ZoLu Imagines II 🏖

Blind Date | 7 🥀

Luffy's muscles contracted and stirred up a knot of tension so large within his stomach, he nearly stopped breathing.

"You had a little bit of sauce." Pulling his hand back, Zoro placed his fingertip on the end of his tongue with a smirk, causing Luffy to start choking.

"He... He licked it. WHO DOES THAT?! I gotta keep myself calm." While giving the Swordsman a non-suspecting smile, the Captain aimed for a breadstick.

His eyes were still centered directly at Zoro to the point of becoming the only feature Luffy could focus on.

He parted his lips to bring the piece of bread into his mouth when the man started to smirk, seeing how romantic the younger appeared to him.

There was a hypnotic glow to Luffy's starry gaze that was captivating the Swordsman while he awaited to see what the boy was going to do next.

"Why does he keep looking at me that way? That look... It's driving me crazy. He smells so damn good."

After taking a bite, Luffy realized one thing: He hadn't been aiming for a breadstick.

Rose petals started to fall out of his tongue and land onto the young man's lap as he pulled out a thick stem from the inside of his mouth.

He had unintentionally chewed on one of the roses Zoro gifted him within a bouquet.

"Just so you know, those aren't made of chocolate. They're real." Looking down at them, the boy blinked awkwardly.

Then, another realization hit him. One that gave him a form of jealousy in the back of his mind.

"If I wouldn't have been the one on this date, someone else would have gotten these roses." He looked up at the man, ever so slowly.

"That's right. I wasn't gonna show up empty-handed on a blind date, you know... After all, it is Valentine's Day." Zoro calmly admitted.

Despite having had such a long conversation up until now, the young man put a stop to their discussion and stayed silent.

The last thing he did was nod to the older man while keeping his thoughts to himself, breathing steadily.

"Does that bother you?" The Swordsman purposely asked to tease the younger while he shook his head.

"Not really." Since Luffy was good at hiding most of his emotions, he was difficult for most people to read.

But it was different with Zoro. He knows what really lies beneath that gummy smile his lover was giving him.

Luffy started to scratch the back of his neck to cool himself down and avoid causing a scene over something seemingly petty to him.

"Well, I showed up empty-handed, so it's a good thing I was paired up with you." Though Luffy laughed at this, the older man found nothing comedic about his response.

It made him feel strange, but the younger boy couldn't figure out why his mood changed so unexpectedly.

They never really gift each other anything unless it's for Christmas or their birthdays. But on Valentine's Day, a day dedicated solely for couples, is the one thing that Luffy and Zoro don't celebrate together or with anyone else.

"All done with your meals?" The waiter asked, earning a nod from both of them, giving him the consent to take their plates away.

"Do you want any type of dessert? There's many to choose from in here." Zoro suggested, his voice sounding less energetic than before.

The change in his attitude was visible to the younger man, it wasn't normal for one's mood to switch so easily.

It left Luffy wondering if he had done something to affect Zoro's mood for the night. And if that was the case, he would carry that guilt back to the ship when they return to the Sunny.

"I would but I'm quite full. But thanks!" He politely declined, feelings his hands growing sweaty with angst.

Turning his attention to the menu, the Swordsman nodded at Luffy but kept his head facing the small diagram.

"Luffy, Zoro, Kin'emon invited us to his place! He's hosting a party in honor of the restaurant's opening. Are you two joining us?" Luffy smiled brightly at Zoro, earning a chuckle from the older man.

"Like that's a question to be asking pirates, of course we're going!" Zoro confirmed to Nami, watching her write down their names on a note board.

"What's that for, Nami?" The boys asked out of curiosity.

"It's a list. I'm writing down your names in confirmation that you two will be attending. I'm using this because when I asked Usopp, he said he wasn't going." This shocked Luffy as he began to question Nami to why Usopp wasn't going.

"He said he had 'important business' with Kaya. I'm so happy for those two!" She teased, squealing softly.

"Anyways, see you guys there then! We're going as soon as we close this restaurant which... Is in about two hours or so."

"Gotcha, we'll meet you there, Nami!" Luffy excitingly shouted. His excitement overpowered the boy and caused him to spill soy sauce all over Zoro's white pants.

The amount of embarrassment he felt right then and there could eat him alive, along with the regrets he had.

"How clumsy of me, I'm so sorry!" He handed the man a napkin with fear settling into the pit of his stomach.

"Don't stress out, no one died." Zoro smirked, pulling his wallet out to place money on the table.

"Allow me." Raising his hand up, Luffy remembered what measures to take when wanting to gather the attention of a waiter or waitress.

"Check, please!" He spoke to the man who was about to speak back to the boy when Zoro interrupted him.

"No need, I got it." Parting the leather wallet open, the man reached into it and asked the waiter to bring him their bill.

"I'll pay, I insist." Luffy chimed in, reaching in to pull his own wallet out from his pocket.

"It's okay, let me pay. Put your wallet back." The waiter cut in between their conversation and shook his head.

🌹~Awhile later~🌹

"Hold on, what do you mean we don't have to pay?" The younger men questioned, earning a smile from their waiter.

"It's on the house, tonight. Courtesy of Mr. And Mrs. Vinsmoke." A loud scream echoed from the dining area, startling a few customers.

"MR. AND MRS. VINSMOKE, INDEED." And those were the last words that were heard from Sanji that night before Nami dragged the French Chef back into the kitchen.

"Why do I hear the smoke alarm?" The waiter mindlessly asked.

"Don't worry, Nami's probably making a stew out of him."

"Most likely." Luffy and Zoro shared a laugh before the older man looked down at his lap, seeing a large stain on it.

"Luffy, if I don't make it back to the restaurant on time, I'll meet you at the party. I'm headed back to the Sunny to get changed." The man stood up, walking out of the restaurant.

"Wait! I'm going with-" Luffy jumped back, seeing Zoro turning over.

"DON'T... I'll be back quickly, you don't need to come with me." He breathed out, excusing himself.

"He's walking away already, I better go catch up! I wanna give it to him before we go to the party."

🌹🌹🌹