Sophie yawned as she woke up from her sleep. It was already mid-day. Just how long had she been sleeping for. She noticed that Mihawk was not by her side and quite frankly she did not care. It was, after all, Mihawk's fault that she woke up so late. Stretching her arms she looked out the window. Like always, it was a gloomy day, but she could not think of a better place for the aloof man.

What did she need again? Her eyes widened. Her pill. She had forgotten to take it, but she hadn't eaten, so it was still fine. Quickly she rampaged through her belongings searching for it. She looked at the few packets that remained. They were so dangerously low. Something had to be done. Or else.

After returning from her shower she spotted a note by her bedside. It was from Mihawk. She had probably missed it earlier. She smiled as she looked at it. Mihawk's handwriting was just how she had imagined it to be. So refined and sophisticated. He had gone to get Shanks from the and the both of them were going to then go training for a while and return later.

Red haired Shanks. Sophie could not help but wonder what he was like. After all, she had always fantasized of how Shanks would be like towards her, but now she could know. She smiled at herself. It was like a dream come true.

She waltzed round the kitchen, preparing food for Mihawk and Shanks. There was nothing more in the world she wanted, than to have Shanks taste her cooking. She dipped her wooden spoon into the soup and tasted it. It was not as good as Mihawk's, but it was good nonetheless. Thanks to Mihawk's shopping from earlier, she had all the groceries she needed and many of the ingredients looked very familiar.

What was Shanks going to be like? She could not get the thought out of her mind. He was handsome. That much was indisputable. She slapped both cheeks with her hands, sandwiching her face in her palms as she shook her head. She was Mihawk's wife now. Such thoughts were not right. She was going to act completely indifferent to Shanks. Like Yuki would have. It was clear she had no feelings for him in the pictures and neither did he. She looked at the silver ring on her finger. To be honest, it had been from a cheap store near her university and she had just worn it on a whim. It held no significance, yet now it was a symbol of her loyalty to Mihawk.

"Get a grip of yourself!" she told herself as she heard some laughter from behind her. Followed by controlled panting. Her body continued to tell her not to turn, but curiosity got the best of her.

"It's been a while Yu."

She smiled in reply. She knew full well that if she had spoken, it would have been in an octave not reachable by any human or animal as a matter of fact. He was covered in sweat, his shirt in hand and his chest….she could not even think of the word. She turned and mixed the soup some more, feeling her smile growing wider.

"Act indifferent," she told herself as she opened the oven. The potatoes were nearly done and were smelling good too. She closed it and turned to find Shanks only a few inches away from her with a large grin on his face, his eyes staring at the pot behind her.

"What are you cooking?"

His presence was overwhelming. His eyes mesmerizing. She knew if she stared into them for too long, things could turn ugly. She would end up saying something she'd regret.

"I missed you," he smiled as he reached for her hand and softly kissed it.

"Get your own wife," Mihawk growled as he walked into the kitchen.

He too wore no shirt. She swallowed back her drool. For a second Shanks stared at Sophie with a straight face and then smiled, still looking straight into her eyes.

"Actually, I met this incredibly beautiful woman the other day," Shanks said as he briefly looked at Mihawk and then back at Sophie, "Might just make her my wife."

Sophie frowned. Why was he looking at her so intensely? Did he want some kind of reaction out of her?

Think. Think! What sort of thing would a friend say in a situation like this?

"Well, congratulations," she smiled, "Here I was thinking you'd never marry."

Shit! That was not what she was meant to say. Of course Shanks never married this girl he is talking about because in the future he was still single. Such cruel words she had chosen.

Mihawk laughed and Shanks joined in, though Sophie could sense his laugh was not sincere. She had been right. Her words were not the ones he had been looking for. They both stopped laughing. Mihawk entered the pantry as Sophie turned to look at Shanks. He had a sad look on his face. She looked at the ground when he caught her looking at her. Only to feel herself in his embrace, "I really did miss you."

It was short….and tight. It was filled with so many mixed emotions Sophie did not know what to think of it. She gave Shanks a small smile and walked towards the oven. Either way, her heart was beating so hard she feared it would crush against her ribcage and beat its way out her chest.

"Do you need any h–"

"No! No thank you," She said. Why had she shouted? Why was she so on edge?

Mihawk walked out with some sake and it seems Shanks quickly forgot about it all because he had walked over to Mihawk and was talking to him about the origin of it.

She took the time to begin setting up the table in the dining room. Mihawk had such great taste.

She could not help but be impressed. There were chandeliers hanging down and the deco in the room looked priceless if anything. The candelabrum that was in the middle of the table was a perfect touch. It'd be nice if one day she could have a meal with Mihawk with the candles…with Mihawk? How long did she plan on staying there? She wanted to leave and there was nothing that was going to stop her, yet she was now planning her future. She could not afford to think such thoughts.

"That was delicious," Mihawk said as he swirled his wine and sipped.

Shanks chugged down some sake, his cup banging against the table as he grinned at Sophie, "Your cooking has improved Yu. One day you're going to make someone a happy husband."

Mihawk did not take the comment lightly and before long, the two of them were bickering amongst themselves.

Clearing his throat, Mihawk decided to be the bigger man as of usual and asked a question that caused Shanks to freeze for only a second. Or had Sophie imagined it, "Tell us more of this girlfriend of yours. Why is this my first time hearing of her, seeing you seem quite certain that she is the one?"

Shanks looked at Sophie and Sophie smiled. There was that look again. Like he was expecting her to react a certain way. Did Yuki have some sort of facial expression she made in times like these? It had been years since they had last met. People change. She could use that as an excuse if he were to confront her about it.

"This food is delicious Yu," Shanks said, cutting his roast as he spoke.

Sophie smiled.

She was clearly over-thinking things. How could she forget that Shanks was just like Luffy. They both had one track minds and had such purity in what they did. Well, she didn't know how much applied to Shanks, but she decided to stop reading him like she knew him and literally take everything as it really was.

That way it would make life easier for her.

"Thank you."

Her cheeks began to burn. She knew the feeling too well. She was blushing. She held her face in her hands, hoping no one would ask her why. Shanks and Mihawk continued in conversation, not even noticing her peculiar behaviour. Or so she thought. The moment she raised her head, she noticed Mihawk looking straight at her. His face wore no expression, making it hard for her to know what he was thinking. He looked away and continued on speaking with Shanks.

She let out a quiet sigh. There was a possibility he had not even noticed.

She decided to listen in on their conversation, hoping to get in a word or two. The last thing she wanted was for them to notice her silence.

They both looked so serious. It was hard for her to believe that these very same men were indulging in childish bickering only but a few seconds ago.

She managed to listen for the most part, attentively staring at Shanks. Her eyes lowered to his lips. The way they moved as he spoke was hypnotizing. Though the new World Government policies did not interest Sophie in the slightest. But the perfect form of his lips did. She could also attest to the fact that they were soft. Not as soft as those of Mihawk, but they were soft still.

And his hair. Oh his hair. It was like silky red strings were draping his prefect head. Why couldn't such perfection exist in the real world?

"Yuki?"

"Oh sorry, yes," Sophie smiled as she looked at Mihawk. His eyes were so scrutinizing, piercing through her as if it were reading her very soul.

"You have been staring at Shanks for a while now," he smiled, "Are you lost in thought?"

Sophie nodded. It was great he had come up with an excuse for her.

"Care to share?"

It was too late. Her face was so red even if she covered it, they all would have seen.

She dared look at Shanks and he looked pale, petrified even.

"It is something I could not possibly say in front of…Shanks, darling."

Darling? Who says darling! Did Yuki even call him darling?

"Of course….darling," Mihawk smirked, was he mocking her?

"You can always tell me later. Perhaps show me?" Mihawk added.

"Excuse me," Shanks said as he walked out the room.

"That was rather odd," Mihawk smiled, "I wonder what made him so pale."

Confused too, Sophie agreed. Sophie yawned.

"Tired? You can go take a quick nap. Shanks and I will take care of everything. He hasn't been quite himself today, would it be okay with you if I speak to him alone. He really missed you when you were…gone. I don't blame him. He has known you much longer than I have."

Mihawk walked up and placed a kiss on Sophie's forehead, "It just occurred to me that if it wasn't for him, we wouldn't have met."

He stared at her for a while before cupping her cheek and kissing her lips softly, his kiss deepening.

They heard a chair pull back. Shanks had returned and had resumed eating like before. Mihawk had been right, Shanks was not himself.

"I'm going to take a short nap," Sophie smiled. Shanks looked up at her and grinned, before his eyes lowered back to the food, his expression sombre.

She gave Mihawk a nod and walked away.

Panting she woke up. Her body sweating. She wondered how long Shanks was going to be there for. Even though it had been less than a day. His presence there was taking its toll on her. And now he was appearing in her dreams. She sighed as she looked out the window. It was raining. Like the night she came, probably even worse. Hailstone crushed against the windows. It was dark. It seems her nap had gone on longer than anticipated. Her stomach growled and she held it, hoping Mihawk had not heard. Turning she found him fast asleep. He looked so peaceful and harmless. Almost like a baby. Her stomach growled once more and she left for the kitchen. She hoped they had left her something for dinner.

To her disappointment, there were empty bottles of sake and wine everywhere.

"Yu? Is that you?"

Sophie followed the voice and found Shanks sitting in the dinning room with a glass of sake in front of him.

"Shanks…"

It was all so surreal, Shanks being there and her sleeping by Mihawk's side each night. If she wasn't the luckiest girl in the world, she seriously didn't know who was.

He let out a low and short laugh before turning to face her. He was speaking to her, but she could not hear a word he was saying. She just stared into his eyes, fantasizing of what could be.

"You did come!" He beamed, his words hushed that Mihawk would not hear. He closed the gap between them and hugged her tightly. He was so warm, so soft, unlike Mihawk whose muscles tensed under her touch. As she stood there, her body comfortable in their embrace, her mind caught up with her sense. WHY was Shanks hugging the supposed wife of his best friend in the middle of the night? But that was not it. He had been waiting there, certain she would come.

"Yu," He whispered into her ear. Sophie looked at him. They must have been close, since Shanks even had a special name for her. One Mihawk did not even use, "I missed you."

"You couldn't be dead, I knew it." Then something happened Sophie could not begin to comprehend nor wrap her mind around. Shanks kissed her. It was short, sweet, desperate. Desperate for her? What was going on here? This Yuki was married to Mihawk, wasn't she?

It had been natural too, he had not hesitated. Like he knew she was going to reciprocate his feelings.

Her puzzlement must have shown, for Shanks pulled away.

"Mihawk told me you have been distant…You are leaving him for real this time, aren't you?" His eyes were pleading with her, "Please…"

You're leaving him for real? This time? So there had been another time?

There was some movement in the kitchen as Shanks placed his hands on her arms. His soul addressing her soul as they stood there in the darkness of the night.

"Please."

Please don't be a silent reader :'( Tell me what you guys think so far. This is my first non-yaoi fic as well so any tips and suggestions will be kindly welcomed.