Mihawk looked out to the sea. It had been two months. Two months since Shanks had saved him and two months he had waited. He wasn't concerned though. He was actually rather amused. Shanks was like a lost puppy looking for his master with the way he searched. He called for Mihawk every day and just talked. He asked for Mihawk to respond at the beginning though and then he just started talking about the day's events and what has happened and who he's found.

At one point a week ago he sounded excited and happy telling Mihawk it was a secret so even if he asked—which he didn't—Shanks wouldn't tell him. Soon after that his voice had dulled and then a day later it was happy again. Mihawk wondered if there was something wrong with Shanks for him to be cycling through all these moods so quickly. He also wondered if it was because he knew where he lived now.

Lupus had sent him a letter during the time Shanks was depressed telling him that, 'The red-headed punk was heading to white beard to see the bird boy,' which explained why he was depressed. Mihawk knew a lot of people who were wary of the man. It wasn't that he had overconfidence or no fear of Edward Newgate, but the fact the man had a comfortable aura. He was more like a father figure than a terrorizing pirate.

He smiled and looked out the window from where he sat on a dark red, wing backed chair. Luna flew through the window with a straw hat clutched in her talons and she dropped it in his lap. He smiled and then chuckled lowly.

"So that's what you were up to. Is he really that close?" Mihawk asked and brushed his fingers over her. She stood straighter in pride and Mihawk knew his answer then. "Then I guess…I should go have fun for once in this life time." He said.

He set Shanks' hat down gently on the table and placed his own beside it. He had slowly forgiven Shanks over the two months because the red head was persistent and kept contact. He never said sorry, but he did keep promising to do whatever Mihawk wanted him to when he got to him. That promise always made Mihawk smile because none of his other false friends would have dared to do so.

He opened the doors to the balcony and shed his cloak. His black shadowy wings formed behind him sucking out all light that was near. His eyes flashed a brighter color making his hawk like eyes glow and he slowly shifted. The shadows formed around him until he was a black mass writhing in the shadows. Then it started to form and a dark dragon took it's place.

Mihawk stretched out his wings. Twenty feet in both directions and he let out a tired yawn showing sharp teeth white as pearls. He jumped up and his front legs landed on the railing. The sharp claws curled around it and it cracked slightly under the pressure. The two black horns curved back a foot along his head and neck and his eyes narrowed. His barbed tail flicked back in forth in a lazy manor when he caught sight of the ship.

He pushed himself further up, spread his wings, and jumped. He fell down, down, down, until the ground was five feet below him and he spread his wings once more to let the air carry him high into the sky. He pulled his wings in close and spun in the sky feeling purely happy. The feel of the wind against him and the heights always made his heart soar with happiness. It was one of the few things that had transferred over from his previous life.

All too soon it had to come to an end. He landed near the docks and hid in the shadows of the trees. The people of the town were lively and happy. He took care of them because they lived on his home and they were happy for him as well calling him their protector. It had come to be when he saved a village that was about to be slaughtered by pirates so he brought them here. A fresh start. A new life.

Shanks' ship pulled in the docks and the red haired man jumped down to the wooden structure. He looked slightly annoyed when he went to reach for his hat, but he only shook his head and smiled widely. Mihawk watched as he started walking around asking questions. Most of his people shook their heads and glared making him chuckle, but he knew the game was over when Shanks asked a child.

The little boy gave Shanks a wide smile and pointed up in the direction of his gloomy castle and Shanks laughed and ruffled his hair. He walked back to his shipmates and Mihawk watched as he talked to them. Soon enough Shanks turned and started heading towards the path leaving his crew behind him. Ben, Yasopp, and Lucky Roo, were the only ones who didn't look nervous or scared for their captain.

Shanks stepped into the dark path and Mihawk slunk silently after him. He let Shanks catch his eyes every now and then and watched as the red head slowly grew more and more wary. He stopped in a shadowy clearing.

"Alright! I know you're out there! Show yourself." He called out. Mihawk stayed on the edge of the clearing, but Shanks caught his eyes. "You've been following me since I walked into the forest. Why?" He asked.

"Why are you here?" Mihawk asked. His voice was low and had a growling lilt to it along with a hissing undertone.

"I'm here to see Mihawk and tell him I've done what he's asked." Shanks said and glanced to the castle.

"And what if that isn't enough? What if he laughs and calls you a fool?" Mihawk asked. He wanted to know what Shanks was thinking. He wanted to know if he could trust him.

Shanks gave a shrug and then smiled, "Then he will. I betrayed his trust so he has every right to do so. Honestly…I just want to see him again. I want to see him happy." Shanks said and his smile softened.

Mihawk moved and Shanks turned to follow him, "What if he says he hates you still and tells you to leave?"

Shanks smiled, "I'd tell him that he would have to make me and that even if he hated me I don't hate him. I was stupid to ever blame him." He said honestly and Mihawk growled. Not at Shanks, but at the words Scath was feeding him. Shanks had took a small step back at that and then held his ground.

Scath was not a nice dragon. He embodied the shadows and lies and deceits. He only saw bad in people, but there were times when Scath accepted them as well. This time though he was angry at Shanks. A dragons rage was only sated when the one that had angered him was bleeding or dead. Scath preferred bleeding and Mihawk preferred neither.

Mihawk lunged from the darkness of the forest and pinned Shanks below him and bared his long fangs. He opened his jaw slightly and his serpentine tongue slipped out as he hissed. "And what if I told you he sent me to kill you?" Mihawk said slyly.

Shanks laid perfectly still and glared lightly, "He would never do that! He may laugh at me, he may hate me, but he is not a coward. If he wanted me dead he would kill me himself." Shanks said strongly.

Mihawk froze and Scath abruptly went silent. Neither of them expected such an answer from him. Mihawk looked him in the eyes, "Just what is he to you?"

Shanks smiled, "Mihawk is my friend. My confident. I may have forgotten that when Rogers died, but…I was blind with anger and sorrow. I'm not anymore and I saw my error. I know it makes me happy when he's happy. Or even when I see him. Even if he never talks to me, I know he's listening because he always answered. He may never trust me again, but," Shanks smiled wider and closed his eyes, "I'll always trust him."

Mihawk's eyes widened and he felt his chest tighten and pull. It was an uncomfortable feeling, but it was also warm. He shifted back and the shadows pulled away from him. He sat there straddling Shanks' waist with his hands splayed on the red heads chest and his wide eyes looking into Shank's surprised ones. He blinked and felt something wet slide down his face. He reached up and was surprised to find he was crying.

Did it really get to him? What Shanks had said no one else had ever told him before. Not a friend and certainly not anyone from his family. Shanks sat up and wiped away Mihawk's tears with his fingers. Mihawk looked up at him in surprise and then more when Shanks wrapped his arms around him and hugged him.

"I don't know how you did that, but…everything I said was true. A simple sorry never helps, but the truth does. I've missed you Mihawk." He said softly and Mihawk felt something wet on his shoulder.

He wrapped his own arms around Shanks and hugged him back, "…I missed you to…I forgive you Shanks, but…don't ever do that again." He buried his face into Shanks' neck.

Shanks gave a watery chuckle, "I won't, but remember I'm only human. I make mistakes."

"I know…"

Death: Okay...I think this is pretty good, yeah? They're trusting again, but they aren't ready for the sticky emotions of love yet. I'll be having all the awkwardness first and then Shanks' crew will be very, very amused. YOU FINALLY GOT TO SEE HIS DRAGON FORM! Hahaha I didn't mean to put it off so long, but in my opinion it was definitely worth the wait. And for those of you who think Mihawk forgave him to quick don't worry. Mihawk will still have those small little doubts in his mind and Scath won't help any with that. I want to say I'll have another chapter Sunday BUT I don't know. It depends on if I'm in the mood to write this and not my books. I always wait till I'm in the mood because that's when I write the best. I hope I filled this chapter up with enough emotion for you guys...i think I almost cried...hahaha anyways...about AHF: One Shots...I'll write it...you know...when I find the time...Also can someone do a timeline for me? Let's say this is one year after Roger dies and I need to know how many years until Shanks stumbles upon Fuscha village. Thanks if you do!

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