| SKATE 'TILL YOU DROP | VINSMOKE SANJI
summary: in the perform or die world of figure skating, you're revered for being the current best skater in the women's singles category. when your coach, nico robin, insists that she has a solution to your competitive slump, you're speechless to find out she's somehow paired you with none other than vinsmoke sanji - the best men's singles skater in the world.
pairing: sanji / f! reader
wc: 10.9k (holy shit)
tags: MDNI (or lowk just skip the smut it’s like two tinkles long compared to everything else), f! reader, figure skating! au, friendly rivals to lovers, slowburn, fluff and smut, p in v sex, RAW RAW RAW, you're both switches but sanji is highkey submissive as fuck, you're an absolute tease, i really don't know much about skating i just like to watch it, olympic competitiveness, zoro and robin lowkey play cupid, i know no woman has landed a quad axel yet let alone in pairs but wouldn't it be awesome if you were the first, i stole ilia malinin's nickname and slapped it on you, classic overachiever burnout, sanji is a LITTLE BIT of a pervert, one bed trope
a/n: i'm NOT shipping zoro and robin (like u can if u want) i genuinely just think they're goated friends and i love their dynamic, i know pairs skating is a lot more complex than i wrote it out to be but i did not want to write TWO routines let alone every turn of them i'm sorry
Your teens flew by in a flash. The moment you first stepped foot on the ice rink, you could feel it - this was the sport you'd do for the rest of your life. You worked yourself to the bone, swapping to a private school that had an ice skating club.
At sixteen, you were headed for the Olympics. Your schoolwork was entirely forgotten, as you spent hours on end in the chilly indoors of the ice rink you begged the owner to keep open after hours, who eventually gave up and just gave you an extra key to the facility.
Your appearance in the Olympics created an uproar in the figure skating community. Your first year, you took home gold for your country. Four years later, at twenty, you held two gold medals for the women's singles category, and had two gold medals for the team event overall - the only female to land a quad axel. At twenty-two, you were the only female to consistently land quad jumps in your competitive routines, aiming for the upcoming Winter Olympics.
"I'm tired," you sighed, leaning against the partition of your hometown rink. It was nine o'clock at night, and your coach was frowning at your words. "Really, I am. I love this sport - I think I will for the rest of my life. But I don't want to go to the Olympics anymore."
Robin's frown turned deeper as she handed you your water bottle. She watched you sip, sweat dripping down your face from hours of prior practice. "Then, what? You'll skate for fun for the rest of your life?"
"Yeah." You shrugged. "My prime has passed, you know. I've broken so many records - I've shown it's possible for women to enter the competition amongst men. What more could I do?"
You handed the bottle back, letting your hair fall out of the band to re-tie it. "I should leave it to everyone else." You said. "I've done a lot, you know. Somebody else should have a turn."
"Well, aren't you cocky?" Robin laughed, smiling as you stuck your tongue out of your mouth, skating away.
Her smile dropped again, watching as you closed your eyes to focus, standing calm and poised in the middle of the rink. She began the track for you, watching as you pranced across the ice.
My moon, my man, so changeable, and,
Such a lovable lamb to me.
Robin groaned. It was clear you were in a slump. Years of forcing yourself to work on routines made only for Olympic-level competition had drained you of motivation to skate purely for yourself. There was always something else on your mind - fans, fame, records, achievement.
Your solution to that was to just... leave the scene?
No. Robin shook her head, pulling her phone from her pocket. Looking at you finally performing a routine for yourself - just you, it was clear this was your prime. It wasn't past you just yet. Your thighs were just as strong as they'd always been, your figure just as graceful as ever, and your heart prominent in your routine.
What you needed was for the fire in you to be reignited. You still had things you could do - other categories you could change the scene in.
She knew you'd be angry if she did this on your behalf. But hopefully, you'd be able to see sense as to why she did it to begin with. Scrolling through her contact list, she prayed that she still had the number she was looking for.
Roronoa Zoro. Notoriously difficult to work with, constantly scuffling with the skater he managed, and never, ever letting somebody else reach him.
Coach of the male skater that was top of his category, Vinsmoke Sanji. She texted, hoping he'd take sympathy on her.
Robin's brow twitched. Well, he was just as brash as ever, wasn't he?
Take it slow, take it easy on me
Shed some light on me, please.
Robin looked up now. Your routine had sped up considerably, sweat once against gleaming on your face. Hot puffs of air came from your mouth as you jumped, thighs tensing under the pressure.
Quad salchow. Back camel. Biellmann. Robin huffed. The absolute nerve of you to say that your prime had passed.
- Still doing men's singles this year?
Typing bubbles faded and returned for the next five minutes. Robin furrowed her brows - she was almost positive that he was arguing with Sanji again. Just as she was about to tuck her phone away, the blade of your skate scratched particularly hard against the already weary ice.
Triple axel-quad toe loop.
Out of your prime, you'd said. Robin's phone vibrated.
"He's not doing singles this year." Zoro's gruff voice said, tinny over the phone. "Whaddaya want?"
"You're awfully mean for an old friend." Robin chuckled. "Perhaps I just wanted to catch up."
"Nah, I know you." Zoro huffed, almost amused. "You want something. You always do."
"What's he doing, if not singles?"
Zoro paused. She could practically hear the gears turning in his head. "You're still coaching her, right?"
Robin resisted the urge to hang up. For someone so dim-witted, he could be awfully perceptive at times. "Yes."
Zoro grinned, fingers tightening his hold on the phone as he watched Sanji skate aggressively around the rink, pace furious and fast. "Perfect."
That, Robin had not been expecting. "Pardon?"
"Robin, this is a one time thing." Zoro said, gleeful at his luck. "But for the winter Olympics in two years, Sanji wants to try the pairs category. He hasn't got a partner locked in yet."
"Are you serious?" Robin replied. "That's unheard of. He's swapping over?"
"Yeah." Zoro stated. "Said he's got no passion for singles skating again. Insists he's made to dance with a partner."
"Well, that does sound like him." Robin admitted, watching you move flawlessly through your choreographic sequence. "What if I had a candidate in mind?"
"I already know," Zoro responded, "So you don't have to play coy with me. Honestly, I'm in no place to argue. He's scared off every woman who was experienced in the pairs category and was looking for a new partner. Ya know him - not the easiest to deal with. He's cooled down a bit by now, though."
"What, is it his flirting?" Robin queried.
"That, and, well -" Zoro cut off along with the music of Sanji's routine, dropping his voice to a whisper. "Well, nobody can really keep up with him. I was gonna reach out to you if we had no other options, but I was really prayin' it wouldn't get to that point."
"Well, good thing I reached out first, then." Robin grinned. "Let's do it."
"You've ran this by her, right?"
"Don't worry about that. I've got it." Robin stated calmly. "I'll see you in a week, then?"
"Oi, Robin. We're not in your country-"
She hung up the phone. You ended your routine, final pose firm and resolute. "Hey." Robin called to you, grabbing your attention. You skated over, wiping sweat from your face with the sleeve of your hoodie. "Hear me out."
"That's not good." You chuckled nervously. From the years of knowing your coach, if you took away nothing else, you would always be left with this - Nico Robin was a schemer.
"Listen." Robin said, trying to placate you. "I think I've got a way to get you out of your little slump."
"It's not a slump, Robin." You sighed, chugging more water. "I'm not in it anymore. The comp scene isn't for me."
"It is." She insisted. She watched you frown, and for a moment, she almost felt bad. "No, really. Listen. I get it, I do. I was a skater too - I'm not your coach for no reason. I get how competition is tiring. But I've seen you skate at the Olympics. Yes, you're tired. But that's because you're in the same scene."
"Same scene?" You laughed. "What other scene would I be in? Mens skating?"
"Come on." Robin sighed, poking your cold thigh. "Look at you. You're made for skating. You have the strongest legs I've ever seen. When you compete, you're happy. You're tired because you're not, and you're bored because you're used to it. Nothing else you can do? Bull."
You blinked at that. Sure, there was other stuff you could do, but why?
"Pairs." Robin stated. "Try pairs."
"Are you crazy?" You snorted. "You know me - I can barely handle myself. Who could possibly handle me?"
"It's not a matter of handling you," Robin chuckled, tone airy. "It's a matter of finding someone to keep up with you." Her phone buzzed.
Two days. He's looking forward to it. Cya.
"I found someone for you." She said, putting her phone to the side. "And I guarantee he can keep up with you. And it's his first year doing pairs too, so you'll be in the same boat."
"Robin, do you hear yourself? I barely want to be in the Olympics in two years, let alone compete for a category I have no experience in."
"Please, give it a try." She pleaded. You paused - you'd never seen Robin beg for something. "If you don't care for it after the next winter Olympics, I'll never push it again. I'll quit as your coach, and I'll just stay your friend. No more comp."
"You know, for most people, training for two hard years to be on equal ground with others that have years of experience in a category is a big ask for a friend." You grumbled. You were really mulling it over now. The feeling of winning. The feeling you had when you competed in the Olympics for the first time. The feeling of taking home gold.
If you pulled it off, then you'd feel it all again. You sighed, limbs weak. "Fine. But this is it, Robin."
"Yes." She promised. "This is it."
"So?" You asked, stepping off the ice and putting your guards on. "Who is it?"
"That's a surprise." She smiled.
"You're a damn tease." You huffed.
At the very least, she'd had the courtesy to book your favorite restaurant. But whoever your partner was, he was late.
It seems she'd anticipated that, too, because before she sent you the details of the reservation she'd told you,
"Listen. I don't want the two of you to get off on the wrong foot, but I know for a fact his coach is going to drive him. And his coach is the worst with directions. So if he's late, please don't take it out on him. I'll yell at his coach after, okay?"
You hummed, scrolling your phone. You weren't particularly mad about it, but you sure were hungry. You'd waited thirty minutes before giving up and just ordering for yourself. The waiter looked at you pitifully, like you'd gotten ditched.
Your favorite restaurant was dark and discreet. In all the years you came here, you'd never gotten recognized. The staff were dreadfully familiar with you, the bartender being an ex (if you could even call it that) from middle school, and the owner being his father.
"Wine?" Your waiter asked kindly, bringing your mapo tofu to the table. "I can always stop by the bar for you, miss."
"A mojito, please." You replied. "If I drink wine, I just might cry."
Your waiter blanched at that, fearing the worst for your emotions. "Oh, please, I'm just joking." You chuckled. "A mojito."
"Of course." He said, walking away and stopping by the bar, your ex waving at you. You grabbed your bowl of rice, putting mapo tofu over it and taking a bite.
Extra spicy, just as you liked it.
Footsteps rapidly approached your table, as a figure entered your periphery. You glanced up, watching as a man with long strides dashed for you.
What in the world? Am I about to be attacked? You thought, bracing for the man to slam into you.
Mercifully, he stopped right at your feet, panting slightly. "I'm..." He began, before dropping to his knees and slamming his forehead into the floor. "So sorry for being late!"
You blinked, seeing mussed blonde hair against the dark carpet. The waiter stopped by again, standing behind the kneeling figure. Apprehensively, he stepped over the kneeler, putting your mojito on the table. "...Your drink, miss." The man stayed kneeling.
"Um.. Thanks..." You said. "I appreciate it."
"Are you okay...?" The waiter asked, confused at the scene before him.
"Probably." You waved him off. "Um, can you get up, please?"
"Yes, of course!" The man said, standing to his feet. In the dim light, you could vaguely make out his features as he sat across from you. "It's nice to finally meet you, miss. I'd say we're a few Olympics overdue."
"Wait, you're..." You trailed off.
"Vinsmoke Sanji." He smiled, taking your hand and kissing it gently. "Pleasure."
"You're my partner?" You gaped. "But you... You're a singles skater!"
"I could say the same for you." He retorted, flipping through the menu. "Wow, the dishes here are exquisite. What a lovely variety!"
You blinked, watching his facial features flicker in the candlelight. "Yes... This has been my favorite restaurant since I was a child. I'm glad you like it."
"I'm glad you invited me." He said, waving the waiter back over. "Hello. An aperol spritz and a coq au vin, please." The waiter nodded, filling up his glass with cold water before leaving.
"It was Robin, really." You replied, still shocked at the circumstances. "I'm sorry, I'm really confused."
"Sure, sure." Sanji grinned. "I'm a bit tired of singles skating, you see. It's lonely, being on the ice all by yourself for years on end."
Sanji was two years older than you. Despite that, you could see the sadness in his eyes as he explained his circumstances to you. Perhaps this was how you looked when you'd spoken to Robin two days ago.
"After the Olympics two years ago, I vowed to Zoro that I wouldn't do singles skating again unless I tried pairs in the next Olympics." He said, gratefully accepting his drink from the waiter and taking a sip. "After skating alone for a decade on the ice, I cannot help but feel that I might love it just that slightest bit more with a partner by my side."
"I see." You pondered, grabbing another spoonful of mapo tofu. "Does this have anything to do with your reputation as a hopeless romantic who can't land a date for the life of him?"
"Well," he sighed, a bit wounded, "I was hoping this counted, you know. This is a rather intimate setting, don't you think?" He looked at your unamused face in the candlelight. "Alright, maybe not. But no, not exactly. My passion for skating is fading, but I don't want it to. This is my final hope at making it work."
"I guess we're in the same boat, then." You smiled, chewing on your food. "Fine, then. Who best to keep up with me than the best mens skater in the scene?"
"I'll do my very best." He promised, offering his hand out to you. You quirked a brow, but gave it to him anyways. "I meant it, by the way. We should've met a long time ago, but I'm afraid I was unbelievably busy. I'm quite the fan of yours."
"Flattery doesn't work on me." You smiled, poking his palm. "But yes, I'm glad we met. You're quite the skater!"
"Only the best can keep up with each other, I suppose." He responded, raising his glass. You reached for your mojito, clinking it against his drink. "Cheers, then. Let's rock the Olympics in two years!"
You laughed heartily at that. "Sure, sure. Two newbies to the scene are about to change everything."
He grinned at you. "You never know, mademoiselle." Then he paused. "By the way... you're very beautiful."
"Oh, here he goes." You sighed.
Despite hailing from the same country, Sanji currently held residence in France - so you were rather confused on how this arrangement was going to work. Pairs was all about, well, skating in pairs. Conditioning was something you could work on yourself - singles routines only required your own presence, but pairs?
Well, both people were needed. Imagine your shock when Sanji stated that him and Zoro rented an apartment in the city nearby for the next two years.
"You don't think that it's sort of crazy to upheave your home life just for the Olympics?"
"My dear, it's the Olympics we're talking about." Sanji had laughed. "For a record-breaker like you, maybe it's not a big deal anymore, but all I've done is placed first, you know?"
He fell silent then, staring off into the distance. "For me to break a record, we need to be the first singles skaters to swap to pairs and win. That'll change things."
You paused, taking his words in. "Sure." You said lamely, unsure of how to respond. "Where, exactly, are you living?"
"Actually," he laughed, "Robin gave us the name of your apartment complex. I'm your new neighbor!"
You blinked. "You might as well have asked to live with me to save yourself a lease."
He pouted. "You wound me, mon cher."
You waved him off. "You're going to bother me anyways, aren't you?" He nodded gleefully. "Yeah, what difference does it make?"
You'd expected the first hurdle - agreeing on a song to skate to - to be a big one. You often skated to jazz or soul-like music, with slow, drawling tones that could be felt in the heart. Sanji, on the other hand, was famous for skating to classical music, his most popular routine being to the tune of Gnossienne No. 1, by Erik Satie.
Dark, brooding notes were Sanji's playground - he glided effortlessly across the ice, body contorting as emotions swelled in the track. When he was younger, Sanji had practiced a predominantly kick-based martial art. When he made the switch to figure skating, he continued his martial arts training, resulting in a balance of powerful legs and elegant poise.
Yet, Sanji was surprisingly compliant to your requests. "Cher, there's many a song that's a perfectly reasonable blend to both our styles. Plus, if there's truly a song that speaks to you for the next Olympics, I'm more than willing to acquiesce."
You smiled. "Well, it's actually less about my style, and more about..." You paused. "Well, I'm trying to make my next performance a tribute to Robin, actually. Just in case it's really my last Olympics."
"Oh." He blinked. "That's sweet of you. Come to think of it, Miss Robin's only a few years older than you, isn't she? She placed second the first year you entered the Olympics."
"Yes." You agreed. "She competed the same year that your coach quit, as well. Despite coming second to me, she swallowed her pride to coach me and improve me. I owe my career to her, and she's a friend I deeply care about."
"I had a single's routine prepared for the song I wanted." You continued. "It's the last song she skated to - the first one I ever watched her perform. In a way, it's become our song. Naturally, we'll have to scrap the singles routine and entirely rework it, but perhaps watching would give you some inspiration?"
Sanji nodded, lighting a cigarette by the side of the rink, bashfully ignoring your glare. "Certainly. I'd never turn down a chance to watch you."
You scoffed, but hit play on your phone anyways. A smooth jazz beat flowed over the speakers, before percussion was quickly swayed by saxophone.
Sanji blinked. He remembered this tune - he'd had the privilege of watching Robin perform it. The year you took home your first gold, many people (as they always do), argued that Robin had performed flawlessly and naturally deserved the gold medal.
She had. But so did you. When it came down to it, your performance was simply harder, and still flawlessly executed. You took home first - but not a day in your life did you fight the critics. In a way, Robin did deserve first, because her routine was simply beautiful.
He moves in space with minimum waste, and maximum joy.
Your arms reached outwards as you glided across the ice, calling to spectators, gathering speed. The door to the ice rink opened quietly, and Sanji turned just enough to see who it was.
"I told her she didn't have to," Robin sighed, entering with Zoro, both holding a six-pack of beer. Zoro had already snagged one from the pack, cracked it open, and was halfway through. "But she insisted."
"It was a beautiful routine, Miss Robin." Sanji acknowledged, bowing his head, before looking back at you.
No need to ask, he's a smooth operator~
Your blade snapped elegantly against ice. Triple axel. Camel spin. Foot change. Quad salchow.
"I'm afraid the scene simply changed that year." Sanji sighed, finishing off his cigarette.
"Damn straight." Zoro shook his head. "Can't feel bad about it, Robin. Your student's just damn crazy."
"Trust me, I know." Robin laughed. The day after her final Olympics, Robin faced endless berating online from fans, and many a scolding from her coaches and managers. She'd dominated the scene before you came along, only to be swiftly defeated by sixteen year old you.
She couldn't beat herself up over it. In the face of the new generation, she was in awe - and in your own words, perhaps it was time to give somebody else a turn. You said she swallowed her pride to work with you, but truthfully, that wasn't what she'd done at all.
She'd jumped ship to a better opportunity. She was proud of how far you'd come. Glancing at Sanji, she smiled.
That's why she couldn't let your career end here.
"See, at least you're not as bad as Zoro." Sanji teased. "He lost to me a few years back because he just plain stank."
"That's not true." Zoro frowned, poking him in his tense shoulder blade. Sanji groaned, reaching for his back and scuffling with his coach. "You rigged it!"
"How would I have done that?!" Sanji yelped.
"Dunno." Zoro shrugged, pulling Sanji's ear. "That's the only explanation."
"I'm just better than you, moss-head!" Sanji retorted, kicking his foot into Zoro's back. The two men bared teeth at each other, pulling at the other's hair.
"So?" Robin asked, pulling their attention away from each other. "Is the song okay with you, Sanji?"
Sanji stood upright, shoving Zoro to the floor, ignoring his loud protests of beer spilling all over him. "Yes. Honestly, even if I didn't think I could skate to this style, I would try anyhow. It's very touching, what she's trying to do for you."
"I know." Robin smiled warmly, both her and Sanji watch as your legs tensed. Quad axel. Perfect rotation. Easy as that. "I couldn't ask for a better student."
"I could." Zoro grumbled, fishing another beer out of the pack, dodging Sanji's foot that slammed into the ground.
The other hurdle, blending your skating styles, also turned out to be less vexing than you thought it would be. The moment Sanji took your hand on the ice, you began to realize what his coach had meant when he claimed Sanji believed he was made to dance with himself.
When you began trying out different aspects for your routine, it was like he could sense what you wanted to do before you even executed. Skated away from him? A new jump sequence. Grabbing his forearm? Try a lift. Holding his fingers and drifting ever so slightly away? Mirror skate.
Before you knew it, a year had passed. You got used to seeing Sanji and Zoro almost every day of the week, eating meals with the two and Robin. You started expecting Sanji in little parts of your life.
After grabbing breakfast from the cafe downstairs, you'd head to the gym in your apartment complex. Since he moved in, without fail, Sanji was there at the same time you were. He started off with light cardio, waiting to finish until you had joined him for at least fifteen minutes. Then he stretched, ensuring his flexibility, as you did the same.
Depending on the day, you both either hit legs or arms, push or pull. Even after a year, he was baffled at how strong your legs truly were. By the time the two of you were done, Zoro would wake up, arriving in the gym to lift weights, barely acknowledging your guys' existence.
Over the span of the year, the two of you began to realize being a pair meant you touched. A lot. On the rink, that was natural. Lifting meant your waist was always being held, and the performance aspect of pairs was always absurdly intimate. A touch to the face, a caress of the lip, holding each others' stares.
It became natural to you. However, from the first moment Sanji helped you stretch in the morning, he could not get the feeling of your skin off his mind.
"Um, hello?" Your voice snapped him out of his daydreaming, and his eyes flitted back you, body contorted into a chest stand. "Is my form all good?"
He swallowed heavily. How on earth did you bend like that? "Yes. Onto the next one?"
Your legs swung over your head as you sat normally, opening your legs and reaching forward into a saddle stretch. "Yup. Push, please."
His fingers twitched, and he scolded himself mentally to get a grip. God, it'd been a year already, and he still acted like this. Nevertheless, he settled his hands on your back and gently pushed you downwards, watching as your body slowly folded in half.
"You can push more." You advised. He nodded, even though he knew you couldn't see, and you groaned a bit. He paused.
"Are you alright?" He asked worriedly.
"Yep." Your right hand, flat on the ground, gave him a thumbs up. "Don't worry. I think I just cracked something. Probably just tight."
Sanji tried to stop himself from moaning aloud.
At this point, Sanji was sweating. Nonetheless, his fingers flexed on your warm lats, and pushed more. Your chest was flush with the floor, and you exhaled, before sitting up.
"Good. Thank you as always, Sanji." You turned around, blinking as you saw him beet red, shooting you a thumbs up. "Are you good?"
"Never better!" He replied hastily, giving you a grin. "Lunch?"
Over time, Sanji seemed to get more and more comfortable with appearing at the door of your apartment late at night. You realized that somehow, you also began expecting him. He'd always scold you for being awake, and you'd retort that he was in the same boat.
He would shrug, realizing he was caught, and like clockwork, come into your kitchen, prepare you a late night snack, and plop down on your couch, watching a show with you. It wasn't unusual for you to wake up with him sprawled across both you and the couch, head in your lap, your fingers intertwined.
Neither of you would address it the next day.
Sanji caught himself looking at you more than he expected. He began frowning every time you would text Robin and Zoro for every meal, resisting the urge to ask you to call it off - just once, to eat alone with him.
You two had your year of peace. But with the Olympics right around the corner, two years later, all hell broke loose for the two of you - and your tired coaches - when the press inevitably started sniffing around the moment you landed in Milan.
All four of you realized you had let your guards down when you managed to get spotted in the airport by the paparazzi. Naturally, many of them would be camping out. Robin and Zoro groaned mentally - they should have prepared for this, but the past two years of easy living and routine had made them weak.
"So..." A nosy reporter wiggled her brows at Robin and Zoro, who were uncomfortably pushed shoulder to shoulder as the press surrounded the group. "Perhaps we can take this as a blossoming relationship between mentors?"
"We're drinking buddies." Robin and Zoro stated blandly, Zoro rolling his eyes. "Nothing more."
Just a few feet away, Sanji stood in front of you as cameras flashed violently in your face. Your hair was mussed from sleep, neck pillow still on as he held your luggage. A wet spot was on Sanji's shoulder - evidence of your drool as you leaned against him, though you'd never admit it.
"Mister Vinsmoke, we have many questions for you and the legendary Quad Goddess!" A reporter crowed, face ecstatic at catching the two of you. "But firstly, let's start off with why the two of you are getting off from the same plane? You currently live in France, do you not?"
Sanji grimaced, scolding himself. He was lucky - unbelievably lucky, that nobody had caught him in your home country the past few years. Unfortunately, now, it all had to come out. He glanced at you, frowning as he saw you rubbing sleep from your eyes, upset at the media hindering your arrival.
You met his eyes and smiled gently, shrugging. He couldn't help but smile back, shoulders loosening a bit.
"Well," he began, the crowd around him quieting, "This year, I'm actually in the pairs category."
The crowd erupted with questions, microphones being shoved in your faces. He held his hands out, pushing back against the crowd as he saw a microphone almost graze your cheek. "Please, calm yourselves!" He yelled, outraged. The crowd fell silent again. "I'm fully willing to talk to you, but you need to behave."
You laughed a bit, watching as he scolded the group of adults like a kindergarten teacher. You, too, stepped forward now, cameras clicking once more. "Oh, please. I know I'm beautiful right now, but surely you don't need that many pictures."
Sanji grinned at your cheekiness, hands adjusting on your backpack before looking back at the cameras. "We are in the pairs category this year. We've spent the past two years training together in her country, and now we're here. That's all."
Quiet, nervous scribbling. You almost hoped you could be on your way - but no, too soon, as one brave woman piped up in the back of the crowd. "You two look quite comfortable with each other."
You and Sanji tensed visibly, you chewing your lip as you saw more cameras flashing once more. It was true - you were and you knew it, but you and Sanji had never talked about the matter. Not once over the past two years.
"Training with a partner results in an inevitable trust between two people," Sanji responded, stepping in front of you once again. "The two of us, and our coaches, have spent enough time with each other over the past few years to call each other friends - and the mademoiselle here has to spend a lot of time with me to make sure I don't drop her."
A few laughs sounded in the crowd. You tugged lightly on his sleeve, drawing his attention as you jutted your chin at Robin and Zoro, who were managing to tiptoe away. He nodded, looking back at the media.
"...That's all." He finished. "I'd appreciate if you allowed us to arrive in Milan - properly. We do have dinner plans, the four of us."
Grumbles and complaints resounded, but the crowd scattered nonetheless, Sanji leading the way for the two of you as he held your backpack in one hand and dragged both of your luggages in the other.
"Nosy bastards." Zoro muttered, taking off the eye mask around his neck.
Robin nodded, stretching as she erased the sleep from her body. Reaching for her phone, she checked the status of your car. "The driver should be here momentarily. Naturally, we're all staying in the same hotel."
"I liked when you lied about us having dinner plans." you teased Sanji. "You'll have them running around Italy looking for us."
Zoro and Robin grinned at each other. Sanji swallowed, his walking slowing just a bit. "...Well, that wasn't a lie. We have dinner plans. Robin and Zoro are getting room service."
You blinked. "Huh?" Sanji was already walking on, gait unnaturally stiff. "Wait, Sanji! What?!"
He refused to say a word to you in the car, only smiling mischievously and laughing as you poked his side, trying to get him to spill where the two of you were eating. Zoro pretended to barf in the backseat, stuck in between the two of you as Robin had swiftly snagged shotgun.
As if that shock wasn't enough, you were faced with another one when Robin and Zoro checked into the hotel at the front desk.
"Hello." Robin greeted the concierge. "We have three rooms booked."
"Name?" The concierge asked kindly, taking Robin's passport.
"Nico Robin, Roronoa Zoro, and Vinsmoke Sanji."
You paused at that. "Am I sleeping on the street?"
"Nah." Zoro said, grinning at you with an evil look in his eye. "The second closest option."
"I'm sleeping with you?" Your expression twisted in disgust. "I'd rather sleep on the street."
"Why would that be your first choice?!" Zoro yelled, pointing at you furiously. "What about Robin?!"
"Sleeping with her wouldn't be like sleeping on the street." You shrugged.
"What about me?" Sanji pointed at himself, hurt.
"That wouldn't be like sleeping on the street either." You explained, pointing back at Zoro. "He reeks of alcohol. He farts under the covers. He steals the pillows even if you're not in the same bed. He kicks in his sleep. He talks."
"You can stop now." Zoro's brow twitched.
"Okay." You said, sticking your tongue out at him. "So, what, I'm sleeping with Robin?"
"No," your coach hummed, smiling at the concierge as she received the room keys. She tucked her own in her pocket, handing the next to Zoro, and the last one to Sanji, with two keys in the slip. "Me and Zoro thought that a little extra bonding time could do the two of you some good before your performance."
Your ears turned the slightest shade of pink. Nobody noticed but Robin, who was observant as an eagle, grinning at you slyly. "Now, I did mean to book two beds in one room, but unfortunately, there seems to have been a mixup, and they only have suites with one bed. Dreadful."
"Ma'am, we do have two beds if you need-" The concierge piped up, before being swiftly silenced by a glare from Zoro. "...Right. I'm afraid we're all out."
Sanji shot Zoro a look that could kill, before his gaze slid to Robin and changed into one of unamused disappointment. Robin returned his gaze with one of her one that seemed to speak words.
Don't you dare complain. I'm helping you.
Sanji swallowed heavily, turning to take your bags off your hands once more. "Well, then, cher. Shall we?" He reached his hand out for you.
Your gaze was fixed on Zoro and Robin. If looks could kill, the coaches would be slightly wounded. You focused on Robin, who was smiling at you, eyes closed.
"Schemer." You whispered pointedly. She only smiled harder, laughing ever so slightly. "Traitor."
"I'm helping you~" She said, sing-songedly. "You'll thank me later."
You huffed, before taking Sanji's offered arm and heading for the elevator. Behind your back, Zoro and Robin low-fived, the slap resounding through the lobby.
The elevator ride was awkward. Sanji kept shifting from leg to leg, avoiding looking at you at all costs. Your arms were empty (he was holding all your luggage), so they were crossed disapprovingly, an inquisitive look on your face.
"You plan this?" You asked blandly.
"No." He quickly shook his head, tugging at his tie. "I swear, I only planned the dinner."
"Right..." You trailed off, watching the number on the elevator tick upwards. "And why, exactly, are we having dinner alone?"
"...Do you not want to?" He asked, scared for your answer.
"I didn't say that," you replied, stepping forwards and stealing the key to the room from his shirt pocket. He swallowed, watching as you looked up at him, eyes examining him. "I was just wondering why we're doing it."
You flipped open the slip, observing the two keys and the room number written inside. The elevator dinged, signaling your arrival to the thirtieth floor. Room 3034, it said.
You walked out of the elevator, Sanji trailing behind you. "Well," he said softly, not trying to disturb any hotel residents with his voice in the hallway, "I just think we have some things to talk about, don't you think?"
You walked silently down the hall, head turning from side to side as you looked for your room. Stopping abruptly in front of a door, Sanji almost slammed into you, sidestepping as you tapped the key against the sensor, holding the door open for him since he had full hands.
"Yes," You shrugged, "I guess so."
It was five thirty in the evening when you and Sanji finally unpacked, music softly playing through your suite. Just as Robin had promised, there was only one bed.
"I can take the couch." He offered gently, changed into his outfit for your dinner as he watched you in front of the vanity. He restlessly tapped his foot against the bathroom tile - not to rush you, but because he couldn't look at you for more than ten seconds without his gaze sliding to your neck, your collarbone, lower and lower.
"There's no need for that." You responded. "You've slept next to me almost every night for the past year or so. Nothing different about this scenario."
His gaze slid to the king-sized bed, neat and organized with a box that said "Lovers Set!" on it, folded on top of a bunch of towels. He'd sneaked a peek at it when you were changing.
It was a bunch of condoms, lube, and other things that he had never planned on using on his Olympic trip. It didn't help that now, as you curled your lashes and slid mascara on, you looked devastatingly good.
"...You don't think so?" He asked, sweat dripping down his brow.
"No, I lied." You responded bluntly. "But I suppose until we have that conversation at dinner, I'll have to act like everything's normal, won't I?" You peered at his reflection through the mirror. You couldn't help but grin when you realized he was flustered once more, gaze lingering low enough on your back that it might as well have been somewhere else.
"I can cancel," he breathed, knowing that you were watching him but unable to take his eyes off you nonetheless, "If you want to."
"I'm just not entirely sure why you need to take me to dinner to have a proper conversation with me." You shrugged, standing up. His eyes followed you as you turned to face him, and he finally looked at your face.
So pretty. He groaned internally. You were going to be the death of him. You were in front of him now, looking at him once more. Huffing out a laugh, you undid his tie just the slightest bit and he couldn't help but whimper as your finger slightly grazed his Adam's apple.
"We're here to skate, Sanji." You whispered in his ear, tugging on his tie.
"Right." He rasped, eyes darting all over you. "I just thought that maybe, getting a bit... Closer... Would improve our performance in three days."
"Is that how you'd put it?" You wondered, unbuttoning the first button of his dress shirt. He groaned aloud now, grabbing your wrist to stop you from going any further.
"Don't." He pleaded with you, intertwining his hands with yours. "I want to do this properly."
"You were about to pin it on improving our performance." You snarked, rubbing circles into the back of his hand anyways. "Maybe you want to try again?"
Sanji stared at you, vexed, before sighing in agreement. You'd caught him. "Alright." He admitted, giving in. "Would you like me to cancel? We can order in, like always. Sit on the couch."
"Yes." You agreed, sliding the strap of your dress down. "I think I'd like that."
Sanji's fingers twitched as if to stop you - but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He watched, speechless, as you slid the dress down your body, hand trailing away from his as you stepped out of the fabric, hanging it up in your closet as you reached for your pajamas instead.
A totally natural occurrence, except for the fact that as you changed, you didn't bother to step into another room. You did it fully in front of him, as if he wasn't there. When you were clothed again, he released his breath, unaware that he was holding it to begin with, and shakily accepted the pair of pajamas you'd dug out for him from his luggage.
"So, are we going to talk now?" You queried. His eyes were still drifting, staring at your bare thighs. This was another habit of yours that drove him crazy - sleeping with no pants on. 'Freeing', you called it.
"Yes, cher. Just let me get changed, yes?" He said, holding the clothes in front of his crotch.
"Aw," you frowned, sliding your t-shirt up just a bit to scratch at your stomach. An innocent enough act - except Sanji was at his wits end. "I thought I might've urged you on a bit more than that with my earlier display."
Sanji finally snapped, pajamas forgotten as he dropped them to the ground, reaching for you. Surprised, you yelped a bit - his hands tugged your t-shirt above your head and his lips slammed against yours, groaning into your mouth before drawing back.
"You're killing me, mon ange. You know that, don't you?" He panted, one hand on your hip and the other hand kneading into your ass.
"Well," you huffed, tugging the back of his head to force him to look up. He groaned, surprised, as you held his chin, forcing him to continue staring at the ceiling as your mouth latched onto the skin of his lower neck, sucking harshly before releasing him. "You were taking a long time, Sanji."
"'M sorry." He said, hand wandering below the waistband of your underwear. The outfit was nothing he hadn't seen you in before - that didn't mean it didn't kill him every time he saw you so casually. "Please, let me make it up to you, cher, I'll be so, so good."
You hummed, releasing his hair. He lunged for you, scooping up your legs with an arm and practically dashing for the bed. He inserted himself between your legs, keeping them open with a firm palm, groaning as he saw the shape of your pussy against your underwear.
"Can I, please?" He sighed, content, as he peppered kisses into your inner thigh.
"Yeah," you said, tugging his hair as encouragement. "Yes, god, please-"
He wasted no time in sliding your underwear off, pocketing it, and stuffing his face into your folds. You moaned, legs tightening around his head as he tugged you closer, grip bruising on your waist.
"God, so good-" He whimpered. "So, so good. Better than I could've imagined."
"So you imagined, huh?" You sassed, teasing tone leaving you as soon as his tongue slipped into your hole.
He withdrew, replacing it with two fingers. "So many times." He sighed, eyes glued to how you slowly soaked the covers beneath you. "So, so many times, you have no idea."
"Sanji," you said, quads tight and tense, "I can take it."
He shook his head firmly. "I need to prep you."
You sat up then, a little annoyed at his consideration. You gently pushed his fingers out of you, whimpering a little at the loss, before flipping your positions so you straddled him. He was speechless at your movements, jaw slack as you removed his trousers and boxers with a surprising urgency.
"God," you moaned, seeing his cock, "so fucking pretty."
Sanji covered his face, fingers still wet with your slick, embarrassed at the sight of you salivating over any part of him at all. "So ready for me, huh?" You panted, sliding your thumb over his leaking pink slit. He twitched, not expecting you to touch him so firmly.
"Fuck-" His voice cracked, ears flushed bright red as he looked down at you. Your face was so close to his cock, he could feel your breath on him. You wrapped a firm hand around his base, before licking a strip from base to tip and wrapping your mouth around him. "Fuck!- Don't do that- oh, fuck!"
He moaned like a pornstar, you realized. His thighs twitched against the bed, fingers curled into the cover as one hand still covered his face. "No - you have to stop, I'm gonna cum-"
You hummed around him, taking him deeper, planting your nose against his pubic hair. His quads popped out, cramping, and he grimaced in pain, though it was quickly overwhelmed.
Fuck, he was cumming already. He moaned, planting a hand firm on the back of your head, keeping you down. You rubbed soothing circles over his thigh, swallowing what he gave you.
When his voice settled into quiet pants, you pulled your mouth off of him, licking your lips clean. "Good?" You asked.
"You're fucking crazy." He replied, staring at your cleavage. "So you can suck me off, but I can't spend a little more time in between your legs?"
"Yeah." You grinned. "I have places to be, you see."
"No, you don't." He huffed, whimpering as you straddled him again and slid your glistening pussy over his half-hard length, rocking back and forth.
"Sure, sure." You hummed, not entirely listening to him. "Whatever you say."
Sanji had had enough. He flipped the two of you again, putting you on your back with him hovering over you. Warm fingers gently played with your nipples as he grabbed your thighs, putting your legs in the air as he slid his cock in between them, bumping against your clit.
You both moaned at the feeling - a mess was collecting where your bodies met. As his cock hardened again, you couldn't help but rub your thumb over his tip every time it peeked out between your thighs.
"You've got a weird obsession with my tip." He huffed out laughter, though he was really trying to grapple with the fact that he'd really just cum in your mouth when what he'd meant to do was take you out to a nice dinner and ask you to be his girlfriend.
"I think your dick likes me." You grinned, pressing down your thumb particularly hard, watching him buck his hips, fully erect now.
"Don't say obvious things." He groaned, pulling out from in between your thighs to rub steady circles over your clit. Your thighs tightened around his hand, but he continued anyways, palm splayed over your stomach as he continued circling. "I'll make you give me one before I fuck you. I deserve at least one, don't I?"
"Yes, yes, yes-" You babbled. You really had just wanted him to fuck you, but this felt so, so good, intensity coiling in your lower stomach. "Just like that, Sanji, feels so good, fuck-"
He pushed you over the edge when he slipped two fingers inside you, unexpectedly. Your back arched off the bed, thighs clamping down on his arm as he watched your face, entranced with the expression you were making.
"Good." He hummed, satisfied. He rubbed soothing circles into your waist, smiling as he watched you keen at his touch. "How was that?"
"Good." You breathed. "Just... Give me a second." You held your hand out, asking for his.
"My hands are covered in you." He laughed.
"I couldn't give less of a damn." You huffed. He relented, intertwining his fingers with yours.
"I really did want to take you out to dinner, you know." He frowned a bit, watching as you blinked blearily at him. "Ask you properly."
"I know." You tightened your grip on his hand. "But it's okay, Sanji. I love spending my off time with you. I like to just relax around you. Things are about to get crazy, you know?"
"I know." He said, leaning over to kiss you. Just as his lips pressed against yours, your legs tightened around his waist, pressing him into you. He breathed out, voice gravelly. "As long as you're happy."
"I am." You stated firmly, legs tightening further. "But I could be a lot happier right now."
Sanji sighed. You were insatiable. He reached for a condom, frowning when you slapped his hand away. He looked at you inquisitively, only to be met with your absolutely resolute face. "Raw."
Sanji smiled, huffing out a laugh, pressing a kiss to your neck. "Deep breath, cher."
You obeyed, and as you inhaled, he slowly slid into you. The stretch was undeniable as you keened, his grip moving from your hand back to your waist, teeth gently nipping at your breasts.
"More." You said, shifting your hips further down the bed.
"Take your time." He gritted sarcastically, before deciding to indulge you and slide himself in completely. Your jaw hung slack, fingers finding purchase in the covers once more. He groaned, buried to the hilt, before slowly sliding out so only the tip remained inside you, before fully sliding in again.
Gradually, he sped up, moans and wet squelching filling the room. You reached for him, and he placed a hand under your back, helping you sit up as he adjusted. You were back to sitting on his lap, his mouth back to being firmly latched around your nipple.
"You're obsessed." You said, hands on your shoulders as you began to bounce yourself up and down. Your eyes rolled to the back of your head. "God, you feel so good, Sanji."
"I'm obsessed with every part of you." He admitted, lapping at your neck and nipping at it. His hands began pushing you back and forth, helping you bounce faster. Your lips found his again, and you tugged at his lower lip as you slid up and down his length, both of you moaning uncontrollably.
"Fuck, cher - if you keep this up, I'm going to-"
"Me too." You cut him off, swallowing his moans. "Me too, me too - please, please, please-" Sanji was almost entirely setting the pace now, forearms tensing as he helped you move, eyes heavy and lidded.
You lost yourself first, throwing your head back as your body shuddered, violently clenching around him as you moaned his name breathlessly. Watching you cum, Sanji came undone too, groaning at how you squeezed him.
His cock twitched, milky ropes spilling out inside of you as he held you close, grip still firm around your waist. Your forehead slumped against his shoulder, and your breaths slowly evened out, heartbeats slowing back to normal.
Slowly, you pulled yourself off of him, Sanji watching closely as cum slowly dripped down your thigh. You flopped next to him, tired and yawning as he laid down next to you, flailing an arm over your stomach as he laid his head on your chest.
"Cher, you called my cock pretty." He teased, pressing a kiss to your breast. "I think liking your boobs is a perfectly reasonable tradeoff."
"It was pretty." You grumbled, running your fingers through his tousled blonde hair.
"Are you sure you don't want to go to dinner?" He asked, peering up at you. You shook your head, pushing his hair out of his eyes.
"Too tired." You grinned. "Let's just order room service."
He nodded, before sitting up and suddenly picking you up. You laughed at the way his hands groped at your thighs and your ass, but settled down as you watched him draw water for a bath, before sitting you on the edge of the tub and soaking a towel in warm water to wipe you down.
When he ensured the water was a perfect temperature, he gently set you down in the tub, before motioning for you to scoot over. You obliged, and he squeezed himself in, the space a bit too cramped for the two of you as water sloshed over the edge. He picked you up gently, settling you in between his legs before wetting your hair and massaging your scalp with shampoo.
You grabbed his wrist, turning around, forcing him to pause. You sat on his lap, facing him this time, before splashing a bunch of water on his face. He sputtered a bit, before breaking out into a grin. You dipped your head a bit, allowing him to continue shampooing. When he was done and he rinsed it all out, you started shampooing him.
The routine continued, shampoo, conditioner, and soap, until the water was covered in suds and you were both entirely clean. It was quiet, but not uncomfortable.
"I've been in love with you for a few months now." He admitted, leaning his head back against the edge of the tub and closing his eyes. You were quiet, watching him speak. "First, it was admiration. Like I said, you're a lovely skater and a strong woman. A record breaker, an achievement setter. That's what it started out as."
He peeked an eye open, drinking in your intense expression. "When we started skating together, it turned into a crush. I've never met a skater like you - but I'm sure a lot of people can say that. The only woman to land a quad axel." He paused, returning to his habit of circling his thumb on your waist. "But when we skate as a pair, it feels like you're a part of me."
He leaned his head into you now, breathing against your shoulder as he peppered kisses into your skin. "It turned into love when it became routine to sleep in your apartment. When you opened the door one time before I even knocked, even though it was past midnight, and let me in wordlessly. When I became part of your routine."
He pressed a kiss to your jaw, looking into your eyes. "I wanted that. For the rest of my life. Training for the Olympics is how we met, but we can figure all of that out at another time." He said, kissing the corner of your mouth. "We can skate together, or we can skate separately. We can skate at the Olympics, or we can skate just for fun. Maybe one of us will do competition and the other one will just skate for themselves. I'm fine with all of it. I just want to be able to do that with you."
You smiled, and he swore it was the only sight he wanted to lay his eyes on for the rest of his life. You leaned against him, arms wrapping around his neck as you hugged him tightly.
"I love you too, Sanji." Quiet, unconditional love. "See? No dinner needed."
He sighed, laughing into your neck. "I know it wasn't needed, I just thought it would be nice."
I know." You hummed. "But you could've said this to me anywhere and I would've reacted the same."
A knock rapped at the suite door, you and Sanji snapping your heads towards it. "Hey, so, we're really happy for you." Robin said calmly from outside the door. "But we're also your neighbors. So, maybe keep it down?"
"I could hear you from across the hall." Zoro was slurring his words, a clear indication that him and Robin were doing their nightly drinking.
"If you don't actually have dinner plans," Robin laughed from outside the door, whacking Zoro lightly on the head as he groaned, annoyed, "Maybe come join us and we can order room service to celebrate! Or not, maybe you'd like to spend time alone."
Sanji met your gaze, amusement swimming in his eyes. "It's up to you, cher. I can spend time with you whenever."
"We'll be there in half an hour." You called. Zoro snickered from beyond the door. "Shut up, Zoro! We're washing off!"
"Oh, I'm sure." He snorted, voice fading away.
"Just take it easy, okay?" Robin's smile was evident in her tone. "Make sure those legs of yours can still perform for the Olympics."
You groaned, standing up in the bath. Sanji's eyes trailed over you as water slid down your skin, before reaching forward and pulling the plug in the bath to let the water drain, accepting a towel from you gratefully.
You picked his pajamas off the floor, handing those to him too. "Might actually need these."
"Yeah, yeah." He smirked. "They were abandoned for good reason, you know."
You hummed in acknowledgment, drying yourself off. As you grabbed the hair dryer, Sanji pried it out of your hands, pulling a chair over and pushing you down gently, forcing you to sit.
"I got it." He said, before clicking the hair dryer on. You sighed as he ran his fingers through your hair, gently undoing every small knot.
This, you could get used to.
"Shockingly enough, it seems this year we're getting a super cool treat!" Monkey D. Luffy, one of two figure skating commentators, boomed over the loudspeaker. His close friend, Nami, also the second commentator, clearly pinched him somewhere as he yowled into the mic, her muffled voice questioning how he got this job.
"Anyhow, Luffy certainly has a point." She stated into the microphone, still pinching Luffy somewhere. "instead of seeing our two top contestants compete separately in the mens and womens singles categories, we're getting them both in two performances together, as they've both opted to do pair skating this year! This is certainly unprecedented - reports state that they seem to have been training together for about a year and a half!"
"They're both really good skaters of their own." Luffy chimed in, desperately trying to stop Nami from hurting him as he shimmied out of his chair. "But how will they perform together?! Pair skating is an entirely different beast, and it's a bit hard to envision two skaters of incredible power maintaining their specialty moves while also incorporating the teamwork needed for pairs."
"It's important to remember that this is their second, and final performance - the free skate." Nami interjected. "Their first performance in the short program was certainly excellent, but nothing we haven't seen before, earning them a solid 78.33 points. Maybe today, they'll pull off a routine that will truly change the scene!"
Both of their mics then went silent, clearly muted, though from the commentators table onlookers could still see Nami yelling at Luffy, shocked that he'd somehow made a good point while also berating him for his informal commentating.
As you both skated onto the ice, hand in hand, spectators cheered loudly. Sanji grinned at you as Robin and Zoro clapped from rinkside.
"We've practiced for this." Sanji reminded you. "We're going above and beyond expectations."
"I'm not nervous." You replied, pinching his wrist. "So you don't have to console me. Are you nervous?"
"No." He shook his head. "I'm excited to see my girlfriend land the first quad axel in pairs skating."
"I'm excited for my boyfriend to watch me land the first quad axel in pairs skating." You grinned. "I'm excited to watch my boyfriend's big, fat butt as he carries me above his head, too."
"Gross!" Zoro shouted from rinkside. "I can hear you!"
"That's because you have freakish hearing!" Sanji shouted back, irritated. "Piss off!"
The arena fell silent then, as the signature crackle of an audio about to begin rumbling over the speakers. You and Sanji squeezed each others hands, before taking your starting positions in the middle of the rink, Sanji holding you from behind, breathing into your ear, as you posed like a swan, gently holding his fingers, about to let go at any given moment.
A smooth jazz beat you'd heard hundreds of times. Percussion, quickly overtaken by beautiful saxophone.
Your hand left Sanji's the moment the saxophone began, skating around his body as he turned, reaching for you.
He grasped your fingers once more, before his skate finally pushed him into movement, fingers leaving yours. He swiftly performed crossovers, gaining speed.
He moves in space with minimum waste, and maximum joy
Triple axel. Perfect rotation. The crowd erupted as Sanji landed, right foot gracefully spinning outwards. The two of you performed the choreography perfectly as the music swelled, the act of two lovers who were never in reach.
When sentiment is left to chance,
Sanji pivoted, digging his toe pick into the ice and reaching for you. You grabbed his hand, leaning your body backwards and parallel to the ice. Robin held her breath, Zoro chewing on his lip next to her. They'd seen the two of you perform this countless times, but it wasn't any less nerve-wracking, and the arena clearly felt the same as gasps sounded from onlookers.
Maintaining your balance on a single skate, relying on centrifugal force and Sanji's firm hold, the two of you spun around with your back almost touching the ice.
Death spiral. He pulled you up in one swift movement, making an attempt to hold you though you gracefully slipped out of his efforts, doing crossovers of your own to gain speed as he mirrored you, though just one step behind.
Robin's fingers were white-knuckled on the partition of the rink as you took off.
No need to ask, he's a smooth operator.
Quad axel. Four and a half perfect rotations. Perfect landing. The arena erupted in violent cheering, Sanji's gleeful grin undeniably wide the moment your blade once again met the ice.
You melted into a layback spin, before slowly stopping yourself, Sanji's hand coming to your waist. He looked unbelievably happy for you, grinning from ear to ear as your fingertips met once more, but parted after only a brief moment.
Across the north and south to Key Largo,
Sanji teasingly skated away from you, meeting your eyes before you both jumped at the same time. Triple lutz. Perfect landings. He winked at you, and you withheld a smile as you skated back towards him.
"This might shape up to be one of the most difficult routines in pairs history!" Nami said, clearly shocked and awestruck from the commentators table. She glanced at Luffy, who was clearly not going to say anything until the routine ended because his mouth was wide open and hanging on the table. "Not only is their sequence immensely hard, but it's also telling a tragic tale of two lovers constantly separated!"
You mirrored each others' movements for your choreographic sequence, gliding across the full expanse of the ice, before he lifted you, tossing you into the air effortlessly.
Throw triple salchow. The arena is vibrating with energy, shocked. The two of you were powerful skaters, undeniably - but to put it into work in pairs within just two years was unbelievable.
Your routine ended just as quickly as you felt it started, Sanji's hand on your hip, your back bent backwards as he huffed above your face. The arena burst into applause as the two of you bowed, waving as roses were thrown at your feet.
"Well done, cher." He said, pressing a quick kiss to your temple, drawing more screaming from the crowd. "Another record for you."
"Good skating, Sanji." You breathed heavily, taking his hand in yours as you skated off the ice, taking one final bow together before pressing your lips to him, eliciting whoops from everyone around you.
When you pulled back, Zoro thumped Sanji on the back congratulating him, as Robin handed you your guards, drawing you into a deep hug.
"Thank you." She whispered, tears in her eyes. "You two were so amazing."
"Nothing to thank me for." You smiled, hugging her back. "Let's wait for the results."
The four of you shuffled off to the waiting area, Sanji's arms wrapped around you to ensure you didn't catch a cold since you were sweaty in a cold arena. Robin and Zoro had draped a blanket over the two of you, staring intensely at the screen.
"Scores are in!" Luffy's voice broke the tension from the loudspeaker, gleeful. "On top of their 78.33 points from their first routine, the newest duo on the block has earned a whopping 160.78 points in their free skate, bringing their total to an absolutely shocking 239.11! Ladies and gentlemen, we've got our gold medal winner for this year's Winter Olympics!"
Thunderous roars erupted from around the stadium, Zoro and Robin cheering for the two of you. Sanji's arms tightened around you, peppering kisses to your cheek before spinning you around, dipping you deeply and meeting his lips with yours.
Cameras flashed in your faces once again, but this time you didn't seem to mind as your arms wrapped around his neck, kissing him back.
"Same time in four years?" Sanji asked, pulling back from you.
You grinned at him, then at Robin, who quirked a brow at you. "Yeah. Sounds good to me."
| BREAKING NEWS: THE NEWEST (AND HOTTEST) COUPLE IN THE FIGURE SKATING WORLD JUST WON GOLD! |
