Shambles: baka-marimo: Shambles: When Gin entered the ring, Ace followed…
Oh God. He wasn’t stopping, even the glare didn’t work and Gin had perfected ‘the look’. ‘The look’ was something he’d worked on for years, and when the…
But Ace merely chuckled, nose crinkling as a devious little grin crossed his face. Gin…really wasn’t very good at thinking things through, and, truth be told, neither was Ace, but at least he acted like it. A leisurely stretch and he squirmed a bit, getting comfortable underneath Gin, though his arms were still pinned and he was effectively trapped.
“And what happens if I don’t wanna get free? What then?” he asked, cocking his head quizzically, that grin still smacked across his face. He was enjoying this far too much to fight back at the moment. Maybe in a few minutes….maybe then…
—
Zoro listened quietly, watching Law’s face the whole time, though his fingers were still playing with Law’s. When he’d finished, the swordsman brought the doctor’s hand up to brush lips over the letters with a smirk.
“They suit you. ‘Specially these,” he murmured against his knuckles, the sensation a bit strange, but he was trying, he really was. Trying to get used to this so that he could catch up to Law. Because Law had…had this before after all. And for Zoro it was entirely new.
“I didn’t really know my parents either,” he mused a second later, letting go of Law’s hand so he could continue his work. “Can’t even really remember them even. I lived with my sensei. He pretty much raised me. Gave me these,” and he gestured to the three golden earrings dangling from his left ear. “They’re not tattoos but…still mean somethin’ I guess.”
A pause, in which he furrowed his brow briefly, but then shook his head, the smirk returning to his face as he leaned back, abandoning the letter-folding for the time being to lounge against the couch back. “People must think you’re one hell of a crazy doctor, huh. I know I sure did,” he teased, snickering.
Gin twitched, the fingers circling Ace’s wrists flexing against the skin- it felt far too nice to be sitting astride the other man, to feel warm skin against his own and to know the touch was wanted. And Ace… fucking… Ace. The man under him wanted to be there and that was surprising in itself. Dark wavy hair, cute little freckles, that smirk playing about his lips that just made him want to… argh! Not helping! Stop looking, stop looking at him!
Except he couldn’t. He continued to stare, wide eyed, and choked on the words he had just been able to muster. “Then… t-then… well… ain’t that the point of fightin’…? I… I dunno…” Smooth.
___
Law listened quietly, wondering to himself how Zoro felt about having never knew his parents- for him it was a different situation, and he couldn’t possibly compare the two. Yet at the same time… it was strange how alike they were, and yet completely different at the same time. And when Zoro leaned back on the couch, Law found himself automatically, yet shyly, crawling his way into the man’s lap for a small cuddle. It still hadn’t totally sunken in that Zoro was his to touch now, that he was allowed to cuddle with him.
“I suppose I am…” He smiled slightly, eyes on the tattoo briefly before they rose to the man’s face. “Weird doesn’t always mean bad though, don’t you think?” Of course his question had two meanings- the doctor thing, and of course… well, Zoro had thought he was weird, hadn’t he? Law blushed at his own train of thought and fidgeted with his hands, not sure if Zoro would see through his reasoning for the question but sure he was as transparent as a sheet of glass at the moment.
“Swordsmen in this day and age are weird to see, but you’re amazing at it and it’s… it’s exciting to watch you… it’s sort of… beautiful.” Oh yeah, nice save. Now he was blushing twice as hard. “B-but it’s cool at the same time! I-I mean… I don’t know… it’s always breathtaking to watch someone who’s good at their art work… No matter what… I think that’s why I can admire the workers at the club. It’s not… not something most people would consider admirable, but they’re so good at it… that I can’t help it…”
Shambles: baka-marimo: Shambles: When Gin entered the ring, Ace followed…
Oh God. He wasn’t stopping, even the glare didn’t work and Gin had perfected ‘the look’. ‘The look’ was something he’d worked on for years, and when the expression crossed his face most people wet themselves and ran in the opposite direction. Apparently not Ace, because he only just managed to stop himself laughing.
He did allow the man to sit up when he tried, not wanting to hurt him after all. But only to growl and replace the foot on Ace’s chest with himself. Sitting on him and snatching his wrists to pin them over his head. “If I have to wrestle you into submission I will,” he rumbled, ‘the look’ still firmly in place. “It’s embarrassin’… not funny… urghh…”
__
Law giggled to himself when Zoro took the letters from him, not really worried about ‘pretty people’… or so he pretended; Zoro wasn’t exactly the type to see someone pretty and pursue them. Never mind go after screaming fans. Still… it couldn’t hurt to be mindful of the names and addresses on the envelopes he was handed, just in case they weren’t all for kids.
“I think… it’s nice that you’re doing this for them. Adults know better… most of them… than to expect a response from someone famous they write to. Children… children are hopeful, so it’s nice you’re giving them something…” He smiled shyly and held up the envelopes and the stamps, then set them down in his lap and started working.
“I bet the children like getting a reply from someone they look up to as well… it must be nice…” he murmured, affixing a stamp in place and doing his best to make sure it was on straight, perfect. “You’re a good guy, Zoro-kun…” he added quietly, brushing his thumb over the stamp, “and… and I’m lucky to have you. I was lucky to have a friend like you, I’m even luckier that you like me this much…”
“Oof!” Ace whooshed out a breath upon finding himself effectively crushed by Gin, who was now straddling him and he squirmed slightly, that grin still on his face despite the glare he was receiving.
“Wrestle me into submission? Kinky, are we?” he teased and gave another chuckle when Gin wrenched his hands back. “You sure it’s me who makes this happen, babe? Or do you do it to yourself?~” And he stuck his tongue out playfully for good measure, quirking a brow down at their current position. It really was a good thing no one was around. Things were starting to look a little questionable.
—
Zoro grunted in return, face heating, and he quickly looked down, starting on folding up the letters to be placed into envelopes later.
“Yeah, well…..m’lucky too….” he mumbled quietly, focusing perhaps more intently than needed on the task at hand. “Didn’t think there was anyone who’d wanna be with me for…me…..not just ‘cause I’m famous….I’ve been told I’m……difficult…” He gave a little snort at that, glancing up for a second to spare Law a smirk. “But I guess you already figured that out in the hospital, huh.”
And then his gaze went back down to his lap, back to folding. He squinted at the next letter for a second. Shit. Couldn’t read his handwriting….well, it was barely legible on most of them, but this one especially. A slight groan and he stood, heading back over to the desk to grab a blank sheet of paper and a pen. He sat down again and set to rewriting the letter, making sure to be a bit neater this time.
“Gotta rewrite this,” he muttered by way of explanation, giving a shrug. “Kid probably couldn’t read it…”
Gin growled, hands tightening on Ace’s wrists and his legs locking around the other man’s hips- it did look wrong, but at the same time… A smirk pulled across his lips and he ducked his head a little closer to breathe a rumble into an ear.
“I don’t do anythin’, darlin’. It’s all you… an’ a bit of the fightin’ as well. You’re pretty damn distractin’ y’know.” He paused, then gave a grin that looked as threatening as it did amused. Feral, almost. “But I said I’d wrestle you into submission… just try an’ get outta this.” And as he spoke he pressed fingers into Ace’s wrists, hunting out pressure points that would render him helpless.
___
“Ah, I’m sure they’ll just be happy to have a reply from you,” Law reassured and cuddled up to him when he took his seat again. It was odd, but just sitting there, doing this, helping Zoro, made him feel like he was doing something of worth. It was the same feeling he got when he worked at the hospital, that just looking at the front of the club destroyed. A smile crossed his lips and he leaned over, running fingertips over Zoro’s jawline slowly, taking him in as he wrote his letter out once more.
“You’re so gorgeous… you always have been…” The doctor blushed faintly, then leaned over further to press a tiny, soft little kiss to the scar mangling the swordsman’s eye. How had he ever worried even for a second that he wouldn’t find Zoro as attractive? That very idea seemed ridiculous to him now, and he scolded himself in his head for even being capable of thinking it. Another furious blush and he turned back to the envelopes, quickly returning to sticking stamps to them and trying to get rid of the heat in his cheeks.
Why was he still embarrassed? Shy? Zoro was… was his boyfriend now… he didn’t need to be shy. …inside, however, he knew fine well he felt shy. Zoro was perfect…
“I-I’d be pleased enough you sent me a letter… even if I couldn’t read it…” He mumbled.
Things were looking even more wrong now. Not that Ace minded. In fact, he was quite enjoying this, even shivering slightly when Gin brought lips close to rumble in his ear. He didn’t so much as care that they were in a public place. That anyone walking by might have…assumed things. But Ace had never been known for being subtle. And he didn’t plan on switching his ways any time soon.
So he let Gin dominate him for the time being, mouth twitching up into a sly little smirk and he stopped his struggling. “And what are you planning on doing with me once you accomplish this~?” he drawled, quirking a brow lazily up at the man.
—
When lips met his scar, he froze, a warm tingling shooting through him that had him visibly squirm on the spot. And it wasn’t just due to the healing scar’s heightened sensitivity. His face still heated, but a small, flattered grin crossed his face and he reached over to take one of Law’s hands in his, pressing lips to knuckles briefly before setting it down again and letting him get back to his work.
“Guess so…” he mumbled in response to Law’s comment. And it was probably a good thing he was right too because his writing had become quite shaky after that little show of affection. Damn if that still didn’t fluster him. But it felt nice. Really nice.
He finished copying the letter a minute later, frowning, because it really wasn’t any more legible than the first one. But he supposed it didn’t matter so he folded it up and set it aside with the others, turning back to see how Law was faring with the stamps.
He watched him work for a moment, his gaze falling back down to Law’s hands and forearms and he soon found himself reaching a hand out again to take one of Law’s.
“What do these mean?” he asked, fingers tracing over the tattoos decorating his skin, smirking a bit at the neat “DEATH” lettered across Law’s fingers.
That one question froze Gin in place, eyes blinking down at Ace comically as his brain ticked things over- just what did he do now…? Ace had asked a very good question, and now the pink flush had started its slow creep back across his cheeks. Because he’d noticed just what kind of position they where in, and people were still in there with them. If they so much as glanced over at them, all kinds of assumptions would be made and… oh God.
“Y-you’re supposed to try an’ get free, y’know…” Eyes squeezed shut and he inhaled deeply, grip on Ace tightening as he strengthened his resolve. “S’kinda the… the whole idea… I’m holdin’ you down, you try an’ get out of it?”
___
After flustering the poor swordsman with his affectionate ways, Law had returned to his stamps with a smile on his face that somehow lit him up- the smiles he’d been offering before seeming dull and a touch false, but now he seemed happy. Happy and content despite everything he’d been through, despite still being in a small bit of pain and despite the trauma that would no doubt haunt him for a long time to come, if not for life. He couldn’t believe he was dating Zoro… he couldn’t wait to tell Ace and Gin.
When Zoro’s hand took his he jumped slightly, his attention had been fixed on his task and doing it perfectly and the touch surprised him. He didn’t know what to expect of the man, but conversation to fall on his tattoos wasn’t one of the things he’d put on his list- he’d had them for so long now he sometimes forgot they were even there.
“O-oh…” He tipped his head, moving his fingers against Zoro’s touch and studying for a moment before he snapped out of his trance to answer. “Different things…” He murmured. Then rose a hand to point at the circular symbol on the back of his hands. “These are… are ship wheels,” the doctor lowered his head, “not obvious ones, but that’s what they represent. I… I don’t remember much of my parents before… but I remember my dad used to love ships… and I’ve always wanted to sail on a ship. Maybe it’s just because of him, and they gave me up so I shouldn’t really care but… I think it just stuck with me.”
Fingers grazed up to the very similar ink on his forearm. “This is the same… a ship’s wheel. And this,” he ran a fingertip around the jagged circle surrounding it, “represents the sun.” Law smiled and flushed when eyes came to the last of the ink, the letters across his fingers. “That one was a bit of humour, morbid humour I guess… I’m training to be a surgeon, and I thought it would be ironic. It gets patients at the hospital making conversation if nothing else.”
Oh God. He wasn’t stopping, even the glare didn’t work and Gin had perfected ‘the look’. ‘The look’ was something he’d worked on for years, and when the expression crossed his face most people wet themselves and ran in the opposite direction. Apparently not Ace, because he only just managed to stop himself laughing.
He did allow the man to sit up when he tried, not wanting to hurt him after all. But only to growl and replace the foot on Ace’s chest with himself. Sitting on him and snatching his wrists to pin them over his head. “If I have to wrestle you into submission I will,” he rumbled, ‘the look’ still firmly in place. “It’s embarrassin’… not funny… urghh…”
__
Law giggled to himself when Zoro took the letters from him, not really worried about ‘pretty people’… or so he pretended; Zoro wasn’t exactly the type to see someone pretty and pursue them. Never mind go after screaming fans. Still… it couldn’t hurt to be mindful of the names and addresses on the envelopes he was handed, just in case they weren’t all for kids.
“I think… it’s nice that you’re doing this for them. Adults know better… most of them… than to expect a response from someone famous they write to. Children… children are hopeful, so it’s nice you’re giving them something…” He smiled shyly and held up the envelopes and the stamps, then set them down in his lap and started working.
“I bet the children like getting a reply from someone they look up to as well… it must be nice…” he murmured, affixing a stamp in place and doing his best to make sure it was on straight, perfect. “You’re a good guy, Zoro-kun…” he added quietly, brushing his thumb over the stamp, “and… and I’m lucky to have you. I was lucky to have a friend like you, I’m even luckier that you like me this much…”
“Oof!” Ace whooshed out a breath upon finding himself effectively crushed by Gin, who was now straddling him and he squirmed slightly, that grin still on his face despite the glare he was receiving.
“Wrestle me into submission? Kinky, are we?” he teased and gave another chuckle when Gin wrenched his hands back. “You sure it’s me who makes this happen, babe? Or do you do it to yourself?~” And he stuck his tongue out playfully for good measure, quirking a brow down at their current position. It really was a good thing no one was around. Things were starting to look a little questionable.
—
Zoro grunted in return, face heating, and he quickly looked down, starting on folding up the letters to be placed into envelopes later.
“Yeah, well…..m’lucky too….” he mumbled quietly, focusing perhaps more intently than needed on the task at hand. “Didn’t think there was anyone who’d wanna be with me for…me…..not just ‘cause I’m famous….I’ve been told I’m……difficult…” He gave a little snort at that, glancing up for a second to spare Law a smirk. “But I guess you already figured that out in the hospital, huh.”
And then his gaze went back down to his lap, back to folding. He squinted at the next letter for a second. Shit. Couldn’t read his handwriting….well, it was barely legible on most of them, but this one especially. A slight groan and he stood, heading back over to the desk to grab a blank sheet of paper and a pen. He sat down again and set to rewriting the letter, making sure to be a bit neater this time.
“Gotta rewrite this,” he muttered by way of explanation, giving a shrug. “Kid probably couldn’t read it…”
Gin growled, hands tightening on Ace’s wrists and his legs locking around the other man’s hips- it did look wrong, but at the same time… A smirk pulled across his lips and he ducked his head a little closer to breathe a rumble into an ear.
“I don’t do anythin’, darlin’. It’s all you… an’ a bit of the fightin’ as well. You’re pretty damn distractin’ y’know.” He paused, then gave a grin that looked as threatening as it did amused. Feral, almost. “But I said I’d wrestle you into submission… just try an’ get outta this.” And as he spoke he pressed fingers into Ace’s wrists, hunting out pressure points that would render him helpless.
___
“Ah, I’m sure they’ll just be happy to have a reply from you,” Law reassured and cuddled up to him when he took his seat again. It was odd, but just sitting there, doing this, helping Zoro, made him feel like he was doing something of worth. It was the same feeling he got when he worked at the hospital, that just looking at the front of the club destroyed. A smile crossed his lips and he leaned over, running fingertips over Zoro’s jawline slowly, taking him in as he wrote his letter out once more.
“You’re so gorgeous… you always have been…” The doctor blushed faintly, then leaned over further to press a tiny, soft little kiss to the scar mangling the swordsman’s eye. How had he ever worried even for a second that he wouldn’t find Zoro as attractive? That very idea seemed ridiculous to him now, and he scolded himself in his head for even being capable of thinking it. Another furious blush and he turned back to the envelopes, quickly returning to sticking stamps to them and trying to get rid of the heat in his cheeks.
Why was he still embarrassed? Shy? Zoro was… was his boyfriend now… he didn’t need to be shy. …inside, however, he knew fine well he felt shy. Zoro was perfect…
“I-I’d be pleased enough you sent me a letter… even if I couldn’t read it…” He mumbled.
Shambles: When Gin entered the ring, Ace followed eagerly, slipping between the…
When Gin entered the ring, Ace followed eagerly, slipping between the flexible fencing and standing at the opposite end. He grinned and pulled an arm back behind his head, stretching it out a…
Seeing Gin’s foot whipping around towards him, Ace quickly drew in his outstretched leg, Gin’s kick just missing him as he pushed his weight up onto one of his hands to twist and dodge. And he sprang up off his hand a second later to stand upright once more and curl a fist, reeling it back and turning to Gin with a smirk of his own.
“You can pound me whenever, wherever, babe~” he said, wiggling eyebrows with a wink, even making a ridiculous kissy face at him for a second. He was laughing when he let his fist rip towards Gin’s jaw.
—
Despite his flushed face, Zoro still smiled into the kiss, returning it. If this was his reward for caring about him, something that just happened automatically, then he’d gladly care more than anyone ever had. Unexpectedly, he was, rather quickly, growing to like this whole kissing…together-ness….thing. Felt kinda….nice.
“No need to thank me,” he replied with a shrug. “Thought that’s what you’re supposed to do in a relationship. Help each other out and stuff.” He smirked, leaning in again for another kiss. “But you’re welcome anywa—”
Just then, his phone, long since forgotten, buzzed on the table beside him and he groaned, mere inches away from Law’s lips. One look at his caller ID, and he cursed out loud.
“Shit!” His publicist. The crazy woman could be almost as annoying as Nami sometimes.
“Hold on, sorry…” he mumbled to Law, and pretended to shoot himself in the head when he picked up grumpily.
“Hello?……Yeah…..I know I should’ve called. I fell asleep. Couldn’t help it.” A longer pause in which the shrill muffled sound of yelling could be heard from the other end. He rolled his eyes over at Law as the woman screeched. “Uh huh. Yeah, whatever. Sorry. Look, I gotta go. There’s—-” More yelling. And a second later, he swore again under his breath. “Fuck…that was today?….Urrghhh, well can’t you just tell ‘em no? I hate doing commercials, everyone knows that!…. ‘Cause I’m not a fucking actor, that’s why! And besides, they shouldn’t be advertising swordfighting to little kids! Get someone who plays a normal sport!……”
Another eye roll. “I don’t care if it’s for cereal, I hate that shit anyway! What the hell do they want me to do, stab frickin’ Tony the Tiger in the gut and call it a day?……It’s not cute, dammit! That’s just creepy!” Yet more yelling. God, did this woman ever shut up? “Look, I said no. I’ve got better things to do. Tell ‘em to call someone else and——urghh, like hell you woul——-….yeah……yeah, alright. I’ll mail ‘em out today, happy? Yeah….yeah, I get it, dammit, Perona, okay! I’m hanging up now. Bye.”
And he quickly did just that, hitting ‘end’ before the insane woman could get on his ass about anything else. He tossed his phone down on the table once more and groaned, flopping back on the couch and rubbing hands over his face tiredly. “Damn woman….” he muttered. “That was my publicist. Insane witch is always screamin’ at me for stuff. Tryin’ to get me all depressed so I do what she says……it’s stupid.” Another huff of breath and he sat forward and pushed to his feet, offering a hand down to Law with a small smirk.
“Think I’ll take you up on that offer though. I got somethin’ you can help me with.”
Unfortunatley for Gin, that was exactly the kind of thing that would throw him off his game. The words, not the moves. Vivid images of Ace and himself doing things filled his mind all at once, his face burning a bright red, and he froze on the spot. When Ace’s fist connected with his jaw he barely felt it, stumbling backwards, grounding himself and then continuing to gape at Ace and… and oh God no. He had SHORTS on for God’s sake! Not now!
Nope. No use… It was not helping to fixate on it either, because now he was recoiling, cringing. He ducked his head, cussing to himself under his breath and trying to assume a stance that didn’t leave the tent in his shorts quite as obvious. …it wasn’t working.
___
Law had already flushed faintly at the promise of another kiss, so when Zoro stopped short of it his lips pushed together in a sulky little pout. Not that it was Zoro’s fault… it was that stupid, stupid phone. He puffed cheeks out, glowering at the device before curling up against Zoro’s side and cuddling up to him.
The shouting caught him off guard, the pout vanishing and eyes widening in shock as he jumped a little ways off the couch in fright. Who the hell was that!? Her voice through the phone’s speakers sounded like nails on a chalkboard, and even though he couldn’t make out words he found himself cringing into the back of the couch.
Zoro’s responses didn’t make much sense to him either, but he gathered it was some kind of… boss or something on the phone- asking him to do commercials and stuff? Sounded like it… and it sounded like Zoro didn’t want to do them at all. Was this… banshee… bullying him into it? He frowned- that wasn’t fair. Just because Zoro was famous didn’t mean he had to jump to the beck and call of anyone who wanted to make use of his face and name.
When Zoro hung up he made his displeasure clear.
“I don’t like her…” He muttered to himself, and Zoro, quietly. Then jerked his head up when Zoro got to his feet, blinking at the hand offered to him. He… could actually be of some help to Zoro? Right now? Wow…
“O-of course!” He took the hand and got to his feet, the discomfort from his injuries still very obvious but everything blinding him to it right now. “W-what can I do to help?”
Ace hadn’t expected his fist to actually make contact with Gin’s jaw, so when it did, a jolt of panic shot through him and he quickly pulled his fist back, eyes wide in shock.
“Shit! Ah man, I’m sorry! Didn’t think I’d actually—-” But his apologetic stammering was quickly cut off when he soon realized just why Gin had been caught off guard, and just what he was currently struggling to cover up.
A smirk crossed his face and he tried, really tried, not to laugh, not to just burst out into hysterics right then and there, because that really wouldn’t be very nice. And it was a valiant effort. He managed to hold it in for all of three seconds before he’d doubled over, cracking up and holding his sides.
“Oh jeez and I’m——I’m sor—-ah shit—-I really gotta—-watch what I say around——you—” he stammered out between chuckles and stumbled over to Gin’s side to clap a hand onto his shoulder. “Can’t go talkin’ bout bangin’ you when—-when——” And he lost it all over again, actually giving up and rolling onto the floor, thoroughly amused.
—
Zoro was still holding Law’s hand as he led him down the hallway.
“Yeah, I don’t like her either. She can be a real bitch sometimes. Annoys the hell out of me,” he said, smirking a bit. “Can’t get rid of her though. She’s the best in the business.”
He continued walking until they reached a room he hadn’t shown Law, a sprawling office that he rarely used. There was a couch and a few other chairs facing a large cluttered desk, papers scattered everywhere, nearly burying the desktop computer and even overflowing onto the floor in places.
“Sorry…” Zoro mumbled as they entered, sending a sheepish glance around the room. “Not very…organized…” And he shook his head, tugging Law over to the desk and rummaging around in a drawer until he came out with a large stack of what looked like written letters rubberbanded together. He handed those to Law for a second while he reached back in to pull out a similarly heaping stack of pre-addressed envelopes and some stamps.
He jerked his head then for Law to follow him over to the couch where he plopped down and leafed through the envelope stack for a moment.
“Fanmail replies. Told Perona I’d send ‘em out today but I forgot to stick ‘em in envelopes and stuff, so…if you could help me… Don’t usually answer all of it, or…any of it..but…… Don’t laugh—” And a light blush dusted his cheeks. He glanced away, looking a bit embarrassed before mumbling, “I always answer the little kids though… Just figure…why the hell not.”
Gin was expecting it, when Ace noticed, but oh God if it still wasn’t embarrassing as fuck! Of course it was! He sprung a damn boner every time Ace so much as joked about something that sounded at all sexual!? Urgh… so fucking ridiculous, and there was shit all he could about it and oh… fuck… FUCK, now Ace was fucking… laughing.
He covered his face with wrapped hand, desperate to cover something, even if it was just the monster blush ravaging his whole damn face. When Ace hit the deck he almost died on the spot. “O-oi… s’not damn funny… hey…” He grimaced behind his hand, then planted a foot on Ace’s chest to stop his rolling, glowering down at him with a stern expression… ruined by the blushing… and the fact he’d stopped uh… covering himself. “Hey… not funny…”
___
He followed Zoro without any protest at all, curious to see exactly what he could help the man with and wondering if it had anything to do with the screechy harpy on the phone just now. Well, he soon got his answer. …well, soon-ish. First of all he got to see what Zoro passed off as some kind of office. Which really just seemed to be a dumping ground for paperwork and other official work he didn’t want to deal with. It certainly didn’t look like Zoro really gave a care for it.
“It’s fine,” he replied automatically, looking around the room once more before turning his head up to peer at Zoro in interest- was it something to do with his swordfighting maybe? Or would he have to help him with something more media related… or…?
The answer to his unasked question surprised him. Fanmail? To learn that Zoro singled out the kids who looked up to him to reply to sort of gave him… well… warm fuzzies. That was the only way to describe it. This man. As grumpy, unsociable, closed off at times… all of that, as much as he tried to appear uncaring, he really wasn’t. These past few days had let Law onto that much, and this only confirmed it further.
“Of course I’ll help you, Zoro-kun~” Law smiled and slunk over to join him on the couch. He curled legs up underneath him and leaned over to peek at the envelopes. “I’ll just be very disappointed to find any replies to pretty girls~” The doctor teased, reaching out to pat his cheek gently, smiling and settling down. “…or boys,” he added as an afterthought, a musing expression on his face and a cock of his head following it.
Ace…didn’t stop laughing even when Gin’s foot met his chest. He did calm down a bit though to his credit, still beaming up at the man, trying so hard not to let his eyes wander down to Gin’s…unfortunate affliction.
“It’s kinda funny,” he pointed out, wiping tears from the corners of his eyes. He tried to sit up a bit, but could only make it to his elbows. Gin’s foot was strong after all. “Alright, alright, I’m sorry~ Just messin’ with you. If it helps, I think it’s kinda cute too~” he chirped, adding what he hoped was a charming little wink along with it.
—
Zoro just snorted and took the letters from Law, giving him the envelopes and stamps instead. “Here. You can put stamps on ‘em. And what, do you have…pretty person….radar or somethin’? Go ahead and look through ‘em. Like you’ll be able to tell anyway,” he said, smirking, and leafed through the letters instead.
He held them close to his face so the doctor couldn’t peek. After all, it was pretty damn embarrassing. The fact that he even got fanmail in and of itself was strange enough. Sometimes they sent him cool stuff though. Sometimes creepy stuff too…. Mostly creepy stuff actually. But it really didn’t mean anything. People were just trying to get his attention. Little kids, however, were sincere, were genuinely interested, excited, inspired. And it was for that reason that he figured they deserved replies. And to make up for the countless times he and Kuina had written Mihawk all those years ago with no response…
Not that he’d be letting anyone hear his replies any time soon…. It was embarrassing after all.
Oh God. He wasn’t stopping, even the glare didn’t work and Gin had perfected ‘the look’. ‘The look’ was something he’d worked on for years, and when the expression crossed his face most people wet themselves and ran in the opposite direction. Apparently not Ace, because he only just managed to stop himself laughing.
He did allow the man to sit up when he tried, not wanting to hurt him after all. But only to growl and replace the foot on Ace’s chest with himself. Sitting on him and snatching his wrists to pin them over his head. “If I have to wrestle you into submission I will,” he rumbled, ‘the look’ still firmly in place. “It’s embarrassin’… not funny… urghh…”
__
Law giggled to himself when Zoro took the letters from him, not really worried about ‘pretty people’… or so he pretended; Zoro wasn’t exactly the type to see someone pretty and pursue them. Never mind go after screaming fans. Still… it couldn’t hurt to be mindful of the names and addresses on the envelopes he was handed, just in case they weren’t all for kids.
“I think… it’s nice that you’re doing this for them. Adults know better… most of them… than to expect a response from someone famous they write to. Children… children are hopeful, so it’s nice you’re giving them something…” He smiled shyly and held up the envelopes and the stamps, then set them down in his lap and started working.
“I bet the children like getting a reply from someone they look up to as well… it must be nice…” he murmured, affixing a stamp in place and doing his best to make sure it was on straight, perfect. “You’re a good guy, Zoro-kun…” he added quietly, brushing his thumb over the stamp, “and… and I’m lucky to have you. I was lucky to have a friend like you, I’m even luckier that you like me this much…”
Shambles: When Gin entered the ring, Ace followed eagerly, slipping between the…
When Gin entered the ring, Ace followed eagerly, slipping between the flexible fencing and standing at the opposite end. He grinned and pulled an arm back behind his head, stretching it out a…
Seeing Gin’s foot whipping around towards him, Ace quickly drew in his outstretched leg, Gin’s kick just missing him as he pushed his weight up onto one of his hands to twist and dodge. And he sprang up off his hand a second later to stand upright once more and curl a fist, reeling it back and turning to Gin with a smirk of his own.
“You can pound me whenever, wherever, babe~” he said, wiggling eyebrows with a wink, even making a ridiculous kissy face at him for a second. He was laughing when he let his fist rip towards Gin’s jaw.
—
Despite his flushed face, Zoro still smiled into the kiss, returning it. If this was his reward for caring about him, something that just happened automatically, then he’d gladly care more than anyone ever had. Unexpectedly, he was, rather quickly, growing to like this whole kissing…together-ness….thing. Felt kinda….nice.
“No need to thank me,” he replied with a shrug. “Thought that’s what you’re supposed to do in a relationship. Help each other out and stuff.” He smirked, leaning in again for another kiss. “But you’re welcome anywa—”
Just then, his phone, long since forgotten, buzzed on the table beside him and he groaned, mere inches away from Law’s lips. One look at his caller ID, and he cursed out loud.
“Shit!” His publicist. The crazy woman could be almost as annoying as Nami sometimes.
“Hold on, sorry…” he mumbled to Law, and pretended to shoot himself in the head when he picked up grumpily.
“Hello?……Yeah…..I know I should’ve called. I fell asleep. Couldn’t help it.” A longer pause in which the shrill muffled sound of yelling could be heard from the other end. He rolled his eyes over at Law as the woman screeched. “Uh huh. Yeah, whatever. Sorry. Look, I gotta go. There’s—-” More yelling. And a second later, he swore again under his breath. “Fuck…that was today?….Urrghhh, well can’t you just tell ‘em no? I hate doing commercials, everyone knows that!…. ‘Cause I’m not a fucking actor, that’s why! And besides, they shouldn’t be advertising swordfighting to little kids! Get someone who plays a normal sport!……”
Another eye roll. “I don’t care if it’s for cereal, I hate that shit anyway! What the hell do they want me to do, stab frickin’ Tony the Tiger in the gut and call it a day?……It’s not cute, dammit! That’s just creepy!” Yet more yelling. God, did this woman ever shut up? “Look, I said no. I’ve got better things to do. Tell ‘em to call someone else and——urghh, like hell you woul——-….yeah……yeah, alright. I’ll mail ‘em out today, happy? Yeah….yeah, I get it, dammit, Perona, okay! I’m hanging up now. Bye.”
And he quickly did just that, hitting ‘end’ before the insane woman could get on his ass about anything else. He tossed his phone down on the table once more and groaned, flopping back on the couch and rubbing hands over his face tiredly. “Damn woman….” he muttered. “That was my publicist. Insane witch is always screamin’ at me for stuff. Tryin’ to get me all depressed so I do what she says……it’s stupid.” Another huff of breath and he sat forward and pushed to his feet, offering a hand down to Law with a small smirk.
“Think I’ll take you up on that offer though. I got somethin’ you can help me with.”
Unfortunatley for Gin, that was exactly the kind of thing that would throw him off his game. The words, not the moves. Vivid images of Ace and himself doing things filled his mind all at once, his face burning a bright red, and he froze on the spot. When Ace’s fist connected with his jaw he barely felt it, stumbling backwards, grounding himself and then continuing to gape at Ace and… and oh God no. He had SHORTS on for God’s sake! Not now!
Nope. No use… It was not helping to fixate on it either, because now he was recoiling, cringing. He ducked his head, cussing to himself under his breath and trying to assume a stance that didn’t leave the tent in his shorts quite as obvious. …it wasn’t working.
___
Law had already flushed faintly at the promise of another kiss, so when Zoro stopped short of it his lips pushed together in a sulky little pout. Not that it was Zoro’s fault… it was that stupid, stupid phone. He puffed cheeks out, glowering at the device before curling up against Zoro’s side and cuddling up to him.
The shouting caught him off guard, the pout vanishing and eyes widening in shock as he jumped a little ways off the couch in fright. Who the hell was that!? Her voice through the phone’s speakers sounded like nails on a chalkboard, and even though he couldn’t make out words he found himself cringing into the back of the couch.
Zoro’s responses didn’t make much sense to him either, but he gathered it was some kind of… boss or something on the phone- asking him to do commercials and stuff? Sounded like it… and it sounded like Zoro didn’t want to do them at all. Was this… banshee… bullying him into it? He frowned- that wasn’t fair. Just because Zoro was famous didn’t mean he had to jump to the beck and call of anyone who wanted to make use of his face and name.
When Zoro hung up he made his displeasure clear.
“I don’t like her…” He muttered to himself, and Zoro, quietly. Then jerked his head up when Zoro got to his feet, blinking at the hand offered to him. He… could actually be of some help to Zoro? Right now? Wow…
“O-of course!” He took the hand and got to his feet, the discomfort from his injuries still very obvious but everything blinding him to it right now. “W-what can I do to help?”
Ace hadn’t expected his fist to actually make contact with Gin’s jaw, so when it did, a jolt of panic shot through him and he quickly pulled his fist back, eyes wide in shock.
“Shit! Ah man, I’m sorry! Didn’t think I’d actually—-” But his apologetic stammering was quickly cut off when he soon realized just why Gin had been caught off guard, and just what he was currently struggling to cover up.
A smirk crossed his face and he tried, really tried, not to laugh, not to just burst out into hysterics right then and there, because that really wouldn’t be very nice. And it was a valiant effort. He managed to hold it in for all of three seconds before he’d doubled over, cracking up and holding his sides.
“Oh jeez and I’m——I’m sor—-ah shit—-I really gotta—-watch what I say around——you—” he stammered out between chuckles and stumbled over to Gin’s side to clap a hand onto his shoulder. “Can’t go talkin’ bout bangin’ you when—-when——” And he lost it all over again, actually giving up and rolling onto the floor, thoroughly amused.
—
Zoro was still holding Law’s hand as he led him down the hallway.
“Yeah, I don’t like her either. She can be a real bitch sometimes. Annoys the hell out of me,” he said, smirking a bit. “Can’t get rid of her though. She’s the best in the business.”
He continued walking until they reached a room he hadn’t shown Law, a sprawling office that he rarely used. There was a couch and a few other chairs facing a large cluttered desk, papers scattered everywhere, nearly burying the desktop computer and even overflowing onto the floor in places.
“Sorry…” Zoro mumbled as they entered, sending a sheepish glance around the room. “Not very…organized…” And he shook his head, tugging Law over to the desk and rummaging around in a drawer until he came out with a large stack of what looked like written letters rubberbanded together. He handed those to Law for a second while he reached back in to pull out a similarly heaping stack of pre-addressed envelopes and some stamps.
He jerked his head then for Law to follow him over to the couch where he plopped down and leafed through the envelope stack for a moment.
“Fanmail replies. Told Perona I’d send ‘em out today but I forgot to stick ‘em in envelopes and stuff, so…if you could help me… Don’t usually answer all of it, or…any of it..but…… Don’t laugh—” And a light blush dusted his cheeks. He glanced away, looking a bit embarrassed before mumbling, “I always answer the little kids though… Just figure…why the hell not.”
Gin was expecting it, when Ace noticed, but oh God if it still wasn’t embarrassing as fuck! Of course it was! He sprung a damn boner every time Ace so much as joked about something that sounded at all sexual!? Urgh… so fucking ridiculous, and there was shit all he could about it and oh… fuck… FUCK, now Ace was fucking… laughing.
He covered his face with wrapped hand, desperate to cover something, even if it was just the monster blush ravaging his whole damn face. When Ace hit the deck he almost died on the spot. “O-oi… s’not damn funny… hey…” He grimaced behind his hand, then planted a foot on Ace’s chest to stop his rolling, glowering down at him with a stern expression… ruined by the blushing… and the fact he’d stopped uh… covering himself. “Hey… not funny…”
___
He followed Zoro without any protest at all, curious to see exactly what he could help the man with and wondering if it had anything to do with the screechy harpy on the phone just now. Well, he soon got his answer. …well, soon-ish. First of all he got to see what Zoro passed off as some kind of office. Which really just seemed to be a dumping ground for paperwork and other official work he didn’t want to deal with. It certainly didn’t look like Zoro really gave a care for it.
“It’s fine,” he replied automatically, looking around the room once more before turning his head up to peer at Zoro in interest- was it something to do with his swordfighting maybe? Or would he have to help him with something more media related… or…?
The answer to his unasked question surprised him. Fanmail? To learn that Zoro singled out the kids who looked up to him to reply to sort of gave him… well… warm fuzzies. That was the only way to describe it. This man. As grumpy, unsociable, closed off at times… all of that, as much as he tried to appear uncaring, he really wasn’t. These past few days had let Law onto that much, and this only confirmed it further.
“Of course I’ll help you, Zoro-kun~” Law smiled and slunk over to join him on the couch. He curled legs up underneath him and leaned over to peek at the envelopes. “I’ll just be very disappointed to find any replies to pretty girls~” The doctor teased, reaching out to pat his cheek gently, smiling and settling down. “…or boys,” he added as an afterthought, a musing expression on his face and a cock of his head following it.
Shambles: When Gin entered the ring, Ace followed eagerly, slipping between the…
When Gin entered the ring, Ace followed eagerly, slipping between the flexible fencing and standing at the opposite end. He grinned and pulled an arm back behind his head, stretching it out a…
Seeing Gin’s foot whipping around towards him, Ace quickly drew in his outstretched leg, Gin’s kick just missing him as he pushed his weight up onto one of his hands to twist and dodge. And he sprang up off his hand a second later to stand upright once more and curl a fist, reeling it back and turning to Gin with a smirk of his own.
“You can pound me whenever, wherever, babe~” he said, wiggling eyebrows with a wink, even making a ridiculous kissy face at him for a second. He was laughing when he let his fist rip towards Gin’s jaw.
—
Despite his flushed face, Zoro still smiled into the kiss, returning it. If this was his reward for caring about him, something that just happened automatically, then he’d gladly care more than anyone ever had. Unexpectedly, he was, rather quickly, growing to like this whole kissing…together-ness….thing. Felt kinda….nice.
“No need to thank me,” he replied with a shrug. “Thought that’s what you’re supposed to do in a relationship. Help each other out and stuff.” He smirked, leaning in again for another kiss. “But you’re welcome anywa—”
Just then, his phone, long since forgotten, buzzed on the table beside him and he groaned, mere inches away from Law’s lips. One look at his caller ID, and he cursed out loud.
“Shit!” His publicist. The crazy woman could be almost as annoying as Nami sometimes.
“Hold on, sorry…” he mumbled to Law, and pretended to shoot himself in the head when he picked up grumpily.
“Hello?……Yeah…..I know I should’ve called. I fell asleep. Couldn’t help it.” A longer pause in which the shrill muffled sound of yelling could be heard from the other end. He rolled his eyes over at Law as the woman screeched. “Uh huh. Yeah, whatever. Sorry. Look, I gotta go. There’s—-” More yelling. And a second later, he swore again under his breath. “Fuck…that was today?….Urrghhh, well can’t you just tell ‘em no? I hate doing commercials, everyone knows that!…. ‘Cause I’m not a fucking actor, that’s why! And besides, they shouldn’t be advertising swordfighting to little kids! Get someone who plays a normal sport!……”
Another eye roll. “I don’t care if it’s for cereal, I hate that shit anyway! What the hell do they want me to do, stab frickin’ Tony the Tiger in the gut and call it a day?……It’s not cute, dammit! That’s just creepy!” Yet more yelling. God, did this woman ever shut up? “Look, I said no. I’ve got better things to do. Tell ‘em to call someone else and——urghh, like hell you woul——-….yeah……yeah, alright. I’ll mail ‘em out today, happy? Yeah….yeah, I get it, dammit, Perona, okay! I’m hanging up now. Bye.”
And he quickly did just that, hitting ‘end’ before the insane woman could get on his ass about anything else. He tossed his phone down on the table once more and groaned, flopping back on the couch and rubbing hands over his face tiredly. “Damn woman….” he muttered. “That was my publicist. Insane witch is always screamin’ at me for stuff. Tryin’ to get me all depressed so I do what she says……it’s stupid.” Another huff of breath and he sat forward and pushed to his feet, offering a hand down to Law with a small smirk.
“Think I’ll take you up on that offer though. I got somethin’ you can help me with.”
Unfortunatley for Gin, that was exactly the kind of thing that would throw him off his game. The words, not the moves. Vivid images of Ace and himself doing things filled his mind all at once, his face burning a bright red, and he froze on the spot. When Ace’s fist connected with his jaw he barely felt it, stumbling backwards, grounding himself and then continuing to gape at Ace and… and oh God no. He had SHORTS on for God’s sake! Not now!
Nope. No use… It was not helping to fixate on it either, because now he was recoiling, cringing. He ducked his head, cussing to himself under his breath and trying to assume a stance that didn’t leave the tent in his shorts quite as obvious. …it wasn’t working.
___
Law had already flushed faintly at the promise of another kiss, so when Zoro stopped short of it his lips pushed together in a sulky little pout. Not that it was Zoro’s fault… it was that stupid, stupid phone. He puffed cheeks out, glowering at the device before curling up against Zoro’s side and cuddling up to him.
The shouting caught him off guard, the pout vanishing and eyes widening in shock as he jumped a little ways off the couch in fright. Who the hell was that!? Her voice through the phone’s speakers sounded like nails on a chalkboard, and even though he couldn’t make out words he found himself cringing into the back of the couch.
Zoro’s responses didn’t make much sense to him either, but he gathered it was some kind of… boss or something on the phone- asking him to do commercials and stuff? Sounded like it… and it sounded like Zoro didn’t want to do them at all. Was this… banshee… bullying him into it? He frowned- that wasn’t fair. Just because Zoro was famous didn’t mean he had to jump to the beck and call of anyone who wanted to make use of his face and name.
When Zoro hung up he made his displeasure clear.
“I don’t like her…” He muttered to himself, and Zoro, quietly. Then jerked his head up when Zoro got to his feet, blinking at the hand offered to him. He… could actually be of some help to Zoro? Right now? Wow…
“O-of course!” He took the hand and got to his feet, the discomfort from his injuries still very obvious but everything blinding him to it right now. “W-what can I do to help?”
Shambles: When Gin entered the ring, Ace followed eagerly, slipping between the…
When Gin entered the ring, Ace followed eagerly, slipping between the flexible fencing and standing at the opposite end. He grinned and pulled an arm back behind his head, stretching it out a bit more and he shook his head.
“Nope~ Not goin’ anywhere~ I don’t back away from fights, no matter who…
Ace smirked when Gin lunged at him, taking a moment to study him casually as he leaped forward. Damn…with that snarl on his face, all flushed, tense…Gin really was hot. And he chuckled, eyes closing for a second in his mirth, and grinned.
“You look good fighting, y’know~” he said, blocking the fist with a hand easily, holding him back for an effortless minute, and then with another laugh, pivoted his stance and hunkered down, leg outstretched to sweep it beneath Gin’s feet in return, enjoying this thoroughly. “I’ve decided we should do this more often~”
—
Zoro sat up a bit at that, more out of surprise than anything. “You—you mean it?” he asked, a bit needlessly because Law soon explained. He sighed, fingers stroking gently at Law’s arm, and pulled back to give him a small smile. “I appreciate that,” he said. “Makes me feel a lot better….I…want you to be safe…and happy…”
Before he could stop himself, he pressed a soft kiss to Law’s forehead when he looked up at him, and he couldn’t help the somewhat baffled expression that crossed his face. Body acting of its own accord again….it would take some getting used to. But it was like wielding his swords he supposed. Fluid, natural, instinctual. Maybe not as strange as he thought.
So he brought a hand then to Law’s face gently and smiled. “Your training will be fine,” he assured. “I already told you I’d help you find another job. And if you need help paying in the meantime, I can help with that too.” He gripped Law’s shoulders then, tightly, and narrowed his eyes slightly. “Don’t go refusing me either. I want to help you. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t. Simple as that. But I do. I’m—-we’re—we’re in this together now, okay?”
“M’happy to pound you into the mat as many times as you like.” Oh Ace was fast, faster than most of the people he fought. That only brought a more manic grin to Gin’s face, however, lips still pulled back over nicotine stained teeth, oddly dangerous looking canines bared at the freckled man he found himself inches from. And this excited him. The leg sweep left him little time to react, his only option to leap over it and, when his feet met the floor again, he swiftly brought around his own foot in a vicious roundhouse kick aimed at the side of the man’s knee.
Already he was losing control- that was a crippling blow. One that could displace bones and leave lasting damage. Something he realised halfway through and, despite his own warnings he pulled his punches, altering the trajectory of the blow to the upper thigh. Damn… when had he gone fucking soft?
___
“Of course I mean it! I… I have you now… you don’t know how much this… you don’t know how amazing this is to me. I-I’ve liked you for so long and I never ever thought this would ever happen… b-but it has! And I don’t want anything t-to spoil it!” Law smiled at the kiss, squinting an eye and flushing brightly. No, he still wasn’t used to Zoro-affections. That would take some getting used to, and he’d love every second of it.
“I-if you really… really want to help me, I won’t say no…” The doctor bowed his head, ashamed at agreeing to take money from Zoro if need be. “I’m… I might need the help… Thank you, Zoro-kun…” And as if rewarding him Law leaned in and pressed another soft little kiss to his lips.
Because after all that sounded more than wonderful to him- together? They were together in this? In everything? “…i-if there’s anything I can do… a-anything I can do to help you while I’m here… just tell me,” he offered quietly, shooting the man a shy smile and hunching his shoulders in a little shrug, “it’s the least I can do after everything you’ve done for me…”
When Gin entered the ring, Ace followed eagerly, slipping between the flexible fencing and standing at the opposite end. He grinned and pulled an arm back behind his head, stretching it out a bit more and he shook his head.
“Nope~ Not goin’ anywhere~ I don’t back away from fights, no matter who they’re with,” he said with a smirk of his own and leaned against his corner too casually. “Your main concern should be me fallin’ asleep in the middle of it.” And he laughed, obviously joking, but….it wasn’t too farfetched an issue.
He stepped forward then, nearing the center of the ring and raising arms up into position, fists curled loosely as he readied himself. “Your move, babycakes~” A snicker. “You’re the guest~”
—
Zoro too was having trouble composing himself, breath still coming in soft pants and his lips still tingled intensely. He probably looked just as silly gaping at Law, having even less of a clue what to do or say, so he was glad when Law wrapped arms around him and nuzzled close, and Zoro hugged him back tightly.
Fuck if it didn’t still make his face heat, his heart pound, but not having to hide it anymore made it that much easier to reciprocate the contact. That kiss really had been the best thing, he could admit to that too, and it helped him realize that perhaps this wasn’t a silly thing. Perhaps he was cut out for this.
So when he stammered the word, “…boyfriend?”, in reply, it felt strange on his tongue but not…unsettling like it would’ve been even earlier that very day.
And with a disbelieving laugh, he flopped against the couch back, tugging Law with him. ”I….I guess that makes sense, huh…”
Gin didn’t need to be told twice- in a fight if you got an opening you took it, if it were some kind of feint then he knew how to counter. So as soon as Ace gave the word he lunged, springing forward with eyes flashing, lips peeled back over teeth in a feral snarl as he dove at the other man, fist pulled back over his shoulder.
Only to feint himself and bring his right under for a stomach blow. The grin never left his lips, his blood already heating, pounding in his ears and drowning out everything but thoughts related to the fight and winning. Any way possible. A dangerous state to get himself in, considering who he was fighting. But it just happened, and he couldn’t control himself, nor conditioned instincts.
__
“Y-yes that…” Law’s face almost exploded with colour, which only darkened when Zoro yanked him back on the couch and he sounded an embarrassing little squeak of surprise. The doctor curled up on Zoro, fighting to keep the stupid smile off his face as he settled down against the swordsman… and didn’t have to feel nervous about it, or worry that he was freaking Zoro out with the contact- it was mutual, the feelings were mutual, and that alone had his heart feeling like it would burst.
“I-it does… yeah…” Fingers curled against Zoro’s chest, his mind going into overdrive with so many thoughts. But only a few of them were deathly important. “I-if we’re going to be… together…” He started, quietly, a short moment later. “…I-I won’t go back… t-to the club I mean…” He slowly turned eyes back up to Zoro’s face.
“N-not just because you’re worried, although that is one reason… b-but because if we’re dating I never… I never want anyone to touch me… or look at me like that again… O-only you. I-I can’t go back, if we’re dating.” He nodded, as if settling any debate in his own head and rubbed Zoro’s chest gently with his palm. “I know you didn’t want me to go back anyway… s-so I doubt you have any complaints about that,” he murmured, “but my training…”
(Source: trafalgarlawless)
Ace laughed and grinned his way, finishing up his own wrapping and tossed the tape back into his locker. He glanced down at the bench where their discarded clothing was currently piled and he cocked his head as he stared at it, the tiniest of smirks crossing his face before he gathered those up…
But Ace simply nodded, not even phased by Gin’s response.
“S’all good,” he said with a shrug. “I dunno any rules or anything either. My little brother, Luffy and I usually just…go at it and shit. Pops tried to teach me some moves, but ehhh, I sorta like to figure it out myself, y’know?”
He was about to ask another question, but one look at Gin’s face and he shook his head and sighed, chuckling a bit and plopping a hand onto Gin’s shoulder. “Don’t look so nervous, man~ We’re here to have fun!” Ace laughed and gave him a playful punch, then swung a leg over the bench and hopped to his feet, offering a hand down to Gin.
“Why don’t we head out there? There’ll be time for chattin’ later~”
—
Zoro chuckled again, nervously, but the relief was still there and he relaxed even more when Law’s hand touched his face as well. He snuck his other hand up to grasp Law’s trembling one and he smirked quietly.
“Dammit, quit—-quit shaking. You’re makin’ me even more nervous here,” he murmured teasingly, although it was true, and he sighed, letting his other hand drop from Law’s face only to snake around to the back of his neck, rubbing softly.
He was running on instinct now, working on letting his mind completely shut down and his body take over, allowing his hands to do the talking for him. He’d already spilled more emotional jargon than he ever thought possible and he needed time to recharge, so he did just that, focusing on Law in front of him, his energy. That energy that seemed to charge through him with every touch, a strange sensation that was foreign to him, but not entirely unwelcome.
“So…what do we do now?” he eventually mumbled with another anxious chuckle. “M’not really….I dunno what to do…” he added, grinning sheepishly. Didn’t know how to be all touchy-feely, romantic…how to do any of that stuff…. It seemed some lessons would be in order for the poor inexperienced fool.
Gin stared at Ace in disbelief for a moment, unable to comprehend just how easily he took everything in his stride, brushed it off as nothing to worry about. This wasn’t nothing to worry about though, this… this was wrenching people’s arms behind their back until they broke, shoving them down open mouthed against a curb and booting them in the back of the head, punching them in the throat and watching them fight for breath before stomping on their ribs to add insult to injury. …and more injury to injury.
Of course Ace didn’t know this… and Gin chickened out of explaining himself to him entirely. Again. Instead he just gave a small smile, nodded and got to his feet, hand in Ace’s, to follow the man. He’d just be careful… yeah, real careful. Keep it to punching and kicking only, and no head shots… that should lower the danger level. By a very small amount…
“You’re the boss,” he shrugged and went to shove hands in his pockets, remembered he had shorts on, scowled and let arms hang lazily at his sides as he slouched over to Ace.
___
Law laughed nervously, enjoying the hand against his jaw, enjoying it sliding around to rub at his neck, enjoying the calloused hand against his own as he gently pet at Zoro slowly, gingerly. What could he do? He was scared, because Zoro had just confessed to having feelings for him. He’d never expected this to happen in a million, billion years and now it had and oh God what did he do!?
“W-well… there’s been something I’ve been dying to try for a long, long time…” He admitted quietly, eyes flicking down for a moment before they rose back to Zoro’s face with an explosion of colour joining the small tiny that seemed to have made his cheeks its permanent home recently.
He didn’t explain himself further, scared he’d lose the confidence he’d worked up (if you could call it confidence…). Instead he took a deep breath, took one last look at the swordsman, closed his eyes and… finally leaned in to press smooth lips to the other man’s slightly rougher pair.
It was only a tiny kiss. Closed, gentle, incredibly shy. Despite that, it brewed a fire in him. The tingles that had shot down his arm with a slight touch coursed through him, the fluttering in his chest going crazy, the heat spreading to the very tips of his fingers as soon as lips brushed. That tiny kiss seemed to make everything that had happened over the past few days melt away, replaced with joy and warmth and comfort and… perfection.
It was perfection; that one, tiny, tiny kiss that he’d waited for, for what felt like forever, that he’d spent countless hours imagining when he had a spare moment. It was as perfect as he’d ever fantasised… and more so.
Ace grinned and gave a squeeze to Gin’s hand, tugging on it lightly as he made his way back out of the locker room to the hallway once more, all but whistling casually. Eventually they reached a large set of double doors and he nodded at Gin.
“This is it,” he said and backed into the door, opening it to reveal a huge, sprawling gym area, complete with three full-size boxing rings, a long row of punching bags hanging from the high ceiling, and several other smaller sparring rings along the perimeter of the room.
There were a few other guys running punches on the bags across the room, and Ace frowned for a second. Damn…he’d wanted them to be alone. But they were all the way on the other side and some even had headphones in, so he supposed they wouldn’t be paying much attention.
“Pretty sweet, huh~” he said with a chuckle and gestured for Gin to follow him over to one of the smaller rings. “Olympians don’t train here for nothin’, that’s for sure~”
—
He was an idiot. He was such a dumbass because he should’ve been expecting what came next. Hadn’t he seen enough movies? Hadn’t he figured that was the logical next step? But no. For some stupid reason, it hadn’t even crossed his mind. And it caught him off guard, so by the time Law’s lips were on his, he’d completely shut down, mind, body, everything, leaving him frozen on the spot, eyes wide, entirely immobile as Law kissed him.
It was an innocent kiss, nothing too deep, nothing too intense. And considering this was technically his first liplock ever, he’d had no idea what to expect. But the fact that this was incredible in and of itself had his heart racing a mile a minute, that flush spreading to his whole body it seemed, and the thought that this felt so amazingly right had him silently cursing himself for not going with his instincts sooner. He was too damn stubborn, even when up against his own feelings.
And slowly but surely, he relaxed, eyes closing and both hands rising to rest gently at the doctor’s neck, fingers continuing their tender stroking. Now he understood. Now it made sense why Ace and the others had always been trying to hook him up with people, why Ace had been pushing him so much when he’d shown an inkling of interest in Law. It was for this feeling right here. This feeling of utter bliss that was apparently this crazy romance stuff that everyone talked about and fuck if he knew what else.
It felt good. He liked it…really liked it. That was all that mattered.
So when it ended, it very nearly irritated the swordsman, and he took a shuddery breath, his first in what felt like a year. Wide eyes met Law’s and that same breathless smile crossed his face, almost incredulous.
“Whoa…” he managed to stammer out a second later. “H-Hold on…do…do that again.”
And he didn’t even wait for Law to make a move before he’d crashed his lips into Law’s again, perhaps a bit clumsily, but he had to experience it again. Experience what the hell he’d been missing out on all this time. And what he’d finally found.
This… this was impressive too. Holy fuck. Gin looked around as soon as they entered and he couldn’t help the gaping- everything in this damn building was huge. Every room, it seemed. He’d only ever ‘trained’ in a warehouse, with upwards of twenty, thirty other men from the same area. Training meant beating on each other until only one person still stood. This… this was nothing like that.
“It’s fuckin’ amazin’…” He muttered, finally realising Ace had wandered off to one of the rings and quickly turning to slink after him. He’d noticed the other people in the room, and his eyes lingered on them for a moment, a hand snatching at Ace’s shirt to get his attention.
“Ace… them…” He jerked his head at the people, seemingly not wanting to get their attention in any way at all. “What if they recognise me or somethin’,” he muttered, fingers already flexing at his sides despite his misgivings.
___
Zoro wasn’t the only one mildly disappointed when the kiss came to an end. He’d wanted it to last forever, but of course they had to part to breathe, and Law wasn’t disappointed with Zoro’s reaction. His face lit up with both embarrassment and glee when the swordsman outright asked him to do it again, and he’d been readying himself to give the man another little peck on the lips. That… didn’t happen.
Before he knew what had happened he had a face full of Zoro, and he wasn’t complaining but… oh God. It sent his senses into overdrive. All of them on hig alert- fingers and palms running over the man’s well muscled back, eyes meeting Zoro’s briefly before they shut, the scent of the man filling his nose and lips parting of their own accord to, this time, allow the doctor to taste him. And he tasted amazing, smelled amazing, felt amazing under his hands.
It didn’t matter that the kiss was clumsy, unrefined, rough. Law guided him, a tilt of his head, gentle pressure of his lips before he parted them slowly, fitting them against Zoro’s in a way that almost seemed to be made to do so. When he flickered his tongue out against the man’s lips it was brief, just long enough to take in a small taste of the other’s flavour and savour it. He didn’t know what the taste was, but with the scent as well it was almost… musky and… steely and… Zoro. It fit him perfectly.
This was everything he’d ever wanted, right here. He was almost sure of it. No. He was sure of it. Nothing like this had ever happened to him before- he’d been interested in people, but never this strongly, never with someone of this… level. Because Zoro should have been way out of his league, he was a celebrity for God’s sake, and he wanted him, he wanted Law. The person. Not the entertainer.
Briefly he wondered if Zoro and he had similar reasons for finding the other attractive; he was glad to find someone interested in him beyond his ‘work’, beyond sexuality, and… Zoro was glad to find someone who looked beyond his fame, beyond the celebrity status. It wasn’t exactly the same, but both of them were glad to find someone who saw them as a person, that was similar, wasn’t it?
Too much thinking, he’d become lost in the dance of heat and tongues and lips and teeth and hands, and he needed to breathe again. So reluctantly he broke away from Zoro once more, fingers still pressed firmly against solid shoulder blades, and panted softly against the man’s lips, licking his own bruised lips quickly before speaking.
“I… I’ve wondered what that would be like… f-for a long time…” he breathed, “and… it was better… better than any time I’ve ever imagined it…”
Ace had made his way to the side of the ring, stretching an arm across his chest and holding it there with the other, cracking his neck too. But then Gin tugged on his shirt and he turned, glancing over at the other people.
“I doubt they’ll recognize you,” he said with a shrug and a reassuring grin. “They’re not even payin’ attention~” The grin softened a bit though and he reached out a hand to rub gently at Gin’s cheek before sliding it down to rest on his shoulder. “But look, I don’t wanna make you do anything you’re not comfortable with. Like I said, my bet is you’re fine, but it’s up to you~” he said, giving the shoulder a squeeze.
—
Fuuuucking heeeeell. If that first kiss had been bliss, then this was fucking ecstasy. Nothing short of it. He allowed Law to guide him. After all, he had no idea if there was a proper way to do this. But he was a fast learner and he soon fell into the rhythm Law had helped set, tilting his head and parting his own lips, pressing back and flicking his tongue out to get a taste of his own. A taste that was infinitely better than anything the damn ero-cook could whip up, that was for sure.
And he couldn’t imagine himself kissing anyone else. No one else but Law, only Law, the man whose existence was currently taking over Zoro’s mind, blanking out all other thoughts that didn’t have to do with him. How had this happened? Why? He didn’t rightly know, or care, instead focused solely on the movement of their lips together, Law’s hands roaming over his back, his own having snaked to the back of his neck to draw them closer together, rubbing restlessly over his collarbone and chest, unable to keep still.
For someone with no experience, he realized his movements were completely natural, as if he didn’t even need to think about them, their bodies moving harmoniously, effortlessly, and the swordsman thought he understood why Kitetsu had responded so well to Law. Their energy was one and the same. Hell, even his sword had known before him. …Ah fuck, that didn’t sound right….
Finally, when Law broke away, feeling the tension of their lips still so close together, he couldn’t think straight, but he was grinning, thumbs rubbing gentle circles into the man’s waist where they’d come to rest in the end.
He nodded in agreement. “Yeah, that was pretty—fuck—-I—-remind me why the hell I didn’t tell you sooner?”
Gin sighed, tilting his head against Ace’s arm as the man rubbed at him. Was he comfortable? Not 100% no, but… Ace was right in a way. Who the hell would be paying attention to them? They hadn’t even looked up when he and Ace had entered so why would they give a crap now?
“Nah, you’re right…” He turned, flashed Ace a reassuring smile before getting to some stretching of his own. Muscles hurt at first, then unwound as they relaxed and God did it feel good. He hadn’t realised just how tense he’d been, and he doubted the events of the past couple of days had helped with that tension. When he’d finished he hopped into the ring and leaned back against a corner, watching Ace carefully.
“Last chance to run away, babe,” he teased with a broad smirk. “I like you a lot so I’m givin’ you the chance.”
__
Catching his breath was difficult, that kiss had taken his breath away in more ways than one and for a good moment it was all he could do to stare at Zoro in absolute amazement. And when he did manage to gather up his voice he wasn’t sure what to say for another good few minutes- he probably looked silly in hindsight, but at that moment he couldn’t bring himself to care about looking a little silly.
“B-because… you didn’t know… and you weren’t sure about it…?” Law smiled and finally plucked up the courage to wrap arms around the swordsman tightly, nuzzling his face into the side of his throat and pressing the tiniest of kisses to heated skin. “It’s okay… y-you told me now… t-that was…” His face bright red against Zoro’s neck he buried into him, hiding himself shyly. “T-that was the b-best thing that’s ever… ever happened…”
And he was being completely serious as well- that one kiss was the best thing he’d ever experienced in his life, nothing could top that. Nothing could top a first kiss between Zoro and himself. …except maybe… OhGod. He wriggled against Zoro, shutting his own thoughts off before they threatened to embarrass him completely, and curled against him tightly.
“D-does this mean you…” A pause, the question almost a little squeak. “You… want to be my…” Another squeak, this time he didn’t pick up again and instead clung to the swordsman like a lifeline.
Ace laughed and grinned his way, finishing up his own wrapping and tossed the tape back into his locker. He glanced down at the bench where their discarded clothing was currently piled and he cocked his head as he stared at it, the tiniest of smirks crossing his face before he gathered those up…
But Ace simply nodded, not even phased by Gin’s response.
“S’all good,” he said with a shrug. “I dunno any rules or anything either. My little brother, Luffy and I usually just…go at it and shit. Pops tried to teach me some moves, but ehhh, I sorta like to figure it out myself, y’know?”
He was about to ask another question, but one look at Gin’s face and he shook his head and sighed, chuckling a bit and plopping a hand onto Gin’s shoulder. “Don’t look so nervous, man~ We’re here to have fun!” Ace laughed and gave him a playful punch, then swung a leg over the bench and hopped to his feet, offering a hand down to Gin.
“Why don’t we head out there? There’ll be time for chattin’ later~”
—
Zoro chuckled again, nervously, but the relief was still there and he relaxed even more when Law’s hand touched his face as well. He snuck his other hand up to grasp Law’s trembling one and he smirked quietly.
“Dammit, quit—-quit shaking. You’re makin’ me even more nervous here,” he murmured teasingly, although it was true, and he sighed, letting his other hand drop from Law’s face only to snake around to the back of his neck, rubbing softly.
He was running on instinct now, working on letting his mind completely shut down and his body take over, allowing his hands to do the talking for him. He’d already spilled more emotional jargon than he ever thought possible and he needed time to recharge, so he did just that, focusing on Law in front of him, his energy. That energy that seemed to charge through him with every touch, a strange sensation that was foreign to him, but not entirely unwelcome.
“So…what do we do now?” he eventually mumbled with another anxious chuckle. “M’not really….I dunno what to do…” he added, grinning sheepishly. Didn’t know how to be all touchy-feely, romantic…how to do any of that stuff…. It seemed some lessons would be in order for the poor inexperienced fool.
Gin stared at Ace in disbelief for a moment, unable to comprehend just how easily he took everything in his stride, brushed it off as nothing to worry about. This wasn’t nothing to worry about though, this… this was wrenching people’s arms behind their back until they broke, shoving them down open mouthed against a curb and booting them in the back of the head, punching them in the throat and watching them fight for breath before stomping on their ribs to add insult to injury. …and more injury to injury.
Of course Ace didn’t know this… and Gin chickened out of explaining himself to him entirely. Again. Instead he just gave a small smile, nodded and got to his feet, hand in Ace’s, to follow the man. He’d just be careful… yeah, real careful. Keep it to punching and kicking only, and no head shots… that should lower the danger level. By a very small amount…
“You’re the boss,” he shrugged and went to shove hands in his pockets, remembered he had shorts on, scowled and let arms hang lazily at his sides as he slouched over to Ace.
___
Law laughed nervously, enjoying the hand against his jaw, enjoying it sliding around to rub at his neck, enjoying the calloused hand against his own as he gently pet at Zoro slowly, gingerly. What could he do? He was scared, because Zoro had just confessed to having feelings for him. He’d never expected this to happen in a million, billion years and now it had and oh God what did he do!?
“W-well… there’s been something I’ve been dying to try for a long, long time…” He admitted quietly, eyes flicking down for a moment before they rose back to Zoro’s face with an explosion of colour joining the small tiny that seemed to have made his cheeks its permanent home recently.
He didn’t explain himself further, scared he’d lose the confidence he’d worked up (if you could call it confidence…). Instead he took a deep breath, took one last look at the swordsman, closed his eyes and… finally leaned in to press smooth lips to the other man’s slightly rougher pair.
It was only a tiny kiss. Closed, gentle, incredibly shy. Despite that, it brewed a fire in him. The tingles that had shot down his arm with a slight touch coursed through him, the fluttering in his chest going crazy, the heat spreading to the very tips of his fingers as soon as lips brushed. That tiny kiss seemed to make everything that had happened over the past few days melt away, replaced with joy and warmth and comfort and… perfection.
It was perfection; that one, tiny, tiny kiss that he’d waited for, for what felt like forever, that he’d spent countless hours imagining when he had a spare moment. It was as perfect as he’d ever fantasised… and more so.
Ace grinned and gave a squeeze to Gin’s hand, tugging on it lightly as he made his way back out of the locker room to the hallway once more, all but whistling casually. Eventually they reached a large set of double doors and he nodded at Gin.
“This is it,” he said and backed into the door, opening it to reveal a huge, sprawling gym area, complete with three full-size boxing rings, a long row of punching bags hanging from the high ceiling, and several other smaller sparring rings along the perimeter of the room.
There were a few other guys running punches on the bags across the room, and Ace frowned for a second. Damn…he’d wanted them to be alone. But they were all the way on the other side and some even had headphones in, so he supposed they wouldn’t be paying much attention.
“Pretty sweet, huh~” he said with a chuckle and gestured for Gin to follow him over to one of the smaller rings. “Olympians don’t train here for nothin’, that’s for sure~”
—
He was an idiot. He was such a dumbass because he should’ve been expecting what came next. Hadn’t he seen enough movies? Hadn’t he figured that was the logical next step? But no. For some stupid reason, it hadn’t even crossed his mind. And it caught him off guard, so by the time Law’s lips were on his, he’d completely shut down, mind, body, everything, leaving him frozen on the spot, eyes wide, entirely immobile as Law kissed him.
It was an innocent kiss, nothing too deep, nothing too intense. And considering this was technically his first liplock ever, he’d had no idea what to expect. But the fact that this was incredible in and of itself had his heart racing a mile a minute, that flush spreading to his whole body it seemed, and the thought that this felt so amazingly right had him silently cursing himself for not going with his instincts sooner. He was too damn stubborn, even when up against his own feelings.
And slowly but surely, he relaxed, eyes closing and both hands rising to rest gently at the doctor’s neck, fingers continuing their tender stroking. Now he understood. Now it made sense why Ace and the others had always been trying to hook him up with people, why Ace had been pushing him so much when he’d shown an inkling of interest in Law. It was for this feeling right here. This feeling of utter bliss that was apparently this crazy romance stuff that everyone talked about and fuck if he knew what else.
It felt good. He liked it…really liked it. That was all that mattered.
So when it ended, it very nearly irritated the swordsman, and he took a shuddery breath, his first in what felt like a year. Wide eyes met Law’s and that same breathless smile crossed his face, almost incredulous.
“Whoa…” he managed to stammer out a second later. “H-Hold on…do…do that again.”
And he didn’t even wait for Law to make a move before he’d crashed his lips into Law’s again, perhaps a bit clumsily, but he had to experience it again. Experience what the hell he’d been missing out on all this time. And what he’d finally found.
This… this was impressive too. Holy fuck. Gin looked around as soon as they entered and he couldn’t help the gaping- everything in this damn building was huge. Every room, it seemed. He’d only ever ‘trained’ in a warehouse, with upwards of twenty, thirty other men from the same area. Training meant beating on each other until only one person still stood. This… this was nothing like that.
“It’s fuckin’ amazin’…” He muttered, finally realising Ace had wandered off to one of the rings and quickly turning to slink after him. He’d noticed the other people in the room, and his eyes lingered on them for a moment, a hand snatching at Ace’s shirt to get his attention.
“Ace… them…” He jerked his head at the people, seemingly not wanting to get their attention in any way at all. “What if they recognise me or somethin’,” he muttered, fingers already flexing at his sides despite his misgivings.
___
Zoro wasn’t the only one mildly disappointed when the kiss came to an end. He’d wanted it to last forever, but of course they had to part to breathe, and Law wasn’t disappointed with Zoro’s reaction. His face lit up with both embarrassment and glee when the swordsman outright asked him to do it again, and he’d been readying himself to give the man another little peck on the lips. That… didn’t happen.
Before he knew what had happened he had a face full of Zoro, and he wasn’t complaining but… oh God. It sent his senses into overdrive. All of them on hig alert- fingers and palms running over the man’s well muscled back, eyes meeting Zoro’s briefly before they shut, the scent of the man filling his nose and lips parting of their own accord to, this time, allow the doctor to taste him. And he tasted amazing, smelled amazing, felt amazing under his hands.
It didn’t matter that the kiss was clumsy, unrefined, rough. Law guided him, a tilt of his head, gentle pressure of his lips before he parted them slowly, fitting them against Zoro’s in a way that almost seemed to be made to do so. When he flickered his tongue out against the man’s lips it was brief, just long enough to take in a small taste of the other’s flavour and savour it. He didn’t know what the taste was, but with the scent as well it was almost… musky and… steely and… Zoro. It fit him perfectly.
This was everything he’d ever wanted, right here. He was almost sure of it. No. He was sure of it. Nothing like this had ever happened to him before- he’d been interested in people, but never this strongly, never with someone of this… level. Because Zoro should have been way out of his league, he was a celebrity for God’s sake, and he wanted him, he wanted Law. The person. Not the entertainer.
Briefly he wondered if Zoro and he had similar reasons for finding the other attractive; he was glad to find someone interested in him beyond his ‘work’, beyond sexuality, and… Zoro was glad to find someone who looked beyond his fame, beyond the celebrity status. It wasn’t exactly the same, but both of them were glad to find someone who saw them as a person, that was similar, wasn’t it?
Too much thinking, he’d become lost in the dance of heat and tongues and lips and teeth and hands, and he needed to breathe again. So reluctantly he broke away from Zoro once more, fingers still pressed firmly against solid shoulder blades, and panted softly against the man’s lips, licking his own bruised lips quickly before speaking.
“I… I’ve wondered what that would be like… f-for a long time…” he breathed, “and… it was better… better than any time I’ve ever imagined it…”