Mihawk/Shanks (•4•)
(Mental Conversation)
Shanks was, for once, alone in his quarters, he stared down at the hardwood floor as he sat on the edge of his bed.
He loved his crew. He truly did, but ever since they found out he was pregnant they had been more insistent and doing the things for him that he usually did himself. He hadn't minded at first but then it got annoying. And then it just got plum infuriating when they started to treat him like glass. He had told them off for that and they had backed off, but they where in no way stopping in trying to help him.
He sighed, he'd just have to deal with that, he knew it was more instincts, protectiveness, and loyalty for their captain that had them acting like that.
Although that also lead to the other reason he had wanted to be alone.
It had been a week since he had gotten confirmation about 'the little one', and he hadn't contacted Mihawk yet.
During that week he had felt Mihawk sending pulses through their matebond, laced with concern, questioning, curiosity, and worry.
He hadn't been able to bring himself to send a response. Not in an emotion sense or to open the door and send a verbal thought to Mihawk.
As illogical as it was, he was nervous.
They had never really talked about kids, he had felt the instinctual longing for them, but he hadn't actually brung it into the open or the forefront of his mind. Besides he had never felt like if he had his own kids that he could be a good parent. He knew he'd mess up, and that had always been another reason he had never brung it up with Mihawk.
He loved Mihawk so much, and as amazing as it would be to have Mihawk's child, he was terrified that when he had the baby and as he or she grew he'd mess up somewhere and Mihawk would take the child and leave him because of it, because Mihawk wouldn't be able to stand being around someone who practically scared their kids for life in some way let alone his kid.
He jolted as the mental door in his matebond was suddenly forced open so harshly it shattered. And Mihawk's voice suddenly echoed around in his head. 'Shanks! Answer me or so help me, I will drown you when I get back!' Shanks knew he wasn't serious about that but it went to show how mad the other was.
Especially since he only now realized he had sent enough emotional distress and anxiety through the matebond to make a lesser man go insane.
He blushed and covered his eyes with his palms, leaning hunched over, carefully not placing to much weight on his stomach area, with his elbows on his knees.
'I-I'm sorry Mi. I didn't mean to send all that.'
He heard Mihawk sigh. 'It's fine Shanks. What's wrong?' It was posed as a question but it was a demand for an answer.
Shanks hesitated. 'Um. I maybe..might have.. kinda..uh..'
He could practically see Mihawk's eyebrows furrow in a mixture of a concerned worry and a tolerant annoyance. 'Red..?' It was softly and Shanks could help the half smile that formed on his face at the nickname Mihawk had given him not long after they had mated. Mihawk didn't say it often but when he did it was something only the two of them shared. It was something Mihawk used to show just how much he loved his mate.
Shanks sighed before tensing slightly, bringing his knees up as he could wrap his arms around them, and forcing himself to speak. 'Y-You know we never talked about what would happen in the future-y-you k-know between us, and I..' he sighed. 'Why is this so hard. Uh look. I've-uh been getting sick since you left and I kinda thought I knew but I wasn't 100% sure and I wanted a second opinion and now I got it and I-'
'Red-' he interrupted and Shanks rushed out his next words also cutting him off.
'I'm pregnant.'
Everything seemed to go silent and Shanks found himself breaking into a sweat and biting his bottom lip.
When no answer still came he built up enough courage to send a probing thought to Mihawk. 'Mi?' He could almost see Mihawk jolt before shaking his head, as if shaking off a daze, with slightly wide eyes.
'E-Er yea. Are you sure?'
Shanks nodded even though he knew Mihawk probably couldn't see it. 'I thought I was and I got the ship doctor to check. He picked up two heartbeats. Mine and the baby's.'
It went quiet again but not nearly as long as last time, before Mihawk's voice filled his head again. 'I'll be back tommorrow.' And then the door slammed shut and Shanks was left staring with wide eyes, not exactly sure what happened.
He bit his lip. That did nothing to calm his nerves.
It only made them rise.
