Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Son of a––”

Biting off the rest of the curse under his breath, Sanji faltered when he entered the apartment lobby to find his intolerable neighbour waiting by the elevator––Zoro. His iconic––horribly erratic––dyed green hair was hard to miss; the overwhelming stench of the alpha was keenly unique.

Every so often Sanji would arrive home from work to find the shitty alpha already waiting for the elevator––it was a rare occurrence, but frequent enough that Sanji considered taking the stairs. However––living on the twenty-first floor––he never wanted to give the bastard the satisfaction of knowing he’d gotten Sanji to make that trek.

"Stupid fucking…" With a quiet murmur of frustration, Sanji resigned himself to an awkward few minutes, “Shit.”

Schooling his features into a neutral expression and making his way over, Sanji came to a stop next to the alpha and pointedly ignored him. Zoro didn't acknowledge him either. Staring up at the neon display, Sanji could've sworn the elevator was slower than usual.

Judging from his clothes, and the distinct combination of steel and musk, the alpha was returning from work. Sanji didn't know what he did, but it worked up a sweat. Unconsciously, Sanji began breathing through his mouth to avoid inhaling the particularly pungent scent––hating how the tang of it felt delightful against the back of his throat anyway. Thankfully, Sanji hardly noticed Zoro’s scent anymore beyond his miazma of hate.

With a loud ding, the elevator doors slid open and Sanji made the gentlemanly decision to let Zoro enter first before following. Their gaze met for only a moment. Nothing was exchanged beyond indifference and then Sanji was standing next to the alpha, the button for their floor was pressed, and the doors slid shut. A short, but horribly awful journey began.

They were about half way, when Sanji could see Zoro’s head turn minutely in his direction thanks to the hazy reflection in the metal doors. Sanji’s hand unconsciously tightened around the bag of water bottles and other supplies he’d bought for his heat––he suspected the telltale scent was already discernible. Internally Sanji prayed the alpha wouldn’t say anything, but luck wasn't on his side.

“Heat?”

Meeting the bold alpha’s good eye with a cold look––the other permanently shut from some sort of accident––Sanji sneered, “Did no one teach you it’s bad manners to comment on shit like that?”

A chuckle, “Need help?”

Turning back to look ahead of himself, Sanji refocused all his efforts on just making it through the rest of the ride without it turning to violence. Glaring a hole through the elevator doors, Sanji gritted out venomously, “Eat shit.”

They rode the rest of the way up in silence, but the smug aura radiating off the alpha clogged up the elevator. By the time they reached their floor Sanji was ready to sprint off, but he didn’t want to give the alpha the satisfaction. Instead, he kept composed while stepping off the lift first, but not without a harsh shove to the alpha’s shoulder.

Sanji pointedly ignored Zoro’s soft chuckle.

Reaching his apartment, Sanji fiddled with his keys, but had the unfortunate fate of his apartment being right across the hall from the jerk. He heard Zoro messing with his keys in the same fashion. Sanji had just gotten his door open when Zoro spoke up again, and Sanji knew he’d regret it if he turned to look as the alpha addressed him.

“C’mon, I noticed you spend your heats alone.”

It was evident in Zoro’s tone that he was grinning, and Sanji stared at the doorknob in his hand as a furious chill ran up his spine at the alpha’s next words.

“I’m just offering a decent fuck for once.”

Calm exterior snapping, Sanji spun around to deliver a murderous glare, “You watching me?”

No amount of fury seemed to phase the alpha––expression calm and composed. He blinked slowly before his mouth curled into another of those smug grins. It made Sanji want to dive across the hallway and plant the heel of his foot in it.

“Didn’t answer my question.”

“Just because I’m an omega it doesn't make me easy.” Sanji snarled, “Don’t be a stereotyping ass.”

“Hey, it was just an offer.” Zoro shrugged, and then laughed, “By all means, go play with your toys.”

“Go fucking die.”

Slamming the door as hard as he could, Sanji stood seething while Zoro’s smug chuckles were easily heard through the panel; tapering off when the man went into his own apartment. Standing in the foyer, Sanji had to refrain from kicking the door out of pure frustration––he opted instead for kicking off his shoes and storming to the kitchen. Dumping the bag of groceries down along with his keys, Sanji braced his hands on the counter while attempting to stamp down his rage. That fiery annoyance mingling with a heat in his lower back that had been getting worse all day.

Sanji bit down the urge to scream.

“Ugh…”

Groaning and letting his head hang instead.

Ever since the stupid, egotistical alpha had moved in next door Sanji had hated him; he’d hadn’t even introduced himself before making a laughing comment about Sanji’s curled eyebrows. Since then they had proverbially been at each other’s throat, and it seemed like Zoro always went out of his way to irritate him; rude comments, incessant teasing, and hosting parties that were always too loud. Not to mention he walked everywhere with that arrogant alpha strut like he was better than everybody else.

Sanji wanted to kick his teeth in!

As if dealing with his intolerable neighbour wasn’t enough, Sanji had to go through this omega bullshit every month. Uncomfortable overheating, painful arousal, nausea waves––it wasn’t nearly as erotic as porn made it seem. Most of the time he was curled up in a feverish ball just wishing for it to be over so he could get on with his life; it was easily the worst part of his month. He'd wanted to go on Suppressants, but the male formulas were unaffordable––the only bright side was his job had benefits to cover his days off.

Apparently having a Heat Mate made it more tolerable––at least that was what most doctors had informed him––but there was no one he knew that he was comfortable enough to ask; and he certainly wasn't hiring a stranger. It wasn’t like he wanted to spend his heats alone, but he had yet to find anyone that saw him as more than just a prize to be fucked.

Everyone judged him based on this one facet of himself––like all his self worth hinged on it––so Sanji stubbornly denied it out of spite. He spent his heats alone. He rejected every alpha that ever made a pass at him. And he sent back every single courting gift that ever got sent to him. There was a reason he was sensitive about all of this––and why Zoro rubbed him the wrong way.

“Damn it.”

With a long suffering sigh, Sanji stopped his lamenting and shoved himself away from the counter. He lit up a cigarette to make himself feel better. Then began unpacking everything and ferrying snacks and water to his bedroom to prepare for the next few days––tidying and keeping himself busy until his heat settled in––making sure to force any thoughts of his bastard neighbour from his mind.

~X~

Blinking back a wave of fatigue, Sanji glared at his ceiling and cursed everything that was his life. Another pounding assault of hormones left his body trembling. He was just starting to hit the peak of his heat, and comfort was alluding him. All Sanji wanted was to sleep, but the ache inside of him made sure that nothing more than brief sweaty naps were allowed.

This heat was worse than the others.

Sweat had soaked through his clothes hours ago and he knew he was long overdue for a shower. He didn’t even want to think about how wet his boxers were. Despite never touching himself, the amount of slick he could feel running down his legs was obscene. His arousal was painful, and he was getting to the point where he was debating touching himself. However, he knew from experience it would just rile himself up and make it worse––without someone to actually mate with it was essentially just fanning the flames instead of putting out the fire.

Reaching out a shaking hand, he slapped his bedside table and found much to his dismay that he was out of water bottles. This heat really was hitting him harder than usual. Hand falling limply off the table, Sanji cussed, “Damn it…”

Resigned to making the arduous trip to the kitchen for more water, Sanji took several minutes to prepare himself before crawling out of bed. Arm braced heavily against the walls for support, Sanji inched his way down the hall to the kitchen. Pausing occasionally to catch his breath before shuffling a few more steps.

At the apartment door, Sanji stopped to take another breather, but froze when a familiar sound reached his ears. He could distantly hear the unique––and horribly loud––thumping as Zoro strutted down the hall. Horror flooded Sanji’s body and his eyes bugged as he realized what was going to happen.

“Shit…”

Even before Zoro’s scent reached him, Sanji could feel his knees begin to tremble at the prospect of an alpha being so close. He wanted to run, but if he let go of the wall he was going to fall down. With a final few loud clomps, Zoro stopped just outside, and there was a jangle of keys as he unlocked his own apartment. Scent of the sweaty alpha wafted under the door and effectively slammed into Sanji like a truck going full speed.

Knees buckling, Sanji slapped a hand across his mouth just before he hit the floor––biting his palm to stifle the moan of desire that sparked inside of him. He didn’t even feel the pain from his fall. Sprawled across the cool laminate, Sanji could only stare at the baseboard ahead of him as Zoro’s scent caused him to spiral out of control.

A whole new wave of heat washed over him, and the pressure building in his head was enough to get him to see black spots as he nearly passed out. Even with a door between them the smell of the alpha was enough to knock him out this badly. He’d never felt his mouth water this fast or feel slick ooze out of him this quickly before; it was ridiculous what a bit of alpha pheromones could do to his body.

That stupid, fucking alpha just had to come home from work now of all times... he’d always made sure to stay as far away from alphas during his heat to avoid this.

Sanji wanted to leave––wanted to go back to his room and forget he ever even smelled that dumb alpha but as Zoro’s scent waned, Sanji only found himself feeling ill rather than relieved. His throat burned in irritation as the air he breathed was no longer filled with satiating pheromones––a sickening sort of withdrawal starting to wrack his body with desperate shivers.

Everything was hot and painful.

Placing a hand to his throat, Sanji attempted to rub it to soothe the ache and a choked sob came out when realized he just wanted the alpha back––if only just to ease the pain his presence had sparked in his body. It wasn’t fair. He didn’t want to need him, and more than ever he was cursing not getting scent proofing on his front door. At the time it seemed unnecessary.

Through the fog of pain clouding his mind, Sanji tried to persevere but only found himself getting worse. An ache had begun in his chest. Nausea was back tenfold and he retched, but it had been so long since he ate there was nothing to bring up. Everything had been dialed to full capacity with Zoro's momentary presence and Sanji tried his best to fight through it before finally giving in.

Needing the alpha, needing some relief, needing to stop this torture...

Reaching out a trembling hand for the door handle above him, Sanji batted at it several times before he managed to get enough of a grip to pull up and twist the lock. With the deadbolt free, Sanji slumped back to the floor as the door swung open. He spent a few more moments struggling to push himself up, and soon he was leaning up against the door jam gazing across the hallway to Zoro’s door.

After taking a moment to recover from the effort––chest heaving––Sanji grabbed one of his shoes he’d kicked off earlier and hucked it across the hall to thud loudly against the alpha’s door. He waited quietly and when nothing happened, Sanji picked up and threw a second shoe. This time it wasn’t long before footsteps were heard.

“What?!” Zoro growled.

Pulling open his door, Zoro brought a wave of relief with his presence alone and Sanji's eyes fluttered as Zoro's scent started to wash over him. A groan of gratitude slipped out. Every fibre of his body reacting instantly to the alpha’s presence, and Sanji couldn’t find it in him to be ashamed at breathing in a greedy inhale of that scent that fixed him from the inside out.

It took a second for Zoro to register Sanji, and then his shock practically fell from slack lips, “Woah.”

Stopping in his tracks, Zoro looked properly startled for the first time since Sanji had the displeasure of knowing the stuck up alpha. Normally he’d be giddy at the look of shock, but instead he just shivered. Watching intently as Zoro’s gaze skittered across Sanji and his nostrils notably flared as he could no doubt smell everything currently wafting off the omega’s heat riddled body.

Letting his head rest against the door jam with a soft thump, Sanji continued panting heavily as he watched the alpha through lidded eyes. He’d never really thought of the guy as attractive, but through heat-goggles he was starting to realize that he wasn’t so bad. Poor dressing skills aside, the man underneath all those sweaty work clothes was incredibly fit and aggressively handsome.

A strong, sharp jaw. High, solid cheekbones. Stern and rigid brow line that was currently trying its best to scowl Sanji’s gaze away. He was also well built and Sanji’s dazed brain was––for the first time––appreciating that the alpha’s arms were impressively large and sculpted.

Mouth growing wet and body getting hotter, Sanji swallowed thickly and took another needy gasp of the alpha pheromones hovering in the hallway between them. A mistake. That scent of steel and sweat flooded through him––along with a unique scent Sanji hadn’t noticed while not on his heat––it immediately soothed the burning in his throat, but completely eclipsed the rational part of his mind.

All at once his reluctance fled; his body reacted readily––desperately––and Sanji was about to start begging if Zoro didn’t stop staring at him like he was some sort of prey. However, the alpha still hadn’t moved so Sanji forced himself to talk.

“Hey, dumbass…”

Impressive frown still in place, Zoro let out a slow breath. Sanji could feel himself getting dizzier, and began to slip to the floor, when the next moment Zoro was right there with a hand that caught his head before it could hit the floor. He was so close to Sanji there was nothing else he could smell now except the alpha.

It was exactly what Sanji wanted.

Needed.

Wrapping his arms around Zoro’s broad shoulders and pulling himself in, Sanji abandoned all of his remaining pride as he shoved his face against the alpha’s neck and scented him. It was terribly bold––socially unacceptable––but right now Sanji had zero restraint. He knew he’d be ashamed of himself later and that was fine, just so long as he could drown in the steely scent of the alpha in this moment––ease this horrible ache.

“Fuck, Curly…” Zoro growled, and the rumble in the alpha’s chest reverberated right through Sanji and made him whimper. He was behaving like every needy omega in every porn he had ever watched, but right now Sanji didn’t have the strength to be embarrassed, “you can’t just––”

Pressing his face insistently into Zoro’s neck, Sanji whined as he arched into Zoro’s embrace. It was incredible how even that much more contact had his body singing in relief. He couldn’t tell if it was him or Zoro that was trembling right now, all he knew was he wasn’t about to let go anytime soon.

“C’mon,” A growl and harsh breath was all Zoro could respond with, and then he was grunting, “let’s get you out of the hallway.”

Sanji made a small sound of approval.

“Can you stand?”

Embarrassed, Sanji kept his face hidden as he admitted, “No.”

With bated breath, Sanji waited for the jerk to make some sort of teasing remark––something sexist about omegas––but all Zoro did was grunt in acknowledgement. Next moment, he was gathering Sanji up in his arms and pushing himself to his feet. Sanji clung to Zoro’s shoulders, supported by the strong arm under him as his legs hung limp and useless.

It was disorientating that the alpha was actually being… nice.

Brought back into the moment by Zoro stepping into Sanji’s apartment, a wave of his own scent began to overtake Zoro’s causing Sanji to stiffen and shake his head hurriedly. It reeked too much like him in there, and right now all he wanted was more of Zoro’s scent. At first it had been an insane whim, but now he was genuinely committed.

“No.” Sanji choked out. He could feel his hands shaking as he whispered, “Yours.”

Sanji could feel Zoro swallow thickly.

There was a painfully long silence as Sanji remained in Zoro’s arms, he could feel the hard pounding of the alpha’s hurried heartbeat and practically hear the cogs whirring in his head. At this point, Sanji could only imagine what Zoro was thinking, but it was probably a good sign the alpha wasn’t pouncing at the opportunity to jump him…

Probably.

“Fine.” Zoro grumbled. “Where are your keys?”

“Counter.”

Maneuvering so he could properly hold Sanji up with one arm, Zoro strode over to grab Sanji’s keys and then he was carrying the omega out of his apartment and locking the door behind them. Sanji wanted to freak out more about what he had just requested, but next thing they were in Zoro’s apartment and Sanji felt like he was drowning.

This was the first time he had ever been close to an alpha while enduring the worst of his heat, and he’d had no idea it’d be this torturous and exhilarating at the same time. Everything reeked of the alpha, and Sanji felt like he had been set on fire. Keeping his eyes shut and tightening his hold on Zoro’s neck, Sanji whined––he had no clue what he even wanted him to do.

"You're soaked in sweat." A hand patted at Sanji’s back as if to prove his point, and then Zoro commented, "When was the last time you showered?"

Sanji made an indecisive noise––he honestly couldn’t remember.

Another exhausted sigh, but Zoro didn’t say anything else. Sanji listened as the alpha set his keys down, and then made his way through his apartment. The way Zoro carried him so carefully and effortlessly had something foreign fluttering throughout his body––a deeply instinctive side of him purring happily.

There was a pause to Zoro's jostling steps, so Sanji timidly cracked open an eye and found them stepping into the bathroom. He struggled to turn on the shower with Sanji still in his arms, but managed it. Soon he was straightening and tapping on Sanji’s back expectantly.

"Let go."

All that came out of Sanji was reluctant noise.

In this moment, the only thing holding Sanji together was his grip on Zoro, and he was concerned that if he let go he was going to fall to pieces. It was already embarrassing enough that he had latched onto Zoro like the desperate omega he was. If he let go, he had no guarantee he wouldn’t just straight up present for the alpha, and that act alone may just kill Sanji in mortification.

“No.”

"If you don't let go then I'm climbing in fully clothed."

Sanji shook his head and tightened his grip.

"Fine."

With a final irritated grunt, Zoro pulled aside the curtain and stepped into the shower with Sanji still clinging to him. Cold water rained down on them. It was a pleasant shock to his overheated system, but did very little to change the arousal vibrating through him. Standing with Sanji in his arms as they both got soaked.

Zoro turned to mutter against Sanji’s ear, “Happy?”

"I'm never happy." Sanji grumbled into Zoro's shoulder.

Zoro murmured something snide under his breath that sounded suspiciously like, ‘No surprise there.’, but Sanji decided to pretend he hadn't heard.

“I’m going to put you down now.” Zoro informed Sanji in such a polite tone that he was in an initial state of shock until the alpha prodded, “Okay?”

Still reeling, Sanji was finding it incredibly difficult to process everything nice that Zoro was doing, coupled with the his stupid alpha stank that was clogging up Sanji’s brain function. By the time Sanji had come to terms with the fact that the jock could be at all kind, he was already lowering Sanji to the floor of the shower. Zoro knelt and gently untangled himself from Sanji's cloying hands––head spacy and body weak, it wasn't that hard.

Sitting under the cool spray, Sanji looked up at Zoro in a daze. He’d never been this close except for when they were yelling at each other. Blinking rapidly to get some of the water out of his eyes, Sanji realized he’d never noticed before that the alpha had really thin lips; water was dripping from the upper one and Sanji idly wondered what it’d be like to lick.

“Damn it, Curly.” Zoro breathed out a heavy sigh, his scent washing over Sanji in a shiver inducing wave. “You are such a pai––”

Tangling his hands in soft, wet hair, Sanji gripped tight and hauled Zoro into a needy kiss, effectively cutting short whatever irate comment Zoro had been about to make. At first Zoro was stiff and unresponsive, but as Sanji dragged himself closer and moaned there was shiver detectable throughout the alpha as he broke. A breathless moment ticked by––falling water breaking the silence––and then Zoro slanted his mouth over Sanji’s and returned the kiss with fervour.

It tasted sweeter than honey.

Kissing Zoro was like drinking from the source of his relief and addiction all at once. Each hot caress of his tongue soothed the burning ache of his heat like a balm to his soul, but also ignited a craving that raced through his veins and had him trembling. It was a vicious cycle that made Sanji feel like he was going insane.

Time blurred, but Zoro managed to come to his senses first.

Breaking the kiss, Zoro ripped his mouth away and tilted his head back to gasp up into the cold water splattering his face. His chest heaved desperately. Hands white knuckled from where they remained braced against the tiled wall and bathtub edge, his body seemed to be vibrating with barely restrained energy––Sanji could feel it under his hands threatening to overflow.

After what felt like hours, Zoro slowly lowered his head and looked at Sanji with a hardened expression. Sanji’s hands were still tangled in silken hair, and he tried to pull Zoro back in only for his hands to be knocked aside. Clamping his hand across Sanji’s mouth, it was unclear whether it was for his own benefit or Sanji’s; there was a tremble to Zoro’s hand that gave him away.

“Wait here.” Zoro ordered between stiff breaths, “I’m going to get clean clothes.”

With that, Zoro released Sanji’s mouth and pushed himself to his feet. He reached out to swipe the curtain aside. Realizing Zoro was actually going to leave, Sanji found himself reaching out for the alpha instinctively, trying to grab anything he could get his hands on.

“Ah, no, don’t––!!!” Scrambling out of Sanji’s reach, Zoro misplaced his hand and slipped into the shower curtain. He flailed spectacularly as he tumbled out of the tub and fell to the bathroom floor taking the curtain and rod with him. “ARGH!”

There was a hard thud as Zoro hit the ground and a muted creak as the door slowly closed. Slumped in the tub, Sanji listened for a sound to make sure the dumb alpha hadn’t hit his head on the counter and brained himself, but there wasn’t even a groan of pain. Grabbing the edges of the tub, Sanji used all his strength to pull himself up to glance out at where Zoro lay sprawled––wrapped up in the shower curtain––rod atop him.

“You alive?”

“I hate you.” Zoro grumbled.

“I hate you too.”

Pushing himself up, Zoro glared at Sanji, still slumped in the bathtub, fully clothed and cold water still pouring down on top of him. He grumbled something to himself and then got to his feet with an annoyed groan. Reaching out and angling the shower head to make sure it wasn’t spraying any water onto the floor, he quickly stepped away again to stay out of Sanji’s reach.

"Stay here." Pointing a finger at the dazed omega, Zoro ordered, “I’ll be right back.”

A shiver travelled through Sanji at the commanding order, that on any other day would’ve had him infuriated, but for some reason had his heat-riddled mind trembling gratefully. He simply hummed in agreement as he watched Zoro leave. Eyes falling shut before the alpha was even gone. Focusing instead on the cool water washing over him that was doing very little to quell the hot ache radiating through him.

Leaning heavily on the edges of the tub, Sanji tried to get a hold of himself with this moment of solitude, but it was nearly impossible when the whole apartment reeked of the alpha. And while the cold water helped, it didn’t deter the part of him that literally ached with impatience at the alpha’s promised return. Already he couldn’t remember why he’d ever thought this was a bad idea––his other self felt like an idiot at that moment.

It was hard to hear the alpha over the spray of water, but Sanji could easily sense it and opened his eyes when Zoro made his way back into the bathroom with a set of clothes which he set down on the counter. He was still in his clothes from earlier and was still soaking. Sanji noticed that the man’s hair was a pleasant evergreen when wet.

Shutting off the water, Zoro grabbed a towel and then turned to Sanji warily, “Too much to ask you to stand?”

Sanji scowled.

Still having his stubbornness, Sanji braced his hands on the ledge of the tub and pushed himself up as much as his hormone riddled body would let him. He got half out of the tub before everything sort of gave out, and luckily Zoro was there to catch and bundle him up in a thick towel. Sanji whined when Zoro attempted to wrap his arms up so he couldn’t grab onto the alpha again––it ended in a struggle that had Zoro slipping on the wet curtain and causing them both to tumble to the floor.

A bang echoed in the small room as Zoro landed with his back and head thudding against the wall, and Sanji fell into Zoro’s lap as he latched on happily to the alpha once more. Zoro groaned and rubbed the back of his head, from what had to be the second time he'd slammed it into something, but Sanji was too preoccupied to be concerned. Because the alpha was close again, and the water wasn't smothering his scent, and everything in Sanji was spiralling.

Ducking his face back down, Sanji breathed in the heady smell of steel and musk off the alpha––mouth once again watering at how dense and overwhelming it was. Everything was a fog of need and desperation; Sanji was proverbially gone.

Captivated by the strong line of Zoro’s neck, Sanji was compelled to taste––he’d scented the alpha before and nothing bad had happened––and even though deep down he knew better than to put his mouth near an alpha’s neck it was too late. His tongue had barely dragged across the bronze skin before Sanji was lurched into motion.

An absolutely animalistic sound reverberated throughout Zoro’s entire body. Sanji was thrown against the opposing wall and Zoro was pouncing on top of him a moment later. It should've been terrifying, but instead it just fed into Sanji's arousal. Embracing the alpha readily, seated on Zoro’s thighs, the alpha’s hips pinning Sanji to the wall. There was something inexplicably arousing about the anger bubbling just beneath Zoro's stoic exterior––Sanji arched up into the alpha with an encouraging whine.

However, for all his showmanship, his hands still remained off of Sanji. One planted on the wall, and the other gripping the towel rod desperately above their heads. It seemed to be taking all his restraint to not put his hands on Sanji.

Every pant from Zoro was gushed out through bared teeth, and his chest heaved with each jilted exhale. There was frenetic energy vibrating around him. Pupil blown wide with desire and dazed desperation that Sanji could intimately relate to––Sanji's scent was overwhelming the alpha. He knew omega pheromones could be just as potent as an alphas, but he'd never seen it work this up close before. It made him wonder just how much Zoro was at his mercy as he was under Zoro's.

“You need…” Zoro’s voice was a harsh rasp, “to stop…”

Licking his lips, Sanji felt a rush with how hypnotized Zoro was by the motion––eye following his tongue with rapt attention. When he spoke, Sanji hardly recognized his own voice, so laden with arousal and need as he croaked, “Why?”

“So I can stop myself.”

Implication of the alpha’s threat loud and clear, Sanji wondered what was wrong with him that his body reacted readily to the idea of the alpha pinning him to the cold tiled floor and taking him then and there. It was such a bold leap to take––he’d gone from being utterly repulsed days ago to desperately eager. Strange what things you discovered about yourself when released from the tedious chains of inhibitions.

“What if I don’t want you to?”

A loud crack startled both apart. Effectively cutting through the haze of aroused pheromones wafting between them and bringing a bit of clarity to the situation. Zoro looked in shock at his hand. Following Zoro’s gaze, Sanji didn't know whether to laugh or apologize for the towel rod that had just been busted off the wall and was held aloft by the stunned alpha.

Slowly setting down the broken rack, Zoro glanced at Sanji and his gaze was much clearer––a seriousness to his brow that kept Sanji still and intent. His voice, however, was frighteningly soft, and when he spoke his next command it came out more as a plea.

"Stop."

Even within the selfish headspace of his heat, there was such a polarizing way about the alpha that Sanji couldn’t help but feel a tad guilty. He couldn’t figure out why Zoro was being so stubborn about touching him, but Sanji conceded regardless and retracted his hands. Curling in on himself and waiting petulantly for whatever the alpha wanted next.

With a relieved sigh, Zoro pulled away.

Grabbing the towel and once more attempting to wrangle Sanji in it, this time Sanji let him without making a fuss. His eyes sliding shut shamefully while Zoro finished bundling him up. While Sanji was busy trying to get his jumbled thoughts in order, Zoro took the opportunity to hold Sanji tight and slip his other arm under Sanji’s legs to heft him up into a fireman's carry that in any other circumstance would have caused Sanji to die from embarrassment.

Carrying Sanji from the bathroom, Zoro was carefully silent about what had just happened and kept his gaze pointedly averted. Sanji tried to ignore how instinctively good it felt to have the alpha taking care of him; his ears tinged pink as he decided to file this whole situation down as something he never wanted to internally analyze. They got to the alpha’s bedroom and Sanji was set down on the bed. There was a moment where Zoro adjusted the towel to make sure it was still wrapped around Sanji, and then he was leaving the room with a promised mutter to return.

Disappearing for a moment, Zoro returned with the clothes he had brought to the bathroom that they had failed to change into. Handing Sanji a pair of sleep pants and a hoodie, Zoro politely turned away from the omega to give him privacy to change––stripping out of his own wet clothes in the process.

Sanji sat hypnotized.

Watching the fluid way Zoro had tugged the wet shirt over his head before searching through his drawers for a replacement. His toned back to Sanji. Thankfully unable to see the way Sanji’s jaw hung open at just how muscular the alpha actually was––each movement highlighting the dips and valleys of his back––realizing that those shitty work shirts really were doing the alpha a disservice.

When the alpha located a shirt, Sanji was morose to see him covered up once more but was rewarded by the alpha dropping his trousers and boxers next––something short circuiting in his brain at the sight of his taut thighs and pert ass. He sat in a daze until a pair of sweatpants covered those as well. Leaving Sanji with simply the memory of the alpha’s rear, but unable to stop his imagination from running wild at what his front might look like.

Normally, he’d never had much interest in male alphas, but this whole evening was giving him something to think about. He wondered how much of this was the heat––and their pheromones––and how much was simply him just being in denial.

Zoro turned around––his face fell at the sight of Sanji still in his wet clothes. There was much less sarcasm in his tone––sounding closer to pleading, “Don’t tell me you need help.”

Sanji shook his head––embarrassed––but grateful Zoro hadn’t caught him staring.

Wrestling out of his wet clothes––Zoro pointedly looking away––Sanji pulled on the new sweatpants with a bit of struggle given his weak legs. He then pulled the hoodie over his head. Sanji sat for a moment inspecting the worn piece of clothing that Zoro had lent him. It was ridiculously soft and reeked of the alpha.

He’d never really understood why omegas got riled about wearing a piece of alpha clothing, or nesting in their beds, but he was beginning to understand––there was a fulfilling feeling about being enveloped in the strong scent. Sanji didn’t understand why his body was so eager to react to that, but he couldn’t deny he’d liked it.

It didn’t hurt that Zoro’s scent smelled particularly good––he’d spent so long ignoring it out of spite he’d never actually taken the time to appreciate it.

Fighting back a smile, Sanji nuzzled into the collar of the hoodie as the overwhelming scent of the alpha helped to tame some of the burning of his arousal. He still felt spacey, but at least the arousal was no longer painful. Glancing up to check on Zoro, Sanji jumped at the sight of alpha.

Frozen to the spot, Zoro was looking at Sanji much like when he had first opened the door and spotted the heat riddled omega. Only this time there was something a bit more unhinged about the stillness of his face. Coupled with the rapid breaths that caused the alphas chest to tremble––Sanji knew something had changed.

"Wha––"

A second later Zoro was right on top of him. Knee braced on the bed, and his arms caging Sanji in as he leaned over the omega––suffocatingly close, but somehow still not yet touching. His hot breath ghosted across Sanji's cheek. Each possessive pant sent a chill up Sanji’s spine as he trembled beneath the dominating alpha.

Drawing his nose along the line of Sanji’s jaw, a rumble of approval vibrated through the alpha and Zoro was quickly ducking his head to nuzzle at the neckline where Zoro’s hoodie rested against Sanji’s bare throat. Each breath was animalistic in nature, and a predatory rumble from deep in the alpha’s chest had Sanji stilling instinctively. A laugh gusted against Sanji’s neck and Zoro murmured approvingly, “You smell like mine.”

A chill spiked across Sanji’s body at the words.

They were horribly possessive, and normally he’d be indignant, but this was the first time that Sanji began to realize the weight of safety behind it. Arms reaching up to link around Zoro’s shoulders. A grumble of approval came from the alpha at Sanji’s compliance, and then Zoro was closing the distance between them. This time Zoro was one that initiated the kiss.

Pressing Sanji back into the unmade bed––a haphazard tangle of blankets and sheets that reeked of the alpha––Zoro’s arm slipped around Sanji’s waist to haul him close. Hips aligned intimately. Their bodies slotted together perfectly, and for the first time Sanji felt the heavy heat of Zoro’s poignant arousal pinned between them––pressing hard against Sanji’s stomach and right next to his own matching erection.

Sanji moaned readily.

Just like in the shower, Sanji became so entirely lost in the kiss as the alpha’s taste––just like his scent––pulled him in and scrambled his thoughts into static. All he knew was what he wanted. Needed. Everything was Zoro, and it felt like nothing would ever be enough to satisfy him.

This time a whine slipped out, and Zoro growled.

Flipping Sanji over, Zoro dumped him face down on the bed and took a commanding grip at Sanji’s nape. His palm felt like a brand on the skin there. An unbearable heat that seared right through to Sanji’s very core and stoked the origin of his arousal––Zoro’s hand on him so fierce and his scent so suffocating; all of it just escalating his need.

An unbelievable arousal spiked through him being pinned so thoroughly to the bed, Sanji eagerly arched his back as much as Zoro’s forceful hand would allow and presented for the alpha. Too far gone to be embarrassed anymore. He whined needily and immediately Zoro was straddling him––Sanji shivered as he felt the heavy weight of Zoro’s cock sliding against his ass.

Zoro’s large hand fell to Sanji’s waist, gripping him tight and pressing him commandingly into the bed as the alpha rolled his hips once more in an aggressive thrust. Even through the torturous barrier of fabric it caused a shudder to rock through Sanji. He couldn’t believe it had gotten to this point, but every fibre of his body was ready and wanting––there was nothing that could change his mind.

There wasn’t much he could do with Zoro’s weight pinning him, but Sanji managed to rock his hips back eagerly with an approving moan. He could feel the alpha’s hot breath on the back of his neck. Zoro looming over him possessively as he continued the teasing roll of his hips; his loud exhales ringing in Sanji’s ears until it was all he could hear. Reaching out a shaking hand, Sanji pawed at Zoro’s arm currently braced above him. He managed to get a weak hold of the alpha’s wrist.

Whining happily into the sheets, “Zoro~”

All at once that overbearing heat was gone, and Sanji was left alone on the bed––terrible cold replacing Zoro’s burning heat. A desperate whine slipped out at the sudden loss of contact, and through the haze of arousal he couldn’t understand what had just happened. It took several moments to realize Zoro wasn’t playing and that the alpha had actually left the bed.

Turning over, Sanji stared up at where Zoro stood at the foot of the bed looking distraught. His hands were still raised, and he was looking between them, and Sanji, horrified. Shoulders heaving and chest flexing, Zoro looked like he was trying to breathe through his panic––shame leaching from the alpha in waves.

Sanji swallowed around his own gasps.

After a long silence hung between them, Zoro appeared to gain some semblance of his composure––breathing evening out, and the tension draining from his shoulders––he slowly looked up. His eye was still blown wide with desire, but he looked much more in control. Thumbing at his lower lip nervously, Zoro looked aggressively to the side.

"Sorry." He muttered, "There's no excuse for that."

Sanji blinked blearily––not understanding.

Zoro turned to leave.

“Don’t––”

Even just the thought of the alpha leaving caused a chasm of panic to open up inside of him so suddenly and so viciously he stopped breathing. He fisted the soft fabric over his chest, pressing needlessly with his knuckles to try and squeeze out the pain that was there. His voice had abandoned him, but he needed Zoro to stay.

“Don––”

Giving up on trying to verbalize his panic, Sanji just grunted his distress to get his point across, and while Zoro didn’t leave, he did keep his gaze averted. A heavy pause stretched out between them. Filled with tense breathing from both parties as they came to terms with what had almost happened but Sanji was still too far gone to understand why Zoro had stopped.

Zoro spoke softly, “Do you have a Heat Mate I can call?”

Sanji shook his head.

“Anyone?”

Sanji shook his head again––he didn’t want any of his friends to see him like this.

Looking around furtively, it was apparent that Zoro wanted to run, but clearly felt responsible for Sanji. He bit his lip, before sighing. Rubbing a hand to his brow before dropping it, Zoro finally met Sanji’s gaze and Sanji could visibly see him swallow before gesturing weakly over his shoulder towards the door, “Try to get some sleep. I’ll––”

“Please.”

Zoro stilled.

Hands tightening their grip on the sheets, Sanji ducked his head to hide the embarrassment that was flooding his body at having to resort to begging. He couldn’t believe it had actually come to this. He still wanted the alpha––that hadn’t waned––but the threat of Zoro’s departure transformed it from a hot desire to painful desperation to just have his presence close. There was no way he’d do anything like this if he was rational, but all he knew was that if the alpha left he was going to fall apart.

Everything in his body ached.

“Just...” He bit out desperately, “stay.”

There was another long pause, this time followed by Zoro’s explosive exhale.

“Fine.”

After running a hand down his face in frustrated defeat, Zoro made his way across the bedroom and stopped just shy of the bed. He let out a short huff. Face set in determination––testing his restraint––a slow, reassuring exhale accompanied him as he knelt on the mattress and began crawling forward. When he neared Sanji, Zoro paused before letting out another harsh breath and reaching down.

Wrapping his arm around Sanji to drag him closer, Zoro hauled him up the bed while keeping a reassuring hand around Sanji at all times. There was some rearranging and then they slumped into the bedding. Zoro on his back and Sanji curled comfortably half on top of him. That urgency faded––being held by the alpha immediately soothed the ache––but now Sanji was left with his head resting on an alpha’s chest, kept awake by the steady pounding of his heart.

"I’ll stay.” Zoro said, “But I’m not doing anything; behave yourself.”

“Don’t––” Shaking his head indignantly, Sanji huffed before trying again and putting a bit of his usual fire behind his words, “Don’t talk to me like that.”

“I’m going to miss work because of you.” Zoro snorted, “I’ll talk to you however I like.”

Sanji bit his tongue––knowing Zoro had a point there.

However, that still didn’t explain why Zoro continued to refuse Sanji’s advances when all he wanted was a little release from this oppressive heat. Before all of this had even transpired, Zoro was the one that offered, and now he was acting like he wasn’t interested––he’d jumped off of Sanji as though he were burned. All Sanji could think was that there was something wrong with him; that he was such a pathetic excuse of an omega that Zoro didn’t even want him, that Zoro had been lying to make a fool out of him...

Sanji couldn’t understand what was happening.

Softly, he murmured against Zoro’s chest, “I don’t get it.”

Zoro grunted to acknowledge he was still awake.

“You asked to help me with my heat.” Fingering petulantly at Zoro’s shirt, Sanji muttered the words and struggled to keep the bitterness from his voice. Heat or not, it felt like sexual rejection at every level that the alpha refused him, “Now you won’t even touch me.”

"Yeah, well…" Zoro murmured, “This isn’t you right now.”

For all Zoro’s words were sincere, Sanji couldn’t help but remember Zoro’s offer and how rude he had been. None of it added up. It wasn’t like Zoro had ever come across as someone before now that actually gave two shits about omega autonomy. Lifting his head, Sanji sneered down at Zoro, “Why do you even care?”

At that, Zoro’s eye did finally open and he looked up at Sanji. There was no hostility, just an open sincerity. It was disconcerting, and then Zoro blinked shortly before asking, “Do you think that little of me?”

Sanji had the grace to feel a little guilty.

“No, I just––”

Placing his hands over his face to stifle his groan, Sanji lay there for a moment collecting his thoughts––that were admittedly pretty hectic given the heat swimming through his head––before trying another tactic. He pushed himself up. Using what little strength he had to straddle the alpha––who didn’t fight him, just looked slightly concerned––Sanji leaned down imploringly.

“You offered; I’m okay with it.” Sanji licked his lips, and tried again, “I want this.”

Zoro's gaze was disconcertingly steady, “You were pretty clear you didn’t want this.”

“Whatever.” Sanji hissed, tugging at Zoro’s shirt, “I was being a moron.”

“Yeah, well...” Reaching out gentle hands, Zoro gripped Sanji’s wrists in a firm hold and pried the omega’s grip free. Holding Sanji at bay as he sighed with a shrug, “You’re being a moron now too.”

Sanji responded with a mocking sneer.

Steadily losing his patience the longer they argued, Sanji jerked his hands free from the alpha’s––admittedly––lax hold and dropped them to the bed on either side of the alpha’s head––bracketing him in––and beared down to make sure he could smirk right in Zoro’s face. He rolled his hips for good measure and revelled in the way Zoro’s body went taut.

Muscle in Zoro’s jaw tensing intermittently before he turned his head to the side and stared off towards the bedroom wall. Refusing to respond. That tangible arousal was growing between them––Sanji could feel it suffocating him––made even better when Zoro warned softly, “You need to stop.”

Sanji breathed a euphoric laugh, “Why?”

“You know why.”

There was the tiniest touch of bite to Zoro’s tone, but it caused a flare of arousal to cascade through Sanji so powerful that it left him trembling. Still braced over Zoro. Body reacting readily to the alpha––Sanji revelling in it––vision starting to swim with each heady inhale of Zoro’s scent––for the umpteenth time this evening Sanji felt his consciousness wavering.

“C’mon~” Sanji purred, “I already told you I’m okay with it.”

“That’s the heat talking.” Zoro’s eye fell shut, and he pointed out quietly, “You’d say yes to anyone right now.”

“Don’t be sexist.” Sanji countered, “That’s insulting.”

“No, it's the truth.” Despite the words, Zoro’s tone remained calm and continued to ignore Sanji’s attempted advances. Waiting a moment before adding softly, “You have no control right now.”

“That’s rich.” Sanji sneered, “You’re the one that nearly bred me.”

It was a low blow––Sanji knew––he was surprised Zoro didn’t just shove Sanji off of him and storm out, but instead the alpha remained perfectly stoic. Eventually, Zoro murmured––regret ringing clear in his voice, “You’re right; I’m no better. We shouldn’t be near each other like this.”

Sanji was ready to retort, when he noticed the alpha was trembling.

Several moments passed with Sanji staring down confused at the obstinate alpha before realizing that he was meditating––an intense tension running through him. His breathing was incredibly steady and controlled. Fighting to keep himself in check while the rest of his body looked to be on the verge of snapping––Sanji only then noticed the way Zoro’s hands were clenched into fists. It was apparent that Zoro was in pain from restraining himself.

Zoro really, really didn’t want this.

A sick feeling that had nothing to do with his heat had Sanji pulling away from the alpha, his confusion turning inward but struggling with the blanket of heat clouding everything. He dropped his face into his hands, and Sanji took a moment to try and focus on his own scent––that pungent aroma of cigarettes and seasalt that had permanently stained his flesh––desperately fighting to block out Zoro’s mind warping scent. Needing some of his faculties back; needing to rethink whatever this was that he was doing. A small semblance of clarity came back to him through the heat, and arousal, and the want––knowing immediately that what he was doing was wrong.

Guilt started to break through his haze.

Looking through the gaps of his fingers at the alpha underneath him, Sanji found Zoro staring balefully at the ceiling––clearly exhausted and underslept. Sanji was starting to realize what a shit move it was on his part to trick Zoro into this. Rude offer or no, Zoro was just as much a victim here. Sanji’s disregard had ended up with them in this position. Even now, Zoro was trying his best not to cave to Sanji’s heat manipulation––for both their sakes.

Sanji lowered his hands––despite his heat, he had enough control to back down.

Carefully climbing off of Zoro and slumping back into the blankets, Sanji made a point to roll away and drag his hands to himself to make sure he wouldn’t be tempted. Zoro’s thick scent hanging heavy on the pillow he rested his head on. Rationality and guilt warred with his heat-driven desires, but Sanji curled further into himself to keep himself from turning back to the alpha and doing anything more he would regret.

Through his heat and nausea, Sanji managed on a whisper, "Sorry.”

There was a pause before Zoro spoke; a hint of exasperation to his tone, “It’s… fine.”

Forcing himself to distract himself, glaring at the beige wallpaper of the bedroom, Sanji was hyper aware of every part of him that was still minutely in contact with the alpha. That touch branding him. Especially Zoro’s broad shoulder and the length of his arm burning a scorching line down Sanji’s back––a direct line to Sanji’s heat. All of Sanji’s instincts had him yearning to roll over, but he stubbornly fought it even as the pain in his chest returned.

“You dealing?”

Sanji nodded his head, but let slip an embarrassing whimper that gave him away.

A long silence followed Sanji’s slip up, then there was some mild shifting which Sanji discovered was Zoro rolling over, and soon the alpha pressed himself against Sanji’s back and pulled him close. His face slotted against Sanji’s neck perfectly. It had Sanji shivering in muted satisfaction––having an alpha curled around him was surprisingly calming.

"Uh––"

“You’ve made it through every other heat.”

Zoro's reassuring words were spoken unfairly soft and gentle to the nape of Sanji’s neck. Having the alpha's mouth that close had him stilling instinctively––just like before when he'd scented him, or put his hand there and pinned Sanji down. Every fibre of his body itching for Zoro to move closer and touch the skin––scent, lick, bite. A shiver rocked through Sanji at the thought of being claimed––it shouldn't have been that arousing.

There was no way Zoro could know the panic-inducing vicissitudes battling within him, but he sensed Sanji's hysteria nonetheless. His hand tightened a fraction in reassurance. Readjusting so his face wasn't nearly as close to Sanji's throat––perhaps for his benefit as well––nuzzling his face into Sanji's hair and humming contentedly.

Sanji felt a forgein flutter in his chest as the alpha added on a yawn, “You’ll be fine.”

“Yeah…”

Sanji choked out the word far more steadily than he had been expecting, especially considering the panic attack he was on the verge of having at how Zoro’s words had affected him. It wasn’t a feeling he was ready to assess given he was tired, aroused, and half-cocked––he decided to shove it all down and worry about it tomorrow.

Aloud, he admitted, “but I was alone.”

Zoro shifted, but didn’t say anything.

Thinking of all the times he spent his heat alone, Sanji could admit they weren’t pleasant––they were downright terrible. He loathed them. And yet, yearning for the idea of someone was no comparison to the feeling of lying next to the object of your desires and being denied––touching what you wanted, but could never have. He knew the feelings were just a figment of his heat, but it didn’t change how real the pain was.

Hand tightening on the sheets, Sanji blushed, “This is so much worse.”

Another silence stretched out into the room––so long that he assumed Zoro had fallen asleep––but then Zoro’s arm was slipping forward to find Sanji’s hand. He gently pried Sanji’s hand from its whiteknuckled grip on the sheets. Sliding his fingers between Sanji’s, Zoro did nothing else beyond gently stroking his thumb across the back of Sanji’s knuckles until Sanji finally managed to drift off into the most comfortable sleep he’d had in days––maybe even weeks...

~X~

Morning came around and Sanji awoke feeling remarkably like his old self––he was able to breathe properly for the first time in days. His heat had broken, and like a fever, brought with it an incredible wave of relief and clarity, but also an insane amount of embarrassment. Memories of yesterday coming back full force, and the shame of his actions causing his face to light up a brilliant red.

He could hardly believe some of the things he had done...

Most of all he was unbelievably ashamed that he’d tried to force Zoro to mate with him––he wasn’t certain he could ever look the alpha in the face again. At the time it felt right, but now he just felt sick. No amount of reading up on his heat had prepared him for how out of control he became once in the presence of an alpha; it was like he had mentally checked out and a total lunatic had taken the wheel of his body.

It had infuriated him at the time, but he was unbelievably grateful Zoro had enough restraint for the both of them––though it irked his pride to admit it. Zoro saved both of them from a huge mistake. There was no telling how out of hand things could have gotten if he had given in––Sanji wasn’t sure how on earth he was supposed to thank the alpha for that.

With a soft groan of embarrassment––easily admitting this was by far the worst heat ever––Sanji cracked open his eyes and properly took in Zoro’s room for the first time without being under the influence of his heat. He recognized the boring beige wallpaper. Beyond that he noted it was pretty tidy except for a dresser and the odd bit of clothing littering the floor, and a poster on the wall of a samurai. Sanji tilted his head to get a better look, only to have a hand tighten around his waist––his eyes bugging as he realized he wasn’t alone.

Eyes lowering first, Sanji’s head soon followed the motion as carefully as he could so as not to wake the still sleeping alpha. He gazed down at the bronze arm wrapped around his waist. Heart skipping a beat at the searing warmth leaching into his side from the alpha; Sanji hadn’t been able to notice it through his heat, but Zoro ran unbelievably hot.

A warmth that had nothing to do with his heat began flooding his body as he remembered how he had felt for Zoro only hours ago. That burning desire to be near him, scent him, mate with him––his cheeks burned just at that thought alone. It was mortifying, reliving just how insane he had been. And even worse was instead of being repulsed he found his heart beating faster.

Just the memory of Zoro kissing him had––

His eyes bugged.

NO! Nope. No.

Zoro twitched in his sleep.

Another surge of warm desire washed over Sanji at the needy hold Zoro had on him––his hand hooked commandingly at the omega’s hip. Keeping his breathing slow and measured, Sanji tried not to let his excitement show over just how much he enjoyed having the alpha holding him. Feelings of arousal that were hauntingly familiar to last night began to flare up in his body.

It didn’t make sense though; his heat was over, by all accounts he shouldn’t be reacting to Zoro anymore.

Perhaps his heat wasn’t over? Or maybe something had broken inside his body from spending his whole heat with an alpha and not mating with him? Was it possible that they had done something that he couldn’t remember?! He’d thought he'd fallen asleep, but he could’ve blacked out and convinced Zoro anyway!

Sanji’s chest started to tighten.

Through all of his panicking Sanji didn’t notice Zoro woke up. A minute shift had Sanji freezing in place––mind still reeling––then Zoro was rolling away and his arm withdrew from Sanji’s waist. Instead of relief at being free of the alpha, Sanji’s eyes widened when he realized he was disappointed at the loss of contact.

What was happening to him?!

Muscling down all traces of his embarrassment, Sanji glanced over his shoulder to watch Zoro push himself up and rub an exhausted hand against his eye. He yawned. Then arched into a long stretch before finally turning to look at Sanji––unsurprised to find the omega awake.

“I’m late for work,” Zoro explained with a finger pointed at the door, “so I need to go…”

“Right.”

Sanji’s calm tone belied the way his heart was jackrabbiting in his chest.

Levering himself out of bed, Zoro sauntered over to his dresser and quickly changed into a grubby shirt and pair of worn jeans. Sanji sat up and pointedly averted his gaze. Trying desperately not to think about when he had watched the alpha change last night and failing spectacularly––a combination of arousal and horror washing over his body when he found the memory wasn’t awful.

As his body heated up, Sanji’s mind buzzed in confusion.

All of this attraction was supposed to go away with his heat––it was just superficial, hormone induced, fake––none of this made any sense. He should be back to normal. Despising the alpha for his irritating behaviour, horrible attitude, and brutish mannerisms; he wasn’t supposed to like the alpha, but apparently something had flipped.

Zoro had been… nice.

Sanji had to muscle down a gag just to admit it to himself.

Despite all the bullshit Sanji had put him through––coercing him with his heat, destroying his bathroom, and nearly tricking him into breeding him––Zoro had resisted and done the right thing. Sanji shouldn’t have been impressed by that--that was the bare minimum of expectations. Yet here he was, butterflies in his stomach and obvious attraction staining his cheeks red at the mere memory of Zoro bundling him up in a shitty towel for fuck’s sake.

Sanji didn’t even know where to begin with that!

“Oi.”

Zoro’s gruff voice broke through Sanji’s spiraling.

There was no time for Sanji to deal with his blush, and after everything last night it seemed hopeless to be bashful at this point, so Sanji schooled his features as best he could before glancing up. A blush stained his cheeks, but at least he appeared calm. He met Zoro’s gaze and tried not to let any more embarrassing memories come to mind.

“What?”

Zoro jerked his thumb at the door.

Realizing Zoro was trying to leave for work, Sanji made a noise of understanding before pushing himself to his feet––relieved to find he could stand on his own again. He nodded silently. Then followed after the alpha when he left the bedroom; down the hall, through the kitchen, and to the front door. Once out in the hall, Zoro locked his apartment before turning and holding out Sanji’s apartment keys.

Sanji took them, then glanced up––he had no clue where to begin.

“Um…” A thank you didn’t feel right, and an apology was even worse––and may come across disingenuous––so instead he mumbled the first thing that popped into his head, “I’m still wearing your clothes.”

That didn’t seem to be what Zoro was expecting.

“Yeah… uh…” Zoro scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, “Just return them later.”

“‘kay.”

A silence stretched between them that was horrendously loud in the empty hallway and Sanji could hear Zoro shift his weight between his feet awkwardly before turning away. He gave a half-hearted grunt in farewell. Walking away without a backwards glance, Sanji watching him leave while trying to process what had just happened.

TBC...

Chapter Text

Standing in the hall outside Zoro’s apartment, Sanji glared at the door as he psyched himself up to knock. A plate of baked goods balanced atop Zoro’s freshly laundered clothes, clutched in a vice grip––Sanji had been stress baking. There were also several empty cigarette boxes in his trash from today alone.

It was a week since their incident, and Sanji had been avoiding this inevitable, awkward encounter.

Squandering his walks home so that he would arrive late enough to miss taking the elevator up, and leaving for work early so there was no chance of bumping into each other in the hallway. He knew he needed to swallow his embarrassment and own up to everything that had happened––his inappropriate heat antics, and especially for accidentally causing the demolition of the bathroom––but that wasn’t so easily done.

There was a lot Sanji had needed to work through on his own––largest of which was the latent attraction he’d had for the alpha once everything was said and done. He’d hoped it would’ve waned over the week, but it hadn’t. Just thinking about the alpha was enough to make his stomach flip over and his palms get unreasonably sweaty––remembering the way it'd felt to be carried by the alpha, embraced by the alpha, kissed by the alpha…

Sanji muscled down the urge to shout to force the memories to go away.

If he had his way, he would’ve just pretended all of it never happened in the first place, but he knew that wasn’t possible. So instead, he steeled himself, knocked sharply, and waited with bated breath. Listening to the inevitable sound of footsteps approaching, calmly reassuring himself that he could do this, and then failing a second later when Zoro opened the door.

Sanji almost swallowed his tongue.

Gruff and chiselled as he had been a week ago, Zoro leaned lazily in the doorway––still in his work clothes––looking at Sanji expectantly. His features just as devastatingly handsome as remembered. That enigmatic stare only making it worse––Sanji couldn’t stop staring.

After a week, Sanji had hoped that his confusing, heat-muddled attraction would’ve faded, but it was more vivid than ever. If anything the time apart had only magnified it. He had told himself that he had imagined how attractive the alpha was––it was just the hormones warping his basic instincts––but apparently that wasn’t the case.

Everything sparked Sanji's interest; from the erratic, unbrushed mess of grass that he called hair, all the way down to his dirty hands that looked like they hadn't been properly washed, and those ill-fitting clothes doing nothing to help Sanji forgot what he knew was hidden underneath.

Sanji's mouth went dry.

It was impossible to unsee Zoro now.

Panicking, Sanji stood in front of Zoro having a full mental breakdown as he realized he really, really wasn’t as opposed to the alpha as he had convinced himself he was. His chest unhelpfully tightening in excitement. Falling back on his safety net of aggression, Sanji greeted before he could stop himself.

“Hey, shithead.”

Zoro blinked, then nodded, “Curly.”

Sanji couldn’t think of anything else.

They squared off for a moment before Zoro conceded with a glance to the side and lazy shake of his head. He gestured into the apartment, “You gonna come in?”

Out of sheer instinct Sanji wanted to refuse.

Muscling down the desire to just throw the plate and clothes as a diversion and run away, Sanji gave a stiff nod and forced himself to walk into the alpha’s apartment. He set everything down on the counter. Taking a step back and casting a glance about the apartment––feigning interest to cover for his anxiety.

Without the fog of heat, Sanji was actually able to take in the area. Its layout was nearly an identical mirror to his own––open concept kitchen with a spacious lounge area, and a hall to the right that led to the bathroom, bedroom, and spare hall closet.

Zoro's living room was remarkably tidy despite Sanji’s assumptions about the alpha. All that was out of place was a haphazardly folded blanket over the back of the couch, and half-finished beer on the coffee table that Sanji had clearly interrupted.

Standing awkwardly in the kitchen, Sanji desperately fought down the urge to dig out a cigarette while Zoro came to stand nearby after shutting the door. His hands falling to cross over his chest. Glancing to the plate, and then to Sanji, causing Sanji to realize that he’d just brought a platter of baked goods to an alpha as a gift––like he was courting.

“I–– uh,” Sanji blurted out an explanation in a lame attempt to cover his faux pas, “made them as a thank you. Not––”

Zoro was clearly uncomfortable for a moment before muttering, “Thanks.”

It didn’t take a genius to notice Zoro was feigning sincerity, and Sanji couldn’t believe he hadn’t even considered how weird it would be for him to give them to the alpha. Sanji looked between the plate and Zoro––not sure how he was supposed to fix this.

“You don’t want them?”

Zoro’s arms tensed momentarily, and then he muttered, “I don’t really like sweets.”

Irritation replaced Sanji’s worry in a flash––of course the dense alpha wouldn’t read into the gift––Sanji snapped, “Well, I didn’t know that!”

“You asked.”

“Yeah, well you–– Ugh!”

Slapping a hand to his face, Sanji audibly groaned in frustration––this was not going well. He was supposed to be here to apologize. Instead he was allowing the alpha to get under his skin and turn him back into the same person he was before their unfortunate incident last week, which was the last thing he wanted; Zoro had shown a kind and patient side of himself––Sanji wanted to reciprocate.

Calmly exhaling, Sanji lowered his hand only to find Zoro walking away. He was momentarily irked, until he saw the alpha nab his beer off the coffee table and then make his way back to the kitchen. Zoro took a sip, then leaned his hip against the counter.

Cradling his beer and arching a brow at Sanji, Zoro prodded, “Anything else you wanna yell at me about?”

Sanji had to bite his tongue at the sass.

Fighting down all of his shame and embarrassment, Sanji swallowed his pride––he knew he owed the alpha an explanation after everything. He forced his hands into his pockets in a vain attempt to appear aloof, and managed, “I came to apologize about everything––I was out of line.”

“Yeah…” Zoro agreed very offhandedly. He didn’t seem really bothered, “You kinda were.”

“I typically spend my heats alone so I’m not really used to… that.”

Unable to say it all outright, Sanji alluded to the whole crazy predicament––even now he was floored with just how out of his mind he’d become when he’d gotten a whiff of the alpha’s scent. He’d become a whole other person. At the time it had been like he’d needed it to breathe, now however, it was pleasant, but definitely not affecting him in any way.

Meeting the alpha’s gaze, Sanji was genuinely sincere when he managed, “Sorry for dragging you into it.”

Zoro nodded gratefully––almost like he was mulling it over––before sighing, “Look, Curly––”

“Sanji.” At Zoro’s arched brow Sanji clarified, “My name is Sanji.”

“Right.” Pausing, Zoro stared for a moment, and Sanji got the distinct vibe that the alpha wasn't going to use it. His suspicions confirmed when the alpha continued talking and noticeably never actually said Sanji’s name, “Anyway, we both made some mistakes; I shouldn’t’ve offered, and you shouldn’t’ve baited me. Nothing happened; let’s not make a big deal out of it.”

“Oh–– Okay, then.”

Agreeing with a nod, Sanji was a little taken aback by how easy that had been. Not that he had expected Zoro to be a jerk about it, but at least expected some good natured heckling. Though he supposed the alpha had a point, they had both made a few mistakes in the end.

Sanji scratched his cheek awkwardly, “Thanks.”

Zoro didn’t say anything beyond a shrug.

A suddenly loaded silence followed their truce––everything resolved, but certainly not forgotten––however it didn’t seem like either was about to bring it up. Without much else to discuss, Sanji dug out his keys as a sign of his departure and then gestured absently over his shoulder, “Well, I should go; give me the bill for the repairs––for the bathroom––when you get the chance.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Zoro shook his head, “Fixed it myself.”

“Alright.” Floundering for a moment, Sanji noted the beer in Zoro’s hand before offering, “Then lemme get you a case of beer.”

“I wouldn’t say no to that.”.

“Great.”

After nodding for what felt like the hundredth time, Sanji made to leave before it got any more awkward. He got halfway to the door when Sanji found his steps faltering as his unanswered insecurities hung like a cloud above his head and darkened his thoughts. That offer from Zoro had been haunting him the past few days.

Sanji jangled his keys anxiously.

Every fibre of his body hated himself for needing the affirmation of a shitty alpha to feel at all valuable, but until he knew he was going to have no peace of mind. He’d already embarrassed himself enough last weekend, so it wasn’t like anything more could hurt. When he turned back he found Zoro watching him, but raised an eyebrow upon Sanji’s doubling back.

Shoving his keys back into his pocket to keep from fidgeting, Sanji made his way back into the room while Zoro took a lazy sip of his beer. Eye never wavering from its gaze on Sanji. When he lowered the bottle, he gave Sanji an expectant tilt of his head.

Huffing out his nerves, Sanji demanded, “Were you serious?”

“‘bout what?”

“About the offer.”

A second passed as Zoro clued in––then he smirked.

“Yeah.”

It was clear Zoro was trying to be playful, but Sanji nearly tackled the smug alpha out of pure, instinctive rage.

"Don’t believe me?”

Sanji deadpanned, "Your offer left a lot to be desired."

“I dunno.” Zoro muttered, a cheeky smile slipping through, “I thought I was pretty clear about what I desired.”

As cheesy as the line was, Sanji couldn’t help but feel the collar of his shirt grow warm at the obvious attempt at flirting––he absently wondered what was wrong with him. He’d been dealing with alpha’s and their terrible ones liners for years. Shrugging off courting attempts left and right like it was nothing, and yet somehow Zoro looked at him, dropped some lame-ass line, and all Sanji could think about was how nice his lips were.

Feigning disgusted, Sanji put his all into rolling his eyes at the comment––crossing his arms for good measure––mulling over the idea. He hadn’t come here with the intention of getting a Heat Mate, but the more he thought about it the more appealing it became––and Zoro was kind of the perfect candidate.

At no point did the alpha actually belittle Sanji for being an omega––if anything his remarkably rude attitude was more in line with alpha to alpha posturing––and there were no odd fetish vibes from him. He lived directly across the hall so they weren’t strangers. Not to mention, just judging from last week, their sexual chemistry was incredible––actually mating with the alpha would probably be incredible.

It would also be a very convenient way to get his attraction for the alpha out of his system without actually having to commit. He had a strict no alpha dating rule and he intended to stick to it. He wasn’t about to become a stereotype. But having a Heat Mate right across the hall from him would definitely be a perk.

“So, if during my next heat I’d be interested…” There was no way of telling just how much Zoro was willing to do for him, but at the very least he knew Zoro was interested––all he needed to do was ask. When Zoro didn’t respond to Sanji’s alluding, he continued, “would you want to?”

“Be your Heat Mate?”

Sanji nodded.

Zoro stared at him for a long time.

There was something unnervingly critical in the alpha’s stare, and Sanji wondered what exactly the alpha was mulling over. He wondered if maybe he’d read the situation wrong––that the alpha was just being polite––or perhaps he thought Sanji was joking. Just as Sanji was about to take back his offer, Zoro relaxed with a decisive look.

“Sure.” Zoro lifted a shoulder, a heated smile slipping into place, “Why not.”

An unfair wave of relief washed over Sanji at the admission.

“Great, I’ll pick up a form after work tomorrow.” Already backing his way out of the apartment, Sanji was still reeling over what he’d just managed to get the alpha to agree to. Ignoring his apprehension, finding the door, Sanji pulled it open while giving a stiff wave in farewell, “And get you that case of beer.”

Zoro nodded––watching him leave with a terse wave.

~X~

From his sprawled position on the couch, Zoro balefully watched as Sanji paced the living room––wringing his hands in an attempt to get some of the anxiety out. It wasn’t working. He had been tense for hours, and the building heat at the base of his spine––like a terrifying biological countdown––did not help to ease his nerves.

“We don’t have to do this y’know.”

“No,” Pausing to brandish a finger at the alpha, Sanji swallowed and shook it a few more times to make his point, “No, we’re doing this.”

“It’s just––" Zoro stopped as Sanji turned a sharp look his way, daring him to speak. Mulling over his words for several moments before stating lightly, "you seem... agitated.”

A hysterical laugh bubbled out of Sanji, “Do I?”

“Yeah.” Zoro deadpanned.

Gifting the infuriating alpha with a final warning glare, Sanji turned and continued his pacing as he tried to convince himself none of this was a big deal. He'd wanted it last month––begged even––now would be no different. Zoro’s scent was acutely pungent since he hadn’t showered after getting home from work and was already starting to appeal to him. A little longer and he'd be physically ready for––

"ARGH! NO!" Tugging at his hair and screaming to silence that horrifying train of thought, Sanji screwed his eyes shut in a vain attempt to block out his impending doom. "No, no, no, no, no!"

For the past few days he’d gone back and forth between unbelievable excitement at the prospect of actually finding out what it’d be like to mate on his heat, and absolute terror over the idea of doing something so incredibly intimate with his neighbour. He didn’t regret his decision, but that didn’t mean everything was going to be copacetic right from the start. It wasn’t exactly easy preparing for the fact that very soon he was going to have to overcome years of stubborn prejudices and let down his walls a little.

Maybe even enjoy himself.

Through his lamenting, Sanji could hear a distinctive sigh. Rounding on the alpha with a fiery snarl, Sanji demanded, "What was that?!"

Eye closed and head lolled back against the armrest of the couch, Zoro gave a half-hearted grunt in response but remained otherwise motionless. He was the epitome of relaxation. If his goal was to ease Sanji's agitation, then it was working poorly and really just caused the exact opposite.

"No, go ahead, Mosshead." Sanji snapped, "Speak your mind!"

After a long silence, Zoro grunted, "S'nothing."

"What?” Jeering at the alpha, Sanji knew he was being unreasonable, but it was the only defense tactic he had when threatened with having a dick shoved in him. He knew that he had asked for it, but it didn’t stop him from being terrified, “Not into it anymore?"

"Not really." Zoro shrugged and opened his good eye, gazing at the ceiling and adding offhandedly, "Fucking someone on the verge of a panic attack isn't really my thing."

"Yeah––Well––" Stammering furiously, Sanji choked on his own anger before slumping in defeat. He placed his head in his hands and gave a dramatic sob, "You're not the one about get a big, stupid dick shoved in you!"

Quizzical gaze still on the ceiling, Zoro muttered, "Thanks… I guess?"

"It wasn't a compliment!" Sanji roared, but immediately jumped back and raised an arm and leg defensively as Zoro pushed himself off the couch. With only a slightly judgemental look, Zoro started walking away and Sanji snapped, “Where are you going?!”

“Getting a drink.” Zoro muttered, “It’s going to be a long night.”

Crossing his arms, Sanji growled, "I take offense to that."

"It was meant to be offensive; you're exhausting." Pulling open the fridge, Zoro sighed the second half under his breath but Sanji caught it anyway. Scowling while he watched Zoro nab a beer and hold it up, "Want one?"

Glaring down the alpha, Sanji wanted to decline simply on principle, but a beer might just be what he needed to relax and let his heat come naturally. He huffed, dropped down onto the couch, and then held out his hand expectantly, “Sure.”

Zoro nodded and grabbed a second.

Cradling both bottles between his fingers, Zoro braced them against the counter before popping the caps off with an effortless motion. Sanji couldn't decide whether it was efficient or lazy, and spoke up, “Isn’t that bad for the counter?”

“It’s not like I’m getting the deposit back,” Zoro grunted, then sent a sidelong glance to Sanji, “is it?”

That shut him up.

Heading back to the couch, Zoro slurped up some of the excess foam off the back of his hand and the bottle tops as he did––Sanji was repulsed before realizing that tongue had been in his mouth. That didn’t stop him from grimacing anyway, taking the bottle from Zoro when he handed it off, and pointedly not thinking about the alpha’s tongue as he took his first sip.

“Thanks.”

Zoro grunted in response.

Slumping back onto the couch, Sanji forced himself to sip at his beer and calm his nerves for what was to come. He stared at the television and tried to pay attention to what was happening, but found himself more in tune with the bouncing of his leg. Zoning out as he focused on the feeling of the hardwood flooring under his toes with each agitated movement.

It was difficult to simply set aside his reservations––a lot of it was so much more than just trusting an alpha with his heat. Being an omega was something he had struggled with for years. There were so many other complicated layers to being who he was, especially when involved with an alpha; the whole situation wasn’t nearly as glamorous as it seemed.

Omegas supposedly got everything handed to them on a silver platter––Sanji couldn’t count the amount of times he’d been told things were easier for him because of it––but with it came a slew of harassment and stereotyping; not to mention mental health issues. There were slanderous things always being said about female omegas, and male omegas were treated even worse––like property to attain because of their rarity.

Part of the reason he even felt comfortable asking Zoro was because it was clear that the alpha didn’t put him on a pedestal in any way. He could’ve done without the attitude, but it was miles better than the boot licking. If anything it was reassuring to know Zoro was honest about his intentions––Sanji just wished he could relax and stop overthinking these details so much.

They hadn’t really talked about any of this––mostly because Sanji was too embarrassed––but now that the big moment was inching closer he regretted not taking the alpha aside sooner and being honest. Except it wasn’t quite that easy. This was just a favour on Zoro’s part, and Sanji was miles away from being comfortable enough to spill his guts to a person he hardly knew.

“Oi.”

Startled out of his thoughts, Sanji glanced to Zoro only to find the alpha watching him with a flat look that might’ve been intended to be comforting but just came across as pitying. He reached out and Sanji immediately recoiled. To his credit, Zoro wasn’t offended and followed through by grabbing the empty beer bottle––Sanji hadn’t realized he’d already finished it––from Sanji’s hand and put it on the coffee table.

“Go back to yours.” Leaning back to his place on the couch, Zoro met Sanji’s gaze and grunted, “Text me if you change your mind.”

Sanji blinked––torn between grateful and irritated that the alpha was trying to accommodate him.

“No.” Face hardening, Sanji refused, “I already told you I’m doing this.”

Zoro looked skeptical.

“Here, just––” Getting fed up with his own apprehension, Sanji shifted on the couch until he was facing Zoro, a leg folded comfortably underneath him. He took a reassuring breath before pointing at his lips and ordering, “Kiss me.”

Titling his beer to his lips with a lazy hand, Zoro didn’t look away––nor did he blink––as he steadily knocked back the rest of it. He then lowered the empty bottle, but made no motion to move or follow Sanji’s orders. Resting the bottle on his thigh, he muttered, “...why?”

“Start small.” Sanji explained, “So I can get used to it.”

Zoro didn’t look convinced––face warped incredulously.

With a final, pointed look that told Zoro he wasn’t allowed to refuse; Sanji shut his eyes, tilted his chin up, and waited nervously for Zoro to just get it over with––once and for all shatter the last of Sanji's thinly constructed walls. A clink confirmed Zoro had set aside his beer on the coffee table while Sanji continued to psyche himself up, but after another minute where nothing happened, Sanji cracked open an eye to find Zoro glaring flatly at him.

Dropping his uncomfortable expression, Sanji huffed, “What?”

“I'm not exactly used to kissing people that look like they have a gun pointed to their head.”

“And I’m not exactly used to this.” Sanji grumbled while trying to find the words without revealing too much of himself, "It’s not like I’ve done this before! And last time was different; I was––you know––and what if it's not as good this time? What if I’m not––"

Zoro stared, “You’ve never had sex?”

“No, my heat!” Sanji snapped, “I’ve never been with someone on my heat!”

“You were serious about that?”

“Yeah.” Irritation thankfully made Sanji feel more like himself, and he scowled at the alpha, “That a problem?”

“No.”

There wasn’t really any visible reaction from the alpha which was reassuring––the last thing Sanji wanted was pity, or any smug attitude. He was once again reminded of Zoro’s unprecedented patience. Remembering how controlled, and careful, he had been through everything; and even now putting up with Sanji’s less than attitude.

“Alright, then could you fucking kiss me already before I second guess it?!” Sanji snapped, “‘Cause I already––”

Sanji’s rambling was abruptly cut short as Zoro reached out and gripped Sanji’s jaw.

It was a tender hold, but firm enough that it had anything coherent dying on the spot as Sanji stared wide eyed at the alpha. That smokey-grey stare hypnotizing him. He swallowed around his suddenly dry mouth––Zoro no doubt felt the motion. Then Zoro was leaning forward while coaxing Sanji in with the lightest of caresses to the underside of his jaw––he went willingly.

Soft, thin lips pressed against his that he remembered vividly from last time, but this time it was gentle––unhurried. Sanji sat wide-eyed for several moments processing. Then Zoro was angling his head to deepen the kiss and everything else sort of faded as Sanji melted into it––ready and eager.

It was different.

Not better, not worse; instead of a heady haze of heat and arousal smothering the kiss into something desperate and vague, there was a crispness to it that was incredible. Everything was sharp and in perfect clarity. Hot and wanting was its own brand of amazing, but tender and earnest was an arena of devastating.

There was no rush, and when Zoro was certain Sanji wasn't about to pull away his hand released the omega’s jaw to slide up and card reverently through soft hair. It was so gentle Sanji couldn’t help but lean into it. A pleasant, touch-starved moan slipped from him before he had a chance to smother it, but instead of laughing Zoro responded instinctively and hauled Sanji closer.

Hands urgent, but never forceful––pulling Sanji in at a pace that was more inviting than demanding until the omega was practically in his lap. They stroked reverently down until they rested on Sanji’s waist. Leaning back into the couch as he completely handed the control over to Sanji, allowing the omega to press him into the cushions with every exhilarating kiss.

Zoro never went faster than Sanji pressed, but soon it wasn’t enough.

That warmth curdling at the base of Sanji’s spine was starting to flare to life––spurred on by the alpha’s taste on his tongue––and his body started to itch for more. Hands twitching as he tugged on Zoro’s shirt. Reservations were quickly melting away as Sanji handed himself over to his more uninhibited side and stopped thinking so much. Inevitably they parted, and Sanji stared down at Zoro breathless––he hadn’t expected it to be that good.

Zoro arched a brow, "Okay?"

"Yeah…" Nodding slowly, and then a little more enthusiastic as he met Zoro's skeptical gaze and everything began to really settle in. He licked his lips nervously and breathed, "Yeah."

“What do you want?”

Sanji inhaled cautiously––that question set off a chain reaction in him.

Hands flexing in Zoro’s hair, Sanji was momentarily reminded how it had felt in his hands in the shower––how badly he’d wanted the alpha then. His apprehension waning with every passing second. Finally giving in to the desire coursing through him, Sanji pressed his body close to the alpha and focused on the way it set his instincts singing rather than his rational self fleeing.

“It better feel good…” Sanji surprised himself with the amount of strength he managed to put behind his own words. Swallowing as he felt a bit of his confidence return and added with a bark, “got it, shithead?”

For a minute Zoro just stared, and Sanji wondered if maybe he’d read it wrong. He waited with bated breath for any sort of reply––and was just about to move away––when Zoro sprung into motion. Grabbing Sanji around the waist and throwing him over his shoulder while rising to his feet––Sanji grunted in embarrassment.

“Argh!!!” Slumped over Zoro’s shoulder, Sanji was greeted with a spectacular view of the alpha’s rear. It was hard to enjoy however, as Zoro was striding out of the living room with a hurried intent that had Sanji panicking, “What the shit, Mosshead?”

“We’re going to need somewhere soft.” Zoro growled, and Sanji stilled in his struggling at the heated tone. A shiver travelled down Sanji’s spine when he clarified, “You won’t like the floor.”

Slapping his hands over his face, Sanji just hung limp as Zoro carried him to the bedroom, hating how the alpha was able to undo him with just a few words. He wanted to blame it on his heat, but it wasn’t even properly here yet. Realistically, there was something wrong with him, and it was embarrassing to think that the same irritating neighbour that he wanted to fight was also able to cause his stomach to flip over in arousal––he needed help.

A moment later Sanji was dumped on the bed––forced to brace himself on his elbows––gazing up at the alpha currently poised with one knee on the edge of the mattress as he tugged off his shirt and tossed it aside. Sanji stared unabashedly––jaw slack––as Zoro crawled up to lean over top of him. Soaking up the sight of the alpha’s massive frame flexing with every breath––Sanji’s mouth going dry––before landing on the nasty scar bisecting his chest.

Sanji balked, “What––”

“Later.”

Word muttered against Sanji’s lips, Zoro pressed Sanji into the mess of blankets with a hungry kiss that was much less restrained than before in the living room. Sanji forgot his curiosity. Leaning into the kiss, Sanji could feel himself growing hot as his own arousal mixed with that of his heat and began to overpower him.

Everything was getting steadily hotter and more stifling, the layers of clothes between them were torture––fabric horrible and rough on his skin. He could feel himself getting hard. Even Zoro’s scent was starting to become sweet and suffocating––making his body begin to ready for what was to come. Impatience replaced Sanji’s earlier apprehension as he reached for the top button of his shirt only to have his hands knocked aside.

“Mm.” Pulling back, Zoro hummed playfully, “No.”

Gripping Sanji’s wrists in one hand and pinning them to the sheets, Zoro’s other hand slid down to start undoing the buttons himself as he settled between Sanji’s thighs. Sanji felt something primal spark inside him––an intoxicating rush at being dominated. Even though his cheeks darkened with a heated blush, Sanji had enough stubbornness to scowl up at the alpha currently bearing down on him.

A rumble of approval from the alpha had Sanji shivering, and his hands flexed under the powerful hold––Zoro met Sanji’s fiery glare with a teasing, if predatory, grin, “You like it, huh?”

“Eat shit, Mosshead!”

Voice horrifyingly breathy; Sanji wondered if one could die of embarrassment. He wanted to cuss out his damnedable omega genetics, but innate or not, Sanji couldn’t deny there was something powerful and amazing about being aggressively pinned by the alpha and at the same time knowing that he’d never be hurt––it had instincts rising up inside him that he couldn’t understand.

Zoro just chuckled.

Tightening his grip on Sanji’s wrists a fraction, Zoro dropped his free hand to palm Sanji’s steadily hardening member through his pants. Each fondle was rough, and possessive, and perfect. A satisfied breath huffed out of the alpha as he gave a firm squeeze and watched intently as a needy moan was punched out of Sanji.

“How much of this is your heat,” Zoro’s teasing was light and playful, but the underlying growl and heaviness to his breaths had Sanji’s skin tingling in anticipation. There was a promising rumble to the alpha’s words that Sanji’s body readily reacted to. With another rewarding stroke to Sanji’s now aching dick, Zoro leaned down to murmur through bared teeth, “and how much is me?”

“Heat.” Sanji snapped around a groan, “All heat; fuck you!”

Zoro rolled his eye.

“Relax, Curly.”

Jerking at his wrists, Sanji snapped, “Don’t tell me what to do!”

Soothing Sanji’s hostility with a chaste kiss, Zoro pulled away entirely and his hands returned to brace on the bed. Sanji wished he had better control, but a disappointed whine slipped out of him before he could stop it. Even when Sanji clamped both hands across his mouth in horror, Zoro didn’t flinch––he just continued to watch Sanji calmly.

“I’m not going to do anything you don’t want,” Zoro assured simply, “we go at your pace.”

Under Zoro’s intense stare, a blush started creeping up Sanji’s cheeks and his lips pressed together in embarrassment. His hands flexed nervously––still feeling the phantom press of Zoro’s fingers digging in. Turning away so he was no longer forced to stare into the alpha’s sincere gaze.

“It’s fine.” Sanji muttered in his palm––embarrassed, “Just––”

“Want me to do it again?”

“Yea–– No! I mean––” Hand sliding up to brace across his eyes, Sanji groaned, “Fuck.”

There was no sane way to explain that he liked getting pinned down, but he didn’t like getting pinned down––his body was on board with something his mind was still struggling to understand. These conflicting vicissitudes were giving Sanji whiplash––it would almost be easier if Zoro just pinned him down and took him––but instead the alpha had the audacity to be nice.

“It’s just…” Keeping his eyes shut, Sanji muttered, “fuckin’ embarrassing.”

“Alright. Got it––no pinning.” Chuckling, Zoro leaned down to press a kiss to Sanji’s lips. Then added, “For now.”

Sanji kept his eyes scrunched shut.

Steady hands returned to properly unbutton Sanji’s shirt, eventually getting it open and slipping inside to run up the length of Sanji’s body. Zoro’s touch scalding. There was a possessiveness to his grip, Zoro’s hands running greedily up Sanji’s body––hot and hard and aggressive. Followed shortly by Zoro’s mouth, tracing the path his hands left with tactful finesse, as though trying to memorize every inch.

A kiss to his hip had Sanji arching eagerly under Zoro’s attention as his previous arousal hadn’t waned. His hands came down to tangle in Zoro’s hair as the alpha slowly worked his way up. A particularly hard suck on Sanji’s chest had his hands tensing and Zoro stilling.

Zoro murmured against Sanji’s skin, “Too much?”

"Aahh, shit…" Cursing around a moan, Sanji’s hands flexed in Zoro’s hair before sneering, “No, shut up; don't stop.”

Zoro chuckled at Sanji’s half-assed threat.

Continuing his exploration up Sanji’s body, Zoro gave a few more playful bites to Sanji’s nipple before slipping a little higher and pressing his face into the crook of Sanji’s neck with a rough kiss. Even just the barest whisper of the alpha scenting him had Sanji’s breath quickening, and he tugged Zoro in by the grip in his hair––holding the alpha as his head started spinning from the rush.

Letting himself be dragged around, Zoro pressed another greedy kiss to Sanji’s neck before properly scenting him this time. An appreciative groan accompanying the motion. Rubbing against Sanji’s skin while slipping a hand beneath the omega’s lower back, hauling him up at the same time Zoro rolled his hips eagerly––his obvious arousal grinding into Sanji’s hip.

Sanji moaned––feeling the evidence of Zoro’s interest was a whole new level of intense.

Hauling Zoro back by his hair, Sanji gazed up at the obviously punch-drunk alpha that was still pointedly rolling his hips. His pupil was blown wide. It was incredibly intoxicating to think that even on the edge of his heat that his scent was able to make Zoro this turned on; that he had this much power over the alpha.

Gaze flicking down, Sanji slowly slipped his hands from Zoro’s hair, down his neck, to splay across Zoro’s chest and paused at the feeling of the hot skin. He could feel Zoro’s aroused breathing. Knowing that he was the cause of it had Sanji’s body thrumming. His hands skimmed lower over hardened dips and crevasses of muscle––flexing and tightening with each roll of his hips.

Sanji’s eyes inevitably turned back up to meet Zoro’s heated gaze then he was leaning forward and slanting his lips over Sanji’s again.

Sanji’s eyes slipped shut––drowning in the kiss.

Arms linking around Zoro’s shoulders, Sanji allowed himself to get swept up in the exhilarating sensations he had been denied last time. He hardly noticed as Zoro all but ripped their clothes off. Tossing them aside like they had offended him, and soon had Sanji back underneath him with nothing separating them.

Splayed out on the sheets––legs thrown over Zoro’s thighs––the alpha stroked Sanji’s length with purposeful intent as his other hand slid lower. Pleasure raced through his body as Zoro's fingers found his entrance, and a finger pressed inside.

"Fuck…" Zoro sounded wrecked, "You're so wet…"

"Shut u––ah!"

Sanji clamped a hand over his mouth, but it was too late––he’d already let slip the moan.

Spurred on by Sanji’s gasping, Zoro slipped it in all the way to the knuckle––grinding his hand as deep as it would go––keeping up the expert motion with his other. Sanji whimpered into his palm. Then Zoro started working his hand with purposeful thrusts that had Sanji’s hand falling away and moaning outright; he hadn’t expected it to feel this good.

"Eager for my big stupid dick," Chuckling and pressing another finger inside, Zoro jeered at the gasp he managed to wrangle out of the stubborn omega, "huh, Curly?"

"Oh, god…" Running a distressed hand through his hair, Sanji tried to focus on Zoro's words but the fingers inside him we're blissfully distracting. He didn't even want to know why the alpha was so adept at this, but he did know that he didn't like the shitty alpha's tone. As Zoro curled his fingers Sanji managed on an exhale, "Fuck, I hate you."

Zoro laughed, "I know."

"Stop teasing already." Sanji snapped, "Just get on with it!"

"That's not very polite."

"How about my foot finds your teeth?” Eyes snapping open, Sanji bared his teeth at the alpha, “How's that for polite?!"

“Just wanna make sure we’re going at your pace.” Gently grazing his lips along the length of Sanji's clavicle, Zoro pressed a kiss to the skin before glancing up. “Wouldn’t wanna push you.”

“Fucking jerk.”

Zoro chuckled like he was proud of the fact, but withdrew his hands anyway.

Flipping Sanji over and hauling him onto his knees, Zoro kept one hand firmly on the omegas hip as the other dragged across Sanji's dripping entrance with a reverent groan. Sanji's cock jumped at the sound. Burying his face into the sheets, Sanji was forced to deal with the whole new embarrassing experience of being in this position––he was just relieved Zoro couldn't see how red his face.

"Fuck…" Grabbing Sanji's ass in a hard grip, Zoro hooked his thumb around and pressed it inside. Just the tip. Teasing as Zoro let out a moan of approval, "you're so ready…"

Sanji wanted to say something smart, Sanji wanted to bite back with something witty, Sanji wanted to be so much stronger, but all he could do was fist the sheets and bite back a whimper as he waited for the alpha to just get on with it already.

Arousal had his head swimming––his dick was painfully hard, slick was starting to run down his thighs, and the muted heat that had been building over the course of the evening was starting to pump strong. Everything was becoming more acute, and he knew it wasn’t long before that aching was going to start.

Zoro's thumb pulled away.

A moment later the velvety hot head of his cock pressed at Sanji’s entrance and surprised an eager moan out of him. It was impossible to tell what was the burning haze of his heat and what was the painful arousal Zoro had inflicted on him. There was a final caress of Zoro’s hand down his back, and then Zoro was entering.

At the same pace Zoro pushed into him, Sanj could feel the air being squeezed from his lungs. Even with all the fingering and slick currently running down his legs, it was still an amazingly tight fit. He’d been prepared for the pain, but what he hadn’t been ready for was how overwhelming it was to have someone so full and hard and ready inside of him.

It was just… so much.

Vision dancing with stars and black dots, Sanji knew he was forgetting to breathe, but was so lost in the pleasure radiating through his body it was hard to focus on anything else. Arousal and heat sated with each glorious inch the alpha sunk into him. He’d had no idea that being filled like this could bring a whole new kind of completion––or that it would make him this dizzy...

A sharp smack to his skin had Sanji gasping in a lung full of air in surprise––eyes flying open as a hand slipped around his waist and he was hauled back. He fell into Zoro’s lap. Back plastered to Zoro’s front as the alpha dropped a consoling hand around Sanji’s throbbing cock and continued to remain deep and firm inside him

Trembling through the pleasure, Sanji let his head loll back to rest on the alpha’s shoulder and tried to catch his breath. Gasping a few times to get himself reigned in, Sanji found his breathing gradually returning to him despite the mind-numbing sensations to his lower half.

“Did––” Turning his head to snarl at the alpha, Sanji tried to put some fire behind his indignation. It was only minorly disruptive that Zoro’s hand hadn’t stopped its pleasant stroking, “Did you just spank me?”

“Mhm.” Zoro hummed with a proud little nod, and instead of apologizing he wrapped a hand around Sanji’s waist. Holding tight as he ground his hips up in a teasing little thrust before whispering back, “Don’t get all pissy; I know you liked it.”

“Presumptuous––ANH!” Sanji cried out as Zoro gave another shallow thrust, before recovering with a growl, “ah… jerk!”

“You say that,” Slipping his other hand past the one currently working Sanji’s cock, he fingered gently at the slick still oozing out of Sanji despite the cock currently inside him. Sanji swallowed and trembled from the touch as Zoro pressed a tender kiss to Sanji’s sweaty neck and murmured, “but I can feel that you liked it.”

“I hate you.”

"It's okay…" Another chaste kiss grazed Sanji's neck and Zoro murmured on a smile, "You don’t have to like me for this."

At this rate Sanji wouldn't have been surprised if the blush had spread to his neck and shoulders––such was his embarrassment. And true to his word Zoro began to pump his hips. A gorgeous, perfect pace that instantly had Sanji on the edge of his climax, unable to focus on anything but his impending release; it was becoming too much and with Zoro’s hand on him he wasn’t going to last.

Sanji reached down to try and bat Zoro’s hands away, but it was completely ineffective, instead it just earned a chuckle from the alpha. Zoro picked up the pace of his strokes while his other hand was free to wander––card through Sanji’s hair, trace over his thighs––touching Sanji everywhere he could to coax Sanji closer and closer to his peak.

“I’m gonna––” Sanji choked.

Humming in approval, Zoro stroked a hand over Sanji’s rear where the mark he had made earlier was still ringing and then down between his legs. He could feel Zoro’s fingers pressing at the ring of his entrance, and bit down a whimper as Zoro murmured the order, “Come.”

“You fuckin’—” Head lolling forward, Sanji gasped out the words and stared through blurry eyes at the string of pre-cum currently drooling onto his stomach. Zoro gave a teasing roll of his hips, and Sanji came undone. Clamping his eyes shut, Sanji failed to bite back a sharp whine as his cock began spurting a load as he cursed his way through the orgasm, “Fuuuuuuck, fuck fuck fuck, oh fuckin’ hell. ANH!!!”

“Always knew you would be a talker.”

Panting, Sanji managed between gasps, “Go... die.”

Kneeling in Zoro’s lap, Sanji struggled to get his breathing under control even as the vestiges of his orgasm kept wracking his body. He couldn’t stop his legs from shaking. A dull ringing had started in his ears, and instead of coming down from his climax it felt like he was stuck just on the edge of its apex.

Akin to pouring gasoline on the kindling embers of his heat––one moment it was a timid desire at the recesses of his mind, and the next it was a raging inferno that had his body trembling. He hadn’t thought that it would kick in so fast. With his release––and the alpha inside him––that gradual build up during his heat was rendered useless, and all at once he was thrust into the densest part of his heat.

Zoro’s scent was suddenly suffocating.

“Fuck,” Gasping through his blinding arousal, Sanji reached down to palm his member and yelped at how painfully sensitive it was. His cock was rock hard and that heat was all consuming––an ache had started deep in his bones. He gave a tentative stroke and whimpered, “It’s still so fucking hard. It hurts.”

“Huh.” Zoro made a soft noise. “You really haven’t fucked during your heat before, have you?”

Throwing a murderous glare to Zoro, Sanji nearly spat venom, “No!”

“Well…” Rocking his hips forward––Sanji groaned––Zoro paused when he got the reaction he was looking for and then proceeded to stay in place while returning his hand to run soothingly along Sanji’s thigh, “you’re going to be hard for a hell of a lot longer.”

"Shit."

Cussing and smacking his head back against Zoro’s shoulder, Sanji struggled to stop himself from shaking. He released his length and gripped Zoro’s wrists desperately. It was getting harder to think straight by the minute; he was drowning in Zoro’s scent and nothing felt like enough. Even his teeth were aching with how badly his body wanted more.

"Shit."

“You don’t have to do anything else; I’ll take care of you.”

Whispering the words softly against Sanji’s ear, Zoro’s hand came up to cradle Sanji’s jaw and gently turned Sanji to look at him. His thumb brushed across Sanji’s cheek. All teasing from earlier was forgotten, and Zoro sounded much as he had last month when he had genuinely been looking out for Sanji.

"What do you need?"

"--re." Sanji croaked, embarrassed.

“Huh?”

“More.” Sanji repeated. “I need you to fuck me.”

“Yeah…” Zoro’s voice didn’t sound like it belonged to him, “Alright.”

Easing Sanji forward onto the bedspread––Sanji gripping the sheets in an effort to ground himself––Zoro rested a hand soothingly on Sanji’s back. Sanji choked on a gasp. Palm hot and steady, it felt like a brand to his already burning skin and instinctively had the omega freezing in place.

His cock twitched where it was trapped between him and the bed. Already he could feel more pre-cum leaking from the tip and rubbing against his stomach, and Sanji couldn’t believe he was still so painfully hard; he’d read the books and seen the porn, but he truly had no idea how unbelievably persistent this arousal was.

He whimpered as Zoro moved to straddle Sanji’s thighs.

A hand fell to his waist with a reassuring grip before Zoro started rolling his hips forward, and the remaining vestiges of Sanji’s sanity cumbled. Getting brought to completion in Zoro’s lap had been an enlightening experience, but having Zoro’s full weight rocking inside of him was truly transcendent. His eyes rolled back, and everything from that point on was pure sensation. Zoro’s grip turned possessive as he practically dragged Sanji bodily back into each hard thrust––the slapping of skin on skin broken only by the occasional growl from Zoro and keened whine from Sanji.

“Fuck, Zoro… Ah, ah, anh~” Sanji shivered as Zoro snapped his hips, “FUCK!”

Again Sanji could feel Zoro’s thumb pressing against the rim of his opening, stretching him just that extra bit further as Zoro worked his soaked hole. Sanji whimpered and Zoro groaned filthily into his ear, “I like the way you moan my name.”

Sanji’s response was a garbled, desperate thing.

Falling back into a slower, harder rhythm as his hands trailed up––stroking up Sanji’s frame before planting them on the bed and ducking low to nuzzle his face between Sanji’s shoulder blades. Lips grazing across sweat slick skin––tongue darting out to taste––inching higher with alternating kisses and licks until he reached Sanji’s nape. Damp hair clinging to the skin.

A gust of hot air was panted there, and Sanji could tell by the sound that it was exhaled through gritted teeth––Zoro on the cusp of restraint. It was reminiscent of the first time Zoro had pinned him to the bed like this.

One of Zoro’s hands retreated from where it was braced in the bedding, and reached up to sweep Sanji’s hair away from his nape. His hand tangled in the sweaty strands and pinned Sanji’s face into the sheets. Allowing his head to twist to the side so he could gasp desperately around every thrust Zoro was still pounding into him, and then Zoro dipped forward and Sanji forgot to breathe.

Zoro’s teeth latched onto his neck.

A choked scream was ripped from Sanji’s chest at the sudden explosion of desire that tore through him the second the alpha had him pinned––not breaking skin––but hard enough to lock in place. Every fibre of Sanji’s body lighting up as he was brought to completion for the second time––Zoro’s growl of approval vibrated across Sanji’s skin and throughout his whole body.

Everything was spinning.

Keeping up the ruthless pace, Zoro released the skin to press a possessive kiss to Sanji’s neck before dragging his teeth up to bite at Sanji’s ear. Hot air gushed over the shell and Sanji’s whole body shivered. Tightening around Zoro’s next few thrusts and pulling matching groans of approval from both of them.

Moaning around a breathless exhale, Snaji could feel Zoro’s smirk at the shell of his ear, “Ready for my knot?”

Sanji sobbed into the sheets.

“Want me to leave it in?” Zoro purred, “Or out?”

At just the mention of getting knotted Sanji’s body ached––everything he’d ever read or seen about it running through his cloudy mind––desperate for it. His body wouldn’t stop trembling. There was tightness to his skin that was near painful. Even though he’d just gotten a second release everything was still suffocating––body aching, head pounding––Zoro’s scent alone had him feeling on the verge of passing out.

“In.” Sanji choked out, “In.”

Zoro’s growl of appreciation was animalistic.

Pulling away entirely, Zoro’s hands took a painful grip on his hips and Sanji could already tell he was going to bruise. He used the angle to piston himself into Sanji at a brutal pace. For the first time that evening selfishly using Sanji’s body to achieve his own release and it only heightened Sanji’s arousal as Zoro continued to fuck Sanji through his post-orgasmic shivers.

An absolute destroyed groan was punched from Zoro as he pressed in as far as he could manage and then pinned himself there––allowing only for shallow thrusts as he spilled his load. A wave of heat flooding Sanji’s insides. Followed shortly after by a pressure that caused Sanji’s eyes to fly open as he felt Zoro’s length begin to expand steadily.

“Oh, fuck…” Sanji whimpered. “Shit.”

There was no pain, but the feeling of it growing large inside him had Sanji’s chest begin to constrict––beyond the intoxicating pressure––there was an intimacy that was devastating. Filled to the point of breaking. Primal and hot––the physical sensation of being owned––tied to his alpha by every sense of the word.

It was the key––the solution––to every heat he’d ever suffered through. That feeling of completion at being filled calmed the desperation of his heat and lulled it into a comfortable simmer that had his mind and body singing; he hadn’t known that this was exactly what he’d needed until this very moment. No amount of testimonies from other omegas could’ve possibly convinced him, nor conveyed, why this was complete and utter perfection.

“Fuck…” Sanji gasped, and it transformed into a happy whine, “Zoro~”

Zoro grit his teeth around a groan of agreement.

Several moments passed, Zoro remained poised above him as they both came down from their highs––a hand braced firmly near Sanji’s shoulder to keep himself from collapsing and crushing the omega. Zoro panted heavily and Sanji could hear each exhale through his gritted teeth. It was remarkable just how affected the alpha was––Sanji knew knotting was exhilarating for body parties, but he’d never seen it up close.

Eventually their breathing evened out to something more tolerable, but Sanji remained with his eyes shut basking in the afterglow. He hadn’t known how perfect it would be, he didn’t know how he was supposed to go without it again––he didn’t even know how he was going to let Zoro pull out. Every heat from now on was going to pale in comparison to this; he’d ruined himself for good. If he was in less of a heat daze he may find that thought concerning.

A heavy exhale announced Zoro had his faculties back.

Slipping an arm beneath Sanji’s limp body, Zoro held the omega to his chest as he turned over and sat with his back braced against the headboard. Sanji seated––locked––in his lap. Head lolling back against the alpha’s shoulder––body trembling––desperately trying to adjust to the sensations roiling within him at having Zoro knotted inside him.

Lethargic arms slipped up to wrap around Sanji’s waist––holding tight. Slumping forward into the hard embrace and burying his face in Sanji’s shoulder, the alpha rubbed there for a moment––scenting him––after an audible swallow, Zoro managed through a hoarse grumble, “You smell like mine.”

Sanji moaned––his body reacting unconsciously to the possessive words.

With a jilted whine, Zoro slowly lifted his head and sucked at Sanji’s neck, and Sanji felt his heart nearly leap out of his throat. Sanji dared not move lest he mess with the alpha’s concentration––Zoro was obviously still enjoying his high from knotting. A hot lathe of his tongue was followed up with the locking press of his teeth––not hard, not breaking skin––but simply pressing lightly against Sanji’s burning flesh and feeling each of Sanji’s breaths beneath his mouth.

Very gently, Zoro pulled back so his knot tugged just a little at Sanji’s rim and a possessive growl was hummed into the omega’s skin. A destroyed moan fell from Sanji’s lips. Reaching up a lethargic hand to thread into green hair and grip painfully tight to urge the alpha on––he couldn’t believe how persistent this arousal was, but at least the knot had helped stifle the more unbearable parts of his heat.

Zoro’s mouth slowly detached, and Sanji had to fight down his disappointment.

A final, horribly tender kiss was pressed to Sanji’s neck, and then the alpha was peering at Sanji––never once breaking the gentle rocking of his hips. Zoro’s eye was lidded––arousal blowing the pupil wide. Hands twitching on Sanji’s thighs, Zoro groaned, "Want more?"

“Mhm.” Dragging Zoro down by the hand still tangled in his hair, Sanji moaned against Zoro’s lips––mocking him, “You’re the one that offered me a decent fuck.”

That earned a bark of laughter from Zoro––followed by a fond eye roll.

They stayed like that for a while, Zoro teasingly grinding his knot into Sanji until he had managed to wring another orgasm from the riled omega. Keeping themselves occupied until Zoro’s knot had gone down far enough for him to pull out, pin Sanji back to the bed, and make good on his word.

~X~

Eyes fluttering open, Sanji glanced down at the soapy water currently rippling against his chest––a soothing warmth that complimented the pleasant satisfaction thrumming through his body. A few muscle relaxants and a hot bath had Sanji a deflated mess. If it wasn’t for Zoro’s hand around his waist, he’d have slipped under the water and drowned a long time ago.

Sanji had never felt like this after a heat.

With his past heats, no matter if he touched himself, or not, at the end there was a terrible tension within him he wasn’t able to shake––a stiffness that lasted days after. Sanji expected the same for mating, but for different reasons––instead he was relaxed and fulfilled. That heady rush of endorphins singing throughout his body made him wish he’d never been so stubborn about all of this.

After nearly two days they’d come out the other side thoroughly drained and satiated––thankfully Zoro still had the fortitude to run a bath and get the both of them into it. Despite getting just as lost in the intoxicating nature of the heat, Zoro had regularly pulled himself away to make sure Sanji was properly taken care of––hydrated, fed, and medicated––even now the alpha was stroking Sanji’s hip reassuringly under the water.

Sanji tilted his head back to look up at Zoro.

Head resting against the tiled wall––eye shut peacefully––the alpha’s face was the most relaxed Sanji had yet to see. Which made sense considering the circumstances. As much as Sanji had enjoyed his heat, there was no question the alpha had been enjoying himself. That thought alone had his lips pressing together proudly.

Gaze flicking to Zoro’s scar, Sanji inspected it quietly until Zoro sensed the attention and his eye flicked open––gifting Sanji with a silent look. They stayed like that for a while. Neither speaking a word as Sanji continued to look up at the alpha; gaze shifting between Zoro’s stormy grey eye, then to his scar, before back again.

“What.” Zoro grunted.

“What happened?”

Before all of this Sanji would have been a bit more tactful, but there was an ease between them now––after being literally, physically connected for two days it was hard to feel shy any more. He couldn’t exactly feign modesty now. Especially since this was going to become a monthly occurrence––which Sanji found oddly thrilling.

“Bad day at work.” Zoro paused, and then continued without prompting, as though expecting the question, “Auto shop; mainly motorbikes.”

Sanji nodded somberly before murmuring, “That explains the smell.”

“Huh?”

It was more of a grunt than an actual word.

Tilting his head back further so Sanji was properly able to look at the alpha, his bangs fell into his eyes but he had no intention of lifting his hands out of the bath to fix them. He gave a quick puff to fix them best he could. Finally meeting Zoro’s gaze and explaining, “You smell like metal.”

“Ah.”

They continued to stare lazily at each other.

“You smell like seasalt.” Zoro eventually muttered, “It’s nice.”

Sanji fought down a blush, but couldn’t stop his heart from flipping over.

Rationally, Sanji knew that all this fondness wasn’t real––just the semi-permanent bond that came from mating during his heat––but it was hard to ignore how ridiculously giddy being near the alpha made him feel. Zoro’s hand was absently trailing up and down Sanji’s hip under the water––a constant, reassuring touch despite the fact that Sanji was literally leaning against the alpha’s chest––and it was making the heart skip. If he wasn’t careful he was going to say something stupid.

Without a word, Zoro lifted the hand he had rested along the edge of the tub and reached out to lightly brush Sanji’s bangs to the side so they were back in the correct place. He stared for a moment. Then offered a smile––that was more a twitch at the corner of his lip than anything else––before settling back and his eye fell shut.

Sanji sat in horror.

That touch and that smile caused Sanji’s heart to jackhammer in his chest––almost painfully––and his face flushed a brilliant red as he quickly looked away to make sure Zoro didn’t see. His eyes bugging. Desperately forcing his breathing to remain steady so Zoro would notice––silently panicking as Sanji realized that his superficial attraction to the alpha may have gotten out of hand.

Mating with him might not have been the best idea...

TBC...

Chapter Text

Wet slapping filled the room as the alpha fucked into the trembling omega. On his knees, Sanji had a hand braced against the headboard to keep himself from being thrust into it while his other forearm lay as a ballast upon the bed to ensure he wouldn’t completely crumble into it.

They’d been at it for days.

On the tail end of Sanji’s heat – mostly just for pleasure rather than relief at this point – Zoro was taking his time playing with Sanji as he’d bring the omega right to the edge before easing off. He’d done it twice now, and Sanji could feel himself building again. Already he knew Zoro was going to pull off the second he started to feel Sanji’s body tightening, and sure enough, Zoro stopped.

An irritated whine accompanied Sanji’s curse, “ Fuuuck~ ”

Nails running delightful and light down Sanji’s back, Zoro’s hands caressed from broad shoulders to tense waist. A reassuring squeeze given as his thrusts stopped—hips pressing flush against Sanji’s rear. Hands releasing to give a final teasing flick to Sanji's trembling thighs before coming to hang at Zoro’s sides until the only part of him touching the omega was the thick member currently inside him.

“Fuck yourself,” Zoro murmured; giving a coaxing wiggle of his hips before going still once more, “I wanna see you want it.”

Sanji glared into the bed, but started to move.

“You’re––unh,” Sanji whimpered as he pressed back on Zoro’s length, “such––aNH!” Rocking forward and then sliding back with a bit more force this time, “such a… Fuck! Oh fuck…” Zoro’s rock hard cock was stretching him so perfectly, and every time he pressed in, the head dragged gloriously over that sweet spot inside that had him seeing stars, “fucking jerk! ”

Zoro chuckled—his voice lazy and breathy, "You love it."

A flutter at the words had Sanji masking the way his body clenched around Zoro’s cock in arousal with plaintive fury, "Would love for you to stop making me do all the work, you fucking lazy piece of shiiii—"

Zoro snapped his hips forward hard to cut Sanji’s whining short.

"Hah?" Zoro’s smirk was audible , “Wazzat?”

"Hate you."

Murmuring a few more choice words into the sheets – keeping up his pace rocking back onto the alpha – Sanji let his eyes drift shut as his release once again was building. Zoro’s engorged head was rubbing just right inside. Carefully removing his hand from its place at the headboard, Sanji began to slip down to finally relieve himself only for Zoro to catch the wrist and press it playfully into the bed.

“Nuh-uh,” the alpha crooned, “Not yet.”

Sanji moaned unhappily into the sheets.

Hips stuttering to a stop, Zoro grabbing him not only broke his rhythm, but also his concentration. Sanji’s cock twitched heavily between his thighs. Once again losing his build up—already he could feel that peak tapering back off.

“Damn it! ” Sanji snarled, “Lemme come!”

Starting up with his own tiny, grinding thrusts, Zoro put his weight forward to rest on Sanji’s pinned hand while the other traced tenderly down Sanji’s arched back. His thrusts were nice, but not nearly enough. They were meant to tease, not bring either of them to completion.

Zoro purred, “Not unless you ask nicely.”

“Fucking bastard.”

“Hm?” Zoro stilled, “Didn’t catch that?”

Through gritted teeth, Sanji hissed, "—ease."

"What?"

A few seconds passed, and Sanji tried again, "Please."

"Please what?"

Glaring at the headboard and imaging torture involving fire – perhaps some poison and razorblades – Sanji heavily debated kicking the alpha off and just finishing himself with his own two hands. With a cheek pressed into the sheets, Sanji mumbled dryly, "Please go and die."

Zoro chuckled.

That smug, prideful chuckle was almost enough to do it, but Sanji was far more desperate to feel the alpha cum inside him so he let it go—unbeknownst to the lucky bastard.

Swallowing his own pride, Sanji grumbled, "Please… stop teasing.”

"Well… since you asked."

Zoro reared back.

Hands falling to Sanji’s waist – his grip deliciously promising – Zoro gave an apologetic squeeze before pulling out and leaning back. Sanji was forced to muffle a whine of relief and desperation. He hated the feeling of being left empty, but knew it would be worth it in a moment—Zoro always made sure to knot Sanji on his back.

It was unspokenly chivalrous, although might have had more to do with Sanji's grouching over being crushed into the bed than it did with the alpha showing any initiative. However, Sanji did appreciate the consistency ever since he’d complained.

With a skillful motion, Zoro managed to flip Sanji effortlessly on his back before settling between the omega’s thighs. Cock hard and glistening with slick. It hung heavily between them. Bobbing just enough to tap against Sanji’s thigh and leave a few sticky spots of the omega’s own juices before Zoro grabbed it up in his hand—he gave it a few, greedy strokes.

Finishing with his hand cupping the head before lining it and using his thumb to push inside. Resting an arm by Sanji’s hip to roll himself forward and slide the rest of the way in with one smooth motion. Hips flush against Sanji. Sack pressed hotly between them. Thick, hard length once more stretching Sanji blissfully open as Zoro allowed his full weight to press the omega into the bed.

“ Fuckin’ ...” Sanji hissed, “ finally. ”

Zoro chuckled.

Once the momentary ecstasy faded, Zoro was able to look down at Sanji with a bit of returned clarity and offer a promising smirk of what was to come. No more teasing, no more playing—it was going to just be about their release now.

Sanji hated what that look did to him.

Swallowing around a nearly painful dry throat, Sanji reached out a hand only to have Zoro move in; anticipating Sanji’s wants before he even knew them himself. His arm looped around the alpha’s shoulders as Zoro leaned in close. A hand coming to drag down Sanji’s arm in adoration.

Twisting around to hook over Sanji’s shoulder, Zoro knelt a little wider – forcing Sanji’s legs further apart – then slipped his other hand beneath Sanji’s lower back to force the omega’s hips to cant upwards. Zoro gave a chaste kiss to Sanji’s throat. Then his entire body tightened – like the crack of whip – all parts moving in unison to begin thrusting into Sanji with feral intent.

That hand on Sanji’s shoulder dragged him down onto Zoro’s length with all of his strength – arm flexing, veins popping – as the alpha’s hips snapped forward just as hard. Using Sanji wholly. Chasing their release almost brutally. Fucking Sanji into the bed, the alpha’s other hand still pinned beneath Sanji’s back – skin of Zoro’s palm scaldingly hot – as his fingers dug in gloriously.

“ Fuck, ” Sanji keened, “ Zoro … I need—”

“I gotchu,” Zoro moaned against the shell of Sanji’s ear, “don’t I always take care of you?”

Releasing Sanji’s shoulder – but never faltering in his pace – Zoro dropped a hand to Sanji’s leaking, swollen cock and began working it with expert finesse. One hand working him from the front, one hand clutching him from the back, and a hard length sliding into him between both. On the edge of oblivion, Sanji’s head spun with vertigo and all it would take was a push for him to fall.

“Don’t worry, Curls,” Teeth baring with the words, Zoro dragged them over Sanji’s throat with thinly veiled restraint, “‘M gonna fill you up nice and tight; breed you ‘till it’s leaking out ‘round my knot.”

“Shitshitshitshit— Please .”

“So polite~ ”

Zoro’s breathless laugh didn’t hold nearly as much clout this time.

Sanji could feel Zoro’s knot starting to grow—arching with a gasp.

“Soaked with my cum—you smell so good,” Zoro emphasized his groan with a poignant thrust—grinding deep. His mouth dipped low to lathe his tongue over Sanji’s neck. Hot trail of saliva left in his wake stinging in the cool air as Zoro all but shuddered—his length throbbing inside Sanji, “Like mine .”

Those words had Sanji trembling.

Under normal circumstances they’d warrant fury, but when they were like this – when Sanji could feel Zoro coming undone inside him – he reveled in it. Basked in Zoro’s lost sanity. So completely overcome by his instincts he couldn’t maintain the fortitude to not pin Sanji down and completely claim him.

Sanji knew he should hate it, but here – like this – he indulged the fantasy.

Whining happily, Sanji slid his hands up to tangle in green hair – clenching tight, pulling possessively – hauling the alpha close and slanting his mouth over those devilish lips. Sanji moaned happily and received a pleased hum in return from the alpha. Sanji may have smelled like Zoro’s, but all of this belonged to Sanji.

Every thrust from the alpha soon had his knot pulling at Sanji’s entrance until Zoro had no choice but to remain seated deep inside while grinding his knot right against that spot that had Sanji seeing stars. His own release finally punching through him. Hot spunk splattering between them as Zoro effortlessly stroked Sanji through his orgasm while letting himself go as well.

“ Ahn~ ” Arching blissfully, Sanji moaned, “Zoro!”

Lips hovering against Sanji’s, Zoro breathed in every moan and gasp from the omega as he fucked Sanji through their simultaneous release. Zoro’s eye lidded dazedly. Mentally gone as the alpha finally got the release he’d been denying himself – as well as Sanji – for the past while.

Spent cock twitching in earnest, Sanji splayed back on the bed as he melted into the end of his orgasm. Watching until Zoro inevitably stilled – cock still pulsing inside, knot firmly locking him in place – Sanji’s name practically tumbled from the alpha’s numb lips before slumping into the omega for a lazy kiss.

They remained entwined like that for several minutes. Kissing tenderly to pass the time as the alpha continued to kneel over the omega – knot keeping him rigidly locked inside – while they enjoyed the buzzing bliss of their release. There was no reason to rush.

Sanji particularly enjoyed it.

In truth, his heat had faded to tolerable levels hours ago, but the past few months, Sanji had taken to stretching out his time with the alpha for as long as he could manage. He knew he was pushing his luck, but he just couldn't bring himself to stop. It was mortifying, but he'd become addicted.

Not just to the sensational dynamic that was their phenomenal mating, but to Zoro ; the alpha had grown on him – as aptly as his nickname might suggest – like a fungus. He enjoyed his company—snide comments and lazy drawls. An attitude that had, at first, set him on edge was now delightfully charming.

Seeing the alpha at the elevator every day had become a highlight. Even outside of Sanji’s heats, the alpha was regularly over for Sanji to have whatever dinner he’d made that evening; he’d never tell Zoro that he made extra on purpose just for him. Or sharing beers while watching something on the tv.

Sanji was reluctant to put a label on it—but refused to call it anything more than friends.

They’d instituted a pretty clear divide between them being Heat Mates, and nothing more, since their first heat together. Sanji being especially clear he had no intention of being courted— ever . As insane as Sanji knew that sounded, he had no intention of letting himself dip his toes any further into the tepid waters of his stereotyped sexuality.

This arrangement allowed him to have he wanted out of a relationship with an alpha, but without dealing with the ramifications of his omega societal expectations; he didn’t have to deal with his friends, or family, finding out that after all of his vehement denial he’d caved like everyone had expected him to. Just the thought of how they’d all react if they found out had him ill.

Thankfully, Zoro hadn’t been one way or the other about it.

A final suckle to Sanji’s lower lip announced Zoro was ready to get up. Pulling away just enough to meet Sanji’s gaze as the alpha’s hand came to gently trace along the back of Sanji’s arm as he guided the omega’s arms in place. He didn’t need to do it. However, enough times had made it obvious Zoro enjoyed doing it.

“Ready?”

Sanji gave a curt nod.

Hand slipping beneath Sanji again, the alpha pressed his fingers into the omega’s lower back while rubbing deep circles. His other drifted down to hook at Sanji’s thigh – more encouraging than anything else – getting Sanji to lift his leg to open himself up more. Then Zoro dipped low to press a gentle, reassuring kiss to Sanji’s throat.

Breathing in – nice and deep – Sanji held it for a few extra seconds to revel in the feeling of the alpha inside him before exhaling slowly. Zoro’s kiss turned into more of a playful suck, before rolling his hips back. Slipping out of Sanji with a wet schlup that was somehow more obscene than everything they had just done before it.

Zoro gently pressed his teeth down in farewell.

Sanji muscled down a whine.

Pulling back to check Sanji over, Zoro’s hands slowly retracted until the alpha was braced over Sanji who now lay back on the bed completely sated. Only once Zoro was certain Sanji was fine did he sit back on his haunches with a long stretch. Popping a few joints in the process – getting his neck with a lazy tilt – before moving to get up completely.

“You’re getting pretty good at that,” Sanji commented.

Sometimes Zoro’s knot persisted for far too long than was reasonable, so they’d been forced to find out how to separate without hurting Sanji; they had several internet forums to thank for that. At times, it was beneficial – like when Sanji was irritably dehydrated – but other times it was a bummer. Like now, when all he wanted was to keep Zoro tied to him for another hour before they had to call it quits.

Levering out of bed and heading to the bathroom, Zoro shrugged, “Practice.”

Sanji could hear his smirk.

Rolling his eyes and slumping back languorously into the alpha’s mess of a bed, Sanji allowed himself to stretch out happily and twist his head to rub his cheek happily against the sheets. They reeked of them. Taking the solitary moment as the alpha was gone to turn his face fully into the sheets and take in a heady inhale before rolling onto his back.

A scent-drunk smile lighting up his face.

Even before they’d started spending heats together, Zoro’s scent had always been particularly invigorating, but theirs combined… Sanji relished it. There was just nothing quite like it—like tranquility distilled. It was just one more part of Zoro that he had become addicted to.

And was another thing Sanji would not be telling the alpha.

Hearing the alpha’s returning footsteps, Sanji pushed himself up – braced back on a hand lazily – to fully appreciate the view when Zoro came back into the room. Still completely naked. Thick cock – perfectly uncut, knot still gloriously prominent – hanging heavily between muscular thighs—jostling with each step. It was a shade darker than the rest of him and nestled under a crown of dark curls. Sanji could practically taste the alpha’s musk he was so well acquainted with.

Sanji already missed it.

Forcing his sights up, Sanji’s gaze wandered over the alpha’s gloriously toned figure; fully appreciative that he no longer had to hide his staring. They were very comfortable with each other in that regard.

Bronze body riddled with scars from all the times he’d crashed his bike – ‘Maybe drive something safer, you accident prone fungus?’ – Sanji was impressed that the alpha was in as healthy condition as he was. Zoro’s defense was that most of the scars were from when he was younger and had a proclivity for riding squid. Apparently, the alpha was a better rider and wore his gear now – ‘You weren’t wearing fucking gear?!’ – but Sanji still worried.

Not that Zoro would listen; Sanji refrained from rolling his eyes at the thought.

Zoro flopped down heavily onto the bed.

Bouncing Sanji with his aggressive arrival, Zoro immediately corrected it by wrapping an arm around the omega’s shoulders and pulling him into a loose embrace. Sanji let himself go willingly—greedily. Taking in every touch that he could before he’d be left waiting for another month.

With a sharp tug and soft growl, Zoro nuzzled his face into the crook of Sanji’s neck and took a heady inhale—a soft moan reverberating deep in the alpha’s chest. Sanji could feel the vibrations. Holding his breath as Zoro liberally took his time to scent the omega before finally pulling away.

"You're done."

Sanji didn’t trust himself to speak, so he just nodded.

“C’mon.” Zoro released him, “Water should be ready.”

Sanji suppressed a whine.

Keeping his cool while the alpha pushed to his feet before turning back to scoop Sanji up into his arms – just as embarrassing as the first time – but Sanji’s pride took a back seat to his desperation; he could live with it as long as no one ever knew. Which no one ever would… Ever.

It wasn’t long before they were slumped together in the hot suds. One of Sanji’s legs dangled out along the brim while his head rested on Zoro’s shoulder with a casual familiarity; even turning to nuzzle his face against the alpha’s neck on occasion to enjoy the addicting scent while it lasted.

Zoro let it all happen without complaint.

They’d gotten very familiar with each other over the past several months, but they were still just friends. Just friends that helped each other out once a month. And just friends that shared dinner on occasion. They were just friends with… certain, enjoyable benefits. Just friends .

“Party this weekend."

It was a statement; the invitation unspoken.

They didn't really do requests. They told the other what was happening and let the other do whatever they wanted. Sanji never asked Zoro over for dinner; he would just send the alpha a picture of what he'd made and let him decide whether to come over or not—and Zoro always came over.

Same couldn't be said for Zoro's obnoxious parties—Sanji hadn't been to one yet. Zoro's friends were there and he wasn't about to risk being outed. Sometimes he felt bad about it – especially when he could hear the party in full swing – but for his own sanity, he stayed away.

"Hm," Sanji grunted in acknowledgment.

Silence stretched out, but Zoro was oddly tense beneath him. Which only ever happened if Zoro was thinking really hard on something, or holding in gas; considering they were in the tub it had better not be the latter or Sanji might have to kill him.

Eventually – assuaging Sanji's fears – the alpha grunted, “It’s for my birthday.”

Again, it was just a statement, not an invitation, but the request was palpable.

It had Sanji’s eyes slipping open. He stared at the tiled wall as the implication of Zoro’s words sunk deeper and deeper; the alpha had given him an easy out, but it was clear that Zoro actually wanted him to go.

They’d known each other long enough Sanji was easily able to admit they were friends, but meeting Zoro’s other friends was an entirely different beast. Zoro had promised not to tell them. However, that didn’t mean they wouldn’t figure it out if they were in the same room.

Zoro was notably quiet.

Sanji finally managed, "I'll think about it."

~X~

Standing outside of Zoro’s apartment with a case of beer in hand, Sanji couldn’t help but feel a remarkable sense of déjà vu to the first time he had knocked on the alpha’s door. He wished that he felt less nervous. Despite this thing he and Zoro had going on for the past several months, it didn’t change the fact that he was mortified to meet the alpha’s friends.

Not them so much, but the risk of being found out; Zoro had been very clear that he hadn’t told them anything, but that hadn’t quelled Sanji’s nerves. And hadn’t stopped him from taking several showers, and nearly emptying a scent removal shampoo to make sure there was no chance that he smelled at all like the alpha.

At that thought, Sanji lifted his shoulder and took a strong – but subtle – whiff of himself to make sure that it was nothing but him. He couldn’t detect a trace of that comforting steel. Shaking himself immediately to rid himself of the momentary disappointment before reaching out and knocking.

Music poured out from under the door – as did the myriad of voices – which had Sanji wondering if anyone would even hear him. Just as he was about to try again the door was pulled open.

Zoro was on the other side; his smile shockingly bright.

“You came.”

“Yeah, well…” Floundering with a bashful shrug, Sanji attempted – and failed – at a snide rebuttal while shoving the case of beer into the alpha’s waiting arms, “It was either come over, or lie in bed and not sleep ‘cause of the racket.”

Relieved that the gathering was in full swing – something Sanji had been counting on by showing up late – his arrival wasn’t even acknowledged by most of the people there. A few near the door glanced over, but didn’t even say anything. Thankfully, the loud music would’ve drowned out any attempt.

“It’s not that loud,” Zoro drawled.

"By all means, come on over," Sanji jeered, "you can hear for yourself."

“I'll take your word on it. C’mon,” Dismissing Sanji's attitude, Zoro set the case aside on a nearby counter and urged with an eager wave, “I want you to meet some people.”

Before Sanji could put a word in edgewise, his wrist was caught up in a gentle, yet eager, hold; it was warm, and rough, and large – easily encircling Sanji’s fair wrist – bringing up far too inappropriate thoughts for the public area they were in. Before Sanji could process it, Zoro dragged him further into the apartment. Through the crowds of people drinking and chatting. Trying desperately not to think about how Zoro never touched him – and certainly not his wrists – unless he was on his heat; the most Zoro ever did was a friendly punch in the arm.

A moment later they were stopping in front of a woman with auburn hair, and a younger-looking man with one of the brightest smiles Sanji had ever seen. They both stopped talking when Zoro approached. Turning to look to the alpha, and then to Sanji as Zoro hauled him in to deposit him perfectly in front of his friends.

Releasing his wrist, Zoro’s hand fell to Sanji’s lower back – guiding him forward the final few steps – before extending his other arm toward the two currently looking at the omega. Sanji forced a smile. Lifting a hand in greeting – trying desperately to focus on the introductions – but far more focused on Zoro’s hand still resting in the small of his back.

Innocent enough, yet it was precisely the same spot Zoro always touched when they were alone. When they were in the throes of passion. When Zoro was removing his knot. It was so intimate , but Sanji was certain Zoro didn’t realize he was doing it.

“This is Luffy and Nami.”

“Sanji,” he introduced himself.

“ Oh. ” Nami intoned with widening eyes, “Is this—”

Zoro gave her a pointed look.

“—the guy who you’re always fighting with?”

It wasn't lost on Sanji that there was something being silently communicated between the two; specifically something Zoro didn’t want mentioned. Sanji's stomach suddenly went ice cold at the thought that Zoro had lied. All at once, that paranoia returned as he began to wonder what these two actually knew about him, but masked it carefully.

Sanji forced a flawless smile.

“ Used to.” Correcting the tense by way of explanation, Sanji then held out his hand, “Buried the hatchet.”

Nami seemed surprised by that news at the very least—perhaps she didn’t know that much.

Taking up Sanji’s hand in a polite shake – followed quickly by Luffy’s much more enthusiastic one – the conversation quickly turned to pleasant disclosures. Luffy and Nami both worked at the auto shop with Zoro; Luffy actually owned the place.

While both Zoro and Nami spoke of him fondly, Sanji was getting the distinct vibe that the guy also created a lot of havoc—it was unclear what the guy actually did at the shop. Nami, meanwhile, was their resident electrical expert. Handling anything the mechanics couldn’t – or didn’t – want to fiddle with, as well as all the programming updates on the newer bikes. Otherwise, she mostly managed the front; money, customers, and bookings.

It was easy talking to them – despite the rocky start – Sanji quickly found himself completely at ease. Zoro even disappeared for a moment to grab a new drink for himself—and one for Sanji. Nobody batted an eye.

  Eventually, the conversation came back around to Sanji, as Luffy pressed excitedly, “Zoro says you work at a restaurant.”

“Um… yes.” Blinking for a moment before catching up with the conversation – wondering what else about him the alpha had told his friends – Sanji waved a free hand, “At Blue Gradient—it’s off the Grand Strip. Lakeside.”

“Oh, I’ve always wanted to go,” Nami gushed, “but the waitlist is always months out.”

“I can probably pull some strings.”

Zoro arched a brow, “Ain’t that a really upscale place?”

“Sort of,” Sanji admitted, “but we try to keep a reasonable menu. Besides, you wouldn’t have to pay, my treat—”

“Careful,” Zoro chuckled, “Luffy gets kicked out of all-you-can-eat joints.”

Sanji shrugged, “I like a challenge.”

Zoro smirked.

“ Oh , no, you don’t.” Nami hissed in Luffy’s direction, “You will not be embarrassing me at a place like that.”

They bickered fondly for a bit before Nami suddenly stopped.

“Ah, Vivi just arrived.” Attention pulled towards the doorway, Nami quickly glanced about the group and gave an obvious motion to excuse herself. Zoro and Luffy waved her off. Pausing at Sanji, she placed a hand to his arm before smiling, “Wonderful meeting you, Sanji—we’ll have to chat more later.”

“Absolutely!” Sanji grinned—a little flustered by the gorgeous woman.

Strutting away – leaving only a swirl of her tangerine scent in the air – Nami hardly was out of earshot before the door to the apartment was thrown open and a man entered holding several pizza boxes aloft. Luffy’s name shouted out over the din of music, and chatter.

“Luffy! Pizza’s here!”

“Woohoo!”

Without even a farewell, Luffy was darting across the apartment to his friend and leaving Zoro and Sanji alone. Once they were out of earshot, Sanji’s pleasant facade dropped and he rounded on the alpha with an intense look—lips thin, eyes wide, and aura tense. Zoro’s smile faltered comically.

“Did you tell her about us?”

“Wha—” Catching on a moment later, Zoro grunted with a hurried shake of his head, “ No. ”

Sanji didn’t buy it.

“You sure? ” Sanji leaned in, “‘Cause it sounded like she was going to say something else—the fuck did you tell her?”

Zoro gave a sheepish smile.

Sanji’s pointed look sharpened.

“It was nothing ,” Zoro grunted. “Well, not about us anyway.”

“ Tell me.”

Knowing he couldn’t be as physical with the alpha in public, Sanji had to refrain from simply grabbing the front of Zoro’s shirt and hauling him in to threaten him. It was easier when they were alone. Sanji didn’t have to consciously be aware of every little action. However, when Zoro looked away, Sanji seriously rethought his decision.

“ Moss —”

“Just told her that I thought you were…” Zoro gave a bashful shrug, “you know…”

“Obviously, I don’t.” Sanji scoffed, “What? Irritating? Rude? Snobby? C’mon, just spit it out.”

“Hot.”

Sanji blinked—that hadn’t been what he was expecting.

Hand coming up to hook at his nape and rub agitatedly, Zoro cast his gaze aside while his mouth twisted into an uncomfortable moue. He was blushing faintly as his scent twisted. Sour tang of distress just barely detectable amongst the steel, but enough to give him away as his hand dropped to scratch nervously at his jaw.

“It was Nami’s idea that I offer to help with your heats,” Zoro admitted with a guilty grimace. “That’s what she was going to ask about.”

Sanji was beginning to connect the dots.

“Well,” Sanji scoffed, “that explains your shit delivery.”

Zoro blinked, “What?”

"In the elevator," Sanji alluded. "Seriously, who taught you how to flirt?"

Zoro gave a weak smile, “Worked, didn't it?”

“You’re a fucking asshole,” Rolling his eyes to accompany the drawl, Sanji couldn’t put any actual venom into it, though. He glanced away. Noting the redhead talking avidly to a woman in a bright blue headscarf, before sighing back at the alpha, “So, what’d she say?”

“I never told her,” Zoro muttered, “said I hadn’t asked yet.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah,” Zoro looked at Sanji pointedly, “you said you’d rather keep this between us, so…”

Sanji blinked.

Again and again, the alpha always surprised him. Whether it was his stubborn pride, or his surprisingly kind heart, Sanji once again was left stunned by Zoro’s integrity; leaving Sanji to feel bad for doubting him.

“Oh, well,” Sanji floundered, before managing, “thanks.”

It was difficult to look the alpha in the eye right now.

Brought from his thoughts by a hand clapping his shoulder, Sanji glanced up as Zoro gave a second pat followed by a reassuring squeeze. Sanji’s heart flipped at the touch. Skin tingling when Zoro’s hand fell away and the alpha reassured.

“Don’t worry; even if she did know, she wouldn’t say anything.” Zoro shrugged, “She was probably just bringing it up to fuck with me.”

Sanji nodded.

It was stupid, but for some reason Zoro’s reassurance made him feel remarkably better—even if it might not be true. That nervousness lifted. A genuine smile lighting up his face once more as he took a sip of his beer before teasing.

“‘Hot’, huh?”

Zoro made a face, “Oh, for—”

Letting it go with a chuckle, Sanji pressed, "So, what else did you tell them about me?"

"Just normal things," Zoro lifted a shoulder innocently. "Work and stuff—nothing else. I told them you might stop by so they were curious."

Sanji nodded again—enjoying this somewhat bashful side of the alpha.

Fingers drumming on his beer absently, Zoro was surprisingly tense – like he was psyching himself up – before his jaw notably flexed with a swallow. Gaze steady despite the sharp nervousness of his scent returning. Inclining his beer towards Sanji with an anxious smile, Zoro started, “Y’know—”

“ZORO!”

Two incredibly rambunctious men came bolting over – cutting Zoro short – before wrapping the alpha up in a well-meaning hug despite the distaste clear on the alpha’s face. His beer sloshed everywhere. Quick footwork had Sanji dancing out of the way before any of the liquor could get splashed on him.

Even after the two men let Zoro go, they immediately started bombarding him with questions and affection as it became readily apparent they hadn’t seen each other in a while. Sanji took the hint and quietly excused himself to get another drink. Allowing Zoro to have a moment with his friends while Sanji took a much-needed reprieve over everything that had just happened.

A part of him was still in shock over Zoro’s blatant honesty.

It shouldn’t have come as such a surprise to him that the alpha found him attractive – he’d agreed to be Sanji’s Heat Mate for fuck’s sake – but it didn’t stop that flutter in Sanji’s chest from stirring rapidly. He wasn’t so in denial he couldn’t admit that he’d fallen for the guy—there was a reason he’d been selfishly stretching out his time with the alpha. However, that didn’t mean he was ever going to act on it; Sanji was determined to keep things surface level between them.

This way he got everything, without having to risk anything.

After grabbing a fresh beer from the fridge, Sanji had just managed to squeeze his way out of the crowded kitchen before someone calling his name had him glancing about. It was Luffy, with the curly-haired man from earlier, and two others that were soon introduced.

One was a doctor – Law – who had come to know Luffy through work; apparently, the kid was even more accident prone than Zoro was. And the other two were Franky and Usopp who both worked at the auto shop as well—Franky on repairs with Zoro, and Usopp on detailing and bodywork.

At one point, Law’s arm came to traipse casually across Sanji’s shoulders – hand brushing at his neck – Sanji letting it, but bristled internally. This wasn’t unusual behavior. Alphas were just like this—extremely tactile and itchy, especially around unbonded omegas.

Pointedly ignoring the touch, Sanji continued to engage in the conversation while regaling the two with what he did for work. He’d learned a long time ago there was nothing to be gained from being the loud, screeching omega that made a fuss whenever an alpha got a little touchy. Oftentimes it just created more of a scene, not to mention a lot of alphas didn’t even realize when they were doing it—like Zoro had earlier.

It was typically very easy to ignore, and yet this time Sanji couldn’t help but notice that it was just wrong in every way. The pads of the fingers weren’t rough enough, the timing of the strokes was just off enough to irritate him, and the pressure of the touch was also unpleasantly light. He couldn’t help but compare it to Zoro – not that he liked it or anything – the alpha simply had better technique.

A sharp crack exploded over the music.

Heads turned to notice the broken beer bottle on the ground at Zoro’s feet—the splash of liquor decorating the alpha’s jeans. There were a few sympathetic chuckles, but Zoro quickly waved everyone off and dropped to a knee. Scooping up the shards of the dropped bottle as Nami was already on her way over with a cloth for him; Sanji turned back to the conversation, but was distracted—something was off with the alpha.

There was something in the lines of Zoro’s shoulders that was unnatural.

When Zoro stalked by, the distinct scent of blood had Sanji stiffening and turning to watch the alpha dispose of the glass in the trash before ducking out of the apartment. Sanji frowned. Shouldering Law’s arm off and setting his drink aside, Sanji excused himself with a polite word to follow after the alpha – ducking and weaving through the party – until he managed to get out into the hallway.

There was no Zoro in sight, but the hallway reeked of the alpha… and blood.

A loud bang of the stairwell door around the corner being shoved open had Sanji glancing in that direction—it had to be Zoro. After a second or two of debating whether or not to pester the alpha, Sanji finally decided to figure out what was going on. He’d like to think he and Zoro were at least friends at this point. It was only due to his paranoia that he’d noticed the alpha leaving in the first place.

Jogging down the hall and shoving open the stairwell door, Sanji paused as a few droplets of blood caught his attention – they noticeably reeked of Zoro – and suddenly Sanji’s concern went from mild to weirdly desperate. It was likely because of the regular heat bonding. Emotions were heightened far more than they would normally – especially since it had only been a few days ago – but the knowledge that the alpha was injured had his chest tightening anyway.

“Oi! Moss!” Sanji bellowed down the stairwell, “Where the fuck you going?!”

There was no answer, but Sanji could distantly hear muted footsteps.

“Fuckin’...”

Muttering angrily under his breath, Sanji began running down the stairs – taking them three at a time – before stumbling to a halt when he caught up with the alpha leaning against the wall to the fourteenth floor. He looked haggard. Slumped against it while holding his blood-soaked hand aloft; at the very least it appeared to have stopped bleeding.

“What the shit?! ” Sanji demanded as he neared.

“Go away,” Zoro ordered with a growl.

It brought Sanji to pause – the alpha had never spoken to him like that before – somewhat reminiscent of the first time they’d been together when Zoro had warned him out of anger in a desire to protect them both. However, even when he’d ordered Sanji to stop the very first time, there had been a protectiveness to his tone—pleading.

This time it was choked with fury.

Muscling down the instinctive urge to obey – using his indignation at Zoro’s tone – Sanji persevered while making his way down the last few steps. He stopped once on the landing. Gaze flickering to the wound, he realized the alpha must’ve broken the bottle with his hand, not dropped it—but that hardly explained why he broke it, or why he ran down here instead of getting it patched up.

“What’s with you?” Sanji persisted, “Why didn’t you—”

Zoro only growled irritably.

Sanji pushed on.

“That—uh, that buddy of yours is a doctor, right? The sleep-deprived one?” Sanji absently jerked his thumb over his shoulder, “You should probably—”

At the mention of the other alpha Zoro’s head snapped up.

That was a look Sanji’d only seen a handful of times – eye wide, pupil blown out – but the context of this situation was far different from Sanji’s heats. There was violence in this look. Gaze zeroing in on Sanji’s throat before a furious snarl accompanied the alpha’s look and then he was lunging at Sanji.

Hands tangled in Sanji’s shirt – fabric and stitching tested – as Zoro dragged him around and slammed him up against the concrete wall. Zoro pinned him there with the length of his body. A leg slotted aggressively between Sanji’s thighs had him brought up onto his toes, and Zoro’s hips snapping into his had him pinned.

“Ow!” Sanji yelped, “What the shit ?!”

Reaching out to knock the crazed alpha upside the head, his wrist was caught by the alpha before being crushed against the wall. Then, his blood-soaked hand clamped across Sanji’s nape. Digging in painfully––rubbing in a desperate attempt to erase the sickening scent of the other alpha.

Sanji kicked Zoro in the back of the leg as best he could despite the terrible angle.

“You ruined my shirt, you fucking bastard! I’m gonna—

Face replacing his hand, Zoro’s head slowly turned so he could draw his nose up the line of Sanji’s neck and inhale – sharp and deep – before rumbling out in an infuriated growl that vibrated down to Sanji’s bones.

“OI! Are you even listening to me?! Moss—”

“ You don’t smell like mine. ”

A shiver skittered across Sanji’s skin at the possessive words.

They were so deeply reminiscent of the fond, erotic words that Zoro would moan into his ear while in the throes of passion, or even afterwards – when he was knotted deep inside – high off Sanji’s heat pheremones, but this was so horribly juxtaposed—there was a violent anger to them that promised pain.

Not to Sanji, but it still made the omega freeze.

This was exactly what he didn’t want; an alpha acting like he actually owned him. It had been fun to indulge himself when it had just been them, but now all of it felt tainted. Every moment was shadowed by the fact that Zoro saw him as an object just like everybody else.

Indignation had Sanji growling, “ ZORO! ”

Zoro went terrifyingly still.

All that rage and possessiveness and energy suddenly vanished. Rigid as a statue – and just an unreadable – Zoro remained poised against the omega before he came back to himself with a startling jerk. Practically shoving himself off of Sanji to stumble unsteadily to a stop several feet away.

With the absence of the alpha, Sanji was allowed to slump back to his feet, but still remained leaning against the wall in shock. Arms slack at his sides. Air cool on his neck where he could feel the blood already beginning to dry as Sanji stared down at the alpha it belonged to.

Hunched on bowed-legs, Zoro was barely standing as he panted through his delirium. His gaze continued to flicker to Sanji’s neck – back and forth, back and forth – before forcing himself to look down. Teeth gritting as Zoro grabbed his own hand.

“O–Oi,” Sanji held out a hand, “Don’t—”

With a sickening twist and spurt of blood, Zoro jammed his thumb into the open wound on his palm and proceeded to ground himself through a roar of pain. Sanji’s mouth stayed open in shock. Keeping his thumb wedged in the wound, Zoro turned a distressed, but much more controlled look, on Sanji.

“... sorry .” It was a tiny, choked thing—wheezed out through Zoro’s pain. His tongue dragged slowly across parted, panting lips before trying again, “I don't— I can't— fuck! ”

Sanji stared—he had no clue what was happening.

He’d never seen an alpha – anyone – so unhinged before.

Several moments passed as Zoro glared at the ground while his breathing slowly got steadier and more composed. He eventually raised his head. Far more collected, and yet Zoro refused to let go of his hand, nor remove the white-knuckled grip he kept on his wound.

“You should go.”

“And leave you to bleed out?” Sanji scoffed, “Fuck that.”

Sanji took a step forward, and Zoro took a step away.

“ Please. ”

Sanji froze.

That was enough to properly earn his attention. It was rare enough for the alpha to ever actually use manners, let alone that word—Sanji couldn’t even remember an instance where he had. To hear that from Zoro, and in that desperate tone, it was enough to get Sanji to realize how serious the alpha was right now.

Sanji stepped back, but refused to leave.

“What’s going on with you?”

Zoro was stubbornly silent.

“I…” Sanji tried again, forcing himself to calm down.

It wasn’t Zoro’s fault—just like Sanji was more in tune with the alpha, it was the same – perhaps even more so – for Zoro. As irritated as he was, Sanji reminded himself that despite his own feelings on the matter, this was a fairly common misunderstanding. Even when not mating. Sanji could only imagine how confusing it must be for Zoro, especially considering Sanji's heat had only been a few days ago. Their artificial bond would be strong enough to easily stress the alpha out, especially with another alpha’s scent on Sanji—it was an easy mistake.

“It’s okay ; I’m not upset—this shit happens.”

“I know .”

“If… if it’s because of my scent I could—”

“That’s not the point ,” Zoro growled, “I can’t—”

Once again Zoro angrily cut himself off. Twisting his head to the side to huff out a snarl around gritted teeth—clearly frustrated. Even if Zoro was being hard on himself for his lack of composure, Sanji couldn’t understand why the alpha was so upset; he hadn’t even been this distraught after that incident with Sanji’s first heat.

"Then what's your problem?"

Zoro's brow twitched and he finally barked, “You!”

“Me—” Sanji balked, “Wha—”

“Do you have any idea how hard it is to think straight around you?!” Zoro growled, “I came down here to clear my head, but you’re here , and I can’t —I’m tryin’ —”

Zoro groaned in frustration.

“I can still smell him ,” Zoro hissed, “And it’s taking everything not to go back and rip his fucking head off!”

“I’m…”  Shock slowly tapered away to anger as Sanji realized whom the alpha was referring to before taking a step forward, “I’m not yours .”

Something feral flickered across the alpha’s face at the words, but Zoro managed to restrain it by tightening his grip on his wound. Clearly punishing himself. Furious over his lack of control. It was admirable, but did nothing to quell the rising fury in Sanji’s chest.

“You don’t get to go around feeling like you own me, or I’m a fucking prize to be fought over.” All of Sanji’s childhood anxieties were coming back full force—and he had thought Zoro would be different. “We’re not even together ; I told you from the start what this was and I—”

“I KNOW!” Zoro snarled. “ I. Know. ”

Sanji reeled himself in.

“I—” 

Once again Zoro angrily cut his words short. His eye fell shut while visibly struggling with something. A few drops of blood resounded loudly in the silent stairwell before Zoro forced out a huff through his nose and once more looked up at Sanji.

“I—I tried…” Zoro murmured softly, his hand flexed where it gripped his injured palm, “I can’t separate how I feel about you from your heats anymore. Even when you come home from work; I can smell everyone that you even just brushed against and it makes me crazy and I—”

Sanji blinked.

It suddenly felt like they were having a completely different conversation.

“W–w–wait, wait, wait.” Waving his hands about hurriedly while taking a step towards Zoro, Sanji was struggling to keep up with what Zoro was saying. He was making it sound like… “What do you mean—”

Zoro looked exhausted—maybe even a little exasperated.

“I have a thing for you,” Zoro admitted grimly.

Everything skidded to a grinding halt.

“You—” Sanji blinked—again, “have a thing for me?”

Zoro gave a stiff nod.

“Like… now?” Sanji struggled to understand this development. His face kept twitching in confusion. Waving a hand about as he tried to find the right words to voice his confusion, “Or… before?”

“Since before…” Zoro's gaze darted away for a moment, then back with a bashful look, “everything.”

And suddenly it clicked.

Months of awkward elevator rides together suddenly took on a whole new light in that context. Annoying comments and irritating teasing were obviously the alpha’s lame attempts at creating a rapport. Even his more inexcusable behavior came across as just pathetic and awkward flirting––it was like the alpha had never attempted to court a mate in his entire life.

“You—” Reeling with that new information, it didn’t stop Sanji from snapping back into himself and barking a laugh before sneering, “You got a piss poor way of showing it—was your plan to irritate me into fucking you?”

Zoro’s mouth twitched with a sheepish smile, but didn’t say the obvious.

“Oh,” Sanji drawled, “shut up .”

Fighting to keep his face passive, Zoro muttered, “I didn’t say anything.”

Sanji rolled his eyes.

An ease – despite everything – returning between them for a few precious moments before the levity faded, throwing them back into the dim lighting of the stairwell. Zoro looked at Sanji expectantly. Tongue darting out to wet the alpha’s lower lip before murmuring hopefully, “So…?”

It was clear what Zoro was offering, but Sanji hadn’t ever expected it to be an option. He wasn’t prepared. Fear gripped his chest tight at the notion of what it would mean he would have to endure to have what he wanted.

This wasn’t fair .

"It was difficult enough letting you in on my heats… I can't just…” Sanji shook his head stiffly, but could feel his own resolve waning as Zoro deflated with Sanji’s words. “I made it clear how I felt. I’m not— I can’t— I can’t give you that…”

“Yeah,” Despite his best efforts, Zoro’s voice was horribly bitter, “I know—that’s why I never told you.”

Silence followed—Sanji didn’t know what to say.

By all accounts, Sanji knew he should’ve been ecstatic to find out Zoro had feelings for him—and a part of him was. All these weeks of fearfully suppressing how good the alpha made him feel out of fear that he might come across as too clingy, too needy, too…

Too much like an omega.

Sanji grimaced.

Everything Sanji wanted was suddenly presented in front of him, but instead of being happy, he just felt trapped. Caught between happiness and fear. Forced to choose between the self-sufficient freedom he’d fought for himself, or the box he’d been struggling his entire life to get out of—unable to choose one, without having to sacrifice the other.

Sanji didn’t want to have to choose.

This was why he’d been happy the way things were.

“Would it really be that bad?” Words so soft and timid Sanji wouldn’t have believed they were spoken by Zoro if he hadn’t watched the alpha say them. Shoulders deflated. Cradling his bloody hands – thumb still in the wound – as he looked to Sanji openly, “Being with me?”

Sanji’s inhale was sharp, and poignant.

This whole situation was making Sanji feel like the bad guy, and he hated feeling like that just for standing his ground – and he was going to stand his ground – no one was going to make him feel guilty for his decisions. Fear and anger mixed into something horrible and twisted inside of him. He hated himself for making Zoro look like that, but was so unbelievably frustrated that the alpha didn’t even understand why Sanji couldn’t just say yes.

It was everything he wanted , but came with a caveat. Something he’d been struggling with ever since he’d presented. A self-hatred that ran so deep it felt like he’d have to dig up the very foundations of himself to find the seeds of disdain that had been planted there.

“You think I don’t want to?”

Zoro’s confusion only fueled Sanji’s fire.

It shouldn’t have surprised him that their situation – their positions – wouldn’t have even entered into the alpha’s worldview. Everything was geared towards alpha’s and their mentalities—Sanji had been forced to bite down on his frustrations time after time.

“Do you even know what you’re asking?” Sanji implored, “Do you know what it looks like to everyone else?”

Zoro only stared, but somehow it made Sanji even more furious than if he would’ve responded.

“ This?! ” Storming up to the alpha – ignoring the fact he was pressing his luck given Zoro was already struggling with his restraint – Sanji got right in his face and gestured between them with an impatient flick, “They see you , and then me—what do you think they see?”

Zoro’s frown was perplexed, “You care what people think that much?”

That stung.

“It’s easy for you ,” Sanji snarled, “You don’t get treated like property! ”

It was a low blow, but one Sanji didn’t regret.

Zoro’s eye was suddenly vividly clear.

“I’ve never thought of you like that.”

“Maybe not consciously, but…” That dried blood on Sanji’s neck was an itchy reminder that neither of them had a choice in the matter, but that didn’t change their positions. And at the very least, Sanji had the choice to walk away. “Can you honestly promise something like this won’t happen again?”

Zoro looked devastated. “Curls—”

Sanji knew he was being unfair, but once he’d begun pushing Zoro away, he couldn’t seem to stop.

“Forget it.” Holding up a hand, Sanji shook his head while stepping away, “Just—”

This was why he hadn’t wanted to come.

“I shouldn’t’ve come.”

Or maybe it was why he did…

Maybe, deep down, he’d known something was going to ruin this tenuous relationship they’d built – whether it was Zoro, or him – and maybe that was precisely why he’d decided to come this time. Perhaps it wasn’t even for Zoro’s sake. Perhaps it was his own desire to sabotage this somewhat good thing for himself before it had a chance to hurt him more than it inevitably would.

“This was a bad idea.”

All of it was—he shouldn’t have let it get this out of hand.

“San—”

“ Don’t .”

Normally said with such reverence, Sanji knew he couldn’t handle hearing his name on Zoro’s tongue, especially not now. He knew he’d break. Jaw shutting with a click, Sanji redirected all his frustration through his back molars as he grinded them together.

“I can’t—” 

Every breath Sanji took was becoming more and more constricted as the reality of what he was saying began to settle in; it was a lot to process all at once. He didn’t have a chance to think any of this through – his own thoughts, or what could possibly be running through Zoro’s head – but all he knew was he needed to get away before he changed his mind.

"I can't do this anymore." Sanji shook his head, “Any of it.”

A horrible silence followed the words.

Pain evident on Zoro’s face, Sanji couldn’t bring himself to say much else. He watched Zoro patiently. A small, desperate part of him hoped Zoro would refuse – would fight for them – but, as always, Zoro was better than that.

“If…” Zoro’s face was distraught, but his voice was unwavering, “that’s what you want.”

It wasn’t.

“I do.”

Zoro nodded slowly—accepting.

Turning away before he could regret his decision, Sanji stormed over to the nearby fire escape and shoved his way onto the fourteenth floor. He stood there for a minute panting. Only the heavy click of the door managed to snap him into motion as Sanji quickly turned and strode towards the elevator—his body didn’t feel like his own. Every step numb. His mind carefully blank. Even after he entered his apartment, removed his bloody shirt, and clamored into the shower, Sanji still couldn’t entirely believe what he’d just done.

~X~

Standing alone in the apartment lobby – staring up at the neon display – Sanji waited patiently for the elevator to make its descent back to the ground floor. A foreign silence filled the area. It had been months since he’d been forced to wait on his own; only the hum of the overhead lights to keep him company.

At the sound of the lobby door being pulled open – followed a moment later by the comforting, familiar scent of the alpha – Sanji turned to see Zoro walking into the building. Gaze on Sanji, but his face carefully blank. With a polite nod, Zoro moved for the stairwell without hesitation; shouldering the door open and disappearing inside without a word.

Sanji was left standing in the lobby—alone.

That had been their ritual for the past week now. No matter whether Sanji showed up before or after the alpha was already there, Zoro would spot him before immediately turning and taking the stairwell instead. It wasn’t the victory it would have been several months ago.

It was obviously the alpha’s way of being polite – not wanting to make Sanji deal with the awkward wait for the elevator, or the ride up, and especially not the walk down the hall on their floor – but Sanji would almost prefer that to this unnatural civility.

This wasn’t his— the Zoro he knew.

A ding of the elevator brought him back to the present.

Turning and getting on the lift, Sanji took the quiet journey to his floor followed by the silent trek down the hall and into his apartment. He hadn’t realized how long the ride was without Zoro’s company. Weeks of small talk had made it feel too quick; to the point where they’d end up spending several more minutes just standing in front of their apartments talking.

Shutting the door with a soft click – thud of Sanji’s back on the panel accompanying it – the omega stood quietly in his dark apartment. Unaware of what he was waiting for until he heard the familiar thudding footfalls in the hall. Heart immediately leaping up excitedly while Sanji’s body began sliding down the door morosely, eventually ending with him seated on the floor.

Arms braced on his knees as he listened to Zoro fidgeting with his keys before fumbling and dropping them—a humorless smile twitching Sanji’s lips. He listened to Zoro grumble under his breath before bending down to pick them up. Flat smile twisting into a frustrated moue as he realized just how much he missed hearing the alpha’s voice—that comforting rasp accompanying every word.

There was a distinct click of the lock, then Zoro stepped into his apartment and the door was shut. 

Sanji smacked his head against his knees.

Anger swirled in Sanji’s chest—at everything, and nothing. He was livid at Zoro for making this whole thing more complicated than it needed to be, and he hated himself just as much for not just letting go. All he wanted felt so simple, and yet impossible.

It seemed that this was just everything when it came to Zoro; a confusing contradiction. He wanted it, but couldn’t stop himself from loathing that he did. Ever since that first heat, Sanji knew he had been playing with fire in regards to his attraction for the alpha, but he hadn’t been able to stop himself…

And now he was burned.

Every time he got close to giving in, his insecurities would surface like heinous shadows to hang over his head—every snide remark and teasing comment. Runt of the litter. Shame to their good name. Failure.

When he was young, he’d been convinced that he’d present like his brothers and sister – alphas, all of them – instead, he was the runt. They had never let him live it down. Their teasing had been relentless, but at least it had taught him how to hold his own in a fight.

And yet, this was one fight he hadn’t felt like he’d won.

Somehow getting his way only made him feel worse.

Grinding his forehead against his knees – arms tightening around his legs – Sanji desperately told himself that he didn’t need the alpha, this was for the best, and it wouldn’t hurt so much after a while…

TBC…

Chapter Text

Leaving work late – as he’d been inclined to do the past several weeks – Sanji slowly made his way through Sabaody Park while tonguing at the finished cigarette that currently hung loosely from his lips. He watched the amble of his own feet. Not too concerned with getting home in a timely manner, as he’d begun coming home later and later to avoid any chance of running into Zoro, but the cold weather and obnoxious holiday merriment was beginning to test his resolve.

All the celebration only made Sanji feel terribly lonely amidst the bright lights, jovial music, and incessant cheer. However, given he was still in the painful process of trying to move on – and failing spectacularly – he wasn’t exactly in the mood to risk seeing the alpha. It had already been a month of trying to convince himself that he’d made the right choice, but the only conclusion he’d reached was that he was miserable without Zoro.

He missed everything .

Their elevator rides together after work, their evenings spent sharing a meal, and their mindless chatting interspersed with occasional heated debates. He missed sitting on the couch with the alpha while watching something completely inane, and he missed glancing over to catch him sleeping—usually with his mouth unflatteringly open. And he missed those little moments – brief glances and accidental touches – where he pretended they were more than what he’d allowed.

All of it taken for granted, and now Sanji was left to suffer the withdrawal.

It was so bad that Sanji had been terrified of his most recent heat – after months with an alpha to satiate him, he’d expected the worst – but even that had been affected by his dour mood. He’d Heat-Locked his phone, and padlocked his door as a precaution, but it all ended up being unnecessary. All three days just consisted of him staring at the wall with a mild fever, terribly morose, and playing a fun little game of how many times he could roll onto his back to keep himself from ever actually shedding a real tear.

Sanji was relieved no one had witnessed it.

A sharp evening breeze picked up—it ruffled his hair and pinched at his ears making him regret not bringing a toque. His hands slipped from the safety of his pockets to reach up to pop the collar of his jacket to protect against the bitter wind. Plucking his finished vice from between his lips, Sanji shook off the sullen thoughts and focused on the present. Flicking aside his cigarette in a trash bin that he passed before his hands rummaged around his pockets to locate his pack to dig out another smoke.

Footsteps alerted Sanji to an approaching couple, prompting him to glance up out of habit to offer a polite nod of recognition only to be met with the sight of a very familiar alpha ahead of him. His bright green hair instantly recognizable. However, even without it Sanji would be able to recognize that steely scent in a room full of people.

Seeing Zoro was horrifying enough, but what really made the situation go from bad to worse was the bubbly omega dangling off his arm. Her effervescent personality a radiant contrast to Zoro’s permanent scowl. All of it exacerbated by the hauntingly genuine smile on the alpha’s face that Sanji had only seen a handful of times…

Sanji stopped dead in his tracks.

An entirely different sort of numb that had nothing to do with the cold flooded his body leaving him swaying in place. He felt like he was watching the inevitable disaster in slow motion. Unable to stop it as the couple stopped chatting and turned to glance at Sanji—their eyes met, and Sanji's pack of smokes hit the ground along with his broken heart.

A wave of emotions Sanji hadn’t been prepared to process came rushing towards him like a tidal wave that he was powerless to stop—numbness replaced with a roaring intensity that had him fighting for air.

He couldn't do this right now.

Blindly turning away from the alpha – and the omega on his arm – Sanji shamefully embraced his instinct to flee rather than stay and fight. His first couple steps were stunted. As graceful as a newborn deer – more of a stumbling fall where he only barely caught himself in time than an actual gait – Sanji forced himself to keep moving forward over the pieces of his proverbial heart that had shattered at his feet.

It was only on the fifth step Sanji felt his foot connect with the earth – a surge of energy electrified him – and he was blasted back into his body before launching into a full on sprint. Sanji wasn’t even sure where he was running to. All he knew was he needed to get as far away from the alpha as possible—as far away from the reality that it was too late…

It was over .

Fleeing back down the path from where he came, Sanji didn't make it very far before the distinct sound of pounding footfalls trying desperately to catch up with him had his heart leaping into his throat. Sanji didn't even need to look back to know it was Zoro. His body reacted instinctively to the chase. Adrenaline thrumming through his veins as his fleeing morphed into an innate compulsion that he could no longer control, Sanji realized far too late his mistake by initiating a chase, but he had no clue how to get out of it.

Once properly mated, there were certain triggers that were flipped for alphas. Sanji hadn’t even considered what they’d done to be mating, but obviously he was wrong. Alphas had a knee jerk sort of reaction to their mates when they ran. A lot of mated pairs got off on it––the chase, the hunt, the adrenaline. It was supposedly an amazing thing to experience but he hadn’t thought that Zoro would still react to him after all this time.

All he could do was flee until the alpha caught him. His instincts forced him to keep running away just as Zoro’s were no doubt forcing him to pursue. Heart hammering in his chest as Sanji desperately tried to think of anything that he could do short of running both of them to exhaustion.

Quickly changing course from the pavement through the wooded area of the park, Sanji ran through the forest as swiftly as he could manage; melted snow turned the ground to wet, muddy sludge—slowing his pace, but also Zoro’s. Sanji felt a shiver shoot up his spine at just how close he could tell Zoro was behind him. He was probably just staying out of reach. One bad step would have him caught.

Darting expertly between a cluster of close trees, Sanji took the opportunity to throw a short glance over his shoulder and catch the alpha’s gaze—it was only for a moment, but it was enough.

A clarity washed over the alpha’s clouded vision – like a storm front rolling back to reveal a bright sky – Zoro completed three more aggressive strides before purposefully tripping himself. He bailed into the forest floor, but it was already too late. All of his remaining momentum sent him hurtling forward to clip Sanji’s heel—sending them both down in a flurry of leaves, twigs, and mud.

Everything became a blur—Sanji couldn’t make sense of what was up or down, until he finally came to halt on his side. His joints ached and his muscles stung. Things had bent in awkward directions, and the hard ground had succeeded in knocking the wind out of him.

Sanji rolled onto his back.

Breathlessly mouthing around a groan that he couldn’t get out, Sanji lay convulsing until finally managing to suck in a lungful of air. His hearing returned a second after. A guttural wheeze fell from Sanji as he blinked away the tears that had formed from the bail – nothing else, certainly not because of the alpha, and definitely not because he was still coming to the realization it was all his fault – finally getting his sight back.

Gifted with a remarkable view of the evening sky through the sprawling oak trees, Sanji caught his breath while basking in the sight of the remaining leaves that had stubbornly managed to hold on despite winter's chill—dancing happily in the bitter breeze. Twisting and fluttering. Some broke free to flit off on the wind while others trembled but remained steadfast in their position. It was all a pleasant distraction from the pain – both physical and mental –as  the cold mud was a relief to his bruised body.

Both of them lay sprawled amongst the damp mulch of mid-winter debris while desperately fighting to recover from the cascade of errors. Sanji could hear Zoro recuperating at much the same rate that he was, but was hardly ready to face the reality that was the alpha. He could distantly hear him struggling through a cough, then the subsequent – disturbingly wet – splatter of hacked up saliva. It had Sanji realizing that he also managed to get a decent amount of dirt in his mouth, and the faint taste of copper confirmed he’d bit his tongue, but Sanji hardly had the fortitude to care.

It felt like nothing mattered anymore…

Out of his peripheral Sanji could see the alpha in the process of picking himself up off the ground and knew he couldn’t escape his fate for much longer. Sanji slowly sat up as well – pulling his legs in to sit comfortably cross-legged – but refused to look over at Zoro. Poorly feigning interest in himself as he brushed dirt off his sleeve and picked a few leaves out of his hair to flick aside petulantly.

Zoro finally found his voice, “—the fuck , Curls?!”

Sanji had already ducked his head in shame, but risked a glance up.

Through irritable groaning, Zoro had managed to push himself into a slumped – but seated – position while cradling the side of his head gingerly—blood stained his temple, hair, and fingers. His shoulders flexed from his labored breathing and his cheeks were even a little flushed, but Sanji had a suspicion that it wasn’t from the running, so much as it was the impromptu mating chase he’d just been subjected to.

Sanji chewed on his words before managing a quiet, “Sorry.”

“You don’t run from an alpha you’ve mated with!” Zoro snarled through his heavy pants. “Fucking asshole! ”

Visibly embarrassed, Sanji shouted in an attempt to scare the blush off his face, “I didn’t know it was that bad!”

“Of course it is!” Zoro barked back, “That’s why they tell you NOT to!”

“ Excuse me!”

Both men turned at the shrill voice to find a stuffy, elderly woman standing on the path a little ways from the edge of the woods they’d just run through. Sanji stiffened immediately at her tone. Already feeling guilty for whatever had caused the old lady distress as to be that disgruntled.

“There are children ,” the woman enunciated the word like it was their first time hearing it. With a final upturned nose she snapped, “Keep it in the bedroom.”

Sanji gave an apologetic wave in agreement, but Zoro muttered back, “It was an accident—won’t happen again.”

She didn’t seem satisfied, but walked away regardless.

Not bothering to wait to be out of ear range, Sanji let a distressed moan wheeze from between his lips while dropping his face into his hands. He was so embarrassed he wanted to die. Praying, hoping, needing the earth to open up and simply swallow him whole for this entire unfortunate circumstance.

He was the worst.

Outing himself so thoroughly to the alpha, as well as everyone in the park, there wasn’t much else he could’ve done to make it worse short of presenting in public. He subjected Zoro to a public chase, and he'd forced the alpha to abandon the other omega he'd been courting. Worst of all, Sanji couldn’t even deny hating it – his blood was still rushing from the adrenaline spike that enveloped him the moment he realized Zoro had been chasing him – as he muscled down a groan of dismay.

“Shit. Shit shit shit shit shit.” Sanji ground his face in his hands, “Shit!”

A long silence followed Sanji’s cursing as the world continued to move around them. People on their journeys through the park – sending them curious glances when passing – as they sat together in the cold mud in the falling evening. Failing light prompting the rustic lamps littering the park to flicker on in a haphazard order.

Surprisingly, Sanji wasn’t even cold anymore—just tired.

Tired of not allowing himself the things he wanted out of fear of judgement, tired of hating himself for something he had absolutely no control over, and so fucking tired of this terrible feeling that he’d missed out on the best thing he’d ever had.

Slowly lifting his face out of his hands to finally look at Zoro, all Sanji could do was think about how much he had missed him—everything. His hopelessly erratic hair. His ridiculously hardened brow. His endlessly expressive mouth that always had either a quip or a sneer at the ready.

More than a month of avoiding the alpha had done nothing to temper the perfection that Sanji had come to see in every fiber of Zoro’s being. If anything, it’d been heightened. Somehow Zoro managed to look better than his memory had supplied, even – and maybe especially – covered in dirt and blood.

Zoro finally broke the silence, “What the hell was all that about?”

Sanji felt more hopeless than ever.

“Is it not obvious?”

Slumping back on an arm, Zoro’s gaze flicked up to the head injury he still cradled and then back to Sanji balefully. Gifting the omega a slow, purposeful blink before finally drawling, “You can forgive me for not thinking quickly right now.”

Feigning playfulness – and failing – Sanji tried with a weak smile, “Since when have you ever thought quickly?”

“So you lured me into the forest to insult me?” Zoro drawled, “Nice.”

Sanji wanted to snap at the attitude, but couldn’t find the energy.

“ Look , I—”

Breeze picking up once more in a flurry of leaves brought with it a wave Zoro’s scent, and subsequently the sweet scent of the omega, that took the wind completely out of Sanji’s sails. His words died. All of this was so stupidly pointlessstill—Zoro had moved on. Spilling his guts over someone that no longer wanted him was a new form of self flagellation.

“Forget it,” Sanji muttered defeatedly while moving to get up, “It’s too late…”

“Woah,” Zoro interrupted with a commanding bark. His tone jarring enough to halt Sanji’s attempted escape. Glancing over to the alpha with wide eyes and waiting while Zoro inspected him shrewdly before demanding, “What’s too late?”

“Well, I—” Sanji balked, then made a weak gesture, “You…”

“‘Me’ what? ”

There was a cautionary frigidity to Zoro’s tone that told Sanji to be very careful with his next words, but the alpha didn’t even give Sanji the opportunity to respond before elucidating further.

“ I never called it off, Curls.”

“But…” Sanji pointed vaguely in the direction they came from, “She…”

Confusion warped Zoro’s face while tilting his head before understanding quickly had the alpha’s face going lax. His hand slowly lowered while the corners of his mouth – miraculously – began twitching. Eventually breaking into a full out smile as Zoro slumped back with a humorous chuckle.

“My sister?! ”

A chill that had nothing to do with the winter cold swept over Sanji—echoing with dawning horror, “Sister?”

“Yeah, ‘Ron,” Zoro chuckled, “She’s in town for the holidays.”

Sanji blinked, then croaked.

Allowing his embarrassment to fully envelop him, Sanji crumpled forward to catch his burning face in muddy hands. He couldn’t believe this was happening—didn’t want to believe it. Outing himself over a simple misunderstanding to Zoro, his sister , and anyone else that had the misfortune of coming to the park today.

Sanji sat for a while.

Head in his hands while his brain existed in a static blur of mortification until his faculties slowly began to come back online. He couldn’t believe he’d just outed himself in such a needlessly dramatic fashion. All this could’ve been avoided if he’d had a modicum of patience – allowed Zoro to introduce them – instead of running away; there was no way he’d ever live this down.

Groaning loudly into his hands, Sanji could only imagine what Zoro was thinking of this whole juvenile debacle—if there was one silver lining it was that the alpha hadn’t confirmed his fears that it was too late. He even seemed… reciprocal, but that would require looking him back in the eye after his humiliation. Scrubbing his face with finality – knowing he couldn’t sit here forever – Sanji dropped his hands wearily into his lap and lifted his head to once more meet the alpha’s gaze.

A smidgen of sympathy quirked Zoro’s lips, but unfettered amusement made his eye sparkle tellingly.

“Were you jealous? ”

Sanji stiffened.

Blush returning tenfold to envelop not only his face, but his ears, neck, and shoulders too, Sanji snarled in hopes to frighten it away, “Fuck you! It was an easy mistake!”

“True,” Zoro smirked while scratching absently at his chin, “we look nothing alike, but now that you mention it…”

Reaching inside his jacket to retrieve his phone, Zoro began fiddling with it as Sanji looked away to feign interest at a couple walking by. He wasn’t about to complain. Anything to take the heat off of him was welcomed as Sanji still wasn’t entirely certain where to go from here.

Zoro wasn’t involved, but that put them exactly where they were a little over a month ago.

“Aaand she left,” Zoro muttered aloud before pocketing his phone. “Ah well.”

“I’m sorry,” Sanji repeated his remorse. "I didn’t mean to ruin your evening.”

Moreso apologetic to the lovely woman that he’d left stranded at the cusp of twilight than the alpha he’d forced into an impromptu track and field conditioning before adequately testing his tumbling capabilities.

“Don’t worry about it,” Zoro waved Sanji off before dropping the hand to his knee. Moving to stand as he added, “I was just walking her back to her hotel.”

“She’s not staying with you?”

“Oh, she wouldn’t stay with me under threat of death,” Zoro shook off the idea with an incredulous laugh. “My place don’t exactly have room service and five star amenities.”

Something had flipped the alpha’s demeanor as he pushed to his feet; a radiant energy buzzing around him—downright affable. Sanji followed his every movement with rapt attention. Previously glowering in the mud with all the approachability of a cornered honey badger, Sanji hardly recognized the chipper alpha currently dusting himself off.

Zoro glanced down, then asked, “So, do you—”

Sanji’s heart was back in his throat.

Unsure of what Zoro was about to ask, but foolishly willing to say yes to whatever it was he wanted, Sanji found himself leaning forward despite himself. He knew his expectations were delusionally high. Obviously Zoro wasn’t going to ask any of the things Sanji wanted to hear, and he prepared to force himself not to be disappointed when the offer was as innocent as to be expected.

“—want a ride?” Inclining his head in the general direction they came from, Zoro added, “Home?”

Sanji tried desperately to ignore the flutter in his chest at the word when spoken from the alpha—how ridiculously badly he wanted it to mean something more.

“Yeah,” Sanji smiled softly, “sure.”

Artfully masking his turbulent emotions, Sanji nodded and pushed himself to his feet; mimicking Zoro as he brushed himself off as best he could. He noted a tear to the elbow of his jacket and quietly mourned the loss. Not about to complain though, considering the whole debacle was his fault in the first place.

Once feeling a bit more presentable, Sanji shoved his hands in his pockets and glanced to Zoro. He offered a weak, but sincere smile. Nodding towards Zoro’s head injury and murmuring playfully, “I should probably make sure you get home safely; you need all the remaining brain cells you have left.”

“Head wounds tend to bleed a lot,” Zoro shrugged, but turned away before Sanji could argue. “C’mon.”

Slowly carding his hand through his already thoroughly mussed hair – fingers no doubt leaving even more tracks of dirt – Sanji watched the alpha walk off and marveled at the events that led to this moment. There was still a weird tension between them. Things left unresolved and unspoken, but it felt like they were on a path to fixing it given time.

Sanji dropped his hand, then followed.

Initially every step felt distant as he followed after – almost as though he weren’t even in his body – but soon he felt himself a little more grounded until he was comfortably astride the alpha with a casually affectatious mien. He simply enjoyed being next to the alpha once more. Able to smell the distinctly metal aroma that was so uniquely Zoro and so incredibly soothing to the ache Sanji had been struggling with for the past several weeks.

It distracted him long enough that by the time Sanji felt a little more level-headed he realized they were still in the park—Sanji was positive the alpha took him in a circle, but kept his opinion to himself. It was only on the third pass of the large tree at the center of the park that Sanji finally put his foot down and voiced his concerns.

“Are you sure you don’t need to go to the hospital?”

Zoro rounded on Sanji with a stern look, “Why?”

“Just cause…”

Trailing off in awkward uncertainty – unsure of how to approach the possibility of brain damage – Sanji pointed weakly towards the large decorated tree that they had now passed for the third time. Zoro glanced at it, then back to Sanji. Raising both eyebrows expectantly at Sanji in a clear illustration that not only did he not know what Sanji was implying, but he also didn’t recognize the tree.

“We’ve passed that tree three times now,” Sanji broached very slowly. His concern mounting as he explained, “You’ve been leading us in circles.”

Zoro’s face was carefully blank, but his eye widened imperceptibly.

It was hard not to feel guilty about pointing it out, but Sanji was definitely getting close to wanting to call an ambulance. He tried running through his mental rolodex of signs to look for in a concussion. Stepping closer to try and get a look at Zoro’s pupil only to have the alpha take a swift step away and rear back.

“You should probably see a doctor,” Sanji urged.

“That…” Zoro murmured through tight lips. “won’t be necessary.”

“No, seriously, I don’t think you should drive,” Sanji reasoned as he began digging for his phone, “At the very least lemme call a cab and we can get you looked at—”

Zoro’s face went bright red instantaneously.

“ Stop! ”

Sanji froze at Zoro’s tone.

“I—” Biting off the sentence as though it pained him, Zoro’s eye fell shut and he turned his head to the side while taking a deep breath. He exhaled just as controlled. Finally turning back to Sanji and meeting his gaze to admit, “Sometimes I take wrong turns.”

Sanji deadpanned, “That’s called getting lost.”

Zoro’s lips thinned.

Eyes slowly narrowing at the alpha, gaze darting away, then back—still not entirely sure what exactly was going on before pieces started to connect. He began to realize certain timing issues. They’d never really done anything outside the apartment, but Sanji was beginning to understand that Zoro didn’t have a chaotic schedule…

“Is that why sometimes you’d be on time at the elevator, and others you weren’t?” Sanji pressed with a dawning realization, “You were lost? ”

“I— the—” Zoro balked. “ Listen .”

“Oh. My…”

Starting with incredulous disbelief, Sanji quickly switched to a hysterical cackle as the hilarity of the situation sunk in. He started howling. Only barely managing to calm himself long enough between laughs to extend a mock hand of concern towards the alpha.

“And you’re certain you were always like this?”

“Curls—” Zoro warned.

“No! Shut up!” Sanji barked through a laugh, “Lemme have this.”

They stood on the side of the path – occasionally passing strangers glancing at them – Zoro standing stock still while looking off into the horizon in palpable exhaustion while Sanji curled over in front of him. Hands braced on his knees as he laughed himself breathless into the ground for several minutes. Inevitably straightening while wiping away a stray tear, heaving a sigh while meeting Zoro’s unimpressed moue.

“Alright,” A laugh barely smothered as Sanji reassured poorly, “I’m done.”

It was Zoro’s turn to gift Sanji a deadpanned look, “Sure?”

And just like that, the last of the tension had broken entirely.

“Yes,” Sanji managed with significantly more aplomb. “Now, where’d you park? You don’t get to lead anymore.”

Despite the pain in his expression, Zoro divulged, “By the big clock at the corner entrance.”

“Great.”

Hooking a hand at the crook of Zoro’s elbow, Sanji inclined his head with a fond, “C’mon.” before guiding them off in the correct direction. He never removed his hand, and Zoro let him without complaint. Neither saying a word for the remainder of the short walk until they exited the park and were met with the sight of Zoro’s gorgeous white and gold bike parked nearby.

Upon seeing the motorcycle, Sanji realized he’d quite foolishly forgotten Zoro didn’t own a car and that the ride home the alpha had offered was going to be infinitely more intimate than expected. He continued to stare in mild horror as Zoro stepped away. Moving to the bike, and with a bit of fidgeting, had a helmet removed and then extended in Sanji’s direction.

Taking the helmet from the alpha, Sanji artfully ignored the way their fingers touching sent his heart into a frantic fluttering of fervency. He could feel his palms getting unnaturally clammy. Becoming suddenly mesmerized by the helmet in his hands as if it were a fascinating contraption, Sanji inspected it thoroughly before pulling it on—it fit quite nicely, even if the padding around his cheeks was a little snug.

After pulling on his own helmet, Zoro grabbed the bars and swung a leg over; hauling the heavy piece of machinery to a comfortable balance point before jerking his heel back to flick up the kick stand. Sanji knew the bike should be heavy, but seeing the way the alpha’s body flexed to initially move it gave Sanji a whole new appreciation for it. Patiently waiting on the sidewalk and watching Zoro quickly go over everything before starting it up with an aggressive motion of his leg that Sanji was embarrassed to say he found attractive.

He was relieved the helmet hid his blush.

Engine grumbling to life with an obnoxious roar, Zoro then looked to Sanji before tilting his head invitingly to the passenger seat. Sanji stared blankly before realizing where he’d be sitting. Thankfully, the helmet also hid his momentary mortification before shaking it off and clamoring onto the bike quite tactfully—avoiding touching the alpha as best he could given their proximity.

“Arms around me.” Zoro tapped his hip before pointing sharply to the handles positioned just below Sanji’s seat, “Or the bars.”

Sanji knew it wasn’t a challenge, but he took it as one anyway.

Abandoning any former constraint in regards to their tenuous relationship, Sanji wrapped his arms boldly around the alpha’s waist and held on with an intimate familiarity. His hands clutched at the soft leather of Zoro’s jacket. Pulling himself in close so he could feel every line of the alpha’s muscular back, his only regret was the helmet that kept him from burying his face into the alpha’s back and getting a proper inhale of his scent.

Zoro was unnaturally still.

Neither moved as they sat together on the bike with Sanji holding them together – the first real contact they’d had in over a month – Zoro eventually came back to himself with a carefully constructed aplomb.

“Match my balance,” Zoro instructed before reaching up to flip his visor down. “I’ll go slow.”

Arms tightening with a reassuring squeeze, Sanji countered, “Don’t.”

There was no way for Sanji to hear or see Zoro’s reaction – smirk, surprise, or otherwise – but he could feel the thrill as it swelled through the alpha’s body and an excitement caused him to vibrate beyond the grumbling of the engine. Sanji knew Zoro was grinning ear to ear. All he could do now was hold on tight, close his eyes, and wait as the bike lurched into motion to take him – them – home.

~X~

In the lobby, they both stood at the elevator while watching the neon display steadily count down to the ground level. Even if they weren’t talking, it was just comforting to be in the alpha’s presence again; partaking in this silly little ritual that had existed long before things had gotten so complicated, and had become such a bright part of their relationship these past few months.

Sanji felt his chest ache—he’d missed this.

As the numbers fell lower and lower, Sanji felt his heart pounding faster and faster, until the doors were opening with a ding. Sanji glanced to the alpha, but found him already watching him. Gaze unwaveringly on Sanji as he reached out blindly to place a palm to the doors before inclining his head politely at the elevator.

A painful snort crackled in the back of Sanji’s throat before he could stop it at the unfamiliar formality.

“What?” Zoro grunted.

“Since when are you so polite?”

Zoro’s face deadpanned.

Rolling his eye exhaustively – even throwing his head into the motion for good measure – Zoro shouldered past Sanji to step onto the elevator first, but poorly hid the grin that spread across his face. Sanji entered the lift just as Zoro turned around to expose a full smile. Matching it proudly, Sanji swiveled to a stop by the alpha’s side, then once more looked ahead of himself at their distorted reflections in the smooth metal.

Their ride up was silent.

They still hadn’t uttered a word about them , or what was happening, but Sanji could feel what this was all leading to—and yet, they continued with the formalities. He could feel his excitement rising in his chest along with the ascent of the elevator. Chancing a convert glance at the alpha, Sanji watched as Zoro pointedly kept his stare ahead of himself while his hands twitched a few times before swiftly shoving them into his pockets.

It was reassuring Sanji wasn’t the only one that felt unsure and fidgety.

They soon reached their floor, and exited, making down the hall just as innocently until they arrived at their separate apartments. Standing in the hall together with neither making a move – either to leave, or take this further – they stared at each other until Sanji broke the connection by glancing to the dried blood coating Zoro’s temple and back.

It prompted Zoro to reach up to touch it gently, before his hand fell to his chest and he looked down. Plucking the front of his ruined shirt to inspect the myriad of dirt, blood, and stains – though it was questionable whether those were there prior to Sanji’s interference – Zoro gave himself a once over before releasing the garment.

“Need a shower,” Zoro stated, but made no move to leave.

“Yeah,” Sanji cast a look down at himself, then up to agree, “same.”

Tongue darting out to nervously wet his lower lip, Zoro cast a glance towards his apartment before back to Sanji with a hopeful – if shy – smile. He then extended his hand – silently inviting – but giving Sanji a clear out if he wasn’t ready.

Sanji snagged Zoro’s hand immediately.

It was a surprisingly gentle hold for how urgent it felt, but Sanji was too distracted by the edifying sensation of feeling those familiar callouses once more. His fingers slid between Zoro’s bony knuckles perfectly. That worn, warm hold healing everything that had come apart the last few weeks.

An adorable , toothy smile lit Zoro’s face – exposing a far more guileless and sunny disposition – causing Sanji to offer his own in return—he felt privileged to see this side of Zoro again.

After some fiddling with his keys, and then the door, they quickly kicked off their shoes – Zoro’s hand never released its steadfast hold on Sanji’s – before they finally began making their way through the alpha’s apartment. Zoro led the way with notably tentative steps, even the lines of his back were agitated. It caused Sanji’s smile to twist into something far more tender as he could wholly empathize with Zoro’s nervousness.

Even after the ride here, the walk inside, and the wait for the elevator, Sanji was still uncertain of where to begin with the mountain of things he wanted to say. He wanted to apologize, first and foremost, but was also worried that once he opened his mouth he’d spill his guts. There was so much more going on with him than just them.

When they reached the bathroom, Zoro finally released Sanji’s hand to turn on the shower – never looking back lest he break the spell – testing the water a few times before straightening to shoulder off his leather jacket with an arousing amount of ease. He set it aside on the bathroom counter. Then climbed in without taking off any of his other clothes, but considering the amount of dirt and blood on him it made sense. 

As soon as the hot water hit Zoro’s hair it transformed the spring green to a darker more mesmerizing emerald before leeching further down to the dried blood on his temple which quickly melted under the heat. It began to run down the alpha’s face in hard lines of enticing garnet. Curling over high cheekbones and around a sharp jaw to follow the line of his neck, but by then the red was diluted to nothing more than a faint pink—a bit of the collar stained, but for the most part the water was washing it all away.

Inspecting his own filthy clothes, Sanji decided to follow Zoro’s example and carefully stepped into the shower after removing his own jacket. Zoro wrenched the curtain shut as Sanji stepped under the full weight of the spray. Initially uncomfortable, Sanji waited as the shower properly soaked through his clothes before finally succumbing to the soothing heat.

Sighing happily as the hot water pouring down began washing away some of the mud from his hair and shoulders, Sanji let his eyes slip shut and simply stood under the delightful cascade of water. He felt not only his aches and pains ease up, but a tension that had been knotted in his chest all month finally loosen substantially. He let a slack smile crest his lips. Head tilting back to allow the hot water to patter across his skin, sending rivulets coursing down his face and over parted lips.

Eyes eventually sliding open to find Zoro hovering mere inches above him; a burning intensity in his gaze that made the shower feel ice cold in comparison.

He was waiting—for what, Sanji was uncertain.

Gaze dropping to the alpha’s lips and back up, it felt like everything that had happened so far was leading up to this moment; they’d clash and everything would be forgotten. Sanji was getting impatient for it. Already tilting his head back by the time Zoro slowly leaned in with all the signs and intentions of kissing Sanji, but he didn’t do it—deviating at the last moment to rest his forehead against Sanji’s gently.

Sanji hated how penitent the alpha felt.

Leaning away from Zoro just enough to bring the alpha into focus as his hands tracked up to cradle the alpha’s jaw. He hadn’t moved from where Sanji had left him. Brow pinched and eyes shut, as though moving would ruin this moment, or worse—Sanji could only speculate at what Zoro was thinking of this whole situation.

“Hey,” Sanji murmured. Hands pausing in their reassuring petting to give an extra squeeze to force the alpha to open his eye. Thumb rubbing gently over the scar indenting the flesh on Zoro’s cheek, “Look at me.”

Zoro’s eye fluttered open—droplets of water flicked from the ends of his lashes.

“What’re you thinking?”

“I’m…” Zoro grumbled, “I just…”

A wistful sigh caused the alpha to shrink substantially as he curled in closer, his gaze listing away to track across Sanji’s face to inspect incalculable minutiae. He paused here and there. Darting about like he was trying to memorize everything all at once before coming back to meet Sanji’s gaze with his own burdensome one.

“I never meant to make you feel like—” Zoro’s lips barely moved as he divulged his thoughts. Sober and alert, but whispered with all the surreptitious quirks of a drunk. There was a notable frustration to his words as though attempting to punish himself, “Like you’re something to own …”

Sanji felt his lungs seize up.

Even though he knew this was where they were headed, Sanji hadn’t expected Zoro to come out of the gate so swift and blunt, but he knew he should’ve expected it by now. However, it was forcing him to come to terms with everything he’d been avoiding ever since their confrontation in the stairwell—his desires, his hypocrisy, his expectations.

It was such a contradictory set of emotions, but having those feelings coupled with years of prejudice from people made it more complicated than it should be.It didn’t mean he didn’t want it; it just made it harder for him to accept it. He knew there were certain things Zoro couldn’t control—it was the same for him. All he wanted was a way to meet in the middle so he never had to feel that sense of invalidation he’d been forced to feel since he’d presented.

“I wish I could promise I won’t do something like that again, but I…” Zoro trailed off with a sigh.

Lifting his hand to inspect his own palm, Zoro stared down at it as the water pooled in the center and tracked paths along the creases and down his arm. It took Sanji a moment to realize the alpha was looking at the scar from the broken bottle. Swiftly hidden by Zoro closing his hand into a rigid fist, Sanji tracked it up as Zoro pressed the knuckles to his brow, ground them there, and grumbled furiously.

“I literally just tackled you in the park.”

Releasing Zoro’s face to snag his wrist – gentle, but firm in his actions – Sanji pulled the alpha’s hand away and refused to let go until he unfurled his fist. He got a momentary glimpse of the scar—it was healed for the most part, but a bit of the skin was still a little reddened. Glancing back up, Sanji found Zoro staring down at the scar too, so he waited until the alpha looked back up before speaking.

“That wasn’t fair—” Sanji cut himself short as Zoro’s mouth opened, and silenced any objection, “Shut up; lemme finish.”

Zoro’s mouth shut with a click.

“I was looking for any excuse to push you away cause it was easier than dealing with everything else…”

Hand twitching in its grip on Zoro, Sanji forced himself to release the alpha’s wrist only to grasp his own hand to wring them nervously. He felt like he was preparing to step in front of a firing squad – the potential of being shot down was very real – and all he really wanted was a cigarette to temper the situation. Eventually, he managed to release his hands only to blurt loudly, “I’ve been fucking miserable.”

Zoro blinked.

Despite the vulgar candor, the alpha listened to Sanji with an unnerving intensity that loosened Sanji’s tongue too. He felt a rush of affirmations bubbling up. So many things that he’d wanted to say for months, and even more than he’d been wishing he’d said before everything went so horribly wrong.

“Only getting you once a month was killing me,” Sanji insisted. He ran a hand through his wet hair and pressed his bangs out of his face as he started to ramble, “You didn’t seem to mind, and I didn’t want to think about it, so it was just easier to pretend I didn’t want more, but I hated it. Then everything happened all at once, and I panicked, but I should’ve just—”

Sanji stopped short as regret clipped his words—grimacing at his underwhelming admission.

Reaching up to rub at his forehead – knowing he wasn’t being at all transparent – Sanji sighed while struggling to find the right words to this whole predicament. He chanced a glance up at Zoro. All his fidgeting stopped when he found the alpha staring down at him patiently; ready and open.

“I want you.” Sanji murmured. “This— us .”

Surprise eclipsed Zoro’s face before revealing an ecstatic smile as he nodded and said with a frightening amount of sincerity, “Okay.”

It had Sanji terrified for what he needed to say next.

“I don’t need you to promise me anything—just…”

Finally reaching the uncomfortable truth that he’d been avoiding, Sanji trailed off as they stared at each other with only the humming of the shower to fill the din—a heaviness to the situation somehow louder than the water.

Juggling the knowledge of what he wanted with the acknowledgement that there were certain things neither of them could control was a tumultuous balancing act, but Sanji was beginning to see that he didn’t have to do it alone.

"Just try—and I will too. I can’t promise I’m going to get over all of… this ,” Sanji gestured helplessly to himself, “right away, but I will—I want to.”

That smile still hadn’t wavered from Zoro’s face, even as he murmured, "I can wait."

Sanji felt his heart flutter.

“It might be a while,” Sanji warned.

“I’m not going anywhere.” Zoro didn’t even miss a beat—the conviction to his words was disarming, “I’m yours .”

Sanji felt his heart painfully skip a beat.

Of all the times, of all the conversations, of all the people… No one had ever told Sanji that simple little word, no one had let him feel like he deserved it. Always owned and always wanted , but never in the position to be allowed to have —he suddenly felt on the verge of laughter in the hysterical euphoria that washed over him—he hadn’t known how much of a relief it would be to hear it, especially from Zoro.

Sanji moved.

Hands grabbing the alpha’s face commandingly and dragging him down into a ready kiss, Sanji poured all of his gratitude, desperation, and relief into every fiber of the collision. Zoro returned the longing with an ardent enthusiasm. Everything he couldn't quite put into words was woven into his touch.

Arms slipping around Sanji with a tender, but urgent desire – hands caught between gripping and caressing – they would begin to wander only to come back and snap around the omega’s body as though to make sure Sanji was still there—that he wasn’t going to leave. It was nearly imperceptible, but the alpha was trembling. A quiver of uncertainty in the tips of his fingers as they glided over Sanji’s body with a cautious reverence.

It reminded Sanji of their first kiss – in this exact same spot – how overwhelmingly hot, and intense, and dizzying it had been to taste the alpha. High on his heat; at the time it had been incomparable. So tantalizingly euphoric Sanji couldn’t imagine anything ever comparing again, but somehow the clarity of mind made this reality all the better.

Perhaps it was the separation, but Sanji didn’t buy it – they’d spend weeks not touching between heats – rather, there was something real beyond the fabricated desire of his raging hormones. More than what his body wanted, it was what he wanted. Nothing was going to ever compare to the sensation of holding Zoro with reciprocated feelings.

Ending the kiss with a reassuring suckle, Sanji struggled to release Zoro now that he finally had his hands on him once again, but thankfully the alpha got impatient first. Zoro released Sanji's hips with a downright frustrated whine, then stepped back to struggle his wet shirt over his head—a tad frantic in his endeavor.

Getting the hem up was fairly easy, but once the alpha had to wrestle the wet fabric over his large shoulders he began to struggle. He got it partially over his head before finally getting stuck. Allowing the alpha to struggle a little – much like a cat in a bag – Sanji took pity and intervened.

“Stop, moron,” Sanji chuckled.

Zoro deflated with a sigh.

Slumping into Sanji’s outreached hands to accept his help, Zoro waited patiently as Sanji managed – after a bit of finagling – to stretch it high enough for Zoro to free an arm. He wrenched the fabric the rest of the way off his head before freezing. One arm was still raised in the air with the wet shirt dangling in a heavy, sodden bundle, but the task was thoroughly forgotten once they’d locked eyes.

Sanji licked his lips again, and that was it.

Arms falling – shirt whipped to the ground with a wet smack – Zoro bundled Sanji up in a desperate hold and hauled the omega around to pin him to the wall. His lips slanting over Sanji’s as he crowded him against the tiles. Hands falling to Sanji’s pants to begin tugging desperately at the buckle of his belt while his tongue slipped greedily into Sanji’s mouth.

Groaning happily at the kiss – and Zoro’s enthusiasm – Sanji began assisting by hurriedly undoing the buttons on his shirt so he could pull it open just as Zoro finished getting his pants undone. Zoro pulled back with a playful grin before wrenching Sanji’s pants and briefs down until the wet fabric caught mid-thigh. Sanji’s length popping free to bob readily between them. A little bit of kissing and the promise of what was to come had already gotten Sanji ridiculously aroused, but then Zoro fell to his knees.

Sanji whimpered as his cock twitched.

This wasn’t the first time Zoro had sucked him off – not by a long shot; the alpha was very attentive – but it was always in a bed. Which was nice , however it meant there were certain experiences they were woefully lacking in. This being one of them, and there was something powerful about seeing the large alpha on his knees between Sanji’s feet.

Wasting no time, Zoro planted his hands on the tiles on either side of Sanji’s hips and engulfed the omega’s cock in one easy motion. Sanji could feel the head squish against the back of Zoro’s throat. Tongue and muscles there squeezing in a blissful swallow that had the last of Sanji’s mental faculties sliding out of his head, down his spine, and finally circling the drain to be washed away.

Hands falling to brace on Zoro’s massive shoulders, Sanji allowed the alpha to take all his weight as he slumped forward and succumbed to the pleasure. His head hung low. Water from the shower pounding on the back of his head and causing his hair to spill around him in strings of silken gold.

Fingers flexing and twitching with every skillful suck, Sanji struggled to keep his eyes open while watching Zoro’s head moving between his legs. Sanji tightened his grip to make sure he wouldn’t fall. Slowly releasing a hand to glide along the alpha’s broad shoulders – across silky, wet skin; hot and hard – over to Zoro’s neck where he could drag his palm against the smattering of soft hair there and feel it bristle enticingly against his palm.

He loved the feeling.

Such an intimate sensation that had become so routine between them, so often Sanji’s hands would end up clutching the back of Zoro’s neck. Fingers tightening and stroking through the short hair there while the alpha worked inside of him, except this time he was inside Zoro and he was coming dangerously close to spilling his load.

Sliding his hand higher to tangle in the longer hair at the top of the alpha’s head, Sanji gripped tight – perhaps a little too eager, but didn’t receive a complaint – wrenching Zoro off him and panting heavily down at the alpha. Zoro allowed the rough treatment happily. Staring up at Sanji with an expectant look even as the water from the shower beat down on his flushed face and water traced around swollen lips.

Sanji wanted to taste them again.

Giving an insistent tug, Sanji ordered, “ Now .”

Nodding a tad dazedly, Zoro fumbled a bit as he reached out to tug Sanji’s soak pants the rest of the way down for him to step out of before jumping back to his feet and wrestling with his own pants with trembling hands. Sanji slumped against the wall. Watching as the alpha struggled – a tad adorably – with getting the wet fabric over his large thighs and then stepping out of the entanglement without falling.

Kicking all of their discarded clothing aside, Zoro straightened to once more stand in front of Sanji and gifted him with a remarkable view. Zoro’s chest was heaving. Water tracking over the corded muscles in mesmerizing rivulets that had Sanji’s gaze darting about hurriedly attempting to take it all in and his mouth aching to track every course—largest of which was that prominent scar.

Sanji had missed tracing it with his fingers.

Hands flexing at the urge, Sanji moved towards the alpha – Zoro surging forward in the same moment – they collided with ease into a fervid entanglement. Sanji's hands caressed that scarred chest while his lips found Zoro’s. Meanwhile, the alpha’s hands trailed up Sanji’s legs before hoisting him up in the same motion, sliding Sanji up the wall as the omega’s legs snapped around the alpha’s waist and his ankles locked them together.

Fingers traced the cleft of his ass until they were deep enough to slide over Sanji’s entrance; massaging his opening with slow, calculated presses so the tips just began to slip inside before moving away. Sanji’s body readily reacted to the teasing as precum began to leak unabashedly from the tip of his swollen cock. A horrible, taunting, incredible sensation that was a promise of what was to come.

“Stop wasting time,” Sanji hissed impatiently.

Zoro’s laugh was a strained combination of delight and desperation.

Without any more delay Zoro’s hand retracted and Sanji could feel him fidgeting below as he grabbed his length and proceeded to align it with Sanji’s entrance. He swept the head over it a few times to get it drenched in slick before bringing it back in place with intent. There was a second to allow Sanji to ready himself, and then Zoro was thrusting in as he pulled Sanji down.

Sanji’s head fell back against the tiles.

Eyes rolling back and lashes fluttering at the filling sensation that had the air slowly squeezed from his lungs as Zoro steadily pushed himself inside. Once seated fully inside after weeks of separation had Sanji realizing that even outside of his heat he was so woefully desperate at this point he wasn’t going to last for very long. He could feel the edge of his orgasm flickering inside him. A few well timed thrusts were going to have him completely unraveling for the alpha before he even had the chance to do anything.

“Fuck,” Sanji bemoaned. “ Shit .”

“I know~” Zoro purred.

Rolling his hips into a deliciously fluid thrust, Zoro had Sanji slipping up the wet tiles in an effortless motion; unevenness of the tiles and roughness of the grout creating a delicious cascade of rippling pleasure across his skin. That single motion had Sanji nearly tripping over the cusp. His grip on Zoro’s arms tightened to a punishing degree. Managing with a hoarse growl, “ Stop. ”

Zoro did immediately.

“You okay?”

Sanji wanted to laugh at the concern.

“Yeah,” Sanji gave in and allowed a mildly hysterical laugh to bubble out before recovering his composure. He glanced down at Zoro. Giving a weak smile and admitting, “I’m just… I’m gonna cum.”

“I can wait,” Zoro murmured.

His double entendre caused Sanji to blush.

Draping his arms comfortably around Zoro and dropping his head to rest on a broad shoulder, Sanji breathed through the arousal ebbing dangerously within and focused on all matter of dumb things to bring himself back down. Zoro waited patiently—incomparable self control. It wasn’t long before Sanji felt he could continue without embarrassing himself, and twisted his head up until his lips brushed the shell of Zoro’s ear.

“Okay,” Sanji whispered, “I’m ready.”

A pleased growl rumbled in Zoro’s chest.

Without dislodging their embrace, Zoro adjusted his stance while keeping Sanji held as close to him as possible and began to move with a hungry intent. Every thrust was a glorious grind that had Sanji sliding up the tiles, bouncing off Zoro’s thighs, and bringing him dangerously close to release again. He tried thinking of anything he could to hold off. Riding that perfect pleasure for as long as he could—never wanting it to end.

As they perfected their pace, Zoro slowly pulled back to watch Sanji; his gaze was heavily lidded, but he never allowed his attention to waver from Sanji.

“‘M close,” Zoro slurred against Sanji’s lips.

“Same,” Sanji moaned.

A whimper of relief flitted from Zoro as Sanji’s hands tightened with a permissive squeeze—encouraging the alpha to bring them to the brink. Zoro’s hips jerked readily, but his brow hardened defiantly. Tense lines of his bared teeth rubbed against Sanji’s lips as a whine slipped from Zoro, before he stopped moving completely and voiced his thoughts through an uncharacteristic bashfulness.

“I want it,” Zoro murmured.

Through the heady fog of arousal it took several seconds for Sanji to understand what the alpha was referring to – even pulling back to level a confused look – before the desperation in Zoro’s face finally caused the request to click. His body heating up at the idea, but his stomach twisting nervously. It was an enormous thing to consider, and he didn’t feel nearly in the right headspace to decide.

He could feel that panic start to build again.

“I—” Sanji struggled with a weak shake of his head, “I’m not—”

“It’s okay, you don’t need to—you never need to,” Zoro reassured as a blush began to pinch at his cheekbones. He glanced away. Bashful behavior odd enough that it had Sanji coming back to himself in time for Zoro to look back at him and admit, “I meant me; I want you to.”

Sanji blinked.

Time steadily ticked by as the reality of Zoro’s offer fully settled in; something he’d never even considered as an option, or at least, not one that’d ever be given to him. Bonding marks could be reciprocal, but alpha’s undeniably prioritized their own—let alone requested to be claimed without getting anything in return.

Even in the shower, Sanji’s lips were suddenly dry, “Oh.”

“You don’t have to,” Zoro continued, but his chin tilted up at the words. Offering his throat in a minute gesture of submission, “I just wanted you to know you could, if you wanted…”

Sanji could feel his face turn red.

“Oh, wow,” Zoro’s head dropped forward to rest on Sanji’s shoulder. His throat was still angled towards Sanji. Body trembling and grip biting as he grounded himself with a few harsh pants to Sanji’s wet skin before muttering, “you got fuckin’ tight.”

“‘Course I did,” Sanji grumbled through tight lips. “Sayin’ shit like that…”

“Not sayin’ what I want got me into this mess—so I’m just gonna be honest now,” Zoro stated with an endearing conviction. “I want to be yours—I want that proof.”

Sanji’s blush was going to start turning the water running down it into steam.

Pressing a chaste kiss to Sanji’s neck, Zoro reassured, “You do what you want; ‘m gonna finish us off.”

Zoro began to slowly return to his thrusting.

Hands shifting a little higher up Sanji’s thighs so his fingers rested at the crease where leg met rear, Zoro’s grip solidified as he pressed Sanji into the tiles and began to make good on his promise. His hips snapping up with a perfect cadence. Every motion timed entirely to bring Sanji to his peak – the alpha knew Sanji’s body embarrassingly well – the entire time keeping his neck angled up to Sanji.

Swallowing nervously, Sanji’s tongue darted out to drag over his lips – catching the water currently running down his face – in a desperate attempt to gain a bit of control. He couldn’t deny the offer was tantalizing, but already he could feel himself overthinking why he should refrain. Stamping down that part of himself, Sanji forced himself to focus on the simple notion of what he wanted —his answer was instant, obvious, and undeniable.

Leaning down and dragging his nose down the length of Zoro’s throat, Sanji paused at the alpha’s scent glands and nuzzled the skin to simply get a little high off the scent. It was so crisp. A flavor that had previously caused him to burn, now had him relaxing blissfully—he was certain his heats were never going to compare to this.

Zoro was getting notably close, so Sanji made his move.

Taking care to angle his mouth just right along the juncture of neck and shoulder, Sanji held with only the faintest press of his teeth while gauging Zoro’s reaction. Zoro’s hips stuttered, but recovered quickly. Pace picking up as Sanji could feel the alpha’s girth swelling impossibly and had his own breathing get a little jilted—the alpha felt huge . 

Sanji was all too familiar with how overwhelming it was to have someone in this position – the power, the control, the dominance – Zoro was handing it all over to Sanji willingly.

Emboldened by Zoro’s obvious enthusiasm, Sanji lowered his mouth a little further to properly suck at the scent gland and was rewarded with an animalistic growl from the alpha.  Zoro surged under the attention. Pinning Sanji to the wall and fucking him into it at a brutal pace – coupled with the taste of Zoro’s scent on his tongue – had Sanji moaning blissfully and giving an encouraging suck that had the alpha vibrating .

“ Fuck, ” Zoro growled. “ Sanji~ ”

Sanji’s stomach twisted happily at the sound of his name coupled with Zoro’s unhinged reverence.

Caught up in the desperation and pleasure that had Zoro practically turning to putty in his hands had Sanji completely forgetting about his own impending orgasm as he continued to urge the alpha on with his mouth. Sucking and nipping all in an effort to get Zoro there. Feeling as the alpha got steadily more erratic in his movements as he got blindsided by his more base instincts.

“ San —” With a breathless groan, Zoro all but whined, “‘m gonna cum.”

“Do it,” Sanji goaded happily.

Lifting his mouth only a moment to let Zoro know it was alright before lowering back to his throat; he felt the alpha begin to reach his peak and Sanji finally surrendered entirely. He bit down as hard as he could. Teeth sinking into the shallow flesh as Sanji’s mouth flooded with the alpha’s taste, so overwhelming that Sanji tipped over immediately.

Release punching out of him had his jaw locking in place on Zoro’s neck as his body trembled harder than it ever had in his life; Zoro’s forehead pressed against Sanji’s shoulder as a guttural groan wheezed from the alpha—his knot swelling inside him bringing tears of ecstasy to his eyes. He clung desperately to the alpha holding him up, but beyond that contact, reality around him had melted away. Mind wholly clouded by the heady scent of Zoro that had blocked out everything.

It was akin to drowning—needing air, but unable to draw in a breath.

Struggling to unlock his jaw from the alpha, Sanji clung on for a shred of sanity through the aching release that had his entire body feeling like it were being wrung empty. His heart was thundering in his chest. It was only after Zoro had stilled his grinding and his hand had finished wringing every last drop from his aching length that Sanji managed to force his mouth to let go.

His mouth hovered over the bonding mark.

Every inhale was riddled with Zoro’s scent – the flavor on his tongue was crippling – so Sanji let his head fall back in an attempt to catch his breath through the haze of alpha . It took a while, but eventually he felt like he could breathe once more. Dazedly dropping his head down to find Zoro was still struggling to recover while miraculously keeping them both upright.

Deciding to leave the alpha to his recovery, Sanji glanced at the mark he’d left that now sat prominently – and a little bloody – at the juncture of Zoro’s shoulder. Sanji leaned down to lathe his tongue lazily across the mark to clean the last traces of blood. A rush of connection welling up was enhanced by the happy moan that rumbled in Zoro’s chest; Sanji could only imagine what the alpha was feeling – that bonded sensation – and he couldn’t deny that he was eager to know what it felt like one day—hopefully soon.

When Sanji lifted his head, Zoro was already there waiting for him to slant his mouth across Sanji’s in a deep, slow, and reverent kiss. There was very little grace to it given their exhaustion – more of lazy smushing of lips – but it was still delightfully perfect.

“ Fuck ,” Zoro groaned against Sanji’s lips.

Sanji’s eyes fluttered open.

Blinking through a haze of ecstasy and shower water to find Zoro looking up at him with slack-jawed euphoria. He almost looked drunk. It was a flattering thing to see—reassuring to know that Sanji wasn’t the only one that felt this way.

“You taste like mi— ” Zoro cut himself short.

A thoughtful – slightly self-reprimindful – frown warped Zoro’s brow as he mulled over his own choice of words before leaning in again to press his lips chastely to Sanji’s. Barely a kiss, briefest of touch. Slowly pulling back to allow his gaze to skitter over Sanji’s face as content understanding crooked his mouth.

“ Us ,” Zoro corrected.

Sanji’s lips pulled into a tight, embarrassed smile; Zoro always knew the right thing to say, but Sanji was no longer surprised.

Fondly running his hands through Zoro’s dark hair, Sanji leaned back in to lazily mush his lips against the alpha’s and revel in the taste of them . Sanji’s eyes fell shut and he lost track of time. Only when his arms got lethargic in their petting did he realize Zoro was still holding them up, and he pulled away to murmur curiously.

“You gonna pull out?”

Zoro hummed his disacension.

“I’m not in a rush,” Zoro inevitably explained with a happy groan. He nuzzled against Sanji happily, before stilling and lifting his head. Still a bit dazed, but concerned nonetheless, “Do you want me to?”

“Nope,” Sanji smiled—content.

Zoro's face relaxed, “Good.”

“I wouldn’t complain about moving to the bed though…”

“Done.”

Blindly reaching out for the controls, Zoro found the lever and killed the flow of water with one swift jerk. His hand quickly returned to support Sanji. Readjusting himself before carefully leaning back to take all of the omega’s weight and stepping out of the shower.

“Don’t trip,” Sanji chuckled.

“ You tripped me, you fuckhead,” Zoro grumbled.

“Hm,” Sanji hummed with a playful innocence, “Did I?”

“First time? Yes. ”

“I don’t recall…”

They left the bathroom continuing to fondly bicker.

~X~

A warm ambiance hung over the apartment – cleanly scraped plates and empty wine glasses littered the table – as the amount of guests steadily declined. Nami was now the only one left. Having taken her time to finish her drink before calling for a lift to take her home despite Sanji’s multiple offers for her to crash with them. Even as he grabbed her jacket from a nearby hook while she busied herself with pulling on her boots, Sanji flipped it over his forearm and pressed a final time.

“You sure you don’t wanna stay?”

“It’s fine ,” Nami huffed after finally managing to get her heel into her shoe. She straightened with a reassuring smile, before casting a glance at Zoro, “Besides, I’m not interested in messing with whatever plans you two have—despite his carefree attitude, he’s a phenomenal pouter.”

Zoro made a face, but didn’t say anything.

“I can recognize a losing battle when I see one,” Sanji gave in with a smile.

Holding out the jacket readily for Nami to easily slip a sleeve into before releasing it and stepping back as she finished getting sorted. She swiftly flipped her hair out from where it’d gotten tucked, then did the jacket up halfway. Given the spring weather it was fairly comfortable outside, but the evening still carried a bit of a chill. With all of her effects in hand, Nami finally turned back to Sanji and beckoned him in for a hug which Sanji happily obliged—when she pulled back she was smiling.

“Again—Happy Birthday, darling.”

“Thanks, Nami.”

Giving his shoulders a friendly squeeze, she stepped to the door and pulled it open—pausing to say with a wink, “Don’t have too much fun.”

“With this one?” Sanji jerked his thumb at Zoro, “You don’t have to worry; I don’t think he knows the meaning.”

Zoro rolled his eye—turning away with a mutter, “See you at work.”

“ Bye .”

With the door shut and the last of their guests departed a sudden silence filled the once boisterous apartment as the evening finally reached its conclusion. Sanji immediately dug out his smokes as Zoro began clearing the table. Twiddling the cigarette between his fingers to get Zoro’s attention, Sanji inclined his head towards the balcony, “‘M going out for a smoke.”

Zoro gave an absent wave.

While Zoro continued to mill about collecting spare cans and bottles, Sanji made his way over to the patio and – after politely closing the door behind himself – lit up his cigarette with a grateful inhale. He’d been deprived of the nicotine for several hours. With cooking dinner for all their guests, coupled with not wanting to excuse himself while they were over, Sanji had been putting this off for a while now. However, despite his desperation for a smoke, Sanji couldn’t have been in better spirits.

Over the past few months, Sanji had managed to slowly introduce himself properly to all of Zoro’s coworkers and it had gone even more seamlessly than he had hoped. He was still building up to much more complicated obstacles – like his family – but everything would come in its own time. For now, Sanji was content simply having something that actually made him happy.

When the patio door opened, Sanji cast a glance back to find the table mostly cleared and the distant rumbling of the started dishwasher. Zoro even had a bag of recycling by the door ready to be taken out. Even though they still had separate apartments the unspoken routines they had fallen into made it feel like they would be moving in together inevitably.

Gaze flicking back to watch Zoro shut the door, Sanji watched as the alpha came to join him at the patio railing with a beer in hand. He slumped back on his elbows with a content sigh. Eye falling shut while basking in the solitude as Sanji began building up the nerve to request one final thing from the alpha…

It had been something he’d been wanting to do for a while, but the romantic in him had wanted to wait for the perfect moment—which felt like now. Just the thought had a smile touching his lips.It didn't go unnoticed by Zoro who immediately raised his brows expectantly and grunted, “Hm?”

“What?”

“What ‘what?’?” Zoro echoed. “What’s with that look?”

Sanji feigned ignorance, “What look?”

Lips thinning to match the flat line of his unimpressed brow, Zoro gifted Sanji an exhausted look – really waited to allow it to settle – before sighing and giving in. He took a sip of beer. Then pointed at Sanji around the bottle still clasped in his hand, “ That look—the one where you have something you wanna say.”

Sanji was in too good of a mood to be bothered by how well the alpha knew him.

A delighted smile broke out across his face that threatened to cause his cigarette to tumble to the ground. He caught it swiftly between deft fingers. Flicking off some of the ash while given the opportunity before finally laughing.

“You know me too well,” Sanji titled his head back to expel a large cloud of smoke. He watched it dissipate before dropping to gift Zoro a playfully irritated look, “That’s annoying.”

Zoro smirked, but it quickly faded.

“Did I get the wrong knives?” Zoro grumbled, “‘Cause Nami assured me—”

“Naw, they’re perfect.”

Swiftly assuaging Zoro’s fears, Sanji couldn’t help but smile at the sudden distress displayed by the alpha over his gift. Ever since they'd begun actually courting Zoro had been unexpectedly timid when it came to his courting gifts – really making it apparent that he’d truly never done it before – but clearly trying his best at every opportunity. That alone was enough to make Sanji happy no matter how lackluster the offering.

“But I was hoping for one more thing.”

“More?” Zoro echoed skeptically.

Sanji nodded playfully—enjoying Zoro’s confused irritation just a little too much.

Really taking his time to finish his cigarette – curious to see how long he could draw out the suspense before Zoro tried to shake it out of him – Sanji inevitably got to the filter and reached out to snub the smoke into the nearby ashtray. He returned to stand in front of the alpha. Fingers drumming agitatedly on his beer bottle giving away the casual indifference Zoro was so clearly attempting to convey--he arched an expectant brow.

Sanji bashfully tapped his finger to his neck.

An uneventful silence followed Sanji's request as Zoro just continued to stare down at him unphased, and perhaps, even a little confused. His gaze darted to the side thoughtfully. Upon finally looking back at Sanji and beginning to lean in, with a frankly insulting amount of wariness, it had Sanji pulling back sharply.

"What are you doing?"

Zoro immediately straightened and barked, "What do you want me to be doing? "

"What do you think you're doing?"

"I don't know !" Zoro huffed, "Scenting you?!"

Sanji gaped incredulously.

Zoro’s brow twitched, " What? "

"Forget it," Sanji shook his head with a chuckle. Snagging the beer from the still bewildered alpha, Sanji tilted it back to take a hearty swig after muttering at the lip, "Moment's gone."

Zoro blinked, "We were having a moment?"

"Half of one, apparently," Sanji drawled.

Handing the beer back to Zoro – who took it absently and immediately set it down on the nearby table – while Sanji busied himself with digging out another cigarette. His failed attempt at subtly had killed the moment. Just as he’d begun to finger out a cigarette, Zoro’s hands came up to clasp around both of Sanji’s to halt his movements and forced Sanji to once more look up at the alpha.

"Seriously, Curls…" Zoro pressed, "what'd'ya want?"

"This is so much less cool," Sanji muttered to the side.

Zoro pointedly ignored all the whining and stared intently. 

Shaking off the alpha's hands, Sanji took his time tucking his pack of smokes back into his pocket before heaving a sigh and finally admitting, "I wanted you to give me a bonding mark."

An embarrassing silence followed the admission as Sanji could see the cogs turning in Zoro’s head as the alpha cycled through his initial, instinctive excitement before progressing to a more tender jubilation until inevitably reaching his expected irritation.

Zoro gave a dry scoff, "Then say that."

"I was trying to be romantic ." Enunciating each syllable with a punctuated vigor, Sanji added in an eyeroll for extra flare and a curt, “Shithead.”

A stubbornness cemented Zoro's brow, "You want romantic? "

Lunging at Sanji with a ferocity that belied any sort of amorous intentions, Zoro soon had the omega bundled up in his arms with a rigidity that ensured no amount of squirming would allow for escape; Sanji allowed it even as his face went red from embarrassment. 

"How's this?"

"It's a start," Sanji quipped, voice dripping with sarcasm.

Once it became clear Sanji wasn’t going to flail, Zoro took his time to readjust Sanji from the wrestling hold he’d locked him in and shifted into an actual dignified carry. His shirt was still riding up, but at least his knees were no longer touching his nose. When Sanji glanced up, Zoro’s proud exterior faltered as he gazed down at Sanji cautiously.

“You’re not doing this because of me, are you?"

Pointedly looking down at himself still in the alpha’s arms – giving Zoro the opportunity to get the hint – Sanji drawled, “Since when have I done anything I don’t want to do?”

A bright smile lit up Zoro's face.

“Ugh, I regret this,” Sanji groaned with a laugh. “You’re grinning like a fucking idiot.”

“Too late,” Zoro chimed smugly. “You’re stuck with me.”

Leaning down to accompany the cheesy statement with a chaste kiss, Zoro’s arms tightened a fraction happily as Sanji reciprocated by hooking a hand at the back of the alpha’s neck and pulling him in to deepen it. They took their time to relish the moment. Until Sanji finally pulled back to murmur, “That’s more like it.”

“Yeah?” Zoro smirked.

He turned swiftly to head inside, but stopped at the shut patio door—arms full.

“What’s the plan now, genius?” Sanji drawled.

Zoro’s face fell, but was swiftly replaced with a smug grin.

Without hesitation Zoro hefted Sanji up and tossed him over his shoulder before wrenching the patio door open and stormed inside—hardly shutting it behind himself with a flick as he already was striding towards the bedroom. Sanji allowed the undignified position. Burying his face into the alpha’s back with a furious blush and an ecstatic smile.

~The End~