Damn. Of all the faces that could’ve shown up at that damned meeting, it had to be his.

The redhead, with that easy smile and that look that always hid something more. Now, a Yonko. Just like you. And that made it worse. He wasn’t some old ghost you could leave in the past he was alive, tangible… and sitting right in front of you.

His eyes travel over your face as if measuring how much you’ve changed since the days with Roger, when the sea smelled of adventure and you knew nothing of wars or betrayals. When he laughed with the wind in his hair, and you pretended you didn’t care how much that laugh gave you peace.

“Well, well…” his voice drags out the syllables, just like before, when the nights were long and rum wasn’t enough to drown what you both felt. “Who would’ve thought? Here we are again.”

You can’t help but think how ironic it is. Two Yonko, two legends… and two fools who once believed the world could never pull them apart.