Hallo and welcome back!

I'm sorry, I'm full of shit. Why is there an update to a completed fic you ask?

I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that that Kid/Law fic with a tiny bit of Zoro/Robin on the side on ao3 is gaining kudos on me, I'm not that petty... (Doesn't mean I don't check regularly)
It also can't be the fact that a friend from Dragon Ball fandom who has never even watched one episode of one piece is reading and enjoying this fic despite probably not getting any of the references or the jokes... That isn't invigorating at all, you asshole! (Another reference you probably won't get, you're awesome, Rogue!)
Can't be that I barely got comments on my final chapter by my regular readers which turned me into a worrying mess. It made me sad in the beginning, then a bit angry and now I'm a nervous and afraid, because I worry something might have happened to them (seriously I don't care if you like this chapter, if you're reading it drop me a "I'm alive" in the comments so I can stop picturing you in a ditch somewhere)
Now... Where were we? Right. The fact that Perona isn't all that popular isn't it either, because I got steady feedback despite of that and that's really all I need.
Now what's the reason that this isn't over yet?
Simple. I had more chapters lying around on my drive that I wanted to put in a sequel, but I decided to drop them here since they are still more or less coherently part of this story line. Also CavemaN7 on fanfiction said there were 4 more letters in the Spanish alphabet, which... Duh, stupid ni, you're German, you got some extra letters to spare yourself!

Anyways. I hope you'll stay with me until that stupid brat is born (and then some in the sequel)

Thank you to ghost for beta reading!

Last time Robin's clone helped to save Zoro From the gallows, and now he's finally on his way home!

He was baffled, even after two days. They had all come. Not just his idiot crew, they had come with the whole fucking fleet. He wasn't surprised that Boa had followed Luffy's call to arms, but to even see Mihawk there, and of his own accord. He'd been a little bit proud of that. That he'd bothered to interrupt his routine of reading and drinking fine wine to make sure he wouldn't get killed before their duel…

He knew it would be futile to peel his captain's rubbery extremity prison off of him from last night, so this time he unlatched sleeping Chopper first to somehow give each something else to cuddle. It was endearing, it really was. How they wouldn't let him get out of their sights, wouldn't leave his side and somehow always managed to hold on to him. Well, it would be endearing if it wasn't so fucking annoying. Couldn't even take a piss around here without people panicking…. Granted he may or may not take hours to find the bathroom on the foreign ship…

As quiet as possible he peeled himself out of his nakamas' embrace and completely ignored the creepy fan posters of all of them littering Chicken guy's suite…. It had been nice of him to let them have the bed… he left the giant heap of pirates behind and just briefly wondered how hard his would be execution had been for the shitty cook if he didn't even react to sharing the bed with his sweet Nami-swan.

He stepped over the cannibal captain sleeping on the floor because he wasn't worthy enough to share the bed with the radiant, infamous Strawhats. And finally out the door.

The air was brisk and whipped hard against his bare chest. Wind ripping the sails as much as his torn pants. They probably carried an awful stench with them, he'd basically worn them non stop for two weeks straight and with no showering in between. Neither Nami nor Chopper had cared. Had crushed him in a hug as soon as they were in relative safety, crying and snotting against his chest. He'd showered now, but he refused to accept Chicken guy's pants. He'd rather smell than look like a fucking lunatic.

His eye scanned the deck. Didn't feel like company, was why he'd escaped from his crew's smothering love in the first place, but when his eye came to rest on a sole figure stoically staring off into the distance with the ridiculous plume of his hat desperately whipping in the wind, he couldn't help it. It didn't matter that it really was just one person he wanted with him right now, because if he was here on this ship with the idiots he was here for him. And he owed him this much. Owed him much more that he probably couldn't repay anytime soon.

"Where's your woman, Roronoa?" he asked when he came to lean against the railing next to him. He wasn't surprised. In the two years Mihawk had always gone straight for the weakness. Always hit where it hurt. He'd been fucking terrified that brief moment between his sight returning and the realisation that it was only her clone that had come to his rescue. Didn't mean that the missing bump hadn't made him really fucking uneasy though.

"Home," he answered curtly, not quite sure if he was ready to share that detail just yet, even though he would inevitably find out if he decided to sail on wi-

"Idiot brute knocked her up," Perona provided helpfully, floating in-between them on her back. Of course she couldn't keep it to herself, fucking brat hadn't changed one bit.

Mihawk chuckled, "I'll never understand how you got that woman to fall for you."

"Jealous, old man?" He asked with a laugh.

"I admit that I enjoyed her company that time, but I do prefer my partners a tad less deadly."

"She probably found out that he's a huge nerd under all that ugly muscle," Perona piped in and he felt really fucking tempted to quip back that she hadn't complained, but that would have been a lie. No matter how much she had enjoyed them she had complained. A lot. But their teasing was much preferred to them telling him how absolutely stupid and irresponsible it was to have a child in their situation. It was nice. Their friends were a bunch of idiots so of course they supported them but these two didn't owe him anything.

"Thank you, both of you. I hadn't expected you to come"

Perona huffed, her ghost form snaking around him to put her right in front of his face, and judging from Mihawk's exasperated sigh a few limbs had probably passed through him on the way. Her brows drawn she poked a finger in his chest… he'd spent two fucking years with her, in varying degrees of closeness and he still didn't understand her and that stupid ability of hers.

"Why the fuck wouldn't we?" She cussed and even though it's been some time and a long since sailed ship at that, he couldn't help but wish to have her naked under him if only to get her real voice instead of this grating mess that rung in his ears.

"She's right, you know, I won't have you executed by the weak before you get a chance to take my head, Roronoa," Mihawk admitted, swishing his glass of wine. It might have been a warning, too. Made sense. He'd do the same in his place. Finding worthy opponents wasn't easy once you've reached a certain amount of power. Even he experienced that… wine also made sense, it was hard getting through this journey sober. So many idiots.

Perona... she had always made them responsible for Moria's demise. In a way she'd been right of course. It was their fault that she had lost everything, but… they also could have just not behaved like assholes back then… but even with that resentment… of course she'd come, physical relationship aside they had been close.

"I appreciate it."

She huffed but backed up. "You better. And don't do anything stupid like that ever again, idiot."

He laughed, assured her that he wouldn't go looking for situations like that and they settled into a comfortable silence. She'd gotten better with those since he left her at Saboady. It took about five minutes of quiet waves and creaking planks until she got fidgety and begun to float around them again, put him between the two.

"You know I'm that brat's aunt, right?" She asked.

The brat's what now? "And what the fuck gives you that idea?"

Mihawk's chuckle had him whip around, honest amusement twitching at the corner of his mouth. "Do you honestly believe you would have a child on the way if Perona had not corrected your atrocious hygiene?" The man taunted in that offhand way of his without even bothering to take his attention away from his drink

He scoffed. Fucking ganging up on him. There wasn't anything he could really say to that. She had chosen his sweaty company in the gym often enough even before they had become actual friends, but even he knew that those were completely different things.

"It's still a mystery how she puts up with him, though," Perona sighed, and got reinforced by a fairly amused "indeed" from his other side and he really had fought enough battles to see when victory was unachievable.

They stood and floated in silence and with her earlier win even Perona didn't seem to mind it. He sighed, this was nice.

"I need to speak with my first mate." Ah. So Luffy had finally sorted out his emotions, had his captain voice on, too. He pushed off the railing, already thinking where to go because there was no chance in hell this wouldn't get emotional, but stopped when he saw Luffy with his upper body bent at the waist, straw hat pointing right at Mihawk. What the fuck? Future pirate king wasn't supposed to bow to anyone.

"Hawky! I am oh so very grateful for your very very helpful help," his captain gushed right when he wanted to reprimand him.

Adorable fucking idiot. Probably didn't even realize that this out of character attempt at politeness sounded more like sarcasm than anything else. Wasn't sure it was a good thing Mihawk apparently knew just how big his captain's stupidity was, or if he should be offended on behalf of his captain when his former trainer accepted the thanks with all the seriousness this situation actually called for. Even showed enough respect to at least let him know that he had no intention of leaving before not having seen Robin. Luffy didn't care. He had done what he had to do, or rather what Nami had probably threatened him into. That those two would stick around was of no consequence to his captain, they had played a big role in his rescue and he knew as far as Luffy was concerned that made them friends.

Without another word Luffy turned and left the main deck, and he followed without having to be told. Seemed like his captain already knew where to go for this talk. As it turned out even after 3 years Luffy could still surprise him. Boy hadn't known shit. Even he could have found them something better than a fucking storage room that could barely fit both of them. Still closed the door behind him without any verbal complaint.

"You will never again attempt to sacrifice yourself for me," he said with that rare air of authority, but he knew him well enough to hear the cracks in his big boy voice.

"Luffy-"

"Captain's order!" His captain interrupted his sorry attempt at de-escalation. Wasn't his strongest suit anyway.

"You gonna force me into mutiny, captain?"

The dam broke. Even with the events on Thriller Bark still being a secret to the boy, they both knew that he'd make the same decision again. He'd fight his way tooth and nail but if it came down to it… child or no child… He wondered as his captain cried and sobbed against him, arms wrapped around him twice, was it selfishness in the end? Because he couldn't stand to lose any of them that he'd rather leave them behind to cope with the loss than deal with it himself?

Maybe he hadn't given Luffy enough credit, the place was out of the way from the main walkways, dim and the little light from the porthole barely enough to make out forms. It really was the perfect place for a captain to let go, to conceal his weakness from the rest of the world. He held him close as he slipped down on the floor, taking his sobbing captain with him and tried to settle into a comfortable position against the rack in his back. This would take a while.

He'd been an idiot, thinking his relationship with Robin wouldn't change anything. It didn't for the most part. They were doing good in fights, neither did reckless shit trying to save the other. They knew they could stand their ground and didn't help out more than others. That part was just like it had been before. But sitting here with Luffy… he couldn't help but wish he could have her in his arms. He needed her, simple as that. Didn't matter now though. Didn't matter that they probably wouldn't get a quiet moment like this for quite some time with all their friends around. He frankly didn't give a fuck about that. Their relationship was no secret, especially not with his very impulsive reaction at the gallows. She couldn't hide their child either. It didn't matter, because there was no fucking way he'd let go of her once he had her in his arms. Selfish again. The crew could get their fill now. He'd gladly hold Luffy and all of them now, be a human pillow for all of them. Hug them and dry their tears.

Hug Luffy and let him drench him in tears and snot.

Fuck, he always looked so carefree. Turned out his captain was just a master at bottling up. How could one be this emotional and closed off at the same time? No matter how much any of them had offered he never talked about Ace. He knew he must have talked with Jinbei and Tama, but the latter had been for her sake not his own. And now he cried about his brother too. Had he actually taken the time to properly grieve back then? Or had he been too focused on getting stronger to protect all of them?

Neither of them would admit it out loud, but he and Perona had depended a lot on each other those first few weeks on Kuraigana, coming to terms with each loss, finding back from this very dark place of self doubt, guilt and grief. When he had arrived on Kuraigana, he'd been like Merry. Battered and broken and only hanging on with will alone. But with one crushing defeat after another, will had been slipping. He was not proud of that. It was thanks to Perona that he'd had the mental capacity to read the hope in Luffy's message, that he'd had the strength to ask for Mihawk's help. Fucking owed her some atrociously huge plush toy or something.

Did Luffy get that, had he healed? Or had he jumped head first into getting stronger?

He hugged him closer. "I'm alive, Luffy."

Aren't they cute? Let's just hope Nami doesn't have a camera at hand or she'll make good at those "Nakama Pictures" mentioned in chapter 44 ;-p

Thank you for reading, I hope you are alive. See you next week. Sneak peeks for the next chapter some time this weekend on my twitter at nitwentyone

Also, in case you want to know about all the silly puns and hidden meanings in One Piece that simply get lost in translation, I found this absolutely amazing Tumblr: kaizokuou-ni-naru