Here we go! Sorry for bad spelling and grammar, I try to go through these but there's only so much I can do. Hope you enjoy!
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Chapter 8 - Keep Calm and Panic More

Benn was flat out ignoring Shanks's babbling and lit a cigarette, going back to telling Zoro what the next hours would entail. They had had a bit of time just talking because Zoro had turned up early looking for his phone which he luckily found at the info desk. He'd be walking him throught things this weekend and the couple of following ones if needed. He'd already gotten him into the smart uniform he'd be wearing.

It wasn't a 100% perfect fit because he'd pulled it out of a locker that was mainly used to store the amazing amount of things Shanks managed to lose that piled up in nooks and crannies. How had he been able to lose even a pair of pants... Oh, no – he remembered that occasion very well actually.

"Benn you're not listening!?"

"Nope."

"Benn there's a guy!"

"Kill him, kill yourself, or get over it. Don't bother decent people with it."

"No, no, no." the redhead threw his hands up. "You don't understand, there's a guy!" Shanks whined. He climbed on Benn to enforce his point, squishing his face with his hands. "There's a guy." he said solemnly, almost reverently.

Benn's eyes widened slightly when he fully understood what the other man meant.

"What a guy, really? Did he say something, did you see something?"

Shanks pulled Benn into the corridor, checking to make sure there wasn't anyone close by, and leaned closer to him secretively.

"He kinda told me."

"Shanks..."

"Just... Look. 'There's a guy' is an exact quote. Those are actual words that came out of his mouth, I'm telling you dammit!"

Benn opened his mouth but failed to find any words. Shanks wasn't a liar, it was just that his versions of things weren't always the most accurate, but there was something else that made him question the information. Hawk-Eyes... A guy... Well he supposed most people would want companionship but their dark and harsh friend... He'd begun to think that maybe he just was aromantic or asexual, or both. He shook his head, disbelieving.

"I'm telling you I went to see him and I think he'd been on the bloody floor trying to quit life to become a fucking carpet since last night I had to go with emergency comfort coffee extravaganza to get him up and running again. Oh holy shit Benn, there's a guy. What happens if there's a guy."

Benn gave him a meaningful look. "You're a big boy Shanks I'm sure you can imagine what happens if there's a guy."

"Oh piss off." Shanks spat.

Then his mind went on to fabricate possible scenarios.

" OH GOD." He paniced. "No way. Nope nopity nope. We need to do something."

"No, we-"

"I never told him about those things! About the birds and the bees and all that."

"I'm pretty sure he knows even if you didn't."

"But-"

"Shanks..." Ben groaned. "What we need to do is to stay out of it." If Hawk-Eyes did have something going on with someone the last thing needed was Shanks scaring off the potential date, if there even was one.

He gave Shanks one pre-emptively admonishing look and re-entered to room where the surprisingly calm Roronoa was waiting. He seemed like he'd fit in perfectly. Mister Hawky had apparently noticed his swordsmanship in a tournament. He liked to keep an eye on things and young talents. Martial arts prodigies had often made prime targets for gang recruiters. So many good kids were turned bad by their shiny honeyed lures. It was good to keep track on potential names out there. Many people thought the gangs were gone but the underworld was not dead as they thought, and they had been getting bolder and more visible for a while now.

The older man nudged his head, prompting Zoro to get up. "Alright then, better get going."

They came out to the lobby and Benn saw Shanks bothering Mihawk by the info desk and suppressed a groan. Surely Shanks would really know he needed to keep his nose out of it, but he had a bad feeling about the sour looks on both of their faces. Mihawk turned to speak with another employee that had just turned up in need of his attention. Shanks noticed Benn and parted from their company until they'd be done.

"Asshat." Shanks whispered sourly, rolling his eyes, nodding towards Mihawk. "Before you ask – No, I did not. This was about the thing I suggested but he's having none of it!" he informed before skulking after Mihawk.

Zoro glanced after him and then back to Dracule, outwardly unfazed, although he must have picked up the other man's words. Cold as ice. He looked at Benn with questioning look, he'd noticed the man tensing up when he had saw the two men talking.

"He's not on good terms with the boss right now." Benn offered as an explanation.

"I can't imagine the boss being on good terms with anyone."

"He's not so bad. Just takes work seriously."

He should take his employee's advice into consideration if he did. Especially if that employee was head of security – one would think in that position your opinion would be getting stuck in a closet he must have some qualifications for the position, or Dracule wouldn't have hired him in the first place.

"Don't you think the idea is worth considering?" He asked the taller man.

"Well..." Benn, unlike Zoro, knew that the matter didn't really involve the Museum, but Shanks's plans for his own 'activities'. "I'm not really the expert here but... both of them have good points I suppose. On one hand things have been fine like they have been but on the other the situation might be changing." He shrugged. It was true enough.

"Hard to say." Zoro nodded. "It's hard to determine a course if you don't know what's ahead. It's good to be prepared though."

Benn smiled – the lad had common sense. "Yeah, but the cost could be a problem." That as well was true enough, but the cost might not be money.

Benn and Zoro made good partners. Neither were overly talkative but they chatted a bit casually, and Benn told him about some possible situations he might encounter and how to deal with them. When they were done they sat down in the break room with some coffee. Benn had an unlit cigarette dangling from his mouth.

"I try not to smoke outside the designated spaces." he smiled wryly. "I even tried to quit once but dammit, I've smoked all my life, I'm too set in my ways. Gotta have them handy to fiddle with, if only to keep my hands busy. Helps with stuff. Stress, thinking."

"Shanks?" Zoro added with a small grin which Benn mirrored.

"Maybe."

"I go out running to deal with stuff. I guess I'm the type who needs to let off steam physically." Zoro was often annoyed but he rarely showed any rage outwardly, instead using it as a fuel while exercising.

"So..." Zoro trailed, "You and Shanks... you're... I got the impression that you two are an item?"

"Yeah. He's a monkey, but he's my monkey." The long-haired man smiled rather tenderly, harsh features softening for a moment. Zoro grinned. Both Benn and Shanks had scars on their faces but in each other they'd found someone who saw beyond that. It was kinda sappy thought, but hell, it was nice to see people who made each other happy. It comforted him.

"Keep your hands off my man." Benn pointed a finger at him, failing completely at trying to look intimidating because of the wide grin on his face and the mirth in his eyes. Both of them broke into chuckles.

Although Mihawk's mood had been slightly uplifted by Shanks his annoyance had been peaked by the very same man soon after. Sometime ago Shanks had come to him with an idea. It turned out they could not see eye to eye on the matter. Over their friendship he'd never tried to tell Shanks how to run his... 'business', but he had now taken the liberty of informing him that he was a complete idiot and he would not assist him.

Shanks was well aware that he didn't like his idea at all. Why he had brought it up again and after the miserable morning he had witnessed was beyond Mihawk's comprehension. It took all his energy not to snap at Shanks at the info desk and when Shanks was briefly distracted by Benn, when Mihawk was done talking to Miss Tashigi about her project, the dark man had thought he'd have a chance to slip away, but when he sneaked a look at them he noticed Roronoa. He froze for a chilling fraction of a second and fled behind a corner.

Benn had clearly gotten his 'intern' into the proper uniform. It fit rather well but then again anything would look becoming on Roronoa's toned frame. He closed his eyes and let out a groan of frustration. This was just what he needed on top of everything!

"Oh no – he's hot!" he despaired in a hoarse whisper, audible enough for only his ears... and Shanks's.

The redhead stood there wide-eyed for a moment before quickly scanning the lobby and the people with his eyes. Could it be...?

DUN DUN DUNNNNN

I'm not that happy with this chapter, it was supposed to be way different but here it is.
What do you think, has Shanks figured it out? Or will he get it completely wrong? xD Who is the mysterious guy? Will there be matchmaking? Will anyone ever listen to Benn Beckmann?

Mihawk has found out Zoro's identity, but when will Zoro find out Mihawk's? _