Disclaimer: One Piece (and its characters) belongs to Eiichiro Oda-sensei.
Reminder: I have no beta-reader. Any grammatical and spelling errors are solely mine.
Warning: OOC possible. One shot scribble.
Rating: M (Blatantly Suggestive)
Note: I'm totally into Usopp plus awkward situations and realizations.
Summary: Everything suddenly clicked into place. The reason why he kept running into the swordsman in the bath house.
Points of No Return
4: Bath Bomb
It was Usopp who first noticed the change in the swordsman's routine.
With a hand poised to turn the bath house's doorknob, the sniper jolted in surprise when the door suddenly opened.
"Uhm, Zoro?"
"Yeah?"
"Why are you here?"
Said man fixed him with a stare that made his blood run cold. "What do you mean why am I here?"
"Uh… this isn't your usual bath schedule… right?"
Zoro frowned as he stopped drying his hair, draping his towel around his neck.
And Usopp continued staring at him, waiting for an explanation of sorts. There are times when curiosity gets the better of the cat… even if the cat gets killed.
The green-haired lad muttered an annoyed 'tsk' before answering, "It's kinda hot tonight."
Usopp nodded. Well… they were anchored in the coast of a summer island after all.
"All yours," Zoro tilted his head towards the bathroom before walking away leaving Usopp staring at him quizzically.
Three days after that encounter he ran into Zoro again.
Usopp frowned. Didn't he bump into the swordsman just a few days ago?
"Uhm, Zoro?"
"Huh?"
The sniper raised an eyebrow at him. "You are here again?"
Zoro frowned at that. "What? I can't use the bath now?"
Usopp cringed at his tone. "That's not what I meant!" He waved both of his hands apologetically. "But this isn't…"
The tall lad fixed him with a glare.
And Usopp got the underlying message immediately. "Right. Do carry on," he said with a weak laugh, scratching his head. He stepped aside to let the swordsman pass, before Zoro gets in an irritable mood.
Enies Lobby is still fresh in his mind even after two years.
Besides, who cares about the crew's bathing schedule anyway?
Except that it is really bothering him.
He knows Zoro couldn't care less if he were downright sweaty or dirty. The crew already came to terms with his ridiculous once a week bath schedule along with Luffy and Brook.
But Brook's a freaking skeleton for Kami's sake!
This shouldn't be troubling him too much. Zoro decided to live his life a bit cleaner than before. That should be good and hooray for that.
But something in it is really off.
Zoro has a pretty predictable routine. And this new habit of his just doesn't fit his daily life.
Usopp's sharp eyes followed the swordsman as he entered the galley to get a glass of water. Looks like he just finished working out, given the sweat glistening on his body and the fact that he is walking around Sanji's turf half-naked.
Looks like there is a chance of running into him in the bath again. From what he surmised Zoro now has a similar bathing schedule to the three cleanest persons on the ship.
Usopp casually flicked a glance at Chopper and Nami who seemed to be fighting about something.
"Nami! It can be an insect bite! Remember Kestia?"
"Stop fretting Chopper. It's nothing!"
"Cannot! Let me see that!"
A groan came from Nami. "It will eventually disappear just like the other ones before."
"You've been consistently getting them," Franky interjected. "Maybe there IS an insect in the girls' room?"
Chopper frowned. "But Robin doesn't have any. Just Nami."
"Maybe the insect only likes biting Nami?" Robin commented cheekily.
Nami frowned at her.
"Maybe she just need to clean their room," Zoro drawled. "Change the sheets or something?"
The navigator stared daggers at him. "I don't wanna hear that coming from you Zoro!"
"Hey maybe we need to do a cleanup?" Franky suggested. "That way we can check what's causing it?"
Everyone except Robin groaned. Nobody likes cleanups it can be a real pain in the ass.
"That's not necessary," Nami retorted. "Whatever it is I'm sure it will eventually stop biting me."
Usopp noted how she threw Zoro a scathing look, while the swordsman merely raised an eyebrow at her.
"Hmm, I doubt that." Robin murmured, not taking her eyes off her book.
"I told you to stop it!"
Usopp froze midway to his branch office. That was Nami and her voice came from the library.
He crept closer to check. Everyone was supposed to be sleeping except him, the night watchman.
"They are noticing it already Zoro!"
Huh? Zoro?
"Maybe if you stop wearing revealing tops, they wouldn't."
"Maybe if you stop with the bite marks, they wouldn't!"
"Oh? I thought you like it when I do that?"
"Mmm… I do. Just not where everyone can see."
"I think I can find secret places to put 'em."
Usopp's stood in front of the library door, brain racing a mile per minute.
Maybe the insect only likes biting her. Robin's voice echoed inside his head.
There was a moan and a low grunt and the unmistakable sound of bodies dropping down the library's bench or floor… probably.
Everything suddenly clicked into place. The reason why he kept running into the swordsman in the bath house.
And just like that Usopp high-tailed it out of there before he hears and sees more than he should.
The next time he ran into Zoro again. He did not say a word.
He merely nodded in acknowledgement and that earned him a frown from the tall lad.
"Problem Usopp?"
Usopp raised his hands in mock-surrender. "N-n-none," his eyes darted back and forth nervously.
Zoro studied him for a few seconds. "Weather's too hot," he mumbled suddenly, walking past the sniper.
Weather's too hot. Usopp thought. Huh.
"All yours," Zoro nodded towards the bath house.
And before Usopp can stop his big, stupid mouth he blurted out…
"Guess no baths no sex huh?"
- The End –
R and R please.
