high_seas | A Water Park with Hammers

One of many, yes.

[Nods like he just so very much agrees that he's better than Zoro, of course, duh, isn't it obvious?

And he's still grinning, now in a teasing kind of way as he absently trails his fingers over Zoro's knee.]

Want me to teach you the art of flowery bullshit?

Just the one.

[ooh, shivers. It's not quite ticklish but it feels nice]

Nah, you can keep that shit to yourself, Mr. Driftwood.

[that's right, he remembers all the way back to that weird thing you said to Robin when she first came aboard. It was ridiculous. Never forget. There's a fondness to his smirk, though.]

You gotta learn to savor what you get from me. Since it's so rare, yanno. That means it's special and you can't let that moment get away from you.

[...Wow, Zoro remembers, but it takes Sanji a moment to place the gibe. He babbles so much nonsense on a daily basis, half the time he can't remember what sappy words of love come pouring out of him. So long as it gets him a pretty smile, then he's done his job! ...Well. Pretty smile, slightly scared smile, smiling while clearly thinking he's insane, you know. It's so hard to tell the difference sometimes.

In any case, he blinks across at Zoro, eyebrows lifting a bit. Then he hums a little.]

See, now I wonder if Robin-chan remembers me saying that...

[And if she does, it's probably just because she's Robin-chan. He's not sure Nami-san would remember any of his more...creative...poetic verbal vomit.]

Uh-huh, special... What if I give you a compliment first? Look, it's real easy.

[He clears his throat and then graciously lays a hand on his chest.]

I don't hate your shitty hair.

[See? SEE? So easy.]

[completely deadpan]

Yeah, real complimentary. That's like me saying, I don't actually hate your cooking.

[because no, he genuinely loves it, but he can never say so. At least, no more than he has on accident lately.]

You don't gotta be flowery to say shit like that.

I wasn't doing flowery. You gotta work up to that.

[And it's so dumb because Zoro's just throwing his own game back at him and he already knows he likes his cooking, of course, AND YET.

That shitty backwards compliment still makes him perk up a little as a pleased expression settles on his face.]

You love my cooking.

[Just like Sanji loves that stupid green hair.

He brushes his fingers over Zoro's knee again, going for another obvious one as his eyes lower slightly to stare somewhere around Zoro's collarbone.]

I like watching you fight. Especially when you put that shitty bandana on. Even if it means everything's going to fuckin' hell, you're amazing to watch when you get serious.

[...Not that Zoro is ever not serious when he's fighting, but when the stakes are high and all three swords come out... Oh yeah. That's the good stuff.]

[grumbles under his breath; he didn't say that, and yet, that really is true. He loves Sanji's cooking and anything else pales in comparison.

So even this is a competition - and Zoro can't let himself be outclassed, not even after he knows how poetic the cook can be. The admission takes him totally by surprise, though - he wasn't expecting that.

Okay, gotta come back with...words. Guh. Words are hard.]

Yeah, well...same to you.

[SO ELOQUENT FOREVER. Yet, that's also true. He loves watching Sanji kick the shit out of things.]

[Tosses his head back as he barks out a laugh, and has to quickly reach up to keep the towel from falling off. The laugh softens into a chuckle almost immediately, though, as he gives Zoro an amused look.]

Wow. Thanks. Never thought you'd bare your soul to me like that, marimo-kun.

[Nah, he knows words and shit are hard for him... But he can't help poking a little fun, though he gives Zoro's leg a soft squeeze just above his knee like he's trying to keep him from being grumpy about it.]

[ducks his head with a little growl, but he's not really that grumpy over it. Just a little embarrassed.]

Shut up. It's not easy! Maybe for you, but...

[huffs] I'd rather show it. But I guess it's not like you have any doubts or anything.

...do you?

[the speed at which his brain moves, rethinking itself, could use some improvement, but he will blame the haze of the heat of the bath right now]

Do I have doubts?

[Blinks.]

What, you mean like... [Gestures between the two of them.] About this?

Mm.

[he feels dumb even asking, but he wants to be sure]

It's not like I've really...said...anything...

[Ah.

Well, in that case, it's not like Sanji really has either.

But...]

Didn't you? What was it... [Feigns a thoughtful look, like those seven syllables aren't permanently burned into his brain.] Love is strange to understand?

[Pauses, sinking lower in the water until his chin is touching the surface. There's a red tinge to his cheeks, but you know, bath heat and all. He lets his head rest back and closes his eyes.

Not taking any facial cues, marimo, use your words. As few as they are.]

Not that I wanna make any assumptions or nothing...

[If he was any lower in the water himself, he would have snorted a nose-full of it at that. Good thing he just chokes on air. Shit, he remembers. It takes him a minute to wrestle himself back under control, to try to be all stone-faced even though it's nearly impossible by now.]

It's true, though. It's strange and hard and I'm not used to being bad at something so important.

Nothing I said was wrong. I don't regret any of it.

[Quiet for a moment before cracking an eye open to peek at Zoro, a small smile working its way onto his face.]

You're not bad at it. Could be worse. Could still be the you from a year ago. Compared to that guy, you're way improved. You've learned a lot, right?

[In terms of emotions and shit, at least.]

...Anyway, the feeling is mutual. [Turns his head a little more, looking at Zoro fully now.] You know that, right?

...yeah.

[it's soft and heavy, laden with all those feelings he has trouble putting into words. Some part of him might have always assumed that the love-cook would be adept at experiencing and dealing with emotions, regardless of the target of his affections, but maybe it hasn't been so easy after all. Zoro matches that smile with a small, shy one of his own. He knows, indeed.]

Shit, it has been almost a year, hasn't it? I know it started after Usopp's birthday, which is sometime next month...

[Easy? No. Definitely not. Not in the beginning, at least. Accepting that he had feelings for Zoro -- and having to do so twice, at that -- was the challenge, but...after that... Sanji isn't one to not express himself. Having to repress his emotions would probably be an even bigger challenge than accepting them in the first place, so on that end, yes, these things are simpler for him.

It's been a long road to get to where he is right now, but he doesn't have any regrets either.

He lets out a soft laugh.]

Hell, my shitty brain is still confused about how long we've actually been doing this. Technically a year, I guess, but sometimes it feels like two or even three. Lemme tell ya, I don't recommend having to live a year of your life twice. But yeah... [Squints a little.] What was it, like two weeks after his birthday, right? That's on the first.

Something like that. I don't remember the actual date.

[sorry, no sappy anniversary for you, cook.

Accepting isn't his problem, it's identifying. Knowing, being certain of what it is he feels. And, yes, expressing it in ways other than trying to jump Sanji at every other turn. Zoro is getting there, though, little by little.

He shifts to take his leg down out of Sanji's lap and moves in closer to him, gliding through the water up in front of him and resting his arms on the rim o the bath on either side of the cook's shoulders. For once he doesn't quite pounce, just sort of hangs out there gazing at him.]

Guess if we can make it a year, it really is a thing, huh?

[lol he'll survive.

Sanji looks up at Zoro as he moves in but doesn't answer right away. Instead, he reaches out to place a hand on Zoro's chest, idly stroking his thumb over Zoro's scar as he just gazes back at him for a moment.]

...Yeah, marimo. It's a thing.

[breathes a soft purr under his breath. He's gotten rather attached to the sensation of fingertips on his scar - never stop, cook.]

It's still weird. But a good weird. I can feel you all the way in the deepest part of my chest, like you've settled there and won't leave and I don't want you leave.

[has he mentioned he's bad at this? But he knows that sensation in his chest, a pang that squeezes him every time he makes eye contact or feels a hand brush his arm. Zoro bends his head to nuzzle at the wet strands of hair around Sanji's face, just to keep them close and in some kind of contact.]

[He would keep going!! But Zoro leaning in prompts him to slide his hand further up and curl it behind Zoro's neck. He turns his head a bit, nose pressing against Zoro's cheek and his voice a soft, amused murmur when he speaks.]

Hey, look... Words.

[Lots of words even. Hell, Sanji definitely wouldn't call that being bad at it. In fact, he can't stop the grin that spreads over his face as he sits there and replays them in his head again. That familiar warmth explodes in his own chest, as well, and he sits up out of the water slightly so that he can wrap his arm completely around Zoro's shoulders. His other hand finds Zoro's bicep, just sort of hanging on as he draws the other man in close and buries his face against his neck.

Hearing anything like that from Zoro feels precious somehow. It's hard, Sanji gets that, which means every time he unexpectedly powers through and shares anything emotional, Sanji's damn well going to tuck that memory away somewhere safe and probably revisit it time and again.]

[Mmm, warm, wet Sanji, all up in his space. Zoro shifts one arm off the edge of the bath so he can reciprocate, sliding it around Sanji's back. He's treated to the scratch of that goatee across his neck, an extra shiver to add to everything he already feels. His hand slides up out of the water to bury in Sanji's hair, ruffling it a bit.

He's content to cling for a while, but eventually lets go, drifting back a little and dragging his lips across the cook's exposed eyebrow as he goes.]

[Sanji settles back when Zoro does, though he keeps his hand on Zoro's arm, rubbing up and down. A quick push of his Haki ensures no one else has snuck into the bath with them while he wasn't paying attention, and the changing room is still empty, too. So he gives that arm a tug to pull Zoro back onto the bench beside him, and then lets his weight rest against the other man. Just for a moment or two -- his hands are getting pretty wrinkly anyway. Might be time to get out soon.

But for now...this is nice.]

[Yeah, the bath is hot enough that they can't just stay in all day, but for now, Zoro settles beside him, letting a hand fall over Sanji's thigh as they sit together. A few long minutes of quiet go by, and he's content with that, but eventually the stillness begs to be broken.]

So I think I get why Luffy was so squirrely the other day. It's because I asked him if we could take the cats back to their island.

[he figured as much out later when he glanced at the journal.]

Ah...yeah.

[And suddenly sending Zoro a grumpy look, though he's clearly not grumpy enough to actually pull away from him or anything.]

Asshole. I heard about that.

[very slightly taken aback at the change in mood]

What? Why am I an asshole?

[Crosses his arms and huffs.]

Because I like those damn cats.

[YES HE KNOWS IT'S TOO MUCH OF A RISK TO KEEP THEM AROUND IN CASE EVERYONE DISAPPEARS but still.]

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