Set 7 - Shanks 22
Title: Her Smile
Theme: #27 gate
Claim: Shanks
(Words:) 1637
Rating: K+
Warnings: Very mild suggestive themes at end? (Just to be safe, haha)
Disclaimer(s): I don't own One Piece
Shanks stared at the strange thin trees with curved trunks and large leaves in fascination. They were so very unlike anything he had seen before in West Blue. Crocus-san had told him that they were a species called palm trees, native to tropical islands like the one the Roger Pirates had docked at yesterday.
According to Crocus-san, this South Blue island was known as Baterilla. To Shanks, it was unlike anything he had seen before and thus looked like adventure, regardless of its peaceful air.
“Master Rayleigh, can I go ashore to explore?” he asked eagerly.
Rayleigh lowered his newspaper at fix the boy with a stern look. “No,” he said with finality. “I’m not taking the chance of you running into trouble. Go do your chores, I know you haven’t completed them yet.” With that decree, Rayleigh returned his attention to his reading.
Shanks pouted. Master Rayleigh was such a kill-joy sometimes. Not that he would tell the man to his face, Shanks still wanted to live, thank you very much.
Pretending to sulk as he walked back towards the cabins, Shanks was actually casting his gaze around the deck to locate his captain. To his surprise, Roger was nowhere to be found. Had he already gone ahead to explore without announcing anything? Shanks felt a little betrayed.
His backup plan thus foiled, the boy changed course to sigh at the railing. He gazed wistfully at the exotic trees and the island that he was just sure was hiding adventure. Large leaves swayed in the wind, and a lone figure was making its way inland from the shore, where a small rowboat had been towed onto the sand… Wait, wasn’t that the captain? So he really had gone ahead! So unfair!
Shanks snuck a subtle peek down towards the waters below. The ship had been docked a distance away from the island, but that wasn’t a big problem. Shanks had always been a strong swimmer. A rope hung from the side of the ship, no doubt how his captain had left his ship. The boy cast a wary look around to make sure no one was watching him. Master Rayleigh was still immersed in his paper, Crocus-san was in the infirmary, and everyone else was similarly engaged in some task or another. Perfect.
With nimble movements, the boy was soon scaling down the side of the ship, finally reaching the clear waters. He swiftly swam to shore, and then dashed for the cover of trees before anyone thought to glance at the island, wringing his clothes dry to the best of his ability as he ran. Footprints in the sand told him the path Roger had gone and he eagerly followed it, wanting to know what his captain was up to. Sure enough, after a minute, he caught sight of the older man ahead. Roger’s gait was relaxed but he clearly had a destination in mind. Shanks slowed down to keep a careful distance between himself and the captain. No point revealing himself, after all. Better to see what Roger had planned. This was an adventure, Shanks thought with a grin.
He tailed his captain to a pretty little cottage with a breathtaking view of the sea, built on a cliff as it was. It was going well, until a twig broke with a snap beneath Shanks’ shoe. He dove behind a bush. To his relief, it seemed that the crash of the waves on the rocks below had thankfully drowned out the sound as Roger didn’t even look back.
Roger unlatched the short gate and stepped into the cottage’s compound, closing it behind him. After the captain had entered the cottage, Shanks stealthily ducked behind the fence which was overgrown with flowering plants and carefully shifted his head to peek through the bars of the gate. Whatever was Roger doing here?
The front door had been left ajar, and Shanks could see a beautiful lady greeting the dark-haired man with a dazzling smile. They shifted out of his sight for a while before returning to sit at the dining table which was in Shanks’ line of vision.
Roger had his back to the door, but he had a clear view of the lady’s face. She really was very pretty, he decided. But who was she and how did the captain know her?
The lady laughed at something Roger said, the sound unheard from his distant position but he imagined it to be a musical, tinkling sound. Long slim fingers gracefully poured tea from a teapot into two cups. The two adults exchanged words, and Shanks wondered curiously what they were saying to make the lady look so happy.
“Hey, what are you flashily doing?” The sudden voice to his right made Shanks start and he almost toppled onto the ground. He hastily grabbed Buggy to hide him from sight.
“Shhh! I’m spying on the captain. Be quiet or he’ll hear you!”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Roger,” Rouge said with a slight smile while calmly taking a sip of tea, “there’s a boy peeking at us from outside the gate. Should I be worried?”
Roger chuckled, unconcerned about this breach of privacy. He didn’t turn, not wanting his little follower to know that he had long been discovered. “One of mine. Bright red hair, looks about 10?”
When Rouge confirmed the description, Roger smiled fondly. “That’s Shanks. You’ve met Rayleigh, but not my sons, have you? I have two cabin-boys on my crew, spirited children who will undoubtedly grow up into fine men.” There was pride in his voice.
This was one of the things Rouge loved the most about Roger, how much he cared for his crew and his treasured ones. “I would love to meet them.”
“I’ll introduce you to some other crewmembers soon as well,” Roger promised. Neither of them liked the secrecy that surrounded their relationship, but it was necessary. He didn’t want Marines to target her to get to him.
Rouge’s attention was again attracted by something outside. “Would your other son happen to have blue hair and a large red nose?” she asked, rather startled by the other boy’s sudden appearance.
The two cabin boys appeared to be squabbling, though still had the presence of mind to keep their voices low enough that no sound could be heard from into the cottage. She smiled. They seemed close. The two boys appeared to finally settle their disagreement and settled down to peek through the gate together.
Rouge dropped her gaze to her teacup so that they wouldn’t realize that she had spotted them, but she couldn’t suppress a smile at how adorable they had looked.
Roger chuckled. “So both of them have come, is it? Cheeky brats.”
Sneaking another glance at the two little spies over Roger’s shoulder, Rouge suddenly giggled.
“Something amusing, my dear?” Roger smiled at her lovingly, lounging in his seat. He actually had a pretty good idea what was going on, having sensed the arrival of the third presence a short while ago.
“It would seem that Rayleigh is berating the two poor boys. Perhaps you should go save them, Roger?”
Roger raised an eyebrow. “Invite them in for tea, you mean?”
Rouge smiled. “More visitors would be lovely. You wanted to introduce them to me, didn’t you? I’ll prepare some iced drinks for the boys. Now go on, before Rayleigh drags the children away.”
Roger laughed and got up from his seat to go rescue the boys from Rayleigh’s annoyed clutches.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Shanks was ushered into the cottage along with Buggy and a disgruntled-looking Master Rayleigh. The dark cloud over the first mate’s face soon cleared, though, not wanting to showcase a bad mood in front of a lady.
“Rouge.” Rayleigh said with a smile. “It’s good to see you again.”
“Likewise, Rayleigh. I trust that you have been well?” Rouge returned his greeting with a smile, before turning to the two boys who were gawking at her. She gave them a friendly smile as well. “And these two must be Shanks and Buggy. How do you do?”
When Shanks didn’t give any response, Rayleigh kicked his shin lightly. Well, lightly for Rayleigh, but it still hurt a damn lot. Shanks scowled a little and glared at the first mate, but got the message. He extended his hand to the lady.
“It’s nice to meet you, ma’am,” He managed in a tolerably polite tone, one of the more noticeable results of Rayleigh’s relentless training over the past year. Shanks caught a look of satisfaction on the first mate’s face before the man reached over to prod Buggy to do the same.
But then he looked into the lady’s eyes and suddenly all he could see was her.
“It’s nice to meet you as well, Shanks. Just call me Rouge.” Her voice was soft and warm, melodious like he had expected.
Shanks couldn’t really remember his mother, but as Rouge smiled gently at him and took his hand in hers, he wondered that she had been like her.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Isn’t Captain coming back to the ship with us?” Shanks asked the first mate as the three finally left after an hour to return to the ship, having been stuffed full of delicious cookies and cakes.
“He’ll be staying at Rouge’s place tonight,” was the simple reply.
“Why?”
“That’s none of your business.”
Shanks looked like he wanted to ask more, unsatisfied with Rayleigh’s answer.
“He’ll be doing something flashy,” Buggy declared wisely.
Shanks stared at Buggy in confusion. “Huh?”
“You know, that,” the blue-haired boy said with the patient air of explaining something to an idiot.
“Oh.” Shanks had apparently understood. “That.”
The boys shared a knowing glance.
Well, that settled the problem. Still, looking at the two cabin boys, Rayleigh wondered with amusement whether either actually knew what they were talking about.
Theme: #27 gate
Claim: Shanks
(Words:) 1637
Rating: K+
Warnings: Very mild suggestive themes at end? (Just to be safe, haha)
Disclaimer(s): I don't own One Piece
Shanks stared at the strange thin trees with curved trunks and large leaves in fascination. They were so very unlike anything he had seen before in West Blue. Crocus-san had told him that they were a species called palm trees, native to tropical islands like the one the Roger Pirates had docked at yesterday.
According to Crocus-san, this South Blue island was known as Baterilla. To Shanks, it was unlike anything he had seen before and thus looked like adventure, regardless of its peaceful air.
“Master Rayleigh, can I go ashore to explore?” he asked eagerly.
Rayleigh lowered his newspaper at fix the boy with a stern look. “No,” he said with finality. “I’m not taking the chance of you running into trouble. Go do your chores, I know you haven’t completed them yet.” With that decree, Rayleigh returned his attention to his reading.
Shanks pouted. Master Rayleigh was such a kill-joy sometimes. Not that he would tell the man to his face, Shanks still wanted to live, thank you very much.
Pretending to sulk as he walked back towards the cabins, Shanks was actually casting his gaze around the deck to locate his captain. To his surprise, Roger was nowhere to be found. Had he already gone ahead to explore without announcing anything? Shanks felt a little betrayed.
His backup plan thus foiled, the boy changed course to sigh at the railing. He gazed wistfully at the exotic trees and the island that he was just sure was hiding adventure. Large leaves swayed in the wind, and a lone figure was making its way inland from the shore, where a small rowboat had been towed onto the sand… Wait, wasn’t that the captain? So he really had gone ahead! So unfair!
Shanks snuck a subtle peek down towards the waters below. The ship had been docked a distance away from the island, but that wasn’t a big problem. Shanks had always been a strong swimmer. A rope hung from the side of the ship, no doubt how his captain had left his ship. The boy cast a wary look around to make sure no one was watching him. Master Rayleigh was still immersed in his paper, Crocus-san was in the infirmary, and everyone else was similarly engaged in some task or another. Perfect.
With nimble movements, the boy was soon scaling down the side of the ship, finally reaching the clear waters. He swiftly swam to shore, and then dashed for the cover of trees before anyone thought to glance at the island, wringing his clothes dry to the best of his ability as he ran. Footprints in the sand told him the path Roger had gone and he eagerly followed it, wanting to know what his captain was up to. Sure enough, after a minute, he caught sight of the older man ahead. Roger’s gait was relaxed but he clearly had a destination in mind. Shanks slowed down to keep a careful distance between himself and the captain. No point revealing himself, after all. Better to see what Roger had planned. This was an adventure, Shanks thought with a grin.
He tailed his captain to a pretty little cottage with a breathtaking view of the sea, built on a cliff as it was. It was going well, until a twig broke with a snap beneath Shanks’ shoe. He dove behind a bush. To his relief, it seemed that the crash of the waves on the rocks below had thankfully drowned out the sound as Roger didn’t even look back.
Roger unlatched the short gate and stepped into the cottage’s compound, closing it behind him. After the captain had entered the cottage, Shanks stealthily ducked behind the fence which was overgrown with flowering plants and carefully shifted his head to peek through the bars of the gate. Whatever was Roger doing here?
The front door had been left ajar, and Shanks could see a beautiful lady greeting the dark-haired man with a dazzling smile. They shifted out of his sight for a while before returning to sit at the dining table which was in Shanks’ line of vision.
Roger had his back to the door, but he had a clear view of the lady’s face. She really was very pretty, he decided. But who was she and how did the captain know her?
The lady laughed at something Roger said, the sound unheard from his distant position but he imagined it to be a musical, tinkling sound. Long slim fingers gracefully poured tea from a teapot into two cups. The two adults exchanged words, and Shanks wondered curiously what they were saying to make the lady look so happy.
“Hey, what are you flashily doing?” The sudden voice to his right made Shanks start and he almost toppled onto the ground. He hastily grabbed Buggy to hide him from sight.
“Shhh! I’m spying on the captain. Be quiet or he’ll hear you!”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Roger,” Rouge said with a slight smile while calmly taking a sip of tea, “there’s a boy peeking at us from outside the gate. Should I be worried?”
Roger chuckled, unconcerned about this breach of privacy. He didn’t turn, not wanting his little follower to know that he had long been discovered. “One of mine. Bright red hair, looks about 10?”
When Rouge confirmed the description, Roger smiled fondly. “That’s Shanks. You’ve met Rayleigh, but not my sons, have you? I have two cabin-boys on my crew, spirited children who will undoubtedly grow up into fine men.” There was pride in his voice.
This was one of the things Rouge loved the most about Roger, how much he cared for his crew and his treasured ones. “I would love to meet them.”
“I’ll introduce you to some other crewmembers soon as well,” Roger promised. Neither of them liked the secrecy that surrounded their relationship, but it was necessary. He didn’t want Marines to target her to get to him.
Rouge’s attention was again attracted by something outside. “Would your other son happen to have blue hair and a large red nose?” she asked, rather startled by the other boy’s sudden appearance.
The two cabin boys appeared to be squabbling, though still had the presence of mind to keep their voices low enough that no sound could be heard from into the cottage. She smiled. They seemed close. The two boys appeared to finally settle their disagreement and settled down to peek through the gate together.
Rouge dropped her gaze to her teacup so that they wouldn’t realize that she had spotted them, but she couldn’t suppress a smile at how adorable they had looked.
Roger chuckled. “So both of them have come, is it? Cheeky brats.”
Sneaking another glance at the two little spies over Roger’s shoulder, Rouge suddenly giggled.
“Something amusing, my dear?” Roger smiled at her lovingly, lounging in his seat. He actually had a pretty good idea what was going on, having sensed the arrival of the third presence a short while ago.
“It would seem that Rayleigh is berating the two poor boys. Perhaps you should go save them, Roger?”
Roger raised an eyebrow. “Invite them in for tea, you mean?”
Rouge smiled. “More visitors would be lovely. You wanted to introduce them to me, didn’t you? I’ll prepare some iced drinks for the boys. Now go on, before Rayleigh drags the children away.”
Roger laughed and got up from his seat to go rescue the boys from Rayleigh’s annoyed clutches.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Shanks was ushered into the cottage along with Buggy and a disgruntled-looking Master Rayleigh. The dark cloud over the first mate’s face soon cleared, though, not wanting to showcase a bad mood in front of a lady.
“Rouge.” Rayleigh said with a smile. “It’s good to see you again.”
“Likewise, Rayleigh. I trust that you have been well?” Rouge returned his greeting with a smile, before turning to the two boys who were gawking at her. She gave them a friendly smile as well. “And these two must be Shanks and Buggy. How do you do?”
When Shanks didn’t give any response, Rayleigh kicked his shin lightly. Well, lightly for Rayleigh, but it still hurt a damn lot. Shanks scowled a little and glared at the first mate, but got the message. He extended his hand to the lady.
“It’s nice to meet you, ma’am,” He managed in a tolerably polite tone, one of the more noticeable results of Rayleigh’s relentless training over the past year. Shanks caught a look of satisfaction on the first mate’s face before the man reached over to prod Buggy to do the same.
But then he looked into the lady’s eyes and suddenly all he could see was her.
“It’s nice to meet you as well, Shanks. Just call me Rouge.” Her voice was soft and warm, melodious like he had expected.
Shanks couldn’t really remember his mother, but as Rouge smiled gently at him and took his hand in hers, he wondered that she had been like her.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Isn’t Captain coming back to the ship with us?” Shanks asked the first mate as the three finally left after an hour to return to the ship, having been stuffed full of delicious cookies and cakes.
“He’ll be staying at Rouge’s place tonight,” was the simple reply.
“Why?”
“That’s none of your business.”
Shanks looked like he wanted to ask more, unsatisfied with Rayleigh’s answer.
“He’ll be doing something flashy,” Buggy declared wisely.
Shanks stared at Buggy in confusion. “Huh?”
“You know, that,” the blue-haired boy said with the patient air of explaining something to an idiot.
“Oh.” Shanks had apparently understood. “That.”
The boys shared a knowing glance.
Well, that settled the problem. Still, looking at the two cabin boys, Rayleigh wondered with amusement whether either actually knew what they were talking about.