True, Honest Freedom (and the ones who get to attain it)

by justareader13

Shanks is the strongest omega on the seas, earning his way to the title of emperor. There's no shortage of enemies who want him or his dead. Which is why he can't let anyone know of the secret he has spirited away on Dawn Island. Or, Shanks has a one-night stand with the leader of the Revolutionary Army. Some things change as a result and some things don't.

14. Romance Dawn

Chapter Fourteen: Romance Dawn

Chapter Summary: Shanks has been using Dawn Island as a home base for nearly a year now but eventually things must come to a head.

AN: I swear I'm not making these chapters this long on purpose.

(italics = thoughts, bold = haki, bold italics = alpha command)

---

Shanks stared out into the sea from his perch atop the figurehead of the Red Force.

This spot had always been his favorite. As a pup, he remembered being slung on Roger's back alongside Buggy as the alpha climbed onto the twin mermaids of the Oro Jackson and sat with the boys on his lap. Roger wouldn't laugh boisterously or tell stories, instead he encouraged them to stay quiet and keep an ear out for what the world might have to tell them. Their father had the Voice of All Things unlike the boys, but they still sat silently, listening to the sounds of nature as the ship churned the waves beneath it and pods of dolphins jumped out in front of them.

It was a habit he had largely lost after he formed his own crew. It was Luffy who recently expressed interest in seeing the world from that vantage point. Rather than panic or worry about the dangers, Shanks had slung the twins on his back before finding himself sitting on the dragon figurehead with them. They sat quietly, enjoying the calling of birds, the salty spray of waves against their faces, the sound of the sea surrounding them. Uta eventually began telling him about the songs of the world while Luffy described the Voices of the wind, sea and leaves. Shanks had listened intently, finding it odd but fitting that there was another thing his pups inherited from their grandfather even though the connection between them was not one of blood.

The ocean he was observing now was not the same one he gazed upon when he was with his pups. She still brought him a sense of inner peace, but today the sea was churning restlessly, throwing debris about with abandon. He watched the splintered wood, metal fragments and unidentifiable objects drifting by. He didn't have to look too close to find bodies among the peculiar flotsams.

Ahead of him, the ship was still burning. The jolly roger at its damaged mast was torn but it was obvious who the ship belonged to.

What dregs remained of the Bluejam pirates were not formidable by any stretch of the imagination, but they also weren't fools. When they realized Shanks was chasing them down, they had scattered. He was determined to not let a single man live after what happened in Gray Terminal, so the better part of the last two months had found him tracking down every crewmate. The Bluejams were not a pack in the way the Red Hairs were. There was a loose sense of loyalty at best. Bluejam ruled through fear, but Shanks made sure anyone they found feared him more, all of which led them here.

They tracked Bluejam to the Gecko Islands where he had gotten a new ship for himself. The Red Force caught up to him barely a few leagues away from the archipelago and engaged in a chase and a short battle.

He watched with a flat expression as the fire licked up the wood of the Bluejams' new ship and caught their flag aflame. He felt a curl of satisfaction in his chest. Soon the world would never know this crew existed. They might have left their mark on his pups, but their influence would go no further.

"Captain."

Shanks turned to look at Limejuice as he approached him.

"They're waiting for you."

Shanks nodded before climbing back onto the ship and walking towards the deck with sure steps. Benn and Yasopp were standing over the bloody shivering survivors of the battle as they kneeled in defeat. He could practically smell the fear wafting off of them.

Good. Let that be the last thing they felt before they died.

He came to a stop next to his first mate, looking over the group with a carefully crafted look of neutrality.

"Which one is the captain again," he asked the alpha.

Before Benn could answer, one of the men at the end of the line spoke up.

"He is! That's Bluejam," he exclaimed, pointing to the third man from the right.

"Please! We only ever did as he commanded! We didn't mean to hurt anyone. We—"

Before the man's blubbering could continue, his head snapped back. The gunshot reverberated through the air as his body hit the deck. Shanks glanced over at Yasopp as he holstered his pistol, a harsh glare on his face.

The Bluejams had gone to Syrup Village to get their ship. There were rumors that they had used their time there to continue their preferred trade of human trafficking. They hadn't had time to stop and check on Usopp and Banchina as they passed the Gecko Islands.

"It doesn't matter whether or not you meant to hurt anyone. The fact of the matter is that you did. Pretty bad luck that the people you hurt happened to be ours, huh," Shanks declared, feigned nonchalance present in his voice as he approached Captain Bluejam and crouched down in front of the man.

Bluejam was a rather tall man with long dark hair hanging half into his bruised and bloodied face. It seemed like half of his teeth were missing in an alternating pattern that let Shanks know that that wasn't their handiwork. Shame that. His traditional captain's jacket was torn and smoldering in some places and his white shirt was covered in patches of blood. He was cradling his right hand which was missing three fingers after being caught by one of Benn's bullets. The man's face was bisected by a heavily bleeding wound courtesy of Gryphon and Shanks knew the wounds bleeding through his shirt were on account of his blade as well.

He smiled, flashing his teeth dangerously, his face shadowed by his straw hat.

"Credit where it's due, you're a difficult man to find, Bluejam."

The alpha grimaced at him in reply.

"You've slaughtered most of my crew, destroyed both my ships. If it's a message you're looking to send, you've done it. Isn't this enough?"

"I won't be satisfied until I take everything away from you and even then, it won't be enough."

"So it's my business you're looking to take over. You think the nobles would be so eager to make deals with you, a man they don't even know?"

"I don't pretend to know what goes through the vile mind of a noble. Besides, that profane "business" of yours will not survive past your death, at least not your role in it. I can't save everyone and, honestly, I'm not interested in doing so. I'm a pirate, not a hero. I do things because I want to but this will protect Dawn Island and that suits me fine."

"What interest could you have in Dawn Island?"

"You don't know? Well, I imagine you have no shortage of enemies so it shouldn't be too much of a surprise that you couldn't figure out the source of my ire towards you. In truth, you personally didn't do anything to me. It's true that your general existence doesn't please me but it's your first mate whose actions you're answering for."

"I'm to pay for the sins of a dead man?"

"I'm sure you have more than enough sins to atone for yourself. I'm under no illusions that you wouldn't have cosigned what he did in Gray Terminal. I know all about the operation you were running there. I kill men like you on principle alone all the time. Anyone who steals freedom from others doesn't have the right to continue drawing breath, but unfortunately for you, Porchemy flew too close to the sun. He hurt my people, my pack. That is unforgivable."

Bluejam appeared to be digesting this before his gaze roamed over the gathered members of the Red Hair Pirates.

"Where is this man then? Am I not allowed to face this person who was apparently wronged so grievously that it warrants all of this?"

"Who said anything about a man? I wonder, what did Porchemy tell you was waiting for you in Gray Terminal? Who do you think he hurt that night? Did he tell you about the four pups he spent hours beating and brutalizing? Did he tell you about the boy whose face he permanently disfigured, who he half-blinded? Did he tell you about the other boy who he beat with spiked gloves, the boy he buried under pounds of trash? Or the boy he tormented and traumatized? Did he tell you about the girl he took? The girl he shot? The girl whose ribs he cracked? The girl whose back he nearly snapped in two? The girl whose eye socket he broke, nearly taking her eye with it?"

With every word, Shanks could feel his smile slipping and his anger ratcheting up. His haki, which had previously been satisfied by the battle, began churning, ready to lash out at the clueless alpha.

"Do those cruelties even stand out to you? Or is that par for the course given what your crew usually gets up to?"

Bluejam didn't answer that question but Shanks saw a flash of consideration followed by realization and grim acceptance cross the alpha's eyes.

"No point in begging, hmm," the man settled on.

"No."

"Still, you could've killed me before when you boarded my ship."

"I wanted to be able to see the fear in your eyes when you die. It's an image I intend to hold onto for those nights when the knowledge of what your man did to my pups comes back to haunt me."

Shanks stood up straighter and drew Gryphon, coating the blade with armament as he did so. Fear flashed in Bluejam's eyes, drawing a grin from the redhead.

"There it is," he said before striking.

It was over quickly, the Bluejams giving no resistance. Shanks let his smile widen as he felt the blood streaking down his face, his heart beating just a bit faster and adrenaline coursing through his veins.

He had missed this feeling, he realized later as he washed himself clean in his quarters.

Loathe as he was to admit it, there was a part of him that craved the fight. It was a part of him that had been settled during his time with his pups, but it hadn't gone away. It was more like Shanks had locked it up tight enough that he could ignore it. Chasing down the Bluejams reminded him that it was still there and always would be no matter what. It wasn't a part of him that he liked but it was one that was getting harder to resist every day. He got a thrill from seeing the blood that coated Gryphon, he enjoyed watching his enemies realize that he was the last thing they would see, he got satisfaction out of knowing that every move he made, everything he did, flew in the face of the narrative perpetuated about his second gender. His very existence was an act of rebellion and Shanks had never been one to shy away from raising hell on the social hierarchy of the world.

Bluejam was too small. He had personally offended him by hurting his pups and taking freedom from others, but he was not big enough to sate Shanks' need for a fight. The kind of fight he needed, the kind he craved, was on the Grand Line and it was calling him louder and louder every day, a lure he was struggling to resist. He didn't know how much longer he'd be able to fight it. For now, as he stood over the lifeless body of Bluejam, he decided he ought to take the satisfaction of this act and worry about the rest later.

After the bodies had been disposed of and the blood and gore swabbed off the deck, the Red Force found itself sailing back towards the Gecko Islands on their way to Dawn Island. They had agreed that it wasn't a good idea to dock, not so soon after the Bluejams had left. There had been no one of note on Bluejam's ship, they made sure of that before burning it, but they still weren't clear on the status of Yasopp's family. They had decided to have two crewmembers go on a launcher to Syrup Village and check out the lay of the land. Hongo would go in case anyone in the village needed medical attention with Gab as back-up. Yasopp had decided not to go with them.

Shanks glanced up at him from where he sat on the stairs, cleaning his sword. The beta had a look of forlorn longing on his face. Shanks felt a knowing smile cross his lips. He looked over at Benn where he stood going through the loot from Bluejam's ship. The alpha nodded meaningfully in their sharpshooter's direction. Shanks nodded in agreement before sheathing his sword and approaching the man.

"At the risk of asking a stupid question, are you alright?"

"Me? Oh yeah, don't worry about me. What about you? How are you feeling now that those pirates are all gone?"

Shanks took a moment to think about it before answering.

"Satisfied. The pups will feel a lot safer now that the Bluejams are gone, but that's not what I came to talk to you about. I wanted to talk about you and your family."

"Captain—"

"You know you can see them, right," Shanks said, cutting straight to the heart of the matter.

Yasopp looked down and away.

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"I don't want to bring trouble their way."

"Trust me, I know the feeling. There might've already been trouble that went their way though. If I've learned anything from what happened with Uta it's that danger exists all over the world. Yes, our presence in our families' lives heightens that danger but our absence won't make it disappear. That's not the way the world works. At least you'll see for yourself if they're alright."

Yasopp continued looking doubtful.

"What's this really about?"

The sharpshooter was quiet for another moment before he spoke.

"What if they don't want to see me? What if they hate me?"

"Why would Banchina hate you? The two of you agreed this was for the best."

"Usopp didn't agree to anything though and I haven't been there for him."

"I wasn't there for Uta and Luffy. I thought they'd never forgive me, that they'd never want anything to do with me. Turns out I couldn't be any more wrong."

"Your reason for having to give them up was much better than mine. You were practically born to be a pirate, I chose this life. I knew what it would mean and I chose it anyway."

Shanks frowned at that. He supposed Yasopp was right in some ways. Shanks had been a pirate practically since birth. He had been found as a baby in a treasure chest after all, his destiny was all but written. However, he could've made a different choice. He could've chosen to be a Marine after Roger's death or gone into hiding as a civilian. The sea was in his blood and his bones. Being a pirate was about so much more than how he was raised and with who. It was the same for every member of the crew. It was the first thing that connected them all as nakama and pack. He let Yasopp know as much. He still seemed reluctant.

"Do you remember what you told me when I was worrying about the twins after Gray Terminal?"

"Stop thinking, start feeling."

"Maybe you should be taking your own advice. What do you actually feel from Usopp and Banchina?"

Yasopp was quiet for a moment before a small smile crossed his lips.

"Love."

Shanks gave him a clap on the back.

"Go see them. Besides, don't you think they'll be more hurt if they learn you've been in the East for a year and never went to visit them?"

"I won't be able to stay. I don't want to get their hopes up."

Shanks paused there, understanding the feeling all too well. He knew he had to get back to the Grand Line, he should've left already, but there never seemed to be a right time. Luffy and Uta were always so sad when he had to go away to hunt down Bluejam's crew, he could only imagine what their faces will look like when he has to leave for a much longer period of time. He wanted to put it off as long as possible but he couldn't do that forever. A year was too long to be away. He'll have a lot of ground to make up and he knew that as much as his crew enjoyed this respite, they missed their lives on the Grand Line, missed the adventure, the thrill, the fight.

"Don't borrow trouble, cross that bridge when you come to it," Shanks said, as much for his benefit as it was for his sharpshooter's.

He turned and placed both hands on the man's shoulders, squeezing them in comfort.

"I can't force you to go. You're the one who needs to make this choice. You know what the right thing to do is. We'll wait here for you."

Shanks squeezed his shoulders once more before walking away.

He was not surprised when Yasopp joined Gab and Hongo on their excursion to Syrup Village.

The Red Force circled the waters near the Gecko Islands for a week before Yasopp and the others returned. There was something strained on the beta's face and Hongo had a grim set to his lips that worried the captain. Yasopp had given him a single nod which Shanks returned before ordering the ship underway, leaving the Gecko Islands, and the remains of the Bluejam Pirates, behind them.

---

Shanks looked ahead, a smile on his lips. Dawn Island had become a familiar sight in the months since he first docked nearly a year ago. He was eager to be back after three weeks away. He briefly glanced behind him at the various crates and chests, most of which had been gathered from the vestiges of the now extinct Bluejam Pirates. However, there was also one very special chest among the loot.

The crew had a run-in with a Marine vessel and had had to engage with them. It was clear they weren't East Blue marines, not with the level of prowess and power aboard. They had been fierce and protective, all over a Devil Fruit. Shanks didn't know why they were so interested in the Gum Gum Fruit, so much so that they risked so many of their men for it. It was the fiercest fight the Red Hairs had engaged in since they went up against Whitebeard, but they won the battle and took the Fruit. It was worth more than the rest of the loot they'd taken combined. He would be able to sell it for a windfall once he got back to the Grand Line. That encounter made his arrival to Dawn later than he wanted it to be, but he had still got back in time.

A soft warmth filtered into his chest, a subtle flare telling him that he was getting closer to the twins. The pull that he had always felt had shifted since he and the twins solidified their packbond. The immovable pit of darkness had become a healed over scar. The sharp pain of longing had turned into a gentle balm of belonging.

He was surprised at how easily the twins had taken the news of their blood relation. Then again, not much phased Luffy. Shanks didn't think he really cared that he was his father as long as he was his dad, the distinction between the two much more important to his Anchor than anything else. Uta already had her suspicions, so the revelation wasn't a surprise. However, she was also the more vulnerable of the two. Shanks wanted to be as tactful as possible. He had sat them both down, told them about Dragon, about Shanks' pregnancy and how much he loved them before they were even born, told them about their names' origins. They were curious about their alpha father, but largely accepted everything Shanks said and moved on.

As they drew closer to the dock, Shanks could see two familiar figures on the boardwalk racing back and forth and teasing each other whenever they won the race. He kept a close eye on them, making sure Uta didn't get too close to the water and strained his ears to hear if either of them began coughing. They were both a lot better than they were two and a half months ago, but their lungs still bothered them from time to time, Uta especially.

"Looks like we have our usual welcoming party," Benn commented, coming to stand next to him.

"At least I can see they managed to keep themselves in one piece while we were gone, though I don't know if the rest of the village can say the same," Shanks replied.

Luffy was like a tornado and though Uta liked to pretend she was better than that, when she was in a mood she could be just as much of a whirlwind. Shanks was surprised the village was still standing after nearly 8 years of their antics. According to Makino, they had actually mellowed out considerably since he showed up which was mildly concerning. However, now that Ace and Sabo were thrown into the mix, Shanks had serious doubts about Windmill's continued existence. The only respite the residents had was the fact that Ace and Sabo lived with Dadan on Mount Colubo rather than in the village with the twins.

"Think they'll like their gifts," Benn asked.

"As many as they're getting, I'm sure they'll find something to like. I don't know where they're going to put it all."

"The crew might've overindulged but it's our first chance getting to celebrate their birthday with them, it's special."

The twins' birthday was in two days and Shanks and Makino had planned a surprise party for them. The crew going out to chase the Bluejams had allowed them to hit some local markets and purchase gifts for the twins, enough to make it a big to-do. Shanks hadn't envisioned getting to spend the twins' birthday with them. Normally, this day was a sad one for him. All it did was remind him of what he had given up. The crew would be somber as well and they'd all go to a bar and drink the night away. Shanks would see Dragon, get stories of his pups secondhand, and continue to wallow. This time was different.

"First time celebrating with them," he reiterated before his smile dropped slightly.

"Probably the last time for a long while."

Benn glanced at him out of the corner of his eye.

"We'll be leaving soon. These men need to get back to the Grand Line," Shanks informed him.

"I've told you, we'll stand by you no matter what. If you decide that we stay here longer, then we'll stay."

"I know you will. I've led you all down paths that you deserved better than. Admittedly, this one is a brighter detour than usual, but if we stay it'll only be for my selfish desires. I made promises to the crew."

"You made promises to the twins too."

"I did and I have no intention of breaking those either. We're still not ready to take them with us."

"No, we're not. Doesn't change the fact that you want to."

"Of course I want to. They're my heart and soul, but they're not ready and neither are we. We have a lot of work to do once we get back to the Grand Line. I won't have them on my ship until I know that they'll be as safe as they can be. We have a plan with Buggy. We'll stick to it."

Benn nodded in reply before a smile broke out on his face and he waved towards the shore where Luffy and Uta were jumping up and down excitedly, having noticed the ship.

"I know all that and so do you, but how are you going to tell them?"

Shanks had no answer for that.

Uta and Luffy were practically vibrating by the time the Red Force docked. Shanks quickly disembarked, knowing full well they'd run to him regardless of whether the ship was secured or not.

"Daddy!"

"Dad!"

He smiled and opened his arms to catch them in a hug as they leapt at him.

They immediately began snuggling into his neck and rubbing their faces against his, scenting him. His pups missed out on learning many of the nuances and social interactions a pup usually engaged in with their parent. Shanks hadn't wanted to teach them without telling them the truth first, but ever since he had, they had been picking up on things such as this.

"Let me see you, I've got to assess the damage," he said, putting them down and stepping back once they got their fill of cuddles.

"No damage. See, Dad? We're just fine," Luffy declared, turning around in a circle to show himself off.

Shanks' eyes zeroed in on the band-aids adorning his legs and elbows and the two on Uta's knees.

"That's just from Grandpa. He visited while you were away and we did training," the boy explained.

A flash of possessiveness and anger surged through him.

"He visited, did he? And just what training were you up to?"

"The usual. We fought him for a bit and then he threw us in the woods to spend a week on our own. It was real easy this time though because Ace and Sabo were with us. Grandpa said Sabo's his grandson now too, isn't that cool? We all went hunting and took down a whole crocodile together and two bears! The meat was so good! We tried to fight a wolf pack but that didn't work out so good. We couldn't beat the big tiger either. Naguri, our old pirate friend from Gray Terminal, had to come and send it away with his strange voice powers. Which was good 'cause Ace accidentally set a hornet's nest on fire and then the hornets got real mad and started attacking us. Look how many stings I got!"

Luffy held up his shirt to proudly show off the hornet stings all over his torso, heedless of the fact that he was sending his father's blood pressure through the roof.

Honestly, he was mystified at their continued survival.

He looked at Uta with a raised brow, suspicious of how quiet she was. He paused as he saw the look of trepidation on her face.

"What is it, Songbird?"

"It's just that… well, Grandpa could smell you on us. I don't think he was happy about it."

"Is that so?"

That worked out fine because Shanks wasn't happy with him either.

"He was mad at Makino and Mayor Woop Slap too, he said they should've called him," Uta continued to explain.

"Maki didn't like that. I've never seen her that angry before or heard her yell that loud. Even Grandpa was surprised," Luffy added.

"Is there going to be a problem? Will Grandpa make you stay away from us," Uta asked, anxiously wringing her fingers.

"No one could make me stay away from you."

"But you left because of the World Government and Grandpa is a vice admiral of the Marines."

"I made a choice to keep you safe. No one's going to force me to stay away from you, not even your grandfather."

"Will you fight him if you guys run into each other on the sea? That would be so cool! I bet you could beat him. You're super strong," Luffy inquired, stars in his eyes at the idea of a fight.

"If you do fight Grandpa, you guys won't hurt each other too much, will you, Daddy?"

"Your grandfather and I have fought plenty before and I'm sure we'll fight more in the future. We both make it out alive. That won't change."

No, Shanks won't kill Garp, but he won't pull his punches next time he sees him either.

"Now, why don't you two tell me all about your adventures while we let the crew unload the ship?"

The twins nodded eagerly and dragged him off with them.

Shanks looked back and nodded at Benn, indicating that he'd keep the twins busy so that they could prepare for the party. He wasn't going to let the idea of Monkey D. Garp ruin this day for him. He was going to enjoy his pups' birthday with them, vice admirals be damned.

---

The festivities were in full swing at Party's Bar. Music and laughter were spilling out, carrying all the way to the dock.

The twins had been as surprised and delighted by their birthday party as Shanks hoped.

He had kept them busy all day. They told him about what they did over the last three weeks while they went on a short hike into the forest to a river where Luffy wanted to show off his swimming skills. He had been convinced by Bonk Punch that if he learned to swim it would increase his chances of Shanks bringing him and Uta onto the crew. They had been begging more than usual ever since the first time Shanks went away to search for Bluejam. The answer was always 'no' and it would remain that way no matter how strong of a swimmer Luffy became. It hurt something in him to see their disappointed faces after every denial, but he'd rather have two disappointed pups than two dead ones.

After Luffy and Shanks finished swimming and Uta finished picking a bouquet of flowers for Makino, the trio went to Dadan's hut where they picked up Ace and Sabo to join them for lunch. The five climbed Shanks' favorite cliff with a picnic basket and enjoyed a lively lunch before settling down for a nap. The twins cuddled up on either side of him, tucked safely in his embrace and resting their heads on his chest as they dozed off. The older boys were much more reluctant at the idea of a nap, claiming they were too old for it. Despite this, Shanks felt them settle in near his legs to join the sleeping trio. When they woke up, the sun was setting and it was time to return for the party.

The twins had been startled when everyone jumped out and yelled 'happy birthday' to them before they started bouncing in excitement and joy.

"So cool! We've never had a party before," they exclaimed before they hugged Shanks and ran off to Makino, who had lit the candles on their cake and beckoned them over to blow them out.

Full up on cake and juice, the twins were still opening gifts an hour into the party. The crew might've gone overboard but they had eight birthdays to make up for.

Shanks sat by the bar with a smile on his face as he watched over the room. His crew was scattered among the villagers, most of them drunk and indulging in rabble-rousing, roughhousing, singing, dancing and gambling. All of them had gotten hugs, kisses and cuddles from the twins as thanks for their many gifts. Shanks caught no less than three of his fearsome crew wiping tears after the twins had finished giving out their affection.

Uta sat at Benn's feet, showing off her new music history books to Sabo. Luffy was alternating between gobbling down food and presenting every new toy and bauble he received to an unimpressed yet attentive Ace. Shanks' eyes briefly flickered to the familiar orange hat on the boy's head and the sheathed dagger on his hip.

Ace was still in a delicate state of mind these days. Buggy giving him Rouge's gifts helped but after what happened in Gray Terminal, he was rubbed raw, so much so that it had almost taken physical intervention to get him back to Windmill Village. He had not wanted to face Dadan or the bandits, but the large woman hadn't given them any choice. She had been waiting at the docks and screamed her head off once she saw Ace, going just short of challenging the whole crew. Ace had brushed it off as a reaction to what Garp would do if he knew. Shanks had been bemused as he watched Ace and Dadan dance around saying and accepting that the woman cared for Ace as her own. The kid got his general demeanor as much from his foster mother as he did his biological mother apparently.

Shanks still had lingering worries about the kid but being with the other pups seemed to help much more than anything any of the adults said to him did.

"This was really good of you, you know?"

He glanced back at Makino where she was wiping glasses.

"They needed this after what happened, all of them."

"I think I needed it too, to celebrate the end of that mess if nothing else," Shanks replied.

"It's done? Those awful men…"

"They're gone."

"Good. Although it does raise the question, now that the Bluejam Pirates are gone, how much longer until you are too?"

"Is this about Garp? I heard you had a few choice words for him."

"And I don't regret a single one. It's not about him, it's about you. I've noticed a change in you since you've been going back to sea."

"Am I that obvious?"

"I suppose it's just a bit more obvious to me given how many sailors I see come and go. Have you started talking to the pups about it?"

Shanks didn't answer but his silence said enough.

"They need to be prepared for you to go out to sea on a more permanent basis. They shouldn't be left in the dark or have it sprung on them last minute, I thought you learned that by now."

"I know they need a chance to adjust before I go and I need to make sure they know it's not forever. The words elude me is all."

"Just don't leave it too long."

Shanks nodded before he quirked a brow at the sound of Ace and Uta bickering.

"All these months and I still can't tell whether they like each other or not."

"I don't think they can tell either," Makino joked, drawing a chuckle from both omegas.

Shanks perked up as all four pups approached him, Uta and Luffy with a familiar look of determination on their faces while Ace looked annoyed and Sabo seemed cautious.

It was a familiar look on the blonde. He had been cautious around all the adults since the minute he woke up, not that Shanks could blame him. Sabo vehemently refused to say anything about his birth family, but it was obvious that he was noble born. What was more, according to Hongo, the kid was showing signs of Fragile Attachment Syndrome, a rare affliction that only affected pups that had been severely neglected by their parent oack and had no significant bonds to help foster their growth. Left with no intervention, pups usually didn't make it to their double digits before their bodies shut down and they died. Yet, Sabo had reached 10 years old. He was strong, determined and fierce. Hongo suspected it was his connection with Ace that was making the difference, but the kid needed adults around him, people he could bond with. Sabo had initially tried to go back to Pirate's Cove on his own, but Shanks had destroyed it when he killed Porchemy. Instead, the kid stayed in Windmill Village with the Red Hair Pirates until Hongo decided he was stable enough to be moved and then he went to live with Ace and the bandits (with many complaints from Dadan but notably no true resistance). The kid seemed to be doing well with the bandits who accepted him reluctantly. The Red Hair Pirates also took him under their wing along with the other pups they claimed as their own. Shanks hoped it was all enough to help him eventually heal from the neglect.

"Daddy, it's time for another pirate test," Uta declared.

"Again? You had one earlier today."

"Yeah, but we weren't ready for that one. We're going to pass for sure this time," Luffy defended.

"When are you two going to give it up? You try all the time and every time you lose," Ace reminded them, crossing his arms as he looked at them imperiously.

"No one asked you, Freckleface."

Uta and Luffy looked up at their father with twin pouts of determination. Shanks snorted and shook his head before heaving a sigh.

"One more test and no more afterwards. If you don't pass this one, that's it. Deal?"

The twins seemed to weigh this before nodding at one another and then at Shanks.

"Deal."

The omega led them to a table where he performed a basic coin trick with a berri coin and three mugs. He held in a laugh as he watched Luffy go cross-eyed and Uta's tongue stick out in concentration while he moved the mugs back and forth. Both pups blinked when the coin disappeared from on top of the middle mug, glancing at one another in bewilderment.

"Where's the coin? Guess right and you join the crew."

Shanks watched them silently debate before picking the middle cup and lifting it to see there was nothing there. They went through all three cups with the same result, much to the amusement of the rest of the room.

"Oh man!"

"No dice!"

"Better luck next time, kiddos."

"Where is it," Luffy exclaimed.

"Dummies, it's obviously in his hand," Ace declared.

"No, it's in his pocket," Sabo retorted.

"Hand."

"Pocket."

"Hand!"

"Pocket!"

The two glared at one another before turning to Shanks.

The captain smiled before sticking out his tongue, revealing the coin. He nearly choked on it when all four pups' jaws dropped in shock.

"Daddy! No fair!"

"Sorry Songbird, pirates don't fight fair."

"Dad is such a meanie," Luffy groused, crossing his arms over his chest as he pouted.

"How'd you do that?" Sabo asked.

"That's for you to figure out. You're a smart kid, I've no doubt you will."

Sabo blushed at that, smacking Ace's hand when he poked his side teasingly.

Shanks ruffled the two boys' hair before he leaned down to kiss his twins' heads and left the pups to debate how he pulled off the trick.

He was walking back towards the bar when a shiver went down his spine, his Observation alerting him that someone of significant power was nearby. He spared a moment of worry before he recognized the presence. He bit his lip, debating with himself, before he went to the table where the food was laid out. The pickings were slim now that Ace, Sabo, Uta, Luffy and Lucky Roux had had a chance to go to town but many of the villagers had pitched in to cook, so there was enough to make a plate. He filled one and placed it on a tray along with a slice of cake and two bottles of beer. He spared a look to his first mate, indicating he would be outside, before walking out of the bar.

He found him sitting cross-legged on the patio with his back propped up against the wall of the building. They could still hear music and laughter as well as some of the louder conversations, but they couldn't see anyone from this vantage point, nor could anyone see them. Shanks supposed that was the point. He slid down the wall beside the alpha and offered up the tray.

"Hungry?"

The man shook his head, his green hood slipping ever so slightly to reveal more of his tattooed face.

"Come on, I know enough members of the D. clan to know that's not true. You're a Monkey D. at that. You lot are a special kind of ravenous. Trust me, I would know. Your pups inherited that trait."

Dragon eyed the tray before finally accepting it. Shanks took the extra beer off and took a few swigs as Dragon ate. He didn't eat with the wildness of most D.'s Shanks had witnessed but it was clear that even after he finished that he could go back for seconds, probably thirds and fourths too.

"You could come in and get more you know," he found himself saying before he even realized the words left his lips.

Dragon turned to look at him, his eyes narrowed assessingly. Shanks had to take a moment to wonder himself about his motivations.

"You want me to come in?"

"Why not?"

"The pups are in there."

"Course they are. It's their birthday party, they're the guests of honor."

Dragon didn't answer that but the look on his face suggested he didn't appreciate Shanks talking around the obvious implication.

"They're your pups too. You're their sire."

"And you're their dad, at least I'm pretty sure I heard them call you as much."

"They did," he confirmed, a smile he couldn't fight alighting his lips. It still warmed his heart to hear them call him 'dad' or 'daddy'. It fulfilled a longing he had refused to acknowledge.

"I thought you weren't going to tell them."

"I wasn't but things changed. Uta was onto me anyway. Our girl is whip smart. She would've called me out eventually."

"Our girl," Dragon repeated, a strange note in his voice.

"She is ours. Both of them are. I know you have this… thing about not seeing them, or at least them not seeing you. I understand in a way. Their safety is the most important thing in the world, but—"

"There shouldn't be a 'but' after that. Their safety is the most important thing, period. You're you and I'm me. It's different for you."

"Meaning?"

"You're a pirate. A pirate with an unusually large bounty for an omega, a pirate that happens to have been raised by Gold Roger, a pirate that's helping to perpetuate this new Age that the Pirate King's death created. But at the end of the day, you're still a pirate and pirates are a dime a dozen. You endanger the twins, yes, but me? I'm the World's Worst Criminal. That connection would make their lives forfeit no matter who their dam was. The two of us coupled together though…"

Dragon sighed, shaking his head.

"Their association with us puts them in danger but yours less so. I know I'm not explaining this well—"

"I get it, I think. I'm not alone in protecting them. I have a crew and a pack, you don't."

"The Revolutionaries aren't centralized like a pirate crew is and I don't have the allegiances that you do. The ones I hold wouldn't be beneficial to them. If one of us is to claim them and eventually go public with their existence, it should be you. They can be safe on an Emperor's crew."

"That's logical, I suppose."

"But you don't agree."

"I understand your position, but that's as far as I can go."

"They don't need me, Shanks. I implied before that they don't need you either, that you're the one that needs them, but maybe I was wrong about that. Maybe you all need each other."

"And what do you need?"

"I'm fighting for what I need. My life isn't my own. I am my cause, I don't have the time or the luxury to be anything else. I made my choice on that a long time ago."

"Things can change."

"Why are you pushing this? I'm certain they haven't missed me."

"That's because they didn't know there was anything to miss. They didn't know what a father was until a few months ago but with me telling them the truth, they're more curious and not just about me, about you too. I tell them as much as I dare but one day they're going to ask about you, ask about meeting you, what am I supposed to say then?"

"Tell them the truth. Tell them who I am and why they need to stay away from me. They want freedom? They won't get it with me. That's what you tell them. Besides, they want to be pirates. It's better they're raised by a pirate."

"They want freedom, yeah, but they've both got your rebel spirit in them. They care about fairness, people being able to be free, people being treated equally, especially Uta. I wouldn't be surprised if she decided to be a Rev one day."

"Shanks, stop pushing."

"Fine, but you should think about actually talking to them rather than just watching them from a distance. They won't be pups forever."

The two sat in silence for a while before Dragon shifted, revealing two wrapped presents.

"I usually leave these with Makino and she gives it to them, tells them it's from my father. Will you…?"

Shanks took the presents wordlessly. Dragon made to stand up, but Shanks stopped him.

"Let me tell you about them. It's the least I can do. You've done it for me on every other birthday."

Dragon debated for a moment before nodding. Shanks smiled before he began speaking. The words flowed out of him easily, he didn't need an excuse to gush about his pups at the best of times, but now he was sharing this information with their other father. He was more detailed than usual as a result, doing his best to paint a picture that Dragon could hold on to.

Shanks had a feeling of deep contentment by the time he was watching Dragon leave, his Wind Wind Fruit taking him in a swirl of air and burst of lightning. When the pups got older, they could choose one way or another how to feel about their alpha father. If they wanted to see him, it'd be up to them. Shanks didn't think Dragon's views would matter much if the twins got it in their heads to meet him. There would be no running away and no amount of reasoning would stop them from seeking him out, but Shanks wouldn't force it right now.

He turned back around as he heard hurried footsteps approaching him. Makino appeared, a worried look on her face.

"Captain, we have a problem."

---

Shanks was gone for maybe half an hour and in that time, the pups had disappeared with a Devil Fruit… again.

Shanks just might rip all his hair out before he leaves this damn island.

"I swear they're trying to put me in an early grave," he muttered to himself.

Benn gave him an unsympathetic look while blowing out a cloud of smoke.

"I don't want to say this is karma, but…"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'd better go get them before they do something stupid."

"Need help?"

"I know where the twins are. I'm certain Ace and Sabo are with them. Those four have been attached at the hip for the last couple months. Though if I don't find them with the twins, we'll send out the search party for them. Remind me again how I went from two traumatized troublesome pups to four?"

"That'll be on account of your particular brand of luck," Benn deadpanned.

"Right, I'll be back."

The packbond was stable enough that he knew exactly where the twins were and he immediately turned tail to hurry to the docks. He burst out the doors and found himself running headlong into a group of bandits.

"Are you blind," the alpha groused.

Shanks mumbled an apology and made to move around him. The alpha blocked his way.

"Don't you think you should pay me back for your rudeness? I'm not just anyone, you know? I'm Higuma the Bear. The man with an 8 million berri bounty, I've killed—"

"56 people and claimed many omegas," Shanks finished, recognizing the man now that he had begun his arrogant rant.

"I don't have time for this, so move," he ordered, backing his words with haki as he brushed the stumbling man aside and took off towards the docks.

His boots pounded against the sand as he moved. He pushed his legs to pump as quickly as possible, his heart pounding with anticipation and worry. His anxious thoughts wanted to lead him down roads that would only make him panic but he clamped down on his anxiety and focused on putting one foot in front of the other.

His lungs were burning by the time he reached the docks. Sabo was kneeling next to Luffy who was soaking wet and laid out on his stomach, hacking up water with Uta knocking her hand against his back. The blonde boy was also drenched from head to toe and was coughing periodically as Ace hovered at his side.

Shanks narrowed his eyes and ran towards the group.

"What happened?!"

Ace and Uta turned to face him, their faces full of contrition. Shanks didn't wait for either to respond as he kneeled down next to the two wet pups to check them over. Sabo seemed to have recovered but Luffy was groaning and squirming around uncomfortably.

"Anchor, can you hear me?"

Luffy groaned again in response but edged closer to Shanks as he brushed wet strands away from the boy's eyes. After getting nothing from Luffy, he turned his attention to the older pups.

"What happened? Why did you guys leave the bar? Where is the Gomu Gomu no mi," he asked, though he already knew the answer. Luffy was groaning in pain and weak while covered in sea water. What happened was obvious.

The three older pups looked at each other silently before Uta sighed.

"We tried to stop him, Daddy. The chest with the Fruit was in our gift pile. Luffy found it and he lied and said he was bringing it to Mr. Benn."

"Which was so stupid. He can't lie for shit," Ace added.

Uta shot him a glare at the interruption before continuing.

"When I called him on the lie, he ran upstairs to our room. He tried to eat it there, but the three of us caught him and he ran again. We chased after him to try and get it back," she explained guiltily.

"The idiot moved too fast for us to catch up," Ace finished.

Shanks closed his eyes and sighed heavily.

He had spent his life on the Grand Line and yet this year with his pups on Dawn Island had been the most stressful experience of his existence. He wouldn't trade it for all the treasure in the world, but seas did they know how to make him want to tear his hair out.

He looked down at Luffy, using his sleeve to wipe his face clean of water. He spared a thought to wonder why he was wet in the first place, especially if he had just eaten a Devil Fruit and knew full well about its weakness.

"He wanted to test if the Devil Fruit worked, so he jumped in the water. I went in after him," Sabo explained, seemingly reading the question on Shanks' face.

The redhead nodded while running a hand over his face.

He was confused by Luffy's actions. He knew the kind of dismay having a Devil Fruit caused Uta and Ace, so why would he go out of his way to eat one?

"Are the rest of you alright? Your eye and lungs aren't hurting, are they, Sabo?"

The blonde looked surprised by the question before indicating he was alright with Ace and Uta doing the same.

"Luffy's not going to die or anything, right," Ace inquired.

"He'll be fine. His strength will come back once he's dry enough," Shanks assured.

"Good, then I get to punch him."

"You're not punching my brother, Freckleface!"

"The dumbass deserves it!"

"Don't call Lu names!"

"Will you two quit fighting," Sabo warned.

Shanks tuned out their bickering as he leaned down and picked Luffy up. He brushed the salt out of his eyes and the water off his face before he began walking back towards the bar.

It took a few minutes of air-drying before Luffy roused in his arms.

"Dad?"

"I'm here. Welcome back to the land of the living, kid."

"He's awake. Good. I'm gonna hit him now."

"Ace," Sabo groaned.

"I'll hit you if you dare," Uta warned.

"No one's hitting anyone," Shanks declared, giving the two pups a stern look before turning back to Luffy.

"How are you feeling, Anchor?"

"Icky."

"Yeah, that will happen when a Devil Fruit user ends up in the sea. It'll fade after a while."

"Are you mad at me for eating the Fruit?"

"I'm not mad, but why did you eat it? You knew what it was, didn't you?"

"Yeah."

"You know what it costs. You were so excited to learn to swim, you said you'd be able to save Uta from any water she might fall into that way, so why would you eat a Devil Fruit?"

Luffy was quiet for a moment before he finally answered.

"Because I need to be stronger."

"Anchor—"

"I need to be stronger for Uta and everyone else I love."

"Lu, I already told you that we protect each other. You didn't do anything wrong in Gray Terminal," Uta protested.

"I should've protected you. I should've been stronger. Devil Fruits are strong. This Fruit will make me the strongest pirate alive."

"You don't even know what kind of Fruit you got, dumbass. What if it's some lame Fruit that turns you into something stupid and useless?" Ace pointed out.

"It's not. It's a super strong Fruit and it will make me super strong too, it told me so."

"It told you so," Shanks repeated.

"Ya-huh. I could hear it whispering all day and then when I opened the chest, it started talking to me. It said we could be free together, the freest in the world, and we could make the world free too, which sounded nice. I told it I wanted to protect my special people and it told me we could do that together too. We could be the strongest, the freest, the bravest and the bestest together. So, I ate it."

Shanks narrowed his eyes at that. Uta spoke up as if sensing his skepticism.

"The Sing Sing Fruit talked to me before Daku made me eat it. It said everything would be okay and that it'd be able to take me anywhere I wanted to go in my head, that everything I needed would be inside of myself once I ate it."

"The Flame Flame Fruit said I'd be able to protect everyone and make those bastards in the Terminal pay," Ace added.

"I heard the Flame Flame Fruit too. It said we could burn together, burn the world into something new, something better," Sabo muttered thoughtfully.

Shanks was not unfamiliar with the idea of Devil Fruits choosing their users. He had never heard that the Fruits talked though. Buggy never mentioned anything like that, just a sense of rightness when he first saw the Fruit.

Maybe it was on account of the twins having the Voice of All Things. But then Ace and Sabo heard the Flame Flame Fruit too. The implications of that were much bigger than Shanks wanted to contemplate. Knowing the Gum Gum Fruit chose Luffy didn't change much about how Shanks felt anyway.

"You taught us that a pack protects each other against any threat. This is how I can protect Uta and everyone else in my pack," Luffy justified.

Shanks looked down at his son. He had a stubborn set to his lips that told Shanks there was nothing he could say to change Luffy's position.

"Well, there's no changing it now, rubber boy."

"Rubber boy," Sabo asked.

"Anchor's Fruit. It's the Gomu Gomu no mi, the Gum Gum Fruit. It's turned Anchor's body into rubber, giving it all the same properties."

The pups were quiet, taking the information in before a smirk crossed Ace's lips.

"And here I thought the freak clown's powers were bad. Yours might be the dumbest Fruit I've ever heard of."

"Hey! Take that back! My Fruit is strong!" Luffy protested.

"No, my Fruit is strong. My fire powers are so much better than your stupid rubber powers. What the hell is useful about being rubber?"

Luffy squawked with indignation and began squirming in his arms until Shanks put him down and let him march over to Ace to defend his honor.

"Will Lu really be alright," Uta asked, sidling up to Shanks' side and taking his hand while Sabo mediated the argument between the boys about whose Devil Fruit was cooler.

"He will. There'll be an adjustment period, but you know your brother. He always bounces back. Now it'll be much more literal. I'm going to have to talk to Eudora and Buggy about training his powers along with Ace's. Your uncle will not be pleased about him eating a Fruit. I'm sure to get an earful about that."

"But it will be a big surprise for him. Imagine the look on his face when he sees what Lu can do now," Uta said, a mischievous smile bursting onto her face.

Shanks glanced back at the boys who were oddly quiet. He blinked as he saw that they were pulling at Luffy's face, stretching it unnaturally under their fingers, much to the boys' shared fascination and disgust.

Shanks let out a jovial laugh as he pictured Buggy's reaction to that.

"You know what? You're right. Why don't we keep quiet about it for now? His face will be priceless."

Shanks and Uta chuckled to themselves as the group made it back to Party's Bar.

"You're somehow even weirder than you usually are," Ace commented as he let Luffy's cheeks snap back into place and walked up the stairs to the bar.

"Hey, don't make fun of—"

Uta's sentence was cut off as the group took in the scene in front of them.

The bandit group Shanks had run into were standing in the middle of the bar with the leader looming over Makino. Benn was standing behind the bar owner's left shoulder, his gun held loosely at his side. The rest of the Red Hairs were scattered in strategic positions while the lingering villagers sat back in fear and anticipation. The tension in the room was thick, as were the clashing scents, the challenge already seeping into the hormones of the alphas and permeating the room in a thick haze.

There was a flash of anger and concern through his bond with the twins. He sent back reassurance but kept his body relaxed as he discreetly ushered the pups closer to where Gab and Lucky Roux were standing.

"Are you deaf, barmaid?! I said I want saké!" The bandit leader shouted.

"And I said that we're all out. I can't provide something that I don't have, no matter how many times you ask," Makino retorted, politeness just barely concealing the annoyance in her voice.

"Are you getting fresh with me, woman?"

Higuma sniffed the air before leering.

"No strong scents on you, no bites, no claims. Maybe you've been on your own too long and forgotten how you ought to speak to an alpha. I'm tempted to show you your place, but I'll spare you and settle for saké instead."

Makino tilted her head up in response and answered in a steady tone.

"We hosted a party tonight and the bar has been drunk dry."

The leader growled at that, taking a threatening step closer to Makino. Shanks could smell his alpha scent increasing, the kind used to influence others. Benn stepped up so he was next to Makino instead of behind her. Shanks was aware of Roux placing his hands on Sabo and Ace's shoulder to keep them in place. Gab scooped up Uta and Luffy and held the two securely to his chest as Building Snake, Bonk Punch and Monster took defensive positions in front of them. Yasopp, Hongo and Limejuice's hands moved to their weapons as they shifted to be closer to the scene.

Higuma seemed unaware of it all or simply didn't care. He passed a dismissive gaze over Benn before turning his attention back to Makino.

"You think I'm a fool? This is the only real bar in this backwater town. Everyone here seems to be drinking something, unless you mean to tell me that's water. You must have something in the back. Bring it out. Now."

Makino stiffened at his command before rolling her shoulders and standing taller.

"Like I said, we're all out. That's the final time I'm going to say it. You need to leave my bar, now."

"You heard the lady," Benn reiterated calmly.

Higuma sneered in reply.

"I'm not leaving without my saké."

The bandit took another step towards Makino and Benn clicked his gun. Shanks decided now was as good a time as any to step in.

"My apologies, I'm afraid this whole matter is my fault. I got the last bottle," he said, approaching the scene and stopping just slightly in front of Makino. Benn took two steps back, bringing Makino with him so she was farther away from the bandits, leaving Shanks to be the target of his attention. The bandit's eyes flickered to him, looking him up and down.

"You again. You've come just in time seeing as how I'm in the mood to teach uppity omegas like you and the barmaid some manners."

"Alphas have been trying to teach me manners for years. Never sticks," Shanks replied, a bright grin on his lips.

"You haven't met the right one yet. That doesn't surprise me after seeing what passes for pirates these days."

"Maybe so. At any rate, you're a little late to the party. As Makino said, we were celebrating and cleared out her inventory."

Higuma glared hard at him. Shanks continued grinning, unphased.

"How about this? You can have this last bottle if you'd like. It hasn't been opened yet. You can share amongst your men to make up for it."

He grabbed the bottle he'd been planning to drink once the pups went to sleep and held it out to the man. The alpha snatched it away, looking at it with disgust.

"Don't you see the kind of men these are? Each one could finish five of these bottles. What are we meant to do with one?"

"Generally, you drink it. However, if you'd rather not, then give it here. Trust me, I'll make good use of it."

The bandit narrowed his eyes at him dangerously before letting out an ugly laugh. Shanks knew what he was going to do before he made a move. He raised his arm in time to take the brunt of the bottle before it could smash against his face.

He heard a few gasps, angry murmurs and several chairs scraping as he shook his arms, throwing off droplets of saké and shards of glass.

"Who do you think we are? Better yet, who do you think you are? I recall telling you that I could show you your place, little omega. That offer still stands in case you need reminding of what a real man is."

Shanks knew whatever he did next determined how the room would react. He could destroy this man. He could bury him and his 8 million berri bounty. He could show him his place and not bat an eyelash. His crew would back him up, not that he would need it, not against this lot. Given his twins were here along with Sabo and Ace, he wasn't about to let there be a shoot-out in this bar.

Before he could do anything, he heard a peculiar sound.

He looked behind the bandit to see Luffy stretching his arm back before throwing it forward in a punch towards Higuma. He'd clearly miscalculated the trajectory because his fist bounced off a post feet away from the men and ricocheted back at Luffy, punching him in the face.

The kid began flailing hard, causing Gab to tighten his grip. As he did so, Luffy's elongated limbs began tangling up around the pair along with Uta, tying the three in a complicated knot of arms and legs.

The people in the bar who saw it blinked and tilted their head in confusion at the disconcerting scene. Higuma's eyes were on Shanks alone so he missed the entire show behind him but the captain found himself clenching his fists so he didn't react. He had no idea if the feeling welling in his chest was a laugh or something else, but he was betting on the former. He doubted the bandit would appreciate that though. Shanks brushed his wet hair out of his face and looked down at the ground instead.

"Well, that was a waste. Now there's a mess all over the floor. Sorry about this, Makino. You pups make sure you steer clear of the glass. Good thing we were cleaning up anyway though," he commented, a good-natured smile on his face.

He crouched down and started picking up the glass.

"I could give you a real reason to be on your knees."

He ignored the comment and continued cleaning. He heard a growl before the wind whistled with a sword swing. He slid back out of the way as a pile of plates went crashing to the ground.

"Since you like cleaning so much," the bandit said before the group left the building, grumbling about finding a real bar.

The room was quiet after the bandits' departure. Shanks allowed himself to stew in anger and regret and liquid hot indignation for a moment, but only a moment. He took a breath and let it all go, a chuckle slipping from his lips as he did so. That was all it took for his crew to follow his lead and start laughing loudly with the villagers quickly joining them.

"Guess they didn't want the bottle after all, huh?"

"Nice show, Chief!"

"Clean up on aisle 8!"

"Anyone got a mop?!"

That set off another loud round of laughter.

Shanks looked up as a small body barreled into him, Uta having managed to detach herself from the mess of Luffy's limbs.

"Daddy, are you okay?"

"Yup. Not a scratch, see?"

Shanks held up his unblemished arms and gave Uta a carefree smile. The girl pursed her lips.

"He tried to hurt you."

"He did, but he was never going to succeed," he shrugged, taking off his straw hat briefly to knock off the glass.

He glanced up as he heard a frustrated shout. Luffy had somehow gotten his stretchy limbs even more tangled around Gab who was trying to figure out how to untie him. Meanwhile, Luffy wasn't much help as he was trying to stretch towards the door, an outright mutinous look on his face.

"That's the second time that guy has messed with you, Dad! We've gotta kick his ass," Luffy declared.

Shanks stood up, put his hat back on and walked over to the mess of limbs.

"Remember what I said last time," he reminded as he started to dislodge his son from the disturbed weapons-master.

"But no one was in danger this time."

"We're in a room full of people, most of them drunk. Four of those people are pups. Sabo and Uta are still recovering from the Terminal and you've just eaten a Devil Fruit that you've no idea how to control, clearly. Of course there's people in danger. Besides, if it came to a fight, we'd tear Makino's place up. I think we did enough of that while partying."

"I quite agree," Makino piped up, cleaning the mess from the broken saké bottle alongside Benn.

"You could've taken that guy, easy. Why wouldn't you kick his teeth in," Ace asked judgmentally, moving to help get Luffy off of Gab.

"I could've beaten him, but why? I have nothing to prove to him."

"You're an omega and he was an alpha. You heard what he was saying. Of course you have something to prove."

Shanks had fought men like Higuma all the time on the Grand Line, but he had fought people that were big enough that their defeat would mean something for Shanks on a social level. Fighting some bandit on a small island in the East did nothing for him in the long run. There was no point.

"He disrespected you. I would never take something like that lying down," Ace continued.

"All he did was spill a drink on me."

"He tried to smash the bottle against your face," Ace deadpanned.

"And didn't manage. I'm fine. Not everything has to be a fight," Shanks continued.

"You fought in the Terminal," Sabo pointed out, joining them.

"Because you all were in danger. Fighting for the people you care about is different than fighting for your pride. Just because you can win a fight doesn't mean there has to be a fight. You're the one thing in life you have full control over. It takes more strength to walk away from a fight than it does to throw a punch. You all make sure you remember that."

Uta nodded her head in acceptance while Sabo looked thoughtful and Ace looked skeptical. Luffy settled for silently pouting rather than protesting any more than that as the group worked to untangle him.

Hopefully, they wouldn't see the mountain bandits again so they wouldn't need to rehash this argument. Still, he'd make sure to warn Buggy about them. His brother could deal with them if they became a bigger issue.

With that in mind, Shanks focused on untangling Luffy and bringing him and Uta upstairs to get ready for bed. Once that was done, he could try and scrounge up some liquor from somewhere and whine to Benn about his idiot son running off to eat a Devil Fruit the second his back was turned.

With Luffy free of Gab, Shanks led the twins along with Ace and Sabo upstairs seeing as the older boys would be staying for the weekend. He left Ace and Sabo to the room Makino set up for them and led the twins to theirs to get them cleaned up. He ended up hitting a snag when Luffy realized that the bath would make him feel bad thanks to his new Devil Fruit. Shanks had to wrestle with him for five minutes before he actually got him into the tub. By the time it was over, he was as soaked as Luffy was, but at least the kid was clean.

Once they were in bed, the twins spent an hour talking about all the presents they got.

"Can you read us a bedtime story, Daddy," Uta asked eventually.

"Of course."

Shanks moved to the middle of the bed and let his pups snuggle into him while he flipped through the collection of stories in a book Dragon gifted them. Eventually, he found one that was marked with a note, indicating it as one of the Revolutionary leader's favorites. Shanks recognized it as a tale from the West Blue, a story that featured a blacksmith's apprentice joining a group of rogue bandits with a penchant for stealing from the rich to give to the poor, the group end up overthrowing a corrupt lord and free the village from his tyranny.

Shanks' lips turned up in a wry smile at Dragon's choice of story but launched into it with gusto.

They only got halfway through before he heard Luffy's familiar snores and Uta was going slack against him. He placed the book on the side table before settling down, resolving to sleep with his pups tonight. He placed his straw hat over his face and drew the twins in closer, feeling the bond between them humming with contentment and warmth.

"Daddy," Uta mumbled against his chest.

"Hmm?"

"I wish every day could end like this," she slurred out sleepily.

"Me too, Songbird. Me too."

---

The days following the party drummed on in the usual way it did in Windmill Village. The pups got up to their usual shenanigans, jumping off of cliffs to prove their braveness and fighting wild animals and generally giving Shanks a heart attack. Except now, Shanks was feeling the call to the sea more and more every day. He knew his time here was coming to an end, he just hadn't figured out how to tell the twins that.

The day found them in their usual spot on Shanks' favorite cliff. The trio were laying on Shanks' cloak, getting ready to take a nap after eating their lunch, courtesy of Makino. Uta was humming at his right side, translating the songs she heard on the wind, while Luffy stretched out his mouth, still testing the elasticity of his new body. Shanks smirked as he heard his cheek snap back followed by a whine of annoyance from the boy.

"Hey Dad, now that I'm made of rubber, you've gotta let me join your crew. I'm stronger than ever."

Shanks sighed at that. The pups had held to their side of the bargain and there were no more tests, but that didn't stop their pestering.

"Just because you're made of rubber does not make you invincible. All Devil Fruits have their weaknesses."

"Come on Dad, I can help you fight all the bad guys now."

"You got your limbs tangled up around Gab the first time you tried to punch someone."

"That was only my first day. It's different now."

"It's been five days," Shanks deadpanned.

"Yeah, and I'm better. Plus, I won't take up much space. I can squish myself to be super thin. See?"

Luffy made to get up, but Shanks held him tighter before the boy could do whatever it was he was planning on doing.

"Let's not test that, shall we?"

"Fine but you have to let us join you. Please? Please, please, please, please, please, please, pretty please?"

Shanks chuckled at the begging.

"Why do I get the sense that you two have been oddly more persistent in the last few months?"

"Because you're leaving soon, aren't you," Uta answered in a solemn tone.

Shanks opened his eyes and looked over at the girl who was picking at the hem of her yellow dress.

"Ever since you started chasing the Bluejam Pirates, things have just felt… different."

Shanks sighed at that.

His girl. She was much too observant for his own good.

"We know you can't stay. Pirates don't live on land, they live at sea, but that doesn't mean we want to stay here without you. We want to go with you, Daddy. Luffy's right. We'll get stronger and we won't take up space and we'll do everything you say. But we don't want you to…" Uta trailed off not finishing her sentence, though Shanks could make a good guess about what she was going to say.

"Pirates have to leave, we know that, but we could leave too and then we wouldn't be alone," Luffy added, unusually serious.

He pulled the pups closer to him.

"First of all, you are never alone. You can't be as long as you have each other. And you've always had me too, right here," Shanks started, pressing a hand to his chest and letting their bond flare with his love.

"You have my crew, you have Makino, you have Ace and Sabo now too. Even if you feel lonely sometimes, you are not alone. Secondly, I need you two to know that there is nothing you did that's making me leave. There isn't anything you have to do to make me love you, because you already have my love. I don't need you to be stronger or braver or any different from who you are now. That's not what's keeping me from bringing you with me."

"Then why," Uta asked.

"You've heard everything I've said before about why I can't take you with me, so I'm not going to rehash that, but do you remember when I told you about the night you two were born?"

"We were born during a storm and a Marine battle with Grandpa," Uta recalled.

"Yes, you were. On that day, I made you two a promise."

"You did," Luffy asked.

"Mmm. I promised that I would always be yours, that you would always own my heart and soul. I promised that it wouldn't always be like this. I promised to grow stronger and fiercer for you, to make sure everyone knows my name and that my enemies fear it. That way they'd know better than to hurt you. I promised that when the time was right, I'd find you again. I promised we'd all be together again and no one would dare try to get in our way."

"And we are together again, Dad."

"We are. I'm stronger than I was then, but still not as strong as I need to be to make sure that my enemies won't go after you. I can do a lot of things, but I will never knowingly risk your lives. I know that's not what you want to hear, but that's the truth."

The trio were quiet for a moment before Uta spoke up.

"When are you leaving?"

"I don't know yet, perhaps in another month or so. Your uncle is taking care of some things for me first."

"Things like what?"

"He's getting us some special transponder snails so we'll be able to talk to one another. The Grand Line is far away, not every den den mushi will be able to reach the Red Force. Plus, we need the kind of snails that will hide us from people who would want to listen to our conversations. We've got our bond too. I don't know what the range will be exactly, but Hongo believes we'll still be able to feel one another now that it's healed over. I'll be able to find you wherever you are in the world."

"You mean… you'll still want to talk to us?"

"Of course I will. You're my pups. This isn't going to be goodbye, it's more of a see you later. This isn't forever. I'm going to the Grand Line with the goal of coming back for you. Once I'm an Emperor of the Sea, I'll be one of the strongest on the seas and then the World Government will think twice about coming after me or you."

"What's an Emperor of the Sea," Luffy asked.

"I've told you about the Warlords of the Sea, but the Emperors are even stronger. They're the four strongest and most influential pirate crews on the seas. There are always four, which is why they're also called Yonkos. Right now, there's Edward Newgate of the Whitebeard Pirates, Charlotte Linlin of the Big Mom Pirates, Kaido of the Beast Pirates and Shiki of the Golden Lion Pirates. I'll have to fight them all and take down at least one of them so I can replace them. It'll take me some time. All of them are alphas and the World Government won't be keen on naming an omega as a replacement Emperor, but I'll make them reconsider, I will get there. I've got plenty of motivation after all. Once I'm an Emperor of the Sea, I'm coming back for you. In the meantime, Uncle Buggy and Eudora are going to stay in the East Blue and keep you company, but I'll only be a call away."

The pups digested this before they both cuddled into his chest.

"We're going to miss you," Uta mumbled into his shirt.

"And I'll miss you but I'm not leaving right now. We'll spend the next month making the most of our time together, hmm?"

Both pups nodded but Shanks could feel the dip in their mood. There wasn't much else he could do to change that, so he held them tighter and let them bask in the moment together.

He noticed for the next month that his pups were more subdued. They had random bouts of sadness and often sought out Shanks or one of the Red Hairs for cuddles at all hours of the day. It became commonplace to see them attached to someone's back, chest or hip. Shanks knew there wasn't anything he could say or do to banish away this melancholy. They all just had to endure it.

Leaving was an inevitability. Even with everything he had set in place, it was never going to be easy on any of them. The transponder snail and their bond would help but nothing could substitute being together, especially given how physically expressive the twins were. He would miss their tight hugs, their playful swats, them clambering up his back, their warm bodies cuddled against his, the brush of their skin as they scented one another, their fingers clutched in his as they held hands or their weight on his shoulders as they went on walks together. He'd miss their presence at his side. He resolved to turn all that into determination to strive for his goal, knowing the end picture would see him reunited with his pups.

He did his best not to let those feelings show when he was with the twins. With them, he was positive, upbeat, hopeful. Right now, he wasn't with the twins.

He let a weary sigh pass his lips as he sat at the counter of Party's Bar, nursing a bottle of rum and an aching heart.

"That bad, huh," Makino commented from her place behind the bar.

Shanks grunted in response.

"You planning to spend the day on that barstool then?"

"Benn banished me from the Red Force after one too many forlorn looks. His words, not mine. The rest of the crew are busy loading up the ship with all the provisions we've gotten from our trip to Town Center as well as everything you so graciously procured for us. The pups… well, I'm pretty sure they've been avoiding me today. So, in other words, yes. I think this barstool will suit me nicely."

Makino snorted a little.

"They're upset. The closer it gets to the day you leave, the realer it becomes for them. Give them time, they'll come around."

Shanks sighed at that before a wistful expression crossed his face.

"You know, I found this island totally by chance. It was by chance I was in the East Blue, chance led me to learn my brother was here in the first place. If things had shaken differently, if Limejuice hadn't been taken by an enemy crew, if I hadn't had to fight to get him back, if I didn't learn Buggy was in the East Blue, if I didn't decide to come here to see him, I wouldn't be here right now. I would've never found the twins, I would still be on the Grand Line living with the hole their loss created as the only reminder that they existed at all. I don't know what's worse: the idea that I could've easily missed out on this year with them or the fact that I found them again and now I have to leave them again."

"As someone who has known those pups for their whole lives, I can confidently say that they're better off having had this year with you. They'll miss you. They'll be upset and heartbroken that they can't be with you for a while, but they'll bounce back. They'll get through this and go right back to raising hell. When the time comes, they'll be able to go out to sea with you just like they always wanted. I'm sure of that much."

Shanks nodded, knowing her words were true but still, it didn't stop the sadness.

"You know, I haven't gotten the chance to thank you yet."

Shanks blinked at Makino in reply.

"You coming here, whether it was by chance or not, helped the twins in more ways than I can say. Uta was a ghost of herself before you came. Luffy was missing a spark that you lit in him. They could've survived if you hadn't ever come, they're strong like that, but they wouldn't be as happy as they are, as whole as they are now. They wouldn't be as passionate and their dreams, those beautiful impossible things that they want, would be lost. They deserve to dream big. You being here helped them to believe that again. So, thank you, Captain."

"I should be the one thanking you. I don't think my pups would've survived as long as they have without you. I gave them to Garp and Garp gave them to you. I know you probably didn't sign up to raise two pups out of nowhere while you were barely out of teenhood yourself. You've been the one with them, day-in and day-out, watching out for them, keeping them loved, teaching them everything they've needed to know. You've been the support they've needed, giving them someone that they could count as family."

"Oh, I don't know about that," the omega demurred, a blush coloring her cheeks.

"Why not? They see you as family, as pack, and they're right to. You've been there for them. Hongo even believes that part of the reason they've been doing so well all these years without ending up with abandonment sickness or something like that is because on top of each other, they had you to bond with as well."

Makino blinked at that, taken aback by the information.

"I can't ever repay what you've done for them. My gratitude isn't worth much, but you have it."

The two omegas shared a smile between themselves before Makino reached out and held his hand.

"You can repay me by fulfilling that goal of yours. Do what you need to do on the Grand Line and then come back for the twins. Take them to see the world so their dreams won't die on this little island. You promise me that and we can call it even."

"I promise," Shanks responded easily, squeezing the barmaid's hand back.

Makino looked like she was going to say more, but just then the air became charged with an oppressive air. Shanks felt a small shiver go up his spine as a burst of power blew through the room. It was strong enough to knock Makino out and would've sent the omega sprawling onto the floor if Shanks hadn't swooped over the counter and caught her in time. He lifted the unconscious woman and laid her on the counter as he turned his gaze out the window.

That was Conqueror's Haki. It was a strong burst but wild and uncontrolled, ripping through the town with abandon and likely knocking out anyone who wasn't trained to withstand it or didn't have Conqueror's themselves.

But who could've done that and why? Benn hadn't sent anyone to alert him of approaching ships. If it was someone that was still near the shore or hadn't made landfall yet, for their energy to have reached all the way to the bar then they were a powerful user. Considering how indiscriminate the burst was, they were not proficient with the power. It was rare for anyone who had Conqueror's and hadn't trained it to last long. He was certain he would've heard of a user by now terrorizing the East after being here for a year.

He stretched his Observation out, trying to locate the source of the burst. He brushed over the numerous weaker energy signatures of the villagers who, as he suspected, were mostly unconscious up to a certain radius with those who were awake beginning to panic over all the people who had passed out with no warning. His search took him towards the town square. He could feel the group of bandits from last night and the pups were with them. Shanks felt his anger flare.

He stood up and began running towards that position. He could feel his crew making their way into town, having been alerted by the burst as well. Shanks let his bond with the twins open to feel their emotions. There was a mix of anger, fear, pain, annoyance, defiance, confusion crashing in from both of them. It was hard to parse through it all.

He skidded as he came around the corner to the town square and took in the scene in front of him.

Most of the bandits were laid out on the floor, unconscious and foaming at the mouth from the effects of the Conqueror's Haki. Uta was kneeling on the floor, supporting Sabo as the boy was only half-conscious. Ace was standing in front of them, a sneer on his face and flames licking at his hands as he glared up at Higuma.

Luffy was clutched in the bandit's grip, a sword pressed to his neck. Shanks got a sickening flashback to Uta and Porchemy in the Terminal.

"That was a neat trick, kid, I'll give you that," Higuma was saying to Ace, a sneer on his lips.

"I've got tons of tricks, I'll unleash them all on your face. Let him go."

Shanks blinked a little in surprise, hearing Conqueror's Haki lacing every word out of Ace's mouth. A kid being the source of the burst explained how uncontrolled it was but given the range it had reached, it was clear that his Conqueror's was stronger than the average user's. Not a surprise given who his parents were, but Shanks put that aside to make his presence known.

"You ought to listen to the kid," Shanks announced, walking up to the scene and stopping a few feet away.

"Oh look, the omega pirate is back. It's a good thing the janitor is here because I was just going to make a mess."

Shanks walked closer to the scene on steady feet, his eyes trained on where the sword met Luffy's skin.

"I don't know what you think you're doing, but why don't you run along, little omega? Before you get hurt."

Shanks continued forward, not the least bit bothered.

"Let him go," he said simply.

"Or what?"

"You can do what you want to me, I can let that slide, but you don't ever threaten my pack."

Higuma laughed at that and nodded at one of his men that were still standing. A pistol was pointed at Shanks' head the next second.

"Daddy!"

"Back off!" Ace growled, his flames getting hotter.

"I hope you're prepared to kill me, because if your man doesn't, there'll be no mercy for you," Shanks advised calmly.

"I'll take my chances," Higuma retorted.

The bandit cocked his gun and a gunshot resounded through the air.

Shanks remained unflinching as the bandit fell to the ground, dead.

Lucky Roux grinned brightly, tearing off a piece of his meat shank as he pointed his smoking gun at another bandit.

Shanks felt his whole pack's energy as they all descended on the scene, backing him up.

"You bastard! You fight dirty."

"Dirty? We're pirates. Of course we don't fight fair," Yasopp sneered.

"Then again, how fair can a fight against a bunch of weaklings targeting a group of pups be," Benn added around his unlit cigarette.

Higuma sneered at that.

"Kill them!" he ordered the rest of his men.

"I've got this, guys. No big deal," Benn commented, drawing his gun and holding it like a club before descending on the few conscious bandits, effortlessly causing them to join their frothing comrades.

"Holy shit," Ace and Sabo whispered in awe, staring at Benn wide-eyed along with Uta and Luffy.

"Well, that was pathetic."

"Not much of a fight."

"Losers."

"If you want to fight any of us, you'd better get a battleship cause your pack ain't gonna cut it."

The crew jeered behind him as Higuma looked down at his men in disbelief.

"Now hang on, this brat attacked us, talking big about defending the omega's honor! I have every right to answer that insult how I see fit," he defended.

Shanks stared him down, unmoved. The fear wafting off of the alpha was palpable. Suddenly, Higuma let Luffy go, making the boy fall to the ground. Shanks' eyes followed him as he hit the floor so he didn't notice the smoke bomb the bandit took out until it was too late.

The next series of events were a blur in Shanks' mind and he could only remember flashes.

He remembered the smoke clearing to show Luffy was gone.

He remembered reassuring Uta and the others as he pursued the bandit.

He remembered seeing Luffy on the bandit's boat, floating away from the island.

He remembered being in the sea with Luffy in his arms.

He remembered feeling a presence closing in on them and then the Lord of the Coast was there, looming over them, its red eyes glaring down and Shanks' blood staining its teeth.

He remembered glaring back at it and telling it to 'get lost'.

He didn't remember the moment it took his arm and that was probably for the best.

He remembered arms pulling him into a fishing boat. He remembered frantic voices and loud crying and sobbed apologies, but all of that was a blur.

He remembered pain and blood and feeling a bone deep remorse and fear that he knew wasn't his own. It belonged to his pups and his pack. All of his precious people were in pain at seeing the pain he was in.

He had vague remembrances of hearing a comforting song, of small bodies pressed against his, of tiny hands clutching his, of quiet voices begging him to be okay, to wake up, to get better.

Consciousness came roaring back in a haze of pain when Shanks finally blinked his eyes open again. He was momentarily confused before the flashes came. They were bewildering at best, but he gathered one thing with stark clarity.

He had lost his arm.

His right hand moved of its own accord to glide over the missing space and met the bloodied bandages of what remained of his left shoulder. The sea king had taken the majority of his arm away, his dominant arm, his sword arm, gone.

How was he going to climb the ranks without his sword? How would he protect his nakama? How could he lead his pack when he couldn't even swing a sword? They relied on him and he had crippled himself in a moment of carelessness and panic.

He closed his eyes, letting himself feel the unfairness of it for only a moment before he snapped his eyes open again. He surveyed the room he was in, recognizing the woodwork of Makino's bar. He could hear muffled voices outside of the room he was in, prompting him to glance at the door. He blinked as he noticed that Ace and Sabo were leaning against either side of the door, apparently guarding it. The boys were both asleep and had their pipes clutched close to their chests.

Shanks smiled at the sight before a weight shifting at his side drew his attention downwards. Luffy and Uta were resting on either side of him, their heads pillowed on his lower torso. Their faces were turned towards him so he could see that there were dried tear tracks on their red cheeks. Their eyes were also red and puffy, but they were alive, they were whole, they were safe.

He relaxed into the pillows as he felt the reassuring weight of them against him, felt the bond thrumming strong. He remembered feeling abject terror when he felt the sea king, saw it rising out of the water, saw it headed straight for his son. He hadn't thought of anything but getting to his Anchor, protecting him, keeping him safe. Even if it cost him his own life, his goal was to make sure his son was in one piece. He had succeeded at that.

He let out a sigh of relief at seeing that proof.

Luffy was okay. Uta was okay. Ace and Sabo were okay. So, Shanks would be okay too. He would give his life and his limbs to make sure those facts remained true so he was not going to mourn giving up his dominant hand. Besides, if the sea king had taken his right arm instead of his left, it would've taken Rouge's log pose with it. He was grateful that fate spared his mother's gift to him. He still had his right arm, he'd just have to learn to use it. Beyond that, he wasn't helpless. He had his Haki and he had his crew. They were a pack, they'd protect each other. Shanks would never turn his back on any of his crewmates just because they were hurt or weakened. He wouldn't dishonor his men by implying that they would do so to him.

He was still spinning around ideas of how quickly he could train himself to master the use of his right arm when he felt the twins stirring against him.

He glanced down at them as they blinked their eyes owlishly. Both of their gazes widened when they saw him looking back at them. He gave them a small smile.

"Hey kiddos."

Their faces crumbled in an instant and they pressed themselves into his stomach, their sobs muffled by his shirt.

"Hey, hey. It's alright, I'm alright."

"But… your arm… it's…" Uta cried.

"It is, but it's only an arm. I've got another one, it's no big deal," Shanks brushed off.

"You were bleeding so much and everyone thought you would… we could feel you slipping away," she continued, her body trembling.

Shanks' brows furrowed at that before he pushed the thought away. He would accept his own death if it meant his pups lived, but that didn't mean he wanted them to feel that. With their bond, he knew how it would feel. He thought of how he felt watching Roger's body hit the floor of the execution platform, a smile forever frozen on his face meanwhile Shanks' soul was tearing itself to pieces as his father's dead body bled out in front of the roaring crowd. No, he didn't want his pups to feel that but if it meant their lives were safe, he would make that choice.

He supposed that was the difference between him and his father. Roger had wanted to go out on his own terms, a respectable desire, but he hadn't done anything to ensure that all the people he was leaving behind would be safe. Part of Shanks chided himself as unfair. Maybe his father believed his pack would be there for each other. Maybe he believed they would face off against the world together, disbanded or not. Maybe he thought they'd be there for Shanks, Buggy, Rouge and Ace. Still, he hadn't given his life for them, he had done it for himself.

Shanks would give everything he was for the people he loved and leave nothing for himself if that's what they needed. Anchor's life being spared had demanded Shanks' arm be given in exchange. He had no regrets.

Speaking of Anchor…

Shanks glanced over at the boy who was quiet and trembling, his face hidden by his hair. He was sitting close, but he wasn't touching Shanks.

He reached up and brushed tears off Uta's cheek, giving her a reassuring smile, before he ran his fingers through Luffy's hair. The boy flinched at the contact before shifting away so Shanks couldn't touch him anymore.

"Luffy—"

"Shanks shouldn't be hurt," the boy muttered.

He blinked at the use of his name and the tone in the boy's voice, the hopelessness, the heartbreak, the pain. It caused Shanks' own heart to twist in his chest.

"Shanks shouldn't be… I'm supposed to be strong now. My Devil Fruit was supposed to— I couldn't beat the stupid bandits, couldn't beat the stupid sea king. Still weak, I'm so weak. I don't deserve to—"

"Monkey D. Luffy, do not finish that sentence," Shanks ordered.

His tone was enough to shock the kid into looking up at him. Shanks met his watery brown eyes with a fierce look.

"Firstly, there is nothing you could do now or ever that would make me choose differently than what I did that day. I would never choose myself over you, ever."

"But you lost your arm and it was all my fault! I shouldn't have gone after the bandits. If I hadn't then, they wouldn't have hurt you."

"No, you shouldn't have gone after the bandits. It was reckless and dangerous. You could've gotten yourself killed and what would I have done then, huh? You think my arm matters to me in the face of that?"

"But—"

"Anchor."

The boy sighed in response.

"I don't like this. Dad shouldn't be hurt. Hurts to see Dad hurt."

"And how do you think I would feel if you were the one laying in this bed? Or worse, what if I'd lost you? I wouldn't be able to survive that, Luffy. You are my son, my Anchor, my sunshine boy. There's nothing I won't give up for you, including my arm."

Luffy looked down quietly, sniffling to himself.

"Besides, you're the one who's going to be the King of the Pirates. You can't be pirate king inside of the Lord of the Coast's stomach, can you? That'd be pretty silly."

Luffy swiped a hand over his eyes.

"That would be silly. I couldn't find my nakama inside some stupid sea king."

"Exactly."

Luffy looked away with a sad pout before speaking.

"Are you sure you're not mad?"

"Mad? No. But seas, will you give me a break? I can feel myself losing years off my life from stress every time you two get up to your shenanigans."

"I didn't do anything this time," Uta protested.

Shanks patted her head placatingly in response. Uta dropped back down against his stomach, wrapping his waist in a hug. Shanks ran his fingers through her two-toned hair before turning his gaze towards Luffy.

"Why are you all the way over there, kid?"

"I don't want to hurt you again," Luffy mumbled, shuffling further away.

"You won't hurt me," he assured, holding out his (only) hand towards the boy. Luffy inched closer hesitantly but still held himself back.

Uta turned to smile at him, holding her hand out as well. That seemed to break through Luffy's reluctance and he moved over to join the two, wrapping his rubbery arms around the two of them several times. Shanks felt a flare of pain in his shoulder, but he ignored it, holding the pups as close as he could with his single arm.

They were quiet for a moment, basking in the sense of peace before a throat cleared. Shanks blinked his eyes open to see Ace and Sabo standing at the end of the bed, both of them shuffling on their feet uncomfortably.

"That was stupidly sappy," Ace commented.

Sabo knocked his elbow into Ace's side in admonishment.

"Just because you're allergic to feelings doesn't mean everyone else is."

"Whatever."

Sabo began fidgeting with his pipe, looking down at the floor.

"We're… glad you're alright, Captain. Everyone was really worried about you," the blonde said haltingly.

He knocked his elbow into Ace again, giving the boy a meaningful look.

Ace rolled his eyes as he toyed with the straps of his hat.

"I guess I'm happy you aren't dead or whatever. The idiot and the princess would've whined forever about it. That would've been annoying," the brunette muttered under his breath.

Sabo facepalmed in response.

Shanks guffawed at the words, his amusement overriding his pain at the action.

"I appreciate the sentiment. I'm sure I rested easier knowing I had protectors like you two around to watch over me and the twins, so thanks boys."

His words caused both pups to flush scarlet and begin fidgeting even more. Shanks grinned at their obvious embarrassment before looking up as the door swung open, revealing Benn, Hongo and Makino. The three adults blinked in surprise when they saw he was awake. He shot them a sunny grin and waved hello.

"Ah, are you all here to give me a hand?"

The three gave him mutinous looks at the joke as Ace and Sabo jeered.

"Daddy," Uta admonished.

"Too soon?"

"How about we eschew the bad humor for now so I can look you over," Hongo said, switching to doctor mode.

Makino moved the pups off of him as Benn stood by Shanks' side, a blank expression on his face. Shanks glanced up at him, trying to gauge what his first mate was thinking.

"You're never going to let this go, are you?"

"Unless you have the hidden ability to regrow a limb, no, I don't think I will," the alpha replied.

Shanks pursed his lips, certain he was going to be in for quite the ribbing from his crew once they got over the worry.

"You try to leave us like that again and I'm knocking you upside the head."

"Pretty sure that's mutiny."

"And I'm pretty sure everyone will be on my side."

"That's true enough."

"We're not ready to lose you yet, Chief. You've still got a world to turn upside down."

"What? You think this will stop me?"

"It better not."

The two men shared a fierce grin.

Shanks made a vow to himself right then and there. When he got to the Grand Line, people were going to look at him as lesser. They were going to see the loss of his arm as proof that everything they said about him was true, that he was weak because he was an omega. He was going to have to work twice as hard to prove them wrong, he was going to have to be stronger, fiercer, tougher than he had ever been if he was going to make his way to the top.

And he would. He would claw his way up and nothing and no one would stand in his way.

---

The day of his departure from Dawn Island came faster than Shanks realized.

One day, he was still bedridden and in recovery and the next he was standing on the shore with what must have been the entire town of Windmill Village there to see him off.

He said his goodbyes to the people who had made up the tapestry of his life for the last year and would continue to do so for his pups for the foreseeable future. He exchanged a hug and a kiss on the cheek with Makino. She was put in charge of the white den den mushi that the pups would be able to use to call him. The den den on the Red Force was already programmed with the pups' number as well as a number for Syrup Village. They would be stopping there to bring a white den den for Usopp and Banchina to communicate with Yasopp. Shanks had also left the number for Yasopp's family with Makino. He figured it couldn't hurt for the pups of the Red Hairs to have some form of communication.

He stopped in front of Ace and Sabo. He reached out and squeezed each boy's shoulder.

"Can I count on you two to watch out for the twins for me? It's no easy feat, but if you're strong enough for it—"

"We are. We'll look out for them," Ace replied, his voice full of determination.

"Good. I'll feel better that way. Make sure you look out for each other too."

The boys nodded their agreement and finally Shanks stopped in front of the twins.

They were holding hands, their faces twisted with disappointment and sadness. He kneeled down in front of them and ruffled each of their heads before flashing them a smile.

He was honestly surprised they hadn't tried to stow away or something, but they hadn't been requesting to join his crew since the incident with Higuma and the sea king.

"I'm going to miss you both so much, you know? You have to promise to call me once every week. Any more than that and we risk calls getting intercepted."

"We'll call, we promise, Daddy," Uta told him, her tone reflecting her melancholy.

Luffy had a thoughtful look on his face. Shanks waited patiently to see what he was going to say.

"Hey Dad?"

"Yes Anchor?"

"I'm going to be a great pirate one day, with my own ship and a crew of people with the biggest, brightest dreams on the sea. We're going to be great, even greater than your crew," Luffy declared.

Uta smiled at that before speaking up.

"I'm going to be a great pirate one day too and an even better singer. I'm going to sail around with Luffy and our nakama and spread the songs of the world to everyone, bringing people together with the songs of our hearts. It'll be a new genesis, created by me. I'll be the Voice of the World."

"My crew is going to sail the seas, being free and doing whatever we want. We'll go on the coolest adventures, see the coolest things. We're going to find the One Piece and I'm going to be King of the Pirates!"

Shanks could hear the gathered crowd gasping and murmuring at that. There were some dismissive snorts and some derisive laughs, but nothing dulled the bright smiles on the twins' faces. Shanks found himself smiling back at them.

"It's a promise then. You two are going to be great pirates. The best pirates always keep their word, so you will too."

The twins nodded eagerly at that. Shanks paused for a moment before he took the straw hat off his head, looking down at it with contemplation.

"Every king needs a crown," he murmured to himself before looking up at Luffy.

"This hat is one of the most precious things I own. It means the world to me. My captain… my father gave me this hat. He wore it when he set out to sea. I wore it when I did. Now, I want you to wear it," Shanks declared, placing the hat on Luffy's head and adjusting it so it didn't fall over his eyes. Luffy looked up at him teary eyed.

"You're giving me your treasure?"

"You're my treasure. Who better to safeguard Roger's hat than you? As for you, Songbird. Every captain needs someone at their side to help them see things clearly, to keep them on the right path. My mother gave me this log pose as a reminder to always steer myself in the right direction, but to also look to the people who will steer me right. Now, I'm giving this to you to remind you of the same thing. You have such a strong sense of what's right and wrong. Never lose that. Make sure you keep yourself and your brother on the right path. Do that and you'll make it all the way to the end of the Line."

Shanks slipped Rouge's log pose on Uta's wrist, adjusting it so it fit snugly and didn't slip off onto the ground.

Uta stared down at it with glistening eyes.

"I'm counting on the two of you to take good care of them, okay? And when we see each other again, you can show me how well you've been protecting them. Deal?"

The twins wordlessly nodded before throwing themselves at him, hugging him tightly. He reciprocated, gathering them up in his arm. He felt them rubbing their faces against his and pressing their noses into his neck, scenting him one last time. Their arms lingered as long as they dared before they pulled away. They both pressed their foreheads against his, sharing his space for a moment.

"Be good, Luffy. Be good, Uta," he said, punctuating his words with a kiss to each of their foreheads before he finally pulled away. He gave them one last smile before he walked away towards the Red Force. He forced himself not to look back as he walked away, his crew falling into step alongside him.

As he walked away, he could feel the familiar tether in his chest connecting him to the twins. It pulled taut for a moment as he got further and further away. Every fiber in his being rebelled in silent protest, it shouted at him that this was wrongwrongwrong.

Shanks took a deep breath and let his love, acceptance and determination flood their connection. He felt Uta and Luffy send back the same emotions bolstered by their passionate joy. The bond settled then, going slack and calm rather than protesting the distance. It hummed inside of him, healthy and happy, in stark contrast to the last time Shanks had had to leave his pups behind.

But it was different this time. This time, he had a clear end in sight. This time, there was a light at the end of the tunnel, a tangible goal post that he could strive for that would see him reunited with his pups once and for all.

His heart stuttered in his chest as he boarded the Red Force and sailed away from Dawn Island, but it didn't falter. He would see them again, he was certain of it, and he would call them tonight to speak to them again. His pups would not be absent from his life the way they were before. Nothing and no one could ever take them away from him again.

"The Voice of the World and the King of the Pirates, eh? I look forward to it."

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AN: Not totally happy with this chapter. I wanted to add new material but also some things don't change so I wanted to skim over those parts, without retreading ground. Let me know if it flows the way I hope it does.

Next chapter will cover Shanks' return to the Grand Line, then there will be an epilogue and this story will be over.