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The Sunny was tied to the port, Franky having secured it safely the night before. Nami sat on the bow, the humidity soaking her to the bone, but what caused her real discomfort was her own mind. As she weighed the probability of death that came with facing two Yonkos to free the country of Wano, she clutched the photo of Vivi she’d kept from the newspaper that had arrived at the Sunny a while back. She closed her eyes, and Wano, the imminent battle, and even her own crew vanished. In their place, she felt the heat of the Kingdom of Alabasta; she transported herself to that last night she’d spent with Vivi, where desperate kisses said everything they couldn't put into words. She thought about how the night stretched on until they watched the sunrise together for the last time, and how she’d had to pretend in front of everyone that the goodbye wasn't tearing her guts out. A bitter taste filled her mouth. Nami knew perfectly well that a pirate ship was, by no means, a place for the heiress to a throne, but a part of her wondered what might have happened if Vivi had left her obligations behind, and if she and Karoo had embarked to help turn Luffy into the next King of the Pirates.
—If I die tomorrow... what will you remember of me?—she asked herself, but she immediately banished the thought. Tomorrow she wasn't going to die; she had dreams to fulfill and a crew to take to Laughtale. Luffy and the others needed her to see their dreams through, and she was never going to disappoint them. Even so, she wished with all her strength that, wherever she was, Vivi thought of her just as Nami thought of Vivi every single night.
A noise snapped her out of her trance. Turning around, she saw Usopp, who had tripped over a barrel. In his hand, he carried a letter that Nami noticed was addressed to Kaya. Usopp realized Nami was looking at his hand.
—The Great Captain Usopp isn't going to die, but if by any chance... something happened to me, I want Kaya to know the truth. I want her to know that I wasn't a person without fear, I want her to know that I felt panic every single day I was on this ship, but that I stayed because her memory gave me the strength to keep moving forward.—
Nami remained silent. She understood that she wasn't the only one worried by this battle more than any other they had faced, and certainly, she wasn't the only one terrified of being forgotten by the person she loved. Nami punished herself mentally for thinking she was the only one in her situation; it was clear that of the whole crew, Usopp was the one who had the most in common with her, her most faithful companion in hardship. It was obvious they shared not only dreams but fears; they had been the most human in a crew of monsters, and that had always united them.
Nami, if something happens to me... swear to me that you're going to deliver this letter—Usopp’s plea pulled her back to reality.
-Usopp… you're not going to di…- Nami started to say.
-Swear it to me, Nami, please- the urgency in Usopp's voice made Nami understand the weight of the request.
-I swear it to you, Usopp. Now let's go to the party; Sanji-kun has been preparing a special dinner to help us gain strength.— And together, they headed toward where everyone was waiting. As they approached, they saw Luffy jumping through the forest followed by Law, after a while, Franky joined the bonfire and sat next to Brook, and no one could figure out where Zoro or Sanji had gotten to.
….
Franky was in the basement, putting the finishing touches on the Sunny before the big battle; he had had the foresight to move it to a different port in time to keep Orochi's troops from finding it, even so, no precaution felt like enough for the Straw Hat carpenter. The ship was his pride and his joy, although the latter had been a bit divided in the last few months, and that division had a name and surname: Nico Robin. It wasn't that they had made their relationship public, but they had become inseparable since their reunion at Sabaody and, why lie, more than once they had made their night shifts coincide to share a kiss (and something more). Franky recalled all those nights, Robin's jokes in private, and how two people so absolutely different could get along so well, although, if her suspicions were true (and Franky believed so, Robin was rarely wrong) they two were not by any stretch the most unusual couple on the crew (and, certainly, they were the least conflictive). A smile spread across his face as he remembered the kiss they had exchanged that very morning, before the rest of the ship woke up.
As if he had summoned her (Franky found it highly amusing to use that expression with her), the archaeologist appeared in the workshop.
Robin entered with her usual stealth; she had never been a woman of scandals, and she slid over to wrap her arms around the carpenter's neck.
—You know, I could snap your neck right now if I wanted to—she murmured with a giggle, that strange sense of humor was, precisely, one of the facets of her that fascinated him most.
—With what awaits us tomorrow, that wouldn't be very SUUUUPER- Franky replied, trying to lift his spirits, although the weight of uncertainty crept into his voice.
-I’ve been thinking-she continued, softening her expression, -if something happens to us tomorrow, I would like future generations to find my bones intertwined with yours-
-I wouldn't allow it to be any other way-he declared before kissing her with an intensity that held all his loyalty.
-I must go now- she announced, pulling away just a few centimeters.
-So soon? I was hoping we'd spend more time alone- Franky complained, unable to help himself.
-I’m going to spend a while with Chopper. He's scared; last night I heard him calling for Doctor Kureha in his dreams. He's afraid of not being enough-she confessed with worry.
Franky understood immediately. He knew that, when it came to Chopper's needs, he had no business interfering, he had been chewed out for that more than once (especially in Punk Hazard), Robin's protective instinct toward the little doctor was well known to the whole crew, and it was precisely that capacity to care for others, after the life she had led, that made Franky admire her even more.
-Go then, I'll go see him later- Franky nodded-plus, I have a hunch that Brook is anxious at the thought of losing his crew again-
Robin said goodbye with one last brush of her lips and Franky returned to his tasks. Upon finishing the final repairs, he went outside and searched for Robin with his gaze, he found her sitting around a campfire next to Momonosuke, Bepo, and some members of Law's crew, as well as Brook, Nami, and Usopp and, of course, with Chopper in her lap.
….
Near some bushes and away from all the hustle and bustle, Trafalgar D. Law was sitting in silence. He thought about how surprised he was to have survived all these years, he thought about Corazon, about how he had managed to avenge him by taking down his Doflamingo, and about how now they were going after Kaido; he thought about how he wouldn't mind dying if that curious alliance managed to win, he thought about how he needed his entire crew to get out of Onigashima alive, he thought about how it was the end of so many years of meticulously thought-out plans, he thought about how Luffy hadn't respected a single one of them, yet he had kept all his promises, and, to his misfortune, he also thought about how Luffy hadn't left his thoughts in the last few weeks. Having those kinds of thoughts wasn't normal for him; it's not that he considered himself totally asexual—he was a rather sought-after pirate, honestly, he had never had a problem finding someone to spend a night with—but he did consider himself much calmer and absolutely rational (he had proven it in Amazon Lily, where he hadn't been the least bit excited and where, in fact, he had had to save Sachi and Penguin on several occasions) and, above all, he considered himself a rather unsentimental person. Honestly, Law couldn't explain what had happened.
While he was thinking, he didn't notice that a rubber hurricane was approaching him from behind.
-TORAOOOOO! I WAS LOOKING FOR YOU! YOU HAVE TO COME EAT, SANJI MADE SOME GREAT MEAT!-said Luffy, who had three pieces of meat in his hand. -BUT THESE ARE MINE!!!-
-Always just as noisy, Mugiwara-ya- he said with a fake gesture of annoyance. -You’re incapable of worrying about anything, or following a plan-.
-Why bother? We're just going to go there, we're going to kick their asses, we're going to win, and then we'll have a banquet with lots of meat.-
The way Luffy saw the world had always left him quite dumbfounded. Law knew that Luffy hadn't planned anything beyond the words he had just said, and a part of him was grateful for that simplicity; very secretly, this was what made his heart race. But in that precise instant, those words were what made Law’s brain "click" and made him act totally out of character. Before Luffy could stand up to force him to go to the party, Law approached the Straw Hat captain and kissed him.
It was a quick kiss, and to his surprise, when Law went to pull away, Luffy held his head, deepening it further.
-I like you too, Torao, although I'm the only one who's going to be King of the Pirates and I'm the only one who's going to find the One Piece- said Luffy, laughing as he got up to go to the banquet.
-That’s what you think, Luffy-(Law realized he hadn't called him Mugiwara-ya this time) Law said to him as he followed him to meet up with everyone else.
….
On the crest of the Sunny, Zoro was sharpening his swords, he did it conscientiously, a method of relaxation he had acquired over the years. He tried not to think too much (he had never been a person characterized by that, anyway). But there was something that had him worried. Zoro had never been someone who cared about dying, much less dying in battle chasing his dreams and helping his nakamas (especially his captain) fulfill theirs, but it did unsettle him to go to the grave with a secret he had been keeping in his heart since that fateful night at Thriller Bark: the thought that he would leave this world without tasting the lips of the most unbearable person he had ever met in his entire life (and probably in the next, if that was possible).
As if the gods he didn't believe in had heard his fears, the hatch on the crest opened, and through it, with a bottle of good sake in his hands, appeared the owner of all his nightmares, all his anger, and all his dreams (and, well, all his erections too).
Sanji dropped the bottle of sake into Zoro’s hands, who caught it in mid-air and sat down in front of him, knee to knee. For a few seconds, neither said anything (and, to be honest, they didn't really know what to say). They had been through a lot together, they knew more about each other than practically anyone else in the crew (perhaps excluding Luffy). They hadn't talked about what happened in Big Mom’s territories; they hadn't had the time, and to be honest, Zoro was still a bit annoyed and a bit jealous, although in reality, the green-haired swordsman had absolute confidence that Sanji would return and that he was capable of fixing whatever was going on. That didn't change the fact that everything that had happened had made things much more tense between them.
It was Sanji who put his hand on his leg, and Zoro didn't pull away. His single eye stared fixedly at the cook as he interlaced his fingers with his.
They really didn't need words; they understood each other perfectly in any situation, they always knew what the other was thinking and always knew what the other needed (which had always come in very handy in the middle of a fight).
Zoro was the one who grabbed Sanji by the hips and pulled him close. It wasn't a romantic and calm kiss; with the two of them, it couldn't be. It was a wild and voracious kiss, a kiss that promised one last night to resolve everything they hadn't been able to say to each other in years. They kissed as if it were the only thing keeping them alive, as if their lips were the last drop of oxygen on the planet, they kissed as if they could recover in that one night all the years they had decided to ignore their hearts.
-Zoro, listen- Sanji said, pulling back slightly, while Zoro looked at him, not understanding why he had stopped. -I have a lot to tell you, all these years I…-
-Shut up, you stupid cook, I know. I know everything and I feel the same. What you feel, I feel, I think we don't need anything more than that- interrupted Zoro, silencing him with another kiss.
The temperature in the room was rising and their clothes were starting to get in the way. Zoro's hand began to travel up Sanji's calf to reach his ass while he licked his nipples. Sanji was in the middle of pure pleasure, so when Zoro suddenly stood up, he didn't understand.
-Is something wrong, you bastard?-he asked, worried.
-No, I just got up to get the lube, I have it stored here-replied the swordsman.
Something inside Sanji's stomach twisted.
-So you bring a lot of guys here, Marimo?-he tried to sound casual, but the reality was that he felt humiliated. It was known that Zoro was gay (he had never hidden it) and Sanji assumed that in some port the moss-head would have wanted to blow off some steam (although Sanji tried not to think about it, as otherwise he would have gone crazy), but the thought that Zoro had brought others to the ship where Sanji lived, where he and Zoro lived together, slept, fought, and shared their intimate space, caused him repulsion.
-Uh?- asked Zoro.
Sanji interpreted it in the worst possible way. He knew that with Onigashima approaching, now was not the time for a jealous scene, but he couldn't help it. His eyes were about to fill with tears and he didn't want to cry in front of the swordsman. He reached out to grab his clothes and leave, but Zoro reached his side with a look of terror on his face.
-Don’t go, please, never ever. Listen to me, I have never brought any guy to the ship. What's more, I have never been with anyone, the most I’ve reached is kissing and a few blowjobs. I swear nothing more, never on our ship and never really anything after meeting you- explained Zoro as fast as he could.
-And then why do you have lube here?- Sanji asked again.
-In case we, well, to be prepared in case you…- Zoro stammered.
Sanji relaxed. He knew it had been irrational and that even if Zoro had fucked other guys these years, he wouldn't have anything to reproach him for. But there was a part of Sanji (perhaps linked to his lack of self-esteem) that couldn't bear the image of Zoro with another man who wasn't him, much less in that space.
-I know you have been with other men, I know that in Alabasta you were with Ace-said Zoro without looking at Sanji directly.-That was the first time I realized I was jealous; with women, it had never happened to me. I knew what that was about, but with Ace, I did suffer-
-With Ace? Luffy's brother? That Ace?- exclaimed Sanji, surprised. -Nothing ever happened with Ace.— Zoro looked at him with disbelief, but with a satisfied smile on his face.—At most, a little flirting, but nothing more than that. Marimo, you're the first man I've kissed.-
-And the last—grunted Zoro as he kissed Sanji again.
-Wow, wow, Marimo, we all know I’m a somewhat passionate person, but I didn't expect this fit of jealousy from you- said the latter between kisses.
-Shut up for once, I want to pick up where we left off—Zoro whispered in his ear. -I’ve thought about this for so many nights, about what it would be like to have you under me moaning my name, what it would be like to kiss your lips and your abs, how your cock must feel in my mouth and how good it would feel to shove my cock deep inside you while you beg for more, while you don't remember anything or anyone but me, until you can't even breathe-
Surprised by Zoro's words, Sanji's cock had become hard again.
-How many nights?-he asked, playing along.
-All of them. You make me sick with those outfits that squeeze your ass, I still don't even know how you can walk comfortably in them— Zoro was becoming increasingly wild. -I would do whatever you wanted for me, whatever you asked, whatever, but let me suck your cock first and then fuck you until you only remember my name.-
Sanji just let out a moan and touched his own cock, asking for Zoro to do something about it.
Zoro went down to Sanji's pelvis and took the cook's cock into his mouth.
-I can't take it anymore, Zoro-complained Sanji after a while.-I’m going to come.
-Cum in my mouth, brows—asked Zoro. -I’ve spent years imagining how you taste, don't deprive me of the pleasure of finding out, but look at me while you do it and while I swallow it-
Sanji couldn't take it anymore; he came in Zoro's mouth and, just as he had asked, while looking at him.
-Now I'm going to make you come again, but this time while I fuck you. Does that sound good, pretty brows?-
-You’re a fucking bastard whimpered Sanji as he kissed Zoro again.
Zoro put lube on his ass and his own finger, and introduced a first finger little by little with a softness that contrasted with his usual brutality, then a second and a third.
-That’s enough, you damn moss-head- Sanji groaned.-Put it in already.
-Look at you, getting all demanding… I'm prepping you, cook, I don't want to hurt you and have you not be able to fight tomorrow. Once in a while, it's nice to have you at my back, although most of the time I already have everything covered-said Zoro sarcastically, to which Sanji replied by biting his arm.
-I’m the one who has to save your stinky ass, you blockhead with legs- complained the blonde.
-Yeah, yeah, that later. Now I want you to come again and this time with my cock, and you'd better get used to it because from now on you're only going to come with my cock, with my hands, with my tongue, or with my ass, with nothing or no one else- said Zoro as he slowly pushed his penis into his ass.
After a while, Sanji could only emit small moans but had no capacity for anything else.
-Harder, I'm coming, harder, Zoro, damn it- he demanded with the last breath he had left.
Zoro listened to him.
Both came together, enjoying the pleasure and the sensation they had been wanting to feel for so long.
-Hey cook- said Zoro while they were lying naked and embraced. -I love you-
-And I love you too, Marimo- replied Sanji. -Whatever happens and whoever we face, we're a team-
-Luffy is going to be King of the Pirates and we are his wings-
-Mossy, I need to ask a few questions... was it like in your dreams?- asked Sanji nervously.
-Infinitely better.-
They kissed again, this time without such desperation; they were tired and the night's emotions had left them drained. Besides, they were increasingly aware of what was coming in the following hours.
-And since when... do you know? That you love me, I mean- asked Sanji, somewhat nervously.
-Since I almost died at Thriller Bark, I knew I was jealous since arabista but love since Thriller Bark- replied the swordsman.-When I saw you in front of me, begging Kuma to take you instead... I just knew. I knew you were the only one who was going to have my heart. I've always liked strong boys, the ones who fight and don't run from battle, the ones who aren't afraid to die and the ones who take care of their people-
-So Luffy is your type, huh?-joked Sanji.
-Honestly, I'm more into blondes- replied Zoro, laughing as well-But back to your question, I verified that I was very much in love when I spent two years thinking about you every single day. I had Perona quite fed up, honestly, and well... when I thought about you every single night.Seriously, how was I supposed to not fall for you? Fuck, you’re beautiful. You’re just perfect, delicate and tough as hell, with that pretty doll face, but then you go and land kicks that destroy entire ships. No man in his right mind could be around you and not end up on his knees. You’re everything a guy like me could ever dream of.And you?-
-Phew… during the two years we were separated, I accepted that I liked boys too-Sanji was honest. -It was quite hard to reach that revelation and it was even harder to accept that the boy I liked was you. Perhaps any other would have been easier, but it had to be precisely you, I guess it couldn't be any other way. As much of a brute as you can be, you’re the most loyal, brave, and disciplined person I know. You even have this tender side—always looking out for the whole crew. You always know when Chopper needs to feel protected or when Usopp needs a push to keep going. You’re always the first to step up, putting yourself in danger before you’d let anyone else on this crew get so much as a scratch. You’ve always got my back in the middle of a fight, and we have this connection that no one can even put into words, also Marimo, you are sexy as fuck with this Big Chest of yours.Then I finished accepting it when the first thing I wanted to do upon returning to Sabaody was to go look for you to spend some time alone.-
-It didn't look like it with how much you bled for every single women you saw- accused the swordsman.
-Well, in the first place, I was never going to admit it. And in the second place, you idiot Marimo, I still like women too, I remind you-
Zoro laughed and hugged him, he knew perfectly well that Sanji still liked women, that he would continue to be a gallant idiot and that he would continue to let himself be enslaved by Nami whenever she wanted. To be honest, Zoro knew that Sanji would never behave with him as he behaved with Nami and Robin, and to be honest, the swordsman didn't care; he really enjoyed fighting with Sanji daily, it was his favorite adrenaline. But now he also knew that at night Sanji would come to his bunk, that they would sleep together, and that, if they made it out alive, they would have all the time in the world for the two of them.
-And, Marimo, one more question-said Sanji.-Before you mentioned that you hadn't been with another since practically after meeting me... when was the last time you gave another guy a blowjob?-
-Seriously?-asked Zoro with annoyance. -Is it really necessary to talk about that right now?-
-Please, let me know,-Sanji asked him.-I need to know if I've been driving myself crazy for nothing-
-You have, you perverted cook-declared Zoro. -It was in Loguetown and I didn't do anything, they did it to me.-
Sanji breathed, realizing that all those times he thought Zoro was with others were just his imagination.
-Great, but when we get out of this alive, I’m going to give you one that will make you forget all the others in your life.-
-I can't wait, although I feel obligated to tell you that I forgot all the other guys on the planet when I saw you naked for the first time. Since then, my jerking off has never been the same.-
-Oh, really? What were you thinking?-
-Cook, if you're half as dirty as in my fantasies (and from what I see, it seems so), you're never going to leave the Sunny ever again.-
They both laughed, hugged, and tried to sleep the little of the night that was left, because the next day all the operations started. The rest of the crew didn't ask about them; they all imagined what had happened and decided that, at death's door, they both deserved that little oasis of found happiness.
...
AFTER THE BATTLE.
Zoro had been ignoring Sanji for a while; he was angry and, honestly, the swordsman knew he had reasons for it. What Sanji had asked of him, hours after finally being able to kiss him, was quite unfair: the cook had begged him that, if he lost control, if he turned into a monster... to kill him. Zoro had accepted because, honestly, he was incapable of denying him anything, but that didn't take away the fact that he was now hurt. It was unfair that he was the one who received such a request.
Sanji approached him carefully; he knew perfectly well that Zoro was hurt, but he owed him an explanation.
-Zoro-he whispered, but Zoro pretended not to hear him. -Please, I need to explain myself.-
-Why? Why me? Why not someone else?-asked the swordsman.
-Because I was losing my mind and I didn't want to turn into a monster. I couldn't allow myself to stop being me, to stop being human, and on this crew, there is no one else but you who would be capable of doing it. Luffy wouldn't want to, and the others wouldn't even consider it. Only you, and no one else, knows what my humanity means to me; you are perhaps the person who understands me best on this planet. You are the only one capable of understanding my decision because you are the only one who has been able to see my soul in its most natural state. Turning into a monster right after tasting the best kind of humanity by your side... I couldn't bear it-said Sanji.-Besides- he continued-if I had to die... I thought the last thing my eyes would see would be your face and that, perhaps, dying in your arms wasn't so bad, that it was a good last memory.-
Zoro approached him and kissed him; he kissed him as he had never done before (not even in his dreams). Sanji could feel the fear, the anguish, and the desperation of love as the swordsman pressed their lips together.
-Don’t ever ask me for anything like that again. Without you... I don't think any of us could continue, much less me. You are the soul of this ship. Whatever happens, we are going to reach the end together; we are going to continue with Luffy long after he becomes King of the Pirates, we are going to fulfill our dreams, and even after that, we are going to keep sailing all together on this damn ship without any privacy. We'll manage to be alone, but that is the life we are going to have and it's going to be the best of all-promised Zoro, and Sanji could only kiss him, agreeing with him and enjoying that more-than-possible future.