(no subject)
Aug. 23rd, 2006 11:45 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
ptps.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
onepieceyaoi100Yes, more strawhat hospital AU. Future installments will be posted to my journal to avoid spamming the community with my crap.
Title: All Roads Lead to Rome, Part 4
Rating: PG-15
Pairing:: Eventual Luffy/Zoro, nakamaship
Word Count: Around 300 and/or below for each.
Topic: Off.
A/N: Implied character death in this installment, bewarned. Settings are clarified, stuff moves on. And also, at last, a sort of plot. That hopefully doesn't suck. I think I sped up events a little too fast here, but eh. There's only so much I can put into 900 words, and I was never efficient with making the most out of limitations. Also, Word Wrap sucks.
Previous Chapters: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.
"Run, Luffy."
The heat from the flames stung his eyes. Luffy choked on smoke, chest already tightening even as Ace clapped a wet handkerchief over his face to help him breathe.
He shook his head fiercely, gripped his brother's shoulder. "Not without you."
"Idiot," Ace said. But his tone was affectionate despite its urgency and grave solemnity, even as he began dragging the younger to the closest exit that wasn't devoured by fire.
They were mere feet away from the stairway when the window to their right shattered in a spray of glass.
Ace threw them aside, protectively shielding the younger as shrapnel rained down around them. Harsh, throaty laughter gashed the air, and Ace cursed as a large figure made its way through swirling smoke towards them.
"Blackbeard." The words were hissed venom.
"Detective." The man smiled, cold and grimy, before his hands flashed and the wall beside their heads exploded in gunfire.
"Run," Ace roared, shoving the other aside even as he whipped out his own weapons. Bullets flew, ricocheting wildly; Luffy fell with arms over his head, frozen, lungs working madly.
He caught a fragmented conversation: traitor – murderer - set up - know too much - die. And then he was staring down into a gun.
It went off.
Blood splattered, though not his own; Ace's eyes were narrowed, pained, desperate, tugging him towards a window. Torn lips parted to utter a single word.
"Live."
Ace flung him through the window. Luffy screamed even as he fell, watching as his brother smiled while the house blew up behind him. There was glass, there was crimson; and then there was no more.
* * *
He awoke gasping, bolt upright, hand on the scar across his throat. He was shaking.
Shit, I don't have time.
x x x x x x
"The people living here refer to this place as 'The Hospital of Dead Dreams'; although this is more a Home for the disabled than a hospital."
Robin kept her composure, even as her patient turned her multi-fingered hands over in his palms excitedly, and she graced the grinning youth with a small smile. He was the first person who hadn't grimaced at the sight of her disfigured limbs, and more than anything appeared to be fascinated by them.
"The people who come in - either orphans or unable to work to support themselves - have little chance of ever stepping out again on their own." Luffy looked up at this, listening intently even as he continued playing with her hands. "You asked me why Roronoa Zoro has such a cold attitude towards everything he does. From what I gathered, his dream was to become the greatest swordsman in the world, and his skill was nearly impossible to rival. But the sudden loss of his arm ended his career, and coupled with psychological problems dating as far back into his childhood, impaired his sound judgment."
She cast Luffy an impassive glance. "Furthermore, Roronoa-san was a user of the unique three-sword style, Santoryuu, but now he can no longer execute its techniques. His very reason for living has been taken away from him."
Luffy frowned. 'That's not true.'
"Perhaps not. But it isn't me that needs convincing."
He exhaled heavily. Then grinned up at her. 'Thanks, Robin.'
"It's 'Nurse', Luffy-san," she reminded him, slipping her hands out of his grasp as she rose from her seat.
'No,' he insisted, beaming brightly, 'cos that's not your real name.'
Her eyes closed in polite laughter. "Alright, then."
'Hee.'
x x x x x x
Luffy had made it a point to always bring with him a small notepad and pen whenever he visited Zoro for lunch. It was their way of communication: they would eat, and in-between mouthfuls, Luffy would scribble down his questions. Zoro would read them, and either offered a shrug, a nod or shake of his head, or a rare snort of amusement in return.
It had carried on this way for three weeks, but today, the ex-swordsman growled his first words.
"I'm not touching them again."
Luffy frowned sharply, scribbled a new note, and jabbed the notepad at him again.
get them
someone i want you to meet
Zoro gave a warning snarl, that Luffy was treading too far in, but there was uncertainty mixed in with his anger. Luffy's gaze stayed firmly unchallenged, notepad still thrust in the other's face.
Zoro relented with a slouch and a subdued scowl. "Where and when?" he asked, suddenly weary. Luffy broke into a huge grin.
The days passed quickly. Arrangements were made, permissions were granted, and Robin - as their 'ally' - offered to supervise their outing. For the first time in months, Zoro found himself in outdoor garb; his swords bundled out of sight, slung over his back. He followed Luffy out the hospital, walking as though in a daze, and he remained as such until their rented car pulled up alongside a rusty caravan, miles away from the city and with no signs of civilization in sight.
A man emerged to greet them, shrouded in a cloak that matched the darkening sky. He and Luffy exchanged a silent conversation, before scarred eyes flicked over to the older youth.
"Roronoa Zoro, eh?" The man extended his right hand, grinning. "Nice to meet you. I'm Shanks."
On to Part 5.
Title: All Roads Lead to Rome, Part 4
Rating: PG-15
Pairing:: Eventual Luffy/Zoro, nakamaship
Word Count: Around 300 and/or below for each.
Topic: Off.
A/N: Implied character death in this installment, bewarned. Settings are clarified, stuff moves on. And also, at last, a sort of plot. That hopefully doesn't suck. I think I sped up events a little too fast here, but eh. There's only so much I can put into 900 words, and I was never efficient with making the most out of limitations. Also, Word Wrap sucks.
Previous Chapters: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.
"Run, Luffy."
The heat from the flames stung his eyes. Luffy choked on smoke, chest already tightening even as Ace clapped a wet handkerchief over his face to help him breathe.
He shook his head fiercely, gripped his brother's shoulder. "Not without you."
"Idiot," Ace said. But his tone was affectionate despite its urgency and grave solemnity, even as he began dragging the younger to the closest exit that wasn't devoured by fire.
They were mere feet away from the stairway when the window to their right shattered in a spray of glass.
Ace threw them aside, protectively shielding the younger as shrapnel rained down around them. Harsh, throaty laughter gashed the air, and Ace cursed as a large figure made its way through swirling smoke towards them.
"Blackbeard." The words were hissed venom.
"Detective." The man smiled, cold and grimy, before his hands flashed and the wall beside their heads exploded in gunfire.
"Run," Ace roared, shoving the other aside even as he whipped out his own weapons. Bullets flew, ricocheting wildly; Luffy fell with arms over his head, frozen, lungs working madly.
He caught a fragmented conversation: traitor – murderer - set up - know too much - die. And then he was staring down into a gun.
It went off.
Blood splattered, though not his own; Ace's eyes were narrowed, pained, desperate, tugging him towards a window. Torn lips parted to utter a single word.
"Live."
Ace flung him through the window. Luffy screamed even as he fell, watching as his brother smiled while the house blew up behind him. There was glass, there was crimson; and then there was no more.
He awoke gasping, bolt upright, hand on the scar across his throat. He was shaking.
Shit, I don't have time.
"The people living here refer to this place as 'The Hospital of Dead Dreams'; although this is more a Home for the disabled than a hospital."
Robin kept her composure, even as her patient turned her multi-fingered hands over in his palms excitedly, and she graced the grinning youth with a small smile. He was the first person who hadn't grimaced at the sight of her disfigured limbs, and more than anything appeared to be fascinated by them.
"The people who come in - either orphans or unable to work to support themselves - have little chance of ever stepping out again on their own." Luffy looked up at this, listening intently even as he continued playing with her hands. "You asked me why Roronoa Zoro has such a cold attitude towards everything he does. From what I gathered, his dream was to become the greatest swordsman in the world, and his skill was nearly impossible to rival. But the sudden loss of his arm ended his career, and coupled with psychological problems dating as far back into his childhood, impaired his sound judgment."
She cast Luffy an impassive glance. "Furthermore, Roronoa-san was a user of the unique three-sword style, Santoryuu, but now he can no longer execute its techniques. His very reason for living has been taken away from him."
Luffy frowned. 'That's not true.'
"Perhaps not. But it isn't me that needs convincing."
He exhaled heavily. Then grinned up at her. 'Thanks, Robin.'
"It's 'Nurse', Luffy-san," she reminded him, slipping her hands out of his grasp as she rose from her seat.
'No,' he insisted, beaming brightly, 'cos that's not your real name.'
Her eyes closed in polite laughter. "Alright, then."
'Hee.'
Luffy had made it a point to always bring with him a small notepad and pen whenever he visited Zoro for lunch. It was their way of communication: they would eat, and in-between mouthfuls, Luffy would scribble down his questions. Zoro would read them, and either offered a shrug, a nod or shake of his head, or a rare snort of amusement in return.
It had carried on this way for three weeks, but today, the ex-swordsman growled his first words.
"I'm not touching them again."
Luffy frowned sharply, scribbled a new note, and jabbed the notepad at him again.
someone i want you to meet
Zoro gave a warning snarl, that Luffy was treading too far in, but there was uncertainty mixed in with his anger. Luffy's gaze stayed firmly unchallenged, notepad still thrust in the other's face.
Zoro relented with a slouch and a subdued scowl. "Where and when?" he asked, suddenly weary. Luffy broke into a huge grin.
The days passed quickly. Arrangements were made, permissions were granted, and Robin - as their 'ally' - offered to supervise their outing. For the first time in months, Zoro found himself in outdoor garb; his swords bundled out of sight, slung over his back. He followed Luffy out the hospital, walking as though in a daze, and he remained as such until their rented car pulled up alongside a rusty caravan, miles away from the city and with no signs of civilization in sight.
A man emerged to greet them, shrouded in a cloak that matched the darkening sky. He and Luffy exchanged a silent conversation, before scarred eyes flicked over to the older youth.
"Roronoa Zoro, eh?" The man extended his right hand, grinning. "Nice to meet you. I'm Shanks."
On to Part 5.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2006-08-23 04:42 pm (UTC)OMG OMG OMG OMG!!!! SHANKS! THAT NEVER EVEN CROSSED MY MIND!?!? FUCK I LOVE YOU~! SUDDENLY IT SEEMS POSSIBLE FOR ZORO TO HEAL!!!!
OAEISTGHWA TOAEIUT AOIRUTIOUHJORIJ OU4RTOIAW4 OEIJRoiatu12P3OJ12OP4IJ111
I ALSO LOVE THE WAY YOU DID ROBIN! Your creativity in how to incorporate aspects of the major traits that make the characters unique in the One Piece universe is impressive. It's just enough to make sure I relate to them as I should; Ace's connection to Blackbeard and fire, Robin's hands having too many fingers; it works for me. ^^
My only confusion was that I didn't understand why Luffy thought: "Shit, I don't have time." Or were those supposed to be Ace's last words? Also, does it somehow explain how his throat was cut, or is that explanation coming later?
All this plot development has made me even more excited for more! ^^
no subject
Date: 2006-08-23 04:55 pm (UTC)I am SO freaking happy that you continued this fic, you have no idea. The whole Ace and Blackbeard subplot sounds really interesting; I can't wait to see where that goes. It was nice to see what had happened to Luffy in the first place that had him end up in the hospital.
And Robin... I have such a soft spot in my heart for her. Love how you involved her abilities by the 'deformity' of extra fingers.
And of course. Shanks. I can't ever get enough of that man. 0:D He's definitely my favorite non-Strawhat pirate. It's so sweet to see Luffy breaking down Zoro's walls and getting him to live life again a little tiny bit at a time. And Luffy's taken him to see Shanks... Squee! I can't wait to see where this goes!
no subject
Date: 2006-08-23 06:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-24 01:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-24 04:00 am (UTC)Because I do.
A lot.
Like Mihawk loves paisley.
Like Bon Clay loves
Sanjiboys.Like Nami loves money.
Okay, maybe not that much. Because if I loved this like Nami loves money, I'd have flown halfway around the world just to Misery you until you finished it.
But still. Like Mihawk loves paisley, dammit.