Chapter Text
Flashback
Chicago, July 2014, high school gymnasium, prom night. The last speeches, last dances, last kisses before everyone goes their own way. Vivi and Sanji had been made king and queen of the party and wowed everyone with the traditional dance, sooner that night. Daughter of actors, Vivi knew how to put on the show and Sanji, being the perfect gentleman, was the perfect partner. All their friends congratulated them.
Now, the party was in full swing, Nami was dancing with Vivi, the buffet was assailed by Luffy and Ussop, and Sanji was sailing between the different groups of girl students. Zoro observed his friends, seated in a corner of the room. That's it, it was over. No more high school, no more annoying classes, no more fun with the buddies, it was now time for them to finally try to find a place in the world. Find their voice. Fulfill their dream. And eventually go back to each other.
Nami was going to start studies related to fashion and the world of modeling. Vivi will leave for Hollywood and probably become a star, who knows. She had promised them all to get back to them quickly. Ussop was going to start his tour of the country with his van and propose his clothing design ideas everywhere. Luffy, who had always had a foot in the firefighters, was finally going to start his apprenticeship to become a real one. And Sanji… Ah Sanji. He will finally start some food science studies and then, work with his father, in his restaurant, as he had dreamed of for a while.
Zoro's heart sank when he thought of his blond friend. He eyed him shyly. Things between them had always been more or less ambiguous since their early teens. And he hated having to leave things where they were. Indeed, for him, Zoro, he was going to travel around the world alongside his father to participate in kendo championships. And become the strongest in this discipline. To, in the end, beat his dad. Zoro had set himself this goal since third grade, when his father started introducing him to this sport.
And since then, his heart has swayed between his goal, his dream and Sanji. He didn’t know what to feel for him. But, maybe it was good that he went away for a while, he would have something to think about and Sanji wouldn't be around to trouble him. Anyway, it didn’t delight him at all, to have to spend a year away from him. And others too. Yes, he would miss them all very much. But now, all his friends were going to realize their dream and so was he, after all.
“Eh marimo… Is everything okay?” Zoro suddenly raised his head and found himself face to face with Sanji. He pulled back and blushed. "No, nothing, I was just thinking uh..." "You were thinking about me, weren’t you..." Sanji mocked in a playful tone. Zoro was really happy that the room wasn't brighter because his cheeks became very red. "Relax, just kidding. Are you not too worried about your trip there, by the way?” Zoro shook his head, coming to his senses. "I'm leaving as soon as my dad arrives, of course I'm freaking out, stupid eyebrows." Sanji leaned on the table, placed his chin on his hands, and pouted sadly at Zoro. “He could have, at least, let you enjoy the prom, it’s still an important step for everyone…”
Zoro looked at him, so cute with that expression. He looked away. "That's how it is... And then, if you think about it, I'm not going to let you achieve your dream without accomplishing mine too!" Zoro stood up abruptly and dragged Sanji with him, who awkwardly followed him. Zoro picked up the two gluttons, dragged the girls in his walk and they found themselves in a group in the center of the dance floor.
"I'll be leaving soon, so I wanted to say goodbye to you guys." announced Zoro scratching his head. “Heeeee, we will miss you so much!!” Vivi moved closer and pressed his face between her hands. Zoro tried to give her a big smile. "But, hey, you're not the only one leaving..." "Man is too good to wait until the end of the party to go live his dream, is that it?" Sanji scoffed. "Oh come on," Nami teased him with an affectionate nudge. "I'm so happy for you, Zoro, but you have to promise to not forget us!" "I'm sure you're going to remind me of that every day, so let’s not worry about that." Zoro replied with a small satisfied smile. “You are going to have lots of great stories to tell us!” Luffy shouted, jumping on his back. “And Ussop too! And Vivi too!! You are so lucky to go traveling!” "It's not just for fun that we leave, big boy, you know." Zoro smiled at him, ruffling his black locks. “I will write to you and call you as often as I can, I promise!”
Luffy slid next to Zoro and everyone got closer in a big collective hug. Zoro and Sanji found themselves face to face. The young blond glued their foreheads. “I’ll miss you so much, marimo…” he whispered to him. Zoro's heart skipped a beat. He was going to miss all of his friends a lot, but Sanji… Even more. "Hey you guys, it's only for a year, next summer I'll be back to you, we'll all be together again and everything will be fine!" "We all meet in a year, it's settled!" Luffy exclaimed as he hugged everyone. Everybody approved.
The friends separated and looked at each other, smiling. “You’ll bring us lots of souvenirs from your trips, will you?” Nami asked Zoro defiantly. “I was sure that you were going to put my travels to your advantage, in one way or another… Of course I will bring you stuff! But don't expect anything big, I don't have any money yet!" Zoro warned her, pointing a finger at Nami. She stuck her tongue out at him.
Suddenly, one of the teachers who was watching the party approached their group. "Um, excuse me, Zoro… your father is here, he was looking for you!" Zoro sighed. "Come on guys, see you very soon, I love you!" Zoro slipped away under the encouragement of his friends. He saw his father, Mihawk, waiting for him at the exit. “I'm so sorry to interrupt your party but… if we don't leave now we'll miss our flight…” “It doesn't matter dad, we had agreed anyway.” "Did you get to say goodbye to your friends?" “Yes, yes, we…” “Zoro, wait…” came a voice behind him.
The green-haired teenager turned around and saw Sanji, who grabbed the sleeve of his jacket. "Can I just tell you something, really quickly?" "Yes of course!" Zoro turned towards him and stroked his arms. "What's the matter?" "In private?" Sanji asked, red as a poppy. Zoro cast a questioning look at his father who told him that they still had little time.
Zoro led Sanji outside and both boys found themselves behind the gymnasium, between the wall and some bushes. It was almost dark, the crickets were singing and the fireflies were dancing. The streetlights weren't on, but the moonlight alone was enough for the two friends to see each other. Zoro leaned against the wall and took Sanji's hands in his. “What is it, curly? What did you want to talk to me about?” he asked in a soft voice. “Well… I'm going to miss you a lot, Zoro… I know it's only for one year but… You're bound to leave after this, again and again… am I right?”
Zoro looked down. Sanji was right. In order for him to realize his dream, Zoro will often have to go to the four corners of the world, participate in championships, train again and again, but... "Hey, Sanji..." He lifted his head and stared into his. "We're not there yet, you know. All I know is that I’ll be back to you next year. I don’t know what will happen after, but one thing is certain. I’ll always return. No matter how long I've been away from you, I'll be back every time, you can be sure of that." Sanji smiled weakly at him, reassured by his words. “I trust you on that, marimo. I'm just going to… terribly miss you… And.. I want you to be there all the time, not just some times of the year… ” Zoro's heart melted in his chest.
"Come here curly, I'mma miss you so much too..." And Sanji couldn't resist the urge to throw himself desperately into his arms. Zoro caught up with him, embracing him while the young blond buried his head in the crook of his neck. Sanji hugged him and stroked his broad back, inhaling his scent, his nose glued to his skin. They stayed like that for a few minutes, without saying a word, just enjoying each other's warmth, their presence, their smell.
Zoro ended up running his fingers through the blonde curls. “Sanji, I… We have to go…” “I don't feel like it, Zoro… What am I going to do without you? Who am I going to be able to hang out with? Who will I be able to tell all the things that will happen to me? What will I become…” “It will be fine, Sanji…” Zoro answered, his voice shaking, stepping back “You’ll have Nami and Luffy by your side, everything will be okay. And then, I'm sure you'll make lots of friends during college... And I'm only leaving for a year, I'll be back sooner than you think.”
Sanji planted his blue eyes in Zoro's. He looked so melancholic and serious at the same time, he was so handsome. Zoro shivered and felt his heart speed up. “Sanji…” The blond moved his hands up and cupped Zoro's pretty face gently. The young seaweed head wrapped him around the waist and hugged him. Their faces came closer. Their breath mingled together.
And soon their lips too. Sanji pinned Zoro against the wall and kissed him passionately, pressing himself against him, swallowing his scent. Zoro returned his kiss with as much passion. He snuggled up against Sanji and slid his hands on his tiny waist to keep him close, to keep his presence, his warmth against him. Sanji drowned in the middle of his muscles and let himself be totally carried away by the new sensations that seized his body and his mind. Between kisses, Sanji breathed, "Zoro I lov-" "No. Don't say anything, please. We both have things to do before that and…”
"Zoro, it's really time to go now!" Mihawk's voice sounded somewhere. Zoro banged his forehead against Sanji's, hearing his father calling him and sighed. Sanji hugged him tight one last time. "You go now stupid marimo or I'll never let you go again..." And he pulled back, letting the night air circulate between their bodies. Zoro sighed and walked forward. "I'll see you next year, Sanji. I promise. Please, wait for me.” “I know. Have a safe trip. And… Don’t you dare to forget us, to… forget me…” Zoro gave him a last intense look. "I won't." And he left, leaving Sanji alone in the night.
Present
Zoro suddenly woke up from his dream. He opened his eyes widely and sat up in his seat. He was on the plane. Next to him, Mihawk was watching him, a little concerned. “Are you okay, son?” The young man caught his breath and turned to him. "Yeah... It's fine, I just... I had a funny dream." Mihawk mumbled and went back to his novel. Father and son were on the plane, heading for Chicago after spending five months in Asia. Zoro had chained kendo competitions, trainings and meetings with officials of the kendo federation. He was so happy to come home and be able to rest a bit. In two weeks they were already to leave for France. But no question of taking the lead with that now. As soon as they landed, Zoro would arrange outings with his friends and then, go take a well-deserved nap.
It was June 2023. Nine years have passed since the end of high school. Since his first trip. He had seen the world and many things had changed. First, for him. He had managed to make a name for himself in the world of kendo. He had become a very strong opponent and was winning most of his fights. The federation, of which Mihawk was an important member, held him in high esteem and followed his steps closely. As a result, no scandal had been allowed in Zoro's life. The young man was watched, especially by his father who made sure that everything was perfectly under control during official meetings and all.
Obviously when they got home, Zoro went out, saw his friends and took the opportunity to have a good time. His father left him alone and knew how to respect his privacy. In the nine years that they had traveled the world together, their ties were well consolidated and they got along very well. They had established healthy boundaries between their life together and their private lives and were thriving beautifully. Besides, Zoro was a man now, his father treated him like his equal. Even though they had a few fights and even kendo combats over what Zoro was allowed to do or not, or about another topic, they managed to get past it.
Over time, Zoro understood how important the values of kendo were, that now that he is known in this world he mustn’t do anything wrong and if a single scandal arises and gets spreaded around the world, his career is ruined. Like a real celebrity. But all this didn’t prevent him from enjoying the sins that life can offer. Admittedly, the end of his adolescence wouldn't have been as crazy as his friends, but that hadn't stopped him from having fun when he went back to see them, for instance.
So, nine years have passed and yet the same dream runs through his mind every time he comes back here. That prom night he left in the middle, after they kissed with Sanji. Everytime. But this time, it had been much more intense. Super detailed, in full color, Zoro even still had the sensation of that kiss on his lips. He caressed his mouth distractedly, heart pounding. Sanji then occupied all his thoughts. Thinking about it, there had never been anything more than their first and only kiss, between them.
When Zoro had come home the year after the end of high school, he had explained to Sanji that he didn't want to start a serious relationship on top of his complicated schedule and travels. Sanji had replied that he understood and that it had been just a kiss, nothing more, that he had probably acted out of emotion and that it had never meant anything to him. Zoro had always found this answer odd. And then after, Sanji had had a few relationships that seemed serious and Zoro had given up. He too had had his own experiences in this area but never anything that lasted more than one night.
The young man shook his head. Now was not the time to think about that, damn it. "I find you quite disturbed, son." Mihawk said, closing his book. "Is something wrong?" "I'm just tired, dad, that's all." Zoro reassured him by smiling at him. “I think I'm going to lay in my bed and stay there for days…” Mihawk chuckled. “Are you still going to take advantage of our time here to see your friends, anyway?” "Ob, Obviously!” Zoro blushed.
Zoro thought about his whole group. He would write to them once on the ground. For them, too, things had changed drastically. Luffy was now a brigade commander in the city fire department. He had climbed the ladder at the speed of light, passionate about this job. And, fun fact but true, he was now engaged. With Law, who ran the surgical department at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. They had met one night, when Luffy had to rush injured people from a fire, and while he was wandering the halls in search for food, he had come across Law, and one thing leading to another, the two had become engaged last year. Zoro was overjoyed when Luffy told him the news.
During his night at the hospital, Luffy had also met an intern there, in first year. Chopper. Luffy had befriended him and he was now part of their group. He was nice as hell and Zoro understood that he wanted to specialize in allergy and immunology.
Then, Nami and Vivi got together when Vivi had returned from Hollywood. Everyone saw that coming. And everyone was so happy for them. She had signed quite a few contracts and had acted in quite a few small movies and was currently focusing on a possible modeling career. Nami too, had been interested in this world but had finally changed her mind and was now a fashion journalist for Vanity Fair magazine. They shared a cute apartment downtown.
Dear Ussop had toured the country, offering where he could, his ideas for designing clothes and had won lots of small contracts. He had finally chosen to settle permanently in Chicago, when he had met Kaya, during a party. She was a little older than him and had her own pediatrician's cabinet.
During one of their parties where Zoro was present, they had sympathized with the leader of a music group in a pub. His name was Brook. He was in his early forties but the mood was so good that Brook was often drawn into the adventures of the group.
That wasn’t all. Two more people had joined them. At a party on a boat, that Nami had been sent to by her magazine. She had taken Sanji with her and the blond couldn't resist falsely flirting with one of the guests. She had kindly failed him by showing him her wedding ring as well as her husband who was just behind Sanji. Robin and Franky! They were in their early thirties and there too the mood was going very well. Robin worked at the university as an archeology professor and Franky was a carpenter at the shipyard.
And here's the whole gang. It was a bit complicated to have everyone together for each outing or evening, because everyone had a rather complex schedule. But, at least for birthdays and end-of-year celebrations, everyone managed to be free. This is their current life. Everyone had found their place and everyone now had a full life of fun. Zoro was so happy that they all remained united and welded. Now they were all a real shock team. The plane began its descent. Zoro yawned and started packing his stuff, shoved his packets of chips and bottle of water into his bag, put his neckband in place, and stuffed his phone in his pocket. Mihawk put away his book and afterwards all the passengers were ordered to fasten their seatbelts.
The plane landed safely and after the interminable wait for the suitcases in the hold, Zoro and Mihawk found themselves outside. Their driver was waiting for them. He helped them load the luggage and they left, heading for the mansion. Zoro reactivated the network on his phone and texted the whatsapp group he had with all his friends.
*See you at the usual pub, tomorrow, 6pm*
*Seriously??! After five months is that all you can tell us??!*
*Let me remind you that I called you every fucking week while I was away, you ill-tempered bitch…*
*Zorooooooo!!! Yahouuuuu!!*
*You are back!!!! Hurrayaaaaa!! Welcome back!!*
*How was Asia???*
*I'll tell you everything tomorrow night, too lazy now.*
*You're lucky I don't have any hospital guard scheduled that night… I'll be there.*
*Franky and I will be there. Glad you're back, Zoro!*
*Stupid marimo.*
Zoro smiled looking at Sanji's message. It was so good to be back home! To be surrounded again by the people who loved him and whom he loved. To see landscapes and streets (he thinks) he knew. A feeling of serenity invaded his body and Zoro sat back more comfortably in his seat. Direction home, after a good bath and a good meal he would probably go to sleep for a dozen hours. Maybe more.
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