A Holiday Tale for cuethepulse...
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Pairings: ZoSan with some UsoNam on the side.
Setting: AU
Christmas.
For most people it would be a joyous time filled with laughter and cheer.
For one Roronoa Zoro, however, Christmas wasn't his most favorite of holidays at the moment.
He was cranky from his afternoon nap being disrupted, he was annoyed because he had finished off all the booze in his apartment, and he was dressed as an elf, complete with green leggings, pointed shoes with little silver bells on the ends, and a pair of fake ears that were slowly being assimilated into his skin.
It had all started with a shake and a pout...
A foot woke Zoro up from his nap, the young man groaning a bit as he opened his eyes to be met by the sight of his boyfriend pouting. Zoro was instantly on his guard as the sight of Sanji pouting usually meant something bad was going to happen, namely to him.
"Marimo-" but Zoro cut off Sanji's attempts at being cute with a stern glare.
"What do you want me to do?"
"Just help Usopp, Nami, and myself with some volunteer work."
Zoro sighed but nodded his head, untangling himself from the sheets and walked over to the kitchen, searching for beer.
"We drank it all last night, remember?" Sanji put in.
Zoro groaned and looked back at his boyfriend.
"What kind of work are we doing exactly?"
"Santa stuff," Sanji replied back.
"I'm not dressing up in that red suit, got it?"
Sanji nodded.
"You won't have to."
That made Zoro feel better.
"You'll be dressed up as an elf."
Zoro really needed beer after hearing that.
Usopp and Nami were an odd couple, at least in Zoro's estimation. Usopp, though he had buffed out in recent years, scared rather easily. He also possessed the oddest nose in creation. Usopp was an artist and had recently held an extravagant exhibit that drew him fame and fortune.
Nami, on the other hand, was the devil or at least a close confederate of his. Zoro was certain about that. The orange-haired young woman was a fitness instructor and Zoro owed all of his debt to her, the most recent case being Nami loaning Zoro some money to put a down payment on his apartment. He often wondered just what Usopp saw in her but he couldn't say that Nami was all bad. She was, after all, helping them with this volunteer work.
Zoro and Sanji met Usopp and Nami outside the orphanage they were volunteering at. Ohara Orphanage was it's name and it also happened to be the same orphanage that Usopp, Nami, and Sanji had grown up in. Nami and Sanji had gotten adopted but Usopp remained in the orphanage until he was eighteen.
Of course both Nami and Sanji remained friends with Usopp, often visiting him when they could, Nami even seeing him every day for several weeks. It came as no surprise when she announced to Sanji and his then brand new beau Zoro, that they were in a relationship.
Three years had passed since that event, Zoro thought as he was handed the costume for his role in the Santa business. Usopp would be Kris Kringle himself with Nami as Rudolph and Sanji and Zoro as the elf workers. Nico Robin, the current head of the orphanage, thanked all of them for their help before pointing out the dressing room where they could change.
Now Zoro was gazing at his reflection in the mirror and considering making Sanji sleep on the couch that night. The tights showed off more of his body than he would like, the bells jingled incessantly whenever he made the slightest movement with his feet, and the ears made him look ridiculous.
Sanji's reflection came up behind Zoro then and a moment later felt a pair of familiar arms wrap around his chest and a chin rest on his shoulder.
"Why so grumpy? Aren't elves supposed to be happy all the time?"
Zoro grunted in reply and turned around to get a good look at his boyfriend. The same outfit, the same bells, the same ears; the only difference being the color, Sanji dressed in all blue compared to Zoro's green.
"You look like an idiot," Zoro said plainly. But Sanji just laughed the jibe away and turned around to look at Usopp, currently struggling to put on the bottom half of his Santa suit.
"Nice ass Usopp!" Sanji crowed, causing the artist to swiftly turn around and blush.
If Zoro didn't know that Usopp was straight he would be jealous. Sanji and Usopp just seemed to have a connection that Zoro didn't share with the cook.
Meanwhile, in the ladies changing room, Nami observed her own reflection. A pair of fake antlers adorned her head, connected to a brown headband while a large red orb was on her nose. There was a round circle just beneath the head for Nami to put her face through. The rest of her outfit consisted of a brown bodysuit with a white furry belly and hoof-like gloves.
"Think of the kids," Nami said to herself, knowing that Usopp would get a kick out of seeing her in a childish costume like this.
As she left the changing room, she saw Usopp and Sanji with their arms around each other and laughing at some joke Sanji had just told. If Nami didn't know that Sanji was gay, she'd be jealous.
But the sight of Zoro in his outfit caused all other thoughts to leave her mind. Swiftly fishing a cellphone from some hidden space on her costume, she took a picture.
She had just returned her cellphone to the depths of her costume when she saw Zoro with a cellphone of his own, taking a picture of her. This caused Sanji and Usopp to turn around. Usopp chuckled a bit but a glare from Nami stopped him.
Usopp's own costume consisted of a black belt, red with white trim suit, and some padding to give him a more jolly appearance complete with a white beard.
"You've been eating too many cookies," Nami pointed out with a smirk.
"Well your nose is red," Usopp shot back.
They would have continued their friendly antagonism when Robin appeared, coughing a bit to interrupt the mock insults.
"The children are ready."
Nodding their understanding, Santa, Rudolph, and the two elves followed after Robin.
The volunteer work had gone brilliantly, the kids loving Usopp's Santa laugh, squeezing Nami's red nose, and getting to tell Santa just what they wanted for Christmas.
Sanji took to the work with gusto, impressing the kids with his acrobatics as he twisted and flipped here and there for their amusement.
Most of the kids avoided Zoro at first but eventually they worked up the courage to engage with him and soon enough the green elf was enjoying himself.
As the day drew to a close and all of the children had had a chance to tell Santa what they wanted, Robin bid the four workers goodbye after they had changed out of their costumes and back into their regular clothes.
Parting ways, the two couples went in opposite directions.
Nami wrapped her arms around Usopp's middle and pressed her body into his back before whispering into his ear.
"Can I tell you what I want for Christmas?"
"Of course."
Nami whispered in his ear then and Usopp blushed.
"I think that can be arranged."
"What do you want?" she asked her boyfriend.
"Two things," Usopp replied, his dark eyes gleaming.
"What?"
He turned around then, facing her, and smiled that same half goofy, half sad smile Nami had first seen and fallen for years ago.
"You and forever," he finally said, showing her the ring and dropping to one knee.
If Zoro had been there he would have captured Nami's stupefied expression to use as more leverage but that expression swiftly changed and soon enough Nami was hugging Usopp tight, whispering affirmation again and again into his ears.
Zoro was once again surrounded by white sheets, cigarette smoke lingering in the air from Sanji's exhaled breath. Both were naked and spent after Sanji rewarded Zoro for putting up with the costume.
Zoro moved his feet and the tiny bells at the end of his shoes rang out.
Maybe, just maybe, this year's Christmas wouldn't be so bad after all, Zoro thought, before turning to Sanji and enjoying the taste of the cook on his tongue once more.
Pairings: ZoSan with some UsoNam on the side.
Setting: AU
Christmas.
For most people it would be a joyous time filled with laughter and cheer.
For one Roronoa Zoro, however, Christmas wasn't his most favorite of holidays at the moment.
He was cranky from his afternoon nap being disrupted, he was annoyed because he had finished off all the booze in his apartment, and he was dressed as an elf, complete with green leggings, pointed shoes with little silver bells on the ends, and a pair of fake ears that were slowly being assimilated into his skin.
It had all started with a shake and a pout...
A foot woke Zoro up from his nap, the young man groaning a bit as he opened his eyes to be met by the sight of his boyfriend pouting. Zoro was instantly on his guard as the sight of Sanji pouting usually meant something bad was going to happen, namely to him.
"Marimo-" but Zoro cut off Sanji's attempts at being cute with a stern glare.
"What do you want me to do?"
"Just help Usopp, Nami, and myself with some volunteer work."
Zoro sighed but nodded his head, untangling himself from the sheets and walked over to the kitchen, searching for beer.
"We drank it all last night, remember?" Sanji put in.
Zoro groaned and looked back at his boyfriend.
"What kind of work are we doing exactly?"
"Santa stuff," Sanji replied back.
"I'm not dressing up in that red suit, got it?"
Sanji nodded.
"You won't have to."
That made Zoro feel better.
"You'll be dressed up as an elf."
Zoro really needed beer after hearing that.
Usopp and Nami were an odd couple, at least in Zoro's estimation. Usopp, though he had buffed out in recent years, scared rather easily. He also possessed the oddest nose in creation. Usopp was an artist and had recently held an extravagant exhibit that drew him fame and fortune.
Nami, on the other hand, was the devil or at least a close confederate of his. Zoro was certain about that. The orange-haired young woman was a fitness instructor and Zoro owed all of his debt to her, the most recent case being Nami loaning Zoro some money to put a down payment on his apartment. He often wondered just what Usopp saw in her but he couldn't say that Nami was all bad. She was, after all, helping them with this volunteer work.
Zoro and Sanji met Usopp and Nami outside the orphanage they were volunteering at. Ohara Orphanage was it's name and it also happened to be the same orphanage that Usopp, Nami, and Sanji had grown up in. Nami and Sanji had gotten adopted but Usopp remained in the orphanage until he was eighteen.
Of course both Nami and Sanji remained friends with Usopp, often visiting him when they could, Nami even seeing him every day for several weeks. It came as no surprise when she announced to Sanji and his then brand new beau Zoro, that they were in a relationship.
Three years had passed since that event, Zoro thought as he was handed the costume for his role in the Santa business. Usopp would be Kris Kringle himself with Nami as Rudolph and Sanji and Zoro as the elf workers. Nico Robin, the current head of the orphanage, thanked all of them for their help before pointing out the dressing room where they could change.
Now Zoro was gazing at his reflection in the mirror and considering making Sanji sleep on the couch that night. The tights showed off more of his body than he would like, the bells jingled incessantly whenever he made the slightest movement with his feet, and the ears made him look ridiculous.
Sanji's reflection came up behind Zoro then and a moment later felt a pair of familiar arms wrap around his chest and a chin rest on his shoulder.
"Why so grumpy? Aren't elves supposed to be happy all the time?"
Zoro grunted in reply and turned around to get a good look at his boyfriend. The same outfit, the same bells, the same ears; the only difference being the color, Sanji dressed in all blue compared to Zoro's green.
"You look like an idiot," Zoro said plainly. But Sanji just laughed the jibe away and turned around to look at Usopp, currently struggling to put on the bottom half of his Santa suit.
"Nice ass Usopp!" Sanji crowed, causing the artist to swiftly turn around and blush.
If Zoro didn't know that Usopp was straight he would be jealous. Sanji and Usopp just seemed to have a connection that Zoro didn't share with the cook.
Meanwhile, in the ladies changing room, Nami observed her own reflection. A pair of fake antlers adorned her head, connected to a brown headband while a large red orb was on her nose. There was a round circle just beneath the head for Nami to put her face through. The rest of her outfit consisted of a brown bodysuit with a white furry belly and hoof-like gloves.
"Think of the kids," Nami said to herself, knowing that Usopp would get a kick out of seeing her in a childish costume like this.
As she left the changing room, she saw Usopp and Sanji with their arms around each other and laughing at some joke Sanji had just told. If Nami didn't know that Sanji was gay, she'd be jealous.
But the sight of Zoro in his outfit caused all other thoughts to leave her mind. Swiftly fishing a cellphone from some hidden space on her costume, she took a picture.
She had just returned her cellphone to the depths of her costume when she saw Zoro with a cellphone of his own, taking a picture of her. This caused Sanji and Usopp to turn around. Usopp chuckled a bit but a glare from Nami stopped him.
Usopp's own costume consisted of a black belt, red with white trim suit, and some padding to give him a more jolly appearance complete with a white beard.
"You've been eating too many cookies," Nami pointed out with a smirk.
"Well your nose is red," Usopp shot back.
They would have continued their friendly antagonism when Robin appeared, coughing a bit to interrupt the mock insults.
"The children are ready."
Nodding their understanding, Santa, Rudolph, and the two elves followed after Robin.
The volunteer work had gone brilliantly, the kids loving Usopp's Santa laugh, squeezing Nami's red nose, and getting to tell Santa just what they wanted for Christmas.
Sanji took to the work with gusto, impressing the kids with his acrobatics as he twisted and flipped here and there for their amusement.
Most of the kids avoided Zoro at first but eventually they worked up the courage to engage with him and soon enough the green elf was enjoying himself.
As the day drew to a close and all of the children had had a chance to tell Santa what they wanted, Robin bid the four workers goodbye after they had changed out of their costumes and back into their regular clothes.
Parting ways, the two couples went in opposite directions.
Nami wrapped her arms around Usopp's middle and pressed her body into his back before whispering into his ear.
"Can I tell you what I want for Christmas?"
"Of course."
Nami whispered in his ear then and Usopp blushed.
"I think that can be arranged."
"What do you want?" she asked her boyfriend.
"Two things," Usopp replied, his dark eyes gleaming.
"What?"
He turned around then, facing her, and smiled that same half goofy, half sad smile Nami had first seen and fallen for years ago.
"You and forever," he finally said, showing her the ring and dropping to one knee.
If Zoro had been there he would have captured Nami's stupefied expression to use as more leverage but that expression swiftly changed and soon enough Nami was hugging Usopp tight, whispering affirmation again and again into his ears.
Zoro was once again surrounded by white sheets, cigarette smoke lingering in the air from Sanji's exhaled breath. Both were naked and spent after Sanji rewarded Zoro for putting up with the costume.
Zoro moved his feet and the tiny bells at the end of his shoes rang out.
Maybe, just maybe, this year's Christmas wouldn't be so bad after all, Zoro thought, before turning to Sanji and enjoying the taste of the cook on his tongue once more.