His First Love ( Shanks X Reader )

Chapter 9: Farewell!!

The crowd in Loguetown was buzzing with excitement and fear as Gol D. Roger, the King of the Pirates, stood on the execution platform. Yuna and Shanks stood amidst the crowd, their hearts heavy as they looked up at their beloved captain. The rain began to fall softly, almost as if the sky itself was weeping for the fate of the pirate king.

Roger stood tall, unshaken by his impending death, his signature smile still on his face. The crowd's roar became deafening, and Shanks gripped his hat, holding it down to shield his eyes from the rain, while Yuna's hand tightened into a fist, her heart aching at the sight.

Then, Roger's voice boomed through the rain-soaked square. "Want my treasure? I left everything I gathered together in one place. You just have to find it!"

The crowd went wild, and in an instant, the executioner's blades came down, ending Roger's life.

Shanks, eyes wide with tears running down his face, couldn't tear his gaze away from the platform. Yuna stood frozen, her chest burning with a mixture of grief and disbelief. Roger, the man who had been larger than life, was gone.

The scene in the square quickly descended into chaos as the rain poured harder, matching the somber mood of the moment. Yuna grabbed Shanks's arm, pulling him through the crowd as she searched for Buggy. When she spotted him standing alone in the rain, shaking with a mix of rage and sorrow, she pulled both Shanks and Buggy together.

"Buggy, Shanks... we need to talk," Yuna said, her voice trembling as rain dripped from her hair and face.

They found a quieter corner under an awning, the rain still pouring around them. The air was thick with tension.

Shanks, his voice shaky but resolute, finally spoke. "I won't sail to Laugh Tale anymore. Not without Captain Roger."

Buggy's eyes widened in disbelief. "What?! Are you kidding me?! I'm so disappointed in you, Shanks!"

Shanks sighed, turning to Buggy with a pleading look. "Buggy, join me. We can still sail together. There's more out there for us."

But Buggy clenched his fists, his face twisted in anger. "Join you? Be your subordinate? Never! I haven't forgiven you for losing that treasure map. You always ruin things!"

The bitterness in Buggy's voice stung, and before either Shanks or Yuna could respond, Buggy turned and started running off into the rain. "We'll be enemies at this rate!" Buggy yelled over his shoulder, disappearing into the crowd.

Yuna tried to follow after him. "Buggy, wait!" But he was already gone.

Panting from the emotional weight of it all, Yuna stopped in her tracks and turned to face Shanks. His back was to her, rain pouring down his red hair and shoulders as he stood still, watching Buggy vanish.

"Shanks..." Yuna called out softly.

Shanks stopped but didn't turn around. His voice was quiet and broken. "Yuna... stop following me."

The words cut deep, and Yuna frowned, confused. "Why, Shanks? What are you talking about?"

Shanks clenched his fists, still facing away from her. "It's better this way. I have my own path now... and you... you shouldn't follow me anymore. You deserve better than this."

Yuna, despite the heaviness of the moment, let out a soft laugh, surprising Shanks. He turned slightly, his face showing a mix of confusion and sadness. "Why are you laughing?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Shanks," Yuna began, "I'm not following you because I need to. I'm following you because I choose to. And I won't ever leave you alone."

Shanks stood frozen, his heart pounding as Yuna's words sank in. He turned fully to face her, his eyes wide with surprise and uncertainty.

Yuna's smile grew warmer, though her heart raced. "I don't care what path you take or what you think is best. I've already made my decision. I'll stay by your side, no matter what happens."

The weight of her confession hung in the air, and for a moment, Shanks didn't know what to say. His usual confident demeanor faltered as he struggled to process her words.

"Yuna..." Shanks whispered, his voice barely audible over the sound of the rain.

Yuna reached out, gently placing her hand on his arm. "I'm not leaving you, Shanks. Not now, not ever. So stop trying to push me away."

Her smile didn't waver as she stood there, her eyes filled with unwavering resolve and affection. The rain continued to pour, but in that moment, it felt as if the world around them had disappeared.

Shanks, still stunned, looked down at her with a mixture of disbelief and something deeper—something he hadn't fully realized until now. He slowly reached up, placing his hand over hers, his usual playful grin replaced by something more genuine.

"You're really stubborn, you know that?" Shanks said, his voice soft but filled with warmth.

Yuna's laugh was light, almost teasing. "I've learned from the best."

The two stood there, the rain washing away the lingering sorrow from the day, as Yuna's confession filled the space between them with a new sense of purpose. No matter what lay ahead, they would face it together.

~Next Day~

The next day, the rain had passed, leaving a clear sky over the port town. Yuna found Shanks sitting alone by the dock, staring out at the sea. The calm waters seemed to reflect the heaviness in the air between them after the events of the previous day.

Yuna approached him quietly, taking a seat beside him. She sat in silence for a moment, watching the waves lap against the shore, before turning her gaze to Shanks.

"Shanks," she began softly, "I need to ask you something."

Shanks glanced at her, his usual carefree expression replaced by something more serious. He didn't say anything, just waited for her to continue.

Yuna took a deep breath. "Why didn't you want to sail to Laugh Tale? Isn't that what Captain Roger wanted for you?"

Shanks exhaled slowly, leaning forward, his elbows resting on his knees. He looked out at the horizon, his thoughts distant. "It's not that I don't want to, Yuna," he said quietly, his voice carrying the weight of his emotions. "It's just... it doesn't feel right. Not without him."

Yuna tilted her head, her brow furrowing. "But... Captain's dream was for all of us to reach the end, wasn't it? Why stop now?"

Shanks let out a dry chuckle, shaking his head. "Captain's dream wasn't about Laugh Tale. It was about freedom. Adventure. He never cared about being King of the Pirates for the title—it was just part of the journey. But for me..." He trailed off, looking down at the ground.

Yuna placed her hand gently on his shoulder, encouraging him to go on. Shanks hesitated, but then he spoke again, more softly this time.

"I don't think I'm ready, Yuna. Not yet. I don't want to go to Laugh Tale just because Captain did. I need to find my own way, my own reasons for sailing." He turned to look at her, his eyes filled with a rare vulnerability. "I won't go until I know I'm ready to make my own path."

Yuna listened quietly, her hand still resting on his shoulder. After a moment, she nodded in understanding.

"So, it's not about following Captain's dream," Yuna said, her voice thoughtful. "It's about finding your own dream."

Shanks smiled faintly, the weight lifting just a little from his heart. "Yeah, something like that."

Yuna's expression softened. "Then I'll wait. And when you're ready, I'll be right there with you."

Shanks's eyes met hers, a mixture of gratitude and something deeper passing between them. "Thank you, Yuna."

The sea breeze blew softly, carrying away the tension of the moment, as the two sat in silence, knowing that, no matter what lay ahead, they would face it together.

With that, it was the beginning of Red Eyes Yuna with Red Hair Shanks.