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Sanji slouches in a worn-out booth, a scowl etched across his face as he surveys the room. His dress shoes have already endured the sticky ordeal of the wooden floor of the bar, and now he finds himself squished into a corner, surrounded by an unending clamour and a relentless stench of sweat and booze.
The bar, with its peeling paint and weathered façade, seems to mock him with each sip of his discontent. The patrons around him, a motley crew of characters, engage in animated conversations and small fights. A group behind Sanji are sharing stories, their arms waving around with full tankards of beer sloshing from side to side leaving stains on the edges of his suit. He’s going to have to burn it, it seems.
He’d been forced through the ranch-like swinging doors of the establishment by his crew who were enamoured by the cowboy theme and cheap drinks. He would have protested further after his initial concerns had been voiced, but one silky please Sanji-Kun by the wonderful Nami-San had him caving.
For once, he’s regretting being such a push-over. Nami has long abandoned their table to cheat local pirates out of their berri in a game of cards. Robin had taken Chopper back to the ship when he started to get tired. Luffy and Usopp were dancing through the bar, practically begging for trouble. Franky hadn’t even come out, intent to work on some updates for the ship.
Sanji is left swirling whiskey in his glass. It’s not his usual drink of choice, but he couldn’t bear to order any wine from the meagre list available. The burn of the spirit is off putting though, and even though he’s done his best to get wasted so he might at the very least loosen up a bit, he finds himself drinking slowly. He barely has a buzz, not even tipsy enough to gather enough courage to approach one or two of the women he’s been drawn to throughout the night.
He’s halfway between heading to the ship or trying his luck with the ladies sober, when his eyes catch the irritating glow of green hair under a harsh light that hangs above the bar counter. Zoro is leaning with his back against the bar, his legs spread wide open, a dirty brown bottle of...something, cradled in a large hand.
Usually, Sanji ignores him on nights like this. On a night where the crew isn’t actively celebrating together, and the pair don’t have to sit near one another. But tonight, his eyes stutter at the sight. Sitting perched beside the swordsman is a breathtaking beauty.
Her long legs are bare, crossed beneath a short skirt that just about lays across her lap. Her chest is spilling out of a black lace top, her long black hair covering only part of the cleavage as it spills across her front and spirals in neat waves down her back. The delicate features on her face are outlined perfectly with shades of lightly coloured make-up, bar her lips which are painted in a deep rouge.
Her delicate hands are resting on her knees, fidgeting with the hem of her skirt, as though she’s nervous. It takes Sanji a minute to come out of the daze of her beauty and realise she’s nervous because of Zoro. Not because of his hulking size, or brutish form, but because clearly...for some reason Sanji cannot comprehend...she seems to be trying to flirt with the Mosshead.
Something twists in Sanji’s stomach at the sight of her hand moving to rest on the counter space between them. She leans in to ask the idiot something and whatever response he gives she giggles politely at, her eyelashes fluttering like twin butterflies.
It makes Sanji want to hurl.
A lady as refined as herself wasting such flirtatious behaviour on an oblivious moron.
Zoro looks unbothered by her approach. He seems to be staring just past her shoulder when she speaks. His body language stays rigid, not even opening the nearest shoulder to her or turning in his seat in the slightest.
Sanji takes another burning sip of his drink as he ponders if Zoro is incompetent when it comes to women in general, or if the brute thinks this cold-shoulder approach is going to get him somewhere.
Come to think of it, Sanji's not sure if he's ever seen Zoro leave a bar with a lady. If he's ever seen him even flirt with one. He hadn't given it much thought before tonight, mainly because it leaves a bitter taste in his mouth to think of his rival in that light. But surely, he must have. There were times on Islands where Sanji had seen him saunter back onto the ship in the early hours of the morning, clothes rumpled and his hair showing clear signs of bed head.
Zoro has done the walk of shame, but Sanji can't ever remember him doing the walk out of the bar.
The lady raises her hand, her cheeks now a light pink as she gently traces his bicep, her fingers playing with the bandana that always rests on Zoro's left arm.
Sanji finishes his drink without meaning to. He needs to stop staring; it's getting pathetic wishing those hands were on him instead. He's the only man in this bar that's dressed to impress, but no, Zoro's grimy bandana is clearly the most interesting piece of clothing around.
Sanji watches on despite the jealously and wants to slam his head off the table at Zoro's reaction. He stares at the lady's delicate fingers and says something short in response to whatever she had asked about it. She clearly looks disappointed by the coldness but keeps her hand on his arm anyways.
Zoro finishes his drink and slams it the other side of him on the counter, the sound cutting through the bar. The lady startles, and Sanji feels a wave of anger flush through him at the oaf's inconsiderate nature. But something flashes in the woman's eye and Sanji blinks slowly, struck by the smirk that pulls at the woman's features.
She's into it. She's fucking into it.
Zoro gives her his full attention as she leans in close. From this distance Sanji can't hear the pair, but it's clear she's dropped her voice to a whisper. She leans up towards his ear and Sanji can see Zoro tense, the hand that had dropped the bottle is now curling into a loose fist. He lets out a long sigh as she stares at him expectedly, as her second hand warily drifts from her own knee to his.
Sanji can't believe it. Zoro is going to get laid by just sitting there and being the most unpleasant person alive.
Except, Zoro doesn't respond in the way Sanji is expecting. His face relaxes as he exhales, his posture loosening and Sanji stares at an expression he's never seen on the other man's face. He grips his glass harder than he means to, his other hand grasping the rough edge of the wooden table as he feels a heat tickle the back of his neck. Zoro looks...soft.
He pushes the lady's hand on his knee away gently, saying something quietly to her. Her face seems to stutter, surprise painting her features for a moment before a more sinister smirk pulls at one side of her mouth.
Sanji can't quite match their expressions, can't understand the push from Zoro that seems to pull the woman closer. He can see his own confusion reflected in Zoro's face as the Mosshead tries to lean away from her, clearly startled. She grabs his haramaki and tries to pull him closer, her eyes hungry as she whispers to him again.
Sanji can see a shiver in Zoro's shoulders as her fingers dip beneath the piece of clothing, notices a brief look of panic becoming overshadowed by the furrowing of Zoro's eyebrows as he rests both his hands on her shoulders, clearly trying to stall her advancements with a sterner approach. It doesn't seem to be stopping her from trying to lean in, her eyes fixed on his lips.
Sanji would have given anything to be in Zoro's position, to have such a woman fawning over him. But it’s clear Zoro isn’t into what’s happening, and Sanji can feel something bitter on his tongue at the sight.
Sanji stands, feeling drunk despite the lack of alcohol in his system. He's not sure what he's doing as he approaches the pair. He's relieved they're locked in such an intense stare with one another that they don't notice him. He's certain he would have turned on his heel had anyone perceived what he was about to do.
She’s rising off her stool now, her chest almost pressing against Zoro's as she tries to close the distance between their lips. Sanji is surprised by his own spark of indignation. He's never felt protective of the Mosshead before, has never needed to, but right now he'd do anything to wipe the alarm from the swordman's face.
"There you are." Zoro's eyes widen at his voice, his whole body freezing as Sanji wraps an arm around his shoulders, having to lean in close given the angle Zoro is sitting at. He ends up resting between the other's legs, staring down at the woman who is now glaring up at him, forced from Zoro's chest as Sanji fills the space.
"Oh, hi." Sanji greets her, her beauty from earlier melting away as he notices the way one of her hands insists on moving back to Zoro's arm, rather than her own lap. How her nails dig into his flesh as though if she can cling on long enough, she can get what she wants.
"Who's this?" She seems to growl, glaring now at Zoro as though he had spat at her. Zoro briefly glances at her, his mouth opening as though he's going to say something, but it closes as he looks at Sanji again. Sanji ignores the burn of Zoro's gaze. He ignores the heat of the other's body, the stench of booze and steel that burns his nose and the thigh that hits the back of Sanji's legs as the brute's legs flinch half closed, like he's expecting Sanji to sucker kick him.
Of course, the one-time Sanji can make the idiot speechless isn't during an argument, but it happens during what is slowly becoming one of the most embarrassing moments of Sanji's life. Realising the silence may just give the game away, Sanji answers for him.
"I'm his crewmate." He doesn't mean to purr the last word out. He doesn't recognise the tone in his own voice as he clearly insinuates the word crewmate to mean something more than he's letting on.
"Well, crewmate." The word sounds dirty in her mouth. "You're kind of interrupting-"
Before she can spin the scene to suit whatever angle she's going for with Zoro, Sanji moves his hand to the back of Zoro's head, playing with the hair's and eliciting a startled yelp from the Mosshead. Sanji holds back a laugh at the embarrassment painted on Zoro's face. He can see in the bar's swinging light a blush colouring his cheeks.
Sanji's not sure if he's blushing because he managed to surprise him or because Sanji, of all people, is coming to his rescue. Either way, Sanji ignores the lump in his throat that forms at the sight. He swallows it, gathering his composure and making sure the lady can't finish her complaint.
"I'm tired of this dump, let's go." He only looks at Zoro as he speaks, his hand dragging from his hair to cup the side of Zoro's face. He winks at him, pleading Zoro to just go along with it and not start an argument that would give them away. He hopes the brute doesn't pull a sword on him as he notices he has grabbed one of his hilts during their charade.
Instead, Zoro gulps, pushes himself to his feet with a nod and let's Sanji guide him out of the bar by his wrist. Neither of them acknowledges the spluttering of the lady or the cursing insults she throws at them as they walk away. They don't say a word or even glance at each other as they exit.
The cold air hits their faces and Sanji feels sober again. He can feel his loose hold tightening as he realises what he's just done. He tugs Zoro at least three buildings away before he lets go, pulling out a cigarette as he continues walking to the ship.
He can hear Zoro stop as soon as they break contact. He can hear him breathing heavily despite the gentle pace they'd walked at. Sanji stops five paces away, turning his head just enough that one eye is watching his crewmate.
"What? Cat got your tongue?"
"Wha- I- What was that?" Zoro waves his arms at him, his jaw unhinged as his mouth swings open. He's looking at Sanji like's just grown a second head. Talk about overdramatic.
"You're welcome." Sanji scoffs, taking a long pull to avoid speaking. He doesn't really trust what logic he'd throw at the swordsman if he tried to explain himself.
"For what?" Zoro splutters, composing himself a little as he marches up to the cook.
"For saving your ass from embarrassing yourself. Didn't think you were so shy."
"I'm not shy!" Zoro defends folding his arms as they stand almost toe to toe.
"Could have fooled me. You looked terrified from such a gentle woman's touch." Sanji only knows how to tease and argue with Zoro, he doesn't know how else to explain to Zoro that his reaction weirded Sanji out enough that he felt compelled to butt in.
"Terrified? I wasn't-" Zoro pauses, his blush rising again as he seems to realise who he's speaking to. Sanji can see the moment he swallows his words, holding back from explaining himself to the Cook.
"Whatever.” Zoro eventually growls. “Whatever you thought you were seeing, why the fuck was that your reaction?"
Now it's Sanji's turn to blush, to sputter around the filter of his cigarette at the accusation.
"Just because I think you're a piece of shit, Marimo, doesn't mean I'm going to sit back when someone is making my nakama uncomfortable." He can't look Zoro in the eye as he mumbles the response. He didn't think Zoro was going to make him spell it out. They're both usually on the same page of helping one another and promptly never speaking about it ever again.
"I get that, Shit-Cook." Zoro hisses, glaring at Sanji until the blonde looks back at him. "Why the fuck did you grab me like that, you practically pulled yourself onto my lap."
"Shut up, shitty swordsman!" Sanji yells, red-faced now at how Zoro is spinning it. "I was just trying to get the lady to back off without having to hurt her!"
"And the only way you could do that was by draping yourself over me?"
"Sorry if you're not pleased with your rescue, Mosshead. Next time I'll just leave you to it." Sanji storms away then, stomping towards the ship with his pulse spiking. He's not sure where the anger has come from, he can feel every inch of his skin burning, can feel the weight of Zoro's eyes as they follow him.
"Cook, fuck wait." Zoro jogs after him, matching his stride as he lets Sanji lead them back to the ship.
Despite hurrying to catch him, Zoro doesn't say a word for most of their trip. Sanji smokes his cigarette down to the filter, spitting it out and lighting a fresh one without so much as a glance being shared between them. It's only as they meet the peak of a hill and the ship comes into sight at the dock, that Zoro decides to break the silence.
"Thanks." He grumbles, the word causing Sanji to cough as he inhales, his hand wrenching the cigarette from his mouth.
They never thank each other.
Sanji stops before they reach the decking of the dock. They're at the edge of an empty market, all the stalls long shut for the night. No one is around, not even the lanterns are lit. The only light comes from the glow of occupied ships nearby and the moon that hangs in a cloudless sky.
He should just take the word and forget about the night. He already feels mortified with what's happened from the moment he stood from his table at the bar. But Sanji realises Zoro is still carrying his tension, his hand is gripping his sword, and his nails are dragging through the wraps on the handle. He looks like he's shouldering something heavy, heavier than whatever Sanji has context for.
"Why didn't you just tell her to piss off?" He can't help but blurt the question out, it's been burning in his brain ever since he realised Zoro's predicament. "Not that I'd condone such language being used on a lady, but I didn't think it would be beneath you."
"I told her I wasn't interested." Zoro shrugs, looking startled by the question but instantly schools his features, making it impossible for Sanji to know what he's feeling behind the hard line of his mouth.
"She just didn't take it well."
"It looked like a good reaction to me." Sanji mutters, earning a glare for his comment.
"Of course, you'd say that." Zoro is practically grinding his teeth now, staring at his boots like he'd rather be anywhere else.
"Why weren't you?" Sanji can't help his curiosity, he focuses on puffing out his next bit of smoke into a perfect circle, watching it dance away from him as he waits for an answer.
"Why wasn't I what, Ero-Cook?"
"Interested?"
"Why the fuck do you care?" Zoro is studying Sanji now, instead of the floor. It's uncomfortable, Sanji can feel his breath faltering because he doesn't know himself. Why is he pushing? Why has he been so worked up about it when the two of them never get this involved.
Zoro waits, but Sanji never finds an answer. At least, not one he's willing to voice. Zoro lets out a long breath, his shoulders finally sagging as he lets go of his sword and rests his arms by his side.
"She wasn't my type."
"A beautiful woman isn't your type?" Sanji mocks.
"No." The word is heavy, it hangs between them like a confession and Sanji can feel his one visible eye twitch.
"Oh."
Zoro crosses his arm, looking out to the sea with a scowl on his face.
"That a problem, Curley?"
Sanji knows it shouldn't be. He doesn't care who people get with, and he certainly doesn't care if Zoro is climbing around with men in bed. But he can't deny an anger that flames up inside him. It's like that itch he gets right before he throws a kick at Zoro's face. Why does he want to kick him now?
"Oi, stop looking at me like that." Sanji hadn't even realised Zoro had turned to stare at him again. "I'm not going to jump you, if that's what you're fucking worried about."
Sanji feels bad then, because Zoro doesn't sound angry, he doesn’t look like he’s about to cut him. He sounds like an echo of his usual self. His demeanour lacks the usual edge, and his gaze shifts nervously from Sanji's eyes to his chest. It's a departure from Zoro's usual steadfastness, and it leaves Sanji with a familiar discomfort, reminiscent of the tension he felt at the bar.
They'd been travelling for months together, and this had never come up. Zoro had been keeping it to himself despite the many chances he would have had to mention it. Had he been worried about it? Sanji didn't think Zoro worried about anything, but it was one of the few explanations he could come up with for how the other is currently acting.
"As if you could." The retort releases the tension. Sanji feels something flutter in his chest as Zoro cracks a smile.
"As if I'd want to." Zoro bites back, turning towards the wrong dock for their ship.
"You blind or something, Marimo? I'm gorgeous, and the ship is this way."
Zoro gasps at the teasing and at the back of his shirt being pulled as Sanji drags him in the right direction.
"Shut up, Pervert. I should have known you'd be this full of yourself."
"At least now I don't have to worry about you trying anything on lovely Nami-Swan or Robin-Chan."
Zoro groans, like the mere thought disgusts him.
"As if I'd ever be attracted to that witch."
Zoro ducks as a leg almost knocks his head from his shoulders.
"Don't speak about her like that!"
"You started it." Zoro huffs, pushing him hard enough that Sanji almost stumbles off the deck.
"Bastard."
"Cry-baby."
"You're unbelievable." Sanji groans, rubbing a hand over his face. "You save a guy, and he tries to dunk you in the sea."
"You just tried to decapitate me!"
"I knew you'd duck!"
Zoro laughs then, having to grab his knees to wheeze through some barks. Sanji stares at him and wonders if maybe he’d finally let the moss take over his brain.
"What's so fucking funny, Idiot?"
Zoro meets him with a gentle smile, his features softening much like when he delicately dealt with the lady at the bar. Sanji abruptly halts, his breath catching in his chest, his legs twitching to the surge of fight-or-flight instincts coursing through his veins at the sight.
"I just thought...I thought you'd be different, if you knew."
"Huh?" Sanji feels like he's missed a part of their own conversation.
"I thought you'd be all weird about...about me being into guys."
"What? You thought I wouldn't kick your ass just because I now know you stare at mine?"
"I don't- I didn't say that!"
Now Sanji is laughing, his grin wide as he points at how red Zoro is going.
"I think your blush says otherwise.
"Shut up! Fuck, I didn't imagine you'd be this type of insufferable about it."
"Want me to make you cute little snacks now as well?"
Zoro balks at the thought.
"I'll fucking skewer you, Dart-brows."
"Make you a little green drink with floating heart shaped ice cubes?"
Sanji laughs as Zoro draws a sword, lunging at him. He dives out of the way as several swings come at him, blocking a few with his legs before his foot slips on a wet patch on the wood. He falls backwards, his arms windmilling as he realises, he's heading for the water.
A rough hand grabs his shirt, the buttons straining from the grip as Sanji dangles mid-air. Only his heels still on solid ground. His head had fallen backwards, only seeing upside down ships and the top of the water in front of him. He pulls his gaze upwards, straining his neck to see Zoro grinning as he holds onto him.
"No drinks, or snacks, or else I let you take a midnight swim."
"None at all?" Sanji can't help but tease, gasping as Zoro lets go, only to catch him again, Sanji's whole-body shuddering at the anticipation of hitting the cold water.
"Nothing girly."
"Fine, fine. Just pull me in, asshole."
Zoro does, watching as Sanji fixes his shirt, grumbling about him stretching the fabric and possibly ruining one of the threads for his buttons.
"Noted, next time I'll let you fall."
"Don't be a dick."
"Says the dick."
Sanji rolls his eyes, deciding after that little scare, he's ready for bed. The ship is less than a hundred metres away now, it's probably time they went aboard.
"You never answered me earlier."
"You're going to have to be more specific there, Mossy." Sanji’s attention is brought from watching the rope ladder to their ship, back to Zoro’s face.
"Fine. You never told me why your 'rescuing', as you put it, was to act like we were...well like you were jealous or something."
Sanji cringes, and Zoro almost regrets asking. Almost, because Zoro doesn't live by regrets, and he knows the question will only bug him if he doesn't ask.
"I don't know, I wasn't thinking when I went over, and I wasn't going to be rude to the lady."
"Of course not." Zoro rolls his eyes, and Sanji takes the pause to consider his own reasoning.
"Why does it matter? You knew it was an act, right?"
Sanji suddenly felt a bit sick. He hadn't led Zoro on, had he? The thought was making his heart hammer in his chest, surely this is guilt he's feeling?
"Obviously, Shithead. I just didn't think you could stomach acting like that with a dude."
Sanji can feel the red tick on his face from the insinuation.
"Eh? What are you trying to say Shitty-Moss? You think there's something you can do that I can't?"
Zoro looks genuinely flabbergasted by the response. He's staring at Sanji like he's just said he's going to start fighting with his fists or something.
"I- What the fuck? Are you seriously making this into a competition? I just meant I couldn't act like that with a woman!"
"Yeah, well you've no interest in women!"
There's a moment where Sanji believes he is falling into the sea, that the deck has swept out from beneath him and he is being swallowed by the depths. There's no way he just said that...that he just insinuated what he did.
Zoro looks equally horrified. Sanji can see the gears ticking as though he's trying to figure out how he could have misheard or misunderstood the jab. But no, it's obvious to them both. Sanji all but confessed he had some interest in men.
"You-"
"No."
"You just said-"
"Shut- Shut up. Stop talking, not a word."
"That was a slip, right?"
Sanji is covering his flushed face with his hands. He can't even tell which emotions are most prevalent in his head right now, he believes it might be all of them.
"I said, shut up, shitty, stupid fucking Swordsman."
"I- Are you okay?"
Sanji glares at his rival. If there's one thing he won't stand here and take as a response from him, it's pity.
"I didn't- I didn't mean anything by that."
"Sure..."
"I'm serious, Marimo."
Zoro holds his hands up in mock surrender. He's gone completely still, like he thinks he's going to spook him.
"I'm not questioning you." Zoro mumbles. "Didn't mean to set you off on some gay crisis."
He doesn't even dodge the kick that Sanji lands on his side. He's grinning at the impact, as he coughs through being winded. It was worth it.
"It's not a-" Sanji pauses at the word. "I'm a ladies' man, Marimo. That doesn't mean I haven't...I-"
He has Zoro's full attention now, and Sanji has never wanted it less in his life.
"I've been with men before, okay? Happy? Now we're not talking about this."
Sanji shoulders past him. He needs to sleep and wake up and then put as many days between this conversation as he can.
"Wait, so you get to make jokes about my coming out, but I can't make them about yours?" Zoro huffs, following behind Sanji with a wicked smile on his face.
His steps are lighter as he watches Sanji walk with his usual swagger, for once staring openly at the other's ass.
"I did not come out." Sanji whirls on his heel, his hand pulling away from the rope ladder to the ship. His mouth opens as Zoro's gaze flicks up to his face, realisng where the Swordsman had been staring. "Stop that!"
"What? I thought you knew I was going to stare."
"I like women."
"Duh."
"I didn't say anything about men."
"Except you've crawled into bed with them."
"Take that as teenage curiousity!"
"Only that?" Zoro is tilting his head, watching the wobble of Sanji's eyebrows, the way the cook look equals part horrified and... excited. It's similar to when they spar, when he looks at Zoro with hatred and fury, but with a badly hidden glee at having someone to match him, to challenge him.
"-Because going back to my earlier question. I still find it amusing that the second a lady puts her hands on me, you saunter up and act all possessive."
Sanji thinks he might have swallowed his tongue. It's definitely not responding, he's not sure he can feel it in his mouth which has dried up like the desert in Arabasta.
"That is not what happened! I think the moss in your head is finally getting to you."
Zoro smirks as the blush only darkens on the idiot's face. He'd been watching Sanji for a while now, convinced he was a ladies' man and not even worth thinking about. But this whole night has just turned Zoro's thoughts upside down. He can't stop thinking about the spot on his neck where the Cook had touched, how easily he's slipped and fit between the swordsman thighs, and now here he was looking like a flustered mess at some teasing.
He slams his hand beside Sanji's head, leaning in with a chuckle as Sanji presses himself against the hull of the ship. His eye seems to pop out of his head as he licks his dry lips, staring at Zoro like he's gone insane.
"Maybe it is."
"I- uh." Sanji feels like the electricity in his brain has short-circuited. The hot breath coming from Zoro’s mouth is burning his face, he stares at the other's arm, just for somewhere else to look that's not the stupid swordsman smug face.
"Or maybe-" Zoro bends the arm, letting his elbow hit the hull as he leans in closer. He can feel Sanji's bangs tickling his forehead. "I'm not the one confused about what happened."
Sanji gulps, trying to come up with some kind of response. He should have just kicked him by now, but his knees feel weak, unsteady.
"Aw, I'm not used to see you so shy, Love-Cook."
The challenge is set and Sanji refuses to lose to this moron. He will not be outdone by some stupid flirting version of his rival.
So, without any warning bar a growl ripping from his throat, Sanji grabs the other's shirt and closes the distance. He tugs him hard but as soon as their lips meet, the rage dies. The kiss is soft and chaste and nothing like how they've ever treated each other. It's shy and careful, like Sanji thinks he's going to break him, and Zoro responds like he's afraid to push, that doing much more than react to Sanji's pace will set the other man off.
They pull apart, their noses brushing against each other. Sanji is still glaring, but Zoro looks peaceful, content. It drives Sanji crazy. He’d be angry if the Mosshead wasn’t currently a charming red, clearly as affected by this as the cook, but just taking it more in his stride.
He pushes the Swordsman away.
"You didn't win this." Sanji motions between them, gritting his teeth.
Zoro just snort laughs as a response, nodding his head. He's still trying to process the tingling on his lips and the fact that the failed womanizer himself just kissed him.
"And don't fucking stare at my ass when I climb up this."
Zoro laughs loudly this time, purposely watching as Sanji clamours up the rope ladder, winking when the Cook glares down at him halfway to check if he listened to him or not.
Zoro's laugh soon dies though as Sanji gets to the top and in one swing of his foot, hooking his shoe under one of the rungs, he kicks the ladder over the side of the ship and onto the deck. Zoro stares up at him, his mouth now hanging open.
"Night, Marimo."
He walks out of Zoro's line of sight, leaving the first mate gawking at the ship.
"Oi! Oi Shit-Cook come back you fucker!"
Sanji doesn’t answer, his footsteps disappearing as they echo quieter and quieter until Zoro can’t hear him at all anymore.
He groans as he realises he's going to have to dig his fingers into the grooves at the side of the ship and climb up himself.
What an asshole.
A complete and utter fucking asshole.
Zoro hates him.
He hates him.
He touches his lips one last time before pressing them to the side of the ship.
Hate. Yes definitely hate.