estoria | I'm a whole lot better [CLOSED]

Entry tags:

sanji,
zoro roronoa

I'm a whole lot better [CLOSED]

Who: Zoro

serving_love
When: IC 7/19 during the event
Where: Straw Hat Apartments, Occupancy 2
What: Neither Zoro nor Sanji have ever told anyone else in the crew where they spent their two years training. Spirit fox shenanigans are going to force them to find out each other's secret.
Rating/Warning: nothing I can think of, maybe some sensitive topics discussed?

[Zoro has been on the slightest of edges since the day the world glitched around him, and though he still chalks it up to a technology problem inside ViViD, since it happened while he was in the gravity room, Weiss's information makes him wonder. Was he supposed to be in that train tunnel? Was he supposed to die?

And then this place just gets worse on him today, he wasn't sure for a good number of hours but now he's certain there's a weird white fox trailing him around. Only not a real one, no, it's all wispy and shit, and whenever he turns to look at the flitter of white, gauzy movement in his peripheral sight, it darts away, avoiding his eye. He only saw it once for the fox-shape it is, on his way back from the dojo, and though he hurried his pace to get indoors without it and hopefully trap it outside, he's pretty sure he just saw it drift through the kitchen. Dammit.

He is not drunk enough for this.

He hasn't even hardly settled into the couch cushions and he's up again, pacing, trying to see where the ghostly fox went. Maybe he can chase it out? Maybe he can find a fresh bottle of sake in the kitchen while he's at it. Cook's around, though...]

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[he takes the bottle and has a good gulp, lowering it just in time to laugh under his breath.]

No. You?

[thinking, of course not, that's just a shitty nickname he gave himself because women]

[Heh. Probably should've figured that would be turned around on him. But Sanji just grins and gives a one-shouldered shrug.]

Sure. Mr. Prince, remember?

[As he slides his hand under his fringe and flicks the hair out of his face.]

What, you think I just came up with that shit on the fly?

Of course I remember.

[he stops short with the bottle raised to his lips, halfway toward taking another drink, and then just stares]

You're just fucking around with me. Right? You're not really.

[Now he rolls his eyes, but it's mostly an excuse to let his gaze slide away from Zoro.]

Please. What kinda prince would be scraping plates on a shitty cruise ship at age nine?

[Said as casually as you please, and hopefully not at all suspiciously. Those are things he hasn't thought about in a long, long time... Eh, but it's not like there's ever gonna be a reason for it to come up!

...Ha.

He motions toward the sake bottle, gesturing for Zoro to take his drink.]

Come on, hurry up. You're hogging it.

[Point taken. Zoro shrugs as if to concede that he was right and it was just a joke, and finally takes his drink]

Geez, don't be so damn impatient. Here. [hand-off!] Huh. So you were hired help on a cruise ship and I was getting my ass handed to me by the dojo-master's daughter. Hell of a way for a couple of pirates to get started.

[He lets out a breath, hiding it behind the guise of tipping his head back to take another drink.

It's not like he's lying, just...avoiding giving an actual answer. Right?]

Seriously. Life's crazy like that, though. Never know where you're gonna end up.

[Oh sure, cook. It might not come up again and Zoro will be none the wiser.]

Mm.

Anybody else in the crew know your story? Either of 'em. [just checking, not that any of them are around to blab to anyway]

Luffy knows about Zeff and all that.

[Takes another swig and then hands the bottle back.]

The other one, hell no. I was pretty much content taking that shitty tale to the grave. You?

[shakes his head, taking the bottle and resting it on his knee for a moment]

Never told anybody anything. I don't really want 'em knowing about Hawk-eyes, either. It's...kinda personal.

[hence, the very deep gulp of sake he takes to follow]

Well, too late, cook, this damn place made it so now I know your secret.

Kinda personal?

[Jesus, you think? Sanji shakes his head a bit.]

Well, not like I'm gonna tell anyone, at least. You ain't even told Luffy about... [He pauses, thinking back to the memory he saw. Her name was in there somewhere...] Kuina-chan?

[That surprises him a little. Sanji just kinda figured that if anyone would know any of their stories, it'd be Luffy.

He snorts at Zoro's next comment, and whether it's because the alcohol has him feeling pleasantly warm and relaxed or because the sudden casualness of this conversation has him off his guard, either way he's in a place where it seems totally natural to reach out and bump his fist against Zoro's shoulder, giving him a light shove.]

You know part of it.

[And say shit like that, apparently. His nose scrunches up immediately as he clearly WTFs at himself for letting that slip out, but whatever. If Zoro didn't see the part with the goddamn dress, then it's not like Sanji has to explain himself.]

[the name jolts him briefly, Zoro bristles for a moment and then relaxes.]

...you even got that part. Shit. No, I haven't said anything, not even to Luffy.

[that's all he's inclined to say about it, though, nothing about it being personal or anything. His gaze follows the fist to his shoulder, and then drops shyly, missing the look that crosses Sanji's face.]

Yeah, well, I'm guessing you don't know everything about where I was, either. [or else there would have been some kind of comment about his eye, because really, how do you gloss that over unless you don't know?]

Nah... Guess I don't.

[Eyes him speculatively for a moment, wondering what all there is to know. But after a beat his gaze drops to his hand, the back of which is still brushing Zoro's shoulder as he's now got his arm propped on the back of the couch and hasn't bothered to pull back at all.

They're gonna have to spar tomorrow or something. Just really try to beat the shit out of each other. Anything to balance out all this opening up they're doing right now.]

How old were you when you left the dojo?

[...Actually, how old were you when you GOT to the dojo? How did you even end up there to begin with? What the hell happened to your parents??

SO MANY SHITTY QUESTIONS.

Sanji will try to refrain from asking the super nosy ones, don't worry.]

[SO MANY GODDAMN QUESTIONS someday, maybe.

Zoro glances at that hand and makes absolutely zero moves to dislodge it. He feels like he's on the edge of something but he's not experienced enough to know where to go from here. He'll have to think about it, while they're doing all this opening up.]

Seventeen. I'd already been on my own for two years when I met Luffy.

[it's like...it's the simplest thing, but he's never told anyone. Zoro's learning to share, though.]

Edited 2016-06-26 00:13 (UTC)

Doing your shitty pirate hunter thing?

[Sometimes it's weird to think that he'd heard of Zoro before he met him. And that such an infamous name in the East Blue would eventually become one of his nakama.]

Made a pretty good name for yourself doing that.

[snorts! And takes another sip of sake before resting the bottle on Sanji's nearby knee. Without taking his hand off it]

It's not like I gave myself the name or anything. I was doing what I had to in order to survive, bounties were just the fastest way to get money. [Zoro smirks a bit, almost to himself] Maybe it wasn't as respectable as being a classy chef but it got me by.

[His eyes drop to take in the bottle briefly, but then he's back to looking at Zoro without making any move to dislodge it. And while he does absently note that they're sitting awfully close together, the thought doesn't feel like anything to be concerned about and again, he makes no move to slide farther down the couch. He's comfortable where he is, for whatever reason, the body heat Zoro's exuding seeping into his skin and making his face flush lightly just because he's warm.

Maybe also because of the sake.

And possibly—

...No, just those two things.]

Classy? [Barks out a laugh.] You saw the assholes I was working with. You could stick a shitty monkey in my suit and it'd still look classy next to those morons.

[Said fondly, of course.]

[You can blame the sake all you want, cook, Zoro is quite sober by comparison, even though the hand too close to his shoulder is making him flush very slightly over the bridge of his nose whenever he glances at it, like he's calculating the exact distance, which movement would require the least effort and still manage to look totally accidental, and whether he has it in him to make that move.

Shit, they've been in each other's laps before, why is this so hard? Extenuating circumstances be damned.]

I dunno, I don't think Luffy would look good in your suit at all.

[geddit, geddit? shitty monkey indeed]

[Well, that's the thing, isn't it? Sanji might not be able to walk away from drinking a fuckton of booze like Zoro can, but even he's not gonna get drunk off of what they've had so far tonight. He's maybe starting to get a little light-headed (and warm, there's still that), but that's it.

It just happens to be enough to be a convenient excuse.

Or he'll pretend it's enough, anyway.

It's apparently enough to find that funny, at least, though there's a somewhat delayed reaction on Sanji's part as he takes a second to make the connection, snorts, and then busts out into sniggers that he has to duck his head in an attempt to smother.

Because actually that was really dumb and probably doesn't warrant full blown laughter, dammit!]

Shit, tryin' to be clever all of a sudden, marimo? Look, not everyone can pull off a suit like me, okay?

[He lifts his head again and reaches out to snag the sake at the same time -- though not with the hand near Zoro's shoulder. And if his fingers brush against Zoro's on the bottle, it's his own fault because they're totally in the way.]

Luffy'd probably try to wear his shitty sandals and throw off the whole ensemble anyway.

[Muttered in a dry tone as he goes to take a drink.]

Of course he would, he's Luffy.

[Zoro won't say it but that's exactly why his fingers are still on the bottle. He lets go of it, and then lets his hand fall onto that knee in place of the bottle. It rests lightly, casually even, but it's there, in a place it's never voluntarily been before. Mr. Suave he's not, that's the best he can do on short notice. In fact, he's so bumbling that he can't think of something else to say to that, and drops his gaze to stare at his hand where it is. It wasn't his intention to call attention to it, but he is. Completely.]

[Sanji doesn't help matters, as it feels like his entire body jolts at that seemingly simply touch. The bottle never actually makes it to his mouth, and instead he just freezes with it about halfway there as his gaze also drops to the hand on his knee. And he could maybe play it off, act like it's completely okay that Zoro's apparently getting all handsy and shit because it really probably is nothing and just because Sanji's face is burning suddenly doesn't mean he has to make a big stink of things... In fact, he's already forcing himself to relax again, to just roll with it, except it becomes obvious quickly that Zoro's just...blatantly staring at where his hand is now resting, and how is Sanji supposed to pretend it's not A Thing if Zoro's gonna pointedly look at it?!

He manfully tries anyway, finally getting the bottle to his lips so he can take one very long, deep gulp of sake.

His stomach is doing all sorts of weird squirming things, though, and he forgets to add anything to the conversation. He's focusing on trying not to think about why Zoro would want to touch him. Never mind what his own hand has been doing for the last...ten? twenty? minutes.]

[Well there's just no getting out of it gracefully now, is there?

Zoro notices that blush (how could he not?) but he really can't tell if it's a good blush or a bad blush. Is he doing the right thing or pissing him off? Argh, how does the cook manage this with girls?

The sudden movement of bottle to lips snaps him out of it, and he looks up, trying to muster his resolve. It's easier to lean toward the hand nudging his shoulder, and as he does, Zoro goes with it, pressing further forward like he's going to do something unmistakable with his lips...

...only to chicken out at the last second and lean sharply away, letting out a gust of a breath in frustration. He jerks his hand back into his own lap.]

...sorry.

[Whoa, whoa, whoa. What the fuck??

Sanji's eyes grow wide as Zoro leans in, and he lowers the bottle in surprise -- almost like he's giving him an opening, which is not his intent. (He thinks. Probably.) His hand shifts mid-lean, turning so that he's palming Zoro's shoulder, fingers curling into the material of his shirt. It's a shocked, automatic reaction more than anything, done without a follow-up plan, but he's painfully aware that what he's not doing is shoving the other man back. Quite the opposite, actually, as it turns out that he tightens his grip when Zoro abruptly leans away again. Whether to stop him from going too far or...hnn.

He doesn't know.

Sanji really has no idea what his own goal was, but it certainly seemed like Zoro was going to... Like he was—

What the fuck?!

He blinks a few times, trying to clear his head and work out what exactly is going on here, but he comes up blank. He just barely manages to notice when Zoro stops touching him, and it's only then that Sanji finally yanks his own hand back in a startled sort of way.]

S'fine.

[Is his too-prompt response, uttered almost before Zoro even finishes getting his apology out. He feels like he should say something more, but he's not sure what.

Half a moment later, however, he's desperate for anything to break the sudden awkwardness in the air. When his eyes land on the nearly empty bottle, he decides to just go with that.]

...Don't tell me you let one shitty bottle of sake actually get to you. Hell, half a bottle. And you call me a lightweight.

[Ugh, that's...dammit, he's not sure if brushing it off is the best thing to do or not! What the hell is happening right now???]

Edited 2016-06-26 07:06 (UTC)

Shut up, it's not the sake! [snapped out a little too defensively. He dials it back quickly, shifting to the side and fiercely rubbing the back of his neck. It's awkward, all right, and that's probably Zoro's fault.]

Just...forget about it. I got ahead of myself.

[at least he isn't jumping off the couch and trying to escape, and as he sits there trying not to meet Sanji's eyes, he realizes the cook isn't leaving either. Didn't shove him off or yell or anything. Zoro keeps scuffing his hand through his hair and down his neck, the very vision of embarrassment, but he stays on the couch. It's still safer than wandering through the apartment with those little fuckers lurking.]

[Sanji instinctively bristles up as Zoro snaps at him, jerking his head away with a scowl. But it's wiped away seconds later as Zoro continues to speak, and he's left staring across the room in total confusion. Because saying it's not the sake implies that it's something else. Or that there's a something at all and it wasn't just some weird fluke that Zoro happened to lean that way while he was readjusting his position on the couch or some shit.

...Which would've seemed unlikely, but Sanji probably could've taken the excuse and run with it.

But this? This is Zoro looking incredibly embarrassed, which is something that rarely happens. But he's embarrassed and saying he got ahead of himself after he made a move like that, and Sanji's stomach quite abruptly does another flip, his chest tightening as his heart thumps loudly against his rib cage.

There's no way...

He remembers the conversation they had just last week, though. About how what catches Zoro's eye is people who can fight, and if they happen to be guys then so be it. Sanji hadn't thought to apply those qualifiers to himself, had never imagined he would need to, but now?

Now he wonders.

He also wonders how he feels about that, but he doesn't want to examine it too closely while they're both sitting here like this. There's mostly just nervous disbelief tingling under his skin, which annoys him and has his brow furrowing as he frowns at himself because he refuses to be nervous about anything. That makes it seem like he's anticipating something similar might happen again and he's not quite sure what he would do if it does. He can't help questioning where the urge to bolt out of the room is, or why he isn't slamming up instant walls of denial that such an idea would ever even remotely interest him. Not that he's interested, he's just...mildly curious, maybe. Because he never thought Zoro would...]

I ain't drunk enough to forget about it.

[Is what he hears himself say, as he leans over to carefully place the sake bottle on the coffee table. Hell, even his slight buzz has vanished as though a bucket of ice water was dumped on his head. What's more important is that he doesn't want to forget it, though. He wants to poke and prod at this thing until he figures it out.

Sanji chances a look at Zoro, trying to puzzle out what he's thinking. He kind of wants to push him a bit, as well, but towards what end?]

Not like you to back down from something.

[Poking is actually good, because it keeps Zoro on his toes, and throws that fact in his face. Yes, he did back down. What does he think about that?

Given that he bristles right back at Sanji, he doesn't like realizing that about himself]

You want me to keep going, then? Because I will.

[big talk for a fumbling idiot. He backed down because he doesn't know what he really wants out of this, other than his old curious desires are welling right up to the surface now and compelling him to act on them for once. Whether or not the cook is even receptive to him is sort of further back in his mind. Zoro's problem is that he wants something, but isn't sure what that something is. Is it physical or emotional? If he tries anything, will the cook laugh him right off the couch for being stupid and inexperienced?

He stretches forward to grab the sake bottle and drain the rest of it, first. It won't give him any more courage or even get him buzzed, but it's a good way to cover that moment of awkward. As well as loosen his tongue, so that even if he doesn't have a better answer, he'll still ramble in search of one.]

Maybe this damn place is making me soft, too. I start thinking about things I haven't thought about in a long time, and maybe I don't wanna watch you disappear again and miss out on a chance to actually do something about it...

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