It only took Shanks and Makino around a day to work out a plan and get Wood Slap, the Mayor, to agree. He was probably the easiest part of their plan. After a long talk between Makino and Áine, he agreed to allow the teen to settle in the village.
It had been decided that not only was Áine old enough to live alone, but that she also had the skills necessary to do so. So the Mayor sold a small cabin about halfway up a nearby mountain. (More accurately Shanks bought it and they put down Áine's new legal name on the paperwork.) The mayor told her that the cabin used to belong to Luffy's grandfather, who had sold it to the Mayor once his Marine career got started.
Once he hears that, Shanks said he would go though the cabin before letting anyone else on the property. That appeared to be the right call, as several traps had indeed been found inside. Some5hing that made the mayor go green as he realized the danger the empty cabin had posed. Soon enough Shanks declared it safe to enter. Several villagers, Shanks and Makino had donated some furniture and odds and ins that Áine needed to get settled much to her joy and greatfullness
She spends the next few days getting everything settled and doing chores for the kind villagers who helped her out. She would spend her evenings at the bar with Luffy and Makino along with Shanks and his crew. It was always lively and Áine enjoyed the atmosphere.
They had decided to change her name, at least on official documents and to the general public. Áine decided on actually using Luffy's mispronunciation, Awen, the different spelling but similar pronunciation would help hide accidents and make the transition easier. Makino had also offered her last name to Áine. The woman had no living relatives of her own and didn't mind helping Áine out. She stated that she was willing to be an alibi for the teen, the women planning a story for her if anyone had questions. So between the mayor and Shanks, it was easy to make the paper records of the small village reflect that.
Áine had been so busy, she had entirely missed Luffy eating a devil fruit, getting kidnapped and Shanks losing his arm to save him. She had been at her new home at the time. She broke down in tears when she saw them in the evening. Luffy and herself spent hours at the captain's side while he recovered in the town clinic. Áine unwilling to let either out of her sight for too long.
The three really bondef over the short amount of time that Shanks' recovered. Áine and Shanks particularly bonded over their affection for Luffy. She even admitted to Shanks once, while Luffy was snoring at the man's side, that she was excited to be there for him as he grows up. The man gave her a knowing grin and confided how much he regretted that he couldn't. Áine had ended up swearing to the man that she would do all she could for the boy, adding with humor that Luffy had saved her after all.
Then Shanks' asked her what she would do after Luffy set out to sea (they both knew he would). She was quiet for some time, pondering the question. Years later Áine would be thankful that Shanks had brought up the question so soon in her life. In the end she couldn't answer, him but promised him that she would continue to think on the question. That earned her a pat on her head and warm smile.
When it was finally time for Shanks and his crew to leave, it was a sad day all around. She watched as everyone said their goodbyes. Too lost in her own head to take the first step to offer her own farewell. Shanks ended up approaching her first in the end. Neither spoke at first, but hugged one another tightly. Shanks in less than a week did more for her than anyone else in her life. She could feel tears in her eyes, but she blinked them back.
"You are gonna do alright Little red." He says, her eyes widening slightly at the nickname. They often shared jokes about their hair. Though hers more chopper and orange than his ruby red. She lets out a soft giggle.
"Thank you," Then she says with a mischievous grin, "Big Red." He laughs and pulls something wrapped in paper out of his pocket and passes it to her.
"Given the good bye gift I'm planning on for Anchor, I thought I should get you something too." He says, motioning for her to open the gift. She does so, unwrapping the paper and looks at the gift with curious eyes.
The gift was actually two different things. In the wrapping sat a ring on a chain, the ring was much too large and obviously made for a man, and a flower hair clip. The ring she recognized as an 'assassins ring'. The ring had a secret compartment could be used to store poison or anything else that fit inside. When she flicked it open curiously and saw a small piece of folded paper inside. Áine looked at Shanks questioningly.
"That's Benn's Virvie Card. Pieces of it will always tug to the others. This way if you ever need to, you will always be able to get to us, and us to you. Our ship's Den-Den Mushi number is on it too. Keep in mind that while our end will always be secure, keep in mind the nature of your own." He explains softly. As he does he picks up the hair pin and slides it into place, her braid holding it easily. The hair pin had a U shape, and on the bend was a white flower. It was beautiful and seemingly tropical. It seemed to be metal and colored with enamel. The flower was quite large, almost like a real one.
"I knew the woman who owned this before. She gave it to me telling me to give it to the woman I fell in love with. But, a few years down the line I found out that ladies weren't quite my thing. I held on to it anyway." He takes a step back to see how it looks on her and smiles brightly. Áine was looking at him with wide eyes, trying to find any words to express how touched she was. Shanks continues to speak, adjusting the pin slightly.
"Áine, I think you should have it. It suits you more than I could say. But, I want one thing from you in return, promise?" He says, his voice starting wistful, but becoming serious at the end. She quickly agrees, holding out her pinky. Shanks is quick to lock his own around it.
"That flower carries the spirit of a strong woman. So, when men try to step on you or over you, you kick their asses. You listen to her and your heart and fight for yourself and what's yours. We both know you won't be a pirate. But that's no reason not to be free, got it Little Red?"
Áine meets his eyes. This time was different. She had been able to 'read souls' for most of her life, but in this moment she realized she never actually quite got there. Not like this.
As they looked at each other, Áine could see all of Shanks. His emotions, his dreams, hopes, fears, loves, hates, rage. Everything that Shanks' was, from his brightest day to his darkest, all in a moment. She also understood intrinsically that he was seeing the same in her. Soon they are both blinking and it all slips away. Leaving both of them quiet for a moment. Áine hugs him again tightly and he returns it just as tightly.
"See ya when I see ya." She says with a watery grin. He nods his head and leans down to kiss her forehead before turning away and making his way to Luffy who had been waiting with tears and snot running down his face. Áine joins Makino who smiles through her own sniffles at her.
Much too soon the two of them and Luffy stood at the docks waving the ship off as the Red Force cuts though the ocean. Luffy was shouting at Shanks as they watched the boat become smaller, mostly at how strong he was gonna get and that Shanks just better wait.
His old/new straw hat is firmly on his head and rustling in the wind.
The next few weeks went on peacefully. Áine spent most of her time employing her various skills for the village in return for things she couldn't do herself. While money did exist in the village, plenty of the villagers were open to trades and services. Especially after it became common knowledge that Áine was skilled in fiber arts. She could spin, weave, sew, knit and embroider extremely well for a girl her age.
She was happy to accept any project the villagers came to her with. She would also, with Makino's help, make and repair most of Luffy's clothes. Within a week, she realized just how much clothing Luffy could go though. Taking on the challenge with relish.
Luffy settled happily into her daily life. It quickly became the case that when he wasn't with Makino or exploring he would be with Áine. It actually got to the point that Luffy was spending just as many nights in her cabin as he was with Makino.
Towards the middle of the second week, long after Luffy had fallen asleep, she had a much needed conversation with Makino.
"Makino, where are his parents?" She asks softly as the two women sit in the kitchen of the cabin, Luffy sleeping in the cabin's second bedroom. Makino lets out a deep sigh at the question, running her hand through her hair. The woman takes a long sip of her tea before answering, clearly centering herself.
"Honestly Awen, I don't know. His grandfather grew up here long before my time. He is a pretty big shot Marine, have you heard of Garp the First?" She asks. Áine had to think for a moment, but soon nodded her head.
"I think so, my father mentioned him at some point. I can't remember why, something about capturing a major Pirate?" The younger woman says hesitantly. Makino nods her head, confirming Áine's memory.
"Garp is the one who brought in The Pirate King." She says solemnly. "Nut, as for Luffy, one day Garp just showed up with him, Lu was still a baby then. We had all gathered when he arrived, the village often does, hard not to with a marine ship pulling into port. He called for Wood Slap, and demanded to know if the island had any women who could take a child. It was utterly baffling no one quite understood what he was talking about. Garp… he means well in the end, but, he can be about much." Makino lets her head rest on the table. Áine was quickly getting the impression that this was a topic Makino never got to actually talk to anyone about. So she listened closely, reaching out to take her friend's hand. Makino gives it a slight squeeze and continues.
"Wood Slap didn't even get a word out before Garp was looking at the rest of us. I just happened to be the one he made eye contact with first I guess. He marched over, passed me the baby and stormed back to his ship." She had gotten quieter at the end. She sounded exhausted.
"Makino, you're 19." Áine said, feeling fury build in her veins. Makino nods. "Luffy is 7." She all but growls the words out. Makino just nods her head again.
Áine wanted to hit something. It reminded her too much of the island. It wasn't uncommon for responsibilities too large to be put on people so young, but parenting was not one of them. In Fyrir, raising children was a group effort. Children were never without parents or guardians. Everyone in a village helped whenever they could.
"Wood Slap did what he could, anything he could to ease the burden. The villagers to an extent helped too, but as Lu got older," She let out a dry laugh, trying not to cry. "He is a handful ya know? More and more often it was just me. At 16 I got the bar and that only added to everything. I have been doing what I can but, god Áine, I'm exhausted. I love Lu so much. I don't want him to be so alone." Makino was actually crying now. Áine gets up from her chair and helps Makino to the couch in the adjoined living room. She sits them down and pulls Makino to her, cuddling closer to her.
They sit there together for a while, even after Makino's tears stop. In the end it wasn't hard for Áine to make up her mind.
"Makino, why don't we have Luffy move in with me?" She asks, looking at the woman, her expression determined. Makino's eyes widen, and Áine continues.
"I have to come down to the village pretty often, and Lu can visit you then, then we can arrange nights to do dinner at yours or mine and if you want to, do sleepovers when you miss him." Áine's last sentence was teasing. As far as Áine was concerned if the situation had been flipped, it's what she would want.
Makino tried to protest, not wanting Áine to feel like she had to or act our of Pity. Áine pointed out that taking on a kid at 17 was very different than being forced to at 12.
Eventually Makino ended up agreeing and the two spent the rest of the night nailing down details. They also discussed how to broach the subject to Luffy. Makino ended up sleeping over, taking Áine's bed for the night, while Áine took the couch. In the morning over breakfast, Áine ended up just asking Luffy out right. He looked to Makino, who nodded with a smile.
The rest of the day was spent hiking back and forth between their homes, moving Luffy's few things into Áine's cabin and signing the right paperwork with Wood Slap. The spare bedroom was officially promoted to Luffy's room and his things put away however the boy wanted. They even discussed painting his room, something the kid was very excited for.
The next month is divine. The makeshift family fell into an easy and natural routine. Luffy really flourished as the framework of routine that the two young women had made. Áine's effort and devotion to Raising Luffy seemed to ignite a second wind in Makino as well. Heavily assisted by the new amount of rest and time alone the woman now had. Her bar also seemed to be doing better, mostly due to the barkeep's improved mood and time to dedicate to it. Probably a little bit to having a little less Luffy.
Now that her patrons weren't forced around the chaotic child constantly, they seemed overall more relaxed when the child was around. More likely to indulge his games and laugh at the chaos.
Áine's own reputation improved. Now she wasn't just the highly skilled stranger, she was now seen as a highly skilled villager who had tamned the Monkey boy. Neither Makino or Áine believed that to be true in the slightest, they just had found effective ways at channeling Luffy's endless well of energy.
Luffy, for his part, was genuinely excited and happy with this. He truly did enjoy it when they taught him new things and loved when the two seemed to understand when he just needed to move!
Áine in particular was getting to be an expert and helping Luffy tire out. Fyrir was a culture that empathized physical health, and women were the hunters. So, every few days, the two would spend the night or two in the forests of the mountain.
There Áine began to impart some of her wisdom to the kid. Luffy had been very hesitant at first, thinking it would be similar to the trips his grandfather took him on. Áinr was quick to put that thought to bed.
She started by telling him she was going to teach him to never be hungry and, even better, to make sure his nakama would never be hungry. For food aggressive Luffy, he agreed to that with relish.
Her job was made very easy by the understanding that when he succeeded there would always be food at the end.
Áine also quickly realized that the boy could never remember names. At all. So, she took a different approach there. She taught him to identify things with silly but very descriptive names. It didn't matter as long as he could remember. Using the treats in question, taught him to associate their image with the name. Then as her final step, began quizzing him by asking what each thing looked, smelled or felt like by only saying the name they had come up with.
This seemed to work well, and would hopefully set a foundation to translate him later down the line.
She found that working with his eccentricities she was a lot more successful. She quickly passed her discovery to Makino, who found success using methods of her own, but keeping it in mind.
Makino had taken over Luffy's academic needs, arguably the hardest of any of their lessons for the young boy. But she quickly came to a system. First, she didn't ever make him work on anything for more than a half hour. If he was too distracted or fidgety, she would stop early or let him have a break. Next, she never really scolded him. When something was incorrect she would kindly point it out, and help him understand why and what to do.
She was kind and patient ans also incredibility accommodating. As Luffy grew comfortable with them, he began to better express some of his struggles when they came up. Both women did what they could to listen. They both figured that there wasn't really a harm in letting him dictate stuff like that.
At one point Makino pointed out that Luffy would often fidget with things, and frequently put them in his mouth. After some brainstorming they came up with a plan.
Áine, with the help of one of the island carpenters, made Luffy a unique bracelet from driftwood. It was a torc of smooth wood that had beads of different shapes, sizes and textures. The beads had room to slide freely along the torc portion and could be spun around. It was tight enough not to fall off, but still had room to move and was easy to slip off intentinally.
Áine had run most of the shapes by Luffy first, mostly by just asking him to hold the beads and watched how he played with them while she completed a different task. She kept the ones he used the most, and discarded the ones he didn't like or ended up losing. When their Sunshine got his present, he cried and hugged her tightly.
It wasn't much long after, on one of the camping trips, that he asked with a shy voice if he could call her mom.
One late night drinking together on Áine's 18th birthday, Makino described Luffy like the ocean. Something that Áine could only agree with. Her son was very much like the ocean.
