Sing

Characters: Shachi, Heart Pirates. Rating: K. Warnings: None

Chores were, by the very nature of the word, a chore. Things had to be done to keep the Polar Tang running smoothly, or even just to keep living standards bearable (well, Law refused to let them keep to such a low standard, but the sentiment was the same). Some chores were nicer than others – cleaning the bathroom, for example, was usually reserved for punishment detail or else they drew lots – and the week's rota would be found in the mess hall.

Shachi hated the cleaning chores with a passion. Scrubbing down the pipes of any grease stains that had mysteriously appeared was never fun. Most of the time, they were still submerged and using the engine to move, so the pipes were humming and hot to the touch. Thick gloves were a requirement, but they weren't the most dexterous things to use, making the task take forever and leaving him with sweaty hands – and a greasy face, when he swiped at the sweat on his forehead without thinking.

There was only one way to endure the task, usually alone deep in the bowels of the Tang with nothing but the engine for company. Shachi didn't like being alone, finding that silence had a deafening quality that made him feel almost claustrophobic as it hemmed him in. While the sound of the Tang's engines had grown into a reassurance for him over the years, it still wasn't quite enough to keep the loneliness at bay for long, so Shachi had to fill the silence somehow.

He didn't think of himself as a particularly brilliant singer, capable of holding the key (when not drunk) but little more. However, filling the silence with a tune helped to keep his mood up, no matter that it was weak and thin.

It was said that music brought people together. Shachi was no musician – certainly no Soul King (he was fairly certain the singer was one of the elusive and supposedly dead Straw Hats, if only because he doubted there was more than one living skeleton with an afro in the world) – but whenever he started singing to himself it was never long before one of his nakama appeared out of nowhere. Most of the time it was someone else working elsewhere within the engine's complex, out of sight but not necessarily out of earshot. Sometimes they came to help out, helping scrub at grease stains vigorously to get the task to pass quicker.

Other times, they came to sing.

Shachi sang a variety of songs, some from Swallow Island, others from elsewhere in North Blue, picked up on his travels. His nakama knew most of them, either from their own travels, or from listening to Shachi.

Penguin was a common visitor, voice slightly deeper but steady as he seamlessly inserted himself into the song. He knew them all, of course, even the quirkiest ones from Swallow Island that everyone else just hummed along to, unsure of the words. Bepo could hardly be called a singer, but he belted the lines out (apologising later) with as much gusto as he could. Ikkaku brought a new element to the songs, her higher voice picking out a counter melody more often than not, usually made up on the spot and off-key.

Shachi's greatest surprise had come the day Law had been the one to appear, covered in grease himself even though his name was never down on the chore list. He'd expected quiet company, maybe a conversation if Law was feeling talkative. He had not expected his captain to start humming under his breath as he reached out to fuss with Shachi's gloves, nor had he expected him to fully join in at the refrain.

The revelation that Law could sing was a strange one. Logically, there was no reason why he couldn't, but Shachi didn't take Law for someone that ever sang, yet there he was, duetting away to a well-known North Blue song with a voice that made Shachi's attempts sound lack-lustre and weak. He didn't stop singing, though, knowing that if he did Law would get self-conscious and stop himself.

Shachi didn't want that, so he kept his head down and worked. Chores were awful, especially the cleaning ones, but they weren't so bad with a bit of singing and some company.

As someone that hates chores, music is the only way to get me to do them. While I have no idea how good a singer Shachi is (we've barely heard him even talk so far in the anime!), Lost in Shinsekai and Dr Heartstealer are a very good argument for Law being able to.

Thanks for reading!
Tsari