#where wci sanji is sitting on crying Sanji’s hand

[sunnixsunshine]

Here’s the animatic stills!

I’m so proud of these, I had a lot of fun with the rendering and just drawing Sanji in general. Might repost these without the text but I dunno if anyone would want em :d

[beanghostprincess]

Sometimes I scroll through your blog just to Vibe and Turn Off The Brain bc Safe Space Energy, and every single time, I go "Yeah this is great, nice and chill, no thought, head happy-" and then I get SLAMMED with ideas for fics.

Like. Your opinions and takes and tastes are PEAK and so full of inspiration,,,,,,

I am currently in an AroAce Luffy Mood so accept my crew x Lu ideas

ZoLu as a partnership where they call one another Their Boyfriend, and they pass as a romantic relationship. Luffy doesn't really Get Romantic Feelings but he DOES love. He has squishes on his whole crew, but Zoro is His Zoro.

Zoro, for his part, is aromantic or some flavor thereof where his devotion to Luffy is maybe romantic love, maybe platonic love, who cares, he'd do anything for his captain.

Simultaneously, Luffy has a queer platonic relationship with most people on the crew, they are HIS and the only boundaries he'll respect at the ones they establish. Who cares about propriety? They're PIRATES!

After different arcs, Luffy gets Clingier to certain people - it's either New Friend Fawning or Not So Hidden Abandonment Issues Cropping Up. Sometimes it's just a need for comfort, either on his end or for one of his people.

Sanji spent a long time keeping everyone... kind of at arm's length. Ussop and he wind up falling into orbit, and life isgood, is beautiful, Sanji is so happy - but he also is so terrified.

He will follow his captain to the end of the world, and he loves his crew, his friends, with everything he has. There is no where on the planet he'd be safer than there, with them. But Luffy's eyes, so dark and searching and Seeing - they make him antsy. It's alright in passing, in energetic moments. It's unbearable during those rare moments of calm examination. Sanji makes it clear very early on that he's not into that.

It's only after WCI that Luffy grabs Sanji into a tight hug late one evening, them both sitting up, awake and alone in the small kitchen. It's then that calloused rubber hands cup a stubble dotted jaw, a forehead pressed to forehead, and brown-black-red eyes meet blue and Luffy just... waits.

And Sanji? Oh, he's tired. He's tired, he's sad, he's hurt but he's safe and-

He's Luffy's.

He is baptized under that gaze that night with hot cocoa in their tongues and warmth in their hearts and Sanji lets himself have this. It doesn't matter if he deserves it, it doesn't matter if it's alright, all that matters is that It Is, that he can claim it for himself.

Just. Idek where I was going with this honestly. Just AAAAAAAAAAA

You can't just say I'm a comfort blog for you and not expect me to start crying 😭😭💖💖💖 That's the nicest thing ever, please,,, Sobbing. I'm glad you like my posts <33 And I'm always in an aroace/aroaspec Luffy mood so PLEASE tell me your thoughts 💛💛

Aroace Zolu is so funny to me. They're a third secret thing. It's like they are not boyfriends but they are boyfriends but actually that's just how first mates/captains are with each other but they're special and unlike anybody else and-- You get me.

And I agree btw I think Luffy has QPR relationships everywhere in the crew (I mean. Mostly east blue crew but yeah) because his way of loving is more than just friendship but it's not romantic love either? And they don't need a word for that because they are pirates so it doesn't matter at all what labels they use as long as they're happy with it.

The last part btw????? Do you want me to CRY?????? Aghhh. I love Sanji opening up and accepting the love Luffy has to offer him. It's my favorite flavor of Lusan.

This was great,, Awesome incredible even,,, Made my day <33

[tinukis]

i think about trans sanji a lot... mtf or ftm he's transgender (or genderfluid ♥️)

but i think about ftm sanji and his struggles with his identity. his self hatred, self esteem, and toxic masculinity... i think about ftm sanji a lot...

i have stuff from my notes app. one was meant to be written as a fic but i gave up so it's incomplete. this takes place after wci and before wano. warnings are below the cut and in the tags, please read with caution.

trigger warning - gender dysphoria, child abuse (may be graphic.), misgendering, self-harm

Sanji wishes he was never a man. Let alone be born with the genital of a woman's.

He loves women. He admires them. Their beauty, their bodies, their smile, their femininity, everything. He wishes he could be just like them, that was his assigned sex, after all. Yet as a child, every time he stared at himself in the mirror, he would be staring at someone else. He did see a girl, but it wasn't him.

It's his turn on night watch. As everyone exchanges their goodnights and enter the cabin, Sanji climbs into the crow's nest and leaned against the window where the moonlight shined. His hand over his heart and crumpling his shirt into his fist. They just left Whole Cake Island but now that half his crew learned about the Vinsmokes, he was only filled with dread and anxiety.

They knew too much and there was nothing he can do about it but fill his lungs with tobacco. He knew they wouldn't pry further and he was relieved that they still see him the same but... It was being confronted by his Captain he dreaded the most. He didn't care about anyone's past nor does he try to look into them, but after everything Sanji did to Luffy and what Luffy did for him, he doesn't know what the hell to expect anymore.

Sanji knows Luffy would notice something's wrong and he couldn't avoid him forever. What was he supposed to tell him anyway?

Oh everything's fine, Luffy. Just you know, I've been reminded what sex I was born as and how I grew up hating myself because I'm actually a man. And I hated being a man because of how all the men in my life raised and treated me. I feel like I have betrayed all the women in my life. But other than that, I'm fine, Captain.

He puffs out a trail of smoke with a long exhale, clutching his head and pulling his hair that covered his right eye. He only wishes for silence but the calm waves below. Not his shitty thoughts about his identity or what lessons he'd been taught on Kamabakka Kingdom. With little to nonexistent self-worth, it was fucking hard to accept who he is. He needed no one elses approval but his own.

—

"Mother... is it wrong to feel like a boy?" Sanji fiddled with his thumbs, sitting on the edge of his mother's bed. His back was turned towards her, but he could hear her smile.

"What makes you feel that, Sanji?"

"... I don't know. My heart feels bad and heavy when I am a girl," Sanji hugged himself tight, gritting his teeth to hold back his tears. His brothers told him a man doesn't cry, otherwise he'd never be considered or respected as one.

"Sanji, look at me," his mother's voice was soft and full with kindness.

Sanji slowly turned his head, sniffling his red nose with his tearful eyes. His mother gently cupped over his cheek and wiped away the teardrops overflowing from the corner of his eye.

"Follow what your heart feels, Sanji. Despite what your father says, you continue seeing me, right? Continue with what your heart desires."

...

If only it were that easy.

—

"I was born wrong," said Sanji.

"Clearly," responded father. Unsure what he had meant by that, Sanji was overjoyed to be treated as a boy going forward.

A man was not who he wanted to be, yet those feelings of euphoria when dressed alike to his brothers and referred to as a "son" or "he" were undeniable.

It was a bit of surprise that even his brothers were forced to comply. But that doesn't stop their bullying and abuse whenever left alone with them.

–

"We're only wrestling! It's what boys do!" Yonji exclaimed with his arm strangled around Sanji's neck. Sanji tugged and tugged, attempting to escape his grasp only for Yonji to flex tighter.

"You're a boy, right, Sanji? Then act like one! Reiju is more of a man than you are!" Niji laughed, swinging a harsh kick into Sanji's shin.

Sanji was gasping between breaths, his skin turning from a shade of red to blue. For once, Yonji obliged but that moment of refreshing release was cut short by Ichiji's foot to Sanji's mouth.

"If you're a man, then stand up!" Ichiji yelled, kicking Sanji again by his stomach, not giving him a single chance for a breath of air. Coughed up blood splattered over the red carpet and Ichiji's white pants.

"Eww! She spat out blood!" Yonji exaggerated his gagging with his tongue lolled out his mouth and pointing into it.

Sanji shakily forced himself up, bloodied and bruised. His brothers smirked at him, intrigued that he was even capable of standing up after a beating.

"I'm... I'm not a she!!!" Sanji shouted and panted heavily. He knelt over, clutching onto his growling stomach that was building up his throat.

"Oh yeah? If you're not a girl, then," without warning, Niji swung his leg across Sanji's head, forcing a crack into the castle's walls. "Try not to pass out!"

His brothers waited for their useless brother to even breathe one shallow breath. Sanji couldn't move a single muscle, yet he was still conscious. When he heard heavy footsteps, his eyes widened and his heart beat grew steady. Sanji cried out for his father, but his throat felt clogged and not a word was heard.

"H-hel...p... me..." Sanji sputtered with quivering lips. His brothers laughed aloud, every time their mouths opened their words would never be positive.

The heavy footsteps got closer and Sanji turned his head towards that direction, staring at his father's unchanged expression. The burning sensation from his stomach rose. It ached terribly and he couldn't do anything but cry.

"F-fath— MGH—!" Sanji vomited on the carpet, his brothers expressed their disgust and laughed. When Sanji's eyes met with Judge, he was stared down at with revulsion. He bit back the bottom of his lip, trying to prevent tears or vomiting again, he couldn't tell what was happening anymore. It was like the room started to spin, the laughter dissipating in the background before everything turned to black.

–

The only people in Sanji's life that even treated him with kindness were women. His bedridden mother, his bystander sister, and the maids. But his mother was long gone for months. All he became accustomed to was the gray brick walls, steel bars caging him in, and a heavy iron helmet upon his head. The only people that ever kept him company were the Germa soldiers. But of course, they never bothered with conversations and only responded to Sanji's needs. He was even lucky that his requests for books were allowed.

Being kept alive, rotting in this dungeon was a fate worse than Hell. His hair grew longer and it felt so damn itchy. But with the stupid mask over his head, he couldn't satisfy the itch. Sanji had to resort to scratching his arms until they burnt and glowed red. Sometimes he'd scratch hard enough that it'd draw blood. He'd only stop once his arms started to bleed.

Sometimes Sanji refused baths. He wasn't comfortable with either a man or even a woman scrubbing him clean. He didn't want to do it all himself. He didn't want to look at the bare body he couldn't stand to look at. He wanted his mother. He wanted Reiju.

Since Sanji refused to have a bath because of the growing pit in his stomach grew each time he had to strip down, reminded of the body that shouldn't be his. The Germa soldiers resorted to soaking him with a hose and drop off his preferred choice of clothing.

That was all these past months of hell Sanji lived through alone in the dark and dank dungeon. The isolated loneliness was more agonizing than being beaten like a worn out punching bag by his brothers. Despite the amount of bruises and broken bones they may have caused, he missed them.

But maybe he thought too soon. Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji found him, surprised that he was still alive. They purposely spoke aloud how killing Sanji would likely make their father happy. His heart began to race like it was about to burst right out of his chest. Once they got the gate unlocked, they approached Sanji slowly, making him backed against the cold brick wall.

It was the same cycle as previously. Maybe even worse now as they were beneath the palace so no one would hear Sanji scream and cry for help.

–

Liquid rolls down Sanji's forearm and his cigarette burnt out. His nails dug into his skin deep enough to draw blood. Shit. No matter the pain he's given himself, it will never get rid of the filthy hands that bruised his body.

Sanji tosses his cigarette into the ashtray and lights another.

Why couldn't the good people in his life just leave him to rot?

[flamingo-writes]

Missed Chance — Sanji x Reader; Zoro x Reader

Summary: Many things changed in the time you spent in Whole Cake Island, for both Sanji and you. At the same time, a lot happened in Zoro’s life since he arrived to Wano. You’re forced to face the situation and make a choice. So does Zoro. 

A/N: It took me an entire week to write this. Not only because of school, work, and homework, this story on its own was a complicated one. But, I finally did it.  I low key hate myself for writing this since this is an assault to my feelings and my favorite character, but hey, I don’t have control over my creative voice 

*adding an O- before the name is a sign of respect that was used  during feudal japan. This is seeing a lot in Wano. 

Word Count: 4K words (I told you, this was going to be a long one) 

Warnings: Angst. Not precisely a happy ending. Wano (manga) spoilers, WCI spoilers as well. 

“That jerk…” Sanji hissed as soon as the both of you spotted the scene. 

Hell broke loose after Yasuie was killed, and X-Drake made an appearance. And finally, having running away from that chaos, the last thing you remembered was seeing Zoro running away with a girl hanging from his neck. And now, as Zoro lied on the entrance of a small house outside Ringo, said mystery girl was kissing Zoro.

“No. Sanji...” You said grabbing Sanji’s sleeve tightly as your heart continued to shatter more and more with every second “Please don’t say anything” You growled, as you eyes were glued to the scene, torturing yourself until finally the girl pulled back from the kiss. 

“But that asshole just…” Sanji looked at you, clearly angrier than you. However, you were not angry. At all. You were hurt, disappointed, surprised and at the same time dizzy. The world spinning faster than before, as a lump in your throat was pulling you down, crushing your heart with an immeasurable strength. 

“I know what he did” You snapped loudly, as your eyes filled with tears with the same speed your voice lowered “I saw it too” You whispered so lowly Sanji could barely hear. “But this is my business” Your voice was slow and shaky as much as you tried to keep it straight. “Not yours” You added.

Sanji looked incredulous. His empathetic nature immediately made his heart squeeze painfully, as he thought how unfair was for someone as nice as you suddenly was punished. He knew you liked Zoro for quite a long time. In fact, he was surprised that you were still in love with him even after two long years of not seeing him nor hearing anything from him. 

And deep down,he was always jealous of the marimo. Not because it was you.  He wished there was someone who loved him as much as you loved Zoro. It angered him how obvious your feelings for him were, and yet, the swordsman never seemed to notice. Especially now, that Sanji had new growing feelings for you, after what had happened back in Whole Cake Island. 

“I get that you’re trying to help. But please, stay away from it. I’ll see how I’ll handle this” You sighed deeply, as you tried to keep the tears inside by breathing deeply, and focusing on the bigger picture, where the crew and the alliance stood in front of Kaido’s crew. Trying to shut your feelings and bewildered thoughts. 

“Alright” Sanji murmured “But if that idiot makes you cry, or I see you cry because of that jerk, I’ll do something about it, okay?” You loosened your grip on his sleeve, and Sanji’s hand reached yours, squeezing it gently “Do not ask me to see you cry and do nothing about it”

“I will not cry” You reassured him by holding his hand tightly as you tried to recall the recent events from Whole Cake Island to help soothe your pain through gentler, happier memories. 

~

Upon feeling Komurasaki's lips on his, Zoro felt a lot of different emotions hit him at once. Even when he felt attracted for Hiyori, it wasn't enough to make him feel overwhelmed or confused. However, this kiss made his heart beat faster, and at the same time it felt wrong. He was not supposed to be doing this, as to why, he didn't know. It felt both wrong and good at the same time. 

He didn't kiss her back, but he didn't push her away either. Until Hoyori pulled away, blushing, she looked at Zoro. 

Confused about what to do or say next, he opened his mouth, ready to say the first thing that popped in his head. However, they both heard twigs breaking in the distance. As Hiyori turned around and Zoro quickly sat up, his heart shrunk and immediately he knew why the kiss felt wrong. 

The constant tickle he felt in his gut whenever you were close finally made sense when he saw you two standing a few meters away from them. It hit him like a train. The closeness you two always had from the very beginning, an instant electricity pulling you together, he never really thought much of the strong bond tying you together. Not until he suddenly saw you holding Sanji’s hand as the taste from Hiyori’s lips lingered on his. He suddenly realized how further away you were standing now.  Instantly knowing, things would hardly be the same again. 

That afternoon, you met Hiyori, a very kind girl. Throughout the afternoon you avoided the topic, and instead talked about coming up with a new plan, discussing everything that had happened, along with Luffy’s imprisonment and the recent events of everyone blowing up their covers…

You couldn’t help but compare yourself to Hiyori. Everytime she looked back at you ad she smiled politely, it hurt. She was gorgeous, she was kind, she was gentle, you could see why Zoro liked her. You could see why would anyone would like her. It made you think if Sanji liked her too. And suddenly you were afraid that your only company would dissipate as well, just like Zoro did.

The rest of the day, you kept the criticism flowing through your head. Silently pulling you down while maintaining a poker face. The lump on your throat came and went all day long, as you tried your best to keep a straight face. The pain bleeding through your eyes was very well hidden behind a mask looking exactly like your face. Almost as if your usual strong eyes were untouched. 

At night, the cool breeze infiltrated the house, like a gentle howl waking Sanji up in the middle of the night. When he realized his eyes were open, he was lying on his side, facing the spot where you were supposed to be sleeping. 

“[Name]” Sanji whispered sitting up as he looked around the empty house. Zoro asleep next to your empty bed, and Komurasaki sleeping not far from Zoro. Sanji ignored the close distance those two had, his mind focused on finding you. 

The moonlight lighting the house just barely. And it was when he realized the main door was slightly open. Standing up, he silently made it to the door, and slid it slowly so it wouldn’t creek and wake Zoro and Hiyori up. 

“[Name]?”  Sanji purred poking his head outside “[Name]” Sanji whispered when he saw you sitting on the steps and walked closer to you. Your knees were close to your chest, as you hid your face behind one of your hands. “[Name]” Sanji whispered sitting next to you, his first instinct, wrapping an arm around your shoulder “Are you alri—” He stopped when he saw tears falling down the sides of your face. 

“I’m sorry, Sanji…” You whimpered “I said I wasn’t going to cry but…”

“Hey, hey, it’s ok” Sanji murmured pulling you close and hugging you tightly. “Cry all you need. You can’t keep bottling your feelings...It’s not healthy” You hid your face in his neck as you clung to his yukata. 

Whether if it had been his gentle words, or his arms holding you tightly, closely, you immediately broke down crying. Clinging to his clothes, you hid your face in his neck and cried. Your heart shattering more and more with every breath, as if you were breathing broken glass. Sanji didn’t dare to say anything, knowing all you needed right now was silence and a tight hug. 

Your pain was contagious to Sanji’s kind heart. After what you did for him in Whole Cake Island, he couldn’t help but wanting to help you like you’d did for him not so long ago. He wanted to soothe your pain away, just like you’d done with him. He even wished that his arms had the same effect yours had on him. He wished for you to go through the same realization process as he did back when it was you holding him while he cried inconsolably. 

Strangely enough, Zoro woke up to the sound of your soft crying. When not even the loudest noise could wake him up, the very low sound of you being in any sort of danger was enough to wake him up. He sat up, concentrating on the sounds surrounding him. He noticed the two empty beds next to him and the soft wind blowing inside the house along with soft whimpers.

His gut twisted painfully as he realized you were crying, and his lower throat began burning when he realized it was Sanji who was there with you comforting you over his mistake. Following the sound of your voice, his heart squeezed as he heard you speak. 

“I don’t understand” Your voice was shaky “Did I do something wrong?” Zoro peeked from the door as your face was resting against the cook’s shoulder. 

Sanji looked at you and moved lightly, holding your face in his hands, as he rested his forehead on yours, 

“You didn’t…” He whispered “Love, this isn’t your fault…” He assured, wiping away the tears from your cheeks as you kept sobbing silently.

“Love?” Zoro whispered to himself.

“That dumb marimo couldn’t see how you were always there for him, it’s not your fault he’s that blind…” Sanji added as Zoro frowned and bit his tongue, thinking Sanj was playing dirty by adding more wood to the fire. 

“Don’t talk like that about him” You cut him off, very much to Zoro’s surprise. 

“Why do you defend him? Even after you saw them kiss?" Sanji asked confused as you shoo your head and pulled his hands off our face gently. , 

"Have you never been in love, Sanji?” You began looking at him in the eye “Even after breaking your heart you can't help but keep loving them. At least until your heart heals and you're able to move on…" your gaze moved away from Sanji's and it was when you noticed Zoro was standing by the main entrance.

"I'm so sorry, [Name]" Sanji purred running one of his hands through your hair. 

"I am too…" Looking back at Sanji, you felt your chest ache gently. It didn't burn as much as it did earlier, it still hurt, however. 

The guilt twisted Zoro's stomach more and more as he couldn't help but keep watching you and Sanji. The blond kept brushing your hair, staring very gently at you, as you every now and then peeked through your eyelashes to meet his eyes. 

The sweetness in his eyes was new. He didn't use to look at you like that. And you knew exactly when it started. You'd be lying if you said you didn't feel anything new since that event. That night changed everything. It changed the way you felt towards your friend. 

Leaning his forehead against yours, Sanji purred you name, so very softly, so very gently. And you knew what was he thinking. As his face got closer to yours, you were ready to welcome his lips into yours when your heart beated painfully.

"Sanji, don't…" You mouthed upon feeling his nose against yours “The last thing I want right now is to keep adding to the overwhelming mess of feelings I am riht now..." Sanji stood still processing what you’d said and sighed deeply pulling back. 

"You're right...I'm sorry" Sanji answered. 

"It's okay" 

"We should go back inside" Sanji purred as you looked back inside the house and saw Zoro. 

The eye contact between the both of you made his heart stopped dead cold. It felt like an eternity the brief second you two looked into each other. His thoughts slowing down time, as he wanted to both mend his mistake and figure out what was with the sudden closeness Sanji and you shared. 

"Let's say a little bit longer" You said looking away from Zoro and towards Sanji. 

"Whatever it is that you want, love" Sanji whispered kissing your forehead as you rested your head on his shoulder. 

You bought Zoro enough time for him to return to his bed and go back to sleep. Once you thought enough time had gone by, you told Sanji that you were now ready to go back to bed. Silently returning inside the house, you saw Zoro on his bed, not entirely sure if he was asleep or not. Hiyori sleeping next to him, the close space left between those two brought back painful flashbacks as you tried to shake them off. 

Sanji remained next to your bed until you finally fell asleep. The few minutes it took felt long. Long enough for him to fall asleep shortly after you did. Lying just next to your bed, remaining close to you. One of his arms holding you close to him. 

Sharing a bed with you for the second time in just a few days confirmed the feelings that had been sprouting from his heart bringing the answers to the questions in his mind. The night was short, and the morning slightly bitter, since the next morning, Sanji woke up to Zoro's worried inquire. 

"Where's [Name]?" Zoro growled after he checked the house twice, and peeking outside as well. 

Sanji, still deep in slumber recalled his memory, and the last thing he remembered was your smell caressing his nose, your slow breaths cooing him to sleep, and your silhouette lying next to him. 

"What?" Sanji murmured as his eyes adjusted. "What do you mean…" He reached his arm towards his side, where he remembered you were asleep.To his surprise, nothing. You weren’t there. 

"Where is [Name]?" Sanji said, adrenaline kicking in for a brief second.

“That’s what I’m asking, you dumb cook!” Zoro growled, as Komurasaki slid the main door open and walked inside. 

“No need to get grumpy so early, Zorojuro. She’s meditating outside”  She began, her gentle voice actually having an impact on Zoro’s mood. 

Without saying anything, he left the house at once, as both Sanji and Hiyori exchanged look. 

“Zorojuro has told me a few things about [Name]...She surely sounds like a strong woman if she’s able to keep up with his training. It’s impressive” 

“Yeah, she is strong. They were...are very close friends” Sanji answered.

“He told me that too…She’s lucky, for having Zorojuro’s complete and utter trust on her” Sanji looked at Hiyori as she sighed. He could tell Hiyori was feeling slightly jealous, and thought about the irony of the situation. However, he didn’t reply. 

"[Name]" Zoro said walking towards you, as you sat on the ground. 

"Morning…" you whispered turning around briefly, smiling at Zoro and then returning to the landscape. 

"[Name], I'm sorry" 

“About what exactly? You haven’t done anything wrong…” You said, breathing deeply and concentrating on your breath. 

“That kiss...I didn’t…”

“Hey, it’s okay” You sid cutting him off “I’m not mad at you and you didn’t do anything wrong, you shouldn’t be apolgising in the first place…”

“[Name]...” Zoro whisered.

“Look, when I realized about my feelings for you, I knew you didn’t correspond to them...and I knew that I was going to eventually end up hurt, so I told myself ‘Hey, we should really make the most of it, enjoy it while we still can’” You said feeling Zoro’s stare on you. “I wasn’t expecting for it to end so soon...But it’s okay, it’s the natural flow of things, isn’t it? I’m okay…”

"[Name], she kissed me, I-I didn't kiss her back I-" 

"Does it really matter, Zoro? Regardless of what happened, my heart aches…” You snapped interrupting him “Besides, she really likes you. She's gorgeous, she's very kind, goddammit she's perfect. And I know you like her" 

"Okay, I like her, but..She’s not you…[Name], I—”

“When did you start feeling things for me, huh? Was it when I told Luffy I was going with him to bring Sanji back? After I got afraid that he might not return?”

“The lack of your presence hit me, [Name]. And I was constantly thinking of you…” 

“I was constantly thinking of you too, Zoro. But that doesn’t mean anything...When I heard Sanji had left, I his departure hurt as well. I was afraid that I was going to lose a friend. That didn’t mean I was in love with him…Just because you were thinking of me doesn’t mean you have feelings for me, Zoro” 

“Then what’s with the sudden pet names and the hand holding between the two of you?” Zoro barked keeping his voice low enough so no  one in the house would listen. 

“It’s not all of a sudden...Many things happened in Whole Cake Island, okay? Are you jealous or something?”

“As a matter of fact, I am” Zoro answered bluntly. “Besides, you don’t get to tell me how I’m supposed to feel. When I said I was constantly thinking of you, I knew what kind of feelings I was feeling. And trust me, is not what you feel for one of your friends, it feels different” He waited for any sort of reply, but you didn’t even dare to look at him. In the end, Zoro sighed bitterly “I’m losing you, isn’t it?”

It took you several seconds to answer, and before you did, you took a deep breath, feeling the anxiety building in your chest 

“For how long have you had feelings for me?” You  finally said.

“I don’t know” 

You gathered the strength necessary to keep talking, 

“Look, you had me for almost three long years…” You began “Zoro, whatever this is, we have to get over it, otherwise we might end up hurting even more people than ourselves…” You said looking at the house where Komurasaki and Sanji were talking on the steps, several meters away from where you were talking to Zoro. “You have Hiyori, and I have Sanji. If we didn’t happen was for a reason. Do not waste a second chance that’s been presented to you” Zoro gazed at the house, looking at Hiyori as your voice faded out. 

Eventually, Zoro and you returned to the small cottage, where Sanji greeted you with breakfast. During breakfast, Sanji and you made most of the talking, telling stories on how’s life for the Strawhat Pirates, funny stories and difficult times you lived. 

Once breakfast was over, you and Hiyori helped Sanji clean as Zoro trained. Once the house was back to its untouched appearance, you sat down to keep talking. However, having barely slept throughout the night, you quickly dozed off while resting your head on Sanji’s lap. 

“You two are very close, aren’t you?” Hiyoi asked upon noticing the gentle way in which Sanji was playing with your hair and the sweet look he was giving you as you slept comfortably. 

“Actually, we didn’t use to be this close. Not until recently. I got into a lot of trouble and she was always there for me. She got in trouble a few times because of it, but she never cared and always returned to my side…” 

“She’s amazing” Hiyori said. “The more I hear about O-[Name], the more fascinating she becomes. She’s strong, she’s kind…” 

“She is amazing, yes. It took me so long to realize how amazing she is…” 

Zoro, finally exhausting his stress through training, and after getting slightly lost, he made it back to the house. He heard Sanji talk before he slid open the door and saw you asleep, and Hiyori talking to Sanji. And after making eye contact with the cook, he spoke. 

“Oi, Erocook, can I talk to you?” Sanji nodded gently before scratching your head gently, waking you up. 

“Angel, can you lift your head real fast? Gotta have a word with the marimo” He whispered as you growled still slumbered and did as Sanji said before resting your head on the floor and falling back asleep at once. “Hiyori-san, would you keep an eye on [Name]-chan real quick?” 

“No problem, Sangoro” Komurasaki smiled warmly as Sanji made his way outside the house with Zoro. 

Zoro was several metres away from the house, looking at the landcape, thinking, breathing deeply and slowly. Even after Sanji reached him, he cook waited for Zoro to start talking, however, he took a while. Zoro was still trying to shut down the voices in his head, and trying to put his thoughts in order before talking. 

Sanji grabbed a cigarette and lit it, asking a deep drag and blowing the smoke into the wind as Zoro finally turned around and faced Sanji. 

“What exactly happened in Whole Cake Island? Between you and [Name]?” Zoro asked bluntly. 

Sanji took another drag and closed his eyes. 

“Have you tried asking her?” He sighed the smoke through his nose as he spoke. 

“Yes, but she didn’t say much…” Zoro said in a low voice. 

“Look, long story short” Sanji began taking another drag “I was an asshole. She punched me in the face. The next day, she slapped some sense into my head , and then sneaked into my room and kept me company even when I told her not to do so” 

Sanji noticed the way in which Zoro clenched his jaw. With another drag, Sanji continued his story 

“She was caught by my family and sent to a prison cell, she then escaped without anyone noticing and returned to my room. I was in a very delicate mental state when she found me, and she stayed with me that night” 

Zoro glared at Sanji who chuckled slightly amused by Zoro’s reaction.

“Nothing like that happened that night...I was hurt; in a lot of pain...not physical pain… anyways, she stayed there, next to me, holding me and comforting me. Eventually we both fell asleep. When I woke up, I was still in her arms”

“So that's how it was…” Zoro whispered. 

“Before that night, I never really thought of [Name] in that way, but waking up in her arms did something to me…Now, I don’t know how this was like for her. I’m just telling you my side of the story.” Sanji concluded

“I am losing her…” Without looking at Sanji, Zoro mouthed, lower than before, still Sanji could hear him. 

“And let me tell you, you are an idiot for letting her slip away” Sanji added. 

“I can’t believe I’m losing her to someone like you” Rising his voice a little bit, Zoro looked up to Sanj, who exchanged a cold glare with the marimo. 

“You’ll have to believe it. Especially because unlike you, I won’t let her get away that easily” Sanji growled taking another drag of his almost done cigarette. “What about you?”

“What about me?” Zoro asked. 

“Hiyori likes you, man. Don’t make the same mistake twice…You already hurt [Name], if you do the same to Hiyori-san, I’ll kick your ass. I haven’t kicked your ass because [Name]-chan asked me to” 

Zoro chuckled bitterly as he looked back into the house. He thought about everything that had happened in the last 24 hours. Still hurt and confused, he remained silent, thoughtful. Maybe you were right. 

 “Zoro, whatever this is, we have to get over it, otherwise we might end up hurting even more people than ourselves…”

He’d lost. He was now well aware of it. And he cursed at himself for not realizing it sooner. For having realizing his feelings for you when it was too late. Although, he knew this wasn’t the end of everything. You’d still be friends, right? You still had to take Kaido down. Maybe, you two would be able to make amends during the mission. Maybe go back to the closeness you two shared, as friends, of course.

As for Hiyori, what could be done about her? Zoro did feel something for her. He thought about the mistakes he made with you, and how he could avoid repeating them. Should he seize his time with Hiyori? He already let his time with you go to waste...H thought about the possible outcome of everything. 

“I’m going back now” Sanji announced turning around and walking back to the cottage. 

In the meantime, Zoro remained there, staring into the landscape. He sat on the ground, ready to meditate, to appease his thoughts once more, and trying to bring some peace and resolution to the sprouting questions in his mind.