The winds around them stopped abruptly and Ace felt his stomach drop as the wave they rode on lost its momentum. Only Luffy's scream of joy echoed around for a moment before it too faded away. Ace snapped his eyes open, staring dumbly at the spot Luffy had just been at before darting his eyes forward, catching his baby brother's small figure rapidly fading away from them as he soared through the air.

"Did he just-" Sabo's disbelieving voice broke Ace out of his thoughts and he flung himself from the side of the dinghy, roughly shoving a paddle towards Sabo as he let out a snarl of frustration.

"Move it!" Any prior hesitation Ace had was gone, because Luffy had just flung himself towards the island with the red haired emperor and whoever he had clearly been fighting with. If they were powerful enough to cause a clash of that scale so far away, then Ace didn't even want to imagine how it was up close. And while Ace knew emperors were the strongest out on the sea, he couldn't be sure if Shanks would actually protect Luffy, he had left him on Dawn for all those years after all.

He grunted, cresting a particularly large wave and grumbling under his breath about sea children. It was fine and dandy when Luffy was with them, but as soon as he left the vicinity Ace and Sabo were hung out to dry. That's why when Luffy insisted he and Sabo would be safe in the sea, they hadn't been so sure. Even now, Ace doubted that would be the case, especially considering how tired he got from just a few splashes of salt water. Still, he wanted to believe, and the last thing he wanted to do was disappoint Luffy, even if he wouldn't be the one ultimately letting him down. The ocean was always indiscriminate with her victims, and he and Sabo weren't silly enough to think they were any exception.

"Saaabbooo!" Luffy's voice carried on a breeze and if Ace squinted, he could see his baby brother being held tightly in someone's arms. His heart stopped for a moment and he forced himself to row harder, cutting though the water in desperation to make sure his baby brother was safe.

"What's a 'grounded'?" Luffy's voice became clearer, and Ace heard Sabo spluttering about how he thought Luffy already knew, clearly caught off guard.

"I'll fucking show you a grounded!" Ace snarled loudly and hoped that his words carried. He ignored Sabo's sigh of exasperation and as soon as the waves became rough, indicating the shore, he forced fire towards his legs and launched himself out the boat. His feet ignited in a blaze and the blast had him plowing into the sand, kicking it up and causing it to solidify under his him into jagged spikes. He caught the tail end of Luffy's voice and as mad as he was, he struggled not to face palm.

"-I can't be grounded! You're holding me so I'm air-ded!" Ace got a good look at his ridiculously idiotic baby brother and frowned when he saw him sitting comfortably in the arms of a tall, red haired man. Luffy looked even smaller than normal being held by him and Ace's little brother instincts flew into overdrive at the sight.

"Luffy!" He used the tone that he knew his baby brother wouldn't ignore and was internally pleased to see Luffy twist and extend his arms towards him, completely uncaring of the fire that licked at his skin as he launched himself at Ace. Cries of warning echoed around them and Ace made his flames burn hotter, glaring at the figures though the haze of heat. He grabbed Luffy by the waist, hoisting him up and tucking him against his side like a ragdoll.

"Awe Acccee" Luffy wiggled and complained, the fire caressing his skin and curling around his form protectively.

"Luffy!" A worried shout cut above the rest and Ace's eyes widened as a man stepped though his wall of fire, hands coated in black and making a slicing motion with his hand. His flames faltered, sputtering to reflect his astonishment.

"Oh dad! This is Ace! He's my big brother and he's super strong and smart!" Luffy's wiggling intensified and Ace felt his cheeks redden from his baby brother's compliments, fire dying away almost immediately, his evaporating anger unable to sustain them. As the flames fell away, Ace was able to get a better look at the man approaching, noting the scar on his face and red of his eyes. His brows were drawn down and his gaze zeroed in on Luffy with such a single-minded focus that Ace felt his own being had been overlooked.

The man held himself with confidence and his mere presence was overwhelmingly large, just like their grandfather Garp. Because of that, Ace didn't need to see his crimson hair to know that this was the man that Luffy called father, none other than Red Haired Shanks. They had known Shanks was waiting for them at Sabaody, but Ace didn't think the emperor would be hanging out by the shore just to wait for Luffy. He expected to have to search, so to see him here so suddenly threw him off.

The emperor paused before him, red eyes widening as Ace finally met his stare with a glare. Shanks blinked and the look was gone, his brows furrowing for a moment before smoothing, his face falling into an easy smile.

"Oh, nice to meet you Ace, I'm Shanks." The man gave him a blinding smile and Ace hesitated momentarily before nodding towards him. The sound of crunching glass behind him caught his attention and he risked a glance back.

"Geeze Ace, I'm here too. I can't help with Luffy if you don't let me." Sabo's voice trailed up to him and Ace nodded his head slightly, noting the soft burns on his clothes before grimacing.

"Sorry," he muttered before ridding the clearing of all his remaining flames. The emperor stared at them for a moment, eyes roving over Luffy's form to check for injuries before letting a soft frown tug at his lips.

"Come here, Anchor." Shanks' voice brought Ace's attention back and he unconsciously tightened his grip around his baby brother, narrowing his eyes at the emperor in warning. He squeezed Luffy a little too hard when he wouldn't stop squirming and a surprised squeak left him before he whined.

"Accceee-"

"No Luffy, wait." Ace cut him off, never letting his eyes stray away from Shanks and the other members of his crew that began to gather around. Most of them stayed a good distance away, clearly content to wait for their captain's orders, though others seemed overjoyed at the sight of Luffy squirming in his arms. In the distance he could see Whitebeard and he held back the sting of betrayal that he felt from seeing the man, now wasn't the time. Sabo stepped up next to him, taking up the side that Luffy was on to have him squished between them, his blue eyes calm and smile gentle as he nodded to everyone. Good, Ace couldn't be diplomatic for shit, he'd sooner start a fight and run away with Luffy before trying to talk anything out.

"Greetings Shanks, I'm Sabo, Luffy's other brother. It is a pleasure to meet you." Sabo nodded his head and tilted his top hat forward in a friendly gesture. Shanks mouth formed into a friendly grin but something cold trailed up Ace's spine when the emperor met his gaze. Sabo must have felt it too, because his brother stiffened ever so slightly, shifting a tad closer to them as his smile went tight.

"Oh dad! Sabo is super smart! He taught me how to count and make words make sense!" Luffy wiggled again and Ace roughly shoved him closer, growling a warning under his breath for him to be still. Despite Luffy's words, the tense air that had begun to form around them only grew, regardless of how relaxed the others looked. A man with silver hair and dark eyes sighed heavily and stepped forward, cigar in his mouth and sloshing booze in his hand as he gestured further inland.

"Why don't we settle down by the bonfire? There's plenty to catch up on and we have extra food and water to share." The purple cloak that was draped over his shoulders fluttered in a stray breeze, bringing the smell of freshly cooked meat and alcohol.

At the mention of food, Ace couldn't keep Luffy from wiggling away and he snarled as his baby brother skipped to where he thought the food was. In an instant, Luffy was gone and Ace felt panic well up in him until he saw the red haired emperor toss Luffy up on his shoulders, his hands gripping his small legs tightly as he sauntered away from them. Ace hadn't even been able to see the man move. He blinked and narrowed his eyes, stomping forward and completely ignoring the others, eyes totally focused on the emperor who stole Luffy away from him.

"Hey! Give him back he's ours!"

"Ace!" Sabo's voice hissed from behind but he didn't care, shoving off the hand that had been placed on his shoulder and reaching to grip at the black cloak the emperor wore. Before he could, the emperor turned, red eyes boring down at him and shadows deepening across his face.

"Yours?"Even with Luffy on his shoulders he managed to look threating as he glared down at him. Ace blinked and the look was gone, replaced by a weary smile and tired eyes, making him wonder if he had seen the look in the first place.

"You don't mind do you? It's been too long since I've seen my son, I hope you understand how worried I was about him." Shanks voice was smooth and calm, charismatic, but Ace felt a warning licking at his skin. He tightened his fists, ready to argue but caught sight of Luffy's frown. He didn't want to fight his brother's father, not when Luffy clearly cared about the man, but Ace couldn't help but feel something was off. Luffy's mall fingers threaded through crimson locks and his brother curled his upper body around Shanks' head, smiling and humming softly.

A goofy smile lit the emperor's face up and he cooed at the small boy, hands reaching up and rubbing at soft cheeks. Ace could practically see the stars in his eyes and he was so thrown off, he couldn't even respond.

"C'mon Ace, Sabo! Let's eat!" Luffy kicked his feet and demanded Shanks give him meat, a demand the emperor gave into with a laugh and nod, trotting away to a suspiciously familiar man with a pompadour.

"Ace," Sabo's voice was low next to him and he turned to see his brother's worried blue eyes. He pursed his lips and nodded in silent agreement, happy to know he wasn't going mad if Sabo had felt that too. It wasn't dangerous per say, but it rankled his nerves in a way that was meant to be a deterrent and a warning, to stay away from what Shanks deemed his. It was possessive, like Ace had broken into the man's personal belongings and stollen something valuable right from under his nose. He paused briefly on his way to Thatch and realized that yes, that's exactly what Luffy was to the emperor. His.

Ace may have been hallucinating about the emperor's glaring red eyes, but he knew he heard correctly when Shanks subtly challenged his claim on his baby brother. He frowned, silver eyes narrowing in annoyance. He wouldn't give up so easily and he'd be damned if Luffy was taken from them.

xxx

Roger looked down at him, hand extended and a wide grin on his face, offering up a lifetime of adventure and freedom. The straw hat on Roger's head shielded him from the rays of sunlight that illuminated him from the back, but his silver eyes burned with his passion and will. Rayleigh blinked and the vision was gone, in its place was a teenager named Ace with a scowl on his face and annoyed silver eyes glaring at Shanks as he followed after the emperor. Rayleigh swallowed and forced himself to move, feet dragging in the sand and hands clenching the fabric of his cloak.

His chest felt tight and he tried to ignore how his heart was being squeezed, focusing instead on taking in large breaths of air to remain calm. The resemblance was uncanny, and Rayleigh knew the boy had to be Roger's son. As the minutes ticked by and his nerves calmed, Rayleigh wandered over, smile on his face and nodding his head in greeting. The two older boys had lost Shanks when the emperor made a dash to the other side of the bonfire, chasing a giggling Luffy and demanding his son give him back his food.

The blonde one, Sabo, was the first to take notice of his presence and he gave him a weary smile, smacking Ace on the back of his head and demanding his brother pay attention. Rayleigh chuckled at that, glad that the boys seemed to have a close relationship with one another. He sat down near the two, unoffended that they seemed closed off and tense at first. He decided to start easy, telling them about the island they were on and laughing when Ace complained loudly about 'the fucking bubbles' going off constantly. Eventually the boys eased, and hesitant smiles were given with their replies.

As they spoke, he could see the care the boys had for one another, especially their youngest, Luffy. They were fiercely protective of him, and Rayleigh was shoved aside more than once when Luffy ran around to a place they couldn't see from their spot. It was during one of these instances that he managed to meet Shanks' gaze, a knowing look flickering across his face as his eyes drifted to the teenager seated by his side. Rayleigh swallowed and looked away, not quite ready to face the facts. Because while Ace may have been Roger's son, his near spitting image, he wasn't Roger. His captain's very being brimmed with life and his will had been absolute. His son on the other hand, was guarded, and his presence while loud, was tamed and maybe even broken. Rayleigh wondered, if life had gone differently, would Ace have been more like his captain?

They sat in silence and Rayleigh couldn't help but keep looking over, staring at the freckles on his cheeks and the soft curls in his black hair. Rouge would have found him adorable, and Rayleigh had the feeling that Ace would have always had flowers in his hair growing up.

"What!?" Ace snapped and Rayleigh let out a sheepish smile, meeting angry eyes and raising his hands in a placating gesture. Fire licked across Ace's shoulders and his brother smacked him while putting them out.

"Ah, I'm sorry. You just remind me of someone is all." Rayleigh watched closely as Ace stiffened, how his shoulders tensed and his frown tightened.

"I guess I would. It doesn't matter now though." Ace's eyes drifted to where Luffy sat and Rayleigh watched in surprise as Ace eased, posture relaxing. "It's… in the past."

It was clear for Rayleigh to see that not all of it was, but it looked like Ace had his own sort of problems to overcome, and he knew this was only the surface. He contemplated for a moment, figuring Ace knew what he was talking about, but Rayleigh couldn't help but ask.

"You know then? About captain?" The words came out forced, and not nearly as smooth as he hoped.

Ace's attention snapped back to him and his eyes widened in surprise, hands reaching out automatically for support but only grasping at empty air. "Captain?"

Rayleigh's mouth twisted into a tight smile and he nodded, looking away from Ace and towards the fire in the center of the gathering. "I was his first mate." Rayleigh didn't look away from the fire, watching as stray embers floated up and away with the air currents. When the silence between them stretched for too long he risked a glance back and saw Ace hunched over with his head in his hands, fingers digging into his hair. Sabo was next to him, trying to ease his fingers to relax to no avail. Rayleigh frowned and reached over, hesitating briefly before placing a heavy hand on his shoulder, kneading his fingers in hard and letting out a shaky breath.

"If you ever want to know anything-"

Ace shook his hand off and straightened, taking a deep breath. "No, Luffy's told me enough. Thanks, though."

Rayleigh blinked in surprise and he almost missed the proud look on Sabo's face as his mind raced elsewhere. There was no way for Luffy to have known about Roger, a man before his time, not unless-

His mind wandered back to what Shanks told him, his beliefs, and his certainty in them. Not only that, but Rayleigh got to see firsthand how the sea had twisted away from the pair when Luffy landed in Shanks' arms, like she was giving them just enough space to breathe. He went to ask, but Ace turned away from him, making it clear that he was done with the conversation.

Rayleigh leaned back on his log and took a swig of his drink, his eyes trailing over to Shanks. There he found the young boy draped over the emperor's back. He was staring at Ace, a slight frown on his face as he observed his brother across the fire, like he could feel his brother's distress regardless of the distance between them. Dark eyes flicked over to him and caught his stare. The world suddenly narrowed to a single point and Rayleigh couldn't look away. His body reacted before his mind could make sense of anything, his breath catching in his throat as the sky closed in around him and squeezed the air out of his lungs. Through his tunneled vision all he could see was Luffy, through him, and into a yawning void that made his stomach drop in instinctual fear. His haki flashed in reflex and suddenly Shanks was there, gripping his shoulder harshly and fighting down his haki with his own. A distant part of his mind could register the shouts of surprise from the others as his power lashed out over their forms and clawed into the sand under them.

"Easy Ray," Shanks murmured in his ear and Rayleigh took a breath, eyes widening as he steadied himself, partially wondering how Shanks had made it to him so fast without him even noticing. It had been a long, long time since Rayleigh had reacted in such a way to anything, and to do so over a child was unexpected. He swallowed and met Shanks' crimson eyes, catching the understanding in them and asking a silent question.

Shanks gave his shoulder another squeeze, gesturing with his other hand to the others that everything was fine. "I told you before, it's hard to explain. Does it make a little more sense now?"

Rayleigh thought back to their prior conversation when they were up in the trees, speaking of sea children and the plausibility of gods. His instincts were still reeling, and he clenched his hands in the fabric of his pants, forcing the trembling to stop. He didn't even know what had scared him, but the distinct sense of his mortality was at the forefront of his mind. Eventually, he nodded.

Luffy peeked his head up over Shanks' shoulder, a smile on his face and eyes oblivious. "Are you okay old guy?"

Rayleigh stared into dark eyes but none of the feelings came back to him, only finding childish curiosity in the boy's gaze. He nodded again and felt Shanks' hand slip away from his shoulder even if his eyes watched him carefully. Instead of returning to their spot Shanks plopped himself down between Rayleigh and Ace, whining when Luffy immediately crawled into Ace's arms.

"You had your fucking turn!" Ace snarled and deliberately tucked Luffy close between him and Sabo, ignoring how Luffy laughed and wiggled when he complained about being accidentally tickled. The laughter only intensified, and Ace's triumphant grin was the only warning Luffy got as the brothers went in on torturing the younger. Shanks sighed and sat back, complaining loudly before taking a long sip of his drink. Luffy was crying now, trying desperately to wiggle away but his brothers were having none of it, clearly using him as a stress relief.

"Yeah get him!" Thatch shouted from across the fire, hands raised in support and drink sloshing everywhere. Marco complained loudly next to him and Whitebeard's laugh rumbled throughout the beach. Rayleigh had noticed Whitebeard easing his crew away from the boys, more than likely aware that Shanks wouldn't take kindly to their reunion being interrupted so soon. Or, maybe it had to do with things he had yet to fully understand.

Shanks grinned next to him and stood, raising his tanker, uncaring of the liquid dripping down his arm as he smiled wide and shouted. "To being reunited!"

His crew cheered and Rayleigh grinned at the sight of his former cabin boy. The tension from the last couple days had completely drained away from Shanks' form and the red haired captain was now completely at ease.

Rayleigh felt his heart lighten at the sight, and he brushed off the unease he felt to deal with it later. He shifted in his seat when the log under him jolted from the boys' antics, and he was unable to stop himself from joining in on the infectious laughter that seemed to reverberate through his soul.

A soft, choked off gasp caught his attention, and he turned in time with Shanks, eyes widening at the flicker of light that blinded him momentarily. It had been brief, but Rayleigh saw the burning white of irises that seared themselves into his memory. No one else seemed to have noticed, but the older boys had frozen in their torturous tickling, each with stilled hands hovering above their baby brother who was calming down from the session.

"Shishishi! No fair! I thought I was going to pee my pants!" Luffy raised a hand to his face and wiped away his tears, missing the looks exchanged between the brothers.

"That's enough for now," Shanks' voice was low and nearly drowned out by the rambunctiousness of the others, but the boys heard and nodded their heads in agreement, any misgivings they had about the other vanishing into smoke. Luffy was jostled around until he ended up near the emperor, a smile still on his face and seemingly none the wiser to what just occurred.

xxx

Benn let himself sink into the chatter and noise that swelled around him, eager to let the past few days fade into obscurity. Luffy's laughter was easily discernible in the noise, and it eased the tension off his shoulders. He glanced at his captain, noting the genuine, goofy smile on his face as he watched his son tell him some story, hands flailing around and energy wild. Shanks was enraptured in Luffy's tales, nodding along and asking questions, but Benn noticed more than just his focus. He could see how firmly Shanks gripped Luffy, how his fingers brushed along squishy cheeks and how gently he placed the straw hat back on Luffy's head. Making sure it was angled just right.

All of that would have only been worth a spare glance, if it also weren't for the way that his captain was leaving residues of his conqueror's haki everywhere he touched. It was subtle, just lingering stretches of his energy clinging to Luffy's clothes and seeping into his skin. But now it wouldn't matter if Luffy were to have the straw hat or not, his very being would soon be doused in the emperor's haki.

For now, only those that could use conqueror's haki could tell, and with how Whitebeard and Rayleigh glanced at Shanks, they knew what he was doing. And when Shanks would meet their questioning gaze he just doubled down, purposefully bringing his haki coated fingers up and firmly planting them on top of Luffy's head, the boy oblivious and continuing on with his babbling. The message to the others was clear though, and if they had any qualms about how Shanks claimed what was his, they didn't say.

It reminded Benn of their early days, when his captain had clung on tightly to his hat and snarled at anyone who dared touch it. Possessive and hunting like a beast when his space wasn't given or his treasure threatened. It made sense back then, his captain had lost everything he held dear in life and that hat had been his only connection back to it. Benn knew this would happen, but he was slightly proud to say that Shanks had more restraint than he would have thought. Luffy was a person after all, free spirited and unable to be contained, like the mother he hailed from. He was just glad that Shanks seemed to remember that, even if he reached out far too often to reclaim what everyone knew was his.

Shanks' very will was settling itself over the boy, and it would soon be a reminder and warning for anyone to notice. Luffy wasn't to be messed with, least they wanted their head off their shoulders. And if Luffy could tell, he didn't say anything, simply melted into hugs and let himself be coddled by his doting father, seemingly unaware of Shanks' need of aggressive reassurance that he was there. Or, Benn mused, Luffy did know, and that was the reason he was so pliant every time Shanks snatched him up a few too many times.

The only person who seemed incapable of reading the hints, or was just ignoring them, which was more likely, was Hawkeyes. He watched Luffy just as closely as Shanks did, but for a different reason Benn knew. If the man could be patient like Rayleigh, then his questions would be answered in time, but it didn't seem to be his strong point. Though Benn couldn't blame him, he remembered what it was like to come under the scrutiny of a god, and even a young one like Luffy had left him reeling. Rayleigh's reaction earlier had been expected, but thankfully his crewmates remained tightlipped on what had happened. Only a few knew, but Benn was prepared to deal with the panic that knowledge would bring about later.

"Boy," Hawkeyes' voice cut through the idle chatter everyone had fallen in. Several pairs of eyes turned to him, curious and weary all at the same time. Everyone on the Red Force knew why the swordsman had come along and stuck around, so Benn was curious as to how he'd get his answers. Though knowing how Luffy was, it wouldn't take very long for him to do something spectacular. Still, he wondered if the water bending to Luffy's will earlier wasn't enough, then what would be? Rayleigh had been somewhat convinced, Benn noticing the curiosity and wonder in dark eyes, remembering a time when he was also getting used to such a presence near them.

"Come here." Hawkeyes raised a hand and made a beckoning motion with his finger pointed in Luffy's general direction. General because he was still running around and rolling along the sand, terrorizing anyone that got within his vicinity with food. Luffy paused, laid out on his back with a stick of meat in his mouth as he tilted his head unnaturally far back to look at Hawkeyes. There was a moment of silence as the two stared at one another and Benn felt the familiar bristle of an overwhelming presence settle on the clearing for the briefest moments.

It was one he was used to by now, whenever Luffy's mother imposed herself more onto this plane of existence and drew her attention to them. If Benn could describe the feeling, it would be as if he were an ant under an incoming boot, knowing his existence was so insignificant to the other that his life being snuffed out wouldn't be noticed. It passed and he let out an exhale, nearly choking on the smoke that was in his lungs and swiftly chugging down some booze to help ease the burn. When he managed to compose himself, it was to see Luffy standing in front of Mihawk, head tilted to the side and chewing the last bits of his food as he stared up at the man owlishly.

It was clear that many others in the circle had felt it, their pale faces and wandering eyes a clear indicator. Benn chanced a glance at Rayleigh and noted his white knuckled grip on the fabric of his coat, his brows drawn down into a harsh furrow and eyes trained solely on Luffy. His captain was slightly tense next to him, watching the scene with sharp eyes and seemingly ready to pounce at a moment's notice.

Mihawk stayed still longer than Benn would have anticipated, gold rimmed eyes slightly widened as he stared down at the boy. Benn smirked blatantly in his direction, ready to watch the show unfold as the swordsman tried to unravel a situation he couldn't possibly fathom. Mihawk didn't bother introducing himself, he just leaned forward in his seat, still managing to be taller than Luffy, and began his inspection with gentle prods. He stretched limbs and ran his hand though hair filled with sand, eyed how Luffy's devil fruit let him bend at odd angles and frowned when he found nothing extraordinary. Benn held back his chuckle at the giggles Luffy let out, clearly still ticklish and sensitive from the earlier attack. The older man let out a hum of disappointment before sitting back with his arms crossed, eyes narrowing in thought.

"Whom do you hail from?" Mihawk's voice was bland, and Benn took a swing of his sake to hide his grin.

"What's a hail?"

Shanks burst into laughter next to Rayleigh and Benn fought to keep his drink from coming out his nose. Someone on this crew had to be dignified after all. Hawkeyes' face was contorted in disgust and exasperation as he spoke to clarify.

"Who are your parents?"

"Oh!" Luffy grinned and used both hands to point. One was directed to Shanks and the other the sea. "That's dad and mom!"

A gasp was heard, and Benn's eyes moved sharply over to the Whitebeard pirates, but he was unable to identify who had let out that response.

"Damnit Luffy!" Ace, the boy's older brother shouted from his spot near the fire and the blonde one was cradling his head in his hands, shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Wait, I mean just dad!" Luffy dropped the hand that was pointing to the sea and beamed up an innocent smile towards Hawkeyes, expression bright. Shanks was howling in laughter, tilting too far back and falling off his log as he clutched at his stomach.

"Oh Anchor! You're still perfect!" His captain managed to get out between breaths and Luffy joined in with giggles even though Benn was sure he had no clue what Shanks was laughing about.

"How's that fucking funny!? That idiot is gonna get himself kidnapped! Hell, I can't even come up with a damn lie for him, how do you even make a lie for a fucking sea child? Stop fucking laughing!" Ace had rounded on the emperor, fury lighting his hair up in fire and causing a haze of heat to waft out from him.

Sabo sighed, shoulders falling even further as he stared ahead blankly. "Why, why are my brothers so stupid."

Ace turned to yell at his brother before pausing, finally catching onto his slipup and grimacing, the fire dying away immediately. "Fuck."

"Don't worry so much," Shanks sat up and dusted himself off, grin still on his face despite his hardening eyes. "I'd like to see anyone try to take Anchor from me." The clearing had gone silent at the apparent revelation and Benn scanned his eyes across the crown, trying to discern any possible threats. His gaze stopped at Marco, taking in his wide eyes and pale face. He noted it for later, knowing full well the vice captain of the Whitebeard pirates was easy going and hardly batted and eye at the most astounding of revelations.

Luffy twisted his head around, eyes widening in hope. "Does that mean I can be with mom again, even with people here!?" His voice grew in excitement and he moved away from Mihawk, the sand he kicked up smacking the warlord in the face.

"Yes!"

"No!"

Shanks and Ace spoke at the same time and Luffy paused, scratching his head in confusion before turning to Sabo. "Sabo?"

The blonde brother blinked, and Benn saw his will visibly wilt away at the sight of his baby brother's pout, his dark eyes almost seeming to water as he pleaded his case.

Luffy clasped his hands together in front of him and bounced up and down on the tips of his toes. "Please, please, I'll listen and be good! But I miss mom!"

"Sabo no-!" Ace lurched forward, clearly seeing his brother's will melt.

"Okay-" Sabo was cut off when Ace tackled his side but it was too late, Luffy's eyes grew in delight and his beaming smile stretched across his face.

"Mom!" Without missing a beat, Luffy sprinted forward, hoping over heads, and stretching his hands out towards the lapping waters that seemed to reach right back. Benn watched, amused as Luffy jumped in and splashed around, large waves crossing and cradling his body, keeping him afloat. Smaller streams of water reared up like tiny snakes, caressing black hair and seemingly stroking his cheeks. Luffy laughed, grabbing a wave with both his hands and somehow bringing it up like a blanket. He tucked the wave under his chin and let out a hum, feet kicking up but never coming out the water.

Ace's heavy sigh made him tear his gaze away, and when he did, he saw the absolutely flabbergasted looks most of pirates in the vicinity held. Thatch in particular was spluttering, hands out in front of him and making wild gestures as he tried to sort through his jumbled thoughts. The only people who didn't bat an eye at Luffy's antics, besides his brothers, were a few of his crewmates. They had grown used to Luffy's oddness many years ago, and seeing it again was nothing new. After all, they knew full well that it was just the start of what a sea child was capable of. Still, despite Luffy's laughter and the crackling flame, the silence was loud. And while Benn could see the benefit of everyone knowing, it also put him on high alert.

"Oh, now that is quite interesting." Rayleigh's voice broke the trance everyone seemed to have fallen into. The older man leaned forward, hands clasped together as his eyes focused on Luffy.

"Yeah, yeah whatever! Shows over everyone stop fucking staring at my baby brother!" Ace yelled and a wall of flames rose across the shore, effectively blocking Luffy from view. His captain frowned and tilted his head, clearly still trying to see past the flames. He huffed and met Benn's gaze when it proved to be fruitless.

"I'm going to go stay with Anchor." Shanks stood and dusted himself off, once again easily parting the wall of fire with his haki.

"How does he keep doing that!?" Ace pulled at his black hair and growled under his breath, his anger at his blonde brother forgotten.

"It's called haki," Rayleigh stood and motioned for the boys to follow him. "Come, I'm sure Shanks can take care of Luffy for the night. Why don't we go talk? This new technique should help you protect your brothers better."

It was like Rayleigh knew exactly what to say to get Ace to shut up. The teen snapped his jaw shut, eyes flicking over to his baby brother briefly before narrowing in resolve.

"Alright, we'll go."

Benn watched them leave and shook his empty drink with a sigh. The bonfire was smaller now, most of the wood burned away and the rocks around it scorched black. The unnatural chill of the night began to cling closer, but he still had one more thing to do before he could rest. He moved his attention to the warlord who was still staring at Luffy, gold ringed eyes wide. Benn couldn't hold in his laugh, and he didn't bother hiding the fact that it was at Mihawk's expense.

"Oh how unfortunate for you, to see something you can't explain." Benn grinned around his cigarette as Mihawk scowled at him, hand clenching the cross necklace dangling around his neck.

"Do not test me, Beckman."

Benn laughed louder before bracing his hands on his knees to stand. "Tell me when you have a reason for that then," Benn pointed with his thumb back towards Luffy. "I'll listen to any of your theories." He didn't give the warlord a chance to respond, simply turned and gestured for his crew to pack up. They would need to head out soon, otherwise the marines may get overly ambitious. It was a good thing that there were too many of them together, after all, Sabaody was supposed to be a more subtropical island. And to an experienced crew like them, Aokiji could only get so close without them noticing.

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