Irreplaceable

Part 21: Spring

Small church. A woman, a man, and a priest look down on a small child. Around the child's neck is a delicate golden chain and on it hangs a small golden cross, that he tries to gnaw at only to be gently stopped by his mother. The man gently pets the child's soft raven hair and then looks at his wife, with so much love and adoration it can almost be felt. He wants to keep her and their small son safe. Wants to protect those gentle golden eyes from the cruelties of the world, keep the pale moonlight skin from tanning under the harsh sun. He loves them both so much. Her and their son. The priest splashes cold water on the child's head and shocked he starts to cry. The parents smile at their child and coo his name.

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Mihawk groaned as he shakily swept sweat off of his brow. He reached for his nightstand and picked up a tissue to blow his nose. He sat up on his bed, eyes puffy red and a stuffy nose. 

Finally it was May. In a mere week everything had tuned sap green. The bushes and trees had small leaves open and the trees were mid bloom. He hated this time of the year, even though he loved doing the yard work that came with it. He rubbed his head and took another paper to sneeze again. It was time to get ready for another weekend. Though this one was slightly special.

He grabbed his pants from the bed post and after a quick visit to the bathroom and checking if his beard needed shaving, he returned to the bed. He put on a grey t-shirt with v-neck and then combed his hair back as usual. He opened the first drawer of his nightstand and pulled out a small box. From it he took his small cross, or well, it wasn't actually his anymore, but his son's. For generations the small christening cross had been passed in his family from the head of the family to the next. He had given it to his son when christened and kept it safe until his confirmation, just like his father had done for him. But when he had tried giving it back to his son, he had refused.

- "You keep it safe for me father. I'm sure I'll loose it before I'll get a kid of my own."

Son had never been religious, which was slightly Mihawks own fault, since he had lost faith when his father had killed himself and thus hadn't been too keen to practice it. He really didn't want to believe in God if it meant his father would be in hell for eternity.
But he did believe in family traditions.

After son had said he would get the cross when it was time to give it to his own child, Mihawk had bent and kept it safe in a drawer. But as years went on they forgot about the small cross. Not that it truly mattered anymore, since Perona didn't belong in the church, neither did Zoro, so he didn't get christened. And he was given his mother's last name: Roronoa.
Though son had tried to explain the reasoning behind the decision, Mihawk never understood why Perona had not taken Dracule as her last name, but it didn't really matter anymore.
Maybe it was better this way for the two.

Mihawk slipped the cross over his head. He had found it again when doing the big clean up. He had been angry at himself for not giving the cross back to his son when Zoro had born and had decided to give it to Perona to keep it safe. But he could not do it. The small cross bore such weight to him, he could not pass it on anymore. Technically he had already, so he didn't have to. Still his thoughts did go to Perona from time to time when fiddling with the small cross. Would she be angry if she knew how he chose to keep the heirloom for himself, just because it reminded him of his son? Or maybe she already knew of the history the small piece of jewelry had and chose to not care. Mihawk couldn't ask her in fear that she might hate him for it or want to have the cross for herself.

Mihawk slowly went downstairs. After taking his allergy medicine and some water, he put on his sneakers and went for his usual jog. Today he was going to keep it short, due to his allergy and the fact that he had things to do at home. Once he was back he changed off of his sweaty shirt to a clean one and started to make Zoros formula while eating breakfast. He snuck to Zoros and Peronas room. She was hidden by her sheets still asleep, but Zoro was expectantly looking out of his crib and looked delighted when he saw his beloved Pappa. It was routine now that Mihawk do the early morning feed since he was up at the time. He quickly changed Zoros diaper and set him in his chair in the kitchen, before giving him his bottle.