Moy Mell, 11: Escalated Threats

"Moy Mell, 11: Escalated Threats"

orig. 12/15/2017

Zoro, Elly, Sanji, - PG-13

Original Concept, mixed fandoms

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"Do you know how fucking early it is?" Sanji snarled, rubbing a hand at his eyes. His usually perfect hair was sticking up on the top in a single wisp and his clothing appeared to have been thrown on. He hated appearing slovenly, but a rumpled t-shirt and sweatpants was all he could manage when the security screen had awoken him.

"Yes."

"Dammit, moss head." It didn't help his fury that Zoro was, in all aspects, completely put together. He was not only awake, he was fully dressed and ready for the day - at 4 am! Sanji grumbled and dropped tiredly into a chair at the security office. No one else was there yet so they had complete privacy.

"Wake up, asshole." He shoved a cup of coffee at the other man. Sanji drank, grimaced at the taste and thought about complaining. Zoro's serious expression stopped him from whatever he might have been about to say, however. "She's had a death threat."

"What?!"

"Calm down, asshole," the big man hissed urgently. "The person won't know how to actually do it. But just in case, she's gonna have to bite it - I'm coming back to be with her all day."

"But - but she'll be upset, oh, fuck, yeah, either way." He paused, almost fully awake now. "Crap."
   
"Yeah. Too bad." Zoro huffed. "You'd better let her know I'll be around again. But don't say anything about the threat. She doesn't need more stress."

"Tell me about it." He moved the chair back as if to get up but Zoro stopped him quickly, catching the back of the seat in one hand.

"I will. Stay."

Sanji bristled. "I'm not a dog, you idiot!"

"No, but you're going to listen or I'll beat the crap out of you." He bent down to glare ominously at the smaller man. "This time the mail directly involved you."

"Wh - what?"

"The person said that your relationship's fake. Either they know this shit was contrived -"

"We really are dating," Sanji spoke through clenched teeth. "I love her."

Zoro grunted. "Or," he went on, ignoring him, "they're pissed because it's you. The drugging happened in your restaurant, now this. Somebody's jealous."

"Ah, something you know about."

"I'll cut you." The comeback came out automatically. "Any bitch act interested in you there? You flirted with them all, didn't you?"

"Bitch?"

"Well?"

"You're a fucking neanderthal," Sanji snarled. "'Bitch'. How dare you call the beautiful ladies that work for me such a name."

"See," Zoro sighed, "That's what I'm fucking talking about. You act like this, maybe one thought you were interested and now she wants to hurt my cat."

The blond man was shocked at first by what he had said, then slowly realized Zoro had only slipped up because he was deep in thought. He didn't know what he had said. It confirmed Sanji's suspicions but he wisely chose to say nothing. He swallowed back a few choice retorts as well. "Um. I may have acted that way with them all."
 
"Of course."

He bit his lip. "I always say that I'm only appreciating their beauty, because..." His eyes widened. "Oh. Oh, no."

"Eh?"

"This is my fault."

Zoro blinked. The usually suave man was trembling in his chair, tears slipping down his cheeks. "The fuck -"

"I tell them I'm committed to her if they push. Some do, you know, I - I don't really want to catch anybody, I just like to fool around, and..." He gulped. "Holy shit, this is all my fault, isn't it?"

"You're jumping to conclusions, idiot!" He shook him a little. "Even if that's true you didn't want it to happen."

"Still, you'd better ask the waitresses some questions."

Zoro raised an eyebrow. "No girls in the back?"

"No, actually, we've never had any apply for cooking. Is that weird?"

"I don't know. Just... don't let her see you like this. You're supposed to make her feel better. Distract her today, remember?"

"Yeah." He grabbed a paper towel from a roll sitting on Zoro's desk and cleaned himself up. "Crap. If anything happens to her because of something I did, though ... you know?"

"I get it."

"Uh huh."

"All right." He took a deep breath. "I'll fix a big breakfast. If she asks what's up, I'll act like it's because you're coming back for her safety and I wanted to distract her from that. She can't really argue, you know."

- -

Sanji was definitely wrong about that.

Several hours later there was a commotion in the kitchen like none other. Elly was standing in one corner, the chef in another, trying to desperately defuse the situation before it got any more out of control. A guard was already in place, but he was in hiding, a silent companion that shadowed her every move. Zoro knew his team member was there, however much the nekomata acted like he wasn't. Her tail frizzed out and shaking angrily behind her, she shook her head and pointed at the door leading to the main entrance.

"Oh, no! I'm not ready to be around him all day again!" Zoro winced from behind that very door. He should have known she'd smell him.

"Angel, honestly, all he wants to do is make sure you're safe. You know he does a good job."

"Ugh!" She slammed her palms down on the counter in frustration and called out in a voice obviously intended for the waiting man to hear. "All right, get in here so I can talk to you."

He strode in confidently, his face expressionless. "Good morning."

"Bullshit. Come here."

The big man squinted at her standing in the morning sunlight shining through the patio doors. "If you want to talk, can't we do it in private?" He glanced pointedly at Sanji, who was trying to figure out when and if he needed to interrupt.

"No."

Zoro sighed a long-suffering sigh. "Every single thing I do is to protect you. Everything." He made eye contact with her as he walked forward. When he got close she looked uneasy but didn't move from where she had sat down in her usual spot by the counter. "Got it?"

"I do. Okay? But I'm still really pissed at you."

"Yeah," he shrugged. "I know."

"I'm not even sure why," she admitted with a little frown on her face. "I'm just... I don't know."

"Good enough for now."

"Is it?" She blinked up at him.

"Yeah." He looked away quickly before she could see his expression.

"Angel," Sanji called out in a singsong voice, "Bacon's ready!" Thankfully that concluded the discussion since she stopped everything to race over at the mention of crispy pork fat. Zoro thought for a moment, then slowly backed into a darker corner of the room and stood still, watching silently. This would be his place for at least a few days, until she forgave him.

He hoped it wouldn't be too long.

A Christmas Gift

"A Christmas Gift"

orig. 12/19/2007

Zoro x Elly, adult *self bondage, spanking

(The self-bondage bits were actually taken from a how-to guide back in the day, they should be close to what the manual showed and actually work!)

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Zoro stared hard at the bright red ribbon laying on his mattress for several moments. It was around an inch and a half wide and it was that shining holiday crap most of the presents this time of year were wrapped in. He took up a length of it in his hand and let it run out again, a thoughtful look on his face.

He sighed.

He couldn't tell if this was a good idea or not, but he didn't have money to buy her anything. The ribbon was left over - a small spool from the stupid cook's gift-wrapping extravaganza this afternoon -- and it would be enough. He stood up and stretched, pushing his arms up at the ceiling forcefully.

Then he stripped.

The shirt came off over his big chest and neck first. He pulled it off slowly, still thinking, not really paying attention. He was about to toss it in a corner when he snorted and folded the white cloth instead, setting it aside. He reached for his haramaki and pulled that down past his legs, carefully stepping out of it. The swordsman remembered a time when he could have yanked the stretchy green material over his head but his chest was too built for that now. Zoro scratched absently, yawning a little as he unbuttoned the flap on his slacks. The top popped open and stayed that way, a little "v" of skin showing as he glared at the ribbon again. He shrugged and yanked the black fabric down and away. He had already unlaced and shook off his boots but now he frowned, a thought popping into his head.

He laced them back on.

The big boots were large and manly; she always said they were "combat boots" and he had liked that saying. He felt better with them on. Less exposed and more ready for what he had in mind. The sign was already on the door, he'd warned the rest of them to stay away from him tonight. It was late on Christmas Eve and she would be here any minute so he had to hurry and wrap her gift. Zoro ran a hand through his short green hair and flexed his arms once or twice. He picked the ribbon up and flicked it loose from the spool, doubling the entire length up in his hand. Then he hung the piece around his neck. It tickled his loins below and he stared incredulously down at himself. Shit. This was exciting him. His penis rose straight up towards his belly. He was almost poking himself.

Zoro blushed wildly and swore. He quickly pulled the bottom ends around his middle and then up under the rope around his neck. Taking one side of the ribbon in each hand, he slipped it under his arms and back, knotting it again in various places so it would hold better. He took a fresh bandanna up from his bed where he had laid it in readiness and wrapped it around his mouth, gagging himself loosely. The big man flopped onto the bed and used a smaller piece of ribbon to tie his ankles together. Since he had his boots on he was actually tying the leather together. He noticed in passing that this made it more secure.

"Now for the hard part," he muttered through the cloth in his mouth. Zoro placed his wrists behind his back. He looped one free piece of ribbon that was attached to the bound parts on his chest and his neck around it, then used the wrapped wrist to overlap the other, tying them together. He could easily escape, yes, but that wasn't the point. He swallowed hard and turned his head to the side on the pillow. He heard footsteps outside his door. The big man blushed harder and squirmed a little. Bound, gagged, and laying there nude he began to have second thoughts. He started to sweat lightly. He could pull these apart in a second, but no - the door had opened while he was panicking. Zoro's worried expression coupled with the position he was in fit perfectly. He heard the door snick softly shut by itself.

Elly walked into the room haltingly, her hand pressed to her mouth and her eyes wide. Her stunned gaze took in the dim lighting, the way the red ribbon shone in contrast to her lover's green hair above and below. She hadn't known what to expect when he had told her to come to his room that evening - lovemaking and a gift exchange, yes, but she had never imagined the gift would be himself. Her eyes were drawn to the scar she loved to touch, broken up by the intermittent red stripes across his chest. It was perfect. Zoro finally looked up, his eyes half hidden in the dark shadows across the top half of the bed. He was laying wide open and completely exposed for her and as she came closer his firm member twitched on its own, bobbing slightly.

"Zoro," she murmured. "You're enjoying this." She reached out to touch his stiff member, tracing the tip in wonder. She'd never thought this was his style. She giggled wickedly. "What a naughty boy."

Zoro's heart almost stopped from shock. But he relaxed as much as he could, lifting his neck on the pillow and spreading his legs as far as they would comfortably go. Holy crap, how did she know just what to say? His throat tightened in anticipation. This had better be worth it - his embarrassment was extreme, but if she enjoyed herself he thought he made his point. He would do anything for her, even give himself this way. Zoro closed his eyes but soon found it made the situation worse. When she leaned down to kiss him lightly on the cheek he almost jerked backwards.

"Unnf!" He couldn't help trying to snap at her. Fighting was in his blood, though his fantasies might be otherwise. The gag stopped him short, cutting his words off and muffling them. He snarled in frustration and his heart started to beat faster. He couldn't even say anything, what was he supposed to do to make this good for her? Elly pulled back after she kissed him and he felt her hands stroking his hair. Her purple eyes were dark and seemed distant, dreamy. Zoro blinked, startled, as she ran a caressing finger along the tip of his nose. Then she kissed it. His face was soon covered in soft kisses. She kissed his eyelids, his cheeks, nose and lips, her hands following her mouth as she moved along. The big man found he was holding his breath and he let it out in a weary sigh through his mouthful of bandanna. She always surprised him.

He closed his eyes as her hands slid down his chest, toying with the red ribbons. His muscles jumped and twitched under her feathery fingertips. They glided along his lower belly, teasing each sculpted bulge in his abdomen. Zoro scowled, the expression slightly twisted because of the gag. He knew being tied up would be a partial mistake. He gasped and tossed his head to one side as Elly kissed below his navel. Her hands gripped his thighs and she was soon kissing them, her breath hot on his sweaty skin. She brushed lightly against his tense balls and he jumped despite his determination not to. Her other hand was massaging his exposed rear, taking advantage of his spread legs to tease that sensitive area she knew he loved. Zoro grit his teeth and tried to relax but he couldn't. His nature betrayed him and when he felt a warm lick on one of those rounded cheeks he growled and snapped his wrists free. The first thing he did was rip the gag out of his mouth.

"Come here!"

"Couldn't do it, could you?" Elly laughed softly. "That was really sexy, though." She got up and wrapped her arms around the swordsman's thick neck as he kissed her hungrily. She wiggled around on top of him until they were both comfortable enough and then sighed.

"What?"

"I like how playing with your ass turns you on." She stifled her giggles when he pulled a mortified face. The expression was one of the reasons she loved him; his facial features were either comic or grim and foreboding. He had no in-between. "You didn't think I wouldn't know, did you?"

"Uh..."

"Zoro." She brought his face up to hers. "We've been making love for a long time now. You know my quirks and I know yours, too." He made a grunting sound of agreement and bit her on the neck. Elly gasped loudly and dipped weakly in his arms.

"Point taken," he smirked.

"Ha." She panted. "Ha. Funny... coming from a man who was just tied up a minute ago."

"Didn't have any money." He shrugged. "Thought I'd just wrap myself."

"I didn't know what to get you, either," she said quietly. "I thought I would ask if there was anything you wanted." Zoro's eye twitched.

"Huh?"

"Like this. In bed," she explained, gesturing with one arm. "Is there anything you would really like me to do for you?" She watched as he choked, pointed at his neck and tried to pass it off as a cough. "Geez, we've seen each other naked. It's not like doing it any other way is going to make me laugh or think less of you."

"Ah..."

"Do you want me to spank you?" Zoro's face surpassed red. It went directly to purple.

"Cat!" He covered his eyes with one hand. The ribbon bits were still dangling from his wrist and she tugged on one.

"Come on," she urged. "Let me do something for you. You're a hard man to shop for, Roronoa Zoro." She tapped his hand and he peeked through it cautiously. "You have everything you need."

"Yes." He frowned and slipped both arms around her waist, holding her tightly. Elly laughed again, her lavender side locks swinging as she tilted her head back. She loved how he said things like that. The statement was always simple but mixed with his actions it meant more.

"Zoro..." she purred, cajoling. Her hands slipped as far underneath him as she could, wriggling until she gripped his ass. He gave her a sour look. She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Hit me." The big man turned his face to one side so she couldn't see the blatant lust in his dark eyes.

"There?"

"There, damn it." He choked a little on the admission. Elly removed her hands and stood up at the side of the bed.

"You'll have to get up and bend over, love." Her breath caught in her throat at how fast he complied. The red ribbon was still tied around his middle, neck and wrists although he was freed. His boots were still on, even now, body covered in a light sheen of sweat and he was bent over, face buried in the pillow. She could hear his hoarse breathing even though he'd intended to try and muffle it. "You'll need to breathe," she gently reminded him. Zoro swore sulfurously and turned his cheek to one side.

His rear was up in the air, tight and round and waiting. She'd always known he liked to have it stroked and tickled, but had never actually hit him. She raised her hand and lightly patted.

"I'm not gonna fucking break," he growled. Elly bit her lip and slapped harder. The contact caused a light flush on the otherwise pale skin. He twisted below her, eyes squeezed tightly shut. It was odd, she thought as her hand connected again, he never seemed weak to her. Even as she spanked him, more firmly now when he didn't complain, he maintained an air of powerfulness. She knew he could whirl around and overcome her in a few seconds.

He chose not to.

Zoro was gasping, his hard member bright red at the tip and dripping with need. He made no move to touch himself but made a soft sound of ecstacy at every slap now, as if he was making love. Elly's cheeks burned. Damn. This was the sexiest gift she'd ever gotten.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," he was chanting, face down, teeth bared. For someone who never spoke rudely when they made "normal" love, he was a match for Sanji's vocabulary when she did something like this. She caressed his rear gently, then cracked him as hard as she could against both cheeks. Zoro snapped at the pillow, catching it in his teeth and shaking it like a wild animal. Every slap seemed to connect right to his penis, thrilling him in a way mere sex usually didn't. It was more like a struggle and he was falling into a dangerous, lustful daze. He bit his tongue viciously, making his eyes water. The momentary pain in his mouth worked and he looked up, focused again.

"Keh," he panted. "Need you... I need you." He dropped his head again and shook it, spraying small flecks of sweat. "Get under me."

"Yes, my love." She smiled when her answer caused him to shudder all over. Her outfit wasn't anything exciting, just a red sweater and jeans. They looked pretty laying next to the green haramaki and his white shirt, folded and now laying on the floor. Zoro didn't watch as she stripped her underwear off but he raised himself when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Gentle?"

"You all right with that?"

"Fine." His brow was furrowed as she slid underneath his body. "Any way you want." He paused before moving forward. "Hey, stupid cat."

"Zoro!"

"Heh." He moved forward smoothly, causing them both to gasp. As he sank inside her body he knew he wouldn't last long this time; he was too excited. But it didn't matter.

"Merry Christmas."

"Aww..."

There was always Christmas Day.

Moy Mell, 10: Furensics

"Moy Mell, 10: Furensics*"
*(sic; pun intended, sorry)

orig. 12/13/2017

Zoro, Elly, Sanji, Jackson Jekyll - PG-13

Original Concept, mixed fandoms

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It was a fairly warm afternoon and Elly was resting in the mansion after some morning work. She had decided to relax in the living room and Sanji had followed after he'd finished his prep work for lunch. They were lounging in the sunlight streaming in from the huge window on the far side of the room, not really talking about anything. Elly was half-dozing as cats will when she suddenly flinched. She touched her forehead briefly and growled deep in her throat, an angry sound that caused Sanji to glance down at her.

"Are you going to be mad at that big ass forever, love?" Sanji brushed her hair back from her cheek, speaking softly in a soothing voice. "I mean, I personally don't care, but..."

Elly frowned and pulled away a little. "Maybe a while longer. And he can do his job without being with me all day and night."

"Hush, angel." He hugged her lightly, urging her to come back and cuddle. Reluctantly, she let him completely wrap her in his wiry arms, enveloping her in his smoky scent. She rested her head on his chest, curling up on her side with her striped tail flicking slowly back and forth across the end of the couch. "I know that's some serious stuff he did. But he protects you, and the more people we have doing that, the better. That's why I care."

"Serious stuff," she sniffed.

"Yes."

"I couldn't move for half a day and all night! And... and it hurts." She knew she was behaving badly, but it stung deeply that the big man had used the prayer slip. She'd been bound before in her early days and it hadn't felt so terrible. She clutched at his arm and sniffled a little. "He could have just held me down. He didn't need to do that."

"Eh." Sanji squirmed a little. On one hand, he had witnessed what happened and knew Zoro had been forced to use the blessed paper. On the other, if he told her, she would know that she'd left his side for the other man as soon as she'd seen him. Not only that, but she'd attacked him fiercely, suggesting to Sanji that she had wanted Zoro more. He swallowed hard past the sudden lump in his throat. He hoped when she gave him this chance he could make her see how much he cared for her. He'd been lucky, and he was going to make her happy so they could be together. Why ruin things the second day of the relationship? As he was struggling with these thoughts she suddenly sighed, and he realized she had fallen asleep. He blew out air softly from between his teeth in a low whistle. "That's right, it's okay." He stroked her hair gently with his free arm, staring out the windows where James was trimming some of the rose bushes outside. He wondered how the investigation was going, and if they'd have news soon.

- -

Zoro had been busy assigning guards for the entire week since she didn't want him around. His team were on edge since the big man's mood was horrible, but they were happy enough to get a chance to be placed on duty more often. He'd also spent the morning coordinating events with the public relations manager, Neuro. He hated that smarmy demon sometimes, especially since the bird bastard was the only one who actually knew how he felt about Elly. He only kept silent because it meant more opportunities for chaos. Zoro's mood was even bleaker after their exchange, but he pressed on anyway and headed into a special room to check on the investigation of her stalker.

There was a building in the security offices that no one really knew about. It was deep down in the basement, built well enough so it wasn't damp or anything like basements usually were but quite dark and cool on its own, even in the summer. Zoro opened the door after knocking perfunctorily, not bothering to wait for an answer before heading inside. The faint smell of chemicals accosted him at once and he wrinkled his nose but said nothing as he approached a lean figure bending over a table filled with beakers and tubes. Something under a microscope completely held the person's attention, so much that he walked directly up and tapped him on the shoulder before he got a reaction.

"Yeek!"

"Jackson!" Zoro snapped. "It's me. Relax."

"Uh. Yeah." The young man seated in the simple desk chair gasped as he fought to regain his breath. He was wearing a button-down laboratory coat and black slacks with loafers on his feet. His hair was brown but fell across the side of his face in a shock of yellow. The dyed part was not enough to obscure his thick black glasses or the huge brown eyes behind them, however. He stared at the head of security, startled but instantly understanding why he was here. "Wait a minute, okay." He leaned forward and accidentally bumped into the lens of the microscope.

"Damn it, kid..."

"Oops." Jackson laughed sheepishly while Zoro palmed a hand over his face. "Ah... ha ha, sorry." He cleared his throat and went on, "So I've got two sets of partials from the cup Knuckles sent over and the original letter. I should be able to eventually match enough to create a print we can go on. It's delicate work, though, and will take awhile."

"Great." Zoro scratched his chest inside the big green coat he wore, one hand disappearing momentarily. "No bad news, then?"

"Nope." The thin man pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. "Except that my - ah, other half comes out at night and he's not adept at anything scientific. So we'll be slowed down a bit."

Zoro shrugged this off. "You need breaks."

"Technically, it's not a break..." Jackson groaned when he turned around and saw he was talking to thin air. "Darn it! He always does that." A chameleon suddenly whisked into view on his lab table, blushing a bright yellow shade when he saw his friend was alone again. "He's not that scary, Crossfade." The lizard slowly licked an eyeball, his gaze unwavering. "Okay, okay," he hedged, "You're right. He's terrifying. And I went to school with monsters, for goodness' sake."

Outside the lab door, Zoro stood very still. His gaze was far away, lost in thoughts that were making him frown deeply. The skinny kid said he was more terrifying than a monster. He winced, a hand coming up to rub at his cheek. His past rushed at him before he could suppress it like he usually did: a female voice shrilly screaming that damned word, a slap, and the feeling of being alone for the last time before coming here. The door closed behind him and he jumped, jerking his hand away as he was brought violently back to the present. He didn't have time for that now. He had to do his job, whether his boss - he deliberately did not use the word "mistress" like the other men did, even though she was a demon -- wanted him around or not. Zoro's expression firmed and he strode out of the small building, heading to the bullet car that would take him back to the mansion.

Sanji had almost fallen asleep along with Elly when he heard the front door slam shut. He nearly fell off the couch when he heard the telltale clomp of the bodyguard's boots on the marble tiles. "Oh, shit."

The door to the living room opened. "Cat?"

"Shhh!" Sanji waved frantically about, trying to keep his voice low enough so she didn't wake. "She's sleeping, you moron." Zoro surveyed the scene in front of him as he came forward. The cook's long legs were stretched the full length of the couch with his back resting on the armrest on one side. A generous amount of pillows were plumping him partially upright. On his chest and part of his lap lay the demon lady, pale and worried-looking with her hand clinging to his right arm as she slept. Sanji raised a curly eyebrow at him. "Well?"

"Ugh," Zoro grunted shortly. He went and sat in the chair on the far side, closer to Elly.

"Honestly," the bond man sighed, closing his eyes momentarily in disgust. When he opened them he was calmer and didn't taunt the big guy like usual. "Anything new?"

"The nerdy kid -"

"Jackson?" He asked sourly.

"Yeah. Nerdy kid."

"He's not a kid, you know," he pointed out shortly. "He's what, 23 or something..."

"Whatever. He's got prints. Might be able to find out who they are."

"Good," he sighed in relief, absently snuggling Elly closer to him. "They should check the restaurant first. Someone in there obviously had the access to drug her cup." His expression hardened fiercely. "I want to know who out of my own staff would do something like that. And I want them gone."

"Could have been anyone, even a customer." Zoro shrugged, trying not to look directly at the couple and wishing he hadn't decided to sit down.

"I guess."

"I better go." He stood up slowly, obviously trying not to make a lot of noise. "Gym," he announced somewhat cryptically and left for the elevator.

Sanji breathed a lot easier after their exchange. At least they were on the right track to finding the person who had started all this drama. He might even end up wanting to thank them for how it turned out.

Merry Christmas, Stupid Cat

"Merry Christmas, Stupid Cat"

orig. 12/unknown

Zoro x Elly, PG

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"Are you serious?" Sanji raised a curly eyebrow at the big man standing next to him. There was only a grunt in reply and he nudged him with his shoulder. "You're serious. You don't know she likes you?"

"Idiot," Zoro muttered. "Maybe I don't care."

"Right. If you didn't care you wouldn't look so nervous." He tapped a thick-soled shoe on the wooden planks of the ship.

"I do not look nervous!"

"You're sweating."

Before Zoro could retort the door behind them opened and the ladies walked in together. They were all dressed in glittering outfits: Nami in green, Robin in red and Elly was clad in silver. It was all very festive and the girls flanking the nekomata were showing off quite a bit of skin. Sanji took one brief moment before he started gushing to peek at the swordsman's reaction and it was well worth it. He looked like he was being strangled by an invisible hand around his throat and he turned and clomped away into the safety of a darker corner by the holiday tree they had set up.

Elly looked distinctly uncomfortable in her dress although it was far more modest than what the others were wearing. She wasn't used to the outfit; it was lower than anything she'd ever worn before. She slunk off to the same corner Zoro was hiding without even realizing it.

"Erk."

"What?!"

They stared at each other for a long moment, ignoring the screaming and crashing noises coming from the rest of the room and inadvertently leaning together. Just when it was getting uncomfortable the tree suddenly lit up and they weren't in the dark anymore. Both turned a bright shade of red as everyone whooped and hollered suggestively.

Zoro was the first to recover. "Shut up!"

"I told you the dress would be a good idea," Robin murmured. Several others chimed in but the big man wasn't listening anymore. He scowled as he stood up but Sanji placed a hand flat on his chest, pointing up with his right. Zoro's eyes widened as the flushed color drained from his face rapidly.

"No, Sanji." Elly rolled her eyes. "Mistletoe isn't compulsory."

"But -"

"No. He obviously doesn't want to." She sniffed and raised her chin in the air, expression firm. "Don't tease him, all right? It's a holiday and that's no fun!"

"It is fun. It's one of my favorite past times," He grumped. Elly patted Zoro briefly on the arm before moving away towards the chairs in the middle of the room. The green-haired man stood frozen in place, eyes baffled.

"What the hell just happened?"

"You really hurt her with that one, idiot." Sanji looked backwards over his shoulder, his visible eye worried. "Nice job."

"The f-"

"Oh, hell. It's the holidays." He straightened and dipped into his pocket to bring out another small clump of the little berry plant, pressing it into the startled swordsman's hand. His voice dropped lower, for Zoro's ears only. "Fix it. It's not right for this embarrassed bullshit anymore. Go find her and give her a gift she won't forget."

Red-faced with his mouth hanging open, the bigger man looked like he was about to smash a fist in Sanji's face but he rolled his shoulders back instead, a grim look settling over his flushed features.

"We'll talk later," he growled before pushing past.

He was muttering to himself as he stormed down the halls, absently tracking her light lavender scent without even realizing it. He simply knew where she was - always did. This wasn't something that Zoro questioned or thought about; it was a fact of life now, akin to how he could always smell that idiot cook's cigarettes from a distance or pick Luffy's squeals of glee out of a crowd. As a matter of fact he could still hear Luffy. He winced at a particularly shrill note in the Captain's throes of meat-induced ecstasy as he paused at the door to the common room. He shrugged, then entered without knocking.

"Came here to get away from the noise?" She was seated on one of the low divans near a porthole. The phrase was amiable enough but she spoke very strangely, completely deadpan.

"No."

"Oh. Well, I was just about to go get some food." She got up and brushed her legs off fussily, more so she wouldn't have to face him than anything. Zoro circled around quickly while she had her eyes averted and stepped close beside her. He'd snatched up her hand before she even knew what was happening and pulled her backwards to him. He was a couple inches taller than Elly, so she had to peer up to stare incredulously at him.

"What the hell -"

"I owe you." He calmly held the mistletoe cluster up in front of her startled eyes and then kissed her. It happened so fast that she didn't know what was happening  at first but the warmth and softness of his lips against hers convinced her it was real. She kissed back, tentatively at first then more firmly when he answered her response with the gentle touch of his hands on her shoulders. When they finally parted both were breathing hard. She glanced around, thinking of what to say and saw the little plant he'd held in his hand had been negligently tossed on the table next to them.

"You didn't have to, you know."

"Merry Christmas," he mumbled.

Moy Mell, 9: Don't You Want Me

"Moy Mell, 9: Don't You Want Me"

orig. 12/06/2017

Zoro, Elly, Sanji, Volkner - PG-13

Original Concept, mixed fandoms

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Neuro was fast - he'd told them it would only take a short while and he was right. Word spread, and reporters jumped at the chance to speak to them about what had happened. Sanji went into his room aside the kitchen to freshen up after Elly had eaten. Some time after this Zoro skulked by looking more pissed off than usual. She flicked her tail and turned away from him. For some reason she was angry at the big man, understandable since he had done the unthinkable to her as a demon. She didn't have any mark to show what had happened, but the skin on her forehead still hurt. Elly also didn't know what had possibly happened to force him to such extreme measures. In her mind, he could have just restrained her; she believed he was strong enough.

"It's in a quarter of an hour."

The big man sighed, shifting his words around on the sash he wore around his coat. "All right," he said shortly. "Grab the shitty cook and let's go."

"No," she stated flatly.

Zoro froze in his tracks. "You said what?"

"I said 'no'," Elly repeated firmly. Her ears laid down against her skull, a clear indication that she was upset yet she continued. "I don't want you. Pick someone else."

"But ..." He reached out, barely knowing what he was doing.

"Pick someone else." She shrugged off his hand on her shoulder, walking quickly to the kitchen door and out to the main entrance. Zoro stared stupidly as the door shut in front of him, then swore softly under his breath. He chose two guards he trusted the most for the task and sent them a quick message to let them know. When he was certain they were on their way, he angrily crammed his phone back into his haramaki and stormed off to the gym. He was not alone but there weren't many that stayed when they saw his thunderous expression. In fact, only one was left, a spiky-haired man he'd rarely seen around and didn't pay attention to now.

He stripped to the waist and went through a few different routines before resorting to his favorite, weight lifting, when the conference began. Several large screens scattered throughout the gym were broadcasting and he watched grimly as he pulled two huge barbells slowly in each hand.

Neuro, Sanji and Elly with the two guards he'd picked had all gathered at the gardens in front of the main mansion. There were many that weren't available to the public and were perfect for events like this, safely keeping some distance from the compound while providing a buffer from the park fans. The couple announced their relationship and Sanji kissed her cheek, blushing and sliding an arm about her waist. Photos were taken in abundance, enough so that the blond cook snuck in a few more kisses. Elly started to giggle when he overdid the smooching, grabbing his tie in one hand and tugging to signify that they needed to talk to the press, not just pose. He looked forlorn and everyone laughed.

"Sorry, folks," he smiled. "I get carried away - you can see why, right?" His smile turned into a huge grin, clearly unfeigned. He stole yet another quick peck on her cheek and she groaned theatrically.

"Saaanjiii."

"Sorry, sorry." He held his hands up.

"It's okay." She absently kissed him this time and his eyes widened comically. More photos, more laughter and overall there seemed to be a feeling of goodwill. Things were working beautifully; no one mentioned the stalker in their haste to ask questions about their new relationship. He brought the recent incident up first.

"Again, it's my fault," he apologized meekly, looking down. He lifted his head, bringing the full impact of his blue eyes upon the cameras. "I asked her to be mine yesterday, and I was far too romantic. The poor dear fainted." He took her hand in his and lifted it to his lips. One of the female reporters actually fanned herself with the notecards she held in her hand and another cameraman caught this on tape. It went viral almost immediately after someone mixed the scenes, showing how it happened in sequence.

"I did," Elly admitted shyly - it was true, after all -- and there was some scattered applause. The questions came faster after this, but they had agreed to only so much time and it was soon over. The couple stood, the guards hovering discreetly in the background, and Sanji paused as he caught sight of them. He let go of her hand and made certain that he was facing everyone in the gathering.

"That said, know this," he stated in a deadly quiet voice. "I will personally kick the living shit out of anyone that tries to hurt my lady."

Back in the gym, Zoro ground his teeth together, setting the weights he held down with excessive force. "Little fucker," he spat. "Talking trash you can't back up."

The other guy heard him and walked over from where he'd been heading to the showers. "He's really protective of her, you know."

"Shut up, Volkner," Zoro grunted.

But the pokemon gym leader pressed on. "And he's strong. What makes you think he can't back it up?" When Zoro swore louder at him he stepped back a pace. "Wait, you know that. You guys've fought before." He gasped, a hand stealing to his mouth to conceal the hint of a smile. "Don't tell me you wanted -" Unable to sense the danger, he only got part of this last sentence out because the big man rolled off the weight bench in one fluid movement, grabbed his swords and unsheathed one with a steely rasp. "Crap!"

"Get out!" He glared at him across the shining blade, veins standing out in his neck. The dark pupil in his single eye looked tiny, the bulging white dwarfing it in his rage. The other man had never seen Zoro this way before, and he didn't want to stick around to see what would happen if he pushed him farther. He rushed for the elevator, thinking he'd be better off taking a shower in his own apartment than risking being anywhere near the swordsman right now. Zoro stood half-crouched, breathing hard as he slowly slid his sword back into the sheath. "Shit," he muttered shakily, running a hand through his hair and ruffling the bangs that had grown a little long over his forehead the last month or so. Better stay up here the rest of the night, he thought wearily. There was food enough in the kitchen area and bar in front of the arcade, and he'd told those two to guard her the rest of the day. He could also watch from the security screens if need be.

He sat with a thump onto the weight bench, still hunched over. Elly had told him she didn't want him. Not 'not today' or 'now'. She had said, 'I don't want you'.

Try as he might he couldn't stop hearing her say it over and over again in his mind.