The Nature of Things Ch. 4
Well, this was certainly a new feeling for Zoro. Or maybe the feeling was just so old, he'd been too young to remember what it felt like to get caught red handed by the one person who could make your life hell for what you'd just been caught doing.
It was like all the blood had been sucked from his body, yet his heart somehow was still trying to beat itself out of his chest. It was worse than getting your chest sliced open, by far.
Fuck. Fuck, fuck, FUCK.
There was Sanji, standing there, eyes burning like some deep blue sun, his hands clenched and a look on his face that told Zoro this was the end of everything they'd just gained in the last few months.
The previous day...
Zoro's pulse was slightly elevated as he snatched the final crate of vegetables from the deck. He'd spotted it, there was no mistaking it, and hell if he was going to pass this chance up. He concentrated on maintaining his unaffected composure and went into the kitchen to find Sanji.
"Oi,” he said, placing the crate next to the others.
"What?"
"I'm not going this time."
Sanji raised an eyebrow at the swordsman, and paused in his yam skinning activities.
"What?"
Zoro only needed to level his gaze at the cook to make it clear he wasn't repeating himself. Sanji's lip curled into the beginning of a sneer.
"Why?"
The swordsman returned the look. "Do I need to run down my itinerary for you, or will you just buy that I'm fucking busy?"
Sanji resumed skinning the yams and returned his gaze to the cutting board. "Sounds like you've been reading Robin-swan's dictionary again. You gotta be careful flinging multiple syllable words around like that, Marimo."
Zoro smirked, inwardly relieved. That had gone much easier than he expected. Over the last two weeks they'd gotten used to sharing, so to speak, even when there was enough money for them to go separately. They'd only mentioned it once, and Sanji was refusing to think about it. The cook had only needed to mutter once that, this way, they could spend their extra money on other things.
It was a good enough reason for both of them, it seemed.
He'd expected to hear complaints that Sanji would have to pay more if he went by himself, but Zoro figured that if he was itching to get away from the chef this bad, Sanji was probably feeling the same way. He would get the ladies all to himself, and Zoro would get what he'd desperately been needing since starting this whole pattern.
"Your loss then. You still covering the midnight shift?"
Shit. "Dunno."
Sanji only 'hm'd' in response, and Zoro turned on his heel to go find someone to convince that taking his midnight shift was going to be more fun than going out and drinking with the rest of the crew. He didn't have to try very hard, because Chopper was happy to take his shift, if only to give Zoro a break after having done it continuously for months.
It was nearing sundown, so Zoro grabbed a quick shower. Before he left, he went into the men's bunk when no one was around, went to his locker and searched towards the back for a small pouch he kept buried in another little bag of various items. Extra sword polishing supplies, some old maps and notes, unsuspicious-looking items. He found the dingy little pouch and opened it, retrieving a small silver coin that could have been mistaken for just another beli. This wasn't just a regular beli, however.
It was a membership card.
He tucked it into his haramaki and left.
***
Zoro was looking for the building he'd spotted from a distance earlier, but it had proven a lot more difficult to find from a ground view. It was a tall building, he knew, or else he wouldn't have been able to see the sign from the Sunny.
A sun, split down the middle, painted in time-faded orange hues. It was the same as the mark on the coin he was now carrying. The streets were starting to clear out at this hour in the evening, so it wasn't even apparent given the people in the vicinity what district he might have been in.
Sometimes, if the community was either completely shameless, or unusually tolerant, there would be signs pointing the way. But Zoro couldn't see any, and he was starting to get weird looks just standing in the street, looking around. And it wasn't like he could just up and ask a vendor.
He turned a random corner and by sheer luck, there were two men walking together down the street. There weren't any other men walking around that closely together, so Zoro just hoped they were heading the same place he was hoping to get, and not to some back alley.
He was careful not to be noticed. In general, this was a very protective community, and if they thought he was out to hurt someone, he'd be screwed. But the couple seemed completely absorbed in each other and didn't realize they were being followed.
Much to Zoro's relief, they rounded another corner and the tall building with the sign he'd been looking for came into view. And just as Zoro expected, the security was heavy. Not that anyone would have been able to notice. Who would have thought to look up at the rooftop for the three or so men crouched up there with guns out of sight? And those windows weren't blacked out, they were just one sided so you couldn't see the goons on the inside waiting to pound you if you said the wrong thing or made the wrong move. He'd bet serious money that the people walking casually down this street were actually patrolling.
This place seemed pretty big, but at first, Zoro couldn't figure out why. The building was oddly shaped, and the back of the building was surrounded by high stone walls. Then he realized there were trees just peeking out over the top. It was likely to be a garden, or a bath house.
He found it noteworthy that the right kind of male brothel was infinitely more difficult to get into than a regular one. Sure, a woman's brothel had plenty of its own kind of blatant protection, but they could get away with that. That was the "accepted" type of prostitution. Not only did a male brothel need more protection due to prejudice and violence, but the very people who stepped up to be the brothel's protection risked their lives twice over just for being affiliated. Sometimes the protection needed protection.
Just like every other male brothel, this place wouldn't have a name. The mark of the sun was enough.
Zoro waited to see how the couple got inside. They knocked on the door twice, and a small slot slid open. One of the men said something, while the other placed his coin in the slot to be inspected.
A coin was granted only by the owner of the establishment. Patrons were required to go through a physical examination, an oral interview, and whatever else the owner wanted to put the potential patron through to make sure that what they wanted was sex with a man, and not someone to abuse and mangle for whatever fucked up psychological reason.
Zoro hadn't had to do any of that to get his coin. He'd just happened upon a couple of younger boys that belonged to the local brothel being cornered by a psychopath in an alley one day. The swordsman hadn't known who he'd stepped in to protect at the time, but they'd made sure he was a coin carrying member before he went on his way.
Of course, just because you had a coin didn't mean that wherever else you went you didn't get hassled. Anyone could steal a coin and pretend to be friendly. So coin or not, pretty much everyone had to go through a screening of some sort. That was just for the medium to high quality places. But it was well known that if a brothel hadn't adopted the coin system, you were risking a lot more than lousy service by going. Needless to say, Zoro was never desperate enough to go to a place that didn't require a coin.
He took a good look around the area before stepping up to the door. He made sure to keep his hands as far away from his swords as possible. The last thing he needed was to be shot because he looked threatening.
He knocked a couple of times and a slot slid open. A deep voice said, "New here?"
"Yeah," he replied, and placed his coin inside the slot.
A few moments of silence passed before the door opened, and he stepped inside.
Zoro had the urge to give an impressed whistle, but he contained himself. Doubts that he would be able to afford the place began entering his mind. Not only were male prostitutes usually more expensive than women anyway (considering all the extra cost it took to support and protect a male brothel, it made sense), but he couldn't remember ever being in such a fancy brothel, ever. The floor was marble, there was expensive looking art on the walls, everything that could be gold probably was, and there was red velvet everywhere.
The lobby appeared empty, but he highly doubted it was, and whoever had opened the door had booked it out of there. After a few minutes, Zoro began to wonder if he'd set off some alarm. He was wanted, but that hadn't been a problem before. In fact, sometimes it was an asset. But apparently he'd made someone nervous.
After a few more minutes of waiting, a very sharp looking young man dressed in a black suit came out and addressed him.
"Mr. Roronoa Zoro, I presume?"
Well, he had a wanted poster. It wasn't completely unusual to be recognized.
"Yes."
The man held out his coin. Zoro took it.
"This is a very special coin, Mr.-"
"Just Zoro."
The man nodded and smiled. "Zoro. Regarding your coin..."
Zoro raised an eyebrow. "What about it?"
"Well, on one side, it has The Mark, of course. On the other, it has the mark of the particular establishment from which it originated. That, in and of itself, isn’t special. However, according to our records, this coin originated from East Blue. Shell Town, to be specific."
Zoro nodded. "Is there a problem?"
The man chuckled. "No, not at all. I must apologize for leaving you out here alone; I imagine it gave you the wrong impression. We were simply startled to come across this coin, and even more startled to see that you were the one carrying it.” The attendant paused momentarily before continuing somewhat reverently, “Your service in Shell Town is very well known in this community."
Zoro had the decency to redden slightly.
"To be honest, it's always been somewhat of a wish of ours to have you walk through our doors. Your crew has become very famous and you are certainly a very desirable patron. May I ask, are you going to be in town long?"
"Few days."
The man smiled. "Well, I hope you will take full advantage of our services. Tonight is complimentary. I will call for the staff immediately, and please feel free to select whoever, and however many, you like."
Not that Sanji would likely be interested but, initial embarrassment overcome, Zoro contemplated gloating. Yeah, Sanji could probably walk into any regular brothel and accomplish the same thing if not better, but the male brothel community was different. Let him try to walk in here and get the red carpet treatment.
"Also, as you are well aware, I must ask you to check any weapons at the desk. As an additional show of appreciation, the owner would like to offer her personal vault for your particular use."
Zoro’s hand hovered over his swords. Damn. It really had been too long. He’d completely forgotten about that. Places he’d frequented before had allowed him to keep Wado on him, at least.
“What about peace binding?”
The man seemed to hesitate for a moment before saying, “We could perhaps allow it for one sword, but-”
“Perfect,” Zoro cut him off, quickly untying the other two and relinquishing them.
"Very good, Sir. If you would just allow me…”
Zoro handed him Wado as well, and watched as the man carried them reverently behind what was probably the front desk. He pulled out a long black strip of what looked to be silk, and then rang a desk bell.
A moment passed before someone, whom Zoro assumed was probably the man who answered the door in the first place, appeared. He was… large. Very, very large. Zoro hadn’t seen an actual man that large since their encounter with Blackbeard.
He eyeballed Zoro and quickly set to work, wrapping the ribbon tightly over Wado’s sheath. Without saying a word, he returned it to Zoro, who nodded, and then disappeared into whatever shadow he’d come out of.
“If you will please come this way into the parlor, I will return momentarily," the attendant bowed.
Zoro followed the man as he walked gracefully down the hallway and turned into a lavish parlor. Before the attendant left, he asked, "Would you like me to consider any preferences?
Zoro didn't need to think about it. "Blond, around my age, maybe a little younger. Blue eyes if you can manage it."
He smiled and nodded. "Of course, Sir."
***
Sanji wasn't opting out of a solitary brothel excursion for any particular reason. He just didn't feel up to it. It certainly wasn't because Zoro wasn't going. He could go and still enjoy himself any time. He'd been doing it up until now, anyway. But Nami and Robin had tempted him with a game of cards, and it was always going to be his lovely ladies above anyone else.
He didn't need to go to a brothel, let alone go to a brothel with Zoro. It was just an arrangement, a pleasurable and fiscally frugal way to distract oneself with a crewmate.
The more he thought about it, though, the more he realized that the reason he was compliant with the arrangement was partially due to the fact that something unexpected had come from it. He had now what he could potentially call... well, maybe a friendship was too much, but a something with Zoro that resembled friendship. They bickered less, and though their differences remained, something about their interaction had grown into an ease that he was beginning to enjoy.
This afternoon, for example. Normally, he or Zoro would have said or done something that would have stunted the communication process with the other. Then they'd be compelled to fight, which would lead to breaking things, which would lead to dragging the rest of the crew into their ugly interaction. But such instances were happening less often. They were offending each other less, seemingly because they we beginning to understand each other better. Not through talking, really, but through watching each other interact with the women at the brothels. Neither of them treated any of their crewmates like the women at the brothels, so seeing each other in a new light had given them both a different perspective on the other.
So maybe, maybe, Sanji did prefer Zoro's company when going to a brothel. Maybe. But even if that were the case in general, it wasn't the case now. He'd just rather spend time with Robin-chwan and Nami-swan than with a perfect stranger.
But Sanji, having decidedly gotten to 'know Zoro better', began to wonder what the swordsman could have possibly been busy with that he had turned down going to a brothel. Or maybe he was lying and just wanted to go by himself, and was at this very moment enjoying the ample bosom of some gorgeous woman and thinking Sanji was a sucker for falling for it.
He frowned at his cards. He'd still rather be here, sneaking peeks at Nami's and Robin's ample bosoms. But it was the principle of the matter, damn it. Doing something like that was as bad as stashing the booze for your own use, when everyone else is going without.
Then again, maybe Zoro wasn't at a brothel. But where the hell would he be? He'd gotten his blades sharped just a few months ago, and there hadn't been enough action between now and then to justify getting them done again. He usually worked out on the ship; he had all the supplies to clean his swords on the ship... Other than working out and sword related activities, what could Zoro possibly be doing? And why had he purposely avoided telling Sanji?
Idiot marimo. He knew he should have given him more shit about it earlier.
Maybe he was just out drinking. Zoro drank alone all the time. But why go out to drink if you're aiming to drink alone? He could've just holed himself up in the crow's nest.
He took his anger out on the lemons he was squeezing to prepare the lemonade for his lovely angels.
***
It probably would have shocked Zoro to know that at that particularly moment, Sanji was thinking as intently about Zoro as Zoro was him, though in two very different ways.
There had been four men that fit Zoro's criteria, and they all walked casually, one by one, into the parlor and introduced themselves, leaving immediately after.
The attendant came back in after they'd left, and asked Zoro if he was interested in any of them.
Without hesitating, he confirmed, "Christian."
Zoro had almost had to look twice when Christian had walked in. Black slacks, blue button up shirt, affecting that stupidly casual but swanky look that Sanji always pulled off without any effort. Yes, Zoro noticed. Zoro noticed every God damn thing about Sanji, so he knew what to look for when he went to these places. Christian was the closest he'd gotten so far.
He experienced no small amount of guilt about doing it, but short of jacking off all day and all night, it was the only thing he could do. And far from worrying about hurting a prostitute's feelings, he had to do something to rid himself of the type of tension only Sanji could cause him.
But just as easy as it was for Zoro to notice the similarities, the differences ended up being painfully obvious as well. Where Sanji was lean and hard and mostly long muscles, Christian was probably comparable to Nami in muscle mass, but that was to be expected. He'd never quite found anyone with that lean, muscled physique he wanted to get his hands on so much. Usually male brothel workers purposely limited their physical activity because 'softer' was in demand.
Zoro knew Sanji probably had his soft places, and he wanted those just as much as anything else about the chef. But he’d seen that lean, cut chest; caught glimpses of those powerful thighs; admired the strong lines of his back.
The eyes were almost the exact same shade of blue... but they lacked Sanji's fiery attitude and spirit.
He was led up a staircase and to yet another room and informed that Christian would be there momentarily. In the meantime, he toed off his boots and removed his haramaki. Wrapping the green cloth around Wado, Zoro propped the sword against the wall and inspected the room.
There were wine and cigars laid out in an elegant offering, but Zoro ignored these. Instead he inspected the large garden doors that led out to a balcony. The windows were blacked out like downstairs, but the swordsman had to wonder about the safety of it. Then he noticed that behind the blue silk curtains were wrought iron bars, and the glass was unusually thick. Still, why have a balcony if it wasn't practical or safe to use it?
He shrugged and peered out the window, gazing out at the city as the sun finished setting.
The door opened behind him, and he felt his stomach tense - a sure sign that it had been far too long.
"Good evening, Zoro. Thank you for choosing me this evening. Are the accommodations to your taste?"
Zoro nodded, taking in the changed appearance. Christian was already barefoot, and had changed from the blue shirt to a fitted, long sleeve black shirt. His hair was overall a few inches shorter that Sanji’s, but his bangs were the same length, and swept over his eyes the same way.
Christian smiled, gesturing to the wine, "Would you like anything?"
"Only your assurance that no one's going to come busting through that balcony window."
Christian's mask of decorum slipped momentarily and he grinned, as if to say, ‘would you stop fucking me if they did?’
But he quickly resumed his formality and said gracefully, "Well, I won't say it hasn't happened before, but we've certainly upgraded our security since then. Besides," the blond swept his bangs from his eyes, "I doubt you'd have any trouble taking care of it. I've heard quite a lot about you, and not just from Shell Island."
Zoro smirked, accepting the compliment.
Christian moved towards Zoro like an eel moved through water. "I have one question to ask you, as a mere formality. I’m sure you’ll understand. Am I playing the role of someone else tonight, or should I just count myself lucky that you like blue-eyed blonds?"
He stopped just a foot or so from Zoro's personal space. Very smart, the swordsman thought. Christian was playing it respectful and safe, but at the same time the look in his eyes was causing Zoro's spine to tingle.
“Just you.” That wasn’t necessarily true, and it wasn’t necessarily false. Zoro didn’t understand it himself, but he’d never been interested in playing that out literally. It was like crossing an invisible line. The similarity was enough. He couldn't even bear the thought of calling Sanji's name when he was with a prostitute, or anyone that wasn't Sanji, for that matter.
Christian seemed pleased, but he immediately masked his reaction and took one last tentative step forward.
“I can do that.”
***
Christian’s lithe body was stretched taut, his hands gripped tightly on Zoro’s forearms for support as the swordsman held his hips firmly from behind. With his head thrown back over the green haired man’s shoulder, his hips rose slowly until Zoro guided him back down his length hard. His skin slapped against the swordsman’s as he panted for breath, moaning beautifully.
Zoro guided him forward slightly, moving Christian’s hands to grip the headboard instead of his arms so he could lean back and appreciate the view of the blond man’s ass. There wasn’t anything in the world like this position, no matter which gender your bed partner. Zoro appreciated nothing better than a gorgeous rear and watching his cock move in and out at varying speeds. It was fucking mesmerizing.
Christian was incredibly vocal and responsive, but that was pretty much a default for prostitutes, unless they could pick up on the patron wanting something else. He hoped, more than assumed, it was his skills eliciting the response, but he also learned long ago not to think about it.
He altered his position again, getting up on his knees and leaning over Christian, enjoying how pretty his partner’s back was bowing out beneath him. All the while the blond moved his hips against Zoro in a motion that he could only describe as an insistent plea for more.
Letting his hips do the work, Zoro let his hands roam Christian’s pale skin, trailing fingers over the expanse of his stomach, and brushing lightly over pert nipples. The blond let out an almost inaudible hiss, but it was the sudden erratic movement in his hips that gave him away. Zoro grinned, placing kisses down his ear and neck, and lightly rubbing the pads of his thumbs over the small buds.
“Nnmh,” Christian whimpered, the pitch of his voice changing.
Zoro hissed himself when he felt the blond clench around his cock. He began firmly caressing the buds, hoping to win more noises out of the other man. He snapped his hips forward, thrusting harder and faster.
“Zoro…” he panted. “So good. Ah, yes-”
One hand still abusing a nipple, he trailed the other up Christian’s creamy throat and cupped his chin possessively, gently encouraging his head back to reveal his neck.
Kissing hotly along the new skin offered to him, Zoro suddenly switched his pace, moving down from slightly frantic, to achingly slow.
Christian's response was a whimper and his voice broke almost comically as Zoro lifted himself to thrust in at a different angle. The swordsman could feel the blond’s thighs trembling, while his entire body simultaneously contracted and melted as Zoro aimed for that spot again, but with a maddeningly slow pace.
“Ah, ah, Zoro-”
The green haired man grazed his teeth along the length of Christian's neck, and he contemplated prolonging it, but a teasing stroke of Christian’s length told Zoro he was already leaking pre-cum, and was probably still trying to figure out if he needed Zoro’s permission to come or not.
He felt guilty for not mentioning it outright, instead leaving Christian to try and politely determine on his own.
He pulled the younger man up gently from the u-shape he’d bent him into and eased him to rest his weight in Zoro’s lap. He coaxed Christian to reach behind him and wrap his arms around Zoro’s neck.
“Keep your hands there.” It was said in the politest voice Zoro could muster in that state, and Christian just nodded, his eyes smoldering with lust.
The swordsman smoothed his hands over the blond’s thighs and gently spread them further apart until he was completely straddling Zoro backwards. Christian made a noise that sounded like a whine and Zoro didn’t wait any longer to resume his grip on the other man’s thighs. But he didn’t slam into the man like he otherwise might have done when he wasn’t already feeling bad for depriving him.
Instead he took advantage of the sweat build up between them, and slid Christian’s ass up and down, rocking in and out of the man while never breaking contact. The blond gasped and jerked, and Zoro slid one arm to wrap around his stomach, pressing his partner tightly to him. He took the other hand and slicked it with precum, then quickly stroked Christian’s length.
It didn't take long, after being at it for the better part of an hour, and he felt the other man’s body completely tense. Zoro groaned as the pleasure coiled hot in his belly and loins. Christian bowed his head forward and panted desperately, his eyes squeezed shut as he let out a broken shout.
Zoro bit his lip to fight off his completion as Christian tightened around him almost painfully, his muscles jerking involuntarily as he came. The swordsman slowed his thrusts but did not stop them, and he continued to stroke Christian thoroughly as he rode his orgasm, and after. The blond whimpered and quickly brought his hands down to push Zoro’s away, but Zoro pushed him forward again and continued stroking him.
Christian cried out as his body continued to twitch and jerk in response to the attention to his over-sensitized length. But the green haired man did not relent until he’d gone completely soft.
With a final gasp, Christian collapsed onto the bed, still connected intimately with Zoro as he hugged the pillow and unconsciously curled his body in on itself.
Zoro bent over to kiss him on the shoulder, then gently pulled himself out. He got up and removed his condom, disposing of it in a small trash can by the bed.
“You…” Christian started. He shook his head and tried again. “I… I can’t believe you fucked me speechless.”
Zoro chuckled and crawled back into the bed, sliding comfortably up to the blond.
“You… absolutely… completely blew my world to hell just now. I don’t think I can feel my dick. My God damn ears are ringing.”
Zoro grinned and began running his hands soothingly along the length of Christian’s body.
“Mm, yeah. That is the cherry on top,” the blond said, closing his eyes and smiling. After a moment of basking in Zoro's attention, Christian said somewhat seriously, “You pulled out. Thank you.”
Zoro snorted.
Christian sat up on his elbows, a smile creeping onto his face. "I mean it. And I'd like to show you just how grateful I am."
Another hour later and they both laid there, panting and sweating. Zoro would have been content just to fall asleep right there, but just as Christian curled into his arms to tuck in as well, his stomach let out a roar of protest at not having been fed since lunch.
Christian laughed and sat up, the way his body moved reflecting the post-orgasmic haze they were both floating in.
"Well," Christian said, running his hand up Zoro's belly, "trying to tell me something, are you?"
Zoro just snorted and rubbed at his face, trying to push away the drowsiness. He did not know how to explain it, but he never felt tired after having sex with women the way he did with men. He just didn't. It wasn't necessarily that one was physically better than the other, but having sex with men just... took it out of him more than with a woman. That was another reason why he never stayed the night at a women's brothel. He usually had too much energy afterwards to even contemplate it.
"How does a hot bath and sake sound, while you wait for dinner to be prepared?"
"Sounds good," Zoro said, before clearing his throat. He sounded like he'd just had a really good fuck and, appropriate though it was, good for his demon pirate hunter reputation it was not.
Christian beamed at him and crawled out of bed, retrieving a cotton robe from a previously unnoticed closet.
"I assumed silk probably wasn't your thing," the blond said, grinning.
Smirking, Zoro pushed himself reluctantly out of the bed and nodded. "What gave me away? The worn out clothes, the five o'clock shadow, or the gaping scar across my chest?"
"All of the above," he said, allowing Zoro to slip the robe on himself. Christian turned and grabbed another robe from the closet for himself and then ushered Zoro out the door.
***
He had to give Christian credit, he was very good at reading his patrons. He didn't offer to go into the bath with Zoro, giving him the reprieve the swordsman was needing. Frankly, Sanji was really much better at chatting up prostitutes than he was. All he wanted now was to soak and drink.
He quickly washed himself in the bathing area and stepped out into the outdoor area where the baths were.
It was a small set up, but an elegant one. The bath was apparently a natural spring, so it was carved out of real stone. The surrounding foliage was real and, best of all, it didn't appear that he was going to have to share. He took a deep breath and let it out as he stepped into the almost intolerably hot water.
The tension, stirred up and running wild through his body after Christian, began to leak out of him, sucked away by the heat of the water, the sounds of the bath, and the promise of sake to come.
***
"I'll give you half my day's earnings."
Christian frowned, his attractive smiled turned into a boyish pout. "Why? You're not going to let him do you, anyway. And, I'm sorry, but I just spent like, three hours with the man. He's not going to let you do him."
"So? If that's the case then I'm basically giving you half my day's earnings for nothing. Just let me try."
Christian huffed. "Fine. But don't piss him off. Madam will kill you, or worse. And so will I, for that matter. He's the best lay I've had all fucking year."
***
Zoro was just beginning to wonder when the sake was coming, when he heard the soft sound of footsteps padding in his direction.
"Aah, this is perfect," a decidedly lower voice than Christian's said.
Zoro lifted his head and opened his eyes.
"I assume this one is for you?"
A long, tattooed, well muscled, naked body descended into the bath, and it took just a split second too long for Zoro to realize this man was offering him a floating tray with sake and a cup on it.
He stood to accept it, continuing to eyeball the man, who was carrying his own tray. So much for being alone.
"Christian seemed to have his hands full, so I thought I would bring this out for you. Sake isn't sake without another man to share it with, anyway."
Zoro couldn't discern from that statement whether this person was a patron or a prostitute. And although he was disposed to be angry about losing his privacy, he wasn't in a position to tell the man to leave, especially if he was a patron.
There was the matter of his body, though. But the swordsman wasn't sure in which direction that clue led him. Although, upon another brief inspection as the man slipped easily into the water, Zoro was sure he didn't see any scars. He was well built, but probably only for aesthetics, not fighting. The tattoos probably served the same purpose. At this point he was inclined to assume this person was a prostitute.
He settled himself across from Zoro, which gave the swordsman an opportunity to inspect his countenance. Whoever he was, he didn't look like any brothel worker the green haired man had ever seen. The first word that popped into Zoro's head was 'rake'. This is probably what Sanji would look like if all his talk about womanizing was real. Shoulder length hair pulled back in a careless tail, traces of a heavy stubble, eyes full of mirth and pheromones that seeped out in gallons.
"You're obviously not much of a talker, so I'll get straight to it. I just gave up half my day's earnings to Chris, just so he'd let me come out here and talk to you."
Definitely a prostitute, then. Ballsy though he was being, Zoro wasn't quite impressed yet.
"That's a lot to give up to talk to someone who's 'not much of a talker'." Zoro stated, pouring sake for himself and ignoring the usual decorum.
The other man grinned. "I'll rephrase. I just gave up half my day's earnings just to get the chance to fuck you."
Zoro threw back the sake and closed his eyes as the familiar burn made its way down his throat. It wasn't completely out of the question as far as looks went, certainly.
He polished off four more cups before he set the sake down and answered.
"Got a name?"
"Roman."
***
Zoro hadn't outwardly shown any particular interest when Roman sat down to dinner with him, but acquiesced when he suggested that they switch from sake to Madam Pepper's Explosive Fire Tequila. He allowed the other man to engage him in light conversation, but anything that passed between them verbally was insignificant.
What mattered was the look. Roman's eyes said 'confidence' and 'hard sex' and 'you might have to give me a convincing argument to wait until we're upstairs'. The swordsman only had to wonder if it would be worth his time.
Finally, satisfied with the amount of tequila he'd imbibed, Zoro said, "You've got balls of steel, trying to get me into your bed."
Roman lifted his eyebrows in surprise, and quickly followed the expression with a laugh. "So you do own your reputation, then? And here I thought you were just being shy."
"Consider that your first and only warning," Zoro said, a small smirk appearing on the corner of his lips. His expression clearly informed Roman that the swordsman would certainly make him regret it if all his bravado was false.
***
Roman's bravado hadn't been false, but it had become immediately apparent that he had an almost entirely wrong idea about what it was like to fuck Roronoa Zoro.
He groaned, just barely feeling the puffs of Zoro’s breath on his neck and chest. He hissed when Zoro's grip on his hair became tighter, but he dared not complain anymore than that. He'd given up on trying to take control, because it just wasn't happening. Zoro’s free hand was pressed against Roman’s chest as a warning of what would happen if he did.
The swordsman’s back muscles strained, and Roman would have given anything to have been on top, just to watch the way that bronze skin moved. He could only barely see the way the swordsman's hips were lifting up and down in a fluid movement - his hair being pulled so tight that he couldn’t life his head much - but the peripheral view was enough to make his imagination go wild. But Zoro had him pinned tight and, even worse, he was well aware of how much Roman wanted to just flip him over and fuck him hard. He smirked haughtily in the face of the prostitute’s desire and continued to do whatever suited him instead.
"You're- ah- not gonna let me- unnnh... fuck, Zoro-"
Despite having his hands yanked back down several times for straying without Zoro's persmission, Roman couldn't take it anymore. He pushed roughly against the swordsman's chest and growled in protest. He used one arm to prop himself up and the other grabbed Zoro's hip tightly.
The swordsman snarled, but it quickly turned into a surprised choke. Roman dug his heels into the mattress and thrust into Zoro hard.
The reaction was automatic - Roman could feel the shiver that started down Zoro's back and ended at his hips.
The swordsman’s instinct was to express in a very physical way just how out of line Roman was, but all he could do was close his eyes and let his head fall forward as he tried to keep his concentration. But the tattooed man didn't give him a chance to recover, and he thrust again, and again, and again, ignoring the fact that if he did something Zoro didn't like, he was likely to end up on the floor with more than just his pride broken for being so brazen.
Zoro had to grip Roman's shoulders to keep his balance as the other man increased his pace. This was it. Roman's grip on his thigh was definitely going to leave a nasty bruise, but it was honestly the last thing on his mind. Pleasure was shooting up his spinal cord and winding through his body and back down to his cock. His strength was beginning to falter.
Roman pulled Zoro forward just slightly, adjusting their position to be able to penetrate the green haired man more fully. He wanted Zoro to stop resisting and just let himself be pulled close, but he could tell the swordsman was still holding back.
With Zoro using Roman's shoulders for balance, Roman could free one of his hands to take advantage of all the skin he'd been wanting to run his hands over. He started at Zoro's back, running his hands along those strong cords of muscle, and was surprised to see the swordsman react to the touch. A small hiss and bending his back to the touch was all Roman got for his effort, but it was incredibly gratifying, for whatever reason, and it turned him on all the more.
He moved on to Zoro's neck, finally getting the chance to touch that green hair. It was short and soft and nothing spectacular, but Zoro closed his eyes and sighed as Roman ran his hands through it. He wasn't sure how much more of this he could handle.
Zoro was well aware that he was now suddenly allowing Roman to touch him, but he was on the verge of telling himself to fuck it and just go with it. He would probably never see this guy again, and he'd really, really been needing this. It was time to see what Roman could do with a little more slack on the leash.
The change was obvious. For the first time that night, they made real eye contact, and Zoro's grip on Roman's shoulders melted as he slid his hands around his neck.
Roman looked like a hungry dog that had just been thrown a steak - eager, but determined. He wanted to surge forward and claim Zoro's mouth, but instead he settled for nipping eagerly at his lips as the movement of his hips naturally brought him closer to the swordsman's mouth. Zoro rewarded him with a real kiss.
Their movements slowed for a moment as they were both drawn into the intimate act. Bodies were now flush, Roman eagerly ran his hands over every inch of skin without reserve. Truthfully, Zoro's abdomen was a thing of wonder to him. He was extremely musclar, but compact and smooth (with one obvious exception). Men of his power usually had bulging, unnattractive physiques, but Zoro was just... compact, was really the best description for it. And that horrific gash was mesmerizing. He'd wanted to touch it - hell, he hadn't been able to really take his eyes off it. He wanted to kiss and lick every inch of it, but he settled instead for running his hands over the knotted skin and enjoying how Zoro turned his head away to hide the fact that his breathing had become more labored.
Roman dared a kiss on the swordsman's pectoral, running his hand up Zoro's chest and neck, dragging fingers through his hair and cupping the back of his head. He wanted Zoro on his back and he wanted it now.
Zoro could see it, too. But Roman was about to learn that he would take exactly what Zoro gave him, and he would damn well like it. He shoved Roman onto his back and placed on hand flat on his chest to hold him there.
"Don't make me regret this."
Instead of restricting his hands like before, Zoro simply rested his hands on Roman's stomach as he began to ride him, fast and hard.
Never, ever in his wildest, nastiest dreams and/or imagination had Roman been expecting this. He threw his head back and groaned loudly, but he reeled himself back in quickly. He'd come before Zoro at this rate, and the swordsman's warning was ringing loudly in his head. It had been a long time since he'd had to try so hard with a patron.
With his hands free, he quickly spat into the palm of his hand and did not hesitate to grip Zoro's impressive erection. That tell-tale action Zoro did of closing his eyes and dropping his head forward let Roman know that he was doing all the right things. He could hear Zoro's breath hitching just under the sound of their skin slapping together.
Roman loved the feel of the sweat building up between them - it gave Zoro's skin an interesting sheen. More than anything, he wanted to see what his own stomach would look like with the swordsman's come splashed all over it.
The muscles in Zoro's thighs spasmed every time he brought himself down on Roman's cock, and his own hard length pulsed in the prostitute's skilled grip. Every other muscle in his body was wound tight, ready to snap or release, and the fire in his belly grew with every movement shared between them.
Roman was about to lose his mind - he couldn't take it anymore. Zoro was too hot, too tight and moving too fast and hard. His stomach clenched, but before he could come himself, Zoro was right there with him. His movements went from fluid to jerky, and he cried out harshly once as his hot come splashed over Roman's stomach and chest.
Roman arched off the bed as he felt Zoro clench spasmodically around his cock. He came hard, crashing back down to the bed and then sitting up quickly, clenching Zoro's arms and bringing them chest to chest as the last of the waves crashed over both of them.
Hands were still moving, soothing over each others skin slowly. They kissed whatever skin their lips could reach. Zoro's hips still moved slightly as Roman pulled him into a long kiss. They came down together, Zoro collapsing on top of Roman.
They breathed in each others panting breaths for several moments before they separated, and it was several more before either of them was in shape to speak.
"Oh gods, half a day’s earnings was more than worth it...” Roman breathed.
Zoro snorted and rolled onto his back. "You did alright."
Roman sat up. "Alright? I did alright? Is there some sex Olympics out there that I don't know about that makes me just alright in comparison to sex Olympians?"
Zoro chuckled and threw an arm over his head. "Would you prefer me to tell you in graphic detail how incredibly sexually gratified I am, or can I just tell you that you did alright and be done with it?"
Roman mulled this momentarily. "I see your point. You weren't so bad yourself, then.”
***
They didn't have sex again, but Zoro did stay the night. Roman procured another couple of bottles of the fire tequila, and with the help of a deck of cards and the added company of Christian, Zoro thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the night.
The next morning, Zoro's swords were returned to him in pristine condition, and the first attendant encouraged him to return if he had the time. Christian and Roman both saw him off.
He left the establishment feeling refreshed. The sun warmed his skin as he stepped outside and he took a deep breath, and looked around…
It was like all the blood had been sucked from his body, yet his heart somehow was still trying to beat itself out of his chest. It was worse than getting your chest sliced open, by far.
Fuck. Fuck, fuck, FUCK.
There was Sanji, standing there, eyes burning like some deep blue sun, his hands clenched and a look on his face that told Zoro this was the end of everything they'd just gained in the last few months.
The previous day...
Zoro's pulse was slightly elevated as he snatched the final crate of vegetables from the deck. He'd spotted it, there was no mistaking it, and hell if he was going to pass this chance up. He concentrated on maintaining his unaffected composure and went into the kitchen to find Sanji.
"Oi,” he said, placing the crate next to the others.
"What?"
"I'm not going this time."
Sanji raised an eyebrow at the swordsman, and paused in his yam skinning activities.
"What?"
Zoro only needed to level his gaze at the cook to make it clear he wasn't repeating himself. Sanji's lip curled into the beginning of a sneer.
"Why?"
The swordsman returned the look. "Do I need to run down my itinerary for you, or will you just buy that I'm fucking busy?"
Sanji resumed skinning the yams and returned his gaze to the cutting board. "Sounds like you've been reading Robin-swan's dictionary again. You gotta be careful flinging multiple syllable words around like that, Marimo."
Zoro smirked, inwardly relieved. That had gone much easier than he expected. Over the last two weeks they'd gotten used to sharing, so to speak, even when there was enough money for them to go separately. They'd only mentioned it once, and Sanji was refusing to think about it. The cook had only needed to mutter once that, this way, they could spend their extra money on other things.
It was a good enough reason for both of them, it seemed.
He'd expected to hear complaints that Sanji would have to pay more if he went by himself, but Zoro figured that if he was itching to get away from the chef this bad, Sanji was probably feeling the same way. He would get the ladies all to himself, and Zoro would get what he'd desperately been needing since starting this whole pattern.
"Your loss then. You still covering the midnight shift?"
Shit. "Dunno."
Sanji only 'hm'd' in response, and Zoro turned on his heel to go find someone to convince that taking his midnight shift was going to be more fun than going out and drinking with the rest of the crew. He didn't have to try very hard, because Chopper was happy to take his shift, if only to give Zoro a break after having done it continuously for months.
It was nearing sundown, so Zoro grabbed a quick shower. Before he left, he went into the men's bunk when no one was around, went to his locker and searched towards the back for a small pouch he kept buried in another little bag of various items. Extra sword polishing supplies, some old maps and notes, unsuspicious-looking items. He found the dingy little pouch and opened it, retrieving a small silver coin that could have been mistaken for just another beli. This wasn't just a regular beli, however.
It was a membership card.
He tucked it into his haramaki and left.
***
Zoro was looking for the building he'd spotted from a distance earlier, but it had proven a lot more difficult to find from a ground view. It was a tall building, he knew, or else he wouldn't have been able to see the sign from the Sunny.
A sun, split down the middle, painted in time-faded orange hues. It was the same as the mark on the coin he was now carrying. The streets were starting to clear out at this hour in the evening, so it wasn't even apparent given the people in the vicinity what district he might have been in.
Sometimes, if the community was either completely shameless, or unusually tolerant, there would be signs pointing the way. But Zoro couldn't see any, and he was starting to get weird looks just standing in the street, looking around. And it wasn't like he could just up and ask a vendor.
He turned a random corner and by sheer luck, there were two men walking together down the street. There weren't any other men walking around that closely together, so Zoro just hoped they were heading the same place he was hoping to get, and not to some back alley.
He was careful not to be noticed. In general, this was a very protective community, and if they thought he was out to hurt someone, he'd be screwed. But the couple seemed completely absorbed in each other and didn't realize they were being followed.
Much to Zoro's relief, they rounded another corner and the tall building with the sign he'd been looking for came into view. And just as Zoro expected, the security was heavy. Not that anyone would have been able to notice. Who would have thought to look up at the rooftop for the three or so men crouched up there with guns out of sight? And those windows weren't blacked out, they were just one sided so you couldn't see the goons on the inside waiting to pound you if you said the wrong thing or made the wrong move. He'd bet serious money that the people walking casually down this street were actually patrolling.
This place seemed pretty big, but at first, Zoro couldn't figure out why. The building was oddly shaped, and the back of the building was surrounded by high stone walls. Then he realized there were trees just peeking out over the top. It was likely to be a garden, or a bath house.
He found it noteworthy that the right kind of male brothel was infinitely more difficult to get into than a regular one. Sure, a woman's brothel had plenty of its own kind of blatant protection, but they could get away with that. That was the "accepted" type of prostitution. Not only did a male brothel need more protection due to prejudice and violence, but the very people who stepped up to be the brothel's protection risked their lives twice over just for being affiliated. Sometimes the protection needed protection.
Just like every other male brothel, this place wouldn't have a name. The mark of the sun was enough.
Zoro waited to see how the couple got inside. They knocked on the door twice, and a small slot slid open. One of the men said something, while the other placed his coin in the slot to be inspected.
A coin was granted only by the owner of the establishment. Patrons were required to go through a physical examination, an oral interview, and whatever else the owner wanted to put the potential patron through to make sure that what they wanted was sex with a man, and not someone to abuse and mangle for whatever fucked up psychological reason.
Zoro hadn't had to do any of that to get his coin. He'd just happened upon a couple of younger boys that belonged to the local brothel being cornered by a psychopath in an alley one day. The swordsman hadn't known who he'd stepped in to protect at the time, but they'd made sure he was a coin carrying member before he went on his way.
Of course, just because you had a coin didn't mean that wherever else you went you didn't get hassled. Anyone could steal a coin and pretend to be friendly. So coin or not, pretty much everyone had to go through a screening of some sort. That was just for the medium to high quality places. But it was well known that if a brothel hadn't adopted the coin system, you were risking a lot more than lousy service by going. Needless to say, Zoro was never desperate enough to go to a place that didn't require a coin.
He took a good look around the area before stepping up to the door. He made sure to keep his hands as far away from his swords as possible. The last thing he needed was to be shot because he looked threatening.
He knocked a couple of times and a slot slid open. A deep voice said, "New here?"
"Yeah," he replied, and placed his coin inside the slot.
A few moments of silence passed before the door opened, and he stepped inside.
Zoro had the urge to give an impressed whistle, but he contained himself. Doubts that he would be able to afford the place began entering his mind. Not only were male prostitutes usually more expensive than women anyway (considering all the extra cost it took to support and protect a male brothel, it made sense), but he couldn't remember ever being in such a fancy brothel, ever. The floor was marble, there was expensive looking art on the walls, everything that could be gold probably was, and there was red velvet everywhere.
The lobby appeared empty, but he highly doubted it was, and whoever had opened the door had booked it out of there. After a few minutes, Zoro began to wonder if he'd set off some alarm. He was wanted, but that hadn't been a problem before. In fact, sometimes it was an asset. But apparently he'd made someone nervous.
After a few more minutes of waiting, a very sharp looking young man dressed in a black suit came out and addressed him.
"Mr. Roronoa Zoro, I presume?"
Well, he had a wanted poster. It wasn't completely unusual to be recognized.
"Yes."
The man held out his coin. Zoro took it.
"This is a very special coin, Mr.-"
"Just Zoro."
The man nodded and smiled. "Zoro. Regarding your coin..."
Zoro raised an eyebrow. "What about it?"
"Well, on one side, it has The Mark, of course. On the other, it has the mark of the particular establishment from which it originated. That, in and of itself, isn’t special. However, according to our records, this coin originated from East Blue. Shell Town, to be specific."
Zoro nodded. "Is there a problem?"
The man chuckled. "No, not at all. I must apologize for leaving you out here alone; I imagine it gave you the wrong impression. We were simply startled to come across this coin, and even more startled to see that you were the one carrying it.” The attendant paused momentarily before continuing somewhat reverently, “Your service in Shell Town is very well known in this community."
Zoro had the decency to redden slightly.
"To be honest, it's always been somewhat of a wish of ours to have you walk through our doors. Your crew has become very famous and you are certainly a very desirable patron. May I ask, are you going to be in town long?"
"Few days."
The man smiled. "Well, I hope you will take full advantage of our services. Tonight is complimentary. I will call for the staff immediately, and please feel free to select whoever, and however many, you like."
Not that Sanji would likely be interested but, initial embarrassment overcome, Zoro contemplated gloating. Yeah, Sanji could probably walk into any regular brothel and accomplish the same thing if not better, but the male brothel community was different. Let him try to walk in here and get the red carpet treatment.
"Also, as you are well aware, I must ask you to check any weapons at the desk. As an additional show of appreciation, the owner would like to offer her personal vault for your particular use."
Zoro’s hand hovered over his swords. Damn. It really had been too long. He’d completely forgotten about that. Places he’d frequented before had allowed him to keep Wado on him, at least.
“What about peace binding?”
The man seemed to hesitate for a moment before saying, “We could perhaps allow it for one sword, but-”
“Perfect,” Zoro cut him off, quickly untying the other two and relinquishing them.
"Very good, Sir. If you would just allow me…”
Zoro handed him Wado as well, and watched as the man carried them reverently behind what was probably the front desk. He pulled out a long black strip of what looked to be silk, and then rang a desk bell.
A moment passed before someone, whom Zoro assumed was probably the man who answered the door in the first place, appeared. He was… large. Very, very large. Zoro hadn’t seen an actual man that large since their encounter with Blackbeard.
He eyeballed Zoro and quickly set to work, wrapping the ribbon tightly over Wado’s sheath. Without saying a word, he returned it to Zoro, who nodded, and then disappeared into whatever shadow he’d come out of.
“If you will please come this way into the parlor, I will return momentarily," the attendant bowed.
Zoro followed the man as he walked gracefully down the hallway and turned into a lavish parlor. Before the attendant left, he asked, "Would you like me to consider any preferences?
Zoro didn't need to think about it. "Blond, around my age, maybe a little younger. Blue eyes if you can manage it."
He smiled and nodded. "Of course, Sir."
***
Sanji wasn't opting out of a solitary brothel excursion for any particular reason. He just didn't feel up to it. It certainly wasn't because Zoro wasn't going. He could go and still enjoy himself any time. He'd been doing it up until now, anyway. But Nami and Robin had tempted him with a game of cards, and it was always going to be his lovely ladies above anyone else.
He didn't need to go to a brothel, let alone go to a brothel with Zoro. It was just an arrangement, a pleasurable and fiscally frugal way to distract oneself with a crewmate.
The more he thought about it, though, the more he realized that the reason he was compliant with the arrangement was partially due to the fact that something unexpected had come from it. He had now what he could potentially call... well, maybe a friendship was too much, but a something with Zoro that resembled friendship. They bickered less, and though their differences remained, something about their interaction had grown into an ease that he was beginning to enjoy.
This afternoon, for example. Normally, he or Zoro would have said or done something that would have stunted the communication process with the other. Then they'd be compelled to fight, which would lead to breaking things, which would lead to dragging the rest of the crew into their ugly interaction. But such instances were happening less often. They were offending each other less, seemingly because they we beginning to understand each other better. Not through talking, really, but through watching each other interact with the women at the brothels. Neither of them treated any of their crewmates like the women at the brothels, so seeing each other in a new light had given them both a different perspective on the other.
So maybe, maybe, Sanji did prefer Zoro's company when going to a brothel. Maybe. But even if that were the case in general, it wasn't the case now. He'd just rather spend time with Robin-chwan and Nami-swan than with a perfect stranger.
But Sanji, having decidedly gotten to 'know Zoro better', began to wonder what the swordsman could have possibly been busy with that he had turned down going to a brothel. Or maybe he was lying and just wanted to go by himself, and was at this very moment enjoying the ample bosom of some gorgeous woman and thinking Sanji was a sucker for falling for it.
He frowned at his cards. He'd still rather be here, sneaking peeks at Nami's and Robin's ample bosoms. But it was the principle of the matter, damn it. Doing something like that was as bad as stashing the booze for your own use, when everyone else is going without.
Then again, maybe Zoro wasn't at a brothel. But where the hell would he be? He'd gotten his blades sharped just a few months ago, and there hadn't been enough action between now and then to justify getting them done again. He usually worked out on the ship; he had all the supplies to clean his swords on the ship... Other than working out and sword related activities, what could Zoro possibly be doing? And why had he purposely avoided telling Sanji?
Idiot marimo. He knew he should have given him more shit about it earlier.
Maybe he was just out drinking. Zoro drank alone all the time. But why go out to drink if you're aiming to drink alone? He could've just holed himself up in the crow's nest.
He took his anger out on the lemons he was squeezing to prepare the lemonade for his lovely angels.
***
It probably would have shocked Zoro to know that at that particularly moment, Sanji was thinking as intently about Zoro as Zoro was him, though in two very different ways.
There had been four men that fit Zoro's criteria, and they all walked casually, one by one, into the parlor and introduced themselves, leaving immediately after.
The attendant came back in after they'd left, and asked Zoro if he was interested in any of them.
Without hesitating, he confirmed, "Christian."
Zoro had almost had to look twice when Christian had walked in. Black slacks, blue button up shirt, affecting that stupidly casual but swanky look that Sanji always pulled off without any effort. Yes, Zoro noticed. Zoro noticed every God damn thing about Sanji, so he knew what to look for when he went to these places. Christian was the closest he'd gotten so far.
He experienced no small amount of guilt about doing it, but short of jacking off all day and all night, it was the only thing he could do. And far from worrying about hurting a prostitute's feelings, he had to do something to rid himself of the type of tension only Sanji could cause him.
But just as easy as it was for Zoro to notice the similarities, the differences ended up being painfully obvious as well. Where Sanji was lean and hard and mostly long muscles, Christian was probably comparable to Nami in muscle mass, but that was to be expected. He'd never quite found anyone with that lean, muscled physique he wanted to get his hands on so much. Usually male brothel workers purposely limited their physical activity because 'softer' was in demand.
Zoro knew Sanji probably had his soft places, and he wanted those just as much as anything else about the chef. But he’d seen that lean, cut chest; caught glimpses of those powerful thighs; admired the strong lines of his back.
The eyes were almost the exact same shade of blue... but they lacked Sanji's fiery attitude and spirit.
He was led up a staircase and to yet another room and informed that Christian would be there momentarily. In the meantime, he toed off his boots and removed his haramaki. Wrapping the green cloth around Wado, Zoro propped the sword against the wall and inspected the room.
There were wine and cigars laid out in an elegant offering, but Zoro ignored these. Instead he inspected the large garden doors that led out to a balcony. The windows were blacked out like downstairs, but the swordsman had to wonder about the safety of it. Then he noticed that behind the blue silk curtains were wrought iron bars, and the glass was unusually thick. Still, why have a balcony if it wasn't practical or safe to use it?
He shrugged and peered out the window, gazing out at the city as the sun finished setting.
The door opened behind him, and he felt his stomach tense - a sure sign that it had been far too long.
"Good evening, Zoro. Thank you for choosing me this evening. Are the accommodations to your taste?"
Zoro nodded, taking in the changed appearance. Christian was already barefoot, and had changed from the blue shirt to a fitted, long sleeve black shirt. His hair was overall a few inches shorter that Sanji’s, but his bangs were the same length, and swept over his eyes the same way.
Christian smiled, gesturing to the wine, "Would you like anything?"
"Only your assurance that no one's going to come busting through that balcony window."
Christian's mask of decorum slipped momentarily and he grinned, as if to say, ‘would you stop fucking me if they did?’
But he quickly resumed his formality and said gracefully, "Well, I won't say it hasn't happened before, but we've certainly upgraded our security since then. Besides," the blond swept his bangs from his eyes, "I doubt you'd have any trouble taking care of it. I've heard quite a lot about you, and not just from Shell Island."
Zoro smirked, accepting the compliment.
Christian moved towards Zoro like an eel moved through water. "I have one question to ask you, as a mere formality. I’m sure you’ll understand. Am I playing the role of someone else tonight, or should I just count myself lucky that you like blue-eyed blonds?"
He stopped just a foot or so from Zoro's personal space. Very smart, the swordsman thought. Christian was playing it respectful and safe, but at the same time the look in his eyes was causing Zoro's spine to tingle.
“Just you.” That wasn’t necessarily true, and it wasn’t necessarily false. Zoro didn’t understand it himself, but he’d never been interested in playing that out literally. It was like crossing an invisible line. The similarity was enough. He couldn't even bear the thought of calling Sanji's name when he was with a prostitute, or anyone that wasn't Sanji, for that matter.
Christian seemed pleased, but he immediately masked his reaction and took one last tentative step forward.
“I can do that.”
***
Christian’s lithe body was stretched taut, his hands gripped tightly on Zoro’s forearms for support as the swordsman held his hips firmly from behind. With his head thrown back over the green haired man’s shoulder, his hips rose slowly until Zoro guided him back down his length hard. His skin slapped against the swordsman’s as he panted for breath, moaning beautifully.
Zoro guided him forward slightly, moving Christian’s hands to grip the headboard instead of his arms so he could lean back and appreciate the view of the blond man’s ass. There wasn’t anything in the world like this position, no matter which gender your bed partner. Zoro appreciated nothing better than a gorgeous rear and watching his cock move in and out at varying speeds. It was fucking mesmerizing.
Christian was incredibly vocal and responsive, but that was pretty much a default for prostitutes, unless they could pick up on the patron wanting something else. He hoped, more than assumed, it was his skills eliciting the response, but he also learned long ago not to think about it.
He altered his position again, getting up on his knees and leaning over Christian, enjoying how pretty his partner’s back was bowing out beneath him. All the while the blond moved his hips against Zoro in a motion that he could only describe as an insistent plea for more.
Letting his hips do the work, Zoro let his hands roam Christian’s pale skin, trailing fingers over the expanse of his stomach, and brushing lightly over pert nipples. The blond let out an almost inaudible hiss, but it was the sudden erratic movement in his hips that gave him away. Zoro grinned, placing kisses down his ear and neck, and lightly rubbing the pads of his thumbs over the small buds.
“Nnmh,” Christian whimpered, the pitch of his voice changing.
Zoro hissed himself when he felt the blond clench around his cock. He began firmly caressing the buds, hoping to win more noises out of the other man. He snapped his hips forward, thrusting harder and faster.
“Zoro…” he panted. “So good. Ah, yes-”
One hand still abusing a nipple, he trailed the other up Christian’s creamy throat and cupped his chin possessively, gently encouraging his head back to reveal his neck.
Kissing hotly along the new skin offered to him, Zoro suddenly switched his pace, moving down from slightly frantic, to achingly slow.
Christian's response was a whimper and his voice broke almost comically as Zoro lifted himself to thrust in at a different angle. The swordsman could feel the blond’s thighs trembling, while his entire body simultaneously contracted and melted as Zoro aimed for that spot again, but with a maddeningly slow pace.
“Ah, ah, Zoro-”
The green haired man grazed his teeth along the length of Christian's neck, and he contemplated prolonging it, but a teasing stroke of Christian’s length told Zoro he was already leaking pre-cum, and was probably still trying to figure out if he needed Zoro’s permission to come or not.
He felt guilty for not mentioning it outright, instead leaving Christian to try and politely determine on his own.
He pulled the younger man up gently from the u-shape he’d bent him into and eased him to rest his weight in Zoro’s lap. He coaxed Christian to reach behind him and wrap his arms around Zoro’s neck.
“Keep your hands there.” It was said in the politest voice Zoro could muster in that state, and Christian just nodded, his eyes smoldering with lust.
The swordsman smoothed his hands over the blond’s thighs and gently spread them further apart until he was completely straddling Zoro backwards. Christian made a noise that sounded like a whine and Zoro didn’t wait any longer to resume his grip on the other man’s thighs. But he didn’t slam into the man like he otherwise might have done when he wasn’t already feeling bad for depriving him.
Instead he took advantage of the sweat build up between them, and slid Christian’s ass up and down, rocking in and out of the man while never breaking contact. The blond gasped and jerked, and Zoro slid one arm to wrap around his stomach, pressing his partner tightly to him. He took the other hand and slicked it with precum, then quickly stroked Christian’s length.
It didn't take long, after being at it for the better part of an hour, and he felt the other man’s body completely tense. Zoro groaned as the pleasure coiled hot in his belly and loins. Christian bowed his head forward and panted desperately, his eyes squeezed shut as he let out a broken shout.
Zoro bit his lip to fight off his completion as Christian tightened around him almost painfully, his muscles jerking involuntarily as he came. The swordsman slowed his thrusts but did not stop them, and he continued to stroke Christian thoroughly as he rode his orgasm, and after. The blond whimpered and quickly brought his hands down to push Zoro’s away, but Zoro pushed him forward again and continued stroking him.
Christian cried out as his body continued to twitch and jerk in response to the attention to his over-sensitized length. But the green haired man did not relent until he’d gone completely soft.
With a final gasp, Christian collapsed onto the bed, still connected intimately with Zoro as he hugged the pillow and unconsciously curled his body in on itself.
Zoro bent over to kiss him on the shoulder, then gently pulled himself out. He got up and removed his condom, disposing of it in a small trash can by the bed.
“You…” Christian started. He shook his head and tried again. “I… I can’t believe you fucked me speechless.”
Zoro chuckled and crawled back into the bed, sliding comfortably up to the blond.
“You… absolutely… completely blew my world to hell just now. I don’t think I can feel my dick. My God damn ears are ringing.”
Zoro grinned and began running his hands soothingly along the length of Christian’s body.
“Mm, yeah. That is the cherry on top,” the blond said, closing his eyes and smiling. After a moment of basking in Zoro's attention, Christian said somewhat seriously, “You pulled out. Thank you.”
Zoro snorted.
Christian sat up on his elbows, a smile creeping onto his face. "I mean it. And I'd like to show you just how grateful I am."
Another hour later and they both laid there, panting and sweating. Zoro would have been content just to fall asleep right there, but just as Christian curled into his arms to tuck in as well, his stomach let out a roar of protest at not having been fed since lunch.
Christian laughed and sat up, the way his body moved reflecting the post-orgasmic haze they were both floating in.
"Well," Christian said, running his hand up Zoro's belly, "trying to tell me something, are you?"
Zoro just snorted and rubbed at his face, trying to push away the drowsiness. He did not know how to explain it, but he never felt tired after having sex with women the way he did with men. He just didn't. It wasn't necessarily that one was physically better than the other, but having sex with men just... took it out of him more than with a woman. That was another reason why he never stayed the night at a women's brothel. He usually had too much energy afterwards to even contemplate it.
"How does a hot bath and sake sound, while you wait for dinner to be prepared?"
"Sounds good," Zoro said, before clearing his throat. He sounded like he'd just had a really good fuck and, appropriate though it was, good for his demon pirate hunter reputation it was not.
Christian beamed at him and crawled out of bed, retrieving a cotton robe from a previously unnoticed closet.
"I assumed silk probably wasn't your thing," the blond said, grinning.
Smirking, Zoro pushed himself reluctantly out of the bed and nodded. "What gave me away? The worn out clothes, the five o'clock shadow, or the gaping scar across my chest?"
"All of the above," he said, allowing Zoro to slip the robe on himself. Christian turned and grabbed another robe from the closet for himself and then ushered Zoro out the door.
***
He had to give Christian credit, he was very good at reading his patrons. He didn't offer to go into the bath with Zoro, giving him the reprieve the swordsman was needing. Frankly, Sanji was really much better at chatting up prostitutes than he was. All he wanted now was to soak and drink.
He quickly washed himself in the bathing area and stepped out into the outdoor area where the baths were.
It was a small set up, but an elegant one. The bath was apparently a natural spring, so it was carved out of real stone. The surrounding foliage was real and, best of all, it didn't appear that he was going to have to share. He took a deep breath and let it out as he stepped into the almost intolerably hot water.
The tension, stirred up and running wild through his body after Christian, began to leak out of him, sucked away by the heat of the water, the sounds of the bath, and the promise of sake to come.
***
"I'll give you half my day's earnings."
Christian frowned, his attractive smiled turned into a boyish pout. "Why? You're not going to let him do you, anyway. And, I'm sorry, but I just spent like, three hours with the man. He's not going to let you do him."
"So? If that's the case then I'm basically giving you half my day's earnings for nothing. Just let me try."
Christian huffed. "Fine. But don't piss him off. Madam will kill you, or worse. And so will I, for that matter. He's the best lay I've had all fucking year."
***
Zoro was just beginning to wonder when the sake was coming, when he heard the soft sound of footsteps padding in his direction.
"Aah, this is perfect," a decidedly lower voice than Christian's said.
Zoro lifted his head and opened his eyes.
"I assume this one is for you?"
A long, tattooed, well muscled, naked body descended into the bath, and it took just a split second too long for Zoro to realize this man was offering him a floating tray with sake and a cup on it.
He stood to accept it, continuing to eyeball the man, who was carrying his own tray. So much for being alone.
"Christian seemed to have his hands full, so I thought I would bring this out for you. Sake isn't sake without another man to share it with, anyway."
Zoro couldn't discern from that statement whether this person was a patron or a prostitute. And although he was disposed to be angry about losing his privacy, he wasn't in a position to tell the man to leave, especially if he was a patron.
There was the matter of his body, though. But the swordsman wasn't sure in which direction that clue led him. Although, upon another brief inspection as the man slipped easily into the water, Zoro was sure he didn't see any scars. He was well built, but probably only for aesthetics, not fighting. The tattoos probably served the same purpose. At this point he was inclined to assume this person was a prostitute.
He settled himself across from Zoro, which gave the swordsman an opportunity to inspect his countenance. Whoever he was, he didn't look like any brothel worker the green haired man had ever seen. The first word that popped into Zoro's head was 'rake'. This is probably what Sanji would look like if all his talk about womanizing was real. Shoulder length hair pulled back in a careless tail, traces of a heavy stubble, eyes full of mirth and pheromones that seeped out in gallons.
"You're obviously not much of a talker, so I'll get straight to it. I just gave up half my day's earnings to Chris, just so he'd let me come out here and talk to you."
Definitely a prostitute, then. Ballsy though he was being, Zoro wasn't quite impressed yet.
"That's a lot to give up to talk to someone who's 'not much of a talker'." Zoro stated, pouring sake for himself and ignoring the usual decorum.
The other man grinned. "I'll rephrase. I just gave up half my day's earnings just to get the chance to fuck you."
Zoro threw back the sake and closed his eyes as the familiar burn made its way down his throat. It wasn't completely out of the question as far as looks went, certainly.
He polished off four more cups before he set the sake down and answered.
"Got a name?"
"Roman."
***
Zoro hadn't outwardly shown any particular interest when Roman sat down to dinner with him, but acquiesced when he suggested that they switch from sake to Madam Pepper's Explosive Fire Tequila. He allowed the other man to engage him in light conversation, but anything that passed between them verbally was insignificant.
What mattered was the look. Roman's eyes said 'confidence' and 'hard sex' and 'you might have to give me a convincing argument to wait until we're upstairs'. The swordsman only had to wonder if it would be worth his time.
Finally, satisfied with the amount of tequila he'd imbibed, Zoro said, "You've got balls of steel, trying to get me into your bed."
Roman lifted his eyebrows in surprise, and quickly followed the expression with a laugh. "So you do own your reputation, then? And here I thought you were just being shy."
"Consider that your first and only warning," Zoro said, a small smirk appearing on the corner of his lips. His expression clearly informed Roman that the swordsman would certainly make him regret it if all his bravado was false.
***
Roman's bravado hadn't been false, but it had become immediately apparent that he had an almost entirely wrong idea about what it was like to fuck Roronoa Zoro.
He groaned, just barely feeling the puffs of Zoro’s breath on his neck and chest. He hissed when Zoro's grip on his hair became tighter, but he dared not complain anymore than that. He'd given up on trying to take control, because it just wasn't happening. Zoro’s free hand was pressed against Roman’s chest as a warning of what would happen if he did.
The swordsman’s back muscles strained, and Roman would have given anything to have been on top, just to watch the way that bronze skin moved. He could only barely see the way the swordsman's hips were lifting up and down in a fluid movement - his hair being pulled so tight that he couldn’t life his head much - but the peripheral view was enough to make his imagination go wild. But Zoro had him pinned tight and, even worse, he was well aware of how much Roman wanted to just flip him over and fuck him hard. He smirked haughtily in the face of the prostitute’s desire and continued to do whatever suited him instead.
"You're- ah- not gonna let me- unnnh... fuck, Zoro-"
Despite having his hands yanked back down several times for straying without Zoro's persmission, Roman couldn't take it anymore. He pushed roughly against the swordsman's chest and growled in protest. He used one arm to prop himself up and the other grabbed Zoro's hip tightly.
The swordsman snarled, but it quickly turned into a surprised choke. Roman dug his heels into the mattress and thrust into Zoro hard.
The reaction was automatic - Roman could feel the shiver that started down Zoro's back and ended at his hips.
The swordsman’s instinct was to express in a very physical way just how out of line Roman was, but all he could do was close his eyes and let his head fall forward as he tried to keep his concentration. But the tattooed man didn't give him a chance to recover, and he thrust again, and again, and again, ignoring the fact that if he did something Zoro didn't like, he was likely to end up on the floor with more than just his pride broken for being so brazen.
Zoro had to grip Roman's shoulders to keep his balance as the other man increased his pace. This was it. Roman's grip on his thigh was definitely going to leave a nasty bruise, but it was honestly the last thing on his mind. Pleasure was shooting up his spinal cord and winding through his body and back down to his cock. His strength was beginning to falter.
Roman pulled Zoro forward just slightly, adjusting their position to be able to penetrate the green haired man more fully. He wanted Zoro to stop resisting and just let himself be pulled close, but he could tell the swordsman was still holding back.
With Zoro using Roman's shoulders for balance, Roman could free one of his hands to take advantage of all the skin he'd been wanting to run his hands over. He started at Zoro's back, running his hands along those strong cords of muscle, and was surprised to see the swordsman react to the touch. A small hiss and bending his back to the touch was all Roman got for his effort, but it was incredibly gratifying, for whatever reason, and it turned him on all the more.
He moved on to Zoro's neck, finally getting the chance to touch that green hair. It was short and soft and nothing spectacular, but Zoro closed his eyes and sighed as Roman ran his hands through it. He wasn't sure how much more of this he could handle.
Zoro was well aware that he was now suddenly allowing Roman to touch him, but he was on the verge of telling himself to fuck it and just go with it. He would probably never see this guy again, and he'd really, really been needing this. It was time to see what Roman could do with a little more slack on the leash.
The change was obvious. For the first time that night, they made real eye contact, and Zoro's grip on Roman's shoulders melted as he slid his hands around his neck.
Roman looked like a hungry dog that had just been thrown a steak - eager, but determined. He wanted to surge forward and claim Zoro's mouth, but instead he settled for nipping eagerly at his lips as the movement of his hips naturally brought him closer to the swordsman's mouth. Zoro rewarded him with a real kiss.
Their movements slowed for a moment as they were both drawn into the intimate act. Bodies were now flush, Roman eagerly ran his hands over every inch of skin without reserve. Truthfully, Zoro's abdomen was a thing of wonder to him. He was extremely musclar, but compact and smooth (with one obvious exception). Men of his power usually had bulging, unnattractive physiques, but Zoro was just... compact, was really the best description for it. And that horrific gash was mesmerizing. He'd wanted to touch it - hell, he hadn't been able to really take his eyes off it. He wanted to kiss and lick every inch of it, but he settled instead for running his hands over the knotted skin and enjoying how Zoro turned his head away to hide the fact that his breathing had become more labored.
Roman dared a kiss on the swordsman's pectoral, running his hand up Zoro's chest and neck, dragging fingers through his hair and cupping the back of his head. He wanted Zoro on his back and he wanted it now.
Zoro could see it, too. But Roman was about to learn that he would take exactly what Zoro gave him, and he would damn well like it. He shoved Roman onto his back and placed on hand flat on his chest to hold him there.
"Don't make me regret this."
Instead of restricting his hands like before, Zoro simply rested his hands on Roman's stomach as he began to ride him, fast and hard.
Never, ever in his wildest, nastiest dreams and/or imagination had Roman been expecting this. He threw his head back and groaned loudly, but he reeled himself back in quickly. He'd come before Zoro at this rate, and the swordsman's warning was ringing loudly in his head. It had been a long time since he'd had to try so hard with a patron.
With his hands free, he quickly spat into the palm of his hand and did not hesitate to grip Zoro's impressive erection. That tell-tale action Zoro did of closing his eyes and dropping his head forward let Roman know that he was doing all the right things. He could hear Zoro's breath hitching just under the sound of their skin slapping together.
Roman loved the feel of the sweat building up between them - it gave Zoro's skin an interesting sheen. More than anything, he wanted to see what his own stomach would look like with the swordsman's come splashed all over it.
The muscles in Zoro's thighs spasmed every time he brought himself down on Roman's cock, and his own hard length pulsed in the prostitute's skilled grip. Every other muscle in his body was wound tight, ready to snap or release, and the fire in his belly grew with every movement shared between them.
Roman was about to lose his mind - he couldn't take it anymore. Zoro was too hot, too tight and moving too fast and hard. His stomach clenched, but before he could come himself, Zoro was right there with him. His movements went from fluid to jerky, and he cried out harshly once as his hot come splashed over Roman's stomach and chest.
Roman arched off the bed as he felt Zoro clench spasmodically around his cock. He came hard, crashing back down to the bed and then sitting up quickly, clenching Zoro's arms and bringing them chest to chest as the last of the waves crashed over both of them.
Hands were still moving, soothing over each others skin slowly. They kissed whatever skin their lips could reach. Zoro's hips still moved slightly as Roman pulled him into a long kiss. They came down together, Zoro collapsing on top of Roman.
They breathed in each others panting breaths for several moments before they separated, and it was several more before either of them was in shape to speak.
"Oh gods, half a day’s earnings was more than worth it...” Roman breathed.
Zoro snorted and rolled onto his back. "You did alright."
Roman sat up. "Alright? I did alright? Is there some sex Olympics out there that I don't know about that makes me just alright in comparison to sex Olympians?"
Zoro chuckled and threw an arm over his head. "Would you prefer me to tell you in graphic detail how incredibly sexually gratified I am, or can I just tell you that you did alright and be done with it?"
Roman mulled this momentarily. "I see your point. You weren't so bad yourself, then.”
***
They didn't have sex again, but Zoro did stay the night. Roman procured another couple of bottles of the fire tequila, and with the help of a deck of cards and the added company of Christian, Zoro thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the night.
The next morning, Zoro's swords were returned to him in pristine condition, and the first attendant encouraged him to return if he had the time. Christian and Roman both saw him off.
He left the establishment feeling refreshed. The sun warmed his skin as he stepped outside and he took a deep breath, and looked around…