How to make a shitty marimo fall in love with you

The first thing to do is get noticed.

"Oi, marimo, time to eat." Sanji, for the umpteenth time, kicks Zoro square in the side of his torso and disrupts his nap.

He gets a menacing glare in return.

"Why do you always do this, you bastard?" Zoro growls but gets up, and Sanji does a happy dance in his head.

"Because I can." Sanji sneers. "And you need to eat, anyway." He adds for a nice touch.

Zoro doesn't reply, his sullen face betraying no other emotion, and Sanji wonders if his concern got through.

"Just fill me with food and let me get back to my sleep." Zoro grunts.

Sanji nods, a broad smile on his face. They walk to the galley in companionable silence.

At least, the peace lasts until the next meal time, when everything happens all over again.

(((())))

Next, remind him regularly of your existence, at the same time acknowledging his.

Sanji sometimes wonders why Zoro never fails to interrupt his flirting or swooning, because no other male member of his crew does so (and resigned looks and sighs do not count).

But he doesn't think too much about it at first, because it gives him a good reason to have regular contact with the swordsman every day.

"Why, mon amour, if only I could grace your beautiful presence with – "

"Idiot."

He immediately loses all interest in the object of his (previous) affections and turns to Zoro, a ready scowl on his face.

"What did you say, marimo?" He even adds in some contempt for effect.

"The kimono girl's leaving." Zoro ignores him and uses a thumb to point behind him.

Sanji sighs inwardly at Zoro's thickheadedness. Of course he knows the girls walk away, obviously because he isn't paying them any attention anymore. But he doesn't let this chance go and he snarls, aiming a kick at Zoro's face.

He imagines Zoro gives a quick smirk, and they engage in one of their usual altercations.

Luffy stares at them from a distance, munching on a large watermelon. He cocks his head to one side, then looks at Nami.

"Nami, the more I look at them, the more I think they're having fun." Luffy says with his mouth full.

"FUN? They look like they want to kill each other!" Usopp's mouth shapes into a "O" with horror, while Nami thumps Luffy on the head for spitting seeds all over her.

"Just don't look." Nami gives a resigned sigh, and says no more.

(((())))

Don't forget to have some tender, peaceful moments too. At least, as peaceful a conversation you can have with a numbskull.

"Do you honestly think all that ridiculous training is going to help much?" Sanji leans against the railings, watching Zoro lift supremely heavy dumb bells.

Zoro doesn't look at him. "That's why I'm better than you, cook."

Sanji ignores the obvious jibe.

"Whatever." He pauses. "Just remember not to skip lunch anymore." Sanji places a bento beside Zoro and turns to walk off, ignoring the crazy pounding in his ears. He doesn't want to see Zoro's lack of reaction, but…

"Oi, love cook." Did Sanji imagine the emphasis on that word?

"What?" He says, turning his head back slightly.

"I was going to say your food helps, too." Zoro is smirking, but his eyes are serious, and Sanji forces himself not to blush. It's hard though, when the sunlight is hitting Zoro's bare torso just right, and the muscles are shining with a bronzed glow…

Sanji hastily turns away. "Just come for dinner, 'cause I won't be so nice again." He hisses.

He can feel Zoro's chuckle reverberate through his body, and a shiver runs down his spine. He has heard Zoro snicker countless times, but this was totally different.

Somehow Sanji thinks Zoro's a little ahead of his plan.

(((())))

The next step is the most important – acting upon your feelings.

Sanji is someone who gives a lot of thought when he does things. Like his exquisitely prepared food which requires much thought and pain, he often finds himself considering his feelings more frequently than men supposedly should.

So when he realized, with much repulsion, that he actually liked Zoro, he thought about it a lot. He was pretty sure Zoro was asexual, but after all the hints he has been getting over the past few weeks… He admits he isn't sure anymore.

The next stage is to make a move, but he really doesn't know how to let Zoro know. He thinks that the only way Zoro will understand is if he grabs him by the shirt, slams him against the wall, and let action do the talking for him, but Sanji isn't so crude.

At least, not initially. He has to do something else to let Zoro know first.

They dock at the next island, and everyone scatters to do their own things as usual.

Sanji returns the latest, arms full of groceries, Usopp and big-Chopper next to him and pouting (only because the stupid marimo was nowhere to be found, so he had to get someone else to help).

He glances up at the Crow's nest, knowing Zoro's probably napping up there. He enters the galley, prepared to cook an amazing dinner (though all his meals are amazing, he thinks to himself), but halts at the door.

Flowers?

He places the groceries by the cutting board and picks up the bouquet for a better look. He isn't sure what the flowers mean at all, because there are so many different kinds. Being such an experienced ladies' man, he has made it a point to remember what each flower means, and this gift is sending mixed messages.

He lights up a cigarette to think.

Out of the corner of his eye, he catches sight of two roses nestled in the middle, and his mind kicks into high gear.

During dinner, he carefully studies his nakama's faces for a clue, and of course, he looks at his orange-haired love first. But this earns him a painful punch when he gets distracted (as always) by her cleavage. It was a natural reaction! He rubs his jaw.

He immediately skips Luffy (who's too busy stuffing his face anyway), Chopper and Usopp, thinking their idea of a romantic gift would never be flowers, and leaves it at that. He glances at Robin, doubting her even before he did, and almost rolls his eyes at the thought of Franky being responsible.

With a skip of his heartbeat, he finally looks at Zoro.

And Zoro returns the stare almost simultaneously. They lock eyes for longer than Sanji is comfortable, but he is waiting for a sign…

Zoro smirks, looking pointedly at the vase, and Sanji almost faints.

Flowers and stupid green-haired swordsmen do not go together.

(((())))

If the previous step is accomplished, or in this case, happens without you having to lift a finger, think.

That damn marimo beat him to it.

And of all the things in the world, flowers.

Like Sanji was a woman.

He likes the flowers anyway, because he is a man who knows how to appreciate beauty. And what idiot gives assorted bouquets when sending this kind of message for the first time, anyway? A stupidly romantic one, Sanji decides.

Sanji has spent the last few days thinking. Okay, the first one was spent sulking about his plans being wholly disrupted and that Zoro was clearly ahead of him. The next two were contemplation and a lot of awkward looks.

He finally musters up all the courage he has and looks for Zoro. Ah, there he is, polishing his swords on the deck. He walks up to him, his heart almost thumping out of his ribcage.

"Zoro."

"Huh?"

"Galley, now."

He abruptly turns and stalks off to the galley, quickening his pace. He is pleased to hear Zoro is keeping up not far behind him.

They reach the galley and Sanji holds the door open for Zoro (absurdly thinking their roles are reversed, but slapping himself mentally because both of them are men), slamming it close afterwards.

"What the hell are these?" Sanji indicates the vase of flowers. He notices Zoro's content little smirk and wonders if he's happy that the flowers are still in splendid shape.

"Nice flowers." Zoro replies sullenly.

"You sent them." Sanji says accusingly, wanting to punch some reaction into Zoro, but refrains himself.

"What?" Zoro looks surprised, and Sanji's heart literally stops. Was he wrong, the whole time? Has he been reading too much into things? He lets some fear show in his eyes because he can't control his emotions.

Then he notices the flicker of amusement in Zoro's eyes and he almost cries out in relief. The relief turns to anger, because it's proof that Zoro is definitely ahead of Sanji in his game.

Zoro nears, their eyes locked the whole time.

"Y-you didn't?" Sanji stammers, because his mouth isn't working properly, and he can't stop himself from blushing. He knows the answer, anyway.

"Would you want me to?" Zoro asks seriously, and Sanji is lost in those dark, dark eyes.

"Damn you." Sanji whispers, feeling his cheeks grow hotter. He's feeling inexplicably mad with the swordsman, for playing him like this and for beating him to this.

"Same to you." Zoro growls softly, and his arms pull Sanji in, close to his body. Sanji wants to protest, but melts readily when he feels Zoro's mouth on his. He drowns in the warmth and bliss, kissing back, and the arms close tighter around him.

Maybe his plan was meant to be disrupted all along, because this felt so deliciously right.

(((())))

This part of the failed plan is something even you can't screw up.

They are engaging in their daily fist fight, a week after they got together, when Sanji sets the next stage in motion.

"I'm tired of fighting." He hisses to Zoro when he gets near enough. "I'm willing to expend my energy doing something else, though." He pulls at Zoro's haramaki, hoping his suggestion got through the thick skull.

Zoro smirks. "Done, and done." The low rumble of a voice sends an excited chill through Sanji.

Finally, Sanji thinks.

(((())))

Lastly, let him know you love him.

Zoro has his own warped way of letting Sanji know he loves him, but Sanji is different.

When they are sitting together in the darkness of the storage room, Sanji leaning into Zoro's hold, he turns his head and presses his mouth into the crook of Zoro's neck.

"I love you, shitty marimo." He whispers so softly that for a moment he thinks Zoro did not hear him.

An arm slides around his waist.

"I know." Zoro grunts, and Sanji wants to kick him for spoiling the moment, but…

Warm lips kiss him. "I love you, too."

And life is perfect.

Uhh, Sanji's more fluffy, because he's Sanji? :X And his version is longer too, because he thinks more than Zoro. :D

Comments always loved. 3 Hope you enjoy reading!