Revelation

By lunchtime Ace had been welcomed back by every member of the Whitebeard Pirates on board the Red Force and had gained significant amusement from watching his brothers thank Fox. He had no idea why their gratitude made his best friend so uncomfortable but it was really, really funny seeing her squirm. She was usually so blatantly shameless he hadn't realised she could act so bashful about anything. It was something he really, really wanted to see more of.

"You know, you're cute when you're embarrassed," he commented as they sat down for lunch alongside the other seven Whitebeard Division Commanders on board and Shanks' elite. The remaining seven Division Commanders were captaining the ships that remained of Pops' fleet or liaising with Spitfire; she apparently had over two hundred of the Whitebeard Pirates with her, including Fossa and Haruta, after evacuating them with one of her Sea Kings. Sea Kings being much, much faster than a ship, they were assumed to be a good way ahead of the rest of the convoy.

Fox shoved him irritably. "It's not that funny," she muttered, ignoring the food spread across the middle of the table as the other pirates all dug in.

"It kinda is," Shanks agreed from her other side, winking at Ace. "I've never seen you blush so much before, Eyas. You do look very cute when you're red."

Fox made another inarticulate sound as a Red-Hair Pirate Ace didn't recognise came around behind them and put a plate loaded with extremely appetising food right in front of her. Ace was about to steal a bit when a hand came down on his wrist like a steel band.

"No stealing from Fox," Benn Beckman said mildly, not even looking up from his own meal as he held Ace' wrist hostage.

"Why not? She never minded before," Ace complained as he was released.

"Ooh, you mean to say you don't know?" Shanks asked, grinning widely as Fox kept her head down and attacked her food.

"Don't know what, yoi?" Marco asked from across the table.

"You didn't tell any of them, Eyas?" Shanks inquired, poking Fox' shoulder.

"When have I had time?" Fox asked, glancing up from her food.

"You've been up all morning!" Shanks pointed out. "Oh, are you embarrassed?"

"No," Fox said flatly.

"Then why keep it secret?"

"I wasn't keeping it secret Shanks; I just didn't know how to introduce it into conversation."

"You managed telling me just fine," Red-Hair said mildly, tone rather at odds with the massive grin splitting his face as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. The discussion now had the attention of the entire table, all the Whitebeard Pirates looking curious.

"You're you," Fox said blandly. "I've known you forever. Everyone's been too busy thanking me for what I did to Ace for anything else to be mentioned."

"Well in that case I'll break the news," Shanks said brightly. "Cutie's pregnant!"

Ace' jaw dropped as instant pandemonium broke out and the various Division Commanders started asking questions all at once. Shanks was laughing at the chaos, Beckman just shook his head and went on eating and Fox rolled her eyes, shoving Red-Hair's arm off her shoulder.

"Who's the father, yoi?" Marco asked.

"Is it Red-Hair?" Izo asked.

"Alas no," Shanks said dramatically. "I thought you loved me Eyas, I really did, but you abandoned me for a younger man."

"If I didn't love you I wouldn't put up with you," Fox said dryly, "and if you really cared that much you had years to get your act together and propose. I might even have said yes. Is it any surprise I found myself someone more decisive?"

Ace thought they were just messing with each-other; Fox was a tease at times and Shanks clearly brought out that side of her. "So who is it then?" he asked. Shanks sniggered.

"Eyas has a boy toy!" he carolled, ducking the mug Fox launched at his head in retaliation.

"You know, I don't think you need such a high alcohol tolerance, captain," the white-haired woman threatened, fingers glowing. "How about I do something to reduce it?"

Ace hadn't ever seen anyone move that fast outside of a fight. One minute Shanks was sat at the table, the next he was halfway across the room, Fox hot at his heels as the rest of his crew laughed and took bets. Beckman shook his head.

"Is this normal, yoi?" Marco asked the Red-Hair Pirates' first mate.

"Pretty much," the grey-haired pirate admitted. "She's threatened his alcohol tolerance before, but she isn't usually this touchy; probably something to do with her hormone levels."

"So she really is pregnant," Ace muttered.

"Very definitely," Beckman confirmed.

"So who is the father?" Jozu asked. Beckman glanced down the table at the interested faces.

"Her current lover, I believe," he said blandly.

"I thought she stopped dating after Mihawk murdered her girlfriend last year?" Ace mused curiously. He knew Fox was looking for someone to spend the rest of her life with; she'd talked about it with him one time. Ace liked the idea of having a special someone to grow old with but didn't think he'd find anyone willing to overlook his heritage, disownment or not.

"Girlfriend? I didn't hear about that," Yassop said interestedly, keeping an eye on the chase zigzagging across the dining room. "Would that have been how Hawk-Eyes got that beautiful shiner last autumn?"

Marco coughed. "This really isn't the time, yoi," he pointed out mildly. "I would like to know where this guy came from though, since she certainly never mentioned anyone in her letters."

Beckman was clearly enjoying being the person in the know, as he took another long look at his audience and had a mouthful of grog. "She joined the Straw-Hat Pirates back in the summer," he said eventually, "and there's only one swordsman in that crew."

Fox' taste for swordsmen –and swordswomen– was not exactly a secret; other than Ace and Marco the Commanders she got on with best among the Whitebeard Pirates were Vista, Haruta and Thatch. Ace frowned at the reminder of his nakama's death.

"Roronoa Zoro the Pirate Hunter, yoi?" Marco mused. "Interesting."

Ace remembered Roronoa from Alabasta: green hair, three swords and moved like a swordsman. Not just someone who knew a few moves, but a real swordsman. He had also looked like the level-headed one of his little brother's crew. "I'm guessing he's rather younger than Fox, given how Shanks is teasing her about getting a boy toy," he said aloud, watching said woman corner Red-Hair and trip him up when he tried to get away again.

Beckman smiled. "Nineteen, I believe," he said calmly. "From what Pearl told me I get the impression he'll be sticking around. Provided he survives Mihawk, of course."

"You write to Pearl, yoi?" Marco asked. Beckman nodded. Ace wasn't sure what he'd missed there, but as Shanks had somehow persuaded Fox to forgive him and come back to the table, he didn't get a chance to find out.

"You're so mean, Eyas," Red-Hair complained as he sat down again and grabbed another mug of alcohol.

"No, mean would be making your body react to alcohol like the poison it is in any quantity," Fox said sweetly. Shanks went white; he wasn't the only one to do so. That was a cruel thing to threaten a pirate with.

"You wouldn't?" Red-Hair begged. "Please?"

Fox eyed him thoughtfully. "You know, I'm not sure," she said slowly. "I'm sure Beckman would appreciate the change. You'd save money too. Probably live longer as well."

"What's the point of a long life if you can't have fun?!" Shanks said, more than slightly panicky now. "How can you have a real party without sake? I'd die of misery! You'd drive me into an early grave!"

Fox tilted her head on one side. "True," she conceded. "And you're cute when you're hung-over. Oh well, so much for that idea."

"I'm a man, Eyas," Shanks complained, "We're never cute."

Fox raised an eyebrow. "You are when you wake up with a hangover and try to use me as a pillow," she said evenly.

"You're ruining my image," Red-Hair complained, but the grin on his face suggested he wasn't seriously bothered.

Ace was having trouble adjusting his world view to include Fox' relationship with Red-Hair Shanks: she'd always seemed a bit wary of Pops, so seeing her on friendly terms with someone equally strong and dangerous was surprising.

"How'd you two meet?" he asked.

Shanks grinned. "She was a cute toddler once!" he said, reaching out to mess with Fox' hair. "Always laughing and trying to eat my hair."

"He was my first official babysitter," Fox added. "How old were you then? Eighteen?"

"Nineteen," Shanks corrected her. "You were adorable then, all golden fuzz and big eyes. Well, you're still adorable but you're spikier and more talkative and I can't tuck you in the crook of my arm while I'm fighting."

Fox blinked. "You fought while holding me? That I didn't know."

Shanks huffed. "What kind of idiot do you take me for? Like I'd tell Mihawk that happened when he left you with me. It was only once or twice."

"More like half-a-dozen times, captain," Beckman interjected. "We did get attacked a lot more back then."

"Well none of them ever lived to tell the tale and my little eyas never got hurt, so I don't see how it matters," Shanks said firmly.

"You know, sometimes I really wonder how you ever kept my father from killing you out of sheer frustration," Fox mused. "Any other incidents I should know about before I decide whether you get to babysit my baby?"

"All the times she fell overboard?" Beckman offered.

"Hey! She can breathe underwater!" Shanks protested. "She floated pretty well as a toddler and she could swim properly by the time she was three. We always fished her out before anything tried to eat her."

"Successfully ate her," Beckman corrected, a smile lurking around the corners of his mouth.

"That was only once!"

"And people wonder why I turned out so crazy," Fox said, shaking her head. "It's a wonder I'm as balanced as I am if that's what you put me through in my impressionable early years."

"You enjoyed all of it," Shanks insisted. "You hated leaving, though sometimes I wonder where your dad was leaving you when you weren't with us. I know we didn't teach you that song. Or how to pick locks, come to that. Who teaches a three-year-old to pick locks?"

Fox smiled. "Now that would be telling," she said, finishing her meal and pushing her plate away.

More of Ace on the Red Force and some of Fox' history with Shanks.