Swords and Promises 9
Sorry everyone. Life got in the way.
I hope, in my heart, that the waiting was worth it. Lots of action in store; action (in the form of parkour) and *ahem* action (the romantic kind?)! Read to find out!
One Piece is not mine.
-0-
Stumbling through the darkness, hand in hand, a certain intrepid pair was making their way through the rain. Crossing a rocky path spread before them, they maneuvered through the dark eddies of murky water flowing through it. Droplets of rain continued to beat down mercilessly on them, like silver daggers on their skin. The smell of damp soil and water seemed oppressive, surrounding them like the mist on their bodies, that lingered until they were chilled to the bone.
"Almost there," the girl whispered to her companion. "We'll take the tunnel again so we won't be seen."
"People can't leave the palace at this time of night?" the man asked her.
"You can, but I can't," the princess sighed. "It's illegal for me to even be seen with you at this time of night, I mean…" She blushed at the thought. The things they were doing…
The impressive walls of the Outer Palace emerged in front of them. The rain had thankfully thinned to a slight drizzle.
She put a hand out to push the wall, but there was a faint noise that he heard.
Someone was coming.
In a split second, Zoro's lightning-fast reflexes pulled Tashigi away from the wall and crushed her into the shadows of a nearby tree, to muffle her indignant shout.
A patrol of six fully armored soldiers marched dangerously close by them, as they pushed against the tree, chest-to-chest. Only a hair's breadth separated the two from the jutting armor plates. If they had moved even an inch they would be discovered.
Zoro pressed her closer into the tree, careful not to make any additional sound to alert of their presence. The heavy clanking continued, but their cover of darkness seemed to shield them from detection.
Their precious princess...
His hands were on her waist, and he suddenly noticed how very small she was in his big hands, so very delicate next to him. He quietly slid his arms around her, engulfing her whole. She seemed to fit perfectly, so very round and soft against him. Just moments ago, they were in the same position.
Just moments ago, he had kissed her.
And the memory of their kiss washed over him, in undulating waves of warmth, like liquid sunshine seeping into his bones.
She had kissed him back. Run her lips against his of her own choice.
As an answer.
Right now, those same lips were pressed on his neck. The tickle of her breath on his skin made his pulse quicken and his breath hitch in his throat, holding the promise of so much more. Temporarily, he forgot about the darkness, the rain, and the cramped position they were in to escape discovery.
He had her now.
He wouldn't have believed it, no one would have believed it, after all the years of fighting alone, and fending for himself, then finding his nakama finally, that he would meet someone like her; someone who talked, and looked, and acted like her, like a wholly destined fate. And he didn't believe in God, in a higher being, but it seemed like an unseen hand had its funny way with him. He didn't know if he should thank whatever force was to blame, but certainly, in his heart-of-hearts, there was a gratefulness he couldn't explain.
To have her say such things, like she believed in him, right when no one had to hear but him, no one to prove it to, left him bare, red, raw, stripped of pretense, no more hiding behind the guise he had been forging over the years. And in time he finally realized that she was someone who understood completely, the pain of loss, of promise, the bittersweet regret of holding a sword. And he realized it, too, in some strange awakening, that he may very well be looking at the other half of his being, so very like him in every aspect, in the shared sadness that remained when you look past the eyes.
And yet, very soon, he had to leave her. What was he really to her, anyway? Why was he starting to miss her, even when she was right there beside him? What was this feeling of gaping need, of physical pain from the dread of being apart from her, of finding himself needing to see her, to console himself with her simple presence…Please, not yet. I don't want to go back yet.
But right now, right now, she was in his arms. Nothing else seemed to matter.
To hell with the night patrol. To hell with protocol. Let them see. He would get to kiss her yet again tonight. She had chosen him after all, laying all his fears to rest. She had chosen to be here with him.
He turned his head slightly, nuzzling her hair. It was amazing how she still smelled so good even after getting soaked by the rain. He would have her right here, right now.
"Zoro."
"Zoro, they're gone."
He blinked, as if trying to recover from a dream, and he withdrew his hold on her. The danger they were in only served to heighten the excitement, and he almost lost his hold on reality. Lost control.
"I forgot about the patrol schedule. They changed it up since," she said, irritatedly rubbing at her eyes. "Damn it, I can't believe I was so careless."
"How does it go?"
"Well, since it goes through this place, I can guess that it'll include the 4 walls of the Daidairi, as well as the inner courtyards."
"Inner courtyards? So does that pass by the courtyard next to my room?" he asked.
"Yes, on the west side of your guest quarters." Across the hall from his room was one of the inner gardens, well-manicured, green, and with enough space to house the standard number of patrol guards.
He stomped his right foot on the side of the tree. His rubber-soled jika-tabi made forceful contact on the slick bark.
"Zoro, I…I can't be seen outside the walls, especially at this time," she whispered, terrified. "Otou-san would freak, and you'll be lucky to see me out of my room for the rest of the days here. He'll keep me guarded like…like the last time…"
"I'll make sure that you won't," he told her, continuing to stomp his foot on the Katsura tree. Some of the tree's heart-shaped leaves were violently shaken off. "I have an idea."
"What? Zoro, be serious, please. And why are you stomping on the tree?"
"Just stand back a bit," he said, then walked a short distance away.
"What are you going to—"
But Zoro had taken a running start, pushed off the side of the tree with one foot, propelling himself upwards into the wall. He grabbed the edge of the wall effortlessly and hoisted himself up onto the top.
"We'll approach from the roof," he called out to her.
"What? I can't run on roofs! I can't even get up there!" she said, in a panic, trying to keep her voice down as much as possible.
"Here," he said, hooking his legs onto the ledge, then hanging off upside down to reach out to her.
"What am I supposed to do?" she asked the upside-down Zoro.
"I'll bring you up."
"A-are you nuts?" But just as she said that, a rustle of activity indicated the return of the patrol. She approached him and asked "Ok, what do I do—"
She had to muffle a gasp as he grabbed her by the waist, then doing a mighty crunch, hoisted her to the top of the wall, where she could scramble to safety.
Panting, she lay herself flat down on her back as Zoro rushed to do the same. The guards marched close by them, clanking, without seeing them lying side by side on the top surface of the thick wall.
They held their breath for a long moment.
Another close call.
"Ok, we're clear," Zoro said, after the clanking had receded. He rolled onto his stomach and peered down to ensure that he was right. "Let's go."
"Let's go? Go where?" Tashigi whispered to him, as she tentatively sat up.
"We'll have to run on the roof towards my room," Zoro patiently explained. "It's close to an open courtyard, so we can jump to the courtyard from above, when the guards aren't looking. Your room is too heavily barricaded to reach."
She looked at him incredulously. "Zoro, we can't…I can't…you know I can't run on a roof…" She shook her head, playing in her mind the possibility, no, the absolute certainty of her tripping and falling to the ground several stories below.
"This ok with you?" he asked, as he took her by surprise and scooped her close to him and picked her up bridal-style. Her face came into contact with his strong chest.
"H-huh? I..." she replied, rather flustered. "Y-yes." But she could feel her cheeks burning.
"Good. Now tell me where to go."
They turned their heads, facing the massive palace complex from the east wall. "The patrol that passed will be synchronized with the inner patrol, so I'm guessing that they will be at the south end at this time. If we approach from the east area, they'll be at the west walls and out of our way by the time we get to the Inner Palace." Tashigi pointed to the cluster of buildings near the center of the complex, with the white Shishinden in the middle. "That's where we're headed."
"Ok, so I run this way—" He took a step to the right.
"No, straight ahead! Honestly," she said, reaching out her arms to entwine around his neck.
"Ok, ok," he said, holding her close to him as he stood up. "Just keep me in check."
He tested the grip of his feet on the wet tile. It was wet, but not too wet. The hold would just be fine.
Crouching down lightly, he set out on a dead run. Amazingly enough, he chose the straightest route towards the Dairi, and it involved some thankfully long, and yet unconnected tile-roof buildings.
"Zoro, how are you going to get to the next building—" Tashigi uttered panickedly, as they approached the edge of the building they were on. But Zoro had taken a clean leap off the edge, and made contact with the next one effortlessly. He resumed his sprint at breakneck speed.
"You said go straight, right?" he said to her, while running.
"Yeah," she said. Not the best route definitely, but no use arguing with the man. At least he knows where he's going.
They set a maddening pace over the rooftops, his long strides clearing greater and greater distances with each bound.
And then, at the worst possible moment, as they were in midair, there was a prickly sense of danger. Sharp, pointed danger.
In the tiny millisecond that he turned his head, Zoro's peripheral vision caught sight of the shiny thing that hurtled towards them.
Still in midair, he took one hand off Tashigi and aimed a blow at it. In that tiny moment, his palm connected with smooth wood and sharp metal, deflecting its path. The disturbed arrow whirled away until it disappeared into the darkness.
"Shit!"
At that instant, his foot connected with the next roof, yet not quite at the angle he was expecting. He skidded down several feet, dislodging roof tiles in the process, before finally regaining his footing.
A hiding place, he frantically thought. We need to get out of sight, fast!
His eyes searched wildly around. Two slender buildings to his right suddenly appeared. In the middle of these two was a narrow sort of alleyway shielded from outside view.
There!
He cut off abruptly from his path, ducking deftly down to tuck into the dark alley as quickly as he can.
It was only then that he could breathe again. For several moments, only the sound of the pirate's heavy breathing could be heard. He finally turned his eyes to his precious cargo.
"Are you ok?" he asked, in between breaths.
Her brown eyes were wide in shock.. "Zoro, what…was…"
"An arrow," he said, very carefully releasing his hold and setting her down on the ledge next to him, making sure she had a foothold. "Someone was firing at us."
Her eyes took on a look of concern. "The 2nd division," she said. "They're the only ones permitted to use arrows. Besides that, they're scouters. They'll be trailing us now that we've been spotted."
"They probably haven't taken a good look at us," Zoro said, raising his right palm to his face, squinting at it in the darkness. "That's our advantage. They know there's an intruder, but not exactly who it is."
"Let me see that," she told him, taking his outstretched palm. There was a cut there, bleeding, yet shallow. Her gentle hands applied a bit of pressure to the wound, and the bleeding promptly stopped.
"It's nothing, r-really," he stammered, unsure about the sudden rush of blood to his face.
She bent her head down, and before he knew it, she had pressed a soft kiss on his fingers. "I'm sorry."
Now, Zoro was far too old to believe in magic cures, in kisses that made all the pain go away, in soft voices that eased the suffering. And yet, now, the pain had faded into nothingness, and Zoro could not control the little-boy grin that split his face, so very foolishly pleased with himself and idiotically grinning, and yet loving every minute of it.
He could only shake his head, still smiling, unable to form coherent thought.
"So where do we go now?" Her voice cut through his momentary daze.
Clearing his throat (and most of his mind), Zoro stared up the twin columns that housed them. This was not the time to be acting like a lovesick puppy (if he was indeed that, most definitely NOT!) or God forbid, like the ero-cook at his full ero worst. First priority was to get them into safety, right away. "We'll have to stick close to the shadows, close to the walls. We can't afford to be seen out in the open again."
In truth, the distance was not a problem. Zoro could do a few quick bounds to carry them to their destination. But the presence of the sentries complicated all matters. Added to that are the projectile weapons. He wasn't about to risk it.
"What we need now is a vantage point, where we can plot our next move."
"These columns are water towers," Tashigi said, pointing upwards. "There is a pipe that connects them to the next lower building. It's about 50 feet across."
"Good. We'll use that to our advantage," he said, stretching his arms to press his palms against the walls of the dark corridor they were in. Perfect, he thought. The distance between the walls was a little less than his arm span. The walls were also quite dry despite the rain, having been shielded by the overhang. "I'm going to need my hands," he told her. " So climb on my back and hold on." He stooped down a bit and proffered his back to her.
"Wha—where are we going?" the princess asked him, confused. She complied anyway, hooking two arms around his shoulders, her legs around his waist.
Zoro straightened up, forcefully put two arms on the walls. "Up," he answered.
Bracing himself, he pumped out an enormous amount of power through his arms, pushing them upwards. His rubber-soled feet then pressed against the walls. He was now spread-eagled in between the two walls, relying only on the strength of his limbs and whatever friction was there to keep from slipping down.
He repeated the process, pushing off with his arms, and then his legs, driving them upwards in a kind of spider-walk to the top. Tashigi dared not look down, or think of what would happen if he suddenly lost his grip on the dry walls. But she was amazed at the speed he employed and the immense strength to actually bring the weight of two people to that height. Zoro never slowed, and very soon they were at the very top. With a strong kick, he launched himself at the overhanging roof and grabbed it. He muscled up the ledge easily, bringing them both finally on top of the roof.
Tashigi blinked. They were now on top of the tallest point in this area of the Daidairi. She released the breath she didn't know she was holding. The massive expanse of the palace grounds spread across her eyes in a daunting, impressive aerial view.
Zoro crouched down low again, intent on keeping unseen. They made their way to the other side of the sloping roof, with her still clinging to his back. True enough, a thick pipe ran the length between the water silo they were currently on top of and the next building, held in place by a skeletal metal rail.
But beneath the pipe was a seventy-foot drop.
"What now?" she asked him, her voice muffled slightly by the back of his robes.
He glanced back at her, slightly. "You ok back there?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"Because we're taking the pipe."
Whatever protest she had was drowned out when he took a flying leap off the roof, one arm snaking backwards to clamp her waist to him, the other catching the closest jutting rail. Now, they found themselves hanging by an arm underneath the massive pipe.
Tashigi was very thankful she was not afraid of heights, because right now, any person with such a fear would have fainted straight away at this situation. She tried to focus her sight ahead, and not at the long, deadly drop to death beneath their dangling feet.
Once he was assured that she was holding him securely, Zoro swung forward and brought up his other hand to grab the next metal rail. He kept a steady pace, swinging effortlessly from one rail to the next, as if he were only inches from the ground, and not at a dizzying height. Tashigi marveled at the sheer arm strength that supported their entire weight. The army training exercises were nothing compared to this! There was no fear of sudden death!
At the end of the pipe, he hung one-armed once again, steadying her with his other hand. With a forceful grunt, he pulled up powerfully on the rail. She would have rubbed her eyes if she could, because she could have sworn his arm muscles enlarged to monstrous proportions. That single pull-up was enough to get them airborne, and Zoro even did a flip to land squarely on his feet atop the adjacent building, looking as though he had not even broken a sweat.
Her eyes had barely even blinked before she was on her feet again atop that building.
He had picked her up straight away, crushing her again to his chest, as he drew them into the safety of the shadowy wall. Without missing a beat, he resumed his run, protected by the darkness.
"Straight ahead, Zoro," she commanded him, and he nodded his head in assent.
They took a zigzagging path, always in the shadows, avoiding the brighter open areas now lit by the moonlight. They stuck close to the walls, preferring flatter ones to stick close to. There were some impossible drops and long obstacles in their way, but Zoro would just kick off from whatever was blocking their path and land on the next structure in their way. There were some narrow climbs she never thought they would get out off, but he never slowed, even once.
She strained to see, through the thick air that whipped across her face at this incredulous speed. There, up ahead, was a familiar building.
"There!" she shouted, just in time to make him realize it. "That's it! That's your hallway!"
The welcoming lights of the Dairi became visible, and just beyond a single stretch of wall of the connecting building was the courtyard outside Zoro's room: their target!
"Hold on—" he began, but he had already jumped onto the vertical wall and was running to their destination without serious warning. It was not until she noticed that her world had turned sideways that she realized that he was running on the wall—on a wall!—which forced her to scrunch her eyes, praying, holding on for dear life.
Just a few feet away from reaching the next building, three successive arrows sank into the stone wall, the last almost piercing Zoro's booted feet.
They had been spotted again!
Angry shouts rang through the night, an alert being sounded. At the top of that final building, they could hear marching feet closing in on them. Any moment now, and the soldiers would be upon them.
Zoro looked left and right, in a frenzy, searching for a way out. But the courtyard they were aiming for was now bright with the light from the hallway below. Dropping to the ground and crossing the grass was suicide, they would be spotted right away. End of story.
The shouts sounded closer now, the patrol was now ascending the building. They knew that they were there. A little more and…
But there was an overhanging wooden ledge framing the hallway. Just what I need! he thought.
"This is it!" he told her. "No way out! We have to jump it!"
"WHAT!? It's too far!" she sputtered, being released to step onto the ground. "Maybe we can…maybe…"
"No time for that now! We have to jump!"
"No! W-we can't! We'll die!" she said, turning a sickening shade of green.
"I can do it!"
"No! Please!" she begged him. "No, Zoro, no, no, no…"
"Do you trust me?" he asked, softly.
She could hear her heartbeat pounding in her ears, everything acutely sharpened. She looked at his eyes. Oh, those eyes, those eyes; they never lie. His honest eyes. They promised that she would be safe. She could go to the ends of the earth and she would be safe, as long as she was with him.
I will always be safe when you are with me, she thought.
"Yes, I trust you," she answered him, with all sincerity.
He gave a nod, a short smile, and then, "Hang on tight."
She clung on tightly, arms clasped over his strong shoulders, legs crossed against his stomach, as he started his sprint on the diagonal roof. At the edge, he launched himself into a giant leap into the darkness.
The wind whistled through her ears, as Tashigi felt the pull of gravity on them, as they hurtled weightlessly through the air. She thought she would feel fear, but she had put her life in his hands right now, and she believed that no one else could get her across safely.
They both felt the immense jolt of the resulting impact, as Zoro grabbed the ledge. Tashigi still clung on tightly with all her might, with as much strength as she could muster. She was determined to stick to Zoro until her arms came off.
Just at that moment, the guards barged onto the roof, but found nothing there.
Zoro dropped to the floor and entered the hallway. The guards scurrying away failed to notice his hunched figure tucking away into a guest room, as noiselessly as he could.
His room was lit by a sole fire lamp, burning despondently in a corner. The moonlight streamed in, with silvery fingers stretched on the matted floor.
Tashigi was still stuck on his back, eyes still closed. He only released his hold on her when the shoji doors finally slid shut, and only the silence of the room greeted them.
For a time, only his wheezing breath resonated in the room.
"Tashigi, it's ok, we're here," he said, lowering down to the floor so her feet could touch the ground. It took a few minutes before she relaxed her hold and let herself slide onto the floor. Her knees buckled under her; her form slumping onto the ground. Several moments passed before she could finally speak again.
"Zoro...that was...that was..." she began, shakily. He sat next to her, on the floor, resting his head onto the wall behind them.
"HOLY FUCKING SHIT!!!"
The impact of such a string of expletives from her made even this pirate's jaw drop, unaware that she was at all capable of using such crude language.
"Oh my God…oh my God!" she cried, as softly as she could muster. "That was…I can't believe we pulled it off!" And she broke into a fit of giggles. "That was the craziest thing I've ever done, I could have DIED, and yet, it was…"
"INCREDIBLY FUN!" she exclaimed, with a maniacal grin and twinkling eyes.
Now that made Zoro laugh. Who knew she could be like this? It surprised him, but he found it oddly endearing.
"Crazy, yet fun!," she continued. "That jump was amazing, Zoro. You are amazing."
His eyes crinkled at the corners. "Not bad, huh? For a 'stinkin' pirate'?"
And they both shared a laugh between them, all the tension they were feeling being released from them finally. They were laughing until tears threatened to squeeze out of their eyes.
"Do you do things like this everyday? Crazy things?" she asked, still laughing, turning to face him.
"Well," he started, smugly, scratching his chin. "Not everyday, I mean, there's stuff to do around the boat and the occasional brush with death, but generally, yes."
She looked at him then. It seemed strange to her, right that instant, that a wanted criminal was on the floor next to her. A wanted criminal, and yet he was the man who had just risked life and limb to get her to safety. The man capable of such staggering feats of strength and agility, of power she could only dream of. The man she had been chasing after for so long.
And yet, he was laughing next to her, on his spot on that rapidly dampening wooden floor.
A shaft of longing shot straight through her, so sweet, it stilled her pulse momentarily.
"Y-your nakama, they're very lucky," she said, suddenly, her words coming out in a tumble from her lips.
"Huh?"
"They get to see you like this, everyday," she said, flushing. "Ah, I mean, like when you're not so serious, when you smile—"
What was she saying? This was totally embarrassing. Her heart was racing in her chest, a mile a minute.
She swallowed. "Like when you smile around me…"
Indeed, during the times they were alone, his smile was not so much of arrogance like she had used to view it, but it was a smile that lit up his face and smoothed the lines from his brow. He always looked so happy around her.
And just like that, he flashed that grin at her, turning her insides into mush again.
Zoro…
Would it be okay?
Just this once.
If...if she could admit what she really felt about him.
Her hands fisted tightly in her lap. The twisted cloth of her yukata felt like tearing between her fingers.
Is it okay? To admit that she actually liked him being there, to rely on, to depend on.
And to not have to act like the strong one, all the time.
Just this once…
But what would she tell him? There was nothing poetic or profound in her mind now, just some random musings, the spoutings of some ridiculous girl, definitely…and what was she to him really, anyway?
And yet…
"I should get going. Let you freshen up before you go back to your room." His voice halted her train of thought. "They'll be looking for you soon."
She blinked, and all her proclamations evaporated.
"R-right," she said, although regret was painted on her face.
He paused for a while, mouth opening and closing several times, and for a moment, it seemed like he was stalling, as if getting ready to tell her something. But he finally decided against it and she watched helplessly as he stood up and slowly made his way to the door, shaking off some water at the shoulders from his gi.
I…I don't want him to go yet, her mind dimly protested.
There was a lump of sadness that lingered in the pit of her stomach. She felt like crying. She couldn't help but feel like she had missed a chance to tell him, the chance for something, whatever it was.
Don't go.
She had missed it completely. The front of her robe was unrecognizably scrunched in countless wrinkles from her hesitation.
Turning to the clothes chest, she loosened her wet robe at the shoulders, in preparation to change it. She expected to hear the clatter of the shoji doors opening, finally letting him out.
And yet the clatter never came.
She felt a chill. She could feel eyes bore through the back of her head.
She turned her head, slowly. She gave a start when she saw him.
He was standing in the middle of the room, now facing her, with shoulders hunched and weary, eyes trained to the floorboards.
"I…" he choked out. "I…don't want to go yet."
And he looked up suddenly at her. His eyes were on hers in an instant, pleading with her, begging, soulful and dark against the silvery moonlight streaming into the room.
Her eyes widened, as a wave of understanding shook her body. Only moments ago, she thought she had let go of him, and the chance to tell him. And now, he was before her, saying the very words in her head in a heartfelt confession.
Her eyes conveyed the question she was desperately wanted to ask him: So…you felt it too?
In a few strides, he had managed to cross the distance between them, and he pressed a hot mouth to her soft lips, as an answer. She felt his hunger, his craving for her as his tongue brushed roughly against hers, and she promptly forgot her innocence.
He moved to press heated kisses on her cheek, then she felt him trail his lips down her neck. Once at her shoulder, he darted a scorching tongue out to lick at her smooth skin, his tongue tracing fire in its wake.
"A-ah," was all she could muster, suddenly feeling dizzy with anticipation. The flutterings of desire swept through her, and she wound an arm around his neck, intoxicated, her traitorous body drawn in by his ministrations. His touched suddenly turned insistent, pressing her to him fully. His hands were relentless, moving down her waist, to the arch of her back, exploring her delicious curves over and over, and before she knew it, the thin sash that held her yukata in place had come undone in them.
"You really should..." he whispered into her ear, huskily. "take this off..." And his hands crept into her open yukata, peeling it off her body easily. She shivered as the cold air came into contact with her skin. Slowly, he held her at arm's distance to look at her.
His breath left him as he saw her standing before him. All she had underneath the yukata was a lacy white chemise that barely covered her hips. In her drenched state, it clung seductively to her every curve, like a second skin, leaving nothing to the imagination. Tashigi realized, with flaming cheeks, that she might as well be standing before him naked. It took all her courage to brave his close inspection. All the self-control in the world could not hide from him her physical reaction, her nipples rising and hardening visibly through the thin material as surely as if he had actually touched them. As if on cue, one of the thin gossamer straps fell off her shoulder, to tempt him.
"D-don't look," she said, embarrassed.
Crystal beads of rain glistened on her hair, dewdrops on her skin. Her rosy white complexion seemed to glow in the lamplight, lending an ethereal glow to her.
"No, you're..." he began, tongue all tied in knots. "You're..." His mouth went dry.
Her hands went over her body, trying to cover herself up from his eyes.
"You're…so goddamn…you're…just…"
Zoro was looking at her, with an almost animal-like hunger, his eyes roaming over her body, in an expression of unbridled desire.
"You're…" Zoro's voice faltered, unable to keep up. Yet, his eyes, as they met hers again, said what he wanted to say:
Beautiful.
It caught her completely off-guard. Her head flew up as she drew in a shaky breath. Her heart performed somersaults in her chest.
Does he...really think so?
She hung her head, but as she blushed in embarrassment, her lips quirked into a tiny smile.
"N-no, I'm not—"
Roronoa Zoro was like a man loosed. He kissed her then, so ferociously that she was bent over backwards as he probed the recesses of her velvety mouth. She clung to him desperately; vaguely aware of how his strong arms had picked her off the ground and carried her to his warm, dry futon, without breaking their kiss.
They broke apart as he laid her down gently onto the soft covers, each struggling to catch a bit of breath.
He propped himself up, an arm on either side of her head. He looked down at her, and she was startled at the way he was looking at her, with such gentle eyes, in a mix of intense yearning and tenderness.
Nobody has ever looked at me like that before, she thought, and tears sprung in her eyes from the implications.
She knew that, for all his rough and gruff exterior, that there was another side to him, very different from what other people saw. It was a side he had shown to her, in those private moments they had, alone, and away from the maddening eyes of the crowd. It was the side of him that loved to laugh, that smiled a lot, that kept his promises. It was the side of him that was capable of such kindness, a type of gentleness and a quiet strength.
It was also that side of him that was capable of doing the craziest, stupidest things. Now, he was smiling that wicked little smile of his, and she knew what she wanted.
All reason and sense left her.
She wanted him.
Tashigi reached up and slipped her hands underneath the neckline of his wet robes, pushing away at them. Zoro helped out, shrugging off his dark green gi and throwing it carelessly to the floor. Her eyes wandered shamelessly over his perfect chest as an answer, over his well-muscled body, her own breath catching in her throat. She ran a fingertip down the jagged scar on his chest, all the way to the hip, where she fingered the waistband of his hakama, her touch sensual and teasing, eliciting a shuddering sigh from him.
"Zoro," she said simply, smiling back up at him.
He took that as an invitation.
His lips came down, possessing hers again, and she welcomed the driving exploration of his deepening kiss. At once, she was enveloped in the sweet, summer taste of him, the hard pleasure of his body against hers.
He moved down, attacking the smooth expanse of her neck, marveling at the little noises she made at her throat. Moving down further, he paused at the top of her breasts, where the low neckline of her chemise stopped his assault. With a look at her, he dipped his head down, his intentions becoming devastatingly clear.
"N-no, Zoro…"
But the words went nowhere as he attacked the flimsy material, scraping it from her body with his teeth, thrusting the gentle swell of her naked breasts out to him.
Her heart began skipping ever more madly than before. She swallowed. She had never been so exposed to a man before.
His eyes roamed over her again, mouth going dry again as lust glazed over his eyes.
With deliberate slowness, he dragged his lips down her ivory throat, until they caught one rosy peak, his marvelous tongue swirling over it, his to do with as he pleased. She felt her flesh melting in that ruthless, hot mouth of his.
For all she knew, the world seemed to be spinning around her at a maddening pace.
Oh God, that feels so…good! she thought, as he moved to lave the other breast with his mouth.
She thought she would pass out from the pleasure he was giving her. Every lick and nibble at her skin brought her closer to ecstasy, and she was reduced into a heap of long sighs and whimpers. Her fingers wound into his thick hair. He was just too good, exploring her with his masterful mouth. She pressed his head closer until his teeth nipped at her flesh and then she urged his mouth back to hers, drowning in the sweet wine of his kiss.
"Ta-Tash…Tash…" he moaned her name in between every kiss. His breathing was now hot and ragged, as he attempted to take in everything he could of her. His calloused hands worked their way down her body, his rough palms tantalizing her taut breasts, thumbs flicking over her stiff nipples.
She tried to kiss every part of him she could reach. Her eyes closed of their own accord, her body giving into the sheer bliss of that moment. "Z-Zoro, mmm…aah, don't stop…"
But in the dark beneath her lids, an evil voice came lurking, wanting, straining, to be heard.
Don't worry, I wouldn't get carried away by the likes of you.
The blood in her veins turned to ice.
She could feel him already, hard against her thigh. She knew where this would lead to.
Do we have a deal then?
Her eyes flew open.
"Wait—" she began. But his hands were insistent, stroking her long legs, tugging the chemise ever higher…
"Zoro!"
It took all her strength to push him off.
That stopped him.
The anguish in that voice.
He looked at her, forcing his body into stillness.
"W-what…what are we doing?" she whispered harshly.
He looked at her, and her saw her, this time.
The enemy.
His eyes, they widened in realization.
Deal.
He stood up suddenly, strode across the room and exited through the doors, sliding them shut after him.
"Wait! Zoro, I—" she called out after him, the panic in her voice rising. What have I done?
She hurriedly covered herself up again, and ran over to the closed doors. She saw that he hadn't left. His shadow was visible through the translucent paper panels, leaning against the doorframe.
Her hand reached out to open the doors, but she could not for the life of her bring herself to go to him.
His voice was the one that reached out to her, instead. "I'm sorry," he whispered sadly, through the door.
"No, it's my fault," she told him, her tears pouring out, the guilt invading her being. Who was the one who concocted this entire scheme? Who was the one who fell into her own trap? Who was the one that led him on? Who was the one that wanted to tell him what she really felt, that she…that he was…
"Everything is my fault! I'm so sorry!" she sobbed into the wall. "Please, come back."
But now, his shadow was gone.
-0-
Thanks again for waiting! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Please review! Thank you!
Culture Notes:
Katsura tree – (Cercidiphyllum japonicum) one of the largest hardwoods in Asia, growing 40-45 meters in height, with a rough, furrowed bark and cordate (heart-shaped) leaves.
Jika-tabi – a type of outer footwear worn in Japan, invented in the 20th century. It essentially is a "tabi boot", as it is called outside Japan, having been modeled on traditional split-toe tabi sock. They are made of tough, pliable material and a thin, soft, rubber sole. It gives the wearer tactile contact with the ground, as such, is preferred for climbing, walking, and running.
Parkour (French: l'art du deplacement, English: the art of movement) – an activity with the aim of moving from one point to another as smoothly, quickly, and efficiently as possible, using the entire body. It is meant to help one overcome obstacles, which can be anything in the surrounding environment (branches, rocks, rails, concrete walls) and can be practiced in a rural or urban setting. Parkour is a physical activity commonly categorized as an extreme sport, but since it has no official set of rules, it has been likened more to a form of martial arts, or more specifically, evasive arts, a non-combative branch that puts importance on evasive techniques and movement.
A characteristic of parkour is that of efficiency and speed with overcoming obstacles; the most direct way is the best. This distinguishes it from the similar practice of freerunning, which puts particular emphasis on freedom of movement and creativity (with acrobatics, flips, and other tricks to enhance the beauty of movement). Zoro also employs a bit of freerunning with his flip from the pipe (a bit of flair, because Zoro can really just do it).
Parkour is meant to be practiced alone, with just light clothing and athletic shoes as equipment (some prefer bare feet), to enhance grip and feel for the obstacles they encounter. I took the liberty to show that Zoro can perform it even with another person on him (in his arms or on his back) and to confirm that Zoro is indeed not human in strength (as if you did not already know that).
The term parkour was defined by David Belle and friend Hubert Koundé in 1998, based on the méthode naturelle training created by Georges Hébert in the early part of the 20th century (standard system of French military education and training involving parcours – obstacle course). Ownership of the term is shared too by Sébastien Foucan, with whom Belle developed the art further, in Lisses commune in France.
Some of the major basic movements shown in the fic, with the original French name in parentheses (in order of appearance):
Wall jump/Tic tac/Tac vault (Saut de mur) – a step off a wall (or tree, in this case) in order to overcome another obstacle or gain height to grab something
Wall run (Passe muraille) – overcoming a tall structure, usually by a step off a wall to transform the forward momentum into upward momentum, then using the arms to climb onto and over the object.
Muscle up (Planche) – to get from a hanging position into a position where your upper body is above the obstacle, supported by the arms. This then allows you to climb up onto the obstacle and continue.
Gap Jump/Running Jump (Saut de détente) – to jump from one place to another, over a distance. Most often followed by a roll.
Spider walk – overcoming a narrow space between two vertical objects by climbing using all four limbs alternately to force yourself upwards (my own definition, can't find a suitable one)
Lache/swing (lâché) – to hang or swing from a bar/branch/wall, and let go, or hang from another object. This can refer to almost any hanging/swinging type movement.
Arm Jump/Cat Leap (Saut de bras) – to land on the side of an obstacle in a hanging/crouched position, hands gripping the top edge, holding the body, ready to perform a muscle up.
Drop (Saut de fond) – literally, to jump to the ground.
Gi – traditional uniform for martial arts, especially in Karate-do, consisting of a jacket, pants, and belt. Here, Zoro is wearing the light upper jacket only, with his hakama pants.
Thanks to verbalblade(dot)com, nytimes(dot)com, parkour(dot)net, all-karate(dot)com, and Wikipedia for the parkour movement definitions.