ZoSan: The Flower

Chapter 25 - Zoro

'Take a nap' the cook had said. The blond clearly had absolutely no idea what he did to Zoro. As if he could sleep after the blond had pinned him like that. Asked to kiss him. Let out a tiny gasp that he may not even have been aware of.

He may never sleep again, so that he would never have to risk waking up to find that it was all another delightful dream.

Zoro had made one small mistake, though. He should've let the cook initiate the kiss, like he'd asked. That would've been... divine. But maybe, if this really wasn't a dream, there'd be another chance for that.

Just being able to kiss him like that, like he'd always wanted to, had been something beautiful in and of itself. He had stopped himself from saying it, but he hoped the cook had felt the ways he loved him. He could still feel the cook's hands on his waist, holding on as if Zoro was the only thing keeping him from falling down. There had been a little too much pressure for how close it was to his new injury, but like hell was he going to complain, not when it had been Sanji's hands there. Sanji's hands there while Zoro was kissing him. And Sanji had kissed back, the taste of cigarettes and this morning's limeade on his tongue.

Hell, with a kiss like that, he wouldn't care if the cook had left bruises shaped like those slender fingers. Zoro doubted it had been quite that much pressure, though he almost wished it had been just so he'd have proof that it was real. Even when the cook had pushed him against the wall, there hadn't been much force behind it. They had both known Zoro could easily get away from the grip. Zoro had seen it in the ocean-blue eye he loved so much.

Zoro was so very glad he hadn't broken the grip. Glad for the curiosity that had held him in place more effectively than those hands against his shoulders. To think he'd almost walked away...

That would've been the biggest mistake ever, because he might never have imagined Sanji being... dominant. In all Zoro's fantasies, he'd never imagined being taken by Sanji. But after the way Sanji had pinned him, had flirted with him in that almost animalistic, seductive purr that he was pretty sure Sanji hadn't even realized he had used, Zoro found he may not mind the thought so much.

... Aaaand he needed to get his mind off the thought before he lost all control and did or said something stupid to scare Sanji off. But he'd promised Chopper no exercise, and the wound ruled out a light swim and probably a cold shower. And he didn't dare go to the galley to get booze, not with Sanji there right now.

With a sigh, he made his way to the infirmary and knocked on the open door.

"Zoro? Is something wrong?" Chopper asked, surprised to see him.

"I'm bored," Zoro said in his most nonchalant voice, hoping the reindeer wouldn't be able to tell that it was mostly a lie. "And since someone forbade me to exercise, I was wondering if you might have any busywork for me. Herbs that need crushed, things that need mixed, whatever."

Chopper gave him an incredulous look that made Zoro explain further. "It was this or fishing with Usopp," he added with a wry smile.

Chopper grinned and pointed. "Sure. There's herbs over there that should be dried now. You know where the mortar and pestle and extra bottles are?"

Zoro nodded. He'd helped in here enough while they'd been trying to find a cure, he knew where Chopper kept most everything. He didn't know what each medicine did or which ailment it fought, but he now knew most of the names and how Chopper organized them.

He grabbed a labeled bundle of herbs and began crushing them into a fine powder, carefully controlling his strength so that he didn't break the mortar and pestle again. He'd already had to replace them twice since he'd first started helping. Once each bundle was ground to the level it needed to be, he poured it into one of the bottles and transferred the label to the neck. He and Chopper worked in peace and relative quiet, unless one of them needed to ask something of the other.

It wasn't as much distraction as he really needed, but it was at least something to do until Sanji called them together for lunch.