Maelstrom

Chapter 13

Ruse's POV

2 Years Later

You groan sleepily as you are roughly shaken awake by a large hand. A hand that was pulling at your mane of white hair in a rather rough yet playful manner. You growl lowly as you try and swat away the offending appendage, your eyes barely creaked open. You had expected the blue sky and the ocean to greet you, but you were sadly mistaken.

Crimson locks are the only thing in your line of sight, glistening in the morning sunlight. A pair of steely grey orbs peer at you from within the glistening cloak of red.

You let out a pained groan, not looking forward to today one bit.

Dammit to hell.

You absolutely hated this man, how could you ever think you'd enjoy being around that redhead idiot and his crew?

Being around other people was the absolute worst.

"C'mon kid, it's time to get going, if you're late you're not going to get any food." Shanks voice drawls out, his hands still tugging your hair, and you spring up, fully alert.

"Food?" You ask, already eager to book your way to the source.

He chuckles as he drapes his large frame across yours. "Oof too heavy! I know for sure you don't need any grub with that kind of weight." You groan as you struggle to shove the red haired captain off you.

"Get off idiot!" He only laughs as he moves himself to the side of your cot.

"Ouch, and here I thought you'd love me no matter what. Nice to know you only like me for my pretty looks." Shanks teases, and you sigh dramatically.

"You only just now figured that out? Laaaame." You tease back, wriggling out of your cot and looking back at the man in front of you.

You were honestly surprised that you were still with them.

You were 18 now. A legal adult. You could leave at any time. Yet, you hadn't. Sure, you were adamantly refusing to be called a part of his crew, but you just couldn't bring yourself to leave. Not yet at least.

After Shanks had invited you to join the Red-Haired pirates and set sail on the Red Force, you admitted that you did enjoy being around them.

Even if the redhead stilled called you a kid.

Lucky Roo, Yassop, Beckman, Rockstar, and the captain Shanks himself.

You had grown to find comfort in their rag-tag team, a comfort that you hadn't felt in such a long time.

The crew had accepted you as one of their own. They had always nagged you to officially join, but you were content with what you had. Practicing your aim with the sharpshooters, clashing swords with others, singing sea shanties, riding the waves. You were happy being with them. But you still had yet to accept your ranking among them, no matter how much they begged. You had profusely refused to be called a red-haired pirate yourself.

You knew that it was childish, likely immature... but you just didn't want to be labeled as a part of the crew. You didn't want to belong to a crew that you hadn't formed yourself, knowing that it was something that was trivial to most, but to you it was important. Very important.

If you weren't the one to form the bonds, you didn't feel as if you were able to truly belong. It was weird, likely egocentric, but you'd be damned if Shanks ever thought he was your Captain. Sure, you would call him the title as an endearment, and sure, you respected him...but he was more or less your rival. The redhead probably didn't see it that way, always giving you sass and taunting you with something. He was infuriating at times. Always one step ahead of you, the smug bastard that he was. You refused to let him win by becoming one of his crewmates. Sure, it was childish, but it was one thing you were steadfast and dead set on.