Training started later that day, but he could see how committed Tashigi was to not let the night they had spend together ruin their work. Her haki was still weak but she was very focused and, knowing her, he could notice that she was using the training to forget about everything that happened last night. Smoker was in his smoke cloud form, flowing around the deck and from time to time hitting Tashigi's back and shoulders with his jutte to disorient her. She had to hit him or touch him at least twice and then the training would be over for that day, after all it was the third haki training session they had, and she was a clever pupil.
- Come on Tashigi, focus! - he yelled as his hands reached her ankle, she jumped and with her eyes closed hit him in the shoulder with her sword, his shoulder appeared in the middle of the smoke as her haki focused on it. He pulled back and surrounded her in his smoke cloud and firmly said:
- One more time - she was standing quiet, watching the smoke flowing around her. With both of her hands in her sword she moved slowly, Smoker was watching her silent while surrounding her, moving in every direction and trying not to touch her again. She dropped her sword and suddenly she stretched her arm and made a fist with her hand "I see", he reached her fist with his hand. As soon as he grabbed her hand and pulled to make her fall she gasped "...wha.." distracted by this he let her go and looked at her, he could see in her eyes that he pulled to hard and hurt her. His hand became smoke again and he disappeared in the cloud moving away from her, as he did this he realized he felt a small hand grabbing his leg. Tashigi's hand was deep in the middle in the cloud as she held his thigh in her hand. He smiled and without any effort reassembled his body in front of her.
- Did you try to fool me with that girly sound? - He was dead serious again, she picked her sword from the floor as her free hand settled her glasses. She rushed to answer him:
- No, not at all! I'm so sorry Sir! - she was as blushed as she could be and Smoker found it amusing. They heard a thunder and looked up to the grey clouds in the sky.
- It's fine, training it's over for now. I need you to call the Quarters in town and ask them to send our men back. - He added while walking to his office.
- Yes Sir, right away - as he walked away he could hear her talking to the ship's doctor.
When he entered his office a weird smell came to him, he thought this could be the smell Tashigi said that reminded her of Loguetown. He sat behind his desk smoking his usual two cigars and he just stood there looking at a piece of paper for more than five minutes, without even trying to read the words in it. The only thing in his mind now was her gentle and soft voice, and her rough and quick moves. He reclined in the chair, looking at her signature on the same piece of paper. He remembered every detail of the last night, how he woke up to find her body in his arms, how her voice guided him with her helpless moans, but the one thing that was making his mind wander over the calm belt of his thoughts was remembering her two small hands grabbing firmly his jutte's harness and moving along with his thrusts.
- Tashigi...- He recalled how worried he was thinking he could hurt her with his strength, he had never been so wrong. - Tashigi - he said again as her focused face came to his mind. What was he doing? He was daydreaming about her again, this wasn't a surprise, but now this daydreaming session was about her, the real Tashigi, Lieutenant Tashigi, and not about that girl who looked like her in his dreams.
He snapped out of this state of mind when he felt he was falling off his chair, he quickly became smoke and saw from the air how the chair fell to the floor. He picked it up and sat again, this time really paying attention to the papers in the desk, one of them had information about Hina, who was searching for former Baroque Works agents. In that moment he realized that Hina was the girl in his dreams once, now Tashigi was the one. But, somehow it was different, Hina and him had been around each other for a long time, being almost a couple inside their bedrooms and forgetting about it the minute they left the room. Tashigi by the other hand was, for him, the one who'd look after him outside his room, but inside the bedroom she wouldn't care about respecting him like she did when she was on duty. This feeling came to him when he recalled the moment she pushed him with her feet and let him release himself on her body, he didn't expect that from her. At that moment he felt like he was serving her, even he felt she used him to her own desires and not the other way like he supposed it would be.
A knock on the door.
- Come in - As he said this, the figure of the girl, no, the woman who was twisting his thoughts at that time appeared on the door.
- Sir, the men that stayed in the quarters are coming, shall I tell the men that spend the night on the ship to rest? - "...?" she noticed his confused expression and explained - The log pose won't set until tonight at... - She checked a piece of paper from her pocket - half past eight. So maybe they could go to the quarters and rest. - He had completely forgot about the log pose. She closed the door and walked to his desk, he looked at her and answered:
- It seems fair, we should go too - he added - And tell the doctor to go too, I'll ask the quarters to send a replacement for tonight, he needs to rest and also he could get some supplies.
- A replacement? Are we spending the night here? the log will be set for then, Sir - He looked at the papers in his desk.
- I know, but we won't leave at night with this weather and without enough medical supplies - He looked at the window, the grey storm clouds were now bigger.- Also you didn't get enough sleep last night and we have a week to the next island, you should get some proper rest. - She looked confused as he said this.
- Sir, I believe I did sleep well last night as for your concern - She turned around and walked to the door "Damn" - I'll be going to the quarters with the men now, I'll see you there I guess.
The door closed behind her.
- Well.. - "Damn", this was all he could think about. He decided to go to the quarters and try not to meet her there, she clearly needed to stay away from him.
As he walked to the quarters he met his men walking to the ship, they all greeted him and thanked him for letting them stay in the quarters for the night. The doctor that was with them
approached him and said:
- Tashigi - San asked me to tell you there will be a storm tonight, and the ship must be moved to the marine docks, she already called your men with the Den Den Mushi - "That's my girl".
- Fine, I'll catch up with her now - The doctor greeted him again and left with his crew. As he reached the marine quarters it started to rain softly "this town's storms are really weak".
The first thing he did as he entered was asking for the Captain to catch up with him and ask him about the pirates that he delivered the day before, a random marine walked with him to the Captain office, he knocked at his door and came in. He couldn't hide his surprised expression when he entered and found the Marine Captain sitting on top of his desk and talking in what he would call an "inappropriate" way to Tashigi who was sitting looking at him with a disgusted face.
- Am I interrupting? - He asked seriously as he walked to Tashigi's chair and put his hand on her shoulder, his eyes fixated on the Captain's foolish grin.
- Smoker - San - she looked at him with an expression that could only mean "thanks" - I was asking for an additional eternal pose for the ship, our navigator thought it would be useful.
- Yes, indeed - the Captain added.
- Well, is there an eternal pose to Marine HQ that you could give us Captain? - Smoker's eyes were slowly devouring every intention the Captain could have with Tashigi, his hand still rested in her shoulder.
- Not really but, like I was saying to Tashigi - Chan we could ask for one if you stay in town it'll be here in a week.
- We're not staying more than a night, and, Lieutenant Tashigi - he put emphasis in the last two words - I believe we should discuss our ship being moved to the marine docks? - He looked at her as she got up from her chair, Shigure on her hand.
- Yes Sir - she simply added. They walked side by side to the door and as they left the room she asked - Why did you do that?
- What? - Smoker wasn't half good playing fool, he just kept walking without looking at her.
- Treating the Captain like that
- Oh I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were interested in him...or maybe you really wanted that eternal pose - he said this without thinking and he realized when he felt her hand across his face.
- I knew I couldn't trust you - she started to walk faster, he followed her across the hallway, she ran down the stairs and they were now where the officer's rooms and baths were. She opened the door to the Women bath and added - It's the women bath, you can't come, leave.
- Steam and smoke are very much alike, you know? - he disappeared and his body was now inside the room. Tashigi entered the room and locked the door.
- You're lucky I'm the only female marine in this island - She put her sword on the floor and sat on a small bench near the big round tub as she took her gloves off - You were really inappropriate - he walked around her while taking his jutte of the harness and putting it next to her sword - I thought you would just remember what happened, not act like a child because of it. - She was now taking her shoes off.
- Excuse me? I open the door to find a weird looking man talking to you like some lousy pirate would do and you expect me to do nothing? - she blushed a little. He sat on the bench and started to untie his shoes.
- How that man was talking to me is not your business Sir, I just wanted to find out if he was lying about the eternal pose, you know I wouldn't let him treat me like...like a..- she looked at him confused and added - Why are you taking your shoes off? - Smoker looked at her and answered, almost whispering.
- It is my business, you're under my care you know? I just can't just stay there and watch. - He sat up and walked to her - And maybe you wouldn't let him treat you like a whore, but he wouldn't care anyways - he undid the harness belt and added - We're taking a bath aren't we?
- I am taking a bath, you're leaving! - she was really angry and for some reason Smoker thought she looked pretty like that - You should go and look for a den den mushi to call our ship.-
He became smoke and appeared behind her, holding her tight with both hands.
- Was that an order Lieutenant? Are you ordering your superior to do something? - She was speechless, she knew he was right - Besides I believe you have a baby den den mushi in your right pocket, am I wrong? - He grinned to himself, proud of leaving her speechless.
- You- you're right Sir - she reached the den den mushi and showed it to him - You should leave anyways - she added in a shy whisper. His hand grabbed the small snail and answered:
- C'mon Lieutenant, you know I'm useless under water, take a bath with me - he smelled her neck "I'll miss this a lot"
- Please Sir, not again, It's not even 3 in the afternoon and yo- He interrupted her.
- And I am not asking you anything like I did tonight, I'm asking you to let me stay here with you - He felt weird when he said this, he wasn't teasing her, he really wanted to stay. For some reason he wanted to spend all the time he could with her. - I'll behave...if you do. - He added to feel less weird about the situation. If she thought he was doing this to tease her, it would be easier for him if she said no. But if she realized he just wanted to be around her, just because, he would be really embarrassed. She opened her mouth to answer when both of them heard voices coming from the other side of the wall. At that moment they noticed the men and women baths were next to each other, separated with a wooden wall that allowed them to hear everything through a large opening in the top of it. "Great"
- The men baths are next door...if I don't behave, I can change into smoke and they'll think I was there the whole time - he added, he knew she wouldn't let him leave if she thought someone could see him.
- Fine, but first contact our ship.- She walked away from him and walked to a wooden screen next to the tub, and started to take her clothes off.
Smoker called his men as he took his pants off, and finished his cigars. The ship was already in the Marine docks and the doctor was taking care of his men. As he hang up he heard the sound of water behind him. Tashigi was already in the tub, he turned around as he pulled down his boxers to look at her back in the middle of the tub. "Beautiful" He admired her innocence more than anything, she knew he was stronger and he wanted her badly, and still she trusted him enough to allow him stay with her. He stood there completely naked watching her, just sitting in the water not even looking at him, and he realized that, that view was for him what his smoke was for her. It was a reminder of his home, at sea, his home was her.