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It was a delightful morning on the Thousand Sunny. The crew had just finished breakfast and were now lounging around the upper deck.
“Robin, do you prefer to get flowers for Valentine’s or something else?” Nami asked.
“Valentine’s already? Have I lost track of time?” Robin replied.
“Have you forgotten? Anyway, I’d definitely love it if someone gave me money for Valentine’s, haha!” Nami chuckled, and Robin laughed along with her.
Just behind them, Zoro was resting on the floor, half-listening. Valentine’s, huh? Isn’t that… the love day or something…? he thought. For some reason, it doesn't seem like a bad idea to celebrate it.
He glanced toward Sanji, who was outside, waving a towel to get rid of the dirt on it. A surprise for the cook? Hm… I guess it would be nice to give him something… But how would I even pull it off?
Zoro frowned, scratching his head. This wasn’t something he usually does but maybe, it's worth a try.
He slowly sat up, having made up his mind, he suddenly blurted out ,
" Can I ask for a favor? "
The girls turned their heads and looked at him curiously, their eyebrows raised.
" A favor? This isn’t exactly a sight we’re used to seeing from you. What is it? " Robin replied calmly, slowly sipping her coffee.
" I...I want to do something for the cook for ... Valentine's. " The words hung in the air, both girls look at him, completely flabbergasted.
" W-WHHAATT-!? " Nami shouted out before quickly covering her mouth.
Robin tilted her head, a soft smile playing on her lips. " Well.. What do you plan on doing? "
Zoro stared at her, scratching the back of his head, frowning slightly,
" I.. Don't know.. " he admitted, his voice low.
Nami blinked. " You.. DON'T KNOW!? You want to do something for Sanji yet you don't even know what?? " Nami sighed, pinching the bridge for her nose. " Honestly, why am I not surprised. "
Robin chuckled at the sight behold her, " Well.. How about, we help him think of what to do? Let's brainstorm. "
Nami stared at Robin, her eyes gleaming. She stood up. " Good idea Robin! Everyone, get on deck! Straw Hats brainstorming session, now! "
" WAIT-! " Zoro shouted out but it was too late.
Suddenly, everyone was gathered on deck. Everyone was of course, very curious and confused. " So why are we- mghn, gathered here Nami? " Luffy said, still munching on his meat.
" Well.. " Nami began, standing proudly as ever. " As all of you know, today is valentines! And I've gathered all of you here to help Zoro with his gift for Sanji! "
Zoro, on the other hand.. Looks exhausted already. I should have never asked for a favor, Zoro muttered to himself.
The crew turned their heads towards Zoro, all looking surprised. " So, what is this gift exactly? Why do we need all hands on deck? " Usopp asked, looking extremely confused.
" There isn't one, " Robin explained calmly. " We need to brainstorm and help Zoro with his decision making. "
Usopp stared at her with a face full of disbelief, his confusion practically visible to everyone.
" So does anyone have any ideas? " Nami asked, glancing around the crew. Everyone looked at each other, thinking… until…
Franky raises his hand. " I have one, what if Zoro prepares a little date for themselves? Like... a dinner! "
" Oh! Oh! How about a present! Like a bouquet of flowers! " Chopper added enthusiastically. " Oh yes, great idea Chopper! I'll help with using the flowers from my flower bed. " Robin replied.
Silence.
" Nothing else? Well, that's final then! What do you think Zoro? " Nami turned her head to Zoro, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Zoro crossed his arms, trying to keep his usual cold demeanor. " It's very great ideas.. I guess.. " he paused, slowly smirking. " Let's do it then. "
Even as he spoke, a small spark of happiness lingered in his eyes, betraying his cold attitude.
" Woohoo! Alright! " Nami sequeled excitedly, practically bouncing in place. " Alright guys, let's split this into two groups. The first group will be the 'Distraction Crew'. they will distract Sanji so Zoro can... do his thing! The second group will be 'Assistance Group' they will help Zoro with the preparations. Got it? "
" Got it! " The crew cheered happily and enthusiastically.
" Alright! " Nami stood, her eyes practically gleaming with mischief and excitement. " Operation: Help Zoro and Don't let Sanji Know, GO! "
Within seconds, the crew erupted in organized chaos. Everyone got to their places and started getting to work. Zoro just.. Well, stood there. I should've just stayed asleep. He grumbled.
" What are these idiots up too now? They seem really excited for something. " Sanji mumbled to himself as he lit his cigarette.
--- ♪♪ ---
" Hey, Sanji! " Nami swung the kitchen door open, Sanji jumped in surprise. " Nami-swan! You scared me! "
Nami wasted no time, she grabbed Sanji's wrist and dragged him out.
" N-Nami-swan, what's going on?! " Sanji asked, confused and shocked, oblivious to what's happening.
" You're going to help with shopping of course! " Nami turned back, her face gleaming. Sanji looked very confused, what's happening?
Without a second thought, Sanji agreed deligently. " Uh, well, of course! I'll help you. "
Along with Chopper and Usopp, the four headed out to a village nearby on the island they stopped on. Meanwhile, with the 'Assitance Group',
" Tch... Is this even correct? " Zoro questioned himself. He was cooking the food that he and Sanji are going to eat later on.
" Mghn.. I don't know about you Zoro but this tastes weird.. " Luffy grumbled out of nowhere, he ate the food Zoro just cooked!
" Luffy! " Zoro looked at him, furious, before delivering a solid punch to Luffy's head.
" Don't worry much about it Zoro, it doesn't have to be perfect. I'm sure Sanji will appreciate on what you've cooked. " Robin saying this with her soothing voice, calmed down Zoro a little. He decided that.. He will restart making the food again.
-- ♪♪ --
“ Nami-swan, why the sudden shopping spree? I was pretty sure we still have plenty of supplies… ” Sanji questioned, eyeing a selection of fruits.
“ Oh, come on, Sanji. You can never have too many supplies! ” Nami replied brightly.
Sanji frowned slightly, still unconvinced.
Something about this felt… off. He didn’t mind helping Nami on this shopping spree, but she wasn’t usually this insistent with him.
Suspicious…
“ AAAAAHHHHH—!! ”
Sanji’s head snapped up. “ Huh? Did you hear that? That sounded like.... Usopp! ”
Without hesitation, he dropped the bags beside Nami and bolted. “ I’ll be back, Nami-swan!! ”
“ AAAHHH—!! S-SNAKE!! ”
Sanji skidded to a stop, grabbing Usopp by the shoulders. “ What’s going on here!? ”
“ THERE—THERE WAS A SNAKE!! ” Usopp screeched, shaking violently.
“ Snake? Where? ” Sanji looked around sharply. Nothing. Not even a rustle.
He slowly turned back to Usopp, his expression darkening.
“ …What are you talking about? There’s no snake here, idiot. ”
Usopp froze. “ …T-there isn’t? ”
Sanji stared.
Usopp laughed nervously. “ Ahaha! Must’ve been… an illusion! Yeah! Probably nothing! ”
BONK!
“ You stupid idiot!! You made me run all the way over here for nothing!? ” Sanji snapped, retracting his leg after delivering a solid kick to Usopp’s head.
Usopp collapsed onto the ground instantly.
“ Wuhhehh… sowwy…” he mumbled weakly, barely conscious.
-- ♪♪ --
" Zoro, what do you think about this? " Robin asked, she has just made a bouquet from the flowers she had plucked from her flower bed.
" It's nice. " Zoro replied, you can't see it but he's happy.
Robin stared at Zoro, noticing the slight grin on his lips. She chuckled before standing up, " I'll go help Franky with the decorations on the beach. Are you coming Zoro? "
" Oh, yeah I'm coming, hold on. "
-- ♪♪ --
" Whaddya think Zoro! Pretty neat right! SUPER romantic! " Franky said excitedly, proudly showing off what he has done with the place.
The nearby trees were covered in lights, and in the middle, sits a round table and two chairs. Seems really romantic enough.
Robin nodded at the sight, but realized something was missing. " I'll head back to the ship to get the plates and utensils. "
As Robin walked away, Zoro noticed the small vase in the middle of the table. He went ahead and took a few flowers from the bouquet and placed it inside the vase.
Franky gleamed at the sight, " This is SUPER romantic! Great thinking Zoro! "
" Do you think candles would look nice here? " Zoro asked, Franky of course nodded at his request.
" I'll go get some! Cya! " Franky said as he walked away to go find some candles.
Zoro just stood in place, looking confused at what he's doing.
" AH! THE MEAT! "
Zoro bolted back to the ship to go check on what he's cooking.
The door swung open as Zoro bursted in, he immediately checked on the steak he was cooking up. Not there. " Whaaauh.. Where could it be? "
He glanced around the room, and slowly he saw a pair of buttocks sticking out at the corner of the table. Luffy.
Zoro's face darkened as he stared at the pair of buttocks. " Luffy... " He grumbled out.
Luffy slowly turned his head, only to be greated with Zoro's angry expression. " Hi.. Zoro.. haha.. "
" AAHHHHHH!!!! IM SORRYYY!!! " Luffy screeched out, running around the kitchen as Zoro chased him around with a frying pan.
Zoro looked absolutely furious and disappointed as he chased Luffy around. " It took me hours to cook that steak correctly!!! Damn you Luffy!!!! "
..
" I don't even wanna redo it again... Let's just give up. "
Zoro now looks very exhausted, he just tied Luffy up and is now rethinking his decision of ever doing this for Sanji.
" Oh don't give up now Zoro! You gotta make this for Sanji!! " Luffy whined as he struggled in the ropes.
Zoro looked like he was at the verge of giving up. He looked so tired already even though he only has cooked for just a few hours. Even at such a point, he thought to himself. Everyone's efforts will go waste if I just give up... Fine..
-- ♪♪ --
The four was just about finished with their shopping spree and Sanji will be heading back to the ship early so they don't have to carry much. " I'll be heading back to the ship now. "
Before Sanji could even move a step, Chopper came in and held on his pants. " Sanji! You gotta uhm... Stay here with us for atleast... 3 hours! "
Sanji tilted his head in confusion. " 3 hours? And why exactly do I have to stay here for 3 hours?? "
Chopper looked around, looking very nervous, you could by how much he's sweating. " Because... Because... Uhm..."
" Because that's how much longer till Zoro can finish the- " Chopper whispered to himself.
Silence.
" The- the what now..? "
Chopper stared in shock, stuttering as he rambled for an excuse.
" HE MEANT 'DATA'! SCIENCE DATA YES! AHAHA. " Usopp yelled out, grabbing Chopper and pushing him aside.
Sanji stared at Usopp in disbelief. " Wha- Science data? Now since when did we need science daTAAa- ! "
" Nevermind that! Let's just eat at that uh... RESTAURANT! " Usopp nervously yelled out, dragging Sanji to the restaurant, the other two following along.
" But.. what about these bags!? "
" You can do that later!!! "
-- ♪♪ --
It's been quite a long day already, it's afternoon and the 'Assitance Group' is rambling to get things finished in time before Sanji figures anything out.
Speaking of Sanji, he just finished unloading all the stuff they brought from the village market. He headed for the kitchen, untill Franky stopped him.
" What's going on? "
" Uhh, you can't go here yet! "
" Why?.. Actually, move, I need to make lunch. "
" It's undergoing repairs right now! So you cannot come in yet. "
" I don't remember anything being broken in there?.. " Sanji froze as his nose tingled at the faint smell coming from the kitchen. " Is.. Is that smoke I'm smelling..? Hey what's going on!? "
" See, uhh the stove doesn't seem to be working that's why... It's undergoing repairs!! In the meantime you can just uhhh relax! "
Franky said, sounding nervously. He led Sanji away from the kitchen and bolted back the moment Sanji was farther away. Sanji was left there questioning everything.
" Everyone's been acting so weird. I wonder.. " Sanji mumbled as he relit his cigarette. " If it's a surprise for.. me. Heh, can't get too confident on that. "
Franky shut the door and there behold the destruction.
" AAAAHHHH IT'S BURNING!! "
" OH QUIET DOWN LUFFY! "
Zoro seems to be doing well in the kitchen, I hope. But he's been working hard, trying to perfect every dish he has made. It was hard but he managed. While waiting for his food to cook, Zoro has been practicing what to tell Sanji at the reveal. He's one hard working and dedicated man I'll say.
-- ♪♪ --
As Sanji was walking around the deck for some fresh air and to smoke for a while.
Luffy spots him.
Luffy stretches near Sanji, before he blurted out, " Hey Sanji!!! Have you seen the kitchen? Zoro has been- "
SMACK!
" LUFFY! " Nami hissed, she stared at Sanji who looked completely shocked and confused.
" You heard absolutely nothing! " Usopp added, shaking slightly. They could've blown it!
Sanji looked at them, staring intently at them before saying " Zoro was doing what in the kitchen exactly? "
The duo chuckled as they nervously thought of an answer. Until Usopp looked at his wrist like it was a pretend watch.
" Aha-ha w- would you look at the time! I think it's time for us to take a nap! "
" Ah- yes! Ahaha, see you around Sanji! " The duo ran off without a word, leaving Sanji hanging.
" These idiots don't know how to hide anything.. "
-- ★ --
The sun has set, the boat is as quiet as it can be, to the point you can only hear the tree's leaves dancing through the hair and the sound of the ocean waves. Sanji noticed that it was too quiet, he headed out onto the deck, only to see a trail of flowers.
He decided to follow the flower petals scattered on the ground, as he did, the place around him started to light up golden lights. He looked up, Marimo?? Nicely dressed and offering Sanji a seat.
Sanji chuckled at the sight and took a seat anyways, he was surprised to see then that Zoro suddenly placed a bouquet into his hands. Sanji giggled at this, slightly nodding, accepting the kind gift.
" Oh what is this? " He asked
" Uhm, well, as you know it's valentines today so I thought it would be nice to spend it with you. " Zoro said, his voice slightly trembling and his face slightly red.
Sanji giggled a little, appreciating the kind thought that Zoro had. Sanji looked down at his plate to see a slightly burnt steak. " You cooked this? " He asked.
Zoro nodded in reply, " You don't have to eat it if it doesn't look appetizing- ah.. "
" Lacks a little flavor, burnt, yet still good. You've outdone yourself, Marimo. " Sanji smiled at him. Despite the weird concoction of a steak Zoro made, Sanji still ate it, acting as if it tasted amazing. Zoro's eyes widen, a small smile appearing on his lips.
Zoro blushed at the sight Infront of him. He'd hate to say it but Sanji did look pretty.
Sanji carefully placed his fork down, his hands sliding to his cheek. " So this is what you've been hiding? "
" Hiding? What do you mean? "
" Well, you guys weren't exactly the best at hiding a surprise. I could clearly tell you guys were up to something. "
" So you knew. "
Sanji laughed, continuing to eat steak that Zoro made. Zoro's heart fluttered at this, seeing Sanji eat his horribly cooked steak made him happy.
" You're so thoughtful to do this for me. I hope it wasn't much trouble... I hope you didn't burn my kitchen either. " Sanji blurted out.
" It was alot of trouble. " Zoro cleared out his throat before continuing, " I gotta hand it to ya, Luffy is an extreme headache when it comes to food. He ate the steak I've prepared for atleast 3 times! " Zoro complained
Sanji bursted out laughing, tears forming from how hard he's laughing. His cute laugh echoed around them.
" But seriously, this is so thoughtful of you. You've never done something like this to me before. How could I even repay you? I have nothing else to offer but my heart and soul! " Sanji said dramatically, and Zoro chuckled. A grin slightly appeared on Sanji's lips.
" You don't need to repay me. "
Zoro looked away for a moment, before turning his head back to face Sanji.
" You just being here... Is enough for me. "
Silence.
" Never knew you could be so romantic! " Sanji chuckled along with Zoro.
Zoro took Sanji’s hands, rough fingers curling around his.
He hesitated.
“…I love you.”
Silence.
Sanji stared at him for a moment, then smiled softly.
“Love you too, you idiot.”
-- ★ --
" Well, it seems that it went well. " Robin chuckled.
" They look so happy. Hah... I wish I could experience such happiness! " Nami whined.
The rest of the crew watched them in silence, enjoying the scenery and watching Zoro and Sanji not bicker or fight. It was a calming scene. And to be honest, it's refreshing to see them like this.
The date ended up being successful, Operation: Valentines Day Date, considered it complete.