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Sanji noticed her for the first time back in Loguetown. When they were fleeing, Zoro was fighting a pretty lady, and the cook had been outraged. The mosshead had never shown any interest in any woman whatsoever, so seeing him having a fight with one was absurd.
She was a swordsman, the blonde noticed. A perfect match, he thought. He didn't even know if the first mate even had any interest in relationships, but if he does one day, the cook thought someone like that pretty lady would fit.
Sanji had never known what the result of the fight was, though. He wanted to stay at the time, but it was raining and so fucking cold, his clothes soaked, and he couldn’t even light his cigarette. So he trusted Mosshead wouldn’t do anything stupid and went on his way. Zoro didn’t say anything when he came back to the ship, and the cook never asked.
However, he didn’t seem happy about something, and Sanji wondered what happened to the pretty lady.
Well, it’s not like we’ll meet again.
—
The first time Nami noticed that there was something odd with the relationship between Zoro and the Navy Lady was way back in Alabasta. She had never seen the green-haired man so agitated and flustered (and it wasn’t because of the fucking heat from that freaking country), not even when he was dealing with Sanji. That woman was definitely weird and also dangerous with her unceasing wish to chase them.
He had run away from the woman with glasses, and Nami was stunned. She remembered him saying, "She's the only one I can’t fight,” and the surprise hit her as hard as a punch from Luffy. The only one he can’t fight? There’s no such thing in Roronoa Zoro’s vocabulary—he'd never back down from a fight. Ever! Especially against a marine, even if she was a woman.
She tried to drag the truth out of him, but to no avail. Zoro simply ignored her at the time and all the other times she had questioned him. Sometimes, he’d even give her a cold shoulder for poking her nose in too much.
Well, whatever. She doesn’t seem like she can pose a threat to him anyway.
—
Robin was almost sure there was something between the two swordsmen, and she figured it out on Punk Hazard. She had seen how it was a really complicated and strained relationship, and probably Zoro had his reasons. It was not like him to lose his temper over simple words and with strangers.
She noticed how Zoro tried to act as cold as that godforsaken island towards the marine lady, but his efforts proved to be fruitless. He did lose his mind with her during the battle but wasn’t able to leave her behind to die from Caesar’s gas. He had even bandaged her almost frostbitten shoulder!
But there were two reasons she had been led to believe they were not strangers to each other: while running with the kids and the G-5 sailors, she heard them gossiping about how the “Swirly Brow bro” had said the “Sword bro” was a softie inside and they didn’t need to worry about “Captain-chan.” Robin agreed; it was very well put. That was the first.
The second was when they were at the victory celebration, pirates and sailors together; she saw Tashigi fetching a glove for Zoro because his hands were cold. They argued in the end, yes, but she didn’t miss the looks they gave each other when they thought the other wasn’t looking.
Both seemed curious, but Tashigi had a longing in her eyes, and he had recognition in his good eye.
Oh my, something did change.
—
Usopp had never paid attention to that Navy Lady that Sanji and Robin would talk about sometimes. He just knew she was Smoker’s subordinate; she was not that strong and had a weird rivalry with Zoro. He didn’t know why she even bothered, considering their gap in strength was huge.
Until he saw her fight in Wano. She was not as strong as Zoro and Law yet, but she stood her ground pretty fucking beautifully in order to protect the Strawhat’s swordsman. Which was odd, taking into account her past behavior and the way she acted towards him when she first landed in the Samurai’s country.
Tashigi had been straight-up cold towards Zoro, full of icy remarks and indifferent looks. But that was before their swordsman almost got himself killed. Zoro was on the floor, and Tashigi protected him, fighting tooth and nail. She had won, and it had been a pretty impressive battle, but, in the end, she ended up badly hurt.
Chopper took care of her, of course, but the other strange thing was that Zoro did not leave her side. He even stood up to Smoker when the older man demanded he get the fuck out of her bedroom.
Zoro did not obey. And Usopp was flabbergasted.
She was just a marine, and initially, the sniper thought Zoro was just doing that out of obligation. The woman had saved his life, after all. But then he seemed pretty fucking happy when she woke up (even if they got back to yelling at each other right after) in his own peculiar way and, for some reason, started to follow her around.
Her frigid demeanor was no more, and she would even send a smile his way sometimes. They’d go back to arguing in the end, though.
Those two are really troublesome.
—
Brook was old enough to spot correctly the moment when the pretty Navy Lady stopped being Zoro’s enemy and became his friend. He also knew they were a step away from being lovers, but not yet. Their established friendship was recent, but they weren’t able to hide the looks they gave each other all the time.
Only when the other wasn’t looking, of course. He had a strong longing in his good eye, and she had recognition in hers. In Brook’s opinion, they were just two kids dancing around each other, too afraid to stop.
It wasn’t just the looks. It was the small gestures—the way he would wrap a scarf around her neck when she was shivering because "you’ll catch a cold and fuck everything up, so take care of yourself, woman," the way they’d always stay or fight together, or how he would sulk in the corner when she was giving Law more attention than necessary.
Or, especially, how he gave one of his earrings to her before the girl left to end the revolution she, Smoker, and Aokiji started in the Navy. She had looked at him with surprise, and he was asking for a promise in complete silence. Tashigi smiled and nodded, and maybe that was the step they needed.
Yohohoho, young love. Always an adventure.
—
Smoker had always known how that brat was special to that silly little girl. He knew that since she had let the Strawhats go in Alabasta, when she had blushed when that fucking boy carried her in Punk Hazard, when she had stood between death and the Pirate Hunter in Wano, risking her life for the sake of that punk.
The at-the-time-Vice-Admiral also knew that, from the brat’s part, Tashigi had always been equally special. He knew when he saw him saving her in Punk Hazard and when he stood up to him in Wano. He noticed when his cold demeanor turned into a friendly one and their bickering stopped being full of hate and poison, only to become something amicable. Or even when he had cuddled with her on a freaking frozen night.
When all was said and done, he saw her run to the pirate and hug him, her face full of relief and happiness for seeing him alive. The brat had been fucking hurt while protecting her with all his might. Smoker had to admit that the boy would hunt anyone who would hurt her.
They had mended their wounds, one never leaving the other’s side. Smoker was okay with it; what could he do? The heart wants what it fucking wants. He just didn’t need to catch them in a lip lock in the middle of the party, kissing like there was no tomorrow and fucking oblivious to the people cheering around them.
The G-5 men, the Strawhats, and the Revolutionary Army were all screaming. Smoker didn’t know why they were so surprised; he had always known, to be honest. And it was the same reason why he was not stupefied when she handed in her resignation letter, followed by a wedding invitation.
Her smile had been radiant as it was on the day of her marriage. It was extremely simple; it had quite a few people, and they were dressed in traditional Wano clothes. It almost didn’t have any ceremony; they both didn’t believe in any religion after all. It was supposed to be just a party, considering that parties are Strawhat’s specialty.
Everyone was drinking and dancing when he approached the fucking brat (now a full-grown man, to be fair, but Smoker would still consider him a punk), nodding and glaring at him. The pirate returned the glare, and the now-Admiral just smirked. He didn’t want to play the father figure there, but someone had to.
“I’ll kill you if you hurt her. I don’t fucking care if you’re the greatest swordsman in the world or any of that shit. I will kick your sorry ass, pirate.” Smoker used his most menacing tone to get his point across.
Zoro nodded and seriously replied, “I won’t. You have my word.”
Smoker eyed him, taking in all his features, from his stern and determined look to his strong posture. The brat-turned-man seemed to be speaking the truth.
“But aren’t you too old to be threatening people, Admiral?” Zoro tilted his head and showed his usual cocky smile.
Smoker only rolled his eyes and turned his back to the current greatest swordsman in the world. What the hell was that silly girl thinking when she decided to marry that pirate?
Nevertheless, he had to admit the boy had some balls, and in the end, Smoker admitted she’d be okay. They’d be okay. He’d miss her, but people always say that letting kids go is hard as fuck, right?
He snorted and lit a single cigar.
Fucking brat.
