Chapter 2:
The Second Time they Kissed was to get Even
It was 10 minutes to midnight, and the crew was drunk despite Smoker and Tashigi's best efforts to keep the idiots from getting trashed. He sighed, and snatched a bottle of Jerez from a table in the Mess Hall and left, seeking quiet. His crew was loud and boisterous at the best of times, obnoxious and maddening at the worst of times.
Smoker would be happy when this holiday season was over, the last few days had been awkward since Tashigi had kissed him. She'd been avoiding him as much as she could, and every time he saw her, her face would turn as pink as her coat and she'd vanish. It was absurd. He wasn't mad at her. Hell, if anything he was a little proud of her. She'd come a long way from the timid girl he'd taken on in Loguetown, she even talked back to him now. The backbone of steel he'd glimpsed years before was finally making itself obvious.
Most of the crew was partying in the Mess Hall and on the main deck, so he headed towards the crows nest. He could relieve the Ensign on watch and get some damn peace and quiet. He turned to smoke and floated up to the top, landing quietly. But it appeared that someone else had had the same idea. Despite his efforts to land quietly, his companion had turned around at the sound of his boots materializing on the platform. "Oh!" she squeaked. It was Tashigi, of course it was. She had her coat wrapped tightly around her against the cold. The sky was clear, but it felt cold enough to snow. "Um, Vice Admiral Smoker! I was just getting some air, I'll um, get out of your wa-" she made to move past him and Smoker sighed. Heavily.
"It's fine, Tashigi, stay," he made it sound more like an order than a request. Smoker longed for their familiar banter. She was one of the only sane people on this damn ship with him, and he valued that immensely. He stepped forward and walked the few feet to the railing, leaning his weight upon it, looking out at the ocean. She was fidgeting behind him. "Drink?" he asked gruffly, holding out his arm, bottle gripped in his hand. Tashigi was quiet for a moment, then he felt her reach out and take the alcohol from his hand. She joined him on the railing, a few feet from him. "Thanks," she whispered quietly, passing the bottle back to him. The stars twinkled brightly, and loud laughter from the Mess Hall echoed up to them. The warm light from the ship reflected off the ocean, giving their little patch of the sea a golden glow. He could see Tashigi's breath on the air from the corner of his eye. They stood there quietly for a moment, and honestly Smoker had no idea how to explain to her that he just wanted, needed, them to settle back into normalcy.
"I um, I...I'mreallysorrySmoker-san! Itwon'thappenagain, I'll-" he held up a hand to stop her panicked rambling. "Tashigi, I'm not mad," he grunted. "I got the facts from Ensign Markus," he turned to look at her then as she covered her eyes with a hand. "The men are all pretty cowed by your tenacity, now, as an upside," he chuckled. She was silent, then "Ugh, pigs," she muttered and he snorted in agreement.
Loud synchronized yelling drew both their attention down towards the deck and he furrowed his eyebrows before making out the drunken words. "5!" "Oh, already?" Tashigi said surprised. "4!" "What are they doing on deck?" Smoker muttered, his eyes catching a small group of them near the front of the ship. "3!" He and Tashigi shared a confused look, and Smoker noted that her cheeks were slightly pink in the cold, her lips slightly wet from the alcohol. "2!" "Is that...a cannon?" she muttered. "1! HAPPY NEW YEARS!" followed by a startlingly loud bang from yes, a cannon. Both his and Tashigi's eyes followed something bright and fast up into the sky, before it burst into bright fiery colors high above. "Fireworks?!" she cried. But Smoker's eyes had alighted on something hanging directly above their heads. This was way too good of an opportunity to pass up. They'd be even.
"Hey, Tashigi," he turned towards her fully, stepping closer. His movement pulled Tashigi's attention away from the fireworks and cheering down below. She opened her mouth, eyes questioning, and he pointed above them. Tashigi's eyes alighted on the mistletoe hanging from the rafters. Her eyes went wide and her eyebrows shot up above the rims of her glasses. He seized the moment, leaned down and pressed his lips against hers.
It was over quickly, and he stepped past her, heading for the ladder. He got about three steps before "Smoker-san?! W-what the hell?!" she was spluttering behind him and a smirk took over his face. He looked back at her, "Happy New Years Captain," before he turned into smoke and left.
Notes:
So the drama starts next chapter. Let me know what you guys think! Again, this is crossposted to AO3. Thank you for reading!
