Dragon's claw (Shanks X Reader)

18- chats with rayleigh

"Dad?!?!?" Shanks asked looking at the two of you. "Wait!" Shanks yelled standing to his feet, drunkly stumbling a bit, "Ray.... You can't... you wouldn't have left... right?" He said putting two and two together as the older man's blood ran cold, boldly being reminded of his fail as a family man... and as a father.

Raleigh looked down at you, then back at shanks, "I had no choice." Is all he said, shanks shook his head as he pulled you away from your dad, "No choice... No choice?" He repeated he had a disgusted  look on his face, he pointed at Rayleigh, "there's always two sides to a choice, you just made the wrong one."

Rayleigh took a deep breath, "Shanks..." he put a hand on shanks shoulder, "we need to talk."

Shanks pulled away breaking his grip,  he then truned faced you, he took your hand and kissed your cheek, "go back to the ship, please." He whispered, you could tell this wasn't going to be good, so you nodded and scampered off, following orders but running off mostly to cover your glossy eyes about to leak onto your soft skin.

Shanks and Rayleigh were left alone, "I Can't believe you Rayleigh!" Shanks snapped at his former captain. Shanks was confused yet angered at the older man, he was hurt that a former friend would hurt someone like you, someone that he cared so deeply for, someone that he loved. Sure at the time the two of you had never met nor share the feelings,  that the two of you now shared.

"Shanks... you don't get it!" Rayleigh retorted, he hung his head and let out a deep sigh, he wished to not bring back the memories from that time, it pained him to leave his family, the old wounds still fresh in a way. The deep cut in his heart metaphorically  reopening the more was spoken of the grim topic.

Shanks walked up to him, a shade casted over his eyes as he peered through his crimson bangs, he grabbed Rayleigh by the shoulder, "then make me understand!" He demanded, pointing an accusing finger at Rayleigh while his grip tightened. His facial expressions scrunched up, red eyes glared into Rayleigh' s soul and heart, he got the point trying to find a place to start.

Rayleigh sighed deeply and ran a hand through his thick, white locks, "...Shanks..." he breathed, locking eyes with the scarlet threaded man.

"Th...There are some times as an adult, as a father, a husband, and when your a pirate especially, you have to figure out what is best for your family and loved ones." Shanks' determined ruby orbs stayed focused on the older man as he continues his speech. "You remember when Roger died... Every thing got a little
... hectic...?"

Shanks nodded, recalling the dark time, the True beginning of the great pirate era, along with the headline that would rattle cities and towns alike. "Yeah, all in grave details, right here." He knocked on his head with a fist.

Rayleigh chuckled as the raveness, Shakky, brought them a refill of saké. The took a swig and continued, "They had been searching for the 'blood son of the devil', Roger's son... while the searches were going on I explained to (y/n)'s mother that I couldn't stay if I wanted them to be safe." His breath and speech patterns became shaky as the memories returned, vividly, leaving him guilty and hurt with his past actions.

Shanks still looked upon the man, only no longer with rage nor anger, sympathy and pity over took his ruby red eyes. He put a hand on his shoulder, giving Rayleigh a small, sad smile of the two sad emotions, they blended in shanks' heart as tears escaped the eyes of his old pal.

"I understand, you were in a rough place..." shanks smile broke, a blank emotionless stare escaped. " D-Do you know about when (y/n) had been taken?" Shanks brought on the sensitive subject that had been on his mind since he had pit two and two together about you and Rayleigh.

"Taken...?" He paused, giving shanks an unsure look, "What do you mean by... T-taken?"

Shanks chuckled neverously, "I guess, I'll take that as a no." He said rubbing the back of his neck, Rayleigh stared at shanks with worried eyes.

"Shanks... what happened to my daughter?" He asked, leaning forward in his seat, shanks sighed, realizing his mistake... but Rayleigh had a right to know.... but is shanks the one who should be telling him? (Y/n) who probably have an emotional breakdown trying to tell him. Ether way it's too late now.

"She went looking for you, and she might've gotten abducted by the underground sex slave trade industry... Just to sum it up." Shanks said, trying his best to tread lightly on the sensitive subject, Rayleigh looked down at his hands, he was overcome with a huge feeling of guilt that he couldn't find anything to reply with.

Shanks felt bad for bringing it up, "I'm sorry... I thought you of all people should have a right to know." Shanks explained. Rayleigh payed shanks' comment no attention he couldn't, the burden he felt was too much for him to shake off. He put his head in his hands, finally replying with only a simple yet sad and guiltfilled, "oh my god."

"D-Did you rescue her?" He asked, looking at shanks, who simply nodded, "yup. I can't stand for the dragon's to degrade other people, lower class or not, and seeing such a young lady being degraded in public the way she was..." He cringed remembering the horrible time.

"Well, then...." Rayleigh's eyes became overshadowed by his white locks as he titled his head forward. "Thank you!" He looked back up, flashing shanks a smile that was filled with pure gratitude. Rayleigh patted shanks on the back, "for saving my daughter and keeping her out of harm's way."

Shanks gave a huge closed eye smile, that spread from ear to ear. He nodded, "Its nothing. I really enjoy having her around... she's really something..." a rosey pink color spread across the red heads face as he tried to describe you to Rayleigh.

Rayleigh began to laugh, shanks looked up due to the man's hardy laugh. "What?" He asked, Rayleigh's laugh died down and he sat back in his chair, "Shanks I'm not stupid." Is all he said to justify the random outburst.

Shanks, who looked entirely confused, was oblivous to what Rayleigh was talking about. "Huh?... I never said you were..."

Now Rayleigh's laugh and smile were completely gone, they had transformed to an amused blank state. "I know what's going on here Shanks..." Rayleigh said, leaving shanks even more confused. "With you... and my daughter."

Shanks seemed to begin to sweat at Rayleigh's non-happy expression while he spoke about Shanks' relationship with his daughter.

"Don't look so distraught." Rayleigh slapped Shanks' back, it was meant to be more of a pat but due to shanks' guard being down and him not really expecting anything more than rayleigh to try to murder him. Shanks looked up again, fixing his composer and giving the former friend strange yet confused looks, once more. "Shanks, I've known you for much more than a long time. You've always been an egotisic, childish hot head... yet I couldn't be prouder that my daughter has found someone like you."

Shanks rubbed his nape, beginning to laugh at the older male's words and the truthfulness behind them. "And if be honored if you would take my daughter to be your wife." With those words Shanks almost dies on spot, spitting his last bit of saké out of his mouth.

He stated at Rayleigh, eyes wide and mouth agape, as he wiped a trail of the saké he had spit out, from his mouth and chin. "W-What?"

Rayleigh once more allowed a hardy laugh to roar out, "It's easy to read your intentions with my daughter." Rayleigh said, giving shanks a smile. "Just treat her right. She deserves it for everything She's been through..."

1469 words.