Chapter Text
Eavesdropping wasn't something Zoro went out of his way to do, but sometimes the ship carried words and conversations further than anticipated.
Lounging on the deck for a cat nap, the discussion between Robin and Sanji kept sneaking its way into Zoro's ears.
“You cannot just ask that!” Sanji exclaimed.
“Why not?” Robin questioned cooly. “I can see your discomfort.”
This caught Zoro's attention, but he kept his eyes shut, determined to lul himself into sleep. The next words are muffled but Robin's voice eventually rings clear.
“Okay, so I will rephrase. When was the last time you had sex?"
The clattering from the kitchen carries louder than Sanji's reply. Zoro is fully paying attention now trying to hear the cook's words.
“... so stop suggesting that, it is not going to happen. And to answer you, not recently!” Sanji sounded flustered and embarrassed, but also resigned.
Zoro pondered briefly on what was not possible for the cook. He had never known anything that Sanji couldn't handle, not that he would inflate his ego with a compliment like that. Maybe something more toned down.
“Do you want to?” Robin prodded further.
“What are you saying?! Of course, but I- The options of people who actually want to do that with me are slim. And stop looking at me like that.”
A beat passed between Robin and Sanji before he continued talking. The blond sighed loudly. “Yes, I am pent up. Maybe I have been being picky. What else do you want me to say?”
Sanji's rant was becoming more manic. “Honestly, I need someone to pin me down a fuck me. Usually, I take care of myself fine enough, but it would be nice to be taken care of for once. I mean a guy can only fuck his hand or ride a dildo-”
However that sentence ended, Zoro could only guess because he bolted upright. Managing to hit his head on the railing, he rubbed at the sore spot while his mind ran through what he could hear.
The persistent image of Sanji bouncing up and down on a fake cock while his hand slid up and do- . Nope!
Those thoughts were not productive for sleeping and there was no way Zoro could nap now. He stood and stretched, making his way up to his lookout to train.
Sanji pent up. He has no clue. Zoro tried to be angry at the dumb love cook, but it couldn't stick. The silly man had no clue that Zoro had been suffering for a long time with just his own imagination around Sanji.
Zoro had come to terms with the fact that he wasn't just attracted to Sanji, which he definitely was, he was fully in love with the man. He wanted to believe it was gradual, but the feeling had existed from nearly the fair start. Everything about the man entranced him. The way he moved, the way he cooked, the way he fought. The never ending selflessness that the cook showed but never expected from anyone else.
However, the real part that made Zoro mad was Sanji saying that “options were slim” for people who wanted to fuck him. It was an outright lie. The swordsman sought out his weights to release the energy build up.
Everywhere they went Sanji flirted with women, on occasion men too. It was common that people flirted with him first, and how could they not. Sanji was conventionally handsome, tall, and skilled. What wasn't to like.
Zoro once overheard a girl tease Sanji's eyebrows, but he found that Sanji wouldn't look quite right without them. Women hung off him and he catered to them. Men ogled him and Zoro glared through them. He often found himself staring at Sanji's long legs and narrow waist. His real smile was blinding, but the small private signs of joy made Zoro fluttery inside. How could the dumb blond not know his effect on his surroundings.
Surely, Sanji could go to the next city they hit and name the person he wanted. Although, Zoro knew Sanji wouldn't. He is too considerate of others, he sees himself as a burden.
Even in the efforts of sex.
The swordsman was highly aware of this esteem issue and had made an effort recently to compliment the cook. Encourage him. It was hard sometimes not to just be adversarial with him though. Is it ego feeding if that part of the ego is starved?
His muscles screaming for a break, Zoro drops the weights. They hit the mat and ring against each other. The ring pierces through him and Zoro wishes for peace.
In a dimly lit section of his brain, Zoro thinks to himself. Peace can be reached if you just talk to him. Tell him.
He scoffs out loud at the prospect. Tell Sanji that he loves him and also he is the sexiest, sweetest man to exist? No. Not today at least.
Moving to setup for push-ups, Zoro relents. He will have to find a different way to show Sanji the error in his thoughts.
—
In what should be an unsurprising turn of events, part of the crew decided to go out. They docked in an actual city earlier in the day and Robin had pressed the idea around then.
Zoro knew why they were going. Of course he was going along as well. His excuse to the crew was that he liked the change of drink, which Sanji feigned mock offense to. In reality, Zoro knew it was to follow Sanji. Even if he couldn't do what he really wanted, he would keep company and clear out when he isn't wanted any longer.
The idea he might be possessive crossed Zoro's mind, but he decided to not think on that too hard.
Robin rounded up a small group to go to a club Franky heard about. Luffy and Chopper went to sleep before the question was even asked, but the rest of the crew was excited.
He and Nami stood in the dock waiting for the rest of the group. Robin strutted towards them in high boots and he could already feel her eyes on him. That woman always knew too much, but she didn't always speak in it.
“Glad you could join, Swordsman.” Robin drew out, eyes trying to meet his.
“Whatever.” Zoro huffed in response.
Nami immediately started laughing. He wished he was in the dark as to why, but the witch also knew too much and wasn't as gentle with it as Robin.
“Oh, shut up!” Zoro shot at her. “We are just going out, not everything has to be something.”
Robin smiled. “What do you mean by that?”
Nami howled louder at Robin's questioning and wiped tears out of her eyes. “Robin, that's so good, but let's stop the teasing. Zoro will be bitchy all night if we don't.”
“I'll show you bitchy.” Zoro muttered.
“An easy way to stop our teasing would be to simply talk to Sanji.” Nami offered.
“As if you’ll ever stop.” He replied, rolling his eyes.
After a few more minutes the other 4 made their way over, and the group was off with a shit between them brought by Sanji.
The cook seemed to be in a good mood tonight, which uplifted Zoro a bit. When their hands brushed while handing glasses out, he could've sworn he saw a blush cross Sanji's cheeks.
“Thanks, Curly.” Zoro praised awkwardly, grasping at his shoulder. He had no idea what to do with himself and the brief moments of attention from Sanji did bring him satisfaction