Looking for balance

14. Like a Monday

Thanks to KumaZura for proof reading this chapter.

***

"Shit!"

Zoro sat up, grumbling. Once again, he had fallen asleep in the crow's nest after his training and he had dropped everything to collapse on his carpet. This morning, he was regretting it after he got hit in the head with his dumbbell when he had turned on his makeshift bed.

The swordsman stood up sullenly. Annoyed by his painful awakening, he threw his dumbbell a little further and it bounced and burst the wooden slats of the floor. Freezing, Zoro sighed. He couldn't train properly now because of the damage.

"Great." He grimaced once again before moving, heading for the galley to have breakfast.

When he arrived in the room, everyone was already around the table and chatting happily. They were back at sea for a few days and the next island would soon be in sight according to Nami. Zoro helped himself without flinching and chewed silently while trying to ignore the surrounding noise.

"Hey, why do you have a bump on your head, Zoro?" His captain suddenly wondered in between bites.

"Have you already fought with Sanji?" The little reindeer worried.

"Seriously, you're unbelievable," The navigator grumbled, glaring at them.

The cook looked questioningly at the swordsman who was feeling a headache coming. He clenched his teeth before glaring at his crewmates. "I banged my head. End of story."

Everyone felt the threatening aura of the fencer spread into the room and they turned away from him to resume a more pleasant conversation.

***

As soon as the meal was finished, Zoro went to take a shower and then intercepted the cyborg who was tinkering in his workshop. "I had a small accident with a dumbbell in the crow's nest," He informed him nonchalantly, "You'll need to come and see."

"Okay but be careful with the equipment," His friend muttered, knowing better.

"Yeah, yeah."

The shipwright shook his head and went back to work as the fencer headed back to the kitchen, ready to forget the catastrophic start of his day.

***

"Love cook, I need to relax."

From his sink, Sanji turned around and gave him a disillusioned look. "Are you aware that I ain't at your disposal?"

"I ain't joking, I really need to clear my head..."

The cook sighed and wiped his hands."Actually, I didn't start well either," He admitted, "I have this fucking song Brook keeps singing in my head and I wrecked the cutlery drawer when opening it..."

"See, it'll do both of us some good," The fencer encouraged him while approaching resolutely.

"Lemme finish what I'm doing. I'll meet you at the crow's nest, okay?"

"Hurry up."

The blond rolled his eyes and heard Zoro go away as he was resuming his dishes. Their conversations were surrealistic sometimes...

***

As soon as Sanji closed the crow's nest trap door, the swordsman jumped on him, sending his jacket and shirt to the floor as he had already stripped off his own tee-shirt. However, the blond stopped him at the sight of the state of the room. "What the fuck did you do, marimo?" He asked, stunned.

"Nothing. I just had some back luck."

Sanji didn't reply but his jaded look spoke for him and Zoro pulled him back to forget the subject. The cook didn't want to be outdone and he squeezed up against the warm body of the swordsman until they fell on the carpet, their mouths banging and their breaths getting tangled.