Archive of Our Own

As always, everything had been his fault. That was what was claimed anyway. They had anchored at an unknown island. He had been against it at first, hadn't accepted why they should waste their valuable time here instead of heading to the next port. Nami, their navigator, wouldn't let herself be talked out of it though because she planned to chart the fairly small island. And as Sanji, the crew's cook, had vigorously pointed out that their supplies probably wouldn't suffice until the next town, he had given in, had thrown the heavy anchor of the Flying Lamb overboard and had searched for a way to pass the time.

So far, so good. He had found a way to pass the time, a good way actually, consisting of taking a nap not far from the ship - he knew his sense of direction.

"And if a certain third-rate cook hadn't bothered me we would be aboard right now and not on this fucking island!"

Roronoa Zoro kicked one of the giant trees which grew every which way on this island, already intertwining with each other. They had tried to fight their way through the impenetrable jungle-like thicket for the last two hours, but even using his three swords they hadn't made much progress.

"If a certain third-rate swordsman hadn't chosen to get lost by running in the opposite direction instead of in the direction of the ship, we wouldn't have that problem at all!"

Sanji also kicked a tree, but with such a force that the thicket of branches, leaves and abandoned bird nests broke under his foot and he got stuck.

"Did you just call me third-rate?" Zoro ignored the fact that Sanji tried to free his other leg while hopping on the other one. But hearing that question, Sanji turned to face him and grinned, "And if I did?"

Normally, they would have been on par with their strength, but the fact that he was still stuck made sure that a short time later not only his leg, but also his head was stuck in the bushes.

Zoro had made himself comfortable next to him, staring thoughtfully into the little streak of blue sky that he could make out from down there. Lately, he and Sanji had been arguing more and more often. It was just that the cook was able to get his hackles up with just one word or one wrong look.

"How do we get away from here?" he finally asked. There was a muffled sound from Sanji. "I second that."

Zoro got up, looked around and then waved.

"I'll take a look around then. Find me when you're done."

Sanji flounced.

They found the island to be not that big. A mountain rose in the midst of it which was densely covered with trees for the most part, around the mountain were even more trees and around those was the big wide ocean. A narrow river led away from the mountain and into the sea. They had climbed to the top of the mountain to determine which way the Flying Lamb was anchored.

Zoro peered to his right.

"I can see a lake."

Sanji, who rubbed his scuffed neck, glared at him.

"Should I tell you what I don't see? Our ship! Where are they?"

Zoro turned in a circle, eyes narrowed.

"You're right," he finally came to the same conclusion.

"Idiot." It was strange that he could not even make out the Flying Lamb's mast somewhere on the horizon. "What are they thinking?"

"Whining won't help us much. Come on."

"I know that - hey, where are you going?"

Zoro turned around annoyed.

"I'm hungry." And with that he went on. Sanji felt anger boil up inside him. Suddenly, Zoro stopped again and looked at him with a serious expression. "Dinner's on you."

They had been abandoned on a deserted island with nothing but what they carried on their bodies, right in the middle of the Grand Line, which meant that anything could happen - but apart from that, things weren't so bad. At least Sanji was cooking a pretty tasty-looking fish over the fire. Zoro watched him out of the corner of his eye. In the beginning, the cook had been quite upset about being here with him, and not Nami, or Nami, and if that wasn't possible, then with Nami, but certainly not him, Roronoa Zoro, the guy he used to fight with every day.

"What are you staring at?" Sanji stared back grimly. Zoro averted his eyes.

"Nothing."

"If you have anything to say, spit it out, Marimo."

Zoro preferred to be silent. Would he have preferred someone else? Certainly not Nami, she would try to profit even from this situation, and if a ship came to see her first, she would wangle even his last Beri out of him for this accidental service. Luffy? He would underrate the seriousness of the situation as always and throw himself into the new adventure in a mad rush. He would be no good. And he didn't even want to think about Usopp.

No, Sanji was probably more or less okay. After all, he could cook, a skill that he hadn't mastered despite his mastery of swordsmanship.

"You're staring at me again. Do I have something on my face or what?" Sanji had taken the fish out of the fire and glared at him.

"'m hungry," Zoro answered. Sanji raised the fish.

"Then eat this!" Sanji tried to smack him with the fish, but Zoro dodged in time. "Stop complaining and wait until it's done!"

Zoro grumbled grudgingly, he didn't care how the food tasted at the moment, the main point was that it was cooked. He was hungry after all. To distract himself, he continued to watch him, but he was careful not to get caught this time. He could, if he really wanted to.

Sanji was tall, but not as tall as himself. He had a slim, somewhat lanky-looking figure, but he didn't look boyish either. Zoro on the other hand was built stronger. The cook had light, almost white skin. Although the rest of the crew - except Chopper, of course - was tanned from a life on the high seas, Sanji insisted on not exposing his skin to the sun. Zoro watched Sanji turn the skewer with his long pale fingers. He paid special attention to his hands. The hands of a cook, he always said, should not be violated. That's why he fought with his legs. Zoro's gaze slid to said body parts. He had damn long legs, he just noticed for the first time. A piece of skin showed between the seam of his pants and his shoes. Also pale. He'd really like to-

"Do you think I don't notice that, Marimo?"

This time, Sanji didn’t miss.

The night was clear, but humid. Zoro leaned against a tree stump, his three swords at his side. Who knew what wild animals lived here? After the fish escapade, he had quarreled a bit with Sanji, but then decided that the fish tasted better warm than cold and had buried the hatchet for now.

After that, they had discussed their situation. They had a vague idea where exactly on the Grand Line they were, but that didn't help them as any passing ship would be either other pirates or the Marines. Zoro wasn't afraid, but in the end they could only leave the island on the same path they had set foot on it: with the Flying Lamb.

With that, they had come to the next question: why the hell had Luffy left without them? Even in the unlikely event that they had been forgotten it would have been noticed long ago and the ship would have returned. The crew would have realized that their cook was missing at the latest when Luffy's stomach growled.

Zoro didn't want to admit it, but they both could come up with only one possible solution: they had been left behind deliberately. But why? No matter how stupid and how much of a glutton Luffy was or how selfish and money-hungry Nami was, Zoro didn't doubt his friends even for a minute. But the uncertainty spread like poison between them.

That was the reason why Zoro couldn't fall asleep. He had tried to for a while, then watched the black sky and then the black sea. His eyes wandered over the beach, he could barely make out contours. A few feet away Sanji lay beside the extinguished fire and slept. He really was sleeping because his breathing was even and Zoro knew that, if he were awake, he would have long since turned around and told him not to stare at him.

Zoro liked to stare at Sanji. It was a habit he had developed over this day. Why he liked it? He couldn't even say. Maybe because he could rile him up so easily that way. Maybe for another reason.

They didn't know when the Flying Lamb would return. Maybe it would never do that. Zoro shook his head. No, whining wasn't helpful, they had to bear with it for now and it would be best if he somehow came to terms with the cook.

His resolution didn't last long.

The next morning, Sanji made the plan to make the island a bit more comfortable. He started by building a proper fire pit and collected some larger stones about the size of a fist which he placed in a circle around the old fire pit, then took three sticks, one straight and two forked at one end. The other end he stuck into the earth until they stood firmly and then put the other stick across them. Finally, he sent Zoro to collect wood from the jungle. Sullen, Zoro came back with a stack of freshly chopped wood and threw it near the pit.

"Hey, a little more careful, Marimo."

Zoro grumbled.

"And now?"

"Now we build a canopy."

"A canopy?"

"If it rains."

Zoro couldn't imagine how it would rain on this hot, stuffy island and said so as well. Sanji rolled his eyes.

"That's the reason, algae brain. Do you think it would be this humid if it never rained here?"

And so they built a canopy. Sanji gave instructions, Zoro obeyed them. There were tall trees from which hung large leaves which they cut off and long branches which they stuck into the ground and leaned against a tree to form a slanted scaffold. Zoro covered it with the leaves and critically examined their work.

"Well, that should keep the worst out." He looked doubtfully at the blue sky. "If it rains."

It rained. And how! Just after the night had fallen over the island, Zoro caught the first drop with the tip of his nose. Moments later, a storm overtook them, sweeping across the small island from the sea and they were glad they had made their makeshift shelter reasonably stable. The rain was uncomfortably cold contrary to the climate of the island and so Zoro retreated as far as possible under the roof without getting too close to the cook. The rain threw itself against them from the side and Zoro half closed his eyes and stared stubbornly at the sea as if it were his opponent.

Just as abruptly as the storm had come it ended. The rain stayed and pattered with monotonous drumming on the canopy. Zoro stared up at the clouded sky. In the distance the occasional flash of the onmoving storm was visible. A quick glance at Sanji, but he had turned around, his back to him, his feet tucked beneath his legs. His hair covered his expression and also whether he kept his eyes closed. Zoro looked down at him a moment longer than usual, then turned around as well, both of them back to back, falling asleep.

At night, Zoro had a dream. He dreamed of Kuina and how he had tried to defeat her one last time. He lost, lost his sword and the fight. Kuina stood over him, legs spread, a sad smile on her lips.

"I envy you, Zoro."

Oh, he remembered.

"I’m still stronger than you, but you are a man and I a woman."

At that time he hadn't understood much about what made a man and a woman different. And then Kuina was dead. Not in this dream. The words hung heavy in the air. You are a man and I a woman.

Suddenly, she seemed older to him, a Kuina which had never existed. She was still smiling, then opened her kimono and showed him her breasts. If Zoro had been awake, the mere thought of this would have made him doubt his mind, but in his dream he wasn't surprised and he sat up to cup one breast with his hand. Kuina moaned, her voice deeper than he remembered, but that was only logical, for as a grown woman she could no longer have a child's voice.

He squeezed her breast slightly. It felt good and he felt his pants getting tight. Excited, he touched her nipple and rubbed it between two fingertips until they became hard. Her moans grew louder, more demanding.

Now, Zoro noticed that something was wrong. Her voice was very deep even for an adult woman. And her breasts looked big, just as breasts should be, but they didn't feel like that at all - opening his eyes abruptly, he barely managed to suppress a startled yell.

Sanji was right in front of him, luckily still asleep.

A second later, Zoro realized that it hadn't been Kuina's, but Sanji's 'breasts' that he had just kneaded so enthusiastically. Without thinking, he gently squeezed them again, stroking the nipple underneath the shirt. Sanji moaned in his sleep.

Pale, Zoro withdrew his hand. There was no way he could fall asleep now.

He had fricking morning wood.

It was early morning when Zoro crept out from under the canopy. The sun was just rising over the horizon and dipped the beach in different shades of red and yellow. Zoro decided to banish the strange thoughts that had woken him by taking one of his swords to go fishing. Normally, he wouldn’t abuse his swords for such a thing, but the sharpened stick he had previously made for this purpose just felt strange and unwieldy in his fingers and so he had resorted to his weapons again.

Leaving his shirt on the beach and his bandana tied around his head he waded a few feet into the water until his legs were almost completely in it. Had he been alone on this island he would have undressed completely. But with Sanji, who could wake up any time and breathe down his neck, he didn't want to expose himself. Not that he was ashamed of his body. But something stopped him anyway. Maybe just the thought of Sanji seeing his morning wood.

Eyes narrowed, he watched the water in front of him and stood perfectly still. After a few minutes, the first fish dared to get close to him again. Zoro waited. A silvery shadow darted past him only a few feet away and then disappeared again. But Zoro didn't pay attention to it. He had spotted a larger fish, one with red spots and spiky outgrowths on his back and sides. His mouth was watering. The fish was a bit far away, but he could catch it with a well-aimed throw of the sword.

The fish swam lazily over a few flat stones and dug around in the sand. Slowly, Zoro raised his arm and brought the sword into position. The tail of the fish jerked briefly, as if he wanted to swim away, but he didn't do so. Zoro grinned victoriously and threw.

The tip of the sword pierced right through the middle of the fish and past the sharp-looking spikes, came out on the other side and got stuck in the sand. Zoro approached his prey and picked up his sword and the twitching fish before turning around and walking back.

Sanji stood on the beach. He looked in his direction and didn't turn away when their eyes met. For a moment, Zoro thought that Sanji knew why he was up so early, but there was no way he could know. He tried to calm himself when he came out of the sea.

"Got something for breakfast," he said as a greeting. Sanji looked scrutinizing at the fish.

"You're welcome to eat it, I most certainly won't do so."

"What? Why?"

"As every animal knows upon seeing a fish in such vibrant colors, this fish is poisonous," Sanji replied piqued, turned away and headed for the edge of the jungle. "I wouldn't touch those spikes if I were you. You could die." With a purposeful kick against a tree, some of its fruit fell off. Sanji took two and threw one to him, which he caught only out of reflex.

Only later did Zoro realize that he had practically insulted him.

The day passed quietly. Zoro caught up on his sleep and added another nap afterwards and Sanji, after declaring him incompetent, had caught a fish and prepared it over the fire. Zoro couldn't understand how he was able to withstand this heat. He already sat in the shadows wearing nothing more than his pants and he still felt too warm. Sanji on the other hand had not even discarded his tie and stood so close to the fire. Zoro could not help watching him all the time.

Memories of his dream surfaced again. Kuina had felt so good and yet it had been Sanji he had touched. However, it seemed that he hadn't noticed. Zoro narrowed his eyes, watching the outlines of Sanji’s shoulders against the black fabric of his suit, the straightness of his back and the wrinkles of his jacket as he moved. Sanji had felt good, not Kuina. Kuina had been dead for a long time and never had been a woman. Neither had Sanji, he was a man. And yet it had been no different than touching an admittedly rather flat-chested woman.

By all four - Sanji would say five - seas! What was he thinking? Of course it was different to touch a man or a woman. He had only had an irritating dream and nothing else.

"Food is ready." Sanji turned to face him and Zoro tried to put on a poker face and began to eat silently. Even with the simple resources that were available to him the fish tasted amazing. Zoro would never admit it, but he liked Sanji's food, not only because it was better than the food he had been given before joining the crew (given was the wrong word, he had not been given anything, but had had to take care of himself, which had led to abdominal cramps a few times). He liked Sanji's food because it tasted good. Better than anything else he had ever eaten.

Admittedly, Zoro would never confess that, but he showed it by eating slowly and not like the rest of the crew who swallowed everything without being able to taste anything at all.

"What's wrong? Don't you like it?"

Zoro looked up in surprise. Sanji frowned, apparently annoyed. Zoro was so puzzled that he forgot about the food.

"No, I-"

"If you don't like it, you don't have to eat it."

Now Zoro was getting angry. He was thinking about Sanji here and he accused him of something like that! Not to mention out of the blue.

"Now listen here-"

"Certainly you’re a better cook than me, right? I’d like to see you managing to serve something edible without supplies!"

Zoro didn’t understand in the slightest what had gotten into him.

"Come off it, curlybrow! No one’s said that I don't like your food!"

"As if you even knew what good food is, Marimo!"

"Well, I know!"

"Hah, you don't even know what's edible!"

"Are you talking about this weird fish? How should I-"

"-know that? That's what I mean, spinach head! You could make a better stew from your hair than from that fish!"

"Well, my hair would surely taste better than this!" He pointed to the freshly fried fish.

Something changed in Sanji's expression and Zoro immediately regretted it. He hated to say things he did not mean. But now it was too late to take it back because otherwise he would have had to admit that he liked the food very much and he didn't want to do that. Instead, he kept silent.

Sanji didn't reply. He still looked angry, but he was hurt, too. Nothing was more important to him than his cooking skills and he was delighted every time he was praised or even saw that everyone liked it. He didn't think much of Zoro's opinion - probably - but such a direct insult was a hard blow.

"Fine." He stood up. "Fine!" His expression was stony, but Zoro knew he was boiling with rage. "Do whatever you want." And with that he disappeared among the trees.

Zoro rolled his eyes. He didn't know what he had done wrong. It had been Sanji who had first accused him that he didn't like it. Then he had driven him to say it himself, though he hadn't even mean it. Almost as if he wanted him to say something like that.

He looked at the spot where Sanji had disappeared. It would be better, if he followed him before he did something stupid.

Sanji shook with anger. This wannabe swordsman was really the biggest idiot on the whole island. In addition, he felt tired, drained and dirty after the two days they had spent together. His suit, though it hadn't cost much, but meant a lot to him - one of his last memorabilia of the Baratie - showed the first signs of the constant wandering around the island: the hem of his sleeves and of his trouser legs were roughened up and a rip pulled up to his knee where it had caught on a branch.

Unlike Zoro Sanji was not in danger of getting lost as he moved away from their camp. And although he fumed while he fought his way through the undergrowth he still knew which way he was going.

Soon, he arrived at the small lake they had discovered on the day of their arrival. The water was as clear as ever and for a moment he stopped at the edge of the forest, enjoying the silence radiating from the clearing and watching the small waves wash down to the shore. Then he began to undress.

He wanted to avoid returning to the camp and to Zoro as long as possible, feeling dirty and tired and as if he hadn't washed himself for weeks. Now that he realized that, he could not strip fast enough. Slightly disgusted, he took off his tie and held it away with two fingers. It would be best if he washed his clothes directly, but then he would not have anything to wear anymore. It was questionable whether his suit would even dry in the humid air.

For a moment, he considered walking back naked. After all, they were both men, no one else on the island, no reason to be ashamed. Or was there? A nagging feeling spread through him and prevented him from putting the plan into action.

Still, he was disgusted by the idea of getting back into his old, sweaty and smelly clothes after his bath, leaving him clean and refreshed. Pondering, he studied the suit in his hands, finally laying it aside and deciding to go for a swim first.

Not far from the place where Sanji had left his things, Zoro didn't believe his eyes. He was still angry, as always when they had argued because the cook was just riling him up, but when he suddenly took off his clothes he felt a whirl in his stomach and couldn't suppress a gasp. As if caught, he held his hand over his mouth and kept still, but Sanji hadn't noticed him. Instead, he was now completely undressed, studying his suit before laying it over a thick root of one of the trees growing on the bank. He stooped, completely uninhibited, and Zoro felt as if his eyeballs had to fall out. He had never wondered about what Sanji would look like under his suit - why should he? - but he could no longer avert his gaze.

He really couldn't. Zoro felt the heat in his face more than the heat that pooled in his lower regions.

Sanji got into the water. Zoro could see him shivering, the water seemed to be cold. He watched him, mesmerized. Suddenly, he dipped below the surface of the water, only to reappear a moment later, shaking the water from his wet hair. He swam a few laps, then sat down on something in the middle of the lake that Zoro could not see because it was below the surface, probably a rock, and began to wash himself.

Again, he felt the whirl in his stomach.

Sanji started with his arms. He had nothing to wash himself with and so he used his hands, brushing them over his arms and rubbing them a little harder over the dirt-caked areas, softer over the spots that were cleaner.

Zoro barely noticed his own hand sliding down his body and into his pants.

With both hands, Sanji stroked his chest, washed his armpits, then slid his hands over his stomach and over the soft spots just above his hip bone. Zoro's hand slid even deeper, gripping his cock as he leaned against the tree he was hiding behind.

Sanji closed his eyes contently. The water enclosed his legs only halfway, the stone on which he sat had to be quite close to the surface. Lifting a leg, Sanji now rubbed his thigh, freeing him from all the dirt and sweat of the last days. Zoro felt his excitement grow and began to thrust slowly into his hand, never taking his eyes off the scene, which was only a few feet in front of him.

After finishing one leg he began with the other. Unconsciously, Zoro tried to catch a glimpse between his legs, but didn't succeed. He was too far away and the splashes of water that Sanji caused made his sight difficult. It was all the more thrilling to see the cook grabbing himself between his legs and wash there, sliding his hand up and down his cock, taking his balls into his hand. Zoro did the same to himself, imagining it were Sanji's hands.

Then it was too slow for him. His cock throbbed hot and he was dizzy with pleasure, his other hand clawed into the tree bark and he thrusted harder, gasped and came with a moan that he could only suppress by biting his lip. His legs trembled, but he stopped, slowly pulling his hand out of his pants, raising them at eye level and spreading his fingers, the white, sticky mass stuck between them like a spider's thread.

Slowly, the mist in his head cleared and made room for his mind, which he had lost somewhere at Sanji's hands.

He had jacked off.

Even worse, he had jacked off and imagined it was Sanji, who-

His eyes darted back to the cook, who at that moment slid down from the stone in the water and began to swim several more laps.

Suddenly, Zoro felt like a voyeur - the fear of being discovered seized him and so he wiped his hand on the moss under his feet and disappeared back into the trees.

Sanji enjoyed the new sense of cleanness to the fullest. His anger was gone with the dirt and he drifted leisurely through the lake, diving now and then before he swam to the shore to fetch his jacket, shirt and tie. He would have to wash the rest later and, inevitably, put it back on.

He wondered what Zoro was doing for so long. He hoped he wasn't wandering around on his own.

The dirt was hard to wash out, but after a while Sanji felt like he had done enough, got out of the water and put his pants back on. Now that he was clean, he felt better, although he would rather have put on fresh clothes. His remaining wet clothes hanging over one arm, he made his way back to the camp.

He had found the way to the lake without any problems thanks to the visible trail Sanji had left in the undergrowth. The way back was difficult, though. He hadn't found the path, so he had relied on his sense of direction - and got lost.

It was all Sanji's fault. If they hadn’t argued, he wouldn’t have run away, then Zoro wouldn’t have followed him, and if he hadn’t started undressing and bathing then he wouldn’t have - the thought flashed through him like lightning. He wasn't sure if he should be ashamed or what else he should think. Sanji, naked. There it was again. This suddenly so familiar whirl in his stomach. And the heat that shot into his lower regions. Sanji, his hands sliding over his body. Sanji, who was - no.

He had to stop immediately. Well, he hadn’t had a woman for quite a time now. To be exact, there simply had been no time for it since he had been traveling with Luffy, He had never missed it either. But now - as the cook would say: Appetite comes with eating. But Zoro was far from sated.

If Sanji had caught him he would be a dead man. So far, their fights were only superficial, they would never cross this one invisible line and hurt each other. If Sanji knew what Zoro felt for him, it would be over.

But did he feel something for him? Bullshit. He was just in desperate need to get off and Sanji was the only one around. Which unfortunately didn't mean that he could do it with him.

Frustrating.

Even sulkier than a few hours ago, Zoro fought his way through the undergrowth. The small lake had not been that far away from their makeshift camp, so why hadn't he made it out of the forest yet? He tipped his head back, but through the dense foliage he could only make out the sun, which shone through greenly. Nothing to orient himself. Sighing, he continued on his way. In the meantime, he had also gotten quite hungry.

Suddenly his katana, with which he had cut his way free, met less resistance and after a few steps he found himself in a clearing, more precisely in front of a cliff that towered steeply ahead of him. That had to be the mountain they had seen from the beach. If he climbed up the cliff, he eventually had to be able to look over the trees.

No sooner thought than done, Zoro took his katana between his teeth and started to climb.

When Sanji arrived at the beach there was no sign of the Marimo. Shrugging, he lay down on the hot sand and closed his eyes, relaxed. This way he would get some rest. The island was not very big, and although Zoro had already demonstrated that he could get lost here, he was not too worried. Sooner or later he would appear here and he was able to defend himself.

He was really an excellent swordsman. And the only one he'd ever seen who could fight with three swords at the same time. Besides, the way he used his sword in combat with his mouth was just-

He opened his eyes. He had so not thought that. The heat must have played a trick on him. Or the whole situation. Or maybe it was the memory of waking up in the middle of the night.

It had been a sound that had roused him. Zoro had been lying next to him in their little tent and for a moment Sanji thought the sound had come from outside because the Marimo was lying so still. He had just wanted to get up and look, when the sound had returned, this time clearly from him. He had looked outside to the dark beach and listened to the sea.

"Kuina ..."

That's what he had whispered. In a rough, half-strangled voice, but it had been clear as day. If Sanji remembered correctly, she had been a childhood friend. Dead, as far as he knew. Had Zoro dreamed of her? And if so, of what exactly? And what else was Zoro dreaming about in other nights?

His thoughts had strayed too far in his direction again. He should rather think of Nami, or Robin, or All Blue. Yeah, All Blue. He closed his eyes and tried to imagine this paradise.

Zoro's hands wrapped around the ledge as he pulled himself up. The cliff had been really steep, but it was child's play for him. He was far from reaching the summit of the mountain, but this height was enough. The tallest treetops lay several feet below him.

However, there was something he had not expected. Just in front of his nose was a hole, about twice as high and three times as wide as he. He could not see where it ended. Apparently, it was the entrance to a cave. Maybe they could use that as a new shelter and they'd be far better protected against rain.

Becoming curious, he entered. Darkness enveloped him, which became impenetrable after only a few steps. He knew he had to move cautiously now, not because he thought he was bumping into something alive - that would be quite convenient for him, a cave bear would make a perfect supply, and if they really did move here he wouldn't even have to transport it - he had to move cautiously, because he could not see any existing obstacles.

Instead, he hit his head a few feet later.

Cursing, he rubbed his forehead. He made cautiously sure that he had not reached the end of the cave, the ceiling was just lower here. But he had already come far enough, this place would definitely be sufficient to sleep. They could later explore more. Why else would the cook have a lighter if he could not light something up with it?

As he turned around, he heard it.

It was so quiet that he thought for a moment that he had imagined it, but then he heard it again. Zoro could not pin it down at first, or rather, he didn’t want to believe his ears. From the depths of the cave, distorted by echo, which made it impossible to understand the words, or even to make out the distance from which they came, he heard voices.

Both Sanji and he had assumed that they were dealing with a deserted island. Nothing had suggested that this island was inhabited. He'd better come back here with Sanji and see, but with light.

It was evening when Zoro finally returned to their campsite. He had made it to the beach about two hours ago, and then ran stubbornly along the shore until he arrived, not knowing that the opposite direction would have spared him a long walk. He had already identified the campfire from afar. As he approached, he saw some clothes hanging near the fire on a three-stick construction, apparently for drying, and next to it sat Sanji. A jet of heat shot through his stomach like an arrow when he saw that Sanji was sitting bare-chested by the fire. He looked up as Zoro arrived and sat on the opposite side.

For a moment, both of them were silent until Sanji broke the silence.

"Where were you?"

"It's none of your business."

"Have you gotten lost again?"

Zoro decided not to argue with him again, to avoid jeopardizing the image of Sanji that had manifested in his head. Therefore he just sat next to him by the fire.

"I've discovered something interesting," he said after a while.

"You mean marimo algae?"

Zoro ignored that comment, although his eyebrow twitched treacherously.

"No." From the corner of his eye, he could see Sanji's shirt which had to be almost dry by now. "No algae. A cave. On the mountain."

Sanji lifted his eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

"Of course I am, after all, I have eyes in my head." Even though he would like to scratch them out so that he would no longer be exposed to Sanji's bare chest.

The cook looked over his shoulder at the mountain, which was a dark silhouette in the sky.

"It's too dark now, but I'd suggest that we explore your cave tomorrow. Maybe it will lead somewhere. In any case, it offers better rain protection than the few leaves here."

He bent down to slip into the small hut, Zoro nodded and followed him.

Sanji had fallen asleep fairly quickly. Zoro on the other hand lay on his back, staring at the canopy above his head. What happened today was still on his mind. Sanji, naked. The flicker of his white skin, the water that had passed over his legs, the sudden excitement he had felt. And later, when he was sitting around the campfire wearing only a pair of trousers - what was wrong with him? It was not the first time he had seen him like this.

However, he had never seen him completely naked before.

Slowly, he turned his head to him. Sanji was fast asleep. He lay on his side, one arm under his head. His eyelashes were dark against his fair skin, his breathing slow and even. He almost looked like a girl. Long eyelashes, sensual mouth ... Zoro bit his lip. This was so wrong! Sanji was a man, not a woman. He had touched him while he dreamed after all, he was definitely a man.

And yet he could not take his eyes off Sanji's mouth.

He hadn't kissed many women yet. He had spent most of his life training to become stronger and the best swordsman in the world. But he knew what it felt like to kiss a woman. Would it be different with him?

Slowly, he reached out a hand and let it hover only a few inches over Sanji's cheek. He hesitated. If the cook woke up, hell would break loose. And how should he explain his sudden urge? Nevertheless, he dropped his hand to his face and gently stroked a strand of hair behind his ear. Sanji didn’t move.

Encouraged, he propped himself up on his other arm and leaned over to him. He was so close now that he could feel his breath on his face. His heart pounded loudly in his chest.

Closing his eyes, he bridged the last gap between them and brushed his lips. Goose bumps formed on his arms and heat gathered in his stomach. He deepened the kiss, put a hand on Sanji's back and gently ran his tongue over his lower lip.

And that was the moment he was pushed away.

He felt like being doused with ice-cold water. Within a second his head was clear again, but the heat in his stomach did not disappear, but rather intensified. Startled, he looked at Sanji, who gaped at him with an equally disbelieving expression and touched his mouth.

Zoro did not know what else to do, so he thought of a quick lie: "I - I've dreamed." Sanji was still staring at him. "I thought you were Robin."

Sanji's eyes flickered as if searching for a clue as to whether he spoke the truth or not. Zoro had no idea which conclusion he had come to when he finally got up and left the tent.

The next morning, he was woken by a loud noise and he blinked. The sun shone through the leaves above him and threw green light on him. He was amazed to have slept after this night.

The sound returned. It sounded like a crack. Curious, he peeked out of the hut and saw Sanji, this time fully clothed, as he repeatedly kicked against a tree, which then splintered in one place and crashed to the ground.

"What are you doing?" he asked as he came crawling out of the tent.

"I'm building a raft." Sanji didn't look at him.

"What about the cave?"

"I just want to get out of here." The next tree fell.

"On a raft? This is the Grand Line, you won't get far."

Now Sanji looked at him for the first time. He had shadows beneath his eyes which he lowered quickly. It seemed he had not slept much.

"We have to take every opportunity. Unless you want to spend the rest of your life here."

"We've only been here for three days. Let's wait a little longer, I'm sure Luffy will come back."

Sanji snorted, but stopped kicking at the trees and blew a strand of hair out of his face.

"Very well."

With that, he started walking. Zoro barely managed to grab his three swords before running after him.

Thanks to Zoro's outstanding sense of direction, it took only a few hours before they finally found the entrance to the cave. Both exhaled in relief as they stepped into the cool shade and escaped the heat of the day.

"By the way, I've heard voices," it suddenly occurred to Zoro. Sanji turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Voices? In your head?"

"No!" Zoro tried to stay calm. "In this cave. I think it's not as uninhabited as we thought."

Sanji did not reply, but a thoughtful expression had entered his face. Finally, he turned back and disappeared inside the cave.

"Hey, wait!" Zoro hurried after him. Not out of concern, of course.

Inside the cave it was just as dark as before. As soon as they rounded a corner, the last bit of daylight had disappeared. Then suddenly a snap from the walls echoed, and a small flame lit up the darkness, casting flickering shadows against the wet walls of the cave.

"Why are the walls wet?" Sanji murmured, carefully touching one of the walls with two fingertips. "We are much higher than the sea level."

"Maybe because of the recent storm?" Zoro speculated. "It could have rained in here."

"We're already too far inside the cave for that. It couldn't have rained into this far, especially not around the corner."

Confused, Zoro's furrowed his eyebrows.

"But where else should the water come from?"

Sanji shrugged.

"I'm not sure. But there must be a source of water somewhere in here." He raised the lighter higher in the air and moved on.

"You mean a lake?" Zoro prompted. Sanji looked at him over his shoulder.

"Maybe," he said as he walked on. "But it could just as well be behind the wall and only some water trickles through-"

Suddenly, he stepped into empty space. His expression slipped and the lighter fell out of his hand. The second it took to fall to the ground, Zoro saw Sanji fall into a black hole, jumped forward and grabbed him. The lighter extinguished as it hit the ground, leaving them in complete darkness. Zoro gasped heavily, his heart pounding loudly in his ears. He just held one of Sanji's wrists with his hand.

"Are you okay?" he finally asked into the silence.

He could hear Sanji swallow and take a deep breath.

"Yeah. Pull me up."

"That's not so easy," he replied with clenched teeth. He was lying on his stomach, not exactly the best position to pull someone up, especially if the ground was as slippery as this one. "The ground is really wet and muddy, I can't find a firm hold."

"Don't act stupid!" Sanji grumbled. His wrist slipped a little lower. "Or are you afraid to get your shirt dirty?"

"As you might have noticed, my shirt has been dirty all the time. I didn't waste time swimming around in the lake!"

"Wasted? That's something to do with hygiene - wait a minute, how do you know about that?"

Zoro froze and almost let Sanji go.

"How do I know about what?" he finally said, but he knew that he had hesitated for too long.

"I didn't see you anywhere when I bathed." The cook's voice sounded strangely calm. "Did you watch me at that time?"

With a jolt, Zoro pulled him up to escape an answer, but Sanji did not give up.

"Did you watch me or not?"

Zoro tried to ignore him, instead scanning the ground for the fallen lighter. His hand stroked smooth stone and damp moss, but the lighter remained missing. Sanji stood impatiently beside him.

"I don't understand!" he exclaimed. "You kiss me, you watch me while bathing - do you have a crush on me or what?"

"Of course not, you idiot! Don't flatter yourself."

"Oh yeah? How else should I interpret that in your opinion? Oh, I know - you're so horny that you don't care who-"

"That's not true!"

"Then explain it to me!"

Zoro couldn't stop himself, suddenly he grabbed Sanji by the collar and pressed him against the cave wall. Cool breath stroked his cheek.

"I can't explain it to you."

"Why not?"

He swallowed.

"I have no idea why, but ... the whole time I just ... wanted to do this."

And with that he bent his head down to him, found his lips and kissed him. Softly at first, as if he was afraid to be pushed away, but to his surprise, Sanji did nothing like that. He just stood there without moving and Zoro couldn't stop, becoming more demanding and pressing himself against him. His tongue slid into his mouth and Sanji gasped, his hands clawing at the fabric of his shirt. Zoro's own hands were busy loosening his tie.

When the knot finally opened, he dropped the tie carelessly on the ground and turned to the buttons of the white shirt Sanji always wore. His lips brushed across the unfamiliar, bearded cheek, across his neck and down to his collarbone as he undid the last button and slipped his shirt over his shoulders.

Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew he should stop, but he just wasn't able to. Sanji's skin felt so good, soft but hard from the muscles underneath, the stubble on his face scratching his cheek pleasantly. A slight shiver, barely noticable, went through the cook's body. The only thing Zoro could hear was the sound of their quickened breath.

His hand stroked Sanji's naked chest and slid deeper until it came to rest on his ass. He hesitated for a moment, then slipped his hand into his pants.

Oh God, he had to stop. Or else he would never forgive himself.

Slowly, as if the air around them suddenly became more impenetrable, he let go of him and withdrew his hand, when suddenly he felt a touch on his fingers. He felt breath on his face, very close.

"Don't stop."

Sanji whispered the words as if they were losing their meaning, if he pronounced them too loud. Zoro paused, blood rushing through his ears, goose bumps forming on his skin.

And then suddenly he felt Sanji's lips on his, moving hesitantly against his mouth and a quick tongue stroked the corner of his mouth.

Sanji kissed him back.

He didn't waste another second, instead pushing him against the wall again, finding his hands and pinning them over their heads against the wet cave wall, pressed his hips against Sanji’s and ran his tongue over his lips. Holding Sanji's wrists with one hand, he opened the button on his pants and pulled them down a bit, just as much as he managed in this position.

But it was enough, his hand slipped in and encircled Sanji's stiff cock which twitched at his touch. Sanji gasped into his mouth as Zoro rhythmically slid his hand up and down. His mouth found the cook's neck again and he bit it and then licked the sore spot. Sanji's hair brushed his cheek. He could feel drops of precum spilling out of his cock and on his hand. Aroused, he rubbed his hip against his side to get some friction, but it wasn’t enough.

Releasing Sanji's wrists, he buried his hand in his hair and shoved his tongue into his mouth again.

Sanji's hands suddenly gripped his shoulders. He pushed uncontrollably into Zoro's wet hand and moaned into his mouth until Zoro felt something hot and wet splashing on his hand.

Sanji hung slack in his arms and Zoro stroked his free hand over his back. His own cock throbbed painfully.

"Sanji, I -"

"Wait. Give me - give me a moment."

The cook's voice sounded raw and exhausted. Zoro waited, his eyes scanning the darkness, but he couldn’t see the slightest bit in it, not even silhouettes.

He felt Sanji break free from his arms and sink down to his knees. Then hands fumbled around on his pants.

A cool breeze brushed his stiff cock. He clenched his teeth.

Two fingers stroked the head, very lightly. His cock twitched up, but Sanji continued to stroke it, smearing the drop of precum that spilled out. Zoro's eyes were closed, his hands braced against the cave wall. Such a simple touch, but his legs were shaking.

Then suddenly he felt hot breath on his cock. Something wet touched the tip of it and he realized that it was Sanji's tongue, then lips wrapped around the head and sucked lightly on it. Zoro felt dizzy.

Sanji worked his way inch by inch, first took his cock into the mouth, let it slide out again and then took it a little deeper.. It felt like forever, his cock already throbbing like crazy and he had to resist the urge to thrust into his hot mouth.

He lowered a hand to the back of his head and gently pushed him close. Sanji's lips slid over the velvety skin of his cock. With his hand buried in blonde hair, Zoro gently pulled him away from him and then pushed him close again. Sanji didn’t resist, but let it happen, his hands resting on Zoro's buttocks, pulling him closer and closer in his set rhythm.

Zoro couldn't help himself and began to thrust gently into Sanji's mouth. His cock slid deeper and deeper into the hot cavern of his mouth until he finally came up against some resistance, but Sanji opened his mouth even more and suddenly his cock slipped further in and he lost control and slid completely into Sanji's mouth.

Sanji moaned, but the sound was muffled. Zoro almost pulled his cock out all the way, then pushed it all the way back, and Sanji's tongue twitched against its underside.

His other hand also placed on his head, Zoro pushed all concerns overboard and thruster faster and faster into his mouth, Sanji's hands gripping his buttocks.

Suddenly, the hot feeling in his belly shot out of him and he came. He felt Sanji swallow around his limp going cock.

Together they sank down to the ground, no one spoke a word. Zoro still could not quite grasp what had just happened.

He had kissed Sanji. And he had been kissed back.

And then they'd got each other off.

He turned his head to face him, not that he could see anything by now. But it somehow felt right.

He heard rustling, then suddenly a warm, half-naked body snuggled against him. At his hip he could feel Sanji's semi-stiff cock. Was he already aroused again?

Carefully, he reached out a hand and touched his cock, which replied with a twitch. Sanji inhaled sharply, but slid closer. Zoro leaned over him. His hands searched Sanji's face, found and embraced it. He kissed him, almost chastely.

They didn't speak. Instead, Sanji put a hand on Zoro’s and kissed it. It was like a confirmation.

Zoro scrambled to his feet and stripped off his clothes, then took off his pants and shoes as well. They lay side by side, nervous breath in the air, but also heat in the places where their bodies touched. Zoro ran a finger along Sanji's chin, then stroked his side and pulled him closer. They kissed, at first gentle but soon more demanding, more passionate. Zoro shoved his tongue into his mouth and for a while they did nothing more than kiss each other.

Then Sanji suddenly pressed his arousal against him and it was all over for him. Zoro pushed him to the ground, his legs on either side of his hips. He buried his face in Sanji's neck, putting small kisses on the soft skin there, letting his tongue wander over his throat and collarbone. Sanji squirmed under him and thus aroused him unknowingly even more. His hand crept between their bodies, gripping both of their cocks and rubbing them slowly.

But that wasn't enough. Zoro straightened and pushed Sanji's legs apart. His hands searched in the darkness, stroking the skin of his thigh, brushing his cock and sliding lower, until he finally found the circular spot between his ass cheeks.

Sanji flinched, but Zoro kissed the inside of his thighs and he felt him relax a bit.

He had never slept with a man. Accordingly, he had no idea how to proceed, but he let himself be guided by his instincts. He spat briefly on his fingers to moisten them, then carefully pressed the tip of his index finger against the tight muscle ring.

For a moment, Sanji tensed again, but a quick kiss on his thigh reassured him. Bit by bit, Zoro pushed his finger further into him. When he had pushed a few inches into him, he slowly withdrew his fingers and then thrusted them back inside. Sanji's soft gasps showed him that he had to do something right.

After a while, he wet his fingers again and added the middle finger. Sanji tensed and again he kissed his thigh to calm him down. He could feel him widening, his fingers slipping in and out of him more and more easily. As he pushed his third finger in, he gripped Sanji's hard cock and stroked it rhythmically, Sanji thrusting into his hand uncontrollably.

His own cock throbbed painfully with arousal, so he withdrew his fingers from Sanji, which elicited a protest from him, and positioned himself in front of his entrance. His head stroked the wet opening between his cheeks, before he pushed into it.

He didn't get far, as he was still incredibly tight. Sanji moaned under him and he was not sure if it was a good or a bad sign. But now there was no way back and he drove his last inches into the hot tightness until he had completely sunk in him.

Slowly, he lowered himself onto him, trapping Sanji's cock between their bellies. He wanted to ask him if everything was alright, but no sound left his lips. Instead, he pulled out his cock a bit and then pushed it back into him.

Sanji's hands reached for his own, an arm wrapped around his shoulders and pulled him closer. Zoro kissed his ear, then his mouth and built up a slow rhythm. Sanji's heels pressed against his ass. He ran his tongue over Sanji's own, one hand resting on the ground, the other intertwined with Sanji's hand. Again, he gave the sore spot on the neck he had bitten attention and licked over it, Sanji gasping into his ear.

It was too much. The hot breath in his ear, the tightness around his cock, Sanji's cock rubbing rhythmically over his stomach - with one movement he pulled himself out of him, turned him around, so that Sanji knelt before him and thrusted back into him, his thrusts getting faster and deeper.

Sanji moaned loudly in the rhythm of his thrusts, Zoro’s fingers pressing firmly into his ass cheeks and bottomed out again and again without inhibitions. He reached forward with one hand and gripped Sanji's cock, making everything even hotter and tighter.

Suddenly, Sanji yelped and Zoro felt hot liquid squirt into his hand, everything in him pulling together, groaning he pressed himself all the way in and spilled into him.

Exhausted, they both fell to the ground and struggled for breath. After a while, Zoro realized that his weight was probably heavy and rolled off him.

Should he hug him? Kiss him again? Everything had happened so fast and now he did not know where they stood, how they should talk to each other.

He felt a touch on his shoulder. It was light, as if Sanji too wasn't sure how to behave. Uncertain, Zoro fumbled for him and finally pulled him to himself. Sanji put his head down on his chest and pushed his leg between his own. They were sweaty and slowly cooling off, the ground beneath them cold and hard, but Zoro didn’t want to get up yet. That would have meant searching for the lost lighter again, finally finding it and having to look at each other again. To ask questions, to look for answers and maybe not find them.

But the moment finally came when the ground became too cold and too hard and they had to get up. Slowly, Sanji broke away from him, gave him one last kiss on the lips and stood up. Rustling announced he was getting dressed and Zoro did the same.

Only when they were fully clothed again did they fumbled around on the cave's ground until they found the lighter. Sanji ignited it with a snap. A tiny orange flame illuminated their faces, then Sanji turned his back to him and carefully touched the wall, past the hole he'd almost fallen into. Zoro followed him at close range.

The cave was not too big and soon broke open to reveal an underground lake. And in the middle of this lake lay the Flying Lamb. They could hardly believe their eyes: three days they had been on their own and all the time their ship had anchored there? From a distance, they could see their friends on the deck. Luffy was already coming towards them.

"Hey, you found us!" he shouted as he arrived. Zoro immediately drew one of his swords.

"Why did you leave?" He scowled. Luffy ignored the sword at his throat.

"We wanted to give both of you some time to get along," he said and grinned at them innocently. "Lately, you've been arguing so much, I figured you would enjoy a break."

Zoro wanted to break his neck at these words, but then, to his astonishment, Sanji put a hand on his shoulder. Also astonishing was that he actually became calm.

"Let him be, Marimo." He lit a cigarette. "After all, it worked."