Here is the first of the summer commissions. HoshiakariDreamer commissioned me way back during the first round last year and this was the second part to her commission. It's a companion fic to my story The Roronoa Fruit. Sorry this took so long! Hope you like it!
Stop Me
Sanji found that his hands were shaking. Why? Why were his hands shaking? It was just a simple thing, it wasn't like he was facing near death. He wasn't about to go to war.
Zoro had asked him to do it. He had practically begged him to do it. The swordsman's breath had been hot on his lips, his thighs tight and shaking, and his voice had been deep and gravelly. The sound of it had done things to Sanji, changed him in ways he had not thought possible. When Zoro's voice did that, when his voice dropped into that delicious, throaty timber, that was how Sanji knew Zoro was losing control—or had already lost it.
Lately, Sanji found he would do anything that stupid swordsman asked when he was like that. The cook was pained to admit it to himself, but it was true that he was hooked. He was an addict. He was addicted to the power, the struggle for power, the give and take, and the perfect way that Zoro submitted to him but never, never surrendered.
Their relationship was intense, their fights were fierce, and their sex was intoxicating. Sometimes, it was all Sanji could do to keep up, to keep it together. For all the stoicism and outright bluntness he showed on a daily basis, Zoro was a deeply caring and passionate lover. He threw himself into being with Sanji the same way he trained or watched after the crew. He loved with the same severe focus he gave to everything else he truly cared about.
So why was this one thing so hard? Why was Sanji struggling with the idea? He had even been the one to bring it up in the first place. Just a few short days ago, Sanji had been ready to scream his feelings from the top of the crow's nest, but now that the moment was upon him, he was so frightened of what might happen—what it might change, that he felt almost crippled.
Using a small spoon, the cook fished three large bay leaves out of the soup and tossed them into the bucket of compost he saved for Nami's mikan plants. When he pulled down a stack of bowls from the overhead cupboard, he ignored the tremor in his hands and fingers. It was ridiculous. Completely ridiculous. He shouldn't be so nervous, there was just no reason for it.
It wasn't like they would be hated. They would not be ostracized or kicked off the ship. Sanji knew Luffy would not care; he would probably be excited for them. He had nothing to fear from the crew, no reason to hesitate when it came to their nakama.
The door opened and the sounds of laughter and merriment floated into the galley. Sanji heard the clop of Chopper's hooves and the click of Nami's heels. Franky said something to Brook and the two men laughed as Usopp pretended to be insulted.
Sanji chanced a quick look over his shoulder and caught a glimpse of Zoro moving through the doorway. The swordsman seemed at ease, his features soft as he listened to Luffy chatter on excitedly about fighting styles and new techniques. He did not look up, and made no eye contact, but the cook could tell by the tilt of his head and the line of his shoulders that Zoro was aware of Sanji watching him.
Taking a breath, Sanji turned around and started to ladle hot soup into bowls before placing them on the bar. Usopp and Chopper came around and passed the bowls onto the table. Immediately, Luffy's chattering ceased and was replaced by loud slurping and garbled words of praise.
He ignored everyone at first, focusing on his task and trying not to think so hard about things that were most likely not going to be a problem.
Sanji knew his crew wouldn't care, they would accept them because they all loved each other and cared about each other, no matter how crass or stupid or violent they seemed. He also knew Zoro would be fine, this is what he wanted. He had asked for it—begged for it. There was nothing to fear.
It was just this one thing, just this one thing that Zoro had asked of him.
The cook turned around, the last bowl of soup in his hand. He watched Zoro sitting at the table, his thick arms folded over his chest, and his eyebrows cocked as he listened to another of Usopp's unbelievable stories. He was so handsome. He was so much power and honor and strength put together in that one body, in that one soul.
And he was Sanji's.
A wave of possessiveness welled up inside the cook. It peaked and washed over, propelling him forward, out of the kitchen and into the dining area.
He slipped into the space between Nami's seat and Zoro's, placing the bowl of soup down carefully in front of the swordsman. He rested one hand on the back of the chair and slid the other into a pocket.
When Zoro looked up at him, his grin was barely there, but Sanji could see it.
"Thanks, cook," he said softly.
Sanji waited a beat, just long enough for Zoro to realize there was something else.
"What?" Zoro asked.
Sanji moved his hand from the back of the chair and slid his fingers gently through green hair. Zoro reacted instantly, his eyes widened, his body tensed, and he made that sound in the back of his throat that Sanji had come to love.
"Sanji…"
Was Zoro backing out? Did he not want this anymore? Sanji felt his resolve faltering.
Or maybe he was just as nervous and excited as Sanji was?
The cook leaned in, bringing his face down close to Zoro's. Close enough that their foreheads almost touched. He breathed across the swordsman's lips and did not try to stop the smile that pulled at his lips.
"Stop me…" Sanji said softly.
After a few moments, Zoro mirrored his smile and shook his head.
"No."
Tilting his head, Sanji leaned in and kissed Zoro. It was chased and gentle, but he lingered long enough that there was no mistaking the passion. Sanji's heart fluttered in his chest and he felt suddenly weightless, as if something heavy had let him go the moment his lips had touched Zoro's.
When he pulled away, Zoro was looking up at him with eyes as dark as the bottom of the ocean. They flashed with love and longing, and mirrored the possessiveness that Sanji felt so deeply at that moment.
Then, Sanji realized they were surrounded in slience.
He was afraid to look. What would he see? He knew they would not be met with anger or hate, but he wasn't quite ready for the shock. Not yet.
Luffy's voice broke the stillness.
"Oi, Sanji, are you kissing everyone right now? Or is this just a you and Zoro thing?"
Sanji felt a laugh build up in this gut but he kept it down and answered in the way he knew Luffy was expecting.
"You try and kiss me and I'll kick your sorry ass through the side of the ship."
Usopp snickered and Sanji saw Nami's hand come up to cover a smile out the corner of his eye.
"Well that's good," Luffy said, "'Cause I don't really want to kiss you, so…"
"You can kiss me, Luffy!" Chopper giggled.
"Yo ho ho ho!" Brook cackled across the table, "I can't kiss anyone even if I wanted to! I have no lips!"
"This calls for a song!" Franky bellowed as he stood, guitar in hand. "Come on, Brook! Something about life and love and kissing and SUUUPER manly feelings!"
"Woa woa wait!" Usopp cried, "I'm trying to eat, don't step in my soup!"
Luffy clapped his hands together and grinned, showing every single one of his teeth at once. "I can help you with that, Usopp, lemme see your bowl!"
"Oh hell no, Luffy! Get your hands off my food!"
Sanji's gaze returned to Zoro, who was still watching him with so much affection that it made the cook's breath catch.
"Look what you started," the swordsman chuckled.
Sanji shrugged before he leaned in close again and ran a thumb down Zoro's cheek.
"Love you, shitty swordsman."
Zoro's smile widened and he leaned into Sanji's touch.
"Love you too, idiot cook. Now, let me eat."
END