Author's Note: We are quickly approaching the climax of this story and I can't wait to write it! Thanks to everyone who's followed along with me :) I hope you all enjoy the update~
To Wishfull-star: Yep, definitely Shanks' fault. He made some questionable decisions :'). Thanks for the review, as always, and I hope you enjoy the update!
To 94Insane: Lol I'm so glad you're enjoying it and getting so invested! It makes me happy to hear that as an author XD I hope you enjoy the update!
To Zelia: Hello there! I'm glad you're enjoying my story so far :) There will be more interactions between Ace, Sabo, and Luffy for sure, lots of wholesome moments to come! We may see a few other members of the Straw Hat crew, but the main ones I'm focusing on have already been introduced. As for saving Dragon, I will be addressing that in the next few chapters ;) Thank you so much for the sweet review and I hope you enjoy the update!
WARNINGS:
- Emotional damage/angst
- Bad coping strategies
- Bonding
- Realizations
Luffy could only stare at Shanks in both shock and horror. He'd listened to the Alpha's story quietly and hadn't dared to interrupt, but now the silence was deafening. Though he knew Makino and Shanks had lost their child…he had no idea it happened in such a horrible way. Of course, the parts about him and his Dad were the most shocking.
'I almost died!?' Luffy thought, body tense and ears flat against his head. For once, he was grateful his memories of that day were hazy. Maybe it was better that he didn't remember details of what occurred.
He clenched his fist tightly as his thoughts turned from himself to Shanks' description of his Dad. The lycan painted him as a cruel, merciless, and even abusive person, but the Dragon he knew was nothing like that. He could be a bit strict, but he was kind and took good care of him.
Luffy had only good memories of their little family despite how often they moved and couldn't imagine Dragon neglecting him. In fact, his Dad told him on one occasion that he wouldn't ever raise a hand to him because of his own childhood experiences. Apparently growing up with Garp as your father was rough.
Thinking back, his Gramps had often given him a 'fist of love' whenever he visited, but Garp was hardly ever around because Dragon told him he wasn't welcome at their house except on special occasions.
"…I'm really sorry about your baby and Makino," Luffy said softly, proud of himself for not stuttering. He looked up and met Shanks' gaze, noting the lycan still looked upset from his story. Even so, Luffy continued to speak. "…but my Dad wouldn't do something like that."
Shanks frowned at his firm statement and waved a firefly away when it flew a little too close to his face.
"I refuse to believe that he would so such a terrible thing!" Luffy added, voice breaking with emotion. "He's a good person and has always looked after me!"
"…can you really say that after everything that's happened?" Shanks asked, making him tense up and curl his arounds protectively around himself. "Your…features, only exist because of him and, from what I've gathered, he gave you away as soon as your lycan blood awakened. Is that really love?"
Luffy's bottom lip trembled with emotion. Though he still struggled to understand why Dragon entrusted him to Ace, he knew in his heart that his Dad had wanted to protect him. That's all he'd ever wanted.
"These," Luffy motioned to his ears and tail, "are my fault, not my Dad's. He's only ever tried to protect me…protect me from you."
Shanks winced like he'd been physically struck.
"Luffy, I-"
"No!" He exclaimed, jumping to his feet so suddenly that all the fireflies scattered, "You can think whatever you want about me…but I won't let you just decide that my Dad is a bad person! You don't know him like I do!"
Breathing hard, Luffy could feel the fur scattered across his body standing on end as he struggled to control his anger. How could Shanks say such horrible things when he'd only met Dragon one time! Not far from him, the red-haired lycan had yet to stand and just stared at him with mixed emotions of confusion, frustration, and guilt.
Luffy's hands curled up into tight fists as he recalled Shanks' story. Though he did, truly and honestly, feel terrible about what happened to Makino and their baby, did that really give Shanks the right to disrupt his life so much? The man seemed to have a single-minded focus on hunting him down and had no issue hurting those who got in his way.
Dad and Gramps.
Ace and Sabo.
…even Jaggy and his pack who'd stepped in to protect him despite only knowing him for a short time.
Eyes moist as he struggled to maintain his composure, Luffy began to walk back towards the cliff they'd climbed to reach the plateau. This seemed to surprise Shanks and he reached towards him, as if to stop him.
"Don't touch me!" Luffy snapped with a shaky growl, stopping the Alpha in his tracks, "J-Just leave me alone!"
"Luffy, I know you're upset," Shanks started, now on his feet, "but that path is dangerous. Just wait a moment and-"
He didn't bother to wait for the Alpha to finish and took off towards the rocky bluff, the only thing on his mind getting away from Shanks. Away from the person who'd caused his family so much pain. Luffy heard Shanks curse behind him but didn't look back. He focused solely on his escape.
Luffy scrambled down the rocky hillside and ran towards the river where he knew the next section of the path was. He could hear heavy footsteps behind him, indicating Shanks was chasing him. The Alpha called for him to stop, but he didn't dare slow down. Skidding to a halt at the edge of the bank, Luffy took a second to catch his breath before taking a sharp left and attempting to cross the narrow path.
Even in the darkness, he could see the rapidly moving water below and tried to take as careful steps as he could manage. For the millionth time he wished he could transform between forms at will. It would make navigating the woods much easier and significantly faster.
He glanced over his shoulder and saw Shanks had made it to the path as well, still in his human form.
"Luffy, just take a breath and come here before you get hurt."
He flinched when the Alpha's scent washed over him, forcing him to stop moving. The man's presence demanded submission, but Luffy resisted the urge to turn around. He had to get away from him somehow so he could think and figure out how he was going to get himself out of the mess he found himself in.
Trembling from exertion, Luffy tried to take another step but found that his feet wouldn't move. His instincts screamed at him to submit and return to the Alpha, putting a huge amount of strain and pressure on his body. Biting his lip until it bled, Luffy forced his foot down into a heavy step but suddenly found he couldn't find a foothold.
Eyes wide, Luffy gasped as he slipped on the wet rocks, lost his footing completely, and fell backwards off the path.
Towards the raging waters below.
Shanks' heart stopped when Luffy slipped.
The pup's dark eyes met his for a split second as he fell, anger replaced with fear, before his small body careened into the darkness and he heard a splash when he hit the water. Wasting no time, Shanks threw away his coat and leapt in after him.
He hit the water at a good angle, mitigating most of the pain from the fall. Surfacing quickly and using his legs to keep himself afloat, Shanks searched the water for Luffy. He turned left and right, desperately trying to locate the kid's black hair in the darkness. Even with his eyesight enhanced by his lycan blood, it was difficult to find much of anything with the water agitated as it was.
The river was higher and faster than usual due to a high volume of melted snow that year.
"Luffy!" Shanks yelled, ears straining for a reply. There was none, just the rushing of water. He tried again. "LUFFY! Where are you!?"
Thankfully, this time, his ears picked up a distinctive splash that sounded intentional. Shanks immediately swam towards the sound, cursing his missing arm. Swimming was difficult without the limb, but he managed, finally reaching the area where he thought he'd heard Luffy. His eyes widened when he caught a glimpse of a hand before it went under, pulled down by the pressure of water around it.
Shanks took a deep breath and dove under the waves, all sound going silent. He quickly located Luffy and swam towards him. The boy was struggling and based on the sluggishness of his limbs, he was losing strength fast. Shanks grabbed him around the waist and swam upwards, pulling the boy with him. They both gasped when they surfaced, Luffy coughing wetly against him.
"You with me!?" Shanks managed while just barely keeping both of them above the surface. Luffy looked at him with tired eyes and nodded before coughing out more water. His dark hair was plastered to his face and he looked pale.
Pleased that the boy was at least conscious, Shanks turned and started to swim towards the shore. Unfortunately, that was not an easy task with his arm occupied and he quickly began to lose stamina. Gritting his teeth, Shanks desperately tried to think of a solution.
'If he was just a little smaller…'
"Luffy, I need you to listen to me!" He yelled, trying to reach the exhausted pup who was barely keeping his eyes open, "I won't be able to get to the shore holding you like this. I need you in your true form!"
"I-I…can't…" The boy managed, holding tightly to Shanks' shirt. He hefted him closer when he started to slip away.
"Yes you can! Think back on everything you've learned and feel the moon's pull. Look at it if you have to! We'll go on three, okay?"
Luffy seemed flustered at the short timeline, but Shanks was running out of energy fast. They'd just have to do it.
"One, two…three!"
Shanks immediately began to morph into his true form, red fur appearing all over his soaking wet body. He felt Luffy slip from his grasp as his arm became the front leg of a wolf and he reached his jaw forward, grasping for the pup's scruff. At first, he felt nothing and his heart sank. Had Luffy failed? Had he been washed away? However, the second time his teeth snapped forward, they sunk into familiar black fur.
'Oh, thank God.' He thought, hefting the small pup further up above the water. Luffy was smaller in his true form and much easier to carry. Shanks paddled his way to the bank and collapsed on the grass when they finally arrived.
Luffy fell onto his side as soon as he was released, breathing heavy and erratic.
"Y-You…you okay, kid?" Shanks whispered while trying to catch his breath. Luffy turned his head slightly and nodded, too tired to say anything. They lay there for a few minutes, letting their bodies recover. The pup stood up first, shaky but slowly regaining his strength. Shanks didn't move, knowing his legs wouldn't hold his weight just yet.
Inwardly, he wondered if Luffy would run. This was a perfect opportunity and Shanks wouldn't be able to follow him for a while given his exhaustion.
'He has no reason to stay.' He thought sorrowfully, recalling Luffy's reaction to their conversation. Shanks knew he would have to tell the boy of their past eventually, and that it would be painful for both of them, but he hadn't expected Luffy to react so strongly, especially in defense of Dragon.
…did Luffy hate him now?
Shanks' eyes didn't leave the pup as he stumbled on weak paws, surprised when Luffy didn't run away, but came towards him. The raven-furred pup stopped next to his much larger body and settled down against his side, resting his snout on his paws with a huff.
"…thanks…for saving me." Luffy whispered while pulling his tail across his nose like he was embarrassed. Shanks blinked at him in shock before chuckling as well as he could in his wolf form. All the built-up tension left his body at the realization that the pup had no intention of leaving.
"You're very welcome."
A few hours later, Luffy sat on a couch in the hunting cabin wrapped snuggly in a blanket. Shanks had provided him with an oversized but dry change of clothes and brewed some tea that helped warm his chilled body. He took a sip of his drink and eyed the fire in front of him. The fireplace was obviously well used and there had been a stack of wood ready to go when they'd arrived. Clearly Shanks used the cabin often.
The man in question was still in the small kitchenette doctoring his own cup of tea. Luffy eyed him for a moment before turning back towards the fire. Though he was still mad at Shanks for how he'd spoken about his Dad, he didn't feel nearly as angry as before. He supposed almost dying could change your perspective pretty quick.
The lycan hadn't hesitated to jump in after him, even though he'd tried to run away and said some hurtful things.
Luffy looked up from his cup when Shanks finally joined him by the fire, choosing to sit in a rocking chair to his left. The lycan wore a pair of red flannel pajama pants and a black t-shirt, making him look casual and not nearly as intimidating as he had been before.
Though honestly, even if he hadn't changed clothes, Luffy found that his fear of the Alpha had lessened significantly since they left the pack house. Now that he'd had a chance to get to know him a little, Shanks wasn't just some abstract fear or memory.
He was very real and…very complicated.
"You feeling better?"
"Yeah…thanks." Luffy replied, feeling his ears fall against his head as memories of his fall into the river came surging back. It had been a scary experience, but he did get one good thing out of it. "How did you know I'd be able to transform?"
"I didn't, honestly." Shanks answered with a sigh, "Just had to trust that you'd figure it out…which thankfully, you did. Otherwise, you'd probably have a few more injuries from me dragging you out with my teeth."
Luffy shivered at the thought.
"Good job, by the way. That was your first successful transformation, right?"
"Yeah, by myself." Luffy said, taking a moment to sip from his cup, "I did what you said and looked up at the moon…after that, it just kind of happened."
It had been an odd experience, as if the moon's rays themselves had tapped his inner wolf almost effortlessly. He couldn't help but wonder if he'd be able to do it again.
"That's not too surprising. The moon's pull is strong. It draws out our instincts more than anything else. We were lucky it was clear and bright tonight."
Luffy made a sound of acknowledgement and sipped his tea again. It was a good distraction from the conversation. They sat in a silence for a few awkward seconds until Shanks finally spoke again.
"…Luffy?"
He looked at the Alpha, surprised to see regret in his expression.
"…I'm sorry…for what I said earlier. About Dragon."
Luffy's eyes widened in surprise.
"You were right. I shouldn't speak to things I have little understanding of." Shanks continued, looking honestly remorseful, "Truthfully, over the years, I've suspected things weren't quite as I assumed, but I just couldn't bring myself to accept it. I…I was so angry. I still am. To be candid with you, Luffy, I don't know if I can ever forgive him, but I also don't want to cause you more pain because of this…"
Shanks trailed off and put his mug down so he could pinch the bridge of his nose. He appeared frustrated but also…sad.
"What I'm trying to say is…I-I don't want you to hate me. I don't want you to leave me too."
Luffy gently put his mug down and stared at Shanks, unsure what to say at first. He could tell the older lycan was hurting and, in a shocking twist of events, afraid. His confident façade was fading away, revealing insecurity and heartache.
"…I don't hate you." He replied softly, drawing Shanks' attention up from the floor, "I-I just think I'm confused. I'm not sure what to do about…all this." Luffy shrugged and huffed, allowing his tail to thump against the floorboards a few times.
"I mean…you kidnapped me." Luffy continued, drawing yet another guilty expression out of Shanks, "You also hurt Ace, Sabo, and the others when they tried to protect me. You say that you want to be my Dad, but I already have one. A good one. Whatever you're hoping I can be for you…"
Luffy trailed off, knowing Shanks understood what he was going to say. The lycan looked upset, as expected, but didn't become angry. Instead, he just smiled sadly and gazed into the fireplace.
"I see. I suppose I should've known this would happen…I was just in denial. Makino knew, I think. That's why she suggested we spend some time together." Shanks sighed and brought his hand up to his opposite shoulder, where his arm used to be. "Damn…and I'm supposed to be the adult here."
Luffy looked down into his lap when Shanks released a forlorn chuckle, laughing at himself and the reality of his situation, before suddenly going quiet. He turned back to the Alpha when he stood up, leaving the tea behind.
"I'm gonna take a quick walk…feel like I need some air."
"Shanks-"
"Ah, don't worry! I'll be back soon!"
Luffy frowned at the man's fake smile, quickly seeing through it. Shanks' hand was shaking. Even so, he didn't stop the lycan from exiting the cabin. One of his ears perked up as he heard the Alpha transform and take off in a swift gait. Soon he was alone again and clutched his cup tightly.
'I need to do something.'
Why he felt the need to go after the man, he wasn't sure. Shanks had done a lot of bad things and hurt a lot of people…and yet, it didn't feel right to just leave him alone. Not when being left behind was something the lycan feared most.
'Besides, I'm not just going to let him go sulk.' Luffy thought with a determined smile as he stood to his feet. He'd seen it a few times during their little trip, the real Shanks. A strong and confident Alpha who was charismatic and sometimes foolish. He could see why Makino was so pained to lose him and why his pack followed him even into the dark.
Rolling up his too big sleeves, Luffy made his way to the front door and stepped out into the night. He immediately saw large wolf tracks obviously made by Shanks and sniffed the air, nose scrunching up in distaste at the sour scent. Luffy couldn't help but recall being told about his own scent by Ace and Sabo.
How he smelled sick from stress and fear.
With a huff, Luffy looked up at the moon. Almost immediately, he felt his inner wolf swell like a pot overflowing. He didn't stop it and allowed the strange sensation to take over, causing fur to blossom all over him and his bones to re-form themselves. When he finally blinked, he was in his true form and the darkness appeared much clearer through his lycan eyes.
'I did it!' Luffy thought with a happy jump and swish of his tail. 'Now to find Shanks…'
He lowered his snout to the ground and made sure to get a good whiff of the Alpha's scent. Ears perked up, he took off into the woods, following Shanks' trail closely.
Shanks felt utterly miserable.
He'd run away from Luffy like a coward, unable to face him or his depressing reality. With a sigh, Shanks settled down on his haunches by the little pond he'd stopped by.
It hurt to hear Luffy reject him even though he'd started to suspect their relationship wouldn't be what he'd imagined. It was obvious now that being with Dragon for so long had completely removed any instinctual connection between them, creating a dangerous one-sided obsession on his part that he was quickly becoming more and more aware of.
He'd hoped that having Luffy in his life would make him feel better…not worse.
'God…what have I done?' Shanks thought, dropping his head low. '…and what do I do now?'
He sat by the pond, listening to the quiet sounds of the early morning. It was peaceful but brought him no answers. Shanks still desired for Luffy to be a part of his life more than anything, but he also didn't want to cause him any more pain or suffering. The pup had been through enough because of him. Shanks also knew, however, that the lycans of San Faldo would be arriving soon, chasing after the kidnapped Luffy. What would he tell them? How could he face Ace again…?
He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't notice the quiet sound of footsteps in the leaves behind him. Shanks looked up in surprise when his nose identified a familiar scent, and a small form crashed into him. He was so surprised, in fact, that he didn't fight back at all, allowing the much smaller wolf to roll him onto his back and stand on top of him.
Shanks stared up into Luffy's determined eyes in confusion. Had he…followed him?
"…found you. Finally." Luffy panted in an attempt to catch his breath and re-adjusted his paws on Shanks' trunk. "You ran away."
He felt his stomach drop at the blunt statement and couldn't help but look away in shame.
"I…I didn't know what else to do."
Luffy batted at his snout with a paw, bringing his gaze back to him.
"I think we both need to work on that, shishishi!" Shanks cracked a soft smile as Luffy giggled to himself and slipped off his chest. As he sat up, the pup approached the pond's edge and sat down, tail thumping against the ground. He was impressed that Luffy had been able to not only transform a second time into his true form, but also locate him despite his limited experience with tracking.
As his sire, it made Shanks proud.
"You know, I think this whole trip was a good idea." Luffy started as Shanks moved to join him, "I've learned a lot about being a lycan…and about you."
"…I've learned a lot about you as well." He answered, a bit surprised at how casually the pup was speaking to him. Luffy really wasn't as scared of him as he used to be.
"What're you thinking about?"
"Lots of things." Shanks replied, "To be honest, I'm not sure what to do from here, Luffy. It seems I've made quite a few mistakes, but…" He sighed, unsure how to tell the boy that he didn't want to let him go. That he still wanted him in his pack despite everything.
"It's never too late to say you're sorry." Luffy said with a toothy smile, "At least, that's what my Dad always says." Shanks couldn't help but snort in amusement at the innocent reply.
"I don't think everything can be solved so easily."
"Maybe not, but I do think you should apologize to the people you hurt. Especially Ace and Sabo."
Shanks slowly inclined his head in agreement. That whole mess never should've happened. Had he had just an inkling more self-control, perhaps things would have ended differently. Perhaps those bridges wouldn't have burned.
"…I also think you and my Dad should talk."
He held in a growl at the thought, for Luffy's sake.
"I'm not sure I could." Shanks worried that if he came face to face with Dragon again…he would do something not even Luffy could forgive.
"I'll go with you." Luffy said with a nervous flick of his ears, "I want to hear his side of the story too. I think…that's the only way to bring this whole thing to an end."
Shanks considered his words for a moment and ultimately decided that Luffy was right. There was no other way to find closure. Only Dragon could give them the answers they so desired. He imagined even Luffy, who'd only defended his father so far, had questions regarding his childhood and recent events.
"I suppose so."
"Good." Luffy immediately answered, looking pleased with himself but…a bit droopy? Shanks blinked in surprise when the pup all but deflated onto his front paws, barely holding in a yawn. "…can we sleep now? I'm really tired."
Shanks laughed softly, ashamed of himself for running the pup ragged.
"Yeah, let's go to bed. We've got a long trip down the mountain to look forward to in the morning."
Luffy groaned.
Makino sat on the porch with her coffee, enjoying the brisk morning air and beautiful sunrise. Shanks and Luffy were scheduled to return soon and she wanted to be there when they arrived. She hoped and prayed that they'd been able to have a proper discussion about everything. Nothing good would come from keeping secrets and bottling up dangerous emotions.
"Good morning, Makino."
She turned and sent a tired smile to Benn who'd stepped out onto the porch to join her. Makino knew the beta was just as worried as she was given the dark circles under his eyes. It seemed they both didn't get much sleep.
"Good morning! I imagine they'll be home soon."
"Yeah…any minute now." Benn answered, moving to stand next to her, "You think the pup got through to him?" She shrugged.
"I hope so, but Shanks is very stubborn. We'll just have to ask them when they arrive."
With that, they both settled down to wait. Benn eventually went and got himself a cup of coffee and a few others began to quite obviously linger around the porch area. Makino smiled to herself at their concern. The whole pack obviously loved Shanks, but they were very fond of Luffy as well. They couldn't help but hope for reconciliation.
Not long after the sun fully rose above the horizon, Makino picked up a familiar scent and stood to her feet. Benn was at her side in seconds, holding his second steaming mug of coffee. Behind them, other pack members peered out of the windows, squinting their eyes as they tried to catch a glimpse of their Alpha and his companion. Makino smiled when Shanks and Luffy finally emerged from the forest.
They looked well enough, though a bit tired, and trotted towards them in their true forms. She had no doubt that lycans would have poured out of the house if Benn hadn't motioned for them to stay inside. He didn't want to overwhelm Luffy with too much commotion so soon after their return.
"Welcome back." Benn said when the pair reached the porch. Shanks nodded to him and morphed back into his human form.
"Thanks. How were things while we were gone?"
"Quiet…for the most part."
Makino looked down at Luffy in surprise when he scrunched his eyes closed in deep concentration. Was he…trying to change? Seeing that Shanks wasn't stepping in to help, she just watched, chuckling a bit to herself at his expression. Though it took a few minutes, Luffy did eventually change back into his human form successfully and huffed like he'd just run a race.
However, as she examined him, she realized something was…different. Shanks and Benn went silent as well, looking at the boy in surprise.
Luffy just blinked at them.
"…what? Something on my face?"
"Luffy, you…some of your fur…" Shanks replied, pointing to the pup's arms. He looked down at his arms and recoiled in surprise, running a hand over the smooth skin. "It's gone."
Makino put a hand over her mouth when she realized what they'd noticed. Prior to leaving, Luffy had his extra appendages, of course, but his arms had also been covered in a layer of black fur. Now…that fur had completely disappeared.
"Wow, this is great!" Luffy exclaimed, tail wagging in happiness, "Shanks, did you do something?" Her husband shook his head and looked the pup over in disbelief.
"I-I don't think so…and I didn't notice anything last night."
"Luffy, is this the first time you've changed into your human form on your own?" Benn asked, drawing the excited pup's attention.
"Yeah! Shanks helped last night but I wanted to try it on my own this time." Benn hummed and brought a hand to his chin.
"It's possible that the more control you gain over your lycan blood…the less it will leak out into this form. Perhaps spending time with Shanks really was a good idea."
"You mean these, could actually go away!?" Luffy asked while grabbing both of his ears and tugging on them. Benn smiled at his antics and nodded.
"I think it's a possibility. Only time and more training will tell. There's no one better suited than Shanks since his lycan blood runs through your veins."
Luffy whooped in glee and jumped around, eventually reaching Makino and surprising her with a hug. She laughed, his excitement contagious, and drew him close. He seemed much more relaxed than he had been and that truly made her happy. Whatever happened on the mountain seemed to have driven their relationship in the right direction.
"I'm happy for you, dear. Why don't you come inside and rest."
Luffy pulled away and initially nodded, but then tilted his head in thought.
"Hmmm, actually, do you think I could shower first? I feel kinda gross from running around and the river and stuff."
"…river?"
"Mn. I fell in, shishishi."
Makino instinctively sent Shanks a hard stare, making him flinch.
"I see. I'd love to hear all about that later. Come, I'll take you back to your room."
"A-Actually," Shanks put in, stopping her from herding Luffy into the house, "I'd like to talk to you…if that's okay? Benn could show Luffy back to his room."
Makino stared at her husband in surprise but found herself nodding, not stepping in when Benn gently led Luffy into the pack house and towards his room (for a much-needed shower). The pup sent her an encouraging grin before disappearing from view, chasing some of her nervousness away. Perhaps…Shanks had finally realized something?
They walked in silence to their shared bedroom that had been very stark and lonely since Shanks started sleeping on the couch in his office. Makino took a deep breath when her spouse closed the door and turned to face him with arms crossed.
"…well? What did you want to talk about-"
Her statement was interrupted when Shanks rushed forward and knocked the breath out of her with a tight, one-armed hug.
"Makino…I'm so, so sorry."
She stood in shock, unsure what to do or say.
"I've been a crappy husband, and-and…I'm just so sorry."
Makino felt her stern expression fade into one of both sorrow and relief as she finally returned Shanks' affection. She squeezed him firmly and nuzzled into his neck, inhaling his familiar scent.
"Do you have an answer for me now? About what you did wrong?"
Shanks sighed shakily, as if he would start crying any minute, and rested his chin on her shoulder.
"To be honest…I-I'm still trying to figure things out in my head. One thing I do know now is that Luffy didn't deserve what I put him through. I want to make things right between us."
Makino smiled softly and brought a hand up to his scarlet hair.
"That's a good start. It's never too late to try and make amends."
Shanks sniffled and buried his face in her shirt as he collapsed to his knees, bringing her with him.
"…I don't deserve you."
She didn't reply and simply held Shanks as he tried to make sense of his own thoughts. Makino glided her fingers through his hair and over his temple, soothing him like she used to when they were younger and he'd get injured or sick. It made her happy to see Shanks finally releasing his emotions and trying to change.
'You did well, Luffy. Thank you.'
Meanwhile…
Ace stood on the porch of the Happy Rabbit, dressed and ready to go. Behind him, Sabo was finishing his own preparations while watching over young Zoro who ate breakfast at the bar. The kid had a pretty big appetite and reminded him a lot of Luffy.
He gripped his phone and eyed the road that led into his territory. They were expecting Whitebeard and his commanders very soon along with Kidd who'd agreed to watch over his territory in their absence. Ace glanced over to where Mihawk lounged in a rocking chair. Hopefully Kidd could control himself…time was of the essence and Luffy had waited long enough.
"You don't appear to have gotten much sleep." The Shikari said as if feeling his gaze. Ace shivered against his will under the man's golden stare. "Worried?"
"Of course I am!" He replied with a huff, "If things go south, people could get hurt."
"Whitebeard is wise and has experience with this sort of thing." Mihawk continued, "I believe it will work out."
"I'm not so sure." Ace answered, thinking back to his last encounter with 'Red Haired' Shanks. It was very possible the enemy Alpha would do whatever it took to keep Luffy, even resort to violence or hide behind ancient laws.
Mihawk casually leaned on his sword and didn't say anything in response, instead motioning with his head towards the road. Ace turned and straightened up when he heard the tell-tale sign of vehicles approaching.
"Oi, Sabo! I think they're here!"
He heard the blonde scrambling behind him and urging Zoro to hurry while a few cars made their way to the front of the bar. Ace noticed quickly that it was Kidd and waved in greeting. The Alpha appeared to have brought a decent number of his men with him and looked much better than the last time they'd seen each other.
"Morning." The red-haired lycan greeted, hiding behind a yawn. His beta, Killer, stepped out of the other vehicle and nodded respectfully. "Did we beat Whitebeard here?"
"Yeah, but he should be here any minute. How are your wounds?"
"Just fine!" Kidd replied with smirk while patting his muscular bicep, "I'm raring to go!"
Ace chuckled and grasped his hand in a tight handshake.
"It's good to see you."
"Likewise." Kidd answered before glancing to where to Mihawk sat. His eyes immediately narrowed and his smile fell. "…who the hell is he?"
"Dracule Mihawk." Ace replied, prompting the man to nod in greeting. "He's a Shikari. It's…kind of a long story, but he's offered to help us with Shanks. His son is a friend of Luffy's."
Kidd didn't seem convinced and just continued to glare at the man but was distracted when Sabo and Zoro exited the bar. The green-haired human was rather oblivious to the tension. He carried a plate stacked full of pancakes (his second…or third, serving?) and continued to help himself.
"Hey, Dad, you should make stuff like this more often. It's a lot better than your gross smoothies." Mihawk just raised an eyebrow.
"I thought you and your sister liked those?"
Zoro froze mid-bite.
"W-We do! Totally…yeah."
He began to stuff pancakes into his mouth, prompting Sabo to whisper for him to slow down or risk choking. Mihawk sighed dramatically and slumped back into the chair.
"Well, if you really don't like them, I can always bring back my special toast or bacon-wrapped-"
"No! Anything but that!"
Ace could see the teasing amusement in Mihawk's gaze and cracked a smile. They really were a funny pair. Next to him, Kidd just stared at them in confusion. His bloodlust had lessened significantly after witnessing the odd exchange between father and son.
"…whatever floats your boat, I guess." He muttered, still not appearing comfortable with the humans, "You mind if we make ourselves at home?" Ace shook his head.
"Help yourselves. Hopefully we won't be gone too long."
"Call me if you need us." Kidd added in a serious tone as he stepped past them and moved into the bar. Ace nodded silently. They would need all the allies they could get if negotiations failed. Not long after Kidd and his pack mates left the porch, another group of vehicles made their way down the road. This time, there were three cars.
"Hey! You ready to go?" Thatch yelled from the sunroof of the second car, waving to get their attention. Ace glanced around him to Sabo and Mihawk, who'd stood to his feet. They all nodded to him before turning to Zoro who still held his now empty plate.
"I'll be right back."
Once Zoro's dish was placed in the appropriate place, they all approached the cars, causing some of the lycans to step out. Ace noticed that Whitebeard himself did not exit his vehicle but did wave to them in greeting.
"Good morning, yoi." Marco greeted, expression pleasant but serious, "Ace and Sabo, you two are with me. The humans will be with Izo and Jozu." Ace's eyes flitted to Izo and a larger lycan who he wasn't very acquainted with. The Commander was tanned and stood with his arms crossed over his chest.
"May we please have your weapons?" Izo put in with a tight smile, directing his statement to Mihawk. The Shikari nodded and swung his weapon case around so it could be handed over. Mihawk even allowed the two Commanders to pat him down, though the man didn't seem to be hiding any other weapons on his person.
They stored the sword in the trunk of Whitebeard's car, likely to keep it fully and completely out of reach. Of course, knowing Mihawk's strength, Ace had no doubt that the Shikari could handle himself even without his primary weapon.
"Um…you're sure this will be enough people?" Ace whispered to Marco turned to face him. The blonde lycan sent him a reassuring smile and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"This will be plenty, yoi. Especially with Pops here."
"But what if-"
"Calm down, Ace." Marco interrupted, squeezing his shoulder slightly, "Don't worry, we'll get Luffy back, yoi. I believe in Pops…and so should you."
He bit the inside of his cheek and nodded. Though he was still nervous about the whole thing, he really didn't have much choice but to trust Whitebeard. There was no way they'd be able to confront Shanks on their own.
"You two ready?" Thatch called, making Ace realize that everyone else had already loaded into their respect cars. He took a deep breath and followed Marco to their vehicle, grateful that Sabo would be with him. Hopefully his brother could calm his nerves during the long drive.
"Let's go, yoi! We'll follow you." Marco called to Thatch who rode with Whitebeard. The brunette lycan gave a thumbs up and disappeared back into the vehicle. Soon, Whitebeard's car pulled in front of them and they began the slow trek out to the main road. Marco buckled his seatbelt and moved their car to follow behind them.
Sabo must've sensed his nervousness and wasted no time pulling him in for a gentle hug, leaving an arm around his shoulders.
"You good?"
"Yeah…I think so."
His brother looked determined even as he pulled away.
"We'll get him back, I'm sure of it. I mean…look at this dream team!"
Ace chuckled and turned to look out the window at the trees that thinned as they left their territory. Luffy had been through so much in the short time since they met. Much more than any youth should have to endure. The pup deserved happiness, stability, and protection. This time, he would keep him safe, no matter the cost.
'We're almost there, Luffy…just hang on a little longer.'
