Author's note: Welcome and thank you so much for clicking on my fanfic! But I have to warn you: English is not my native language and this translation is a teamwork between me and a lovely girl I met on a german fanfic site, who offered to translate a big chunk of this for me. I want to also thank the gorgeous people in my tumblr ZoTash Chat for encouraging me to finsih the translate the rest of it. So, enough talking.
Enjoy!
Drowning
The rain poured down on Tashigi as she stood in front of the iron gates, unable to force herself to pass through. She thought hard about the reason that made her accept the invitation of her mother to come home during her well-deserved holiday. She couldn't quite remember it.
I could just go and write her that something else came up...
"Young Lady? Is that truly you?"
Too late.
Tashigi narrowed her eyes and tried her best to recognize the person hurrying towards her. It might have been early afternoon, however the rain and the accompanying, dark clouds made it hard to see farther than a meter. The Navy Captain sighed in surrender and started moving forward. The gate was opened for her and after she had passed through, she found herself standing face to face to an elderly men, who had been the one calling her a few minutes ago. He was two heads shorter than her and almost as broad as he was tall. Dirty green eyes beneath thick, gray eyebrows looked up at her. His head seemed to be bold for a long time already. Tashigi didn't know him. Her mother had most likely switched out the entire staff again.
She followed him to the house at a leisurely pace and then into it; she wasn't in a hurry to meet her mother.
"Your mother is waiting for you in the parlor with tea and pastries. I'll have a maid get you a bath ready so you can clean yourself up", the nameless man said while he took her duffel bag and her coat.
"A bath sure sounds nice. But I want to greet my mother first", she replied.
Better get this over with.
Her welcoming committee didn't seem to like this, nor the fact that she walked over the expensive floor with her wet and dirty boots. But since he lacked the rank to protest, he simply bowed.
"As you wish, Young Lady."
Tashigi didn't regard him further, instead entering the parlor of her birth house completely wet where She was already waiting: Tessa Alvarez.
Her mother. She still looked the same as the last time Tashigi saw her.
The older and more elegant version of herself turned her head to Tashigi. A small smiled ghosted over Tessa's lips as she went to her daughter in her classy, dark-red dress. Her dark blue hair was, as always, been pulled into a tight bun.
"Tashigi! It's so nice to see you. Ew...you are wet and dripping on the floor."
Now her mother was eyeing her disapprovingly. Tashigi gave the older woman a tight-lipped smile.
"Good afternoon, Mother. If it's okay with you, I'm going to sit down, yes? It's been a long trip." Without waiting for an answer, she sat down on the couch and took a cup of tea. She preferred coffee, but at the moment she was okay with anything that was warm at least. Her mother picked up her own cup again and sat down in the armchair opposite of her. They stayed silent for minutes until Tessa rose to speak.
"You grew your hair out. I like it."
"Me, too. Thank you."
"You have changed a lot in general over the past few years. You are...more feminine."
Tashigi chuckled. She had lost hope of growing a reasonable-sized bust at the age of 18, but in the past two years her body had decided to catch up on what it had been missing.
"Tell me, Daughter. How is it in the Navy for you? I heard you got a promotion." She knew her mother wasn't really interested in her work and simply asked because of courtesy. Tessa Alvarez had never cared about such things. Her only interests were clothes and the latest rumors and talks around town.
Tessa saw it as a personal failure that her only child, her daughter, had chosen to work for the Navy and to learn sword fight.
"Everything's going well, thank you. How is life treating you?"
Tashigi only listened with half an ear as her mother began gushing about her oh so exciting life. She didn't understand how a person could view a life that consisted of sitting in a gigantic mansion all day and ordering their servants around as exciting. For Tashigi it lacked adventures, the thrill, variety. Tashigi had decided early in her life that she did not want to be like her mother.
"That's why I've asked you to come."
She focused on her mother again.
"I'm sorry. Why?"
Of course her mother wasn't thrilled about having to repeat what she had already said, but she did it anyway.
"I said that it's time for you to find a suitable husband."
"Mother...", Tashigi started, only to be interrupted.
"No. You've spent enough time with the Navy. It's time for you to come home and start taking care of your obligations here."
"The Navy is not a waste of time, Mother. My obligations lay there, not here."
"Wrong. Since you are your father's only child, you are going to be the the Baroness off this Island. You have to give birth to heirs, that's why you must have a husband."
"But I do not want to give birth to... heirs just yet, nor do I wish to have a husband."
"During the next several days, on each evening a wealthy man's son will accompany us for dinner. All of them would make the perfect husband. We will dine with them and in the end, we will choose one who you are to going wed."
"So, an arranged marriage?", Tashigi asked quietly, too surprised of her mother's audacity still.
"You can call it that if you want."
"Why am I forced into a marriage while you and father married out of love? Why are you refusing me the possibility of finding a suitable husband myself?"
Tessa put her cup aside and looked at Tashigi sternly.
"What your father and I had was something most people find it rare to experience: The one true love. And if I'm being honest... I doubt that you can find one on your own."
Tashigi sunk deeper into the couch. She had met a young man years ago who she had thought she can develop feelings for. Then she discovered who he really was.
"Your father would have agreed with me. He would want the same to happen."
Tessa's voice brought her back to the present.
"My father would have wanted me to do what makes me happy. And the Navy makes me happy."
At least that's how it used to be.
"This topic isn't up for discussion. You will meet those young men. The first one will arrive in three hours. I want you to go and clean up yourself... mostly because I do not want you to completely ruin my furniture and floors." Tashigi stood up without another word and left the parlor.
Tashigi sighed in content as she sank into the hot water. After the cold rain and the conversation with her mother, bathing was the perfect thing to do. She had known the stay here wouldn't be easy, but she hadn't expected to be married off...
This wasn't how I've imagined my vacation to turn out.
All she had wanted to do was relax and clear her head. Especially after the events on Punk Hazard. What happened on there had shown her just how much was wrong with the Navy and after the short alliance with the Straw Hat Pirates, she had realized that not all pirates were the same.
Tashigi sunk deeper into the tub.
Father has never talked about corrupted and rotten admirals during his time in the Navy. Haven't they existed back then or had he simply kept silent?
Thinking of her father brought tears to her brown eyes. He was the one who had taught her sword fighting to help her with her bad balance. He taught her to listen to her heart and not just to her mind or her mother.
He died when she was fifteen years old. She missed him so much.
If he was still alive, her mother would have never dared to invite strangers into his home to test them on their compatibility. He would have allowed Tashigi to choose someone herself if she wanted to marry at all.
She had set her fate in stone after accepting her mother's invitation. However, not completely. Yes, she would eat dinner with those men. No, she wouldn't take one of them as her husband in the end.
Yes, after her mother's death she'd be the next Baroness.
No, she wouldn't allow anyone to force her into a lifestyle she clearly did not want. Even if her mother would invite men for dinner for the rest of her life... Tashigi wouldn't be coerced into anything.
Tashigi walked briskly through the streets of her hometown. The dinner with the first "candidate" has been a total disaster in her opinion. Her mother only saw a civilized young man coming from a rich family who would inherit his father's fortune one day.
Tashigi saw a rich, spoiled brat in him, who has never studied anything reasonable and who most likely has never had to work hard in his life. Definitely not her type.
The warm and welcoming light coming from a nearby window lightened up the path in front of her. She lifted her head up. The rain had stopped some time ago, although even that wouldn't have stopped her from leaving the house.
She entered the building called "The Old Hunt" with anticipation. It was in the possession of her family for generations now and one of the only things that Tashigi had inherited directly after her father's death. Her mother had gone on a rampage; how can someone pass an Inn to their fifteen year old daughter?
But Tashigi loved this Inn. While her family owned the Inn another family took care of it. Whenever Tashigi wasn't training with her sword with her father, she had come down to the Inn and spent her time there. This building was more of a home to her than the house in which she was born.
Warmth, laughter and the magnificent smell of roast welcomed Tashigi and she closed her eyes for a moment to remember some of her favorite childhood memories.
Afterwards she gazed around the room only to see no one she knew and sat down at the counter. The Innkeeper immediately moved towards her, only to stop as he caught sight of her.
Tashigi couldn't help the grin forming on her face nor could the innkeeper.
"If it isn't the Baron's daughter, Tashigi Alvarez. What brings me the honor of your visit?"
"At the behest of my mother, the Baroness, I returned for a short period of time."
None of them stopped the laughter bubbling past their lips and after the innkeeper stepped around the counter, he pressed Tashigi tightly against his fat body.
"Oh Tashigi. It's so nice to see you. Looking good."
"Thanks, Barney. It's nice to see you, too."
Tashigi eyed up the man. Barney hasn't changed a lot since their last meeting. He was still as round as ever, his brown eyes showed endless kindness and the thin brown hair still covered his ears. Since she had spent a lot of time in the Inn as a child, Barney grew to be her second father.
"How's your daughter?", she questioned as Barney disappeared behind the counter to serve her a mug of beer.
"Lizzy is doing well. She's pregnant with her second child. She's due any day now." Tashigi choked on her beer.
"The second? But her first was only born a some time ago", she stuttered in disbelief. Barney looked at her doubtfully.
"Aiden? He turned two last spring."
"Wow." Tashigi took another gulp.
Lizzy is as old as I am.
"Does my mother know?", she asked.
Barney nodded.
"And whenever I show her the cash book, she complains that you can't see reason and don't want to marry."
"That's old news", Tashigi mumbled and drowned herself in her beer while Barney served another customer at the counter.
Tashigi stayed silent for a few minutes, enjoying her beer and the loud roars of laughter of the other guests.
It's nice to be back in this place.
"Hey Barney! Do you still have some of that delicious smelling roast?"
Barney looked at her wide-eyed. "Don't you have any food at that big mansion of yours anymore?"
"Of course there's still food, but yours is better."
The Innkeeper laughed.
"You don't have to praise me. Your orders are on the house anyways."
Laughing too she watched him enter the kitchen to get her the food. A table in the corner appeared to have a particularly good evening. Every now and then laughter could be heard coming from them.
"So, tell me, Young Lady. What are you doing on the island?", Barney asked and set down a plate with the roast, potatoes and other vegetables.
"Like I said, my mother. She asked me to come during my holiday to find a husband for me."
"Ah, that explains the wannabe Barons walking through the streets", Barney nodded in understanding.
Tashigi nodded too, her mouth stuffed with the delicious food.
"Tessa will never understand that you won't be forced to do anything. Your father would have never allowed this."
Tashigi stayed silent. They had often talked about this topic already.
"Hey, Luffy! Get your fingers off my plate! That's my food!"
As she heard that yell, Tashigi almost choked on the food. She turned around on the bar stool, coughing up her lungs and immediately caught sight of the Straw Hat Pirates sitting in the corner. She quickly turned back to Barley.
"How long have they been here?", she asked breathlessly.
"For two days. They said they were on vacation or something."
She risked another glance at them pirates out of the corner of her eye and focused on a certain green-haired man.
Why haven't I noticed them upon entering the inn?
Because she was too busy with herself. She wasn't too happy knowing that the Straw Hat Pirates were in her Inn... especially Roronoa Zoro. But as long as no one acted up, everyone was welcome on this island. It didn't matter if they were a pirate or not. Her fingers itched to challenge the green-haired sword fighter to a duel. However, she knew he'd refuse again. And she'd left Shigure at the mansion and moreover she was on vacation.
If she thought about it more, she preferred having a relatively peaceful time than having to fight pirates she wouldn't be able to defeat anyway.
Besides, the pirates had done more than enough on Punk Hazard to deserve some rest, too. She sighed and looked at Barney.
"Their bill's on us."
Barley stopped whipping the counter in surprise. "Are you sure? They are drinking and eating quite a lot."
Tashigi looked at him skeptically. "Are the bills of the Old Hunt that you've been sending me fake? Do we not earn as much as you want to make me believe?"
Barney looked at her shocked.
"No! Of course the numbers are correct", he assured her.
"See? As long as they don't return every month, we can afford this."
The Innkeeper nodded.
"Furthermore, they earned it", she whispered and took another gulp of the beer.
Hours passed and Tashigi had downed three beers by now, unable to pull herself together and go home. She already refused Barney's offer to rest in the Inn. Her mother was going to be angry enough already because she had left the house again. She didn't want to make her even angrier. Sometimes she'd glance at the Straw Hat Pirates, but they did nothing except for having a blast and alcohol-filled evening.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm going."
Tashigi tensed as an all too familiar voice grew closer to her.
Oh no.
Roronoa Zoro himself positioned himself at the counter next to her. She was glad that he didn't spare her a look. She was not in the mood for one of his stupid remarks. Meanwhile Barney had stepped up to him. "How can I help you, son? The usual?", he asked.
The sword fighter nodded and threw a stack of money on the counter. The Innkeeper shook his head and pushed it back to him.
"That's okay, boy. Your stay will be on the house because of the Young Lady."
Thereupon, Zoro looked at him confused.
Please don't, please don't, Tashigi begged inside her head and looked pointedly at the mug. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Barney motion in her direction and Zoro followed the movement with his eyes. Tashigi suppressed the urge to run out of the room, took a deep breath and turned her head to the side. Zoro's incredulous gaze almost drilled through her. He didn't seem to understand.
She put on her best poker face and held her mug up to him with a curt nod before turning away again, yet she still felt the lingering eyes of Zoro.
"Captain Glasses! I didn't recognize you there", he said and leaned sideways against the counter, his chin resting upon his hand.
"Roronoa", she replied briefly. Tashigi picked up Barney's questioning look and subtly shook her head. Barney returned to preparing the pirates' order.
"Can you stop staring at me?", she asked the sword fighter next to her.
Damn it, why does he have to look so impressive while simply standing?
"I'm just trying to understand why you look the way you do."
Tashigi wanted to slap her hand against her face. Yes, she looked different. After all she had to look "beautiful" for the dinner tonight. But instead of wearing the dress her mother had suggested, Tashigi had chosen simple black pants and a gray top with small ruffles at the chest. Her hair fell down freely.
"Where's your coat? Your sword and most of all your glasses?", Zoro asked without looking away.
"I'm on vacation."
"And it's okay not being able to see clearly on your vacation?", he pressed on.
She didn't bother telling him that she didn't even need those glasses. Instead she simply sent an annoyed look his way. "I don't know why this should be any of your business."
Roronoa shrugged his shoulder. "Curiosity. How come you want to pay for us? And since when is there so much money to earn with the Navy?"
Tashigi grew increasingly annoyed and harshly placed the mug down on the counter, glaring at him. "Look at it as a kind of 'thank you'. Take it or leave it!"
It was obvious how the gears in his head were rapidly turning and more questions were forming on his lips, but before he was able to say any of them out loud, a loud yell sounded from his table.
"Hey, spinach head! Stop bothering the beautiful lady!"
They simultaneously turned their heads and looked at Sanji who was barely held back by his comrades from jumping over the table.
Barney placed down the full tablet on the counter in front of Zoro, who took it then turned back to Tashigi.
"Thanks", he said and returned to his table.
Did he really just said thanks?
"It appears to me that you both know each other", Barney said smirking at her. Instead of answering Tashigi ordered another beer.
"I'm leaving now. See you tomorrow, Barney."
Zoro watched over the edge of his mug as the young woman stood up and turned away from the counter. He expected her to get her clothes caught on something and fall flat on her nose, but she didn't do him this favor.
Despite having drunk a ridiculous amount of alcohol, she barely even staggered. Where was her usual clumsiness?
On her way to the door, her eyes went to his comrades and him one last time. Zoro lowered his mug and grinned at her in a provocative manner, but she immediately averted her gaze and left the Inn.
He had yet to tell his friends of her generosity. On one hand he himself didn't quite understand why she had paid for their stay out of the blue, on the other hand she had looked as if she'd been having a bad day and he didn't want to butcher her relaxed evening with her beer.
Zoro didn't know where this sudden consideration of her condition came from nor why he even had noticed how awful her day must have been.
His friends left the bar one after another to go to bed. At the end, it was only him sitting at the big table in the corner. Zoro wasn't the last one in the Inn, but most of the guests had left by now. He emptied his drink and sat down at the counter, waving at the bartender with the empty mug.
"You know Captain Glasses?", Zoro asked, trying his best to sound casual as the bartender refilled his mug.
"Yep", was the short reply he received.
Zoro furrowed his eyebrows.
Looks like he isn't a talkative person...
"For how long have you known her?"
"A long time now", the bartender answered with a grin, putting the mug down in front of him.
Zoro scratched the back of his head and tried to come up with a way to get the wanted information out of the bartender.
"You want to know why she paid for you, huh, boy?"
"Among other things."
The bartender leaned forward on his forearms. "She didn't tell me why. Only muttered something about that you deserved it into her beer."
Zoro once again furrowed his eyebrows; Tashigi herself had said to him that it was to show her gratitude for their help on Punk Hazard.
That makes sense.
"And how does she have so much money? As far as I know, Navy Captains don't earn a lot of money, right?"
Zoro looked at the older man as he started to laugh loudly.
"You have no idea who she is, boy, haven't you?"
"Uh..."
"Her family basically owns this whole island, so stop thinking about her finances."
Then the Innkeeper started cleaning the Inn leaving Zoro with only more questions behind.
Tashigi angrily slammed the iron gates behind her and trudged on.
I can't believe it.
She had canceled the dinner with the second "candidate" five minutes ago and was on her way to " The Old Haunt" now. The evening, no, the whole day had been a total disaster.
She had hoped to have the day to herself, but her mother had thwarted her plans.
Tessa's personal seamstress had stormed Tashigis room in the morning and pulled her out of bed. Her mother had been clearly upset by her clothes choice the day prior and had sent for her tailor to get new clothes for Tashigi.
Thus she had spent the whole morning naked in front of the seamstress and her apprentices while they had taken her measurements and basically sewn the dress onto her body.
Then it had been time for lunch with her mother, who had used up the time by telling Tashigi information about their next visitor and complaining that Barney was already expecting his second grandchild while she had yet to hope for one.
After lunch Tashigi had tried to get some time for herself, but even that had been refused by her mother. The seamstress fitted that day's dress one last time and after that, her mother had whisked her away to tea with her friends. Because Tashigi hadn't seen them in forever, she was forced to accompany her.
Afterwards it had already been time to get ready for dinner and their visitor. Tashigi had entered the dining room in a tight dress that showed too much cleavage, especially after her mother had tied her hair up into a bun with thousands of hairpins. It had surprised her to not only see her mother and the young candidate at the table, but also a second stranger. However, she had quickly found out who he was.
The young Baron... (she hadn't bothered to remember his name) never talked with unmarried women directly. That's why he had a servant accompanying him who had to repeat everything the Baron said as if she wasn't sitting directly in front of him and couldn't hear him.
While Tessa found this form of "politeness" to be charming, Tashigi felt disgusted at that. Hence she had stood up after the appetizer and left. She hadn't talked to anyone about this, only entering her room and getting dressed in a pair of comfortable pants and a shirt before leaving the house. She had heard her mother's loud protest, but she had ignored it.
Food and drinks in the Inn that's all she could think about. She didn't want anything else. However as soon as she entered the Inn she found herself in the arms of the Straw Hat Pirates. Apparently Zoro had told them of her generosity the day prior and now they thought it important to thank her.
Luffy almost dislocated her shoulders as he shook her hands, Chopper asked her several times about her already healed wound and Sanji proposed to her at least three times. The only ones who hadn't bothered standing up upon her arrival were Roronoa Zoro and Nico Robin.
Thank goodness.
It was nice that the pirates were happy because of their now free vacation, but she really wasn't in the mood for it. She vehemently refused their offers to come sit with them and after what felt like half an eternity, she managed to free herself out of their claws.
Barney was already waiting for her at the counter with a mug of beer.
"You're early", he mused.
Instead of replying Tashigi emptied the cup with one big gulp.
Barney raised an eyebrow.
"That bad, huh?"
She didn't have the strength to answer him, so she let her head fall onto the counter and started removing the hairpins in her hair. Barney didn't dig deeper. He just placed another beer and a steaming plate of food in front of her.
That's why she loved him.
Tashigi didn't know how much she had drunk by now, but she did know the exact amount of hairpins in front of her.
Ninety-nine.
And she was convinced another one was yet to be discovered in her hair. A hundred hairpins made more sense than ninety-nine. Apparently the news that she was home for now made its way around town and lots of old friends of hers and her fathers had come to talk to her and speak a toast in her name. This had only increased the alcohol consumption that evening and Tashigi was happy about it. At least that way she was able to forget her forced marriage and the corrupt Navy for a few hours.
She had felt Roronoa Zoro's eyes on her the whole evening; at first she had felt uncomfortable, now she didn't care anymore. Whatever kind of satisfaction it brought him, Tashigi hoped he was happy with it.
Only a few people were left in "The Old Haunt" except for her and the green-haired man, but the young lady didn't realize it. She was still looking for the last hairpin in the haystack... no, in her hair.
"So, darling. Do you want to tell me about the dinner?", Barney asked and put down a glass of water in front of her.
Tashigi eyed it warily before taking her hands out of her hair.
"Barney! I'm drowning!", she exclaimed loudly and knocked over the glass with a theatrical gesture.
She could hear Roronoa laughing into his drink at the back. She turned to him halfway.
"I did that on purpose!", she told him, then turned back to Barney, who was still busy cleaning up the water.
"Sorry", she mumbled.
"What's making you drown, Tashigi?"
"Everything."
Her head harshly met the counter again.
"Especially my mother and the Navy. Tessa doesn't understand that I do not want to give birth to children at the moment and I don't understand how the Navy solely consist of corrupt assholes who let themselves be bribed by damned pirates. No offense, Zoro!"
She knew he was listening in because he didn't seem to have manners. Her assumption was proven correct when he answered.
"It's okay."
"Smoker says I shouldn't let this bullshit get close to me and I should do my own thing, but that's easier said than done."
"And what do you want to do now?", Barney asked.
Tashigi abruptly lifted her head and starred at the Innkeeper.
"I have no idea. That's why I took some time off. But ever since I arrived, I've only been hearing this: 'Oh Tashigi, you have to marry and give birth to children! Oh Tashigi, Lizzy's already having her second child! When will I finally be a grandmother? Here, let me find a husband for you. I'm going to lock the both of you in the bedroom until you're pregnant!' Barney, I'm not a brood mare!"
She heard Roronoa laugh again, but she didn't care. Barney couldn't suppress his grin either.
"Tell this your mother."
"She isn't listening to me. Instead of finding out what I really wanna do with my life, I'm wasting time with seamstresses, tea and dinners with men who only see a lucrative business in me."
Barney put a hand on her head and petted her softly. A soft breeze alarmed them of a newcomer, which usually wasn't anything unusual considered this was an Inn.
"Tashigi Eugenia Alvarez!"
Tashigi's first instinct was to hide behind the counter. Her second was to shut her eyes tightly and hope for it all to be a part of her imagination. Barney destroyed all of her hopes in one blow.
"Tessa", he greeted the Baroness.
Tashigi slumped down in her chair. She could clearly see the sardonic grin on Roronoa's face.
I will never be able to live this down for the rest of my life.
Then she tensed up her shoulders and turned to her mother.
Tessa Alvarez was clearly unhappy to be in the Inn. She sent derogatory looks at the remaining guests and stepped in front of Tashigi.
"If it wasn't enough already that you've ran out on the Baron and me... you now force me to leave the house in the middle of the night to get you because you are completely drunk!"
"I didn't force you to do anything. I would have found the way home on my own. I'm a big girl, you know", Tashigi replied and stood up unsteadily.
"I'm doubting that", said the older woman to her daughter while eyeing her from top to bottom.
Tashigi looked at Roronoa out of the corner of her eye. She had expected him to wear his usual grin, but he almost looked encouraging. He stood up and slowly walked in the direction of her and her mother.
"Barney, I'm sorry for my daughter being such a nuisance to you."
"Oh, she never is to me."
Tessa obviously doubted his words also.
"Tashigi, we're leaving", her mother said and turned around.
"Yes, Ma'am!", Tashigi saluted and started following her.
"See you tomorrow, Barney."
"See you tomorrow."
"Zoro", she said curtly while passing the pirate.
"Captain", he replied and plugged something out of her hair to hand it to her. Tashigi beamed.
It was the hundredth hairpin.
The next three evenings all followed a similar routine. Despite having managed to get some time off during the day, Tashigi still hadn't found a way around the dinners. Her only ray of hope were the evenings with Barney. Her mother hadn't dared to fetch her from the Inn again. Most likely because Tashigi had given her mother a piece of mind the next morning and they had barely spoken to one another ever since.
Thus Tashigi had gone to Barney each evening after the disastrous dinners, refused the Straw Hat Pirates' offers to drink with them and spent the rest of the evening at the counter.
Today was no different as she entered the Inn and mentally prepared herself to be stormed by the pirates, who failed to appear. Surprised by this, she looked to the corner they usually claimed only to find other guests sitting there.
Tashigi let her gaze wonder around the room, but couldn't find the pirates anywhere. Shrugging her shoulders she took up her usual place. Maybe they had sailed on.
"With whom did you have the pleasure today?", Barney greeted her, smirking. Tashigi sighed.
"Baron Phoenix, 25 years old. His hobbies are poetry and horseback riding."
"A man exactly to your liking."
Tashigi had to laugh. "As if."
She took a swig of her beer, reveling in the fact that this was the last evening with a marriage candidate.
"Lizzy gave birth to her baby this morning", Barney said, grinning broadly.
"Oh, Barney! Congratulations! What is it?"
"Another strong boy. She called him Zoro."
Tashigi choked on her drink.
"How did she get that idea from?"
"I told her that the Straw Hat Pirates were on the island and she liked the name. Moreover, you have to admit that they aren't too bad considering they are pirates."
"Yeah, I guess you're right", she muttered into her mug.
"That almost sounds like a compliment."
As she suddenly heard Roronoa Zoro's voice next to her, she choked on her drink a second time. He sat down on the stool next to hers, the usual grin on his face and ordered sake.
Tashigi let her gaze wonder around the Inn again, still coughing but she didn't see the other Straw Hats anywhere.
"Where is the rest of your chaotic group?", she asked and definitely sounded more curious than she wanted to.
"They wanted to go into a theater and to some hot springs, I think. It's our last evening on this island", he answered.
Tashigi nodded and then they stayed silent for a while. It made her uncomfortable to sit next to him; she didn't know what she wanted to do. Should she start a conversation? And why wasn't he drinking alone in some random corner? He started speaking again just as she had emptied her second mug.
"So, Young Lady... you own this place."
Well, look who got himself informed.
"This one and a few others on this island", she replied.
"After everything I've heard, your family reigns over the whole island."
Tashigi frowned and looked at him. "If someone is reigning, it's my mother. I'm only visiting."
"And? Are you still drowning?"
At first, she wanted to slap him and tell him that this was none of his business and he should care about his own stuff. However she did practically tell the whole Inn about her sorrow. She shouldn't take it amiss that he asked her, despite being astonished by his inquiry.
"I am", she said quietly.
"Are you thinking of leaving the Navy?"
Tashigi sighed loudly.
"Sometimes. But if I do that, I'd have to return home and I definitely do not want that."
"You could become a pirate", Zoro suggested and grinned at her.
Thereupon she had to laugh. "Oh, don't lead me into temptation, Roronoa."
"What happened to Zoro?"
"Huh?"
She looked at him blankly.
"You called me Zoro a few days ago."
"And I was decently drunk a few days ago", she retorted after realizing what he was going on about.
"I'd prefer it if you continued calling me Zoro", he said and nodded gratefully at Barney who refilled his mug.
"And I'd like it if the world was blank and white. Without any gray."
"Where would be the fun in that?"
Tashigi didn't answer him, instead musing about his words. This vacation was to help her get clarity on what she wanted to do. If she wanted to stay with the Navy or not. But instead she wasted her time with doing her mother a favor and getting drunk each evening.
I shouldn't have come home.
Zoro's suggestion to become a pirate was more than just alluring to her right now.
"You know what I'm wondering about?", the green-haired man continued their earlier conversation.
Tashigi was shocked, to say the least. Roronoa Zoro usually never talked that much. She stared at him, waiting for him to continue.
"We've been on this island for almost a week now and yet you still have to ask me for a fight", he spoke on.
Tashigi smiled. "You would have refused my challenge anyway."
"Don't start with all this 'I am a women' bullshit again", he snapped at her.
"Calm down, hothead. I left this behind me. I've realized that you've always been stronger than me. Sure, you have an advantage being a male and all, but that shouldn't stop me from going to my limits. And I especially shouldn't wallow in self-pity because of that. On top of that, I'm on vacation."
"I'm glad that's how you see it now", Zoro replied and looked at her complaisant.
Then she gathered all her courage and said what she had been carrying around for months now.
"Her name was Kuina, right?"
Zoro froze. To hear that name out of her mouth rattled him up. He stared at her open-mouthed what seems like for hours, then he chugged his sake down completely and ordered the next mug, which he immediately emptied halfway, too.
"How...?", was all he managed to speak.
He was pretty sure that he had never mentioned Kuina's name around her, nor that those two almost looked like twins.
"I...had enough pondering about why my similarity to your dead girlfriend threw you out of the loop. So, I started investigating."
Zoro felt his hands shaking as he hung on her lips.
"I started with my mother. She is the only one I knew that looked similar to me. She left her home and her family early in her life and never talked about them again. That's why I never knew about that side of my family. Koshiro is my uncle and Kuina was my cousin."
Zoro gazed at the woman next to him silently, trying to take in her words. Related.
Tashigi and Kuina were related!
An absolutely plausible reason for why there had been a similarity between them. Even though now almost nothing of Tashigi reminded him of Kuina.
"Thanks", he whispered and promptly was looked at confused by her.
"What for?"
"I always thought your similarity existed because life hates me. I would have never came up with the conclusion that you both were from the same family."
Tashigi laughed and Zoro had to admit to himself that he liked her laugh.
"Don't thank me that early. I visited Koshiro and now I know everything about you."
"Oh, great."
"My little cousin kicked your ass on a regular basis."
Even Zoro had to laugh now.
"Yeah, she did", he answered and then clank glasses with her.
Tashigi once again couldn't tell how much beer she had drunk this time. Fact was, though, that Roronoa Zoro could handle alcohol better than her. While she was swaying dangerously on her stool and only stopped by the green-haired man from kissing the ground, he was sitting at the counter firm as a rock.
The evening together with him had been pretty amusing and by now they both had turned to each other to be able to look at one another. It had surprised Tashigi that their conversation never fell silent. She enjoyed the time with him since she quite often didn't get to calmly talk with him. Zoro was impressive in more ways than one.
"Maybe you should stop drinking", he said grinning as she once again propped herself up on his thighs as to not fall over.
"Stop gabbing. I'm sure I can drink more than you."
Laughing, he pushed her long bangs out of her eyes and suddenly she found herself unable to avert her eyes from his lips.
I wonder how he tastes...
Something inside her screamed at her to get an answer to that question, but before she could act on it, a voice broke her out of the trance.
"Young Lady Alvarez."
Tashigi blinked several time before slowly looking away from Zoro's lips to the person that had spoken. A man with brown hair and brown eyes was standing in front of her, and he looked awfully familiar to her.
"Yes?", she asked and tilted her head to the side, all while Zoro intertwined one of his hands with hers. She was surprisingly happy about that.
"I'm sorry to interrupt your conversation, but I saw you through the window and thought I'd greet you."
Tashigi obviously had difficulties making sense out of all those words. Moreover she wasn't aware that she, in fact, did know that man.
"Do we know each other?", she decided to simply ask.
The facial expression of the man derailed and he was obviously disappointed. Zoro was laughing next to her. She liked it when he laughed.
"We had dinner together today", the brunette answered her question.
"Ah."
Tashigi looked at Zoro. "One of my husbands."
Thereupon Zoro frowned and eyed the man skeptically.
"I truly did not mean to bother you..."
"You are bothering us though", Zoro interrupted him, Tashigi nodding in agreement. That guy truly was bothering her.
"I'm going to leave now and hope I'll hear from you soon."
"I wouldn't get my hopes up too high on that", she retorted and waved at him with her free hand in goodbye.
As soon as the brunette had left the Inn, Zoro addressed her: "Wouldn't have thought you'd be into men like that."
"I'm not. But my mom wants me to marry someone like that."
Zoro stayed silent and Tashigi mustered him out of narrowed eyes.
For some reason the sword fighter was acting strange suddenly and let's not forget how he'd suddenly taken her hand. Then something clicked in her brain and she beamed at him.
"You're jealous!", she called out.
"What? No, I'm not!"
"Yes, you are", Tashigi repeated and pressed her finger into his chest.
"Bullshit. That would mean I want something from you."
Tashigi looked at him seriously and tightened the grip on his hand.
"Do you?", she asked quietly.
"Do you want something from me?", Zoro asked in return.
Tashigi didn't have to think long about that. The answer to that has been written in stone ever since Loguetown.
"Yes."
As soon as she had spoken that one word, Zoro had let go of her hand and pulled her to him. The next thing she felt were his surprisingly soft lips on her. He tasted like sake and salt and everything in that kiss screamed 'I want you'.
Eventually they pulled away from one another, breathing heavily. Tashigi had one more question: "Want to come over to my place?"
He didn't hesitate to answer: "Yes."
Usually, it would only take around ten minutes to walk all the way from "The Old Haunt" to her home. But normally, she wouldn't be accompanied by Roronoa Zoro, who pushed her up against a wall every few minutes and forced his tongue into her mouth. Not that she was complaining; she did the same to him with her tongue. If she hadn't been well-known around the island, she would have pulled him into the next side street. However, she really shouldn't considering who she was.
As soon as they arrived at the mansion, Zoro whistled impressed through his teeth. "Wow...your family really does have money."
Tashigi only shrugged her shoulders and pulled him into the house. It was late and there were no lights burning in any off the rooms. On the way to her room, both adults took turns running against the decorative furniture that seemed to be everywhere. It was a miracle that the house's mistress didn't wake up.
Tashigi let herself fall onto her bed, still kissing him. He propped himself up on his elbows, her head in between and looked at her passionately.
"And you're sure you want this? That this is not just the alcohol's doing?", he asked.
Tashigi intertwined her fingers in his nape and pulled him down to her.
"Take me", she whispered. And that's what he did.
Tashigi woke up hours later and looked around in confusion. It took her a few seconds to remember the earlier happening's. Then she felt the two strong arms that were keeping her close to a hard chest. She raised her gaze and inspected Roronoa Zoro's sleeping face. A smile appeared on her lips; just like her, he was naked. The young Navy Captain still couldn't believe they had slept with each other.
He, a pirate and her, a member of the Navy; an unfortunate combo. But Tashigi couldn't deny that she had found him attractive ever since Loguetown. Crude, yes but attractive by all means and then she had found out who he was. Just the idea of having a deep relationship with him breached each and every of her principles. However, principles could change and her opinion of him had steadily increased, too.
She knew that nothing more could happen between them. Not as long as she was in the Navy and he was a pirates furthermore she didn't even know how exactly he was interested in her. Just because he slept with her didn't mean he wanted more than sex. It was for the best if she didn't ponder too much about it and instead enjoyed the short, precious time she had with him.
Tashigi's gaze wandered to his three swords that leaned against the wall next to Shigure and she stopped at Wado Ichimonji.
Kuina's sword.
Did she dare to take it into her hand? Usually, Zoro defended especially this sword with his life and perhaps she shouldn't do it, but Tashigi couldn't refuse the temptation.
Not taking eyes off of Zoro's sleeping form, Tashigi gently freed herself from his hug, stepped over him and left the bed. The sunlight of the early morning poured through the barely closed curtains into her room and she slowly approached the swords.
Sending one last glance at Zoro she took Wado Ichimonji into her hand. Fascinated by the sword's beauty, she unsheathed it.
Of course Zoro had noticed Tashigi leaving the bed. Throughout years of training he managed to program his body in a certain way that would help him sleep without any problems, yet still realize what was going on in his surroundings. He kind of already knew what the young woman was planning and surprisingly the thought of her touching his swords didn't bother him.
If it was anyone else, Zoro would have raged, but he knew he could trust Tashigi. She would treat his swords with the needed respect.
As he heard the unmistakable sound of a sword being drawn, he carefully turned around to watch her. He observed how she dreamily mustered Wado Ichimonji's blade, it was making him smile. Even though he would never admit it openly, he was glad that they met on this island. And he was glad about his decision to sit next to her on the evening prior.
Ever since he had first met her, Tashigi had fascinated him deeply. At first it was easy for him to push his confusing feelings for her onto her similarity to Kuina. Only with time passing did he realize he harbored feelings for her. Why?
Because she was the first and only woman after Kuina to share his passion
for sword fighting and because she was goddamn beautiful.
When she had fainted in front of his eyes on Punk Hazard, he had started believing he might have more than just a crush on her. But as long as she was in the Navy and he was a pirate, nothing could go on between them.
All the better that the heavens allowed him to share one night with her, despite the insecurity if she had been sober enough to make this decision. While he watching her and letting his thoughts flow, he felt the area between his legs heat up. Zoro smirked; a naked woman with a sword in her hand didn't leave him cold. The feeling was intensified by the knowledge that this woman knew how to wield a sword properly.
He rubbed his hand across his face and indicated that he was awake: "You can keep it if you want."
She flinched hard and starred at him wide-eyed. Then she took notice of his words and her mouth opened in surprise.
Zoro couldn't believe himself that he had said this, but...
"It's kinda yours anyay. It's your family's property", he explained.
Tashigi smiled sadly and sheathed the sword, putting it back down next to the others before returning to the bed.
"It used to be our family's property, but my uncle gave it to you to fulfill yours and Kuina's dream. One day you will beat Dracule Mihawk with this sword and you will pass it on to your children", she said all while straddling him and moving her hips teasingly against his.
Zoro suppressed a groan. "You think I'll have kids?", he asked.
Tashigi paused. "You don't?"
He shrugged his shoulders. "Never thought of it. A pirate ship isn't really the best place for a kid."
The woman on top of him laughed. "Off all the ships out there, I think yours would be the safest for a child."
Zoro had to laugh with her. She was kinda right.
"Do you want to have children?", he asked curiously.
"Maybe someday. When I finally found out if I want to stay in the Navy for my whole life or not."
"As I said, it's not too late to become a pirate." He grinned at her.
Tashigi leaned down to him slowly, at the same time moving her hips up and pulling the bothersome blanket off of him. "Like I said, Zoro. Don't tempt me."
Just as she wanted to sink down on his lap again, the door was thrown open and a woman that looked fairly similar to Tashigi stormed to the bed. If Zoro remembered correctly, this must be her mother.
"Tashigi? What in God's name are you doing?", the older woman snapped at her.
Tashigi wasn't bothered by her mother's outburst, instead letting her hips meet Zoro's. She looked sternly at her mother then. Damn it, this side of her was hot.
"Good morning, Mother. You see, I'm a little bit busy right now. Can we talk later?"
Then she turned back to Zoro and smiled at him.
Zoro was almost as shocked as Tashigi's mother. He definitely didn't know the Navy Captain like this.
The loud sound of the door being shut told them that their 'guest' had finally left them to themselves.
"So, where were we?", Tashigi drawled.
Zoro gulped. If he wasn't careful, he'd fall head over heels for her.
Though maybe it was already too late for this, he thought as Tashigi started moving her hips again.
Tashigi looked out of the windows, lost in thought. Her mother walked up and down in front of her, bristling about what happened earlier this morning. She couldn't care less.
Yes, she didn't know what had gone through her head as she had shamelessly driven her mother out of her room; this wasn't her style usually. And Tashigi did have to agree with Tessa on that: she had been raised better.
Even though it partially was Tessa's own fault. Who barged into their adult daughter's room without knocking?
While Tessa worked herself up more with her monologue, Tashigi thought back to how she escorted Zoro back to "The Old Haunt".
He had assured her that he was going to find the way on his own, but she knew of his bad sense of direction by now. They had walked alongside quietly for a while until they stood in front of the Inn and looked at each other. Tashigi knew she'd said yes to him in that moment if he had again asked her to be a pirate. Now, however, she had to be around her mother again while the Straw Hat Pirates were going to leave today. Her plans for the next few days had been to stay on her home island, but she just couldn't stand it anymore.
She cut of her mother out short by abruptly standing up.
"What do you think you're doing?", the older woman asked her sternly, putting her hands on her hips.
"I will leave."
"Who permitted you to...", the Baroness started, but Tashigi held up her hand.
"Mother, please. I... deep inside of me I understand your plans for my life. As my mother, you only want what's best for me and in your eyes the perfect solution is an arranged marriage. But let me assure you, this is not the case."
"But your heritage as Baroness...", she tried again.
"Will be taken on once you're not able to do it anymore. I promise. But until then, I want you to let me do what I think is best for my life. Father would have wanted that."
Mother and daughter looked at one another for minutes.
Tessa nodded. A grateful smile played on Tashigi's lips. She nodded at her mother and left the room.
"And you are absolutely sure of this?"
"As sure as I can be under these conditions, Captain."
"Understood. Don't say a word to anyone, okay?"
"Of course! Medical confidentiality!"
As soon as Tashigi had left the doctor's room, she sighed deeply and ran a hand through her hair.
Exactly what I've needed now.
She had been back on her ship for six weeks now. And because of her duties and Smoker's restless chase after Monkey D. Luffy, she still had yet to make a decision, not having had the time until now. Of course, fate had something in store for her to show her its middle finger.
She had noticed something was wrong two weeks ago, but she hadn't thought much of it, believing she had simply caught something or ate something wrong. As time flew by and the daily puking and the constant dizziness wouldn't disappear, an assumption had wormed its way into her head. One that the ship's doctor had confirmed just now.
Another sigh left her lips and she let herself plop down heavily on her office chair. She propped her head up in her hands, having no strength to hold it up. Now she definitley had to make the decision. After all...
After all she was having a baby from none other than Lorenor Zoro himself.
Vice Admiral Smoker had never been a fan of paperwork. In fact he loathed all this paperwork. Vigorously smoking his two cigars he starred at the mountain of papers on his desk. They were out on sea almost every day, it was a mystery to him how he got stuck with so much paperwork to do. But daily the news coo delivered new files from the headquarters that required signatures or reports to fill out.
With a little too much pep he grabbed the first of the files to work on, he did not realize that the stack on his desk started to sway dangerously from side to side. He never understood how Tashigi could go through all of her paperwork on time. A knock on his door gave him a much welcomed excuse to not open up the file in front of him.
"Come in..", he growled.
Smoker looked up after Tashigi entered his cabin. While chewing on his cigars he looked her up and down. Since she came back from her vacation she was awfully silent and since about a week she looked increasingly sick.
"Vice Admiral Smoker", she saluted.
"Do not bother. You look like shit. Have you been to the doctors yet?"
"Eh… yes."
He looked at her, expecting an answer, when she took a step forward and put down a piece of paper in front of him.
"With this document I am officially leaving the Navy."
Smoker, normally not the type to easily be surprised, suddenly choked on the smoke and only to bite off half of his cigars upon hearing those words from his Captain.
"What?", he coughed up while looking at her shocked.
Of course he had noticed that Tashigi was not that pleased with working for the Navy in the last months. And everything that had happened on Punk Hazard hadn't helped with it either. But if he suspect her leaving the Navy it would have been during her vacation, not six weeks later.
"I am leaving the Navy", she repeated.
"Yees… but why the hell?"
He suppressed the urge to take her shoulders and shake some sense into her. As sickly as she looked she would most likely vomit on his floor and this would be something he would loath even more than that damned paperwork.
"Private reason", was her answer.
He looked at her for a few seconds, still shocked. He wouldn`t have thought that Tashigi leaving the Navy would knock him out of his feet the way it did. But never in his life he imagined Tashigi Alvarez willingly leaving the navy. She was one of the few people in the Navy whom he respected, appreciated. And who was not constantly getting on his nerves.
He opened and closed his mouth a few more times. Thankful that nobody except Tashigi saw him this way then he took a deep breath and lit himself two new cigars.
"I reckon there is nothing that could change your mind?"
"No Vice Admiral Smoker."
"Well… I will communicate your leave to the Headquarter and you can leave the ship as we set anchor in the next port."
"Thank you very much, Sir."
She saluted once again and left his cabin after that. Breathing in deeply Smoker put his feet on the desk, knocking over the paper stack. Tashigi leaving the Navy would mean that he would get a new Captain assigned… and even more paperwork.
Sweating Tashigs gaze followed the Navy ships`s way out of the port. This had been her home for the last few years, but that times was over.
Smoker and the rest of the crew left her on a summer island. They had only replenished supplies and set sail again. Always on the hunt for the Straw Hats.
Wasn't it ironic that she herself would try to find the exact same pirates? Sure, she could have stayed in the Navy until she had a clue where to find them, but who knew how far along her pregnancy would've been until then?
The last thing she wanted was for Smoker to know about the baby before the father of this child. That's why she decided to leave the Navy right now. She was surprised to not feel some sort of lost, she always expected to feel and maybe destiny did her a huge favor with this pregnancy.
She didn't really got a plan to follow, all she wanted was to find Zoro to tell him about the news. Depending on his reaction she would either find a solution with him or travel back home to her mother and raise this child by herself. First she had to find the Straw Hats tough.
Tashigi took a deep breath and instantly regretted it. The pregnancy made her nauseous all the time and right now she was standing in a port on a summer island with all its disgusting smell off fish, which has been out in the sun for far too long. To inhale deeply in this surrounding was an hideous idea. She dropped her duffel bag and hurried to the edge off the port where she puked loudly. Suddenly there was a feather light touch on her shoulder.
"Tashigi?", spoke a well known voice to her left.
She looked over und couldn't suppress the smile on her lips. How lucky could one be?
"Nami", Tashigi answered and took the offered handkerchief.
"Are you not feeling well?"
Tashigi lifted herself up and turned to Nami. It was then that she noticed Nico Robin and Sanji were also there. The cook had his arms full of shopping bags and looked at her as worried as Nami did.
"I was just getting sick from the smells of the port. It's better now."
It was a blatant lie, she was still feeling sick and afraid to vomit again any minute but she pulled herself together. If she was lucky for once in her life she had to put it to good use. Nami looked at her with doubt in her eyes but before she could speak Nico Robin opened her mouth.
"Is Smoker here as well?"
Tashigi shook her head and pointed to the Navy ship out at sea.
"They just set sail. Smoker believes you're three islands ahead of them."
"Why are you not with them?", asked Nico Robin while Nami and Sanji were still looking at the ship.
"Well… that is kinda a long story… But I am glad to see you… I really need to talk to Zoro."
"What do you want from that spinach head?", rose Sanji dropping his cigarette.
Tashigi looked at him. The only reason he was not lying at her feet was probably because his arms were full with the bags. That and the presence of Nami and Robin.
"Well… that's also a long story", she answered him.
"But what if you are only pretending that Smoker set sail? What if this is a trap?", asked Nico Robin and looked at her with her penetrating blue eyes.
"That is a legitimate question", said Nami.
Sanji seemed to be unsure of if he should support Robin and Nami with their accusations or if he should Tashigi. His inner conflict was clearly visible on his face and Tashigi almost laughed out loud but she knew better than to mess with the two women in front of her.
"I… left the Navy, there is no need to worry for you."
"And what if you are just saying this so we stay calm? Just because you paid for our vacation six weeks ago doesn't mean we are going to trust you blindly", Nami said folding her arms in front of her chest.
Tashigi hardly suppressed another gagging reflex and took Shigure from her side.
"I understand that you are skeptical. That's why I am going to give you mx sword as a pledge to show you, you can trust me. I really just want to talk to Zoro."
Nami and Robin took their time looking at each other but then they both nodded.
"Alright. We are taking your sword as a pledge and are taking you with us to the Sunny. But don't try anything funny!"
With a small bow Tashigi handed Shigure over to Nami.
"I won't. Thank you."
"Maybe there is time for Chopper to check on you. You look awful."
Tashigi bend down to pick up her duffel bag but Sanji interfered.
"No no no, Sweetheart. I'll do it."
Tashigi had her doubts that Sanji was able to carry her bag additionally to all the shopping bags but she was not in the mood for this discussion. So she let him be.
As they arrived at the Sunny Tashigi was an absolute nervous wreck. She had not expected to meet the Straw Hats so soon after leaving the Navy so she had absolutely no idea how to address Zoro with this situation.
Straight forward?
Beat around the bush?
Would he even want to talk to her?
"HEY TASHI! What are you doing here?"
Just like a bouncy ball Monkey D. Luffy came rushing to her as soon he got sight of her. Chopper right on his heels.
"She wants to talk to the moss head", Sanji answered.
Now that Nami and Robin took their bags off of him to take them and Shigure to somewhere below the deck, his hands were free so naturally he lit himself a cigarette.
"With Zoro?", Luffy asked curious.
Tashigi had no chance to answer him because she felt a soft tug at the bottom of her trousers. She looked down and Chopper was standing in front of her, his eyes were big with worry.
"Are you feeling good? Your face… You're pale and green at the same time. Maybe you should see a doctor."
Tashigi couldn't hide the laughter.
"It's okay. I know exactly what's wrong with me. Can you tell me where to find Zoro?"
"He is up in the Crow's nest", Chopper answered, not quite satisfied with her answer.
Thankful she padded Chopper on his hat and made her way up to the Crow's nest. She felt the questioning looks from the guys behind her but she did not bother. Her eyes were set on a goal. Hopefully the green haired sword fighter was alone.
As soon as she arrived she knocked gently at the hatch and after she heard Zoro growl something she poked her head into the Crow's nest and couldn't quite believe her eyes.
The look out was built like a gym with weights and everything. Roronoa Zoro sat cross-legged on the floor lifting a weight that looked like no normal human being would be able to lift it. He didn't look up nor gave away a sign that he acknowledged her.
Tashigi entered the look out completely and closed the hatch, then she made her way over to Zoro.
"Eh… hi" She put her hands in her pockets, didn't quit know what to do with them.
Looking at him six weeks after their one night stand was weird. She did not really know where they're stood. She expected to see him again on the other side of a battle field. Not expecting to tell him that he would be a dad.
Zoro was visibly startled with her greeting and he hastily looked over his shoulder. Surprised and stunned was the look on his face.
"Hi…" He put down the weight and got up. Now Tashigi had to put her head in the neck to be able to look him in the eye.
Why on earth had he be so tall?
"What… are you doing here?", Zoro asked after they've both been silent for a while.
Tashigi took another deep breath, her sensitive sense of smell picked up Zoros incomparable smell. Salt and Sake. Funnily enough it was the first scent that didn't triggered her to puke her guts out.
"I need to talk to you."
Zoro needed to sit down immediately, baffled he looked at Tashigi. He was aware of his open mouth and how idiotic it has to look. But he couldn't care less.
He has been so surprised when she suddenly appeared behind him earlier, never in a thousand years he would have imagined her coming on his ship.
He always knew that they would meet again, with him being a pirate and her being in the Navy. But he never expected it to be this way.
Even though he was surprised he was also happy to see her. Even when they just had one night together he got used to her body next to his and since they parted ways a few weeks ago he had not had one night of good sleep.
As much as he never expected her turning up so suddenly he never would have expected her reason to show u. Thre little words would change up everythin.
I am pregnant.
"This…"
"… is not what you expected, right?", she interrupted and sat down in front of him.
"Not really, no."
"If it helps… I was surprised too."
"How long do you know it?"
"Not long. A few days. A week at most."
Zoro ran a hand trough his hair and looked out of the window.
"Good old Smoker must have freaked out, right? A baby from one of the Straw Hats?"
He did not know why now of all times this crossed his mind right now. Maybe it was to buy himself some time to gather his bearing.
"I didn't tell him. I left the Navy shortly after finding out."
That was an answer he also had not expected.
"You left the Navy?"
Tashigi simply nodded.
"What are you about to do?"
Now she shrugged.
"I don't really know. I thought it most important to tell you first."
Zoro took his time starring at her. Still unsure about all this. Then Tashigi didn't seem to be able to stand it any longer and got up again.
"Listen. I just want you to know that I expect absolutely nothing from you. I just wanted to let you know and if you don't want to be in the baby's life that also okay. I can go back home to my mother and handle the child alone."
Zoro looked at her with raised eyebrows. She was giving him the perfect excuse to get out of this. The question was, did he wanted to get out of it?
"And if I want to be part of it? Are you going to stay on the Sunny and raise this child with me?"
She looked at him stunned, her hands now on her tummy and then she whispered:
"If that's what you really want… I would be happy to stay."
Zoro also got up and was now standing in front of her. He was not sure if she wanted to be touched by him but he also put a hand on her tummy. She didn't pull back, so it took it as a good sign.
There was now hope in her brown eyes and Zoro smiled while he laid his forehead against hers.
"Stay."