A/N: Thank you so much for the follows and favourites! :D Feel free to drop prompts on my tumblrid: zosanlaw. I draw too, btw.

Thanks to ThirdtotheLeft for Betaing! :D

Chapter Sixteen

Glance

Sanji had not expected what Zoro had asked but considering the situation, it had only taken him about ten seconds to hum and agree. Zoro had been positively alarmed yesterday and if staying together till the end of this case made the moss worry less, then sure. It wasn't a big deal. It would only take another three or four days at the most for the case to settle now that Luffy, he and the others were involved. They worked separate from the government, though still under its jurisdiction. They just didn't have to deal with stuff like limits. That didn't mean they were immoral, of course. They just twisted the situation to their leisure.

Zoro had grumbled something about talking to Garp and asking permission to join their crew-of-sorts and quitting his current position. The idea had received a warm reaction, especially from Luffy.

Sanji ran over the things he would need for the next couple of days in his mind and after a short talk with the mosshead, it was decided that Sanji would come back from work early, pack and then head to Zoro's.

Zoro hadn't stopped smiling. At least inwardly. Sanji agreeing to come so easily was not what he had expected but then it wasn't like they were going to live together forever. Yet.

He knew he had to be a little cautious around the blond. One move out of the line and he might freak out. But then again, he hadn't when Zoro had confessed to being serious just two days ago. That had surprisingly acted as a reassurance.

Which is why, when he kissed Sanji goodbye in front of the saloon and drove off to his apartment to get ready for work, he had a huge grin set on his face, patting himself on the back for not showing his excitement.

Sanji grinned like a dope as he walked in through the door. He was quite sleepy when he had agreed but now the thought of going to Zoro's place sober and spending a few nights together was starting to sound really exciting. He had been holding himself back from the mosshead... what with having a broken leg and cracked spine. But then he knew most of the stops he pulled were psychological.

He was not a naive man, but he knew what he could believe. And when Zoro had said that he was serious about this, he had seen pure honesty in his eyes. He had also seen the pure terror supported by veiled trauma when Zoro had come banging on his doorstep yesterday. He had seen the way his body was frantically checked and then held like they had met after years of painful distance.

Maybe it was a spur of the moment thing, but Sanji had felt then, that Zoro was probably more emotionally involved in this than the man even realized. If that was true… well, he was happy. Why? He had no clue. Frankly, he felt he was a hopeless, romantic fool.

"Camie, my love. Good morning!" he greeted the lady as he handed her his sling bag - a new one, the last one was a lost cause after the accident. Camie gave him a huge, welcoming grin as she set it on the side with her own purse. "Good morning to you too Sanji-chin," she spoke in that bubbly voice of hers which lit his morning like no man ever could. "I was about to make coffee. Would you like some?"

"When it's you offering, my dear, I would love it." He grinned as she walked away with a chuckle to brew them the coffee while he walked to the many chairs set in front of the mirrorlot custom designed mirrors. Picking up one of the hair ties, he pulled his hair back to put them in a top knot, revealing both his eyes. They (his hair) had grown over the past few months, faster than he had expected. And now they reached a little below his shoulders. He should try growing them out a bit more before he tried to find a style that suited him. He wondered for a second if Zoro would appreciate it. But he didn't dwell over it as Camie walked over to him with two mugs of coffee in her hand.

"Thank you, love."

She hummed and took a seat on one of the plush chairs as he leaned against the counter and blew on the steaming beverage before taking a sip.

"So? Are you gonna tell me why you're smiling like an idiot?"

Sanji smiled down at Camie as she winked at him with a cute smile that he knew she thought was suggestive. She always knew if he had secrets to share…

"Well…" he stretched the word, "I am going to live with Zoro for a few days."

Camie's eyebrows shot up as she blurted out, "After that fight you guys had a few days ago?"

"Fight?" Sanji asked his brows furrowed. Ahhhh.. yes. He had punched Zoro in the face. An overreaction, really. But the man had been stupid to expect any different. "Ah! I had almost forgotten about that…," he murmured, a small smile playing on his lips. That had to have been funny. He usually didn't use his hands but Zoro's confidence had irked him enough.

"Don't look so happy remembering such things!" Camie scolded him, "What happened in three days, what changed enough that you guys decided to move in?"

"If you must know, Camie, he fucked me good and high. I am entrapped by his bed etiquettes and need more."

Camie blushed as she lightly kicked on his leg, "C'mon! Seriously. Tell me."

Sanji chuckled a little as he took another gulp, the warm mist hitting his face, "He said he was serious about this. About us. That's all. And there is some other stuff included I can't tell you anything about, no matter how much I wished I could." He gave her a genuine pout at that. She was a close friend. He really wished he could tell her about his secret life.

"Ah… The double-life crisis." She hummed as she rested back on the chair. "Serious relationship though. That's huge. Are you ready for it? I thought you still had issues with Law…"

Sanji grinned at her. She really worried a lot about him. "Well... Law is my past now. I did wish for things to have never gone wrong. But then again,some things are never really meant to last, right?"

"Right." she agreed with a humm.

"Law and I were good together and we understood each other. But that doesn't mean that I'm still hung up over him, my dear."

"I know you aren't. But are you ready to be in a serious relationship?" she reiterated.

"It's not like we are getting married tomorrow," Sanji shrugged, "he doesn't mind taking it slow. He just doesn't want me to keep my walls up. And I guess I agree. You know me. I can't deny affections, I prefer to reciprocate them."

"In that case, tell me more about his bed etiquettes." Camie grinned at him over the rim of her cup.

"Ah! This coffee isn't nearly enough for that. Maybe a refill and we can talk?"

Zoro sat and stared Garp in the eye as the elder man sat across the desk and stared back at him. There was a knock on the door and Garp called in his deep gruff voice, without breaking the eye contact, to whomever it was to enter. The attendant came in and set a cup of creamed black tea with a few crackers in front of the man and a glass of iced tea in front of Zoro before leaving. All this while, the two still kept staring at one another.

A few more seconds passed, then Zoro took in a deep breath before speaking, eyes staring hypnotically at the black ones, "This game is…"

Garp raised a finger to stop him, the excited gleam in his eyes now starting to tear up a little on the edges as he refused to blink. "This game is said to increase mind's concentration. Don't complain. Let's see who wins."

"How do we decide the winner?" Zoro asked, his eyes now starting to water and the air starting to sting. He really wanted to blink but Garp had told him not to and so he wasn't.

"The one who blinks first, loses and then the game ends."

Oh.

Zoro blinked a couple of times, relieving his eyes of the strain and slumped back in the chair while Garp's mouth fell open. "Why did you blink?" he roared at his junior. He really had the biggest balls in the whole department, always going against what Garp demanded of him.

"Because I came here to discuss something with you. Not play a game," Zoro snapped, leaning forward a little to get the cool glass of iced lemon tea that Garp had ordered for him. The man knew what his officers liked to eat or drink.

"You always have something to discuss. It's a pity that it's never something fun and always work," Garp grumbled as he took a sip of his own tea. "Out with it then, what is it?"

Zoro frowned slightly as he spoke next, "Well, before I go there, how is your grandson, Luffy?"

Garp looked at him attentively for a few seconds, his eyes searching, "I don't remember mentioning my grandson to you."

"I've known Luffy since I was in highschool. Heard a lot of stories about you. He never mentioned your name of course. But now that I know…"

Garp paled and blushed at the same time, if that was even possible. "Stories about me? Luffy been telling ya how I wanted him to join the force?"

"No," Zoro shook his head, rolling his tongue a little. The tea tasted good. "Though he did mention walking in on some activities which are unfortunately etched into his memories." Zoro looked up at the horror stricken face of the handsome Director General. "What's funny is… Just yesterday, these conversations came back to my mind. And the lady in them sounded a lot like the defense minister."

Garp blushed harder than Zoro could ever have imagined and he looked a little guilty as well. When he spoke, however, his voice was calm, "Yes. We have history."

"Well, my sources say it's not history."

Garp looked at him icily at that. "What is it you want, young man?"

"I want to be transferred to the undercover team that works alongside CP9," Zoro stated bluntly. "I know you won't want me to. So the excuse 'it's not in my hands' would be the one you would use. I am just letting you know that it won't work."

"Doesn't change the fact that it's not what I want. Why would I allow this?" Garp huffed, shifting on his seat.

"Because that is the last option you have of keeping me under your most slack command. I plan on quitting if I am not transferred."

Garps face turned red with pure anger and he slammed his fist into the desk, "Don't use those tricks on me, boy. I am not giving in to your tantrums. You stay where you are."

"I will hand you my letter of resignation if need be by the end of the quarter hour. You know I will."

Garp fumed over Zoro and the mosshead could practically hear the gears in his mind whir and grind as they searched for reasons to say no.

"You're a famous officer. How do you plan on going undercover?"

"I don't. I trust you to find a way around it."

"Don't you go dictating terms on me." Garp grumbled, his look murderous.

Zoro stood up then, adjusting his suit buttons, "Garp, you have been like a grandfather to me from the moment I entered this profession. I haven't even got people I can call friends here. Do me this favour and I will owe you. I can get more work done if I am in the field rather than sitting in interviews and making files. I'm not meant for those things and you know it. Please don't be selfish. You can always find a new person who can do much better than me where I am. Don't make another person miss his chance."

Garp stared at him quietly, giving him no response.

"So… like… every time?"

Sanji nodded, entertaining the image he knew was festering in Camie's mind. "Every time. Every single time he pushes in… trust me, Camie-chan, I would never admit it to him, but I think my backbone melts."

He wasn't lying of course. It was all true. And giving Camie every dirty detail of it was really making him feel happy for some perverted reason.

"And he was kissing you all the while?"

"Oh yes. Our lips never left each other. And I don't think he realized it but I couldn't take my hands off his butt cheeks while he did it."

"Well, can't blame him. The way you are relaying things, he's probably as lost in you as you are in him."

Sanji's groin tightened when he thought over what she said and he blushed a little as well because Camie was snickering. "Look at you. You guys won't find the patience to stay off each other, will you?"

"Maybe." Sanji gave her a suggestive wink and a shrug, "I wouldn't mind that."

"Of course not." she giggled.

The door opened and the first couple of girls trickled in and Camie and Sanji didn't get a chance to pick up the topic again. He went over the list of things to pack in his mind all through the day, adding tidbits to it and then removing some.

He got more impatient as the time spent at the saloon increased. The last half-hour was getting almost unbearable. When five minutes were left, however, Law walked in through the door, looking like he hadn't slept in days.

Sanji was in the process of collecting his bag from the workdesk when he came and was quite surprised. The last time Law had visited a saloon was when Sanji had gotten a really high fever and was in no state of driving. Law had been his lift.

"Law? What are you doing here?"

Law turned around to look at him warily, "Ah! Sanji… I was wondering if you were free to go grab a drink after work?"

"Well… I am free now. Let's go. But just one drink. Alright?" Sanji really wanted to get home and pack already, the list was starting to give him a headache. But he wasn't going to ignore Law's request. The man was going through a lot right now and needed company.

Law nodded softly and Sanji sang his goodbye to Camie who waved him a goodbye kiss. They left the building and quickly made their way to Shakki's and selected a secluded corner to sit in. Soon, the drinks were ordered and served. All the time, Law was quiet and avoiding Sanji's gaze. When the snacks arrived, Sanji was starting to worry. He was used to a talkative Law, not a silent brooding one.

"Well? How are things? How are you?" he asked.

Law blinked and turned to look at him, his eyes distant and the dark circles accenting them, larger than ever before. "I have been a lot better," Law said, his voice sounding so hollow that it scared Sanji. "I don't want to waste your time, Sanji. So, I'll just get to the point."

Sanji opened his mouth to tell Law that he was not wasting his time but Law spoke before he could, "I wanted to apologise… For what I did. Truly apologise."

Sanji's jaw snapped close and he remained silent as he let the other man speak.

"When you caught me with him, I was scared, at first. That you knew then. That I knew I was breaking your trust. You left the house, didn't come back for another month and I didn't know where you went. I trying calling you but was too scared to leave a voicemail when you didn't answer… And I… I spent all my time worrying about you with him. I apologised a month later when you finally decided to talk, and I knew I hurt you and I hated myself for it. I hated myself for not being honest sooner or when I stopped trying. And… that is what I did then. Hate myself and get reassured by Kidd. I didn't realize the extent to which it could have hurt."

He took a deep breath and Sanji stared at Law's untouched whiskey glass. A year and a half ago, this talk could have killed him inwardly but right now, he was listening to a friend. A friend who had stopped being himself.

"I am facing it now… The hurt that I put you through and… all I can think, is how much more it would have hurt for you. And I…" Sanji looked up at him when he hesitated and he stopped himself from getting closer and hugging the man. Tears were held back in his eyes and his voice was cracking. "I am so sorry, Sanji. For what I did. It started as a fluke, something to entertain my boredom. But it changed. He changed it for me and now I know it was all a lie. And I am sorry that I was the one to put you through what I am going through right now."

A tear finally trickled out his eye and Sanji's raised his hands instinctively to brush it off, without hesitation or fear. Law bent his head, eyes closing when Sanji's hands came to rest on his cheeks and wiped off the tears the man didn't deserve to shed.

"Fuck. Sanji.. It hurts so bad." His head came to rest on his shoulder and Sanji ran a hand through his fuzzy hair as he pulled the man closer for a hug.

"I know," he spoke, his own voice coming out a little hoarse as he scuffed the other man's hair. "I know.."

He knew. The pain, the hurt, the hopelessness, the detachment… he knew it all and had felt it. But he knew for a fact that what Law was feeling right then was so different and so much more painful that he doubted his hurt even came close to Law's. Not that this was a thing to note comparisons in.

He had left the house the moment he could feel again. He heard Law gasp out his name and the scramble from inside as the man he was with called out to Law. He heard hurried footsteps as he himself hurried to the main door where he left his luggage. Good thing he was packed, it was like it was bound to happen. He ignored the begging tones of the man he loved as he slammed the door shut and dragged his bag to the main road and waved down a cab.

He was still numb when he took the back seat and told the driver to take him to Luffy's. He knew Luffy wouldn't refuse and he knew Luffy would give him the space he needed then. And that's all he needed. The image of Law orgasming at the end of another man's dick flashed in his mind again and he grit his teeth as thoughts started screaming at him in his mind. Why? Since when? Why?

Law's face when he looked up to see Sanji standing the room entrance and staring at them… It was guilt. Orgasmic pleasure turned to deep rooted guilt and surprise. The only proof he needed to know it went deeper than a casual fuck. He felt his heart churn suddenly, like it was curling in on itself to cry. It hurt. It hurt a lot. And he could not think of anything other than Law's face and the look in those golden eyes.

He stared out in the street, the window reflecting his face faintly in the moonlight. But he saw nothing outside. He just breathed deeply, trying to clear his mind of what he had seen and stay away from the atrocious thoughts of broken trust screaming and cutting him inwardly.

He couldn't think about Law that way. Couldn't think about him as a person who would play with his trust. But then he did walk in on him enjoying with another man, not caring about the trust the blond had in him. Sanji had placed blind faith in him… tied a cloth around his eyes and followed the man, knowing that he would never be led off a cliff. And thinking that Law did just that was piercing and tearing his heart apart in ways he never thought was possible. He'd thought with the way his past life had been… Violet, his mother, his father…. his sister. He thought he knew pain. But this just went deeper than those and ever gnawed on the healed scars.

And it was happening all at once so he didn't know how to react or control what he was feeling.

He paid the taxi driver and proceeded to Luffy's apartment without waiting for the change. He pressed the buzzer in front of his friend's name and Luffy's hearty voice sounded a second later. "Lo! C'mon up." The gate lock opened and he entered. He didn't need to even say his name. Sometimes, present time included, he really appreciated the aloofness that his friend portrayed.

He dragged his case to the lift and selected the fourth floor out of habit and when the doors slid open to reveal the familiar corridor, he walked over to the last apartment on the left of the floor.

Luffy was already standing at the doorway, a huge grin set on his face. It fell when he saw Sanji's slumped shoulders and lowered head. The last time he had seen him like this was when his mother was stated mentally ill and transferred to an asylum. It had devastated him but he held a little poise and calm for his sister. When she was taken by his mother's relatives, he had broken down and come to Luffy. And Luffy hated seeing his friend that beat up.

But this time he looked different. Maybe even worse. Luffy knew all that calmness that surrounded him when he entered his apartment wordlessly was a defense mechanism from the pain that Sanji refused to accept.

Ace looked up from the couch and grinned widely at Sanji, the TV behind him playing a re-run of F.R.I.E.N.D.S., though like his brother, it vanished when he took in Sanji's appearance. Luffy took the baggage from him and guided him to the couch to sit next to Ace then hurried to get some water. There was uncomfortable silence in the room. The elder brother was close to Sanji as well. He had been there when his family was snatched from him and he knew what it felt like to feel alone. So they had bonded over that time.

When Luffy arrived with a glass of water, Sanji took it with a small thanks and gulped the water down in two seconds before asking for more. Ace shifted closer to his side as Luffy went to get a refill. He leaned a little close to Sanji and rested his head on his lean shoulder while the thin arm came to wrap arounf his shoulder as if on instinct. "Think you can talk about it?"

Sanji remained silent for a few seconds before speaking in a hoarse voice, "Broke up." he said stiffly.

Ace's head snapped straight and he turned to look at Sanji closely, as the blond stared at the T.V. set, "We weren't even on a break." (1)

He slept in between Ace and Luffy that night, hugging the younger boy to his chest, head nuzzled in his hair and Ace held on to him protectively from behind.

It took a week for him to gather enough sanity to answer Law's call and listen to the other man stutter in surprise. The doctor had called him almost twenty times daily. But he left no messages or voicemails. Sanji missed him. Missed his voice, missed the warmth of his body at night, missed the sarcasm, missed trying breadless meals, missed having a reason to go home after work, missed the soft press of the morning kiss, missed seeing Law walk around the house in his free time, missed looking at the man sleep till drowsiness hit him as well, missed going on walks with him, missed holding his hands, missed the hurried I love you's when Law was running late, missed the scent of the man on his bed - on himself, missed running his fingers through his hair, missed the fondness he saw in Law's eyes when he looked at him… he missed Law in every aspect of his life.

Where did he go wrong? When did this happen? Was it repairable? If they got back… If Law wanted to come back, would he able to trust the man, again? Would he be able to leave for fashion shows or CP9 work and not worry about finding Law with another man? Maybe… if he tried, he could. He had a ring. He wouldn't propose till he wasn't certain again… But he didn't want to give up. Not unless Law wanted to. Because he couldn't do this alone.

So about a month later, the two met at a small comfortable coffee shop. They were both a little jittery and things were awkward. Sanji had thought he would be angry but he just felt a tug in his heart to maybe kiss Law in welcome or hug the man close...But he settled for an awkward smile. Maybe Law felt the same as he shifted uncomfortably on the cane chair.

They talked about small things at first. Work. Patients. Customers. How the coffee needed lesser cream or more sugar. How things were slow. Sanji laughed when Law mentioned that one time their coffee was made wrong and tasted salty rather than sweet. Law's face when he drank every last drop of the coffee just because Sanji had insisted on him to finish it. Law did that alot. He did things half heartedly just to keep Sanji happy…

As the laughter from the memory ebbed away slightly, Sanji shook his head and leaned back on his chair. "Why?" He asked. Straight and concise. He didn't need to expand on what he was asking as he looked at Law with a regretful smile.

Law looked at him and set his coffee mug down, gulping in the last bit of coffee before answering and his voice shook a little as he spoke though he seemed outwardly calm. "I don't know… It just happened one day when you were not here and I had a bad day at office. He just came onto me and things just happened. I regretted it but… I don't know how it grew to more than that one time."

Sanji cleared his throat before asking, "Is it… Is it just about sex? Or…"

Silence fell between them as the atmosphere thickened. Sanji's incomplete question hung in the air and Law's silence answered it. Sanji broke eye contact and looked down at his almost empty cup. He felt like that somehow. He felt suddenly empty. They were serious. One last question and he would be done. "Was it me?"

Law leant forward immediately, his hands enveloping Sanji's and the blond looked up again. "Trust me when I say this, Sanji: you are probably the best thing that has ever happened to me. You know me, you know my past. You get me. I never wanted to do this to you. I would have told you earlier but I was scared of hurting you and now you're just hurting more. And it's not your fault. Not one bit. This is all my doing. Please don't blame yourself for it."

And that had been it. They had parted ways then and never tried contacting the other. He shifted to a house next to Robin's. The lady had promised Sanji that it would always be there for him and as promised, it was.

Right now, Sanji knew exactly what Law was going through and he knew for a fact that his friendship with most of his friends had scarred after what he did to Sanji. So he sat there and hugged the man who was once his friend and maybe was going to be again. His phone on the desk vibrated and Sanji glanced at it to see Zoro calling him. Law made to shift and pull back but he held him close and answered his phone with a swipe before placing it on his ear.

"Hey…"

"Hey, when are you getting here?" Zoro sounded excited as the ironic soothing voice spoke through the headpiece. Sanji smiled to himself and he felt some of the tension leave him.

"I'm going to get late. Out with Law. Give me another two hours?" Sanji asked, ignoring Law's futile tries of pulling back.

"Ah… Okay. Is he alright? I mean… He might be in a pretty rough spot now…" Zoro sounded genuinely concerned and Sanji felt a little more tension sweep off him. It wasn't like he was cheating on Zoro or something, but meeting Law without telling him somehow didn't feel right.

"I guess… I'll see you in a while then."

"Sure… Lo-see you soon."

The phone cut before Sanji could give any reaction to the words he knew were about to slip from Zoro's tongue.

An hour of reassurances and six shots down the doctor's throat later, Law looked ready to pass out in the bar and Sanji called Luffy over to give both him and Law a ride home. Sanji had taken just one drink but he could use a lift. The fire-fighter came readily with his brother snoring away in the back seat of his Silver Toyota Prius 2016. Sanji helped Law in the neighbouring back seat, where the man fell asleep a second later and Sanji caught Luffy staring at him fondly in the rear view mirror.

He sat in the passenger seat next to Luffy at the front and clicked his seatbelt in before the raven haired boy put the car in gear and made his way to Sanji's house.

"So, you and Zoro, huh?" Luffy asked. He was smiling and his eyes were fixed on the road.

Sanji nodded, smiling himself. "He's pretty cool."

"That's an understatement."

"Hmm… Yeah. It is. But don't tell him I said that."

Luffy huffed a laugh before turning serious again. "He's a good friend Sanji. A good human. Don't do anything to hurt him."

"I won't," Sanji promised. Nobody other than Ace, Luffy, Usopp and Camie had the right to give him relationship advice. Those four knew him like no one else ever could and so they had the liberty to doubt his choices and speak their minds.

When they reached Sanji's place, Luffy asked if he needed any help moving but the blond refused. "Just need to pack one bag. You gonna take Law to yours?" he asked as he unbuckled the belt.

"Should I?" Luffy asked back.

Sanji shrugged, "He needs a friend. You've known him more than I have this past year and a half… You'll know what to say or do."

Luffy hummed as he looked back at his sleeping brother and friend. "Sure. He does seem like he could use the sleep though. And food."

"Oh, that reminds me. He's going to have a hangover when he wakes up."

Luffy scrunched his nose a little as Sanji exited the car with a chuckle and saluted his goodbye. He opened his door and headed straight for him room and got down his travel bag from the compartment in his bed. The selection of clothes took about half an hour but when that was done, the rest of the packing took just 10 more minutes.

Clothes, underwears, lube, shampoo, soap, toothbrush, paste, medicine kit, trimmer, shaver, socks and two pairs of boots, one pair of running shoes and a pair of simple black home slippers, comb, conditioner, hair wax, hair ties, condoms, charger, headphones, laptop and his bedside alarm clock. He checked his wallet and decided he had enough money to buy some grocery items on his way to Zoro's. But he definitely needed to hit an ATM after that.

Zoro was a little jittery. He had almost said the forbidden word and banged his car into the one ahead of him in the process. He had been hoping since then that Sanji had ignored it. After a little while, when he had calmed down enough to concentrate on the road, he decided he could cook for the blond. He was going to be his guest after all and all they had eaten since the past three months was oily takeouts or Sanji's cooking. He was okay with the takeouts but he loved Sanji's cooking. It made him feel more at home.

He parked the car at his regular grocery store and walked in, grabbing a trolley on his way. It took him half an hour to find all that he needed - Rice, chicken, thyme, Tuna, Cheese, Lentils, dried fruits, two packs of dozen Budweiser, Cola and a few more spices. It took him another five at the register, it was quite uncrowded today. The cashier gave him a warm smile and just as he was about to state the total, Zoro noticed some newly released scented lube stacked up behind the man. He… didn't have a new pack of lube at home, did he? He didn't want to use the lube he usually used with his one-night stands when Sanji came over.

Coby - the nameplate stated- looked back to see what caught Zoro's eyes and turned back to the officer. "Would you like to see some of those?" He asked warmly and Zoro nodded absent mindedly. Coby picked one of each scent and spread them on the counter for Zoro to see. There were six of them. Kiwi Strawberry, Passionate Fruit Punch, Raspberry Pomegranate, Wild Blueberry, Sweet Cherry and Juicy Watermelon. Zoro decided on the first two and Coby set the rest aside as he added the selected items on the bill and printed the receipt.

With the bill paid and purchase packed in paper bags, Zoro made his way back to his car and then his way home, all the while wondering why the thought of purchasing lube had not struck him before. Reaching home, he cast a glance around his living room and relaxed when he saw it was acceptably clean. He walked into the kitchen and sorted away all the things he got. Extracting enough rice he washed and rinsed it, pouring the water in the plants he kept on his window sill and then transferring the rice to a pan and adding water and salt to it. He bought the water to a boil and then reduced the flame before covering the utensil and leaving it on the stove for another ten to fifteen minutes.

In that time, he hurried to the guest room and did some quick cleaning and supplied the bathroom with the necessities. Towel, brush, paste, soap, shampoo, waste roll etc etc. In the room itself, he changed the sheets, fluffed the pillows and checked the air conditioning and lights. He also set the lubes in the side drawer. When he was satisfied he hurried out of his own clothes to change into something more casual. A loose white tank and khaakhi shorts seemed good enough.

Time passed slowly as he cooked. At the end of the hour, he had perfect onigiri and grilled chicken with curry dip set and ready, kept in a warm oven to keep it from going cold. He even made some dumplings but those weren't done yet. He wondered if it was enough. It was light food and there would be beer. His presentation obviously wasn't as good as Sanji's but that didn't mean he was a clumsy klutz.

He spared a glance to the clock on the wall. Nine thirty. Shouldn't Sanji be here already? He pouted without realizing and played with the mobile in his hand. Should he call? He shook his head at the idea. He wasn't going to start obsessing over this. He glanced at his gym and decided he might as well work out.

Sanji shopped a lot. Aside from the red and white meats, he had gone ahead and got vegetables and fruits. Not to forget, the new lubes seemed tempting and he took two there as well. Then, he had been stupid enough to buy bags of chips, coffee beans, flour, baking salt, baking soda, cocoa, nuts, prawns, bacon and juices.

The cashier- Coby- looked at everything warily as he passed everything through the scanner. Poor lad probably had a long tiring day, it was already a quarter past ten. He had been lucky to find the store on his way to Zoro's. When Sanji passed the lubes over, Coby grinned at them as he scanned them and added them to the growing pile. It was a different expression from what he had seen on the young man.

"What is it?" Sanji asked, innocently. He knew for sure that buying lube had not been the reason behind the boy smiling, he seemed intelligent.

"Oh, sorry about that." Coby said, in a surprisingly deep voice, "It's just, another customer took the same two bottles from me about three hours ago. Those two seem to be the most liked… Might buy some myself." He muttered the last part to himself and Sanji couldn't help but laugh.

"How old are you?"

"I'm twenty two." The boy answered with a grin, the answer surprising Sanji. "I know.. I look younger."

"No shit. Well, good luck with your date for the night. How much do I have to pay?"

Coby blushed a deep shade of red which looked funny with his pink dyed hair and tapped a finger on the register LCD that displayed the total, apparently too flushed to speak. Sanji paid the amount before putting the bags back in the trolley and waving goodnight to the kid. There was no way he looked like a man yet. Though he did have a rather pointed jaw.

After transferring the contents to his trunk in the almost deserted parking lot, he pushed the trolley out of the way and got back in his car. Reversing was easy enough without too many cars to crash into and he pulled out and sped off to Zoro's. ATM could wait, he was late.

This was the second time that he would be going to Zoro's place and the first time that he would be sober. He remembered that Zoro had a really warm flat. The walls were painted in either beige, warm reds or glowing gold. It had been well furnished and maintained too. You entered the flat and directly walked into a spacious living room. There were about five doors that led to different rooms from there. Bedroom, kitchen… those were the only two he had visited. Now he might learn what the other three were. Excitement bubbled inside him as he pulled in the lane of skyscrapers, one of which contained Zoro's apartment.

It took him a while to locate the Wano Flats and pull into guest parking. Carrying the twelve bags was the next milestone to achieve. Seriously, what was he thinking? It's not like Zoro's house would have nothing. But he just had to go overboard and buy the entire month's ration for the man. He hoped he was not overstepping like some obsessive girlfriend. He buzzed against Zoro's name and he had to stand for about half a minute before Zoro's deep voice spoke from the speaker.

"Hello?"

"Hey. It's me."

"Who me?" Sanji stared at the speaker. He was carrying twelve really heavy bags right now. And that was excluding his luggage.

"Just let me in, moss head." he growled into the microphone.

Zoro tutted, "You forgot the magic word…"

Sanji was losing his patience. Fine. If it was magic words that the man needed… He lowered his voice and spoke in almost silence as he leaned as close into the microphone as he could. When he spoke, his voice was a low humming, cheeky yet suggestive baritone that reached into your soul and tickled it, making it tremble and shiver, "Let me in so I can do bad things to you."

The speaker clicked shut about a second later and the door unlocked. Sanji grinned as he opened the door with his leg and walked across the lobby to the lift, passing a sweet smile and nod to the receptionist who was staring at him with wide eyes.

Which floor was Zoro on? Ah… fifteen. The button was pressed and Sanji waited patiently as the lift took him up, the usual heaviness weighing on him as it did. He felt it weight off him as if it had been a pair of eagles perched on his shoulders that took flight when a ding sounded in the elevator and a cool female voice announced the destined floor. The gates slid open and Sanji walked out and over to the second last door on the carpeted hall. He used his foot to bang against the door and it opened in ten seconds by a sweat dripping officer. Sanji took in the man from head to toe.

Longer than before green hair slicked back with sweat, set on top of the glistening bronze skin… like it was covered with honey. The white tank top which was supposed to be lose clung to the hard muscles of the man and was practically transparent due to the sweat. His khakis hung sinfully low on his hips, fitting just perfectly.

Sanji gulped in the greeting he had prepared, his eyes stuck on the chocolate, erect nipples jutting out from the muscle rippled pecs and the sweat riddled tee clung to it. He licked his lips, forgetting all that he had thought of doing to Zoro, his complete concentration on how he could get his lips around the hard bud and taste the sweat on his tongue already. The pecs flexed and the bud moved with it, tightening a little more and Sanji felt his groin heat up as he took in the movement.

"Like what you see?" Zoro's voice broke through his haze and he snapped his eyes up to meet the moss's. It was so obvious that he knew Sanji was taken by him and was doing his best to embarrass the blond. When he didn't reply, Zoro's eyes quirked a little and his lips curved into a smug smirk. He walked one step closer to the blond and got his hand near his arm, the wet warmth coming off his body radiating into Sanji and increasing the heat in his groin.

His face came close, close enough that Sanji could feel his breath on his lips and it send a shudder down his spine. Zoro's eyes were locked onto his, the greys split into it's various shades. They stared deep into Sanji as if staring into his soul, like he knew exactly what Sanji was, what he was thinking, what he was hiding, what he wanted… the vulnerability of it all, made the heat in his groin spread and reach up his chest, neck and ears. They made an unspoken promise to him of something so deep and desirable that it couldn't be put to words. They promised him sleepless nights and tired mornings. They promised him freedom and care. They promised him the high and ecstasy that he so desired, both to have and give. They promised him pleasure and they promised him comfort. They promised him a never ending company. They promised him heat and passion. They promised him lust as well as love and they promised to see each and every one of those to it's raw animalistic yet humane ends.

Zoro's lips ghosted over his and Sanji forgot where they were. He forgot that they were standing in a hallway where anyone could see them. He forgot the slight perversions he had all day. He forgot his tiredness, he forgot the time, he forgot everything other than the fact that Zoro stood impossibly close to him, overpowering him with his gaze alone and his hand was just shy of resting on his wrist while the other had itself hooked in one of the loops of his jeans.

He wanted to close the small distance between them and kiss him. Kiss him till his lungs were empty and more. Feel the warmth of those hands as they touched skin and feel those lips desperate and rough against his own. Massage his tongue on the tongue he knew was sweet despite the man's disagreement to the particular taste. He wanted to look in the eyes boring down on him as they kissed without breaking the contact. He wanted to feel the telltale of the man's arousal on his thigh that would soon find its way between his legs.

And as a part of him yearned to be dominated by the man, another part, a more sexy and a far more active part of him, wanted to see Zoro as he made the man feel what he wanted himself to feel. See into the depths of the grey as they reached the high and pleasure as he unraveled under him. He wanted to see how that strong jaw fell open by his doing and how his body arched and tensed in tabooed demonic surrender. He wanted to leave the man utterly used and boneless, breathless, thoughtless… numb with frenzied ecstasy. He wanted Zoro as his own.

He felt Zoro's lips move and the words spoken were music to his ear, a hum of satisfaction, a taunt for challenge, a smirk to tease. "Want to come in?" Like a warning… a last warning. A statement in the form of a question of no stepping back and no regrets.

His gaze flickered to Zoro's lips, the colour kissed by the sun, one that could be tainted in red with the right press between his teeth, a cut that broke the heavenly skin. Zoro's hand finally contacted his exposed elbow. Just the tips of the fingers as they seemed to jaunt him to think more. To break and act first. They caressed him, tickled him as they made their way from his elbow to his wrist.

Sanji knew he was breathing too slow, too calm compared to the way his heart was beating. He could kiss him. He could kiss Zoro right there and let the man see the desperateness he was trying so hard to pull out of him. He could submit. He could be fucked against the wall in the next minute if he gave in now.

The silence was deafening and straining down on him as Zoro waited for his answer. He didn't know how long they stood like that, contemplating his answer, wanting to give in to the man. But then the tenderness in the minute touch he was receiving made itself known. The soft hesitance that lay barren and hidden in the grey eye peeked from it's hiding place. The thinly veiled desperation made itself known, as if by mistake, the cover blown aside for a second by a gust of wind.

And Sanji leant into it without giving it a second thought, the bags dropping on the floor with a sick squelch as the meat packets hit the hallway carpet. The tips of their hands met and stayed that way as Sanji pressed his lips on Zoro's, eyes still locked in place. It was slow, synchronized lip movement, Zoro sucking on Sanji's upper lip as the blond sucked on his lower full one, then alternating. Their heads inclined a little, keeping the nose war at bay as a breath was sucked between each alteration. There was no desperateness, just warm comfort.

Sanji's other hand, now free of the bags, came to squeeze on Zoro's hand that hung from his belt loop and then traced it's way up the muscled forearm, coming to rest on his bicep, pressing it softly and running smooth patterns into the sticky skin. Zoro's hand moved to hold him possessively around the waist; again, tender and hesitant.

His mouth was starting to water more than before and he gulped on the saliva as the kiss still remained simple yet intense. He struggled to keep his tongue behind his teeth, licking himself in the process, trying not to deepen the kiss. He sucked Zoro's bottom lip harder, feeling the man take a deep breath and return the favour on his upper lip, their fingers entangling together as he did. He tasted quite salty at the moment. The sweat from the workout he had apparently been doing and had solidified just under his lip, dissolved when it came in touch with Sanji's lip. He could stay here all night, just pressing Zoro's lip between his and hugging him. But he didn't plan on doing that. Instead, he followed up on the thought that had occurred to him earlier and before Zoro realized it, his lip was pressed between Sanji's teeth and being bitten and suck on at the same time.

Zoro hissed at the abuse to his lip and he pushed the blond back, walking with him, shifting to put his leg between the two impossibly long legs as their owner's back met the wall behind them, his grip intensifying and stronger than ever before. He had released the blond's lip in the process and had his own released when they hit the wall. He knew he was bleeding by the metallic taste on his tongue. But what turned him on more than anything was the way Sanji was licking his own lower lip, as he looked up at Zoro with sly eyes. He saw as the few drops that smeared on the gifted lips was licked and sucked on with such pleasure.

Sanji had him undone. He knew he was in love with the flexible monster but he didn't know how every small thing the man did would affect him like this. His eyes slid close and he buried his face in the ever present reassuring shoulder helplessly and nuzzled in the warm neck. Sanji's hair was pulled up in a knot so he didn't feel the usual tickle of hair on his nose, forehead or eye. But he happily took in the smell he had grown used to over the past three months. Coconuts and vanilla, as always. He placed a soft kiss on the muscle where his long neck met the shoulder before nuzzling the man again and pulling him into a proper hug, both hands coming around the back of the compact waist and holding him tight.

He didn't want to lose him. Didn't want to lose Sanji. He didn't want the blond to feel insecure or afraid to love when he was with him. He didn't want Sanji to be a target of something he was innocent of. He didn't want to lose this touch or the mere presence. The pain of losing someone was not something he could go through again. It's why he always looked at things like relationships so lightly. But it was different with Sanji. Their relation started with the possibility of losing the blond and that somehow took a deep root in his heart.

Sanji's eyes widened at the blatant display of affection. Till this evening, he was just doubting that the man had deeper feelings. Then Zoro had gone and almost said that he loved him and now he was hugging the blond like he meant the world to him. And he was surprised again that it didn't frighten him. The touch and the hold of possessiveness and fear was not scaring him. Zoro was in love with him and he didn't reciprocate the feelings yet… But he wasn't running from it either.

He got a hand up to run through the wet strands of Zoro's hair and sighed, leaning down to nuzzle in them, his other resting on the tense back and rubbing soothing circles in it. One bite. One aggressive move and it had overwhelmed the officer. The way Zoro had looked at him just a minute ago… the way his eyes seemed to consume Sanji… he knew he was well on his way to reciprocate the feelings as well. Though not yet. Just.. not yet. Maybe a little while longer. He didn't want to give himself or the officer false hope and ruin this. They were serious, Camie was right; it was huge. But he was not going to let that be a cause of disrupt in his life again. He had loved twice and been hurt twice. The second time worse than the first. And this would be his last, if it did happen. And so, he had to do it right.

He cleared his throat as the decision was made and he felt Zoro hug him a little tighter. A soft smile drew on his lips as he spoke, "You're tired again."

Zoro nodded. Because yes, he was. Excitement of Sanji moving in for a few days followed by the exhausting work of finishing the pending cases on his post before he was transferred, then cooking and working out. Not to forget that he was thinking of Sanji almost all the time and even though the blond made sure that he fell asleep last night, he had still only gotten about four hours of sleep. It had definitely been a really long day and his brain was beginning to feel a little drowsy to give itself a rest.

"Alright," Sanji's chest vibrated as he spoke and it somehow made Zoro sleepy, "let's go in. I'll cook. You watch some TV. We'll eat, then sleep. Sounds good?"

Zoro huffed a laugh. "I already cooked."

"You did?" Sanji's surprise was clear in his voice and the reassuring circles he was drawing on Zoro's back stopped.

Zoro nodded and pulled back a little with a grim smile on his face. "I did." He gave Sanji a quick peck and felt the soft throb of pain as it reminded him of the bite. "How about we move what you got in? Did you buy the complete shop by any chance?" He moved back to pick up the bags as Sanji remained rooted to the spot.

Alright, One. Zoro cooked. He had never eaten anything made by Zoro and the fact that he could cook (he still wasn't too sure of that) came as a surprise.

Two. How the hell did things go from being intimate and intense to sober and homey in a blink of eye?

Three. His heart was currently releasing about ten thousand butterflies on the sweet gesture that Zoro probably made without even realising it.

Zoro picked the bags and motioned Sanji to enter first and the blond did so, taking his luggage bag in the process. Yes, it was just the way he remembered it. A spacious living room with the best sofas and TV set with five adjoining doors. He waited for Zoro to follow and was led to a door, which he knew was the kitchen. He left his luggage in the living room and helped the man place all the things he got.

He felt a little embarrassed about undermining the state of the officer's pantry but was reassured when Zoro told him he had gone grocery shopping today which was the only reason his kitchen seemed a little fuller. Zoro ate out as he was usually too tired or busy to cook for himself. He claimed to know the best eating haunts due to the same.

"But you do know how to cook?"

"Well, yes. I lost my mother when I was quite young and dad only knew how to cook rice or instant noodles. Kunia used to cook but… anyway, I started to learn cooking via TV shows and cook books… Still remember how dad ate everything I made even if I added too much salt or made it too bland. Took a while but I learnt eventually. Not too good at it though. Tashigi cooks much better. You should taste the muffins she bakes. She knows I prefer the not so sweet ones so she makes them with less sugar for me…"

Sanji looked at Zoro mesmerised, taking in every word the man said. They had conversed a lot since they got together but Zoro really seemed to be opening up now, dropping all pretence of wanting to sound cool. No, this was the Zoro who wanted to open up to Sanji and allow the blond in his life. Sanji never realized he needed it. He would definitely feel better opening up to Zoro if the mosshead returned the favour.

Food was removed from the oven, laid on the table in the living room and a movie channel was set as the two sat down on the comfortable couch to eat. Sanji had told Zoro that he had no problem waiting if he needed to bathe but the man said he was too hungry for that so food came first.

They laughed in between bites and exchanged jokes as they saw Nick, Dale and Kurt deal with their horrible bosses. Sanji didn't see the point in refusing to have sex with a very very hot dentist when Zoro pointed out that the man was engaged. Sanji snorted and pointed out that the lady had been after Dale before he even had a girlfriend.

When the food was done, Sanji insisted on clearing the plates and shoved Zoro a little to bathe. He thought about how homey everything felt already, Zoro had cooked amazing food, the spices were perfect and the chicken was tender; beer went well with it, even loosened up the tension in his body. The onigiri was probably the best he ever tasted in his life and he had enjoyed every bite of it. Zoro was a modest bastard for thinking his cooking was just 'okay'. He had appreciated Zoro thoroughly and was glad to see the soft blush that had highlighted the man's cheeks. Man! He really was a softie inside, wasn't he?

Plates, glasses and utensils washed, he locked the main door and proceeded to roll his luggage to Zoro's room. He set it on top of a small coffee table arranged at the far edge of the room. It was empty so he assumed Zoro cleared it for him to keep his stuff. Unzipping the case, he extracted his toiletries bag and set it on the space left on the side. He then selected his favourite simple tee with his loose boxers . Zoro's place had strong conditioning but the covers were warm. Plus he would be sleeping next to the man so he didn't have to worry about feeling cold.

The bathroom door opened and Zoro stepped out from the mist that shot out from the room. He had a towel around his neck as he dried a side of his hair with it and was wearing blue pajamas. He looked at Sanji and stopped, looking a little taken aback.

Sanji didn't really notice, he had seen the moss in a body clinging, sweat dripping tank top. Watching him shirtless and right out of shower as water trickled down his hair and snaked their way on the sleek, worked muscles, to the elastic of the brown pajamas was probably the only thing that outdid it. Some of the droplets settled in the indent of the scar tissue while some others just collected on the hollows of his collarbone. He couldn't help the heat that started to develope in his groin and he blushed when he realized he was staring the sculpture in front of him shamelessly.

Zoro stared back at Sanji, thankful that he worked out and had a physique that distracted the blond from his reaction. He had expected that Sanji would want to stay in a different room. But apparently he was wrong. And he was happy about that. He grinned a little when he saw a mild blush creep on Sanji's cheeks. Maybe he could skip the tee he had planned on wearing.

"Washroom's free is you wanna use it." He chuckled and Sanji nodded, not meeting his eyes and turning to pick a bag and his clothes for the night. "Towels are in the cabinet under the sink," Zoro muttered as he walked out the room, giving Sanji some more space before they went to sleep. He went to the guest room and extracted the lubed he had placed there. Next were all the windows and doors in the flat. Yes, he lived on the fifteenth floor but he was a cop and he took no risks. He stopped at the fridge to remove a cool jar of water and picked up two glasses and headed back to his room.

As expected, the shower could be heard and Zoro placed the water and glasses on one of the bedside tables and walked back to his side of the bed. He pulled out the drawer to put the lubes there but stopped when he noticed two identical bottles already placed there. He realized that Sanji probably got the same lubes from the store and kept them in the drawer assuming it would be the side he slept on. It had slipped out of Zoro's mind that the blond slept on the left. Well, made no difference to him. Right, left… didn't matter.

He put the lubes in the other drawer, grinning to himself as he did.

When Sanji came out from the warm shower and dripping hair (seriously, they were getting long), he found Zoro cleaning up the room a little here and there. "So… bed?" Sanji asked, a little hesitant.

Zoro turned around to look at him, "Sure. Make yourself comfortable. Just give me a few more minutes."

Sanji sighed in relief and quickly followed Zoro's words. A minute later, he was bundled up in the warm comforter, gazing at the beige ceiling in the room, hair fanned out over the pillow to air dry. He thought back on the day.

Waking up with his curl growing back, Zoro asking him to spend a few days together, personal talk with Camie, tons of ladies to flirt with, Law decided to try and ease his pain, grocery shopping, realizing the seriousness of the relationship, Zoro's cooking… feeling homey after a long long time...

"What's that grin for?" The bed dipped on his side and Sanji turned bodily to look at Zoro who drank a full glass of water before getting into the comforter with him.

"I was wondering what else you could cook," Sanji stated, grinning when he saw Zoro roll his eyes. His buff arm lay open on the side and Sanji took the invitation, scooting closer and resting his head on the bicep. "So? What else do you cook?"

Zoro grinned down at him and curled his arms around Sanji's shoulder, pulling him even closer, "Well, Tashigi taught me chicken wings. Then there is basic bacon and salamis… ham. Pasta, teriyaki chicken. I like cooking dumplings too though that didn't go too well today."

"You cooked dumplings too?"

"Yeah, but I guess I made the flour dough too thick. I'll make them again tomorrow… if you want me to?"

Sanji nodded, "Yes, of course I do. I didn't even know that you cooked. You never told me."

Zoro chuckled lightly, "Never got the chance to. I enjoy your cooking more than I enjoy my own." He turned so that their chests touched, with Sanji's tee the only thing separating the two, arm coming over to rest on Sanji's waist. He leaned in slightly to let their noses touch and closed his eyes, "But now that you know, I am willing to be your cook till you stay.."

"I do not accept that offer. I like cooking. I will cook too." Sanji muttered as he tangled his legs with Zoro's, his lower arm laying against the warmth of Zoro's bare chest while the other hugged Zoro back, "What did you do with those dumplings?"

"Kept them in the fridge." Zoro said, one eye cracking open to look at the lamp switch on the side desk. He leaned over in order to turn off the light. He felt Sanji's breath on his neck as he did and a shudder ran down his spine at the sensation. Coming back, nose to nose, with the man, he waited for Sanji to speak but the man remained silent. So Zoro shifted a little and pressed his lips warmly on top of Sanji who received him with a moan and opened his mouth immediately in welcome.

Tongues finally met and when it became sloppy and slow, none of the two knew. They only knew that, that was the first night they fell asleep together, kissing each other till their minds went drowsy and bodies shut down for the night, hands entangled in hair and bodies pressed together in a jumble of limbs.

To Be Continued…

A/N:

1. It's a typical 'We were on a break' excuse Ross uses with Rachel in F.R.I.E.N.D.S. . Youtube it, it's hilarious.

2. This note includes major spoiler from the manga series most recent chapters.

Please, don't think that Zoro hates Sanji. The ass just doesnt know how to express fear or worry. Also, he trusts Sanji's choices and decision. He is right though you know. They can't have two warlords after their neck. I am not talking as a YAOI fangirl here. I am talking as a dedicated fan of the series. Those two are practically brothers. NO, that doesn't make my fics incest. You'll notice all of em are AU and rather OOC.

I'm all for a sneak in *Talk to Sanji* mission. Imagine everyone dressed as waiters. This year, Oda Sensei is going to kill us with all those surprises and angst. Sanji's dark past is finally gonna be known to us!

I have so much I could talk about, feel free to pm me on my tumblr or follow to learn more about the theories my friends and I discuss or if you wanna discuss em with me!

3. Hope y'all enjoyed the chapter! Lemme know in the comments.