DECODE. // Dracule Mihawk

05. Close Quarters

OCEAN waves lulled onto the beach as the sun reached its peak, whilst two ships tied and anchored at a makeshift dock. Lounging near the entrance of the sea cave was a company of pirates, ones that belonged to the Red Force. On proud display was that of Luffy's wanted poster, with alcohol passed around.

Mihawk eyed his red-haired 'friend' warily, finding himself without the want to finish off whatever ale was tossed to him.

The joy- pride- whatever it was he didn't quite care, was evident on the crew. Though he'd imagined if the Luffy he met was anything like that as a child, sure the boy would have made a lasting impression. But his mind was elsewhere.

It was coming up to a month since he'd first lay eyes on the woman his heart now belonged to. Perhaps distance truly did make the heart fonder in this case. His memory raced to remind himself of every inch he'd taken in, from her delicate fingers, to supple skin and breathtaking beauty. He wanted to own every part of her, to know every intimate detail of her past, and to understand the inner workings of her mind. Anything to do with her up to the air she breathed he wanted part in.

It was a sickening line of thought, truly it twisted and burned his chest inside that he'd thought he'd implode at times. But Sabine pulled him into her orbit, dug her innocent little claws in, and he'd be a fool to resist.

His mind constantly drifted to her from time sailing on the sea, amidst a job, and even before he fell asleep. He wondered what she was up to and where, if she were safe, if she thought about him. He let himself obsessively obsess over someone he met twice, truly knew nothing about and now had to wait for them to make a life changing decision in months time. Setting himself up for failure surely, but high risk brings high reward, he understood that well enough.

"You usually got your panties in a bunch Hawkeyes- but this is extra." Shanks stared at Mihawk knowingly as he knocked back his drink.

"What are you talking about?" Mihawk quipped back, tone biting with a hint of exasperation.

"Haven't touched your drink."

Mihawk glanced down at the open bottle, liquid slowly warming in his grasp from nursing it, "Please elaborate on your nonsensical ramblings."

Shanks grinned as he took a swig of mead, "I know that face. Only one thing causes men of our stature to look so grim."

"Don't compare us-"

"A girl."

"Fucks sake." Mihawk decided he was done, he'd take no further questions from the red haired imbecile of a pirate. He sat his drink down in the sand uncaring as it tipped, spilling out the amber liquid. He only got a few feet away.

"Where's your ring?" Shanks smirked, only having to ask one simple question and Mihawk would know he was beat, knowing how to prod all the right areas to tick Mihawk off.

Mihawk stopped and turned with a fire in his eyes, "Don't pry in places you have no business."

"Oh come on," He laughed drunkenly, "You don't just give that out!"

It did not matter- the intricacies of what the ring symbolized to Mihawk. Or it shouldn't have mattered to Shanks who found far too much enjoyment out of his discomfort.

"Don't use that night, what- a decade ago when I drunkenly told you about what it meant- against me."

"Yeah yeah." Shanks waved a hand dismissively, his smirk growing larger by the second. A few of his crew were beginning to listen in, "Come on, a man as distrusting as you wouldn't give something so precious to a stranger! Or maybe... you did?"