"Ann! Is it true?" Rosinante rushes over to her side startling her as said blonde fumbles falling flat on his face before her.

"What is?" Unfazed, Ann helps her clutz of a friend up brow furrowing.

"There's a betting pool on Aokin!" Rosi reveals excitedly perplexing Ann.

"…An what?" Ann arches a brow baffled by the word what the heck was an Aokin?

"Aokin?" Rosi repeats as if it were an actual word baffling Ann.

"You having an aneurysm?" Ann blurts out lost.

"No!" Rosi snaps scowling at his friend.

"He isn't wrong I've put some money on it." The two turn towards Bell.

"Money on what?!" Annoyed, Ann demands done with the two.

"You two getting together." Bell shrugs stating the face.

"Who's getting together?" Ann asks lost.

"You and Vice Admiral Aokiji." Ros shrugs earning a groan from Ann head in her hands.

"We went on ONE mission and how is this all spreading so fast!?" Fuming, Ann angrily slams her furious fist down on the desk below not batting an eye to the crack created from said strike.

"Marines love gossiping Ann." Bemused, Bell shrugs.

"You're shitting me…" Ann plops herself down in her seat head in her hands, she was a vice admiral, something like this was ridiculous…she would never be taken seriously if this kept happening not to mention the fangirls that would come rip her to shreds she had seen how terrifying women could be she had heard how scary they could be and she wanted none of that she wanted to lay low that all was she wanted, lay low live the rest of her life normal as her father had wanted.

"Why would I lie about this?" Bell scoffs shaking her head at her friend's furrowed frown looking like she was having a headache.

"This is all bullshit!" Booming, Ann suddenly stands seething scowling.

"What are you going to do?" Rosi raises a brow by Ann's anger.

"Fix this!" Tense, Ann strides towards the office door swiftly sliding it open almost snapping it alarming a fair few as next they knew she stormed off to who knows where…

Loudly, the clatter of knives and forks echo ringing metal on metal as Ann makes her way inside, immediately finding the man she sought, glaring, glowering at the man.

"Aokiji!" Angrily, Ann scowls down at the fool before her conversing with other marines.

"…Ah Ann." Lazily, Aokiji looks up at her.

"A-Ann san!" Lovestruck, the marines gush over the glaring girl.

"What the hell are you doing?" Scowling, she slams her hand down on the table below.

"Good morning to you to." Lazily, he shrugs at her.

"It's lunch and get back to flirting!" Firmly, she snaps taking the marines aback watching on.

"…Pardon?" Perplexed, the man himself is equally as lost.

"You heard me!" Ann orders.

"I thought you wanted me to focus on my work." Aokiji reminds her.

"What I want are you for you fangirls to stop glaring at my back, yeah I can see you, that's a shit place to hide!" Hollering, she roars glaring at the scowling crew.

"…You want me to go back to flirting?" Aokiji raises a brow baffled by her words.

"Yes! For some odd reason, morons are thinking we're dating!" Ann scowls taking the marines aback.

"Well, I do find you psychically attractive." Unapologetic, Aokiji admits.

"And you think I find you?" Ann scoffs stunning a fair few.

"You think I haven't seen your stare?" Smirking, Aokiji continues unfazed.

"You mean glare." Swiftly, she corrects him.

"I meant what I said." Smirking, he shrugs.

"And I meant what I said." Scowling, Ann hisses back.

"I'll talk to the girls." Aokiji sighs.

"Good." Ann swiftly slams her hands down done with the fool before her as she then goes off, Rosi joining her for lunch as before she knew it, it had ended, and she was now heading towards the troops she would be teaching…

"Gion raise that blade higher, Doll watch that footwork! Isuka nice hit however focus more on parrying then showing off your nailing attack! Kujaku don't be weird with the whip!" Ann calls out to the girls hearing the rushing roar of blades clashing, hearing the metal ringing. She leans against the pillar perplexed on why she had to help with this session, she wasn't one normally train the troops unless it was punishment…was this for her fight with her gramps, speaking of…

"…I didn't know you were back." The munching sound of chewing crunching behind her makes her look towards the older man by her side happily enjoying his rice crackers.

"…Ah gramps welcome back how was your mission?" Casually, Ann asks him.

"Took longer than I thought it would…how's the handler?" Gramps asks amused as Ann simply stares ahead.

"…Eh." Aloofly, she shrugs.

"Just, eh? From what I heard he's all over you, you even gave him a peck on the cheek!" Cross, he accuses.

"Here we go…" Ann rolls her eyes exasperated; she didn't know how word got out about it, but it was just a peck on the cheek what's the harm in that? When she was a kid, she would do the same to Shanks and Buggy to mess with them it was funny…!

"Why do you even care about that sorta thing?" Tiredly, Ann pinches the bridge of her nose too tired to deal with that sorta slack, she did it months ago, months, she hadn't even spoken to Aokiji since it happened, it was nothing really they were both flirty people well she did it to tease he did it to actually score…she assumed from the line of woman waiting for him most of the time…

"Well, I may become a great grandad soon…" Smirking, Garp begins but stops when noting the debris come crashing down brushing against his shoulder.

"I will end you, old man." Murderously, Ann snarls, her fist fiercely forming the crater behind the two.

"You nearly ruined my cracker! Still weird to think it's been months since that…I heard Sengoku removed your handler." Garp remarks brushing the debris off his food furrowing his brow.

"Yep." Ann smirks slightly pleased by it all.

"And you're not sad?" Garp raises a brow.

"Why would I be? I can focus on my work." Ann deadpans quirking her head to the side.

"Is work you ever think about?" Garp grumbles.

"It's what I should be thinking about." Ann asserts. All she did was a peck of the cheek trying to lead someone with powerful abilities to not become a certain magma psycho boy they already had one they didn't need another…

"But are you?" Garp raises a brow befuddled Ann.

"Course I am." Ann scowls at her grandfather.

"I'm never going to get grandkids." Garp slumps his shoulders sadly as Ann's eye twitches tiredly.

"Would you let that go already?" Annoyed, Ann scowls at the pouting marine hero.

"From what I've heard you two have been quite around each other more." Garp remarks.

"If you mean him just popping up sleeping nearby then sure or him sleeping and just falling on me the sure." Snippily, Ann huffs, she had to admit a part of her was wondering if he was a secret handler or something, instead of going back to his work, he seems to linger around her when he conveniently bumps into her despite her staying glued to her office. Him coming up with terrible excuse after terrible excuse of lies of how he got here but with his simple stare it could be taken as the truth despite how bad the lies were…

"Say wanna get some green tea and biscuits together?" Garp offers oblivious to her eyes narrow noting the faint figure with navy blue locks longingly looking on at the training.

"…" Silently, she stares at the girl watching on sadly.

"Oi don't ignore your grandpa!" Garp yells but it falls to deaf ears.

"You know my answer." Annoyed, Ann scowls at her old man.

"Come on…" Garp whines.

"How about later? Right now, I got to focus on the girls besides I got a ton of paperwork to do." Dreading it, Ann holds her head at the thought, brow furrowing from the sharp sting of her head aching.

"Sounds good to me." Garp smirks slightly before leaving her to it as class is continues, her eyes remaining warily on the girl…

"Good work together guys I hope to see that level of focus next week." Ann calls out dismissing the class as the group disperse cleaning up their practice area as Ann turns to leave, heading back to her office to give her report when…

"Um excuse me Vice Admiral Portgas…" Shyly, a voice calls out as Ann turns towards the redhead or well brunette, Ann could never really decide….

What is it, Isuka?" Ann crosses her arms over her chest, Isuka was a good student of hers not great with haki yet, but she was getting there…

Captain…can I ask you something?" Isuka asks Ann brow furrowing.

You just did what but go ahead." Ann shrugs gesturing for Isuka to continue.

"Is there anything you pay particular attention to on the battlefield? Stuff you make sure not to mess up. I don't want to make any major mistakes again... So, I've been thinking about how I can improve. But it's trickier than I thought! I was hoping you could give me some direction." Isuka questions Ann.

"Nothing I can think of! Sometimes you just gotta mess up!" Ann shrugs her shoulders.

"Huh? Really? Nothing at all?" Astonished, Isuka blinks baffled.

"Nah. No matter how much you prepare, you're always gonna make mistakes. All you can do is quit worrying and try your best!" Beaming, Ann smiles at Isuka.

"Hm. I guess that does sound like something you'd say. But I'm not sure how much use it is to me." Miserably, Isuka bows her head at the thought.

"That's too bad. It's a great way to live. You worry about messing up, and all that worry makes you nervous, right? So being nervous on the battlefield is the reason you make mistakes you'd never make in training!" Confidently, Ann tells her.

"Well, yes. People's lives are on the line! If I mess up, they might actually die! When I think that my failures might put everyone in danger, I..." Isuka begins brow furrowing worried.

"Ugh! You gotta quit doubting yourself! It's not helping! You're obsessing about failures that haven't even happened! What's the point in that? Sometimes you're gonna mess up no matter how hard you train. That's life!" Ann sighs shaking her head at her.

"So, what you're saying is, I should stop being afraid of failure, and just try my hardest on the battlefield, like I do in training..." Isuka furrows her brow by Ann's words.

"Was I not clear on that? You just gotta deal with your mistakes when you make 'em!" Ann asserts.

"That really is just like you, vice admiral. I'm starting to feel stupid for worrying so much. You're so strong and confident. I really like that about you!" Isuka compliments Ann.

"Stop with the compliments it's weird…" Shyly, Ann scratches the back of her neck not used to such praise earning a giggle from Isuka.

"OK, I'm going to try following your example from now on! It's time I stopped moping around here and put everything I've got into training!" Animatedly, Isuka beams brightly at him.

"That's the spirit!" Smiling, Ann clasps her shoulders as Isuka leaves dead set on becoming the best marine she could become.

"So, you and vice admiral Aokiji…" Bemused, Bell winks at the annoyed Ann as the two wander through the hallway of HQ, her holding her paperwork while Ann holds another stack of her work, softly sipping her canned coffee.

"Don't Bell just don't." Drained, Ann sighs softly, exhaustion etched into that single sigh, she didn't get what the big deal was…it's not like they were anything, it was just a peck he flirted with her constantly and no one made a thing about it but when she decided to dish back now it's a huge thing…

"Look he's a good but he's a playboy you don't want to be involved with a guy like that." Concerned, Bell warns her.

"Involved? How so?" Softly, she asks as her eyes look over towards the training grounds, rookies from the looks of it, her eyes noting a familiar head of hair.

"You know…" Bell trails off oblivious to the clearly uninterested Ann eyeing the glasses girl, panting sweat sliding down her tense temple while the rookie men simply smile unfazed.

"…I really don't." Ann stops in her tracks turning to fully focus on the girl, seemingly in a world of her won as the group separate into sparring partners.

"Then explain the peck on the cheek?" Cheekily, Bell demands.

"It was a way to teach him." Dismissively, she waves Bell off, it was innocent at best, it didn't mean anything simply a reward to stop the icy fool from going down the path of magma…of supposed burning justice…

"Oh, I'm sure you taught him plenty." Playfully, she winks earning an exasperated eyeroll from Ann.

"Get your head out of the gutter I meant with this justice crap." Curtly, Ann deadpans scowling seeing the girl's blade shake, quiver quaking noting her furrowed frown focusing on said sword what was she trying to do?

"Careful with your words Ann." Bell tries to warn her however the girl doesn't even bat an eye to Bell brow furrowed firmly focused on the girl, glaring down at the blade gritting grinding her teeth tense when….

"I know…just ticks me off people thinking like that…." Tiredly, Ann huffs.

"Look you've seen him around the place with those girls…" Bell's brow furrows from her face.

"You trying to insult me?" Ann asks as she leans against the side of the pillar.

"Insult you?" Bell quirks her head to the side.

"Bell, I don't know what you're implying frankly I don't think I want to." Truthfully, Ann admits.

"Look you're a big girl now…I get you wanting to try things, and I will admit Aokiji is quite cute, heck he hasn't been talking to the girls since you two came back but I just don't want…" Bell attempts to worriedly warn her however…

"Have you thought about what I want?" Ann curtly cuts Bell off.

"About what you want?" Bell raises a brow befuddled.

"Yeah, like none of this I want none of whatever the heck you're implying." Ann admits.

"Oh…seriously?" Surprised, Bell exclaims.

"Yes seriously. The peck was just that. I thought you'd understand." Bluntly, Ann deadpans.

"I do understand that but is that what you're telling yourself?" Bell smirks slightly astonishing Ann.

"What do you mean?" Mystifed, Ann's eyes narrow.

"Well normally you give us questions to think over when trying to teach you've never done anything psychical like that before." Bell reminds Ann.

"Some students require different methods of madness." Ann shrugs sheepishly eyeing the girl.

"You keep telling yourself that boss." Bell smirks waving her off turning to go on ahead as Ann turns to argue only then to falter, her eyes widening when feeling her eye suddenly shine ruby red as next she knew…the girl on the training ground's blade shined black briefly alarming her as with that simple struggle attempt at coating, she fell forward aiming towards the blade about to strike her down. Ann lunges forward swiftly snatching the girl, pulling her out of harm's way.

"…Eh?" All eyes fall towards the top as Ann holds the young girl's arm, the girl's glasses falling flat to the ground as next she knew she was taking the girl to the med bay…

Quietly, Ann sits by the bedside of the young girl, quietly reading the book before her, her eyes narrowing reading page after page, in a world of her own, her nose twitching squirming form the sickly stench of bleach hanging heavily in the air as she continues reading, ignoring the shy shuffle of footsteps and croaked cough of other patients lying in the med bed as the medical staff try to go about their day dutifully tending to their patients…

"Urgh…" Ann hears the low groan below as the girl opens her eyes, blurrily looking up at the ceiling above as she slaps her hands down on the counter, trying to find the glasses, Ann assumes as she silently slides them over for the girl to take.

"That was certainly risking trying to use armament haki like that…" Ann breaks the still silence between both of them turning the page in her book, her eyes glued to the book below not even batting an eye to the startled girl below once she slides her lenses on, waiting for a moment to adjust her vision but gawking gaping at the woman before her.

"Y-You're…" In awe, the girl gawks gapes at one of her many marine heroes by her bedside, she couldn't believe it was she dreaming? Was she dead!? Fear struck Tashigi at the thought gawking gaping at the hero by her side silently reading the book below.

"Forcing haki out like that does more harm than good…" Ann continues reading as she turns the page.

"I…" Tashigi grimaces from her words swearing she felt the sharp sting of an arrow impale her side from her words.

"Did you want your opponent's head that bad?" Befuddled, Ann quirks her head to the side startling Tashigi.

"O-Of course not!" Tashigi answers anxiously.

"Then why try something to risky?" Ann queries swiftly slamming said book shut.

"It's training." Tashigi answers as Ann furrows her brow by her words.

"Kid there's a reason haki is a specialised training route especially for someone of your ranking." Bluntly, Ann tells the girl how it is, not everyone could use haki, forcing it out like that was dangerous…

"…" Silently, the girl bows her head as Ann eyes the girl below trying to get a read on her, she seemed to mean well…

"Either way you've probably pushed back your haki awakening from that." Tiredly, Ann considers calmly, pushing herself to such a limit…

"A-Are you serious?" Scared, Tashigi grabs the ends of her duvet worriedly fidgeting fiddling with it.

"Who knows?" Aloofly, Ann shrugs she didn't know, Haki was a strange thing…

"Who knows? Why would you say that?" Terrified, Tashigi shakes shivers by the slight smirk upon the amused Ann.

"Maybe as punishment for trying something so risky?" Ann offers bemused by the terrified scared swordswoman.

"I…I'm sorry." Shyly, she bows her head guilt gnawing away at her for bothering the elite marine.

"…Forget it just don't try something so risky again. I saw you watching my class." Calmly, she waves the girl off.

"I…I wanted to get in it but…I wasn't good enough." Anguished, Tashigi bows her head.

"So, you spied…" She concludes calmly.

"I just…to be taught by the great proud petal of the marines was a dream of mine…" Tashigi admits, she had heard of the woman's tales form saving thousands from pirates from slaying them with such speed, such precision…she just had to learn from her!

"…A dream?" Ann arches a brow befuddled by her words.

"I…I've always watched you, you're a role model for countless female marines, one of the rare few female admirals and I just…" Truthfully, Tashigi reveals to her.

"All good things take time…" Tentatively, Ann arises from her seat sighing.

"…" Tashigi bows her head pained, having heard those words time and time again but hearing it from her just…

"If you want to get stronger…talk to me." Ann eyes the girl glaring down at her furious fists shaking quivering quaking.

"H-Huh?" The girl jolts up from her words.

"You have drive, your haki isn't strong sure but if you really want to make it in the marines, I'd be willing to help." Honestly, Ann admits she could see the girl was determined, who knows what other sorta o trouble she would get into from it.

"Thank you…thank you so much!" The girl bows her head as Ann simply nods back before leaving her to rest.

"Ah Smokey isn't it a bit late for you to come here?" Ann asks as she waves her hand about, dismissing the smoke spewing out from the crunched cigar in his tense teeth.

"…You saved Tashigi." Scowling, the man leans against the stone snow white wall glaring glowering at her.

"So that's the girl's name…Oh ho I hope Hina doesn't know." Cheekily, Ann attempts to tease him however…

"Quit screwing around!" Angrily, he draws out his sea stone weapon slamming it into the wall between them forming a cracked crater as pieces of stone freely fall to the ground.

"Geez as grumpy as always…" Amused, Ann smirks slightly, was she like this? Geez she didn't think she was that childish…

"…" Silently, Smoker glares.

"…guessing she's your student." Smirking, Ann assumes.

"Yeah, that idiot is." Grumpily, Smoker slowly lowers his weapon taking it out of the wall.

"…She means well." Ann attempts to offer comforting words to Smoker but…

"You said so yourself she could have hurt herself. She's an idiot." Smoker states the fact firmly making Ann sigh.

"If not controlled properly perhaps...Haki is a difficult thing to explain." Fairly, Ann plays devil's advocate.

"…Clearly." Curtly, Smoker slides his baton of sorts strapping it back against his back.

"She'll be fine the doc's looking out for her." Honestly, Ann assures the scowling Smoker.

"…Did you mean what you said…?" Smoker demands from her, crossing his arms over his chest cross.

"Hm?" Ann arches a brow by his furrowed frown.

"About training her…" Smoker snaps scowling.

"Oh, is someone feeling threatened?" Teasingly, Ann smirks.

"Just answer me!" Mad, Smoker scowls at her.

"And if I am?" Ann asks arching a brow bemused by his challenge.

"…Thanks." Smoker bows his head.

"Eh?" Ann blurts out.

"Tashigi's she's a good kid." Smoker sighs sadly.

"I can see that…just as I can see you clearly care for her." Ann places a hand to her hip.

"She's an airhead oblivious as a brick almost to your degree." Deadpanned, Smoker lists off.

"I'm not oblivious." Ann argues annoyed.

"Aren't you?" Smoker smirks slightly before smoke spews in the face of the astonished Ann coughing spewing smoke from her face fuming furrowing her brow at the ass.

"Oi Smoker!" Scowling, Ann furrows her brow by Smoker not quite sure what to make of the man heading off as she simply sighs heading off returning to her respective task at hand.

Quietly, the soft shining light of the lamp on the desk stands tall before the tired dishevelled blonde staring sombrely down upon the papers littered about the desk. Her brow furrowed as she stares at the papers, her weary browns twitching slightly. She pinches the bridge of her nose, ignoring the sharp sting to her blurry vision. She had to focus, she had to, she had to…

The soft sound of footsteps hitting the wooden floor below echo throughout the hallways of HQ at night, his eyes narrow noting the shy stream of light emitting from a familiar office. Curiosity gets the best of the vice admiral peering in, furrowing his brow by the soft snoring seeing the blonde's head having hit the desk, her eyes closed in a world of her own as he approaches. He softly sighs at the mess of pinkish blonde wavy locks below him, similar to waves almost as he couldn't help but stare softly down at her noting the ethereal light peering in, making her look unreal almost as he then looks over at the documents below.

Quietly, he drapes his navy bluish black jacket over her, noting her leaning into it, nuzzling into it as Aokiji couldn't help but notice how much bigger the jacket was on her, a part of him happy to see it. He leans in lightly blowing the lamp by her side off as he then gently removed the paperwork from her, hoisting her up bridal style towards the sofa. He softly sets her down using his jacket as a blanket for her almost as she curls into a ball. Aokiji smirks slightly at the sight shaking his head before returning to her desk looking over at the necessary paperwork to complete, letting the marine rest for the night…

*So what do you think of Ann's dynamic with the other marines? With Smoker, Tashigi and Aokiji? As always would love to know your thoughts down below!*