Chapter Text
As promised, you and Katakuri travel back to his island first thing in the morning. It’s just the two of you and part of his crew, but the trip doesn’t take too long. You can’t help but feel relieved to get off the main island, Sweet City, you were informed, and away from Big Mom, herself. The woman had sneered and salivated during the short amount of time that you had to be in her presence this morning. The emperor truly disgusted you and the further away from her you could get, the better.
Komugi Island is interesting to say the least. You didn’t think that the doughnut Katakuri told you about would be quite so big, but it was definitely its most distinguishable feature. The two of you had made small talk during the trip, keeping the conversation light and not too deep since, hopefully, you would be reunited with your boys by the end of the day.
Once on shore, you ask him if it would be okay if you could stay outside to wait for Shanks and Mihawk. The beach reminded you of your little island, and Hank was having fun running and rolling around in the sand. Sukuna had elected to stay in your arms, but you didn’t mind. Katakuri had shrugged and told you to do what you wanted, and he would be on the lookout for the Red Force . That had been hours ago.
You lay on the sandy beach, and try to put together just how long it’s been since you’ve seen either of your boys. You know it’s been more than a month. Just the trip from your island to Whole Cake had taken forever it seemed, and that wasn’t counting the weeks after you had sent them both away. You frown and rub your swollen belly, staring down at the bumb that seems to grow bigger and bigger every day.
It’s harder for you to walk now, and you tire far easier than you used to. You think that you were around the 28 weeks mark when you had told them to leave, so maybe… 34 weeks now? The thought makes you freeze in the sand, eyes going wide as you stare down at yourself. Fuck . You could give birth in the next couple of weeks.
The books that you’ve read said that the average pregnancy lasts from 38 to 40 weeks, any earlier than that and the baby would be considered premature. You swallow harshly and curl your legs up to your belly as best you could. You’d never wanted the feel of their arms or the heat of their body more than in that moment. Even with Sukuna and Hank by your side, you’ve never felt more alone.
“Please, please get here soon. I need you,” you whisper to yourself, and close your eyes, begging the sea and the wind to bring Shanks and Mihawk back to you.
----
The sun is setting by the time Yasopp spots Mihawk’s little ship coming in on the port-side of the Red Force. Shanks is there to greet both of them when they climb up the ladder, smiling at Perona and laughing when she sniffs at him and then floats away, content to do her own thing. There is an awkward lull between the two men when they come face to face, but Mihawk barrels over it when he grabs the redhead by the arm and drags him past his crew and to his quarters where the warlord shuts and locks the door behind them.
Shanks stares at the other man, grunting when Mihawk strides forward and grabs him by the face. They stare at one another, each one taking the other in.
Mihawk’s usually impeccable facial hair is overgrown, hair covering his cheeks and making his beard thicker than usual. There are heavy bags under his eyes, and the normally put-together man just looks tired. Shanks doesn't fare much better. His scruff is thick and unruly, making him look more like a scallywag and less like a beach bum. His red hair is lank, flat atop his head instead, and Mihawk smooths one hand up from his cheek to push his hand through that red hair, pushing it away from the other man's face.
“You let yourself go,” Mihawk murmurs, and Shanks gives him a helpless shrug, a world-weary smirk painting his lips.
“I could tell you the same.”
Dracule rolls his eyes, and then he is stepping into the redhead’s space, slotting against Shanks like he has always belonged there. The emperor raises his hand, and settles it around the warlord's hip, tugging him closer and tilting his head so that it rests in the crook of the other man's neck. Mihawk winds his arms around him, holding the redhead close and finally feeling himself relax after that awful day when you called.
“I'm sorry, Mihawk. I'm so sorry any of this ever happened. It's all my fault,” Shanks whispers, tone thick with emotions, and Mihawk just holds him tighter like he should have back on your island, “I'm nothing but a fool, and irresponsible, but I can't lose you, either of you. I'll beg for the rest of my life for your forgiveness if I have to, but I won't leave.”
Mihawk curls his hand around the base of Shanks’ neck, lips turned down in a frown as he shakes his head, “The fault lies with both of us. She sent us away because I was too much of a coward to tell her the truth about our past. She was taken because you were too scared to tell me about your blunder. Why didn't you tell me?”
The redhead buries himself closer to Mihawk, seeking the familiar warmth that he had missed like the grass missed the rain, “It's like you said. I was terrified that you would hate me for it. That you and _ both would hate me, and I would never see either of you again. Everything was just going so well, and eventually I just… forgot I even messed up in the first place.”
Mihawk tightens his grip on the other man, needing to get what he was about to say across to Shanks.
“Both of us have to stop keeping important things quiet. _ has always been open with us, and it is a dishonor to her if we keep it up. No more secrets. No more hiding away from fear of rejection. Nothing.”
Shanks nods, eyes clenched shut as he holds his lover as tightly as he can against him, “No more secrets.”
A tension seems to bleed out after that, and the embrace they share becomes softer. Mihawk threads his hand through red hair and tips Shanks up and away from the crook of his shoulder. He leans in, lips meeting the other man’s and sighing in delight when Shanks offers himself up immediately to the kiss. It's been so long, that they take their time, exploring and familiarizing each other like a set of new lovers.
Before the exchange can become too heated, for the two men had fallen back into Shanks' chair, the warlord perched in his lap, thighs pressed tight to one another's, Mihawk pulls away to rest his brow against the redheads, “We should clean up. I don't want our treasure to see us like this.”
Shanks smiles, one easy and agreeing, then tilts his head to the side, eyes darkening with arousal, “Shower with me?”
Mihawk can't help rolling his eyes skyward, but he still stands and waits for Shanks to lead the way to the bathroom. They strip each other, the warlord making quick work of his lover's shirt, pushing it from broad shoulders and dropping it to the floor. His coat and shirt followed and then Dracule hooks his thumbs into the elastic of the redhead’s pants and pulls them down. Shanks plucks at the string that holds his lover’s trousers, lips curling into a smile when they fall and bunch around the warlord’s feet.
The water is hot and soothing when they step in, and Mihawk can’t help but think back to the night back on Gloom, the heat of Shanks’ mouth around his cock, and the feel of his blunt nails digging into his thigh. But now wasn’t the time to think about things like that, not when you were so close yet so far away. They would get you back and then escape to your island where they would stay and rebuild your home from the ground up. They would never leave you alone again.
Shanks lathers up a rag and begins to scrub his lover’s back, swiping it up his spine and then gently over his shoulders, cleaning away days old sweat. Mihawk takes over after a while, telling Shanks to turn around so that he can clean his front, rubbing the soap into that tan skin until he smells less like a bar and more like the man Mihawk loved.
They trim and manicure their facial hair and then dress in clean clothes once they are done, both feeling far better than they have in the past couple of weeks. Mihawk dons his hat, and Shaks pulls his cloak over his shoulders before he steps forward and draws the other man in for a swift kiss.
“Ready?”
The warlord nods as he fixes his coat, “Let us go.”
Once topside, they noticed Perona, red-faced yelling at someone over a snail transponder. Brow furrowing, Mihawk stalked forward, Shanks trailing behind him.
“You’re too late, Tomura. We’re already at Whole Cake, and we are supposed to get her soon.”
“What? How? I don’t see Big Mom giving my sister up so easily.”
The snail transponder is yanked out of her hand, and Mihawk glares down at it, “One of the Charlotte sons allowed _ to contact us. He is handing her over to save his family, I think it would be best if you left this to us, Vice Admiral.”
Tomura snarls wordlessly over the call, and Shanks can’t help but smirk at the sound of the navy man’s frustration.
“Fine. I’ll be waiting back at the island then, you better make sure my sister stays safe.”
Ca-lick
Mihawk huffs and drops the snail back into his daughter’s waiting hand, “What an unpleasant man.”
Shanks snickers beside him, before he sobers up and focuses on the island in front of them. Spotlights shine this way and that, highlighting the giant food that towers over the building that he can spot further inland. It’s a sight to behold, but the pirates aren’t there to awe over the giant sweets. No, they are here to get you.
The snail begins to ring again, and the two men stare down at the transponder when it morphs into the now familiar visage of Big Mom’s son, Katakuri.
Ca-lick
“Come to the southern shore. I’ll meet you at my personal bay.”
----
You jump when Katakuri makes his presence known when he clears his throat. You are still on the beach, your clothes, given to you by him from one of his many sisters, are full of sand, so you dust yourself off and then give him your attention. Hank stands close by, a silent, furry pillar of support that you eagerly tangle your fingers into. Sukuna lays across your shoulders, tail lashing back and forth as he stares at Katakuri with annoyed golden eyes.
“They’re here,” He murmurs and nods his head out towards the black sea. You squint, but your eyes aren’t good enough to see much of anything this late in the evening. Regardless, you still feel excitement bubbling up in your chest, happy tears coming to your eyes, and you have to bite your bottom lip to stop yourself from whimpering like a child. However, despite the joy you felt, you couldn’t help the sudden nerves that threatened to overwhelm everything else.
Katakuri stared down at you. You’d told him a little of what happened between the three of you, he was a better listener than a talker, after all, so he could understand the hesitation that seemed to surround you. Feeling uncharacteristically kind, he crouched down and reached forward, weary of the two guards who glared at him. He gently patted the top of your head like he would do for one of his siblings when they were upset.
“They will be happy to see you.”
You can’t help but send him a grateful smile, eyes wet as you reach up to squeeze one of his fingers, “I know, and I’m excited to see them. I’m just nervous. It’s been so long.”
Katakuri pulled away and then offered you his hand to sit on like he had the other day, and once you were comfortable and surrounded by your animals, he began to walk along the beach, “Do not worry. It will be fine.”
The trip to his personal docking bay doesn’t take long, but it feels like it takes a lifetime to you. You are so nervous to see your boys again, but the thought of being able to hold them close, to be able to kiss them and feel their hands on you again, makes it a little better. You hope that Mihawk had taken what you’d told him to heart and hadn’t been too hard on Shanks over you being taken. You don’t think you would have it in you to mitigate anything between them right now.
The closer the two of you got to the docks, the better you could see the approaching ship. The Red Force was dwarfed by Katakuri’s personal ship, but it still cut a striking figure as it sailed closer. You were practically vibrating in place once you were sat on your own two feet, and Hank whines beside you, pacing back and forth when he recognizes the ship. You can see three silhouettes standing at the bow, one with an achingly familiar hat that makes your heart clench in relief.
Neither Shanks or Mihawk wait for the crew to finish tying the ship off. Once they are close enough, they simply flash to the docks with a burst of haki, wanting to get to their treasure as quickly as possible. You start waddling as fast as you can to meet them, and then finally , you are surrounded by your boys.
They wrap themselves around you, Shanks pressed against your back so that he can wrap his arm around your belly. Mihawk’s arms wind around both of you, holding you tight to his chest as you press your face against his olive skin. You can feel tears soaking your hair from Shanks, but Mihawk doesn’t cry like his two lovers. Instead, he begins to whisper sweet nothings, his lips pressed against your temple.
“Don’t ever let me tell you two to leave again,” you sob against the warlord’s chest. One of your hands clutched his coat, and the other wraped around Shanks’ wrist, needing to anchor yourself in their presence, “I don’t care how upset I am. I don’t ever want to be alone like that again. I’m so sorry.”
Mihawk huffs and Shanks lets out a wet laugh, “You’ve got nothing to be sorry for, Treasure. We’re the ones who are supposed to be apologizing.”
You shake your head, uncaring, “I don’t care about what happened anymore. I’m just glad you’re here.”
Mihawk and Shanks let it go, for now, they would sit you down and the three of you would have a long talk about this later. You look up at them, eyes wet but happy, “Can we get out of here, please?”
The dock creaks when Katakuri steps over to their little ground, and they look up when the giant of a man begins to talk.
“That would be best. I wouldn't be surprised if someone has already told my mother of your presence. You should hurry.”
Not wanting to leave your side, but needing to, Shanks presses a kiss to the top of your head and heads back over to his ship, ordering his men to get the ship untethered so that they could get out of here. Katakuri was most likely right, so if they didn't hurry, Big Mom would send her own ships out to greet them on the open sea. Hank bounds after him, elated to see his second favorite human, and Sukuna steps between his human and the male who had saved him, rubbing himself against Mihawk’s legs before giving the warlord a look that screamed why did it take you so long to get here?
You stop yourself from following after your boys, tugging at Dracule's hand when he goes to lead you away. You look up at Katakuri and gesture for him to come closer. Curious, he bends down, and you lean close so that you can press your lips to his cheek before you pull away with a grateful smile.
“Thank you for keeping me safe, Katakuri. Maybe we'll meet again under better terms.”
You watch as he blushes, and his lips turn up in a bemused smile as he rises back up, “Maybe one day.”
You scoop Sukuna up in your arms and then allow Mihawk to escort you down the dock where the Red Force and its captain wait. They help you up the rope ladder, and despite your winded state once you get on deck, that doesn't stop the delighted smile that paints your face when the crew erupts in cheer at seeing you. Perona is at your side in a heartbeat, pulling you in for a careful hug and burrowing her tear-stained face into your shoulder.
Shanks begins to shout orders to get the ship underway, and once Perona pulls away, she and Mihawk lead you to the captain’s quarters. You assure them both that you are okay, but Mihawk isn't satisfied until he can get his hands on you after his daughter has made sure you are okay for herself. He kneels in front of you, taking you in, golden eyes flickering everywhere like he doesn't know what to look at first.
Overall, his angel looks tired. Bags under your eyes and hair swept up in a bun that hangs lank at the back of your head. Your eyes are bloodshot, most likely from all the crying that you have done, but Mihawk still thinks that you are the most beautiful creature he's ever laid eyes on. He holds your face like he had held Shanks earlier, then leans forward to press his brow against your own.
“Mihawk,” you whisper, and he opens his eyes to meet your own. This might not be the best time, but you can't hold it in any longer. Not when you know that life can change in the blink of an eye, “ I love you.”
The warlord feels his heart pound in his chest. He’s known for a while now that you loved him, you had to because he was sure that you felt the same thing that he did for you, but hearing it was something else entirely. A sureness settled over his shoulders, and neither of you heard the door shutting behind Mihawk when he murmured.
“I love you, too.”