The Greatest (Zoro x Tashigi)

6: To Sea

Zoro POV: 

I shake my head as I push into the kitchen, leaving Tashigi to fend for herself against Nami- the 'deal handler'. 

"Not like I'm first mate." I grumble as I walk to the water barrel in the corner of the dining room. pause. Wrinkle my nose. Only she would make me territorial about a status that I've never cared about. I start walking again, and pry the lid off the barrel. Hopefully Nami kicks her off board and I won't regret bringing the broad back to my boat.

I scoop out a drink to wash away the sake aftertaste in my throat. I didn't sleep a wink last night. Kept hoping a squadron of marines would jump me or that she'd run away.

She didn't.

Instead I wasted a night of land lubbing to babysit a bitchy marine.

I take a quiet, deep breath as I rub my hand across my mouth to dry it. No point whining. I made my choice. The sake tasted good and the beach was welcome solitude after the fangirl fiasco. "Weird she knows where our fan clubs are." I grunt and turn to stare at the door, tempted to just hide in here till our fate for the next week was sealed.

"Of course Nammi Swaan, one moment Tashigi-chaaaan!" Sanji bursts in the kitchen, heading straight for the fridge humming drunkenly out of key. 

I grimace and stick a pinky one one ear.

never mind.

I walk towards the now open door, when the stupid cook calls after me, "hey Mosshead. You better have not been the one who hurt Tashigi-chan. If you did anything ungentlemanly to her I will definitely-"

"Sanji, its 6 in the morning. Don't finish the sentence unless you actually want to fight. and by the looks of it-" I pause as I give him a glance over, his clothes wrinkled and covered in who knows what with dark circles under his eyes, "that won't end well for you." I turn and walk out of the kitchen, Sanji yelling insults after me.

I file away the fact he noticed her injuries as I cross the deck back over to where Nami and Tashigi sit, now surrounded by other members of the crew who have trickled back for the supposed dawn departure. Sure enough, anyone with a lick of battle sense can see her discomfort as she sits perched on the edge of the chair.

Who hurt her?

I flick the question away as I count heads, surprised that everyone's here except Luffy. We always say dawn. We never actually leave till like 10, which is about how long it takes the Navy to realize we're here and inspire everyone to actually get their butts in motion when they start shooting at us. I go and stand next to Usopp, whose legs are shaking but eyes reflecting berries, practically mirroring Nami who continues to question copycat.

"Let me get this straight," Nami says, nervous disbelief in her inquisitive tone, "You want to hire us."

"yes" Tashigi responds.

"To just, sail you to Rieno- one of the best defended Navy bases in the new world."

"Yes."

"And give you a small rowboat while we're still out of sight of the island and wait two days for you to row to Rieno, do what you need to do, and row back."

"yes.."

"and you couldn't take your own crew that could very easily and legally enter Rieno because..."

Tashigi takes a measured, deep breath as she responds with the same faked confidence she's clearly used the other 10 times Nami asked the question."Because I assure you that after I row back to your boat from my visit to Rieno I will no longer be Captain Tashigi-"