Work Text:
Smoke had filled the room as the broad shouldered man sat on his desk, pulling the thick cigar off of his lips and exhaling even more smoke as if the amount present in the room was not already enough. The empress scrunched her nose in disgust, looking down at him.
"I must say, I didn't expect the Amazon Empress to accept a business offer." He said with his narrowed eyes as if he was also looking down at her. It was impossible to tell who was more condescending- clearly neither were intimidated by the other. The only victim in the room was the trembling blue haired man on the corner. Poor guy. "Did you get that desperate for safety after you were kicked out of your position, Lady? That you would accept to co-operate with the Cross Guild, ran by three men?"
Hancock tsked at the tone. She was not used to being talked to like this. "Keep your respect up as high as you keep your tits, you filthy lizard of a man. I'm not here because of you. And I must say that I am greatly displeased that I was not allowed to bring my warriors with me."
"A woman as great as you doesn't need protection, no? Even if none of us can turn into stone with your wicked Paramecia, you still have all Haki mastered, don't you?" Crocodile sneered back. "We simply didn't risk an invasion. Who knows, you could be so power hungry after losing all you had as the Marines' little snake puppy."
"You were one of us once, Crocodile!"
"I only used the position. I accepted being stripped off of it after my... Alabasta fiasco." The man kept cold blooded.
Buggy tried to look at both of them. He had never seen a more terrifying duo in his entire life before. "M-M-Maybe we could compromise??"
"SHUT UP!"
He immediately covered his ears at the loud reaction. Luckily help arrived.
"What is this loud noise?" The yellow eyed swordsmaster entered the room. He was dressed in his casual look, the white half closed button up with dress pants. His necklace sat on his chest no matter what he wore.
Crocodile narrowed his eyes at the entrance. "She thinks she can yell at me despite her being a mere guest and me her saviour."
"You are not her saviour, Crocodile." His tall heeled boots echoed as he walked forward. "I was the one who ordered her be saved and I was the one who cut the ships to fives. You simply took her away."
"I am still deserving of respect."
"You do, yes, but please remember you are talking to a woman who swore to never respect a man in her life."
Crocodile didn't talk back at that. Mihawk nodded.
"I am the one she desires to talk to. I want to escort her to my office, if it is alright with you." His permission was more of an order. There was never more authority amongst the two Cross Guild officers, but Crocodile decided to let go.
"Fine. I don't want to argue with a bitch anyway." He said as he lit another smoke.
The walk on the hallway was cold, quiet. No words were exchanged between the two. For the first time, Hancock was silent rather than jabbing at a man, despite being alone with him. The office room was at the end of a third hallway which Mihawk opened the door to and offered her to go first. Hancock quietly accepted the offer and stepped in to the office room, walking to the comfy sofa in front of the desk table. The room was decorated well, in simple, but vampiric taste.
Mihawk sat on his chair. He didn't speak. They hadn't spoken to each other for years.
"...Wine?"
"Sure."
"Understood."
Silence was cut for a few seconds by the splash of blood red wine splashed into two seperate glasses. One of them was gently pushed to the woman as the bottle was shut and placed away.
"Thank you."
"..."
........
.............
..................
This was getting ridiculous.
"Diego, I--"
"Please do not, Han."
.....
The silence kept on.
"...I... must be the one to apologise first."
The words took the Empress by surprise. Why would Mihawk have to apologise for saving her and bringing her to safety? For hiding their connection with a business barrier from his work partners? For giving her a place, warmth, food, anything she cannot have to not endanger Amazon Lily by going back?
"If I knew before, Han... I would have cut down Mariejois if I could have..."
The most emotion that had ever spilled from the World's Best Swordmaster. He couldn't help his voice shake, he could not.
"Please allow me to explain myself..."
His voice was almost begging. Hancock wanted to clarify it so bad, that he had done nothing wrong, that he did all he could. But she leaned back, letting him speak.
Mihawk shut his eyes for a second to collect his thoughts, then he managed to bring sentenced together. "...When you stopped sending me letters, Han. I was more upset than anything. I was not mad. I was not concerned that- that anything happened to you. I simply thought... that the Amazon Warrior mindset has caused you to hate me too, for I am but a man."
"Diego, I could never hate you.." Her eyes filled of tears. She had always been the more emotional one.
"I thought you would have. I thought you did. Seeing you after nineteen years, in that god forbidden meeting of the Shichibukai of you ignoring my existence... How painful, how cruel it is, to have such an Observation Haki without seeing through your mind?"
The memory still haunted him. Seeing her, healthy, grown, sitting on that table with men fanning her looking forward without even looking into his eyes. After so long.
"I curse my ignorance, my judgement, I wish I had thought something had happened to you before that one split second of you moving your hair aside to show me the damned mark on your back. I- I failed, to keep you safe. You may have guessed how I felt from the news of yesterday's tomorrow?"
Hancock remembered. That night after that meeting, many, many islands were cut apart with an enraged, uncontrollable Hawk trying to take his hate out of something. Clearly if he hadn't it would have been himself.
"Enough." The Empress commanded. She was seconds away from her tears spilling.
"It was not that you failed, Diego. There was nothing- nothing you could have done.. It had been years since you were kicked out of Amazon Lily, for being a male, since that day you held no obligation to protect me. You were in no position to do so, so far away from me, there was nothing you could have done as a child."
He had no response to that. None at all. This was the first time he had her talk to him, so directly, so personally, in nineteen years.
"...I understand." He quietly took a sip from his wine. Mihawk was not used to feeling so many emotions. But how could he not? There she was in front of him, as familiar, as emotional, as beautiful as the day he lost her.
"Everything... will be alright now, Diego. I'll be safe... you'll be safe... Our sisters will be safe." She placed her hand on his larger one on the table. So calloused, uncared for, years of holding a sword without even thinking of his hands as something other than a mere tool.
Mihawk let himself be calmed down. "...Speaking of them... how are Mari and Sonia?" He asked, "Please tell me they are doing as good as you."
Hancock smiled. How could she not when talking about her sisters? "They are. They've grown to be gorgeous, so talented, so strong. So healthy."
"Lovely to hear..." A smile almost grazed his face. Almost.
"I... never thought I'd see you. Never again, Diego."
"Neither did I, Han. I never could predict such a reunion. I will offer Crocodile a place for you here, and ensure Mari and Sonia are safe here." He placed his other hand on top of hers, gently folding. He wanted her to feel the safety she had never felt near a man since.
"Thank you. I promise you, they will be overjoyed." She said with a smile, wiping away her tears. Mihawk stood up, moving away from his desk. He didn't want a dumb table in between them. He moved next to her, without even a thought, she pulled him into a warm hug.
Warm. Safe. Loving. She let her tears fall onto his button up, her hands trembling as she held him. Hancock couldn't help the hiccups finding their way into her throat.
"I promise, Diego... You are the best brother I could have ever asked for..."
"...Even though I couldn't be there for you in the worst days of your life?"
"Even though you couldn't."
.....
"...Thank you, Han.."