ZoSan: The Flower

Chapter 62 - Sanji*

"Maybe you'll get lucky," he says. I've been luckier to have him than I have any right to be.

"As lucky as our crew may be overall, I don't think luck has anything to do with us, mon chou. Fate, maybe. Our own determination, definitely."

"Fate? You think we were fated to meet? To be together?" Zoro asked, surprised.

"I do. I absolutely believe it was fate that led Luffy first to you, then to me, and fate that you fell in love. Fate even that you found that stupid flower bush," Sanji tried to explain. "I mean, if you hadn't been in love with me, the going theory is that those flowers wouldn't have done anything, right? Or if you loved me but didn't find the flower, there might never have been that near-death confession, and we... probably wouldn't be where we are. Almost certainly not yet, anyway. If it happened without all of that, it would've taken a lot longer, I think."

Zoro was quiet, and Sanji wasn't able to tell what he was thinking, but the blond rambled on anyway. "And what else but fate could have led me to you when you left? If I'd turned any other direction in those fourteen hours, if either of us had veered, I might've lost you forever." Sanji snuggled into Zoro's chest, gathering his courage to say one last little bit on the subject. Something bigger that he'd been wanting to say. "And you know what else? I think you and I are fated to be together for a long, long time. I, I want to marry you someday, my love."

He felt Zoro freeze below him, heard his breath catch sharply. Had he gone too far? Was marriage not something Zoro thought about? He pulled back a little, preparing to retract his words somehow, but before he could he saw the most amazing, beatific smile spread over his boyfriend's face.

"Are you proposing, Sanji?"

He'd mostly been testing the waters, seeing what Zoro thought about the idea, but for a smile like that on the face of the man he already wanted to marry? "Yeah, I guess I am. Will you marry me, Roronoa Zoro? Someday, anyway? Be mine, forever, officially?"

And then lips were hard and sweet on his and arms were squeezing him tight, pulling him into that firm chest that still smelled of sweat and steel from his recent workout. Sanji kissed back, of course, delighted by the enthusiasm.

"I had planned to be the one to propose, beautiful, and not for another few months," Zoro said as he finally pulled back, breathless and eyes shining, "but, yes. Absolutely, a million times, yes. Hell, ship's captains can officiate, so we can go wake Luffy and the others right now and do it, if you want."

Sanji grinned, a little dizzy from the force of the kiss. "Sorry to not have a ring, then. I'll remedy that in the next town we see. But let's wait a bit for the wedding. Pull it together properly, so that Nami doesn't give us a hard time. Make sure Luffy takes it seriously."

"Ok. How long do you wanna wait, fiance? Love of my life?"

"Oh, fuck, that's hot. Keep calling me that and other things are not gonna wait."

"Which one? Fiancé? Or love of my life?"

Sanji groaned at the second, eyes fluttering closed briefly as blood rushed downward. "That one. Fuck. Why is that so hot? Four little words should not be so hot."

Zoro captured Sanji's lips again with his own, but gently this time, just barely more than a peck. "Love." Another kiss. "Of." And another. "My." Another. "Life."

- Mature content begins -

"Shit," Sanji stood and locked the door to the crow's nest before returning to his grinning fiance's side. Zoro resumed those gentle, loving kisses that made Sanji shudder, slowly deepening each one.