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It wasn’t often that Shanks got so inconsolable that no one could do anything about it. Normally, all Roger had to do was pick him up and flash a smile and the little boy would instantly be happy. Apparently, today was not the case.
Roger had done everything that would come to mind to try and sooth the screaming toddler. His little face contorted in anger, tears streaming down his face as he just wailed.
Roger didn’t know what to do. No one had managed to get him to calm down. They all tried. Did Shanks just not feel good? Like, was he seasick and they didn’t know? Was he in pain? Did he have a bad dream? He wasn’t communicating with them. They just didn’t know.
The day was beautiful out despite the feeling among the deck. Shanks was sitting down on the deck, still sobbing away as the others all sat around. Defeated from trying everything that they could. He just didn’t know what to do at this point.
Raising a child was hard.
Harder than he thought it would be.
Even with all of them, it was still hard.
Roger was laying on his back, staring up at the cloudy sky, the sun peeking out every so often. The light breeze that moved across the deck. Roger’s hat was off of his head, sitting off to the side. His arms spread out. Shanks was next to him. Despite the fact that he was continuously crying, he was still seeking out a bit of comfort by being near the pirate Captain.
Roger had literally no clue what to do at this point.
He let his eyes slip shut, feeling the sun and the wind on his face as he started to hum. Aside from Shanks’ cries, it felt too quiet.
After a moment, his hums turned into the lyrics of the song he was humming along to, “Yo-hohoho, yo-hohoho. Yo-hohoho, yo-hohoho.” He continued on without a care that there wasn’t the music or anything. Just the sound of the wind, the crashing waves against the ship, and Shanks’ small cries. “Yo-hohoho, yo-hohoho. Yo-hohoho, yo-hohoho.”
Binkusu no sake wo, todoke ni yuku yo | Going to deliver Binks’ Sake!
Umikaze kimakaze namimakase | Following the sea breeze! Riding on the waves!
Shio no mukou de, yuuhi mo sawagu | Far across the salty depths! The merry evening sun!
Sora nya wa o kaku, tori no uta | The birds sing as they draw circles in the sky!
He paused for a moment as he noticed that he couldn’t hear Shanks’ cries anymore. He peeked to the side, seeing the small red head eyeing him. His stormy colored eyes were still full of tears, but his little cries had turned to small hiccups as he eyed Roger.
The others had also noticed as they sat forward, looking at each other in shock before he could hear a bit of laughter. Mostly laughter in disbelief that all it was taking was Binks’ Sake to calm the seemly inconsolable Shanks.
Roger sat up, tilting his head as he felt the smile quirk on his face.
Alright. So, Shanks wanted to listen to a song.
Sayonara minato, tsumugi no sato yo | Farewell to the harbor, to my old hometown
Don to icchou utao, funade no uta | Lets all sing out with a don! As the ship sets sail
Kinpa-ginpa mo shibuki ni kaete | Waves of gold and silver dissolve to salty spray
Oretacha yuku zo, umi no kagiri | AS we all set sail to the ends of the sea
Roger pushed himself off of the deck, scooping up Shanks in his arms as the small child reached out to grip onto Roger’s red coat. His small fists burying into the fabric as he sniffled. Roger smiled, bouncing on his feet as he used his other hand to wipe away the tears on Shanks’ face.
Shanks was giving him a look, almost trying to figure out if he was still upset or not. It was hard to tell with a child sometimes. Shanks was still so young. He didn’t often communicate all that properly, but if this is what was helping him in that moment. Roger would continue to do it. Roger did love the song Binks’ Sake as it was. The old song of pirates that rang throughout the seas. It brought him joy when him and his nakama would sing it. Partying and having fun together as they all bellowed out the song.
So far, it was just him. The others looking at him and Shanks instead. Rayleigh had smiled, nodding at him as he motioned to the others. Especially the musicians. Through the corner of his eye, he could see them scurry off.
Binkusu no sake wo, todoke ni yuku yo | Going to deliver Binks’ Sake!
Warera kaizoku, umi watteku | We are pirates sailing through the sea!
Roger kneeled down, grabbing his straw hat, and placing it on top of Shanks’ head. Shanks reached up for it almost immediately, gripping at the rim of the hat as he peeked from underneath the brim to look at him with wide eyes. Roger grinned, laughing slightly as he carried on. He was dancing around slightly, having a sway to him as he spun around a bit. Trying to use his own smile to get Shanks to return one to his own face.
Nami o makura ni, megura wa fune yo | The waves are our pillows. The ship our roost.
Ho ni hata ni ketateru wa dokuro | Flying the proud skull on our flags and our sails
As he moved around, he could see the others gathering back around. The musicians with their instruments, setting up quickly as Roger moved into the next verse. Shanks’ lips were twerking. Like they were trying to twist up into a smile as he used an arm to wipe at his face. Sniffling once more. Roger still didn’t know what had been bothering Shanks, but at least now, he wasn’t crying anymore. With each word that he sang, Roger made a motion with his arm, using it to keep Shanks’ attention.
Arashi ga kita zo, senri no sora ni | Now comes a storm through the far-off sky
Nami ga odoru yo, dormau narase | Now the waves are dancing, beat upon the drums
Okubyoukaze ni fukarerya saigo | If you lose your nerve this breath could be your last
Asu no ashi ga nai ja nashi | But if you just hold on, the morning sun will rise
Roger leaned in, rubbing his cheek up against Shanks’ just as he heard it. The small giggle that came from the boy as Shanks’ hands moved to shove his face away. Roger felt the pride going through him now. Shanks was no longer crying, the small little giggles coming from him, the smile now working its way to his face. So, Roger just kept up with what he was doing.
When he started into the next part, the others had joined in with him. The musicians playing the tune to the song now. Roger continued to dance around the deck. His feet stomping onto the wood. Shanks couldn’t stop his little fit of giggles now as their nakama that were not playing instruments had gotten involved with the dancing on the deck.
Each of them took a moment to poke at Shanks. Gaining another giggle from him as the little red head curled into Roger’s chest.
Yo-hohoho, yo-hohoho
Yo-hohoho, yo-hohoho
Yo-hohoho, yo-hohoho
Yo-hohoho, yo-hohoho
Roger couldn’t help himself now as he bellowed out in laughter. Throwing his head back as Shanks started clapping his hands like Rayleigh was. Rayleigh was grinning, singing into the next verse along with Roger. Shanks wasn’t just looking at him anymore, making slight grabby hands before clapping again.
Binkusu no sake wo, todoke ni yuku yo | Going to deliver Binks’ sake!
Kyou ka asu ka to yoi no yume | Today, and tomorrow, our dreams through the night!
Te o furu kage ni, mou aenai yo | Waving our goodbyes, we’ll never meet again!
Nani o kuyokuyo, asu mo tsukuyo | But don’t look so down, for tomorrow night the moon will also rise!
Roger grinned as Rayleigh as the blonde Vice Captain gave him a look. Shaking his head as he smiled at Shanks. Shanks was now, happily giggling away, a broad smile on his face and the tears ceasing to exist. Roger continued practically shimming around the deck. Not a care in the world now as the young one was soothed. Enjoying the sound of his nakama’s voices carrying on the open sea.
Binkusu no sake wo, tokode ni yuku yo | Going to deliver Binks’ Sake!
Don to icchou utao, unaba no uta | Let’s all sing it with a don! A song of the waves
Douse dare demo Itsuka wa hone yo | Doesn’t matter who you are, someday you’ll just be bones
Hatenashi, atenashi, waraibanashi | Never-ending, ever-wandering, our funny traveling tale!
Roger stopped dancing around as much as the moved into the final part of the song, moving to a slight sway as Shanks had leaned his head down onto his shoulder, curling into him more. Shanks must have exhausted himself with all the crying that he had done, but had just gotten caught up into the moment of joy that Roger had somehow managed to start.
Yo-hohoho, yo-hohoho
Yo-hohoho, yo-hohoho
Yo-hohoho, yo-hohoho
Yo-hohoho, yo-hohoho
Roger was grinning like a mad man as he came to stop, laughing as the music stopped playing. It only took him a moment to see the rise and fall of Shanks’ back. The even breaths signifying that he had gone to sleep. Roger got a fond look to his face as he curled his arm around him a bit more. Was it just exhaustion and Shanks didn’t want to sleep? He wasn’t really going to question it all that much. The boy had been soothed, and calm was back on the deck.
He pulled the straw hat from his head, placing it back on his own as he soothed back the now messed up pieces of red hair.
“Who would have thought.” Rayleigh muttered.
Roger hummed, still rocking on his feet just to make sure that Shanks stayed asleep. “He fell asleep pretty fast.”
Rayleigh smiled, “Probably was just really tired. I heard that sometimes toddlers refuse to go to sleep and it makes them moody.”
The Captain shrugged, “It’s fine now.” He rubbed a palm over the entirety of Shanks’ back as the young one curled his fists back into Roger’s jacket. “His smile was enough. Let’s let him sleep, but now we know how to get him to sleep pretty quickly.”
Rayleigh just laughed again, shaking his head, “I guess so.” He made a noise for a moment, “Binks’ Sake as a lullaby. I never would have thought of that.”
“That wasn’t originally what I was doing.” Roger replied.
“What were you doing?” Rayleigh retorted, tilting his head again.
“No idea.”
Rayleigh snorted, “Do you ever?”
Roger just shook his head. “Sometimes.”
Roger chuckled, making his way towards the cabins and towards Shanks’ room. Shanks’ current room was connected to Roger’s. Making it easy for him to get to him at night. There were two other doors. One that led to Rayleigh’s room, and the other that led to the hallway. Easy access all the way around.
Roger maneuvered his way into the room, slipping in without stirring the slumbering child. He made his way over to the bed, settling Shanks onto it. The red head flipped himself onto his stomach pretty quick after he touched the mattress. Roger smiled, grabbing for his blanket and tossing it over him before adding his small plushie into the mix. Shanks had grabbed onto it in his sleep. His little eyes fluttering behind closed eye lids.
“Sleep well, Shanks.” Roger muttered, running his fingers through his hair for a moment before he was pulling away. As he walked out, he kept the door cracked open enough that if Shanks did wake up, they would hear him or he could eventually come find them. They were never that far.
For a moment, as he walked out, hearing the small babbles coming from the sleeping Shanks, he could have sworn he heard, “Binks’ Sake.”
It made him chuckle for a second as he shook his head, fixing his hat before heading back out towards the deck where he could still hear the laughter of his nakama as the musicians had decided to play another song.
Why not have an impromptu party while they were at it?
They had nothing else to do. Hopefully, when Shanks woke up, he had that same bright smile that he typically wore. Roger hated to see him so upset, so seeing that smile was enough for him.
Maybe, they should sing Binks’ Sake just a bit more than they do. Shanks really seemed to enjoy it.
That boy was born to be a pirate, huh.