Paper Hat
A/N: So, this is my first One Piece story, and I hope it's good. Please read and review
Thanks to AlElizabeth for beta-ing, even though she isn't in One Piece fandom
Red-haired Shanks had been in Foosha Village for just over a week, and had so far managed to ingratiate himself with most of the residents, due to his calm and polite attitude. There were those of the village, though, like every other one he had been to that found welcoming pirates an insult their delicate sensibilities.
That was why Shanks and his sniper, Yasopp found themselves behind Party's Bar.
To be fair, it wasn't actually because the four men facing them disliked pirates, if that was the only reason then Shanks would have just ignored the small group of town thugs. No, these 'men' had dared to lay a hand on Makino, the kind bartender that had been taking care of the Red Hair Pirates since they'd landed.
Shanks felt his hands curl into angry fists when he thought back on the treatment that Makino had been subjected to. Firstly, the crude jokes had been bad enough, which was what originally drew Shanks' attention to the group, but then they had touched her behind and when she warned them to stop, she had been slapped in the face so hard she'd spun and slammed into one of the tables.
Immediately, the group of pirates had been on their feet, demanding a fight against the group.
Makino, being the sweet angel she was, begged Shanks to not worry and to relax, assuring him that she was fine, but he ignored her words.
That's how Shanks had ended up facing the thugs, he didn't need Yasopp, and would have much rather fighting on his own, so he could savour the fight, but the sniper had insisted on protecting Makino's honour also.
A cool wind blew through the village and there was silence as the opponents eyed each other, getting ready.
OP OP OP OP OP OP
Monkey D. Luffy ran excited into Party's bar clutching a paper pirate hat tightly in his hands. He had watched some of the other boys in the village make them and start fighting, declaring that they would be strong captains one day. It took several tries and many pieces of crumpled newspapers he'd managed to scab from his grandfather.
As soon as he had managed to make the hat he had run for the bar that Shanks and his crew spent time in.
When Luffy burst into the bar he found the majority of the crew angrily nursing their beers and sake, while the first mate, Benn, sat quietly with Makino, who held a cold towel to her cheek.
"Where's Shanks?" Luffy demanded, immediately noticing the absence of his favourite pirate.
"He's out back, Luffy. You should stay here, he'll be back," Makino told the young boy, a soft smile appearing on her face.
Completely ignoring the advice, Luffy ran out of the bar despite the numerous shouts for him to the come back from the rest of the crew.
Luffy ran around to the back of the bar, his feet never faltering even when he say Shanks and Yasopp fist-fighting with a group of local thugs. "Shanks!" Luffy shouted and lunged at the pirate captain.
OP OP OP OP OP OP
Shanks smiled as his fist handed heavily in the smug grin of the man who had slapped Makino. He and Yasopp had decided without speaking to not use their numerous gifts, such as amazing sniping abilities or Haki, to remind the thugs of their place in the world by using bare knuckles. It's not like scum like them deserved better.
The men were falling around the two pirates like dominoes and Shanks revelled in the chance to swing a fist again, like he had when he was just starting out.
"Shanks!" The pirate captain heard a second before his fist flew again. Instead of the pierced, ugly face of the thug standing in front of him, Shanks' knuckles slammed directly into the small, soft face of the child that had been clinging to him all week.
Luffy staggered back into the thug the fist had been aimed at, sending the two sprawling into the dirt. Luffy brought his hand up to the already growing bruise, his eyes watering in pain and fear. "Shanks?" He whispered, his voice shaking.
For some reason, those terrified, hurt eyes only caused the captain to become angrier, fanning a flame from the attack on Makino.
"Dammit, Luffy! What the hell do you think you're doing? Get out of here! You're annoying!" Shanks yelled.
The boy's expression completely crumbled, a devastated look forming on his face. "I … I'm sorry," he whispered and ran off quickly, the newspaper pirate hat forgotten and left lying in the dirty back alley.
Shanks seethed. The final punch that he had intended for the thug hadn't landed on the right person but the effect was the same, all their opponents were out cold.
Nearby Yasopp brushed off his shirt. "That wasn't very smart, Captain."
Immediately Shanks felt all his anger dissolve, leaving only a sickened feeling at himself.
"I know I don't have much right to say it, seeing as I left little Usopp, but I do know that is not the way you get kids to like you. And after taking a punch like that … Well you'll be lucky if he even looks at you again," the sniper announced and started walking back to the front of the bar.
Shanks stood quietly for a long time, his heart pounding, unable to get to look of betrayal and fear that Luffy had shown him out of his head. There were so many people who feared him, and he had finally found someone brave enough to yell at him and tease him. The last thing he wanted was for that bright spark, that little boy, to fear him.
"Oh God, what did I do?" He asked himself.
OP OP OP OP OP OP
Luffy ran through the village, not stopping to speak to anyone, and headed towards the harbour.
He stumbled to a halt in front of Shanks' ship and glared angrily at the offending vessel. "You bastard!" Luffy shrieked and whipped his sandals at the ship in anger, wishing more than anything he had some rocks to throw.
One of the Pirates on the ship stuck his head up over he edge, "Hey you kid! Get the hell out of here!"
Tears streamed down Luffy's face as he ran off the boards and onto the sandy beach, twisting his ankle. Luffy ran for half an hour before, finally exhaustion and pain caught up with him and he collapsed onto the sand and stared out to the ocean he was determined to sail on.
It was about three quarters of an hour later, when a voice suddenly spoke up from beside Luffy. "I'm sorry."
Luffy jumped in the air and whipped around to see Shanks sitting the sand next to him. The young boy looked away from the pirate, angry tears burning his eyes.
"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be busy getting drunk?" Luffy demanded, crossing his arms.
Shanks sighed. "Listen, Luffy. I'm a pirate. We fight and drink and steal. I know you think it's all fun times and singing but being a pirate can be pretty scary," Shanks explained. "When I was fighting those guys… I wasn't paying attention to what was around me and gave into my anger, like we all do sometimes. And then you jumped in …"
Luffy had turned slightly towards the pirate but didn't speak. Despite this, Shanks knew he was listening closely and learning.
"I'm sorry I hit you, but most of all I'm sorry I yelled at you. It wasn't your fault," Shanks apologized again.
Luffy finally turns towards the pirate. "So … I'm not annoying?"
Shanks grinned. "You are pretty annoying, but we don't mind. I don't mind."
Luffy felt tears run down his face again, this time though he was grinning wide.
Shanks shook his head, "You're going to have to something about those tears though, pirates don't cry."
Luffy laughed and wiped away his tears, only for more to replace them.
Shanks stood slowly and heard a crinkle. "Oh yeah, I believe you brought this pirate hat?" He asked, withdrawing the paper hat he's stuck in his pocket.
Luffy took to paper hat before staring at it for a moment, "I changed my mind. I want a straw hat," he said before he left the ocean breeze pull it from his hands and down the coastline.