A/N: I blame school!

Warnings: Language, Smut

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Chapter Thirty

The Strawhats were on the island. Mihawk cursed whatever forces had deemed to test him. They already had a room booked for the evening and Sanji was gone. He wanted to hit something, or to maim the babbling idiot that was complaining about having to work on an empty stomach. What were the odds? Was fate already trying to take the cook from him? From his spot, he listened as the captain asked the longnose how he was going to work without being fed first. There was something about a group of bandits, but his mind was quickly working on how to deal with the situation.

He couldn't allow them to spot Sanji. Sanji, who he had foolishly allowed to go shopping without him. If anyone from that crew spotted him or the cook, there would be questions. What were the chances of them not making a fuss? They would want Sanji to return or try to force his memory. That captain wouldn't have the mentality to understand that pressuring Sanji could make things worse. Not to mention Roronoa wouldn't want him to leave with their missing member. That one would be the worse, it would cause a fight. If they spotted Sanji, he could lose him, this time forever. That wasn't going to happen, he had to find Sanji before any of the others did.

Mihawk pushed away from the wall and headed in the direction of the market. Staying the night was no longer an option, they would have to get back on board the ship. First, he had a blonde to find. The best place to search would be the shops, Sanji had mentioned wanting to purchase fresh fish for a stew. Dinner would be brought to their room tonight, it was to be used tomorrow once they departed. Fish or no, they weren't remaining.

The first street filled with vendors was a bust. He turned down another just in time to spot his would-be lover walking in his direction. Luck was with him, none of the Strawhats were around. Some of the tension disappeared when the face lit up at his approach. Sanji was pleased to see him and there was no sign of distress. If one of the crew had approached him, surely Sanji would be upset. How to convince the other that leaving right now was the best thing to do.

"Hey you," Sanji didn't care that the woman behind the stall quirked a brow when the strong arms suddenly yanked him into a tight embrace. He closed his eyes and savored the security he found in the simple act. It was nice to know that he'd been missed in such a short amount of time.

"Are you okay?" Mihawk frowned spotting the tall woman in the distance. She wasn't looking in their direction but heading towards another street. A minute later and Sanji would have walked right in front of the woman. Niko Robin was very observant and there was little chance of her not noticing someone identical to their dead nakama. The longer they stayed, the more risks they would be taking.

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" Sanji ran a hand along the broad back. The gold eyes were scanning the area, was something the matter? Did it have anything to do with the strange man that had been following him? For a moment, he had thought he was imagining being followed, but the stranger had been watching him intently. For a split second he thought of mentioning it but decided against it. It would only cause Mihawk to worry and he didn't want their time ruined because someone had taken notice of him. From the weapons and attire, he assumed that the strange looking man was a pirate. Possibly someone that might know him, or someone recognizing him from a poster. Whatever the case, he wasn't going to let anyone bother him or worry his pirate. "Actually, I'm a little disappointed. I was kind of hoping you'd miss me enough that it would warrant kiss when you saw me again. A hug is nice, but."

But they were disturbing the natives. Mihawk captured the pouting mouth in a chaste kiss, stalling any more complaints. It was different from the quick kiss given the night before. If not for the horrified grunt of the old bitch, he would have gladly ravished the parted mouth. Just to prove a point, he allowed his tongue to dart out to tease the bottom lip. "Did you find what you wanted?"

"Uh, yes, I did." The fish, right, he got the fish. Sanji couldn't resist darting his tongue out to retrace the same path. That was kind of mean, and he wasn't satisfied with the chaste kiss. If the crowd didn't like it, they could depart the street. He was still being held and all it took was going to his toes to place his own kiss, the way he wanted. The whiskers tickled slightly, so much different than his own when they began to grow out. Sanji decided he didn't mind the roughness and he absolutely loved the texture of the tongue that brushed his own. This had to be the reason he had become the man's lover in the past. His gut twisted, heat flared to life, and his fucking toes curled. By the time he was allowed to breathe, the world was spinning.

"Good?" Mihawk accepted the nod that the kiss had pleased. Did it mean something that the blonde didn't pull away after accidently brushing against the outcome of the request? Memory loss or no, Sanji had to know what it was.

"Very good, should we return to the room?" Sanji wanted to get away from the crowd. There had been a promise of dinner in bed and time alone. Just the two of them locked inside a room and nothing to disturb them. No worrying about the weather outside, the primates onboard, and no threat of a passing ship. They would only have to worry about disturbing the neighbors.

"I think we should head back to the ship and not remain any longer than necessary." He didn't want to risk coming face to face with any of the other crew. He couldn't inform Sanji of the reason why he wanted to leave immediately.

"And I think you should take me back to the room you already paid for. As much as I adore your strange and cuddly crew, I want to spend tonight somewhere else. The last time I accidently bumped my knee and whimpered a tad, I had three baboons busting into the kitchen brandishing weapons. I really don't want them barging into the room tonight if for some reason, you gave me a reason to make any noise." Sanji coyly placed a hand on the hard stomach and let his fingers start a determined path south. That was an erection jotting above the waistband of the denim. That would definitely warrant making a lot of noise, perhaps even a bit of screaming. "I've had the pleasure of watching you please yourself seven times now, I think it is about time I saw you naked."

"Only if you swear that you will not leave the room until it is time to leave." Or he'd kill every damn Strawhat on the way out. Mihawk groaned at the gentle caress over the barely covered tip. It was playing dirty, this Sanji was more devious than before. The suggestion alone indicated that they would be doing more than sleeping if they were to take the room. If only he could explain that he had given his crew specific orders to put the cook's safety as a top priority. Sanji was no longer the competent fighter he had been, a peaceful life had surely made him rusty, and that itself was a problem. Every member of the crew would fight to the death before allowing anyone near the returned blonde.

"Cross my heart," Sanji beamed at the confirmation that he'd get his way. He didn't mind remaining in the room, there was nothing he wanted to see in the busy town. What he wanted to view was beneath the clothes. "If that isn't enough, I'll consider letting you tie me to the bed. Or you could apprehend my clothes, I can't leave if I'm naked. Just say the word and you can strip me as soon as the door is closed."

"Don't tempt me or you'll go without dinner," because he was more than eager to undress them both. Mihawk muttered the swear in his mind seeing the two turn the corner and start heading in their direction. "Come, so I can get you fed."

"Yay, I can't wait to taste the meat." Sanji smirked at being pulled around in order to be led back towards the Inn. He had the feeling he had just sealed his fate and by morning he would be walking funny. If nothing happened once they got indoors, it was still fun to tease and play with the former warlord.

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An unseen force had to be out to make his life hell. Mihawk came to a halt at the top of the steps. The fucking odds sucked, that was all he could say! Thankfully Sanji was already safely stashed away inside their room. Their room which was right next to the spot the two Strawhat females were standing. All it would take would be for Sanji to open the door and step out to come face to face with his past. The females were speaking quietly to each other, until Niko Robin tilted her head to spot him standing there. He could turn around but that would force Sanji to wait longer and he had promised to return within the hour. Leaving could mean risking his waiting boyfriend to seek him out, that couldn't happen. He would have to pretend that there was no reason for him to be unnerved by their presence here. The plan was to walk by and slip inside the room, into the arms of a playful Sanji.

"I'll be, funny running into you here," Robin gave her brightest smile to the feared warlord turned infamous pirate. They had all been shocked to hear the news, Luffy had been ecstatic that Mihawk had left that life behind and was now one of them, again. The man hadn't changed much, except there were a few spots of grey in his facial hair. Still a very handsome male, a very withdrawn one. "How are you?"

"I am well, yourself?" He'd be better once on the other side of the door. Please, don't let Sanji hear him speaking to someone and come to investigate.

"Doing well, how long are you in town?" Robin did the talking. Nami still didn't like the man and was on the blame-the-asshole-wagon. Zoro was naturally the driver of said bandwagon, but there were a few of their nakama that were in agreement. The only one besides herself that didn't blame Mihawk was Luffy. The captain saw what she did, Sanji had loved the man enough to die for him. They should respect that emotion and try to understand what the cook's death had done to the older man.

"Just for the night, if you'll excuse me." Mihawk didn't want to be disturbed by anyone. There was a slight chance that his location would be given away to Roronoa. He'd deal with that when and if the time came. A sneer calling him a cold bastard was shrugged off. He was far from cold, his entire body felt on fire as the door closed behind him. The latch was put in place, locking the door. It wouldn't stop his former pupil if the moron decided to pay him a visit. He somehow doubted that any of them wanted much to do with him, even now. His blood was close to boiling as he turned to get a good view of the bed. When Sanji had said he was going to get comfortable, he had assumed that meant boxers and laying down to wait.

"Welcome back," Sanji was glad he had made the right choice. Was it too soon? How soon had they slept together the last time they had gotten together? With time to think, he had begun to undress. It didn't matter what had happened before, it was done. What did matter to him was that he enjoyed being around the man and he liked him. He wanted to experience what it was like to be with him. "Are you just going to stand there? I'm starting to feel underdressed."

"You're not dressed at all," his fear of Sanji opening the door was for naught. The slender form didn't have a stitch of clothing on, even the hair was free of any binding. "You are sure?"

"I am," Sanji cocked his head hearing the feminine voices on the other side of the door. The same ones he had heard earlier while bathing. They had company on both sides, so getting loud would be rude. "And I'm also getting lonely, wanna join me?"

"I do, but allow me to get comfortable." Mihawk removed the jacket, tossing it onto the nearby chair. All clothes were discarded in the time it took for Sanji to lean back on display.

"You're perfect," every inch was superb. Sanji felt inadequate compared. There wasn't an ounce of fat to be seen, all of it was muscle and toned skin. His own body was too lanky to be considered attractive. It made him ponder what Mihawk could see in him. "And there is no way I let you top me."

"No? I know otherwise," this again. Enough time had gone by that Sanji might as well be a virgin when it came to taking a man. This time it would be up to him to make sure the process went smoothly. He didn't see this Sanji demanding that he not be a pussy and back down. Which suited him fine, the idea of slowly showing Sanji one of the pleasures they had once shared together. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes," he did. Sanji couldn't for the life of him understand why he would but it was there. Deep down he just knew that Mihawk wouldn't hurt him or make him regret whatever happened.

"You can tell me to stop at any time and I will. Don't worry about displeasing me or that I will get upset if you wish to discontinue." It was enough that they were getting to this point. Mihawk couldn't begin to explain why just being in the same room made him happy. Sex or no sex, knowing that Sanji was safe and at his side was enough.

Doubtful that he would halt things. Sanji kept his gaze on the handsome face, willing himself not to look down at the growing erection. Instead of coming right to the bed, Mihawk walked over to the bag that had been packed. Digging inside, the tanned hand pulled out his lotion. Right, they would need something if they went all the way. He couldn't help the smile because the man knew him well enough to know that he would bring some along for his hands. "Do you mind if we go slow?"

"We can do whatever you want." The bottle was placed on the edge of the mattress, for later. He watched Sanji sit up and put the pillows against the headboard, fluffing them. The cover was snatched back and the hand patted the spot.

"Come, sit down for me, please." Sanji wanted to get acquainted with another man's body before allowing it to enter his own. A large part just wanted to be able to touch and look, to explore. Without another word, the pirate took the vacant spot next to him. That was his cue to get on his knees and go over. He took a seat just above the knees, "Mind if I ask you something?"

"Feel free," Yes, ask anything as long as it was done from that spot. Mihawk followed the trail the hands took across his chest. The fingers were exploring his pecks, minus any clothing in the way this time. The touch was the same, the sensations it created were close, but a little different. Perhaps it was the gentleness that made it different. Before Sanji had always been sure, confident, and a bit cocky. This Sanji was timid in his actions, demure. Why did that make him want to end things and just cuddle? Why the hesitation? "If you want to know something, I will answer honestly and the best to my knowledge."

"Did you love me?" It was probably the wrong time to bring it up. Hell, it was probably inconsiderate of him to ask. He just wanted to know where he had stood the last time before risking getting too attached. Had it been a good relationship? Had he been more than just a bed partner? "I know I shouldn't ask, I'm just curious. I'm not the same person and things could be different this time, but I would like to know."

"Yes, I did." More than he had ever thought possible. It wasn't did, it was do. That hadn't been the question though. Mihawk didn't think Sanji would believe him if he were to say that he was very much like the one that had gained his affections the previous time. Every day he spotted that person in the little things.

"Thank you for answering," Sanji wouldn't question whether or not it were true. He would allow himself to believe that the man had cared. There was no reason not to continue and enjoy this newer relationship. "Even if I can't imagine what you could possibly see in me. How did you get so hard?"

"You're touching me," the playful pinch made his nipple harden. Mihawk smirked, glad that Sanji wasn't disappointed in what he saw. In truth, the scar that the finger was tracing was new. That had been given weeks after the accident. His door had been kicked down by an equally drunk Roronoa. They probably would have killed each other if not for the interference from Strawhat and Shanks. "If I let myself get soft, I risk becoming a victim to anyone that would have my title. I think I have some years still before I am ready to hand it over."

"Exactly, I heard the Innkeeper whispering when you were paying. You're infamous, perfect, and hung. Why would you want someone like me?" Sanji scooted closer to wrap his arms around both shoulders. The notion was rewarded, the muscular arm went around his waist. "You could have your choice of lovers. You could have anyone you wanted."

"Maybe not, the one I want won't stop talking so I can kiss him." Mihawk gave the hint jokingly. Fingers fisted the hair above the nape keeping his head still. There was a spark of aggressiveness that never failed to raise his lust. The kiss began as a crushing punishment for his jest. Teeth pulled at his lower lip, angrily nipping a path to an earlobe. How could someone with no memory remember exactly how to get to him? Each flick of the hot tongue created shivers.

Gods, the man was so damn sexy. Sanji almost came hearing the harsh intake. The noise ghosted his throat, the hot breath the only indication that what he was doing was getting to the man. Scratch that, the grip tightened as he placed the soft lobe between his teeth and applied pressure. If the ear was this sensitive, what about lower? Abandoning the treat, the throbbing pulse was the next target. Sanji placed a gentle kiss at the jawline, creating a trail to the junction where shoulder began. The plan of going lower was gone, Mihawk's other arm had been idle until now. The strong grip took ahold of his nape and redirected the kiss. Tongue invaded his mouth, taking control.

"Sanji," Mihawk took the hand that wasn't removing hair, placing it on his chest. Where it went was up to Sanji. He wanted to be touched, his cock was aching. They weren't close enough to create any friction.

The request was clear, painfully so. Sanji knew what stood between them, because he heard a need that mirrored his own. The boast of having bottomed previously was doubted, his fingers coming in contact with the turgid length, and he got the feel for just how large the cock was. Fingers were squeezing his ass, nothing more. He found that he wasn't satisfied with the simple touch, and would have the man appease his curiosity. "Touch me."

"Sec," Mihawk fumbled to get the lotion. It was damn near impossible to get any on his fingers without the use of both hands. More got on the sheet than anywhere else. As much as he longed to quickly prep Sanji and sate the need, it was too soon.

Right there, the tip of the fingers glided along the split. The initial touch made him whimper impatiently. It felt wonderful, being fondled. The amused chuckle was annoying, he knew how he must sound. The fingertip breached the closed ring, slipping inside. Sanji pushed back, trying to ride, another finger eased in.

"Hold on," Just as tight as the first time and just as eager. He flipped their position, placing the blonde beneath him. Legs wrapped his waist, pulling him down between the parted thighs. "Try not to tense up and tell me when it's too much."

"Kay," Sanji tried to relax as instructed. It hurt, the sting was tolerable but he winced nonetheless. The head popped through, settling just inside. A few moments went by as he became accustomed to being opened so wide. How much could he take before he called it to a stop? At least two inches and it kept going, pushing deeper. He had a feeling he was going to discover how much he could take. The stimulation felt familiar, a sense of déjà vu settling in, leaving no doubt that they had done this before. "Don't stop."

Mihawk didn't voice that he was merely slowing down to keep from releasing. The orgasm was right there, building up rapidly. Sanji felt heavenly wrapped around him. A few timid thrusts had noise coming from the delicate mouth. The beautiful features were twisted in an expression, somewhere between pleasure and pain. Two years had passed but he could still recall exactly how to angle his cock. Right where to strike to turn the soft pants into hoarse screams.

"Fuck," it was on purpose. Sanji dug his nails into the bronze flesh each time the movement hit him there. The intense jolt of pleasure was unbearable. How could the cock manage to find it even while moving? Mihawk wasn't even keeping the pace steady, the bucking was irregular and sloppy. Like he wasn't the only one experiencing the unbelievable heat. The pain and pleasure mixed together, heightening the experience into one long sensation. "Don't stop. I'm gonna…"

The fluid ejected wildly, coating both their stomachs. Mihawk gave in feeling the brutal clenching and gave two final thrusts. He was shaking by the time his cock was done spilling inside the heat. That had been rather pathetic on his part. Not even five minutes of fucking and he had gotten off. "If you're going to fall asleep, let's get you on top."

"I'm not going to sleep." Sanji was basking in the moment. That had been rather rushed and unexpected but better than he had imagined. Did they have to move at all? Obviously, he allowed himself to be flipped back around to be on top. "Ouch, is it supposed to sting that bad afterwards?"

"Yes and no, you'll get used to me again. Once that happens, the discomfort will lessen greatly." Having Sanji lying next to him brought more pleasure than getting off had. The sex had been just as good as before but it being the cook made it special. He knew he hadn't been lying when he had admitted to having loved him before. The former Strawhat was the only person that had ever made him feel this way. "You should try to get some rest, I wish to head out early in the morning."

"Fine," Sanji didn't get the rush but didn't care. He'd follow the man if they were to leave in the middle of the night. The yawn escaped before it could be stopped, he was a little tired. "A nap then, but you still owe me dinner."

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