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“Mihawk?”
Mihawk ignored Perona and studied the sky. They had been traveling a few days and a ship that was foolish enough to attack them had suggested where rumours currently put Shanks.
“Hawk Eye!”
“Yes, Perona?”
“How exactly do we cross into the New World?” She was staring down at the water. “You can't exactly go through ways you did before, now that you are wanted. So how do we get there?”
“My dear, do you have so little faith in me?” Mihawk changed their trajectory a bit. “Where are we headed?”
“Sabaody, where else?” She turned and looked at him, head resting on arms crossed on the wood. “But does that mean we are getting the ship coated? I don’t think I’d like Fishman Island. But there might be cute shells and word about Zoro.” She sighed and Negative Johnny emerged and came over and glared at him. He batted the foolish creature away. “I miss Zoro.”
Mihawk did as well, not that he would ever say such. “We will not be going the Fishman Island route. We will be going through the Holyland.”
“WHAT?”
“I have called in an old favour,” Mihawk said. “While I am now wanted, there are enough in the marines, who owe me their lives and honestly they’d rather I be in the New World, more likely to die there and not be a problem for them.”
“You’ll have to leave your really great boat behind though,” she ran her hand along the wood, stared at the flickering green flames. “Won’t that make you sad?”
“It is just a boat, Perona, and one that is far too small for the both of us. We need bigger transportation for all your clothes. Which I had requested you not pack.” He had to point it out. Again.
“How dare you?” She screeched and sat up. “You don’t want me looking good when I meet one of the emperor’s of the sea? Your omega? Mihawk! Not Cute!”
Mihawk would not do anything so crass as roll his eyes, but he thought about it. “Shanks is not my omega. Perona, this conversation grows tiresome. Either trust me or return to Moria.” He was watching the sky and enjoyed the blessed silence that followed that pronouncement. But the silence lingered. He glanced to Perona, who was resolutely watching the water. Her attempt to wipe away her tears not as subtle as she hoped. “Come here,” he ordered and a wall of her ghosts formed between them. “I apologize, my dear.” She had never said what happened when she went to see Moria and perhaps he should have pushed more.
“I do not want you to leave me.” He’d then be obligated to kill that annoying man, because there was no way he treated Perona correctly. “Perona.”
“He tried to take my shadow when I resigned his crew.”
And now Mihawk was going to be killing Moria next time he saw the vile fiend, no matter what. “I am here, Perona.”
The ghosts dissipated and Perona was in his arms. He held her gently. “I am sorry.”
“I know I am a nuisance, I can leave.” There was a sniffle. “I know I am loud and a bother.”
“You are,” he had to be honest. “But my life is better with that bother.”
“Really?”
“I promise.”
“I trust you.”
“I will not betray that trust, Perona.”
“I know.” Perona stayed against him. “It was easier with Zoro.”
“We have managed, and we will continue to do so.”
Mihawk stared at the horizon. He wanted to distract her. “What do you want to wear when you meet Shanks?” There was a happy gasp and he mostly tuned out the next hour of conversation, but not all the way.
*
They both stared at the boat unimpressed. “I am sorry, but this is what you wish to sell us?”
“It’s a fine vessel,” the man protested.
“It’s ugly,” Perona screeched.
“My dear, I am a bit more concerned about its sea worthiness, and less its appalling aesthetics which are too vast to number.” Mihawk looked at the man. “This is truly the best you have to offer?” He raised a brow and the man began to stammer it really was all he had available. “What about that ship there, it is almost tolerable.”
“That would need a crew of at least six to sail,” the man said, “and more than you are likely willing to pay.”
“It is a good thing that we are pirates then. Perona, go to our new vessel.”
“Aye aye Captain!”
“I am not your captain,” Mihawk said.
“Fine, Father, I will go steal us the boat.”
“What? You can’t just…are you having a heart attack?”
Mihawk was having difficulty processing what just happened. “Did she just call me father?”
“Yeah?” The man was waving a hand in front of his face, and it was very annoying.
“Is that appropriate considering we have fucked an omega together at the same time? I have pressed the omega’s dick into her cunt. Hmm,” Mihawk was not sure how he felt about that title. He had no intentions of ever having a child. He knew Shanks had a daughter well hidden away somewhere out there, but this was different. “I will have to assess how I feel about this. Thank you for the ship.”
“I -“ the man slowly backed away, “I don’t want nothing to do with you freaks.”
“A wise decision,” Mihawk said and went over the boat. “How is it?”
“Decent,” she said from behind the wheel. “We can handle it.”
“I have no doubt.” Mihawk hauled up the anchor and went to the sails. “Do you intend to consistently call me father?”
“No, just when I want to annoy you.”
“I can accept that,” he decided and soon enough they were out of the small harbor. “Have you been to the New World before?”
“No,” she moved the wheel so that they could catch the wind. “Moria was scared of it, not that he’d ever have admitted that. What about you?”
“A few times, I do not fear it, mostly I just find it tiresome.”
“You find everything tiresome.”
“True.” He unfurled the main sail and they picked up speed. “But there are pleasures to be had here.”
“Like Shanks’s ass?”
Mihawk let out an indelicate snort. “And other things as well. It will be interesting what we encounter on our way to him.”
“How do we find him?”
“We likely won’t,” Mihawk said. “He’ll find us. We will sail and what happens happens.” He glanced over at her, she had traded her skirts for trousers and a long coat that was perhaps a bit reminiscent of his, and a haramaki like what Zoro insisted on wearing. All black aside from accents of searing pink. “A fetching look on you, my dear.”
“Thanks, it’s super cute. Do you think we’ll see Zoro?”
“Perhaps,” it was all he would promise. He would like to see the man, for personal reasons, but also knew that the next time they met, it would be different. “When the day comes, you will not be mad at him for striking me down.” That got him a glare and a fair bit of incoherent screeching and Negative Johnny in his face shaking his head. “Perona, promise me, that you will forgive him.”
That got him a scowl, but eventually a nod. “But I get to yell at him for a day.”
“Agreed.” Mihawk went up next to her. “He is not yet ready anyways. It will be years.”
“I don’t want it to be years until we see him again.”
He pressed a gentle kiss to her head. “You will see him again before I do. Now, it looks like there is a nasty sea king up ahead. Would you care for fresh meat with dinner tonight?”
“That would be super cute.”
*
“Umm, Hawk Eye?”
“Yes?”
They were docked in a bay, relaxing under the moonlight, needing a bit of land under their feet after a few weeks at sea. It was warm and they had been swimming and now were laying there by a small fire. There had been a minor scuffle but the corpses were dragged to the forest for the animals to enjoy. It was rather pleasant all in all for the New World.
“There is a large ship out there, can’t even fit in the bay.”
“Is there?” He yawned, “I am sure it will pass us by.”
“I’m not, because it has sent a small boat that is headed this way.”
“Would you be a dear and go check? I’ll protect your body.” He watched her ghost fly out and circle the smaller vessel before it was flying back, and she was returned to her body again. “We need to get back on our ship. Now!” She was tugging at his arm.
“I have my sword, Perona, I will keep you safe.” Were they that concerning?
“You cannot see Shanks again, for the first time in how long in your paisley swim trunks, you moron!”
“Shanks is on the row boat?”
“No, but his first mate is, to bring us over it looks like, and do you want to make a bad impression?” She had not ceased tugging at him, but he allowed the pull now. They hurried to their ship and he dressed in his normal attire and waited while she fretted and tossed all her clothes around.
“Shanks will not care what you are wearing, Perona.”
“But I do, and you do! We have taste and dignity and Mihawk, what do I wear to meet the love of you life?” She started to sob. “I don’t want to make a bad impression. Then I’ll have to kill all of them so no one ever knows I wasn’t perfectly cute.”
“Daughter, you will always look perfectly cute, no matter what you wear.” He watched as the shock of being called that stopped her panic attack. “But if I may, the black layered dress would be appropriate to our personal standards.” There was a kiss to his cheek and she was quickly changing, and brushing her hair.
They then stood at the bow of the ship and waited. Soon the row boat was next to them, and he threw a ladder down. Shanks’s first mate was on the deck with them a moment later. “Mihawk, hear tell you’ve been seeking Shanks out. For what reason?”
“What reason do you think?” Perona glared. She had her parasol open and was twirling it over her shoulder, a sign she was nervous. He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze.
“To be fair my dear, I have in the past tried to kill him a time or two.”
“I, no, that makes a lot of sense. Of course you would try to kill the love of your life. But he won’t this time, I promise!” Perona’s glare switched to him and he couldn’t contain his smirk, there were a lot of fond memories in some of his and Shanks’s fights. “Not cute! I know what you are thinking! And stop it.”
Mihawk watched Beckman and knew he was gaining the wrong impression, but he did not particularly care to correct it at the moment. “Now then, Perona has a great deal of luggage, so we will sail our ship over to yours as it will not all fit on that dinghy.”
“Why does she need to bring all her luggage to say hello?”
“Because we’re joining your crew? Duh? Hawk Eye, why didn’t you warn me they were all old like you, but dim?” Perona shrugged. “Well, at least it will be new people to work my amazing style on.”
“Excuse me?” Beckman stepped forward and Mihawk was pleased when Perona held her ground. “You don’t just say you are joining our crew.”
Perona held up the coin that Mihawk had given her. “This says I do. Now have you considered braiding your hair? It would be super cute.”
“Mihawk, you gave her that?”
“Beckman, send the lads back to the ship and help us head over. All will be explained in due time.” Mainly because he was enjoying the confusion and dawning horror on Shanks’s men. “Tut tut, hurry along boys.”
There were grumbles, but soon enough they were moving and he watched Beckman watch Perona and try to figure her out. “Stop staring at me,” she warned.
“Or what? You’ll put flowers in my hair?”
“Negative hollow!” Half a dozen of her ghosts tore through Beckman and he stumbled but didn’t drop. “Mihawk, he didn’t go down.”
“Sadly, my dear, few on Shanks’s crew will be impacted by your ghosts. Negative Johnny, do stop poking Beckman in the face. There’s a good ghost.” Negative Johnny came over and rubbed against his cheek before being absorbed back into Perona. “But still, you were strong enough to cause him to stumble. Excellent work.”
She giggled and he smiled at her.
“Shanks is going to have opinions,” Beckman said quietly. “Strong ones.”
“He usually does,” was all that Mihawk said. Eventually they maneuvered next to the Red Force. “I see she is doing well.”
“As always,” Beckman agreed and a plank was dropped across.
“Why is no one coming to get my luggage?”
“I would imagine, my dear, that manners still matter.”
“We’re pirates!”
“Perona,” Mihawk warned and she quieted. “I will introduce you to Shanks, and he will then have his men come gather our things.”
“Alright.” Perona moved closer to him. “What if he doesn’t like me? Like how you were at the beginning?”
Mihawk smoothed a stray hair back into place. “I think that Shanks will be highly amused by you.”
“I have doubts,” Beckman replied, and Perona tensed.
Mihawk unleashed his full alpha voice, it wouldn’t impact Beckman, but it would make his point clear. “Insult Perona at your own risk, Beckman. A couple decades of indifference to your existence can swiftly change.”
He rolled his eyes a bit when Perona stuck out her tongue at Beckman and then walked the plank over to the Red Force. He followed behind her and there was Shanks leaning against the mast watching them. His jaw was a bit more square than Mihawk remembered, the gaze steadier.
“You tried to kill Luffy, Hawk Eye. I am not impressed.”
There was a gasp from Perona. “When Zoro finds out -“
“I know,” he replied. “I was there as a warlord, he fought well, and is still on his journey, with a crew stronger than before. I did not like taking up against your boy, if that counts for anything.”
“But you did.” Shanks was watching him and Mihawk stood there. “You walked when I arrived.”
“I never agreed to fight you.” Mihawk stayed at a distance “I have no interest in crossing swords with you.”
“That’s just not true,” Perona said and giggled.
“Charming,” he groaned a bit. He saw Shanks almost smile. “It seems I am a wanted man again Red Hair. And my dear Perona has a not uncredible bounty on her head. I would see her protected. You offer the best protection that can be found.”
“Why should I protect her?” Shanks crossed his arms.
Mihawk smiled because yes, this would be enjoyable. “Because, Honey, it’s a girl.”
“Hi new Dad! Don’t worry I’ll make your ship and crew super cute. I have lots of nail polish. Who’s first?” Perona smiled and all her ghosts started to circle around her and then float out to meet their new shipmates.
Mihawk was fairly certain he had never had as much pleasure as watching Shanks’s jaw go slack as he stared at Perona and then back to Mihawk, then back to Perona. “What the fuck?” Shanks said. Negative Johnny flew over and pressed his forehead to Shanks’s.
“Aww, he recognizes his new grandfather, so cute! Now, who on the crew is best at tea parties? I have only had time to make a half dozen new stuffed animals so the names will be easy to memorize.”
“They will not be easy to memorize,” Mihawk offered to be helpful. “But I do believe it would only be polite for Shanks to be your first tea party guest my dear. I will help him learn the names. You choose a few pirates to go get all our luggage while he and I get reacquainted.”
“Okay, have fun fucking!” Perona laughed and started to float around the crew declaring which ones were cute and which needed work.
Mihawk went over to Shanks. “Hello,” he said quietly, in a softer tone than he usually used in public. “I am glad to see you.”
“I have no idea if I am happy to see you,” Shanks watched as several of his crew clearly were trying to run away from Perona. “Honey, it’s a girl?”
“I’ve had an interesting couple of years. Pour us a drink and I will tell you.”
“How long are you staying?”
“If I may, as long as you will let me.” Mihawk saw Shanks light up a bit at that. The light dimmed as they heard Perona screech negative hollow and the sound of at least three bodies hit the deck. “Not all your crew is as strong as I thought they would be. Perona will have fun torturing them.”
“Oh we are definitely having a talk.”
“I am sure it will be interesting.”
*
Once they were in private though, there was not so much talking as Shanks jumping and clinging. “I should let you know that I spent two years fucking Roronoa Zoro.”
“Sure, fine, whatever.” Shanks bit his neck. “I banged some people too. Beckman helped with my heats. You in love with - wait that’s Luffy’s guy.” Shanks slid off him. “That’s Luffy’s guy.”
“I know. Zoro is very much in love with his captain, I do hope that he will do something about that.”
“But it was sex? You aren’t taking the guy?”
“Indeed, he is incredibly loyal to Luffy, it was just about getting him all emotionally sorted out to be a better swordsman. When we meet again I do feel there is a good chance he will kill me.”
That got a roar of protest which Mihawk would admit to himself made him feel good. “If some green haired idiot thinks -“
“Shanks,” Mihawk cupped his face. “Calm. That is years away.” He leaned forward and kissed Shanks. “Your letters brought me comfort.”
“Kinda hoped they’d turn you on.”
“They did.” Mihawk began to undress Shanks. “Let me show you how much.” It felt so good to be touching Shanks again, a mature body and mind, that knew exactly who he was and what he wanted. An equal. They were just old enough that even though it had been years since they had touched they didn’t rush, but understood this was a chance to savour, relish in each other’s company. Shanks’s scent was heady to breathe in, a mix of sea and ale, gunpowder, and barely ripe cherries, tart instead of sweet.
Mihawk let himself be pushed on the bed, let Shanks take over. “Zoro leave a mark on you?” Shanks sounded curious and not the least bit jealous, because neither man had the time for jealousy in their lives.
“Not physically,” Mihawk said, “but I perhaps can tolerate humanity more than I used to.”
“What’s that mean, Hawk Eye?” Shanks was sitting up on his lap, looking down. “We going to bond and be all lovey dovey. I can call you snookums.”
“I will divest you of another limb if you try.” They both looked to Mihawk’s sword that took up most of the wall it was leaned against. “But I am in no hurry or even have plans to leave your side.”
“Joining my crew?”
Mihawk ran his hands up Shanks’s thighs, to his hips, squeezed perhaps a bit too tightly. “No, never. But I will sail with you.”
“Good enough for me,” Shanks agreed and braced his arm, to lean down over Mihawk. “Going to make you forget how to swordfight.”
“Please try,” Mihawk challenged and little else was said for a while.
*
“Mihawk, can you control your pet at all?” Beckman had approached him.
“It is interesting that you have that much of a death wish,” Mihawk turned the page of the paper he was reading. “Besides she is your crew, you are the first mate, of the feared and famed Red Hair Shanks, I would think you can handle Perona.” Mihawk tilted the paper down. “Wherever did she find flowers?” They were braided into Beckman’s hair. “You look lovely.”
“Captain,” Beckman was too old to be whining, but there was intent behind the word. “Have you officially made her crew?”
Shanks was drinking and put it down. “I haven’t. She hasn’t asked to be a member of the crew. She is a guest for now.”
Mihawk looked at him. He was unimpressed because he wanted that for Perona. “Make her a crew member.”
“My ship, Mihawk, do not start. Or you can find your way next time we reach land.” Shanks finished his drink. “She hasn’t asked, and yeah her ghosts are cute, but I don’t see how they are especially helpful in a fight. Everyone is mostly tolerating her because she is yours. I haven’t even exchanged ten words with her.”
That concerned Mihawk. He carefully put the paper down and went to find Perona, Which was difficult at first. Eventually though he found her in a small storage room, sewing something and trying not to cry. “My dear, are you hiding?”
“No!” Perona glared at him. “I’m just wanting some quiet.” There was a huge pile next to her. She finished what she was working on and moved to the next. “These pirates have no fashion sense.” She picked a different colour thread and was mending a tear. “I made suggestions and they laughed.”
“My dear, it is a great trial of our lives to deal with the fact that few pirates have the innate style that you and I do.” Mihawk sat on a crate across from her. “I have been too focused on being with Shanks. I apologize.”
“He is your not mate, that you haven’t seen in years. If I loved someone like that, I’d be focused on them too.” Perona’s hands were steady as she mended. “I thought mending the clothes might make them like me.”
“Why do you think they do not like you?” Perona snorted and gave him a look. “Fair,” he had to admit. “You are perhaps just not what they are accustomed to. Look how it took me a while to adjust to you. And now my life would be much poorer without you in it.” He watched her work. “Beckman let you put flowers in his hair, that suggests he might not object to you too much.”
“I listened in on some of the crew, they are tolerating me because you never stay long with Shanks.” She looked at him and her eyes were shimmering. “They don’t think you love Shanks! I thought about killing them.”
Mihawk realized some of her upset was on his behalf. He went over and moved all the mending, in order to pick her up. He held her close and though his scent wouldn’t impact a beta like her as much she buried her nose in his neck. “Thank you for not killing them.”
“They think my powers are a joke.” His neck was getting wet with her tears and he didn’t mind. “I could show them exactly how little of a joke I am, but then Shanks wouldn’t like me.”
“That is a question I have. Why have you not spoken to Shanks much?”
“His crew said I shouldn’t bother him with my nonsense, and I wanted you to have your romantic time with someone you like after all you had to put up with me and Zoro.”
Mihawk tilted her away. “If I didn’t like you my dear, I would have not welcomed you back home. If I didn’t love you very much, the third tea party I suffered through, I would have murdered you.”
She gave him a watery smile. “Really Hawk Eye?”
“Dead, strewn is so many pieces even Hogback couldn’t have done anything with it.”
“Thank you!” Perona smiled at him. “That is so cute!”
Mihawk wiped her tears away. “My dear they are not worth your considerable talents. You should sew something that brings you delight.”
“There is something in the pile.” Perona reached in. “Shanks, he just cuts shirts away for the missing arm. And I had this fabric.” She held up the shirt and a paisley that was a different pattern but same colour as he wore. He gave her a look recognizing what she was doing. “What? You wear his teeth, he can wear a little purple.”
“I will keep you company while you sew. And if in the end you are uncomfortable here, then we will figure something out. Perhaps see about sending you to Zoro.”
“I won’t be the reason you aren’t with Shanks.” She scowled at him and even Negative Johnny appeared to shake his head disapprovingly. “It is just new family growing pains. First few months the three of us weren’t great either. It will work out.” She nodded and began to sew Shanks’s shirt. “I will make this crew super cute.”
Mihawk smiled at how threatening those words sounded.
*
Mihawk yawned as a cannon ball whizzed past his head. “Really?” He looked at the ship that had decided to attack them. “I was having a good nap.” They weren’t amateurs, not in the New World, but still not a particular threat. Not even worth raising his sword. Shanks was letting the younger crew members take care of it while the elder inner circle were placing bets on their rookies.
Mihawk joined them as Shanks put a few gold on a man that Mihawk knew had called Perona a child’s doll wished to real life but they forgot to wish for a brain. He nodded. “I double all bets, placing it all on Perona.”
He could see a few of the men hide smirks. Shanks just out and out laughed. Only Beckman didn’t. “Your girl?" Shanks shook his head. "Those are babies over there but New World babies. She is best staying below decks or wherever she is hiding.”
Mihawk growled a bit at Shanks, something he seldom did and he loosened his whole alpha voice. “Perona!” He called and her ghost floated up through the floor. “I have bet a great deal of money on you destroying that ship over there. Win it for me and I will guarantee Shanks will join one of your tea parties, in a full suit.”
“Sure, that sounds fun,” Perona agreed. She emerged a few moments with her parasol and dressed in her outfit that she called her Zoro tribute. The haramaki had a bit of his fabric sewn into it, the trousers like his, red boots instead of his black, and the shirt had three swords embroidered on the back. “Keep Shanks’s crew alive while I am over there, or are they expendable?”
“The man who called you a brainless sex doll is over there, I am fine with you damaging him a bit, but otherwise Shanks’s pups should come back unharmed by you. Have fun.” She grinned at him, giggled and ran. She jumped off the side of the Red Force and was flying over.
“I will see my man punished for talking about her like that.”
“He at least was honest with his insults, Shanks,” Mihawk replied. He didn’t glance at any of the men, just watched Perona float for a bit assess the situation on the other ship. “He flat out said she was an empty headed whore who was only here because she must have been great at sucking my dick before I returned to you. Beckman thought it when he met her, a good portion of your crew have thought it.” He smiled as she opened her parasol. “You all disappoint me that you have not properly looked at my daughter. Do keep your eyes open now though.”
“NEGATIVE HOLLOW!” She shouted and a dozen ghosts flew from her and rolled through the opposing crew knocking at least half of them over. She circled around the ship a bit sending the negative ones before she began launching the explosive ones and blowing up a large portion of the upper deck. “Johnny!” She called and he emerged from her back, thrice as big as usual and made a beeline for the man who had so grievously insulted her. The force of Johnny’s hit pushed him into the water.
“Shit, that guy is about to get the drop on her,” Beckman stood up.
“Really, she is toying with him.” Mihawk reached over and poured himself a glass of wine. He watched as she pulled the thin sword from her parasol and knelt, driving it back into the man behind her. “Call your pathetic little pups back, Shanks, she is about to have some fun.” He swirled the wine and smiled as she began to move through the main deck, surrounded by her ghosts and copying Zoro’s fighting style, but adapted to the rapier Mihawk had gifted her. There were explosions and men weeping all around her until she reached the other end of the deck and was facing the captain.
She leapt into the air and flew back. “He’s cute, do I have to kill him to win your bet?”
“Does she, Shanks?”
“I don’t particularly want them following us, we are close to an island that has a lagoon I want to go swimming in with you,” Shanks replied he watched Perona. “I order you not to kill him.”
“I order you not to be so uncute,” Perona snapped back. “You aren’t my captain, so you can just be a good omega and keep riding Mihawk’s dick.”
“My dear,” Mihawk warned, “we are his guests, do not be crass.”
“Fine.” Perona rolled her eyes. “Call your men back, I’ll deal with the ship.”
Beckman stood and gave a whistle, all the Red Hair pirates returned and Perona stood at the bow. Her ghosts began to swirl and spin around her until they all bled into each other a spinning like a hurricane of tempestuous spectral energy and they bore a hole all the way through the hull of the other ship. She put the sword back into the parasol and opened it to saunter over to them. “Father, make sure that Shanks wears a three piece suit for the tea party. I’m feeling formal.” She whistled and sauntered away, parasol spinning on her shoulder.
She stopped still as many of the crew surrounded her and Mihawk’s hand went to his sword ready to kill them all. But instead they were cheering, and clapping her on the shoulder and asking her to embroider their shirts with their favourite weapons. Mihawk finished his wine and swept up all the coin on the table. “Gentlemen,” he said and gave a bow and went to the captain’s quarters where he had been living since they had boarded the ship. When in private he allowed himself to smile broadly and be quite smug about the look on Shanks’s face.
He also noticed that it seemed the man who had been so insulting to Perona had not been fished out of the sea but rather left behind.
And Shanks looked quite spectacular in the three piece suit. He also started wearing the shirts that Perona sewed for him.
*
It was a vicious storm, the sort where they were thankful they were harboured and not out at sea. Some were in hotels in the city, but he and Shanks had elected to stay aboard. Shanks was snoring when the door creaked open.
“It is fine my dear,” he called out. “He sleeps like the dead.” He held out an arm and was grateful that most of Shanks’s quarters were bed, it gave enough room for Perona to slide in and burrow into his arms. “Dreams of Thriller Bark?” There was a nod against his chest. “Would you prefer to be on dry land?” A shake. “I would go with you.” Another shake and she pointed a bit at Shanks. He remembered this from a few nightmares back on Gloom Island, that when it was really bad he and Zoro had held her between them, protected her from both sides.
“You are safe, my dear,” he reassured her and head her close. He didn’t fall all the way asleep but drifted on the edge of it, aware of the storm, of Perona.
“Hey, why are you in our bed?”
Mihawk’s breath didn’t change as Shanks spoke. He lay there, and held her. Shanks would know he was awake at least a bit, but Perona wouldn’t. “I dreamt of my old captain. My old crew.”
“Who did you sail with, do I know them?”
“I was with Moria, I resigned.”
“Why’d you do that?”
“He was my captain and he was a monster. Not cute, but he let me have cute zombies. Hogback made them cute and Moira put souls in them, and I played with them. It was great. Everything was super cute.”
“Sounds pretty creepy to me.”
“You are in love with Hawk Eye. And you want to judge me for liking gloomy things?” Mihawk enjoyed Shanks’s small chuckle. “But I met the Strawhats and Kuma sent me away. I spent two years with Mihawk and Zoro. We took care of Zoro you know, he’s going to be a better first mate for Luffy now that he isn’t all confused about what he wants as an omega. Did that stuff ever confuse you?”
“No, I always knew I would be in charge, a captain, and that I’d have an alpha who understood that. It was always pretty simple for me.”
“Well, Zoro’s a moron, but he’s getting better.” She quieted. “I like storms but sometimes lightning on the water, I remember that one day, Hogback and Moria would have cut me up too. Moira when I left, he tried but I had gotten much stronger thanks to Mihawk and Zoro. I’m already a ghost, I don’t want to be a zombie too.” She was quiet for a bit. “Why don’t you like me? You like Luffy, and he’s even more of an idiot than Zoro. I’m not an idiot.”
“I don’t know,” Shanks replied. “I haven’t gotten to know you, really. I don’t dislike you,” he said. “I guess, Mihawk and I we aren’t the super publicly affectionate sort. But a bit frustrating that a girl with pink hair, and a swordsman with green hair got him to accept love that is there for the taking.”
“Does it help to know how much he talked about you? That a couple times he joined us in the bath, needing the comfort of people because missing you was haunting him. That he was fine without you, but also wasn’t all the way right?”
“Yeah, I suppose it does.”
“Do you really call your heat waterslide time?”
Shanks’s laugh was loud enough that Mihawk pretended it woke him up. “Will you keep it down, some of us are trying to sleep.”
“Was he always this grumpy when you interrupted his sleep?” Shanks asked.
“It was so not cute. Can I paint your toenails? Zoro used to let me, Mihawk has to be stuck with this knot in a throat if you want to paint his.”
“Have you two had sex?”
“Ew, no, he’s old! But we fucked Zoro at the same time, and the baths, so I have seen his dick and his orgasm face. It isn’t the worst out there.”
“Isn’t this a lovely conversation.”
“Go back to sleep,” Shanks ordered and got out of bed. “What sort of nail polish colours we talking. I like red.”
“Gold,” Perona answered, “You’d be super cute with gold toes.”
“I would, wouldn’t I? Go get the polish, I’ll be here. Wine?”
“That’d be good.” Perona ran out of the room.
The storm was quieting. Mihawk watched Shanks pour he and Perona drinks and he sat at the table and was staring at his feet. Mihawk wonders if Shanks’s has even ever thought about his toenails before.
“So Moria huh? That man was fucked up, even for a warlord.”
“Present company excluded?”
“Eh,” Shanks shrugged. “You going to kill Moria?”
“If he approaches her ever. She hasn’t fully told me about when she went to properly leave his crew. I think because she knows I would then hunt him down.”
“Well, never liked the weirdo anyways, easy enough to make him an enemy of the Red Hairs.”
“I thank you.”
“So you were mopey without me?” Shanks was smiling at him. “Bereft without your sweet little omega at your side? Lonely alpha comforting himself with an omega and beta half his age?”
“Do shut up,” Mihawk lay back down, rolled over, “And they couldn’t even equal half your presence.” He fell asleep pleased with the stunned silence from Shanks and the quiet murmur of the two people he loved talking as Perona painted Shanks’s toes gold.
*
Mihawk would murder Beckman swiftly and cruelly if he ever mentioned seeing Mihawk wipe a tear away when Perona was officially made a Red Hair Pirate.
*
“Fuck!” Shanks shouted, sweat dripping down from him onto the bed below them. “Fuck, Mihawk. Harder.”
“Yes, Captain,” Mihawk said with his alpha voice up as he pressed into his omega, who was at the height of a heat. He was wearing bracelets that Perona had made, Shanks had been stunned when Perona had given him a heat gift. But very sweet in his thanks to her. Mihawk rolled his hips and they moved together in heady harmony until they collapsed, Mihawk knotted in Shanks. He pressed a kiss to Shanks’s heat mark, but didn’t bite - didn’t bond them.
That was not for them.
Besides Shanks had left another bite on Mihawk, his thigh this time. He wondered how many he’d carry when his time came.
“Hawk Eye, if you ever make me go through another heat without you, there will be nowhere on this planet that you’ll be safe,” Shanks warned.
“I cannot promise that,” Mihawk said because it was the truth and they were well versed in the world not to lie to each other. “But I will promise to do what I can to spend as many from here on out with you as is possible.”
“I’ll take it. Mean you are joining my crew?”
“No,” Mihawk said. “But I will continue to sail with you.”
“That works. Snookums.” There was a heat high giggle, and Mihawk growled which just got more giggles. When they emerged two days later onto the main deck, they saw Perona leading a ship wide tea party, each pirate holding their own stuffed animal and Beckman yet again with flowers in his hair. “Honestly, I have to keep her on my crew. Her weird mojo powers could let her beat Luffy to the crown.”
“Dad, you are all fucked out!” Perona flew over to them. “Father, did you satisfy your omega?”
“I do believe I was satisfactory, my dear. Do you have oolong?”
“I do, and ale for Shanks, but shh, just for you, Dad, don’t tell your crew that you get a treat.”
“I won’t,” Shanks promised. He was handed a rabbit stuffed animal that had four ears and one eye. “Good afternoon to you Lord Major Marzipan Clementine Randolph the Elder.”
Mihawk looked at Shanks. “I love you.” A good dozen at least had heard him say that and the quiet around them was painful. “It was an obvious emotion.”
“Uhh, you used to try to kill him?” A man pointed out.
“Well, clearly not very hard,” Perona snapped, “Because if Father had wanted Dad dead, he’d be dead!”
“I could have taken Mihawk,” Shanks protested.
“No, you couldn’t have, Sweetums,” Mihawk raised a brow at him. “Not even when you had both arms.”
“Oooh I have a sword that is so big so everyone knows I’m an alpha with a big swinging cock, ooooh,” Shanks rejoined.
“Hey! You can play fight after the tea party. It’s Beckman’s birthday and you will behave!”
“It is?” Mihawk and Shanks both said. Shanks looked over at his first mate. “You have a birthday?”
“They all do!” Perona poked Shanks with her parasol. “Don’t worry, I’ve taken over the emotional well being of the crew. It will be so cute.”
Shanks paled a bit. “I’m scared.” He clutched the bunny and went to sit next to Beckman and drank his “tea”.
Mihawk sat next to him, and Perona and drank the wine she poured for him, and accepted the small doll that happened to have green hair and three swords and a scowl stitched on its face. The conversation flowed around him and Perona leaned against him sometimes and he found himself breathing in Shanks’s scent. He leaned over, kissed Shanks’s neck.
“To spend the rest of my days next to you, will not be as frustrating as I expected.”
Shanks pretended to wipe a tear away. “That’s so romantic. Snookums.”
“And it seems those days will be few in number, because I will be ending your life.”
That made the whole group laugh and Mihawk almost smiled.
“Let’s turn this tea party into a feast, we have to celebrate!” Shanks shouted. “Mihawk finally yanked that stick out of his ass!” There were roars and laughter.
Mihawk stopped smiling and pushed Shanks over. Not as frustrating as he expected and frustration free were not quite the same thing. But Shanks smelled happy and he was sure that he did too.
Some frustrations were worth it in this life.