high_seas | Bubble Trouble

[AND ONWARD WE GO.

Sanji sure is glad he kicked his Keimi-made jeans off and slipped into a pair of boxers before going to bed, because apparently sometime during the night he shifted back into male form (THANK FUCK) and that probably would've been...uncomfortable...

The shirt he's wearing is Zoro's, at least. Keimi-chan might not let him wear them during the day, but at night he figures it doesn't matter. The baggier the better.

But anyway.

The pure relief that flows through him the following morning is almost overwhelming. It takes him a few minutes to realize what happened, though. When he first blinks awake, he goes through his usual routine of "wonder why he's by himself --> oh yeah, fuck this world --> blearily roll out of the hammock and shuffle off to the bathroom --> pee --> ...wait hold on."

Whiiiich is about when he figures things out.

If anyone's wondering why there's cheering and whooping coming from the bathroom this morning, it's because Sanji's got his dick back. 8|

AFTER THAT, and also after giving himself a moment to deal with that whole overwhelming relief thing, he slips back out and pulls on a pair of sweatpants before heading to the galley. It's one of those days where he can't even be bothered to get completely dressed. Whatever, he can do it later. Right now he just wants to cook up a storm and make a big ol' breakfast because thank shitty fuck the nightmare is over.

Part of him wants to go find Zoro...but the part of him that wakes up annoyed every morning figures Zoro will find him. He'll just focus on getting the coffee ready.

AFTER THE 6TH, he'll settle back into his usual routine and be in a much less pissy mood overall. Hit him up for whatever you want!]

[Even in his child-sized body Zoro's routine doesn't alter too much. Even if he's not on watch, he still isn't up for sleep at normal times like normal human beings, so he's roaming around the ship looking for something to occupy his attention when midnight strikes and he slowly finds himself increasing in height. It's not instant this time, allowing him to get out of the kiddie clothes before they constrict on him. Which, yes, leaves him mostly naked except for his green sash, but eh, no one else is around to see him.

He slips into the men's cabin to grab a pair of pants and his haramaki, and glances to see that Sanji appears to be boobless, but after his behavior the last few days he's not sure it would be wise to just slip into the man's hammock like nothing was wrong. Instead, he goes and takes second watch, and falls asleep on deck near the figurehead.

So, it is on Zoro to find Sanji when morning comes, and so he does, sneaking his way into the galley as soon as he can smell the aroma of coffee. Yet again prepared to apologize for being a shithead. Things really never did change.]

[He hears him when he comes in, of course, pausing in the act of flipping pancakes to glance over at him. Oddly, for a second, he's not even sure what to say. Should he act like he didn't just spend five days as a female? Pounce on him? Give him the cold shoulder? Let Zoro speak first? He kinda senses he might be getting another apology soon, but he doesn't really want one. He knows Zoro is sorry, he knows the whole situation was fucked up, but he still can't help being irritated by certain things, which means if Zoro says he's sorry again, then Sanji will have to say it also because it's partially his fault for holding a damn grudge. They've probably apologized more to each other in the past five days than they have in the entire time they've known each other.

Hell, scratch the probably, they definitely have.

After a beat, he realizes he's still staring and has yet to say anything, so finally he just tips his head towards the coffee pot where there are already empty mugs set out.]

Help yourself, marimo. Breakfast will be ready soon.

[There, that's...neutral enough...]

Thanks.

[it's quiet and low, maybe a touch shy, and completely sincere. Zoro is grateful for more than just the morning boost, even though he does really need one after how little he slept. He moves to pour himself a mug and remains standing there, cupping it in his hands and silently meditating over it. His eye roams over Sanji, taking everything in, glad to just see things back to normal - the cook, hair tousled, flipping pancakes in the galley. As it should be.]

...you're wearing my shirt again.

[it better not be stretched out.]

Every night.

[Keeps his eyes on the pancakes now, flipping them a final time before sliding them onto a plate. He adds more batter to the pan.]

The shirts Keimi-chan made me were fine during the day, but at night they were too...

[Makes a slight face, absently gesturing with a hand.

Too form-fitting maybe. They were comfortable, of course, but at night they seemed to keep riding up on him. Also, comfortable or not, hiding all that girliness in baggy clothes made him feel better.]

[Every night? Zoro kicks himself for not noticing. Sure, on the one hand, it could be assumed that he just stole one and decided it would be his new pajamas, but on the other...

Well, he doesn't wear that one very often but it likely does smell like him. A bit.]

Good thing she was around to fix things up.

[keeping the conversation casual and light is all he knows how to do, right now, while he sips at his coffee. Maybe once his brain is in gear, he can think up a way to clear the air.]

[Oh, it definitely smelled like him. That was part of it. Sanji's just not gonna admit that out loud, plus it probably wouldn't help anything. He's been guilt tripping Zoro plenty as is.

He snorts a little at that comment.]

Damn near forced me to let her. Might have to burn the shitty bra she made, though.

[if he looks uncomfortable for the briefest moment, it's only because he can just imagine what kind of a reminder that would be, staring at the cook from the depths of his locker. Taunting him with the memory every time he saw it.]

I don't blame you. The faster we can put this world's bullshit behind us, the better.

Mm...

[Pancakes are done, so he sets the plate in the oven to keep warm and starts peeling potatoes.]

Shame to get rid of Keimi-chan's work, though. But it wouldn't fit any of the ladies on board. [...The things Sanji just knows.] They can have the shirts, at least.

Hm. Yeah, there's that.

[ruining Keimi's hard work is something even he doesn't want to do, but it does happen. Accidental shredding of shirts in battle and the like.]

Guess this means mermaid tails are back on the right mermaids, and Celestia's a pony again, too.

[man, the warm, toasty scent of the pancakes is already making his mouth water. He's playing it cool, though, just like everything else.]

And Luffy is Luffy. I hope.

[Pauses for a moment to reach for his tea and take a sip, but then it's right back to peeling.

His brow is slightly furrowed as he works, and there might be some light tension working its way into his shoulders. He's not even sure why, just. It's like they're tiptoeing around talking about anything real, but yet he doesn't even know what else there is to say.]

Everything's back to shitty normal...

Is it?

[the opening is there, and Zoro sticks his toe into it cautiously. He finishes off his coffee and sets the mug aside for now.]

Or are you still pissed at me?

[there's nothing accusing his tone. If Sanji's pissed, he has every right to be. But what good would it do to say so? There was a time he wouldn't have cared so much, but now he feels an innate need to ensure that the cook isn't angry with him for any reason.]

[Stills for a beat, then his hands start moving again and he mutters:]

I don't know what I am.

[He shoots Zoro a quick glance before returning his attention to his work.]

I said on day one it ain't worth it to be pissed at you.

That doesn't mean you aren't.

[folds his arms tightly over his chest and leans on the counter, facing away across the galley]

I thought I was better than that, but I'm not. I'm not good enough not to let it get to me. I still have a lot to learn.

[and right now the only reason he isn't wrapped tightly around the cook is because he knows better than to interrupt him when he's cooking.]

[Rolls his eyes before he can stop himself, but since he's got his head directed at the potato in his hands, it might go unnoticed.]

Well, it was real good of you to fuckin' try, at least.

[...The sarcasm is strong in this one. That slips out before he can stop himself, too, and he practically bites his tongue to keep from blurting out something else asshole-ish. He doesn't want to be this petty, and even though he's back in his right body, there's still this lingering feeling of not wanting to sound overly needy and...ugh, girly, shit. Shit, he needs to stop thinking like that. He knows this isn't a case of needing some big, strong man in his life catering to his every desire, he just.

Augh.

Well, for one, he needs to stop letting that damn island shape his thoughts so much. He's allowed to want his partner's support, there's nothing negative about that.

Sanji sets down the peeler and reaches for a knife, letting it slice through the first potato a little harder than necessary so that it thwacks of the cutting board.

Fuck, and now he's taking it out on his beloved kitchen utensils.]

I ain't pissed. [There, that's a start.] I'm—annoyed. And...

[Hurt, maybe.

But he doesn't really want to say that one.]

[ouch, that cut. That sounded angry, all right.]

...and?

[there's something else there and he wants to know what it is. Zoro tilts toward him, trying to open up.]

Look, I'm not proud of the way I acted. There's no excuse for it and I ain't gonna try to make one. I just don't know what to do about the way I feel about you, every time I try something it's the wrong thing.

[Frowns a little, shooting Zoro a quick, confused look.]

What the hell's this every time bullshit, when've you ever been wrong before?

[He examines his knife briefly, but it's fine, so he starts dicing up the potatoes lightning quick. As he do. And properly this time, no more angry slicing.]

I ain't looking for an excuse, Zoro. It's just one of those things, right, it's not gonna change, it doesn't even matter now, so it's all a shitty moot point. You weren't gonna get past the weirdness of it all, or...there wasn't enough time to adjust or whatever, that's just how it was. And I had to suck it up, accept it, and deal with it, but I didn't do that so well.

So I guess I was, ah...disappointed.

[Ducks his head a little more, letting some hair fall into his eyes.]

It is what it is.

[he's pretty sure they've had tense conversations just like this before, right here in the galley. It's like it's their own personal place to talk in private. But that's neither here nor there.

Zoro softens a bit and edges closer, still not wanting to interfere with the knife work, but finding it harder to resist.]

I want to make it right.

[thoughtful pause]

But if I just grab you and hold you right now, it'll be like. Confirming, that I didn't want to touch you as a woman. [for which he feels like a total ass]

[They have, but Sanji doesn't think Zoro's been doing anything wrong... Aside from five days ago, but that and this fall under the same thing. The other tense kind of argument they had resulted in them stepping up their relationship, after Zoro told Luffy about the whole marriage thing, so that actually ended in a good way.

Probably there's something he's forgetting, but he doesn't want Zoro thinking he's stumbling through this in such a way that he's fucking up at every turn. Stumbling, sure. Have there been shitty bumps in the road, hell yes. But fucking up? Nah...

Sanji just kind of nods as Zoro speaks, making quick work of all the potatoes.]

Yeah, well. We already know that's true.

[Scrapes all the diced potatoes into a big pan, then looks at Zoro.]

Right?

[It's not likely anyone has ever seen Zoro look so thoroughly defeated. He looks away, mouth tightening into a tight line. He wants to deny it but he can't.]

I told you. I'm not good enough to look past that.

[Shifts a little, turning so that his back is resting against the counter. He crosses his arms over his chest, watching Zoro for a moment before looking away.]

That was an opening, you idiot.

Huh?

[talk about going right over his head. He turns back, eye widening a bit]

What do you mean...?

[Refrains from rolling his eyes, but he does reach back to absently poke at his knife on the counter.]

I already knew you didn't wanna touch me like that. So the hell does it matter if you confirm it or not?

[really, he just doesn't want it confirmed that he's an asshole.

But he notices, at last, and unfolds himself in order to reach for Sanji's nearest arm, hoping to pull him closer]

I didn't want it to be like that...

[Goes with the tugging, moving toward Zoro, but then he takes it even further than that and steps right in close, both arms lifting to wrap loosely behind Zoro's back. He rests his chin on Zoro's shoulder.]

Can't change it now. Forget it.

[He doesn't want to keep being irritated about the whole thing, not when he hasn't properly touched Zoro in five days and he's allowed to now. Just...bury all that other shit. It really is kind of useless to keep letting it bother him.]

Just be glad I ain't actually a girl, I guess.

[Mumbled into the side of Zoro's neck.]

4/6 and beyond!

dat morning

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