Well, after losing all my work due to a computer crash and just being utterly swamped with life for waaaay too long, I finally present to you the LAST chapter of 'Of Rifles and Repercussions.' Please enjoy!
One Piece isn't mine. So please don't sue me…
Rain splattered messily against the antique glass windowpane, sending odd shadows over the bed from the streetlamp outside. Bedsprings creaked as Sanji shifted and turned another page in his book, sprawled across the bed and taking up as much room as possible. Just to piss Zoro off, of course.
They'd been stuck in this godforsaken room for a day and a half now. Well, not completely. After being tugged into their room by disembodied arms and left to sort out what ailed them, the two men settled into their most tried and true method of resolving conflict: beating the crap out of each other. Much broken furniture, bloodied lips, cuts, and bruises later, the blonde cook stomped off to track down his precious Nami-san. Too bad apologies for Zoro's brutish behavior went unheeded when she found out the cost of damages. He'd returned, cowed and not in the mood for anything amorous, to kick the swordsman and demand that the bed was off-limits to his horny marimo ass. And so they spent their first night of solitude growling at each other from opposite corners of the room.
The following morning filled itself with shopping and general wanderings around town as the crew went about their business; Sanji managed to cross off most of his list before the dark storm clouds rolled in and the first pattering raindrops sent them all scrambling for shelter. One good book on local culinary customs and a rare opportunity for uninterrupted reading combined to entertain the cook for most of the afternoon.
Too bad he only had a few pages left and it was still pouring outside.
Springs shifted again as a damp Zoro perched on the end of the bed, rolling his shoulders and stretching before bending down to tug off worn leather boots. Where the shitty idiot had been all afternoon Sanji had no idea, but from the way he moved, the blonde guessed he'd just finished another one of his strenuous workouts. Somewhere. Trust the marimo to ignore such a perfect opportunity to relax. "Oi, asshole, off the bed. You're blocking my light." He waved the book at the lamp sitting atop the plain wooden dresser on the other side of Zoro.
"Eh, shaddup. Not like I'm gonna jump you or something."
Sanji grunted and returned to his reading, watching the swordsman from the corner of his eye just in case he decided to pull something. Distraction quickly came when Zoro tugged his shirt over bronzed skin, using it to rub the sweat and rainwater from his brow before tossing it into a corner. Distraction continued as the swordsman lapsed into a series of deep breaths, settling into an informal meditation to finish bringing his heart rate down.
Talk about concentration being shot all to hell. "How long are you going to sit there and drip sweat on my bed, you muscle-brained idiot?"
"…As long as I feel like it."
The book landed with a thunk as Sanji tossed it to the windowsill. He was disgusted with himself and Zoro; Zoro for being oblivious and himself for mentally drooling over the other's broad back. Well, not so much disgusted. For some reason he felt like he needed to allow himself just enough token resistance to the temptation so he would have nothing to feel guilty about later. As stupid as that was. Azure eyes traced the fine network of scars spider-webbing over perfectly toned muscles; some injuries he could recall, others not so much, but the one that grabbed and held his attention lay just to the side of Zoro's right shoulder blade. New with that fresh-scar-pink that he knew so well, the testament to a life saved and a sacrifice made to protect. He had… had never really seen it so close, not since tending it all those days ago. For some reason it brought a weird lump to his throat that he quickly swallowed down.
Tentative fingers reached out and hovered over the scar, almost as if apprehensive of the consequences sure to come at the touch, but Sanji had had enough of waiting, of skating around what he knew he wanted. What they both wanted. He brushed over the rough tissue, examining the ridges and depressions while its owner stilled as if turned to stone. He noted the odd starburst pattern the bullet had torn in Zoro's flesh and wondered how the swordsman had been blessed (or cursed) with such luck as to always hang on to the slightest shred of life and bounce back even stronger than before.
Zoro finally spoke, his deep baritone rumbling through the small room. "Oi, cook. What are you doing?"
"Just looking."
A pause. "Why? Have a scar fetish or somethin'?"
"Arg, fuck you." Sanji snatched his hand away as if burned, rolling over throw an arm across his face to hide the embarrassed flush sure to be staining his cheeks. Trust the idiot marimo to ruin a mood.
The mattress dipped and shifted as Zoro moved, sidling up next to Sanji to stare at him. Moments passed as neither spoke. Eventually the blonde felt blunt fingers probe none-too-gently at his stomach. "Oi. You still awake?"
"I'm not YOU! I don't fall asleep at any opportune moment!"
"Damn, you don't need to yell. I just asked a simple question." Fingertips moved cautiously from probing to tracing lopsided circles around the buttons of his dress shirt, absently moving from one to another. "…You know," Zoro began again, "we're here by ourselves."
"Hn."
"And the door's locked. So… nobody can walk in on us."
A longsuffering sigh. "You know, you could just outright ask, instead of all this roundabout shit. Besides," Sanji peeked out from beneath his arm, "why are you acting all awkward all of a sudden? You always dove in and started molesting me whenever you felt like it before."
"That was… different," the swordsman growled. "Rushed. We never got to be alone like this, not really."
"It's not different, you simple-minded fool. Either get down here and kiss me or –mmph!"
The sudden face-full of Zoro (and accompanying smoosh of hot, sweaty manflesh against his body as the other pounced) startled Sanji into an unusual bout of surprised silence, broken only when the swordsman's uncoordinated movements finally resulted in a thigh right -mmmn- there that forced a low moan from the blonde's lips.
Holy shit that felt good.
That muted noise seemed only to spur Zoro on and, not to be outdone, Sanji joined in just as enthusiastically; bodies began writhing and moving in a tangled mass of limbs as they fought for leverage, fought for dominance, fought to be the one garnering the loudest moan from the other… Fighting, as they always did, as they always would, even after all the sacrifices and failed romps and murmured words in the dark, for that was who they were, and they could be no other way. Bedsprings creaked as Sanji at last gave in, rolled back on the bottom but with one of Zoro's thighs clasped between his own as the swordsman began rocking in such a way that had the blonde seeing stars.
"Nnhn… Zoro."
Okay, maybe not stars, more like flashing lights that refused to go away even when he shut his eyes and threw back his head in an involuntary gasping whine, lights that seemed to grow just a little brighter with each slide of still-clothed flesh.
"Zoro, wait…"
Goddammit his pants were tight; if he got any harder he might just burst through the front of them. He wanted out of the constricting material now, please, but he was having trouble forming words and Zoro did not seem to be concerned about the whole clothing issue and ooooh shit they were going to have a problem here in a moment if he did not get out of these fucking pants!
"Sh-shit, Zoro, I need… I need to…"
But as usual the swordsman was ignoring him and doing exactly what he wanted, which in this case involved indulging the cook with a breathy moan of his own and sucking eagerly at Sanji's neck while he Just Kept Moving.
"Wait wait wait oh -god- uugh!"
And suddenly it didn't matter any more as Sanji's whole body just sort of spasmed and arched clear off the bed, those flashing lights flaring in one glorious burst as he cried out, Zoro's name and various curses rolling brokenly off his tongue. He came, clinging to his likewise quivering lover, the frustrations of the past few weeks swiftly receding from his mind under the overwhelming onslaught of bliss.
All good things must come to an end, as the old adage goes.
For Sanji, the end came as realization sank in, much like the wet warmth sinking into and spreading across the front of his slacks.
"Fucker," the blonde groaned, dropping a half-hearted kick to the backside of the panting man still sprawled lethargically over him. "That was most incredible sex I've ever had. And that is considered a use of sarcasm, in case you're too obtuse to figure it out." He winced, shifting carefully and trying to ignore the sensation of warm fluid dripping slowly between his thighs. "You made me come in my damn pants, you impatient bastard."
"Hn." Zoro grunted and pulled himself up to one elbow, grinning satedly down at Sanji. "So did I. Felt good, though."
"…Stop smiling at me like that, it's creepy. I hope you don't plan on making a habit of this, Marimo-head, because if you do, it's not going to happen nearly as often as you think it should and you'll be the one stuck doing the laundry. Shit, it's not that hard to get our clothes off before you start humping me."
"Tch, you liked it. Besides, it was kind of an accident. 'S what happens after you teased me so bad for so long without us getting anywhere."
"I did not tease you." Sanji huffed and tried to wriggle out from under the other man, to no avail. He was not about to listen to such things, no matter how gooey his muscles might be feeling after their rather quick round of sex.
"Hey." One broad hand landed on his shoulder to still the wiggling as Zoro leaned down for another kiss, this one much more relaxed than the one that had started off their previous activities. "No need to get all riled up on me, love-cook. We got the edge off, so next time'll be better." Zoro pulled back as the man beneath him stilled, fingers already working at the front of the blonde's pants. Easing the soiled material down over slim hips, he continued. "We have all of tonight and however long you want to try this 'us' thing to practice."
The cook snorted and wrapped an arm around Zoro's shoulders, fingertips tracing The Scar. "Yeah, I guess we do, thanks to your penchant for pain. Just promise me one thing, idiot."
"What?"
"Next time somebody's aiming to shoot me, tell me to duck. It'll save us both a lot of time and energy."
The swordsman bent to nip lightly at Sanji's lips. "Sure, but if being shot means getting into your pants…"
Sanji grumbled something about numbskulls who think with their swords and allowed himself to be drawn into Zoro's embrace once more, the kick he gifted the other with far from punishing.
Omake 1
Sleep was something Nami usually did not have a problem acquiring, much like money or jewels that had caught her fancy. She could even sleep through the horrific chorus of the boys' snoring if the necessity presented itself. But somehow, being heralded with the enthusiastic sounds of Zoro and Sanji's coupling in the middle of the night just didn't do anything for her.
Robin chuckled. "Perhaps next time, Navigator-san, you shall acquire rooms a bit further away from our ardent crewmates?"
Nami simply groaned and stuffed her head under her pillow.
Omake 2
Meanwhile, in the room opposite, three boys lay curled together in the dark, listening to the banging of a headboard on the other side of the wall. Well, two of them were, at any rate. Chopper rested snugly in the shelter of one of Luffy's arms, much like a living, breathing teddy bear, and slept on, oblivious.
"Oi, Usopp… What are they doing?"
The sharpshooter mumbled something unintelligible and stuffed a few more cotton balls in his ears.
"Sounds like they're having fun."
Usopp snorted. "…I guess."
Luffy blinked at his friend for a moment before breaking into a wide grin, reaching over with his free hand to poke him in the shoulder. "Can we try?"
Eyes widening, Usopp gurgled for a moment before responding with a rather high-pitched "No!"
The rubber boy giggled. Chopper merely continued in his oblivious sleep with a happy sigh.
A.N.: The end! Thanks so much for your patience and for sticking through until the end. I learned lots during the process, and hopefully managed to provide you with some entertainment. :D One Piece forever!