Kai Meets Shanks

*~Sometime in the Future~*

"Onii-chan…"

Mihawk looked up. Standing in front of him was a very tired, very messy Kai.

The little boy was holding a brush out to his brother. Yellow hair flew everywhere in a riot of curls, spikes, and rather straight sections, contradicting with the rest of it. It really was no wonder he wanted Mihawk to take care of it.

It was fast going, teaching Kai how to understand, write and speak Japanese. He still had no idea how the brat had picked up the word onii-chan, and knew to use it on him. It never failed to make Mihawk melt, though he refused to show it.

After taking the brush he started, "Kai…"

"Hai? Onii-chan?"

"I will be introducing you to an acquaintance of mine in a few days."

Kai looked confused. "Shi-ri-ah…?"

"Shiriai," the swordsman smirked. "Like a friend, but not close enough to be called that. Someone that I trust." Mihawk focused again on the bright green hair, wielding the brush rather like a sword. He was beginning to think he'd need one for all the tangles.

"Why? You no... t-take?" "Take, yes." "T-take me before."

It was then that Mihawk frowned. "I have been called for the annual Shichibukai meeting. It's too dangerous for you to go with me right now. You aren't able to defend yourself."

Purple eyes turned to meet ringed yellow. The colors were beginning to clash badly…

"B-but… if I go meet your acquaintance... and stay… w-will Onii-chan come back? J'aime le grand frère! J-je ne veux pas rester avec non-ami!"

"Kai!" The toddler quieted. "You will stay. If there's one thing that I know for certain about that drunken moron, it's that he will keep you safe. You will behave for him, do you understand?"

The child (his hair was grey now, why was it that grey hair always made Mihawk feel guilty?) nodded mulishly.

With the hair now tamed with a thick braid, Mihawk set the brush on the side-table and embraced his little adopted sibling. "I will come back for you. Unless it is impossible for me to do so, meaning that I'm dead, I will always come back for you." He then smiled as the hair flashed from gray to gold.

*\_/*\_/*

"Hawk-eyes! How nice of you to show up! We weren't expecting you!"

Mihawk took a disgusted glance around. There were drunk/hungover pirates in odd places (like the mast and rigging) and Shanks himself was speaking from under an empty barrel. "I can see that."

"Well now you're here we can continue the party! Benn, bring that over here!"

The beer barrel indicated was summarily kicked out of the first mate's hands. "No party."

Everyone who was capable of accessing their brain-cells got ready for a fight.

The look on Mihawk's face was not pleasant. He usually had a glare on his face, that was normal, but right now he really did look angry.

"What the hell! What's your problem? Why did- are you carrying something?"

The Red-haired pirate captain paused in his indignity in order to stare.

In Mihawk's arms was a small child. It appeared to be a girl, with the long hair, and was completely dressed in white. Her hair was deep red and covered any features not buried in Mihawk's neck.

"Uh… Mihawk… That's a kid. Did you know you were holding a kid? 'Cause you're holding a kid." All Shanks got for that was a deadpanned stare.

Hawk-eyes craned his neck to look at the relative area the kid's face was in before muttering something. The hair in his neck brightened in color and began to shake. "Kai." The hair got even brighter before shaking more violently. "Kai, let go. Now."

"Don't wanna! My onii-chan! Not letting go!"

"Kai!"

The Red-haired pirates stared at the little red limpet.

"What's going on, Hawk-Eyes?" Practically everyone was confused.

"I need someone to take care of Kai while I go to the Shichibukai meeting." "NO!" "Kai, I've already told you-" "NO! THEY STINKY! SMELL LIKE BAD DRINK!"

Utter silence.

"This is because they smell bad?"

The hair nodded. "You smell good, onii-chan. They stinky. It's weird. I don't like it."

Mihawk turned an even fiercer glare on the drunkards.

"Go clean up, Shanks."

*\_/*\_/*

"Soooo… when did you get a kid?"

The Pirates of the Red Force had all washed off. Some thrown in the ocean, and some in actual bathing areas on the ship. Their own fault for not waking up when told.

"He's my little brother now."

"That still doesn't explain how or when, Hawk-eyes."

"...Last year…"

"You've had a kid for a YEAR?! And you didn't TELL ME?!"

"...Why should I have told you?"

"I'm your friend, Hawk-eyes!"

"Onii-chan says you'we acquaintance!" a little voice piped up.

"...Wait, what?"

"Onii-chan says acquaintance not friend, but someone you can trust anyway!"

"What?"

Mihawk swept the child into an embrace, subsequently burying his mouth in his neck so the kid couldn't speak, and forced a piece of paper into Benn Beckman's hands.

"This is a list. Follow the directions and make sure you don't lose Kai anywhere or let him get hurt. He doesn't like alcohol or the smell of it, so don't drink anywhere near him. In the morning, someone will have to help him with his hair. He has a sensitive head, so you better be careful. Don't be surprised if he changes gender on you, he does that. I packed a few dresses and other clothes, let him wear what he wants. And don't lose him!"

He handed the kid over to Yassop, ruffled Kai's hair, moved over to Hitsugibune and tossed a bag over to the deck of the Red Force before leaving in a whirl of wind.

Everyone in the crew either stared after Mihawk or at Kai.

Kai stared back.

"...Shit…"

To be continued...

*\_/*\_/*

Sorry, not sorry. It was necessary. I needed it.

Translations:

Japanese:

Shiriai - Acquaintance

Hitsugibune - Mihawk's ship

French:

J'aime le grand frère! J-je ne veux pas rester avec non-ami! - I love my big brother! I not want to stay with not-friend!