The Dark Knight of GLU

DK Chapter 16
Monkeys, Malls and Misgivings

Zoro stepped into the shower and set the water to a comfortable temperature. He reached for the shampoo and flipped the cap open, inhaling the scent that had been lingering in his senses all night. He closed his eyes as the suds rinsed out of his hair and wondered if he would be able to smell the wonderful fragrance all day or not. A bottle of Ocean Breeze scented body wash sat on the small shelf, tempting him to make use of his private time to the fullest. His fingers had just finished soaping up his body when the bathroom door burst open and someone came barreling in.

“Pee! Pee! Pee! Pee! Ahhhhhh….”

The distinct sound of someone urinating in the toilet sounded above the cascading water from the showerhead. Zoro furrowed his brow in frustration, wondering if he would be caught if he strangled the intruder and left him to rot in the tub. The handle on the commode was pushed and the water pressure in the shower decreased along with the pleasant temperature.

“KUSO!!”

The shower curtain was thrown back and a slightly soapy, as well as very naked, Zoro jumped out of the scalding stream. He grabbed the front of the intruder’s shirt and lifted him up off the ground a couple inches so they were eye to eye.

“Don’t you know to knock? At the very least warn the guy in the shower you’re gonna flush!” He froze when he realized his state of undress and turned just in time to shield his body from the cook, currently opening the door to check on the commotion.

Sanji came running in to see Luffy being dangled by a very angry Zoro. The blonde was disappointed that the raven’s back was to him and effectively cutting off any view of the well-defined body dripping water all over the floor. Sanji had left a message for Ace, so why was the younger brother here instead?

“Why do you dye your hair down there too?” Luffy pointed to the patch of dark green hair. “Do you not want us to know your true hair color?”

“It makes it more interesting to keep them guessing.” Zoro was torn between being embarrassed and enraged. A quick glance over Luffy’s shoulder showed the look of pure jealousy on the blonde’s face, and his original anger at being doused in boiling water was forgotten.

“Ohhhh. I thought maybe you were trying to make it look like leaves on top of a tree trunk.” Luffy continued to stare at the strange colored hair, unaware of the dangerous ground he was treading on.

“So if I colored it pink, would it be a flower?” Zoro couldn’t help it and started grinning. He lowered the grinning fool to the floor and grabbed a towel to wrap around his waist.

“Hmm maybe, but definitely not a rose. There aren’t any bumps on it to look like thorns.” Luffy obviously was enjoying the little game.

“So what do I say if it’s white?”

“Moby Dick?”

Zoro threw back his head and laughed hard. They both missed the murderous looks they were receiving from the third occupant in the room. The cook turned and left the joking pair to their own devices, unable to contain his anger at the fact that Luffy yet again beat him to the punch in enjoying something Zoro had to offer.

Sanji began to think back on last night and the intense feeling of their bodies pressed together. It was completely different from the rush he had felt with the Knight, both in the alley and the kitchen. Then, they were both running high on adrenaline and it had definitely messed with his mind. Now that he thought about it, it was such a horrible mistake. True he had enjoyed it immensely, but if he had the choice again, he would probably… still do it. Damn, he was pathetic. Was he really that desperate for love that he would stoop to giving himself to an unknown man who could be riddled with disease? He hung his head low as he acknowledged that he had done just that.

Slowly Sanji began pulling things out for their meal. He listened to the two guys joke together as Zoro tried on Ace’s borrowed clothes. He wanted to hear that deep laughter every morning. Even though the way he woke up this morning wasn’t exactly pleasant, he wanted nothing less than to wake up in that man’s arms every day. Laying there last night, listening to the beat of Zoro’s heart, he knew it was time he got his life in order. There would be no more multiple partners; no more playboy antics; no more chasing after masked heroes.

The omelets were almost done now. It was truly a shame that Zoro was not the Dark Knight, but it was better to have a real lover that he could identify and see daily than one that only showed up when they wanted something. Sanji glanced over to the boys wrestling on the floor where he had been sleeping last night. Yes, Zoro in the flesh was definitely better than the Knight in his mind. The next chance he got he’d have to let the vigilante know that what happened between them was a one-time thing. After that, all he had to do was convince Zoro he was serious and everything would be perfect. Well, as perfect as two men in a romantic relationship could possibly get.

Breakfast was lively with the added guest joining them at the table. Luffy filled them in on the fact that Ace never came home last night after going out with Marco. Since it wasn’t unusual, they just nodded and dismissed the comment. Unfortunately, when the bored young man learned they were going to the mall, he promptly invited himself to tag along.

DK*DK*DK*DK

Zoro was about to bolt. He stepped out of the car into the underground parking and wondered if he could make it out of there alive. He hadn’t been to an actual mall since before his mother died. What could that shitty-cook possibly be thinking bringing him here and dressed like this? It was a good thing that Ace usually wore his clothes on the baggy side. The freckled man wasn’t really skinny, but his frame was slightly smaller than Zoro’s. The long sleeved t-shirt stretched across his muscular chest and biceps, lifting slightly every time he turned to show off a glimpse of tanned skin above his waistband. The jeans were low on his hips, but still snug enough to accentuate the shape of his ass and the muscles in his thighs. The way he had his thumbs hooked into the edge of the front pockets unknowingly drew attention to the fact that he was definitely male.

“Zoro, come on! There’s this awesome arcade in here that has the old Area 51 game on it. I bet I can get high score on it especially since you’ve forgotten your glasses.” Luffy grabbed him by the arm and started to drag him inside. “Hey there’s a really good pizza place in here! Let’s go eat!”

“You seem to be getting around just fine without your glasses today. I’m guessing you don’t really need them, do you?” Sanji caught up to them and did his best to look into Zoro’s face when he spoke rather than stare at his ass in the snug pair of jeans he had borrowed. He crushed his cigarette out in the provided ashtray by the entrance and was surprised to turn around and see Zoro holding the door open for him to enter first. Fairly sure that he was trying to get everyone to go in before him so he could escape, Sanji decided to throw him off track. He placed an arm around the man’s waist and pulled them close together, brushing his lips against Zoro’s stubbly cheek. “Thanks.”

Zoro blushed deeply and muttered a “you’re welcome” while forcing himself to not molest the blonde in a public place. He wasn’t exactly ready to publicize his sexuality any more than it already was from Nami and Ace at school. Maybe if Logan finally broke down and got with his friend, the talk at school would stop and he wouldn’t have to worry about his family finding out. Then again, the only one he was really worried about was his father, and he was halfway around the world. Maybe it was time to just come clean with everyone; especially if all the flirting Sanji was doing today was real and not a game.

He could feel the dozens of pairs of eyes on them as the trio walked off the wide set of stairs to the first floor of the shopping nightmare. It reminded him of walking down the corridor after a fight and having everyone stare at him in wonder and fear. He didn’t realize how much he missed the attention until just then. Subconsciously, his shoulders went back, his chin was raised, and there was a significant raise of confidence in his stride. Suddenly, Luffy launched himself over one of the potted plants and attached himself to Zoro’s back, wrapping arms and legs tightly around the larger man’s body.

“Zorooooo I’m hungry! Feed me!!”

Zoro reached behind him and laced his hands under the monkey boy’s ass to help support his weight, hoping that this wouldn’t become a habit, but resigning to the fact that it probably would. “You’ll have to talk to Sanji. I don’t have any money.”

“Fortunately, there’s an all you can eat buffet here. That’s one of the reasons I chose this mall instead of the other one. I can afford it.” Sanji laughed at the look on Luffy’s face, giving him a pat on the back as he clung to Zoro. They continued on to the food court and dropped the hungry boy off at the buffet, promising that they would come back for him in a few hours.

DK*DK*DK*DK

Sanji was amazed at Zoro’s ability to evade capture and wondered if maybe last night’s failure to protect himself had really been due to exhaustion. The blonde was currently in one of his favorite stores trying to corner Zoro into one of the dressing rooms and having a horrible time getting the man to cooperate.

“Look Marimo, if you don’t get your ass in there right now I’ll give Bon Kurei your home address.”

“You wouldn’t” Zoro froze mid-step.

“Try me.” Sanji smirked in victory when the defeated male came over to him, dragging his feet. “That’s a good boy.”

“Fuck you, shitty-cook” Zoro growled and pushed past the blonde into the small changing stall.

Images of them plastered against each other with mirrors all around flashed through Sanji’s mind and he began looking around to see how busy the store was. Unfortunately, they had attracted quite a bit of attention and there were a few women gathered nearby. There was always the next store. The sounds of fabric sliding off sent shivers of excitement down his spine.

“Hurry up, idiot. I don’t have all day.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me…” was the mumbled reply. The door opened slowly and Zoro stepped out, frowning deeply.

Sanji decided that the eccentric professor needed an extra special Christmas gift this year, because the vision before him was absolutely perfect. Zoro had slipped on a pair of faded blue jeans that were slightly loose fitting and hung dangerously low on his hips, making Sanji wonder if the man had gone commando or not that day. His white shirt was left unbuttoned, showing off his defined abs and chest. A murmur of appreciation was heard from the small crowd behind them.

“Why the hell am I wearing all this preppy shit? I hate fucking buttons. Besides, these jeans hang as low as my other ones. If you hated them so much why are you picking out shit like this for me to try on?” Zoro turned around a few times and lifted up his shirttails to show off the low waistline. He crossed his arms over his chest and frowned at the drooling blonde.

“If you don’t like buttons, we’ll look for something with zippers, or some pullovers, but no matter what, you’re going to have to get a few shirts like this. As for the jeans, the waist on these is supposed to be low. They fit you across the ass and in the thighs just fine. The other ones you normally wear are too big everywhere and would fall off you without a belt.” Sanji let his eyes wander over the lines of the jeans and tried to decide what to try on from there.

“Can we at least try something that I can wear underwear with?” Zoro shifted anxiously as he glared at the gossiping women.

Sanji laughed and nodded, shoving the unhappy man back into the dressing room. “Get out of those and I’ll pick something else.”

They left the store with three pairs of jeans, several button-down shirts, some t-shirts and a new pair of casual shoes. The group of girls increased with each store they visited, thwarting Sanji’s plan to get any alone time with Zoro. At the final store for the day, Sanji had gone to find a tie to match the dress shirt he had just convinced Zoro to try on when one of the store clerks had finally gotten brave enough to approach the green-haired man when he stepped out of the dressing room.

“You want some help?” The girl smiled and reached for his open shirt, sliding the small buttons into their respective slots.

Zoro stood there caught between relief that someone else was doing this annoying task and the fact that it was a girl and not his blonde helping him out. He arched an eyebrow at her when she began to trail her fingers down his skin as she worked. Long pale fingers appeared over the top of hers and a familiar warmth pressed against his back. Zoro smiled, slow and mischievously, as he leaned his head back and whispered huskily into Sanji’s ear.

“Arigato, Sanji-kun.” He purposely let his lips brush against the sensitive skin.

Sanji narrowed his eyes at the girl as she jerked her hands away and nuzzled his nose into Zoro’s hair. “Mmhmm. I think this will work just fine. Maybe we should work on taking it off now.”

The girl gasped in surprise and blushed deeply as she hurried away. Zoro began chuckling and tried to pull out of the blonde’s grasp. Sanji’s arms tightened around him and began to pull them backwards into the privacy of the small dressing room. Zoro’s eyes went wide as the door closed on them and nimble hands worked their way under the fabric of his shirt.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing shithead? This is a public place.” Zoro began struggling against the hold.

“You know this would be much easier if you’d stay quiet.” Sanji nipped at the tanned neck and brushed his thumbs across pert nipples, earning him a delightful groan. “Good boy…”

Zoro grabbed Sanji’s wrists and yanked them out from under his shirt. He turned and glared at the grinning blonde. “Careful, I bite.”

“Maybe we should have you fixed then.”

Zoro let go of Sanji and began struggling to undo the buttons on the shirt. “You wouldn’t like the results. Damn. I hate fucking buttons.”

“I can see that. Here, I’ll do it.” Sanji laughed softly and pushed Zoro’s hands away, quickly undoing the troublesome fastenings. He stepped back and watched as tanned skin was revealed before his eyes, confirming his earlier wonders as to what was worn beneath the jeans. Sanji swallowed hard as the dress slacks dropped to the floor and Zoro stood clothed in only a pair of white socks. He took in every detail of flawless skin on the man’s back and ass, amazed at the lack of scars compared to the amount of abuse the front had taken. It wasn’t until a pair of worn jeans slid up over the tempting flesh that he realized he had just lost the perfect opportunity to fulfill a personal fantasy.

Zoro turned to see the open look of lust on Sanji’s face and instantly pulled him for a kiss. As much as he tried to control himself, he couldn’t help the desire to take what he wanted. He wove his fingers into thick blonde hair and thrust his tongue into Sanji’s mouth. He was met with equal intensity and moaned softly when blunt nails began to dig into his back. A sharp knock on the door caused them to jump apart, and flush slightly. As soon as Zoro had his shirt on, they opened the door to see a security guard scowling deeply at them.

“I’m not going to ask why you were both in there together. I have no desire to know. I do want to know if you’re responsible for the man at the food court that is sitting on top of the kiosk desk singing show-tunes.” The grumpy man crossed his arms and tried to look intimidating.

“Baka…” Zoro mumbled and bent down to pick up the discarded clothing.

“I take it he’s a gangly looking teen with a straw hat, black hair, and an insatiable appetite.” Sanji’s hand edged for his jacket pocket out of habit to draw out his cigarettes. A frown appeared on his face when he remembered he couldn’t light up in this place.

“Oh yah. That’s him.” The lines of stress increased on the security guard’s face. “He’s lucky he’s related to Chief Garp or he’d already be out on his ass. You’ve got 5 minutes to get him out of here.”

Sanji and Zoro looked to each other and sighed. They both held out their fists and pumped them three times.

“Damn, fine I’ll go,” Zoro grumbled.

“Rock beats scissors, Marimo. Besides, I still need to pay for the clothes. We’ll go shopping for new dress shoes another time.” Sanji took the outfit from the green-haired man and began walking to the register. He smiled to the still blushing sales girl as he handed her the clothes.

Zoro slid his boots on and followed the uniformed man out of the store to collect his monkey.

Luffy was indeed sitting on top of the kiosk, but he was now joined by another vaguely familiar figure. A large crowd had gathered around, tossing money into the straw hat that had been hung from one of the corners of the roof as the two sang on in off-tune harmony. The pair looked as if they were having the time of their lives up on that little stage. It would be hard to pry them away from their current positions.

“Oi, Mugiwara, time to go to the market.”

Luffy’s eyes grew to the size of saucers and he launched himself at the already prepared target. “MEEEAAATTTT!!”

The crowd voiced their disappointment in losing the entertainment, but recovered quickly due to the comedy skit that took its place. The grinning fool had jumped off, landing perfectly in the green-haired man’s arms and immediately attached himself to the large body. Losing his partner in crime, the long-nosed man’s bravery deteriorated and he quickly scrambled after his friend.

“Zoro! You won’t believe what I found out! Usopp knows that mmphff.” The rest of the sentence was cut off by Usopp’s hand covering his mouth.

“Luffy,” he hissed, “I told you not to say anything! Um, hey Zoro! Good to see you again.”

Zoro just nodded at him as he tried to pry Luffy from his body. Fortunately, Sanji came to his rescue and was able to convince the guy to let go on his own. After stopping at the grocery store, they headed to Sanji’s apartment for a quick dinner before the blonde had to hurry to work.

“You gonna be here when I get back?” Sanji had changed into a clean shirt and was currently knotting his tie around his neck.

“I need to go check on Jiji. Maybe next time.” Zoro reached out, grabbing the strip of fabric and pulled the blonde close. He leaned in, pausing at the last moment, and waited for Sanji to complete the distance. He chuckled into the kiss when Sanji grabbed his head and crushed their mouths together.

“Fucker.” Sanji nipped at Zoro’s bottom lip before pulling away. “Next time… I’m counting on that.”

They walked down the flight of stairs together and paused at the front door.

“Be careful out there,” Zoro warned.

“You’re the one who can’t seem to stay on his feet,” Sanji jibed.

“It’s kinda hard when someone keep sweeping them out from under you.” He gave the blonde a wink and began walking down the street towards his home. If he hurried, he could maybe get in a short workout at the dojo before it got too late.

DK*DK*DK*DK

Zoro walked into the dojo and felt his blood run cold. There were holes in the walls, and graffiti everywhere. ‘Revenge’ was scrawled across the front desk. Immediately he began searching for his grandfather. The little man was found in one of the training rooms, stacking pieces of broken doors and tables in a pile.

“Jiji!” Zoro ran to check him over for injury.

“Calm yourself, Zoro-kun. I’m fine. Most of the mess has already been cleared.” Yuu patted his arm reassuringly.

“What happened,” he looked around at the destruction to his grandfather’s dojo, “and who did it?”

“Just some punks that thought they were having a good time. Don’t concern yourself with it. I’ve already filed a police report.” Yuu pulled him back towards the front, hoping to prevent him from seeing the hateful words written on the walls of the room Zoro used to teach in.

“Gomen nasai, Jiji. I should have been here.” Zoro bowed deeply to him.

“And what? Miss time with your friends to spend it here with my lovely date and I?” Yuu chuckled at the disgusted look on his grandson’s face. “I wasn’t here when it happened either. We should both be glad for that.”

“I suppose.” Zoro looked around again and let anger fill him. “Let me change and I’ll help get this mess cleaned up. I was hoping to work out, but I guess it can wait.”

“What? And break an old man’s heart? You shouldn’t tease me like that.” Yuu looked up at him with puppy dog eyes.

An hour later, Zoro stood in the center of the room drenched in sweat and sporting a satisfied smirk. Yuu was a few feet in front of him leaning heavily on the bo in his hands and panting. After a moment, the little old man looked up at him and grinned. They both began laughing and finally relaxed their guards.

“You’re doing well, Zoro-kun. I think you easily pass my best student now.”

“I thought I was your best.” Zoro looked at him curiously.

“Ah, you are. But there was another that surpassed you until now. He’ll be in town soon. We should have dinner together, maybe at that restaurant where your friend works.” Yuu sat down on the bench and nodded his thanks to Zoro for the bottle of water he was just handed. “At this point, the only way you’ll improve is to train against others of your skill level. Unfortunately, I cannot handle this much longer. The heart is willing, but the body is old.”

Zoro frowned at his grandfather’s choice of words. “If you really wanted to, you could easily kick my ass Jiji. Don’t give me that shit.”

“You’re damn right!” The little outburst took them both by surprise and they joined in laughter once again. “Ah, it’s good to hear your joy again. It’s been many years since we’ve laughed like this.”

“Since before Mom died and I left to live with Otousan.” Zoro replaced the bokken in the rack on the wall. “I still don’t understand why she loved him so much.”

“Nor do I, but that’s love for you. The one your heart gives itself to is not always the one who returns the feelings.” Yuu studied the young man’s slumped shoulders and troubled face. “But you won’t know how they feel if you don’t ask.”

“I’m not sure how I feel myself at the moment. When I figure that out, I can move from there.” Zoro gave him a reassuring smile that abruptly fell when he looked over to the words written on the walls. Only a few were able to be read: revenge, traitor, guilty, life.

“I’m closing the dojo for tomorrow. Have your boys come over after school and we’ll get everything cleaned up. I may not be able to patch all the walls overnight, but we can at least get the paint off and the broken things hauled away. I’ve left a message for Logan to come with his truck as well.”

“I’ll find them, Jiji, I swear. And then they’ll pay for this.”

“Hai, I know you will.” Yuu nodded to him and left the room.

After a quick shower and shave, Zoro donned his old style, having left all his new clothes at Sanji’s apartment. He picked up his sword case, having left the precious item there for his grandfather to have sharpened. He was worried since they were just returned the day before but fortunately, they were safely tucked away in his locker, one area the miscreants didn’t enter. Zoro caressed them fondly and couldn’t wait to find an opponent to test them out on. Maybe he should do a little patrolling. It wouldn’t look good if the Dark Knight just suddenly dropped off the face of the world now, would it? Also, somewhere out there were the assholes that destroyed the dojo. With a sly grin, he grabbed his black hoodie and slipped out the back door. The night was young and he had work to do.

DK*DK*DK*DK

He had made it almost back to Sanji’s apartment without incident when he heard her cry. Looking up to the stars, Zoro wondered if yelling at them that it was about time would be taking it too far. The second cry didn’t sound as desperate, but still slightly distressed. Now more out of curiosity, he followed the sounds to the scene. What he found made him frown in annoyance and debate if he even wanted to get involved. A disheveled redhead stood with a long metal pole in her hands, surrounded by four men who were taunting her at every turn. She was clearly at a disadvantage, but far from panicking. In fact, she looked downright pissed.

“I swear that if you lay one finger on me I’ll make you regret ever being born,” she challenged.

“Pretty tough words coming from a little girl like you. Just what makes you think you can back them up?” The adventurous thug took a step forward and was met with the tip of her weapon, shoved directly into his groin. The man fell down in pain, holding his crotch and fighting to catch his breath. “You little bitch!”

“Come try me, asshole!” The woman spun around and pointed the pipe at another of the attackers that was trying to advance on her.

“I guess it’s a good thing we changed our weapons tonight, huh? A feisty thing like you will catch more money if you’re not all full of holes.”

The man brought out a thick chain about six feet in length and let the end drop on the ground with a heavy metal clunk. Another tapped a heavy lead pipe on his shoulder in amusement. The final man stood with his arms crossed; clearly not interested in anything that was going on. The man on the ground began to stir as his pain had finally gotten to a manageable level.

“Let me hear you scream. Maybe if you do it loud enough the Dark Knight will come save you,” he laughed.

“That piece of shit can rot in hell! I don’t need the likes of him to step in,” the redhead spat out. “What kind of real man hides behind a mask and carries a sword around? He’s no better than any of you.”

Zoro arched his brows in amazement. He knew that Nami hated him in class, but what did she have against his alter ego? He was about to turn and leave her to fend for herself when the man with the chain decided to attack. The links of metal wrapped around her impromptu staff making it useless. As she fought to dislodge the restraint, the man with the pipe charged in. The heavy piece of metal was aimed at her head and would have caused extensive damage had Zoro not emerged from his hiding place and blocked the devastating blow with two swords.

The men all gasped in surprise and took a step back. He could hear them all whispering his ‘name’. The tension on the chain was released and it began unwinding from Nami’s weapon. As soon as she was free, she swung at the Knight’s exposed back.

“You fucking asshole! Did you hear me call your name? No! Did I ask for help? No! What the hell are you doing here? Stay out of my damn business!” Nami screamed at him as she swung the pipe like a baseball bat.

Zoro dodged the blows easily, making sure that his hood was pulled down as far as possible in the mean time. When she stopped, he slid his swords back into their sheaths at his side, and then turned to leave. There was no way he was saving a crazy bitch like that. Who in their right mind attacked the person trying to rescue them?

Evil chuckling echoed in the alley as the bored gangster finally decide to speak. “So, even the infamous Dark Knight has standards. Interesting. I guess this means that she’s ours now. Don’t worry; we’ll treat her like the angel she is.”

“You bastards!” The slight waiver in Nami’s voice told of her underlying fear.

Angel. That’s right. She was Luffy’s angel. Damn. Now he had to get involved. Zoro slowly faced them again and cocked his head to the side as he studied the group. He lowered his voice and adapted Jiji’s accent to keep her from recognizing him. “Go ahead. Just be sure not to leave evidence. She’s dating the police chief’s grandson after all.”

“Is that so?” The man with the chain snickered and gathered his weapon again, his confidence apparently returning. “Then let’s finish this.”

Zoro stood and watched as the men began to circle her again. He appeared a spectator though he kept his arms loose at his sides in order to move quickly and assist when the time was right. Maybe he’d even wait until she was begging for his help. The chain locked around her weapon again and this time it was yanked from her hands. She stood helpless amongst the wolves.

“What are you doing just standing there?” Nami yelled at him.

“I’m staying out of your business,” he scoffed as the attackers laughed. “Maybe if you ask really nice and say please.”

The laughter stopped as the men waited to hear her response. She hung her head and Zoro began to feel like an ass when he noticed the teardrops fall to the ground. It was one thing to want to teach her a lesson in humility and another to humiliate her completely. He shook his head and began walking towards her. This really was not the way he wanted to do this. Zoro stopped behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder, though she shrugged it off angrily.

“You’re a real bitch, you know that?” Zoro scowled under his hood. “But Luffy’s nakama.”

He shoved her to the side roughly and in a fluid motion, he drew his swords. Before any of them could react, he lunged at the man holding the chain, slicing the links of metal into two smaller sections. The man stood there with a stupid look on his face while Zoro moved on to the next mark. The pipe wielder was next to fall, becoming victim to the back of dual blades across his chest that sent him flying into the brick wall several feet away. The man recovering from the blow to his manhood reached into his jacket for his own weapon. Zoro shot forward and planted his fist in the man’s face, the added force of the hilt in his hand effectively knocking the guy out.

The man with the chains came out of his stupor, deciding that two chains were better than one. He swung them wildly as he advanced on the swordsman trying to capture one of the blades in the process. Zoro was forced to take a few steps back as he searched for the man’s rhythm. Out of the corner of his vision, he could see Nami slumped against the wall, dazed from the force of her impact to the side of the building. Knowing she was safe for the moment, he returned his full focus to the fight at hand. Finding the opportunity he needed, he thrust Yubashiri forward and entangled it in both chains. Zoro pulled hard and ripped them from the man’s hands before putting the tip of his other sword at the man’s throat.

Zoro turned his head slightly as the remaining man give a round of applause.

“Impressive.” The sinister look on the man’s face belied his enthusiasm. “I’ve heard of your skill, but never imagined you would bring yourself to the level of being manipulated by a woman. Is she another special one of yours?”

“I fucking hate the bitch.” Zoro said honestly. The man at the tip of his blade made the mistake of trying to move and was rewarded with a slight pressure increase along with an annoyed growl.

“So why?”

“Yakusoku o mamoru.” [To keep a promise.] Zoro thought back to his conversation with Luffy earlier on their way back from the mall. The guy had asked him to keep an eye on his new girlfriend for him when he wasn’t around. He assured his new friend that he would watch out for her during the classes they shared and any other time he saw her around campus. OK, so he should have intervened earlier even if she didn’t want him to, but damn she really got on his nerves.

“Honorable, but futile,” the man chided as he bent down to assist one of his fallen comrades. “If you keep showing your weaknesses you’ll lose in no time.”

Zoro flicked his wrist and let the familiar three lines on his captive’s neck, mere scratches, but it served its point. He withdrew his sword from the tangle of chains and stepped back, allowing the shaky man to gather the last of the men and hurry after the others as they hobbled down the alley. There was an icy chill that ran down his spine as he turned to check on the redhead. A pipe connected with his jaw and sent stars across his vision.

“You were going to leave me!” Nami screamed. “You were actually going to walk away and let them have me! You asshole!”

Zoro gained his senses quickly and blocked the next swing. “You’re the one who said they didn’t need or WANT my help!”

“I was LYING!” She began crying and dropped the pipe. “I was scared! How did I know that I could really trust you? You could just be some pervert in disguise trying to take advantage of me.”

Zoro returned his swords to his side yet again and tried to figure out what to do, or even say. Instinctively he dove forward to catch her as she collapsed. She clung to him helplessly and as she sobbed. He cradled her in his arms and petted her head, shushing her as he would one of his kids. As she quieted down, he realized how bad his situation was. If she looked up, the chances that she would see his face were not in his favor. A soft sigh caught his attention and he moved her head just enough to see that she was asleep. Now what did he do? Looking around, he knew he couldn’t just leave her here. There was no other choice, really. He had to take her back to Ace and Luffy’s.

With careful maneuvering, he sat her down on a box so he could retrieve his case and stow his swords. His hoodie was removed and wrapped around her slight frame to keep her warm against the chill of the late fall night. She weighed next to nothing and Zoro found it easy to hurry along the shadows of the alley towards his friend’s home. He’d figure out what to say once he got there.

DK*DK*DK*DK

Luffy sleepily opened the door to gaze upon his unexpected visitor. His eyes shot open wide and he began to panic when he realized whom it was that Zoro held in his arms.

“I found her in an alleyway a few blocks from here. I was headed over here anyway so I thought I’d bring her along.” Zoro walked in past the gaping man and laid the still sleeping girl on the couch. He unwrapped her from his hoodie and moved out of the way for Luffy to take over.

“Was she hurt?” The raven never took his eyes off of her as he spoke.

“No. I think whatever happened was just too much for her and she passed out from stress.” Zoro shifted the black case off of his shoulder and began walking towards Ace’s room. If he could make it over there without it being seen, he could stash the evidence out of sight. Since Ace knew his secret, he decided they would be safe with him.

“Ace isn’t in there. He still hasn’t come home but you can go ahead and go in. I wouldn’t put it in the closet though. I’d put it under his bed.” Luffy looked up at him with innocent eyes. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell. I’ve known for a while now anyway. I figured it out when I saw the first sketch in the paper. You wore that same black hooded sweatshirt all the time after school. It wasn’t hard to put together after that.”

Zoro stood there dumbfounded. The boy knew already and had never said a word. Maybe that’s why he had asked Zoro to watch over his girlfriend.

“I’ve got a key if you want to get in Sanji’s place. He hasn’t gotten home from work yet.” Luffy got up and walked over to the kitchen. In a box marked charity he pulled out a key, tossing it to the green-haired man. “You should probably get some ice on your face.”

Zoro touched his cheek and winced at the tenderness. “She’s got a vicious swing. It hit in the same spot I got kicked last night.”

“Nami did that?” Luffy started laughing.

“I almost left her when she started hitting me with that damn staff.” Zoro tried to frown, but realized the hilarity of it all and began to chuckle as well. “On top of that I sparred with Jiji tonight too. My body feels like I’ve been hit by a truck.”

“I guess Sanji’s not getting any tonight either.” Luffy laughed at the confused look on Zoro’s face. “Since he was still frustrated I guessed that nothing happened between you guys yet.”

“No. We seem to keep getting interrupted.” Zoro frowned as he remembered Sanji’s reasoning for stopping last night. His hand went to his side and he wondered how much trouble he would be in with his doctor if he removed the stitches himself. “I’m gonna go take a shower. If he comes here first, let him know you gave me the key.”

“Sure thing Zoro!” Luffy waved to him and went back to the couch. He picked up his sleeping girlfriend and carried her to his room.

Zoro watched them disappear and decided that he had stalled enough. He locked the door behind him and walked down to the cook’s apartment. So as not to lose it, he added the key to his own keychain and sat it on the table next to where the blonde’s set usually stayed. He toed off his boots and continued in to the bathroom.

It took him a few minutes of searching, but he finally found a pair of scissors in a manicure set located in the medicine cabinet. As the water warmed up, he began clipping away the black threads holding his skin together. It had been over a week now, and while Chopper had instructed him to let the little doctor remove them, it wasn’t as if this was the first time Zoro had done this himself. Steam began to fill the small room by the time he finished and the raw line looked much better without the dark thread throughout it.

Satisfied that he had made a good choice, Zoro stepped into the shower and let the cascading water loosen his tired muscles. Not bothering with the hassle of getting dressed, he dried off as best he could and crawled between the silk sheets. In moments, he was asleep. He never heard the owner of the bed come home, nor the little appreciative sounds that were made when the blanket was pulled down. A warm body slid into bed and pressed against his, wrapping their arms snugly around him.

DK*DK*DK*DK

Sanji came awake in stages, each one spreading the grin on his face further into a full smile. At first, he was just happy to be surrounded by warmth since the nights had started getting cold lately. Then he shifted and felt his personal heater move with him, reminding him that he was not alone in his bed. A rough hand slid up over his hip and to his lower back, pulling him as close as possible. Their naked bodies rubbed against each other, sending shivers of excitement through Sanji’s body. This was one of the things he loved most about another man: they could easily wake up ready to go.

He slid his knee between muscular thighs and ground his own arousal into Zoro’s hip. The sleeping man hummed in appreciation and rocked up against the blonde’s body. Sanji continued to move against him, and leaned down to place kisses along his neck. He tentatively nipped at the tanned skin and was rewarded with low moan. The arms that were wrapped around him began to loosen, and strong hands caressed his sides and back. Sanji sucked gently at the increasing pulse in Zoro’s neck, listening to the soft sounds of enjoyment the larger man was making. He joined his lover in exploring and braced himself on his elbow to free one arm.

As his lips worked their way down the battered chest, every hitch in Zoro’s breath showed another sensitive spot for Sanji to abuse. The diagonal scar was a given, the blonde remembered, as were the small, flat nipples. The soft pink flesh of newly mended skin was given extra attention since there were no longer ugly black stitches to get in the way. When he reached the slightly jutting hipbone, Sanji looked up to find dark hooded eyes watching him heatedly. He never broke Zoro’s gaze as he settled between parted thighs and ran his tongue across the head of the leaking member to get his first taste of the man beneath him.

Sanji could feel him tense and relax with each torturously slow lick. His free hand circled around the base of Zoro’s large cock and lifted it so he could reach all sides. He smiled to himself when his lover’s hands fisted in the sheets, threatening to rip them should he move too quickly. Without warning, Sanji took as much of the engorged member into his mouth as he could, relaxing his throat so he could almost bury his nose in the dark green curls. A large hand wove its fingers into his hair and held him still, not pushing him down, but refusing to let him back up either. He swallowed and Zoro’s cock twitched in his mouth as the man cried out in pleasure. When the grip on his head eased, Sanji began to move.

The blonde kept the movements slow, but made up for it with the varying pressure of his teeth and tongue. He would drag his teeth as he pulled back and swirl his tongue around the head before taking in as much as he could. Zoro’s hand massaged the back of his head, trying to encourage him to increase the pace without being too forceful. As much as Sanji wanted to continue to tease him, he knew it was bordering cruel to keep the man in suspense for this long. He began to go faster, massaging Zoro’s balls and letting his thumb tease the edge of his entrance.

His own length was beginning to throb with need of attention, so Sanji rolled them to their sides to free up his other hand. Zoro began to thrust more freely in this position, and Sanji let the man take the slightest bit of control for now. He pumped himself in time with the thrust of Zoro’s hips and frowned at the amount of saliva he could feel running down his chin. A hard swallow reduced some of the dribble and caused a hitch in Zoro’s breath at the same time. It wouldn’t be much longer and Zoro would ready for release.

Sanji lifted Zoro’s leg up over his shoulder to give him better access to play with the man’s extremely tight ass. He wondered if the green-haired man had ever been taken before, and the thought of being his first was all he needed to push him towards his own release. Wiping some of his spit off his face with his finger, he used the moisture to help ease one finger through the first ring of muscle. That was all it took and Zoro came hard with a hoarse cry. He felt the hot liquid hit the back of his throat and swallowed as much as he could, letting the rest run out over his face. A few short, hard tugs and he followed in Zoro’s wake, spilling all over his hand and the sheets.

They lay there tangled together, Sanji’s head on Zoro’s thigh, while they tried to catch their breaths. A soft tug on his hair and Sanji realized that he was being asked to crawl up to join his lover at the top of the bed. As soon as he was within range, Zoro grabbed him and pulled him in for a passionate kiss. A long rough tongue licked every bit of cum from his face before diving back in to search out the taste in his mouth. Sanji was about to wipe his hand off when it was captured and given the same treatment. Seeing his fingers disappear into Zoro’s mouth made him regret that he hadn’t started this the night before. Strange music sounded from somewhere on the floor, and Zoro turned towards it with an irritated frown.

Zoro swore in several languages as he rolled over to reach for his pants. ‘Kung Fu Fighting’ could barely be heard from his cell in his jeans pocket. Knowing that those two never called without reason (text yes, but not call), he decided he should probably answer it. He could always come back to his naked lover after he threatened to kill his two best friends. Besides, he needed to head to the bathroom anyway. It took a moment to locate his phone since an additional set of clothes was now piled on top of his own. With the device finally in hand he sat up on the edge of the bed and answered it in his most threatening voice.

“Moshi. Moshi.”

“ANIKI!!!!!” Zoro almost dropped the phone due to the volume of his friend’s cries. “Gomen nasai! Gomen nasai! We really didn’t mean to! He figured it out on his own mostly!”

Zoro frowned further at the desperate plea, knowing that the pair would never be screaming like that if it were something silly and trivial. “What do you mean?”

“Roronoa-san is on his way. He knows about the fights, and also… he, um… well, you see…” Johnny sputtered around his explanation.

“You told him!”

“We didn’t tell him about the fights, we swear! He already knew somehow,” Yosaku said in defense.

“He knew!? Fuck! I’m so dead…” He jumped when a firm chest pressed against his back and arms circled around him to pull their bodies closer together.

“Everything ok?” Sanji asked.

“We’re on our way, Aniki. We’re in Dallas right now getting ready to board the next flight. Don’t worry; we’ll be there for you.” Zoro could hear the tremor in Johnny’s voice.

“What did you do?” Zoro’s hand slid up and he laced his fingers with Sanji’s on his chest. The tightening of his grip gave Zoro the strength he needed to hear the info that would destroy his life.

“Just, act like a normal guy until we get there.”

Zoro’s body began to tremor slightly, and he could no longer feel the warmth that currently encircled him. “Why?”

“We didn’t mean to. He threw us off by saying he already knew about you playing hero. I told him he needed to ask you directly. We did our best to not say, we really did. He just…”

“Oshiete yo!” [Oi, tell me now] Zoro shouted.

“We told him you were in love with a blonde named Sanji! I think he knew the name because his face when white and he just left without saying a word.” Crying could be heard amongst the pleas for forgiveness.

The phone fell from Zoro’s hand to the floor and snapped shut on impact. He sat there frozen, unable to respond to any of the questions from his lover. His father was on his way. The words kept repeating through his mind. His entire future was ruined. The dreams of gaining his mother’s money, building the dojo and one day sending an invitation to Mihawk for another battle; waking up with his lover in his arms every morning; all of it was gone. He stood up from the bed and began to get dressed.

He barely registered that Sanji was trying to get his attention, and found he could do nothing but stare blankly at the man he had just shared a bed with. He knew that he should stop and say something, but just what would it be? ‘Oh, sorry but my dad is on his way and will freak if he knew what we were just doing?’ That sounded so juvenile. The sound of Sanji’s voice was soothing, and he could tell the man was worried about him. Slowly words began to register.

“Don’t... I… love… you…”