We Are (Family)
Author's Note: Hey everyone and welcome back to We Are (Family) where we look into the daily lives of our favorite pirates! I hope you are enjoying! On with the fic!
Chapter Warnings: Threats of Execution
What If: Mihawk Had Stepped In At Marineford
Summary: Mihawk had been placed in a rough position. Fight the Whitebeard Pirates or go to Impel Down. With Jinbei refusing, Mihawk has no choice but to accept. Standing with the Warlords, Mihawk makes his allegiance known.
He hated this. Standing among the Warlords, waiting for the inevitable moment that the Whitebeard Pirates would make their appearance. They would never allow for one of their own to be executed if they did something about it. Mihawk stood there, as stoic as ever as he looked ahead.
How could he be doing this?
Just standing here and waiting for the moment that Ace gets executed.
This wasn't right.
It seemed like the best choice at the time. It meant that he was at Marineford and ready to fight against the Marines at any given moment in time instead of locked in Impel Down. Jinbei, another Warlord, who was an ally of Whitebeard's had refused. Being taken to Impel Down immediately for his refusal to aid in this war.
Why didn't Mihawk just tell them that he refused based off of the fact that Ace was his son? How could he just stand here when he can feel the distress coming off of Ace. He had heard Sengoku's story. Sengoku wasn't completely wrong. He was right about Ace being related to Rouge and Roger, just not how he was.
He heard the sirens start up as the Marines started to panic. Knowing that the Whitebeard Pirates had arrived. That the war was about to start. It was inevitable. It was going to happen. It didn't matter what he did, the war for his son's life was about to begin.
He waited.
Each second dragging on and on as he stared out at the sea. Whitebeard's ships coming up out of the water directly in the bay. It was the smartest move that they could have pulled. Sneaking right into the middle of Marineford.
He counted the Commanders aboard. They were all there. All present and ready to fight for Ace.
So, why was he still standing here?
He gritted his teeth, clawing at his arm. "You're troubled, Hawkeyes." Doflamingo cackled. "Afraid?"
"No." He shot back.
His mind ventured to the day that Ace was born. Seeing Shanks' exhausted smile as he brought their child into the world. That had been the happiest moment of his life. The moment he became a father.
What father he was. Standing here among the same people that were going to fight the Whitebeard Pirates. Ace's nakama. He watched Whitebeard walk onto the figurehead of his ship, telling Ace to hang on a moment. That they were coming for him. That man was the man that Ace admired. Wanted to meet for most of his life. He was also the man who Ace called Oyaji. Mihawk let out a low growl. That man was acting more like a father than he was. Even Ace yelled out to him as such. Whitebeard had only smirked as he used the powers of his Gura Gura no Mi, using them to create a seaquake that had rumbled the ground of Marineford.
He turned his head enough, seeing Ace on the scaffold. The conflict. The anger. The hurt. All the emotions showing directly on his face. More so, his eyes. Ace was bad with his emotions. Either he could keep them perfectly in check and only his eyes would be a dead giveaway, or he would explode with them. There was really no in between.
He couldn't just leave Ace up there. He had to get him down. He was the closest one to him aside from Garp. Garp was only here as a backup. He wouldn't be involved in this war.
Mihawk turned his gaze back to Whitebeard, the air catching in his throat as the Alpha looked at him. A knowing look there.
He couldn't do this.
He couldn't knowingly let Ace be outed as the supposed son of Roger and Rouge when he knew it was far from the truth. He had to act. He couldn't wait to tell Whitebeard the Marine's plans. The fact they planned to execute Ace early.
He couldn't do it.
Ace's nakama were about to put their lives on the line. He knew that the others were on their way. There would be no way that they weren't. He had heard that Luffy broke into Impel Down. Shanks without a doubt was already almost here. Rouge probably was coming. It's just what they did. Dragon would probably be coming along with members of the Revolutionary Army. They were family.
And he was just standing here. Doing nothing.
Mihawk growled again, before he was lifting his head up, "ENOUGH!" His voice bellowing out, echoing over the still calm battlefield.
The dead silence came next as Mihawk turned, looking straight up at Ace to see his son looking at him with wide eyes. He could see Ace's mouth moving, but he couldn't hear the words that he was saying. He was running almost on autopilot as the seaquake that Whitebeard had created started sending the tsunami back their way. It sent Aokiji into action, freezing it over to keep it from connecting with the land.
Though, all eyes were on him.
Even Sengoku was looking at him with wide eyes.
His outburst shocked everyone, but it was like an overflooding of emotions going through him. He couldn't stop it. He had to act. His son needed him.
Mihawk took in a deep breath, pulling Yoru from his back as he addressed the Warlords, "I will not be fighting alongside you. I recommend that you stay out of this war. What is about to come is more than just the Whitebeard Pirates."
"Hawkeyes—" Hancock started. The shock was clear on her face. Hell, the rest of the Warlords looked surprised by his sudden outburst.
Mihawk would never be able to look his son in the eyes again if he continued this. Ace already despised him as it was. He wasn't about to give him another reason to. He had spent too much time away from him at this point. He knew Ace held resentment towards him. He had for years. Starting from his early teens and lasting well until now. Even the last time they saw each other, he could see that resentment in his eyes.
He had to act now, or he would lose his son forever.
"Not only have the Whitebeard Pirates made their appearance…" Mihawk started, raising his voice as he looked at Sengoku, "Portgas D. Ace's influence on this sea goes further than that of his nakama. His grandmother will show up. His uncle. His brother. His mother."
"I know Luffy is coming." Hancock squealed, the blush coming to her face as she smiled. Mihawk had chosen to ignore her. Even though it felt completely out of her normal personality that she was fawning over an Alpha male.
"What the hell are you going on about?!" Sengoku barked.
Mihawk smirked as he placed the haki into his blade. Not thinking twice as he made the first move. Sending the attack straight at the Marines that were at the cannons. He was seeing red now. Every bit of instinct flooding through him, only being urged more by the distressed scent of his child.
"HAWKEYES!" Sengoku snapped. "Restrain him!"
Mihawk leapt, dodging around each Marine that tried to get to him. "No! Leave him alone!" Ace screamed. "Don't do this! Don't!" He knew exactly who Ace was talking to in the end. It was him.
"You were right about Ace's birthplace!" Mihawk shouted as he fought against the crowd of Marines that came at him as his feet touched the ice. He dodged, ducking under arms and legs. Using Yoru to block gun fire. "But you were wrong about his parents!"
"How would you possibly know that?" He heard a Marine question him as he deflected the sword that was aimed for his head.
"Because I'm his father!" He snapped.
Almost as the words left his mouth, each Marine froze in their tracks. All attacks ceasing as Mihawk held Yoru in front of him. Blocking the four swords that he could count that were hitting his blade.
"Did he just say?"
"Hawkeyes? He can't be!"
"Does this mean?"
He could hear the confusion coming next as the hushed questions followed. Mihawk made eye contact with Ace. Seeing the shock that was there.
"If you want to kill him! You'll have to kill me first!" Mihawk roared, blowing back the Marines that were around him. He stood tall, keeping Yoru ready for an attack. "Don't you understand, Ace! Your life will not end here today! How can I call myself your father if I just stand by and watch this?" He could see the taken back look on Ace's face before he could see the contort of his features.
"How can we be sure you aren't just saying that to keep this boy alive?" Sengoku questioned.
Mihawk huffed, gritting his teeth for a second. He paused as he noticed the movement behind him, seeing the line of Whitebeard Commanders around him. Marco was to his right and Thatch was to his left. The rest of them lined up next to them. Standing in a line alongside him. This was the moment that he might not be a Warlord anymore, but that title didn't mean anything if he allowed Ace to be put through this. Mihawk turned his attention back to Sengoku. "I can tell you everything there is to know about that kid." Mihawk shot back. "The day of his birth. How much he weighed. The first thing his mother said to him. The first article of clothing he wore. His favorite lullaby that his mother would sing to him. What age he learned to walk. What is it that you need to know?"
Sengoku's eyes narrowed. "If you are supposedly his father. Who is his mother?"
Mihawk smirked. "I think you might actually already know. If you found out about his existence through Cipher Pol, you should know already who was present on Baterilla." He paused, sighing as he looked at Ace, "You really do know how to make things dramatic, Ace. You getting captured is bringing the whole bunch here."
He could see the flush that came to Ace's face before the anger came, "As if you're one to talk! Who do you think I got it from?!"
Mihawk shrugged. Ace wasn't exactly wrong. "I'm not sure if it's from me or from your mother. We're all quite stubborn." Mihawk shot back. Ace recoiled, looking away for a moment with a pout on his face. "You're so much like him, Ace. When I look at you, I see him." The smile came to his face for a moment. "Even your brother is so much like him. I used to look at the two of you and wonder how I was so lucky to have you all. That he provided me a family. I had no one until I met him. When he told me… I already had my ambition of being the greatest in the world. When you were born, I knew that I had to do everything to make sure I stayed there."
Sengoku stepped forward, a scowl on his face. "You're lying to cover for him. You're not his father, or you wouldn't have been here. You wouldn't have accepted to fight the Whitebeard Pirates."
Mihawk glared, twisting his blade in his hand. "You don't get it do you?" He questioned. Sengoku stopped for a second. The realization coming to his face. "If I was locked away in Impel Down, I was no help to him! Take away my Warlord title. Lock me away. That's fine, but I will not allow you to execute my son!" Mihawk exclaimed.
He was a valuable asset for the World Government. Now, it was just if the World Government wanted to risk making him their enemy again. He eyed Sengoku. Sengoku held the power here to strip him of that power. Could they afford to lose him? Sengoku seemed to be contemplating it. He didn't get time to answer before the Marines had jumped in on the Whitebeard Pirates who were standing there causing Mihawk to also move.
He could see Ace struggling against his bindings now. They were all futile attempts, but he was still trying. "Please! Don't do this!" Ace screamed. "Why now?! Why now of all times do you choose to do this!?"
"I should have shown you a long time ago, Ace." Mihawk replied. He looked back at Sengoku before turning his gaze to Garp. "He can tell you. Right, Garp?"
Garp was smirking now, taking a few steps forward. "He's telling you the truth." The murmurs broke out among the Marines again. Even some of the Whitebeard Pirates.
"Wait, how does Vice Admiral Garp know this?" Mihawk heard one Marine question.
"Ace is his biological grandson." Mihawk stated. "That batshit crazy old fool has an inclination to use his fists to show his family he cares for them."
"And it fucking hurts!" Ace added. "Trust me when I say you want to run if he comes at you with those things."
Garp bellowed out a laugh for a second, "It's all in love, you fool."
"Yeah, and you really thought we would want to be Marines?!" Ace exclaimed, "Seriously! Like beat us into wanting to be Navy soldiers. God, I was glad to be a pirate just to get away from you!"
Mihawk hummed, chuckling for a second from seeing the bickering between the two. "If you had just listened to me, you wouldn't be in this mess!" He stopped for a second as he suddenly stopped, blinking, "Oh, that's right. A warlord's immediate family are pardoned and have frozen bounties." He started cackling for a second as he looked back at Mihawk. "I may have forgotten to tell you that."
Mihawk blinked, sighing as he rubbed a hand over his face. "Are you serious?" He grumbled, before he finally snapped, "You damn fool! That's what you said that special clause was?!"
"I thought you'd figure it out." Garp shot back. "You're supposed to be smart."
"It's not like being a Warlord comes with a manual." Mihawk groaned. "That means this entire situation should never have happened."
Sengoku hummed. "Well, there's an issue here, Hawkeyes." Mihawk looked back up at him, narrowing his gaze, "You never registered that you had a mate or children. If it's anyone's fault, it's yours. That is, if this is all true."
Mihawk gave Garp a look before he sighed. "You really think a pirate will announce they have a child after what happened in the South Blue twenty-two years ago?" He shot back.
Sengoku frowned before he scoffed. "Fair enough." He stopped for another moment, "You still have not once said who his mother is?"
Mihawk smirked. "Do you really want to know?"
Sengoku nodded.
"Well, I guess I could say he's the one person the World Government knows they shouldn't make angry, and I'm sure by now you have made him very angry." He stated. "A certain red-haired Omega known to the world as Red-Haired Shanks."
The only way to describe the silence around him was that he could hear a pin drop if it fell.
The silence was only broken by the sounds of screams coming from above them. Mihawk looked up, sighing as he stated, "Well, there's the other."
"Other?"
The Alpha sighed as he turned, using Yoru to create a large hole within the ice just moments before a ship and a group of people fell into it. It only took a few moments before he could see Jinbei surfacing with Luffy over his shoulder. Mihawk stepped forward, motioning for the other Warlord to hand him his son. "I've got him."
Jinbei nodded. That must have meant that Luffy told them who he was. He had also noticed the rest of the Strawhats with him. His stupid son. Infiltrating Impel Down. Luffy had noticed him immediately, his eyes widening as he screamed out, "Papa! We got to save Ace!"
"I know, Luffy." Mihawk stated.
He could see the way that some of the Strawhats were staring each other for the moment before Mihawk felt the hairs on the back of his neck standing. He looked over his shoulder just in time to see the canon fire coming their way.
X
Ace's heart was pounding. He could hear Sengoku giving out orders. "Aim at Dracule Mihawk." Sengoku said into the snail. "Shoot the second his guard drops."
Ace looked back out at Mihawk, watching as in fact turned his attention to Luffy. Ace immediately started to shake his head. "Please, stop!" The cannon fire came next, a large explosion happening next. "PAPA!"
He screamed. He couldn't do anything. He was stuck in place. All he could do was sit there and watch in horror as the cannon fire went off and everyone who had been standing there was engulfed in it. His Alpha father was there. His brother was there. He had seen Luffy. Seen him drop from the sky. It had his heart racing. He couldn't lose them because of the decisions that he had made. He couldn't allow for this.
"Please… just let them go!" Ace screamed. "Kill me! Just kill me already! Don't hurt them!" He was begging and pleading with anyone who would listen. He was yanking at his shackles, trying to make as much noise as possible to get the attention back on him.
He gritted his teeth, sucking in the air as he noticed the calm that came next. The way that everything seemed to level out. His eyes widened as he noticed that Mihawk was standing there completely unharmed, Yoru in front of him as his gaze connected with Ace's.
"I would rather die where I stand than allow for you to ever say those words again." Mihawk had muttered it, but Ace could hear it completely.
He slumped back, feeling all the tension leaving him as he stared straight into his Alpha father's eyes. Releasing a shaky breath. "Papa…" He whispered.
Then he saw Sengoku freeze, the Fleet Admiral looking down at him with wide eyes. "His… eyes." Sengoku stated. His voice was so low that it was practically inaudible.
Ace looked away from him, looking back at Mihawk to see that the Alpha's golden eyes were shining brighter. The one tell that could let anyone know when someone was viewed as family. When they were blood related. Adopted. It didn't matter. That color could only be achieved by those who saw each other as such.
"You're going to go home, Ace." Mihawk stated, much louder this time. "You should know by now. Your life will not end the way his did."
Sengoku was looking at him for a moment before he was looking back down at Mihawk. The contemplating look on his face. Ace swallowed the lump in his throat. They all knew. Their secret was out.
X
The entire battlefield was at a standstill. All eyes locked to Mihawk before eyes were turning to Ace. Not once had Ace's eyes changed from that golden color. Mihawk had made sure to keep the connection going.
"They say that when a parent imprints on their child…" Sengoku started, "A bond that is almost unbreakable is formed. That bond can be used in many ways. Comfort. Protection. Calming. Even the projection of a memory into their mind."
Mihawk eyed Sengoku for a moment. "And?"
"If this is as true as it seems…" Sengoku said, looking at Ace for a moment, "Project a memory onto him." A smirk came to the man's face for a moment, "A man of your power should be able to do this. It could be anything, and he'll have to tell me what it is. A memory that holds a meaning to you."
Mihawk had heard of that before, but he had never tried it. There were many beliefs behind their secondary genders and the strange ways that bonds could work. Even how powerful they could be. He wouldn't think Sengoku would risk lying when it was becoming clearer to everyone that he was telling the truth. It was reasonable for them to skeptical. Pirates lie.
"What the hell is he talking about?" Luffy questioned.
The woman who Mihawk recognized as Nico Robin stated, "I remember reading once that it's believed that the bonds between mates and their children can be so strong that memories can be transferred through a single thought. There has been speculation that if it's powerful enough, that even others can see it."
"That is so cool." Luffy muttered. "Wait, how is that supposed to change this? Isn't the eye thingy enough?"
"Pirates lie, Luffy." Zoro stated, walking a few steps forward, "They don't want to believe what they are seeing right in front of them since it will prove the Marines wrong."
Mihawk chuckled for a second, "You really never paid attention during your lessons, Luffy. Did you?"
Luffy huffed, looking away for a moment, "Why does it matter if I know this?"
"Because sometimes, it can mean life or death." Mihawk replied.
He could never lie about something like this.
No one ever asked him, so he had no reason to lie.
He looked back at Ace one more time and for a moment, it was just the two of them. There were many memories that he held that he was fond of. Many of them were after he met Shanks. After they had their children together. Then it hit him, the one thing that would work.
He thought about it, looking right at his son. A smile coming to his face. He could remember it all.
X
The first thing he saw was Shanks sitting on a bed, a small baby in his arms. The exhaustion on his face, but the happy and proud smile on his face. Sweating hair sticking to his forehead. "Ace."
Within a blink, it was gone.
It was like everything around them had changed as all Ace could see was a softly setting sun. The smell of the ocean that made his nose twitch. The light wind that combatted the warm heat around him. It looked like the coast of Goa. Dawn Island to be specific. He was in amazement as he looked around for a second. It wasn't like he was on the scaffold anymore. The only reminder that he was still bound was by the heaviness around his wrists, but he felt light.
Ahead of them, like he was looking through someone else's eyes was Shanks and himself. Shanks looked back at him, giving him a soft smile as he held onto a young Ace. For himself, he was still so young. Probably between three and four as he was held firmly in his Omega father's arms. Shanks was clearly heavily pregnant.
"Mihawk!" It sounded so clear to him. Next thing he knew, it was like he was getting closer. Shanks had moved, placing the smaller Ace on the ground. He could see himself smiling. Little hands reaching out. He almost instinctively moved his arms to reach out, but being unable to actually move them, but he could see hands reach out. Pale ones with small scars littering the skin. Kneeling down and grabbing the small child. He could feel the sensation in his hand.
There was only one word that went through his head.
Perfect.
The gaze moved away from the young Ace and back to Shanks, who was rubbing a hand over his stomach, a soft smile gracing his face. Such a soft look within his eyes. "He loves his Papa so much."
What did I do to ever deserve something like this? Ace paused. These weren't his thoughts. No. They were Mihawk's. He could actually hear Mihawk's thoughts. He was seeing this from Mihawk's perspective.
I never want to see these smiles leave their faces. Even if it means that I have to continue on as a Warlord. It's worth it. They are worth it.
As he blinked, the memory left his mind. Disappearing around him and leaving Marineford around him as he leaned back on his legs. Mihawk was looking at him, that same soft look within his eyes despite the sharp glance. One that Ace had grown so accustomed to.
He hadn't even realized tears had came to his own eyes until he was blinking them away. As the Omega regained his bearings, he peered around. Noticing the change among those around him. They had seen it.
"It's true." He heard one Marine say.
Ace tore his gaze away, looking up at Sengoku to see the stunned look on his face before he was sighing and nodding. "I see." He stated. "It seems like our intel had been wrong." Ace could only choke on the air in his throat as Sengoku nodded, "Release him."
It was that easy?
Sure enough, he could feel the cuffs being loosened before they clattered against the scaffold, and he could feel the flare of his fire roaring back to life. He didn't understand it as he stumbled to his feet, rubbing at his sore wrists as he looked at his grandfather's friend. "Why?" He questioned.
Sengoku sighed, raising up the snail in his hand. He had turned to address the Marines and Pirates down below, a look that even Ace couldn't decipher on his face. "Portgas D. Ace is the son of Warlord of the Sea, Dracule Mihawk." He stated, his voice ringing out over the den den mushi. "A subclause in the Warlord contract…" Sengoku turned his gaze back to him, a nod of his head as he added, "Ensures of the protection of any and all immediate family of the Warlord including mates and children."
Ace looked over his shoulder in shock at Garp for a moment, shaking his head, "What is happening?"
Garp had a soft smile on his face, "Ace, you're free to go."
The Omega didn't know what to say, shaking his head as he looked back at Mihawk. "I don't understand."
Sengoku had carried on, "Since Hawkeyes agreed to be a Warlord prior to the birth of Portgas D. Ace. His bounty will be abolished." Ace almost couldn't breathe. "As long as Hawkeyes remains a Warlord, Ace cannot be harmed."
Ace didn't need to be told twice before he was turning on his heel and rushing down the scaffold steps. Each step causing his heart to skip a beat. Not one Marine turned towards him. Even looked at him or reacted to him running by. His only thought waws to get to his family. His heart raced with each step now as he got closer.
Mihawk stood there, sheathing Yoru back into place as he gave a soft smile. Ace did the only thing he could think of.
He wrapped his arms around his Alpha father for the first time in years.