Chapter 13
Sasuke let out a satisfied sigh as he swallowed the whiskey down, savoring the rare moment of peace.
He was at the Party Bar, his students were off having fun with Shanks’ crew, their laughter and shouts blending seamlessly with the cheerful atmosphere of the bar.
Leaning against the counter, Sasuke swirled the amber liquid in his glass, his sharp eyes quietly observing the scene. At the center of it all was Shanks, seated on a table surrounded by Ace, Sabo, and Luffy. The red-haired pirate was animatedly recounting one of his wild adventures at sea, his arms flailing for dramatic effect.
Sasuke couldn’t stop the faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
“Enjoying the peace while it lasts, huh?” Benn Beckman’s calm voice came from beside him as he leaned on the counter, his cigarette hanging lazily between his fingers.
Sasuke let out a soft chuckle. “Peace doesn’t visit often when those three are involved.”
“Of course,” Benn Beckman agreed with a knowing smile. He silently observed Sasuke, his sharp gaze catching the subtle way Sasuke’s eyes lingered on Shanks across the room. There was a faint softness there, just enough to surprise Benn. He hadn’t expected it, but then again, it made perfect sense. Sasuke was far too perceptive not to notice something so obvious.
“So you noticed?” Benn finally said, his tone casual but laced with curiosity.
Sasuke’s attention shifted, his dark eyes meeting Benn’s as he smirked slyly, an air of amusement in his expression. “It wasn’t that hard when that man didn’t really hide anything.”
Benn couldn’t help the short laugh that escaped him. “Yeah, subtlety has never been Shanks’ strong suit,” he replied, shaking his head. “It’s honestly impressive how open he is about it, even going so far to declare it in front of us.”
Sasuke arched an eyebrow at Benn’s words, the corner of his lips quirking up into a faint smirk. “Declaring it openly, huh? That does sounds exactly like him.”
Benn let out a low chuckle, swirling his drink thoughtfully.
“Oh, you have no idea. He’s been talking about you for years—‘the most impressive person I’ve ever met,’” Benn mimicked, his deep voice adopting a mockingly dramatic tone.
Sasuke rolled his eyes, though his smirk didn’t falter. “He sounds like a fool.”
“A fool who doesn’t know how to give up,” Benn countered with an amused shrug. “But I’ll say this—he’s serious.”
“Oh, I know that and do I look like someone who lets anyone close?” Sasuke said with a faint smirk.
Benn chuckled at Sasuke’s response, leaning casually against the counter. “Fair point. So, you’re saying fools like Shanks have a chance after all?”
Sasuke’s lips twitched, just barely. “I never said he didn’t have a chance. After all, your captain is quite a charming man.”
Benn’s smirk widened at Sasuke's words, clearly pleasantly surprised. "Charming, huh? I never thought I'd hear you say that about anyone."
“I'm not blind to not see how handsome Shanks is. There is nothing to be dishonest about that I do find Shanks attractive.” Sasuke replied back calmly.
In all honesty, Benn was taken aback by Sasuke's honest admission. They had never seen Sasuke show any trace of emotion that suggested he found Shanks attractive. The stoic, composed man was usually so unreadable, so guarded, that it was surprising to hear such a candid statement.
Benn blinked, momentarily thrown off guard by the admission, but a grin soon spread across his face. “Didn’t see that coming, even though your disciples warned me that you can be really honest.”
Sasuke's lips twitched into a smirk, clearly amused by Benn's reaction. "They were right, weren't they?" he replied with a shrug, his tone light but edged with quiet confidence.
Benn chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. "Guess so. You really know how to keep everyone guessing, Sasuke." He leaned back casually, studying him with renewed interest. "But I didn't expect you to be so straightforward about it."
Sasuke took a slow sip of his drink, his dark eyes glinting with a quiet amusement. "Sometimes, it's better to be honest. At least then, there's no room for confusion."
Benn raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. "Well, it’s refreshing to hear. Most people are too shy or careful to admit things like that."
Sasuke's gaze drifted back to Shanks, who was now laughing boisterously with Ace and Sabo. "Shanks doesn’t hide anything. I suppose it’s only fair that I don't either."
"I’m guessing Shanks already knows that?" Benn couldn’t help but ask in confirmation. He guessed that was probably why Shanks had sailed the seas for three years with such confidence, even though he hadn’t won over the heart of his love, Sasuke.
Sasuke’s lips curled into a faint smile as he glanced at Shanks, still laughing with Ace and Sabo. "I think he’s figured it out by now. Shanks is many things, but dense isn’t one of them."
“Right, and he didn’t think of mentioning it.” Benn sighed in annoyance, there they thought their captain’s crush didn’t even have a single feeling but they were wrong. “But then again he still has won over you yet.”
“What can I say? I just find him attractive, not in love with him -sure I might like his accompany but that is two different things.” Sasuke shrugged his shoulders then nonchalantly added. "I’m in no hurry. I can’t leave this island until Luffy turns seventeen and sails for his dream. By then, Ace and Sabo would have already sailed away. So, I’ve got time. And Shanks has plenty of it to prove himself.”
Benn leaned back, his smirk widening as he processed Sasuke's words. "Guess that gives Shanks plenty of time to keep chasing after you, then."
“More like giving him time to convince me to sail with him instead of going off on my own like Mihawk,” Sasuke said slyly. “And as for us, that can wait until I really fall for him. The harder he works for it, the more he’ll value me, don’t you think?”
Benn chuckled. “You’re right about that.”
“Aren’t I always?” Sasuke replied with a slight smirk before taking a sip of his drink.
Benn chuckled again. Sasuke had a knack for being right, something Benn had come to realize ever since they’d met. Even Sasuke’s students would vouch for it without hesitation.
They didn’t say much after that. Neither of them was particularly chatty, and the quiet suited them just fine. They stood there in a comfortable silence, watching as Shanks laughed and played with Ace, Sabo, and Luffy.
“It’s rare for you to come this early, Dragon,” Sasuke said, stirring food in the pan. He didn’t bother turning to look at Dragon, who was leaning against the kitchen doorway.
Dragon sighed, rubbing the spot between his eyes as if warding off a headache. “I’m here to let you know something. There’s going to be a visit from the Celestial Dragons. I don’t care if those three cause trouble with them, but I don’t want them getting bounties at such a young age.”
“You say that like those brats actually listen to me when it comes to things like this,” Sasuke snorted. He tasted the food to make sure it was cooked before transferring it to a massive plate. Setting it aside, he gestured to the spread of at least ten different dishes.
Dragon raised an eyebrow at Sasuke’s comment, his expression skeptical. Despite Sasuke’s words, Dragon knew all too well that Ace, Sabo, and Luffy listened to him—whether they showed it or not.
“In the first place, it’s your fault they act that way,” Dragon said, his tone laced with dry reproach. “You shouldn’t have thrown a Celestial Dragon overboard right in front of their eyes. You’re a terrible influence, Sasuke.”
Sasuke glanced back at Dragon, motioning for him to take a seat at the dining table. “Speaking of bad influences, thanks to you, Sabo won’t stop talking about joining the Revolutionary Army,” he said, his tone carrying a hint of sourness.
Dragon chuckled at his friend’s disgruntled voice, clearly amused. “It’s not my fault the kid finds what I do amazing and inspiring,” he replied with a shrug.
Sasuke rolled his eyes. “Amazing? You make it sound like you’re giving speeches about peace and freedom. All Sabo sees is you toppling governments and causing chaos.”
Dragon leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms with a smirk. “That’s the point. I know you’re in denial, but let’s face it, Sasuke—your students aren’t exactly law-abiding citizens. They hate the government as much as I do.”
“That’s not the problem,” Sasuke replied, placing a large plate of food in front of Dragon, whose eyes lit up at the sight. “The issue is that they’re only children—under the age of 14—and openly opposing the nobles, Celestial Dragons, and the government could make their futures a lot harder.”
Dragon scooped up a generous portion of food and took a bite, savoring the taste. “Sasuke, you’re worrying too much,” he said, his words slightly muffled by the mouthful. “Besides, I doubt it’ll affect their future careers much, considering all three of them are dead set on becoming pirates and revolutionaries anyway.”
Sasuke poured himself a cup of tea as he sat down across from Dragon, fixing him with a pointed glare, his eyes full of blame. “You and Garp-san are not helpful. Do you have any idea how shocking it would be if the world found out about this family? A grandfather who’s a Marine hero, a father who’s the head of the Revolutionary Army, a middle son who’s a revolutionary, and the eldest and youngest who are pirates?”
“And don’t forget the uncle—the doctor from nowhere,” Dragon added between bites, shoving another mouthful of food into his mouth without a care.
Sasuke groaned into his teacup, clearly exasperated, much to Dragon’s amusement. “Can I just leave this family?” he muttered, half to himself.
Dragon chuckled, leaning back with a smug grin. “You can try, but something tells me they’d just drag you right back in.”
“Right, of course they would,” Sasuke sighed, pouring tea for Dragon, who was now choking on his food.
“Why do you five always choke on your food?” Sasuke asked, exasperation evident in his tone. “Is it some kind of family tradition or something? Can’t any of you eat like normal people with manners? It’s not like someone’s going to take your food away.”
Dragon didn’t have an answer for that, so he simply shrugged his shoulders, just like he always did when Sasuke asked those questions.
“So, I heard from a birdie that an Yonko is chasing after you,” Dragon said playfully, his eyes full of teasing.
Sasuke smirked slightly at him. “If you’ve heard that, then you should also know that the Yonko is Luffy’s role model—and the reason he wants to be Pirate King.”
“So, it’s kind of strange,” Dragon said, finally finishing the delicious food Sasuke had made. He looked thoughtful for a moment before smirking. “Sabo’s inspired by me, Luffy’s inspired by Shanks, but what about Ace?”
Sasuke raised an eyebrow, waiting for Dragon to continue.
“Maybe Ace will be inspired by you to become a pirate doctor captain?” Dragon teased, clearly enjoying the thought.
Sasuke’s face paled at the suggestion, and Dragon could barely contain his amusement. He could tell Sasuke was silently wrestling with the image of Ace following in his footsteps—becoming a doctor, yes, but also considering Ace’s wild experiments and unpredictable nature. It was a combination that made Sasuke uneasy, and Dragon could practically hear the inner struggle.
“That only means the sea is going to have to deal with Ace’s endless curiosity and experiments,” Sasuke said, his voice filled with a mix of horror and anticipation at the thought of what Ace might create while doing his experiment.
Dragon chuckled, he, too, was curious about what Ace would get up to once he set sail. With Sasuke around, Ace’s experiments were somewhat limited, but once he was free on the open sea, he’d have no restrictions. Dragon wasn’t worried, though—Ace’s experiments had never gone down a dangerous path. Despite his wild curiosity, they always stayed on the righteous side.“I’m sure it will be more lively.”
Sasuke shook his head with a wry smile. “More like chaotic. After Ace, it’ll be Sabo’s turn, then Luffy! The sea is going to flip upside down with those three on the loose.”
Dragon grinned, though there was a hint of doubt in his smile. “At least it’s not going to be us dealing with headaches from their antics on the seas.”
“I don’t think that’s how it works, but anyway, are you going to stay until those three brats wake up, or are you just here to see them?” Sasuke shook his head helplessly before asking in wonder.
Dragon stood up from his seat, carrying his plate and spoon to the sink. “No, I’m just here to warn you. I’ll meet them later, once the Akagami pirates aren’t sleeping at your house.”
“Sneaky as always,” Sasuke said with a smile. “I suppose it’s better for them to stay clueless about who those three brats’ father is.”
As the two of them walked toward the door, Sasuke watched. Two of the brats waved byes and uttered ‘see you laters’ before one headed back into the house, while the other disappeared into the woods.
If the Akagami pirates noticed the plate, spoon, and teacup in the sink—indicating that someone had been there before they woke up—they didn’t say anything. Instead, they sat at the dining table while Sasuke went about waking up the three children.
When Ace spotted the plate, spoon, and teacup, his eyes widened in recognition. "Wait a minute! That’s our dad’s plate! Dad was here!" he shouted excitedly.
Sabo and Luffy both looked at him, surprised.
"Are you sure!" Sabo asked, his voice rising with excitement. He had always looked up to Dragon, admiring him as a father figure.
"Yeah! I’m very sure" Ace said, grinning from ear to ear. "He was here before we woke up!"
Luffy jumped up from his seat, his eyes wide with excitement. "Dad was here?!" he exclaimed, looking disappointed that he had missed him. "Why didn’t anyone wake me up?!"
Sabo, usually more composed, couldn't hide his enthusiasm either. "I can’t believe he was here! Why were we not woken up?"
“Sensei!!” Ace called out, turning towards the kitchen, where Sasuke was still rousing the three children from their sleep. "Why didn’t you wake us up?!" he asked, clearly eager to see Dragon.
Shanks, Benn Beckman, and the rest of the Akagami pirates watched the scene with mild amusement as the three children clung to Sasuke’s legs, their voices filled with impatience and disappointment.
“Why would I?” Sasuke replied smoothly, a hint of amusement in his voice. “If you three had slept earlier, maybe you would have woken up earlier and met him.”
The children groaned in frustration, clearly unhappy with Sasuke’s response. Luffy, always the most animated, tugged on Sasuke’s pant leg, looking up at him with pleading eyes. “But Sensei, you know we wanted to see Dad! Why didn’t you wake us up?”
Ace crossed his arms, pouting. "This isn’t fair, Sensei! We never get to see him enough!"
Sabo, usually calm, joined in. "We can’t even get a moment with him, and now he’s gone again?"
Sasuke sighed, gently untangling his legs from the three brats as they clung to him, his hands full as he began placing the plates of food onto the table. "What was I supposed to do when he said he’ll come later to meet you three, when we don’t have guests?"
Sasuke asked, his voice tinged with exasperation. "You three brats know that your father likes to be secretive about his identity, right?"
Luffy, who was still somewhat pouting, frowned but nodded. "I know, but I still wish we could see him more often," he muttered, staring at his plate.
Ace, though frustrated, crossed his arms and glared at the table. "I get it, but it still doesn’t make it fair," he mumbled.
Sabo, usually the voice of reason, sighed deeply. "It’s not like we don’t understand why he does it… it’s just…" His voice trailed off, and for a brief moment, a look of longing passed over his face. "We don’t get to spend much time with him, that’s all."
Sasuke chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Well, at least you have a meal in front of you. You’ll see him soon enough. And who knows, maybe next time he’ll actually wake you up before he leaves," he added with a slight smirk.
“Benn, do you know who their father is?” Shanks curiously asked Benn who sat beside him.
Benn didn’t look away from Sasuke and kids while answering with an intrigued voice. “No but I'm more curious about whether those three are biologically related to this father.”
Shanks tilted his head, his expression thoughtful. They all know that three children aren’t blood related so meaning they have different parents but Ace had said ‘our dad’, Sabo admired the man while Luffy was purely excited.
"We know that Sabo is from a noble family, while Ace doesn't have any known parents," Shanks mused, glancing at Benn. "So, it can only be Luffy’s father. That’s the only thing that makes sense."
Benn hummed, he can’t help but feel that Sasuke and the kids are surrounded with a lot of mysterious things that seem to be endless. Everytime they uncover something new about them then new secrets come.
Shanks drank the bowl of miso soup, his eyes didn’t move away from Sasuke. He had fallen to a man who is full of secrets and mysteries around him. But then again he had gotten attracted to Sasuke because of the mystery surrounding him.
The more Shanks looked, the more he noticed how Sasuke had become crazily beautiful. For a 26 year old man Sasuke had pale smooth skin, he was fit but not so muscular and had long hair reaching his shoulder tied in a low ponytail.
Wore a loose deep blue kimono, looking so much like a model.
Shanks was thanking the god for giving him a lot of time to get Sasuke’s heart on East Blue cause he wasn’t sure if they had meet later when everyone is aware of Sasuke’s beauty then he might have a lot of competitor - hell even the celestial dragon who saw Sasuke wanted him.
He can’t guarantee that he won’t be driving his sword into someone’s body, he is being laid back because he has this confidence he didn’t have a competitor that stuck beside Sasuke.
Also because Sasuke finds him attractive, which was a surprising but welcoming realization for Shanks.
Shanks just has to show Sasuke that he is strong, dependable and confident.
He had found out that Sasuke loves people who are independent and confident because just look how Sabo and Ace had been raised under Sasuke’s care, the both boys hella confident that rivals high up to the sun, two boys are very independent whatever they do or think.
Shanks can see that Ace is not burdened by his parentage, if the boy hadn’t met Sasuke then Ace might have been heavily burdened by his father’s identity.
Ace had told Shanks that he really didn’t care who his father was anymore after Sasuke told him it doesn’t matter and Ace shouldn’t care about it either because the rumors are never true nor are the words come out of strangers.
Shanks would never fail to recognize the son of the man he came to see as a father, Gol D Roger.
And he would never spill it even to his first crewmate because it was just too dangerous if they accidentally got overheard by the world. If it gets known then Shanks won’t be able to forgive himself for telling it to his crewmember.
After all there is a saying that goes knowing too much leads to your death so it’s better if they stay in dark.
Did Shanks claim Ace as his brother? Yes, he had done it as soon as he got the permission. Did he send a coded message that only Buggy knows by a bird because he didn’t trust anything else that can carry these important and dangerous sentences ‘Our little brother is alive, Portgas/Gol D Ace!’ and he trusted it because this bird is Buggy’s own raised pet.
If Shanks had broken down and cried while holding Ace then it was their business no one else.