-A Never-Ending Game-

A One Piece fanfic by Digitaldreamer

Geez, anyone know what was up with document uploading system? I couldn't upload this for a long while for some reason...odd...ah well, at least it works now!

Right, so the other dear my dear Chibi-swan was feeling down and her muse was t3h dead, so I decided since she's written so much for me I'd write a ficlet for her. So Chibi-swan, consider this your "Feel-Better/Ganbatte Ne Chibi-swan!" ficlet o' doom!

She requested something with "Shy Glances". I originally planned on it being something cute and ZoLu, but it ended up not working that way because Pissed Off!Sanji made his way into the picture. Sanji couldn't ruin the ZoLu fluff, though, so all is well. I'm not sure how good it is, but it's not the worst thing I've ever written so all is good.

I hope you like it, Chibi-swaaan!

Disclaimer: I don't own them, I just make 'em ghey.

---

It really got on Sanji's nerves, the way those two acted.

He'd noticed right from the beginning the ever-lasting game between the Straw Hat captain and first mate from the moment the two had stepped onto the Baratie. Of course, it was pretty hard to miss, for all of Zoro's attempts at making those quick glances at the boy's thin, lithe frame seem "casual." Right, of course, casual. Because everyone knows people "casually" stare at their captain's when they think no one else is looking. Everyone knew the way those rough lips would quirk into small, fond smile when he glanced at the boy was a perfectly normal thing, of course. Really.

And the way Luffy's attention seemed to shift from whatever he was supposed to be doing at the time wasn't that unusual, except for the fact that whenever Zoro was around he tended to stare in that direction for far longer than one would think something would keep the boy's attention. But of course, that was completely normal, the way their eyes seemed to "casually" meet before both looked away quickly in an attempt to make it look just like that. Casual.

It made Sanji want to kick both their faces in. The two were so incredibly obvious it wasn't even funny, just annoying as hell.

Of course once the cook actually joined the crew and experienced every day life on the Going Merry, things only got worse. If Sanji thought the two were bad in a huge floating restaurant filled with people, they were i far /i worse in close quarters.

Really, for the man of action Zoro was and with all the opportunities Luffy seemed to be providing him, Sanji would have thought the swordsman would have just jumped the kid already. Or maybe Luffy would have acted and finally made a move. But no, of course not, the two were far too idiotic for that. Apparently the cogs in Luffy's brain just would not process the fact that Zoro liked him, and Zoro was just too thick-headed to catch on. Thus, their mutual feelings were plain as day to everyone on the ship but each other.

For Sanji it was complete torture. Here he was with his sweet, sweet Nami-san ignoring his advances, and that ASSHOLE practically had his love interest on a silver platter and he wasn't taking it! It drove him completely up a wall!

It was like a constant, never-ending game of keep away. One of Zoro's eyes would suddenly crack open and move to stare at the back of a certain red vest, and the other would follow, only to quickly shut and feign sleep should he feel any other eyes on him. And it was certainly interesting how whenever Zoro was training Luffy would gravitate towards the area, eyes of dark chocolate continually flicking over towards the swordsman, watching the way sweat-soaked muscles moved before being torn away by whatever game he was playing.

And then of course there was the way both would constantly cast quick glances when they thought the other wasn't looking. Zoro would glance over, then look away mere seconds before Luffy would glance back at him, like a never-ending game. And then finally someone would mess up and stare for just a few seconds too long and their eyes would meet for a few seconds before looking away too hurriedly to make it all seem casual.

It really was a never-ending game, and it was starting to seem like neither would ever act on their feelings. Like it would always just be shy glances and maybes, something that really wasn't characteristic of either of them.

Finally, at long last Sanji could take it no more. Clearly someone had to step in and kick one of them in the ass or this idiotic game of theirs would never end! The Cook straightened the sleeves of his shirt before tugging on his suit jacket again, having taken it off so he could clean the dishes for the evening. Once he had gotten his appearance in order he tugged a new cigarette from his suit pocket, lighting the cancer stick in a swift, well-practiced motion. After taking a long drag the cook strode out the door and onto the sunset-lit deck, fully intent on hunting down the swordsman and chewing him out.

Except he didn't need to hunt Zoro down because the swordsman was standing right in front of him, and he wasn't alone.

Both the swordsman and Luffy were silhouetted against the sunset at the front of the ship, the soft golden light casting the entire sea before them aglow, a sea of diamonds. They were so close, standing mere inches apart, their backs to Sanji as they both leaned against the railing and stared out at the sea, seemingly in the middle of some sort of conversation. It was interesting to see, the swordsman's broad, powerful form silhouetted against the sunset, such a contrast to Luffy's tiny, thin, boyish frame. But somehow the opposites seemed to compliment to each other, both somehow so alike and so very different. It all just seemed to fit together, two halves of the same whole.

And so Sanji stood there, just outside of the door to the galley, a silent witness to this simple moment. As he stood there, simply watching, the low rumble of Zoro's voice barely heard from across the deck while Luffy's light-hearted laugh rang loud enough for the entire Grand Line to hear, he couldn't help but think the two were perfect for each other. And their relationship was indeed changing, this was proof enough. For now it was merely drawing out to be a very long game, a constant exchange of shy glances and moments like this. But sooner or later...

Sanji shook his head, tapping the ashes from his cigarette as he turned away. Yes, those two idiots were frustrating. Yes, they drove him up a wall. And that was probably why they were meant for each other, the idiots. If they really were meant for each other, sooner or later the game would end. They didn't need any nudges in the right direction.

Besides, if those two idiots really were fated for each other, that had to mean something he and Nami, right? Sooner or later...someday, maybe.

As Sanji turned away and headed back into the galley to prepare some drinks fit for his lovely Nami-san and Robin-chan, he only just missed the way Zoro finally turned to gaze down at Luffy, as well as the way Luffy glanced back up at Zoro with that dazzling, innocent smile on his face. He just missed the way Zoro reached down to brush a strand of black out of Luffy's eyes, missed the soft, rumbled whisper that tumbled from rough lips before the two closed the small distance between them in a simple kiss.

Game set, match. They both won.

-Owari-