Chapter Text
The air smelled of sea salt, nutty pine, and wet wood, clear and crisp despite the heaviness of the humidity in the air. Zoro had been waiting for Sanji to say something about the subtle change, knowing himself what the new scent meant, but the blonde had yet to notice. The ocean was close, maybe a two day’s ride if they were to cut directly West.
The trip out of the mountains had been far less enjoyable then the trip in. They had been fine at first, for about a week, besides some brutal teasing about Sanji’s rope burns the morning after their fight with the Charlottes. It had been the past two days that had been challenging. They had gotten stuck in a thunderstorm and then heavy rain, having to stop for shelter in a rundown town for the night after being pelted ruthlessly for hours. They had sat in the empty house that evening, dripping wet and silent to avoid discord among the group from their frayed nerves and short tempers.
The house they had stayed in had smelled of wet mold and decaying wood, and even Luffy had looked miserable the next morning. They had waited a few hours longer to leave that day, hoping the rain would let up, but had eventually had to don any water resistant canvas they brought with them and keep going when it remained steadily beating down against the earth.
The rain had finally broke when they set up camp that night, much to their relief, but they still went to bed damp and miserable, the sun setting before their clothes and hair could properly dry. They had barely noticed where they were until the next morning.
The smell of the ocean had greeted them alongside the first blinding rays of morning light that they had seen in days, sifting through the canopies of the young maple trees they slept under and turning the leaves a vibrant green where the light snuck through. Zoro watched Sanji closely as they prepared to ride, tightening the saddle on Wado while the blonde quietly packed away the tools he had used for breakfast. The rest of the crew was a blur of activity around him, hurried bustling and whispered excitement making that morning feel like something important was coming.
A sudden loud shout from Usopp pulled Sanji’s attention from his chore, making him glance up in search of the sound from where he crouched over his pack. He glanced around, eventually finding Zoro’s eyes on him where he leaned over Wado’s back. The cook smiled shyly, a slight blush gracing his face, gentle in the morning light.
Zoro smirked back, completely endeared by the sweetness of his partner that morning. The anticipation of the end of the trip had died temporarily after the excitement with the Charlotte gang and from the monotony of the middle of the trip. It had returned in full force that morning, Zoro wanting to see every reaction the blonde had to his new surroundings from that point on.
They had crossed the Oregon trail and entered the humid rain forest environment, the rain dampening the effect slightly. Despite the rain, Sanji had stared in wonder as the new foliage began to appear around them, blinking water out of his eyes as he took in the thick fog that enveloped the trees in a blanket of gentle secrecy. It was night and day compared to the dry deserts and drought prone valleys that the blonde was used to, where water was restrained to the selfish tips of the mountains farther south east.
Zoro pushed himself off of Wado, patting her side gently as he ducked under her head and walked over to Sanji. The blonde stood to meet him, throwing his packed bag over his shoulder as Zoro approached.
“We’re almost there, Curly,” Zoro said, taking Sanji’s head in his palm and sifting his fingers through golden hair. Sanji leaned into the touch with a smile, humming in agreement.
“Feels like we’ve been waiting for this for years,” Sanji sighed, lifting his head and pressing into a gentle hug. Zoro wrapped his arms around the blonde’s shoulders, hugging him back and laughing lightly.
“You’ve been so friendly this morning. Lost your bite, love cook?” Zoro teased, pressing a kiss to the crown of his head. Sanji scoffed, shaking his head against Zoro’s neck.
“I think I’m just happy,” he said, pulling away from Zoro while keeping his arms wrapped around his waist, “I’ve never had as much fun as I’ve had traveling with all of you. It’s almost bittersweet that it’s coming to an end.”
Zoro huffed a laugh, squeezing where his arms were wrapped over Sanji’s shoulder.
“Doesn’t have to end with this, Curly. Sure, we’re gonna go find a place to build a home and this trip will be over, but it’s important to get away once in a while. Reminds you why home is so special. Luffy’s already talking about taking off before winter starts to check out some whispers he’s heard about El Dorado in Mexico, said I have to come, which means you, too,” Zoro said, rubbing Sanji’s back as he spoke. Sanji grinned, eyes twinkling as he raised a hand to run through Zoro’s hair.
“Well, I suppose wherever you go, I’ll have to follow one way or another to make sure you find your damn way back, my lost Moss ball,” affection dripped from his voice, dampening the effect of the insult and making Zoro blush in embarrassment, rather than anger.
“Come on,” he said with a cough, turning his face away to hide his rosy cheeks, “I think we’re about ready.”
They finished loading the horses and rode out, pressing on as they followed the path of a fast river as it led deep into dense wood. Moss and lichen covered everything, the ground spongey beneath their horses’ feet and the trees bathed in green, layered with thick moss. Veils of lichen made the trees look as if they were slowly melting back into the green earth beneath, long thick strands dragging towards the earth in haunting masses.
Green was a good word for the woods they road through, as it seemed to be the only color nature was capable of here, an overwhelming shock to the senses as it surrounded them fully, seemingly unending as they rode deeper and deeper into the forest. Zoro could feel the eyes on him from the rest of the group, and had to push his hat on farther over his head to try and prevent their eyes from lingering, not wanting to hear the idiotic comments he could already feel them thinking.
His deflection didn’t work on Sanji. The moment they stopped for lunch the cook was strutting towards him, proud as a rooster with a look of smug victory plastered across his face. Zoro glowered as Sanji walked up to him, not wanting to hear what he had to say.
“Listen,” Sanji started when he reached Zoro, grabbing him by his shoulders, “I know we said we’d build a home next to the ocean, but Zoro, these are your people, we can’t take you from here,” he said, releasing Zoro with a shake and throwing his hands to the trees around them in indication.
Zoro rolled his eyes, reaching up and smacking Sanji’s hat off of his head in retaliation, making the blonde scoff in affront. Sanji smacked Zoro’s hat off in revenge, and Zoro dove at him, hitting him off his feet and knocking him to the cushioned forest floor. They wrestled for a bit, Sanji trying to get Zoro off of him, ripping the ground with his hands while he bucked and kicked Zoro who was trying to keep him pinned to the ground.
Sanji suddenly yielded, surprising Zoro as he slumped beneath him in defeat, pouting up at him. Zoro let him go, confused at how easily the blonde let him win and slightly mistrusting of his motive. Sanji stood wordlessly when Zoro released him, brushing the front of his shirt off with a smug smirk, only furthering Zoro’s skepticism.
A peal of laughter pulled his attention to Luffy, who was pointing right at his head, laughing his infectious cackle with a hand to his stomach and clapping his feet where he sat on a moss covered rock. Zoro quirked a brow, smiling despite himself from how raucous Luffy’s laugh was.
“What?” he asked stupidly while the rest of the crew turned to look, laughing as soon as they caught sight of whatever Luffy was laughing at. Sanji snickered behind him, turning Zoro’s smile to a frown as he whipped around to scowl at the cook.
“What,” he asked again, this time with a tinge of mistrust to the word. Sanji snorted while everyone else laughed louder, watching Zoro’s confusion with sparkling eyes as he crossed his hands over his chest.
“Ah, well you just seem to be really growing into the environment. Honestly, the family resemblance is uncanny” Sanji said, gesturing to his face. Zoro frowned touching his cheek and feeling nothing. He glanced at Sanji, seeing him shake his head and then nod upwards. Zoro lifted his hand up, patting until he made it to his head and felt soft, wet clumps in his hair. He pulled one down, looking blankly at the pile of moss he held in his hair. He glanced down to where he and Sanji had just been fighting, seeing scores through the dirt where moss was missing from the blanket that covered the ground.
“Well, now that I’ve been reunited with my home we better get you back to the seagulls so we can all have a chance at a damn family reunion,” Zoro growled, shaking his head free of moss and throwing the clump he had at Sanji’s face.
The cook expertly dodged the clump, scoffing at Zoro’s come back with a roll of his eyes. Zoro picked up his and Sanji’s hats from the ground, putting his hat back on his head. He started to hand Sanji his, waiting until the blonde reached his hand out before turning to the side without breaking eye contact and tossing the hat off towards the river.
Sanji shrieked, shoving Zoro as he ran after the hat and caught it before it fell over the steep bank, hugging the white felt to his chest as he glared at Zoro, a look of deep betrayal turning his face sour. Zoro crossed his arms, smug look unaffected by the hatred from the cook and encouraged by the laughter from the group behind him. Sanji stomped over to him, slamming his hat down on his head and shoving a finger into his chest.
“That was dirty. I’ll kill you if you ever threaten my hat again,” Sanji hissed, poking him in the chest again to emphasize his point. Zoro grinned, eyes darkening in threat.
“I’d like to see you try,” he whispered, leaning in to Sanji’s face until their noses brushed gently. Sanji sneered, fully riled up and ready to fight. He tapped the toe of his shoe twice against the ground, a signal to Zoro to get himself in his own fighting position. Zoro bent his knees, keeping his face close to the cook as he took a step back, lifting his arms in preparation to grapple.
“Sanji! What will you be making for lunch?” Nami’s shrill voice broke through the thick tension between the two of them like silver through ice. Sanji dropped his stiff stance, twirling on his left foot to face the red head and prancing over to her, taking her hand in his as he completely abandoned Zoro.
“Well what would you like, dear? I was just going to make a simple meal, but if it would make you happy I would gladly make camp bread to go with our lunch, and I could find the ingredients in the forest to use for a nice tea to go with?” he swooned, pulling her hand to his chest.
“That sounds nice,” Nami smiled, gently removing her hand and then shaking it lightly as if trying to remove the touch of the cook. She turned away, leaving Sanji to plan the perfect meal while she talked with Luffy and Usopp about what direction to head to reach their destination for the night.
Zoro watched as the cook pranced off into the woods, no doubt looking for whatever plant would let him make the damn tea he was on about. He looked down at the ground below, toeing at the earth and watching the moisture from the moss transfer to the end of his boot. He wasn’t sure how Sanji expected to make a campfire in this environment, none of the brush in the area was likely to be brittle enough to burn at this rate.
“I think the moss suited you rather well,” said an amused voice from his side. Zoro scowled, glancing out of the corner of his eye to see Robin approaching him with a knowing smile on her face. Zoro grunted noncommittally, a little terrified to be left to a conversation on his own with the older woman.
“Alas,” Robin sighed as she stooped next to him, picking up a small handful of moss from the ground and studying it, “there isn’t this much of it where we’re headed. I’m sure our cook would have enjoyed both his coveted ocean and his beloved moss close at hand.”
Zoro huffed, shaking his head slightly as he turned to the woman next to him.
“The ocean is all he needs,” he said simply, resolute in his confidence, his eyes trained on where the blonde had disappeared into the forest. Robin laughed airily, shaking her head.
“I wouldn’t be so sure. Did you know he has two dreams? He always has, he just never speaks on the second from a deep seated belief that it is one he is not worthy of,” Robin said cryptically. Zoro quirked a brow at the new information, slightly disbelieving that the cook wanted for anything other than his coveted ocean.
“You know, moss is a pretty special plant. Rich in oxygen, and unlike many other plants in that it lacks roots. You can take this patch of moss and carry it half way across the world, and as long as you keep it moist and out of direct sun, it should continue and likely thrive wherever you set it down again. As I am sure you know it can be used for drinking water or insulation in a bind, and even to dress wounds. There are some species that are even edible,” she said, handing him the small clump of moss. Zoro peered at it, trying to see the point Robin was trying to make hidden in the tiny leaves.
“Moss was one of the only things to keep him alive at one point, you know. He understands how reliable and adaptable it is. I think he’s got a soft spot for it, whether he’ll admit it to you or not,” Robin paused, setting a hand on his shoulder, “it makes a pretty good fire, too. When it’s dry, at least.”
With that she started to walk away, moving to return to Franky’s side to look at what he was tinkering with to the side of the group. Before she left ear shot Zoro remembered a missing piece of information.
“Wait,” he called, pausing until Robin turned to face him again, “what, uh… what’s his other dream?”
“Love, Mr. Roronoa. You.”
___________
They had made it to the edge of the forest that Nami had been hoping they would reach right after sunset. Nami had convinced the group to stay an extra day in the area even before they had arrived, saying that it was her absolute favorite place that she had ever travelled to. They had set up camp, the evening lively as ever. Zoro had simply drank alone, still receiving a bit of a cold shoulder from the cook over the hat incident. Rather than push the subject he simply enjoyed his drink and listened to the jaunty tune of Brook’s violin while enjoying the peaceful night.
Sanji had slept with a barrier of Usopp and Chopper between Zoro and himself, much to Zoro’s chagrin. It had ended up working in his favor, however, as a bug had found its way onto Sanji’s throat in the night and the blonde had come rushing into his arms, completely forgetting any previous grudges held.
It was that reason that the two were able to witness the otherworldly land which they awoke in together. Zoro woke first, eyes blinking blearily as he adjusted to the morning light, a hand coming up to rub at the heavy weight on his chest. Sanji woke moments after, disturbed by Zoro’s increased movement and the hand against his back. They had been distracted by each other briefly, kissing gently in morning greeting until Usopp had begged them to stop, rolling over away from where he had woken up next to them and hiding his eyes.
They had gotten up then, standing and stretching. Zoro had bent back, trying to get the kinks out of his back that having a full grown man sleeping on him put there. He opened his eye, looking into the sky and pausing at the sudden realization that his vision felt off. Everything looked longer, the trees reaching into the sky like mountains, stretching farther than any Zoro had ever seen before.
He rubbed his eyes, scrubbing the sleep from them in hopes of fixing his range of vision, hoping this wasn’t a late-to-develop side effect from losing one of his eyes. He blinked his eye open again, frowning when he found the trees just as tall as before. He straightened himself, glancing around to see if his forward vision was just as damaged, only to see Sanji staring around himself in wonder, a limp unlit cigarette hanging from his lips.
Zoro followed the line of his gaze, eyes bouncing off of a huge red stone pillar. He breathed in sharply when he followed the pillar up, and up, and up, until it finally grew limbs that split into leafy branches. They were trees, inhumanly large trees the likes of which Zoro had never seen in his life. He glanced at Sanji, meeting his eyes for an instant before the two bolted towards the trees together, racing to see who could reach the alien plants first.
They arrived close to the same time, both setting hands on the rough bark and walking the perimeter in opposite directions, losing sight of each other for a few seconds until they met on the other side. Zoro turned his head to take in the rest of the forest, quickly realizing that this one tree was not unique among its peers, similarly gargantuan beasts rocketing into the sky and dwarfing their surroundings, making the normal trees around them look like children under their shadows.
“This can’t be real,” Sanji breathed, staring around in wonder at the beautiful scene surrounding them. Bright green ferns surrounded the bases of the giant trees, a startling contrast to the vibrant red of the wood. The huge trunks effected the minuscule feeling of the mountains that they had just left while the atmosphere of the air and the rest of the environment felt vastly different from what they were used to.
The air was heavy and wet here, unlike the crisp, dry air of the mountains. It smelled of wet wood and leaves, and a nostalgia yet to be born. Zoro turned to Sanji, grinning like a mad man when he met the blonde’s eyes.
“I’ve never felt this small in my life,” Sanji said, looking up to the tree tops centuries above their heads, “like a land of giants. It’s hard to believe that only a few hours away people are going about their days, farming, cow poking, outlawing. It doesn’t feel real.”
Zoro nodded in agreement, watching Sanji stare in wonder around them. He was adorable, bright eyes wide as he took in everything around him with abject wonder. Zoro glanced behind the blonde, smile widening as he caught sight of one of the huge trees toppled to the ground. He grabbed Sanji’s hand, swinging him around and sprinting towards the massive log with the blonde in tow behind him.
They ran up to the fallen tree, Sanji immediately asking Zoro for a boost up. Zoro put his hands together in a net, letting Sanji step into it and lifting him as he jumped. He made it up, jumping surprisingly high and easily climbing up onto the top of the log. His head popped over the side right after he made it up, looking at Zoro in surprise.
“I bet that would be a fun move if we’re ever in a fight without our horses,” Sanji said. Zoro nodded in agreement, picturing Sanji firing on a swarm of enemies from the sky and immediately wanting to give the move a try.
“We’ll practice it as soon as we get settled,” Zoro agreed, reaching up when Sanji put his hand over the edge. He had to jump to catch the cook’s hold, but he was able to scramble up with assistance from his pull. They sat at the top of the log together, staring out into the forest and watching birds, dwarfed by the surrounding forest, flit around from tree to tree. They sat there enjoying the morning and absorbing their new environment until the rest of the crew woke up, Luffy discovering them and somehow managing to climb up the side of the log on his own.
Luffy had immediately interrogated them about accompanying him South for the winter, easily winning Sanji over when Luffy had said that he and Zoro would die without his cooking. Luffy had told them all about the next place he wanted to visit, saying that there had been a battle over a small golden statue that had been stolen from a city by a gang of bandits. Luffy wanted to know what happened, and return the statue to its rightful owners in hopes of getting a clue to where the fabled city lay.
It sounded like an interesting enough adventure, and something for them to look forward to in the future. They both agreed that if their new home was built and settled before the first snow of the year they would happily join Luffy on his trip. Apparently Robin and Nami had both agreed to go along, Nami simply by the word gold and Robin by the stories to be heard from another region she had yet to travel to. Robin joining meant that Franky would be with, likely roping in the rest as the other three wouldn’t want to be left out from the adventure.
Brook wandered over some time later, interrupting the three of them to ask Sanji if he could make more of the tea that he had made the night before, pulling the blonde from the conversation. He easily agreed, jumping down from the tree and waving his goodbye, leaving Zoro and Luffy alone on top of the large trunk. Zoro got ready to follow him, starting to push himself from his seated position only for Luffy to stop him.
“Do you think El Dorado exists, Zoro?” Luffy asked brightly, halting Zoro’s movements and pulling him back to his sitting position. He eyed Luffy critically, who watched him right back as he mulled over the question.
“I think that if it’s your dream to find El Dorado, then you shouldn’t give up until you find it. As long you’re following your dream and it’s not hurting innocents then it doesn’t matter, you should keep hunting for it whether it’s there or not,” Zoro finally said, leaning back on his hands and crossing his legs. Luffy stared at him, unblinking for a second before he broke out in a large grin, slapping Zoro on the back and laughing.
“I’m glad you got cut in half by that cat!” he said, cackling as he smacked Zoro’s back harshly. Zoro scowled, shaking him off.
“I didn’t get cut in half,” he growled defensively, sitting up and crossing his arms against his chest. Luffy giggled, shaking his head and falling back against the bark beneath them.
“Sure, but I mean I’m happy you joined our posse. It’ll be good to have someone in the crew who makes sure everyone knows how important it is to find their dream, and to live true to their ethics. I like you, Zoro, you’re a good guy,” Luffy said, kicking his feet off of the tree. All of the defensive energy dropped from Zoro’s shoulder, leaving him feeling slightly taken aback from the unexpected compliment from the younger man.
He glanced at Luffy out of the corner of his eye, uncharacteristically bashful at the compliment, glad to have verbal acknowledgment of his purpose in the group.
“I have a bad habit of ensuring the people closest to me follow their hearts to the best of their ability,” he said with a dry laugh, put off by Luffy’s compliment and willing to share a bit of his own.
“There’s a lot of people who never get to fulfill their life goal. I’ve failed before to help someone, and it’s not something I intend to fail at again. I promised a friend a long time ago that she could be the best dual wielder in the West. She died before that dream could be realized and it’s been mine ever since, but I don’t think I could take on a responsibility like that again,” he said, staring out at the huge trees surrounding them while he spoke.
The reds of the bark were starting to blur together, creating a wall of color in front of them that reminded Zoro of the desert south west of the Colorado border, a rainbow of oranges and yellows and reds that shifted in front of his eyes as he spoke. It was disorienting, but beautiful at the same time. Luffy was surprisingly quite next to him, letting his words sit in the air between them for an uncomfortable amount of time.
“I’m guessing you’re after Hawk Eye, then? He’s the best right now,” Luffy said, completely ignoring the part of Zoro’s soul that had been bared the moment before. Zoro smirked, glancing to the side to the relaxed pose of the man next to him.
“You know about Hawk Eye?” Zoro asked, curious what Luffy had managed to glean about the illusive man throughout his travels. In all of Zoro’s own journey, he had only gathered the man’s name, his most famous duels, and that he was a very private person.
“About him? No, I know him. He’s a funny guy,” Luffy chortled. Zoro whipped around at the words, leaning over to look into Luffy’s eyes.
“Know him? You’ve met Hawk Eye? You’re not serious,” Zoro said, eyes intensely searching for a lie on Luffy’s face. Luffy laughed, eyes closing and his cheeks puffing up in amusement.
“Oh yeah, he was friends with Shanksy! Used to let me ride his horse when I was younger. They fought all the time, it was super cool,” Luffy laughed, stretching out all four of his limbs in exaggeration of the word ‘cool’, “we can go by where I saw him last on our way south this winter, I doubt he’s still there, but it’s worth a shot. We could talk to his tribe and see if he told them where he was headed.”
Zoro nodded, jaw set in determination and eyes burning with excitement. He had been looking for Hawk Eye for years, and to suddenly have so much untapped knowledge felt unreal. He had been excited to travel with the group again, but now he couldn’t wait for winter to come.
“I’ve got to tell the Cook,” he breathed, jumping up from where he had been sitting and dropping to the ground. He raced over to the campsite, greeted with the view of breakfast well under way around the campfire.
Sanji was next to Usopp, chatting with him while he smoked a cigarette, a cup of coffee cradled between his hands. Franky caught sight of Zoro before he made it to the cook, starting a cheer for his return around the circle.
“Thanks for keeping Luffy occupied while we got a chance to eat, lad!” Franky crowed, slapping Zoro on the back and making him stumble as he walked by. Zoro glowered over his shoulder at the large man, recovering his balance and stomping over to the cook.
Sanji looked up at him as he approached, smiling sweetly as he took a drag from his cigarette. He set down his coffee, leaving his cigarette in his mouth as he stood and walked to the fire to grab Zoro a cup of food and a cup of coffee. Zoro took them gratefully, slumping down to have a seat on the other side of the cook from Usopp, patting the ground next to him in indication.
Sanji followed his request, happily returning to his seat and leaning in to Zoro’s side as he sipped his coffee.
“So we talked about a bit of a different plan while you were off with Luffy,” Sanji said, bumping him with his shoulder. Zoro hummed in interest, putting his own news on the backburner out of curiosity.
“Um, Franky says that this wood will be ideal for building, and they were thinking on getting started on cutting some of the fallen trees sooner rather than later. Seems like a big task, but Franky seems pretty confident and I guess there’s a town a few miles east of here that should have everything they need,” Sanji said, tapping his cigarette onto the ground as he spoke.
“Franky said it may take upwards of a week for him to put together what he needs if he has help from everyone. Except us. Nami thought it would be nice for us to get to the ocean first, just the two of us. I think I agree with her,” he said, pushing the hand holding his cigarette into his hair and turning to smile at Zoro, “what do you think?”
Zoro beamed, setting down his cups and taking Sanji’s cheeks between his palms.
“I think that sounds great,” he said, kissing Sanji gently and then releasing him, picking up his cups again and eating the food with gusto. Sanji beamed, taking a drag from his cigarette and leaning his head against Zoro’s shoulder happily.
Zoro completely forgot about his own news, his mind distracted by thoughts of being the only one there to watch as Sanji witnessed his ocean for the first time. Luffy had come bounding in soon after, distracting everyone as he ate his food and then went sniffing around for any leftovers. They had ended up going on a small hike, walking around the forest and taking in the extraordinary views that the huge trees provided. Nami had showed them the river that she said would take them to a perfect overlook, and that where the river met the ocean was where the rest of the posse would meet them in seven days’ time.
Sanji and Zoro both packed before bed that night, preparing everything to leave early the next morning so that they could make it to the ocean before night fall the next day. Everyone else was already laying down to sleep by the time they walked over to set up their own beds. It was dusk, and the light was low, making it hard to see where they were stepping. Sanji had tripped unexpectedly next to where Luffy lay, cursing as he picked up the length of rope that had made him stumble and slamming it back on the ground in frustration.
“Why the hell did you leave your rope lying around your damn bedroll,” Sanji yelled loudly, receiving various levels of groans of objection from the rest of the group.
“Rattlesnakes and scorpions,” Luffy mumbled before Zoro could interrupt the conversation, knowing what the answer was and what it would result in. The moron immediately started snoring again, making Zoro think that the hyperactive man hadn’t even woken up to respond.
Just as Zoro expected, he saw Sanji’s head turn to him in the dying light, his expression darkened by the shadow of his hair, but his cutting gaze intimidating nonetheless.
“Did you know about this?” Sanji asked Zoro, voice thin and low in warning. Zoro froze, wishing he could melt into the ground at that moment rather than answering the blonde.
“I uh… Yeah, but it’s just an old wives’ tale. He probably learned it from those vaqueros he was with. There aren’t even rattlesnakes in this region,” Zoro said softly, trying to keep the anger he saw bubbling beneath the surface of Sanji’s cool exterior from rising to the top.
“But there were where we were,” Sanji said, stomping up to Zoro and stabbing him in the chest with his finger to exaggerate his words. Zoro sighed, accepting defeat and raising his hands in surrender against the onslaught of Sanji’s fury.
“You knew about this, and yet you used the rope we had for… god, Zoro!” Sanji yelled, stomping his foot and throwing his hands up.
“Go the fuck to sleep!” Nami yelled from where she lay, a resounding murmur of agreement following her shout. Sanji turned away in irritation, stomping to where their saddles were and pulling the tarp from where it was folded over Zoro’s saddle.
He tossed it into the air, flattening it against the ground and turning to Zoro. He pointed at the tarp wordlessly, indicating for Zoro to lay down before him, which Zoro did happily, smiling sheepishly.
“I’m not happy about this,” muttered Sanji as he dropped down on Zoro, letting his full weight hit him out of spite and making him cough as the air was slammed from his lungs.
“I’ll get us a knew rope,” Zoro wheezed, wrapping his arm around the blonde’s waist and adjusting himself to lay more comfortably. Sanji grumbled something incoherent, somehow making his bones sharper than normal as he moved on top of Zoro, making sure to stab against all of Zoro’s pressure points.
___________
Zoro was tired the next morning and thoroughly punished for the destruction of the rope. Despite that, and Sanji’s slightly cold energy, he was in good spirits. They had woken up early, just as the sun rose and before anyone else shifted from sleep. Sanji would be living the beginning of his dream today. They were going to see the ocean. Just the two of them, and they would be there before sundown.
“Wipe that dopey smile off your face,” Sanji grumbled, walking over from where he had just been putting his saddle back on Blue. Zoro frowned, looking up at the bristly cook with a pout. Still mad, then.
“I wouldn’t have gotten rid of the rope if I had thought that superstition had any merit, Curly, can you give it up? At least for today?” Zoro sighed, grabbing the blonde by the hips and pulling him in. Sanji stiffened against his hands, face unreadable for a few seconds before he sagged into Zoro.
“I know, it’s just… being mad is easier,” Sanji sighed, leaning his forehead against Zoro’s shoulder and hiding his face. Zoro’s eyebrows scrunched in confusion, unsure what the cook could mean by that.
“Easier?” he questioned, raising a hand to the middle of Sanji’s back to rub soothing circles. Sanji hummed in confirmation, wrapping his own arms around Zoro’s waist.
“Children have powerful imaginations, and I’ve been dreaming of this day since I knew what an ocean was,” Sanji said, voice uncharacteristically soft, “what if it doesn’t live up to my expectations?”
He looked up at Zoro at that, worry clear in the pools of his eyes. Zoro smiled affectionately, squeezing the blonde in comfort.
“Then you find a new dream, and we go there together,” Zoro said simply, kissing Sanji’s nose. Sanji laughed weakly, shaking his head in disbelief.
“Sure, Mossy. Everything is so simple for you, I wish I could live in your head for a day,” Sanji sighed, releasing his hands from around his waist and laying one over his heart as he kissed him gently. Zoro hummed in amusement, nipping Sanji’s bottom lip as the blonde pulled away.
Sanji patted him once on the chest, pushing away and to his horse.
“Well then, let’s get this show on the road, shall we?” he said, walking to Blue and climbing on to his saddle. Zoro grinned, following suite and pushing Wado to start walking towards the perimeter of the camp.
Sanji found the river Nami had shown them the day before easily, following it westward, the rushing sound of water accompanying them alongside their ride. The day was overcast, much to Zoro’s growing annoyance as the clouds remained heavy and intact above them. He glared at them as they rode, sending a look that would have any man backing away in a heartbeat. If only the world could fear him the same way a man could, the clouds would part and the weather would be perfect for Sanji’s arrival, and fish of every species would be swimming to the beaches for Sanji to choose from as he pleased.
They ended up pausing for a brief lunch close to midday, letting their horses have a well-earned rest while they sat on the edge of a short cliff that overlooked the rushing river below, eating dried meat and leftover camp bread while they chatted idly about how to decorate their future house and watched a family of river otters play on the bank below. While they sat, they started to hear a gentle tune being sung, the voice close enough to overpower the sound of rushing water.
Zoro put a hand to the gun at his hip as they turned to see who was approaching. They saw nothing other than the large trees surrounding them, until a hulking figure appeared suddenly from behind the closest tree to them, making both Sanji and Zoro jump at the large man’s sudden proximity. Zoro was already pulling his gun from its holster when Sanji jumped up from his seated position unexpectedly.
“Oi!,” Sanji yelled, waving to the man and walking quickly over to him much to Zoro’s stressed annoyance, “what’d you catch?”
Zoro raised an eyebrow, looking over the man and seeing what Sanji had noticed far before him. The man was on foot, and had a large pack on his back with a fishing pole sticking out of it. He didn’t appear to have any accessible weapons on him, making Zoro set his gun back in its holster, although he kept a hand on it as he stood to join the cook. The man was huge, and shirtless, only wearing a pair of light yellow shorts that contrasted his dark tan skin. His black hair was long and thick, a bun on his head only containing the hair from his eyes while the rest sat across his back. He had large, swirling black tattoos on either of his shoulders, and a huge representation of a sun across his chest, as well as black bands around his elbows and his wrists.
He seemed surprise at the sight of the two of them, walking over to them with a wave.
“Hello!” his booming voice carried across the small clearing, “I just finished a fishing trip on the coast, I’ve got a nice assortment with some striped bass. The ocean was kind to me,” he said, voice disarmingly jovial. Zoro dropped his hand from his hip, tipping his hat in greeting and then crossing his arms over his chest as the man met Sanji in the middle of the clearing. They shook hands, introducing themselves and talking about the fish that the man, Jinbei, had slung on a catch line over his back.
Sanji and him hit it off immediately, of course. Apparently Jinbei lived in a coastal town to the North, but would move up and down the coast and then sell the fish for a sizable profit to inland towns when it was a good season. Apparently the mouth of the river they were following was one of his favorite fishing areas, as the river was full of salmon and trout that met the salt water fish, creating some of the best variety the man had yet to find. Sanji was an excitable mess upon hearing that, telling Jinbei that he was a chef and that they were planning on homesteading close to there for that explicit purpose.
They immediately struck a bargain, Jinbei telling them that if they made a place for him to stay that wasn’t the forest floor and gave him meals when he came to fish there, that Sanji would get first pick of what he caught and he would bring fish and crab specific to the northern region for him to experiment with.
Sanji was ecstatic in his agreeance, glancing disbelieving looks at Zoro occasionally. Jinbei eventually offered for Sanji to use one of the fish he had caught to make lunch for the three of them, which the blonde had jumped at, and they had set up a small fire and chatted about what the coast was like and where Jinbei was from. Even Zoro grew on the friendly man, warming up to the idea of him being a regular visitor as his stories were entertaining and his demeanor pleasant enough.
It turned out that the town he was heading towards to sell his catch was the same that their own posse would be using for supply runs. Zoro had told Jinbei that if he met a group with a man wearing a straw hat, to introduce himself, as they would share good company while he was there, to which Jinbei easily agreed.
Sanji had made an absolutely delicious lunch, pulling out all of the more expensive ingredients that he had tucked away in his pack and creating a masterpiece of a dish. Zoro had been stunned by the flavor of the fish, the butter and lemon that the blonde had put on it being the perfect accompaniment for the white fish. If they hadn’t been with company Zoro would have tackled the cook to the floor to kiss him senseless in his admiration.
Instead he joined Jinbei in complimenting the blonde, doing his best to express how earnest he was in his enjoyment of the food while Sanji brushed off their compliments like oil off of water. Jinbei left not long after finishing his food, stating that he didn’t want to be left in the dark before reaching the town he was headed towards. He told them they were only a four-hour ride from the coast, making Sanji freeze as he was packing up the tools he had pulled out to make their lunch.
Jinbei left, and Zoro smiled encouragingly at Sanji who was starting to look twitchy as he reloaded his pack on to Blue.
“Let’s go see your ocean, Cookie,” Zoro said, putting a hand to Sanji’s shoulder and squeezing comfortingly. Sanji nodded wordlessly, shaking Zoro’s hand off and climbing onto Blue. Zoro followed suite, and they took off again, Sanji letting Blue push ahead while he stewed in his anxiety.
Zoro knew they were close when seagulls and kites started to follow their journey overhead, their light cries filling Zoro with a sudden well of anticipation that was nearly heavy enough to knock him from his horse. His grip tightened on the reigns as a warm light overtook him. Glancing up, he watched as the clouds parted enough for blue sky and sun to reach through, casting a path of light westward and nearly blinding them as they rode. Zoro grinned, thanking the earth for listening to his wish and slapping the reigns to urge Wado forward.
The smell of salt was unmistakable and the river was slowly widening, the ground below them sloping downwards until they were sharing altitude with the rushing water. Zoro could feel Wado struggling as the soil changed consistency, gaining a greater ratio of sand and making each of her steps sink in to the earth a little more every yard they moved. The water in the river was beginning to move slower, too, growing quieter the farther forward they rode.
Zoro put his thumb and index finger between his lips and whistled loudly to Sanji ahead of him. The blonde slowed, a quizzical look thrown over his shoulder as he aligned himself with Zoro.
“I’d say we have about twenty yards to ride before we need to start walking,” Zoro said, an uncontrollable grin across his face, “we’re here, Cook,”
Sanji’s eyes widened, and he glanced around in clear search of the fabled water, making Zoro chuckle. The brush was still too thick for them to see the water yet, but they would break through the tree line any second and Zoro would prefer to do it hand in hand with the cook.
He stopped them a ways ahead, dismounting Wado and taking her reigns in hand to guide her along behind them. He grabbed Sanji’s free hand, the smile on his face never waning as he walked them forwards. They followed the border of the river, watching as the trees thinned around them and the banks of the river grew sandier.
Zoro didn’t even glance at the horizon when they finally broke through the tree line, his eyes glued to the blonde as they passed through the last layers of trees, exposing the open beach and blue water in front of them.
Sanji stopped in his tracks at the edge of the trees, unmoving and silent, his face relaxed and unaffected as he stared at the scene in front of him. Zoro remained quiet next to him, letting the sounds of the ocean greet them and glancing briefly to the sight they had been greeted with.
They could hear the lapping of the waves against the beach from where they stood, the methodic shuffling of sand and shells a constant white noise as the gentle waves crashed into the earth, keeping time for the cries of the gulls that circled lazily above.
The sun was blinding, creating diamonds on the surface of the water and bleaching the sand white. There were large rocky bluffs on either side of them that made the beach feel secluded, dark trees standing proudly against the sky all the way to the end of the cliffs. The sand they stood on dipped down to meet the ocean. The water melted into the horizon in the distance, the colors barely able to be told apart from each other. It was picturesque, the kind of landscape that painters sought out to put to canvas, and yet, Sanji had seemed unaffected.
Zoro turned to look at the cook again, frowning slightly as he watched the blonde take a few steps forward onto the sand, crouching down and shoving his hand into the course ground. He lifted a palm full of the white sand, letting it fall through his fingers, his face curtained by blonde hair.
Zoro stayed where he was, letting Sanji process what he needed to without intervention. Eventually the blonde stood from where he was, slowly turning to Zoro and lifting his head. His eyes were filled with thick tears, streams running down his cheeks silently. Worry clouded Zoro’s mind until Sanji gave him a watery smile, no words needed to tell Zoro that something inside of the blonde had been filled from the view alone.
He grinned broadly, taking two large steps to the blonde and knocking his hat off, grabbing him by the lapels of his shirt and pulling him in to a strong kiss. Sanji sobbed a laugh against Zoro’s lips, raising his arms and laying shaking sand covered hands against Zoro’s cheeks as they kissed each other in shared elation.
Zoro could taste the salt of Sanji’s tears as they kissed, the ocean that he held in his heart trying to return to its home now that they were reunited. Zoro pulled away slowly, grinning at the cook and nodding towards the water with a sparkle in his eye. Sanji beamed, letting Zoro go and pulling away from his hold. Zoro threw off his shirt, chasing after the blonde as he raced towards the water, pace stunted by the unsteady sand beneath his feet.
They both stripped free of everything as they ran towards the ocean, leaving a trail of clothing behind them. Sanji reached the water first, splashing right in without hesitation, a burst of laughter escaping him as he met the water. Zoro followed right behind him, tackling him into the surf as soon as he caught up and making the cook squeal in delight.
They spent the next few hours enjoying the cold water and exploring the beach. The cook found a starfish and spent about fifteen minutes watching it in wonder as it sat there doing absolutely nothing. Zoro did the same thing to Sanji, though, so he had no room to judge in that moment.
__________
The sun was falling slowly towards the horizon, the light starting to turn golden against the beach. Sanji and Zoro had moved to the tops of one of the bluffs when they had become exhausted of the salt and sun. Sanji had made them a dinner with a salmon that Jinbei had gifted them for feeding him. It was just as delicious as their lunch had been, and Zoro had followed his earlier instinct to tackle Sanji to the ground with kissed reverence.
They had ended up sitting at the edge of a cliff face, watching the sun set over the ocean. Zoro sat behind Sanji with his arms wrapped around the blonde’s waist. A cold front had moved in from the east, meeting the warm air of the ocean to produce a heavy mist pocketed between the bluffs that glowed orange under the light of the sun.
“It’s perfect here, more than I could have ever imagined,” Sanji sighed, leaning against Zoro’s chest as he watched red and purple hues emerge among the sparse clouds above. The ocean seemed to darken with the sky, turning from a light blue to a deep gray as the light left its surface.
“Happy?” Zoro asked, squeezing his waist and pressing a kiss to his shoulder. Sanji hummed his agreement, making Zoro smile against his skin.
“We could put our house right here,” Zoro said, glancing back at the flat plateau behind them. Sanji followed his gaze.
“With a porch faced right out at the ocean,” Sanji said, smiling up at Zoro before kissing him softly. Zoro kissed him back, the moment feeling surreal. Perfect. Everything had come together in the end, and he had been able to watch as his partner came alive as he fulfilled the beginning of his lifelong dream.
At the thought of dreams, Zoro remembered that he had yet to tell Sanji his own good news.
“Sanji,” Zoro said softly, receiving a hum of acknowledgment as the blonde lit a cigarette, “I, uh, I found out the other day that Luffy knows Hawk Eye.”
Sanji paused with his cigarette in front of his lips, his eyes locked on the scene in front of them.
“You gonna duel him?” Sanji asked evenly, taking a deep drag from his cigarette. Zoro scowled, disappointed by Sanji’s lack of enthusiasm.
“It’s my dream,” he said quietly, leaning his chin against Sanji’s shoulder gently.
“I know. I’m happy for you, you should do it. As long as you remember your promise to me,” Sanji said gently, placing his free hand against Zoro’s arm.
“I could never. You’ll be there to cheer me on, anyways, so there’s no way I could lose,” Zoro said fondly, kissing Sanji’s neck.
“Thank you, Zoro,” Sanji whispered after a beat of silence, his voice so soft Zoro barely caught his words. He shook his head against Sanji’s shoulder, his cheek tickling Sanji’s neck.
“No reason to thank me, Cook, you did this on your own,” he said brushing his fingers through the hair at his temple, “I’m just grateful you were willing to include me in your dream.”
Sanji shook his head, laughing softly as he leaned back against Zoro’s shoulder. They sat quietly for a few minutes, watching the birds swoop in front of them and listening to the crickets and frogs start to sing around them.
“It looks like it never ends,” Sanji breathed some time later, staring out into the ocean.
“Mm, everything comes to an end at some point, whether it seems like it will or not. But seeing it like this, it makes you realize why people used to think that this was the edge of the world,” Zoro mused, leaning his head against Sanji’s. He wrapped his arms tighter around the blonde, closing his eyes to steal a second of personal joy from the moment.
“I love you, Zoro.”
“You too, Curly. Always.”
They spent the rest of the evening sitting at the edge of the cliff, watching the sun fall off of the end of the world while wrapped in each other’s arms, content in the present and hopeful for their future.
Zoro was grateful he had been cut in half by that cougar.
When he whom I love travels with me, or sits a long while holding me by the hand,
When the subtle air, the impalpable, the sense that words and reason hold not, surround us and pervade us,
Then I am charged with untold and untellable wisdom -
I am silent-
I require nothing further, I cannot answer the question of appearances, or that of identity beyond the grave;
But I walk or sit indifferent-
I am satisfied,
He ahold of my hand has completely satisfied me.