*~.~*~.~*

It became a sort of routine for them. Days turned to weeks and weeks turned into a few months. Whether they were fighting their respective enemies or out wandering the town, they would always end up at one of the taverns. Zoro and Sade didn't talk much as they ate and drank. But Sade had done something different when Zoro went to the pub closest to the harbor, the one they frequented the most. Usually, she'd be in there first already eating yet she was outside waiting for him with a basket and blanket in one hand and a bright lantern glowing a yellow-orange in the other. A soft smile appeared on her face when she saw him. She didn't have her coat or scarf, just leaving her in a tight long-sleeved shirt. She somehow appeared smaller now.

"What's this about?" He asked when he stepped before her, trying to peer into the wicker case.

She met his quizzical look with a mischievous smirk. "Thought it'd be nice to get out of the pub for dinner. If you don't like it, you can eat with all the men escaping from their wives, telling false tales of the sea again." She started to walk off with a hum, turning on her heel to face him when she was several feet away. "Well, Mr. Swordsman?"

Damn her and her smug face. He let out a sigh and followed her, ignoring her look of triumph. She marched down the cobblestone path away from town to a forest with a jovial whistle as Zoro stayed a bit behind with his hands in his pockets. He still doesn't understand her even after all these weeks of hanging around her. She carried herself with confidence and without fear. She fought with precision and grace. Something about her bugged him. Zoro shook his head. He's thinking too much about it.

The lantern Sade brought did little to illuminate the shadows of the deciduous forest. The white bark of the birch and the yellow-green leaves had a ghostly glow whenever she passed with the light. Zoro could see glowing eyes in the darkness among the trees. Sade didn't seem bothered by the many potentially deadly animals hiding in the foliage. She just marched right on without a care in the world. Even when there were obvious growls and snapping of twigs by something heavy. Zoro kept a steady hand on one of the hilts of his blades as the path began to slope up slightly. Was she really unaware of what was hiding in the forest? Or did she not just care?

"Here we are!"

Sade stopped near a cliff that overlooked the harbor and town about fifteen minutes later. The crescent moon blazed with silver-blue light and the stars flickered like thousands of fireflies. Zoro watched her as she set the basket and lantern aside and shook the blanket out before spreading it out on the grass. She sat down, patting the empty spot next to her. It took a few moments, but Zoro joined her after removing his swords from his belt and placing them against a tree. She set the lantern in the middle and the basket in front of her, pulling out an expensive-looking bottle of rum and a couple of bento.

"Where'd you get all this stuff?" Zoro questioned when she handed him a box. It was still quite warm.

"A friend. And no it's not laced with anything. I just thought it would be nice to eat away from the grime."

Zoro opened the bento, seeing a colorful array of steaming food. It looked to be katsudon. His stomach growled. Sade was already digging into her box and Zoro eventually followed in suit. It was another quiet meal. But this quiet was different. It was usually loud inside the pub with shouting and occasional fighting among the patrons. This time it was just the soft crashing of waves, the intermittent chirps of night critters, and the rustling of leaves. It was calming and had a much better ambiance.

"What'd you think? About the food?"

Zoro stared at the empty box in his hands. "Not bad."

"Good! I'll let my friend know you liked it."

She took the bento from him, placing both the boxes back into the basket before handing him the bottle of rum. It had a strong spiced scent to it when he removed the cork, and it had a satisfying burn down his throat. He handed it over to Sade but pulled his arm back when he noticed her staring silently up at the sky. Her eyes glistened under the light of the moon like pale sapphires. She looked sad and well into her thoughts. For a moment, Zoro forgot she could kill without hesitation. Right now, she looked lost.

"Sometimes I wish I was a bird or a cloud. Or even a fish just going with the natural currents of the world."

"What kind of bullshit are you spouting?"

She chuckled softly. "Strange, isn't it? You know, I don't fight because I enjoy it. I'm just like you. I fight to survive in this terrifying world." She paused, pulling her knees up to her chest, shifting her attention to the sea. "I really do feel like I'm missing something. Not really sure what it is that I want from life."

"Meaning what?"

"Like I'm meant to do more. The mercenary company is my family and I care about them. Yet I...I don't know how to describe it. The best way I guess is even though you've eaten to satisfy your growling gut, you're still hungry."

She was showing him a side of her he had never seen before: vulnerability. Her light-colored gaze was wistful as she laid her head on top of her knees. He took another swig of rum and held it in front of her face. It took a while before she grabbed it and almost drank the whole thing. She peeled her eyes away from the scenery and met Zoro's gaze. Even in the limited light, he could see a slight pinkish tinge to her cheeks. A sloppy smile crept onto her face as she gave him the bottle. He quickly took it with a glare.

"And what about you Mr. Swordsman?"

"What about me?"

"You seem like a man that has more purpose than being someone's good little doggy."

His brows furrowed from the insult she liked to use but he ignored it. "I'm looking for someone."

"Ohhh? And this someone is?"

"The man known as the world's strongest swordsman, Hawk-Eyes Mihawk."

Her tipsy gaze widened. "Why would you go after such a dangerous person?"

"So I can beat him and claim the title. I made a promise to someone important, and I'll keep it no matter what."

"Even if you're on death's door?"

"Even if."

Sade fell silent as she pursed her lips and looked back to the ocean. Why was he telling her this? She was still technically his enemy. But Zoro didn't really see her like that anymore. If he was being honest with himself, he was seeing her more like a...no. No, she was a major pain in his ass. She had a habit of getting under his skin on purpose. He joined her in staring out at the harbor and town as he finished the bottle. Slow seconds ticked by. The moon leisurely traversed in the sky, passing by its zenith. It was so quiet up on the cliff.

"Who was the person you made the promise to?"

Zoro took a few clicks to reply. "Her name was Kuina and she was the only person I lost to. Even after all the training I did, she still beat my ass."

"Wow, you losing? What an inconceivable thing," she said in a mocking tone.

He lightly smacked the back of her head. "Shut it. She was strong and she's the one that had the ambition of being the world's greatest, but she always put herself down because she was a girl."

"What's wrong with being a girl and wanting to be strong?"

"There were quite a few elders in my hometown that were against her acting like a man. Even though her father was the master of the dojo we were a part of." He laid back with his hands behind his head. He saw from the corner of his eye that Sade had mimicked him. He continued on. "She had a hatred towards herself because she wasn't born a boy, and she wouldn't be able to inherit the dojo. So, we made a vow that one of us would become the world's strongest swordsman no matter what."

"Then what?"

"She died."

When Sade didn't answer, Zoro glanced over at her and saw a downcast look in her eyes. She quickly looked away, folding her hands over her chest. Silence fell over them again and Zoro turned his attention to the blanket of stars. Why the hell was he telling her all of this?

"I'm sorry. It hurts losing someone." Her voice was softer. "I've lost people close to me too and always wonder what it would be like if they were still alive. I envy you though."

"Why?"

"Because you have something to live for. A promise to a beloved friend. A dream. I don't really have anything like that or really had a need to. That's why I envy you. And your friend seemed really awesome."

"She was."

Sade sat up, stretching her arms above her head. "Maybe one of these days I'll have something like that too. And thank you. For sharing that with me."

"You asked."

"Yeah, but the fact that you actually told me kind of means a lot." She looked down at him and smiled brightly. "I'd say you trust me a little."

He scoffed. "Don't get your hopes up."

'Trust huh?' Maybe he did. A little. A sliver of trust. She hadn't tried to kill him these past few months and neither did he. There was some semblance of respect for one another. But as much as that was true, they were still enemies. They were still employed by people that wanted the other boss dead. His employer was well aware of Sade's existence and made his disdain well known. He originally wanted to see if he could recruit her, but after that failed, he wanted her dead and he wanted Zoro to be the one to end her life. 'If it comes to that...'

"Would you be able to do it?"

Her question startled him, and he looked up at Sade. Her eyes were cold. "Do what?"

"I know you've been thinking about it too. Your face is kind of easy to read sometimes. 'We're enemies. We shouldn't be doing this. What am I supposed to do if my boss orders me to kill her?' Something like that right? Those thoughts have been going through my mind too." In a swift movement, she was straddling him with a finger to his throat. "Would you be able to do it?"

"Would you?"

Her eyes narrowed and she gave him a sharp tooth grin as she leaned closer, their noses almost touching. "Without hesitation."

He rose a brow and flipped them over, pinning her hands beside her head. "Liar."

"Says who? You would kill me with ease and not feel guilty whatsoever Mr. Swordsman."

"And who gets to decide that for me huh? If I really wanted to end your life, I would have done it already." He stood off of her, holding his hand out towards her. "You're annoying little shit and it would've made my life much easier."

Her eyes went to his hand then to his face. "Then why didn't you?"

He opened his mouth to answer, but no words came. Why hadn't he killed her yet? She grabbed his hand and helped herself up, her face back to the chipper expression he was used to. He watched as she sat on the edge of the cliff with her arms propping her up as she leaned back. There was something in her tone of voice that didn't match the face she was wearing. He wasn't sure if she noticed it herself.

He didn't want to kill her if it came to that, that much was clear. It was the same with her. This...bond of sorts they built over the months wasn't something easily broken. But it was dangerous. What was he going to do? Was he going to keep this job? He rubbed the back of his neck with a grumble before grabbing his swords and placing them back in their proper spot.

"Why don't we leave the island together?"

"What?"

She laughed to herself, leaning her head back to give him a dumbass grin. "I'm kidding. You've got your dream to chase after."

"And what about you?"

"Who knows? I'm not the type to have something grand planned for the future. I'm too busy thinking about the now. Anyway, we probably should head back. We've got work to do, don't we?"

Zoro helped her gather the things she brought as she hummed again. Whatever his reason was, part of him was glad he accepted her surrender. The other part was yelling at him that she was going to betray him and stab him in the back. But he ignored that angry clawing and gnashing feeling of unease. She wasn't afraid of him like most others were once they realized who he was. She treated him like an equal. Was that why he disregarded his instincts?

When she started to walk away back down the path, Zoro stayed where he was. He looked back over to the yellowish lights of the town and the dark waves lapping the piers. As he did so the same thing kept running through his mind.

He had to get off this island. Had to get away from her.

*~.~*~.~*