Chasing Waves
Chapter 12: Tides of Hospitality
Three days after Ace and Whitebeard's funeral, Shanks informed Mia they would be entering the Grand Line. Mia nodded mechanically when Shanks informed her on the deck of his ship. Nino sat quietly to the side, having barely spoken since they boarded. Her eyes were swollen, and her head buried in her knees.
"The news about what happened at Marineford has reached the far corners of the oceans," said Shanks, his eyes focused on the waters. "It's going to start a frenzy with this awful generation." He chuckled, yet there was barely any humour in his laugh. Mia thought she detected a hint of bitterness, but figured it was too unbecoming of a good-natured man like Shanks, however given the circumstances she couldn't say she blamed him for any resentment.
"Like I need them to get into any more trouble," Mia mumbled under her breath, trying to not let Nino hear her as she sat off on the side by her lonesome self. "They're just kids, Shanks." She looked at him pleadingly, almost as if asking for answers.
"We all got to start somewhere, I guess," he said nonchalantly, a small shrug accompanying his unenthusiastic comment. Before Mia could retort, he piped up slightly. "How is Makino, by the way?"
Mia lifted her head at his question and offered him a coy smile. "She's great. I miss her a lot. She wasn't crazy about me leaving. I hope I can see her again soon." Mia thought back on the ten months she spent shacking up with Makino – they were so alike, both kind and empathetic to a fault, yet Makino seemed to possess a down-to-earth patience accompanied by a motherly passion and love for the people around her.
'Vera used to be like that.' The thought popped into Mia's head before she could stop herself. The shock of seeing her sister at Marineford on the side of Blackbeard still lingered over her like a dreadful storm cloud, fogging up her thoughts and feelings with no words to put them into. Shanks had already told her everything about Blackbeard and so when she had been brought up to speed, she realized it was not that all too surprising Blackbeard and Vera had teamed up.
"I'm sure you'll see her again soon. I'll probably drop by there again in a few more months. I'll give her your love." Shanks grinned at Mia, finally catching her eyes.
Mia smiled naughtily. "Make sure you give her your love as well."
Shanks feigned insult. "Why, Miss Mia, such dirty insinuation from a lady such as yourself? I never!" He huffed playfully and crossed his arms. Mia laughed softly for the first time since boarding. When he called her Miss Mia, she thought of Mihawk's ship and how much she missed that time she spent on board.
Oh, Mihawk.
What a disaster facing him on the battlefield. Nearly a year without seeing him, missing him like crazy, going in and out of fantasies wondering when she would see him again …and she promptly tells him to move out of her way. At the time, it felt right. Nino was her only priority in that moment. Not even Neptune himself could stop her from saving her niece. Looking back on that moment, she was a tad bit angry at him for slowing her down on the battlefield, but then she remembered his words when she confronted him. "Because anyone else would have actually tried to hurt you by now." Mia would not claim to know Mihawk well, but she allowed herself to believe he was protecting her in that moment, and not simply letting his ego keep her in check because he felt she wasn't strong enough on the battlefield.
"We'll be entering the Grand Line soon, and then reach your destination in a few days. The Grand Line isn't as big as everyone thinks. I mean, it is, but not for a Pirate like me," Shanks explained with a smile and a wink.
"And our destination is …?" Mia pressed, waiting for Shanks to provide the answer. Shanks kept his smile.
"Aw, come one. I want this one to be a surprise! I'm sure you'll be happy once you arrive there."
Mia pondered for a second, letting the sea breeze of the late afternoon push against her back as she leaned against the bow. "Well, it can't be Makino's because we're going to the Grand Line. I don't know anything about the Grand Line so I can't be sure. Is it where Luffy is?"
Shanks shook his head. "I don't know where Luffy is right know – Rayleigh will no doubt train him somewhere more private and safer. I know your other niece is with Jinbe. He is very trustworthy, I promise you. She will learn incredible things from him."
At the mention of Luffy and Mera, Mia saw Nino's head perk up out of the corner of her eye.
Shanks, meanwhile, allowed his eyes to drift wistfully across the calm waters of the sea. "Pirates across the world are celebrating because Whitebeard confirmed the existence of the One Piece, you know. People doubted it as the years passed after Roger's death. No doubt that will stoke the fire Luffy's been warming under his ass for the last few years." Shanks chuckled knowingly.
Mia locked eyes with Nino's for a second. There was no fire there. Only despair and sullenness. It would take some work to get Nino to come to a resolve about her place not only in Luffy's crew, but in this world altogether.
"We have a lot of work to do," Mia said severely, eyes still locked with Nino. Nino nodded, more so out of obligation than desire, but Mia knew her niece well. Time healed most wounds, even though it left scars.
"Was she in love with him?" Shanks asked in a low voice. His question puzzled Mia for a second and she looked at him with a furrowed expression as she thought about his question.
"I don't know," she answered honestly, taking a deep breath. "When I joined the Straw Hats, I could have sworn she loved Zoro. I think, now that you mention it, I hadn't even thought of Mera and Nino as old enough to love a man." Mia swept her eyes to Nino, who was now on her feet and trudging across the deck to no doubt go sulk in her cabin. "They'll always be kids to me, I guess. I changed their diapers. I taught them to walk and talk. The concept is so …odd to me."
Shanks chuckled. "Sounds like you have a hard time letting go. Maybe it's time to let them leave the nest for good?"
Mia narrowed her eyes at him. "I let them join Luffy's crew, didn't I? I encouraged them to buy into his crazy dream about becoming Pirate King and all that stuff. I don't think I have a hard time letting go, mostly because I know I taught them to know better; to know when to stand by their values and keep on the right path. I never thought to have the …you know, 'talk' with them about …love." Mia spoke from her heart, feeling relieved, Shanks seemed to be listening intently, and it made her embarrassed to be emotionally vulnerable in front of him so suddenly.
"Maybe she didn't necessarily love him," Shanks suggested gently. "Perhaps her grief comes from her compassion for Luffy."
Mia raised her eyebrows thoughtfully. "That was …surprisingly profound."
"Hey now, don't sound so surprised!" Shanks laughed. "I'm probably older than you, which means you should respect my wisdom as an elder!"
Mia rolled her eyes. "Please, I'm well into my thirties. And my older sisters say it's all downhill from there."
"Only if you're a woman," he quipped with a smile.
Mia feigned insult. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Shanks straightened his back, turning on his feet as if to leave for his cabin. The sun was almost setting, and Mia had learnt by now that Pirate Captains loved their naps. "It means maybe you should start thinking about settling down. You know I heard Mihawk has been looking for a wife. Maybe you could explore-"
Shanks was soaked head to toe in sea water, but the sudden splash of water couldn't wash of the knowing smile off his face as Mia huffed past him, face beet red as she marched across the deck and towards her room.
His whole frame still dropping, he chuckled to himself.
XxXxXxXxX
"We only have two years to prepare, sweetheart," Mia reminded Nino as they packed their few belongings. A crewmember had knocked on the door of their cabin a few minutes ago to inform them they were an hour away from their destination and to gather their belongings in the meantime.
"Yes, auntie," Nino responded as she dutifully folded a shirt and handed it to Mia. "I will work hard, I promise." Nino's eyes were big and innocent as she smiled at her aunt. Mia smiled back, happy her niece had begun her healing process after her initial grieving. After the two had taken a few swims in the ocean and enjoyed a few serene meditation sessions, Nino had started to act like her normal self again. Mia was relieved, and in the back of her mind, wondered how Mera was doing.
Mera was more strong-willed than her twin. As the firstborn, she carried herself with more confidence and self-assurance. Nino was not meek by any comparison, but Mia knew she still had to tap into Nino's resolve.
It would certainly a challenging two years of training that lay ahead of them.
As they continued packing, Mia mused out loud about their mystery destination. "I hope wherever we're going we have good spots to train. Hopefully long beaches and strong waves."
"Yes, auntie," Nino agreed automatically, stuffing away the last piece of clothing in her backpack. The teenager did a quick sweep of their room with her eyes and then sighed as she plopped on the bed. "I've never been away from Mera so long before. And now we're going to be apart for …two years."
Mia heard Nino's voice crack at the last part of her sentence. She placed her hand on her nieces back and rubbed the middle a few times. "I know, sweetheart. I'm so sorry. When I was you age …well, I started taking care of you and your sister. But two years is just a blip in comparison to how life is for us."
Nino sighed. Mia could see it wasn't really the answer she wanted, but it was the realest one Mia had to offer. Nino swung her backpack on to her back and trudged out of the cabin without a word, her mood abruptly very brooding. Mia took a deep breath when her niece shut the door of the cabin.
'Teenagers,' she thought, adding nothing else. She finished packing up herself and let her mind wander as she mindlessly gathered all her things.
She would miss Mera too. It was strange seeing the twins separated, and it would be even stranger only training Nino.
'Let's be honest with ourselves here. Nino needs the most help anyway,' Mia admitted to herself. It wasn't a nice premise to have to deal with; the fact that one twin was naturally more gifted as a fighter than the other one. 'Nino is the better healer, though, so that's good. She might even surprise me in these next two years.' It was going to take a lot of dedication and patience, but Mia had enough of that to go around. Hopefully.
'We'll see what happens,' she thought with a sense of finality, stuffing the last of her clothing into her bag. Uncertain about the future, she flung her bag over her shoulder and left for the deck. They were probably a little less than an hour away.
XxXxX
'Welcome to Gloom Island!" Shanks proclaimed, as he helped Mia out of the rowboat and unto the beach. A crewmember was already unloading Nino and Mia's bags and Nino was already perusing the thick spread of jungle that lay ahead of them.
"Am I supposed to know this place?" Mia asked, slightly irked that Shanks still had not provided any context to the situation.
"It looks really dark," Nino pointed out, looking over her shoulder uncertainly.
Shanks waved his hand, almost as if to wave off the comments. "Nah, you guys will fit in here just fine."
"Where is 'here', Shanks?" Mia asked, indicating around her to what seemed to be an abandoned island. "It feels like you're marooning us in the middle of nowhere."
Shanks chuckled. "It certainly does look like it's between nowhere and anywhere, but trust me, you'll get a warm welcome here."
"Yes, I'm sure we'll be very happy on Gloom Island," Mia deadpanned, rubbing her temples with her thumb and forefinger. Shanks was exhausting sometimes.
As Shanks and the crewmember pushed the rowboat further unto the beach, Mia took a second to properly assess the island and her surroundings. True to its name, the island seemed to lack colour. That wasn't to say the jungle did not produce many sounds of nightly insects and birds.
"We'll just wait here for a while. I'm sure he'll be here any second. Can't let you go through the jungle on your own. The Humandrills are probably still restless," Shanks commented casually, peering into the flora in front of him.
Mia did a double take. "The Human-whats?"
Shanks frowned slightly and then waved his hand again. "Don't worry about it."
Mia took a deep breath. She was placing a lot of her trust in Shanks in this moment. She didn't have a boat or ship of their own and she had no idea how to navigate around the Grand Line. When Shanks left them here, they would be sitting ducks.
"Look, I see you're worried," Shanks said, probably reading the uncertainty on Mia's face. "But you know the person-"
"It's Mihawk, isn't it." She didn't even ask, just monotonously voiced what she had been speculating for a few days now. Seeing Shanks was finally quiet, she crossed her arms and looked him in the eyes. "And this is where he lives. I suspected as much when you made that wife comment." She waved to the jungle behind her.
Shanks grimaced a bit and then tried to laugh it off. "Okay. You're right." He paused and then thought for a second. "But!" he pointed out, his eyes lighting up. "There's someone else here you know, and that is going to be a great surprise."
"What surprise?" a low voice drawled behind them at the edge of the jungle. Nino squealed loudly and excitedly.
"ZORO!" she practically screamed. Mia was certain her ears had popped a bit. She'd forgotten teenage girls had that high pitched scream sometimes. She turned to the jungle and sure enough, there was Zoro – injured and still beaten up from Marineford, but alive and standing even though he was absurdly bandaged up. Nino had already tackled him to the ground, probably reopening a few wounds in the process. He gruffly pushed Nino off, who was ecstatic to be reunited with a Straw Hat. She was grinning ear to ear, the misery from an hour ago completely abolished. Mia watched as Nino helped Zoro to his feet as she excitedly chattered in his ear. Mia smiled at him, obviously happy to see him as well.
"I haven't seen you in almost a year, Miss Mia," Zoro commented. Mia gave him a hug. She sensed the fatigue in in his body as she patted him on the back.
"It's good to see you, Zoro. This is certainly a nice surprise," Mia remarked happily. Zoro was already gathering their bags, seemingly ready to trek into the jungle with them.
"I'll leave you with Zoro then," Shanks said, smiling at Mia. He offered Zoro a nod, the latter returning the gesture, and then hugged Mia and Nino goodbye.
"Thank you so much for everything," Mia said softly. "I wish I could repay you for all you've done."
Shanks patted her on the shoulder. "Makino told me you're her family. That means you're my family too." He nodded at her and turned to accompany his crewmember back into the rowboat to board his ship again. As they rowed off back to the ship, Nino and Mia waved goodbye and then turned to follow Zoro into the unknown jungle.
"Follow me," he instructed gruffly. To Mia, he still seemed the same. Perhaps he was a tiny bit taller, she thought, but he was already much leaner than he was when she and the twins joined the Straw Hats after he did.
"How did you end up here, Zoro?" Nino asked, trying to keep up with his long strides.
"Pure coincidence, to be honest. This is where Kuma spat me out from Marineford. I thought he got you too," he told, shooting a serious look at Nino. "Don't know where the others are."
"Luffy is with Rayleigh and Mera is with Jinbe. We don't know about the others," Nino explained quickly, slightly out of breath as she struggled to stay next to Zoro during the walk. Despite the thick brush, there was a path of some kind that they could follow unobstructed by branches or bushes.
"Mihawk only told me you were coming after we saw Luffy in the paper. Ready for two years of training?" There was a very restrained excitement in Zoro's voice. To Mia, he seemed oddly chatty. She remembered him as the strong and silent type of the crew, napping most times and only interfering when things got serious. In some way, he reminded Mia of Mihawk a bit.
"Y-yeah," Nino said, obviously not as excited at the prospect of obsessive training as Zoro was. But there was no doubt a spring in her step as she walked next to Zoro from where Mia was looking as she walked behind them quietly. She watched the way the pair chatted back and forth, after a while Nino seemed to do most of the talking, telling of their experience on Shanks's ship.
"It's not a long walk," Zoro said over his shoulder. Mia almost thought the teenagers had forgotten about her by the way they were so invested in each other's company.
"I already see the castle." Mia said, squinting to take in the distance. The building had already started to peak into view a few minutes ago. Of course, it was glorious and big and grandiose, just like Mihawk's ship. Except the castle's design appeared more modern than his ship. Against the dark skyline, the white of the castle seemed very stark. The tips of the highest tower and the various pillars were a blue she was very fond of, she thought.
The thought of seeing Mihawk again was definitely exciting, but there was no denying the knots forming in the pit of her stomach. She didn't know where her nerves had originated from so quickly, but she found herself mindlessly trying to untangle her curls with her fingers. She hadn't even properly checked her appearance this morning, too concerned with packing and getting ready to leave Shanks's ship. Her skin felt dry, and her feet felt dirty all of a sudden.
"How did Mihawk react to finding you here? You know, since the last time you guys met, it didn't really …go so well." It felt like a lifetime ago, Mia thought, meeting Mihawk on that faithful day that he abducted her.
Mia probably hit a nerve without meaning too, because Zoro started to glare at the ground as they walked. "I asked him to train me. He agreed," Zoro mumbled and offered nothing else after that.
Mia smiled at Zoro's back. 'These kids,' she thought, suddenly feeling old as she shook her head to herself.
xXxXx
"Here we are," Zoro announced uneventfully, loosely gesturing towards the castle. The residence didn't seem to impress him much, but Mia was certain most things didn't impress Zoro. Then again, he had been here for a few days already.
"Watch out for the floating girl." Zoro said unceremoniously, setting their bags down as they entered the front door.
"The floating what?" Nino asked as they stepped into the foyer.
'Wow," Mia thought. 'Mihawk is rich.' The sheer size of it was staggering enough, not to mention the large drapes and carpets. They seemed to supply the only splash of colour with a mixture of red and white, as the walls were of a thick grey brick in the background of these colours. The foyer wasn't particularly furnished, yet everything inside it looked expensive and valuable. There seemed to be some medieval inspiration in its décor.
"Is Mihawk a vampire?" Nino asked quietly, leaning into Mia's ear.
"I have yet to confirm," Mia provided, eyes still peering over the interior. "Also, what did Zoro say about a floating girl?"
Zoro crossed his arms brusquely and got a serious look in his eyes. "She's more like a ghost."
"Oooh, I don't like that," Nino commented quietly only for Mia to hear. There was a moment of silence amongst the three as they awkwardly and expectantly stood in the foyer. Zoro looked around, unsure.
"I'm not sure what to do next," he deadpanned. Nino shook her head into the palm of her hand. Mia looked around, noticing the stairs.
"Where's Mihawk?" Mia asked.
Zoro shrugged. "He was here when I left."
'Well, duh," Nino said quietly again to herself, but once more only Mia heard her. Mia exhaled from her nose at Nino's commentary.
"Maybe you should go look for him, Zoro. We can't just walk around his house without greeting him first. That's rude," Mia said to Zoro, raising her eyebrows. She had come to learn that a lot of pirates were not probably educated on etiquette, so she was not surprised when Zoro did not really seem to understand what she said. Nonetheless, with a shrug he stuffed his hands in his pockets and exited the room into an adjacent hallway. The instant he left, Mia and Nino heard a door open to the right of them.
Sure enough, Mihawk walked out. Mia's chest tightened. Every time she saw him it struck her how tall he was. He was without his signature hat, but he still donned his jacket Mia had come to strongly associate with his style. His red eyes met hers and without thinking she smiled nervously. He shut the door behind him, face more stoic than she thought usual.
"Welcome," he said a tad stiffly. For a second, Mia was uncertain of what do next. Should she go in for the hug? A friendly handshake?
'Hi," Mia said shyly, her hands rubbing each other thoughtlessly. There was a moment of discomfort as Mia and Mihawk just looked at each other for a few seconds. Whatever it was, Mia sensed Nino could pick up on it.
"Hi Mister Mihawk," Nino said, breaking the silence. "I'm Nino. We've met before when … you know… you kidnapped my aunt," she trailed off quietly, cheeks flushed from embarrassment. It didn't help that she stuck out her hand, expecting him to shake it.
"Nino!" Mia scolded softly, wishing the ground could swallow her up.
"It's okay," Mihawk tipped his head graciously at Nino. "Yes, I should probably apologize for that," Mihawk spoke deeply. He took Nino's hand, small and pale in comparison to his and shook it gently.
Nino smiled, still embarrassed and then nervously grabbed Mia's arm. "I guess it all worked out in the end."
"It has been a year since then. Well, almost a year I guess," Mia said, feeling the tight feeling in her chest gradually releasing from her. She looked at Mihawk and smiled again, still a bit unsure of where they stood with each other. She guessed they would find out later. Two years would be a long time.
"Thank you for your hospitality, Mister Mihawk," Nino said politely and then bowed. Mihawk waved it off, almost cracking something akin to a smile. Mia stifled her giggle. Nino was definitely more civil than the rest of the family
"Please, just call me Mihawk. No mister necessary," he said and looked around the room. "Where is the boy?"
"You mean Zoro? I told him to go look for you, and you came in like the second he left," Mia explained, thoughtlessly trying to flatten her skirt against her thighs with her palms as she looked at him.
He looked at Mia with cheeky eyes. "We won't see him for days then. He got lost the whole of yesterday. What kind of pirate as no sense of direction?"
Mia and Nino laughed good-naturedly.
"Well, he was able to fetch us from the beach and bring us here without getting lost," Mia pointed out.
"That's because I cut out a path for him to follow," Mihawk said, looking around the room. When he spotted their luggage, he turned to both of them. "You must be fatigued from Shanks's terrible personality. How would you like some tea before you settle in?"
As Mihawk turned for them to follow, Mia laughed although Nino didn't get.
"Shanks was nice," Nino blinked innocently as she followed Mihawk alongside her aunt.
"Mihawk and Shanks have …known each other for a long time," Mia explained politely to her niece, patting her on the shoulder. Nino shrugged, deciding not to dwindle on it. Mihawk led them through a long and dark hallway – suits of armor lined the walls and the lights above them were dim. Mia thought it was a tad cliché but decided she would keep that fact to herself.
Eventually they entered what looked like a study – it was huge with floor to ceiling bookcases, long drapes framing the windows and a stellar blue marble fireplace surrounded by armchairs and an antique sofa. The furniture was primarily black and grey and the wood it was made out of was stained dark. The carpet felt thick and soft.
"I'll have Gerome bring up some tea," said Mihawk and Mia's head perked up excitedly. "Please make yourself at home."
Mia took a seat on the sofa. Nino remained standing, awkwardly swaying from side to side. "Actually maybe I should go look for Zoro?" she suggested tentatively.
Mihawk nodded absentmindedly as he took a seat in the armchair perpendicular to the sofa. "Perhaps that is a good idea. In the meantime, you and I," Mihawk locked eyes with Mia, "could catch up." His lips enunciated each syllable meticulously. Mia still wasn't sure if he was happy to see her or upset with her for going to Marineford. Mia nodded at Nino, agreeing with Mihawk, and her niece happily bounced out the room, escaping the discomfort.
Once Nino left, Mia felt her chest tighten again. Nervous, she crossed her legs. She was unusually subconscious about her posture in that moment for some reason. Mihawk looked like he was about to say something, but Mia quickly opened her mouth and babbled," So Gerome is here?"
Mihawk leaned back in his armchair. Mia let her eyes quickly drift over his magnificently defined shoulders before making eye contact with him again. He seemed relaxed and unfazed; a state of mind Mia envied.
"Yes, I asked Gerome to serve as my personal chef for the time being. He is not usually here. I generally provide for myself but having you all as my guests I would prefer to you were well served during your stay here," he explained almost too formally. His arms rested on the armrests of his armchair which made him appear authoritative and important. The red of his eyes drifted as he seemed to search for more words. He adjusted in his seat slightly and then loosely added, "I also remembered you telling me how much you enjoyed his food so, I figured you would be happy with that arrangement." His eyes flickered to her once more nearly gauging her for a reaction.
Mia smiled. "That's very kind of you, Mihawk." Her face felt like it was on fire, and she was wringing her hands in her lap. She stopped when she saw Mihawk's keen eyes dart to her hands.
"Is there anything else I can do to make you more comfortable?" he asked, but his face was so severe, and his eyes were so hard that Mia still could no discern whether he was happy to see her or not.
"Are you upset with me?" she blurted out before she could stop herself. She bit her lip, unsure of his stoic reaction.
He raised an eyebrow as he leaned back more into his armchair. "Why would I be upset with you?"
"Because I went to Marineford with Whitebeard," Mia said, thinking back on the great pirate that perished that day, who showed her empathy because of their common family values. She would have liked to know him better, perhaps, in another life.
Mihawk seemed surprised. "No, I thought you were upset with me."
Mia was taken aback. She scooted forward in her seat – the sofa felt too big for her, as if it would swallow her up if she didn't hold onto the armrest on her left side. "No, of course not. I was- I mean, I apologize if I came across as …rude, at Marineford," Mia finished lamely. It seemed so difficult to find the words in that moment, as she was casually sitting with him in his study, in his house, when merely a few days ago they met on the battlefield pretending to be enemies. At least, she hoped he was pretending at the time.
Mihawk leaned a bit forward, coming closer to her. Mia felt her heartbeat knock at her ribs. "Mia, considering you were trying to save your niece's life, any rudeness towards me can be excused. It was a …problematic situation. I could tell Akainu wanted to get to you first," he explained. Mia thought back to the fiery admiral and the heat that came off him on the battlefield. "He would have killed you if he had the chance. That's why I intervened." Mihawk looked at Mia intensely, finally showing her some emotion – Mia just had a hard time identifying it. Was it concern? Pity? Or hopefully something else?
Mia nodded and her eyes drifted to the carpet in thought. "Okay," she voiced, thoughts racing. "So, you're not upset with me, and I'm not upset with you?" she asked, locking eyes with him once more.
Finally, Mihawk offered her a small smile. His eyes completely seemed to soften, and the tightness in Mia's chest loosened up. "Yes, that seems to be the case."
"Then I'm happy we're okay," she said, releasing a small sigh. Boldly, she reached her hand out to touch his. When he didn't pull back, she decided to keep going. The tips of her fingers grazed the top of his hand when the door burst open and Mia's hand recoiled.
"Teatime!" came a melodic voice from the doorframe. A large frame entered with a tray.
"Gerome!" Mia exclaimed and jumped to her feet. He rushed forward, quickly set down the tray on the small side table between the sofa and the armchair Mihawk occupied. Gerome grabbed Mia into a tight bearhug and lifted her off her feet.
"Miss Mia!" he cried happily, his overdramatic voice making Mia release a strained laugh from his strong embrace.
"Put her down, Gerome," Mihawk ordered coldly, more than Mia thought was necessary. Gerome did as he was instructed and then bowed his head apologetically to his captain.
"I'm sorry, captain. Won't happen again," he insisted with a serious tone. He turned to Mia, nearly out of breath. "Miss Mia, it is such a pleasure to see you again. I promise to serve you well during your stay here. I already moved your and your niece's bags to your respective room. Your room has a lovely balcony with a lovely view of the ocean-"
"Thank you, chef," Mihawk said firmly. Gerome bowed once more.
Mia giggled softly as Gerome left the room. Mihawk poured them both tea while they got back to their conversation.
"I can't believe you'd think I'd be upset with you," he said as he poured himself some milk into his tea.
"I'm sorry, I'm still not very good at reading you, I suppose," Mia responded, blowing on her own cup of tea.
"Am I a mystery to you then?" he asked, a good-humored smirk pulling on his handsome face. Mia thought she would faint. Was he flirting with her? Or was this the type of playful teasing he would have with a friend? She had no answer just yet. She took a millisecond to study him completely.
"Sometimes," she answered vaguely, because if she were being honest with herself, she didn't have a legitimate answer to that question. No, 'mystery' wasn't the right word. Shanks was a mystery, because even though he wore his heart on his sleeve, Mia still didn't really know anything about him. Though it would be fair to claim she didn't know Mihawk very well either, there was no denying that she felt more …comfortable around him? No, that's not the right word. He made her nervous, and yet, she didn't really mind anymore, because the nervousness was steadfast becoming an adrenaline she would look forward to in the future.
'There's no doubt I feel something for him. I've known for a while I'm very attracted to him,' she thought as she gazed into her tea. 'I'm just not sure …I'm not good with men and relationships. So …I'm terrified.'
"Mia?"
Jerked out of her thoughts, Mia raised her head and eyebrows to see Mihawk looking at her with a worried and curious expression. "Are you alright?"
Mia nodded dumbly. "Yeah, haha. Sorry, I got lost in thought for a second. It's been a strange few days."
"Yes, I'm sure you would like to get some rest before supper. I can show you to your room and you can freshen up before then?" he suggested. Mia nodded and finished up the rest of her tea. Mihawk then lead her out of the library and up the stairs to the second floor.
"You have a lovely home, Mihawk," Mia said, taking in everything as they passed through another hallway. "And it's huge as well. I'm sure I would get lost like Zoro too if I wasn't paying attention."
Mihawk let out a small chuckle. It was a low sound, lovely and deep-toned at the same time. "The boy would get lost even if I put him in a kennel."
"Oh Mihawk, don't be mean," she teased, but she couldn't hide her smile. This was nice. This was easy. She liked these interactions. They were effortless and silly and light. Was this a sign that Mihawk felt closer to her, maybe?
He stopped by a white door at the beginning of the second hallway. "This is it," he said, opening the door. "Your luggage is already here, and your niece's room is right across from yours," he pointed to the other white door across from hers. As they entered Mia's room, she was instantly taken in with the change in tone and colour of this particular room. No gray brick walls. No dark and gloomy colour palette. The room was a combination of white, teal and taupe. The first thing that caught her eye was the humungous fourposter bed against the wall. There was a potted plant in the corner, paintings of the ocean and marine life against the walls. Mia took in everything. If only her room at home in the temple was as nice as this.
"Is this okay?" he asked, looking at her intently. She was almost speechless.
"Okay?" she repeated. For a moment he had a faint look of terror in his face before her face broke out into a spectacular smile. 'Mihawk, I've never stayed in such a gorgeous room before," she fawned, immediately walking over to the bed to graze the bedding with her hand. So soft. So luxurious. Was she really here for two years of intensive training or was this a resort?
"I'm happy it's to your liking," he commented. She imagined there was a faint hint of relief in his voice.
"I love it," she gushed, touching the drapes and the pillows. "This room is so different from the rest of your house. It's almost like it was made for me!" she laughed, moving over to a lovely armchair in the corner next to a lamp on a side table.
"Originally this room was rather drab, but I had it redecorated for you," he explained, and Mia had a hunch he was embarrassed he'd said this because he turned away from her and quickly moved towards the balcony to show her the view. When the doors opened, the sounds of the outside, ocean and jungle, intermingled to form a lovely duet of nature's music.
"Just for me?" she teased, tucking her hair behind her ear. She smiled, trying to catch his eye, but he refused to look at her. Mia turned her head to look at the view. Wow. It truly was magnificent. The ocean was calm today, unbothered and lazy. Shanks's ship had already disappeared into the horizon.
"Two years is quite a while," he reasoned offhandedly, almost shrugging as he did so. "I figured I might as well make it comfortable for you here."
"Always such a gracious host," she said kindly, lightly patting him on his shoulder. She would be lying if she said she wasn't looking for casual opportunities to try and touch him. He finally gave her a playful side-eye. "I was just as well taken care of on your ship."
"It's easy when the guest is so …lovely," he said assuredly with a tiny grin. His eyes drifted to her whole form. It was a split second, but Mia was sure she saw it happen.
Mia felt a lot of air leave her lungs. Flabbergasted, she looked away and just muttered a soft 'thank you'. Her face was on fire. She was certain Mihawk could spot her flushed cheeks a mile away.
He laughed, leaning against the railing on the balcony. "You have a hard time taking compliments."
Face still red, Mia piped up, "Well, I don't have a lot of experience with men complimenting me. When I turned sixteen, the twins were born, and I was immediately tasked with raising them-"
"Sixteen?" he repeated incredulously. "You were but a child still yourself and forced to raise babies?"
Mia reflected. "Basically, yes. But we don't do that anymore. It was a hard time for our family, so my sister Nera needed me. She didn't 'force' me per se. I could have left anytime I wanted. But those kids needed me. And Nera needed me too, even though she would never really admit it."
Mihawk was still stuck on the age. "Sixteen, nevertheless? Accordingly, you have just been raising these two girls and nothing else? You didn't pursue any personal endeavor like marriage or children of your own?"
Mia pursed her lips, shrugging. "There was never really any time."
"Is that something you would want to pursue now?" he asked out of nowhere.
"I …think about it sometimes," she answered, thinking hard about her answer. "All the time I spent away from them the last few months before Marineford and with Makino, I did a lot of self-reflection. You know, they're getting older and more independent now so I figured …I can start thinking about it for real now," Mia said, nodding to herself. Her heart was knocking hard at her ribs at the idea of talking to Mihawk about marriage, and the fact that he asked first definitely made her head spin. She shook her head as if to clear it and then looked back at Mihawk's red eyes. "What about you, Mihawk?"
"I don't have kids," he answered simply.
Mia chuckled. "I mean, have you thought of marriage and children?" She wanted to relay to him how people have told her that he had been looking for a wife, but she decided to keep that information to herself for now.
He hesitated for a second and then crossed his arms in thought. "I have. It's difficult however," he answered.
Mia raised an eyebrow incredulously. "How? You have money and success. You're a War Lord of the sea. What's been so difficult?"
Mihawk ran his hands over his dark hair as he put his answer together in his head. His hair looked soft and thick, well-groomed too. Mia caught herself wondering what it smelled like.
"Pirates don't generally get married," he started. "It's not an ideal …setup for marriage and kids. A lot of pirates have women on islands they like to frequent. I call them island wives."
"You mean like Shanks and Makino?" Mia asked. Island wives. How interesting.
"Yes, but they seem to make it work somehow. For all his annoyances, Shanks's loyalty is unwavering. And I'm willing to bet Makino feels the same about him. Even Roger had an 'island wife'. But I'm not like that. I cannot continuously travel for months on end, and only see my woman or wife only once a year."
When Mihawk said, 'my woman or wife', it oddly made her swoon. Why did it sound so romantic to her?
"Is that why you don't travel as much anymore?" she asked.
"I'm a swordsman first, and a pirate second. I set out to do everything I wanted. There was no need to travel anymore. Becoming a War Lord was just a convenience, not an ambition. Now I suppose I'm in a better situation to …look for a wife, I guess." He looked her dead in the eye as he said this and there was no doubt he meant to.
Mia stopped herself from audibly gasping. Great Neptune's Beard. So, Gerome and Shanks were right. She was blown away. She was so shocked she didn't even care if Mihawk noticed or said anything about it.
"Oh." In trying to be nonchalant, she was badly failing. "Well, any woman would be lucky to be with someone like you," she offered supportively.
'Yeah, me. I would be lucky,' she thought earnestly.
His voice perked up. "Someone like me?" he repeated, clearly requiring an explanation.
"I mean, like …you know," she fumbled, just indicating to him stupidly and clumsily with her hand as if he would discern any meaning from the nonsense she spouted from that gesture.
"Yes?" he drew out, his smirk now wider than she had ever seen. It didn't help that he leaned on the railing in such a way that defined his frame so spectacularly, even under his jacket it was obvious.
"Tall," she answered simply, nodding, loosely pointing with her finger to his frame. Yes, that's a good one. Very neutral. Nonchalant.
He scuffed, obviously not impressed. "That's it?"
Mind racing, she indicated around her. "Clearly successful and financially stable."
"I stole most of my riches as a pirate," he stated flatly.
Mia paused. "Women like a bad boy."
Mihawk threw his head back and laughed. Tingles went up and down Mia's back. Her body swelled with what she could only describe as bliss. It wasn't a boisterous or drum-like laugh. It was dignified, yet still so full of good humour.
'I made Mihawk laugh. I'm not even funny, and I made him laugh.' she thought, still unable to process her achievement.
Mihawk's laugh died down and a chilly wind swept his jacket's coat tails around him. "Yes, very good. A bad boy, you say?" he reiterated, entertained by the idea.
"That's what the kids tell me," Mia answered, again, spouting garbage. That's what half of her sisters would say, not the kids.
There was a moment of comfortable silence and then Mihawk shifted his weight back to his feet. "I will leave you to rest," he said, smiling at her. A real smile. "Supper is at eight. I'll have Gerome inform the young ones."
"You mean the kids?" she asked.
"Yes, we'll have supper with …the kids," he stated, almost awkwardly, something very unbecoming of him. "Oh, you have not met Perona yet?" he asked suddenly.
Mia furrowed her eyebrows. "No, who's that? Possible wife candidate?"
Mihawk pulled a face. "Hardly. She's like a child. Also dumped here by Kuma. She floats around the estate, so just keep an eye out for her."
Mia blinked. "Oh, I think Zoro mentioned her. He mentioned something about a floating girl."
"Yes, that's her. Well," he moved towards the door of her room. "I will see you at supper."
Mia smiled at him good-naturedly and for some unthinkable reason, bowed her head. Feeling silly, she turned away before he even shut the door and pretended to be on her way to her bag whilst he shut the door. She heard the door finally close, she let loose a breath she did not even realize she had been pinching inside her the whole time. Surrounded by silence, she could sit and take in the room properly. Mia took a moment to realize what was going on. She was in Mihawk's house. Where she would be staying. For two years. It was all unbelievable to her.
As she continued to investigate the room, she spotted another door in the corner of the room. When she opened the door, her mouth fell open. It was the most glamorous bathroom she had ever seen in real life. Large bathtub, big showerhead, and fancy shower doors. Everything was big. And gold and white. The tiling was pearly and shiny. Everything looked so clean and new, she was almost too scared to make use of it.
'Wow,' she thought, closing the bathroom door, and headed towards her bag. She unpacked her few belongings into the spacious cupboards next to the bed. She still had all the clothes Mihawk had given her all those months ago on his ship. Some were worn out, but she kept them out of sentiment since they were gifted and not bought. Makino had given her a few more tops and shorts which was great for living on an island. But for two years, her wardrobe was looking sparse. She wondered if she could get her hands on a sewing machine and some materials, she could make some clothes for her and Nino. Maybe Mihawk could help her out with that.
Mia spent the rest of her time soaking in her glorious new bathtub. There was an array of soaps, scrubs, bath salts and fragrances stacked in the bathroom's cupboard. It was almost as if Mihawk couldn't decide and got all of them just in case. Or maybe he had Gerome pick them out.
She wrung out her hair gently whilst getting dressed in one of her floral dresses, hoping that Mihawk would appreciate that she still kept it – if he would even remember he got it for her in the first place.
As the sun set, Mia sat on the balcony of her room whilst waiting for her curly hair to dry. Her skin felt better than it ever had after playing around with the soaps and scrubs in her bathroom. She felt like she smelled nice, like a lady should – fragrant and clean.
'I'm definitely over all the travelling,' she thought, enjoying her seat on the balcony as the sun slipped into the horizon.
XxXxX
As Mia chatted amiably with the others around her, Mihawk surveyed the hodgepodge of dinner guests gathered around his grand dining table. He did not say much, instead opting to study everyone around him with his keen eyes. Perona was loud and whiny as usual, exchanging in banter with Zoro whilst Nino seemed to just watch them shyly and uncertainly. Mia tried to make friendly conversation with her niece from where she was seated on Mihawk's left, still catching up on the months they had been away from each other. Mihawk shifted in his seat to relocate his feet under the table, but accidently bumped into Mia's foot.
Her head whip up sharply in reaction. He was about to apologize which she seemed to anticipate since she put out her hand to pat the top of his hand in an understanding gesture whilst shooting him a quick smile. She would be lying if she said she wasn't taking any opportunity she could to enjoy these minuscule physical moments with him.
After dinner, Mihawk invited her back to the library for some wine. She mentioned she didn't have much experience drinking but she was willing to say yes so, she could spend more time with Mihawk.
In the dimly lit library, Mihawk poured two glasses of red wine and handed one to Mia. They settled into plush armchairs by the crackling fireplace, the warmth of the flames casting a cozy glow over the room.
"Thank you for inviting me here," Mia said, taking a small sip of the wine. It was rich and full-bodied, and she savored the taste on her tongue. He studied her posture as she reclined back in her seat. She was much more comfortable now than she was this afternoon.
"It's my pleasure," Mihawk replied, taking a sip of his own wine. "I must say, you handled dinner with quite a grace. It's not easy dealing with Perona's antics."
Mia chuckled softly. "Yes, she's quite a character. But she means well, I suppose."
They fell into a comfortable silence for a moment, the only sound being the crackling of the fire and the occasional turning of a page from the books on the shelves. Mia wondered what Mihawk was thinking about. She snuck sneaky glances at him every few minutes or so to try and gauge anything out of him. But no. He was still too difficult to read. Speaking of reading.
"Do you come to the library often?" Mia asked, trying to make conversation.
Mihawk nodded. "Yes, it's one of my favorite places to relax and unwind. I find solace in the knowledge these books hold."
Mia nodded, taking another sip of her wine. She felt a gentle warmth spreading through her body from the alcohol. Trying to be subtle, she inched her chair a little closer to Mihawk's, hoping he wouldn't notice.
"I didn't take you for the bookish type."
Mihawk looked at her with a thoughtful expression. "I like to think of myself as cultured than bookish."
Mia giggled, tucking her hair behind her ear. Not a usual habit for her but when she was with Mihawk she couldn't help but fret over appearances. "Do you have any favorite books in here?" Mia asked, trying to divert her thoughts away from her subtle maneuver.
There's one book in particular that I find quite amusing," he said, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
"Oh, really? What's it about?" Mia asked, genuinely curious.
"It's a book of pirate jokes," Mihawk replied seriously with severe eyes. "Would you like to hear one?" he asked, but by the way he asked it he could have asked her whether she wanted to live and there would probably have been no difference in intonation.
Mia's eyes narrowed at him. "Suuuurre. I love a good joke."
Mihawk cleared his throat, trying to suppress a grin. "Alright, here's one for you. Why couldn't the pirate crew play cards?"
Mia shook her head, playing along. "I don't know, why?"
"Because the captain was standing on the deck." Mihawk delivered the punchline with a deadpan expression, but his eyes sparkled with amusement.
Mia burst into laughter, trying to take a sip of her wine at the same time. But she laughed too hard and ended up choking on the wine, sputtering and coughing. It was not even the joke itself. It was the whole premise – Mihawk telling an awful joke. On purpose. Unironically.
It was hysterical.
Mihawk's smile softened with concern as he leaned over to pat her back gently. "Are you alright?"
Mia nodded, still recovering from her fit of laughter. "I'm fine, just wasn't expecting that one!" His hand was warm and big, though his touch was light.
Mihawk chuckled and handed her a napkin. "I apologize for the unexpected humor. I hope I didn't startle you too much."
Mia dabbed at her lips with the napkin, trying to hide the blush that had crept onto her cheeks. "No, it's alright. It wasn't a good joke. Your impressive delivery put the nail in coffin for me."
Mihawk's eyes lingered on her for a moment before he looked away, taking a sip of his wine. For a second, she thought he was going to lean in closer. Clearly the wine had done its work – they had nearly finished the whole bottle together. And liquid courage was a great thing because she felt as bold as ever in front of him tonight.
Mia took a deep breath, trying to gather her thoughts. She decided to be a little bolder, seizing the opportunity.
"You know, it's quite chilly in here," she said, giving him a subtle glance. "Do you mind if I snuggle up a bit closer to the fireplace?"
Mihawk looked at her, seeming to understand her unspoken request. He nodded, his expression softening. "Of course, feel free to make yourself comfortable."
Mia smiled, feeling a small victory inside. She scooted her chair closer to the fireplace, making sure it was also closer to Mihawk. As she settled in, she subtly leaned her shoulder against his arm. Mihawk didn't pull away, and Mia took it as a good took the moment to take in Mihawk's scent. She didn't have a keen nose, but she imagined she detected hints of sandalwood. The moment reminded her of when he fell asleep on her lap on his ship.
They continued to chat and share jokes, their laughter filling the room. The evening turned into a comfortable and warm affair, with Mia relishing the moments spent by Mihawk's side. As the night grew later, she found herself not wanting the evening to end.
In the soft glow of the fireplace, Mia felt a connection forming between them, one that went beyond words and gestures. And as they exchanged glances, she knew that this was just the beginning of something special.
XxxXxx
A/N: I …did it. I updated after …what, 4 years?
I don't know what happened, but it just hit me in the middle of the night – I WANT TO FINISH THIS THING.
So, I'M BACK, BABY.