Bound by Blood and Sea || Sanji || Zoro

Kiss

"You are no longer required to remain on bed rest," Chopper told me. It had already been three days since the incident and Sanji never left my side. He had spent all his free time sitting beside my bed and talking to me. I really appreciated his company, since it could get a little boring, spending the whole day in my room. 

I was certain I could've been released earlier if I had only nagged the doctor long enough—just like Luffy did—since I felt perfectly fine after one day. However, the reindeer insisted on keeping me lying down a little longer, because he was concerned about my health.

"Thanks, Chopper!" I told him, as I got up and made my way into the kitchen, glad to be back on my feet. Leaning against the door frame, a big smile spread across my lips as I watched Sanji moving around in the kitchen, completely in his element. I knocked on the open wooden entrance and he turned around, his eyes catching mine. 

The blonde's face lit up when he saw me, and he quickly made his way over to me. "Aileen!" he exclaimed happily, then lifted me into the air and spun us around. After a moment of joyful twirling, he gently set me down and looked at me with a beaming smile. "I'm glad you're off bed rest. Gotta say I missed your presence in the kitchen."

"It's only been three days, Sanji!" I chuckled. 

"Felt like an eternity without you," he whispered. 

My heart clenched at his words. "But you visited me every day!" He did spend every second he had to spare with me, however, that wasn't a lot between him preparing meals and me sleeping. 

The cook snorted and pulled me into a warm hug, wrapping his arms tightly around my body. I leaned into the embrace inhaling his scent. We stayed like that, standing in the middle of the room until a sharp, smoky aroma filled the air. 

Wrinkling my nose at the unpleasant smell I peeled myself off Sanji, who seemingly hadn't noticed anything. "Sanji," I started, snapping him out of his trance. He registered the smell and quickly turned to the stove, muttering a curse. Turning it off, he took a look at the completely burned vegetables, that were now pitch-black. "I'll just give them to Luffy," he shrugged, making me laugh.

"Yeah, he'll eat anything," I agreed and looked at the counter, where a lot of unprepared ingredients lay. "Do you need some help with the rest of the cooking?"  

In all those months we've got to know each other, Sanji had learned that it was pointless to try talking me out of something I had set my mind to. I supposed I shared that quality with my brother. 

In the beginning, the blonde hadn't liked the idea of me helping him with his work. He had seen it as a sign of failure, whether accepting or asking for help. But over time, he realized it was okay to lean on others and that he wasn't weak for doing so. Gradually he came to understand that it wasn't that bad to let me assist him since it not only did it get rid of some of his stress, but we also got to spend time together. With that in mind, he started accepting my help without much resistance.

"Yes, that would be great, princess."

My heart swelled at his agreement, proud of his personal growth. I had only been bedridden for three days, still, I already missed cooking with Sanji. 

Walking over to the counter, I hiked up my sleeves and got to work. The blonde's eyes lingered on me, so I turned around with a raised eyebrow. "What?"

He only shook his head, dismissing his thoughts and grinned at me. "You've become a fantastic cook."

"Learned from the best," I replied with a teasing smile.

His eyes flickered with amusement as he took a step toward me. "If you keep this up, you might become better than me," he said in a low voice.

"Student beats the teacher," I whispered, heartbeat quickening as he came even closer. 

He placed his hands on the counter, one on each side of me, effectively pinning me in place and leaned down to whisper into my ear. "We can't let that happen, can we? Then I'd lose my job to you, darling."

Sanji's lips hovered near my ear, the air between us thick with tension, and I felt a shiver run down my spine as his breath grazed my skin. His face pulled back slightly, now inches away from mine, our gazes locked. Ha was so close—only a little more and I could kiss him. 

The moment seemed to stretch, the space between us charged. My eyes flicked down to his lips as I leaned in closer. The world outside our bubble faded into a blur, and all that remained were the two of us. 

Finally, Sanji closed the distance and brushed his lips against mine in a sweet, tender kiss. I melted into the sensation, savouring the warmth and softness of his touch. As he gently moved his lips against mine, I mirrored his motions, completely losing myself in the moment.

Wrapping my arms around his neck, I pulled him closer, deepening the kiss. His hands slid to my waist, holding me firmly as our kiss grew more passionate. Our breaths came in sync, and I could feel the steady beat of his heart against my chest. 

When we finally broke apart, our foreheads rested together, and we looked into each other's eyes, both breathless and smiling. The warmth of his embrace was comforting, and I could see the happiness and affection in his gaze.

"You don't know how long I've waited to do this," Sanji muttered.

I bit my bottom lip, failing to hide a smile as I answered. "Me too."

That put a smirk on his face and he pulled me in for another kiss. I was sure I'd get addicted to this feeling. The sensation of his soft pink lips against mine. Truly addictive. 

After some more kisses, we returned to our work, preparing dinner for the crew. Though the butterflies in my stomach remained, fluttering around at the memory of his touch. 

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Notes: 

Did their relationship develop a little fast-paced since Sanji realized his feelings?
Yes.
Do I care?
No. Okay, maybe a little bit. But hey, I never even planned to make this story so long to begin with, so I guess it's alright? Well, at least I'll finish this story without letting you guys wait an eternity for the updates. (Which would've definitely happened if I wanted to make everything perfect.)