ZoSan: The Flower

Chapter 52 - Sanji

The Grand Line and the New World had been so weird for so long that Sanji sometimes found that he'd forgotten about some aspect of life on a 'normal' sea. Like the common cold that Chopper had just diagnosed him with.

Because, of course, he WOULD get sick the day he was planning to finally tell his boyfriend that he loved him and make it all official. And it WOULD be something boring and basic that even Chopper had no remedy for besides time and rest. He groaned as he flopped into bed. He ought to make himself something to eat. He'd need the strength boost. And water. He should get some water. Maybe a cool rag for his head, too, to try to fight the fever.

But he was so damn tired. He'd been tired all morning. He had assumed it was just from the overcast skies that threatened to storm above, Or maybe just a bad night's sleep, though he didn't remember any nightmares. But the exhaustion seemed to get worse with each movement. Then the sniffles had started, along with the occasional cough, which he'd tried to excuse as onions and pepper from the omelets he'd made for breakfast.

It was Zoro who noticed the fever and pulled him into Chopper's infirmary. The first thing a panicky Chopper had checked for upon hearing Sanji cough was a flower in Sanji's chest, but he was as clean of that now as he had been after bringing Zoro back. The cold had been the third thing the doctor had tested for, and the results had been immediate. Sanji had been ordered to bed.

Zoro had even volunteered to cover lunch for him, which was sweet. Except that Sanji kind of wanted his unofficial boyfriend here, laying in bed with him. Which was ridiculous. Sanji had rarely ever been sick, but had gotten through every one of those times on his own, save for the occasional meal Zeff had made for him. Not to mention, Zoro could still get sick, too, at least theoretically, which was not at all what Sanji wanted.

He'd gotten spoiled, he realized. For a couple weeks now, he'd been able to get as many cuddles and kisses as he wanted, and it had spoiled him. Made him soft, needy. Or at least made him want to be, when he was feeling weak like this. He turned over and dozed off.

When he woke up, it was to a gentle voice. "Sanji, love, wake up for me? You need to eat something."

Sanji twisted as tried to get a little higher up on the pillow, unintentionally wrapping the blanket around him so that he was cocooned in it. "...How long was I out?"

"Couple hours, give or take. I made rice porridge, though I'm sure it won't taste like yours. But I figured you would need something in you, and I didn't know how to make chicken soup."

Sanji coughed twice, then let out a weak smile. "Who would've thought that I'd get my former rival willingly playing nurse when I'm sick...."

Zoro smiled back, shifting the hot bowl so he could stroke Sanji's hair. "We've come a long way from those kids who originally joined Luffy, haven't we." It wasn't a question, just a simple statement of fact.

"Yeah... wait." Another cough, then a sniffle. "I haven't had much opportunity to make rice porridge with this crew, especially not recently, so you didn't learn from watching me. You been seeing other cooks, mon chou?" Sanji accused, his voice weak but joking.

That hand playing with his hair thumped his head lightly. "Don't be a doofus. Kuina taught me one day when her dad was under the weather. Now open up so you can eat."

A spoon was at his mouth, and he opened it obediently to take a bite. "It's good!" It wasn't too bland, in fact it was a little over-salted, but otherwise had a good mix of flavors. Fish stock, garlic, ginger, scallions; enough to give it some extra nutrients as well.

Zoro blushed a little at the compliment. "I'm glad. Do you wanna feed yourself, or should I keep feeding you?"

Sanji looked to his own arms, caught in his cocoon. "I'm stuck... so it's either feed me or help untangle me."

"I could do both," Zoro said, holding another spoonful to Sanji's mouth. "Maybe I'll do it in that order so that you actually let me take care of you...."

Sanji obediently took the bite. "I'm not you... I can let myself be taken care of."

Zoro smirked at him. "Maybe. But even so."

"But you're finally clear to exercise, right? You'd normally be in the crow's nest all day on a day like this, so help me untangle so you can go."

"Exercise can wait until I've coddled you a little. I can exercise every day, but you're rarely sick, so I should take this chance to take care of you."

Sanji gave a weak smile, liking the thought. He got down the next offered bite, and a few more after that before he finally had to tell Zoro that he couldn't do anymore for the moment.

"Do you want a bath?" Zoro asked, as he gently slid an arm under Sanji and lifted him enough to un-cocoon him.

Sanji was pretty sure his fever rose another degree at the combination of that strong arm under him and the thought of a bath with Zoro in the room, but he shook his head slowly. If he was going to be completely naked in front of Zoro, he wanted to be strong enough to actually do something.

Zoro left briefly and came back with one of Sanji's lighter and more casual shirts, a bowl and a glass of cool water, and two rags. "I'm at least gonna wipe your sweat, okay? I don't want you getting sicker because you were in sweaty clothes for too long."

Sanji nodded, then sat up and tried to peel off the dress shirt he'd put on that morning, but he couldn't get the right angle from the bed.

"Let me help, love," Zoro said, gently pulling on the sleeves one at a time until he got it off.

"You just want an excuse to undress me..." Sanji pouted.

Zoro kissed his temple with a laugh. "Yep. You caught me."

"Don't kiss me, dummy. You'll get sick, too."

Zoro handed him the glass of water, helping him drink a little before he answered. "Like the common cold is brave enough to take me on." Setting down the glass, Zoro dipped the first rag into the cool water and pulled Sanji against him so that he could stroke it gently down his sweaty back. Then he lowered the tired blond back down to the bed and softly wiped sweat off his chest and arms. Sanji was almost asleep when the blanket was moved completely off him. "I'm going to remove your pants, okay? I'll leave your boxers."

"I trust you," Sanji said, eyes fluttering open for a minute. He was becoming too tired to be embarrassed or shy as Zoro slid the stiff trousers the blond wore off of his legs, and gently dabbed at everything below the knee before covering him back up, and sliding the shirt onto his bare torso gently.

The second rag dipped into the water and then was carefully wrung out and placed over Sanji's head. The relief washed through him with a sigh. He opened his eyes again, looking at the man standing half over him. "Zoro?"

"Yes, love?"

"Do you think we're weaker because of each other? Or more easily distracted? I like what we have, but... I don't wanna sacrifice our dreams for it..."

Zoro's hands went gently to the sides of his head. "I'm stronger for loving you. My swords are stronger when I'm clear on who and what I want to protect. And I've never been clearer on that than I am now." A gentle kiss was placed to Sanji's forehead, above the cloth.

"But what if someone uses me against you?"

"Then heaven help them. You're not someone who can easily be used, and I'm not someone who'll let anyone hurt the man I love. Now sleep, sweetheart. I'll be back to check on you in a couple hours." Zoro gathered up the bowl and the dirty rag and the discarded clothes

"Okay... Thank you." Sanji's voice was starting to trail off as his mind faded into sleep. " 'ove you..."

Sanji didn't hear the words slip out of his mouth. Nor was he awake to hear the soft, almost pained voice at the door reply, "...Say that again when you're awake and not sick, beautiful."