AN: I don't own One Piece.

~.~

Luffy sighed again it has been what three weeks since Shanks and the crew left and he was so damn bored. He hated to admit it but the red-head made things interesting… and the idea that he maybe missed them was laughable. 'No way I miss Tomato! Never ever ever!' His behavior has been improving slightly, well at least toward Makino, he still wasn't ready to face her head on but he was getting there… talking about her. He had no idea how she get the idea but she seemed dead set on the idea of him being a tsundere. That was not true! But no matter how strongly and forcibly he denied her beliefs instead seem to get even deeper. It was annoying to say.

He glanced between the book he was reading and Party's Bar. Makino had new costumers, the boy raised a curios eyebrow. Something about them just screamed danger. They weren't villagers nor your run a mile guys. He watched for a few minutes growing more and more annoyed as they practically harassed Makino. His protective instincts were shouting at him. So he jumped off the tree he had been lazing in and stormed into the bar like he owned the place.

"Eh you lost little boy?" The damn monkey asked still not relinquishing the grip on Makino's wrist.

"What are you doing?" Luffy asked with a venomous tone.

"Luffy stop! Just go now!" Makino said nervously.

"You heard her, run along now brat. Adults want to have some fun." The man said with a sickening smile.

"I'll ask again." The kid said seemingly ignoring the men's now annoyed expression. "What do you idiots think you're doing to my nee-sama?" He asked his eyes seemed to glow as he locked eyes with Makino who's breath hitched slightly.

"I don't like your tone brat. Who do you think you're talking to? I'm the mountain bandit Higuma my bounty is 8 million beri. If anyone, you should address Me with sama, you stupid kid! I've had enough- Boys show him his place!" The now dubbed monkey boss commanded. The two men creeping in the shadows jumped forward. They were hoping to catch Luffy off guard and immobilize him. Too bad Luffy could hear the two behind him just fine thanks to his sensitive ears. He closed his eyes to prevent visual distractions and took one step back the two's eyes widened as their target swiftly shifted location, second step and their grabby hands missed the boy and thanks to their momentum they knew they couldn't stop in time, third step the boy's hands reached and grabbed them by their cloths guiding them to collision. They head-butted each other, a small tickle of blood appeared on their forehead. Luffy grinned slightly as they fell over. This was going to be too easy.

"My gramps can move faster than that." The boy said with a taunting smirk. It was the true, Garp could move about a 1000 times faster and it also worked wonders as an insult. They weren't only stupid but easy to read and anger too. Makino was gapping at the scene now, she cried out in alarm as more bandits attacked. Luffy cautiously took a step back and simply turned his body at such an angle that each punch missed him by about an inch or two. He could easily read them. They didn't even compare to the ones Garp throw but he wouldn't let his guard down. He may be strong but he was alone, one careless move from him and Makino could end up hurt or worse. With that in mind he kept his temper in check and refused to attack unless he was 100% sure his attack would reach its target.

"You done?" He asked with a small smile as he took now a quick step closer and he was in the bandit's personal space, he kept his eyes locked with the man's. He did all this for more reasons; one he knew that given their sudden close proximity the man would react much slower and on instinct that being the second reason- misdirection. By making the man think he would aim for his face the man's hands moved up to guard his face our of reflex and the last reason so the much slower (according to him at least) than normal but more powerful punch would connect. His hands were so short after all. To everyone's surprise the bandit he hit in the stomach flew through the air overthrowing some chairs and table before finally stopping in the wall. Luffy was laughing inside at the looks of surprise and shock on their of the pirates throw himself at him from his right side with a loud "You brat!" Luffy crouched down low knowing that thanks to his small stature the man would sail over him and end up knocking over the ones on his left.

"What are you all doing?! It's only a kid for god's sake!" Higuma shouted infuriated by their clumsiness. The boy barely did anything and yet they were already getting beaten by a mere child of all things.

Since he was crunching he sweep the feet out from under a bandit who run at him. Luffy quickly rolled out of the way so he won't get trampled on. He was at the bar where he throw a chair in the way of the one attacking him, he set up and was about to move but then one of them tried to grab him from behind the bar. The bandit only ended up gripping his hoodie luckily for Luffy; his feline reflexes were awesome. They never failed to alert him of every small change on the battlefield and right now they were working overtime. It was both a blessing at a curse truly, it was hard to discern what information was useful and which wasn't. Like at the moment he couldn't care of the bandits painful groaning on the floor but the sound of cloths shuffling behind saved him from the worst. He still got held back and hit his head pretty badly in the bar as the man pulled on his hoodie. He moved his head to the side just as a sword imbedded itself just where his head was a few seconds ago. Quickly kicking the man with the sword in the stomach all while unzipping his hood, he undressed it in one fluid motion leaving the man behind the bar to hold on to his empty jacket with a dumbfounded expression before the boy rolled back and executed a handstand and let an axe kick drop on the man who was meanwhile blinded by his jacket.

Everyone was gapping yet again; this time at the boy's appearance. His eyes were glowing in a golden color and had slit pupils; together with the black-silver accents around his eyes it reminded them of a feline's eyes. If not the two fluffy black colored cat-ears or the swishing puffed up tail behind him. The boy had a playful smile similar to an ever grinning cat's on his face as his kick connected with the bandit's head before using the man as a jumping-board to make a backwards 360 salto and land on another bandit's shoulder. Thanks to his agility and light body the man barely realized what happened before the neko-mimi boy jumped again using him as a springboard. The man knew only that one moment the boy seemed to disappear that his shoulder seemed heavier for a reason and now he was falling toward the ground… Did someone push him? One of the bandits was dumb enough to shoot at the boy who by the way wasn't just sitting around idly. He was in constant motion as he jumped and sometimes rolled out of their way. The bullets ended hitting another bandit instead of him.

"You idiot!"Higuma shouted as two more guys ended up falling to the floor with bullet wounds from friendly fire.

Luffy grinned as he quickly maneuvered his body into a grappling move so his legs choke the man whose shoulder he was sitting on at that moment. The man paled and in desperation moved backwards then forward hoping to throw the boy off. Luffy braced himself as the man jumped toward the ground head first and unfastened his legs letting the man hit the floor with an extra push from him. The push acted both as propulsion and a pivot for him. He pushed himself backwards and roll over the man's back. He landed on both his feet in a similar position as an athlete would. He looked at the bandit and felt his lips twitch, the man froze in the position he was when his head connected quite hard with the floor. He smirked slightly before he kicked the man forward so he would finally end up falling over.

"Enough! Enough!" Higuma shouted. Three bandits struggled to get to their feet."Stop or I'll blow her head off." Higuma said with growing terror as he watched the boy who took out almost his entire gang focus on him and pressed the gun closer to his hostage's head who whimpered slightly. "What kind of fucked up monster are you?" The man asked with shacking hands. There was just no way the boy was just a normal kid.

"Stupid rodent..." Luffy said as a bat broke to pieces as it was smashed over his head. The small boy looked like he didn't even felt it even when blood started to run down on the side of his bandit dropped the rest of the bat and took a fearful step back. "Dare and talk back to a cat." Luffy said with a glare his body seemed to be surrounded by blue mist like substance that floated in the air around him.

"D-d-don't you m-move! I-I'll shoot her! I'll really do it!" The man shouted as his shaking got worse.

"You dare… I'll kill you." The bandit squeaked as he aimed at the boy instead. Luffy narrowed his eyes and grinned as he stretched out his hand and the mist follow it. The man pulled the trigger as yellow eyes glowed with amusement. This wasn't right the boy should be scared why wasn't he?He fired at the demonic looking boy who stretched out his hand. Luffy smirked as the bullet was stopped by a glass like structure. Higuma was about to piss his pants, he emptied the whole magazine yet all the bullets were stopped. As the dull clicking sound of the empty magazine repeated itself, Luffy once again moved his hand now in a slashing motion and Makino was enveloped in a blue square cutting through Higuma's hand flesh, bones and all. The man screamed in pain yet there was no blood the wound looked like it have been cauterized,while Makino was protect by the blue substance.

"Sit tight… I'll finish it in a flash. I'd be best if you close your eyes until I say otherwise." The boy told Makino with a gentle and imploring smile. The bartender nodded bitterly and did so; much to the nekomimi boy's relief. Luffy knew he had to hurry she had about 5 to 10 minutes before air run out, the structure made by his particles were air-tight or more like even absorbed the oxygen nearby for some reason. But he wasn't worried so much about the time as he was about what was to follow. The other bandits could still have guns but they were too shocked to do anything at the moment and so was Higuma. He had to act fast, before they snapped out of their shock, he couldn't use his mist, since it was already protecting Makino but they didn't realize that yet. In the end he had no other choice but use that.

The neko-mimi boy simply stretched his hands and let his claws grow out as everyone still standing pointed their weapons toward him. Will Makino ever forgive him; will she call him a monster too? Actually he realized he truly didn't care about that anymore. 'Instead of hurting and losing the ones precious to me' he decided, 'if it's to protect then I will gladly become a monster'. Shocking everyone including himself just then his tail split in two, both which swished dangerously behind him. If until then his looks could have been described as cute then now the only adjective the bandits could find were monstrous.

His eyes burned almost neon black spots around his eyes extended and there were small patched of aquamarine fur in strips all over his body sans the lower half of his face. Making the until then black colored fur now gain a stripped pattern. His mouth turned into a grin that grew bigger and bigger displaying the impossibly sharp row of teeth's. Hell he could feel himself 'grow' slightly his foot almost completely turning into feline ones. The boy meanwhile obvious to most of the exterior changes could see, hear, feel everything better. He simply knew that he was stronger, faster, deadlier he could feel it in his bones.

"Blood-bath" he muttered silently and seemingly disappeared from their eyes. There were black-aquamarine flashes appearing everywhere in the room accompanied by green piercing eyes. Cries of pain, dull thuds mixed with gun shoots, shouts of fright and dripping-flowing sounds. In just a minute the last bandit fell to the ground two of his aorta's clawed open. The man was unconscious by the time he hit the floor and will be dead in a few more minutes. Blood was sprayed everywhere in the bar. The boy panted as he stopped in the middle of the room swaying dangerously his second tail disappeared in a bright flare together with rest of the changes in his body. He tried to walk over to Makino but before he could reach her he was hit by a wave of exhaustion making him fall back. He prepared for a hard impact but it didn't come

'Shit, did I miss one?' His eyes fluttered open,black spots were dancing before his eyes as he looked at the owner of the arms that caught him.

"I wondered why you guys didn't come to greet us at the docks." Shanks said as he looked at the bar that looked more like a butchers workshop at that moment. The boy smiled thanking heavens and whatever god there was; Makino was going to be safe now. Luffy moved his hand and let the mist fall down and the particles dissipate in the air. The bartender feeling the change in the air opened her eyes. Her eyes widened in apprehension and disgust before they landed on the Red-head pirates and the small boy cradled in their captain's chest.

"Luffy!" She shouted as she dashed to his side. Her worried face was the last image he saw before he totally blanked out.

"I really hope there's a good explanation for all this." Shanks said as he sit up, the boy still in his arms.

"I…" She begun but before she could say anything Benn motioned Shanks the stairs. The man nodded.

"We'll talk later, right now let's just go UP." The red-haired man said as Makino smiled thankful and ushered the man still holding Luffy toward the stairs. Doc ignored the crew behind him that whined about the injustice of it all as he followed their captain upstairs. They had to take clean up after some dead bodies while Shanks got to flirt and probably console the cute bartender, how was that fair?

~.~

Makino took the teacup from the red-head with a small grateful smile.

"… how you feeling?" The man asked in a rare serious voice making her look up at the man.

"better, is just… there was just so much blood…" her hands shake slightly almost spilling the tea. Shanks placed his hands over hers gently silencing the tremble.

"Hey it's okay. It's all over now." the deep timber of his voice calmed her greatly. Not preying for information, even though he was probably really curios. He was being attentive for her sake even though he was a pirate. Makino knew she owned them the least an explanation.

"It all happened so fast…" she told him. "Those bandits come to the bar and ordered some drinks, they were loud and annoying but I didn't think anything of it until their boss… Higuma I think was his name begun to flirt with me and make me offers …I rejected them of course but the man wouldn't take no for an answer," Shanks eyes darkened with rage " he said he and his underlings will have fun either way and it didn't matter which way I took (hic)" the girl sniffed trying hard to keep the tears in bay "the hard or the easy…" she was crying by now who could blame her she was really scared "I …slapped him… at least I wanted to but (hic) "the girl looked at her already bruised wrist "he grabbed my hand."

Shanks was fuming alright. The only thing stopping him from blowing up right there was the fact that Makino needed him and the fact that the worm downstairs was already dead. Ah he needed to thank chibi for that. Still he wished he could have had the honor to squash that good-for nothing idiotic son-of a bitch like the worm he was. He refused to acknowledge someone like that as a man. The red-headed pirate didn't let his anger show on his face though, right now he needed to reassure and calm Makino down. "It's all right we don't need to do this now..."

"No… (hic) It's alright… " She said with a bitter smile. "Then Luffy showed up…" She said with a small chuckle. "He asked them What they thought they were doing to his nee-sama?" She was a complete mess of emotions. "I mean of all the times he choose to call me that, he choose that moment. Still I… was happy" she said with an expression thorn between sadness and fondness. "I don't know why…maybe I'm just going crazy but he had this aura around him… It wasn't cockiness" she struggled to find the right words "more like confidence in himself and his abilities. Like he knew that everything was going to be just fine… it calmed me." Makino looked at him unsure like she was expecting him to call her crazy but he didn't do that instead he nodded.

"Ah… I know what you mean, I too had many experiences like that."

"Really?"

"First time it was when I met my captain… I was in the middle of a fight that looked helpless but he just stepped in and every sound became somehow distant. I felt a warm calm wash over me, I knew that everything will be alright. That I will be fine; no matter what will happen. " The girl was listening to his every word with rapt attention. "It is not uncommon between two or more people who trust each other indefinitely. I think you instinctively trusted Luffy to make it all better. Know it subconsciously that he will."

"That's… "she smiled a bit troubled.

"So I guess the kid kicked their ass."

"Yeah he did… after his hood fell off… I was shocked, he looked soo incredibly cute though" Shanks sweat-drooped. He had only one word to say …Women. "He kicked their ass he was almost done but… that guy took out a gun and pressed it to my head. But I think Luffy already knew that he would do so. He insulted them and the man both in anger and fright turned the gun toward him. He shoot all the rounds but they were all stopped by that glass like thing I was in." The man nodded he cached a glimpse of it. "That was what he did next actually, he made the glass like structure surround me and told me to sit tight and close my eyes, that he'll finish it a flash. That's all I remember…" She admitted softly.

"He probably used a move that came with massive drawbacks to end the battle…"

"I was so scared…" Makino said finally. "I did as he said but I couldn't help but worry at that moment, what if something bad happened to him?" He carefully wiped away the tears from her eyes, making them both blush slightly at the close proximity they were in. She closed her eyes and the hand trailing down her cheek cupped her face gently. He could feel her small breaths on his lips. It was excruciating the second that passed between them felt like an eternity, before she finally closed the space between them. Her taste, divine, the only word he could use to describe it. Like the sweetest liquor he ever tasted, it made him feel tipsy and dizzy. His stomach was doing flip-flops from one single kiss. Ah he wanted to pursue it, this taste, the delicate silky softness of her skin under his rough and callous hand. But he couldn't fall into the temptation, even though the forbidden fruit was a breath away he couldn't. With heaviness inside his heart he broke away.

"I'm sorry Makino." He said sadly. "We can't do this. I'm a pirate and I don't know what tomorrow brings, I can't promise you anything. You deserve better than this." He said as he kissed her forehead and hugged the now broken hearted girl to his chest. He may be a pirate and a criminal according to the World Government but he had his own rules to follow. Taking advantage of a vulnerable and hurt women no matter how much he desired her was just not going to happen. It didn't matter how hard his mind protested against his decision or how heavy his chest felt at the thought of someone else's arms embracing her. He respected her too much already, to leave her here alone without anything to offer in exchange for her heart and devotion that would be just too cruel. Not to mention he couldn't risk her safety for his own selfish reasons, taking her out to the sea, he couldn't do that. At the end of the days he was still a wanted man and she was only a beautiful young bartender that had her whole future ahead.

~.~

Luffy groaned as he opened his eyes. He could hear the party from downstairs… oh yeah Shanks was here wasn't he? His memory was a bit fuzzy. The boy sat up, although he was a bit dizzy and had a bandage on his head he couldn't find anything out of the ordinary. A loud growling sound protested otherwise. Placing a hand over his stomach that kept reminding him that he was hungry he slipped off the bed and panicked slightly. He was wearing a different set of cloths. Someone changed him, did they see the scars on his body or his tattoo? He eyed his feet fearfully. What if someone realized he was a slave? Will they send him back? But Makino surely wouldn't let that happen… or maybe she would? She saw him after all. What if she thought he was a monster now? Would she hate him, or be scared of him… he didn't want that. He shook his head as a small tear trailed down his cheek.

He jumped slightly as the door was thrown open. "Oh good you're up!" Shanks shouted with a big smile as he approached the suspiciously still boy. "Oh come on! Aren't we past the silent treatment slash one word responses...Luffy?" The man was a bit worried and totally panicking now. "Luffy? What's wrong? Does something hurt I'll call Doc imi-" But he stopped mid-sentence when the boy shook his head negatively. "Then what… are you scared perhaps?" The boy froze like to a thief caught red-handed;it was enough of an answer. "I can't blame you, I mean that was a scary situation to be in." Shanks said but was shocked when the boy shook his head again. 'So he isn't scared because of that…Than what's he scared of?' The man was developing a small cause of fever as he thought about it. There was no other reason he should be scared apart from that, he protected someone precious to him. He didn't do after all anything wrong by that, surely he knew that.

"Do you… hate me now?" The boy asked quietly. The man's eyes widened as he looked at the small boy curled into himself.

"No. I don't hate you Luffy why would you think that?" The man spoke sincerely.

"Because…I'm...a freak…" the boy said quietly.

"You're not a freak. What are you talking about?" The man asked annoyed, why would the boy call himself a freak. Luffy didn't say anything instead he let his neko-features appear. His black tail curled protectively around himself while the black fluffy ears were trembling slightly as they lay flat against his head. Shanks sometimes wished he could kick himself for being so stupid.

"I knew about that for a long time now. Remember that time I caught you sneaking out in the middle of the night." Yes he remembered. But he thought the man simply assumed he was dreaming or simply forgot about it. "Being a Devil Fruit isn't anything special in the Grand Line." That's was true, although Luffy's fruit was a pretty rare type if he had to say. He only knew one other person to possess a mythical Zoan.

"But I'm… a black cat… I bring misfortune…"

"Did someone told you that?" He asked barely managing to not let his anger sweep into his voice.

"No…" the boy said as his frame shook slightly. "but people that care for me… they end up dying…" the boy said chocking on the last words.

"So that's why you act like a brat all the time to scare away people?" The boy nodded slowly. Shanks smiled bitterly as he set down beside Luffy on the bed. He brought a hand to the boy's head gently so he won't startle the boy. Luffy stilled as he felt the pirates hand running through his hair. The boy wasn't sure how he ended sitting on the man's lap and clinging to him like a crybaby. Or why he's spill his heart and told him every fucking thing that happened to him in the last year but he had to admit it felt good somehow it was liberating.

The boy dragged the old straw hat that somehow ended up on his head in the middle of his break down over his eyes. "Kaze died to protect me… I don't want anyone to get hurt because of me."

The man scoffed slightly. "So what now you think loneliness is the answer?"

The boy shook his head "… I don't want to do that. There are people who care about me and I don't want to hurt them ahm" The boy seemed to search for the words.

"Emotionally?" The red-head supplied.

"Yeah em-otin-el-y" Shanks chuckled slightly at that. The kid was truly adorable. "hurting them is not protecting them." The boy said with fierce determination before sadness overcame it. "But I'm weak… how else can I protect them?"

"You know there is always someone who's stronger. So that's not a good answer either."

"But then what am I supposed to do?"

"You just have to give it your best. Like you did yesterday when you protected Makino-chan. For the rest let's see…you just need to trust them."

"Trust them?" The boy mimicked his words while tilting his head to the side adorably. If Shanks would be a lesser men he would be gushing over the boy's cuteness but he wasn't so he was doing that only mentally. What? you can't expect someone to drop a bomb like that on him and for him to just act like nothing happened. He may be a pirate but he was still only a human. He wasn't heartless and who could hate kittens, really?

~.~

Somewhere in the Grand Line a certain black-haired pirate sneezed scaring the crap out of the others around him.

"Teach you alright?"

The man only nodded. Someone somewhere was talking about him…damn cat allergies.

~.~

"Yes trust them." Shanks said finally snapping out if it. "There are things you can't do alone. Being small or big in the end doesn't make a difference, if you lack strength to do what you want you can always ask for help. There are people who need you just like you need them. So do all you can and if you're just about to fall, believe in those who you trust to be there and catch you. They will help you stand up again and when you just simply can't go on any longer, they will carry your sorry ass." Luffy nodded with wide eyes as he listened. "They will help and heal you, fight you when you're being stupid then when you have to face your demon's they'll stand by you. When you can't see the light anymore they will just show you the way out and chase away the by being there, by your side. They'll take your hand and walk with you through it all. There will be painful times, happy times and sad ones but in the end, just remember to never let go of those hands."

The boy was gapping at him. "Do… do you think there are people that would really do that for me?" He asked self-doubt rearing its ugly head again. But the man laughed at his question.

"Dhahahaha think? No I don't think -I know." The man said placing a hard accent on the word know. The boy smiled happily before letting a loud "Shishishi!" out before his stomach reminded him-. "Hun-gry…" the boy looked ready to kneel over at any moment.

"…right, I totally forgot about your party."

"My party?" The boy repeated it unsure of himself.

"Well doc said you only had a few scrapes and bruises beside the wound on your head, no reason you shouldn't be alright by now. I mean you did sleep through the whole day yesterday and most of today, it's almost sunset. Anyway a party was in order to celebrate your bravery!" The man finished with a big grin.

'I feel like I'm being used here.' The boy thought with a sigh. Shanks throw parties like other people changed cloths. "…" The man was a bit unnerved by the silence. "…since I'm hungry…"

"Good! Let's go!" The man shouted as he dashed down stairs with the boy still in his arms. Luffy blinked again as he felt himself being manhandled yet again. He hissed in irritation toward Shanks who only laughed totally ignoring his displeasure. But somehow he couldn't stay mad at the man. He settled for a scowl instead that looked suspiciously like a pout.

There was a few seconds of total silence as they neared the end of the stairs making him nervous before a loud "Ka~kawaii~" resounded through the entire town insert squealing sounds and thump noises. Yes many cold-hearted pirates were actually knocked out by what later would be dubbed Kawai Punch. Shanks didn't know if he should be ashamed of his crew as half of them were left twitching on the floor or proud of the half that remained standing.

"Captain-san" Makino's voice resounded loudly as she marched up to him and looked at him with deadly serious eyes. ""Give him to me!"" She said at the same time with Benn. Yes the always cool and smooth Benn, who apparently had a weakness for cute things. It was easy to tell since they were both wearing those psycho expression that he felt his protectiveness (selfishness) raise in strides.

"No way!" Shanks shouted back. "He's mine! Mine! Mine!" He shouted childishly as Luffy's fluffy ears twitched. They were really sensitive and all this shouting was annoying not to mention- too close to his ears!

"No!" /"Yes!" / "No!"/"Give him!"/ "To Me!" / "Benn-san stay out of this!"/ "I'm not giving him to neither!"/ "Luffy come here please!"/ "He's not going anywhere!" The red haired man said while childishly sticking out his tongue.

~Ten minutes later.~

Luffy sighed. This tug-of-war was getting on his nerves. Not to mention he was hungry. The boy turned his head toward the food with longing eyes and decided that he had enough of the adults stupidity promptly turned into a cat and before they could even realize it he swiftly sneaked away. They were too caught up in their argument to realize that he slipped away. Luffy was truly curios of when they will realize he was gone.

"That was sneaky." Doc said as he gulped down some nice rum Makino brought out for this party. NekoLuffy only give him a look that said "I'm hungry and they're acting stupid! What do you expect me to do?" Yeah his eyes were that expressive or maybe Doc was just reading too much in it. Well the hungry part was probably true seeing as the small cat attacked an entire chicken. He finished it about five minutes which was quite something. The small thing didn't even stop before he got started on the next plate and then the next. Up until the fifth plate and if you're wondering he only stopped to drink some water. Most of the pirates were betting on how much he could eat while Doc wondered how it was possible, he shouldn't be able to. It was simply physically impossible. Did he have a black hole or a pocket dimension in his stomach? Just where was the food disappearing to?

"Nya!" Luffy said as he fell back on his back. 'This was delicious!' he thought with a satisfied smile.

"Seven plates! I WON!" Yasopp shouted in joy finally bringing the arguing trio's attention to himself, to the crowd that surrounded the table and by default the cat lazily resting on said table beside some empty plates with a slightly bulged stomach.

"Ah! Luffy! How did you get there?" Shanks asked finally realizing the boy well cat wasn't in his arms anymore. Come to think wasn't he gesturing with both hands for a while now?

~.~

"Luffy… still want to come with me?" Shanks asked teasingly the boy .

"Nope. I don't want to bother you any longer. Besides I decided long ago to become a pirate by my own strength. I can't let you protect me all the time." The boy knew that he would most likely end up as an inconvenience for the man if he insisted on going. Shanks was a good person and he just made it a Yonko, many will challenge him from now and he didn't want to be the weak link and drag the man down no matter how much he enjoyed adventuring with him.

"Then how about this?" The man asked mischief lacing his every word.

AN: You got to love Shanks he's one of my favorite characters; please review and see you next time! Bye!