The Dark Knight of GLU

Chapter 8
Blinded by Lust

Zoro stood in line at the pharmacy to refill Yuu’s heart medication. Guilt had hit him hard when the man behind the counter told him what the pills were for. He had just engaged Jiji in a full-blown fight the day before and had no idea that there were any medical problems he should be aware of. Though he couldn’t see Jiji having any trouble, he refused to push it. From now on, he’d have to find his opponent somewhere else. Knowing he was back to square one on a physical vent for his frustrations, Zoro paid for the meds and trudged out of the small drug store.

The wagon struggled as he headed down the main strip, hoping against hope that the rusted hunk of junk would get him home. With a final sputter, it died and he pulled over to the curb. Banging his head against the steering wheel a few times, he tried to think of what the best plan of action would be. There wasn’t anything expensive in the wagon, save his swords, so he decided to just walk the rest of the way. He chuckled without mirth as he pulled on his hoodie and grabbed the black case. He had the shittiest luck lately. Hopefully he could make it to the house without getting stopped and searched.

Two hours later, he realized he was lost. Taking that shortcut down the alley was probably not the best idea. He was about to pull out his phone and call Yuu when he heard the scream. It was high pitched, very frightened and strangely close. Looking up into the sky, Zoro had the strongest urge to start screaming himself, asking Fate why she thought this was so funny. The next scream was closer yet, so Zoro slipped off the case and up his hood before concealing himself in the shadows to wait for whatever was coming.

A very tall figure appeared just as he finished tucking away his glasses and brought out Yubashiri. The person was dressed in low-rise hot pink bellbottom pants, with a ruffled white peasants blouse, white platform heels, and a flashy silver belt with pink rhinestones. A pink and white boa wrapped around the neck topped off the ungodly outfit. Sadly, that was not where the absurdity ended. The shrill scream came again as a car rounded the corner in pursuit of the fleeing victim that could now be described as a man dressed in very feminine clothing. Even if this was somehow a woman, she had to be the ugliest one Zoro had ever seen.

Pink circles were painted on high cheekbones beneath large eyes that were surrounded by neon blue shadow. A circlet of gold with two fuzzy white pom-poms sat atop his head. He stumbled and fell to the ground less than ten feet from where Zoro knelt. The vehicle stopped and two men stepped out, scowling at the person on the ground.

“P-pl-please. I already told you I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The pink and white abomination cried.

“Sammy said you’ve been bragging about knowing who he is. I think you need to tell us what you know.” The first attacker stepped forward into the dim light of an alley doorway. The other thug stood slightly behind him wringing his hands and snickering.

“I told you, I don’t know wh-“

“Look fag, just tell us who the blonde is and we’ll walk away.”

Zoro’s hackles bristled as he worried just which blonde they were interested in. He didn’t recognize either of them, but this was just too big of a coincidence to pass up. If this okama gave up his name, Sanji would be targeted and there was no way Zoro could protect him without revealing his secret.

“I think he attends classes at the college. His name-“

“His name is none of your business.” Zoro’s deep voice echoed across the alley. A smirk played at his lips when all three of the men jumped. He stepped out of the shadows just enough to show his position and rotated his wrist to let the light bounce of the steel of his sword.

“You! You fucking bastard. How is it that you keep showing up at all the wrong times?” The guy in the back shouted.

Zoro chuckled, the sound hauntingly sadistic in the dead of the night. He turned his attention to the man on the ground who was about to give away vital information on his favorite reporter.

“Do you plan on giving these men what they want?”

“It is my life for a name. I’m sorry, but I must.” Tears were running down through the mascara and shadow leaving the man looking worse than before. “Tell Duval I’m very sorry.”

“Duval, huh? So that’s the little bitch’s name. Well, that’s one problem solved. Now for the other one.”

Out of the corner of his eye Zoro watched the cross-dresser run off, calling for help as he almost danced in his ridiculous shoes. This fight would need to end quickly or else he’d run the risk of being caught by the police for sure. Logan wouldn’t be able to cover for him if he was found at the scene. If only these men had swords he could fight them on equal ground, but sadly, they only fought with their hands and feet. He could see no challenge in it and frowned in annoyance, waiting for just the right opportunity to begin.

Several slow punches came at him from both sides. He snickered as he blocked one with the butt of his sword, enjoying the crunch of bones breaking in the man’s hand. The idiot shouted and cradled the shattered appendage against his chest and looked around for something to use as a weapon to stand up against the warrior’s steel. His partner came forward and called out.

“You fucker! You think you’re tough shit just because you know how to handle a blade. I’d like to see how you stand up against a .45.” The man grinned and reached behind his back.

Zoro blanched and quickly assessed his surroundings. There were a few deep doorways on the left, two dumpsters on the right, the asshole’s car to the front and a fire escape slightly behind him. His swords were hanging from a peg just out of sight in one of the niches, but unfortunately, the injured asshole just happened to be between him and them. The lost look on the would-be gunman’s face gave him hope. Apparently, the pistol he was reaching for was not where it should be and that left him wide open. With an angry yell, the unarmed man charged Zoro again.

A kick aimed for Zoro’s covered head was blocked by the back of his blade but left him wide open for the second foot coming towards his knees. He shifted to the left just in time to avoid major injury and wished again that he had taken out another sword. Attacking people without severely injuring them was extremely difficult, he realized and a smile crept up on his face. Taking this whole fight from a different viewpoint, he could call it a form of training. Learning to incapacitate without drawing blood would help him learn balance and control. This could prove useful after all.

He allowed both men to land a few hits and kicks, giving them false confidence before moving to crush them. A smooth glide to the right sent one of the men falling past him and he brought the butt of his sword down on the attacker’s skull. He didn’t wait for the body to hit the ground before he turned his attention to the remaining assailant. The broken hand hung useless on one side and the other held a broken bottle. Not a flashy weapon, but it could prove a problem if it got too close. As they circled each other, Zoro noticed the man’s eyes flicker to something behind him in the dark. So that was what he had been feeling. Someone else had come to join their party.

A third man had come up behind Zoro with what looked to be a machete. He brought the blade down in a fast swing aimed at the back of the black hooded head. Zoro rotated and brought his katana up to greet the crude blade laughing at the fearful surprise in the newcomer’s face. The man behind him aimed a kick at Zoro’s shoulder, intent on throwing him off balance, but the blow never landed. A blur of black swept between Zoro and his enemy, intercepting the impact of the attack and saving him from the possibility of a dislocated shoulder.

DK*DK*DK*DK

Sanji rubbed his eyes and shook his head trying to stay awake on his way home from work. His nerves were shot, his muscles tied in knots from tension, and he was down to his last pack of cigarettes. Even his tie had already been removed and the top few buttons of his shirt were released. All he wanted to do was go home, take a hot shower, and crawl into bed. His headlights reflected off something bright on the side of the road ahead and he slowed down to take a look, his curiosity getting the best of him. The familiar crown of gold and white atop a dark head of hair had him ready to hit the gas to the floor. Only the tear streaked face held him back and allowed the time for the distraught man to jump up and run towards his car. Sanji pulled to the curb and rolled down his window to listen to whatever sob story the man had concocted this time.

“Sanji! Oh mon ami, it’s horrible! They came looking for you! I had to run, but they caught up with me. Mon Dieu, it was frightening. One minute I’m speaking with Paula on the phone and the next I’m being hunted by rogues. He’s back there right now fighting them.” Bon Kurei grabbed Sanji’s arm tight through the open window and held on like his life depended on it.

“Wait! What?” Sanji put the car in park and opened the door. He grabbed the weeping man by the arms and checked him over. “Are you ok? Who came after you? Why were they looking for me? And who’s fighting?”

“Your Knight! They want you because of him. He’s fighting back there right now.” Bon Kurei pulled out of the blonde’s grasp and stumbled over to the bench at the bus stop.

“He’s fighting right now? Where?” Sanji was already running as he listened for the answer.

“Turn by the old bank. They are in the alley right behind it.” The flashy man called out to the blonde.

Sanji’s shoes slid as he rounded the corner and ran towards the bank. He didn’t want to come up on them without knowing what was going on, so he hurried as quiet as he could around the side of the building to the alleyway. There in all his glory was a hooded figure, shrouded in shadows and moving with deadly grace as he dodged and blocked blows coming from all angles. One of the attackers fell to the ground after a heavy blow to the head leaving only one to be dealt with. The man held some type of weapon in one hand while the other appeared to be slightly misshapen. Curious as to what had happened he waited for a safe opportunity to make himself known. A slight movement from behind the Dark Knight caught his attention and began to move towards the fight.

In a rush of action, the knight pivoted and blocked the crude blade aimed at him while the crippled man brought up his foot to kick the Knight off balance. Sanji sprang from his hiding place without thought and rushed between the cowardly enemy and his target. He slid on his left foot as his right shot out to intercept the attack, stopping it inches before it could connect. Back to back with the man he had been searching for, for the last several weeks, Sanji reveled in the adrenaline pumping through him.

“You look like you needed a hand… or a foot as it may be.” Sanji grinned as he felt the angry growl reverberate through the Knight’s back and into his own body. They were almost the same height, but the swordsman definitely had more mass to him. Sanji couldn’t wait to find out just what lay beneath the concealing garments. The quicker they dispatched these assholes, the quicker they could get down to more personal business.

“Get the fuck out of here,” the Knight growled.

“What, and miss all the fun? I don’t think so. There are two of them, you can share. Besides, I have a bone to pick with these guys as well. I just had a talk with my dear friend Bon Kurei, and it seems that they have been giving him a hard time. I don’t appreciate that.”

“This isn’t your fight, and I don’t need any help.”

“Well, it’s not like you have a fucking choice. I’m here now bastard, and this time I’m not drunk off my ass. I’ll show them they fucked with the wrong damn guy. It should make a good story to read Monday, huh?”

Sanji felt the hard body tense up against his back.

“So you’re Duval? Just as we suspected, a whiny little bitch.” Both men laughed as the machete wielder stepped back, releasing the lock with the impressive looking katana.

“Who the fuck is Duval? My na-“

“Shut the fuck up, you idiot!” The Knight hissed.

“Wait, if you’re not Duval, then who are you?” The assailant with the crippled hand increased his guard just slightly.

“Sanji Bl- Oww, you fucker! What the hell was that shit for.” Sanji rubbed the back of his skull where the shadowed man had head-butted him.

“You talk too much.”

The knight surged forward swinging his blade at the unprepared enemy. Sanji felt a rush of air behind him to let him know the other had started moving. Not wanting to be left out, he aimed a well-polished shoe at the hand holding the broken bottle, sending the glass flying. Several more kicks were dealt, a few being blocked by forearms while the rest landed on the exposed ribs and stomach. Tired of playing with his prey, Sanji executed a beautiful roundhouse and sent the battered fool flying. The defeated man landed in a pile of boxes and trash next to one of the dumpsters. The blonde turned to see a dark silhouette walking away.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Zoro had taken his adversary out in a single hit and turned to watch the display of power and flexibility that made up his blonde’s fighting style. No fists were involved at all, only those gorgeous long legs bending and stretching in impossible ways. It was time he head out before something happened that he probably would regret. He stopped when Sanji called out to him, wondering if he could outrun the nimble creature.

Zoro closed his eyes and listened to the sound of a match being struck. In his mind, he could picture the way the blonde’s lips would hold onto the filter loosely and his head would tilt to the left just slightly as he brought the cigarette to life. Pale fingers would be cupped just so to block any draft, and he always snapped his wrist twice to put out the flame, even if the match died on the first swing. Opening his eyes Zoro abruptly turned and headed towards his swords hiding place and grabbed the case. He would put Yubashiri away when he was free from here.

“You’re not getting away this time.”

Zoro heard the pounding of running feet and turned just in time to block the first kick. The sole of a fashionable dress shoe was inches from his face as he tried to keep his head bent to shadow his features. The lighting was poor in most spots, but a few bulbs over doorways would give enough light to give him away. This would prove very difficult, especially when the higher he raised his sword, the higher the foot braced against it went, stretching out those fascinatingly long legs. On the other hand, it would also help exert some of his pent up frustration on the one person who was causing it. Not wanting to have any accidental damage done to his swords, he slid the strap over his head and secured the case across his back.

“What do you want?” Zoro kept his voice barely above a whisper as he spoke. They had spent so much time together, he couldn’t risk saying much or the blonde would surely figure it out. He tried not to show his disappointment when the foot was removed from his blade and placed lightly back on the ground.

“Your identity.” Sanji spun with poised grace and struck out at his head, greeting the steel of his sword once again, way too close to his face for comfort.

Zoro grabbed Sanji’s leg, taking the pressure off his blade, reveling in the feel of the hard muscles beneath his palm. The sharp tip of the sword tapped on the top button of the black suit jacket.

“Fuck you.” He bit out.

“Not likely, I’d be the one fucking you asshole.”

Zoro tried not to groan at the thought of them having sex. Sanji used his hold on him to his advantage and shifted his weight to the suspended leg, aiming the toe of his other shoe for the swordsman’s chin. The grip on the blonde’s leg was released too late and his head was thrown back with the impact of the hard leather, sending him stumbling a few steps. Sanji flipped over and landed on his feet, ready to strike again. This was getting good. Never had he encountered an unarmed opponent who could land a blow on him when he held a sword. True, he was severely distracted at the moment, but that was beside the point. Maybe he should even up the field. He hated to ruin such a perfect fitting suit, so instead he aimed for the curtain of hair that hid the left side of his face. Each swing of his sword was met with a hard sole and a growing smirk. Finally, he saw his opening and took off just the tip of a few blonde strands.

“You fucking piece of shit! Damn it! That’s my fucking hair you’re messing with!”

“You’ve got a filthy mouth for pretty girl.” The flush of angry red that crept up on the reporter’s face caused him to laugh.

“I believe you’ve seen the evidence that I’m nothing but man.” The blonde snapped.

The attacks were coming faster now. Sanji’s feet moved in almost a blur as they fought to land another blow on him. He could see that the blonde was trying to back him into the light, and hastily changed his stance to go on the offensive.

“And yet I left you untouched. I wouldn’t want to be accused of taking your virginity.” Zoro taunted.

There it was again, the endearing blush that made his heart race and his pants tighten. Well they would tighten if they were anywhere near fitting. He would need to take care of the rising problem when he got home. Sanji suddenly leaned forward and placed his hands on the ground, lifting his feet above him. The long legs spread wide and he began spinning, edging closer to Zoro on each rotation. Zoro’s eyes went wide at the enticing display of flexibility, forgetting for a moment that he was supposed to be fighting and not drooling. The barrage of kicks stopped and Sanji vaulted back over onto his feet. The blonde stood there panting, a light sheen of sweat showing in the dark alley.

“Or you were intimidated and ran scared.”

“I’ve never run in my life.” Zoro growled and charged again, forcing Sanji to retreat towards the abandoned car. He increased the intensity of his blows to relay the anger he felt towards the accusation.

“Then why do you keep disappearing?” Sanji was struggling under the power of each attack and stumbled back a few steps. They stood there facing each other, trying to catch their breaths.

“I like my privacy. Something you keep interfering with.” Zoro adjusted the strap across his shoulders and turned away.

“You should have stayed around and talked the first time then.” Sanji tapped the toes of his shoes on the ground, a sign that he was nowhere near done with the fight.

“I wasn’t in the mood.” Zoro saw it coming, the flurry of feet aimed at every part of his body. It was his turn to be forced back. He had to block several hits with his forearms and even take a few to his shoulder and thigh. The attacks were hard and fast. Any normal man would be down by now having been crushed with that much force. Zoro prided himself on being far from normal, but if he didn’t do something quick, he would be sitting on the hood of that damn car soon. He shifted his sword to his right hand, intent on grabbing a hold of the idiot as soon as he got the chance. He brought Yubarishi back in a wide swing. Sanji ducked under the blade and charged forward.

Zoro was ready for him, hoping that the blonde would take advantage of the blatant opening. He caught Sanji by the lapel of his jacket and used the lighter man’s momentum against him, throwing him into a deep dark doorway. Zoro followed right behind him and pinned the lithe man against the cold metal door, burying his face into the crook of the pale neck and holding each wrist tightly at their sides.

“And I’m not in the mood now either.” Zoro struggled to keep his blade away from the blonde as he pressed against him harder, making sure to pin those long legs of his. “At least not to talk.”

He ground his hips into Sanji’s, letting the reporter/cook know just what he meant. Fighting always turned him on, and when the opponent was this damn sexy, he was hard pressed for release. He nuzzled his nose into the soft tresses and let his lips skim lightly over creamy flesh. The result startled him. Sanji rolled his head to the left, giving more access, and began to grind back, showing his own excitement at their confrontation.

“If you’re not going to talk, then show me what you fucking plan on doing with that mouth of yours.” He tried to turn his head and look at his face.

Zoro chuckled and licked up the side of Sanji’s neck. “What good would that do? You still won’t see what I look like.” He left a trail of saliva down Sanji’s jaw and nibbled at the bobbing Adam’s apple, thankful that the tie had already been removed for him. “Are you afraid I’m better looking?”

“Not likely.” Sanji growled as Zoro nudged his head to the other side, wanting to taste every inch of skin that he could.

The heavy breathing was laced with hushed moans and barely there whimpers as Zoro bit and sucked at the racing pulse point. Pleased with the large dark mark, he finally moved in for the main course. His hood combined with the lack of light should give him enough cover to pull this off, but just in case… Zoro pulled both wrists up over their heads and secured them with one hand. He gently propped his sword against the wall, all the while grinding, nipping, licking and sucking on the blonde’s neck, earning the most delicious needy noises.

He slid his hand up the black covered thigh and around to cup a perfectly toned ass, letting out a hum of approval when Sanji’s hips jerked against him. He quickly took advantage of the blonde’s closed eyes and captured his lips in a heated kiss. The gasp of surprise let him slide his tongue through parted lips and partake in the unique flavor of nicotine with just a hint of something sweet. He searched out every inch of the man’s mouth, wanting to devour every little taste of him he could and breaking the seal of their lips only long enough to gasp for another breath.

It didn’t take long for Sanji to come out of his stupor and begin vying for dominance. He struggled against the hand holding his arms above him; against the legs that currently had his in a strange and yet not uncomfortable lock; against the overwhelming desire that was slowly pooling in his gut and urging him to succumb to this mysterious man’s every whim. He had no idea who this man was, but he wanted him. Now. He rocked his hips again, trying to convey with his body what his occupied mouth could not say. Sanji couldn’t wait to have his Knight under him.

“Sanji-chérie! Ou êtes-vous?” Bon Kurei stood at the edge of the alley behind the abandoned vehicle searching for the blonde.

Both men jumped at the flamboyant voice and noticed the siren closing in on them from somewhere nearby. The knight released him and grabbed his sword turning heel and running all at the same time. Sanji uncharacteristically stumbled and fell, giving the man just enough time to get out of sight before the police car pulled in with flashing lights. He must have ducked into one of the other doorways because there was no way he made it out of there that fast. Sanji took a few seconds to straighten his clothing and hair then walked out into the center of the alley to meet with the strangely dressed man and the detectives.

“Mon ami! There you are, I was so worried.” Bon Kurei caught sight of Sanji as he rounded the front of the car and rushed to pull him into a crushing hug. He pulled back and took in Sanji’s kiss swollen lips, flushed face and spotted neck, before squealing like a teenage girl. “Ah so you were saved again! C’est incroyable. You are a lucky man. He was so fierce, so powerful, très affriolant.”

“Shh. Pretend you didn’t see him, ok?” Sanji held up his hands to hush him. The urgency in his voice gave no room for argument. “Just keep it between us.”

“Of course.” Was the man’s reply, though you could see his confusion.

“What the hell happened here? Wait… I know you. You’re friends with Portgas.” The large detective almost snarled out the name as he came towards the blonde.

“Lieutenant Smoker, wasn’t it? I do apologize. It seems these men were looking for me. Unfortunately, I refused to go with them and they decided to get physical. It was all in self defense, I assure you.” Sanji tried to remain nonchalant as he awaited the man’s interrogation.

The detective gave him a skeptical look and turned to the young woman who had just joined him. “Go call for a paramedic. I’ll see what I can get out of Mr. Black and his friend here.”

Sanji smiled charmingly at her and watched the swing of her hips as she walked back to the car. If he had been paying attention to Smoker instead, he would have noticed the abrupt change in the detective’s features as he watched something down the alley. Fortunately, Bon Kurei caught the change and peered into the darkness to see what had angered the man. A dark figure stepped into the light and pulled back its black hood, grinning and winking at the now shaking, red-faced man. If auras could kill, everyone in a 10-mile radius would be dead right now.

“Were you two the only ones involved in this little fight?” Smoker said through clenched teeth, his eyes still focused past the two men on the other end of the alley. He finally pulled his attention back to the blonde when he noticed the man checking his pockets for something.

“They came after Monsieur Kurei looking for me. He ran from them and almost into my car as I was driving home from work. I came to see what they might want, and here we are.” Sanji pulled out a cigarette and searched for his matches again. For some reason, he was losing them constantly this last week. He must be in dire need of sleep and had just become a bit scatterbrained. He accepted a light from the detective’s Zippo and sighed as the nicotine filled his lungs, relaxing him almost immediately.

“Any idea why they wanted you?” Smoker didn’t even try to hold back his annoyance as he prodded for an answer he was fairly sure he wouldn’t get.

“I didn’t bother asking.” Sanji said and walked over to where Tashigi was checking on the state of one of the unconscious men. “A beautiful woman such as you shouldn’t be getting her hands dirty with meaningless scum such as this.”

Smoker rolled his eyes at the thick line of bullshit that Sanji spewed out to his partner and decided to search out the area a little more. His phone rang just as a squad car pulled up with the EMS right behind them.

“Smoker.”

“Logan-kun? Have you seen my grandson? He seems to be missing. I sent him out to get my medicine after dinner and haven’t seen him since. I can’t even get him on the phone.” Yuu sounded strangely cheerful about the lost relative.

“I’ll ask around. Did he take the car?” Smoker answered carefully.

“Hmm… Oh, yes. My classic. I hope he hasn’t wrecked her.” The happiness in the old man’s voice started to send shivers up the detective’s spine.

“I’ll let you know.” Smoker said calmly before ending the call.

It took them about an hour to finish collecting evidence and apprehending the suspects. He had an officer escort the blonde and his friend to their car before he signaled to Tashigi it was time to leave. A call had come in about ten minutes ago about a strange man on the top of an old car outside the bookstore. He assured them he knew who it was and that he would take care of it. Time to go get some answers.

DK*DK*DK*DK

Zoro watched from his hiding place three doors down on the right. It was the exact same spot the he had hid in when the pink and white okama had come running. Out of the unmarked car stepped his grumpy cousin and that petit woman he was partnered with. He watched them survey the scene and then Smoker sent her back towards the vehicle for something. Zoro stood up and began inching his way further down the alley. Only a few more yards and he would be free. Suddenly, Smoker turned around and looked him dead in the face. Zoro could almost hear the grinding of his teeth as the large man tried to keep from calling out to him. With a mischievous grin, Zoro pulled his hood back just enough to let the fuming man see him wink, and then took off running in a direction that would hopefully take him home.

He ended up standing right next to the broke down wagon scratching his head and wondering just what he was supposed to do. It was now about 0200 and he had school in the morning, though not too early since it was his short day. Maybe he could just stay there in the car for the night. Sighing and putting his sword case in the front seat he began stripping off the dark hoodie, climbing onto the hood of the car to take a nap. The jolt back to reality earlier had killed his erection, so at least he had one problem taken care of, but of course, he also created a second one with taunting his volcanic cousin. One of these days, he would probably go off and lock him up for something minor like jaywalking, or sleeping on the hood of his car on the side of the road. Sometime later, Smoker pulled up beside him and honked the horn, unexpectedly waking him from his dreamless sleep.

“Uncle Yuu said you went to the pharmacy over five hours ago and weren’t returning his calls.” Smoker leaned out of the window and lowered his voice. “You aren’t getting into trouble are you?”

Zoro couldn’t help the smile that crept up on his face. “The wagon broke and my phone is dead. I forgot to charge it last night.” To help support his story he held up his phone that he had just turned off in his pocket while the detective was talking.

Smoker huffed and nudged his head towards the back of the car. “Get in, kid. I’ll take you home. Call Uncle and let him know you’re ok.” He tossed his phone at Zoro.

Putting in the number, Zoro called while gathering his things back up for the second time that evening. “Oi, Jiji. I’m on my way… No, the piece of shit died on me… Gomen… Aa… I’ll have Ace come help me tomorrow after class… No, I’m not skipping class for this hunk of junk… I know I have to work… Logan will make sure it’s not towed… Damn it Jiji, can we please argue about this later? I’m on my way.” He tossed the phone at Smoker through the open window and climbed into the back seat still muttering, “cares more about that damn car”. Zoro glared back at a wide-eyed young woman sitting beside his cousin. He followed her stare and groaned when he realized what had caught her attention.

“Why do you carry a sword case around?” She asked with much skepticism.

“I don’t. They were in the car and I didn’t feel like leaving them to chance.” He narrowed his eyes at her, wondering just how rude he could be before Logan reprimanded him.

“Do you always keep them with you?” She pressed. It was obvious that she wouldn’t drop the topic easily.

“Yes. I take them to school, the market, the shower and even my bed. Would you like to take their place?” Zoro kept a straight face during his little outburst.

“Why, I… How could you think that I… I would never… You should learn some manners from Mr. Black. At least he knows how to speak to a woman.” Tashigi spun around in her seat and crossed her arms over her chest.

“He can do more than that.” Zoro breathed out and let a smile creep back onto his face. His eyes closed and missed the amused look in Smoker’s gaze as he stared at his little cousin through the rear view mirror. Less than five minutes later they pulled into the drive at Yuu’s house and he stepped out, sure to take his case with him least that crazy woman decide to open it.

“We need to talk.” Logan got out of the car and walked with him to the door, signaling his partner to stay where she was and he’d be right back. They opened the door and stepped in to the kitchen. “You got lucky tonight. Both of them closed up when I asked how they took all three of the hooligans out. If you don’t watch it, you’re gonna get yourself in deeper than I can even begin to help you with.”

“Aa, I know.” Zoro ran his hands through his hair and leaned up against the counter. “I just wanted to get home tonight. The fucking car blows up so I have to walk, and then I hear this woman… well I thought it was…”

“Damn that thing was scary. I hope I never see him again. He seemed to know your reporter. They had their heads together the entire time.” Smoker hushed as Yuu walked in to join them.

“You make sure my car is still there tomorrow when this lazy gaki goes back for it.” Yuu threatened his towering nephew before turning on his grandson. “You better fix whatever it is that you broke! The only reason I’m not kicking your ass right now is because you have to walk to school tomorrow.”

With that, Yuu grabbed the brown bag of pills Zoro had set out for him and stomped back to his room.

“Fuck! I might as well not even sleep tonight. I’ll have to get up in two hours just to make it there on time for class.” Zoro began banging the back of his head against the kitchen cabinets.

“I’ll pick you up at 8 and take you into class for a couple days until Uncle realizes that old wagon can’t be fixed.

“Why are you being so nice?” Zoro gave him a questioning glare.

Logan gave him a forlorn look and headed for the front door. “I just wish it was me out there sometimes, giving those criminals what they deserve instead of following all the rules.”

That one little sentence completely changed Zoro’s opinion of his gruff cousin. Maybe there was hope for them getting along yet. He went to bed that night with a contented smile on his face, wondering how long it would be before he could taste heaven again.