safe space | One Piece

Shanks

Luffy was many things.

Excitable. A glutton. A boy made of joy that rivalled the sun itself. Loyal until it broke his heart-everything all at once. What Luffy wasn't, however, was a child.

The last time Shanks had checked, Luffy was an Emperor of the Sea, had beaten Kaido and was also a nineteen-year-old boy.

Not the seven-year-old he saw in front of him now.

The first mate of the Straw Hat Pirates stood behind their de-aged Captain, a fierce protectiveness curling his shoulders forward as he glared at Shanks. Not that it bothered the red-haired man. He could sympathize, even. He had expected the next time he would see Luffy was when the boy had become Pirate King and had promptly defeated Shanks-not this.

Luffy blinked up at him, his eyes red from crying. He was timid as he stepped forward and grasped Shanks' pant leg. Shanks had known Luffy when he was this size. And while he might've been a crybaby, he had never been this quiet. Luffy sent a weary glance at his crew before regarding Shanks. "Where's Makino?"

Because this Luffy was clearly not the Luffy he saw in wanted posters, Shanks dropped to his knees. He disregarded the crack that resounded. "She's in the East Blue, Luffy. In the Goa Kingdom." Luffy's hand sought out the straw hat on his head, the beginnings of tears manifesting along the edges of his vision. "What happened?" He was looking at Luffy but directed it towards the Straw Hats, who stood aboard the Red Force with an awkward air to them.

It was Luffy who answered, however. "I don't know. I was with Gramps, and suddenly, there were sparks everywhere. It was really bright," Luffy hiccuped. Now that Shanks got a closer look at Luffy, he could see the eyebags that were carved into his features. Luffy was naturally adventurous as a child, but being thrown twelve years into the future in the New World, surrounded by strangers, must have been difficult. "And then I was with sword-guy."

There was a grumble as Zoro said: "My name is Zoro, and for the last time, you're our Captain." Luffy blew his tongue at the man.

"I wouldn't have such a meanie on my crew!" There was a collective sigh from his crew, and Shanks laughed. He had forgotten how childish Luffy was. Holding Luffy, he pulled the boy up with him and settled him in his one arm. Luffy practically melted into the embrace, exhaustion clinging to his small frame.

"So, what happened?" He directed it towards Zoro. He had heard tales of the man from Mihawk. His skills were only rivalled by the Greatest, and therefore, he was not somebody to take lightly. But that wasn't the matter at hand. Shanks had a de-aged-no, displaced Luffy in his arms, where an Emperor should've been leading his crew.

Zoro's gaze drifted back to his crew before inspecting the men of Shanks' crew behind him-Yasopp was noticeably absent. "It's just like Luffy said. Except," he winced. "There was a Devil Fruit user."

Nico Robin stepped forward, her stare fixed on Luffy, who curled closer to Shanks. "Truthfully, there was no need for us to seek you out..." She trailed off, gesturing with her hands. Luffy watched her, fingers clutching at the white fabric of Shanks' shirt. "The effects should only last a week. However, Luffy became restless and was begging to return home. But we couldn't do that, so we brought him to the closest person he remembered. I hope you don't mind." Luffy began to climb Shanks, sitting across his shoulders and resting his head on Shanks' hair.

Shanks knocked back the straw hat from Luffy's head and ruffled his hair. "No, it's fine, really." Finding the face that curled close to him absolutely adorable, he pinched his cheeks. His hand fell back to his side.

Robin smiled, stepping closer to rub Luffy's back in comfort; it was an awkward position, but she managed. "He's not so nervous around the entire crew, but I imagine for a seven-year-old, being met with a skeleton has jarred him." From the back, there was shuffling as Brook, the crew's musician, hummed guiltily. "Our swordsman is especially annoyed." Robin laughed, coaxing Luffy into her arms like one would a kitten. Luffy went willingly. "Luffy is terrified of him."

There was a bark of protest. "Luffy won't even get my name right!" Nami smacked the back of Zoro's skull, shaking her head.

"Really, Zoro... Scaring our de-aged Captain is a new low for you." Nami whispered, smirking as she watched Zoro's face become red with agitation. Usopp joined her, an index finger in the air as he talked.

"I mean, we know you're a brute, but to-" Zoro promptly smacked the hilt of Enma against Usopp's head.

Shanks was too distracted with Luffy to pay attention, however. Backman strolled over, and upon noticing him, Luffy cheered. Backman smiled before regarding his Captain with a sober look. "Luffy and his crew can remain at our side while Luffy is... incapacitated," Shanks said, nodding as Luffy found his way back to Shanks' awaiting arm. Robin pouted at the loss of contact from her small Captain.

"Won't that be troublesome? Luffy is still an Emperor. I'm sure the World Government won't be happy to hear of two Emperors meeting like this." Robin cocked her head to the side, smiling as she watched Luffy tug back his Straw Hat, the sheer size of it swamping his head.

Shanks shrugged, "Let them be worried." He eyed Luffy's crew with a smile. "Come, friends of Luffy are friends of mine. Let's eat."

"Food?" Luffy bounded out of his arm, his small but nimble legs making a break for the kitchens. After all, he was still familiar with the Red Force. "Sanji, you have to cook!" Sanji shoved past Zoro and smiled down at his Captain.

"Oh, yeah?" Luffy nodded, twisting to give Shanks his "puppy-dog" eyes that Shanks recalled vividly. It would seem he was just as weak to them as he was twelve years ago.

"Of course, I'm sure Lucky Roox won't mind." Sanji smiled, trailing after his over-excited Captain with warmth laced in his only revealed eye.

Still beside Shanks, Robin frowned. Shanks noticed it from the corner of his eyes. "I'm worried about Luffy."

Shanks waved the comment off, "He'll be fine. It may have been a while since I've seen him, but I do remember Luffy as resilient if nothing else."

Robin sighed. "No, you misunderstand me." Near them, Zoro and Jimbei were huddling close and evidently listening in on their conversation. "This Luffy will be fine, but I have reason to suspect that the Devil Fruit user we came across was not a de-aging power, but a time-travelling ability."

Shanks hummed, his eyebrows twisting together as he contemplated her words. "Which means..."

"Our Luffy was sent back twelve years," Robin concluded, her hands fidgeting as she finally spoke her theory aloud. There was a resounding silence. Shanks exhaled before planting his only remaining arm on the woman's shoulder.

"For now, we eat. There's nothing we can do about the past." Even if the thought of Luffy stuck in the past for an entire week worried him greatly.