Falaise

A Dead Man Walking

Mihawk was in a bad mood before he even got out of bed.

Sleeping on a comfortable mattress had done nothing to make him forget Buggy's announcement from the night before. Going to this party would mean admitting in front of the whole world that he was now the Jester's personal knight. Which meant that his anonymity would take an end, as well as the 'mystery' surrounding his whereabouts.

For the first time in more than a year, Shanks would know where he was, and the thought made Mihawk uneasy. He had never talked to anyone about what happened, never explained the reasons behind his sudden departure to Crocodile.

At first, it had mainly been because he had expected their paths to split quickly. But it didn't happen. Crocodile was a discreet man, and had never questioned Mihawk's choice. In fact, he never asked questions. Which could easily be the reason why Mihawk had never told him. That, and the fact that he wasn't sure how the older man would react. They may get on well, but it didn't mean that Crocodile was to be trusted with such information.

Indeed, Mihawk had no idea how Crocodile would feel if he actually told him that he and Shanks had been once more than just friends.

Shanks had been the one to seduce him, constantly making innuendos and advances to the other man. Mihawk had been surprised, at first, by Shanks' ease and shameless behaviour. Caught out and not indifferent to the man's charms, Mihawk had ended up in Shanks' web.

And, at first, it was great. Shanks appointed him as one of his personal knights, shared his bunk at night, and arranged to meet in the garden in the late afternoon. Until Mihawk caught him, one day, making out with his advisor Benn Beckman.

Mihawk had confronted him, obviously, but Shanks had simply shrugged, explaining that Benn was the most important person in his life, and that Mihawk had to get used to it. Absolutely pissed, Mihawk had decided to make out with a random woman at a party in town the following night, not worrying about the consequences. The news obviously reached the Duke's ear, and Mihawk woke up the following morning to the sight of Shanks sitting on a chair across his room. Cutting an apple with his only arm left, Shanks had announced to him that he'd forced into exile the woman Mihawk had slept with the previous night.

Taken aback, Mihawk had gotten out of bed angrily telling Shanks that he couldn't just act as he pleased and get possessive with him even though he still did as he pleased.

Mihawk would always remember the way Shanks had coldly retorted 'I can do as I please, and you can't. You're my knight, Mihawk, know your place.' Before he rose to his feet, grabbed him by the neck and roughly kissed him.

Stunned by Shanks' unexpected mood swing, Mihawk had stayed silent during the entirety of the journey to the summit in this random town he couldn't remember the name of. He'd held his head high, acting as nothing had happened in front of everyone, and even with Shanks, who had visibly calmed down. But Mihawk's mind had been made up the minute he'd caught Shanks with Benn.

Meeting Crocodile in that tavern had been the last push he'd needed, and he left town with the scarred man on the last day of the summit.

They laid low for a few weeks, travelling incognito, and reached the Duchy of Normandy. Hearing that the Duke was looking for soldiers, they showed up, and after some sparring tests, joined the guard. The rest was history.

During all this time, Mihawk had not once alluded to the fact that he liked men, and though he hadn't seen Crocodile look at a woman once, he didn't quite feel like telling him. Not that he would have, had he known that Crocodile didn't care. They didn't talk that much.