A/N: This might seem slightly ooc.

Disclaimer: Eiichiro Oda owns One Piece. I just like writing about it. Hugs to Oda!

To the readers:

KarinAoi Thank you for reading. I'm glad your enjoying Snowy Duel.
Anna Sparrowand Psyprass: Thank you for you honesty in the reviews. Hopfully i will improve my grammer, spelling, and writing as i continue with this story and others.
Angie-chan: Thanks for taking the time to read
Lady Aisu: Much Thanks.
gothywolfie: Well keep reading maybe i can write inmore stripping XD
bee rivers : I kinda took inspiration for this chapter from Hana Yori Dango. But just for the "stripping" part. XD

Snowy Duel

part 3

Tashigi awoke with the feeling of cold leaving her flesh and heat slowly caressing her body from the outside in. She didn't know where she was or how she had gotten there. Slowly she opened her eyes to find herself face to face with none other than Roronoa Zoro!

"Yes I remember now." She said just below a whisper.

At that moment, the swordsmen who had been holding her, shifted in his sleep. He seemed to be resting uneasy. Then Tashigi heard him mumble in his sleep, "Kuina…"

"Kuina? Who's that?" Tashigi had to pause. Why was she interested in this 'Kuina' all of a sudden? And why did she even notice Zoro's restless sleep?

Slowly the Marine wiggled her way from Zoro's grasp and sat at the edge of the bed. She couldn't stop asking herself questions that she didn't know the answers too. "Grrrr this is starting to annoy me!" She said inwardly stuffing her hands in to her Asian blue-black hair.

She deiced to look about the room. Maybe for answers. Maybe for escape. She didn't quite know herself. The girl let her deep blue eyes wander the room looking from the wooded floors to the ceiling.

Tashigi caught sight of a full-length mirror. In it she saw herself wearing a flannel button down shirt that hung to her knees. The sleeves of the cream colored shirt were so long they devoured her arms and hands. Rolling them up Tashigi started to think of how to deal with the idea of waking up next to "That pirate." She raked her fingers through her hair and started looking at the room through the reflection of the mirror. Slowly her eyes shifted to a corner of the room where she saw Zoro's three legendary swords: Wadou Ichimonji, Sandai Kitetsu,andYubashiri along with Shigure!

Mystified by the swords that she arose from the bed and walked over to where all four rested. "I just want to try one." She thought reaching out her hand past her own sword and grasping Wadou Ichimonji.

Suddenly Tashigi felt a shadow loom over her and a tight grip on the wrist of her out reached hand. The navy haired girl turned to find herself once again in the grasp of Roronoa Zoro!

"What are you doing?" His voice seemed to hiss at her.

Tashigi was somewhat afraid to face him, but somehow mustered the strength, will and courage to do so. " I-I'm sorry," She swallowed hard on her words. "I was only-"

"Going to take it!" The green haired man asked accusingly.

Tashigi stood silent shifting her gaze from the katana to the face of Roronoa Zoro. He in turn shot a glaring look at the Marine.

Zoro kept his eyes locked with Tashigi's, that is, until he saw Kuina's face appear. Tashigi had not been wearing her glasses, and to Zoro that made her look more like Kuina than ever. "Damn," he thought. "Why does she have to look at me like that?"

Turning his head to the right. Allowing himself to look out a window and not at Tashigi, Zoro released his grip on her and dropped his and to his side.

Looking at this as an opportunity, Tashigi drew out the blade from its saya. Using Wadou Ichimonji in a downward strike from above her head to the shoulder- neck region of Zoro's body. However as she made her attack at him she froze up and stopped a centimeter above his tan flesh.

The expression on the face of Roronoa Zoro did not change from when he turned to the window. It was as if nothing had been happening. "What man stands there and will take a hit from his own sword?" Tashigi wondered as the two of them stood in silence.

Finally his voice broke the silence between them. "Why didn't you finish the attack?" He asked with his voice still unmoving. " You could have killed me, taken my swords, and rid the world of another pirate. Isn't that what you want?"

Tashigi still held Wadou Ichimonji to Zoro's neck. " I could ask you the same thing, Roronoa Zoro." Slowly Tashigi dropped her arms to her sides the Wadou Ichimonji still in her right hand. " First in Logue Town, then in Alabaster, and now here. I know you could have killed me, but you didn't. You didn't even try to fight me."

Zoro glanced at Tashigi for a moment. Noticing that she was looking at the floor and not at him gave Zoro a slight feeling of relief. Than Tashigi began to speak again.

Her voice was angry, "When we first met you deceived me! Then told me how you hated me! And yet," her tone began to soften, " I still respect you… even now." With that Tashigi sheathed Wadou Ichimonji.

She put her back to Zoro and laid the katana to its original resting place in the corner. The dark haired girl admired the trio that lay with Shigure before turning to the sound of Zoro's deep voice.

"Your face."

Tashigi looked over her shoulder at him. He still was staring out the window. All this time he had not made eye contact with her. Tashigi was still puzzled by his statement. "My face?"

"It's not you I hate. It's …your face." Zoro brought himself to look at the girl that stood eight centimeters shorter than him.

Turning to face Zoro, Tashigi was still confused at the man's hatred of her appearance. Unexpectedly Zoro raised a hand to Tashigi's face. The marine girl was startled and flinched, bumping her head in to the wall. Not having anywhere to go Tashigi let the green haired samurai make contact with her face.

Zoro placed his hand with an open palm to her cheek. His thumb caressed the cheek just below the eye as his other fingers glided to the side of her face and disappeared into her hair.

Tashigi was surprised. She had felt Zoro's rough touch before and half expected this hand to be as course as sandpaper, but it was completely different. His hand moved gently along her face making her want to feel more of this sensation.

"You look so much like someone I knew." His hand slid the palm covering her eyes, and fingers slipping to the roots of the Marine's hair. Zoro's hand was now covering Tashigi's entire face as if trying to keep it from reminding him. " She died and I couldn't do anything to prevent it." His hand tightened on the her face. "She was my friend, my rival, and I would do anything to have her back." With that Zoro shoved Tashigi against the wall forcefully. " I hate your face because it reminds me of how useless I was."

Shocked by the impulsive aggression from Zoro, Tashigi placed both her hands over his and gradually moved his hand from her face. "He doesn't want me to see him like this," she thought as she peered out from under his hand with one eye.

Tashigi released Zoro's hand and let him continue to hold her against the wall. After a short time, Roronoa slid his hand from the girl's face. Navigating the hand down her neck and to her shoulder, Zoro slipped his free hand around Tashigi's waist and pulled her close to him.

At first Tashigi was shocked again at the pirate's actions, and tried to fight him off but he was too strong. Each time she would struggle he would tighten his grip on her, like a boa constrictor and its prey.

Soon enough Tashigi was held securely in the arms of Roronoa Zoro. She felt awkward at their closeness that caused her face to turn red. Zoro cupped her chin in his hand and tilted her head upward to face him. Tashigi looked at Roronoa's face. His features were softer than she ever remembered seeing them.

He leaned down closing his eyes. Tashigi did the same placing herself on tiptoes, head tilted at the perfect angle.

A grumble came from Zoro just before they met, "Kuina" He said just under a whisper.

Eyes still shut, Tashigi winced at that name as if she had been stabbed or shot. Her hands that had been balled on her chest holding onto her racing heart, now pushed Zoro away from her as she said, "I-I'm not Kuina."

Her voice was almost sad, and Zoro could hear the quiver in her tone. He gradually opened his eyes and looked down at Tashigi. He put up no resistance to her pushing him away. He just let go and moved across the room to the bed.

The two of them held an awkward silence for sometime after.

A/N: Told you it was a bit ooc. Please forgive me! I just really wanted to have this chapter and i worked extra hard on it.

sgttashigi

PS. Dont for get to let me know what you all think