Disclaimer: No, I don't own One Piece.

Phantom Limb

Shanks would never once regret the decision to jump into the ocean that day and save Luffy even weighting it against the cost of his left arm. In face he had never once complained about the loss of the limb. During the time immediately following the incident Shanks would sometimes forget his loss and go to wave or grasp his sword only to realize the crucial appendage was missing. It was a shock every time, but even then Shanks did nothing but smile.

Missing an arm was nothing compared to missing a friend. So Shanks bore his disfigurement with grace. On the day that he'd left the small boy on that island, he left his prized hat as well in the form of a promise. His time on that island had convinced him: Shanks could live without an arm, but the world couldn't live without Luffy. The small boy had carried on the spirit and will of Shanks' first captain the pirate king Gol D Roger.

With that in mind, Shanks barely missed the arm at all. What Shanks did clearly felt the keen sting of loss for was his rival. Shortly after leaving Foosha Village, Shanks had sought out his rival Dracule Mihawk. It was almost a ritual between the two. Of course they needed to test their strength and skill against each other, but at the same time there was a different aspect to their association that the reserved man would never admit to.

But it didn't escape Shanks' notice that Mihawk, who only drank red wine, would keep some rum on hand for when Shanks stopped by. In the same fashion, Shanks always kept and extra bottle of the best red wine he could find on his ship- just in case. Their duels always ended in a close call and afterward Shanks would insist on celebrating. The first few times, Hawk Eye was resistant and the entire time he would sullenly sip his wine and sometimes comment that he couldn't stand parties. But eventually Mihawk begrudgingly hosted his own post-match celebration for the Red Haired pirates.

And Shanks enjoyed Mihawk's company because the latter had refused his invitation to join his crew. The first time they met- and the first time they had fought- young Shanks had laughed from deep within his belly and said, "Hey, you're pretty good. Join my crew!"

The other man hardly even gave any thought before saying, "No."

This had Shanks laughing once more much to Mihawk's annoyance. "Aww, why not?" Shanks asked through his laugh.

"Because," Hawk Eye said with a look of disapproval on his face, "You laugh when you should be serious and you run your mouth when you should hold your tongue!"

And Shanks was laughing again. It was an accurate description and not one Shanks would deny in the least. "I see," the Red Hair said eventually when his great heaving laughs had calmed down. "Then we are just too different for you to want to sail with me."

Mihawk's eyebrows lowered and his lip curled, "As if I would follow a ridiculous captain like you!"

But in time Shanks came to realize the Mihawk not only would not follow him as Captain, but would join no crew. It seemed the reclusive swordsman did not care to collect nakama. Even after their third duel when Shanks suggested the other man would make a decent captain if he ever cared to collect a crew, the dark haired man scoffed at the idea saying, "I'm all the crew I need."

To Shanks it was important to cultivate his friendship with this man who constantly told him no. He prized his nakama more than words could express, but no one said no to the captain. Being a smart man, Shanks counted the opinion of his men more than most captains and often asked for their views. But as will all pirate crews his word was law. Such an existence was undoubtedly boring.

And that was exactly why, Shanks sought Mihawk out for duel after duel. And when the other man sought him out as well, Shanks' pride grew tenfold. It meant that reluctantly the other man recognized him as a good match and respected him for his ability to wield a sword.

As he held the vivre card in his open palm shouting directions to his crew he could almost picture what Mihawk would say to him after their next duel. Shanks planned to tell the other man about Luffy. And that man who would not collect friends among grown men would sneer at Shanks' extending his friendship to consider the mere slip of a child. When he did this, Shanks would tell Mihawk what he saw in Luffy's future and he would know that the other man would watch Luffy grow with keen interest as well. That was how it was with them. They challenged and doubted each other and that in itself created a special irreplaceable sort of bond.

The reclusive Mihawk had a habit of relocating to old rundown castles, so Shanks was not surprised when his vivre card lead to such a place. It was a dreary island and Shanks wondered if the sun ever really rose here. How the man happened to find these beat up old places was beyond him.

Shanks sauntered up to the crumbling old castle that was covered in moss and vines. Would it kill the man to live in a cheerful place? As he walked Shanks neither called out to his rival nor made any obvious noise alerting the man to his presence; but when the red head got to the court yard, Mihawk was there waiting for him just as expected.

Their battle had started off simply enough. Shanks used his right hand to draw his sword while Mihawk drew Kokuto Yoru. By way of greeting, the solitary man smirked and called, "I see you managed to lose that scruffy old hat."

But Shanks merely grinned with that wide carefree smile he had and replied, "It's on lone to a friend."

Mihawk raised an eyebrow, but simply said, "Ready?"

With a nod from Shanks, both men put their swords on the line. After the first few passes, Mihawk sheathed his great sword and began to walk tiresomely away.

"Hey!" Shanks shouted, "What gives?" Their duel was far from over- Shanks had barely had enough time to warm-up!

Mihawk barely looked over his shoulder as he spoke, "If you did not come to fight me seriously, why did you come Red-hair?"

Confused, Shanks cocked his head and asked, "What do you mean?" The comment offended Shanks slightly; despite being a relaxed man, Shanks never drew his weapon without meaning.

This time his poised rival did turn and face Shanks. In a bored voice, Mihawk spoke as if stating well-known facts, "We've fought each other many times. I know your fighting style as well as I know my own and I know without that second sword, you aren't fighting seriously."

"Oh that!" Shanks said sheathing his sword and scratching at his trademark hair. Then he laughed in his normal rowdy manner and gripped the left shoulder of his cloak with his right hand and pulled the garment off to reveal his recent amputation. "Seems like one sword is all I can manage these days."

Those hawk-eyes grew wide with shock. Shanks was a good fighter- on par with Mihawk himself- there was no way Shanks could have lost the arm in a fight and despite his laid back attitude the man was far from careless.

Mihawk's yellow eyes narrowed and he demanded, "Explain! I haven't seen you for over a year and you've given up your hat and are missing an arm. What on earth have you been doing?"

Shanks crossed the courtyard to a stone wall as high as his hips. Leaning casually on the wall, Shanks rubbed the shoulder that used to bear his left arm with a far away look. "I met a six year old boy in East Blue who reminded me of someone I used to know. When some bandit threw the kid into the water in front of a Sea King I couldn't stop myself from jumping in after him. I lost my arm, but saved the boy. The hat I gave him with a promise. He's going to live up to that hat's previous owner; one day he'll be the pirate king."

The idea was so absurd that Mihawk wanted to laugh at it; instead his eyebrow twitched and he spoke severely, "You think a six year old boy is going to be the pirate king?"

"Well, he's seven now," Shanks offered with a half shrug. "And yes. Someday." Then he eyed his rival with a seldom-used serious look, "Don't forget, who taught me to sail. I know greatness when I see it. That boy has what it takes; it was like looking at Roger all over again."

This silenced the other man. It wasn't often that Shanks took the time to look serious, but when he did Mihawk knew better than to question him. He sounded almost angry when he said, "So you've given up your hat, your arm and your dream? Have you gotten that old already that you need to pass on your legacy? Now what? Become some complacent old gambler who sits around doing nothing but drink rum? Have you ended your piracy days so easily?"

"Don't write me off just yet," Shanks said wagging a finger and grinning wildly once more. He pushed himself up off the wall and crossed the courtyard to face Mihawk. I don't need an arm or a hat to make me great. The name Red-Haired Shanks will be known throughout this land yet!"

Mihawk sighed in annoyance believing the other man was all talk. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a white piece of paper and held it out to the other man. "Well I'm sure I will see you again someday."

With angry eyes, Shanks looked at his own vivre card held in the snimble fingers of Dracule Mihawk's hand as the other man clearly meant to tell him their association was over. Gnashing his teeth at the infuriating man, Shanks yelled, "Didn't you hear me? I said don't write me off yet!"

Shrugging, the other man pocketed the paper saying, "Don't expect me to use it. I have no use for one armed has-beens."

Over the years, he and Mihawk had many fierce battles. Shanks enjoyed sword fighting best when he was crossing his blades against Mihawk. The latter man had been the only person who could stand up to Shanks with a sword and the two had often fought over which of them was the stronger swordsman. It seemed Mihawk now thought he had his answer. Shanks grabbed the other man by the collar of his jacket and growled, "I will be something big. Maybe they won't call me the strongest swordsman, but the world will know my name!"

"Indeed," was all Mihawk replied with a disbelieving smile.

"I will show you, Mihawk! I will show you why you shouldn't take your eye off of me!" Shanks was quite angry by now, but released the other man's coat.

"Fine. We'll see if that happens," Mihawk called as he walked away no longer looking back at his once-rival.

And Shanks watched the retreating back of Dracule Mihawk- the man who called him a rival, but refused to call him a friend despite the many celebrations he'd convinced the other man into sharing. Mihawk refused to call him a friend even though he always kept a stash of rum incase Shanks dropped by. And even now that he would not face Shanks as a rival, he refused to acknowledge the companionship the two had developed over the years. Instead of acknowledging Shanks as a friend, Mihawk walked away.

With renewed determination, Shanks cupped his right hand around his mouth and called out to his would-be friend, "Next time I see you be sure to have plenty of rum to celebrate my achievements! If you won't fight me with a sword, then we'll use alcohol as our medium."

Mihawk raised a long thin hand in the air. Whether it was a wave of acknowledgement or dismissal, Shanks didn't care. That the other man had heard him was enough. Kicking a few pebbles on the ground as he went, Shanks shuffled away to rejoin his crew. With a grin like a wild-cat, Shanks called out to his crew. "Come on, men! It's time to conquer the New World!"

A cheer of compliance rose from his nakama as they set the sails and made ready to depart. Shanks climbed aboard his ship and looked toward the horizon. Now, he was going to show Mihawk that he was still a man worthy of his association.

A few months later, the whole world was calling Hawk-eye Mihawk the strongest swordsman alive and was offered the title of Shichibukai. It took two years for Shanks to earn the title of Yonko, but he did it.

After those two years, he had clearly proved that the loss of an arm did nothing to hinder his progress as a great pirate. He started out to sea wondering if it was yet the time to re-pay a visit to the man who wouldn't call him a friend. Often during those two years, he found himself on the bragging end of some achievement or another that he wished to boast of to Mihawk. In the past after such a win, he would often seek a duel with his rival and use this to share his story. But during these two years, he had to keep his success to himself. Of course his crew was there to share it and Shanks enjoyed the rough group of bastards as much as he could. But Mihawk had been his friend on a different level even if the other man would not admit to it. And during the time since he lost his arm it was that rivalry, that almost friend, that Shanks missed the most.

Author's Notes: I know that by the time Luffy is sailing, Shanks and Mihawk seem to have smoothed over their understanding, but I wanted to play with that moment when Mihawk loses interest in Shanks as a rival. Perhaps I'll explore more of this tentative friendship later.

And a (boring) note as to grammar: I can't find any definitive rule on whether a noun ending with an "s" gets an apostrophe s or just an apostrophe. It seems a lot of it is left up to style with consistency being the main key. As "Shanks" already begins and ends with an "s" I felt the addition of another "s" was cumbersome. Shanks's just didn't seem to fit, so I went with Shanks' instead. Also the "D" in Gol D Roger's name is written without a period because there is nothing in the manga/anime to suggest it is an initial and not the entire middle name of these characters. There is no period when it appears written out for instance in wanted posters.

I will admit that I wrote this not knowing whether it would turn into yaoi or not. But this was not the moment for yaoi anyhow so it was written simply as a friendship story. If you read more into it fine by me, but this piece is mostly about the bond between rivals with no hidden romantic agenda.