Okay, so this got updated quicker than I thought but ah! I simply love this! :D And I'm glad my readers seem to enjoy it too!
-Ahem- I now present to you the second chapter. :3
It was night, the second one Luffy's been here to be exact. He'd spent the whole day looking for Ace with Shanks again but even still with the man's help they couldn't find him and even Luffy was beginning to come to the conclusion that he wasn't around this area. It didn't take a whole lot of thinking - which Luffy didn't like doing to begin with. It was just instinct and the closeness he had with Ace to know when something was off...
He's lost him and he's not sure if he'll see Ace again, which had him crying a few times earlier that day and having Shanks in a somewhat panic of not knowing how to settle him down aside from hugging him and assuring him it'll be alright.
In all honesty, if Ace were here right now, he'd scold him and threaten him for being a whiner but that only made Luffy miss him more.
One thing was promising though, and that was Shanks. He really was a nice guy, definitely not like the people Ace has described to Luffy in the past, although the man reeked of alcohol - even today because Shanks stopped by Makino's for a drink. His friends weren't there of course, again. Not that Shanks really had a reason to blame them today, it was work day for some of them after all.
That was alright though, he supposed. He had plenty good company now from Luffy. Of course the kid wasn't like an adult, where Shanks could ramble on about hot nights in bed with some beautiful girl he'd met... But Luffy was entertaining in other ways when he wasn't sulking over his brother... Such as, constantly keeping Shanks on his toes because he was just curious about everything! And Shanks often got aggravated the past two days, and thought kids were supposed to be out of that stage by now. But no, Luffy was still as easily awe-struck as ever and even Makino didn't have no real means to justify that when Shanks asked for her advice. She merely said he was just simple to please.
That aside.. Shanks with a kid to begin with... He honestly tried to avoid this situation. Don't get him wrong, he loved children but... He just never pictured himself with raising one... And yes, it was apparent that he had to be the one to see about Luffy, right? No one else would take him (not that Shanks wanted them to) and Shanks couldn't just pitch him back out on the street... And no matter how annoying the kid was, he was kinda cute too... Like right now, as Shanks returned back to his place.
Luffy was leaning against him in Shanks' hold, his body relaxed and his mind untroubled by the effects of sleep.
He looked so peaceful... Innocent and like he hadn't known what a hard day of life could be like, although Shanks could already tell that wasn't the case. It was a shame, honestly. A kid his age shouldn't be plagued with the cruelness of the world. He supposed the shitty facts of life got everyone these days though - even children.
With that being said, who could ever think to abandon this kid, or hurt him?
Shanks' mind went back to a certain someone that Luffy's also rambled about in his time being here - his grandfather. A man that seemed so brutal with the way Luffy made him out to be, such as a yeller and always calling them nasty things and even throwing them out on their own once to toughen them up. Humph. Shanks didn't know who the man was honestly, Luffy didn't give a name but something about him sound familiar. Shanks would decode that later though. He knew one thing was for certain in this moment, Luffy was to stay with him. He'd figure this raising a kid thing out as he went... Luffy wasn't going with anyone, certainly not that grandfather of his. Shanks felt a sudden protectiveness over Luffy...
"Hey, where the hell you been at?" Another's voice suddenly called from within the living room just as Shanks shut the door.
"Hey, ssh!" Shanks shushed the man. "You'll wake him up." He growled.
"Wake him up?" The other questioned, raising from the seat he sat in to go investigate just who it was Shanks was so cautious over. "The hell?! Where'd you get that thing?" He questioned, utterly surprised at the sight of Luffy in Shanks' arms.
The red-head glared at his friend. "He's not a thing. He's a boy, Buggy... I picked him up yesterday, he was walking the streets alone..." Shanks trailed off, frowning.
Buggy sighed deeply. "Leave it to you Shanks to go out and come back with a kid... A puppy I understand. But a kid? You sure are strange sometimes."
"Says the man who likes to dress as a clown every day." Shanks teased with a chuckle.
"What was that?! You say something about my nose?!" Buggy exclaimed.
"No you idiot..." Shanks trailed off, rolling his eyes. "I'll be right back, I'm going to lay him down, then we can talk."
Buggy didn't give no reply, merely watched as the man headed toward his bed room. "Man, that kid's gonna be a pain..." He grumbled, making his way to Shanks' kitchen to retrieve a beer from the man's fridge.
Meanwhile Shanks was busy laying Luffy down on his bed, slow and cautiously as to not wake the boy. He was thankful Luffy had fallen asleep on the way back because honestly, last night it was hard to get the boy to shut up, stop questioning him and telling him things and just sleep. He didn't want a repeat of that tonight.
Shanks tucked the blankets in around Luffy firmly and then leaned down to place a kiss to the boy's forehead. He didn't understand why he done it entirely, just felt like it. Perhaps he was taking this raising thing too far... If Luffy started calling him father, Shanks would honestly freak because even though he enjoyed this kid's company and took it upon himself to care for him, he didn't not wish to be made out as a potential dad to the boy.
Shanks backed away, shaking such thoughts from his head. Nope, this wasn't playing a role of a parent. Nope. It was just being kind... Yeah, just being generous.
"Well, ain't that sweet as candy." Buggy spoke, now leaning in the doorway with a beer can in hand. "Shanks, I never took you to be the fatherly type." He smirked.
Shanks huffed, turning to face the man. "Shut up..." He grumbled. "Had you found him, you'd done the same... It's not being fatherly either, it's being a decent human being..."
"That's bullshit. I detest children." Buggy retorted with a snort.
"Explains why you dress as the one thing many love." Shanks replied, wanting to smirk but he held that in check.
"Oi! I don't give a crap. I do what I like and if children approach me, well I just simply scare 'em off." The blue haired male defended.
Shanks chuckled. "Oh, come on. I've seen you a few times, being sweet to children." He grinned.
"It was only because I thought I could con their parents out of something, I swear!" Buggy was near shouting but the red tinting his cheeks told Shanks that was merely half way truthful.
"Whatever." Shanks smiled, reaching up to ruffle the man's hair when he passed him, loosening the ponytail Buggy had it up in.
Buggy growled, glaring at the man as he exited the room, demanding Buggy shut the door on his way out to.
The blue haired man gave a glance back to Luffy's sleeping form and scoffed before doing as Shanks ordered and following behind him.
"So, with that brat here, in your bed, where the hell does that leave us now?" He asked, before taking a sip of the beer.
"Eh, no where... Told ya from the start, we aren't anything serious." Oh, did Shanks forget to mention that part? Yeah, women weren't the only thing he chased after... Although he was far more picky on his men, and Buggy typically wasn't his type with how overly annoying he was and how bitchy he could be but he was the exception because Shanks knew the idiot since he was a damn kid himself and they had done many things together... Many, many things.
Buggy growled again, his eyes meeting Shanks' "I know that moron, but... You're not just gonna drop your life for a kid that isn't even yours... Are you?" He questioned, a hint of sympathy in his voice although Shanks wasn't sure why it was there in the first place. He certainly didn't want anyone feeling sorry for him because he took on this task.
"Nah man. Makino lets me bring him into the bar. I'm still gonna live my life but, Luffy's gonna be there with me... Uh... But the more intimate affairs, that's yet to be worked out." He chuckled. "You'll be fine without me though... You got your loyal freaks you call followers to have fun with."
"Luffy? Oh, charming name." Buggy rolled his eyes, now taking a seat in the chair in the living room. "I might forgive you, for your lack of attention towards me because I've known my whole life basically but... I'll tell ya who's not gonna be happy and that's Benn. Bastard thinks he owns you."
Shanks sighed as he sat on the couch in the room. "Oh, he will get over it as well. He has to. Because Luffy needs me, more than some occasional lover." The man clarified and for a moment he couldn't believe what he was even saying. Him, sacrificing his good times with people for a child? Oh, he never thought he'd see the day! But Luffy, that boy was already promising to be something else and he's only known him two days.
"Hm..." Buggy trailed off, looking around the place once as he took another drink of the beer. "Your place is such a mess you know... More than usual and I damn near fell when I came in earlier... I'm guessing that's the kid's doing?"
Shanks couldn't stop the small laugh that left him. "Yeah, he's not the most tidy of people." Shanks admitted. That was perhaps an understatement considering Luffy already had the house in a mess in his investigation of it yesterday.
"Your fridge is kinda empty too..." Buggy mentioned off-handedly.
"Yeah... He eats ALOT... Six meals to him is equal to three of ours."
"Shanks, you're a fool." Buggy sighed. "You have barely been able to support yourself and your little habit, and now you got a kid that eats like a pig... How are you ever to afford this with your limited source of income?" Buggy asked, in disbelief that this could work.
"I'll figure something out." Shanks said assuring as he laid back against the sofa.
"Oi..."
"If all you're gonna do is badger me on my decision, give me the house key back cause I don't wanna come home to that all the time." Shanks stated, briefly regretting even giving one to the idiot sitting in front of him.
"No way." Buggy retorted right away. "Coming here is a nice escape from everything else wrong in this world... Well, it was until you brought a kid here."
"Sorry, but he's not going anywhere." Shanks spoke.
"Fine." Buggy rolled his eyes. "Can't wait to know what your friends will have to say about this one..." He muttered.
Shanks let the comment go through on ear and out the other, ignoring Buggy for now. Yet, he knew it wouldn't last until his friend had thought of something else to talk about or ask.
"Hey old man." Ace greeted as he made his way into the living room, where Smoker was sitting with the T.V on some kind of action movie of sorts that Ace didn't particularly care for.
"Portgas." Smoker acknowledged his presence, but didn't give him the satisfaction of looking at him. Today's been a rough day and he wasn't particularly fond in being bothered by some kid right now. And why the hell was he even here still? Smoker expected him to be gone by time he came back.
However, Ace paid his toneless voice and lack of gaze no mind as he took a seat beside the man. "Did you go look for my brother while you were out today?" He asked. He hoped so because he was foolish enough to over sleep this morning and by time he was up, Smoker had already left - only returning moments ago.
"Sorry, it completely slipped my mind." Smoker said honestly.
Ace scowled up at him. "Oh, really?" He asked, crossing his arms over his chest. "You really are cold hearted, aren't you?"
"Kid, I swear. I had more important matters to attend to." Smoker retorted, glancing down at him out of the corner of his eye.
"Like what?" Ace asked, beginning to pout.
"Like a job." Smoker stated. "In case you haven't noticed, that's the way we adults go about getting things and supporting brats like you... Not that I should be doing that, but you're still here..." He trailed off. "And now that I'm out of the Navy, I need something to fall back on."
Ace completely ignored the part about the job. Such things bored him. "Well, I'll just go look on my own tomorrow. I can brave the streets again. I've learnt plenty already with my little time of being out there on them." Ace said, nodding to himself in satisfaction of what he had learnt exactly, such as stealing food. "'Sides, gramps use to toss me and Luffy out all the time to toughen up. Won't be anything new." He continued and Smoker had a suspicion this was all just some damn childish guilt Ace was trying to inflict upon him again and shit, it was working.
"Isn't like I wanna stay in this warm, dry house or anything no, nor have a soft bed for a change or warm meals... In fact, I don't even like it here... Whole damn place smells like those stupid cigars." Ace's nose wrinkled at the smell, as it so often done when around Smoker. The smell lingered in the man's house but it was its strongest on the man himself.
Smoker took a deep breath. "You've already been here two nights, haven't you?" He questioned.
"Yeah... Big whoop. I don't care." Ace remarked, his dark eyes locked on the T.V screen but he was far from paying attention to it. "I'll leave tomorrow."
"Fine, suit yourself... But just know, your little acts of theft aren't gonna be what keeps you alive on those streets. There's people out there bigger and badder." Smoker informed and was he honestly suggesting Ace stay here? He must be losing his damn mind. Yeah, that was it.
"I'll learn... I can sneak a knife and protect myself." Ace concluded in his own logic.
"Tsk... You've been lucky so far kid but on the streets, luck's gonna run out eventually."
"Well, you don't want me here so, I'll take my chances out there... 'Sides, you're depressing to be around." Not that Ace really knew, he didn't get to spend today with Smoker, and yesterday... Well he actually enjoyed yesterday with Smoker, although he'd never admit that.
"Yeah? Well you're not such a joy to be around either." It was somewhat of a lie. Ace was annoying, yes because Smoker's simply been so use to his solitude. But it's not like he was the worse Smoker could've been given. Oh, he knew plenty worse people that he could have stuck in his life right now.
"I sure hope Luffy's met someone who's not so mean..." Ace grumbled, although he was exaggerating it a bit there. Compared to his grandfather, Smoker was actually kind of pleasant to be around. At least he hasn't attempted to hit him... Smoker seemed all bark no bite which was a decent change. "Anyway, I'm going to bed..." Ace added, scooting off of the couch and headed toward Smoker's room. He paused, after a few steps though.
"By the way, I got hungry while you were gone so I tried cooking but it didn't go so well and... I kinda made a mess in the kitchen... But anyway... Goodnight Taisa-San!" Ace quickly said, running toward the bedroom after wards before he had to deal with Smoker's scolding because he knew there would be some on that.
It took a moment for the words to sink in, but when it did, Smoker abruptly stood. "The little bastard didn't!" He growled to himself, quickly making his way to his kitchen and sure enough... The sight that awaited him was worse than anything he could've imagined.
Milk was spilled here and there, water everywhere and various types of food and sauces spilled about on the counter tops, table and floor even and only one thought entered Smokers mind: 'What the hell was he trying to make?!'
Perfect... After a long day of roaming about looking for work, he comes home to this; really?! Smoker had it in his damn right mind to go in that bedroom and drag the kid out to make him clean this up himself but what good would that do? Ace would just fight him like hell to get out of it and somehow, Smoker already knew in the end, he'd be the one surrendering...
He sighed. He might as well save himself the damn trouble and just clean the mess up now. Tomorrow though, Ace was in store for a lecture - no, not just a lecture but a list of rules, chores, food already prepared... Wait, wait. What was he thinking? There would be no tomorrow! Tomorrow he would be free of the kid.
But why did a part of him flinch at the very thought? Surely, surely to God he wasn't getting attached to that pain in the ass devil of a boy.
Smoker shook his head, growling to himself as he walked further into the kitchen to begin his clean up. No, he had to push such things away. He would not get attached to someone, certainly not a ten year old boy! No matter what it took.
As always, let me know what you think. Reviews keep the story alive and keep your writer happy! So... Let's hear 'em! :D And... I thank the people who has already left some behind. I greatly appreciate them!
