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Shanks loved having the boys on the Red Force.
It was good having a distraction that wasn’t alcohol, and he was in a better mood even though he hadn’t blacked out in weeks. Every time Luffy called Shanks Dad made him have all these soft feelings in his chest that wouldn’t go away. Beck looked at him with a smirk, knowing eyes boring into him. Shanks gave him the middle finger out of Luffy’s eyesight.
On the topic of Beckman, Luffy and the brothers took the initiative to get closer to his crew, not just Shanks. The brothers were especially fond of Beckman, Luffy even going to him for piggyback rides. Ace and Sabo were more subtle about it, but Shanks saw and sensed them bonding with his crew. Ace was fond of Lucky Roux, both of them regularly found eating together, bonding over the shared love of food. Sabo was frequently with Building Snake, curious about navigation from someone who had decades of experience.
It made Shanks feel accomplished that these three traumatized boys could find a home on his ship. That was constantly hammered in when a day was finished, and he was getting ready for bed, not considering when he would drink himself to slumber, and Luffy would crawl up into his bed, cuddling him. Shanks would always make himself not react because he realized Luffy would only feel comfortable cuddling up to Shanks if he seemed to be asleep. Luffy probably didn't want Shanks to say no to him.
What Luffy didn't know was that Shanks would never be able to say no to him, not on this. Luffy could only ask, and Shanks would do anything in his power to make it happen. Luffy essentially had an Emperor under his thumb and didn't even know it. It would make the world go crazy for sure.
It wasn’t only Luffy he would do that for. Ace and Sabo, he may have not known them for long, but they were his son’s brothers, and he started to mentally adopt them as well.
Ace with his quick wit and boundless determination to protect his brothers.
Sabo with his eagle eyes and smarts could be turned into a weapon, which not anyone can do.
But the two were only sixteen years old and still kids in his eyes. The two only started to open up to him a few weeks ago, and Shanks knew this only happened because they saw how he was with Luffy and how much Luffy liked him. If this wasn’t in the picture, Shanks could picture them hissing and scratching at him like two feral alley cats. But with Luffy here and Shanks obviously loving him like Luffy was his own, the two brothers never thought that Shanks couldn’t be trusted.
Shanks was trusted.
He was trusted by three kids that had everything ripped from them and was scared would happen again. Shanks had the power to back himself up, so maybe that was not fear for him, but it was a portion of the thought process.
What this meant was that the two had no reason not to get attached to Shanks. Ace even made a joke about calling him Dad a few days ago, and made Shanks have a mini heart attack. Sabo joined in, and Shanks only reacted with more mini-heart attacks.
Shanks was a thirty-four-year-old that was not expecting fatherhood, now he had one official son and two sorts of sons. And one of them was the son of the people he considered his parents.
Which was… weird, to say the least.
Ace would be more of a little brother than a son, but that would just become complicated. Actually, the whole family tree was complicated. Shanks thought about it for a second, then decided to push that for later. He was not dealing with that now, or ever preferably. At least he had the semi-approval from Luffy’s family.
Garp came by a few times, finding excuses to not do work to see his grandsons. Shanks usually gave them space, and a few times walked into the room they talked into only to find a cuddle pile with Garp in the middle with a smile on his face. It made Shanks smile to see the old man so relaxed.
Shanks had to shake the memory of Garp walking onto his ship with dead eyes.
That was not important at the moment. It didn’t matter now, knowing Luffy and the boys were safe.
Shanks didn’t want to return to that time when everything seemed so dark.
Shanks looked up to see his cabin’s wood boards, the sea rocking the ship in a calming motion. He felt Luffy’s breath on his side, curled up on his right side. Shanks didn’t see the other two brothers, but he sensed them in the spare hammock he set up once he realized the sleepovers would be standard for the near future. Shanks smirked at the two, cuddled as if their life depended on it. You wouldn’t think three of the most feared super rookies would be cuddle bugs, but they were.
It was adorable.
Shanks took pictures of them and sent them to Garp sometimes, and the next time Garp visited, he would give Shanks a bottle filled with expensive booze as payment. Shanks took it with glee.
There was a soft knock on his door, and Beck poked his head in. He smiled at the boys for a moment, then focused back on Shanks, who only raised an eyebrow in question. Beck whispered, trying not to wake the boys. Everyone had a soft spot for the brothers and loved them.
“The Whitebeards are coming, orders?”
Shanks hummed and whispered back, getting up, and gently prying Luffy’s fingers off him. Luffy wasn’t swayed, clutching his cloak he forgot to take off last night. Shanks sighed silently and took off his cloak, covering Luffy like a blanket. Luffy automatically cuddled it, a smile on his chubby face. Shanks cooed in his mind and got back on track. He looked to Beckman, who was only smirking at him.
“You make a good dad, who would have thought?”
Shanks pouted at the sass in his friend's voice, then gained a more serious light. He whispered back, making his way silently out of the cabin.
“Go to the nearest island, we’re having a party.”
Shanks sat in front of the Whitebeards, the crews already bringing out the shared alcohol, and smirked at Pops.
Marco only sat at his father’s side, rolling his eyes. He may have known Shanks for all his life and already knew all his ticks by now. And right now, Shanks was in a great mood by the uptick of his eyes.
“I didn’t think you guys would go out of your merry own way to speak with little old me. I am genuinely touched.”
Shanks was smirking, hand already around a mug. One of the things Marco noticed about the man, was that he was without his trademarked coat, only wearing an open shirt with one of his sleeves tied off where his left arm used to be.
He then looked at Marco, and Marco inwardly groaned.
“Hey, Marco. Join my crew.”
“Fuck no. I ain't going to be your babysitter-yoi.”
Shanks gasped, hand over his chest like he was truly hurt. He looked back at Benn Beckman, who only smirked at his captain with visible mirth.
“Beck~! He’s being mean to me! Tell him that’s not true!”
Benn only went by his captain's side and patted him on the shoulder patronizingly. He had a shit-eating smile, and Shanks gasped in betrayal. Marco would say he was genuinely hurt if not for the twinkle in Shanks’s eyes.
“Not you too!”
“I’m sorry, Chief, but you are a bit hard to handle sometimes.”
Marco scoffed at that and muttered, “Isn’t that always?”
Shanks swiveled his head to him with an expression of absolute disbelief. He fell back dramatically and lay there.
“I am so attacked right now. My friends are so mean to me.”
Pops laughed loudly, amused by the entire ordeal.
“Gurararararararararara! You haven’t changed a bit, Red-Hair.”
Shanks sat up with a pout, and Marco shook his head in exasperation. This was one of the Four Emperors of the sea? Sure Shanks was powerful, but he was the least serious of the four. The Red Force was essentially a party ship most of the time, and Marco could smell the alcohol whenever he met Shanks. Curiously, he didn’t smell that much on Shanks today. Which was odd considering Shanks loved to drink away his days with his crew.
“I like to think I got taller.”
Shanks said that with a shit-eating grin. Marco observed Shanks with careful eyes. The main reason they met up with their fellow emperors' crew, was because they were concerned. In the past six years, Shanks was on a rampage, rage on his face with every picture they saw. But now, he seemed to be back to his usual party-happy self. They also wanted to ask about the rumors of the Masked Brothers, who were last seen in the area the Red Hairs were.
That was actually the main reason. The Whitebeards really wanted to adopt the brothers. They were getting a bit worried with every day that passed without seeing the brothers in the paper.
“Brat, you are happier than the last time we came by.”
Shanks's face blocked off for a moment, then brightened like the change wasn’t even there.
“Got some good news. Nothing more, nothing less.”
Marco noticed the slight change in expression on Benn’s face. It was a mixture of a sad smile and relief. Marco glanced around to see the other high-ranking Red Hairs had the same expression. The entire crew was more relaxed and smiled more easily now that Marco noticed it. It was a like a weight was taken off their shoulders.
“Never mind that, we have a party to start!!”
Shanks laughed loudly, and his crew cheered loudly.
Marco shook his head with a slight smile.
Does nothing ever change with him?
Marco was sitting on his father’s shoulder while both crews drank to their heart’s content. It was only noon, but Marco had already seen some pirates pass out on the ground. Marco sighed when he only saw the passed-out Whitebeards. The Red Hairs were still going strong.
Marco feared for their livers.
Shanks was drinking with Pops, and only looking a bit tipsy, even though Marco saw Shanks do eight shots, at least. He had a high alcohol tolerance. Marco felt bad for Shanks’s doctor.
But Marco started to hear whispers, and some of the pirates stepped aside, mostly Red Hairs, who pulled back Whitebeard's from getting in someone's way. Marco tilted his head, curious. Marco blinked when he saw the person or kid.
It was a black hair kid with a straw hat on his head. He had a black cloak, which Marco recognized as Shanks’, around his shoulders, trailing behind him. He looked to be about twelve or thirteen, but had chubby cheeks and was rubbing his eyes with fists. Marco blinked, surprise filling him.
The boy walked up to Shanks, ignoring everyone else, and reached up to Shanks with his arms out.
“Dad.”
Shanks smiled softly, making Marco’s brain do a weird thing. Shanks reached to the kid and put him onto his right side, while the kid clung on with his entire might.
“Good morning, Anchor. How did you sleep?”
The kid nodded into Shanks’s side and mumbled tiredly.
“Good, but still sleepy.”
“Of course you are, you stayed up until three last night.”
Shanks poked the kid on the nose, with eyes Marco only saw on Pops’ face. Parental affection and love. Marco looked between the two, brain making connections, but his emotional side was in disbelief that this ever happened. Shanks for being responsible. And a father.
“That doesn’t count.”
“Sure it doesn't. You are still a growing boy, Anchor. You need your sleep.”
The boy melted into Shanks’s side, blocking his face from the eyes watching him with Shanks’s shirt.
“Hm.”
Tired mumbles were heard from the boy and nothing else. Marco watched with a scoff in his throat. But before he could even speak, two voices appeared, from two people Marco didn’t even notice with everything happening.
He saw two men with orange and blue masks and blinked again. It was Fire Fist Pyro and The Blue Gentlemen Broker. They walked up to Shanks, who only smiled at their entrance.
“The little shit left before we could stop him. He even forgot his mask, the little brat.”
Pyro threw Shanks a red mask, who gave it to the tired boy. The boy looked at it, then put it on, then Marco realized who the boy was.
He was Little Menace Cheshire, one of the Masked Brothers.
And he just called Shanks dad. Shanks.
“Ah, it’s not so bad. Anchor will be fine.”
Shanks patted the boy’s head, who only relaxed more in Shanks’s hold.
“He will, but I don’t trust these guys.”
Pyro glared at them, and Marco could see the distrust in the silver eyes. Marco raised an eyebrow, but before he could speak again, Broker swatted the back of Pyro’s head.
“That’s rude, Pyro. They’re Shanks’s guests, at least be more polite.”
Pyro rubbed the back of his head and elbowed Broker in retaliation.
“Yeah yeah, whatever.”
Shanks laughed at the brothers, amused at their actions. Pops was oddly silent, looking at the interaction. Shanks caught his eyes and only smirked, knowing eyes laughing at them. Marco sighed inwardly. Of course, Shanks adopted the brothers before they had a chance to. Marco glanced over to his father, who was doing an expression that showed he was pouting inside and didn’t show it outwardly.
Shanks mouthed to Marco, and Marco could feel the agitation from Pops raise.
Too late~
Shanks smirked and chuckled to himself, paying attention to the teenagers again. He did stick out his tongue at them for good measure, though.
“Have you boys eaten yet?”
The Masked Brothers shook their heads, and Shanks got up and shepherd them away to the certifiable line of food laid out for both crews to eat from. Pops and Marco were put out of mind, but certainly not forgotten from Shanks’s smug looks. Benn looked at his captain and scoffed, snatching Shanks’s forgotten mug.
“Your cooks are going to be crying soon. Those kids eat a lot.”
Marco watched the boys get their portions, and decimate the food, quickly coming for seconds. He smiled slightly, slight disbelief in his eyes.
“I see that. How are you guys doing with feeding blackholes-yoi?”
Benn shrugged, drinking from the mug that was once Shanks. Marco didn't question it.
“We only need to stock up more. We don’t mind, and Shanks doesn't care. We all care for those boys, and the increase in food funds is beside the point.”
Marco looked at the super rookies, and how the Red Hairs smiled and welcomed them. If Marco could say anything just based on this scene, he would say the brothers had been on the crew for years. But Marco knew the Brothers only came in contact with the Emperor crew a few months ago.
“How did you meet the brothers?”
Pops rumbled that out, and Marco was curious as well. That amount of familiarity could not be achieved in a few months.
Benn's face soured and sighed. He looked to his captain with unreadable eyes, and the same eyes gazed at the brothers.
“We all met Broker and Pyro recently, but we have known Cheshire for years. We stayed in his home villager when he was still in his single digits, and Shanks got attached. He treated Cheshire like his own son, and tears were shed that day when we left to head back to the Grandline. Of course, Cheshire doesn't know that, but it happened. We all loved the kid.”
Benn sighed into the mug, in his own head.
Marco connected some dots, seeing the straw hat on Cheshire's head they decidedly did not see in any of the pictures they acquired of the rookie.
“You guys met him during the time in East Blue. The time when Shanks lost his arm and hat.”
Benn nodded, eyes tired.
Pops straightened and frowned, not liking the vice captain’s expression.
“You can say we stayed in the East Blue for Cheshire. Our base for that entire time was his home village, for that year.”
Benn sighed and looked at the two. He looked around, noticing no one was paying attention to them, focused on the new arrivals.
“Cheshire… he was the son Shanks would deny he had, at least until recently. He gave Cheshire his hat, and they promised to meet again when Cheshire became a great pirate.”
Benn swirled his drink and looked to Shanks, smiling happily while directing the rookies who were following him with trust in their eyes.
“Shanks gave his arm for Cheshire, saving him one time. Cheshire cried for days seeing his idol and role model so hurt.”
Marco looked at the tired boy, now wearing the red mask Marco was familiar with. He saw Shanks looking down at the boy with a soft smile that Marco had never seen on Shanks before.
“This was seven years ago, right-yoi?”
Benn nodded, Marco frowning at the confirmation. Cheshire was always young, they knew that, but from his appearance and the facts, he was younger than estimated.
“Brat, do the boys have any connections to why the red brat went on a trial of destruction these past years.”
Benn scowled dark intentions in his eyes. Marco noticed the surrounding Red Hair's mood darken at Pops’ words, faces transforming into ones of rage.
“I won’t say a lot, because it’s not my secret to tell. The short story was, we thought the World Government killed Cheshire and his brothers. And we wanted to get even. Shanks wanted to do more.”
Benn set down the mug and walked away, but said something over his shoulder.
“Cheshire and his brothers are loved by everyone on this crew. We will protect them to our last breaths. We won’t allow them to get hurt, not more than they already had been.”
“So don’t try anything.”
Benn walked to his captain, Marco smirking at the threat.
“Pops, I don’t think kidnapping is going to work this time-yoi.”
Pops rumbled out his words with a confident smile on his face.
“Those boys are going to leave the nest sometime.”
Marco shook his head in disbelief. Of course, his father wouldn’t be that easily dissuaded.
“Shanks is not going to be happy about that-yoi.”
His father laughed, and Marco knew this was not going to be the end of this conversation. Not by a long shot.