Chapter Text
The sun has slipped under the horizon, allowing the coldness to settle in the air. Small flames of the candles offer dim and intimate lighting for the ever more drunker trio. Empty bottles and multiple kinds of glasses litter the circular table. Drunken chuckles and giggles are their source of their warmth as Shanks’s elaborate stories echo in the night. The only times he is silent is when alcohol pours down his throat.
“You seem to be getting more comfortable.” Mihawk looks at the woman, her face is flushed from drinking and laughing, eyes twinkling like stars in the darkest of nights. Truth be told, she hasn’t felt this good in a long time. A worry free night- something she really needed.
“It's easier to relax now, it's probably the alcohol, or maybe it's the two of you.” She smiles faintly.
“Aww, you’re starting to like me…and hawk eyes, I guess." Shanks leans his head against his hand, watching her with a lazy grin on his face.
"I do admit that Shanks has a talent for making people comfortable. His overt friendliness is contagious like a plague.” Mihawk's voice might still be monotone, but there is a humorous glint in his piercing eyes. Somehow these two mesh together, even though they belong to opposite sides of the scale.
“A very happy plague.” The red haired pirate retorts back. “It’s not my fault that people like me, especially women~” He looks at y/n, interested in knowing if she views him that way and truth be told, Mihawk is also slightly interested in said topic now that the alcohol has started to affect him.
“You do find me attractive?” Shanks leans toward her.
This isn’t something she would like to discuss with them. She’s not a prude, it’s just that they're two really handsome older men and she isn’t really used to talking to anyone about these sorts of things, let alone with attractive men, while being drunk. Thinking of that, she finishes her current drink before answering. “Well, I mean objectively speaking, I guess.” That could have been delivered better.
“Objectively? You’re not kidding me.” The smile on Shanks’s face grows wider, he’s not buying her explanation. He looks at his friend’s neutral expression, he’ll try to crack it wide open. “Do you find hawk eyes attractive as well?”
She shakes her head, fuck it. “Yes.”
Said man raises his eyebrows for a moment, he wasn’t expecting her to give such a straight on answer. A soft chuckle emerges from him while Shanks grins widely at her response, already thinking of his next move. “Alright, but which one of us is more attractive to you specifically? Me or sour face and please answer honestly, I’m curious.” She avoids their intense stares as she nods towards the yellow eyed man who seems genuinely surprised. It’s not that he doesn't consider himself attractive, quite the opposite actually, but his friend isn’t too shabby either.
"Oh? Women usually swoon over Shanks's good looks and charm." Mihawk leans forward slightly in his seat to get a better look at her reaction. "But you still find me more attractive?"
“Yes.”
“And why is that?” Hawkeye has a slight smirk on his face, he is enjoying this more than he thought. Maybe this could work as a mild payback, seeing her squirming on her seat, flustered and embarrassed, it ignites an unexpected thrill in him.
“I…I don’t have to answer that.” She isn’t going there. She isn’t going to tell him how mesmerizing his yellow eyes are, the way they bore into her soul, leaving her vulnerable for all sorts of emotions. His angular face which looks like it's carved by the greatest sculptor, framed perfectly by his meticulously trimmed beard and mustache. How his voice resonates in her body. No she can’t say any of that.
“Awww…don’t leave us hanging.” Shanks leans toward her, but she isn’t giving up. Her mouth is shut tight and nothing is going to change it. He sighs and gives up, taking a drink as he thinks. The yellow eyed man hasn’t said anything, he’ll get that answer eventually. Whether it is tomorrow or three months away, he will poke and probe her shield to get that information, and he’ll love every second of it.
“You know what, now that we are a bit more acquaintanced, how about we play ‘never have I ever’? To get closer and drunker.” Shanks grins excitedly.
“Why not.”
“Fine.”
The group prepares the table, placing the empty bottles on the deck and leaving a shot glass for each participant, a big whiskey bottle stands in the center. Shanks grins excitedly, already planning how to get most of the game, especially since Mihawk agreed to play as well. He isn’t one to usually partake in such jovial and personal games. The game is ready to begin, someone just has to make the first statement.
“Let's start with something easy. Never have I ever had scarlet fever.” Shanks looks at them pointedly, knowing full well that at least Mihawk has to drink.
“Really?” Y/n looks at him incredulously, he’s lucky to be able to ask that. She was expecting him to jump to the deep end right the start, but using such a cheesy strategy to get them drunk wasn’t on her list. Nevertheless, she downs the shot.
“Yes”
“I should've never told you about it.” Mihawk mutters before drinking.
“Never have I ever misplaced my ship.” y/n says before giving the yellow eyed man a glance, while she fills the glasses. Said man scoffs when he sees his friend take a drink, probably lost his ship when he was too drunk to remember anything. They play a few more rounds before starting to struggle to come up with interesting statements. y/n manages to get both of them to drink by asking if they have ever been black out drunk.
The yellow eyed man takes a moment to think of a suitable question. The corner of his mouth twitches up a bit and he looks at the two for their reactions. “Never have I ever read a pornographic book.” Shanks doesn’t pick up his glass and he looks at y/n with amusement when she gingerly takes her glass and gulps its content down.
“Oh? Do elaborate.” A honeyed drawl drips from the yellow eyed man's dangerous mouth.
“The only answer you get is the shot I drank.” He rolls his eyes at her answer.
“Awww...what a bore. Oh well, my turn. Never have I ever…” He ponders for a moment, there isn’t much he hasn’t done that they probably haven’t done, he’s trying his hardest to come up with something. “Uhh…this is getting too hard…. oh, never have I kiss-, made out with a same sex partner.” He looks at his old friend for a while, who squints his eyes at him. There’s movement in the corner of their eyes, y/n took a drink.
“What? Women are pretty.” She wipes her bottom lip of the spilled alcohol.
“I can’t disagree with you on that.” The corner of Mihawk’s lips turn up. “Why not make this more interesting now, shall we? We can ask any question and if you don’t want to answer it, you take a drink.” He looks at them as they think, Shanks agrees enthusiastically, but y/n hesitates a bit longer before finally agreeing.
“Splendid,” His eyes are boring into her soul, “now why do you murder people? Couple of marines I can understand, but most of them were civilians.”
Huh. Why is he asking that? She blinks a couple of times in an effort to gather her thoughts.
“Well…it's about justice, or more so about delivering it. And sometimes getting paid to do it.” Her hand goes to scratch the back of head. She hasn't really told anyone why she does what she does. People shouldn’t be trusted with such incriminating information and she already regrets telling them, when she sees Mihawk’s eyes narrow at her response.
His expression is unnervingly calm. "Justice, you say? How can a thief and murder such as yourself claim to deliver justice?” That gets under her skin. She isn’t a good person, that’s for sure, but she is nothing like the human trash she disposes of. Those things were just wasting air.
“I only kill those who deserve it. Those who go unpunished because of their wealth or connections. Those who abuse the justice system for their own gain. Those who keep doing wrong, no matter how many chances are given for them to change.” The alcohol's influence is making her visibly seethe.
"So your purpose is to take justice into your own hands, when you see it is not being properly served." He chuckles softly as he sits back and takes a sip from his drink. "That's rather admirable, but who are you to determine their fate?"
“I don’t care whether I’m allowed to determine their fate. They didn’t take no for an answer, and neither did I listen to their pleads as my blades sank in them.” Her eyes harden, there’s much more she would like to say, but manages to hold her tongue even when drunk. “Besides, I’m sure you’ve killed more people than I have, a lot more.” Mihawk rolls his eyes and concedes, she has a point.
“I don’t know, a pretty girl with an admirable goal, that's fine by me. Although you seem a bit too into hunting…those people down.” Shanks pauses for a moment, as his eyes scan over her. “Well, then…do you have a significant other?”
“No, I don’t have time for that.” She crosses her arms across her body, it might seem defensive, but it’s just getting a bit chilly. She has always said to herself, too many cooks in the kitchen and the chances of messing up increase a lot. She wouldn’t forgive anyone if they were the reason to get captured, so it’s better to just be alone.
Shanks looks a bit too amused at her answer. “No time? What if they were your partner in crime, then you’d be together all the time.”
“I don’t see you dating your crewmates,” She looks at him with raised brows, “You know the risks and complications that would follow if you did date one.” It would put the crew in an unfair position. They could get captured or tortured because of you or vice versa. Could you honestly focus on the battle at hand, when your significant other is there too? What if they die, or get badly injured right before your eyes? Shanks sighs and nods, he can’t argue against her.
“Now, I have a question for you two. What are your plans for the future?” She is genuinely curious. They are famed pirates, with a place they can call their own, is there anything they still want to achieve or do? She is still at the early phases of her career, maybe she could get some insight from them. Mihawk takes the shot and Shanks mumbles something about wanting to see some young pirate to reach heights never seen before.
The red pirate continues the conversation, trying to get to know her better. “What are some things you enjoy doing besides thieving and murdering? I'm sure you do more than those two things.”
She laughs, her spirit loosened by the alcohol they’ve been consuming. “You're right. Umm, I usually try to just waste some time by daydreaming, reading different kinds of books and on occasion, catching up on my acquaintance's relationship drama when I'm sailing from one island to the next one.”
"Relationship drama? Who knew the thief gets caught up with romantic problems of those around you." Mihawk muses.
Why did I mention that, y/n curses inwardly.
"Why are you invested in your friend's relationship drama? Aren’t the steamy books enough for you?" Shanks looks at her with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“No I’m- It's just some light fun, living through other people's lives.” Embarrassment floods her face as her voice drops.
"So, it's more like theater for you? Watching other people's lives for entertainment." He pauses for a moment, as Shanks continues laughing, tears swelling up his eyes. What is wrong with him?
"It sounds more like you're following your friend's relationships to get experience, tips and guidance for yourself." Mihawk’s tone sounds infuriatingly condescending, his eyes scan her face for the smallest reaction.
“I wouldn’t do such a thing.” She rolls her eyes and does her best to act indifferent.
“Your voice and face says otherwise.” The feather on his hat nods along as he tilts his head to the side.
"Really, a beautiful young woman such as yourself... who has no interest in romance? I think not." Shanks looks at her with a mischievous smirk.
"You don't have to hide your embarrassment over the subject... we all enjoy romance and intimacy at some level, don't we?" Mihawk crosses his arms and amusement is apparent on his perfect face. y/n forces her lips to a straight line, as if it would erase the furious blush on her face.
"Oh well, you're too young to be worrying about romantic love. Especially with your lifestyle... It's not good to mix that type of thing with your life as a murderer and a thief. If you think about it, how could you even date someone?" The serious way Shanks says that makes the woman’s brows furrow in confusion.
"They'd probably be too afraid to know someone like her... I mean, she is a killer. Who would be willing to go out with them?" Mihawk looks at Shanks whose composure is cracking.
“So I’m doomed to live alone…” Her voice is slightly slurred and defeated, her hazy brain isn’t quite understanding the situation.
"Oh, c'mon... we’re just teasing you!” Shanks chuckles drunkenly. "In fact, I bet there's a lot of men out there that like girls that give ‘bad girl’ vibes. Just you know, you could already be some guy's fantasy." He smirks wickedly, eyeing her body.
Mihawk looks amused at her reactions, wondering if she has any experience. She might have had to seduce some of her targets, but how far did she go with them? Based on her reactions he assumes she isn’t too experienced in this area.
Shanks lays his hand on her shoulder after finishing his drink and y/n averts her gaze from him. The yellow eyed man watches their interactions with curiosity, he wonders if there’s something more between them than he had previously determined. y/n removes the pirate's hand from her. If she weren’t so drunk and annoyed, she’d be flattered of his attention, well more than flattered.
Shanks leans towards her, a sly look etched on his handsomely rugged face. He eyes the woman’s lips, a slight scowl rests on their corners, but maybe he could turn them upwards. She isn’t moving away from him, which is a good sign. Shank’s hand goes to cradle the side of her neck, his thumb brushing against her jawline.
y/n’s eyes flutter a bit at the gentle contact. Oh. Well…why not? He’s attractive, she’s attracted to him, there’s no reason not to go with the moment. For this moment she is ready to be swept by him, to feel his smiling lips on hers as his hand buries itself into her hair. A small flame flutters in her heart as he gets closer, she can feel his warm breath on her chin, the smell of alcohol. Alcohol. No, this isn’t right, they’re too drunk. This wouldn’t happen if they were sober.
Mihawk watches the scene with interest and a hint of something else, something foreign to him. What is this feeling? It’s something like repulsion, anger and yearni- NO. No. Not her. It isn’t real, he’s just drunk. He shakes the previous feelings out of him, as if that’s possible.
Shank’s lips meet something, but it isn’t another person's lips. He opens his eyes and sees that it’s a palm.