Chapter 1: Right-hand
Chapter Text
This particular travel was more tiring than the ones before. Wandering through deserts wasn’t new for you by any means, since you spent the last year on this island doing it. Not to mention that your homeland had a similar climate, although that was long lost in your past. Despite all that, when you spotted the town from afar, a surge of relief hit you like it never did before. A cluster of buildings emerged from the horizon as you passed further inland. Greens of trees and grass grew at the outskirts of the town, an unfamiliar oasis compared to the wasteland.
The most sympathetic tavern nestled beside the seashore that you haven’t seen in months. The small building was built of adobe, but it barely stood the test of time. This had to be the cheapest and least popular place in town. Perfect. Inside, the air was thick with the scent of ale, sweat, and salted meat. The dimly lit, dull main hall was empty as expected, only a few sailors and fishermen prowling around. In a corner, an old, grumpy man played on a rusty guitar, entertaining the crowd with some lazy, dragging tunes. The music was rather melancholic, but fit the place flawlessly.
You ordered something to eat and took a seat at the back of the hall. Right now, the last thing you needed was some drunk bothering you. No, the plan was to fill your stomach and take a nap, maybe. The last part naturally failed when the waitress interrupted your anticipated slumber.
“E-excuse me?” Her high-pitched voice staggered as she approached you. “Can I take your plate?” she asked you nervously after you flipped your hat up from your eyes. You noticed that she had a bright blush on her face and a shy smile across her tiny lips.
“Sure,” you grunted, suddenly wondering.
It was a fairly sinister hobby, or a means to stay alive if you had to rationalize it, but relying on your looks was just another skill, no different from sparking fire or tying a Palomar Knot. Right?
“Hey, wait!” you stopped the girl just in time. “What’s your name?”
For the rest of the evening, you entertained her. If girls had a crush on you, there was little need for being flirty, some attentiveness and friendliness were more than enough to beguile them. They always had a crush on you, so swaying them wasn’t too difficult. It was their fault, their naivety blinded them from seeing that you were only using them to get food or a place to sleep. Not that you weren’t honest with them.
“I am a traveler. Or something like that. I spent my childhood feeling trapped, so I decided to visit as many places as I could. Live life to the fullest, you know.”
The girl’s eyes sparkled in the dark as she rested her head on both her wrists in front of you, eating up every word that fell out of your mouth. “That is amazing!”
“Is it?” you chuckled softly. “I think you are amazing.” Flattery worked wonders.
“R-really–?”
“Come back, kitten, we have new customers!” her father called out for her, and she obeyed him with a slightly annoyed look.
“I’ll be back,” she left in haste.
You sighed in ease as she left, finally leaning back on your chair to continue your nap. You knew she would return soon. The well-desired sleep couldn’t reach you, however.
Their arrival was like a thunderous crash. The pirate crew burst through the door, their entrance as sudden and forceful. The loud, obnoxious laughter was like the roar of a storm, filling the tavern with a chaotic energy. As the pirates began to spread throughout the tavern, their wicked and vulgar jokes filled the air. The once melancholic and quiet atmosphere took on a new, more erratic scene.
Just great.
You couldn’t help but grit your teeth in frustration. Your peaceful night was ruined. They left you with two choices. Either you left and found another place to sleep at, or you stayed, tolerated their scheme, and have a soft bed and perky breasts to lay your head on. After being stuck in the desert for weeks, you stuck with the second option. It seemed to be worth it. The presence of the next person to walk in the door only reassured you.
It was a tall, towering figure with scars that ran from his eye to his cheek. He also had a missing arm. With one last clue, his luscious red hair, you were sure who he was. Red haired Shanks.
Your eyes popped wide open as the chuckling pirate captain waltzed into the tavern. He was incredible. His strength, his authority, mixed with his joyful and sleazy nature. The way he spoke, the way he moved, he was instantly in the center of attention. Shanks was one of the most famous pirates in the New World, an Emperor of the Sea, gosh… You barely followed the news, but even you knew who he was. A bloody pirate.
If you had to sum it up, you despised pirates. They came in big groups, disturbed your peace, stole your women, and drank the bars dry while inhaling all the food. The volume of these bastards would’ve been enough to make you hate them, though. For fuck’s sake… You were trapped inside, forced to endure their company.
“Are you sure you want to play, Beckman?” the one with dreadlocks, who seemed to be a sniper, asked another, who had a giant flintlock rifle on his side. Both snipers?
“My dear Yasopp…” the taller with the long, grey, slicked back hair scoffed. “Are you afraid, I’m gonna beat ya?”
“Come on, I’m the best sniper on the sea. You have to be a fool to challenge me,” Yasopp grinned mischievously as a smaller crowd formed around them.
“That may be so. Why not bet on it if you are so confident…?”
“Alright,” Yasopp giggled. “How about a thousand berries?” There were a few gasps. Not at the deal, but at Beck’s response. Everyone knew that he didn’t stand a chance.
“Fine by me,” Beck shrugged, lighting up a fresh cigarette. “Let’s get to it.”
The smoky air filled up with anticipation as the high-stakes game was about to unfold at the dartboard. The tempting pile of berries lay on the bar, the prize for the victor. Yasopp stood at the oche, while Beck decided to stay put in his seat.
“Fake confidence?” you thought.
Yasopp’s arm drew back, his body leaning into the throw. The dart soared through the air, then struck the board with a satisfying thud, landing right on the bullseye. A murmur of approval rippled through the crew that observed the game excitedly.
“I give you one last chance to change your mind.”
“Oh, no need,” Beck insisted calmly as he held the dart delicately. With a fluid motion, he released the dart. It flew with a perfect arc, burying itself squarely in the bullseye, flipping Yasopp’s dart out of the way.
A collective gasp swept through the tavern. The sniper cursed under his breath. The game was far from over, but he was already mad. As a revenge, he threw the next dart in a similar fashion to Beck, but his throw wasn’t strong enough to strip through. How?
From what you saw, they both had superb aim, but the taller one had more strength in his throws. This had to be a basic game, right? The sniper was beat up, what’s so crazy about that?
At the end, Yasopp lost. The crew cheered in awe or disbelief. No one would’ve guessed this outcome. Mostly the sniper, who pouted and frowned at the winner like a child.
“No hard feelings, right?”
“Just shut up and take the money,” Yasopp rolled his eyes, then left to get a drink as a consolation prize.
The crowd gradually scattered after the surprising scene, but Beck stayed in his seat, counting his newly earned money with a satisfied smirk.
“Cheater,” a strong grip clutched on his shoulder, Shanks' voice taunting his first mate.
“I don’t know what you are talking about, Boss.”
“This was cruel, I must admit,” Shanks continued after a lighthearted laugh, hopping down next to Beck. “But it is their fault. If they’d recognized your haki, you wouldn’t have stood a chance. Living life dangerously?”
Haki? The word caught your full attention. You heard about it before, but never saw it, well… being used. It was a little more complicated. The main thing was, you had an interest in that power.
“Living without money is where the real danger is.”
“Don’t I pay you enough, Beckman?” Shanks scratched the back of his neck. “You are trying to put this on me when all you wanted was to try out the new trick… Why don’t we play a round, huh?”
“No, thanks. I had my fun,” Beck hummed, lighting another cigarette.
“About that,” a sly grin stretched across Shanks’ lips while his eyes roamed around the hall. “I should have my fun as well.”
“Such a playboy…” Beck exhaled, slightly shaking his head with fake judgment.
“Ah, you’re the one to talk?” he nudged Beck’s side with his elbow. “It has been a long journey this time. I grew impatient,” Shanks whined before he finally found his target. “Her!” The pirate gestured towards the owner’s daughter. The girl that you were planning to sleep with.
“Hm…” you pondered, without a single doubt. Shanks might’ve been a famous pirate captain who happened to be quite handsome, but you didn’t feel threatened at all. The girl was already wrapped around your finger. You naturally knew what women wanted. How could a man compete?
Oh, you were wrong.
Shanks walked up to the girl, who stumbled into his large build. You could spot the absolute adoration in her eyes as she looked up at Shanks. It only took a glimpse. Fuck, you were doomed.
Your fist slammed on the table as you watched the man steal the girl effortlessly. This bastard.
Not only did he not need the girl, he didn’t even have the decency to court her nicely. After half an hour, they were gone from the tavern. That asshole only took advantage of her to satisfy his own selfish and wicked desires. He didn’t do anything, but fuck her. Probably lie and cheat to get his way. What kind of a man was this idiot? The first thing he needed was sex as they took landfall. Shit, you resented him on a level… your blood boiling and a swollen vein creeping onto your forehead.
“You good, kid?” a lazy rasp caught your ear.
You glanced up to see half the tavern passed out on your side, the other half staring at you. A chill of dread rolled down your spine. With a swift momentum, you gathered your things to leave. You couldn’t stay a second longer.
“What’s it to you?” you rumbled, walking past him and the crew.
Out of the blue, his rifle was pressed against your torso, preventing you from moving an inch.
“Who are you?” asked the grey-haired pirate with an ‘X’ shaped scar on his face. “And why did you do that?”
“Did what?”
Beck examined you thoroughly with suspicion while the rest of the pirates got back to drinking. You seemed like a young brat who had no money, no job, and no family. Some street rat, or something.
“Sit,” he pushed his weapon on your stomach, slamming your butt onto a seat next to him. “What got you so angry, huh?”
“You? What the hell do you think?” No matter how much you wiggled, he pinned you down. there was no escape. “Why do you even care, gramps?”
“Gramps?” Beck repeated, baffled by the nickname. “I’m not that old. You shouldn’t be insulting me if you want me to let you go.”
“Gah, right,” you puffed, peeking at the pirate. He really wasn’t that old, nor was he the type to be compared to a grandpa. If you had to be honest, he was handsome in his own way. “What do you want?”
“Tell me, what are you doing here, kid?”
“I came here for a meal and a drink. Anything else?”
Beck narrowed his eyes, guessing if you were telling the truth. You didn’t strike him as a spy, not a marine, maybe a pirate? No, not even that. Yet, there you were, making half the tavern pass out in a simple, innocent outburst. A bounty hunter? Yes, that was his conclusion.
“You’d be wise to leave. I’m not going to stop you,” he retreated, and you took the opportunity to flee. “But…” Beck continued before you exited the tavern. “You have to learn how to control your haki. Find a new teacher who knows what they are doing.”
There was no time to respond, but you didn’t even understand what he meant. Haki? You? Teacher? Was he talking about the…
Suddenly, you felt familiar, excruciating pain in your head, like a blazing knife stabbing through your temple. Only a few meters from the tavern, you fell to your knees in misery. Not again. Hissing in agony, you cursed. “Fuck. Not now, please, not now!” Losing all control, you collapsed to the ground and lost consciousness.
These were reacquiring events. The fainting, the anger, the headaches…
A sheer layer of dust covered your body when you woke up in the alley where you passed out. You sat up, taking deep breaths, chasing the rest of the pain away. This usually helped, but not as much as before. With every week, the symptoms became worse and worse.
The tall pirate’s words echoed in your mind as you tried to recharge. Control… He saw that there was something wrong with you. Maybe he knew what you should do? Was he right about you using haki? Even if he didn’t, this was worth a chance. You couldn’t let this slip away. Not after these seizures reach over your limits.
After going back to the tavern, you found the crew heading out. They must’ve spent the night here. Did he? Yes! You spotted Beck leaving the building with a giant wooden crate on his shoulder. To your luck, he had no company. Good. You followed him from afar for a while, until he took a turn to the left. Even better, you happened to know where that street led, and easily crossed his path.
Standing face to face, you kept straight eye contact, attempting to be intimidating. Just a little. No matter how impossible it was to think you could beat him, you kept your composure. He was only a pirate.
“What?” Beck raised a brow curiously.
“I want you to teach me.”
He took a gulp of air, startled by the proposition. After a quick evaluation, his expression changed playfully. “If you don’t leave, I won't be able to call you wise anymore,” he chuckled, taking one step further to be blocked by you.
“I don’t want to be wise. I want to be strong. And you will help me.”
“Do I have a say?”
“No.”
Beck started to laugh and threw the crate to the ground. It was obvious what was going to happen next. You had to prove that you were worthy of training. Neither of you was allowed to persuade the other with words. No. It was time to take action. Beck reached for another cigarette, spitting out the old one. Meanwhile, you gathered your energy, stretching out your muscles. You could never say no to a good fight, and this was surely going to be one.
The cigarette didn’t even flame up, but Beck reached for his rifle, hoping to finish you with one blow. To his absolute surprise, you followed his move precisely, not only that, you made a counterattack. Your fist was mere inches away from his face, before he jumped away last minute. His face lit up in excitement. You were no joke. A small little mouse, but still. He sipped in some smoke and tossed his rifle away, out of fairness.
You took on a sturdy stance, lifting your fists in front of your chest. You spent the last few years training relentlessly to have the power to protect yourself. It had to mean something. You had to show him what you were capable of, and you could do more than defend yourself. With a determined look, you charged in to strike. Your hands became a blur as your body moved fast, brisk. You landed sharp and focused shots, but Beck managed to dodge them all. Your hands weren’t the only thing you could attack with, though. The unexpected kick, no matter how well executed, was seemingly expected from him. You picked up on it. He knew every single move coming from you, like he could anticipate every single attack. How?
Sweat dripped down from your forehead as you slowed down to take a break. Using this much power and speed, pronto exhausted you. The previous foes you faced were on another level, well below Beck. He instantly noticed your rhythm change and punched you under your jaw, almost dislocating it.
“Giving up already?” he provoked you with a smug grin as you backed off a bit.
“You will have time to get to know me, and the fact that I would never give up this easily.”
“Soo–, much confidence,” Beck snorted, then got ready to deliver another hit.
You cleverly sensed an opening and lunged forward, a flurry of punches aimed at his head. He blocked most of the blows, but a particularly vicious left hook cut through his defenses. You directed your shot immaculately. Instead of his face, you reached out and swiped the cigarette from his mouth.
Beck lost his focus, forgetting about the fact that his cigarette may have been targeted. He couldn’t help but chuckle at the unpredictable result.
“That’s a good one, hm,” he grasped for a new piece of paper-wrapped tobacco. “I am impressed.”
“Hah!” you yelled, pleased with the outcome. “You didn’t suspect that, did you!” As a celebration, you hesitantly tried to puff on the stolen half-cigarette, but only coughed up the smoke. This wasn’t the best occasion to start smoking. Not at all.
“You are just a kid,” Beck’s loud and joyful laughter spread across the streets, and you felt more embarrassed than you would’ve if you’d have lost.
‘Sh-gh-hut up!” your voice cracked while you stomped on the stupid cigarette. “L-gh-et’s continue!”
“No-no. I’ve seen enough,” Beck shrugged carelessly, walking past you, like nothing happened.
Your eyes closely followed his figure, unsure how to react. You didn’t lose, no, you were almost winning.
“But I–“
“The crate won’t carry itself, will it?”
“W-what?” you glanced at the wooden box. Then it clicked. He accepted you. “Yes!” you complied enthusiastically, drawing the crate over your shoulder easily.
“You're pretty fit compared to how skinny you are,” Beck stated after you reached his side. Not that he found the crate heavy, but he expected you to do so. The large, baggy clothes didn’t quite hide your weight. Maybe your punches had more power in them than he realized. “But your stamina needs some training.”
“Yes,” you smiled contentedly, ready to begin.
You haven’t been this excited about anything in a while. Maybe having a goal for the future wasn’t the worst thing in the world. You had to learn how to control your outbursts and the headaches that followed them. But having Beck as a teacher, for some mysterious reason, made you genuinely hopeful of achieving that.
You arrived at the seaport where the Red Force docked. It was much more majestic than in the pictures. True to its name, the Red Force had a dominant red color scheme on the large hull and wide sails. Although the ship possessed a certain air of mystery about it, with unique features or decorations. Not to mention the palm trees on the quarterdeck.
“Hey! Boss!” Beck shouted. “I’m gonna have extra baggage.”
You shrieked at him skeptically, not too keen on being referred to as baggage. Shanks walked by the rails on the deck, glaring down at you from the top. He seemed rather annoyed until he spotted you. Quickly, Shanks jumped down to the dock to greet you properly.
“Gosh, are you for real?” he peered at Beck eagerly, then back at you. “Beckman rarely takes a liking to anyone. I can't recall a single time when he asked me to recruit someone,” he giggled carelessly.
However, you weren’t in that good of a spirit. As you glimpsed at the pirate captain, all you could see was what he did yesterday. Your hostility only duplicated as he acted this ridiculously. You were a complete stranger. Why didn’t he treat you as such?
“The kid has a good heart, Boss. I’ll take full responsibility for him…” Beck vouched for you, but Shanks couldn’t just leave it at that.
“Will you now?” he smirked at him teasingly before his subordinate rolled his eyes, feeling rather awkward. “You like him that much?”
“Maybe I do. So, make up your mind and let us get on with our business…”
“Ah–,” Shanks pretended to think hard, pushing his index finger to his lips. Humming to himself, he leaned against Beck. “Anything for you, darling,” he placed a small kiss on his cheek as he made up his mind.
“Gee–,” Beck tilted his head back mildly defensively. “Could’ve agreed without the kiss, but fine by me.”
Shanks put his hand on his hip and laughed harshly as the entertaining scene unfolded. At these precious moments, he was most grateful to have his friends as his crew. From now on, including you.
“Your next drink is on me, kid,” Shanks waved at you, walking away to the ship. “Guys, the boy in the hat is our new crewmember. He is with Beckman. Be nice to him, okay? Gotta have some sympathy for the poor thing with a mentor like that.”
Sharp, yet rumbling laughter broke over the Red Force as the crew let go of their bland demeanors. Now, they had something new to talk about. It’s been a while since Shanks welcomed anyone fresh on the ship.
“You’ll get used to it, I promise,” Beck tried to comfort you when he glanced at your tensing body and gritted teeth. “I’ll help you, okay?”
His voice bore a certain dimension that was able to calm your nerves. You had to come to terms with the fact that you trusted him. This was a huge risk and danger to take on in order to cure yourself from the burden, so you had to trust him. It was irrational, dumb even, but there was something about Beck that made you gravitate towards him. He felt… he felt like home.
“Thank you,” a subtle little smile appeared on your face, an honest one.
That was new.
“Let’s go. I’ll show you around.”
“Right!”
Chapter 2: Raion
Summary:
When did Beck Beckman ever ask his captain to recruit someone to the crew to train? Never before.
Notes:
Heyy! Thank you so much for the positive feedback on the first chapter! <3 I hope you'll like the second as much. Things are about to go down, guys.
(Fun fact. This fic made me love writing fight scenes somehow. They can be so fun.)
Chapter Text
The Red Force was your new home, despite all your excuses. You needed some time to get used to it.
The interior of the large pirate ship was a labyrinth, with cramped spaces, punctuated by shafts of sunlight filtering through portholes, the wooden walls were worn by the years. The air was constantly thick with the scent of sweat, fish, rum, and gunpowder. Adjusting to this new smell definitely took a big toll on you.
On the other hand, the lower deck wasn’t all that bad. While the rhythmic creaking of the ship, which had first annoyed you, now felt almost soothing. There were hammocks strung from the beams, offering a precarious night's sleep, that was still miles above in comfort than the ground that you had to spend your nights on before. This luxury seemed totally foreign to you. The living space wasn’t that atrocious either. In the center stood a long, communal table, where meals were shared. Normal, proper food. Another new thing for you.
The ship's kitchen was a smoky, chaotic space, nearby, its walls were splattered with the remnants of oil and grease. Or just Lucky Roux’s munching. Sometimes he chewed so loudly that you could soundlessly sneak in for some treats. Which was… tolerated. From your first day on the ship, the crew noticed your strange behavior when it came to eating. You shoved everything down your throat so quickly, being overly protective of your plate. There were no doubts, you were acquainted with hunger all too well. Lucky especially had a soft spot for you because of this. Serving seconds to no one but you.
A stark contrast to the lower deck, the captain’s quarters were more spacious and private. But most importantly, empty. The captain's desk, often cluttered with charts, maps, and navigational instruments, was a focal point for everyone but him. A secret shelter to take a nap in, from time to time.
On the lowest level of the ship was a dark, dank place where the bilge water collected. It was a place used for storage and an armory. It was filled with the glint of steel, swords, pistols, muskets, and other weapons were haphazardly strewn about. The only person unable to witness the mess was you, so in your free time, you came down to arrange things properly. You needed a neat place to hide from everyone. The crew was a handful.
To your absolute shock, everyone on the ship took a liking to you in no time. Lucky Roux was doing his best to plump you up, while Yasopp took every opportunity to tell you about his son, or challenge you to some stupid game, neither of them amusing you too much. Bonk Punch was somehow able to convince you to become Monster’s temporary hairdresser, which meant the monkey came to nag you every time his fur fell out of his top-knot. This resulted in you stepping in to take care of the whole crew’s hair. Which you obviously despised.
“Such delicate hands,” Limejuice taunted you, standing in line to get a haircut. “It matches the pretty face.”
“Want these hands to beat you up, huh?” you grunted, accidentally tying Hongo’s ponytail a bit too tight.
“Stop playing, mate. He is helping us out, be thankful,” the doctor smiled at you in appreciation as they switched places before you. “Plus, you gotta look good if you want to have a chance at the showdown.”
“Pff–,” Limejuice huffed as you began to cut his strands.
“Showdown? What’s that?”
“It’s a contest,” Beck interrupted your conversation from afar, biting on his cigarette. “A sort of charm showdown.”
“Huh?” you furrowed your brows.
“Every once in a while, we all try to pick up chicks, and who gets with the most girls wins. Easy as that,” Hongo explained, lying down next to Beck. “But it is hopeless. The Boss and this bastard take the cake all the time,” he sighed, after kicking Beck’s lounge chair.
“Is that so?” Your lips curved into a devious smirk. “That sounds fun.” Oh, you were finally going to take your revenge. There was no way you would come to peace with Shanks beating you. Oh, hell no.
“What a drag…” Lime hissed in disappointment. “Now that you’re on the ship, we are doomed.”
“You bet,” a smug wink was all you responded with.
“Don’t get your hopes up, kid. The third place is all you can get,” Beck mildly mocked you.
“We’ll see about that, gramps,” you chuckled quite egotistically, getting on his nerves instantly. Very few were brave, or stupid, enough to call him something like that.
“All talk, I see,” Beck removed his cigarette from his mouth, standing up. Hongo and Limejuice flinched as his demeanor suddenly changed, taking on a more serious tone. Beck walked in front of you and swiped that confident smile away from your face, yanking the scissors out of your grasp. “If you can manage to take this back, I might think about letting you compete.”
“Wait, what?” Limejuice yelled, who had a half-finished haircut still. “Couldn’t you wait for a minute?” he whined.
“You are kidding,” you mumbled in disbelief. “Is that all?”
“That’s right,” Beck inhaled, twirling the scissors on his index finger. “Too much of a challenge?”
“Come on,” a reassured laughter broke out of you, while the others were much less confident in your abilities to take the scissors back. “This is going to be easy.”
You walked towards Beck fearlessly, having no doubts. Glancing at your target, the scissors, which seemed like a toy in his oversized palm. There was no way you couldn’t take that back. If this is how he wished to train you, this poorly, it had to be proven inadequate. This was child’s play. A comical test of strength, courage, and determination. Qualities that you all possessed.
Your fists clenched, scrunched in devotion. A tug. A yelp. You launched yourself as a miniature missile compared to him. He became an immovable mountain, his skin suddenly turning black, with a white outer glow. You bounced off like a pebble against a cliff.
Beck and the others chuckled in sync.
You were, on the other hand, undeterred, circling your opponent, your brain working overtime. You had to use your wits. With a swift momentum, you feinted left, then right, your feet padding quickly on the wood floor. Beck swayed lazily, his eyes twinkling.
Considering his options, you reached into your pocket, unnoticed. Sneaky, but effective, you threw a single coin at him, which burst through the air at light speed. Beck, caught off guard, batted it away with a clumsy swipe. In that split second, you took the chance, lunging up. You clasped his wrist, and the scissors flew high into the air.
Hongo and Limejuice watched in awe, ready to cheer at your victory.
However, just as it was about to hit the ground, Beck flipped his foot, kicking the scissors right back into his hand. You glimpsed up at him in defeat, finding a self-righteous expression on him.
“Nuh-uh. You have to earn it.”
“Tch…”
Since you were on the ground, you came to the conclusion that taking advantage of it was worth a shot. Without any hesitation, you charged in, folding your arms around his legs. Naturally, despite the strength of your clutch, all you received was a boot on your face. You fell back on the ground. The swing got you bad. So bad that your hat almost flew off your head. You grasped for it in panic, like your life depended on it. The others glared at your unexpected move, but were more occupied with your fairly successful tries.
“Not too bad, kid,” came a coarse, yet soothing voice from the rails of the forecastle deck above. You heard someone jump down behind you with a thud, but there was no need to look. “You nearly got him,” Shanks hummed.
“Boss, please stop them. I cannot go around with hair like this,” Limejuice complained with a grumble, showing off his asymmetrical haircut.
“I suggest you root for the kid, then. The sooner he gets the scissors back, the sooner he can fix you up. And everyone else, for the matter,” the captain scoffed playfully.
You rolled your eyes, being irritated by his closeness alone. The embarrassment of losing in front of him made everything worse. How were you supposed to show him your superiority when you couldn’t even take some scissors back from his subordinate? Oh, you couldn’t handle it. With a vicious frown, you pulled your hat lower and rushed away from the scene.
“What?” Shanks pried at your sudden exit. “I was only encouraging him!”
“I don’t think it worked,” Hongo remarked. “This is a humiliating test to begin with.”
“He has to start somewhere,” Beck murmured, sticking the scissors under his belt. “Also, Hongo, your hair is done. Why don’t you step to my side and prevent the little brat from competing?”
“Competing? So that is what this is all about,” Shanks asked curiously. “Hah, you're afraid he is going to outmatch you?” A mocking little laugh slipped through his teeth. “He is really good-looking after all.”
“Is that all he is?”
Lucky Roux called out for the crew to gather for lunch, and Hongo hurried towards the lower deck in zeal with Limejuice, leaving the other two behind.
“It bugs you, doesn’t it?” Shanks stood next to Beck, impatient to have this exchange with him. “Did he tell you anything about his past?”
“Barely. He is from a deserted island, no family, no relatives. I guess he has been travelling the New World, but no idea why. He might be a bounty hunter, but with these abilities, he should be a rich one at that. Not starving on the streets…”
“A mysterious little guy. But you like him, so I like him,” the captain shrugged sleazily.
“Oh, I know you have your eyes on him.”
“Now what is that supposed to mean?” Shanks raised a brow at a loss.
“All I’m saying is that you are just as happy to have him on board as everyone else,” Beck corrected himself, grinning at him. “But be careful, I don’t think he likes you that much.”
“Wha-at?” with a stunned gaze, he huffed. “No, that can’t be right. Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“He must be jealous of my looks, huh?” the captain stroked his chin, posing to himself, but Beck only started to laugh at him. Unusual. “What? He isn’t prettier than me, is he?”
“Who am I to say?” Beck ended the chat, heading after the others.
“No, no! You have to tell me! I am more handsome, right? Right?”
You clenched your jaws together tensely, pulling your knees against your chest snugly. After hiding in the storage over the bilge, you tried to recover from the defeat. Your nails dug into your flesh as you struggled to keep your composure. No, you couldn’t let your emotions take over you again. You had to focus. If you’d had another headache, you would’ve passed out for several hours, then woke up miserable.
But… damn. “That bastard,” you shrieked, gritting your teeth. “Why did he have to…”
Out of the blue, a long strand of hair rolled out from under your hat, falling over your face. Another problem you had to take care of. You threw your hat to the ground and let your hair drop to your shoulders, then torso, down until your waist. Maybe it wouldn’t have been enough to expose you, but it surely would’ve caused suspicion. Something you couldn’t risk. But… You gathered your hair up to the top of your head into a loose ponytail while reaching for a spare sword that was strolling aimlessly on the floor. You took a deep breath and sliced the steel against the hair, cutting it short into a messy wolfcut with long bangs. You held onto the stray bundle of hair, having trouble letting it go. As silly as it sounded, it was a part of you that was now gone. Coping with your new situation wasn’t that easy after all.
“Hey! There he is,” Yasopp yelled out before you arrived at the table. “What’s with your hair, kid?”
“Huh–?”
The crew paused their feast, staring at your appearing figure and the sloppy wolfcut.
“Is that what you were hiding under that hat?”
“You look just like a lion, kid, ha-ha,” Shanks chuckled, and the others chimed in. “You better lose the hat or we can’t call you Raion (ライオン).”
“Hm–, that fits,” Beck commented, and Shanks’ stupid, tasteless nickname didn’t sound that bad anymore. At least not that much.
“Fine,” you blew your bangs slightly up to remove your hair from your eyes. “If that’s the most creative you can get…”
Shanks’ face twitched as he saw you play with your new haircut. This… made you prettier than before. And officially prettier than him. Something that caused mixed feelings in him, confusing him.
“Just sit down and eat already,” Lucky Roux dragged you to your seat around the table, pushing a plate stacked high with meat under your nose.
“Yes. You should gather the energy, or Lime’s hair will never be fixed,” Shanks teased you with an unlawful grin that painted a ferocious frown to your face.
“Really?” you grunted in frustration, then drew the scissors out of your pocket, throwing them in his direction. It soared over the table, precisely aimed at the captain's left eye. Shanks quickly grabbed it between his fingers at the last moment, the blade landing a mere inch away from his pupil.
A thick silence settled over the room, the crew keeping their breath in shock. The unexpected hush was only broken when Beck couldn’t contain his laughter anymore. A muffled little giggle escaped his mouth along with his cigarette. Yet, he was the only one making noise, the others waiting for the captain’s reaction. But how could Shanks take something like this too seriously? He could only blame himself for mocking you, right?
“I sense some good news for your hair, Limejuice,” Shanks barked out, cracking the whole crew up at last, easing the tension.
“Not bad,” Beck hummed quietly in your way, planting a satisfied smile on your lips. “Plus-points for the presentation.”
After this incident, Shanks could feel on his skin how you had a problem with him. It was completely one-sided, though… he wasn’t easy to get angry. This thing you pulled on him rather amazed him than irritated him. You were quick, strong, brave… these were things that he looked up to. Not to mention that he was sick of people being scared of him. His new recruits usually needed at least a year to gather enough courage to talk to him properly. You were the complete opposite of that, committing attempted murder on day six.
Shanks caught himself gazing at you a second too long, every time you and Beck trained on the deck. He didn’t know what it was, but he had this intense urge to be your friend.
“We can take landfall tomorrow morning on the island, Boss!” Yasopp joined his captain by the handrails of the upper deck.
“Great,” he answered slowly, sort of lost in the sight of your fight with his vice-captain.
“The kid is getting better fast. No wonder Beckman wants to train him.”
“Yeah. It is quite inspiring.”
“Sure,” Yasopp snorted, observing his captain with some skepticism. “Excited about the showdown?” The sniper somehow got wind of Shanks’ worries concerning their contest. He couldn’t miss out on some harmless jabbing.
“What?” he fell out of his trance. “Oh, why would I be? I’ll destroy you like always…”
“You have some competition,” Yasopp giggled, gesturing towards you. “Raion is getting into shape with all that workout, and Lucky’s tormenting overfeeding. Although… he never really shows it off in all those loose clothes. No clue why.”
“Come on… girls want men, not pretty boys…” Shanks smirked with fake confidence. “I bet you’ll pull more women than he, Yasopp.”
“You are stepping over the line, Boss,” he grumbled pessimistically. “Anyway. Maybe you should do a few sit-ups and push-ups,” with gentle pats on his captain’s back, Yasopp walked back to his post.
Why would it matter so much? Shanks thought. This is nothing but a friendly tournament, nothing too serious. Yet… When he spotted the island’s seaport, there was a knot of anxiety in his stomach.
With a thunderous crash, the ship's anchor plunged into the sandy seabed, sending ripples over the water’s surface. The crew started to work. Ropes were thrown, lines pulled taut, and the ship swung slowly to face the shore. Once secure, the crew began their tedious task of unloading. Crates, barrels, and sacks of various sizes were hoisted onto the deck, then passed down. The island's inhabitants, a curious and expectant crowd, watched from the shore, their eyes wide with anticipation. They weren’t scared or intimidated, but rather curious.
“Are you worried that they’ll call the Marines on us?” Beck accompanied you, helping to unload the empty boxes, ready to be filled with food from the market.
“They won’t?”
“Take a look,” he gestured towards the highest tower of the town, on which a flag of the red hair pirates’ jolly roger swung proudly. “This island is under our protection. We are more like heroes to them than criminals.”
“Oh,” you inhaled the smoke of his cigarette involuntarily, then coughed, choking. “I still need to get used to that,” you squeaked.
“Here, take one,” Beck offered a single one. “It’s best after sex, which I suppose you’ll get much of tonight,” he added with a smirk and a slap on your shoulder.
“T-thanks,” you nodded, but weren’t all that convinced. Previously, you primarily hooked up with girls to have a place to stay, never for your own desire. There were only a handful of exceptions. Even then, in the act, you weren’t that much involved emotionally if you had to be honest… Only physically. Of course, satisfying girls came easily for you, but you didn’t have the chance to feel the same. Nevertheless, you had to show the crew that you were not to be messed with when it came to flirting. “Naturally. But aren’t you worried that I’ll beat you too?”
“I think I’ll let you win this time. You should prove yourself to the crew, since you already proved yourself to me.”
Your heart fluttered. Your heart fluttered?
“Well,” you muttered quietly after a second. “That is something a loser would say.”
Beck grinned at you as a reply, but didn’t try to snap back at you. He was genuinely kind to you, expecting nothing in return. That was something you weren’t too familiar with, so you failed to handle it. You two had to spend the rest of the evening unloading in silence. Yet… it wasn’t awkward at all. How odd.
When you were done with the work, everyone sneaked back to the living quarters to scour their wardrobe for some acceptable clothes and comb their hair one more time. This was the night-out of the year. It was the least they could do.
“Where are they?” Roux stomped his feet on the ground impatiently. “I am starving, and you should eat too,” he gestured at you with an upset expression.
“I already ate an hour ago…”
“That is what I’m talking about!”
“Come on, I’m not a newborn,” you puffed, but he persisted as usual.
“Doesn’t weigh much more than one.”
“You have to be kidding, I’m at least 6 feet tall.”
“There, you have some growing to do, too!”
“Agh…” you sighed, giving up the protest. There were worse things than being pampered by a pushy cook.
You recognized Beck strolling beside, clutching onto the newspaper. The handful of pirates, bored out of their minds, gathered around him, craving for some good gossip. That they got…
“That’s interesting,” Yasopp tugged on one page. “I never saw a civilian have that high of a bounty.”
“Well, she is not a normal civilian. She is a murderer. Mass murder tends to earn a few million berries,” Hongo poked his shoulder.
“A billion?”
Your stomach dropped. Your vision became tunneled.
“What?” Yasopp yanked the paper out of Beck’s hands in disbelief. “What did this girl even do?”
Every hair on your body standing on end, you froze in place, trying desperately to phase out their conversation.
“She is a princess, who was sold off to a prince to be his bride or some crap. The guy must’ve been a drag, because the girl not only killed him, but everyone in the palace. She almost wiped out a whole town. No joke, she has a high bounty.”
“But it was ten years ago… She must look different. How do they expect to find her? It’s ridiculous.”
“I’ll check on the others,” you came up with an excuse, urgently fleeing the scene.
Beck caught on to you, glaring at the sudden escape suspiciously.
Something wasn’t right.
Chapter 3: Reckless
Summary:
The red hair pirates had a certain tradition. A charm showdown. Who can flirt with the most girls wins. The power dynamics seem to shift concerning the game.
Notes:
Heyyy!! Let's start the second week of posting this fic c: This is a pretty chill chapter imo compared to some others, so just sit back and enjoy meheheeee.
Also, some mild(?) smut warning. (The fun begins? idk. I had fun writing it, but I am also biased so there is that.)
Chapter Text
Soon, the crew gathered around the port, ready to head out into the night. The cluster of men wandered around the lively town. The streets were full of vendors and the chatter of the passersby. The crew’s voice only rose as they debated their destination. Yasopp and Lucky couldn’t decide between the best food and the best booze. Nevertheless, they were almost hammered by the others, who collectively wanted the prettiest girls in town. After the consensus, the crew strode down the cobbled street, their shouting warning said girls from the raunchy and dirty men’s arrival.
The tavern they had chosen was a sprawling wooden building with a thatched roof, its windows ablaze with warm light. As they pushed through the heavy wooden door, the clamor of voices, the clinking of glasses, and the rich aroma of roasted meat washed over them.
You and Beck walked behind the group, being the last to enter the building. And as expected… suddenly all eyes were on you. As usual. Finally, you could enjoy the familiar spotlight. The cheap bar gave you a sense of home and nostalgia.
“So... how do we do this?” you asked Beck with some uncertainty.
“I’m not too sure. It’s usually the Boss who gets things going.”
“Hey, are you always this uninterested?” you frowned at him in subtle disappointment. “And where is he, anyway?”
“Oh, he loves his entrance to be grand,” Beck changed his cig lazily. “No need to wait for him.”
You stayed put beside the door while the crew went out to order their drinks. No spirit? No eagerness? They didn’t take the game seriously, or were they this shy? Yeah, most men needed some liquid courage, you gathered. Well, not you. Not you.
Slowly, you brushed your hair back from your face and confidently walked up to a group of girls who were sitting by the bar counter. They must’ve been on a night out, having some casual fun with a few drinks. The perfect prey.
“Hey,” you approached them with a sly little grin on the corner of your lips. “Would it bother you if I sat here?”
Oh, the moment they glanced up, you could recognize that spark in their eyes. Sometimes you found it quite stupid and superficial how girls could fall in love with someone solely based on their appearance, but it still came in handy throughout the years.
“O-of course not,” uttered the bravest, who gained her consciousness back the fastest.
“Are you by any chance locals? I’ve never been here before. Do you have any suggestions what I should order?” With sweet talking, you could’ve asked them to come to your room this minute, and they would’ve said yes.
“T-the beer is good, as they say,” the blonde one, the most beautiful, stuttered.
“As far as I can tell, neither you nor your sisters are drinking beer.”
“No, no, we are not sisters,” they giggled nervously at once.
“Really?” You faked some surprise. “But you are all so pretty… I’m sorry,” with the smooth apology, you hid your face in your palm, acting slightly embarrassed.
The girls ate it up right away. In reality, they all fell for the pretty guys, who had an ounce of charisma. If someone like you played their cards right, it was a breeze to sway them all. And you weren’t new to this profession. The compliments, the friendliness, the flawed, but believable honesty, the pinch of shyness… Win after win.
“Thank you, thank you! If you make me taste all your drinks, I’ll get drunk in a minute, and lord knows what kind of stupidity will come out of my mouth.”
“But you have to try them all to know which is the best!”
From the other side of the tavern, the crew was still drinking alone, staring at you, mesmerized by the demonstration. Their jaws were on the floor, despite suspecting your talent before. Yet, seeing it unfold so quickly, so flawlessly…
“For god’s sake, he didn’t even pay for a single cup…”
“Hey, Beckman! You should be the one taking tips from the kid, that way you wouldn’t have to cheat Yasopp out of his money,” they teased Beck, who was content with his beer and smoke for now.
“I wouldn’t speak so highly, while cowardly waiting for the Boss to call over all the girls.”
Yes, that was the routine. At their arrival, the crew would eat and drink for a while, then later in the night, Shanks would invite the women over. This time… it was different.
“I really can’t decide, really,” you smiled kindly at the girls. “In my defense, I must say that eight drinks are impossible to choose from when they are all so delicious,” glimpsing at the girls one by one, you made each of them blush, some a little more than the others. You hated to admit it, but this was almost fun. “Maybe I should call for help, what do you think? That bunch in the corner of the room is my crew.”
“C-crew?”
“Yeah. The red hair pirates. Have you heard of us?”
“Yes!” two of them yelled sharply. “Will the captain be here too? Red haired Shanks,” they asked in a frenzy.
You had to keep your cool. As much as the name on its own bothered you, handling the situation accordingly was your main initiative. You couldn’t let them choose him over you.
“Of course, he will,” you chuckled softly. “All drinks are on him, after all. I bet he will pay for everyone here. He is one of the most generous men I have ever met…” You fumbled your words on purpose. “Sorry, I don’t want to talk about him so cloyingly, but he is the best. Gosh, did the alcohol already wear on me?”
The circle of ladies giggled around you, even those who were a little too excited about Shanks for your liking. If you painted him as a great, earnest man, then he would appear as anything less, they would never choose him. Disappointment was your most loyal weapon.
Not a minute later, Shanks burst through the door, ready to be showered by those sweet gazes of the girls and jealous glares from the men. But… none of those came. No. All Shanks received was a gleeful smirk from Beck, who gestured toward you. Shanks saw you, the girls, their blushes, and the sparks. Fuck…
“You are late, Boss,” Beck greeted his captain, shoving a half-empty mug into his hand. “The kid is already in the lead.”
“B-but this is not how we play the game…” he mumbled with a sour face.
“I didn’t know we had any rules.”
“Maybe making some up is overdue,” Shanks gulped down the drink in haste. “Yo, kid! Come here!” he ordered you with a demanding tone.
Yes. He already messed up the image you built up in the girls.
“Oh, he is here,” you gestured to the group, then turned around with a bright and joyful smile. “I’ll be right there!”
Shanks felt like being struck by lightning as he discovered the unexpected smile aimed at him. You have never smiled at him before, and he wouldn’t have imagined it to be this adorable. He couldn’t help but flinch, staring as you walked closer, the expression slowly fading away. Back to normal…
“Crew!” Shanks called everyone closer. “Let’s establish the rules of this showdown, shall we?”
“Why?” Hongo’s chuckle broke the serious atmosphere. “Because, based on the last rule, you have already lost?”
Shanks bit his lips, containing a furious pout. Did mutiny against him become a trend lately?
“Oh, right. The number of girls depends on how many of them are talking to us at once. How many do you have there, Raion?” Beck chose your side with ease, taking part proudly in annoying his captain.
“Uh–, about eight,” you shrugged, keeping a snarky grin and an evil laugh in.
“Eight?” Shanks jolted his head back in disbelief. That had to be over his own record.
“It was just beginner's luck,” after locking eyes with Beck, you argued. “They happened to sit together, that is all. I thought the one sleeping with the most girls wins anyway.”
“What?” Shanks’ eyes widened in panic. He had several threesomes before, but going above that wasn’t on his regular list. What the hell were you made of? “No! What kind of maniac are you?”
The crew struggled to keep their amusement in, cracking up at the hilarity of the scene, as these two playboys bickered. It really was a game only they had a real chance at. This match was worth being a bystander to.
“Fine, just tell the rules, would you?” With a sassy comment, you scowled at Shanks. “How do we count?”
“How about kisses?” Shanks threw the idea out, and there were no objections.
“That sounds alright.”
“Wait, what if we kiss the same girl. What then?” came the reasonable question from Limejuice.
“I guess they both count.”
Shanks was content with his decision. These guidelines were fair, and he knew he could win without breaking a sweat. You might’ve talked to all those girls, but that was one thing. If he came into the scene, there was no way he would lose. No way.
How naïve, you thought. Your eyes, gleaming with the suppressed exhilaration, darted around the crew. A nearly unrecognizable twitch of your lips betrayed the internal eruption of joy that was buried beneath a calm exterior. You were going to win, no doubt about that.
“Do we have a time limit?” was another logical question.
“Until dawn.”
“Oi.”
With a flick of your fingers, you tapped on the table and strolled back to the other side of the tavern, wasting no time.
“Really?” Shanks rolled his eyes, infuriated now. “He is getting cocky.”
“Raion is a competitive person, as it seems,” Beck lit another cigarette, just to distract himself from disrespecting his captain even more.
Your face wore a mask of indifference, but your eyes held a certain excitement, as if you were carrying a winning lottery ticket. Feeling the consistent gazes of the ladies, you adjusted your hair, tracing your fingers over your strands, then tousling it slightly. This little gesture was enough to make the girls swallow and hitch. A brief moment of fake self-consciousness before stepping into the spotlight of their attention.
“Sorry,” you released a long breath, following it with a visibly forced smile.
“What is it?” one of them asked attentively while you sat down beside them, leaning against the backrest of the chair dramatically.
“I think I lost a game,” you sighed, gaining their pity in a second.
“What do you mean?”
“Ah, you are going to hate me for this.”
“No, no, no!”
“Tell us!”
With a faint glint of mischief, you straightened up, searching for their empathy.
“The crew came up with a stupid and wicked challenge for us…” you started to explain, and the girls paid extra attention to your words. “We have to kiss as many girls as we can, the winner being the one to score the highest. But I don’t like these games,” smoothly, you lied, waiting for those sparkles in their eyes at the chance of kissing you. “I would never want to trick you like that. A beautiful woman’s kiss isn’t something to toy with.”
There it was. One fidgeted with her thumbs, one rubbed her thighs together, and another licked her lips in anticipation. Oh, they wanted to kiss you badly. Even if they knew this wouldn’t go any further, how this was just a game, how it was essentially meaningless.
Suddenly, a strange scene unraveled in the tavern. A line of young women stretched out like a colorful ribbon. Eight pairs of eyes, each holding a unique blend of innocence, nervousness, and perhaps a touch of anxiety, were fixed on the kid, sitting on a chair with wide spread legs at the end of the line. For the next few minutes, you were the prize, the object of desire. Dresses of every hue and style brushed against one another as the girls shifted impatiently. There was a shy brunette, her hands clasped tightly in front of her, and a bold blonde, her lips already curved into a practiced grin. A freckled redhead shuddered with a loose strand of hair, while a petite brunette tapped her foot rhythmically on the floor. You scanned the line with delight, ready to let the victory fall into your lap.
The line moved steadily, each girl bringing her own unique personality to the brief encounter. It was a brief, chaste kiss, over almost before it began. Some were shy and hesitant, others brave and daring. Easy.
At last, the girl, who was peeking at Shanks the whole time, timidly approached you in the end. She was the youngest, smallest, and most scared. Her limbs were shaking, while her whole face was covered with a deep shade of red.
“You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to,” you tried to comfort her, being perfectly content with a score of seven.
“N-no, I…” she glimpsed back at her friends, dispersed from the line, who were still acting dizzy and starstruck, busy talking about you.
You swiftly stood up, towering over her short height. She was clearly terrified and embarrassed, but if there was anyone who meant no harm to her, it was you. Carefully, you hooked your finger under her chin, tilting her head up.
“This is just a little kiss. If you are too nervous to give me one, how are you going to ask for it from my captain?” Even you surprised yourself with how good a manipulator you’ve become.
The girl quivered as you hit the nail on the coffin. “But… Will he still… You know… After I kissed you…” she spoke quietly, full of uncertainty.
“Every man in this room would do anything to kiss you, believe me. He might will be that much more eager if we can make him jealous.”
Your eyes rolled to the side, giving Shanks a devious look in the distance. Yes, he was most definitely jealous. Quickly, you fixed your hand behind her waist, while the other trailed behind her neck. With a bold and assertive motion, you kissed the girl on full fucking display for everyone to see.
His fist clenched tightly over the table. A cold, insidious anger began to seep into Shanks. What had started as a casual observation turned into a complete act of humiliation. A growl involuntarily crept across his face as his teeth grinded.
“Damn…”
The crew watched it all unfold silently. Their mouths dropped in astonishment as they witnessed you kissing all the girls so effortlessly. It seemed less than a sport, or a hobby, it seemed like you did something as natural as breathing. Everyone had the hunch that girls would like you, but this much? This was ridiculous.
“The kid knows what he’s doing, ey,” Beck swiped a dry match against the sole of his boot, flaming up another smoke. An acknowledgment of the absurdity of the situation. “Should we keep count, or is the first place settled?”
“Pff–“ Shanks averted his gaze from you, huffing and puffing.
But this wasn’t even at its worst.
After the crew had their fair share of consideration, the group of girls walked up to them, the blonde leading the way. The flustered herd of misses fluttered their lashes, swaying their hips. Not saying anything, they one by one took their turn, placing small, yet sweet kisses on Beck’s lips. The girls leaned over him without warning or any explanation. Seven of them. Not only did the crew have to bear the sight of you charming the ladies, now you also managed to convince them to kiss Beck too. Oh, this was execution.
“Thank you, girls,” he said, smoking his cigarette with a chuckle when he got all his kisses. “So, the first two places are settled, then.”
Learning their lesson, the crew now knew how valuable a friend you could be. Limejuice and Rockstar didn’t hesitate to come up to you, begging for some help. Which you obviously gave, introducing them to the group. So… the others followed, mingling with the girls.
“He crossed a line there,” Shanks grunted at Beck, watching the charade escalate.
“What do you mean? He is playing our game, that is all,” Yasopp remarked, drinking the last of his mug. “We were young once, weren’t we?”
“Yeah, but this…”
“Don’t feel bad that you can’t pull a stunt like that anymore, Boss. It comes with age…” Beck taunted his captain, peering at Yasopp and his muffled giggles.
“Oh, shut up! I’ll show you!” Shanks slammed his fist on the table, planning to get on, but you blocked his way out of the sudden. “You!” he frowned at you, but his fury lost its edge as the small, freckled girl appeared, clinging to your side tightly.
“There is someone that you must meet,” you greeted him with false hospitality, tipping your head towards the girl. “Yue, this is my captain, Red haired Shanks.” She slowly let you go, taking a step further. Her face was flushed, pink, while her lips trembled visibly. This was the shyest girl he had met in a while. “No need to be nervous, sweetheart, he won’t bite.”
“No… I–“
Beck couldn’t hold back his chuckle, seeing right through your tactic. If you passed this girl down to Shanks, she would keep him occupied, needing his full attention. Otherwise, she would probably run to her friends to cry about how rude a man he was for rejecting her. He was finished. The last devastating blow.
“N-nice to meet you!” Yue bowed down awkwardly.
Shanks contemplated the situation, and he had to surrender. He exhaled lazily, then forced a smile on his face.
“Let’s get you a drink, Yue. I wouldn’t want you to dry out while I get to know you,” he babbled, taking the girl's hand, leaving for the bar. Defeated.
You sat down to the harsh sound of cackling, the others making their amusement audible openly. Yasopp, Lucky Roux, Hongo, and Beck welcomed you into their branches, being the ones who were merely proud of your past display. No resentment, no jealousy.
“You thought this through, right, kid?” Beck placed his palm over the top of your head, pushing it forward as a manly sign of affection. “Good job.”
“T-thanks,” you grinned, brushing back your fluffed-up hair. “Oh, and you’re welcome for the second place.”
“Sure,” he smirked back at you.
“Messing with the Boss? You’re too brave for your own good, Raion,” Lucky Roux munched on some meat, nudging your shoulder with the clean bone. “He can be a sore loser sometimes, y’know?”
“He can still win,” you defended yourself. It was valid, even if unlikely. “And I can repeat it any time I want to.”
“Can you?” They suddenly burst out laughing boisterously, being a bit skeptical of your statement.
“What? You don’t believe me? Wasn’t this enough of a demonstration?”
“It was, it was…” Yasopp snorted, crossing his legs.
No, the seed was planted, your mind poisoned. The urge to prove yourself, again, took over you. This hot-headed nature you had wasn’t easy to grapple with. Being offended, you jumped up from the table, marched across the room, aiming for the bar.
One more.
Just one more.
“What can I get you?” The woman slowly appeared from under the counter, standing up. There was a single drop of sweat gathering on her forehead, her hair lying wet over her neck. “It’s you! Thank you for the commotion. Now the pirates will buy us out of our beer,” she chuckled sweetly, pointing at the crew, that was faithfully flirting with the girls.
“You’d be surprised how frigid sober pirates can be.”
“That is hard to believe, you got me,” the woman smiled at you. Kindly. She wasn’t the usual, dumb, silly girl that you usually slept with. She was much more mature and serious. But…
“In addition, drunk pirates can’t find the bathroom. Could you, please, help me out?”
“Got the good banter, but not the sense of direction, huh?” the woman answered smoothly, untying her apron. “I’ll show you.” She exited the bar and led you towards the back, through a narrow hallway, which ended in a rusty old door to the bathroom. “There you go. Good luck.”
With a little twirl, she tried to walk past you, but your grasp clung to her wrist.
“About luck…” you inhaled softly, dragging her gently backwards. “Can I try mine on you first? Just to be sure.”
“What are you doing?” she muttered, but showed no resistance. Pointing towards the bathroom would’ve been enough, unless she wanted to… “Are you attempting to seduce me like the children out there?"
“No,” the answer was simple and convincing.
“So…?”
Your free hand carefully roamed up from her hips to her jaw, your thumb stroking her cheek tenderly. “I am kissing you, then hope you won’t scream.” Hooking your fingers behind her ear, you pulled her close, placing your lips on hers. She didn’t even flinch, but rather opened her mouth to let you deepen the kiss.
What the real difference was between young-stupid and mature-clever? While they were both easy to beguile, the former had enough with a romantic kiss, the former did not. That is why you avoided older women. They were just… more work.
You were essentially shoved into the cramped storage room, reminded of the fact that you had to stay in control. With a low groan, you undressed the woman impatiently, ripping off the fabric just for the show. If you had the chance, why not keep up the reputation? If you used her, then making this experience pleasant and memorable for her was the least you could do. Hearing her mewl lewdly, you knew this was the usual scenario. You kissed her passionately, while keeping her hands from touching you too much. To be secure, you pinned her wrists above her head firmly, while continuing the teasing. Touching her, stroking her, biting her. Reading body language successfully and knowing the female anatomy all too well was everything you needed to satisfy her. You fingered her better than any man ever could’ve, making her cum several times, until her legs were too shaky to stand on.
“H-how about you,” the woman panted with a heaving chest while you helped her dress up.
“I’m sorry, I overdid it. You can barely move. If I’d continue now, I’d feel pretty bad…”
“But I really don’t mind…” she tried to change your mind, but a small kiss on her forehead was enough to shut her down.
“I had a wonderful time. Thank you.”
Sometimes you did wonder how life would be like if you just settled down with a woman like her. Kind, smart, and beautiful. Maybe in another life…
You accompanied her back to the bar, received a free drink, and then returned to the crew. There was a smug glint flickering in your gaze, but more content than before. This woman calmed you down, helping you not to take this night too seriously.
“There he is… it took longer than expected,” Yasopp greeted you.
“I am thorough, that’s all,” you hopped down next to Beck, who immediately noticed the hickey peeking out from the collar of your shirt.
“Any proof?”
“Will the missing buttons on her blouse be enough?”
The men all stared at the bar, squinting their eyes in focus. The woman’s top barely hung on, her breasts almost slipping free. There was no denying it. To make it absolutely clear, you also lit up the cigarette Beck gave you. It was awful, but pleasant. A certain type of poison.
“Wow.”
“I am done for the night. Can’t burn the candle from both sides,” you sighed deeply, sinking into your seat. “How are you, guys, doing?”
Other than Beck, they all averted their gazes timidly, and you didn’t have to ask anything else.
Out of pure curiosity, you glanced at Shanks, who lounged beside the wall, still entertaining Yue. Your plan worked perfectly, he was helpless. But… you did admire how this one girl’s feelings were more important to him than a childish game. But again, Yue was quite pretty, so Shanks still won in a way. At least he could actually enjoy women, unlike you.
“You definitely gave him a lesson,” Beck hummed, catching you glimpse at your captain. “After this, he will not go easy on you, just so you know.”
“I couldn’t care less,” you shrugged, sipping on your drink.
“Reckless.”
Chapter 4: Rage
Summary:
A ruthless training starts, and there is seemingly no end to it. The most wounds, injuries, and bruises. The most fun.
Notes:
Hii! I am here with the next chapter c: Thank you so much for the overwhelming feedback, it really melts my heart! <3 I hope that you'll like this one too!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“Raion! Raion! Raion!”
The preparations for the voyage were in full swing. Crates of supplies were hoisted aboard, barrels of salted meat, stacks of bread, and crates of cheese. Water casks were filled to the brim, and the amount of sake, rum, and beer the crew hoarded on board would’ve poisoned a whole country. The pirates hauled ropes and sails, preparing the Red Force for the open sea after a good wash.
Amidst the chaos, you stacked a few boxes on the seaport, but your work was cut short, as the troop of ladies ran you over.
“Raion! Raion! Raion!”
“Whoa-whoa!” They hugged you from all sides mercilessly, despite your subtle objection. “What are you doing?”
“Take us with you!” the girls whined, but this was nothing but a cloying façade. “We don’t want you to leave!”
“The sea is a dangerous place, ladies. I don’t want you to get hurt,” you gently stroked the hair of two of them, only having two hands to use. “Also, I’m not the captain. Shanks makes the decisions here.”
It was worth a shot, they thought.
“So, when are you coming back?”
“I don’t know yet. But don’t worry, I won’t forget you. Any of you,” with a warm smile, you planted little kisses on their cheeks. “Take care of yourself for me, will ya?”
The girls fluttered and trembled as you said your goodbyes. Nevertheless, your forged demeanor faded gradually as you boarded the ship at last. The last thing you needed was some more babysitting to do.
“You are more heartless than I thought,” Beck grunted as you crossed paths on deck.
“Not the most heartless, though…” You chuckled as Yue rushed down from the ship in tears.
The girl ran fast, the sobbing breaking the liveliness of the atmosphere. Shanks tried to stop her, but she was too far gone. Both in body, both in spirit. She couldn’t quite handle the rejection as well as the other girls, it seemed.
“W-wait!” Shanks yelled after Yue, in vain. “Shit…”
“Heartbreaker,” you scoffed at him mockingly.
“Oh, shut up, kid! This is all your fault!”
“How so?”
You and Shanks advanced towards each other, standing only a few inches apart. He might’ve been taller, but it didn’t matter. Your eyes locked, and the tension was slowly rising.
“You passed her down to me, knowing I wouldn’t be rude and get rid of her. Now she is inconsolable.”
“So, you were rude, leading her on all night.”
“I didn’t lead her on!”
“So, what, someone else fucked her?”
A thick vein popped out on Shanks’ forehead, his fist clenching tightly. You both knew that you tricked him into this situation, despite the fact that he could’ve handled it better. He could’ve gently said no to Yue, but he didn’t. He slept with her out of convenience, so he wasn’t exactly innocent, in spite of being set up. Neither of you was an angel. You played with women’s emotions, for different reasons, but still.
“Cut it out already,” Beck intervened blandly. “You two have better things to do.”
“Tch–,” you hissed in sync, turning your backs against each other, full of irritation. Shanks headed for the navigator, while you returned to Beck.
“You really need to learn, boy,” he scratched his neck, looking around the main deck. There were several crewmembers lying around, unconscious. “Your anger issues can cause enough trouble, but the two of you will be too much the handle for the newcomers.”
“W-what?”
“You are the reason why they passed out.” Your eyes widened, roaming around the senseless bodies. “Don’t tell me that is news for you.”
“I-it is…” You had your suspicions, but never really admitted it.
“It’s haki. If you are able to master it, you won’t knock out others with throwing a simple fit like this,” with a considerate and calm expression, Beck closed in on you. “This is a power that allows us to manifest our willpower, transforming it into sheer energy. As it seems, your haki is closely linked to your anger and emotions, so when you get overwhelmed, your conqueror's haki runs wild.”
“Conqueror's haki?”
“There are three types of haki. First, observation haki, that is used as a sixth sense. You can detect others’ presence, power, and intentions. If you get good at it, you can predict the enemy's attacks, or even see into the future, limitedly. Second, armament haki, which helps you focus your aura to a specific part of your body, painting it black. This grants an unbreakable shield or weapon. Third, which you seem to excel at, is conqueror's haki. It’s not something that everybody is capable of. Unleashing your pure will, you can make others faint or objects break. That is what you have to learn how to control.”
You nodded, trying hard to comprehend everything Beck just said. Now, you could recall each occasion you saw these types of haki being used by him and Shanks. If this was the way for you to get stronger, you had to comply. You had to give it your everything.
For the next few weeks, the main deck of the Red Force became your whole world. Mornings began with the rising sun, Beck waiting for you at dawn each day. The sparring matches started without any nice words or encouragement from your teacher. Only strict coldness. It was brutal and unforgiving training that tested the limits of your endurance. Beck was relentless, his strikes calculated, his defenses impenetrable. All you did was fight until you lost all your energy. He had absolutely no mercy on you, and didn’t bother to give you too many tips on how to defeat him. Beck expected you to figure it out on your own, and you didn’t complain. Your spirit was unbroken, despite the tens of new bruises and wounds you gained after every session. Not to mention how sleep became a luxury afforded only in short bursts. In the quiet of the night, when the soreness of your muscles kept you awake, the day's lessons were replaying in your mind, the movements becoming an intrinsic part of your being.
You could sometimes hear the crew talking behind your back, calling the treatment cruel and inhumane, but that was the last thing you deemed it to be. This was discipline. But also… fun. No matter how hard Beck was on you, you could both recognize the glint of excitement in each other’s eyes. There was something amusing about your training. By the end of the second month, you perceived it as a friendly chess match of a kind. Your body changed, hardening and adapting to the demands of the training, while your mind sharpened, your fight tactics becoming more witty and creative. You made progress quicker than Beck predicted.
“Raion! You should come in. It would help with the injuries,” Yasopp yelped, sinking neck deep into the bubbling emerald water.
“No, thanks. Hongo took good care of them,” you declined, leisured on the side.
You took a break from your journey on a small and remote island, hidden from the world. It had a famous hot spring that was often visited by pirates. The water had healing qualities of all sorts, but you had no interest in undressing in front of the others. While your appearance was flawless, it did have some imperfections. Some could be hidden easily, but… You were quite insecure about your chest. Ever since you gained weight and muscle, your pecks grew large enough to hide any femininity, but your nipples were still a little strange. Not ugly, or revolting, just a little unusual. If you didn't have to, you didn't show them off. Surrounding the pool, a stack of volcanic rocks provided a perfectly fine spot to relax. The stones were warm to the touch, more than comfortable.
“You are being stupid, if you ask me,” Yasopp shrugged, diving under the surface.
“He has a point,” Beck admitted, pulling his shirt above his head. “I didn’t go easy on you.”
“I wouldn’t have let you,” with a snarky grin, you glanced at him, failing to register what he was actually doing. Your breath slightly hitched as he pulled his pants off, not an arm’s length away from you. Swiftly shifting your body to the other side, you struggled to keep a straight and unflushed face. If the thick steam hadn’t helped you hide it…
“What’s wrong?” Beck grasped your strange behavior. “Don’t tell me… Are you this shy?” deviously, he chuckled.
“No, I’m not!” you refused to seem weak and adjusted your position, concentrating on not taking a peek. But god, the curiosity…
“Just get in already,” he sighed, and kicked you on your back, shoving you into the spring.
You fell into the water, which filled your throat. You coughed up the nasty water, choking and drowning like a maniac. This was sneaky. Even if you weren’t fully exposed, your shirt clung tightly to your chest.
“Was this really necessary?” You bumped Beck on his ribs as he stepped in, too.
“Should’ve used observation haki,” Yasopp interrupted you, his little comment distracting you from attacking your teacher. Now, he earned a giant splash of water in his face. “Come on… Can you be more childish?”
“Talking about childish…” Beck murmured as he heard loud and fast footsteps approaching.
Shanks sprinted towards the hot spring, then jumped into the water, shouting, “Cannonball!” The sudden pressure created a big wave around the pool, disturbing everyone’s peace. He rose above the surface, tossing his wet hair back. If you had to be honest, he was actually pretty hot, like most men of the crew. His broad shoulders, strong chest, abs, bicep… Lost in your dazed thoughts, you realized this was the first time that you could actually see the scar over his missing arm. It was ugly and disturbing, but he didn’t seem to care one bit. He wore it with pride.
“Better?” Beck grunted at Shanks, who swam closer.
“Much,” he giggled, stretching his muscles. “What’s with you, kid?” Your drenched t-shirt quickly caught his eye.
“Moth-eaten hole on it, I hoped the water would fix it,” you rumbled sarcastically, then headed toward the shore, but Shanks dragged you back by your elbow.
“Calm down, will ya? You need to rest and heal after your training. That’s an order.” Shanks rarely gave real or joking orders to the crew outside of battle, so Yasopp and Beck had to raise a brow in response.
“Tch–,” you pulled your arm away, crossing it against your chest. “M’kay… Just leave me alone.”
“Why do you always have to be such a pain?” Shanks complained, pinching his temple in annoyance. “It’s for your own good. Are you stupid?”
“I told you, I’d stay, so drop it!”
“Oh, I’m sorry for looking out for you,” he just couldn’t shut it off. “My bad.”
“It is! Why can you trust me to know what is best for me, huh?”
“So, I’m the bad one for trying? Are you allergic to thoughtfulness?”
The argument went on because Beck grew to enjoy your immature bickering. Plus, letting your anger out on Shanks was a good practice to control your haki. On this occasion, only two of the crew members passed out, despite how much of a fuss you both made. Regardless, Beck wasn’t the only one being entertained by your quarrel.
“Enough! Calm down, children!” Beck finally stepped between you two. “A bath isn’t exactly the most appropriate place to clash with each other.”
“Right! Let’s do it on land! Don’t be all talk and no action, coward!” you challenged him, and by now, he couldn’t hang onto his rationality anymore.
“Yeah, let’s see what you can do when you don’t listen to me and overwork yourself!”
The next minute, you were both standing on the shore of the island, having Beck as the only bystander. He convinced the others that Shanks was only helping with your training, while in reality, he was just as eager for a traditional fistfight.
Your heart pounded frantically against your ribs, a heavy load of adrenaline making you dizzy. Your eyes, full of intensity, fixed on him. There was a predatory gleam in them, a hunger for the fight, which he wore on himself as well. You were starving to finally beat him. The holy picture of a possible win sent a cold shiver down your spine. Your knuckles turned white as your fists clenched.
“I’ll hold back. For your sake,” Shanks winked smugly, cracking his joints with ease.
“You might regret that,” you cautioned him in a hurry.
The first blow came without warning. A blur of red, a flash of an arm. You parried instinctively, the clang of hardened skin on skin echoing through the seaside. The air between you two crackled with tension, an atmosphere charged with the promise of violence. Fun.
He was faster than you could’ve imagined, his movements fluid and effortless. Every strike was a calculated risk, performed with deadly precision. With only one arm, he still easily dominated the fight. You felt yourself growing tired, your muscles burning with exertion. Yet, you couldn’t afford to falter. Every misstep, every hesitation, could’ve been fatal. Suddenly, his leg crawled under your guard, forcing you back. You stumbled, off balance. One mistake. But no. You've come this far, you won't be defeated now. With renewed determination, you counterattacked foolishly.
From afar, the fight was nothing but flashes of haki and two blurry figures swinging through the air. You traded blow for blow, each clash sending shockwaves through your arms. Meanwhile, Beck watched patiently.
After a few minutes, sweat blinded your vision, your breath coming in ragged gasps. Your body ached, every muscle screaming in protest. This had to be the lack of sleep. Fuck. The scenery around you faded into insignificance, replaced by one singular focus. Defeating Shanks. A moment of clarity. You feinted to the left, then struck with everything you had. You most definitely haven’t mastered this technic yet. Beck mentioned it briefly, but you haven’t even seen it in action. In theory, if you let go of the control over your armament haki, letting it flow through you, then aimed it at the right moment… You hit his stomach, a seemingly gentle placement, but as soon as the force reached Shanks’ core, your haki exploded inside his gut, brutally trembling his intestines.
Shanks flinched, then pushed you away to spit some blood to his side. He didn’t expect that. Not in the slightest. A vicious smirk formed on your lips as a reaction. A direct hit.
“Alright. Let’s level up,” he jolted his head in anticipation, but out of the blue, he felt Beck’s arms blocking his way.
“That was more than enough, Boss. Look at the kid, he is barely standing.”
“No! I can still fight! I can beat him!” you tried to protest, drunk on your success, but it was useless. Your legs became jelly a second later, collapsing under you.
“You are both going back to the spring, come on…” Beck stroked his jaw, then reached down to lift you up.
“What are you doing? We haven’t finished yet!” you wiggled and squeaked, hopelessly searching for an exit. “Beck–!”
Shanks waited for the two of you to disappear in the distance, then lowered to his knees in exhaustion. This took a greater toll on him than he could’ve foreseen. Focusing on not hurting you, but giving you enough of a challenge, wasn’t a simple task. One hiccup and you’d be dead. He lamented on how patient Beck had to be to manage.
But… that last attack was flawless. If you had targeted his face, it would’ve left a mark for sure.
“The hell did you do?” Lucky pouted at you as Beck carried, then threw you into the pool. “I told you to eat more!”
“I’m fine, thank you,” floating motionlessly on the water, you mumbled.
“You did put up a good fight,” Beck praised you quietly, not letting the crew hear it. “But don’t provoke him again. He, similarly to you, has trouble controlling his power. One bad move, and you could be damaged permanently.”
“Tch–, like I won’t win next time…”
“Agh–, Your head needs exponentially more training than your body, kid,” Beck exhaled, long. “You should be more careful. Winning isn’t everything.”
“Well, it actually is.”
“That is what I’m talking about,” with a rough momentum, he slapped the top of your head. “Making sacrifices is one thing, but breaking a bone in order to impress me is another.”
You bit your lip subconsciously, closing your eyes shut. How did he see through you this easily? He was the worst.
“I’m sorry…” you forced the half-earnest apology out.
The moon shone a silvery glow on the landscape when the crew was ready to depart. Most of them were already on the ship, only a handful of you stayed behind. Hongo didn’t let you out of the hot spring until all your wounds were magically healed, which took a few hours. You hated the restraints and the boredom, but saying no to the doctor wasn’t something you had the heart to do. The most caring and patient part of the crew was difficult to resist.
“We are done, you can go,” Hongo finally gave the signal of freedom. “But no sudden movements until the morning. The water works well, but this last fight almost destroyed all your muscles and drained you of your own energy. The aura of this spring isn’t that powerful, okay?”
“Okay-okay!” you smiled at him with appreciation. Despite your heightened spirits, the second you stepped out of the pool, your senses were crushed with the immediate convergence of danger.
Enemy.
A crew of shadows crept across the moonlit sands. The ambushers approached with silent efficiency. The island was their hunting ground, and you were their prey for the day. Excluding you and Hongo, the others had no haki and were oblivious to the ambush. A volley of arrows pierced the night, finding their mark among the unsuspecting newcomers. Cries of pain erupted from the pirates as they desperately searched for cover.
Without hesitation, you charged forward, then fell to the dust as Hongo’s quarterstaff hooked into your ankle.
“Stop! I told you. No sudden movements!”
“You must be kidding!” your elbow slammed to the ground. “I have to fight!”
“I ask you not to!”
“Forget it!”
The battle raged on beside the ocean, pure violence and chaos. These pirates weren’t here to mess around. They had to be locals, whose scheme was to trap the visitors. Your crew fell, their lives nearly extinguished from their eyes. Shit.
You used the last of your power, but it wasn’t enough. Your haki was gone. Regardless of how courageously you fought, you were, in this shape, no match for these foes. Out of the blue, all your wounds and bruises returned. Hongo was right… all you did was hold back the others. You watched as your crew fell one by one. Including you.
You blocked a sword from stabbing through your chest with armament haki from your exhausted reserves, which were limited. The dark shade of black faded from your skin, the blade slowly sinking into your arm, then neck, almost puncturing your throat. The pain was unbearable, crushing your nerves.
“That was enough, wasn’t it?” Shanks' voice cut sharply through the battle. “Let’s end this!”
From the corner of your involuntarily closing eye, you could see him stand in front of you, tapping on the hilt of his sword. A ray of light sprang free from the metal, painting the sky with red colored lightning strikes that each penetrated an enemy, all at once. The attack happened in mere seconds. Shanks really was on another level. He defeated the whole troop of pirates on his own. Effortlessly.
It was the break of dawn when the Red Force sailed out to sea after the damage of the battle was dealt with. Shanks and Hongo calculated the losses, while you sat beside the handrails of the front deck, peeking a them, wrapped up in bandages from head to toe. You looked pathetic, and you felt the same.
“Why are you here? You should be sleeping,” Shanks snuck up on you without you noticing. “Didn’t you learn from…” he bit his tongue, seeing the lack of spirit in your expression. All he could see was regret and disappointment. “Hey…” Shanks nudged your arm, accidentally poking his finger over your most painful wound.
“Ouch! What is your problem?”
“Sorry! Sorry! I didn’t mean to!” Shanks shook his head apologetically. “Listen… You didn’t–”
“I lost.”
“You can learn from your mistakes, so quit–”
“No. I lost our battle, too,” you muttered weakly. “I saw how you protected everyone… I couldn’t… I can't do that,” your voice cracked up.
“I am much-much older, you have all the time in the world to catch up,” Shanks tried to comfort you, but his tone was uncertain despite being gentle. “Until then… you have me to save you.” He intended this to be a warm and kind moment between you two, but it quickly backfired.
“Yeah, like I would ever rely on you. I would rather die than accept your help!” You jumped up from the rails, heading back to your hammock. “One day,” you hesitated, taking one last look at him. “One day, I will be stronger than you.”
Notes:
So when I tagged haki I was not kidding. I love special powers in shonen, and I never thought I'd ever include them in a fic. Well... here we go. I am an anime-only watcher, so in the recent chapters or anywhere along the way, this fic will probably step through canon, but I tried to extend the concept without changing anything too crucial. I just had so much fun writing it idk. c: the work title being haki and smut lol
Chapter 5: Range
Summary:
While the crew's injuries heal, especially that of the dumbest member, the Red Force docks on another island. A new race begins, and new wounds arise.
Notes:
Hey guys! Here is another chapter, this one being one of my favorites to write. You'll see why. Muhahaaaaa.
Enjoy! >:)
Chapter Text
“Feel free to stop, whatever you’ve been doing,” Beck’s voice sounded unusually hostile, but it was well deserved.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” you yelped, denying even the suspicions.
“I can see the bleeding,” he glared at your bandages, where the open wounds peeked through subtly. “If you keep working out while still injured, it will never heal. I’ll restrain you if that’s what it takes.”
“Pff–”
“We will soon stop at another island, so there will be enough things to distract you. Until then, just… behave.”
“Sure,” you shrugged skeptically.
On this occasion, there was no showdown, no competition that could’ve motivated you. Your plans consisted of drinking some booze with the others and finally being free from the ‘burden’ of talking to girls. Even if that is what they all expected from you. The playboy persona was not only fake, but, in your heart, a strain.
“Oh, and one more thing. This island is rumored to have some treasure. Building Snake has been obsessed with it, so we cannot miss it. You should get better soon, unless you want him to get mad at you.” Now this was a strong argument. Snake was famous for putting some laxatives in the drinks of those who didn’t perform well at his treasure hunts. “It might take your mind off this nonsense,” he paused. “Which I mean by destroying yourself for no reason.”
You gave no crap about what Shanks told you, but Beck? Despite not agreeing with him, a part of you believed him. If he told you to stop, then you had to.
In conclusion, for the next week, you lounged on the ship, sunbathing and napping. Hating every minute of it.
“You are becoming lazy, you know,” Yasopp whined as he was mopping the main deck, yellow from jealousy.
“Doctor’s orders,” you winked at him mischievously. “If you almost get killed in the next battle, you can slack off too.”
“I am seriously starting to consider it…” he yapped.
“LAND AHEAD!” came the scream from Snake, full of hunger and greed.
Scanning the horizon, a flicker of green caught your attention. With each passing moment, the island grew larger, revealing its rugged mountains, jagged coastline, and high wooden houses.
The crew spent the rest of the evening unloading and settling down at the port. When the sun sank down beneath the sea, they slowly found their way into the closest bar. Except you. For some reason, you weren’t in the mood to party or socialize. Not until you eavesdropped on Shanks and Beck.
“You still hold a grudge, don’t you?” Beck teased his captain with ease, blowing a circle of smoke in his direction.
“Why would I? A kid got lucky, nothing else. I am still the one.”
The one? Your chest ached in frustration as he said it so casually. He was not.
“Wanna bet?”
“Are you still short on money? Didn’t you bleed Yasopp dry?”
“It’s about the thrill.”
“Nuh. Thank you, I’m good. I have nothing to prove, just going to have fun,” Shanks chuckled assured. “For the thrill.” Beck joined in, and they headed towards the bar with the last of the crew.
Now, how could you let this stand? You might’ve lacked the strength to defeat Shanks in battle, but women? Oh, hell no.
You rushed beside them, accompanying the two to the tavern. Shanks couldn’t be left without supervision.
“Here you are, kid,” Shanks carefully patted his hand on your back, avoiding any wounds. There were significantly fewer bandages on you, only covering your neck and your left arm. “How are you holding up?”
“I’m fine,” you gave a sour face, a sour answer.
“No barfights, m’kay?”
Rolling your eyes, you took a step to the side, making Beck silently crack up. He found your whole affair with Shanks hilarious.
“Quit it, will you? We are here to let out some steam.”
“Sure-sure,” Shanks and you grumbled simultaneously, mirroring each other perfectly as you walked into the building.
The tavern was a cavernous space, dimly lit by small lanterns that cast shadows on the rough-hewn wooden walls and communal tables. The air was thick with the scent of ale, rum, and sweat. Amidst these alcohol flushed faces and drunk pirates, one figure stood out. The most stunning woman. Her hair swinging in fiery curls, her eyes, the color of the clearest sky, holding a spark of intelligence that drew every gaze in the room. Dressed in a simple linen shift, she was still a splash of color in the room. Damn.
“Dibs–“
“Dibs!” Beck and Shanks yelled at the same time, their eyes exchanging intense sparks. “I said it first!”
“Something wrong with your hearing? I was obviously the first to say it.”
You couldn’t contain your laughter, holding it back in your palm in vain. Men.
“It’s a race then,” with a forceful slap on the back of their head, you left to get your drink alone.
You might have stood on your mentor’s side, but the absurdity of these things took away the appeal. You couldn’t wrap your mind around how girls were so important to them. Who the hell cared about these things? All women were beautiful in their own way, if someone was patient enough to look. A small waist or a pair of large breasts didn’t make any difference to you. It shouldn’t have for them either.
“What’s up with them?” Limejuice glanced at you, then them, then you again. “They never argue.”
“It’s about the ginger,” you sighed, taking a seat among the crew.
“Oh–, just like last time.”
“What?”
“They both have a weakness for ginger girls,” he explained, clanging his mug to yours. “This will be interesting.”
“Really?”
You curiously waited for the scene to unfold with the others. Beck was the first to approach the woman. His face was etched with calmness and grace, just like you would’ve imagined. He definitely had a certain charm that was very different from Shanks’ pushy, flirty, easygoing demeanor. Shanks, sensing the possible disadvantage, stepped into the fray. He was more direct, his behavior a contrasting counterpoint to the other man's gentleness. They were both objectively handsome. Very-very handsome. The woman listened with a playful glint in her eyes. She sipped her ale, her gaze shifting from one to the other, enjoying the spectacle unravelling before her. Playing with her hair, the woman reveled in the attention, caught in the crossfire of their competing charms. The tension in the room grew palpable with each second, and you stared at them like watching a real fight.
The battle wore on for an hour, and when Beck grew tired of the whole thing. It just wasn’t worth it. For a few reasons. He joined your table, but didn’t seem even a little bit defeated. Rather…
“Avenge me, kid,” with a subtle smile, he gave the order.
The most devious, vicious grin crept on your lips. Yes, this was your chance to put Shanks back in his place.
“Gladly.”
You got up without delay, gulping down your drink for the last drop. The crew chuckled in awe, impatient to see the showdown of the night. But in your mind, there were no doubts.
With swift and steady steps, you closed in on Shanks and the woman, your gaze not leaving her eyes for a single second. She was sitting on the table, while Shanks was seated on a chair in front of her. You saw her scan your body, then smirk in satisfaction. The game was on.
“Just when I hoped we could be alone,” the woman smiled at you invitingly, undermining her words. “Did you come to take your captain away?”
“Just the opposite,” you bit into your lower lip, dragging a chair for yourself, then glimpsed at Shanks, who was fairly annoyed with your presence. “I would hate to see a woman like you fall short on entertainment.”
“Hm–, how nice of you,” she raised her hand, waiting for a kiss. “My name is Iris.”
You gently held her hand, but instead of a kiss, stroked your thumbs over her fingers. “You have beautiful nails,” the compliment caught her slightly by surprise, despite how well she hid it. Men, who are busy swaying her to bed, were oblivious to the little things, to the actual effort women put into their appearance, other than their natural features. You could picture her painting the scarlet red nail polish on with patience and care. Something to be adored.
“Can I know the name of the person who my nails managed to impress?”
“I’m Raion,” with the anticipated kiss on the back of her hand, you introduced yourself. “Nice to meet you, Iris.”
“Khm–,” Shanks grunted, having had enough of being ignored, and the spark that developed between you in seconds. “He is the newest member of my crew. My favorite rookie,” he added, then raised his arm to tousle your hair and try to belittle and anger you.
“Stop, sto-op,” unpredictably, you giggled, hushing his arm away playfully. Not a hint of annoyance in your tone. The boyish charm had its advantages against a manly man like Shanks. “I am not messing your hair up, am I?”
“Suits you,” Iris interrupted you with a little smile, brushing her fingers along your strands herself.
“You are just teasing me,” with a suggestive grin, you glanced at her.
“Maybe,” she giggled, drawing her hand away.
“Are you making me jealous on purpose?” Shanks inhaled, then reached to take a sip of his beer.
“Who are you jealous of, Captain?” Iris tricked him, earning a small flinch of startling form him.
This woman… She really was a tease. This wasn’t a real competition, no. Upon realizing the situation, your fearful eyes immediately darted back at Beck, who raised his mug at you, having an evil smirk on. He pranked you, god dammit. This witch didn’t intend to choose just one man, no. Iris wanted two. Beck qualified you for a game of chicken, waiting for either you or Shanks to step back like a coward. Fuck, this woman had to be convinced, that Beck explained her plans to you, and you came here to willingly be part in this crap.
But Shanks… he had no clue, at least that is what you could read from his expression. You could turn that to your advantage. Because you refused to chicken out.
“He is jealous of me, of course. But how many compliments did you give him?” you murmured to the woman.
“Oh,” Iris licked her lips, staring at Shanks’ three scars. “Plenty.”
“Too much even?” With a sly look, he slowly slid his hand over her thigh. Sneaky. “I should definitely compensate, because a beauty like you deserves all the praises I can possibly give.”
“Smooth,” the woman bore the touch of him casually, not bothering to address it. She took a quick glimpse at you, expecting the comeback.
You knew well where this was headed, unlike Shanks, who was holding out for a decision. In a regular game of charms, each contestant gave a compliment, flirting their way to the top. Today, this led to one conclusion, which neither you nor Shanks desired. So, if you could’ve confused Shanks, you could end the thing early, before it was too late.
“Come on, how am I supposed to keep up with that?” With a quiet whine, you rested your head on Shanks’ shoulder, unsettling him just enough. “Can you help me out, Captain?”
“Why would I–“ he trailed off in confusion, while Iris chuckled tenderly.
“I’m not that picky, just say the one that comes to mind,” she leaned slightly forward, lowering her head.
“What else can I say other than that you're stunning? So much that it makes it hard for me to think and speak. Would it be cheating to use something other than words?” Shanks hitched at your suggestion. Did you really intend to kiss her in front of him? Oh, the nerve of you. “But I’m afraid that my captain would take it as mutiny if he can’t go first,” you peered at him, not moving away from his shoulder.
“Wh–?” By now, confusion barely covered what daze you sent Shanks into. You try to kiss her, but then offer for him to be first? Were you planning to turn this into a kissing contest? Fine by him. “You got that right.”
Shanks moved his hand from her thigh to her jaw, then pulled her closer, until his mouth was a mere inch away from hers. He waited a moment for her anticipation to build up, but kissed her rather dominantly after. It didn’t last long, but he clearly made an impression. Her subtle blush was a great testament to that.
“On second thought,” you took a deep breath, standing from your seat to tower over the woman. “My captain may still deem me a traitor if I do a much better job, but I can live with that.”
You carefully reached for her hand and carried it up to your hair, letting her cling to it while you leaned forward to place your lips on hers. This kiss was much less blunt, but still under your control. You placed your free hand on her back, stroking your fingers down along her spine, which sensation broke goosebumps over her skin. It might’ve been an involuntary, biologically coded reaction, nothing to do with your kiss, but she didn’t have to know that. You slowly backed off, leaving her completely flustered and dizzy.
“I-I think it’s time we leave,” Iris took a gulp, grasping your wrist forcefully. But, before Shanks had time to accept his loss, she reached for his too, dragging you both toward the exit.
Except you and the woman, everyone was in shock. The crew’s mouths fell agape as you all stumbled through the tavern in a hurry. Only Beck had the heart to chuckle at the strange display, knowing well what was happening. Shanks, well, Shanks could hardly follow the events himself. He registered the woman pulling you two after her, clearly ready to have a threesome. This was…
The woman’s room was a small, attic-like space nestled beneath the eaves of the tavern. It was poorly furnished. A wooden bed, its frame worn smooth, a small, round table, and a scratched-up wardrobe.
“I’ll be back in a minute,” she fled to the bathroom, leaving you two alone in the cramped room.
“What the hell are you doing?” Shanks clenched the fabric of your shirt, almost ripping it apart.
“I am beating you, what does it look like?” You pushed him away with force. “I know you’ll give up and let me win.”
“Yeah, right,” he hissed in frustration.
“Unless you want to stay and join,” with a sly smirk, you were able to infuriate and taunt him.
“I am not…” he hissed, clasping his fist. “Fuck.”
Your outburst was cut short by the woman, who returned to the room, without any clothes on. She had a lewd smile on as she sat down in the corner of her bed, cross-legged. Shanks and you exchanged glances, waiting for the other to finally give up. Or... this was going to continue. Both of you exhaled deeply, then headed forward.
“Nuh-uh,” Iris giggled. “As lucky as I am to have two such handsome men in my room, I need proof that I am not the only thing that you brought you here.”
No. No. No. Fucking no?
“What do you mean?” Shanks asked. Not the brightest star in the sky.
“I want you to show me how much you like each other.” You two became pale at the suggestion, looking at each other in disbelief. “It really turns me on,” she added, spreading her legs out.
This had to be the turning point where one of you drew a line, right? Shanks wouldn’t kiss you, right? He wouldn’t kiss another man, right?
Shanks took a single step in your direction, and you felt a heavy weight pressing down on your chest. Your heart pounded in your ears, drowning out all other sounds. This couldn’t be. You glared at him, silently begging him to stop. He was unfortunately just as stubborn as you, never even thinking of giving up. Shanks tilted his head to the left and slowly pressed his mouth to yours. Done deal.
“You have to try harder than this. I kiss my family like that,” Iris’s critique was warranted, but neither of you wished to accept it. But… if this is what it took…
“Whatever,” you huffed, then quickly grabbed the collars of his coat, drawing Shanks into a deep and rough kiss.
With a burning wave of heat crashing through your body, you stuck your tongue forcefully into his mouth, provoking him to respond the same way. That he did… Shanks tightly grabbed your waist, pinning you against him. This was war. From the outside, this wasn’t anything remotely romantic or sexual. The exchange hardly differed from your fight from earlier. Crazy, how the hatred could turn into passion, hunger, desire…
His coat slowly slipped out of your fingers as you lost your edge, while his grip loosened. The kiss’s rhythm changed.
“Do you want me to leave?”
The quiet hush came just in time.
You both leaned back in a rush, your eyes wide in terror. Averting your gaze, you refused to comprehend what went down just now. God, no.
“Are you satisfied?” you murmured tensely after the brief pause.
“You have no idea.”
“Good,” you swiftly raised your arm up, preventing Shanks from passing before you. Cracking your joints, you approached the woman, pinching her chin between your fingers. “You better not lie about that.”
Iris twitched and squirmed as your other hand drew down and swiped your thumb across her open cunt.
“I didn’t lie,” she smirked at you teasingly then grasped for your hand to suck on your thumb.
From the other side of the room, the sound of Shanks’ coat falling to the ground caught your ears. You flinched, realizing that he didn’t leave. No, he came to the bed. Shirtless. His impressive upper body stole Iris’ and your attention as he crawled behind her. Shanks cautiously folded his palm around her neck, luring her in for a sloppy and wet kiss.
This was not good.
The scene kept on escalating when you foolishly decided to slide two fingers inside her. But… you were out of tricks. What the hell were you supposed to do? You could’ve been discovered any minute. A wrong move… Shit, you were losing.
Panic set on your face as you finally understood the truth.
Shanks… Shanks was actually willing to go through with this. He was no longer rooting for you to chicken out, he accepted the possibility of sleeping with you. Was this win worth this much? Not for you…
You gave up.
Not even a draw.
Fuck.
You lazily stood up, wiping your fingers on your pants.
“I’m sorry…” with a long and spiritless sigh, you crouched down to place an innocent kiss on Iris’ forehead. “I just cannot bear to share you.”
“But–“
Closing her high-pitched whine out, you took a glance at Shanks, finding a similar expression on him, no rush of victory. He was almost… disappointed?
You left them behind in the room and went to rejoin the crew. However, you couldn’t contain your anger, punching a wide hole in the wooden wall on your way. A brand new window, one might say.
“How was it?” Beck lowered the newspaper from his view, being the only one left awake from the crew.
“Can I get another cigarette?”
“Oh, did you–?”
“No.”
He recognized this look. Defeat.
Beck dug into his pocket, throwing a whole box of smoke at you. If he tricked you, this was the smallest thing he could’ve done for you. Now, he felt a little guilty, seeing you like this.
“You, asshole,” you grunted with a gleeful frown. “You knew what that woman wanted and didn’t tell me that Shanks–“
“I don’t know what you are referring to,” he acted stupid as a poor defense. Whether Beck admitted it or not, it was obvious.
“I am…” you hesitated. “I am not like that.” That was a plain lie, but Beck didn’t question you any further. Without being specific, you made your preference known.
You sat in silence, smoking the whole pack of cigarettes together. When you were finally able to calm down, the door swung open loudly, scarring the crap out of you.
It was Building Snake and the handful of other pirates. As it seemed, he couldn’t restrain his curiosity and ventured to find the gold on his own, selfishly. He kept a map in his clutch, his face full of excitement and enthusiasm.
“It was a new map. Someone took the treasure and hid it somewhere else. On the island of Zauana.”
Suddenly, a sharp, insistent throb crept behind your eyes, that blew into torturous pain in milliseconds. It was as if someone was slamming a hammer to your skull, each blow echoing through your brain. You quickly grabbed your head with a wince, your stiff muscles betraying you. The world began to spin, your vision blurred into a dark circle of emptiness. A wave of nausea swirled in your core, your lungs shrank several sizes, stopping your breathing.
“What is it?” Beck knocked the table away to reach you, but you collapsed to the ground, seizing. “Raion. Raion!” Beck’s arms tightly hugged you, while your body twitched and jerked frantically. Your eyes rolled behind your skull, and you lost your consciousness, fainting.
Just because of one word.
Chapter 6: Rouge
Summary:
Those who cannot control their haki can get burned and make rash decisions. However, idiocy can come from a different place.
Notes:
Hey-hey! Buckle up, folks. We are getting into the thick of it. C': Enjoy! ♥
Chapter Text
Your body felt like a furnace, unwelcomed heat seeping into every pore. The bedclothes clung to your damp skin, heavy and uncomfortable. Your head was still throbbing, each pulse hitting like a cruel punch. Your eyes were constantly burning, feeling glued shut, not that your vision would’ve been proficient. You have never had this high of a fever.
“It was my fault,” Beck’s voice, soothing in the past, now sank into your ear like a stab of a knife. “Because of the training, you didn’t let your haki out, and it basically overflowed inside you. The fact that you are not dead surprised even Hongo.”
He was settled right beside the bed in the captain’s cabin, where they kept you for now. Beck changed the wet cloth on your forehead, then returned to his seat. He must’ve stayed here all this time to take care of you.
“When did it happen?” you muttered weakly.
“Three days ago.”
“Shit. I’m sorry, I should–” you coughed, sitting up in a hurry, but his rifle hit your chest, slamming you back to bed.
“Don’t even dream about it.”
“Ouch!” you hissed in pain, choking on air. “Did you really have to?”
“You don’t tend to listen to words, so yes,” Beck wrinkled his brows. “Your recklessness is nearly insufferable, you know. No one needs you right now. No fights, no moving, no sailing, no cleaning, no training. All you need to do is get better. Accept that already.”
“Alright, alright, but lying in bed all day is… Agh–, can’t I at least take a walk?”
“Maybe if your fever goes down.”
You rolled your eyes, but had to comply. Such a drag.
“He woke up!” Shanks jumped up from the grass, blowing the cards away with his momentum. In any other scenario, the others would’ve suspected him of cheating, but they couldn’t care less at the minute. Shanks’ observation haki sensed your awakening immediately.
“Really?” Limejuice looked up at Shanks, Yasopp, and Hongo joining his lead. “Is he better?”
“I… I don’t think so. But he isn’t in the coma anymore.”
“Let’s go!” Yasopp yelled. “Hey guys! Raion woke up!” he shouted, his voice echoing through the Red Force. They all rushed towards your cabin one by one, except Shanks…
“Aren’t you coming, Boss?” Hongo waited for his captain patiently.
“He doesn’t want me there,” Shanks scratched the back of his head. “I’ll visit him later. Maybe.”
“You are free to believe that,” Hongo smiled at him warmly, letting him sink into his doubts. But Shanks just couldn’t look you in the eye. Not yet.
The crew gathered before the door, then burst into the cabin at once. Instead of concern etched faces, they had bright and joyful smiles. Maybe a few missing teeth. You lay pale and gaunt, dark circles around your eyes, red skin that a sheer layer of sweat set on. You were an awful sight, but they were just happy to see you alive.
“Raion! How are you?”
“We missed you!”
A weak smile tugged at your lips.
“I missed you, too, guys. Well, not the smell.” The room erupted in soft laughter, a sound that hadn’t been heard in days. You chatted for a few minutes, when the question, at last, escaped your mouth. “Did we leave the island?”
“Yeah.”
“We are sailing towards Zauana.”
There it was.
A shiver of sheer pain rolled down your spine, making you wheeze and wince. You quickly grabbed your back, arching it in misery.
“Alright. Everybody, get out!” Beck snapped at the crew with a glint of fury in his gaze. “You can come back later, when he is better.”
“Ah, kid,” Hongo leaned over you, adjusting your blanket and pillows. “Go back to sleep, okay? You are definitely not ready to have visitors. I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t speak either, for now.”
You nodded.
They all left the room, only Beck stayed behind, sitting in his chair, next to your bed.
“Will you–?”
“Shh–! I still have my rifle. Be a good boy and shut up.”
Good boy? You should’ve been more annoyed to be called like that, but you felt a certain anxiety in your gut instead. Whatever it was, it worked. Your consciousness calmed down, yet your mind kept on spinning.
Your outbursts, fevers, haki, whatever they were called, tortured you for the last ten years. Now you learned that the older and stronger you got, its effects worsened the same. You could vividly recall what happened when you last lost control completely. It was on that island. No, it could not happen again.
It might’ve been a nightmare, or not, but the decision scared you, nonetheless.
You had to leave.
You simply weren’t ready to go to Zauana. The mention of it sent you into a coma… You didn’t want to imagine what would’ve happened if you actually went along with the crew. Dying was one thing, but what if you lost control? What if you… hurt your friends? No, you couldn’t even handle the thought of it. This was a sacrifice you had to make.
Beck left you on your own for the night. Your eyes followed him closely as he exited the room. It didn’t matter for how long. It didn’t matter why. It… didn’t matter.
“So, how is he?” Shanks lay flat on the castle desk, gazing at the stars of the night. He didn’t have the patience to do anything else for now. “Is he going to make it?”
“Do you know him as someone who would ever give up?” Beck walked behind him, tilting his head up to see what he was looking at. The little sparks of light painting the night sky. “Raion just needs a little time, that is all.”
“But why? What the hell happened?” Shanks wondered, having his own suspicions. “Does he hate me this much?”
“He was just mad that he lost your childish game. His injuries from the last battle left him vulnerable. If anyone is to blame, that’s me.”
“No… I should’ve known better,” Shanks sighed, burying his face in his palm.
“Why don’t you go visit him, hm?”
“Oh, he would lo-ove that… Every time I try to show that I care about him, he just gets mad at me. I don’t know what it is, but I am doing something wrong.”
“He would visit you, too. That is all I’m going to say.”
Beck nudged the captain’s legs with his foot, then headed back to the kitchen to eat something. After keeping you company for days, his appetite was out of the roof. Meanwhile, Shanks was torn, to put it lightly. He was the one who caused you to flip out, at least that is what he thought. The guilt was merciless, and he couldn’t bear it anymore…
However, when he sheepishly stumbled down to the cabin, he froze before the door. What if his presence would make you worse? What if you had a seizure again? What if? His hand subconsciously grabbed the knob, turning it slowly. There was no going back.
“It’s me,” he whispered softly. “I know, I am the last person you want to see right now, but… Please, let me say sorry.” You gave no answer. “Come on…” Shanks swung the door open, but his expression was etched with panic as the sight of the empty room welcomed him. Shit. Only a… scrap of paper on the top of the bed?
Shanks knew it right away, that message wasn’t for him, but for Beck. It had to be… what? A Goodbye? He rushed for the piece of paper, letting his curiosity win.
If we ever meet again, I know you will break my skull with that bloody rifle, and I will be deserving of it. I have to leave. I’m sorry. I don’t expect you to forgive me. It is for your and the crew’s good. Mine too. I wasted enough of your time by being a burden, a complete disappointment, and only giving you a reason to worry about. I am an awful pupil. You deserve someone who isn’t as stubborn and stupid as me. I should’ve used everything I’ve learned from you more wisely, that is what I will try to do in the future with all my might. Thank you for that. In all my years, I think you were the first person I felt I could trust unconditionally, and look how I’m still betraying you. Someone that I fell in love with, but you already know that, don’t you? Gosh, I’m pathetic. Maybe I do want you to forgive me, even if it isn’t possible. Nevertheless, whether you do or not, I will think back to these last few months as the happiest time of my life, and cherish the memories all. If the crew asks, tell them the truth, that I’m a coward and a traitor. The truth. I ran away from you, from the crew, and from my past, because that is the only thing that I’m actually good at. Leave this one victory for me, please, don’t come after me. Just… know that I will always love you, let that be enough. Goodbye.
Shanks’ hand clenched, scrapping the paper. How the fuck dare you? Oh, you little brat. The audacity!? He threw the letter to the ground and charged out of the room in a rush, running up to the deck. His gaze scoured the ship, but you were nowhere to be found. Your presence was so frail that no observation haki could’ve detected it. He gritted his teeth nervously, peeking out to the seaport. There. You were preparing a little boat, a blanket wrapped around your head, barely standing. Shanks jumped right out of the Red Force, slowing his pace, since you clearly were in no shape to escape in time. How stupid did you have to be?
“What do you think you’re doing?” his voice was coarse, dark, threatening.
You froze, glancing at him in dread.
“Leaving.”
Your hands were shaking, just like your whole body. The fever was just as high as before, and you could barely see what you were doing. It wasn’t for the adrenaline that Shanks' closeness caused, you would’ve passed out.
“No. I forbid it.”
“You can no longer boss someone who isn’t part of your crew.”
“You are sick, obviously incapable of rational thought, so I cannot accept your resignation. Ergo, I can still tell you what to do.”
“Shut up!” with a desperate cry, you shook your head in protest. This was too much. Making the decision, trying to flee, facing him… You lost control over your emotions. “I’m done with the red hair pirates. I got everything I wanted from you. So, I have no reason to stay with you any longer. I took what I needed, and now I’m leaving.”
“You are lying!” Shanks fisted his hand. “I know that you want to stay, you are just afraid. And what about, what about Beck?” His tone, the pronunciation of the name, revealed the truth.
“D-did you read–?” as soon as the realization hit you, your body gave out. You would’ve collapsed to the ground if it wasn’t for Shanks, who swiftly burst in to catch you. Uselessly. You pushed him back, falling to the wooden port. “Leave!” You clutched your hands over your head, clinging to your hair. “I’m begging you, please,” the plea slipped out of your mouth as the tears began to roll down your cheeks.
“I won’t,” Shanks murmured quietly. “It’s Zauana, isn’t it?” Your whole being shivered at the word, just as he suspected. “Don’t worry, I won’t ask…” With a concerned look, he carefully reached down, lifting your frail body up gently. “We will never, ever go to that island, if that is what it takes to keep you here.”
“Why are you doing this?” you sobbed, shuddering. “I am useless.”
“I don’t have anyone in my crew because of their use. I just want to sail the sea with my friends, easy as that,” he explained calmly, looking at you with a caring glance, while he walked back onto the ship. “It might be one-sided, but I consider you my friend.”
“But I…” you sounded… broken. And you knew that you couldn’t be fixed. You hoped that if you’d reveal the truth, he could understand. Maybe he could let you go. “Shanks, I lied. I lied about everything. I am not who you think I am.” With your fingers trembling, you slowly flipped the blanket away from your body. You grabbed Shanks’ hand and slid it down under your pants… revealing your true identity. His eyes widened in confusion, not only by the unexpected action, but the unexpected sensation. Soft, wet flesh drew against his fingertips. Not a man’s dick. No-no.
“Where is–?” Beck’s yelling spread across the Red Force, as he sprinted to the main deck, spotting you in his captain’s arm with a flushed face and red cheeks. “What is…?
“He just wanted to take a walk,” Shanks yelped anxiously, pulling the blanket quickly over your body. “But we'd better go back.”
Without another word, Shanks timidly passed Beck, heading to the cabin in unease. This was… close. He tucked you into bed, but you were unconscious by that. The stress took a toll on you, taking away all your remaining energy.
“How could you let him get out?” Beck interrogated Shanks the minute he was done.
“He, khm–, he asked me nicely.”
“Yeah, and you should’ve said no! It’s crucial that he rests for now.”
“I know. I’m sorry,” Shanks nodded in agreement, then quickly fled from his vice-captain.
Beck was right, but Shanks didn’t have the guts to tell the truth. He had to keep your secret, didn’t he? This wasn’t something that… The whole crew knew that you had secrets, that you didn’t speak about your past, but a full disguise? Why did you have to hide that you were a woman? What the hell did you do? What other secrets did you have?
It took you more than a week to recover. For the first few days, you could barely talk, speak, or breathe. Acting like this was nothing, you were still weak, alarmingly so. Your senses slowly returned, so besides feeling the gentle rocking motion of the ship, suspecting to be on the open sea, you used your haki to spy on the crew from your bed. You could only sense faint and hazy flames of willpower, but detecting where everybody was seemed to be achievable. Lucky Roux was set in his kitchen as always, Bonk Punch and Monster occasionally breaking in to steal some treats. Yasopp spent his days playing poker with Limejuice and Rockstar, most likely losing all his money. Hongo was stuck in the small corner of a library on the lower deck, busy to find some new medicine to cure you. Not like wounds caused by haki could’ve been easily healed… Meanwhile, you could perfectly see the gleeful grimaces of Building Snake, who was robbed of his treasure, since the Red Force changed its trajectory. The one closest was Beck, who was leisureing in the cabin beside you silently. His presence was all you needed to stay motivated to stay alive. For now.
You had no idea what the future held for you… when were you supposed to leave for good.
Shanks’ whereabouts remained a mystery because he hid himself from you very well. He didn’t bother to visit you, but what you could’ve been sure of was that he kept your secret.
Days turned into a blur.
You regained your consciousness, and shortly, your appetite too. Lucky Roux wasted no time, sending you a new plate of food every hour. The dirty dishes covered the whole cabin by night. With your strength slowly returning, so did the burning desire to breathe some fresh air, to feel the salty ocean water spray on your face, the wind in your hair. The cabin became a cage that you couldn’t sneak out of. You knew that Shanks would keep an eye on you at all times, so you gave up the thought of trying to escape. For now.
“Where are we going now?” you asked the hundredth question from Beck, when Hongo finally allowed you to speak without limits.
“I’m not sure, actually.”
“Why?”
“We are aimlessly sailing at the moment. Captain’s orders,” he peeked at you, forestalling another question. “I think the Boss wants to wait with adventures until you recover.”
“Pff–” your cocky attitude was good as new.
“It’s for the better. He doesn’t want to leave you out of an adventure, nor do the others. Sometimes it is nice to take a break and slack off for a while.”
“I’ve been on a break for weeks…” you furrowed your brows.
“And you’ll still be on time out for just as much.”
“That’s overkill,” rolling your eyes, you turned to the wall of the bed. A nap was due. Before you’d have had time to think too much.
The crew made a celebration of your long-awaited comeback to the deck, their faces etched with joy and optimism. They welcomed you in a half circle, cheering like it was your birthday or something… Yet, your reaction…
A not-so-subtle blush dusted your cheeks, your arms shyly crossed before your chest. An unlikely response. But how else were you supposed to act?
“Oh, look, guys! He is getting flustered!” Yasopp yelled with a wide grin, pointing at you.
“No, I’m not,” your face twitched at the mere suggestion.
“What is this then?” he closed in to pinch your skin, a mischievous laughter as his companion.
“Shut up,” you sighed while the slight embarrassment was washed away by the sight of your friends cheering for you. It was overwhelming, foreign, and odd… but pleasant. “T-thank you.”
“Just get better, okay?”
That is what the wish was. Not too complicated in hindsight. You had to try your best to comply.
After you were allowed to roam around the ship freely, the recovery sped up exponentially. You were naturally forbidden from any draining physical activity, but not from talking… Turns out, you actually enjoyed getting to know each member of the crew better. Your grumpy, aloof personality seemed to be falling off of you, a much more annoying, fun-loving one taking its place. You spent a fair amount of time with everyone. Everyone except Shanks.
“It’s crazy how much Raion changed,” Yasopp muttered, helping out Beck with cleaning his rifle. Properly. “But I do sort of miss the bickering between him and the Boss. Don’t you?”
“I’m sure they’ll make up, if there is anything to make up in the first place.”
“The Boss is blaming himself, right? Does Raion blame him too? What the hell even happened that night? Why aren’t you telling us?” the sniper complained, grumbling. “I want to know. We all do.”
“Truthfully, I’m not sure.”
You and Shanks avoided each other like the plague. Not only the awkwardness of the whole thing with Iris, or the escaping part, but your… your secret was out. You could feel how he revaluated all your interactions, keeping in mind that you were a woman the whole time. Just the thought made you cringe. The drinking, the fighting, the competition… Not to mention that now he knew about your feelings toward Beck. Fuck, he read your love letter… You felt as if he was in your head, knowing everything about you that mattered. Why him? Why Shanks of all people?
The reunion was inevitable.
“What would Hongo say if he saw that?”
Shanks voice disturbed the peace of the storage like a knife, scaring you shitless. You quickly sat up from your weights, looking at him anxiously.
“What do you want?”
“You know…” he closed the door behind himself, while you crawled to the corner of the room. “Beck and I knew that this was your hiding spot, but maybe giving you privacy wasn’t such a good idea, since you are working out, despite all the warnings.”
Slamming the weights to the floor, you wrapped your arms around your body, wet from sweat. You should’ve guessed that he would come to you here. It was naïve of you to think there was any place you could’ve hidden from him on this ship.
“Why are you here?” you managed to spit it out, staring at the ceiling.
“I need to talk to you.” With a swift motion, he sat down in front of you, crossing his legs. “About… everything actually.”
“All I want to hear from you is when you will let me go. When will we part from the middle of the sea?”
“Tch–” he clenched his jaws tight, being annoyed in a heartbeat. “Why do you want to leave so badly? As I saw it, you were having a great time with the crew recently.”
“I am merely enjoying my last days on the ship. Using each one wisely.”
“Why throw away something that you enjoy?”
“You know why…” Your expression changed, your voice trailing to silence.
“I don’t. You are not telling me," he sounded serious. Eager. But you didn’t say anything… You didn’t even look at him. “Even if the fact that everyone wants you to stay isn’t enough, you still have to. You are not yet able to control your haki. If something happens again, and you’re alone, you’ll be dead. We can handle it. We want to…”
Briefly, you glanced at Shanks, just to see how earnest and kind he was. How weird…
“You don’t know anything about me…” you muttered, pulling your knees against your chest.
“I know what matters, the rest can come later. When you’re ready. Or not. Whatever you choose, I’m fine with that. What’s important, all I really,” he took a deep breath, repeating, “really want to know is that you’ll stay. One word, and the ship sails to the next island, if that is what you want. I won’t keep you a prisoner, but… I don’t want you to go.”
A spark of pain set in your chest, but it had nothing to do with your past injuries. It was a new, unpleasant sensation. Something irrational.
“I don’t know.”
“Right,” Shanks suddenly stood up unexpectedly. “You need more time, that is fine. I like some lazy floating on the ocean.”
“Ugh–” you grunted, irritated.
“Also…” Shanks hesitated before the door. “The whole being a woman thing… You did an excellent job hiding it. No need to worry, I won’t tell anyone, unless we have another showdown and it’s time to measure,” he winked teasingly.
This… idiot.
Chapter 7: Rebound
Summary:
Shanks, for once alone, has to keep things in order. But dealing with morons isn't as easy as Beck makes it seem to be.
Notes:
Heyy! Update time. <3
Thank you so much for the lovely comments! :') You guys are amazing!
I hope this humble chapter will not disappoint either. Enjoy!
Chapter Text
“Oi! Baby steps!”
“These are baby steps!” There were two giant weights in your hands, the size of a smaller refrigerator, as you got on the main deck.
“You know what? If Monster can’t lift them up, you can’t use them.”
It was a seemingly fair ultimatum, if you forgot about the fact that, by nature, Monster was a monkey. A great musician, a great decoy, but he wasn’t exactly cut out for weightlifting. As expected, he crawled up to Bonk Punch’s shoulders, refusing to participate.
“Come on, Monster! It isn’t as heavy as it looks!” You persuaded him in vain. “Please!”
“That settles it,” Beck slapped his palms together in satisfaction. “You should be happy I even let you train.”
Gosh, you were really grateful for that. Thinking back to the captain’s cabin and your weeks spent down there, a distinct type of nausea broke over you. You would’ve done anything to avoid it.
Going back to working out was a blessing. The iron clung against the stands with each set, the sweet sound echoing in your ears. Each rep was another wave of bliss, another piece of quiet. The sensation of your muscles burning, the sweat dripping down your forehead, it all added up to be your peace. Gaining back your strength was easier than you or the others suspected.
“Don’t be so sulky, Hongo. Raion is improving quickly, he's all healed.” Shanks joined the doctor to watch you and Beck train on the main deck. He was glad to have this hobby back.
“I can still be worried, can’t I?”
“Of course.”
“How long do you want to stay out here? I thought we would get going once Raion recovered,” Hongo peered at him, sort of suspiciously.
“Well, we are actually waiting for some folks,” Shanks grinned lightly, patting the back of the crew’s doctor. “We are going to have the best time, you’ll see.”
“What?”
“They’ll soon be here.”
The Night Butterfly Pirates, as their name would suggest, were most active after the sun set under the seas. Their ship was a large vessel, whose sails and hull were painted deep blue, difficult to spot in the night sky. The crew had exceptional vision in the dark, which only added to their great hiding ability. Well, if they tried… As an ally of the red hair pirates, they were famously weak.
It was late evening when the hoarse folk songs and drunken revelry poured from the distance. Little streaks of light broke over the sky, the fireworks flying over the Red Force. This was the night butterfly pirates' signature way to say hi.
“Boss! It’s Linaria!”
A joyful and festive smile grew wide on Shanks’ face as he rushed to the upper deck beside the rest of the crew.
The Butterfly Boat surged closer and the volume of their cheer grew in sync with the number of fireworks, dusting the starry sky with a bright bouquet of colors. This entrance was magical and unforgettable, no matter how many times the red hair pirates have seen it.
“Chief! Chief! Chief!” came the sharp, high-pitched scream from the ally ship.
“Linaria,” the girl’s name fell out of Shanks’ lips smoothly, with a hint of warmth.
She was the captain of the night butterfly pirates. A young, captivating beauty. Her features were blinding, her hazel eyes, heavy red lips, curly hair… A striped pirate coat might’ve covered her body, but she had to be perfect under that, too, no doubts.
Meanwhile, you were set at the top of the cross-mast, peeking down at the scene curiously.
“I’ve missed you soo– much!” she whined, jumping carelessly on board without a second thought. Her arms trapped Shanks in an instant, the hug squeezing his lungs dry. “Missed you…” she repeated, while he chuckled softly.
“Come on, you are crushing me, dear.” Shanks attempted to sneak out of her embrace, but he should’ve known that there was no way out of it. She was going to cling to him for the rest of the day. “It’s nice to see you, but you make it hard if you bury yourself in my chest.”
“Sorry,” she hummed, taking one quick glance at him. “But it’s been too long…”
“Yeah, yeah… Let’s catch up, how about that?”
“Yes!”
Most of the crew of the Red Force spread across the Butterfly Boat, where a feast was in full swing. Roasted pigs turned on spits, tankards of ale were passed around, and the thick smell of rum and sweat mixed. Monster and Punch played with the band of the night butterfly pirates, and the joyful music filled the air.
“Aren’t you coming?” Beck was the first to notice your absence, so he took it on himself to question you. “Rather, get off your ass and come already…” he inhaled a heavy load of smoke then blew it your way. “Hongo said you could drink, so don’t be a bore.”
“Can’t I not be in the mood?” with a sly pout, you snorted.
“Gee, let’s make a game of it then,” Beck rolled his eyes. “Some extra lessons.”
“Really?” You jolted your head, failing to disguise your excitement.
“On each occasion, when you successfully predict what a person will say or do next, you can add five pounds onto your weights.”
Hell yeah.
“Deal!”
With the newfound enthusiasm, you jumped up, ready to head out. Stepping across the planks between the two pirate ships, the singing and chaotic chatter seemed louder, but the noise level dropped momentarily when the crowd spotted your arrival. Like a stone dropped into a still pond. All eyes followed your every move, scanning your unfamiliar figure. The crew’s allies spoke behind your back, the gossip washing over them quickly.
“This won’t make it easy,” you murmured back towards Beck, who enjoyed the façade. Tricking you here was his main initiative, actually teaching you fell only second.
“Blame your looks, not me,” he chuckled lightly. “Hard to hide in the center of attention, huh?”
“But not impossible,” with a confident nod, you strolled further, helping yourself to a mug of ale. You had to blend in, so they would let you practice on your own…
“H-hi!” The whisper was weak and powerless. “I’m Fae!”
You looked down and found a short, skinny girl on your side. Her height matching your stomach, her hair reaching down to her thighs. She was a cute creature of a fairytale. Too young to be a pirate, too young to approach someone like you.
“Raion,” you introduced yourself lazily, unsure how to act. She seemed to be a nice girl that you didn’t want to be rude to, but training interested you much-much more.
“Are you new? I am…” She took a small step toward you. Yeah, it was clear why she was nervous. “I’m not used to this lifestyle yet… Do you know what we are supposed to do?”
Your lips curved into a lighthearted smile. “Just have fun.”
The girl took a big gulp and fisted her hands courageously.
This reminder was due. For her and for you.
Involuntarily, your view drifted towards the middle of the deck, where Shanks sat with Linaria on his lap. From here, they made an impression of a couple in love. It made you wonder if Shanks had long-term girlfriends other than the spare hookups he was chasing. Maybe this woman was one of them. She caressed his chest gently, her fingers poking under his shirt, while her head nestled on his shoulder. There was an unmistakable spark in Linaria’s gaze, most would’ve addressed as adoration. Or something more.
“Have you heard of their story?” Fae distracted you from your distraction.
“No.”
“What I know is that when the captain was just a child, Shanks saved her life. Ever since that, Shanks is all she thinks or speaks about.”
“Ha? So, liking Shanks is a requirement in your crew?” you babbled, making the girl laugh on accident.
“Isn’t it in yours too?”
“No. I wouldn’t be on the ship otherwise,” the confession was truthful, but quite outrageous. “I guess I have no chance to join you.”
“That might be true,” she fluttered her lashes, seeking your glimpse persistently. She acted like most young girls used to, who had the guts to approach you. This was nothing new. What was new? You suddenly had no reason to be nice to her, yet you just couldn’t reject her. The pure innocence got the best of you.
“Do you know how to use haki?”
Fae froze for a second, being startled by the unfitting question.
“N-no…” she muttered shyly, quite coy of her lack of talent.
“Do you want to help me practice?”
The girl’s joyless face suddenly brightened. Maybe with less intensity, but yours did too. Since you didn’t want to send her away, this was a great compromise. You've got to train your haki, and she had the chance to stay next to you.
“Of course! But how?”
“There is a game… well, a lesson, when using observation haki, I theoretically can predict what others will do or say. Why don’t you point to someone on the ship, and I’ll try to guess their next action.”
“Right!” she nodded, reassured, scouring the deck, taking this more seriously than you even. “What will that bulky man eat next? Can you sense that?”
Fae was referring to Lucky Roux, one of the most dependable people that you have ever met. Excellent start. There were a few plates in front of him, so your options were at the very least limited. You closed your eyes and relaxed your muscles. The noises of the party slowly blurred into a continuous note, then silence. You shifted your focus from your own self to the other side of the deck, where you could sense the crew’s life energies, but blocking out the rest, you concentrated all your attention on the core of Roux’s aura. Out of the sudden, you could feel his warmth, his breathing, the blood pumping in his veins… then his thoughts.
“Chicken,” you stated, after examining his intentions. You loved the guy, but his mind was a little single-edged.
“Oh my god,” Fae’s jaw nearly fell on the floor as Roux grasped the chicken wing, munching it up with one bite. “I can’t believe it! That was amazing!”
“No, it’s–“ a subtle shade of pink set on your cheeks as she praised you so enthusiastically. “What’s next?”
The game went on for longer than you expected. Astonished, you discovered how great a company this girl actually was. She managed to make the night fun and took the pressure of performing well off your shoulders. Winning, or scoring, wasn’t the main point of your practice. By the end, Fae made more and more ridiculous requests. The last one being…
“Okay, now…” she hesitated momentarily. “What will I say next?”
“Wait, that’s…?”
She reached to swipe your eyelids down, forcing you to comply. With a lazy grin, you activated your observation haki, which enhanced rapidly, then gathered all your senses toward her. Fae and her…
It’s been a long while since you felt this way. Her whole character loomed in front of you, in complete honesty. Her feelings became yours, and with that, now you were the young little girl who had the biggest crush on a lawless pirate. That hazy buzzing, the butterflies twirled in your stomach, while a heavy weight pushed down on your chest. With a frantic beat, your heart raced, just like your emotions. How silly, how sweet.
You could hear the words repeating in her mind over and over again. One, you’ve heard a thousand times before, but now… you could understand their depth. This wasn’t about lust or desire, it was something much more innocent. A person who had their feelings overflow, not expecting a single thing in return. Fae was happy to spend these hours with you, appreciating every single look you gave her, every smile, every laugh. The need to make you happy was so much more dominant than the opposite of that. And all of this… had an unexpected effect on you.
Slowly, you opened your eyes, your vision confined to nothing but her, the nervous, flustered girl before you. After careful consideration, you decided to return the honesty. Slightly differently. Your hand rose up to gently stroke the side of her face, then slip behind her neck. Just when you were about to lean in for the kiss, the remaining part of your haki, which you thought you had abandoned, awakened by the deafening heartbeat of a certain person. From the other side of the deck, you sensed Shanks mentally gasp, watching you kiss a girl. Another girl. Like yourself. Gosh… Changing directions, you placed a small kiss on her cheek. Fuck. You forgot how he knew…
“I’m sorry, you’re just too cute. The answer is yes, of course,” with a soothing voice, you purred into her ear, worsening her blush. Fae quickly covered the spot with her palm, glancing at you lovingly. You, and you could barely believe it, didn’t lie.
“This is your first strike,” she staggered timidly.
“Hm–?”
“You didn’t let me say it out loud, so it doesn’t count as a foreseen the future…”
“True,” you chuckled smugly. “So, my next prediction is that you will return the gesture.” Well, you didn’t need haki to know that much.
“Ouch,” Linaria winced in pain, as Shanks’ side-hug became a tight grip.
“S-sorry!” he apologized in a rush, uselessly.
“No! You can do absolutely what you want,” the pirate giggled, snuggling closer to him. “Anything, really.”
“Ah–,” Shanks groaned, a little annoyed by now. Unfortunately, unlike Linaria, his love for her had certain limits. “Beck, did you see that?”
“What?” Beck grunted, smoking his fifth pack of cigarettes. “Oi, Raion? The kid is having fun. How about it?”
Yeah, Shanks also forgot about the fact that no one besides him knew about your true identity. Now, he felt guilty for having any problems with you kissing other girls. Who was he to judge? It just… caught him by surprise? Or maybe there was something else affecting him? Not just the surprise?
“I’m just glad he does. He did really recover finally.”
“Who? Who is Raion?” Linaria cut into their exchange curiously.
“He is Beck’s pupil, the newbie of the crew.”
Identifying you by your name wasn’t a big task, since your hair was still all over the place, messy like a lion’s mane. But tolerating what you were doing was much less easy for Linaria. Her brows wrinkled, and a vicious frown formed on her face. Her protective self suddenly overwrote her endlessly devoted love for Shanks.
“Why is that scum talking to my sister?” she growled like an actual lion.
“S-she is your sister?” Shanks leaned back to see Linaria’s bloodlust. This side of her seriously scared him. Like a switch was flipped. From angle to demon.
Beck didn’t waste a single second, he fired his rifle right at you, mere moments before Linaria got up to set you on fire. You noticed the shot just in time, catching the bullet with a hand glowing by armament haki.
“Hey! This could’ve killed me!” you yelled, but were met with the most terrifying expression ever seen. Fae’s sister was an inch away from a blow, you could sense it. But… you didn’t know why. “What’s your problem, lady?” Like an idiot, you glanced at Linaria in a condescending manner.
“Wait! No! He didn’t mean it like that!”
Disregarding Shanks' protest, Linaria got up, pacing toward you with zeal. As a reflex, you took a stable stance, shoving Fae behind yourself instinctively for her safety. The girl really didn’t have time to argue.
“I invite you to my ship. Share my booze, share my food with you, and this is how you show gratitude? Playing with my little sister? How dare you?” First, it was a threat, later a maniacal laugh.
You briefly peeked at Fae, recognizing the family resemblance. Unimportant.
“Are you blind? I was only friendly, well…” not even you could get away with phrasing it like that.
“He didn’t do anything wrong!” came the weak objection from behind you. “Leave him alone!”
“You have no say in this, sis. Get away from him!”
“Who are you to order her around? She has the freedom to decide who she wants to talk to.”
From the outside, this wasn’t looking good. No, no. You were hot-headed with severe anger issues, but she was a mentally unstable psycho. If hell were to break loose, this had to be the trigger. There was no way you could settle this in peace on your own. The tension grew in the air expeditiously, while the crews watched the danger unfold. Knowing the two opponents, this had to be the worst possible match-up.
So… Shanks had to intervene.
“Lina…” he whispered softly, grabbing Linaria’s arm. “Please, don’t do this.”
Shanks might’ve had the power to calm her down, but not you.
“Oh, she can do it alright. Unless she is a coward.”
“That was enough.” The rifle hit your temple precisely, knocking you out with a swing. “Gee…” Beck scowled while Fae leaned over your unconscious body, panicking. “He is fine, don’t worry.”
Later, you woke up at the stern of the ship, lying between Shanks and Beck. The smoke crept into your lungs, scraping them dry.
“Mmm-hm–,” you groaned, scratching your forehead where the blow left a nasty mark. “Why did you…?”
“You kind of deserved it,” Shanks sighed, tipping his head against the wooden wall he rested against.
“I wasn’t playing with her.” Sitting up, you snatched the cigarette from Beck, inhaling the smoke, now on purpose. It wasn’t too bad when you actually wanted it.
“Really?” They both glared at you judgmentally.
“I wasn’t! I didn’t even… We just talked, what’s wrong with that? And since when do you care? Like you don’t do much more heinous things…”
“Tch…” Shanks hissed.
“You should still leave this one alone. I wouldn’t mess with Linaria, she is a little crazy. Why don’t you two go back to bickering or something? That’d distract you.” Beck Beckmann, the peacemaker.
“So, you’re giving me the job of the babysitter?” Shanks nudged his elbow in response, but that remark earned a rather hard hit on the head from you.
“I don’t need a babysitter, the hell are you talking about? I’m not a kid!”
“Are you sure?” Shanks raised a brow smugly, bringing out your anger even more. “Wanna bet?”
“No. You are both just taunting me, I’ve had enough of your games,” you refused to be manipulated. Almost.
“Good, because you’d definitely lose in a drinking contest.”
Your ears pricked up in milliseconds upon hearing the challenge. Oh, you knew this was a trick. They were clearly playing with you, but… The undeniable urge to beat up Shanks was just too strong, dammit.
“Alright. Let’s bet. I’m gonna annihilate you,” you jumped up with a firm momentum, spurring him to take care of this. “The loser will have to be mute for a whole week.”
Beck burst out laughing as you set the stakes of the competition. This had to be his absolute favorite bet he has ever witnessed.
“I’m in,” with a snarky grin, Shanks accepted.
Yeah, this was going to be fun.
The pirate ship’s timbers creaked under your feet as you and Shanks stomped up to the main deck. No one quite knew what was coming, but the atmosphere between you two indicated some action. The red hair pirates recognized those glints in your eyes, sparks of rivalry. Finally. Back to normal. After sitting down at a table in the middle, the crowd formed around you. Roux and Yasopp stacked the surface with mugs filled with booze, giggling like children.
“Ready?” Shanks winked at you teasingly, but you already had a smug smirk on.
“I can’t wait to hear not a single word out of you for a week. Prepare yourself.”
The both of you clutched the handles of your mugs, trembling in excitement.
“Go!”
Shanks downed his rum in a single, fluid motion, just like you, swallowing the burning liquid. Fire began to heat up your belly, but you could manage. When it came to alcohol, you weren’t the worst at taking it, not since you gained enough weight. Shanks on the other hand, could drink, but rum did wear on him after a while. Not physically, per se, but rather mentally. He usually got a little too cocky after a few mugs.
“You are doing great, sweetie,” he babbled, trying to annoy you.
“Watch and learn,” with a demonstration as a response, you gulped down some more, burping under the pressure on your throat. “You better catch up or you’ll lose.”
The crews cheered and jeered, encouraging. They were well entertained, to say the least. The more they enjoyed the show, the more it all wore on you. Your face reddened, and your movements wobbled. Once steady and stable, your hands now shook. You could feel the feverish heat on your skin by now, not to mention the nausea in your stomach. This was hell.
However, your pride could’ve never taken another loss.
Fortunately, Shanks was in the exact same state. His vision turned blurry, his demeanor dim. His chin fell to the table when he could no longer support himself. Yet, he was too stubborn to quit. His head remained smashed to the wood, while he poured the rum from his mug right into his mouth.
“P-agh-thetic,” you stuttered, your figure swaying with the waves of the tide. “Just give up already.”
“Nuh-uh,” he spoke confidently for a person who couldn’t even sit. “’M gonna beat ya.”
“Pff…” you scoffed in disgust. Very appropriately. Your stomach twisted and grumbled, drowning in alcohol. This had to be your last chance. Grabbing the remaining mug on the table, you tried to gulp it down in one go, but… “Shit.” You ran to the railings of the ship and puked into the ocean, poisoning a shoal of fish with the booze nearby. Wiping your mouth, you glanced back at Shanks, who was similarly lying in his own barf.
The crowd was cracking up, laughing like they were on the brink of death and this was their only shelter. The sharp noise and your lack of clear blood caused your fainting. Inevitably.
You and Shanks were dropped down to the lower deck, barely awake. They only threw you one bucket that you had to share. Really. There were no words spoken, you just puked into the bucket in sync. This was the most repulsive thing that has ever happened to you, but it couldn’t have been helped. You were both morons.
“I liked this,” Shanks yawned, spread out on the wooden floor flat on his back.
“Shut up, would you?” the alcohol induced headache crowed at you.
“I didn’t lose. It was a draw,” he explained with ease. “But you can try again if you stay on the Red Force, you know.”
“Is that your best argument? I should stay with the crew so that I can win a drinking contest against you? That sounds silly…”
Caught up in a burp, Shanks giggled softly in agreement. “Maybe.”
“Why don’t you want me to go? Why do you care?” This question has been bothering you from the moment he stopped you before, and it has only grown since then. You were never nice to Shanks, and were quite surprised he even let you join. So why?
“I have plenty of reasons,” he sighed deeply. “I think one of the most important is probably that I want the best for Beck. He likes you a lot, and I wouldn’t let his friend slip away because of her stupidity. You might think that this decision is rational, but it simply isn’t. I think you are just scared. I don’t know what of, but whatever it is, I can't imagine being too hard to handle. Not for us.”
“You don’t understand…”
“It’s hard to understand something that makes no sense.”
With a twitch on your brows, you slammed your fist on his stomach, making him gag, then barf into the bucket. He deserved it. You did too. Because of the sudden movement, your belly swooped and flipped, so you had to join in with Shanks over the iron bucket. You both desperately clung to its edges, coughing and gagging dramatically. Your eyes locked over the disgusting amount of vomit, and losing your control, you started to laugh with him involuntarily. This was a crappy yet hilarious moment you shared. Something unexpected.
Chapter 8: Retrieve
Summary:
A particular letter ends up in unfortunately particular hands.
Notes:
Okay, buckle up, folks, we are getting into the thick of it. >:) <3 Important chapter storywise.
Chapter Text
You most definitely didn’t think the next day would turn out the way it did. Not only because you woke up on the floor of an unfamiliar ship, but that was a fitting beginning.
You struggled to open your eyes. The sloppy and disconnected memories from the night drifted from left to right, and your foggy mind wasn’t able to comprehend it all. The only sure thing was the dull, persistent headache. Gosh, you were hungover.
“Morning,” Shanks noticed your awakening, having the same troubles himself.
“Where are we?” you muttered coarsely, wiping your face.
“You don’t remember? This is the night butterfly pirates’ ship.”
“Oh, right,” now it started to come back. “Did they really just throw us down here to rot?”
“Can you blame them? We smell like shit,” he chuckled, then held his head in pain. “And whatever you do, don’t look in the bucket.”
Now, why did he have to say it that way? If Shanks was forbidding something, it suddenly became your biggest desire. So, why did you have to peek in the thing and see and smell the layers of barf? You quickly covered your mouth and nose with your palms, jumping away from the bucket. Ew…
“Can you be any more predictable?” he mocked you with a mischievous laugh.
“You don’t want me to pour it on you, do you?” Gesturing towards the bucket, you pouted.
“No-no-no!” Shanks’ smile faded, knowing well how you would actually do it. “I take it back!”
When you were just about to get up, the door swung open, the sharp nose stabbing through your temple.
“Boss!” Yasopp yelled with a shaky voice. “We have a problem!”
“Can you be… just a bit less loud?” Shanks waved his hand. “What is it?”
“We can’t find him, but this was on Beck’s hammock.” he gave his captain a scrap of paper that you and Shanks read at the same time.
I went to get the little brat. Be back soon.
The message was direct. Plain and simple. Yet, it had to be bogus for the others.
“Fuck…” Shanks cursed, even so, when you punched him on the back of the neck.
“You didn’t throw it away! He found it, right? Ah, you dumbass!” with an annoyed and slightly panicked expression, you headed for the deck, not wasting a single minute.
“Wait!” Shanks called after you. “I’m coming with you.” He messed up, big time.
The both of you burst through the ally ship while the rest of the crew followed you in confusion. They couldn’t have a clue about what was happening, naturally.
You began to prepare a spare boat on the Red Force, while Shanks informed the others about your rescue mission.
“No, no. It’s just me and Raion, okay? We’ll soon return with Beck, don’t worry about us.”
“But why? Why can't we…?”
“I am going on my own,” you declared as the boat splashed on the sea beside the ship. “See you soon!”
“Aghh–,” Shanks grumbled and jumped on the boat effortlessly. “I told you, I’m coming.”
“I don’t need you. This is all your fault!” With all your power, you rowed.
“Gosh…” Shanks looked back at the Red Force as the little boat swam on the water. The crew lined up on the side of the rails, watching you disappear on the horizon. This was all so fast, he didn’t even apprehend it.
“Why couldn’t you burn it or just…?” with a face full of doubts, anger, and emotions, you hissed at him.
“I’m sorry,” Shanks apologized earnestly. “But now you can see what would’ve happened if you had left. I am not the only one who wants you in the crew. You shouldn’t be surprised that Beck ran after you. Not with that letter you wrote. A love confession has a certain effect on a man,” he muttered softly. “I don’t know how he feels about you, but…”
“Stop,” with a hurtful pair of eyes, you paused your frantic paddling. “I don’t care about that. Any of that.”
Shanks decided not to push the topic, it wasn’t his business after all. But… he couldn’t deny that he had an enigmatic knot in his stomach and lump in his throat. Odd.
The road seemed like an endless eternity. The wind whipped across the sea, being yet another obstacle over the distance. Not to mention the temperature dropping immensely. A nasty gray color painted the sky, while the freezing air burned your skin. If the adrenaline hadn’t returned your energy, you would’ve gotten stuck in the middle of the sea, helpless. The closest destination was a winter island. The mesmerizing silhouette of the snowy mountains emerged, and a little village next to the shore. Finally. You tied the boat to a nearby cliff, then ventured towards the village for shelter.
Travelling for years, you have never felt this cold in your life. Your body was shivering, numb from the torturous weather. After finding a tiny tavern, you and Shanks raced to the chimney, then fell asleep in the fire’s warm embrace. Quite pathetic, to be honest.
“H-hey!” a tender voice disturbed your rests. “Are you okay?” Your eyes lazily opened, and spotted an old lady staring at you. “Can I get you anything to eat? You look pretty worn down.”
“Yes!” Shanks grunted quickly.
“I wasn’t talking to you,” she grimaced at him viciously. “Pirate.”
“That would be really nice, thank you!” pondering about the sudden change of heart, you answered the lady.
“Let’s get you something warm, son.”
The old woman sat you down and presented a handful of plates for you, but only gave some bread to Shanks. He jealously watched you eat roasted pork and hot chocolate. But it was his bad for looking like a scary pirate. But the mystery solved itself as to why the lady disliked the lawless.
“You know, we had another pirate this dawn. He didn’t bother to pay. God, I hate pirates.”
Shanks locked eyes with you, realizing that you didn’t have any money either. That sucked, but gaining some information on Beck, who must’ve been the other pirate was still useful.
“Where was he headed? Maybe we can teach him a lesson or two.”
“Ahw–, how nice of you,” with a kind smile, she patted you back. “He was set on going to the mountains. There is a famous training ground on top, I presume he wanted to challenge the masters up there. How stupid…” she giggled.
There it was.
“Thank you. We might just visit and meet him up there.”
Finishing your meal, you and Shanks sneaked out and escaped from the fury of the old lady, who found another reason to hate pirates.
“She didn’t say how far it was,” you stuttered in the snow, pulling the thick fabric of your stolen coat around your chest. “Beck must be much faster than us. Will we even catch up to him?”
“He has to take a break at the top.”
You hiked through the icy forests all day until you were totally exhausted. The hungover was still present, and neither of you had too much strength to spare. After a few petty arguments, you decided to take a stop at an empty cave in the side of the mountain. You sparked a fire and nestled on each side of it.
“You are still mad at me, right?” Shanks whispered quietly, his blurry mind being finally able to speak the truth, his concern.
“It would be easier to sleep if you wouldn’t be talking, don’t you think?” you sulked grumpily, balling up to save every bit of warmth.
“I told you, I’m sorry.”
“I am not more mad at you than I usually am, if you hadn’t noticed.”
“Huh–,” with a muffled laugh, he took a glimpse at you. “I like that about you.”
“Tch–, shut up already!” You were so easy to annoy, it was comical.
“But I can’t even relax. It’s too cold,” he whined, slightly shuddering.
“Get closer to the fire,” the advice would’ve been right if you hadn’t had the same trouble. But you couldn’t, wouldn’t admit that.
“We should cuddle. For the warmth.” Truthfully, this was what you were both thinking about.
“Are you crazy–?”
“Come on, it’s just body warmth, nothing else. Would you rather freeze to death? Be honest!” Shanks tried to convince you eagerly.
“Exactly.” You were strict and unshakable. Well… As a few minutes passed, you were not only shakable, you were trembling, your teeth chattering.
Gosh… Shanks just couldn’t listen to your struggle anymore. He stood up, then lay behind your back, wrapping his arm tightly around you with such force that you didn’t stand a chance to escape.
“What are you doing? Get away! I told you no!” The resistance was in vain.
“I heard you, but I don’t care. Accept it.”
You hissed, wiggled, and kicked, but there was no way out of his strong grip, he pinned you down effortlessly. You had to admit that his body heat was so warm, so pleasant… You could feel his breath on your neck, and soon his leg crossing over yours. This man was…
“Are you aware of how ridiculous this is?” you yelped in frustration.
“Just imagine it’s Beck, or something.”
Your jaw clenched together tensely. You could’ve killed him right there and then without a single regret. Your mind thought this moment was a scene from a nightmare, yet your body said otherwise. Oh, you hated that.
“Whatever happens, you can never tell a soul,” you threatened him with a menacing tone.
“I won’t, I promise.”
You couldn’t help but raise your brows. He gave you no teasing, no joking, just a promise. That wasn’t like him. You expected him to taunt you with this for the rest of your life, but he showed no sign of that. Odd.
Your bodies held together snugly, protecting you from the freezing temperature. It was a cozy and warm hug that made you feel safe. For some reason. You fell asleep as soon as you closed your eyes. You wished the morning could’ve gone so smoothly as well.
When the sun finally rose and the frail rays of light found their way into the cave, you woke up. Fully charged. Your muscles were full of energy, and your lungs were ready to take on the mountain. The only thing… There was something poking you from behind. A firm bump pressing against your ass. It took you a while to register the strange bulge, but when you did…
“You disgusting pervert!” With a swift motion, pushing Shanks away, you jumped up. “What the fuck?!”
“Ha-ha–, I was wondering when you would notice,” Shanks burst out laughing hysterically. “It’s just a morning boner, calm down,” he continued, but didn’t get away without you kicking some ashes in his direction. “I can’t control that. It has nothing to do with you, believe me.”
You crossed your arms before your chest, looking to the side, while a faint blush, barely visible, covered your cheeks. “You are disgusting.”
“Sure-sure. But I didn’t expect you to be such a prudent…” Shanks smirked at you mischievously, but you didn’t bother to partake in the conversation any longer.
When you continued your journey in the morning, the sky cleared up at last. The dark and ominous sight of the mountains turned into a rather charming scene. The air was filled with the sweet scent of pine, and the snow-covered trees glimmered in the light. Nevertheless, as you climbed higher, the forest thinned, giving way to a rocky expanse. Loose rocks tumbled beneath your feet, and the hiking became climbing.
You should’ve focused on the road ahead, but you couldn’t help peeking at Shanks and how much his endurance exceeded yours. There was nothing else, you had to make this a competition, too. With a powerful momentum, you jumped above the cliff, leaving him behind. So, you thought… Shanks had to follow you. After a few more of these immature fits, he had to comment on it.
“If you want a race, all you have to do is say it,” he smirked at you confidently.
“I wouldn’t want to humiliate you.”
“Are you this scared of losing?”
You gave no sign, no warning, simply rushed forward in zeal. Shanks ran after you, keeping up precisely. One thing… he might’ve had more perseverance, but you were a better sprinter. To your luck, your destination was close enough for you to be able to keep up the relentless pace.
You won.
At last, you stood on the peak of the mountain. The world spread out before you like a vast, breathtaking canvas. The clouds were spread under you, hiding anything from your eyes. You have never seen anything like this. Nature was bloody beautiful.
“We should take a break here,” Shanks hummed gently, resting on the edge of a cliff. “I rarely meet the sea’s big brother.”
“Hm, right. There is a resemblance,” you agreed, taking a seat next to him. “Both quite stunning.”
“You are not afraid, are you? We will find Beck, for sure.”
“I know… He is most likely leisureing somewhere with a cigarette.”
“You don’t idealize him too much,” Shanks chuckled at your perfect prediction, since he could already sense his presence nearby.
“Do you think that he’ll be mad at me?” you shyly glanced at him.
“I would look out for the rifle if I were you,” he referenced your letter, to your surprise. “You can't just leave someone you love that easily without a proper explanation. Be honest, you would’ve run after him, or anyone from the crew, in the opposite situation.”
“Yes…” The remorseful whisper rolled out of your lips as you realized that he was right.
“But… I still believe that you could have your reasons. You don’t owe us the truth, but you should know by now that you can trust us. Me, Beck, the crew… We are all here for each other. That is friendship.”
You nodded, then sank into the moment in silence.
When you wrote that letter, you didn’t bother to imagine how it would be read. How would Beck react? What would he do? None of the possibilities crossed your mind. All you focused on was leaving. What you actually wanted was for the crew to have their peace and happiness without you. Your wish was to see them sail the sea safely, with no danger like you on board.
Now that it happened, you knew it could've been predicted. What, like Beck wouldn’t crash out after hearing about your feelings and escape? In reality, he crashed out so hard that his observation haki didn’t pick up on your drunken, faint presence, and he fled to find you. It all made sense. Why? Because you would've done the exact same thing.
You couldn’t do this… You couldn’t run away from Beck, Shanks, and the crew. It hurt them, like it would’ve hurt you. For the love of god…
Stay.
“Let’s go!”
On the top of the mountain, a secluded building peeked out of the layers of snow. The roof was a sweeping curve of dark wood, while the walls had large glass panels, and a wooden deck wrapped around it all. The exterior wasn’t even close to something like a training ground. Much less than the inside. Tatami mats covered the floors, and shoji screens, translucent and papered, separated the space, each room smelling like lavender and herbs. This was… an onsen?
“How is your haki doing?” Shanks glanced at you at the lobby, referring to Beck, who was currently, as you predicted, slacking off.
“I can sense him… that bastard…” You hissed. For once, what kind of rescue was this? Second, he had to feel your energy as well, so he could’ve come out of the bath, but no. “Uh, we can join him for all I care.”
Fortunately, Beck was staying in one of the private rooms, where you hopefully didn’t have to get naked just to meet him, but gosh… why did he have to make this so awkward?
You undressed behind the curtains, hiding from Shanks, obviously. But the sheer bathrobe was still too uncomfortable to wear in front of him. Not like he looked… but still. The two of you walked into Beck’s bath, and after a deep breath, you were ready for that punch, kick, knock, whatever…
Yet…
When you stepped one foot in, you suddenly felt his arms pull you against his chest, trapping you in a tight embrace. He was wet, naked, and somehow still smelled of tobacco. You couldn’t care less.
“I-I’m sorry,” you uttered with a trembling voice as your tears gathered on the sides of your eyes. “I don’t want to leave. I want to stay with you, Beck,” you cried out in desperation, making him tighten his hold, resting his chin on the top of your head.
“You little shit. I would never let you go. I would’ve searched the whole Grand Line for you, kid.”
“Thank you,” sobbing, panting, you looked up at him. A gentle smile.
“But don’t do anything like this again, okay?” Beck sighed deeply, letting you bury your face in the nook of his neck. “You seriously freaked me out.”
“I won’t, I swear.”
“Ah–, you crybaby,” he chuckled, hugging you affectionately, giving you time to cry it out for as long as you wanted to.
It definitely took a while… You just couldn’t help it… the man you loved forgave you without hesitation.
“Now, let’s get in the water, kid. The travel had to be exhausting,” Beck urged you, out of goodwill.
“No, I–“You had plenty of excuses, because the last thing you needed was to expose yourself after all this. The lies, the secrets, the betrayal…
“Just get in,” he hummed, before slamming his hand against your torso, shoving you into the bath in your robe.
“Really?” you spat out the hot water that filled your mouth, then folded your arms over your chest nervously.
“You don’t have to hide that you were born a woman, you know,” he stepped in, his giant body sinking under the surface. A bright blush crept over your face as you became embarrassed. “I’ve been aware of it for some time. If the crew weren’t sharing one same braincell, everyone would know by now.”
He truly accepted you. As you were. Something you struggled with at every waking hour. Not him. Was he an idiot? It didn’t matter.
“How?” you asked him timidly, lowering your arms accordingly.
“There were a few clues,” Beck chuckled smugly, but didn’t explain. “I have a hunch that the Boss knows it, too.”
“Y-yeahh… where is he, anyway?” Glimpsing around the room, Shanks was nowhere to be found.
Shanks, well… Shanks simply couldn’t handle seeing you and Beck, easy as that. It took him a second to watch you collapse into Beck’s arms, and an unbearable ache settled in his core. He couldn’t tell what it was, or why he had to run away, but on the verge of fainting… Shanks needed some fresh air. It had to be the steam and the drastic change of temperature. Nothing else… Yet, he could only return after half an hour.
“I’m coming in, so you better be done with the deed,” he stepped into the room, his palm covering his eyes.
“You know we would never start that without you, Boss,” Beck chuckled, teasing him back. Shanks miserably needed the scene to turn playful, and his friend knew that all too well.
When he removed his hand, Shanks could see you two smiling at him invitingly. He wasn’t a burden, nor a candle holder. Thank god.
“Good,” he exhaled in ease, hopping into the water to relax his muscles. The feeling was divine. “Did you… talk it out?”
“Sure,” you muttered quietly, tilting your head slightly to reveal the testament of that, a giant red bruise in the middle of your forehead.
Shanks began to laugh cheerfully, slowly forgetting about that painful ache.
You stayed at the onsen for the rest of the night, booking a room, then sleeping in peace, sheltered from the elements. This time, you didn’t have to cuddle with Shanks or Beck, which really was a blessing. You didn’t hate the evening that you spent together, the three of you. Occasionally bickering with the captain, having Beck split you up like children. It was an entertaining dynamic that you missed so much, ever since the incident and the coma. The memories that you wrote about in your letter were multiplying by the minute, with each joke and each tease. This might’ve been the right decision all along.
“I have to kill my mother.”
The warm and earthy water took all the energy out of the three of you. Each collapsing to the one, enormous bed in the room, you couldn’t give a crap about the implications of sharing it. There was enough space for every one of you. No complaints.
Yet… when the morning came.
First, Shanks and Beck could only feel a strange sense of pressure building up in the air, then the gravity began to increase. The heavyweight pushed both deep into the mattress, almost completely preventing them from moving. It almost squashed their lungs together, making breathing rather challenging. It would’ve turned grim if it wasn’t for their instincts immediately kicking in. Your haki was flooding over the room, since you couldn’t contain it in yourself as you slept. This led to an involuntary outburst, so all they had to do was wake you up. As soon as possible.
From the middle of the bed, Beck mercilessly slammed his fist into your stomach, so you gagged and nearly puked yourself awake.
“What the–?”
You clearly had no idea what just happened, and they kind of shared the same sentiment.
“Not good,” Beck inhaled deeply, while his captain flicked his fingers, glancing at you.
“Did you have a nightmare?” Shanks asked you with his cracking morning voice.
“N-no? I mean, I don’t remember,” you spoke truthfully, but their expression worried you. “Did something happen? Did I…?”
Shanks and Beck locked eyes for a second, pondering just what to tell you. This was the first time they were sure of that. A fit like this, and you would send half of the crew to a coma. That is where the danger came from. Unfortunately, no laughing matter.
“You were snoring,” Shanks faked a yawn as a distraction.
“Really?” You furrowed your brows in disbelief. “That’s why you had to wake me up?” After the sassy complaint, you snuggled back to your corner, hiding your head under the pillow. Oblivious… Thank god.
The other two sneaked out of the room the moment you fell back to sleep.
“What the hell?” Shanks cursed, biting his nails stressfully.
“It had to be a bad dream. I have no other explanation, Boss.”
“But why doesn’t she remember? We both know that was not a lie. If someone else had been there… If they didn’t wake her…” he was staggering and shuddering. His worry slipped from the possible victims to you, alarmingly fast. Yet, Shanks was right, this incident wasn’t the most dangerous to the bystanders, but to you. Not having an outlet for such power could kill you, simply.
“Yeah. This is a problem. We have to make sure it never happens again,” Beck could keep his cool, despite being worried sick about your crap. “I’m not sure how to accomplish that, though…”
“Wouldn’t that help if…” Shanks’ curiosity shone through. “If she told us about what is bothering her? To let it all out?”
“Ehh–,” Beck stroked his hair back, jolting his head to the left. “Maybe? But our best bet is still to wait. If we force the truth out of her, we might cause more harm than good. Patience has to be the key. I will never let Raion go, ever again.”
“Yeah, me neither…” Shanks peeked back into the room, staring at your silhouette.
Chapter 9: Awe
Summary:
After months passed, the red hair pirates schemed an adventure. Too bad another crew had the same idea.
Notes:
Hey guys! I am so sorry for not posting yesterday! I was travelling all day to fight with bureaucracy with my 80+ yo mildly racist granny. When I got home and tried to post at 11pm, AO3 was down so I basically gave up, I'm sorry. T-T
Well, anywayyyy... Let the story continue fresh and crisp ♥ Enjoy!
Chapter Text
The wind whipped through the tattered sails of the ship, the Piece of Spadille, as it slashed through the endless expanse of water. The crew had been at sea for weeks, floating aimlessly on the water. Below deck, the crew was restless to say the least. Some were gathered around the dining table, playing a crude game of cards, only the clinking of stolen coins making any noise. Others were sprawled out on the damp floor, nursing boredom with a bottle of rum. Not that any of those would’ve worked.
He was bored out of his mind, too.
After jumping up from his resting place, the captain paced the quarterdeck, his eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of land or a ship to plunder. But the sea stretched out before his eyes, empty and indifferent.
“I want to fight.”
“Duh–“ Deuce snorted, his nose still buried in his notebook, his pen wiggling some words here and there.
“Wanna fight?” the captain smirked at his friend, but didn’t even get a response. “Why am I even waiting for your consent?” he sighed, staring into the distance. “I’ve gone soft.”
Maybe it wasn’t the perfect timing, but Kotatsu, a large, fluffy lynx, decided to sneak around the captain’s legs and curl up between them. Such a cute companion and such a warm gesture only worsened the temporary existential crisis of the pirate. Deuce didn’t offer much help either.
“Why don’t you just sunbathe and enjoy the peace? Cuddle with the cat.” The captain and the lynx frowned in perfect sync. “Or read some.”
“Tch…”
Deu threw the newspaper into the other’s hand, who lay on the ground, resting his head on Kotatsu behind him. This had to be one of the worst days he has ever had. He usually didn’t mind reading the news, but reading every single article had to be a last resort. Beside the big controversies, what else was there to care about?
A ball.
“A ball?”
“Oh, yeah,” Deuce peeked at his captain. “There will be a coronation on Greenland Island. A huge ceremony and all the buzz. Although… a celestial dragon is attending, we shouldn’t mess with them, if that’s on your mind.”
“Let’s crash it!” The captain’s eyes sparkled with joy and newfound hope for some excitement. “The crown must be worth a fortune!” he pointed at the photo in the newspaper.
“Absolutely not. We are not going to get ourselves killed because you’re bored and there is nothing else to do.”
So, the ship set sail, right to Greenland Island.
The island was covered in lush green vegetation as its name foretold. Hemlock and pine trees swayed gently in the breeze. The air was filled with the scent of sap and the sound of birdsong. If it wasn’t for the horde of ships, the huge crowd, and their irritating commotion, this place would’ve been a true paradise.
As the Spadille drew closer to the shore, the pirates' spirits soared. Finally! They polished their swords, loaded their pistols, and prepared for the battle or the ambush, to be precise.
“Do we have a plan?” Cornelia slapped his palms together in anticipation.
“I bet we do not,” Deuce made a sour expression, knowing his captain all too well.
“Come on, what’s wrong with barging in, fighting some marines, taking the crown, and running?” he chuckled with ease, tapping Deu’s shoulder.
“Where do I begin?”
Parts of the crew, those in the mood for an adventure, gathered outside the capital building. A majestic palace. The building loomed high as its spires reached for the sky. The walls were adorned with intricate carvings, sculptures, and rosy glass windows. There were endless roads of manicured lawns, flowerbeds, and fountains. The whole scene was almost out of a fairy tale.
“I have an idea,” Skull wondered. “Why don’t we disguise ourselves?”
“Yes! That way we’ll get in no problem, steal the crown and get out without a trace,” Deuce nodded, but the captain just couldn’t stay quiet for a single second.
“What’s the fun in that?” he crossed his arms, pouting quite childishly. “We’ve been on the sea for way too long, I–“
Just as he was about to rumble on, his eyes caught a glimpse of a radiant bundle of colors, a bright red ball gown of a girl who was running toward the palace. She was far away, and he could barely see her face, but this strangely captivating figure threw him off his rhythm. Suddenly, his complaints were slightly fading away. Maybe, just maybe, he could find his fun in a different way.
After agreeing to this lame plan, the group made its way to the back of the palace.
A sea of people had already gathered outside the gates, waiting loudly and obnoxiously. Just as anyone would expect from the rich. They had come from far and wide to witness the coronation of the new king. Kiss a ring or lick a shoe or two. They were almost too easy to trick. The spade pirates stole the clothes of a wealthy family and dressed accordingly for the occasion. They all looked ridiculous. Velvet doublets, silky robes, embroidered breeches… The biggest challenge of this ordeal was not to laugh their ass off each time they looked at the other.
Once inside the building, the pirates tried their best to blend in, mingle. It was no easy task to be lost beside nobles and royals. The greed was almost touchable in the air. Music and the chatter of the crowd echoed around the interior, which was even more luxurious than the outside. The throne room was transformed into a spectacle of opulence. The ball.
Amongst the hundreds of faces and strangers, the captain couldn’t help but search for the girl that he had seen before, but she was nowhere to be found. His curiosity grew with each minute for the same unknown reason. Silly, useless questions poisoned his mind. Who was she? Where was she running? What did she look like from up close? Now, he created a quest of his own. It was a straight fact that fighting a big guy was sometimes much easier, less fun than dealing with a particular lady. The challenge was all he truly cared about.
“Quickly! We have to find the crown before the ceremony,” Deu slapped his captain’s head, waking him from the trance.
“Right!”
The pirates made their way to a secluded chamber, knocking out a few guards, only to find the largest piece of jewelry, made of gold, filled with colorful gems… in the hands of the girl.
“What the–?”
Before the spade pirates could let alone react to the sight, an overwhelming wave of sheer power sent chills down their bones. They turned to stone, unable to move, unable to defend themselves.
“Look now, even the nobles have their own rotten apples, desiring treasure over morals or loyalty?” Footsteps and a deep, coarse laugh came from behind, something faintly familiar. “But you are facing professionals, my friends,” he continued, while the girl with the crown in her grasp rolled her eyes. This was humiliating. The pirates were fully restrained, defenseless, and frankly ridiculed… The captain gritted his teeth in frustration, but only until his captor revealed himself.
“S-Shanks?”
“Ace?!” A wide smile appeared on Shanks’ face as he grabbed his mate, unable to believe they had met again. “I’m so happy to see you! You have grown so much!” he giggled, observing the kid’s every inch.
“Y-ye-ah,” Ace muttered, still under the hold of the invisible strands.
“Oh, Sorry!” Shanks gazed back. “You can stop now, Raion. These youngsters are our allies.”
You huffed a little, still having a hard time obeying your captain, but let go of your haki nonetheless. For a split second, you felt the young pirate's subtle amazement as he discovered that you were the one actually holding him captive, not the big guy.
“Hey, Boss! We should get going,” Beck yelled from the entrance, disrupting the reunion.
“You’re coming with us, right? We have to catch up!”
Ace would’ve said yes either way, but your presence… He didn’t know where his interest came from, it wasn’t that long ago that he slept with a girl. Yet, he couldn’t control this insatiable attraction that took over him. Once something set a seed in his mind, there was no changing it.
Everything happened so quickly. The two crews ran out of the chamber, following the quickest route, which actually led across the main hall that was still packed with people. Suddenly, a hush fell over the crowd as the doors to the throne room closed, guards standing still. There was officially no escape.
“What now?” Ace murmured to Shanks, looking around frantically.
“We can wait, right? No one would notice us between this many faces.”
“Let’s split up! Blend in!”
This was a stupid plan. Again. You bit your lips, trying to be a proper crewmember. Teamwork was important, right? Fuck.
Being an ideal member of the red hair pirates was more difficult than you thought. Before, you would’ve just denied such an insufferable request plainly. There was no way you would have dressed up in a ball gown just to help the crew integrate into the nobles better… But now? You were standing in a palace hall in a scarlet red dress, hiding a crown under your skirt. The whole idea was so bloody stupid in the first place. You were truly debating your choices here.
But then, while you were lost in thought, you felt someone forcefully grab your arm out of the blue.
“What’s your problem?” you frowned at the freshly sighted Ace, until his palm landed on your mouth, silencing you.
“You heard them, didn’t you? We have to split up.” The young pirate’s voice was husky, energetic, but most of all, cocky.
Sinking your teeth into his hand, you broke free of his muzzle. “Does latching onto me fit the plan?” you growled at him with zeal. “Get lost…” However, you failed to lose him. There were too many people around, like ants. You two were essentially smushed together in the crowd.
“I’m just keeping an eye on the treasure,” he sighed, then drew his hand around your waist. “There, a young, newlywed couple wouldn’t raise any suspicion, right?”
For the crew, you chanted inside. For the crew, for Beck, for Hongo, for the food, for your friends, you had to tolerate this guy. Just for a while. Just until the crowd was allowed to leave.
Although… Peeking at him, Ace was bloody handsome, even you had to admit that. If you had met him in a bar before you joined your crew, you would’ve hated his guts. Ace would’ve stolen all the girls and the shelter. This thought didn’t make you like him more, nor did the fact that with him in the game, you would lose any showdown. In every possible sense, Ace made a terrible first impression, but you were still obligated to trust him. If the two crews were friends, you and Ace were too. Gosh, this was exhausting…
“So…” you shuddered, containing your temper. “Who are you?”
“I’m Ace. Nice to meet you.” Out of the sudden, the cockiness was gone, and the pirate next to you smiled earnestly. There was a distinct, warm aura around him that you couldn’t recognize.
“I’m Raion,” you urged some kindness into your tone.
“This is pretty fun, right?”
“Fun?” you glanced at him, but your small talk was cut short by the king.
The heir emerged, his head held high, his gaze fixed on the throne. He walked with a slow, deliberate pace, all the attention fixed on him. Expect one person’s.
“Are you seeing this?” Shanks nudged Beck’s arm with his elbow. “Ace is getting too close to her.”
“I hate feeding into your delusions, but this might actually cause some problems,” he had to agree. For a few reasons. “Focus on something else.”
The king reached the throne, and the crowd erupted in cheers. He knelt before the throne, his hands clasped together in prayer. The archbishop began the coronation ceremony. After the heir was anointed with holy oil, the fake crown was placed upon his head. Luckily, no one noticed the trick. A new king stood tall.
“I think we just got away with it,” Ace whispered in your ear amidst the cheering.
“As it seems,” you replied timidly, feeling his hot breath on your bare neck. This was… weird. Why did you suddenly feel so… fuzzy? “Now we just have to wait.”
“I am not the patient type. Are you?” he straightened up, his hand sliding back to your waist.
“We are both pirates, what do you think?” you barked out unconsciously, only realizing later what you just said. Did you seriously call yourself a pirate? Ah, how pathetic, even if true.
“I’m glad to hear that,” Ace chuckled quietly. “This is the only thing I need to know about you. The shifty morals.”
Well, after a moment of pondering, you spoke. There had to be no harm in a casual conversation. Now or later, you would be forced to do so anyway. “What do you mean by shifty morals?”
“Every pirate has their own set of rules that usually don’t align with the masses. Just because everyone thinks they must bow before a king, a pirate isn’t going to. Easy as that.”
“Let me guess,” pursing your lips, you glanced at him to cynically ask. “Your set of rules surrounds around having fun and not much else?”
Ace grinned at you mischievously. “You got me,” he answered with a mutter, then took a step forward to stand in front of you. His free hand crept up under your chin, his index finger directing your face towards himself. “What’s your stance on fun?”
Abruptly, a series of loud poundings broke the celebration. A handful of nobles fainted on the other side of the hall. Right where Shanks and Beck were hiding. Essentially, on a five-meter radius, every single person was lying on the ground, except for the two giant and intimidating pirates. There was no hiding from this.
A fight broke out.
Shanks fisted his hand tensely. This time, he couldn’t just blast the whole place with haki and send innocent citizens flying, even if they were the bad kind. As the guards and marines stormed through the panicking crowd, he drew out his sword, ready to take care of his mistake.
Without any hesitation, you tried to sprint ahead, but Ace thought otherwise.
“Stop! You have the crown, don’t you?” he held you close while the frantically running crowd bumped into you with each of his words. “I’m sure Shanks can win this thing on his own.”
This much was obvious, but it definitely bugged you. Why did Shanks always have to have all the credit?
“It won’t last long anyway,” you shrugged, grimacing.
Beside the throne, the enemies lined up. Pirates against marines and guards. Rather… Suddenly, the king’s guards changed directions and knocked the unaware marines out in less than a minute. The spade pirates watched the scene unfold in astonishment, not suspecting this twist at the slightest. The shining armors fell to the ground, and the rest of the red hair pirates revealed themselves from the line of the fake guards.
“Good job, guys!” Shanks withdrew his sword with a big smile while the others cheered their hardly earned victory. “Let’s celebrate!”
After the successful ambush, the crews set sail, then gathered on the Red Force for their triumph. Somehow, the singing and the drinking didn’t quite help you forget one of the most embarrassing days of your life.
You vividly remembered the faces of the others as you put on that atrocious ball gown in the morning. The laughing, the teasing, the joking… a nightmare. But the worst part? Those two. Beck and Shanks looked at you so differently, it almost made you choke on air. They knew that you were a woman, and now you looked the part. Beautifully… Like a princess.
Your legs stumbled under you as your hands reached for support, clutching onto the wooden walls in the hallway. The headache got worse, and your chest shrank tighter. This was true torture.
“Are you okay?” Beck held your back gently, his comforting voice easing your worries. “This might’ve been a bad idea...”
“No shit!” you scowled at him, but there were no reasons to handle regret with anger. “I just want to get out of this thing,” you mustered quietly, and Beck helped you to the captain’s cabin.
“Can I leave you alone now?” he asked patiently, and you answered with a nod. “I am proud of you, by the way. You didn’t slip once, even when I could tell you were anxious. I’m impressed.”
A light shade of pink covered your cheeks as he praised you, but you snapped the door closed before your blushing became too noticeable.
“T-thanks. Now go!”
You could hear a little giggle before he left. This man… he still had you in a chokehold.
After retrieving the crown, you threw the dress to the floor, dying just to burn it, to destroy all the evidence. But some testimonies of the past couldn’t be erased. You walked in front of the mirror, observing your naked body for the first time in years. Suddenly, your muscles felt heavy like stone. Your arms hung motionlessly by your side, and your breathing became shallow.
You changed.
A few visible signs still remained, the size of your hands and feet, your wide hips, and uneven pecks… While the little details reminded you of your old self, the big picture made you forget it. You were tall, buff, had tight abs, large biceps, beautiful muscles, but most importantly, you were strong. This body could’ve been dressed in any gown, any armor, it was still able to fight. That is all you could care about.
A single drop of tear rolled down your chin, but you wiped it as soon as possible. There was nothing to cry about.
On the main deck, the party went on. Louder and louder. The spade pirates easily made themselves comfortable on the Red Force, making friends with the rest. They all gathered around a makeshift table, playing a dice game with frequent accusations of cheating. The smell of roasted meat hung heavy in the air, and barrels of ale were being tapped and passed around as usual. Meanwhile, Bonk Punch and Monster filled the atmosphere with the most cheerful tunes.
As you stepped on the deck in your own clothes at last, you took a deep breath, and some ease finally fell over you. Although… a new breed of anxiety trapped you not a second later.
“Who are you talking about?” Hongo lowered his mug. “About Raion?” Limejuice quickly slapped his hands on the doctor’s mouth to prevent him from speaking.
“She is wonderful, isn’t she? I think I even heard her mention your name. I bet she already has a crush on you!” Yasopp desperately tried to contain his laughter, but the drunk audience didn’t notice. Only you.
“Come on, guys, you have to tell me more about her!” Ace giggled in excitement, trying to convince your crew to talk about you. Well, not you.
“She loves big, tough guys like you, but she needs to be conquered, if you catch my gist.” Yasopp winked at the rookie. “You’ll have to be adamant.”
“Right! Thanks, guys!” Ace shoved his drink on the table, seemingly ready to take on the challenge. More so, when he finally spotted you on the side of the deck.
“S-sto-op!” Hongo’s wiggling and squirming were no good, the others trapped him before he could say a word. Ace was already on his way.
You shook your head with a heavy sigh, wondering how to break the news to the guy. If you had the means, you would’ve absolutely pulled down your pants and traumatized him for the rest of his life. That would’ve been funny. Then again, you didn’t have a cock. In reality? All you had was your voice. That didn’t happen to be enough.
“Listen, mate, I am not a–“ making the mistake of looking to the side, you didn’t realize soon enough that Ace wasn’t planning for a chat. No. He dived right in.
In mere seconds, one of his hands was pulling you forward by your back, the other was hooked behind your ear, tilting your head up. No hesitation, Ace drew you against his chest and leaned down to kiss you aggressively, to shove his tongue down your throat. There was no moment to react or even close your eyes. Besides your reflexes, your muscles refused to work, and all you could rely on was haki. Just enough to push this idiot away. Hardly.
Ace giggled, tripping back with a big fat smile.
And your crew? They were in fucking stitches… Yasopp was rolling on the deck, laughing, fighting for air. The others were just as amused. Really?
You had no idea what to do or what to do. This was all so confusing. Ace liked the girly version of you, and Yasopp foolishly encouraged him. But why? Why didn’t you burst out in rage, knocking out the whole ship as usual? You weren’t angry, just… surprised? Embarrassed?
“S-sorry to tell you,” Limejuice coughed after choking on his own chuckles. “He’s no more of a woman than me or you.”
Ace’s eyes widened as Lime revealed the truth, but he didn’t seem one bit shaken by the news.
“Oh. So what?”
The red hair pirates were struck dumb, staring at each other speechlessly. That’s when the spade pirates begin to have their own fun. The younger crew was cracking up, just like them a minute earlier. They knew their captain had no trouble kissing other men and that the red hair pirates’ plan to trick him was doomed from the very start. It severely backfired.
Nonetheless, you were stuck in place, unable to respond to what just happened. Only…
Blush?
“Wait!” Ace’s eyes finally met yours. “You still like me, right?”
Now the blushing worsened, and your fury was still nowhere to be found.
“Of course, I don’t!” you yelled anyway, then fled the scene as quickly as possible. With Ace in your shadow.
“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to–“
He stayed behind as you ran towards the figurehead, away from the others.
“Leave me alone!”
“Just let me apologize! I would never grope someone unless I knew they’d like that. Yasopp told me that you…” Ace rambled on, grabbing your arm to stop you. “Please! I didn’t mean to embarrass you!”
“What, so you would just kiss someone like that, even if they like you, and not expect them to feel embarrassed?” Pulling your arm away, you took a step back to face him. Finally, feeling a little angrier.
“I mean,” Ace averted his gaze, slightly giggling. “It is just some fun. We are all between friends, right?”
Your heart skipped a beat without warning. Between friends. Were you really the one in the wrong? Maybe he had a point. Did friends do this? Fuck, this evening was a bloody rollercoaster. You had no reason, ever, to feel embarrassed in the company of your friends. You could pee yourself or puke on someone, and everyone would take it with a chuckle, nothing more. Was a kiss this big of a deal?
“Uhh–” you groaned, exhausted. It was a torment to say it out loud. “I forgive you. Let’s forget about it.”
“Really?” Ace gasped to some extent. “I thought a fiery person like you wouldn’t move on so easily.”
“You want me to forgive you or not?”
“Yes-yes! Of course, I do!” he jolted his head reassuringly while you crossed your arms. “Why don’t we drink to that?”
Chapter 10: Aware
Summary:
How enormous of a party does follow two allied crews' reunion? And how enormous will the cleanup be?
Notes:
Heyy! Let's welcome Ace in this fic! (*/ω＼*) I hope you are like me, loving him almost as much as Shanks. <3 Enjoy!
Chapter Text
“It’s been ages since I met the kid. I wonder if he can tell me what Luffy’s been up to,” Shanks babbled, scouring through the storage room for the oldest rum he could find. This was a special occasion.
“So, you are going to completely ignore what happened at the palace. Got it,” Beck puffed on his cigarette, leaning against the doorframe while his captain played hide and seek with the booze. He assumed that Shanks wouldn’t want to address his haki outburst that was caused by the sight of Ace holding you, but it was worth a shot. “I am still a little concerned about her, though.”
“What do you mean?” Shanks peeked up from under a wooden box.
“Raion’s been adjusting nicely, but we still have to watch out for her episodes. Maybe we are pushing her too far? The whole dress thing and now another crew,” Beck scratched the back of his neck. “We shouldn’t expect her to endure all these triggers all at once.”
“Are you saying that we shouldn’t let her get too close to Ace?”
“Why am I even trying to reason with you when you’ll go after your own stupid head either way?” he sighed as Shanks clearly misinterpreted his speech. “It’ll be all fine as long as we keep an eye on her. That is all I’m saying.”
After everything that happened at the onsen a few months ago, Shanks and Beck took your case more seriously. Since you decided to stay permanently, but still put most of the crew in danger, you needed more attention. It was a bloody challenge to babysit you. While you trusted Beck and enjoyed his company, when he wasn’t around, Shanks had to spy on you, since you still couldn’t stand him. Okay, you could tolerate him for a bit, but that was all. Not that they managed to gather much information about your past. That single sentence still haunted both of them. One doesn’t wish to kill their mother without good reason. The subject remained a mystery. For now.
When the captain found his liquor, the two returned to the deck to join the party. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary at first.
“Hey! Where’s Ace? I brought him a present,” Shanks shouted, searching for the rookie.
Simultaneously, Beck discovered Hongo’s sort of disturbed expression that made him worry right away. He pulled up next to the doctor to question him promptly.
“Did something happen?”
“Well…” Hongo exhaled long. “Yasopp convinced Ace that Raion was a girl and had a crush on him. So, the kid got up and kissed him out of the blue. The twist is that Ace wasn’t at all bothered by the fact that Raion is a guy. They ran away somewhere, but I’m sure it’s all fine. We would already know if it wasn’t.”
“Huh,” Beck murmured, lost in thought. “It might be for the best to keep this from the Boss, alright?” he added quietly, but most of all naively.
“It would’ve been a great prank if it wasn’t for Ace,” Yasopp hollered with a wicked smirk, causing a vein to pop out of Beck’s forehead. This dumbass. He just had to lay it all out for Shanks, didn't he? “But Raion was surprised nonetheless,” he cracked up, leaving Shanks silent. The captain’s skin became rather pale and his smile insincere.
“Where is Raion now?” Shanks asked seemingly patiently.
“They left in a hurry. Maybe the kiss worked after all?” Yasopp wondered, taking a big gulp of his drink.
“They?” Shanks repeated the most concerning part. “I-I gotta give this to Ace. Where did they go?”
“The front deck.”
Shanks hid his fervor well as he walked away, then ran as he got out of sight. He had to do something. He had to.
“I’m not too good with booze,” you admitted, your arms getting stiff. “The last time I drank was… not fun.”
“I could already tell,” Ace slammed his palm on your shoulder, shaking your whole body as a result. “You look small and weak as hell,” he laughed in your face.
“Ah–“ you huffed, baffled by this guy. “Is this how you make up with someone? Insult them?”
“Prove me wrong then,” grinning, the rookie straightened up, flexing his muscles that were on full display, since he refused to wear a shirt. His body was absolutely ripped, he was the muscliest man you have ever met, in fact. And that was said by someone who was surrounded by the strongest pirates in the New World.
“It wouldn’t be fair,” you murmured, knowing Ace probably wasn’t able to use haki. Yet… you couldn’t not prove yourself before this cocky bastard. “But I’m not either.”
With a swift motion, you aimed for his chest, hardening your fist with a generous layer of black haki. Before the punch could’ve landed, Ace effortlessly dodged it, countering with a good old shot to your stomach. He was so much stronger than you anticipated that you were defenseless against the hit. It hurt like shit.
“I don’t want to injure you, so either give up or try harder,” Ace gave you a smug look, irritating you further.
Of course, you had trouble controlling your power, but realizing that Ace could handle it, there was no reason to hold back.
You slightly crouched, and after anticipating him taking a step back, with a low kick, you tripped him. Before he could fall to the ground, you caught him by the neck, then threw his whole body to the ground in the other direction. Now that Ace lay on the floor, using some conqueror's haki as a shield, you kept him from moving easily. You won. Easy.
“Satisfied?” you smirked at him confidently from the top.
“Alright. I’m convinced. You aren’t that weak, just small,” panting, Ace replied earnestly. You let go of your haki, and Ace unexpectedly took the chance to tip you off your feet, then quickly pinned you down, holding his forearm on your chest tightly, preventing you from moving a muscle or breathing. “Have I told you I'm not always fair myself?”
If this were anyone else from the crew, leaning over you closely, you would’ve rather blown up the whole ship than take the loss, but you didn't feel anything threatening in his tone. Ace was just a kid.
Shanks darted behind the wall, masking his presence in a hurry. His heart was beating frantically, and he wished there was a way to quiet it. His nervousness didn’t ease one bit, now that he had made sure you were safe. It was worse. So much worse.
Out of the shadows, Beck walked in front of him, startling you and Ace from the corner. “Wrap it up, kids. The Boss wants to talk to you, Ace. You two can play later,” Beck spoke calmly, seemingly paying more attention to his cigarette than his words.
You quickly jumped up, pushing Ace out of the way in a hurry. This was not a good look. This was, in fact, a horrible look.
“S-sor–“
“Sorry, Beckman. I’ll find Shanks right away,” Ace mumbled, tipping his head as he left for the main deck.
With a few shaky steps, you closed up on Beck, stuttering like a child. “L-listen, this was just.”
“It is not my business. You are free to do whatever you like with him, just be cautious, okay?” he reached out to tousle your hair.
“I don’t want to do anything with him,” pouting, you pulled away, crossing your arms.
“I believe you,” Beck sighed. “Now go and party with the others. You deserve it.”
You nodded obediently and headed back to join the crew. Even if facing them after the charade was going to be a little awkward. You were lucky to have this as your biggest problem.
Meanwhile, Beck’s problem was actually a problem. He returned to the storage room where Shanks was putting the rum back in its original place, seeking a cheaper bottle.
“He doesn’t deserve it anymore? Is that your argument?” Beck closed the door behind himself, ready to act like a therapist for a while.
“Maybe,” Shanks rumbled.
“Care to explain why?”
“Haven’t you heard? Ace tried to kiss someone from my crew without consent. He gets a lamer rum. No better.”
Beck often wondered about the length of his and Shanks’ friendship. They knew everything about each other, but some things went without saying. Shanks didn’t like to admit certain details about himself out loud. How much he didn’t want to admit them is what Beck could never decide.
“Alright.”
You joined the crew again like nothing had happened a few minutes ago, pretending that the captain of the spade pirates didn’t just kiss you randomly. To your surprise, everyone went along with the act, or rather, forgot about the whole thing. The booze, the food, and the singing were more amusing than a one-time gag, as it seemed. Thank the lord.
After a quick evaluation, you hopped down next to Hongo to play some cards with some of the other crew’s members while you were at it. Unlike their captain, they appeared to be less cocky yet more fun. Now that you were a real pirate, spending time with other real pirates, every minute passed much more naturally, like you weren’t outside of your element, quite the opposite. In the end, you and Hongo took all the rookies’ money with some harmless tricks. Being sober, the cheating was a whole lot easier and more effective.
Shanks and Beck only came back after a while with a joyful Ace by their side. In spite of your faint worries, Beck didn’t scold him at all you assumed. No, they were suspiciously in high spirits.
“Yo! How’s it goin'?” the young captain quickly bounced over and landed beside you.
“I hope you’re teaching the kids some lessons here, Raion!” Before you could realize, Shanks' hand gripped hard on your shoulder as he leaned beside your head with the same momentum, wedging himself between you and Ace blatantly.
“Sure,” you murmured in confusion, barely following Shanks’ strange behavior. He rarely dared to touch you in any way, not to mention being this close to you. Shrugging your shoulders lightly, you signaled your discomfort, but he took his time to let you go.
“Hey, why don’t we play a game?” Ace glanced up at Shanks, bumping his fist into his side. “Just the two of us. Captain versus captain?”
“Great idea,” Shanks didn’t miss a beat with his reply. A vicious grin etched across his lips instead as he said it. “What do you have in mind? I’ll let you choose the game.”
“Duel! Let’s fight!” Chuckling with a fiery spark in his eyes, Ace declared.
Shanks’ expression resembled the same enthusiasm to your astonishment. “I’m in!”
“Have you gone mad?” You kicked Shanks in the knee. “That is extremely unfair, you know that.”
“It’ll be fine-e,” Shanks hushed you. “Some hand-to-hand combat won’t hurt anyone, am I right?”
“Exactly!” Ace agreed with a big smile, sweeping the worries under the rug. “A friendly competition.”
You rolled your eyes in disbelief. These assholes were each a piece of cake. Shanks was stupid enough to start a fight with someone who was comically weaker than him, while Ace rushed into it, ignoring the fact. This was going to be a slaughter, even if none of them used their powers. No devil fruits, no haki. If they were stripped of these abilities, Shanks was still overwhelmingly more powerful physically. Not to mention that observation haki wasn’t that easy to ignore when someone used it constantly, every waking hour. Even if Shanks only had one arm, Ace didn’t stand a chance.
“Ugh,” you scoffed, exhausted by the level of stupidity of those two, and decided to stay in your place, showing your back to the deck where the two captains were about to fight, surrounded by both crews.
“You don’t care, do you?” Beck took a seat next to you, although looking in the other direction.
“Not at all. I already know what is going to happen.”
“You are underestimating the kid just like the Boss.” To maximize his enjoyment, he lit a cigarette.“I think it is going to be a good fight.”
“You can’t be serious about that,” you pouted, glancing at him and his sly smirk.
“I have no doubts about the outcome, but it will be much closer than you would think. He is going to be humbled.”
“Hm. He needs a good load of that for sure.”
“So why not watch?”
You glimpsed at Beck, slightly irritated by his argument. To see Shanks almost be defeated was tempting, but not enough for you to care. Why did they have to fight in the first place? Training would’ve been one thing, but showing off without a real purpose? What was wrong with a card game or something? No. You didn’t actually have a problem with the concept, only the participants.
“I know,” Beck chuckled as he gazed at your mind running circles. “You simply hate the thought of the Boss beating anyone, don’t it? If I were fighting the kid, you’d be right there in the first row.”
“Pff–“ huffing, your lips folded into stubborn silence. He was right.
Meanwhile, the infamous fight was slowly unfolding. The crowd was roaring and hollering, but you kept your eyes fixed on the grain of the table in front of you, tracing its jagged lines with a finger. All you could do to observe the scene was to use your observation haki and watch out for Beck’s reactions. Predicting the future could sometimes be tricky, but it was rather easy to follow the events even with it behind your back. With haki, you, Beck, and Shanks were able to sense every single person’s aura and locate them on the ship. With a little effort, you could even tell what they were doing. Thuds, grunts, hisses. Everything happened with the speed of lightning. Ace and Shanks both took this fight seriously. A body hit the floor at once, the wooden planks resonating under your feet. A wet slap back in the air. Skin on skin. A fist, maybe an open hand, landing solid against flesh. A cracking sound? A brutal blow to the jaw. You flinched as you realized that Ace’s jaw had been dislocated.
“That must’ve hurt,” Beck hummed, knowing well about your awareness of the fight.
“How long are you going to let this go on?” You gritted your teeth, getting more and more frustrated.
“Since when are you so worried about the rookie? Do you like him that much?”
Your eyes widened as Beck’s taunting remark reached your ears. The nerve. “What are you talking about?”
“We haven’t really had a vacation in a while. No land, no bars, no girls. Everyone is getting frustrated, but you actually have the chance to let some steam out. He clearly likes you too. Just go for it,” he spoke stoically, showing no emotion, only smoking his cigarette as always.
This was insanely out of character for him. You two never discussed anything like this, there was never any men-talk between you two for a few obvious reasons.
“You’re kidding? Since when are we discussing these things with each other anyway? Are you drunk or something?” snapping back at him with a good load of attitude, Beck only stretched his shoulders lazily as you complained.
“That doesn’t mean we can never start to.”
“Well, it does!” You quickly surged upward, the chair scraping back loudly. This conversation had to end right here and now.
It hurt.
Rushing away from the deck, from the crew, from anyone, you stormed into the bilge of the ship, your hiding place. Crawling to the far corner, you balled up like a mole. The painful ache in your chest refused to fade or ease.
Usually, avoiding your feelings toward Beck wasn’t much of a problem. It didn’t matter. You were sailing on the sea, training, talking, or just doing nothing. It was more than enough for you. His presence was all you wanted in the end. Unfortunately, on those certain occasions when you were reminded of said feelings, they hurt like a motherfucker. You were weak.
In this instance, it was even worse because Beck acted intentionally. He knew that encouraging you to sleep with someone else would feel like a twisting knife in your stomach, yet he still did it. Fuck, he was right. You were supposed to move on. You two were going to be friends either way, but why wasn’t that enough? The minute the crew would go to land, Beck was going to find himself women. Women who weren’t you. It had to be accepted.
Still… this move he pulled would only make Ace the last person you’d sleep with.
Ah, you hated him sometimes.
In spite of making a promise to yourself that you wouldn’t avoid functions like this one, you still ended up hiding in the small storage room. Your only excuse was that Beck provoked you, which he did well. Before you would’ve had the time to change your mind, you fell asleep.
Unlike you, the crew had a big, loud, and long party. After the fight between the two captains, everyone else took turns, beating each other diplomatically, meaning arm wrestling. An insane amount of money was exchanged throughout the night, and just as much alcohol was consumed. It was a proper celebration, fitting for two reuniting pirate crews.
No wonder that a drunk spade pirate would get lost on the Red Force trying to find somewhere to sleep. No wonder that it was the one who drank the most.
“Yo! It’s you!” was all you heard beside a suspiciously wet burp. “Shit–”
When you opened your eyes, you saw Ace puking into an empty bucket, reminding you of your last drinking spree.
“What the–“ mumbling half-asleep, you crouched down next to the rookie, placing your arm on his bare back for some support. “Are you okay? What are you doing here?”
“S-sorry,” he chuckled, looking up at you with a careless grin. “I got lost. This ship is so big, a bloody labyrinth.”
“I won’t argue that,” with a sigh, you searched for some water, letting Ace freshen up, hoping he wouldn’t barf again.
“Why did you disappear?” he asked, bending over the bucket while you sat in front of him cross-legged. “I really wanted to arm wrestle with you.”
“Sorry, I got really tired.”
“That’s okay, now you are here. Or I am. Is this your room or something?” Ace’s eyes darted from corner to corner, examining the storage. “Not too inviting, but seen worse.”
“No, this is just some hiding spot. I come here when I want to be left alone.”
“I should’ve known you were kinda antisocial. I’ll leave you be then,” chuckling again, he tried to rise up, but failed.
“Stop. You can stay until you get better, okay?” Pushing him down by the shoulders, you kept him still.
“Thanks, mate,” Ace smiled softly, leaning back against the wall. “You can be pretty nice if you try.”
You rolled your eyes, dragging in a ragged breath. “Sure.” Unexpectedly, instead of staring at the bottom of the steel bucket, Ace took a pause, gazing at you for a good while, almost to an awkward length. “What is it?”
“Is this how you always wake up?” his question was surprisingly genuine.
“Huh?” you let out a puzzled grunt.
“Your bedhead,” he pointed at your messy, tousled hair with a few strands beaking up. “It is quite adorable.”
“Shut up,” you brushed your fingers through your hair, tidying it up to your best ability.
“You are only making it cuter, just sayin,” Ace giggled, enjoying the view of you slowly turning flustered by his comments. “If I didn’t know better, I would think you’re trying to seduce me.”
Giving him a narrow and mildly threatening expression, you managed to make him quiet down from his joy. A little. “You do know better.”
“Come on,” Ace raised his arms behind his neck, shifting to a more comfortable position. “Don’t you become a little flirty when you drink? What is so wrong about that? It is totally harmless unless you like me, too.”
“How do I know that you aren’t going to make a move on me and only flirt?”
“You can only trust me on that one,” with a playful smirk, he managed to make you properly annoyed.
“Tch–, you are clearly just fine. Maybe I should kick you out, huh?”
“Well, I doubt you’d do that.”
“Whatever,” you furrowed your brows and headed to the other side to lie back down. “I won't kick you out, but I won’t talk to you either.”
“Come on. Don’t act so sassy on me, it’ll only turn me on more.”
Okay, he was only making it worse. If you wouldn’t have learned to control your haki, it would’ve run wild by now. You doubted it would’ve had any effect on Ace, but it would’ve made some people pass out. No, you took a deep breath and tried to calm down. He was only teasing you, most likely having no bad intentions. Plus, he wasn’t Shanks. You had no reason to resent him excluding his cocky personality. Just another drunk pirate.
“Just keep it in your pants, alright?” you murmured, drifting to your side on the floor.
“Ahh,” Ace sighed low and disappointed. “You don’t like guys? Is that it? I can’t really imagine any other reason why you wouldn’t.”
“Your arrogance is a pretty good reason.”
“I can be less arrogant if you want,” Ace whispered flirtatiously, loud enough for you to hear.
“What’s up with you?” Losing your temper for a second, you sat up to glare at him with fury. “Was it that long ago since you were on land to find a woman? Or a man? Or anyone?”
“I just like you a lot, isn’t that an option?” Ace laughed lightly, being overly entertained by your constant resistance. “You look good as a woman and a man. Two in one. How do you expect me to just look over that? And that fucking bedhead, dear lord,” he licked his lips theatrically, making sure your eyes follow his tongue.
“Alright, I've had enough of you.” Ignoring the buzzing shiver that ran over you, you got up to leave.
“Hey,” Ace grabbed your thigh before you could walk out, stopping you sternly. “Think. How long have you been at sea without a man or a woman?”
You dragged your gaze away from him and yanked your leg out of his hold. Without a response, you took your exit, fleeing to the main deck. Your breathing slightly quickened, and its rhythm only came back to normal as you had some fresh morning air. Ace was the second most talented person to provoke you. God…
As you were struggling to calm down, shaking the tension out of your limbs, you discovered him. Shanks was sitting by the main mast, body hunched over, legs pulled in tight against his chest. What a strange sight. The last time you saw him like this, defeated, he was probably having alcohol poisoning.
“Shanks?” you muttered with taking a step forward, checking if he was awake.
Slowly, he raised his head, looking straight into your eyes. You couldn’t tell which was more disturbing, the scar over his brow, leaking blood, or the wetness of his cheeks from sweat?
“Hi,” a subtle smile appeared on his face, making the whole scene that much more unsettling.
“Jesus, how much did you drink?” you tipped your head back, unimpressed by his miserable display.
“Some,” Shanks attempted to answer, but rather collapsed to his side lazily.
“Great,” exhaling dramatically, you walked up to him, then lifted his body up by dragging him over your back by his arm. “When is your babysitter when you need to be taken care of?” you referred to Beck, who was probably just as knocked out as his captain.
“When did you become this strong?” Shanks uttered with a coarse voice, resting his head over your shoulder.
“And when did you become this careless?” you shrieked, carrying him below deck. “For an old ass pirate, one would think you’ve already learned your limits. No, you have to mess yourself up, don’t you?”
“Remember? The last time we were this close, we were sleeping in that cave,” he reminisced, rubbing his chin against the nape of your neck, tickling it with his stubble.
“I am still trying my best to forget that, but this certainly didn’t help,” grumbling, you took him to the captain’s cabin.
Once in the room, you gently laid him down on the bed on his side. Attentively, you took off his jacket and then neatly draped a blanket over him. After pulling together the curtains, you put down a bowl next to him, then a bottle of water by the nightstand. Shanks kept his intense gaze on you, observing every move, every flinch.
“Can I get a sip?” he asked kindly.
With a twitch on your forehead, you placed the bottle against his lips, watching as he drank the water. “This is a one-time thing, okay? Beckman is supposed to do this, not me,” you clarified, then wiped the stray drop of liquid off his chin.
“He would’ve just thrown me in here and called it a day,” Shanks chuckled, leaning back to the pillow.
“I should’ve done that too, huh?”
“I’m surprised that you didn’t.” While he mumbled, you folded your arms, with a crunching temple. This is what you get for being nice to him. “I thought you’d punch me a few too.”
“Well, I didn’t,” snapping back at him, you scoffed. “What’s the fun in hurting the vulnerable? I want to beat you when you are at your best.”
“But I’m always vulnerable when I’m with you,” he whispered softly, reaching out to grasp your elbow, then caress circles on it with his thumb. Being startled by his words, you forgot to pull away.
“No, you’re not,” laughing awkwardly, you huffed at him in complete confusion.
Out of the blue, Shanks grabbed your forearm and dragged you over himself to the bed. “Why don’t you sleep with me?”
“W-what?” you stuttered, failing to understand what was going on. Was he this drunk? “Have you gone mad?” Heaving against the restraint, you struggled to break free from his clutch. “Let me go!”
“Why?” Shanks stared at you intensely, his fingers sinking into your flesh.
“What do you mean why?” As you jerked your arms, you realized how much stronger he still was, even in this state.
“Just stay here by my side. Just don’t leave me alone. Please.” Suddenly, as he said it, it became a plea. “Please, stay.”
“What the hell is up with you? I am the last person who should be here with you right now. You have a serious problem, Shanks,” your tone became more concerned than angry.
Quickly, he pulled you closer until your faces weren’t too far from each other. “Say my name,” he begged you with a glint of desperation flickering in his glassy eyes.
“You should stop drinking, I am not kidding.” Finally being able to yank your arm away, you pushed him down to the mattress. “You need help. I’m gonna find Beck, okay?”
You got up as soon as possible, even if it was only possible because Shanks gave up on keeping you captive. Stumbling out of the room, you rushed to find Beck. You had no idea what was going on, but maybe he could figure it out?
The bastard was napping next to the open deck with a burned cigarette still in his mouth.
“Hey! Wake up! There is something wrong!” shaking him by his shoulders, you warned him. “I need your help!”
“Huh?” Beck opened his eyes, first with no hurry.
“It’s Shanks!”
Now there was a hurry. In a split second, Beck was sprinting down towards the captain’s cabin, leaving you behind. Yeah, Shanks needed him at the moment, no one else. He barged in, slamming the door open. What he saw was his captain balling up on the bed, hiding under the blanket.
“Good grief,” Beck sighed deeply, then closed the door behind himself quietly. He fell into the chair next to him, then fetched himself the newspaper from the desk. “Wanna talk about it?”
“No,” Shanks murmured, adjusting himself smaller as if to disappear from existence.
Chapter 11: Along
Summary:
The two crews create a joint showdown, and the competition begins. A few hiccups here and there.
Notes:
So, I didnt realize how long this chapter was before. I am sorry for that. But it is such a freaky ass chapter I love it. Have fun! >:)
Chapter Text
While the crews were fighting off their hangovers, you spent the day by the palm trees, staring at the handprint that Shanks left behind on your forearm. It was slowly fading from a bright red color, and you knew it wouldn’t last the night. Still, it freaked you out to have his mark on you for this long. You couldn’t not forget that strange behavior. He was speaking absolute nonsense. At the end, your conclusion was, he mistook you for someone else. Maybe once he had a friend or a lover who resembled you? That would be a plausible explanation. Or he thought he was dreaming? Complete delusion?
“Is he okay?” you asked Beck around noon when he joined you on his favorite bench. Smoking.
“Sure. He just drank a little too much, that’s all.”
Oh, yeah. You doubted Shanks shared the details of what happened. He probably fainted after you left, and Beck was left with an unconscious Shanks. No wonder he didn’t seem worried at all.
“Sorry. Maybe I overreacted.”
“I’m glad that you care,” Beck peeked at you with a little smirk.
“I care about my crewmates,” you averted your gaze abruptly.
“Good morning!” The cheerful greeting struck you. It was unexpected to find anyone on the ship with this much energy. Not to mention the brighter-than-the-sun smile. “How you doin'?”
“Ace?” you raised your brows. “Weren’t you half alive a few hours ago?”
“Quick recovery, be proud of me!” he chuckled lightly, then dropped down to the ground by your side. “Sorry about what happened earlier, by the way. I can get messy when I’m drunk.”
You didn’t need to look, you already knew what suspicious expression Beck had. Although you had no need to feel embarrassed, nor explain anything that happened between you and Ace. If Beck wanted you to get with Ace that much, then he had to shut up about it.
“I already forgot,” nodding to Ace, you avoided Beck’s grimace for dear life.
“Well, I would’ve preferred if you didn’t, but then my apology would be quite crappy, so that is fine,” he giggled lightly, then tapped on the ground excitedly. “But what is next? What are we doing today? What do you guys usually do?”
“Train,” humming, you glanced at Ace, whose smile melted away in an instant.
“Oh, that is nice,” he hid his disappointment.
“It’s been a while since we're on land, though. It is time,” Beck stated calmly, giving Ace the answer he hoped for.
“Hell yeah,” he fist-pumped into the air.
Meanwhile, your brows furrowed at Beck. Shanks was usually the one calling the shots, but he was useless at the moment. Since when did Beck make decisions like that?
“Are you sure?” bumping into his leg, you questioned Beck.
“Yeah. Our amazing helmsman and navigator are already working on it. We’ll probably reach an island tomorrow. Until then, we can have some quiet at least.”
While Ace celebrated the plan loudly, you stayed skeptical, not sure why. It’s been fairly long since you landed somewhere, and as he mentioned, there definitely was some frustration. On the bright side, Ace would get off your back.
“Hey, Beckmann! Does that mean that we are going to do it? The joined showdown?” Ace nagged Beck, tugging on his shirt.
“What?” Your eyes popped open in astonishment.
“Oh, yeah. Team game. We are going to obliterate you, get ready! I can’t believe we haven’t thought of a game like this. It sounds so fun.”
While you froze speechlessly, Beck tilted his head towards you, taunting. “You heard him. It’s a team game. Everyone has to participate.”
Really? Was he blackmailing you now? What was this good for? To mess everything up? Was Beck still trying to encourage you to forget him? He had to know that it didn’t work like that. You have never felt anything for the girls that you used before joining the crew. They were merely pawns in your survival, not people you had feelings for. How would emotionless hook-ups distract you?
“Hey!” Ace brought you back to reality, squeezing your shoulder to steal your attention. “The others told me that you hold some kind of record. How many girls were it?”
“Nine, I think,” now that you remembered that number, that night, wow, that was one of your favorite memories. The years' hard work finally paid off in the best way possible.
“I bet I can beat that on my own,” slapping his palm against your back, Ace bragged confidently.
“Are you challenging me?” you grinned at him just as confidently.
“I sure am. It won’t be fair, though. I am a hundred times more handsome than you. Look,” Ace rose up to flex his biceps proudly. Okay, that was a little humbling. You gained a fair amount of muscle, too, but nothing near Ace.
“Body isn’t everything, you know,” pouting, you mumbled. “Not every girl is into the arrogant, muscly, dumb guys like you.”
“What? They’ll prefer the weak pretty boys like you? I don’t think so!” he mocked you blatantly.
“Look who’s talking,” leaning closer to him, you were ready to go for the kill.
“Do you need a reminder? You have to sway girls, not me. You stand no chance, pretty boy,” Ace laughed mockingly, pressing his forehead against yours while you gritted your teeth.
“Don’t get cocky, musclehead. Even if you get there somehow, I bet no girls walk away satisfied,” you tilted your head slightly to the side, building up the tension.
“Want to see it for yourself, do you?” Ace smirked at you smugly, his gaze trailing down to your lips. “No,” he shifted up to fix his eyes on yours as he growled low. “You wouldn’t even be able to walk.”
“No one is stopping you two from getting a room, you know,” Beck interrupted the heated combo with a lazy grunt.
You flinched at his comment and swiftly stood up, leaving Ace hanging. “I’ll beat both of you combined, you’ll see,” without anything to add, you fled the scene. This was… awkward.
After months of training your temper, you were still so easy to trick. It seemed like Ace was just as talented at pushing your buttons to fire you up as Beck and Shanks. You felt like a stupid idiot who couldn’t not fall into their fucking traps.
Now that he crept into your mind again, you became curious about his current state. It has been several hours since you met Shanks. He had to be better. For some unknown reason, you cared about how he was doing. Maybe because you saw him crash out, perhaps because you had nothing else to do? You wagered he must be sleeping. There is no harm in checking on him.
You sneaked to the captain’s cabin, managing to slip in soundlessly. As you expected, Shanks was lying on his side, tucked away from any light under a blanket. Gosh, his hangover had to be torturous. There was nothing to do, he had to sleep it off, and you couldn’t help him any further.
“I thought you didn’t want to stay with me,” Shanks’ quiet, yet ragged whisper tore from his throat, scaring the life out of you.
Gasping with your hand on your chest, you walked beside the bed. You had to whisper unless you wanted his headache to get worse by the pitch of your voice. “I just came to see if you’re in one piece.”
“Barely,” he adjusted himself, making a small gap on the sheets so that only his eyes were exposed. “Are you worried about me?” Shanks glanced at you, speaking with a smoother tone.
“Pff–” huffing, you averted your gaze. “As little as possible.”
“That is still a yes.”
“Yeah, whatever… Now that I've made sure that you are still alive, I'd better let you be,” exhaling audibly, you took a few steps forward. You didn’t assume he would call you back like before, but it was definitely a possibility. Yet, he didn’t speak a word. Odd. Odder? You felt the need to say something. “I’m sorry I missed the arm wrestling. If you get better, I’ll beat your ass to make up for it.”
“Fine by me,” Shanks chuckled softly as a response before your exit.
Pirates were a whole other breed, as you were reminded every single day. Last night, everyone drank as much as a whole town in one week, yet they somehow recovered in a day to continue where they left off. Although when word got out that a landfall was coming, both crews controlled themself better. The concept of the showdown amazed the spade pirates, even if they knew no one came close to Ace, they had already experienced that, but still. As soon as they learned that this was going to be a team competition, their spirits were in the sky. They teased the red hair pirates up and down, naturally.
By the next morning, even Shanks joined the preparations like nothing had happened. In spite of his decent behavior, you couldn’t exactly forget the things that he said before. The mark faded from your forearm, but thinking about it, you could feel his grasp vividly. Something changed in him.
By the evening, the two ships approached a generic summer island, Daisland. Wide and colorful beaches surrounded the land, which all turned into jungles even more lively. Further inland, a large village was settled next to the coast. Wooden docks, crowded with fishing boats, and other pirate ships floating in the shallow water. The locals were tanned and barefoot, living in a true paradise. This was the best possible destination.
The two ships unloaded, and the crews were soon ready to head out. Yasopp and Limejuice interviewed some bystanders who provided the district's best bars and taverns, eliminating any arguments about the program.
“I know that I am supposed to be an ideal crewmember, but–“ You attempted an escape when only you and Beck were left on the ship. It was a poor attempt as soon as he cut you off.
“Don’t overthink it, let’s just have a good time. We all deserve it,” with a bland expression, he consoled you. “Where is your competitive nature when it is needed? We have a battle in our hands, you know.”
“Ugh–“ sighing heavily, you gave up your protest. “Okay. We’d lose without me for sure. Can’t have that, can we?”
“You don’t expect me to admit that, right?” Beck raised a brow, irking you to chuckle a little.
You two were the last ones to arrive at the chosen bar. It sat right at the edge of the sand, built of wooden stilts sinking into the shallows where the tide lapped against the posts. Bamboo planks made up the floor, which stretched past the roof to make a deck. Inside, the air smelled of spiced rum, grilled fish, and the sharp tang of smoke. Luxurious compared to the last place you visited. Lanterns hung from ropes, swaying gently with the breeze, lighting up the place. The two crews had already emerged with the crowd of locals. Bonk Punch and Monster invaded the piano and filled up the space with their signature tunes. In a strange way, walking in felt like home.
“There you are, pretty boy!” Out of the blue, you had Ace clinging to your shoulder, dragging you to the side where he, Deu, and a few girls were seated. “Let me introduce you! Guys, this is Raion, the prettiest pirate you’ll ever meet!”
“H-hey,” you managed to bow after Ace fell into a chair. You rarely acted this shyly around girls when you had to get with them, but today you weren’t in your element, to say the least. It’d have to do for now.
“How cute,” two ladies whispered to each other. Bingo.
“Sorry for being late. What did I miss?”
While you were warming up, Beck took the opportunity to sneak away. He didn’t use his observation haki as naturally as Shanks, but when he focused, he could easily find people’s aura. His captain was fairly easy to spot. He was hiding in the bathroom.
“So, what are you doing?”
Shanks caught his head up, startled by the question. “What do you think?” he flushed empty the toilet.
“Aren’t you going to take the game seriously?” With a swift slick of his fingers, Beck lit a cigarette.
“Of course, I will. Some chick should already be sucking my dick if that is what you want to hear.”
In any other instance, Beck would’ve probably laughed or at least smiled at these sarcastic remarks, but today it hit differently. Shanks’ tone wasn’t as lighthearted as usual and carried some truth to it.
“I would rather do it myself than let you speak about a girl like that.”
“You know that I was only joking.” Shanks rolled his eyes. “Although I’ll keep that in mind. Come on, let’s have some fun, shall we?” Changing his mood completely, he grinned at Beck with false enthusiasm.
In a bit, as Beck assumed, Shanks and you both tried to rely on booze to help you relax. A lot of booze. Immature brats, drinking at the first sign of hardship. Yeah, he was unimpressed.
“Did you discuss the rules?” you smirked at Ace from behind the girl who rested on your lap comfortably for an hour by now. “Is it still kissing what it takes?”
“Allegedly, but we can always reach higher,” he chuckled back at you, stroking the two thighs of the girl who sat on his shoulders.
You didn’t drink any alcohol since your contest with Shanks, which could’ve easily killed you in hindsight. This caused you to be much-much more sensitive to booze. Two cups of sake and a mug of beer had you wasted. You became careless.
“What do you have in mind, hm?” Yeah, you shouldn’t have asked that. You shouldn’t have squeezed the girl’s ass and let her spill some more beer into your mouth. A lot of bad ideas tonight.
“Why don’t we let the ladies decide? Would you be so kind and judge which of us is the better?”
“Better in what?” the girl with you glanced at you curiously.
“Guess,” you whispered smoothly into her ear with a hot breath. Shortly, you felt the goosebumps under your palm instantly.
“W-we’re in!” she declared it loudly.
“Let’s go then.” Suddenly, you drew the girl’s body over your back, holding onto her legs over your chest.
“Ayo,” Ace joined you while the two girls giggled with their high-pitched voices.
The four of you walked across the room, crossing the table where Shanks and Beck sat beside their random group.
“Hey, we didn’t forget about the game, okay? We’ll be back in a bit,” you chuckled as you spoke, not too conscious of your words, truthfully. They could all tell how drunk you were without hearing the babble. Your red, flushed cheeks were more than enough of a signal.
“Yeah-yeah, wait up!” Ace slapped your side, taking you away from the speechless crowd.
Shanks and Beck only shared a glance for a second, then faked a few laughs beside the others. Mostly Yasopp and Roux, who were enjoying the sight. Even with a little detour, they trusted you’d win the game for the crew.
No, the last thing you were thinking about was the game. Instead, you focused on Ace and beating him. He was way too cocky to be a good lover. The two of you walked down to the beach, searching for a quiet area. The nook between some cliffs and some shade was good enough for your drunk self.
“So, how about this? We both make them each cum, and they each decide who was better,” Ace pitched the idea. This was actually perfect for you, the one without a cock.
“Sounds good,” in agreement, you glimpsed at the girls. “What do you think?”
They nodded enthusiastically in unison, making you and Ace content with the outcome.
In a minute, the two pairs were making out on two giant rocks, only a meter or so away from each other. You could clearly hear every noise every person made. For some reason, this fact only made the whole situation more arousing.
You had your girl sitting on the corner of a couch-sized stone, positioning yourself between her legs. Her hips were grinding back and forth, trying to aim for the expected bulge on your crotch. Unfortunately, there was nothing, and that had to remain a secret. You bent down, lowering your head to the level of her breasts. She was wearing a cheap bikini top that she was more than ready to take off for you.
“No,” you muttered silently, grabbing her hands. “Let me.”
You leaned closer, then carefully clasped the thin fabric between your teeth to pull it away to the side. Her breasts bounced free, and she couldn’t contain a lustful gasp. Actually, she showered you with hundreds of them while you nicked on her nipples.
In the midst of your calculated foreplay, you glanced to the side, just to check on Ace. Well, he had a very different approach, letting his girl go down on him. Oh, you had this in the bag.
“Argh–, your sweet and lovely mouth feels so amazing,” Ace groaned, taking your girl’s attention too.
She tried to reach down to your crotch to mimic the other pair, but you couldn’t have that.
“Calm down, love,” you smiled at her earnestly. “Aren’t you going to let me spoil you properly? Let me give you what you deserve.”
You cautiously laid her down, keeping one arm under her head to make her comfortable. Soon, you rested on your side next to her, then kissed her. She definitely suspected you to move her leg out of the way and fuck her, but she was mistaken. Rather, you slowly let your hand trail down from her breasts to her stomach, then down under her shorts. She squirmed sharply as your fingertips gently stroked her swollen clit. After teasing a few, you decided to dive in with a few fingers and follow your usual routine. It always worked. In a few minutes, the girl fell to pieces, moaning, whining, rocking on your fingers. Then something unexpected happened.
The girl was just on the edge of her climax when her legs started to shake. That was nothing new. What was new was the excessive amount of liquid spilling onto her shorts, covering your hand.
“D-did you just–?”
Ace quickly glared at you, having his girl bent over the rock, pounding into her from behind. They both looked at you in awe. The girl was laughing, and Ace was shocked.
“Did you make her squirt?” he groaned, slowing down his pace.
“You bet,” giving him the most vicious, most devious smirk you have ever had on your face, you beamed with pride.
“Tch,” he hissed before helping up her girl, kissing her cheek abruptly. “I am so sorry, sweetheart, but we need to take a little break. I’ll be back in a minute.” Ace walked over to you, gesturing for you to leave. “My turn.”
You could only grin as you got up and watched him undress the girl. However, one thing caught your eye. While Ace was busy with the clothes, his cock was on full display. You hated that you couldn’t not pry, but you have never seen anyone his size. Biting into your lip, you quickly retreated, heading towards the other girl who was abandoned.
“May I?”
“Feel free to do anything, my savior,” she winked flirtatiously. Feisty.
Unlike the first girl, she was more difficult to deal with. As you kissed and made out, her hands constantly searched for your crotch. You had no choice but to do it.
If you had to be honest, going down on girls wasn’t your favorite thing to do, but it was something that you initially had trouble starting and got into along the way. Unluckily, today, the spot that you were supposed to eat up was covered with Ace’s precum. For god’s sake. You kneeled in front of the girl with her legs around your neck, then buried yourself between her thighs. She hung tightly to your hair, rocking her hips and mewling your name repeatedly. You couldn’t see Ace or what he was doing, but your girl made more noise than his. She was alarmingly loud as she came several times without stopping you. If you were sober, you would’ve been totally freaked out about being discovered. Well, having sex in public was universally a bad idea for anyone but the wasted.
“Yess-s! Yes-yes-yes!” Ace shouted out of the sudden. You straightened up to find him drenched and the girl almost unconscious. “See? I did it too!”
“First?” you bluffed, annoying him from a high horse.
“Shut up. Now move, let me finish her,” he gently pushed you and your gleeful smile away.
“Just be gentle, she’s been through a lot.”
“What?” Ace stared at you with zeal.
“He’s right,” the girl spoke up. “I came plenty.”
“Well, not like this!” Without any hesitation, Ace slammed his cock into the girl, while you went back to comfort the other.
You took her into your arms in a snug embrace, playing with her hair. “Are you okay? Wasn’t he too rough on you?”
“N-no,” she panted breathlessly, lying.
“Good.”
It didn’t take long until Ace finished, cumming on the girl’s stomach as a gentleman. He was such a pirate. A buff and kinda dumb guy, who sailed around to go on adventures and hook up with girls. Ace was so bloody handsome, you couldn’t even judge the girls who gave themselves to him so easily.
“Fuck, that was incredible,” He and the other girl joined you, cuddling for a bit. “So, who is the winner. It is me, right?”
“It is definitely Raion,” the second girl giggled, holding pinkies with the other.
“What? Why?”
“Well, he made me cum several times for a start.”
“Hah–, that’s to you, mate,” you slapped the back of Ace’s head. “I win.”
“Pff–, it was rigged,” he rolled his eyes in return.
The conclusion should have surprised anyone, in your opinion. You and Ace were both experienced, but he was a man. As long as he enjoyed these endeavors, he got distracted. Distraction ruined efficiency. In a game like this, the winner could only be the one who was able to keep their cool. You.
After a while, the girls gathered their things to leave. They each gave a kiss and then ran back to the village. Sure, you were drunk as hell and wouldn’t remember half of this, but still… This was fun. In a messed-up way.
“Hey, aren’t you going to do something about that?” as you sluggishly walked back towards the bar on the beach, Ace theatrically gestured down at your crotch. He assumed you’d have a giant boner, but when he didn’t see a slight sight of a bulge, he got overly interested. “Wait! Did you cum in your pants or something, pretty boy?” he hunched down to investigate until you shoved him away.
“No. Get lost!”
“You can’t get hard or? Wait,” he suddenly stopped in his tracks. “Is it that small?”
“Of course it isn’t,” losing your temper you yelped. Not knowing why, but you felt obligated to protect the honor of your nonexistent cock.
“Show me then!” Ace crossed his arms against his chest.
“Yeah, I am not going to do that.”
“Come on, it’s just a cock. There is no one around here. Just let me see, or I’ll tell everyone that it is the size of a worm.”
“Is this like a tactic? Is this how you seduce guys or some shit? Does it work?” planning to walk away, ending the conversation, you shrugged, and didn’t expect Ace to jump on your back from behind. “What the hell are you doing?” You tried your best to shake him off, but it was in vain. His legs wrapped around your hips tightly, his hand ready to invade your pants.
“Just let me take a peek and I’ll leave you be!”
As a defense, you dropped down to your back, crushing him under you with the momentum. “I said no!”
“Ugh. Whatever,” he murmured, spreading his limbs out under your weight. “You coward.”
“Finally,” with a sharp exhale, you would’ve gotten up if it wasn’t for Ace’s arm around your waist.
“I really thought you’d break.” After a reluctant sigh, he swung your body under himself, trapping you. “Come on, you didn’t even get off with those girls, you weren’t even into them, admit it. You just wanted to beat me, right? Tell me, what are you into then?”
“Do we really have to do this?” Looking to the side, you avoided his menacing gaze. In your current state, fighting him with haki would’ve been a little difficult, so you kept that as a last resort.
“I am dying of curiosity here if you didn’t notice. Do you like to get fucked by guys? Is that it?”
“I like women, okay?” fed up with him and how flustered he was making you, you raised your voice. “Maybe I just prefer to have sex with women I have feelings for. Can’t relate, can you?”
Ace was taken aback by your answer and let you go without question. “That actually makes a lot of sense, I also like it more with women I know,” he agreed, following you back to the bar. “But it still doesn’t explain why you don’t want to show me your cock.”
“I don’t think you realize how pathetic you sound.”
“Ugh–, okay-okay. I stop.”
You two returned to the bar, where the party was still going strong. The music, the girls, dancing, drinking… By now, the crowd had almost doubled, and it became hard to spot the crew. Everyone blended in. Your eyes darting from corner to corner, it took a minute to find him. There, Beck was sitting next to the bar with a mug, with a long strand of his grey hair wrapped around the slim finger of a woman.
You should’ve trained yourself for something like this, and be more prepared. Not that it is that easy to be prepared for that painful ache seeping into your chest.
Fuck.
A heavy wave of energy surged through your veins, a burning and overwhelming flow of power. One that you had to control. If you let your haki run wild in here, who knows who would get hurt? Sure, regular pirates faint for a minute or so, but a civil? No, no, no.
Fisting your hands with force, you rushed out of the building, running out to the edge of the deck. There was no one in sight, no one who could get hurt. You took deep and soothing breaths, trying to remember the exercises you’ve learnt. It was fine. It was going to pass. It was going to change. Everything changes.
“Close your eyes.”
You couldn’t tell who it was talking to you. A deep, slow, calm voice.
Closing your eyes shut, you inhaled with a long pace, pressing your hands above your stomach, tracing the way of the air as it filled your lungs. The sound of the light breeze, the salty smell of the ocean water. You were only a little part of nature, so you had no reason to disturb its peace. Yes. It was weakening.
“Good. You’re doing well,” the voice spoke tenderly. “Keep it up.” A hand gently trailed up to your shoulder, holding it gently.
It had to be him. Who else would–?
You opened your eyes and turned around curiously.
“Shanks?” you rasped in disbelief as he came a step closer, squeezing your shoulder firmly.
“Are you okay?” he used such a soft and calm tone, no wonder you didn’t recognize it. “You controlled your haki flawlessly just now.”
“T-thanks,” mustering up the word, you couldn’t hide your disappointment. You wanted it to be Beck. You needed–
“Was it him? Seeing Beckman with someone else?”
You hitched as Shanks asked. This was the last thing you expected him to say. No, you didn’t think this sentence would ever be said by anyone. It should’ve stayed unaddressed.
“I have no idea what you are talking about,” you drew his hand away, trying to escape. Trying.
“Cut the bullshit, would you? Don’t act like I don’t already know. I read the letter, I was there. I know everything,” he yelled at you, sounding threatening and disturbed. “You don’t have to keep it all inside, unless you want to play this game of ‘will I explode and kill myself or not?’ forever.”
“But I controlled it, didn’t I?” matching his energy, you scoffed back.
“Will it be this easy when you catch him fucking someone other than you?”
You were still drunk, no doubt, but it was wearing out nonetheless. Your mind was still blurry, yet your body was charged up. Hardening your arms with haki and punching right into Shanks’ stomach almost came naturally, routinely. To your surprise, he didn’t bother to defend himself in any way.
Shanks coughed up some blood, then fell to his knees as a result. That idiot.
“It is no time for–“ you couldn’t even comprehend what just happened. Shanks, more than capable of dodging your shot, decided to take a full-on hit. “Wait,” as it dawned on you, he wasn’t kidding, you quickly crouched down next to him, evaluating the damage. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to. Are you alright? Why didn’t you dodge?”
“No, I deserved it,” Shanks chuckled, wiping the blood off the side of his mouth. “I’ll do what it takes to be your friend. Even if it means getting beat up.”
Your gaze widened as he talked. Friend. Well, you were a shitty friend if you even qualified as one. You promised yourself that you’d be a great crewmember. Who was part of the crew? Shanks. Logically, you had to be his friend, too.
“Ughh–” you hopped down to sit in front of him, lowering your guard for a start. “I’m sorry. I should’ve been friendlier with you, Captain.” The title slipped out, sounding rather strange from your mouth.
“C-captain?” Shanks repeated with a goofy grin on. “I never dreamed of hearing that from you.”
“Yeah, I didn’t think I’d ever say it either…” pouting slightly, you looked to the side. “Or, Boss, is that what you prefer?”
“You can call me whatever you want. Whatever feels right,” he smiled mellowly while crossing his legs. Shanks glimpsed at you kindly as if you didn’t just brutally damage his organs.
“Are we really going to do this? Talk and stuff?”
“We can just look at the stars if that’s what you want. They are pretty stunning tonight,” with the same movement, Shanks lay on his back. “I just don’t feel like going back there, and I think neither do you.”
“Yeah,” jolting your head, you settled. “I have my reasons. Do you?”
“Probably not as strong as yours, but yeah.”
Without a response, you leaned on your back too, gazing at the pitch-dark sky lit by the flickering stars. As mad as it made you, Shanks was right. He knew everything about you. If you trusted to keep your secret, why couldn’t you just–?
“I don’t want to talk about it, okay? If I talk about it, then it becomes real, and I cannot pretend that it isn’t. I just want to move on and forget about it like it never happened,” you confessed as quickly as possible.
“I don’t think that is the best mindset. Aren’t you afraid that it’ll eat you up from the inside? It might be easier to deal with it if it’s out there. Although if you move in baby steps, that’s fine too. We have all the time in the world,” he explained patiently. “I just hope one day you’ll tell me how you ended up in my crew and where you came from.”
“Maybe one day,” humming quietly, you pulled your arms behind your head comfortably.
“Can I have just one question? A tame one, I promise!” Shanks peered at you without your notice. “What’s with pretending to be a man? You’d make a super-hot woman for sure.”
“Tch–,” huffing under your nose, you stayed sulky as ever. “Of course, you’d only care about that.”
“Alright, I won’t push it,” sighing in disappointment, Shanks gave up on it to your surprise. “I mean, I’d try being a woman for a few days if I could, too. Sounds kinda fun.”
After a minute of soothing silence and a good amount of pondering, you bit your lips before the reply. “It is out of survival, okay? Plus, I do like girls too.” Okay, the last part wasn’t the most honest part, but it wasn’t a blatant lie either. You just weren’t sure. It just sounded like something you knew Shanks or any pirate would’ve liked to hear. “But don’t get it wrong, I don’t want to be a man, it is only a disguise.”
“Huh–“ raising up to his elbow, Shanks set his eyes on you closely. Unintentionally, he managed to make you a little flustered, but luckily, your drunken blush hid it well. “So, you’ll stop someday?”
“Perhaps,” quickly looking to the side, you avoided his attentive gaze that pried on you and your feminine features. “When I’ll finally feel sorry for your old ass not getting any girls while I’m a man.”
“Ba-ha-ha–“ he laughed loudly at the sassy remark, then fell back to the deck. “You are pretty great with them, I can’t argue with that.”
“Now that you mention it… Won’t our crew lose this stupid game without us? Shouldn’t we help them?”
“Are you sure you want to go back?”
“Yeah. I’ll be fine. Just uhm–” Oh, the fucking humiliation, the betrayal of your own rules, god, how hard it was to say it. A few weeks ago, you would’ve slapped yourself even thinking about it. But… “Could you stay by my side?”
“Gosh?” Shanks sat up once, causing you to roll your eyes in regret. “Are you seriously asking for my help? How much did you drink, hm?” he fake-examined you, checking the temperature on your forehead.
“Shut up. I just need your stupid face to distract me.”
“I can give you that, trust,” smirking devilishly, he winked.
“T-thanks.”
You hated it. You hated it all. How could you need him of all people? Shanks was your greatest rival and the one you swore to defeat one day. Now? Now you and he strolled back to the bar, teaming up to win the bloody showdown with ease.
Luckily, Beck was nowhere to be found. It was a blessing and a curse. You couldn’t see him flirt with another woman, but you could imagine him sleeping with her. If it wasn’t for Shanks filling up your cup constantly and seeking your attention in devotion, you might’ve lost it. Instead, the two of you hung out with a wide circle of locals playing ‘suck and blow.’ A poker card was passed around the group by your mouth and happened to fall when you were next to a new girl. They eagerly joined the game and just as eagerly lost in order to kiss a handsome pirate or two as the penalty. Safe to say, the red hair pirates won.
Chapter 12: Above
Summary:
Another day on the island, another challenge. This time, the showdown transforms into a tournament of three.
Notes:
Heyy! c: Here I am with the new chapter. I hope you'll like it as much as the others. ♥
Chapter Text
By the end of the night, the bar was lacking the boisterous energy that had filled it before. The crew, more like those of the crew who drank one too many cups of sake, were sprawled around the place. They slept unbothered by their spontaneous bedding, which was made of wooden chairs, bar counters, the sticky floor, and such.
“I’ll take that if I may,” Shanks mumbled as he stole a half-eaten plate of greasy fried chicken that balanced on Lucky Roux’s stomach.
“He’ll cut your other arm off if he finds out, I hope you know that,” you desperately tried to speak as quietly as possible, not to wake up the girl who accidentally fell asleep in your lap.
“But he won’t,” Shanks shrugged, then fetched the only bottle of sake that had a few drops of booze still. With a satisfied grin, hand filled with food and booze, he dropped to the other side of the couch you settled on, his momentum disturbing your motionless stance.
“Careful, you’ll wake her,” growling, you frowned at Shanks.
“Come on, she’s completely knocked out. Not even a tsunami would wake her.”
“Whatever,” you puffed, then grabbed one of the chicken wings from his plate. “I’m not going to just throw her to the ground or something. I’m not a monster. Plus, she smells really nice. I’ll have to live in your stench after we set sail.”
“I thought we could stay for a bit,” he said it cautiously, unsure how it would be received. Smart.
“Why?” Your voice involuntarily rose.
“I’m not sure, I just feel like it. We have been at sea for too long without a proper stop. This island has no marines or bounty hunters, so we are safe to have some fun,” Shanks immediately noticed how pessimistically you reacted to the news, so he didn’t mind adding, “Maybe you could train here more freely. There are no people to get hurt in the woods, so you could go all out.”
Oh, that peaked your interest, alright. A spark of excitement gleamed in your gaze, and a subtle smile crept on your lips. You and Beck didn’t have a real fight in weeks, because the weaker crewmembers couldn’t handle too much haki. This was the perfect opportunity to push your limits.
“Doesn’t sound too bad,” you played it off, but your enthusiasm couldn’t be hidden.
“Furthermore, we can get drunk and party every night,” cheerfully, Shanks continued. “A new girl every night, a true paradise!”
“I doubt the island’s supply of young women is infinite. Why don’t you stick with one? The showdown ended, didn’t it?” chewing on meat, you babbled mouth half-full.
“Ugh–, that makes things complicated,” Shanks slid down on the couch with a heavy exhale. “You don’t want them to get attached and break their heart, do you? We are pirates, always on the sea. I’d rather not abandon anyone who loves me. Not to mention making promises I cannot keep.”
You certainly didn’t expect to get something that mature out of Shanks, but you shared the view. In the past, you made sure not to get too involved with anyone.
“That’s fair, but it still makes you a shameless playboy.”
“That’s rich, coming from you," he shot back, glancing at the girl sleeping on your lap.
“True,” unable to deny his point, you flicked the empty chicken bone around your fingers. “But I do feel kinda guilty, you know. Aren’t we just using them this way? I wish they’d tell me if I hurt them or not.”
“Ahh– I get you. I’d love to think that they enjoy it as much as we do. It only depends on their expectations, right? If they know that we are bastard pirates, they also have to know that we aren’t going to settle down and have a farm with them or something.”
“Thinking like this will help us sleep at night at least,” you muttered, seizing another piece of chicken after the other. “I mean, at noon? Why are we even awake anyway?”
“The ladies wanted to watch the sunrise together, remember?”
“Oh, right. Well, if they have eyes on the back of their head, they can,” making Shanks laugh, you gazed at the sun lazily rise above the endless horizon to the orange and purple colored sky.
You both enjoyed the beautiful sight in silence, eating some leftover breakfast and drinking some leftover sake. You couldn’t get a hangover if the night wasn’t over, right? The perk belonged to the vigilance as compensation. Your peace was only disturbed when one particularly joyful pirate arrived in the room with way too much energy after three hours of sleep at best.
“Yo! Morning, guys!” Ace barged in and took the last wing of chicken from Shanks in an instant, no warning. “You’re up early.”
“We are up late,” correcting him, you made your presence known from behind the girl.
“There you are. Aren’t you insatiable?” he giggled mockingly, gesturing towards your baggage. “Nothing is enough for you, is it?”
“Says the loser,” Shanks picked on him.
“Double loser,” you multiplied for good measure, referring to your own competition.
“Pff–, you’re not going to shut up about it, will ya? Even if you beat me this one time, you’d know how good I am if you’d try it for yourself, pretty boy,” furrowing his brows with a pout on his lips, he sat to your other side on the couch.
Shanks’ mouth fell slightly open, baffled by Ace’s comment. So plain. So shameless.
“No thanks,” you responded with a quick rasp. “Maybe you two should compete for the second place instead.”
“Hey! That sounds fun!” Ace perked up straight, a wide and bright grin etching his face. “But three is a tournament, everyone has to compete with everyone!”
The second he said it, you felt your cheeks burn, and there was no longer any tipsiness to hide it. For god’s sake, Shanks knew you were no man, how would that even–?
“You want to lose again so bad, kid?” Shanks cut in, smirking at Ace with greed. “Are you sure?”
“I absolutely am. Are you?”
“You bet.”
Before you could comprehend, the two men held hands above your head, sealing the deal. Another stupid and meaningless competition. One that you were uncertain about taking part in.
“What are the rules?” Shanks asked after he had already agreed. Not a single care in the world.
“Two girls, we each have both, and they decide who is better. Not too complicated.”
They were supposed to be grown men, and you did the same last night, so you shouldn’t have judged them. The girls had fun, and there was no harm in that. Well, at least they both could properly have sex with the girls, not that you wouldn’t have praise for your own techniques. They could do whatever until you weren’t involved.
“But you two have to do it too. Raion, you better win, alright?” Ace broke your bubble.
“Give it up, kid. You two are nothing but rookies when it comes to ladies, you don’t stand a chance.”
“Tch–“ Rationally, you shouldn’t have gotten mixed up in it in the first place, but when Shanks acted that cockily, you couldn’t not get annoyed. Sure, Shanks slept with girls for his own enjoyment, but that didn’t diminish the fact that you were still much better at pleasing girls. It was a skill that you worked hard on. You weren’t going to let anyone speak down on you like that. “Keep on dreaming,” you hissed through clenched jaws.
“Are you really going to try me?” Shanks leaned forward, prying on you with a teasing glint.
“You think I’m afraid of you?”
“Like you were last time?” If Shanks had the perfect opportunity to remind you of your loss against him, this was it. You did chicken out before, but how long did that memory have to haunt you?
“Times have passed,” you squinted your eyes in zeal. On that occasion, you were simply afraid of being found out. Now that he knew your secret and you wouldn’t have to share one girl, you didn’t have any reason to hold back.
“Last time?” Ace interrupted your exchange. “Did you–?”
“It doesn’t matter,” you two yelled simultaneously, averting your eyes swiftly. Ace, or anyone else for the matter, didn’t need to know about your failed threesome. That was a loss against Shanks that still bugged you immensely. Well, now you had an opportunity to prove yourself.
The game had to wait, though, since you and most of the crew slept all throughout the day. When you gained back your energy and sobriety, the last thing you wanted to do was drink again. The thing that you actually wanted to do was train. It took an excessive amount of time to convince Beck to split from the shore and practice with you. Luckily, a few girls nearby eavesdropped on your pleas and offered to accompany you and Beck to cheer for you. The setback was that you couldn’t use too much haki, but it was still worth it. Word got out, and your training suddenly became a social gathering. Great.
On an open field deeper into the island, you and Beck fought as usual, while a small group of locals and some crewmembers camped on the side, drinking, chatting, and occasionally cheering you on. As the evening passed into night, the group transformed into a crowd, and the number of trainees grew too.
“You know that I am not going to go easy on you,” smirking at Ace smugly, you warned him.
“I never asked you to,” he chuckled, before lunging forward to punch you. Gracefully, you let him, hardening your stomach with armament haki, then grabbed his arm to throw him over yourself to the ground. “Shit. How are you this strong? I am going to have to use my devil fruit.”
“Maybe, just maybe, you might have a chance with that,” inhaling confidently, you shrugged.
Ace kept his promise and blasted you with a powerful wave of fire without warning. Silence fell over the whole island as it seemed everyone’s gaze fixed on the smoke cloud that spread across the whole field. The locals gasped in panic as they realized what had just happened. Did you burn alive? With how long it took for the fog to disappear and the lack of noise you made, even Ace was turning anxious. Did you seriously burn alive?
Well, of course not.
“Shoot,” you muttered, tapping on the single strand of hair that actually caught on fire a little. “That could’ve been lethal, I hope you know that,” was all everyone could hear as the cloud faded. Sighs, sighs, sighs, deep breaths.
“You scared me for a sec, pretty boy,” Ace held his hand over his chest as he eased.
“This is a pretty cool ability, I am almost jealous.”
“Wanna see some more?”
“Show me,” you stood into a fighting stance, ready to beat the crap out of Ace.
“That seemed close,” Hongo hummed to Beck as they observed the fight from the sidelines.
“It wasn’t,” smiling proudly, Beck glanced at him. “The kid just made a show out of it. Naturally, he could’ve dodged it easily, but he just had to take it to make it more exciting.”
“Not too shabby.”
“Indeed. One year and the little shit might be able to take me on,” Beck admitted it with a sly pout, it will be a bittersweet outcome, but inevitable.
“Wow,” Hongo stared at you from afar, hardly believing what he saw. Beck wasn’t overextravagating. “Where’s the Boss? Wouldn’t he like to watch this too?”
Beck lit a fresh cigarette as he carefully chose his response. He couldn’t just say that the sight of you and Ace having fun made him nauseous, which was the truth. “I guess he’s resting.” Resting, sure. If Beck focused his observation haki to his very limits, he could faintly sense Shanks on the ship, either pitying himself in a corner alone or drinking in pithiness alone. Neither is better than the other.
After the intense workout that tired you out like hell, you returned to the Red Force on your own while the others continued the party. No, you’d rather take a shower and snuggle up in your hammock. When you were ready to do just that, you were welcomed by a slightly unsettling scene on the lower deck. Shanks was spread out on the floor, unconscious. Again. You stopped for a second, weighing your options, but you decided that he was fine. Stepping over his motionless body, you climbed up to settle into your hammock’s soft cradle and ignored him or his snoring.
“What did I miss out on?” out of the blue, he grunted with a coarse, crackly voice.
“I should’ve known you’re awake,” huffing dramatically, you sounded as annoyed as usual. “We just trained, that is all. The others went back to the bar, you should join them. I’m beat.”
“No, I’ll stay here with you,” he murmured quietly.
“No, you are staying where you passed out, and I am sleeping in my own spot. Don’t put it like that,” yawning a little, you explained. “Don’t be creepy.”
“How is that creepy?” Shanks raised his head, glimpsing at your back on the top hammock.
“It just is.”
“That is a shitty argument. It isn’t even one. I am not creepy,” he babbled on, trying to convince himself. Not that asking you to sleep with him the other day wasn’t actually creepy. He knew it was.
“Sure. Is that why you agreed to play Ace’s stupid game?” Okay, otherwise you would’ve never brought this up so directly, but for your excuse, you were exhausted after working out for hours. Clear thinking wasn’t exactly your forte right now.
“If it is so stupid, why did you play with him?”
He got you.
“I was drunk,” sitting up to look at him, you shrieked.
“So was I,” Shanks gave you a snarky grin, earning a frown from you in return.
“It doesn’t matter,” you quickly fell back between your sheets. “I’d win against any of you. I don’t care what you two creeps do.”
“That is a bit hypocritical, don’t you think? With the same math, you are a creep, too. Just accept it that you also like to use women like we do.”
You remained silent, to his surprise. Like? That was a harsh word, but Shanks was still right. The reason didn’t matter, you were just as bad and wicked as they were. No big deal?
“Okay. We can do it. I mean us and two girls. It’ll be fun,” hesitantly, you agreed. Just because there was some nudity, it wasn’t that much different from a real fight. It was all about technique and stamina. No big deal.
“Not really. I mean it won’t be fun for you when you lose,” Shanks chuckled after a small pause.
“Don’t taunt me,” scowling, you talked back, your pillow muffling your words.
“Or what?” he provoked you, because why wouldn’t he? “We should do it tonight!” enthusiastically, Shanks jumped to his feet, then grabbed the side-hem of your hammock to peek in. “Let’s do it tonight!”
“Didn’t you hear me? I’m beat.” You curled up comfortably.
“A cup of sake and you’ll be as good as new.”
“But I don’t want to be,” growling, you covered your head with your blanket.
“You’re terrified, aren’t you?”
“Now you are just manipulating me…”
“Come on. You smell nice, your muscles are popping, and all odds are in your favor. Why don’t you use it?” Shanks wasn’t the worst at persuading you, on the contrary. He hit the nerve.
“I could win smelly and skinny, for your information!” Fully frustrated, you rose up to sneer at him. “But you won’t let me alone until I say yes, I know. Whatever. Let’s do it tonight.”
“Great,” Shanks fisted his hand and lightly punched into the air.
You dressed back up in your usual oversized clothes and tousled your slightly wet hair. This was all you needed to look irresistible to a certain group of people.
“So, khm–“ Shanks cleared his throat, sobering up, while you drank his leftover sake. “Are you going to undress or something? Or how will you–?”
“It wouldn’t be ideal if girls knew that I wasn’t a man,” you raised a brow at him. “But you should focus on what you’ll be doing, not me.”
“Yeah, obviously,” he chuckled softly with a flimsy expression.
It was fairly late when you entered the bar, which meant that the mood was staggering. Up until you arrived. Shanks and you joined the red hair pirates' table for a while, then went to the bar to catch some ladies for your wicked game. In this world, this wasn’t much of a challenge. Instead, the options were overwhelming.
“So, what kind of girls do you like?” Shanks asked you after you clinked your mugs. “There are plenty here tonight.”
“Yeah, I guess news got out,” you nodded, your glares darting across the bar. “Although Ace keeps some occupied,” gesturing towards the rookie, you both noticed how he was currently surrounded by five girls alone.
“We can steal them if–“
“No, it is fine. I don’t really care,” shaking your head, you interrupted.
“Seriously?” Shanks blinked in surprise, reeling. “No preference?”
“No,” you stretched your shoulders lazily. You were capable of telling what conventional attractiveness was, but a sleepy and hungry person didn’t have the luxury of a preference. In the past, the last thing you cared about was appearance, and it stuck. “You choose.”
“Okay, then. I am too pragmatic and hedonistic to be picky, so who’s the closest?”
Twins. A pair of twins was staring at you shamelessly from the other side of the bar counter. Young, beautiful, shy. Perfect. You approached them, and their giggling and blushing gave the obvious sign that this was going to be a piece of cake. They were tipsy and naïve, luring them up into a room in a nearby tavern was suspiciously easy.
“T-thank you so much!” one girl shuddered, clinging to your arm.
“Of course. You traveled so far, you deserve this treat. A nice room is the best place we can give you, the worst being the ship,” you comforted her with a smooth smile.
“But we know that you wouldn’t have complained if we took you there, because you only came to this town for us,” Shanks murmured it seductively, making the twins beyond flustered.
“God, captain,” playfully smacking his side, you stopped him. “Don’t embarrass them like that. Even if it’s true.”
“Care to show us how true it is?” Shanks traced the side of one girl’s jaw, pinching her chin. She kissed him without notice.
“Look at them,” you pulled your girl closer as you glanced at the others making out blatantly. “They are getting ahead of us. We should change that,” slowly and ever so gently, you placed your lips on hers. If your hunch was right, this girl was less experienced than her sister. That definitely worked in your favor.
Soon, the room was filled with tension and heat as you all made out on the king-sized bed. The noises each person made became more lewd and vulgar with time. Yet, you couldn’t chase the feeling that was something off. Your twin was way too tense. She probably wasn’t used to these affairs and couldn’t exactly relax. Not even with you.
“Is everything okay?” you leaned back, whispering calmly.
“O-of course, I–“
“We don’t have to do anything if you don’t want to,” sitting up, you buttoned her blouse up. It amazed and terrified you how she wouldn’t have said anything if you didn’t. Her sister must’ve pressured her to do this.
“I’m sorry,” she uttered out the words weakly.
“Don’t worry,” you stroked the top of her head affectionately. “Let’s leave these two be.”
“What?” Shanks rose up from the other twin’s breasts, where his face had been buried until now.
“She just wants to talk, it’s alright,” shrugging, you helped the girl up, heading to the door.
“No! Wait!” Suddenly, Shanks reached out to grasp your hand, then gripped it tightly. “It is okay if it’s just three. She can decide…” he sounded more desperate than you would’ve assumed. You gathered, he was horny and dizzy, too stupid to think straight.
“I am not going to leave her alone, Shanks.”
“N-no-no!” the girl cut you off. “We do actually have our own room, I’ll be fine. You should stay!” To your astonishment, she didn’t hesitate to reassure you. Plus, your empathy did shrink a bit after they tricked you into booking a room in vain. “I’ll be fine. I promise!”
“R-right,” you eventually complied, and she fled the room. Yeah, prudent little girls shouldn’t mess with pirates. That should be a law.
“Oh my god!” the other twin sat up to see you. “Do I get both of you all to myself?” she grinned with excitement. A little too much of it.
“Only if you name a winner. You must tell us who made you cum harder,” Shanks stated plainly. It was for the better that the other sister didn’t hear this language.
“I’m in! I’m so in!” the twin giggled, pulling her top off. “How do we do it? I’ll get you from the back and you from the front? Or you’ll switch? Or you’ll fuck me at the same time? I’m okay with anything!”
You and Shanks exchanged glances to chuckle carelessly. You wouldn’t have admitted it, but in the moment, you would’ve loved to have a dick and actually try it all.
“I’m gonna eat you out, because that’s my favorite, you two can decide later,” taking the initiative, you shoved Shanks away to draw the girl to the corner of the bed and kneel between her legs. They were already shivering from the slightest touch. Gosh, you didn’t hate having sex with a woman who had this much enthusiasm.
“Can I suck your dick while he’s doing that?” the girl begged, gazing at Shanks.
You just couldn’t contain your laughter as you yanked off her panties, and neither could Shanks.
“I’d be honored,” he stepped beside her, letting the girl palm the bulge on his pants.
Damn. You should’ve been focused on the pussy in front of you, trying your best to please her out of her freaking mind, but you couldn’t deny how curious you were. While you observed the girl’s body language as you licked her folds, you also followed her hand from the corner of your eye. Her fingers traced circles over Shanks’ crotch to tease him a bit before she actually slipped her hand into his pants. A few experimental strokes to make him hitch, then she took his cock out.
For fuck’s sake…
Shanks wasn’t only longer, but also girthier than Ace.
You seriously had to up your game if you wanted to win. If only the sight of his cock wasn’t so bloody distracting. No. You closed your eyes shut, hugged the girl’s thighs against your head, and began to work. This had to be your best performance ever. If she didn’t accidentally bite down on Shanks’ cock because you made her cum that hard, it wasn’t even worth it. Yeah. Body language, technique, experience, and naturally, your own womanhood. You were the best.
“Fuck! Mhh– fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck,” she groaned, her wincing voice breaking with each breath. Her legs trembled frantically, and her nails sank into your scalp, scratching your skin aggressively. Good.
She came on your face, loud.
When you tilted your head up, both she and Shanks glared at you in astonishment.
“I should’ve known you were good at this,” Shanks hummed, amazed by the sheer talent.
“Sure, I am. Now it’s your turn,” gesturing to him, you switched places. Shanks pressed his cock over the twin’s clit immediately.
“Do I get to suck your dick too?” she panted, but you lay down next to her instead.
“Not this time,” you rejected the generous offer. At this point, you saw nothing wrong with merely assisting Shanks. Caressing her skin, kneading her breast, kissing her neck. What you didn’t expect was that it wasn’t only up to you. Out of the sudden, the girl grabbed your neck and dragged you for a sloppy and wet kiss.
Wet? Her chin, her whole face, was drenched in saliva and possibly… precum?
You swiftly pulled back, fleeing the kiss instantly as it dawned on you.
“Mh-ha-ha-ha–“ Shanks laughed, or rather hollered. “How does it taste, huh?”
“You asshole!” Kicking his stomach, you struggled to wipe your tongue on anything. Sure, tasting Ace when you had no other choice was one thing. But being where Shanks’ cock was seconds ago? “Ew– I’m way too sober for this.“
“Ah, you love it, don’t you?” he mocked you, then turned his attention elsewhere, thrusting into the confused girl.
“I’m sorry,” after the crash out, you apologized to her sincerely. “I’d love to kiss you, but his–“
“Kiss me somewhere else then,” she winked, not one bit bothered.
You swallowed back a chuckle and opted to obey her. You actually started to like this girl. She was just the perfect mix of confidence and feistiness. You began to munch on her nipples eagerly while Shanks fucked her in the meantime. You thought this situation would be more awkward or just strange, but it was the opposite. She moaned and whimpered sweetly, brushing your hair tenderly. It made you forget what was going on back there, even if the skin slapping was loud enough for the whole building to hear. By sound, Ace and Shanks had similar styles, the latter was maybe steadier. Well, until the finish line, which came sooner than you suspected. You crawled away to let them have their moment, cum simultaneously. You had to note that Shanks wasn’t the worst at reading body language either.
Involuntarily, you watched as his broad chest heaved after his climax, his skin glowing in a sheer layer of sweat. He breathed deeply, his lips parted, his face subtly flustered by the rush of pleasure. Only the blind didn’t like him. All those girls traveling across the island just to see him in person, well, you couldn’t blame them. Shanks was dreamy.
“What?” he peeked at you, catching you staring.
“Nothing,” tossing your head to the side, you looked at the girl. “So, who won?”
“Ah, can you give me a minute?” she whined, understandably. “This was kind of a lot.”
“Take it easy,” Shanks pulled his pants back on, then fetched a tissue to clean her up before hugging her on the bed to cuddle. Strangely, he was the cuddling type. “We have all the time in the world.”
“Really?”
“Sure. Am I right Rai–“
They rightfully could believe that you fell asleep. You faked snoring well. In truth, you just felt overly embarrassed by this whole thing. Sure, when you could disassociate, it wasn’t that bad, but now? For god’s sake, you had a proper threesome with Shanks? You even saw his cock, his orgasm face. Uh, this was such a bad idea. At the very least, you didn’t have to kiss him like with Iris back then. The only redemption. Although tasting his cock was arguably worse. How did this even happen?
But…
Worst of all.
Why did you almost enjoy it?
Chapter 13: Amends
Summary:
Training as therapy.
Notes:
Hiii! :) Here is the new chapter hehe. Progress. Quiet before the storm.
I also just want to thank you for all the comments, guys! You are awesome, it melts my heart! ♥♥♥♥♥♥
Chapter Text
The night of training strained you almost as much as the thing that followed. The first physically, the second mentally. Regardless that you faked falling asleep, in a while you passed out actually. That was an understatement. You slept well until noon in the tavern's room on your own, then woke up more rested than you had been in months. Yeah, beds were on another level from hammocks, based on comfort. Plus, the shower? It was crispy clean, the tiles, the water, gosh, it was pure luxury.
When you returned to the shore among the crew, you were perfectly rested and fresh.
“You’re looking nice,” Beck greeted you from a bench, hiding behind a small cloud of tobacco smoke. “Any plans for the day?”
“Good morning to you, too,” you hopped down next to him, saying farewell to the night with one last yawn. “No plans.”
“Great,” finishing the cigarette, he flicked it into the water, then stood up with the same momentum. “Because I do have plans for you.”
Joining him on a stroll along the beach, your eyes clung to Beck, wide with wonder and cautious interest. It was impossible to tell what went on inside Beck’s mind. “What is it?”
“You’ll see when we get there,” no, he didn’t give you the slightest hint.
You had to stay patient. Hope for the best? Well, you got the worst.
After hiking up to the mountains of the island, you finally arrived at a small clearing that has been carved into the slope. On the edge of a cliff with a perfect view of the ocean, the land was uneven but open, fitting for a house. Not only did you think that. At the center of the clearing, rough beams and half-framed walls rose from the ground, a stack of uncut wood and piles of bamboo set on the side. An unfinished house.
“What are we doing here?” Baffled by the mere idea, you already figured it out despite the question.
“You’re going to help them build it. In fact, we won’t leave until you’re done,” Beck explained with the calmness of a rock or something that had no reason to be afraid of your fury.
“You must be joking,” snapping at him, you jolted your head.
“You’ll help the community. Now, be a good boy and help!” Without anything else to add, Beck slammed his hand on your back, pushing you forward.
Jesus.
The three working men welcomed you with appreciation. Turns out, this fucker promised the family that you’d come and help them because you aspired to be a carpenter. No, you had to mask your flaming irritation and act like the kind and selfless person that Beck introduced. Lovely. Top-notch training.
The frame of the house was essentially finished, so you only had to weave the bamboo into the panels for the walls. The canes had to be split and smoothed, then crisscrossed in order. Then the roof…
While you were sweating your ass off, arguing with the others, and building a home for these strangers, Beck was lunging on a rocking chair under an umbrella with the wife serving him lemonade and cigarettes. The level of disrespect… Of course, he is going to get the credit, while you suffered.
And this wasn’t even the beginning.
The hours passed, and you were nailing the bamboo panels together unknowingly, when you spotted her. The woman he spoke to on the first night of your arrival… Your grip crashed the wood into pieces as you saw her step beside Beck and start to massage his back.
You lost it.
As expected.
Your reason knew that you shouldn’t get angry, how you shouldn’t care, but for god’s sake. The woman wasn’t only present, which might’ve been fine, but you were working for her?
“What’s wrong?” Just when your haki was about to burst out without control, the old mustached geezer crouched down to check on you. “That is an iron grip if I’ve ever seen one, kid,” he gasped, observing the damage your immature fury caused.
“I’m, I’m sorry,” your voice wavered as you spoke. This was nothing compared to what else could’ve happened if you didn’t hold back. “I’ll fix it.”
“Oh, it’s okay. Why don’t you take a break?”
“No. If I take a break now, I might not come back…”
For the remaining time, you locked your eyes on the work ahead, nothing else. Focusing on the goal, you emptied your thoughts and performed as a non-sentient machine. If you couldn’t process your emotions, you had to bury them somewhere. Temporarily. The family went home after nightfall, and only you and Beck remained in the clearing. You could sense him fall asleep, otherwise, he would've probably let you go. Still, you kept your promise and finished the building on your own.
You should’ve matured enough to wake him up and go back to the ship, but you didn’t. In a fit of rage, you stormed off into the jungle, leaving Beck there alone. You tore through the bushes, branches, and vines with full speed, fleeing far enough not to be found. Even Beck’s and Shanks’ observation haki had to have its limits. Sprinting as fast as you could, your breath hitched in your throat, not just from the effort, but from the flood of emotion clawing its way out. You couldn’t keep it in any longer. Far from the ship, the village, the others, you let your haki flow through your veins and erupt from your body, out into the open. A deep sense of relief washed over you as the tension finally made its way out. Gosh, there were so many things wrong with you… Dropping to the ground, you relaxed your limbs and inhaled normally.
Now that you had managed the overwhelming emotions that poisoned your mind, you could think straight once again. This wasn’t even that big of a deal. Just building a house for Beck’s friend’s family. Come on, neither he nor Shanks planned to have women long term, you had no reason to worry about losing anything you had. Losing hope? You should have been done with that ages ago. Why was it so incredibly hard to release something that you couldn’t see, couldn’t touch? Something silent and stubborn as a heartbeat. Ridiculous…
“You lost him? What do you mean you lost him?” Shanks glared at his second in command intensely.
“Ugh–,” Beck scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. “It is a little complicated. It was an accident of some sort.”
“We should seriously chain him up or something,” twirling around anxiously, Shanks held his face in his palm. “I can’t sense him at all.”
“He couldn’t leave the island, and I doubt he would. Let’s just give the kid some time. He’ll be back, I’m sure…”
Beck knew you better than you knew yourself.
You spent five days in the hidden cove, tucked between jagged cliffs and thick jungle. The small beach was completely untouched and almost impossible to find. A perfect place to disappear for a while.
That night, you decided to cope with your emotions with the only method that worked so far. Growing stronger. Physically and mentally. From dawn until the sky had fallen black, you pushed your body to the edge, lifting stone boulders and climbing cliffs. The sweat constantly soaked along your back, and sand scraped your skin raw. Every motion carved strength into your limbs and built resolve into your core. Good. It was peaceful, calm, quiet. All you could hear was the tide crashing into the cliff and the sharp breaths you took with each pull-up. There was no gossiping, no Yasopp goofing around on the top deck, and you didn’t have to focus your haki on Beck with half your brainpower. There was no one around, only you. Yet, you didn’t feel lonely. You knew they were on the shore, waiting for you.
Haki demanded stillness, not just in the body, but in the soul. Observation haki was like listening to music, registering every tone, every depth, every minor. Armament haki was like a good old fist fight. Where, how, how fast, with how much power. But that god damn conqueror's haki, you could never fully understand. It was tied to your emotions, your poor temper, and neither could you control it too well. If you recalled something angering, you could already feel the surge of energy prickle on the tip of your fingers, and you could barely prevent it from seeping out. However, there had to be a way. Even if you released your conqueror's haki, it couldn’t just destroy everything in its way unless you wanted it to.
For a little test, you built up two bumps of sand on the beach and placed one and one coconut on the top of them. You sat between, holding a hand over both of them. Inhaling slowly, you filled your lungs, then carefully let out a spark of haki, trying to aim at the right. First try, both coconuts cracked open. Fuck.
This couldn’t be anger, this was energy, willpower. Those were two very different things. Anger on its own was a useless, destructive emotion, a sign of weakness. The reason you had any haki wasn’t because of your anger, but your will. If you wanted one fucking coconut to stay in one piece and the fucking other to blow up, you were going to achieved that.
The milk splashed in your face, wetting your hair and clothes after the blast. Only on one side.
“Yes,” you chuckled gracefully, licking the coconut milk on your lips. “Delicious.”
By the time the sun set on the fifth day, your entire body ached, bruised, and hardened. Haki simmered beneath your skin, quieter, steadier, no longer something you had to chase or fight, but something you carried within.
On your way back to the village, you choose the path that stretched along the freshly built house. In these few days, the family moved in, decorating the walls and planting the garden. It was rather homey and peaceful. Somewhere, even you could’ve imagined living.
“Hey! Hey! It’s you!” the high and lively voice cut through your wonder. “Come in, why don’t you?” the woman, his woman, yelled out the window, an apron on her waist, a cooking spoon in her hand.
Lord, you were hungry.
Hesitantly, concerning you were supposed to despise this woman and kill her out of jealousy, you still walked into her home.
“Come! Come! Come!” She actually dragged you to the dinner table forcefully, seating you straight. “The boys have been looking for you, you know. Almost a week, you were gone. Have you eaten anything? Gosh, you must be starving!” With insane speed, she served you a plate of stew. It had a wholesome and warming smell. The vegetables, carrots, potatoes, and parsnips brought out a grounding, slightly sweet scent that beguiled you.
“T-thank you,” shyly, you dug in. After the first taste, you continued to devour the bowl in a minute. “Seconds!”
The women chuckled, not one bit surprised. “I’m glad you’re okay. My family wanted to thank you properly for your work.”
“Oh, it was nothing. Where are they anyway?”
She sat down next to you at the table, staring at you with her head on her wrists. “Partying, I’d say.”
“And why aren’t you?” between bites, you murmured.
“Someone had to cook for those idiots,” jokingly she huffed. “When pirates come to the island, everyone goes nuts. And now that there are two crews? It is that much worse.”
“You don’t like pirates?”
“I am living in a house that one built for me, how could you imagine me saying that?” Kicking your ankle under the table playfully, she fake-scoffed. “I just don’t like the commotion, that is all. I mean, I’m a waitress, I’m usually in the middle of said commotion, but still.”
“We can be quite annoying, that is for sure, but I think we’ll leave soon.”
“You and Beckman can stay, the others not,” the woman smiled softly. Yeah, you had to understand why he liked her. She was so feminine, mature, and humble. If Beck were with someone like her, you… It would be fine. You were a fool to think otherwise.
“May I ask what your name is?”
“It’s Monica.”
“If I’d ask you nicely, would you come down to the village for one last time, please?” You smoothed out your tone and put on the most charming expression you could handle.
In response, she carelessly wiped a breadcrumb off your chin with her thumb, then shrugged theatrically as she agreed. “If I can dress you, then yes.”
“D-dress me?” Your brows rose up, and she didn’t even attempt to contain her laughter.
“I am so sorry, but you aren’t the most fashionable pirate I’ve ever met. You guys are supposed to be at least a little flamboyant, right? You look like a homeless little boy.”
“W-what?” your mouth fell open involuntarily. True, your clothes were fairly worn-out, but…?
“Don’t get me wrong, you are plenty handsome, it is only your clothes,” she grinned, failing to be polite about it. “You are not used to hearing that, do you?”
“Not really,” spacing out, you only noticed her run away from the room and yell.
“I think they are here somewhere,” the volume barely reached you. “Yes! Got it!” Monica came back with a little mountain of clothes in her arms. “Choose!”
“Are you serious?”
“I am.”
After you finished your food, she picked out your outfit stubbornly. Slightly high-waisted pants, a loose white cossack shirt, and an unbuttoned vest, that was your outfit for the night. It was tighter than what you were used to and heavier too. This discomfort was immeasurable.
“Is this really necessary?” you sighed low, dropping your shoulders in the process.
“You look irresistible, what are you talking about? The finest pirate I have ever met!”
“Whatever…”
Reluctantly, you had to comply with this woman’s commands. Well, it was only for one night, right? There were still some good clothes on the ship. You were going to bring her to surprise Beck and somehow distract him from beating the crap out of you, because you went rouge again. That was your strategy for Beck. For Shanks? No idea. But also, the last time you saw him, he just came in a girl inches away from you… Not the most pleasant of memories.
You and Monica journeyed down to the village, but something unexpected was waiting for you. Bright and sparkling lights etched along the pitch-black horizon, melting the stars into mere bystanders in the sky. Endless fireworks spread across the air, which could only mean one thing. The night butterfly pirates.
“How stunning,” Monica gazed at the lights, amazed, while you felt your palms sweat in contrast.
On your last encounter, you and their captain almost had a nasty fight, and your drinking contest ended in dual alcohol poisoning. With each step, your desire to come back shrank.
“That’s another pirate crew for ya,” you stuck your hands into your pockets, and curved your spine. “Let’s find Beckman and have a drink.”
Heading right to the bar, you luckily spotted Beck and Shanks on the deck, leisurely among the celebrating crowd. The crews gathered around the shore to cheer for the new arrivals. The two men seemed almost little, easily approachable amidst the uproar, but you kept Monica close just to make sure they wouldn’t go crazy on you.
“Raion?”
“Raion is back!” Yasopp and Limejuice happened to recognize you earlier than expected.
Shanks and Beck glanced at you in sync from afar, then got misled by the woman on your side. Unlike a gentleman, you gently pushed Monica forward to entertain that two while you said hi to the crew and Hongo.
“Hey guys! How’s it going?” You messed up Lime’s hair and pinched Yasopp’s cheek, escaping from those two’s gazes.
“Don’t at me, kid,” the sniper grumbled at you childishly. “I bet you had a little vacation with a harem of girls, didn’t you?”
“I was training, that is all…” You managed to clutch his skin again, dodging his hit barely. “Where is Hongo?”
“Me?” Oh, yes. You seriously needed the help. Hongo was the only member of the crew who you could trust to be honest and patient. The ship’s doctor was the only one you could ask without fear of judgment. “You, brat,” he smacked your face unexpectedly. Okay, maybe he was a little mad too. “Where have you been?”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” quickly, you shuddered. “Just please tell me how angry those two are with me?” you pointed at Beck and Shanks, who were chatting with Monica, seemingly unbothered.
“Well, what do you think?” Hongo glimpsed at you sarcastically.
“Okay, fair.” For everyone else, who didn’t know about your letter and your first escape, these few days had to feel like an irresponsible betrayal.
“Where have you even been? And what are these clothes?” Hongo stared at your outfit, which you had little explanation for.
“I built a house?” Technically, that was the truth.
“Sure,” Hongo rolled his eyes skeptically. “I bet you still have a hundred injuries I have to take care of.”
“None,” lying, you confidently bowed against him, then realized that being in imaginary top condition might not last too long. “Yet…”
“Good. Now go and say hi to your other babysitters,” tipping his head, Hongo gestured towards Beck and Shanks.
It was unavoidable after all. However, you had Monica and the night butterfly pirates were just about to port, so they had better things to do than beating you up, right? Right? Your feet were rooted to the ground, and the distance between you and them didn’t seem just a few steps, it was miles thick with guilt. You did run off in a fit of jealousy for days, fleeing from Beck and the memory of you and Shanks getting too close to handle. No wonder you were scared shitless.
“H-hey,” you stumbled into their circle nervously, imitating a brittle smile.
Naturally, you decided to let Beck hit you if he wanted to. You deserved it, but you still didn’t fully restrict your observation haki. You should’ve been able to foresee how he’d slam his rifle straight over the top of your head, then the impact would tear a hole in the bamboo deck, causing you to fall into the water helplessly.
You did not.
In a split second, you felt the pain spread across your skull, then the water closed over your body as you sank down.
Okay. This was definitely an overreaction.
“What the hell, man!” you shouted after taking a tight breath, splashing the water around as you swam to the surface.
“Well,” Beck spoke softly as he bent down to take a look at you through the hole that he constructed. “What did you expect? A kiss on the cheek? You were gone for five day, you dumbass.”
“But–“
“Come on, you’re overdoing it.” Shanks pushed him to the side and held his arm out for you to grab onto. “Take it, go on!”
Naively, you took the offer. Your captain let you go just when you were about to climb back up. Great.
“Ahw!” you screamed, infuriated at this point. “I hate you! I hate you so fucking much!”
By now, the whole crew and most of the locals were watching your struggle, having a good laugh. Sure, it wasn’t the nicest thing that you did, but public humiliation wasn’t exactly deserved in your opinion. Fuming, you swam to the shore, ready to fight both of those idiots. Anyone, for that matter.
On the corner, you saw the butterfly pirates arrive on the deck, and the mere sigh of Linaria sent chills down your spine, making you neglect the idea of fighting her lover. She clung to Shanks like a magnetic monkey. Beck was busy with Monica, too, so you had to wait your turn. Dammit.
You walked into the empty bar, fully drenched in sea water, hoping they would serve you nonetheless. An undeniable no. The bartender girl was occupied with Ace sticking his tongue down her throat, hands under her panties. You had to serve yourself.
“I was wondering where you were,” you mumbled, absolutely unbothered by the presence of the two heavily making out.
Ace opened one eye to glance at you, then freed up his mouth to speak. “Raion! Where the crap have you been? It was boring as hell without you!” he chuckled, continuing to please the girl without a worry.
“Certainly doesn’t seem like it,” you smirked at him as you opened a new bottle of sake, then chugged it. “It’s okay if I stay, right? I need a nap.”
“Why don’t you join?” Ace grinned teasingly, but you were already on your back, lying on the counter.
“No, I’m alright.”
“Your loss,” he shrugged while the girl, reading the room, chose to kneel on the floor to take care of Ace in way that he could continue to chat. “Thank you, sweetheart. You’re a real angel.”
“Did something happen while I was away?” Peeking at their new position, you were fine to ask.
“Not much,” Ace answered with a low groan as the girl began to suck his cock eagerly. “There were a lot of parties, drinking, and games. I heard your shipwright upgraded some stuff on your ship they even fixed some stuff on our ship too. I can’t wait to sail with the thing.”
“That’s cool. You can show me later.”
“You bet. But what have you been up to? Shanks was stressed the hell out, trying to find you.”
“I just wanted to train on my own for a while. Wanna see what I worked on?” you sat up with an enthusiastic smile on.
“Of course!”
You seized two empty mugs from the counter, one in each hand. Focusing your haki along your palms, you let the energy emerge, then break one in half.
“So?”
“Woah! Do it again, do it again! Show her, too,” Ace encouraged you, but there was no way you’d let him disrespect a girl’s favor like that. As dope as your trick was…
“I think your cock is more interesting for the lady than a broken mug, Ace.”
“Oh, right,” stopping himself, Ace aimed his attention back to receiving an excellent blowjob. “I’m sorry. Only when we are done.”
A light, sleazy chuckle slipped out as you watched him readjust himself. Poor girl, she had no idea what kind of maniac she was pleasing. You truly liked Ace, but he was reckless and careless when it came to women. He wasn’t selfish per se, but he was a moron.
“Have you heard about the pirate crew that just arrived?”
“Not much.”
“A word of warning, be wary of the younger girls. Their captain might be their sister, and she is a complete psycho. Linaria. She is obsessive, totally in love with Shanks. Insane,” you grumbled, still salty about what happened.
“What, you messed around with a kid?” Ace mocked you mischievously.
“I did not! It was a misunderstanding.”
“Aha, so that is why you don’t want to join us? She’s too old for you?” he continued, getting on your last nerve successfully.
“Shut up! I was trying to be nice, warning you! Take my advice and that is all!”
“Okay, okay,” Ace giggled, then settled his hand on the top of the girl’s hair, brushing it with his fingers. “You are doing amazing. I’m getting close.”
Oh yes, Ace was going to cum in front of you in a few minutes, you almost forgot. It did happen before, you just didn’t pay any attention that time. Now it was different. It was so annoying how you were suddenly curious about what face he’d make. Would it be like Shanks? Open mouth, flustered cheeks, sharp, vulnerable breaths?
No. You couldn’t care about that.
“Did you and Shanks do your round? You know…” You referred to your stupid competition.
“About that,” Ace’s sigh carried quiet defeat as he hummed. “You could say that.”
Yeah, his tone made it obvious. “You lost, didn’t you?” With the most vile, menacing smirk, you peered at him.
“I didn’t lose, okay? I just need a rematch, it wasn’t fair!” he bickered while you chuckled at his grumpy response. “Cut it out!”
“Sure.”
“Ugh–“ concentrating on his climax instead, Ace moaned low. “You liked it plenty, didn’t you?” he spoke to the girl and began to slightly move her head over his cock.
You swiftly averted your gaze, turning away. It took all your might not to stare at him as he came, swallowing back his coarse whimpers. You pursed your lips, settling with the imagination of the face he might’ve made.
“Thank you so much, my angel!” he kissed her gently after helping her to her feet. “It was incredible.”
The girl was blushing, beyond embarrassed now that she realized what had happened. Yeah, giving a casual blowjob to a handsome devil pirate in public wasn’t the most graceful thing a lady could do, but she still shouldn’t have felt any shame about it.
“Hey, I took a bottle, I’m sorry,” you smiled at her kindly, trying to sweep her anxiety away. “I’m not in trouble, am I?”
“N-no,” she stuttered, then returned the smile. “Do you want a cup with it?”
“Yes! Yes! A cup! Show her! Show her the trick!”
The three of you stayed inside the bar, talking and playing some guessing games while the other celebrated outside. This bartender girl was fairly cute and funny, naturally gravitating to Ace. They would’ve made a lovely couple in another world. Not here, though.
Several hours passed when the party died down outside, and the people gradually drifted back to the bar. Ace caught up with his crew, and you should’ve done the same. But how? The table where Beck, Hongo, Yasopp, and the others sat was plagued by Linaria hugging Shanks tightly. Ugh… You’d rather go back to the ship and sleep.
“Are you still bitter about the water? You seem dry for me,” Monica approached you at the counter after finding you drink alone.
“It is not about that,” with gloominess, you exhaled. “It’s that woman.”
“Linny? What about her?”
“I don’t like her,” you grunted, then sipped on your sake. “She is crazy.”
“Are you jealous?”
Instantly, the booze went down the wrong pipe. You choked, coughing hard as your chest jerked forward with each breathless hack. The burn lingered, sharp and unexpected, while your face flushed with the effort not to make a scene.
“J-je-jealous–?“ attempting the rasp out the word, you struggled.
Monica giggled cheerfully under her palm, having little to no empathy for your reaction. “You heard me.”
“Of what? She is insufferable.”
“I wasn’t talking about her,” she added, making you cough again. “It is how it looks, you know? The moment someone takes the captain’s attention, you escape to sulk in a corner? Suspicious.”
Beck’s lover was just as annoying as he was. Great.
“Alright, let’s join them.”
Grabbing onto your bottle, you straightened up, holding you’re your arms for Monica. She wrapped hers around it, and you walked up to the table. Unexpectedly, you took a seat between Shanks and Beck, then dragged Monica into your lap. As expected, all eyes were on you, some stunned, some clearly furious.
“Don’t leave us out of the fun,” you scoffed, starting a staring contest with Linaria.
“Why not?” She didn’t blink once, her glance locked on yours like a sharp dagger.
Monica, who didn’t even have the opportunity to apprehend where she was sitting, now leaned into your ear to whisper. “Okay, now I understand.”
“Hey, hey,” Shanks stroked his hand over Linaria’s back, who was squeezing him dry with an excuse of an embrace. “We are all friends here, aren’t we?”
“Certainly,” out of the blue, Beck chuckled with ease. Not only that, you could feel his aura loosen slightly, some tension fading away. You barely registered that the person who made you run away five days ago now rested in your thighs. No wonder he relaxed.
“We are,” you peeked at Beck, losing the battle of glances willingly.
“Let’s drink to that!” Shanks raised his cup with a bright smile in relief, ignoring the malicious Linaria on his chest.
“Aye!”
Everyone joined in and drank way too much at once. But it wasn’t about the booze or friends. It was about forgiveness.
Chapter 14: Iniquity
Summary:
Breaking a promise in a matter of hours.
Notes:
Heyyyy. So... you are welcome and I am sorry. I guess that is all I have to say. <3
Chapter Text
Oh, Alcohol. Your relationship was complicated. Before you met the red hair pirates, you rarely drank booze. It was only needed when you were too stressed or couldn’t sleep, it was never used to enhance your mood. Becoming a pirate almost meant becoming an alcoholic by some measure. The problem with alcohol was the height it raised you to, a state of complete carelessness, then punished you with the outcome and a headache. Ever since you arrived on this Daisland, you have forgotten about this concept each night. The fact that you were technically in a foursome with Ace and a threesome with Shanks didn’t quite matter when you were drinking the third bottle of sake.
As the events progressed, Linaria luckily passed out on a couch. She was much more likable, sleeping like a little ball, treating Shanks’ coat as a plushie. Yasopp and you held a contest, building card houses, while Lime tested the subjects by blowing them away. Meanwhile, the temporarily self-proclaimed adults, Shanks, Beck, and Monica, talked about some old stories concerning the island and the waitress's experience with other pirates. You didn’t catch anything interesting about the conversation, so you stayed with goofing around. Well, only until the spade pirates decided to flame up a bonfire on the beach and all your play-buddies decided to join them. In conclusion, you were left with the boring bunch.
“So, the guy basically hanged himself to prove how strong his neck muscles were,” Monica narrated the age-old story, making the two men chuckle.
“I don’t know, it seems doable for me,” you shrugged, joining them at the right side of the table, resting your legs up on the tabletop. “Some armament haki and–“
“Yeah, please don’t try it anyway,” Beck frowned at you, before you actually thought about it.
“He does have a point, though,” Shanks agreed out of the blue, sipping some sake. “Not that it would be worth a try.”
“Exactly,” Monica chimed in, taking Beck’s side.
“But if you–“
“Okay, I guess this is our sign to leave.” Swiftly, Beck stood up, swinging Monica up with him. “If they don’t have an audience, they won’t do it.” Again, he was right.
Your gaze followed them as they walked out of the bar, hand in hand. You couldn’t say it didn’t hurt a little bit, but you also didn’t feel like puking out a fatal amount of haki either. What bugged you was being alone with Shanks.
“So,” the captain inhaled gradually, filling up two cups for each of you. “Are you going to talk about what you’ve been doing for the past five days?”
“Just some training,” chugging down the booze, you gave the plainest possible answer, then jolted your shoulders. You glimpsed at Shanks, whose expression wasn’t as blank as you assumed it would be. You were back, wasn’t that enough? No, it seemed. “I’m sorry,” coyly, you apologized.
“Huh? Did you really just say that out loud?” Shanks’ brows rose high, his surprise genuine.
“I only did it once, okay?” Back to being cranky, you scoffed.
“Thanks, kid,” nonchalantly, Shanks nudged your side, throwing you slightly off your balance. “We were worried, you know.”
“I do…” Trailing off, you swallowed. “But I promise that I’ll never run away again.” In spite of not looking at Shanks, you could sense him being taken aback. The apology was just as unexpected as a promise. Something that you could’ve never had the nerve to give sober.
“Hey,” Shanks breathed softly, then took a grip of your shirt above your arm, squeezing the fabric tightly. “I want you to know that you are very important to me. A-and the others. I’m glad that you’re in my crew,” he confessed, too much of a coward to keep eye contact as he said it.
“Ha–,” you chuckled awkwardly after the sudden shock. “How much did you drink exactly? Speaking nonsense again…” With ease, you completely disregarded him.
“God,” he let go of you in defeat. “Can’t you take me seriously for once?”
“I am serious when you are serious,” you chose to gulp down another cup of sake, trying to chase that strangely alien feeling away from your stomach. “Uhh… why don’t we do something fun? Let’s steal something or kill somebody. Like proper pirates.”
“Hm?” Shanks leaned back with a playful smile etched across his lips. “We might have a bad influence on you. An innocent traveler turned into a vicious outlaw, didn’t he?”
“As you can see.”
Abruptly, an unfamiliar sound seeped into the bar. High-pitched, shaky voices. “Good lord, I am going to piss myself, I am not kidding.”
“Me too. Let’s hurry.”
You and Shanks glanced at each other briefly as you understood the situation. Three girls snuck into the empty bar, desperately searching for a bathroom. When they faced you upon entering, they decided to ignore your presence and run across the room to the back.
“They are cute,” Shanks kicked your feet under the table after his gaze followed the disappearance. “Enough fun?”
This wasn’t what you had in mind, per se, but hanging out with girls seemed more entertaining and slightly less incriminating than basic piracy. If you had to be honest, you could’ve played with a ball and a rope this drunk.
“Sure.”
When they returned, it didn’t take much convincing to have them stay. Some sake, some flirting, and the game was on.
“So, you came with the butterfly pirates? I haven’t seen you on their ship before,” Shanks asked the tallest one. “Although you do look fierce, pirates to me, alright.”
“We joined recently. Our hometown was a dump, and we needed to get away. Linaria is the best captain ever!”
“A-ha,” a snarky grin appeared on your mouth as you remembered something. Something funny. “And how are you doing with the most primal rule of the night butterfly pirates? Do you adore Shanks as much as Linaria?” you asked with ill intentions.
“Huh? Why would that be a rule?” Shanks glimpsed at you in confusion.
“It actually is,” on girl replied. “We had to sign a paper about it.”
“What?” you and Shanks hitched in unison. Sure, you joked about this with Fae, but you didn’t think it was serious, yet…
“Waii-it,” Shanks’ face settled into pure mischief. “Does that mean that you are my fans?”
“It’s just a paper,” rolling your eyes, you tried to shoot him down. Although you had to accept, by the subtle expressions on their faces, that they did like Shanks. “For god’s sake. What the hell is so damn appealing about this guy? He is lazy, unserious, childish, and fucking annoying,” you complained, gesturing at your flawed captain dramatically. “Answer me!”
“Well,” one girl began to speak. “He is handsome, strong, and–“
“Tch–“ you couldn’t even wait until the end of the sentence.
“Don’t mind him. He is just jealous, that’s all,” Shanks teased you with a flick of his fingers. “Not everyone needs a year to find something likeable about me.”
“Maybe half a thing,” you crossed your arms before your chest, sour.
“Come on, girls, console my friend here. He is just as handsome and strong as I am, right?”
“Yes!” Even to Shanks’ surprise, the enthusiasm was astounding, loud, and unanimous.
You lowered your arms and bent forward to talk, smooth. “Why don’t you tell us who is more handsome?” Two girls pointed at you, one at Shanks. “In your face, old man,” you sneered at him deviously, from a high-high horse.
“But in bed–,” he attempted a comeback, but forgot how you weren’t exactly present when that was decided last time. “The twin told me that–“
“You don’t even remember right.”
“You were the one who fell asleep, not me.”
“Pff–“
The three girls witnessed your bickering, oblivious without knowing the history behind it. Nevertheless, they were here, and since Shanks’ mind wasn’t exactly double-edged, he did get an idea.
“How about a rematch?” he gestured at the girls cheekily.
“Hm. Why not?” you idly agreed, at this point short on rationality.
“So, which one of you wants to have sex with us?”
Your eyes widened instantly as Shanks blurted out bluntly. “Are you crazy? You can’t just…?” in the midst of scolding him, you suddenly discovered three hands in the air. Sure, you knew this would be the case, but still, there should’ve been something more to it. Some flirting, some banter?
In a few minutes, you and Shanks were smuggled up to the butterfly pirates’ ship, then trapped in a cramped storage room.
It was a small, dimly lit space deep in the belly of the pirate ship, wedged between creaking bulkheads and leaky water barrels. The low ceiling forced you and Shanks to slightly hunch, and the smell was thick with the mingled stench of mildew and salt. If it wasn’t for the three girls undressing almost instantly, you might’ve just left. Instead, you and Shanks sat on two wooden boxes, surrounded by these incredible women.
The tall one sat beside your captain, while the slightly chubby girl knelt down before his crotch. She wasted no time tracing the outline of Shanks’ cock through the thick fabric.
“Slow down, love.” He placed his hand over hers gently. “Why don’t we talk strategy first? Huh, Raion?”
You couldn’t exactly answer, since the freckled girl was in your lap, her tongue in your mouth. “W-what?” You pulled away for a millisecond.
“You’re a lost cause, man,” Shanks sighed. “How are they going to decide who is better?”
“I have an idea!” the freckled girl interrupted. “We can take you up on speed. Who can make us cum faster?”
“Yes, that sounds great!” Shanks cheered joyfully.
“But there are only two of us and three of them.”
“I can wait for the winner,” the tall one gave her shoulders a little jerk.
It wasn’t such a bad plan, since you knew it wouldn’t take too long for you to finish any one of these girls. They were overly eager and somewhat needy. When it was time to start, the two volunteers happily lay over the wooden boxes, legs apart, underwear long gone. Everything happened so fast, you barely had time to comprehend it. Maybe it was the booze, or the thrill, something made it difficult to care about any kind of shame.
You positioned yourself above the freckled girl’s crotch, then began the usual routine. A little teasing, a little taunting, then digging in as anticipated. She crossed her ankles behind your neck and scratched the pinewood planks on her sides with her nails.
She was faking it.
You were nothing short of arrogant when it came to your expertise in giving head, and with good reason. Sure, noises and reflexes were one thing, but the absence of the subtle reactions gave it all away.
“Hey,” you peeked up at her. “Is everything alright? We can stop if you–?”
“N-no!” she suddenly stuttered, a dust of red showing on her cheeks. “I am getting close!”
“You are not,” with a tender smile and a soothing voice, you spoke. Carefully, you shifted forward to kiss her, a gentle and patient kiss. “You are beautiful, I hope you know that. It’s a shame that it isn’t just the two of us. I would spend a whole week just spoiling you in every sort of way you’d like.” There, a little twitch of her hips. You were on the right track, she just needed some more pillow talk. “That is all I am going to think about now, when I’ll go and eat your delicious pussy until you cum for me harder than you’ve ever done before.”
You did keep your word. It took longer than you originally calculated, but she did cum on your face while moaning and squirming with her legs shaking uncontrollably in a few minutes. With the small detour, you only managed to win by a few seconds, since Shanks did a fairly good job too. To your astonishment. You didn’t quite expect him to be too good at something like this.
“Not bad,” you hummed with respect, glancing at Shanks from the arms of the freckled girl.
“You got beginner's luck, that’s all,” he smirked at you, wiping his mouth. “But this is not over yet,” the smirk widened as he stood up and gestured toward the tall girl.
“Did I ever not accept the challenge?” With a half-swallowed chuckle, you nodded in agreement. “Rules?”
Shanks stepped beside you to whisper his plan in secret, which you liked a lot.
The two other girls left to clean up while you three were stuck in this tight and heated storage room. The poor tall girl crouched on a barrel of sake, waiting in suspense for your next move. Two intimidating and buff pirates stared her down like a piece of meat. She took big gulps and hugged her knees to her chest. Like she could smell the trouble in the air.
You gave Shanks a wicked and nasty grin after he was done explaining, then took off your vest accordingly. “You’ll have to trust us on this one, okay, love?” After the unsubstantial warning, you went to carefully twist the fabric around her head to blindfold her.
“You’ll love it,” Shanks added as he too walked beside her.
While Ace was convinced that you had a micro dick, Shanks knew you simply didn’t have one. Apart from mocking you for this, he was also skeptical about fucking a woman without a cock. So far, he didn’t have the best track record against you, so your new trial was to prove him wrong in this aspect as well.
You kissed the girl in turns, prepping her up as precisely as possible. Not that anyone like her needed too much of that. Her hands were already searching for something of yours to hold onto. You and Shanks exchanged glances, both hiding your chuckles. Even you had to admit that there was something flattering about a woman getting desperate to be pleased and to please. When they lost their composure, completely submitting to you, you could feel a spark of excitement and satisfaction in your core. In all honesty, you never thought you would share a moment like this with Shanks of all people and not hate it. In hindsight, you rarely did anything together. Fight maybe? Play some cards at best. This act was a hundred times more intimate and unintentionally bonding.
When it was time, Shanks freed his hard, strained cock while you yanked the girl’s drenched panties off at once. A noticeable shiver ran through her body as he pressed the tip against her, sliding it across her sensitive folds. She gasped softly, then loudly when Shanks thrusted all the way into her. He took a wavering and uneven breath before he forcefully grabbed your hand, pushing it down against her clit. The big idea.
Naturally, you knew that in a case where one person is fucking a woman while the other is teasing her clit, it wasn’t possible to determine which stimulation caused her orgasm, but you decided to overlook this fact and go on with Shanks’ naivety. If the girl was satisfied like her friends, it was alright. As long as you didn’t have to touch Shanks or his cock, it was fine.
“W-w-wait!” Out of the blue, disturbing the drunken haze in your mind, suddenly you felt unfamiliarity over your pants. Belatedly, you discovered Shanks’ fingers sneak over your crotch. “What the–?” With a sharp motion, you shoved it away like it burned, which it actually did.
Shanks glared down at the girl, acting like nothing happened, while the fog of alcohol faded from your eyes. Startled again, Shanks reached back, now with exponentially more strength, impossible to dodge. You grabbed onto his arm with both hands, but he didn’t budge.
Rather, he bent to your level to murmur quietly. “Just pretend it’s someone else.”
Finally, Shanks looked at you. His intense expression was pleading, raw, just like his voice. You had to realize that he fell into the same desperate place as the vulnerable girl under you. This wasn’t only a mere need. The pure yearning in his blown, flared pupils told you that he had to believe his life depended on this. You couldn’t help but get lost in those longing eyes and forget about resisting.
By the time you could fix your attention back to reality, your body was already consumed by the undeniable pleasure that the subtle pressure he gave you. Slowly, hesitantly, your grip loosened on his hand, and you gave up your protest. Sure, if he wanted to touch you so bad, he could… That is what you told yourself, that was how you tried to justify that you didn’t actually hate what he was doing.
You glimpsed back at the squirming and trembling girl and returned to your original mission. You struggled to ignore the other sensation, focusing on her, but Shanks mimicked the motion your fingers moved over the girl’s clit perfectly. Out of the sudden, she only served as a plain form of communication between you two.
You found yourself leaning into his hand, your hips encouraging him to rub on the fabric harder. Fuck, it felt so good. Your legs weakened, and your muscles relaxed while the heat spread all through the entirety of you. Despite your sloppy attempts, you could no longer muffle your own noises. Staggering, shuddering moans slipped through your split mouth, and your control diminished over your own body. Your head involuntarily fell on Shanks’ shoulder, your hot breath grazing his skin. Your connection to the world disappeared, and you couldn’t even register what was happening. All you could feel was the pleasure intensifying, heading towards an extreme climax.
For god’s sake, you haven’t had an orgasm in fucking ages. You should’ve known that this would be earthshattering, depriving you of your dignity. In front of Shanks? Why him? Why here? Why like this? You couldn’t do anything about it.
It crashed into you like a giant wave of water, washing over your body and consciousness mercilessly. Your jaw clenched, your core tightened tensely, and then the orgasm erupted abruptly. You whined and whimpered with an unmaskable high-pitched tone. If you could’ve had any self-reflection, you would’ve found yourself pathetic.
“Was it good?” Shanks whispered softly as you rested your face in the nape of his neck, hardly able to move.
“Mh-hm–”
Shanks smiled gently, then planted the most tender, most affectionate little kiss on the top of your head. Now, that snapped you back to reality in an instant.
The girl on the barrel was nearly passed out, probably fucked to oblivion by Shanks, who managed to take care of you both. You stood up straight in a hurry and slapped your cheeks to wake up fully. The clarity came back.
“W-who won?” you asked with a faltering and uncertain voice, unable to escape what just happened.
“No idea,” Shanks shrugged carelessly as he pulled up his pants. He grasped to take off the vest from the girl’s eyes. Not too surprisingly, she appeared to be knocked out. Not the first. “I’ll bring her some water. You stay here,” he gave the order, which you otherwise at the very least questioned, now you just watched as he suddenly gave you a cocky smirk as he continued. “You, too, might need some time to recover.”
That bastard. You couldn’t even get mad properly. You couldn’t do shit.
Shanks walked out, and you collapsed onto the ground to sit and bury your face in your palms. “What the actual fuck?” Gradually, the memories became vivid and unignorable. You willingly let Shanks make you cum. How much does one have to drink to let this happen? You seriously had to stop. Although how were you to accept this fact without booze? This was clearly one of the biggest mistakes of your life. The man whom you possibly disliked the most managed to see you in your most vulnerable state. He ruined you. There was no coming back from this. You knew he would bully you with this for the rest of your life. Fuck.
“Finally,” the deep and irritated sigh disturbed your inner turmoil. “I thought it would never end.”
“Huh?” you peered up at the girl, who swiftly jumped to her feet, seemingly unaffected by what had just gone down. God, it clicked. You couldn’t even observe her if she was faking it. Another loss. “You’re fine, aren’t you?”
“Well, a little annoyed,” she put her hands on her waist, staring down at you. “That bitch totally ruined our plans.”
“Plans?” Your brows furrowed slightly, the confusion settling in your expression. “We didn’t force you to do anything that you didn’t want, right?” The question was genuine, but the scoff the girl gave only further baffled you.
“Come on. You pirates think way too highly of yourselves. Do you seriously expect every girl to fall in love with you and happily spread their legs on demand? Ridiculous,” she chuckled, snarky.
Your instincts were just about to kick in as the distinct scent of danger emerged, but you were a split second too late. As soon as you stood up, two daggers came from each corner of the room, pinning you to the wall. The blades sank deep into your biceps, puncturing your arm as they slashed through the muscle. Motherfuckers. The moment you tried to move, the pain was unbearable. The metal was perfectly aimed, sitting right over your nerves, making you absolutely paralyzed.
“Ha-ha-ha, look at you, princess,” giggling menacingly, the tall girl took a step towards you, while the other two appeared behind her. “Did you really think a messy haircut and some baggy clothes would work? One glimpse at this pretty face, and everyone can recognize you.”
Even if you could’ve reacted in any way, the sudden ache and panic that throbbed in your chest would’ve stopped you. They had to be bounty hunters who knew your true identity. No other explanation.
“I’m sorry about the delay,” the freckled girl interrupted the other shyly. “He was pretty good.”
“You weren’t supposed to finish at all. What’s wrong with you? She is a woman, have you forgotten?”
“Yeah, but…”
“Even if she is a woman, are we sure that this is her?”
“I think we should check to be sure. Maybe he just has a small cock, or something?”
“If it is her or not, it doesn’t matter anymore. Let’s just kill him and get out of here before Shanks comes back. You know, we have no chance against him. We’ll collect the bounty if the marines can be fooled either way.”
The whole situation was surreal. You were stuck to the wall like a ragdoll, and they were bickering about the details of their operations like they weren’t just about to kill or capture you. A year ago, you would’ve simply exploded, blowing up the whole boat with haki. Back then, the trauma and your unmanaged emotions would’ve destroyed everything, even you, if something like this had happened. If someone threatened even to remind you of your past, you were ready to crash out in every meaning.
Now was different.
Slowly, a smile slithered onto your face, sharp and cold. The darkness grew in your eyes as you gazed up at them, with a strong sense of malice in your heart. Your observation haki had enough of their conversation.
In reality, the daggers barely reached your arms, you were already in motion. The bounty hunters didn’t have the opportunity to explain themselves. Armament haki strengthened your muscles and made it possible for you to drag them out of the wall. While the blades were still embedded in your muscles, you leaned in to punch the tall girl. Her jaw was broken before she could’ve blinked, let alone speak. Her blood splashed into your face, which, for some reason, filled you with a certain satisfaction. You grabbed onto her hair and threw her body quickly onto the chubby girl, who couldn’t see you coming. After pulling it out from your flesh with a wince, one dagger slid through both girls’ stomachs at once, then the twist smashed their organs into unrecognizable shapes. As a subtle revenge, you shifted forward to stab the dagger into the wooden floor, trapping them. Not like the tall one was still alive, the hit on her face already either killed her or made her unconscious. Now the blood leaking from her mouth and ears dripped down to the other girl despite the wiggling and tugging of her hands. She didn’t even comprehend that your foot had smashed her skull. In less than a minute, both girls were unrecognizable. And dead.
You didn’t need any haki to know that after this, the third girl would be frozen, helplessly trembling in fear. Her cheeks were pale as snow, her lips more purple than red.
“I should let you live, because you were nice, right?” you muttered as you pulled the other dagger out of your arm, hissing. It hurt as hell, even if you hardened your bicep. It was a nasty trick, you had to admit that. “I know that would be the right thing to do, you know.”
“I-I-I” the freckled girl stuttered, tears gathering on her chin as she cried without a sound. Only her teeth jittered.
“It doesn’t matter what you’d say if you could speak,” calmly, you stood over her shrinking figure, and held the weapon against her chest. “Because I am not going to do the right thing. This part of me never did.”
You kept close eye contact as you slid the blade painfully slow through her heart until she coughed up blood on your shirt. You patiently watched as the life faded away from her face, and she fell to the ground with the dagger deep in her chest.
Shanks stumbled around the ship, which was mostly filled with drunk and sleepy pirates, who couldn’t exactly direct him towards the kitchen. Unfortunately, it took him longer to find it than it should’ve, but at this point, he didn’t have a single worry about anything at all. His smile was almost brighter than the soon rising sun, which is why it made it such a drastic change when he returned to the storage room. His joy drained in a heartbeat, replaced by stunned silence and panic.
“What is this?” he asked, slightly shuddering. Shanks honestly thought this was a joke.
The floor was swimming in blood, two lifeless bodies stacked on a dagger with faces unidentifiably disfigured, while another corpse was lying in its own puddle, another dagger sticking out from the chest. This was a bloodbath.
Shanks’ glance darted from each horrific sight to another, but the most chilling had to be that lustful expression in your eyes. The corners of his mouth fell as realization struck.
“I think I should leave,” you spoke with a blank, emotionless voice. There was no regret, no compassion in it.
“Wait!” Shanks stopped you, grabbing your arm, then discovered the nasty stab wounds. “What is this? What happened? Tell me!” he begged you. In vain.
“I can’t,’ you blurted out, then left the room without another word. You were already on the deck of the ship when you noticed the familiar aura behind you, Shanks letting his conqueror’s haki flow free.
“They were our allies. Our friends. I cannot let you just walk away without an explanation. You have to understand. Either you tell me the truth, or I’ll have to kill you,” Shanks miserably tried to sound intimidating, but his hesitant and strained haki gave him away.
You slowly turned around to glance at him, not a sign of fear on your face. “Go ahead.” A paralyzing shiver of cold ran down Shanks’ spine, preventing him from breathing, let alone drawing out his sword. “You are the captain. Be the executioner too, I will not resist.”
Shanks averted his gaze, gritting his teeth in frustration. “Why are you saying that? Now of all times? Once, when you should protest, you are going to obey mindlessly?”
“Once I agree with you. I do think I deserve to die for what I’ve done, but unless you kill me, I am leaving.”
Shanks bit his lips, tearing the flesh open. “Leave then,” he muttered, taking one last look at you before you walked away. The sight that haunted him ever since you first ran away. For fuck’s sake. Shanks fell to his knees helplessly. He couldn’t do anything. He couldn’t do shit, but watch your silhouette disappear in the fog, in his blurring vision.
Chapter 15: Ignite
Summary:
The three pirate crews, once close, split up, and the lone deserter finds a match.
Notes:
Heyy!!! c: Here is the new chapter, I hope you'll like it. Sorry for the last one khm but for some reason, I tend to torture Shanks without even trying. It just comes so naturally. But he'll be fine eventually, no worries :')
Enjoy!
Chapter Text
You knew you should feel guilty. At least a little. Yet, you didn’t. You risked your new life, everything, just to escape the past again. This should’ve bothered you. Again, it didn’t. You didn’t knock them out, which would’ve been the best thing to do, instead, you slaughtered them in cold blood. This was the only way that their motives wouldn’t come to light, and you sacrificed their life for it. Only villains acted this way, but you didn’t mind being a villain if it meant forgetting the memories.
“Hey, Ace! I need your help.”
You lost your privilege as a red hair pirate the very second you killed those girls. Sure, they were bounty hunters, but you couldn’t make that clear unless you wanted the truth out that they were after you. Officially, you didn’t have a bounty as a pirate, so it wouldn’t have made any sense. Instead, you killed your allies, something unforgivable. Any other way around, if a butterfly pirate had hurt one of your crewmembers, you would’ve killed them yourself. No doubt. This was the law.
The only one you could count on was Ace.
“Did you really kill them?” he asked between yawns as the Piece of Spadille sailed off with its full crew gathered last minute.
“Would they attack us otherwise?” you glanced back at the island where the night butterfly pirates were preparing to chase you. “Ouch,” wincing in pain, you leaned away from the doctor who was stitching up your wounds.
“We have to find you a real doctor, you know. It’ll probably take months until it heals.”
“I’ll be fine. Just please take me to the next island, I won’t need anything else.”
“What are you talking about? You are joining my crew, pretty boy. I am not going to abandon my crewmate when he’s injured. You literally can’t move your arms, dude.”
“I am not going to be a spade pirate, forget it,” rolling your eyes, you huffed.
“Indeed. Raion is already a red hair pirate.” The infamous, deep, and coarse voice came from behind you, its owner sitting on the ship’s railing carelessly, hiding behind a small cloud of smoke.
“Beckman?” Ace yelled with a cheerful smile. “Wait, you are not here to take him back, are you?” his suspicion overtook the joy.
“Not at all,” he took a big sip of his cigarette, then blew it in your direction. “I am here to tag along if you don’t mind. I promised that I wouldn’t leave this one alone, you know.”
“And why should we believe you?” Staring at him in disbelief, you fisted your hands despite the ache.
“If Shanks wanted you back, he’d take you himself,” Beck stated with a certain sadness in his tone. Even the blind could see that Beck wasn’t here without doubts or uneasiness. His captain just parted ways with a subordinate, a friend, he needed him as much as you. It had to be a hard decision. “Until he does that, I’ll stay.”
“Tch–“ scoffing, you glimpsed back at the Red Force, still docked on the seaport. “That would never happen. I killed some of our allies, no sober-minded person would take a deserter like me back.”
Well. That was true, and it still wouldn’t mean that Shanks wouldn’t come to get you. Beck knew this much at least. No, he was actually sure that Shanks would come after you eventually, even if it was against his principles. From the outside, what you did looked bad. Really-really bad. But for Beck, it was obvious that you had your reasons, even if he couldn’t prove it. For him, it was about trust. To put it simply, he trusted you more than those three strangers.
“We’ll see,” Beck hummed nonchalantly. “That wound is much worse than I thought. We are headed to Sphinx, right, Ace?”
“You got it,” Ace winked at Beck, while you watched them unknowingly.
“What’s that?”
It took a week to sail to Sphinx. On the journey, you mainly spent sleeping off your injuries. You tried to play it off, like it was nothing, but they actually hurt like hell. Your most important muscles were punctured and sliced through, causing your arm to be essentially useless. You couldn’t move them, or yourself, without feeling the blade stab you again. For someone who used their hands for combat, this was a major fucking injury. You had to be fed, clothed, and cared for. Like a toddler. If it wasn’t Beck doing that, you would’ve rather jump into the sea and drown than endure the nursing. Not that Beck feeding you was too enjoyable. Him saying remember when… already intruded your mind. Not that your mind was less injured than your arms.
Every waking hour, when you were left alone with your thoughts, your mind was invaded by Shanks. Everything that happened. You couldn’t imagine how he must’ve felt… One moment you were having fun with those girls, then they were dead. You didn’t lie to him, he should’ve killed you. If you were in his place, you would’ve done that. That is why you wondered why he didn’t do it. You weren’t too close, nothing like him and Beck. You were just one of his crewmates, he didn’t even recruit you… Why didn’t he go for the kill? You stood no chance against him, even if you’d have tried. He was a fool.
Although you would’ve never admitted it, another thing bothered you even more, not sure if the two were connected. You couldn’t forget the feeling of his fingers on yourself. Not at all. In all these months, you were pessimistic towards the pirates’ hedonism, but if that's how they felt each time, having a climax like you had, well, you had no objections. None. If you were in their shoes, you’d roam around the sea, having sex with a new girl on every new island. Yet, it wasn’t only this understanding that bothered you. It was actually the urge to seek that feeling again…
Time and time again, you caught yourself staring at Ace’s hands. They were wide, smoother than Shanks’, smaller, but slightly more proportionate, less veiny, but softer. You couldn’t stop yourself from fantasizing about those hands touching you. For god’s sake, you had more important things to think about. Why on earth did those hands have such a spell on you?
“Would you rather have him feed you?” Beck busted you in the middle of a pathetic fantasy, your gaze lingering on Ace playing some dice with Deu.
“Shut up!” barking at him, you had to lean back. Every motion still hurt. “I don’t want anyone to feed me. I want to feed myself.”
“Soon. You’ll get fixed up and we can go back.”
“Back where exactly?” Dragging in a breath, you inhaled, exhausted. “I am going to go away on my own, and you’ll go back to being a pirate. I broke a code, remember?”
“I don’t think you did,” Beck sighed, resting his head on his wrist.
“What do you mean?”
“I think the girls you’ve killed deserved it,” Beck spoke plainly and simply, telling the truth that even you couldn’t agree with, yet he kept on going. “We are pirates, not angels. When are you gonna learn that?”
“Yeah, but we still can’t just waltz around the world and take or do what we wish.”
“That is precisely what pirates do.”
Pirates steal. Pirates fight. Pirates kill. If you looked at it from this perspective, you merely defended yourself from someone who was actively trying to murder you. The opponents were weak, completely powerless against you, so you did nothing but crush a group of ants. Bad ants.
You wanted to ask him if he would’ve done the same. Really, really much wanted to.
By the end of the week, you arrived at a mysterious island that could only resemble a mushroom from afar. Giant, enormous cliffs and stone mountains hung out of a wide cloud of water. The ship sliced through the thick mist and turquoise waters until it reached a massive waterfall that poured down from the rocky heights. The ship slipped beneath the curtain of water, the world blurring into wet noise and shifting lights. When the veil broke, the distant village appeared, protected by tall cliffs and thick jungle. This was the most peaceful place you have ever visited, completely untouched, completely pure.
It was supposed to be a quick stop for the spade pirates, so only a few crew members took off to gather some supplies. This was all for you after all.
And you hated the fuss.
“I can walk, okay?” You frowned and growled at anyone who dared to suggest carrying you. Technically, you could walk, but it was just painful. With each step, the motion resonated from your legs to your torso and onto your shoulders and arms.
“Quit it, kid.” Beck ignored all your protests and threw you over his back effortlessly. “It is a long road to where we are going, I am not going to watch you torture yourself out of pride.”
“Urg– you’ll get this back one day, I swear,” with the same old grumpy attitude, you cursed him.
Beck was right, though. While the crew went to the village, you, Beck, Ace, and Deu headed towards a tall hill, where a little shack lay ahead.
“And are you going to tell me who we are looking for?”
“A good friend. You’ll love him,” Ace smiled at you in excitement. “I haven’t seen Marco in ages. I hope he is doing fine.”
“Marco?” hanging on Beck like a sack, you repeated the unfamiliar name.
“It still baffles me that you don’t know anything about pirates. He is pretty famous.”
Well, you had no clue. When Beck finally put you back on your feet, you stood in front of a small wooden shack surrounded by a tiny garden. It only had greens, weeds, and herbs. Clearly a medical garden. This guy had to be a doctor, but how was botanica going to magically heal your injuries?
“Come out, we know you know we are here,” Ace yelled from the door, which soon opened for him.
“As annoying as ever, huh?” the smooth voice preceded the person behind it. A tall, beautifully tan man walked out with bright blonde hair and broad glasses. Another handsome devil pirate, great. “Good to see you!” Marco gave out his hugs to his former crewmates, then glanced at Beck hesitantly. “Now tell me you are not here to try to recruit me again. Where is the big guy, huh? Hiding in the bushes or something?” he glanced around quickly, then lost his edge as his eyes met yours.
“Nuh, we are here for a favor,” Beck spoke with a cigarette between his teeth, tapping the top of your head gently. “Raion here lost a fight and messed himself up badly. It would be great if you could fix him for us.”
Marco glared at your arms that were wrapped up against your body, basically shackling you. It was obvious that you almost lost two limbs.
“Tough fight?” he crouched down to take a closer look. “But these are not Hongo’s bandages, are they? He used to be a lot more particular.”
“It is a little complicated…” Beck exhaled awkwardly. “The kid will tell you, how about that?”
“W-what?” You tried to turn to him, but the pain kicked in with the first movement. A tired wince slipped out of your mouth as a result.
“This must be fairly bad, I bet,” Marco straightened up and scratched his forehead. “You’ll owe me a bunch for this one.”
“Thanks!” Ace chimed in to slam his friend’s shoulders. “You’re the best!”
“Sure-sure, you are welcome,” Marco shook him off and gestured for you to follow him inside. “Come, this won’t take long.”
“We’ll go up to the grave, alright?” Already waving goodbye, Ace grunted.
“Say hi to Pops for me, will ya?”
“Will do!”
The three pirates took their exit, while you were left with the stranger. He led you inside, then sat you down in his poorly decorated kitchen. Kitchen? Rationally, you should’ve at the very least mistrusted any doctor who operated in their kitchen, but at this moment, that would’ve been a luxury. There was no place for critiques.
“So, who did you fight?” Marco blurted out the question as he began to unwrap your bandages.
“Ouch,” you hitched involuntarily.
“Speaking takes your mind off it. Give it a try.”
You sucked in some air, giving your best attempt at tolerating the pain. “Allies. I killed three girls, and I am now on the run. This is why Hongo didn’t even take a look at this.”
“Really?” naturally, Marco laughed it off as a joke, giving you a playful smile. “I guess coming up with stories isn’t too bad to shift your attention either.”
“They threw two daggers at me, and each went through my arms. It hurt like a motherfucker,” you continued with the truth. “I think that is what got me riled up. Otherwise, I might’ve not finished them off.”
“That is an interesting recollection of a lost fight,” Marco mumbled as he observed the healing wounds, then grabbed a pair of scissors and a knife from the kitchen drawer. “I’m sorry, but this will feel a bit excruciating before it gets better. I have to open up the wound, okay? I’d bite down on something if I were you.” Carefully, Marco tugged up your shirt to your mouth, and you clenched your teeth over the fabric. It was a great idea because when Marco started to cut up the stitches, the pain was borderline unbearable. “Yes, you’re doing great, kid. This is the worst part.”
Marco attentively slashed through the half-healed fibers, completely opening the wound up from both sides. It was literal hell. It felt like he was straight up cutting off your arms. When he was finished, he retreated to disinfect his own arms.
“What are you doing?” Spitting out your shirt, you asked curiously, following his hands.
“My devil fruit works a little strangely, you’ll see,” he tried to reassure you, but when he began to slice out a piece of his own muscle, you were lost on his method.
“Is this really worth it?”
“You don’t want to be healed?” Marco chuckled carelessly. “I don’t mind a little pain for a friend.”
For god’s sake. This delusion of pirates that the friends of their friend counted as a friend automatically still baffled you. Marco was currently slashing out his own muscle in order to help you. Whatever his ability was, it had to be merciless.
“T-thanks…” you muttered timidly.
“I haven’t seen you with the red hair pirates before, you must be new. They love you this much that Beck himself brought you this far? Interesting.”
“Yeah, I don’t get it either,” you confessed.
“Really?” Marco’s brows rose up as he peeked at you. “That is more interesting. Wouldn’t you do the same for them?”
“Of course I would,” stating it like it was the most obvious fact in the world, you grunted.
“Then why the confusion?”
“It is different. The crew helped me a lot, and I was nothing but a burden. They will be better off without me.”
“Hm…” Marco sighed sharply, slightly rolling his eyes. “I always wonder how the red hairs survive on the sea if every single member of their crew is a moron. You fit in perfectly.”
“Tch–“
“Come on, listen to what you are saying. Why wouldn’t I help someone if I know they would return the favor selflessly in a heartbeat? Just because you can’t see that you are on equal footing, it doesn’t mean they’d agree. You can’t decide for someone else if they should like you or not.”
“Well,” with your voice trailing off, you whispered. “It is too late. I am a deserter.”
“In any case, Beck wouldn’t be here if he thought the same.” You gave no response as Marco laid the two pieces of his flesh out on the table. “This won’t be too pleasant either.” He tucked your shirt back between your teeth and began to sew the two pieces of flesh over your biceps. “Whatever happened that made you this insecure cannot be cured by me, by your crew, or by anyone but yourself. I advise you to take a few steps back, listen, and observe. Maybe you can find the answer as to why Beckman would come all this way to help you, even if you think you betrayed him and your crew.”
When Marco was done stitching your gaping wounds up with his own parts, he sat back and relaxed. In a second, you felt his aura ignite into blue flames and sparks. In an instant, both your injuries closed up and disappeared.
“Woah,” you stared at your freshly healed arms and swung them around as a test. They were better than new, full of strength and a new kind of endurance. “This is amazing! How the hell did you do that?”
“Just a little trick,” Marco smiled at you kindly. “But I won't do it for anyone, alright? It still hurts as crap.”
“Thank you so much!” forgetting about basic manners and your own dislike for physical contact, you couldn’t stop yourself from jumping in to hug him.
“Guess you could fit in with the spade pirates too,” he laughed gently, patting your back lightly.
“S-sorry,” latching off of him, you apologized nervously. “I didn’t mean to.”
“No worries, kid. I’m glad I could help.”
“You have no idea.”
Although an ugly scar covered the cut’s memories, you felt no pain or weakness in your muscles. On the contrary. An unfamiliar sort of energy began to flow through your veins, making each movement easier and faster. You fisted your hands, and your skin faded into the glowing black color that showed your armament haki in action.
“That is impressive, kid. I wouldn’t have thought you’d be good with haki. Rarely do newcomers,” Marco adjusted his glasses, observing your demonstration.
“I told you that I didn’t lose the fight. I bet I could beat you, too,” you smirked at him playfully, your tone sounding more mischievous than any threatening.
“Now, is that how you are going to talk to the guy who just fixed your arms?” Marco grinned back at you. “But I wouldn’t mind helping you try them out.”
You two walked out to the grassy open field, both stretching and cracking your joints for a casual warmup. This wasn’t supposed to be anything else than a little game, you naively suspected. Again, you went headfirst into an opponent whom you were explicitly warned about.
“Ready?”
“Ready.”
You rushed forward, lunging yourself right into Marco’s direction, aiming at his jaws as a start. Soon, you learned that he was also an excellent haki user. He could clearly see your attack and back out of the way effortlessly. Luckily, he wasn’t your first opponent who could predict your moves, not to mention that you could do the same. When Marco bent to the side to deliver a powerful kick, your freshly healed arms could dodge it like a charm. Furthermore, you took the opportunity to nudge him off his feet. Or tried. Then your foot reached his, suddenly his flesh turned into blue flames, and you shifted forward, crossing your target like there was nothing there. Right, Marco had a zoan-type devil fruit. If you didn’t use haki, your attacks were absolutely useless. This little mistake cost you a full retreat, and you had to jump back from the close contact.
“I guess you’re not famous for no reason,” smiling in excitement, you wiped your forehead. Finally, a worthy competitor. This was going to be fun.
“Flattery won’t get you anywhere,” Marco chuckled with ease before holding out his arms that transformed into wide and majestic wings, that burned in the iconic blue flames. He floated up to the air, using his advantage shamelessly.
Now this was new. You have never fought against someone who could fly. In this case, all you could do was rely on your defense and hope for a good comeback to take him down. As it turns out, that was a challenge. You greatly stood your own, but Marco kept pushing you. It was an equal fight for certain, but how was that going to be enough? Okay, Marco used his devil fruit, which you didn’t have. If using individual powers was fair game, why couldn’t you use your conqueror’s haki? As you tired yourself out, you pulled out your trump card. You raised up one hand and pointed it towards Marco, who couldn’t react in time. Your haki snapped out in a form of lightning, then struck him down to his knees on the ground, unable to move.
He was just as stunned as you were. Your mouth fell open before a bright, proud smile etched along your face. This was the first time that you used this move against an opponent, not a coconut. It surprisingly worked. Much better than you expected.
Marco used up the chance that your shock gave him and broke free from the shackles. “Damn. Who are you, exactly?”
“Woahh-h! That was super-cool!” the yelling came from the top of the hill. “How the hell did you do that?” Ace waved at you, sprinting down in a haze while the others followed him behind. “So, this is what you’ve been up to when you disappeared.”
“Kinda,” you panted as Ace reached you.
“He gave me an intense workout, I tell you that,” Marco placed his hands on his hips with a pleased expression.
“I wouldn’t even be able to move if you didn’t heal my arms, though. It is an incredible ability.”
“I told you he is the best, isn’t he?” poking your side with his elbow, Ace babbled.
“Stop with the compliments, guys. Every one of us is this and that… Let’s go and eat something instead of talking,” Marco offered when Deu and Beck also returned.
“Yes!”
A small farmhouse sat on the edge of a wind-swept field, not too far from the hidden village. Marco led you inside, and the glow of oil lamps painted the walls gold, hiding the small gaps and cracks. From the start, the worn furniture and hand-stitched curtains indicated the lack of wealth in the house.
“Evening, Terui, Oide!” Marco yelled loudly. “I brought some guests.”
Out of the shadowed corner, a metal kitchen spoon flew through the air, perfectly aimed at Marco’s head. The spontaneous weapon went through him beneath the blue flames, causing no physical damage, only mental.
“You are too early! I told you to–“ a woman’s voice cut across the room as she revealed herself. A beautiful young woman, wearing an apron around her waist and a scarf around her hair. You needed a minute to take in the pleasant sight just as she did. Her words fumbled as she found you and three other buff pirates at her door.
“Geez, woman. Do you always have to throw something at me? Who do you think has to fix the window if you break it?” Marco bickered, then sighed as he saw her expression and composure soften in your presence. “These are my good friends. Mind if they stay for a while? Incompetent pirates couldn’t cook if their life depended on it.”
Well, none of you wished to object, honestly.
“Of course! I’m so glad to have you! Please, come in!”
Neither of you could fit in the entrance without hunching, nor ignore the delicious smell in the air. In a few seconds, you were all sitting at the chipped and uneven kitchen table that was set with mismatched plates and tin cups.
“Where’s Oide?” Marco interrupted her preparations.
“Out with Tama. He is perfectly healthy by now. Thank you!”
“Sure.”
You were served a simple meal. Boiled root vegetables, a pot of thin stew rich with herbs, and a small loaf of bread. You didn’t even have to taste it to know it was incredibly tasty. After the first bite, you and Ace glanced at each other with stars in your eyes. To no surprise, he gobbled it down in one go.
“Amazing!” he cheered with a mouth full of food, then reached out to take your plate.
“Don’t you dare. I am still healing!” rasping back, you furrowed your brows at him.
“You then,” he turned to Deuce, who protected his dinner with his whole body.
“Stop it, Ace! You can have mine,” Marco shut the battle down with a displeased frown.
“You must be Terui, right?” Beck glimpsed up at the woman who stood beside the table, already taking the empty dishes away.
“And you, Beckman. I think we have already met a few years back,” Terui answered as she came back with a big bowl of fruit. “I am surprised you remember. I was only a teenager back then.” She didn’t have to speak to let Marco know to give her his seat.
“Oh, you are hard to forget. You stole, what, a diamond necklace from us?” Beck guessed right.
“Eh–,” Terui giggled awkwardly. “I changed my ways as you can see.”
“Barely,” Marco muttered, not quietly enough.
“Freeloader,” pouting at Marco, Terui gave the nickname. Then she glared at you intensely, examining your features. “But I don’t remember meeting you.”
“Raion is a newcomer at the red hair pirates,” Marco replied for you, then earned the most sour, disapproving look.
“And who asked you?”
“No, actually, I quit being a pirate. I called my last shot, asking Marco to heal my injuries.” You leaned forward to have her full attention, then spoke softly with a warm smile. “Nice to meet you, Terui!”
“Aren’t you adorable,” she uttered as her face slid behind her palms to mask a faint blush. The reaction surely threw you off, since you didn’t mean to act too friendly with Marco’s soon-to-be-bride, you assumed.
“He is, isn’t he?” Ace chimed in to save you, and annoy you at the same time. He casually pinched your cheek to demonstrate his point.
“Not in front of our gracious host,” Deu kicked his ankles to sidetrack him. “Thank you for the unforgettable dinner!”
“Come on! You are welcome anytime!” Terui jolted her head cheerfully. “How long are you going to stay?”
That was a complicated question to answer. If it were up to Ace, he’d take you with him tomorrow. He even planned to kidnap you, and he would’ve gone along with it if it wasn’t for Beck. Now, all he could do was maybe convince you. No, in that case, Beck would’ve kidnapped you. Realistically, Ace knew he had to give you up. In conclusion, his crew could’ve departed anytime.
As for you, you made up your mind about leaving on your own. As soon as possible.
Unfortunately, the only one who could actually make a decision was Beck. When it came to the spoken answer for Terui’s question, he alone spoke.
“For a while, I’d say. We are waiting for the Red Force to get here,” Beck hummed while you and Ace gulped in unison.
“Great!” Terui clapped her hands together. “You can eat here every day, then!”
“No! We don’t want to burden you!” you declined.
“Really? Thank you so much!” Ace cheered.
The reactions were different, to say the least. It always made Terui laugh.
“I’d be glad to have you!”
Chapter 16: Idly
Summary:
How shall one spend one's last night as a free pirate?
Notes:
Hey! So, this is the new chapter. I hope no one will be mad at me, but I had too much fun writing it. T-T I'm sorry. I can't help it with this guy...
Anyway! Enjoyy! ♥
Chapter Text
When you walked back towards the shore and spotted the giant bonfire that the spade pirates built, you felt a sense of ease fall over you. For a few more hours, you wouldn’t have to come to terms with the truth. For this night, you could fool yourself and act like nothing changed. You were nothing but an ordinary pirate who was here to have fun with his friends and allies.
“Come on, let's celebrate these brand-new arms,” chuckling, Ace clutched onto both your biceps, then jumped up onto your back for you to carry him piggyback.
“You might regret bringing me here, because these two may just beat you up,” you smirked, peeking up at him before barging down the hill to the port.
“Kids,” Beck and Marco murmured with the same note of exhaustion at the same time, while Deu glanced back at them with a scrunched forehead. “Not all of you are too bad, he-he,” Marco corrected himself nervously. From sitter to sitter, from vice-captain to vice-captain.
You all gathered around the crackle of flames, lounging on driftwood logs and crates. The night became alive as the booze overwhelmed the atmosphere. Excluding the sleepers, the crew split into fractions, the dancing and singing bunch, the fish roasting group, and the ones talking. You and Ace deliberately shifted between the three, hoping to get a plate of food and booze each turn.
“So, are you going to tell me who he is?” Marco leaned back on the sand, his eyes locked on you from afar.
“I already told you,” Beck blew out some smoke with a staggering exhale. “A new recruit.”
“Because those have this much haki in general,” speaking sarcastically, Marco grimaced at Beck.
“You are not the only one who’d want to know more about him.”
“Is it true, though? Is he a deserter?” Marco perked up, eager to satisfy as much of his curiosity as possible.
“Technically,” Beck groaned, scratching his forehead. “But I doubt that he would’ve thrown his friends away from himself without a good reason.”
“If I understand it right, Raion is a mystery even to you, yet he is still important. So important that you choose him over your captain’s orders despite him breaking a code?”
“Something like that.”
“And is Shanks okay with all this?”
“Yeah. I’m certain you’ll soon meet again.” Beck stated confidently, then lay down on the sand beside Marco. “But it is more complicated for the two of them.”
“How so?”
“One dumbass is fine, but you can imagine what happens if you pit two against each other.”
“Ha-ha-ha,” Marco burst out laughing, loving this description of Shanks. “So, you have to babysit for two, I get it.”
On the opposite side of the fire, you and Ace were officially excluded from the feast. Skull and Cornelia got fed up with your tricks to steal the roasted fish and put you in time-out. Not that being perched on the corner was too much of a punishment. Not when you were both drunk and had your bellies full.
“How would you fight a bird then?” you rasped out the question towards Ace, whose eyebrows rose in response.
“You saw my firefist, didn’t you?” he smirked, reassured. “I can take down anything on the ground or in the sky.”
“Pff–“ huffing out, you pouted.
“You know nothing about that, do you?” Ace leaned closer to you to taunt you. “You are just a grumpy lion. All roar, no bite.” Trying lazily, he imitated a lion, roaring into the air loudly.
Without giving him any reaction, you stood up to walk to the shore. Ace’s gaze closely followed as you crouched down and planned something sinister. When he realized what you were doing, you already ran back up and splashed a good load of seawater on him. “A little leakage and the fire is out, huh?”
“Hey! Stop!” Ace hitched as the drops slowed him down. Poisoning him. The sea hated devil fruits users after all. “Oh, you’re so done!”
Ace threw his hat down and shook the water off his body. At any other day, you wouldn’t have cared one bit, but today… As you glanced at Ace’s wet skin glimmering in the light of the fire, each muscle looking more pronounced than the other, his wide, large hands wiping off the excess water. A shiver of thrill rippled down your spine as your stomach slightly tightened. You were distracted.
While you stumbled ankle deep in the sea, spacing out, Ace jumped up to fire his shots at you, forcing you to run away. You couldn’t help but break out in laughter as he chased you down the beach, several miles. You kicked into the water to splash him, while his fingers sent flames in your direction.
“Okay! Okay, you won!” Resting on your knees, out of breath, you stopped. “I give up.”
“That was a nasty trick,” Ace chuckled with his hands lazily set on his hips.
“Was it?” Swiftly, you gathered a handful of seawater and leapt forward to cover his whole chest and topple him to the ground. With the strength of your momentum, you landed above Ace, grinning down at him menacingly. “Got you.”
Ace lay under you motionlessly, completely disarmed. The devil fruit users had this comical weakness, sometimes getting knocked out by a bucket of water. Now, Ace wasn’t unconscious, only dazed and drained. All he could do was gaze up at you with his half-lidded eyes. A gentle smile tugged at the corners of his parted lips, but he didn’t even attempt to speak. It was rare to see him speechless, but what was even more rare was that strange urge you felt in your core. Involuntarily, you lowered yourself onto his lap and felt his hands slowly, tiredly creep up to your thighs. He wouldn’t have had the power to trap you, nor do anything to escape. This fact gave you a certain superiority that you shouldn’t have misused.
“You are much more handsome when you don’t speak,” barely audible, you whispered. Your thumb slipped over his open mouth, stroking it gently.
Ace made it crystal clear on several occasions that he liked you not only in the past, but at this very moment, when his lust-blown eyes lingered on you without cease. If it wasn’t for Shanks, you couldn’t have looked back at Ace with the same exact visage.
Bending down, your head sank to his level until your noses lightly touched. With agonizing speed, you slowly grazed your lips against his before drifting them over to kiss him. Ace slowly opened his mouth further until your tongue slipped inside, entangling with his. It was a soothing and experimental kiss from your side that fell under Ace’s passion as he regained his energy. He tilted his head up to deepen the kiss and set a more dynamic rhythm while his grasp instinctively became firmer on your legs. You broke the kiss to swallow back your excitement and sat up.
“Where did this come from?” Ace muttered with a flirtatious grin.
“I can only do as I wish while I’m still a pirate,” you shrugged sleazily, placing your hands above his.
“So, you just wished to kiss me, is that it?” With a little chuckle, Ace rose up to steady himself on his wrist behind his back. “What else do you wish to do?”
“This.”
You grabbed one of his arms and pulled it up against your face. In no haste, you held his hand and licked across his palm. Salty. Ace’s chest rose as he gasped quietly, struck by the unexpected contact. Closing your eyes, you traced his index finger with your tongue before sinking it into your mouth. You began to suck on his finger smoothly, stirring a fitting reaction from Ace. He slightly curved his digit and pushed it in deeper repeatedly.
“Fuck–” Ace breathed weakly in awe, relaxing his shoulders. “This is really turning me on.”
You smiled into your motion, peeking up at him, and his cheeks burned with heat. If it was even possible, you were firing up the man made of flames.
Ace withdrew his arm in a flash and sealed your mouth back up with his. Him taking over the pace, this second kiss was much more energetic, full of pure, animalistic hunger. You could foresee what would come, so before he could’ve topped you, one of your hands took a tight grip of both his wrists and pinned them to the ground over his head.
“I shouldn’t have expected anything else from you,” Ace sneered at you smugly, giving you full control. “Now let’s see you put some skin in the game.”
“Or what?” you responded in a similarly cheeky tone, making him clench his fists in frustration.
“Or hear me fucking beg for it,” Ace gave a try to push himself up, but you shot him down, keeping him trapped.
“I wouldn’t particularly hate that,” you couldn’t hold back a harmless chuckle.
“You know how much I want you. How much I’ve wanted you from the start. Don’t act like I wouldn’t let you do anything to me.”
“Really? You would let me fuck you any way I want?”
“Well,” murmuring, Ace slightly raised his hips under you. “With that dick I wouldn’t feel anything, so why not.”
For the life of you, you couldn’t keep your laughter back. Ace’s cock bumped out into a high bulge on his crotch, and he rightfully assumed that you didn’t have the same size, but everyone else would’ve realized by now that you carried nothing in your pants. Your folds perfectly aligned with his shape, and with your swollen clit you could already feel a little tingle in spite of the two layers of clothing. He was such an idiot. Maybe this was the freedom and peace of mind that gave you the courage to stay.
“Now-now,” you muffled your laughter to rest your head beside his neck and warm his skin with your breath as you spoke. “That is not the only thing I can fuck you with.”
“Agh–“ Ace groaned, falling to the edge of his patience. “Are you going to treat me like those girls on the Daisland Island? Take care of me, then call it a day?”
“Not quite.” That is what you would’ve done if something wasn’t awakened in you, but things have changed. “I want to feel you too.”
“Thank fucking god,” sighing sharply, Ace tossed his legs up as a celebration, then deliberately forced you to slide forward on his lap with raising his thighs. His cock grazed tightly against your most sensitive spot, and an uncontrolled gasp got stuck in your throat. “That adorable face you’re making is going to drive me crazy,” he rumbled before rolling his hips up to give you more pressure.
You knelt up to take back just a tiny bit of control, although you knew it wouldn’t last long. You grinded on his bulge evenly, but the movements he responded with made it difficult to focus. Maybe it was because you were already waiting for it, but the pleasure struck you heavier than that night. You haven’t been this aroused in years, and all this time, yearning for this moment heightened your senses.
Yet.
You needed more.
Your free hand snuck down to Ace’s pants and dragged it down to get rid of one layer of the excess fabric. His cock twitched as you returned to your position.
“Mhh–“ Ace moaned loudly as he adjusted his torso. “You are totally soaked. Did you cum already?”
“Shut up,” you distracted him with another kiss.
Not that he could’ve figured it out in this state. Ace was much more vulnerable than you suspected. He was a whole other person with those other girls, now he made much more noise and had much less sturdiness. There was nothing machinic in his motion, it was all natural and instinctive. Although the most noticeable difference was that he listened. He matched his rhythm to yours.
Your grip tensed on his wrist, just like your entire body. Your nerves were suddenly on fire, and the rush ran through your veins. Arching your back, you straightened up for the perfect angle. Your throbbing clit slid over his cock and the friction only intensified as Ace lifted his hips up further. Eyes rolled back, nails dug into his flesh, you came with a lewd mewl in minutes.
You couldn’t even pick up your breathing, let alone clear your mind, Ace already spun you around to switch positions. Just like clockwork.
“You are so hot when you cum, pretty boy,” he placed a hand on each side of your head, staring down at you, starving for more. “Especially when I made you cum.”
There was nothing you could do to prevent it, but you might’ve given Ace too much assurance. His legs spread yours wider and his cock was soon shoved between your crotches. Ace started with one powerful lunge to test you. The helpless whimper you let free gave him all he needed to know. There was not a single thing or worry that could’ve held him back.
“Let me see that face again,” Ace hissed as his eagerness backfired and had a stronger effect on him than you. “Ahh-h–“ He had to drop to his elbows and move his hips with less motion, as the feeling became too overwhelming. “Fuck, I’m close.”
Considering how long Ace lasted before, you took it as a compliment that he was about to finish in half the time. Yet it had to be mentioned that his roughness put you in a condition where you were experiencing a somewhat continuous orgasm. The overstimulation was excruciating and exhilarating at the same time.
With one last jittering groan, Ace came on your pants, his legs shaking from the impact. He collapsed on top of you, spreading out his limbs. Out of habit, you reached out to comb his hair and caress his side affectionately.
“You do treat me like those girls,” Ace mumbled with a trembling inhale.
“Oh, shall I throw you into the water and leave?” hesitating with the gesture, you waited for his answer that came in the form of a little chuckle. “I like something sweet after.”
“Come here then,” Ace carelessly flipped to his back and drew you over his chest. “You’re lighter.” Ace had both his arms wrapped around you in a snug embrace, doing something alarmingly enough despite not being used to it. “You were right, you know. It is much better with someone you know. It's your fault that I came so soon, by the way.”
“Sure,” you hummed skeptically.
“Quit it, pretty boy. You were done well before me. I’m glad you didn’t fuck me in hindsight.”
“I thought you wouldn’t have felt anything anyway,” teasing him, you smirked. “Changed your mind?”
“No!” he squeezed your body as revenge for the snarky comment. “I just never did this, okay? I got too excited. Other guys are more straightforward, bend forward, and leave me to do all the work alone. This was… more fun and different. Also, no other guy has ever really kept me waiting. I had to chase you by all means.”
“These are just excuses. You simply like me too much.”
Expecting an unserious reply from him, you widened your eyes in surprise after he agreed. “Probably. That is why I want you to join my crew. That is why you're gonna.”
Although you didn’t plan to talk about this subject, it blurted out of you aimlessly. “Even if I decide to do that, Beck would never let me go. Not now. I have no idea when he’ll realize that my pirate days are over.”
“I think Beck is actually right about Shanks. They are going to steal you back from me.”
“I wouldn’t take me back if I were Shanks,” you whispered faintly, the guilt creeping into your voice.
“Well, I would take you back without question if that matters,” Ace jolted his shoulders. “That is why I bet he is going to do that too.”
“You are all fools,” exhaling sharply, you got up from the ground, heading to the water to cleanup your cum and arousal-stained pants. “You’re putting your trust in the wrong person.”
“I think you are too insecure. Just because you don’t know how to love yourself, that doesn’t mean no one does.” Ace rose up as he continued. “You should decide what you’ll do when Shanks arrives on Sphinx.” In all honesty, that option has never crossed your thoughts. You were so certain that he’d never come here that you steered clear of it. “If I were you, I’d tell him that I would rather be a spade pirate.”
“Of course you would,” you smiled warmly, then went back to sit on his lap to his astonishment. “Thank you for saying that.”
“Anytime,” Ace muttered as he hugged you to himself again. “I’d love doing this every day. Obviously. Even if you won’t come with me now, you can reconsider anytime.”
“I’ll try to remember that.”
“Try?” Ace suddenly pounced on you, his fingers already wiggling to tickle you without mercy.
“S-stop,” choking on air, you pleaded until Ace gave up and put you on the ground to spoon you. He nearly suffocated you with his arms and legs folding around you.
“You made me like this hugging stuff.” Snuggling closer, Ace mustered. “One more thing I’ll miss about you.”
You didn’t have to worry about your lack of answer, because Ace fell asleep before you could’ve come up with anything. His chest heaved against your back, and his fire-essenced skin kept you hot all night. It felt so soft, so warm, so soothing, like sleeping in your mother’s womb. Your drunk and dazed self didn’t mind any of it. You had no regrets concerning this night, nor did you have to overthink it. That was one of the best things about Ace. When you were with him, the world seemed to turn on its own, and you didn’t need to do anything, only follow the easiest road ahead.
In the morning, you carried Ace back to the Piece of Spadille, and Skull was nice enough to take the sleeping captain on board.
“Are you sure about this?” Deuce scratched the back of his neck, glaring at you skeptically. “He is going to explode when he realizes.”
“Well, that would be your problem. But it is less of a problem than getting stuck here, right? If it is up to Ace, you’d never leave Sphinx.”
Deu had to calculate this cautiously. Your proposal was tempting, leaving the island with an unconscious Ace, who couldn’t protest. If the vice-captain didn’t take this chance, he had to deal with a loudly lovesick Ace who would refuse to sail away without you. Plus, that was only half of it. As you sobered up, it dawned on you that sleeping with Ace wouldn’t come without any consequences. If he was insistent and clingy before, now he would be a thousand times worse.
“Alright,” gradually Deu had to accept it. “But I’ll tell him that this was all your idea.”
“Fair,” you pursed your lips together in acknowledgement. “Take care, okay?”
The spade pirates had no choice but to have another rapid departure. Crates of supplies were hoisted aboard, ropes tossed, and sails unfurled. The Piece of Spadille sank into the open sea as the tides dragged it inward. Excluding Ace, the crew lined up behind the rails and waved goodbye.
“Not the wisest decision you’ve ever made, tricking Ace, I presume,” a snarky comment came, accompanied by swirling smoke. Beck stood behind you with one hand on your shoulder, the other in the air, waving back. “But I may be it is for the best.”
“They’ll be long gone when he wakes up. Ace will have no chance to torment me anymore.”
“Torment isn’t the word I’d use.”
“How would you have me describe it then? I am trying to break free, and you are keeping me back. I will not be a pirate anymore. You’ll be fine without me, and I without you. I’ll be strong enough to protect myself and others,” you managed to keep your voice steady, but after your talk with Ace, it wasn’t that easy any longer. Your brain still raced around the possibility of Shanks coming here, even if unlikely.
“Dumbass,” Beck sighed, then swung his hand up to smack your head.
“Hey!” Leaning away, you yelped.
“That technique you attacked Marco with… I advise you not to use it again. It is too dangerous.”
“What do you mean?”
“If you are not the center point of the haki you’re using, the control can easily slip out of your fingers. An attack might become too weak, basically useless, or worse, the energy can go wild and consume you and your surroundings,” Beck patiently explained, but you couldn’t take it too seriously.
“Teach me how to use it properly, then.”
“Well, that’s the thing,” shrugging, Beck inhaled a thick load of smoke. “I can’t. I never pulled it off before, and I doubt I’ll ever will,” he admitted, and you took a gulp in response. “I’ve only ever met one person who could do it.”
“Shanks,” you muttered the name without thinking.
“Yeah. If there is anyone who can teach it to you, it’s him.”
“Ugh–“ lowering your shoulders with an exhausted exhale, you crouched down. “I guess I’ll never master it unless I find someone else.”
“Don’t be so sure about that.”
“Wait! Wait!” suddenly, Marco’s shouting disturbed your conversation. “Did they leave yet?”
He ran towards the shore while a little kid clung to his back. Before you could’ve recognized her, you felt an unidentified force crush you to the ground.
“Tama! Stop!” a frail and high-pitched voice called out.
You rose to your elbows and spotted a strange, giant creature sitting beside you. Helplessly, you jumped back, startled by the thing. It had four legs, slightly resembled a lion, but had a humanoid face. It had to be at least three times taller than you, his eyes fixed at you. The mere sight of it looked like a nightmare.
“What the?” you gasped, your glances darting between Beck and Marco, who seemed to be unaffected.
“You have never met a sphinx before?” a young girl peeked at from behind the animal. “Don’t be afraid, Tama would never hurt anyone.”
“Come on, he just trampled over Raion.” Terui appeared next to the girl and held her hand firmly. “Apologize for the beast!”
“He is not a beast!” she stuck her tongue out cheekily.
“Do it!”
“Ahh-h,” sighing sharply, the girl glimpsed at you with a pout. “I’m sorry. I’ll train Tama harder, okay? It was an accident, I swear.”
“N-no. It was nothing,” you stood up, still baffled by this odd scenario.
“This is my daughter Oide.”
“Nice to meet you, I’m Raion.”
“You’ll be the one sleeping in my bed?”
Your stomach dropped as she blurted out the oblivious question. Why on earth would a ten-year-old–? What the hell? Marco and Beck broke out in laughter, mocking your confusion, which was actually perfectly earnest.
“Marco told us that since the spades’ ship left, you have nowhere to stay. We’d love to have you in the house. Oide even offered to give you her room.”
“I didn’t,” she grumbled under her nose, until her mother pinched her ear.
“No, that is not necessary,” shaking your arms, you tried to resist in vain.
“You have no say.”
“Oh.”
“Come on, Oide, let’s go make some lunch for our guests,” the woman dragged her daughter by her ear, because the daughter would’ve never complied otherwise. Their bickering was heard until they disappeared behind the hill.
“It’ll be fun,” Beck nudged your side as you all slowly followed them on the grassy trail. “You should enjoy some peace until the others come.”
After hundreds of attempts, you gave up on correcting Beck and his delusions. Even if the Red Force sailed across the waterfall to dock on the Sphinx seaport, the only reason would be to take him back. Although you were sure that Shanks would be smart enough to know that even Beck’s patience has limits. In a week, a month, or a year, he was going to abandon you.
You had to convince yourself that you could find closure and learn to live with this truth, even if the mere thought of it destroyed you.
Chapter 17: Ordinary
Summary:
Shpinxs are magical creatures who can teach something that no one else can. But even those without one need to learn.
Notes:
Hey! c: Here I am with a new chapter. It is pretty chill in most aspects, so let's just relax and have a break. ♥♥♥
Chapter Text
Shanks lay motionlessly on the bed, back flat, limbs numb, eyes fixed on the ceiling. He had never heard the Red Force’s sound this clearly before, he listened to the ship talking to him, comforting him. The hull and masts groaned softly as the ship swayed and flexed with the waves that gently lapped against the cracking wood pieces. He wondered what it was saying. No, Shanks would’ve prayed and begged for the Red Force to give him the answers he was seeking.
The suffocating ache coiled in his chest, and he felt nothing else. He couldn’t feel his lungs breathe, his heart pound, or his skin run cold. Instead, his mind was playing tricks on him. Each time he dreamt, he saw you back on the crew, Beck puffing his smoke into your face, Lucky Roux stuffing your mouth, hands, and pockets with meat, and Yasopp purposefully taunting you with some vulgar one-liners. He would lean against the handrails and gaze at you, bicker, frown, sass, then laugh. Outside of his dreams, Shanks had to walk along the ship with an empty deck, only filled with working pirates tending to their duties. He’d rather sleep.
After Ace and his crew left Sphinx, the only pirates remaining on the island were you, Beck, and Marco. You came to learn that one had to stay at all times, because Sphinx was endangered by the World Government. They only left the village alone when a powerful pirate was watching over them. Knowing this, you soon understood why Marco didn’t join the red hair pirates or anyone else. Not that he had no other reason. In reality, you constantly caught him gazing at Terui, her doing the most mundane tasks, washing the dishes, sweeping the floor, cutting vegetables. You have never seen yearning that was this obvious, almost pathetic.
“He is down bad, isn’t he?” you muttered under your nose, nudging Beck’s torso with your elbow.
“Sure is,” he agreed, fidgeting with his fingers, the first signs of his cigarette withdrawal. Terui didn’t allow him to smoke inside. Cruel.
“What do you think? How long is it going to take for him to confess?”
“How long did it take for you?” Beck suddenly glanced at you from the corner of his eye, intentionally embarrassing you into becoming a speechless mess with a blush. “Something has to happen, otherwise they won’t say a word.”
“I wasn’t like that,” pouting dramatically, you folded your arms in front of your chest. “I would’ve done it eventually.”
“Sure,” Beck stretched his shoulders back while sarcastically sighing.
“Oh, my! You must be exhausted! I'd better prepare the bath for you!”
Terui was the most gracious host. Each time you tried to stop her, she either shook her hands in protest or frowned at you viciously. Both made you back down. In the end, she managed to cook for you, clean your clothes, make your bath, and you were certain she would’ve cleaned you herself if you asked. The only thing lacking from the luxurious service was the bed.
You and Beck stood in front of the small twin bed, sharpening your senses for the fight. There were two sets of sheets. One for the bed, one for the floor. Obviously, none of you wanted the latter. With your observation haki on command, you simultaneously jumped forward. The balance between you two showed in your perfect sync and the draw.
“Get off!” you yelled, struggling to wrestle him off the bed.
“Where is the respect for your elders, kid?” he growled, not planning to give up.
“You had enough time to sleep comfortably in your life, it is my turn now!”
“You’ll have enough time for that in the future, now hop off!”
You each turned and swung on the mattress, unable to beat the other. This was no way to decide. There was no way.
“Okay! We can fit in together if–“
“Oh, you wanna sleep with your superior?” Beck teased you in hopes of victory.
“Just shut up and be thankful that I let you stay!” Rolling your eyes, you squeezed yourself to the side, and he did the same.
“I could say the same,” he added, further annoying you.
You both turned your backs on each other, almost falling off the bed. Yet, it was still more comfortable than the floor or a hammock. The heat that came from behind was fairly pleasant, and for the first time, you couldn’t complain about Beck’s stenchy cigarette smell. The man had one between his lips even when he slept. Well, not tonight. Not in this house.
“Don’t worry, okay?” Beck’s voice was soft, smooth, and carried a certain kind of gentleness.
“I know you wouldn’t make a move, you’re too old for that,” containing a playful chuckle, you grimaced. Beck tossed his head back, slamming his skull into yours to shut you up. “Ouch! That was overkill!”
“You know that’s not what I meant.”
You knew what he meant.
If you wanted to translate it to your actual future, he was consoling you about traveling alone, returning to your old life. No. He tried to tell you, for the hundredth time, that Shanks was coming to get you. In an ideal world, he would change his mind, throw away all his principles, and forgive you. Something no sane person would do.
Sure, those you killed were bounty hunters, enemies, but they still didn’t deserve death. If Shanks knew the full truth, he wouldn’t have been obligated to stand on your side. It was a smaller betrayal, but a betrayal nonetheless.
Shanks, however, wanted to be addressed as the captain. He had the most responsibilities, and he had to be the judge of the actions of his subordinates. A captain couldn’t forget a crime of this level. If it was Beck, maybe he could’ve been more compliant, but you were a simple crewmember, nothing else. If you were in his place, you wouldn’t have come back. This was a fact.
But in the depths of your heart, you couldn’t deny it, you wanted him to come back. You wanted to rejoin the crew, your friends, your family. You wanted to continue your life the way it was.
Shit.
“Beck?”
“Yeah?”
“I want to go home,” the words slipped out involuntarily, and you couldn’t control the trembling and stuttering they came with.
Beck inhaled smoothly, and with a swift motion, he lay on his back, dragging you over his chest firmly. “I know.”
The air hitched in your throat as your sobbing quivered, while your tears dropped onto Beck’s shirt. He held onto your waist to pull you in.
“I’m sorry.”
You didn’t apologize for what you did, Beck had no doubts about that. He knew you apologized for not giving an explanation. The only thing that mattered. In spite of everything, Beck forgave you, like he always did. He kept you in a tight embrace for the rest of the night, bearing the sound of your cries that lasted for an hour at least. That is how long you grieved the loss of your determination. Your future became a waiting game. If Shanks shows up, you can live the life you want, if not… you have to go back to the things that were before him.
Crying it out really helped.
Unlike Beck, who had dark circles around his eyes, you woke up in a good mood. Realizing that your fate wasn’t in your hands helped you to wake up. If Shanks came, he came. If he didn’t, he didn’t. In the last scenario, you had time to panic when it happened. Until then, you could relax.
“Good morning, gentlemen!” Terui greeted you with a bright smile and a dining table full of food.
“Thank you!” Dropping down into the chair, you invited Beck, too, who would’ve rather gone out for his first cigarette in nine hours. This rule was hell.
“You look weird.” Suddenly, you heard the snarky comment from Odie, who swung front and back on her chair beside the counter, until the wooden spoon smacked her head.
“Hush,” Terui grunted.
“But he does! Be honest. He looks like a woman, but walks like a man!” the girl rubbed the red bump, jittering.
“She got you, kid,” Beck whispered to your ear between his lazy chuckles.
“Must you always be this sassy?” smacking the same spot, Terui tried to discipline her daughter. “Raion looks like a real prince. You are only insulting him because you have a crush on him, I bet!”
“No! I don’t! Ew–!” Odie hid her flustered cheeks in her palms and stuck her tongue out. Her mother knew her well. She did have a crush on you.
“In ten years, you might have a shot,” chiming in, Beck remarked while chewing on some bread to distract himself from his symptoms.
“No!”
“I’m sure Raion would like to be your friend now. Why don’t you go out and play with Tama?” Terui advised Odie and manipulated you. Well, you owed her that much for taking care of you.
“Come on, sunshine,” reaching out, you grabbed the little girl’s hand, and drew her across the house. “You can play with your prince.”
“Shut up!” she broke free, only to be captured by her other hand.
You knew that Odie running off would cause a problem, so you opted to use some haki to prevent that from happening. Children were loud, obnoxious, and most of all, easy to predict.
“So, when are you going to give up?” bored with the game of tag, you yawned.
“Shut upp–!” she yelled loudly.
“Is that all you can say?”
“Shut up!” Now you said it at the same time. Not only that, you repeated her every sentence, word by word. You certainly didn’t learn how to use haki to mess with a kid, but it was god damn hilarious. “What are you doing? Stop! I am not–! I hate you! How do you even do that?”
You let her go and sat down on the grass, resting on your wrists behind your back. You sucked in the fresh air and glanced down at the desperately curious girl beside your feet.
“It’s haki.”
“H-haki?” she muttered, kneeling in front of you.
Raising one fist, you hardened the surface, painting your skin pitch black with a white glow. “This is armament haki, the one I predicted you with was observation haki.”
“Woah–!” gasping loudly, Odie crawled closer to stare at your hand and hesitantly touch it. On contact, a small surge of steam flared up, startling the girl. “Careful!”
“This is so cool! Are you going to teach me how to do it?”
“You’re too young. In ten years, you might have a shot,” you mischievously repeated Beck, bringing out the girl’s shyness again.
Naturally, you rarely met kids along your journeys, neither as a traveler nor a pirate. However, you certainly didn’t mind them, as it seemed. Maybe it was because you were childish by nature. When Odie came up with messy ideas for games, you jumped in without question. Although she couldn’t find a single game she could beat you at. Well, not her.
“Found ya!” Odie giggled from the back of Tama. The beast’s sight still scared the crap out of you. At this moment, though, the fact that they found you again unnerved you more. You were losing at hide and seek?
“How?”
“Tama has the perfect sense of smell,” the girl stated proudly. “Now you have to give me your slice!”
“Are you sure that your mother will bake lemon cakes? Because if it’s strawberry or anything else, you are not getting my slice, just so you know.”
You all walked back to the house, where Beck and Marco waited for you. The first inhaling his smoke frantically. The life of an addict.
“You’re not going to believe it! I won! Raion has to give me his slice of the cake!” Odie shouted enthusiastically as she ran inside.
“Apparently,” sharply, you sighed. “I suck at hide and seek. That bloody beast beat me with his nose.”
“Ha–“ Marco let a laugh roll out, one that neither you nor Beck could follow. “Sphinxes have terrible senses of smell. Tama is a mythical creature, he can sense your haki better than any man. You still have a lot to learn, pretty boy,” slapping your shoulder, Marco walked into the house while your forehead twitched in response. Because Marco just had to steal this nickname from Ace.
“Hm, that is news to me,” Beck admitted as soon as you glimpsed at him in confusion.
“Can you–“
“Again, kid, I can't teach it to you. There is only one person I know who can hide his presence completely, and he is not here,” referring to Shanks, Beck hummed.
You were left alone at the door, having to accept loss by the ugliest creature you have ever seen. No, your pride could never take that. Peeking at the monster napping under a pear tree, you had to wonder. There was one technique that you were able to learn on your own. Sure, it wasn’t perfect, but it was something even Beck couldn’t achieve. Why couldn’t you learn this, too?
On the next day, after helping Terui with the laundry, you decided to play Odie’s favorite game. The one she won each time.
Hiding one's presence. For fuck’s sake, you suffered to learn how to sense others, now you had to eliminate the very thing that you trained so hard on. You sensed others’ haki with yours. It was your willpower, your energy, the thing that kept you moving. How were you supposed to terminate your life force? Die?
It clicked.
You sat on the edge of a cliff cross-legged, your hands on your knees. Closing your eyes shut, you let the stillness take over. Your body, your soul. Your chest stopped rising, and your breath suspended. You felt your lungs empty and your pulse slow. The blood in your veins gradually grew cold, and the flow staggered. For a split second, time didn’t exist anymore. You attained a brief moment of silence before you suffocated.
Coughing with your throat dry, you gained Tama’s attention, and they found you again. Again, and again.
For weeks.
The Red Force didn’t have a direction or destination. The ship drifted across the endless blue without a purpose. The half-raised sails flapped and hushed listlessly in the wind like a goodbye for no one. The crew wandered the deck like lifeless ghosts. There was no shouting, no singing, no fights, no laughter. When the captain was in a bad mood, everyone was in a bad mood, as it seemed.
“So, what are we going to do? And when? It’s been weeks…” Yasopp sneaked by Hongo, who was reorganizing his station for the tenth time, lining up the medicine, the bandages, that weren’t needed at all. “This is not right.”
“It isn’t,” the doctor sighed, jolting his shoulders. “But it is up to the Boss what we’ll do. Not us.”
“But it is clearer than day, isn’t it? We should go get Beck and Raion too.”
“Raion is a deserter. He chose to leave the crew permanently,” Hongo explained without much confidence, even if speaking the truth.
“That’s such bullshit,” rasping a sharp breath, Yasopp rolled his eyes. “The Boss sent him away. It is his job to take him back.”
“You take this too lightly, man. Raion killed, no, murdered three innocent girls. That would be bad enough, but they were our allies, which makes the situation that much worse. If Beck hadn’t escaped with him, I’m not sure if we would be even talking about him.” It wasn’t easy to admit this, but these were the facts. No matter how fond of you Hongo was, he couldn’t ignore what happened.
“Okay, even if that is right, it isn’t, why aren’t we on our way to get Beck on his own?”
“Well…” This was a tricky question that Hongo didn’t know the best answer to. “I assume the Boss doesn’t want to meet Raion? My guess is, he is waiting for Beck to come back.”
“Ugh–“ Yasopp growled in disappointment. “That’ll be ages. Beck wouldn’t have gone with Raion if he were truly guilty. This is so stupid.”
“I didn’t say it wasn’t…”
Shanks didn’t go out of his room for days. Lucky Roux served his food by his door, and Shanks would eventually take the full plates, then return the empty ones. This was absolutely nothing like him. He gave no orders, he made no appearances, and he refused to speak to anyone. For the newcomers, the story was that Shanks was ill, for the senior officers, the story was the truth. The captain was depressed.
If Shanks had had any energy to reflect on himself, he would’ve deemed himself to be pathetic and pitiful. However, his mind didn’t work like that at the moment. He was actually stuck in a reality between the past and his imaginary future, where all his friends were by his side, including you. You were nice to him, you told him your every thought, talked about your past, and your feelings. Shanks took the liberty to add some other details, richness to the last part. It was his daydream, right? Why couldn’t everything be perfect?
Then someone knocked on his door and he woke up. After his rounds of thought, he balled up on the bed under his blanket, and unconsciously expected Beck to yank it off him, then scold his childish behavior. But he wasn’t there either. Shanks was left in the captain’s cabin alone.
“It is me!” A high-pitched, melodic voice seeped through the cracks of the wooden door. “Let me in!”
Shanks crept up from under his covers, peering at the entrance and the wiggling doorknob. Even in his dizzy and disassociating state, he could figure out who it was. Shanks knew that the door would snap open without him either way. It did.
Linaria barged in at once, giving no real warning. Swiftly, she jumped into Shanks’ bed, wrapping her body around his.
“Linny.” This name has never rolled out of his mouth with this little soul. Not that Linaria would’ve noticed.
“I missed you so much. When the others told me that you were sick, I couldn’t not visit you. I was so scared!” she rushed to speak, one sentence racing with the other.
“I’m sorry for making you worry,” Shanks placed his arm on her back, stroking it gently, in spite of her unwelcome presence. “And I’m sorry about what happened.”
“What do you mean?” Linaria rose to her elbows on Shanks’ chest, peeking at him curiously.
Shanks blinked slowly, his confusion creeping up to the surface. “Your crew.”
“What about them?”
A subtle smile etched across Shanks’ face as he assumed Linaria was pretending. Maybe she was still in shock? Or was this her way of forgiving him? Even if that was the case, Shanks needed to apologize properly. “I’m sorry about Raion. I didn’t expect him to do anything like that. I take full responsibility, though. You must be devastated.”
“Oh, that?” Out of the blue, Linaria began to giggle, rubbing her cheek against Shanks’ chest. “It doesn’t matter.”
“What–?” Shanks’ brows furrowed, his temple wrinkled. “Of course it matters. Three of your crewmembers died.”
“Come on, Shanks…” Linaria exhaled lightly, then hummed with a careless tone. “They were new. I didn’t even know their name. I was more concerned with you having this burden. Although I’m glad you sent that brat away. I hated his ugly face from the start.”
In hindsight, Shanks didn’t even know what he expected Linaria to feel. He assumed she would be at the very least sad for losing her crew, her friends. Now, when he heard her talk, each and every word angered him more than the other.
Gradually, the familiar, yet unholy force pulsed from deep within Shanks. The air grew heavy in the room, then on the ship, a certain kind of pressure across the Red Force’s vicinity. His menacing haki burst out in a shockwave.
Despair set on Linaria’s face as she crawled from Shanks’ embrace, panting under the powerful strain of his uncontrolled willpower. “S-S-Shanks–?” Her breath quivered from her dry throat and staggering lungs.
“You are not welcome on my ship anymore,” he stated calmly, but viciously. Shanks’ expression was dark and threatening. “You better leave before I do something I’d later regret.”
Linaria's blood ran cold, her entire body shivering in fear. Without any excuses, she stumbled out of the room and barged out to the deck.
Shanks held his hand in a fist, his skin turning white from his iron grip. His jaw clenched, and his teeth nearly chipped under. From the outside, it seemed like he was on the verge of eruption, but he actually focused closely on holding his wrath back and following Linaria’s aura as she escaped. Most of his crew passed out, and the others were too exhausted to seek him out. This amount of a surge of energy made it difficult for the most powerful to even walk. And this was Shanks’ intent. He didn’t want anyone to check on him, question him, or see him.
This was all your fault. You changed him, made him more vulnerable, more emotional, and completely defenseless. You made him trust you blindly.
Chapter 18: Only
Summary:
Buckets.
Notes:
Hii c: Here is the new chapter (a bit longer than usual). I hope you'll enjoy it! :')
Chapter Text
“If you’ll destroy the boat, you are swimming back on your own, I hope you know that,” Marco narrowed his eyes as he warned you.
“Got it,” you chuckled quietly. It wouldn’t have been a hustle to do that, but you still opted to avoid that outcome.
After an excessive amount of begging, Marco finally agreed to train with you. He never would’ve admitted it, but he missed the thrill of a good fight now and then. In the end, it wasn’t all that hard to convince him to help you. Where his problems lay were your methods, which you’ve inherited from Beck. Crazy, unreasonable ideas.
Today, you wanted to use your full power. Because of the villagers and the size of the island, you couldn’t exactly practice on land, unless you wished to destroy it entirely. In conclusion, you and Marco sailed further on the sea, finding a calm and abandoned spot with shallow waters.
“Are you sure about this?” Marco asked you for the last time.
“What, you’re scared?” Smirking at him, you stood up on the boat.
“Don’t get cocky,” he snapped back and suddenly flew in the air, waking his flame wings to do so. “Get to it, pretty boy.”
Taunting you didn’t help his case.
Ever since you practiced with that damn sphinx, your moves became much harder to predict for any haki user. Marco used his observation haki flawlessly. There were no doubts about that, but your progress surprised even him.
You took one deep breath of fresh air, then grinned confidently as your energy was let free. Your aura thickened with pure tension, and it broke into quick flashes of lightning, the black and red waves of haki becoming visible around you.
With one swift move, you jumped up, much faster than Marco expected. His observation skills faltered, and the sheer power of your will made him almost dizzy. He had to dodge your punch with not only his wing, but also a counterattack. While he couldn’t predict you, that wasn’t true for you. This was your chance not to hold back anything. Neither of you was ready for that.
Your shot, aimed at his jaw, slammed into his chin, throwing Marco off balance. He floated to his back, barely turning around before falling into the water like you. Not that this was any inconvenience to you. The opposite.
You sank into the bottom, then bashed into the ground with enough strength to break up the natural construct under your feet. The surface of the water burst, and the waves rippled unevenly in circles. Pieces of stone and rocks appeared on top that you planned to move on. You emerged from the water, landing on a wide chunk of dirt.
“Nice trick, don’t you think?” you smiled at him slyly.
“Not the worst I’ve ever seen. But don’t let your guard down.”
Marco glided across the sky, flying around you to catch your weak spot. In return, you launched yourself into the air and startled him from up top. He tried to blind you with a splash of blue flames, but your senses didn’t rely only on your vision, thankfully. You managed to land another blow, a rather severe one. Marco almost fell, but got back on his wings just in time. You were dangerous. To both of your luck, he was the only person who could instantly heal his injuries. This meant that your fight could last as long as you had stamina.
The impact of your crashing hakis could be felt even from the village. Terui glanced up at the sky and watched the clouds drift farther. She waited for you at the door with her hands on her hips when you finally returned well into the evening. Her brows knit slightly as she studied you two and the damage the training caused to your clothes. This was the fourth pair of shirts that she lent you.
“You know how long we have been waiting?” Her gaze sharpened as she interrogated you two.
“Sorry! It is my fault,” you gave an attempt at defending Marco, but it was useless.
“I don’t believe you. I bet Marco talked you into it!” she grumbled as you walked into the house.
You sat down at the dinner table where Beck was reading the newspaper, chewing on some gum to ease his frustration. It didn’t work the best, but it was better than nothing. He was a patient guy, but this ‘no smoking inside’ rule was slowly killing him.
“This took longer than expected,” he grimaced at you bitterly. “And you look awful.”
“Nicotine does make you nicer.”
“Raion!” Terui snuck behind you, squeezing your shoulders gently. “Why don’t you change before we eat? I put out a fresh pair of clothes I own that could fit you.”
“Thank you. I’ll do as you say,” smiling at her kindly, you were forgiven any crime that you have ever committed.
“And why don’t we cut your hair tonight? It is much messier than it already was.”
“Alright.”
Beck frowned at you as you left. With this detour, he had to wait even longer for dinner, ergo, he could only touch his cigarette that much later. This was pure torture.
After you ate, Terui brought you to the bathroom and began to cut your hair as promised. Marco went home, Oide was long asleep, and Beck fled to satisfy his addiction. It was only the two of you and the noise of the clicking scissors.
“It’s been ages since I got a real haircut,” you murmured, watching her handle your strands.
“Is that so? Well, now you will. Although I think you don’t want anything too elegant.”
“It’s completely up to you. Give me the haircut you'd fall for.”
“Oh my,” Terui giggled softly. “I don’t think I could do anything that would stop all of womankind from falling for you. However, I think a little messiness suits you the best.”
Terui only trimmed your hair, back to its original shape, a wavy wolfcut that you grew to love. After Terui cleaned up, you stood straight just to loom over her and plant a little kiss on the side of her cheek.
“Thank you.”
The heat spread across Terui’s face, and she became more flustered than you have ever seen her. You overstepped again, god damn. How could you forget about the fact that Marco was hopelessly in love with this woman? And why did she blush when someone else kissed her?
“Y-you’re welcome,” she uttered, darting her gaze away from you.
She was adorable.
In these last weeks that you spent on this island, you learned that living a simple life had much more appeal to you than you thought. If you closed your eyes in Terui’s presence, by smelling her sweet scent, you saw it in front of yourself, the most peaceful life. A small house, a caring woman, fresh food, some physical work, and sleeping in a comfortable bed each night. Then you opened your eyes and realized that could never be you.
“I think I'd better go to sleep, too. I promised to teach Odie and Tama how to swim. S-see you tomorrow,” you hummed shyly and rushed out.
Odie’s bedroom transformed slightly after you moved in. Marco built you another bedframe, so you slept on it in turns. Beck got the mattress tonight, that bastard… You tucked yourself, restlessly staring at the ceiling.
“That was quick,” Beck greeted you after his arrival.
“Things got awkward.” You swore never to speak about intimate things with him, but you couldn’t keep this thing sealed in. “Marco should step up already.”
“Ha–,” Beck chuckled coarsely as he hopped into the bed. “That much is sure. But maybe Terui has a sister?”
“Tch–,” you hissed at him harshly. “You didn’t forget that I am not a man, did you?”
“So what?” Beck shrugged under his blanket. “You’re good with your fingers, that's what I’ve heard.”
“That is not the same. Women would never even look at me if they knew the truth. Once one would find out… she would start to resent me. Obviously.”
“When you love someone, it doesn’t matter.”
“Sure,” you grunted cynically. “Because you wouldn’t mind falling in love with a chick then discover that she has a dick?”
“Not that much if she has a nice ass,” Beck began to wonder and you pressed your palms against your ears in an instant.
“Don’t say stuff like that in front of me, old man,” helplessly, you whined.
“Don’t be so rigid, kid.” Suddenly, he kicked your back from the side. “If you want to be a man, handle man-talk. If you yearn for a woman so bad, choose someone who will accept you the way you are. It is not that complicated.”
“Easy for you to say…” You mumbled into your pillow quietly.
“Well, it will be easy for you too if Shanks doesn’t come. In that case, you’ll only have to deal with me and I will only have to deal with your ass.”
Your eyes grew wide, a faint shade of pink creeping up your cheeks. Did he mean–? Did he mean it like that? “That is not funny,” you gave a muffled, weak response. “Don’t joke about that.”
“I wasn’t,” he hummed quietly.
You felt your heart pound against your chest frantically, hearing each beat in the silent room. You haven’t thought about Beck like that in ages, so why did he have to bring it up?
“Stop,” you whispered, clenching your fists in frustration. How could he still have this effect on you? You were supposed to forget about your feelings.
“I mean it won’t happen, but if it did… I just wanted you to know.”
You lunged up from your frame and, without a word, left in a hurry. Fast, you escaped from the house in the middle of the night under the dark blue sky. Your hands were locked on your head as you walked aimlessly to a high clearing on a cliff, in visible distress.
It hurt. It made you uncomfortable. It confused you. Why on earth would Beck say that? That idiot… You worked so hard to distance yourself from him, and now? Why would he?
Light.
In the midst of going absolutely insane, you spotted a small flicker of light in the distance over the horizon. No. A frightening, daunting feeling rolled down your spine, and your gaze shot up to the distant glow.
It was him.
For fuck’s sake.
Your observation haki burned on an all-time high, and Shanks’ aura was unmistakable. Your fingers hooked into your hair, and your mind spiraled into a new breed of deafening chaos. How could this moment get even worse?
A year before this, you would’ve already crashed out and killed everyone on the island. A few months before today, your haki would’ve burst out without control and destroyed half the land. Now? You fell to your knees and pressed one hand firmly against your chest. You knew this wasn’t the right way to do it, no one exactly told you how to suppress your willpower, but you couldn’t do it any differently. You had to die.
Intentionally, you slowed down your heart, lowering your pulse, emptying your lungs. Your skin turned pale, and your lips turned slightly purple. In a few seconds, you were swallowed up by a state of mortality, a vulnerable and helpless place. You were on the brink of death, your body barely functioning, barely keeping you alive. In this condition, no one could sense your presence, as if you disappeared from the face of the earth. Paying the price, you couldn’t think, move, or use any of your abilities. You were half-dead.
“Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! It is here! The Red Force!”
Oide shook Beck’s shoulders frantically, waking the poor man from his deepest slumber. It took him a while to register what she was saying. “Alright, alright,” he sighed in relief as the girl let him go. “Let’s go greet them.”
Odie pulled Beck by his hand, forcing him to inspire him. Rather, Beck glanced left to right, searching for you. Not seeing you with his eyes was one thing, but not recognizing your aura was another. His observation haki was well advanced, but it had certain limits. For example, his range didn’t cover the whole island. He decided to stay rational and reasoned. No one could leave the Sphinx alone unless they could fly like Marco. The waterfall blocked the way for any small ship or boat. None was missing from the port. You had to be somewhere around the forest.
The Red Force docked in the morning, and the villagers flooded around the seaport to have a look. Not every day did the enormous and impressive pirate ship with a large crew visit them. Hopefully, they would all spend an excessive amount of money. Ideally. More ideally, they would give them some treasure for free. Luckily, the red hair pirates never came here empty-handed. Not since Whitebeard died.
“Beckman!” Yasopp and Limejuice slid down the stair rails to jump on their vice-captain, shoving him to the ground. It would’ve been fine if it weren’t for Lucky Roux joining.
“It is good to see you, mate!”
“We missed your stinky ass, you know!”
“I get it, just get off me,” Beck panted under the pressure, tapping on the ground in defeat. “Come on.”
They stood up, laughing at his misery. Not too much empathy for his old joints and bones.
“Where’s Raion?” Yasopp squinted into the distance, hoping to find you among the crowd or watching from the top of the hill. “I need to beat his ass for running off again. We should put a leash on him or something.”
“So, the Boss is taking him back?” Beck knew the answer, and he didn’t. He was just as confident as tense, waiting for them to speak.
“Yeah, but… He wasn’t going to. He only changed his mind after breaking off the alliance with Linaria’s crew.”
“What?” Beck’s gaze widened, stunned by the unexpected revelation.
“Right. We have no idea why, though,” Lime chimed in. “When she came to visit, the Boss almost blew up the whole ship. I have never seen him so angry. It was pretty terrifying.”
Now this piqued Beck’s interest, to say the least. Maybe Linaria told the truth about what happened that night? Maybe there was an apparent reason why you went rogue. If so, he needed to know. “Where is he hiding?” Yes, Shanks was concealing his presence just like you. Such cowards. The both of you.
“Captain’s cabin.”
Without hesitation, Beck climbed up to the ship and headed towards the room. This was going to be awkward for everyone involved. Mostly him. Barging in without a knock, Beck found his captain taking shelter from him in the bed. As expected.
“Dumbass,” no time wasted, Back swung his rifle over Shanks’ head, a red bump forming on the spot immediately.
“Ouch–, you animal!” Shanks revealed himself out of the sudden, rubbing the wound with a pout.
“Me? How about you?” Although slightly lighter, Beck began to slam his weapon against Shanks, who tried his best to dodge each shot. “How long did you seriously need? It has been weeks!”
“Okay, okay! I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” he shuddered and yelped in response until Beck stopped his assault. “I didn’t mean to, really.”
“Really? That’s not what the others told me. What in the hell happened?”
“Ugh…” Shanks raised his knee against his chest after a rigid breath. “I just… If Linny’s crewmember had hurt you or someone from my crew, I wouldn’t have hesitated to take revenge. I just wanted to be fair. Raion didn’t tell me–“
In the midst of Shanks’ explanation, Beck just couldn’t contain his emotions anymore. “The kid’s arms almost fell off. How wasn’t that enough for you? I had to feed and bathe that brat, you know. Does self-defense mean nothing to you?”
“I know, okay? I know that I fucked up, but I just… She ran off. She promised that she would never do that again. And with Ace? Why doesn’t she ask for my help? If she had asked me to trust her, I would’ve started a war against anyone. I would’ve done anything for her. What do I have to do to make her understand?” Shanks’ face fell into his palm, and he had to fight with his tears before they could drop. “I am not as strong as you. I can’t just move on, I can’t think straight. I wanted her to betray me, I wanted her to hurt me, because then, maybe then I could let her go.”
Beck’s expression grew gentle. He hauled over a chair to take a seat with his legs crossed and a cigarette lit. “You are pathetic, I hope you realize that.”
“What kind of friend are you?” Shanks glared up at him with a sour frown.
“Well, Raion didn’t betray you, so you can forget about that,” shrugging, he exhaled a generous amount of smoke. “She wanted you to come.”
“R-really?” Shanks’ voice cracked as he contained his stutters.
“Of course.”
“So… She is coming back?” His words were filled with fragile hope, no matter how weakly he uttered them.
“If you can convince her that you are not mad, then yes. It won’t be easy, though,” Beck clarified. His features shifted, however. A glint of regret settled on his face. “Although… I did tell her something yesterday that I shouldn’t have. It might make things more difficult for you.” No shit.
“Where can I find her?”
“Uh, that’s the other thing…” Beck tousled back his hair, avoiding Shanks’ attentive gaze. “In these past weeks, the kid kind of learned how to hide her presence on her own. So, I have no clue.”
“That is something, isn’t it?” Shanks nodded and inhaled loudly. “She’ll show up with time, right?”
“Hopefully.”
The red hair pirates set up camp by the shore and settled in with the villagers. The crew was exhausted by now, the melancholic ride taking its toll on each and every one of them. Finally, they could drink, sing, dance, and be free of the captain’s depression. They let Beck deal with him.
“Shanks!” Marco greeted him with a bright smile and a snug hug. “I’m glad to see you. Unless you want to recruit me again.”
“You know I’ll never give up on that. The deal will stand as long as I live,” stating it confidently, Shanks made Marco laugh.
“You never give up, do you?” With a light-hearted scoff, Marco set his hands on his hips. “You and your crew are so much alike. That pretty boy of yours, Raion, would rather die than give up a fight. Reminded me of you. I didn’t know you had another mate who was on your level. That little shit could take me in a year, I bet.”
“Only the best,” Shanks winked at him, acting casual. “Any idea where he is?”
“He is probably practicing. I would send a sphinx out there, but nowadays not even Tama can find him. He’ll get hungry eventually.”
“Right.”
While the rest of the crew ate on the shore, Shanks was invited to Terui’s house. Naturally, he charmed her as expected. Beck had to go through the same conversations with him that you two had already had. Marco’s and Terui’s bickering or flirting amazed him just as much as you. Shanks also made friends with Oide, excluding the crush. You were her prince forever, there was no other handsome pirate changing that.
“I am starting to worry, Marco,” Terui whispered to the doctor quietly while they washed the dishes in the kitchen. Not that Shanks and Beck couldn’t hear them. “It is almost midnight. When did Raion leave? I haven’t seen him in the morning.”
“Calm down. Try to see it from his point of view. He is a deserter. Even if Shanks takes him back, it will be an awkward conversation. I would hide if I were him, too. Raion can take care of himself, but I’ll fly around the island if you want me to. Just in case.”
“Do that. Although I wouldn’t mind him staying,” a little smile snuck onto her lips.
“You’d rescue anyone, wouldn’t you? You can’t find a husband any other way,” Marco gave the snarky comment and earned a splash of dish water on his face. Fairly.
Beck’s and Shanks’ brows furrowed in similar shapes as they sighed in sync. These two were absolutely hopeless…
Marco, as promised, ventured out to scour the island from the sky. He soared above land on his blue flamed wings, searching for your figure. It should’ve been easy since Sphinx was mostly grassy hills and open fields. Even if it was dark, he was supposed to find you. Yet, he didn’t. A tight knot formed in his chest, a bad omen.
Beck waited in front of the house, smoking as much as he could before going inside. The unnerving feeling set in his stomach as he saw Marco return on his own.
“I couldn’t find him,” he admitted after landing. “He is probably hiding intentionally. All we can do is wait.”
“Yeah, I can’t sense him at all,” Beck pondered. “But it takes a lot of concentration to conceal a person’s presence. He is nearly starting out. how can he keep it up this long? That is what worries me.”
“Maybe Shanks can detect him somehow?”
“No, I’d rather not tell him. That would only make him panic. I guess we have to trust Raion on this one. He’ll either exhaust himself and reveal his aura or get a grip and come back.”
This was the official consensus. Waiting. Of course, you had no recollection of the time or awareness of any kind.
The next morning, Beck and Shanks decided to visit Whitebeard's grave. His resting place was located on a high cliff overlooking the sea. It had a large tombstone with his Jolly Roger engraved on it and his bisento stuck to the ground on the side.
“This is for you, old man,” Shanks raised his cup after they dropped to the ground in front of the grave. “The world was a better place with you in it.”
“Rather, it had a lot less space,” Beck grunted lazily.
“Ha-ha–“ Shanks burst out laughing. “He was a giant for sure. Would’ve loved to fight him one last time, but that’s just the arrogance speaking.”
“Ace said the same thing,” Beck remembered with a subtle smile. “Newgate has quite a few fights to wait for in the afterlife.”
“Huh,” after throwing down his coat, Shanks relaxed on his elbow over the grass. “I hope I’ll have a stone like this and you guys visiting me a bunch. I’ll take my time training up there to beat your asses if you follow me.”
“We’ll also have to put a few buckets next to your grave for the ladies to cry into.”
Shanks’ laugh swelled, and he instinctively added, “Imagine how many buckets Raion would need.” The atmosphere slowly shifted as their smiles faded, too. The mere mention of your name was enough to fill the two with silence. “Why do you think she’s hiding?”
“I guess she’s embarrassed. Maybe she doesn’t know if she should come clean or not. It’s been more than a year… She is the only one who needs more time to make up her mind than you.”
“What could’ve possibly happened to her that she doesn’t want to tell us this much. I can’t even imagine.”
“Well… remember what she said in her dream when we were stuck on that winter island? I think she has her reasons for keeping it a secret. We shouldn’t push it.”
“Right…”
The conversation ended there, and the two pirates stayed quietly at Whitebeard's grave for a while longer. Getting bored and hungry, Beck went back to the village while Shanks rather took a nap beside the old man. For some reason, although Newgate wasn’t exactly his friend in the past, he felt his support in some kind of strange way. He lamented on what the old geezer would’ve done in his place. Well, he would’ve called Raion his son for a start. The thought made Shanks chuckle sharply. What he was afraid of was his doubts about you trusting someone else over him. Did you talk about your past to Ace, for example? No… Ace probably didn’t even ask, nor would Whitebeard. Maybe Shanks shouldn’t have either.
He groaned as his muscles stretched while he straightened up. A decent yawn, and he was awake. By noon, his stomach began to grumble, too. Terui was an excellent chef, Marco didn’t deserve her.
Shanks headed down from the cliff, only taking in the beautiful sight for a second. The one second, the one direction, the one accident. Suddenly, with all emotions and spirit drained from his face, he spotted you in the distance. A body. A motionless, frozen body. Shanks sprinted towards you with lightning speed, not caring about breaking an ankle or any bones on his way. He leaped into the air and bumped into the ground under you, nearly cracking it into a million pieces with the powerful impact.
“Raion,” he whispered at first, tracing your white cheek with the back of his fingers. The coldness radiated from your skin, and you were unresponsive, completely unconscious. Quickly, he grasped your wrist to check your pulse. It was weak. Barely noticeable. “For fuck’s sake!” Shanks cursed under his breath, his eyes fading to red. “What have you done?” Shanks’ lips began to quiver as he bent over you, then laid your head on his lap. “Stupid, stupid, idiot. Why do you always have to do some shit like this?”
Another coma. Only so much worse.
Roger and Rayleigh warned him about this condition. Obviously, if someone like you, who had an unnatural amount of haki, starts to experiment without a proper teacher, accidents are almost destined to happen. Plus, you were much more prone to get emotional than an average person, hence you suffered an injury more easily. If you start to conceal your life source instead of your power, you undoubtedly end up like this. For the love of god, if no one had found you… Or anyone else than him… And even him…
As Shanks stared at your frozen face, a mere shell of yourself, he still couldn’t not adore you. His hand slid under your back to lift you up into a tight embrace. His fingers clenched over the fabric of your shirt, and his face was soon buried into the nape of your neck.
He was selfish and greedy, Shanks knew that.
“I hate what you do to me,” mewling with a shaky, trembling voice, he pulled you even closer. “I am going to ruin everything because of you.”
Shanks couldn’t move, he couldn’t let you go. This was his only chance. You’d never hug him willingly, you’d never… He just… Needed a few minutes like this.
Slowly, his fingers stretched out and his palm gently pressed against the middle of your back. A soft, radiating surge of energy bloomed from his touch. Shanks’ haki flowed against your skin and was soon absorbed by your drained body. Your muscles twitched. A faint shade of pink emerged on your cheeks, and your chapped lips slowly parted. Then, with a sudden, a depthless inhale, your eyes fluttered open. Confused, dazed, alive.
You sat up in Shanks’ lap, crouching over the ground to cough and gag. Your throat was dry, and your lungs were deprived of oxygen. Your limbs were stiff, hardly moving, and your headache was excruciating.
“Are you alright?” the man behind you asked, his hand still fixed on your back. “It’ll get better, just give it time.”
“W-where am I? W-what happened?” you gasped between coughs, barely managing a word at a time.
“Well, you were a dumbass again,” Shanks let out a mildly irritated sigh, then with a swift momentum, dragged you up in his arm to carry you against his chest.
“What are you doing?” You attempted to wriggle out of his grasp, of course, in vain. You didn’t do anything but lose your balance, throwing your numb limbs around.
“Stop it, you can’t even move. Accept it. You were knocked out for almost two days. You should be thankful that you are still alive and can breathe at all,” he scolded you, forcing a huff out of you. “What do you think would’ve happened if I didn’t find you, huh? Either the wolves eat you, or you die of dehydration? How reckless can one person be?”
“Okay, I got it,” rolling your eyes, you agreed. “I’m sorry…”
“No.” Unexpectedly, Shanks stopped in his tracks, then glared at you directly. “Sorry just isn’t good enough this time, okay? Are you really trying to kill yourself here? What will be the next method, huh? Why can’t you think about someone else than yourself? You do nothing but make everyone around you worry. You run off, pick a fight, or do something insanely irresponsible. Why? When will you understand that you are important to people? Your friends, your crew, me, Beck, and all the others.”
You averted your gaze, pursing your lips together in embarrassment. Instantly, regret and remorse crept onto your face. It was almost as painful for Shanks to see as your half-dead self.
“I–“
“I’ve come to get you, okay? You are coming back, whether you like it or not. You clearly cannot take care of yourself, so I am never letting you get out of my sight ever again,” Shanks declared boldly, leaving no room for questions.
“But–“
“And I’ll teach you how to do this right before you mess up again,” he cut you off as he continued to walk. “I cannot let my crew be made up of weaklings who can’t even use their haki right.” Peeking down, Shanks was ready for a snarky response from you, but you swallowed it back instead. “You must behave. I don’t have enough money for all those buckets.”
“Buckets?”
Chapter 19: Ordain
Summary:
The full crew of the red hair pirates is reunited once more and ready to set sail with the 'minimum' of casualties.
Notes:
Hii! C: Happy times! And dick jokes! ♥ Enjoy!
Chapter Text
You were rushed into Marco’s shack as soon as Shanks brought you back. They treated you like someone who was on the brink of death. That wasn’t too far from the truth. While your mind was recovering on its own, your body needed help. In these two days, you lost almost all fluids and electrolytes from your system. Marco tried to replace your lack of fluids intravenously while simultaneously using his devil fruit powers. Unfortunately, the blue flames were made for healing the body, not fil it up.
“You are totally overreacting,” you chuckled, feeling at ease from the dizziness. The doctor infused some painkillers into the liquid, too, which had a rather entertaining effect on you. “I just need to drink some water, and that is all.”
“Well, your mouth works just fine,” Beck grunted from the corner of the room, where he and Shanks settled.
“Is this really the time to be mean?” Terui gave him a sour grimace, holding your hand while you lay on the treatment table. “It’s okay, Raion. You’ll get better.”
‘I am already–“ naively, you tried to sit up, but Terui slammed your shoulders back to the table forcefully.
“Now, who is the mean one?” Beck peeked at the feisty woman.
“Calm down, all of you. This isn’t fatal, but it is sort of serious. Let me do my work, and please don’t stress Raion out.”
“I’m sorry, Terui,” you sighed with a husky expression. “But you’re totally stressing me out. Maybe if you put some more clothes on–?”
The cheeky comment caught Terui off guard, not to mention the smirk that you said it with. A hot flush rose to her face as the words sank in. Her lips only shuddered, but she gave no response. Not before Marco.
“Don’t worry, it’s just the medicine speaking. He wouldn’t compliment you at all sober,” Marco mumbled carelessly, then bore the consequence. Terui slapped his face with enough strength to leave a bright scarlet mark behind her palm.
“Marco, you lucky bastard,” you gasped. “Terui! Me next! Please!”
“I hate you all!” she shook her head, clearly embarrassed. In haste, she fled from the shack, holding her hands against her face.
“If you don’t go after her, expect to be beaten up, Marco,” Shanks warned the doctor, who luckily listened to the advice.
As soon as the door closed behind him, the three of you began to laugh uncontrollably, more hysterically. Maybe you were too dazed, but you just couldn’t hold the cackling back. Neither could they.
“Good job, Raion, it was about time,” Shanks chuckled while Beck walked beside you to check on your veins.
“Don’t wiggle too much, okay?”
“Or what? You’ll slap me?” sneering up at him, you winked.
“You don’t deserve such pleasure, kid.”
You burst out laughing again, finding even the most low-effort joke hilarious. “You guys are so funny. I missed when it was only the three of us.”
“Me too,” Beck’s voice grew softer as he hummed and gently stroked your face. “Everything is going back to normal, alright? We’ll go back to the ship, you’ll get your hammock back, and Roux will stuff you up with the worst meat you’ve ever tasted.”
“He-he-e,” you hollered before cracking your own joke. “I’m not sucking him off, no matter what he says.”
“Pff–“ Shanks suddenly choked on air, laughing in the corner, not expecting your humor to turn so vulgar. “What did Marco give you? We better take some.”
“I don’t think Roux would like the joke as much as you do,” Beck remarked, taking one step back. “Although, who knows?”
“Have you seen it? For a man his size, he has to have a giant dick, right? I bet he could kill with that thing,” you spoke your thoughts carelessly, endearing your company just fine.
“Not as big as you think it is,” Shanks gave out the secret. “But still pretty big.”
“And you two? Which of you has the larger dick? I have never seen them both hard. Tell me! You must tell me!” Shanks and Beck locked eyes, chuckling at your delirious state again. “Come on! What does it matter to you if I know?”
“Why do you even care, huh?” looming over you, Beck grinned mischievously. “You can’t steal either.”
“Tch–, shut up,” pouting aggressively, you stuck out your tongue.
Before the conversation could’ve continued, out of the blue, almost the entirety of the red hair pirates barged into the shack, filling up the whole thing, not leaving a single inch of free space.
“Raion!”
“Raion, what happened?”
“Are you alright?”
“We missed you!”
You couldn’t even follow who said what. All you could do was smile. Another thing you weren’t capable of? Keeping back your tears. The whole room began to laugh as your whole face was soon swimming in your tears, and your giggles mixed with your sobs. You were drugged, you were weak, and you were honest.
“Get out! Let him breathe, idiots!” Hongo’s shouting cut through the crowd, which soon spread out and left. “What on earth happened to you, kid?” he approached you on the treatment table, checking each supply and medicine. “Dehydration?”
“He died, just a little bit,” Shanks admitted, and Hongo suddenly smashed his heels over his bare foot. “That is your fault, Boss, isn’t it?”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” shuddering, Shanks kept the injured foot in his hand, jumping around in pain. “What kind of crew do I have? Are you going to abuse me each time I–“
“Yes!”
The answer was unanimous.
“Uh–“ Shanks nodded. He shouldn’t have been surprised, honestly. Although he thought you’d find it funnier. Actually, he found you asleep as he glanced at you.
You didn’t wake up for more than a day. When you did, you felt like a brand-new person. The thing was, you didn’t remember shit. You had some blurry pictures about spotting the Red Force in the distance, seeing Shanks’ distressed face, hearing Beck laugh… But the order of these memories was out of your reach.
You rose up from Odie’s bed, stretching your stiff muscles. Inhaling lazily, you made your way down to the kitchen, where, to your absolute astonishment, you found Terui in Marco’s arms. A devious smile crept on your face as you quickly made your exit.
“Sorry, I won't bother.”
“Wait!” Marco yelled after you at the door, catching up to you with a bright pink blush on his cheeks. “Let me check you out.”
“I’m fine, Marco. You have better things to do,” giggling, you waved goodbye to the doctor, leaving him more embarrassed than he would’ve liked. Your punishment? He wasn’t going to check your state. Someone who can act this cocky will be just fine.
“The others are on the shore, loading up.”
“Thanks!”
You have never felt healthier and happier than now, as you walked along the port, greeting every member of the crew by name, then climbing up to the Red Force’s dining room for breakfast. It was time to transition from Terui’s cooking back to Lucky Roux’s.
“Eat up, kid. You have a lot to make up for,” he dropped down a full plate of meat in front of you without saying another word.
Being the last one to eat, you swung your feet cheerfully under the table, munching on the meat that Roux graciously prepared. As much as you hated it at first, now you loved it more than any other dish.
“Ouch.” A frail little wince came from under the table. You bumped into something. Or someone. You hunched down to take a look, and unpredictably, Odie grinned back at you. “I’m not here,” she tried to hush you before your grasp clutched over her sweater to pull her out into the air.
“What do you think you’re doing?” you asked her, struggling to keep a serious tone.
“I–, I am joining the crew. I’ll be a pirate like you!” she announced confidently.
“Maybe in ten years,” chuckling lightly, you put her on her feet at last, recalling the sentence you all teased her with. “Why don’t you bring Tama to the shore to say goodbye?”
“Alright,” huffing and puffing, Odie got off the ship, and you were able to finish your meal in peace.
Curiously, you returned to your hammock, which was ultimately untouched. All your stuff was in their usual place, like not a single day had passed. A subtle smile sat on your lips as your fingers traced along the coarse fabric, then the fluffy blanket. You were finally home.
“Missed it much?” Shanks’ voice caught you by surprise, and you skipped back quickly to face him. You remembered your last meeting fairly differently. While he was as calm and content as ever, stepping beside your hammock to follow the trail of your fingers, you held your breath before he spoke. “I bet it missed you.”
“W-what?” you stuttered, breaking your tough persona in an instant.
“The hammock. If I were one, I’d want you to sleep on me, not some other stinky pirate,” he murmured, then glimpsed at you after his hand caught up with yours. “I’m so glad you’re back. I’m sorry it took so long to get here.”
What in the–? You certainly didn’t imagine your first conversation to go like this after killing those girls. How did he forgive you so easily? Didn’t he have any questions? Wasn’t he going to discipline you? He just… stared at you.
“Shanks I–“
“After we leave Sphinx, we’ll go to a small coral island, and I can start to teach you how to properly use your haki,” he explained casually, while you could hardly understand him. Sure, you saw his face in your memories, but that was all. What did he say? “Before that, we should say goodbye.”
Shanks walked away, gesturing for you to go after him. The crew was already formed on the deck of the ship, some waving or whistling. You only walked out of your temporary bedroom, and the Red Force was leaving? How long have you been asleep exactly? You would’ve liked to kiss Terui’s cheeks at least. Hug Odie? Have you already done that stuff?
“It is weird, isn’t it?”
While you stood by the rails on the quarter deck, waving at the villagers, Beck took the opportunity to sneak behind you.
“What?”
“Marco told us that your memory would be blurry after what happened. Tell me you didn’t forget everything.” Beck mumbled on his cigarette as he spoke.
“It isn’t too clear. Did Shanks forgive me?”
“Would you stand here if he didn’t?”
“Fair,” you hummed and turned back to him after the ship descended from the seaport. “I am still confused about what happened. I mean, I know that I am at the right place, but I don’t remember how I got here.”
Well, even if you could’ve remembered every single detail of your recovery, you still would’ve felt the same. This was the first day that you were completely sober. Until now, your every action was innocent, honest, but absolutely stupid. Starting with joking with Roux’s dick, asking Hongo to bathe you because he was blonde, telling fictional pirate tales to Odie, and giving bedroom advice to Marco. You wouldn’t have been too proud of any of those moments. Nevertheless, you haven’t spoken with Shanks since then, so your confusion was valid. Shanks seemingly let go of whatever happened. You should’ve appreciated that, but it still bugged you that you didn’t know how he woke you up and what he told you.
The coral island was two days at sea from Sphinx, and you needed the time to adjust back to your usual routine. For some reason, the ship was so full of life, full of high spirit, more than normally. The crew acted especially warm towards you, never failing to mention how much they missed you.
“Come on, show us,” Yasopp leaned against Monster’s shoulders, watching in awe as you revealed your two arms. They circled around you to take a quick look. The scars were deep, yet unique. Two healed wounds on the front, two on the back, right where the two daggers slashed through you. Not too many people were blessed with Marco’s flesh, so you wore it as an honor.
“They are much stronger than before, but didn’t give me wings, unfortunately.”
“Ahh–“ half your audience sulked in disappointment. Some newcomers spread the rumor that you gained Marco’s devil fruit power through his special healing. You wouldn’t have minded if it were true.
“It must’ve been a tough fight. If someone was able to injure you this bad, they had to be freaking strong,” Snake pondered, but you didn’t give any reply. This wasn’t exactly true anyway, since you made the mistake of dropping your guard. Only if you had paid more attention…
“You have no idea what went down here while you were away…” Lime whined, then slid closer with his chair, hoping no one would hear him. No one being the captain. “The Boss was in pieces. He locked himself in his room and didn’t come out at all. Not to eat, to give orders, nothing. If it wasn’t for Linaria lying to him…”
“Linaria?” you hummed, barely managing to hide how much you cared about the subject.
“No one knows exactly what went down. All we saw was Linaria visit him, and the Boss lash out a few minutes later. He almost destroyed the ship with his fury. In conclusion, we are no longer allies with the night butterfly pirates.”
What the hell?
Well, that was new.
You started to theorize what it could’ve been that pissed Shanks off that much. Did that insane woman tell him that the girls were bounty hunters? No, that would’ve only eased Shanks’ mind. That fact only makes your crime seem less severe. Nothing else came to mind that she could’ve told him. A lie? What did that psycho lie about? No. Clue. Whatever it was, it changed Shanks’ mind about you.
Gradually, you caught yourself staring at Shanks from the top of the palm trees as he commanded the crew and did his regular job as a captain. Chatting with the helmsman, the cleaners, the shipwrights… You couldn’t get it out of your mind. Why did he take you back? What did you two talk about? Has he gone insane or something?
“Get ready, we’re almost there!” Fuck, he noticed. Shanks yelled at you with a bold grin.
“Alright!” You climbed off the tree and landed in the smoke cloud that Beck’s guilty habit caused. “I thought you’d quit by Terui’s influence, but it only got worse,” you coughed out the smoke.
“That woman was driving me crazy,” he admitted, drawing a subtle giggle out of you. “You too, though.”
“Well… If it wasn’t for Marco,” slightly foiled by the fact, you sighed. “But I’m glad they finally gave in. I don’t think that island could’ve withhold any more sexual tension.”
One of Beck’s brows snapped up at the irony of you saying that. It was for the best that the Red Force was seemingly immune to this danger. “Be careful today, by the way. The Boss will not go easy on you.” That was a plain old lie, but firing you up might’ve meant that Shanks would take the training seriously. This was important. If you didn’t learn how to control these new abilities, another trainwreck was prone to happen. Beck knew that his captain would rather go soft on you than realize it.
“Nuh, I know he will, but I won’t,” you insisted.
Unlike what Beck assumed, you knew Shanks well. Maybe not his motives, but his actions for sure. The discovery amused him just the right amount.
You never intended to train with Shanks before. Even when you fought in the past, you could tell that he was holding back. There was nothing you hated more than an opponent feeling pity for you. Contrary to Beck and Marco, he barely even tried. Why would you listen to someone like that? Who doesn’t believe in your abilities? Despite all odds, you improved exponentially in these past weeks, almost surpassing Marco. It wasn’t enough to defeat Shanks, but at least you could put up a decent fight. In hindsight, none of that mattered.
“Sit down,” Shanks ordered you after you arrived in the middle of the coral island.
It was a natural volcanic ground that emerged mere meters above the water level and would’ve disappeared during the higher tide. The surface was covered in sun-bleached sand, and only a few trees and bushes were able to stay alive on the coral formation. It had the size of an average town, only enough for you and Shanks to practice on without causing any harm to the crew on the ship that floated on the sea nearby.
“Why?” you grunted at Shanks, dissatisfied with the proposal. “Aren’t we supposed to–?”
“Just do as I say,” he narrowed his eyes, and you nonchalantly obeyed. “Since you suck at masking your haki, that is where we are going to start.” Hopping down to the sand in front of you, he stated.
“I don’t suck at it, I was just–“
“Really?” Shanks grimaced skeptically, and you couldn’t deny it too much longer. “I know exactly where you messed up. It is a rookie mistake.”
“Well, I was alone and no one helped me, so…” That was your only defense, not the worst one.
“Just listen, okay?” Shanks cut you off, and you silenced yourself with a grumpy pout. “Masking your presence is obviously used against the enemy's observation haki, I guess even you could figure that out, but to execute it right, you have to understand what haki is.”
“I know what haki is…”
“No, you don’t. Using it is much different than understanding it. Primarily, it is only a tool, and looking at it that way is fine. Although for those who can extend its power over the basic level, it isn’t a mere weapon anymore. Armament, observation, Conqueror’s haki, they are all an expansion of your core and the willpower within. You focus on your arm to harden it, extend your senses, or force your will on others to overwhelm them. These abilities have one focal point, one source. The only way to transcend your haki is to change the focal point of your power.”
You concentrated on Shanks’ explanation more closely than you would’ve thought you would. Your initial distrust in him faded as he began to make sense. In spite of practicing what he talked about, you never viewed it from this perspective. Your problem with your conqueror’s haki was that you couldn’t control it. If you let it roam free, everyone in your proximity could feel it. When you blew up only one coconut instead of both, you actually changed the focus of power away from your core.
“When you try to hide your presence, you are actually withdrawing your willpower from your body,” he continued before stopping to insert one last snarky comment. “Not eliminate your life source, like an idiot!” You huffed bitterly, even if he was totally correct. You absolutely misunderstood the whole thing. “My teachers told me that you don’t want to disappear from the face of the earth, you are simply taking a step back from the obvious and mundane. If you succeed, enemies can’t read your thoughts or predict your moves. Naturally, it is incredibly hard to keep yourself in this condition even when you’re only hiding, not to mention in the middle of a fight, and combine it with other haki. You might get a few chances to use it before an attack, but maintaining this state is borderline impossible. I haven’t met anyone who could do it.”
You couldn’t not agree. The way Shanks described it, this technique seemed extremely difficult to pull off. Your only advantage was that you were able to change the focal point of your haki, but cracking a sake cup was completely different from extracting your willpower from your core. You had no idea where to start.
“You must’ve heard the myth that when you die, your soul manifests itself outside of your body. You are still aware and present, but not the way you were before. That is how I usually imagine it.”
“But how in hell am I supposed to control my body if I’m not ‘in it’, huh?” you groaned, gazing into the distance.
“I told you it wasn’t easy, didn’t I?”
“Do it then,” frowning at him, you grunted.
“I am already doing it,” Shanks winked at you cockily, and you realized that you couldn’t detect his presence with anything but your eyes. “You can't predict what I’m about to do, can you?” With a swing of his arm, he hurled a handful of sand right at you.
“Not funny,” you mumbled, wiping it off yourself. “You had years to perfect it. Unfair.”
“I mean… You messed up your first attempt, for sure, but honestly, it isn’t that much different than exterminating your life source. Why don’t you give it a try?”
You took a deep breath, short on self-assurance. It was logical. Stepping out of yourself, separating your mind from your body. Other haki users were only able to predict you because they saw the similarity between your functions. To use observation haki, you had to have your core intact with your willpower, detecting someone who had them disconnected was simply not possible. If you could somehow manage to do that…
Closing your eyes shut, you relaxed your body until every muscle loosened. You reached inward, your conscious searching for the thick, sturdy rope that tied your two presences together. All you had to do was cut it.
This technique required pure lunacy. Who in the world would destroy their connection between their body and mind?
“Good! Are you kidding?” Shanks gasped, loud enough to disturb your concentration.
“Ahh–,” you inhaled sharply, and dropped down on your back, already exhausted. “I hate this.”
“You did it. What are you talking about?” Shanks rose forward, towering over you. “Impressive.”
“I am not used to positive feedback, you know. It is not necessary,” with a rather timid grumble, you averted your gaze. “I don’t like it.”
“Why? You want me to blow some smoke in your face and tell you that you can do better?” he chuckled, referring to Beck’s usual method. “You did amazing.”
“Stop, okay?” You tossed your head to the side, avoiding his staring for dear life, while a faint blush crept onto your slightly flushed cheeks.
Shanks fell back to his place, containing his amusement. He definitely noticed the embarrassment on your expression, something that he wasn’t used to at all. So, you did have a soft side after all, and were absolutely unable to take compliments. Not from him. Oh, he was going to have a field day with this.
“You can practice this on the ship. The actual reason we came here was to practice the other technique that you had a taste of. Beck told me that you were able to direct your conqueror’s haki right at Marco. That means that your haki didn’t emerge all the way around you, only at the specific target. I bet you’ll learn how to use it in no time if you advance it to that level on your own. Ready?”
“Ready!”
Chapter 20: Oblivious
Summary:
A new training begins, then ends. An equation of a careless teacher and an even more careless pupil couldn't not be doomed from the start, to the end.
Notes:
Helloo! I'm updating happily, because I'm gonna be really nice with you for a bit ♥ nice and nasty. I'm sorry, and you're welcome. Also, I don't know what came over me with these few chapters and drugs. A running theme really. Wasn't intentional, I swear.
Anywayyy enjoy! c:
Chapter Text
You would’ve never admitted it, but you have never had more fun fighting with someone than Shanks right now. Hand-to-hand combat combined with armament haki was a blast for sure, but using advanced conqueror’s to attack from a distance was on a whole other level. You and Shanks were able to move freely around the island and employ all your power without worrying about the crew or anyone.
“They are really going at it,” Hongo stumbled to the deck, holding his jacket above his head.
The uncontrolled, untamed surges of energy and electricity caused a big storm around the island after your haki broke into the clouds repeatedly. You were powerful enough to impact the weather. From afar, your attacks looked like black lightning strikes.
“Must be fun,” Beck replied with his wet cigarette in his mouth.
“They’ve been out there all day, they’ll catch a cold,” the doctor stepped beside the vice-captain to raise his jacket higher in order to protect Beck from the rain. “We should bring them back.”
“I don’t think it would be a good idea to disturb them, or take a single step onto that island. The tension must be unbearable, maybe even fatal. Even I wouldn’t dare to go there.”
“Really?”
“The kid can’t control his haki yet, so anyone other than Shanks would be in danger. They’ll stop when they stop.”
It was around midnight that your figure appeared by the rails onto the deck. Clinging to your skin, your clothes were drenched through by a mix of mud and rain. With shoulders slouched from exhaustion, you couldn’t speak much, only the occasional cough or sniffle.
“Are you kidding?” Hongo spotted you, then snarled at you both with twitching brows. “Two morons!” he added as you came closer. Sneezing, noses red, shivering.
“Come on, a cup of sake and–“
Without warning, Hongo shoved both of you below deck, right into the bath. “Warm up, then go to the captain’s cabin. You are not going to infect anyone on my watch!”
You and Shanks were honestly too tired to speak. Without a spare thought, you both fell into the bath that Hongo meticulously prepared in advance, because he knew this would happen. Dry towels and fresh clothes on the side, warm water filled with healing salts. You barely registered the time that you sank in the water, then dressed up. By the time your awareness grew, you were stuck in the cabin with Shanks.
He helplessly dropped onto the bed, not even hesitating.
“Asshole,” you grunted quietly.
“I brought some medicine,” Hongo appeared behind you. “Take it and it might prevent your fevers.” The doctor served the two glasses of tonic and wouldn’t leave until you both drank them.
“H-hey, can I get my own bed?” you asked with your mind getting blurry by the intoxicating medication.
“You’ll both fit in there just fine,” scowling at you grumpily, Hongo left you in the room that he locked on his way. He was mad.
“You’ll have to sleep with me, how about that?” Shanks chuckled, already half asleep. “Come here, let’s cuddle!”
“As if–,” mumbling to yourself, you paced around the room for an alternative. Of course, there was only an uncomfortable chair in the corner that just wasn’t going to cut it. You were worn out and could already feel the heat spread along your body like venom. The meds didn’t quite work.
With a deep and drained sigh, you crawled onto the side of the bed, keeping as much distance as possible. This bed was almost double the size of Oide’s, so there was enough space for two people. Not too luxurious, but bearable.
“In the same bed as your Boss, how shameful,” Shanks didn’t hesitate to taunt you.
“Or I can kick you off, sound good?”
“Ha–“ he hummed, then turned in your direction. He could only see your back, but that was more than enough. “Good night, Raion,” a gentle whisper rolled out from his lips.
If you had known better, you might’ve thought it made you flinch. No, it was only the fever, sending chills down your spine. You shifted to your back and carefully glanced at him. Shanks was already asleep, his breathing steady and soothing. You never had an opportunity like this to study his features without his knowledge. You knew almost every woman found him irresistible, and it would’ve been silly to deny that he wasn’t incredibly handsome. His red hair framed his face perfectly, his scars and his stubble gave him a manly appearance, and his eyes… although closed, you could see them even in your dreams.
You wanted to be him. The strongest, the prettiest, the kindest. If you had his life, you would’ve had no worries or doubts in your mind. You could live your days as you wished and never look back.
Jealousy. That is why a part of you despised him.
In a few hours, the morning light seeped through the little circular window from your right, brightening the room just enough to wake you. It nearly blinded you, in fact, worsening the headache. A sheen of sweat covered your skin, and you felt like an oven in the heat of your body. You glimpsed to the side and found Shanks in a similar state. His hair stuck to his face and his burning cheeks. You definitely both had a fever.
“Mhh–, turn around,” you slowly pushed Shanks to the side. You weren’t going to face the sun or him either. No way.
“Ugh–“ He groaned sluggishly, shifting to his back. “What?”
“The sun. It’s too bright,” you mumbled, yanking the blanket up to your nose.
Although agonizing, Shanks opened his red-rimmed eyes. He took a deep, staggering breath and forced himself up. As a true martyr, he stumbled to the covers and tugged on the curtain until no light could come in, and the room was once again as dark as possible.
“Move,” tapping on your back, he rolled you around until he took your place on the right, closer to the evil window.
“Thanks,” weakly, you muttered.
“You’re welcome,” his coarse voice dropped as he spoke.
Enough time passed, and you still couldn’t fall back to sleep. Neither could Shanks. You began to ponder whether training for that long was worth it or not. Not only the illness, but also sleeping in the same bed as Shanks. Well, he wasn’t too bad, actually. He was much quieter than Beck. He even smelled slightly better. No shit, nothing can make years of smoke addiction disappear. Instead, even if Shanks was sweating along with you, his scent remained rather pleasant. Earthy, slightly musky.
You shifted positions to stare at the ceiling with your arms limp on your sides.
“Can’t sleep either?” Shanks murmured motionlessly.
“No.”
“Headache?”
“Yeah.”
“Uhh–“ peering up at you, Shanks reached out to check your fever, placing his hand gently on your forehead. “Could be worse.”
“I just… I feel restless. I want to get up, but I can’t,” you complained, clenching your fists lightly. “How about you?”
“I’m just tired,” Shanks confessed with a long exhale. “But I still cannot fall asleep.”
“This sucks.”
“Sure does,” a muffled chuckle slipped through Shanks’ teeth. “But I don’t mind the company at least.”
“Well, you are surely better than Beck. He snores like a madman,” with a sly pout, you had to admit.
“Do you still want to know?”
“Know what?” you glanced at him curiously, waiting for him to clarify.
Shanks bit into his lips, then rose to his elbow to lean his head against your ear. His mouth nearly grazed the side of your earlobe as he tenderly whispered. “I am bigger than him.”
The truth.
Suddenly, it all came back at once. Every single second of your recovery after the accident. The pictures of your tasteless jokes, your inappropriate questions, the shameless flirting with Terui, the whole crowd visiting you… It all rushed through your mind as Shanks fell back to his pillow, fatigued.
You remembered, you remember what he said, how he scolded you, how he didn’t even question why you did what you did. He just… didn’t care. You and your life were more important to him than any rule or code.
You froze in place, unable to process the multitude of information. A strange sense of sensibility whirled around in your stomach, the overwhelming feeling confusing you. The question lingered on your lips. Why did you take me back? Yet, he already gave his answer. One you couldn’t understand.
“Although,” Shanks began to speak with a lighthearted tone. “We only did it together with a girl once, and it was super awkward. We don’t even talk about it. I only saw Beck’s dick that time. Ugh… I wish I could forget that night. It was much better with you.” Nervously, you listened to him, unable to hold up a conversation. “You are pretty good with women, you know. Marco should listen to you, honestly. When we were with those girls…” sneakily, he peeked up at you from the corner of his eyes as he muttered. “Did you like it?”
There were many ways his question could’ve been interpreted. He could’ve referred to the whole experience, the girls, the game… but you knew what he was actually thinking about. He was only interested in one thing. What he meant to ask was, did you like it when I touched you? If Shanks only knew how powerful an effect that night had on you…
A knot formed in your throat as you realized. Lazily, you turned your back to him yet again, desperately trying to hide that shade of red on your cheeks. “Sure.”
“Hm–,” a sly smile appeared on Shanks’ mouth as he caught onto you. “We should do it again when we visit another island.”
“Sure,” you repeated yourself reluctantly.
It wouldn’t have taken too much convincing if you had to be honest with yourself. Yes, that one time with Ace was nice. More intense, more personal, but you still couldn’t forget that Shanks was the first to touch you. If you wished to seriously return to your old life, you had to accept that this would be a part of it. You missed it. For god’s sake, you slept with Ace and spent an excessive amount of time fantasizing about Terui, of course, you missed it. Of course, you wanted to do it again.
“Did you–“ Shanks’ words faltered. “Think about it? Later?”
“Maybe,” your head shifted back ever so slightly. “D-did you?”
“Yeah,” Shanks hunched forward a few inches, until his face was right behind the back of your neck. “How do you want to do it? Two girls? One? Or?” he purred softly, his breath tingling your skin.
“One is enough.”
“What position?”
“You with the,” you took a big gulp before continuing. “You with the girl and me–“
“I want you to be on my side. I’ll bend the girl down against a desk, so I can only see you,” he paused with a frail pant before asking, “Would you like that?”
“Yes,” your voice quivered, barely carrying the answer.
Shanks raised his arm to cautiously place it on the side of your waist over the covers. It was a light touch, almost unnoticeable. To his surprise, you didn’t shove his hand away, scream, or call Beck for help.
“Would you want me to do what I did that night?” Shanks’ hand wavered as he moved it with uncertainty under the fabric. “To touch you there?”
“Yes,” shyly, you uttered, and pushed your hips back just a little bit.
“Like this?”
Shanks’ hand carefully reached under your shirt, his fingertips about to slip under your pants. Swiftly, you held him in place with a firm grip. You didn’t let him continue, but you didn’t let him retreat either. This was wrong. You were both dizzy from the fever, and obviously couldn’t think straight. No one in their right mind would’ve let Shanks go on. Unfortunately, that is what you lacked. You pushed his palm down to your crotch, leaving the fabric between you two.
“Got it,” Shanks murmured and rested his head on the nape of your neck. “Just like then.”
As you loosened your grip, Shanks gently stroked his fingers along your crotch, lining them along your folds. A quick gasp escaped from your lungs as you flinched under his touch. Shanks was so gentle, so tender, merely teasing you. It felt so fucking good.
“Mhh–“ involuntarily, you mewled and raised your thigh slightly to give him better range.
“You are so sensitive,” Shanks smiled into his whisper and pressed his lips against your shoulder, planting tiny little kisses on your bare skin.
You hated it, you hated how he kissed you there. You didn’t consent to that. You wanted to push him away, but you physically couldn’t. Instead, you leaned into them, enjoying each one more than the last. You drew up your arm to brace his head and encourage him. Shanks took the signal and began to roam along your neck with his kisses, nibbling on the most vulnerable spots.
Shanks didn’t forget about his hand either. He curled his fingers as he rubbed them against your clit under the fabric, which was soon soaked in your arousal. As he progressed, you started to buck your hips forward, grinding against his hand for more friction.
Shanks was much better than last time. He wasn’t drunk or distracted, he knew exactly what he was doing. Also, you were relaxed, unlike before. You wanted it. You wanted him.
Out of the blue, your lewd moaning echoed around the room. Frequently. Continuously.
“Shh–“ Shanks tried to hush you under a chuckle. “The others might think I am torturing you.”
“Mh–, s-sorry,” muffling the noises, you apologized.
“Hang onto them until we are in private.”
“I’ll try,” you panted with a quick breath, then grabbed onto Shanks’ hair behind your shoulder while he returned to nick on your neck.
You rolled your hips with the same rhythm that he moved his fingers with, letting you lead. Shanks was patient and attentive. The pleasure he caused made you forget about anything else but him. His smell, his touch, his kisses. Closing your eyes, you still saw his face in front of you. “I’m gonna–“
Shanks upped his speed as soon as you said it, and heightened his fingers’ pressure over you. Your legs spread apart, and your body didn’t only shiver because of your fever. Your thighs trembled, and your grasp tightened over his red strands. You arched your back and came with a loud and uneven moan. Shanks’ arm trailed up to your stomach, and he pulled you into a snug embrace from behind. Your chest heaved rapidly, and you were short on air, to put it lightly.
This was… your most pleasurable orgasm yet.
“You okay?” Shanks asked quietly.
“Uhumm–“ you struggled to speak properly.
“I hate to say this, but Hongo heard us and he is going to barge in here in half a minute. Maybe you should pretend to vomit to mislead him.”
“R-right,” you nodded weakly, then sat up to do as he advised you.
Just like clockwork, Hongo appeared at the door, having a horrified expression on his face. “What is it? Are you alright?” he rushed up to you, pulling out a bucket that you could puke into. You were surprisingly successful at faking it despite your exhaustion and haze. “You get what you deserve is all I’m going to say,” he grunted.
Shanks couldn’t help but laugh at that comment, despite acting like he was asleep. You did get something.
Hongo took care of both of you, giving you a different kind of medicine, bringing you food, water, and some towels. When he finally left, awkwardness sat over the room. You didn’t know if you were supposed to talk about it or pretend it never happened. Maybe continue where you left off? No.
You refused to stress about this. Instead, you crawled back onto the very edge of the bed and covered yourself completely, ready to sleep. Shanks didn’t protest, surprisingly. He followed you and rested on his side without any complaints.
“Thank you,” breaking the silence, he muttered, barely audibly.
Thank you?
You too slept all day, long until the evening. You stirred, stretching out your stiff limbs that no longer felt so incredibly heavy. Your vision was foggy, your eyes bleary, but your headache was gone at last. Beside you, a yawn cracked from Shanks’ throat.
“What’s the time?” he mumbled, still half-asleep.
“It is dark outside. Do you feel any better?” bending over him, it was your turn to check his temperature on his forehead. “No fever.”
Shanks’ gaze lingered on you, as a subtle, affectionate smile formed on his lips as you pulled your hand away. Your eyes quickly darted away, and you stood up in a hurry.
Either Hongo grew another ear, or his observation haki was fast improving, because he slammed the door open the moment you were on your feet. “You’re not planning to leave the room, do you?” he crossed his arms before himself, narrowing his strict glare.
“Just a shower. We are fine, Hongo. No more fever, no more–“ attempting to talk your way out of it was completely useless.
“It can still be contagious. You’ll have to quarantine for at least one more day,” he stated seriously. “I’ll prepare the bath for you, but you two better make it quick.”
Right. When you returned yesterday, you did take a shower together. You didn’t remember a minute of it, only falling into the water still in your clothes. Did you change in front of Shanks? Did he see you? Or did he forget about it, too?
You two were shoved into the bath by an irritated Hongo, who was fed up with your stupidity and irresponsibility. Contrary to his attitude, the fresh spa he assembled exposed his real sentimentality. The scent of sea salts and lavender swirled around the room in the midst of the steam coming from the giant onsen-like tub.
Usually, you only took a quick shower in a secluded stall in the common area, where you could hide better than in an open space like this. In all honesty, you cleaned yourself in your briefs, being too embarrassed to be seen without anything.
“It’s just a bath. Don’t worry, I won’t look,” Shanks glimpsed at you with a harmless smirk as he began to undress. “I already know it anyway, no need to hide.”
“Sure,” you mumbled under your breath, folding your arms around yourself.
“Come on. Don’t be afraid, it’s not a big deal,” Shank tried to encourage you by getting rid of each piece of his clothing, exposing his body and its imperfections completely.
You have seen every single part, although separately. All at once, it was something really different. All his muscles aligned flawlessly, giving him an infuriatingly godlike build. Yet, you weren’t that much different from him. You both had thick thighs, tight abs, and wide biceps. Excluding your wider hips and slightly different chest, you were almost a mini version of him. Not counting that one part.
Instinctively checking each corner of the room, you gave in and slowly pulled off your shirt, then your pants. Hesitantly, but you did step out of your briefs, too. By reflex, both your hands rose above your crotch.
“Ha–, you’re just too cute,” Shanks hid his laughter in his palm as he noticed your vulnerable posture.
“Shut up,” you growled at Shanks, then cut before him to sink into the water first. You cautiously lowered yourself into the shimmering bath and let your limbs relax. “Agh, this is amazing.”
“When was the last time you took a proper bath?” Shanks asked after he took a seat on the opposite side of the tub.
“At the onsen on the winter island.”
“Gosh,” exhaling deeply, he glanced at you with prying eyes. “It is getting harder to tell that you’re a woman, you know. It really is just one piece missing.”
“I told you I don’t want that. It would make some things easier, but I don’t mind not having a cock. I am just paranoid that someone will find out that I’m not a man other than you two,” you explained, dipping your face into the water until it reached your nose.
“Huh.” Shanks hummed and swung his feet up to the rim of the tub, then lay his arms behind the edge. “So, why don’t you like being touched there?”
Thank the lord that the bath water was covering your childish, yet unescapable blush. You had to wait until it slightly faded to speak. “It’s the same thing,” you stuttered, then swiftly sank under again.
“Oh. You only let me do it because I already know the truth?” Well… you also let Ace, but he wasn’t ever going to figure it out on his own, so he didn’t count. You jolted your head forward as a yes. Shanks tipped back his chin to stare at the ceiling, visibly wondering about something.
Taking on the opportunity, you stood up to fetch the washcloth and soap for yourself and started to scrub yourself. The water was up to your knees, and only your backside was visible to Shanks. Even if you were supposed to trust him, you couldn’t not feel his gaze fixed on you. Your observation haki, not in its prime though, was able to sense something strange from his direction. Before you could focus, he shifted forward to cleanse himself. Despite the risk of being caught, your glance slipped past your shoulder. There was nothing to be seen, Shanks bathed casually. You sighed in relief and took your time to properly clean yourself in peace.
When you dropped back to the tub, tidied up, that’s when you actually recognized it. From the side, Shanks’ hard cock came into view from behind his hip. Slipping quickly beneath the surface, you became paralyzed, unable to react. Was this…? Because of you? Or naturally? Unintentionally? What was going on?
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…” Shanks broke the tension, blocking the sight of his excitement before hiding it under the water. “I thought I was stronger than this, but bathing with you…” He admitted it with flushed cheeks and pursed lips. Never have you seen Shanks appear embarrassed on any level before this. Now, he lost his composure entirely.
Now that you thought it through… You didn’t exactly finish what you started in your feverish state in the morning. Well, you didn’t even know how that could be done in the first place. Sure, you let Shanks touch you, but you never intended to return the favor in a similar way. Even so, you had to admit that it wasn’t exactly fair. When you had the threesomes, the girls pleased him, and you didn’t have to. Now…? Were you obligated to make it even? Dammit, you were so used to being the one performing and not getting anything in return, that you couldn’t fucking tell. You would’ve been fine in his place, but him? Ace would’ve nagged you about it for days… Fucking hell, you were a pleaser. You have been one for years. This was the least you could do. No woman or man could be left unsatisfied, not with you around.
“W-what do you want me to do?” you whispered softly, peering at him after you emerged from the water.
“What–? Nothing,” agitatedly, Shanks jerked his head side to side. “It’ll go away eventually. Just ignore it!”
“It’s okay. It is only fair…”
“Raion,” Shanks pressed his palm against his temple as he exhaled. “It is different. I wanted to touch you, but you don’t want to touch me. It’s fine. I’ll survive.”
You couldn’t lie.
He was right, you didn’t particularly want to touch him. The whole idea made you fairly anxious if you had to be honest. You knew the female anatomy in and out, but didn’t have much knowledge about the other. When someone is the best with women, it is simply humiliating to start again as an amateur with the other sex. All your past life, you thought you were done learning these things. Satisfy the women, that was your only objective. Never once did it cross your mind to sleep with men. Why? You had no logical reason. Not many men fancied other men, and if they did, they were useless to you. It was a fact that, before becoming a pirate, you exclusively had sex with women to exploit them. If it wasn’t for the stupid games or Shanks, you would’ve never changed this habit. Nevertheless, here you were, stuck in this reality at the moment.
When you were with Ace, you were in complete control in every sense. He didn’t know your secret and he couldn’t suck in a single breath without your permission. With Shanks… it was different. How different?
A chill ran down your spine as you finally made up your mind. “I want to touch you.”
Shanks’ gaze shot up upon the uncertain whisper. His eyes wide, his mouth agape, cheeks flustered. All he could do was swallow audibly, then breathe in before speaking.
Suddenly, loud and sharp thuds echoed through the room as the wooden door of the bath rattled under the force of a fist. “Oi! Time’s up!” Hongo’s grumble was filled with impatience and annoyance.
The thick, steamy air was instantly evaporating, and the unbearable tension with it as well. Hongo managed to break the suspense, and you felt a strange mix of relief and disappointment.
“Let’s go,” Shanks insisted, taking on an indifferent expression out of the sudden.
You nodded hesitantly and gathered yourself despite the multitude of disorientation.
You all returned to the captain’s cabin, where Hongo gave you your last load of medicine that was supposed to knock you two out for another day at least. Knowing that, you and Shanks visibly eased under the pressure, because it meant that you wouldn’t have to talk about anything that happened in that bath. Or rather, it wasn’t your decision to either talk about it or not. Hongo decided it for you. When he left, you snuggled into bed on two separate sides and let the drugs take effect.
It didn’t slip from your mind, though. What would’ve happened if Hongo hadn’t interrupted you? What would Shanks have asked you to do? And would you have done it? Fuck. You knew that these questions would not leave you alone from now on… Each time Shanks initiated something with you, you couldn’t help but consider it, or straight up become obsessed. He touched you once, and you were already jumping into Ace’s lap. And now you were fully ready to go further. With a man?
It made you wonder how it would’ve turned out if it were Beck treating you like this. Although you were in love with him, you never even considered sleeping with him. Your eyes saw how gorgeous of a man he was, but acting on that fact never once crossed your mind. You had to face it, you actually fantasized more about Shanks than the man you truly wanted. Even so…
No.
This was not right.
You became too comfortable. Again. Just a month ago, you had to kill three innocent girls… The threat that made you who you were could never completely disappear. Having sex with men wasn’t something that you could do, whether they knew the truth or not. No matter how much you thought about it. You didn’t have the luxury to live your life the way you wanted to. Never will.
Chapter 21: Ordeal
Summary:
Hongo's family gives the perfect shelter for the red hair pirates for a while. One of his sisters in particular.
Notes:
Okay, so hear me out with this long ass chapter. That's all. (Don't hate me, sometimes I hate us too T-T )
(Not so fun fact, this chapter was supposed to be a non-con, and it would've fit well with characters, but I felt so bad that I scraped the whole thing T-T everyone has suffered enough.)
Also, thank you so much for 300 kudos, I can barely believe it tbh. I really didnt expect this fic to be liked by so many people. Thank you so much all! ♥♥♥
Sooo enjoy! ♥
Chapter Text
By the time you and Shanks had somewhat recovered, another land crossed your way. Thanks to your irresponsible actions and catching a nasty cold, Hongo lost half of his medicine supply in treating you. Based on this, he requested a landfall on Caduceus Island, a capital of advanced botanica, the most beautiful spring island of the New World. It shone in radiance even from afar, the white cliffs reaching to the sky and giant plants hiking up on their wake.
You climbed up the crow’s nest to scan the view in all its glory. The absolutely stunning sight filled you up with a sense of ease and longing. Longing to be there, to be elsewhere. You remembered how Shanks described the technique. Step out of the mundane… Taking in a deep breath, filling your lungs, you navigated your mind elsewhere.
“Hey!” Immediately after you succeeded, Shanks sprinted out to the deck, scouring through the ship with a panicked look. “Where is he? Where is Raion?”
You didn’t have the experience to hold onto the trance for more than a few seconds, which seemed to be enough to tip off Shanks’ instincts. A few seconds… His glance darted at you the instant you let go. Alleviation and slight embarrassment swirled on his face as you grinned at him cheekily.
“Scared?” you winked at Shanks playfully, making him purse his lips into a sly pout. “Better get used to it.”
“Tch–”
“Huh? What happened?” Rockstar mumbled, his glare ensuing Shanks as he walked below deck without a word.
“Observation haki,” Yasopp nudged the other’s foot with his own. “The Boss is used to sensing every single crewmember’s location with his haki, but Raion is learning how to hide his presence. He scared the crap out of the Boss I bet.”
“Everyone’s whereabouts? That is pretty impressive,” Rockstar pondered, rubbing his chin.
“Not just him, Raion and Beckman also know when you’re using the toilet, man. Apparently, with their advanced haki they can also sense your heart rate. Think about that when you’re about to drain the snake, ha-ha-ha–” Yasopp cracked out laughing, slapping Rockstars back, terrifying him for life.
It was true, though. Not every minute of the day, but when you focused, you could feel everything the crew felt. You didn’t make a habit of examining them too much, but a few affairs on the ship didn’t slip your knowledge. Neither did Beck’s.
The vice-captain had a devious smirk on his lips at all times since you and Shanks quarantined together. He wasn’t an idiot. A person with a fever wouldn’t have their pulse burst from their chest for no reason.
“Could you stop, please?” Shanks dropped into a chair next to Beck, continuing to eat his breakfast in the dining room. “I don’t know how much longer I can handle that look on your face.”
“What look?” he teased Shanks shamelessly.
“Nothing noteworthy happened. How many times do I have to tell you?”
“How about running out of here like someone died? You know she could be practicing.”
“I care about my crew. Is that a problem?” squinting his eyes at him, Shanks barked at Beck.
Shanks did care about everyone in his crew. He considered them all as friends. Yet, he couldn’t deny having a soft spot for some of them. You. He specifically cared about the thing you said to him in the bath. He lied. It was definitely noteworthy. ‘I want to touch you.’ How on earth could he forget? Just thinking about it sent a shiver down his nerves. Even if you never mention it again.
“It is going to drive me insane,” Shanks sulked, chewing on some meat out of frustration. Your presence disappeared again. “I never should’ve thought her how to do it.”
“Plainly forbidding the kid from doing it would’ve caused greater harm. It is for the best that she learns to use it, then fails an attempt again. It was a miracle that she even survived after almost stopping her heart. I never thought it was even possible to do that out of sheer will.”
“I don’t think too many tried before her.”
“That much is true,” Beck chuckled along with Shanks.
The bustling, crowd-filled seaport emptied as the Red Force drew closer. The red flag and the ominous jolly roger were a bad sign for an island that was under the World Government. Not every local, though. A small group rushed to the port while the ship docked, greeting the crew cheerfully. The marines and most civilians were afraid of the red hair pirates, but not the botanist who worked on the island. Not Hongo’s family.
“What’s the story?” You rested your elbows on the rails, staring at the doctor reunite with his friends.
“He grew up on this island after being abandoned by his parents. Not much of a story. Although he can’t spend too much time with them, unfortunately,” Beck chewed on the base of his cigarette as he polished his rifle before departure.
“Why?”
“This island is under the authority of the government. If news goes out that we’re here, an admiral will eventually show up for a fight. It is wiser to leave before that. There would be too much damage,” he explained it simply. “I assume we won't stay for more than one night.”
You all settled in, the medicine, fresh food, booze, and equipment were loaded onto the ship, and most of the crew didn’t even leave their station. There weren’t any taverns that would’ve taken any pirates gladly, so there was no need to get off. A party on the ship was just as fun as a party at a bar.
You, on the other hand? Since you weren’t perfectly healthy, the botanists took you in for one last treatment with Shanks.
Their home nestled on the edge of a green, lush clearing, looking more like an extension of the forest rather than a real building. Vines curled around the wooden beams outside and inside. The roof and almost all walls were made of glass to let the sunshine feed the variety of plants and flowers.
“Come with me!” a young woman gestured towards the two of you, invitingly.
She was stunning. She had bright, glowing red hair, and you could already see that little glint of starstruck in Shanks’ eye. It was true, he had a thing for gingers.
The beautiful botanist led you to a smaller room. It seemed like a lab or study room despite the terrariums and potted plants hanging from the ceiling.
You glanced at Shanks with a cocky grin and made him know the you were onto him. The way he stared at the woman revealed every thought he had. Shanks couldn’t deny it, only roll his eyes at you. There was a mutual understanding between you that you both fancied this woman and she would be the perfect playdate for your game. Now you just had to convince her to participate. Try.
“Now I am going to examine you,” the woman stepped over you, and you mouthed ‘jealous?’ to Shanks’ direction while she didn’t pay attention.
“I’m so sorry, but I missed your name,” he spoke instead of responding to your tease.
“Rami.”
“That is a gorgeous name,” Shanks cooed softly, making her smile.
Yeah, he was still leagues under you at flirting. Shanks’ looks were good, but he only relied on one thing. Such, amateur… Rami wasn’t someone in a bar already chasing adventure. She was a sort of scientist, an educated academic. You didn’t have too much experience with her kind, but you were clever enough to know that she was different.
“What are you going to do to us?” you asked after the evaluation.
With gentle hands, she pressed the back of her fingers to your forehead, gauging the heat. “I’ll check if you’re healthy. If not, what do you need to be.”
“Do you often have patients?”
“Never,” Rami smiled gently as her fingers now moved along your neck lightly, feeling for swollen lymph nodes. “Slight inflammation,” she noted to herself, then shifted towards Shanks to repeat the examination.
A few moments later, she walked to her desk to steep a blend of feverfew, elderflower, and licorice root in a worn clay cup. She poured the powder into two cups with water and presented them to you.
“Is that all?” Shanks tried to keep eye contact with a woman at work.
“I’m sorry, Rami, but a healing kiss might just work better with that one,” you picked on Shanks, who was just about to say the same thing.
“Is that so?” glancing at the captain, she sighed. “I can only offer my plants, unfortunately.”
“Don’t let Raion distract you. It is magic that you’re doing here. We are very thankful for your help,” Shanks tried to straighten himself, but you were very much under his skin. “How are we going to repay you?”
“Just take care of Hongo, okay?” Rami’s voice shifted, and you were quick to figure it out.
“You don’t like that he’s a pirate, do you?”
Rami peeked back at you with a melancholic expression, just like the light faded from her cheeks. You hit the nail on the coffin. “No, I don’t.”
That was not good. If you wanted to charm this woman, it was a great disadvantage if she resented pirates.
“Why?”
“I don’t want to insult you,” she inhaled, gathering her equipment. “So, I’d rather not say.”
“That is fair,” you got up from your seat, and Shanks curiously followed your lead. “Whatever you think of pirates, there is one thing you should know. Hongo is happy with our crew. He found the thing that fulfills him, and if you’d take away from him, you’d lock him up in a cage of the life he never wanted to live.”
You walked out without waiting for a response and felt Rami’s eyes lock on you as you and Shanks left. This move was a gamble. Most people didn’t like being corrected because of their ego, but someone who actually cared about others would never take offence at something like this. If you played your cards just now, she was going to return to you with a more open mind.
“I always forget that you can be serious and almost smart sometimes,” Shanks scoffed at you while joining the others in the main hall. You replied with a grimace. “You think she’ll take a liking to us?”
“Hopefully. Well, at least to me,” you ruffled his feathers as revenge for the snarky comment.
“She better like me too, because I’ll be the one doing most of the work,” he exhaled dramatically, scratching the back of his neck.
“Oh, you want to make a competition out of this again?”
“No.” The assured tone and speed of his answer truly startled you. He said it so plainly, yet you still felt like he would’ve added something, only bit it back.
“Alright. I’ll do most of the flirting, and you can take over later.”
“Fine by me.”
You returned to the main hall to have lunch. Everything was served on wooden plates and wooden cups. There was no meat to be found on the table. Lucky Roux would’ve burned the whole building down only for that. There was so much greenery on the table that you could’ve thought it was a grass field. It was almost fascinating how these people were able to differentiate each piece by the smallest of details. They explained what each plant is used for, detailing its benefits and side effects.
Despite her dense efforts, Rami couldn’t hide her interest in you and Shanks. She constantly exchanged curious little glances with you. Her behavior signaled how your plan actually worked. She might’ve changed her opinion of you. It was all an act, of course. You did care about plants, but their enthusiasm was much more entertaining than edible flower types.
“We are on a good track,” Shanks whispered it to your ear sneakily. “Good job.”
You smirked at him, barely able to hold back a mischievous sneer.
Luckily, the botanists chose to invite you to stay the night. You would’ve never had the chance to spend more time with Rami otherwise. She officially turned into your shared mission. Although that didn’t go without second-guessing yourself.
“Is this how you imagined your future when you were a kid?”
The botanists decided to take you and Shanks on a walk around their garden. You took the opportunity to chat with Rami, get to know her better, before you made her suffer more of Shanks’ drunk-pirate banter.
“Not exactly,” Rami smiled at you warmly as you two separated from the group. “I wanted to be a witch when I was a kid. But a botanist isn’t that different, all things considered,” she giggled quietly. “How about you? Have you always wanted to be a pirate?”
“I wanted to be strong,” vaguely, you admitted. It was the truth.
“I guess both our dreams came true in one way or another. Although I can’t curse people…”
“Have you tried?”
Rami’s laugh was infectious with pure joy and brightness. You loved to hear women laugh, it was so much more pleasing than men’s. It was a shame that your crew had no women. Although it was ultimately understandable.
“I’m sorry that I was mean before. I’m just… I don’t want anything to happen to him,” peering at Hongo, she murmured.
“He is much more tough than you think. In fact, he saved my life several times. All my fault…” you stretched your arms behind your neck and caught her staring at your flexing biceps, which showed under your sheer shirt. She shyly averted her gaze upon realizing that you saw it. There. “I only had one injury that he couldn’t help with.” Slyly, you rolled up your sleeve to show off the scar on your arm, and trap her.
“W-what happened?” she stuttered nervously after being forced to check your muscles out.
“Daggers.” Rami wasn’t like the other women you had business with for sure, but she was just as attracted to you. Only one question remained. Was she stable enough to play with? “Can I ask you something?”
“S-sure,” she nodded earnestly.
“Do you like me?”
Out of the blue, Rami had air stuck in her windpipe, choking. She didn’t quite expect you to be this bold and shameless, but this was the fastest way to find out who she was. “I-in what s-sense?” she coughed, barely able to form words.
“By your reaction, I think you know,” you chuckled softly, not to mock her. “And I got your answer too.”
“N-no!” Rami rejected, to no avail.
“Oh, yes.”
“I didn’t even say anything, how could you know?”
You swiftly looked around to see if there weren’t any witnesses, then grasped her waist to blatantly draw her closer. Your other hand slipped up behind her ear to tilt her face and have a perfect view of her lips. They parted as soon as you started to lower your head until your noses tipped into each other.
“This is a good clue,” smirking at her teasingly, you leaned back to see her cheeks burn in embarrassment. “I know.”
She forcefully shoved you away and headed towards the others with quick steps.
You knew this was a nasty trick, but it always worked. The tension had to be built with time. You had all evening. Plus, you were not alone.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Shanks hummed under his breath.
“She has to think we are talking about her all evening.”
“We are.”
You and Shanks sat in the corner of the room, strategically, with a good view of Rami, who was playing with the children at the other side of the hall. They had to feel both of your eyes fixed on her at all times. Her anxiety had to be the highest it has ever been. Why? She had to ask herself, ‘Why are they staring at me?’ ‘Are they talking about me?’ ‘What are they saying?’ ‘Do they like me?’ ‘What do men talk about a woman they like?’
“Holy shit, you’re a genius,” Shanks poked your arm with his elbow. Rami’s uneven emotions would’ve been easy to sense even for a beginner haki user.
“We won’t break her heart, will we?” Losing your focus, you glimpsed at him wearifully. “She just seems so decent…”
“She can always say no. You know that,” he tried to soothe you. “But we don’t have to do it if you have doubts.”
“Don’t you have doubts?”
“Ahh–“ Shanks sighed lazily, then dropped his head on your shoulder. “I am ignoring them.”
You couldn’t help but chuckle as you shook him off yourself carefully. When your gaze caught up with Rami, her eyes were locked on you before darting away in a hurry. She fixed her hair, then let the straps of her top fall off to her sides. With perfect timing, she chased your doubts away.
After a while, taking a bottle of booze, you and Shanks joined the kids' table. Rami was teaching them how to play Crazy Eights. A game that you pretended not to know about.
“So, we take turns matching the rank of the top card except the eights. The first to empty their hands wins,” one boy started to explain.
“Hand,” another slapped his side, gesturing towards Shanks’ missing arm.
“You are being mean! You are not supposed to mention it,” the third chimed in.
“But–“
Maybe it was the sake, maybe the children’s pureness, you and Shanks couldn’t help but burst out laughing. You had an absolute blast playing with this bunch. You were reminded how much you enjoyed Oide’s company back on Sphinx. You missed her. You did not miss Tama, however.
“Alright, kids! It is time to sleep!”
Rami sent them all away and left behind to clean up the table from the cards and spilled juice. With your help, of course.
“This was fun!” Shanks yawned loudly, cracking his joints sleazily. “We should steal one or two and make pirates out of them.”
“You’d have to fight me first,” Rami pouted snarkily despite the lighthearted nature of the comment.
“If I can choose the conditions,” winking playfully, Shanks snapped back. “I’m in.”
“Come on,” you nudged his side gently while the heat etched on Rami’s face. “You are too pushy. Why can’t you compliment her first?”
“Oh, right,” Shanks hunched forward to search for Rami’s timid gaze. “I would fight such a stunningly beautiful woman like you anytime, Rami.”
You and Shanks chuckled in sync after she hid her blush in her palm, turning to the side nervously. She was definitely vulnerable when it came to praise. That was some useful information.
“Drink up, Rami. It’ll make it easier to stand him, at least it does for me.” You handed her the bottle and watched as she chugged on it excessively. She seriously needed the help of the liquor to be able to handle you two. You couldn’t blame her.
“I’m sorry,” she peered at the bottom of the empty bottle with slightly glassy eyes. “I drank it.”
You and Shanks caught each other’s gaze and instantly dissolved into laughter again. “She is adorable.” When you contained yourselves, you grabbed the deck of cards from her hand and began to shuffle. Shanks was right, she was adorable. Not only that, maybe he was too. It made you guess if you were a woman in Rami’s place, would you fall for him? No, that wasn’t a thought worth lamenting on. Instead, you settled to play a game that might’ve involved getting caught up with him, too. You wouldn’t usually opt for this strategy with one woman and a man, but the idea on its own amused you for some reason, even if it was only in the back of your mind, blocked by your consciousness. So, all in all, you chose this game by instinct, not logic.
“We should play a game,” your eyes flicked up at Rami deviously. “Something fun.”
“What would that be?” Leaning forward, Shanks’ arm swung over your back into a side hug.
“Suck and blow.”
“Ha–, my favorite!” he gripped on your shirt enthusiastically.
“W-what are the rules?” Rami muttered shyly, oblivious to what was to come.
“I’ll tell you if you show us our room.”
In a few minutes, you were directed to a wide room with a fully glass wall on one side that the queen-sized bed stood against. There was also a sofa on the side intended for either you or Shanks, but everyone knew that wouldn’t be used tonight.
All three of you sat in the middle of the bed, the deck of cards and another bottle of sake between you.
“We choose a card, and pass it in a circle without using our hands, only our mouths. If the card drops between a pair, they have to kiss. Easy as that,” you explained, crossing your legs under yourself.
“Wait! You are going to cheat,” Rami complained with good reason. “We need a penalty. The one who loses it will have to–“
“Take off a piece of clothing, what a great idea,” Shanks cut in instantly, then took a sip of the booze.
“That’s not what I–“
“Hey, hear me out! You won’t have to take a single thing off if you play well. I bet we will mess up and lose. You might even see us kiss each other…”
You and Shanks quickly shared a gaze that spoke volumes. Although you have only kissed once long ago, it wasn’t too bad a punishment for you. Sure, kissing Rami was preferred, but you didn’t mind paying this price.
With uncertainty, but Rami agreed to these terms. She seemed rather uncomfortable with her arms folded over her chest, which already heaved high. You decided to take pity on her and started to play within the rules.
You took a card and placed it against your mouth, then sucked on it lightly enough to keep it in place. Leaning towards Shanks, he locked the card on his mouth, then shifted forward to pass it to Rami. She should’ve definitely done a few practice rounds. The card was fixed on her lips, yours were mere inches away, when she exhaled by accident. The piece of paper fell to the sheets, and a smug smile grew over your face.
“Rules are rules,” you reminded her, and pinched her chin to direct her to you. Naturally, you wanted to give her a real kiss, which is what she expected to receive, too, but this was only the beginning. You placed your closed lips on hers for a split second before retreating.
Rami looked up at you in confusion.
“Hey, what even was that?” Shanks scoffed in frustration.
“We never specified what kind of kiss we have to give, correcting him, you gently took off Rami’s bracelet as a punishment.
“Woa–, jewelry doesn’t count as a piece of clothing,” he rambled on. “You are not playing it right.”
“Shut up,” you gave another card to Rami, who was slightly startled, but followed the flow of the game as you set it. She stuck the card over her mouth and planted it over yours.
As you were about to give it to Shanks, he practically sucked it off you, then blew it to the floor. Without hesitation, he grabbed the back of your neck and pulled you in for a rough kiss. His tongue slipped inside your mouth through the tiniest gap, then roamed around it untamed, like a starving animal. You couldn’t even fathom, let alone react. Maybe you should’ve been less delicate.
Shanks let you go after a second too long and threw his coat to the ground with the same momentum. Meanwhile, you accepted his point and wiped your lips before turning back to Rami.
“He might be right,” you hummed before giving Rami a similarly passionate kiss.
You changed her into a visible and audible mess. Her cheeks were flushed, lips puffy and wet, while her breaths became pants and weak whimpers. In less than a minute, you caused her to lose all her composure and make her body scream for your touch.
“Atta boy,” Shanks tapped your shoulder and crawled closer. “I don’t think we need any other rounds.”
You shoved the cards off the bed, and Shanks pushed Rami down to lie on her back. Even though you didn’t have much practice, you made a great team effortlessly. You had the same rhythm and complemented each other perfectly. While you backed down to take off Rami’s shorts, Shanks unbuttoned her blouse all the way. While you began to settle between her thighs, he lowered himself to kiss every inch of her body. From her ear to her neck, chest, breasts, nipples, waist, and belly button. Your eyes met as he took a gentle bite over her hipbone and you nibbled on her clit. You both chuckled lightly, almost dropping your duties. Almost.
After Rami came on your mouth with loud moans and trembling legs, it was time to switch positions.
“Like we talked about?” Shanks whispered to you quietly, and you nodded without a word.
Rami was flipped over to her stomach, then shifted to all fours. Shanks knelt behind her comfortably while you did the same. He pulled his hard cock out, and slipped it inside Rami’s soaked cunt after carefully stretching her out with his fingers. With a lewd, satisfied groan, Shanks began to thrust into her, worsening the volume of her noises. Shanks set a steady rhythm, getting ready to finally touch you, but you actually lay down next to Rami, kissing her cheek and brushing her hair.
“Raion,” Shanks murmured silently.
You couldn’t help it. The sight of this girl being bent over, being left alone while you had your own fun, hurt you more than you thought it would. She could barely breathe, barely take it. For some reason, comforting her seemed necessary. Obligatory.
Suddenly, Shanks yanked you back from your belt until he could see your face. “What are you doing? We talked about this…” he sounded desperate to have you to himself, but you couldn’t.
“It just, it isn’t right,” you swallowed, glimpsing at Rami and her face buried in a pillow.
“What are you talking about? She is happy on her own,” shaking his head, Shanks insisted.
“I’m sorry. Maybe next time,” your gaze slightly darkened, and you pushed his arm away to snuggle back to Rami.
Shanks inhaled in frustration, pinching his temple. This was not good. He hated this, he hated every single minute of this. Out of the blue, this girl was the least desirable person he has ever met and he could feel his cock soften. For god’s sake. He suddenly slapped Rami’s ass mercilessly, making her wince loudly. Red-haired Shanks, the captain of the red hair pirates couldn’t lose his boner fucking a young, beautiful woman. That was not going to happen. Not ever. He changed his pace and rocked his hips vigorously until Rami’s walls clenched around him. On orgasm. Good. In a few minutes, Rami was sobbing, squirming in pleasure. The more impact Shanks had on her, the sweeter you caressed her. It was getting worse and worse. Two orgasms later, shamefully, Shanks spat on Rami’s back and put his cock away. Completely defeated.
“It’s okay,” you purred into her ear, then tenderly kissed her forehead. Rami collapsed on the bed, and you would’ve been ready to cuddle her as usual, but you couldn’t ignore Shanks going towards the door. “Hey! What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, I just need some fresh air.”
Your eyes followed his disappearing figure, then darted between the exhausted girl and the exit repeatedly. What on earth? Something wasn’t right. You had a bad intuition. Shanks seemingly shared your opinion on sex and what should come after, so why the hell would he leave? You could sense his loud, almost deafening emotions brewing inside like a storm. But why?
In the past, you could’ve never imagined a scenario in which you’d leave a girl alone after sex for any reason. Especially when she was as drained and disoriented as Rami. Yet, you couldn’t ignore Shanks and his intense, fluctuating aura. You couldn’t leave him either…
You covered Rami with a blanket and rushed out to find Shanks outside the entrance of the building. He sat on the stairs, bending over his knees, staring at the ground.
“S-shanks?” trying to approach him as calmly as possible, you stepped beside him. “Is everything alright? What happened?”
Shanks sucked in a deep breath, and straightened his back, stretching out his shoulders. “I’m just tired, that is all.”
“Hah–“ your voice hitched. “Why not sleep with us then? I can’t imagine much more pleasant options.”
“Yeah, you’re right.”
With him on your side, you returned to the room in awkward silence. You both knew that Shanks lied, and you didn’t know if you should address it or not. If he didn’t want you to know, then why push it? That was your final decision.
Upon your arrival, the bed was empty.
“What the–? That’s weird. I thought she couldn’t walk for a while,” you mumbled as Shanks dropped to the bed to his stomach, spreading out his limbs. “You did a good job, you know, I bet she really enjoyed it.” Well, you didn’t exactly know how to lift Shanks’ spirits, but praise was never the worst start.
“Thanks,” was all he said. Maybe he was just tired.
Shrugging in the end, you gave up on babysitting him. He wasn’t your kid anyway. Beck will handle him in the morning. You climbed onto the other side of the bed, giving him most of the space.
“Good night.”
“Why did you do it?” The muffled whisper was barely understandable, but you were especially aware of him at the moment.
“Did what?”
“Choose her.”
“I didn’t choose her.” You rolled in his direction, but his face was turned against the mattress. “What do you even mean?”
“This wasn’t what we talked about,” he repeated it for the third time this night, and he would’ve done it that much more if he could’ve.
“It almost was.”
“Almost cancels it out, you know that,” sheepishly, Shanks raised his head just enough to take a glimpse of you. “Why didn’t you let me touch you?”
“I told you, I'd rather deal with her. What’s the big deal? We can do it like that next time…”
Shanks lay his face back on the pillow, longing to disappear. “This is not how it’s supposed to work. Everyone should have fun, not just the girl. How can someone be so scared?”
“Scared?” you rose to your elbows to speak. “I am not scared. That is not why I did it. I told you that I trust you, and she wouldn’t have noticed anyway. I just felt like taking care of her, why couldn’t I do that?”
“No.” Out of the sudden, Shanks hopped up to sit and loom over you as you lay on your back. “I think you got scared. In the bath, I told you that you don’t need to touch me, but you don’t believe me. You shouldn’t feel obligated to do it, okay? I don’t care. I just want you to enjoy yourself, too.”
Your expression faded into a sense of grief, and you twisted to your side to avoid his gaze. “I am not scared.”
“Ugh–“ A low growl of annoyance escaped him. “You can be so insufferable sometimes…”
Shanks was known to be a kind and charitable man. You should’ve expected him to be hung up on something like this. You were similar in this way. When you saw him unsatisfied, you were ready to break your boundaries just to relieve him. In his place, you would’ve been fairly irritated with yourself, too.
Shanks found you out. You were scared. Terrified. Terrified of the growing need to be touched and terrified of your secret getting exposed. Even behind closed doors with the only person whom you trusted. No… Shanks couldn’t be the only person who could satisfy you, right? There had to be others. Anyone. The criteria were strict, to say the least. He and Beck were the only two people on earth who knew about your secret, and you trusted them with it. From those two, only Shanks had an interest in you, so it was pretty much decided.
There was no one else, only Shanks.
If there was anyone in the world that you could be honest with and who you could be vulnerable around to know that you do want to be touched, it was him.
“No one can know, alright? I don’t want anyone to know that I might like men. It can give them the wrong idea or something. It’s just… It’s all new to me. I never let anyone touch me before you,” Being too much of a coward to look at him, you quietly mumbled to yourself.
Unbeknownst to you, an affectionate smile formed on Shanks’ face slowly. “Thank you for trusting me,” he spoke soothingly.
“And will you trust me when I say that I just didn’t feel like it?”
“Sure thing,” he fell to the bed with a thud and sighed in satisfaction. “Tell me anytime if you feel like it.”
“Sure thing.”
Chapter 22: Okay
Summary:
The Red Force has a guest. She is celebrated in a very special way.
Notes:
Muhaaaahahaaaaa aaaa c:<
Chapter Text
One new development disturbed your morning when the Red Force was about to leave Caduceus Island. A guest.
“She is going to come with us to Highland City on the next island,” Beck explained after you threw the hundred-kilogram bag of weed onto the deck.
“Who?” You wiped the sweat off your forehead, then glanced to the other corner, just to spot Rami. “What?” A knot formed in your stomach as you apprehended it at last. Hongo did mention that one of the botanists is going to tag along for a while, but he never specified who. Dammit, Rami didn’t mention it once either.
“You met her, didn’t you?”
“You can put it like that,” sighing your life out, you collected yourself from the intense morning workout and shaking news.
This road was going to be awkward. How were you supposed to act around a girl that you and Shanks had a threesome with? Casual? Friendly? Flirty? Lovey-dovey? You spoke about the vague rule of keeping distance from women and only sleeping with them once, so how could you stay on the complete opposite side of the ship at all times? Rami looked your way briefly, and her own embarrassment made itself present as well. Now, the fact that you abandoned her last night weighed that much more. You didn’t confront Shanks, there was no need. You could sense how he shared every one of your concerns.
The Red Force was soon on its way, sailing away from the spring island with one more passenger on board.
Since you had no reason to change any of your habits on the way, you began to continue your casual training. It wasn’t anything new, just some weightlifting before lunch. Although the crew might’ve been familiar with the routine, your guest wasn’t. You gripped the heavy dumbbells tightly, muscles straining with each controlled rep under the weights that were twice the size of your body.
“I-is that safe?” Rami mumbled towards Hongo, who was teaching her how to mix gunpowder with dried oleander chunks. “I mean what Raion is doing.”
“Of course. This is only the start, you know. He is almost on the Boss’s level in strength. I bet he could blow up a whole island if he tried. But you shouldn’t stare too much or he might get the wrong idea.”
Rami averted her gaze in an instant, struggling to keep that faint pink shade off her cheeks.
Hongo didn’t have any idea what went down last night between you three, even if none of you tried to hide it. All the doctor could see was Rami's thirst over his crewmate, as most women did. This was no surprise.
“I don’t mind if you make friends with him, but please remember that he is a lowlife pirate who isn’t going to leave the sea for anyone but himself.”
“I know…”
You might’ve preferred Shanks to avoid Rami just as you did, but he didn’t. Quite the opposite. The captain sought out her company, sitting beside her at dinner, entertaining her and flirting shamelessly. Since everyone expected her to fall for you, no one had any suspicions about Shanks, unlike you. Oh, you could see what he was doing. She might’ve had more sentimental feelings for you, but she was physically much more drawn to him. Well, Shanks was the one to fuck her, ergo it made sense.
“So, what is your plan here?” You crept behind him in the storage room while he was stealing some booze to smuggle it on board.
“What do you mean?” With mischief flickering in his eyes, Shanks peeked at you from behind his shoulder. “Are you afraid I want her all to myself?”
“Is that what you want?”
“Of course not,” Shanks exhaled, standing up straight.
“I don’t care if you do, but it might be a bad idea to get tangled up with her. One night was fine, but she will be travelling with us for a week… what if she catches feelings?” you concluded with your arms crossed over your chest.
“Come on, Raion. It is not that serious. Let loose and join us, why don’t you?” Naturally, he disregarded your warning, only gently pushed your back in his tracks as he left.
For god’s sake… You climbed on the back of the ship, where they set up a table under the palm trees. A small group playing poker.
It took one step forward, and you could already feel Rami’s gaze fixed on you. This was going to be a mess that you didn’t want to be a part of, nor leave Shanks roam free.
“There he is. You better hide your money, or another haki user will win them all away,” Yasopp yelled as you approached them to sit in their circle.
“Don’t worry, I’m only here to watch.”
You caught Beck and Shanks exchange glances before the first stuck a thick cigarette between your fingers. You assumed they would understand your frustration and only try to lift your spirits with some nicotine. Oh, how fucking wrong you were…
Botanists gathered an excessive amount of knowledge of plants, flowers, trees, and most living things in nature. There were poisonous and beneficial species. And some in-between.
You inhaled the smoke of the cigarette that had a strangely earthy aftertaste, but you didn’t think too much of it. Maybe they smoked a different kind of tobacco on the island, or put in some extra plants or leaves. Both of these facts were true in their own way.
As the night progressed, you soon noticed your brain go foggy, your vision blur, and your judgment falter. Your eyes became glassy and red, burning slightly each instant you closed them. Suddenly, a sense of ease set in your chest, and you lost your trail of thought every second minutes. This was fun. You laughed at the worst jokes and made some worse.
“Adorable, isn’t he?” Shanks slammed his fist into Beck’s side, who soon picked the cigarette out of your grasp.
“That was enough, okay, kid?”
“Wait! I want some more,” you whined with a high-pitched voice. “It’s just some smoke.”
“It is something much better,” Smirking at you, Shanks added. “You’ve been officially drugged.”
“Drugged?”
That’s when it dawned on you. Rami was sitting in your lap, arms clinging to your neck, Beck and Shanks mocking you with vicious taunts on their own. Why did you pay no attention and forget about keeping the peace between Shanks and Rami? Instead, you managed to sway her yourself.
“Are you okay, Raion?”
Not really, but it was too late to complain. It was too late to resist. “I’ll be if you give me a kiss.”
Being just as high as you were, Rami didn’t hesitate to seal her lips on yours and give you a rather lewd kiss. Her fingers combed your hair, and her thighs rubbed together over your crotch. You were a fool to think you could stand the temptation.
“Alright. That’s my clue to leave. You children have fun,” Beck made his exit as expected.
Shanks nodded at his vice-captain, then shifted towards you two, still caught up in the vulgar kiss. “Oi, don’t leave me out of it.” He gave a try to slip between you, but you recognized the attempt.
Out of the sudden, you lunged yourself up, throwing Rami over your shoulder effortlessly. That would’ve been fine, but you also bent down to repeat the motion, drawing the stunned Shanks to your other side. His body barely fit in your grip, but you somehow dealt with his size.
“What on earth are you doing?” he punched your back in protest, but couldn’t deny how much he actually enjoyed being manhandled for a change.
“You said you don’t want to be left out, didn’t you?” Sighing as a response, you headed under deck, carrying them at the same time, right to the captain’s cabin. Shanks and Rami laughed with each of your steps. Up until they were dropped into the bed. “We don’t need to play any games, right?”
“I doubt it,” Shanks gave a definite answer, then made up for a loss and kissed Rami similarly to you.
You backed off just a little to appreciate the sight. Two beautiful people making out, both yours.
When Shanks broke off the kiss, you saw him whisper something into Rami’s ear, something that made her more flustered than a ripe strawberry. It had to be something nasty, but what? Rami lay down on her back on the bed, and flipped up her skirt, while Shanks stood up beside you.
“Do you feel like it?” on a soft, caring voice Shanks murmured to you. It didn’t take much for you to jolt your head in agreement. “Then give her your fingers.”
“Right.”
You were ready to sit on the edge of her, but Shanks raised his arm before your chest to stop you. Standing. He needed you to stand. That wasn’t a hassle per se. The mattress was high enough for you to have a good range to stroke Rami’s inner thighs, then sneak your fingers up above her panties. They were quickly unnecessary and a bother. You began to tease her as you usually did, while Shanks freed his hard cock from his bulge. Rami knew exactly what to do with him, sucking him off with a steady rhythm. After she settled in without Shanks’ help, his hand was already raising up into your direction. All he did was tip his head to gesture for you to take one step closer to him.
Breaking your resolve to leave Rami alone was one thing. It happened under the influence of weed, which had another effect on you, unfortunately. If it could have leverage over that, it also had an effect on your lust to be touched. The need multiplied with every second that Shanks’ eyes burned in desperation and yearning, locked on you.
Giving up your inhibition, you obeyed him.
Shanks’ palm glided over your pants, searching for your most sensitive parts. Regrettably, Rami, although occupied with Shanks’ cock, could also have a view of you. Fuck. Any other day, you would’ve simply stopped right here and now, but you were too caught up in the moment. Startling Shanks, suddenly you directed his fingers under your pants. He had a giant hand that would perfectly hide the fact that you didn’t have a cock. His palm would form enough of a bulge to hide the place.
“Are you sure?” he hesitated, based on how his last attempt was shot down.
“I am.”
Slowly, Shanks’ fingertips sank under your pants, tracing your folds experimentally. You gasped weakly as he advanced, your own movement faltering over Rami. Shit. How were you supposed to focus on her when your own bare clit was being stroked. You certainly didn’t expect to be this sensitive to skin-to-skin contact. This was so much more intense, so much more addictive. For fuck’s sake you knew you were going to fantasize about this feeling all waking hours after this…
No, you had to concentrate on your main mission. Rami. You fought yourself to pay her enough attention, but it was bloody difficult. Your mind couldn’t function properly, and you were barely in one piece. Moaning in sync with Rami, you were helpless, defenceless. God, this was one of the most challenging things you have ever had to do. You simply weren't able to dissociate. As a result, your fingers slipped from Rami’s pussy by accident.
You were defeated.
Pathetically, your arms hooked behind Shanks’ neck, and you leaned into his hand fully, losing all contact with the woman you were supposed to please. Instead, you clung to Shanks needily, whimpering. He firmly rubbed two fingers in circles around your swollen, wet clit and let you buck your hips to intensify the friction. Even if Rami didn’t stop sucking his dick, all he focused on was you. Only you.
"Relax, it's okay,” he whispered into your ear tenderly, his tone easing your entire body.
The overwhelming sensation ran rapidly under your skin and turned you into a hopeless wreck. You were weightless, yet squished under the tension. With lips parted, eyes fluttered shut, your hold tightened on Shanks. Your climax was quickly on its verge when he ever so slightly rushed his pace, just to push you over. Hissing through your clenched teeth, you came hard.
When you had the power to gaze up at him, a subtle smile greeted you. Ever so slowly, he tilted his head down to graze his lips against yours and give you a tender, patient, affectionate kiss.
“Good job,” he muttered quietly, then pulled his hand out from your pants. To your absolute shock, he stuck his fingers into his mouth, licking off your arousal eagerly.
“What–? That’s nasty,” you mumbled as a bright blush settled on your cheeks.
“Tasty, you mean?” Chuckling, he made a show of sucking his fingers, leaning against your flushed face.
“Ew–“ you huffed, sticking out your tongue, then hopped over Rami to lie on the further side of the bed.
“Just rest there while I take care of the rest,” Shanks taunted you, kneeling between Rami’s legs to finish his work and fuck her in a more traditional way.
You meditated peacefully, catching your breath while Shanks obligirated the poor woman. You two had to make up for her disappointment, since you failed to satisfy her. Sure, Shanks pleased her either way, but you felt kind of bad. Only until you traced the path of Shanks’ fingers involuntarily and recalled the sensation. Good lord, it was worth it. It was so worth it.
After twenty minutes or so, Shanks came on Rami’s stomach, ending the session at last. You couldn’t complain about the wait, since you were kissing and caressing Rami lazily, just to fill up the time. She smelled amazing, and you couldn’t help but like the shaky sounds she made. You would prefer to cause them yourself, but there was always a tomorrow. Not that you had any regrets.
“Ahh–“ Shanks inhaled deeply and stretched his shoulders back to ease his stiff muscles. “This was incredible.”
You fetched some tissues from the side table and delicately cleaned off the stain your captain left behind. After, Shanks dropped down to the bed himself on Rami’s side to have her between you two. Too bad, you dragged her against your chest to have her all to yourself. This was one of your favorite parts of sex, no way you would give it up. Unlike you suspected, Shanks snuggled closer to spoon both of you at once, his arm reaching over Rami, then you, and his face set at the nape of your neck. Surprisingly, you didn’t hate his closeness as much as you suspected.
“I’m sorry, Rami, for getting distracted,” you stroked her back while she rubbed her cheek against your collarbone.
“It’s okay, I just didn’t know that you two like each other like that.”
Like that?
“Of course we don’t,” scoffing sharply, you rasped. “No way. This is just for fun.”
“I see.”
In the heat of the question, it slipped your mind why Rami would actually ask that. Shit. She wanted to know if you had a place in your heart for her, and you did give her a slightly encouraging answer. That’s how it came off…
“We are just lowlife, shameless pirates, doing anything for a second of pleasure,” Shanks continued, saving you. “Thank you for indulging in our wickedness.”
“You are welcome,” Rami faintly giggled. “I’m lucky I can spend some time with you. Even if only a little…” The tone of her voice revealed anything there was to know. You were messing with an emotional girl who will be harmed by you forever. Great. Just great. Now what?
Being overly exhausted and worn out, Rami was fast asleep on your chest, not like Shanks.
“You liked it?” he whispered silently, keeping his volume to the absolute minimum.
“Yeah,” admitting the truth, you nodded, using as few muscles as possible.
“Wanna do it like this next time?”
“I don’t know…” it escaped your lungs, unsurely. “It was too distracting, I don’t think it would work.”
“Oh–, it was that good?” Shanks gulped back a chuckle, making you pout. “We can figure it out. Why don’t you just lie beside the girl, huh? She can have my cock and you my hand.”
“That’s embarrassing. Not too manly…”
“Grow a dick then.” You could hear the smirk in his voice as he spoke, as he teased you.
Before you could’ve answered, you felt his tongue lick along your neck reluctantly.
“What do you think you’re doing?” You turned your head, only to be met with his mouth on yours.
You couldn’t move unless you wished to wake Rami, who wasn’t the best witness to you two kissing without her participation. Not that anyone should’ve seen it. Mostly because you didn’t resist. On the contrary, you kissed Shanks back like it was the most natural thing in the world. You still weren’t over your high, and your logic faltered after sex all the time. You couldn’t think rationally, and you couldn’t stop your body and instincts from taking control. The conclusion was that you and Shanks were kissing more passionately by the second.
His arm sneaked down to your crotch, palming it lightly. “She’s sleeping. I tired her out, she doesn’t even know where she is.” That wasn’t too much of an overstatement. Shanks was fairly rough with Rami, and it would’ve been no surprise if she slept until noon. It was quite unlikely that she would wake up, so long, it wasn’t you who would have the chance to wake her.
“Alright.”
This was a risk. Something that you never thought you’d dare to do. But fuck it, you were still high on drugs, and high on the orgasm Shanks gave you. If there was one time that you could allow yourself to be weak, it was today.
You pushed him away from yourself, then repeated the gesture on him, your fingers tracing his bulge.
“W-what are you planning to do?” Shanks swallowed audibly, gazing up at you. “Are you–?”
“You should’ve believed me when I said I’d touch you,” speaking softly, you stroked his pants, tracing the outlines of his cock.
“Mmh–, fuck,” Shanks arched his back and lifted his hips with the same momentum.
Is this how the girls felt, too, when you touched them? No, it was how you felt when he touched you.
Slowly, you reached under his pants and wrapped your fingers around his length. In all honesty, you expected to have the urge to throw up or be at least a little disgusted, but nothing. It was just a piece of flesh. Warm, hard, and slightly wet from his precum. Also, even if the physical sensation was weird, the power it gave you canceled it out entirely. Shanks held his palm against his mouth, trying to prevent himself from falling apart. Only a few strokes in. You began to jerk your hand along his cock that twitched under your grasp. With time, you could feel it pulsate and throb like it was ready to burst.
“Mhh–, ‘M close,” his whimper slipped through his fingers.
It hasn’t been more than five minutes, yet he was already on the verge of cuming? You saw him hold out for an hour. So, what was it? Was he so relaxed? Well, in those instances, he had to do the work, hence it made some sense that he would let himself finish faster.
You upped your speed and moved your hand more vigorously. In response, Shanks had to take a bite on his fist to ease the pressure. He had to stay quiet. He had to. Well, he didn’t. Shanks moaned unevenly with his head falling on your shoulder. His breathing staggered and hitched as he came in his pants.
“Ahh–“ whining into your ear, he drew his hand up to cup your face. “T-thank you, mhh–“
“Was it any good?”
“Oh, yeah,” he chuckled in relief. “You’d be popular with men, too. But I’m glad that I am the only one you’ll be with.
“That is something you don’t have to worry about. I mean, unless Beck changes his mind,” you joked, but Shanks didn’t laugh.
“Then I hope he won’t,” Shanks whispered, and planted a sweet, innocent kiss on your neck before he got up to clean himself.
When he returned, you joined Rami in sleeping. Shanks lay back to the same position to spoon you both, and you all slept almost until noon as expected. The morning was hardly awkward for either party. On the contrary, you and Shanks smiled at each other almost constantly.
You wondered how much your opinion of him had changed. From deeming him to be your biggest rival, now, your dear friend. You had to admit that you trusted him just as much as Beck. It was so unexpected, so strange.
“Hm, something is wrong…” Shanks caught up his gaze, sensing someone’s energy shift. Your observation haki awakened in an instant, and you, too, could recognize the anomaly.
“Snake.”
You and Shanks rushed up to the deck, where Building Snake was pacing in a circle, visibly panicking.
“What happened?”
“The map! Those little brats,” gripping his hair, Snake winced rigidly. “They stole our map.”
“Who? What map?” Shanks blinked at him in confusion.
“I know what you said, Boss, that we are never going to go to Zauana, but I kept the map just in case. I thought I hid it well, but those damn spade pirates found it.”
One of your ankles flipped to the side, and you lost your balance, dropping to your knees. Shanks swiftly hunched over you, giving Snake a threatening look.
“We are not going there, my decision is final,” he stated it with a low and cold tone, then softened it as soon as he spoke to you. “Are you okay?” Shanks’ arm folded behind your back as he lowered himself to your level.
“I–“ It was so long ago that you heard that name, it seemed a lifetime ago. Its effect wasn’t that merciless on you, your haki didn’t explode, merely swirl around your core, harmless. However… “I can’t let Ace go there.”
“What?”
You locked your eyes on Shanks, who glanced down at you anxiously. “Please. Ace cannot set foot on that island. No one can.”
Everyone would’ve asked why, but Shanks didn’t. Without a single second of hesitation, he narrowed his gaze and nodded eagerly. “Then we’ll stop him.”
Chapter 23: Rot
Summary:
After more than ten years of suffering, justice is served on the Island of Zauana.
Notes:
Hey! c: Here I come with a new chapter that is quite important to the story. It might be a little confusing for now, but I promise it will all be explained later. You are free to guess what's going on in the meantime ♥
Enjoy! ♥
Chapter Text
“Why must everything immediately turn to shit when I get closer to her?” Shanks pinched his temple in frustration.
“Calm down, Boss.” Exhaling a good load of smoke, Beck tried to console his captain. “This will be over in no time. We find Ace, beat his ass, take back the map and burn it.”
“What if we can't find them in time? What if they are already on Zauana? The mere mention of the name almost makes her faint… What are we going to do if she can’t control her haki and blows herself and us up?” Shanks hissed, fisting his hand until his knuckles turned white. “We have no idea what’s there.”
“Where’s your optimism, huh? We’ll have time to worry about those things if they actually happen. The Piece of Spadille is a small ship, and we will surely catch up to them soon. Although… Even I can’t even come up with any excuses as to why they stole the map. Nasty move if you ask me.”
“You are phrasing it lightly,” Shanks peeked up at his vice-captain. “That little brat… He became a real pirate while we weren’t watching. But you know I don’t give a damn about the map, all I care about is her.”
Shanks gestured towards the top of the palm tree that you were resting on. Your presence was practically undetectable by now, but your posture gave away your emotions. You sat motionlessly, stiff and tense. You gazed into the horizon patiently, like a predator waiting for its prey. Didn’t eat, nor sleep. Occasionally, you would practice your new conqueror’s haki technique, aiming the small, yet perfectly calculated strikes of lightning towards some random objects. Your concentration was flawless and precise. Your motivation had a huge effect on your improvement. As it seemed, you didn’t need Shanks’ help so long as you had that burning blaze in your heart that kept you awake and aware.
“I smell a good fight in the air,” Yasopp sniffed, scrunching his nose.
“Why? We won’t fight the spade pirates, right?” Snake muffled, peering at the sniper polishing his weapon. “They are our allies.”
“I’m not sure. They did make the Boss mad.”
“But he didn’t care about stuff this small before…”
That was very much true. Some of the crew didn’t quite understand why that map, that was buried deep in the storage, meant anything to Shanks. Sure, it was a good adventure, but nothing else.
Well, it meant a lot to you.
“Raion!” Building Snake yelled up at you. “Come down, I have news!”
With one swift jump, you landed in front of him. A cold focus settled over your expression, your eyes flickering in a strain. “What is it?”
“We will reach the spade pirates before they would port at Zauana if my calculations are correct. Based on the intel on their dynamism and direction, it will be a close call. By tomorrow, we will be in their close proximity and catch them,” explaining the new information, Snake appeared rather intimidated by your intense presence.
“Thank you.”
You controlled your haki perfectly, so your energy was concealed before it could’ve affected anyone. No, it was your silence that creeped the crew out. It was nothing like you.
“Are you going to sleep up there?” Beck shouted as he threw a bottle of sake up to your hiding place at night. You nestled between the large leaves of the palm tree, only to be seen by the curious. Hiding your haki somehow began to affect even those who had no observation powers.
“I am keeping guard,” you replied with dropping the bottle back into his hands.
Beck launched himself into the air and seated himself on the top of another tree effortlessly. “Let me join you, then.”
“You don’t have to. Go and rest,” you murmured, then caught another leather water sack. “Thanks, but–”
“Listen,” Beck sighed, and spat his cigarette. He locked his gaze on you closely as he spoke. “I don’t know what is on that island that you don’t want anyone to find, and I am not going to ask. What I will is that you take care of yourself. I didn’t mother you for this long for you to kill yourself, alright? Even if you think otherwise, you have all of us on your side, and you can always ask for our help. Hell, I trust you, if you want me to kill someone, I will do it for you. Not just me–”
“Beck,” you cut him off before he could’ve finished. “I promised that I would never run away again without a word. I will keep that promise. However, you have to come to terms with it that you might have to send me away or kill me someday.”
“Alright,” glancing at the starry sky, Beck leaned back to a comfortable position. “As long as I’m the judge of that, I’ll be fine. Unless you do something extremely stupid, I won’t have to harm you. The only thing I can think of is throwing my cigarette stash into the sea. Expect to be executed in that case.”
You couldn’t contain a little chuckle that slipped through your cold demeanor. “No sane person would ever dare to do that. That, and stealing Roux’s meat supply.”
“I’m surprised the vegetarian botanist girl like Rami had anything to eat on this ship. She drove Roux insane, I bet.”
“She left with Hongo, right?”
“Miss her already?” Beck smirked at you, giving you a nasty treatment. It was an ‘I know you know I know’ situation. “You are an honest to god pirate, got it? Steal and rob anything that brings you the smallest of joy. I got a little jealous, I must admit.”
“You could always join,” teasing him, you grinned viciously.
“Not my style.”
“Coward.”
“At least I have a dick.”
“Yeah, and no creativity, I assume,” you mocked him carelessly. “I wonder how you do it. My guess is, you lie down and do absolutely nothing, maybe fall asleep.”
“Well, you’ll never know.”
“I’ll just ask Monica.”
“So, all these days, not speaking a single word to anyone, you were gathering up all these insults, huh? Maybe I should just let you sink back into your pity again.” Beck grasped for a new cigarette and relaxed after lighting it. “If we are over with whatever tomorrow brings, I may just tell you.”
“Inspiring.”
You and Beck stayed up there all night in silence. For some reason, his presence calmed you and cleared your mind enough not to fall deeper into your inner turmoil. You weren’t exactly stressed about reaching Ace in time, your intuition told you that would happen anyway. What actually terrified you was what you had to do after. It has been ten years since you were on Zauana, and you never imagined coming back. Even if from the bottom of your heart, there was nothing you wished more.
By the morning, you first spotted the outlines of the Piece of Spadille on the far horizon. Dismounting your hiding place swiftly, you jumped down to the deck. There was nothing else left but to say goodbye.
“Beck?” you yelled up to the yawning pirate, who was barely awake at this point. “Please tell the others to stay on board. I want to do this alone.”
“Sure,” Beck wiped his eyes, thinking the other ship was too far to react so abruptly.
“Hey,” your voice softened as you glanced up at him, your throat tightening as you tried to speak. “I’ll do anything in my power to come back. I promise you that. But if I don’t… know that I owe my life to you. Take care.”
For once, you didn’t have to worry about your emotions overflowing. Intentionally, you let out a heavy wave of energy, paralyzing every single member of the crew, knocking out most of them in the process. They couldn’t stop you.
With one confident momentum, you leapt into the air, then dove into the sea. Beck stumbled off the tree and crawled to the rails of the ship to watch you swim away. Your haki was too much even for him to handle… god dammit.
You thought you would cry, sob, and fall into pieces. No. You smiled.
After gliding along the waves for a long while, you closed the gap between you and the Piece of Spadille. Climbing up the rope ladder, then crashing onto the main deck with zest. The tension of your body multiplied as you started to sense Ace’s aura, and your jaws clenched together. That idiot.
“R-Raion?” Skull shuddered in confusion as he watched you walk down to the lower deck.
Naturally, you gave no crap about anyone else. You caught Ace asleep on an old, dusty mattress in the kitchen, a chicken thigh hanging from his mouth. Your fist clutched the stampede string of his hat to lift his torso up, then woke him with a powerful punch, not skipping out on a generous coat of armament haki.
“Why did you steal it?” you grumbled, teeth gritting in frustration.
“W-what?” he dropped back, pushing you away by your shoulders. “What are you talking about?”
“The map. The map to Zauana. That’s where you are headed, isn’t it?”
“Well, yes but–“
Ace wouldn’t have struggled too much defending himself, but your behavior and his guilt made him hesitate to do so. Another blow struck him. He rubbed the spot and felt the blood leak from the cut above his brow.
“Tell me!”
“We didn’t steal it from you, okay? We got it from the butterfly pirates. I didn’t even know it belonged to you. I’m sorry…”
“Shit,” you dropped back to the floor, and laid your face in your palms.
“Calm down…” Ace muttered quietly and moved beside you to gently place his hand on the top of your head. “Did something happen? Why is that map so important? I can burn it if that’s what you want.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you, I swear,” the feeble words barely came out.
“Duh–,” Ace began to laugh soothingly, brushing back your hair. “You love me, why would you? You only came to see me because you missed me, admit it.”
You slowly lowered your palms to gaze at Ace with your glassy eyes filled with defeat. “You wish.”
“Shut up,” he smirked joyfully as he dragged you into his embrace, squeezing the firmness out of your body. “I’m glad to have you here.”
Clinging to him, you grew to appreciate the stench of booze and smoke on his skin and the burning heat that radiated from him. Maybe, just maybe, you should’ve heard Ace out before beating him up. Anyway, if anyone could take it…
“So, are you going to tell me what happened on Sphinx? Did Shanks take you back?” Ace followed you onto the mast, sitting next to you, swinging his legs on the wooden board. The spade pirates offered you a ride to the main island after Ace destroyed the map without question. You owed him some answers.
“Yeah, but he did take his time. Although that’s not the most interesting thing that happened.”
“What then?”
“Well, Marco and Terui finally confessed to each other.”
“Woah–, about time,” Ace gasped dramatically. “When are you going to confess to me?” Testing the waters, he winked at you cheekily.
“When there will be something to confess,” you slightly stuck your tongue out to taunt him.
“Alright, alright. I can wait,” he sighed, taking his time to pull his eyes away from your lips. “If Shanks took you back, where is he?”
“The Red Force will be here soon. I need you to stop them from getting close to the island. Tell them that I have some business to take care of alone, but I’ll be back.”
“It would be useless to ask what that business is, am I right?”
“Exactly,” you assured him quietly. “You might have to put up a fight. They won't like the idea, especially Shanks.”
“Are you surprised? After all the shit that you’ve done I would have a hard time trusting you too,” leaning back to his wrists, Ace mumbled.
“Weren’t you the one who insisted you’d take me back without a second thought?”
“Yeah, but that's different. You are stronger than I am, and I have to trust your judgment. They, on the other hand… They think they can decide what’s best for you. For example, you’d be much more worried about Oide being in danger than Marco. Although you shouldn’t blame your crew, it is all out of instinct.”
“Marco isn’t stronger than me,” you huffed with a subtle frown.
“You've hit the nail on the head,” groaning sarcastically, Ace bumped his foot against yours. “I’ll hold them up, okay? You just do what you have to, and we will meet soon. Maybe we can continue where we left off on that beach, where you abandoned me by the way. Don’t imagine I forgot about that.” Now his kick was harsh enough to make you wince.
“Sorry…”
The change was in the sky that you looked up to, in the air that you breathed, and in your bones. When you departed from Ace and swam to the shore, you knew that this wasn’t the same island that you grew up on, and neither were you the same oblivious kid. The sand under your feet, the vast scenery of the golden grassland, and the bronze rooftop of the palace’s tower peeking through the endless forest of dry trees were nothing more than faint deja vu, not even memories. Concealing your presence, you walked along the cracked earth that emitted pure hunger and starvation. When you approached the city, you were reminded how disgusting and unnerving a place Zauana was. Beggars, undernourished children, and sick, dehydrated people crawled along the streets, each of those leading to the Grand Palace. It was a jewel among the trash, at least this is how the locals referred to it.
Zauana was an independent island, free from pirates, free from the world government. Why? Gold. The royals owned all the mines that sank below the land and exploited everyone working there. While the locals barely had any money to afford bread or water, the handful of rich families took milk baths and ate with golden cutlery embedded with diamonds. Not much has changed since you’ve left. You soon reached the middle of the city, where the Grand Palace rose above the peasants. The white marble walls glimmered in the soaring sun. The central dome was decorated with precious gems as if it were mosaics.
The mere sight of this place that you once called home faltered your concentration. One second thought, and not only would your cover be gone, but your haki would go wild. Focus.
You jumped up to the archway tops and hunched your back to appear as small as possible. Sure, your technique worked well, but the curious eyes could still find you. Despite having little patience, you still had to wait. With one flip, you slipped under one archway to an open hallway that stretched above the courtyard. The water in that one fountain in the middle would’ve saved a hundred lives, but it meant nothing to the royal family.
You advanced further until you suddenly spotted someone lurking in the garden. Children. At least eight or nine of them, maybe more, all under the age of ten. Some deformed, some unhealthy. Your fists clenched, and your muscles stiffened. It became almost impossible to hang onto your focus. For the love of god… Your siblings, whom you have never met before. They ran along the hedge maze, singing and giggling. A rigid hiss broke free from your mouth.
No.
You didn’t know them. They weren’t your business. You didn’t come here for them.
It was well into the evening when you were able to locate your destination and sneak into the right room without any trace. The hallway leading to it was refurnished, rebuilt, and completely renovated. This quarter of the palace was where the accident happened, the spot that you have completely destroyed. They removed every sign of the destruction.
Your legs rooted to the ground when you reached the giant gold-covered gate. You didn’t know why. She was in there alone, and there was no reason for you to hesitate, right? You were dreaming of this moment for ten years, and you hated yourself for not coming back sooner. This was your biggest wish. To kill your mother.
Your trembling fingers slowly crept to the doorknobs and you nervously opened the double door.
There she was. Standing like a statue in front of the balcony window, wearing the traditional attire, a long, flowing silk kaftan, mixed fabrics of emerald and burgundy. The same colors as her veil were used on her hair. All her clothing was embroidered with gold and silver, as it fit a queen best. If she could’ve been called one. Her gracious pose, her stillness… it sent a message to everyone of a powerful, content woman, but you knew the truth.
“Mother?” With shaky, uneven steps, you appeared behind her.
“Yes?” She turned around and greeted you with an ice-cold smile. Not even directed at you. Her eyes were completely empty of emotions, of intelligence, of consciousness. Your mother was nothing more than a soulless vessel and a living incubator. “What is it, my dear?”
You haven’t met for ten years, and you have changed so much that not even your mother could’ve recognized you. Your heart still raced in your chest. You swallowed deeply before speaking, infected with a frail flicker of hope.
“I am your daughter. The oldest,” you shuddered weakly, grasping her hands with a gentle touch.
“Amiraya?” Your lips pursed in frustration, and your tears began to gather in the corners of your eyes. That wasn’t your name. “When did you get this tall, love? Did you cut your hair too? You are a stunning young woman!”
“T-thank you, Mom,” with a hitching breath, you struggled to keep yourself together. “I missed you.”
“We just had dinner,” she spoke with a blank, dull voice. You knew well how she wasn’t capable of laughing anymore. She likely didn’t even know where she was, and only repeated the things that were said to her. It had to be a miracle that she remembered any of her children’s names at all.
You were talking to a piece of flesh, but you still couldn’t stay silent. In your heart, you prayed that somehow, maybe not in this world, but somewhere, she could still hear you.
“I wish I could’ve saved you, I wish I were strong, I wish none of this would’ve happened.” Between your sobs, you swiftly leaned in to hug her, then pressed your palm against her nose and mouth. Your other hand pulled her in tightly, and your legs locked hers to the floor. She couldn’t move, she couldn’t breathe, she couldn’t answer. “You have suffered enough. I am not going to let you live another single day like this. Not when they stole your shine from you. Please, I beg you to forgive me!” You buried your cries above her shoulder while she started to squirm under your hold. There were only light movements. Your mother didn’t have a life to fight for.
The hollow body collapsed in your arm as the creature fainted. You opened up your mind to hear her pulse slowly disappear, and the remnants of anything living evaporate from her prison.
You didn’t believe that the thing that you spoke to was your mother. You couldn’t save her, but this corpse in your embrace, that was your mother’s. Now she could leave this earth completely, body and soul.
It was over.
After almost an hour of grieving the rest of your mother, you cautiously laid her into her bed. Affectionally, you tucked her in, placing her arms over her stomach. Now she could find peace, along with you.
It really was over.
Chapter 24: Nothing
Summary:
When the past no longer haunts, a door opens wide to the future.
Notes:
I am really spoiling Shanks here, ngl. I mean, in a way, I do, in a way it is still torture xd. I guess I still wouldn't be him, honestly. Anyway, have fun with this one, guys. c: ♥♥♥
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“How? How could you let him go? Alone?” Shanks’ haki washed over the Piece of Spadille, the thick energy knocking out their crew. As expected, he had a familiar hold on Ace by his stampede string.
“He asked me, Shanks,” muttering with a rather bored expression, Ace pushed Shanks’ arm away.
“Calm down, Boss. Ace couldn’t have stopped him even if he tried,” Beck joined in on the argument, but quickly regretted it after Shanks stared at him with a wrathful glare.
“Don’t think that I am done with you either! You knew that he didn’t only plan to get the map back, you knew that he wanted to go to the island, and you didn’t tell me!” Shanks’ shoulders tensed, and he had to fight the overwhelming urge to just let all his haki break free. What the hell? He was not better than you, having childish fits?
“Why can’t you trust him for once? Why did you even take him back if you can’t?” Gathering all his courage, Ace managed to say the obvious out loud. Obvious, but dangerous.
“Kid, you are stepping over the line,” Beck tried to warn him. He didn’t need to look to sense how mad that little comment made Shanks. “And don’t you think to say that Raion should’ve joined your crew, or this ship will definitely get destroyed.” Since Shanks was unable to use his observation haki, it was up to Beck to stop Ace from worsening the situation.
“You are all free to do whatever you want, I am not going to–“
Out of the blue, suddenly, a deafening sound of a thud and clinking of metals echoed through the deck. Peeking out, they all saw a coarse burlap sack, drenched in seawater, the fabric clinging to the uneven shapes. It had to be around 200 pounds of treasure, worth millions if not billions of berries.
Shanks, Beck, and Ace walked to the rails to see where the bag came from and found you climbing up on the side of the ship.
“Raion?” Ace chuckled, baffled by your unexpected arrival.
“Who else did you expect? A ghost of charity?” you yelled at him, shaking the water out of your hair after the exhausting swim.
“Raion!” wailing joyfully, Ace leaned down to pull you up to the ship. “You’re the second-best thing I’ve seen today!”
“The treasure looks better than you, too, don’t worry,” you teased him back, while Ace drew you in for a hug. Including the others, he didn’t know much about what you were up to, but his intuition still told him that you coming back meant something. This wasn’t just a day off. “Alright, alright, you don’t have to be nice to get your share of it, okay?”
Shanks’ haki outburst died down the second he saw you in one piece, but seeing you greet Ace did make it difficult to stay calm. Very difficult. And everyone in close proximity knew that. Whether they could sense his haki or had eyes. Shanks’ stance and the pure frustration on his face made his emotions more than obvious.
However, before you could even avert your gaze from Ace, the top of your head was already smacked by Beck’s rifle. “You always have to make a dramatic exit, don’t you?” he scolded you rightfully.
“Sorry, sorry, sorry,” you yelped, stroking your forming bump. “It was the last time, I swear!”
“Alright! Raion is back, and we are rich. Let’s celebrate,” Ace shouted with his arms in the air, calling both crews forward.
Sheepishly, after you mustered up the strength, you glimpsed at Shanks. His eyes were still lingering on you, ever since you set foot on the deck, and his parted lips, his flushed cheeks gave you all the information you needed. He wasn’t angry at you.
“I’ll go change before the party,” you stated, heading to the Red Force for a dry pair of clothes.
Shanks' grasp on your shoulder stopped you from behind. “Thank you,” he muttered quietly, barely present. “For keeping your promise.”
You turned back to glance at him as you whispered. “Thank you for waiting for me.”
Shanks' chest tightened as he watched you jump from one deck to another. His hand crept up to rub the spot and feel his breathing quicken. Something changed about you.
“I have a hunch that we won’t have to worry about the kid that much anymore,” Beck sighed, exhaling his smoke.
“Maybe.”
The two ships sailed to a nearby island by the end of the night. Naturally, Zauana was still a place to avoid at all costs, even if it was closer. The next best location happened to be a small autumn island. The colors of rust-red, amber, and burnt orange could be seen even in the dark. The ground was covered in fallen foliage, every step releasing a gentle crunch. The coast was full of wooden cottages and lit by paper lanterns.
This was the first island that you escaped to ten years ago. It held some nostalgia, even if mixed with fear. You were a different person now, but the wariness was still nestled in the back of your mind.
The two crews chose the largest tavern to party, where the unknowing locals, not being used to pirates, didn’t have a clue what kind of crowd filled up their bar. Although you had money, good spirits, it didn’t even matter.
You gathered in smaller groups at different tables, which were made up of each crew and some townies, too. You were seated with Shanks, Beck, Yasopp, Lime, some local girls, and Ace, who weren’t able to get rid of. The rookie captain clung to your side at all times, enjoying your company more than you did his. You still couldn’t complain, since you brought this upon yourself. You had no doubts, Ace expected you to end up in the same bed with him. Which was tempting, but…
You just couldn’t forget about Shanks and the way he touched you, the way you touched him. After a bottle of sake, gulped down on your own, you couldn’t glare at him without the memories blinding you until you were able to look away. Gosh, if there were any sober person in sight, they would’ve easily noticed. It was embarrassing. You were embarrassing.
“So, what happened on Zauana? What kind of island is it? No one knows shit about it, right? Come on, tell us!” Yasopp nagged you, kicking your feet under the table.
“He doesn’t ow–“
Despite Shanks being ready to shoot him down, you decided to answer instead.
“The ports are completely closed. The guards will attack any unknown ships, whether they are the navy or pirates. That’s why I went alone. It is pretty shitty place, by the way. Not worth any hustle,” you babbled, drinking some more.
“But how did you know about the port? Have you ever been there?” one of the local girls perked up from Yasopp’s lap.
“You can say that. I’ve been to many places,” shrugging, you moved away, Ace’s chin that was fixed on your shoulder. “If you can’t suppress your haki, it isn’t worth dying over,” you insisted, gesturing to Ace.
“I’ll learn it one day, okay? Don’t bully me,” he whined theatrically. “Will you teach me?”
“I won’t teach weaklings.”
As a ruthless revenge for the insult, Ace’s hands sneaked to both of your sides and wiggled under your armpits, tickling the teary giggles out of you. “Say it again, do it,” he threatened you, while you wrestled him off of you, at least you would’ve.
You both fell to the ground, and Ace trapped you under himself, where you had no choice but to surrender.
“Okay-okay! I am sorry, just stop!” You wiped your eyes, and Ace stared at you lustfully.
“No, no, an apology just isn’t going to cut it.”
In front of the whole bar, the red hair pirates, the spade pirates, and the bystanders, Ace bent down to shamelessly kiss you without a warning. His tongue slipped inside your mouth just enough to make it seem genuine and force you to participate. In spite of the will to protest, you couldn’t escape.
“Ace–” you breathed when he finally retreated.
“Now, I forgive you,” smirking at you devilishly, Ace got up along you, sitting back in your place.
“Oh, the platonic love…” Beck had the intense urge to ease the tension, or rather, the seeping pressure coming from his captain. “Do you want to smooch too, Boss?”
Shanks clenched his jaw, then swung to his side. “Sure,” he hummed, before grabbing Beck’s neck to draw him in for a sloppy and messy kiss. Passionate, but not in a way it should’ve.
“Woah–“ Ace gasped, lightly crossing an arm behind your back. “If this were a competition, we would’ve lost… Now you all!” pointing at the rest of the group, he initiated several kisses.
While everyone was busy watching the scene unfold, you shyly peeked at Shanks, whose glare was locked on the floor instead. Was their kiss that bad? He mentioned that these things were awkward between him and Beck, but this much?
Without a word, Shanks stood up from the table and left the bar. You felt his presence stuck by the entrance. He probably just needed some fresh air. Well, you couldn’t feel too sorry for him, since he started it with Beck. He could’ve just said no…
Shanks didn’t return to the party, and seemingly, he concealed his haki, because he completely fell off your radar. Most likely intentionally. Maybe he found a girl and wanted to be left alone.
“Seriously, come with us! What are you waiting for, pretty boy?” Ace pleaded beside a few girls and spade pirates. “Some nudity on the beach isn’t that much of a deal. It brings you good fortune, isn’t that right, girls?”
“I swam more than I ever have, no more water for me, thanks.”
“You suck, man,” Ace gave up and scoffed.
Excluding Beck, they all left for a dip. Now it was only the two of you, both smoking, both staying in silence for most of the time. As usual.
“You were born there, weren’t you?” Beck nudged your feet that were slapped onto the tabletop next to his.
“Yeah. A terrible place.” Despite all your beliefs, you admitted. One of your biggest secrets. “I never wanted to go back, but there was something I had to do. I hope the treasure makes up for it that you couldn’t have an adventure on it.”
“Surely.”
“Sorry for making you worry.”
“I am getting used to it,” Beck jerked his head lazily, earning a little smile from you. “But I wasn’t the one who had it the worst, worrying about you the most.”
“Huh, who then?” Chuckling carelessly, you asked.
“Ugh,” Beck exhaled, then scratched his forehead, irritated by your stupidity and absolute blindness. “I wonder how I haven’t gone insane yet, surrounded by such morons. How is it that you are such a talented observer, yet the most obvious you can’t see?”
Without any explanation, Beck flicked his cigarette to the side of the table and stood up to make his dramatic exit. He made a sport out of this as much as you, only you were confused when he left. His absence now, you were compelled to lament what he said. Beck was the one who cared about you the most. There were no questions about that. Did the booze catch up with him? Yeah, that was your conclusion.
Finishing your sake and your cigarette, you headed back to the ship. No girls, no bed. Now you were having a few regrets about not going with Ace to the beach. No, you had to deal with the hammock. Great.
When you passed the door of the tavern, you discovered Shanks’ faint, weak presence on the roof. He was probably getting tired or simply fell asleep.
“For fuck’s sake,” you cursed under your nose. As an ideal crewmember, you were bound to take your captain back to the ship and not let him spend the night on the top of a building. Another drunk pirate. Great.
You jumped up onto the roof effortlessly and found Shanks awake, gazing up at the starry sky.
“So, I don’t have to carry you back to the ship, yet huh? Do I have to wait until you pass out or walk back on your own feet?”
“I’m fine, thanks,” Shanks replied calmly, not even looking in your direction.
“Right–“
“Wait! Stay for a bit,” he said, sitting up just in time.
“O-okay,” you agreed reluctantly, then dropped to his side. “You called the clouds the sea’s little brother. Are they and the starry sky related?”
“Lovers, maybe. The night sky, the sea’s and the sunny clouds.”
“Well, these two can be together tonight.”
“Yeah…” A faint sigh came from Shanks, who slowly spun to stare at you. “Do you–?” his voice quivered slightly as he searched for the right way to say it. “Do you want to be together with Ace?”
“Pf–, what?” A frivolous huff broke out of you. “Of course not. Why would you even–?”
“Does he know? Did you tell him?”
“Tell him what?” You furrowed your brows as you glanced at him.
“That you’re not a–, you know.”
“No. Why would I?”
“Then why did you kiss him? In front of everyone. You told me that you don’t want to seem ‘not manly’. And don’t you think he’ll figure it out someday?” Shanks rose up to frown at you harshly. “You are being careless.”
“I am not. Ace is an idiot like that, he would never–“
“What, you think he’ll never shove his hands down your pants? You really don’t know anything about men. We are not as kind and obedient as women, okay? Don’t think that he–“
“Calm down,” you tried to hush him. “I can handle Ace just fine. I would never let him touch me, okay?”
“That is what I’m talking about. It is not always up to you what a man will do.”
“Why do you even care so much?” you blurted out the question that has been turmoiling inside you ever since you met Shanks.
“Can’t I be just worried about what happens to you?”
Worried?
Did Beck… refer to him? Was Shanks the most worried? Sure, you were in his crew, you probably spent a lot of time together, and there was no one else he played with more, but… What else?
“Okay,” you shook your head in defeat. “You do have a point, I guess. I’ll be more careful around Ace.”
“R-really?” Shanks shuddered unsurely. He definitely didn’t assume he could convince you. Ever. “G-good.”
You both lay back on your backs and closed the argument with a compromise. Interesting.
“But if you think about it,” you mumbled quietly. “That applies to you, too. You are a man, should I be afraid of you?”
“Tsh–“ freeing a chuckle, Shanks clarified. “I already know everything I need to. If anything, after our last night together, I should be afraid of you.”
“Hey,” pinching his arm playfully, you grinned. “It was my first, okay? You are obligated to be patient with me. And you asked for it anyway…”
Shanks’ laugh faded as that one part caught his full attention. “First?” he muttered. “I mean makes sense, but I never really thought about that.”
“It’s just that,” you swallowed timidly with a subtle blush. “It has been so long… and I don’t even remember too well, I wouldn’t really count anything. So, yeah. First.”
“First everything?” he swiftly rolled to his side to stare at you intensely, further embarrassing you.
“I don’t know, okay? I don’t remember.”
“Uhum–“ Shanks made a satisfied, proud, and lewd noise. “You know what this means, right?”
“What?” Rolling your eyes, you decided to give him the eye contact he yearned for, expecting him to make a cheap joke.
“Since I am the only man who knows you like that, it means that you’ll have to try everything out with me.”
Maybe it was his deep tone, his vicious smirk, or the sheer content of his words, you instinctively had to toss your head to the other side, falling victim to a burning heat on your cheeks.
“How do you know I haven’t tried out everything I wanted?” You cleared your throat, coughing into your fist.
“Come on, I bet you’ll be curious with time. Just think about it…” Shanks leaned forward until his face was almost between your shoulder and neck. “All those things that you do to women… Don’t you want to know how it feels? What makes them so happy that they forget to check if you have a dick or not? All those shaking and moaning…” he breathed slowly, the hot air warming your bare skin and giving you shivers.
“You already made me shake and moan.”
“And I am really proud of that, but it is definitely not the best I can do. It is actually my worst, if you ask me.”
Fuck. The temptation and the desire grew inside you with every second this man purred his vulgar sentences into your ear. Was he honest? Were those sensations the best that you have ever felt, his worst? Well, you never only did that to women, since it didn’t work as well as actually fingering them. Logically, if you let Shanks put his fingers inside you, it might just be that much better.
“If I let you, what do I have to do in return?”
“For the love of god,” the laugh fell from Shanks’ mouth as he backed off. “We are not talking about a transaction here. You don’t owe me anything in return. Just as you enjoyed women without receiving anything back, I also like touching you. There is nothing you have to do that you don’t want.”
“But–“ you turned around to face him, your noses almost touching as you muttered. “What I did to you. Did you like it?”
“Tch–“ Shanks scoffed lightly. “Of course I did. That is kind of a stupid question,” failing to contain the chuckle, he reached up to brush your hair behind your ear. “I think I could finish by only making out with you.”
“No, that cannot be true,” you shrieked with clear disbelief.
“You don’t believe me?” Raising his brows, Shanks grinned at you. “It’s the honest truth, I swear.”
“Alright, let’s bet on it then. If you are lying, you’ll have to convince the whole crew to call me captain for a week.”
“And if I’m honest–“ Shanks drew in a shallow breath, and with a quick momentum, he dragged you over himself. “If I win, I can fuck you with my fingers.”
Your whole body twitched as his words stuck in your brain, having an unholy effect on you. “D-deal.”
“Hey! What are you doing up there?” Ace’s scream cut through the building tension. “Come down and play with us!” There were at least five girls beside him. A little too many, even for his caliber.
“Do we want to help him out?” you glimpsed at Shanks for an answer.
“Well, I am hard already, so why not?” he tilted his head to the side carelessly.
“You are?” Without a warning, you suddenly palmed his crotch and squeezed his cock under the fabric. Maybe with too much force.
“W-woah–“ Shanks winced. “You teased me enough tonight, alright?”
“Sorry,” you apologized, but didn’t feel sorry for him, not a bit.
You two climbed off the roof to join Ace and the battalion of girls by his side. In comparison to their captain, the spade pirates were much less hedonistic and didn’t have half his energy. Throughout your shared outings, it was either you or Shanks who had to wing him, in this case the both of you.
You didn’t even blink, two girls were already sitting on each of your thighs, trying to convince you who the better kisser was. Ace played with three, trying to balance two on his arms, one on his shoulders. It rather seemed like circus practice than a pirate captain flirting. Meanwhile, peering at Shanks now and then, you saw a girl precisely observe the scar above his missing arm, which you actually found kind of endearing. Shanks was never, not for a minute, insecure about lacking one limb. He only pretended to be ticklish when the poor girl touched it.
The night ended when some of the girls went home, one with Ace, and two fell asleep in your embrace.
“No. Forget it,” Shanks grunted, scratching his forehead.
“I am not going to wake them.”
“You are kidding, right? You can’t sleep here in the sand, hugging these knocked-out girls, whom the ocean could barely wake.”
“Watch me.”
“I won’t,” Shanks grumbled, then pulled you out from under the girls by the collar of your shirt. “There.”
“You are cruel, I hope you know that.” You swept the dust off your clothes and followed your captain towards the ship. “That bloody hammock isn’t even that much better than the beach. They should've taken us home to their nice, cozy, pillow beds,” whining, you folded your arms together before yourself, slightly pouting.
“Somehow we acquired a mountain of treasure, it wouldn’t be that much of a bother to take a room if you want a bed so bad,” Shanks yawned loudly.
“No. It is a principle, I am not paying for a room unless it is a hundred percent necessary,” you shook your head frantically. You lived by this rule for ten years, you weren’t going to change it.
“Then…” Shanks suddenly stopped in his tracks, and you bumped into him. “Or we could sneak into one.”
“Are you serious?”
“Why not?” Shanks quickly seized your hand and headed back towards the tavern. “You, too, can sense which of the rooms is empty. No one is going to book them now, so choose one and let's break in!”
Well… you were pirates. This was a tame crime, couldn’t hurt much. You examined the building and noticed an empty corner, where there was no energy to sense. Good call. You and Shanks jumped up to its window and entered without any problems.
The room was, as usual, as one might expect. One large bed, a small wardrobe, two nightstands, and a door to the bedroom. Ugly floral wallpaper and a subtle grandma smell. Pure nostalgia.
You dove into the bed, spreading yourself out on your stomach. The sheets were soft and silky, everything you ever wanted. “Ah, heaven,” you let out the muffled praise into the pillow.
“Almost,” sighing shallowly, Shanks kicked off his shoes, then threw his coat to the ground, and shoved your boots off too. You thought he was only being affectionate, but when he crawled onto the bed to tower over you, you learned how he had his intentions. Shanks hunched down to place his lips directly to the thin skin behind your neck and spoke with a low, husky voice. “Why don’t we fulfill our deal right now? I don’t think we’ll have a better chance than this any time soon.”
You slowly drifted to your back to glance at him, and his flirtatious smirk. “You are right. I want Beck to call me captain by yesterday.”
“Don’t get cocky,” Shanks grinned, then lowered himself to graze his lips against yours before kissing you gently.
Tonight, you have kissed more than ten people, respectively, but none of them came close to this one, tender kiss that Shanks gave you. It was so strange how much he differed in every single aspect. He didn’t smell better than the girls who were covered with coconut oil and perfume. He wasn’t as dynamic and passionate as Ace. For some reason, unbeknownst to you, Shanks made your body react in a special way. Your nerves were tingling, your pulse rising, and your breath constantly halting.
Shanks dipped his arm under your back and swung you on top of his lap to switch positions. He made it known how excited this one kiss made him. You cautiously slid your pelvis over his bulge and made him hiss.
“Do you want to be called captain or not? Because if you do that again–“
“Oh, I won’t,” you grinned at Shanks mischievously and rose to your knees to break any contact. Again, Shanks hissed. He jinxed it. “Only things above the waist.”
“Fine by me,” confidently, Shanks drew you in for another kiss by your neck.
He became more rough, more needy. His hand trailed down to your waist, but not any lower. His fingers slipped under your shirt to stroke the small of your back and trace your spine. Involuntarily, you moaned into his mouth as a result. You definitely didn’t expect to feel so aroused by some kissing and a few caresses, but here you were. No, you began to wonder if Shanks was overexaggerating or not. Maybe he was honest? You peeked down between his legs and spotted his bulge that grew over time.
“You should’ve believed me,” he taunted you sleazily, and tilted his head to the side to nibble on your neck. “Wanna know how I get there?” he whispered between his kisses and bites. “I just imagine what I’d do to you. Since you made me wait this long, the mere thought of your naked body in front of me gets me off, you know. Not to mention what I’d do with it…”
You felt the anticipation rush through your body. At this point, you gave up the deal completely. You would’d rather have him touch you than be called whatever.
Shanks returned to kiss your lips. With his lost composure, he became sloppy and clumsy. Saliva ran down his chin, and his tongue was set deep in your mouth. Suddenly, he fisted his hand over your waist, and with a shaky whimper, broke your kiss. His hips jerked as he came in his pants unapologetically.
“Mm-hhh–“ groaning after his climax, Shanks relaxed his muscles and closed his eyes to enjoy every second of his victory. “What did I tell you?”
You sat back over his knees to make sure, peeking under his pants to see his cum almost flow out to his stomach. “Wow,” accidentally, you let out a small gasp. “You weren’t kidding.”
“Nope,” with a warm smile, he tucked his arm under his head to watch you admire his weakness. “Don’t you wanna taste it?”
“Ew–, no,” you stuck your tongue out, while Shanks laughed lightly. “Taste it yourself, if it’s so good.”
“It’s not about that,” chuckling louder, Shanks glared at you. “It would just turn me on if you did it.”
“Maybe someday…” mumbling, you straightened up. “I’ll get you a tissue.” You walked to the nightstand and fetched some paper, holding it out for Shanks.
“Don’t you want to do it?”
“Alright, but just because you won,” with a smug expression, you returned to his legs, and carefully cleaned his cum off his cock and clothes. You had infinite compassion for the crewmember who had to wash the captain’s stained clothes later.
“Let me thank you properly,” Shanks murmured before he slammed you onto the bed on your back. “Just because I won.”
You swallowed deeply and recognized how his stare was heavy, almost possessive. Shanks lay on his side, while his hand trailed down from your chest, to your waist, then your crotch. Playing with the hem of the fabric, he looked down to see your thighs slightly tremble. Hiding the smug smirk on his lips, he carefully reached down to slip his fingertips above your bare pussy. You were completely wet with your arousal. Shanks would've guessed that if you were a guy, you might've cum too.
“I love how you want this as much as I do.” The faintest chuckle touched his voice as he murmured.
Well, that didn’t exactly surprise you as much as it did him. In your mind, you were both shameless, hedonistic pirates who enjoyed their bodies together. Nothing less, nothing more. Both your interests had to come from the curiosity of the unknown. You haven't been touched, and he probably didn’t touch someone like you, who was half a man, half a woman of a sort. For Shanks, who has slept with hundreds of women, you seemed exotic, you assumed.
“Just do it, please,” you pleaded, wrapping your arms around him.
“Right away.”
Shanks began to playfully rub your swollen, soaked clit, and your back arched immediately, your hips lifting up to meet him. You could feel him smile as he lowered his head to kiss your neck. Shanks had practiced, knowing your most sensitive spots. The nape of your neck, the skin behind your ear, and of course, your overly reactive bud. One thing that he hasn’t discovered yet was…
“Mhh–” Suddenly, your gasp mixed with a moan.
“It’s okay. Just relax,” Shanks whispered softly.
Cautiously, Shanks’ finger circled around your entrance. The sensation wasn’t exactly pleasurable, more torturous. With each second he was dwelling around that part, a certain ache and burning grew inside your core. The primary need for something. Slowly, Shanks slipped the tip of his index finger inside you, and you understood it instantly.
When you played with women in the past, you had no idea how much power and authority you had in those situations. Sure, they begged, sometimes cried, but you always presumed they were overreacting to impress you. Oh, hell no.
“M-more,” you shuddered weakly.
Without wasting any time, Shanks pushed his whole finger inside you. Contrary to your expectation, and against your own technique, he didn’t just start to move it forward and back, rather pressed the tip of his finger against your walls, searching for a special spot.
If you had known better, you would've been plain insulted. In what world, in what universe, could a man treat a woman better than you? For the love of god, he found it much sooner than you used to. This made no sense.
“Ahh–,” you groaned loudly, your hands clutching his shirt roughly. With your mouth stuck open, you shifted forward to instinctively hug him.
“Like it?”
You physically couldn’t respond with anything. Your body was locked in place, yearning for his hand. You became even more desperate as he began to move his finger. He didn’t pull it out all the way, only rubbed the spot that you gave the most dramatic reaction to. The sensation was so intense that you couldn’t even tell what was going on. All you did was shiver in pleasure and let the most noise you have ever made escape your lungs.
This wasn’t child's play, this wasn’t a game, this was it. No shit those women gave you food and a bed to sleep in. If you were actually able to make them feel this good, the admiration of the other pirates would be earned. You should’ve bragged more. Much more.
“Shanks,” whining his name, you tensed up even more. He eagerly thrust his finger into you before inserting another one. “S-Shanks–,” you repeated, and accidentally ripped the back of his shirt open.
The orgasm hit you like a wide wave of the sea, every part of you at once. It was hot, cold, burning, and freezing. Your nerves either didn’t work or got confused. Just as confused as you. Yeah.
What the hell just happened?
You collapsed onto the bed, the two pieces of linen from him still in your grasp. A puzzled look flickered in your eyes as you gazed at Shanks, who placed a tender kiss on your flushed cheek. This was trouble. This was too good. You couldn’t let him know that he had the biggest trump card against you. After this, he could blackmail you into doing anything, just to relive this ecstasy again.
“How was it?” Shanks muttered.
“Good.” Oh, it was so much more than good. “I wouldn’t mind if you did it again in the future.” Yeah, you phrased it lightly, diplomatically.
“Gladly,” he put another affectionate kiss on your other cheek, your nose, then your forehead. “Anytime. Although… this was one of my favorite shirts, you know.”
“S-sorry,” stuttering, you let go of the patches, making Shanks laugh.
“You are so cute. I don’t care. You can destroy all my wardrobe if you want to, if you let me do this again.”
“R-right…”
Shanks dropped to his back, too, and drew you above his chest for a snug embrace. “Now let’s sleep. It’s been a busy day.”
You rested your head on his bare skin, but couldn’t fall asleep as easily as him. This was weird. You wanted to be here, but you didn’t. The idea of cuddling with Shanks seemed foreign, but after sex, you couldn’t not hug the other person. He had to feel the same, right?
If you were so unsure, why did you have the best sleep of your life in his embrace?
Notes:
A little note. I'll be quite busy in the upcoming weeks, and I am doing some rewrites for the later chapters, so I might not be able to post twice a week. I am sorry! T-T I hope you will not lose interest in this fic because of the slower schedule. I will try my best to keep up! ♥ Take care!
Chapter 25: Nowhere but here
Summary:
There was no one else in the room.
Notes:
Heyy! I am sorry for the delay with this chapter, but hopefully the contents of it will make you forgive me. ♥♥♥
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
You didn’t know what a haki was before you met Beck and the red hair pirates, even if you had to bear the effects of the overflowing energy in your elements. Despite acting otherwise, you always knew how messed up your past was. Running away from it for ten years made it clear. Nevertheless, all your regrets, your guilt, your fears, they all guided you to the place where you are right now. By accident. If you thought about it, it seemed like everything was an accident, even your birth. Unwanted, unexpected. No wonder it felt more strange and frightening to wake up in the embrace of someone dear to you than soothing. For someone like you, nothing genuine happened to you, only accidents.
“S-sorry,” the frail apology slipped from your mouth, not intended to be heard. You pushed yourself up from the position you fell asleep in, but Shanks’ reflexes cut in before you, dragging you back with a swift momentum.
“Where are you going?” Shanks mumbled with a hoarse, sleepy voice. “It is still too early.”
“I don’t want to bother you, what else?” You gave escaping another attempt, but his hold only tightened.
“Isn’t it the other way around usually? You, not wanting to be bothered by me?” he yawned. “Shanks, don’t be creepy, right? Is that what you said?”
“Do you want me to say that?”
“No, unless you mean it. But based on how sweetly you moaned my name yesterday, I don’t think you do.” His head nestled onto the top of yours, and his arm pulled you closer.
“That was in the heat of the moment. We really don’t need to sleep like this when there is no girl to keep comfortable…”
“You are the girl right now. My girl.”
“Tch–,” you hissed, but gave him one last chance to give up on his own. “Sto–“
“I didn’t mean it like that,” Shanks sighed lightly, then grabbed your neck to tilt your head up to his angle. “I just want you to be comfortable, and I hope that’s with me.” Sneakily, he stole a kiss from you, his lips trailing over yours with patience and care. “Is it?”
You forgot what he was talking about and only gazed at him in awe. “I–“
“But we don’t have to sleep, you know. I can come up with a few other things we could kill time with.”
Oh, fuck.
Shanks made it extra difficult to think clearly as he continued to kiss you. Before, kissing didn't hold much power over you, since you did it with anyone who asked. There were bad ones and good ones. Yet, why did his feel so god damn different? There was nothing special about it from the outside, just two mouths, two tongues, physical movement as usual. Even so, when his fingers sneaked into your hair, stroking your scalp gently, the warmth of his body snug against yours, all the little details added up to something extraordinary. Unfamiliar. Was he this good of a kisser? How much bloody experience did this man have to make you feel like this? Almost giddy? Shanks made you forget about time and place. Everything.
“How do you do it?” you involuntarily blurted out the question. “How are you such a good kisser?”
“Huh?” Shanks chuckled softly. “Am I?”
“It’s just… It feels different,” you shuddered hesitantly.
“Well, I’m glad to hear that, but I don’t think I am any better at it than you. We are a good match, that is all.”
“No, that can’t be it. You do something weird.”
“Mhmm–,” he tenderly brushed back your loose strands, then cupped your face as he spoke. “Explain it to me then, how is that I haven’t had any better kisses than the ones I had with you?”
“Because I am a good kisser, but you–“
“Maybe you just want to kiss me more than anyone else,” he hummed before sealing your lips before you could say another complaint or excuse.
But that wasn’t true. That couldn’t be true. There wasn’t anyone at the moment that you would’ve particularly liked more than others. What you felt for Beck seemed lifetimes away, for many reasons. Upon reflection, you had to realize that when Beck made the offer on Sphynx, you weren’t happy to hear it. Quite the opposite. The mere thought of him settling for someone he didn’t love offended you. You hated how he would’ve done something out of pity for you. Not to mention how your feelings have faded, or shifted at least.
But Shanks?
You hated him, you envied him, you liked him, you–
“Did you–“ breaking off the kiss, you sheepishly whispered, “Did you worry about me? When I was away.”
“You can be such a moron,” Shanks sighed low and raised his head. “How could you even think I didn’t? Hearing the name of that island sent you into a coma, don’t you remember? You almost ran away… The thought of never seeing you again would’ve eventually killed me.”
“Pff–“ you grinned, leaning over his chest. “You don't have to be so dramatic. I’m just one of your crewmates, but it still kinda feels nice to hear you say it.”
“Sure,” Shanks grunted quietly, then closed his eyes. Maybe sleeping was for the best anyway. One more sentence like this and–
“I would’ve been worried for you, too. I don’t think I could’ve stayed as calm as you if I saw you come back, though.”
“Thank you,” Shanks muttered, planting a gentle kiss on the top of your head.
Again. This strange notion took hold of you. That little touch, little gesture… it was so small, so meaningless. You gave it to women without a second thought. Yet the spot burned, waking your yearning.
You rose to your elbows on his chest and fixed his hair, tousling it back. Gazing at his features, his scar, eyes, brows, nose, lips, stubble… You couldn't really deny it. Shanks wasn’t just conventionally attractive anymore, you actually grew to like him.
“You are so handsome,” you tilted your head to the side, tracing his jaw with the tip of your finger. “I don’t actually get why any woman would rather fall for me.”
“I do.” Shanks captured your hand to keep it in place over his cheek. “You are a much better listener. You can understand them.” I wish you could understand me, too.
“That’s just egotistical… they only like the similarities. I could never love someone who is my perfect copy.” By mistake, Shanks burst out laughing, and made you pout slightly as a result. “Hey, what’s so funny about that?”
“It is just quite ironic, coming from you,” Shanks wiped his tears of laughter. “I can't even see you being friends with someone with your traits. I bet you have no idea why anyone would like you…” He pinched your chin playfully. “You little idiot.”
“Well…” you turned away abruptly. “It is not my job to like me, is it? You are all free to decide whether you will or not.”
Out of the sudden, Shanks’ arm crept behind your back and forced you down under him with a quick turn. “I like you.” He glanced at you with a mischievous smirk as his large figure loomed over you.
You took a deep gulp and lifted your head to kiss him. Maybe he could sense what you were meant to say with it. I like you too. Shanks returned the kiss, and with newfound confidence, he persisted. With each second, you grew restless and hungry for more. Your body acted without supervision when your legs crossed behind his waist, then your arms likewise.
Shanks rolled his hips forward as a sign, or a warning. “Do you want to do it?” he muttered in a fragile tone, unsure.
“Do you?”
Shanks answered with another kiss, this one more heated and passionate. “Always,” he breathed in between.
You still couldn’t exactly comprehend what you were doing. In retrospect, having sex with a man was not something you ever thought would happen. Yet here you were, not even your first time. Shanks had absolutely nothing feminine about him. If you had to guess, you would’ve suspected that if it had to be with a man, he would be a little womanlike at the very least, not a muscly, bearded giant. However, you had no complaints. On the contrary…
With a level of uncertainty, you reached down to unbutton Shanks’ shirt, which still had two missing pieces on the other side. He didn’t restrain, only kneeled down to help you take it off. You saw his upper body countless times, but you never took the chance to appreciate it enough. His build was perfect.
“Is there something on me?” Shanks teased you, catching your shameless staring.
You huffed, averting your gaze. “Just take it all off, alright?”
While your cheeks were etched with a faint blush, Shanks stood up to make a show of pulling his pants down. When he realized that you wanted to see his naked body, he knew he could toy with you just a little.
“So, which part do you like the most?” Shanks straightened his stance, flexing his muscles.
“Your mouth. As long as it's closed,” you murmured as Shanks actively ruined your fun.
“Come on,” crawling back to the bed, Shanks wailed. “Be honest, it is your favorite because it can kiss you like this…”
Shanks grazed his lips over yours before he kissed you again. Now that you let him know how much you liked it, you should've expected him to take every opportunity to do it. Not only that, as his cock became harder, he drew it over your crotch, reminding you of the sensation Ace made you feel. Although Ace had no idea where to direct himself, unlike Shanks. He knew your anatomy and weaknesses all too well. If only you could do it skin to skin…
“Mhh–“ moaning weakly, Shanks dropped his head beside yours.
You totally forgot how this act was pleasurable for both of you. The lack of that was a problem until now. Sure, you two touched each other, but never simultaneously. Maybe it was worth a try to–
“Shanks?” you shuddered his name. “Can we try something?”
“Anything,” Shanks peeked up.
You gently grasped his shoulders and rolled him to his back. Shanks eagerly watched as you tossed your shirt to the side, then undressed completely in front of the bed. As you felt his starving gaze devour every inch of your naked body, you became baffled by how he could stay so collected when it was the other way around. Instead of joking, you anxiously hid as much of yourself as you could.
“Are you being shy?” Shanks asked with a sly smile as he noticed how flustered and nervous you became.
“No…”
“My lord–” he inhaled lazily as he sat up and grabbed your waist to draw you to the edge of the bed. “The cruelest heartbreaker, the conqueror of all womankind, the knight of female tears, and she is just as embarrassed as any other. What do I have to say or do to make you more comfortable?”
“Just lie down…”
Shanks obeyed you without a word, and you followed him. He settled on the mattress with his arm behind his neck, awaiting your command. Timidly, you stepped over his lap, and with one shaky breath, you lowered yourself to place your pussy over his hard cock.
“Mh–, fuck,” Shanks groaned as your folds aligned with him. “I didn’t think you’d actually want me to–“
Shit…? Suddenly, you realized what the fuck you were doing. Rushing, you knelt up to put some distance between you two. No. No. No. You most certainly didn’t want him inside you. What the hell?
“N-no, I just–“ panic set in your eyes as you retreated. “I didn’t mean to–“
“Oh, it’s,” Shanks glared at you attentively after his initial disappointment faded. “It’s totally okay if you don’t want to go all the way. I’m sorry! You can do anything you want. I won't move a muscle unless you want me to. I swear!”
Although second-guessing yourself, you nodded at him. You had no reason not to trust him so far. Shanks was patient and sincere with you. If things were made obvious, you wouldn’t pull any moves on you, right?
“Are you sure?” you insisted.
“I am. Just, please, continue!”
“Right.”
You returned to your prior position and saw as Shanks fisted his hand in frustration, trying his best not to even flinch under you. This had to be just as pleasurable for him than you. Your arousal coated his cock when you first drifted forward on him. Your clit rubbed against him nicely, and as you expected, it was thousands better without clothes. You set your hands on Shanks’ chest for balance and began to grind your hips against him steadily.
“Ahh–“ you yelped weakly after experimenting with different angles, then found the perfect one.
Ace’s pants were great, Shanks’ hand was heavenly, but this? His cock slipped under the best spot and the wet friction, the heat, the sensation… it was pure ecstasy.
“W-wait,” the frail plea escaped from Shanks’ gritted teeth. “I don’t think I can–“ Shanks threw his head back and desperately reached down to hold the tip of his cock against his stomach, fearing it could slip any second. “I don’t know how much longer I can control myself. I’m sorry, but–“
“It’s fine,” you nudged his hand away to keep his throbbing cock fixed yourself.
Shanks clutched the sheets for dear life as you kept on moving, gliding up and down on his length with your delicious slit. He couldn’t help himself but buck his hips lightly. You had a good grip on his cock, so it wouldn’t sneak anywhere, right? He could relax. Just a little.
“Shanks–“ you cooed his name as you were approaching your peak. Your thighs trembled, your palms sweated, and your back arched.
Shanks could see the visible and audible signs of your relief, which would’ve been fine, barely bearable, but fine. However, he couldn’t predict the feeling of your pussy intensely spasm over his deprived cock as you came.
Just as your body was about to ease after the powerful orgasm, you found yourself trapped under Shanks, his hand pressing your shoulder firmly to the mattress. You frightfully glanced at his eyes, widening at the sight of you, pupils dilating like a starved animal spotting its meal. Thirst and desperation clashed on his face. There were years' worth of yearning in his gaze and a glint of hope.
“S-sorry,” he quickly rose up, hiding those vicious eyes from you in his palm. “I don’t know what came over me.”
You knew what he wanted to do. From the start. What else? While the peak of your enjoyment was his hand touching you, he clearly had other expectations. Every woman you have ever tricked, they all wanted to give themselves to you, hop on your dick, and satisfy you. Selflessly. Were you supposed to be like them, too? Selfless?
“It–“ your voice faltered as you murmured. “It would happen eventually, right? I would ask for it one day anyway…”
“What?” Shanks’ glimpse darted at you.
“With everything we do together… I only get more and more curious. I know you have noticed that. So, why couldn’t we do it now?” you wondered, then searched for his reaction.
Shanks swallowed loudly. “I don’t want to pressure you into anything. If you only want my fingers forever, I’ll be fine with that, I promise.”
“It’s okay…” whispering softly, you sat up to hold his face with both your hands, caress his cheeks with your thumb, and plant a tiny kiss on his lips. “I want to do it.”
No more convincing needed.
Shanks seized the small of your back and embraced you as he kissed you back deeper. He gently laid you down on the bed and spread your legs wide. He didn’t break off the kiss, not even when he reached down to press the tip of his cock against your entrance. Yeah, it was much girthier than his fingers, it was still just his cock. How different could it be?
Gasping, your breath hitched, and all your muscles stiffened as he slowly slipped inside you, inch by inch. It was different.
“Ahh–“ you yelped into his mouth, that was slightly chuckling.
“So, how is it?” Shanks muttered smoothly, his palm pressing down on your belly to make his presence known.
“Mh-hm–“ forming words, let alone sentences was out of your capabilities at the moment, when you peeked down to see that his cock completely disappeared inside you. It was wet, warm, hard, tingling.
“I’m gonna tell you a secret,” Shanks bent to your ear to hum. “I didn’t want to hurt your ego, but it is time for you to know. When we had our first competition, our first threesome with one of the twins,” he adjusted his position ever so slightly to let his tip bump into your most sensitive spot. “I won.”
Without notice, Shanks began to move, thrusting into you with a calm pace. You assumed he would be more agitated based on his passion from before, but he was collected instead. He didn’t rush. How could he? This sensation was pure pleasure, and there was nothing to compare it to.
Now you realized that there was nothing selfless about those women. This, whatever this was, was unmistakable selfishness.
You wrapped your arms around Shanks’ neck while he nicked and nibbled on yours.
His motion, the feeling of his hard cock filling you up, it was all building up inside your core. Even if you weren’t there yet, you knew it would change you. It would change things. No shit, he looked at you with those lust-blown eyes, if you would’ve known what he was yearning for… You would’ve said yes right away. No, you would’ve been the one begging him. This was so much more than just hands and fingers… For god’s sake, why didn’t you do it sooner?
“Look at me.” Shanks’ husky, low voice woke you from your daze. “I want to see you.”
You locked your eyes on his. In this second, you would’ve sworn that you had the same expression. Flushed, amazed, exhilarated. You kept eye contact, even when you caressed his face gently, even when he upped his speed, even when you were both short on air, even when your noises became halting and overly vulgar.
Lost between the loud moans and groans, you felt the tension slowly evolve into the most overwhelming orgasm you’ve ever had. Not only that, Shanks’ cock twitched inside you with every thrust.
“Shanks, I–“
“Me too–“ Shanks leaned forward until you hugged him tightly. His mouth fell right over your ear, and you could hear every shaky breath he took, every whimper he made. “I love you. I love you so much–“
From a single second from your climax, you couldn’t quite register what he said, and you mistook it for something general or some meaningless mumbling. He made you busy elsewhere. Like lightning struck you, you came on Shanks’ cock among shivering, whining, heaving. It was nothing you thought living creatures could experience.
Well, no shit, pirates fucked around everywhere they went.
After his own climax, Shanks collapsed over you, just as exhausted and helpless as you. This didn’t take any longer than it did with other women, yet he seemed much more worn out.
“Are you okay?” Cautiously, you stroked the back of his head.
“I’ve never been better,” he let out a staggering little chuckle. “I’m the best I’ve ever been, actually.”
“You said the same thing twice.”
“Sorry,” Shanks laughed lightly, then swung you over his chest effortlessly. “I’m just a little dizzy. Aren’t you?”
Dizzy was a real understatement…
You were hooked. The grim truth? This was going to be your new addiction, the forbidden drug. Unfortunately, you were already scheming about how to reach this high again. Suddenly, the number of stops the Red Force took seemed way too low. Unexpectedly low. How on earth were you supposed to live without this for weeks? And what if Shanks wanted to do something else? No. You couldn’t even think about that…
“I’m a bit tired.” Yeah. You had to play it cool. You couldn’t let him know how much you fucking enjoyed this. “But it was good.”
“Stop with the enthusiasm, please,” Shanks taunted you sarcastically.
“Okay-okay,” rolling your eyes, you grumbled. “It was really good. If we have the chance… it would be nice to do it again.”
Without any reply, Shanks gave your forehead a tender kiss. “I’d love that.”
“Do you think…” you pondered quietly. “Would the girls notice if–“
“If I do it from behind, I don’t think they’d realize, if that’s what you’re asking. But we can do it alone, too, I hope you know that.”
“Oh. Yeah.” Not on the ship, though… Gosh, you already felt miserable. “But… do people do that? I mean, wouldn’t it be weird if it was just us?”
“I don’t see anyone in this room right now,” Shanks giggled cheerfully. “Why would it be weird? We are just having fun.”
“Fun. Right.” This wasn’t any different from fighting, playing cards, or day-drinking, right? It was a game just like any other, only involving your bodies. No big deal.
No big deal.
Notes:
It is just pure smut, isnt it? T-T Smut and disappointment. Sorry. I'll try to upload on Wednesday, but no promises. :'(
Chapter 26: Nomad
Summary:
After a year of unspoken tension, feelings are laid out, born from a wound.
Notes:
Surprise! ♥ I got done with this chapter and it is so exciting (for me at least) that I refuse not to post it asap. So, enjoyyy! ♥ (And let me know what you think. If you want to. c: ♥)
Chapter Text
“Where are they? Can’t you sense them with your haki or whatever?” Ace nagged Beck, tugging on his coat relentlessly. “I want an eating contest or something. It is no fun without Raion!”
Beck sighed, side-eyeing the rookie. It was clearer than the sun how Ace had an intense crush on you, he didn’t even attempt to hide it. Beck, however, couldn't exactly share his knowledge with him, or anyone, for that matter. For two people who were experts in hiding their presence, you two didn’t even try. Thank the lord Ace couldn’t use observation haki.
“They are sleeping somewhere. Let them be, kid,” he mumbled between his morning cigarette and morning sake.
“Screw you, then.” Eventually, he gave up and left. For the best.
Beckman didn’t need haki to know that when you’d come back in here, it would be all over your faces. The afterglow. The kind that doesn’t come from a local girl or a casual threesome. Yet, he had to train himself to act like nothing had happened.
It was around noon when the red hair pirates gathered in the tavern, feasting on their breakfast. Lucky Roux, Yasopp, Lime, Snake, Rockstar, Punch, Monster, they all sat around the place, eating some eggs. Except for Roux, who still refused to eat anything other than meat.
You and Shanks walked in side by side, exchanging a subtle smile before you entered.
“Where the hell have you been?” Yasopp rasped at you, pointing a chicken wing. “You missed out on the spades’ eating contest. Should’ve seen them all pass out,” his laughter was infectious, encouraging the whole room to join in.
“S-sorry,” you stuttered, and earned a few raised eyebrows, not to mention how you walked funny.
“Hey, was the training too rough on you?” Lime commented with a smirk, but didn’t expect to see a faint blush on your face.
“Has it ever been? Come on,” you struggled to shake it off. “Who won the contest?”
“Roux, of course,” they all gestured towards the cook.
“Well, they made their own bed, inviting you,” Shanks stepped next to him and slammed his hand on his shoulder. “Congrats, my friend!”
Naturally, while you were a babbling mess, Shanks came into the bar like a bright ray of sunshine. His blessed grin was wider than the ocean itself, and his glimmering skin radiated from pure joy. He was annoyingly happy.
“Morning,” Beck sneakily peeked up from behind the newspaper he was reading, his sight barely over the paper. Even so, you saw it in his eye that he knew. “Had fun last night?”
“As fun as ever,” you mumbled silently. “How about you?”
“Got a room in here, but the neighbors didn’t let me sleep.” He lifted the newspaper to disappear behind it, but could easily predict the fork soaring his way. An easy dodge. “Now what was that for?”
Unable to handle the taunting, you got up to steal something to eat. Distracted by Beck and the more of him you’d have to endure in the future, you didn’t notice Shanks coming your way and successfully bumped into him.
“You can't last a minute without me, can you?” With a devious smirk, Shanks clutched your chin between his fingers.
“More than decades. For your information,” you shoved his hand away swiftly and walked past him as he chuckled at your expense.
You should've known this would happen… Shanks would get overly confident, and Beck would have the time of his life mocking you. Fuck. It was still worth it. While you made yourself a plate, you involuntarily stared at Shanks as he hopped beside Beck, and probably brushed the snarky comments off, unlike you. Grabbing the dish, your hand clenched over the metal, and out of frustration, you deformed it with the ungodly strength. How could you not be tense? It hasn’t been a few hours, and you were already fantasizing about what you’d do with your captain in private. The way he fixed his hair, he raised his legs over the table, and he stretched his shoulders back. You were pathetic.
“What’s up, guys?” Instead of hanging around those two, you decided to stay with the others.
“Blessing us with your presence?” Lime poked your side playfully.
“Glad to hear you worship me as you should,” you hopped down into a spare chair to have your breakfast. “How was the night?”
“It was awesome,” Yasopp hunched his head over yours. “Thank you for the treasure, kid. I never lost this much money in one night,” he seemed rather genuine, to no one's surprise.
“I wouldn’t be too proud of that, you know.”
“Oh, I am keeping onto my share,” Snake chimed in. He had an excessive amount of savings. “One day I’ll be the richest person on my home island!”
“I’m pretty sure you already are,” Lime tugged on his hair. “By a lot.”
“Well, I don’t want to retire just yet.”
“Yeah, you can only retire when you beat me at an arm wrestle match,” you winked at him cheekily. Snake was almost three times your size, yet he has never managed to win a fight against you. “Wanna give it a try?”
“If that was the deciding factor, only the Boss could retire,” Lime sighed, and you finally had the opportunity to have a glimpse of Shanks.
Of course, he sensed your intent and smiled at you in return. Gosh. This was embarrassing. You grabbed your head and clung to your hair in despair. This was the worst and the best morning simultaneously.
“What’s wrong, Raion?”
“I just… hate that I haven’t beaten him before. My pride cannot take it.” A good lie. Half-lie.
You gobbled up your breakfast as soon as you could and somehow gathered yourself. This was just another day, just another island, nothing special. Joining Beck and Shanks, you glared at the first, struggling to ignore the latter.
“Wanna train some?” you aimed the question at Beck.
“Maybe it would be more beneficial for you to be under the Boss from now on.”
For fuck’s sake.
No, you couldn’t let this asshole get a hold of you. Sure, he knew about you and Shanks, but that didn’t give him the right to embarrass you. Also, you weren’t a little girl. You were a motherfucking pirate.
“You might be right. He is better on top than you,” blurting it out, you narrowed your eyes at Beck.
“Jesus,” Shanks, formerly a bystander, cracked out laughing, choking, dying. The scene of you two taunting each other was somehow more appealing to him than he expected. He was living his best life, for sure.
“I guess I tried my best,” Beck responded with an affectionate, kind smile. He stood up and tapped the top of your head gently as he uttered only for you to hear. “Take good care of him, kid.”
What? Your bewildered gaze lingered on Beck’s silhouette as he left. It was his job to babysit Shanks, but he shouldn’t have acted like you wouldn’t have done the same if Beck weren’t around. Shanks was your captain, your friend, why wouldn’t you–?
“Now, come here, my underling.” Shanks’ demand tingled in your ear as he suddenly tossed your body over his shoulder to head towards the back of the bar.
“Quit it! Put me down,” you wiggled and jerked in protest, but his grip was unescapable.
“Shh–, don’t be too frisky,” he laughed softly, walking into the bathroom, then releasing you into a small stall. “Not yet.”
“Wha–“
Preventing you from speaking or whining, Shanks locked your lips with his, pushing you against the wall, his arm plastered above your head. As much as you wanted to punch him, or kick him in the guts, you couldn’t restrain from kissing him back. Your hands sneaked behind his torso, and his closeness was enough to ease the tension in your core. Prying on him all this time, stealing every glance you could, it was all out of deprivation. A sense of emptiness that was caused by the distance between you two. It wasn’t even that long since you woke up together… What the hell? Was this your future? Clinging onto Shanks like a damn monkey?
“Is this okay?” you gasped in the middle of the kiss, but without a pause. “That we are doing this?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?” Shanks leaned back slightly, then bit into your lower lip with a mischievous grin. “Think of it as a harmless game or something.”
“Right,” you nodded lightly, then returned to the kiss.
Your opinion didn’t change about Shanks being the best kisser, although he got better with each one suspiciously… Maybe he had a point about being a good match. If you had to be honest, making out with Shanks felt like the air you didn’t think you lacked, all pieces of the puzzle coming together to complete you. Desires were a funny thing, weren’t they? If you could, you would’ve screamed how much you wanted him. Not that he didn’t know that without words already.
Shanks pushed his hips further until you were completely shoved against the wall. The subtle pressure was more than enough to wake something in you. Something wicked.
Your hands trailed down to his waist, then his bottom. Every part of him had to be perfect, sure. Without the sight, you recognized a snarky grin on his lips that were still kissing you. Impatiently, you hooked your thumbs under the hem of his pants and slid them around to tug on the fabric over his crotch.
“In a minute,” a shaky breath from him broke the kiss, and he lowered his arms to stop you. Instead, he was the one sneaking his fingers under your pants. His skin on yours made you wince on its own. “You first.”
You clung to his neck while his digits advanced along your folds to gradually slip inside your pussy. You didn’t even realize how wet you were all this time. All morning. With your head thrown back, your muscles stiffened.
“It feels so good,” the truth slipped through your clenched teeth.
“Imagine how much better my dick will be,” Shanks murmured while his fingers began to move. He curled them perfectly, reaching the perfect spot, rubbing it steadily. “This is your new favorite game, isn’t it?”
You muffled your moan by kissing him again. Involuntarily, your hips rolled further to meet him. There was no turning back anymore. It was happening again. You fell victim to your captain again. Pathetic.
It was an accident on both your sides. An honest mistake. You didn’t mean to cum so prematurely, you didn’t even know you could. Yet, all the tension and frustration building up in you all this time had its effects on you.
Struggling to hold back your squirms, trying not to fall over the edge, you still came on his fingers. Your legs trembled, and your nails dug into his skin inadvertently.
“Did you just–?” Shanks glared at you in awe.
“S-sorry,” you panted weakly.
“Don’t say that,” with a little chuckle, he planted an affectionate kiss on your forehead. “The goal is for you to cum as many times as you’re capable, you know. The next night we’ll spend together, we can make a competition out of it. You guess how many times I can make you finish, and I’ll prove you wrong. It’ll be fun.”
“What if I say an impossible number?”
“Well, that would be the point,” Shanks shrugged carelessly, then raised his hand back up to suck your arousal off himself.
“Come on, why do you always have to do that?” Looking away with a faint blush, you fussed.
“What? You taste delicious. It turns me on.”
“Pff–“ It was such a foreign concept to you, there was no understanding it.
“You still don’t want to taste me?” Shanks yanked off his pants to reveal his brick-hard cock and the few drops of pre-cum leaking from it. “You don’t have to, it’s just–“
With a tiny pout on your face, you rolled your eyes. Sure, you didn’t love the idea, but the curiosity was undeniable. Hesitantly, you peeked down at his cock and saw the clear, viscous fluid. Unlike before, you didn’t quite find it repulsive at all.
“Alright, but only because you want it so bad.” In no haste, you grasped down to gently swipe the tip of your index finger over his cock to gather some of his precum. Shanks watched you closely as you pressed it against your tongue and taste it before swallowing. Just… a bit salty? Nothing too flavorful. In hindsight, it wasn’t any sacrifice. “It’s–“
“Fuck-k–” a desperate whimper.
Before you could’ve said anything, Shanks sealed your lips aggressively. Okay, it did really turn him on. The kiss was passionate and messy. Shanks obviously couldn’t control himself anymore. Without your participation, he pulled off your pants to your knees and slid his cock between your thighs.
“C-can we do it from behind?” you gasped, stammering. “For practice.”
“Only if you’ll look at me while we do it,” Shanks answered by flipping you around. “Sounds good?”
“Mmhh-mm–“ you mewled, as he kicked your legs apart and you bent slightly forward, leaning against the wall for support.
Out of the blue, Shanks halted for a second when the tip of his cock was almost inside you. He must have realized that he was in no rush, and it was worth savoring the moment. He agonizingly slowly pushed inside your pussy, appreciating every quiver and lewd noise you made. It took almost a whole minute until he filled you up completely. That’s when his patience ended. Shanks began to thrust into you with a calm pace, then grabbed your jaw to turn your head around. You couldn’t fully face each other, but your closeness was enough for him not to feel distant from you. He pressed your cheek against yours, and you could feel his every breath.
“Like it?” with a low groan, Shanks asked.
“A lot.”
“My dick got to you bad, didn’t it?” Shanks teased you cockily.
“Yeah.” You didn’t plan to admit it, not at all, but you did. Reluctantly, but you did.
Shanks stopped, then exhaled sharply. “I’m sorry, but I need to see you when we do it alone.”
That much for practice.
You turned back towards him on your own, and he slipped his arm under the knee that he ripped your pants off of, then lifted it. Shanks opened you wide, and his cock fit in you naturally in this position. You both moaned loudly as he lunged into your pussy again. A flawless match.
Honestly, you didn’t want to do anything else than this anymore.
“Shanks–? Will we do this every time we stop on an island?”
“Anytime you want.”
“I’m afraid I’ll want it too many times.” What on earth possessed you to say that out loud? Did you go insane? You, moron.
Shanks bent forward to kiss you. Tenderly. “You know me, don’t you? You can't possibly want it more often than me.” That was a plausible argument. “Just, please, don’t do it with anyone else.”
“I won’t.”
Shanks couldn’t tell what had the heaviest effect on him. The feeling of your soft and hot pussy around his throbbing cock, the sight of your irresistible lips, or the promise you just made. Whichever it was, it pushed him closer to the edge than he would’ve liked.
You balanced yourself with one hand on the wall, and nestled the other in Shank’s red hair above his neck. You could move with him, but his thrusts gave you the pleasure you sought and more. His cock moved back and forth with a pleasant rhythm. For a while.
“Mhh–“ Shanks moaned hopelessly. “I’m too close. I’ll need you to touch yourself. It will be good, I swear. Please, cum before me,” shuddering under the overwhelming bliss.
He was so far off the truth, you were just as close as he was. Just to make him feel better, your free hand crept down to your clit, unknowingly. The second your finger rubbed against the sensitive bud, you came to realize why he told you to do it. The unexpected bundle of sensations made you react in a feral way. Your leg shivered over Shanks’ arm, and your back arched firmly. The noises that were supposed to give you the smallest of relief got stuck in your throat, and you came almost immediately after a few strokes. What the fuck?
Shanks pulled out to follow your lead and came on your shirt just as fast. Yeah, even if he was his most delirious, he wasn’t repeating yesterday’s mistake of cumming inside you. Bad luck.
“S-sorry,” Shanks apologized between his pants, while you cleaned it up with some toilet paper.
“It’s okay. I don’t hate it as much anymore,” you jolted your shoulders.
“Glad to hear that,” Shanks mumbled while you both dressed up. His gaze lingered on your figure, while his mind cleared up from his climax. Only that. There was something that wouldn’t let him rest ever since before. “About what I said earlier…” Shanks slowly straightened up, holding out his arm to pull you into a snug embrace, rather timidly.
“Hmm–?” silently, you gazed up at him.
“I meant it,” with a warm smile, Shanks looked back at you, gently he seized to cup your face as he spoke.
“Meant what?”
“Y-you don’t remember?” Shanks’ voice faltered, the faint confidence fading away in an instant. “M-maybe that’s for the best,” he added anxiously, averting his eyes in a hurry.
“You can tell me.”
You were completely, utterly oblivious to what he was referring to. Your conscience was an expert at overlooking those kinds of details that it didn’t want to believe. No wonder a confession slipped by it. However, while every other person would’ve guessed based on Shanks’ tone and the context what he was so keen on telling you, you had absolutely no clue. Maybe mention something else fun to try? Maybe come up with a solution to have sex on the ship? Scheme a plan to involve a girl? Either one of these would’ve been fine and appreciated.
Shanks sheepishly turned back to face you, and his flustered, vulnerable expression would’ve matched his words if he had the chance to form them.
Suddenly, a loud crash broke the peace of the island. Both your observation hakis awakened and focused on the shore where something big was about to happen.
“Let’s go,” Shanks' eyes darkened, and so did yours.
Danger.
You rushed out to the bar that was completely empty. For fuck’s sake, making out with Shanks took your mind off everyone except him. This was trouble. Arriving on the beach, you discovered the crew standing in a half-circle, their hands resting on their weapons, concentration fixed on the intruders. A mysterious ship slashed through the tide, one that only you could recognize.
Beck took a few steps back to join you and Shanks, then nudged your shoulder to catch your attention. “You know them, don’t you?”
“It’s a Zauanian battleship…” You muttered, and panic flashed between Shanks and Beck, whose awareness multiplied. “Calm down, I’m fine,” shrugging with a slight grimace, you scowled at them. Zauana had no power over you anymore.
“Do they want their treasure back?”
“Probably.”
You all foresaw it, nothing stopped you from it, yet when it actually happened, you froze in place. Speechless. Breathless.
One by one, spears soared through the air from a mile away, then landed in the sand in front of your feet. They were perfectly calculated shots, aimed exactly where they dug into the ground. The spears weren’t supposed to cause any damage or intimidate you. They were there to deliver a message. A powerful one. On each end of the nine spears was a lifeless, decapitated head of a child, the handle of the weapons slit through their skulls.
How naïve you were…
Involuntarily, you stared at the corpses before you, identifying your younger siblings.
So, they knew. They knew you were there, they knew you killed the queen, and by extension, her children. You should’ve expected them to get rid of all of you, since you were no longer useful for Zauana. None of them was a good heir yet. Shit.
“Incoming,” Beck murmured.
“I advise you to back off, boys,” Shanks yelled at the crew, who listened to him eagerly. If they could avoid the confrontation with whoever did this, they took the chance happily. Murdering and disgracing children was over the line, even for pirates. These pirates.
Out of the sky, a tall and enormous figure appeared, jumping onto the shore with a large, wet linen bag on his back. It swung side to side as he stumbled closer, recognizing you in the crowd instantly.
“Hey there, dear niece, or shall I call you princess?” he greeted you with a cold, emotionless growl.
“Uncle,” fisting your hands, you blocked his way in an unyielding stance.
“The spies weren’t sure if it was you or not. Now I get it, why. You look nothing like your late mother anymore. Such a shame…” your uncle sighed in disappointment. “You were a real beauty back then. Where did it all go? To these filthy pirates? Are they your friends?” Taking a peek behind you, the man examined the crew.
“We are his family now,” Shanks interrupted him with a sly smirk, masking his actual feelings of shock and terror.
“Family, hm?” Your uncle parted his mouth first, then barked out a vicious, menacing laugh. “Here is all of your mother, then.”
Without wasting another second, your uncle shifted the bag in front of himself and emptied it onto the ground. The white, rotting, static headless body fell in the sand. The embroidered silk kaftan and veil hung over it, the burgundy fabric soaked in blood and other fluids. Your mother's remains were on full display in front of your feet.
Your glassy eyes turned bright red in disbelief, shock, trauma, and you suddenly felt nothing and everything all at once. The color faded from your face, leaving you pale and still. The only thing surrounding you was the limitless haki gathering around your skin with a scarlet glow.
Shanks saw what would happen. He knew what was about to go down and how he wouldn’t be able to prevent it from happening. Swiftly, he launched himself at you, hugging your body firmly. There was nothing that could’ve stopped your outburst, but if he tried to–
“I’d leave if I wanted to live.” Beck’s rifle rose to the air, but your uncle didn’t need the warning. He was already gone. “Go to the ship, guys! Right now!” The vice-captain gave the order, and the whole crew obeyed it.
Yasopp and Lime took care of the few locals, while Roux and Snake carried those newcomers who had fainted from the smallest amount of haki that flooded from you. It was deadly. Before his exit, Beck took one last glimpse at Shanks, and they didn’t need to acknowledge anything. It was all too clear.
Shanks tightened his hold on your blind and uncontrollable body, ready to minimize the damage. It didn’t have much use, but if he covered some of your untamed haki, the diameter and intensity of the explosion might shrink. No. This was only an excuse. He just wanted to stay with you.
“It’s okay. You are not alone,” gently, he whispered.
Your head dropped back, and your expression became hollow. Your emotions surged out of you in the form of pure, solid energy. It tore through the air with a deafening roar, with a bright flash. The island convulsed beneath the power while the shockwave sent dust, sand, leaves, and debris flying. The trees bent flat, and loose objects lifted and hurled. The crew's ears rang from the blast, even from afar. No one expected this much of an impact.
You and Shanks both collapsed, limp, both exhausted by the effects of your tantrum.
“It is over.” Shanks uttered weakly, combing your hair back from your face that finally had some color again. “Do you hear me?”
“Shanks?” The fog faded from your vision, and your mind and perception began to function again. “Shanks,” with the tears replacing the overflowing energy, you buried yourself in his embrace, sobbing desperately. “Shanks…”
“I’m here,” he coughed up a silent laugh. “I want to tell you, while I can–, I love you. That’s what I said.”
Hesitantly, with an unsure motion, you raised your gaze at him. Shanks had a tender smile on his lips. He looked at you affectionately, his slowly closing eyes bearing all his accumulated emotions that had built up over the year. Day by day, hour by hour. On the brink of death.
Shanks fainted before you could even comprehend what he just said, let alone react. He fell asleep without knowing your response.
“Somebody! Help!” you yelled with your voice cracking at each word. “Please!”
Pages Navigation
aleyaya on Chapter 1 Wed 11 Jun 2025 02:43PM UTC
Comment Actions
abcdefh_thatshowfariknow on Chapter 1 Thu 12 Jun 2025 07:32AM UTC
Comment Actions
SHEEATSSOULS on Chapter 1 Fri 13 Jun 2025 12:44AM UTC
Comment Actions
abcdefh_thatshowfariknow on Chapter 1 Fri 13 Jun 2025 05:27PM UTC
Comment Actions
freakplantparent on Chapter 1 Sun 22 Jun 2025 12:18AM UTC
Comment Actions
abcdefh_thatshowfariknow on Chapter 1 Sun 22 Jun 2025 10:24AM UTC
Comment Actions
aleyaya on Chapter 2 Sat 14 Jun 2025 07:17AM UTC
Comment Actions
abcdefh_thatshowfariknow on Chapter 2 Sun 15 Jun 2025 07:54AM UTC
Comment Actions
aleyaya on Chapter 2 Sat 14 Jun 2025 07:17AM UTC
Comment Actions
FushiNakahari on Chapter 2 Sat 14 Jun 2025 07:57AM UTC
Comment Actions
abcdefh_thatshowfariknow on Chapter 2 Sun 15 Jun 2025 07:50AM UTC
Comment Actions
SHEEATSSOULS on Chapter 2 Sat 14 Jun 2025 02:36PM UTC
Comment Actions
abcdefh_thatshowfariknow on Chapter 2 Sun 15 Jun 2025 07:46AM UTC
Comment Actions
Eunxl on Chapter 2 Sat 14 Jun 2025 04:48PM UTC
Comment Actions
abcdefh_thatshowfariknow on Chapter 2 Sun 15 Jun 2025 07:51AM UTC
Comment Actions
Yuzuki476 on Chapter 2 Fri 22 Aug 2025 04:29AM UTC
Comment Actions
always_reading2027 on Chapter 3 Wed 18 Jun 2025 01:48PM UTC
Comment Actions
abcdefh_thatshowfariknow on Chapter 3 Fri 20 Jun 2025 11:32AM UTC
Comment Actions
Rowanwillow on Chapter 3 Wed 18 Jun 2025 02:33PM UTC
Comment Actions
abcdefh_thatshowfariknow on Chapter 3 Fri 20 Jun 2025 11:32AM UTC
Comment Actions
Rowanwillow on Chapter 3 Fri 20 Jun 2025 02:39PM UTC
Comment Actions
SHEEATSSOULS on Chapter 3 Wed 18 Jun 2025 02:40PM UTC
Comment Actions
abcdefh_thatshowfariknow on Chapter 3 Fri 20 Jun 2025 11:32AM UTC
Comment Actions
crowsncats on Chapter 3 Thu 19 Jun 2025 05:45AM UTC
Comment Actions
abcdefh_thatshowfariknow on Chapter 3 Fri 20 Jun 2025 11:33AM UTC
Comment Actions
nix (Guest) on Chapter 3 Thu 19 Jun 2025 01:19PM UTC
Comment Actions
abcdefh_thatshowfariknow on Chapter 3 Fri 20 Jun 2025 11:55AM UTC
Comment Actions
Kam1sama on Chapter 3 Fri 20 Jun 2025 01:27PM UTC
Comment Actions
abcdefh_thatshowfariknow on Chapter 3 Sat 21 Jun 2025 07:00PM UTC
Comment Actions
Yuzuki476 on Chapter 3 Fri 22 Aug 2025 04:42AM UTC
Comment Actions
Eunxl on Chapter 4 Sat 21 Jun 2025 08:49PM UTC
Comment Actions
abcdefh_thatshowfariknow on Chapter 4 Sun 22 Jun 2025 10:22AM UTC
Comment Actions
freakplantparent on Chapter 4 Sun 22 Jun 2025 12:55AM UTC
Comment Actions
abcdefh_thatshowfariknow on Chapter 4 Sun 22 Jun 2025 10:24AM UTC
Comment Actions
SHEEATSSOULS on Chapter 4 Sun 22 Jun 2025 01:05AM UTC
Comment Actions
abcdefh_thatshowfariknow on Chapter 4 Sun 22 Jun 2025 10:26AM UTC
Comment Actions
Rowanwillow on Chapter 4 Sun 22 Jun 2025 06:09AM UTC
Comment Actions
abcdefh_thatshowfariknow on Chapter 4 Sun 22 Jun 2025 10:27AM UTC
Comment Actions
Rowanwillow on Chapter 4 Sun 22 Jun 2025 11:47AM UTC
Comment Actions
Pages Navigation