I need better post titles...
Feb. 4th, 2008 06:35 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dethoratsTitle: Kindred Spirits
Rating: G
Pairing: Vague Shanks and Ben
Word Count: 667
Luffy was like a burr stuck to Shanks’ side, a duckling following in his wake. Ben kept an eye on them as the pair traipsed about Fuchsia Village, causing small ruckuses and making the mayor lose what little was left of his hair. Initially he’d been worried about having to take care of a second charge, but Shanks, despite his dubious example, took care of Luffy. So it was that he had only his normal job, that of being First Mate to a charismatic joker, to do and that actually got easier with the relative safety of land and a child in tow. Indeed, Ben had been feeling somewhat at loose ends after that first week in town until he met him.
Ace hadn’t been around when their ship arrived, sent across the island on an errand with Luffy left in Makino’s care. His return hadn’t been met with by the excited cries of his beloved little brother as he’d been anticipating, a week away from the cute brat making him long for the adoration and forget some of the accompanying headaches. Pirates were cool and all, and Ace could understand why Luffy was fascinated with Shanks, but HE was the big brother. That should have accorded him at least a minute or two of Luffy’s attention upon his return but it didn’t and, at only ten, he was still young enough to be resentful.
Ben met Ace on that first Saturday afternoon when he belatedly strolled out of Party’s Bar after Shanks and Luffy just in time to watch his captain nimbly walk the fence rail and tease the bull in the field beyond at the outskirts of town. Luffy was in the process of climbing up after him and a tousle-haired, freckled boy leaning up against the bar shook his head and sighed. “That’s just askin’ for trouble.”
Dark eyes glanced down, back to the fence. “Aye,” Ben said. “Captain’s still got sea legs. He’s bound to go over.”
“Luffy too,” the youth replied, sardonicism clear in his tone. “He can’t stand on one foot for ten seconds let alone walk on somethin’ that narrow but if the captain does it…”
“Mmm, and they’ll both say they meant to fall and have the bull after them, won’t they?”
The boy looked up at Ben after that remark, smile a touch rueful and old for his face. “Yup. And then we’ll have to rescue ‘em.”
“That we will and they’ll be off again and into trouble five minutes later, no thanks for us.”
“Yeah.” Ace huffed and slumped back against the wall. “They’re a lot of trouble aren’t they?”
“Yes they are.” Ben nodded solemnly and resisted the overwhelming urge he had to ruffle the boy’s dark hair. “And that’s why they need us to look after them. They wouldn’t have nearly as much fun without us to help them out.”
Ace considered that, scuffing a foot on the dusty ground and scratching his nose. “I suppose,” he said, doubt still lingering. “But what do we get out of it?”
As the pair watched, Shanks fell off the fence, Luffy – having taken only two wobbly steps – immediately following. The bull saw its chance and charged and Shanks, Luffy safe in his arms, scrambled up a tree in the field. Ben sighed and headed for the fence, Ace trailing in his wake, and after a few minutes of effort, managed to get the bull calmed down and safely penned in the next pasture. Shanks and his young charge slid out of the tree and came running over as Ben and Ace waited.
“Here! Look what we got!” Shanks tossed his first mate a ripe, fragrant nectarine even as Luffy wiggled out of his grasp and pushed another fruit, this one missing a bite, into Ace’s hands. “Aren’t they delicious?”
And Ben looked at Ace and took a bite and neither would explain what they were smiling at even when Shanks and Luffy pouted and demanded an answer.
Rating: G
Pairing: Vague Shanks and Ben
Word Count: 667
Luffy was like a burr stuck to Shanks’ side, a duckling following in his wake. Ben kept an eye on them as the pair traipsed about Fuchsia Village, causing small ruckuses and making the mayor lose what little was left of his hair. Initially he’d been worried about having to take care of a second charge, but Shanks, despite his dubious example, took care of Luffy. So it was that he had only his normal job, that of being First Mate to a charismatic joker, to do and that actually got easier with the relative safety of land and a child in tow. Indeed, Ben had been feeling somewhat at loose ends after that first week in town until he met him.
Ace hadn’t been around when their ship arrived, sent across the island on an errand with Luffy left in Makino’s care. His return hadn’t been met with by the excited cries of his beloved little brother as he’d been anticipating, a week away from the cute brat making him long for the adoration and forget some of the accompanying headaches. Pirates were cool and all, and Ace could understand why Luffy was fascinated with Shanks, but HE was the big brother. That should have accorded him at least a minute or two of Luffy’s attention upon his return but it didn’t and, at only ten, he was still young enough to be resentful.
Ben met Ace on that first Saturday afternoon when he belatedly strolled out of Party’s Bar after Shanks and Luffy just in time to watch his captain nimbly walk the fence rail and tease the bull in the field beyond at the outskirts of town. Luffy was in the process of climbing up after him and a tousle-haired, freckled boy leaning up against the bar shook his head and sighed. “That’s just askin’ for trouble.”
Dark eyes glanced down, back to the fence. “Aye,” Ben said. “Captain’s still got sea legs. He’s bound to go over.”
“Luffy too,” the youth replied, sardonicism clear in his tone. “He can’t stand on one foot for ten seconds let alone walk on somethin’ that narrow but if the captain does it…”
“Mmm, and they’ll both say they meant to fall and have the bull after them, won’t they?”
The boy looked up at Ben after that remark, smile a touch rueful and old for his face. “Yup. And then we’ll have to rescue ‘em.”
“That we will and they’ll be off again and into trouble five minutes later, no thanks for us.”
“Yeah.” Ace huffed and slumped back against the wall. “They’re a lot of trouble aren’t they?”
“Yes they are.” Ben nodded solemnly and resisted the overwhelming urge he had to ruffle the boy’s dark hair. “And that’s why they need us to look after them. They wouldn’t have nearly as much fun without us to help them out.”
Ace considered that, scuffing a foot on the dusty ground and scratching his nose. “I suppose,” he said, doubt still lingering. “But what do we get out of it?”
As the pair watched, Shanks fell off the fence, Luffy – having taken only two wobbly steps – immediately following. The bull saw its chance and charged and Shanks, Luffy safe in his arms, scrambled up a tree in the field. Ben sighed and headed for the fence, Ace trailing in his wake, and after a few minutes of effort, managed to get the bull calmed down and safely penned in the next pasture. Shanks and his young charge slid out of the tree and came running over as Ben and Ace waited.
“Here! Look what we got!” Shanks tossed his first mate a ripe, fragrant nectarine even as Luffy wiggled out of his grasp and pushed another fruit, this one missing a bite, into Ace’s hands. “Aren’t they delicious?”
And Ben looked at Ace and took a bite and neither would explain what they were smiling at even when Shanks and Luffy pouted and demanded an answer.
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Date: 2008-02-04 06:22 pm (UTC)