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Language:
English
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Published:
2015-03-02
Completed:
2015-08-31
Words:
2,283
Chapters:
2/2
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Assistance

Summary:

“Oh, [Name]! How long have you been here?” he said with genuine surprise.

“About ten minutes longer than the last time you tried hitting on me, Captain."

Chapter 1

Chapter Text

Your head was filled with a pleasant buzzing as you sat at the bar, a cup of sake before you and an absent smile on your face. It had been a long time since you had felt solid ground beneath your feet, and what better way to celebrate the arrival at a new island after weeks at sea than a visit to the local tavern.

You grinned widely at the rowdy pirates around you, chuckling along with their jokes and tales, when you felt a body slide up next to you. You turned to find a handsome man with shocking red hair and three parallel scares running diagonally across his left eye. He offered you a sexy, lopsided smile and leaned in close by your ear, his hot breath ruffling your hair. You could smell the alcohol on his breath, and see its influence in the redness of his cheeks and unfocused gaze. You expected him to say something smooth, witty even, but as his lips parted he surprised you by uttering two simple words.

“Nice ass.”

“Shanks!” you cried, attempting to hide your raging blush as he smirked at you from behind a curtain of red locks.

“My name precedes me, I see. Well, that means we can skip the introductions and get straight to the f-”

“Captain, it’s me,” you said, trying unsuccessfully to remain stern while holding back a fit of giggles. He looked at you as if you had magically appeared in front of him.

“Oh, [Name]! How long have you been here?” he said with genuine surprise.

“About ten minutes longer than the last time you tried hitting on me, Captain,” you sighed, still fighting back laughter.

“Heh, my apologies…” he said rubbing the back of his head. “But now that I think about it,” he mused, leaning in once more to snake his arm around your waist. “I meant what I said.” You felt his hand drop lower and you gave a squeak as it stopped to give you a rough squeeze. You leaped from the bar stool, blushing madly.

“Captain, you’re drunk! I think it’s time we returned to the ship.”

“You read my mind,” he replied cheekily, staggering to his feet to wrap his arm about your shoulders, pulling you tight against him so he could nuzzle your hair and leaning heavily against you for support.

“Uh, that’s not what I meant…” You blushed and tried pulling away, but his one-armed grip on you was surprisingly strong considering his inebriation. You sighed and gave in, beginning to lead the man from the tavern to a barrage of lewd whistles and exaggerated winks.

Shanks stumbled slightly and, unthinkingly, you brought up a hand to steady him, only realising too late that it rested on his chest where his defined pectorals lay open to the night air. You caught his smirk from the corner of your eye and flushed darkly, glaring at your crew mates who were chuckling as you left through the saloons style doors and into the sparsely populated streets.

The two of you made your way slowly but surely back to the ship in silence, Shanks with an impish grin on his face, you with a light dusting of pink across your cheeks. His arm remained around your shoulders, fingers tracing lazy circles across your skin. You shivered.

“Cold?” he asked softly.

“A little,” you lied. Like hell you were going to admit you were actually enjoying his ministrations. He stopped and his hold on you loosened as he shrugged of the coat draped across his broad shoulders, placing it carefully around yours. You gripped the fabric to you, inhaling his scent.

“Thank you,” you muttered, not meeting his gaze for fear of him noticing the blood rising in your cheeks once more. His arm returned to your shoulders and you resumed walking, soon reaching the ship.

“Ladies first,” he smirked, gesturing to the ladder that led up to the deck.

As you climbed, you had the sneaking suspicion that he was watching your behind, feeling his eyes on you the whole way. You helped to haul him up after you and led him to his cabin, before giving him a brisk goodnight and turning to leave. He caught your arm.

“Where are you going, [Name]?” He whirled you around so that you fell against his chest, knocking your breath from your lungs.

“To bed,” you replied, breathless.

“What’s wrong with mine?” he purred, voice laced with mock hurt.

“Nothing, I-”

“Then sleep with me tonight.” The offer was incredibly tempting. Feeling the muscles of his chest shift and flex under your fingers, the warmth of his skin – you were not sure you could refuse. And yet… You pulled back.

“I’m not sleeping with you, Captain,” you said, shaking your head.

“Why not? We’re both consenting adults, and you can’t deny the attraction.” He brushed his knuckles gently along your jawline, leaning in to follow them with his lips. You shuddered at the feeling, almost giving in then and there.

“It… wouldn’t be right. You’re my Captain.”

“Then when we’re alone, I’m no longer your Captain.”

“You’re drunk. What if you regret this in the morning?”

He paused in his ministrations and pulled back to look at you, cupping your chin gently but firmly in his hand.

“Impossible.”

He pulled you in for a long, deep kiss that left you breathless when you parted, his tenderness sweeping away any and all inhibitions you may have had. He smiled at you, that cheeky, lopsided smile that never failed to lighten your mood and you melted. Unsteady fingers brushed your cheek, trailing down your neck to rest on the top button of your blouse. You caught yourself and backed away quickly, shaking your head.

“Come to me in the morning when you’re sober and tell me the same thing. Then I’ll believe you,” you stated.

Somewhat deflated, Shanks sighed. “If that’s what you wish…”

“Goodnight, Captain.” You turned to go with some reluctance, but before your hand even touched the doorknob, he called you back.

“Before you go, [Name]…” You turned to find his fumbling with the buttons of his shirt. He gave up after only a few moments, and gestured. “A little help?”

You sighed. “What would you do without me, Captain?” you said shaking your head and smiling as you walked over to his to carefully undo the buttons one by one, trying hard not to stare too long at his glorious abdomen.

“What indeed?” he mused, watching you with laughter in his eyes.

“What’s so funny?” you said, your mouth quirking at the corner. His smile was catching.

“You said you wouldn’t sleep with me, and yet here you are in my cabin undressing me.” He laughed at your blush and you hit him lightly before pulling the shirt from him shoulders and throwing it over the back of a chair.

“Go to sleep, Captain.”

He raised an eyebrow at you. “Is that an order?”

“Maybe it is.”

“I should have you punished for that.”

“Maybe you should. Too bad you won’t remember this tomorrow.”

He had no reply to that and so, to humour you, climbed beneath the covers. “Aye aye, Captain,” he said with a mischievous grin.

You laughed and said your goodnights again, but for the second time that night you felt yourself tugged back by one strong hand. You looked into his face, for once free from his usual cheeriness, his eyes almost pleading.

“Stay.”

You sighed, knowing you could not argue and, shrugging off your borrowed coat, climbed in beside him, huddling close to his warmth. Before you could so much as utter a single word, his soft snores filled the room. You smiled.

“Goodnight, Shanks.”

Chapter 2

Chapter Text

You woke to the rocking of the ship in the morning tide. From the look of the sunlight filtering through the tiny window by the bed, it was still early and the gentle swaying would have lulled you back to sleep had you not realised the room you had woken in was not your own. You panicked briefly, before your mind caught up with your memory and you blushed heavily.

You could hear Shank’s soft, even breaths form beside you in the bed but you could not bring yourself to turn and face him. You had no doubt he would continue to sleep well into the morning, and perhaps even the afternoon, after the night before. Perhaps it was best you left before he woke and pretend like nothing had ever happened. Yes, that was probably the best approach. He would have no memory of it anyway – his confession. You felt a pang of disappointment at your resolution, but it was for the best.

You made to get up but something weighed you down. One heavy, muscular arm was draped over your midsection, and that arm belonged to none other than your Captain. His grip was loose, but still you hesitated, unsure if freeing yourself was worth the possibility of waking him. In the end, you decided to risk it, gingerly lifting his arm off you and squirming out from beneath it. Just as you were about to slip away, you were tugged back by the wrist, and suddenly you found yourself pressed against a solid (and very naked) chest.

“Morning.”

You started at the voice and looked up into the grinning face of your captain.

“Captain!” You hastily scrambled away from him and sat against the headboard, making sure to keep as much distance between the two of you as possible. “Uh, good morning. How’s your head?”

“Positively throbbing,” he said, still as cheerful as ever.

“Then what’s got you so happy this morning?”

He shrugged. “Any day I wake up next to a pretty lady has got to be a good day.” He sat up and stretched his arm, groaning appreciatively as his shoulder popped. The sheets slid from his body and came to nestle low over his hips. A little too low.

“… Shanks, are you naked?!” you shrieked, slapping a hand over your eyes.

“What?” He looked down. “Oh. So I am.”

You glared at him from between your fingers. He only shrugged but, thankfully, pulled the sheets over himself again and, once you were satisfied he was adequately covered, you lowered your hands.

“I must have got too warm last night.” He said, rubbing the back of his neck and flashing you a sheepish grin.

“Do you… remember last night at all?” you asked cautiously.

He hummed thoughtfully. “It’s all kind of hazy… Wait, did we…?” His eyes widened as his sleep-addled mind put two and two together, a small smirk growing at the corner of his mouth. He raised one red eyebrow at you and you felt yourself flush.

“No!” you blurted out. “No, nothing like that.”

“Oh… I could have sworn…”

“What?” You cringed as you heard the hopefulness in your voice. You prayed Shanks was too hungover to notice.

“I just… I seem to have this memory of you undressing me.”

You flushed scarlet again. “Oh.”

“Crazy, right? Must have been a dream.”

“R-right.” Your heart sank. It was clear he remembered nothing of your conversation last night.

There was awkward silence between the two of you for a moment, then you seemed to come to your senses, jumping to your feet.

“Well, I should get going, Captain. If the rest of the crew aren’t too hungover, it must be nearly time for breakfast.”

Shanks pouted. “But it’s still early. Stay and sleep a while. Or since we’re always halfway there we could…” He gestured to his naked body and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

You leaned in to hit him, blushing furiously. “I’m leaving.”

But as you turned to go, he caught your hand and, for the second time that morning, you found yourself buried face first in his chest. You felt him chuckling quietly, the motion shaking your body.

“Striking your captain is grounds for punishment,” he growled softly. “Even worse than ordering him around.”

He laughed again as he felt you stiffen against him.

“Did you really think I wouldn’t remember?” he said, his warm breath, still smelling faintly of liquor, ghosting over the shell of your ear.

“You said you didn’t,” you said, offended.

“Mm, it’s coming back to me now,” he said huskily, before leaning in to capture your lips with his. Unlike the previous night’s, this kiss was fiery and raw. Your teeth clashed with his, fingers tangled painfully in his already sleep-mussed hair. When he pulled away, he tugged at your bottom lip with his teeth before breaking away, his breath coming hard and fast.

You wrinkled your nose in distaste.

He panicked “What? Too much? Too fast?”

“No,” you giggled. “Morning breath.”

You only gave him a moment to feel relief before you pulled him in for another long kiss, slower than the last, his tongue working in languid movements against yours, savouring the taste.

He groaned low in his throat and reluctantly pulled away. “As much as I want to continue this right now,” he panted. “I don’t think it’s wise when we have an audience listening outside the door.”

His voice rose as he spoke those last words and faintly you could hear muffled cursing from outside. Shanks winked at you and climbed from the bed, striding with purpose towards the door. As he pulled it open, your crewmates, in the midst of a frantic escape, were met with the sight of their Captain, naked as the day he was born. Their jaws dropped. Some screwed their eyes shut, crying out in horror. Others seemed unable to tear their eyes away.

“So, boys. What’s for breakfast?”