an idiot,” Zoro mutters. “And people think I’m the dumb one.”
“Well, you also didn’t notice, despite it being painfully obvious, so perhaps you can both share the title.”
“Fuck off, Law.”
*****
Zoro spends the next while stomping irritably around the Flower Capital, an act that does little more than make a number of his wounds start screaming at him. Ignoring this, he continues his search until a familiar ‘shishishi’ of laughter rings out nearby. Figuring Luffy might have an idea of where Sanji is, he heads for his captain.
It turns out Luffy definitely knows where Sanji is because the answer is ‘right in front of him, handing over a plate of noodles’. Usopp, Brook, and Yamato are also in the area, each of them happily digging into their meals.
“Oi, cook!” Zoro barks, storming forward with every intention of giving the blond a piece of his mind. “Is it true you think I’m turning you over for Momo’s kid sister?”
Sanji’s back stiffens, and his visible eye is blown wide in horror when he cranes his neck around to stare at Zoro. “What the fuck is wrong with you, Marimo?” He demands in a pitch sharp enough to make people jump. “Do you ever stop and think before you open your big, stupid mouth and just say things?”
Zoro ignores this question. “Law and Kid say you’re jealous of Hiyori and that you think I’m, I don’t know, punishing you or some shit for Whole Cake Island. Is that true?”
Sanji doesn’t respond, but the way his cheeks flare a brilliant red and he won’t meet anybody’s eye are all the answers Zoro needs. “Fucking hell,” he barks, throwing his hands in the air in exasperation. “Where in the world did you get an idea like that?”
“Where do you think?” Sanji retorts, still staring stubbornly at the ground.
“If I knew, I wouldn’t be asking!” Zoro roars. “You think I’m enjoying this conversation any more than you are?”
Whatever reply Sanji might make gets lost in the sound of somebody slurping heavily on a bunch of noodles. He and Zoro both turn as one to where Luffy, Usopp, Brook, and Yamato are watching them avidly, all four men but Brook with their cheeks bulging.
“I'm going to count to three,” Sanji says through gritted teeth. “And if every last one of you isn’t out of my sight by the time I’m done, I will not be held responsible for my actions. Is that clear?”
They’re gone by the time he hits ‘two’, only taking that long because Luffy paused to snag the pot of food before he ran.
“Idiots,” Sanji mutters, glaring after them. “Did you hear Yamato wants to join up with us?”
“You really think I care about something like that right now?” Zoro asks snidely. Then, when Sanji flinches, he tries more softly, “Curls, talk to me. What’s going on?”
Sanji ignores the question. “You should be resting,” he says instead. “Between King and Kaido, you really did a number on yourself.”
“I’m fine,” Zoro insists. “Physically, anyway. Kinda stressed about whatever’s going on with you though. You don’t honestly think I want Hiyori, do you?”
Curling his arms protectively around himself, Sanji ducks his head. “I don’t know what you want,” he says quietly. “Whatever it is, though, I don’t think it’s me anymore.”
“You - what?” Zoro gapes at him, completely flabbergasted, not to mention more than a little panicked. “What are you talking about? What in hell’s name makes you think I don’t want you anymore? I’ve been stupid about you since pretty much the day we met.”
Normally that would elicit some crack about how Zoro’s stupid about so many things, but in this instance all it does is make Sanji give him a pained smile. “I know when I’m not wanted, Mossball. I had a lot of experience with it growing up.”
“It’s okay, I don’t blame you,” he adds before Zoro can find his voice. “I know how badly I screwed up. The fact that Luffy forgave me after I betrayed you all is a miracle in and of itself. I don’t blame you if you can’t bring yourself to do it too.”
“There’s nothing to to fucking forgive!” Zoro shouts, his voice echoing around the surrounding area as he stomps down on a vicious urge to grab the other man and shake him. “I wasn’t even mad with you to begin with.”
“Well, okay, that’s not true,” he amends. “I was pissed that you took off without telling anyone, and you know how much I hate it when you pull that self-sacrificial bullshit on us, but I wasn’t ‘let’s-break-up’ levels of pissed. I love you, you idiot.”
“Then why didn’t you come after me?”
Sanji’s voice is hushed when he speaks, fragile in a way Zoro doesn’t think he’s ever heard it, and definitely never wants to again. His eyes are also suspiciously shiny, standing out as the final nail in the coffin that proves just how messed up over this he is.
For his part, Zoro stares at him, utterly transfixed as it finally dawns on him just what, exactly the problem is. “Oh, you moron,” he groans, feeling both fond and exasperated at the same time. “That’s what’s got you all in a snit? Really?”
“What do you mean ‘really’?” Sanji says sharply. “Half the crew chased me across the Grand Line, but you couldn’t be bothered. Then when I finally see you again, you were - I mean, Hiyori’s wonderful and beautiful, of course, I get that - but she was everywhere.”
“She’s also a woman,” Zoro points out. “She’s cool and all, and you could probably call us friends, but she’s kinda not my type by default. Especially,” he adds vehemently, “since I’m already spoken for. I can’t believe you read that much into me not going to Whole Cake.”
“Well, what was I supposed to think?” Sanji demands. He’s starting to look annoyed now, which is honestly a relief at this point. “You didn’t come for me, Zoro. I get that I don’t have much of a right to be angry here, but I also don’t know what I was supposed to take that as other than a sign we were over.”
“Or maybe,” Zoro stresses, “you should have taken it as a sign that I knew you’d be back. I never once thought you wouldn’t be, Cook, so between that and the fact that I couldn’t go anyway, it was pretty much a moot point.”
“What do you mean?” Sanji peers at him suspiciously. “Why couldn’t you go?”
In answer, Zoro holds up two fingers. “One, because somebody had to look after those of us who were heading straight to Wano. It’s not like I could trust that job to Law and his crew of all people. And two, Whole Cake was supposed to be a stealth mission. It wasn’t going to do anybody any favours when I inevitably pulled an ‘I object’ moment in the middle of the ceremony and started yelling about how the only person you’re going to be marrying is me.”
He realizes what he’s said too little too late. Sanji’s eyes go wide and he gasps, both hands coming up to cover his mouth, which has just dropped open.
“You’d -?” He says faintly, the words slightly muffled because he hasn’t moved his hands away. “You want to -?”
“I mean, yeah,” Zoro says fiercely. This isn’t how he’d ever expected broaching the topic to go, but he figures Sanji’s likely to have an aneurysm if he backs off now. “I kinda always figured it was a done deal, you know? And that we’d get around to it once our lives calmed down a bit.”
“But, uh,” he notes somewhat belatedly. “It’s cool if that’s not something you want. I guess I can see how after everything you’ve been through, that might not be something you're interested - ”
“No!” Sanji barks, ripping his hands away. “No, I’m interested! I’m so interested. Please don’t take it back.”
“Wasn’t gonna,” Zoro mumbles, feeling relieved. “It’s just …” He gestures weakly at the surrounding area, and then at the two of them, banged up and covered in bandages. “There’s no way this is the kind of proposal you had in mind. I don’t have rings or anything, and I’m pretty sure if I try to get down on one knee right now I’ll fall over.”
“Oh my god, shut up,” Sanji gasps, striding forward so he can grab Zoro’s face in his hands. His grip is a little too tight for comfort, but after so long without him, the swordsman couldn’t care less. “It’s perfect, you’re perfect. Yes, I’m saying yes.”
It takes Zoro’s rattled brain a few seconds to catch up to what that last sentence means, but when he does he feels his face open on a goofy grin. “Yeah?” He asks. “For real?”
“Yeah,” Sanji says, leaning in to finally, finally kiss him the way Zoro’s been missing for weeks now. “Of course.”
Zoro hooks his arms around the other man as they kiss, dragging him in until they’re pressed flush together. “Fuck, I missed you,” he hisses when they come up for air. “I mean it when I say I’m not mad, but if you ever do that to me again, I really will kick your ass. You hear me?”
“Also,” he adds as Sanji nods his head furiously where he has it buried in Zoro’s shoulder. “What the fuck was with you asking me to kill you, Twirls? Pretty sure I clawed my way away from the grim reaper just to come kick your ass for that.”
Sanji tilts his face up again, catching Zoro’s lips with his own. “It’s a long story,” he says in between kisses. “A long, bad story, but I promise I’ll tell you everything. I won’t hide anything from you anymore, I swear.”
“You’re allowed your secrets,” Zoro huffs. “Just - maybe don’t shut me out like that again.”
“I won’t. I promise, I won’t.” Sanji insists, and he sounds so ragged, Zoro leans in to press their foreheads together, suspecting the increased touching will help.
“Breathe, Cook,” he instructs. “Stay with me, okay?”
“I’m here, I promise.” Sanji replies. “I’m not leaving ever again. I don’t want to be anywhere else.”
“Good,” Zoro says, holding him tight. “Because now that I know how dumb you are, if you take off again I’ll hunt you down all on my own. I can’t believe you were jealous of Hiyori.”
“I don’t - I wasn’t - it’s complicated, okay?” Sanji sputters. “I’m not used to being what people want.”
“Better get used to it,” Zoro warns. “Cuz I’m not gonna shut up about my hot fiancé, and I’ll be even worse once you’re my hot husband.”
“Marimo!” Sanji squawks, covering his face with his hands to try and hide a blush. “You can’t just say things like that?”
“Why not?” Zoro wants to know. “We’re engaged now, so why shouldn’t I show that off?”
“You’re a menace,” Sanji says, dropping his hands with a quiet chuckle. There’s no hiding how happy he looks, though, which means Zoro needs to kiss him some more.
“I’ve created a monster,” Sanji grumbles as Zoro plants kisses all over his face. “Oh, and don’t think that just because I got caught up in the moment means I don’t expect a ring at some point. Or a proper ceremony. A big flashy thing with cake and flowers and you in a suit.”
“As long as our friends are there and the booze is decent, you can have whatever the hell you want,” Zoro assures him.
“I don’t need anything else.”
*****
It’s several hours later when Hiyori finds them. They’re back amongst the people celebrating, but seated slightly off to the side. Sanji’s got his head resting on Zoro’s shoulder and both hands curled around his right arm, while Zoro’s free hand is occupied with a bottle of sake some well wisher had offered him.
“There you two are,” Hiyori says, panting slightly. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere.” She pauses then, her cheeks colouring. “I wanted to apolo - ”
“It’s fine,” Zoro says, cutting her off before she can get going. “You didn’t do anything wrong, and it’s not your fault this one’s an idiot.”
“Can we not talk about it?” Sanji moans, his face still buried in Zoro’s shoulder. “I’m embarrassed enough as it is.”
“You should be,” Zoro informs him. “I don’t get to be the dumb one that often so I’m going to milk this, and - ow !”
“Serves you right,” Sanji mutters, retracting the fingers he’s just pinched into Zoro’s forearm. “Don’t be an ass, Mossball.”
Zoro shares a commiserating look with Hiyori. “My fiancé,” he laments.
“I heard,” she says, smiling softly. “I also wanted to offer my congratulations.”
“Thanks,” Zoro replies. “And I mean that. It might’ve taken a lot longer for us to get here if you hadn’t made the cook lose his mind.”
“Shut uppp,” Sanji whines, thumping his head against Zoro’s shoulders a few times. “I can’t believe I agreed to marry you.”
“No take backs,” Zoro says sternly.
“Well, obviously.”
Hiyori giggles, trying and failing to hide the sound with her sleeve. “You two seem very happy together.”
“Actually, I look at it as doing a public service,” Sanji says. Finally dragging his face out of its hiding spot, he gives the woman a smarmy grin. “Somebody has to keep this one under control, and it’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.”
“Oi!” Zoro barks, while Hiyori laughs again. “You keep talking like that, and I’m going to have a thing or two to say about it. Preferably with my swords.”
“Bring it on, moss-for-brains.”
“And on that note,” Hiyori says. “I think it’s time for me to make my exit. Enjoy the rest of the party you two.”
Nodding, Zoro watches her go until he feels a different kind of pressure on his arm. Craning his neck around, he finds Sanji peering up at him, his chin propped on Zoro’s shoulder and their faces inches apart.
“Something you want, Curlybrow?” He asks.
“No,” Sanji says, his teasing smirk melting into something much more genuine. “I’ve got everything I want right here.”