The next morning, you joined the rest of the city outside the Galley-La company. Many people audibly questioning why you were even there and many classing you as 'disrespectful' for showing up at Iceburg's speech but you just shrugged them off. They'll soon change their tune.

 You waited for a few minutes for the speech to start but all you could hear were the spectators whispering to one another. Some insulting you, others wondering what the speech is about and others asking the same question you were asking yourself; Where is Iceburg? When is it starting?

A sigh escapes your lips, your eyes spotting Paulie beside the stage, the blonde lighting a cigar as he yells something at some of Galley-La's shipwrights. He'll know what's going on, right? You start to head for him, not being able to keep your irritation buried.

I should have guessed Iceburg would do this.

You're aware that he can be a child when it comes to important appointments, he just cancels them because he simply doesn't want to do them. You begin to think--no, bet, that he had done the same thing with this speech. 

However, you're quickly knocked out of these thoughts when you somehow manage to walk straight into someone. Great, as if people didn't dislike me enough.

Although, seems it was actually the other person who was at fault here, you were walking straight for Paulie and this idiot stumbled into you. Obviously, they're drunk. 

Honestly, who drinks this early in the day?!

"Sorry about that." A familiar voice chimes in your ears, your gaze shooting up at the man as you stumble back a little. Oh, OF COURSE! HE DOES! "Ah, Hey again! Crap, right? No, wait, not Crap. It's [F/n]!" The redhead beams, wrapping his arm around your shoulders and playfully pulling you into a half-hug. "It's great to see ya again~!" 

It would seem, Red-Haired Shanks is as much of a heavy drinker as they say...

"Nice to see you remembered my name." You murmur, your cheerful tone seeming forced. It's not that you didn't like the man's company, he was funny and rather kind for a pirate. But right now, you'd much rather be throttling Iceburg for letting you down, once again.

"Yeah, I thought you were just a shipwright when Paulie picked you up last night but the people around here say you're actually the mayor's ex-girlfriend! Colour me impressed! Not a lot of people I drink with can honestly say they've bedded a mayor, ya know?" 

Kill me.

"...Yeah..." You murmur, a sense of dread already washing over you as you imagine what the city's people must have told your pirate friend. His head tilts to the side slightly as if he's studying you before a chuckle erupts from his throat. 

"I gotta say though...they really hate you here, huh?" He blurts simply, for a moment or two you begin to feel like your soul is slowly drifting from your body. SERIOUSLY?! "It makes a pleasant change though, people usually hate me because I'm a pirate~" 

THIS GUY IS SERIOUS RIGHT NOW!?

"At least they hate you based on fact! People hate me because they think I left their precious mayor heartbroken, when it was actually the other way around!" You growl under your breath, Shanks' eyes filling with curiosity as his smile slowly fades away.

"Huh? Really? Wow...I mean, I don't wanna bite the hand that's fixing my ship or anything, but it's a little cowardly of him to let you take the blame for his actions."

"Excuse me, everyone." Iceburg's echoed voice breaks out over the conversation, your eyes trailing up to the stage where the purple-haired male stood, clearing his throat as he begins. Finally. The crowd breaks out into loud cheers as they notice Iceburg's presence. All except Shanks, the right-hand man of his crew, Ben Beckman and yourself. The rest of Shanks' crew cheered, many clearly intoxicated. Ben looked on in what-looks-like pure curiosity. You and your red-haired friend looking on with smiles on your faces. Your smile was because Iceburg had actually remembered to do this for you! Shanks' smile was...well, you're not sure what his smile was about, really.

"Shut up, he's trying to speak, you idiots!" Paulie yells out at the spectators, directly into the mic, causing you to flinch as his loud voice rings in your ears while Shanks and his crew laugh and the rest of the audience falls quiet. Only few city people making comments about how 'cool' Paulie is.

Honestly, I've seen cooler crocodiles!

"Yes, well...I'm not one to talk about my love-life but it is evident that due to recent events, it has become necessary that I explain what happened." Iceburg begins, clearly forcing his professional posture. The man hated speeches with a passion, he liked to keep things short and sweet and any time he had to do a speech, he would either refuse and have someone else do it or just stagger his way through it as quickly as possible. Seems that's what he's doing here. "The break-up between [F/n] and I was...hard...for both of us. And it was without a doubt, the biggest regret of my life. I left a woman who loved and cared for me, who always saw the good in me, no matter how much pain I caused her."

"He left her?" You hear someone whisper from behind you, followed by another person shushing them. You could feel Shanks' stare burning a hole through your form but you were so fixated on what your ex-lover was saying, you couldn't bring yourself to pay any mind to your new friend.

"And the way I handled the situation was nothing more than a complete disgrace. I started to neglect her for weeks beforehand and all she wanted to do was fix our relationship but I failed her. And I did so because I was scared." Your eyebrows rise at his confession, your mouth falling agape. You could see a blush making it's way to Iceburg's face as his eyes shift down to the podium where he stood, his body tensed. You were shocked that he continued his speech for this long, let alone tell them why he left you. He hadn't even told you why before! You thought you would never find out. But here he is, blurting it out to every civilian in this city, as well as every journalist gathered here, Shanks' crew, everyone. "I had never been in love before. I honestly never expected to find it and I certainly wasn't searching when I met [F/n]. It just happened and it spooked me. Pathetic, I know, but--" 

Iceburg's words come to an instant halt as his eyes find you in the crowd, his facial expression screaming dread and embarrassment as he weakly clears his throat. "But I suppose, that's just the way it goes. Thank you for listening." He wraps up quickly before quickly backing away from the podium and off the stage, Paulie taking his place.

"Alright, you got your gossip! Now get back to your jobs!" The blonde barks, a bewildered look etching into your features as you hear a couple of girls squeal at his demand. 

"HE'S SO HOT WHEN HE'S BOSSY!!"

Are these girls serious...

"Looks like he's cleared your name!" Shanks chuckles, tugging you along with him as he approaches his crew. "LET'S CELEBRATE [F/N]'S WISH BEING GRANTED BY GETTING DRUUUNK~!"

"HELL YEAH, BOSS~!!"

They're already drunk!