No Hesitation
New Years Eve at Navy Headquarters is better spent with those you love.
Marineford positively glittered under the stars. A rare cold clear winter night. Smoker leaned against the railing of the crows nest. He was the only one on board his ship. The harbor, or at least this part of it, was quiet, only the sounds of the waves gently lapping at the docks, and the low creaking of the wood met his ears.
A rarity. Though come midnight, the tranquility would be shattered by a cacophony of noise as New Years fireworks erupted across the island. He took a pull on his cigar, relishing the warmth as it rushed down his throat. An easy sigh escaped his throat. Despite the blissful quiet of his current solitude, there was something a little melancholy about being alone on New Years.
Last year, he'd spent it in Loguetown with Tashigi in her apartment, the year before that he'd spent it with Hina at some club in the West Blue, the alcohol so strong that he barely recalled the night. The two of them were out tonight bar hopping together across the island, as it was Tashigi's first holiday at headquarters. His lips quirked up at the corners and Smoker shook his head slightly. He'd never understand bar hopping, too much extra effort just to get drunk.
However, it had been years since he'd spent New Years Eve at Marineford. He gazed out at the dark ocean, the memory swimming to the surface. The smell of cigars and booze, live music playing against the backdrop of the voices of hundreds of patrons. But all of that was ephemeral, the whole of his attention focused on the man he'd been with. His warm smile, dark eyes gazing at him with something that even now, years later, made him feel like electricity raced across his skin.
Smoker shook his head, pushing the thought away, an old pang of regret thrumming through him. He breathed out a plume of smoke, watching it rise into the night sky. At that moment, a strange noise met his ears and he furrowed his eyebrows. A soft clicking, barely able to be heard above the waves. He peered out into the darkness. The sound was familiar, tugging at his memory. It almost sounded like a bicycle.
Wait.
Out of the darkness, under the warm glow of the lamp light appeared a figure. A figure Smoker knew well. His heart started pumping a little faster. He watched the odd sight with surprise as a man on a bicycle rode the waves and came to a stop at the prow of Smoker's ship. Ice spread out in a small circular platform as he disembarked and put down the kickstand before he leaped up onto Smoker's ship in one fluid graceful movement.
Smoker stared down at the deck, his amber eyes meeting nearly black, a warm familiar smile on his visitor's face. Smoker's mouth went dry. "It's been a while, Smoker," came Kuzan's light baritone. He was wearing simple jeans and a long gray coat, a white undershirt reflecting glowing in the lamplight. Civilian clothes, Kuzan was here off duty. "Aren't you supposed to be in the South Blue?" Smoker called down.
"New Years Eve is more fun here," Kuzan shrugged, grin never faltering. Smoker quirked an eyebrow down at him. "So what brings you to my ship?" he asked. "Need someone to help me finish this whiskey," he pulled a bottle out of his coat and shook it slightly. Kuzan had been looking for him. A warmth settled between Smoker's shoulder blades and he had to look away for a moment.
Kuzan looked down at his wrist, the metallic gleam of his watch making Smoker raise his eyebrows incredulously. He'd gotten Kuzan that watch years ago in the hopes that it would help him be less late for meetings. He'd never seen the idiot wear it, well, until now.
"Got a few minutes before the fireworks start, and I know the best place to watch," he looked back up at Smoker smiling hopefully. Smoker eyed him for a moment, suddenly transported back in time. Kuzan gazing at him as the clock counted down to zero, the world around them rushing in his ears, those dark eyes beckoning him to lean closer.
He swallowed and took a deep breath, the present, a second chance making itself known. He nodded, shifted to smoke and reappeared on the deck next to the taller man. Kuzan beamed at him and motioned for Smoker to follow him off the ship.
Kuzan leaped gracefully down and back onto his ice, throwing one long leg over his bicycle. Smoker alighted down next to him as Kuzan patted the back of his bike. "Hop on," he gestured at the rear rack. Smoker stared at him, glad he was facing away from the light as warmth rose up in his cheeks. He pulled out another cigar and lit it as he sat down, crossing his arms.
Kuzan glanced at him over his shoulder quickly, then extended his powers out, forming a narrow line of ice and kicked off, heading farther out into the harbor. The full moon glowed brightly, making the ice shimmer, the reflection bouncing off the waves. Smoker leaned forward slightly, the breeze ruffling his hair. He was close enough to reach out and feel Kuzan's warmth, nearly breathe him in.
Nervousness pulled at him, a feeling he hadn't felt in a long time. The same feeling that had stopped him years ago. He looked back towards Marineford, the lights getting smaller as Kuzan peddled them farther out. There had been so many people, so many people looking at them, looking at Kuzan, the new Admiral. Too many people. Too much noise.
"This should do it," came Kuzan's voice softly as he came to a halt, ice blooming outward to make a decent sized platform. Smoker hopped off the back, his boots crunching the ice underfoot. Kuzan put down the kickstand and walked closer to the edge of the ice, looking towards headquarters, a gleaming jewel on the sea.
Smoker stepped forward to join him, staring transfixed by the sight before him. The stars reflected at their feet, the ocean a near perfect mirror with only the sound of the waves and wind playing gently off one another. Movement out of the corner of his eye made him turn towards Kuzan who was pulling out the bottle of whiskey.
He opened it with a pop and brought it to his lips, taking a long drink before holding it out to Smoker. He reached out and took it, their fingers brushing. His heart beat a little louder in his ears as he brought it to his own lips. It burned, but in a good way and he felt a pleasant warmth start in the pit of his stomach. He passed it back, their fingers brushing again.
They settled down next to one another, the ice cool against his gloved palms. Not that it bothered him much, thanks to his powers. "It's a bit different from the last time we spent New Years together, huh?" Kuzan said quietly. Smoker swallowed. "A lack of people and shitty alcohol for one thing," he rumbled. Kuzan snorted and looked over at him, "As they say, quality over quantity." Their eyes met, a spark racing down Smoker's spine.
He looked away, heart suddenly pounding, and Kuzan looked at his watch. "Just about time…" he trailed off and tapped the watchface. Smoker glanced over, watching the seconds hand countdown to midnight. Their knees were touching, shoulders nearly so, Kuzan was slowly turning to look at him-
A boom echoed out across the water, and they both looked towards the shore. A barrage of sound began echoing out in time with vibrant shocks of color, the fireworks reflecting off the ocean like small suns. All across the harbor, vivid purple, glimmering blue, dramatic orange, shimmering white exploding into the heavens above.
"Happy New Years, Smoker," Kuzan gazed at him, the look in his eyes the same as it was years prior. But this time, there was no roar of the crowd, no reporters, no prying eyes. Nothing but the two of them.
This time, Smoker didn't hesitate as he leaned forward and pressed his lips against his.
Notes:
And with this, I have achieved my goal of writing 40 fics in a year. I think my brain has melted. Anyway, I love KuzaSmo and have them on my mind. I wanted to write something warm and fluffy and a bit romantic because the whole world is a scary hellscape. Happy holidays folks, let's hope 2021 is a bit better.
As always, thank you for reading and you can find me on twitter at buggyisbest
Let me know your thoughts!