strange connection

Because of the painkillers, Tashigi was in a drowsy state for about forty minutes. She had secretly tried to ignore the drugs because she wanted to force her body to endure the pain as a form of training, but it had reached such alarming levels that she couldn't take it anymore. You will not die if you do not train today, Tashigi.

When she was finally asleep, Tashigi heard the sound of her window opening. Instantly, she went into alert mode due to years of working in the Navy, but unfortunately, she was without her glasses and the darkness of the room didn't help, even if it was dimly lit by the moon. The swordswoman tried to calm down and perform any movement only when the intruder came close.

Shigure and Yamaoroshi were close to her. She was in great pain, but she would not be defeated so easily by anyone.

Maybe just by that man.

When the figure was only three paces from her bed, Tashigi acted much faster than she thought she could. She removed Shigure in a single movement and with enough force to cut anyone in half.

A sword blocked her blow. The clink of three earrings resonated in the quiet room.

"You really are a dangerous woman."

Instantly, Tashigi released her sword and turned on the lamp beside the bed. She put on her glasses and found Roronoa Zoro with a god damn crooked smile on his face.

"W-What the hell, Roronoa! You almost scared me to death!"

"It's your fault that you didn't close the window, you moron."

"Ugh!", Tashigi rolled her eyes, but spoke again in a more calm tone, "I thought you all... would have left by now."

"Captain told us to wait until you got a little better to the point of walking because he wants to throw you a party."

"A-a p-party?? For me?", Tashigi widened her eyes and gasped.

"Don't try to understand. Luffy doesn't usually distinguish people - for him, there are only friends and enemies. Simple as that.", Zoro just shrugged.

Tashigi looked at Zoro for a few seconds, blinking more than she should have. Confusion was what she felt. A pirate wanted to throw a party for a marine to celebrate that she was feeling better?

Honestly, Mugiwara was never going to stop amazing her.

The girl let out a loud and delicious laugh and whatever if Zoro thought she was strange, but she wanted to laugh a lot at the simplicity of his captain. The swordsman just smiled.

"Luffy-san is a really good person. There's no denying it."

Tashigi offered a kind smile to the pirate who had his eyebrows raised and at that moment, she decided that he was very handsome with his guard down. In fact, he is handsome anytime, she thought. This was something she had noticed in Punk Hazard, but her contempt for the man prevented her from admitting it.

Even now, quite bandaged like her, there was no denying that Roronoa Zoro was an attractive man.

He settled himself in the same chair that Smoker was sitting on a few hours ago and then his eyes roamed her body taking note of all the places that were bandaged. The marine felt no malice in the act and if she knew him better, she would say that his expression seemed a little sad.

But I don't really know him. As he made it clear two months ago.

However, she risked her life for this man that she "didn't know well" anyway. Tashigi had already fought briefly alongside him during KAGERO's investigation and even went so far as to protect him, but this time it was quite different. She just couldn't turn a blind eye to a disabled Zoro on the ground, while an enemy sword would cut him in a way not so different from the scar he carried on his chest. Zoro had fought to protect her from the cowardice of two enemies, but he had, with great difficulty, been defeated. Then, without thinking twice, Tashigi intercepted the attack.