The Dark Knight of GLU

Chapter 7
Successful Failures
Dedicated to stark_black and Mr. Redrum

The delectable smells hit their noses even before they exited the shaky lift. Everyone began to drool while Luffy’s stomach made itself known with a loud growl. As soon as the elevator opened, the young man took off down the hall at full speed and began banging on someone’s door. The mouthwatering smell increased a hundred fold when the pounding was answered. Sanji planted his heel sharply into the top of Luffy’s head, sending him crashing to the floor. He looked up at the others unfazed and stepped over the sprawled body on the floor to greet them.

“Hey, glad you could make it. Kaya, you’re looking beautiful as ever.” Sanji held her hand and kissed it lightly causing her to blush.

“Oh, Sanji, you’re such a flirt,” she giggled and snuggled back into Usopp’s arms. The two were the perfect image of innocent young love.

Zoro couldn’t help staring at what he was wearing. For the first time since the club, Zoro saw him in something other than a suit. The blonde was wearing a pair of what could only be called golf shorts due to the hideous multicolor print, and a white polo shirt with white Vans, but to top it off he had on a pink apron with ‘Kiss the Cook’ written across the front. They were ushered inside, and immediately greeted by Ace.

“You made it! Great! Now maybe this stingy priss will let us eat.” Ace hopped over the couch and headed for them. “Johnny, Yosaku! Welcome! Guys, this is my neighbor Sanji. Sanji these are Zoro’s best friends from halfway around the world.”

“Really, so just where is it you’re from?” Sanji shook hands with them, noticing the extra firm grip of the dark haired one and wondered if he was glaring behind those narrow sunglasses.

“All of our parents were stationed in Okinawa. When Johnny and I graduated, we stuck around and bugged Zoro-aniki here while he started college.” Yosaku took a seat on one of the stools at the counter next to Kaya. “We were all born in the states, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

The three blondes chatted together about travel and where they would like to go on vacation, leaving the others to begin piling their plates up from the lavish spread that Sanji had prepared. Johnny kept his eye on his boyfriend, but knew while Yosaku looked sweet and innocent, he was a master of getting information he wanted without anyone realizing. Instead, the man joined the others in the living room and took turns playing on the X-box.

After finishing his first plate off quickly, Zoro braved the feminine atmosphere in the kitchen to return for more. He listened to Yosaku’s extravagant telling of the time they climbed Mt Fuji in just shorts and Zoro ended up with pneumonia. Sanji snickered and looked over to the, dare he say pouting, man.

“So that’s why you always carry that damn sweatshirt around.” There was a curious glint in the blue eye as he noted the things that Zoro had come back for seconds of.

“I hate being cold,” he grumbled.

“And hungry, and annoyed, and bored, and woke up without reason on his day off.” Yosaku counted off on his fingers the many things that his friend disliked and watched Sanji seemingly make mental notes of it all.

“Well you seem to like onigiri.” Sanji pointed to the amount of rice balls that Zoro had piled onto his plate.

“’S not bad. You bring this from that shitty restaurant you work at?” Zoro wondered if the cook had any idea that this was one of his favorite things to eat.

“Asshole, the Baratie is top of the line, not like you would know shit about high class dining. Fucking ungrateful bastard.” Sanji got up and went out to the fire escape for a smoke.

Johnny kept his eye on the man the entire night, and when he saw him escape to the outside, he made his move. Pulling a lighter from his jacket pocket, he joined the brooding blonde and leaned up against the opposite side of the railing.

“So you two always fight like that?” Johnny asked.

“Seems like that’s all we do when we get together. The guy just gets under my skin. How did you put up with him for so long?” Sanji searched his pocket for his matches and blinked in surprise when a lighter flickered in front of him. “Thanks.”

“No problem. I usually carry it around. But with Aniki, you just have to approach him the right way. Besides he says you’re a lot of fun to rile up.” Johnny looked around at the various open windows on the building next to them and wondered if any of them had hot sexy men in them.

“He says shit about me?” Sanji sat there stunned, wondering why the moron who he knew almost nothing about would speak of him to his best friends.

“Just that you fall all over the women everywhere you go and it makes him sick.” Johnny fought the smile itching to show itself on his face. This guy was just too easy.

“Well at least I’m sociable. The only one I ever see him talk to is Ace and that’s just because Ace doesn’t have the sense to know when he’s not wanted.” Sanji blew a few smoke rings in the air and closed his eyes. “He’s an interesting one though.”

It was just what Johnny wanted to hear. With a brief nod, he went back into the apartment to find his own blonde and see how things went with the talk in the kitchen. The man was sitting on the floor between Zoro’s feet watching the action on the screen. It was good to see the two together again, he thought. If only things like that could last. Sadly, they only had one more day before they had to head back. Maybe they should make the most of it while they had the chance.

Yosaku turned to look at him and smiled seductively. He practically crawled up into Zoro’s lap, never breaking Johnny’s gaze and licked the bare neck from collar to jaw. Johnny let his eyes cloud with lust as he watched Zoro snake his hand into the long tresses and yank hard, growling low while Yosaku whimpered in pain and pleasure.

Sanji had walked up beside Johnny just as his boyfriend’s tongue touched the tanned skin. He could hear the cook’s breath hitch when Zoro yanked the man’s head back and then the breathy moan in answer to the growl. Johnny grinned and watched the frustrated man walk off towards the bathroom.

When Sanji returned, Luffy had gotten the bright idea of having an arm wrestling competition to see who went next on the game. So far, the skinny kid had beaten everyone except Zoro and said man was refusing to participate in the festivities. Luffy tackled him and clung onto his back, insisting that he join the fun. Sanji stepped in to help not wanting any of his furniture ruined this time, and began pulling Luffy off Zoro’s left side. Ace and Johnny got on his right, searching for any hold they could find. Suddenly Yosaku got the bright idea of tickling the monkey boy and immediately Luffy’s grip loosened, sending everyone tumbling in different directions.

Sanji found himself under what had to be more than one person, or maybe just one very large one. He looked up and was met with dark, seemingly black eyes set behind a pair of thick glasses. His left hand was pinned between their bodies and he marveled at the rock hard feel of the muscle beneath his fingertips. There was a strangely thick, gnarled scar on the side of Zoro’s stomach that fascinated him completely. He tried to run his fingers up it only to have his hand snatched in a vice-like grip and the expression on Zoro’s face darkened. A little embarrassed at his own forward actions, Sanji muttered an apology and waited for the heavy man to get up off him.

“Maybe if you had a little meat on your bones you’d have had a softer landing, shitty-cook.” Zoro grinned at the anger that flashed in Sanji’s blue eye.

“And if you had half a fuckin’ brain in that head of yours you’d stay on your feet, idiot-marimo,” Sanji snapped back.

Any retort he had died at the name that had just come from those very captivating lips. Zoro lay atop the skinny blonde trying to figure out where Sanji would have heard such a thing. His eyes widened to comical degrees when a naked muscular leg shifted and swung up, under his face to hook a knee around his neck and forcefully throw him off to the floor. He lay there looking up at the ceiling and trying to keep the blood from gushing out of his nose when he realized just how flexible the cook had to be to do that move, and how much strength he possessed in his legs to have thrown him that hard. Oh, the things he wanted to do to the foul-mouthed cook right now.

Unfortunately, all he could safely do was grab the surprisingly strong leg before it had a chance to retreat from his body and pull. Sanji slid across the floor and onto Zoro’s body, this time back to chest. In the blink of an eye, Zoro wrapped his arms around the thin waist and rolled them over, making sure to pin Sanji’s legs down this time. It was costing him every bit of concentrating and tapping into his reserve mental images to keep his desire from showing, but Zoro managed to still the squirming body beneath him.

“You fat ass fucking piece of shit! Get your bad fashion sense and your fucking shitty attitude off of me you fucking pervert!"

“Maybe we should let you guys have some time alone.” Ace looked down on the pair with an innocent smile.

Looking around and realizing the intimate position they were laying in, Zoro quickly released his imposing hold and stood up, only to have his feet swept out from under him. Again, he looked up at the ceiling, but this time an angry face with piercing blue eyes came into view. Zoro wanted to laugh at the irony, because from this angle, he could clearly see both blue eyes looking down at him. Wasn’t he supposed to be looking down at Sanji?

“I refuse to fall willingly under any man. Remember that shitty-marimo.” With that, Sanji walked into the kitchen and began packaging up the leftovers, thankful that his now un-tucked shirt was hiding the slight tent in the front of his pants. It grew even more when he watched Zoro grab Johnny’s hips from behind and grind himself against the man’s ass. Only twice in his life had he ever been on bottom, and neither time had been that great. Why would his body react so strongly to being in that position?

He watched the three military brats gather their things and start saying goodbye to the others. None of them even tried to hide their lustful looks as they shook hands and were bid well wishes on the trip back home. Luffy and Ace told the boys that they were welcome any time they needed a break from the fast lanes in Japan. Making sure to play the part of the proper host, Sanji took a sharply dressed up take-out box for each of them and walked over to the door.

“Yosaku, it was a pleasure. Next time I’ll be sure to broaden my culinary cuisine to include a few more Japanese dishes. Johnny, same to you as well. Take care of each other.” He handed each of them a box and shook their hands. “Have a safe trip.”

At the last moment, Yosaku leaned in and whispered into his ear. “Take care of him for us. He’s all the family we have left.”

Sanji felt a soft kiss to his cheek and then the blonde was gone. Looking down at his hands, he realized that he still had one box left. Zoro had already walked out the door, obviously not one for manners and saying goodbye to the host. After a quick inner battle, Sanji headed after him.

“Hey! Zoro!” Sanji waited for a smartass comeback, but was instead met with unusual silence. “Not that you need it.”

He tossed the last box of food to the surprised man. A small smirk appeared on the green-haired man’s lips and he opened his mouth to say thanks.

“Just get your pathetic ass out of my building,” Sanji scolded and quickly ducked back into the apartment and shut the door.

“You’re not gonna go American Pie on me now and fuck the bento are you?” Johnny screamed and ran down the stairs with Zoro hot on his heels.

When they arrived back at Zoro’s house, Yuu was in his bedroom with the TV blaring some action movie loud enough to be heard faintly outside. Knowing that a hurricane could come through now and not disturb the man, Zoro grabbed Johnny and pulled him in for a bruising kiss. Yosaku was soon behind him trailing his tongue along the outer shell of his ear, nibbling when he got to the sensitive lobes.

Stumbling they managed to get back to his room and lock the door behind them. Clothes were thrown every which way with the occasional sound of a seam ripping in the frenzy. The clunk of boots and shoes was soon followed by the slide of leather through buckles and more fabric hitting the floor. Johnny bit into the hard flesh of Zoro’s neck just above his pulse, sucking hard to leave a mark that would be sure to last for several days. Hands explored Zoro’s skin, making him tremble in need as they danced over the curve of his hip and ghosted around his weeping arousal. He knew he wouldn’t last long, and so he reached out and grabbed the first one he could lay hands on.

Yosaku was unaccustomed to being in the middle of their threesomes, knowing that Johnny preferred Zoro’s well-endowed manhood to his own average size. It didn’t faze the blonde in the least to hear this; happy that Johnny was the only one to ever have his cock inside him. Tonight would be a totally new experience for them both. Between the hard, almost abusive kisses, he was turned around and pushed towards the bed. His lover sat there, stroking his cock and waiting to see where the night would take them.

Zoro pulled Yosaku flush against him, craning the blonde’s neck in a strange angle so they could continue to kiss. He let his aching cock ride in the crack of the tight ass he was pressed against a few times before he impatiently guided the man to the position he waited on the bed; knees spread wide apart and bent down, bracing himself on his hands. Johnny was quick to come forward and kiss Zoro over the top of their partner’s prostrated form. They broke for air and the raven-haired man knelt in front of Yosaku, groaning loudly when the blonde took him deep on the first swallow.

Not wanting to miss anything, Zoro kept his eyes on the scene before him as he spat into his hand, not even bothering to look for lube. He reached down to guide himself in to Yosaku’s waiting, and willing ass. The idea if this being the first time he had actually taken the blonde caused him to try and put another blonde’s image in his place, but seeing Sanji sucking off his best friend caused a sharp stab of jealousy to take over and he had to turn away from the sight. His friends notice his lack of participation and stopped as well. Zoro jerked back to the present at the gentle touch to his face.

“You ok, Zoro?” Johnny furrowed his brow in concentrated concern as he studied Zoro’s pale face.

“I can’t do this,” Zoro murmured. “I just can’t. Every time I think, he’s in my mind. It was bad enough when he just invaded my dreams, but now he’s there even when I’m awake!”

Zoro moved away from the couple, and sat on the edge of the bed. He ran his hands through his hair. Yosaku turned around and sat in Johnny’s lap. The two knew their friend had more to say and they waited patiently for Zoro to muster up the courage to do so.

“I see blonde and I look to see if it’s him. I smell smoke and all I can think about is him. I find myself checking out different suits during the day, and wondering if he would like them. I’ve read every single article that he’s written at least twice and can quote most of them. I even end up outside his apartment building at least once a week. I know nothing and everything about him. Why can’t I get him out of my fucking head?” Zoro got off the bed and began pacing, oblivious to his state of undress. “I watch the two of you and all that runs through my mind is – ‘Could we be that happy?’ I can’t think without him fucking things up now!”

Yosaku looked up at Johnny and the lovers shared a knowing and sorrowful gaze. They had an idea how Zoro was feeling, but they never had guessed it had gotten so bad, or run this deep.

“Gah!” Zoro continued. “I need to fuck something so bad that some of the blonde women I see are starting to look good, and you know I hate bitches! I haven’t gotten laid since I got here…”

Johnny felt Yosaku’s quick intake of breath, but he gripped his lover’s hand before the blonde could say something stupid.

Zoro heaved a sigh. “It wasn’t that bad before I met him, but now…”

Zoro sat on the edge of his desk, his erection softened but not gone. His friends were at a loss as to what to do for him and just settled for sitting quietly until he spoke.

“I need a real fight,” the swordsman growled. “I need a challenge. I need blood. Mine, theirs, I don’t give a damn. I’ve been still too long.” Zoro slid on a pair of pants and grabbed a shirt as he walked out the room.

“Well, shit.” Johnny murmured to no one in particular as he and Yosaku watched their friend disappear into the night.

“I swear if those two don’t get a clue soon, we’ll have to take matters into our own hands. Seriously, how dumb can they really be? They’re perfect for each other and yet refuse to see past image and pride.” Yosaku grumbled and lay face down on the bed.

Johnny nodded in agreement. “I don’t know what Sanji said to you, but he admitted he found Aniki interesting, and you should have seen the look on his face when he rushed to the bathroom. It was a mixture of shock and jealousy.” They both chuckled and Yosaku turned over.

“He tried not to show it, but he watched every move that Zoro made. I think he might have even taken notes on what foods Aniki liked. That guy is more than interested.” Yosaku reached up and pulled his lover down for a quick kiss. “I have a few ideas on what we could do, but for now… lets pick up where he left us.” He captured his lips again and the two were lost in mindless desire.

DK*DK*DK*DK

Zoro stood in the middle of the massacred bodies topless, panting and covered in sweat. He cringed slightly at what his grandfather would say about the carnage. Body parts lay everywhere amongst the shattered boxes and weapon fragments. There was a small line of blood trailing from a wound on Zoro’s head where he had misjudged an attack and caught his head on the edge of an opponent’s weapon. In retaliation, that was the first head taken. Seven more followed in addition to arms and torsos. By sunrise, there was nothing left of his opposition.

“Roronoa Zoro!”

Fuck, he was a dead man. Jiji had arrived before he could clean up and prepare an explanation.

“Jiisan... Mate. Setsumei sasetekure.” [Granddad… Wait. I can explain.] Zoro went to his knees, somehow managing to keep from landing on any of the sharp pieces of wood scattered around.

“Nantekoto o shitekuretanda! Ore ni haji o kakaseyouto shiteirunoka? Oreo okoraseruna, magoyo." [How DARE you behave so rudely! You think you can explain this disrespect and dishonor? Don't mess with me, ungrateful grandson!] Yuu walked around his destroyed temple in disbelief. None of the dozen practice dummies were salvageable. “I put all this effort into keeping you a secret from everyone when they know you can do more than teach children and this is how you repay me? Koi, Zoro!” [Come (at me), Zoro.]

Yuu snatched up a discarded bo off the floor and charged his grandson. Unsure if he should take the punishment or actually fight, Zoro began defending himself with a single sword.

“Feh, I know you use more than that, why else have more than one favorite? Fight me!” Yuu doubled his efforts and landed a strike against Zoro’s hip sure to leave a large bruise for several days. “You’re not going to let a little old man kick your ass are you?”

Seeing that he would be severely injured if he didn’t act, Zoro grabbed a second sword on his next pass across the room. They danced back and forth, Yuu’s extensive knowledge and years of training giving him every advantage over his grandson’s youth.

“I’ve been waiting patiently for months now to see you in action, and this is how I have to do it. I had to actually challenge my own family. The ancestors are probably having a glorious laugh at us right now.”

A solid blow to the center of the wooden staff splintered it in two and Yuu tossed it aside, reaching for a nearby sansetsukon as Zoro advanced. Never having faced such a strange weapon, the young man hesitated and it cost him dearly.

“I know you can do better than this. Just where do you put that third sword, up your ass?” Yuu sidestepped Zoro’s attack with ease.

Pumped up with adrenaline from the compounding events of the night, Zoro gave the old man a psychotic smile and lunged for his final sword. When it was free from its confines and resting firmly between his teeth, Zoro’s finally spoke.

“I have no desire to be named a demon by the public. My style is only known by a select few, and only one has ever defeated it. It is for the thought of meeting him again that I train in secret.” He spread his arms wide in invitation. “Ikuze, Jiji!” [Bring it on, old man!]

“Watakushi naradeha!” [I accept!] Yuu called, and lunged.

With the sansetsukon split into three sections, the older man twisted and wrapped his weapon around the katana in Zoro’s left hand. Zoro growled and moved with the momentum in his grandfather’s attack. He landed on his back, but was able to block the next three strikes from Yuu’s foot. Zoro brought his right hand up to tangle his other sword in the web of folded metal, rotan, and chain. He twisted his blades against each other and freed both his katana at once. The sansetsukon went flying and Yuu growled under his breath.

“You haven’t won yet gaki.”

Yuu evaded the crisp flashes of Zoro’s blades and plucked a naginata from the floor. He met every one of Zoro’s strikes with practiced ease. Zoro had no idea where his grandfather’s stamina was coming from, but it was impressive nonetheless.

The old man spun the bladed staff above his head in a whirl of black, yellow and the white shine of pressed steel. His feet moved as if performing the steps of an intricate dance. Zoro’s heart pounded and he laughed around the hilt in his mouth. He dodged, lunged, and twisted every way he knew, looking for openings, blocking his own, and loving the ruthlessness he was able to let free. This was what he needed. This was what he lived for.

Zoro backed Yuu into a corner. The older man seemed unaware, but Zoro knew that could just mean his grandfather wasn’t worried about it. He swung and was blocked. He lunged and was eluded. There seemed to be no end to this fight in sight.

Until the dojo doors opened and light shone in both fighters eyes.

Zoro took the chance, using his grandfather’s distraction and stepping on the blade of the naginata, pinning it to the floor. He fluidly pulled a katana blade up with his left hand and pressed it against Yuu’s neck. The older man looked at him with surprise.

“Gotcha, Jiji,” Zoro snickered.

But to Zoro’s chagrin, Yuu snickered as well. The younger man couldn’t figure out what his grandfather thought was so funny, until he felt a cold press against his inner thigh. Zoro looked down and cursed as he saw the blade of his second katana twisted in his grasp and pointed to a very sensitive area on his person.

“What the hell happened in here?” Yosaku’s voice rang out in the open room.

Zoro stepped off the formidable weapon and withdrew his sword from the old man’s neck, breathing a sigh of relief when the pressure against his thigh disappeared as well. The two bowed to each other, a matching gleam of satisfaction in their eyes and an honest smile on their faces.

“Last night was a full moon and the training dummies came to life destroying the place so I had to step in and vanquish every last one of them.” Zoro walked over and placed his swords carefully back in the case.

“I was unsure if he was one himself so I challenged him to see if he could pass the test.” Yuu replaced the weapon in the proper stand against the wall and bent to begin retrieving the other scattered weapons.

Yosaku stood there for a moment trying to understand just what the hell they were talking about. He finally decided that both Zoro and Yuu were nuts and left them to their own games.

“Gomen, Jiji. I’ll clean this.” Zoro headed to the closet to gather the broom and trash bags.

“No no, you need to get those boys to the airport. I’ll have your students come over and help with this mess. When you come back you can tell me all about the girl from last night.” Yuu looked at his neck and winked.

DK*DK*DK*DK

Zoro ran back to the house in his keikogi to take a quick shower, barging into the bedroom afterwards to yell at Johnny for leaving a mark in such a visible spot. Only a turtleneck would effectively cover that up and Zoro refused to wear one. Well there was that, and his friend insisted he think of it as a going away present. Unable to argue with the strange, yet sentimental logic, Zoro quieted down and decided to pretend it wasn’t even there.

They rode in silence all the way to the airport. Yosaku sat staring out the window while Johnny kept trying to steal glances at the driver. Zoro parked the car and insisted on carrying the two military issued duffle bags for his friends. At the security gate, they stepped to the side to say their final goodbyes.

“It was really good seeing you again, Aniki. Next time you’ve got to come see us. And make sure you bring your own blonde.” Johnny pulled him in for a quick hug, not trusting his tears to stay at bay if he lingered any longer.

Yosaku was already crying when he threw his arms around the taller man and whispered goodbye in his ear. Zoro pulled him back slightly and wiped his tears away with his thumbs. A soft, tender kiss was placed on his lips and Yosaku started crying again, clinging tightly to Zoro’s bulky frame. It took a lot of persuasive words and promises of visits to get him to let go. Just before they got to the metal detectors, Zoro called out to his dark haired friend.

“Take care of that blonde of yours.”

A grateful smile decorated both of their faces as they waved. “You too, Aniki.”

Zoro sat there in the terminal for several hours, watching the planes take off and land. It was about 1900 hours when Zoro pulled out his phone and dialed a number he hadn’t used in a long time.

“Moshi, moshi Roronoa Zoro desu. Roronoa-san onegai shimasu.” Zoro waited a moment for the phone to be handed to the right person before speaking again. “Dad? ... Thanks for sending them over.”

DK*DK*DK*DK

Zoro flopped down in his seat Monday, barely able to keep his eyes open. There was no Ace and therefore no coffee to keep him awake. The slight itching of the hickey on his neck and the bruise on his hip were all he had to concentrate on to keep from drifting off. He missed everything the professor had to say, including the group project that he had been assigned to work on. A small, yet familiar figure appeared nervously in front of him.

“Um, excuse me? You’re Roronoa right?” The timid boy asked.

Curious and confused, Zoro nodded.

“I’ve been assigned to your group to work on the presentation. The rest of us will be meeting at my house this week on Thursday at 6 if you can join us.” The boy shifted nervously under Zoro’s unwavering stare as he handed over a slip of paper with his name, address and number on it.

“Hn.” Zoro took the paper and folded it in half before sliding it into his wallet. He gave the shifty teen a smirk before walking out to his next class. There was still plenty of time, but maybe he could squeeze in a nap once he got there.

Sadly, Zoro slept the entire time, not having completely recovered from his lack of sleep that weekend combined with his self-imposed workout followed by his battle with his grandfather. A warm smile crept up on his face as he thought about how much fun he had with the feisty old man.

He sat down in his last class for the day and fought to stay awake. It helped that he felt something was off, but he still had yet to decide just what that was. It wasn’t until the paper was dropped on his desk that he figured it out; the normal buzz about the Dark Knight wasn’t there for a Monday. He turned around expecting to see his raven friend and was pleasantly surprised to be met by his younger brother.

“Luffy? Shouldn’t you be in your own class?” Zoro watched the skinny boy slid into the seat next to him, grief and sadness surrounded the straw-hat guy.

“Mr. Slate asked me to leave. He said that he would give me a passing grade on the lab if I would just go home for the day.”

Luffy laid his head on Zoro’s shoulder, searching for a bit of comfort. Zoro tried for something to say that might make him feel better, and wondered just what the boy had done to justify that kind of treatment. A familiar sickening sweet smell wafted by and he prayed that the owner wouldn’t stop. No amount of money, alcohol, or begging would ever make him think this woman was anything but a bitch.

“Another one? My, aren’t you a busy boy?” The redhead didn’t even begin to hide her disapproving glare. “That man should just leave your sorry ass and find someone more worthy of him. With that body of his, I’m sure he could have his choice of any man out there.”

Luffy picked his head up off Zoro and looked up into the face of beauty itself. She was the most perfect and amazing thing he had ever laid eyes on and instantly fell in love. Forgotten were the day’s events that had plunged him into a dreary state, and in its place was a feeling of floating on air. He stood up and walked towards her slowly, as if in a dream.

“Are you an angel?” He whispered.

Nami’s eyes went wide with shock as the man she thought to be Zoro’s newest toy looked down on her with awe. She glanced back and forth between the starry-eyed raven and the grinning classmate behind him. Her hand was taken up to be kissed softly, a thumb rubbed across her wrist and she felt like she was drowning in his dark brown puppy eyes.

“Luffy?”

The grip on her hand tightened at the new voice and strong fingers laced themselves with hers.

“Sanji! I want you to meet my new girlfriend.” Luffy stood there holding her hand and grinning wide.

“Like hell I am!” Nami brought her fist back and decked the happy fool dead in the face. Luffy dropped to his knees on the ground holding his nose with one hand and still hanging on to her with the other. “Let me go you perverted idiot!”

“Mwy dose” he whined. He tried to keep his hold on the delicate hand, but it slipped out of his grasp and disappeared.

Zoro chuckled as he watched Luffy stumble after the fuming redhead. He glanced over at Sanji and raised an eyebrow in question at the blank look on the blonde’s face. A few students walked between them and shifted the reporter out of his daze. Sanji shook his head as if to clear his thoughts and quickly took his seat on the other side of the room. This left Zoro finally free to take a look at today’s paper before class began. The headlines made him blanch, but after a few deep breaths, he decided to go ahead and read the article anyway.

GLU’s Newest Heartthrob: DK

“Our largest number of responses to last week’s print was to offer companionship to our beloved local hero. Without even seeing him once, over half of the female students attending the university have admitted to having a secret crush on our masked man of the night…”

Zoro wondered just what they might say if they knew what he really looked like. Amused and feeling a little more awake, he continued reading the other articles in the weekly print. He never noticed the jealous look that crossed the blonde’s face every time they looked at him.

Sanji was still trying to get the image of the dark purple mark on Zoro’s neck out of his mind. There was no denying what it was, nor could he convince himself that he didn’t know where it had come from. With all of the heated looks that had been passed around last night, how could he think different? He himself had felt the rock hard abs, muscular legs, and strong arms that seemed to be hidden under all of the horrible clothes the idiot wore. Just once, he would like to see the green-haired man in something other than baggy grunge. Maybe a nice pair of tailored slacks with a crisp white shirt, or even a pair of jeans that actually fit his body with a smaller t-shirt would work.

Sanji tried to inconspicuously watch the man read the paper, noticing how he kept rubbing the mark on his neck, almost as if it was bothering him. Well, it was definitely bothering the reporter. All he could think of last night after they left was that amazingly heavy body pressing down on him and pinning him to the floor faster than anyone had ever done before. It was true that he would fight against being the bottom for anyone, but lately there had been one that he might be willing to let have the pleasure. One that was constantly in his thoughts. One that he still didn’t know their face. Sanji left for work after class frustrated and angry. One way or another, he needed to get laid.