Operation Code Red! The String of Fate! (Trafalgar Law Fanfiction)

Chapter 25: Shanna and Shanks

One of Shanna's favorite things to do when she's bored is fishing. It's something she picked up from Benn Beckman the past two years hanging out with the old guys. "Fishing helps calm the mind, and it trains your patience," he told her.

So here she is, sitting on the edge of the Going Luffy, legs dangling out towards the ocean. She held a fishing rod in her left hand, and an apple in the right. She took a bite out of the apple as she waited patiently for fish. Zoro, who sat to her left, also holding a fishing rod with both hands, yawned loudly. "Sleepy?" Shanna asked.

"I'm always sleepy," Zoro replied with a smirk. "So how are things going with you and Law? You still freak out whenever you guys kiss?"

Shanna cleared her throat as she straightened her back. "No. In fact,  I've gotten pretty good at it," she said rather proudly, making Zoro snort into heavy laughter.

"Did Law tell you that?" the swordsman asked.

"N-No.... I just think that- well...that I've gotten better," Shanna replied, nodding her head as if to convince herself too.

"Psh! Surree," Zoro chuckled sarcastically.

"ZOROO~~! SHAAANNNNAAAA!" Luffy shouted as he suddenly threw himself on them, hooking an arm on each of their necks. "Did you guys catch any fish?!" 

"Luffy you idiot! You're gonna make us fall!" Zoro scolded his straw hat wearing captain.

"Hahaha! Sorry! Sorry!" Luffy apologized, though it was hard to tell with his laughter whether he was genuine or half hearted. "So! Do you guys see any yummy looking fish?"

"No, not yet," said Shanna.

Zoro nudged Luffy with his elbow, trying to shake the rubber man off. "We'll tell you when we see one so go sit down!" 

"Nah I wanna hang with you guys!" Luffy grabbed Shanna and Zoro on each side pulling them close to him so they press their cheeks together. 

"AH LUFFY I'M GONNA FALL!" Shanna laughed as she screamed. 

A good distance behind them, Law stood against the cabin, staring at the three young adults. Robin just happened to walk out of the cabin, and her attention was immediately caught by the Heart Pirate Captain who smiled gently at the scene of Luffy, Zoro, and Shanna fooling around. "They sure get along, don't they?" Robin chuckled. "Shanna-chan also looks just as energetic as before." By before, she was referring to before they saw Law at Punk Hazard. 

"Yeah," Law agreed. "It's...nice to see her get along with people her own age."

"Hmm?" Robin tilted her head.

Law averted his eyes from the three, not really caring that Luffy accidentally dragged Zoro and Shanna into the water, since both Zoro and Shanna are great swimmers. While Zoro and Shanna were busy saving Luffy and bringing him back to the ship, Law explained to Robin, "Shanna never had friends her own age growing up. She didn't have female friends either. While we all cared about her, it was quite obvious that we couldn't treat her as our equal."

"I understand," said Robin. She has the same feeling with Luffy and the others. While she respects them as her comrades, and Luffy as her captain, due to her being significantly older than Luffy, aside from seeing him as captain, she can only see him as a cute little brother figure, rather than a friend she could talk heart to heart with. 

Because Shanna was the little sister figure to Law and the rest of the Heart Pirates, many of them tend to hide things from her, whether it was out of protection or simply because they don't want her to know, they never treated her as an equal. Law understood that, and he also did consider looking for recruits around Shanna's age so she can make some close friends, but unfortunately they just never met people who met such standards.