Sabo hid his smile in Luffy's hair, hands gripping his brother's back tighter as he watched the Whitebeard pirates argue among themselves. This revelation wasn't well thought out or something he intended to let slip, but it seemed like the right decision at the time. Now, with how they were looking at his brother it proved to be the right choice. Sabo was decent at politics, having to be well acquainted with them for the first few years of his life and it was something that he didn't forget easily. Maybe the politics of pirates were far rougher around the edges, but it still came down to power. And from what he just heard, Red Hair Shanks was powerful, an emperor. To mess with what was his was to mess with him and by the looks of it, nobody wanted that outcome. Luffy was still giggling in his arms, ever oblivious to the revelations it entailed besides his father being cooler than he thought. Sabo silently hoped that Luffy would never lose that, it was such a Luffy trait and his innocence was something he and Ace both treasured now that they were older.
Sabo looked from Luffy and watched as Thatch dragged a hand down his face, staring up at the ceiling before leveling a glare at Marco. "This is why you don't put random kids in chests!"
"He was already in there, yoi!"
Thatch let out a silent scream of frustration and would have kept going were it not for the loud laughter of Whitebeard.
"Gurarararara! Is that so?" Whitebeard, grinned and took a swig of his sake, gulping it down, uncaring of the trails that left his mouth. He wiped his chin with the back of his hand and focused his gaze on Luffy. "I have to wonder, why your grandfather sent us to save you rather than that Red hair brat."
Sabo blinked, realizing that was a good question. "Lu?" He asked, wondering if Luffy would know anything about it.
"Oh!" Luffy exclaimed, punching a fist to his palm and making Sabo panic to hold him tighter so he wouldn't fall. "Gramps hates Shanks!" Luffy nodded to himself and gripped his chin, eyes closing in thought. "Gramps thinks he's a no-good pirate but I wanna be just like dad! He's so cool!"
Sabo could practically see the stars in Luffy's eyes and immediately understood why Garp would never ask Shanks to pick Luffy up. If he did, he would never get him back. Whitebeard rubbed his mustache in thought, glancing between the three of them.
"In that case it's my duty to hand you over to Garp and complete my end of the deal." Sabo clutched Luffy closer when his brother stiffened, mouth tilting down in a frown. "However we must also return to the new world and defend our territories, so it would be possible for us to let Red Hair know of your wellbeing. Yet, I cannot let him take you until you're handed over to Garp."
The room was quiet and Sabo held his breath, mind racing. That was more than he expected, and he wondered if the old man was trying to find a decent compromise for everyone.
"That won't work though," Luffy motioned for Sabo to put him down and he did so reluctantly. Luffy turned to face everyone and placed the straw hat on his head, uncaring that it was slightly too big on him still.
"And why's that?" Whitebeard raised a brow and leaned forward, elbows resting on the table. Sabo didn't like the glint in the man's eye, nor how his curiosity never seemed sated when Luffy spoke. It threw him off, his instincts telling him to be weary of the man that seemed to know too much.
"Dad's super mad right now. I don't even think I'll be able to complain without getting grounded." Luffy frowned and Sabo was suddenly anxious. He ignored how Thatch groaned about emotional emperors and wanting to live in favor of glancing at an unusually quiet Ace. He found silver eyes staring at him and he nodded grimly, knowing that it didn't matter where Luffy went. They would follow him, all they had to do right now was play their cards right and hope for the best.
"How do you know Red Hair is mad, yoi?" Sabo froze at Marco's words and silently cursed himself for not catching Luffy's slipup. Luffy bit his lip and glanced away, hands folding behind his back and cheeks puffing up in a pout.
"I dunno"
If the sight wasn't so adorable Sabo would have groaned in exasperation. It still didn't take away the fact that Luffy couldn't lie for shit though.
"Part of talking to the sea kings!" Sabo blurted out. They already knew that Luffy could do that and it was be easier to explain that he was talking to the actual animals rather than the ocean.
"Wait what?" Thatch's eyes were wide and he glanced over to Marco and Izou, disbelieving. Izou winced and nodded in confirmation.
"We didn't get to debrief yet, but yes. Luffy can communicate with sea kings." Izou frowned and shot his baby brother a glare. "And they're quite willing to listen to him."
Luffy picked his nose and zoned out, making Sabo sigh at his antics. Just as he was about to usher Luffy back towards him he jumped as if having a sudden realization.
"WAIT! We gotta check on Mr. Slithers! His eye got hurt!" Before Sabo had the chance to say anything Luffy was running out the door followed by abrupt shouting from inside. He ignored the others and took off after his baby brother, Ace on his heels as they tried to catch up.
xxx
Thatch gestured wildly with his hands as he shouted and chased after the boys. Calling out over his shoulder to pops that he would supervise them. He slammed the door behind him and turned back around in time to see Sabo pulling his blonde locks, eyes wide with stress. He followed the older brother's stare and his mouth dropped as he watched Luffy slingshot himself towards the sea. His feet were moving before he registered it and just as he was about to jump off the rail, the ship jerked and caused him to fall back. The air left him in a huff and he rolled to his side and onto his feet, eyes watching as Luffy's arms extended and caught on a jutting horn of a sea king that rose from the sea in the knick of time.
The beast jerked it's head back and Luffy was flung into the air, laughter spilling past his parted lips and echoing across the deck. His heart raced and he could only watch as the sea king opened its maw and…let out a trill of noise. If Thatch had to compare it to something, a mix between a cat's purr and a dolphin's squeal would be it. Luffy's extended arms worked in his favor and he righted himself on the sea king's head, the beast keeping it's body upright so it wouldn't drop its precious cargo. Thatch stared as Luffy leaned down and laid a kiss on it's head, speaking softly and petting it as he did so.
"Fucking hell! LUFFY!" Ace's enraged voice snapped him out of his bewilderment and he turned to see fire licking on Ace's shoulders, face contorted in a panicked anger that he was surprised to see. The sea king wasn't harming Luffy, if anything it seemed to enjoy his company. Thatch wondered just why Ace looked so worried if there clearly wasn't a threat.
"If you don't get here on the count of three, I'm making you eat nothing but vegetables for a month!" Sabo's voice was harsh and his blonde hair was spiked at odd angles from where he had been tugging at it earlier. The punishment didn't seem so bad to Thatch, but even Ace had turned from Luffy towards Sabo, looking aghast.
"Nooo!" Luffy's voice grew louder and Thatch had a front row seat of watching the sea king place it's head gently on top of the rail, waiting for Luffy to clamber off before retreating back into the water.
"No please Sabo! I'll be good!" Luffy was tugging at Sabo's white button down, his eyes were wide and on the verge of tears. He turned those watery eyes on him, and Thatch knew then and there that there was no way he would ever be able to deny that look. He swallowed, trying to steel himself but Luffy bounced over to him, latching onto his legs and winding his limbs around to get a firm hold.
"Thatchy won't be mean! He's such a good cook he can't keep me away from meat!"
Oh, Thatch was already whipped. His pride as a cook was inflated while his older brother instincts were simultaneously triggered. He might actually have to withdraw himself from Luffy duty if the kid kept that up, at this rate Thatch was sure he'd let the boy bring about his own version of chaos without batting an eye. Sabo must have seen his will shattering because he gave him a stern glare.
"You'll have to get used to it. He's a weapon and doesn't even know it." Sabo gestured specifically to Luffy's pouting face and Thatch could absolutely believe it.
"I don't think-" he looked down at the large, dark eyes looking up at him and the face squished against his calf. He felt his lower lip tremble and he quickly looked back up to meet blue eyes. "I don't think I'm strong enough." He lifted his leg and Luffy was lifted up along with it, his eyes shutting closed as he cried out in desperation.
"Meeeaatt!"
His will broke and he nodded his head vigorously, ignoring Ace's cursing and Sabo's exasperation. "Anything you want Luffy! Do you like Lamb? I have some of that right now. Cow?" He reached towards his leg and Luffy opened his eyes, a wide smile blossoming across his face as he reached up to wrap his rubbery hands behind his neck.
"Not so fast!" Ace intercepted quickly, like he had been waiting for Luffy to loosen his hold and tugged Luffy away, tying his arms and legs together around his waist like one would a jacket. Thatch would have laughed at the sight but a blow to the back of his head made him blink in surprise.
He turned to see Sabo scowling at him, hands on his hips and brows drawn down in disappointment. "You let him get to you too easily, you need to be more firm with him or he won't listen and take advantage of you." Sabo pursed his lips and his shoulders sagged. "Even if he doesn't mean to. He's too hard to say no to."
Thatch could see the defeat in Sabo's posture and knew that statement was backed by years of broken wills and coddling. He swallowed and looked back to Luffy who was tickling Ace with what little movements his hands had. It seemed like it had taken the brothers years of mental fortitude and absolute focus to achieve the word 'no' and somehow, he was supposed to do it in a day? Less? It wasn't fair.
"Fine!" Ace smacked Luffy's hands away, not quite getting rid of the grin on his lips. "Yes Luffy we can eat!"
Thatch almost mentioned that they just ate, but put that thought on the back burner, remembering that Luffy was a D. Instead he glanced up towards the sky, the blue stretching far and blending into the horizon of the ocean, sun directly above. His division should have had plenty of time to prep lunch, he was sure they wouldn't mind him coming in with a few hungry mouths to feed.
"Meat is this way then," he gestured towards the direction the galley was in and immediately had the attention of Luffy and Ace. Luffy let out a whoop of joy and Ace scowled even as he nodded in thanks. It wasn't Thatch's fault that he didn't know what the consequences of his actions would be.
xxx
Rayleigh wasn't really surprised when he saw Shanks open the door to Shakky's bar, his crew in tow. He had felt the raging haki sweep across Sabaody just as everyone else. His men were less rowdy than usual, and his gaze took in the dark circles under Shank's eyes and the firm line of his lips. He jostled the ice in his cup before taking a sip, nodding in greeting when the emperor sat down heavily next to him. He didn't say anything for a while, simply listened to the hushed voices of the men as they drank and the billow of air that Benn let out with each drag of his cigarette. He wanted to ask but knew he wouldn't get any answers when Shanks was like this. The man was good at hiding his emotions, but not good enough to hide it from someone who raised him. Still, the lack of an easy smile and laid-back air didn't bode well, the well-crafted mask gone in wake of his simmering rage. It spoke volumes to his true anger and Rayleigh idly wondered what had him nearly toppled over the edge.
He knew his old cabin boy wore that happy persona like a glove, growing ever more cheery the harsher the emotions came, the ones he didn't know how to deal with. Rayleigh had known when the boys were growing up that they had been exposed to far too much, their young minds unable to cope with the horrors of being on a pirate ship. He couldn't pinpoint when the act had started for Shanks, maybe it was when he found him laughing instead of crying, face covered in brain matter. Or the time he smiled too wide when Ray had cut the head off of the pirate trying to choke him. He was smiling, but his eyes had been blank while watching the arterial blood gush out and paint him red.
Rayleigh downed the rest of his drink, swallowing his regrets and wondering at Roger's impulsive decisions. When he opened his eyes Shanks was staring at him, smile back on his face. Rayleigh still didn't think it was a good thing.
"Two days, Ray." Shanks brought the sake to his lips and chugged it in several gulps, crimson eyes dark when they opened again.
"For?" He urged when Shanks didn't seem like he was going to continue.
"I'll burn everything to the ground." The shadows over Shanks' eyes darkened and Rayleigh's eyes caught on the scar. He ignored the trepidation that built in his stomach and gestured to Shakky for another glass. He was too sober for this.
"Yeah? Why?" He didn't question that Shanks could do it or not, that was a given. If he wanted to disrupt the world then Rayleigh knew little could stop him.
"Because if he's not here in two days, then he's dead." Shanks paused and Rayleigh looked at him in surprise. He knew he was a loyal man and cared for those under him, but that was a bit too much bitterness, a bit too much anger in his voice for just any person in his crew. His dark eyes trailed the smile that came so easily to Shanks and he pursed his lips when he found it was strained.
"How can you be so sure?" A part of him was aware of the silence of the bar, the mounting tension that seemed to blanket over everyone's shoulders, heavy and oppressive.
"I've had a long time to think about it," Shanks commented, seemingly ignoring his question. He leaned back, eyes trailing to the sunbeam that caught the dancing motes of dust. He reached out, hands turning in the light and watching how it bounced off his skin as he continued. "But it's hard to imagine something that could stop Nika without us knowing, right?"
The air was punched out of his gut and Rayleigh's glass shattered in his hands. He stared at the blood and glass digging into his mangled flesh but didn't see it. The crimson in his hand was dripping down, Rogers wet coughs echoing in his ears as he tried to stifle the noise, knowing his captain wouldn't have wanted to worry anyone.
My only regret, Rayleigh.
He jumped when Shanks' hand gripped his shoulder tight enough to be painful. It wasn't reassurance, but it was the ground he needed to come back to reality. He forced his hands to relax, glass chiming as it fell and scattered. Shanks had leaned in close, red eyes narrowed and cold.
"A warning, but only for you." His breath ghosted over his face and Rayleigh closed his eyes against the sunshine that was reflected off the shattered glass. Maybe he would stick around anyways, because if what Shanks said was true and they didn't hear a word, then Roger's dream would also die in two days. Still, he would hold out and hope, otherwise he'd sit back and watch Mary Geoise burn.
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Thanks for the love please review :D
Sorry this one is short!
