Work Text:
“Zoro is Sanji soulmate.” Luffy stated like it was the most obvious thing on the planet.
It wasn’t uncommon for people to speculate about their soulmarks. Which often became the topic of group conversation. So it was only inevitable that the crew finally started sharing their stories. Leading to Sanjis least favorite part, having to confess that he doesn’t have one.
It took him back to his childhood. Judge and his brothers would use it as proof that he wasn’t loveable. That even the universe deemed him a worthless failure. Part of him alway knew they were right. The other part vaguely acknowledged that neither of his brothers seem to have any marks either, and if that made him worthless it should be universal. But somehow, they all convinced him that wasn’t the case.
Regardless, he still sat at the kitchen table stunned by his captains words. It was a painful silence. A declaration made of a hope he kept secret, or at least he thought he did. Sanji had known about his crush on the stupid swordsman for a while now, but crushes mean nothing when there’s no soul mark to match. Sure people defy their marks all the time. Hell, not every mark is even romantic in nature. But something deep down in Sanjis romantic heart aches for Luffy to be right.
“Zoro doesn’t talk. That’s why Sanji doesn’t have words. But you can tell.” Another declaration made by Luffy. Sanji desperately wanted Nami to punch him in the head to shut him up. But like Sanji, and the rest of the crew, she sat there stunned. It wasn’t often that Luffy made sense, but sometimes he could be scarily intelligent.
“I mean. What are the odds?” Robin broke the silence. “There aren’t many people who choose not to talk, and even less who don’t have a mark. The odd that those people meet and become as close as-.”
“We are not close!” Finally protested Sanji in a huff. It was true. There was nothing close about his and Zoros relationship. They didn’t even like each other. All they did was fight, and argue. Which within itself was crazy, he constantly got into shouting matches with someone who didn’t even shout back. Even without the shouting Zoro was always there matching his energy with sarcastic gestures, and existing in such an infuriating way that Sanjis skin boiled and his heartbeat rapidly.
Sanji knew it was a bad idea to look at Zoro. He knew that if he did he’d find Zoro staring right at him. Sanji could swear he could feel himself burn whenever the idiot was staring at him. But he did anyway, and the idiot was smiling. Not smiling, smirking. Smirking as if he enjoyed how this conversation was making Sanji squirm, as it he knew he had gotten himself right under Sanjis skin. It pissed him off so much. His heartbeat quickened, his cheeks went flush, and his palms became sweaty- sweaty with angry Sanji swears.
He couldn’t take it anymore. The scuff of his chair halted the conversation the crew was having in attempts to disprove his statement. Picking up his plate he finally broke the eye contact him and Zoro had been holding. Undoubtedly, meaning he lost. There had to’ve been some truth to Luffys words, but Sanji didn’t want to think about it anymore, so he started the dishes.
After Sanji stood up, and Nami smacked Luffy upside the head, the conversation shifted onto a different topic until everyone left the kitchen. Almost everyone that is. Sanji was burning again. The back of his head, well the nape of his neck rather.
“Stop looking at me so hard idiot. I can feel your stupid eyes on me”. He didn’t bother turning around. Didn’t want to actually. Unfortunately for him, he didn’t have to be looking at the idiot to be able to know exactly what he was thinking.
Maybe looking wasn’t some bad, Sanji soon started thinking. He could feel the heat of Zoro closing the distance between them. Regardless of how inviting the warmth radiating behind him was, he refused to turn around.
Annoyed Zoro let out a grunt. He clearly wanted Sanjis attention. The desire to tell him something only halted by a vow of silence and a stubborn cook. But he wasn’t going to let that stop him.
Zoro uncoiled the green wrap from around his waist and placed it on the counter next to Sanji. A move so bazar the cook couldn’t comprehend what he was thinking. Finally turning, Sanji was met with Zoro half way in the process of exposing himself. Lifting his pale shirt, exposing amber tanned skin, well defined abdomen muscles, and large pecks. Utterly baffled Sanjis mouth went dry.
“What the hell are you doing in my kitchen?” Shouted a startled Sanji. For some reason he was panicking, and sweaty- very sweaty.
Zoro didn’t respond. He just throw his shirt down. The next move was one Sanji could not fathom. As Zoro reached for his pants, every hair on Sanjis body stood. He had already been avoiding something else that was starting to stand, but now his whole body was in fire. Completely baffled by what was happening in his kitchen.
Then he saw it. Zoro had just gotten the button to his pants undone which caused them to sit lower on his hips. Lettering. It looked like a tattoo, but I mistakenly different. The ink didn’t seem to be smudged at the edges, and before he could even continue his thought Zoro had pulled down the waist ban of his underwear.
It was a bit overwhelming for Sanji. Having to ignore how perfectly define the v-shape on Zoros body was, and how curious he was of just exactly what the path of moss lead to. Once Sanji finally pieced together what Zoro was actually exposing, those things didn’t seem nearly as interesting.
Plane as day. Written right about Zoros pubic line in an ink that seems to exist on top of his skin instead of infused with it.
‘Hey, Mosshead’.
There was a silence. As Zoro stood there basically flashing him, all Sanji could do was stare. Not stare, read. Over and over again Sanji read those words. He knew exactly what they were referencing. A scene so clear as if he was still kneeling back on the Baraties floor in front of the lovely Nami for the first time. Seeing her with such a stupid looking brute, with green mossy hair. A brute that stared at him in such a mocking way.
Sanji was finally back in the Sunny. He waa breathing again. His eyes made there way to meet Zoros- they might’ve taken some time to get there though.
“So, you’ve known the whole time?” Sanji straightened himself, letting out a breath he hadn’t realize he was holding. “Why didn’t you say anything?” He took out and lit a cigarette.
Zoro just stood there. Half naked, completely exposed. Cocking an eyebrow as if what Sanji said was the stupidest thing he’s ever heard. It was kinda stupid though, even Sanji could admit that.
They stood like that for a minute. Sanji soaked up what this meant. Zoro giving him the time to do so. Unlit Sanjis cigarette began to run out, and his breath slowly start to shorten. Soon the tears slowly started to fall. He didn’t run. The idea of Zoro seeing him like this was horrible but they both knew they were past that. He did turn away though. A small but effective shield. Zoro didn’t need to know what having a soulmate meant for Sanji. That having one felt like the universes way of disproving his fathers judgements. Or validating him above his brothers. Zoro had already known that Sanjis bare skin was a point of sorrow. One that made all of the flirting he did with the women he saw hallow. Sanji was too much of a romantic for his bare skin not to hold some weight.
Sanjis tears started to dry, and his shoulders calm. He turned back towards Zoro. There were still things they needed figure out. Meaning to place onto this. Dread started to consume the comfort Sanji had got only a brief moment ago.
As if able to read Sanjis thoughts Zoro closed the distance between them. A simple actual that would answer all questions that could possibly be asked in the moment. A firm, self assured, reliable answer. A kiss.
It took Sanji a second to respond. To also answer the question. But he did. He kissed Zoro back. Hands coming up to Zoros face, fingers kneading through seagrass. As if invited, Zoro did the same. His hands only found Sanjis face for a second before firmly placing themselves in Sanjis hair. A pull. The kiss broke as Sanjis head was pulled back, neck becoming exposed.
“Zoro,” was all he could manage before he fled his neck being attacked.
Zoro firmly held Sanjis head out of the way has he kissed, sucked, and bit Sanjis neck. Sanji hand half the back of of Zoros head. Hands tightly gripped, but not pulling, holding. They both knew exactly what Zoro was doing, and Sanji needed it.
After moving to a few different spots along Sanjis neck and collar back Zoro finally pulled away. The only thing that could be heard in the kitchen was their panting. Zoro stood there, eyes the work he did with a smug smirk on his face. Sanji was disheveled. The buttons on his shirt undone, tie discarded to the floor. All thanks to Zoros explorations. A trail of reddish-pink marking littered across his neck and exposed collar. Proof, that he was claimed. That he had a mate.
To Sanjis dismay Zoro started to button himself up. Even thought Sanji had felt Zoros matching boner rubbing up against him, it seems he had no intentions on finishing what he had started. As if this was all an attempt to send a message, to make a statement.
It pissed Sanji off. He understood exactly what Zoro was saying. That he was only there to make a declaration. But before Zoro went to walk away he placed a light hand onto Sanjis lower back, placing a gentle kiss beneath his ear. Reassurance. Sanji didn’t need it, but knowing that this was only the beginning flustered him.
And with that Zoro left.
-
-
-
-
-
The marks did not go unnoticed by the crew. From choppers worried exclamation that Sanji bruises in his sleep. Ussop scary Chopper with a story about vampires. Nami, and Robins suggestive comments. Franky and Brooks perverted gestures. To Luffys, “see I told you they were in love.”
Next stop: Thriller Bark