Whumptober 2021

Summary: Whumptober Day 3: "Who Did This To You?" Benn/Shanks

Warnings: mentions of Physical Harm

Whumptober Day Three: "Who Did This To You?" (Benn/Shanks)

Shanks' entire face felt like it was on fire. The skin over his left eye splitting in pain as the blood ran down his face as he stumbled back towards the Red Force. Heaving as he pushed himself forward. He couldn't even begin to explain what had happened. He had gotten into an altercation with Teach of the Whitebeard Pirates and somehow the man was able to break through his defenses and hit Shanks' left eye with his bladed claw.

Shanks wasn't even sure if he would be able to see out of his eye now. All he felt was pain. Blood filling his eye so all he saw was red. Quite literally.

He had his hand over the wound, his own sash in hand to put pressure on the injury. He stumbled over his feet again as he pushed against a tree as he broke through the tree line for the port.

Through his good eye, he was able to see his nakama. His crew working on restocking the ship before they would be leaving again.

It didn't take long for his nakama to notice him as Yasopp and Lucky Roux were already rushing forward. Hands grabbing his arms to help him walk forward. Helping him stay on his feet as he lost his balance. His doctor was already running towards them with his medical bag in hand. "Captain, what happened?"

"I'm… I'm alright." He muttered, the blood loss making his head swim as he was guided up the gangplank and onto the deck. He sat down on a nearby box, gripping onto the lid to keep himself from falling over. Huffing from the mixture of fatigue and blood loss.

"Captain, you're losing a lot of blood." Yasopp stated, the concern clear on the Sniper's face.

Shanks shook his head as his doctor started to pull his hand away but Shanks winced causing the man to stop his action with an apology. Stating that he needed to look at the injury. "I'll be fine."

Heavy footsteps quickly followed before anyone else could say anything else, and Shanks looked through of the corner of his right eye to see Benn heading in his direction. A look of apprehension on his face as he kneeled down at the red head's side. Placing his hand on Shanks' shoulder. A calm, reassuring action. Shanks moved his free hand over, running his fingers through locks of black hair. Letting his fingers settle on the back of his First Mate's neck. "Who did this to you?"

Shanks winced as his doctor pulled his hand away, starting to clean the blood away and disinfect the wound. "Teach." He replied.

"The Whitebeard Pirate?"

Shanks made a noise of confirmation.

His doctor muttered, "Let's get you to the infirmary."

"I'm alright. I promise." Shanks replied.

"Captain, go." Benn ordered.

Shanks gave him a look. Seeing the glint in Benn's eyes that were a mixture of stern and worry. The Captain relented, nodding and letting Benn pull him up and the man and the doctor guided him towards the infirmary.

Arriving to the room, Shanks sat down on the closest bed and let his doctor get to work. Fully cleaning the fresh cuts causing Shanks to wince slightly as his doctor operated. Benn sat in the chair a little way from him. Staring straight at Shanks with a look that even the red head couldn't read.

Shanks chose to sit in silence as his doctor patched him up, putting bandages over his eye. "From what I can see, your vision won't be affected. It missed your eye completely and just hit the skin under and above it." The doctor stated, using the other side of the red head's face to symbolize where the injury had been.

Shanks nodded, looking down, pausing as he saw the blood over his shirt. His blood splattered over the fabric. He frowned, reaching behind him, and placing his hat back on his head. He hated this. He hated the feeling in the pit of his stomach.

This could have gone so much worse. He could have lost his life.

Teach had managed to get past his defenses. He wasn't messing around like he would sometimes during his duels with Mihawk. Even pulling out all of the training he had throughout his life, wasn't enough to keep Teach from being able to hit him.

It could have ended so much worse than just a simple hit to the face.

He could have been killed.

He could have left his nakama behind. His family. Benn.

Benn, being the man that could always somehow sense when something was bugging Shanks, walked over, grabbing him by the wrists and pulling him up. Benn smiled softly down at him as he glanced up through red colored bangs. "C'mon, Shanks." Benn muttered, moving the strands out of Shanks' face, and tucking it behind his ear.

Shanks mustered a smile, following Benn out of the room as he flashed a smile to his doctor. Heading straight for his Captain's quarters.

He didn't even realize that he was shaking until Benn had closed the door and ran his hands down Shanks' arms, muttering sweet nothings into his ear. Benn took the lead from him, unbuttoning his shirt and sliding it off of his arms and letting it fall to the floor. Guiding him to sit on the bed as he watched Benn disappear into his personal bathroom, coming back out with a freshly wet rag. Benn kneeled in front of him, wiping the rag over his neck where their doctor had missed. Once his skin was cleaned, the older pirate moved to his hands. Gently moving the cloth over his palms and fingers. Working the fabric over until it was completely clean.

Once he was done, Benn stood back up and walked over to Shanks' dresser, pulling out a new shirt and handing it over the red head. Shanks muttered a quick thank you, slipping into it and buttoning it up halfway. He sighed, pulling his hat back off of his head before he was falling back against his bed.

Today has been a rough day.

He just wanted to get drunk and forget about it.

He didn't want to think about the power he felt radiating off of Teach. The fears he had that the man could have actually killed him. That man was hiding behind Whitebeard's power. He came off as if he were stupid or weak. That was far from the truth and Shanks had gotten a taste of that power off of him. Even one mistake could prove either life or death with that man. Shanks noted to make sure to keep an eye on him in the future. He was sure Teach had ulterior motives. Why else hide that power that Shanks had felt?

The bed dipped, signifying that Benn had laid down to him. Shanks just closed his eyes, turning and curling into his lover's side. Letting Benn's silent but strong demeanor comfort him for the time being.

His face radiated in pain, and he hadn't even thought about asking something for it. He just wanted to put it aside and move on.

Though, it gave him a new idea for a new jolly roger.

Something good might have come out of it.