Pirates in The Bar

He was one of my lovers. Admittedly there were a few… I was known as a bit of a whore… I have loved a few men in my time… okay more than a few… a good going amount… they were all pirates of course. Right up my street. They were perfect for a girl like me. I travelled a lot. From tavern to tavern as a barmaid or a dancer.

Then he came. That Pirate. That sweet, sweet flirter. Red Haired Shanks. He was one of them, one of many, yet the one long term one. I remember that day so clearly. The day he arrived into the town I was currently working in. There was a boy there. Monkey D. Luffy. I cared for him like a sister would a little brother. I was talking to him one day when the bar was particularly empty when he and his crew came through. Luffy jumped up yelling 'Pirate! Pirate!' as they sat down at a table.

I went up to them 'Hey what do you want to drink?' I asked. My hand one the table.

'Sake for us all please' the red haired one had said, Sat back on his chair. A straw hat covering his head 'If you don't mind hon.' He smiled. I nodded and went to the drinks. Luffy jumped up again.

'Kumiko! He's a pirate!' he told me. I laughed and ruffled his hair.

'So he is, hey, why don't you come with me to talk to them after I give them their drinks?'

'Yeaaaahh!' He punched the air as I got the drinks. I went back to the table and gave the sake out.

'What are a bunch of pirates doing out here then?' I asked sitting down with Luffy on my lap.

'We needed somewhere to rest up' Red Head said 'we were closest to here, so we stopped'

'Are you really pirates?' Luffy asked, his bright eyes wide open.

'Yup we are kid' Red head laughed.

'Wooowww' Luffy's mouth made the vowel's extra long. His eyes were jumping out of their sockets in awe.

'What are your names then?' I asked carefully

'I'm Shanks' the red head answered. The others said their names, but my mind was only focused on Shanks. I had a feeling that Luffy had the same fixation on him.

'So so, if you're a pirate, do you like fight other pirates and steal stuff?' He sat up and held a fist up.

Shanks laughed 'Sometimes, kid, whats your name?'

'Me?' He pointed a thumb at himself 'I'm Monkey D. Luffy' he looked proud of himself.

'How about I teach you some stuff Luffy?' Shanks offered, loving Luffy's bright, enthusiastic personality.

'Yes Please Shanks!' he turned to me 'did you hear that Kumiko? I'm being his apprentice!'

'Well done Luffy! I'm so proud of you!' I hugged him tight 'your swimming skills will be even more useful now'

'so oyur a good swimmer?' He asked Luffy

'Yeah, I'm the best' He said, his smile getting bigger and bigger.

'And whats your name gorgeous?' Shanks asked

'She's Kumiko, she's my best friend!' Luffy answered for me.

'Wow, bit old to be your friend is'nt she?' He asked, laughing and smiling

'Hey! How old do you think I am mister?' I asked '50?'

Shanks laughed 'you should be out with young pirate boys' He winked

'I am! Luffy's a pirate in training now!' I smiled

'Kumiko, why are you flirting with him?' Luffy asked innocently.

I put my head into my heads in defeat, trust Luffy to spurt that out, he knows me too well… when a 7 year old can tell when a 16 year old is flirting it shows that they've been around each other too much.

'You were flirting? Damn, because so was I' Shanks said easily.

'Oh Kumiko, he likes you' Luffy said, tugging on a strand of my pink hair.

'Does anyone want a top up of Sake?' I asked standing up, placing Luffy on the stool next to me. I didn't wait for an answer I just ran for more drinks. When I was at the bar Shanks appeared next to me.

'Your subtle at flirting, I thought that was just you' he said.

'Luffy knows though, I've flirted too many times in front of him' I replied mumbling

'Whoa? You didn't look like that type to me' Shanks told me

'hmm' I answered back.

'We're going to sleep on our ship tonight, want to join us? It's going be a small party' Shanks tried again.

'Sure, after I've checked Luffy's asleep' I replied. And that was that. It was like mine and Shanks first date planned there and then.

Luffy went to bed and I was let of work. I went to the dock and found Shanks ship easily. He helped me on to the ship by my hand.

The rest of the crew asked if I had brought some Sake with me. I showed them the barrel on the dock that I couldn't lift onto the boat. Two of the crew members brought it onto the ship and began to put some into beer glasses.

Shanks talked to me most of the night. We talked about our lives, from childhood to now. He was older than me by a few years at least, but that never mattered to me. We danced to the crew stomping a beat on the ships deck. The middle of the night drew closer. The crew were going one by one down to the sleeping cabins. Shanks and I stayed leaning on the side of the boat.

'You're so different to the other pirates I've met…' I told him, a can of Sake in my hand.

'Why do you say that?' He asked, His hand took mine.

I shook my head; I didn't want to explain the others to him. Not yet.

'One of those things, eh?' He sighed. 'I love being a pirate, especially at night when we're still travelling…the stars reflected on the sea…'

'The thoughts in your head, thinking of home' I continued 'I remember that…'

'Huh?' He let go off my hand and looked at me

'I travel a lot, from bar to bar Hitch rides with other pirates and jump off when they stop at one town' I explained.

'When will you move next?' He asked

'Who knows…? I may stay a bit longer… for Luffy, you know?' I looked at Shanks. We both knew it wasn't just Luffy.

'Yeah' we looked out to the sea again. Our skin brushed each other; His arm snaked around my waist and pulled me closer to him. 'Kumiko…' His soft voice whispered in my ear. I looked at him. I was scared. I was young. I had done worse with other pirates, true, but this was real this was… love… Our lips touched and my arms wrapped around his neck and his around my waist. Our lips parted… our tongues danced. I was locked in an eternal happiness.

Many people have found love at first site to be fake. I know it is'nt… some song lyrics came into my head …It's only legendary until someone proves it real…