"M…Makino…" Shanks could barely recognize his own voice. He sounded much older and weaker. the back of his eyes burned causing his head to split with pain.

He wept. "Makino please…"

He looked down to the tavern floor where the once lively bartender was laid. There in her own blood.

He dropped to his knees beside her not caring about the puddle of red soaking into his pants. "Please, open your eyes…." The first of his tears fell onto her cheek and rolled down to her hairline. Her bandanna was gone.

There was a slight flicker of her eyelids, "S-shanks…" Her voice was weaker than his own…barely audible and forced.

"Ye…yes Makino I'm ri-right here…" He held back a choked sob and pulled her closer into his lap. Her breath was low, heavy, and raspy.

"I can't…" Her eyes closed again. "I'm too weak…"

"Please!" His voice rose an octave in horror and he shook her lightly, "Please…you have to. You have to open your eyes. Stay with me."

"I..ca…I ca…" Her mouth moved but the words wouldn't come. He held her in his lap sitting her up supporting her with his arms so he could look into her face.

"Yes you can…You're not weak Makino…I know you're stronger. You can do this. Please! please…open your eyes stay with me."

She coughed and blood trickled down the corner of her lips. Her left eye opened slightly and then her right. she stared up at him trying to focus in on his face. "Shanks…" Her lips curved into a painful smile.

His eyes widened now that she was looking up to him. "Save your breath… I'm going to get a doctor."

She lifted a hand with great effort. "Shanks…" her hand slid back down into her lap curled awkwardly. "Shanks, It's too late. I…I…" Her lip quivered and the smile faltered. "I'm going to die."

"Don't say that! M-Ma-makino please don't…don't say that." Shanks felt the hot tears rolling down his face. He grabbed her hand holding it giving a gentle squeeze.

"It's ok…" She furrowed her brow and nodded as if she was agreeing with something. "You'll be ok without me. I just have one regret…well a few actually but…" she gave a small laugh that disappeared into a cough.

"Shh, shh..Don't talk like that. You'll be ok. I promise." With that he yelled over his shoulder for someone to get a doctor.

Makino continued to speak, "the main one is I never got to tell you…" Looking past him up to the ceiling she paused and stared. Her eyes half glazed over.

"T-Tell me what?" He turned back to her. "Makino look at me. Keep your eyes on me." He held her face gently and turned it to his.

She gasped and sputtered. More blood ran down from the corner of her lips. "I…" she gave a heavy labored breath and removed her shaking hand from his reaching up attempting to cup his face in her hand but could only run her fingertips across it before it dropped back down. "Never got to tell you…how much…" She gave a raspy breath and swallowed. "I loved you."

"Makino." Shanks throat ached from the pain of holding back his cries. He swallowed heavily and squeezed his eyes shut so tightly he saw spots. "I love you too…I love you so much and I promise you'll be ok. I won't let you go." He stared into her eyes in determination. He wouldn't let her go.

"Heh, silly pirate…" She smiled and her head lolled to the side for a moment before she turned back to him. It was hurting her just to even breath. He supported her head with the hand he had around her waist.

"Where is Luffy…?"

"L-Luffy? He's with the mayor."

"He's alright…?"

"Yes, he's okay…just like you're going to be okay? And…and when you're all better you can see him and I'll be there and we'll be together and…I'll stay here with you and…and…"

"Shanks…" Makino attempted to stop him. It was too late for her. He knew it. She knew it. The others knew it as well.

It was ok. She had accepted. From the first bullet of the gun she knew it was over. She wouldn't be able to survive this.

"And I'll marry you…" Shanks blurted out. He seemed surprised at his own words causing his brow to furrow deeply but he nodded sticking by what he said and stared her in the eyes. "Yes…I'll marry you."

Makino looked up at him in stunned silence. "O…oh Shanks…" Her eyes began watering and spilled over. her tears slipped down her face into the curve of her smile and dripped off her chin. "Shanks, I'd love that." Her lips quivered even more and she let out something between a sob and a cough. "I'd love that a lot… Will I get to wear a pretty wedding dress?"

"The prettiest wedding dress…"

"Will it be a big wedding?" She smiled and blinked looking off into the distance again attempting to imagine it.

"The biggest…everyone will be there. Luffy, the Mayor, Ben…the whole town. I'll find us a nice home to live in too…"

"With a big fluffy bed?"

"The biggest and fluffiest…"

"Will you dance with me every night and tell me how much you love me…"

"I'll tell you every morning and every night. I'll dance until you can't dance any more and then I'll hold you in my arms and twirl-" He gave another choked cry. "Twirl you around til you're dizzy…then I'll carry you up to our room lay you down…I'll tuck you in and say… 'I am the most luckiest man in the world…to have someone as beautiful and amazing and perfect as you…and I'll love you every day til I take my last breath and after'." Tears flooded his eyes. He could barely see Makino's face through the wetness. His shoulders trembled and ached with the weight of his sadness.

Makino was crying with him but she was smiling. She was always smiling.

"and I'll kiss your lips…" He leaned down pressing his lips against hers not bothered once by the blood. "and brush my fingers through your hair…" he ran his fingers through her hair, "And stay by your side til you fall asleep."

Makino tensed in his arms. Her chest barely rose as she gasped for air. Her lungs must have started failing…

"That…" She swallowed hard. "that is perfect…To fall asleep in your arms is all I ever wanted." She leaned against him as much as she could and his arms held her…

"I'm so tired…"

"Shh…" shanks bit his lip to stop his cries his nostrils flared with the sheer effort. "You can go to sleep now… I'll hold you in my arms." He could at least give her this…to hold her in his arms while she slipped into her eternal sleep.

"Shh…" shanks bit his lip to stop his cries his nostrils flared with the sheer effort. "You can go to sleep now… I'll hold you in my arms."

held her close to him. He lifted her hand pressing it against his chest.

"Will you be here when I wake up…" Shanks was surprised at the question. She didn't know what she was saying…the blood loss had taken its toll. she was going now.

"Of course. I'll never leave your side."

"I'm glad…I'm glad you're with me." Her words were barely above a whisper now.

"M-me too…goodnight Makino…"

"I love…you…shanks…" her eyes fixed on his before slowly closing. "Goodnight."

Ok~ Just warning. My writing sucks and i'm half asleep so It's probably not as good as I'm thinking…it's most likely majorly OOC too because…I suck. Oh well~ I hope you like it
I wrote it for mmakino when she reblogged the 'message me blah blah something about character dying blah blah'

Ok so I can't remember what it was …. sue me 3 you won't get much. lolz

oh wait I remember now... 'reblog to see what your character would do if mine was dying in their arms'

anywho~ This is for mmakino~ on tumblr Enjoy
also constructive criticism is appreciated 3 if you like it please let me know **))