The Apparition

Shanks grinned as the ship finally docked once more in Foosha Village. Ever since he had first come here many weeks ago and was forced to leave early, his attention had been drawn to it. More so to the two children that had not only shocked him but left him feeling something he hadn't felt in years. Guilty.

Benn had grown tired of his moping and to an extent annoyed at the jaunts from the crew for making a young child afraid of him. It was a first for him, most children liked him. He may seem imposing to adults, but children liked him - even if he didn’t like the children. 

Dismissing his crew he grabbed the present he had brought for the kids and jumped onto the pier. He knew they would like the present after all the boy couldn't stop talking about wanting to go eat meat whenever they tried talking to him. It was a safe bet that he'd appreciate a present that was meat, at least Shanks was hoping that to be true.

The girl on the other hand, well he didn't expect her to particularly care about the meat. It wouldn't serve as an apology present, no. If she wanted an apology present it would need to be something better than meat. If she would even talk to him that is.

With a sigh Shanks searched with his Haki for the familiar presence of the two children, finding them he set off into town towards their presence. 

Luckily, the location of the two seemed to be a bar where the rest of his crew was slowly piling in. There was a young and pretty barmaid already taking orders and an old man, but other than those two the children were not within sight. 

That is until the boy jumped up onto the table to point his finger at Shanks, “You!”

“Yep. It's me.” Shanks chuckled as he brought the bag up and set it onto the bar, “I brought a present.”

“Meat?”

“Yep.”

“Meat!” The kid screamed as he jumped for the bag knocking both himself and the bag down onto the other side of the counter to the shock of the pirates, who could only watch as they plummeted. 

“Luffy, be careful.” The barmaid sweetly called out to him as she peeked around the bar to peer down at him. “And don't forget to share.”

Shanks laughed as he sat down at the bar and searched for the girl’s presence, surprisingly finding her sitting under the bar beside Luffy munching on small pieces Luffy was handing to her. He still hadn’t seen her physically but Luffy soon finished his portion of the meat and jumped up to run around the bar and pull himself into the seat beside Shanks.

“Who are you?” Luffy asked as he kept his attention on the man with his head tilted to the side.

“...Shanks.”

“Are you a pirate?”

“A pirate Captain,” Shanks muttered with a sigh as he requested a drink from the barmaid before turning his back against the bar. “Where's the princess?”

“...Who?” Luffy asked as he scratched his head.

“The girl.” Shanks sighed as the barmaid laughed while placing his drink beside him.

“I think he is asking about Atlantis.” The barmaid whispered before moving behind the bar to start preparing some type of food.

 “You aren't allowed to talk to Coco.” Luffy shook his head as he turned away from Shanks to look anywhere else.

“Oh is that so?” Shanks laughed as he downed his drink before nudging Benn sitting next to him, “Apparently I'm not allowed to see the princess.”

Benn pointed did not look down at the bar where Atlantis was sitting with her back turned to the pirates. She didn't seem fazed by the loud noises surrounding them. Actually, it didn't even appear that she was listening at all.

“Do you at least know where she is?”

“No.” Luffy turned his face away while whistling a tune with sweat forming on his brow.

“Ah, that's too bad.” Shanks shook his head with a smile as he stood up, paid for his drink, and made his way from the bar. “Maybe next time.”

As Shanks made his way from the bar and towards the door, his crew began finishing up as well causing Luffy to sputter as he chased after the man shocking the other pirates.

“Ah,” Shanks exclaimed as he silently cheered while Luffy chased him. “I don't have any more meat.”

“I don't want meat, I want to see your pirate ship!”

______

It had been a few weeks since the Red-Haired Pirates and Luffy had been swept away in their presence. He practically followed their captain, Shanks, everywhere he went. Luffy would also voice how he wanted to be a pirate as well and join Shanks crew all to become the freest person in the world. 

...It was cute. 

Now and then he would race back to the bar or Meat Island to search for Atlantis only to find her meditating and holding tightly onto her rings. He knew they were magic, they once made a sword appear, and on an even rarer case a larger different sword. It was super cool, but she was still working on how to make it work so she spent her time divided between meditation and playing with Luffy.

Luffy didn't mind since he now could play with Shanks, even if Shanks didn't want to play that much, Luffy knew how to get him to play games with him now.

Which lead to the following events. Shanks sure loved to tease Luffy and Luffy was never one to not rise to the bait. So when Atlantis found her stomach dropping suddenly and heard the soft alarmed cry from Makino she knew something had happened.

She just never expected to rush into the bar to find a teary eyes Luffy with Makino patching up a mark under his eye. A mark, one that would scar. Shocked Atlantis could only stare at Luffy who had yet to notice her entering who was trying to tell Makino he was okay.

“Princess?” Turning her head she came face to face with a kneeling Shanks who watched her with concerned eyes as he reached out to her cautiously, “Are you okay?”

“Coco?” Luffy called suddenly as he whipped his head around with more tears building up in his eyes.

“It's okay, Luffy.” Atlantis sputtered as she raced to pull him into her arms. Immediately he buried his head into her neck mumbling words only meant for her.

“It hurts.”

“It'll heal,” Atlantis murmured as she ran her hand through his hair. “I think it'll look cool.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Atlantis murmured as she waited for Luffy to calm down enough, while tears began to form in her own eyes as Luffy gripped her tightly. “Just promise to try to not hurt yourself like this again, okay?”

“Okay.”

“That's kinda cute though.” Yasopp gasped in shock as he sat down at one of the tables. “When they grow up they are going to be so cute together.”

Drying their tears they turned to stare at the man in question blankly as he smiled largely at them. Meanwhile, other members of the crew gave off a few chuckles before one in the back began to speak, “I doubt Captain’s princess would go for the kid.”

“Go for? Coco will go with me everywhere!” Luffy yelled at the upset while tightening his grip on Atlantis.

Shanks laughed as he picked up his forgotten glass while staring at them, “He means like getting married or dating.”

Luffy tilted his head in confusion while Atlantis sighed knowing already what his next words would be, “...But me and Coco are already married?”

The sound of a glass shattering on the floor was the only sound that could be heard from the pirates as they all simply stared at the two in shock before Benn shook his head with laughter turning to Makino, “Is that so?”

“Technically they are simply engaged.” Makino laughed along as she nodded her head causing Benn to have a shocked expression cross his face from the confirmation.

“I don't need no paper to have a wife!” Luffy yelled while shaking his fist before turning to stare at the still shocked Shanks, “What wrong with you?”

Suddenly the pirate crew lost it as they all began laughing and banging on the tables, “Captain!” “I can't believe this kid got a girl before the captain!”

Yasopp gasped as he placed a hand on Shanks’ shoulder, “To think the Captain’s been bested by a child.”

“No way,” Shanks stuttered as he finally snapped out of the shock he was in. “No. Princess. This kid?”

“What’s wrong with Luffy?” “What’s that suppose to mean you old geezer!”

“I’m right here,” Shanks said to himself while he pouted before yelling out to Makino. “Sorry I broke this glass. Let me clean it up.”

“He never answered our questions,” Atlantis murmured as they watched Shanks clean up the glass while Luffy puffed his chest. “Okay then...”