Sabo let out a grunt, sweat rolling down his face despite the cool breeze that licked at his skin. He pulled, arms straining to row the dinghy in the right direction and scowling when he saw Ace fumbling to follow his lead. It was going to take forever for them to get anywhere at this rate. The entirety of the sea was dark, they had been unable to even see their hands in front of their faces at first. Only the sound and feel of the rolling waves were what reassured Sabo that they were actually in the ocean. He and Ace quickly came to an agreement that light was needed, and Sabo was grateful that at the very least, Ace was able to somewhat control his flames and managed to light his shoulders on fire. It was kept low so they wouldn't draw too much attention to themselves, yet everything in the small vessel still managed to glow a burned orange. The darkness around them was made more prominent and only black greeted his eyes when he cast them outside of their immediate area. Sabo sighed and ignored the creeping sense of panic that his baser instincts were trying to dredge up, it was hard enough to stay calm, and without any stars or the moon it would be difficult to navigate.
He let his gaze fall on Luffy who was still sleeping soundly, somehow uncaring of their attempt at waking him and perfectly comfortable in the crumbled heap he was in. The light of Ace's flames covered Luffy like a blanket, the soft orange kissing his face and shining off his black hair, almost brighter on him than his surroundings. Sabo shifted and noted that there was no wind, but the flames on Ace's shoulders seemed to stretch and reach out for Luffy, only contained by Ace's will to remain low. How odd.
It was just another question to add to the ever growing list and at this point Sabo was patient enough until an answer eventually fell into his lap. He went to adjust Luffy into a more comfortable position and let out a silent laugh. Good thing he was rubber because Sabo was pretty sure that his foot should not be so close to the back of his head. Ace caught him staring at Luffy and he scowled, voice tinged with annoyance.
"I wish I could be that fucking comfortable. And you know what? All this rocking is probably keeping him asleep." Ace's face lit up and he let out a mischievous grin before continuing. "Let's dump some water on him!"
Before Sabo could tell his brother just why that wouldn't work, Ace was already moving around and cupping sea water in his hands. Immediately the flames on Ace's shoulders died and cast the dinghy into blackness. Sabo jerked forward, reaching for where he hoped Ace was and grabbed him by his shoulder. He pulled him back towards his chest and kept a firm grip so he wouldn't fall forward into the water.
"You idiot! You can't just grab water like that anymore!"
Ace mumbled something incoherently under his breath but let himself be pulled further back onto the swaying dinghy. Sabo sighed and waited for Ace to perk up before continuing. "Besides, if you tried to splash Luffy with water how could that wake him up? He doesn't exactly get wet unless he wants to."
Orange light burned around him again and Sabo saw Ace deflate in defeat before scowling at him. "Well I don't see you trying to wake him." His brother tugged his hat down in embarrassment and Sabo sighed in exasperation.
"Ace," he spoke in a deadpan. "You wacked his head off the side of the dinghy when you were adjusting him earlier. If anything, he's even less likely to wake up now."
Ace had the decency to look sheepish as he glanced away and rubbed the back of his neck. "Lu's been through worse, not like he's gonna lose any more brains from me smacking him." Sabo could see his brother's point but that didn't mean he was going to agree with him.
"That's beside the point, we have to hurry and figure out where we are and how to-" Sabo cut himself off and let out a gasp, hands automatically lurching for the sides of the boat in a vice like grip as a powerful blast of air smashed into them. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end and the feel of something electric tingling across his skin had him on edge. In the next moment, the ocean burst into light, the now visible moon gleaming down on them and casting a white sheen over the water. Sabo blinked harshly as his eyes rapidly adjusted to the change in light.
"What the fuck!?" Ace's curse had Sabo snapping his head towards him before following his brother's gaze up to the sky. The moon was full, now fully visible as Sabo watched the dark clouds part like they had been ripped apart at the seams. They rolled back and over themselves, splitting the heavens and allowing stars to also peek through.
"That's dad!" Luffy's shout made Sabo jump and he turned back in time to be ran over by his baby brother, face full of Luffy's belly as the boy scrambled to climb over him and towards the furthest edge of the dinghy that the wind came from. Ace's muffled voice was barely audible but either way he couldn't make out what he said.
"Oh we're so close! Mom! Mom, go as fast as we can! That way!" Sabo heard Luffy's ecstatic voice through his belly, it radiated joy and Sabo managed to dig his head out from under his baby brother just in time to see waves condense around them and heave.
Ace cursed somewhere in the background and Sabo felt his stomach drop as the dinghy was abruptly raised and shot forward on a massive wave. Luffy's laughter overtook Ace's shout and Sabo held onto Luffy for dear life as they gained speed. Water sprinkled down all around them and he shifted, gesturing for Luffy to move so he could go help Ace who was getting splashed with too much sea water. The flames on his shoulders flickered and died, and now the white cast of the moon was their only source of light. Luffy moved obediently, kneeling at the front edge of the dinghy and gripping it tight as he looked forward and faced the whipping wind. His straw hat fell from his head and was pulled taunt by the string, flipping madly in the breeze.
Sabo stayed low as he moved, wrapping an arm around Ace's shoulders and making his brother lean towards him. They were both soaked by then and Sabo shivered as the whipping winds rapidly chilled him, his thin white shirt no match for the cooling air. He glanced up again, taking note of the clouds that were nearly gone from the sky and wondering what caused it.
"Lu!" he shouted, hoping his voice didn't get lost in the breeze. Luffy turned back to look at them, a wide grin on his face and eyes shining with joy.
"How do you know that was your dad!?" Sabo would think it would have been something to do with the ocean, but the electric tingle that he had felt along with it made it seem unlikely.
"Oh!" Luffy's grin dimmed a little and Sabo swallowed, preparing himself. "Well dad is… is there a bigger word for angry? He's that. Oh!" Luffy's eyes lit up as an idea came to mind. "He's more mad than when gramps saw that Dandan let us get drunk!"
Oh.
Sabo remembered perfectly well just how mad Garp had been when he visited unexpectedly and found all three of them blackout drunk. Well, he remembered the morning of. His fight or flight instincts had cleared any lingering effects from his system in a hurry and they had seen Garp nearly obliterate the island with a misplaced fist. And they were going towards the extremely pissed off emperor.
"I-" Sabo didn't know what to say but Ace's cries of incredulity on his shoulder basically summed up his feelings. Luffy laughed and turned back to face the wind and their destination.
"Don't worry! Dad's super nice! It's going to be fine!"
The cheer in Luffy's voice did nothing to reassure him and he slumped, letting himself be a cushion for his other incapacitated brother. While he and Ace had agreed to meet with Luffy's father, it didn't mean that they would be all chummy with him off the bat. He and Ace were well aware that any love Shanks had for Luffy was not automatically transferred to them, and they were more than pleased with that.
Besides, as an emperor, Shanks had to have been smart or at the very least cunning to reach the top. It took more than strength to dominate those around you and claim victory, but Sabo was sure he would be able to keep up on the intellectual side of things a bit better than his brothers. He would watch out and make sure nothing happened to them, even if he had to go against Shanks himself. Though he doubted that possibility would happen, it was better to be prepared.
Sabo blinked, a sudden thought coming to him. "Wait! When did you wake up!?"
Luffy's laughter flew back towards him until it got lost with the wind.
xxx
Marco steadied his footing on the sand and squinted past the flying particles in the air. Behind him Izou cursed and muttered under his breath, no doubt about his messed up bun that he had just finished not too long ago. He followed behind Rayleigh, watching the elder casually saunter over to the clashing emperors with an ease Marco envied. He glanced over and winced at the expression on Red Hair's face, it was cold and shut off, his entire focus on Whitebeard who looked on with… exasperation?
Marco blinked and looked closer because yes, his captain looked annoyed and every time he tried to speak Shanks swung his blade, clearly uncaring of the other's words. Rayleigh seemed to catch onto the pattern and he stepped further into their circle, forcing them to take notice of him.
"Really Shanks, you shouldn't be making it any harder for Luffy to approach the island. All this ruckus is bound to attract unwanted attention. The marines can't do anything to us, but they are more than capable of taking your boy." Rayleigh's tone was cool and without any waver to his voice as he shifted his weight on one foot, raising a brow at Shanks. Whitebeard hummed before nodding, straightening and gently prodding his spear back, eyeing the sparks that flew between the sliding metal.
The Red Haired emperor gritted his teeth in frustration and his lips pulled back in a snarl, but he withdrew his own sword and glared heatedly at Rayleigh. Izou let out a shaky breath next to him, nearly startling him since Marco had forgotten he was there. He had been so focused on the confrontation that he let himself get distracted, a potentially deadly mistake. He could blame it on the oddness of the situation, on how Shanks seemed to be completely different from the man he had known during his other visits, but that would just be an excuse.
"Good. Now I believe there has been a grave misunderstanding here, no?" Rayleigh turned to Whitebeard and at the prompt, his captain pursed his lips in distaste. Blue eyes flicked between all of them and Marco silently moved over to his father's side at the silent prompting.
"There has been." His captain's voice was somewhat reluctant and Marco felt his eyebrows raise. It had been a long time since he heard that tone, back when he was younger and the baby of the crew. When his seniors had kept their crazy captain in line with firm scowls or disappointed glances.
Shanks ferocious face eased slightly at Whitebeard's admission but the grip on his sword was still knuckle white. Rayleigh shoved his hands in his pockets and moved closer to Shanks, Mihawk once again taking up Red Hair's other side but this time in silent annoyance. Actually, the swordsman looked more upset that the two had stopped fighting and Marco was reminded of his unpredictability.
"Then let's try this again." Rayleigh gestured to Shanks palm up and the emperor scowled in annoyance. "Repeat your question if you would."
Marco was nearly certain he would have choked on his own spit and promptly died if the air in his chest wasn't trapped. Dark King Rayleigh was treating them like misbehaving children and Marco didn't know whether or not to laugh or be insulted on his captain's behalf. Izou was unsuccessful in keeping in a choked off chuckle, quickly hiding it as a cough but he fooled no one. His captain's shoulders sagged and his face twisted into a grimace as Shanks spoke to him though gritted teeth.
"Where. Is. Luffy."
Rayleigh smiled and nodded in approval. "Good, was that so hard?" Marco was going to die from secondhand embarrassment. He cringed involuntarily when Rayleigh turned to Whitebeard with a smile that screamed danger.
"Well, Newgate? His son?"
Marco risked a glance up to his father and winced when he found Whitebeard with a palm to his face and muttering under his breath.
"Goodness Rayleigh, I thought we had moved on from these sorts of things after Roger's passing." Whitebeard removed his hand and Marco could now see his annoyance and barely concealed embarrassment.
"I have quite a distaste for people ruining my home over misunderstandings. Other things," Rayleigh's eyes flickered over to Shanks briefly before returning to Whitebeard. "May have made me change my mind but not this idiocy." Marco took note of Shanks' brief surprise at Rayleigh's words and filed the information away for later.
"Now, please answer the question." The Dark King faced Whitebeard fully, eyes narrowing in warning. No one spoke for a moment, only crashing waves and resin bubbles filling the silence.
Eventually his captain hummed in thought, yet remained relaxed under the intense stare, shifting his weight and tilting his head in acknowledgement. "I shall share my information, but I would also like answers."
Shanks moved to protest but Whitebeard raised his hand, gesturing for him to be patient. "Your boy, Luffy, is safe. We were indebted to a certain marine who finally called in his favor. His grandfather currently has him."
Marco watched Shanks' shoulders sag in relief, his eyes closing briefly as he took in a deep breath. The tension seemed to have eased out of him in an instant and Marco came to the realization that the emperor cared for his adoptive son far more than they had anticipated. Izou's soft 'I told you so' next to him only reinforced the idea that maybe they should listen to the commander more when it came to matters such as these. Maybe he was out of touch.
Finally, the air between them was cleared and Rayleigh smiled triumphantly as Shanks' made a point to put Gryphon away, even going as far as hiding it behind his dark cloak.
"Why the hell didn't you say that in the first place?" Shanks complained but there was a slight upwards tug to his lips as he sauntered closer to Whitebeard, pulling a flask from his pocket and offering it up for a swig.
"No one should have known he was with us in the first place." His captain rumbled out as he took the offered drink. That snapped Marco back to attention and he furrowed his brows, stepping forward and gathering the attention of the two emperors.
"You're right, pops. But look at the bounty, yoi" Marco gestured for Shanks to pull it out and the emperor did so without complaint.
"Careful with that, it's bad enough that I don't have any baby pictures." Shanks muttered as he handed it over and Marco waited, knowing his father would catch on to what he had seen earlier. The bounty poster crumpled slightly under his tightening grip and Shanks shouted his annoyance at him.
"Someone from our crew took this photo." Whitebeard's eyes were blazing in anger and the playful mood the Red Haired emperor had fallen into vanished swiftly. He clicked his tongue and gestured for the bounty back, a snide remark his only response.
"I already told you my suspicions years ago, Whitebeard." Shanks tapped the three scars that lined his eyes and they grew dark as he tilted his head forward, scowl forming on his lips.
"But I don't really care about that right now." A sudden smile bloomed across his face and he spun around, dragging Rayleigh and Mihawk into side hugs and tugged them towards a clearing while shouting about Luffy being safe. Marco watched them go with a frown before glancing back up at his father who's face had grown stormy.
"He's never liked Teach," Izou commented and stepped from his side to face their captain. "I'd take his suspicions with a grain of salt. I've watched Teach before, years ago to be certain and he never displayed any characteristics that made me question his loyalties. There must be someone else." Izou swept the stray stands of hair away from his face and scowled at the messy locks when they refused to stay. Marco pursed his lips, unsurprised that Izou had done some digging into a potential threat. They were never ones to be idle, even against accusations of their own. Not ever since what happened to Oden. And while Marco wasn't one to completely dismiss a claim, he trusted Izou to be thorough in his work. Still, even as he nodded in agreement something didn't sit quite right with him, but he would have to dismiss the feeling for now. He had nothing to back his claim other than an emperor's exaggerated story and perhaps even a fabricated one.
"Very well," Whitebeard had moved closer to them while Marco was lost in thought and he startled when his voice sounded so close to his ears. "Keep an eye open. This cannot go unpunished."
Marco and Izou glanced at each other briefly before nodding in agreement. This was more than someone giving away their intel, a betrayal to the family ran deep on this crew and Marco loathed to think that one of his siblings would throw everything away for scraps of money.
Excited cheers echoed in the distance and Izou snorted next to him. "Well, looks like they're ready to celebrate."
Marco flicked his eyes over and sighed when he saw barrels of sake being rolled out near a bonfire that had somehow manifested out of nowhere, the crews mingling now that the two emperors seemed to have resolved their differences. That was fine with him, he could use a drink.
xxx
Shanks let out a sigh, watching as his and Whitebeard's crew partied amongst themselves, each finding an old rival or the rare friend to drink the night away with. Benn sat to his right, cigarette in his mouth and drink in his hand. The smoke curled up and around Benn's face like a snake coiling around it's prey, parting and falling apart when he took in long drags.
The bonfire to his side was high and warm, casting the entire area in an orange hue and making his red hair burn in the night. Whitebeard was directly in front of him, guzzling down sake and leaning back a little too far on the logs they all sat on. Rayleigh's chuckle on his left made him cast his gaze towards the elder, watching as he drank in the refined way that Shanks remembered from his childhood.
"You never change, Newgate. It's nice to know some things are consistent in the world."
Shanks hummed in agreement, realizing that besides the added wrinkles and scars, Whitebeard kept the same mannerisms and peace around him ever since he was little.
"Mostly I suppose, but even mountains get weathered by the wind." Whitebeards low rumbling voice pierced through the far-off chatter easily. Shanks let his eyes trail to the pinprick needle scars that lined the emperor's arms and wondered how Roger would have fared had he still been alive. Rayleigh shifted, dark eyes overcome by flames as they distantly stared into the fire.
"That boy of yours,"
Shanks' attention was immediately drawn back to Whitebeard, eyes sharpening in suspicion. They had avoided the topic thus far, but in all honesty Shanks was itching to know about Luffy's condition other than the bare minimum, though he would never beg another emperor for information. It was bad enough that Garp had taken Luffy back, it would be much tougher to find his boy when an experienced marine was the one to hide him away. But as troublesome as that was it was also a positive thing. Garp was highly protective of Luffy and it had calmed him considerably to know his son was in good hands, even if they weren't his own.
"He's quite the enigma." Whitebeard swirled his drink around as he spoke, eyes on the floor and brows furrowed. "Clearly a child, innocent and oblivious in the way all children should be, yet at times he seems so….much more."
Shanks leaned forward and took note of how Marco, who had been Whitebeard's silent shadow, snapped to attention at the topic.
"In what way?" Rayleigh's tone was even but curious, glancing at him from the corner of his eye and Shanks smirked silently, glad another source would back his claim of Luffy's origin. If he were to ask anyone to solidify his story, it would be Newgate. The elder was wise and had seen numerous things during his time out on the sea, few things could fool the him nowadays.
The giant man leaned back and rubbed at his chin, eyes raising to the moon as he contemplated his answer. "It is…a shift. Like forgotten memories return briefly and then slip away." Whitebeard's gold eyes settled on him and Shanks stared back unflinchingly. "I have my theories, but there were other concerns plaguing my mind at the time, and originally I hadn't planned on telling you anything." Whitebeard continued as he ignored Shanks' rising temper. "But, I can see now that you care for the boy, not for what he is. Roger would be proud of you, Red Hair."
Shanks froze, eyes widening at being caught off guard. That had not been what he was expecting and from the wide grin stretching across Rayleigh's face, he didn't hide his surprise very well.
"Yes, he would have," his old vice-captain agreed and swung an arm around him, shaking him slightly and bringing them closer together. Shanks resolutely ignored them and took a long swing of his drink, relishing in the burn that slid down his throat and warmed his chest. They laughed at his expense, and he didn't have the heart in him to argue, the comment had not been unwelcomed and he was glad his father figure's respected rival thought he had done well.
"So what do you think of him?" Rayleigh's eyes gleamed with interest and he leaned forward, dragging him down with him. Shanks rolled his eyes and ducked out from under his arms and let Rayleigh pick Whitebeard's brain for answers.
"Yes, we are all quite curious."
Shanks glanced over towards the edge of the circle in time to see Mihawk tilt his hat up, gold ringed eyes intense as they pierced into the emperor. He had stayed far back and away from everyone, complaining about the noise and smell, generally just being himself and annoying everyone who came into contact with him. Rayleigh let out a long exhale though his nose and Shanks fought down a smirk at his exasperation with the warlord.
As he turned his attention back to the huffing Whitebeard a sparkling flicker of life shimmered in the furthest reaches of his mind. He stiffened, sake slushing in the cup with his jerky movements as he leaned forward and closed his eyes in concentration. It flickered once more and this time Shanks threw his will into his observation haki, uncaring of his crews' reproachful voices as his power stirred the wind and threw sand into the air. Shanks extended his senses out, reaching and straining them until they could go no further and gasped. A beacon of light exploded in his mind's eye, coming into his reach like a dawning sun cresting over the horizon. The prickles of light that represented the rest of residents of Sabaody were dwarfed and outshined by the soul approaching them, one he would recognize in a heartbeat.
He snapped his eyes open and stood, the others going silent as they trained their eyes on him. He felt Benn follow and was slightly surprised to feel Whitebeard trailing behind, but he had no time to stop and ask. Luffy's glowing presence was growing closer and stronger in the distance and Shanks would be there to greet him. They settled into silence, his power still flailing and strained around him, whipping up wind and destroying the peace of the land as he followed where his senses led him.
His feet splashed into the shore and he paused, taking in a large breath and straining his eyes in the dark. In the distance the ocean swelled, a large wave towering above the rest and approaching them at high speed. The moonlight shone off it harshly and for a moment Shanks couldn't see anything besides the glare of light.
"Daaad!" The shout was far off and barely carried by the breeze, but Luffy's voice managed to reach him.
"Luffy!" He stepped further into the water, wading in waist deep and uncaring of the biting chill that seeped into his bones. His chest was tight with emotion, and he tried to fight it off by letting out a shaky breath. Shanks didn't have the opportunity to go in further, a screech of laughter echoed towards them and rapidly grew louder. His eyes widened as he watched Luffy's arms snap back to their proper size, his body growing larger by the second. Shanks braced himself, raising his hands to catch his son who had slung himself off the small raft and towards him. The collision blew the air out of his lungs and he tipped back into the water, landing on his butt but refusing to let go of Luffy who was now safely in his arms and laughing in merriment.
"Dad! Dad I missed you! And look I kept your hat safe!" Luffy tried to pull away and show him the hat but Shanks was having none of it, refusing to let Luffy peel back and instead tucking his head under his chin so he could wrap himself around Luffy even harder. He squeezed his eyes shut and inhaled, taking in the scent of the sea and the warmth of the body in his grasp. Luffy had grown bigger, obviously, but he was still little compared to others his age and a part of Shanks was selfishly thankful for it. It let him coddle Luffy just a little bit longer, something he planned on taking full advantage of now that he had his son back.
He finally pulled back and adjusted Luffy so he could stand, never letting go of his son and smiling softly when Luffy clung to him like a little monkey. The sound of rushing water drew his attention and he realized then that they hadn't drowned because a small cove had formed around them, just enough so he could breathe. He looked down at Luffy and found large, smiling eyes looking up at him and a wide grin on his rubbery face. Shanks braced himself, reinforcing his decision by remembering the panic he had felt ever since he saw Luffy's bounty appear.
"You're grounded."
.
.
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If you guys couldn't tell I LOVE Rayleigh. Did I say that before? I don't remember. I think that besides the reunion, my favorite scene in this was Luffy running Sabo over. Made me giggle to myself.
It was kind of mean for me to leave it here but I have plans and different POV shifts that I wanted to do that wouldn't fit well in this chapter, so hopefully this is enough.
FunFact: My autocorrect really likes to call them Whitebreads.
Thank you for all your support everyone!
