First Mates
The door creaked open, orange sun rays gently shining into the dark bar. There were resounding steps—confident steps, unhesitating steps—and there was a moment of silence. Rayleigh saw Shakky's shocked face melt into a placated smile.
"Oh my," Shakky said casually, the indifferent tone not enough to hide her curiosity or her joy (or her amusement—but that was something that would always be in her voice, indifferent or not).
Rayleigh lifted his head, not bothering to hide his lack of shock—not that anyone expected him to be. "Oh? So you're the first."
The smack of hand meeting a hip was loud in the air. "What, none of the other have come yet?"
There was a certain fondness and love and softness, a grin in the younger pirate's voice—things that left Rayleigh with no doubt that the first mate loved his crew just as much as the captain did—when Roronoa added just one second later, "Those guys are hopeless."
Rayleigh threw his head back and laughed out loud in agreement, twisting around on the bar stool to take a look at Roronoa. A steely gaze met his and Rayleigh saw the changes—still unafraid and sure but more wary and cautious, a maturity and pain shining in those eyes that hadn't been there two years ago—despite the scar standing out in the shadows of the bar.
Rayleigh heard Shakky exhale a breath of smoke, the wood of the bar counter creaking slightly when she leant on it. "Care for a drink? On the house, since you're Monkey-chan's friend."
"Ale," was the only response Roronoa gave and him and Shakky chuckled at the swordsman's bluntness.
The ice in his half-empty glass of rum tinkled as he indicated to the bar stool on his right, noticing how the younger pirate hesitated, a calculating eye judging all escape routes and his and Shakky's strength. Rayleigh frowned when he saw it but let it slide, turning around and meeting Shakky's all-knowing eyes, before sighing and taking a sip of his drink.
The swordsman sat down soundlessly next to him after a moment and Rayleigh took a last deep gulp out of his glass, the ice smashing against his lips, before he gently put it back on the bar counter. He took the bottle of rum, poured himself another glass and saw how Shakky placed the mug of beer in front of Roronoa before taking a sip.
The swordsman nodded at Shakky before taking a deep gulp of alcohol, sighing contently as if he hadn't drunken anything alcoholic during the last two years. The younger pirate's eye then looked him over and Rayleigh waited silently, aware of Shakky's eyes glancing between them.
"How's Luffy?" Roronoa asked immediately and Rayleigh smiled, pleased.
"I don't know, haven't seen him in half a year," Rayleigh answered honestly, taking another swing of alcohol. "But last time I saw him, he was doing well."
"...Really?" Rayleigh stopped, looking up from his glass. Roronoa's eye studied him seriously and he knew what the swordsman wanted to know.
"He's scarred," Rayleigh stated, looking back at the orange-brown liquid in his glass and swirling it around. He didn't bother to say it (scarred mentally, physically, emotionally—the swordsman's captain was scarred and only his crew could make him complete again; not the same, never the same, as before, but close), figuring that the first mate would figure it out on his own.
"Say, Roronoa," Shakky said suddenly, chin supported by the hand holding her cigarette. "I've been meaning to ask you something."
The younger pirate just grunted in agreement.
Shakky smiled. "How far would you be willing to go for Monkey-chan?"
He raised an amused eyebrow at her before he looked at the swordsman who, for his part, only swirled the contents in his mug before tipping in back, taking three gulps full. The glass was slammed onto the counter with another sigh.
"I'd die for him," Roronoa said bluntly.
Shakky only continued smiling.
"Would you now?" Rayleigh mused, strangely disappointed and not quite knowing why.
"But," Roronoa continued and him and Shakky's eyes met, both a bit surprised. The younger pirate ignored them, taking a glance out of the window and to the setting sun. "I'd rather live for him."
Rayleigh was suddenly looked at in the eye and he felt strangely open, as if the younger pirate could read through his everything. There was a spark of understanding, a connection that Rayleigh immediately felt and understood but was a bit wary of.
Roronoa's face suddenly broke into a bitter smile. "Living for your captain seems to be a lot harder than dying for him."
"Ah," Rayleigh smiled bitterly, remembering and remembering (endlessly blue horizons, laughter and smiles and love on a ship made of Adam Wood, a booming laugh and an equally bright grin of a man who conquered the world, helplessness and anger and pain and desperation when he realized—it all came to an end).
"Yes," he agreed, tipping back his glass and enjoying the sharp pain going down his throat. "Yes, it is."
.–.–.–.–.–.–.–.
Author Note:
Yeah, I don't know where the Hell this went. It's sort of a mixture between Rayleigh's pain, Zoro's loyalty, and two first mates' understanding...I don't even know anymore. Random idea that popped into my head before going on holiday.
That's right, no stories for a week (I think, depends—on my ideas and on the amount of wifi I'll have). Visiting some friends that I haven't seen in a year and being in the sun for a while with the sea (oh my god, I missed the sea so much). Yeah anyway, this could be it for a while, a week or so. Sorry.
Dedicating this sorta-ish for MemoriesOfVoxei since he/she wanted something for his/her birthday. Comes a bit late, and it's a bit rubbish, but better later than never and nothing (I hope). Yeah, hoped you had a great time (you know what I mean)! Thank you all for reviewing on the last chapter. I always do enjoy what you guys think of it.
Thank you for reading and please review!