Archive of Our Own

The blazing sun over his head was starting to drain the little stamina he had managed to save for his long and tiring trip. He had covered a great distance already but there were still no traces of any village or small town in the horizon, which made Zoro slightly less enthusiastic about continuing his seemingly endless pace.

He looked at the highway on his right side and figured he'd get much farther if he could grab a ride, considering he'd be lucky enough to find someone willing to take him inside their car for a wandering, indefinite trip — but he would manage. He could always hop from car to car until he was satisfied.

After finally settling down on his next course of action, Zoro dropped his only luggage onto the ground and walked to the edge of the highway where he looked left and right in search of some kind of vehicle.

Once he spotted a car, he lifted his arm and hitched at the driver, who passed through like Zoro didn't exist. Well, he wasn't expecting to get a ride on his first try anyway.

A long time passed and Zoro decided to continue his walk and try his luck again in case he happened to hear a car coming from behind him, which didn't occur frequently. Another couple of cars passed through him without stopping whenever he signed, until Zoro saw a red convertible coming his way and stuck his thumb out for another try.

The car reduced its speed, sliding closer to the side road before it completely stopped by Zoro's side.

"Where are you headed, mosshead?" The blond driver asked with a cocky smirk and an arm resting against the opened window while hidden behind expensive looking sunglasses.

"As far as your car can take me," Zoro shot back nonchalantly, completely ignoring the man's previous joke.

"What a coincidence," he let out before taking off his eyewear in an elegant snatch that revealed an endearing sky blue eye underneath. "That's exactly where I'm going."

Zoro couldn't help the grin that broadened his lips at the answer, and suddenly found himself ready to forgive the conceited bastard for his ridiculous pun. His driver tilted his head towards the passenger's seat and uttered a low "get in" that instantly put Zoro on the move, making him circle around the car and claim his new seat.

"Thanks," he muttered once he was inside.

The kind stranger then flashed a beautiful smile and put his sunglasses back on his face before maneuvering his car into the highway once more. His convertible reached a good amount of speed in a matter of seconds and Zoro was able to relax and enjoy the wind brushing against his skin until the man on his side decided to talk again.

"Are you on the run?" He asked without taking his eyes off the road.

"Something like that," Zoro opted to say, not wanting to get into much detail about his personal life with someone he barely knew.

"Killed somebody?" Came the next question, that left Zoro perplexed.

"Excuse me?" He spat, not sure if he had listened correctly.

The blond driver opened up a mocking grin. "You don't see people wanting to get as far away as possible while carrying one single bag every day," he explained, obviously having fun with the whole situation.

Zoro sighed and looked away from the man, putting his eyes on the scenery by his side of the road instead. "It's nothing like that," he uttered at least, not in the mood to satisfy the idiot's curiosity by taking part in his joke.

"Theft, then," the bastard concluded, forcing Zoro to send an annoyed glare his way.

"Do I look like a criminal to you?" He asked full of resentment, but his question only made the blond smile.

"Looks can be deceiving," was the reply he got before the man decided to elaborate. "I've dated a girl who looked like an angel and later found out she had brought at least three guys to the graveyard."

Zoro felt his eyebrows lift dramatically in his forehead at the testimony. "Wow," he caught himself saying a little after, his reaction making the blond turn his way with a wide smile and a slight tilt of his head that allowed Zoro to catch the amusement behind the man's blue eye.

"I know, right?" The driver let out before he glued his gaze back on the road. "I'm just pulling your leg, I don't really care about your motives," he confessed after some time, although Zoro already suspected as much. He then continued, "I won't ask anything about you and you won't ask anything about me either, what do you say?"

It didn't take long for Zoro to make his choice. "Deal," he said as soon as he decided.

"Great," the other replied triumphantly. "Just one more thing if I may," his driver restarted, continuing to hold Zoro's attention in the man's handsome side profile, "Can you drive?"

"No."

"Good," he celebrated. "That means I don't have to worry about you planning to kill me and steal my car," was the ridiculous remark that left his mouth before it tweaked into another broad playful smirk which he redirected at the man occupying his passenger's seat.

A loud scoff left Zoro's lungs after that and he rolled his eyes in disbelief, despite the stubborn grin that insisted on lingering in his lips. He would have to get used to the stupid insinuations, apparently.

As soon as their topic died, the blond asked for permission to turn on the radio and they continued their trip in silence with occasional hums here and there following the song's beat.

Night came by a few hours later but the blond didn't seem to mind, following the road to a destination that Zoro didn't know and didn't mind not knowing — he just wanted to go somewhere far. They continued to travel for another couple of hours until the sound of Zoro's belly rumbling of hunger caught the driver's attention.

"Oh? Someone's hungry," he commented, most likely intending to engage in some sort of talk, but Zoro didn't reply. "My bad, I totally forgot to ask when was your last meal. I'll park in the first restaurant we find," the blond promised without hesitation.

Zoro muttered a low thanks and they followed the road for another couple of minutes before they could see a cafe that was still open for business. The two got inside and filled their stomachs with good food, getting ready to hit the road as soon as they were done eating and the blond stopped wooing the waitress like a fool.

They traveled for quite some time in the middle of the night after that, deciding to find a place to rest when Zoro let out a resounding yawn that passed to his driver in the very next second, making them both laugh as a result.

A modest motel was waiting for the two of them next to what looked like some sort of pub with a tiny parking lot where the red convertible stayed the night. Zoro and the gentle stranger booked a room for two — that was cheaper than one for each — and moved their belongings to the corners closest to their respective beds.

The blond claimed the right to take a shower first and Zoro let him do as he wanted, snatching a bottle of booze from their minibar to have a drink on his bed before going to sleep. He sipped on his bottle while scanning the room that had a TV, two beds, the minibar and a round table with two chairs.

By the time he was almost finished with his drink, the blond emerged from the bathroom, wiping his lustrous golden hair with a towel wrapped around his neck.

"You can go in now," he announced as he aimed for one of his luggages.

"I'm cool," Zoro replied with indifference, not feeling like taking a shower yet.

"Are you kidding me? Even after that big ass truck threw smoke all over our faces?" The man countered, turning at Zoro with a shocked expression and a comb in his right hand.

Zoro just shrugged without giving a damn, dropping his nearly empty bottle on his nightstand.

"We're gonna hit the road by six tomorrow morning," he heard the driver say as soon as he was finished arranging his hair, still standing half naked on his side of the room with only a ridiculous-looking trunks to cover his shame.

"Sure," Zoro muttered after sending a quick glance to the clock on his right that said 1:07. The time made him figure he should try to hit the sack for a while, taking off his shirt along with his jacket and tossing it close to his bag for a more comfortable sleep.

"Wow," he suddenly heard the driver say on his back, immediately turning Zoro's head in his direction.

The man's blue eyes were glued to Zoro's body, making the latter narrow his eyes. "What?" Zoro barked, annoyed at the excessive staring.

His harsh voice made the blond blink a couple of times and snap out of his bothersome stance, quickly averting his gaze somewhere else. "No, it's just-" he stammered, looking for the right words to say. "I didn't think you'd be this fit. That jacket covered a good portion of your body."

A brow lifted in Zoro's face at these words. The blond then asked, "Do you work out?"

"Yeah," came the answer, followed by a melodic hum coming from the driver's throat as the man turned his gaze back down to Zoro's naked torso.

"I know this is going to sound really weird, but can I touch it?" He asked at least, slightly embarrassed at his own request.

Zoro chuckled shortly, giving out his answer under an amused grin, "Sure."

The blond tried to hold back the smile that would have covered his face by sucking in his lips as he approached Zoro's bed, taking a seat by the greenhead's side before turning his body towards his new uncovered target. His long and sharp finger pads landed on Zoro's chest for a quick examination, poking against the skin with caution.

"Fuck, you're sturdy as heck," the man commented, pushing another short laugh out of Zoro's mouth.

"I like to exercise," Zoro said while admiring the blond's excited deep blue eyes that soon found their way to Zoro's face.

"No shit," he muttered with one of his beautiful smiles a second before he shifted his attention to Zoro's biceps. "Can you flex it?" He asked almost like a puppy, making it impossible for Zoro to turn it down — so Zoro just lifted his left arm under the other's care and brought his hand back in a closed fist, squeezing and flexing his biceps in between. "Fuuuuck," he heard the blond mutter while carefully inspecting Zoro's prominent muscle and consequently putting a proud grin on the greenhead's mouth. "That's awesome."

Zoro leaned back comfortably against his pillow as soon as the man's hands left his skin. "You have a good build, too," he pointed out, turning a bright blue eye back to his face.

"You don't have to suck up to me just because I praised you a little," came the pretentious reply under an obnoxious grin.

"No, I mean it," Zoro justified, unable to prevent his eyes from roaming to the blond's half naked body that seemed to have come out of a model's photoshoot. "I like your shoulders and your neck. They look…" he hesitated, trying to search for better words than hot and sexy that sprang from the back of his head. "Great," he decided at least.

His answer broadened the devious smile in his driver's lips, making the man lower his gaze in embarrassment for exactly one second. "Do you wanna touch it?" The man suggested as soon as he placed his daring blue eye back to Zoro's face.

Zoro had to take a moment to consider the proposal before finally falling to temptation and reaching out to the other's skin, placing his palm over the man's slender shoulder and cupping it under a tight grip. He then felt the muscle's texture with a precise dig of his fingers, slowly sliding his hand along the blond's smooth skin and climbing to the man's seductive neck the very next second.

The sensual touch compelled the blond to tilt his head to the other side with his eyes closed in a clear sign of submission that gave more space for Zoro to feel the skin on display, and ended up making Zoro's blood rush up to his face and down to his pants at the same time. When a half-opened blue eye found its way back to Zoro's piercing golden ones, Zoro moved his hand up to the blond's pretty face, locking his thumb at the man's cheek while his palm cupped the jawline gently and put it back into a more comfortable position.

The back of his hand was soon enveloped by the driver's warm palm as the man nuzzled into Zoro's heat fondly, making something twist and turn inside Zoro's stomach before they connected their gazes once more. They exchanged a meaningful look that inadvertently brought their faces closer to each other and culminated into a delicate bump of their lips, evolving to an open mouthed kiss as soon as they backed away a mere millimeter. The two tasted each other's lips for a long time before parting, only to start all over again when the blond leaned forward boldly seeking Zoro's lips once more. The man got on his fours in order to reach Zoro's mouth and Zoro led the blond to his lap with an intrusive push on the other's back that made the blond climb onto Zoro's thighs without ever breaking the intimate contact on their lips. It didn't take long for Zoro to get a taste of the man's delicious tongue that nudged against his own, rearing for some action.

Zoro devoured the man's lips with absurd ferocity and met the very same enthusiasm from the one between his arms as he chased Zoro's complicated head turns with just as much energy until Zoro pulled the blond's hair down, making the man slip out of the kiss with a groan. Zoro then redirected his hunger to his partner's neck and shoulders, stamping hickeys and marks of teeth all over the new territory. The blond sent both hands to Zoro's short strands while he was at it, ruffling the hair with desperate grabs as Zoro feasted on the man's skin and pushed short moans out of his lungs.

Eventually Zoro felt the grip around his scalpel tightening up and pulling his head back to the man's lips that welcomed him with another set of breathless kisses whilst a pair of lusty thighs grinded against Zoro's crotch. Zoro's hands immediately traveled to the driver's ass and kept it under a possessive grip capable of dictating the rhythm of the man's humps as the two teased their already hard members through the fabric of their cramped underwear.

A hushed grunt was the sign that broke their kiss and made the blond drop his forehead on top of Zoro's shoulder while his hands traveled down, seeking the band of Zoro's boxers. As soon as Zoro felt the man's hands over his pelvis, he turned his gaze down as well and watched quietly as his driver pulled his dick out with a precise tug that propelled his member forward, letting it swing shamelessly like it actually enjoyed the exposure.

"Shit, you're huge," Zoro heard the man comment, not failing to notice the hint of enjoyment in his tone as he ran his fingers through the shaft affectionately.

Zoro replied by pulling the blond's underwear down and bringing the man's cock to light too, allowing the tip to brush against his own. "And yours is strangely attractive," he let out as he enveloped the man's cock's head in a tight grip, massaging the tip with his thumb until it spilled a bit of precum.

A new hand soon joined the teasing on Zoro's dick, stroking it earnestly and pushing him into working on the cock in his hands as well, pumping it up and down repeatedly until he could hear an honest moan leaving his partner's mouth.

"You ever done it with a man before?" He heard the blond whisper after he rested one of his cheeks on Zoro's shoulder.

"No," he answered truthfully.

His partner chuckled softly in his arms upon hearing these words. "I'll walk you through it," he said, ready to raise his head and skillfully pull Zoro around, switching places with him so the man had his back on the pillow instead. He then crawled closer to the headboard, squishing the pillow behind him before taking off his underwear and throwing the piece on top of his own bed on the other side so he could majestically spread his long muscular legs apart to reveal his daring erection and previously covered asshole. "You're gonna thrust in here," the blond elucidated while mischievously pulling his ass cheeks apart, giving Zoro a full view of the man's entrance.

"You sure?" Came Zoro's voice, slightly doubtful. His question simply broadened the smirk on his driver's face, however.

"Yes, I'm sure," he reassured with a complacent grin that invited Zoro closer, allowing him to fit his thighs on both sides of the man's bottom and position himself right in front of his target. Zoro sent a quick glance towards the blond's confident face before aligning the tip of his cock with the inviting hole and carefully pushing forward, noticing the way his partner bit down a cry as Zoro advanced.

"You okay?" He asked, a little worried.

The blond nodded a few times in response. "It hurts a little in the beginning," he explained eventually. Zoro then tightened his grip around the man's hips and tried to search for a better angle but his cock twitched in protest, refusing to collaborate.

"You're tight," he muttered, noticing the resistance from his driver's walls.

"Feels good, right?" Was the blond's ridiculous remark, and the broad grin resting on his lips ended up putting a tiny smile on Zoro's face too.

"It does," he admitted at least, allowing the man to throw his arms over Zoro's shoulders where they tangled on his back.

"Give me all of it," he heard his driver demand libidinously, pulling Zoro's head forward until it landed on the man's very shoulder. "There's a special spot inside that can make me see stars," he continued with that low, provoking voice, too close to Zoro's ear. "I wonder if you can find it."

The challenge made Zoro's blood boil inside his veins and he wasn't sure if it was his body's reaction to his absurd competitiveness or his absurd lust, but in the end it didn't matter; he was determined to succumb to whatever it was.

"I'll hit it so hard you'll wish you never mentioned anything," he teased back as he slid his dick further, stealing an erotic moan out of the blond's throat. Zoro kept thrusting in a slow pace, holding his driver's legs by the thighs and making his way deeper while giving the blond some time to adjust to his size until he finally pounded his balls against his partner's ass, shuddering at the amount of pleasure and feeling of fulfillment that spread to every cell of his body.

He then lift his head seeking that particular enigmatic blue eye and was delighted to find a magnificent hue of black taking over the single pupil in front of his eyes — a dark shadow that perfectly translated the intensity of the libido behind the man's uneven breathing and invited, almost begged for Zoro to satisfy it.

And so he did.

His first whack was deep and merciless like a warning for what was about to come, reverberating into weaker pulses that rocked the blond's body along with it. They moved in harmony, focusing on matching each other's drive and pursuing their own pleasure in the best way they could, not leaving a single spot for words in their minds, just sporadic breathless grunts.

Zoro was having one hell of an experience. He's been with a good number of women in the past, but none of them felt this tight and delicious around his cock. It's true that he's never tried anal sex with them before, and yet Zoro had a feeling that they would still be miles away from providing the amount of pleasure that this single man was able to. It was exhilarating, and Zoro was determined to make his partner feel just as good — he deserved that much.

Focusing on the blond's last words about his special spot, Zoro tilted and maneuvered the man's ass in search of the mentioned miraculous part until he felt a pair of heels land on his back and pin him in place. "Yes, right there!" He heard his driver let out in a rush before being consumed by an uncontrollable need to meet that particular type of friction, which all the more encouraged Zoro to keep grinding on it. The man's walls started to loosen up the more the two slammed their bodies against each other, making it easier for Zoro to quicken his pace and fulfill the blond's pleas of more, more, more.

The man came undone first with a shuddering howl, dropping his head over Zoro's shoulders while the latter chased his climax and filled the blond's ass with a big load of hot cum.

After a moment spent in silence to catch their breaths, Zoro pulled his dick out of the man's hole and found himself lost in the blond's lips that ambushed him on his way back, not allowing him to leave just yet. The driver pushed Zoro down on his back and mounted him during the kiss, immediately renewing Zoro's sexual desire with a calculated rub of their lower parts that pushed a groan out of Zoro's lungs and made his partner laugh. The blond then raised from Zoro's body and proceeded to ride him slowly, sensually, taking pleasure in every second of every stroke while maintaining an attentive gaze in Zoro's face.

"You're so hot," Zoro caught himself saying without realizing how his hands climbed his driver's body and felt the smooth skin of the man's hips and ass, refusing to let him go. Not a word left the blond's mouth, but Zoro could still see the amusement behind his blue impassive eyes and the charming smirk playing on his lips as he rocked his hips back and forth, audaciously exposing his libidinous naked body in front of Zoro. It was a marvelous sight, one that Zoro intended to burn into his memory for years to come.

That endearing blue eye in his vision monopolized Zoro's gaze, making him miss the exact moment when a pair of eager palms took a hold of his own chest and started to fondle with his skin, spreading and groping his tits and abs. The man also took the opportunity to use Zoro's immovable body as support for more energetic bounces, lifting his ass up and down to increase the friction of their touch and starting to gradually steal his breath away.

It didn't take long for him to submit to the sensation of pleasure concentrating in his ass and pursue his release with might, using Zoro's dick as a mere toy to reach his climax. Zoro wasn't one to purely watch, however, and added both hands to clasp around his partner's soft ass cheeks in order to force the blond into landing with more impact over his greedy dick, his dirty move pulling erotic moans out of his driver's parted lips.

They jerked at almost the same time, with the blond falling on top of Zoro right after to regain his strength like his energy had run out. The man's light body wrapped gently around Zoro like a blanket and gave him a strange feeling of belonging, of being rightly attached to another jigsaw piece that was just as irregularly shaped.

The two matched in a way that Zoro couldn't describe, but felt in every fiber of his being.

This feeling brought new life to Zoro's cock, kicking it awake and rock hard in a matter of seconds — encouraging him to flip over his partner for one more round. He met no resistance from the man under him, who obediently laid on top of his belly following the instruction of one of Zoro's hands that carefully lifted the man's ass up while the blond rested his cheeks against the sheets. Zoro positioned himself in front of the blond's hole and effortlessly slid his erection inside, immediately engaging in a somewhat fast pace right from the start.

From his point of view, Zoro could see his driver reaching out to touch himself and mewling beautifully at the sensation of being stimulated by two different sources of pleasure while Zoro fucked him from behind. This position also allowed Zoro to see how immaculately taintless the blond's back was, absolutely free of tattoos, bruises or scars, and the sight alone awakened something in Zoro that begged him to defile such perfectly preserved skin, compelling him to lean over his partner and scatter around hickeys and bite marks over every nick he was able to reach. He pulled the man's head up by his nape and let his fingers circle the other's neck, keeping a forceful hold around the area from one side while his tongue maliciously tasted the other.

Zoro spurt his seeds inside the weary asshole after a strong bite on the blond's shoulder that made the latter shudder and spill his cum all over the bed in powerful squirts, staining the sheets with a good amount of sticky semen.

After a couple of short breaths, Zoro began to plant quiet smooches around his driver's neck and jaw, slowly guiding the man to straighten himself up until they finally connected their mouths in a sloppy kiss full of tongue and reckless sucks. They nudged their foreheads affectionately for no more than a single minute as soon as their lips parted before Zoro led the blond to lay down comfortably on his pillow while he hovered over the man to take in the view.

The persistent blue pupil watching him quietly from below gave Zoro the certainty that its owner was not yet completely satisfied and merely waited for an opportunity to initiate another lewd interaction between the two, and for that reason, Zoro decided to get ahead of the other and run his thumb over his driver's bottom lip, causing it to open and invite Zoro inside. He pressed his finger pad against the blond's tongue — that circled happily around it — and waited for it to become entirely coated in the man's saliva before finally pulling it out, leaving behind a thin line of spit that followed his finger for another few centimeters.

An outstanding shade of pink could be seen hanging on the blond's cheeks while Zoro retreated with a grin, taking the man's thighs in his hands and carefully lifting them up by the back of his knees as if they were made of paper. Zoro kept pushing his partner's legs back and they promptly obeyed the command, folding closer to the blond's torso very easily, much to Zoro's surprise.

"How are you so flexible," he commented as soon as he was able to make the man's thighs hit his torso from that position while the legs remained perfectly stretched as if it was nothing. "Are you a gymnast or some shit?"

A sneaky smirk crawled its way to the blond's lips before he let out a short answer, "Yoga."

"Huh," Zoro snorted, amused by the information. He never had the patience for that.

Back to his initial objective, Zoro dropped his partner's legs over his shoulder and aligned his once again erect dick with the tip of the man's insatiable hole, carefully entering the enclosure for the fourth time that day. The blond twitched beneath him at the invasion, climbing Zoro's back with his long and thin fingers for better support.

They fucked looking at each other's faces and Zoro was reminded of their memorable connection when he saw the distinctive shine in his partner's eyes, so calm and sincere — like they've been lovers for years.

And it felt so good.

Zoro realized that sex was better with that man when he was able to look at the driver's features as he thrusted, watch his intense emotions up close, see the way his lustrous hair danced across his face on every push, hear his melodic voice claiming for more, faster, harder, and Zoro would give him everything he wanted, everything he asked for — like a slave that signed a contract with the devil. A charming, luxurious, blue-eyed blond devil whose claws clasped deep within Zoro's heart, holding it hostage.

Their orgasm came as a divine reward, setting them free from the burning embers of lust and pushing them up to the clouds of heaven where they were graced with the most fulfilling bliss. When Zoro finally reopened his eyes, the devil that once controlled his mind had turned into a harmless tired angel owner of the purest holy aura, and Zoro felt like the man would forgive all of his evil deeds as soon as that sky blue eye opened up accompanied by a compassionate grin.

Moved by a stronger force, Zoro leaned in and pecked the blond on the lips, uniting their mouths for a split second before Zoro helped put the man's legs down to a more comfortable position and ultimately dropped himself by his partner's side.

The blond eventually snuggled closer to Zoro's neck, slipping a hand over Zoro's body that came to rest on his chest before muttering quietly, "Hey, I might not have the right to ask you anything at this point, but… can I get your name?" Zoro didn't even have the time to think about it because the man soon made sure to add, "I'm Sanji, by the way."

Sanji, his heart repeated like a fool, knowing very well that the mysterious driver could be lying just to get some info out of him. Zoro learned not to trust people at a very young age, and couldn't help his instincts telling him to be wary of danger at all times. However, the experience they had shared moments ago was also whispering in his ears to believe in that man, to open the door locking his heart and invite the man inside, keeping him close and never let go.

"Zoro," he breathed at least, choosing a middle ground between shutting the blond out completely and giving his heart as a gift to someone he barely knew.

"Zoro…" he heard the man mumble to himself, and felt terrible for not being able to look him in the face while he repeated his name so lovingly. A short laughter escaped Sanji's lips a second later and he tangled one of his legs around Zoro's, intertwining their bodies even further. "Good night, Zoro," were the last words that escaped his mouth before Zoro could hear him snoring softly in his arms, completely vulnerable.

And once again Zoro decided to trust him.

Zoro was literally kicked awake a few hours later, waking up ready to break his driver into tiny little pieces as soon as the man let out a smug, "Wake up! Aren't you on the run? We have to get going." The outstanding bright smile lingering in Sanji's lips was only able to ease a little bit of Zoro's anger, making him decide to postpone his murderous plan for later instead of finishing the man on that very second.

A little bit after they left the place, Sanji's voice caught Zoro's attention again. "That bag of yours has a weird shape," he commented all of a sudden, quirking a brow in Zoro's face. Zoro had a black rectangular fencing bag that he carried over his shoulder, making it hard to miss. "I've never seen you take anything out of it, either. What do you have in there?"

Zoro pondered for a second whether he should tell his driver the truth or brush him away, ending up deciding to go with the first option.

"Swords," he said confidently, shutting Sanji up with a single word.

"You know, I don't think you should carry the murder weapon around so openly…" Sanji commented with concern after what felt like a very long time, making Zoro laugh.

"That's not it," he began, amused by the fact that the blond was still insisting on his crazy plot. "They're for practicing kendo. It's a sport."

"Oh," Sanji uttered quietly with his eye widened, genuinely surprised.

"One of the reasons why I like to work out is to maintain a good build for upcoming tournaments," Zoro explained, reminiscing on his previous entries.

"I see. That's pretty cool," his driver complimented eventually. "Have you ever won any?"

Zoro scoffed. "Like twenty of them," was his answer.

A melodic whistle left Sanji's lips at the info. "Ladies and gentlemen, we have a champion in our car," he joked, making Zoro smile. "Show me some moves when you can," he suggested at least, sending one of his gorgeous smirks in Zoro's way.

"Wanna learn how to plan your own murder, curly brows?" Zoro teased back, pushing a lively laugh out of Sanji's lungs.

"Was it that obvious?" He played along happily, leaving a cheerful atmosphere around them.

The two traveled a long distance together for another whole day, only stopping occasionally to eat and fuel until the sun was long gone from the sky. Sanji had also had a hard time finding a particular brand of cigarettes to smoke during their breaks because it was always out of stock wherever they passed by, which left the blond quite moody for a while.

Much like the previous day, they rode into the night for another long time before finding some place to eat and sleep, only being able to reach a motel connected to a gas station past 1 am. They left the car in the parking lot and quickly moved their things to their new room with two beds, yawning loudly along the way.

Sanji quickly locked himself up in the bathroom where he took a lengthy bath, returning half naked with a towel wrapped around his neck to retrieve his black comb before starting to patiently groom himself with lots of care in front of the mirror. Zoro watched him from his own bed with only one eye open through the whole process, trying to figure out the reason why Sanji took so much time working on his appearance — although he had to agree that the results were definitely pleasing to the eye.

Once he was satisfied with his reflection, Sanji put his towel back in the bathroom and plopped down on his bed with his legs crossed. "Not taking a bath again today?" He asked without bothering to look Zoro in the eyes.

"Nah," came Zoro's unbothered reply that twisted Sanji's features into a disapproving scowl for a fraction of second before it melted into a tired sigh.

"Suit yourself," he muttered at least, giving up on Zoro's hygiene habits.

It was obvious to Zoro that Sanji was still somewhat annoyed about his cigarettes and missed them greatly by the way he constantly moved his fingers and legs, unable to calm himself down. That's why his following suggestion didn't particularly come off as a surprise.

"Do you want to have sex?"

The question popped Zoro's closed eyes open instantly. He had leaned against the headboard with both arms behind his head to rest when Sanji's voice hit him inadvertently, and he honestly didn't think things through when he replied, "Sure." To be fair, it was hard for him to turn it down after the mind-blowing experience from last night.

His single word brought an impish smirk to the blond's features as he swiftly made his way to Zoro's bed, crawling to the greenhead's body like nothing else existed in the world. Sanji didn't waste a single second and quickly dove his fingers inside Zoro's pants to pull his member out, stroking it earnestly in order to make it grow and stiffen in his hands. After it was rock hard, he pulled his own underwear down and immediately climbed Zoro's lap, leaving a hand over Zoro's shirt for balance as he positioned the tip of the cock in his horny ass.

"Oi, wait-" Zoro gasped, slightly uncomfortable with the absurd speed from which things were unrolling between the two. He had to cut himself up when Sanji sat on top of his dick, swallowing it all at once with a brutal whack that made the back of Zoro's eyelids turn white. Shit.

Sanji's hole was so tight that it held an almost painful grip around Zoro's length, squeezing it extremely hard, and Zoro just knew that something like this would definitely hurt. When he sought his partner's eyes, however, he came across Sanji's eyelids closed shut, completely isolated. He ravished his own ass like a madman, piercing through his hole nonstop in front of Zoro albeit totally oblivious of his presence — and Zoro didn't like that. He didn't like to be used as a tool that hurt Sanji nor watch him shift between grimacing and moaning in his arms. They weren't connected like before, and even though his body thrived at the sensation, Zoro wasn't happy about it.

At some point, he decided to put an end to Sanji's solo act and tackled the man down into the bed, toppling over him from above and consequently slipping his dick out of Sanji's ass.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Sanji roared in anger, finally putting his deep blue eye in Zoro's face for once that night.

"I'm the one who should be asking that," was Zoro's answer; a low threat accompanied by a deadly glare. "This is completely different from last time."

Sanji propped himself on top of his forearms, getting closer to Zoro's face. "It's just sex! What's there to be different?" He argued, matching his partner's fury in his tone.

His comeback deepened the frown in Zoro's face. "You're the one who's different," he began, catching Sanji's chin under his hold. "Last night we were in sync, both willing to give and take pleasure from each other. Today you won't even bother to look me in the eye," he concluded bitterly, letting go of the blond's jaw with a frustrated snatch.

They spent a few seconds in silence staring at each other until Sanji narrowed his eyes. "You're a romantic," he spat, and Zoro could almost taste the poison in his tongue. "Definitely didn't seem like the type."

The conclusion he came up with left Zoro confused, because he most certainly didn't identify with the romantic type — on the contrary; many women had complained about his lack of tact at least a hundred times before. Was he missing something?

"I'm sorry, I won't be bringing this up with you anymore," Sanji's words cut through the wind like blades, instantly pulling Zoro out of his absent-mindedness. He then pushed Zoro's body away from him and jumped out of the bed, gathering his clothes and putting them back on hurriedly.

When Sanji put his shoes back on and aimed for the door, Zoro couldn't hold back the voice that rushed out of his lungs, "Where are you going?"

He heard a sigh before the answer arrived. "I'll go check the convenience store by the gas station and see if they have my cigarettes in stock," were the last words Sanji spared him before closing the door loudly on his back, leaving Zoro alone after what seemed like a long time.

Solitude, despite being unwanted, gave Zoro the opportunity to think. He figured out eventually that he must have let his guard down after the wonderful night he and Sanji spent together, and it blinded Zoro's most basic instincts of survival. He was falling into a dangerous trap thanks to the blond's undeniable charm and felt like he had finally snapped out of his enchantment after today's events.

He couldn't allow himself to trust Sanji so easily; they barely knew each other. Even if Sanji's blue eye conveyed his friendly nature and Zoro was sure that all of his smiles had been sincere. Even if they shared a special connection that day and had been getting along pretty well since the very beginning, he still shouldn't let his heart speak louder than his mind.

They were strangers who would be walking their own ways soon. Zoro had no right to get attached.

And yet…

Zoro couldn't help but think that there was something else.

His instincts have never been wrong before and they've been telling him that Sanji was a good person. Annoying, sure, but extremely gentle and kind hearted. He treated Zoro like a friend despite knowing nothing about him and this benevolence made Zoro feel at home, feel like he belonged.

He enjoyed being by Sanji's side, taking part in his stupid insinuations, bickering and laughing with him. It was easy, spontaneous. It was fun.

That's why he wanted to understand Sanji's motives. What has changed since last night? What did Zoro need to do to have a taste of that wonderful experience once more?

Sanji always seemed approachable, even when Zoro opted not to interact with him. He would return most of Zoro's glances with a quiet grin and often initiated small talk whenever he had the chance, dropping many cues for Zoro to join the conversation if he felt like it.

They weren't that close, but Zoro was sure that Sanji wouldn't deny him an explanation if he approached him right.

He would bet on that.

So once Zoro had settled his mind, he searched for his pair of shoes tossed in one corner of the room and left the room to look for his blond driver. He crossed the nearly empty parking lot and walked towards the gas station, where many truck drivers had parked to spend the night since they didn't have the money to invest in a room. While he was passing by one of the trucks, he started to hear low repeated grunts following a somewhat steady beat and immediately knew what it was about — it was no secret that gas stations full of lonely men were a popular spot for prostitution, and many hookers managed to get their hands on loads of money from unfaithful husbands and other love deprived old men.

Zoro would have ignored them if it weren't for a single phrase that barged into his ears in a perfectly understandable groan, "Lift your ass up for me, blondie."

A terrible thought had crossed Zoro's mind upon hearing this and he couldn't stop his feet from circling said truck, hearing all the libidinous noises of their intercourse the closer he got to their location and feeling his stomach knot at how familiar they sounded in his ears. When he finally reached the edge, Zoro peeked very slowly at the scene, already knowing what he would find.

A big old man was pounding Sanji's ass selfishly while the latter stared down, keeping both hands at the truck for support as he took the other in. Zoro wasn't able to see Sanji's face from his spot, but he would bet that the blond had his eyes shut close like he did on top of Zoro's lap.

It took Zoro a few seconds to realize that he was easily replaced, that Sanji wanted nothing more than his dick to satisfy his sexual needs, and as soon as he couldn't get it anymore, he would throw Zoro away like a piece of garbage.

He finally understood that Sanji didn't feel the same way about him, that his kindness was probably just politeness and he was using Zoro just like Zoro was using him to travel across the country.

There was nothing between them, which meant Zoro didn't even have the right to be mad about it. All that was left for him to do was swallow his boiling anger and go back to his room where he laid down, trying to put himself to sleep.

Sanji returned a few minutes later, locking himself in the bathroom again before falling on top of his own bed to rest while Zoro still fought to calm himself down on the other side of the room.

He ended up not getting a single second of sleep that night.

When the alarm went off, Zoro was wide awake in his bed. He heard Sanji turn off the annoying buzzing with a precise swipe on his phone screen before getting up after a long stretch and taking a smaller bag to the bathroom.

By the time he reentered the room, Zoro was already up and fully clothed, waiting on the edge of his bed.

The two checked out at the hotel and immediately hit the road for another long day of traveling after filling the fuel tank on their way out.

"The sun is merciless today, huh?" Sanji pointed out before fishing for his sunglasses inside the glove department. "Did you sleep well?" He asked at least, sending a curious gaze towards his passenger.

Zoro wasn't looking his way and didn't turn to look at him either. He just remained silent, not bothering to tell Sanji the details of his terrible sleepless night.

A heavy silence hovered between them until Sanji decided to break the ice. "Are you still mad about last night?"

More silence.

Then Sanji continued, "I'm sorry, Zoro. I just thought it would be nice to have some fun together."

Those words twisted something inside Zoro's stomach, and he knew he shouldn't butt into Sanji's business, but some darker sentiment took over him.

"Yeah," Zoro huffed, playing indifference. "That old geezer really looked like he was having a lot of fun, banging you behind his truck."

He didn't turn to look, but knew that Sanji was taken aback by surprise.

"So you saw…" Zoro heard him whisper very softly, not minding the uncomfortable silence that followed for another few moments before Sanji presented his excuse. "I'm sorry, I just really needed to get it out of my system somehow, and since you turned me down… I had to find somebody else."

A powerful wave of rage started to build within Zoro's gut at these words, making him bite his own lips with more force than necessary. In the end, it was just as Zoro had guessed; he was merely being used by Sanji as a means to vent, and that night didn't mean anything.

"Is that why you threw yourself in my arms the night when we first met? To get it out of your system?" Zoro countered full of hatred, finally sending a piercing gaze towards the man behind the wheel.

"What? No!" Sanji retorted right away, dissatisfied at Zoro's suspicion. "That had nothing to do with it. I was so attracted to you that night that I couldn't help myself," he was quick to explain, but his words weren't enough to subdue the storm raging inside Zoro's chest. Seeing how Zoro remained silent, he continued, "We shared a special bond back then, like two pieces that fit together. I've never felt anything like this before, and I'm sure you know what I'm talking about."

Zoro knew exactly what Sanji was referring to. They were so incredibly in sync before that Zoro felt like his very soul recognized the blond that night, like they used to be a couple a long time ago. He was never one to believe in fate or past lives, but the instantaneous connection they shared was strange in a way that was impossible to deny. The two of them had something — something that a single spark was able to turn into a raging fire capable of consuming their conscience in a matter of seconds.

"Zoro, I…" He was snapped out of his conturbed thoughts when he heard Sanji's voice by his side once more, throwing a glance at his driver from the corner of his eyes. Sanji struggled with his own words, needing to gulp down in order to continue, "Sometimes when I get too stressed, my mind starts to shove dangerous thoughts into my brain, and it gets really hard. The only thing that seems to calm me down and distract me from these thoughts is sex; rough, animalistic sex with no feelings attached."

The testimony left Zoro speechless. Not because he was particularly impacted by Sanji's words — he just couldn't find anything reasonable to say. He had met multiple people with all kinds of disorders in his life and all of them had a story he could sympathize with, which taught him not to judge hastily.

He's never been good with words, though.

As if realizing Zoro wouldn't comment on it, Sanji decided to reply in his place. "Disgusting, huh? But it's the truth," he spat, laughing at his own condition regardless of Zoro's opinion. "That's why… if you want to get out and look for someone better to travel with, I can stop the car whenever you need," came Sanji's eventual suggestion, accompanied by a sad smile. "You don't have to force yourself to travel with someone like me."

Sanji's words put a knot in Zoro's throat. He was mad at Sanji for not explaining things to him at the time, but also couldn't blame him for being cautious around someone he met the previous day. Despite their affinity, they didn't know each other enough to trust one another with their secrets, and it would be unwise to do so. But Zoro wanted to be trusted by him nonetheless, because he came to trust Sanji in the end himself.

He wanted to deepen their bond, or at least protect what they already had. He wanted to be there for Sanji.

"Next time you feel like this again…" Zoro began, not feeling the need to look his driver in the eyes, "...come to me. I'll take care of it."

There was no answer after that, but Zoro knew he had managed to deliver his message just fine. Now he just had to wait for Sanji to ponder his proposal and make his own choice, which Zoro had absolutely no way to influence.

They spent a good part of the day in silence, only spitting a few words here and there when they had to eat or fuel up the car. Sanji also smoked a lot throughout the trip, although it didn't particularly bother Zoro — he just happened to notice it from the corner of his eyes.

Night came by a lot slower this time, but even with the hours passing, Sanji didn't seem to want to take a break. They drove a pretty good distance thanks to that and reached parts of the country that Zoro had never seen before, so he didn't complain about it either. At some point, however, he heard Sanji gasping and abruptly slamming the break, making both of them fall forward before returning to their seats. "Shit," Sanji cursed under his breath, dropping his head against the wheel right after.

"Are you okay?" Zoro decided to ask, worried about the condition of his driver.

It took some time for his answer to arrive. "Yes. But I don't think I can drive anymore," Sanji confessed, putting his face up and steering the car out of the road before he fished for his phone inside his own pocket, browsing something in silence for a few seconds. "One hour away… Sorry, I thought I'd be able to make it," he said eventually, shoving the phone back into his pocket afterwards.

"It's fine. I don't mind sleeping in the car," Zoro let out after glancing at the convertible's panel that informed him of the time — 3:27 am. He heard Sanji sigh once more before the blond started to adjust the angle of his and Zoro's seat in order to make them less inclined. He then got out of the car and took one pillow and a blanket from the trunk, tossing them both in Zoro's direction on his way back to his own seat.

"Use these," he instructed, "I just need two or three hours of sleep before I'm ready to go."

Zoro took these words without saying anything in return, putting the pillow in the driver's seat and spreading the blanket over the two seats before Sanji could get in his way.

When the blond got back inside, he glared at Zoro's meddling as expected. "Those are for you only," he nagged while holding the pillow against his chest.

"I don't need it," Zoro countered, "I'd rather have you sleep comfortably so we can go back to traveling as soon as possible."

Sanji grew quiet at Zoro's logic and ultimately accepted the offer, laying his head down on the pillow and covering his body with his side of the blanket, turning his back on his passenger. Zoro just laid on his back and stared at the night sky above their heads, shutting his eyes once the dark hue started to remind him of Sanji's seductive gaze. He fell asleep not long after that, giving into the tiredness accumulated in his body which he didn't even notice until the very last moment.

By the time he woke up, the sun was already up in the sky illuminating the road with its bright rays of light, and when Zoro threw his gaze towards the driver's seat, he spotted Sanji leaning against the door from the outside with his head down while smoking a cigarette. As if noticing Zoro's staring on his back, the blond turned over his shoulder to check on his passenger a second later, stumbling onto Zoro's look midway. "Oh, you're up," he muttered as soon as their eyes met.

Zoro raised from his spot and adjusted the angle of his seat while Sanji picked up the blanket and folded it back into a perfect square before returning it to the trunk, taking his place behind the wheel as soon as he was done. "We'll be getting to our destination in approximately one hour," Sanji announced in the middle of steering his car back to the highway, his eye fixed in front of him.

"Did you sleep well?" Zoro decided to ask once he finished cleaning his eyes with a wipe of his palm.

"I've slept enough," Sanji uttered simply, dropping the sunglasses that hung over his head to cover his eyes instead.

Their drive was relatively short compared to the previous day and they were soon parking inside the hotel Sanji picked up for them where Sanji jumped out of the car hurriedly only to lean against the opened window to stare right at Zoro. "Hey, I'm running low on cash, so we'll be staying here for a while doing some part-time jobs until I raise enough money for another week or so," he explained briefly under his passenger's attentive gaze.

"You're running low on cash with a car like this?" Zoro wondered out loud, taking the opportunity to tease his driver while he was at it. "Now I get why you thought I was a robber, most people judge others by their own standards," he finished off with a smirk, pushing a chuckle out of Sanji's lungs with his remark.

After the cheerful laughter died in his mouth, Sanji hung his head low and muttered very softly, "Yeah, well, this was the only one I had, so…"

His somewhat slightly sad words made Zoro consider that maybe the blond bore more scars than his lovable personality allowed others to perceive hidden behind his annoyingly cocky façade. He didn't spend much time on the matter, though, since his driver quickly lifted his head and placed his endearing blue eye back at Zoro's face a little after. "I don't know how your savings are going, but I advise you to look for a part-time job as well since I won't be paying for your hotel fees nor your meals," he explained, taking the keys from the ignition before circling around the car to pick up his luggages from the trunk. Zoro ended up agreeing with the whole thing before accompanying Sanji through the check-in, just opting to take his bag with him instead of leaving it in their shared room like Sanji did.

On their way out of the hotel's front door, the blond turned on his heels while spinning the room key's chain on his pointer finger and said, "I'll be back to the hotel room at night with dinner. Good luck with your job hunt."

"You, too," Zoro managed to say to Sanji's back as soon as the man flipped around and continued his walk past the streets, lifting his right hand up in acknowledgement for Zoro's words without bothering to send a glance his way. Zoro continued to watch Sanji's back until the nostalgic loneliness made him sigh loudly, forcing him to gather his little motivation and explore the city while looking for some sort of job.

His day was much like all the other days he's had before running into Sanji — quiet, ordinary and awfully boring. At least he was lucky enough to find an old lady who agreed to hire him as a temporary assistant to help her move some boxes from her old store to the new one, so it wasn't all that bad.

When it was almost dark and he decided to go back to the hotel, Zoro got lost and had to ask for directions until he finally reached his destination, relieved to be the first one to arrive nevertheless. It didn't take long for Sanji to get there as well, carrying a couple of plastic bags in one of his hands as he barged through the door.

"Hey, are you hungry?" He asked with a beautiful grin on his way to putting his purchases over the countertop.

"Yeah," Zoro replied from his bed, changing from his lying position to a sitting one.

"I hope you like fish," Sanji said while organizing the many items he picked up for them to eat, awakening Zoro's curiosity and inviting him to get closer to the blond.

"I do. I actually love it," he confessed with a smirk as soon as he put his eyes on the appetizing fish steak Sanji took out of one of his bags.

"Well, luckily for you, that's what we'll be having," was Sanji's melodious reply once their eyes met over his shoulder. "I made sure to look for a hotel room that had a kitchen in it just so I could cook during these few days. It's a lot cheaper than eating out, and we really need to save money right now," he explained while exploring the cabinets and drawers, looking for the right utensils to prepare the dish he had in mind.

While Sanji dedicated himself to their supper, Zoro followed the movement of the man's hands as he started to work on the fish first, feeling antsy for not doing anything but watch. "Can I help with something?" He asked when the uneasiness in his guts was far too great to ignore.

His question threw a curious glance in his direction before Sanji could say, "You can get one of your swords and cut those vegetables if you want."

The suggestion was so ridiculous that Zoro automatically started to shake his head in disbelief. "I'm not using my swords for that."

Satisfied with Zoro's reaction, the blond grinned like a fox while going back to his preparations. "It was worth the try," he purred innocently.

Despite Sanji's stupid joke, Zoro decided to take care of the vegetables nonetheless (cutting them with a knife, obviously) and assisting in any minor task his driver shoved at him along the way until their meal was ready to be served.

Once the two were both sitting in their places with their plates full and ready to eat, Zoro heard Sanji ask casually with his cutlery in hand, "So, how was your day?"

He had to swallow down the food in his mouth in order to reply, "Same old. You?"

"I guess it was okay," Sanji said, rolling the piece of carrot on his plate before piercing it with his fork. "Where did you eat?"

The question forced Zoro to scavenge through his memories to remember. "It was a restaurant with a huge advertisement of their main dish, pork cutlets," he recalled in between munches.

"No shit! Me too!" Sanji exclaimed, all excited. "When did you go there? I'm sure I wouldn't have missed your marimo head if you walked in," he teased, lifting a brow in Zoro's features at the obvious provocation.

"Around two. Took me a while to decide where to eat," he admitted, completely ignoring Sanji's unnecessary comment about his unusual hair color.

"Ah, I see," was Sanji's reply accompanied by a slight drop in his enthusiasm. "I looked for a place to eat right after we parted, that's why we didn't run into each other. Too bad. We could have eaten together," he commented like he really wanted it to happen, and his tone made the food dance inside Zoro's stomach, all happy to hear it. When their gazes bumped into each other across the table again, another question flew Zoro's way. "And the job hunt? Any luck?"

A quiet nod preceded his reply, "I'll be helping a granny relocate her store to a new place."

Sanji let out an impressed exclamation upon hearing this. "You know, I had this feeling you'd be the grandma's type," he mocked with his classic charming slash annoying smile, forcing a smirk out of Zoro's face.

"Shut up," he retorted, the smile plastered in his face making it impossible to deny his amusement. "What about you? Found a good victim to extort?"

The laughter that sprang from Sanji's throat at his words made Zoro's heart jump like crazy in his chest. "Unfortunately, no," Sanji played along, equally amused by their silly bickering. "I found myself a job in a restaurant as a substitute chef, though. Gotta start at six tomorrow morning and leave at ten pm."

After swallowing down his food, Zoro muttered, "That sounds like a lot."

He had to wait for Sanji to finish munching to get an answer. "Yeah, but the money is worth it," was his reply.

"In terms of qualification you have what it takes, at least. This fish is excellent," Zoro complimented truthfully — it was really one of the best he's ever had.

His words pulled a chuckle out of Sanji's lungs again. "You can't judge my ability over a dish this simple," he pointed out as he reached for his glass of water, taking a little sip before elegantly wiping the napkin over his lips. "But I'll tell you a secret: I'm actually pretty damn good at cooking."

Zoro smiled at the statement, having too much food in his mouth to give a reply for now while Sanji took the cue to say, "I think we're close enough to share a little bit more about ourselves… Maybe one day you'll tell me how your murder went."

"And you'll tell me how you steal people," Zoro added happily to match the blond's assertion, making the latter crack a laugh.

"Yeah. Maybe," were his final words on the matter.

When they were almost finished with their meals, Zoro figured he'd say, "I actually wanted to help with the car expenses since we're discussing our budgets."

Sanji looked up at him with his mouth full and said, "No way. The car is my responsibility, not yours. You're just a passenger."

"I think we've traveled together for too long for me to be considered just that," Zoro pointed out, earning a dissatisfied leer from his driver as a result.

They both kept silent until they cleaned their plates and Sanji left his chair to pick something inside one of his luggages, returning with a black bucket hat in hand which he dropped on top of the table with its opening facing up. Zoro just eyed the headpiece with confusion, seeking Sanji's gaze for an answer. "What are you doing?" He asked after giving up on trying to decipher the reason behind the blond's actions on his own.

Sanji continued to pile up their dishware before replying, "You wanted to help, right? This is going to be our shared savings for car expenses. I'll let you decide how much you want to donate for it."

When Sanji left to put the dishes inside the dishwasher, Zoro followed the man with his eyes, turning around with one arm over the backrest as he watched his driver knowledgeably arrange the plates, glasses and cutlery into the little space he had. "So you agree that I'm not just a passenger anymore," he muttered from his spot, a conceited grin plastered on his face.

With a brief glance over his shoulder, Sanji's lips moved to utter, "I agree that you should pay for the trip if you plan on extending it indefinitely."

Zoro spent a minute in silence with his thoughts before saying, "I never planned anything, it just happened to be convenient for me since we both seem to have similar objectives."

Sanji also grew quiet at these words, arranging their dishwasher at a very slow pace until he decided to let out one final phrase to complete Zoro's. "Getting as far away from everything as possible," he voiced with a somewhat melancholic tone.

The two of them were undeniably alike. Even if their reasons or motives were different, nothing could change the fact that they both aimed for the same thing at the moment and this feeling they carried in their hearts was both liberating and excruciating at the same time. They had to get out, to go far — it didn't matter where.

Being away was enough…

…but being with someone was better.

When there were only a few pieces left to be put into the dishwasher, Zoro walked to where Sanji was and handed him the final glass, accompanied by a single word, "Exactly."

The sympathetic smile that curled the corners of Sanji's lips at the sight of Zoro helping him out was really attractive, and Zoro wished he could have been able to stare at it for longer before the blond raised to his feet and turned around. "You're free to stay as long as you want, Zoro," were the words that left Sanji's lips as he walked away.

"I will," Zoro replied simply, earning another warm grin from his driver before the man locked himself inside the bathroom to take a shower.

As soon as he finished up his bath, Sanji plopped down onto his own bed and ducked under the covers saying he'd like to sleep early because he'd have to wake up at daybreak tomorrow. Zoro naturally didn't protest and even cooperated by not staying up too late himself, knowing that he was also just as sleep deprived.

Luckily he didn't have any trouble falling asleep and was able to black out almost instantly, more than happy to submit to a good night of sleep that'd recover his stamina for a brand new day of labor ahead of him. He woke up to the sound of Sanji's alarm ringing on the following day and joined the blond on the breakfast they were able to assemble with the leftovers from last night.

Sanji left soon after that, promising to bring over some food with him for the two of them to dine together before disappearing through the door as soon as Zoro wished him good luck on the first day of his new job.

Since he still had some time to kill before his appointment with the granny, Zoro took the opportunity to walk around the city more freely, using those couple of hours to exercise a little before going to work. When he managed to locate the shop after some missed turns, his boss was already outside sweeping the sidewalk with an old broom and waved at him cheerfully to catch his attention.

Zoro helped the old lady carry the boxes with a lot of commitment and his hard work brought him the bonus of a free meal on top of his pre-established payment, making him even more motivated to continue doing his job. The grandma ended up liking Zoro so much that she found another task for him to carry out the very next day, which Zoro truthfully thanked and appreciated.

Back to the hotel room by the end of the day, Zoro did everything he could think of to pass the time while Sanji didn't return: he treated his swords, did some push ups, browsed some TV and even took a shower for the first time in days. When he finally heard the sound of the door unlocking, he was spread out on top of his own bed and turned his head up out of instinct alone, much like a dog that recognizes the sound of his owner coming back home.

The door gave way for a very tired looking Sanji to get inside and their eyes bumped into each other almost by mistake, automatically lifting up a tiny grin on the blond's fatigued expression. "Hey. I'm back," he muttered in a much lower voice that Zoro was used to hearing.

"Welcome," Zoro greeted while raising to a sitting position. "How was your first day?" He asked right after.

A heavy sigh came out of Sanji's lungs before his answer arrived. "Awful," he muttered, not aiming his gaze at Zoro's sharp eyes as he dragged himself to the kitchen with a single plastic bag in hand. "I hope you don't mind eating leftovers from the restaurant," he blurted while working on picking up take-out containers from the bag.

"Not at all," was Zoro's immediate response. He was already getting food for free, there's no way he'd be picky about it.

Given Sanji's evident bad mood, Zoro thought it'd be better not to pry and let the blond decide whether he wanted to vent with Zoro or not — which understandably didn't happen. They ate mostly in silence, although Zoro did try to start some small talk by saying he'd still be helping the granny the next day, at which Sanji tried his best to smile and replied he was happy for Zoro despite losing interest the very next second.

After dinner, they both went to their own beds where Zoro leaned back against his pillow with a hand behind his head while Sanji smoked a cigarette with his back turned at Zoro, seeming absolutely catatonic.

From the corner of his eyes, Zoro was able to see Sanji's head hanging low as the blond smoked in silence, even though Zoro could still catch up the noise of the constant fumbling of Sanji's fingers delivered to the pack of cigarettes in his hands, opening and closing it down repeatedly, turning it around or tossing it from one hand to another between the man's thighs.

The ominous heavy atmosphere hovering around the cook reminded Zoro of the man's words back when he had opened up about his condition for the first time, explaining to Zoro how his mind behaved when under too much stress. The current situation seemed to fall into Sanji's description all too well, allowing Zoro to practically feel the symptoms crawling into Sanji and taking over the man little by little, eating up his mind with those quoted dangerous thoughts.

Sanji was obviously under a lot of stress. Low on cash, working too much, sleeping too little, spending his day in a nerve-wrecking environment only to come back to his room and be forced to bottle it all up because of a random guy he decided to pick up at the side of the road. Zoro could understand that, but also thought it didn't have to be so hard. He didn't have to be another hindrance in Sanji's life, especially not when he was already aware of the other's needs.

He'd rather be a solution.

Zoro then closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, putting himself on his feet and walking to Sanji's bed. When the weight of his knee shifted the mattress underneath, Sanji's gaze flew to his back, crashing onto Zoro's presence with visible astonishment as the latter continuously leaned closer, plucking the cigarette from Sanji's mouth before he could replace it with his very own lips.

The kiss was certainly unexpected, but Sanji submitted to it as soon as Zoro started to move his mouth full of passion, trapping the blond into its rhythm. Zoro also took advantage of being in the lead to push Sanji down into the sheets, stubbing out the cigarette in his fingers on the ashtray by Sanji's nightstand during his descent.

By the time Sanji's back reached the bed, his two hands had already climbed up to Zoro's back, clinging to it full of greed as they continued to kiss. A muted gasp escaped Sanji's lips the moment Zoro sneaked a hand to the man's pants, working on unfastening the belt under his pads and rapidly pulling the piece down alongside Sanji's underwear to expose his limp dick and twitching asshole.

He didn't waste any time explaining or teasing his driver, just lifted the blond's legs and positioned himself in front of Sanji's ass before taking his own cock out and giving it a few strokes to make it grow hard enough to slip it inside his partner's entrance without any preparation.

Sanji shut his eyes and bit down a whimper as soon as his ass was filled, digging his fingers down Zoro's skin in pain at the same time his legs spread out further for the other. Sanji wanted this, and that's what made Zoro push deeper into the hole, trying to focus on his own pleasure instead of Sanji's regardless of his own heart's protests. The extreme tightness of the enclosure bared the uncomfortable but Zoro kept shoving his length over and over again, loosening up the cramped walls by force until they wrapped around him with just the right amount of strength.

When his eyes focused on Sanji's expression below — the same distant and slightly pained look he saw that last time — he opted to close his eyes as well and bury his face next to Sanji, knowing that he could get discouraged if he spent too much time looking at it.

He had promised to help, and intended to do it all the way if that's what it'd take to make Sanji feel better. So once he ejaculated inside, he flipped Sanji around and immediately started to fuck him again, finding no defiance from the man below who simply moaned at the second penetration, lifting his ass up on reflex.

Zoro then rushed through his orgasm, feeling considerably relieved for not having to stare at Sanji's features as he thrusted like a beast, violating his driver's ass mercilessly just like he saw that old man doing on the back of that truck. Within his line of sight, Zoro was able to see that Sanji had brought both hands up and clasped at the pillow from its sides as he took in Zoro's whacks without uttering a single word, making it impossible for Zoro to guess if the man was enjoying it or not. He probably wasn't, physically at least, but maybe his mind was delighted to be able to focus on something else, and that seemed to be the whole point.

After coming the second time, Zoro took a longer break to catch his breath, panting loudly with his dick still stuck inside Sanji's asshole and while he was at it, a muffled voice reached his ears from below saying, "More… give me more, please."

These words flipped a switch inside his brain, not only because Sanji had spoken with an incredibly sexy voice, but because he was asking Zoro to do it himself. The consent turned Zoro's reluctance into confidence, causing him to dive into Sanji's neck from above and bite down hard enough to leave a mark before he could shove his pumping erection right into the blond's sweet spot, pushing a cracked howl out of Sanji's lungs. Zoro continued to slam his hips against Sanji's ass fiercely after that, rocking his partner's body along with him on each new violent encounter as his fingers clenched firmly around Sanji's waist, keeping him in place. He was able to hear Sanji's voice moaning when they got too close to their climax and it all the more boosted his drive to pursue his release, increasing the speed and might of his bucks until they collided one last time with a strong impact, remaining locked for exactly one second before the inertia made Zoro continue to deliver shorter thrusts while his seeds stuffed Sanji's hole with even more cum.

Already knowing that Sanji wouldn't be satisfied with just this, Zoro pushed the blond's loin down until his partner's knees gave in and he fell flat on the mattress, allowing Zoro to mount him and fuck him in that new position.

As soon as he had reached a steady pace, he heard Sanji's voice mewling, "Oh, yes…!"

The satisfied interjection put a smirk on Zoro's lips as he repeatedly forced his groin against Sanji, groping at the man's ass relentlessly with the clear intention of bruising it up from multiple directions. They both came rather quickly thanks to the brutal speed of their clashes but Zoro soon engaged in another round by laying down next to Sanji and lifting up one of the blond's legs, gluing the man's back to his own chest as he penetrated him from behind. This time Zoro actually felt Sanji meeting his thrusts like he was conscious of the act and wanted to enjoy it as well, reaching out to place a hand on the back of Zoro's head while his face turned at the greenhead's direction seeking the latter's gaze. "Zoro," Sanji called in between wheezes full of devotion, attracting Zoro to his beautiful parted lips until he could claim them with undeniable desire, feeling his entire body scorching at the sensation of having Sanji's attention pinned to him only while they mated splendidly.

Their tongues only stopped tasting each other when the two of them were too high on their lust and had to part in order to fill their lungs with air, replacing the sound of loud smacks with labored breathing and slaps of skin against skin until they both groaned loudly upon attaining their ecstatic orgasm.

Zoro brought Sanji's leg down as soon as they both stopped moving, rolling over his back with a hand behind his head to regain his breath after their intensive sex session. They spent a long time in silence before Zoro could hear Sanji's voice again — a whispered tone that carried too much shame as it said from his back, "I'm sorry about that."

After shifting against the pillow for a moment, Zoro replied, "You don't have to apologize, it's not like I wasn't taking pleasure in it as well." More silence proceeded his words until Sanji decided to start a new topic, still not turning around to look at Zoro and instead just remaining in the same position of lying with his back to the other.

"...you must be the compensation for everything I've been through. Considerate, good looking… and willing to put up with my shit. You're honestly so much more than I could have ever asked for."

Hearing Sanji's testimony made Zoro frown. "Fuck that, I don't want you to put me in a stupid pedestal," he barked right away. "You should just be glad you found someone as shitty as you are."

His answer managed to push a chuckle out of Sanji's lungs, although it died way too quick for Zoro's liking. When the blond spoke up again, his voice sounded a lot happier than before. "…Hey, Zoro… I think I might be falling for you," he admitted softly, picking up the attention of Zoro's gaze that was able to recognize a faint tint of pink coloring Sanji's shoulders, neck and ears from the corner of his eyes.

Feeling his chest grow at the confession with both pride and affection, Zoro scoffed, all full of himself, wiggling against the pillow for a more comfortable position before saying, "Serves you right. Have a taste of your own medicine."

Upon hearing these words, Sanji turned to look at Zoro from over his shoulder with a consternated expression. "You're already…?" He cut himself in the middle of his own phrase, and Zoro could almost hear the gears turning inside his head. "You fell for me on that first night," he concluded with widened eyes, "Fuck… you shouldn't leave your heart so vulnerable like that," Sanji condemned, although his words sounded more worried than reprimanding.

Still, Zoro was quick to deny. "I don't," he explained, "this is the first time I've ever felt this way."

Sanji then propped himself on top of both of his elbows, looking down at the mattress while his mind wandered. "So you've never had sex with someone you loved before?" He asked before making a little pause. "You don't seem to be a virgin," he pointed out eventually, giving Zoro a subtle glance.

"No, but I've slept with many women already," Zoro confessed, not turning to meet Sanji's gaze just yet.

"Prostitutes?"

Zoro narrowed his eyes, scratching his nape as he gave out his reply. "Been in a few parties with some friends that enjoyed those, but it's usually just casual sex with people I barely know," he explained eventually, finally linking their gazes when he propped himself over one of his elbows as well. "Have you ever been with a woman before or do you only fancy men?" Zoro asked casually, out of curiosity alone.

His question made Sanji turn away from his eyes once more. "On the contrary… I think I like them too much to expose them to someone like me," were Sanji's words, heavy with sorrow.

"Gee, thanks," Zoro scoffed, rolling back to the pillow while doing so.

"Idiot. You're different," he heard Sanji say with an evident improvement in his mood. "I knew you could handle me right from the start just by looking at you."

This piece of info ended up picking up Zoro's interest, making a brow lift on his face. "Looks can be deceiving, you said so yourself," he argued.

Sanji dropped his head with a tired smile, letting it hang low in silence for a few minutes before he could elaborate. "I've learned to tell the character of a person by the looks alone during those years I've been traveling on my own," there was a brief pause where he scratched the edges of the pillow touching his fingers before continuing, "that's how I choose people in times of need. I pick those that won't treat me nicely."

With a turn of his head that allowed him to catch a glimpse of Sanji's profile staring at the pillow, Zoro asked, "That's what made you stop the car for me?"

The corners of Sanji's lips lifted at these words before he redirected his gaze to Zoro's face. "No. I just thought you were hot," came his shameless reply that made Zoro huff a short laugh and drop his own face as well, feeling his cheeks uncomfortably warm. When their gazes found their ways back to each other, Sanji added, "Listen… I want you to know that you're free to leave whenever you want."

Zoro immediately rolled his eyes at the topic, not in the mood for Sanji's self-depreciating speech, "You already said that before."

"I know, but I feel like I have to remind you," Sanji said before continuing, "This week is probably going to be… hard. I usually push myself to the point where I crave… that. Everyday."

Hearing Sanji's words made Zoro's lips tweak into a ridiculous smirk and an interested hum leave his throat as he rested a palm against one of his cheeks like he wanted to hear more, making Sanji laugh at his reaction.

"Stop. I'm serious," he insisted once the laughter died in his lungs.

"I fail to see how that's bad for me, you're basically offering me free sex every night. I'm definitely not complaining," Zoro justified nonchalantly with a shrug.

Sanji scoffed and rolled his eyes, although Zoro could see that his lips still bore a discreet smile. "You're ridiculous," he ended up saying at least.

"And you worry too much," Zoro shot back, getting himself more comfortable against the pillow and closing his eyes.

A short silence hovered between them before Sanji could get back to the topic and argue, "You didn't like it the first time."

Zoro's eyes popped open at these words, making him glare at the ceiling before voicing his answer, "Because I thought it was the same thing. Now that I know it's not, I can see it with a different perspective."

At that time, he thought Sanji intended to repeat the events of their first night instead of using him as a way to vent. Maybe Sanji genuinely thought Zoro wouldn't notice the difference and wanted it to be pleasurable for both of them, even though he was well aware of his own state of mind. Unfortunately Zoro was too far gone to settle down for just sex with his driver and wanted them to be connected in order to truly enjoy it, like before. Sanji's body wouldn't be enough because Zoro desired his mind as well, and that's something Sanji probably fail to consider when he made his proposal so casually back then.

Now that Zoro knew about Sanji's secret, he was able to tell the two things apart from each other and see them for what they really were. He could help Sanji with his knowledge, give him what he needed without damaging his or Sanji's pride — and he'd gladly do it, no matter how many days, no matter how many times.

When his golden eyes chased after Sanji's by his side, he saw the blond smiling sweetly with a delicate blush painting his cheeks, and the sight tossed Zoro's heart out of his ribcage and right into the sky. By the time it fell back into his chest, Sanji had dropped his head over Zoro's shoulder, cuddling against him very naturally until they were both cozy in each other's reach. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me," he heard Sanji mutter at some point as the man drew circles over Zoro's bare skin, choosing to reply with a kiss of his own, placed on top of Sanji's smooth blond hair.

He was sure that Sanji was the best thing that's ever happened to him as well.

The following days were less awkward between the two of them since they were both aware of each other's feelings, which allowed them to ignore the foreplay entirely and throw themselves into each other's arms without any shame. Sanji would reach for Zoro's lips as soon as he stepped inside the room, breathing a hushed, "Take me," into Zoro's mouth that would lead to the greenhead fucking him right on the spot, smashing him against the table or banging him while holding him against a wall. They were loud and hungry and desperate whenever they had sex, occupying their minds with nothing but pain and pleasure until Sanji started to moan, bouncing back to Zoro's thrusts and giving way for his heart to take over, letting himself feel the warmth of his partner instead of shutting down to everything around him — and that's when Zoro would really enjoy himself.

Once Sanji was better, they would share a meal and chat about their days, jumping onto the bed to sleep or have another more meaningful round. They decided to change rooms on the third day, moving to another suite that had a double bed since they always ended up sleeping together anyway and it also happened to be a little cheaper. Their shared-finances-hat was getting more and more full of bills as the days passed by until it reached the point where they had raised enough money to get back to the road, waving goodbye to the small town as they went back to their objective of traveling farther, not knowing where it would lead.

Their relationship changed a lot after that, becoming more funny and intimate — they started to call each other names, teased themselves with surprise kisses and gropes, joked about things they refused to share and entangled their hands in silence while Sanji drove through the sunset. But despite all the obvious signs, Sanji still made sure to remind Zoro that he could leave whenever he felt like and they never admitted how much they wanted to be together, keeping their relationship under the safe label of convenient traveling partner that could be gone in the very next second.

This condition changed when Sanji stopped by a gas station to fuel and Zoro decided to take a walk around the place to stretch his legs after so many hours of traveling. They were in the middle of the road, which meant Zoro could only explore the station (that had too many people) or step into the sideway and walk through the grassland in front of them, opting to go with the latter.

Sanji warned him it was dangerous to wander alone in the middle of nowhere but Zoro decided to risk it anyway because he really needed to move his legs a bit, hearing his grumpy driver complaining on his back that he wouldn't look for Zoro if the greenhead ended up getting himself lost who-knows-where, like Zoro actually gave a shit about any of that. He ignored Sanji's annoying blabbering and crossed the road to the other side where he lost track of the time while focusing on dodging rocks and bushes, losing sight of his starting point by the time he made a stop to look around; there was only medium-sized trees, a couple of thickets and a lot of dirt all over the place, extending as far as the eyes could see.

Okay, maybe he was a little lost.

He tried to find his way back to the gas station, but the more he walked, the less familiar things looked in his eyes. Or maybe everything looked so familiar that he couldn't even choose where not to go — he honestly couldn't say. But just when he was about to reach for the phone in his pocket, he heard someone calling him from not so far away, making him immediately turn towards the source of the voice and put his eyes on the best solution he could have asked for.

Sanji was walking in his direction with heavy stomps and a really mad expression that Zoro couldn't help but find adorable, like a ray of light breaking through the dark clouds of damnation that tried to swallow him down from every direction.

"There you are!" He heard Sanji shout, still visibly angry.

With a cocky smirk playing on his lips, Zoro made his way to his driver, never having felt so happy to see him. "I thought you wouldn't look for me?" He teased while avoiding a particularly tall bush with a raise of his right leg.

"Well, excuse me for not allowing you to die in the middle of nowhere. Some people have consideration for others," was Sanji's argument as he reached out for Zoro's wrist, dragging him back like he was a lost child.

"I would have come back," Zoro huffed stubbornly. Even if it did take him some time, he planned to continue traveling by Sanji's side all along. He wouldn't have it any other way. "Even if you left without me, I'd look for you nonetheless."

Sanji didn't look into Zoro's face when he replied, but the greenhead noticed a squeeze in their connected hands before his voice came, "I wouldn't leave you, idiot."

These words made Zoro's chest float with pride — maybe even love — before he could put it back into place. "Because you have consideration for others?" He provoked with a side grin, wanting to maintain that playful aura around them.

His teasing hit the right nerve and made Sanji snap back, "Because you're hopeless without me."

Zoro laughed triumphantly at the reaction, having too much fun with their bickering. "Isn't it the other way around?" He pressed, still engaged in keeping their quarreling going.

"No, I was doing just fine before finding you," Sanji retorted straight away.

"I was pretty good myself, too," Zoro shrugged, not really minding the way Sanji continued to pull him around like a kid.

"Yeah, right," Sanji scoffed, flipping his hair to the side, "I bet you would have died if I hadn't found you that day."

These words made Zoro roll his eyes. "So dramatic," he complained, "I would have survived one way or another."

"Maybe," came Sanji's reply, full of disbelief. "But what kind of life you'd be having now?" He asked afterwards with a tilt of his head that allowed him to peek over his own shoulder.

After their gazes met, Zoro answered, "The same type of life you had before you ran into me."

There was a brief moment of silence before Sanji straightened his head back and puffed, "So a shitty one."

With a raise of his brow, Zoro questioned, "I thought you were just fine without me?"

"That's-" Sanji started, only to interrupt himself midway with a frustrated groan, turning his body to Zoro in order to complete his reasoning. "It was fine. Being fine doesn't mean good. I was barely making it through each day."

Seeing how unsettled the other was, Zoro decided to ask very carefully, "...and now…?"

The strong resolution inside Sanji's deep blue eye made Zoro have the impression that he'd fallen in love all over again, almost missing the exact instant when the blond's answer arrived, "…now I have a reason to look up for tomorrow."

This testimony gave Zoro the certainty that he'd most definitely been hit with another blow in his heart, shaking him to his very core as he remained immovable, staring back at the canvas of Sanji's pupils like they were the most beautiful work of art, and he would have stayed there for who knows how long if the blond hadn't chosen to turn back and resume their walk by saying, "Come on, let's get back to the car."

It took Zoro some time to assimilate Sanji's words. They continued to twirl around his head, sprinkling little bits of happiness until a big grin took over his lips and allowed him to utter, "You make things much more enjoyable for me."

Sanji laughed at this as he continued to stride forward, not sparing Zoro a glance behind while saying, "Yeah, well, I have to admit I'm a pretty good company."

Despite Sanji's ridiculous remark, Zoro was feeling so happy that he ended up agreeing, "You are." And then added, "It makes me never want to leave your side."

His response made Sanji look over his shoulder with a somewhat surprised look before it melted down into a lovely smirk and he redirected his gaze to the pathway in front of them. "Then don't," Zoro heard him say, full of confidence. "You're free to go whenever you want, but you're also free to stay as much as you want."

Narrowing his eyes fondly with a tender smile at this reassuring reply, Zoro admitted, "I like this version better."

He then felt a gentle squeeze in his hand that pinned his eyes to their intertwined fingers, knowing in his heart that this was Sanji's way to say he also wanted them to be together.

"Let's go, Zoro. As far as we can," Sanji proposed at last, and Zoro was finally able to spot the gas station on the horizon upon hearing this.

"Yeah," he simply said, extremely grateful for his path to have crossed Sanji's in the complicated web of fate that had tied him to someone so terribly messy and still absolutely perfect for him.

Before this all started, Zoro just wanted to get far — far enough for no one to be able to recognize him, to get a fresh start. But with Sanji by his side, he now knew he could go so much farther than that.