True Desire: A One Piece Fanfiction

Chapter 8: Sleep Some More!

The dark shadows of the night slowly receded as the faint light of the new dawn trickled into the crow's nest. In the eerie darkness of the room two figures remained intertwined together on a bench. The figure on top slightly shivered in the chilly air. The feeble light crept it's way onto the man's face to reveal the peaceful visage of the sleeping cook of the straw hat crew. The swordsman's maroon jacket placed on the cook's back had slipped slightly revealing the latter's pearly skin to the onslaught of the cool air.

The cook's fingers slightly moved. He clutched the shirt of the man below him and drew closer to the chest of his sleeping nakama. His lips parted a little as he mumbled in his sleep.

Sanji: 'Mmh....i-it's cold!'

In answer to the cook's complaint the huge hand resting on his waist moved up and softly rubbed his back. It was hardly enough. The cook instinctively lifted his hands in search of more warmth. He found his nakama's head and embraced him in a strong grip.

They kept sleeping in this manner for a while until the swordsman's nose poking into the cook's collar bone and the numbing pain in his legs slowly pulled the cook out of the realm of dreams.

The cook stirred a little and opened one eye drowsily to take in his surroundings. He closed his eye once more and pushed his face further into the soft furry pillow on which his head rested. A very familiar scent wafted into his nose that made him feel calm and secure. Some of the fur pricked his nose and eyelids. The cook also felt his neck had become stiff so slowly, grudgingly he lifted his head and moved it side to side and front to back. All the while he held the pillow to his bosom.

This time something poked his sternum. He slowly looked down to find that the pillow he had been embracing all along was none other than his green haired nakama. The cook was frozen with shock. His face lost all blood as he recalled the events of the previous night. As Sanji took in his current attire and situation he realized that he was naked above his waist. Only the swordsman's jacket covered his back while he still held his nakama's face against his chest. This realization brought all the blood boiling back to Sanji's face making it glow a deep shade of crimson. The blood reached his brain and he started releasing steam from his head.

The cook quickly withdrew his hands and was about to make a dash for it before his nakama woke up. However, he was prevented from moving even an inch away from the swordsman. It didn't take long for Sanji to realize that not only was Zoro embracing him with both hands but also they were both bound together at their waist by Zoro's haramaki.

Sanji muttered under his breath, 'YOU IDIOT MARIMO!!'

Sanji tried to loosen his way out of his bounds without waking his nakama but to no avail. As easy as it had been for the swordsman to place the child Sanji into the haramaki, it was twice if not more difficult for the grown cook to get out of it.

Suddenly a huge hand came up and pressed the cook's head from behind. Head buried in his nakama's chest Zoro mumbled sleepily.

Zoro: (drowsy voice) 'Oi! Stop squirming!...... Sleep some more!'

The hand softly patted Sanji's head a few times and then gently brushed down his hair and neck to finally rest on his back.

While this little episode had Sanji dumbstruck as soon as it ended all the embarrassment, irritation and anger swiftly returned to push him over the edge. He clutched a tuft of hair on the back of Zoro's head and pulled with all his might. With a snapping sound the swordsman's head had been pulled back at a right angle.

Sanji: (speaking through clenched teeth) 'TEME!..... WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY SLEEP SOME MORE?'

The sudden pain had jerked the swordsman awake. Chin pressing into the cook's bosom he looked up into his nakama's face ready to give a proper come back for the manner in which he had been woken. Yet, the words died on his lips as he took in the sight in front of him. Inches away from Zoro's face his nakama's face was flushed a dark tinge of crimson. His bright blue eyes shone in the morning light. Little drops of tears gleamed at the corner of his eyes.

Zoro: (muttered soundlessly) 'F**K!'

The swordsman felt his cheeks burning. He saw to his disbelief that one look at his face washed away the look of anger on the cook's face and replaced it with a fresh surge of embarrassment as the cook turned redder still.

Sanji: (internally screaming) 'Why the hell is this idiot blushing?'

The two men remained frozen motionless and unable to utter a single sound for some time. The sound of the gentle waves in the background was the only noise throwing the loud mutual thumping of their hearts in disarray in that quiet room in the wee hours of the morning. The air in the room was so thick that one could cut it with a knife.

The two men in the room were lost in the depths of each other's eyes as the moments seemed to painfully stretch longer and longer.

Sanji was the first to come out of the trance. He quickly loosened his grip on Zoro's hair and looked away. Staring at the far end of the room he softly said, 'Let me go!'

Zoro sensed an urgency and desperation in those words. As if it took the cook all his strength to form those words. As if he would break if this drew out any longer. Zoro felt an urge to pull the cook's face towards himself and see the expression he was making. He unconsciously lifted his hand towards the cook's face but he quickly came back to his senses and withdrew the hand.

Somehow they both freed themselves after that. Sanji took a bath and returned to the kitchen to prepare breakfast while Zoro started training on the deck. They avoided each other all morning and didn't come face to face till all the crew had gathered in the kitchen for breakfast.