[ this really does feel much of the same for them, and yet, not at all. they've always lingered close, foreheads nudged firmly together as they growled their threats between their teeth, often requiring someone like nami-san or usopp to pry them apart before they tore the ship to pieces with their aggressive competitiveness. but the atmosphere changes when truth is expressed out loud for once, rather than assumption, confessions allowing a weight to drift from sanji's shoulders so that he's left drifting helplessly back into zoro's space where a piece of himself has always lived, in one way or another.
he doesn't assume this is the end of it. they'll find another reason to argue again, whether about this or about something petty and inconsequential, but it does feel like he'd been pried free from at least one of his many shackles still gripping him down, and likely what had been the heaviest one as of late. though he still owes it to zoro to prove his trust in him, to rely on the strength that he's always so freely offered to him to lean against, the existence of its invitation is enough to calm the living storm in his heart tonight.
when zoro asks him to stay, he peers up to meet his gaze, no words from his lips even if he already has his answer.
it doesn't matter that they've stayed together in the same room countless times before, numerous nights crammed together in a cabin with the rest of their boys, feet kicking faces while still dozing, mumbled dreams about food and candy and machines all stemming from different voices as they try to catch as much sleep before the early sun, before sanji rises an hour before everyone else just to have breakfast ready by the time all their eyes open.
the difference here is that it's zoro asking, a willingness in his quiet voice, an honest want that sanji isn't left with too much time to consider before the collision of lips keep any sound from leaving him at all.
things in the carriage had happened so suddenly and unexpectedly that sanji had left it with the insistence in pretending it'd never happened at all, aware that sorting out the implications would leave him swirling about amidst his determined reluctance to admit the way he'd allowed it all to happen without much resistance. especially since it'd been his mouth that had first found zoro's then, making the entire thing a lot more complicated to untangle. but if he'd spent any time through his days at the charm school cursing his choices then, there's really no hint of it now, giving in to zoro's kiss as if he'd been starved for it.
the way he kisses him back might suggest that his previous mirrored confession of "i want it to be you" bears a lot more weight even now, especially now, when he knows it's zoro who sees him, who he wants to see him, for all the broken pieces he'd been too frightened to show. just as he wants zoro to see himself for more than just his strength and power, for those raw open wounds to be just as willingly shared in reverse, for their trust to mean exactly as they intended it.
he sighs against his lips, almost in relief, be it from the kiss itself or simply the accumulation of everything else building up to this moment. his fingers clutch tighter now, low at his back, digging against the fabric to grip at the muscle beneath — craving touch, contact, closeness — pulling him in until he can't be pulled any closer. it's the answer to his request — stay here tonight — as he nestles his chest in tightly, mouth meeting mouth to match equal yearning, making it clear that he has no intentions on going anywhere. ]
no subject
he doesn't assume this is the end of it. they'll find another reason to argue again, whether about this or about something petty and inconsequential, but it does feel like he'd been pried free from at least one of his many shackles still gripping him down, and likely what had been the heaviest one as of late. though he still owes it to zoro to prove his trust in him, to rely on the strength that he's always so freely offered to him to lean against, the existence of its invitation is enough to calm the living storm in his heart tonight.
when zoro asks him to stay, he peers up to meet his gaze, no words from his lips even if he already has his answer.
it doesn't matter that they've stayed together in the same room countless times before, numerous nights crammed together in a cabin with the rest of their boys, feet kicking faces while still dozing, mumbled dreams about food and candy and machines all stemming from different voices as they try to catch as much sleep before the early sun, before sanji rises an hour before everyone else just to have breakfast ready by the time all their eyes open.
the difference here is that it's zoro asking, a willingness in his quiet voice, an honest want that sanji isn't left with too much time to consider before the collision of lips keep any sound from leaving him at all.
things in the carriage had happened so suddenly and unexpectedly that sanji had left it with the insistence in pretending it'd never happened at all, aware that sorting out the implications would leave him swirling about amidst his determined reluctance to admit the way he'd allowed it all to happen without much resistance. especially since it'd been his mouth that had first found zoro's then, making the entire thing a lot more complicated to untangle. but if he'd spent any time through his days at the charm school cursing his choices then, there's really no hint of it now, giving in to zoro's kiss as if he'd been starved for it.
the way he kisses him back might suggest that his previous mirrored confession of "i want it to be you" bears a lot more weight even now, especially now, when he knows it's zoro who sees him, who he wants to see him, for all the broken pieces he'd been too frightened to show. just as he wants zoro to see himself for more than just his strength and power, for those raw open wounds to be just as willingly shared in reverse, for their trust to mean exactly as they intended it.
he sighs against his lips, almost in relief, be it from the kiss itself or simply the accumulation of everything else building up to this moment. his fingers clutch tighter now, low at his back, digging against the fabric to grip at the muscle beneath — craving touch, contact, closeness — pulling him in until he can't be pulled any closer. it's the answer to his request — stay here tonight — as he nestles his chest in tightly, mouth meeting mouth to match equal yearning, making it clear that he has no intentions on going anywhere. ]