A big "Thank you" to Aerle who betaed the story for me ... even though she was the one to send in the prompt, which was "ShanksBenn: words you said under the stars and in the grass"


Benn's gaze wandered over the plenty stars which seemed to hang in the night sky. Next to him sat Shanks, telling him all about the figures and forms he saw in the constellations, none of them a real one, even though Benn knew his captain was aware of all the proper star constellations that the sky was showing. He wasn't really paying attention to Shanks' babbling, he rather wondered why they were here after all.

The whole crew had had a day off today, and because they had moored at a small summer island with a white sand strand, going to the beach to have a swim and enjoy the weather had seemed only logical. When it was time for the sun to set, most of the men decided to go back to the Red Force, to have a shower and to get something to eat, and actually Benn had in mind to do the same until his captain showed up next to him and asked if it was okay to slip off. He wanted to show him something, had been his words, but Benn hadn't assumed that showing him something had contained the stars. If it had been romantic in any way, he maybe would have enjoyed it, but Shanks was talking the whole time, so Benn had neither the time to say something by himself, nor had he had the chance to kiss him to change slightly the mood into what Benn considered romantic. To add things up, his whole body felt itchy because of the sand and the salt of the ocean, and he grew tired and hungry.

A low sigh escaped his mouth, and suddenly he recognized that Shanks had become irritatingly quiet. The mood had changed into something heavy, and dark eyes rested on his body, mustering him, glowing with concern and bittersweet despair. Benn shivered even though the night was warm, and his hand reached for Shanks', entangling their fingers with each other. At once there was a lump in his throat he couldn't explain.

"What is wrong, captain?" Benn asked him in a soft voice, the tone was a bit off, the words were a bit weary, and there was Shanks, just looking at him. He only watched him with an intense gaze, and Benn's worry grew deeper. "Shanks …?"

Silence filled the space between them, the air as thick as fabric until Shanks made himself loose from Benn's grip to run his hand through his hair. The loss of the warmth against his own hand made Benn shiver again, and it felt as if Shanks had left him.

"Tell me, Benn, what would you do, if I quit being a pirate?" Shanks voice was far away, his thoughts somewhere between here and there, and Benn could only stare at him, eyes wide, irritation written all over his face.

"You want to quit?" he managed to say eventually, and finally, Shanks looked at him for real, shaking his head.

"No … no, I just want to know."

The realization sunk in that this question was why Shanks had wanted to come here. Maybe he had been thinking for days about it, not able to ask him, because it wasn't a question to ask in passing. He could tell from the way Shanks plucked at the grass, to distract his hand from shaking.

"It depends on what you want to do, if you quit," Benn said honestly, a warm smile on his face. He never thought about it, but he was sure he would follow Shanks wherever he wanted to go. It didn't matter if he was his captain or not. He was his life, and nothing would change that.

"How do you mean that?" Shanks asked, and Benn noticed that his hand had stopped ripping off the grass. He had his captain's full attention.

"It means, that I can't know what I would do when I don't know what you'll do," he said and stopped for a short moment to reach for Shanks' hand, pulling him a bit closer. "Shanks, I will always follow you. It doesn't really matter if you're a pirate, my captain, or just yourself. As long as you want me by your side, I will follow you," Benn finished and suddenly chocked on his own words. What if Shanks didn't want him anymore? Was that the reason he brought the subject up? Was it that Shanks appreciated him as his first mate, but wouldn't want him if this era was over?

Benn intended to ask, but the words stuck in his throat, and Shanks was fast by letting his hand trail to his cheeks and holding his chin. His thumb caressed Benn's face, the look in his eyes suddenly warm. "I'll always want you," he murmured, but then the hand was gone, again, and Shanks eyes filled with sorrow. "I just thought … I wondered if you never wanted to live … you know, your own life?"

Shanks' look was so heartbreaking, Benn loved him even more when he saw the fear in the familiar features. His captain's feelings lay bare open in front of him, his heart a book easy to read. Benn knew it must have cost Shanks quite the effort to tell him what was bothering him. He could guess why Shanks wanted to know. Benn was with him since he was eighteen years old; he had dedicated his life to this man and knew that Shanks wondered if Benn didn't want more. But Benn never wanted more. This was all he had hoped to get from his life and Shanks was… He was his beating heart and the center, around which his world spun.

Soft fingers reached for Shanks' wrist, pulled him even closer, and the other man fell against Benn's chest. Irritated eyes darted up and made Benn smile. It was as if he could hear Shanks' heart beat steadily. He enjoyed the warmth for a moment, closing his eyes, before he pushed Shanks a bit back to bent down and kiss him. Soft lips brushed over soft lips, and Benn put all his love and care into it. When they finally ended the kiss, Benn rested his chin on Shanks' red strands and smiled even though Shanks couldn't see it.

"Benn …?" Shanks whispered. It was an unspoken question, filled with confusion, fear and a wild, uncontrollable hope.

Benn fed this small flame by letting his hands trail over Shanks' back and finally, he spoke, "I live my own life. I wouldn't know how to live it differently."

"But Benn..." Shanks interrupted him, and this time, Benn pushed him away to look into his eyes.

His smile grew into a grin. "What? It just happened that living my life consists following you. I see nothing bad in it. Do you?"

Shanks stared at him for a second, but eventually his features turned into a grin as well, and he shook his head. "No, not at all," he laughed before he pushed himself out of Benn's arms and into a stance. His hand reached for Benn's, to help him stand up, too.

Benn took the offer gladly, happy to finally get out of here. It was nice to sit under the stars with the man he loved, but to be honest, his mind conjured up some other things that could be way nicer. With ease, he wrapped his arms around his captain, and his fingers slipped under the shirt of the other man. Meanwhile, he whispered, "Do you know what I would love to do now?" Shanks just shook his head, and Benn continued, "To take a shower, preferably with my captain. To eat something, preferably with my captain, as well and to have decent sleep."

Shanks blinked and grinned, "Preferably with your captain, too?"

It made Benn laugh. "Only with my captain and no one else!"