m fine," Zoro said, stumbling into

m fine," Zoro said, stumbling into Luffy and giving him an awkward hug. His mouth kept working, but he didn't have enough air and only cradled Luffy close. "Fine, okay?"

Luffy clung to him, shaking his head in denial.

For all the noise they caused, there were a great many things that went unsaid on the Thousand Sunny. Usually because there was no need for words. Occasionally, because there were things Luffy wasn't allowed to see (shadows of ghosts behind every step, cursed blades and their hunger, broken knuckles and over-burdened heart and dislocated shoulders and bruises from so many fists and kicks when they both knew Zoro's blades kept such attacks away from him but not from Luffy how did it – )

Why weren't they laughing, Luffy asked himself. The air in here wasn't enough to hold all the questions he'd never ask. They should laugh because Zoro was clinging to him, alive and awake. His kisses were too clumsy and he almost stumbled on the trousers until, with a snarl, he grabbed a sword and cut them apart.

Perhaps there wasn't room enough for laughter either. What was, what almost overwhelmed him, was Zoro's desperation. The same call he had felt from everyone on the crew at some time – save me, pull me up, don't let me drown – and even if Luffy sunk like a hammer, he'd never hesitated to dive in after them.

Zoro was a pretty awful kisser. Luffy suspected that he was too, but it was okay. They had time to train together.

This time, when he pushed Zoro down onto the chairs, they both moved very carefully. The controls remained unmolested, the shark resting calmly in the water. When the seats had moved back, they'd become better aligned for their purposes. Zoro could lie down on them, almost comfortably, and Luffy could kneel above him.

Could keep kissing him, could lick his face clean while watching, gauging, until color had returned to him. .

"Zoro," he whispered, because the words were almost choking him. (Nothing happened)

"We're sailing on," Zoro said, finally, the barest hint of pleading in his voice. "Any battle you walk away from..."

"Right. We should celebrate." Luffy grabbed hold of all the little bits that didn't quite fit. Put them away. No debts and guilty obligations between them.

Nothing. Happened.

When Luffy kissed Zoro next, there was no lie in his touch. There was nothing hidden, no dark secrets or suspicions. Because Luffy was hungry for him, was curious and excited and that was the truth.

Perhaps not the only truth, but it was the only one they needed.

When Zoro's shoes thumped to the floor, Luffy managed a honest snigger. What an image they must have made moments ago.

"We're not telling the cook about that part," Zoro quickly informed him. "Let's just not say –" brag, Luffy mentally substituted – "anything at all. Until we've done it at least twice."

"Only once, but without kicks or mistakes," Luffy suggested instead, because he remembered how long it took to learn rubber punching and how Ace had laughed at him for weeks, the bastard.

"Or biting. Well. The bad kind of biting."

"Perfect. Oh, and Zoro? I'm warning you now."

As if he had spoken a prophecy before, this time it actually worked. Zoro was lying on his back, supporting himself on his elbows while he kept a close eye on what exactly Luffy was doing down there. His legs, feet uncovered and soft, hung over the edge of the seat. It was a narrow fit for Luffy, but at least he was not currently pushing at any controls and nothing was poking him in sensitive places.

"Shit." There was a tinge of surprise, disbelief almost, in Zoro's voice.

Luffy hoped that meant it felt good, not that Zoro was wondering what all the bother was about.

When his arms appeared to give out, so that he was forced to pull himself into a more seated position too see, Luffy took it as encouragement. And when Zoro's breathing deepened, his hand fumbling helplessly for Luffy while trying not to strain anything, he knew he was doing things right.

He climbed up again, giving Zoro a a few licks and nips on the way.

It was odd to sit on his swordsman’s lap while they were naked and hard, but the awkwardness was quickly becoming overshadowed by excitement. Luffy could absolutely see why people bothered to invent the more advanced parts. The thought of Zoro around him, warm and sensitive – oh yes, the image was tempting.

Almost more intriguing, was the things he had planned right now. Luffy's gaze slid over Zoro; well-muscled, flushed and tense. Scarred and wounded, yes, but in his eyes only made more perfect for those marks. And what he wanted, more than anything, was to take Zoro apart, cradle the scuffed pieces close and put his own mark on each and every one.

Judging from the way Zoro's mouth was softening, while his entire body strained unconsciously in Luffy's direction, he didn't have anything against that.

"How do you want –