"Urgh…every damn year…" Ann couldn't help but curse glaring at the exchange of chocolate before her, bags hanging heavily from her done dishevelled state, silently sipping her bitter brew before heading inside her office.
"Isn't today great?" Bell beams brightly at Ann.
"Explain." Ann however gives Bell a look drained.
"The beri I'm making off chump marines trying to hook up with some girl tonight." Bell smirks smugly one leg over the other on Ann's desk.
"Of course that's how you'd see it." Ann grunts grumpily.
"Wouldn't you? Or are we expecting a lovely date night with a certain vice admiral?" Bell winks at Ann.
"Tell me are you expecting your ass kicked anytime soon?" Ann glares at Bell.
"…No?" Bell jumps down.
"Then leave." Ann orders.
"You're no fun." Bell pouts leaving walking past Aokiji winking at the unamused vice admiral.
"What was that about?" Aokiji comes into the office.
"Urgh nothing, why are you here this time?" Tiredly, Ann grunts.
"My office is full." Aokiji shrugs.
"…But it's your office…how is it full if you're not in it? Oh." Ann quickly clocks on.
"It's too bothersome. I've made it clear to them." Aokiji asserts to Ann.
"Yeah, well that's what happened with a guy with your reputation." Aloofly, Ann leans back bitterly in her seat. She knew that she had felt the ice-cold glares of some bitter marine girls, not that she particularly cared they wouldn't do anything, they wouldn't dare.
"I take this will buy your silence." Aokiji sets the sweet treats down.
"Weeel-wait how the hell do you have so many?" Ann nearly leaps out of her seat stunned at the sweet treats on offer.
"People like me." Aokiji shrugs.
"Clearly how many even is that?" Ann couldn't help but gawk at the pile.
"What could I carry…? Not that many like 4 – 5." Aokiji dismisses unaware of Ann's twitching eye.
"What you could carry he says…" Snippily, Ann grumbles glowering down at the sweet treats below.
"Don't act as if you're not popular." Aokiji scoffs sitting back down.
"Do you see any chocolate around here?" Ann gestures to the lack of sweets.
"Wanna share? I'm not into sweets." Aokiji offers.
"Hell, yeah free food!" Ann cheers, eyes sparkling shining oblivious to the small smile crossing Aokiji's lips at the endearing sight of the amazed Ann.
"You really think you're not getting any chocolate today?" Aokiji wonders.
"Mhwai muld hi?" Ann eating chocolate exclaims.
"…Cute. Aokiji internally takes note of leaning in bemused.
"You're cute." Aokiji shrugs smirking at Ann her face flustered when he reaches over, swiping some chocolate off her cheek.
"I also threw a guy into the sky." Ann scoffs not brushing his hand off.
"So, I heard…" Aokiji leans back in his seat.
"Still last year wasn't so quiet I at least had some snacks to feast on…" Ann admits frowning.
"You sound disappointed." Aokiji hums eyeing behind him noting a fair few shaking scared marines speedily dashing by.
"Wouldn't you? When your cash cow for free snacks is gone?" Ann grumbles.
"Relax you can have mine although I'd advise not filling yourself up so much." Aokiji warns.
"Oh? How so?" Ann arches a brow.
"I booked up a table at Baratie." Aokiji reveals.
"…You booked a table there? How'd you do that?" Ann asks Aokiji.
"I have my ways." Aokiji smirks.
"You know what I mean it's pretty exclusive and expensive." Ann stresses sternly.
"Like I said I have my ways." Aokiji tells her.
"Then I'll be sure to dress the part." Pleased, Ann smirks back.
"The black dress?" Aokiji asks amused.
"Maaaaybe…you'll have to wait and see…still I should give you something for all this…" Ann considers cheekily coyly.
"I'm sure you'll pay more than enough later on tonight." Aokiji leans in making Ann smirk back bemused.
"I suppose so…" Amused, Ann chuckles coyly, the two sharing a small peck before the pair go back to their respective task.
"Welcome to the Bara-woah!" The server stares stunned at Ann, her arm around Aokiji. She wears a sleek short black dress, fine floral black leggings matching her high heels, her hair put up alongside the makeup applied as they stand before the server.
"Uh…hi?" Innocently, Ann smiles sickly sweetly.
"We're here for a table." Aokiji however glares at the man, his grip tightening tensing on Ann's waist.
"Of course, of course if I may ask for your name…?" The server requests.
"Aokiji." Aokiji answers.
"Ah yes vice admiral welcome welcome." The server sweats shaking scared from the name alone.
"You used your codename?" Ann hums as Aokiji guides her over to the table.
"Got me the table." Aokiji shrugs pulling the chair for Ann.
"Fair enough…hm?" Ann takes a seat spotting a blonde boy gawking gaping at her. She simply smiles at the young boy, heart eyes on him.
"What is it?" Aokiji sits down following Ann's gaze over to the boy but instead of seeing the love-struck boy, the boy gives Aokiji a look confusing Aokiji to see such a look of jealousy from such a young boy.
"Little brat!" The boy is swiftly bonked by a peg legged chef being dragged away to be scolded.
"Heh…bless…he seems sweet." Amused, Ann chuckles coyly.
"Seems like a little brat." Bluntly, Aokiji huffs.
"Don't tell me you're jealous of some kid." Ann giggles at Aokiji.
"Course not." Aokiji huffs however Ann couldn't hide her smile seeing straight through him.
"Heh this is what I love about kids they're so adorable." Ann admits as she leans into her inner palm.
"You think so?" Aokiji grunts going over the menu the server shakily left behind.
"Course! There's an innocence to them, they're not as complicated as someone can be you know?" Ann admits.
"Depends on the kid." Aokiji grunts.
"I guess…still wouldn't mind having a kid of my own eventually you?" Ann confesses.
"Not really." Aokiji answers astonishing Ann, ignoring the faint pain in her chest.
"Eh?" Ann blurts out.
"Being in the marines is chaotic enough having a family would only get in the way of work." Aokiji continues looking over the menu oblivious to the look on Ann's face.
"…that so… Oh look who's back…I hope you didn't get in too much trouble!" Ann smiles strained, soon spotting a familiar blonde boy coming up to the two, warmly welcoming him, unfazed by Aokiji's side glare towards the boy.
"N-No I'm supposed to ask if you'd like any drinks? Perhaps something sweet for someone sweet." The young boy suggests.
"Oh?" Ann smiles.
"Oi…" Aokiji gives the kid a warning look but…
"Aren't you sweet but I'm afraid I'm not in the mood…Water will be nice though." Ann compliments the boy.
"O-Okay!" The blonde boy blushes brightly, happily heading off.
"Isn't he sweet?" Amused, Ann giggles at the skipping smiling boy.
"…the sweetest…" Snippily, Aokiji glares at the young boy heading back to the kitchen.
"You're too slow little brat!" The two perk up at a familiar chef's voice.
"No, I'm not old geezer!" The boy barks back.
"Oh my…" Ann's eyes expand at the outburst.
"Seems your little sweetheart is in trouble." Aokiji sneers snippily.
"You're not actually jealous of a child, are you?" Ann smirks slightly at Aokiji.
"Don't know what you're talking about." Aokiji goes back to his menu.
"…I'm sure…say Aokiji I have a question…" Ann lowers the menu in her hand.
"What is it?" Aokiji keeps his menu up unaware of Ann's brief frown from the sight.
"If I disappeared one day and you got remarried, what would you do if I ended up coming back?" Ann asks him.
"…Bold of you to assume I wouldn't find you and drag your ass back to Marine HQ." Aokiji scoffs.
"Aokiji I'm being serious." Ann's brow furrows at Aokiji annoyed almost.
"As am I. Bold of you to even assume I would get married." Aokiji continues looking through the menu.
"You don't believe in marriage…" Ann says surprised.
"I just think it's a waste of time." Aokiji asserts.
"That right…?" Ann smiles strained.
"Where did you even come up with that hypothetical?" Aokiji peers over the menu scowling at Ann.
"Ah Bell she was watching some drama, and the scenario came up." Ann answers.
"That right…and what would you do?" Aokiji eyes Ann.
"Me?" Astonished, Ann says surprised.
"Yeah…" Aokiji lowers his menu eyeing Ann.
"I…wouldn't go searching for you…" Ann admits to him.
"You wouldn't?" Aokiji frowns.
"You clearly had a reason as to why you left, and I would respect your wishes in wanting to be alone." Ann reasons.
"You would do that?" Aokiji furrows his brow at Ann.
"Of course I mean think about the person you remarried, abandoning them over the possibly of meeting a person who no doubt isn't the same person as before." Ann scoffs.
"Why would you think they weren't the same person as before…" Aokiji wonders.
"A lot can happen in a year let alone five…not to mention the reason for leaving must have been big to disappear like that…they really must have wanted to be left alone." Ann explains to Aokiji.
"Or perhaps they wanted help…" Aokiji suggests.
"If they wanted help, they should have asked not to expect someone to just help them that isn't how the world works. I mean at the end of the day the only person you can rely on is yourself…" Ann couldn't help but stab her fork into the tablecloth below bitterly unable not to think back to a certain rainy day, her brothers screaming shouting splitting apart as she was left in the roaring rain, a hand soon placed upon her shaking shoulders, the tears freely falling as she was taken away…
"That's rather pessimistic coming from you…" Aokiji's words bring back Ann to the present.
"I'm just being realistic not even going into the victim in all this being the guy you supposedly remarried, why would I do that to someone who fell in love with me? Who had committed themselves to me? Choosing a mere shadow of someone who most likely has changed in those years over the safety of marrying someone who liked me enough to marry me, to commit to me, to start a new life with me. Why would I choose to abandon such safety just to look for the shadow of someone who left me years ago…" Ann smiles sickly sweetly at Aokiji.
"Cause you love them." Aokiji asserts.
"You really think love can be that strong? That could last that long?" Ann couldn't help but scoff at Aokiji's naivety, surprised to hear such words from him. She knew how men of the sea were, had seen it herself, many men of the sea speaking fondly of their families as they felt up a random barmaid…Ann couldn't hide her shudder scowling at the thought as soon as they knew they were safe from being caught they would cheat, a hidden switch flipped in them to have fun…sidepieces…that's what she learned from her time on her father's ship.
She had recalled her rage at the sight, at the men swearing their loyalty and love for their supposed families only to go and cheat. She had remembered her father's reasoning from it going on about the differences of love and lust, how people had needs, needs their family couldn't provide with their distance. Ann could remember her disgust, unable to look back at those poor families when they had dropped them back the family reuniting so happy as the young Ann had turned away from the sight.
"Ann if you disappeared, I would never get remarried I would spend those years looking for you." Aokiji gently takes Ann's hands taking her aback at his words, seemingly snapping herself out of her trip down memory lane silently staring at Aokiji, hiding her frown. He was lying…that's all they ever did, man or marine they were all just liars…
A still silence settling between the two until…
"…I bet you say that to all the girls." Ann roughly removes her hands from Aokiji taking him aback if not for her sickly sweetly smile assuring him all was well.
"Only you Ann only you." Aokiji asserts just as they hear another crisp crack of a plate, the two turning to find a familiar blonde boy, heart eyes throbbing towards Ann with the ruined remains of their order on the floor.
"You brat!" A familiar peg legged chef runs over bonking the blonde boy before dragging him away as the date between both Ann and Aokiji continued…
"Are you still mad?" Amused, Ann couldn't help but smile leant against the back of the blue shirted male, perched proudly upon his bike.
"…" Aokiji keeps cycling, simply staring ahead at the open sea, the washing waves helpless to the lone path of ice he forms from the bike.
"Aokiji come on he was just a kid." Ann couldn't help but chuckle at the pouting male.
"A noisy one." The man finally speaks, grumpily grumbling glaring ahead annoyed as Ann couldn't help but smile softly at the endearing sight.
"Hey, I still enjoyed myself that food was good come on I know you enjoyed it too." Ann smiles softly leaning her head back bemused by the grumpy man besides her. She couldn't help but think back to the brave boy, clearly having no clue who the person he was interrupting was, a part of Ann impressed by Aokiji's patience when it came to the boy belittling Aokiji, attempting to sweep the smirking Ann off her feet as she simply responded with a…
"Call me in 30 years and we can talk!" Teasingly, she told the young boy beaming brightly by the promise quickly fleeing as Ann had felt the air turn colder, her hand swiftly sliding over to his. She then entwined her hand with his squeezing his hand feeling the air return back to normal as Aokiji calmly squeezes her hand back, both smiling as the head chef of the restaurant came over to their table. The beaten bruised boy bowing his head apologetic to the two as the peg legged chef gave them their meal for free for the boy's poor manners.
"…the brat was still a pain in the ass." Annoyed, Aokiji's voice brings Ann back from the memory.
"And he was a kid come on don't tell me you're feeling insecure from some kid." Ann drapes her arms around Aokiji.
"Course not." Aokiji huffs scowling simply staring ahead.
"Good cause trust me, you make me feel things I shouldn't, so you better take responsibility got that?" Teasingly, she leans in, gently pecking Aokiji's cheek.
"I got it." Aokiji leans back against her his attempt at returning the affection as he rides the bike for the two.
"Hey look over there." Ann perks up at the island they pass by taking note of the church bells ringing.
"Hm?" Aokiji turns to the church to the happy couple coming out of the church.
"Looks like someone's getting hitched…" Ann smiles softly at the sight of the blooming bride beaming brightly by her husband's side.
"…Looks like it." Aokiji grunts going back to staring out at the sea.
"…they look so happy." Ann couldn't help but smile softly leaning into her inner palm, leaning over watching the colourful confetti fly.
"I don't see why." Aokiji dismisses shrugging it off perking Ann's interest.
"What do you mean by that?" Ann looks up at Aokiji confusion clear on her furrowed features to the man, his back still to her.
"I just mean I've never seen the point of it. Why do you need some stupid paper to tell the world you're together. It's a waste of money." Aokiji dismisses simply staring ahead.
"…Maybe that piece of paper is important to them…maybe they want to prove they want to spend the rest of their lives together." Tense, Ann couldn't help but frown at Aokiji.
"…Sounds like a waste of time to me." Aokiji states unaware of the pained plastered expression of Ann blinking back the tears threatening to fall from his words.
"…Sounds like a dream to me…" Softly, Ann whispers weakly keeping her tone cold curt calm smiling strained as Aokiji raises a befuddled brow by her words before shrugging her off, firmly focusing on taking her back to base unaware of Ann's pained expression, curling in on herself from Aokiji's words…
"Run the sicko's here!" The children cackle running away.
"Wait I'm not sick!" Ann calls out to those her age but…
"She'll infect us all!" They continue running cackling.
"I'm not-argh!" Ann cries when a stray rock manages to nick her eye making her hiss, scarlet stemming down the side of her head from the jagged rock at her feet.
"Hide or else you'll die!" Another of the kids holler as they hide. The young Ann's lip stifles, tears beginning to form from the soft sting of her wound to their words as next she knew…
"I'm…I'm…I'm not sick…" Ann couldn't help but sniffle sadly, tears in her eyes as they silently fell while the laughing kids ran away.
"You're sick!" The children of Batrielle call out to the young Ann glaring at them.
"I'm not sick!" The young Ann tells the kids.
"Yeah, you are no wonder your dad left you!" Another of the group of kids call out smirking as the girl silently glares at them, her fists clenched.
"I bet you got it from him pirates carry all sorts of sickness!" Another of the kids call out.
"SHUT UP!" The young Ann angrily lunges towards the boy, a firm fist to the face making the boy cry out, a tooth shooting out, scarlet stemming the floor below, scaring the girls amongst the group.
"Why you…!?" The older boy rushes at Ann as Ann angrily yells back, the two rush at one another as they begin to fight as next she knew the sniffling, bruised bloodied black eyed Ann had returned home, her mother simply silently staring down at the sniffling wreck before sighing, taking her ripped clothes to fix with food ready…
"Hmm…" Ann couldn't help her hum rubbing at her fatigued freckled face, the shower water pouring down upon her, steam floating about the air as Ann resides in the shower, a small seat behind her, hearing the faint sound of the door.
"Ann?" Aokiji calls out to her.
"In here." Ann grunts, washing her hair, huffing, perhaps some concealer would work…her freckles were standing out more anyway. She hears the clink of the door.
"What are you thinking about?" Aokiji asks, taking a seat, the water already doing weakening him.
"Nothing much…" Ann rubs her face frowning from her freckled features.
"Your face says otherwise." Aokiji looks up at Ann.
"…Yeeaah…turn." Ann takes some shampoo pouring some out as Aokiji does so.
"You really not going to tell me…" Aokiji asks humming slightly as Ann's fingertips delve into his hair.
"It's stupid." Ann scrubs the shampoo in Aokiji's hair.
"I doubt it's as stupid as what sort of rock hit you…" Aokiji scoffs.
"Hey that's an interesting question!" Ann argues as she pulls Aokiji's head up.
"And this is an interesting view." Aokiji purrs pleased.
"…Icehole." Ann grumbles letting him go turning her back to him, washing her hands.
"You're avoiding my question…" Aokiji turns to stand, wrapping his arms around her.
"Urgh just thinking about my freckles again…" Ann admits leaning back her head on his chest.
"You want to hide them?" Aokiji assumes.
"Bingo, wait no I mean urgh…I don't know…it's all so complicated." Ann places her head in her hands.
"Like I said I like your freckles." Aokiji removes her hands from her head.
"What could you possibly like about them?" Ann scoffs.
"I don't know I just find them cute, counting them is a good pass time when you're sleeping…" Aokiji reaches gently tracing Ann's freckles, a heavy eye of ruby red hitting her cheeks.
"Funny the reception I received was rather different…" Ann tries to joke, the blush burning her cheeks.
"Those were kids they were probably just jealous of how cute you looked." Aokiji leans down, hugging her, his head residing on the crook of her neck.
"Do you hear yourself?" Ann scoffs.
"I'm just being honest; kids can be cruel for the stupidest of reasons." Aokiji admits as he sits down, setting Ann down on his lap.
"Urgh icehole you're just saying that to make me feel better!" Ann lightly hits his shoulder.
"It's the truth though I suppose it is partially my job to cheer you up." Aokiji considers coyly.
"Oh, so you see this as a job? Okay then you're fired." Ann decides dubiously.
"You can't fire me I'm with the union." Aokiji argues arms around her.
"Pff! What? You're ridiculous do the marines even have a union?" Ann argues.
"Of course they do." Aokiji assumes.
"Oh, really and what are your demands?" Ann asks amused, leaning in.
"Pretty standards I just want you…to smile like this all the time." Aokiji leans in his lips meeting Ann's own, once more. Ann tastes the sherry on his lips. He kisses her gently at first and then, as if he's reaching for something more, he picks Ann up, hoisting her up and pushes Ann against the wall and kisses Ann harder. His lips are warm and so soft-his hairbrushes against Ann's face happily returning the roughness, the water surprisingly not repelling him when Ann feels a certain appendage below…
"Okay let's just slow down icehole." Ann quickly drops down, unlatching herself from him.
"Alright but my point remains whoever would be able to keep your bed warm?" Aokiji asks as he goes to wash his hair.
"Last I checked you checked it cold?" Ann smirks leaning against the wall next to the door.
"Then explain you clinging to me last night." Cheekily, Aokiji points out using his own products.
"That was…! Urgh you're such a perv…" Annoyed, Ann lightly hits his shoulders.
"I'm just saying if I was a kid and had met you as a kid, I'd probably crush on you too." Aokiji tells her firmly focusing on his hair.
"Really?" Ann asks astonished as she spots a fair few of his products around, when had he left them here? Ann couldn't help but wonder.
"Really. You probably would have hated my guts though." Aokiji chuckles.
"Like I did at the start?" Ann assumes amused.
"And yet here we are." Aokiji turns back to her his hair done, his arms around her.
"Yeah, you somehow managed to worm in…" Ann leans upwards on her tippy toes pecking his lips.
"Don't hear you complaining…" He smirks down at her.
"Yeah, yeah…" Amused, Ann chuckles coyly, making sure to wring her hair out.
"I'm just saying I would have bullied you relentlessly." Later on, Aokiji admits eyeing Ann putting the towel on as he turns the shower off.
"Yeah, but why?" Ann asks as she looks herself over the mirror brow furrowed from her freckled features.
"Sicko…"
"Freak…"
"Ugly…"
Their words echo in Ann's ear uneasily eyeing the mirror until…
"Cause you're cute." Aokiji leans over pecking her temple taking her aback, the voice seemingly fading being pushed back by his words alone.
"Cause I'm…cute?" Astonished, Ann eyes Aokiji grabbing another towel wrapping it around his waist.
"Boys are idiots at the age, and they want to see certain reactions from the girl they like makes them feel important…" Aokiji explains to Ann as he takes a seat on their bed.
"Even if these reactions are negative?" Ann frowns taking out some pyjamas.
"At that age you don't really care." Aokiji confesses as Ann changes in front of Aokiji unfazed by his appreciate gaze.
"You sound familiar with the concept any childhood flings I should know of Aokiji." Amused, Ann asks cheekily smirking smugly at Aokiji.
"Not really I am familiar with the concept though." Teasingly, Aokiji smirks up at Ann oblivious to the glint in his eye.
"Wait why are you looking at me like…oh." Ann makes quite the face freezing when it all clicks.
"And the penny drops…" Amused, Aokiji smirks up at Ann.
"You ass!" Ann huffs lightly hitting his hand however he catches it this time, pecking her hand as Ann simply sighs, the two heading to bed for the night.
