Chapter Text
The wind was warm that day rustling through the trees that crowned the cliffs above Windmill Village. Luffy lay sprawled on the roof of the treehouse, straw hat tipped low over his eyes, grinning at the sky.
“Hey, Luffy! You’re gonna fall off and crack your head open,” Ace called from below.
“I won’t! I’m rubber, remember,” Luffy called back, kicking his feet.
“That doesn’t mean you’re invincible,” Sabo snorted from inside, scribbling in his journal.
Luffy wasn’t listening though. A subtle shift in the wind had caught his attention. He sat up abruptly, eyes wide.
“No way,” he whispered.
He scrambled down the treehouse ladder so fast he nearly missed a rung before he began bolting through the woods toward the cliff path. Ace and Sabo exchanged a look and followed, wary but curious. At the edge of the forest, just where the path curved toward the village, a figure stood silhouetted against the sun. His black cloak fluttered in the breeze and his left sleeve hung empty while the sun created a halo around his red hair.
“Shanks!” Luffy screamed, voice cracking with joy.
The pirate turned, grinning wide.
“Anchor!”
Luffy launched himself forward, arms outstretched. Shanks caught him with his good arm, spinning him once before setting him down.
“You came back,” Luffy said, voice trembling.
“Of course I did. You didn’t think I was just going to leave you behind, did you,” Shanks said, ruffling his hair.
“But you said we’d see each other again after I became a strong pirate.”
“Yeah, well, I’m too selfish for that. I still intend to keep my promise. I won’t take my hat back until you’ve surpassed me and become King of the Pirates. You still planning to fulfill that dream?”
“Of course I am!”
“It’s settled then. Our promise still stands, Anchor. You’re not mad at me for finding a loophole to see you again, are you?”
Luffy’s eyes were wet, but he didn’t care.
“No,” he muttered before he threw himself at Shanks’ legs, hugging tightly. Luffy wasn’t used to people coming back for him. Definitely not because they missed him. Grandpa left all the time and Luffy didn’t think the old man ever missed him when he was gone. Makino had to work a lot, but she was never really gone. Uta was gone, though Luffy didn’t think that was her fault wherever she was. The absence hurt all the same. Shanks leaving had hurt too, despite their promise, but now he was here again. Luffy felt a swell of emotion clogging his throat and he hid his face into Shanks’ leg so no one would call him a crybaby. Shanks kneeled and returned the hug, pressing his cheek to the boy’s head.
“I’ll always come back for you, Luffy,” he whispered into the boy’s ear.
Behind them, Ace and Sabo emerged from the trees, slowing as they saw the man Luffy had spoken of so often. The man who had given him that hat and lost an arm to save his life. Shanks squeezed Luffy one last time before he stood with the boy in his arm. Luffy clung onto his neck in return, clearly not ready to let the older man go just yet.
“And who’s this, Anchor? Found some friends?”
“That’s Ace and Sabo. I’ve got brothers now,” Luffy beamed.
Shanks raised an eyebrow at the two glaring (nervous) boys, then smiled.
“Oh? Well, any brother of Luffy is a son of mine.”
Ace stiffened.
“We’re not looking for a dad.”
Sabo crossed his arms.
“We’ve got each other. That’s enough.”
“Fair enough. I’m not here to replace anyone. I’m just glad to meet people who matter to Luffy.”
Luffy looked between them, heart thudding.
“He’s not like Grandpa. He doesn’t want to change me. He just… he just lets me be me.”
Ace and Sabo exchanged another glance. Slowly, they stepped forward.
“I’m Ace. Don’t expect me to trust you just because Luffy does.”
“I’m Sabo. We’ve heard a lot about you,” the blond added.
“Good things, I hope.”
“Mostly. He talks about you like you hung the moon.”
“I didn’t, but I did teach him how to drink juice from a barrel without drowning,” Shanks chuckled, bouncing Luffy a little in his grasp.
“Shanks got stuck in one once,” Luffy laughed, the sound bright and unburdened.
“Seriously,” Ace deadpanned.
“That was a long three hours,” Shanks said solemnly.
“Okay, that’s kind of funny,” Sabo admitted, cracking a smile.
They walked back toward the treehouse together, the tension easing with each step. Shanks asked questions about their adventures, their training, their dreams and listened like every word mattered. By the time they reached the clearing, Ace was talking about his latest fight with a mountain boar. Luffy clung to Shanks’ neck with a radiant smile on his face. His eyes kept switching between Shanks and his brothers like he was staring at the greatest treasure he’d ever seen.
Inside the treehouse, Shanks sat cross-legged on the floor while the boys gathered around. He pulled out a small pouch and tossed it to Luffy.
“Got you something,” he said.
Luffy opened it and gasped.
“A compass!”
“Not just any compass. It’s specifically made for the Grand Line.”
“Why give him that,” Ace asked.
“Because one day, he’ll sail it. I want him to find his way.”
“You really believe in him,” Sabo noted.
“Of course I do.”
Luffy clutched the compass to his chest.
“I’m gonna be King of the Pirates.”
“I know and I’ll be cheering you on the whole way,” Shanks replied confidently.
Ace looked away, biting his lip.
“You’re really not like Garp.”
“You’re not like our parents either,” Sabo added hesitantly.
“I’m just me. But if you ever need someone to talk to, or yell at, or punch in the arm, I’m here.”
“You’d let us punch you,” Ace blinked.
“Only if you earn it,” Shanks grinned.
Luffy laughed so hard he fell over. Outside, the sun dipped low, casting gold across the treetops. The four of them sat together, stories spilling like treasure from a chest. Luffy felt fuller than he had in a long time. He had his brothers, he had Shanks and he had the promise of a future that was his own.
~*~*~
The fire crackled low in the pit outside the treehouse, casting flickering shadows across the clearing. Shanks leaned back on a log, one leg stretched out, the other bent, balancing a tin cup of juice in his hand. Luffy sat beside him, still vibrating with joy, while Ace and Sabo lingered across the fire, still guarded but no longer bristling.
“So, how’d you three end up in a treehouse in the middle of the woods,” Shanks asked, glancing at the two older boys.
Luffy opened his mouth, but Ace beat him to it.
“We built it ourselves so we could live here. No adults, no rules, no shitty Gramps.”
Shanks raised his cup in mock salute.
“Sounds like paradise.”
“We’re gonna be pirates,” Luffy declared excitedly.
“We’ll all be captains of our own ships,” Sabo added.
Ace hesitated, then nodded.
“Yeah. Someday.”
“That’s a good dream. You’ve got time to grow into it,” Shanks commented before taking another sip of his juice and then setting the cup down.
“Mind if I talk to your brothers for a bit, Anchor?”
“Why?”
“Just wanna get to know them. You can stay close.”
Luffy nodded slowly and scooted a little to the side, still within arm’s reach. That didn’t last long after he spotted a beetle crawling up a leaf, causing him to shoot off to study it. Shanks watched him with a small smile before he turned to Ace.
“You’re the oldest, right?”
“By a little,” Ace shrugged.
“You look out for them?”
“Someone has to.”
Shanks tilted his head curiously.
“That’s a heavy job for a ten-year-old.”
Ace’s jaw tightened in reply.
“I can handle it,” he defended.
“I don’t doubt that, just saying it’s a lot for you to do alone.”
Ace looked away dismissively.
“We don’t need help.”
“Maybe not, but it’d be okay to want it or ask for it.”
Ace didn’t answer, but his shoulders eased just a little.
Shanks turned to Sabo.
“And you? You’re the brains, huh?”
“I like to read, which is much more than either of them,” Sabo smirked.
“You’ll need that. The sea’s not just storms and swords. It’s maps and unspoken pirate codes and understanding the island you’re docking on.”
Sabo’s eyes lit up suddenly.
“You’ve seen a lot, haven’t you?”
“More than I can remember, but I remember the important things. Like how a crew is a family. Family means watching each other’s backs.”
Ace glanced at Luffy, then at Sabo.
“We already do that.”
“I can tell. You’re doing great.”
“They’re the best brothers ever!” Luffy shouted as he ran back over, apparently having his fill of being out of the loop. He plopped into Shanks’ lap, drawing a grunt as his elbow dug into the man’s gut a little. He knocked the hat off the boy’s head to ruffle his hair in retaliation, drawing giggles from the boy.
There was a long pause, the quiet only broken by the fire popping and crickets singing in the grass.
“Why’d you give him the hat?” Ace asked quietly.
Shanks looked at Luffy, who was now cradling the straw hat in his lap.
“Because he reminded me of someone I used to know, someone I still look up to. Anchor’s passion burns just as bright as them. They were the original owner of this hat before they passed it on to me. It seemed fitting to pass it on to someone who’s a lot like them. More than that, the hat represents a promise between Luffy and I, one I believe he’ll keep.”
“I will. I swear,” Luffy affirmed with a firm nod.
Ace stared at the empty sleeve of Shanks’ cloak.
“You lost your arm saving him.”
Luffy stiffened a little in his lap. Shanks rubbed his back comfortingly. Luffy still wasn’t quite over the guilt he felt about what had happened with the Lord of the Coast and Higuma.
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“Because he mattered more than my arm.”
Ace’s eyes narrowed.
“You didn’t even hesitate?”
“No, not for a second.”
“That’s… kind of amazing,” Sabo commented quietly.
“It’s what you do for family,” Shanks shrugged.
Luffy’s throat felt a little heavy, but he leaned wordlessly against Shanks, pressing into his chest.
Later, when the fire was just embers and the night was thick with quiet, Shanks helped Luffy climb into the treehouse. Ace and Sabo followed, curling into their usual corners. Shanks sat on the floor, back against the wall watching them settle.
“You’re staying?” Luffy asked, hopeful.
“For a little while. Long enough to make sure you’re still causing trouble but not enough to lose your head over it.”
Luffy giggled in reply.
“I’m just going on adventures s’all. And I’ve got Ace and Sabo, so I’m okay.”
Shanks looked at the older boys with a smile.
“Thanks again for watching out for this one. I know he’s a handful.”
Ace and Sabo looked at one another before shrugging.
“He’s fine.”
“Oh, you don’t have to lie to me. I know he’s a bit of a tornado.”
“I’m a Luffynado!”
Ace and Sabo shrugged again.
“He’s fine,” they defended.
Shanks smiled wider.
“You’re good big brothers.”
The boys blushed at the compliment, causing Luffy to giggle.
“You guys look like tomatoes.”
“Shut up, Lu,” Ace grumbled.
~*~*~
The next morning dawned bright and humid. Shanks stood at the edge of a clearing, sleeve rolled up, one arm balancing a bundle of fishing rods while Luffy bounced beside him and Ace and Sabo brought up the rear. They made their way down to the riverbank where the water ran clear and fast. Luffy immediately flopped onto his stomach and dangled his rod over the edge, humming to himself. Shanks sat beside him, legs stretched out as he watched the current.
“You know, some of the best meals I’ve ever had came from rivers like this,” he said.
“Really?” Luffy asked.
“Sure. Once I caught a fish the size of a barrel. Took three of us to wrestle it in.”
Ace raised an eyebrow.
“That sounds fake.”
“You wouldn’t believe the size of the creatures you’ll see in the Grand Line. There are fish there that make the Lord of the Coast look like a worm in comparison,” Shanks responded.
All the boys’ eyes glittered with wonder. Shanks chuckled at the sight.
“You’ll all see for yourself when you set out on your own.”
Sabo hesitated before speaking.
“Can… can you tell us some stories about what its like?”
“Yeah! Shanks’ stories are the best!” Luffy shouted enthusiastically.
“Quiet, dummy! You’re scaring all the fish,” Ace chastised.
“Sorry,” Luffy replied around a laugh that didn’t sound apologetic at all.
Shanks laughed but nodded his head in agreement. They fished for hours, laughing and trading stories more than they caught fish. Luffy reeled in a boot. Ace snagged a crab that clamped onto his nose. Sabo caught a single, shimmering trout and was declared the victor. Shanks roasted it over a small fire while the boys gathered wild fruit and retrieved crusty bread from their stash.
“You ever been to Gray Terminal?” Ace asked suddenly.
“I’ve heard of it.”
“We stay there sometimes when we need to disappear,” Sabo shrugged.
“It’s not pretty, but it’s ours,” Ace stated.
“Then I’d like to see it.”
They led him through the woods and down the winding paths. The air grew thick with smoke and salt and the scent of rust. Gray Terminal loomed like a forgotten graveyard of hopes and dreams, stacked high with junk.
“This is where the kingdom throws things away,” Sabo said.
“And people,” Ace added.
Shanks looked around, eyes sharp.
“But you made it yours.”
Luffy pointed to a half-collapsed shack.
“That’s where we sleep sometimes. It leaks, but it’s warm.”
Shanks stepped inside, ducking under the low beam. He ran his fingers along the wall, noting the patched holes and scavenged blankets.
“You built this?” he asked.
“Mostly,” Ace said.
“With help,” Sabo added.
“You three are incredible.”
Luffy beamed in reply and Ace and Sabo couldn’t deny the warmth in their chest at the praise.
They showed him the hidden paths, the barter spots, the places where they stashed food and treasure. Shanks listened, asked questions, never once flinched at the grime, the shifty characters or the ghostly people drifting by. When they returned to the forest, the sun was dipping low. Luffy tugged Shanks’ sleeve.
“Can we bring you to Dadan?”
Shanks blinked, squinting at the familiar name before it dawned on him.
“The bandit?”
“She’s a bandit and I don’t like bandits because they hurt Shanks and me, but Dadan’s alright,” Luffy explained.
“What a rousing endorsement. Okay, lead the way.”
They arrived at the bandit hideout just as Dadan was yelling at one of her men for burning dinner. She turned, saw the boys and then saw Shanks.
“Who the hell is that? You bringing strays here now,” she barked.
“Shanks came to visit me,” Luffy declared happily as the redhead raised his hand in greeting.
Dadan narrowed her eyes.
“You’re the pirate Luffy never shuts up about, the one who gave him that damn hat.”
“Guilty.”
“You know he nearly drowned trying to protect it? You’re lucky I don’t throw you off the cliff.”
Ace stepped forward.
“He saved Luffy’s life,” the boy defended.
Sabo nodded along.
“Shanks is alright.”
The curly-haired woman rolled her eyes.
“Great, now all three of you are fans,” she muttered with annoyance.
She looked at them and then at Shanks.
“You staying for dinner?”
“If it’s not burned,” he quipped.
“You’ll eat it anyway,” she grunted.
They ate together around a rickety table, the bandits, the brothers and one red-haired pirate who fit like he’d always belonged. Dadan watched him with wary eyes but didn’t stop Luffy from leaning against his side or Ace from asking questions or Sabo from showing him his journal. Later, as the boys curled up in their usual pile of limbs and blankets, Shanks sat outside with Dadan, watching the stars.
“They’re good kids,” he said.
“They’re mine,” she said.
“I’m not trying to take them.”
“But you’re part of them now,” Dadan conceded, lighting a cigarette.
“Just don’t break their hearts.”
“I won’t. I’d rather lose the other arm.”
“You might,” Dadan snorted.
~*~*~
The next day they decided to go to Windmill Village where Shanks could catch up with all the people he’d known during the year he was there. Word must’ve gotten around pretty quickly because by the time Shanks and the boys arrived into the village proper, tables were already being dragged into the street, barrels rolled out and platters of food piled high. Luffy was practically vibrating with excitement, straw hat tipped back on his head as he tugged Shanks forward.
“You’re famous here,” Sabo murmured, watching the villagers swarm.
“More like infamous,” Shanks said, grinning.
Ace hung back, eyes scanning the crowd. He didn’t like big groups, too many chances for someone to say something stupid. Makino was already outside, arms open.
“Luffy! Ace! Sabo!” she called, pulling all three boys into a hug before turning to Shanks.
“And you. I didn’t expect to see you back so soon but I’m glad all the same.”
She looked him over, eyes lingering on the empty sleeve.
“Still hurts?”
“Not as much as it used to.”
Makino nodded, then gestured toward the tables.
“Come on. Everyone’s been waiting.”
The villagers greeted the boys like family. Luffy had grown up in their kitchens and on their porches, under their watchful eyes and gentle scoldings. Ace and Sabo, once wary strangers, had become part of the fabric too. They were fed, teased and protected like sons of the village. And Shanks? He was the man who’d lost an arm saving their boy from the Lord of the Coast. Everyone knew the story and respected the sacrifice.
They ate outside under lantern light, laughter spilling into the night. Luffy told stories with his mouth full, Sabo corrected him between bites and Shanks leaned back with a mug of beer, watching them with quiet joy. Ace sat stiffly, picking at his food. He didn’t like how people looked at Shanks: with reverence, with awe. It made something strange twist in his chest, something that felt heavy and envious yet possessive at the same time.
“Hey,” he said suddenly, turning to a man at the next table.
“You ever hear of Gold Roger?”
“Who hasn’t,” The man snorted.
“If he had a kid, what do you think that kid would deserve,” Ace asked.
The man laughed, bitter and loud.
“Deserve? That brat’d deserve the gallows. Torture first, though. Make him scream like his father made the world scream. Then hang him high and let the vultures pick him clean.”
Ace’s fist connected with the man’s jaw before anyone could blink. The table overturned as the man went down hard, spilling his drink all over the floor. Ace followed him, his fists flying and his eyes wild as he wailed on the drunken man’s face. Shanks was there in seconds, lifting Ace off the man by the scruff of his neck.
“Enough,” he ordered, moving Ace away.
Ace struggled against him futilely.
“He— he said—”
“I know what he said, I heard him,” Shanks said.
The man groaned, bleeding. Makino was already tending to him, her expression tight.
Shanks watched her for a moment before he turned and half-carried Ace into the bar, Luffy and Sabo trailing behind, stunned but not surprised. Inside, Shanks sat Ace down on a stool. He moved behind the bar to wet a clean rag. When he returned, Ace was still where he left him, his arms crossed over his chest, his lip split, his knuckles raw. His shoulders were tight and his jaw was clenched. He didn’t look at anyone.
Shanks knelt in front of him, one arm steady as he moved to dab at the bruises with a damp cloth. Luffy and Sabo hovered silently nearby. Ace flinched away from Shanks before the rag could touch his skin.
“I’m just cleaning you up,” Shanks said gently.
“I don’t need help.”
“Everyone does sometimes.”
Ace looked away, jaw clenched.
“You didn’t have to hit him,” Shanks said quietly.
“He deserved it.”
“Maybe, but you didn’t deserve to get hurt,” Shanks replied, pressing the rag to Ace’s red knuckles.
The boy pulled his hand away.
“I’m fine,” he hissed.
“You’re bleeding.”
“I said I’m fine.”
Shanks sat back, cloth in hand. He studied the angry boy for a long moment before speaking.
“You want to tell me what that was about?”
Ace didn’t answer.
“You asked about Gol D. Roger, if he had a kid. Why’d you ask that question?” Shanks tried again.
“I wanted to know what people thought.”
“Why though? Of all the questions you could’ve asked about Captain Roger, why that one?”
Ace’s shoulders hiked up defensively as his arms crossed over his chest. He looked like he was trying to make himself smaller or trying to hold in the wealth of rage and anger and hurt that Shanks could see swimming in his eyes. His very familiar eyes. It wasn’t quite the right shade of brown but the shape of them paired with the freckles dusting his cheeks said enough that Shanks didn’t know how he didn’t see it in the first place.
He froze, the cloth slipping from his fingers.
“Oh. Oh,” he said softly.
Ace stared at him, defiant and terrified.
“You’re his son,” Shanks concluded.
Ace didn’t move, though there was a flash of fear in his eyes like he thought Shanks would hurt him.
“Gaban told me Garp mentioned to him that captain had a son, but he didn’t tell him where or his name or anything else about it.”
Ace’s eyes scrunched in confusion a little, but he didn’t ask whatever question was on his mind. His fists clenched and he gritted his teeth as he spat his next words.
“I hate him,” he declared. The words physically hurt Shanks to hear but he remained silent as Ace got up and began to pace angrily.
“Everyone talks about him like he was some kind of demon. The Pirate King, a legend among men. Even with all that, all I hear about is how awful he was, the amount of blood he shed, the people he killed, the lives he destroyed. I already knew what that guy was gonna say before he even opened his mouth. I’ve heard it all before. I wanted to hear it anyway, to know if it’s true, if Roger’s kid really does deserve to die, if I deserve to die.”
“Ace—” Luffy gasped.
Sabo stepped forward, but Shanks raised a hand.
“You didn’t ask me,” the pirate pointed out.
Ace stopped pacing and turned to face him with confusion.
“You didn’t ask me if I thought Roger’s son deserved to live,” Shanks elaborated.
Another flash of fear shot through Ace’s eyes.
“I don’t care what you think,” he mumbled.
Shanks suspected it was the exact opposite.
“Well, maybe you’d care to know what Roger would’ve thought of you.”
Ace’s brow went up at that.
“I knew him, you know?
“You— what?”
“I was raised by him and his crew. He found me as a baby in a treasure chest of all things. The others say they planned to bring me to an orphanage or leave me with a family who wanted a child, but Roger grew attached and chose to keep me. He was the only father I ever knew.”
The boys looked equally shocked by his words.
“You never told me that,” Luffy pointed out.
“I don’t go around telling people that these days. I’d rather stand on my own two feet than under his shadow. I suspect you know a lot about that though, huh Ace?”
Ace’s fists clenched.
“I didn’t ask to be born. I didn’t ask to be hated or to be his.”
Shanks stood up and stepped closer to the boy, leaving room for Ace to step back if he wanted.
“But you are, which means you carry a heavy legacy, but it doesn’t have to define you or own you.”
“Everyone thinks I should be punished for it.”
“Not everyone. Sabo and Luffy don’t, Makino and Dadan don’t, Garp doesn’t, I don’t,” Shanks pointed out.
“That man tonight—”
“That man doesn’t know you any more than he knew Roger. All he knows is the propaganda put out to try and discourage people from following in Roger’s footsteps to become pirates,” Shanks retorted.
“And what about you? You knew him. What do you think Roger’s son deserves,” Ace asked shakily.
Shanks didn’t answer right away. He studied Ace, really looked. There was a fire in his eyes that was painfully familiar, but it was tinged with fear, like he was bracing for rejection and pain. It made guilt twist in Shanks’ gut.
“I think Roger’s son deserves to live. I think he deserves to laugh, to fight, to cry. To eat too much and sleep too little and chase dreams that are his own,” Shanks continued, stepping closer to the trembling boy.
“He deserves to be loved, to be protected, to be told every day that he matters.”
“You really think that,” Ace asked, his voice barely a whisper.
“I do,” Shanks confirmed, kneeling in front of him.
Ace swallowed hard, his teeth gritting in the remnants of his anger.
“He left me. He didn’t protect me. He didn’t even tell anyone I existed, besides that shitty old man.”
“I know. I don’t know why he did it that way. The only thing I can think is he wanted to protect you and your mother. I’m sorry his choices left you alone,” Shanks’ voice cracked.
Ace looked down and away.
“My dream… I thought… maybe… maybe if I’m strong enough, people will forget I’m his and I can just be me.”
“Even if they never forget, even if they never really see you, I see you, Ace. I see the boy who survived the past ten years of being told he wasn’t enough. I see the boy who managed to build a family despite the circumstances you’re in. Despite having the world’s vitriol thrown on your shoulders, you still became a brother, a fighter, a protector.”
Ace’s breath hitched as his eyes grew glossy, his lips trembling dangerously. Shanks reached out, gently touching Ace’s bruised knuckles.
“You’re not Roger and you don’t have to be. You’re enough just by being you. You’re not a curse or a demon. You’re just a boy.”
“I hate him,” Ace repeated, a tear falling down his cheek.
Shanks nodded in understanding.
“I did too once, for a long time even.”
“You did?”
“I hated him for dying, for leaving me. I hated the whole crew for that, but I know that if Roger had had the chance to meet you, he would be so proud of you.”
Ace’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“He’d say sorry for not being there, for not giving you a choice, for not protecting you from the weight of his name,” Shanks continued, his voice thick.
The older man took a steadying breath, squeezing Ace’s hand lightly.
“He can’t be here, but I am. I will do everything in my power to make sure you know you’re loved, that you deserve to be alive and to forge your own path. You’re not a mistake, Ace. I am so happy that you were born.”
Ace broke then. The tears came fast and hot. He tried to turn away and hide them, but Shanks caught him before he could. He pulled him close and held him. Ace sobbed into his shoulder, fists curled tight against Shanks’ chest. Luffy and Sabo slowly approached them. Sabo pressed himself against Ace’s back, wrapping his arms around his waist. Luffy stretched his arms around the trio, pressing his body against Shanks and Ace’s sides while nuzzling his face against his eldest brother’s arm.
They didn’t speak, just offered what comfort they could to their brother. They stayed like that for a long while.
~*~*~
The bar was quiet again, the party atmosphere having dwindled after Shanks stayed inside with the boys. They decided to move to a room above Makino’s bar where the four of them settled into a loose circle on the floor, surrounded by blankets. Shanks leaned against the wall, his cloak folded beside him. Luffy was curled up at his side, the straw hat tipped over his face. Sabo sat cross-legged, scribbling something in his journal. Ace lay on his back, his arms folded behind his head, and his reddened eyes fixed on the ceiling. No one spoke for a while, they hadn’t really since Ace had stopped crying.
“You want to hear a story,” Shanks said suddenly, breaking the fragile silence.
Luffy perked up immediately, moving the hat from his face to reveal a beaming smile. Shanks smiled back at the boy and ruffled his hair.
“A story about what,” Sabo inquired.
“About Roger.”
Ace stiffened at the words.
“Not the Pirate King, not the legend, just… the man.”
“You said he raised you,” Luffy pointed out.
“He did. Me and another kid: Buggy. We were inseparable once, like brothers. Roger called us his sons.”
Ace didn’t move as Shanks glanced over at him.
“Roger wasn’t perfect. He could be terrifying, a real monster to his enemies. If someone hurt his crew, his family, he’d burn the sea to find them. Most of the time, he was just a man who loved freedom. He wanted to chase the horizon with his friends. He laughed too loud and ate too much and told stories that made no sense. He got us into trouble more times than I can count, but he was always there for us too.”
Ace turned his head to glance in his direction.
“What was he like with you? As… as a father.”
“Roger was kind. And wild and stubborn and reckless. He never asked me to be anything I wasn’t. He never told me I had to be strong or brave, he just let me be a kid. He let me climb the rigging and fall off and cry and get back up. That doesn’t mean I wasn’t exposed to things I shouldn’t have been as a child, but he did his best under the circumstances. He helped train me, but he wasn’t the only person I had raising me. Donquino and Blumarine taught me how to tie knots. Gaban taught me to read the stars. Jacksonbanner and Erio helped me learn to listen to others, to understand when they’re hurting. Rayleigh taught me how to control and wield my powers. I had a whole crew as my family.”
Ace sat up slowly.
“Do you think he would’ve wanted me?”
“Yes. More than that, I think he would’ve loved you. He would’ve held you like he held me, would’ve told you stories, would’ve let you be angry and loud and messy and still called you his son. He wouldn’t have been able to be with you long, but I wish he could’ve met you all the same.”
“What do you mean,” Sabo asked.
“Roger was sick. It’s part of why he turned himself into the Marines. He wanted the crew to have enough time to scatter and hide. He would’ve had a few months left if he hadn’t turned himself in. Maybe it would’ve been enough time to at least have met you, maybe not.”
“I… I didn’t know that,” Ace replied in shock.
“It wasn’t public knowledge. I don’t even know if Garp knew.”
Ace laid back down in quiet contemplation.
“I don’t know what to do with that.”
“It’s okay if you don’t. I just thought you deserved to know. Roger didn’t run to his execution trying to leave any of us. He was already dying. I suppose he just wanted his death to mean something more to the world, even if it still hurt us in the end.”
They sat in silence for a while. The lantern burned low. Outside, the village slept beneath a blanket of stars. It was quiet long enough that soon the sounds of Luffy’s snoring began to fill the silence as the boy surrendered to sleep. Sabo looked like he was halfway there too. Ace remained awake, staring at the ceiling in quiet contemplation. Shanks remained awake staring at him, the boy who somehow managed to survive the bloodhunt for him, the years of abhorrent slander and verbal abuse as well as Garp’s particularly brutal parenting style. Shanks still felt guilty for not knowing sooner but he also felt a greater sense of responsibility.
“Can I ask you something?” Ace said, voice quiet.
“Of course.”
“Do you know anything about Portgas D. Rouge?”
Shanks blinked at that.
“That’s a name I haven’t heard in years.”
“She was my mother. I only know her name. Gramps told me she was from the South Blue, that she died after I was born.”
“Portgas D. Rouge… Blackjack Rouge. That’s the name she earned as a notorious bounty hunter.”
Ace’s eyes widened.
“Mom was a bounty hunter?”
“One of the best,” Shanks said before chuckling to himself.
“I don’t know why I’m surprised. If anyone was going to be your mother, it’d be Ms. Rouge.
Sabo stirred, blinking sleepily.
“You knew her,” the blond asked.
“She was always chasing after the crew, even managed to capture Roger a few times.”
Ace’s jaw dropped.
“She caught him?”
“She’d drag him to Marine bases, collect the bounty and then Roger would break out like it was a game. They’d come back to the ship together. She’d give him a small cut of the bounty every time.”
“Seriously,” Ace asked incredulously.
“Rouge was brilliant. She was fast, sharp and absolutely terrifying when she was angry.”
Sabo sat up a little, leaning against the counter.
“What else was she like,” he asked after Ace seemed speechless with shock.
“She had this way of looking at you like she already knew your worst secret. It was a toss up whether she was getting ready to use it against you or if she was about to hit you with a dose of tough love. I can’t count the number of times she’d look at me or Buggy sulking over something and say, ‘You gonna fix it or keep whining?’”
Sabo laughed softly at the words, his eyes sparkling with interest matching Ace’s.
“She wore black gloves, always. She said it was to keep her grip steady, but I think it was because Roger once kissed her hand and she swore she’d never let him do it again.”
“D— Did she love him,” Ace asked hesitantly.
Shanks paused, thinking it over.
“I think she did. Eventually. She made him work for it though.”
“Sounds like she was smarter than him,” Sabo chuckled.
“By miles. She’d sneak onto the ship, steal his maps, reroute our course and then show up three islands later with a better plan on how to capture him. Sometimes she’d stay with us. She’d sleep in the crow’s nest, said it was the only place Roger wouldn’t bother her.”
Luffy stirred, mumbling something about meat. He blinked awake, looked around, then crawled across the blankets and into Shanks’ lap without a word. Shanks adjusted his posture, cradling Luffy gently as the boy fell back asleep, cheek pressed to his chest. Ace watched, something soft flickering in his eyes.
“She used to hum,” Shanks continued, rubbing his hand up and down Luffy’s back.
“It was mostly when she thought no one was listening. She sung Buggy and I to sleep a few times.”
Sabo moved closer, resting against Shanks’ shoulder.
“Did she ever talk about having a kid,” Ace asked, glancing over at Sabo and taken note of his actions.
Shanks shook his head.
“Not while I was around, but she looked at Roger like she saw something no one else did, like she knew he was more than just the legend or the stories about him. It doesn’t surprise me that she would’ve chosen to spend his final days with him.”
“What do you think she’d say if she saw me,” Ace asked, his voice small.
Shanks looked over at him with a kind smile.
“I think she’d say you’ve got her fire, her grit, her eyes, her freckles. I think she’d be proud you’re still here, that you’re a fighter like her.”
Ace swallowed hard.
“Can you tell me more,” he asked hopefully.
“Sure, kid. I’ve got quite a few stories about Blackjack Rouge,” Shanks replied with a smile.
He continued to talk softly about the woman he’d known. The woman who once stole a Marine commodore’s boots and sold them back to him, about the time she disguised herself as a merchant and tricked Roger into buying his own stolen compass, about the night she stood on the bow of the Oro Jackson drunk, singing at the stars before Roger saved her from falling into the sea. The two had ended the night dancing on the deck. Ace listened, his eyes wide. Sabo drifted in and out of slumber, his head resting against Shanks’ arm. Luffy snored quietly, curled in Shanks’ lap.
The stories flowed out of him until he had none left to give. Ace’s eyes glittered through it all, his shoulders slowly unknotting as he listened. Shanks shifted slightly, careful not to wake anyone. Luffy murmured something about meat and snuggled closer, one hand fisting the fabric of Shanks’ shirt.
“Still dreaming about food,” Shanks whispered, smiling.
Sabo stirred, blinking once before settling again, his head now resting fully against Shanks’ shoulder. His hair tickled Shanks’ jaw, but he didn’t move.
Shanks looked back to Ace who had gone quiet now that the stories had stopped.
“You okay?” Shanks asked softly.
“I didn’t think I’d ever hear about her.”
“I’m glad I could tell you.”
“She sounds like someone I’d want to meet.”
“You did meet her. Your time might’ve been short, you might not remember her, but I know she loved you from the start. She still lives in you. You’ve got her fire, her stubbornness, her heart.”
Ace blinked fast, then turned his face into the blanket. Shanks didn’t press. Instead, he looked down at Luffy, who had gone completely limp, mouth open, hat sliding off his head. He adjusted it gently, tucking it under Luffy’s arm so it wouldn’t get crushed.
“You’re heavier than you used to be,” he murmured.
Luffy snorted in his sleep before letting out a loud snore. Sabo shifted again, this time curling slightly toward Shanks, his hand brushing Shanks’ knee. He glanced down and saw a faint ink smudge on Sabo’s cheek, probably from all the writing he always did in his journal. He gently brushed the smudge away. He looked up as he felt eyes on him. Ace had rolled onto his side and was watching him intently.
“You’re staying tonight?” he asked.
“Wouldn’t dream of leaving.”
“Good.”
Shanks reached out and brushed a bit of hair from Ace’s forehead.
“You’re safe with me.”
Ace didn’t answer, he moved to lay back down instead before he paused and moved to Shanks side, opposite Sabo. He laid on the floor, his back to Shanks as he pressed against his leg. Shanks found himself wishing he had another hand again to stroke the boy’s hair while still holding on to Luffy. He didn’t regret the loss, not for what he got in return (Luffy safe and Shanks’ own freedom returned to him) but still, the ache held true. Eventually, Ace’s breathing slowed as he fell asleep.
Shanks leaned his head back against the wall, letting the quiet settle around them. Three boys with three different kinds of fire.
Luffy: warm and wild, clinging to joy and laughter.
Sabo: thoughtful and quiet, always watching, always thinking.
Ace: fierce yet fragile, carrying a name he never asked for but slowly learning it didn’t have to define him.
Luffy snored again, louder this time. Sabo twitched while Ace shifted closer. Shanks smiled. This was the treasure Roger had chased. Not gold or glory (not all the time anyway), but this: a quiet room, a warm night, the sound of laughter still echoing in the walls, the weight of three boys leaning into him like he was their harbor.
Shanks found himself wishing he could keep this feeling for much longer than he thought he would get to.