"Guess that's enough for now…" Ann announces as she stares down at the heaving huffing mess of Isuka exhaustion etched into her fatigued facial features. She watches the girl fall flat to her knees finally buckling before the vice admiral as she bows her head, her tense temple touching her rapier impaled into the sandy shores of the training grounds below, sweat slides down her tense temple hitting the gritty grains below easily eagerly eating it up.
"You're improving, Isuka. No doubt a result of your new training routine. I must admit I was surprised." Smirking, Ann admits as she places a hand to her hip giving her that.
"Surprised?" Isuka raises a brow by her words.
"With your dedication to coming out here especially with what you said was just a few weeks ago." Ann admits sure it was weeks ago but the level of drunkenness the poor girl went through…Ann couldn't help but furrow her brow by it, she was in charge if she had known she was such a lightweight she wouldn't have drunk as much and would have kept an eye on her.
"Oh, you mean…vice admiral if I may just say I am once again so sorry!" Apologetic, Isuka bows her head befuddled Ann.
"Isuka it's fine." Firmly, Ann assures the girl sighing softly, she had this conversation time and time again with the girl since then…
"Fine? Showing such a side of myself to someone like you…" Isuka groans head in hands horrified at whatever disgraceful manner she had acted around her superior, she assumed anyway she didn't exactly have much of a memory from it.
"Relax stop with this someone like you crap we're equals." Bluntly, Ann deadpans done.
"Equals? But you're vice admiral!" Isuka reminds Ann.
"Just cause I am one, doesn't mean you can't treat me like a normal people." Ann sighs hand on her hip.
"But it does!" Earnestly, Isuka disputes.
"Well, I don't want it to. I'm just capable of making mistakes as you are after all." Ann reminds Isuka.
"You think so?" Shyly, Isuka exclaims.
"I know so trust me I've made a fair few mistakes." Fairly, Ann admits.
"Vice…admiral…about that." Isuka bows her head.
"Hm?" Humming, Ann looks down at the girl her hands close to her legs fiddling with her fingertips fidgeting.
"I've been doing everything you said, but..." Isuka stares sadly down at her fidgeting fingertips.
"Something wrong?" Ann asks quirking her head to the side.
"Not with my sword fighting, but... I'm not getting any better at dealing with bugs. Even with all the practice, I just can't bring myself to look at a real live spider." Isuka brings her leg close to her chest.
"You're still aiming at the spiders I instructed you to draw? Let me see one." Ann orders Isuka.
"Sure. Here." Happily, Isuka hands her over the flyer.
"I— What is this?" Astonished, Ann gawks gapes at the spider drawing before her below befuddled.
"What do you mean, what is it?! It's a spider!" Smiling Isuka innocently answers as Ann's eye twitched tiredly at the drawing.
"Ah, yes. I-I see no. It's quite— Well, it's— Something." Struggling, Ann attempts to find her voice, trying to find the words to describe…this. She places her hand over her mouth needing a minute to compose herself, needing a minute to think, to find something…
"…Something mam?" Meekly, Isuka innocently looks up at the furrowed frown of Ann.
"I…I have no words that are coming to mind at the moment." Bluntly, Ann admits having no idea how to tell her the truth nicely.
"What do you mean?" Mystifed, Isuka quirks her head to the side befuddled.
"What I mean is your drawing is absolutely ridiculous…" Honestly, Ann confesses to Isuka.
"Ridiculous?! That's what they look like, isn't it?!" Isuka presses perplexed perturbed panicked even.
"Last I checked it doesn't have a top hat." Ann deadpans gesturing to the cartoony figure with the moustache.
"Oh that, well it looked cute." Whining, Isuka argues childishly disappointed making Ann grimace at the sharp sting of guilt hit her from her reaction.
"And your fear things that are cute?" Confused, Ann disputes.
"W-Well no…" Shyly, Isuka bows her head once more.
"Do you even know how many legs a spider has? Or what its body looks like? Or ever seen one at all?" Astonished, Ann asks Isuka partially concerned by her drawing description.
"I just told you I can't even look at the little monsters!" Mad, Isuka reminds Ann.
"Clearly." Ann deadpans.
"I tried." Isuka bows her head.
"Clearly. " Anne repeats once more.
"I'm sorry." Shyly, Isuka bows her head further.
"Don't be still aiming at this target won't help you overcome your fears." Firmly, Ann tells her how it is.
"It won't?" Isuka perks up at her words.
"Here, use one of my drawings instead. Consider it an apology for my outburst." Ann sighs softly taking out a spare from her pocket.
"Ohh... Why'd you have to be so detailed?!" Mortified, Isuka screams scared startled even as she unrolls said scroll scared shaking at the sheer sight of the picture surprising Ann.
"This much detail is necessary if you wish to identify your enemy's weak points." Ann answers as she furrows her brow by the genuinely terrified Isuka.
"Ew, it's too much! I can't stand the sight of it!" Isuka looks away from said scroll.
"This is guaranteed to help overcome your fears and improve your swordsmanship in the process." Ann reminds her.
"So, swordsmanship is secondary now, is it?" Isuka sighs sadly.
"You want to be a peerless marine, right? You'll never accomplish that if you're afraid of something innocuous as a bug." Bluntly, Ann confirms calmly.
"When you put it that way, I guess I'll have to. OK, vice admiral, you've talked me into it. First, I'll take out the drawings, and then I'll move on to the real thing!" Determine, Isuka fist pumps the air.
"Excellent. I look forward to seeing fewer spiders around here." Ann nods her head in approval before heading off leaving Isuka to her training too tired to remind her to tell her to call her Ann as she heads to her office…
Quietly, Ann sits at her desk brow furrowed firmly focused on the paperwork at hand however as she tries to focus on said work, she couldn't help but perk up at the soft sound of footsteps approaching. Annoyed, Ann furrows her brow by the familiar footsteps, trying to turn back to focusing on the piece of paper before hearing the soft slide of the door.
"What is it now?" Tiredly, Ann sighs softly, expecting his usual huff, expecting the soft plop of her sofa, expecting him to grab some random blanket and coil himself around it becoming the cocoon that he is but…
"Mmm…" Ann arches a brow by his response raising a brow by the arms soon finding themselves wrapped around her. Softly, she leans back into the embrace, her nose twitching slightly enjoying the faint scent coming from him finding herself at ease from his comforting embrace.
"What's wrong with you?" Ann queries curiosity getting the best of the man bowing his head nuzzling into the crook of Ann's neck as she softly nuzzles into his side.
"I'm tired." Tiredly, he huffs softly setting his work down on the table.
"You tired? Get over." Dryly, Ann remarks smirking slightly leaning into his side.
"They're expecting too much from me." Aokiji complains coyly childishly even as Ann simply smiles shaking her head at him.
"You just got to sign some stuff off." Softly, she slides her hand over to the side of his face feeling him lean into her hand, drawing patterns into the side of his cheek.
"Urgh…" Aokiji groans.
"…Do you mind?" Ann arches a brow by the heavy weight on her shoulders.
"Need a recharge on Ann." His grip tightens around her nuzzling into her side making her smile shyly.
"A recharge?" Ann smirks slightly bemused by his words as she stands him taking a seat on her seat.
"Need it." He huffs holding her closer, placing her on his lap.
"Fine, fine." Ann agrees allowing him to do so, holding him as she hugs him back, too tired to say anything as the two lean against one another, tending to their respective paperwork.
"Duel me." Surprised, warm brow meet glaring gold as a still silence hangs heavily in the office of Ann as she sits at her desk, leant over slightly brow furrowed attempting to tend to her work while the swordsman stands before her.
"Excuse me?" Ann arches a brow by her old friend furrowing her brow by the tall, lean, and muscular man with black hair's attitude. He has a short beard, moustache and sideburns that point upwards. black and red ornate clothing with a crucifix pendant that hides a little dagger, which gives him the appearance of a Spanish swordsman.
"Duel me." The stoic swordsman simply states almost commanding the vice admiral as she releases a tired simple sigh of exhaustion exasperated etched into that single sigh, not even batting an eye to it not bothered by the common command.
"Hi Ann, how are you? Oh, I'm fine Drac just fine how's the farm? Those apes of yours well? Yeah, they're fine that's great." Grumpily, Ann leans back in her seat, sliding her hands over the desk to push her back, pushing her further into the comfy leather seat behind her, twirling the chair about the place as she seemingly makes idle conversation to herself perplexing the swordsman.
"…What are you doing?" Done, his gold eyes narrow at the pink haired blonde.
"I'm doing the social customs you're sorely neglecting.
"I said-" Scowling, the swordsman wearing a wide-brimmed black hat decorated with a large plume, and a long, open black coat with no shirt underneath, with red, flower-patterned sleeves and collar starts again however…
"You know to make up for your social ineptitude." Ann cuts him off once again, no hostility in her tone tiredness perhaps but a shy sense of coyness and endearment added to the mix.
"Due-" The swordsman wearing white pants held up by a decorated belt and tucked inside overly large boots in comparison to his leg size starts once more but…
"I heard you the first time Drac." Drained, Ann sighs softly once again as she pinches the bridge of her nose leaning over her desk almost needing some semblance of support when it came to dealing with her old friend. She loved him don't get her wrong he was a good friend despite his stoicism and bluntness that could lead to tears most of the time when it came to people, she knew he had good intentions….
"Then duel me." Determined, Dracule demands once again as Ann sighs once more.
"For- Do you not see the workload I'm doing right now?" Annoyed, Ann leans back in her seat scowling baffled by her friend's order as she spreads her arms out gesturing to the workload before her, papers upon papers stacked upon stack upon each other.
"You can do it later." Aloofly, Mihawk dismisses as Ann's eye twitches tiredly from his words.
"Everybody always says that…" Tense, Ann arises from her seat scowling.
"There is always a-" Dracule goes to repeat his words when…
"Nope don't even finish that sentence!" Sternly, she snaps pointing at him as he arches a brow taken aback at the animated Ann.
"…Why won't you duel me?" Dracule demands from her.
"Because I'm busy I have a job I don't go out on a boat all day and aimlessly go around the sea or brood in my gloomy gothic castle." Curtly, Ann crosses her arms over her chest.
"…" Silently, gold glare into bored brown.
"Oh, come on don't pout." Ann sighs shaking her head at her easy-to-read friend.
"I'm not pouting." Pointedly, Mihawk furrows his brow at her.
"Then brooding." Briskly, she shrugs him off.
"I am not brooding." Bluntly, he scowls at her only to see her small smirk.
"Oh, come on I know that face." Smirking, she reaches out lightly tapping his cheek cheekily.
"And I know you're better than this." Tiredly, he scowls down at her however she remains undeterred.
"Drac…" Drained, Ann sighs softly at her friend.
"Shanks at the least is pushing himself so why hesitate here? Why hold back so much by staying here?" Dracule demands from her.
"You know why…" Softly, she whispers.
"…" Dracule bows his head.
"Look how about we get a drink? It'll be easier to talk that way." Warmly, Ann offers placing her hand on his shoulder.
"…Very well then perhaps…" Hopeful, he implies.
"Perhaps but that's it a perhaps alright?" Ann reminds him.
"Alright." Dracule sighs softly as she softly pats his shoulder, the two heading out of the office…
"Eh? Hey ain't that…" A marine calls out, earning a fair few looks, their eyes widening when seeing a certain warlord and vice admiral conversing in a world of their own.
"What's the world's greatest swordsman doing with vice admiral Portgas?" One of the marines' mutters mystified seeing the two talking, Mihawk smirking slightly at Ann's words.
"Those two are gifted in swordsman ship you think they're going to duel…!?" Excitedly, one of the marines exclaim.
"Maybe man what I would give to watch that…" Another exclaims as Aokiji stands around them eyeing the two.
"Wait is Dracule Mihawk…. laughing!?" Mystified, one of the marine's gawk gapes seeing said male chuckle behind his hand from Ann's words.
"What kinda relationship do the two have?" One of the women marines' mutters.
"You don't think…" One of the marines turn to her as Aokiji eyes watch the two head to town.
"Red wine…" Mihawk orders from the bar, one leg over the other.
"Sherry please." Politely, Ann adds as she places the beli down upon the counter calmly.
"Sherry?" Mihawk raises a brow by the glass being given to her.
"Picked it up, it's pretty good." Ann simply shrugs sipping said substance.
"Mmm…Shanks asked about you." Mihawk eyes the scarlet substance swirling it about in his glass.
"Let me guess he nagged you to tell me to join his crew." Amused, Ann smirks slightly at the thought.
"Yes…" Mihawk confirms calmly.
"Geez that guy's relentless…" Ann chuckles coyly under her breath bemused.
"So why do this? Why put yourself in this position?" Perplexed, Mihawk questions furrowing his brow at her.
"Because that was his final order to me as my captain." Calmly, Ann admits stating the fact firmly, her grip tightening around her glass.
"I doubt he asked this much of you…" Mihawk furrows his brow at Ann.
"He asked me to follow Garp and to be happy." Honestly, Ann recalls.
"But are you?" Mihawk presses brow furrowed.
"Am I what?" Ann furrows her brow by Mihawk's query.
"Happy?" Mihawk asks his old friend furrowing her brow by his words.
"I…I don't know." Anxiously, Ann glances to the side sadly.
"Outside now." Mihawk stands from his seat surprising Ann.
"Eh?" Astonished, Ann blurts out lost.
"We are going to duel." Dracule dictates.
"You know we can't…!" Ann hisses harshly back, if she showed such power, it would raise questions, questions that she couldn't risked being asked…
"We'll take my raft." Resolved, Dracule dismisses her.
"They'll question where I've gone?" Ann argues anxious.
"I'll tell him I had need of you it's fine." Firmly, Dracule assures Ann.
"Drac…" Ann furrows her brow pain clear in her tone towards him.
"Now Ann." Mihawk scowls at Ann as she simply sighs.
"Alright…" Ann bows her head following him…
Loudly, the sharp sound of ringing metal echoes throughout the isolated island of sorts, shining lights of green slash marks being sent again and again at the nimble figure of Ann as she seemingly fades out of existence dodging each and every strike, not even batting an eye to the destroyed destruction laying waste behind her, not batting an eye to the tall towering trees that come crashing down at her. However she remains unfazed, kicking the falling tree at the swords master swiftly slicing it as he does so, Ann uses the opening to lunge forward, rushing forward similar to a shining spark, a lightning bolt almost as next Mihawk knew his black blade bashed into Ann's fierce fang like blade, sparks spewing out between both black blade and blade, lighting dancing across the shining searing metal. Ann could feel the sweat slither slide down her tense temple as the fight continued on with the two as before Ann knew it, her blade fell flat to the ground, her legs buckling…
Heaving, huffing, Ann grimaces, her legs ache, burn, throb, buckling before her. She scowls at the searing sensation of her aching legs, her muscles are practically screaming, screeching, shouting at her to stop, sweat sliding descending down the side of her tense temple.
"You lose." Mihawk stares stoically down at the slumped state of Ann grimacing at disappointment gnawing away at her, hitting her almost as she winces when feeling the rushing waves of emotions slowly gnaw away at her.
"D-Damn it!" Aggravated, Ann curses cross seething scowling at the loss, she hated this, truly she did.
"You've gotten weaker…" Mihawk takes note of brow furrowed from it all.
"No shit." Snippily, Ann grumbles glaring to the side scowling hating every single second of this loss.
"You're not pushing yourself it's the expected result." Resolved, Mihawk states the fact firmly frankly.
"So, what now?" Ann asks him brow furrowed, what now? Would he stop bothering her now? A part of her was relieved at the fact while another aspect of her hated it, she had to admit she enjoyed his visits even if he wasn't exactly…a people person.
"Swordsman of actual skill and calibre that can propose a challenge our dying out, what you and Shanks are, are a dying race of swordsmanship tell me…are you happy like this?" Tense, Mihawk demands from Ann as he withdraws his blade as Ann holds her hand, feeling her hands shake, quiver quake, her bones aching from the vibrations of both blades clashing prior, sparks spewing out from the heated memory….
"It was my captain's order." Aloofly, Ann states the fact firmly not to mention it was her father's final wish, how could she say no to that? How could she say no to the man on his deathbed? Shackled, chained, smiling despite the death sentence looming over him…
"His order? He would ask so much of you? To work with the enemy?" Mihawk furrows his brow at Ann as she sits slumped on the gritty grains of the sandy shore, looking towards the raft tied to the side.
"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer all that jazz." Ann shrugs stating the fact she had rehearsed in her head time and time again especially when times got tough…
"You think it wise living like this? Lying to yourself about your potential?" Pointedly, Mihawk demands from Ann anguished at his blunt blatant words he was right Ann knew that even if it hurt, he had a point.
"Do you think I like having to restrain myself? I'm just as disappointed in myself as you are Mihawk but…I have to do this." Truthfully, Ann reminds Mihawk his brow furrowed from it all, Ann hated this too, she despised it. She didn't like holding herself back that was the challenge in itself most of the time when working with the marines she didn't want to stand out only if it's to do with her getting to the top that she would but she would only do it few and far between so it didn't seem to suspicious so they didn't ask how she got that powerful, it was a balance she struggled to uphold but she managed…
"Do this? Holding yourself back? Restraining yourself? For what?" Mihawk demands done scowling down at Ann as something seemingly snaps within herself.
"For what? For what? To protect the remnants of my family I have to do this you think I don't want to be at sea again? To feel the fresh brisk breeze of the grand line? To be rocked to sleep by the ship and the waves? Do you think I don't thirst for the old dales of adventure of freedom?" Furious, Ann angrily berates Mihawk, seething, snarling what was she doing this for!? Fury flows through Ann at the question, she was doing this for her family, for what she had left, for the baby brother she never really got to meet, for the mother she had lost, for the father she had lost, for the only remnant of a family she had left, for the money she would try to send him, to have a childhood he deserved…
"…Ann…" Mihawk's eyes soften slightly at the genuine raw emotion of the anguished Ann.
"But I can't Drac I can't doing that would put everyone at risk, everything I have left at risk I can't…" Pained, Ann sits slumped sadden at the situation she found herself in, she couldn't risk anything, she had to make sure he wasn't found, make sure he had a normal childhood, make sure he was happy, he was surviving, he was never found…if he was found…Ann could feel her heart drop, her blood turning ice cold at the thought.
"You would sacrifice your happiness for that person?" Mihawk furrows his brow his sharped eyes softening slightly sadly down at his old friend.
"I'd give my life for that person…." Proudly, Ann states the fact firmly to herself as before she knew it, the two head off onto the raft heading back to HQ.
Ann furrows her brow as she returns to her office, Mihawk having left to go off to who knows where the sea would take him as Ann would return to the office furrowing her brow by the familiar figure leant back slumped over her sofa, a soft snore echoing in her office as she approaches him. A part of her tempted to just ignore him as per usual to do her work but he would wake up eventually, besides for all she knew he could be hiding against it wouldn't be the first time he used her office as a hiding spot. She furrows her brow by the thought too tired to deal with Sengoku ranting to her about getting Aokiji back to work acting as if she had some sort of influence over him, as if…sure she had heard it, but she highly doubted it.
"Aokiji get up, you're being lazy." Ann sighs softly, placing her hand on his hair, ruffling his hair as he leans into the tender touch.
"Lazy is such a strong word. I like to call it 'selective participation'. Playfully, Aokiji retorts leaning into her hand.
"And I'd like to call dumbass, Aokiji." Huffing, Ann counters coyly, bringing a small smile to his lips.
"Your bags have gotten heavier." Aokiji's eyes narrow noting the heavy eye of shade shyly hiding under her eyes.
"And you've gotten nosier." Ann counters arching a brow.
"I know you haven't eaten." Aokiji huffs.
"And you'd know that?" Warily, Ann ruby reds narrow.
"I know from those bones protruding out of your arms." Aokiji retorts.
You're hilarious." Ann opens the bag her eyes widening when seeing the insides inside seeing much to her surprise a fair few familiar foods, she favourited quite a bit, how had he known? "She supposed the two had been going out for lunch a fair few times but she hadn't noticed he would notice her habits she supposed…a part of her oddly felt touched by the sentimental value.
"So…the ball." Aokiji's voice snaps Ann out of her thoughts, furrowing her brow by the thought of what they had to attend to tonight.
"What about it?" Ann asks as she raises a brow at him.
"I take you're going?" Aokiji assumes.
"Don't have much of a choice now do I?" Ann smirks slightly leaning back in her seat.
"Nope if it's any consolation nor do I." Aokiji offers.
"I know…" Ann sighs softly, she hated formal stuff she missed the days of just dancing abroad the ship swirling her drink about having the time of her life, laughing her heart out having the time of her life with her nakama. Ann attempts to hold back the pain and disappointment at the for-longing thought of longing of the sea brisk breeze brushing through her hair, the sharp screech of the seagulls which she once despised as a child as an alarm, she now grew to miss…
"You got a dress?" Aokiji asks as Ann arches a brow by his words.
"A dress? Nah just uniform only noble daughters wear dresses after all." Amused, Ann argues amused.
"A shame…" Aokiji exclaims as Ann arches a brow bemused by his words.
"Don't suppose you want to dich it with me to get some drinks?" Dubiously, Ann asks.
"I would if I could but we both know what will happen if we don't appear." Aokiji reminds her.
"Yeeeah…still I bet you'll enjoy it." Amused, Ann smirks smugly at Aokiji.
"How so?" Aokiji challenges.
"Oh, come on the moment you catch one of them noble daughters you're set!" Smirking, Ann argues.
"You think so?" Aokiji hums.
"Uh yeah a vice admiral is the second-best thing to a noble for them lot." Ann argues.
"And you'd think I'd do that?" Aokiji furrows his brow at Ann.
"It's what anyone would do." Ann shrugs stating the fact firmly.
"I don't think anyone would do it." Aokiji leans over his desk.
"You telling me you'd reject a noble's daughter? If you could you marry one of those noble daughters you're set for life." Ann scoffs shaking her head at the thought.
"And what if I don't love her?" Aokiji argues astonishing Ann.
"Aw I didn't picture you to be such a softie." Smirking, Ann leans in winking bemused by his words.
"Maybe for the right person I would…" Aokiji eyes Ann.
"You make it out like you have a choice once they have their eyes on you, you don't really have much of a choice." Casually, Ann argues, furrowing her brow by the thought.
"…I won't let them." Taken aback, Ann furrows her brow by his words while approaching the fridge, taking out a glass from the counter and a drink.
"Hm?" Humming, Ann arches a brow by his words while pouring herself a drink.
"Take you I mean." Aokiji answers as she scoffs shoving the empty can into the bin nearby.
"You'd think I'd let them." Ann chuckles coyly at the thought, swirling said substance within the glass, holding it like a claw holding the rim of the glass looking down at it.
"No, you wouldn't." Aokiji answers as he watches her return to her desk dubiously swirling said substance silently staring down at it.
"Good besides you'd they'd take a look at me?" Ann shakes her head at the thought before taking a shy sip of it.
"They'd be idiots if they didn't…" Aokiji answers as Ann does a double take, freezing from her drink, hand swiftly slamming down on the desk, swiftly slamming said drink down while the other holds her neck, attempting to stop the geyser from shooting shocked by his words while wordlessly, he watches on smirking slightly almost amused at her animated reaction.
"Urgh you're such an ass." Annoyed, Ann grumbles glaring to the side coughing weakly, holding her throat tense tiredly rubbing patterns into her throat tiredly trying to recover from the coughing fit as Aokiji simply shakes his head amused at her heated reaction, at her crimson cheeks as she simply sighs, plopping down on her seat trying to recover, trying to do what she could before the ball.
"Finally, some peace and quiet..." Relieved, Ann sighs shakily, sweat sliding down her features as she shakily exhales. She bows her sickly pale head, leaning against the railing of the balcony, looking down at the view below hearing the muffled melodies flood out of the ballroom behind her, seeing the faint shadows of people conversing, cheering, gossiping, and dancing with one another, noting a few others trying to confess outside the ballroom, bringing a small smile to her fatigued features.
"You look exhausted." Surprised, Ann jolts up at the voice turning towards Aokiji standing stoically by her side making her smile softly at the tall, towering figure.
"As do you. I thought those girls wouldn't stop staring at you." Amused, Ann remarks smirking slightly at the murky memory of it all as she recalled sitting by her grandfather's side, him devouring the whole buffet practically as she simply sipped her wine amused at it all as she felt a pair of eyes on her. Her eyes widening when noting the stone stoic figure of Aokiji leant against the pillar clearly attempting to keep his head down despite the noble girls practically clinging to him. She recalled his face looking like he was almost telepathically telling her to help him however she simply placed her hand over her mouth muffling the small snicker slipping out of her words while watching the man internally scream trying to deal with the noble girls clinging to him, demanding for him to dance with them.
"Staring, were you?" Aokiji remarks as Ann smirks smugly.
"Pleeeease me and gramps were trying to talk until hearing those squealing girls I swear my ears were bleeding." Bluntly, Ann dismisses gesturing to her ear still aching from the noble's laughter ad chattering sounding like nails on a chalkboard.
"Sounds like someone's jealous." Aokiji teases.
"You wish." Ann scoffs shaking her head at the thought.
"I wish they would leave me alone." Aokiji grumbles.
"Oh, come on don't lie." Ann scoffs smirking shaking her head at him. He was a known flirt throughout the marine HQ, all the marine girls practically swooned for him…
"Who says I was lying?" Aokiji's eyes narrow at her.
"You love flirting." Firmly, she argues, Ann had seen it time and time again sometimes he would do it right outside her office too, heck she had been given the warning letters by some…interesting marines not that she batted an eye to it as if she would bat an eye at a challenge she never ever considered.
"Not anymore." Aokiji asserts as he eyes Ann simply silently stare ahead at the washing waves ahead of the sea.
"Oh shush. Guys live for the thrill of having girls pay attention to them. I would say welcome to my life, but we know that's a lie." Snickering, Ann scoffs shaking her head at him.
"Have you not seen the men pining after you?" Annoyed, Aokiji points out, crossing his arms over his chest having seen a fair few noblemen eye the blonde however they would quickly flee from the grumpy Garp by her side scowling at them terrifying them not to mention those that were foolish enough to attempt to talk to her to try to dance with her would find their legs unable to move…how that happened…who knew?
"Pining? You're kidding." Scoffing, she dismisses waving him off.
"You really don't see it?" Aokiji arches a brow at Ann, a furrowed frown upon Ann's facial features.
"Look even if they are interested that doesn't mean I am nor that I have the time to deal with such trivial things. It's my decision whether I decide to play along." Aloofly, Ann scowls crossing her arms over her chest, irritation laced in her tone, scowling, she didn't have time for that sort of thing, she was a vice admiral for goodness sake, she couldn't be like that, she wouldn't be like that. She couldn't afford any sort of slip ups…
"So, you'll keep stringing them alone…." Aokiji remarks joining her seat leaning over the balcony railing with her.
"Strong alliances are a must to make change." Casually, Ann shrugs her shoulders, stating the fact of the matter.
"And what sorts of changes would you have?" Aokiji asks as he eyes her seeing her small smile, determined.
"You'll have to wait and see I'm afraid." Amused, Ann winks cheekily at Aokiji.
"Really?" Aokiji arches a brow by it.
"Really." Resolved, Ann answers.
"…Tell me something…" Aokiji looks out at the starry sky before them.
"Hm?" Humming, Ann glances over at Aokiji.
"What type of person would you not string along?" Aokiji asks Ann.
"You mean who would I be serious with?" Ann smirks smugly at Aokiji.
"…You said it not me." Aokiji shrugs simply staring ahead.
"You're the one interested not me." Mischievously, Ann argues.
"…" Silently, Aokiji stares ahead as Ann sighs.
"I suppose it would be someone mature someone who isn't prone to jealousy or little temper tantrums of jealousy that sort of childishness is exhausting and just frankly draining. I'd want someone who would have faith in me no matter the path as I would in them no matter the path they took, someone who can of course take care of himself too but most of all…someone who can accept me for who I am…" Ann considers calmly simply staring ahead as Aokiji's eyes remain firmly on hers.
"Accept you?" Aokiji furrows his brow by her words but before he could ask more…
"…Portgas." The two perk up at the third voice joining in.
"Sakazuki…Aokiji why don't you get some drinks for us?" Ann turns to Aokiji, his eyes narrowing at their fellow vice admiral.
"…I'll be back." Aokiji whispers to Ann.
"I know." Ann smiles softly watching him leave where as soon as the door clicks shut…
"…What do you want Sakazuki?" Scowling, said smile soon falters forming into a stern scowl as soon as Aokiji heads back in, just from the sheer sight of the man before her does Ann feel her headache at the impending headache to come from the problematic marine that was the red dog.
"Ah Sakazuki come to give me another lecture I take…" Tauntingly, Ann sneers finally breaking the still silence between both of them oblivious to Aokiji returning to them, taking a seat against a pillar he leans against, hiding from the two, listening in, both sherry glasses in his hand.
"…" Angrily, Sakazuki glares glowers at Ann.
"Or is this about the broken arm?" Ann asks as she quirks her head to the side smirking at his sharp scowl.
"You shouldn't have done that." Tense, Sakazuki growls.
"So what? I should have let you destroy that evacuation ship?" Scowling, Ann's eyes narrow at the man glaring glowering at him unaware of Aokiji's eyes widening when hearing her words.
"It had a pirate on it!" Angrily, Sakazuki raises his voice.
"Which I took care of." Smoothly, she shuts him down.
"Only thanks to vice admiral Aokiji…" Sakazuki growls.
"Yes, he helped I am not denying that." Truthfully, Ann gives him that.
"You needn't waste his time if you had just done what I said." Snippily, Sakazuki sneers.
"And what of those hundreds of innocent civilians in that same ship?!" Scowling, Ann argues.
"Sacrifices must be made." Sakazuki states the fact firmly.
"You're telling me over a hundred lives amount to one pirate?" Perturbed, Ann gawks at him.
"To enact justice, we must make this…" Truthfully, Sakazuki dictates.
"And you wonder why I broke your arm…" Aloofly, Ann mutters.
"Tch…" Sakazuki growls glaring at Ann.
"Let me ask you red dog how are we better than those that we are trying to protect the people from if we do such horrendous things? A line must be drawn, a line I intend to keep." Resolved, Ann dictates determined as Sakazuki storms out, done glaring glowering at the still silent Aokiji.
"She has you by the strings she's using you Aokiji." Sakazuki growls glaring at Aokiji who stoically silently stares back brushing by Sakazuki's side not even batting an eye to him, returning to her side handing her glass over as she smiles softly back, clinking their glasses. The two softly sip their drinks before conversing in a world of their won as the party continues…
