A Warlord or A Friend
Atlantis sighed as she reclined back into the seat against the wall, stretching her legs out slightly before pulling them back in quickly in order to not gain the attention of any of the others currently occupying the room. Glancing around she allowed her shoulders to relax as no one other than Kuzan had noticed her small lapse in decor. Others were sitting next to her, but these young marines were too on edge staring at the warlords or they were too willing to please one's eating up every word dropping from the admirals and vice admirals at the meeting table in front of them.
Boredom hit again as the warlords seemed to go into another tangent. Pausing Atlantis stared at Kuzan in wonder, had his habits already started to rub off on her. Before ultimately dropping the thought to canvas the room once more.
Mihawk’s seat was empty, which honestly tracked, the man would have walked out at this point had he even bothered to show.
Doflamingo looked too happy to be here as if this was fun to him. Knowing him, there probably was something amusing about this situation that only he knew.
Jinbe… was staring right at her. Huh? Had he noticed her stretching or had it been the staring?
Sengoku stood, finally drawing her attention as he dismissed the group. The marines lining the wall stood at attention as most of the warlords made their way from the room before also being dismissed. Atlantis glanced around the room before jolting as Jinbei nodded his head at her with a tentative smile nodding at the seat next to him.
Looking around her, Atlantis cautiously made her way to his side with a rigid back. “Sir?”
“Sir?” Jinbei laughed at her answer as he patted the seat. “You don't act anything like how Ace said you would.”
“Ace?” Atlantis perked up with a smile before plopping in the seat as the tension left her shoulders. “Oh man, how is the little punk doing?”
“He joined Whitebeard’s crew to start. It was kinda shocking to see him go from trying to kill the man every day to… not.”
Atlantis snorted, bringing up a hand to hide the snort as she smiled at Jinbei fondly, “Nah it sounds like something he’d do. Is he eating well?”
“Last I checked the fourth division commander has been trying to shove food down his throat so I can only assume so.” Atlantis laughed at the sheer image before turning her head to see Garp making his way over with a slight frown glancing between them with a raised eyebrow.
“Atlantis. Warlord Jinbei. What's so funny?”
Jinbei smiled at Garp as he stood bowing to Atlantis with a smile, “Just speaking of a mutual acquaintance.” Jinbei quickly dismissed the topic in order to keep the topic a secret, hoping Garp would go along and not continue to ask.
“Ace joined that old guy's crew.” Atlantis nodded her head in glee as Garp’s jaw dropped.
“That brat!” Garp stormed off, likely to verify the information while Jinbei tilted his head in confusion at Garp’s reaction, turning back to Atlantis with a questioning hum.
Atlantis hummed back as she stood, ignoring the Jinbei's question and the relationship Garp had with Ace, bowing to him before turning with a smile gracing her face, “Next time you see Ace tell him something for me?”
“Of course.” Jinbei nodded his head as he stared at Atlantis’ turned back.
“Tell that fool that I miss him,” Atlantis paused as she threw her hair over her shoulder so Jinbei could see her smile as she eyed him. “And that I love him.”
Jinbei nodded hesitantly in shock as he watched her retreating form before humming curiously as he turned to exit the meeting room.
Atlantis smiled as she walked away from the room with her feet arching off the floor in muted skips, stopping as Kuzan cornered her. “Who’s Ace? Your boyfriend?”
“What? No. He’s… family.” Atlantis nodded at her answer turning her smile on Kuzan who nodded.
“Ah, so the man with the tattoos from the market the other day? Is he your boyfriend?”
“W-what?” Atlantis swirled around to face Kuzan in shock with a blush riding upon her face. “You saw that?!”
“Saw you guys dancing yeah. Acting all lovey-dovey with each other.”
“We were not! I barely even know him, we’re friends at that.”
“Wait, how are you friends if you barely know him?”
“Stop talking to me! God if Luffy heard this he’d have a miny come-apart.”
“Oh, Is Luffy your boyfriend?” Kuzan slightly smirked as he kept pace, following after Atlantis. “Ah, you’re not protesting this one?”
___
Jinbei smiled as he sat with Whitebeard bringing a drink up to his mouth. All around them Whitebeard’s sons were joyfully laughing as they raised drinks in a toast for the new information from the warlord meeting.
Jinbei paused as his eyes finally landed on Ace, crinkling them in a smile he set his drink down to call Ace’s attention, “Ace.”
Ace turned his head with his eyebrows raised staring at Jinbei, the rest of the crew paused as they glanced at Jinbei. “I met a friend of yours after the meeting.”
“Ah?” Ace tilted his head in confusion while biting his lip. “I don't think anyone I know would have been in that meeting Jinbei.”
“Atlantis gave me a few words to pass on to you.” At his words, Ace dropped his drink as he shot up from his seat.
“Are you for real? You goy to meet Atlantis?!”
“Yes-”
Ace cut off Jinbei as he hopped over a few people to come to sit near Jinbei, “Well? Was she as pretty as I said? Was she mean to you?”
“She was very beautiful and incredibly polite.”
“Polite?” Ace looked flabbergasted as he shook his head. “She wouldn’t know polite if it tried to drown her, and I would know we tried to drown her before.”
Jinbei blinked as he turned to Ace in shock who shook his head in disbelief.
“Did I tell you about the time she shaved my head in my sleep? She didn't even stay on the island with us and she came back to shave my head, play with Luffy, and then left before I woke up. She’s a menace.”
Jinbei shook his head as he glanced at the broad smile on the crew's face, “She seems like the kinda girl that can handle you.”
“Argh.” Ace shook his head at Jinbei’s comment, rolling his eyes as he sat back. “What did she have to say? Gonna hunt me down and kick my ass?”
“That she missed you and that she loves you.”
Ace stopped at Jinbei’s words, holding his breath as a blush rose covering his entire face and spreading down his chest.
“OOOH,” Thatch screamed as he jumped Ace. “You’ve got a girlfriend?”
“It’s not like that!” Ace protested as he tried to throw Thatch off him while ignoring the teasing from his crewmates.
“You’re blushing!”
“I said that's not it!”