Title: Hide and Seek
Theme: Set #1 - Smoke
Claim: Shanks
Words: 529
Rating: K+
Disclaimers: I don't own One Piece.


Benn is, in many ways, the perfect first mate. Shanks knew that from the beginning, of course, otherwise he wouldn't have chosen him. He's about as close to Silvers Rayleigh as a man can get without actually being Silvers Rayleigh.

But Benn isn't 100% perfect, which is great, because it would be hard to tease a perfect man, and Shanks loves to tease.

So, issue number one. Benn smokes like a chimney. Shanks hadn't thought this was a problem when they first met, but that was before he found out just how much of a chain smoker Benn really is. Shanks makes it a policy never to interfere with the personal lives and habits of the crew, but he realises that if they're going to be a team for years to come, he'll need Benn to indulge his deadly habit a little less.

Stealing and hiding his first mate's cigarettes probably isn't how Roger would have handled the situation, but it's Shanks' way, and it's fun!

It would be a lot more fun if it weren't for issue number two.

Benn is way too smart, and his intelligence carries over directly to this game of cigarette hide-and-seek. It's never taken him more than five tries to find his smokes, and often takes fewer than that, no matter who Shanks presses into hiding the pack for him. The man's positively uncanny.

But that's all in the past, because he's thought of the last place Benn will ever look. Shanks takes the pack of cigarettes and, with a mischievous wink to the crew who happen to be on deck, pops it into his pants.

The crew quickly silence their sniggering when Benn arrives on deck, ostensibly so as not to give him any clues as to the cigarettes' unusual hiding place, though Benn's sweeping, withering glare certainly plays its part.

An empty barrel is the first thing Benn tries. Shanks has to stifle his giggles at such an obviously unimaginative choice of hiding place. That's one.

Next to receive his attention is the hem of the sail. Benn must be losing his touch, Shanks thinks - that was the hiding-place he used three rounds ago. That's two.

Three and four are the barrels of the port and starboard cannons respectively. By this time, Shanks can barely contain his glee at having fooled Benn for so long.

Then Benn straightens up and turns his gaze on Shanks. Shanks meets it with a friendly wave. "Lost something, Benn?"

Benn sighs. "You didn't."

"Didn't what?" Shanks asks innocently.

Benn just strides up to Shanks, rolling up his sleeves, the look on his face somewhere between I can't believe I have to do this and What an ass I have for a captain.

Everyone decides they're never going to hide Benn's cigarettes for Shanks again.

Everyone except Shanks. After a short mourning period for the loss of his wonderfully electric pink-and-orange checked pants, he's back to his old tricks.

This time, he's going for six.


A/N: I think Benn secretly enjoys these games of hide-and-seek, otherwise he wouldn't let Shanks keep on stealing his ciggies :-P