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Quietly, in the men’s quarters, a lone figure slowly polished his three beloved swords, oiling them as he would any other day.
It was calming, this ritual, stilling Zoro’s thoughts as he performed maintenance on the swords which formed such an integral part of his life. Or at least, it was usually calming. Today, peace was rather elusive as Zoro reflected on his recent actions.
He had committed the worse crime a pirate could commit against his captain; he had raised his swords against Luffy. True, it arose from a misunderstanding, but that did not change the fact that he had fought Luffy, driven by his temper and pride. He had, in essence, committed mutiny.
Wincing at the thought, Zoro laid down his swords. A captain was only a leader insofar as his authority was recognised by his crew. As a pirate hunter, many a times, Zoro had seen pirate crews fall into pieces because the captain could no longer command the respect of the crew in the face of the pressure from Zoro’s relentless chase. For a crew member, and even worse, the first mate, to undermine the authority of the captain in such a way was unforgivable.
As first mate, Zoro’s job was to support his Captain, not undermine him. And they were not kids playing at being pirates; Zoro took his duties as first mate seriously. If it had been any other member of the crew who had drawn a weapon against Luffy, Zoro would have been the first to defend his Captain. Zoro could only hope that he had not irrevocably damaged Luffy’s trust in him; he owed Luffy far more than an apology.
Mind made up, Zoro rose to his feet and buckled his swords onto his belt. Even though it would hurt his pride, Zoro was willing to apologise because Luffy and the crew mattered more to him than his own pride.
He found Luffy easily enough, swinging from the rigging with that infectious laughter that brought out an answering smile from Zoro. Usopp was regaling Luffy with one of his tall tales while that curly-browed cook was serving a drink to Nami, who was tending to her tangerine trees. Vivi was not on the deck; she must have been resting indoors.
Inwardly, Zoro felt a wave of humiliation at the thought of delivering a public apology. But this was his crew and he had done worse in front of them. Zoro also thought that since his disrespect towards their captain had been public, it was fitting that his apology to Luffy too was delivered in public.
“Captain,” Zoro called out loudly and clearly. “I'd like to talk.”
Luffy’s eyes widened and he fell off the rigging in stunned astonishment. Around him, the other crew members present stopped what they were doing and looked up in surprise. Zoro and ‘talk’ were usually two words that did not go well together; Nami practically had to force him to talk to Luffy about Luffy having a Marine Vice-Admiral as his grandfather.
Zoro ignored his fellow crewmates and waited for Luffy to stand up to face him. The younger boy did so hastily, although a bit of a frown was forming on his face as he regarded Zoro speculatively. “What’s up, Zoro?”
Not one to back out from his decisions, Zoro met Luffy’s gaze and said gruffly, “I wanted to apologise for my actions, Captain. For raising my sword against you.” He kneeled down gracefully as only a swordsman could, and bowed deeply as per the culture of his people. Then, with a ferocious intensity in his eyes, he raised his head to meet his captain’s gaze unflinchingly.
“Never again, Luffy,” Zoro vowed harshly, clenching his fist tightly. He’d rather cut off his own arm than repeat that incident. “You’re my captain, and I won’t ever...”
Before Zoro could continue, he gave a soft grunt and found his arms full of a clingy Luffy. “Zoro!” Luffy exclaimed as he held onto his first mate tightly. “It was not Zoro’s fault, it was mine! I should have listened to you.”
Zoro huffed and tried to speak. He did not for a moment believed that it was Luffy’s fault...but now was not the time to talk about it, not when their crewmates were worriedly descending on them. Nami was sobbing something about her two idiotic boys, the shitty cook was threatening Zoro with something or the other, and Usopp was hugging Luffy as if his life depended on it. Luffy, who was still clinging onto Zoro like an octopus.
Zoro heaved a mental sigh and let himself be bowled over by the weight of his crewmates, landing on the deck with a soft “oof”, at the bottom of a pile.
His heart felt a bit lighter as he watched the antics of his crewmates, allowing himself to be caught up in it. Zoro knew however, that he would have to try to apologise again. His honour and sense of duty demanded nothing less.
That night, Zoro volunteered for first watch and settled down in the crow’s nest to wait patiently for his captain. Luffy wouldn’t make him wait long; his captain had a sixth sense for when any crew member needed to talk to him.
Sure enough, Luffy was soon climbing up the rigging, chewing on a mouthful of meat, with another drumstick in his hand. He flopped down next to Zoro, and they both simply stared into the horizon in quiet companionship, interspered with loud chewing noises.
When Luffy had finally finished the last of his post-dinner snack, Zoro turned to his captain and said quietly, “I know you don’t want to hear this, but I committed mutiny, Luff. You should make an example out of me.”
Luffy frowned, turning his head to look at his first mate. “I already said it was my fault but Zoro’s not letting this go.”
Luffy tilted his head and his dark intense eyes bore into Zoro’s own. Zoro felt speared on the piercing gaze of his captain’s regard, and braced himself for Luffy’s next words. “Zoro needs to be punished?”
And in his usual blunt manner, no holds barred, Luffy cut right to the heart of the matter. Zoro slowly blinked once, then leaned back against the mast and considered.
He was half-naked, standing straight on the deck, his hands gripping the rigging tightly, his back bare to his captain’s whip. Scars on his back were a swordsman’s greatest shame but Zoro had committed the shameful act of mutiny and Zoro would accept unhesitatingly any mark his captain left in the process of a well-deserved punishment.
His fellow crewmates were there to witness this scourging, as was proper, so that they would know that Zoro tolerated no disrespect to his captain, even from himself. It would be painful, humiliating and...more than appropriate.
“Aye,” Zoro exhaled, uncaring of what he was agreeing to. When Zoro had sworn himself to Luffy, he had done so heart, body and soul and he would not renege on his oath, not even under threat of punishment and humiliation. And at the end of the day...he trusted Luffy. Trusted Luffy to give him no more than what he deserved. And if Luffy ever gave him more than he deserved? He’d still take it. Perhaps then his guilt would be alleviated. “Aye, I need to be punished.”
As soon as he confessed that, Zoro felt a deep, pervading sense of relief. It was out of his hands now, and it felt like a certain weight had lifted off his shoulder.
“Alright then,” Luffy said lightly, taking things in stride as he always did.
Another thought soon occurred to Zoro. If his burden had lifted, did that mean that he had unknowingly added to Luffy’s burden? Zoro turned to look at his captain. “Luffy, I can do it myself. Just say the word and I’ll arrange it.” His mind was already spinning through possibilities; he could borrow money from Nami to buy the whip, and the waiter would probably be all too happy to smack an unresisting Zoro around. And Zoro would not resist, not if Luffy ordered it.
Luffy's eyes widened in disbelief and he laughed. “Zoro is so silly! How is he going to spank himself?”
Zoro tensed. Luffy wanted to spank him? A flush of humiliation washed through him at the thought of being spanked like a child but Zoro reminded himself that he deserved it. Shrugging, he rolled his shoulders and met Luffy’s gaze unflinchingly, communicating that he was alright with whatever Luffy had in mind.
“Let’s go!” Luffy beamed, before catapulting himself and Zoro off the crow’s nest.
Luffy wanted to do it now? Zoro bit off a curse and felt his heart pick up its pace, although that could also be from the adrenaline of being thrown off the crow’s nest unexpectedly. They landed on the deck, and Luffy led the way to the storage room, humming.
And Zoro was helpless to do anything but follow his captain as he always would.
Once in the storage room, Luffy perched himself on the food cabinet and patted his thighs, before looking at Zoro expectantly. Zoro cursed his ability to read his captain in that moment, but he knew what Luffy wanted.
Unbuckling his swords, Zoro left them standing next to the wall. Then, sighing mentally, he removed his haramaki and his pants, kicking them aside. He might not have suffered this particular punishment as a kid, but he had observed enough of it to know what was expected of him.
Was he really going to let a teenager younger than himself wallop his bare ass? Zoro blushed as he asked himself that, his pride stinging from the very thought. But this was not any random teenager. Before Zoro was his respected captain, Luffy, the man to whom he had sworn his loyalty, who had given him purpose and a place to belong. And Zoro had committed a crime against his captain, so he must now offer recompense. So thinking, Zoro found it within himself to submit to Luffy.
Luffy graced him with a warm smile as Zoro closed his eyes and lowered himself over Luffy’s lap. The position caused his body to stretch out and his palms hit the floor with a soft thud. It also served to thrust his ass up high, a willing target for whatever Luffy wished to do to him. “Grandpa used to do this to me; he even made me count.”
Luffy was shit at this, Zoro reflected hazily as he heard the whistling of the air and braced himself. A rubber hand smacked painfully into his ass; fire blossomed along his ass cheeks, but also across the top of his thighs. Zoro bit back a cry, mindful that he didn’t want an audience. Before the pain could peak, however, Luffy had already landed the next blow. All the while, Luffy didn’t stop sharing about his own experience on the other side of the hand.
Zoro allowed his captain’s voice and the building pain to wash over him. In this, Luffy was as flighty as he was in most things; his blows landed haphazardly all over Zoro’s ass and thighs. The pain it caused however, still burned as deeply and brightly, worse than the bruises Zoro usually got in battle.
Zoro didn’t bother keeping a count; he would take as many as Luffy decided to mete out. No sooner had the thought occurred to him, however...
“Zoroooo,” Luffy whined plaintively as he laid one palm on Zoro’s burning ass cheeks. “Have you had enough?”
Zoro craned his neck back to stare at his captain and raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t that up to you, Captain?” He asked hoarsely, his throat clenched from the pain and tinge of humiliation he still felt. He would take any amount of spanks Luffy thought he deserved.
Luffy shook his head, explaining, “Zoro needed punishment so Zoro has to tell me whether he had enough.”
Startled, Zoro shifted slightly on Luffy’s thighs as he met Luffy’s sincere gaze. Right. He was reminded once again that Luffy was doing this all for him, to help him come to terms with his actions.
All of a sudden, Zoro had to laugh. He shook his head fondly, heart swelling at the affection that Luffy had shown him. Even this punishment was a result of Luffy sacrificing his sleep to take care of him.
“Three more please, Captain,” Zoro requested softly as he turned back to face forward. He did hurt but it was not anything worse than what he usually suffered in a fight. However, he refused to keep Luffy from his rest any longer. “Make it hurt.”
“Yahoo!” Zoro could hear Luffy’s smile and such was the bond between captain and first mate that a feeling of dread washed over him. Was Luffy going to...?
“Gum-gum Spanking!”
Three loud resounding smacks on the spot where ass met thighs later, Zoro had to bite his tongue to keep back the swear words that threatened to spill from his lips. Luffy certainly had not held back. Not that Zoro expected or wanted anything less.
Behind him, Luffy had carded his fingers through Zoro’s short hair and was currently soothingly stroking it. Zoro allowed himself a moment of indulgence, relaxing into the petting as a dog might.
It was a derogatory nickname that their enemies were starting to call him. Strawhat’s dog, always at his captain’s beck and call, willing to do anything for his captain. His crewmates had looked at him nervously when they told him the news, uncertain of how he would react. Zoro had simply shrugged nonchalantly; after all, why argue the truth?
Deciding that he had indulged long enough, Zoro pushed himself to his feet, wincing slightly. Ignoring the burning sensation in his ass, he moved to pull on his pants.
“Does Zoro feel punished?” Luffy asked as Zoro was buckling his swords back where they belonged, serious as he rarely was.
Zoro inclined his head and clapped one hand on Luffy’s shoulder. “Aye, thoroughly punished. Thanks, Captain.”
“Anytime, Zoro,” Luffy told him brightly, gripping Zoro’s hand over his shoulder with his own. It was like staring at the fucking sun, yet Zoro could not look away.
“I always trust Zoro,” Luffy said when it became clear that Zoro was not going to say anything.
Somehow, Luffy always knew what to say to make things better. Feeling like his mistake was forgiven and he could finally put it behind him, Zoro smiled.
The next day, Zoro’s ass were a cacophony of blue and black, mainly due to the last three smacks that Luffy had given him. He prodded it carefully, then, decided that it wouldn’t affect his training in the slightest.
Breakfast however, was an interesting affair. He grunted slightly as he sat down on the hard wooden bench, feeling the pain shoot up his spine. He had had worse however, so after a momentary pause, he ate with his usual voracious appetite, defending his food from Luffy half-heartedly.
After what Luffy did for him yesterday, Zoro was feeling generous. Physical pain had never mattered much to Zoro, it was the emotional closure that he was thankful for.
Despite the throbbing from his ass, he would have passed the morning in a good mood, were it not for Nami. She was watching him closely, his sixth sense told him. Zoro frowned mentally. Did he do something to offend her? He caught her eye but she merely looked away pointedly.
After breakfast, Zoro took to the deck to practice his katas. Nami followed him and leaned against the railing a couple of feet away, a small, thoughtful frown on her face.
“What do you want, witch?” Zoro sheathed his swords to scowl at her grumpily, wishing that she would just spit out whatever was bothering her.
Nami’s eyes sparkled speculatively. “The walls of the cabins are thin, you know.”
Zoro furrowed his eyebrows, then realisation hit. Nami had probably heard them last night. The storage room was right above her bedroom. Flushing slightly at the thought that someone had overheard him getting spanked, Zoro pushed down his embarrassment to offer a gruff apology for the noise. “Didn’t mean to wake you.”
Ignoring his words, Nami asked worriedly, “Doesn’t it still hurt? You should rest today, slap on some ointment.”
Zoro flushed a darker red and ran a hand through his hair. “I’m fine, Nami.”
Raising her eyebrows in disbelief, Nami snorted, “It sounded like Luffy went to town on your ass.”
Zoro caught the underlying hesitation in her voice and rolled his eyes. “Don’t worry, you know Luffy, he’s not gonna do that to the rest of the crew. I asked him to punish me.”
“Why?” Nami asked with narrowed eyes, trying to understand. Lurking deep beneath though, was a wariness borne of growing up under Arlong’s thumb. “Luffy agreed; it was his fault too.”
By the seas, Zoro needed a drink. He could not fault Nami for her wariness, but...How could he reassure his crewmate that Luffy was still the same Luffy and was not about to turn into a tyrant?
Zoro was a shit liar. At the end of the day, all he had to offer her was the cold, unvarnished truth. “Because I deserve it, Nami. I fought our captain. Raised my swords, which were meant to protect him, against him. Undermined his authority. Committed mutiny. I can’t simply act as if nothing happened.”
Nami’s eyes softened as she took in those words slowly.
Zoro eyed his fellow crewmate, then leaned back against the railing next to her. Luffy was different from Arlong; they both knew it. Nami was simply letting her past get to her. He decided to drive the point home. “If someone had challenged Arlong’s authority like that, what would he have done?”
Nami shuddered at the thought. “That person would either be limbless or dead before the sun set.”
Sighing, she turned to face the sea, before casting Zoro a side-eyed glance. Her voice was soft as she said, “I suppose you’re just doing your job as first mate.”
Zoro tilted his head back and stared at the sky. “It’s my duty to uphold our captain’s authority.”
“Even if your ass pays the price.” Nami teased gently, as her lips quirked in a small smile.
“Especially then,” Zoro said vehemently, even as he closed his eyes against the glare of the blinding sun. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for his captain, he was starting to realise. Luffy could whip the skin off his ass and he’d still follow Luffy to the ends of the world.
“Oh Zoro,” Nami murmured as she shook her head fondly. “We have come a long way since those ‘Not a crew’ days, haven’t we?”
Zoro grunted.
And they shared a smile as they recalled the day they first came together as a crew, and the captain who had brought them together.
Monkey D. Luffy.