Work Text:
The Thousand Sunny was quiet. Too quiet for being the vessel of the Strawhats and that worried Law.
They were still a ways away from their destination, the weather melting into spring but not quite the blazing summers he’d heard Dressrosa to have and Law couldn’t have been more stressed. From condemning himself to watching Caesar to the antics of the rowdy crew he was accompanying, nearly everything grated on his nerves.
But now? Now the ship was eerily quiet. Law supposed it was after midnight and arguably he should be asleep by now too but thoughts of Doflamingo swam through his already overwhelmed mind.
Law was used to quiet on the Polar Tang, hell he essentially demanded it but this wasn’t the Polar Tang and the silence that came with the Thousand Sunny was disorienting and foreign to the doctor.
He wasn’t used to the sound of waves lapping on the hull or the subtle creaks of wood. It all set him on edge and made it impossible to sleep. He could’ve taken up the offer to sleep inside the men’s barracks but the thought of sleeping next to Strawhat, who was known to talk in his sleep, or the sniper, who was known to fart in his sleep, or Zoro, who was known to actually sleep walk , was not something he was interested in entertaining.
Instead of sitting on the grass grumbling to himself and listening to Caesar snore, Law made his way to Tony’s office, the only place on the ship he felt somewhat normal.
He supposed it was the stark white of the medical room or the smell of disinfectant that soothed him. It made sense that he would be drawn to places such as this, it was the closest thing he could get to his own quarters on his own ship. A ship that was far away by now.
Another thing that had been getting on Law’s nerves.
He missed his crew.
He missed his bed, he missed his favorite hoodie, he missed his office.
Despite marching to what Law expected to be his certain demise, Dressrosa couldn’t come fast enough.
He was drawn from his thoughts when he heard footsteps creak towards the slightly ajar door of Tony’s office and the familiar smell of Gauloises cigarettes came burning through the air.
It was Blackleg, certainly heading to the galley to get started on breakfast but Law sensed him come to a stop in front of the room.
Law could practically hear the sound of his cigarette smoldering before the cook continued on his way.
This brought Law to the silver lining.
The cook of the Strawhats smoked the same brand of cigarettes Cora did and the smell did numbers on the cresting anxiety that had been building inside Law for the past few days. He would never voice this to anyone but he was content in inhaling the remnants of lingering smoke just past Tony’s office door.
However, the smoke dissipated and Law was left to his thoughts again. Given how, before the cook’s cigarette pulled him out, he had been flailing in a stress pool of his own design, Law stood from Tony’s chair and followed the cook to the galley.
The door creaked as it opened, something the engineers on his ship would’ve never allowed, and he was hit with the smell of eggs and sausage frying in several pans across the stove as well as coffee Blackleg was currently brewing.
“Torao, you’re up early.” The cook didn’t look up but greeted him nonetheless. “Would you like some coffee? I’m almost done.”
Law didn’t grace his question with a response right away but leaned his Kikoku up against the wall and removed his hat before taking a seat at the bar in front of the cook.
“Coffee sounds nice.”
The cook smiled as he set his kettle down and pulled a colorful mug from the cabinet.
“Black?” He asked as he poured. Law nodded and took the mug gratefully.
The porcelain was decorated with a bright green cartoon frog.
“Usopp makes those.” Blackleg mused, a fond smile gracing his features. “He made custom ones for each of us too. We’ve had them since our old ship, the Going Merry.”
Law felt as if he was being let in on something secret, something personal.
“Are you sure you want to tell me this?” The cook snorted.
“Why? You gonna blackmail us? Not sure what good knowing our old ship’s name would do for you.” The blonde in front of him was serene, basking in the memories of his previous adventures.
Before Law could stop himself he said something quite out of character. “Tell me about her.”
The cook was caught off guard by this, swiveling to look at Law with an expression of genuine shock before breathing out a chuckle.
“She was a caravel. A real beauty.”
Law frowned. “Hardly a ship to sail the Grand Line with.”
“Yeah, but she took us far. Even as far as the sky.”
Law wasn’t familiar with this euphemism so he decided to ignore it and let the cook continue as he took a delicate sip of coffee.
“She was Usopp’s ship. I hadn’t joined yet when she was given to the crew but she was important to him, important to us. We had a big fight about her when we arrived at Water 7. The whole deal with Robin and Enies Lobby happened around the same time. Do you remember that?”
Law hummed into his coffee. “Yeah. It was something I had considered when I decided to save Strawhat from Marineford.”
“Thank you for that, by the way. Our captain’s an idiot but he’s our idiot. So thanks for helping him.”
“Of course.”
Silence fell as Blackleg continued his work in the kitchen, giving Law time to think about their conversation. If they had gone to Water 7 then that must have been where they parted ways with their old ship. Law knew the feeling vaguely. He remembered the feeling of loss when he and Cora loaded off their shitty dinghy for the last time. He hadn’t known it would be the last time but the feeling had stung when he realized it later.
Law was only given a few more moments of quiet before loud boisterous footsteps burst through the galley doors in the form of Strawhat.
“Sanji! I’m hungry!”
“Pipe down, will you?” Nami scolded, smacking the back of his head as she followed her captain, Nico and the robot close behind.
The silence was shattered and slowly the rest of the sleepy crew wandered in and took their usual spots around the table.
Strawhat stretched a rubber hand towards Law to tap him on the shoulder. “Come sit, Torao! Sanji makes the best breakfast.”
Law did so begrudgingly and took a seat next to Nico, arguably the sanest of the crew, and waited for Blackleg to dish out the piles of sausages, eggs, and toast onto the table.
Law pointedly avoided the toast as he carefully picked the most appealing looking eggs and sausage from the plates. He made quick work of his meal but before he could escape, he felt one of Nico’s hands tug him back into his seat.
“So, Torao, tell us about yourself.” Her soft voice sounding a lot more mischievous than he cared for.
“I’m curious too.” Nami chimed in. “Where were you born? I’ve never heard an accent like yours.”
“And what kind of ship do you have?” The robot asked.
“You any good with that sword of yours?” Zoro called.
The bombardment of questions was overwhelming but Law managed to persevere.
“I was born in the North Blue, my vessel is a submarine, and yes, I’m very capable with Kikoku.” Law sent a glance over to his sword which still was leaned up against the wall by the bar.
“A submarine?!” The robot shouted, excitement written all over his face. “Oh man, you gotta let me check it out sometime!”
“I was born in the North Blue, too.” Blackleg’s voice drew all eyes. “I knew your accent sounded familiar. Flevance right?”
The cook’s familiarity with his hometown genuinely shocked Law. “Yeah, that’s right.”
He smirked around his cigarette as he took a seat in front of his own plate.
From what Law knew, Blackleg was a few years younger than him, so the fact that he knew about Flevance threw Law for a loop. Just who was this cook? Where did he come from?
Law let it drop however, sensing from the unusual silence of the crew that it was a bit of a touchy subject but within the next second the table was full volume once again and Law lost Blackleg’s voice through the noise.
The rest of the meal went without much excitement, well as much excitement as you’d imagine from the Strawhats, and Law had snuck back to Tony’s office almost instantly.
But today was going to be hard for Law.
That morning Nami had announced that the winds had changed and the ship wouldn’t make it too far today. In addition to that, the weather was sweltering, half of the reason he decided to stay indoors. The other half being that the warm weather had most of the crew on the deck soaking in the sunshine and enjoying a day off. Eventually, Tony would come into his office for the crew's weekly check-ups and Law would be sent back out onto the lawn.
One by one, Tony called each member to come in for vitals. He had made it through the entirety of the crew before he called Law’s name.
Law had to do a double take to make sure he actually heard it right. When he looked up he saw Blackleg standing at the top of the stairs, the little doctor hiding behind his leg.
Law stood and followed the cook and the doctor into the office.
“What ever happened to patient confidentiality?” Law’s weak attempt at teasing only seemed to further frightened the reindeer.
“Chopper’s scared of you and asked if I could stay for your exam.” The cook spoke as he cracked a window and lit a cigarette.
Tony wrinkled his nose and turned towards Law. “Sanji, I thought I told you not to smoke in here.”
“This is the price you pay for being a little chickenshit.”
Tony yipped an angry remark but huffed a sigh as he hopped onto his chair. “Could you take your jacket off? I need to take your vitals.”
Law nodded and slipped himself out of the item. Blackleg took it but rather than hang it up by the door, he kept it draped over his arm and continued smoking. Law tried not to stare at the cook’s fingers brushing gently against the soft feathers of the coat.
The practice of medicine was something that brought a sense of comfort to Law in a way he knew most people didn’t. This felt normal to him. However this feeling was stunted by a third party.
Left only in a tank top and his jeans, Law felt strangely exposed. Not to Tony of course, but to Blackleg who’d been watching him like a hawk since he stepped inside the office.
The cook stayed firmly by the window, holding his cigarette away from the little doctor and blowing smoke through the crack.
Always kind, always courteous.
After a short check up, Tony deemed Law healthy and sent him on his way.
Blackleg handed Law his jacket which he decided not to put back on and stepped back out onto the lawn.
Not wearing his jacket was a mistake.
“Ooh! Torao, I didn’t know you had so many tattoos!” Nami called from above him.
“Nami, dear do you think I’d look good with tattoos?” The cook swirled his way towards her, hearts in his eyes.
The thought of Blackleg with ink made Law feel strangely dizzy and he sat down on the grass with a huff. But his moment in the spotlight was far from over. The robot shipwright approached him and took a seat.
“I’d really like to ask you some more questions about your sub. What powers her? Oh first, what’s her name?”
“She’s the Polar Tang and she runs on engine power.”
“I have a question too.” Law had to search for the source of the inquiry from the sniper who was on the other side of the lawn, hiding behind some boxes. “H-How’d you get that name? Surgeon of Death.”
“Oh? Would you like to find out?” The sniper let out an indignant shriek and practically crawled up the stairs to hide by Nami instead.
The crew's rambunctious laughter sounded throughout the deck and Law felt the corners of his mouth begin to rise in what could only be a smile.
There was a feeling blooming in his chest that Law couldn’t quite pin down. Longing almost but happy, content. A bittersweet feeling.
God, he really missed his crew.
After successfully removing himself from the group, Law wandered into the library. He scanned the shelves, looking for something he recognized until he came across a familiar magazine. It was an old issue of the World Economic Journal. Elated, he flipped to where the Sora strip would be but found the pages had been torn out.
He frowned but placed the magazine back and pulled out another from the shelf. Once again the Sora pages were missing. Deciding he’d get nowhere with that, Law selected a random medical textbook instead. Something to do with the circulatory system, something he already was quite knowledgeable about but the cover had sparked his interest and he recognized the author as one of his favorites. He decided it was a better option than flipping through the rest of the magazines or finding the Strawhat who tore out his favorite comic.
He settled down on a plush leather sofa and leaned back as he cracked open his book.
After reading the same sentence three times he stood again with a sigh and placed the book back on the shelf.
He was too restless to read. But he knew that before he had even entered the library.
Promptly leaving, Law searched around for another quiet place. The lawn seemed to have lost the energy from earlier in the morning save for the robot and the sniper who were currently building some strange contraption, Strawhat and Tony who were fishing off the side, and the skeleton who was humming a jovial tune as he flipped through what Law could only guess was sheet music.
He had seen Nico pass him as he left the library so that left Zoro, Nami, and Blackleg unaccounted for.
A loud crash from the crows nest, followed by a string of curses, told him where Zoro was and in that same moment Nami emerged from her room to yell at the mossheaded brute.
Law then picked up on the smell of food cooking and found a way to sneak into the galley without being seen.
Lunch had just passed so he was surprised to see the cook back at it making some kind of pastry. He had his back to him and was humming as he flitted about the kitchen.
Despite Law considering Nico to be the most sane, Blackleg was slowly becoming his preferred Strawhat to hang around. He was polite and most of the time quiet. The cigarettes he smoked definitely had something to do with it. A fact Law would take to his grave.
So when the cook turned to him with a frown, he felt his chest tighten.
“Oh, it’s just you.” Just me?
Law raised an eyebrow. Blackleg laughed. “Nothing against you I just don’t want the ladies to come in yet. I’m whipping up something special.”
Without being invited, Law sat down on a stool and leaned his sword against the bar.
Blackleg wordlessly poured him a cup of coffee. This mug was also green but rather than a frog design had three familiar swords and the name ‘Zoro’ written in black.
Law gave Blackleg a look.
“What? It’s not like the mosshead drinks anything other than booze. He never uses that thing.”
Law couldn’t argue with that. He took a sip of coffee.
“What brings you here? Nothing good in the library?” The cook continued his work, pulling a steaming loaf of bread from the oven. Law tried and failed to not make a face.
“Blackleg.” Law called for the cook’s attention.
“Sanji.” He countered.
Law paused. “Sanji. Do you know why the Sora comics are torn out from all the World Economics?”
Sanji froze. Law watched him swallow around his cigarette.
“I don’t read that magazine.” Was his response.
Law clicked his tongue but dropped it. “Nevermind.”
The quiet came again this time but it wasn’t a comfortable quiet. Law had said something wrong but he couldn’t tell what.
After finishing his coffee, he muttered a quick thanks before retreating back to the library.
He was met with Nico, lounging on the same leather sofa he’d been on, drinking a cocktail and flipping idly through a book in a different language.
“Torao, I wasn’t expecting you back so soon.” Nico spoke, looking up to meet his eyes before going back to her book.
Law selected the text he’d been reading previously and settled into an armchair next to her.
However it seemed Nico wasn’t done with her interrogation.
“You were with our cook.” Law glanced at her. Her eyes were still on the page.
“Yes. I believe he’s making you and Nami something to eat.”
Nico smiled. “Not surprising. He’s a very nice man, our Sanji.”
Quiet ensued for a few more precious moments before Nico caught onto Law’s return.
“Did something happen between the two of you?”
The always attentive Nico struck once again. Law pursed his lips, brow furrowing over his eyes. “Have you heard of Sora, Warrior of the Sea?”
Law couldn’t believe he was asking a woman two years his senior that question but he needed to know.
“Ah, yes. So you’re a fan then? You saw the magazines?” Nico flipped a page in her book. Her ability to hold a conversation while reading impressed Law.
He nodded.
“Our cook is quite tight-lipped about his past and while I’m not inclined to tell you what little I know, I will tell you this.”
She turned towards Law fully, eyes pinning him in place. “Sanji does not care for that comic. So much so he requested it be removed from the library. I suggest not bringing it up around him.”
That was all he could glean from Nico before she turned back to her book.
With the silence returning to the library, Law sat, lost in thought as he wracked his brain for what could have possibly made Sanji so disdainful of his favorite childhood comic.
Every kid from the North Blue read and loved that comic and from what Sanji told him, he was also from the North Blue.
Maybe he just didn’t like hero comics. But to the point of an all out ban? Something was fishy here. Law cracked open his book but didn’t read, too stuck on Sanji’s problem with Sora to think of anything else.
It bothered him that he was so hung up on this. Everyone had different likes and dislikes. Who was he to pry? Still the lingering feeling stuck to his brain like gum on a shoe.
Finally it clicked.
Without looking up he mindlessly wondered aloud. “Does Germa 66 have something to do with it?”
They sat in silence for a few more moments before Law looked up to see if Nico had heard him.
He was met with a wide eyed stare from the woman. Nico looked pale as barely hidden anger simmered under the surface of her neutral expression.
“Do not say that name in his presence either.”
Law swallowed hard as he held her gaze and nodded.
He’d struck a nerve. This only spurred him on further. “Can I ask you another question?”
Nico let her gaze slide back to her book, composure restored in a split second. “Perhaps.”
“Does the name ‘Vinsmoke’ have anything to do with it?”
At that Nico stood and snapped her book shut.
“You’re toeing a dangerous line, Trafalgar.”
The sound of his real name sent a bolt of freezing lightning down his spine.
“Our cook is sensitive and tortured but he has found his home here, much like I have. I must ask you to refrain from prying into his personal life any further.” She sashayed towards the door but turned to look at him and with a smile added, “Or else.”
With that she left, the door shutting quietly with a soft click. Law let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding.
Nico knew something about Sanji that she wasn’t willing to let go of that easily and given her reputation, Law soon came to the decision that it would be fruitless to continue asking her.
After a few hours of contemplation, the conclusion Law eventually settled on was that Sanji had been wronged by the evil army sometime in his past, wronged enough to make him despise them. Something Law could at least agree with him on.
That same day, after dinner, Law found himself lingering around the galley long after the table had been cleared and the crew had continued on with the rest of their evening.
Sanji was still in the kitchen, washing dishes from tonight’s meal. Law pushed the door open with a quiet ‘excuse me’ before he took his usual spot by the bar.
“You’ve been hanging around a lot lately, Torao. Something on your mind?”
Yes. Was what he wanted to say but stopped himself.
“No, just bored.” Sanji laughed at that as he poured fresh coffee into Law’s previously abandoned mug.
“I’d hardly call the Thousand Sunny boring but whatever you say.”
Law took a careful sip of the coffee handed to him
He could’ve left it at that. He could’ve let the conversation die there and sit in the precious silence he craved so desperately.
But he didn’t. Nico’s warning pushed to the back of his mind as he asked the cook his question. “What does the name ‘Vinsmoke’ mean to you?”
A pristine white plate fell from the cooks hands and shattered loudly on the tile floor.
Law’s head snapped up.
Sanji turned, achingly slow and when he finally faced Law, Law wished he had never spoken.
The look on the cook's face was heartbreaking. A mix of betrayal and pure unbridled fear etched upon his usually so relaxed features.
“Did Robin- She didn’t-”
“No.” Law cut him off quickly. “She didn’t tell me anything. I asked but she didn’t tell me anything.”
Law was overwhelmed with the urge to comfort him. Convince him his crewmate didn’t spill his story to an outsider.
Something like relief sagged Sanji’s shoulders down as he bent over to clean up the ruined plate. Law waited for Sanji to respond.
“Don’t say that name around me. Ever.” Sanji left it at that. Leaving him with more questions than answers and putting him right back to where he started.
“Understood.” Law sighed.
“Ah! Shit.” Sanji swore and Law peered over the bar curiously.
The cook’s finger was bleeding, cut by a shard of broken plate.
Law was quick to round the island as Sanji pulled the kitchen first-aid kit down from the cabinet.
“Let me.” Law spoke quietly, his own way of making up for upsetting Sanji.
Sanji let him, taking a seat on a bar stool as Law cleaned and disinfected the wound before wrapping it in a bandage.
Law sat beside Sanji, staring at his injured finger.
“It’s just a cut, Torao, don’t get so worried about it.” Sanji chuckled as he shook out a cigarette. He placed it between his lips and lit it in one fluid motion. A motion Law had watched Cora do a thousand times before. He felt himself relax at the smell of smoke.
“My father used to smoke Gauloises.” Law spoke absentmindedly. Law wasn’t well versed in matters of the heart but he knew about the barter system. He figured the trade for secrets was secrets.
Sanji turned to him but said nothing. Law continued.
“He died when I was a boy. Killed by his own brother.”
Law could feel a tightness in his throat grow. The tightness that came whenever he spoke of Corazon.
“I’m sure if you know about Flevance, you know about white lead disease.”
Sanji nodded, wordlessly.
“I had it. My father- my real father along with my mother and sister all died in Flevance. All I had was Corazon, the man I call my father. He tried to find a doctor to cure me.”
“Well he must have if you’re here today.” Came Sanji’s first reply.
“Yes and no. We never found a doctor willing to treat me. It was actually the power of the Op-Op fruit that saved my life.” Law let the glow of his Room float in the center of his palm, the thrum of energy that came with it soothing his frazzled nerves.
Law wasn’t sure how much was enough secret to get Sanji to talk so he continued.
“Doflamingo is my father’s brother.” Law forced himself to look up at Sanji, to let him see the vulnerability in his eyes, the emptiness he housed.
He wouldn’t go into detail about his life with Cora. He wouldn’t tell him about the Donquixote family. He’d find out about that soon enough, anyway. Besides, it hurt too much to talk about. But now, after having spilled his guts to the cook beside him, Law felt he might actually understand matters of the heart more than he had initially thought.
The idea nearly sickened him but the thought of Cora warmed his heart and pushed the fear and self pity aside.
Law stared at Sanji for longer than he should have. He had told Sanji more than he should have but he couldn’t find it in himself to care.
Law was a tired man and the same helpless, crying little boy he had been all those years ago at the same time.
“Vinsmoke is… my real name.” Sanji’s voice sounded small, scared even. “My real name is Vinsmoke Sanji. And I hate myself more and more everyday because of it.”
Before Law could stop himself, he was pulling Sanji’s cigarette out from between his parted lips, dropping it into his cooling coffee, and pressing his mouth to the cooks.
It all happened within an instant. So fast you could blink and miss it.
Law pulled away quickly.
He’d made a horrible mistake. Sanji didn’t even like men! If his girl habit was anything to go by, at least.
However, Law wasn’t on that train of thought for long when Sanji wrapped an arm around his neck and pulled him down to kiss him again.
The second kiss was smoother. A lot less rushed and a lot more sensual.
Law hadn’t kissed many people so he wasn’t well versed in the activity. Sanji however… Sanji was a pro. His mouth felt like lava against Law’s. All soft lips and slick tongue.
Sanji parted from Law with a wet pop but still held him by the nape of his neck, pressing their foreheads together.
“I was wondering when you’d do that.” Sanji smiled, staring into Law’s golden eyes with mirth.
Law’s face warmed, color undoubtedly flooding his cheeks. Sanji barked a laugh and pulled away, leaning against the bar as if he hadn’t just poured water over the circuitry of Law’s brain.
Sanji took out a fresh cigarette and lit it.
“I should be pissed at you for ruining a perfectly good cup of coffee but I’d been waiting for that kiss since Sabaody.”
This bit of information was honestly more surprising to Law than the fact that Sanji was a Vinsmoke. His shock had to have been evident on his face because Sanji barked out another laugh.
Law’s brain might not have known what to say but the hard outline of his straining cock seemed to speak for him. Sanji picked up on this and smiled.
“How about this? Meet me back here at midnight and we can continue where we left off.” Law nodded, words stolen from him as he stood and collected his sword before making the achingly hard walk to the nearest bathroom to relieve himself.
Law paced the back deck of the Sunny as 12 o’clock slowly approached. Was he going to have sex with Sanji? Or was this all a ploy and Sanji actually planned on silencing him for learning his secret?
Law knew that, if the incident from earlier that evening was anything to go off of, he was more than likely going to get his rocks off for the first time in who knows how long. When was the last time he saw Eustass?
Law shook his head, a physical attempt at clearing his thoughts and stared out at the dark water.
The uneasiness he had felt during the beginning of his journey with the Strawhats regarding their ship’s unique silence had nearly dissipated but the nerves were still there. Law figured he’d be keyed up until the moment they reached Dressrosa.
He started to dwell on his plan then and turning it over in his head again and again brought Law’s anxiety back in full force. He began pacing again, the nail of his thumb trapped between his teeth as his brain ran a mile per minute. What if new members had joined the Donquixote family since he’d left? Would disguises even be enough to hide Law from Doflamingo? How long would it take until Strawhat got distracted? Would Law even see Doflamingo? Or would he be killed before then?
“Huh, this is a new spot for you.” Law’s head whipped towards the voice wildly.
It was Blackleg. Sanji.
The smell of cigarettes followed him in a halo of reassurance. Law took a deep breath.
“Sorry. I lost track of time.”
“I can see that. And you’ve practically carved a groove in the deck from your pacing. Franky won’t be happy with these scuff marks.” Sanji smiled as he flicked some ash overboard.
Sanji was without his tie or jacket. His dress shirt unbuttoned enough to give Law access to a sliver of moonlight pale skin.
“Sorry.” He was starting to sound like Bepo.
“Don’t be. I’m only teasing.” Sanji leaned against the rail and blew a tendril of smoke into the night air.
Law was starting to question what Sanji’s motives truly were. He didn’t seem to have any interest in making a move but instead just continued to smoke away at his dwindling cigarette.
Wordlessly, Sanji pulled it from his lips and offered it to Law.
“I don’t smoke.” He frowned.
“Sure. Take it.” Law did and automatically brought it to his lips for a harsh drag. The smoke filling his lungs and stinging his nostrils did wonders on the anxiety that pooled in his stomach and scrambled his brain.
He took another drag, longer this time, less hurried and breathed out a sigh with the smoke.
“Thank you.” Law whispered.
Sanji hummed and took it back from him, taking a final pull before stubbing the butt out on the bottom of his shoe.
“Follow me.” Sanji tossed over his shoulder as he rounded back to the lawn, Law hot on his heels.
He hopped down the stairs and opened a door to a room Law had decided he wanted to avoid. The aquarium bar.
Law stepped through the open door, held by Sanji and took a proper look around.
During his first initial tour of the Sunny, Law had opened this door, took one look inside, and shut it, deciding that being surrounded by visible water and living fish was not something he was comfortable with.
Sanji seemed to ignore Law’s obvious discomfort as he let the door shut behind them and headed towards a cupboard Law hadn’t noticed.
Law stood awkwardly by the door, hoping that the cook wasn’t planning on making him stay here but it seemed Law wasn’t that lucky.
Producing a box from the cupboard, Sanji then meandered over to the little table in the center and took a seat. Law placed Kikoku by the door before reluctantly joining him.
Law kept his eyes glued on Sanji’s hands. Sanji pulled a jar and a stack of rolling papers from the box.
Law snorted. “I already know how to roll cigarettes, you don’t have to show me.”
“This isn’t tobacco.” Sanji’s reply was laced with a teasing note and once he uncorked the jar Law knew what he meant.
He recognized the smell of marijuana instantly. It was something Shachi and Penguin indulged in frequently. A stab of homesickness wrenched Law’s heart.
He kept his eyes on Sanji’s skilled hands as he made quick work of rolling a joint before pulling out his ornate lighter and lighting it.
Standing from his spot, Sanji fell onto the couch lining the aquarium and heaved a great sigh.
Law was still for a moment before realizing Sanji expected him to join.
With a jerky motion, Law sat awkwardly next to Sanji, leaving a space big enough for the Strawhat’s shipwright to sit between them.
The cook frowned and clicked his tongue and scootched over until his head was resting on Law’s shoulder. He dragged on the joint again before holding it out for Law. Law hesitated but took it and sucked in a lungful of smoke.
Too much. He turned and coughed into his elbow like a bitch.
Sanji laughed a little too loudly and smiled again. “Been a while?”
“Yes. My crew would smoke but we got separated a while ago.”
Sanji frowned at that. “That sucks. Do you miss them?”
Law nodded and took another drag, forcing himself not to cough again.
The pair fell into silence as the joint was passed back and forth.
Eventually they were left with only filter and Sanji stubbed the smoldering joint out in a nearby ashtray before swiftly climbing into Law’s lap.
Law froze instantly but relaxed when Sanji ran a delicate hand down his bicep.
“You’re very tense.” Sanji hushed. “Are you sure you wanna do this?”
“Yes.” Law breathed, hesitation thrown to the wind now that he was in Sanji’s embrace.
The blonde smiled and rolled his hips against Law’s slowly. Law’s fingers flexed beside him before Sanji took both his hands and placed them on his narrow waist.
“Just hold me, I can take the lead.”
Law nodded and Sanji ground his hips harder pulling a whimper from his parted lips.
Sanji leaned back then, one hand braced on Law’s knee as the other worked to slowly unbutton the rest of his shirt and shrug it off his slim shoulders.
Sanji was lithe and bony, much like Law, but his body held so much power, so much energy. Law could feel it thrum off him in intoxicating waves. Law ran his hands down Sanji’s sides to his powerful thighs that caged him and gave them an appreciative squeeze. Sweat pooled at his temples.
“Why are you doing this?” Law finally asked. The question had been lingering since their first kiss in the galley.
Sanji pressed his mouth to Law’s. “Because you’re stressed. But mostly because I want to.”
He’d been thinking of Law’s wellbeing, of course. Nico’s words from before echoed.
He’s a very nice man, our Sanji.
And nice he was indeed. After hearing Sanji voice his actual desires, Law let his gaze roam a little more freely. Golden eyes traced the curve of his shoulders down to the dip of his hips before he pulled his jacket up and over his head, knocking his hat off in the process.
Sanji smiled and ran a hand up Law’s bare arm appreciatively.
“I don’t get it. Why get all these tattoos just to cover them up?” It was a question Law had bounced around his head once or twice before.
“Not sure. I suppose it’s because they’re too eye-catching.”
“I suppose you're right. Well, you sure know how to make a man feel special. All this just for me?”
Law’s brown creased. “Are you assuming I’m a virgin?”
Sanji laughed, tossing his head back. Law watched the long lines of his throat.
“No, just flattered that I get to be one of the few to bed Trafalgar Law.”
Law couldn’t comment on the ‘few’ remark. As much as it irked him to admit, Sanji actually wasn’t wrong.
While Law liked the back and forth of playful banter as much as the next guy, his dick was beginning to ache with how hard it pressed against his jeans.
Ever attentive Sanji picked up on this easily and palmed him through the denim.
Law stuttered out a hiss and bucked into Sanji’s warm hand.
Sanji’s smile grew devilish. “Impatient?”
“You talk too much.” Law grumbled and slipped a hand around the back of Sanji’s head, burying his fingers in his silky smooth hair before pulling him in for a sloppy kiss.
Sanji moaned wantonly into Law’s mouth and pressed his tongue against his.
Law pushed Sanji down onto the plush couch, keeping his lips firmly locked with the cook beneath him.
Finally Law parted for air and sat up to unbuckle his belt. He gazed down at Sanji.
The cook’s face was flushed, lips slick with spit, and bathed in eerie blue light from the aquarium. He nearly looked divine.
Law never believed in a higher power so he supposed he would just have to settle with Sanji for the night. A sacrifice Law was willing to make.
Pants forgotten, Law focused on the treat beneath him.
Calloused palms ran up Sanji’s bicep, squeezing his shoulder appreciatively before trailing his fingers down towards his pecs. Deft fingers captured each pink nipple and pinched, hard.
Sanji cried out and arched into Law’s touch. His stiff cock pressed firmly up against Law’s chest. Law let his hands slide further down the cook’s torso, reaching the waist of his dress pants.
Slowly, with practiced ease, Law unclasped Sanji’s belt, button, and fly. Sanji leaned up on his elbows to watch as the doctor tugged Sanji’s pants down his strong thighs before sitting back before yanking them off and dropping them to the ground.
Sanji did not fluster when his achingly hard dick flopped out of his boxers but rather groaned and rolled his hips upward towards Law’s chin.
Law smirked at his unabashed need before pulling away. Sanji whined.
“Where can I find lube?” Law asked quietly, nervous his inquiry would ruin the mood.
Sanji wordlessly replied by reaching into his pants pocket and producing a small tube. Law chuckled at that.
“I suppose you were planning on fucking me.”
“Or the other way around.” Sanji chimed in helpfully as he pulled his knees apart for Law with a winning smile.
Law gulped as his face reddened. He took the lube and was quick to spread some over his fingers.
“Ready?” He asked.
Sanji nodded.
Law waited.
“Yes.”
One finger breached the tight ring of muscle and Sanji let out a dainty sigh. Law swirled the digit around once, twice before adding a second. The cook mewled, stretching his long legs and rolling his hips.
“More.” Less a request, more a demand, Sanji bucked his hips into Law’s hand. He added a third finger.
Sanji cried out, one elegant leg wrapping around Law’s slim waist. Law took a hold of his thigh and hiked it up further onto his shoulder, stretching Sanji deliciously. He had seen the ridiculous ability that was Sanji’s flexibility on the battlefield but seeing it up close in such an intimate way made Law’s stomach do somersaults. His fingers stuttered when Sanji clenched around them with a moan.
“See something you like, Torao?”
Law grit his teeth and pressed up against Sanji’s prostate with vigor. “Don’t call me that.”
Sanji spasmed beneath him and arched his back.
“Faster. Ngh- harder!” Sanji barked, tightening his leg around Law’s shoulder.
Law frowned and pressed the cook hard into the cushions as he pulled his fingers out.
“Don’t order me around, Blackleg.” Sanji fixed Law with a glare as he nudged his hips towards the doctor’s limp hand.
Law wrapped strong hands around Sanji’s hips and pulled them flush to his own, grinding meticulous and slow circles against the cook.
Sanji keened out a whine and let his head fall back.
“Please, Law.” He was melting beneath Law, sprawled out, panting, dripping, and begging.
“Please what?” Law couldn’t help himself. The corners of Sanji’s pretty pink mouth turned down.
“Really?” Sanji reached up and grabbed the back of Law’s head by his hair harshly. “Fuck me, Trafalgar Law. Fuck me like a stupid little slut, use me until I’m-”
Law pressed his mouth to Sanji’s, silencing him as he pulled his cock from his jeans. He stroked it a few times in his lube-slick hand before pressing into Sanji with a low groan from the back of his throat.
Sanji sighed and stretched beneath him, purring at the thick and full feeling. He ground his heels into Law’s shoulder blades, pressing the man against his chest.
Sanji cupped Law’s face sweetly, eyes mapping the doctor’s face briefly before pulling him up into a gentle kiss.
“Relax, darling.” Sanji ran a hand up into Law’s hair, scratching at his scalp in slow circles.
Law hummed at the attention before pulling his hips back just to press in again. Sanji whined and let his hands roam across Law’s back.
Law started slowly, shallow, careful thrusts pulled soft moans from the cook.
Then he picked up the pace and Sanji sang beneath him. Words and moans garbled together in a blend of beautiful incoherence as his legs spasmed and his back arched. Law moved fast and accurately, hitting Sanji’s prostate with every harsh, well-aimed thrust.
Sanji cried, actually sobbed, when Law pushed his ankles up and over his head in one hand and fisted his red, leaking cock in the other. Smearing pre-cum over his aching erection, Law jerked Sanji off, twisting his palm over the tip as he jackhammered into Sanji’s ass.
The cook couldn’t keep quiet. Any attempts to bite his lip or cover his mouth were made futile by Law’s intervention. He’d slap his hands away and kiss up his jawline just to hear Sanji’s beautiful song. A startled groan spilled past Law’s lips when Sanji tightened around him. Law’s hips stuttered as he gripped Sanji’s waist hard enough to bruise and fucked into him with abandon. Sanji let out a high-pitched cry and came all over his own stomach. Law wasn’t far behind, a few more rough thrusts and he could pull out, Sanji’s hand was on his forearm.
“Don’t pull out.”
Law came harshly, cum filling the cook as he hunched over, sucking in lungfuls of air.
He felt warm and sticky all over.
Sanji sighed and leaned back, legs still pressed to his chest and stomach covered in semen.
“I needed that.” He mused and leaned over to grab his jacket and pull his cigarettes out.
Law slipped his softening cock out and sat back against the couch.
Sanji stood in a single fluid motion that left Law a little mesmerized, and sauntered over to the bar. Law listened to the sink turn on and off and the little startled ‘ah’ Sanji let out as he cleaned himself up.
Law was strangely jealous of the cook being able to pick himself back up after being fucked into oblivion like that.
The smell of smoke brought Law back to the present and he watched as Sanji slipped his boxers and his dress shirt back on before sliding up next to Law on the couch, draping his arm behind across the top. He leaned his head against the doctor’s shoulder.
“That was nice. We should do that again.” Sanji spoke idly as he blew a tendril of smoke.
Law hummed in response. “Lemme have some.”
Sanji wordlessly handed him the cigarette and Law took a deep drag, feeling the burn in his lungs, the acrid taste on his tongue, the bitter smell in his nose.
While he hated to admit it, Law felt relaxed. The first time he felt properly relaxed in two whole years was with a rival crew’s cook.
He let that sink in a little but it didn’t bother him as much as it could have.
Instead he let Sanji lean further into his side and even wrapped an arm around him as he took another drag of the Gauloises.
And then, for just a moment, Law hoped he’d survive his coming battle with Doflamingo.