Benn smiled as he leant back against the tree, eyes flickering down the beach where his Husband and Anchor lay on the sand.
He liked these moments, the soft moments where Anchor would curl around one of them, eyes sleepy bright and pinned to the sky as they told him stories. Tonight was Shanks's turn, his laugh freer and happier than it has been in a while, a soft look of love and adoration firmly placed on his face as he taught their son the constellations.
Laughter drifted in the wind from the crew as Shanks and Luffy cuddled around their own little fire several paces down the beach. The sky was clear above them for the first time in a week, a waxing moon hung in the black above with the stars twinkling merrily around it.
Tonight was a good night to tell his little Anchor stories.
"Do you want to hear another story Anchor?" He asked with a smile, ruffling the boys hair.
Luffy grinned up at him and nodded vigorously, instantly shuffling over Shanks's reclined form who grunted when he got a little elbow into his stomach to settle on his good side. He shot his little Anchor a mock glare, only to get a soft shishishi in return, the little shit.
"What are you gonna tell me today, Shanks?" Anchor giggled as he got comfortable.
"I thought I would tell you about the Ship Argos." Shanks started, lifting his hand and Luffy's with it to point along a large constellation. "This is the constellation of it, one of the largest constellations there is. Here, this cluster is Carina, the keel, you know what that is right Anchor?"
Luffy's brow furrowed in thought, eyes following the stars Shanks pointed out to him. "It's the bottom of the ship, right?"
"Exactly Anchor! The backbone of every ship, well done." Shanks replied with a proud grin, he moved to the next one, trailing Luffy's little finger as he did.
"This is Puppis, the ship's deck and Vela, the sail. These three make up the entirety of Argo Navis, the ship of a great captain." Shanks explained softly, looking down to see stars in Luffy's eyes.
"A great captain?" Luffy asked as he looked up. "Like you?"
In all his years Shanks had never been speechless, not like this. Never had he had someone look at him and think he was a great captain, oh, he's heard it but not like this. Not with such innocence and matter of fact. His chest swelled with warmth at that, at the sheer amount of adoration he could hear in Luffy's voice.
"I'm glad you think I'm a great Captain, Anchor." He whispered with a pleased smile. "But no, this captain was unlike any every seen till Gol D. Rogers himself. This is a story my Father told me and a story he learnt along his travels."
It hurt sometimes to say his Captain's name out loud.
"There was a time long ago, where the Sun was a being, he travelled from place to place bringing his light and laughter, freeing those that were bound. They called him Joy Boy, child of the Sea, bringer of light and Liberation." Shanks could barely remember the story, but could always remember the look on both his fathers faces when they told him this.
He knew it wasn't the right story, the full story, but it was one tamed for children that still spoke the truth. A story they found of Laugh Tale.
"Everyone loved Joy Boy, but there were some who did not, these false gods and they went to war, many years of it and in the end, Joy Boy sacrificed himself for those who basked in his light to save them… but it was for naught, his people still suffer, his people still fight against those that deemed them to be better than the gods." He continued, holding his son tighter as Luffy shuddered.
"What happened after?" Luffy asked quietly.
Sighing Shanks pointed to the constellation again, painting a picture of the Argos to Luffy. "When Joy Boy passed, there was one man, one who was devoted to the Sun God who swore to bring Joy Boy home. They sailed across all the seas in their search, from start to end looking for their Lost God. They faced demons and their false gods, taking many losses but in the end, they found him, their god, their Nika. A crew of a hundred they had started as, only leaving ten by the time they sailed the line once more, all the way to Laugh Tale."
Luffy gasped as he could see the ship in the stars rush across them like the ocean, could hear the tales and laughter in each word. But there was something deep within him that was sad because he could hear the whispers of the story from the ocean, could hear the ache in her voice.
A sleepy murmured question left Luffy's lips and Shanks huffed a laugh once more. "When the crew of the Argos reached Laugh Tale the Ocean greeted them on the shore, her tears feeding the rivers and the sea, she swept her hands over their wounds and their ship, casting them in the sky so they could sail forever more, because their life was that of a sailor and that's what they always dreamed."
Shanks cuddled Luffy close to him, pulling the cloak over his smallest treasure as he finished the tale. Warmth flooded his heart as he cast his gaze down to see Anchor nuzzle into his chest, a little yawn pulling at his lips as he struggled to fight off sleep.
How was he so blessed to earn this child's love?
"Sleep Anchor, I've got you." He whispered gently, fingers coming up to rung through his Anchor's hair, his sons dark red hair because that is what he was.
This small boy in the middle of nowhere East Blue had wormed his way into Shanks's heart, burrowing so deep that he would never be able to pull him out and Shanks didn't care. Could never care when Luffy slept peacefully in his arms.
Shanks would burn the world for this Ocean Blessed child of his, would find a way to deafen the world to keep him sleeping slumbering. Shanks would give more than his arm to keep him with him always, but alas that was not meant to be. He wouldn't risk that bright spark dying in those wide eyes so soon.
He would not thrust the trauma of a cabin boys' life on his son like his fathers did for he and Buggy.
"No eepy." Luffy mumbled, rubbing his eyes.
A soft chuckle escaped Shanks's lips as he brought his hand up, fingers brushing across Anchor's brow, down his nose and across his cheeks, over and over like Rouge had done for him and Buggy when they were sick or couldn't sleep.
"I see the moon, the moon sees me
Down through the leaves of the old oak tree
please let the light that shines on me
Shine on the one I love…"
His voice was rough and unused to singing, heart lodging in his throat as he recalls the song his Captain sung for him. Luffy yawned again, body growing lax as sleep finally begins to take him and Shanks couldn't help but burrow his face against his sons hair, fingers still trailing softly across his face.
"Over the mountain, over the sea
Back where my heart is longing to be
Please, let the light that shines on me
Shine on the one I love…"
The words died off quietly as Luffy's soft snores reached his ears, he knew that when he leaves once his wound heals to Hongo's satisfaction, a piece of him will remain. His gaze flickered to Benn as his husband drew close, a sense of knowing that the same could be said for the older man.
"It's been a while since I've heard you sing." Benn whispered gently as he laid down on the other side of their little Anchor, propping himself up on his elbow to stare down at them both. "I've missed it."
"I know you have," Shanks replied face still buried in his son's hair, eyes locked on his husband who was staring down at them both with the most tenderest of looks.
Benn pressed a kiss upon his husbands' brow, followed by another on their sons who was still fast asleep. "We should get him back home to bed."
"We should," Shanks agreed turning his eyes back to the stars and pulling Anchor closer. "But we won't. Not tonight. It's a perfect night to sleep under the stars."
A huff of laughter escaped Benn as he lifted his cloak and pulled the blanket out from under it, knowing exactly what Shanks would have wanted and Benn could never say no to his captain, nor could he ever say no to the little boy snoring softly between them, not that he would ever know that. Not now in any case.
Benn curled around the two most important people in his life, using his bulk to cut down the breeze as he pulled the blanket over them, his hand coming up to stroke his husbands red hair much like Shanks was doing for their son.
They lay like that listening to the waves, as the merrymaking of their crew dies down, peacefully existing in one place till soft whimpers of their little Anchor reached them. There was a little furrow between his brows, a tear escaping down his cheek as he whimpered out from a nightmare.
"Hush my little Anchor,
Until the morning comes
Rest with us
Until we see the sun
No need to cry
For here we will stay
Until you are fast asleep once again."
Benn's voice was just as rough as Shanks, so unaccustomed to singing. It had been so long since he had attempted to last, not since they were younger, fresh on the seas as a new crew and fresh being together when the death of his captain and father and all that came after still haunted him.
"Wrapped up in our arms cozy and warm
Every night, we will keep you
Hush our little Anchor, until the morning comes
Rest with us until we see the sun
And I will keep you
we will keep you
we will keep you safe from harm."
It didn't take long for Shanks to join Anchor in sleeps embrace, now nightmare free and Beckman couldn't help but stay awake longer and just enjoy existing in this peaceful setting. Tomorrow was going to be another day, a new adventure and tonight will be nothing but a fond memory but it was one that Benn would enjoy thinking back on for the rest of his life.
"Love you both, I hope you know that." He whispered gently, turning his gaze from the sky to the sleeping treasures in his embrace. "More than life, more than the sea and more than all the treasure in the world."
With that, Benn closed his eyes and snuggled close to them, joining his little family in a dream filled sleep.