Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Zoro pushed the wire into the keyhole, huffing in frustration when it took him several tries until the lock finally clicked open. Stupid old thing. Still, he was grateful for the fact that no one had decided to replace it yet.

The 14-year-old slipped into the building, flinching a little when the harsh lights turned on by themselves. They were far too bright and white, but he hadn’t figured out how to change them yet. He was sure there was a remote around somewhere, but it might be in one of the locked rooms and he didn’t want to risk getting caught.

Zoro rolled his shoulders, hissing when the movement irritated a fresh bruise on his back. That hit with the rock had fucking hurt. At least it didn’t break the skin. A scar would have been far too embarrassing.

As always he went for some stretching and warm-ups first before picking up some of the weights. Now that he was getting older his strength was increasing a lot, making him smile to himself in pride.

After finishing all his sets, he finally allowed himself to pull the white sword from his duffle bag. As always, the most confusing mixture of love, shame and rage flooded through him. He quickly focused on the latter, pushing the other useless stuff down.

First, he went through some simple routines, eyes closed, completely lost in the movement.

‘Shoulders square, don’t just slouch around!’, a voice in his head reminded him harshly.

He straightened up, gripping his sword more tightly.

‘Chin up!’

Zoro lifted his head and turned to the side.

‘Hand position! How many times do I have to remind you!’

He could barely stop himself from apologizing to the empty room.

‘If you can’t do it right, then just-’

“You got good form.”

Zoro’s eyes flew open, immediately stinging from the bright light.

“But you are far too tense. You look like a scared rabbit, shaking out of his own skin. You need to feel the movement, not just go through the motions.”

The teen stared at the tall man in horror, slowly lifting his sword higher. The guy had dark hair, a neatly trimmed and shaped beard and the most unsettling golden eyes.

“What are you going to do, fight me?”, the man chuckled darkly. “Alright then, little rabbit.”

The man reached for the necklace hanging from his neck, suddenly revealing a blade. Zoro almost had to laugh. The thing was tiny. It looked like escaping wouldn’t be too hard after all.

He lunged towards the tall man. One swipe of his sword, one twist, a block and- Zoro was on his back, the man’s knee pressing down on his chest, cool metal against his throat, his wrist twisted to a painful degree. He took a breath, surprised when the pressure on his chest eased up. Instead, the guy tightened his grip on Zoro’s wrist.

“Let go.”

“Never,” Zoro panted, gripping his sword tightly. “You’ll have to kill me first.”

Once more the man surprised him, removing the knife from his throat and letting go of his wrist, in order to rip the sword out of his grasp.

“No!”, Zoro gasped, now actually terrified of the looming figure.

“Please,” the man chuckled at the teen. “You really think I’d cut a child’s throat over something like this? I hate scrubbing floors, I’d never cause such a mess.”

“Give it back!”, Zoro shouted, trying to leap towards his blade. “That is mine!”

The man raised a perfectly trimmed eyebrow. “Oh? So now you care about ownership? You didn’t seem to care about that an hour ago when you broke into my dojo.”

Zoro tensed, pushing down the wave of shame rushing over him. “I-I never took anything.”

“I know. Three weeks, and not a single thing missing. Not even the time I left the money on the counter.”

What. The. Fuck.

“If you knew, why haven’t you stopped me?”, Zoro asked, pushing himself back to his feet.

“I wanted to see what you can do,” the man answered, beginning to circle the teen slowly.

Zoro didn’t answer, simply staring straight ahead, forcing himself not to turn with the guy.

“As I said, you have good form. Impressive stamina. Your strength is growing quickly. Not enough feeling though, the way you grip your sword makes it seem as if you are trying to break the poor thing.”

“I’d never!”, Zoro spat.

“Hm,” the man hummed, now directly behind Zoro. The hair on the teenager’s neck rose, but he didn’t dare turning around. If the guy thought he was unaffected, he might get bored and let him go, without drawing his blade again.

“It’s a good sword. Old. Where does a kid like you get a blade like that?”

“I. Don’t. Steal.” The words came out more hissy than he had intended. So much for getting out of this in one piece.

“I see.”

It was quiet for a while. The man had finished his little walk around Zoro and was now standing in front of him again. The teen felt like his golden eyes were burning holes into him. Suddenly he realized just how tired he was. Of sneaking. Of lying. Of fighting. Of staying awake all night. Of the constant fear of being caught. Of… everything. Everything he had to do all his life.

“If you do not wish to steal from me, why come here at night? Are you that reluctant to deal with other students? Not that I wouldn’t agree, but it is a skill a young man like you will have to learn.”

Zoro had to suppress the urge to kick the bastard in the knee. “Unless I start stealing,” he hissed out, “I won’t be able to pay your fees.”

The man hummed again, as if that thought hadn’t even occurred to him. Fucking bastard. Only now Zoro realized the way he was dressed. Tight dress pants, black leather shoes, a shiny red shirt, and that cross around his neck was probably real gold.

“Expensive sword, but no money for the dojo?”

That fucking asshole!

“I didn’t take-”

“Yeah, yeah, so you said,” the man cut him off. “Well then, what is your name?”

“None of your business.”

The man clicked his tongue. “Such a bad attitude. Has no one taught you to respect your sensei?”

Kicks to his stomach. A hand on his throat. A harsh voice yelling directly in his ear.

Zoro shook himself a little, realizing he had stood completely frozen for far too long.

“You- You are not my sensei,” he said, not sure if he was telling the man in front of him or himself.

“I could be. You have talent, boy. It would be a shame to let it go to waste.”

Boy.

Have I taught you nothing, boy?

Pick up your sword, boy!

You are not worth the food I waste on you, boy!

“Don’t fucking call me that!”, Zoro yelled, leaping to get to his sword again.

“Well, you have not given me a name-”, the man mustered the panting teenager for a second, “child,” he finished.

“Why would I give you one? So you can call the cops on me?”

The man rolled his eyes in the most exaggerated way, somehow managing to look even more arrogant. “Yes, because it would be sooooo difficult to find the b- child with green hair. Besides, I could alert the authorities right now and they would just take you away anyways.”

Yes, that was where all of this was heading, wasn’t it? Zoro would definitely end up in prison for this. Normally a kid wouldn’t be convicted, but no one had treated him as a child in a long time. His eyes flew to the door and the man clicked his tongue again.

“Running won’t get you far. I like to think I have made it more than clear that I can easily beat you in a fight, little rabbit. So, will you finally stop this little game of yours and tell me your name?”

His shoulders slumped down in defeat. “Zoro. Roronoa Zoro.”

He got an acknowledging hum, but no other answer.

“Sir?”

The man looked surprised at the teen’s sudden change in attitude. “Yes?”

“May- May I ask you for a favor?”

“You break into my dojo, yell at me, disrespect me, and yet you have the audacity to ask me for a favor?”

“Yes.”

“Alright then, Roronoa Zoro. What could a child like you possibly ask of me?”

“Not a child,” Zoro whispered.

The man huffed and the teen shook his head.

“Not in the eyes of the law,” he explained. “I turned 14 last month. And… And I had some issues before. I’ll probably go to prison for this. So… Would you mind looking after my sword?”

“Your sword?”

“They’ll take it away. Force me to sell it to pay a lawyer or throw it in a damp basement and let it rust. You are the only person I could possibly trust with it.”

The man nodded in agreement. “A sword like this needs to be respected. I would probably honor your request, but-”

“Please, sir! I don’t have much, but- but-”

“Stop interrupting me,” the man cut him off, probably aware of the irony of his own actions. “Again, learn some respect for your sensei.”

“You are not my-”

“Yes, yes, so you said,” the man waved him off. “Let’s try not to go in circles here. As I said, I could train you. I want to see what you can do with some proper guidance.”

“You- You won’t call the police?”

“No,” the man affirmed. “Under the condition that you join the dojo.”

“I told you before,” Zoro gritted out. “I have no money.”

“Unimportant,” the man shrugged. “You said you had trouble with the law? That will no longer be permitted. You will come here after school, finish your homework and train. Understood?”

“Why would you do this for me?”

The man frowned. “As I said, you are talented. I may be able to beat you with both hands tied behind my back, but I have to admit, you are far above the other students in your age group. And a lot more dedicated. A few more gold medals would look nice in the dojo...”

“You won’t tell anyone?”

“Not as long as you stick to the rules.”

Should Zoro agree? Could this man truly be worse than prison? Well, Zoro knew that answer, but maybe he wasn’t as bad as his old sensei. Besides, this time Zoro could escape whenever he wanted, even if that meant going to jail.

“Fine,” he said.

“Don’t act like an ungrateful brat.”

Zoro sighed. “Thank you, Sensei.”

“Mihawk,” the man corrected. “You may call me Mihawk.”

Chapter Text

Despite the absolutely crushing exhaustion, Zoro couldn’t fall asleep. The shock of being discovered was still settled deep in his bones. He couldn’t believe he had gotten out of there a free man! Well, as free as someone like him could be. Now he’d have to decide between Mihawk and jail. An actual teacher would be good, but… well, he’d have to see. The man could have easily suffocated him or broken his wrist, and anyone would have called it self-defense. He hadn’t, which probably meant nothing, but still… a boy could dream.

The guy in the bunk above him turned over with a loud snore, making Zoro’s breathing stop immediately. If he woke him up, he was gonna regret it. Not that he couldn’t beat him, despite being three years younger, but if he got into a fight again there was no way of telling where he would end up. And the other boy knew it. Everyone in that damn house knew it. Kids as young as him were not even supposed to be there.

Zoro put his arms behind his head, settling in for a sleepless night. He knew there was just so much more exhaustion awaiting him in the morning, but there was nothing he could do about his far too quickly beating heart. As always, there was not a damn thing he could do about his shitty situation.

……

Despite his better judgment, Mihawk was a little surprised when the boy didn’t show up. They had not discussed a specific time, but surely Roronoa’s school day should be finished by now. It was disappointing, the boy had real talent and dedication. Perhaps Mihawk was a fool for not calling the police right away, but…

‘I just want to give them a second chance, ya know? I needed one, and I didn’t turn out too shabby, did I?’

He angrily shook his head, trying to get rid of the voice inside his head. It was indeed foolish. He knew nothing about that boy. Roronoa might be dangerous. He had mentioned trouble with the police before. And yet… Did Mihawk really believe a young man who’d rather do drills all night instead of roaming the streets could be a troublemaker? On the other hand, maybe he was just on the streets during the day. Apparently, the chance to actually belong to the dojo did not mean as much to him as Mihawk had hoped.

“No, I need to see him!”, an angry voice interrupted Mihawk’s musing.

“Mr. Dracula does not take students of your age group,” Paul, the man at the reception, responded. “As I told you, you can sign up for a try-out lesson to place you in a course and-”

“Roronoa Zoro,” Mihawk cut him off, stepping out of his office. “You are late,” he told the sweaty and panting teenager.

“Got detention,” Roronoa muttered.

Mihawk clicked his tongue. “To my office, I need to talk to you.”

The teen’s face turned even redder. “That’s not fair! You said I could train here! I’m sorry for being late, but they just wouldn’t let me go! I ran all the way here, so I am already warmed up, we can start right now!”

He took a deep breath, trying not to get too irritated already. “There is no reason to yell. If you want to train in my dojo, you’ll have to learn to listen. Now get in the office, or my offer is off the table.”

Roronoa huffed angrily, but stomped past him, letting his backpack drop on the floor and himself into a chair. Mihawk shook his head and also entered the room, letting the door fall shut behind him.

He took a seat behind his desk and mustered the teen thoughtfully. While his posture was relaxed and careless, he could see the tension in his shoulders and jaw, as well as the tremble in his hands. If the boy actually didn’t care, Mihawk would have already kicked him out. But this was something else.

“Detention?”, the sword master asked sternly.

Roronoa shrugged, not even looking at him.

“Roronoa-”

“It doesn’t matter,” the boy interrupted him. “They told me to stay, so I stayed. You told me to come right after school, so I did. I did what I was supposed to.”

“Seems like at some point you didn’t, or you wouldn’t have gotten detention.”

“Whatever.”

“Roronoa,” Mihawk said sternly. “I expect honesty from you.”

The boy’s jaw clenched up, but after a few seconds he sat up straighter. “I fell asleep.”

The sword master nodded. He hadn’t paid attention to them before, but now he noticed the deep shadows under the teen’s eyes. It wasn’t surprising, he had left pretty late at night.

“Does that happen often?”

Another shrug.

“That will end now. You’ll leave here at a reasonable hour and go straight home. I don’t care if you sleep or not, but you will rest. Understood?”

Shrug.

“When is your curfew?”

Shrug.

“If I ask you a question, you’ll answer,” Mihawk said sharply.

The boy flinched. “Yes, sir.”

“Good. So, your curfew?”

“Don’t have one. No one really cares where I go.”

Mihawk frowned at that. Not surprising information, yet still unpleasant.

“Can I go train now?”

Mihawk frowned. “I told you, I expect you to finish your schoolwork first.”

At that, Roronoa sat up properly and nodded quickly. “I did! We are allowed to work in detention.”

Hm. Maybe he hadn’t been wrong about the boy. He did seem to care after all. “Show me.”

Roronoa pulled out two notebooks and opened them. The first one was a messily written essay on ‘Romeo and Juliet’. It was clear the boy didn’t really care about the story, but understood the material well enough. There were a few spelling mistakes and the sentences were painfully simple, but the writing wasn’t lazy.

“Well done. Be a bit more careful next time, you can always finish your work in my office. That handwriting is atrocious.”

Despite the mixed-in criticism, Roronoa raised his head higher at the simple praise and eagerly handed over the second notebook.

Mihawk mustered the solved math problems with a frown. And he had actually had high hopes for the boy. He knew many kids struggled with math and he didn’t care too much about the many, many mistakes, but there was one detail that made him shake his head in frustration.

“You were supposed to round to the second digit, Roronoa.”

“Huh? But I did?”, the boy claimed.

Mihawk clicked his tongue in annoyance. “Do not lie to me. It’s clear you just crossed out the other numbers.”

“Yeah? But there are two left after the point, see?”, he said, standing up to point at the paper. “Two digits.”

The sword master wasn’t sure if the teen was trying to make fun of him. “No, you need to follow the rules. You can’t just make it look like you rounded the numbers, you have to actually do it.”

“There are rules?”

“You learned this in elementary school,” Mihawk huffed.

“I didn’t go.”

“What was that?”

“I didn’t go,” Roronoa repeated.

“But you know how to read, write and do simple calculations?”, Mihawk asked.

“I was taught,” the teen mumbled, as if it was a secret. “But I didn’t go to school.”

Ah. A failed try at home-schooling then. At least his parents had come to their senses and put the child in an actual school. At least one thing those people were capable of. In a perfect world, Mihawk would have gotten charged with kidnapping, but apparently Roronoa Zoro’s parents didn’t care were their son went after school. Then again, in a perfect world the boy wouldn’t break into dojo’s and end up alone with strange men.

“It looks like you are behind your peers. You’ll have to work extra hard to catch up. What other subjects are you struggling with?”

The boy looked down, angrily kicking his feet. “I’m not stupid.”

Mihawk frowned, mentally going over his next words. “I never said that. This is not your error. It was not your responsibility back then, but unfortunately fixing that mistake will be your responsibility now.”

Roronoa didn’t answer.

God, Mihawk was so fed up with the people he was seeing in his dojo daily. Those parents were absolutely useless. They shouldn’t just send their children off to school or a dojo and expect other people to raise them. They had made the truly foolish decision to have offsprings, now they’d have to be the ones to help them get through life.

“What other subjects?”, Mihawk repeated.

The boy shrugged. “Most of them, I guess. Everyone else already knows everything.”

Mihawk nodded. That made sense. Roronoa didn’t seem like a genius, just a normal boy. Without being taught properly, he didn’t stand a chance.

“Come here.”

“Excuse me?”

“Pull your chair to the table,” Mihawk explained calmly. “I’ll teach you how to round numbers properly.”

Chapter Text

Zoro stared at the paper in absolute confusion. “What?”

“It’s incorrect,” Mihawk repeated.

“Yes, but-”, Zoro stopped himself, still staring at the pencil marks next to his answers. “What about the others?”

The sword master gave him an exasperated look. “Are my symbols not obvious enough? A tick means it’s correct, a cross means incorrect.”

“Yes, I just-”, Zoro paused again, staring at the page. “This one is wrong.”

Mihawk looked like he was about to lose his composure. “The one with the cross, yes.”

“And the other ones are okay?”

“Roronoa, why are we still talking about this? Just redo the problem and move on. I don’t care that the other answers are right, you still have to correct your mistake.”

“But-”

“I told you, not training until your homework is done. And ‘done’ means done correctly,” Mihawk said harshly. “If you need me to work on the problem with you that is not an issue, but you have to redo it. And I don’t want to hear more complaints.”

Zoro wanted to tell the man he wasn’t complaining or refusing to do his work, but he knew it would be no use. Kids like Zoro always made trouble. He looked down at his paper again, still in shock.

‘But why just one?’, Zoro thought, picking up his pen to fix the single, tiny mistake. ‘I never get the answers right!’

……

“14.23?”

Mihawk looked up from his paperwork and gave the nervous boy a short nod.

“I’m done!”, Roronoa exclaimed. “Can I go use the gym?”

“No.”

As expected, the teen’s expression soured. “You said after my work is done I could go!”

“Incorrect,” Mihawk said calmly, already feeling a headache begin to form. “I said after your work is done you may train. As your teacher, I will decide what you are to do.”

“Whatever,” Roronoa huffed. “As long as I get to hit something, I’ll be fine.”

Mihawk shook his head. “In that case, you’ll be disappointed.”

Zoro jumped up from his chair, hitting his knee on the table, his face turning red. “You said I’d get to train!”

“Roronoa!”, Mihawk boomed, making the boy sit down so quickly he almost fell over. “This is not a free gift, this is an opportunity to better yourself,” he explained calmly. “I expect you to listen to me and follow the directions I give you, just like any other student in this dojo.”

When the teen didn’t answer, the sword master continued. “Today, we will focus on meditation and simple stretching exercises, understood?”

“Fine,” the child mumbled. “But why can’t I train now? What did I do wrong?”

Mihawk sighed as he leaned back in his chair. “You didn’t do anything wrong. This is not a punishment. You have stayed out all night, had to consider the possibility of going to prison, and spent hours doing school work today. The shadows under your eyes tell me you didn’t even sleep properly for the rest of the night. You can not improve if you are this exhausted. Today you’ll rest, tomorrow we can start proper training.”

“But I didn’t train enough yesterday,” the boy insisted. “Why would I get to rest?”

Okay. Concerning. Mihawk appreciated the determination, but as many young students, he did not know balance yet.

“You worked hard today,” the sword master said, gesturing to the notebooks.

“Not training, doesn’t count,” Roronoa gritted out, somehow even more tense than when learning he wouldn’t be training today.

“I told you before, you will go home at a reasonable hour. That means your time will be split between training and catching up with your school work.”

“I-I could try harder on my own! If I do my school work by myself, I’ll have more time to-”

“Roronoa,” Mihawk cut him off, struggling to keep his voice gentle and not lunge across the table to shake some sense into that boy. “You are young. There are only so many hours in a day. You need to rest and recharge.”

“But why would I-” The teen cut himself off before Mihawk had the chance to. “Okay, whatever.”

The sword master was still not happy with the response, but he decided to drop the topic for now.

……

Mihawk lead Zoro into a small training room, far away from the main dojo. The floor was patted and there were two training dummies in the corner, as well as a couple of weights and different training swords.

The teen turned around, noticing how long the hallway he had just walked down was. Was it further away from other people than the training room he was used to had been? Better sound-proofed?

The door fell shut behind him. He was alone with Mihawk. Alone with a tall, strong swordsman.

“Roronoa?”

The deep voice made him jump a little, his heartbeat already picking up. “Y-Yes, sir?”

Mihawk’s eyes narrowed, making Zoro want to take a step back, but he forced himself to stay still. No complaints. No weakness.

“I will demonstrate some poses for strength and stretching now. Follow my lead.”

At first it all went well. The exercises were simple and Zoro could follow without even breaking a sweat. Then, Mihawk paused.

“No, that’s not it. Your hip position is not as it should be. You can’t bend all the way like that.”

Zoro froze.

A kick to his leg. A painful squeeze on his hip. A hand, pushing him down, his hamstrings stretching far past his limit as he was forced to bend more and more-

“Roronoa?”

“What?”

“May I touch you to correct your posture?”

May he? As if Zoro could stop him. Still, better to obey, he didn’t need to get into trouble for no reason.

“Of course.”

“Hm,” the man hummed, but moved towards the teen. He curled one of his hands around Zoro’s wrist. Just holding it, not squeezing. Not yet. “Your fingers should point towards your feet, like this,” he explained, turning Zoro’s forearm. The man’s other hand settled on the teen’s hip, twisting it slightly outwards. “There we go. Now try bending forwards again.”

Zoro let himself far forwards, gritting his teeth at the stretch. He closed his eyes, preparing himself for the sharp pain and the feeling of his body snapping in two, but instead of pressing forwards, Mihawk removed his hand from his back.

“Very good,” Mihawk commented, then paused. “But perhaps you should just copy my poses by using visuals and explanations for now.”

Zoro couldn’t answer, too far lost in his own mind.

……

Mihawk looked over to the young teen, forcing himself not to roll his eyes at the boy.

“Roronoa,” he sighed, rubbing his temples. “What did I ask you to do?”

“Uh… Meditate?”

“And what are you doing?”

“Meditating?”

“Is that a question, or an answer?”

“Well, you are the one interrupting me!”, the child complained.

“Nothing to interrupt there,” Mihawk said harshly. “I told you before, you can not just fake it.”

The teen’s face started to turn red in anger. “I’m right in front of you! You can see I’m doing it!”

Mihawk shook his head in disappointment. He hadn’t expected to have to teach the kid this many lessons. He was clearly a good fighter, but everything else was missing.

“You are not meditating, you are just sitting still. I can see the tension in your shoulders from here. You have held the same position for over thirty minutes now.”

“So? What is your problem, man? You told me to sit down, I didn’t move.”

Mihawk decided not to comment on the teen’s tone. Not this time. “Roronoa, why do we meditate?”

“Discipline and focus.”

Mihawk nodded. “Yes, for most students that should be the goal. However, I don’t think you lack either of those. What you need is some relaxation and inner peace.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“You carry a lot of anger, Roronoa Zoro.”

“You don’t know a damn thing about me!”

“The people you are angry at, are they in the room right now?”

“You are about to make it on the list,” the teen mumbled.

Usually Mihawk would not let something like that slide, but he decided to finish making his point first.

“If they are not here, where does all that anger go? Who does it hurt?”

Zoro jumped to his feet, glaring down at the sword master. “I’m not like that! I don’t hurt people!”

“No?”, Mihawk asked calmly. “Then what are those shadows under your eyes? Why are your hands shaking? Why have you been here all afternoon and didn’t even have a sip of water?”

“I- I don’t-”

“I’m not sure where your anger comes from, and to be honest, I don’t care. What matters to me is what happens inside the walls of my dojo. You have a right to your anger, but no violence is permitted here. Not even against yourself.”

Chapter Text

Unclench the jaw. Drop the shoulders. Open the hips. Deep breath into the belly.

Zoro tried his best to apply the directions his new teacher had given him. He was back in the room earlier than usual, and, now that his nightly training sessions had been discovered, he had no reason to leave again. It was only 11 pm, and he had nothing left to do.

He had tried falling asleep for an hour, but the guilt wouldn’t let go of him. Zoro had done nothing but meditation exercises today. No training. Sensei Koushirou would be so displeased. Zoro’s yaw clenched back up at the thought. He shouldn’t have let Mihawk stop him from training. He was being bad. Weak. Pathetic.

But wasn’t Mihawk his sensei now? If the man said meditation was what he had to work on, shouldn’t Zoro obey? Was this okay? He definitely wanted the teen to sleep, so Zoro was already messing up. On the other hand, Mihawk had said it was okay if he didn’t sleep as long as he relaxed. So maybe this was okay. He let his shoulders drop again and took a deep breath.

……

“Awe, look at the freak. All alone,” a nasal voice called out.

Zoro didn’t even bother to turn around, he already knew it was Justin. His classmate’s voice was very recognizable.

“What’s wrong, Moldy, can’t you hang out with the other losers from your kiddy jail?”

As if. The boys from his group home were just as insurable as Justin, but older, stronger and a lot more crazy. Zoro was better off alone. At least for now.

“Hey, I’m talking to you!”

The boy grabbed Zoro by the hair and ripped his head back. Big mistake. Within the blink of an eye, Zoro had Justin pinned down, his arm secured behind his back. The insufferable idiot let out a scream and tried to free himself, but he didn’t stand a chance.

“I’ll let go now, and you’ll get up slowly and walk away, understood?”, Zoro hissed.

Justin didn’t answer, just struggled more and screamed some more.

Zoro rolled his eyes. “I said-”

“Mr. Roronoa!”

The teen jumped back immediately and turned to his principal, already knowing he had lost.

“To my office, now!”

……

“You are late. Again.” Mihawk had his hands folded on the desk in front of him, as he stared at the child slumped in the chair across from him.

“You said after school.”

Mihawk frowned, suspecting he wouldn’t like the answer to his next question. “Am I correct in the assumption you have been put in detention once more?”

A shrug. All the answer she needed.

“May I ask what happened?”

The look Roronoa threw his way was truly murderous. “You will anyways.”

The teen reached into his back and pulled out a balled-up piece of paper and threw it at him. There was no real power behind it, yet the move pissed the sword-master off. He opened the paper and let his eyes fly over it, his anger only growing.

“Fighting,” he said darkly.

“So?”, the teen challenged.

Mihawk narrowed his eyes. “You are not stupid. I do not have to explain the issue with this.”

“I don’t under-”

“I will not tolerate violent behavior from my students.”

“But I didn’t even do anything!”

The sword master sighed in disappointment and shook his head. “If nothing had happened, I wouldn’t be holding this, would I?”, he said before handing the note back to Roronoa.

……

Zoro was gripping his pencil so tightly, he could feel the wood crack under his fingertips. What did that stupid, stuck-up guy expect from him?! He hadn’t even hurt Justin back, he had simply made sure he was not going to do any harm. Mihawk hadn’t even let him explain! Neither had the teacher. It wasn’t fair, but maybe Zoro should just get used to it. No one was ever going to believe in the boy from the group home who spends his nights breaking into houses.

“How is it going?”

“Give me a minute,” Zoro gritted out, not even looking up from his paper. After writing down a couple more sentences, he tossed the notebook at the sword master. Mihawk caught it with ease, throwing a warning glare at the teen.

“Hm,” Mihawk hummed after a few minutes. “Once again, awful handwriting, but it’s a solid essay. Very well done, Roronoa.”

He hated himself for the warm feeling spreading threw his chest. Zoro shouldn’t feel things like this. He was here to train, to become the best, nothing else. It would be stupid to bask in the homey feeling, knowing it wasn’t what he deserved.

The man’s praise meant nothing. Mihawk was just trying to keep Zoro calm, he didn’t actually give a shit. He couldn’t. He wouldn’t. He was just using Zoro. Just like before. Just like always. Zoro didn’t matter.

But…

But he had helped Zoro with his homework, even though it was his own fault for not being smart enough to figure it out on his own. And he hadn’t yelled at him for asking too many questions. And yesterday had been so much fun. And it hadn’t even hurt.

“Roronoa?”

“Huh?”, Zoro asked, still feeling a bit lost.

“Are you alright?”

“Of course,” the teen huffed. “Let’s go train.”

……

Mihawk straightened up and shook out his leg, feeling the sting in his hamstring from the deep stretch. With a frown he realized the teen hadn’t followed his movement, but was still leaning on his front leg, his face a bit shiny with sweat, his legs much further apart than the day before. An increase that shouldn’t be possible over night. Not without enduring a significant amount of pain.

“Roronoa?”

No reaction.

“Roronoa, you can stop now.”

No reaction.

“Roronoa!”

The boy flinched, pushing his leg even closer to the floor. He let out a pained hiss and rolled himself to the side, before staring up at the sword master with wide eyes.

“Y-Yes?”

“Don’t push yourself too far,” Mihawk sighed, kneeling down next to the teen. “May I touch your leg?”

Roronoa looked at him as if he had asked to use a lock of his hair to gift it to the local fairies. “May you…? You are right next to me, you could just grab it.”

Mihawk sighed again. The boy had no knowledge of tact. “I could, but I wouldn’t. So, do I have permission?”

“Per-?”, the teen stopped himself, shaking his head. “Yeah, fine.”

The sword master took Roronoa’s ankle, slowly pulling on his leg until the teen sucked in a harsh breath. Mihawk let the boy’s foot rest in his lap and began methodically massaging the calf, until he felt the muscles relax under his fingers.

“Better?”

“Yes,” Roronoa said quietly, quickly pulling his legs up to his chest. “We can start training now.”

Mihawk frowned. “I’m not sure if that is the best idea. You are very distracted today. Did you get any sleep last night?”

“What?!” In the blink of an eye Roronoa was up on his feat. “You said we could train today! Who cares if I didn’t sleep, you said relaxing would be enough! I didn’t leave my bed and I even meditated! I used all your tips! What more do you want, dude?!”

Mihawk took a deep breath and a step back, so he wouldn’t lose his cool and yell at the disrespectful teenager.

“Roronoa, do not speak to me in that way if you want to keep your spot at my dojo.”

That made the boy also step back, his anger gone, but his entire body still tense. Mihawk couldn’t figure out what it was. Fear? Discomfort? Nervousness? The child was probably intimidated by the grown man staring him down, but still, his reactions seemed a little over the top.

“It’s not fair,” Roronoa claimed in a cold, emotionless voice. “How am I supposed to sleep if I haven’t trained enough?”

“You can not sleep without training first?”, Mihawk asked. That would explain the break-ins. Very concerning. How had that even started? Had his parents just let this habit get established and then taken the boy’s access to a dojo away? The sword master had so many questions.

“No,” Roronoa admitted, shrinking in on himself. “I need to train. Please, sensei. I am so tired.”

Something about the way the boy was addressing him did not sit right with Mihawk. Just like the day before, when the teen hadn’t even asked for water once, it seemed like not even his basic needs were met. At least now he had voiced what the problem was for the first time.

“I see,” Mihawk said slowly. “I am glad you explained this to me. We can train today, but we will start with something simple and I expect you to do your best to focus.”

“Yes, sensei.”

“Just Mihawk is fine.” He thought for a second. “Roronoa?”

“Yes, Mihawk?”

“I’m proud of you for working on your meditation routine.”

Chapter Text

“It’s a solid essay. Very well done, Roronoa.”

“I’m proud of you for working on your meditation routine.”

The words wrapped around Zoro like a blanket, warm and secure. He was still angry at Mihawk for how he hadn’t even heard him out about what had happened at school, but… Zoro just couldn’t help it. He knew it was stupid and naive, but it felt like the sword master might actually care about him.

If only the man could overlook where Zoro came from. He hadn’t meant to get kicked out of foster homes this many times. True, in the beginning he hadn’t tried, but that last time… That last time, he just couldn’t bring himself to regret. But that stain in his record would never go away. Those labels would never disappear. Aggressive. Violent. Dangerous. Just like all the other losers at the Shimotsuki group home. Zoro would never be allowed to move on from that.

But Mihawk had said he was proud. Of Zoro. No one had ever been proud of him.

Kuina had seen him as an equal. More than he deserved, but still. She had believed in him.

Sometimes the younger kids at foster homes had thought of him as cool or strong. A protector.

Sensei Koshiro- Zoro tried his best to suppress the violent shudder that threatened to take over his body. Sensei could have been proud of him. He could have, if Zoro hadn’t been so bad all the time. Weak. Pathetic. Bad. Bad, bad, bad-

But Mihawk had said he was proud. No one had ever looked at him the way Mihawk had. Like Zoro was someone who should be taken care of and protected. Not because he was weak, but because he was worth something.

He had only known the man for two days. It was dumb to think like that. Zoro should just forget about it.

But-

But Mihawk had said he was proud.

……

The next couple of days went well. Roronoa did not manage to get in trouble again, which meant he spent up to 5 hours at the dojo every day, and yet, no one seemed to wonder where exactly the teen disappeared to every day. And if someone did know about their arrangement, they didn’t even bother to give Mihawk a call to check in on the boy. No wonder Roronoa rather spend his afternoons with a complete stranger than at ome.

When Mihawk allowed him to train with his other students, he realized just how far ahead the boy was. He had clearly been introduced to most techniques and routines, but his fighting style was far too aggressive. Only offense, barely any thought put into defense. Or self-protection. Mihawk had to stop the teen from over-stretching or over-exhausting himself.

The sword master was curious about the teen’s former teachers. So many of his behaviors were inconsistent, he either had had several ones or one particularly bad one. Mihawk had tried to ask Roronoa, but the teen had immediately shut down. At first he had just changed the topic, but when Mihawk had asked again, the boy had left early. After begging to stay longer just half an hour before. So maybe asking directly was not the most effective technique. Mihawk would just have to wait for the teen to spill his secrets on his own.

……

Zoro leaned against the door, not understanding why the handle wasn’t turning. Was he too early? The opening hours on the sign said 10 am to 8 pm. He had checked several times. Should he ring the bell?

Nothing. Zoro pressed the button again. Nothing. Then his eyes fell on the second button.

Dracula, Mihawk

So the sword master lived right above the dojo? Should Zoro dare?

“Yes,” A gruff voice answered threw the speaker, a few moments after he had pressed the button.

“Uh, hi,” Zoro said dumbly.

“Roronoa?”, Mihawk asked. “What are you doing here?”

Oh shit. He sounded pissed off.

“Are- Are you not open yet? The sign says 10, so…”

“On weekdays,” the man sighed. “It’s 10:30 on a Saturday. What are you doing here?”

Oh. Yes, now he noticed the ‘Mo-Fr’ printed on the sign. Well. The park it was then. He hated training there. It felt like everyone was staring at him and he couldn’t focus on anything with so many people around.

“Sorry,” Zoro whispered. “See you on Monday, sensei.”

It was quiet for a moment, then the lock buzzed. Zoro had already been walking away, but he quickly jumped towards the door and pushed it open. He noticed a door next to the entrance also making a buzzing noise, so he pushed it open as well.

Mihawk was waiting for him at the top of a narrow stairwell, a dark expression on his face. Suddenly Zoro wasn’t so sure if going up to the man’s apartment was a good idea, but if he ran away now, how was he supposed to face the sword master on Monday?

“Hi.”

“Hello, Roronoa. Please, come in.”

Only now Zoro realized the way Mihawk was dressed. Just like when training, his chest was exposed, but the shirt he was wearing was thin and shiny, matching his pajama pants. The black robe on top was of a similar material and in his hand was a huge coffee mug, pink with the words ‘cutest swordsman ever’ written on in sparkly golden letters.

“Miiiihaaaawk!”, a female voice called from somewhere in the apartment. “Who’s at the door? Can I meet them?”

Immediately the sword master let his head drop, a look of defeat on his face. A moment later a very strange person showed up. Her hair was long and pink, falling over her shoulders in spiraling pigtails. Her eyes were huge and black, their unsettling effect made stronger by the big fake eyelashes and dark eyeshadow. Like Mihawk she was wearing pajamas, but hers were black and white, with red hearts all over them. While the two of them looked very different from each other, Zoro supposed they still kinda fit together, considering they both seemed like goth people out of a cartoon.

The woman hooked her chin over Mihawk’s shoulder and grinned down at Zoro. “Oh! Is this one of your little students? So cute!”

Zoro had never wanted to sink into the floor and disappear more than in that moment.

“Uh… Sorry for... interrupting,” he stammered, staring up at the very, very young woman, “You and your… uh... partner. I- I’ll leave now.”

“Partner?!”, the woman screeched, jumping back. “This grumpy loser?”

Mihawk rolled his eyes, but otherwise he showed no reaction to the insult. “Perona is a distant relative. Unfortunately, she won’t allow that distance to also be physical, so she insists on staying over from time to time.”

“Rude!”, Perona complained. “And how could that boy think we are a couple, you are so old! Far too old for me!”

“True,” Mihawk nodded. “But not because I am old, but because Perona here is barely more than an insolent child.”

“Hey! I’m 20!”

“As I said, practically an infant.”

“Uh…”, Zoro said, taking a step back. “I’ll leave now.”

“And go where, exactly?”, Mihawk asked, his unsettling golden eyes fixed on Zoro.

“Just… out,” the teen shrugged.

“Out?”, Mihawk repeated. “And there are no other plans for today? No one wonders where you are going?”

“No?”

For some reason, that answer pissed the man off even more.

“Come inside.”

“Uhhhhhh! Mihawk is going soft, how cute!”

Zoro wasn’t sure how exactly glaring daggers and barking orders was going soft, but he shuffled inside anyways, curiously looking around.

The apartment wasn’t what the teen had expected. It wasn’t like he had thought the man lived in a medieval castle, but… Okay, maybe he had expected a castle. But this place seemed… normal. The walls were white, the furniture dark wood, and there were a couple of modern paintings. No photos though.

“I’m sorry,” Zoro repeated again, somehow feeling even more awkward knowing that they were family. Even more out of place. Even more like an intruder. Like a weird creep bothering the normal people.

“You are not interrupting anything, we were just relaxing a little,” Mihawk said, but Zoro doubted it was the truth. Did a man like that ever just relax?

“I really thought the dojo was open,” the teen mumbled.

“Oh?”, Mihawk asked leaning against the kitchen counter. “So now you care about my property?”

Zoro flinched back, hiding his hands in his pockets. He really had nothing to answer to that. Down in the dojo he wouldn’t hesitate to shoot back, but this was different somehow.

“Don’t be such a meanie!”, Perona scolded the man. Then she turned to Zoro. “Now, how do you take your hot chocolate?”

“What?”

“Don’t tell me you want black coffee like that heaven!”, the woman gasped, pointing at Mihawk. “Not cute!”

“N-No I just… I don’t know? It usually comes out of the machine in school,” he shrugged. “There aren’t any choices.”

“What about at home?”

“I don’t have-” Zoro stopped himself. Telling them he didn’t have a home was a bad idea. He didn’t want to sound ungrateful for the nice little corner of hell the government had shoved him in. “I don’t drink that at home.”

Perona rolled her huge eyes at him. “Marsh-mellows? Whipped cream? Come on, it’s not that hard!”

“Don’t put me on the spot like that!”, Zoro shouted, angrily crossing his arms. “You guys dragged me in here, I never asked for this.”

“Fine,” Perona sighed. “Both it is then.”

Chapter Text

Mihawk had made a huge mistake. Or rather, several mistakes, that were all collapsing in on themselves, right over the sword master’s head.

Mistake number 1: Letting that pink-haired nuisance step through his doors.

Mistake number 2: Allowing a teenage criminal to frequently roam his dojo.

Mistake number 3: Not being more careful the two troublemakers would never meet.

“...and then he fell on his ass!”, Perona finished her story, reducing Roronoa to giggles.

“Very entertaining,” Mihawk commented, leaning back in his armchair, his arms crossed. “And why, my dear, did I fall? Would you like to remind me of that part of the story as well?”

“Not necessarily.”

Mihawk shook his head in amusement. Of course the brat wouldn’t admit she tripped him.

“Anyways,” he finally changed the topic. “Tell me about that trip you went on last weekend.”

After Perona was done with her tail of a cosplay convention, Mihawk described how he had reorganized the dojo and bought a new wardrobe last week. Then it got quiet. Roronoa didn’t even seem to notice the two pairs of eyes on him.

“Zoooroooo.”

“Huh?”

Truth be told, Mihawk was almost happy those two were getting along. He had thought having the boy in his home would be just like working with him in the dojo, but the teen’s character had shifted drastically. Not that the boy couldn’t use some more respect for his elders, but he had seemed worried and unsure, rather than respectful.

“Don’t you have to say something?”, Perona asked.

“About?”

“Were you not listening?”, Mihawk checked calmly.

“I was,” Zoro shrugged. “Can’t you remember you asking me a question though.”

Hm. That was a little uncalled for. Perona had really tried her best to be inviting.

“There is no reason for that attitude, Roronoa,” Mihawk defended her.

The teen’s eye twitched. “What attitude? I don’t know what you guys want from me.”

Perona frowned. “Hey, if you don’t want to chat, that’s fine, just tell us.”

“Chat?”

Hm. So maybe the boy had not been paying attention after all?

“Perona and I were just sharing what we did last weekend.”

“Yes? I know?”

“And I was just wondering why you weren’t joining in,” Perona sighed in frustration.

“Joining in…”, Roronoa said slowly, as if he wasn’t quite comprehending what the girl had said. “But you guys were talking to each other.”

Mihawk wasn’t sure where their communication was going wrong, but at this point everyone was utterly confused.

“I’m glad you know not to interrupt,” he tried again, “But why didn’t you also share?”

“Share?”

‘Don’t yell,’ Mihawk told himself firmly. The child seemed completely out of his depth.

“Roronoa, I’m not sure what else there is to say. We were just chatting a little and wondering if there was anything you had to add,” Mihawk explained, trying to hide his exasperation.

“Why would you ask me if you can talk to each other?”

Before the sword master could answer, Perona let out a horrified gasp. “What?! Talk to the grumpy old man instead of you?! Why would I ever want to endure that torture?”

“What this very rude child is trying to say,” Mihawk sighed, rubbing his temples, “is that we would like to include you.”

“Oh…”, Roronoa said, looking down into his stained mug. “I’m sorry, I don’t really… do stuff. Just did some homework. Read a book. And… well, in the evening…”

“You broke open my locks?”, Mihawk asked in amusement.

Perona straightened up. “Wait, what?”

“The dojo, dear. Not the apartment.”

“Ooooohhhh!”, Perona exclaimed. “That’s okay then. As long as my hot chocolate is safe, I don’t care about that stinky old place. It’s not cute at all!”

“Charming as always,” Mihawk said flatly. “Anyways, Roronoa, you mentioned a book?”

……

Zoro’s day was not going as he had expected. His plan had been to work out all day, take a quick break to finish his homework (now that he had somewhere to go, he really wanted to avoid attention) and then train some more.

But he had to admit, even though everything was confusing him, it was… nice, somehow. He knew he wasn’t exactly a great conversationalist, but Mihawk and Perona hadn’t seemed bothered by his useless stammering. It had been a while since someone had asked him about something as casual as the book he was reading.

It was strange, not focussing on his goal, but just lazing about, drinking hot cocoa with marshmallows and actually enjoying other people’s company. At least he had been able to actually train for the past couple of hours. With no other students around they were actually able to use some of the bigger rooms and the gym. Just like the first night, Mihawk was able to beat Zoro without breaking a sweat. Once he had gotten used to the man’s calm voice and lack of facial expressions, he was actually a pretty good teacher. Zoro felt like he was already making progress.

“Time for a break,” the swords master declared. “This has been fun, but it is not worth missing lunch for.”

Zoro nodded and ran over to his bag, dumping out the contents on the floor. Mihawk stalked over, critically mustering his assembly of protein bars, candy and empty wrappers.

“Is that supposed to be your lunch?”, the man snarled down at him.

“Yes, got a problem?”

“Yes, actually. This much candy as a meal? A swordsman should take better care of his body.”

Zoro wanted to strangle the bastard. “Fine,” he hissed and dragged his tired body into a corner of the training room. He crossed his legs, straightened his back and-

“What now? Are you planning to have meditation for lunch?”

Zoro cracked an eye open, seeing the man stare down at him in anger. “Apparently not,” he grumbled, getting up again.

“Roronoa, where are you going?”

“Gym.”

“I said it was time for lunch.”

Zoro balled his hands to fists, not even bothering to turn around. “You don’t want me to eat, you don’t want me to meditate and I can’t work out. What the fuck am I supposed to do then?! If you want me to leave, just say so, but you don’t have to be a dick about it.”

“Roronoa Zoro!”

Shit. He wouldn’t give the man the satisfaction and turn around. Zoro just dug his heels in, preparing himself for the hit and-

“I have asked you to not yell or swear in my dojo several times now.”

“Sorry, sensei.”

The man sighed. “I’m still going to cook you lunch, but you have to start listening to me.”

Zoro couldn’t quite comprehend. “Lunch?”

“Yes, child. Now come with me, I will not postpone my lunch just because you want to laze about down here.”

……

Mihawk prepared some fried rice for himself and the boy. When he was done he placed the pan on the table and put some food on Roronoa’s plate and some on his own. He took a few bites of his meal, until he noticed the teen wasn’t moving.

“Roronoa? Is everything okay?”

“How much can I eat?”

“Excuse me?” Mihawk put his fork down, not sure what answer the child was looking for.

“How much may I eat, sensei?”

Ugh. What had he done, that the boy was returning this habit? Not that he approved of the shouting and swearing, but it was still miles better than the timid, unsure voice the teen was using now.

“Well… As you can see I made a lot, so there are seconds if you need more.”

“Seconds!”, Roronoa gasped. “Does that mean I can eat all of this?!”, he asked, pointing at his plate.

Mihawk decided to not scold the boy for yelling this time.

“But I lost so many times today!”, Roronoa continued. “And you said my form still sucks.”

“I said,” Mihawk started, pinching the bridge of his nose, “That you should work on your shoulder rotation. That does not mean that your skills are not already impressive. Now tell me, why exactly should any of this be of relevance right now?”

“M-My sensei. He decides how much I am allowed to have based on how well I do. I- I have never been given this much at once.”

The boy used to eat with his old teacher? Then why was he so surprised Mihawk offered him lunch? And what kind of idiot would withhold food from his student, especially when the child would just eat candy instead anyways.

“What a foolish man,” Mihawk blurted out.

Roronoa gasped. “You can’t say that about sensei!”

Mihawk thought about it for a second. “As it appears I am your sensei at the moment, so I get to make that call. And now please eat your food before it gets cold.”

Chapter Text

“Moldy!”

Well, fuck.

“How many times do I have to tell you not to touch my stuff!”

He turned around to the older boy, raising his fists. “Nothing I took actually was yours.”

“The pudding is mine, I told you that.”

True, his roommate had ordered him not to eat the pudding. Or the chocolate. Or the chips. Or the eggs.

“You jerks ate everything else!”, he complained. “I needed breakfast.”

“Soon you’ll be needing the hospital!”, Jake roared.

Zoro rolled his eyes. The idiot might be big and strong, but he had no actual skills. The younger teen could manage to beat him or at least get away. The asshole knew that, which made him only angrier. For half a year now his things kept getting destroyed, or his food taken away, all by the childish revenge plans of his roommate.

Zoro raised his fists and-

‘You are not stupid. I do not have to explain the issue with this. I will not tolerate violent behavior from my students.’

Right… They were on school grounds. If Zoro got into a fight, Mihawk would surely find out.

“I’ll kill you, Moldhead!”

Jake had no reason to care about detention. They’d never call the police on him for beating up another kid from the group home. He’d only get in trouble if he bothered someone of worth, not someone like Zoro.

The teen turned around, realizing he stood with his back to a dead end, and Jack was blocking the only exit to the narrow alley leading to a side door of the school. A locked door.

Sighing deeply, Zoro looked at the fist flying towards his face, simply raising his hands to protect his face.

……

Perona was hanging out in Mihawk’s office, organizing some papers for the grumpy old man. The big meanie was making her do chores, just because she had made a small mistake when doing their laundry. How was she supposed to know he didn’t want his white shirts to come out a cute pink?!

Her head snapped up when the door opened, fearing she’d get lectured by the old man once more, but to her delight she spotted a head of bright green hair instead.

“Oh, hi Zoro! Are you here to see Mihawk? He’ll be back in an hour or so, he’s teaching a class right now and-”

Her words died in her throat when the kid lifted his head.

“Zoro! What happened to you? Are you okay?!”

“Huh?”, the teen answered, as if he didn’t know she was talking about the massive black eye he was spotting. In addition, his lip was split and there were some obvious dark red stains around his nose.

“I’m fine,” Zoro said, even though he was slightly limping. “I’ll go get change and start with my warm-up.”

“You will do none of the sort!”, she berated the boy, as she pushed him into a chair. “I’ll get him.”

“Who?”

“Who do you think?!”, she shrieked. “Mihawk of course. He’s going to freak out.”

Suddenly Zoro tried to get up and scrambled away. “Woah! There is no reason to bother him! I didn’t get in trouble, I promise!”

“Not in trouble?!”, Perona gasped. “Look at your face!”

“I didn’t break any rules!”

Perona gave up on lecturing the boy and simply pushed him back into his chair.

……

“Well done, students. And now we will-”

“Miiiiihaaaawk!”

The sword master dropped his head in defeat. “Perona, how many times do I have to tell you not to bother me while I’m teaching?”

“Mihawk, you have to come with me right now!”

He looked at the group of startled teenagers looking up at him. “I’m sure whatever it is can wait.”

“It’s Zoro!”

The blood in his veins turned to ice. He knew something was wrong with the teenager who had broken into his dojo, so it was only a matter of time until something happened. A week ago he would have thought the boy causing problems, but now a different fear was gripping his heart.

“Is it detention again?”, he asked, even though he knew in that case Roronoa would not be here already.

“Mihawk, stop messing around! Your stupid kid is broken, so move!”

His kid?

Wait, broken?!

The office door swung against the wall with a loud bang, making the poor child flinch and whirl around in his chair. How had Mihawk even gotten here so quickly? He couldn’t remember, all that mattered were the hues of blue and red covering Roronoa Zoro’s face.

“Oh, hi dude,” the teen said, his shoulder’s drawn up. “Sorry for interrupting, I tried telling Perona to leave you alone, but she wouldn’t listen.”

“Roronoa…”

“Yes?”

Mihawk did his best to bring his breathing under control. “What happened?”

“Nothing bad.”

“Nothing bad?!” Okay, so perhaps he was not completely in control anymore. But there was blood all the way down the boy’s shirt, and he was just sitting there, as if nothing was wrong. “Roronoa, your entire face is swollen up.”

The wide grin the teen gave him made him feel sick. The movement tore at his split bottom lip, making a thin trail of blood run down his chin. “I barely feel it at all.”

“Roronoa, what happened?”, Mihawk repeated sternly. “Did you get into a fight or-”

“No!”, the boy yelled, jumping to his feet. “I didn’t fight! You can check with the school, there is no note.”

Mihawk nodded, cold rage building in his chest. “Someone hurt you,” he said slowly. “Tell me who. You must have been scared of them if you didn’t try to fight.”

Roronoa frowned. “Why would I be scared of that loser?”

Mihawk’s eye began to twitch. Why was the boy talking about the whole ordeal in such a nonchalant way?!

“You were not scared, and yet you did not fight? This person has beaten you badly.”

“That’s kinda what happens when one guy is allowed to do what he wants and the other one isn’t. You get the crap beaten out of ya.”

Everything came to a screeching halt as Mihawk’s rage turned into confusion. “Allowed?”, he repeated.

“No fighting, just like you wanted.”

Like he- yes, he had told the boy not to get into fights anymore, but this...

“You think I wanted you to get hurt?”

“I mean, not really,” Roronoa shrugged. “That would be a little messed up. But you didn’t want me to ever get in trouble for fighting again, so I didn’t.”

Mihawk’s fingers twitched for his sword, even though he didn’t know who to attack at the moment. “All of this, just to not get a note from school?”

Roronoa nodded excitedly. “Yeah! I didn’t break your rules, so I can still be your student. It’s all good.”

“Of course I didn’t want this!”, Mihawk yelled, his anger finally taking over. “Self-defense is not the same as getting into fights. What the hell were you thinking!”

“I wasn’t!”, Roronoa yelled back, jumping to his feet. “I was just following your orders! Last time you freaked out, so this time I did better! I- I just wanted to do it right,” the boy’s voice broke and he fell back down in his chair. “I’m sorry, sensei. Just tell me what to do, and I’ll be better next time, I promise.”

The boy flinched when Mihawk’s hand touched his cheek, but he didn’t move away. Briefly the sword master wondered if he actually expected the man to hit him, or if he was just sensitive from his injuries. Mihawk finished brushing the tears and blood away, but stayed on one knee, crouched in front of the boy.

“You are wrong, Roronoa. This is not what I want. Not at all.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No,” Mihawk said darkly. “It is me who should apologize.”

“Sensei?”

“My carelessness and neglect led to you getting hurt. For that I apologize. I understand that you might not be ready to forgive me, but I hope you recognize that I would never want anything like this to happen to you.”

The teen looked at him in utter shock. “What?”

“I have not even asked you for your side of the story last time. A mistake, as I realize now. So, what happened last week.”

Roronoa still looked completely confused. “Last week? Nothing special. Just some guy from my year. Everyone knows I’m an easy target, so he grabbed me. I secured his arm behind his back, but then the principal showed up.”

Mihawk frowned. There had been no mention of any of that on the note. “Easy target?”, he asked instead.

Roronoa shrugged. “I might be able to fight back, but in the end only I get in trouble.”

The sword master still didn’t understand. The boy’s face was rather undeniable evidence. “Don’t your parents ask questions when the school calls?”

The teen let out a hoarse laugh, tearing open his lip once more. “What parents?”

Oh. An orphan? Mihawk definitely should have asked a few more questions this past week… Now that he thought about it, he barely knew anything about the boy, all he had were his own assumptions.

“Grandparents? Uncle? Aunt? Siblings? Cousins?”

Roronoa kept shaking his head, making Mihawk feel more and more uneasy.

“So… You are an easy target for the other students because no one will show up at school for you?”

“Well, yeah. Also, the teachers all know what I am, so they know I’m always to blame.”

“What you are?”

“You know, where I’m from. Where I live.”

No family. No caretakers. No… anything. Where did the boy live?

“And where would that be, Roronoa?”

All of a sudden, the teen’s mask dropped. His laid-back attitude faded away, leaving a frightened child behind. “You don’t know. I thought you were okay with me being here anyways, but you just didn’t know.”

“Roronoa-”

“I shouldn’t be here,” the boy stopped him and stood up. “I’m sorry for wasting your time.” He took a few wobbly steps towards the door, before Mihawk’s hand shot out to stop him.

“I have made assumptions about your life before, I will not make that mistake again. Roronoa, where do you live?”

Chapter Text

“Roronoa, where do you live?”

“Fuck off, you bastard.”

The pounding in Zoro’s head was getting louder and louder. He was an idiot. Of course no one would actually look past his past and see him. Let alone see him and care about him. Now he’d go back to that cold, lonely house, where everyone hated him and he flinched at every noise. He’d leave and Zoro would never see Mihawk again.

That thought made him pause. Was this really how it was going to end? He took a deep breath and pushed away his anger, just for a moment.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, looking up at Mihawk, who’s hard, focused glare was still directed at him. “I didn’t mean to say that.”

“I can overlook that foul language, at least this time. Now tell me, what did you mean earlier? Where do you live?”

Zoro shook his head. “I really appreciate what you’ve done for me. I’ll remember the lessons you taught me.” he had to stop, tears choking his pathetic little speech off. “Goodby, sens- Mihawk. Goodbye, Mihawk.”

The teen reached out for the door and managed to open it halfway, before the sword master slammed it shut, angrily towering over him.

“Roronoa, this is quite enough! I asked you a question and I’m expecting a clear answer.”

Zoro’s hands trembled at his sides. “You are not my sensei anymore, you have no right to keep me here. I’ll leave and never bother you again.”

Mihawk tilted his head to the side. “You believe the information will upset me. You believe your permission to be here is tied to it. You believe I will send you away.”

Zoro couldn’t answer, the tight feeling in his chest not allowing him to do anything but to stand there, trying not to fall to his knees from the pressure surrounding him.

“….Roronoa? Zoro, can you hear me?”

Oh. Mihawk had still been talking, but the teen hadn’t been able to understand a single world, the ringing in his ears drowning out everything else.

“W-What?”

“I said,” the man said, cold and calm, “If you are planning on leaving anyways, why don’t you answer my question first. According to you, keeping your secret will not change the outcome.”

“I don’t want you to hate me.”

God, he was pathetic. Mihawk was probably rolling his eyes at his childish crying and whining, but Zoro didn’t dare to look up at his face.

“Just once,” he pleaded, his voice barely able to escape his cramping chest. “You thought I was good enough. At fighting. At school. To invite into your home. I just want one person to believe in me.”

“I do believe in you.”

Zoro sucked in a harsh breath, the air barely helping the dizziness in his head.

“But…”

No. No, no, no, no, no, no-

“But why would I change my mind about that?”

“You will think I am a liar.”

“Your babbling made it clear you were under the impression I already knew. Therefore, I do not believe you to be a liar. I am not so weak-minded that I would forget or discard my previous opinion of you just because there is additional information.”

“I-I-” Suddenly Zoro was leaning against the door, the office spinning around him.

“Careful now.”

Out of nowhere there was a hand cradling his head and one supporting his weight by his arm as he was slowly guided to the floor.

“Listen to me very carefully now. Have you felt dizzy before, or just after we started talking?”

“J-just now,” Zoro gasped, clutching his chest tightly.

“I see, a panic attack then, not concussion.”

Well, no shit. Zoro had googled his weird little episodes a while ago. The internet said it only felt like he was dying, but that didn’t really help with the tight feeling in his chest.

“It’s okay,” he mumbled, trying to crawl away from the door. “Just go, it’ll stop eventually.”

“Sit up and get into your meditation position.”

Zoro was confused by the gentle, almost soft tone, but he couldn’t help but obey the order.

“Good job. Now let’s focus on breathing techniques…”

……

It took a while for the teen to regain control over his breathing. Mihawk felt the need to prod for more information, but he knew he would have to have a bit more patience. If he overwhelmed him, Roronoa would simply start hyperventilating again.

“I’m sorry.”

Mihawk regarded the boy with a careful look. There were no more tears welling up in his eyes and his breathing was calm. His hands were resting on his knees, not shaking or grabbing his own body tightly. Still, the look on his face was grief-struck and hopeless. How… annoying. Mihawk would have to fix that.

“An apology is not what I have asked of you.”

It was quiet after that. Mihawk sighed, getting ready to push himself back to his feet. “Roro-”

“A group home.”

“Pardon?”

“I live in a group home.”

Hm. No parents or other family and a lack of true connection to any adults. A group home made sense. But hadn’t the boy mentioned his school? Mihawk forced himself to think back to evenings he had vowed to lock away deep in his mind forever. Evenings of shared meals and shared laughs. Of warm smiles and warm hands. Of hesitation and hope. And, more importantly right now, of casual chatter about work.

“I have a… an acquaintance, who is a social worker. He never mentioned a group home for children in the east part of town. Is it a new establishment?”, he asked, aiming to put the teen at ease by not showing too much of a reaction to the newly gained information.

Roronoa nodded, his eyes not meeting Mihawk’s, but emptily staring into the distance. “It’s not a normal one. It’s usually just for older boys. And not the normal ones.”

“Not normal?”

“Criminals.”

That made Mihawk pause. The boy was just fourteen. Criminal was a rather harsh label, and somehow he had a feeling it didn’t truly fit.

“And you were put there? With criminals? Is that safe?”, the sword master blurted out, before he could think better of it. Strange, usually he was more in control of his words.

The teen shrugged. “Usually I fight back, so I don’t get beaten up too often.”

No meditation routine in the world would have been able to push down the burning rage bubbling up inside Mihawk. Rage at the government for not protecting the boy. Rage at the teachers for disregarding him. Rage at the one who had put bruises and blood all over his body.

“But- But I won’t do that anymore!”, Roronoa quickly added, once more misinterpreting the expression on Mihawk’s face.

“I told you before, I did not intend for you to get hurt, nor do I condone it. However, I am upset you were put in this situation in the first place.”

“Oh,” the teen said. “That is… kind of you.”

They both just stared at each other awkwardly, until Roronoa dropped his gaze. “I’m pretty sure not all the rooms I was in have cameras, so I can just wait in your office while you check everything.”

Mihawk had no clue what he meant, but he suspected it was something incredibly foolish. “Check what exactly, Roronoa?”

“Check if I took something.”

Ah, just as the sword master had suspected. Utterly ridiculous. “Since when are you a thief, child?”

“Hey man, I told you before, I don’t steal.”

Mihawk simply raised an eyebrow.

Roronoa huffed and crossed his arms. “Whatever. It’s not like what I say matters.”

“It matters just as much as it did a few minutes ago.”

The sword master sighed deeply when the boy didn’t seem to understand. “Roronoa, this new information does not change my opinion of you.”

It took a moment for that one to sink in. “Wait, does that mean you are not kicking me out?”, the child asked in a tiny, hopeful voice. “I can stay?”

“Yes,” Mihawk said, his eyes fixed on the teen’s. “Yes, Roronoa Zoro, you may stay here.”

Chapter Text

Zoro’s head was still spinning from everything that had happened. Technically he was in the same place as before. Mihawk knew. He knew and he didn’t give a shit. The man hadn’t even asked him about his crimes. That part made the teen a little nervous. Mihawk seemed to just accept everything Zoro told him, but there was a huge difference between theft or even drug usage and aggravated assault…

After Zoro’s little episode and their talk, the teen was told to not move, while Mihawk called for Perona.

“Clean him up, check on his injuries and make sure his joints are feeling okay. Then he can stretch or meditate, or you can take him up to the apartment. No training and nothing that could irritate his injuries,” Mihawk growled at the worried girl. “And feed the damn child,” he added.

To Zoro’s surprise, Perona didn’t complain about his tone or rudeness. “Where are you going?”, she asked instead.

“Office,” Mihawk hissed coldly, but his bad manners were once again ignored. Zoro wondered whether or not it would get him in trouble to tell the man to take his own advice and meditate. “I need to make a few phone calls.”

……

Zoro flinched when Perona pressed down a little too harshly on his split lip.

“Sorry!”, she gasped in a high-pitched voice.

“It’s fine,” Zoro mumbled.

“Are you okay? The grumpy old meanie wasn’t too harsh on you, was he?”

“Huh? No.”

“Are you sure? You seem a bit… out of it.”

Zoro sighed, hating himself for not being able to hide his feelings better. “He wasn’t angry. Just… To be honest, I’m not sure what the fuck that was.”

“He is a strange man, isn’t he?”, Perona said, ending in her funny laugh.

Zoro nodded, and pulled the clean shirt over his head, now that all the blood and grime was washed off his face and body. The simple black tank was one of Mihawk’s. Despite the thin material, the teen felt warmth spread through his body immediately.

“He is… nice.”

Perona raised an eyebrow.

“No,” Zoro agreed with the unspoken comment. “Not nice. Or friendly.”

“Hororororor,” Perona laughed, “He is a prickly, rude, mean, cold, very, very old grump.”

Zoro stretched out his aching limbs. “Absolutely.”

Perona started cleaning up the dirty alcohol wipes and put Zoro’s dirty shirt in a plastic bag.

“He is the kindest man I have ever met.”

The woman paused at Zoro’s words. “He doesn’t care about family, you know?”, she said after a few moments. “He is right of course, blood means nothing.”

Zoro frowned at that. He didn’t know anything about his biological family. Had they left him on purpose? Or had something happened to them? In a way, not knowing was a blessing. This way, there were a few people in his life he might have not disappointed. In a way, it was a curse. The useless, pathetic hope that they might have loved him. That they had tried to protect him. That if he had been loved before, one day, if he just tried hard enough, someone might love him again.

“He doesn’t care about family,” Perona repeated. “Or loud people. Or cuteness. Or pink things.”

Zoro frowned at her. Why was she saying all this? Was she mad at Mihawk? They had seemed so in sync during the weekend he had spent with them. “He doesn’t like… you?”, he asked carefully, not sure how easily he might hurt her feelings.

“Horororor! Sweetheart, I have my own room upstairs.”

“Oh.” Yes, that made sense, they had said Perona slept over on the weekends sometimes, and the apartment had many closed doors, so there were many rooms.

“So… he… likes you?”, Zoro asked, trying to put the pieces together. He had met so many people in his short life, but no one like these two.

“He loves me!”, Perona told him. “I’m his family.”

Before Zoro could respond, he was distracted by a muffled voice.

“Is that Mihawk?”

“It sure is.”

“Is he yelling?”, Zoro whispered. Mihawk had raised his voice before, but not like this.

“Yes,” Perona said calmly. “But not at us, so relax.”

“But where is he? His voice sounds strange.”

“In his office, Perona shrugged. “He said so, remember?”

Zoro’s heart dropped. If he was shouting loudly enough to be heard in the small training room, he must be furious.

“Maybe we should go upstairs,” he suggested, but it was too late. He heard the office door slam against the wall, and then there were footsteps.

“Roronoa.”

“S-Sensei.”

Mihawk closed his eyes, saving the teen from his burning gaze for a merciful moment. He took a deep breath and stared down at the boy again. “Roronoa, how are you feeling?”

“Fine.”

The man shook his head and looked at Perona. “Well?”

“He’s fine. Don’t fret.”

“His lip?”

“Will heal.”

“His eye?”

“He won’t lose it.”

“His arms? Legs?”

“Still attached.”

“He looks upset.”

Perona snorted. “That might be because of your horribly uncute face.”

Zoro flinched at her words, but instead of pinching up more, the frown on Mihawk’s face melted away.

“Good. Roronoa, I need you to go ho- to that house, and-”

“What?!”, Zoro asked, suddenly on his feet. “I’m fine, I promise. You said I could at least do some stretching.”

He didn’t understand. At this point even his anxious mind couldn’t convince him the man was kicking him out for good, but he had hoped he would be able to stay a little longer today. Of course he didn’t need to, he was not a goddamn baby, but… Maybe it had hurt a little when he had been beaten up. And maybe it had stung when the teacher who found him had just rolled her eyes at his bloody face. And maybe Mihawk getting angry, not at him, but for him, had felt nice. And maybe his heart had beat a little faster when the man had mentioned Zoro being allowed to go upstairs and spend time with Perona and Mihawk again.

“Roronoa, what have I asked you to do?”

“Listen until the end and don’t interrupt,” Zoro grumbled sheepishly.

“Correct. Now, go back to that place and retrieve your most necessary belongings.”

“Huh? Why? I don’t think the others will mess with my stuff today. Jake definitely enjoyed being able to beat me up, so it’s out of his system now.”

The look the swordmaster gave him was murderous. “Jake… I will remember that. But no, this is not to protect your property only. I have just had an… interesting call with that place you have been forced to call home. You can bring your things over right away, and I will get the paperwork by the end of the week.”

“Paperwork?”

Golden eyes pinned him in place. “When I said you could stay here, I meant it. Now go, I need to take care of some things.”

Chapter Text

“So… For training, eh?”

“Perona.”

“What? Isn’t that what you just told the kid? That he can stay so you guys can train more?”

“Perona, please.”

“Mr. Sensei Mihawk, why are you adopting me?”, she said in a high-pitched voice, as if the child’s voice wasn’t already deeper than hers.

“Oh, you know,” she continued, trying to make her voice sound deeper now, but failing miserably. “Dear Roronoa, I’ll simply feet you, clothe you, and take you on fishing trips as an exercise! No parenting going on here! How foolish of anyone to think that! Hororororor!”

Mihawk had to admit, until she started laughing, she had actually nailed his tone of voice and rhythm, not that he’d ever tell her. The annoying brat didn’t need more power over him.

“I would rather eat Yoru than ever go on a fishing trip. Besides, this is not an adoption. This is barely even legal.”

Perona paused. “Huh. They did just give you Zoro after one phone call, didn’t they? Mihawk, am I part of a child abduction?”

Another wave of rage made his hands tremble. “They tried to talk me out of it. Not for his protection, but ‘to save me the trouble’. Tried telling me I should choose a different child.”

“Hence the yelling.”

Mihawk nodded in confirmation. He had explained the entire situation to Perona after the boy had left, and was pleased to learn he was not overreacting, the young woman was also upset at the situation. Unfortunately, she seemed to think he was doing this out of some kind of… feeling.

“And you are sure this is a good idea? This is a pretty big responsibility.”

He sighed in defeat. “I know I am not qualified, but this is less harmful than Roronoa’s current situation. Perhaps I can find a better solution soon.”

Instead of giving him the approval Mihawk had expected, Perona rolled her huge eyes at him. “Not what I meant. You are not a complete idiot, you’ll figure all of this out eventually, but soon there will be no going back.”

Mihawk shook his head at the girl. “Don’t be so dramatic. It’s just one child, how hard could it be?”

……

Zoro almost ran into three different people and four lamp posts on his way back to Shimotsuki house. His body was trying to move as fast as possible, but his mind couldn’t focus on a damn thing.

‘Roronoa Zoro, you may stay here.’

He hadn’t thought the man had actually meant the teen could stay. Not just for their practice, but every day and night. He wouldn’t have to sleep at that damn house even one more night!

Mihawk had shown an unusual readiness to feed Zoro. He had also not hit the teen yet. If Zoro did his best to be good from now on, he might avoid punishment for a while longer. While the man could be harsh and cold, he hadn’t even yelled at the boy. Zoro could see the life he was offered behind his eyelids already. He could train every day, sleep without worrying about being woken up by a punch to the face and even eat as much as he wanted. It was basically paradise!

And maybe…

Maybe if he played his cards right…

It was so stupid, so greedy, but maybe he could manage to get away with even more. If he learned how to talk more, made sure not to ask for too much and trained as hard as he could, would Mihawk actually… care? Would he allow him to… to just… hang out? Maybe have breakfast or dinner with him from time to time? He had tried talking to the teen before, would he want to do so again?

Zoro was being childish. Food, sleep, training. That was all he needed. More than he deserved. He should do his best to prove to the swordmaster that he deserved what he had been given, not go and pathetically beg for more.

‘Why would you do this for me?’

‘As I said, you are talented. A few more gold medals would look nice in the dojo...’

The day Mihawk had decided to train him instead of calling the police on him, he had given him a whole new life. And all Zoro had to do was work hard and make his sensei proud. How hard could it be?

……

“You took a while,” Mihawk commented when Zoro arrived back at his office. By then it was already dark out and the dojo was already closed. “Any problems?”

“Nah,” Zoro shrugged. “I got lost.”

“…”

“What? I took a wrong turn, no big deal!”

“Roronoa, you have walked that path every day for weeks, how did you manage to get lost?”

Zoro crossed his arms. “I was just a bit distracted, okay?”

Instead of berating him for his moodiness, Mihawk just chuckled at him. “Alright then, child. Is that all you’ll need for the next few days?”

Zoro looked down at the half-full trash back in his hand. “It’s all I own.”

“Everything? Every last object?”

Zoro laughed. “No, of course not.”

Mihawk let out a deep breath and nodded. “I see. Then perhaps tomorrow or the day after we can go back to that house and-”

“My sword and my school stuff are already here, so this is everything else,” The teen finished his explanation.

“All you own? This is everything you have?”

Suddenly Zoro’s stomach began to cramp up. “Oh, I’m sorry. I know you said just the most important things, but the others will mess with my stuff when I’m not there.”

Mihawk gave him a look he simply couldn’t read. “No, do not apologize. I am glad you have no reason to ever see that house again. Now give me a minute to finish up here, then we can talk.”

Zoro nodded and left the office. He went to the small personal training room, as he had grown fond of the place in the past week. The teen took a look around, checking out what he was working with.

A few yoga mats, a broken sandbag and his large workout towel. Not too bad…

……

After finishing up some paperwork, Mihawk went up to the apartment. All lights were turned off, which surprised him. Even the kitchen was completely clear. Had Roronoa found his own way to the guest room? Considering the little stunt he pulled earlier, Mihawk would be surprised if he didn’t get lost.

The former guest room (now Roronoa’s room), the office, the office, Perona’s room and Mihawk’s own bedroom. The swordmaster checked everywhere, but he couldn’t find the boy. Had he gone back to the dojo to get something?

Ah, of course. Mihawk should have known.

“Roronoa,” he sighed deeply, “What are you doing?”

He had finally found the teen, who apparently hadn’t even bothered to carry up his things yet, and was messing with some old training equipment.

“N-nothing, Sensei!”

Mihawk was tired and hungry, so he just shook his head at the blatant lie. “Put away those mats.”

“O-Oh. Sorry, I thought I was allowed to use them.”

There it was again, that worried, sad tone. He would have to be careful now. And tactful. Not exactly one of Mihawk’s strengths.

“You are allowed to use them when you are working out, but now is not the time for that, so please put them away.”

“Yes, of course. My apologies, Sensei.”

How on earth had Mihawk made it worse?!

“It’s alright, Roronoa,” he sighed, then looked at the scene in front of him. “What were you even doing with all of that?”

“I just thought they might be comfortable, but the floor is fine of course. It’s even patted, so thank you for letting me stay with you.”

Mihawk looked at the thin mats again, then at the broken sandbag on one end, and the dirty towel spread over the rest of it. Next to Roronoa, there were sweatpants and an old, worn-out shirt laid out on the floor.

Surely not…

“Roronoa. Zoro. Where were you intending on sleeping tonight?”

The boy’s head snapped up at the sound of his first name. “S-Sensei?”

“Just answer the question.”

“Well, if I am not allowed to use the mats, over there I guess,” Zoro shrugged, pointing at the corner of the room.

“What-”

Mihawk had to stop himself, in order to collect his thoughts. “What made you think you’d be staying in here? Was it something I said?”

“Huh? Didn’t you say I could stay here?”

The boy continued before the swordmaster could speak again, a look of realization crossing over his face. “Oh! You meant your house, not this room!”

Thank god he finally understood. Now-

“Where do you want me to go then? Is the main training room okay, or do I need to go to the hallway?”

Mihawk wanted to see the entire world burn.

“Follow me, Zoro.”

“Sensei?”

“Just pick up your things and follow me.”

Chapter Text

Mihawk led him up the stairs to the apartment. Zoro had guessed this would be where he would take meals, but he wasn’t sure why he would carry his trashbag with him. Then again, Mihawk preferred order, so he probably didn’t want Zoro’s stuff lying around, even at night.

Instead of going to the kitchen, or the attached living room, Mihawk led him to another room, closer to the entrance.

“Here.”

The man pushed the door open. There was a bed, a nightstand and a desk, as well as a wooden chair. The walls were a light green color and there was a painting over the bed. Something modern that matched the walls. To Zoro, it looked rather pointless.

“Is this Perona’s room?”

Mihawk gave him an unimpressed look. It had been a stupid question. There was no black, no pink, no red, no sparkles and not even a single bow in sight. No way in hell Perona would leave the room so plain and ‘uncute’ even if she only used it sometimes. Then Zoro noticed something.

“My sword!”

“Yes. Considering you use wooden and bamboo swords for practice, I thought keeping it here might bring you some comfort.”

Zoro looked at the white sword, which was displayed on one of the walls. The handle had been polished and the bolts in the wall seemed to have the perfect distance to balance the blade.

“That means I can keep it here? It will be safe?!”

Mihawk gave him the strangest look. Zoro felt so small, somehow in a good and in a bad way at the same time. Like the swordmaster was calling him an idiot and comforting him all at once.

“Zoro.”

Oh. So his first name hadn’t just been a one-time thing? But Mihawk called all his students by their last names. Then again, all of them called him Sensei or Mr. Dracule. Never Mihawk. Zoro had noticed that after a few days, but had decided to just keep his mouth shut. Now the teen wished he had asked why he was different. Maybe that would help him to understand what had changed now.

“Zoro, what do you think this room is?”

He let his gaze wander over the pointless art, the empty desk and the lack of furniture. “A guest room?”

Mihawk smiled. It didn’t look right on him. Zoro had seen him smile at Perona. From time to time his lips had even slightly twitched when he was talking to Zoro. None of those times had looked this… heartbroken.

“It was. But from now on, it will be yours.”

Ah, okay, so that meant- Wait, what did Mihawk just say?! His?! As in, Zoro? Roronoa Zoro? A room? It wasn’t like he had never had his own room before, but… At Mihawk’s place? He’d get to live with the man AND get a room? That was more luck than he had ever had.

“M-Mine?”

“Yes, child. This is your bed, I have put on fresh sheets for you. There are a few blankets under the bed in case you get cold. Your bag and schoolbooks are on the other side of the table. Next weekend we will go and pick out some shelves, a better chair, a wardrobe, some more furniture and decorations to your liking.”

“Wardrobe?”, Zoro asked and looked down at the trashbag in his hand, not sure why his brain was zeroing in on that detail.

“Ah, yes. We will also have to get you some things to fill it, I suppose.”

“Things?”

“Yes, things. Like… Well, you know teenage things.”

Just a week ago Zoro never would have guessed the serious, well-mannered swordmaster could look so awkward.

“teenage things?”, Zoro asked, only feeling slightly guilty for making the poor man look even more desperate.

“I’ll ask Perona. Either way, this is yours now.”

“Mine…”, Zoro whispered, finally stepping into the room. It had a strange smell, a mix between dust and lemons, as if had been empty for a long time and cleaned recently. He let his hand glide over the sheets, feeling the soft fabric under his fingertips. Standing next to the bed, he could see his schoolbag in the corner next to the bed.

“Mine,” he repeated, before whirling around. “Sensei, thank you so much. I will do my best to make you proud.”

Zoro would train harder and study more. He’d show the man that he was worth keeping around. For once, Zoro had been given an actual chance, and he would not mess it up.

“I have no doubt,” Mihawk told him. “Now come with me, it is late and I will not keep either of us from our dinner a minute longer.”

……

Mihawk was pacing his room, the exhaustion of the day not able to keep him down. Had he made the right decision? The normal thing to do when seeing a child in a harmful situation would be to inform the authorities, but in this case, those very organizations were the perpetrators. He wanted to fight them all, but unfortunately he wasn’t allowed to settle all disputes by the law of the blade.

‘I just want to give them a second chance.’

Back then he hadn’t understood why the blubbering idiot would be willing to spend his whole life dealing with such troubles. He had thought it was foolish. Honorable, but foolish. Now… Now he understood. He understood what kind of man he was going to be from now on. And he understood what kind of man he had let go, all those years ago.

But this wasn’t about him. This was about Zoro. Abut the frightened boy, just a few rooms away, who was finally in a warm, safe bed.

……

Zoro was pacing in his room, not able to calm the fuck down. What the hell was going on?! This morning, he had woken up to Jake’s snoring and an empty fridge, now he was in his own room, full and warm after the meal Mihawk had offered him.

This wasn’t right. This wasn’t normal. What did the guy want from Zoro? Did he really just take him in for his fighting skills? To be fair, that had happened before, but this was very different from before.

Zoro turned around to look at the still untouched bed. Was he actually supposed to just lie down and sleep? After everything that had happened today? What if Mihawk changed his mind? Was he going to be ripped away from the bed in the middle of the night and shoved back outside into the cold night? No, the swordmaster wouldn’t do that, he was a good man. He’d at least let Zoro sleep in the dojo hallway.

The teen shook his head angrily and continued pacing.

Chapter Text

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Zoro groaned and rolled on his back. The floor had been digging into his hip for a while, but he had refused to turn. Stupid to think he would be lucky enough to actually get some sleep, but he had been enjoying the dizzy, relaxed state he had been in.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

“Fuck off!”

Knock. Knock. Knock.

“I said fuck off, Jake. I skipping school today, so let me sleep!”

“Roronoa, I do not appreciate the tone you are using right now.”

Zoro’s eyes flew open. The ceiling was a light green. The air smelled of a hint of lemon, not sweat and dirty clothes. He was lying on a fluffy rug, not the mattress he was used to. And the person he had just yelled at was Mihawk, not his ex-roommate.

The teen jumped to his feet, almost landing back on his ass when the room started spinning. He ripped the door open, staring up at the man with wide eyes. Mihawk simply raised an eyebrow at his disheveled state.

“I-I’m sorry. I thought you were-”

“Jake. I told you I would remember that name, so do not worry about it,” Mihawk said calmly.

“Right.” Zoro rubbed his forehead, cringing at the sweat and oil under his palm. His hair didn’t feel better, and suddenly he felt very out of place in the swordmaster’s presence. Even though the man was still in his pajamas and a robe, his face looked clean and his hair brushed.

Mihawk looked around the room, his eyes lingering on the unused bed and the Zoro-shaped indent in the rug. “I will call your school and tell them you are staying in today.

“No, no, it’s fine,” Zoro said quickly. “I was just bluffing, I will go to school. It’s better this way anyways, I will have to face everyone eventually.”

“Everyone?”

Zoro sighed. “Yeah… The other boys didn’t like me before, leaving the house won’t make it better.”

Mihawk nodded slowly. “I see. You mentioned the people you had trouble with at school are from the same house. That will cause some problems.”

Damn, Zoro felt so fucking guilty. He had been with Mihawk for less than twelve hours and he was already making things difficult. Why had he even brought up all that stuff? It didn’t matter anymore. He was here now. At school he’d just have to take the punches and move on, it wasn’t that complicated.

He must have been blankly staring ahead for too long, because Mihawk spoke up again before he got the chance to answer.

“You know, I just had a rather stressful phone call with Perona.”

“Is she okay?”

Mihawk smiled at that. “Yes, we were talking about you, actually.”

“Me?”

“Indeed. Apparently, my behavior yesterday has been… ‘pushy’,” he explained, making air quotes, “‘inconsiderate’ and ‘borderline insane’.”

Zoro’s heart sank. The woman had been so nice to him, but this situation wasn’t exactly fair to her.

“Can you tell her I won’t be a bother?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I won’t touch any of her stuff, I won’t eat her food, she doesn’t have to waste her hot chocolate on me again-”

“Zoro-”

“And I can stay away on the weekends when you guys want to hang out. You don’t have to talk to me like last time, I can just fuck off, it’s fine.”

It was quiet after his little speech. Zoro felt a bit silly. It was probably expected of him to leave everyone alone anyways, and it wouldn’t fix the fact that Perona now had to share the apartment with him.

“Zoro, none of that would be fine.”

Shit. Should he have offered to completely leave the house on the weekends? Maybe this was just where he slept, and any awake moments should be spent training anyways? Had Zoro come off as a lazy brat? Did Mihawk think he was greedy for expecting to get some hot chocolate now and then? Would he-

“None of that would be fine, because you should never feel unwelcome in this apartment. While not taking other people’s stuff is expected, I have no doubt you will be a respectful and agreeable roommate.”

“Oh. Then why-”

“Zoro, Perona doesn’t have a problem with you. As always, it was me who she was disrespecting.”

“You?”, the teen wondered. In what world would Mihawk be in the wrong here?

“Considering that I am not the most… warm… person, she made the assumption you might feel… overwhelmed.” His eyes slid over to the bed again. “And I am beginning to think she might be right. Also, I had not considered this whole school issue, so I will call them and let them know you are staying home for a couple of days.”

Zoro was sure there was a lot to say, a lot to pay attention to, but he couldn’t help but zeroing in on the word ‘home’. Probably just a slip of tongue, right?

“Okay,” Zoro said, after it had been too quiet for too long. “What do I do now?”

Mihawk sighed deeply. “Take a shower and get dressed, then meet me in the kitchen for breakfast. We will go from there.”

……

It was only 7 am, and Mihawk could already feel a headache forming. Why did this have to be so difficult? He had thought Perona was exaggerating, but now… he knew he had not outwardly insulted or attacked the boy, but it was not untrue that Mihawk was not the most emotionally warm person one could find. He was still convinced he had made the correct decision, but the child hadn’t even dared to sleep in the bed Mihawk had provided. Should he call… no. There was no reason to overreact. This was just the first day, surely things would be easier from now on.

……

Zoro returned to the room, feeling a little better after the shower. He was still so tired he wanted to throw up, but at least he wasn’t covered in grime anymore.

The teen paused, looking at the unexpected object next to the window. The large leather armchair had definitely been in there last night. Had Mihawk carried it all by himself? Damn, Zoro had known he was strong, but this was something else. And why had the man done that? Maybe he wanted to have more space in the living room? Zoro went to the kitchen to ask him.

“I simply thought it might be of use to you.”

“Huh?”

Mihawk sighed and put the spatula down. “It’s a place to rest. Please use it.”

“Oh…”, Zoro whispered, feeling a little embarrassed. Of course Mihawk would notice he hadn’t used the bed, he should have messed up the covers at least, but for some reason, he simply couldn’t touch the damn thing. Giving him an armchair instead… that might actually work.

“Thank you.”

Mihawk gave him a strange look, almost angry. “We will get you something better next weekend.”

“No, that’s not necessary!”, Zoro said immediately, already feeling guilty for being so difficult. “This one is perfect.”

Mihawk narrowed his eyes at him. “I will buy an armchair either way. Either an identical one for the living room, or one that you really like. You decide.”

“You should just buy a new one for yourself.”

“The armchair was actually on sale when I got it, so buying the same one again will be very expensive.”

Zoro crossed his arms over his chest. “You are making that up.”

Mihawk smirked down at him. “Maybe I am, maybe I am not. Either way, there is nothing you can do about it, so sit down and eat your eggs.”

……

The sight in front of him was not what he had expected. This past week, Mihawk had felt many emotions when looking at Roronoa Zoro. Frustration, anxiety, pity, worry, anger at the people who had harmed the boy, amusement, pride. But not this. He had thought of the teen as talented, angry and interesting. Not the word that came to mind now. He hadn’t guessed the child could be so… cute.

Zoro was curled up in the armchair, his hair messily hanging into his face. His legs were drawn up to his chest and his arms were curled around the book he must have been reading, clutching it to his chest. Like this, the poor boy looked even more exhausted than before, but also peaceful.

Mihawk nodded to himself, glad his plan to get the teen to take a nap had worked out perfectly. He quietly closed the door, deciding he’d just tell Zoro what he needed to discuss with him after the boy had woken up.

Chapter Text

Zoro’s back and knees hurt, and yet he hadn’t been this comfortable in ages. His body felt warm, his mind was calm, and his subconscious seemed to sense there was no danger, so he wasn’t even listening for footsteps, he was simply… resting.

The teen stayed like that for a while longer, until his body began to actually wake up. He was still tired, but he felt like an actual human person again. A quick glance at his phone told him he had napped for about four hours.

He stood up and stretched his arms high above his head. The sun was filtering in through the blinds. There was faint yelling from some people practicing in the dojo, but otherwise it was quiet. Peaceful. Zoro couldn’t remember the last time he had felt this… calm. Usually he spend as little time as possible in his room, knowing it would only make him a target.

He looked around the room, not sure what to do next. Maybe some homework? Math practice? Mihawk hadn’t given him any orders, which made him a little nervous. He didn’t want the man to think he was lazy or taking advantage of his kindness. And he had been so kind.

Zoro turned around again, looking at the new object in the room. The armchair was nice... If this was the kind of furniture Mihawk usually bought… An armchair, a wardrobe, a shelf, a desk chair… Fuck, this was going to be so expensive. And the man wouldn’t even pick stuff he liked himself, as if just improving the spare room, he would force Zoro to pick. The teen had no clue how to decorate a room, it would look awful to everyone but himself.

It would be different if Zoro was a real child. Of course he understood why some adults decided to take in foster kids or even adopt them. Same reason others wanted to have their own children, he supposed. Sometimes they got lucky. Sometimes they got those bright-eyed, cheerful ones, who had cute faces and knew how to play and laugh and love. Those children were a far better deal than grumpy, ugly boys who couldn’t do anything but hit things with a sword. Who woke up screaming every night and tensed up when their new parents tried to hug them.

Would things be different if Zoro had understood back then? If he had tried harder? If he had managed to act like the good children, pretend he was normal, what would have happened? Would his first foster home have kept him? The second one?

Then again… His last foster family had shown him what happened to the good kids, if they weren’t careful. Nausea hit Zoro like a train at the thought. He looked down at his balled fists, seeing blood flash before his eyes.

Zoro shook his head angrily. It didn’t matter. He had done what he had to do. Never could he regret that.

So what if he wasn’t good at being a child? He wasn’t meant to be one. He had been built up to be a fighter, and now he was with someone who could get some use out of him.

Mihawk was nothing like his old sensei, and yet… The man may have decided to go above and beyond, offering Zoro a room, food and even his time, but in the end all Zoro had ever been good for was fighting. And until he got a chance to prove his worth…

The teen’s eyes briefly flickered to the sword on the wall, but no, he wouldn’t dare. But there was something else…

He went over to his trash bag and reached inside. The wooden box was wrapped into several shirts. The paint was chipping and a small piece had broken off, but other than that, it looked great. Not that it mattered, the inside was far more important.

Would he ever be forgiven for selling this? Did it even matter, if he wasn’t? This was the only way he could ever pay his debt, even if it would create a new one.

……

Mihawk checked the time, realizing it was almost time for a short lunch break. He hoped the boy was still asleep, it had seemed like he really needed the rest. He went upstairs to check, and heard some shuffling from inside the room, so he knocked.

A second later the door flew open. Zoro blinked up at him sheepishly. The teen probably remembered the awkward situation earlier that day, when he had accidentally yelled at the swordsmaster. Not that Mihawk minded, after all the boy had confused him with his bully.

“Hi.”

He still looked tired, but his face wasn’t as pale anymore. The oversized hoody he was wearing hung down to his upper thighs. There were green strands hanging into Zoro’s face, and Mihawk’s fingers twitched with the need to put his messy hair back in order.

“Hello, Zoro. Have you slept well?”

The teen turned slightly red. “Oh. Yeah. Th-Thanks again. For… just- Thank you.”

Mihawk felt something flutter in his chest. The child he had decided to take care of being able to sleep for a few hours was the bare minimum, and yet he felt a certain pride.

“You are welcome,” his eyes fell on the trashbag behind Zoro, causing his smile to drop.

“Oh, sorry,” Zoro mumbled, quickly spinning around and falling to his knees to shove the few items of clothing scattered on the floor back inside. “I didn’t mean to make a mess.”

Mihawk crouched down next to him and gently placed a hand on his shoulder. While he could feel the muscles tense up under his touch, Zoro didn’t flinch and simply continued putting his things away.

“I do not mind. This is your room, and right now you don’t even have a wardrobe, so feel free to place your belongings wherever you see fit.”

The boy nodded, but continued to shove the clothes into the bag before crumbling it up and shoving it behind the desk. With his school supplies also hidden there and the untouched bed, it now looked like Zoro had never even entered the room. The only sign of the teen’s existence was the armchair, but one could assume that had always been placed there. Well, and then there was the odd object next to Mihawk’s feet.

He bent down to pick up the wooded box. On the lid, there was some kind of symbol. A circle with a red and a white half, with a smaller white circle in the middle.

“What is this?”

There was a whispered ‘shit’, barely loud enough for him to hear, before Zoro reached out for the item.

“Nothing. I’ll put it away.”

Mihawk took a step back, mustering the object. It was not what he had expected to find in Zoro’s room. Considering how little the by owned, he was surprised the boy had anything but the bare necessities.

“What is it?”

“It’s dumb, you wouldn’t care. I’ll just put it away,” Zoro said, but he didn’t try to reach for the box again, instead staring at Mihawk cautiously.

“You don’t have to tell me,” Mihawk said calmly, trying to mask his annoyance, “But do not put words into my mouth. What I disregard as foolish is for me to decide.”

Zoro rolled his eyes. “Fine. Just open it, then.”

Mihawk lifted the lid. Inside were two stacks of colorful cards. The top two showed strange creatures, along with an assembly of symbols and statistics he didn’t understand

“This… is a game?”

“Don’t tell me you have never heard of Pokemon cards before.”

Ah. That’s why the symbol had seemed so familiar. Yes, Mihawk had seen cards like this before, he had simply never engaged in the hobby himself.

“So these are not for playing, but for collecting?”, he asked, making sure he understood correctly.

Zoro shrugged. “Both I guess. Haven’t done either in a while.”

Mihawk nodded slowly and handed the box to him. “Where did you get these then? A former foster family?”

The boy pulled a face. “You never get to keep anything expensive when you get kicked out.”

Ah. That explained the only half-full trash bag then.

“These were a gift,” Zoro continued.

“From one of your friends?”, Mihawk guessed.

“Yes,” the teen answered, then shook his head. “No. Not- Not one of my friends, but my friend.”

“I don’t understand.”

Zoro looked down and let his fingers slide over the chipping paint of the box. “Not one of my friends. I only have- had the one.”

Something twisted in Mihawk’s chest. Just one? And he had spoken in past tense, so that person wasn’t even in his life anymore. The swordmaster himself was no stranger to loneliness. Now Crocodile dragged him to a bar at least once a month. Since she had shown up, Perona basically wouldn’t leave him alone and a while ago there had been… Well, no reason to think about that man now, the point was, Mihawk had not been truly alone since the days of his childhood. The loneliness he carried he was used to, it was such a familiar burden, but he was an adult, not a little boy.

“Yeah? Was he a nice friend?”, Mihawk asked, hoping the teen wouldn’t get embarrassed by his soft tone.

Zoro clutched the box to his chest, nodding quickly. “The best.”

No wonder Zoro was so protective over that box. His only gift, from his only friend.

“I should have tried harder not to get kicked out, then we’d still go to the same school and I could still see him.”

“None of this is your fault.”

“I never even gave him anything back. I was going to make him a gift, but then they made me go away.”

The boy looked and sounded much younger than 14. Like he was still the same age whenever this happened, frightened and alone, losing the only person who was truly on his side.

“I’m sure he understood how grateful you were.”

The boy looked up at him, tears shining in his eyes. “But I shouldn’t even have this! The cards are useless to me anyways!”

“Useless?”

“I can’t trade them away, they are too important. And what am I supposed to do with a damn game?”

“The most common thing would be to play it?”

Zoro rolled his eyes and groaned dramatically. “Dude, get a clue. It’s a two-player game.”

Oh. Mihawk began to understand why the teen was being so defensive. The only personal object he owned, besides the sword of course, this symbol of friendship, was unusable to him. A constant reminder that the boy was alone.

“I should have given it to- But that night everything happened so quickly and- and-”

Shit. Mihawk had no idea what Zoro was talking about, but he sensed the boy would talk himself into a panic attack if he let him keep going.

“Teach me.”

That one sentence caught Zoro so off-guard, that his breathing actually slowed down again.

“What?”

“Teach me,” Mihawk repeated. “I want to play with you.”

Chapter Text

Paul nervously glanced at his watch. Mr. Dracule had left for his lunch break almost an hour ago. Usually, the man was gone for half an hour max, but today he just didn’t show up again.

Technically taking a long break was his good right, it was his dojo after all, and there weren’t even that many people there at this time of day, but he had told Paul he wanted to check some equipment before Paul’s first group of the day started.

Should he go up and check? His boss had made very clear the private apartment was off-limits, but that was mostly just so no children would think it was okay to wander upstairs.

To be honest, Paul only hesitated because he was frightened of the man. Well, maybe frightened was not the correct word. Mr. Dracule was a very calm man, never yelled and usually was very understanding when one of his employees brought a problem to his attention. Maybe it would be better to say that Paul was intimidated. The guy was less than 10 years older than him, but was extremely skilled, owned his own business and was in control of every and each situation. In short, Paul wasn’t worried Mr. Dracule would be upset with him, he just didn’t want to suffer the look of disappointment his boss had perfected.

Paul went up the stairs, not even bothering with the bell, knowing it was disabled whenever the dojo was open anyways, because too many bored kids would push the button for fun. He knocked on the door, waited for a minute, and knocked again. No answer.

The instructor sighed in defeat and opened the door, hesitantly stepping into the hallway.

“Hello? Mr. Dracule? Are you okay?”

Paul had only been there once, but he was pretty sure the kitchen and the swordmaster’s room were far away from the entrance, so he was surprised when a door right next to him opened.

“Paul. Is there a problem?”

He sheepishly smiled at his boss and scratched the back of his head. “My apologies for bothering you during your break, but you said you wanted to check the equipment with me, so… yeah.”

The man stared at him as if he was speaking a foreign language, then he looked down at his own watch. “I see, I might have gotten carried away.”

Paul drew up his eyebrows. ‘Carried away’? Mr. Dracule? He hadn’t even guessed that was a possibility for the man, he seemed impossibly organized.

“Zoro, there is some leftover pasta in the fridge. Take as much as you like.”

Only then Paul noticed the boy sitting on the floor behind Mr. Dracule. With his bright green hair, he was easily identifiable. It was the teenager who had come in asking for the swordmaster. No wonder he had been so insistent, apparently the two were very close. Was he a nephew? A cousin? A godson? And were those Pokemon cards splayed out on the floor? There was no way Mr. Dracule actually sat down and played with the child, was there?

“Let’s go Paul. We have only twenty minutes left before your students arrive.”

……

Zoro felt like an intruder, rummaging through the fridge and taking a seat at the table, but Mihawk had said he could take the food, so it was probably okay. He leaned back in his chair a little, smiling to himself. Mihawk’s food was actually pretty good, and he could eat slowly, with no fear of an angry roommate storming in and ripping it away from him.

When he was done, he placed his bowl in the dishwasher, put the chair back in place and… What was he supposed to do now? Was he allowed to go downstairs and train? Did- Did he even want to? Of course he would train today, he had to, he had to be the best as soon as possible, but… So far, training was his escape. But did he want to escape from here?

This day was even stranger than the weekend he had spent with Mihawk and Perona. First, he had slept in peace, then he had spent an entire hour with Mihawk, and now he had eaten a really good lunch. For once, Zoro didn’t want to leave, he just wanted to stay and relax.

He still couldn’t believe Mihawk had actually played with him. While the man gave off the vibe of someone who would be into strategy card and board games, Zoro had assumed the bright colors and childish drawings on the cards would disgust him.

The teen hadn’t even really looked at the cards in almost a year. After playing a few rounds he felt even more guilty for planning on selling them. Zoro had forgotten how much fun that was! To be fair, he had forgotten how much fun most things were. After leaving his old sensei, things had actually gotten better, before everything crashed and burned. Once, he had experienced that short, fickle moment of childhood, and now he wanted it back.

If Mihawk helped him with homework, let him live with him and even played with him, what else was possible?

……

Mihawk had to stop himself from chuckling at the position he found Zoro in. The boy had basically folded himself into the shape of a pretzel while reading. Now he was hanging off the sofa upside-down, a book held right in front of his face.

“Won’t that make you dizzy?”

The treen tried to jump up at his voice, but his legs were still folded, so he flipped off the sofa and landed straight on his face.

“Zoro?”, Mihawk asked carefully, and turned him over. “Are you okay?”

The child’s face was incredibly red, but somehow the swordmaster guessed it wasn’t from spending so much time upside down.

“Hi.”

“Hello there,” Mihawk chuckled. “Had a good day?”

“Jup! I did my homework and even practiced the math problems you taught me. Can we go and train now? I was thinking about starting by myself, but I was hoping you could show me that new technique you were talking about.”

Mihawk’s eyes widened at the excited chatter. Zoro asking to train was nothing new, but usually the boy would angrily demand a lesson, not cheerfully chat about what he hoped for. It broke the swordmaster’s heart that he would have to decline the request.

“We can go to the dojo later, but first, I have something to discuss with you.”

To his surprise, Zoro’s grin barely even faded. “Okay! What’s up?”

“Uh… Alright then,” Mihawk said, and took a seat next to the teenager. “As you know, I called your school this morning to let them know you were staying in. I also used the opportunity to let them know I am not comfortable with you returning after the way they have treated you,” Mihawk explained as diplomatically as possible, leaving out the gruesome details of what he had actually said to those disgusting people.

“I don’t have to go to school anymore?!”

Mihawk glared down at Zoro. “Of course I will be sending you to school. Just a different one, closer to this house.”

“I don’t have to see any of them again?”, Zoro asked, now sounding a little smaller, but just as hopeful.

“No,” Mihawk stated simply, before opening his laptop to show the boy the pictures of the schools in the area that would take new students in the middle of the year. They just lazily scrolled through the websites, until the laptop was suddenly ripped out of his hands.

“Hey!”, he yelled in surprise, but the child ignored him.

Zoro was leaning in so far his nose was almost pressing against the screen, as he excitedly clicked through the pictures.

“Grand Line…”, he whispered in awe, before looking up at Mihawk with big eyes. “Please, whatever I have to do, let me go to Grand Line Academy.”

“Why-”

“Please! I-I’m sure there are chores I could do around here, or- or I could get a job and pay for all the food I’m eating, or- or-”, the teen stopped, seemingly running out of ideas. “Please, whatever I have to do, just let me go there!”

The child had wordlessly accepted sleeping on the dirty old mats in the dojo, had not expected food or a bed, saw nothing wrong with carrying around his few belongings in a trash bag, and now he was begging to go to school? Mihawk didn’t understand this child at all.

“Zoro, it’s a school. Why would I say no? I’ll call them immediately.”

Chapter Text

“Boy, what have I told you to do?”

“Win.”

“And what have you done?”

“Lost.”

“I clothe you, feed you, let you stay in my house, and yet you decide to disappoint me?!”

“I didn’t decide, I just-”

He was cut off by a harsh slap.

“Do not speak back to me!”

……

He was surrounded by darkness, pressing in on all sides. There were voices all around, but Zoro couldn’t make out what they were saying.

“Hello? Is anyone there?”, he asked, but the voices didn’t change. One was so close to his side, he was sure if he lifted his arm, he could find its owner. Zoro gave it a try, but the voice moved away, just out of reach.

“Hey! Stay here!”, he begged, blindly grabbing around him, but the invisible people danced away every time he moved.

“Please, I don’t want to be alone!”

Suddenly there was bright light above him, making his eyes burn. It took a few seconds to blink the tears away, until a kind face came into view.

“Hello, sweetheart. Who are you?”

“I-I’m not sure,” the boy stuttered. “Sometimes they call me Zoro.”

The police officer smiled. “What are you doing down there, Zoro?”

“S-Sensei puts me in here when I’m bad.”

“Are you bad, Zoro?”

“I don’t know. Sensei says no one is supposed to know I exist.”

“Well, you gotta listen to your sensei, kiddo.”

“But-”

“Hey, Tashigi!”, a gruff, scary voice yelled. “You found anything?”

The policewoman gave Zoro a disappointed look. “No, nothing important.”

The trap door fell shut, leaving him in darkness again.

“No! Don’t leave! I’ll be better, I promise,” Zoro sobbed, knowing it had no use. No one was coming for him.

……

Footsteps in the dark.

Coming closer.

Going past him.

A door opening.

Heavy breathing.

A child screaming.

……

“NO!”

Zoro’s eyes flew open, but he couldn’t see. The darkness was back. Pressing in from all sides, wrapping around his body and pulling him down like tendrils. Down, down, down… His lungs were burning, but he simply couldn’t breathe, his mouth gaping open in a silent scream.

……

Mihawk yawned while walking into the kitchen. Technically he didn’t have to be up until the dojo opened, but he had always been an early raiser. To his surprise, the light was already turned on. He walked past the cooking area towards the living room, quickly spotting the curled-up little body on the sofa.

“Up already? I would have guessed you would want to sleep in.”

Zoro didn’t even lift his head. “School,” he said simply.

“You don’t start until Monday.”

“Oh… I’ll be in my room then.”

……

He needed to train. But Mihawk wouldn’t let him practice until later. And the man wouldn’t let him set foot in the dojo until his schoolwork was done. So he needed to get up and get his books and the printouts Mihawk had given him. But he needed to train. But he couldn’t until he had completed his work. But he couldn’t move. But he needed to train. But he had to do his homework. But he-

“Zoro? Are you well?”

He tore his gaze away from the bag next to the desk. Mihawk was standing in the doorway of the room, his head slightly tilted to the side.

“Yes, sensei. What do you need?”

The man wearily took a step closer. “I merely wished to check in. How was your day?”

His day…? Zoro slowly turned to the window. It was not dark outside anymore. In fact, the sun was high in the sky. Not at the highest point, somehow he knew it was sinking, not rising.

“Oh. I need to do my work now.”

“You haven’t started yet?”, Mihawk asked, while Zoro got to his feet.

“I-”, suddenly his vision became blurred and the room tilted to the side. Zoro simply closed his eyes, getting ready for the impact, but it never came.

“Zoro?!”

The teen frowned, a bit overwhelmed by the feeling of something firm, yet soft wrapped around his shoulders. His face was pressed against something warm. He blinked his eyes open, getting a bit startled by how close Mihawk suddenly was. Why was the man staring down at him? And why had he yelled at him? Zoro hadn’t messed up, had he?

“Zoro, can you hear me?”

Of course he could, Mihawk was speaking far too loudly. Even Zoro’s pillow was shaking when he spoke. Why must the man be so annoying? Zoro had never felt this comfortable before, why couldn’t he just sleep?

“Hi,” he answered. Mihawk looked worried, and Zoro didn’t like that. He was such a nice guy, he shouldn’t be feeling bad.

“Did you have anything to eat or drink today?”

Why was Mihawk asking random questions now? He was so weird sometimes. Still, for his sake, Zoro tried to remember. After a few moments, he shook his head. Bad idea, the room got dizzy again and he slumped against the weird pillow.

“I see. Zoro, I’ll help you get up now and then I’ll get you some food and water.”

“No…”, he whined. “I’m comfortable, I wanna stay here.”

Mihawk sighed, causing the pillow to shift. “I’ll be back in a second.”

Zoro was suddenly lifted up, before being placed on something soft, but far too cold. He wanted to ask Mihawk to give him the nice pillow back, but he was too tired. The teen just lay there, feeling slightly nauseous from all the spinning the stupid room was doing.

It got even worse when the surface he was laying on dipped on one side, but it didn’t matter much, because he was quickly lifted and placed back on the nice warm pillow.

“Here, drink.”

Zoro forced his eyes open and saw a water bottle in front of his face. Only now he realized how dry his throat felt. The second the plastic was held to his lips, he began gulping down the cold liquid until nothing was left. Next, he was given something far too sweet. A chocolate bar? He chewed and swallowed anyways, so Mihawk didn’t have to look so sad anymore.

After that he was finally left alone, so he could just bury his face in the nice pillow and rest.

After a few minutes the nausea and dizziness faded away. Zoro now began to understand that he had almost passed out from dehydration and Mihawk caught him mid-fall. Mihawk… wait, did that mean-?!

Zoro’s eyes flew open, meeting burning golden ones, staring down at him.

“You- You are not a pillow?”

The man let out a surprised chuckle, making his chest vibrate. His chest. Because that was the thing Zoro was laying on. What. The. Fuck.

“Is that what you thought?”, Mihawk laughed. “Well, that explains a lot. Are you feeling better?”

Zoro nodded, causing his cheek to rub against Mihawk’s shirt. This was weird, right? He should probably move away immediately, but… It did feel nice. And since waking up from his nightmares, that creeping feeling of dread had not left him. The feeling of loneliness. It was a lot harder to feel lonely while Mihawk was still hugging him. Zoro couldn’t even remember the last time he had been this close to another person.

“I’m not dizzy anymore,” Zoro confirmed. “But still tired.”

“Okay,” Mihawk nodded. “Then some more food and rest will fix that. May I ask what happened?”

Zoro looked away, but pulled himself a bit closer to the swordmaster’s body, soaking up more warmth as long as he still could. Surely Mihawk would push him away when he heard how pathetic the stupid child was being.

“Zoro?”

“I had a nightmare,” he admitted quietly. “I’m sorry.”

“You have no control over that, so don’t apologize. I am the one who should be sorry.”

“You?”, Zoro wondered. “You didn’t do anything.”

“Correct,” Mihawk sighed. “I noticed you were a little off this morning, and yet I did not offer any support.”

“What would you even have done?”, Zoro wondered.

“This seems to be working.” Mihawk tightened his hold on Zoro, pulling him more firmly against his chest.

“Oh.” Zoro thought about how terrified he had been after waking up in the dark. “Yeah, that probably would have worked.”

They stayed like that for a while longer, until Zoro’s stomach made a horrible noise.

“Come on,” Mihawk said, “Let’s get you some dinner.”

Chapter Text

Zoro stared at the two objects, feeling at an utter loss.

“Come on, man, it’s not that hard, just pick one.”

He looked over at Perona, then back at the bottles. One grey, with a blue cap, one red. Both would hold the same amount of water, and yet…

“Mihawk gave me a really long list, we need to get going. If you can’t choose, I’ll buy both,” the woman threatened.

Zoro quickly shook his head. That wouldn’t be fair to Mihawk, the man was already spending far too much money on him. Perona was right, the list he had given her was ridiculously long. A water bottle, pens and pencils, notepads, folders… They were supposed to get all of that while Mihawk was getting some cleaning supplies and other household stuff. Then they’d all meet up again and look at some furniture and clothes for Zoro. It was all so… overwhelming. They had barely even started, and the teen’s head was already spinning.

“What if I pick the wrong one?”, he asked.

“There is no wrong choice,” Perona shrugged.

Zoro stared up at her, not sure how someone could be so naive. “There is always a wrong one! What if I pick a bad one and it breaks?!”

“Mihawk will just get you a new one, so don’t stress.”

“But what if he thinks I’m bad for breaking it? I sometimes drop things, he will be mad if I break his stuff!”

Perona frowned. “Mihawk isn’t like that. Besides, it’s not his, it’s yours.”

“If he buys it, it’s his stuff.”

“Huh? No, it’s yours. Otherwise no kid would own anything.”

“Yeah, but I’m not his kid,” Zoro shrugged. “When I leave, I don’t get to take any of the new stuff. That would be such a waste.”

“Leave? You mean when you move out for college or something? That’s in like five years, why would you worry about that now? And of course you can take your water bottle with you.”

How could a grown woman be so stupid? College? As if a loser like Zoro could ever do that. Besides, would Mihawk not get tired of him before that? He might be useful for a few years, as long as he proved to be a useful fighter, but… Would the trouble be worth it?

“Whatever, I’ll just take the red one.”

“Zoro-”

“You said there was no wrong choice!”

Perona held her hands up in defeat. “You can have the red one. But please, at least try to think about what you might like.”

Getting the rest of the school supplies went by a lot smoother. There weren’t a lot of decisions to make, after all, neither of them really cared about the brand of paper or pencils. Soon they left the store and waited in the middle of the crowded mall for Mihawk to find them.

“Have you finished?”

“Yes,” Perona said, narrowing her eyes. “And now we will get Zoro a lot of nice, personal things, right?”

“Y-Yes?”

Zoro had never seen the swordmaster look so confused and insecure. It was really bizarre.

“And we will be very nice and understanding if it takes a while, correct?”

“Obviously?”, Mihawk answered, inching away from Perona and towards Zoro. “Child, a little help here?”, he whispered to the teen, who couldn’t help but giggle.

They went to the next store, Mihawk mumbling the whole way, complaining how he didn’t deserve to be treated like a criminal.

……

These damn children were driving Mihawk insane. He couldn’t understand why they had to make Zoro pick out every single shirt when the boy kept saying he didn’t care, but the looks Perona was sending his way made sure he kept his mouth shut. Mihawk still thought it was a bit rude, obviously he would let the teen have the pair of jeans he wanted, why did the insolent child^TM keep glaring at him?! She was acting like he had kicked her teddy bear.

At least Zoro’s mood began to improve. When they had met up, the child had seemed rather reluctant to go shopping, but once they had started, he had lightened up a little.

“Are you sure this doesn’t look too sloppy? I don’t want to look like an idiot at school.”

Mihawk scoffed. “Nothing I get for you will make you look foolish, I would not be so careless. But if you want to make sure you look neat, you could get a haircut, that might help.”

Perona gasped. “Zoro can have long hair if he wants to!”

At this, Mihawk fucking snapped. His patience had been running thin for a while, but this was his breaking point. “I am well aware of that,” he said in the sweetest voice he could muster. “But if one wants their hair to grow faster, they must make sure there are no split ends. Besides, one can clean up a haircut without taking off too much length.”

“Fine, but-”

“Are you saying I don’t know how to take care of hair, Perona?”

“I wasn’t-”

“Look at my hair, Perona.”

“I-”

“Look at how shiny it is, Perona.”

“Guys?”, a timid voice interrupted them. “I actually prefer short hair, so, if I am allowed, I-”

Mihawk whirled around to the boy, who was looking up at him with hopeful eyes. “Of course, whatever cut you want.”

He couldn’t help but send Perona a triumphant little smirk.

“Whatever,” she hissed. “But my hair is prettier.”

Mihawk scoffed. “Is it though?”

The brat glared at him. “Your hair is only shiny because all you stupid sword-fighters are obsessed with your diet and eat like dogs.”

He gave her an evil grin. “You are aware Zoro is a swordsman, right? Are you calling him stupid? A defenseless child?!”

Perona gaped at him. “I would never! Besides, should the poor boy show any signs of brain decay, it’s just because of your influence.”

“Hey!”, the boy finally spoke up. “I’m not that easily influenced! Mihawk can’t change me at all.”

Perona pulled a face. “So your stupidity is your own?”

Zoro paused. “Uhm…”

Mihawk shook his head at the pitiful sight. “Dear child, you will have to work on your comebacks, if you want to survive being a part of this family.”

Chapter Text

Zoro adjusted his hoody and looked back at the mirror anxiously. Both Perona and Mihawk had assured him the new clothes looked fine, and they were definitely better than his old stuff. The nicest things he ever owned. And Zoro usually wasn’t a vain person. He never even really thought about what he put on his body, didn’t style his hair, probably didn’t shower enough. But today…

Just once. This day could change his life, so just once, could he be enough?

“Zoro! We need to leave in 20 minutes.”

“Coming!”, he yelled back and grabbed his backpack to meet Mihawk in the kitchen.

“Morning,” the man hummed, and took a huge sip out of his pink coffee mug. “Are you ready for school?”

“Yes!”, Zoro answered immediately, before he could control his emotions.

Mihawk smiled. “Good to see you so enthusiastic,” he said and put a plate down in front of the teen. “Now eat up, you have a long day ahead.”

……

Mihawk was filling in some form at the front desk, when he caught a mob of green hair in the corner of his eye. He tried waving at Zoro, but the teen was already climbing the stairs to the apartment. After quickly signing off the paperwork, he followed the boy, curious to hear if everything went well at the new school.

“Have you never heard of knocking?!”

Mihawk tilted his head to the side. “But the door was already open?”

“Whatever, what do you want?”

Mihawk was far too confused to feel angry.

“You just came back from school.”

“Yes, so? I’m not late, I didn’t have to stay for detention, so what is your problem?!”

Hmm, this was definitely rather impolite. Mihawk mustered the teen. His shoulders were drawn up and his hands were trembling against his knees. His feet were pulled up, resting against the fabric of the new armchair. Angry, anxious and defensive?

“There is no problem. I simply seek to ask you about your day, but if you prefer, we can postpone that conversation.”

Zoro curled up even more. “Listen man, I did my work at school, I will do my homework, I didn’t get in trouble. Why isn’t that enough for you?! Why can’t you leave me alone, you fucking asshole!”

Okay? Usually, Mihawk would not be able to stay this calm, but this just felt so one-sided, not even like a real fight. Besides, the tears running down the boy’s face were throwing his earlier analysis off. Was Zoro not angry? Well, he was definitely angry, but not just that, there seemed to be something else…

“Can’t you just leave me alone?! I didn’t do anything!”

“Zoro, are you alright? Is there something you need?”

The boy paused for a second, then started crying even harder. “Stop! Stop pretending you care! Stop pretending like any of this bullshit matters! I am nothing to you! You don’t even know me, I’m just some stupid kid you basically kidnapped, you fucking creep!”

Mihawk nodded slowly. “Maybe we should talk about this later.”

……

Zoro stared at the closed door, unable to breathe through his tears. He felt like he was about to pass out. His fingernails sunk into his knees, the pain distracting him just enough to take in one gasp of air.

He had ruined it all. Just like that, it was all gone. He couldn’t come back from this. Mihawk had done so, so much for him, and he had thrown it all away. And for what? Just because he had a bad day at school? Because of a little bit of disappointment? Zoro was such a stupid, entitled brat.

Mihawk would definitely kick him out for this. And he would be damn right. And yet…

‘I am not so weak-minded that I would forget or discard my previous opinion of you.’

Maybe the man would at least not forget about the good times immediately, even if Zoro had only been with him for a week. It would be nice to know someone out there thought of him as more than just a problem.

If only Zoro was worth the effort. He liked it here.

……

So… The child had yelled at him, but he had also cried. What was Mihawk to do? He only knew how to deal with these behaviors separately, but in combination it all seemed a bit complicated.

Zoro had disrespected him in the past. In those cases, he had corrected his behavior and tried to teach him to communicate his anger in a more productive manner. This however was a far worse transgression, so some kind of discipline was probably in order.

On the other hand, it seemed like the boy’s emotional outburst was fueled by the belief Mihawk did not care about him as a person. So perhaps punishment would add on to that idea? Technically he didn’t have to do anything about Zoro’s disrespectful behavior. The only person negatively affected was Mihawk himself, and he was a grown man, he would be fine. If this turned into a pattern of bad behavior, the worry would be that other people might suffer and it could destroy other relationships Zoro tried to build in the future.

So… talk to Zoro about his outburst but leave it be for now if the child showed true understanding and regret of his actions? In that case, the thing Mihawk needed to address first were the tears, but how to do that, if the boy was not ready to talk to him?

……

Zoro abruptly straightened up when the door opened. He kept his eyes on the floor, getting ready to be yelled at, or hit, or-

The door closed again.

Zoro waited for the footsteps to fade, before slowly turning in the armchair. There was a mug on the floor. A green one, with golden stars on it. Mihawk had bought it for him when they had gone shopping.

The teen slid out of his seat and slowly approached the odd object. He looked down and saw whipped cream and marshmallows. Was Perona home? She had said she’d be gone for a while.

He picked up the hot chocolate and took a sip. It tasted weird. Not bad, just normal hot chocolate, but simply not that special taste Perona managed to create. Zoro guessed she put some spices in the mix, but this was just very simple hot chocolate.

Did Mihawk…?

Why?

Why would he do such a thing for a disrespectful, entitled brat?

The swordmaster always went on and on about how important Zoro’s calorie intake was. He had not had lunch and he wouldn’t dare to even think about taking the man’s food after what he had done to him. Maybe this was his sensei’s way to make sure his body was sustained without allowing him real food? It would definitely be a strange choice, considering there were protein bars and shakes which would do a far better job. Then again, Mihawk was simply a very odd man.

Zoro curled up in the armchair again, trying not to be too happy about the warm feeling in his hands and his stomach as he sipped the drink. He wasn’t meant to feel comfort after behaving like the piece of shit he was, but he simply couldn’t help it…

Chapter Text

Mihawk checked the clock on the wall again, letting out a deep sigh. It was 8:10 pm, the dojo was closed already, and Zoro still hadn’t left his room. There was a chance he had been out when Mihawk had been downstairs, but nothing in the apartment looked changed. There were no water droplets in the sink, the kitchen was still clean and it didn’t look like any of the food had been taken. Maybe he should have talked to the boy earlier, but he had thought giving him a break was the better choice.

The swordmaster knocked on the door, waiting for the startled ‘Yes, sensei?’, before entering.

“Zoro,” he said simply, frowning when he saw the state the child was in. His hair was a mess, his eyes were red, which indicated he had cried again recently, and his body was trembling.

“S-Sensei.”

“Have you had dinner yet?”, Mihawk checked, not even bothering to ask about lunch.

“No, sir.”

“I put something for you on the counter. Please eat as much as your stomach can handle, then meet me in my private training room.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll be as quick as possible.”

“Don’t rush, we have all evening.”

……

Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck! The dojo?! His sensei was calling him to the fucking dojo?! Zoro knew something was coming, but he had expected the man to yell at him, take his new things away and give him a good smack to send him straight, but now he was actually terrified of his punishment.

All evening? What was Mihawk going to do to him that would take all evening? Maybe he’d make him hold up weights for hours or stretch until his body was ready to snap in half? Was he that creative, or would he simply beat the shit out of him?

Zoro forced himself to eat another spoonful of the rice Mihawk had put on the counter for him. Starving himself would not save him. Nothing could save him from Mihawk’s wrath.

……

Mihawk leaned back a little, letting out a nervous breath. He knew talking to the boy was necessary, but he still felt uncomfortable. Last time they had shared a vulnerable moment, Zoro had been almost unconscious, which had made it a lot easier to comfort him.

“S-Sensei? May I enter?”

He looked up at gave the teen a small smile. “Yes, please sit down.”

Zoro sank down in front of him, crossing his legs and perfectly mirroring his position.

“Are you ready to talk about what happened today?”

“I am so sorry,” the boy said so quickly, Mihawk could barely understand him. “It was disrespectful, disgraceful and stupid and I promise I didn’t mean it. Please, you have to believe me.”

There were tears in the child’s eyes again. This was rather counterproductive. Why did life always involve so much talking and emotion? Mihawk had learned a long time ago that he simply was no good at those things, so he avoided them at all cost.

“Zoro-”

“I know you have no reason to forgive me, and- and I accept whatever punishment you see fit, just- just-”

“Zoro-”

“I can do better. Please believe me. I-I would never want to hurt you or anyone else. Do whatever you want, but please-”

“Zoro!”

The boy slammed his mouth shut and lowered his tear-covered face. Mihawk was surprised he hadn’t changed his position at all, he clearly wanted to curl up or run away, but he had not even moved a finger.

“Zoro, I am not angry at you.”

“B-But-”

“I am not angry, and I do not think any form of punishment is necessary. I am sure you can see why I am displeased with the language and tone you have used today, but you seem to already understand the negative impact of your actions, so I can move past it.”

“You said you wanted to talk about it?”, the child sniffed.

“Well, I concluded you must be rather distressed today, so I feel it is my duty to offer you an opportunity to share your sorrows.”

Zoro’s head snapped up and he stared at Mihawk with wide, teary eyes. “You- You would still care?”

Mihawk tilted his head to the side. “Why would I not ask about your day? From what I have gathered about social interactions in my years on this planet, it is a requirement.”

“But I yelled at you, so-”

Mihawk lifted a hand to stop the boy. “You made a mistake, I forgave you. Please assume that I view you the same way I did this morning.”

“T-Thank you sir.”

The swordmaster nodded stiffly. He wanted this damn talk about feelings to be over already.

“So… Do you want to talk about it?”

Zoro finally shifted out off his stiff position and drew his legs up. “Is another time okay? Today was a lot.”

That answer did not ease Mihawk’s concern for the child, but he was relieved the talking might end soon. “Of course, just find me whenever you are ready. As long as there are no problems demanding my attention? Any trouble with teachers or classmates I should be aware of?”

“No! I didn’t do anything bad, I promise!”

Why did he have to explain every single thing to this child?! Not that he wanted the boy to risk his health ever again, but right now he really missed the sleepy, docile version of Zoro he had held in his arms a few days ago. He had been so much easier to deal with.

“I believe you,” Mihawk said calmly. “I also believe that you were not to blame for the mistreatment you have suffered at your old school. Your former guardians may have been careless, but I will not be as thoughtless. So, let me ask again, is there anything I should be aware of?”

Zoro shook his head. “No. Nothing really happened. I’m just being stupid.”

Mihawk was losing his patience. “I do not teach stupid boys. You are my student, therefore you are not stupid.”

“Oh,” the child frowned. “Okay.”

It was quiet for a long moment.

“Are you sure you are not mad?”

Mihawk was going to strangle the child. “No, Zoro. I am not angry at you. You are not in trouble and I am willing to listen to your sorrows when you are ready, no matter how big or small.”

“But why am I here?”, Zoro whispered.

“In the dojo?”, the swordmaster wondered.“Well, you seem to be rather stressed today, so I thought some sparing might help you.”

His student sat up straight again, his eyes wide. “I have to fight you?”

“Huh?”

The teen’s breathing was speeding up, his gaze fixed on something over Mihawk’s shoulder. The swordmaster turned around, but the only thing he could find there was one of his own swords (not Yoru, obviously, that was a secret Zoro would have to discover in time) mounted on the wall.

“You are so much stronger than me. You will win. You will hurt me.”

Had he spoken too soon about Roronoa not being stupid? The first to statements were obviously correct, but the conclusion was ridiculous.

“Do you think I’ll actually attack a child?”, Mihawk questioned, forcing himself not to roll his eyes. “Unless there is an accident, there shouldn’t be any injuries caused while sparring. And obviously I will not use my full force against you.”

“Oh.”

Silence.

“Are you sure you are not mad?”

Mihawk wanted to scream.

Chapter Text

“Zoro, are you awake?”

The door opened and the child blinked up at him with sleepy eyes. He was already dressed, so he must have been up for a bit.

“Sensei.”

Mihawk struggled to suppress the eye-roll. Now that the boy was living with him, the title felt even more awkward. The swordmaster still wasn’t sure what caused his discomfort, he had no problem with any other student addressing him in that manner, but something just felt wrong when Zoro did it. Like when he was using it, the teen was seeing past Mihawk, not seeing reality at all.

On the other hand, it was a pretty decent indicator of the boy’s mood. Which was why Mihawk was especially displeased to hear the title that morning.

“Zoro, are you feeling alright? Would you prefer to take a day off?”

“No, sir. I will be out in a minute.”

The child bowed to him. Actually bowed. Was he overcompensating for his disrespect the day before? Mihawk had already told him he was forgiven. Either way, this behavior was very over the top. If Zoro’s apology had not been so sincere, he would have thought the child was mocking him.

“Take your time.”

Mihawk returned to the kitchen, taking a huge sip out of his coffee mug, before mixing up some pancake batter. Today was going to be exhausting.

Zoro entered the room at some point, but Mihawk decided to not turn around yet, and allow himself to have some peace and quiet for a moment. When he was done, he placed the plate of pancakes on the already set table, and fell down in his chair. He put a few pancakes on his own plate. Then nothing happened.

“Zoro.”

“Y-yes sensei?”

“You may take as much food as you like,” Mihawk said once more, just like at the beginning of almost every meal he had shared with the boy.

“Thank you, sir,” Zoro mumbled and immediately reached for the food, putting a huge pile on his plate.

“You know you don’t have to address me like that. Just my name would be fine,” Mihawk pointed out again.

Zoro sat up straighter, his eyes fixed on his plate. “Of course. My apologies.”

Mihawk sighed. This wasn’t what he had meant. He hated talking to the boy when he was like this. He even preferred the yelling and crying over this timid, soulless puppet. Ironically, he acted very similar to the swordmaster himself. Well-chosen, polite language, perfect posture, no unnecessary words spoken. But something told him this wasn’t how Zoro was meant to be.

“Have a good day,” Mihawk told him as he ran out the door, already stealing himself for a repetition of the day before.

……

Zoro slid down deeper into his chair, wishing he had picked a seat in the back. It felt like all eyes were on him, even though, realistically, they were just looking at the board.

He glanced over at the boy next to him, who was eagerly taking notes. Zoro should probably do that too, right? The kid looked a few years younger than him, so he must be in a lower grade but took the more advanced math classes.

The guy scratched his long nose, then his eyes jumped to Zoro for a second. He looked rather startled, so the teen quickly turned his head. What was his classmate thinking about him? Did Zoro look weird? He definitely hadn’t been sleeping enough lately and he was getting very pale. Maybe the haircut had been a bad idea.

It was already his second day, and he still hadn’t talked to anyone. Zoro didn’t feel ready, but was running out of time. He wished he could just hang out here for one or two weeks on his own, but by then, everyone would think of him as some kind of loner or weirdo.

His musing was interrupted by the bell and he quickly shoved his belongings into his bag, before following the other students outside. The long-nosed boy walked past him, roughly bumping into his shoulder.

“Ups, sor-”, the words stopped in the kid’s throat when he recognized Zoro. He quickly sprinted off, and-

Everything stopped.

He was here.

He looked exactly like he had in the pictures on the website. He even wore the same clothes.

Zoro slowly walked up to the group, his body moving on autopilot. The long-nosed boy’s eyes widened when he saw him come closer and he hid behind the orange-haired girl, but Zoro didn’t care about any of that. His stare was still fixed on the boy talking to her.

Why was he here now? Why not yesterday? Zoro had spent so much time searching for him, but he hadn’t seen him anywhere. Maybe he had been sick? That possibility hadn’t even crossed his mind, he had just assumed he didn’t go to this school anymore. Wait, if he had been sick, was he okay? Zoro wanted him to be okay.

He stepped up behind him, and tapped him on the shoulder.

“Uhm, hi. I- I don’t know if you remember me, but- well, a few years ago we actually-”

“Zoro?!”

Chapter Text

They both hit the ground with a hard thump, and Zoro was sure he was going to get a few bruises from this, but that fact couldn’t wipe off the huge grin taking over his face.

“Hi.”

“HIII!”, the boy yelled back, straddling Zoro’s middle and bending over so far, the rim of his straw hat poked the teen in the forehead.

“You are here,” Zoro pointed out.

“Yup!”

“You moved?”

“So did you!”

“You weren’t here yesterday.”

“I ate something I wasn’t supposed to and Dad made me stay home.”

Dad? DAD?!

“You don’t live with your grandpa anymore?”

“Nah, he found my dad, so I’m with him now. He’s awesome! He gave me this hat, isn’t it cool?!”

“Yeah. Best hat ever.”

The two of them just grinned at each other, until someone cleared their throat. “Uhm, Luffy?”

Zoro quickly struggled back to his feet, the smaller boy still hanging of his neck.

“Who is that?”, the orange-haired girl asked, narrowing her eyes.

Luffy jumped back to his feet. “This is Zoro, my best friend!”

For the second time that day, Zoro’s brain simply stopped working. Friend? Best friend?! Still? After 5 years?!

Zoro glanced around, checking the other kid’s faces. Surely someone else had claimed his spot by now, but they looked more confused than angry.

“Super!”, a huge guy with blue hair in a very shrill Hawaii shirt shouted. Zoro was a bit confused why he was standing next to the long-nosed boy and the orange-haired girl, as he looked even older than Zoro. “Welcome to the family, bro!”

Before he could react, the guy had pulled him in and was ruffling his hair with his huge hand.

“Franky!”, a girl around the same age with dark hair scolded. “You can’t just grab people!”

“Ups, sorry!”

Zoro shook his head in confusion after he was let go all of a sudden. “Uh… Hello?”

“Sorry about that,” the girl said. “I’m Robbin, and this is Franky. He can be very enthusiastic about meeting a new friend.”

Friend…?

“I’m Zoro,” he introduced himself, even though Luffy had already done that.

“Yes, the swordsman, we know.”

“Luffy told you about me?”

“He mentions you all the time,” the younger girl said. “I was beginning to think he just made you up.”

“What?!”, Luffy yelled. “Of course Zoro is real! And super cool!” He turned to Zoro. “You can ignore Nami, she is just being silly.”

He wanted to respond, but before he could, Luffy grabbed him by the shoulders. “Hey, you are in grade 7, right?!”

“Uh… yes?”

“Oh, then you can help Usopp!”

Zoro had no clue who that was, but it didn’t really matter. If Luffy was ready to accept him back, then Zoro would do whatever he wanted.

“Luffy,” a high-pitched voice warned. “Maybe you shouldn’t-”

The long-nosed boy was cut off before he could finish.

“He says since yesterday there is this super scary new kid sitting next to him in his math class. The dude will probably try to beat Usopp up, so you gotta stop him, okay? We all stick together, and no one is allowed to hurt my friends!”

Zoro looked over at the long-nosed boy, who was now hiding behind Franky and Robin, his face quickly turning red.

“Scary new guy, eh?”

“Jus- Just ignore that!”

“Don’t worry about him, he won’t be a problem.”

Luffy laughed and wrapped an arm around him. “Thanks Zoro, you’re the best!”

The moment only lasted until he noticed Robin giggling behind her fist.

“What?”, he asked confused, looking between her and Usopp. “Am I missing something again?”

“Luffy, bro,” Franky started, “When do you think our new buddy here started going to this school?”

“Today…? Wait! Monday, right?”, Luffy grinned proudly.

“Yes,” Nami nodded slowly. “And what class is he sharing with Usopp?”

“Math! That’s so great, he can go and protect him.”

Yep. Luffy had not changed at all.

“Luf,” Zoro sighed. “I’m the scary guy. Usopp won’t be in trouble, because I can simply decide not to beat him up. Which I wasn’t going to do in the first place,” he added, giving the still blushing boy a look. “I don’t even know ya.”

“Yeah… sorry about that,” Usopp said, finally stepping closer. “It’s nice to meet you, though!”

Zoro nodded. “Likewise.”

“Wait a second!”, Luffy shouted, snapping his fingers. “Usopp was scared of Zoro? My Zoro? This guy?”, he questioned, pinching the green-haired teen’s cheek and pulling it to the side.

“Luffy, stop,” Zoro warned, his speech a bit muffled from his cheek being pulled to the side.

“Just look at him! He’s so cuddly, like a kitten!”

“Okay, that’s it,” Zoro decided, and judo-flipped the smaller boy.

“Hey!”, Franky shouted, while Robin pulled out a switchblade. The teen froze when he saw the knife, but before he could explain himself, Luffy let out an excited laugh and lounged himself at Zoro, trying to tackle him to the ground. The older boy briefly went down, but quickly managed to get back to his feet, this time with Luffy sitting on his shoulders.

“Ah shit, now we have two of them,” Nami sighed.

“Zoro is back! Zoro is back!”, Luffy cheered, wrapping his arms around his head, completely blocking his vision.

“Luffy! Get off!”, Zoro shouted as they both crashed to the ground again.

“Five minutes, and already rolling around in the mud,” Nami groaned. “You guys are complete morons.”

Mud? Zoro looked down. She was right, there were huge splatters of dirt, all over his jeans, shoes and hoodie.

His new jeans, shoes and hoodie.

Mihawk’s jeans, shoes and hoodie.

“Shit, shit, shit,” he hissed.

He tried to move, but there was a weight pinning him down. “Luffy, get off of me!”

When the younger boy complied, Zoro began whipping off the dirt, but he was only making it worse.

“Hey bro, chill out, you can just wash it off,” Franky tried to reassure him, but the white noise in his ears was blocking him out.

“Sensei will be so angry,” he whispered.

“Wait, your sensei?!”, Luffy asked, suddenly kneeling right next to him. “You live with that asshole again?”

Zoro shook his head. “N-No. New guy. He- He-”

“We can get rid of him,” Robin said. “Luffy will help you, you just have to ask.”

Zoro thought about the switchblade she had pulled earlier and shuddered. “No, I really like him, I don’t want him to kick me out. He got me new clothes and I fucked them up. I- I didn’t mean to! I- I-”

“Hey! What’s going on here?”

The group backed away when an old man approached, only Luffy stayed by Zoro’s side. The guy had long white hair, tied up in a ponytail. He looked between the two boys on the ground, his eyes narrowed.

“What happened here?”

Zoro quickly scrambled to his feet, but kept his eyes lowered. “I tripped. My apologies, sir. It was my fault.”

The man chuckled. “Nice try, kid, but considering that you are standing next to Monkey D. Luffy, I don’t believe that.”

“Hi, Ray!”, Luffy said excitedly.

“We are at school, kiddo.”

“Rayleigh.”

“No.”

“Silvers.”

“Better, but still not it.”

“Principal Silvers!”

“There you go!”, the man smiled. “Now tell me son, what happened? Did you guys have a fight?”

“Nah,” Luffy laughed. “Zoro is my friend!”

A look of understanding crossed the principal’s face. He turned to the rest of the group. “He’s with you guys? Officially?”

“Yes,” Robin nodded. Franky put an arm around her and gave Zoro a strange look. “He’s one of us now.”

The principal nodded, then turned back to the two boys in front of him. “What’s your name, kid?”

“Zoro.”

“Alright, Zoro. Find me if you run into any trouble.”

“Hey, Ray?”

“Yes, Luffy?”, the man sighed.

“Can we use the private bathroom to clean his clothes? It’s like, super important!”

Principal Silvers groaned, but tossed Luffy a key anyways. “You better not leave any stains on the sink again!”

When the man was gone, Zoro looked around in confusion. “What was all that about? Won’t we get in troubleß”

“Luffy picked you,” Nami explained. “That means you are probably a bit messed up. No offense.”

“Well...” Zoro said slowly, “I’m assuming he picked you guys too, so I guess we are all in the same boat?”

“Yup!”, Franky laughed. “So don’t worry about your little freak-out, Usopp has them like 5 times a day.”

“Hey!”

Chapter Text

“So… Luffy is the captain, I’m the first mate, and we have a sniper, a navigator, a shipwright and an... archaeologist?”

“Got a problem with that?”, Robin asked, narrowing her eyes. Zoro swallowed nervously. They might have all accepted him into the group, and even all helped to fix his clothes, but he basically didn’t know these people, and that girl was scary.

“No, no,” he said quickly. “It’s just… aren’t there a few important people missing?”

“Yeah!”, Luffy cheered. “Every pirate crew needs a musician!”

Nami slapped the back of his head. “No, stupid! We need someone to keep us alive first! Like a cook or a doctor!”

Something twisted inside of Zoro at those words. It had been over a year since the night he had been kicked out of his last foster home, and yet…

“He is hiding something!”, Robin said, suddenly pointing at him accusingly. “What is your secret, swordsman?”

“What?! Stop that bullshit, you’re crazy!”

“Careful,” Franky threatened, but Zoro was pretty sure he wasn’t protecting Robin, but just giving him a fair warning about the girl.

“Uhm... Zoro?”, Usopp asked shyly, clearly still intimidated by the older boy. “Are you thinking of someone specific?”

They were friends now. And even if they weren’t, they all belonged to Luffy. Zoro was not allowed to punch any of them, even though right now, he really, really wanted to.

“Haven’t seen him in a while, so it doesn’t matter,” he mumbled, crossing his arms over his chest and squaring his shoulders.

“Screw you, you jerk!”

Zoro took a step back from the damn witch. “What?”

Nami put her hands on her hips and leaned forward. “You don’t just drop people like that, you dumbass. Luffy waited 5 years for you!”

Zoro took a step towards her, but somehow managed to stop himself from coming even closer and towering over the much shorter girl. “Well, I don’t want to see him again! Ever! He’s supposed to be better off now!”

“Zoro…?”

It was strange. Zoro was trembling with rage, but the second Luffy’s hand touched his back, he folded.

“It- It can not all have been for nothing,” he whispered, his voice breaking. He looked down at the younger boy, pleading for him to understand. “I can not have gone through all of that for nothing.”

Luffy grinned up at him. “Zoro is just being silly!”, he decided. “It will all be okay, he is with us now.”

Well. Okay then. Luffy was the captain. If he said it would be fine, then it would be.

The sound of the bell tore Zoro out of his thoughts. His head snapped to the school building, then back to the group. He was still standing far too close to Nami, who was glaring up at him. Usopp looked even more weary of him than before, Robin’s face lacked any expression and not even Franky was smiling anymore.

He knew he had one lesson more than them, they had talked about their schedules earlier. When he came back out of that building, they’d all have gone home. Even Luffy would be gone.

“Alright then,” Nami said, “See you guys later. Zoro, you better stick with Usopp after class tomorrow, he’ll show you where to find us.”

The boy nodded quickly. “Yeah, you can just sit next to me again. Not- Not that I could stop you or anything, but- Well… See ya!” he turned around and followed Nami, who was already walking towards the school.

Robin stepped up to Zoro and gave him a short nod. “Farewell, swordsman.”

“Yeah bro, see ya tomorrow!” Franky’s large hand landed on his head. The guy was probably just trying to ruffle his hair, but the movement made his whole body shake. Both older teens also turned towards the school, leaving Zoro alone with Luffy.

“Hey.”

“Hey!”, the younger boy grinned back. “Do you like the crew?”

“Yeah…”, he grinned. “They are awesome.”

……

Was Mihawk evil for laughing when Zoro jumped and almost fell over? Maybe. Maybe not. But he was definitely a little mean for pressing the car horn again, making the teenager stare in shock, until he recognized the person behind the wheel. To the swordmaster’s surprise, Zoro waved at him with a wide grin before jogging over.

“Hi Mihawk! What are you doing here?”

It took him a couple of seconds to form an answer. He had been prepared for more screaming and yelling, or that heartbreaking politeness, but not this.

“Oh. Uhm… I thought it might be a good idea to pick you up? I know it’s just a short walk, but I thought maybe you want to go get ice cream before going home?”

“Oh! Yes please!”, Zoro cheered and jumped into the car. “How was your day?”

Mihawk tapped on the stirring wheel nervously. “My day?”

“You said asking is a social requirement? I’m not completely sure what that means, but I think you wanted to tell me asking is nice.”

Huh. So the boy was listening to him.

“In general, yes, but you don’t have to ask me, I don’t mind.”

“Oh… Okay. Sorry, I thought you wanted to talk.”

Ah. Well. Maybe Mihawk should practice what he preached and actually share a little.

“I do,” he reassured the boy. “I am simply not used to it.”

“But you talk with Perona?”

Mihawk chuckled. “I may enjoy her company, but nothing there is a choice. Have you tried denying that pink nightmare anything?”

“Not yet,” Zoro shrugged.

“It is not very pleasant,” Mihawk said with a grimace. “Easier to just accept all the sparkle.”

“Like your coffee mug?”

“I love that mug,” Mihawk admitted. “But it gets worse than that. Be glad you cut your hair, now she can’t put bows in it.”

“Bows?!”

“I have to admit, the red ones looked good, but I don’t like the feeling. Too itchy. Now tell me, how was your day?”, he asked, hoping the boy wouldn’t notice Mihawk was trying to get out of talking about his own day.

“Good.”

“Yes?”

“Very good.”

“Ah,” Mihawk nodded. “That’s nice.”

It was silent for a long moment.

“Mihawk?”

“Yes?”

“I don’t think I’m good at talking either.”

He nodded. This was worrying him. Mihawk had gotten used to not having people around, but… But it would have been nice to have a choice. To keep a few by his side. He wanted- he needed Zoro to have that choice.

“Maybe… start at the beginning?”, Mihawk offered. “You can just say whatever comes to mind, it doesn’t have to be the correct selection, I do not understand the difference anyways.”

“Oh!”, Zoro said, suddenly a lot more confident. “Okay! So, first was Maths. The teacher seems nice and you already explained the topic to me, so it won’t be too hard. I actually didn’t pay that much attention,” the boy added sheepishly. “I was…”, he trailed off, seemingly unsure how to label the state he had been in that morning.

“You were having… emotions?”, Mihawk tried.

“Yes. Those. Several of those fuckers.”

Mihawk would have reprehended him for his choice of words, if he had known any better ones to use. “So, Math class?”, he asked instead.

“Math class,” Zoro nodded. “I think it will be okay. Usopp seemed really into it, so he might be able to help me if I get distracted again.”

“Usopp?”

“Yeah, he’s in that class too, even though he is younger. It’s really cool, because I don’t have any other classes with my friends.”

Unfortunately Zoro said that part while Mihawk was backing into a parking spot, and he almost hit the car behind him out of shock.

“Friends? That’s… nice.”

“You don’t have to pretend,” Zoro said softly. “I know it’s weird.”

“No, no,” Mihawk said quickly. “You are a great person, I am sure a lot of people would like to be your friend. But I am also aware that starting at a new place can be difficult and- well-”

“I didn’t really make friends by myself,” Zoro finally cut him off. “I just got picked and now we are friends.”

Mihawk nodded, even though he didn’t understand at all. Was this how it worked at that age? Then again, he had once met a man he thought like that. So… simple. He just hoped this would end better for Zoro than it had for him.

They went into the cafe Mihawk had chosen, the child still excitedly chatting along about all his different classes. He also began throwing more and more names around, but Mihawk was not able to connect any of the information. He let the boy go on anyways, softly smiling at his antics.

Chapter Text

The next day was even better. After waking up it took a few seconds for Zoro to remember what lay ahead. Then he jumped out of his armchair, almost face-planting in his hurry to get ready.

During breakfast, he tried telling Mihawk about something funny Franky had done, but it all came out wrong. At first he wanted to give up, but the man gestured for him to continue. Zoro really had to work on that. He wasn’t used to someone listening to him, he had no clue how to tell a story.

At school he sat down next to Usopp again. The boy shyly waved at him, but Zoro wasn’t sure what to say to him, so he kept quiet. Suddenly Usopp ducked his head down. He threw a quick glance at Zoro, blushed, and curled up even more. Only then the green-haired teen noticed a few guys next to them whispering and snickering. He concentrated on their conversation and managed to catch a few words.

‘Nerd.’

‘Loser.’

‘Coward.’

Zoro saw red.

“Uhm… You could still change seats.”

He turned to Usopp, who was still staring down at his desk. “It’s fine. I used to take this class by myself, so I’m used to it. Just- Just don’t tell Luffy. He’ll make a big deal out of it.”

Zoro laughed at the idiot. “And you think I’m any better?”

He stood up, making sure his legs were completely straight, so he stood to his full height. Then he put a hand on Usopp’s shoulder. “So… We still hanging out later, right?”, he asked loudly.

“Uhm… during the break? Yeah, why?”

Zoro gripped the hem of his hoodie and pulled it over his head. He hadn’t done so the day before, as it was slightly too cold for that, but… well, small sacrifices had to be made. The teen was left in his black tank top he had gotten from Mihawk, depicting the logo of the dojo.

“No reason, just checkin’”

Zoro felt so stupid, but he still did his best casually stretching and flexing his muscles, but it seemed to work, as the boys next to them suddenly weren’t talking shit about the friend of the ripped dude from the fighting school anymore.

“Wait, I thought Luffy was exaggerating when he said you were a swordsman!”

“Nah,” he chuckled. “But I actually know a bunch of different fighting styles, wouldn’t even need a sword to take ya down.” At this point he wasn’t even pretending to talk to Usopp anymore, making direct eye contact with one of the boys next to him, who quickly grabbed his friends and hurried off.

“O-Oh. Uhm… cool?”, Usopp mumbled, clearly confused by the threat. “Please don’t?”

“Come on man, get a clue,” Zoro groaned and let himself fall back down in his chair. “Luffy told me to protect you. No one gets to talk shit about you.”

Usopp looked to the empty table next to them, over at Zoro, then back at the table. “Oh…”

“Now get out your stuff. They weren’t wrong, you are a nerd, so you better go read your notes.”

Usopp did as he was told. Zoro threw one quick glance at his notebook and realized he was very going to fail this class. Still, he didn’t need to slack off, so he at least tried to take notes when the teacher started talking.

Zoro was about to give up, when a piece of paper suddenly appeared in front of him.

‘Kinetic energy means movement.’

He looked over at Usopp and gave him a quick nod. After that, the notes kept coming. Even with the help he didn’t understand everything, but he at least got the basics.

The rest of the day went by smoothly. He didn’t speak much to the others, but he got to listen to them and learn a bit about them. Zoro even got to tell them about Mihawk taking him out for ice cream. He didn’t know why, but talking about the man made him feel strange. Almost… proud?

Either way, it was nice. Mihawk didn’t pick him up again, but that was okay, he got to see him at the dojo either way.

When he entered, Mihawk was teaching a lesson, so he decided to leave his homework for later and wait for him in the private training room.

Zoro yawned as he opened the door and… huh?

There was someone in the room? No one used this room, apart from Mihawk and him.

The boy turned around and-

“What the hell?!”

Chapter Text

Blue. There was blue on his face. A huge, swollen bruise under his eye.

What. The. Fuck.

Who had done this? Who had dared?! Zoro was going to kill them all.

“H-Hi.”

All he could do was stare at the boy. His hair was longer. Were they not taking care of him? But it looked clean, so it might be okay. His clothes looked fine too. But that bruise, that fucking bruise-

“Get over here! NOW!”

The kid flinched hard and complied, but Zoro met him halfway, immediately falling to his knees in front of him and taking his face into his hands, frantically turning his head from side to side.

“What happened? Who did this to you?!”

“Z-Zoro!”

Horrified the teen realized the little boy’s big brown eyes were filling with tears.

“Shhh… I’m sorry for yelling,” he tried to reassure him. “But Chopper, you need to tell me who hurt you, okay?”

“Zoro,” Chopper sobbed. “I- I was so scared! They just took me away and I didn’t know why!”

It was like a brick had fallen from the ceiling, right into Zoro’s stomach. The feeling was so sudden and strong, his vision blacked out for a moment.

Fuck, he hadn’t even considered… What had he done?!

Zoro ripped his hands back as if he had been burned. “Chopper, I am so, so sorry. I know all of that must have been so fucking scary, but I promise I won’t hurt you!”

Choppers, huge, still wet eyes widened even more. “Zoro…?”

Before he could figure out what to do next, the door opened. In the doorway stood a tall, very, very old woman. Her sunglasses were hiding her eyes, and yet Zoro shivered at her stare. Her crop-top revealed her toned stomach, and her tight track-suit pants some leg muscles, which was surprising considering she was probably a hundred years old.

“And who are you?”

Zoro got on one knee, ready to pounce, shielding Chopper with his body “I could ask you the same thing.”

The woman took a step closer, her expression unreadable. “Well, considering you made my boy cry, I think I have the right to an answer”

“Your…?” Realization hit Zoro. He reached behind him to grab the boy, before hastily whispering in his ear. “Chopper, listen carefully. I know you have no reason to trust me after what I have done, but I have promised to always protect you, so please, tell me the truth. Do you live with that woman?”

Chopper nodded.

“Has she done this to you?”, Zoro asked, pleading for the boy to just tell him the truth, so he could do whatever needed to be done.

“No!”, Chopper pulled away from his grasp. “Zoro, why are you saying all these things?”

“Zoro?”, the woman asked. “Roronoa Zoro?”

The startled look he gave her must have been clear enough.

“I know what you did.”

It was like Zoro had been dozed in ice-cold water. She knew? If Chopper lived with her, he had probably told her. Or maybe even the police.

Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck! She was probably going to call the cops on him for standing too close to Chopper or something. Zoro’s breathing sped up, but he couldn’t move.

“I know what you have done for my Chopper.”

Wait, what? How did she know? No one knew. Not even the police.

“Then you know I’d do it again. I don’t care if you are just an old lady, if you hurt him, I’ll stop you,” Zoro spat, his fists trembling by his sides. “I- I don’t care if they send me away again, so don’t try anything!”

“I know,” the woman laughed. “I’m very happy to finally meet you. You couldn’t imagine my shock when I returned from a couple of years of traveling to find out my dear nephew Hiriluk had passed, and his little boy had been sent to live with some stranger. A stranger who was then put in prison.”

“P-prison?”, Zoro stuttered.

“The truth always comes out,” the woman said coldly.

“Zoro?”

He looked back at Chopper, who was staring at him with wide eyes.

“I’m not scared of you.” The boy was still crying, but his voice was steady. “I don’t understand why you would think that, I’m so happy to see you!”

Happy? He was happy to see Zoro? He didn’t hate him for what he had done? Didn’t think him to be a monster?

“Kureha won’t tell me why, but she says Jeff is a really bad man and you saved me!”

“Y-You know? You know why I did that?”

Chopper reached out and put a hand on his cheek. “I know you will always protect me.”

Zoro fucking broke down. Chopper knew. He understood.

“Are- Are you okay now?”, he chocked out through his tears. “Did it work?”

Chopper nodded. “Kurea is really nice!”

“Hey kid,” the old woman said, “He’s fine. Chopper has been with me for 9 months now, and I would never hurt a child. You did well.”

Zoro could barely breathe. He was just kneeling there, the whole room spinning around him. He had hoped, prayed, that Chopper was okay, but he had had no way to make sure.

“It- it is okay? I did it?”, he asked through his tears, hating how small he sounded. He was supposed to be strong, supposed to protect, but right now, he just needed it all to stop.

“You did a good job,” Kureha told him in a matter-of-fact way. “You saved him.”

As her words began to sink in, the room stopped spinning. Zoro nodded and wiped away his tears. Swaying a little, he managed to get back up on his feet. Right at that moment, someone joined Kureha in the doorway.

“What is going on here?”

……

Mihawk and his students bowed, before he dismissed them until the next week. For just a second, he wished Zoro was more like these children. They were older than the boy, but much less skilled, as well as less determined. None of them would train until they fell over from exhaustion or refuse to eat before doing their routines.

Mihawk shook his head and headed to his training room. Usually he wouldn’t let anyone else use it, but the woman had been very insistent on a private session for her boy. Just a few weeks ago, Mihawk surely would have denied the request but now…

He frowned when he heard upset-sounding voices and crying down the hallway.

“What is going on here?”, the swordmaster asked sternly, looking between Zoro, who looked a complete mess, the little crying boy next to him and the elderly woman staring them down.

“Zoro, come here please.”

“No.”

“Zoro-”

“Fuck off, I don’t care.”

Ugh, not this again! He still wasn’t sure how to deal with this behavior, but it was probably better to do so in private.

“Zoro, you can train later, but right now you need to go upstairs.”

“NO!”

Well, that was a surprise. Why were there two children yelling at him now?

“Zoro, don’t go away again! Please don’t leave!”

In complete shock, Mihawk watched Tony Chopper jump into the grumpy teenager’s arms, hiding his face in the crook of the teen’s neck.

Even more shocking was the way Zoro began rocking the little boy in his arms, gently stroking his back as violent sobs rocked his body.

“Shhh… It’s okay, I won’t let anyone send me away.”

“Uhm. Okay?” Mihawk stared at the scene in bewilderment. In a way it solved his first problem, apparently he didn’t have to convince Zoro to go upstairs, it was pretty clear Chopper demanded his presence. However, it also caused a lot of questions.

“You new to this?”, Dr. Kureha smirked.

Mihawk glared at the woman. “Yes.”

“Zoro hasn’t told you about Chopper yet?”, she wondered, making his frown deepen. Clearly she knew something he didn’t.

“No.”

“How long has your boy been with you?”

“He moved in last week.”

“Ah. Well, if I may give you some advice, do not try to separate those two. Might end deadly.”

“How… nice of you,” Mihawk grumbled. “Anyways, how do you want to handle Chopper self-defense classes?”

At that, Zoro, who was still holding the boy close, let out a stream of rather shocking profanities. “Self-defense? Why does he need self-defense?” He sat Chopper back on his feet and got down on one knee in front of him, gripping his shoulders. “Who. Hurt. You.”

“J-Just some guy from my old school,” the boy said shyly.

“I took him out of there,” the doctor explained calmly. “Grand Line is supposed to have a much better handle on bullyng.”

Zoro gasped. “Grand Line?!” He shook Chopper a bit in his excitement. “You go to Grand Line? Why haven’t I seen you there?”

“I- I just stayed inside the building,” the little boy admitted, throwing a quick glance at Kureha, who smiled sadly. “Everyone is so big and scary.”

“My little genius skipped two grades. It’s difficult for him to connect with his classmates.”

Mihawk could almost see the gears turning in Zoro’s head. “You are in grade 5 now?”

Chopper nodded.

“What class do you have in first period tomorrow?”

“English, why?”

Zoro began muttering to himself. “Not Luffy or Usopp then… Listen Chopper, there is going to be a girl with orange hair in your class. You stick with her, okay?”

“Do you understand what’s happening?”, Mihawk whispered to Doctor Kureha, who laughed at his confusion.

“Oh, you poor fool, you have a lot to learn!”

Chapter Text

Mihawk watched the two boys in awe. He had been a little uneasy with the idea of letting Zoro teach Chopper, but it was like the teen had been replaced with a completely different person. Where Zoro pushed himself, he let the young boy rest. Where he called himself an idiot and a failure under his breath, he praised the child for any effort he made. Where Zoro was cruel to himself, he was kind to Chopper.

“I hate to break this up,” the doctor said, making him jump a little, “But it’s time we go home now.”

Mihawk sighed. He supposed the day would have to go on as normal at some point.

“Zoro!”

“Yes? What’s up?”, the boy grinned over at him. It seemed like his anger at Mihawk had yet again just been a projection of his emotional turmoil. The swordmaster would not remind him of his careless words.

Hopefully Zoro would simply forget his earlier distress. Kureha had informed him Chopper and Zoro had once shared a foster home, which explained his outburst. At least partly. Mihawk still felt a bit out of the loop.

“It is time for Chopper to go home now.”

In an instant, the carefree smile was wiped off the teen’s face. Mihawk hated this. He would have loved to give the boy a longer break from his worries.

“You can see him at school tomorrow,” he reminded him gently.

The teen looked over at Kureha with a doubtful look, who simply stared right back and nodded. Only then Zoro dropped to his knees and pulled the little boy into a tight hug.

“Remember, you go find Nami and tell her you are with me.”

“Okay!”

Mihawk put a hand on Zoro’s shoulder as they watched the old woman and the young boy walk away. He wasn’t sure if he was trying to actually stop the teen from following them or simply seeking to ground him. They just stood there for a moment, until Zoro let out a deep sigh.

“Okay, I should get to work now.”

Instead of getting out of the room and getting started with his homework as Mihawk had expected, he kneeled down in a corner and pulled out Mihawk’s gear. In confusion he watched as the teen started cleaning it. He had been planning on doing that today.

“Uhm… Zoro?”

“Yes, sensei?”

“What are you doing?”

“Cleaning…?”

“You are aware I do not expect you to do that?”

The boy looked at him like he had just threatened him with horrible torture. “You are actually making me say it, eh?”

Damn it. Apparently there was a conversation needed that Mihawk could have avoided. “Yes,” he said, trying to sound like he understood what they were talking about.

“Look, I’m sorry, okay? I really am.”

“Ah.”

“You don’t know what I am talking about, right?”

Mihawk frowned. Was it too late to get that delightful little boy back? He had been a rather useful buffer. “I have to admit, I may not completely understand.”

Zoro sighed. “Fuck, that makes it even worse…”

“Does it?”, Mihawk questioned. “Whatever heinous act you think you have committed against me, it can not be too atrocious if haven’t even noticed.”

The teen shook his head, smiling up at him almost… fondly? “I do not mean to yell at you all the time. I just… I just sometimes get you confused with… anyone else, really.”

Mihawk nodded slowly, then paused and shook his head. “I believe I still do not completely understand. Why are you cleaning my gear?”

“I don’t want to be a bother to you.”

“Do I look bothered?”

“Yes.”

Ah. Well, he probably did.

“Not by you.”

The boy did not look convinced.

“Fine,” Mihawk sighed. “But you still need to do your homework, and I promised you to explain the schedule for the tournament this weekend to you, so doing all of this by yourself would take far too long.” He sat down next to Zoro and picked up the shoulder pads. “Let’s do it together.”

Chapter Text

Chopper jumped up at the sound of the bell. The orange-haired girl sat a lot closer to the door and he didn’t want to miss his chance. She had been pretty late, so he hadn’t been able to talk to her before class like Zoro had told him.

“E-Excuse me?”

Nami glared down at him, but her face softened a little when she saw the small boy. “Yes?”

“Uhm- Well… I’m really sorry to bother you, but Zoro sent me?”

“That idiot?”, she groaned. “Here a few days, and already making demands?”

Chopper’s head dropped. Zoro had said it would all be okay, so why wouldn’t the scary girl help him?

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright,” Nami sighed. “What did Zoro want?”

I don’t know,” Chopper admitted. “Can you help me find him?”

“Sure, why not?”, Nami shrugged, but she stopped before she could turn towards the door. “What is that?”

Chopper looked down at the badge on his jacket and blushed. “N-nothing. Just something that belonged to my dad.”

Nami squinted her eyes as she mustered the little red cross. “I see. Come on then, there are some people you gotta meet.”

……

Nami felt a bit bad for the tiny boy as they approached the others. How old was this kid anyways? Usopp had skipped a few classes too, but only for Maths and Science, not the whole grade, but she had seen this kid in several of her classes.

“T-That’s Luffy, right?”

Nami wondered if he knew that name because of Zoro, or just from the rumors going around the school. However, the guy he was looking at was definitely not Luffy.

“Nah, that’s Franky. The guy with the hat is Luffy.”

“Huh?”, he wondered. “But isn’t he like super strong? And beats up people?”

“Eh,” Nami shrugged. “Something like that.”

The little guy looked between Franky, Luffy and Robin, who was playing with a knife of all things, with huge frightened eyes. “Are- Are you sure I should-”

He paused when another huge, scary-looking person joined the group. “Zooorooo!”

Astonished Nami watched as the boy sprinted across the yard, right into Zoro’s waiting arms.

“I missed you!”

“Missed you too, buddy,” Zoro grinned. He pulled back and gently traced his thumb over the boy’s cheek and the swollen skin around his eye. He said something Nami didn’t understand, but when the kid answered he looked up and gave her a short nod.

“Yo!”, Luffy interrupted them. “Why are you so tiny?”

“Luffy,” Nami groaned as she stepped up to them. “At least he might grow at some point. Don’t think you will get so lucky.”

“Hey!”, the idiot pouted.

While the others were bickering, Robin got down on one knee in front of the small boy. “Well, aren’t you just adorable? What is your name?”

“Chopper!”, the kid proclaimed proudly. “My dad gave it to me!”

“Oh, how nice,” Robin laughed. “You like it?”

Chopper nodded excitedly. “Yes! My dad was the coolest person ever, so the name is cool too.”

Nami just sighed at the word ‘was’. She had suspected so when she had noticed the badge. Well, at least he would fit in perfectly with their little group.

“It’s a suuuuper name!”, Franky boomed, making the boy flinch a bit. Zoro’s expression darkened, but before he could say something, Chopper began to nod excitedly.

“Thank you! The people from my old school say it’s dumb, but Dad liked it, so it’s not!”

“Awww,” Luffy pouted. “That’s mean. Don’t worry, students here are nicer.”

“And if not,” Zoro growled, “We can deal with them.” He got down and placed a giggling Chopper on his shoulders before standing up again. To be fair, it was pretty impressive how he still managed to look so gloomy with Chopper’s arms wrapped around his forehead.

“Of course!”, Luffy nodded excitedly. “By the way, what does that badge mean?”

“He is a doctor,” Robin said softly.

Chopper blushed and shook his head. “No, no. I just want to be one day. My dad was one, and I try to learn as much as possible, but-”

“Oh nice, we were looking for a doctor,” Usopp cut him off, making Nami jump a bit. She hadn’t even noticed him walking up from behind.

“So cool!”, Luffy cheered. “You can heal your friends! Awesome!”

The boy frowned and shook his head. “I don’t have friends.”

Luffy threw his head back and laughed. “Don’t be silly! We are right here! Welcome on board, doc.”

Chapter Text

Zoro was so excited, he wasn’t sure he would be able to sleep. Tomorrow was the big day! His first fight for the Dojo! He would prove to Mihawk that it had not been a mistake to take him in. He’d show everyone he was worthy of being here!

……

“You better not fail me, or you will regret it, boy!”

“Fuck, it’s worse enough I have to share a room with a loser like you, so you better get out of my way, or I will-!”

Blood. On the floor, on his shirt, on his hands. His knuckles were cracked, and the guy’s blood was mixing with his own. Disgusting. He had to get it off! How-?

……

Mihawk paused when he saw the curled-up body on the sofa. This whole situation felt far too familiar. Last time he had found the boy in this position, the day had ended with him passing out in the swordmaster’s arms. Probably an outcome he should seek to avoid.

“Zoro…?”, Mihawk said carefully. “Are you alright?”

In an instant, the teen was on his feet, though he was swaying slightly. “Y-Yes, sensei. Of course.”

That reply did not seem very truthful…

“It would be okay if you weren’t,” Mihawk pointed out.

“I’m fine.”

Hm. Last time Mihawk had definitely not acted correctly, so what was he supposed to do differently this time around?

“Uhm… Would you like… a hug?”

Zoro’s eyes widened and he stepped back so quickly he bumped into the couch, almost making him fall. “No!”

“Okay.”

“Don’t fucking touch me!”

“Okay,” Mihawk repeated, taking a step back himself.

The angry teen pushed past him, storming to his room. “Leave me alone, you fucking creep!”

He had to admit, he flinched a little at the loud bang of the door to Zoro’s room slamming shut. Why did all their fights have to include Zoro calling him a creep? It was rather annoying.

Mihawk sighed and began preparing some coffee. Why was the damn child so complicated? The boy himself had confirmed that a hug would have been the solution last time, why wasn’t it this time? Mihawk probably just needed more data to understand these weird situations that kept happening.

……

He had fucked up. He always did. Because he was fucked up. Broken. Why had he done that? Why on earth would any normal person ever act like this? One might think Zoro had simply not been given a real chance, but here it was, his chance to be normal, and he was messing it up. Maybe it had never been the abuse and the neglect and the abandonment. Maybe it was just him. Who he was at his core. Broken and meant to be alone.

Zoro pressed his palms against his chest, his panic increasing when he still couldn’t breathe. He had only one hour left. How was he supposed to fix himself in just one hour? He had to do good today. He had to make up for being such a piece of shit. He had to finally earn his place.

Zoro looked down at his arms, realizing he had been digging in his fingernails, creating deep indents. That was good. Not enough though. If he just dug a little deeper, he would be able to breathe again. Then he could get himself together and finally act like a normal person. Mihawk wouldn’t have to hate him anymore, and he could prove that he could be worth it. He just had to dig a bit further.

Zoro looked down at his arms and got to work.

……

Mihawk had hoped he would be able to get a decent meal into the kid before the competition started, but Zoro hadn’t come out of his room until he absolutely had to. Eating right before a fight was probably not the smartest move, so Mihawk put some food aside for later.

Zoro had the first fight, so after that there would be some time for him to relax. The competition worked as a bracket system, so Mihawk suspected the boy was going to be pretty busy today. Roronoa Zoro was the most talented student he had ever taught, so even if he didn’t have a lot of experience in competitions, he would surely make it far.

They both went downstairs, where Paul and Perona were already greeting the children, parents and teachers. Mihawk should probably give those two another raise. The girl always said the free room and food were enough, but he still insisted on paying her whenever she helped out.

“Zoro!”, Perona cheered when they arrived in the hallway. “How are you doing?”

“Fine,” the boy answered, not even looking up to meet her eyes. Perona just frowned and let him walk past, before she threw a questioning gaze at Mihawk.

He just shrugged. “I don’t understand either.”

Perona nodded. “Alrighty. I’ll tell him about our plans for next week later. Maybe that will cheer him up.”

Mihawk let out a deep breath. “That would be appreciated.”

He carried on with his preparations. If the day had started any other way, he would have chatted with Zoro, maybe attempted to crack some lighthearted jokes and tried to find some genuine, encouraging words, but now he just worked in silence, occasionally throwing some worried glances at the teen. He seemed completely out of it.

Zoro was doing his warm-up, but it was just like a few weeks ago, when he had confronted the boy at night. Tense, his eyes staring ahead, like they were seeing a completely different place.

Should Mihawk pull him out of the competition? It seemed to mean so much to him, and he would probably view it as a punishment for his earlier outburst. The timing was truly the worst. Mihawk would simply have to make sure to figure out what to do later.

A signal sounded through the room, and he watched as Zoro stepped on the mat. The boy looked so small in the huge pieces of protective gear. Not a thought Mihawk usually had about his students, but Zoro was different.

The referee opened the fight. Mihawk grinned when it took Zoro just a few seconds to strike the first point. While he had only trained him for a very short time and the boy had already been brilliant before, the first trick he used was one Mihawk himself had taught him, which made him feel a strange sense of pride.

Then it happened. Somewhere in the dojo, a little kid, probably a sibling of one of the students, tripped and fell to the ground. When the loud cry rang through the building, Zoro froze. The other boy’s sword hit Zoro’s, making it slip out of his grasp and fall to the floor. Zoro was out. In the first round.

Mihawk shook his head in disappointment. This was so unfortunate, it would have been fun to watch the boy wipe the floor with everyone else who tried to prove themselves against him. Besides, Zoro was always so hard on himself, it would have been nice for him to get a win on a day like this.

The swordmaster frowned when the teen continued to just stand there, staring at his sword on the floor. The fight was over, it was time to take off the helmet and bow to his opponent, but he simply wouldn’t move.

“Roronoa,” Mihawk whispered when he stepped up to him.

“I- I lost.”

“Roronoa.”

“I can’t believe it,” the teen hissed, ripping off his helmet. “I tried so hard.”

“Zoro, don’t make a scene,” Mihawk scolded him. This was just a friendly little tournament, but it was still important to maintain proper etiquette.

“But- but-”

He gave Zoro a harsh glare, making him flinch and finally bow to the other boy. Mihawk nodded and gripped him by the shoulder, leading him off the mat.

“I lost,” Zoro repeated.

“I know for a fact this must have happened before, so you should be used to it,” Mihawk said, his frustration bleeding into his voice. “Don’t disgrace yourself like this.”

Zoro looked up at him like he couldn’t comprehend what the man was saying. “Do you even care?”

“That you lost?”, Mihawk asked surprised. “Not really. Doesn’t exactly change how my day is going.”

“Right…”

……

Perona spotted Zoro walk out of the main room, his head low. Had he already finished his first fight? She wasn’t sure. To be honest, she didn’t care all that much about all of this fighting stuff, but Mihawk had asked for help, so she kinda had to be here.

“Hi!”, she said excitedly. “Where are you going?”

“Upstairs,” the boy muttered.

“Oh, okay! Mihawk said he put some breakfast for you on the counter, so dig in.”

Zoro stared at her for a moment, but then finally nodded in agreement.

“Oh, and I was wondering if you wanted to do something next Sunday? I’ll be gone all week, but that day I’m free.”

The teen blinked a couple of times, the creepy, far-off look finally fading away. “You- You want to hang out? With me?”

“Of course! There is this new cafe I wanted to check out! Seems so cute!”

Zoro threw a quick glance behind him, where Mihawk was talking to another Sensei. “I’m not sure if I can…”

“Huh? Oh, is Mihawk being grumpy? Don’t worry, I’ll talk to him.”

“No, you don’t understand. I- I did something bad. Really bad.”

Perona frowned. “Well, if you say so… I guess we can just hang out at home if you are grounded.”

Zoro let out an anxious laugh. “No. Don’t think I’m grounded. At all.”

Perona didn’t really get it. Mihawk was right, the kid was confusing. “Okay? Well, just relax for now, I’m sure you and the big old grump will figure it out. Either way, the two of us got plans next weekend.”

Zoro looked up at her with wide eyes. “You promise? No matter what?”

“No matter what.”

Chapter Text

Mihawk had to suppress a yawn. He hadn’t even been working for that long, the event only started at 11, but he was already rather done with everything. He taught the students, he organized competitions, and he made sure everything went smoothly. Why did he have to do all this useless socializing as well? If only people would stop being so ridiculous. He was happy to answer any question they could possibly come up with about his dojo, and even just chat about life, but why must people always say those pointless little things? If Mihawk had to endure one more comment about the weather of all things, he might grab one of the swords and start stabbing people.

“Uhhhh, you look extra prickly today.”

“Perona,” Mihawk sighed, but secretly had to hold back a relieved smile. Finally a normal person to talk to.

“Listen, I know you are in a pretty bad mood, but don’t be too hard on the kid, alright? Very uncute.”

“What are you talking about?”, Mihawk frowned. “Have you talked to Zoro? You reminded him to eat, right?”

Perona rolled her eyes. “Yes, you absolute mother hen. But he said he did something bad? Did you guys have a fight or something?”

Mihawk groaned. “Oh, that. Yes, he yelled at me this morning. To be honest, I’m not completely sure why, he just does that sometimes.”

“You don’t seem upset?”, Perona wondered.

Mihawk frowned. “Well, I am sure he was just overwhelmed, but I feel like should probably tell him off?”

Perona patted his shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”

After their little chat, Mihawk continued dealing with all the stupid people. At least the event didn’t last too long, only until 5, but it took Paul and him an entire hour to clean up. When they were finally done, Mihawk dragged himself back to his apartment, immediately going to the kitchen for a cup of tea and a much-needed snack. To his delight, he noticed that the plate he had left for Zoro had been emptied.

“Zoro?”, Mihawk called out as he knocked on the boy’s door. “Can I come in?”

“Yes, sensei,” the teen answered immediately.

“Good evening, I was just wondering if you had any requests for-”, Mihawk stopped when he saw the boy sitting on the floor, a trash bag next to him.

“… dinner?”, he finished after a moment. “What happened? Did something break?”

“N-No sir. I didn’t break anything.”

Hm. Not the way Mihawk had asked that question. But in the end it didn’t really matter if something broke or if Zoro broke something, as long as the child didn’t get hurt by glass or similar things.

“Okay. What’s in the trash bag?”

“I packed.”

Packed? Was there some kind of school trip Mihawk had not been informed of? Should he get the boy a suitcase or something? The idea of sending Zoro away, even just for a few days, did not sit right with him. What if the teen had a nightmare? Not that Mihawk had been a lot of help today, but… well. The swordmaster still wanted to keep the boy close, just in case.

“O-Oh,” Zoro stuttered and jumped to his feet when Mihawk didn’t answer for a few moments. “Just- Just my stuff, of course. I didn’t take any of the new stuff you bought.”

“Which is also your stuff?”, Mihawk said confused, before he realized that was probably not the detail he should focus on.

“Wait, where are you going?”

“I don’t know,” Zoro shrugged.

Something was wrong. Very wrong. The teen didn’t exactly seem upset more… apathetic?

“I never do, the social worker will tell me,” he continued.

“Social worker…?”

“You called them already, right?”, Zoro asked, still using that strange, far-off voice and vacant stare. “Will they be here tonight or in the morning?”

Mihawk didn’t understand a word the child was saying. “Social worker? Why would I-? Do you need to talk to someone? Are you okay?”

Zoro threw a quick glance at him, before looking away again. “Come on dude, there are laws. I know I messed up, but you can’t just kick me out overnight, you’ll get in trouble.”

The tone Zoro was using was a clear indicator he was about to have another outburst, but Mihawk had still no clue what the boy was on about.

“Kick you out?”, he repeated. “As in, out of my house? Why would I even consider such a thing?”

Zoro looked at him with hatred burning in his eyes. “Are you really making me say it? I know I failed you, can we just get it over with?”

“Failed me?”, Mihawk echoed like a brainless idiot, before realization dawned. “Ah, is this about what you said this morning? Obviously, I would prefer it if you didn’t yell, but removing you from your home seems like a rather extreme repercussion, don’t you think?”

To his dismay, Zoro did not relax, but tensed up even more. “What are you even talking about?”

“I could ask you the same thing.”

“I lost.”

“The fight…?”, the Mihawk got a new idea. “Oh, because you didn’t bow correctly? Yeah, you need to remember that, but it was your first fight, so I don’t think it will be a reoccurring issue.”

Zoro suddenly stumbled back, staring up at him with wide eyes. “W-What?”

Well, not apathetic anymore, at least. “Zoro…?”

“My first fight? Does that mean I get another chance?”

The more the child said, the less Mihawk understood. “Zoro, it was not even a listed fight, just a friendly competition. Besides, obviously there would be another competition, this isn’t how sports work, you don’t get banned for losing a fight. We went over the rules several times, where is all of this coming from?”

“N-No I meant for you. I get another chance to fight for you? I can stay?”

Mihawk rubbed his forehead. “Obviously? Why would you go anywhere, I don’t-”

He paused, slowly looking down at the trash bag full of clothes the boy was still clutching in his trembling hands, back to his sweaty face.

“Zoro,” he said carefully, “Did you think I would kick you out for losing a fight?”, he asked, absolutely baffled.

“Of course, sensei.”

“Don’t-”, Mihawk had to stop himself and lower his voice. “Please don’t call me that right now.”

“Yes, sir. I’m sorry, sir.”

Oh, for fuck’s sake!

“No I meant- forget it,” Mihawk sighed. “Now tell me, why would I abandon you for losing a fight? You are the one who wants to practice at all times.”

“Of course I need to practice!”, Zoro yelled, balling his fists. “If I don’t I won’t be good enough and I won’t win.”

“Debatable, but I still do not fully grasp the importance of winning every fight.”

“But that was the deal.”

Was there a translator for this damn child? A phone app perhaps?

“What deal?”, Mihawk asked in desperation.

“To win medals for the dojo. You would train me so I can be useful to you. I didn’t hold up my side of the bargain.”

What. The. Fuck. The boy sounded actually upset. This whole premise was ridiculous. What kind of idiot would throw a whole child away for a couple of medals.

“Zoro- I- What-” Mihawk didn’t even know where to begin to explain this weird misunderstanding. He took a couple deep breaths, then let himself fall down on the bed. “Zoro, I said that to convince you to just train at the dojo normally, and not break in in the middle of the night.”

He immediately regretted his words when the boy flinched and looked down. “I didn’t mean it as criticism,” Mihawk tried to explain. “But I need you to understand that I did not take you in so I could get something out of it. Zoro, you are 14-year-old CHILD, you deserve a home. That’s why you are here. Just to live.”

The light of the setting sun made Zoro’s face glow a deep orange, highlighting the unshed tears in his eyes. “W-What?”, the boy stuttered, finally dropping the trash bag and wrapping his arms around himself. “Why would you want that? Why would you want me?”

How was Mihawk supposed to answer that? He just… did. “You are a good kid,” he finally settled on. “I like having you here.”

“I’m not!”, Zoro shouted, backing away from Mihawk. “I- I am bad. I am stupid, and- and ugly, and broken. I yell all the time and I make you upset. If you wanted a kid, you could get a better one. Someone less fucked up.”

Mihawk was open-mouthed staring at the boy. Was this actually what he thought about himself?

“Fighting is the only thing I’m good for. The only thing anyone has ever seen in me. If I can’t even do that, what am I still doing here?”

“You are not broken,” Mihawk said, feeling rather out of his depth. “You are not fucked up, don’t ever say that about yourself. You are just a child, and you need help. I don’t care whether or not you can fight or not. You could decide to never pick up a sword again, and I would still be proud of you, just like I am right now.”

“Proud? You- You are proud of me?”

Ah, shit. How had Mihawk managed to misstep now? Helplessly he watched the child fall to his knees, sobbing uncontrollably. The swordmaster got up, nervously opening and closing his fists.

“Uhm… Would you like… a hug?”, Mihawk asked for the second time that day.

Zoro tried to speak through his sobs a few times, but the poor child could barely breathe. He looked up at Mihawk for just a moment, gave him a sharp nod, and then curled back in on himself, gripping his own biceps tightly.

In a heartbeat Mihawk was by his side, pulling his small body towards his chest and gently rubbing his back. “Shhh… It will be okay, Zoro. We will figure it out.”

Zoro still didn’t change his curled-up position, but he leaned more against the man, burring his tear-soaked face in his chest. “I-I just want to stay. Please, I’m sorry. I just want to stay.”

“Of course you stay. You belong here. Nothing to apologize for. I am so proud of you.”

Mihawk kept muttering to the child in his arms until the sobs finally stopped.

Mihawk readjusted his position, his gaze falling on something white peaking out from beneath Zoro’s sleeve. He carefully took the boy’s arm and pulled it closer to his face, frowning when he saw the bandages.

“Did you get hurt during the fight?”

Zoro shook his head.

“What happened? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I’m sorry,” Zoro sniffed. “I was just so stressed…”

What was he- Oh. Oh god please no.

“I see,” Mihawk said calmly. “May I take a look?”

After receiving a sharp nod, he pulled up Zoro’s sleeve. Now he realized the things wrapped around his arm weren’t bandages, but tissue and toilet paper, secured with scotch tape. He carefully removed the glued-together mess, revealing angry red skin. The boy let out a sharp hiss when the tissue stuck to him. Mihawk had to pull a little, making the dried blood unstick and causing one of the wounds to reopen.

“Sorry,” he muttered, staring down at the broken skin. It looked like Zoro had dug in his nails, removing layers of skin until he reached blood. The wounds weren’t very deep, but messy and would surely leave some discoloration. They did not look infected, but Mihawk didn’t want to take any risks.

“The other arm too?”, he asked hoarsly.

Zoro nodded and Mihawk stood up. “Wait here.”

He got the first aid kid from the kitchen and carefully cleaned the wounds, before putting on some salve and wrapping them properly. Mihawk almost put the supplies back in the kitchen, but as he looked down on the trembling form of the child, he thought better of it and placed it next to the desk. If this happened again, he’d like for the teen to properly take care of the marks.

“Zoro?”, Mihawk said after a while, “Why do you never sleep on the bed?”, he finally asked the question he had been meaning to ask for two weeks.

“Don’t wanna get used to it. In case I mess up and you kick me out. Don’t really deserve it,” Zoro rushed out in a single breath.

Mihawk needed a moment to compose himself. “Alright. Come on,” he sighed and pulled the boy to his feet, before leading him to the bed. “You had a long day, It’s time to sleep.”

Thankfully Zoro did not put up a fight and let Mihawk wrap him in a blanket, after making him drink some water from the bottle on the nightstand. The man sat down on the bed, letting Zoro cuddle up to him until the boy fell asleep. Then he carefully got up and out of the room.

The second the door was closed, Mihawk sank down into a deep crouch, gripping his own hair tightly. What on earth was this? How was he supposed to do this?

……

Beckmann leaned back in his garden chair, watching his idiot best friend shotgun another beer. Despite his stable job and the responsibilities of fatherhood (especially considering that wrecking ball of a child), Shanks still acted like a carefree college student any chance he got.

However, their peace was disturbed by the sound of ‘Let’s get it on’ blaring from the redhead’s phone. Beck was on his feet in an instant. There was only one person whose call could trigger that ringtone. Everyone who had been around Shanks back in the day would immediately realize what was going on.

“Shanks, don’t-”

“Hiya,” the redhead said into his phone, his voice cheerful, but his eyes widened in shock.

Beckman couldn’t hear what Mihawk was saying, but Shanks’ reaction was worse enough.

“So you just assume I know who you are?”, the redhead grinned.

“Call me by my name at least, Hawkeyes.”

The idiot’s grin widened. “Thank you. Still sounds pretty coming from your lips.”

Fucking hell. What was Shanks thinking? Was he trying to break his own heart? Again?

“What? Cat got your tongue?”, the redhead smirked after it was silent for a long moment.

Suddenly the smile dropped. “Mihawk. This- You- There was a reason we broke things off. I won’t-”

“Right,” Shanks said bitterly.

Good. At least he wouldn’t-

“Mihawk, wait!”

Beckmann felt the sudden need to hit himself.

“Are you okay?”

“You haven’t changed at all. I can hear it in your voice, you know? Always could.”

“Nothing about you is simple.”

Was Shanks actually flirting? After getting one fucking phone call?

“But you were trying?”

What were they talking about? What did Mihawk want from Shanks? Why now, after so many years?

“Why me? Why now? Have you run out of distractions?”

Ah, so Shanks still possessed some brain cells.

“What?”

“Yes, I heard you. Why on earth would you ask me about that? You never cared.”

Huh?

“So you said.”

“Him?”

Fuck. Shanks’ voice sounded so weak all of a sudden. Was Mihawk involved with someone new?

“I don’t understand. Some boy from your dojo?”

Ah. So not a boyfriend then. But why would the swordmaster call about one of his students?

“Excuse me?!”

“That’s how you are feeling?”

“You have never admitted anything like that to me before.”

Shit. Shanks was getting sucked right back in.

“Mihawk.”

“Mihawk, listen, I’m with Beck right now, but just text me the rest of the story and I’ll be there at 10.”

Chapter Text

Shanks had barely slept. He had tried falling asleep for a long while, and when he had finally managed, his alarm had woken him right back up. He had set it extra early, to prepare some paperwork and read through the file.

Roronoa Zoro.

What the fuck had Mihawk been thinking?! This was going to turn into a burning trash can situation.

Fuck, Mihawk…

……

Shanks startled a little as music started playing suddenly. It took him a second to recognize the song.

No way. No fucking-

“Hiya.”

“Akagami. It’s me.”

It had been years since he heard that voice.

“So you just assume I know who you are?”

“Aka-”

“Call me by my name at least, Hawkeyes,” Shanks stopped him. What was wrong with that man? Last names? Was he for real?

“Shanks.” Fuck.

“Thank you. Still sounds pretty coming from your lips.”

“...”

“What? Cat got your tongue?”, Shanks teased, gripping the edge of the table tightly.

“Can you come over? Tomorrow perhaps?”

What? Mihawk didn’t even sound drunk. What the fuck?

“Mihawk. This- You-” Shanks wanted to say yes so badly. “There was a reason we broke things off. I won’t-”

“I need your help.”

“Right,” he said bitterly. Mihawk? Needing him? The man had never asked him for help, had always acted like he was perfect, untouchable. Leaving Shanks to feel like even talking to him was a privilege he had to beg for.

“I understand. My apologies.”

Mihawk was about to hang up. He was about to hang up and Shanks would think about this one, short phone call for the rest of his life.

“Mihawk, wait!”

“Yes?”

“Are you okay?”

“Yes.”

Fucking liar. Why could this stupid, cold, beautiful man never admit a single feeling?

“You haven’t changed at all. I can hear it in your voice, you know? Always could.”

“I’m simply…”, Mihawk trailed off, letting out a frustrated huff. Shanks used to love teasing those noises out of him. The man was just so easy to annoy.

“Nothing about you is simple.”

“I can’t find the right words.”

That… That was new?

“But you were trying?”

Shanks was honestly shocked. He would have expected Mihawk to simply state everything was fine again or end the phone call.

“I shouldn’t have bothered you.”

True. Calling your ex after 5 years to ask a favor was not acceptable at all. The second he hung up, Beck would probably give him a lecture on why he shouldn’t have picked up in the first place, but… it was Mihawk. It didn’t matter how long it would take to tease the information out of him, he needed to know what was wrong.

“Why me? Why now? Have you run out of distractions?”

“You are still a social worker, right?”

“What?”

“I said-”

“Yes, I heard you,” Shanks cut him off, completely out of his depth. Was Mihawk trying to change the topic? “Why on earth would you ask me about that? You never cared.”

“I need your help.”

“So you said.”

“I understand you have no reason to even consider it, but… If not for me, for him.”

Him. Him?! Was that man actually calling him just to get a favor for someone else? Was this not even about Shanks, but just about his job?

“Him?”

“A kid. I- I don’t know what I’m doing.”

Bingo. His mask was finally slipping.

“I don’t understand. Some boy from your dojo?”

“No. Yes,” Mihawk took a deep breath. “I am fostering him.”

“Excuse me?”

“I wanted to help him, but I don’t know what I’m doing.”

Yeah, Shanks had heard that before. Fuck, sometimes he really hated his job.

“I’m completely helpless and- and worried. I- I need help.” His breathing was speeding up, which was truly shocking for a man as much in control of his emotions as Mihawk.

“Please,” he whispered, startling Shanks by the tone of his voice. He sounded almost like he was crying, but that… Mihawk didn’t do that, right?

“Not for me, for Zoro. I- We need you.”

“That’s how you are feeling?” Shanks asked hoarsely.

“I don’t-”, Mihawk cut himself off and took a deep breath. “Shanks, this is ridiculous.”

“You have never admitted anything like that to me before,” the redhead whispered softly.

“This was a mistake.”

Ah. There were those walls, coming right back up.

“Mihawk.”

“My apologies for disturbing you at such a late hour, Akagami.”

Fuck it. Shanks was probably digging his own grave, but he simply couldn’t resist.

“Mihawk, listen, I am with Beck right now, but just text me the rest of the story and I’ll be there at 10.”

“What the hell, man?”

“Beck, listen, I-”

“You are going to his place? Are you for real?”

Shanks sighed. He should have walked away while answering that phone call.

“He needs me.”

“Bullshit.”

“He said-”

“You can’t just crawl back to him-”

“I’m not!”, Shanks said, far too loudly. “I’m not, and he doesn’t want me back. That’s not why he called.”

“Oh,” Beckmann said quietly. “I’m sorry.”

“No you are not,” Shanks huffed. “You never liked him.”

“Nothing personal,” Beck shrugged, “But he’s not right for you. Never has been.”

……

Shanks pulled out his phone, reading through the texts one last time. The first two were very typical for Mihawk. Simple, informative descriptions of who the boy was and how long he had been with Mihawk.

The next one was a whole different story. A jumbled mess of descriptions of fights and some rather concerning situations that had occurred within the past month. Every emotion, either Mihawk’s or Zoro’s, was labeled with a question mark, and followed by an apology for the confusion or a disclaimer.

Still… words. Actual words. He felt so far away, and yet closer to Mihawk than he had ever been before.

It had taken every ounce of strength he possessed not to scroll up and read those old messages again. Screw phones for automatically saving chats. Shanks was not here to think about the past. He had a job to do. Nothing more, nothing less.

He put his phone away and pressed the doorbell.

Chapter Text

Mihawk had barely slept. He had been pacing in his room for a long while, and when he had finally exhausted himself, his alarm had woken him right back up. He had set it extra early, to prepare for whatever Shanks may hold in store for him.

Shanks…

What the hell was Mihawk doing? Calling that red-headed idiot of all people? No wonder he was good with children, he was basically an overgrown toddler himself. That insolent, irritating, impossible-

He hadn’t even sounded slightly bothered.

Why would he? The only reason Shanks had been even slightly inconvenienced by their ‘break-up’ was because he was so disgustingly good-natured and was convinced every person in the entire world had to like him. It wasn’t like he had cared about Mihawk, he just… it didn’t matter what exactly he had seen in Mihawk, it hadn’t been anything special. Their relationship hadn’t been special. Mihawk hadn’t been-

He shouldn’t feel so happy about the tremble in Shank’s voice when he had asked him to come over. The redhead was probably just trying to avoid conflict. It meant nothing.

God, Mihawk hadn’t missed this feeling. The way Shanks always made him feel. Weak. This time he wouldn’t be-

Mihawk ripped open the door and-

“Shanks…”

“Mihawk. It’s good to see you.”

He- Why- Did he-

He had more stubble now. His hair, the scars over his eye, even his stupid, ridiculous hat were the same, but he had more stubble now. Mihawk hadn’t thought of that. He had prepared himself all morning, but he hadn’t even considered-

“Hello, Shanks. It is good to see you as well. Please come in,” Mihawk said calmly.

Shanks took a step closer and-

“What?”

It probably wasn’t the most intelligent thing to say, but it was all Mihawk could come up with.

“Oh, yeah. That. Happened like… 4 or 5 years ago?”

“4 or 5?”, Mihawk whispered, staring at Shanks’ left arm, or rather, the place it used to be. “Right after we- And no one told me? You didn’t think to give me a call?”

Shanks shrugged. Mihawk felt a bit queasy as he watched the stump move. It must have hurt. Shanks must have been scared. And Mihawk hadn’t even known.

“Didn’t want to bother ya. Considering… well.”

“I would have been there for you.”

Shanks shook his head. “It’s fine. I was fine. There were enough people around.”

Right. Of course someone like Shanks wouldn’t have been alone, he didn’t need Mihawk. He had never needed Mihawk.

“Ah. I’m glad.”

Mihawk led Shanks upstairs. “May I offer you a cup of tea? Coffee perhaps?”, he asked as they entered the living room.

“No, thanks, I’m good for now.”

“Ah. Good. Just let me know should you need anything.”

“Yes.”

They just stared at each other for a long, uncomfortable moment. Mihawk could only bear to look at the other’s eyes for so long, so he studied Shank’s forehead instead. There were a few lines over his eyebrows…

“So. The boy,” Shanks said suddenly, making Mihawk flinch.

“Right. Roronoa Zoro. I think he might still be asleep, he had a long day yesterday.”

Shanks nodded, his frown deepening. “Probably better that way, we can get the paperwork done with before I talk to him.”

Mihawk began to nod, then stopped. Paperwork? What paperwork? Was Shanks going to become Zoro’s official caseworker? That would definitely be helpful, as at the moment no one seemed to be responsible for the child.

“Just between the two of us though, what the hell were you thinking?”

“Uhm…”

“Like, who even green-lit this?” Shanks shook his head, looking absolutely astonished. “This is clearly the worst possible place for that poor kid.”

Oh. Shanks thought so little of him? Yes, obviously Mihawk was not a suitable guardian, but he had to be better than that group home, right? And Zoro had seemed to get better.

“Excuse me?”

Shanks sighed. “I’ll have to ask you some questions and you need to fill out some forms, but Zoro won’t have to stay with you another night.”

Everything came to a screeching halt. Not stay with him? He had called Shanks in the hope for some guidance, not for him to destroy Mihawk’s life! What was this? Some ploy for revenge? Shanks had been the one who- no, he wouldn’t. Shanks wouldn’t use an innocent child like this. But what the hell was he implying?

“I will not sign anything,” Mihawk said coldly. “And until you get officially assigned to Zoro’s case, I advice you to leave my house. Now.”

“Uhm, what?”

“Do I have to repeat myself, Akagami? I do not know what kind of game you are playing, but if you came here to threaten my family-!”

“F-Family…?”, Shanks asked with wide eyes. “Is this not what you wanted?”

Mihawk scoffed. “Why would I want you to take Zoro away from me?”

Shanks was staring at him, his mouth hanging open slightly. “The call… And the texts… You said you were helpless? Desperate? Unqualified? Don’t know what to do?”

Mihawk had straightened up during their conversation, but now his shoulders slumped back down. It was true. He was absolutely useless as a caretaker. Was it truly too late to learn? He had never even considered having children before, but…

“I thought you decided you are not up for the task and wanted to give him away?”

“Who on earth would just give their child away?

Shanks leaned forward a bit. “Mihawk, why did you call me?”

“Is this not what you do? Working with children like Zoro? Who else would know what to do?”

“Holy…”, Shanks slumped back in the armchair. “Did you, Dracule Mihawk, call me here for… parenting advice?”

Mihawk sighed. “I guess so. I would simply like to do better for Zoro.”

Shanks kept staring at him, making Mihawk quite irritated. “Oh, stop it! I know I am not the ideal person for this job, but there is no way this is ‘the worst possible place’,” he said, making airquotes.

It took the redhead a moment to answer. “This is a dojo.”

“Uhm, yes?”

“A dojo, Mihawk.”

“I am aware?”

“Roronoa Zoro? Living in a dojo? How did that even happen again?”, Shanks asked, raising his eyebrows as if Mihawk was supposed to know what he was talking about.

“Again? Zoro hasn’t mentioned living in another dojo?”

Once more Shanks gaped at him. “What do you-? You know about his sensei right?”

Mihawk shook his head.

“The police raid?”

“The what?!”

“The – The basement? You have to know- Mihawk, where do you think that boy came from? How did you even find him?”

Mihawk held back his questions and explained everything. How he had noticed things changing places in the dojo, discovering the little trespasser, the night he had confronted Zoro, the bullies at his old school, how Zoro had broken down and told him about the group home. How he had called them and they had simply told him he could keep the boy, as long as he agreed he would be legally responsible.

“O-Kay… I will definitely report them,” Shanks said, looking absolutely disgusted. “But have you not asked? Where he was before the group home? If his parents are alive? Jesus, Mihawk, what do you even know about that boy?!”

“Uhm… He’s 14, he likes adventure books, he hates Physics class, his favorite ice cream flavor is…”, Mihawk trailed off. That was not what Shanks was asking. Said out loud, it all sounded a little ridiculous.

“I messed up, didn’t I?”

“More than you know,” Shanks said, handing him a thick yellow binder, with the words ‘Roronoa Zoro’ written on the front.

Chapter Text

Name: Roronoa, Zoro

Biological parents: Unknown

Current guardian: Dracule, Mihawk

The picture of Zoro on the first page had clearly been taken a while ago, it looked at least a year old. It was strange, Mihawk hadn’t thought the boy could pull his heartstrings even more, but… He looked so…

Mihawk flipped the page and began to read.

During a standard visit for a follow-up interview regarding his daughter’s death at the house and dojo of Shimotsuki Koushirou, Roronoa Zoro was discovered in the basement.

Huh? What did they mean by discovered? Shimotsuki? Mihawk had heard of the man before. Was he Zoro’s former sensei?

Follow up interviews and investigations revealed Roronoa had been kept on the premises between the ages 3 and 9.

Kept? That was rather strange phrasing.

No information about his parents or upbringing prior to the abduction could be secured.

Abduction?!

When he was found by the police Roronoa suffered from undernourishment, bruising of the neck and wrists, and several infected lacerations.

Mihawk had to put down the file and take a few deep breaths. 9. Zoro had been so young, how could anyone do that to him?

Shimotsuki has admitted to not reporting the child to the authorities after finding him abandoned on his doorstep at the age of three. He immediately began teaching him to fight, forcing a rigorous training program, resulting in several injuries.

That- That was how Zoro had become a fighter? By being forced into it by his kidnapper?!

Roronoa was punished for missteps or failure to meet Shimotsuki’s standards daily, either by physical injury, extensive training or limited food supply.

Mihawk felt like he was going to be sick.

“M-My sensei. He decides how much I am allowed to have based on how well I do. I- I have never been given this much at once.”

“I have to fight you? You are so much stronger than me. You will win. You will hurt me.”

“How am I supposed to sleep if I haven’t trained enough?”

Suddenly, there was a warm touch, stilling his trembling hand.

“Darling? You alright?”

“He- Shanks, he thought I was going to do all that to him. That’s- Why would anyone- He was- he is a child!”

“Shimotsuki wanted to create the perfect fighter. He decided his daughter wouldn’t be of use, as she was female, and he believed a woman could not be the best fighter. Therefore, when he found a male child no one was claiming…”

Mihawk stared at Shanks in horror. “That’s insane! Absolutely deranged! How dare he- Shanks, Zoro was so young!”

“Yes,” Shanks sighed. “Unfortunately, as in many cases, he did not get transferred to a stable home afterwards. The severe trauma caused some issues including nightmares, violent outbursts and issues to form close relationships to others.”

“He was 9.”

“Yes,” the redhead nodded again.

Mihawk looked out the window for a moment, trying to collect his thoughts.

“Did you really not know any of this?”

“I am such an idiot,” Mihawk groaned, putting his head in his hands. “He must have been so terrified. Probably still is. Why would he even come here?”

“It’s all he has ever known.”

Right. No wonder the boy was surprised by being given food. And a bed. And a fucking hug, for crying out loud!

“Shanks?”

“Yes?”

“Why was he put in that group home?”

“Ah, that.”

“Shanks,” Mihawk warned.

“Listen, this will sound bad, but I did some digging and-”

“Shanks!”

“Aggravated assault.”

“Okay.”

Shanks blinked at him in confusion. “Okay?”

Mihawk shrugged. “Zoro is a good kid, he must have had a reason.”

The redhead let out a startled laugh. “A damn good one.”

The swordmaster’s hand itched for his weapon. “Who else hurt my boy?”

“Zoro? No one.”

“But you said-”

“It happened on a school night, at his last foster home,” Shanks said, immediately making Mihawk shut up. “He called the police himself. Said he did something bad and his foster father needed an ambulance. The man had a few broken bones, some cuts from the glass Zoro broke over his head and was unconscious, slowly bleeding out.”

“Oh…”, Mihawk said. “Is he…?”

“Alive? Yes. Recently became a resident in a lovely little prison.”

“Huh?”

Shanks’ hands balled up tightly. “The report says Zoro attacked all of a sudden, with no prior provocation.”

“No, he wouldn’t. Not Zoro.”

“They found some stuff on the guy’s laptop a few months later.”

Mihawk began to feel a bit queasy. “Stuff…?”

“A lot of it,” Shanks confirmed.

Mihawk covered his mouth with his hands. No. Please, anything but that. “Shanks…”

“No, he didn’t touch Zoro,” the redhead answered, before he could even ask the question. “Besides, the boys in that footage were younger than him. He was already 12 at the time. However, there was another child in the house. One that would have fit the bastard’s type perfectly.”

While Shanks was talking, the puzzle pieces finally fell into place.

“Interestingly enough, the incident occurred right in front of the other boy’s room.”

“Chopper.”

Shanks looked up in surprise. “Oh, so Zoro told you about that?”

“I have met him. Zoro… reacted rather strongly. Not that I think about it, he probably would have tried to fight me should I have tried to separate them.”

“And that didn’t make you ask any questions?!”, Shanks shrieked.

Mihawk shrugged, feeling a little embarrassed. “Well… I was just glad Zoro was making friends.”

“You absolute-”, Shanks stopped himself, his eyes fixed on something behind Mihawk.

“Oh, hi there!”

Mihawk whirled around. “Zoro,” he said nervously. “Good morning. I was just talking to-”

“A clown that got stuffed into a blender?”, the teen asked, pointedly looking at Shanks red hair and stump.

“Roronoa Zoro!”, Mihawk gasped and stood up. “What has gotten into you?”

“Oh please, what are you going to do about it?”, the boy asked, smirking at him. “You can’t hit me with a fucking social worker in the house, so piss off.”

Mihawk opened and closed his mouth a couple of times. Earlier that day, he would have been confused as to why Zoro would ever even think such a thing, but now… now all he could think about was how tall he was compared to the child, how his voice was deep and gruff, how there was a sword hanging off the wall, just a few feet away.

“Zoro, I would never-”

“Some advice, next time you want someone out of your house, just let them pack in peace,” the teen hissed, turning around to leave the room.

“This is not- Shanks is not-”

Zoro whirled back around, his fists balled at his sides. “You are seriously sick in the head, man. What fucked-up game is this?”

Mihawk didn’t answer. It was like he was looking through the boy, seeing a much, much younger version of him. He had just been 3 when that man, a man so similar to Mihawk, had first laid hands on him.

He had been 9 when the police had found him locked up in a basement. Was he still scared of the dark? Did he dream about it sometimes? Was that why he would go to the living room? Did he need more space?

He had been 12 when he had to fight an adult, desperately trying to save a young boy from a horrible fate. Was he preparing to do it again? That first night, Mihawk had proven to him he could beat him in a fight. Did Zoro still think about it? Was he always checking Mihawk’s position in the room, or the distance to the closest exit? In case Mihawk, his sensei, attacked?

“You didn’t have to lie…”, Zoro whispered, before leaving the room.

Chapter Text

Well… That definitely could have gone over more smoothly.

“Shanks.”

He turned back to Mihawk, who was staring at him in horror. Shit, he kinda had hoped to make a good impression… Beckmann would probably call him pathetic for it though. He wasn’t supposed to get drawn in by Mihawk again. Damn shame they could never work, the dark-haired man looked so fucking pretty in this lighting...

“I- I am so sorry,” Mihawk stuttered. “He usually isn’t like this. I-”

Shanks let out a startled laugh. That was what Mihawk was worried about? Shanks being offended by some sassy comments?

“Damn, your kid is pretty funny.”

“Uhm?”

Shanks rolled his eyes at the adorable look of confusion on Mihawk’s face. “Come on, sweetheart, I meet pissy little teenagers every day, at least yours is creative.”

“Oh.”

Mihawk’s face turned a little pink. Was he embarrassed by his overreaction? That didn’t seem like him…

“Still, that was… intense,” Mihawk said stiffly. “He has called me names before, but never anything so… personal.” He finished awkwardly, seemingly doing his best to not look at Shank’s left side.

This was what Shanks had expected. He had been a bit thrown off by Mihawk’s first reaction to his amputation. No questions, no hows or whys, just… Shanks wasn’t sure what Mihawk had been thinking or feeling in that moment. Disappointment? Sadness?

He had said he would have wanted to be there. Shanks had wanted to call him, had almost given in when Beckmann had told him to do whatever he needed to do to make it through that, but he had been scared of… not rejection, exactly. Mihawk was a good man, he wouldn’t have ditched Shanks. But he had been worried the other man would not understand. Now, he felt he might have misjudged him.

“I am a big boy, I can wait for an apology until the kid feels safe,” Shanks told Mihawk.

The swordmaster sighed deeply. “I’ll go talk to him.”

Shanks shook his head. “No, let me do it. I fear the kid might have misread this entire situation, and I would prefer to clear it up before you guys talk.”

“Thank you.”

Shanks was ready to leave the room, when Mihawk awkwardly cleared his throat.

“Hey, uh, Shanks? You- uhm- you don’t.”

He turned around, raising an eyebrow. “I don’t what?”

“You don’t look like a clown. You look- anyways, good luck.”

Mihawk basically shoved him out of the room and closed the door behind him. Shanks just stood there for a moment. He looked… how? What was Mihawk going to say? He wanted to go back and ask him, but there was something more important right now.

He knocked on the door and waited for a faint ‘yes’, before he entered. Shanks looked around the room. Mihawk had mentioned they hadn’t gotten around to decorating the room yet. If it hadn’t been for the sword displayed on the wall, he wouldn’t have known this was Zoro’s room. And considering there were swords in other rooms in Mihawk’s apartment as well, the room didn’t look lived-in at all.

The kid was curled up in a large armchair by the window. He was gripping his own forearms tightly, trying to stifle his sobs.

“M-Mr. A-Akagami,” Zoro wheezed out, scrambling to his feet.

“Hello Zoro,” Shanks greeted carefully.

“G-Give me a minute. I already packed yesterday, I just need to-”, another sob cut him off as he walked over to a trash bag on the floor, presumably filled with his belongings.

“Zoro, could you please sit down for a moment?”

The boy didn’t let go of the bag, but got back in the armchair, pulling his legs to his chest.

“So…”, Shanks sighed. There was no easy way to do this. He needed to get the kid to understand what was going to happen to him next and wait for him to calm down. “You know I’m a social worker?”

Zoro shrugged. “Word gets around, and you are pretty recognizable.” The kid flinched a little. “Sorry about what I said, by the way. Heard you are pretty alright.”

Shanks couldn’t help but feel a bit proud. He hadn’t lied to Mihawk, most teenagers weren’t exactly in a good mood when he came to talk to them. It was nice to know he had a good reputation regardless.

“Thanks. It’s true, I’m a social worker. I’d like to apologize for surprising you like this.”

Zoro shrugged. “Just doing your job.”

Shanks shook his head. “Nah, it’s my day off, actually.”

“Oh… Did they call you in anyways? That sucks.”

“Mihawk didn’t call social services,” Shanks explained. “He called me personally.”

At this point, Zoro seemed so distracted he had stopped crying. Not ideal, but at least the kid could breathe now.

“I don’t understand.”

“I’m not here as an official social worker. Mihawk didn’t make a report, he simply wanted my advice.”

“Oh… He knows you? That’s a weird coincidence.”

“You think so?”

“Mihawk doesn’t know a lot of people.”

Shanks had to stifle a laugh. “You are very perceptive.”

Suddenly the kid’s eyes widened and he shot up from his chair. “I-If you are a social worker, you can help me, right?”

“Of course, Zoro. Is there anything-”

“You can make me better so Mihawk wants to keep me!”

Okay… That was not what Shanks had been expecting. “You want to stay here? With Mihawk? Dracule Mihawk?”

“Of course! He is the kindest person I’ve ever met! Please, can I stay with him?”

Shanks stared in astonishment at the boy- the child, who was begging him to stay in the care of Dracule Mihawk of all people.

“I’m not taking you away from Mihawk, he would never allow that. I will do my best to help you, but simply for your own sake. You deserve to live here, to have a home, and you don’t have to earn it.”

“But I’m- I’m so-”

Shanks held up a hand to stop him. “Listen, kid, I’ve been doing this for a while now, and trust me, I recognize a forming bond when I see one. You got a real shot at something good here.”

It was quiet for a while, as Shanks wanted to give the boy some time for his words to sink in. He still wasn’t sure what parallel universe he had entered in which his cold, closed-off ex was apparently the ideal parent, but if it got one more child into a safe home, who was he to judge.

“There is one more thing I need to ask you,” Shanks said finally. “How do you feel about living in a dojo again?”

Chapter Text

“How do you feel about living in a dojo again?”

Zoro frowned at the strange question. Everything about this man was strange. His smile, his tone of voice, the fact that he was even here. Mihawk had mentioned knowing a social worker before, but someone this friendly? Hanging out with Mihawk? Zoro didn’t get it.

Shanks was still looking at him. Right, Zoro was supposed to answer his question.

“You know about… all that?”

“I read your file.”

Ah. At least Zoro didn’t have to say it himself. Talking to the police had been hard enough. He had been so confused and scared and-

“Uhm… I don’t really live in the dojo. I live up here,” the teen quickly said when his breathing sped up.

“I see,” Shanks nodded. Zoro briefly wondered if Mihawk had told him about his first night here, when he had prepared to sleep in the training room. Hopefully, the red-haired man did not think he was an idiot…

“Do you like your room?”

Zoro shrugged. “I like that I don’t have to share. And my sword is safe.”

Shanks gave him a strange look. “Indeed. Very safe.”

Zoro didn’t know what he meant, so he just nodded and continued. “And I like my armchair.”

“It’s new, isn’t it?”

He suddenly felt a bit awkward. Being able to talk to someone else about what had happened in the past couple of weeks felt… good. Freeing. But would Shanks think he was weird for sleeping on the floor? Mihawk hadn’t, but Mihawk was a bit weird himself, so his reactions weren’t exactly a good indicator.

“Uhm… yes. I- There was a… problem.”

“Zoro, you can tell me anything. And if there is something you don’t want Mihawk to know, I won’t tell him.”

Zoro grimaced. “Nah, he already knows. That’s why he got me the armchair. I couldn’t- This place is just so different.”

How was he even supposed to explain all of this? Any normal person would be glad to finally have a nice bed like this, why couldn’t Zoro just stop being so weird?

“He noticed I hadn’t slept on the bed, so he dragged an armchair in here. Last weekend, he got me a new one.”

Shanks’ eyes got comically wide. “Mihawk- Really? That’s so…”

“Kind?”, Zoro guessed. The only other word that came to mind was weird, and he didn’t want to say something like that about Mihawk in front of Shanks.

The redhead looked incredibly confused for a moment. “Yes… Kind. Mihawk is… kind. To children. Huh.”

It was quiet for a moment, until Shanks quickly shook his head. “Sorry, I kinda got off track there.”

Zoro shrugged. “It’s fine. I also don’t get Mihawk. He is not like anyone I have met before. Training with him is weird too. He’s very different from my old sensei.”

“Well, I’d fucking hope so!”

Zoro stared at the social worker in shock. “Are you allowed to say that?”

Shanks grinned at him. “Kiddo, I’ve only known you for like five minutes, but I’ve already heard you say worse shit, so… I think we’re good.”

Hm. Fair enough.

“So… why did you come here? Why a dojo?”

Zoro suddenly felt very uncomfortable. Would it be even more suspicious if he told the man to get out now, after he had asked that question? Was it safe to make something up, before talking to Mihawk to get their stories to match?

“Uhm…”

Shanks gave him a very unimpressed look. “Kid, I ain’t a cop. I don’t care that you broke in.”

“Oh… right.”

“Why do you want to train, now that no one is forcing you?”

That was not a question Zoro had been expecting. It made sense though. Shanks probably thought he was some kind of fucked-up freak for even being here. Some masochist or some shit. He glanced away, his eyes landing on the white sword displayed on the wall.

“I don’t want to get hurt,” he tried to explain.

“Are you scared you will get hurt if you stop?”

Huh. Did he? Not when he had been at the foster homes, they had all tried to stop him, had even taken the sword away from him. Not at the group home, it would have been a lot easier to stop. Not with Mihawk.

Well, not anymore. In the beginning, he had thought his training would be a lot harder. But Mihawk was so… kind. He never yelled, never hit, never even touched Zoro without asking for permission. Hell, he even told him to train less and sleep more. It sometimes upset him. He didn’t know who he was supposed to be for Mihawk.

All Zoro had ever been was something to mold. A thing to bend and break, and remake, until he was just what he had to be. Unfortunately, he had been passed on before he could be remade, leaving him broken and useless. Then again, Zoro had been twisted into the ugly shape of a fighter. A perfect machine, who never faltered, never complained, never felt a damn thing. And now all these people wanted him to do was feel. There was only one man who had use of a boy like Zoro, and that bastard had been put in prison years ago.

“No,” the teen finally decided. “I don’t think Mihawk will hurt me.”

Shanks gave him a small smile. “I’m glad to hear that, but that is not what I asked.”

Zoro frowned at that. “He’s the only one here. What are you talking about?”

“I didn’t ask if you think you will be hurt by someone, I asked if you fear you will get hurt. Besides, what you think and what you feel are not the same thing. Tell me Zoro, how do you feel when you don’t train?”

What the fuck? Why was Shanks starting with all this philosophical crap now? His guardian wasn’t physically hurting him, was that not all the social worker had to ask? Then again, he had said he wasn’t here officially, just to help Mihawk. And of course Mihawk would care about all of this stupid shit.

“I dunno,” Zoro shrugged. “Bad.”

Shanks didn’t answer.

“Guilty,” Zoro added.

“Correct me if I’m wrong,” Shanks said, his voice quiet and gentle, “but I think you felt guilty yesterday too. After the fight.”

Zoro squeezed his eyes shut tightly. “I’m supposed to be good at it,” he forced himself to admit. “I never did anything else. I wasn’t even supposed to learn how to read and write, sensei would have been so angry if he found out.”

When he opened his eyes again, Shanks was smiling. “All you are good at? Nothing else?”

Zoro pulled his legs closer to himself, trying to push down the feeling of shame. He was so… small. There was so little of him. More bad than good, but not even a lot of the bad stuff. Zoro was just… blank. Empty.

“Heard you are good with that kid,” the redhead said suddenly, making Zoro look up again. “Chopper? You taught him how to throw a punch?

“He’s tiny,” the teen explained. “If I can help it he’ll never have to fight, but he needs to be able to protect himself.”

“Hm,” Shanks nodded. “I heard you made some friends at school? Did you fight them?”

“What?”, Zoro asked, sitting up a bit straighter. “No? Why would I do that?”

“So if fighting is all you are, why do they like you then?”

“Shut up.”

Shanks hummed again. “You may not have tried many things, but so far your success rate seems pretty good, don’t ya think?”

Zoro looked down at his hands. It was true, he had never tried anything else. What would happen if he did? What was there even for him?

“You can be more than a fighter, Zoro. So much more.”

“Fine,” Zoro hissed out, wanting this stupid conversation to end already. “Whatever. I’m still gonna train.”

“Because you feel guilty?”

“I promised someone to be the best.”

“Your sensei?”, Shank’s asked, the smile wiped from his stupid face.

“Yes, but he doesn’t matter,” Zoro said bitterly. “Screw that bastard.”

Shanks nodded in approval. “Fucking asshole.”

“Someone else,” the teen admitted after a few moments. “Someone important.”

Zoro was glad when Shanks didn’t push for more. He didn’t want to talk about it, and he didn’t want to have to tell the man to fuck off. He liked talking with him, but not about her. Not about Kuina.

“Mihawk says you train at night, in the morning, and after school. Why the rush?”

Because he had to. What was so hard to understand?! “What if I am not strong enough when I face him?”, Zoro admitted quietly. “What if I miss my chance?”

Shanks tilted his head to the side. “Who? Who do you have to face?”

“The strongest swordsman in the world.”

Zoro flinched back when a loud laugh escaped Shanks. “Hawkeyes?! Your big goal is to find Hawkeyes?”

“You know who that is?”, the teen asked surprised.

“Yeah,” the stupid redhead giggled. “I know who that is.”

“Stop laughing, I didn’t know you know anything about sword fighting!”, Zoro tried to defend himself.

“Awe, sorry kiddo,” Shanks cooed. What an asshole. “Please don’t be mad.”

Zoro crossed his arms and looked out the window.

“Now, if I understand correctly, you are pushing yourself so much because you feel like you need to be ready as soon as possible, because you can’t control when you meet him?”

The teen shrugged.

“Well, that’s an easy fix then! I know the guy!”

Zoro’s head whipped around so fast, he hurt his neck a little. “You what?!”

“Yup.”

“Nuh uh!”

“Yeah uh!”, Shanks grinned back. “Used to hang out with him all the time!”

“No way!”

“I can just call him up whenever you wanna fight him. Easy!”

What the hell? Was this guy crazy?!

“But no one has seen him in years! He stopped going to competitions ages ago!”

“Hey, come on now, we are not that old,” Shanks complained, but he was still grinning like a madman. When Zoro kept looking at him specifically, he pulled out his phone.

“Fine, I’ll prove it.”

Zoro leaned over and- “Holy shit.”

The photo showed Shanks, a couple years younger, both of his arms wrapped around someone who was definitely the strongest fighter in the world, Hawkeyes. The man’s mask was poking the redhead in the face a little, but he didn’t seem to mind. On Hawkeyes’ back, there was the famous black sword he used for his less official duels.

“Wait,” Zoro noticed after a few seconds. “Why are you hugging him? Why is he touching your chest like that?

“Uhm…”

“Holy shit…”, Zoro whispered. “You dated Hawkeyes?! The Hawkeyes?! How did you manage that?”

Shanks pulled a face. “Pfft, more like how did he manage to get me!” he pointed at the picture. “Look at me, I was- I am a total catch.”

Zoro just ignored that. “Wait, so… you would call up your ex for me? Wouldn’t that be like… super awkward?”

Shanks gave him a long, very weird look. “Yes, Zoro. That would be super, duper awkward.”

“But you’d still do it?”, the teen asked surprised. “For me?”

Shanks grinned. “Sure.”

Zoro leaned back in his chair and thought it over for a moment. The offer wasn’t too bad… “Hey, Shanks?”

“Yeah?”

“Can you not tell Mihawk about this? He’d ask too many questions, and… and I’m not ready.”

Shanks dropped his head and chuckled to himself. “Sure thing, kiddo. Damn, you wanna meet Hawkeyes. That’s so fucking funny.”

Suddenly the man jumped to his feet and tossed his hair back. “Alrighty, now that this has been settled, I better tell Mihawk to get to work. That man owes me a home-cooked breakfast and at least a liter of coffee.”

“That much caffeine sounds like an addiction,” Zoro pointed out, and then, just because he felt like it, “Probably still better than all the drugs I take!”

The alarmed look the social worker gave him was absolutely priceless.

“Kidding!”

Shanks sighed deeply. “Don’t say that in front of Mihawk. He’ll cry. See you at breakfast, Zoro.”

“See ya, Shanks.”

Chapter Text

This whole situation was driving Mihawk insane. Shanks had been in Zoro’s room for over half an hour now. Was that a good sign? Were they getting along? Or had something gone wrong? Shanks would get him if his boy needed him, right?

“Have you been pacing the entire time?”

Mihawk jumped at the voice of the idiot. How could he be so happy at a time like this? Wait… happy? So Zoro was okay?

“So?”

“So… that went pretty well actually!”

“Is he okay?”, Mihawk asked wringing his hands nervously.

Shanks’ smile softened. “Yes, he’s fine. And despite my reservations about placing this specific kid with a sensei of all people…” He gripped Mihawk’s shoulder tightly. “I think this might be the perfect place for him.”

“Thank you.”

Before Mihawk could think better of it, he had gripped Shanks by his shoulder and pulled him into a tight hug. He felt the other man’s arm settle around his middle, holding him just as close.

“Missed you,” Shanks whispered, right next to Mihawk’s ear.

“I- Me too,” he admitted. “Thank you,” he couldn’t help but repeat.

Shanks chuckled softly, sending a thrill down his spine. “You can thank me by making me breakfast, sweetheart.”

That rapidly pulled Mihawk back to reality and he took a few hurried steps back. “Ah. Right. Of course.”

He turned to the kitchen. “What about Zoro.”

“Yeah, he wants some too.”

Mihawk sighed in relief. “Ah, good. I really need to get that boy on a consistent meal schedule.”

He prepared breakfast in silence. Shanks offered to help him, but Mihawk quickly waved him off. To be honest, he needed as much distance between them as possible, so placing Shanks at the table while he cooked was the best solution. In the end, he wasn’t sure if this was any better, as he could feel the redhead’s eyes on him the entire time.

“So… uhm… Got any plans today?”, Mihawk asked awkwardly, not being able to stand the silence anymore.

“Not really,” Shanks yawned. “Gotta pick the kid up later.”

“Kid?”, Mihawk asked. “I thought you weren’t working today?”

“Nah, I meant my son.”

The pan slipped out of his hand, splashing Mihawk with hot grease. “Your- Your son?”

“Oh. Yeah, forgot you wouldn’t know. I have a son.”

He had a child. Shanks had a child. It had been five years. Why wouldn’t he have a child. A family. And- He didn’t dare to turn around to check the redhead’s hand for a ring.

“That’s- That’s great!”

“Yeah, you barely missed that little surprise.”

Oh. So right after they broke up- Mihawk felt a bit nauseous.

“How- How old is he now?”, he asked carefully, hoping he wasn’t being too obvious.

“Twelve.”

Mihawk tried to do the math a couple of times, but it didn’t add up. At all. “Twelve?”

“Yeah… Crazy story, had a one night stand with his mother back in college, and she never told me. Left the baby with her father and has been gone ever since.”

He couldn’t tell if Shanks was actually okay with all of this or if he was acting nonchalant on purpose. “Must have been quite the shock,” Mihawk said after a few moments.

The redhead shrugged. “Best thing that ever happened to me, just wish I had known earlier. But my kid was fine, and now he is with me, so it all worked out fine.”

“I suppose…”, Mihawk said, and turned back to the stove. “So, who is watching your son right now?”

“Beckmann.”

Goddammit. Mihawk simply couldn’t catch a break.

“Ah. So… how has that worked out?”

“Whatcha mean? We are still best friends, just like back then.”

Damn him. Damn him for acting like he didn’t know what Mihawk was asking. The swordmaster huffed in irritation. “Exactly like back then?”

“Uhm… yes?”

Right. Well. Good for them.

Before he was forced to come up with a reply, there was a faint knock. Mihawk whirled around and saw Zoro standing in the doorway.

“Uhm, hi!”, the child greeted, giving him a little wave.

“Good morning, Zoro.”

“Yeah… morning. So… uhm… we good?”

“Yes, we are… good,” Mihawk nodded.

Suddenly, a small body slammed into his. He stumbled back a little, as Zoro’s arms wrapped around his middle.

“Thank you. I don’t want you to be upset with me.”

Mihawk pulled his boy closer. “Of course not. I’m so proud of you, Zoro.”

“Even if-”

“Yes.”

“And when-”

“Nope, doesn’t change a thing.”

“But I am-”

“Bullshit.”

Zoro pulled back and looked up at him in shock. Mihawk rolled his eyes. “Oh please, I let you talk to Shanks, you heard worse.”

“Hey!”, the man in question complained. “I am very appropriate for children and I have a license to prove it!”

“He said fuck. Three times,” Zoro deadpanned.

“You counted?!”, Shanks shrieked. “Mihawk, you are raising a snitch!”

“He also said shit.”

“Stop-!”

“And asshole.”

“And I’ll do it again, you traitor!”

Mihawk desperately needed a cup of coffee.

……

Zoro helped Mihawk clean up after breakfast and walked Shanks to the door with him.

“Thank you for coming over,” Mihawk said stiffly. He was even worse than usual. Had no one ever told him you were supposed to move your face when talking? He could at least fake it, Zoro did that all the time.

“Of course,” Shanks said, with a huge grin. Wow, that was overkill. Was Shanks trying to make fun of Mihawk? He didn’t seem like the guy to do that.

“You should text me.”

Mihawk just stared blankly at the redhead. Zoro felt the need to poke him, maybe that would get him to start working again.

“You know, about how it is going,” Shanks added, gesturing to Zoro. The teen suddenly felt like a prop. Neither of the two adults were even looking at him, and he was sure if he tried to sneak off, he would get away with it.

“Right,” Mihawk said, resting a hand on Zoro’s shoulder and pulling him closer. No sneaking off, then. “About the boy. Of course.”

The boy in question was very sure this was not about him at all.

“See ya, Shanks,” he said quickly, so Mihawk would stop gripping him so tightly. It wasn’t painful or anything, but he could feel the nervous energy radiating of off the man.

The redhead’s grin widened. He probably knew what Zoro was doing. “See ya, Zoro.”

“Yes, see you,” Mihawk concluded and closed the door in his face.

“Stupid ginger,” he muttered and walked back to the kitchen, probably to get himself another cup of coffee.

“So, you and Shanks talked?”, he called over his shoulder.

Zoro followed him. “Yeah, I told him…”, he trailed off. “… a lot, actually. Wait, why did I do that?”

Mihawk chuckled. “Yeah… that’s the Shanks-effect.”

“That’s weird.”

“Truly terrible.”

“Horrible,” Zoro agreed.

“I despise that man.”

“Mihawk?”

“Yes, Zoro?”

“He’s coming back, right?”, he asked, looking up at Mihawk, who was mustering him with a piercing gaze.

“Yes.”

Zoro sighed in relief. “Good.”

“Indeed.”

Chapter Text

Shanks gave him a stupid grin when he opened the door.

“Are you getting slow?”, he asked, poking the plastic arrow stuck to his best friend’s forehead.

Beckmann grimaced. “Your brat doesn’t play fair.”

“Of course not, he learned from the best,” the idiot redhead said, before dodging another arrow flying his way. “Hi, kiddo.”

“Hi, Dad!”, Luffy yelled back, before running upstairs again. “Distract him, I need to do something real quick!”

Beckmann felt all the blood leave his face. “May god help us all.”

“Have fun!”, Shanks called after his monster of a son.

Beckmann simply shook his head and let Shanks enter. “You are back earlier than expected. So, how did it go?”, he asked carefully. Shanks had been so distracted after discovering he had a son, he had never really tried getting over that stuck-up goth bitch.

“Pretty good. I’m seeing him again soon.”

“Oh?”, Beck wondered, pouring himself a cup of coffee. “Where did you manage to place the boy anyways?”

“He’s still with Mihawk.”

Hot coffee splashed on the counter and his hand, but Beckmann barely even noticed it. “Shanks…”

“Turns out it’s a very suitable home for the kid.”

“Shanks.”

“Very funny child, by the way, you’d like him.”

“Shanks!”, Beckmann finally stopped him. “What do you mean you will see him again?”

“Oh, ya know…”

“Shanks.”

“Gotta do a few follow-up visits.”

This fucking brainless idiot. “You will see Mihawk again. Dammit Shanks, you said it was a one-time thing!”

“I thought it would be!”, the dumbass tried to defend himself. “But I wasn’t joking, the child should stay with him, so I gotta drop by again soon.”

For fuck’s sake.

“Also… It was kinda nice to see him again…”

There it was.

“He is actually doing pretty well. Still… Still trains a lot. Or at least he looks like he does…”

“Shanks, no.”

“And he is actually a really good caretaker. I hadn’t expected that… It’s cute.”

“Stop.”

“Seems like he has changed a lot…”

“Dude, no,” Beckmann groaned. “You don’t have to suck the guy’s dick just because he is being a somewhat decent father.”

Shanks just ignored him after that.

“Hey!”, Beck said loudly, making him shake his head and blink a few times.

“Ups, sorry. Was thinking about sucking his dick.”

“Shanks!”

“What?! You brought it up!”

Beckmann was so fucking done.

……

Mihawk slumped forward, his head hitting the desk. Maybe he should have just lost the redhead’s number all those years ago. What was he even supposed to say to him?

His thumb hovered over the screen, as he briefly considered scrolling up again, going through the old texts. Did he really want to see that again? What good would it do, there was nothing important there. Just jokes, meaningless little notes, pictures…

Mihawk’s mood immediately soured as he thought of the picture. The one Shanks had sent him the night of his birthday. Of their birthday.

He quickly shook his head, trying to get rid of that image. That was in the past.

Was it though? Because Shanks had said-

Fine. Mihawk’s role was in the past. What Shanks did and didn’t do was none of his business.

Despite their chat in the kitchen, he still had no clue what was going on with Shanks. Where was he right now? Where did he live? What was he doing? He was probably with his son. Shanks had a son. A boy almost Zoro’s age. Mihawk didn’t even know the child’s name.

Hello.

Hm. That was not a lot. All Shanks could reply to that text would be a similar greeting. Then Mihawk would say something that actually started a conversation, and then he would have to wait for a reply twice. Not even a full minute had passed, it was not too late to text again, right?

I would like to thank you once more for coming over today. In case you were wondering, the child seems to be put at ease by your conversation.

That was better. Not great, but better.

May I inquire how your day is going?

Mihawk let out a shaky breath. Now that this was done, he could put his phone away and-

typing…

He almost dropped his phone. Shanks was already answering?

Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!1111!!!!!!1!!

O...kay? The redhead had always been less formal, but this seemed like overkill.

Whatzzz up??

Mihawk couldn’t help but feel a little deflated. Was Shanks not taking him seriously? Or was he purposely trying to get rid of him? Why? He had been the one to suggest texting.

Whho r u??

Mihawk double-checked. It was definitely the correct chat, his messages from last night were still there. Maybe Shanks had accidentally deleted the chat? Even so, weren’t Mihawk’s messages enough of a clue? Who else had Shanks met today?

incoming call…

“Oh no. No, no, no,” Mihawk whispered to himself, staring at the phone loudly vibrating on his desk. He had no desire to talk to Shanks while the man was being this… weird.

“Hello?”, was all he could think to say, when he finally gathered the nerves to pick up.

“Heeeelloooo.”

Okay, this was definitely not Shanks. Maybe this was the wrong number after all?

“Who are you? Why are you texting my dad? Why did he go visit you? Do you have a kid? Can I meet them?”

Mihawk could barely keep up with what the child was saying. Texting his dad? Was this Shanks’ son? Mihawk wasn’t sure what to say. He didn’t have a lot of experience with children, and this boy was clearly very different from his Zoro.

“Luffy?”

“In here, Dad!”

“Who are you talking to?”

Now that was definitely Shanks calling from somewhere else in the house.

“Did Roger call? Tell him if he wants to annoy me, he can just come over for dinner.”

“No, not granny.”

“Garp?”

“Nope.”

“Ace?”

“Nuh uh.”

“Okay, I give up,” Shanks laughed. “Who is it?”

“I don’t know,” the child said innocently.

There was a loud, exhausted groan. “Luffs, you know you are not allowed to pick up my phone when you don’t know them, it could be someone from work!”

“It’s not, I promise!”

“Then who is it? Didn’t you read the name?”

The boy giggled. “Don’t be silly, Dad. Here is no name, just a bunch of emojis. There are some sparkles, and a bird, and a hea-”

“Shoot!”, Shanks yelled and there was the sound of ruffling, before his voice was suddenly a lot closer.

“Mihawk! Hi. You, erm, you called me?”

The swordmaster had to grin at how panicked Shanks sounded. Served him right, for always being so laid-back and aloof.

“Actually, I texted, as you requested, and your son decided to give me a call.”

“O-Oh. I see. Give me a sec.”

“Daaaaad, can you ask him if-”

“Luffy, please go to your room, okay? I- I need to take care of something.”

Huh. So Shanks wasn’t always lighthearted and smooth. Interesting…

“Uhm, okay, reading the texts now,” he said after a few moments. “I’m glad Zoro is doing okay!”

“Yes. Me too. So… your day?”

“Oh, right! I’m good. Picked Luffy up from Beck’s place earlier. We should be glad the house is still standing! The idiot gave him three whole juice boxes, so the little guy went crazy and-”

Mihawk leaned back with a huge grin as he listened to Shanks go on and on about his son. While he was never sure what to say to the man, he loved it when he got on his excited little rants. The swordmaster could have listened to him talk for hours.

“And then he took the whole bucket of paint and- Oh, sorry,” Shanks suddenly cut himself off. “I am probably boring you with all of that.”

“No,” Mihawk said, surprising himself a little. “No, you aren’t, actually.”

“Oh. Good. What did he say to you anyways? Please don’t pay him too much mind, he can get a bit… excited.”

“Yes, I noticed,” Mihawk said dryly. To be honest, that child had scared him a little.

“What- What exactly did he say?”, Shanks probed again.

“Not much,” Mihawk assured him. “he just wanted to know who I am. Oh, and he figured out there is another child involved, so he wants to meet him.”

“Ah,” Shanks said. “Yes, that makes sense. Luffs can be very… friendly.”

“How friendly?”

“Huh?”

“Do you think he would get along with my boy?”

Zoro would kill him for selling him out like this. But that child had sounded very eager, and if this was going to make Shanks come over again…

“Luffy and Zoro? Uhm, not sure, but Luffy usually gets along with everyone. Kinda just worms his way into everyone’s heart, ya know?”

Ah, so it ran in the family then.

“Good to know.”

“Perfect!”, Shanks cheered. “I’ll see you tomorrow then!”

“I still have to ask Zoro about it,” Mihawk reminded him.

“Oh right… Uhm… So, you’ll text me?”

“Yes,” Mihawk assured him, trying not to sound too giddy. “I’ll text you.”

“Daaaaaaaaad!”

Shanks groaned. “I’m sorry, I really have to go.”

“That’s not a problem. It was nice to talk to you.”

“Yeah, same.”

“Goodbye Shanks.”

“Bye, babe.”

Chapter Text

“Are you okay?”

Mihawk flinched a little, tearing his gaze away from the window. “Sorry, what did you say?”

“Are you okay?”, Zoro repeated, rubbing his eye with his sleeve. The hoodie he was wearing was slightly too big for him, but Mihawk was sure he would grow into it. Mihawk frowned at the thought. For some reason he’d actually prefer it if Zoro stayed this small for a bit longer.

“Yes, of course,” Mihawk said. It was true, nothing was wrong. He was simply a little… distracted. Yesterday had been a lot to take in. Seeing Shanks again had been a shock, even without all the changes the man had gone through. He still couldn’t believe Shanks had a son. And only one arm. Neither of which anyone had bothered to inform him about-!

Okay, maybe Mihawk was not completely okay. He had only seen the other man for one morning, and he was already worming his way back into his life. Mihawk had thought he’d at least have the rest of the day to figure out how to deal with this, but then he had gotten that god-forsaken call.

Talking to Shanks’ son had been… interesting. And it had not gotten easier when the annoying redhead had taken the phone. Especially considering what he had said at the end…

Had Shanks forgotten they hadn’t seen each other in 5 years? He was acting like nothing had changed, like it was just like back then…

Was it? Was it just like before? Yesterday, Shanks had been so… familiar. Fun. And- and sweet. Just like last time, he had crashed into Mihawk’s life, made him feel amazing- He hadn’t left yet. Not his usual pattern. Then again, they weren’t meeting because Shanks cared, it was just about the children.

Right. Children. Zoro. This was about him, and if Shanks could help the boy, that was all that mattered. He could deal with the fucking redhead for the boy’s sake, no matter how bad the idiot would mess him up.

“...hawk? Hey, Mihawk?”

He stiffly turned around to Zoro, who was frowning at him. “Yes?”

“Uh, sorry,” the kid shrugged. “You kinda spaced out again, but I need to go, so…”

Surprised Mihawk glanced at his watch. It was true, it was time for Zoro to go to school.

“Ah. My apologies. I’ll see you later. Remember, Shanks and his son are coming over today.”

The teen rolled his eyes at him. “I know. See ya.”

They just stared at each other for a few moments. Mihawk felt like one was supposed to do more when sending a child off to school, but he had no idea how to go about it. After some consideration, he reached out to pat the boy’s shoulder. “Have a good day?”

“You- uhm, you too!”, Zoro briefly put his own hand on top of Mihawk’s, before jumping back and grabbing his backpack. “Bye!”, he yelled, already running out of the door.

……

Usopp entered the classroom just a few minutes before the bell would ring. Usually he wouldn’t be this late, but he had forgotten his English book at his mum’s place and his dad had been forced to first drive him there before he could go to school. Yasopp had said he wasn’t angry, but Usopp wasn’t so sure. He still wasn’t used to having a dad.

Usopp looked over at his table and cringed a little. Zoro looked especially bitter this morning. That guy still scared the shit out of him. Well… most things scared the shit out of him, but that muscular fighting machine was worse than most things. It had taken him some time to get used to Franky and Robin as well, and even Nami and Luffy had been a challenge, but Zoro? He could barely breathe.

Something just told him getting on that guy’s bad site would not end well. And by all rules of the universe, Usopp should already be on his bad site. Zoro was tall, strong and an athlete. He was easily irritated and seemed to live in a constant state of slight annoyance. A guy like that should be beating the shit out of scrawny little nerds on the daily.

“You are late,” Zoro grumbled. “You sick or something?”

“O-Oh,” Usopp stuttered, rubbing the back of his neck. “No, just- just late.”

Zoro grunted in acknowledgment. “Well, sit down already.”

“Right,” the younger boy nodded quickly, and sat down at the table.

“Here.”

Usopp looked down at the package of gum in confusion. “What?”

When he dared to turn to Zoro, he was met with a dangerous glare. “Well? You want it or not?”

“Why-?”

“It’s candy.”

“I- I know?”

“You eat it,” the green-haired boy said in the most condescending tone Usopp had ever heard.

“I- Yes, I know that!”

“You are stressed. Chewing helps with stress.”

Trying not to shake under Zoro’s piercing gaze, Usopp popped a piece of gum into his mouth. “Thanks.”

Zoro finally looked away, allowing Usopp to suck in a harsh breath. “I almost thought you wouldn’t come.”

He turned back to Usopp, somehow looking even more threatening. “Don’t be late again.”

……

Zoro stared at the board, not comprehending a single thing. Had the teacher just said there would be letters now? What the fuck? This was still math class, right?

In Physics, Usopp’s notes had saved his ass, but this was a new topic. He was supposed to just get it based on what the teacher was saying. Would he get away with asking the younger boy for help? The guy probably thought Zoro was a brainless brute anyways, but he had no desire to look even more of a tool.

At least he didn’t have to suffer through this on his own. He had been sitting there for over twenty minutes, getting more and more nervous as he had waited for Usopp to arrive. Maybe it was naive, but Luffy had declared them all friends, so Zoro was actually looking forward to the classes he shared with the long-nosed boy. It was nice to have a friend…

Zoro knew that if left to his own devices, he would have screwed it up. Usopp would never dare to talk to a scary freak like him, if it wasn’t for Luffy being the glue that held them together.

What was Zoro going to do without that ace up his sleeve? When Mihawk had asked if he wanted to hang out with Shanks’ son, he had acted like it was all up to Zoro, but the teen had seen right through him. The man had wanted him to say yes so badly, and he simply couldn’t say no. Mihawk had done so much for him, what was one awkward afternoon compared to all that?

Even the idea of that kid filled him with dread. He was probably used to having a bunch of toys and games to play, Zoro would just bore him to tears. Comics, TV shows, video games… Zoro had nothing to say about any of that shit. Maybe Shanks was right, maybe he could be more than just a swordsman, but he wasn’t yet, so he had nothing to offer. Today would be a disaster.

Chapter Text

 “You did what?!”

He winced a little and held the phone further away from his ear. “Luffy wanted to meet Zoro, so… It seemed logical?”

“Shanks, don’t drag your poor kid into it,” Beckmann groaned.

Shank’s eyes narrowed. “Hey. I would never put Luffy in any harmful situation. Neither would I leave any child at an unsafe home. If there was any chance this might be bad for my son, I wouldn’t even consider it.”

“You are right, I’m sorry.”

“Listen, I know you don’t like him and weren’t exactly disappointed when we broke up, but-”

“Hold on,” his best friend cut him off. “I never wanted to see you hurt, and I don’t want to see it again. You are right, I hate the prick, but if he made you happy, I’d shut up and leave you alone. But Shanks, he doesn’t make you happy.”

“He does-”

“No, not completely,” Beckmann said calmly. “You care so much about everyone, you need someone who takes care of you.”

“He did!”, Shanks said quickly. “He was always there.”

It was quiet for a moment.

“Fine, I can give him that,” Beck agreed. “But you are a hopeless romantic. You are probably already imagining your wedding day, but the guy wouldn’t even hold your hand.”

Shanks didn’t know what to say to that. It was true. Mihawk had been so… cold. Towards him, towards his friends… Just… distant.

“He… he is different when it is just us…”

“Do you even hear yourself?”, Beckmann called him out. “Remember when you tried to introduce him to the rest of the guys? You were so proud and he treated you like a stranger in front of all your friends. I can’t forgive him for that.”

Shanks pressed his lips to a thin line. Beckmann was right. Mihawk had pushed him away. He had hurt him. There had been a reason they had ended it.

“I’m still going to see him.”

His best friend sighed. “I know. I’ll be there for you when you need me.”

...... 

"-and don't eat anything without asking. And- And try not to yell. And-" 

"Daaaaaad," Luffy groaned and let his head dramatically slam into the table. He did that a lot. Could someone get brain damage from that? Shanks would have to check... 

"You said all of that already!" 

He gave his son a sheepish smile. "I did, didn't I?" 

"Is that guy very mean?" 

That was a bit out of the blue. 

"What makes you think that, kiddo?"

Luffy shrugged. "You always tell me to behave, but you only mean it when there are mean people. Like that lady from primary school, or that doctor."

"Oh." Sometimes his son was smarter than most people realized. "No, don't worry Luffs, Mihawk is not mean, just... important."

"Why?"

"You'll understand one day," Shanks said softly. "For now, please just try. I really want him to invite us over again."

……

'Ding Dong.'

Shit. Shit, shit, shit! Why now? Mihawk had gone downstairs to his office, but Zoro was still standing in the hallway, right next to the door. Should he wait for the man to return?

'Ding Dong Ding Dong Ding Dong Ding-'

Well, that answered that question. It would be okay. Shanks would be there and-

"Hi!!!", a familiar voice screamed when he opened the door. "Are you-? ZORO!!!"

His back hit the wall with a hard thud, but at least he wasn't knocked to the ground when a pair of lanky arms and legs wrapped around him.

"Luffy?", he wheezed out. "What are you doing here?"

"My dad got this friend. At least I think they are friends. His face gets all weird when he says that... Anyways, he got a son and I asked if we could hang out!"

Luffy spoke so quickly Zoro could barely comprehend what was going on. However, when he did, a wave of nausea made him slump back against the wall. His eyes drifted upwards, taking a closer look at the straw hat his friend was wearing, which looked just like Shanks'. He should have known.

"No," the teen said quietly. "Mihawk doesn't have a son. Just- Just me."

"Mihawk! Right! That's the name of the guy! If you know him, do you also know this new kid?" The boy began looking around. "Where is he?"

"Luffy."

"Huh?"

"Luffy, think."

The boy's head turned a little red from all the concentration, but he didn't answer 

"Luffy, if Mihawk has a- if he takes care of a kid, and I am here...", Zoro said, hoping his friend would finally put the pieces together.

It took a few moments, but then Luffy's eyes lit up. "IT'S YOU??? I get to hang out with Zoro the whole day?!"

"Yeah dude, it's me," Zoro chucked and affectionately brushed the dark curls away from his friend's face. "I hope you aren't too disappointed?"

Luffy shrugged. "New people are fun, but I don't need them if I get to hang out with Zoro!"

"Luffy, what are you doing?!"

Zoro almost dropped the boy in his arms at the loud yell, but he quickly secured his grip.

"You can't just jump people!", Shanks scolded his son. He reached out, clearly about to pull the boy away from Zoro.

"Hey man, hands off," the teen said and took a step back, hugging Luffy closer to his chest. 

"Hi Dad!", Luffy called out happily. 

Shit. Shanks was his dad. Zoro had already figured that out, why was he behaving like some fucking freak? The man wasn't threatening them, but just for a moment, Zoro had been so afraid he might take Luffy away again. 

"Look, it's my Zoro!"

Shanks frowned at his son. "Your...?"

"Yeah! My best friend!"

Best friend, best friend, best friend- The words kept repeating in Zoro's head at a deafening volume.

Shanks' eyes got comically wide. "The swordsman... I should have known." 

"H-Hello," Zoro mumbled, and finally put Luffy back on his feet.

"Hi Zoro," Shanks grinned. "Where is Mihawk? 

"D-Downstairs, sir."

The redhead nodded. "Alright. Why don't you two hang out in your room, and I'll let him know we are here?" 

"Okay!", Luffy said before Zoro could answer. "Come on Zoro, let's go!" 

Chapter Text

Mihawk looked up at the knock on the door.

"Come in!"

He froze when instead of Paul, or maybe a parent with a request, Shanks stuck his head through the door.

"Hi, Hawkeyes!"

In an instant, Mihawk was across the room. He fisted his hand in the other's shirt, pulled him inside and slammed his back against the closed door.

"What are you doing?", he hissed into the redhead's face. "What if someone heard?"

Suddenly Shanks' hand came up to brush a strand of hair behind Mihawks's ear. 

"Hey," he whispered, leaning in even closer. 

Mihawk abruptly let go of the other man. "Y-Yes, hello to you too."

Shanks' dark eyes wandered down Mihawk's body, before snapping back to his face. "New shirt? Looks good..."

Only now Mihawk realized another button had become undone, leaving him even more exposed than usual. 

"Don't change the subject," he said, pulling the shirt close.

The redhead groaned and slumped back against the wall. "No one heard. I checked, the hallway was empty."

Mihawk stepped away and crossed his arms over his chest. "Akagami, what are you planning?" 

Shanks rolled his eyes at him. "Don't be like that. Your secrets are safe with me. Come on, honey, you know that." 

The pet name felt like a slap to the face. Mihawk would have physically recoiled, if his legs had not already hit the table. How dare he? How dare Shanks keep addressing him so casually? Was he not affected by Mihawk's presence at all? What did the redhead even see when he looked at him? A stranger? A friend? A plaything, he could just use whenever he pleased? 

No, Shanks wasn't like that. He was a good man. Far too good. Too lighthearted. He had never mistreated Mihawk. They had simply wanted different things. Which was fine. Totally fine. 

Mihawk was his friend. Just like everyone else. Just as... insignificant. 

"I used to know that," he finally forced out through gritted teeth.

Shanks crossed the room in a few huge steps. He raised his hand, as if to cup Mihawk's face, but then simply rested it on top of the swordmaster's shoulder. "I'm sorry for scaring you. It's just us. We are all alone, I promise."

"Just us...", Mihawk repeated. He dropped his arms to his sides, allowing Shanks to take another step forward, trapping him against his desk. The redhead tilted his head to the side and gave him that soft, lopsided smile, that always made him-

"Wait, just us?", Mihawk asked and stepped to the side, away from Shanks. "What do you mean just us? Where is Luffy?" 

Had the boy changed his mind? That was a rather abrupt change in plans. Would Zoro be relieved or disappointed? Mihawk probably shouldn't leave him alone all day, right? 

"Oh, right!", the idiot grinned. "I almost forgot to tell ya. The kids are getting along great. They are already friends from school, so I send them to Zoro's room."

Mihawk glared at him. "Don't tell my child what to do in his own home."

"Listen-" 

"He wasn't prepared to do all of this... social stuff," Mihawk vaguely gestured in front of him, "by himself. I'll go check on him."

...... 

Fucking hell. Shanks had had Mihawk just where he wanted him, alone, far away from the children and completely off guard. It had been the perfect time to talk to him. And talking to him had been exactly what he had been planning on... No, really, he loved talking to Mihawk! He had just gotten... distracted. 

Technically, it was Mihawk's own fault! Who could blame Shanks for getting lost in those eyes, when the other man was suddenly so close to him? It had been a while since he had had the privilege of breathing the same air as Dracule Mihawk, and he wasn't going to waste it!

The swordmaster had led him out of his office and was now beginning to climb the stairs to the apparent- Oh, wasn't this a nice view... Shanks had forgotten how absolutely perfect Mohawk's-

Probably not the right train of thought to have while the other man was so worried about Zoro. But the kids would be fine! Shanks wouldn't have left them if he didn't know that. 

Mihawk knocked on Zoro's door. 

"Come in!" 

The kids were sitting cross-legged across from each other, colorful cards spread out between them. The rest of the room... well.

Shanks' stomach turned when he thought back to the perfectly piled papers in the office, the empty, spotless drawer tops in the hallway and the way Zoro's bedroom had looked yesterday.

He loved his son, he really did, his perfect little hurricane, but why couldn't he have listened just once? 

"Luffs..." 

"Hi, Dad!" 

Shanks slowly raised his hand to give the boy a little wave, but couldn't tear his eyes away from Mihawk. The man looked as cold and unreadable as always, but Shanks knew he must be fuming on the inside.

"So...", he said eventually. "You are Shanks' son?"

"Yup! And you are Zoro's Sensei!" 

Mihawk flinched. "Ah... Well, yes, sometimes. But I'm also his... I take care of him," he concluded. 

"I know!", Luffy grinned. "Zoro says you are really cool! And Shanks says-" 

"Luffy!", Zoro and Shanks yelled in unison. 

"Shut up, man...", the teen added, his face turning red rapidly.

Shanks loved his son. Luffy was absolutely perfect. The best thing that had ever happened to him. A gift from a higher power. The apple of his eye. But good lord, why was he like that?!

If Shanks had known the kids were friends and it wouldn't be too many new things for Zoro, he would have invited Mihawk and the kid to his place. At least there he could yell on-top of his lungs and tear up the place without looking like he was disrespecting Mihawk specifically. 

Luffy had improved a lot in these past five years, he really had! The kid was trying so hard, but someone looking in from the outside would never be able to see that.

Shanks didn't even dare to breathe as he watched Mihawk's frown deepen. "They said that?" 

"Yup!" 

It started out slowly, but the smile creeping on the swordsmaster's face grew wider and wider, until he was openly grinding down at the two boys. "Very interesting intel. I think you shall prove to be a very useful ally, Luffy." 

"Yay!", the boy cheered and jumped up to give Mihawk a quick high five, who reflexivly raised his hand in time, but was left staring at it in bewilderment. 

"So, uhm, you guys are playing Pokémon?", Shanks asked after a moment, desperately trying to save the situation. 

Luffy nodded so forcefully, his whole body bounced up and down. "Yeah! Dad, look, Zoro still got the cards I gave him, isn't that cool?", he asked, pointing at the mess on the floor. 

Shanks took a closer look. Yes, those looked a few years old and some had been bent and folded, a clear sign of Luffy's influence. Also-

"You?!", Mihawk asked abruptly, his eyes going wide. "You are the one who gave him those?"

"I'm sorry for not telling you, Sensei," Zoro chimed in. The teen had his arms wrapped around his middle and his legs drawn to his chest. "He- I found him at Grand Line."

"I see," Mihawk nodded. "Well, Shanks and I are going to leave you boys alone. Zoro, if you need something, please come get me."

With that, he took Shanks by the arm and pulled him out of the room. 

"Mihawk, I am so sorry about the mess, he'll help Zoro clean up and I promise-"

The other man held up a finger to stop his rambling. 

"Does your boy have any allergies?" 

"W-What?" 

Mihawk rolled his eyes. "Food allergies. Strong dislikes. Dietary restrictions. Does Luffy have any?" 

"Uh... No?", Shanks said as he followed Mihawk to the living room. "He'll eat anything you don't pull out of his mouth quickly enough. What does that have to do with anything?" 

"Well, I think it would be best if the two of you stayed for dinner, don't you think?" 

Chapter Text

“Did you know?”

Shanks closed the living room door behind him. “Know what?”

“That they know each other?”

“Oh, that. No, but I could have guessed Zoro was Luffy’s swordsman.”

Mihawk tilted his head to the side. “Swordsman?”

“You know, his role in Luffs’ little gang.”

The way Mihawk gawked at him was truly hilarious. Peak comedy.

“Gang?! What gang? I don’t want Zoro involved with anything like that!”

It was probably a little insensitive, but Shanks bent over, giggling helplessly. After a minute, he tried to speak, but failed miserably. “Oh- Oh my-”, he had to stop, clutching his side. “Oh my god!”, he finally wheezed out. The entire time, Mihawk kept staring at him in complete bewilderment.

“Mihawk! My twelve-year-old is not running a gang!”

The other man’s face turned a little pink. “Ah. Yes, that assumption might be rather illogical.”

Shanks straightened up and wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. “Sorry. You are just so… adorable sometimes.”

Mihawk frowned at that. “I don’t feel like you mean that in a nice way.”

Shanks just waved him off. “Yeah, yeah. Anyways, it’s not a real gang. It’s just play-pretend. Luffy has always wanted to be a pirate.”

“Play?”

He couldn’t help but sigh. “Yes Hawky, play. You know, that thing that children do?”

Mihawk crossed his arms. “I know what playing is! I just didn’t know Zoro did that. He isn’t- He doesn’t engage in a lot of… things. At least not non sword fighting related things.”

Shanks shrugged. “It’s just what Luffy does. He even has some older friends who just go along with it.”

“Pirates…”, the dark-haired man mumbled. “Not too bad, I guess… But a swordsman? Even in the game? He is so much more than a fighter.”

Shanks smiled at that. “Children often use play-pretend as a way to cope with trauma. Besides, he is also the first mate.”

“Oh?”, Mihawk asked, sounding almost proud.

“He’s the captain’s best friend after all.”

“Best friend?”, Mihawk asked, his eyebrows raised. “Already?”

“Has been for five years.”

“What? All this time?”

Shanks shrugged. He didn’t know how to explain it, his son simply was like that. “Luffy doesn’t just change things like that. He chose Zoro, that’s final.”

Mihawk walked to the window and looked out at the trees for a few minutes. The silence was kinda getting to Shanks, but he didn’t dare to break it.

“Shanks?”

“Yes, Mihawk?”

“When can you come over again?”

……

Zoro stared at the closed door, not sure what to think of what had just happened. He hadn’t even thought about how Mihawk might react to Luffy. Truth be told, the man had kinda looked at the boy like an alien, but to be fair, Zoro had absolutely done the same before. Luffy was amazing, but he was also the weirdest person in the world.

“Your dad is really cool!”, the younger boy declared suddenly.

Zoro flinched at that. His… dad? The title made his skin itch.

‘Hello, I’m Jeffrey, I am your family now.’

‘But I don’t even know you.’

The man’s eyes narrowed. ‘You will. I expect you to call me father, understood?’

He quickly shook his head. No, Mihawk wasn’t like that. Right?

‘May I touch your leg?’

‘May you…? You are right next to me, you could just grab it.’

‘I could, but I wouldn’t. So, do I have permission?’

Mihawk wasn’t like that. Zoro wouldn’t have to call him father, he had said just his name was fine.

“He- He isn’t my dad,” the teen stuttered out. Why was that thought making him so sad? Not for the first time, Zoro thought about what it would have been like if he had been abandoned at a different dojo all those years ago.

Mihawk wouldn’t have kept him, he would have handed him over to Child Protective Services like any normal person would. But yet… what would it have been like to be raised by Mihawk?

He wouldn’t have known what to do with Zoro at such a young age. Had he already known Shanks back then? Would he have called him? Or would he have resorted to google how to perform every single little task?

He wouldn’t have made Zoro run so much. That was one of his earliest memories, running in the rain, while Sensei was screaming at him. Despite the fear he had had of the man in the beginning, and sometimes still felt creeping up at him, he couldn’t imagine Mihawk doing that. Without Perona around it would probably be pretty bad, but maybe the man would have made him hot chocolate when it rained?

Maybe. Maybe not. But he wouldn’t have made Zoro train for hours without any breaks and then hit him for collapsing. He wouldn’t have ripped food out of Zoro’s hands, wouldn’t have locked him in the basement, wouldn’t even have yelled at him.

Zoro would have gone to school. He wouldn’t have pulled away from the other kids. He would have made friends and played outside all day. He would have been normal. A real child.

He never would have met Kuina. Without Zoro there to be bent and broken, what would have Sensei done to his daughter? What would have happened to Chopper at Jeff’s house? If he hadn’t stopped fathe- Jeff. If he hadn’t stopped Jeff…

Still. It would have been nice. Still would be nice. To have a real family. A real da- Zoro squeezed his eyes shut at the wave of nausea that overcame him at that thought.

“He isn’t my dad,” he repeated hoarsely. “Just- Just my… Mihawk.”

……

“Well, that explains it.”

“Huh?”

“Here,” Mihawk said, holding his phone up to Shank’s face.

He wrapped his hand around the swordmaster’s, pulling it a bit closer. Was this actually necessary for him to see better? No. Was the way Mihawk’s eyes widened absolutely priceless? Also yes. Served him right for being so damn pretty… if his eyes weren’t so breathtaking, Shanks wouldn’t be so fixated on them, nor their reactions to his actions.

He finally focused on the website Mihawk had pulled up. It was the Grand Line home page. Front and center, there was a picture of their latest football game (author's note: European football, you heathens). Shanks remembered how proud he had been when Luffy had scored the final goal and won a nice shiny trophy for his team.

“Okay…? What exactly am I looking at?”

“Luffy is in that picture. He is in a few photos, actually.”

“Yeah, I know,” Shanks gushed. “Isn’t he just absolutely adorable!”

“Uhm… sure,” Mihawk said awkwardly. “And it explains why Zoro wanted to go to Grand Line so badly.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, he basically begged me to let him go there. He must have recognized Luffy in the pictures.”

Shanks couldn’t do anything but stare at Mihawk. What was wrong with him? Had he hit his head at some point in the past five years?

“Are you stupid?”

“Excuse me?”

Shanks needed a second to collect his thoughts. “Your kid, who never asks for a damn thing, who would accept sleeping on the floor and skipping meals, begs you for school of all things, and you don’t ask why?!”

Mihawk suddenly looked very unsure. “It’s school… letting him go wasn’t incorrect, right?”

Shanks patted the other man’s cheek lightly, making him look even more out of his depth. “Oh darling, you are so lucky you are pretty.”

Chapter Text

 “Oh darling, you are so lucky you are pretty.”

Mihawk stared at the redhead in utter shock, the warmth of his palm against his cheek making his skin tingle. “E-Excuse me?”

“Uhm… you know,” Shanks said awkwardly, his eyes shifting to the side. “With the eyes and the hair and-”

“Are you making fun of me?”

“What, no, I-”

Before he could finish, Mihawk had ripped Shanks' hand away from his face and pinned it against the wall behind him. The redhead let out a surprised yelp and stumbled back, his body slumping against the wall.

“You should know better than to mess with me, Akagami,” Mihawk said in a low voice, leaning in close so he could whisper his threats directly into the redhead’s ear. “You are in my house, so you better show some respect.”

He had to hold back a grin at the shiver that went through Shanks' body. The other man was clearly trying to get him off guard and make him react, so he absolutely deserved the payback. If the redhead wanted to play games, Mihawk would simply have to win.

“But baby,” Shanks purred mockingly, “I’m sure you wouldn’t attack a disabled man like this.”

The words hit Mihawk like a slap to the face. Only now he realized his other hand was placed on the redhead’s shoulder. Right above his stump. He pulled back as if he had been burned.

“Oh, come on!”, Shanks groaned, letting his hand fall back to his side. “That was a joke! This changes nothing. I could still take you. And with one arm tied behind my back at that!”

Mihawk barely even realized the innuendo. Nor could he even try to respond to the little teasing joke. All he could do was stare at the spot where his hand had just rested, not wanting to look lower, and yet unable to look away.

Shanks sighed softly. “You can just ask, ya know?”

Fuck, Mihawk hadn’t meant to show his discomfort so obviously. It wasn’t fair, this wasn’t Shanks' fault- Well, not all of it. Only the part that made Mihawk’s stomach turn.

“Was it planned?”, he asked finally, hating how flat his voice sounded. “Did you have a bone disease or…”

“It was an accident.”

“Great,” Mihawk gritted out, finally tearing his eyes away from the stump and turning away. “So, blood loss.”

“Naturally?”

“Would anyone have called me?”

“Huh?”

Of course. Of course the stupid, foolish, disrespectful, careless redhead wouldn’t understand why he was upset. Why Mihawk couldn’t just accept it. Why Mihawk cared. So much it fucking hurt.

“If you had died,” he pressed out through gritted teeth. “Would they have even invited me to the funeral?”

“Oh.”

Oh?! That was all he had to say for himself?! His entire fucking arm was gone! His fucking artery had been ripped open, and Mihawk hadn’t even known!

“It’s a fair question, don’t you think?” He had to turn away. “What would have happened? Just out of curiosity, was I going to call you up just to be told you had been dead for years?”

It was a good thing he wasn’t looking at Shanks anymore. Tears were making his vision blurry and his bottom lip was trembling. Neither of those things would help him to regain control over the situation.

“No, no, of course not,” Shanks said quickly. “Beckmann would have told you.”

“Beckman?”, Mihawk scoffed. “Benn Beckmann would have willingly contacted me? You actually believe that?”, he asked and whirled back around.

Shanks’ eyes were as wide as they possibly could be. “He said I should call you,” the man said in a small, unsure voice. “I- It was so shortly after we broke things off, I thought you wouldn’t have wanted to hear from me.”

This was the second time Shanks had stated this belief. What the hell was wrong with him? Why would whether or not the redhead had recently tried to put his dick in Mihawk affect the fact that he couldn’t lose him.

Did Shanks really care so little about what had grown between them? Granted, it had not been much, but…

“Interesting. So we live in a world in which Benn Beckmann respects me more than you do. Never thought I would see the day.”

The words were not what he wanted to say. They were harsh and cruel and petty. He should just be happy Shanks was okay now, but the thought of the other man just being gone…

“Mihawk...”

He raised a hand and took a step back. “No. No, we shouldn’t be fighting. This meeting is about our children. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

“Listen, I-”

“Forget it,” Mihawk cut Shanks off. “Now, what do you want for dinner?”

……

Shanks was staring at Mihawk’s back, trying to comprehend what had just happened. He kinda regretted taking his jacket off, it had covered his stump nicely. Was it really that upsetting for Mihawk to see? Usually people’s stares didn’t matter to him, but this one stung a little.

And why the outburst of anger at the mention of Beckmann? Was this about their weird hatred for each other?

But… There had been tears in his eyes. Actual tears. Shanks had never seen the dark-haired man cry before. It wasn’t like he was jazzed about it, he never, ever, wanted to see those breathtaking eyes filled with pain again, but… But it was so real. So raw. And it was all for Shanks. For Shanks to see, to drink in, to-

Still, he would have to make sure to never cause his darling so much pain again. What had gotten Mihawk so worked up? Did he feel like Shanks had picked Beckmann over him? It wasn’t true, Mihawk simply hadn’t been a choice. The swordmaster had taken that option off the table a long time ago, even before they had ended their relationship.

It wasn’t like Shanks hadn’t been thinking about it… Had been obsessed with the thought, actually. Despite all the excitement of learning he had a son (and a perfect one at that) he had constantly daydreamed about calling Mihawk. Maybe flirting a little, chatting about his day, slipping in the information he was currently in a hospital…

He had imagined Mihawk panicking, telling him he’d be there immediately, bursting through the doors… His eyes going soft, softer than they had ever gone before. Mihawk gently telling him he’d take care of Shanks, hold him every night, raise his son with him…

But it had just been a fantasy. Mihawk didn’t freak out just because Shanks got injured, he didn’t hold people softly and he didn’t want to have children.

Or at least that was what Shanks had thought. What everyone had thought, really. But this version of Mihawk… Maybe, maybe they could…

“Shanks?”

He jumped a little, when a hand landed on his shoulder.

“Yes?”

“Sorry, I did not mean to startle you,” Mihawk said. “I was simply wondering whether lasagna for dinner is alright with you?”

“Oh, yes, yes of course,” Shanks said quickly, hoping the other man wouldn’t notice his blush.

Chapter Text

“Ow!”

“Luffy, stop!”

“Hey!”

“Let me see-!”

“Zooooroooo!”

Mihawk was walking back from the bathroom when he heard muffled noises and rumbling from Zoro’s room. At first he got a little worried, but then he noticed the lack of anger. Still, best to check on the boys. He knocked on the door, causing the noise to stop immediately.

“Yes?”, Zoro called out, his voice sounding very strange.

Mihawk opened the door, and frowned at the scene in front of him. He wasn’t completely sure what he was looking at. The two individual boys had been replaced by a pile of limps. However, what was clear, was that Luffy was somewhat on top of Zoro’s chest, which explained his strained voice.

“Uhm… hello. Is everything okay?”

“Yes, we just-”, Zoro started, but cut himself off. “Dammit Luffy, get off already!”

The younger boy giggled and rolled to the side, allowing Zoro to take in a deep breath and sit up. “Luffy is cheating.”

“Am not!”

“Yes you are!”, Zoro said, crossing his arms. “Having two sets of cards is not fair.”

“But I wanna try out the new game!”

“But-!”

“Enough!”, Mihawk said loudly, making both boys whip their heads around to him. “If you want to whine about this, at least do it correctly and start from the beginning.”

“Usopp came up with a new game, and I wanna show Zoro!”

Mihawk nodded and turned to the older boy. “Well?”

“It’s a three-player game. Luffy is playing as two people, but he keeps mixing up the cards!”

“It’s difficult! They all look the same!”

“Only when you hold them the wrong way, you dumbass!”

Mihawk had to grin at their dramatic complaints. Of course he didn’t want Zoro to fight with his friend, but the fact that they cared so much about their game was… cute. Normal. Just like children were supposed to be.

“Why isn’t Zoro holding the extra set?”

“But then he can cheat!”

The green-haired boy pushed his friend, making him fall on his face. It was a good thing the children had already been sitting on the floor. “You are the one who is cheating!”

Mihawk chuckled at their pouting little faces. “Alright,” he said, sitting down across from the boys. “Hand over the cards then. You two would never be able to figure out I’m cheating anyways.”

……

Shanks opened the oven again, checking the lasagna nervously. The cheese was completely melted and was turning slightly brown. It looked pretty perfect, but Shanks wasn’t sure if he should take the dish out of the oven or not. He didn’t want to mess with Mihawk’s food without permission, but the other man had been gone for over twenty minutes now. He had said he’d just go to the bathroom, and Shanks definitely didn’t want to bother him, but he was getting slightly worried.

Shanks stuck his head out the kitchen door, frowning when he noticed the open door at the end of the hallway. If Mihawk was not in there, where was he? The redhead checked the office and the bedroom, but both rooms were empty. The only rooms left were Zoro’s room and the guest room opposite of it. Shanks knocked on that door, but no one answered. He decided to check anyways and-

Pink. There was so much pink. And bows. The walls were painted black, but the windows were covered by huge pink curtains. The huge pile of stuffed animals on the bed would have made Shanks guess this was a child’s room, but the band posters on the wall pointed to a person a little older. A teenager?

What was all this? Clearly this room was not a guest room anymore. How many children had Mihawk adopted??? Shanks shook his head. He should probably just ignore it for now. If he wanted to worm his way back into Mihawk’s life, he’d have to be gentle about it.

Still, where was the swordmaster? Shanks shrugged and knocked on Zoro’s door. Maybe the boys knew.

“Yes!”, three voices answered at once.

The redhead gawked at the scene greeting him. Mihawk, Dracule Mihawk, serious, grumpy, no-bullshit Mihawk, was sitting cross- legged on the floor, holding up a hand of Pokemon cards.

“Oh, sorry to interrupt,” Shanks said after a few moments of just staring at the other man. “Do you want me to take out the lasagna?”

Mihawk’s eyes widened. “The food! I forgot! How long was I gone?”

“Food?!”, Luffy chimed in, clapping his hands in excitement. “Where?! Can I eat it?”

Shanks just ignored his son. “It’s almost six.”

Mihawk looked like he was about to jump up, so Shanks quickly held up his hand. “Don’t worry, I turned the oven off,” he reassured him. “You guys can finish your game, I’ll set the table.”

The dark-haired man gave him a soft look. “Thank you.”

……

Ginger : I need to suck his dick

Becky <3 : No

I gotta!

Stop.

</3

You are breaking your own heart

It’s different this time! And I think he likes me…

What is your evidence?

he slammed me into a wall

twice :)

maybe he just wants to kill you

:(

Wait…

That don’t sound too bad…

He is very strong

I hate you.

:(

But we said best friends forever

and ever!

Shanks, I am not joking. Please just be careful

Fine! But I really think I can make this work. At least as friends

Friends? It’s been two days and you have brought up his dick several times

I can talk about his ass if you’d prefer that :)

Goodbye Shanks. Contact me again and I will block you

Love you too! <3

……

Shanks and Mihawk were placing glasses and cutlery on the table when they entered the room.

“Hiya boys!” The redhead put his phone down and held out his hand. Luffy immediately reached up for a high five. Zoro threw a questioning look at Mihawk.

“Go ahead,” the man sighed.

Zoro also slapped Shank’s hand, who grinned and turned to Mihawk.

“No.”

“But-”

“No chance.”

“Pleaaaase?”, the redhead asked, a huge pout on his face.

“Fine,” Mihawk groaned and finally gave him a high five.

“Wait, that works on him?”, Zoro asked.

“Sure!”, Shanks grinned.

Zoro tilted his head to the side, trying to figure out what the man had just done. Eyebrows drawn together, eyes opened wide, lips pushed out a bit…

“Oh, uh…”, Shanks said, coughing awkwardly. “Zoro, that’s not…”

“Zoro looks scary!”, Luffy declared.

He looked over at Mihawk, who flinched back a little. “Alright. State your demands, just stop doing that!”

Zoro relaxed his face and turned to Luffy. “Whatcha want?”

The boy leaned in and started whispering, while Zoro nodded quickly. Then he looked back over at Mihawk.

“Double dessert. And Luffy can come over again. And- And you won’t get mad,” he finished, shifting his feet awkwardly.

Mihawk threw a panicked look at Shanks, who smiled gently. “Yes to all three, but would you mind telling us what happened?”

Zoro took a step back, strategically blocking the smaller boy. “Uhm… Luffy really didn’t mean to…”

Shank’s face went through a lot of very strange expressions. “Luffs…”

“It was my fault, actually,” Zoro said quickly, taking another step back, forcing Luffy to also back away.

Mihawk sighed. “No one is going to get angry. Whatever it is, we will figure it out.”

Zoro took a deep breath. He knew that. He had done so much worse, but having to confess to both Shanks and Mihawk made it very difficult to breathe.

Zoro didn’t even know what he was scared of. Did he think Mihawk would hit him? No. Yell at him? No. Kick him out? No. Not like him anymore? No. Say something really mean? No. Well… probably not.

Yet he felt like all of that was going to happen to him. Like he was going to be hurt again. Be so sad again. Be aloneagain.

Suddenly a small hand slipped into his. Luffy stepped a bit closer and put his other hand on his back. “It’s okay,” he said calmly. “I’m here with Zoro, so he will be fine.”

“We spilled juice,” he blurted out so quickly, he wasn’t sure if the adults could even understand him. “Like… a lot.”

Mihawk visibly relaxed. “Oh. Alright, that’s fine.”

“Uhm… sensei….?”

The man frowned. “Yes, Zoro?”

“I-It got on the carpet. The- The new one.”

He didn’t dare looking at the man’s face, his eyes shifting between Mihawk’s and Shank’s hands, checking if they were about to lift, pull back or reach for him and-

“Alright, thanks for letting us know,” Shanks said. “It’s not a problem. Right, Mihawk?”

“Yes, of course,” the man nodded.

“But- But-” Why was Zoro doing this? Shouldn’t he be glad he wasn’t getting in trouble? “But it was so expensive!”

Mihawk chuckled. “I’m glad you value your belongings and their worth, but you really don’t need to worry about money.”

“Oh,” Zoro said quietly. “Okay.”

“However…”

Shit.

“We don’t even have juice? I am a little confused.”

“Well…”, Shanks said slowly. “I think I know what’s going on.”

“Uh oh…”, Luffy said.

“You see,” his father continued, “Zoro said Luffy didn’t mean to. So I’m guessing my son shoved juice boxes in his pants to smuggle them out of the house again?”

“Again?”, Mihawk echoed.

“Again,” Shanks confirmed.

“He can still come over, right?”, Zoro asked quickly. “It was my fault, I should have-”

Mihawk waved him off. “It’s fine, Zoro. I’ll show you how to clean the carpet later.”

“Okay.”

“One more thing,” Luffy said.

“Oh no,” Shanks whispered.

“It was tomato juice.”

“Tomato juice… On a light green carpet?”, Mihawk said slowly.

“I will pay for the damages,” Shanks offered quickly, making Mihawk look angry for the first time since Zoro had confessed what had happened.

“Don’t say that, it’s very counterproductive. We can clean up the mess, and if we couldn’t, the money wouldn’t be a problem.”

It was quiet for a moment, before the swordmaster spoke up again. “Your kid regularly puts tomato juice in his pants?”

Shanks shrugged. “The wonders of parenthood.”

Chapter Text

Mihawk didn’t know what to think of the afternoon he had spent with Shanks and his son. Being around Shanks again was confusing, and that boy was very strange. However, so much good had come from it.

For the first time, Zoro had acted completely relaxed and happy. The swordmaster felt like he had gotten a glimpse of the child Zoro could be if Mihawk got this right. Granted, Zoro had a little moment of fear later, but once Shanks and Mihawk had assured him no one was in trouble, they had all enjoyed a peaceful meal.

About that meal though… How could one tiny child eat so much?! Mihawk had planned to have the leftovers for lunch at least until Wednesday, but Luffy stuffed everything he could reach into his mouth. Shanks had even offered him some money to make up for it, but Mihawk had waved him off.

‘Guess that means I should take you out to dinner soon!’

Damn Mihawk’s heart for the way it had immediately started fluttering at that. He knew this was just how Shanks worked and he shouldn’t read more into it. The idiotic redhead probably had no idea what effect he had on Mihawk. It would be clear to anyone the swordmaster was attracted to him, but did Shanks know how deep his infatuation ran? Probably not. He was not a cruel man. If he knew how much it hurt, how played and used Mihawk felt, he would never touch him again.

And yet he couldn’t bring himself to make Shanks stop. He could brush off his hand, stay out of his personal space and not have a fucking candlelight dinner with him. But Mihawk just couldn’t stop running himself into the ground. Even if he clearly would never actually be with Shanks, just having him in his life again was so tempting.

Still, Mihawk had more self-respect than that. One dinner. He would allow one evening, and then he would pull back right into his comfort zone.

……

“Please! Please, please, please, please, please-”

“Goddammit Shanks, it’s too early for your bullshit!”

“If you agree I’ll stop!”, the idiot yelled and started poking Beckmann in the cheek again.

“This is abuse,” the older man groaned and let his head drop on the back of the sofa. It was 8:30 am. The day hadn’t even really started yet. Why was the red-haired menace already in his house?

“But he said Saturday is the only day that works for him! I can’t miss my chance!”

“Chance for what?! You said you would be careful!”

“I am!”, Shanks lied and flopped down on top of Beckmann, stretching out over his lap. “I went in with an open mind, assessed the situation, and made a calculated decision.”

“The only thing you assessed is his backside,” Back grumbled and pushed his best friend to the ground.

“Finally my humor is rubbing off on you!”

“Get out of my house.”

“But you’ll do it, right?” Shanks asked and sat up. “I- I really like him,” he added, rubbing his shoulder nervously.

“I know,” Beck sighed, patting him on the head.

“You would too!”, Shanks argued. “You barely even know him.”

“I don’t care. He could be the funniest, most charming person I’ve ever met, and I still wouldn’t want you around him. I just don’t want you to get hurt again.”

Shanks pouted, but leaned into Beckmann’s hand more, which was still messing with his hair. “Listen, that was five years ago. It’s not like he committed some heinous crime, he simply didn’t like me all that much. Mihawk just wasn’t ready to build a relationship back then, but it’s different this time.”

“Fine, I’ll give him a chance. Just… Just be careful,” Beck sighed, making Shank’s head snap up.

“Yes! Yes, of course! It’s just one dinner, I’ll figure out his vibe and go from there, okay?”

“Fine,” Beckmann groaned. “I’ll babysit Luffy on Saturday, but you gotta pick him up at 10 pm, so no funny business!”

“Yes! Thanks Becky, I- Wait, are you trying to cock- block me?!”

God, Beckmann hated this man. “I thought you promised to take it slow?”

Shank’s pouted up at him. “I may have lied…”

“Shanks-”

“Look,” the irritating redhead stopped him. “I ain’t gonna whip it out first, but if he takes out his dick, I’m sucking it!”

“No!”

“I gotta!”

Beckmann reached over to the coffee table and picked up a little water bottle he used on his house plants. “Do. Not. Suck. His. Dick!”, he said, emphasizing every word with a pump of the spray bottle.

“You don’t understand!”, Shanks whined. “It’s so pretty! Like, the shape and color and-”

“I do not want to hear this!”, Beckman shrieked. “Besides, by definition, a dick can not be pretty!”

Shanks jumped up and pointed at his face angrily. “You straight people have no culture!”

“Please, I’m begging you,” Beckmann said weakly, slumping back into the sofa. “Get out of my house.”

……

Shanks’ afternoon was rather quiet. Luffy was at his karate lesson and would hang out at Robin’s place afterwards, so he still had a couple of hours until he needed to pick him up. He was picking up some of his son’s discarded socks, when his phone rang. He sat down the basket and reached into his pocket to fish out his phone.

Huh. He hadn’t had that number saved.

“Hello?”

“Is this Shanks?”

“Zoro?”

“H-Hi.”

“Hey kiddo, What’s up?”, Shanks asked carefully, his full attention on the boy. His voice sounded like he had been crying.

“I found my file.”

Fuck.

“You read it?” Hopefully the child wouldn’t notice how high-pitched his voice had gotten. It was Zoro’s right to know what information about him was out there, but it shouldn’t have happened like this.

“Yeah… Has he? Has Mihawk seen this?”

“Yes,” Shanks confirmed.

“All of it?”

“Yes.”

“O-Oh.” The breathing on the other line sped up. “Okay, bye.”

“Wait!”, Shanks said quickly. “Don’t hang up!”

“Sorry, sir!”

He let out a relieved breath. “Where is Mihawk?”

“D-Downstairs. Please don’t tell him! I- I don’t think I was supposed to go to his office! I’m so, so sorry! Please-”

“Shhh,” Shanks said calmly. “You are not in trouble Zoro. I’ll be over in 20 minutes, just focus on your breathing, okay?”

“O-Okay.”

Chapter Text

Shank’s little boy toy: Hello, this is Dracule Mihawk.

Benn Beckmann: The hell you want from me?

I think it is time we talked.

I have nothing to say to you

Maybe I am the one who has some things to share.

Fine, I’ll send you my address. Be there in 20 minutes

……

Beckmann was pissed off. Why the fuck was that guy even contacting him?! Whatever he had to say, Beck would make fucking sure to give him a piece of his mind.

He ripped the door open at the first knock. Dracule Mihawk was still holding his fist in the air, looking at him in slight alarm. “Oh. Hello.”

“Dracule.”

“Benn.”

“What do you want?”, Beckmann asked, narrowing his eyes at the pretentious asshole.

“I think it’s time we discuss what happened 5 years ago.”

Beckmann frowned. “And what would that be?”

“You fucking Shanks, perhaps?”

He raised his eyebrows and smirked at the man. “Oh, is that what you think?”

“Must have been good, if he left me for you,” Mihawk snarled. “Let’s see what I’m missing.” He suddenly reached out, fisted his hand in Beckmann’s shirt, and pulled him in.

……

.

.

.

……

KIDDING!!!! Lol, wouldn’t that be crazy?! April fools, bitches!

Anyways, let’s return to your scheduled programming :)

……

Shanks slipped into the building, nervously glancing around. Technically entering Mihawk’s apartment and going to see the minor in his care without permission was highly illegal, but in this case it was probably better to ask for forgiveness instead of permission.

He finally reached Zoro’s room and knocked softly. There was no answer, so he called out for the boy.

“Zoro? It’s me, Shanks. May I come in?”

“Sh- Sha- Shank- Shank-”

The child couldn’t even complete his name through his sobs, so he quickly stepped into the room.

Zoro was sitting in his armchair, his legs pulled to his chest. His face was a mess of tears, and his hands were gripping his underarms tightly. The skin there was covered by his hoodie, but Shank’s trained eyes immediately zeroed in on his bloody nails.

“Hello, Zoro,” Shanks said gently and pulled over the desk chair so he could sit down next to the teen. “I am going to count now. All you have to do is breathe, alright?”

He didn’t bother to wait for an answer and just started a simple pattern. After a couple of minutes, Zoro’s breathing evened out, and his hands relaxed around his arms.

“Very good,” Shanks praised gently. “You did so well.”

Zoro nodded and glanced over at Shanks. “Really?”

“Really,” the redhead confirmed.

“Shanks?”

“Yes?”

“He- He was angry, right?”

The redhead sighed. “Mihawk has a very strong sense of justice, and he cares about you deeply. Learning what you were put through understandably upset him.”

“N-No. I meant at me. For what I did.”

Shanks should really start assuming it was always the worst-case scenario. “About the assault charge?”, he guessed. He hated seeing the poor kid so upset, but unless he got to the bottom of this, he couldn’t help him.

“No,” Zoro said. “And I don’t regret that one.”

Huh. Now Shanks was kinda at his wits end. “Can you tell me what exactly you are worried about?”

“I- I- He won’t like that I- that I-”

“Okay,” Shanks stopped the boy when it became clear he wouldn’t be able to use his words. “Why don’t you show me?”

He looked around and spotted the file on the desk. He also grabbed a pencil and handed both to Zoro. His heart broke when the kid sniffled and shook as he forced himself to read over whatever had upset him again. His hand trembled, but in the end, he managed to draw a few lines on the paper and hand it back to Shanks.

Roronoa was punished for missteps or failure to meet Shimotsuki’s standards daily, either by physical injury, extensive training or limited food supply.

“Sensei knows I was bad,” Zoro whispered, curling in on himself. “He is angry. He doesn’t want me anymore. Sensei hates me.”

“Zoro, that man had no right to hurt you-”

“I know!”, the teen shouted before quickly flinching away. “I am not some kind of psychopath. I know you aren’t supposed to do that to a person, but he only did it when I was bad. And now Sensei Mihawk knows I am a failure.”

“May I?”, Shanks asked and held out his hand for the file. Then he grabbed a marker off the desk.

“Here,” he said as he handed the paper back.

Roronoa was punished for missteps or failure to meet Shimotsuki’s standards daily, either by physical injury, extensive training or limited food supply.

“That man was insane,” Shanks said. “No one could have met those standards, and it shouldn’t have been your burden to try. Mihawk knows this. Who’s standards would you rather meet?”

Zoro squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath. “Mihawk. I choose Mihawk. He is my sensei.”

Not the title the man himself would have chosen, but it was a start.

“He is very proud of you,” Shanks told the boy. “All Mihawk wants is for you to be happy.”

“B-But I’m broken,” Zoro sighed. At this point, there were no more tears, no more sniffling, just utter defeat. “He broke me. Every day. I see him in my nightmares all the time, and then I lash out. It’s like he is still punishing me.”

“You are not broken, Zoro,” Shanks said gently, taking the boy’s hand. “I promise, you are not alone anymore. We will make it through this.”

“I don’t want to hurt Mihawk,” the boy whispered, as if it was a secret. “I never do.”

“He knows that. He knows your old Sensei is still there, inside of your head. And that’s why he is not angry at you.”

“O-Okay,” the kid nodded.

Shanks knew this wasn’t the end of it. These insecurities had been ingrained in the boy since he could remember. They ran too deep to be able to be pulled out by the root. They would end up here, again and again, Zoro breaking down, desperately reaching out his hand. And Shanks would take it. Again and again. Maybe one day they’d be sitting here, twenty years down the road, when Zoro came to visit his dad with his own kids, and the nightmares and memories would return, and Shanks would take his hand again, and lead him right back to Mihawk, right back where he belonged.

“I’m glad I called you,” Zoro confessed. “I just wanted to ask you about the file. I didn’t know you would come over.”

“I always will,” Shanks promised. “Both Mihawk and I will always help you.”

……

Mihawk dragged himself up the stairs to his apartment. He had not gotten all that much sleep last night, and had just taught three classes in a row. Now he was drenched in sweat, exhausted and hungry.

He pulled his shirt over his head, dropped it in the laundry basket in the bathroom, turned around and-

What the fuck? Had he gone insane? Was it possible to think about a person so intensely, they materialized in your hallway?

After a few seconds Shanks’ eyes snapped up from Mihawk’s bare chest and stomach. “Uhm…”

“What are you doing in my apartment?”

Instead of answering, Shanks asked, “Where is your first aid kit?”

In an instant, all the exhaustion, the longing and the confusion were wiped from Mihawk’s mind, replaced by pure panic.

“Zoro-?”

“Minor injuries,” Shanks said quickly, holding up his hand reassuringly. “The kit?

“N-Next to his desk. What happened?”

Shanks gave him a tired little smile. “Okay, thank you. I know you just came up from the dojo, and you look exhausted. Take a shower, maybe make yourself some tea, and then I’ll explain everything once I have taken care of your boy, alright?”

Chapter Text

Zoro felt like he was floating. Of course he registered the dull pain in his arms as Shanks sprayed disinfectant on the deep scratches, but it still felt so far away. It was not exactly a terrible state of being, but it still felt weird. He would like to return to his body at some point, but he wasn’t completely sure how.

“All done!”, Shanks said cheerfully when he was done bandaging Zoro’s arms. “How do you feel?”

Zoro drew his arms back to his chest. “Weird. And… and tired.”

Shanks nodded. “You should just relax for the rest of the day.”

“I haven’t trained-”

“You are in no state to do that, kiddo,” Shanks told him firmly. “No swords today.”

“Okay,” Zoro agreed. The man was probably right, but Zoro’s guilt was calmed a bit by the fact that he had tried at least. Now it wasn’t his weakness, if he had been allowed, he would have trained.

“Can you tell Sensei?”

“I’ll let him know,” Shanks said gently.

“Uhm, and- and I haven’t done my homework…”

“What subject?”

“Astronomy.”

Shanks suddenly started grinning. “Principal Silvers class?”

“Yes…?”

Shanks turned to the table and grabbed a sticky note, as well as some markers. He bent over the desk and scribbled something on it, before folding it up tightly.

“Here,” he said, holding up the paper before putting it on the desk. “If he collects your notebooks, just give him this.”

“But I will get in trouble!”

“You won’t, I promise,” Shanks grinned. “I got something else for you,” he said, pulling an odd object out of his pocket.

The ring was very thick, but it still looked light. It was made out of a bunch of wires, twisting into each other. Shanks placed it in Zoro’s palm.

“Roll it over your finger.”

The sensation was odd. Very prickly, but not in a painful way. The pressure was the most real thing Zoro had felt since he had entered this strange, floaty headspace.

“Press down on it a little.”

Hm. Now it hurt just the tiniest bit. The way it dug into his skin reminded him of the way his fingernails had done the same earlier, but it didn’t leave any marks.

“It’s a Skill.”

“Skill? Are you supposed to do tricks with it or something?”

Shanks smiled gently. “No. It’s just a tool to help you out a little when you feel stressed. There are a lot more of them. Usopp uses them a lot. Once the skin on your arm is healed, I’m gonna get you a bigger one for your wrist.”

“Huh.” Zoro Looked down again, absentmindedly rolling the ring over his finger.

……

It took everything in Mihawk to not kick in that goddamn door and rush to Zoro’s side, but he had asked Shanks for help for a reason. He had no clue what this might be about or why the redhead was even in his house, but whatever it was, Mihawk probably had no experience with it.

This was why he had done just as Shanks had said. He had taken a shower, put on clean clothes and prepared himself a cup of tea. None of that had helped him to calm down.

Mihawk jumped up from his chair when he heard Zoro’s door open and close, followed by steps down the hallway.

“He is okay,” Was the first thing Shanks said when he entered the kitchen. He looked a little tired, but his smile seemed sincere, making Mihawk’s shoulders slump down in relief.

“What happened?”

Shanks sighed and rubbed his forehead. “Maybe we should go sit down for this.”

They walked over to the sofa and sat down next to each other.

“Earlier today your kiddo called me. He told me he had found his file.”

Mihawk felt all the blood drain from his face. “W-What? Is this my fault? Did I leave it in the living room?”

Shanks quickly took his hand and started rubbing his knuckles. “No, this is not your fault. Sounded like he just wanted to check out your office and found it by accident. By the way, I would advice you to overlook that little transgression.”

Mihawk started nodding immediately. “Yes, yes of course. That file must have brought back some bad memories.”

Shanks sucked in a harsh breath. “Uhm… worse actually.”

Why could they never catch a break? Yesterday had gone so well, why wasn’t his boy allowed some time to heal?

“First of all I need you to understand that Zoro’s fears might be focused on you, but you have not caused this. He has no reference points for what a real caretaker is supposed to act like.”

“Okay,” Mihawk agreed, swallowing down his pride. This was most likely going to tear his heart to shreds, but he couldn’t let it get to him. A few days ago he had no clue how to move forward, but Shanks was trained for this. If he said Mihawk was doing alright, he would have to believe him.

Shanks handed him the file, opening it to a page with a few words highlighted and underlined with pencil.

“The pencil markings were done by Zoro.”

“Punished for failure daily,” Mihawk read out, his fist clenching up.

“Zoro was worried about your opinion of this. He assumed you might react with anger.”

Mihawk forced himself to relax his muscles. “Of course I am furious this happened to him?”

Shanks hit him with his saddest little smile. “No, he thought you were angry at him.”

That made no sense at all. On the other hand, nothing about Zoro ever made sense to Mihawk. “Okay,” he said simply. “Why?”

Shanks reached over and tapped the word ‘daily’. “The abuse he was put through was rather calculated. He was not only harmed and neglected, he was also trained to believe it was his fault and would stop as soon as he managed to meet his abuser’s standards. He feared you, his sensei, would be disappointed in him for ‘failing’.”

That last sentence was what did it. Mihawk fell forward, hiding his face in his hands, his eyes stinging as a few tears dropped into his fingers.

Shanks rubbed his back gently. “We can make it through this. You are doing fine, trust me. It’ll take some time, but you are on the right track.”

Mihawk looked down as he wiped his face and nodded. “Okay. What did you tell him?”

“The truth. I told him that you are proud of him, that you are not angry and that no matter how many times we have to remind him, we will be there for him.”

“We?”, Mihawk asked weakly. “Together?”

“Together,” Shanks agreed, pressing two fingers to his chin to tilt his face up. “I know it’s scary, but you are not alone in this.”

Mihawk blinked the tears from his eyes, focusing on Shanks’ soft gaze. “It’s like I’m walking through a dark forest, with no direction.”

Shanks leaned in, letting their foreheads touch. “Then let me guide you.”

Mihawk bit his lip, trying to hold the words back, but failing miserably. “I’m not good at this whole… people thing. I wasn’t meant for it. I’ve gotten good at being lonely, it’s okay. I shouldn’t be dragging an innocent kid into it.”

Shanks’ hand slid to the nape of Mihawk’s neck, pulling his face into the redhead’s shoulder. “Shh… It’s okay, Baby. I got you.”

“Shanks,” Mihawk whispered scooting closer to the other man. His arms wrapped around his waist, holding him as close as he could. “I’m sorry. You shouldn’t even be here today, but- but Shanks, I need you.”

This was not him. Mihawk was never like this. Mihawk didn’t need anyone. He didn’t feel insecure and he didn’t cry. However, all he could do as he felt Shanks’ hand rubbing his back was to press closer and breathe in the other man’s scent. It was so calming. Sea salt mixed with pine needles and a hint of smoke. It reminded him of the days of his childhood, training on a clearing in the forest, the sun warming his skin.

“It’s okay,” Shanks said. Mihawk could feel the vibration of his voice against his cheek. “I’m right here, Baby, you can have me. I’m not going anywhere.

Mihawk allowed Shanks to play with his hair for a few more minutes before pulling back. “No, you gotta go. You need to take care of Luffy, and I need to talk to Zoro.”

Shanks sighed, but pulled his hand back. “Yeah… You are right.”

“You are picking them up tomorrow?”, Mihawk asked, trying to sound as casual as possible.

“Yeah, sure. Zoro got a key?”

Mihawk nodded.

“Okay,” Shanks said, getting up from the sofa. “See ya tomorrow.”

Chapter Text

Becky <3 : Can you check if I left my favorite hair tie at your place?

Ginger : Sorry, I’m at Mihawk’s

It’s Tuesday

You said you didn’t have anything planned until tomorrow

And Luffy is at Karate

I had to go

God dammit Shanks!

No, fr

His kid called me

Oh shit, is everything okay?

Do you need me to pick up Luffy?

No, I handled it, gonna drive back home now

thanks tho

The kid is fine for now

Thank god

Mihawk?

Fucking hot

Like… insane shit

Caught him off guard after work, with no shirt on

Almost forgot how fucking perfect that body is

Like a Greek god or something

Just wanna fucking worship him

Jesus Christ!!!

I meant whether or not he is okay!

typing…

typing...

typing...

Shanks…? You good?

Tbh, I kinda hoped you’d be too annoyed by me to ask

Don’t know what to say

Never seen him like that

That bad?

H e’s better now

Remember how Yasopp used to freak out when Usopp entered the picture?

He still does

Now imagine that, but the kid is there full time, there is no other parent around, and there is severe trauma

Oh shit

And it’s not Yasopp, it’s Mihawk

OH SHIT

……

“I’m sorry.”

Mihawk sighed as he quickly checked over Zoro. His hair was sweaty, his face was pale and his eyes wouldn’t meet Mihawk’s. Instead they were fixed on a little silver object his shaky fingers were playing with.

“You have nothing to be sorry for. I am still so very, very proud of you,” the swordmaster said, feeling a little disconnected from the whole situation. While the words were absolutely true, at this point he was just repeating a mantra, slowly reconditioning Zoro.

“We did this Saturday already,” the boy pointed out.

“Indeed.”

“All I am is a burden.”

Mihawk’s eyebrows drew together in concentration. This was a new one. His first instinct was to deny the statement immediately, but perhaps he should get to the bottom of this.

“A rather harsh claim. What makes you think so?”

Zoro’s eyes flickered to him for a brief moment, before focusing on his hands again. “I cried again,” the boy said, as if he was confessing a horrendous crime. “Nothing even happened. Shanks has no reason to waste his afternoon on me.”

Oh. That one hurt.

“I did too.”

“Huh?”

“I cried too.”

“What?”, Zoro asked, actually looking at Mihawk for the first time since he had entered the room. “No, you didn’t, you are so strong!”

“I am,” Mihawk confirmed. “And I had a really long day. I was stressed.” He decided it would probably be best to not tell Zoro he had broken down because of him. The child had enough guilt weighing him down.

Zoro stared at him like he had just told him the house was going to blow up in 5 seconds. His eyebrows drew together and he let out a shaky breath. “Are you okay?”

Was the boy… worried about him? That was rather sweet.

“Yes,” Mihawk nodded. “Shanks hugged me.”

“Oh.”

“Do you think I am a burden to him?”

Zoro looked almost offended at the notion. “No.”

Mihawk nodded in approval. “Zoro?”

“Yeah?”

“Would you like a hug as well?”

The boy’s eyes began to fill with tears and he held out his arms. “P-Please.”

……

‘Shanks had no reason to waste his afternoon on me.’

Mihawk was such a hypocrite. Hadn’t he just assured the boy that there was nothing wrong with seeking out help? Mihawk was not a complete tool, he was aware that vulnerability was no reason for shame. In theory. For other people.

Still, why did it have to be Shanks?

‘I need you.’

What a stupid, useless notion. Who just clung to their former… friend… acquaintance? Who did that and begged them to stay? Ridiculous.

But if not Shanks, who else? Who else could he trust? Who else would pull him into their shoulder, allowing his tears to soak into their shirt? Who else would know to scratch the nape of his neck rhythmically until Mihawk calmed down? Who else would be there for him?

Perona? The thought alone made his gut twist. Sure, she was not the frustrated 17-year-old who had hunted him down three years ago, but the idea of putting that burden on the young woman made him feel sick. Perona would hold him if he asked, but it would definitely weigh heavy on her mind.

Moria had never provided the stability and routine she needed. At least his worthless cousin (third? Twice removed? Mihawk didn’t care enough to remember) had just left her in her room and not bothered her too much, but the man was still clinically insane and unfit to be around minors, just like his creepy friends. No, he would not put her back in that position. She was 20, Mihawk wouldn’t make her his caretaker.

Who else was there? Crocodile? Yeah… no. Just no.

That was it. That was all Mihawk had. Which had been fine a few weeks ago, when everything had been calm, and organized, and unemotional. Now he couldn’t keep going like that. Now he needed Shanks.

……

‘I need you.’

‘I need you.’

‘I need you.’

‘I need you.’

The words kept repeating in his head over and over again. Mihawk needed him! Mihawk had allowed Shanks to hold him, to pull him close and even to play with his hair. He had missed that. The way the other man would just go boneless after a few minutes and finally gave himself permission to let go. Nothing else could do that. No duel, no nice dinner, no amount of hours spend in bed with Shanks blowing his fucking mind until Mihawk was all sweaty, panting and-

Anyways. The point was, Shanks knew exactly how to take care of his darling.

‘I wasn’t meant for it. I’ve gotten good at being lonely.’

Fuck, that one had broken his fucking heart. Sure, Mihawk actually preferred solitude, but restricting himself to it? No, his baby deserved better. Goddammit, Shanks could give him something better! He had always been ready to give Mihawk everything he had, but that emotionally repressed, stubborn, tone-deaf man just wouldn’t fucking let him!

Shanks had never seen him cry before. Just yesterday he had seen his tears for the first time, but it hadn’t been like this. Not so open and vulnerable. Not while actually admitting what he needed, what Shanks could give him. The redhead had wanted to never let go of that man again, wanted to drag him back home with him, tie him to the bed so he couldn’t get away and show him exactly what Shanks could-

Well, this was going in the wrong direction. This wasn’t about fucking Mihawk. This was about waking up next to him the morning after. It was about serving him coffee in bed, before coaxing him downstairs to have breakfast with the boys. About sending him quirky little texts throughout the day. About greeting him home after a long day, pulling him into his arms and playing with his hair until he fell asleep. About treating him right. Just the way he always had wanted.

It was an old desire. One that had festered in heart for so many years. One he had thought would never be fulfilled. One that had ripped them apart, when Shank’s stupid little heart hadn’t been able to take the constant rejection anymore.

But now… Now he had his boy right where he wanted him. Vulnerable, needy, and desperate for guidance. Ready for Shanks to take him apart and put him back together, just the way he wanted him. Secure, trusting, and kind. It was all there already, the way he took care of Zoro proved it, now Mihawk just needed to extend these qualities to himself.

But in order to achieve this, Shanks would have to focus, which was fucking difficult, when Mihawk kept looking like that, walking around topless, when he kept smelling like that, cuddling into Shanks’ shoulder after taking a shower, when he kept feeling like that, soft hair and hard muscles under the tip of Shanks’ fingers, as he stroked down from his neck to his shoulder-

Yeah, so basically this was all Mihawk’s fault. No one else could do this to Shanks’ brain. No one was that irresistable.

Shanks wanted to call him. He wanted to ask what they were, what Mihawk wanted, what Shanks would be allowed to give him. He wanted all the answers now, but unfortunately he’d have to wait until their date on Saturday, when he’d get a chance to sweep the other man off his feet.

In a way, it would be better to not see Mihawk until then, but Shanks was excited about seeing him again tomorrow. Could this become a pattern? The boys playing in Zoro’s room, Shanks and Mihawk preparing dinner in the kitchen? That sounded nice…

Damn, Shanks was so screwed.

Chapter Text

Rayleigh walked through the desks, collecting notebooks. He reached the last desk, the one in the front next to the door, and expectantly looked down at the green-haired boy, who began fidgeting nervously. The principal noticed he had his notebook next to him, but wasn’t handing it over.

Rayleigh sighed. Clearly the boy hadn’t completed the assignment. Well. He had only been at the school for one and a half weeks, and from the few interactions he had had with the child, it seemed like he had some trouble adjusting. Rayleigh should probably not be too hard on him.

“Uhm… Principal, sir?”

“Yes, Zoro?”, Rayleigh asked, raising his eyebrows. Was the kid about to come up with an elaborate excuse?

“Here,” the boy said, his face turning red as he held out a folded note.

Huh? What was this? Perhaps a pre-prepared apology? Usopp had done that once… Rayleigh took the note and-

Oh wow. His other hand came up to cover his mouth. He looked back down at Zoro, who was watching him with worried eyes. Rayleigh felt a little sorry for the child, the principal must look very scary right now. His eyebrows were tightly drawn together and his eyes were narrowed, all from the effort to not burst out laughing.

“Am I-” He had to stop to force down a chuckle. “Am I right in the assumption that you have not looked at this note before handing it over?”

“...no?” The boy’s face turned pale. “Why? I- Is it not like… a doctor’s note?”

Rayleigh couldn’t hold back anymore. He started giggling, his whole body shaking. “No, Roronoa Zoro, this is not a doctor’s note,” he chuckled, putting the piece of paper in his pocket. Roger would love this.

“So, you met Shanks?”

Zoro nodded. “Yeah, you know him?”

Rayleigh smirked. “You can say that.”

The boy nodded. “Okay. So, what did he write on that note?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

Zoro frowned. “Huh? What does that mean?”

Rayleigh smirked and turned away.

“Wait, sir? Principal Rayleigh? What was on that note?”

“Don’t worry about it,” he repeated and walked back to his desk, still smiling.

......

“Shanks, I need your help, dude!”

He sat up straighter. His friend sounded very stressed.

“What’s up?”

“My phone is about to die, so I’m going to make it quick. My fucking car broke down outside of town,” Yasopp rushed out. “I was supposed to pick up Usopp today. And Banchina has an important work thing going on. Can you take him home with you?”

“Uhm… actually…”

“Yes or no? Come on man, my phone is at 1%!”

Shanks was also panicking now. “We are visiting… someone else. And their kid. So-”

“Yeah, yeah, that’s fine, just send me the address via email.”

“No really I can’t-”, he stopped when he realized the call had already disconnected.

……

Mihawk got back from his appointment a little after 5. The first thing he heard when entering his apartment was breaking glass. Well. He had invited Luffy over after all. Best to put an end to whatever that boy was doing.

“Oh shit.”

“Please watch your language,” Mihawk said completely on autopilot.

“Uhm…”

“May I ask who you are and what you are doing in my kitchen?”, he asked the child. The scene he had come home to was rather strange indeed. The boy in front of him was blushing now, even the tip of his rather long nose was turning red. The floor was covered in shattered glass, but thankfully there was no sign of blood.

“Uhm…”

Mihawk was about to ask again, when Shanks suddenly appeared next to him.

“Oh! Okay, let’s all stay calm,” the redhead said, slightly stepping between him and the child.

Mihawk tilted his head to the side in confusion. “Yes, obviously?” Then he noticed how both Shanks and the boy kept looking between the broken glass and the swordmaster. “Shanks, that boy looks about ten years old. I will not start a fight with a child,” he said with an eye roll.

“Hey, I’m twelve!”

“Even so,” Mihawk waved him off. “Who would fight a child?”

Shanks pursed his lips. “Sweetie…”, he said in a fake sweet voice. “Why do you think my job exists?”

Mihawk looked back down at the glass. Yes, weaker-minded people might get upset by this. “Ah, right.”

“Hi, Shanks,” the child said suddenly and Shanks held out his hand for a high five.

Mihawk nodded. “So we know this boy? I do not have another intruder on my hands?”

“I-I’m Usopp,” the boy stuttered, looking up at him with wide eyes.

Now where had he heard that name before… “Ah, Zoro told me about you. Welcome.”

“Sorry about the glass,” Usopp mumbled shyly.

“It is quite alright,” Mihawk said calmly. “I will clean it up, I would rather not have you touch the shards.”

“Okay, thanks,” the boy nodded. “Uhm… Bye!” he squeezed past them and sprinted towards Zoro’s room.

“Interesting child.”

Shanks’ carefree smile dropped the second Usopp was gone. “Sorry about this, he’s Yasopp’s kid and his car broke down and he couldn’t make it. I really didn’t mean to-”

“How many of you have illegitimate offspring running around?”

Shanks pouted. “Stop judging, you grump.”

Mihawk got the dustpan and began sweeping up the glass. “Yasopp must have been rather shocked.”

Shank smirked down at him. “I can relate. But I actually knew the kid before he did. He’s Luffy’s friend.”

“Seems to be a pattern,” Mihawk noticed. “Where did Luffy even find him?”

Shanks thought about it for a second. “I think he just picks someone who looks lonely and won’t let them leave.”

“That sounds like a crime.”

“Is that not how you got your child?”, the redhead teased.

“Touche…”

……

Yasopp parked his rental car close to the address Shanks had sent him. This day had fucking sucked. It had taken hours for someone to tow his car and he hadn’t even been able to have lunch. At least Shanks had saved his ass. The idea of Usopp waiting for hours and no one picking him up kinda stung. Good thing he had managed to call Shanks before his phone died.

Yasopp was about to pull out his phone and shoot Shanks a text, when he saw the redhead walk down the street, Luffy clinging to his back, Usopp holding on to his hand. The man spotted him and let go of Usopp in order to point towards the car. The boy nodded and ran over. Shanks threw a quick salute his way and went off to his own car.

“Hey kiddo.”

“Hi Yasopp.”

He just nodded at that. In the beginning his son had just called him by his name, until Luffy had pointed out, very loudly, in a room full of people, that he could call him ‘Dad’ to his face if he already did it secretly anyways. The poor boy had gotten very, very red, but had stuttered out the word a few days later.

To be honest, Yasopp still felt very out of place, but he was at least getting the basics right. The first time Usopp had resorted back to using his name he had been very worried he might have screwed up, until Banchina had informed him that their son was simply worried about his math test. Apparently the kid withdrew when his anxiety took over. Yasopp had spent his whole life surrounded by the most laid-back people one could find, so his son’s disorder had confused the shit out of him. At least he now knew not to take it to heart. Going to a stranger’s house without any time to prepare must have been a lot.

“Did you have a good time?”

“Yeah! Zoro’s house is really cool!”

“Zoro…”, Yasopp said slowly, trying to find the name in his brain. “Oh, the new guy? Luffy’s buddy?”

“Yes,” Usopp confirmed. “And his… hey Yasopp, what do you call it when you live with someone but you are not related at all?”

“Adoption?”, Yasopp asked.

“No… not that.”

“Guardian?”

“Yeah, that sounds right,” Usopp mused. “Zoro’s guardian is really nice. And he makes really good grilled cheese!”

“He sounds cool,” Yasopp nodded. “Shanks seems to know the guy, maybe he can bring him around sometime.”

Chapter Text

PSA: I forgot to put a scene at the beginning of the last chapter, and it makes no sense anywhere else, so I edited the chapter. Go back to read the extra scene :)

……

“S-Sensei?”

Mihawk looked up from his papers, giving Zoro a long, searching look.

“I- I mean Mihawk. Mihawk,” the boy repeated, as if to remind himself.

“What can I do for you?”

“S-So… tomorrow is Friday…”

“Correct.”

“And that means there is no school the day after. A-And no competition.”

Damn right there would not be a competition. And even if there was one, Mihawk would keep Zoro far, far away from that kind of environment.

“That is correct,” Mihawk said carefully, not sure where Zoro was going with this.

“Would- Would it be alright- I- I mean only if it’s not a bother-”

“Zoro,” he said calmly, making the boy shut up immediately. “You can speak openly. If I have to deny your request, there will be no negative consequences.”

“I- I just don’t want to be greedy,” Zoro admitted, staring at the office floor. “You are so nice to me, I shouldn’t take advantage.”

Mihawk bit the inside of his cheek. He understood where Zoro was coming from. While Mihawk was just giving him what every child should have, to the boy this was a huge change.

“This is your home too. As long as it is within reason, I will try my best to accommodate you.”

Zoro nervously played with the hem of his shirt. “R-Right, but- but Luffy and Usopp already came over yesterday, so-, so-”

Mihawk had to hold back an excited smile. “You want to invite someone?”

Three people in one week? And Zoro had mentioned even more friends. A weight was lifted off Mihawk’s shoulder. This was so important. The boy already had made more friends than Mihawk himself had ever had. There were a lot of things he had been worried about, like the bad grades in certain subjects or his occasional unwillingness to do his homework, but that was all relatively unimportant compared to this. This was all the child truly needed from that school.

“Yeah… Chopper asked if maybe we could hang out?”

Mihawk smiled softly. He hated the way that bond was created, but he adored the way Zoro cared for the young boy. The teen so rarely allowed himself to be soft.

“Of course, I will call Kureha to discuss the details.”

“One more thing…”

Mihawk gestured for Zoro to keep talking.

“I was telling Nami about how I used to read him stories, and Chopper said he kinda misses living in the same house, so I may have promised him something?”

It took a few moments for Mihawk to understand what the child was asking for. “You would like to have… a sleepover?”, he asked, unsure if he was using the correct term.

Zoro nodded quickly. “Please? We won’t be too loud and we will stay in my room the whole time and- and-”

Mihawk lifted a hand to stop him. “I see no reason to deny your request, but please, when your friends come over, don’t feel forced to shut yourself away in your room. As I have already pointed out, this is your home as well. I will ask Kureha if she is comfortable with Chopper spending the night.”

……

‘Good evening Shanks. May I seek your council?’

Shanks rolled his eyes at the text. Who the hell talked like that? And why was it so goddamn cute?

‘Sure. Whatcha need?’

‘How does one have a ‘sleepover’?’

Shanks had to read the message a couple of times until he could comprehend it.

‘Zoro is bringing home a friend?’

‘Chopper’

‘Tomorrow’

‘I fear I have no experience with such things.’

‘Well, I know what Luffs would want, but he is not Zoro. You and your kid seem kinda alike, what did you do as a child?’

‘Train.’

‘Study.’

‘Wander through the woods.’

‘I believe these activities would not be the best choices.’

Shanks rubbed his temple. Why was Mihawk like this?

‘No, I meant for a sleepover. What did you do?’

‘I have not participated in something like that.’

Ah. Well, Mihawk liked his privacy and routines, so perhaps he had been the same as a kid?

‘It’s basically just an extended playdate.’

‘I have not participated in something like that’

At first, Shanks had thought the text had been delivered twice for some reason, but then he noticed the missing period. Not participated…? In what? Having people over? Perhaps his parents had not liked having guests?

“I wasn’t meant for it. I’ve gotten good at being lonely.”

It all came back to that, didn’t it? Mihawk hadn’t ‘participated’ in having friends as a child.

‘It also lies outside Zoro’s area of expertise, so I am quite worried. That young boy means a lot to him.’

He was asking Shanks how to be… cool? Likable? A chill parent? Shanks was still struggling with the feeling of his heart being ripped apart, but this at least he could do.

……

Zoro looked at the huge bags in confusion. “What is all of that?”

“Chips, soft drinks, ice cream, and popcorn,” Mihawk explained flatly. “Shanks informed me that snacks would probably be appreciated. Additionally, we decided that baking pizza and cookies together could be an appropriate activity for both of your ages, so I made sure to have the ingredients ready should you choose that option.”

The boy grinned up at him. “We are gonna bake cookies? That’s so cool! I have never done that before!”

Mihawk tilted his head to the side. “Neither have I, but the recipe seems simple enough.”

Zoro nodded in excitement. “I don’t think Chopper has either, but now I can cross that one off the list.”

“List?”

The boy blushed and began playing with the strings of his hoody. “Uhm… Chopper lost some time when we had to live with Jeff, and before that, his dad was sick and… Well, I don’t want him to feel like- like-”

“Like you feel,” Mihawk said, a strange nervousness crawling over his skin. “Like you missed your childhood. Like there is a part of you missing. Something everyone else has. Something they hold close to their heart, while you just have… emptiness.”

Zoro looked up at him with wide eyes. “You know? You understand?”

Mihawk got down on one knee so he could look his child in the eye. “I do.”

“Am I being stupid? Chopper is normal, he probably doesn’t need me to-”

“We will bake together,” Mihawk said, putting a hand on Zoro’s shoulder. “You should put everything you can think of on that list. One day you and Chopper can complete it.”

Zoro nodded slowly. “Will you help me?”

Mihawk pulled the boy into a tight hug. “Yes, I will help you.”

Chapter Text

God, it would have been easy. So fucking easy. Just two days ago he had been alone with him. It would have been so easy to push Mihawk up against the wall, just like the other man had done to him. He could have ripped open the buttons of that slutty red silk shirt. It wasn’t like Mihawk had closed that many buttons in the first place. What had he been thinking, dressing like that when he had known Shanks would come over? Was he trying to make him lose his fucking mind?

Probably not. Mihawk had probably not even thought about the way he looked. Professional, put-together, expensive. That was how the strongest swordsman in the world wanted to present himself. He just happened to be absolutely breathtaking by accident. Gorgeous. And so, so pretty.

Shanks was not a jealous man. Well… He wouldn’t be, if Mihawk was his. If he knew the man was coming home to him, the redhead would have no problem with him walking around all day in his unbuttoned shirts and tight pants. Hell, Shanks would even be proud. Would want everyone to see what only he could have.

Shanks’ cock throbbed at the thought. He had been hard for so long, only occasionally allowing himself some relief in the form of a quick squeeze. Jerking off to the thought of his ex was probably not the best idea… But damn, it had been so long.

Losing an arm and gaining a son hadn’t exactly given him many opportunities to meet people. Not that he had been interested in anyone else since Mihawk had rushed in and out of his life like a meteor flashing across the sky, blinding Shanks’ unprepared eyes.

And now the man was back. Everything Shanks wanted was so close he could taste it…

Fine. He’d do this once. Just to get it out of his system.

Shanks slid his hand into his boxers and gripped his cock tightly. He wasn’t planning on drawing it out or teasing himself. He’d get off, go to sleep, and act perfectly normal and controlled the next time he saw Mihawk. Simple.

Shanks squeezed his eyes shut and called some of his favorite memories back to mind. Like the time he had convinced Mihawk to let Shanks suck him off in a bathroom stall, with all his friends waiting at the bar. Or the time Mihawk had gotten on his knees for him right before he had to leave, taking Shanks down his throat and making him almost choke on his breakfast. Or the time Mihawk had ridden his dick with his hands tied behind his back, flexing his strong, thick thighs the only way to help him balance.

God, those legs… Long, pale, muscular. They felt amazing when Shanks squeezed them tight, leaving fingertip-shaped marks. And Mihawk bruised so easily. Everywhere, on his thighs, hips, chest…

And Mihawk always let him. He’d roll his eyes, call Shanks childish, remind him not to let the marks spread too high up his throat, but he never actually refused him. Like he wanted to be marked. Wanted to belong to Shanks.

He sped up his hand, a deep groan escaping his lips. He wanted to do more, feel more touches against his skin, something more teasing, more refined than his tight fist around his cock, but this was supposed to douse his desire, not fuel it.

Fuck, everything about Mihawk was so perfect, his hair, his eyes, his lips, his laugh-

The way he had chuckled at Shanks’ stupid jokes while preparing some grilled cheese for the kids. The way he had looked at him softly when Shanks had tucked a strand of hair behind his ear. The way he had taken his hand when they had said goodbye, telling him he looked forward to their dinner-

Wait, what? These weren’t the depraved, filthy thoughts Shanks was supposed to be having right now. Fuck, he was supposed to think about his dick, ass, lips, maybe even eyes, but definitely not his smile! His plan had been to get Mihawk out of his system, take a step back so he could calm down a bit, not make his infatuation even worse!

But he was so, so close. Those seconds of imagining the swordmaster’s smile had pushed him to the edge. Mihawk was simply so-

Shanks froze at the familiar song sounding through the room.

Now?! Mihawk was calling him now?!

Shanks couldn’t answer. He should just finish and then call him back.

But what if Mihawk needed him? The last time he had called, almost a week ago, his poor boy had been close to tears!

Shanks ripped his hand out of his boxers, rolled over and reached for his phone.

“Mihawk?”

……

Shanks’ voice sounded strained, and not in the way he had expected. Regardless, Mihawk asked, “Shanks. I sincerely hope I did not wake you up?”

“Nope, no, not at all,” the other man said, sounding a bit out of breath. “What’s up?”

“Are you okay?”, Mihawk checked. “You sound… strange.”

“Yes, yes, of course, I was just.. doing… push-ups.”

“Push-ups?”

“Yes…?”

Huh. Shanks was obviously staying in shape, that much had been clear from what Mihawk had seen. And felt, that time he had cuddled into his chest. But…

“Shanks, it’s almost 1 am.”

“Yeah, well… Anyways, why were you calling?”, the redhead said quickly. “Did the sleepover go well?”

“Uhm…?”, Mihawk said, looking at the mess in the bowl, then at the huge splatter at the wall, a mix of runny egg and shell.

“Ups.”

“Zoro! That’s not how you crack an egg!”, the little boy between them giggled, rubbing some goo off his forehead.

“Sorry,” the teen mumbled and picked a bit of shell out of Chopper’s hair. “I’ve never done this before.”

Mihawk chuckled at the way Zoro’s cheeks were turning red. “I really need to teach you how to cook. Let’s clean this up, then we can try again.”

“Yeah, I think so,” Mihawk told Shanks. “They both really enjoyed baking cookies, so thanks for that idea. Oh, and the movie was a hit too, I offered Zoro to put the screen in his room, but he wanted us to watch it together.”

“Oh nice,” Shanks said. “Which one did you pick?”

“Encanto. Great movie.”

“Are they gonna kick her out?”

“Who?”, Mihawk asked, popping another piece of popcorn into his mouth.

“Luisa. She got weak, why would they keep her?”

He frowned. Maybe the singing had been difficult for the teen to understand?

“She’s one of the kids,” Mihawk explained. “Did you miss that part?”

Zoro shook his head. “I mean, I guess, but she’s not actually a kid. She got the wrong gift for that. She is the strong one, she’s gotta protect them.”

“But-”

Chopper put a hand on his arm, “Just keep watching, Zoro will see,” he said, pointing at the screen, where the girl was beginning to sing.

“Glad to hear that,” Shanks said.

Mihawk nodded to himself. “I really thought everything went well.”

His heart melted at the sight. Chopper had his arms drawn up to his chest, his head resting on Zoro, who had an arm wrapped around the younger boy. The two children were sharing a blanket too.

“Need some help?”, Mihawk checked with a chuckle.

“No,” Zoro said, turning around to slide his other arm under Chopper’s knees. “I’ve got him. Thanks, though. For- For tonight. Good night, Mihawk.”

“Good night, Zoro.”

“You thought it went well?”, Shanks wondered. “What happened?”

Mihawk threw a glance at the closed bedroom door, wishing he could see into the hallway. “I don’t know. They went to bed hours ago, but now Zoro is just sitting outside his door. I was going to check on him, but he got his sword across his lap and flinched when I left the living room and went to my room, so I wasn’t sure what the correct approach would be?”

It was very, very quiet for a moment. He couldn’t even hear the other’s breathing anymore.

“Mihawk…” Oh. Shanks sounded fully alert now. “Do not leave your room.”

“Oh, okay,” the swordmaster immediately agreed, glad Shanks seemed to have some answers. “Why is he doing that?”

Shanks let out a low hiss. “Yeah… I got a theory, but you ain’t gonna like it.”

The blood froze in Mihawk’s veins. “Shanks…”, he said in a warning tone. “Why. Is. He. Doing. That?”

“You see… What you have to understand is… The last time he and Chopper stayed at the same house…”

He had to sit down on the edge of the bed, suddenly feeling very, very ill. That night. When Zoro, 13-year-old Zoro, had fought his foster father, a grown man, to keep him away from the sleeping child.

“He- He thinks I would- to a child? That’s- That’s-”

“No, no of course not,” Shanks reassured him, but his voice sounded far away. Mihawk had dropped the phone. Fortunately it had landed on the bed, so he quickly picked it up and pressed it to his ear again.

“He probably is not thinking at all right now. If he thought you were a danger, he wouldn’t have invited the boy over or allowed you to spend time with him. My guess is that his instincts are just going haywire and he’d panic if he left Chopper unprotected.”

“So it’s not me?”, Mihawk asked, his voice breaking a bit.

“I think you are doing great!”, Shanks reassured him.

“What do I do now? I kinda need to go to the bathroom…”

“Oh…” The way Shanks said it made it clear he was probably pulling a grimace right now. “Well… You got a bottle or a jar in your room?”

He looked around. “Yes, I got a coin jar, why-”, Mihawk stopped, his eyes going wide. “Shanks!”, he hissed. “I am not emptying my bladder into a jar! That’s disgusting.”

The other man let out a frustrated huff. “Look man, I can’t force you, and it’s your house, but I really don’t think you should leave your room tonight. The kid might not actually think you’d hurt Chopper, but when you open that door and he sees you walking down the hallway, in the middle of the night, going towards the room Chopper is sleeping in, those few seconds of fear will get ingrained into his brain. Besides, Zoro is probably aware he is supposed to be asleep right now, so being caught out of bed might trigger a panic attack.”

“Shanks,” Mihawk huffed angrily. “Of course I’m not leaving the room, I am not an idiot. But I’m also not using the jar.”

“What’s your plan then?”

“Distract me.”

“Excuse me?”

“Tell me about your day or something,” Mihawk demanded, and climbed into his bed. “I just need to relax, this is nothing a bit of self-control can’t fix.”

Shanks laughed. “God, you are so stubborn. I bet you are pouting right now.”

“I do not pout!”

“Yes, you do! But you only do it when you think I’m not looking.”

“You are ridiculous. I’m hanging up.”

“Awe, don’t be mad, babe. You are the one who called me when I was already in bed, I should get to tease you a little.”

Mihawk wanted to snap at Shanks for calling him some silly nickname again, when he noticed something odd. “In bed? I thought you were doing push-ups?”

There was an odd sound on Shank’s end of the line.

Mihawk sat up straight. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, yeah,” the redhead coughed. “Just- I was just drinking some water and it went down my windpipe.”

Mihawk relaxed back into the pillows. “Oh. Okay.”

“So- You wanted to hear about my day, right?”

He was a bit thrown off by the sudden lack of teasing. Shanks never let an opportunity like this go, but he had hoped for a longer conversation with the redhead, so he just went along with it.

“Yes, please.”

Mihawk settled more comfortably into his bed and let Shanks’ soft voice wash over him.

Chapter Text

Mihawk woke up to a rather strange noise. Some sort of… creaking? Rumbling? It should have bothered him, but… it felt familiar somehow. He rolled over, his hand reaching out for… nothing?

The cold fabric of his sheets made him finally snap back to reality. He looked around, spotting his phone on the pillow next to him. When he touched the screen, it lit up, showing an ongoing call of almost 9 hours. Right… the call. Shanks and Mihawk had chatted for at least two hours, swapping stories and sharing tired chuckles. At some point they must have both drifted off.

That was what that familiar noise was. Shanks’ soft snoring, right next to him. And it had been the redhead Mihawk had subconsciously reached out for, only to find the bed empty. Because Shanks was not actually there with him.

But wasn’t he? In a way? Mihawk should probably hang up, but instead, he wrapped his blanket tighter around himself. He let his head sink into the pillow, letting the noise of Shanks’ breathing wash over him, allowing himself to be close to the other man once more.

……

Shanks stretched out with a low groan, his back aching. He must have fallen asleep in a pretty awkward position yesterday. He reached for his bedside table, loudly gulping down some water, before letting out a satisfied sigh. He sat back into his pillows, softly humming to himself.

“What melody is that supposed to be?”

Shanks jumped and banged his head on the headboard. Hard.

“Fuck!”

“Please watch your language.”

“Mihawk?!”, Shanks asked, frantically looking around, until he spotted his phone, half buried under a pillow. He tapped the screen and saw a low-battery warning, as well as an ongoing call of almost 10 hours. He quickly plugged his phone in, before putting it on speaker and laying back down.

“Good morning, Shanks.”

Holy shit… Was he… Waking up... next to Mihawk?

No, no that was stupid, this was not the same. It was just a phone call. A 10-hour phone call. That Mihawk hadn’t ended yet.

“Morning. You don’t sound all that sleepy,” Shanks pointed out with a smirk. “How long have you been awake for?”

It was quiet for a moment.

“Just a few minutes,” Mihawk said finally. “Only noticed the call was still going when you started humming.”

He pouted. Just a few minutes? Usually Mihawk’s voice sounded so raspy after waking up. It wasn’t fair that he had missed that.

“What a shame you couldn’t wake up to the sound of my lovely voice,” Shanks teased.

He could practically hear the eye roll in Mihawk’s voice. “Yes, what a treat that would have been.”

Shanks felt giddy, like a schoolboy with his first crush. He was overcome with a strange urge to check the hallway to make sure Roger and Ray wouldn’t overhear him talking on the phone, before he remembered he wasn’t living with his dads anymore.

“Hey, Mihawk?”

“Yeah?”

“Can I ask you something?”

Mihawk chuckled, making Shanks’ face burn. He was glad the other man couldn’t see the huge smile that was on his face right now.

“Depends on the question.”

“What are you wearing?”

……

“Excuse me?!”, Mihawk gasped.

“Come on, don’t be a buzz kill,” Shanks giggled. “I caught you off-guard a few times. I know you are not as impeccable as you pretend to be, with your little silk pajamas and morning robes.”

Mihawk bit his lip, dreading what was coming next.

“I know the embarrassing sleep-outfits come out when no one can see you. So tell me, what silly thing are you wearing right now?”

Dammit. He should have known Shanks would do something utterly ridiculous once again.

“A Hawkeyes fan shirt? Those pink sweatpants Crocodile bought for you?”

His eyes widened. “You remember those?”

“I remember a lot about you.”

That tone carried something dangerous, making Mihawk shiver a bit.

“You are not off the hook yet.”

He looked down at his chest, heat flushing his cheeks.

“Tell me. What. Are. You. Wearing?”

He couldn’t actually tell him. “Nothing,” he said flatly.

Shanks chuckled darkly. “Nice try, sweetheart, but flirting won’t get you out of this.”

Mihawk cringed when he realized how that had sounded. “I wasn’t- I didn’t mean- Shanks, this isn’t-”

“So you don’t want me to think about you, naked under those covers?”

“I’m going to hang up.”

“Okay, okay, fine,” Shanks said quickly. “But you still gotta tell me.”

Mihawk bit his lip, trying to come up with a reasonable excuse. “It’s laundry day.”

“Uh-huh…”

“And I couldn’t do laundry last week, because- well, you know,” he stuttered out.

“Yes, of course,” Shanks said sarcastically.

“So- So there was simply nothing else left in the closet,” he added, crossing his arms over his chest, as if that could help him to save some dignity.

“Mihawk…”, Shanks said, low and drawn out.

“It’s a gray T-shirt.”

“I know that can’t be all you are hiding about it.”

“There is a logo on it.”

“Keep going,” Shanks said, and Mihawk could picture his smirk perfectly.

“ACDC,” he finally admitted. “Written with black and red sparkles.”

It took Shanks a few seconds to understand. “Hey! I thought I lost that years ago! Why do you-”, he paused. Mihawk closed his eyes. He was so screwed.

“Wait… You are wearing my shirt?”

“Perhaps,” Mihawk gritted out, his face burning.

“You are in my clothes? Right now?”

“Laundry day,” he repeated stubbornly.

“Right…”, Shanks said, sounding a little dazed.

“Shanks?”, Mihawk said after a few moments, uncomfortably squirming around.

“Yeah?”

“I really need to pee.”

Shanks burst out laughing, his childish giggles getting more and more high-pitched. “Okay, okay,” he finally gasped out. “You are off the hook for now. See you tonight, Hawkeyes.”

“See you tonight.”

Chapter Text

“And what do you two think you are doing?”

Zoro whirled around, making the little boy on his shoulders squeal.

“Sorry!”, He called out, kneeling down so Chopper could climb off, the huge cookie jar still pressed to his chest.

“Uhm-”, the boy said, putting the jar on the counter. “Hi.”

“Hello Chopper,” Mihawk said, smirking down at the two of them. “Going for a morning snack?”

Zoro relaxed a little, realizing his guardian was in a good mood. “Well, you didn’t get up for hours! You wouldn’t want a guest to starve, would you?”

He nudged Chopper a little, until the little boy gave Mihawk his best puppy look. “We were sooooo hungry!”

The man gave them an unimpressed look.

“Please, sir, may we have some food?”, Zoro added.

Mihawk winced. “Please child, you still can’t pout. That face looks like you want to fight me.”

Huh. Not a bad idea…

“No sword-fighting before breakfast,” Mihawk pointed out. “Now give me one of those.”

They each had one of the cookies. Zoro’s was a little too doughy, Choppers had barely any chocolate chips in it and Mihawk’s was clearly burned. They were the best snack Zoro had ever tasted.

Afterwards, Chopper went to the bathroom to wash all the egg and flour from last night out of his hair, while the other two got started on breakfast. After checking the fridge, they decided on scrambled eggs. Mihawk let Zoro crack the eggs again, and this time he got it right the first time.

“Good job,” his guardian said, ruffling his hair. “You are a quick learner.”

Zoro looked between the bowl, the cookie jar and the eggshell, still in his hands. In his violent hands, only made for fighting. That had been covered in blood a year ago, while Chopper screamed for him as the sirens drew closer. His hands, that had opened the eggs so gently. That had created soft treats for all of them to share. His hands, that were slightly shaking now.

“Thank you,” he said sincerely, looking up at Mihawk, who was staring back down at him, probably not understanding why Zoro’s mood had suddenly shifted.

“Uhm… You are welcome,” the man said, awkwardly patting his shoulder.

Zoro quickly tossed the shells in the bin and wiped his fingers clean. “You’re the best, Mihawk.”

The man tilted his head to the side, looking at him in confusion. “… at making scrambled eggs?”

Zoro narrowed his eyes. Was he trying to joke? “Yes, Mihawk,” the teen said, rolling his eyes. “I am so very impressed by your egg-making skills. Truly amazing.”

“Oh,” Mihawk nodded, smiling a little. “Thank you.”

“Bro!”, Zoro groaned in exasperation. “That was sarcasm.”

“Oh,” Mihawk repeated, his smile dropping. “So you don’t like my scrambled eggs? Would you like something else for breakfast?”

Zoro stared at him in disbelief. “Something else for breakfast? You really think that is the answer here?”

The man was getting more irritated now. “Zoro, I know this is a very stressful time for you,” he started, stepping away from the teen. “If you need some space, I will gladly let you go to your room and finish cooking breakfast on my own, but please do not speak to me in this way.”

His eyes began to sting at the physical distance that suddenly lay between them. “Wait,” he said, reaching out for his guardian. “I- I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Mihawk gave him a sad little smile. “I know, it’s okay. Just take a break and then-”

“No, like, for real,” Zoro stuttered out, reaching out for Mihawk’s hand. “I was trying to say I like you.”

“You… were?”

“Yes!”, Zoro nodded, before his sudden spark of bravery could leave him. “You are a really good guardian.”

“I am?”, Mihawk asked, clearly not comprehending what was going on.

The teen nodded. “Yes!”, he shouted, not sure how to ever explain this to this suborn man. “All I hoped for when you allowed me to live here was just a little bit of safety. I just wanted enough food and not to be hit anymore. I- I daydreamed about maybe being allowed to do this,” he admitted, gesturing around him. “To talk to you once in a while and share a meal.”

“Zoro…”, Mihawk said slowly, still standing completely frozen. “Once in a while? No, I-”

“I know!”, Zoro cut him off. “You sit down to talk to me every day. At least twice. And- And you do homework with me, and you play cards with me and my friends and you learned how to bake cookies with me. All I could hope for when I came here was safety, but you aren’t just safe, you are also gentle and fun and kind. Seriously dude, you are so cool!”

It was very quiet for a minute, and Zoro suddenly didn’t feel so good about what he had said anymore. It hadn’t been planned. He could barely remember the exact words, he just hoped he didn’t mess it up somehow.

“Oh,” Mihawk said finally. “Erm. Thank you. You are very cool as well.”

Zoro had to break eye contact. It was the right answer, Mihawk wasn’t an asshole, of course he would say something nice now, even if it wasn’t true.

“You are very funny,” the man continued, making Zoro’s head snap up again. “I don’t always understand, but when I do, I like your jokes. And you taught me some new games, that was very fun. And- Well. I like talking to you. It’s really nice.”

Zoro thought about it for a moment. “Okay.”

Mihawk nodded. “Okay.”

They just stared at each other after that.

“Do… we… hug… now?”, Zoro asked.

Mihawk frowned. “That is an option, yes.”

“Ah. Okay. Let’s- Let’s do that,” the teen nodded, and before he could change his mind, he quickly stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Mihawk’s middle. His guardian hugged him back stiffly, and for a few moments they just stood there, until Zoro closed his eyes and melted into Mihawk’s chest.

“Thank you,” he whispered. “I like you.” It felt like a very weird thing to say, but at the moment it was the best he could come up with.

Mihawk sighed and pulled him closer. “I like you too.”

Chapter Text

“Are you sure it’s only question 1 to 5?”

“Yeah, and a worksheet for English class as well.”

Shanks sighed put down the math book, and started digging through his son’s bag. Why were there at least 5 different rocks? And so many wrappers. He should probably call Luffy down to clean it out once again.

“I can’t find that anywhere, can you please send me a picture?”

“Sure,” Yasopp chuckled. “Lemme guess, he also didn’t write any of that down?”

“No,” Shanks confirmed. “But he brought home his Biology homework, so… progress?”

“Progress,” Yasopp agreed. “Oh, by the way, about Wednesday…”

Shanks froze. Beckmann was already on his case about him seeing Mihawk so often, he did not want to get another lecture.

“Usopp is still a bit weary about that new kid, you know how he is. But he had a good time and felt pretty comfortable with Zoro’s guardian.”

Zoro’s… Had Beck not told the others? Had Yasopp not figured it out? Was Shanks allowed some peace on this fine Saturday afternoon?

“It might be a bit too sudden, but do you think we should invite them to Beck’s party?”

The barbecue… On Monday there was a national holiday. Since Beck had moved into his childhood home after his parents had moved away, it had become their tradition to hang out at Beckmann’s all day, eat atrocious amounts of food and knock back a bunch of beers.

Well… since first Luffy and later Usopp had entered the picture, they had reduced the alcohol consumption drastically. At first, Shanks had argued he could just skip the party so the others could stick to the tradition, but his friends had assured him they appreciated the opportunity to see his son.

“Yeah…”, Shanks said slowly. “Not a bad idea.”

……

“Perona!”, the boy called out, sticking his head out of his door with a huge grin.

“Hi!”, she said back, giving him a little wave. “Ready to be babysat?”

Zoro groaned. “I don’t need a babysitter! I told Mihawk he could go out any night of the week, he didn’t have to wait for you to come home!”

Perona put her hands on her hips. “So you don’t want to order take-out and watch movies?”

At this, the teen lit up. “Well… In that case, maybe it’s okay.”

“No take-out!”

“But-!”

“I promised Zoro to show him how to make lasagna,” Mihawk said, stepping out of the kitchen.

“Lasagna?”, Perona peaked up.

“Zoro heard it is your favorite and felt bad you missed it on Tuesday,” Mihawk chuckled. “We’ll put it in the oven before I leave.”

Perona nodded. “Is Crocodile here already?”

Mihawk gave her a confused look. “Crocodile? Haven’t heard from him for over a month.”

She frowned. “But didn’t you say you were going out tonight?”

“Yes, but not with Crocodile.”

Perona gaped at him.

“What?”

“Who the hell are you going out with?!”

“A… friend,” Mihawk said slowly.

“A friend?”, Perona repeated. “Don’t bullshit me. You don’t have any besides me and Croco.”

“Haven’t you met Shanks?”, Zoro asked suddenly. “He is really nice.”

“HE?!”, Perona gasped. “You are seeing a guy? For dinner?!” She couldn’t believe it! In the four years she had known Mihawk, he had never, EVER, gone on a date, let alone even mentioned the possibility. A few comments he had let slip made clear he had dated before, but he was very tight-lipped about it.

“I have known Shanks for a while,” Mihawk admitted. “And he happens to be the father of one of Zoro’s friends.”

“Wow, what a coincidence!”, Perona gasped. “That’s so cute! It’s fate bringing you two together!”

Mihawk scowled at her. “We are not- This is just dinner.”

“Wait, what’s going on?”, Zoro suddenly spoke up. “What’s so special about Mihawk and Shanks hanging out? He was here 4 times last week.”

Perona grinned at the clueless teen. “Is that so? How cute!”

“Drop it, Perona,” Mihawk sighed. “Now please excuse us, Zoro and I have a meal to prepare.”

……

Shanks could barely stop himself from doing a little dance as he walked towards the dojo entrance. Today was simply a perfect day! First, he had woken up next to Mihawk after spending the night with him, or, well… something like that. But now he got the man all to himself, for the whole evening! He’d buy him a meal in the nicest restaurant he knew, he would tell him how beautiful he was in the candlelight and then he would take him home with him and-

Best not to get ahead of himself. No, he wouldn’t take Mihawk home with him tonight, it was too early for that. But he would take his hand, and that was more than enough.

When he got buzzed in, Shanks ran up the stairs, taking two steps at once. He reached the apartment door, only to see that it was still closed. Quickly he leaned against the wall, arranging himself as sexily as possible. Not that he didn’t always look good, but… better safe than sorry.

The door began to open and Shanks quickly let an easy-going smile spread over his face.

“Hello Darling, how are… you… doing?”

Shanks stared at the person who had appeared in the doorway in confusion. The woman was staring up at him with huge, black eyes. With her pink hair and clothes covered in bows, she seemed terribly out of place in Dracule Mihawk’s doorway, but then again, so did Shanks. The only thing about her that matched Mihawk was her overall goth look.

“I’m doing just fine, but don’t you think calling me that is a bit forward? Horororororo!”

Shanks flinched a little at her strange laugh. “Sorry to get your hopes up,” he said, throwing her a wink, “but I’m actually here to pick up Mihawk. So tell me, where is my boy?”

“Your boy, eh?”, the woman said, mustering him intensely. “Fine, I’ll allow it, but you better have him back by 10.”

Shanks let out a startled laugh. “Don’t worry, I gotta pick my son up anyways, so he won’t be home too late.”

The woman smirked. “I meant 10 in the morning, actually.”

“Oh, I like you,” the redhead replied. “May I ask for your name?”

“Perona, Mihawk’s cousin. And you are Shanks, I presume?”

“So you heard of me, very interesting,” Shanks smirked. “And I didn’t know he had a cousin?”

“Third cousin,” the woman explained. “Twice removed.”

“Ah,” Shanks nodded, as if he understood what that meant. “Now, please lead me to the merchandise.”

“Gladly.”

……

Perona was so confused. This was the guy Mihawk was going out with? This charming, friendly, laid-back flirt? The only person besides herself and Zoro she had ever seen him interact with was Crocodile, so she had expected someone like him. Someone cold, reserved and slightly rude. This guy was a walking ray of sunshine.

The way he was dressed was so… chill. His blue jeans were washed out, his loose white button-up shirt was not tucked in and revealed far more of his chest hair than was proper. The tousled red hair and three-o-clock shadow were adding to the effect. Meanwhile, the black leather jacket, the scars across his face and the black eyeliner smudged around his eyes were giving him a rebellious, almost dangerous look. All in all, the guy was a total smoke show. No wonder Mihawk had gotten so nervous when talking about him.

Perona led Shanks to the kitchen, where the music was still blaring loudly. No wonder no one else had heard the doorbell. Maybe she should have warned Mihawk… well, now it was too late, as Shanks was already pushing open the door.

“I would heal what's broken,” Mihawk’s voice rang through the room, as clear as a bell.

“Show this family something new,” Zoro answered, significantly less beautiful.

“Who I am inside, so what can I do?”, they both continued, while Mihawk wiped down the counter.

“I'm sick of waiting on a miracle, so here I go,” Zoro shouted catching the half-full package of lasagna plates Mihawk had tossed his way.

“I am ready, come on, I'm ready,” the man sang and threw the rag he had been using towards the sink, his voice vibrating with every note.

“I've been patient, and steadfast, and steady,” Zoro screeched, jumping up on a chair to put the box in a cabinet.

“Bless me now as you blessed us all those years ago,” Mihawk continued, grabbing the boy’s hand and helping him down from the chair, before leading him into a spin.

“When you gave us a miracle,” they both sang, their voices becoming softer.

“Am I too late for a miracle?”

……

Shanks couldn’t move, completely frozen in shock as the last notes of the song rang through the room.

“Y-You sing?”

Mihawk whirled around, his eyes widening as he came face to face with the redhead. “Shanks. What- What are you doing here?”

“It’s a little past six already. I’m here to pick you up,” Shanks told him. “Mihawk, you can sing?”

Mihawk quickly pulled out his phone and stopped the music when the next song started to play from the bluetooth speaker.

“I- uhm- I had lessons as a child,” that fucking dream of a man told him. Shit, Mihawk looked good. Startled, confused, slightly panicked, but beautiful. All Shanks wanted to do was pull him in, tilt his head at the perfect angle and-

“Hi, Shanks!”

Both men jumped back. Shanks banged his head on the doorframe, and Mihawk almost tripped over a chair.

“Zoro. Yes, hi,” Shanks muttered quickly. “How is it going, bud?”

“Really good!”, Zoro told him excitedly. “Mihawk is teaching me how to cook.”

“Is he now?”, he asked, his eyes wandering back to the Swordmaster. His pale face was flushing slightly, making a swarm of butterflies erupt in Shanks’ stomach.

“We made lasagna!”, the teen beamed. “Are you staying for dinner? I think it turned out really good!”

Shanks gently smiled down at him, hoping he wouldn’t disappoint the excited boy too badly. “Sorry kiddo, but Hawky and I kinda have plans.”

“Oh, right,” Zoro nodded. “You guys are going out for dinner, Mihawk told me.”

Shanks was relieved. He would have hated to crush the boy’s hopes.

“My apologies,” Mihawk said suddenly. “We were just cleaning up, I must have miscalculated the time.”

“Seems like you guys got a little carried away,” Shanks teased. Mihawk and Zoro threw quick glances at each other, both of them turning red now.

“I- I will go change,” Mihawk said, hurriedly walking out of the kitchen, past an openly staring Perona.

“Oh my god!”, the woman squealed. “You guys are all so cute!”

……

Mihawk had messed up. Why hadn’t he planned ahead?! He had thought there would be plenty of time, but he had gotten so caught up in teaching Zoro how to cook, he hadn’t realized how late it had gotten. If he had already picked out his clothes in the morning, this would be a lot easier.

Mihawk held up the two shirts, frowning at them angrily. The white one was far too tight, entirely inappropriate. It would be perfect under a jacket, but Shanks had promised him dinner, and he didn’t want to sweat all evening. The black one would fit far better, but he had failed to notice a small hole in the sleeve. Shanks would probably not even notice it, but Mihawk would know, and it would ruin his entire evening.

His eyes landed on something in the back of the closet. Something he had never worn. Something perfect. Something maroon.

“Fuck, Baby, you always look so good in red,” Shanks whispered into his ear, his hands sliding under his sweater. “So pretty.”

Mihawk flushed at the memory. This was not what this was about. Any yet… Should he dare?

……

Shanks quickly stood up from the sofa when he heard Mihawk enter the living room. Before the other man could react, the redhead had crossed the room and pulled him into a tight hug.

“What is this for?”, Mihawk asked, sounding rather startled. Instead of immediately pulling away like the redhead had expected, he melted into the touch and pressed his face into the crook of Shanks’ neck. Mihawk’s breath brushed against the sensitive skin of his collar bone, making him shiver a bit.

“Last night,” Shanks explained, “I really wanted to hold you.”

“Ah,” Mihawk said, moving a bit closer and wrapping his arms around Shanks’ waist. “Thank you. I- I needed this.”

Somehow Shanks resisted the urge to press a kiss to his forehead, and instead gave him one last squeeze before pulling away. Only then he took in what Mihawk was wearing.

“Red?”, he breathed out, his hand coming up to stroke the lapel of the swordmaster’s shirt. “I love the way you look in red. Always have.”

Mihawk gave him a coy little smirk. “I know.”

Holy fuck. Did that mean…? It was such a stupid wish, but please, please let this be for him. Please let it be that Mihawk picked out the shirt for Shanks, not being perfect for him by accident, but showing himself off just for Shanks’ eyes.

He was so lost in that idea, he almost oversaw the most important detail. “Mihawk…”, he whispered, “Is this the shirt I bought for you?”

“Perhaps,” Mihawk whispered back. “Now could you please stop putting wrinkles in it?”

Only then Shanks realized his hand had fisted in the shirt, scrunching up the fine silk and pulling Mihawk close, so, so close to his face. He quickly let go, and took a step back. “Let’s go, we have a reservation.”

Chapter Text

Shanks took him to a surprisingly tasteful restaurant. The walls were made of brick, covered in dark wooden shelves, displaying an impressive wine collection. There were candles on every table and soft music floating through the air. It was not what Mihawk had expected. His best guess would have been a diner, maybe a burger joint. Not that he would have minded, he wasn’t as stuck up as some people liked to believe. And yet… This was nice. Calm.

“This place is beautiful,” he pointed out, looking around with wide eyes.

“Only the best for you,” Shanks joked, his hand briefly brushing along Mihawk’s lower back. The swordmaster had to suppress a shudder. It was such a small gesture, and yet it felt so grounding. While Shanks always left him guessing, wondering what his carefree smiles and little comments really meant, in moments like these, when it was just the two of them, Mihawk’s mind became calm and quiet. There was simply nothing a man could worry about, when he had Shanks on his side.

The host appeared, telling them that their table was ready. They were led to a secluded area in the back. The set-up made Mihawk immediately relax a little. Shanks gestured for him to take the booth. Perhaps it would have been more polite to decline and offer the redhead the seat, after all, Shanks had been the one to drive them and make the reservation, so it was Mihawk’s turn to show some gratitude, but...truth be told, he needed the safety of a wall behind his back, instead of a busy restaurant. If he wanted to make it through this dinner, he’d have to pick his battles.

Shanks’ smile widened when Mihawk slid into the booth without arguing.

“This light really brings out your eyes,” he commented as he sat down across from him.

Mihawk rolled said eyes at the corny line. “Very creative, Akagami.”

Shanks laughed, the candlelight dancing in his eyes. Was this what Mihawk looked like to Shanks right now? The thought made him a little giddy.

“Come on, Honey,” the redhead teased. “You and your golden eyes in the candlelight? What else could I possibly be thinking about right now?”

“My golden eyes, eh?”, Mihawk asked, leaning in a bit. “Would it not be equally logical to point out the color of your hair in the shine of the flames?”

He reached out to tuck one of those fiery strands of hair behind his ear. Before he could pull his hand back, Shanks had covered it with his own, pressing Mihawk’s palm against his cheek. For a moment the swordmaster felt a little self-conscious about his slightly sweaty hands, but Shanks didn’t seem to mind, if the way he nuzzled into the touch was anything to go by.

“This is nice,” the redhead hummed. “Your hands are soft.”

“Good evening, may I take your order?”

Mihawk ripped his hand away as if he had been burned and pressed his back against the back of the booth, giving the waitress a startled look.

“G-Good evening,” he quickly answered, giving Shanks an unsure look. They hadn’t even glanced at the menu, to caught up in whatever there had been between them just a moment ago.

“Hi Makino,” Shanks said, giving the young woman a welcoming smile. “You got that bottle I asked you about?”

“The merlot?”

“That’s the one!”

“Of course,” Makino nodded.

So Shanks knew the waitress? Only now Mihawk realized how beautiful the woman was. And her whole demeanor was so inviting and soft. So unlike Mihawk’s.

“Anything else I can get for you?”

Shanks finally turned away from Makino and back to Mihawk. “Trust me?”

Trust him? With his food? Mihawk could be rather particular about his likes and dislikes.

“Alright, I trust you.”

Shanks ordered for them, just saying the necessary about his own meal, but listing every single ingredient of the item he had picked out for Mihawk, his eyes not leaving the other man the entire time. Mihawk had to admit, he got more and more excited with every word Shanks was saying. The dish sounded perfect.

Makino giggled, the way his mood was shifting not lost on her. “Excellent choice, Shanks,” she said, patting the redhead’s shoulder. “I’ll be right back.”

“So… You know her?”, Mihawk huffed the second she was out of earshot.

“Oh yeah, for a couple of years now,” the man nodded, oblivious to Mihawk’s sour mood. “She actually introduced me to Luffy.”

Mihawk frowned. “Didn’t his grandfather do that?”

“No, no,” Shanks grinned. “We all got to know each other before we learned I was the man Garp had been looking for. He wasn’t too happy about that.”

There was probably more to that story, but before Mihawk could ask, Makino appeared with a bottle of wine and two glasses. She poured the tiniest bit of liquid into one of the glasses, before offering it to Shanks for a taste.

“I’ll let my companion here do the honors.”

Mihawk reached for the glass took a sip and- “Huh?”

“Something wrong, Hawkeyes?”, Shanks teased.

“This is my favorite,” he said, frowning deeply. “It’s not often served at restaurants.”

“Correct,” Makino agreed. “But when my favorite customer calls to ask for a favor, I simply had to find a way to acquire it.”

Mihawk huffed and shook his head. “This does not impress me, Akagami.”

“Sure it doesn’t,” Shanks smirked. “Does that mean it is not to your liking? Would you like to order something else?”

“No,” Mihawk scoffed. “This will do.” Then he turned to their waitress with a much friendlier tone. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome!”, Makino smiled. “Let me know if you need anything else.”

“Talking about Luffy,” Mihawk continued after she had left, “Where is he tonight? Usually, I’d assume he’s old enough to spend the evening alone, but…”

“But my little miracle would burn the house down?”, Shanks finished for him. “Yeah, I left him with Beckmann for the evening.”

Beckmann? Benn Beckmann was willingly taking care of Luffy, so Shanks could do… this? With Mihawk? Then again, it wasn’t that much of a surprise. Shanks had said Beckmann and him were just like back then. Besides, Shanks would never be here if his… best friend… hadn’t agreed. He was not that kind of man, and no matter how much Mihawk despised this entire situation, he also wouldn’t be here if Beckmann hadn’t been informed. He wasn’t that kind of man either.

“…hawk? Mihawk? Hey, Hawky, you still with me?”

He blinked a few times, Shanks’ gentle smile coming into focus. “My apologies. What were you saying?”

The redhead shook his head. “Never apologize to me, Darling. I was just asking about your very interesting babysitter?”

Mihawk began to tell the story of how Perona had learned of his existence by complete accident and had decided to hunt him down. How the young, lost girl had shown up on his doorstep, simply deciding they would be friends. How he had offered her a room, which she had slowly turned into a pink nightmare.

“I knew it,” Shanks whispered, staring into Mihawk’s eyes. The swordmaster squirmed under his piercing gaze.

“I knew there was something about you. And they all told me I was crazy.”

Before Mihawk could ask who ‘they all’ were or point out that Shanks was in fact clinically insane, he noticed something else.

“Oh dear, I have been talking about myself for so long, my apologies.”

Shanks let out a startled laugh. “I told you already, you don’t have to apologize. Besides, I love listening to you talk.”

“Oh,” was all Mihawk could think to say. He thought back to the little talk he had had with Zoro when he had taken the boy out for ice cream. They were both terrible at talking.

When Shanks told a story, the perfectly chosen words flew into each other like a gentle river, moving at the perfect pace. He threw a charming smile at the room at the perfect time, left pauses and asked questions, getting everyone engaged and included.

When Mihawk talked, it sounded more like a lecture. Too many details, not enough facial expressions and he always forgot to ask the other person questions back. Not talking was just easier. It didn’t happen often that Mihawk came across anything that mattered to him enough to waste words on the topic anyways. And without any inspiration, his head was just empty. What was he supposed to say when there were simply no words?

“Hey, no,” Shanks suddenly started whining. “Why did ya stop? We still have so much time, I want to hear more!”

“You saw me all week, isn’t that enough?”, Mihawk deflected, not sure what the other was expecting from him.

“It’s never enough!”, Shanks complained. “Besides, this is different. Now I finally have you all to myself.”

Mihawk let out a shaky breath. Just them. Wasn’t that a nice thought? Only that it couldn’t happen. Not in the way Mihawk craved. It would be best to remind himself of that. They were friends. Nothing more. He only had to tell Shanks exactly that, and then everything would be easier.

“Well, what do you want to talk about?”, Mihawk asked instead.

“Hm,” Shanks hummed, shoving another fork of pasta into his mouth. “You said something about an argument you had with Zoro?”

“Oh, that,” Mihawk nodded. “Yes… That insolent boy seems to be under the impression he knows a better sword-cleaning technique than I do, which is absolutely ridiculous, because-”, he stopped, realizing what he was saying.

“Noooo”, Shanks whined again. “Stop doing that!”

Mihawk scrunched up his face before he could stop himself. He quickly forced it back to a neutral expression, as he went over everything he had said. None of it seemed too terribly out of the ordinary.

“That is a little rude,” he pointed out. “What exactly do you take offense with?”

“You keep stopping,” Shanks pouted, grabbing his left peck. After a moment Mihawk realized he was crossing his arm(s). “It was just getting good!”

“Shanks, you do not care for proper equipment cleaning. Your gear is always a mess.”

“But you care,” Shanks said softly, taking his hand. “You care so much your face turns red and your hands start fidgeting and you actually talk for once. It’s beautiful!”

Your hands start fidgeting.

You actually talk for once.

Usually, words like that would make him shut down, but somehow this felt different.

“You- You used to tell me you want me to talk more,” Mihawk realized, his chest getting tighter as he forced himself to think back to all the fights they had had. All the nights Shanks had pleaded for him to just- do what exactly? Be better? Be normal? Or just… be this?

“Was this what you wanted? Would that have been okay?”

“Of course!”, Shanks said, holding his hand a bit tighter, for which Mihawk was rather grateful, he needed the sensation to ground himself.

“But it is not what I am supposed to do,” Mihawk said, his voice becoming small. “It is not who I am supposed to be.”

“But Baby,” Shanks said, reaching across the table to tilt his chin up. “I told you already, tonight you are mine. I get to decide what I want and with me, you are not supposed to be anything else.”

“Oh. That- That makes things a little easier I suppose.”

Shanks chuckled. “Yeah… So, the proper way to clean a sword?”

Chapter Text

Shanks was getting more and more lost in the sound of Mihawk’s voice. This was probably the most words the other man had ever spoken to him at once, and he loved every second of it. How could he have been so stupid? Was this really all it took? A little encouragement, and Mihawk was giving him more than Shanks could have hoped for.

They were both very different men than five years ago. Shanks was calmer, more secure and tuned in. He used to believe he was good at understanding people. Then he had lost an arm and found out his son was one of the most powerful forces on this planet. He understood more now. Maybe enough to lure Mihawk out of his shell?

“Okay honey, now you’ve lost me,” He sighed, leaning back a bit.

“Oh. Yes, it was rather… specific,” Mihawk nodded.

“No, no,” Shanks said quickly. “Keep going, but go a few steps back. Now, what is the difference between those two polish brands you mentioned?”

That one caused a whole new waterfall of words to flow from Mihawk’s lips, but now Shanks at least had a chance to follow his lecture. Shanks did not even attempt to catch every detail, but he filed the most important information away for later. For example what brands to NOT pick for a birthday gift.

“It’s getting late,” he said reluctantly after another hour of conversation. Once Mihawk had been done with his little rant, they had moved on to other topics, talking about their kids, jobs and recent vacations, laughing and smiling the entire time.

“It is,” Mihawk agreed. “Maybe we can continue this conversation another time?”

Shanks wanted to scream in triumph, but settled for a lopsided smirk. “Gladly. That reminds me, what are you doing on Monday?”

“Oh, right, the holiday,” Mihawk hummed. “Nothing really. Perona is spending the day with some of her friends. I’ll have to check if Zoro wants to do anything special.”

Shanks leaned forward a bit. “Well, I’ve got an idea. There is a little party I’m going to. Luffy and Usopp will be there too, so it would be a great opportunity for the boys to bond.”

Mihawk lit up. “Oh, I’m sure Zoro would love to-” He froze. “Wait, a party? And Usopp will be there too? Does that mean his father is coming?”

“Of course.”

“So… You, your son, Yasopp… Shanks, who else will be there?”

“Ya know… the guys.”

“Beckmann?”

Shanks shrugged. “It’s at his place, would be rude to not invite him, don’t ya think?”

Mihawk gawked at him. “His place? You want me to come to Benn Beckmann’s house?”

“It’s just a barbecue,” Shanks reassured him. “It’s no big deal.”

“I doubt Beckmann would see it that way.”

The redhead groaned in frustration. What was up with these two?

“Beck is fine with you coming, don’t worry.”

Mihawk narrowed his eyes at him. “You asked him?”

“Sure,” Shanks lied. “Beck says it’s totally fine.”

The swordmaster still didn’t look happy, but he nodded. “Fine. For Zoro.”

Shanks paid the bill and they went back to his car. They didn’t talk much, but it felt different now. Warm, comfortable silence, instead of cold distance. Shanks parked his car and walked to the passenger side to open the door for Mihawk.

“Tonight was fun,” he said honestly.

The other man allowed him to pull him up, his hand not letting go once he was standing next to the car. Mihawk’s gaze was so intense. Shanks briefly wondered if he would ever get used to those piercing eyes. The white glow of the streetlights was less magical than the candlelight at the restaurant, but this felt more real, somehow. No fancy rooms, background music or perfect lighting. Just Mihawk and Shanks, hands clasped tight, hair blowing in the slight breeze.

He mustered the other man carefully, taking in every detail. His thick, dark hair, the slight blush on his high cheeks, the curve of his mouth…

Tonight had gone so well. They had talked, laughed, held hands, and even made plans to see each other again soon. This was the perfect moment, Shanks was sure of it. He let go of the other’s hand, so he could gently cup his face. Mihawk’s eyes widened, as if he hadn’t expected it. As if this wasn’t what everything came down to.

Shanks took a step closer, carefully taking in Mihawk’s reaction. The other leaned more into his touch. Despite the darkness, his golden eyes shone bright, their magnetic pull drawing Shanks in.

“Mihawk, I missed you so much,” he whispered hoarsely. Shanks tilted his head to the side, held Mihawk’s face in place and-

“Stop.”

If that single word hadn’t already made him freeze, the palm pressing against his chest would have done the trick. Shanks stood completely still, not sure what was happening.

“Let go of me.”

Shanks took a few hurried steps back, his legs eventually bumping against the hood of his car.

“Mihawk, are you okay?”, he asked worried, reaching out for the swordmaster, wanting to comfort him, but not daring to touch him.

“Shanks, I’m- I’m sorry.”

“No, no, don’t apologize,” Shanks said for the third time that night. “I should be the one who is sorry. I must have misread the situation.”

A pained look overtook Mihawk’s face. “Shanks, I can’t do this.”

……

Finally. Finally Mihawk had managed to say what he should have been saying all evening. And it had exactly the effect he knew it would have. Shanks was out of reach, a deflated look on his face the lingering warmth of his touch leaving Mihawk.

“Why?”, the redhead asked, his arm dropping to his side. “Tonight was so amazing.”

Mihawk had to look away. “I know. And I am not trying to be ungrateful, but Shanks, we are not in our twenties anymore. I- I can’t do casual. I’m sorry, I should have told you earlier.”

There it was. He’d not make the same mistake twice. Once upon a time, he had thought he didn’t care for love. That Shanks was simply charming and attractive and a welcome distraction from his lonely day-to-day life. And he had been. Until Mihawk had allowed the man to get under his skin.

But that would not happen again. Maybe some people preferred loosely defined, easy relationships. Relished in the freedom. People like Shanks. But not Mihawk. Mihawk needed something else. He had very little hope he’d ever find that something in someone else but Shanks, and yet he couldn’t let himself get drawn in again.

“Oh. Yes, yes of course! Nothing casual!”, Shanks nodded, that damn grin back on his face. Because for him, this wasn’t the death of his most intimate dreams, this was just a slight shift in one of many relationships.

“So, if I can’t kiss you, can I still hug you?”

He shouldn’t. He could be friends with Shanks without ever touching the other man again. Mihawk knew he could put in place any boundary he needed, and the redhead wouldn’t cross it. No hugs after a long day, no cuddling on the sofa, no pet names or compliments, no huge, strong hand in his own. It was all up to Mihawk. He could put a stop to all of it.

“Please.”

One word, and Shanks was back in his space, pulling him close, his hand sliding into Mihawk’s hair. He pulled the swordmaster’s face into the crock of his neck, breathing in deeply.

“Oh Darling, I wasn’t lying, I missed you.”

“Me too, Shanks. I missed you too,” Mihawk admitted, fighting back the urge to press himself even closer. He had to control himself. Friends did not hug like that.

The redhead let go, but took Mihawk’s hand in his. Tonight he seemed to barely let go of it.

“I’ll see you on Monday?”

“Yes, Monday. Good night, Akagami.”

“Good night, Hawkeyes.”

And after one last squeeze of his hand, Shanks got into his car and drove away.

Chapter Text

“You did what?!”

“Shhh,” Shanks hissed, pointing to his sleeping boy on the sofa. “Let’s keep Pandora’s box closed for now.”

“You can’t just invite people to my house, you idiot!”, Beckmann whispered back, pulling the redhead with him. Shanks reluctantly went with him, knowing he was just being brought to another room so his friend could yell at him.

“It’s not a stranger. It’s Mihawk.”

He was dragged up the stairs and into Beckmann’s bedroom. The second the door fell shut, the older man began to angrily poke him in the chest. “What. Where. You. Thinking?”

Shanks just let himself fall down on the bed, stupidly grinning up at his friend. “Just one more day, then I’ll see him again.”

Beckmann sighed in resignation. Music to Shanks’ ears. His best friend was totally giving in.

“Let’s play a game.”

“Shanks…”, Beckmann warned.

“Lay back,” Shanks told him, and pulled him down on the bed. “And close your eyes.”

“Why do I even allow you into my home?”, the older man grumbled, but let himself fall back on the bed, arms resting behind his head.

“Close your eyes!”

“Fine!”

Shanks sat down cross-legged, right next to Beckmann’s face. He began to pull his hair out of his hair tie, spreading the gray strands out on the sheets.

“Okay, I’m going to tell you about this guy now. Who I met a week ago, and who is totally not Mihawk.”

Beckmann’s eyes briefly opened just to glare at Shanks, but he didn’t protest.

“Okay, here we go,” the redhead started. “Beckmann, last week I met a guy.”

“And I am only hearing about it now?”, his friend teased.

Shanks playfully tucked on the hair in his hands. “Maybe I was feeling shy?”

“You? Shy?”

“So I met this guy,” Shanks continued stubbornly. “He called me because he had taken in a teenager, and he wanted to make sure he is doing a good job. Because he deeply cares about this boy, even though he just met him.”

“How did this guy have your number, if you never talked to him before? Shanks, I am getting concerned. Do you have a stalker? Because I could totally take care of-”

“Beeennn!”, Shanks whined. “Come on, just listen to me!”

“Fine.”

“So I met this guy, this stupidly hot, adorable, greek god looking-”

Beckmann gave him a look, so Shanks decided to return to the actual topic. “So, this guy. I go to his place and he turns out to be very cute. And he cares so much about that kid, who is also a super nice dude.”

Shanks now had all of Beckmann’s hair freed from the tie and began braiding it.

“And then Luffs gets involved, because he always does. We go over there and turns out the kids are actually best friends. Which is super cool, but then Luffy messes up the other boy’s room, yells around and eats all of their food.”

Beckman chuckled. “Yeah, that sounds like him.”

“And this guy!”, Shanks continued excitedly. “He doesn’t get mad at all! He kinda builds an alliance with my son and says we should come over again.”

“He did?”, Beckmann frowned. “That- That is impressive, I suppose.”

“I know right?”, Shanks said dreamily. “And then we talked all night until we fell asleep and-”

“Wait what?!” Beckmann sat up so quickly, that Shanks’ hand got tangled in his hair. “When did that happen? Did he come over?”

“I wish,” Shanks giggled, pushing his friend back down on the mattress. “No, he called. We talked all night and when I woke up he was still there.”

“Thought you guys don’t talk?”

Shanks flipped his forehead. “I just met the guy, so you know nothing about him, remember?”

“Yeah, whatever,” Beckmann sighed and relaxed into the sheets. He looked rather adorable, Shanks decided. Annoying him was always so much fun. He scanned the nightstand and only saw a few black and white hair ties. Boring. He reached into his pocket and pulled out one of the sparkly rainbow bows he had bought at a gas station a week ago. Beckmann was probably not going to look into a mirror for a bit, so this would definitely pay off later.

“Anyways!”, Shanks continued excitedly. “Tonight we went on our first date, and it went so well! We talked, we laughed, and we held hands. Now tell me Becky, this new guy, this caring, cute, fun guy,what should I do about him?”

Reluctantly, Beckmann began to nod. “Fine. I guess a guy like that deserves a chance, but-”

“One more thing!”, Shanks quickly interrupted his friend. “Tonight, he told me he wants us to be serious.”

Once more, Beckmann shot up from the bed. “Wait, for real? Mihawk actually said that?”

Shanks couldn’t control the huge grin spreading over his face. “Yeah,” he said dreamily. “Yeah, he said he doesn’t want anything else.”

His friend let out a huff. “Fine! Fine, I’m all in now. Dracule Mihawk is officially invited to my house.”

“Thank you!”, Shanks cheered, tackling Beckmann. “You are the best!”

“Yeah, yeah,” Beckmann said, patting his back. “I’m only doing this because an idiot like you will need an excellent wingman.”

“Oh, oh, oh!”, Shanks yelled, sat up and began shaking his friend’s shoulder. “Tell him something cool about me! Tell him- Tell him… Tell him about that time I beat you at pool!”

Beckmann gave him a very skeptical look. “You want me to tell the world-class athlete you won at a bar game once?”

Shanks pouted. “He hasn’t dueled anyone in years, though.”

His friend stared at him in horror. “Some advice, do NOT say that to him, he might stab you.”

“I wouldn’t be opposed…”

“Careful, he might remove the other arm.”

Shanks froze. “Uhm, Beck, I- I don’t- Can you not-”

Before he could actually begin to spiral, his friend had grabbed his wrist, pulling his remaining hand away from his scarred shoulder, where his fingernails had begun to dig in. “I know, I won’t bring it up in front of him, no one will.”

Shanks closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He knew that. Of course he did. Besides, it wasn’t like Mihawk would mind. Right…? Either way, Shanks would definitely not wear a t-shirt or tank top around him. At least not yet.

“I know. Thank you, Becky.”

“Of course,” the older man said, massaging his wrist gently. “Now get the fuck out of my house already.”

……

“You did what?!”

“Well, I accepted,” Mihawk said calmly, seemingly oblivious to Zoro’s current mental state.

“Without asking me?!”

“Zoro, please calm down, if you do not want to, I will not force you to go,” the man explained calmly.

The teen bit his lip, looking down. “But- But Luffy and Usopp will be there, right? And Shanks?”

He wanted to go. He did, but what if he messed up in front of Shanks’ friends and embarrassed Mihawk? The man had given him so, so much, Zoro had to be good for him.

Mihawk stepped closer and put a hand on his shoulder. “Yes. And we can leave whenever you want, no matter what.”

“You promise?”

“Of course. Besides, I might be the one who needs a rescue.”

At that, Zoro looked up again. “You? Why?”

Mihawk shrugged. “You got Usopp and Luffy, I only got Shanks, and he will be quite busy.”

“You got us too,” Zoro assured him quickly. “You will be the coolest guy there anyways, so you can absolutely come hang out with us!”

The swordmaster chuckled. “The coolest guy? What about Shanks?”

Zoro grimaced. “Well… I’m not saying he’s not cool… Like, he’s chill and I like him, but…”

“But?”

“He isn’t you,” Zoro explained. “You are definitely my favorite!”

Chapter Text

Mihawk mustered the image in confusion. What exactly was that supposed to be? A giant rice ball? He checked the description. Ah. A bean bag, which was shaped like a rice ball. How did they even find that? Mihawk just shrugged and added it to the cart.

Today he had sent out Perona and Zoro to finally find some more furniture for Zoro’s room. Some things, like shelves and a wardrobe were pretty easy to choose, but Mihawk had insisted on having him pick some personal items, like some more seats for when he had friends over and some decorations. So far he had been sent links to a small two-seat sofa, some posters of book covers and comic book characters he was entirely unfamiliar with, a huge light-up poke-ball that could be set to different colors and the bean bag. It had probably been the correct choice to stay home, he doubted Zoro would have picked these items with him around.

His phone buzzed again. He couldn’t help but grin when he saw the picture. Zoro and Perona seemed to be in some kind of costume store now, and the boy had found a red wig. Mihawk quickly forwarded the picture to Shanks.

‘Looks like we got a second redhead now.’

It only took about fifteen minutes for Shanks to respond.

‘And a new swordsman. You better watch your back, Hawkeyes’

The picture he had sent showed Luffy, holding up a stick like it was a sword. On his face there were some messy black marks, somewhat resembling the shape of Mihawk’s beard. He let out a startled laugh. His finger hovered over the forward button, but then he decided he wanted to see Perona’s and Zoro’s reactions, so he didn’t send it.

‘Tell the boy we meet at dawn, and will fight to the death.’

‘Better not, I enjoyed myself yesterday, I’d rather not have to start planning your funeral.’

Mihawk chuckled at that. Yes, if anyone could take him down, it was probably Shanks’ whirlwind of a son.

‘You? Who gave you creative control over my final rest?’

‘Would you want your lovely cousin to do it? Something tells me that would involve a lot of glitter”

Shanks wasn’t wrong. Mihawk shuddered at the thought.

‘Fine, you may plan my funeral. I will add it to my testament immediately.’

‘Oh, we are making it official? How romantic!’

Mihawk didn’t know what to say to that. Technically this would be the perfect time to set some boundaries, tell him to stop with the flirting, the pet names, the touches… But deep down, Mihawk was a flawed, weak man.

He knew once Perona found out the truth and once Crocodile came back to town, they’d both tell him to just stop, take a step back and keep his dignity. Well, at least one of them would. The girl would probably push him to build a closer relationship with the redhead. Either way, they’d advice against staying in this frustrating limbo.

‘I expect a dozen roses to celebrate the occasion.’

‘Noted ;)’

Mihawk was such a fool.

……

“Zoro! Are you ready?”

He took one last look in the mirror, before exiting the bathroom. “S-Sorry Sensei, I am ready.”

Mihawk stepped out of the kitchen. “Zoro? Would you rather stay home today? We still have about fifty Disney movies to get through.”

The teen forced himself to relax his posture. It was all just in his head. Shanks’ friends were adults, even if they hated him, they wouldn’t say anything, right? At least not to his face. But what if they told Mihawk he was making a mistake? That he had picked the wrong kid? Zoro would seem so bad and stupid, especially with Usopp and Luffy standing right next to him. These guys were used to normal children, not freaks.

“Zoro? Why don’t you go to your room and put your pajamas back on, we can take it easy today.”

He quickly shook his head. “No. I- I want to try. I’ve never done something like this before.”

Mihawk looked at him in confusion. “You have never been to a barbecue?”

Zoro cringed. Sometimes it felt like he had to explain himself over and over again, because people kept forgetting how fucked up his life was.

“Dude,” he sighed. “My sensei put me in the basement, remember? Not a great place for a party.”

The man looked like he was about to cry. Or scream. One of those. “Oh, right, that makes sense,” he said after a few moments. “Sorry, I don’t know why I am so surprised, I haven’t done this either.”

Now it was Zoro’s turn to look confused. “Never?”

Mihawk shrugged. “First time Shanks invited me.”

“What about other people?”

Mihawk just looked at him blankly. “Are you sure you want to go,” he asked after a moment.

“Yes,” Zoro said. “I want to try. Besides, you said the host is Shanks’ best friend, I want to meet that guy.”

Chapter Text

Beckmann tensed when the doorbell rang. All his friends knew they could just come in, meaning there was only one guest who would bother to ring. Should he get Shanks? No, that would take too long. He sighed and went to open the door.

Dracule Mihawk looked exactly like he had five years ago. His hair, his beard, his clothing. Who the hell wore suit pants and a button-down to a garden party?

“Hello Benn, it is a pleasure to meet you again. Thank you for the invitation,” the man said, stiffly holding out his hand.

“Dracule. Glad to see you man, come in,” Beckmann responded, firmly shaking his hand.

Instead of stepping through the door, Mihawk moved to the side, revealing the boy standing behind him. The boy was dressed a lot more casually and his short green hair was slightly messy.

“This is my… ward, Roronoa Zoro.”

“H-Hello sir, it’s nice to meet you,” the kid said, holding out his hand.

Beckmann had to fight back an eye roll. Of course, Mihawk would be the kind of guy who insisted on his child addressing adults by such titles.

“Hi there, kiddo,” he grinned and shook the boy’s hand. “I’m Beck.”

“Hi, Beck.”

“Usopp and Luffy are already in the garden, why don’t you go say hi to them?”

Zoro looked up at Mihawk, who gave him a sharp nod. “I’ll check in with you in fifteen minutes.”

“Yes, Sensei. Thank you, Sensei,” the boy muttered, bowing his head a couple of times before hurrying off.

“Very polite,” Beckmann commented dryly.

“Yes,” Mihawk agreed, almost looking sad for a moment. “Thank you again for inviting us, I think this could be good for him.”

He nodded, deciding not to point out that technically he hadn’t had a choice. “You’re welcome.”

“I bought some refreshments and food. Where may I put it?”

“I’ll show you to the kitchen.”

Mihawk turned around to place the bag he had been holding in his left hand on top of two huge crates full of beer and soda, before picking all of it up with ease.

Damn, he was strong. Was he trying to show off? Beckmann shrugged and led him to the kitchen. Mihawk put the drinks on the table before unpacking the bag. When Beckmann took a closer look, he let out a low whistle.

“Damn, that beef probably costs more than this house,” he joked.

“Well, our addition to the guest list was rather sudden, I wanted to make sure to not take advantage of your hospitality.”

Beckmann eyed the huge pile of meat and two full crates of drinks. “Well, you definitely succeeded.”

Mihawk seemed relieved by that.

“You are in luck,” Beckmann said trying to sound casual. “Shanks already prepared some sauces for marinading earlier. Has he ever made you his famous ginger-garlic beef?”

Mihawk gave him a confused look. “No?”

“He makes that for me all the time, it’s amazing.”

The other man gave him an unreadable look. “He cooks for you a lot? How… sweet.”

Beckmann shrugged, as if he was just making conversation. Should he lay it on even thicker, or would Mihawk realize his ploy?

“Oh yes, he is such a sweet guy. Really attentive and caring.”

Was the face Mihawk was making supposed to be a smile? Beckmann could never read this guy. Before either of them could say more, the kitchen door flew open.

“Mihawk!”, Shanks cheered and pulled the man into a quick hug. He just stood there, his arms still by his side, a rather startled look on his face. Beckmann couldn’t really judge him for that, the redhead had also caught him off guard.

“Saw Zoro out there and wanted to greet you!”, Shanks grinned as he pulled away.

That one pulled Mihawk out of his trance. “Did he find the other children? Is he doing alright?”

Hm. That tone of voice didn’t fit the stoic man, but Shanks had claimed Mihawk cared about that kid several times…

“Yeah, I think they are trying to cut down a tree right now.”

“Uhm…”, Mihawk said, throwing an unsure glance at Beckmann.

“Oh, don’t worry about it,” he chuckled. “Luffy is here all the time, I’m not too worried about my little guy destroying the house.”

……

Once Beckmann had left the kitchen to take some of the drinks outside (and to give Shanks an opportunity to talk to Mihawk) Shanks turned his full attention to the other man.

“Hiya, Hawky. I missed ya.”

“We saw each other on Saturday.”

The redhead pouted. “So you didn’t miss me? At all?”

Mihawk crossed his arms and looked away. “I will not comment on that.”

Shanks chuckled, but didn’t tease the poor guy even more.

“So… Beckmann takes care of Luffy a lot?”, he asked suddenly.

Shanks grinned. He was so glad his best friend and future husband were giving each other a second chance! And Mihawk liked Luffy a lot, so Beckmann being a good uncle would definitely paint him in a good light.

“Yeah, don’t know how I’d do it without him! He’s basically co-parenting at this point.”

Mihawk’s left eye twitched a little. “Oh. Good. That’s… nice.”

“Okay, don’t move, I got something for you,” Shanks told him, not sure how else to change the topic. He simply couldn’t wait any longer!

Mihawk’s eyes widened when he spotted the red rose in Shanks’ hand. “What…?”

“I know I promised you a dozen, but this is a start, don’t you think?”

“We were just joking…”

Fuck, Mihawk was so adorable. Shanks wanted to lean in and kiss his cheek, maybe his forehead, but he was supposed to behave for now.

“Oh Sweetheart, you should know me better by now,” he winked. “I’ve got an idea.”

Shanks reached for Mihawk’s hand and pressed the stem of the rose into it. “Hold it tightly. Don’t worry, I made sure to get one without thorns.”

Mihawk nodded, still looking like he wasn’t comprehending a single thing. Shanks twisted off the stem, right below to leaves, spreading out on both sides. He plucked the now much shorter flower out of Mihawk’s hand, before tucking it into his shirt pocket, making sure the patellas were keeping it from slipping to the side.

“There,” he breathed out. “You look perfect.”

It was true. The combed-back black hair, the glow of his pale skin, the deep blue of his dark shirt and the stark contrast of the bright red rose. Shanks let his hand slide down Mihawk’s chest, feeling the rapid beating under his palm.

“I can feel your heart,” he whispered. “Are you nervous, Hawkeyes?”

The swordmaster raised an eyebrow. “Intense annoyance can have the same effect on the body.”

There he was. There was the sarcastic little shit he had missed so much. Shanks let out a little giggle and took a step back.

“Come on, let’s go outside and grab a drink.”

……

Yasopp leaned back in the camping chair and took a swing of his soda. This stuff was good. Far more fancy than the stuff Beckmann usually bought.

“Yo,”, Hongo said suddenly. “Who…?”

He turned around, scanning the garden, until his eyes fell on a tall man dressed in dark clothes, following after Shanks.

“Wait,” he said slowly. “I think that is-”

He was cut off by a loud scream before he could finish. “Haaaawkyyyyyyyyy!!!”

Luffy stormed towards the man, knocking him down. Somehow, he managed to catch the boy with one arm, while using the other hand to catch himself in a bridge. Instead of dropping to the ground, like a normal person, he straightened up again, as if getting up from that position with a 12-year-old sitting on his chest was nothing.

With his mouth hanging open, Yasopp stared at Dracule motherfucking Mihawk, Shanks’ ex, who he hadn’t seen in five years, the cold-hearted bastard who had slowly ripped out their friend’s heart the longer they had dated.

The man put Shanks’ son back on his feet, before giving him a much less violent hug.

“What the…”

Still in shock, Yasopp noticed Usopp jogging up to the group. In an instant, he was on his feet. If that bastard said something rude to his sensitive boy-

Mihawk turned to Usopp, his piercing gaze fixed on the kid. The boy raised a hand, and the swordmaster slapped his own palm against it. A high-five. Dracule Mihawk had just given Usopp a high-five. What the fuck?

Then the third kid joined the group. That new boy, Zoro. Dracule seemed to ask him a question, and the green-haired kid nodded. The man put a hand on his shoulder, before turning to Shanks, who was watching everything happen with a huge grin.

‘We are visiting… someone else.’

No wonder the idiot had acted so secretive! He had visited his ex! And Mihawk was the super nice guy Usopp had talked about… Again, what the fuck?

……

Mihawk squinted at Luffy, who was talking at the speed of lightning.

“And- And then we can go build a treehouse, and then you can show us new sword tricks, and then we can-”

“Later, Luffy,” Shanks said calmly, rubbing his son’s back. “Mihawk just got here, give him a moment to breathe.”

The child pouted. “Sorry, Hawky. But you will play with us, right?”

“Of course, Luffy,” Mihawk agreed immediately, while silently cursing Shanks for stopping that darling boy from dragging him away. He could already feel several pairs of eyes on his back, and occupying the children would have been the perfect way out. Well. He had known he’d have to face the music at some point.

“Check-in in half an hour?”, he asked Zoro, who gave him a thumbs up, while already being dragged away by Luffy.

Mihawk turned around to see Yasopp, Hongo, Lime Juice, Lucky Roux and Beckmann staring at him. Was it just because they were surprised to see him? Then again, Beckmann had just talked to him, and he was also looking at him strangely. Maybe Luffy had gotten dirt on him? He tried to subtly look down his body, but his clothes seemed spotless.

“Let’s go say hi to everyone!”, Shanks said cheerfully, already marching off. Mihawk threw one last look at Zoro, and reluctantly followed him.

Chapter Text

“Why is Zoro being quiet?”

He looked over at Luffy, who was tying together a few sticks for the stick house they were going to build.

“I’m just watching Mihawk.”

“Why?”

Zoro took a moment to find the correct words, his fingers nervously digging through the dirt next to a root of the tree they were sitting under.

“Sometimes he is a bit like Usopp.”

“Huh?”, the boy in question asked, looking up from the slingshot he was working on.

“He doesn’t like meeting people,” Zoro explained.

Usopp shook his head. “But he is so cool! A guy like that shouldn’t feel that way.”

Zoro glared at him. “Don’t tell him how to feel! If you can get scared, Mihawk can get scared.”

“Oh,” the boy frowned and looked down. “Sorry.”

“Besides,” Zoro continued, “You are also stressing for no reason. Like, you even said you get worried around your dad, but you are absolutely the kind of kid people want.”

Usopp looked at him in shock. “What do you mean?”

Zoro shook his head. For such a smart kid, he was very stupid sometimes. “I know this kinda stuff. Trust me, your dad got lucky. If your family was dead, you totally would have gotten adopted.”

Luffy looked between them, clearly not understanding why everyone was being so serious. “Okay, I’ll go get Hawky!”

……

“So… you are still running that dojo?”, Beckmann asked.

“Uhm. Yes.”

He waited for a moment, but Mihawk was not offering up more information.

“You teach some classes, right?”, Yasopp tried.

“Yes.”

Jesus Christ. He knew Mihawk didn’t exactly like their group and their antics, but he could at least say more than one syllable at a time. Beckmann would always support Shanks, but he couldn’t understand what his best friend saw in such a stuck-up guy.

“What is it like? You got many students?”, Lime Juice chimed in.

“It is… good. Only a few students.”

“Ah,” Beckmann nodded, cursing Shanks for leaving them with his little… project. Where was the redhead anyways? Probably in the house getting more drinks.

“Hey! Hey, Mihawk! Miiihaaaawk!”

Beckman cringed a little at Luffy’s yelling. So far the swordmaster had done alright, but most people found the limits of their patience pretty quickly when that particular boy was involved.

“Can you come play with us? Please?”

Mihawk’s eyes widened. “Uhm…”, he said, looking between the children and the adults. “I hope you can excuse me, someone should probably keep an eye on the boys.”

……

“Well, that guy hasn’t changed at all,” Hongo sighed, looking at Mihawk as he was being pulled away by Luffy. “Not sure why he even came by if he dislikes us all so much.”

“The kid,” Beckmann pointed out. “He said he thinks this will be good for Zoro.”

“Hm,” Yasopp grunted. “I can respect that.”

“He seems good with the children,” Lucky Roux pointed out.

“Besides, my boy likes him, so he is probably alright,” Yasopp added.

“So the kid who hit himself in the face with a hammer last week holds the answers to the universe?”, Lime Juice teased.

“Yes,” Yasopp agreed easily. “Also, have you guys seen the way he caught Luffy? That was pretty damn impressive.”

The group chuckled at that.

“I keep forgetting he is an athlete. No wonder our poor boy is so smitten,” Yasopp said grinning.

“it might also be that outfit,” Hongo sighed. “That guy simply can’t stop showing off.”

Beckmann nodded. “You have no idea of the horrors Shanks is once more spewing,” he told his friends. “That ginger is down bad.”

Hongo patted his back in sympathy. “Shanks should try for someone in his league, maybe then he wouldn’t have to pine so much.”

They all hummed in agreement.

……

Beckmann was staring at Dracule Mihawk, his mouth slightly hanging open.

“Why… Why does he sit like that?!”

“A straight back is the correct resting position,” a voice suddenly said to his right, making him jump. “And a stretch in the abductors can-”

The boy stopped, blinking up at the two adults, who were looking down at him in utter confusion. “Never mind,” Zoro shrugged and walked away.

“I don’t think the kid understands what’s going on,” Beckmann pointed out.

“And thank fuck for that,” Shanks sighed.

“Shanks…”

“You don’t have to say it.”

“But I really want to,” he insisted.

“Fine.”

Beckmann glanced at Mihawk again, who was still trying to fix the top of the little stick house the boys had built. He was sitting in a deep crouch, his knees extended outwards and his backside slightly pushed back to keep balance.

“Your boytoy drops it like a hoe.”

Shanks let out a frustrated sigh, his eyes still fixed on the curve of Mihawk’s ass, which was very prominent in his tight dress pants. “Oh, how I long to call him that.”

The older man gave him a disturbed look. “Boytoy or hoe?”

“Mine.”

……

“Usopp and Zoro seem to get along pretty well,” Hongo commented, making Yasopp grin proudly.

“Yeah, I’m pretty stoked about it, especially after what happened last week.”

“Oh?”, Beckmann questioned. “What happened?”

Yasopp sighed, shaking his head. “Usopp was pretty stressed last week. Apparently, there was this new kid in class, who really freaked him out.”

Beckmann frowned. Usopp was such a sweet kid, but unfortunately an easy target. “Bully?”

“Maybe. Don’t know how much he was exaggerating, but he said the guy was very creepy and scary.”

They all whirled around at the loud crash. Zoro was staring at them with wide eyes, a shattered plate at his feet.

“I-I- I’m sorry, I tripped, I-”

Beckmann sighed and walked towards the kid, who was standing with his hands by his sides and his shoulders slightly drawn up.

“Hey there,” he said gruffly. “Did Luffy ask for that?”, he asked, mustering the spilled pieces of cut-up fruit.

Zoro nodded. “Yes, sir. He said he was hungry.”

Beckmann chuckled. “Of course he did.” He gestured for the other men to clean up the mess. “Don’t worry kiddo, I won’t let that menace starve. Give me a moment, I’ll cut you up some more fruit.”

“Oh, I can help you, sir,” the boy offered. “Sensei taught me how to cut fruit and vegetables.”

“Alright, let’s go.”

……

“Here, I saved some for you,” Shanks grinned, presenting the plate of beef stripes to Mihawk. He had made sure to make some honey-chilly marinade, knowing it was the swordmaster’s favorite. Unfortunately, he had not noticed how low he had run on the required spices, so he had only managed to make a small bowl. On top of that, Mihawk had gone to his car to get a jacket for Zoro, just as the meat was about to be done, and soon there had been barely any left.

“Oh, thank you,” Mihawk took the plate and smiled. “That is so considerate of-”, suddenly his gaze snapped to the children. “Wait, did Zoro have anything to eat yet?”

“Uhm… not sure?”

The swordmaster’s face clenched up into a pained grimace. “Dammit. I forgot to give him permission to eat. He was so stressed earlier, I should have known this issue would come up again! And he seems a little out of it anyways, I should go check on him.”

Mihawk turned back to Shanks, quickly squeezing his forearm “I’ll be right back. Thank you so, so much,” he said, before hurrying off.

He didn’t know how to feel. Mihawk hadn’t even noticed Shanks had made his favorite, and had no chance to be in awe of his awesomeness and skill! Then again… providing for a guy’s child was also hot, right…? Maybe he could tap into Mihawk’s base parental instincts to impress him? He had been super grateful after all…

……

“It’s a bit too much pepper for me, and it would go to waste,” Beckmann overheard Mihawk say to his kid as he walked past them. He cringed a little. What a cruel way to reject a gift. Hopefully, Shanks wouldn’t be too disappointed. He had put SO much care into that food…

Chapter Text

“Why aren’t you helping him?”

“Huh?”, Shanks asked, looking down at Zoro, who had stepped up next to him. “Who?”

“Mihawk,” the kid explained. “Why did you leave him?”

“I- What?”, he stuttered out, looking around until he found the man in question. He was standing next to a table, a few meters away from Lime Juice and Lucky Roux, who were manning the grill, and Hongo, Yasopp and Beckmann, who were talking and laughing among themselves on his other side.

“You said you’d always be there for me, but why not for him?”

Shanks narrowed his eyes at Mihawk. He was not looking at either group, his eyes fixed on a point in the distance. One hand was in his pocket, the other tightly curled around a soda bottle.

“Is it because he is an adult? Will it be the same with me?”

That one made Shanks finally return his attention to the kid next to him. “Of course not,” he quickly assured him, putting a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll still support you when you are grown up.”

Zoro nodded, then tilted his head to the side. “Did he do something bad then? Are you fighting?”

“Zoro, what are you talking about?”, Shanks asked, looking back at the swordmaster, who was standing in the sunshine, completely calm. “Mihawk is fine.”

The boy let out an offended huff.”No, he is not. Are you stupid? Look at him!”

“Uhm…”

Zoro stared up at him as if Shanks had gone insane. “Look at his chest. He’s counting his breaths.”

He... What? Shanks squinted at Mihawk. In for 4. Hold for 7. Out for 8. In for 4…

“Oh,” Shanks said, not sure what else to say.

“It’s his meditation routine,” Zoro said. “He is upset.”

Shanks just squeezed his shoulder, unable to take his eyes off Mihawk. “Good talk kid. See ya later.”

……

Mihawk gripped his bottle a bit tighter, letting the cold, smooth surface calm him down a little. To his left, he could hear some of the men chatting, but he didn’t turn to them, not wanting to interrupt their conversation.

He should have picked a spot by the house, that way it wouldn’t be so obvious how weird he was being. Was it more off-putting for him to keep standing here, or to walk up to the guys at the grill?

Where had Shanks gone? He hadn’t seen the redhead in a while, so now he was kinda just standing around waiting for him to collect him. He couldn’t walk up to a group and just stand there in silence, but if he stuck to Shanks, maybe he could get away with it.

Suddenly there was something warm and heavy touching his shoulder. Mihawk flinched, but relaxed a little when he realized it was the man he had been waiting for. However, instead of greeting him, Shanks tilted his head towards the house. Mihawk just shrugged and followed him.

“Are you okay?”, Shanks asked the moment they entered the kitchen.

Mihawk tensed. “Of course.”

Shanks leaned back against the counter, narrowing his eyes at him. “No, no, you aren’t. Do you need to leave?”

Mihawk’s heart dropped. “Are- Are you kicking me out?”

“What?!”, Shanks gasped, rushing towards him to grab his elbow. “Of course not!”

He let go of the swordmaster and shook his head in defeat. “Mihawk, if you are not comfortable, why haven’t you told me?”

Mihawk took a step back, carefully thinking the question over. “What for?”

Shanks looked at him in exasperation. “What for? So I can stay by your side, of course!”

“Shanks, that’s ridiculous,” Mihawk informed the fool. “No one here-”, he stopped and corrected himself. “No one here besides the children is happy about my presence or the fact you are even talking to me. Taking up all your time will not improve that.”

Shanks open-mouthed stared at him. “They are not happy…? What about you?”

“I don’t understand?”

“Mihawk, how do you feel about being here?”

He was beginning to feel very uncomfortable. What was Shanks expecting of him? The truth? No, that would be a terrible idea.

“I am very grateful for the invitation.”

Shanks shook his head, beginning to look more and more upset. His hand came up to cup Mihawk’s face. “Just once, Baby. Just once, don’t shut me out.”

Mihawk had to look away from Shank’s face. “I don’t know what to do.”

“Just tell me how you feel-”

“No, Shanks,” he cut him off, still staring to the side. “I don’t know what to do. That is how I feel. I don’t know what to do. I’m only here for Zoro and-” He had to pause to swallow down the feeling of shame welling up in his throat. “And for you. But Zoro is having fun with his friends,” he smiled at that. His boy was doing so well. “And you keep walking off, so…”, he shrugged, pulling a little grimace, not sure how to explain. It was a beautiful day, and they were having a barbecue. How was he supposed to explain how hard this was? He was a grown man, there was no reason to feel this… small.

“5 years ago…”, Shanks said suddenly. “When you met all the guys at the bar…”

Mihawk pressed his lips together tightly. Yes, that had been rather… unpleasant. At least that time Shanks hadn’t been able to just walk away from the table, but the hostile glances Benn Beckmann had thrown at him all night had not helped him to at least pretend he belonged by Shanks’ side. Today the man had been a lot more welcoming, which made sense, considering he didn’t have to share Shanks’ attention with Mihawk anymore.

“Why didn’t you say anything?”, the redhead asked, stroking his cheek lightly.

“Say what?”, Mihawk shrugged. “There is not much to be said about it, is there? You asked me to come and meet your friends, so I did. Now you asked me to be here, so I am.”

Mihawk couldn’t read the look on Shanks’ face. Disappointment? Anger? Whatever it was, he didn’t like it.

“I’m not leaving you alone again,” Shanks proclaimed and took Mihawk’s hand in his.

Mihawk looked down at their joined hands, a new wave of anxiety welling up inside. “We shouldn’t- The others will-”

“I’ve got you,” Shanks said firmly, squeezing Mihawk’s hand. “We are doing this together.”

Chapter Text

“Look!” Yasopp elbowed Beckmann in the side, making him follow his gaze. Shanks was dragging Mihawk across the garden by the hand, the swordmaster looking utterly confused.

“Looks like he finally caught his little darling,” he commented dryly.

The men snickered.

“Poor Mihawk,” Hongo sighed. “Shanks will never let him go.”

“He’d have to chew his arm off to escape,” Lime Juice pointed out.

“At least then they’d match,” Lucky Roux added.

They all kept watching as Shanks finally let go of his victim’s hand in order to grab a drink, however, not before pulling the man very, very close to his side.

The swordmaster looked up, his gaze meeting Beckmann’s. The gray-haired man raised an eyebrow, making Mihawk flush and take a step away from Shanks. Interesting… So he wasn’t as unaffected by the redhead as it seemed? Perhaps there was some hope for their stupid ginger after all…

……

‘You asked me to come and meet your friends, so I did.’

He had said it with such finality. Like he had been ready to push himself, just for Shanks’ sake. Like he had wanted to please Shanks. Like he had truly cared.

Shanks had been so excited to introduce his boyfriend to his friends. Not only had he wanted all his favorite people to meet, he was also a vain bastard deep down. Mihawk was such a catch, and everyone knew it. Handsome, a top athlete, rich, refined… Shanks had been so proud to show him off.

Unfortunately, Mihawk had found little enjoyment in meeting his friends. The serious, sophisticated man simply didn’t care for such simple, silly people. Right…?

……

Beckmann was standing in the kitchen, putting some cups and plates into the dishwasher. The clean-up was always such a hassle, but it had been worth it. The three children had been playing together peacefully (or as peacefully as possible with Luffy around), the food had turned out great, and for the past hour, Mihawk and Shanks had basically been stuck to each other. Hopefully, now his stupid ginger friend wouldn’t whine so much anymore.

“Excuse me?”

Beck flinched hard and whirled around. He glared at the man who had appeared behind him, seemingly out of nowhere. “Fuck, dude, don’t sneak up on people like that!”

Mihawk looked equally startled. “Uhm. Hello. My apologies, I simply seek to talk to you in private.”

“Alright,” Beckmann said gruffly, his heart still racing. “Talk.”

“I know you are wondering about my intentions.”

Weren’t they all? If Shanks hadn’t told him about all the little moments those two had had during the last week, Beckmann would have no clue what the swordmaster was even doing here.

“Hm,” he simply hummed, curious about where this was going.

“In case you are worried, I just wanted to assure you that there is nothing going on between Shanks and I.”

Beckmann could barely suppress a smirk. Did this guy think Shanks and him didn’t talk? That he didn’t know about the date? The wall-slamming? The hugs? The phone call? Besides, everyone had seen the way Mihawk had allowed Shanks to lead him around by the hand like a damn show horse.

Beckmann raised an eyebrow. “Is that so?”

“I am not seeking a relationship with him.”

Wait, what?

“I have no sexual, let alone romantic intentions.”

He… he was joking, right? Was this some kind of mind game? After everything? Why even pretend he wanted Shanks if it was all a lie? Sadism? Boredom?

“I contacted Shanks because of his profession,” Mihawk continued.

He was using him?! Why go that far?! He didn’t need to play with Shanks’ heart to gain his support. Even if the redhead hated his guts, he’d always come running when some defenseless child was involved. After all, it had taken him about five seconds to make up his mind when he had gotten that godforsaken phone call.

“Then why would you even come here?”, Beckmann hissed out, stepping up to the other man. “You have no reason- You have no right to be here.”

What was this asshole even trying to do? If he didn’t give a shit about Shanks, why pretend? Was he trying to show off? Remind them all how far above he was, how easy it was for him to tear Shanks down?

“If it wasn’t for Shanks’ sake, no one here would bother with you. You don’t belong here, Dracule.”

“I simply seek to do right by Zoro and-”

Beckmann took a deep breath and stepped away from the other man. In the end, this wasn’t a battle he could win. He could keep this bastard physically away from Shanks, but in the end, the only person who could save his heart was the redhead himself.

“Dude, get out of my face.”

Mihawk bowed his head. “Fair enough.”

……

Luffy was a bit confused. Why was everyone so serious today? It was a barbecue, which meant food. Really good food. So why did his dad keep looking at Hawky with so much sadness? And why was Becky avoiding both of them?

Adults always got so serious and weird for no reason, but even his Zoro was being strange. He had come out of the house, looking very angry. He had told Luffy he wanted to be alone for a bit and had sat down under a tree, his hands balled up tightly.

Usopp was being the most normal, but even he kept throwing weird glances at his dad. Yasopp didn’t seem to have a problem though.

Luffy didn’t understand any of it. There were so many fun people here, they had food, and there was no homework. Why wasn’t everyone being happy?

“Daaaaaaaad!”, he called out. “I wanna play football!”

His dad pulled a face. “Uhm… I was actually hanging out with Mihawk…”

“He can be on my team!”, Luffy cheered. “Mihawk, can you play football?”

The man tilted his head to the side. “I have never done so before. Is Zoro also playing?”

They all looked around for Zoro, until they found him still under the tree. He had his back to them and was talking to Beck, who looked a little concerned.

……

“Get lost.”

“Uhm…?”

“Fuck off.”

Beckmann was too confused to feel offended. “So… You don’t want a juice box?”, he asked.

While cleaning up, he had noticed there was only one left and had decided to offer it to Zoro.

“Listen, bro,” the teenager said, jumping to his feet. “I ain’t going to cause any drama in front of the others, but don’t fucking talk to me.”

What…? They hadn’t really talked earlier, but when he had taken the boy to the kitchen to prepare some snacks, he had seemed very calm and even happy to help.

“Kid, you should really watch your language,” he said, taking a step away from the teen. Shanks had not shared any details, but children didn’t just end up in foster care for no reason. Perhaps he had startled the boy by suddenly walking up to him?

“You are being very disrespectful, and I-”

“Don’t think you were thinking about what is ‘respectful’ when you were talking to Mihawk earlier,” Zoro interrupted him.

Ah, shit. At this point, he really hated Dracule Mihawk’s guts, but from what both the man himself and Shanks had said, he did take good care of his kid, and Beckmann respected that. The poor boy was probably already experiencing enough stress, he shouldn’t have to fight his guardian’s battles.

“I don’t know how much you heard, but-”

“I heard enough,” Zoro said darkly. “Who the fuck invites someone to their house and then tells them they shouldn’t be there?”

“Zoro, I-”

“Shut up! Dracule Mihawk is the kindest, most understanding man I have ever met. No matter what your problem with him is, how dare you treat him that way?!”

“Listen-”

The kid pushed him away with a surprising amount of strength. Beckman stumbled back a few steps, staring at the kid in complete shock. Should he get Shanks? He had no clue what to do.

“No. I don’t give a crap about whatever you have to say,” Zoro declared. “Today was the last time you disrespected him. Pull that shit again, and I’m going to get my shiniest sword and make sure you regret it,” the kid said, staring at him with narrowed eyes. “Got it?”

“Uh…?”

Beckmann had never gotten a death threat from a child before. If this was an adult, he’d tell him he was up for the challenge or simply rough him up a bit, but obviously he couldn’t beat up a little boy, no matter how many swords the kid had.

“Hey Zoro!”, Shanks suddenly yelled, making both of them snap their heads around. “You wanna come play football with us?”

“Sure!”, Zoro called back happily, his burning gaze once more fixed on Beckmann. Now that he was grinning, he actually looked scary.

The kid snatched the juice box out of Beckmann’s hand. “Thanks!”, he called over his shoulder as he walked off.

Chapter Text

It was not fair. At all. Four against two was not fair. If it hadn’t been so adorable, Shanks might have felt hurt by all three children immediately picking Mihawk’s team. At least they had allowed him to get Yasopp. Not like that guy was being any help.

“Usopp, to your right!”

Dammit! Shanks had tried to sneak up and steal the ball from the boy, but once more Mihawk had warned him. Why was he so damn observant?!

“Over here!”

Usopp kicked the ball towards Zoro. The teen jumped up, let himself fall backwards, and performed a fucking overhead kick to catapult the ball towards the fence, directly between the chalk lines they had used to mark the goal. Yasopp didn’t even try to stop it, he simply jumped out of the way before the projectile could slam into his face.

“YES!”, Luffy cheered, running over to pull Zoro to his feet. “That was awesome!”

“Indeed,” Mihawk said, clasping the boy’s shoulder. “Very well done.”

“Thanks!”, Zoro grinned. “Couldn’t have done it without Usopp’s set-up though!”

The two boys high-fived, before Luffy threw his arms around all of his teammates.

“Hey!”, Yasopp called out. “You said you never played football before!”

“I haven’t,” Zoro confirmed.

“Then why can you do that?!”, Shanks asked, feeling just as offended as Yasopp. “It’s not fair!”

Zoro just looked between the two adults and shrugged. “What, like it’s hard?”

“What’s next?”, Yasopp asked. “You gonna do a flip or something?”

Zoro looked him dead in the eyes and did a backflip.

“Cool!”, Luffy cheered, while Shanks and Yasopp just stared in awe.

Zoro shrugged. “Like this?”

“No,” Yasopp said sarcastically. “I actually wanted to see a front flip.”

“Oh,” Zoro said. “Okay.” He walked away from the group, then sprinted a few steps and leaped into a front flip, spinning through the air gracefully, landing on both feet, going down into a squat before standing up straight, his arms extended.

He turned back to his shocked audience. “Better?”

“Roronoa Zoro.”

The kid’s eyes widened. “Shit…”, he whispered, before turning to the side.

“Yes, Sensei?”, he asked innocently.

“What do you think you are doing?”, Mihawk asked, crossing his arms.

“Yasopp told me to!”, the boy said, accusingly pointing at the startled-looking man.

“Yes,” Mihawk nodded. “I was wondering about that.” He turned to Yasopp, who was beginning to look rather scared. “Why exactly are you ordering my boy around?”

Yasopp held up his hands defensively. “Hey, man, I kinda didn’t expect him to actually do it!”

The swordmaster frowned. “But you told him to? What did you think would happen?”

“Psst, Mihawk,” Shanks whispered. “Our kids don’t do flips.”

“Oh,” the man said, looking between Luffy and Usopp. “They don’t?”

“No,” Shanks chuckled, ruffling Luffy’s hair. “This one will jump all over the place, but not that controlled.”

“You could teach me though, right Hawky?!”, the 12-year-old asked, beginning to jump up and down in excitement. “Please?”

“Sure,” Mihawk nodded. “As long as you remember the rules. What are those again, Zoro? Would you mind helping me out here?”, he added, fixing the poor boy with a piercing stare.

The teen cringed. He had probably thought he was off the hook. “Uhm… Proper footwear, warm-up and flat surfaces.”

“And how many have you followed today?”

“Two.”

Mihawk raised an eyebrow. “Two? I do not remember you doing any kind of warm-up.”

“We just played football!”

“That little game doesn’t count,” Mihawk said blandly. “That was barely any effort.”

“Are you saying you beat us without even breaking a sweat?”, Yasopp pouted.

Mihawk gave him a short nod. “Yes.”

Shanks patted his friend’s shoulder in sympathy. “Get used to it, man. We may never win at anything athletic ever again.”

The swordmaster didn’t pay them any mind, still focused on the child in front of him. “Fine, I will accept the game as an attempt at warming up, but tell me, Zoro, what are you standing under?”

The teen gritted his teeth. “A tree, Sensei”

“And what do trees have?”

“Roots?”

“And is that a safe surface to be performing acrobatics on?”

Zoro let his head hang low. “No, Sensei. I am sorry, Sensei.”

Mihawk sighed and brushed the boy’s hair back. “Oh, Zoro. You could have rolled your ankle. I know it’s hard for you, but please think before you follow orders. You won’t get in trouble if you hesitate or refuse. Your safety is too important to put it on the line, no matter what.”

“Okay, Mihawk,” the teen nodded and wrapped his arms around his guardian’s middle, who immediately hugged him back. The swordmaster patted the short hair at the back of his head for a few seconds, until the kid pulled away.

“Hey, Mihawk?”

“Yes, Zoro?”

“It did look cool though, right?”

Mihawk chuckled. “Yes,” he admitted. “Have you worked on your landing?”

Zoro nodded excitedly. “Yeah! I worked really hard last week.”

“I noticed,” Mihawk told him. “Very good job!”

Shanks couldn’t take his eyes off the scene. Yes, Mihawk clearly wanted to wait, and Shanks totally respected that, but would it be so wrong to drag the man into the house and beg him to allow Shanks to show him just how much he cared for the other man?! How the hell had Mihawk transformed from someone Shanks could barely fit into his life into exactly what Shanks wanted, no, needed?

“Shanks,” Yasopp whispered, making him flinch a little. “Snap out of it, your staring is gonna freak him out.”

“But- But he-”

“Stay strong,” his friend reminded him. “You gotta play the long game here.”

“Fine,” Shanks agreed. “But the second he lets me close enough, he can never escape again.”

……

Fuck. Fuck! Football with the children?! That was that bastard’s next move after dropping that fucking bomb?! Was he trying to make it worse?! The redhead was once more looking at Mihawk like the asshole had personally hung the moon and stars.

Of course Beckmann had to tell Shanks. It would absolutely shatter him, but it had to be done. However, Beckmann would have to wait and act like nothing was wrong. Shanks had offered to stay around a bit longer anyways. They’d all do the main clean-up together, but the two of them would wipe down the kitchen surfaces and put away the leftover food. The perfect moment to break the poor fool’s heart.

Fuck. He didn’t want to. Shanks had been so excited and happy. And seeing Mihawk interact with the children had shown Beckmann that those two could actually work out. If only Mihawk actually gave a shit about Shanks.

Fuck.

Beckmann stepped out on the porch, saying goodbye to his friends, who were all in a cheerful mood.

“Today was so fun!”, Usopp told him with a shy grin. “Thanks, uncle Beck!”

“You’re welcome, kiddo,” Beckmann smiled. At least someone was having a good time.

……

Yasopp nervously tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. “You alright, kiddo?”, he asked and threw a quick glance at his son.

“Yeah…”, Usopp sighed. “I was just thinking about something Zoro said.”

“About what?”

“About you,” the boy said. “And me,” he added quietly.

Yasopp just stayed quiet, giving Usopp a moment to collect his thoughts.

“Dad, am I a good son?”

“What?”

Usopp sighed and wrapped his little arms around himself. “I know you didn’t want me, but if you wanted a child, would you be okay with me?”

Oh shit. The kid sounded so small and vulnerable. Yasopp quickly pulled over to the side of the road, so he could give his son his full attention.

“Usopp, I love you,” he said, not sure what else to reply to a question like that.

“I know,” Usopp whispered. “You have to, I’m your son.”

Well… yeah? What else was Yasopp supposed to tell him? He kinda got the basics down by now, but the finer arts of parenting? Impossible.

“Listen, kid. Just because your mother and I hadn’t planned to have you does not mean I didn’t want you,” he said hoarsely. “When I learned about you, I was scared out of my mind, but only because I wanted to do right by you.”

The boy didn’t reply, but began tapping his own arms with his fingers, a clear sign that his anxiety was getting to him.

“Usopp… You are so smart, and kind and interesting,” Yasopp told him once more. Maybe one day, if he just repeated it often enough, the boy would believe him. “You are a good kid.”

“I- I’m difficult,” Usopp sniffed. “I’m sick. Mom and you lost the lottery and got me.”

“Kiddo… I- I don’t know what to say.”

Usopp let out a shaky breath. “That’s okay, Yasopp. We can just go home.”

Fuck. He was messing up. How? How could he make his boy understand?

“Shit, I- I am very proud of you. You are a great kid, and if I were to choose, I’d definitely pick you.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

It was quiet for a moment.

“I don’t know what else to tell you,” Yasopp admitted. “I just hope you believe me. I’m sorry-”, he stopped, his throat too tight to keep speaking.

“Dad…?”

“I’m really trying to do right by you,” Yasopp said. “I just don’t know how.”

Shit. Not what you were supposed to tell your kid.

“It’s weird, right?”, Usopp asked. “Suddenly having a kid?”

“Yeah… And pretty scary.”

The boy gasped. “You get scared?”

“All the time,” he admitted with a shaky little laugh. “To be honest, I have no idea how Shanks did it when he met Luffy. We are kinda in the same boat, but he is literally trained and licensed.”

“Oh,” Usopp said. “Yeah, that makes sense. Luffy and Shanks really make it look easy.”

He nodded in defeat. Sometimes he got irrationally angry and jealous when he watched Shanks with his son. Those two had bonded immediately, not slowly and painfully like Usopp and him. The redhead was basically the perfect father, and Yasopp feared Usopp would recognize that and build resentment towards him for not being like that.

“Yasopp?”

“Yes, kiddo?”

“I wouldn’t want Shanks to be my dad.”

Yasopp looked at him in surprise.

“Oh!”, Usopp said quickly. “Wait, not in a mean way! He’s fun, but I’m glad you are my dad.”

“Ah,” Yasopp said, once more choked up by his own emotions. “Well, I am glad you are my son.”

“I just-”, he paused not sure where to begin. “I just hope in 10 years, when you sit in a bar or something, and people ask you about your old man, you can say that he tried. Even though he missed so many years, and he could never find the right words, and had no clue what he was doing. And I hope you tell them that you always knew you were loved.”

After a few moments he looked over to find his little boy silently crying into his sleeve. Fuck. What now?

“Usopp…?”

“I will,” the kid sobbed. “I will tell them that.”

Then, after a few seconds, he let out a wet little giggle. “But why past tense? It’s just ten years, you won’t be dead! You are old, but not that old!”

“Oh, yeah, that’s true,” Yasopp chuckled. “No, I’m not dead. You actually tell people you see your dad every weekend.”

“Every weekend?”, Usopp wondered. “What if I am really far away?”

“Fine,” Yasopp grumbled. “But you will come home for Christmas, young man!”

……

Mihawk gripped the steering wheel tightly, let his head fall back, and let out a long sigh.

“That,” Zoro said, sliding into the passenger seat, “Was so difficult!”

Mihawk nodded in agreement. They had been at the damn barbecue for almost six hours! At least Zoro didn’t have to deal with the adults too much, but after Mihawk had had to endure that conversation with Beckmann, getting any words out had been almost physically painful. Like his mind was just blank, and his lips stuck together. The feeling had eased up during the football game, but he was still completely drained.

Mihawk squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before turning to Zoro. “Would- Would you like to talk about it?”

Zoro’s eyes widened and he quickly shook his head. Oh, thank god. Then Mihawk noticed the tense, pained look on the boy’s face.

He thought about it for a moment, then pointed at Zoro, made a talking gesture with his right hand (touching his thumb to his other fingers and opening and closing them), followed by a no-gesture (holding out his hands with his fingers straight, crossing and uncrossing them a couple of times), and gave Zoro a questioning look.

The boy’s eyes widened and he began nodding quickly. He then pointed at Mihawk and gave him the same questioning look.

Mihawk nodded. To make it more clear, he pointed at himself and repeated the no-gesture. The corner of Zoro’s mouth twitched slightly, but otherwise, his face stayed blank. Basically a bright smile, considering the state the teen was in.

Mihawk held out a finger to signal to Zoro to hold on for a moment, and then pulled out his phone. He opened Spotify and handed it over. The boy quickly opened the Encanto soundtrack, then frowned. With interest Mihawk watched him rearrange the playlist. Hm. Not the order of the movie, but also not organized by speed of the song? Mihawk would have to ask him about the pattern later.

He took the phone back, connected it to the speakers and started the car, more than ready to go home.

Chapter Text

“Hey, kiddo?”, Beckmann said to Luffy. “Why don’t you go play outside for a bit?”

“Yay!”, Luffy yelled, whirled around, but then stopped. “Oh no, Dad asked me to help with the dishes!”

“It’s okay, Luffy. You can go.”

“Yay! Thanks, Becky!”

“Okay…?”, Shanks said slowly, after his son had stormed out of the kitchen. “Why are you undermining my parenting?”

“Shanks, Buddy,” his best friend sighed, and turned the kettle on. “Let me make you a cup of tea, okay?”

“Beck, what’s wrong?”, Shanks asked, nervously rubbing his shoulder. Today had been so good. At first, he had been disappointed Mihawk was still not warming up to the guys, but now that he understood, he felt so, so much closer to the other man.

His friend sighed and poured the now heated water into a cup, before handing it to Shanks. “Come on, let’s sit down.”

……

“It doesn’t change a thing.”

Beckmann’s heart was breaking for the other man. His hand was tightly curled around his mug and had he not already drunken half of his tea, the liquid would surely spill from how much the poor guy was shaking. Beckmann had not even tried to lessen the blow. Shanks deserved to know the truth. But why did it have to be his job to break his best friend’s heart?

“Shanks…”

“L-Listen,” the redhead said, “Here is the thing. He- he still changed.”

“Shanks, please, just-”

“Beck, you- you don’t understand. He is so- so soft when it is just the two of us. Everything I am looking for, it is still there.”

Fuck, that idiot was too far gone already.

“And- And he needs me. He told me. He’s got that kid now, and they are both struggling so much. Beck, you don’t understand, it’s bad. And then there is this thing he said to me. I- I don’t think he is okay. I think he is lonely, and I don’t- I can’t leave him.”

Yeah, Beckmann had expected something like this. Of course Shanks’ protective instincts would go haywire, especially with a kid involved. He had always known his damn savior complex would be his friend’s downfall. It had all turned out fine when he had given his arm in exchange for his son, but the idiot should at least get to keep his heart.

“Shanks, he lied to you.”

“Maybe- Maybe I put pressure on him? I kinda just told him we’d go on a date, I didn’t really give him an out, and he was vulnerable.”

Oh hell no. Shanks would not put the blame on himself! He had been so careful to respect any boundaries Mihawk put up, he shouldn’t feel guilt on top of all the sadness.

“He could have told you. So many steps along the way, he could have made it clear. Talking about you behind your back like that…”, Beckmann shook his head. “It’s not okay. He didn’t even want help talking to you or something, he just decided he wanted me to know. That’s weird.”

Shanks put the mug down and let his head drop into his hand, hiding his face. “It hurts, Beck. Our kids are best friends, I will still get to see him, but- but I will never get to kiss him again. I won’t get to hold him all night, we won’t talk until we fall asleep, I won’t even get to hold his hand again. I won’t get a chance to love him, and it’s not fair!”

“I know,” Beckmann said gently. “I know it hurts, and I am so, so sorry, but you can’t just let this slide.”

Shanks sniffed and moved closer to him. He immediately opened his arms for his best friend and pulled the man into his chest, allowing him to hide the tears that were finally beginning to fall.

“I will talk to him,” Shanks whispered. “Tomorrow, I will talk to him, and then it’s all over.”

Beckmann hummed softly and began rocking them a little, making Shanks relax against his body. “Whatever happens, I will be there. You’ll be okay.”

……

08:10 am Hey.

08:11 am I need to see you.

08:11 am As soon as possible.

08:20 am It is really important, I need to talk to you.

Mihawk’s heart stopped as he read through the texts. Had something happened? Was he hurt? Dear god, he had not somehow managed to lose the other arm, had he? Mihawk tried to call, but it went straight to voicemail.

08:46 am Good morning Shanks, I hope you are well. What is this about?

08:48 am We can meet if you want to, where are you right now?

08:57 am Shanks? Are you getting my messages?

09:15 am Are you okay? Please reply.

09:26 am Shanks, please reply.

……

Shanks got out of the shower and went straight for his coffee mug. He cringed a bit as he swallowed down the cold, bitter liquid. He had pretty much stayed up all night, thinking about what Beckmann had told him. He was feeling a bit better, now that the shock had worn off, but he still felt like shit. At least today he was working from home, so he didn’t have to face any annoying coworkers.

The doorbell rang. Shanks groaned and grabbed a towel. Stupid mail person interrupting his moping session…

……

He was wet. Why was he so wet? Water droplets dripping off his hair, running over his bare chest, his belly, which still spotted a trail of soft red hair but seemingly had gotten a little softer over the years, just ever so slightly jutting out over his-

Mihawk’s eyes snapped back up, staring directly at Shanks, who was looking equally surprised.

“You are wet.”

“Went for a run, had a shower,” the redhead explained stiffly. “Mihawk, what are you doing here?”

“You said you wanted to talk?”

Shanks’ eyes widened. He awkwardly pushed his wet hair back, making more water droplets sprinkle over his naked torso, collecting in the hollow of his collar bone, running over his big hand, down his strong, hairy arm...

“Uhm… Right now?”, the redhead asked.

“You didn’t answer your phone,” Mihawk explained in frustration. “I was worried.”

“Worried?”, Shanks repeated, raising an eyebrow. “About me?”

Mihawk frowned. “Of course, Shanks. You are my friend, are you not?”

The other man gave him a look he simply couldn’t read. “Friend, eh? Alright then, come in.”

Shanks picked up a mug from a drawer and led Mihawk a few steps down the hallway, before stopping and turning back around.

“Oh, by the way, did-”

Then it happened. Shanks froze. So did Mihawk. The swordmaster’s eyes briefly flickered to the towel pooling around the redhead’s feet and then back up to his face, making very sure not to stop in between those places.

“Ups,” Shanks said, also frowning down at the towel that had slipped from his waist to the floor. He looked between the mug occupying his only hand and the piece of fabric a couple of times.

“Erm… Would you mind…?”

Mihawk nodded quickly, stepping closer. “Yes, yes of course.”

He stepped up to Shanks and got down on one knee. Mihawk quickly picked up the towel, trying very hard not to think about how close he was to the middle of Shanks’ completely bare body. He closed his eyes as he tilted his head up, only opening them again when he was looking up at Shanks’, biting his lip.

“Uhm, here,” he said and held out the towel, his face burning.

“Well…”, Shanks smirked in a long, drawn-out purr. “Not that I am not grateful Honey, but I still can’t grab that, can I now?”

“O-Oh,” Mihawk stuttered and quickly got back up, not looking at the redhead’s face. “The mug. You wanted me to take- Yes, that makes more sense.”

He took the mug from Shanks and handed him the towel, feeling the other man’s heavy gaze burning into him.

“There you go,” Mihawk uttered and took a step back, finally looking back at Shanks’ face, who was smirking at him.

“Thanks,” the redhead said and turned around. Instead of wrapping the towel back around his lower half, like any reasonable adult would have done, he used it to dry off his hair, leaving his entire backside exposed.

Mihawk looked down in confusion, then immediately ripped his eyes away when he realized what he was doing. His thighs, his lower back, his hips… other places… everything had just filled out more over the years, giving the man an even larger, more impressive appearance.

“Shanks, you were supposed to-”

The redhead looked back over his shoulder, throwing a wink his way. “Nothing you haven’t seen before, right, Baby?”

Mihawk just balled up his fist, staring at the wallpaper.

“Give me a sec,” Shanks called out. “You can wait in the living room. Make yourself at home, will ya?”

……

Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck! How was Shanks supposed to deal with this? His sweet boy, on his knees in front of him, looking up at him so innocently with those beautiful eyes… Had he not been holding that stupid mug, Shanks would have reached out to run a hand through his dark, shiny hair, tuck some behind his ear, let his fingers glide over Mihawk’s cheek, cup his face, use his thump to gently pull his full, pink lip away from the teeth digging into it and gently trace-

Fucking hell. He was supposed to step away from Mihawk. Beckmann and Shanks had gone over it several times. He was not to touch Mihawk, call him any pet names or get lost in those eyes. Two out of three rules Shanks had already broken…

He let out a long breath, trying his best to calm his racing heart. He couldn’t get distracted. For once, there would be no flirting, no beating around the bush, no schemes or tricks. Just Shanks, and Mihawk, and the truth.

Chapter Text

Shanks entered the room, thankfully wearing clothes this time. He had his still damp hair tied in a half-bun, a few strands falling around his face, framing it perfectly. That bastard was probably doing it on purpose. Mihawk hated people like that. Who knew they were attractive, popular and magnetic and used it to draw everyone in.

Mihawk cleared his throat. “Erm… You wanted to talk?”

Instead of sitting down on the sofa next to him, or maybe in the armchair across, Shanks remained standing, his face strangely blank “Yes.”

“Uhm… What about?”, Mihawk asked, hiding his hand behind his thigh when his fingers began to twitch nervously.

“The barbecue.”

“Oh. It was fun. Zoro and I are very grateful,” Mihawk said quickly, not sure where this was going.

“Fun?”, Shanks said, his voice sounding so… harsh? Mihawk didn’t like it. His fingers began twisting a thread sticking out of one of the pillows, the rest of his body tense, not a single muscle moving.

“Just fun?”, Shanks asked, stepping a little closer. “So, nothing you need to tell me? Nothing important I should know?”

Mihawk knew he was supposed to look up at the other man, but he couldn’t bring himself to drag his eyes up higher than Shank’s chest.

“You talked to Beckmann,” the redhead informed him when he failed to answer.

“Oh,” Mihawk breathed out, his throat getting tighter.

“You have no right to be here.”

“You don’t belong here, Dracule.”

“He told you?”

“Of course he fucking told me!”, Shanks said rather loudly making Mihawk flinch. Shanks sucked in a harsh breath, turned away and took a few steps, now standing next to the armchair instead of towering over Mihawk.

“What did you think would happen?”, he asked.

“I- I did not mean to cross any boundaries,” Mihawk tried to explain.

To be honest, he was a little upset with Beckmann. That had been a private conversation. Sure, he had gotten swept up in Shanks’ usual shenanigans, but if Beckmann didn’t want his- his- Whatever Shanks was to him, if he didn’t want him to invite another guy to his party and hold his hand, then that was their problem to deal with. How was Mihawk supposed to know what to do if they kept the boundaries so blurry. Just because he was ‘the other woman’ it didn’t mean he was to blame, right?

“I simply wanted to make sure he knew-”

“That you don’t want me?”, Shanks cut him off, whirling back around. “Don’t worry, you made that very clear 5 years ago.”

What?!

“No,” Mihawk said darkly, rising to his feet. “No, Shanks, you don’t get to twist this. You are the one who left me.”

“Wait, what?”

……

Shanks just stood there, all his anger and disappointment suddenly washed away by utter confusion.

“That break up was necessary, we both agreed,” he pointed out. “Besides, you are the one who didn’t even give me a chance!”

“What about all the other times?”, Mihawk asked, crossing his arms defensively.

“Huh?”

Mihawk huffed in anger. “Every time you left for weeks, barely even called, and then showed up at my doorstep as if nothing had happened.”

Oh. Yeah, he had, but… Had that mattered to Mihawk?

“That... bothered you?”

Mihawk wouldn’t look at him, but the way his grip on his own biceps tightened was clear enough.

“I- I never even realized that,” Shanks said, suddenly feeling utterly lost. Mihawk had wanted to see him more? “If you had told me-”

“Yes,” Mihawk cut him off with a sarcastic snarl. “I would have loved to talk about how fucking desperate I was for you to commit, while you were having the time of your life without me.” The man shook his head angrily, looking utterly disgusted. “I’m not an idiot, I was not going to degrade myself like that.”

Desperate? For him to commit? Degrade himself? But- But Mihawk was the one who hadn’t wanted Shanks, right?

“You never invited me over,” he said, all the memories running through his head, as he tried to see them through Mihawk’s eyes.

“Would you have come? If I asked? While you were… busy?”

Busy? Had Mihawk had a problem with the way his job had been back then? To be fair, Shanks had been out of town a lot, working with different schools for a project. Maybe being home more often would have been difficult, but he would have loved to speak on the phone! Had he not been so worried about scaring the closed-off man away, he would have called every day!

“Besides, you were just showing up unannounced either way,” Mihawk added bitterly.

“And each time you almost sent me away,” Shanks said, his voice getting more and more quiet.

“Made no difference,” Mihawk shot back. “You were leaving either way.”

“You just decided that!,” Shanks pleaded, suddenly feeling sick to his stomach as he imagined what they could have had if only he had known. “Every time I was begging you to open up, to talk to me, about anything, really, but you just kept telling me everything was fine!”

At this Mihawk sank back down on the sofa, his shoulders drawn up. “I know.”

But- But it was all so hard for Mihawk, wasn’t it? Shanks still wasn’t sure what had happened to the other man to make him so… withdrawn, but now that he had admitted he needed Shanks, that he was at least trying to escape his loneliness… Maybe Shanks could make him understand he actually cared?

“I was always thinking about you-”, Shanks tried, but he was immediately cut off by a cold, humorless laugh.

“While you were in someone else’s bed? That’s not as charming as you think it is.”

“Excuse me?”

……

Mihawk’s anger and frustration turned to panic as he realized what he had said. He hadn’t meant to bring that up. Ever. It was humiliating. How hurt he felt. How alone. How unwanted. Shanks would never understand it, and he didn’t want his pity.

“That was out of line,” he said calmly. “I should have ended things earlier, that was my responsibility.”

Shanks didn’t answer for a bit, making Mihawk squirm nervously.

“You think I cheated?!”, the redhead yelled suddenly, making the swordmaster jump up from the sofa.

“We were never exclusive,” Mihawk answered as soon as he had managed to relax his tense muscles.

“Of course we were!”, Shanks kept yelling. “Why on earth would I even look at someone else when I had finally gotten into your bed!”

Before Mihawk had a chance to comprehend what he had just heard, Shanks drew in a sharp breath.

“Wait, did you see other people?”

He had to snort at that. “Don’t be ridiculous, you know I can not stand these idiots we are forced to share a planet with.”

Shanks let out a startled chuckle. “You have the strangest way to make me feel special.”

Only then Mihawk realized what Shanks had just said. “So- So you didn’t take anyone to bed when you were out of town?”, he dared to ask. Not that it would change anything, but… the idea was nice...

Shanks stared at him like he was out of his mind. “No. Never,” the man stopped himself and ran a hand over his hair, messing up his bun. “Mihawk, did you actually think-? What even were we?”

Hm. Not a question Mihawk wanted to think about. What had they been? Friends? They had only spent a week together, but Mihawk already felt closer to Shanks than he had had five years ago. Now they might be considered friends, but back then? Lovers? Acquaintances?

“I should not have brought this up again,” Mihawk sighed, feeling a bit ashamed by his lack of control. “Fighting with you is not exactly the best way to show my gratitude for all you have done for me and Zoro.”

Shanks smirked at that. “I missed it. I missed the way your eyes narrow when I piss you off.”

He took a step closer, tilting his head to the side. “That dangerous tone of your voice.”

Mihawk made an angry noise and looked to the side.

“And those little huffs you let out when I talk too much, and you can’t wait for me to shut up already so you can tell me how stupid I am. “

“Is that why you are behaving that way?”, Mihawk asked, glaring at the idiot.

He took a step towards Shanks, their faces only inches away from each other. “You like to piss me off?”

“Fuck.” Shanks’ eyes dilated. “You got even prettier.”

……

Mihawk winced back from the wanting look on Shanks face. “We shouldn’t-”

“But you want to,” the redhead breathed out, his hand settling on the nape of Mihawk’s neck, stopping him from pulling away. “You still want me.”

“You are being ridiculous.” Mihawk looked down, but made no attempt to move away.

“Am I?”, Shanks challenged, tightening his grip. “Because if I want you, and you want me, what are we waiting for?”, he asked softly.

Mihawk shook his head slightly, but before he could brush him off, Shanks pulled him in, resting their foreheads against each other. “You were right. I couldn’t commit. I may have not even glanced at another person while I was away, but I was not seeing you either,” he rushed out, desperate to make Mihawk finally understand. “I had this romantic idea of a perfect relationship in my mind, but I had no idea how to achieve it. I thought love was enough, but there was so much more you needed.”

At this, Mihawk flinched back, and gave him a startled look. “You- You loved me?”

Shanks nodded, but then paused. “I thought I did. I loved what I saw, and what I hoped was there. I don’t think I have ever known you enough to truly love you.” He let his hand wander to the side of Mihawk’s face, cupping his cheek. “But I’d like to try. Please, Baby, let me learn to love you.”

Mihawk squeezed his eyes shut, a little bit of wetness clinging to his lashes. “Shanks…”

“Don’t say my name like that,” the redhead pleaded. “Come on, sweetheart, you can do better than that.” He brushed away the tear that had started to roll down Mihawk’s cheek. “Have a bit of faith, we can make it work this time.”

He moved in even closer, stopping just centimeters away from Mihawk’s lips. “It’ll feel so good to be together again.”

Suddenly the warmth under his palm was gone. Shanks blinked in confusion. Mihawk had pulled away from him, now standing next to the door, leaving Shanks empty-handed.

“I can’t- I can’t do this,” Mihawk stuttered out, wrapping his arms around himself as he took another step back. “I’m sorry. I- I can’t share you.”

“You don’t have to!”, Shanks said quickly. He wanted to rush to the other man’s side, pull him against him and make sure he was okay, but he got the feeling if he took a single step closer, Mihawk might run away immediately.

The look the other man gave him made it seem like he was being tortured. “Shanks, you don’t mean that. You can’t choose me over him, he means too much to you, you are just caught up in the moment.”

“Baby-”

“Stop!”, Mihawk shouted. “Stop calling me that. You are just making it worse.” He brushed away the new tears that had fallen. “Fuck, you are such an asshole for making me do this,” the swordmaster declared and turned towards the door.“Shanks, we can not be together.”

Before the redhead could answer, Mihawk was gone.

Chapter Text

Beckmann hurled a huge box into the truck, slammed the door shut and slapped the side of the truck twice, giving Lime Juice the signal to drive off. Before he could reach for his clipboard to fill out the form for this shipment, his phone rang. He wiped the sweat from his brow and dug out his phone.

“Hiya”

“B-Beck. Help.”

His heart sank at the choked-off sobs.

“Shanks?”, he asked, his whole attention on the other man’s heavy breathing. “Hey, Buddy, what’s wrong?”

“I messed up.”

Shit.

“Just tell me what happened.”

“Mihawk came over.”

Oh no. Shanks was supposed to schedule a meeting for later that day, maybe while Luffy was at football training. What had happened?

“Okay. Did you guys talk?”

“It’s all my fault,” Shanks sniffed. “I- So much went wrong and- and-”

“Deep breaths now,” Beckmann said calmly. “Listen, I’ll take the day off. I’ll be there as soon as possible.”

“Thank you,” Shanks breathed out, sounding rather relieved. “I need you.”

“I know. See ya.”

Beckmann hung up and grabbed his clipboard. He filled out the paperwork as quickly as possible, ignoring the worried looks his team was throwing his way. Then he left the warehouse and sprinted up the stairs towards the office.

The door was already open, so Beckmann quickly stepped inside and closed it behind him. “Hey, boss? I’m taking the day off.”

The man looked up from his phone. “Bit of a sudden request, isn’t it?”

Beckmann shook his head. “Not a request. I am simply informing you.”

Now he had his boss’ full attention. The man put his phone down, narrowing his eyes at him. “Is that so?”

“Yes,” Beckmann confirmed. “Family emergency.”

The man’s gaze softened. “Oh. Your parents?”

Beckmann gave his boss a humorless little smile. “Not my family, boss. Yours.”

Roger’s face went pale. “My boy…”

“Will be fine,” Beckmann assured the poor guy. “All remaining limbs still attached.”

Roger shook his head, glancing back down at his phone. “He didn’t called last weekend. He always calls.”

Beckmann smiled at that. He loved Shanks parents, it was always good to see how many people the redhead had in his corner. “Don’t worry too much,” he said confidently. “I got this.”

Roger crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. “Worrying is my job.”

Huh, Beckmann couldn’t argue against that. “Well, so is mine.”

The color was slowly returning to Roger’s face, but he still looked a lot less cheerful than he usually did.

“Listen, Shanks is going through some shit right now, but I’ll make sure he clues you and Ray in the second we got it figured out,” Beckmann promised the concerned man.

Roger sighed. “Thank you. Now get out of here already, you got a job to do.”

“Aye, aye.”

……

Paul was cleaning some of the training gear, when the front door opened. He jogged towards the front desk.

“Good morning, Mr. Dracule!”, he called out cheerfully.

The man looked up, and Paul had to stop himself from taking a step back. his face was even paler than usual, and his eyes seemed empty and distant.

“Good morning, Paul. It is good to see you.”

If Paul hadn’t known better, he’d think his boss’ sarcastic tone was on purpose, and he was about to get fired. In the beginning, he had suffered about a thousand heart attacks a week, before he realized how kind Mr. Dracule actually was.

“I will not be in the office for the rest of the day. Please only contact me in case of emergency.” With that, the swordmaster whirled around and quickly accented the stairs leading up to his apartment.

Paul sighed sadly. Today his boss had been even colder than usual. He just hoped Mr. Dracule was okay, the man deserved some peace.

……

Mihawk slammed the door to his room shut, kicked off his shoes and let himself fall onto his bed.

It was over. They were over. Again.

Technically nothing had changed. When he had woken up this morning, Shanks had not been his. Now, Shanks was not his. He had known this all along, so why did it suddenly hurt so much?

“Baby, let me learn to love you.”

“We can make it work this time.”

“It’ll feel so good to be together again.”

Fuck. Mihawk’s heart rate was picking up. He tried his best to count his breaths, but Shank’s voice echoing through his head drowned out anything else.

Why was that man so unbelievably cruel? Before today, he had trusted Shanks. There was nothing wrong with not being monogamous, and five years ago, Mihawk had never voiced his unhappiness with the situation. What he had told Shanks was true. It had been his responsibility to end things.

But now he had said it. He had told Shanks he didn’t want this anymore, and the man had pushed on regardless.

The things Shanks had said… Mihawk didn’t know how to feel about all that. So he hadn’t seen other people when he was out of town? Was that better or worse? In a way, it made Mihawk feel more special, but… It didn’t change what they had been. He had still just been a little bit of fun to the redhead.

Or had it been more?

“I had this romantic idea of a perfect relationship in my mind.”

“I thought love was enough.”

Fuck, this was definitely worse. Because now there was temptation. Because now he could give in, fall back into Shanks’ arm(s), and forget about all his worries. Now he could take his chance. Now Shanks could come over every other day, could bring around his son, could join him and Zoro for dinner. Now Mihawk didn’t have to be alone anymore.

But it would all end in heartbreak. Mihawk simply couldn’t share, and Shanks was such an asshole for telling him he wouldn’t have to. Because even if he could actually learn to love Mihawk, he’d still love Benn Beckmann as well. Even if he could, Mihawk would never take that away from him.

But Mihawk did not have that power. Because he was just… Mihawk. The second one. Best in only the things he could directly control, things on the outside, not things that lay inside of him. Best swordsman, lesser partner. Lesser man. At least he had been strong enough to do what had to be done and ended it.

He briefly wondered what Shanks was doing right now. Another thing to be jealous of. Not just at the person who was holding the man right now, but also at the fact that Shanks had someone to do that for him. Because Shanks had looked upset, so upset that Mihawk had barely restrained himself from taking it back, from telling him he could have Mihawk whatever way he wanted.

But if Shanks was that sad, he had probably already called someone. Right now someone was wiping away his tears and telling him it would all be okay, while Mihawk was all alone locked in his room, just trying to get himself under control before he had to get back to work.

He clasped a hand over his mouth, holding back the sob that was threatening to escape his lips. There were three doors, two hallways and one staircase between him and the closest person, and yet, even in the privacy of his own bedroom, he couldn’t allow himself the small mercy of making an ugly, unwanted sound. Of grieving what he had lost. And maybe that was more pathetic than any amount of crying, sobbing and whimpering he could do.

Mihawk rolled to his side, his eyes still squeezed shut, trying to hold in the tears. When the pressure got too much, he blinked them open, noticing a strange thing in his line of sight.

Pink. In his room. Odd, he had never cared for color much.

He stared at the photo of Perona and him. They had taken it about three years ago, at her graduation. Moria had cancelled last minute, and the girl hadn’t wanted to go alone. In the picture, Mihawk looked even grumpier than usual, while Perona was grinning and had her arms wrapped around him. There was a sparkly red bow on top of his head, matching the one Perona had fixed to her graduation cap.

Mihawk turned his head a little, his eyes finding the still unframed sketch the girl had presented him with last weekend. It was an adorable little comic doodle of Zoro and him, crossing blades.

Right. It wasn’t like five years ago. He had people now. Maybe not someone who could dry his tears and listen to his heartbreak, but he wasn’t alone. In a few hours, Zoro would come home, and they would have lunch together. It would all be alright. And if he asked Perona, she’d surely join them for a movie night. And-

Mihawk gripped his phone with shaking hands.

Hello.

Would you mind coming home?

Please, I miss you

He stared at the texts for a minute, then quickly deleted them. This was stupid.

Still. Zoro. Perona. He could do this.

Chapter Text

Beckmann didn’t bother with the doorbell and just walked into Shanks house. His friend was in the living room, curled up on the sofa, headphones in and scrolling on his phone.

“Hey,” he said quietly when he spotted Beckmann.

“Hey,” the grey-haired man replied and sat down next to him. Just like the day before, he simply opened his arms, letting Shanks fall into him.

“It’s okay,” he said gently, stroking his hair. “We will figure this out, just tell me what happened.”

Shanks let out a long, shaky breath. “It’s over. He said we can’t be together.”

Beckmann sighed. An outcome they both had suspected. “I’m sorry. Did he say why? Did you guys talk?”

“It’s all my fault.”

He shook his head and tightened his grip on his friend. “Shanks…”

“Don’t be mad,” the man said, looking up at him with big, teary eyes, his bottom lip trembling.

He grimaced. “You did not follow the rules, did you?”

“I was going to!”, Shanks promised, his forehead slamming into Beckmann’s chest. “But- But then he was on his knees and- and-”

“Wow!,” Beck called out. “You guys fucked?!”

“No! No, he was just picking up my towel,” Shanks explained quickly.

“Your towel?”

“I might have been naked at the time.”

Ah. That… still didn’t explain anything, but somehow it made sense.

“But I got it together after that, I promise,” Shanks said after a few moments. “I followed the plan and asked him why he would say that to you.”

Beckmann just hummed, signaling for Shanks to continue.

“He- He said he just wanted to make the situation clear.”

Well, not a bad start.

“And then we started talking about how things were five years ago.”

That was good. They couldn’t just act like nothing happened, Beckmann had been saying that all along.

“So, turns out, the reason he was so distant was because he didn’t want to get close while I was sleeping around.”

Wait, what? Beckmann froze before pulling back a little, so he could look at his friend.

“Sleeping around? You? You are the most loyal guy I know, a literal golden retriever,” he pointed out.

Shanks nodded. “Well, but he assumed I did. I thought he could barely stand having me around, but apparently he didn’t like me being out of town so much.”

Oh? Shanks had been so excited every time he got to see Mihawk, only forcing himself to stay away in order to not annoy the swordmaster too much. Had Beckmann endured all of the whining and pining for nothing?

“He thought you cheated? Then why would he call you up again?”

“It wasn’t cheating to him, because we were never together,” Shanks sniffed. “From his perspective, we were just messing around.”

He cuddled closer into the grey-haired man’s chest, his whole body trembling. “Beck, I didn’t even actually lose him, because he was never mine.”

“Oh,” Beckmann said, his heart breaking for his friend. “He saw other people.”

Shanks quickly shook his head, his face rubbing against Beckmann’s shirt. “Not really his thing.”

Oh thank god, the poor little ginger would have been so-

“Hold on…”, he said slowly. “Both of you were only seeing each other and wanted more time together, but instead you broke up?”

Shanks just shrugged.

“Jesus… This whole situation is so fucked.”

“I tried to kiss him.”

“Goddammit Shanks!”, Beckmann groaned. He had specifically told him not to do that!

“But he’s so pretty!”, Shanks pouted.

“Concentrate, you idiot!”, Beckmann scolded him. “We still haven’t figured this shit out!”

“Right, right, sorry.”

“Okay, so what happened next?”

“I told him how much I like him,” Shanks started. “And how I might have gotten ahead of myself back then and how we could make it work this time.”

Beckmann regained a little bit of hope at that. “Good start.”

“And then he told me we can’t be together.”

Beckmann nodded. So far, it all made sense. Once they understood the situation, they could see if there was a way to solve it.

“Okay, I get his hesitation. Makes sense he wanted to be serious right away this time, but why did he change his mind?”

His friend looked up at him sheepishly.

“Shanks…?”

“I- I might have misinterpreted that.”

Beckmann blinked a couple of times. “What…?"

“I can’t do casual,” Shanks said, making air quotes. “That’s what he told me. He never said he wanted to be with me.”

The man’s eyes filled with tears again. “Dracule Mihawk was never actually my boyfriend. Ever. Not back then, not now.”

Fuck. Shanks really wanted this guy. The poor redhead must feel like absolute shit right now.

“But… why?”

“Huh?”

“You like him, he apparently likes you if he always wanted to see you more often,” Beckmann summed up. “So why are you not together?”

“I don’t know,” Shanks sniffed.

“Okay, fuck,” Beckmann groaned. “We are missing something here… Walk me through it, what exactly did Mihawk say?”

“Y-Yeah, good idea.” Shanks nodded and sat up a little straighter.

“So… I told him I want to try again, and he said he can’t do it, because he doesn’t want to share.”

Reasonable request, if Shanks had actually been sleeping around.

“But he wouldn’t have to,” Beckmann pointed out.

“I said that!”, Shanks said in frustration. “But Mihawk didn’t believe me. He said…”, suddenly he trailed off, a lost look in his eyes. “Huh.”

“Shanks?”

“He said,” the redhead started slowly. “He said we couldn’t be together because of him. That he can’t make me choose Mihawk over him.”

“Him?”

……

Shanks jumped up from the sofa, his breathing picking up. “Fuck, who is ‘him’?!”

Beckmann sighed as he looked up at him. “What else did he say?”

“That- That-” Fuck, what had Mihawk said? At the moment he had been kind of focused on the fact the man was breaking up with him. “That he won’t make me choose Mihawk, because he means too much to me.”

His friend frowned at that. “Huh? I assumed he thought you fucked some guy from work or some bullshit, but maybe this is something else? Think, which male people are closest to you?”

Shanks’ thoughts were racing. It felt like he was taking some kind of exam, and if he failed, his fucking life was over.

“You, the guys, my dads… Oh and Luffs of course.”

Then he froze. “Wait… What if he is worried I’ll make him a stepdad? What if Luffy and I are too much for him?”

“Ouch!”, he called out, rubbing the back of his head. Beckmann had reached out to pull him down on the sofa again, for the sole reason of hitting him. So rude!

“Don’t make me slap some sense into you. I’m pretty sure your kid is the only bargaining chip you have right now. Apart from you, I have never seen anyone handle him with such ease,” Beckmann pointed out. “Besides, he already got a kid, and from what I heard, he is also putting the little guy first, so he gets it.”

“Oh… I am being stupid, aren’t I?”

“Very,” Beck nodded. “Give me your phone.”

“Okay?”, Shanks agreed and handed it over. “Why?”

“I’ll see if I can find some clues. Apparently, you don’t have a single idea what that guy is trying to say, so I’ll see if I can figure it out.”

“O-Oh,” Shanks stuttered, his face heating up. “Erm- there are some texts you maybe shouldn’t-”

Beckmann gave him an unimpressed look. “I know. You are an absolute degenerate. I’ll just skim over it until I find something.”

He began scrolling through the texts, speeding up quickly when he came past some… pictures.

“Jesus Christ, he even texts like some Victorian gentleman. I thought he was just putting on an act.”

“Nope!”, Shanks said dreamily. “Isn’t he just the cutest?”

He looked over Beckmann’s shoulder, getting a glimpse of a selfie Mihawk had sent him back then. His hair had been a bit longer then, falling around his face. He was holding a large late in his hand, the foam clinging to his upper lip.

Beckmann scrolled around a bit longer, until he suddenly stopped. His hand was blocking the screen, but the way his face was getting paler by the second had Shanks really worried.

“Becky? Buddy? What’s wrong?”

His friend slowly turned to look at him, fire burning in his eyes. “Shanks…”, he hissed out. “What the fuck have you done?”

Chapter Text

“Shanks… What the fuck have you done?”

He flinched back a bit at Beck’s tone. Sure, he teased and annoyed the man on a daily basis, but he rarely managed to actually piss him off.

“What?”

“What the fuck is this?!”, Beckmann yelled, holding the phone in his face.

Shanks looked at the picture, not sure what was going on. It was just a selfie he had sent to Mihawk a while ago, wanting to stay in touch while he was out of town.

“Me?”

“And where are you?”, Beckmann hissed.

“In bed? In a hotel room.”

“And who is that with you?”

“You…? Beck, what’s wrong?”

“Just, just bear with me,” Beckmann answered, his hand trembling a little. “Tell me, what am I wearing?”

Shanks giggled a little. “Spider-man boxer shorts.”

“And nothing else.”

“Yes? So?”

Beckmann gripped his shoulder and began shaking him a little. “Shanks! Look at my chest!”

Shanks looked down, and was immediately hit over the head again.

“In the picture, you moron!”

Shanks narrowed his eyes. “Uhm… Oh damn! That’s a lot of hickeys!” He remembered teasing his friend about the girl he was seeing at the time marking him up.

Beckmann just stared at Shanks in astonishment. “No brain cells. Not a single one. I take it back, you ain’t no golden retriever, you are a goddamn orange cat.”

“Hey!”, Shanks pouted. “Stop being mean. Why are you showing me this anyways?”

“Akagami,” Beckmann said lowly and dangerously, “I am going to fucking kill you! You sent this to the man you thought was your boyfriend? Why would you do something like that?!”

“It’s just a selfie…?”

Beckmann shoved the phone in his face, almost breaking his nose. “That’s you, in bed with me, while I’m almost naked, wearing your underwear, covered in hickeys. And the caption reads: ‘Had some fun with my favorite boi^TM tonight’.”

Shanks was going to ask what was wrong again, when suddenly the pieces began to slide into place.

“Wait… he- do you think he thinks we fucked?”

“Dammit Shanks!”, Beckmann groaned. “If I didn’t know I only took my clothes off because you spilled beer all over me, I would think we fucked! I am ‘him’. And-” He stopped, his eyes widening. “Oh shit!”

“What?”, Shanks begged. “What else?”

“At the bar… Your phone was about to die. You told me to text him, so he wouldn’t think you were ignoring him.”

Beckmann took his phone out and went to Mihawk’s contact. Shanks leaned over to see, his stomach turning at what he was reading.

Yo, this is Beck. Shanks can’t answer right now, his phone is off. Sorry buddy, kinda had to steal your man tonight

“Fuck,” Shanks said, leaning back and staring at the ceiling. Both of those texts in one night. That was just cruel.

“But- But I told him we were friends,” Shanks pleaded, as if that could undo what he had done. “Why would he- You are just my friend.”

“No,” Beck said gravely. “Not just a friend. Your best friend. Your favorite,” he added bitterly.

“I’ve gotten good at being lonely.”

Seeing this, with that state of mind… Fuck, Mihawk must have felt so… unwanted. Unimportant. No wonder he had pulled away.

“He dropped your hand,” Beckmann whispered, sounding absolutely horrified. “When you introduced him to all of us. He dropped your hand when he saw me. And- And at the barbecue, he wanted me to know his intentions.”

“Holy shit,” the gray-haired man breathed out. “That cold-hearted, scornful, smug bastard is… respectful? Of our perceived relationship? And was trying to be… kind? Shanks, I think that dude is actually a pretty good guy.”

“He is!”, Shanks sniffed. All this time, Mihawk had just tried to do the right thing. Stepping into the shadows and letting them walk over him, just for Shanks’ sake.

“And I- Fuck, I can’t believe I did that to him,” Beckmann whispered, his tone making Shanks’ heart stop.

“What? What have you done to him?”, he asked coldly, his eyes narrowed as his friend, who was shrinking back into the sofa.

“I- I was so angry, I thought I had to protect you.”

A million different possibilities ran through Shank’s head, none of them pretty. Beckmann and Mihawk had barely been alone, what could have happened in such a short time?

“Beck,” Shanks said sharply. “What did you do?”

His friend looked down in shame. “At the barbecue, I told him he doesn’t belong. That we only tolerate him for your sake.”

Shanks covered his own mouth in shock.

“I’m not good at this whole… people thing. I wasn’t meant for it.”

‘I have not participated in something like that’

“You used to tell me you want me to talk more. Was this what you wanted? Would that have been okay?”

“I don’t know what to do. That is how I feel. And you keep walking off.”

Shanks only noticed he was crying when he saw the drops fall down and soak into his pants. “Anything,” he said hoarsely. “Anything would have been better than that. Even if you had punched him.”

“Shanks… I’m so sorry, I-”

He lifted his hand, cutting his friend off. “You barely know the guy. It was wrong, but after all my own stupidity I can’t judge you.”

He rubbed his temples, his head pounding from all the new information. His whole worldview had shifted in just a few hours.

“It’s hard for him, you know?”, Shanks tried to explain. “Parties, people… He never told me because he was trying to make me happy. When he finally confessed, I promised him to be there for him. The same fucking day. And right after, you told him he doesn’t belong with me.”

“Fuck,” Beckmann whispered, dropping his head in his hands.

“Okay,” Shanks said, after they both had just been sitting there for a while. “Okay, I know what I need to do.”

……

The first thing Zoro did when coming back from school was visiting Mihawk in his office. It was a routine the two of them had gotten used to. He was still getting odd looks for just walking in, but he didn’t really care.

“Zoro, hold up!”

Paul, the guy working at the dojo most days was jogging up to him. There were a few people coming in to train classes as a part-time job only at specific times, but this guy was always here. He was… okay. Almost too friendly, but it really worked on the younger kids, so Zoro understood why Mihawk had hired him.

“What’s up?”

“Here,” Paul grinned, handing the teen a brown paper bag. “Picked this up for Mr. Dracule earlier. Would you mind giving it to him?”

“Sure,” Zoro agreed easily. He knocked on the office door, waiting for the ‘come in’ before stepping through.

“Zoro,” Mihawk said. “You are home early.”

“No?”, he questioned, narrowing his eyes at his guardian. “I’m not early.”

The swordmaster’s eyes flickered down to his watch. “Oh. I see”

Mihawk looked pale. Well, he always was, but now it looked unhealthy. His eyes wouldn’t stay on the teen’s face, and the warmth that usually emitted from him was gone. Zoro suppressed a shiver at the chill that went down his spine.

“I will stop bothering you now,” he said quickly, but before he could escape, Mihawk had risen from his chair.

“Zoro, wait.”

He had to force himself to not take another step back. His fists clenched up and he quickly let his gaze drop to the floor. “Please Sensei, let me leave,” the teen pleaded. He was overcome with the urge to apologize, but he wasn’t sure what for.

“Z-Zoro?”

The voice didn’t sound like Zoro had expected. Not harsh. Not loud. Not angry. Just… small.

“Mihawk?”

“Zoro. I’m sorry. Did I- What did I do to scare you?”

The teen looked up, feeling a bit sick when he noticed Mihawk looked even worse now. Of course he was still perfectly put together, but Zoro still noticed the tremble in his hands. Which he had caused. Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fu-

“You are not happy with me,” he answered his sensei quickly, scared to stay quiet for too long.

“I…”, Mihawk started slowly, his voice still weak. “I am just not happy. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Zoro shook his head, still refusing to directly look at his sensei. “You are angry.”

“Perhaps a little. I think I am mostly… sad? I am not sure.”

“But it’s all bad,” Zoro summed up, his chest beginning to sting from the pressure pressing down on it. “You are feeling bad.”

“Yes,” Mihawk answered. “I am feeling bad.”

“A-And I am the only one here,” Zoro whispered, giving up hope to escape now that the reality of the situation was settling in. Sensei was upset, and he was trapped with him.

“You are,” Mihawk agreed. “However, I do not see why these two facts necessarily have to be mentioned together?”

“Pain needs to go somewhere,” Zoro said, finally looking up. To his surprise the swordmaster wasn’t towering over him, but sitting cross-legged on the floor, like that a lot shorter than the teen.

“Pain always moves on, and I am next.”

Mihawk tilted his head to the side, seemingly thinking Zoro’s words over. “Hm… Yes, pain can’t stay forever, but it can transform. Being in pain doesn’t make me hurt you.”

He was so… calm. He still seemed sad, but there was no yelling, no slamming doors or breaking things. He just sat there, hands on his knees, looking up at Zoro.

“What does it make you do?”, the teen dared to ask.

Mihawk frowned in concentration. “It depends how smart I am about it. Usually it makes me shut down and push people away.”

Zoro nodded. Somehow, that fit Mihawk. “So pain becomes… loneliness?”

“Sometimes.”

“Would you like me to leave?”

The man smiled sadly. “The opposite, actually. Sometimes loss makes you desperate to cling to what you still have.”

Zoro thought about that for a moment. “So pain can be… connection?”

Mihawk’s eyes found Zoro’s face again and he gave him a short nod. “Evidently. Pain can be a lot of things. You can not always control what pain you are dealt, but once it has been given to you, it is yours. It is your choice what to do with it and what it will transform into.”

“I’m guessing you are choosing not to hurt me?”, Zoro asked, relaxing a little.

“Correct,” Mihawk answered immediately. “I can not control how I feel. I will be angry or sad from time to time, that is just how it is,” he shrugged. “However, I can control my reaction. I can transform it. Even when you are the reason for my anger or sadness, I will not hurt you.”

That promise was a new one. Mihawk had told him he wouldn’t get upset over a bunch of things, like Zoro messing up a training routine or oversleeping on a school day. The idea that he could make his guardian angry and make it out unscathed? Strange.

“So… you can choose what your pain transforms into, and today you chose connection?”, Zoro summed up. “Does that mean you want a hug?”

Mihawk’s smile widened. “That is up to you, Zoro. Either way, I am very happy to have you around.”

Zoro nodded and walked over to his guardian and sat down next to him. After taking a few deep breaths, he moved closer, leaning his head on the man’s shoulder. Mihawk shifted a little so he could wrap his arms around the boy, causing his face to end up being pressed against his guardian’s chest. He could feel the shake in Mihawk’s breath and hands, so he wrapped his arms around him and held on tight. The man rested his chin on top of Zoro’s head. It took a few minutes, but eventually they both relaxed into the embrace.

“Hey, what do you have there?”, Mihawk said suddenly, causing Zoro to pull back slightly and follow his gaze to the bag.

“Oh, yeah, Paul gave me your stuff.”

“What stuff?”

Zoro looked between the bag and Mihawk. “He said he picked it up for you? Did you not tell him to do that?”

“No? Let me see.”

Zoro opened the bag and they both leaned over to look inside. There were two muffins, two sandwiches and two cans of soda, seemingly from the bakery down the street.

“Oh,” Mihawk said, right before his stomach made a loud, rumbling noise.

Zoro gave him a startled look. “Did you not have lunch yet?”

His guardian grimaced. “No. I must have lost track of time.”

Zoro nodded. Last time that had happened to him he had ended up almost passed out in Mihawk’s arms. Just a few weeks ago it had seemed so embarrassing, and now he was the one holding the swordmaster close.

“Alright!”, he grinned, sitting up a bit straighter. “I’m starving, let’s eat!”

Chapter Text

Mihawk had to fight the urge to let his head drop onto the desk. He could barely focus, but he refused to go back upstairs. He was so damn tired.

Yesterday after lunch he had helped Zoro with his homework, until he had to teach a class. After making it through that, he had prepared a simple dinner for them and Perona, who had stayed the night but had left early in the morning.

To some, that evening might not have looked special, but to him… to Mihawk it was more than just a mundane evening in. To him, it had felt like a damn lifeline. Because he was still drowning, but those two had held his head over the surface just long enough to let him catch his breath. If this was what his life could be from now on, then perhaps dealing with all this stupid heartbreak was worth it.

Still… Mihawk was grateful, so grateful for having them, and yet… He just wished there was someone to hold him. Someone who would allow him to simply let go. Because even though he had been happy for a few hours, later, alone in his room, he still had had a lot of crying to get through, and he wished he didn’t have to do it alone.

Mihawk glanced over at his phone, cringing when he saw the screen light up to signal yet another incoming call. That was probably the tenth one today. On top of all the messages. He had forced himself to briefly glance at them, just to check if Shanks had managed to do something stupid. Like losing the other arm. Fucking idiot. But no, apparently the ginger wanted to talk.

Of course Mihawk knew he couldn’t put it off forever. This time he couldn’t just shove Shanks out of his life and slam the door shut behind him. They were so… connected now. For fuck’s sake, if they took too long, the redhead’s son might just come over and kick in his door. Now, Mihawk would have no complaints about that, but unfortunately, Shanks and Luffy were a packaged deal.

Mihawk shook his head and decided to at least try to get some paperwork done. Thank god he didn’t have any classes or meetings today. If he had to face a single person he would-

Oh for fuck’s sake.

“Come in!”, Mihawk answered the knock on the door.

“Mr. Dracule?”, Paul asked carefully, probably sensing his boss’s terrible mood. After the kindness his employee had shown him yesterday, Mihawk was very careful not to let his misery influence their work relationship, so he forced himself to a quick smile.

“There is someone here to see you.”

Mihawk frowned. He had asked Paul to tell people he was in a phone conference, so they’d leave him alone.

“He is very insistent,” his assistant said apologetically.

“Mihawk!”

The swordmaster froze. He was here? Why? Well, he knew why, but… coming all the way here? Was that not a bit excessive?

“Mihawk, I need to tell you something.”

“I am aware,” he said bitterly. “Perhaps I do not want to hear it. Has that thought crossed your mind, you fucking moron?”

Paul, who was still standing in the halfway-open door, seemed absolutely scandalized.

“But Hawki, you are always on my mind!”

Fucking hell! Could this stupid ginger not leave him alone to sulk in peace for one fucking day?!

“Look, there is something I need you to know. Either you let me in, or I’ll just start screaming it out here until everyone knows!”

“What…?”, Paul said, looking between Mihawk and the man still hidden by the door in alarm. “Mr. Dracule, do you need me to get rid of this guy?”

Mihawk sighed deeply, massaging his temples. “We would need an exorcist to accomplish that.”

“Okay, time is up!”, Shanks called out joyfully. “Here it goes! So, about that pic I sent you-”

“Oh for fuck’s sake!”, Mihawk cut him off, jumping out of his chair. “Paul, let him in already.”

“Are you sure, Mr. Dracule?”, the man asked concerned.

“Yes, it’s fine,” Mihawk sighed.

Paul stepped aside, revealing a rather odd-looking Shanks. While he still looked put together with his clean shirt and brushed hair, his grin was too wide, even for the annoying redhead.

“Let me know if there is anything you need,” his assistant said hesitantly, giving Mihawk a meaningful look. He then turned to the much, much taller man walking past him. “I’ll be right outside,” he said firmly.

“Thanks, mate,” Shanks said cheerfully, and shut the door in his face.

“Akagami,” Mihawk said, very glad he was still standing behind his table, so there was more space separating them.

“Hello Mihawk. Thank you for letting me in.”

“None of this is happening voluntarily.”

“But it is happening.”

Mihawk grimaced. “Lower your voice if you insist on being ridiculous, or Paul will call the police on you.”

Shanks chuckled. “I like that guy. Good to know there is someone looking out for you.”

“I suppose,” the swordmaster said, wrapping his arms tightly around himself. “What do you want, Shanks?”

“You didn’t answer your phone. I was worried.”

“This is stalking.”

“Wasn’t stalking yesterday when you showed up to my house.”

Mihawk threw his hands up in frustration. “You told me you wanted to talk.”

“I said so again today.”

Mihawk narrowed his eyes at the other man. “I do not have to come running every time you decide you-”

“I am not in any kind of relationship with Benn Beckmann.”

Mihawk just stared at him blankly. What was he supposed to do with that? Was that why Shanks wouldn’t leave him alone? Beckmann had left him and now he was going to the backup?

“I’m sorry to hear that you broke up,” he said flatly.

“Oh fuck, no,” Shanks groaned. “We were never together.”

“Uhm… how you two define your relationship does not concern me,” Mihawk said, hoping to get rid of this ridiculous man already. “Now if you could please leave my-”

“Mihawk, just listen, okay? There are a few facts you need to know. If you still want to kick me out after that, then I’ll go.”

“Fine.”

“Okay, here it goes. So, fact number one: I am not, nor was I ever, romantically or sexually involved with Benn Beckmann. He is my best friend and we are strictly platonic. Fact number two-”

“Stop,” Mihawk said sharply.

He took a few breaths, letting the words sink in. Was it possible? If- If they weren’t- if they never had been- But… But that picture…

“What about that night?”, he whispered, almost talking more to himself than the redhead. “You had sex with him.”

“I didn’t, I-”

“Why are you lying to me?”, Mihawk asked, more confused than angry. “Even if you weren’t seeing anyone but him and me, you never made me any promises. You even had me meet him, I don’t see why you would try to hide your past now? This was supposed to be based on trust,” he ended, his voice getting more and more bitter.

“It’s all just a misunderstanding,” Shanks pleaded. Mihawk had never seen him this… lost?

“Mihawk, I am so fucking sorry. I never meant to hurt you. That night, we were at the hotel bar. I spilled beer all over him, which is why he had to borrow my shorts. I had nothing to do with those hickeys. He had a girlfriend back then.”

“Oh.”

Maybe he should have more of a reaction. Shanks was looking at him in expectation. He should probably ask more questions, scream, laugh, cry, anything… But now he just felt numb. Like he was no longer himself, just watching the situation from the outside.

“Alright then.”

“You believe me?”

“Yes.”

Shanks let out a shaky breath. “Good, good. Okay, fact number two, Beck and I have agreed to distance ourselves for the time being, so that-”

That one shocked Mihawk enough to violently rip him out of his trance. “Wait, what?! What does that mean?”

“No more private hang-outs and we won’t touch until-”

“What?!”, Mihawk gasped, his hands gripping the side of the chair next to him tightly. “Did something happen? Did you have a fight?”

Shanks gave him a sad little smile. “No. I need to show you how serious I am about you. So until you trust me-”

“Trust you?!”, Mihawk shrieked. “Until this very moment I have trusted you, but I don’t know how to feel now. Are you actually telling me you got not only a whole group of friends who all get along, but on top of that your best friend, who lives in the same town, is an amazing uncle to your son and who you get to talk to and h-hug all the time, and you are throwing that away? Like it’s nothing? And you think I would want that?! You think I would do that to you?!”

Shanks flinched back at his harsh voice. He scratched the back of his neck and looked down. “Oh. Yeah, okay. So… your answer doesn’t change even if Beck and I stay the same?”

“Answer to what?”, Mihawk asked coldly.

Shanks squared his shoulders, as if he was getting ready for a fight. “Okay,” he chuckled nervously. “Okay, here it goes. Fact number three: I want you. I have always wanted you. Since the day we met, I have not been interested in being with anyone else.”

Mihawk had to close his eyes for a few moments. How he had wished to hear those words from Shanks’ lips. He wanted to jump over the table, pull the redhead close, kiss him and tell him they could be together, forever, but… It could not be this easy, right?

“So what, you want me to be your…”, he trailed off, unable to say it himself.

“Boyfriend,” Shanks said, stepping around the table so he could stand closer to Mihawk. “I know this situation is a mess, but I don’t want there to be any more misunderstandings, so I will be as clear as possible. We have so much more to talk about, so many things to figure out, but before we even attempt to do that I need you to know: I want to be with you. So, my question is: do you want me too? Do you want to be my boyfriend?”

Chapter Text

“Do you want to be my boyfriend?”

How did he do it? How did Shanks manage to wreck his world with every look, every touch, every word he spoke to Mihawk? How was Mihawk supposed to just deal with all of this? The lights were burning into him, the distant noise of the cars on the road and the water rushing through the pipes rose to a roar, and Shanks was still looking at him, waiting for an answer to an impossible question.

Mihawk took a step back and dug his nail into his palms, the pain helping him to hold back the tears threatening to well up in his eyes. Boyfriend? He- He was supposed to be a boyfriend now? Mihawk had no clue how to be anything to anyone.

Wait, no, he wasn’t supposed to be a boyfriend. ‘Do you want to be my boyfriend?’ That was what Shanks had said. It was up to him. So… Did Mihawk want that?

The idea was appealing. Once upon a time, when he was still young, hopeful and naive, he had dreamed of making it out of that place. Then someone would come along, some beautiful boy with a kind smile and warm hands, and would teach Mihawk how to be human. How to just feel.

Obviously that hadn’t happened. Mihawk was still alone, still waiting, still the same little boy who sat by the window at night, wondering why he was so broken.

Being someone’s boyfriend… Being someone’s anything… Could he refuse that? His one chance? To be held, to be wanted, to be… loved even? Mihawk wanted to belong to someone. He wanted to walk into a room and know where his place was. To people to look at him and know was supposed to be there, because someone had picked Mihawk.

But that wasn’t what he was offered, was it? This wasn’t about being someone’s boyfriend, this was about being Shanks’boyfriend. And that… that was…

“No.”

“No?”

“I- I don’t think I can do that. I don’t think I can be your boyfriend.”

“Oh,” Shanks said, his shoulders slumping down. “Alright. I respect that. But can we maybe talk about it?”

Mihawk was so damn exhausted. Why did it always have to be him? Why did he have to make all the hard decisions? Why couldn’t Shanks just deliver the killing blow and fuck off already, so Mihawk could die in peace?

“You thought we were in a relationship. Exclusive,” he tried to explain, his voice strangely hollow. “If- If you really thought we were together back then- if that was what being your boyfriend is like, I am not sure if I want that.”

“No!” Shanks’ eyes widened and he lifted his hand, as if trying to reach for Mihawk, but he wasn’t coming closer. “No, no, no, Mihawk, please listen. It’s not going to be like it was back then. I thought I had to hold back to not scare you off.”

Shanks had been holding back? Yeah, that made sense, Mihawk had been rather cold to him.

“How much?”, Mihawk asked, his eyes fixed on the floor. “How much were you holding back? How much would you be willing to give me this time?”

“Baby,” Shanks said softly. He came closer, and for a second Mihawk thought he’d touch his face, but instead he just very lightly brushed his fingers over Mihawk’s knuckles, causing the swordmaster to look up.

“If you want all of me, it’s yours.”

Mihawk looked away and wrapped his arms tightly around himself, desperately trying to ground himself.

“It won’t be like back then,” Shanks continued. “Being my boyfriend would be like… like… like sitting in a restaurant, ranting on about your favorite sword cleaning products, while I get lost in your eyes.”

At that, Mihawk’s eyes snapped back to Shanks, his heart beating even faster than before. All the memories from that evening came rushing back.

Shanks picking him up, looking so cool and attractive in his leather jacket, but only focused on him. The special wine and food order, because Shanks had taken the time to figure out what Mihawk would want. The way he had seemed proud to be seen with him. The way Shanks had been listening to him, no matter how long he got stuck on one niche topic. The way Shanks had looked under the streetlights when he had taken him home.

“Mihawk, I missed you so much.”

Shanks must have noticed Mihawk’s reaction, so he kept going.

“Being with me would be like losing sleep because we stay on the phone all night. Like me taking your hand at a party, so you know I am by your side. Like me picking up the kids from school when you have an appointment, so you can come home to all of us already there.”

At this point, Mihawk had dropped one of his hands to his side, while the other one was tightly pressed over his mouth while he tried to control his breathing.

Shanks reached out for him and gently rubbed his knuckles. “Being with me would be like not being alone anymore. Like… family.”

At this Mihawk broke. He ripped his hand away and turned around, staring out of the window while tears began streaming down his face. He was getting dizzy from the little amount of breath he was taking in.

“That’s what I’m offering,” Shanks concluded, his voice deep and soft. “And- And if you don’t want that, there is nothing I can do about it, but I need you to know your options.”

His options. What were those again? Right now it seemed like an all-or-nothing situation. And no matter if he wanted it all, he couldn’t take nothing. Not again.

“And if I refuse?”, he asked, after a few minutes when he had managed to catch his breath. “What then?”

“Well…”, Shanks hummed thoughtfully. “I guess we’ll see each other next time our kids want to hang out.”

So nothing. His other option was nothing.

“Or any time you want before that,” Shanks added.

Mihawk tensed up and turned around, narrowing his eyes at the man. What exactly did he mean by that?

“I’ll still stand by your side,” Shanks clarified. “I’ll hold you, I’ll ask about your day, I’ll support you. You will never have to face the crowd alone again, no matter what.”

Shit. Mihawk was so exhausted. He wanted to let go. He had barely slept last night, the room had been spinning for a considerable amount of time now and everything hurt. This was it. This was his breaking point. Shanks had pushed him so far beyond his limits in the past couple of days, but then there hadn’t been this temptation. Now the other man was right in front of him, close enough for Mihawk to touch if he reached out.

“I am so angry at you,” he forced himself to admit. “You hurt me.”

Shanks just nodded and waited for him to take a few deep breaths before he could continue.

“I know you didn’t mean to, and I hurt you too and- and you didn’t even know you were hurting me, but- but you still did it,” Mihawk said, his voice trembling. “And all I want to do right now is kick you out of my house. I want to yell at you and tell you to leave me alone, but Shanks, you are all I have. I can’t kick you out, because I need you.”

He took a tiny step towards Shanks and dropped his gaze. “It all hurts so much and I can’t do it anymore. Shanks, please help me.”

In an instance Shanks had pulled him into a hug, his hand sliding up towards his head, pressing Mihawk’s face into the crook of his neck and his fingers gently running through his hair, while his forearm held him tightly in place.

“Shhh… It’s okay,” he whispered, as Mihawk began to sob, truly allowing himself to fall apart for once.

“I got you. Last week was good, right?”, he asked gently. “Our date, hanging out with the kids… We can just stay like that for a bit.”

It took a minute for Mihawk to gather up the courage to reply. “So I don’t have to give you an answer now? You- You will stay anyways?”

Shanks pulled him even closer. “Yes. Yes, Baby, I got you. That’s what I came here to say. This is all about you now. Whatever you need, I got you.”

Mihawk began to shake his head and pull away, but Shanks wouldn’t let go. “What- What if I don’t want-”

“I’m not going to dangle my companionship over your head to force you into a relationship,” Shanks said firmly, sounding disgusted at the mere idea.

“It’s all up to you, either way, I’ve got you.”

This was the last line of Mihawk’s defenses. He was so ready to give in, to accept every single word as the absolute truth and let this man take care of him.

“And what do I have to do? How do I earn it?”, he sniffed, his breathing picking up again.

Shanks rhythmically scratched the back of his head, allowing him to match his breath to the movement. “Nothing,” he promised softly. “For once, I did not come here to kiss you, simply to hold you close.”

“O-Okay,” Mihawk stuttered. “I trust you.”

He wrapped his arms around Shanks’ waist and leaned more of his weight against the other man, doing his best to relax, even though he was still shaking. Shanks began to hum, a low, rumbling sound deep in his chest. He swayed them from side to side, following the rhythm of his humming and the hand in his hair. They just stood there for a while, Mihawk’s eyes fluttering shut as he relaxed more and more into the embrace.

“Just to be clear though, please do feel free to make out with me whenever you feel like.”

Mihawk’s eyes snapped open and he let out a startled, wet chuckle. He pulled back a little and removed one of his hands from Shanks’ back in order to slap his chest lightly. “You are such an idiot.”

The redhead grinned back and cupped his face, before pressing a quick kiss to his forehead. “Come on Baby, let me take you to bed.”

Mihawk’s chuckle immediately died down.”N-Now?”, he asked in shock. “Shanks, what the fuck? You just said I don’t have to make up my mind just yet! I have no clue what I want out of this, but I really don’t want to sleep with you right now and-”

“Oh sweetheart,” Shanks sighed, and hugged him again. “No, not like that. You can barely stand, have you even gotten any sleep last night?”

“Oh,” Mihawk breathed out. “No, not really,” he admitted. “I’m so tired.”

“Then let me take care of you,” Shanks whispered. “Please?”, he added after a second.

“Don’t you have to go to work?”, Mihawk checked.

“Took a day off,” Shanks explained. “I have to pick up Luffy later, but until then, I am all yours.”

“You just want to hold me?”, Mihawk asked, rather confused by the whole situation. “All day?”

Shanks pulled his face into his neck again and nuzzled the top of his head. “It’s been far too long since you have fallen asleep on my chest.”

Mihawk’s breath stocked at that thought. He was so exhausted. He hadn’t been able to sleep yesterday, drowning in his cold sheets. Shanks must have noticed, because he pulled back, smirking at the flushing swordmaster.

“You want that, Baby? You wanna fall asleep with me?”

Mihawk looked away and nodded.

“Okay, then let’s go upstairs.”

He tensed up at that. “Did you have to make such a scene when coming in here? We have to walk past several people to make it to my appartment.”

Shanks let out a hiss. “Ah, fuck. In hindsight, that was a bad idea.”

Mihawk frowned. “I- I guess maybe you could leave and come back later,” he sniffed.

“No way,” Shanks huffed. “I am not leaving you. I’ve got an idea, but you’ll have to keep it together on your own for a few minutes,” he said and gently wiped the tear tracks off Mihawk’s face. “Can you do that for me, Baby?”

“Yes,” Mihawk decided. “Just a few minutes. But you better be there to meet me upstairs, or I’ll get Yoru and hunt you down.”

Chapter Text

Paul kept checking the hallway every few minutes, waiting for that weird ginger to emerge again. At least Mr. Dracule had seemed more annoyed than actually distressed. Still, that guy seemed like bad news. Was he the reason Paul’s boss had been so distressed yesterday? Who was he even? An ex maybe? That seemed to be the only explanation. He had seemed rather familiar with Mr. Dracule. And rather pushy…

When the office door finally opened, Paul was surprised to only see Mr. Dracule step out. The man looked even worse than this morning. Pale skin, trembling hands and unfocused eyes. At this point, Paul was not only concerned about his boss’ state of mind, but also his physical well-being.

“Mr. Dracule?”, he asked carefully, feeling a little bad when the man flinched.

“Paul. I’m taking the day off. Please take care of everything down here. Should there be a problem-”

“Then I will be completely capable of handling it by myself,” he said confidently. Thank god Mr. Dracule was taking a day off. He almost never did, despite the fact that Paul had been working for him for a while now and could easily take over.

The swordmaster huffed, but nodded. “Thank you.”

“What about your… friend? Do you want me to see him out?”

“Oh- Uhm… He already left.”

Huh? Paul hadn’t seen anyone in the hallway, how had the man managed to slip past him?

“Anyways, see you tomorrow. Have a nice day, Paul.”

……

The second Mihawk made it to the stairway, his composure was slipping. It felt like his body temperature was skyrocketing and his eyes began to sting. What was he even still crying for? Technically, this was all he had been secretly dreaming about. Shanks wanted him, he never had been with Benn Beckmann and despite everything, despite the fact Mihawk had nothing to give him right now, Shanks still wanted him.

Mihawk should be happy. He should run up those stairs, fling himself into Shanks’ arm(s) and soak up all the affection he could get, but he was still standing halfway up the stairs, unable to move.

Was he just not meant to be happy? While he had not been happy without Shanks, at least he had been at peace. Perhaps Mihawk had been better off alone. He had been so in control, so put-together and dignified. He hadn’t cried in years and-

Oh. Was this really what he was like? Some stone-faced, distant robot, who never felt anything? The thought made a new wave of tears well up in his eyes and he had to grip the handrail tightly. It wasn’t fair. He never had been given a chance. Maybe he had been born broken, or maybe the loneliness had been woven into every fiber of his being as he grew up, but either way, he never stood a chance.

“This is all about you now. Whatever you need, I got you.”

Maybe this was his chance. His way out. Mihawk had never been given the tools to be happy, to form a relationship, to build something for himself. But if this man was willing to actually help him… If he could accept all of Mihawk’s broken little pieces and would patiently wait for him to put them together, then maybe one day it could be okay…

Fuck, his head hurt from thinking about this. Everything was spinning again, but this time it was actually scaring him a little, considering he was still in the middle of the stairs. He didn’t want to think about all of this, it was too much. All that information, all those options… It was all positive, but just so much. He had been so withdrawn, so disappointed, so angry, for so long, and now he was supposed to just let go of it in a heartbeat?

“I’m not going to dangle my companionship over your head to force you into a relationship.”

“You wanna fall asleep with me?”

Right, right… no decisions for now. Just... just Shanks.

Mihawk held on tight to the rail, dragging himself up the stairs. Once he was inside the apartment, he went straight to his bedroom. The sight that greeted him made him chuckle a little. Shanks was balancing on the very narrow windowsill, holding onto the drain pipe next to it, his face turning a little red from the effort. He didn’t even notice Mihawk enter the room, too focused on not slipping.

“Oh thank god,” he groaned when Mihawk opened the window and jumped into the room. “I was beginning to think you were just gonna leave me out there.”

“My apologies,” Mihawk said, lowering his head. “I simply-”

“Hey,” Shanks cut him off softly and pulled him close. Mihawk’s hands came up to fist in his shirt. “It’s okay. What kind of man would I be if I couldn’t climb a building and hang on to a drainpipe for you?”, he joked.

Mihawk chuckled and relaxed into his grip. “This is so ridiculous. You, sneaking in through my window… It’s like the teenage fantasy I never even had turned reality.”

“Oh?”, Shanks teased. “Are you saying I am a dream come true?”

“Shut up,” Mihawk groaned and burrowed his face into the crook of Shank’s neck, breathing in his familiar scent. Everything about this man was so exhilarating, yet calming.

“Enjoying yourself?”, Shanks asked when Mihawk nuzzled into him.

“You smell good,” he blurted out before he could stop himself.

“Yeah?”, Shanks chuckled, and began rubbing his back. “You like it?”

“I like a lot of things about you.”

Shanks sucked in a shuddering breath. “Good to know… Is this why you like to sleep in my clothes?”

Mihawk pulled back and pouted. “That shirt has not smelled like you in ages.”

Suddenly Shanks let go of him. He took a step back and let his jacket drop to the floor, before pulling off his shirt in on fluent motion, leaving his chest bare, apart from the multi-colored piece of cloth covering his stump and left shoulder. For a moment Mihawk’s eyes slid over his toned body, before he got distracted by that atrocious piece of clothing.

“Luffy designed it,” Shanks explained when he noticed Mihawk’s disturbed look.

“Ah, yes, that makes sense. Uhm… why- why exactly are you…?”

“Here,” Shanks said, presenting the shirt to him. “Go get changed, wash your face and brush your teeth. Then we can go to bed.”

Mihawk nodded and went to the drawer to grab a pair of sweatpants, before he realized something. “What are you going to wear?”

“I could steal my old shirt back if you would be more comfortable,” Shanks explained, “But I thought maybe you’d enjoy some skin-to-skin contact?”

Mihawk cringed a little. Skin-to-skin? Like with a newborn? It was pathetic, but Shanks was right. That was exactly what Mihawk craved. To be so close to another human being he could feel their heartbeat and could drown in their warmth.

He must have been staring at Shanks’ naked chest for too long, because when his eyes found the redhead’s face again, he was smirking at him.

“Okay. Yes, this- erm- this will do,” he said, awkwardly gesturing to Shanks’ body. “Please excuse me.”

Shanks’ melodic laugh followed him to the bathroom, where he did just as he was told. This was so weird. It was barely 11 am, and here he was, putting on Shanks’ shirt and getting ready for… what, exactly? A preplanned cuddling session?Weird.

He entered his bedroom again, finding Shanks already leaning back into the pillows, a lazy smirk dancing over his face.

“Hey Sweetheart… You ready?”

Only then the gravity of the situation fully settled in.

“Shanks… I- This is not- I am not your boyfriend.”

“I know.”

“I am not sure if I ever want to be.”

“I know. We are… friends,” Shanks decided.

Mihawk flushed as he looked at the half-naked man in his bed smirking up at him. “Friends don’t do this.”

“Friends can’t cuddle?”, the redhead teased.

Mihawk gave him an unimpressed look. “Shanks,” he warned. He knew they could both feel it. This tension in the air. This wasn’t what friends did.

“You are right,” Shanks admitted. “But I don’t think you want me to hold you like a friend right now.”

Mihawk looked down, playing with the hem of his- of Shanks’ shirt. He was right, of course. Mihawk liked the attention.

“I don’t want to lead you on.”

“You made yourself clear,” the other man said firmly. “What I want to offer you is my decision.”

While that made sense, Mihawk still felt very awkward about the whole thing.

Shanks sighed after a few moments. “Just let me hold you.”

He finally gave in and slid under the covers next to Shanks. He mustered him for a moment, before finally laying down, his head on Shanks’ chest, his arm over his stomach.

It all took a few seconds to register, but then he just melted into Shanks. He actually could hear his heartbeat this way and all that skin against his face, side and arm made him want to never get up again.

Shanks’ hand found his way into his hair, gently brushing it away from his face.

“It will be okay, I promise, Baby.”

At that, Mihawk tensed up and glanced up at Shanks. “You keep calling me that,” he pointed out. “You keep calling me so many things,” he added, finally voicing what he had been wondering about for the past two weeks.

“You keep blushing,” Shanks shot back.

Mihawk looked away, not sure what to answer to that. It was true, after all.

“Listen,” Shanks sighed, and began scratching Mihawk’s head lightly. “I may have been wrong about you in so many ways, but I know you like this. If you need me to slow down I will, but until then, I will take care of you the way I know you crave.”

Fuck. How could this man read Mihawk so easily?

“Thought you are my friend?”, he said, not willing to let go of his dignity quite yet. “Do you call all your friends that?”

“No,” Shanks chuckled, the vibration of his chest making Mihawk shiver a little. “Might as a joke from time to time, but I do not treat anyone else like this. It’s all just for you.”

“Just me?”

“Just you, darling. You can take whatever you need from me, it’s all yours.”

Mihawk should let it go. Even though Shanks had closed the blinds, the daylight flooding the room was still far too bright. It was all too much and he wanted to close his eyes and allow Shanks to do as he promised, but- but-

“But what are we?”

Shanks sighed. “Does it matter? We are… us.”

Mihawk was doing it wrong. He should just shut up and take what he was given.

“I don’t like it when things aren’t defined,” he said bitterly. “I like words.”

Shank’s hand in his hair paused. “Hm… I don’t really understand.

“But that’s okay!”, he quickly added. “How about… probation.”

“Probation?”

“Yeah. I’m your probational boyfriend,” Shanks declared proudly. “You can try me out, take me for a spin, and then decide.”

Mihawk rolled his eyes at the phrasing. “You make this all sound a lot worse.”

He closed his eyes and thought about it for a few seconds. Did he like that label? They could stay the same as right now, sharing tender moments and Shanks could keep up his ridiculous (and strangely charming) flirting, but he wouldn’t have to make a decision.

“Fine,” he agreed eventually. “But… but just the two of us. Can… Can this be just ours? At least for a bit?”, he asked shyly. “The pet names and the- the touching… I don’t want to do that in front of other people. If they think I’m your boyfriend and I don’t do it right, it’ll end like last time.”

“I don’t want it to end,” he added in a low whisper.

“There is no right or wrong way to do this,” Shanks said, almost sounding too soft. “I’d love to show you off, but we can keep this to ourselves.”

Good. This was all he needed. Now he could finally relax-

“Shanks?”

The redhead chuckled and bent down to press a quick kiss to his forehead. When he had done the same earlier, Mihawk had barely even recognized the gesture, but now the butterflies in his stomach were going crazy.

“Yes?”

“You said I had time to decide… how long?”

“However long you need,” Shanks answered immediately.

“I don’t like it when things aren’t defined,” Mihawk huffed in frustration. “What if I take too long?”

“Too long doing what?”, Shanks asked, as if the question was pointless. “Smiling at me? Talking to me? Resting with your head on my chest while I play with your pretty hair?" He tucked on the strands between his fingers a bit, to drive the point home. “I think I will survive.”

Chapter Text

Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck! What the fuck was going on?!

Okay, so maybe Shanks was less calm than he was willing to show. But how else was he supposed to react, when Mihawk was being like… this?

He looked down at the man resting on his chest. His face was still pale, making the shadows under his eyes stand out. For once his hair wasn’t perfectly combed back, but falling into his face in soft waves. Mihawk let out a soft noise in his sleep, nuzzling more into Shank’s chest hair.

Fuck. How was he supposed to control himself, when he was presented with this? God, his pretty boy was so damn tempting… Shanks wanted to make Mihawk his, hold him forever, cover him in roses, toss him the damn keys to his house and a ring-

Yeah… too much. Far, far too much. This wasn’t about him, this was about the man sleeping on top of him in the middle of the day, because he had been so exhausted he almost passed out. The man who had broken down crying, clinging to him so sweetly. The man who had no other choice.

“And if I refuse?”

Fuck, thank god Shanks had understood what Mihawk had meant. Because if he hadn’t, Mihawk would be his boyfriend right now, and that would be fucking terrible. Because then his boy would have pushed himself, wouldn’t have admitted what he actually needed, and this would have ended in a screaming match and another breakup. Or even worse, Mihawk would have stayed with him, becoming smaller and smaller with every day that passed.

That thought was terrifying. Shanks had seen that on the job many times, families that looked fine from the outside, but once you got a glimpse behind the curtain, all there was was control and resentment. What if he hadn’t been here today? What if some asshole, maybe some other guy Mihawk had met at a tournament, had been in his place? Someone who wouldn’t have given him an out? Who would have insisted on taking everything Mihawk had, without leaving him with a shred of actual comfort?

In the past two weeks, a crucial truth had revealed itself to Shanks. Mihawk wasn’t… normal? That word felt wrong. Typical? Yeah, Mihawk wasn’t typical. He couldn’t just jump into a relationship, happy to have a boyfriend. Everything Shanks’ instincts told him to do was absolutely useless here. Mihawk lived by a completely different rulebook, and forcing himself to be what Shanks, what everyone expected, had gotten him into this position, exhausted, vulnerable and begging for any kind of help.

Alright then. Mihawk’s rules it was. If he needed some time to adjust to even consider the idea of dating Shanks? So be it. If he had to find some weird mix of labels for them, so he could grasp what was going on? So be it. And if all he needed right now was to rest against Shanks bare skin for hours, soaking up the human touch he clearly wasn’t getting enough of? Well… Just because this wasn’t about him it didn’t mean Shanks couldn’t enjoy it, right? Because right now, Mihawk was offering him something on a silver platter, that was so sweet, so intoxicating, he hadn’t even dared to dream it up. And then he acted as if this was a service Shanks was doing for him, not the other way around.

“It’s all okay now,” he softly whispered to the beautiful man snoring on his chest. “It’s over. I got you now, and I am not letting you go. I’m sorry it took me so long to get here, but from now on you are not alone anymore. It’s over, just rest.”

That was all a load of crap, of course. Shanks had no clue how to make true on those promises. It wasn’t over, this was just the beginning. Mihawk had not been himself earlier. He had been exhausted, overwhelmed, and on the brink of a panic attack. Shanks would be wise to take everything he had been told with a grain of salt. There was a good chance Mihawk would withdraw as soon as his brain had rebooted.

Probationary boyfriend? Yeah… The second part of that label should make his heart beat so quickly, Mihawk had every right to take it back. He hadn’t even actually forgiven him yet.

“You are all I have. I can’t kick you out, because I need you.”

What a terrifying thought. He truly was the only choice Mihawk had, and now he would make damn sure it was a good one.

……

Paul was organizing some forms before cleaning them off the counter. Usually he wouldn’t be this thorough when Mr. Dracule wasn’t in (great man, great boss, but sometimes his perfectionism drove him up the wall), but today it would just feel wrong to divide from his expectations even the littlest bit. After all, Paul had told his boss he could handle it.

When the doorbell rang, he looked up in confusion. Most people knew just to come in when the dojo was open. He was even more confused when he opened the door and was faced with a delivery driver.

“Uhm… hello?”

“Hello. I got an order for Akagami?”

Paul shook his head. “No, there is no one-”

“Ah! My order!”, a voice called out.

Paul’s eyes almost bulged out of his skull when he saw that damn redhead descent the stairs to Mr. Dracule’s apartment. How the fuck had he gotten up there?! And was he not wearing a shirt under his jacket?!

“Thanks,” the man said to the delivery driver. “Hold on.”

He shoved the boxes into Paul’s hands, who was still staring at him in utter shock and some slight anger. Then he dug around in his pocket for some money and handed it to the delivery driver.

“Okay, I gotta go soon,” the redhead said to Paul. “Would you mind handing this to Zoro when he comes home? And please make sure he knows he can have some for lunch. If Mihawk wakes up and his kid hasn’t eaten yet, may god have mercy on us all.”

It took a few moments for the words to register. Wake up? So Mr. Dracule had managed to find some rest? That was good, he supposed, but Paul would have loved to take the half-naked stranger out of the equation.

“Who the fuck are you?”, he blurted out. Probably a bad idea, considering his boss had let this guy in willingly, so if he was actually some kind of lover, Paul was probably getting himself fired right now.

The weirdo laughed. “The name is Shanks, you might get to see a lot more of me soon. By the way, this should be enough food for three people, so feel free to have some as well,” he added a little wink at the end, making Paul’s blood boil.

“Are you trying to buy my approval or something?”, he said coldly.

Shanks gave him a lopsided smirk. “Didn’t know I needed your approval.”

Well… He was just Mr. Dracule’s assistant, but someone had to say something, goddammit! Paul put the food on the counter, so he could cross his arms. “You do, as long as no one else is around. You have to answer to someone, you know?”

Shanks’ grin widened. “All this for a normal job as an assistant? Bit too much effort, don’t you think?”

“I might be his assistant, but I actually am rather versatile with a sword as well.”

“Me too. I used to train with Hawkeyes, you know?”

Damn. That was impressive. Still, Paul would not back down. He narrowed his eyes at the man, making him sigh.

“Okay, okay, I give up. This is pretty entertaining, but I feel like Mihawk would have to fix it later if I kept going, and he got enough on his plate already.”

What? The guy’s entire body language and vibe had changed in an instant. His huge, teasing grin shrunk down to a more genuine smile and he took a step closer.

“Listen, I am not trying to cause any trouble. I simply needed to talk to him. Now I am trying to make sure he is alright.”

Paul mustered him carefully. He seemed rather honest, and apart from being a little pushy and annoying, he had not done anything wrong. Yet. Besides, Mr. Dracule had willingly let him in, so Paul should probably trust his judgment.

“Hm,” he said finally, “I guess you get some points for remembering to feed Zoro…”

Chapter Text

Mihawk woke up slowly, his entire body warm and heavy. He let out a sigh, shocked by how well-rested he felt. While he was groggy and a little dizzy, it still felt like years of tension had melted out of his body.

Then the memories came back. He sat up straight, lights dancing before his eyes from the sudden movement.

“I’ve got you.”

“Let me take care of you.”

“It will be okay, I promise, Baby.”

Wow. Had- Had that all really happened? It couldn’t be true. Mihawk had rejected him. And Shanks had responded by being even kinder to him, taking such good care of him. This- This was not something he could just have. Wasn’t this why people entered relationships? To earn some comfort? And yet, Shanks was just- just there? For him?

Despite the urge to be close to Shanks, he was so glad he had not given in. It was all too sudden, he didn’t want to start a relationship just like that. Now that his mind had had a chance to adjust, it all seemed a lot less bleak. He still wasn’t sure what to do, but choosing Shanks was actually an option now! He had a person. A whole man, all to himself. Mihawk covered his mouth with his hand as he let out a little giggle. This was nice. So nice. And it was all for him.

But the way he had acted… If Shanks had not been such a forgiving man, that would have ended very differently. Mihawk had been completely out of line. Wasting an entire afternoon on him? Without getting anything in return? What kind of man agreed to such a thing?

“It all hurts so much and I can’t do it anymore. Shanks, please help me.”

How terrible of him. Absolutely ridiculous. Embarrassing. Selfish. How dare he admit something like that to Shanks? He was not supposed to ask for help, because it was entirely unnecessary. The way he struggled with- with everything really- It was his own fault, wasn’t it? Because no one else seemed to struggle. So how dare he put this burden on Shanks?

“You can take whatever you need from me, it’s all yours.”

Shanks was an adult, who was responsible for himself, right? Mihawk had been very up-front about all his hang-ups, and yet he had stayed. Perhaps he didn’t have to feel guilty after all. The redhead could make his own decisions, and apparently, what he chose was Mihawk.

Was it too early to text Shanks? Probably. Besides, he actually wanted a few days to get used to this new situation. However… texting couldn’t hurt, right? But it was too soon. On the other hand...

Who cared, Shanks was Mihawk’s now, if he wanted to, he could, right? He reached for his phone and-

And froze when he saw the time. Past 5 pm. Zoro must have been home for hours now. Oh no.

Mihawk jumped out of bed, almost falling over from the dizziness. Still in his pyjama pants and Shanks’ shirt, he stumbled out of his bedroom, frantically looking around. His plan had been to go straight to Zoro’s room, but then he noticed light coming from the living room.

“Zoro?”, he asked, then spotted the teen on the sofa, scrolling through his phone.

“Sensei,” the teen said, quickly jumping up. “Are you feeling better?”

Mihawk just ignored the title. The child did not seem scared, so he was most likely just slipping back into old habits, not actively spiraling.

“Me?”

“Paul said you weren’t feeling well and had to lie down?”

Huh? How would his assistant know he had gone to bed? Had he just guessed?

“Oh. Yes, but I am perfectly fine now.”

They just stared at each other, until Mihawk ran a hand through his hair, nervously glancing around. “What about you? Are you alright? I am terribly sorry I wasn’t there or let you know ahead of time. Have you had anything for lunch? I- Oh dear, there weren’t even any leftovers, were there? Hold on, I will immediately-”

“Mihawk!”, Zoro called out when he turned towards the kitchen. “Relax, dude, I had some of the takeout, I’m good.”

“Takeout?”

“Shanks got us something we can heat up for dinner and some lunch for me. There is more than enough, so chill out.”

Mihawk’s heart was beating in his throat. Shanks had ordered food for him? For Zoro? He had made sure his boy ate while Mihawk rested?

It was such a simple thing. Entirely unnecessary, if Mihawk wanted he could get them better food, order from the most expensive restaurant in town. Fuck, if he wanted he could buy a restaurant for them!

And yet… He had thought about them. Had taken charge of the situation, so Mihawk didn’t even have to worry. Had provided. Not only for Mihawk, but also his child.

That… that was an interesting feeling…

“That’s… nice. Very nice.”

“Mihawk?”, Zoro asked quietly. “Are you sure you are okay? I- I know it’s none of my business, but…”

He sighed deeply. Mihawk wished he could just keep all of this far, far away from Zoro, but now that the boy was already asking questions, he shouldn’t leave him in the dark, that would only further his worries. What Zoro needed from him right now was stability.

“It’s okay to ask,” he assured the teen. “I have to admit, I had a rather… difficult day.”

Zoro sat up straight. “Is that why Shanks came by? To help you?”

“In a way,” Mihawk sighed. “He is rather good at helping people.”

The child nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah, it’s good he came over because-”, he stopped, his smile fading. “Wait… You didn’t have a difficult day because of Shanks, right?”

Mihawk flushed a little. “Uhm… He might have started it.”

Zoro’s jaw dropped. “That little bitch! Now I really regret eating those spring roles he bought me,” he huffed and crossed his arms.

The swordmaster had to hold back a startled giggle. Zoro was always so dramatic! “First of all, even if a man makes you angry, you can still eat his food,” he explained. “Just see it as payment for making you upset.”

Zoro nodded slowly. “Okay, I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Secondly,” Mihawk continued, “This is not really a situation where blame can be so easily be placed. Shanks and I can be… complicated. What you need to know is that now is that I am alright now, and so is he.”

“Fine,” Zoro huffed. “But if he makes you sad again, he owes us far more than a little bit of takeout.”

Mihawk softly smiles at the boy. “I’ll let him know.”

“Mihawk?”

“Yes?”

“Would you like a hug?”

He walked over to Zoro and sat down next to him, before wrapping his arms around him. The boy squeezed him back, making Mihawk smile.

“Thank you, Zoro. You are a very kind person.”

The look of absolute shock on the teen’s flushed face was adorable. “I- I- Whatever,” the boy stuttered, crossing his arms and moving away a little.

“So… Did anything interesting happen at school?”, Mihawk asked, deciding to change the topic and give the poor boy a break.

“Erm…”, Zoro said, nervously fidgeting with the ring Shanks had given him. “Actually there is something I need to tell you.”

Mihawk nodded and gestured for him to continue.

“It’s Usopp’s birthday this Friday.”

“Okay.”

“He is having a party,” Zoro added.

“Okay?”

“A barbecue.”

Mihawk’s blood froze. “A- A barbecue? Another one?”

“At Beckman’s place.”

Again?! What was wrong with these people?! He had just managed to deal with the fallout of their last meeting, and now Mihawk had to do all of it again?!

“O-Oh. How… nice.”

“You don’t have to come!”, Zoro said, and jumped up from the sofa. “We’ll just say you have to work or something!”

That one snapped Mihawk out of his thoughts immediately. “What? No, Zoro, you are not going alone.”

“Dude, it’s just a party,” the boy chuckled nervously. “Don’t be such a buzzkill.”

“Roronoa Zoro,” Mihawk said sharply. “You are a minor and I am responsible for you. If I say you are not going alone, that is final.”

“Fine!”, Zoro yelled. “Then I am not going.”

“Zoro-”

“You can’t force me to go!”, the angry teen pointed out. “If you try to, I’ll fucking kick you!”

Mihawk struggled not to laugh at the childish threat. “Alright, then I’ll go without you.”

“What?!”

He shrugged. “If you are so grown up, you will be fine on your own for one afternoon, right? So I can go and enjoy the party.”

Zoro grimaced. “Mihawk… I really don’t want to do this to you.”

He stood up and put a hand on the teen’s shoulder. “Zoro, I’ll be fine.”

The look on the boy’s face made him doubt his own words. Was it really so unrealistic? Or was there something he didn’t know about?

“What else?”, he groaned.

“The guys who were there last time are coming to.”

“Hm. I should have suspected that.”

Usopp and Luffy had seemed very comfortable with the men, it was not a surprise they would be invited to the boy’s birthday party. He wasn’t exactly comfortable with the idea, but as long as he stuck with Shanks and avoided Benn Beckmann at all cost, he would be fine, right?

“And Usopp kinda invited everyone,” Zoro continued.

“All your friends?”, Mihawk asked. “That’s good, I’d love to meet them.”

The teen nodded, but still looked rather worried. “And their parents, actually…”

Hm. If he remembered correctly, there were three more of Zoro’s friends he hadn’t met. So in case they all came from nuclear families… two times three. There might be six strangers.

“Ah. How nice of him.”

“But- But it’s not too bad!”, Zoro pointed out quickly. “I know a lot of orphans, so there aren’t that many new people!”

“W-What..?”, Mihawk stuttered out, staring at the child in complete shock.

“Erm… ya know…”, Zoro said, scratching his neck awkwardly. “Cause- Cause everyone is dead?”

Mihawk fucking lost it. That day had been too long, and too draining. And now this. That child just kept breaking through his defenses.

“Mihawk…? Are you alright?”, Zoro asked hesitantly.

The man tried to catch his breath, but broke into another fit of giggles. “Less- Less people to meet,” he wheezed, “Because they are all- all dead?”

He wiped away a few tears, barely able to contain himself. “Zoro, that’s brilliant!”

“Thank you?”, the boy said in confusion. “Usually people don’t like it when I say stuff like that.”

“No, no,” Mihawk quickly waved him off. “I love orphan jokes. Perona keeps calling me a ‘sad victorian orphan’ all the time,” he said, making air quotes.

Zoro mustered him very thoroughly. “Oh, yeah, it’s giving dying victorian child.”

Mihawk was not sure how to feel about that. Plus, the phrasing was weird, but if he admitted to that thought, word would get back to his cousin and she’d bully him for being old.

“Thank you,” he said eventually. “Now, tell me, what else happened at school?”

He sat back down on the sofa, listening to Zoro explain every detail of today’s P.E. lesson, while softly smiling to himself.

Chapter Text

All eyes turned to Benn when his phone started to ring.

“Ah. Sorry about that,” the man said with an apologetic look and reached out to turn it off.

“If you do not take that damn call,” Roger said threateningly, “You are fired.”

The man chuckled. Everyone in the meeting room (Lime Juice, Gaban, Taro, Beckmann and Roger himself) knew there were only a few people whose calls would get through while Benn’s phone was in work mode. Mainly, Roger’s idiotic (but yet very adorable and precious) son.

“Yes, sir,” Beckmann sighed and answered the phone.

“Hello.”

“No, still at work, so make it short.”

Suddenly a pained look crept over the man’s features. “Shanks, we decided not to-” He paused. “Fine.”

“So? How did it go?”

As Beckmann listened, he relaxed a little into his chair. His shoulders were still tense, but there was a certain sense of relief. Would Roger’s little boy be okay?

“That’s good. How did it come to that?”

“What?!”

The shriek made everyone flinch. Roger stared at his son’s best friend with wide eyes. What the hell was going on?!

“Shanks,” Beckmann said darkly. “After everything that happened yesterday, I am going to give you the benefit of a doubt and assume you are once more putting your foot in your mouth. Now tell me what you have done, and don’t make it ambiguous, because if what you just said is true, you will not survive this day.”

A shiver ran down Roger’s back. That threat was real. Were Beckmann and Shanks fighting? His poor kiddo didn’t deserve that...

“Talk.”

Roger watched carefully as Beckmann shook his head sadly. “That was to be expected.”

“Christ.”

“Ready for what?!”, the gray-haired man hissed in frustration. “Goddammit Shanks, spit it out!”

“What then?!”, he asked, clearly not getting the answers he was looking for. “Shanks, just say it plainly.”

Suddenly Beckmann slumped forward his forehead slamming into the desk. “Oh fuck,” he breathed out, a relieved grin spreading over his face. He straightened up again, giving the onlooking men a thumbs up. Roger let out a deep breath. Okay, so Shanks would be fine, right?

“You idiot,” Beckmann said affectionately. “I’ll beat your ass later. Bye, Shanks.”

It was very silent after that.

“So…”, Lime Juice said finally. “Was this about his… situation?”

Beckmann nodded sternly.

Okay, what the fuck?! Why did everyone but him know what was going on with Roger’s son? Shouldn’t he be the first one to know when his precious little treasure got in trouble?

“Did that whole… mess… get worse?”, Lime Juice asked, clearly aware of his boss staring holes into him.

“Yes and no?”, Beckmann sighed. “Just more… complicated. So much more complicated than we thought.”

“Hey guys…”, Roger said slowly.

“Sorry,” Lime Juice shrugged. “But we can’t tell you yet.”

“I’m your boss!”, Roger frowned. “I could fire you!”

“You say that every day,” Beckmann pointed out. “Besides, you owe me a fucking raise!”

“Huh?”, Roger asked. “Why?”

“Because this is all your fault!”, Beckmann accused. “You must have done something to make Shanks like this! You spoiled him!”

Roger pouted. “I couldn’t help it, he was so cute!” He reached for his phone. “Wait, I have some pictures-”

Everyone in the room groaned in annoyance. Rude. It wasn’t fair, he didn’t show Shanks’ baby pictures that often. He rarely even mentioned his kids! Honest! Having Luffy join their family had simply started the baby fever all over again, but that was not his fault! That kid was simply so adorable, and looked just like Shanks at that age!

Perhaps he had also overdone bringing up Buggy lately, but it was only natural! His little star had his own show now! There had even been an article in a newspaper once, which he had promptly cut out and copied a million times, so he could plaster it on every surface he could find. Roger was so damn proud of his boys.

“Fine,” he whined. “But if you don’t tell me soon, none of you are invited to my birthday party!”

……

“You are a very kind person.”

The words just wouldn’t stop echoing through Zoro’s mind. Kind. Him? Roronoa Zoro? The fighter? The reject? The criminal?

But Mihawk had said it. And he was the kindest person there was, so it had to be true, right?

Kind was not something he thought he could be. Not something he would ever be allowed to be. Being kind… being kind needed time. And care. And thoughtfulness. It was a difficult thing to achieve when one was locked up in a basement, only let out for training exercises. The skill was also hard to build while running from bullies or hiding from displeased foster families.

But now he had time. Now he could think, and feel, and breathe. Now there was so much softness all around, he just had to recognize and internalize it. Then he could be so… so good too. So kind.

Mihawk had called him that for hugging him, and speaking as softly as he could. Was the man aware Zoro had just been copying him? Because both yesterday and today, when Mihawk had simply sat there and given him a sad little smile, Zoro had been more than confused.

Happy, bored, angry. Those were the emotions adults had. And everything could quickly lead to the latter. But sad? Zoro had no clue how to deal with that, so he had just copied what Mihawk had done when he had been upset.

And apparently, he had done it right. He had been kind. It had been a complete accident, really. Zoro knew nothing about kindness. He hadn’t been surrounded by it ever before, hadn’t had a chance to watch and learn. Mihawk was the first person to give him comfort and patience. His blueprint.

If kindness was just copying Mihawk, what else could he do to be kind?

……

Shanks sent Luffy to his room, so he could call Beckmann while cooking dinner. It rang for a bit, but then he answered.

“Hello.”

“Are you home already?”, he asked, excited to share the news with his best friend.

“No, still at work, so make it short.”

Well, that was alright. Then Beck could have dinner with him and Luffy. “Can you come over?”

“Shanks, we decided not to-”

“No, no,” he stopped him quickly. “We can still hang out, it’s okay, I promise.”

Beckmann sighed. “Fine.”

“Thank you!”, Shanks cheered.

“So? How did it go?”

“Make it short.” How was Shanks supposed to do that, when just so much had happened? How was he supposed to sum up the contents of his overflowing heart?

“I- I don’t know? This whole situation is fucked…”, Shanks said, thinking back to the heartbroken, bitter look on Mihawk’s face. “But we got a plan now, him and me. It’s not over. I didn’t lose him.” His voice got a bit weaker at the end. He still couldn’t believe his luck.

“That’s good,” Beckmann said encouragingly. “How did it come to that?”

“He was just so hurt and vulnerable, so I took him to bed and-”

“What?!”

Shanks flinched hard. Dammit, Beckmann knew he liked to use earbuds for calls! That scream had hurt!

“Well, yeah, it just kinda came to that because he needed help-”

“Shanks.”

Oh. Something was seriously wrong.

“After everything that happened yesterday, I am going to give you the benefit of a doubt and assume you are once more putting your foot in your mouth. Now tell me what you have done, and don’t make it ambiguous, because if what you just said is true, you will not survive this day.”

“Becky-?”, Shanks said with a nervous giggle. His friend sounded serious.

“Talk.”

“Uhm, o-okay?”, Shanks stuttered, not sure what exactly Beckmann was asking. “So- So Mihawk was not okay. Like, really not.”

“That was to be expected.”

“I went to his room, I took my shirt off-”

“Christ.”

What was Beckmann’s problem? He asked for a description.

“He went to the bathroom to get ready-”

“Ready for what?!”, his friend cut him off harshly. “Goddammit Shanks, spit it out!”

“For bed?”, Shanks said. Had he not mentioned that already? “Ya know, putting on pj’s and brushing his teeth?”

“What then?! Shanks, just say it plainly.”

Okay, rude?! Then again, this was a very interesting tail, so it made sense Beck was getting a bit impatient.

“We talked a bit and then he fell asleep. Oh, and I ordered some food for him and his kid.”

There was a loud thump. “Oh fuck.”

“Wait, is something wrong with that?”, Shanks asked, slightly panicking now. Why was Beckmann reacting that way? Had he messed up again?

“I made sure he knows I’d leave to pick up Luffy, so he doesn’t feel abandoned,” he quickly added.

“You idiot,” Beckmann sighed. “I’ll beat your ass later.”

“Wait, what? Why?! I’ve been good, I promise!”

“Bye, Shanks.”

……

The first thing Mihawk noticed when exiting his bedroom was the smell. He placed a hand over his stomach, which instantly began to growl. Confused he went to the kitchen, looking around in shock. On the table there were two plates of scrambled eggs, bacon and toasted bread. And nothing else, which baffled him even more.

Zoro and he had had dinner pretty late last night, and he had decided to just leave the takeout containers and dirty dishes to clean up early in the morning. A quick glance to the sink told him the dishwasher had also been emptied and reloaded, as there were no dishes in the sink either.

“Zoro…?”, he asked carefully.

The teen, who had been wiping down the counter whirled around. “Mihawk! Good morning!”

“Erm. Good morning to you too,” Mihawk replied, a little taken aback by the cheerful mood. Zoro was not exactly a morning person.

“I made breakfast.”

“I can see that,” Mihawk said, stepping closer. The boy had called him by his name, was looking at his face and his body language was… not exactly relaxed. More… excited? Gleeful?

“Why…?”, he asked carefully.

Zoro shrugged. “You always make me food. That feels nice, so I made something for you.”

Oh. Hm. That was sweet. However, something about the whole situation made him frown.

“Had I known you had plans, I would have cleaned up yesterday.” He shouldn’t have gotten so sloppy. Zoro deserves a clean home, Mihawk being a bit tired was no reason to be neglectful.

“I knew you didn’t do it last night, that is why I cleaned for you.”

“Why are you cleaning my gear?”, Mihawk asked.

“I don’t want to be a bother to you.”

Last time Zoro had cleaned for him, it had been to make up for a fight. Did Zoro think he wronged Mihawk somehow? Or did the boy feel threatened? It did not seem like it…

“You didn’t have to do that, I don’t want you to be stressed in the morning.”

Zoro’s smile widened. “Exactly! You say that all the time!”, he gestured to the plates on the table and the clean stove and counter. “See, no stress for you. Just like Mihawk would do it,” he said proudly.

Like him? But Mihawk was the adult here, he was supposed to take care of Zoro, not the other way around. Then again… as long as this didn’t become a habit or an expected chore for the teen, surprising him with breakfast was very sweet and thoughtful.

“Thank you, Zoro. I really appreciate it.”

“No big deal!”, the child grinned. “I was going to make you coffee too, but I’m not sure how the machine works. You’ll have to teach me!”

Hm. That boy was far too young to gain a caffeine addiction, which meant the only reason he wanted to learn was for Mihawk’s sake. Again, very sweet, but what if it went in the wrong direction? Zoro had just started to accept that Mihawk didn’t expect anything in return for taking care of the child.

On the other hand, he loved teaching Zoro. Math, sword-fighting, cooking… The boy reacted wonderfully to gentle guidance. Maybe he could twist this somehow? Make it to be more like a general lesson, rather than a service to Mihawk?

“I was actually thinking about making tiramisu to bring to Usopp’s party. Perhaps you would like to assist me?”

“Sure!”

Mihawk sat down across from Zoro and they both began to eat. The toast was a little burned, the bacon was not crisp enough and the eggs were a bit overdone and rubbery. It was the best food Mihawk had ever tasted.

Chapter Text

Shanks yawned as he stumbled down the stairs. Maybe he should put his coffee maker in his bedroom. That would make getting out of bed so much easier…

Suddenly a strange smell hit his nose. Bitter and sharp and… Smoke. He was smelling smoke.

“Luffy?!”, he yelled, storming towards the kitchen. Not again. Please, please not again!

He ripped the door open, and was almost hit by a huge flame. The heat was making him sweat and the smoke made his eyes water, but he barely noticed it as he frantically looked around for his son.

A strange, gurgling scream tore out of his throat when he spotted the body on the floor. Limp, leg twisted in a strange angle, a puddle of blood forming under his head.

“LUFFY!”

……

Yeah, not really but you should see your faces! Told you I would eventually prank you again. This is a threat to a very specific person. You know who you are. Do not question my authority again.

Enjoy the actual chapter :)

……

The second Roger walked into the kitchen, Rayleigh knew his peaceful morning was ruined. The man was huffing, sighing and muttering, clearly trying to get his attention. He sighed deeply and got up from his chair, stepping up to his partner.

“Roger.”

The man ignored him, taking his sweater off far too forcefully before slamming a mug down on the counter. He even managed to make turning on the coffee maker look angry. Rayleigh had no idea how he managed to do that, but it was strangely endearing.

“Roger,” he repeated and reached around the man, to pick a box off the shelf. “At least drink this,” he sighed and put down the anti-stress tea.

“I don’t want to be calm!”, Roger whined. “I want coffee!”

“Sunshine, please,” Rayleigh sighed and turned on the kettle. “For me?”

Roger pouted, but dropped one of the tea bags into his cup.

“But I want honey with it!”

“Of course,” Rayleigh chuckled and handed him the bottle. “Now tell me, what has my sun in such a bad mood?”

“Our little guy is in trouble.”

Oh for fuck’s sake, not this again. Yesterday, he had escaped the man’s complaining by being out late, but now he regretted not at least giving his partner a call after work. Letting him stir had not gone well.

“He will be fine.”

The man gasped in horror. “Ray! You can’t just say that! That’s our baby!”

“He is a 32-year-old man and a parent. I think he can handle himself.”

“I thought so too, until I was planning his funeral in a hospital room.”

Rayleigh sucked in a harsh breath. Roger was always so over-the-top when it came to their children, sometimes it was hard to tell when he was actually scared.

“Hey now,” he said gently, resting his hand on his partner’s shoulder. “Beckmann said the other arm is still attached, right? Shanks has his friends to take care of him, they would let us know if he needed us.”

“But- But-”

“Our boys know they can rely on us, but they also know how to pick their friends. We taught them that. We have done our jobs, so they can live their own lives.”

Roger groaned and buried his face in his hands. “I know. I just- They are still my babies.”

Rayleigh chuckled and lightly brushed his partner’s hair back. “Of course they are. Our babies.”

“It’s just not fair that everyone else seems to know what the problem is!”

“Everyone else?”, Rayleigh asked, forcing his voice to stay light and unbothered.

Roger nodded. “Lime Juice seems to know, and I am guessing all of his friends know.”

“Which is a good thing,” Rayleigh pointed out.

“I guess… I still want to know what is going on though…”

Rayleigh had to suppress an eye roll. There was no getting out of this, was there?

“Okay, fine. Let’s think about it. What do we know?”

Roger frowned. “It’s gotta be something new, he was fine last time we talked. It’s not Luffy, because you said he is absolutely fine. It’s not something physical, like illness or injury, Beckmann seemed more annoyed than actually worried today.”

“Hm,” Rayleigh hummed. “So an emotional problem that is fairly new? Perhaps he had a fight with someone?”

“Is there a new person in his life?”, Roger wondered.

Rayleigh’s eyes fell on the little note on the fridge. “That boy… Luffy’s friend. Maybe Shanks had a disagreement with his parents?”

“Ray…?”

He groaned. “Fine! I will talk to Zoro on Monday, you big baby. Did Beckmann say anything else?”

“Uhm…”

“Roger,” Rayleigh warned. “Spit it out.”

“He might have implied that Shanks is totally fine and whatever situation he is dealing with is improving?”

God, sometimes he just wanted to slap this idiot. “And you couldn’t have started with that?”

Roger grinned at him sheepishly. “I’m sorry. I just miss my boys so much…”

Rayleigh shook his head. He shouldn’t give in. He deserved a peaceful morning.

“Fine!”, he huffed. “We can leave early, so we can meet Buggy for dinner.”

They had planned the trip for a while, both of them even taking two days off to go visit their son. However, the original plan had been to have a lazy, relaxing morning and simply go to the hotel and have breakfast with Buggy the next day.

“Yes!”, Roger cheered and jumped into his arms. Rayleigh had to let himself fall back against the counter to balance the weight of the huge man.

“Get off of me, you big oaf,” he chuckled and turned them around so he could sit him down on the counter.

“Will seeing Buggy make you finally chill the fuck out?”

“Maybe…”, Roger mused and reached for his tea. “But we haven’t had Shanks and Luffy over in too long.”

“Less than three weeks.”

“Still!”, the absolute goofball whined. “May I remind you, unlike you I don’t get to see our grandson every day!”

“You do realize I have an actual job to do, right? I don’t just sit around and stare at Luffy.”

“Well, that is your own fault,” Roger said, crossing his arms. “You should take your chance and hang out with the little miracle all day.”

“That would be considered stalking.”

His partner ignored him. “If I could switch with you, I’d just go teach all his classes. It’s sixth grade, how hard could it be?”

Rayleigh gave him a look.

“Oh, shut up, Ray!”

“Sunshine, in the field of plate tectonics, what does the term ‘seafloor spreading’ refer to?”

“Stop.”

“How do you convert a number to binary?”

“Ray, this is bullying!”

“WHAT PART OF THE CELL IS RESPONSIBLE FOR BREAKING DOWN SUGAR?!”

“MITOCHONDRIA IS THE POWERHOUSE OF THE CELL!”

“Very good,” Rayleigh said calmly, pulled a sheet of gold stars out of his pocket, took one and stuck it on his partner’s forehead.

“Why do they even need to learn all of that?!”, Roger whined.

“And this,” Rayleigh said and helped him down from the counter before pulling him towards the breakfast table, “Is exactly why you don’t work at a school.”

……

Usopp waved at Zoro as the older boy entered the room. After spending so much time with him last weekend, he had finally managed to shake the lingering fear. As it had turned out, the guy was actually pretty nice! The few comments he had made towards or about Usopp had all been positive. He hadn’t even made fun of Usopp for cringing away from the spider Luffy had found or for almost crying when he had hit his head!

Of course this didn’t mean Zoro didn’t still make him incredibly nervous. The guy had simply mastered the art of ‘If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.’, because, oh boy, there would be many things to say about Usopp.

While Zoro was tall, muscular, athletic and cool as hell, Usopp was short, skinny, clumsy and constantly on the brink of a panic attack. The younger boy had tripped over his own feet and made a fool out of himself all day, and then Zoro had just started doing flips! Like it was nothing! Everything about the guy was cool, from his clothes, to his hobbies and even his guardian. It was not fair!

“Hey,” Zoro grumbled as he let himself fall down next to him.

That was another thing. He sat next to Usopp. Every single time. In the past two weeks, Usopp had arrived after him a couple of times, and a bunch of people had walked up to their table to talk to Zoro. The prettiest girls in class, and the cool, popular boys who usually made fun of Usopp. But Zoro, without fail, would just stare blankly at them and not move his bag off the chair, until Usopp walked in.

“Hi,” Usopp mumbled back.

“I talked to Mihawk, we are coming to your party.”

Usopp grinned at that. It was so cool of Beck to let him have such an awesome party at his house! Beck was pretty cool in general. All of his dad’s friends were. At first Usopp had been pretty intimidated by those guys, but they were all super nice! Especially Beck. Sometimes he even took Usopp and Luffy out to do something fun, like see a movie or play mini golf. That always made him feel super cool and special.

“By the way,” Zoro said. “Mihawk wants me to get your dad’s number. He needs to check something.”

“Yeah, sure,” Usopp replied and pulled out his phone to send Zoro the contact. Then he paused. “Why doesn’t he just ask Shanks?”

Zoro shrugged. “Dunno, maybe he just hasn’t thought of it.”

……

‘Hello.’

No. Too simple.

‘How are you?’

Ugh. That might lead to small talk. Disgusting.

‘Thank you for the takeout.’

That did not even encapsulate a slither of what he was actually thinking.

‘I would like to apologize for my actions of the previous day.’

A terrible start. Besides… what if Shanks had only been so forgiving because he had assumed Mihawk’s selfishness was born from unknowingness, not malice? He had asked for so much patience and time, if Shanks knew Mihawk was aware he should do better, would he expect it? Being held like that was the fulfillment of all of his deepest, most embarrassing fantasies. Mihawk wanted, craved more of it.

‘I miss you.’

Terrible.

‘I enjoyed our time together.’

Maybe…? No. Absolutely not.

Mihawk hit backspace, watching the message disappear, his face burning. Why was everything suddenly so difficult? Texting and even calling his ex who had broken his heart had already been difficult enough, but texting his ex who had actually been really into Mihawk and wanted to give them a second try? Impossible.

Then again… Shanks really wanted to try. So why was Mihawk the one sweating and blushing at the thought of texting him? They would see each other the next day anyways, so why not wait until then? Not give anything away and keep the redhead guessing? Why should Mihawk make a move? Shanks wanted to date him, so he could work for it a little. Served him right, for messing with Mihawk’s mind so much. For once, he would be the one to feel nervous and unsure.

Was this wrong? To try to manipulate Shanks like this? Probably.

Well… Mihawk had never claimed to be nice. Crocodile would laugh at him for even worrying about it. Besides, this way, Shanks wouldn’t be able to move on from him so easily. So in the end, it was for his own good.

Also… Shanks was so good with Zoro. So in a way, doing what he could to force Shanks to take him seriously was also in the boy’s interest, right? Now that Mihawk had found himself a good man to take care of him and his child, he wouldn’t allow himself to be a plaything again. Right now Shanks might be all cool and unbothered, but soon, he would see that Mihawk was not someone he could just forget.

……

Shanks was shaking. Normally this would be concerning, but he had been shaking since yesterday, so he had gotten used to it. He simply couldn’t get Mihawk out of his head. He was itching to pull out his phone and text him, but he had decided against it. Mihawk needed some space to actually conciser their… arrangement, without Shanks trying to manipulate his decision. Still, he missed his boy…

His friends were clearly getting annoyed by his distractedness, but they didn’t bother pointing it out. It was no use, nothing could take his mind off that dark-haired beauty, with his pale skin, golden eyes, pink, full lips and- Okay, maybe he should work on controlling his racing thoughts. Having Mihawk fall asleep on top of him had messed with his mind. His heart was telling him that the man was already his and that he should just run back to him, but his brain was painfully aware of the fact that this was all still up in the air, and Mihawk might never be truly his.

Still, just imagining it was so beautiful. In his mind, he could see it all perfectly. Not just Mihawk and him, but also their boys. As a family. Shanks and Mihawk would cook dinner, while the kids played in the living room, their laughter (and maybe some crashing noises, considering the very specific children involved in this daydream) echoing through the house. In his fantasy, he hugged Mihawk from behind, kissed his cheek, asked him about their weekend plans-

“SHANKS!”

His back hit the floor, making his breath leave his chest. Fuck, that had hurt! Shanks looked around in confusion, realizing he had fallen off his chair. He glared up at the three assholes who had so rudely yelled at him.

“What?!”

Yasopp shook his head. “You are absolutely hopeless.”

“This is the third time we had to get you out of your head this evening,” Lime Juice pointed out.

“Now answer already,” Beckmann said harshly, clearly fed up with his bullshit. “What time am I picking up the damn cake?”

“Oh…”, Shanks sighed. The four of them had met up at Beck’s place to make sure everything was in order for the party. Usopp was about to be a teenager, it was a big deal! He got up from the floor, and sat back down in his chair.

“The bakery said any time after 12 would be fine, so it’s up to you.”

“Thank you!”, Beckmann groaned in exasperation. Shanks briefly wondered just how many times his friends had tried to get that answer out of him while he was still daydreaming.

“Now we can finally move on to the next point on the agenda. I-”, the man was interrupted by a loud ‘Ding!’. He glared at Yasopp, who sheepishly reached for his phone.

“Oh, hey, Mihawk texted me.”

Shanks’ breath stopped in his throat. “W-What?”, he choked out, forcing himself to not lunge across the table and snatch the phone out of his friend’s hand.

“He wants to know what to get Usopp for his birthday.”

He was coming??? To the party??? Why hadn’t Shanks thought of that? Of course Zoro and Mihawk would be attending, it was only logical! He had been so caught up in worrying about his next move, he had completely forgotten how close their children were. A huge smile began to spread over Shank’s face. Just one more day! One more day and he could-

“Oh, and he asks if he can bring a plus one.”

Chapter Text

“Oh, and he asks if he can bring a plus one.”

Oh for fuck’s sake! Beckman reached over to slap the back of Shank’s head, making the redhead turn to him with the most heartbreaking look on his face.

“Beck…”

“What have I told you?”, the older man huffed.

“Think first, then react?”, the redhead said, his bottom lip trembling a bit.

“Exactly,” Beckmann said firmly. “Considering everything that happened yesterday, do you actually believe he is bringing a date?”

“No…?”

“In general,” he continued, desperate to make this idiot listen to him. “Do you believe anyone would bring a date to a child’s birthday party?”

Shanks let his head hang in shame. “No.”

“Thank you,” Beckmann sighed. “Tell me, what are you going to do now?”

“Chill the fuck out and not assume anything,” Shanks said.

“Correct!”, his friend cheered and patted his shoulder.

“Are you guys done?”, Lime Juice asked, frowning at them.

“Sorry,” the redhead said sheepishly.

“Shanks, don’t be stupid,” Yasopp said, “I already checked, he is bringing his cousin.”

……

A few minutes earlier…

The front door slammed shut, making both Zoro and Mihawk flinch a little.

“Perona?”, the teen asked.

“Probably…”, Mihawk sighed. “Let me go check on her.”

“That fucking asshole!”, the girl yelled, before they could even step out of the kitchen. Zoro threw a startled look at Mihawk.

“Don’t worry,” he whispered. “She’s just grumpy.”

“Is she okay?”, Zoro asked. “Do we have to fight him?”

“Who?”

“The asshole.”

Mihawk stared down at him. “I wish we could.”

“All week!”, Perona began to rant. “All week he calls me, tells me to come home, and how much he misses me! But when I go there, he is high, his creepy friends are there and he tells me I don’t love him??? Me??? After I let him cry on my shoulder and whine about his girlfriend for a whole hour?!”

“Wow,” Zoro said astonished. “He does sound like an asshole! Why are you hanging out with such a jerk?”

Perona gave him a very odd look. “Because he is my father.”

“Oh.”

“It’s the same every damn time,” Perona continued. “He forgot his password again, and had me log into his account and take care of all the bills. That’s why he wanted me to come over today! Because his stupid bills were due!”

Zoro frowned. If he wanted help, why didn’t he just say that and then go and do something with Perona? She was so fun to hang out with, Mihawk always found something to do when she visited.

“And the vibe is so off! There is nothing cute about that place!”, Perona continued as she kicked off her shoes and hung her jacket. “It could be so nice, but no! He just has to ruin it by having all of those fucking creeps linger around!”

“Did something happen?”, Mihawk checked sternly.

“No, they know I’d sue, but I still can’t stand them!”

“If everything there is so awful,” Zoro wondered, “Why do you even go there? Can’t you just come here instead?”

“Wouldn’t that be nice…”, Mihawk muttered quietly.

Perona just stared at the teen for a few long moments, her dark eyes making him a bit uncomfortable. “He is my father, Zoro.”

“Oh, right,” Zoro said, as if that meant anything to him. He had never had one of those. “It’s just… If you are with people who hurt you, you should just go to Mihawk. Being with Mihawk never hurts.”

Suddenly she looked strangely lost. “I- I guess…”

“Would you like to sit down, dear?”, Mihawk asked gently. “You can tell me everything from the beginning, and then we can have dinner, okay?”

“Okay,” She sniffed, taking the hand he offered her.

“Zoro, why don’t you go to your room for a bit? I will call you when it’s time for dinner.”

Zoro winced a little. He wanted to give them some space, but… “What about the tiramisu?”

“The what?!”, Perona gasped in excitement.

Mihawk chuckled. “Zoro and I have been invited to a birthday party, and we decided to bring some food. We can still take care of that before dinner, there is enough time.”

Perona’s face fell. “A party? Is it tomorrow?”

The swordmaster froze. “Oh… The two of us could go out for breakfast?”

“I have work in the morning.”

“I could just go alone,” Zoro quickly offered. “Shanks will be there so-”

“No,” Mihawk cut him off immediately.

“Dude, I’m not a little kid, I don’t need a babysitter. I can just hang out by myself,” Perona said.

“Also no,” Mihawk frowned. The poor man looked like he was in physical pain. “Just- Just give me a moment.”

He pulled out his phone and typed something. After a few long moments he let out a relieved sigh. “Okay, I checked. Perona can go with us.”

“Yay!”, the girl cheered. “This is going to be fun!”

……

“Absolutely not!”

Mihawk rolled his eyes at the dramatic girl. After Zoro had gone to his room, he had pulled her to the sofa and had listened to her explanation of what Moria had done this time. Well… mostly listened.

It wasn’t like he hadn’t heard it before. This happened at least every other month, and every time it was the exact same. Perona stormed in, declared she hated her father for all the mistreatment she had to endure, cried on Mihawk’s shoulder, and then stayed around for a few days, looking for some affection and quality time. And the swordmaster obliged, of course. It wasn’t like Perona only showed up when she was in distress, and Mihawk was glad she turned to him, and not weed or alcohol like her failure of a father. There wasn’t much he could offer, but the little bit of reassurance and security seemed to give her peace of mind.

“You can not wear this to the party!”, the girl continued. At least this seemed to take her mind of off things. After she had been done crying, they had gotten Zoro to help them with the tiramisu and dinner. The conversation had quickly turned to the party, which had gotten Mihawk in this situation: standing in his bedroom, Perona ripping his clothes out of his closet and throwing them on his bed.

“Why not?”, he asked, mustering the dark grey pants and black shirt. “It’s a nice outfit.”

“It’s boring!”, Perona complained. “You gotta step up your game! Shanks will be there!”

“Why is Shanks being there a problem?”, Zoro asked suddenly “I don’t think he minds what we wear? He doesn’t seem like that kind of dude.”

Perona whirled around with a huge grin. “Oh, I think he will pay very close attention to what Mihawk is wearing.”

“Oh…”, Zoro said, looking a bit unsure. “Will my stuff be okay? I don’t want to look stupid.”

Mihawk wrapped an arm around the teen and pulled him to his side. “Don’t confuse the boy!”, he said, glaring at Perona. “Zoro, you will look fine. It’s a garden party. I am just chronically overdressed.”

“You are not overdressed if several people show up looking absolutely stunning,” Perona pointed out. “We are simply raising standards. Zoro, you look fine, but I can make you look great.”

The boy tilted his head to the side, mustering her for a bit. “So I’ll look cool and fit in with Mihawk and you? I want that.”

Perona excitedly clapped her hands. “Great! I know you already have some options in your closet.” Then she turned to Mihawk. “Hm… But what to do about you…”

“I am an adult, I can dress myself.”

Perona snapped her fingers. “I know the perfect thing! I’ll pick it up tomorrow after work.”

Hmpf. So he wasn’t getting out of this one, was he? It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Perona… he simply didn’t want to draw too much attention. However… Perhaps positive attention would be sort of nice. Especially from Shanks…

“Fine,” he sighed.

“Yay!”, Perona cheered. “One last thing, what color?”

……

Zoro turned in front of the mirror, checking himself out. This felt weird. The clothes weren’t that special, but he had never worn any accessories. He liked the look, he really did, but he was a bit worried the stuff didn’t look good on him.

“You sure this is okay?”, he asked again. “I could just put on what I wore last time.”

Perona sighed. “I’m not going to force you, but I promise, you look super cool.”

“Fine,” Zoro huffed and let himself fall down on the bed. They had been in Perona’s room for a while now. She had forced him to try out a few different combinations and then messed with his hair and pulled the clothes into place, because apparently, you couldn’t simply put them on, they had to be ‘styled’.

“Thank you!”, Perona said excitedly. “Now tell me, what do we know about the other people coming to the party? We gotta look out for our little Mimi!”

Zoro chuckled at the nickname, but then winced a little. “Actually… There is this one guy...”

Chapter Text

Yasopp and Beckmann were in the kitchen, when they heard music getting louder. Some punk song by a female singer, with a fast beat. They looked out the window and spotted a pink VW beetle pulling up right in front of the house. The music turned off, and the door on the driver’s side opened.

The young woman stepping out of the car looked like she was straight out of a comic book or music video. Her long, pink hair was pulled up into spiraling pigtails, secured by huge white bows. She wore a short black dress, the lace hem of theskirt swinging around her legs as she moved. The top part was tighter, a white corset with a spiderweb design. Her arms were covered by striped pink and black fingerless gloves. She was rather short, but wore pink, sparkly platform boots with heart-shaped buckles, that perfectly matched her hair and gloves.

Next, Zoro jumped out of the car. Last time the teen had shown up in a pretty basic outfit, but this time he looked a bit more put together. Some shades of the leaf design on the unbuttoned dark green shirt he wore over his black, low-cut tank top matched his hair. At least one of them knew how to dress for a garden party. Well… In a way. The thick black leather bracelets and gold chains were a bit over kill. The biggest necklace was a cross-shaped sword, matching Mihawk’s usual choice of jewelry. There was another chain, fastened to his baggy black jeans.

Both kids were wearing sunglasses and carrying colorful drinks in their hands. Standing next to each other, they looked like they were posing for some kind of alternative fashion magazine. To be honest, Yasopp could kinda see why his son was so intimidated by this boy. If he was a newly 13-year-old and people looking like this showed up to his party, he’d either shit his pants, or feel like the coolest kid in the world. He really hoped Usopp’s feelings would lean towards the latter, his boy could use a little confidence boost...

Then Mihawk stepped out of the car.

“Dear lord…”, Beckmann whispered in astonishment.

“I think I just turned a little gay…”, Yasopp said.

The older man’s head snapped around to his friend, panic in his eyes. “We have to put Shanks on a leash, or he will fucking jump him.”

At that exact moment, the redhead walked in.

“Hey guys, what’s…”, he trailed off when he followed their gazes. Then he fucking whimpered.

……

Shanks couldn’t move. He couldn’t even breathe. Was this an out-of-body experience? Maybe. Or maybe this was how he died. He had zero complains.

“Come on man! Pull it together!”, Beckmann yelled in his ear while shaking him violently. “He’s gonna walk over any moment!”

Right… That angelic vision of a man was about to walk up to the house, and Shanks was supposed to greet him. But how was he supposed to ever say a single word again, when Mihawk looked like that?

The tight black dress pants showing off his long, perfectly shaped legs. The equally black and equally tight shirt, with the rolled-up sleeves. The beautiful golden necklace, resting against the smooth skin of his bare chest. The shiny, pushed-back dark hair. The perfectly trimmed facial hair. Those captivating, magical eyes. The full, pink lips. All of these things were just the common temptation Shanks had to deal with every time he gazed upon Mihawk. While he would never truly get used to the man’s beauty, at least he had managed to build up a bit of a resistance.

But this… This fucking corset…

It was so tight, exaggerating his waist and just forcing the eyes towards that perfect, firm ass when he turned around to get something out of the car. The thick, structured fabric stopped right below his pecs, pushing them up slightly and causing them to spill over the top. Damn, those pecs… Like this, they looked even bigger, the perfect size to rest in Shanks’ palm. He knew it was all muscle and would turn firm when Mihawk flexed, but if he got his boy to relax a little, they would be soft under his fingers, eager to be grabbed and rubbed and massaged.

Would there be marks when Mihawk took the corset off? Purple lines traveling up his sides and outlining his chest? Shanks wanted to smooth them over with his fingertips, then lean down and kiss the irritated skin before putting his own marks on top and-

“SHANKS!”

Shit! Mihawk was already walking towards the front door, he was running out of time! But what was he even supposed to do?! Sing a hymn about the man’s beauty? Offer his life-long servitude? Propose marriage? How was Shanks supposed to do anything, when the damn corset was red. A beautiful floral design, black lines running down Mihawk’s sides, but overall and most importantly red.

……

“Oh, hello,” Mihawk said a little startled when a guy with blond dreadlocks and wearing a blue, short-sleeved shirt with white stars opened the door. Perona kinda liked his vibe. Besides, he did not fit the description of that little bitch Zoro had mentioned.

“Thank you for having us.”

“Of course!”, the guy said quickly, then he looked down at the huge dish balancing on Mihawk’s left hand. “Oh, you didn’t have to bring anything! Didn’t Usopp tell you?”

“I was informed,” Mihawk nodded, “But we had to make this for parenting reasons.”

The dude just stared at him for a few seconds, then nodded. “Yeah… No clue what you are talking about, but somehow that makes perfect sense. I’ll go put it in the fridge.”

The man took the dish and carried it inside, revealing the other person waiting for them. Jackpot! To be honest, Perona felt very proud of herself. This was exactly the reaction she had expected.

“Shanks, darling!”, she grinned, pushing past Mihawk.

“Hi Perona,” the redhead sighed absentmindedly, not even looking at her. She was not offended by that at all, after all, it was her work he was admiring.

“Here, I got you something!”

Shanks finally tore his eyes away from Mihawk, who was giving him a questioning look, clearly not comprehending the weight of the look in Shank’s eyes.

“Oh, thanks,” he mumbled and took a sip of the bubble tea she had handed him. “Oh, peach, my favorite.”

“Your welcome,” Perona grinned. “I also got you another gift,” she said with a wink and nodded towards Mihawk.

“Yes…”, Shanks said, his eyes wandering back to the man in question. “Also my favorite.”

“Great!”, she grinned. “I’ll leave you boys to it.”

She strutted further into the house, her eyes narrowing when she spotted the man with long gray hair and a cross-shaped facial scar. Without stopping she held her empty bubble tea cup out for him, her grin widening even more when he instinctively held out his hand.

“Take care of that for me, will you sweetie?”, she asked, then threw a quick glance over her shoulder. “You coming, Zoro?”

“Yeah, sure,” the boy answered. When he walked past Benn Beckmann, he simply tossed his own plastic cup at him, almost hitting him in the face.

“Thanks, mate, I appreciate you trying to be useful,” he told the man, before following Perona towards the garden.

……

Hi! This chapter is already mostly outfit descriptions, so I didn’t want to go more into detail, but I found some pictures that might help you imagine their outfits:

Perona

dress:

https://punkdesign.shop/cdn/shop/products/kobine-women-s-gothic-spider-web-splice-slip-dress-28895882674291.jpg?v=1638307326

boots:

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRDGHAnqRXN7D6vY3kIl2oJjVh61rXCZ1_yoNt8xKPUHbxpFTeorl4Ui406Dk3MvQjHmRQ&usqp=CAU

Zoro

shirt

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81-vDT541JL._AC_SL1500_.jpg

necklace

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTK1Jb-NWqdbgbLkRnXjHOcwkSaAIzRH6Ynjw&s

bracelets

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/RmoAAOSwGjldRN-Q/s-l1600.jpg

Mihawk

corset shape

https://image.civitai.com/xG1nkqKTMzGDvpLrqFT7WA/7f7535df-69a6-4e39-a999-b0930e4adb04/width=450/00046-3418598295.jpeg

pattern/vibe

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71I11dCumrL._SLDPMOBCAROUSELAUTOCROP288221_MCnd_AC_SR462,693_.jpg

Chapter Text

“Eyes up,” Mihawk said calmly as he lifted Shanks’ chin with his index finger. Not that he wasn’t enjoying the attention, but having Shanks stare at his chest like that was rather inappropriate in public.

“You- You- That is a nice outfit…”

“Well thank you, dear,” Mihawk responded with a slight chuckle. “Yours as well.”

Shanks looked down at his yellow Hawaii shirt with bright pink flamingoes, paired with washed-out blue shorts. “Oh… right,” he said, as if he had forgotten what he was wearing.

“Those colors look lovely on you,” Mihawk smirked, enjoying the startled look on Shank’s face. Truth be told, the redhead looked absolutely ridiculous, and yet this was all terribly endearing.

“I love that shade of pink,” he continued. Shank’s cheeks turned a lovely color, now almost as bright as his shirt.

“You match Perona perfectly.”

Shanks’ hand moved towards his own chest. Only then Mihawk realized how close it had been to him, hovering next to him as if Shanks had wanted to rest his big palm on Mihawk’s waist, but had stopped himself in time. He pinched the fabric of his own shirt between his fingers, staring at it in wonder.

“Huh… I do.”

“You fit in so well with us,” Mihawk said.

“Really?”, Shanks asked excitedly, his eyes beginning to shine. “I fit with you?”

No. Not at all. Nothing could be further from the truth. That ridiculous, offensive shirt had nothing to do with the little fashion show Perona had put together. The swordmaster had intended for the line to come of sarcastic, but apparently, it had missed its mark.

He could not take it back. Shanks looked so happy. Not just relaxed and grinning like he always did, but actually happy. Soft. There was a light in his eyes that warmed Mihawk’s insides. Maybe trying to keep Shanks on his toes was not so evil if this was the result. His hand came up, briefly caressing the redhead’s cheek.

“You look perfect, my dear.”

……

Usopp was standing at the top of the stairs, not sure if he should go down. He had been looking out of the window in the guest room, and now he felt very nervous.

This was nerve-wracking! When his dad had told him Mihawk was bringing his cousin, he had expected someone the man’s age or even older. Someone wearing a business suit and a stoic expression. Just some adult who would wish him a happy birthday and forget his name the next day.

But this woman?! She couldn’t be older than 20, maybe still a teenager. And she looked awesome. It was terrifying. She was probably going to bring up some band Usopp had never heard of or make a joke he didn’t get (probably at his expense too). A person this cool should not be in a twenty-meter radius of a little nerd like Usopp! It was against the laws of the universe!

And then there was Zoro. It made sense he would hang out with a girl like that, they both looked absolutely awesome, which was not fair at all! Since when did the green-haired boy wear jewelry? Or any accessories at all? This was definitely not how he had looked like earlier! Usually he just wore a simple T-shirt, where did all of this come from?! This was just Usopp’s birthday, nothing special. No reason to go all out! Usopp himself hadn’t even changed after school…

“Yo!”

His head snapped up, seeing the cool-looking woman wave at him from the bottom of the stairs.

“Is that a spider-woman shirt?! That’s so cute, she is my favorite!”

Usopp felt his face heating up as he quickly walked down the stairs. “Uhm, yeah. It’s new, I got it from my mum just this morning.”

“Oh, are you Usopp?”

He nodded and quickly put his hands in his pockets, so the girl couldn’t see his fingers twitching nervously.

“Happy birthday, kiddo!”, the woman said enthusiastically. “I’m Perona, by the way.”

“Hi Perona!”, Usopp smiled. “I’m glad you guys could make it,” he added. He had heard Beck say something like that before, and it sounded nice, but also kinda chill. Hopefully it came off the same way when Usopp said it.

“Well, thanks for inviting us,” Zoro said, flatly. “It’s a pretty cool party.”

……

Perona smirked at the adorable birthday boy. Apparently, her skills had not only worked for Mihawk, but also Zoro and herself. The little guy was looking at them like they were rock stars! It was very endearing.

“Yeah, dude!”, she agreed with Zoro, “Your party is so cool! I love barbeques.”

Perona grinned even more when the boy lit up at the praise. So easy to manipulate. He was lucky Perona didn’t mess with children, so she wouldn’t use it against him. Besides, he wasn’t the target today, that was the gray-haired jerk, so everyone else was safe.

“Are the others here already?”, Zoro asked.

“Luffy, Nami and Robin,” Usopp said. That meant only two missing, right? Zoro had told her all about his little friends, it had been very cute!

“Okay, I’ll go say hi to them,” the boy nodded. “You coming?”

“Sure!”, Usopp nodded and followed them to the garden.

Perona was walking directly behind Zoro. Suddenly, something approached from the left and slammed into the boy, knocking him to the ground. The girl let out a little scream and jumped back.

“Heeellloooo!”

The boy sitting on top of Zoro was rather small and skinny. His face was only centimeters away from Zoro’s, who was groaning in annoyance.

“Hello, Luffy,” he huffed and pushed the younger boy away.

Oh, so this was Zoro’s best friend! How cute! Perona should have known, he had the same wide, slightly deranged grin his father had perfected.

“Zoro is here!”, the kid cheered and jumped up. “And Usopp, and Nami, and Robin, and dad, and Becky, and Yasopp, and Roux, and Belly-mere, and, and-”

Zoro got back on his feet and pressed his palm over Luffy’s mouth, cutting off the endless list.

“And food!”, Luffy finished when Zoro removed his hand.

“And… you?”, he asked, staring at Perona. “Who are you?”

“That’s Perona,” Zoro said gruffly.

“Oh!”, Luffy yelled. “Dad said you’d be here! You know Mihawk, right?! That’s so cool, Hawky is the best!”

“That he is,” Perona smirked. Then she noticed a girl approaching. She was a little taller than Usopp and had bright orange hair. However, what really got Perona’s attention was her outfit. Light blue mom jeans, a stripped pink and blue, long-sleeved crop top and a golden, heart-shaped necklace. Finally, someone who knew how to dress!

“Oh hi!”, she called out, waving at the girl. “That shirt is so cute!”

The girl stopped, looking at her with narrowed eyes. “Thank you? Who are you?”

“My name is Perona, I’m here with Zoro.”

“With Zoro?”, the girl wondered. “How would he know you? You don’t seem like a sword-fighter.”

“Hey!”, the boy complained. “I totally know her! I do other stuff too, not just fighting!”

“Oh yeah?”, the girl shot back. “What for example?”

Zoro’s shoulders dropped. “I- I-”, he stuttered, then looked down. “Never mind.”

The look on the little guy’s face broke Perona’s heart. She would have been furious, if the young girl hadn’t looked so surprised. She clearly hadn’t meant for the little dig to go so deep.

“Zoro is actually really good at Monopoly,” Perona said quickly, putting a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “And we know each other because we both eat the same guy’s food.”

“Yeah, she knows Hawky, so she is super cool!”, Luffy interrupted, not even noticing the tense mood.

“Fair enough,” the girl shrugged. “I’m Nami, by the way. I like your boots.”

“Thank you.”

Nami turned to Zoro. “You like Monopoly?”

The boy shrugged. “Kinda?”

“Alright. Beckmann owns the card game. We should play a few rounds later.”

“Oh. Uhm. Sure!”, Zoro nodded, making Perona grin a little. Such a sweet kid!

……

Yasopp couldn’t believe how quickly Shanks had crumbled. Beckmann hadn’t given them all a real update yet, so he wasn’t completely sure what to do. Without any clear instructions, he should probably just treat Mihawk like he would treat any other parent of one of Usopp’s friends. Well… perhaps with a little bit of extra caution, his little boy would be heartbroken if he couldn’t go to Zoro’s place again.

Still, what the hell was going on? On Monday, all he had known was that Mihawk had left Shanks absolutely heartbroken. He had pushed the redhead away every chance he got, not even willing to show any affection or admit to their relationship in front of other people. Perhaps there had no crimes been committed against his friend, no cheating, no abuse, no direct cruelty, but it was still enough for Yasopp and the other guys to feel a certain amount of resentment towards the stoic man.

But now he was openly flirting with Shanks?! Telling him his clothes looked nice (a complete lie, the redhead and Lucky Roux had an ugly fashion war going on for a while now, showing up in the most obnoxious shirts they could find) and caressing his cheek? This was already weird enough, but what really freaked him out was the way Beck was looking at them, a slightly exasperated look on his face, but nodding approvingly. What the fuck?

……

“I should probably go check on Zoro,” Mihawk said. He had not even stepped into the house yet, too distracted by Shanks, who had asked him several questions about his day, clearly avoiding the more serious issues, like was Mihawk okay and did he mean what he said on Wednesday.

Mihawk was not a complete fool, he knew how delicate this whole thing was, but in a way it was nice to have so many distractions while he was getting used to this… thing between them. This growing tension, creeping under his skin and warming him from the inside, after being frozen solid for so long.

“Yes, of course,” Shanks nodded, his eyes sweeping down Mihawk’s body one last time. “I’ll be out in a moment.”

Mihawk walked down the hallway, acting as if he hadn’t seen Beckmann, who quickly stepped into the kitchen and out of his line of sight.

The garden did not look too different from Monday, but everyone had put in a lot of effort. There was a huge ‘Happy Birthday Usopp! We Love you!!!’ banner between the trees, clearly handmade. There were also a bunch of lanterns and fairy lights, surely to be lit up later that evening. Lucky Roux was already manning the grill, but there were also a few tables loaded with snacks and drinks, including a huge cake shaped like a boat with a sheep as a figurehead. It was all rather adorable.

Mihawk was so distracted by all the decorations, he did not watch where he was going, which led to him bumping into another person, making them drop the object they had been holding in their hands.

“Oh, I am terribly sorry,” he said, crouching down to pick up the book. Then he paused.

“100 deadly poisons?”, he asked, looking up at the teenager. She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. “Yes. You got a problem with that?”

“I have the same one,” Mihawk explained, handing the book to her and standing back up. “What is your favorite so far?”

She tilted her head upwards, thinking about it for a few moments. “Spanish fly.”

“Good choice,” Mihawk nodded. “Why? Because of its use for ward treatment?”

The dark-haired girl chuckled. “It was rumored to be an aphrodisiac, because it enlarges the penis by causing terrible inflammation. It’s rather hilarious.

Mihawk hummed in agreement. “Deadly erection while one’s abdomen fills with blood… I can see the humor in that.”

“What is your favorite poison?”

He also took a moment to think about the question. “Gelsemine.”

“Heartbreak grass? How come?”

“It’s such a lovely little flower, don’t you think?”, he said, narrowing his eyes at the pencil tucked behind her ear. “Is that Rhododendron?”

The girl handed him the pencil and he held it closer to his eyes, inspecting the flowers printed on it. “Ah. Oleander. My mistake.”

“Easy one to make,” the teenager shrugged.

Mihawk raised an eyebrow. “Not at all! The way the blossoms are positioned alone is a dead giveaway.”

“I suppose one could always attempt to tell them apart by eating a couple of leaves,” the girl smirked.

“I suppose,” Mihawk nodded, handing the pencil back to her. “Paralysis and shaking are rather easy to distinguish from each other. I grow both of them in my garden, in case you want to test your hypothesis.”

“You did not happen to bring any food, right?”, the teenager asked with a sinister little smirk. “Because I am beginning to suspect perhaps one would be wise to avoid any dish provided by you.”

“I suppose you could try to figure it out by having a couple of bites,” Mihawk said with a quick wink.

Chapter Text

“I feel like I know that guy…”

Banchina followed Bell-mere’s gaze. Huh. She hadn’t seen that man before, she would definitely remember him. He was tall, clearly very muscular, yet thin, and was dressed impossibly fancy for a child’s birthday party.

“Oh dear,” she gasped “He walked into Robin!”

“You think she is going to pull out her knife?”, Bell-mere wondered.

The two women watched in amazement as the stranger began to excitedly chat with Nico Robin, the most terrifying person either of them had ever met.

“That face…”, Bell-mere muttered to herself. “How do I know…”

The man looked up, his golden eyes gleaming in the sun.

“Dracule! That’s Dracule Mihawk!”

“Who?”, Banchina wondered.

“I’ve seen this guy at some official ceremonies before!”, Bell-mere whispered. “He’s nobility, but he only attends very few events.”

“Huh,” Banchina said. “What is a guy like that…” she trailed off. “Wait, did you say Mihawk?”

“Yes, I think that’s his name.”

“Usopp told me about him!”, Banchina said. “He’s Zoro’s guardian.”

“Cool,” Bell-mere nodded. “Can’t really imagine that guy with a kid, but he seems to be doing alright,” she said, watching the man getting swarmed by children.

……

“Hawkyyyy!”

Unlike last time, Mihawk was not knocked to the ground by Luffy. He simply caught him and allowed him to climb on his shoulders.

“Hello Luffy,” he said calmly, then turned to the boy trailing behind him.

“Usopp. Happy birthday. Your decorations are beautiful, this promises to be a joyful celebration.”

“Thank you!”, the child nodded excitedly. “I am really happy you are here!”

Mihawk smiled, a light feeling spreading through his chest. “Thank you. I was very happy to be invited.”

Only then he noticed how the orange-haired girl was looking between them.

“Hello. You are Nami, I suppose?”

“Yup,” the girl nodded. “And you seem to be alright, so I will not rob you.”

Mihawk nodded slowly. “Ah. That is very fortunate for me, thank you.”

Perona clapped her hands, getting everyone’s attention. “Alright gang, I’m gonna go grab a snack. Zoro, remember what I have taught you.”

“Always avoid men. Stick with the girls and the gays.”

“Correct!”

Mihawk shook his head in amusement and finally sat Luffy down, who had begun putting leaves in his hair, he had collected from the trees earlier. “Perhaps not the worst bit of advice…”

“Hey!” the little maniac complained.

“Later, dear boy,” Mihawk promised, and decided not to remove the decorations from his hair.

“If we are supposed to ignore all men, why are we talking to Mihawk then?”, Nami asked.

“The gays are allowed,” Zoro pointed out.

“Perona put me in a corset, is that not making it obvious,” Mihawk deadpanned.

“And clothing equals sexuality?”, Perona smirked. “How conservative of you.”

Mihawk clutched his chest in offense. “How dare you!”

“If you are so progressive and gay, get a boyfriend!”

“Maybe I will!”

Mihawk paused. “Wait… Is this a trap? Are you trying to set me up?”

“And you walked right into it.”

Nami elbowed Zoro in the arm. “Are they always like this?”

“Yeah,” Zoro smirked. “They are so fun.

Mihawk cringed when Shanks waved at him. He had been having such a nice time.

“Excuse me for a moment,” he said, and walked towards the house.

“Hey,” Shanks said. “Beck wants to talk to you. You up for that?”

No. Absolutely not.

“Yes, of course,” he said, not even looking at the other man. He quickly walked inside before Shanks could say anything else. It felt like he was walking towards his own funeral. Perhaps Benn Beckmann did not hate him for stealing his boyfriend, but… Well, being simply hated because was a far more upsetting feeling.

“If it wasn’t for Shanks’ sake, no one here would bother with you. You don’t belong here, Dracule.”

Not untrue, but without the justification of the other man being a jealous lover, the words seemed a lot crueler to Mihawk. Had it really been necessary to point out how lacking Mihawk was? It wasn’t like he had ever wanted to be here. He had a child now, this was all for Zoro.

Mihawk reached the kitchen, where the gray-haired man was already waiting for him, casually leaning against the counter.

“Mihawk.”

“Beckmann,” he answered, trying to force himself to look at the other’s face but failing miserably. “It’s a pleasure to see you. Thank you for the invite. What can I do for you?”, he rattled off, praying this whole thing would be over soon.

“I wanted to apologize.”

Oh? This was not what Mihawk had been expecting.

“Listen,” Beckmann sighed when the swordmaster stayed quiet for too long. “I have been very hostile to you, and you really didn’t deserve that. I thought I was protecting my best friend, but I should have just talked to you.”

Protecting…?

“I have no sexual, let alone romantic intentions.”

Right… To Beckmann, it had seemed as if Mihawk had lied to Shanks and gloated about it. And then…

“You have no reason- You have no right to be here.”

The way Shanks talked about his best friend showed that he was a good man. It was unlike him to point out such harsh truths.

“Well, I also have not been the best at communicating,” Mihawk answered after he had managed to order his thoughts a little.

Beckmann immediately shook his head. “You were trying to be respectful. I, however, have behaved like an absolute asshole.”

Mihawk stood up a bit straighter and forced his trembling hands to remain at his sides instead of moving around nervously. “It is not a problem, I understand-”

“It is a problem,” the man insisted. “What I said to you was cruel and disgusting. I had no right to treat you that way.”

Mihawk didn’t know what to say to that. It had been a rather cruel thing to hear. And if this was about telling the truth…

“Well,” he forced out stiffly. “It- It was not exactly pleasant. I would appreciate it if we could not repeat the experience.”

Beckmann’s eyes widened and he nodded sharply. “Yes! Yes, of course not. I am so sorry I made you feel unwelcome and I hope in time you can feel comfortable as part of our group, and especially in my home.”

Part of the group? Mihawk? He was just here as Shanks’… The first word that came to mind was plaything, but that was rather unfair to the redhead. They were more than that. However, Mihawk was not sure Shanks’ friends would ever see him in a kinder light…No matter what he was to Shanks, he was still an outsider among these people. He had never been a part of any group, what exactly did that even mean?

“Listen,” Beckmann continued. “I understand that I messed up, but from what Shanks has told me and from the way you treat your kid, I can tell you are a very decent guy.”

Mihawk smiled at that, hesitantly looking over at Beckmann. “The same is true about you, I suppose,” he offered. “Shanks loves you.”

“No, he-”

He held up a hand to stop the other man. “Platonically. But he loves you nonetheless. And I respect that.”

“Thank you,” Beckmann said hoarsely. “I really shouldn’t have gotten so worked up. I thought you were breaking his heart on purpose.”

Mihawk’s head snapped up. “His heart?”

Beckmann smirked. “Didn’t even know you had that all along, did ya?”

Mihawk shook his head slowly, his mouth slightly agape. Shanks had said he had believed them to be in love at some point. He hadn’t realized other people had viewed them that way as well.

He. Dracule Mihawk. The quiet, rude boy, who couldn’t even look people in the eye. He could be seen as the one Shanks loved? Seen as… worthy of that?

“Damn,” Beckmann sighed, as if he had managed to read Mihawk’s thoughts. “I’m sorry for making it even harder for you.”

“Thank you.”

“One more thing, about that text…”

Mihawk flinched a little. “I… am beginning to see it might have a different meaning than what I assumed.”

Beckmann gave him a pained look. “I promise, absolutely nothing happened that night. We just went drinking because of-”

“His birthday,” Mihawk interrupted him. “I know. We share it.”

“What?”

“Shanks and I,” he explained casually. “Same day.”

The way the other man was looking at him was odd. Was he angry at him for having the wrong birthday?

“You- You thought I fucked your man on your birthday?”, Beckmann said finally.

Mihawk chuckled at the crude phrasing. “Technically, I didn’t think you fucked my man. I thought I fucked yours.”

“Oh,” the man nodded, then his eyes widened. “Oh! That’s why you were so distant at the bar, right? You were trying to not piss me off.”

Mihawk grimaced. “Yes. Well. You and everyone else. I assumed your friends would rather see Shanks by your side compared to mine, so I tried to create some distance in order to appease you,” he admitted. “I did not succeed.”

That night had not been pleasant. The bar had been far too loud to concentrate and all of Shanks’ friends had been rather obnoxious. Mihawk had tried his best regardless, but in hindsight, withdrawing from the redhead in front of them had not been the correct decision.

“Fuck…”, Beckmann said suddenly. “Did Shanks say something stupid? You wouldn’t look at me when you guys came back from your talk.”

“Talk?”

“Yeah, when you went out for a walk?”

Oh. Mihawk could feel his face heating up and he quickly looked out of the window. “We- erm- We didn’t go outside. And we didn’t… talk.”

“Huh?”, Beckmann asked. “Then what… Oh!”

Mihawk dared to throw a quick glance at him. The man looked absolutely scandalized.

“Shanks was rather… enthusiastic,” the swordmaster defended himself, crossing his arms. It was true! That situation had not been his fault, even if he had enjoyed it...

“I can imagine,” Beckmann laughed. “Can’t believe he convinced you to do that.”

“Well… You were there,” Mihawk said, before he could stop himself.

Beckmann gave him a confused look, so he looked out of the window again and continued.

“You were there and he picked me,” Mihawk explained, feeling ashamed of his childish mindset. “It- It seemed like a rather big deal at the time.”

Beckmann shook his head. “Shit, that’s… I’m sorry.”

“None of this was your fault. I would actually prefer if we could move on from this?”, Mihawk pleaded, not wanting to think more about that night.

“Yes, yes of course,” Beckmann nodded. “Still, your birthday… Shit. How the fuck have you not murdered me yet?”

Mihawk smirked at that. “I have dedicated my whole life to the sword. I live for self-control.”

“Well, I don’t,” Beckmann said angrily. “So I might have to kill my idiot best friend now. How the fuck did he not get it? It took me ages to explain those texts to him.”

Mihawk couldn’t help but let out a little giggle. Shanks could be so silly sometimes. “We can’t murder him. The children like him.”

“I don’t know what this is about,” a voice said suddenly, making him spin around, “but I would kill a man for you.”

“I could do it with my bare hands,” Zoro continued, his narrowed eyes wandering between the two men.

“Lovely,” Mihawk said and ruffled the boy’s hair a little, “but I don’t think we need a second assault charge on your record.”

“Second…?”, Beckmann asked. Mihawk threw a quick glance at the man. He actually looked a but unsettled by the boy’s presence.

“Aggravated assault,” the teen clarified.

“Zoro, why don’t you go play with the others?”, Mihawk sighed.

“You should come too,” the boy said. “We all want to hang out with you.”

Mihawk smiled softly and reached out to quickly squeeze Zoro’s shoulder. “I’ll be out in a minute.”

“Fine,” the child huffed and walked away.

“Lovely kid you have there,” Beckmann said after a few moments. “Assault?”

“Oh, don’t worry, it was very justified,” Mihawk explained quickly. “He was protecting a younger child.”

“Protecting, eh?”, Beckmann nodded. “That seems like him.”

What was that supposed to mean? Mihawk decided to just ignore it. “Well, it all worked out and that man is in jail now.”

“Man?”, Beckmann asked, suddenly looking very concerned. “The kid fought a grown man?”

“Oh yes,” Mihawk nodded enthusiastically. He hated that Zoro was ever put into that position, but he was still proud of him. “But it wasn’t too bad. Only a few broken bones.”

Beckmann went a little pale. “Your kid had broken bones and you call that not bad?”

“I would never!,” Mihawk gasped. The idea of Zoro suffering such serious injuries made him feel sick. “He didn’t have broken bones, he broke bones.”

The other man stared at him for a few moments, for some reason looking a little… scared? “Ah. Cool…”

It was too silent for a bit, so Mihawk quickly tried to get back on topic so they could wrap it up already. “For the record, that picture was not a very good birthday present. Next year, I’d prefer a card. Perhaps some chocolate or flowers.”

Beckmann let out a startled laugh “Noted.”

Chapter Text

After chatting for a little longer, Beckmann went back to the garden, leaving Mihawk alone to collect his thoughts. The poor guy seemed completely out of his depth and a bit overwhelmed by the sudden shift in their relationship. Beck didn’t blame him…

He couldn’t focus on it right now, but he felt the strong urge to call up everyone he had ever talked to and make sure he wasn’t the villain in their story as well. He might not have known, but all the pain he had caused was still weighing him down with guilt. Especially that thing at the bar…

“You were there and he picked me.”

That was so fucked up. He felt like an absolute jerk. Like one of those pick-up artist duos he had seen on social media. One makes an unsuspecting woman at a bar feel terrible with snarky remarks, the other one swoops in and takes advantage of her lowered confidence. Absolutely disgusting. And now he was complicit in something like that.

Okay, maybe it wasn’t exactly like that. Shanks and Beckmann had never wanted to hurt Mihawk, but that didn’t change the fact that they did. He knew his best friend was ready to treat his (hopefully) future boyfriend like a damn king, so now Beckmann would have to make sure the man felt comfortable enough to punch Shanks in his stupid face should he mess up again.

In the garden, Yasopp, Lucky Roux, Lime Juice and Hongo were all standing next to the grill. Perfect.

“Listen up!”, he called out as he stepped up to them. “When the fucking ginger is involved in any way, what is usually the issue?”

“Shanks!”, they all answered immediately. Beckmann gave them a meaningful look.

“What…?”, Yasopp wondered, then realization began to dawn. “Mihawk?”

Beckmann nodded sharply.

“Oh fuck!”

“He fumbled, didn’t he?”, Hongo groaned.

“I knew there was something wrong with this whole thing…”, Lime Juice said.

“How badly did he fuck up?”, Lucky Roux checked.

“So fucking much, you have no idea,” Beckmann sighed. “We must protect Dracule Mihawk at all costs, so when you see Shanks, step on his toes a little, will ya?”

“Aye Aye!”

……

Mihawk just stood there for a few minutes, staring out of the window. This… This changed everything. He had walked in expecting to be told to stay away from Shanks, maybe get insulted once more, but instead he had gained an… ally? How strange.

He finally went back outside, looking around in confusion.

“Uhm… Yasopp?”

The other man immediately spun around to him, and gave him a huge smile. “Yes? What do ya need?”

Mihawk was a bit taken aback. “Oh, erm, I was just wondering where the children are?”

“Upstairs. Beck turned one of the rooms into a playroom.”

Oh. Right, Shanks had mentioned how involved the man was with Luffy. A fact he perhaps didn’t mind so much anymore…

Suddenly the garden door flew open, revealing a very pissed-off looking Zoro. Yasopp gave Mihawk a pitying look, probably aware this would not be fun.

“Zoro?”, the swordmaster asked. “Are you alright?”

“Nami totally cheated!”

Mihawk had to suppress an eye roll. “How did she do that?”

“I don’t know! She is a damn witch!”

He let out a little chuckle. “If she is that good at cheating, maybe she deserved the win after all.”

Zoro’s jaw dropped. “What the fuck? You are supposed to be on my side!”

Mihawk paused. The boy seemed actually upset. That had not been his intention.

“Zoro-”

“Leave me alone, you fucking asshole,” Zoro hissed, crossing his arms. “I don’t want to hear your bullshit.”

Oh Zoro… Why now? Why while Yasopp was still standing directly behind him? With always happy Luffy and shy little Usopp around, this probably looked awful. An outburst like this must seem like Zoro was entirely out of control. The other man must think Mihawk to be a terrible guardian.

“Zoro, may I finish?”

“Whatever, it’s going to be dumb anyways,” the boy huffed and sat down on the stairs of the porch. Mihawk took a seat next to him, making sure there was still a little space between them.

“My dear boy, I am sorry I upset you. I had not realized this issue upset you so much. Were you hoping to win the game?”

“Fuck the game. I just hate that I am such a bad friend.”

Unfortunately, a common sentiment for Zoro.

“That must be a terrible feeling,” Mihawk agreed. “May I ask what led you to that conclusion?”

“I have to sell my Pokemon cards, but Luffy gave them to me.”

Mihawk nodded. That gift meant so much to Zoro, no wonder he was upset. “I see. In desperate times we all have to make hard decisions. This does not necessarily reflect on who we are as a person. However, perhaps in this case we could find a different solution for the issue at hand?”

Zoro angrily wiped a tear off his face and wrapped his arms around his knees. “No way, man. I lost far too much money.”

“I see,” Mihawk nodded. “You lost a bet?”

“Five in a row.”

“That is unfortunate.”

Zoro looked up at him, his bottom lip trembling slightly. “At least last time I was going to sell them it was for a better reason.”

“You were going to sell them before?”

“Yeah,” the boy shrugged. “To pay you back for all the expensive stuff you bought me, but then you played with me and I really wanted to do that again, so I kept them.”

Ah. Slowly Mihawk began to see a pattern. Perhaps he should have addressed this issue earlier.

“I think there is something I have neglected to inform you about.”

“Huh?”

“You are aware I have more than enough money to take care of you?”, he checked carefully.

“Shouldn’t waste your money on me,” Zoro mumbled, curling in more on himself. “I ain’t worth it.”

Maybe Mihawk was growing cold, but the statement did not break his heart like it would have a little while ago. Now he was almost used to the weight of Zoro’s past. Instead of his chest going tight, he simply focused on the next step.

“My boy, you are worth far more than that. You always have been, and other people’s failure to recognize this should not shape what you accept as suitable treatment. Even if what I gave you was all I had you would still deserve it. This is not the case, however, as we are rich.”

The reaction was rather dramatic. The boy’s head snapped up, his eyes still slightly wet, opened wide. “Wait, we are?!”

“Oh yes, immensely, actually.”

“Immensely?!”, Zoro gasped. “What, like, millions of berries?”

“Billions.”

“Billions?!”

“Quite a few of those, yes,” Mihawk nodded. “So I think you can see why you do not need to worry about anything I am providing for you. There is no situation that could occur that could force you to give up such an important gift.”

“Really? I get to keep them? All to myself?”

“All to yourself,” Mihawk nodded, smiling at the way the tension was draining from the boy’s body.

“Oh… Wow,” he said astonished. “But what am I going to do now?”

Mihawk chuckled. “I’m sure we can find a solution. About how much money are we talking about anyways?”

“30 000.”

The swordmaster could barely hold back his giggles. “Yeah, right.”

“No, for real!”, Zoro said, sounding a little upset again. “I thought I could win in the next round, but then I lost even more.”

“Well,” Mihawk said calmly, “In that case, this is a rather important lesson about the danger of gambling. However, you children are not allowed to play around with that much money anyways.”

“But-”

“I will talk to Nami.”

“Fine.”

Mihawk decided to stay quiet for a little, giving the boy some time to process.

“Hey, Mihawk?”

“Yes, Zoro?”, he said, smiling slightly when he recognized the tone Zoro was using. Sometimes the teen could be so predictable.

“I am sorry for calling you an asshole. And I like it when you talk, it’s not bullshit.”

Mihawk nodded. “I accept your apology. Would you like to have a hug?”

Zoro looked at him with huge, teary eyes. “P-Please.”

Mihawk scooted closer and pulled his child into his side.

“Erm… Mihawk?”

“Yes?”

“If you are really super rich,” Zoro started shyly, “can I maybe borrow some money?”

Mihawk pulled back a little and gave the boy a questioning look. “Borrow? Perhaps at another time. For now, I should probably just give you an allowance.”

“An allowance? How much?”

Mihawk froze. “Uhm… The normal amount?”

Zoro gave him an unimpressed look. “You have no idea what that even means, do you?”

The swordmaster glanced to the side.

“It’s fine,” Zoro laughed. “You can ask Shanks.”

“Yes,” Mihawk nodded. “You seem rather eager. What do you want to spend your money on?”

The boy blushed. “Well… I never got to give Luffy anything back. You bought the gift for Usopp, but Luffy’s birthday won’t be for a while, and I want to give him something now.”

Oh, Mihawk’s boy was so sweet. He had just learned about the huge amount of money he could eventually get access to, and his first thought was to get something for his friend? Beautiful.

“That is a very nice idea, Zoro. Good job.”

“Thanks!”, the boy said and gave him another quick hug.

“We should go talk to Nami,” Mihawk pointed out.

“I’ll get her!”, Zoro said and jumped up, leaving Mihawk on the porch.

“Holy hell…”

Mihawk flinched and turned around to look up at Yasopp.

“Ah, sorry about that,” he said, getting back on his feet. “Zoro can be rather-”

“That was brilliant!”, the other man cut him off. “You handled that so quickly! He was completely calm within a minute!”

He felt his face heating up. “Oh, I simply-”

“When Usopp properly hits puberty, you need to give me some tips. Did you actually forget to tell him you are loaded?”

Mihawk just stared at him in disbelief. He had barely been a caretaker for a month, and the child in his care had just had an outburst in front of the more experienced guardian, and yet Yasopp was asking him for advice?

Before he could answer, Zoro came out of the house, followed by a confused looking Nami.

“What’s the problem?”, the girl asked.

Mihawk turned to her, giving her a stern look. “Zoro told me you two made a little bet?”

Nami turned to the boy and punched him in the arm. “You snitch! Why did you tell him?” She glared back at Mihawk. “I didn’t cheat, and even if I did, you can prove nothing!”

He frowned at her. “That is not very convincing. You need better legal training. However, your methods do not matter to me. This is about the outcome of your game.”

“Oh, so you are just a sore loser?”, Nami asked Zoro, making him glare at her.

“I don’t care if I lost, you damn witch!”, he yelled. “But I don’t have the stupid money, okay?!”

Nami flinched back a little, and looked between Mihawk and Zoro in confusion. “What money?”

“The money he lost in the bet,” Mihawk explained calmly. “How your guardians handle things is their business, but I do not approve of Zoro playing around with such large sums.”

“Nami, I just don’t have it, okay?”, Zoro huffed in frustration, crossing his arms. “And I don’t want to give you all my stuff. That’s mine. I want to actually keep something for once, and you cheated anyways!”

Nami stomped her foot angrily. “Say that one more time and I am doubling your debt! Besides, why would I even take your stuff? Of course you don’t have the money, we haven’t found it yet!”

“Found it?”, Mihawk wondered.

“Yeah, Zoro has to pay me back when we find that big pirate treasure Luffy keeps talking about!”

Mihawk and Zoro looked at each other, realization dawning on them. Perhaps both of them had taken this all a bit too seriously. Somehow, the idea of play-pretend had not even occurred to them. Mihawk had to hold back a chuckle. How innocent. After all the talk of loss and pain, the sun suddenly seemed brighter and the relaxing pop music coming from the speaker next to the grill a little louder. It was just a birthday party. Zoro and Nami were just children. It was just a game.

“Oh…” the boy said, his shoulders relaxing. “So… Even if I don’t have anything to give you, we are still friends?”

Nami crossed her arms and smirked at him. “Depends… Are you going to admit I didn’t cheat and you just suck?”

Zoro narrowed his eyes. “I will… If you make it back to the others before I do!”, he said, and sprinted back inside.

“Hey!”, Nami yelled and ran after him. “Now you are cheating! It’s only cool when I do it!”

Chapter Text

“I hope my daughter didn’t cause too much trouble?”

Mihawk turned around to the woman. Something about her seemed rather familiar, but he couldn’t have met her any time recently. Her hairstyle was too unusual to forget. Most of her head was shaved, but there were a pony tail, two strands at her temple and bangs left.

“Trouble?”

“I saw you talk to her just a moment ago,” she explained, putting her hand on her hip.

“Oh, you are Nami’s mother,” Mihawk nodded quickly. “Of course the dear girl didn’t cause trouble, she seems to be a lovely child.”

The woman gave him an odd look. “Lovely? Perhaps you should check for your wallet, this seems like a trap.”

Mihawk grinned. “Oh, do not worry. Nami has promised me not to steal from me.”

“She has?”, the woman asked surprised. “That’s impressive, she must really like you.”

He quickly shook his head. “No, no, we barely talked.”

“Nami is good at reading people. Besides, those kids talk. Once Shanks had a fight with Luffy and she glared at him for a whole hour.”

Mihawk felt his face heat up. Was that little comment Nami had made really so important? Did Zoro talk about him to his friends? The idea was rather sweet…

“Oh,” he answered finally. “In that case I am honored.”

The woman smiled at him. “You are Zoro’s guardian?”

He nodded. “Yes. I’m Mihawk, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said stiffly, holding out his hand.

The woman laughed loudly. “Oh, I know who you are, Dracule Mihawk,” she said, and shook his hand.

Oh no. So he had met her before? How rude of him to introduce himself again. He searched his brain for any possible connection. What would she look like without her rather peculiar hairstyle? He tried imagining her with more hair, until realization finally dawned.

“Belle-mere,” he said relieved. “My apologies, it have been so many years, I had not recognized you.”

The officer looked surprised. “Oh, you remember me?”

“Of course,” Mihawk nodded. “If I remember correctly, you were one of the few tolerable people at those events.”

“I was simply one of the few women there.”

Mihawk tilted his head to the side. “Is that not what I just said?”

Belle-mere smiled. “I am glad you are here, Mihawk.”

“Oh. Uhm. Thank you,” he said, before quickly adding, “I am delighted by your presence as well.”

“Have you met everyone else? Banchina says Usopp and Luffy have been at your place, so I suppose you have met their fathers?”

Mihawk tensed up. “Ah. Yes. I have met the men here before. Shanks and I used to be… friends.”

“Friends?”

Mihawk cringed a bit at the intense look she was giving him. “Erm… yes. Good friends.”

“You dress like that for just anyone?”, she asked, looking him up and down.

“This is a very important event,” Mihawk deadpanned. “A child only turns 13 once. I am a little disappointed by you, shouldn’t you be in uniform?”

Belle-mere laughed lightheartedly. “Oh, I think I like you. And I am so sorry for offending your superior fashion sense, Duke.”

“Oh, that is not his title at all,” a snarky voice said. “Besides, it is not his fashion sense, it’s mine.”

Mihawk rolled his eyes. “Not your title either, my dear.”

“Will be one day. And you will always be below me…”, Perona added condescendingly, shaking her head.

“You are just jealous because I look more royal.”

“You have leaves in your hair.”

Mihawk bend down to her eye level, his eyes narrowed. “That. Is. A. Crown. How dare you insult it?”

“And what royal being has bestowed it upon you, your highness?”, Perona mocked.

“The king of the pirates.”

“A worthy title,” Perona nodded. “Very well then, you may proceed, underling.” She then whirled around to Belle-mere, who was watching the scene with amusement. “Hi! I’m Perona and I like your hair!”, she said and held her hand out.

“I’m Belle-mere, and I like your hair too,” the older woman grinned.

……

Chopper was very nervous. He had not been to any birthday parties in years! And never without his dad… Kureha was great, but it was not the same. She was just more… harsh. She was right, he had to be tougher, but sometimes he missed being pampered and fussed over. That’s why it was so great to have Zoro back. Having a big brother was awesome!

Kureha pressed the doorbell. There was music and voices coming from the backyard of the unfamiliar house, making Chopper a little excited. This might turn out to be super fun!

The door was opened by a man with red hair and a very, very yellow shirt. The guy looked at him and immediately crouched down and grinned.

“Hey there! You must be Chopper. It’s really nice to meet you!” He held out his hand for the boy to shake.

“Hi! Who are you?”

“I’m Shanks, Luffy’s dad. Who have you brought with you today?”

“That’s Kureha, my great aunt. And I think you know my-”, he stopped himself. What was he supposed to call Zoro? They didn’t live together anymore, so people might get confused if he called him his brother…

“Your Zoro, yes, I know him,” Shanks said. “We are good friends.”

“Oh, cool!”, Chopper said excitedly. “That means we can be friends too! Zoro says I have to be careful around grown-ups.”

The guy still smiled, but he did not look happy anymore. “That is good advice,” he said, and stood back up.

He shook hands with Kureha, then waved them inside. “Come on in, everyone will be happy to meet you.”

……

Zoro followed Usopp, Nami, Robin, and Luffy back outside. The rooms upstairs were awesome. Lots of toys, books, and extra beds. Beckmann might be a total loser, but his house was kinda cool. He looked around, finding Mihawk and Perona talk to a woman with strange hair, most of the guys crowded around the grill and-

“Chopper!”

The boy flinched and spun around at his harsh tone. “Zoro?”

“Over here! Now!”

Chopper jumped up from the table he had been sitting at and ran over. “Hi,” he said shyly.

Zoro immediately pulled him into his arms. “Chopper, what are you doing?”

“I was just talking to that man,” the boy said, pointing behind him.

“Yes, I saw that,” the teen said darkly and glared at the guy. He had only talked to him briefly last time, and he had no clue what to think about him. “What did he say to you?”

“He’s a doctor!”, Chopper cheered. “He says he’s going to show me around the hospital!”

“Alone?!”

“N-No,” he stuttered. “Kureha will be there too.”

Right, right. The woman would look after Chopper. Zoro felt horrible for the unsure look he had put on the little boy’s face.

“Is everything okay?”

Zoro stood up, his eyes fixed on the man who had walked over.

“Erm. I’m Hongo, one of Shanks’ friends. We met on Monday?”

“I am aware.”

“Mr. Hongo, I was just about to ask for permission to go visit you at work!”

“You aunt already said-”

“No, we need to ask Zoro,” Chopper explained, then looked up at the teen with huge, hopeful eyes. “Can I go?”

Zoro sighed deeply. “You really want to?”

Chopper nodded.

“Fine. But Kureha needs to stay with you the whole time.”

“Okay, I promise,” the little boy cheered and hugged Zoro.

“What do you do if something bad happens or you feel weird?”

“Call you. I always have to call you,” Chopper said quickly, repeating the rules Zoro had taught him.

“Okay. Okay, good,” the teen muttered, not sure if he was still talking to the kid or to himself. He took a moment to simply hold the little boy and push his curls back.

“Thank you, Zoro,” Chopper said, squeezing him a little tighter. “I’m really happy.”

……

“Are you okay?”

Mihawk smiled. “Yes, really good actually.”

“That’s good to hear,” Shanks nodded. “How’s Zoro? Perona seems to be having a blast.”

The swordmaster chuckled. “I really like that about you.”

Shanks gave him a confused look. The shadow of the tree they were standing under made shapes dance over his face, causing him to look remarkably pretty. Of course Shanks was a very attractive man, but the way he presented himself came off as rugged at best, a little funny at worst. He rarely looked so… angelic.

“Huh?”,” Shanks asked confused. “What do you like?”

“You take care of me, but you take care of my family as well,” Mihawk explained. “It’s a very attractive trait.”

Shanks stared at him, his mouth hanging open slightly. “Oh…”

“They are okay, by the way,” Mihawk continued.

“That’s- That’s good,” Shanks nodded. “I’ve got something for you,” he said, digging around in the pocket of his shorts. “Here.”

Mihawk took the keychain and held it up to his face. Inside of the small glass ball was an encased rose, the tiny petals flickering from gold to bronze in the sunlight.

“It’s beautiful.”

“You think so?”, Shanks asked excitedly. “I kinda promised you a dozen roses, but you got your garden and all that, so I thought, ‘Hey. Why not get a little creative with it?’. So, yeah, two down and ten more to go,” he rambled.

Mihawk needed a moment to tear his eyes away from the gift. “Orange?”

Shanks pouted a little. “No, it’s yellow! I heard that means friendship. I wanted to prove to you I’m ready to actually be there for you. A true friend.”

A friend? As if Shanks didn’t know how fast Mihawk’s heart was beating at this gesture. He had to bite his lip before he could do something foolish, like kiss Shanks.

“That is a beautiful gesture,” Mihawk sighed dreamily. “But it is very orange.”

“What?!” Shanks snatched the gift back, holding it directly into a ray of sunlight. “Dammit! It looked so different in the store!”

He gave Mihawk a panicked look. “Shit, flower language can get really fucked up, right? Did I accidentally give you a death threat?”

The swordmaster let out a delighted giggle and grabbed Shanks by the shoulder to pull him back. “No, my dear. But it may hold a more adventurous meaning than simple friendship.”

“Oh?”

“Fascination, budding romance… desire,” Mihawk listed off. “Shanks, am I to walk around with a symbol of your desire wherever I go?”

Shanks’ gaze was piercing as he held the keychain up for Mihawk to take. “Would it be irresponsible for me to beg?”

Mihawk reached out for the gift, his fingers curling around Shanks’. “No, you have done well. I accept this.”

Shanks’ eyes kept burning into him as he attached the chain to his keys. It was such a small thing, yet it made Mihawk’s chest feel like his heart was going to explode. The idea of having something of Shanks’ to take with him every day… It was… different. Different than what they had been before. Mihawk really liked it.

“By the way,” Shanks said after a moment. “Franky and his parents just arrived. Now that everyone is here, it’s time for the gifts and the cake.”

“Oh, our gift is still in the car,” Mihawk realized. “I’ll tell Zoro, I’m sure he’d want to be the one to give it to Usopp.”

Chapter Text

Mihawk stopped suddenly, almost making Zoro bump into him. “Oh, I forgot the keys.”

“I’ll get them!”, Zoro told him and quickly ran back into the house. He looked around for Perona, finding her in the kitchen, getting a beer out of the fridge. Zoro tensed up a little when he noticed the man next to the door, who was getting something out of a drawer.

“Hey, Perona!”, he called out. “We need the keys.”

She turned around and he gave her the most devious smile he could muster, his eyes going to his right, secretly pointing at the man standing next to him.

“Sure thing, catch!”, Perona said, throwing her collection of metal keys and heavy keychains at full force. Zoro’s hand shot up, fishing the keys out of the air, only centimeters away from the place where Benn Beckmann’s face had just been.

“Ouch, fuck!”, the man swore, holding the back of his head. He had flinched back from the projectile directed at his face, causing him to slam into the cabinet behind him.

Zoro flinched a little. That had been a loud bang… it must have hurt… The teen quickly chased the thought away. He wouldn’t feel sorry. That was for the good people. Zoro was not one of those. Maybe one day he could be forgiving, and careful and- and kind, but not today. Today, Zoro was a protector. Of Chopper, of Mihawk, of whoever else he would have to fight for. Protecting people was the only good thing he had ever done in his life.

“Thanks,” he said to Perona, not daring to look over at Beckmann, who was still rubbing his head.

“Of course, sweetie,” she said cheerfully. “See ya in a minute.”

……

Yasopp curiously looked at the huge box Zoro was carrying. He glanced around to make sure his son was nowhere in sight and no one else was in earshot either.

“Psst, guys,” he whispered to Mihawk and Zoro. “What did you get?”

“Death Star.”

“Come again?”

“The Lego Death Star,” Zoro repeated.

Yasopp gawked at them. “No way! Why-? That’s insane!”

The teen’s grip on the box tightened until his knuckles went white. “Why? What’s wrong with it?” He looked up at his guardian in panic. “You checked, right? You promised you’d ask Yasopp!”

“I did,” Mihawk reassured him, looking equally startled. “That was in the picture you sent me, right?”, he asked, turning to Yasopp.

The man gawked at him. “That was a damn joke!”

“A… joke?”, Mihawk said slowly.

“Oh, fuck!”, Zoro groaned, putting the box down on a table next to him. “What’s wrong with you, dude?”

“Why would you do something like this when the children are involved?”, Mihawk asked Yasopp, mustering the other man with a hateful look. Yasopp suddenly wanted to sink into the floor. No one had ever stared him down with such intensity.

“Our personal… quarrels should not have any impact on them,” the man continued. “dragging my boy into it is unnecessary and cruel.”

Before Yasopp could answer, Zoro spoke up.

“But- But what is wrong with it? Usopp likes Star Wars, and we played Lego like ten minutes ago!”, the boy sniffed staring at the box. “Does he not like this specific one, or, or-”

“Hey,” Mihawk said firmly, placing a hand on the teen’s shoulder. “It’s still early, I can go and get something else. Now please focus on your breathing.”

“Yes Sensei,” the boy said dutifully, his erratic breathing slowing down a bit.

“Guys…”, Yasopp said astonished. “I think Usopp might cry if you exchange that thing, and quite frankly, so will I!”

Mihawk gave him a rather unsettling look. “I do not understand.”

“That thing costs like 150 000 berries! The joke was that it is far too much to ask of you to buy for someone else’s child. I expected you to get a much, much smaller set.”

“Oh. I was not aware of that,” Mihawk said, looking rather confused. “Zoro, did you know-”

“Don’t look at me, man!”, the teen complained. “I’ve never gotten a birthday gift! Why didn’t you understand? Because you are rich?”

“I suppose…”, Mihawk nodded.

“You must have gotten a birthday gift before,” Zoro accused. “You are supposed to know these things.”

The man looked like he was being tortured. “I- Not as a child. Not until I met Shanks. I’m sorry.”

“Ah, shit!”, Zoro swore. “We should have asked Perona.”

“Yes,” Mihawk nodded, crossing his arms. “I Thought asking the father of the child would be enough preparation, but I hadn’t expected there to be… jokes,” he hissed, throwing a disgusted look at Yasopp. The man felt horribly confused. What did Mihawk mean he hadn’t gotten a birthday gift until he met Shanks? Hadn’t he already been past 30 at the time? And why were these two still not getting it?

“Guys, please calm down,” he tried to reassure them. “If you want to drive to town and grab something else we can wait for you, but should you actually be okay with giving my son such a huge gift, I would be very grateful.”

“Grateful?”, Zoro asked, his eyes widening. “So it’s okay? We didn’t mess up? Usopp won’t be mad at me?”

“This would pretty much be the coolest gift he has ever gotten!”, Yasopp assured him.

“If it makes the child happy, he should have it,” Mihawk declared.

“That is very generous,” Yasopp told him, secretly getting a little excited. Banchina, Usopp and he could build that Death Star together, that would be so fun!

“Are you dropping off Zoro on Monday? We could meet at the school. I should at least buy you coffee.”

“Oh, yes, but, erm, Luffy has a dentist appointment, so Shanks is not free.”

Yasopp frowned. “Okay? I guess the ginger can join us later on, but I mainly just want to hang out with you and express my gratitude.”

Mihawk’s face went through a couple of expressions until he settled on a blank look. “With… me?”

“Sure!”, Yasopp told him. “You seem like a great dude. Let’s hang out.”

Chapter Text

Usopp tore the paper away from the box. It took a moment for him to recognize what it was. Then he started screaming.

“Holy shit!”

“Language!”

“Sorry, mom,” he said quickly. “But look! It’s the death star!”

“Wait, really?”, a voice said from behind. “Oh shit!”

“Shanks!”, Banchina scolded him.

“But look at it!”, the man exclaimed. “It’s so cool!”

Usopp looked over to Mihawk and Zoro, who were giving each other a subtle low-five. “Guys!”, he called out. “This is amazing!”

Before he could think better of it, he had flung his arms around the both of them. “Thank you!”

……

Mihawk was very relieved he had gotten the right gift after all. Getting the present for Zoro’s friend was a huge responsibility, and he would have hated to disappoint the teen. He had taken very careful notice of the other objects Usopp had received. There had been some smaller Lego sets, books and a remote controlled toy car. After seeing all of this, he began to see why Yasopp had believed his joke to be rather obvious… Still, the children were happy, so the shocked stares of the other adults were worth it.

Now that the gifts had been opened and the candles blown out, people were starting to help themselves to slices of birthday cake. Mihawk was about to get up and follow their example, when he spotted Shanks next to the table, lifting a fork to his mouth. Before it could reach the goal, he was interrupted by Lime Juice. Mihawk’s eyes widened when the man lifted his foot and stepped down on Shanks’ toes. Hard.

“Ah!”, the redhead howled. “Why?!”

“Don’t know, don’t care,” his friend told him. “But you are a menace and you need to be stopped.”

“I’m taking this,” Lucky Roux added, picking up the plate in front of the redhead.

“But I was going to eat that,” Shanks whined.

“No cake for you, buddy,” Lime Juice said, almost sounding apologetic.

“But-”

“No, Shanks,” Lime Juice repeated, patting his shoulder. “Cake is for nice men, and even though Beck hasn’t told us the whole story, we know you messed up. Big time.”

Lucky Roux suddenly turned to Mihawk, who felt a bit embarrassed he had been caught watching and listening in. The man walked over, handing him the plate and a clean for. “There you go.”

“Uhm… thank you?”, Mihawk said, taking the objects with bewilderment.

“A gift from Shanks,” Lucky Roux said with an elaborate wink. “Quickest way to a man’s heart is the stomach, right?”

“I suppose,” Mihawk replied, bending his neck a little to look around the man and over at Shanks. “Thank you.”

The redhead lit up. “Oh! Yeah, sure! Uhm, do you want anything else?”

“No, I am alright, thank you,” Mihawk said and took a bite of the cake. He could get used to this…

……

Beckmann rubbed the back of his head, where a huge bump was forming. The girl in pink kept smirking at him and the boy refused to look his way. This sucked. Getting along with Luffy had been so easy and even Usopp had warmed up to him quickly. Zoro, however, was a new kind of challenge.

Now that he was trying to be a good… friend to Mihawk (Was it too forward to call them friends? Either way, Beckmann was more than ready to look out for the other man.), he really wanted to get along with the man’s family. Especially if things went well and Mihawk would become an important part of Shanks’ life.

Beckmann wasn’t used to being the bad guy. While he wasn’t planning on having kids himself, he absolutely loved spending time with his friends’ children. He had turned his guest room into a playroom and hosted their birthday parties. He was supposed to be the fun uncle. Having a child for an enemy felt very wrong. This whole situation was very frustrating.

Well… at least there was someone he could take his anger out on.

“Shanks!”, he yelled at the redhead, who pouting at Lime Juice and Lucky Roux. “Over here, now!”

The man walked over, with a slight limp to his step. “What’s up?”

Beckmann grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him into the house and to the living room. He closed the door behind them, before slapping the back of Shanks’ head. Hard.

“Ow!”, the redhead complained. “Why is everyone abusing me? I’m a good boy, I promise!”

“Liar!”, Beckmann hissed at him. “You could have warned me!”

“About what?”

“Mihawk!”

“Ah,” Shanks nodded. “You finally looked him in the eye and now you are deeply in love. It’s okay, it happens to the best of us,” he said, patting Beckmann’s shoulder.

“Stop joking around!”, he grumbled angrily and shook off his friend’s hand. “You messed up. Big time.”

“Lime Juice said the same,” Shanks grimaced. “What have I done now?”

“You never told me you guys have the same birthday.”

“Oh, yeah, isn’t it awesome!”, the redhead nodded excitedly. “Must be fate!”

Beckmann stared at him in complete shock. Was he really this stupid? Was it even physically possible to be this dumb?

“Shanks, the night it all went wrong, why did I take you to the bar?”

“Drinking…?”

“Why that day?”

“Because it was my birthday.”

Beckmann was going to lose it. “Which means…?”, he asked, desperate to find a sparkle of intelligence in those empty eyes.

“It means…”

Beckmann could pinpoint the exact moment realization finally hit.

“It means it was his birthday too.”

Beckmann stared his friend down, with crossed arms. “That man thought you left him on his birthday to go fuck someone else.”

Shanks covered his mouth with his hand and turned away from Beckmann’s angry gaze. “Oh, fuck.”

……

Mihawk was just about to dig into his second piece of cake, when Shanks walked up to him.

“Hey, I’m sorry to interrupt, but may I steal him away for a moment?”, he said, giving the group a charming smile.

“Oh, he is all yours,” Belle-mere smirked.

“We don’t mind at all, sweetie,” Perona added.

“Take your time, boys,” Banchina said.

“Thank you so much, ladies,” Shanks nodded and dragged Mihawk away.

“Here,” the swordmaster said after the living room door had fallen shut behind them.

“Huh?”

“Your friends won’t see, you can have some,” Mihawk said, holding out the plate of cake for him.

Shanks’ smile dropped immediately. “I’m actually not hungry at all.”

“Oh?”, Mihawk questioned. “I thought you were trying to get some earlier?”

Shanks sighed deeply and took a step, running his hand through his hair. “There is something we need to talk about.”

Mihawk took a step back as well. “Oh… Is everything okay?”

“Mihawk, I need to apologize to you.”

His throat suddenly felt very tight. For once, he had felt adequate. The women he had met had been very welcoming, Zoro was happily playing with his friends, Perona was by his side and even Shanks’ friends were being very friendly (and confusing). For once, he, Dracule Mihawk, was part of a group.

“But everything was going so well,” he said quietly. “What happened?”

“Yeah?”, Shanks said his eyes widening. “You were having fun?”

Mihawk nodded.

“I’m glad.”

“Shanks, please just tell me what is going on.”

The man took a deep breath. “Those texts I sent you… Mihawk, I am so sorry. I was careless, and stupid and-”

He held up a hand to stop Shanks. “Why are you bringing that up again? I-”

He needed a moment to collect himself. Going from the proud, happy mood he had been in to memories of that night was not exactly pleasant. “All I need is time,” he said, moving his hands nervously. “You don’t have to- Can we just-”

Shanks stepped closer, holding out his hand for Mihawk to take. “No, Baby, don’t panic. I’m not doing this to force you into making a decision, I simply need you to know how sorry I am.” He looked down, a look of deep grief etched onto his face. “I should have been there. I should have canceled the trip.”

“It’s okay.”

“No it’s not. We can admit that,” Shanks lifted their joined hands and pressed a quick kiss to Mihawk’s knuckles. “Even if we can’t change it now, we can still admit that.”

They just stayed like that for a moment, both of them taking in the delicate moment between them.

“Hey, Mihawk?”, Shanks said eventually. “I know your birthday doesn’t mean a lot to you, but next year we can-”

“It means something,” Mihawk interrupted him before he could think better of it. It was probably a terrible idea to bring this up, but...

“Not a lot. Not without you. But… I want to share it,” he admitted, unable to look at Shanks’ face. “Always wanted to,” he added in a soft whisper.

“But you said-”

Mihawk huffed in frustration. He knew exactly what he had told Shanks. What he told everyone who would ask. Why admit to wanting things he couldn’t have anyways?

“You had a work trip scheduled,” he said calmly. “As I said, it’s fine.”

His attempt at deceit had not been fruitful. The look Shanks was giving him was obvious. The redhead was staring right through Mihawk’s carefully put-in-place mask.

“You had plans, didn’t you? You played it down, but you wanted me to stay.”

“I- I should have checked with you first,” Mihawk said, his face burning with shame. “Before setting anything up.”

Mihawk flinched a little at the pained expression on Shanks’ face. “Can you tell me? What I missed out on?”

The swordmaster sighed. “You won’t like this.”

“Please, Mihawk. No more secrets.”

“We had a reservation at the Baratie,” Mihawk shrugged. “The best table, obviously.”

“Obviously,” Shanks chuckled.

“We were gonna go back to my place, have a glass of wine…”, Mihawk trailed off, unsure if he should reveal more.

“Yeah?”, Shanks smirked, stepping even closer. “You had another surprise for me?”

Mihawk rolled his eyes and pushed the flirtatious man away. “Maybe, but… but first I was going to ask you.”

“Ask me?”

Mihawk looked down. “I- I didn’t know we were already exclusive,” he reminded him, feeling very awkward about bringing that issue up again.

It was quiet for a long time.

“You- Fuck,” Shanks cut himself off.

Mihawk looked back up, finding an unreadable expression on the other man’s face. “Shanks…?”

The redhead let go of his hand and took a few steps away, harshly tucking on his own hair. “I was that close?! We were that close? To having it all?”

Ah. Mihawk could see why Shanks was so upset. If he had stayed, they would have had a lovely evening. They would have talked, laughed, and kissed. Then Mihawk would have gazed into Shanks’ eyes and asked him if he wanted to be his boyfriend. Shanks would have laughed, pulled him close and told him they had been dating for months. They would have been together.

“No, we weren’t,” the swordmaster said sternly. “It wouldn’t have worked out.”

“But- But-”

“Now it could,” Mihawk added quickly, placing his hand on Shanks’ shoulder. “It can. But back then? The people we used to be?” He let out a humorless chuckle. “Useless bafoons.”

“You weren’t-”

“Shanks, I hurt you too,” Mihawk cut him off, squeezing his shoulder tightly. “We can admit that. We will never be able to move on if we don’t.”

Shanks took a few deep breaths, his eyes beginning to shine. Mihawk simply held on, allowing the man to calm himself.

“I wasn’t even sure if you liked me all that much,” Shanks said, his voice shaking. Mihawk could feel his body tremble under his touch.

He had been thinking about this. While Mihawk had also not been happy, he had never felt slighted by Shanks. The man’s treatment of him had never been disrespectful, but from Shanks’ perspective it must have looked very differently. The way they had been treating each other had been acceptable for a casual fling, but partners? Partners should not leave each other so… lonely.

“Perhaps I shouldn’t have told my friends about that before they met you,” Shanks grimaced.

Mihawk sighed. This was painful, but he was glad he had brought it up.

“What did you need from me? What was I missing?”

Shanks sniffed and wiped a tear off his cheek. “I just wanted to know you. What you think about in the shower, what you hate about the newest Netflix show, where you like to have lunch… all the mundane things,” he shrugged. “I just wanted to be part of your life, and you to be part of mine.”

“You wanted a part of me?”, Mihawk asked, his and sliding down Shanks’ arm until he reached his hand and laced their fingers together.

“Yeah,” Shanks forced out, his voice thick with emotion. “Just a tiny one. You are so amazing, anything would be fine.”

God, Mihawk wanted this man. He wanted to give him all his heart, all his time, all his attention. It was so overwhelming. Terrifying. He had to concentrate so he wouldn’t flinch away from him.

“Back then,” Mihawk said, surprised by how steady his voice was, “if I let you be part of my life, you’d have taken over. I had nothing else,” he tried to explain. “It scared me. It was nothing or everything.”

Mihawk stepped even closer, resting their foreheads together. “I can try. I- I still need time and I’m not sure what I want this to be, but I don’t want to lose you. It might take a while, but I want you in my life.”

Chapter Text

“So… You informed Shanks about his forgetfulness regarding a certain date?”

Beckmann turned to Mihawk, who was looking at him with one arched eyebrow.

“Well… More like tried to beat some sense into him. Did it work?”

“We will see…”, Mihawk hummed.

“I could always try again,” Beckmann offered.

“I will inform you should a physical readjustment of his brain become necessary,” Mihawk nodded. “I suppose you are also the reason for your friends’ sudden change of heart?”

“Just doing my duty as first mate.”

“First mate?”

Beckmann chuckled. “How do you think Luffy’s pirate game started.”

“I see,” Mihawk nodded. “If Shanks is the captain and you are his second in command, what does that make me?”

“A siren.”

“A siren?”

“Ya know,” Beckmann shrugged. “Just chillin’ on a rock, luring the lovesick sailor into the sea...”

Mihawk looked rather offended. “Me? Luring him? You know he is the one who started all of this, right?”

“True,” Beckmann agreed. “Just a misconception we had about you. In truth, you are the defenseless maiden that got captured from your village.”

The swordmaster snorted at that. “Ah, right. Please Mr. Pirate, let me go, your captain seems to have impure intentions,” he said in a soft, high-pitched voice.

Beckmann couldn’t hold back anymore. He burst out laughing, grabbing Mihawk’s shoulder to keep upright. “Come on man, don’t say it like that, that makes me look bad!”

Mihawk rolled his eyes. “Wasn’t aware that was something you could do,” he muttered.

“What was that?”

The man grimaced. “Ah. Forget about that.”

“No, no,” Beckmann said. “We are communicating now, right?”

Mihawk sighed. “Honestly, I am not sure anything could make you look bad.”

Beckmann didn’t know how to interpret that. Mihawk must have noticed his confused look, so he continued.

“Benn, I was under the impression we were competing for the same man. I am very aware of your appearance.” He gave Beckmann a disgusted once-over. “You were supposed to get uglier with age, you know? How dare you look better with gray hair? That is so disrespectful.”

Beckmann let out another startled laugh. “Man, you are hilarious! You sure you don’t wanna ditch Shanks and only hang out with me from now on?”

“Sorry,” Mihawk snorted, “Unfortunately I seem to have a thing for gingers.”

“Tragic.”

“Indeed.”

They both turned around when the redhead in question jogged up to them.

“Hey guys, what’s up?”

“Mihawk was telling me how irresistibly attractive he finds me and we are planning on eloping,” Beckmann deadpanned.

Shanks’ huge grin was immediately wiped off his face. “Hey, no! Stop that!” He turned to Mihawk, who was mustering him with an evil smirk. “Hawki, don’t look at him. I’m here now, you can look at me! I’m the hottest guy here, right?”

“You?”, Mihawk questioned. “You are the most attractive man here? Are you sure?”

“Yes!”, Shanks nodded enthusiastically. “Everyone else sucks.”

“There is no man here who looks good but you?”, Mihawk said, clearly trying to give him another chance. “Are you absolutely certain?”

“You don’t need to even think about that,” Shanks argued. “I’m the hottest, so focus on me, please.”

Mihawk sighed and turned to Beckmann, who was watching the scene in disbelief. Was his best friend really this dumb?

“Benn, dearest, does your offer still stand?”

“Certainly,” Beckmann replied and harshly slapped the back of Shanks' head.

“Ouch! Stop doing that!” Shanks said and rubbed the spot.

“For fuck’s sake!”, Beckmann groaned. “Akagami, tell this man he is pretty already!”

“Wha-”, Shanks’ eyes widened and his head snapped around to the swordmaster. “Oh! Right! Mihawk, you are the most attractive man here!”

“It’s alright, dear,” the man sighed softly and patted Shank’s arm. “You are off the hook for now. However, I do have a question for you.”

“Sure, what’s up?”

“Are you absolutely certain you never had intercourse with any of these men?”

Beckmann almost spit out his drink.

……

Shanks barely registered Beckmann excusing himself and quickly getting out of the situation, too focused on staring at Mihawk, his mouth slightly hanging open.

“What?! No, of course not!”, he finally managed to say. “They are just my friends, I definitely do not want to do that with any of them! What even brought this on?”

Mihawk frowned. “Well… They keep showing me pictures of you. Rather scantily clad, I might add.”

Shanks let out a relieved laugh. “Oh, nice! Beckmann must have told them to wingman for me.”

Mihawk gave him a very odd look. “Shanks, why do all your friends have material like that?”

“Oh, we go to the gym together,” Shanks shrugged.

“Shanks.”

“What?”

“And they are not into men?”

“No?”

Mihawk shook his head in wonder. “Why are straight people so gay?”

Shanks just shrugged. Gymbros just worked like that.

“Is it working, though?”

“Is what working?”, Mihawk asked.

“The wing-manning?”

“Akagami,” the swordmaster said, raising an eyebrow. “I don’t think physical attraction has ever been an issue here.”

“Uhhh…”, Shanks cooed in excitement. “Because you think I’m cute!”

Mihawk crossed his arms. “I can neither confirm nor deny that statement.”

“Awe… Babe!”, Shanks pouted. “Don’t be like that.”

“For more information, please contact my lawyer.”

“Oh! I get to meet Crocodile?”

Mihawk narrowed his eyes. “No.”

“But Mi!”, Shanks teased.

Mihawk looked absolutely disgusted. “Do not call me that.”

“Okay, okay, fine,” Shanks gave in. “But you do like the pictures, right?”

Mihawk bit his lip and glanced to the side. “You- You got to focus more on the right arm when working out?”, he asked, clearly trying to sound casual.

Shanks’ breath stocked in his throat. He had been joking, but this… This was interesting.

“Hmm… Yeah, I got a lot stronger,” he confirmed, internally squealing when he noticed Mihawk’s eyes wandering to his right side, eying his biceps.

“Doing everything one-handed…”, he continued, stepping a bit closer to the embarrassed swordmaster. “I had to get a lotmore clever with my fingers as well,” he whispered into his ear.

“O-Oh.”

“Tell me,” Shanks said, pulling back a little, “Which pictures were your favorite?”

“That is not relevant.”

Shanks chuckled at Mihawk’s grumpy tone. “Come on, Baby… Tell me,” he sing-sanged.

Mihawk crossed his arms and glanced away. “Yasopp is the only one who understands proper lighting.”

Shanks whirled around with a huge smirk. “Yo! Yasopp!”

“Shanks!”, Mihawk gasped, gripping his arm tightly, trying to turn him away from Yasopp. “Don’t!”

“What’s up?”, the man called back from across the garden.

“Send Mihawk those pics, will ya?”

The second realization hit, a huge grin spread over Yasopp’s face. “Sure thing!”

Shanks pouted a little when Mihawk turned around and left him standing there alone. Still, there was a lovely blush on the swordmaster’s cheeks, so it was all worth it.

……

“So… do ya want the nudes too?”

“The what?!”

“Kidding!”, Yasopp laughed, enjoying the outraged look on Mihawk’s face. “But I did send you the pics from our last trip to the beach. You’re welcome.”

The poor guy looked absolutely mortified. “Why are you listening to that ridiculous man?”, he asked. “Shanks is going absolutely insane.”

Yasopp shrugged. “Technically, I am acting on Beck’s orders. He didn’t really tell us what went wrong. All we know is that Shanks is an idiot, but he really wants you back.”

Mihawk seemed shocked by his bluntness. “He does, huh?”, the swordmaster wondered, throwing a look at the redhead in question, who was talking to Hongo and Belle-mere, his hand gesturing wildly while he was telling a story.

“Of course?”, Yasopp chuckled. “The way he acts around you is so obvious,” he rolled his eyes fondly. Shanks was such a dork. “It’s so sweet, it’s a little disgusting, to be honest.”

The look Mihawk was giving him was not what he had expected. Instead of looking amused or maybe exasperated, the swordmaster was staring at him in complete shock.

“But… Shanks is always like that,” the man said his wide eyes jumping between Shanks and Yasopp. “He’s just that kind of man.”

“What kind of man?”

“Well, he is very… social, isn’t he?”, Mihawk said, crossing his arms. “He enjoys to… make advances.”

Yasopp let out a startled laugh. “Who? Shanks?”, he asked in disbelief. “Nah, he never actively flirts. Maybe to get a free beer, but that’s it.”

“Impossible.”

“Yeah, it’s a bit frustrating to watch ‘cause he always has people all over him but is rarely interested,” Yasopp explained casually.

“No, he- Shanks flirts” Mihawk insisted. “Always. At the worst times.”

Yasopp shrugged. “He only gets like that when he likes someone, and that dude is obsessed with you.”

What was Mihawk on about? Everyone knew Shanks was head over heels for the swordmaster.

“I have never seen him act like that with anybody else.”

Mihawk seemed lost in thoughts for a moment, before he quickly shook his head. “But he has been like that since the beginning. Since the day we met,” he added.

Yasopp shrugged and took a swing of his drink. “Love at first sight I guess.” He thought about it for a second. “Or infatuation at least.”

“I-Infatuation? With me?”

“Of course,” Yasopp chuckled. “That idiot was screwed from the start.”

“Me?”, Mihawk whispered. “Only me? All this time?”

Before Yasopp could answer, the man had already whirled around. “Excuse me,” he said, already walking towards Shanks.

……

“Akagami.”

Shanks turned around, a little worried to see Mihawk staring him down with narrowed eyes and crossed arms.

“Hawky, hey, what’s-?”

“We need to talk,” Mihawk said coldly. “Now.”

Chapter Text

Shanks followed Mihawk into the house, chewing on his lower lip nervously. What had he done now? Mihawk had forgiven him for such terrible things already, what could have possibly come to light to piss him off this much? Had Yasopp said something to him? He had been the last one to talk to the swordmaster, right?

Mihawk led him to the kitchen and slammed the door shut behind them.

“Akagami.”

“Uhm… hi?”

The swordmaster grabbed Shanks by the shirt and pushed him back against the door, his golden eyes boring into him.

“L-Listen” the redhead said nervously. “Whatever I did, it’s probably just another misunderstanding. Let’s just talk-”

“No,” Mihawk hissed. “Shut up. I will talk.”

“O-Okay.”

Those beautiful eyes narrowed, making Shanks swallow nervously. If he wasn’t so scared of whatever Mihawk was going to tell him, he’d probably enjoy the opportunity to muster them this closely.

“What I am about to do,” Mihawk started, “has no impact whatsoever. It is not a decision and we are still in the same spot, do you understand?”

Shit, was Mihawk actually going to punch him? That was a little fucked up. To be fair, everyone was abusing him today, but physical aggression coming from Mihawk instead of his friends would have very different connotations.

Shanks mustered the other man. His cheeks were flushed with rage and his lips were pressed together. Shit.

Still, he wouldn’t hurt him, Shanks was sure of it. He had never feared Mihawk, at least not like that. But Shanks was probably about to be yelled at or lectured. Best to just take his punishment now and move on, right? Especially because Mihawk had said they would still be okay after this.

“Yeah. Okay, fine,” he sighed. “I get it. Nothing changes, do your worst.”

Mihawk’s lips were so soft. Wow. And his bottom lip was so full. Shanks had almost forgotten how amazing it felt to suck it between his own and run over it with his tongue-

Wait what?! They were kissing? Mihawk was kissing him? And Shanks was kissing back? Thank god his natural instinct was to devour that perfect, beautiful god of a man, because he would have hated to waste any time while his brain was catching up.

Shanks could not move forward, as Mihawk was still pressing him against the door, but his hand came up to run through that soft, shiny hair. The swordmaster mirrored the movement, tugging on Shanks’ slightly tangled strands a little, making the redhead let out a startled moan. Mihawk took the opportunity to deepen the kiss, letting his tongue slip into Shanks’ mouth.

God, why did he have to lose his stupid arm?! Usually, Shanks didn’t even notice the loss anymore, as he was very used to doing things with one hand, but this? This was torture. He needed to grab Mihawk by the waist and pull him in, but he refused to let go of the other man’s hair.

“Wow,” Shanks panted when they finally broke away for air. “This feels so good.”

“Yeah,” Mihawk replied and pulled Shanks in for another kiss. This time he bit the redhead’s lip, drawing a desperate whimper from the man.

“Shanks… I missed you so much,” Mihawk groaned and cupped Shanks’ face.

“Me too,” the redhead nodded. He used his grip on the swordmaster’s hair to pull his head back, so he could press soft kisses to his throat. The vibration of Mihawk’s soft hum felt amazing against his lips.

“Fuck, Baby, you are so perfect,” he said, connecting their lips again and letting his hand slide down to finally, finally, cup one of those perfect pecs. The way Mihawk’s chest was spilling out over the corset had been driving him crazy for hours. Fuck, it fit into his hand perfectly. Shanks gave the pec a harsh squeeze drawing a deep groan from Mihawk.

“Okay, we are done,” the swordmaster declared, suddenly letting go of Shanks’ shirt and taking a step back. The redhead chased after him, but Mihawk placed his index finger over his lips, pushing his face back slightly. “No.”

Shanks took the tip of his finger into his mouth and bit it lightly, causing Mihawk to roll his eyes. However, the swordmaster did not pull away completely, simply enough to pull down Shanks’ bottom lip. “Must you always grope me every time we kiss?”

Mihawk took his finger away, making the redhead sigh in desperation.

“Babe, please… I’m sorry for grabbing your chest, I’ll be good for you now, I promise!”, Shanks said, forcing himself to let go of that perfect tit. He immediately missed the soft muscles under his fingers. “You can even tie me up, just kiss me again.”

Mihawk let out a startled laugh. “Oh Shanks… don’t worry, you are doing great, but we are taking it slow, remember?”

“Slow?!”, Shanks gasped. “You are the one who keeps slamming me into walls!”

Mihawk shrugged. “Yes? And? That is my good right to do, after all, you told me I could make out with you whenever I want to.”

“Can’t argue with that…”, Shanks sighed. “That was amazing.”

“It was,” Mihawk agreed. “You did a very good job.”

“Pfft, no!”, Shanks huffed. “You completely got me off-guard! I can do so much better!”

The swordmaster lifted an eyebrow. “Oh? Like what?”

“I can show you,” Shanks said, trying to lean in again, but Mihawk’s hand on his chest was still pressing him into the door. “Please Baby, I haven’t even left a mark on you,” Shanks whined, desperately staring at the swordmaster’s throat. “I need to.”

“Shanks!”, Mihawk gasped scandalized. “Behave yourself, this is a party for children!”

The redhead stared at him in disbelief. “You started this.”

“Tss, tss, tss,” Mihawk scolded. “Do not question me, Akagami.”

“But- But-!”

Mihawk took another step back and pulled out his phone. He used the black screen as a mirror so he could put his hair back in order and readjust his corset. “Now fix yourself, we are in public.”

Before Shanks could complain some more, Mihawk grabbed him by the shirt again. Instead of pulling him in for another kiss, the swordmaster pushed him out of the way before strutting out of the door, leaving Shanks empty-handed and very, very confused.

……

“You!”, Yasopp whirled around, just in time to catch Shanks who had jumped into his arms. “You are a true friend!”, the redhead told him, letting go of him so he could pat him on the head. “No one else even cares about me. But you, you are for real.”

“Excuse me?”, Beckmann said offended.

“What do you want, Shanks?”, Yasopp sighed.

“Nothing!”, the redhead lied. “I just wanted to show my appreciation for the one person who really got my back!”

“What am I to you?!”, Beckman gasped, punching Shanks in the arm.

“Shhh…”, Shanks hushed him and shoved him away, his eyes still fixed on Yasopp. “You are interrupting our cute moment,” he claimed, pulling Yasopp to his chest, resting his chin on the shorter man’s head.

“Shanks!”, Yasopp complained and tried to push him away.

“Shhh…”, the redhead hummed and began rocking them slightly. “Just let it happen.”

Dear lord… Whatever Shanks was going to ask him for, it would be horrible.

“Hey, Yasopp…?”

There it was.

“Yes?”

“Can you please help me take nudes?”

“What?!”, Yasopp yelled and jumped back. “No! I don’t wanna see your dick!”

Shanks tried to grab him again, but Yasopp managed to dodge his hand. “It’s a nice dick, I promise! Not as pretty at Hawky’s, but very decent, don’t worry.”

“That is not the point!”, Yasopp shrieked. “I don’t want to have anything to do with that thing!”

Shanks rolled his eyes. “It’s just a body part, and I wash it daily, I promise!”

Beckmann pulled a face. “That should not be something worth of pointing out.”

“Awe, you think so?”, Shanks nodded. “See, this is why I still hang out with you guys, you are pretty okay for straight men.”

“People don’t wash their dicks?”

Shanks nodded, making Beckman cringe.

Yasopp sighed. “I will not take any pictures of your dick. Just do it yourself.”

“But I want them to be tasteful!”, Shanks pouted. “And you are just so talented.”

“Stop!”, Yasopp groaned. “I’m not doing it!”

“Shanks,” Beckmann said annoyed. “You can not insult us for being heterosexuals and then send unsolicited dick pics. That is straight man behavior.”

Shanks gave him a startled look. “I was going to ask for consent first, I am not a heathen!”

“Shanks, leave the poor man alone,” Beck said. “And this one too,” he added, pulling Yasopp out of the redhead’s reach. Yasopp was rather grateful for the protection from this maniac.

“By the way, Mihawk mentioned he likes chocolate and flowers,” Beckmann said. “Why don’t you start with that?”

Shanks finally stopped trying to grab Yasopp. “Hm… Already got a plan for the flowers, but chocolate is a good idea…”

Oh no. The look on his face was still the one of a madman. “Shanks…?”, Yasopp asked carefully.

“Maybe I could get a chocolate replica of my penis and-”

“NO!”

Chapter Text

“Hey, Bro!”

Mihawk turned around, finding a teenager with blue, spiky hair staring up at him.

“Hello. How may I help you?”

“Zoro said you know about flowers?”

Mihawk tilted his head to the side. “That depends on what kind of knowledge you seek. Botany is a rather versatile field of expertise.”

The child smirked. “Yeah, you will do. Can you help me with something?”

“Alright.”

“So,” the boy started, “I got my girlfriend a pretty flower, because I’m super awesome like that, and she smiled in a super creepy way and said ‘I accept.’ I wanna know what the hell I just started.”

Mihawk nodded. “Robin?”

“Yeah, have you met her?”

“Briefly. Please describe the flower to me.”

“Pink,” the boy stated. “A little like a rose, but more fluffy. That’s why I picked it, roses are supposed to be romantic, right? And it looked close enough.”

Mihawk sighed. Oh, the naivety of youth… He pulled out his phone and searched up a picture.

“Something like this?”

“Yeah!”, the teen nodded. “That’s the one!”

“My dear boy,” Mihawk chuckled. “That is a ‘dusty rose’ begonia. Unfortunately not a romantic choice.”

The child’s smile dropped. “It’s not? What does it mean?”

“A warning,” Mihawk explained. “Robin accepted?”

“Yeah?”, the teen said, sounding a little worried. “Do I have to fight her?”

Mihawk smiled gently. “Not necessarily. Nowadays the flower can also represent communication and gratefulness. How interested in Victorian flower language is she?”

The boy let his head hang low. “Ah fuck, I’m screwed. She’s absolutely going to kick my ass!”

Mihawk hummed. “You should refrain from eating anything she offers you for a while. The risk of poisoning might have increased.”

“Dammit,” the teen swore. “That risk was already so high to begin with.”

……

“You met Franky?”, Shanks asked. “What did you guys talk about?”

“The importance of getting your girlfriend pretty flowers,” Mihawk smirked.

“Oh, is that so?”, Shanks grinned, subtly letting their knuckles brush together. Mihawk had to suppress a shiver. Kissing Shanks in the middle of a public event had been a mistake. He just couldn’t get the other man off his mind.

He wasn’t even just thinking about kissing Shanks again, but also about talking to him, laughing with him, looking into his eyes, hugging him, holding his hand… It was all up to him. It was too much, too public, too terrifying, but no one would stop him if he gave in to Shanks, and that was the hardest part. Shanks might respect his boundaries, but would Mihawk be able to stick to them? Or should he just let the redhead have his way and regret his abrupt decision the next day?

“Yes, and-”, before Mihawk could finish, he was hit by a cannon ball.

“Hawkyyyyyyyy!”

This time Mihawk would not have been able to stay on his feat, had Shanks not caught him. Mihawk instinctively wrapped one arm around the small body in his arms, and one around the tall, muscular frame he was leaning against.

“Well,” Shanks hummed, “I could definitely get used to this.”

“Daaaaaad!”, Luffy screamed. “I just ate the yummiest thing ever and now I feel great!”

“Oh yeah?”, Shanks laughed. “What was it?”

“I don’t know! This thing in the fridge!”

Mihawk’s breath stocked. “Luffy…”, he asked slowly. “Did you eat all of it?”

“YES! IT WAS SO GOOD!”, the boy yelled and jumped out of his arms. “Gotta go!”

He sprinted across the yard, yelling for Zoro and Nami to play with him.

“Hawky?”, Shanks asked, finally letting go of Mihawk. “What did he eat?”

“Tiramisu.”

“But that means…”

“Sugar and coffee.”

“Dear god.”

……

It only took about five minutes for the caffeinated boy to do something incredibly stupid.

“How did he manage to do that?”, Mihawk wondered, looking up at the straw hat, dangling from a branch high above the garden.

“I’ll get the ladder,” Shanks sighed, turning towards the shed.

“Wait,” Mihawk said, Grabbing his biceps to stop him. “I’ll handle it.”

“Huh?”, Shanks wondered. “What do you mean by that?”

“Hold my drink,” The swordmaster told him and handed him his glass.

In confusion Shanks watched the man approach the set of acrobatic bars next to the tree. Beck had installed it as a birthday present for Luffy two years ago. Today they were adjusted to be too high in the air for the children to grab, as they were not allowed to try out new moves unsupervised.

Mihawk reached up to grab the lower bar, smoothly pulling himself up. Shanks could see his biceps bulging under that tight shirt. The corset made his body look even more graceful, and yet Shanks wished he could rip it off, revealing the lean, strong muscles underneath.

The swordmaster began swinging back and forth, quickly gaining momentum. When he had reached enough speed, he let go of the bar. He basically folded himself in half mid-air, gripping the second, slightly higher bar, drawing some amazed gasps from the audience. At this point everyone had stopped whatever they had been doing in order to watch the spectacle.

Yasopp let out a low whistle and stepped up behind Shanks. “And you tried to impress that guy with some home-cooked beef and pretty words?”

“Don’t worry,” Shanks breathed out, staring at the perfect being in front of him completely mesmerized. “I think I have a plan.”

They watched as Mihawk swung himself up on the second bar, before pulling a leg over it and standing up, as if he was on solid ground, not on a thin metal rod almost 3 meters up in the air. He reached out for the straw hat right above his head, casually plucking it off the branch. The crowd gasped again when the man let himself fall backwards. He caught himself with his legs, slightly swinging back and forth.

“Luffy?”, Mihawk called out, stretching his neck to search the garden.

“Here!”, the boy called out and ran over.

“There you go, dear boy,” Mihawk smiled, and placed the straw hat on his head. “Take good care of it.”

“Of course!”, Luffy promised. “You are the best, Hawky!”

Before the swordmaster could answer, Perona stomped towards him.

“Mihawk!”, the girl called out accusingly. “Why are you upside down?!”

The man frowned. “Well, I was just helping out my friend here-

“You are totally messing up the nice outfit I picked out for you! Not cute!”

Mihawk crossed his arms and pouted a little, which looked somehow amusing and impressive at the same time. “I still paid for it, so it’s mine.”

“You have not paid for my skill and expertise!”, Perona accused. “Now get down from there!”

“Ugh, fine!”, Mihawk huffed. He unhooked his legs, falling head first towards the ground. He smoothly transitioned into a rolling motion, breaking his fall and then coming to his feet without ever uncrossing his arms.

Mihawk glared at his cousin and walked back over to Shanks, seemingly so distracted by his annoyance he didn’t notice everyone around him gawking at him.

“She can be so rude!”

“I thought we were not supposed to do that on the grass,” Zoro said, making Shanks jump a little. He had not noticed the boy joining their group.

“You are supposed to have knowledge of the surface, so you don’t get hurt by rocks or roots,” Mihawk corrected grumpily. “Are you saying I am not fully aware of my surroundings, Roronoa?”

“There is a stick in your hair.”

“And I am aware of them, Roronoa,” the swordmaster shot back. “Are you saying my decorations do not look pretty, Roronoa?”

“I-”

“Do you not think I have pretty hair, Roronoa?”

“Not this again!”, Zoro groaned.

“Shanks, tell the boy I have pretty hair.”

“Mihawk is very pretty,” the redhead repeated dutifully.

“Not what I said,” Mihawk replied.

“What about warming up?”, Yasopp interrupted, clearly trying to save Shanks. “I thought you were supposed to warm up?”

“Oh, we did,” Zoro said bitterly. “he made me run 10 miles!”

Mihawk let out an offended huff. “I did not make you do anything! You asked to do a little bit of exercising before we got ready for the party, so I offered you to go for a run with you.”

“I wanted to do something useful, like weightlifting! I almost worked up to 100 on my bench press!”

“100 pounds!”, Yasopp exclaimed. “That’s pretty good for a kid your age.”

Mihawk gave him a confused look. “We use the metric system, like civilized people.” Then he turned back to Zoro. “Running is a useful exercise. You are acting like you don’t need your muscles for that, but it is a very good work-out. Right, Shanks?”, he asked, turning to the redhead for support.

“Really good for your gluts,” Shanks said absentmindedly, the image of Mihawk’s perfect body dangling from the bar still replaying in his mind.

“Thank you,” Mihawk agreed, clearly not catching the actual meaning of Shanks’ comment.

“Fine!”, Zoro huffed, “Running is good cardio. But so is swimming, so next time you have to take me to the pool!”

Now, that was a nice image… Mihawk, with his dark hair pushed back, water droplets running down his bare chest, over that pale, delicious skin, his swimsuit clinging to him, leaving nothing to the imagination… Would he wear boxers? No, no way. The swordmaster would prefer something much more athletic. Like boxer briefs. Tight ones… Shanks eyed the man next to him. Would he go for simple black? Most likely. Unless he chose red…

“I could take Mihawk swimming…”

The swordmaster gave him an odd look. “That is not the point at all. Were you even listening?” He held out his hand in expectation, frowning when the redhead didn’t respond. “Shanks…? May I have my drink back?”

“No.”

“No? Why?”, Mihawk asked, mustering the glass in concern. “What happened to it?”

Shanks turned to Yasopp. “Hold this,” he said, handing the other man the drink.

“Buddy?”, his friend asked worried. “What are you doing?”

“Told ya I had a plan,” Shanks said. He grabbed the still confused-looking Mihawk by the hand and dragged him across the garden.

Chapter Text

Shanks led Mihawk to the other side of the garden and then let go of his hand. He began to dig through a pile of sticks, quietly muttering to himself.

“Shanks…? What’s going on?”

The redhead didn’t respond, instead he continued inspecting the sticks. He held some of them up in the air, moved them around a little, then shook his head. Mihawk glanced around nervously, wondering if the other man had finally lost his mind completely.

Shanks picked up another stick, a huge grin suddenly spreading over his face. He basically skipped over to Mihawk, presenting it to him. Mihawk gave him an unsure smile and took it.

“Thank you?”

Shanks nodded and went back to his pile of sticks, humming a happy little melody. Mihawk hesitantly looked behind him, finding several people staring at them. Beckmann lifted his hands, clearly asking what the hell was going on. Mihawk looked between him and the stick and shrugged helplessly.

Shanks suddenly straightened up again, with a triumphant laugh, a second stick clasped in his hand. He turned towards Mihawk, a dangerous gleam in his eyes. That gaze… Mihawk’s breath stocked in his throat. He still had no clue what was going on, but damn, did it even matter? He would go along with anything if Shanks was the one to lead him.

“Fight me.”

Mihawk tilted his head to the side. What was Shanks-

Suddenly he registered the weight in his right hand. The stability of the wood, the length, the shape, and how similar it was to the one the redhead was holding.

“Shanks, this is ridiculous.”

The other man took a step towards him and lifted Mihawk’s ‘sword’ with his own, until they were standing with their ‘blades’ crossed.

Mihawk shook his head. “These are sticks.”

Shanks leaned in, a wide, deranged grin on his face. You thought kissing me again felt good?”, he asked, his deep voice making Mihawk shiver a little. “Imagine dueling me.”

Mihawk took a long, shuddering breath. Yeah, that idea was intriguing… It had been so long. Five years, since he had felt the thrill of a real challenge. He needed to feel it again. The burn in his muscles after hours of combat. The ache in his wrist from holding the bamboo practice sword, as well as the one in his cheeks, from the grin he simply couldn’t suppress. The feeling of Shanks’ sweat-slick skin on his, when the redhead finally tripped him over, breaking every rule and forfeiting the duel, just so he could make them tumble to the ground, their bodies pressed together.

“God,” Mihawk groaned at the idea. “You piss me off so much.”

“There is something you could do about it…”, Shanks sing-sanged, taking a few dancing steps back.

That was the last straw. Mihawk threw the stick from his right hand to his left, before putting his dominant arm behind his back. He would face Shanks like his equal. Exactly what the redhead had always been supposed to be.

The first time the sticks clashed together, both of them realized they would have to be careful not to break them immediately. This would be a battle of skill, not strength. Fuck, Mihawk wanted to kiss Shanks so badly.

They did not waste any time with circling each other or more words. Mihawk attacked with everything he had, leading Shanks into a quick exchange of blows.

“What?”, the redhead asked teasingly when he managed to push Mihawk back a few steps, “You think I haven’t trained with my right since the accident?”

The swordmaster felt the smile on his face slip from carefree and lighthearted to something far more unhinged, far more real. He reversed their positions with a few quick blows, forcing Shanks to take several steps back. “What?”, he said copying the redhead’s teasing tone. “You think I haven’t trained both arms all my life?”

Shanks’ eyes widened when he realized his dangerous misconception. “Oh shit.”

It only took a few more minutes for Shanks to end up with his back against the fence, their ‘swords’ interlocked. One flick of Mihawk’s wrist, and Shanks’ stick would crack in two.

“You can’t break it,” Shanks panted. “That would not be a real win.”

Mihawk narrowed his eyes as rage took over his thoughts. He had to win.

“Then yield,” he hissed, increasing the pressure slightly. “You know I won. Give in, Akagami.”

No one. No one had ever looked at Mihawk like that. Opponents and fans had given him looks of awe, admiration and even fear, but this… There was so much fondness in Shanks’ gaze. So much joy and desire and recognition. Like he could see him. Truly see Mihawk.

“One condition,” Shanks whispered. “One condition, and victory is yours.”

“It’s already mine,” Mihawk shot back. “But fine, have your way. What do you want?”

“A date.”

“What?” Mihawk’s grip on the stick loosened a little. It would have been so easy for Shanks to take advantage, to make him drop his weapon and claim victory for himself. To finally defeat Dracule Mihawk, Hawkeyes, the world’s strongest swordsman, using a brittle stick at a child’s birthday party. Instead, Shanks’ gaze softened.

“A date,” he repeated. “Let me take you out. Let me prove myself to you.”

Mihawk grinned. “Is that not what you have just done?”

“Then yield,” Shanks smirked back. “You know I won,” he continued, copying not only Mihawk’s words, but also his exact tone of voice. “You know you want me. Give in, Dracule”

Mihawk closed his eyes for a moment, letting the words wash over him. Why was he not agreeing? This was exactly what he wanted. Shanks was perfect.

“Fine,” he hissed. “Tomorrow evening. You pay.”

“Of course,” Shanks chuckled, “Don’t worry, I know how to treat a pretty boy like you.”

“Yield.”

Shanks’ eyes widened at his harsh command and he dropped the stick. For a few seconds, they just stared at each other, then Mihawk dropped his weapon as well. Shanks reached out and pulled his right arm from behind his back. He interlocked their fingers, before spinning Mihawk around and raising their joined hands high up in the air.

“Listen up, folks!”, he shouted from the top of his lungs. “Dracule Mihawk wins the duel!”

“We know!”, Lucky Roux yelled before turning back to the grill.

“Nothing new,” Lime Juice added.

“Don’t act like you ever stood a chance, Akagami!”, Beckmann called out, making the rest of the onlookers chuckle.

“Holy shit…”, a voice next to them whispered. Mihawk flinched, turning around to the wide-eyed boy. He had not realized had walked up to them. “You- You are- You-”

No. No, no, no, no, no! Zoro could not find out about his secret identity like this! In time, he was going to share his success and fame with the boy, but not yet. Not while he still lowered his eyes and called Mihawk ‘Sensei’ in that small, frightened voice.

“You guys are dating?!”, Zoro whispered, looking between them in shock.

“What?”, Mihawk asked. How had Zoro gotten wind of that? There was no way he had heard the quiet words exchanged between them. “How do you…?”

“I know sword fighting,” Zoro said. “That was not normal fighting.”

Mihawk felt blood rush into his cheeks. “I- We just- This isn’t-”

“I have never fought like that,” Zoro continued. “I think I would remember that.”

“Yeah,” Shanks nodded. “A boy never forgets his first homoerotic sword fight.”

Mihawk let out an annoyed huff. “Listen, Zoro, Shanks and I- We- It’s complicated.”

Zoro’s shoulders dropped. “Oh. So Luffy won’t become my brother?”

Shanks winced a little. “Mihawk and I are just-”

“Don’t let other people dedicate your life,” Mihawk cut him off. “Who is your brother is up to you, not me and the redhead.” He turned back to Shanks. “You can pick me up at six. Don’t be late.”

……

“Psst! Psst, Shanks!”

The man turned around when he noticed Zoro’s excited whispers.

“Yeah?”

“That awesome block you used,” the teen started, bouncing a little up and down. “I have never seen that before! Did Hawkeyes teach you that?”

“You wanna know a secret?”, Shanks whispered and got down on one knee in front of the boy.

Zoro’s excited nod made him grin. It was good to see the teen so carefree.

“Hawkeyes didn’t teach me that,” Shanks said. “But I taught him.”

Zoro’s eyes almost popped out of his skull. “REALLY?!”, he exclaimed far too loudly.

“Yup,” Shanks nodded. “I taught him just as much as he taught me.”

“Holy… You can help me, right? You can show me too?”

“I’d love to trai-”

Before Shanks could finish, Zoro had already wrapped his arms around his neck. “Thank you! I have to ask Sensei!”

The boy let go and sprinted over to Mihawk, who was being congratulated for his win (and for putting Shanks in his place) by Hongo and Beckmann.

“Sensei!”

“Zoro, are you-”

“Can Shanks and I train together? He said he would teach me!”

“Did he now?”, Mihawk chuckled, throwing a look at Shanks.

Zoro gripped the man’s hand, basically shaking him in his excitement. “Please, Mihawk! It’s going to be so cool!”

Shanks and the swordmaster exchanged a surprised look. The teenager was talking about sword fighting and asking for something he wanted, all without a hint of fear in his voice or even calling the man by his title.

“Alright,” Mihawk nodded and then turned to Shanks. “You know the rules.”

The redhead rolled his eyes. Yes, he himself sometimes skipped a proper warm-up or stretching routine, but of course he would stick to protocol when teaching a child.

“Thank you!”, Zoro cheered and hugged Mihawk.

The look Shanks received from the swordmaster made his heart swell. He understood it very well. Every time Mihawk showed how perfectly he could handle Luffy his lungs just stopped working. Shanks felt immense pride at being able to make Mihawk’s child laugh and smile like that.

“Watch out, the redhead is going to steal your top student;” Beckmann teased, patting Mihawk on the back.

“Oh, I am not too concerned,” Mihawk smirked. “I can simply defeat Shanks in another duel and win him back.”

Both men grinned at Shanks. Traitors. He could totally steal the child if he really tried to!

Zoro took a hesitant step away from Mihawk. “Uhm, Sensei?”

At that title and that tone, Mihawk’s expression immediately turned serious. “Zoro?”

“What’s going on?”, the boy asked, looking between Beckmann and his guardian. “Do we not hate him anymore?”

“We?”, Mihawk asked confused. “Since when do you have a problem with Beckmann?”

“Uhm...”

Chapter Text

“Since when do you have a problem with Beckmann?”

“Uhm…”

Mihawk turned to the man next to him, rage beginning to build in his chest. “Are you fighting with my 14-year-old child?”

Beckmann pulled a face. “You see…”

“Technically…”, Zoro chimed in. The guilty look on the boy’s face was enough evidence for Mihawk. He looked around, noticing Belle-mere, Banchina and Franky’s parents already looking over at them.

“Zoro, please follow me,” Mihawk ordered and turned towards the house. “We need to talk.”

The boy followed him with his head low, making the swordmaster feel awful. Still, he needed to have a conversation with Zoro, and considering the boy’s emotional nature, he did not want to have it in public.

When they reached the kitchen, they found Perona, washing her hands at the sink.

“Hey guys, everything okay?”, she asked when she noticed Mihawk’s annoyed look and Zoro’s guilty one.

“I don’t know,” Mihawk said calmly. “Zoro was about to fill me in.”

The teen’s head suddenly snapped up and he angrily stared at his guardian. “I heard what he said to you! I wasn’t about to just let him disrespect you like that!”

Ah, that explained it. Mihawk tried to ignore the wave of shame washing over him. The idea of his child bearing witness to such humiliation made him feel sick. He had thought he was doing everyone a favor by staying calm and not defending himself, but how had that scene looked to Zoro? How was the teen supposed to feel safe with him, when Mihawk could not even protect himself?

“Zoro, you are 14,” Mihawk stated harshly, “And he is a grown man. You should not put yourself on the line like that,” he tried to explain. He was also upset Zoro had eavesdropped, but pointing that out would not be helpful. “Next time you have a bad feeling about someone, you have to tell an adult.”

“I told an adult!”, the boy defended himself. “Perona knows!”

What? Had Zoro told her before the party? Why hadn’t she informed Mihawk?

“You encouraged this?”

“Perhaps.”

Mihawk narrowed his eyes at Perona. There was so, so much he loved about her, but sometimes she just pissed him off beyond belief.

“And what exactly have you two been doing?”

“We may have been throwing things at his head…”, Zoro said, looking down in shame. Mihawk shook his head and turned away from the boy, glaring at Perona.

“And what lesson does that teach?”, he asked, crossing his arms. “How is this helping Zoro to feel safe?”

Perona mirrored his stance. “The lesson that if a bitch crosses us, I can handle it.”

Oh, now Mihawk was really angry. Who did she think she was? Perona was basically still a child, how dare she keep a situation like this from him, now that an even younger child was involved?

“No,” he hissed, taking a step towards her. “I handle bitches who cross us. You children stay out of it!”

“Do you?”, Perona asked, leaning forward a bit. “Do you handle things? Because I can trust you to take care of us,” she said, gesturing to her and Zoro, “but what about you?”

“Perona, this is enough!”, Mihawk said loudly. “This is not your situation to take care of. This behavior is childish and-”

“Do not tell me what I can and can not handle!”, Perona gasped, her cheeks turning pink from anger. “I have been taking care of adults my whole life!”

Wow. It was like she understood and completely missed the point at the same time.

“Which is exactly why I need you to stay out of it!”

“You are not my dad, you know?”

Mihawk took a step back. It was true. He was nothing like that to her. They were so distant, it was questionable whether or not they should be called related at all. He was not Perona’s father in any way, but the girl was still his… something. His to protect. To take care of. To listen to, to greet home and to cheer up whenever needed.

“I didn’t mean to imply-”, he said stiffly, but Perona quickly cut him off.

“Like, for real, you are nothing like that sucker!”, she told him. “So you can stop worrying and just talk to me.”

Well, wasn’t that a nice idea?

“If it was that simple, you wouldn’t keep showing up on my doorstep angry and lost,” he told her, hating how she flinched back from his harsh words. “Every time you go back to him he just messes with your mind all over again, and I refuse to add on to that.”

“Oh, I’m sorry I am trying to not lose my father,” Perona hissed at him. “I’m sure if you still had one, you would agree!”

The second the words left her lips, Perona slapped a hand over her mouth and jumped back. Mihawk just stood there, completely frozen, trying to process what had just been said.

“Did-”, he started, but stopped when he didn’t have enough breath to get the words out. “Did you just call me an orphan as an insult?”, he asked astonished.

“I- Mihawk,” Perona whispered, her voice so high-pitched, he could barely understand her. “I am so sor-”

Before she could finish, Mihawk had already turned away from her and dropped down on one knee.

“Zoro…”, he whispered softly. He had spotted the teen’s horrified face out of the corner of his eye, and in an instant, all his anger was washed away.

“Hey, it’s okay,” he said, letting out a relieved sigh when the teen fell into his arms and hid his face in the crook of his neck instead of flinching away from him.

“I’m sorry,” Zoro sniffed, tightening his grip on Mihawk a little. “I don’t want you guys to fight.”

He didn’t know what to say to that, so he just began rocking the child slightly, humming a soft tune to him. He noticed Perona leaving the room, but he simply couldn’t go after her right now, not until he had calmed Zoro down.

“Thank you for not hitting her,” the boy in his arms whispered after a few minutes.

“Never,” Mihawk promised him hoarsely. “I will never hurt either of you. And I am happy to demonstrate that a million times over, so feel free to piss me off whenever it feels necessary.”

Zoro chuckled wetly. “Okay, but I won’t do it too often, I also don’t want to hurt you.”

……

“What the hell was that about?”

Beckmann squirmed under his friend’s gaze. Was this what Shanks felt like when he messed up and Beck scolded him? He should have known this thing would come to light. He should have told Shanks, but he hadn’t wanted to make this whole situation even more complicated.

“The kid overheard what I said to Mihawk. Made him really mad.”

“Fuck, Beck!”, Shanks groaned. “And you didn’t tell me? What happened?”

“I hoped the situation would just go away eventually,” Beckmann shrugged. “He threw some things at my head, and a death threat or two, but…”, he trailed off when Shanks’ eyes widened. Was there more to it than he had thought? In the end, if he, a grown man, was the only victim, it didn’t really matter. He could handle a grumpy child.

“What will be your next steps regarding this?”

“Erm, I don’t know?”, Beckmann said, his friend’s tone making him a little unsure. “Beg on my knees for forgiveness?”

Shanks blinked a few times. “Forgiveness?”

“Wait, why are you looking at me like that?”

“Like what?”

Beckmann mustered his friend’s pale face in concern. “Like I’m about to punch you. Shanks, you have never looked at me like that before, what the hell is going on?”

Shanks’ eyes drifted to the side, a far-off look creeping onto his face. This couldn’t just be about the little fight he had with that kid. Something had triggered some of the redhead’s more deeply rooted issues.

“Shanks, you can trust me.”

Shanks took a shaky breath. “Those threats Zoro made, considering certain things on his record if you were to report the incident-”

“Report?”, Beckmann asked surprised. The thought hadn’t even crossed his mind. He was the one at fault here. “I didn’t even know I could do that. He’s just a kid.”

Shanks gripped his shoulder tightly, his eyes wide and a little unfocused. “DON’T! Mihawk could lose him.”

“You know I wouldn’t-” Beckmann stopped himself. Shanks really should know him better. There was something else going on here…

“This is about your brother, isn’t it?”

Shanks flinched and let go of him. “My parents almost lost Buggy a couple of times…”

Beckmann sighed. Of course this would all trigger some of the redhead’s old fears. When they had been young, Buggy had gotten himself into a lot of bad situations while running from his issues. If it had not been for his foster (and later adoptive) fathers’ endless love and patience, there was no way of telling where the teenager would have ended up.

Beckmann pulled Shanks into a quick hug. “Just go check on them.”

Chapter Text

When Shanks entered the house he caught a glimpse of Perona storming out of the front door. He desperately needed to check on Zoro and Mihawk, but they probably needed more time, and if the girl was leaving already, he wanted to say goodbye to her.

Shanks went out on the front porch, surprised to find Perona sitting on the wooden stairs, her face buried in her hands.

“Hey…”, he said softly, approaching the trembling girl. “Are you okay?”

A heavy sob ripped out of her throat, making Shanks flinch a little. “No.”

Wordlessly Shanks sat down next to her, waiting for Perona to catch her breath.

“I- I said something really terrible to Mihawk,” she rushed out between little sobs.

“Ah,” Shanks sighed, unsure how to comfort her. They basically didn’t even know each other. “Has he reacted badly?”

“He didn’t have time, he had to take care of Zoro.”

Shanks grimaced. He had no clue what was going on, but if his family was fighting, Zoro must be freaking out. After hearing the way Mihawk had talked about Perona with such fierce protectiveness, there was no way he would let her suffer like this if the teenager didn’t need his attention.

“Our fight made him upset,” Perona continued, curling in on herself. “Mihawk must hate me for making Zoro upset.”

Shanks chuckled sadly. “Honestly, after everything I have learned about him last week, I’m not sure he has all that much hate to give,” he said scooting a bit closer to the girl. “And the little resentment he has he is laser-focusing on the people who really deserve it.”

Perona fell to the side, leaning into Shanks. He wrapped his arm around her carefully, lightly rubbing her shoulder as she continued.

“Where do I go without Mihawk? It’s not like I need a legal guardian like Zoro, but where do either of us go without him?”

“Not something you will have to find out,” Shanks said softly.

“I told him he wasn’t my dad.”

Shanks sucked in a harsh breath. He remembered Buggy shouting those words many, many times. Thank god Mihawk was one of the best men Shanks had ever met, because that must have hurt. Still, he knew the swordmaster would not take it out on her.

“It’s true, he is not,” Perona whispered, as if it was a secret. “But- Shanks... I wish he was.”

He had to squeeze his eyes shut for a moment. What was he supposed to say to that? Mihawk had only briefly mentioned Perona’s relationship to her father and the reasons she had clung to Mihawk, an older, male relative, who, despite his emotional constipation, was good. Through and through. And kind. And might have no idea what to do, but was very sure what not to do to a helpless child.

“When I met him, he wasn’t like now. He was… different.”

Shanks let out a startled laugh. “I know. I knew him like that.”

Perona nodded, her head rubbing against his shoulder. “He wasn’t like now,” she continued, “but if he was my dad, he wouldn’t have hurt me. He wouldn’t still be hurting me.”

“Oh darling,” Shanks said, tightening his grip on her. “I’m so sorry. You deserved better. You deserved someone like Mihawk.”

“I think about that sometimes,” she admitted, cuddling closer to Shanks. Her small, broken voice made him realize how young she still was. A legal adult, only 12 years younger than him, but still a child in many ways.

“I think about what it would have been like to be raised by Mihawk,” she said, a wistful tone creeping into her voice. “He wouldn’t have known what to do with me as a little kid. Did he already know you back then? Would he have called you?”, she wondered and pulled back to throw a questioning look at Shanks.

“No,” he told her. “We met much later. Besides, when you were a baby, I was 12.”

“Oh, right…”, Perona chuckled. “I forgot you are not as ancient as he is.”

“7 years is not that large of an age gap,” Shanks pouted. “I can still totally pull him.”

The girl ignored him. “That dork probably would have had to google everything.”

“Probably,” Shanks agreed. “I think you would have scared the shit out of him.”

“I can still do that!”, Perona claimed. “Are you saying I have lost my edge?”

“Of course not,” Shanks grinned, pulling her into his side again. “You are truly terrifying. Especially in those boots.”

……

After a few minutes, Mihawk placed Zoro on the window sill instead of the floor, a glass of water beside him. The boy had stopped crying a while ago and was breathing normally.

There was a knock before the door opened slightly. “Mihawk? Zoro?”

“Yes?”, he answered, turning towards Shanks.

“Hey,” the redhead said softly. “How are you guys doing?”

It was amazing how quickly the other man’s presence could soothe Mihawk’s anxious mind. He was always so unsure of himself, having to run a million calculations instead of being allowed to rely on his instinct like everyone else. But Shanks could tell him. Shanks could make sure Mihawk was doing it right, and then he didn’t have to worry anymore. Shanks meant safety.

“We are okay,” Mihawk sighed. “Have you seen-”

“Perona is on the front porch,” Shanks told him.

“Is she-?”

Shanks grimaced. “I talked to her for a bit, but I don’t think she will be truly okay until you guys had a chat.”

Mihawk nodded. “Yes.” He took a step towards the door, then looked back at Zoro, who was staring out of the window and leaning against the glass. “Uhm.”

Shanks gave him a small smile. Of course. The other man would stay with Zoro, so Mihawk had a chance to step away and talk to Perona.

“Thank you,” he said hoarsely. He put a hand on Shanks’ arm, squeezing tightly. “Thank you, Shanks.” Then he hurried out of the room.

……

Zoro couldn’t bear to turn is head. Shanks had sounded so soft and understanding when he had talked to Mihawk, the teen didn’t want to see the shift in his expression the second he focused on Zoro.

He had totally forgotten who Beckmann was to Shanks, too lost in his anger. His best friend. Zoro had threatened and bullied Shank’s best friend. These past two weeks the man had been such a huge help to Zoro. He had made him feel more comfortable around other people and had even come over when Zoro had called him. He didn’t want to lose him as a friend.

And now Mihawk and Shanks were… something. Of course Zoro knew that meant absolutely nothing for the man and him, just because Shanks liked Mihawk it didn’t mean he wanted to have to deal with the random child the swordmaster had taken in. Shanks was Luffy’s dad. He already had a kid, he had no reason to put even more effort in that other, less pleasant boy Mihawk insisted on dragging along.

Still… Shanks was such a nice guy. Funny, and friendly and always up for a game. And somehow he always managed to make Zoro’s messy thoughts more organized and clear. It would have been so nice to be allowed to spend more time with him…

“...ro? Hey, can you hear me?”

Fuck, had Shanks been talking to him? He had been too lost in his spiraling thoughts to notice.

“Hello.”

“Hi, kid. Would you mind turning around for a moment?”

“I don’t want to,” Zoro whispered. “Not yet.”

“Okay,” Shanks said kindly. “Take your time.”

Zoro took a deep breath and squeezed his eyes shut, focusing on his soft voice. “I need to remember you,” he admitted. “I need to put you somewhere in my mind before I turn around and you are different.”

“Different?”

Zoro nodded, his eyes still closed. “I need to remember the way you looked at me before.”

“Before what?”, Shanks asked, as if he didn’t know exactly what they were talking about.

“Before you learned I am a bad child,” Zoro told him. “Before you started hating me.”

“I don’t hate you, Zoro.”

“Yes, you do!”, Zoro yelled and whipped his head around to stare at Shanks. “I hurt your best friend.”

Only then he realized what he had just done.

“Fuck!”, Zoro cursed and slapped a hand over his eyes. He tried his best to concentrate on the image he had been trying to solidify in his mind. Carefree grin, a twinkle in his eyes. Eyes that would turn soft when he looked at Zoro with a gentle, reassuring smile. Friendly, kind, and full of concern for Zoro. That was what Shanks was supposed to look like. Not like now, with narrowed eyes and pressed-together lips and a mean snarl as he reached out for Zoro-

Wait… That last part couldn’t be true, right? In his mind, there were two hands coming towards him, aiming for his face and throat. But there was no way Shanks had been doing that. Zoro flinched when he realized the man in his mind didn’t even have red hair. No, that wasn’t Shanks at all… That was his sensei. But Sensei was in prison and Mihawk was his sensei now. And Mihawk would never reach for him like that.

Which meant… Which meant Shanks wouldn’t either, right?

“Hey…”, the man’s gentle whisper cut through the fog filling his mind. “Hey, come on, just look at me,” Shanks pleaded. “I promise it will be okay.”

Zoro slowly turned back around, hesitantly mustering his face.

Soft eyes, drawn-together eyebrows, a kind smile- Shanks! It was still Shanks!

The man’s arm wrapped around Zoro when he threw himself at him. “Shanks!”

“Hi, Zoro,” the redhead chuckled, squeezing him tightly.

“Shanks, I’m so sorry,” Zoro told him.

“It’s okay,” Shanks hummed. “I really wished you would have talked to me, but I’m glad you were looking out for Mihawk when I wasn’t.”

“Why weren’t you?”,” Zoro asked confused. “I already told you you need to take care of him!”

“I know,” Shanks sighed. “There was a misunderstanding. Beckmann is not a bad guy, I promise. He thought Mihawk had been really mean to me.”

“Mihawk was mean to you?”, Zoro frowned and pulled back from the hug. “That’s strange, Mihawk is never mean.”

Shanks chuckled. “Yeah, Mihawk is great. He wasn’t mean, Beck was wrong about that. He apologized to Mihawk earlier.”

“Oh… So he was trying to protect you?”

“Yeah.”

“He was doing the same thing I was doing,” Zoro nodded. “If he did it for you, he can’t be too bad of a guy, I guess.”

“Right,” Shanks nodded and put a hand on Zoro’s head. “Which would mean…?”

“Huh?”, Zoro asked.

The man sighed. “If Beckmann did what you did, for the same reason, and he is not a bad guy, that means…?”

Now the teen realized what he was on about. “That… That I am… I am not bad?”, he forced out, his face heating up.

“Correct,” Shanks praised. “You are a great kid, Zoro.”

“Okay, fine,” the teen said embarrassed and crossed his arms. “Are we done?”

Shanks frowned. “Unfortunately not.”

Zoro grimaced and took a step back. “Oh.”

“Listen, about those threats-”

“I’m sorry!”, the teen said quickly. “I didn’t mean them!”

“I know,” Shanks nodded. “Beck does too, but you need to be more careful. With those things on your record, mistakes like that can become dangerous.”

“Will something bad happen to me, Shanks?”

“No,” the man said and rubbed Zoro’s shoulder comfortingly. “But should you ever have a bad feeling about someone again, please check in with Mihawk or me, okay?”

“Okay Shanks, I promise!”, Zoro nodded quickly.

“Thank you, Zoro,” Shanks smiled. “I am very proud of you.”

Chapter Text

“Hey, dude, mind telling me what is going on? Both Mihawk and Shanks seemed really worried. Is Zoro okay?”, Yasopp asked him. Since Shanks had left, Beckmann had just been standing on his own, trying to come up with a way to apologize to Mihawk for not talking to him about his child’s issues.

He sighed deeply and explained the whole situation to Yasopp, whose eyes got bigger and bigger the longer he was speaking.

“Fuck, man… “, his friend said when he was done. “Wait, why were you starting shit with Mihawk in the first place?”

How was he supposed to explain this? According to Shanks, Mihawk preferred to keep things private, so airing out the details of his relationship would probably get Beckmann at the end pointy of the man’s sword.

“It was before I found out Shanks is once more the true culprit,” he sighed. “I thought I was protecting our pet ginger.”

“Damn…”, Yasopp sighed.

“So… Did I traumatize a child?”

“Nah…”, his friend decided after a moment. “Zoro’s reaction seems pretty strong, so probably more like… awoken the past trauma?”

Beckmann was ready to throw himself off the roof. “Shit.”

Yasopp grimaced. “And it might be two…”

Beckmann tensed up. “Two?”

Yasopp nodded. “I just walked around the house and… well… that girl Mihawk brought is sitting on the front porch. I don’t think she’s doing so well...”

Beckmann immediately started to look around for anyone to help, but no one here really knew Perona. “Shouldn’t someone-?”

“Shanks is already talking to her.”

He sighed in relief. “Ah. Of course.”

“You know, she is 20 already...”

Beckmann shook his head in defeat. “Dude, that won’t fix it.”

“So… technically you didn’t start a fight with two children…”, Yasopp kept going awkwardly. “Only, like, one and a half.”

“That girl is tiny,” Beckmann grumbled. “And twenty is basically an infant.”

Yasopp grimaced. “Yeah…”

“By the way, I didn’t start any fights,” Beckmann felt the need to add. Perhaps he should have told Shanks and Mihawk about the situation, but he had not been the one to attack Zoro...