ZoSan: The Flower

Chapter 51 - Zoro

Sanji wasn't in his bunk when Zoro woke up. Which wasn't that unusual, since Zoro's sporadic sleep schedule sometimes meant the cook was up before he was. But Sanji hadn't been in his bunk when Zoro had finally gone to bed last night either, and that was unusual. The cook always claimed he needed at least six hours of sleep, and if he'd gone to bed later than Zoro, he should be running on about three. Yet when Zoro got to the kitchen, Sanji was wide awake. Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, to coin a phrase. Far more than three hours usually had him. Like humming and bopping around while he was cooking kind of awake.

Zoro smiled softly as he leaned against the wall of the otherwise empty kitchen, watching his love be... happy. Sanji finally noticed him after another moment.

"Morning!"

"You're in a good mood today."

"Shouldn't I be? For that matter, shouldn't you be, too? It's shaping up to be a beautiful day out there. Look at that sunrise!" He pointed to the window with a spoon.

"Uh-huh." Zoro said doubtfully, but with a teasing smile. "Sunrises. Very lovely. Now, what is it that really got your spirits up? Because you're acting like you got a better night's sleep than you possibly could've."

Sanji blushed a little. "I did sleep well, I just... didn't make it back to the dorm to do it."

Zoro grinned. "Am I rubbing off on you, Sanji? Where'd you fall asleep, then?"

"Oh, look, Nami-swan's here! Morning, Nami-swan! Would you like breakfast now, or some tea to get you started?"

Nami had, in fact, walked in, sleepy-eyed as she usually was at breakfast, but Zoro could tell when Sanji was trying to change the subject, and today he wasn't inclined to let him. He came up behind the cook and grabbed him around the waist.

"What are you hiding, Sanji?" He sing-songed, almost into the blond's ear.

"Nothing...?" But the ear Zoro was at tinted pink, even as the blond leaned into the embrace just a little.

"You don't sound very sure...?"

"Look you two are cute and all, but could you please save the flirting until after breakfast? It's too early for this..." Nami interrupted sleepily. "And Sanji-kun, some tea would be great, please."

Zoro poutingly obliged and backed off the blond, but not before kissing the back of his neck. "Fine, but this isn't over, sweetheart." He didn't realize his mistake until Nami giggled and Sanji's blush intensified.

"Aw, you two have gotten to pet names. Which means Brook owes me money."

"Those were supposed to be kept private..." Sanji glared at Zoro, but it had no real heat behind it.

"How many bets do you even have going on us, witch?"

"Zoro!"

Nami waved off Sanji's indignation, knowing as Zoro did that it was how Zoro showed affection. "A few...," she grinned mischievously as Sanji set her tea in front of her with a slice of buttered toast, "dozen." She took a bite of her toast.

"Geez..." Sanji groaned, face red from embarrassment.

"So, for the interest of the betting pool, how long have the pet names been going on?"

Zoro took a chair, answering with a knowing, smart-aleck smile. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"I would!" Chopper grinned as he entered. "Good morning! And Nami, I still maintain that the nicknames they've been using for each other since forever count as pet names."

"Chopper, you're not betting on us, too?" Sanji complained.

"Sorry, Sanji, but the odds were too good...." The reindeer did not look sorry in the least.