The girl who crossed the sea

Prey

It stalks her while the hawk is away. Waiting, watching for the right moment. It's predatory eyes, following her every move. Ready to pounce, to capture her, the unsuspecting cat.

" Stop fussing! It's nothing to worry about!"
" Zoro! It's not nothing! It's your eye! You need both your eyes on your face to see!"
" I'll make up for it by sharpening my Kenbunshoku! It ain't a big deal!"
He angrily pushes me away but I stand my ground grabbing his arm tightly. " At least let me clean it. Maybe we can save it Zoro. If you could keep it, wouldn't you want it?" He stubbornly looks away fully intent on going back out.
" Please Zoro." I give him my last final, desperate plea and he finally give in with an over eradicated sigh. It's been mostly just the two of us after Mihawk finished teaching us the basics of Haki. Even Perona seemed to have other things to do. It's already been 3 years and Zoro's time with us is quickly coming to an end.

" Why did you let your guard down now of all times. You're just about to go back to your crew. how are they going to react to you returning with only one eye?" He grumbles starting to pull away from me. " If your going to fuss and scold me, I don't need your help. I'd rather go after the bastards." I apologize half heartedly pulling him back down onto the medical bed where I've set up a sort of treatment table.
" how does it feel? Open it slowly and tell me if you can see anything."  He does as he told without complaint. " I can see shapes and your ugly mug." I smack him over the head. And proceed to tape his eyes shut.
" All jokes aside, I think it'll be fine as long as you keep it closed for while and let it heal." I unconsciously trace the wound that will probably heal as a scar.
" Be careful. I'm no doctor but I'd say if you get hit again like you did, you might as well be blind.Do you hear me?" I yank on his ear and he yells out but we're interrupted by Perona floating into the room.
" the old man is back. " She laughs her quirky laugh behind her hand. I stand read to go greet my father figure. " Guess I'll get some dinner ready then. Perona, watch this fool and make sure he doesn't leave. I'm counting on you." I don't give her any time to argue before leaving. AS I walk down the hall I can hear her complaining about how she's always put on babysitting duty. I grab a half read book from the sitting room before heading down to the main floor.
" Welcome back. How was your trip Mihawk? Is there any news about Law?" He shrugs off his coats and hangss his hat near the door. I hold out my hands to take his bag form him. He hands me his bag of possibly house essentials, nodding in appreciation.
    " I brought the paper for you. There was something written about your brother becoming a war lord. You can read on it on your own." He yawns slightly making his way towards the dinning room where he tackles his wine. He's been gone for quite a while this time, I've missed his company.
    " I'm making gnocchi today. Will you be eating with us?" He glances at me with an unreadable look before answering. " Of course." He pats my shoulder affectionately before rummaging through the wine cabinet for the bottle he wants. I pull out a glass and the a bottle from another cabinet, pouring him a glass. He takes a sip before speaking again.
    " What if this wasn't the one was I looking for." I pass him his book. " I've lived with you for about 2 years now Mihawk. I know more about you than the navy known. You have a strict list of things you like and things you do. It's not very hard to guess what you would want to do after coming home." He opens his book and sits back in his chair, swishing the wine in his glass.
    " Hm, you've grown into a fine woman. Nothing like the pitiful girl I picked up on the shores of Sabaody." I start to walk away towards the kitchen. " Being raised by the great Taka no me, Dracule Mihawk, The only option for me is to become a fine woman, finer than any wine you'll find in your cabinet." I laugh to myself a little but i here his finale comment to our conversation.
    " I doubt that."
I begin making food for dinner, suddenly interrupted by the voice of of a certain swordsman.
    " I'm surprised you could find your way here. Did Perona bring you?" He leans against the door way not answering my questions.
    " you and Hawk-eyes. Have a real weird relationship, you act like your his wife or something." I laugh at his comment and he looks at me weird. I kneed a portion of potato with flour, beginning to form small pallets of dough.
    " He is my teacher, my greatest friend, and a precious piece of my person. That's all there is to it. " He against doesn't react but as I start washing the dishes I'd used, he begins drying them. One of the only chores he will do without me having to ask. I once asked why it seems habitual to him and she got an irritated look on his face as if he's remembering an unpleasant memory. " It was one of my chores on my ship. Had to help a shitty cook clean up after meals." Even though there's an edge to his voice, he seems to remember those times fondly. " Sounds like you have a good crew." He laughs. " More like a troublesome crew. Our captain, Luffy, he's always dragging us into trouble and we have to clean up the mess." Zoro starts telling me about a couple of their adventures starting with how he had met the oh so amazing Monkey D Luffy. Before long, dinner was ready and served on the table. As if the smell lured the ghost girl, she drifted into the dinning room, instantly reaching for a wine glass and taking her place at the table. I place a plate down in front of Mihawk before everyone else but I'm pushed down into a chair.
    " Stop fussing and sit down. I'll go get the rest." Luckily, the kitchen is clearly visible from the dinning room and I watch as he visibly starts to wander in the wrong directing.
" What are you doing you stupid swordsman. We're over here!" Perona yells already have started eating. Grumbling Zoro brings me my plate before tuckering down to eat his own. " Thank you." He glances over at me before emerging himself in the dish.
    " By the way, Roronoa, what happened to your eye. Nothing here should have been able to injure you like that at your current level. Did a new type of humandrill appear while In as gone." I knew that Mihawk would ask something about Zoro's new wound. He has a way of pouring salt into an open wound. I think he enjoys riling up Zoro for his own entertainment.
    " I already scolded him. he won't tell me what happened." I chew slowly on the pasta. " Perhaps he's embarrassed about what happened." Our teacher sips his wine with a smirk gracing his lips.
    " Shut up. I was just distracted!" He tries defend himself from the unorthodox teasing of the stronger swordsman but his statement results in a serious conversation.        
    " Roronoa, one should never be distracted during battle. you'll lose your life. Your lucky you only lost your eyes but even then you;be lost one of your weapons as a swordsmen. I've already told you that your senses are your only defense." He starts reiterating a teaching moment but just as I said, I'd already scolded the greed head and he wasn't having any of it.
    " It was nothing! A momentary mistake. Won't happen again!" Our teacher once again sips his wine after letting out a tired sigh. " What were you even distracted by. A female baboon? There's nothing here for you to be distracted by." Having finished her plate, Perona begins to contribute more to the conversation which starts to really rile up our Roronoa Zoro.
    " Fema.. the hell. I was distracted by my thoughts! I was distracted by my plans! Not some female baboon! Are there even female baboons? How do you even tell them apart?" He stands abruptly, heated about the argument and I can't help but start laughing at his humiliating situation. I hold my stomach tightly, it aching, wracked from my giggles.
    " Why the hell are you laughing! It was your freakin fault to begin with! I was distracted thinking about you!" He suddenly lets slip and everyone turns silent. He suddenly lights up like a fire, bright red.
    " Pathetic." The one word from Mihawk completely crushes Zoro and he picks up his plate heading out. " Forget it. I'm out of here." He starts strutting out as if he hadn't just said the most embarrassing sentence. Even I could feel my face burning.
    " Roronoa. What's pathetic is not the your thoughts but what you let happen because of them. If you can not prefetch yourself, you have no right to think you can protect others." Zoro stops in the doorway.
    " I know. That's why I said it was momentary. My mind is clear. For when I leave here." A heavy feeling set in my stomach. I often forget that he will leave one of these days.
    " It's momentary because my plan is to kidnap Layla here and take her with me when I leave. I'm a pirate after all, I'll take the things I want." At that moment, I felt as if I were prey.

With a thundering pounce, the cat was cornered, pinned on its back, facing the danger that attacked. Not an ounce of fear present in her heterochromic eyes. Bloodlust forgotten, it lays beside cat basking in the waning light of day.