A/N: Happy Mother's Day! :'D)

"But daddy, mommy's already the prettiest lady in the world."

Zoro looked into the eyes of his little four year old, for the moment ignoring the wet of the grass and damp of the early morning air. She stared back, the only piece of innocence he'd probably ever had in him, tucked away and given to his lover to incubate and birth nine months after he'd done one of the dumbest things he could remember doing in his life. Or smartest. It depended on the day and where he happened to be at the time he was pondering.

Right now, he was visiting the island; willingly crawled back into the hydra's lair. Hancock was fine if he kept out of her way when she was busy, but their daughter didn't understand the world like they did; he didn't want to think she could take it personally, him being away most of a year and her mother being…herself.

"Well, daddy didn't fall in love with mommy because she's pretty," he said with gruff gentleness. "He fell in love with her because he knows she has a good heart and would take care of the thing most important to him while he's not around."

She blinked her big dark eyes and asked, "What's that?"

He looked away and pouted like he was hurt she didn't already know. Then, when she'd taken a step forward to poke his arm, he reeled back slowly to grin at her. She blushed and held a tiny hand to her smile and giggled.

"You are the prettiest girl in the world," he said low and resolutely, pushing a flower up into the hair strands near her ear. Her blush grew bigger and her upturned lips were hidden by bashful hands.

"Could I be like mommy someday?" she asked when he stood up and lifted her up onto his shoulders. He rolled his eyes.

"You'll be prettier. And have a hell of a nicer demeanor."

"And then I can marry a swordsman too?"

Zoro stopped dead in his tracks and blushed furiously.

"Absolutely not."

It was her turn to pout. "Why can't I get married?"

"You're four. You should be thinking about drinking juice and playing with puppies."

"Mommy doesn't like puppies."

"Mommy's dumb. Go find a damn puppy and stop trying to-"

"I'm what," Hancock asked smoothly, leaning on a tree as her family walked by, Zoro practically swallowing his own tongue and twisting his head to stare at her.

"Daddy and I picked flowers for you," the girl said with a smile. Hancock's face softened a little. She took the flowers and her daughter from off of Zoro's shoulders.

"Stop teaching Iris those awful words, you dumbass," she scolded, gliding slowly up the path and indicating she desired he walk with her. He scratched his neck and fell into step, Iris leaning over and putting a flower wreath on his head. He sighed heavily.

"Are you finished with your work?"

"I decided it might be nice to take a walk," she said with a smirk. "And I thought you might be lost."

He flushed. Leave it to him to find and impregnate the queen of sass.

"I made lunch anyway," she said cheerfully. "All on my own."

"Fantastic," Zoro muttered, paling. He wasn't fond of her attempts to be domestic. She smacked him upside the head and their daughter laughed gleefully, sea foam green hair long and swaying over her mother's arm.

"We'll have a picnic and go join everyone else."

"Get Luffy to eat your shit cooking. I don't want to die."

"You will eat or I'll make sure you die."

"Mommy said she can kick your ass, daddy."

"Mommy knows all the good phrases for kids, doesn't she."

"Do not marry a bastard like your father."

"She's not getting married. To anyone. Get her a goddamn puppy."

"Go kiss your boyfriend, daddy."

"…And just who the hell is my boyfriend…"

"Uncle Sanji-"

"GOD DAMMIT, HANCOCK…"

"RUN, MOMMY."

"Don't worry, dear, he's too short to catch up…"

"WAIT TIL I GET MY HANDS ON YOU TWO…"