GROWING PAINS / zoro.

TWO / tied up like a dog.

the woman didn't know whether she was hearing words of affirmation or a strange ritual, but she did recognize the voice of the man who had ruined rika's precious food.

without much hesitation, the copper haired swordsmaster pushed the door open all the way, only to avert her eyes from the unclothed man posing with the sword.

"where are your clothes?" anjali cleared her throat, staring at the man dead in the eye.

he yelped, grabbing the closest thing to a farmer to, well, cover himself; a stuffed toy. in his grip was an eggshell-white sword, decorated with the samurai pattern.

the wado ichimonji. kuina's sword.

"that sword doesn't belong to you." anjali added, her jaw set and her eyes narrowed.

"who are you?!" the man screeched, backing up as she entered the room.

"me?" anjali hummed, pulling out a dagger from her belt.

"i'm here to take back that sword."

she extended her free hand, the dagger still raised and pointed to the blonde's neck. whimpering, the man shakily handed the sheathed blade to her.

"where is he?" she demanded.

the blonde stared at her through fearful eyes. "where's who?"

"the pirate hunter." anjali elaborated, rolling her eyes.

he blinked rapidly, his lips trembling to find a response. "h-he's tied up in the yard as punishment."

the copper head let out a breath through her nose.

"you're lucky i didn't kill you right here and now for laying your grimy hands on her sword." anjali snarled, twisting on her heel and exiting the door, tucking her dagger into her belt once more.

for good measure, she picked up a pillow and launched it at him, sending him ducking and squealing in fear.

ugh, she scoffed at the pathetic sight. idiot.

the walk around the marine base became much more simpler with the sword looped into her belt.

holding the hilt felt like holding her best friend's hand once again.

anjali found the yard fairly quickly. it wasn't really a yard, more like an empty field with a thick wooden pole in the middle.

on that pole, hands tied back with a rope, was roronoa zoro with his damned green hair.

his head was lowered, eyes half-shut. the nearer anjali got, the more her footsteps against the dirt floor seemed to echo in her ears.

she willed herself not to go any further, stopping a few good feet ahead of him.

"look at you, tied up like a dog."

the words were the harshest she could say to him, fingers shaking as they wrapped once more around the white sword on her left.

his eyes fluttered open, a vein in his temple growing from the clenching of his teeth. slowly, zoro's eyes traveled upwards, from staring down at anjali's feet up to her cold gaze.

the harshness in his eyes disappeared, widening slightly as he stared open-mouthed at the woman.

"pearl?" his voice was barely a raspy whisper, having drank no water since the bar and being left out for the heat to end him.

ah, there it was.

his sweet voice, and that old nickname. of course he would use it when anjali was praying he had forgotten, shrinking her hatred into ailing longing.