Red haired Captain
Jean Grey stood behind the bar at the bustling tavern, her bright green eyes scanning the lively crowd. The air was thick with laughter, the clinking of mugs, and the tantalizing scent of grilled fish wafting from the kitchen. Despite the chaos around her, Jean felt an unusual sense of calm. She had chosen this life, away from the chaos of her past, hoping to find solace in the simplicity of serving drinks and sharing stories.
“Jean!” A familiar voice broke through her thoughts. She turned to see her friend Minnie, a fiery redhead with an infectious enthusiasm, waving her hand excitedly. “There’s a huge pirate ship! People are saying it’s a Yonko!”
Jean raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued but her demeanor unfazed. “Okay? Pirates are everywhere,” she replied, trying to maintain her indifference.
Minnie let out an exasperated sigh, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “But we never get Yonko here! You have to see this!” She leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “Let’s go see them. I’m sure you can pull a Yonko.” Jean rolled her eyes, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks. Minnie’s suggestive wiggling of her brows only made her more flustered. Jean was undeniably beautiful, with long, flowing red hair that cascaded down her back and striking green eyes that seemed to hold a world of secrets. Yet, her shy demeanor often left her feeling out of place, especially in a world filled with bold pirates and adventurers.“Minnie, I’m not interested in getting a man, and you know that,” Jean replied firmly, though her friend’s confidence in her ability to attract attention was hard to ignore. It was true; Jean had received countless marriage proposals and compliments, especially from the ruggedly charming pirates who frequented the tavern.
“Yeah, yeah, but you can’t deny that you’ve caught the eyes of more than a few,” Minnie teased, nudging her playfully as they made their way through the crowd. “Just think about it! A Yonko! Imagine the adventures!”
As they approached the entrance of the tavern, the atmosphere shifted. A palpable energy filled the air, and the chatter of patrons hushed as a group of imposing figures stepped inside. The unmistakable emblem of the Red-Haired Pirates adorned their clothing, and Jean’s heart raced as she caught sight of Shanks,a near legendary pirate his presence commanding and magnetic. “Wow,” Minnie breathed, her eyes wide with awe. “There he is! The Red-Haired Yonko!”
Jean couldn’t help but stare. Shanks was everything the stories had promised—charismatic, confident, and with a playful glint in his eye. As he scanned the room, his gaze landed on Jean, and a smirk spread across his face.
“Hey there, beautiful,” he called out, his voice smooth and inviting. “What’s a lovely lady like you doing in a place like this?” The red haired man came closer to the beauty, eyes raking over her form. Jean felt her cheeks flush as she turned to Minnie, who was practically vibrating with excitement. “He’s flirting with you!” she whispered, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
“Just doing my job,” Jean replied, trying to maintain her composure. But the way Shanks leaned against the bar, his gaze unwavering, made it difficult to focus. “Is that so?” he mused, stepping closer. “I’d say you’re doing a fantastic job. How about I buy you a drink? I promise I won’t bite… unless you want me to.” Shanks smirked, he's seen enough beauties around the grand line even seeing the Pirate Queen Boa Hancock, never had he seen someone so beautiful, red hair like his own but much brighter. Pale skin that looked soft, emerald green eyes that bore into his. The girl was a gem especially in this area of the grand line. she may have been shy to his flirting but he could sense something from her, he wasn't sure if she was a devil fruit user-he wouldn't put it past her it seemed like everyone had a devil fruit nowadays. Leaving his thoughts Shanks brought his attention back to the red haired beauty noticing her taking orders from other customers.
He continued to chat with his crew looking over to the red head every few minutes. Earning amused looks from his crew.
"Why don't you ask her for a drink captain" Yassop joked, his captain only smiled continuing to look at the red haired beauty.
Jean had returned to the bar after serving multiple customers, she had felt the gaze of the Red haired Captain following her as she continued to work. Jean continued to stock the bar with cups, when a regular client that seemed to never leave her alone, sat at the end of the bar.
“Hey, sweetheart, why don’t you come over here and serve me a drink? I promise I’ll make it worth your while,” he leered, his eyes roaming over her. Jean continued to ignore him -not seeing the point in engaging since he always seemed to suggest Lewd ideas after her shifts.
"BITCH I ASKED YOU A QUESTION!" the livliness of the bar seemed to immediately quiet down.
"Escuse me?" Jean questioned, a red hue appeared on her cheeks embarrassed to have been yelled at in front of other customers.
" Just cause you're a hot piece of ass doesn't make you better than me! I asked you a fucking question" The man sneered at her getting closer to the girl. Jean could only look in confusion as she took a step back.
Shanks and Benn exchanged a look, the Red haired pirates captain got up from his spot walking to the bar with a hardened gaze. As he got to the bar Shanks seemed to notice the red haired girls hands shaking sensing her fear he spoke "Why don’t you take a step back?” Shanks said, his tone suddenly serious. “You’re bothering her.” the man sneered at the captain.
"Who the fuck are you! You think you can save her??!" The man yelled turning his attention to the red haired man. As the man continued to scoff Benn took a step forward, his presence imposing. “Trust me, you don’t want to make this a problem,” he warned, his eyes narrowing. The drunk gulped feeling the presence of the pirates turning his attention back to the red haired girl " You bitch, you're lucky they're here to save you" He scoffed and stumbled out of the bar. Jean felt a sense of gratitude towards the pirates looking at shanks.
“Thanks,” she murmured, her gaze meeting Shanks’ warm brown eyes. “I appreciate it.” “Anytime,” he replied, a playful smile returning to his lips. “So, what do you say? Want to join us for a drink? I promise we’re much more fun than the other patrons.”
Jean hesitated, her instincts urging her to keep her distance, knowing they were pirates. But as she looked at Minnie, who was practically bouncing with excitement, she felt a flicker of curiosity. Maybe this was an opportunity to explore a different world she had only dreamed of—without revealing the depths of her powers.
“Alright,” she said finally, a small smile breaking through her shyness. “Just one drink.” receiving a bright smile from the Red haired captain.
This was only the beginning...