"Would you look at the beautiful fireworks? Aren't they so pretty?" You asked the older male as your eyes glistened at the colorful sparks in the sky. He didn't say a word. He was smoking his cigarette as he kept his eyes closed.
"Thank you for visiting me, Ben. It means a lot..." He opened his eyes slowly, turning to you to see your jubilant face continue to watch the fireworks.
Personally, he didn't know what you saw in him. He was so stoic, rarely said any words and his responses to your questions had been so minimal, he kept them to one word answers. Yet, you still asked him to visit and to even stick around sometimes.
After every visit, you would always tell him the same thing: 'Don't forget about me, please.' And of course, he never did.
You were much younger than him and he wondered how you even felt infatuated by an old coot like him.
Shanks would joke around and say it's cause he were cool, calm and collected but it still couldn't add up to him.
"(Y/N)." You perked up at the sound of your name and turned to him.
"Yes?" He thought for moment before taking another puff of his cigarette, keeping his eyes on you.
"Why do you enjoy my company so much? What keeps you thinking about me so much and worrying about my well being?"
He half expected you to say 'you're like a father figure to me' but he knew you didn't see him as a father at all. That was just him assuming that answer cause of his age. He knew that your feelings for him were strong for whatever reason. A reason he'd hope to find out tonight.
"Hm... well I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought about it before." He was intrigued.
"I know it's weird... but I remember the first time we met, you had saved me. It were so easy for you, it amazed me honestly. You know, I followed you around like a puppy." You giggled, looking at the ground.
"But, after you saved me, I couldn't help but feel just so comfortable and... right with you. You never judged me at all nor have you ever just sat there while I made stupid decisions. You guided me at times and I appreciate that. I care for you and I don't know what I would do with myself if anything had ever happened to you. Every time you leave, it makes me sad. It scares me you won't come back to me... I feel so at home with you and you make me feel good. You just... have showed you cared and you stick by me, even though you're not here physically, heh... I just..." You looked at him as he stared deeply into your eyes.
"I love you, Ben..." Your heart pounded. This had been the first time ever that you had told him your feelings in its entirety. It were a scary moment but it's over now and you could only hope for something in return, anything.
A small smile formed on his lips before turning away to look at the fireworks. Your heart skipped a beat.
He smiled.
"I see." You screamed internally as you settled on the ground, knees to your chest, face hot and smiling widely.
Ben felt great after hearing your words although, he wasn't ready to tell you that he actually felt the same.
~
"Look at that, what the hell is even happening?!" Limejuice exclaimed drunkenly to his captain, watching the two of you from afar. Shanks laughed before taking a big gulp from his cup.
"Leave them alone! You know Ben has a little girlfriend here!"
"What does she even see in him! He doesn't even talk with her!"
"Hey, Ben can be a ladies man when he wants to be!"
"Enough to snag a young chick like that? She's gotta be in her twenties."
"We came here upon his request you know."
"So he can see her?"
"That's right." Shanks watched as you shyly got closer to Ben, leaning against his arm. Shanks giggled at the sight before grabbing the blonde by his arm.
"We gotta leave them alone! Let's go!" They left the two of you alone as you continued to watch the loud, colorful show.
