Shakky's fingers twisted the orange peel around her fingers before she rimmed the glass with it. It was always enchanting to watch her make these drinks. Her hands are so quick, so precise at this. Retirement looks good on her. Rouge had argued against Shakky retiring when the Rocks went down, but seeing her sat behind her bar, pistol in her lap, always looked good. She missed her at sea still.
"What are you having?" Shakky sipped from the finished drink, the bar was closed so it wasn't like she was going to serve it to anyone else.
"Screwdriver, but hold the alcohol," Rouge started laying out the breadcrumbs.
"That's just orange juice? Ask for it like a normal person next time honey," Shakky would have used babe if it was Ray or dumbass if it was Roger. She made the drink anyway, even putting the drink in one of the fancy glasses.
Rouge took the moment to kiss her. It was always a bit difficult to steal a kiss from Shakky. She was always a bit too aware to make it an often thing but it was always nice. The boys were out harassing some marines around Sabaody. It would just be them tonight. Rouge and Roger had agreed that it would be her to break the news.
"You know, there's a reason why I ordered that specific drink," Rouge had a sip of her orange juice.
"Wait! Holy shit! Which one knocked you up?" Rouge laughed as Shakky came to the realization. It wasn't breaking news that Rouge wanted to get pregnant, it had been something they'd talked about when the four of them had come to their arrangement.
"Roger probaby, I think. It could be either one, but I'm kind of hoping it's Roger's" This was the lead into the second point of the conversation. The good news before the bad.
Shakky just perpers Rouge in kisses, climbing over the bar to get a better angle. Their lips eventually meet Shakky's lips tasting like liquor and cigarette smoke. Shakky wasn't the best kisser of their foursome but she was the most even. Less eager than Rodger but eager enough, less skilled than Rayleigh but she was good with her tongue.
"Roger's cute enough that any brats that have his blood will have to be cute, but why are you hoping it's his?" Shakky broke the kiss, rubbing her hand over Rouge's stomach and sometimes dipping a bit lower. Which, yes, but not now.
"We did a check in with Crocus, both for the baby and… other matters," They all knew about Roger's illness. How it had put a time limit on Roger's life from the moment they had met. With Roger's luck he would die of old age before this thing finally caught him. It was Roger, he had the devil's own luck. It would be fine.
"How long until the next checkpoint?" To those that were on this ride with Roger a checkpoint was whenever the dog said 'He'd be lucky to make it another few years, months, days, whatever'. They planned a lot of crap around these checkpoints, especially major life decisions like Rouge's baby.
"Year if we're lucky. This time seriously. Like a million in one odds to make it out that far," Rouge knew this song and dance and she knew this time was different. It truly felt like the end of the road.
"Shit. I'm guessing that Roger is showing the same bombshell to Rayleigh right now?" Shakky leans back in her bar stool, sighing deeply. Rouge just nods.
"But it's Roger right? He's gotten a million a million one shots before. This will be no different," Rouge knows that the odds are low, but those are the odds that Roger has lived his entire life by. It's just another check in point. Just another long shot.
"That's true," Shakky downs the rest of the drink she made earlier. "What's the plan for the baby? You could stay here if you like. I've got the room," Shakky had made her bar have enough back rooms to house all of their group, in separate beds or all together. It had enough room for a child.
"I'm going back to the blues. I'm still wanted. I'm still feared. Black Jack Rouge, or Portgas D. Rouge, I guess I should get used to calling myself that again, was born on the Grand Line. I have no ties to any of the blues. It's where I should hide," Rouge nodded to herself as she spoke. A vague plan became concrete as she spoke it outloud.
"Wait, you have a last name?" Shakky's eyes went wide. She had never heard Rouge's full name before, Rouge never spoke it. Rouge had grown up taught not to say your full name out loud, or else the fae will get you. If you give the fae your full name they could own you, which is why she should rarely give her name, especially not that middle bit. Rouge had grown out of her childhood superstitions, but still kept her habit. She knew what would really get her with that middle initial of hers.
"I never told you?" Rouge was sure she had told her. Surely, right? She had been involved with Shakky for years and friends for longer. Surely she had told her, even in passing.
"No! I can't believe this!" Shakky was giving the exaggerated anger she did when she was more joking then mad. When Shakky was truly pissed it was something cold and quiet, more likely to quickly fire a shot where it killed then pummel you with the butt. It was easy to watch her moods, Rouge liked that about her.
"Whose will the baby get? If you're going to give them one of course," Shakky was all about baby names, always willing to play along with Rouge when she started listing off names she liked.
"Mine. This baby is more mine than his. I'll give them my family name," Rouge was sure of this. She had already been calling the baby 'Little Portgas' in her head from the moment she knew she was pregnant.
"I'll go grab the baby name books. Got any you're still super sure on?" This wouldn't be the first time the two of them had listed baby names, sometimes Roger would sit with them when they listed names late at night.
"Roger is still sure on Ace if it's a boy. I've got a few in my mind for a girl," Roger wanted to name his son after his sword and Rouge was willing to give that to him.
"Is Gertrude still on that list?" Shakky knew where the odder parts of Rouge's brain went, the parts of her mind that made her and Roger get along like a house on fire. They never really worried much and smiled like the sun rose behind them. They were also known to have the oddest tendencies and be insanely stubborn about them.
"No, I thought about it a bit more and I think I like another name more," Rouge failed to see a problem with how old-fashioned the names she picked out were. Shakky knew she had to carefully stear Rouge or else this kid would end up bullied.
"Which name is it?" Shakky asked with undeserved hope in her voice.
"Gladys! I think it's really classy."
"Rouge…"
"What?"
"Let's think of some others. And we don't have to decide on them now. We've got den-den's, and they both have good ranges on them. We can talk about this until the baby is born," Shakky knew that any strong pushback would make Rouge double down so she had to carefully steer her girlfriend away from giving the baby a very unfortunate name.
"It'll be so weird doing this on my own, but I know it's the safest choice for me and the baby. I'll rush back here the moment the baby is born. I don't think I could stay away that long," Rouge twirled the straw in her now empty glass of orange juice.
"Promise?" Shakky made it very difficult for Rouge to respond, immediately kissing the other woman.
"Promise"