Chapter Text
Gods, this heat, Tashigi’s mind is fuzzy as she wipes her brow under the intense July sun. Her hands are sticky where they grip Nami’s birthday gift. She looks across the street at the Thousand Sunny Apartments. It’s full to bursting with people. Attractive men and women litter the sidewalk, balconies, and the roof of the apartment building with drinks in their hands.
Tashigi’s stomach hurts from the rising anxiety. She’d purchased a book on ancient navigational techniques for Nami weeks ago, but yesterday the orange haired woman had shown up at the shop and dragged Tashigi to the Mall. Apparently Nami wanted another birthday gift: Tashigi dressed up like a doll.
The outfit is a crop spaghetti strap tank top in baby blue, patterned with little yellow birds. A flowy navy mini skirt, and low-heeled sandals. At least she could wear her glasses and her hair in her usual bun. The horrendously short skirt was at least good in the heat.
Birthday gift clutched to her chest, Tashigi shoves up the concrete front steps. She jostles against sweaty bodies. She doesn’t like when she brushes against the exposed skin of other people. She likes her personal space and this many people makes her feel trapped. The crowded stairways of the apartment building are the worst, Tashigi presses her back against the stairway wall.
I should’ve taken the secret passages. Tashigi thinks as she elbows her way through the crowds in the top floor.
With a final shove, Tashigi tumbles onto the rooftop patio.
She leans against the nearest wall and catches her breath. Heart pounding and stomach pinching with anxiety, Tashigi took deep steadying breath and pushed off the wall. Looking around, she is relieved to see the patio is less crowded than the rest of the building.
It appeared to be the just the Strawhats and usual associates.
Tashigi shuffles forward awkwardly, looking for a familiar face.
Perhaps she is looking specifically for Zoro.
Tashigi bites her lip to suppress a smile. She just saw him last night when Luffy dragged her to their weekly dinner out; it was utterly ridiculous that she was so eager to see him again.
Goodness, she is in over her head.
Tashigi looks up and around.
She spots Zoro’s moss colored head being harassed by a familiar blond mop. A soft smile crosses Tashigi’s lips, and she can almost imagine the argument going down.
Tashigi made her way towards Sanji and Zoro, heart rate increasing.
A shock of teal hair, and the accompanying woman, at Zoro’s side gave her pause halfway across the patio. The young woman was beautiful and clinging to Zoro’s elbow.
He had not shaken her off either.
Tashigi pivots on her heel. Frantically scanning the crowd for a different familiar face.
Bright orange hair catches her eye, and she makes a beeline for Nami. Relief flooding her chest as she notices Robin standing next to the birthday girl.
“Tash,” Nami exclaims loudly, drawing the eyes of anyone nearby. “Damn, you look good. I do great work,” she preened.
“Uhuh,” Tashigi mumbles distractedly, glancing over her shoulder, and handing over the present. She shivers as a familiar intense gaze lands on the back of her neck.
“Are you well, Tashigi-san?” Robin asks curiously, bringing Tashigi’s gaze to the older woman’s face. “You seem, hmmm, distracted,” she had a knowing smile.
Tashigi blushes and then remembers the other girl.
“It’s the heat,” she clears her throat. “It’s making me lethargic.”
“Then you need a drink,” Nami declares and drags her over to the table of drinks set up in front of the orange grove.
“Say, Nami,” Tashigi asks awkwardly. “Who—Who’s that girl with Zoro?”
“Hm? Who?” Nami glances over her shoulder and then laughs. “Oh, that’s just Kozuki Hiyori, she’s the Governor of Wano’s sister. They’re new friends.”
“Oh,” Tashigi says dully and accepts the mojito Nami shoves into her hands.
She allows herself to be manhandled over to the clutch of Strawhat girls.
Tashigi is quiet as she sips her drink. Thinking about Zoro and Hiyori.
This was it; she knew it was, the arrangement would end. Something caved in her chest and she ignores it, just like she ignores the bubbling ire in her stomach. She won’t be sad or jealous; she won’t.
Tashigi doesn’t want to be that girl. They made a deal, set out the rules. Either one of them can call it off at any time when they wanted to date someone.
It’s just…Tashigi presses her lips together and blinks her eyes. She doesn’t want to lose him.
It was so silly and yet Zoro had become a man her heart hinged on. She wants to be more to him than an exclusive booty call. She thought she had become somewhat special to him.
Sometimes the way he looks at her, like she’s precious or like he’s proud of her. It makes her heart skip a beat or three. Tashigi oft thought he spoke more with his dark gaze than he did with his words.
She thought he took greater care with her than he did others. Then again, he was always a rough man in his affection. But he iced her bruises after fights, rubbed her muscles when she overworked herself, and helped her in the shop when he asked.
Tashigi sips her mojito. She really should not be thinking like this. Zoro didn’t belong to her, no matter how much she cared for him or wanted him to be her boyfriend.
She sighs. There really would be no other man like Zoro. No one willing to go on wild goose chases to find swords. No one to spar with her and push her to be better and get stronger. No one to make her feel special without patronizing her.
Tashigi suddenly can’t bear the happy atmosphere of the party.
“Robin-san,” she gently tugs the sleeve of Robin’s purple off-the-shoulder blouse.
“Yes, Tashigi-san?” the enigmatic woman asks.
“Zoro always tells me about the secret passages Franky build into Sunny,” Tashigi swallows. “Where’s one that could get me down to the ground floor?”
“It’s a storm door hidden in the orange grove,” Robin says. “Is everything alright, Tashigi-san?”
“Just overwhelmed,” Tashigi mutters. “Might be getting sun stroke.”
“Oh, dear,” Robin says blandly. “Hope it’s not fatal. Shall I get Chopper-kun?”
“No, no,” Tashigi says hurriedly. “I’ll just go lay down.”
She scurries towards the grove of orange trees. Staunchly avoiding looking at Zoro.
This is probably for the best, she tells herself. She could at least patch her feelings back together better if they never got further than this. She wipes her eyes on the back of her hand as she ducks between the trees.
Yes, it is for the best.