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The mess hall was loud and Blue cringed as he stepped inside, hiding behind Spencer who had entered first. Red hopped behind him and ran past towards the three men at the front and head of what would be the table.
“There's our Red, did you manage to complete your quest?” The blonde, the one that held out his hand and promised family and safety like it wasn't the biggest lie it was in Blue's life.
Shanks nodded his head. “Uhuh! Hungy now pops! Blue is too!”
All eyes turned to him and Blue squirmed a little at the attention, face heating as his stomach grumbled loudly. “S-sorry for keeping him from dinner.”
“‘s fine. Shanks gets distracted pretty easily.” The one with long dark hair huffed. “He’d forget his head if it wasn’t attached. Every now and then he decides to pretend he’s a bird and refuses to eat anywhere but the crow’s nest.”
“He has a wonderful imagination!” The other one with dark hair said with a boisterous laugh. Blue frankly thought they were all a bit too loud. “Now come sit, Taro made some stew that shouldn’t be too rough on your stomach.”
Blue skittered to the chair, dragging it away from them a little bit and eyeing the stew before him hesitantly and looked at the same stew in front of Red and the others. It still made him nervous that he hadn’t seen it fixed but he didn’t want to be a bother either. It wasn’t their fault that some people put rat poison and god only knows what else on their food before throwing it out to keep the homeless and wild animals out of their bins… that had not been a fun few days.
It was the man Red called Spence that seemed to understand just why Blue was hesitating so much because he slid the bowl Blue had in front of him over to himself and replaced it with his own empty one. Blue wanted to stop him when the blonde one opened his mouth to speak but kept his mouth shut when Spence gave him a look. Instead he watched and tried desperately to understand why the man was so nice.
“Hey, babe, could you bring the pot out?” Spence called leaning back to yell into the kitchen at his husband. The man always served his food straight from the pot where Spence could see for the same reason that little Blue was so nervous about it.
“Comin’!” Blue jolted when another tall blond wandered in a cooking pot in hand. It was only when he set the stew pot on the table that Blue saw the word ‘ Taro’ on the front of his shirt. This was the husband Spencer had mentioned? “What’s up, love?”
“Just helping ease our new nephew.” Spence chuckled as he dipped a spoon into the pot and popped it into his mouth before motioning for Taro to fill the empty bowl in front of Blue.
“Go ahead, kid, it’s safe.” Spence said gently once Taro filled it.
“Thank… thank you for the food.” Blue said softly as he did as he was told.
Taro eyed the kid and then to his husband whose hands shook just a fraction but there was a hardness in those eyes, a protective spark of understanding and oh, Taro's heart ached but he was so proud of his husband. “You're very welcome, got more manners than this lot anyways, none of em appreciate my cookin’ besides Cap but that's a D for ya.”
“Any food is good so long as it ain’t poisoned.” Blue murmured softly. “Can’t afford to be picky though.”
“The only thing you need to worry bout is if Marx, Ganryu or Moo cook. Everyone else is better but not as good as me, though if ya like spicy things then ask Captain to cook for ye.” Taro chuckled, pointing out each man who in turn flipped him off. “If ye like pumkin stuff, Yamon is good at a mean soup and spiced bread and Yui bakes apple anything.”
“Taro's being real nice tonight.” Gallant hummed suspicious.
Taro raised his free hand. “What, can't I compliment my brothers? Our new nephew needs ta know these things ya know.”
“I don’t mind spicy… at least I don’t think I mind it. The island people here like spicy stuff and a lot grow peppers. Those are easier to steal and safer than the dumpsters sometimes.” Blue said softly.
“Nah kid, the spices here ain’t like the ones from East Blue. But I'm sure Cap wont mind making some if you wanna try it, it won’t go to waste either not with him or our resident East Bluers.” Taro chuckled before turning to the group. “Anyone want more or can our bottomless pit have the rest?”
After a chorus of no’s from the crew Taro fixed his own bowl then sent the entire pot sliding down the table to Roger at the very end. “I already put some extra up for the kid if he can handle seconds so have at it Cap.”
Blue stopped and stared bewildered as he watched the one Red called Pai, the one everyone called Captain and the husband of the one who pulled him from the streets begin to inhale food at a rapid pace. The blonde man looked to the sky as Red tried to copy the pace of his pai and reached over to smack him, Blue held his breath waiting because that usually earned a beating and Blue didn’t want the blonde to get hurt…
“Slow down idiot, the food ain’t going anywhere and Red is in his copying phase, last time he tried to eat like you he got a bellyache.” Rayleigh snapped. “That’s not even mentioning the time you ate something bones and all and he started choking!”
“But food! ” Roger said around a mouth full of bread. “‘m hungry!”
“You’re always hungry.” Rayleigh sassed. “That doesn’t mean you just inhale it.”
“You don’t complain about the way I eat when it’s you.” Roger snarked right back.
Gaban slid away from Roger, plucking up Red who whined at being pulled away from his food. “In a minute Red, your Pai just said something stupid and now your pops is angry, here sit with Blue and Spence, you can have my bowl.”
Blue watched bewildered as the entire room immediately moved away, money exchanging hands as they whispered so low that not even he could hear and nearly toppled right out of his chair as the blonde immediately grabs the captain, his husband, from the chair and throws him through the wall.
“Awww come on!” Bluemarine whined with Donquino and Mugren grumbling . “Leigh, we just fixed that!”
“We’re gonna have fun tonight, Paixão!” Roger laughed as he dragged himself out of the wreckage. “Leigh is feisty today!”
Gaban groaned as Roger said this. “Ro-chan, now is not the time! Leigh is gonna bodily use you to rearrange the deck again.”
“I don’t know how many times I gotta say it Roger, do not make those jokes around our kid!” Rayleigh growled low as he readied himself to launch forward only to jerk as Gaban scruffed him.
“I cannot believe I’m the one to say this, it wounds me to the soul that I am being the responsible one, but knock it off!” He practically gags out the words, haki dripping from the last three as he shook his husband and glared at the other. “You’re both making our newest nervous more so than he already is and so help me.”
“But fight! ” Roger whined petulantly. “Nothing’s happened in ages, Paixão, ‘m bored. Come on, you know you like a little tussle before… ”
Spencer hissed slightly and huffed a laugh, giving his very nervous new nephew a look while making sure Red didn’t spill the entire bowl all over himself in his eagerness to be like his pai. “Don’t worry, they aren’t mad like you’re expecting and neither one is hurt or will be punished. On this ship we have Roger who is our captain, Rayleigh is our first mate and Gaban there is our quartermaster. This is just them playing.”
“Roger shut it!” Rayleigh snapped as he felt Gaban tense, his eyes widening even more as his husband scruffs Roger too. “Now Passion, I didn’t start this…”
“Bored? Oh, okay, if you’re bored and need to burn off some energy…” Gaban hummed low, that smirk both of them loved so much pulled at his lips. “Let me help you, my Heart.”
A yelp tore from Rayleigh as he found himself flying through the air, Roger’s own following not long after him as Gaban tossed them both with his entire strength out into the vast darkness of the sea at night.
Gaban just clapped his hands together and stretched before turning right back around to the mess and took his seat, snatching his bowl from Red and giving him his own back like nothing happened at all. “Slower Red, you don’t want another tummy ache again.”
Shanks pouted before looking around. “Where Pai and Pops go?”
“Your Pai and Pops went for a little dip in the ocean.” Gaban chuckled before looking over at Blue. “You okay Blue?”
“ What in the ever living fuck was that?! ” Blue asked incredulously before blanching when Shanks immediately cackled and yelled ‘ fuck ’ at the top of his lungs.
“ Language!” Many of the crew repeated before cringing as a whole.
Gaban smothered his laughter at that, making sure Blue saw his smile over Red’s head before looking at his red headed gremlin. “Now Red, what have we told you about bad words?”
“Not allowed to swear till I’m at least thirteen.” Shanks pouted. “Blue did it first!”
“Blue doesn’t know all the rules yet. It’s his first night with us.” Gaban said patiently.
Shanks paused and thought it over, Gaban waited for his five year old to figure out what he wanted to say. “Otay, that's a… uhm… fair reason.”
“There’s my smart boy.” Gaban chuckled softly before turning to Blue briefly. “Hey Red, you wanna go to your Uncle JB, I just heard he had taken some of your cookies.”
Gaban waited for his son to hop down with all the fury of a five year old before turning to Blue once more who was now tenser than a bow string. “We try not to swear around Red, he’s a little gremlin. I ain’t gonna yell at ya cause then i’d be a hypocrite, just wanted to send Red away to answer you properly.”
Blue nodded hesitantly waiting until Shanks started shrieking at a fluffy haired man to return his cookies before saying, “again what the fuck?”
Spencer chuckled as he ate his stew, turning his back to watch his brothers in some form of semblance of privacy but giving the kid some comfort he wasn’t leaving.
Gaban eyed the kid placidly, cursing his husbands in his head to the depths of davy jones and back for making him be the responsible one. “What exactly do you want to know, Blue, kid, you need to be specific.”
“He threw him through a wall .” Blue whined reaching up to tug at his hair as his chest got tighter. The stew tasted like ash in his mouth now. “ Why?! If a Captain is like the Master then he threw the master through the wall and you threw him in the sea . Why?! Why do that if it only gets you hurt ! I don’t know the rules… what are the rules?!”
“Okay, calm, easy.” Gaban soothed. “Rayleigh and Roger have been together for a very long time, before I joined them, before the crew. Do you know what a D is?”
“A letter?” Blue said incredulously. “I’m six and can’t read but I’m not stupid.”
“Bah no kid, not the letter D. Those with D in their name bring storms to the seas, they're powerful and courageous but batshit insane.” Gaban explained and ignored the snorts around him. “Roger is a D, the ocean is in his blood and though he may be the captain, Rayleigh is the one in charge. Sometimes, when there hasn't been a fight or an adventure, Roger gets bored and decides to pick a fight with us because Ray and I are the only ones who can. When they fight, I throw them in the ocean, tire em out.”
“But, in no way is there a master on this ship.” The word was spat like venom and disgust. “Our crew are a family, all of them are our brothers by choice, Red is mine, Roger and Rayleigh's son… just like you are now.”
“Family doesn’t mean shit if you break the rules.” Blue choked out. “Please… I’ll be good. I just need to know what you want. ”
There was something in the man's eyes that Blue couldn't understand.
“Rules, alright. No swearing, you'll be having lessons like Red, cleaning your room if it's a mess that's a chore. If we're on an island you need to stay with one of us at all times, if someone touches or hurts you, you fight back and tell one of us immediately. Do not go on deck in a storm, if we tell you to hide you do it immediately.” Gaban said firmly, telling Blue the same rules he gives Red. “We get into fights all the time with other crews and Marines, we don't want you or Red hurt. If you want something ask until you can get away with stealing it and I know I don’t have to tell you this but these are Red's rules too, don't ever steal from the poor.”
“ I’m allowed to fight back now? ” Blue said incredulously.
“ Yes.” The word was laden with haki. “You are your own person, if you don’t want people touching you, ask them to stop, if they don't, hit them.” Gaban said firmly. “If you want to learn to fight, we can teach you.”
“But fighting back is against the rules… he puts the collar on if I don’t listen.” Blue whispered his eyes hazy as his hand moved to his throat. “He puts the collar on and shocks me til I can’t move or breathe and it hurts.”
Spencer was suddenly there and the room was suddenly empty. “Hey, hey, calm, listen to me… you're safe here. There's no collars, never again. Gaban, Roger, Rayleigh… myself, everyone on this ship will kill whoever tries to take anyone's freedom.”
“ I’m scared…” Blue whined softly bright blue eyes filling with tears as he tugged harshly on his hair. “I don’t wanna be scared anymore. I hate jumping at everything but it’s always so bright and I can feel it and I hate it! Anytime I’m in a room with anyone I can feel it all over to the point I want to claw my skin off and I’m tired. ”
Gaban jolted at that, eyes widening and locking onto Spencers. “Blue, can I try something? I won't need to touch you but it may help you calm down a little.”
“Please make it stop.” Blue pleaded softly.
In a blink Gaban dropped his conqueror’s over the kid like a weighted blanket. The exact same way when Roger’s migraines got bad or when Rayleigh got overwhelmed by his observation, his stomach churning as he quickly caught Blue who fell off his chair with sheer relief on his face.
“Shh kid, I got you, I got you Blue.” Gaban whispered as the kid curled up into a ball. He was so fucking small, no bigger than Red and frail, thin like no kid should be.
“It’s finally quiet…” Blue breathed softly. “Don’t feel like everyone’s grabbing and shouting at me no more!”
Fuck… this was beyond Gaban’s knowledge. Explaining and teaching Haki was Rayleigh’s strong suit, not his.
“‘m sleepy, mister.” Blue slurred his head dropping to Gaban’s shoulder bright blue eyes bleary with the start of fever and exhaustion from haki over use that was much too familiar.
“Alright, let's get you to bed then Blue.” Gaban murmured as he gave his brother a thankful look. He caught a flying giggling Red when JB tossed his son like he always did. “Time for all little pirates to go to bed.”
“Daaaaa nooo, no eep, play!” Shanks pouted even when he snuggled into the crook of his neck like he usually did.
Gaban chuckled as he swayed from side to side as he made his way back towards the kids cabin. He could hear Roger’s laugh getting closer and Rayleigh’s cursing, fuck he was so looking forward to a good hard fuck tonight but they had so much to discuss.
“Red, did Blue pick a place to sleep?” Gaban asked softly as he entered the room.
“Mmm no, he liked my hidey spot but maybe a hammick?” Shanks yawned, rubbing his eye. “He can have my bed Da, can I sleep with you?”
“Not tonight Little Red, I need to speak with your Pai and Pops… plus I need you to do something for me. Your Blue needs someone to be here when he wakes, can you be that someone? He's not feeling too good, like when you have a tummy ache or sniffles.” Gaban whispered as he grabbed the extra blankets and pillows from the chest in the corner and began to make his son a nest.
“I can do that! Okay Da! I'll make sure Blue knows he's not alone! He can have my stuffie tonight!” Shanks said as he tucked his treasured stuffie into Blue's embrace.
“Good kiddo look after your brother for us but if he starts to panic come get us right away.” Gaban said softly as he tucked Blue into the nest of blankets hidden away in the corner that Shanks always called home during bad storms.
He kissed his son a goodnight before making his way back to his cabin and poured himself a drink and waited for his husbands to come back after their swim and fight because Gaban threw his husbands far. He continued some of the reports that Rayleigh had yet to get to.
Thankfully he didn't have to wait long, the familiar thud of Roger landing on deck signaled their return and it took no time at all for his bickering husbands to fall into the room practically devouring each other.
“We need to talk.” Gaban stated, not looking up from the reports, voice dry as the Alabastian desert. His husbands owed him a lot for making him be the sensible one, because Gaban was feeling itchy and could feel his own headache forming.
Both men knew that it must be serious because their Paixão was furious.
“What's wrong love?” Rayleigh asked as he took a seat.
Gaban whirled around, fury written in every line of his face as he tossed his glasses on the table. “What's wrong? What's wrong is that while I was working on charts and reports all day , one husband fucks off and the other, the one thats supposed to be the responsible one comes back with a child so traumatized you can barely breathe in his fucking direction ! A child who mind you had a panic attack we only just barely stopped because he thought Roger was going to hurt the very man that saved him because he’s still following rules from the bastards that hurt him!”
“Not only that but Blue has haki, he feels everything. It's that bad I had to lay conquerors over him to help, I had to explain us, our crew, our kids rules by myself…” Gaban growled, getting to his feet, hands clenching and unclenching.
“Paixão, calm…” Roger started and snapped his mouth shut when those gold eyes snapped to him.
“ Do not tell me to calm down Gol-Silvers D, Roger!” Gaban snarled furiously. “ Sit. ”
“Gaban,” Rayleigh started and stopped just as fast when those eyes snapped to him.
Neither man had seen Gaban this furious before, not at them, never at them. Both of them swallowed as they watched their usually calm and happy husband take deep calming breaths, his steady hands shaking as he raked them through his hair.
“Leigh, you brought a kid home, you asked him to trust you and then just left with no explanation with people he didn’t know.” Gaban managed to get out through clenched teeth. “You need to help him, you, not me, not Roger and not only Spencer.”
“I didn’t leave you threw me off the ship.” Rayleigh sassed. “I was flying for thirty minutes. Roger got eaten by a sea king!”
“ Because you sent the boy you rescued careening to a panic attack! ” Gaban snarled. “I am fully aware that our foreplay is all kinds of fucked up thanks to Roger’s D instincts but that is not how you behave with a traumatized and heavily abused child in the fucking room! He was begging me for rules in fear of being put through a god damn wall! ”
“Blue has awakened observation haki, did you notice that, Leigh?” Gaban continued. “ Over sensitive observation haki at that! That child can feel everything all the time and it feels like people constantly touching him to the point he wants to claw at his skin! I had to use Conqueror’s to forcibly stall it and unlike most people who would panic at losing such a necessary sense the boy nearly cried tears of relief!”
Rayleigh reached out, only for Gaban to step back. “I need to calm down, I am so angry at you both. I'll also bunk with some of the crew tonight.”
“Paixão, at least bunk with the boys.” Roger said mournfully. “The only open bunks are deeper in the ship. I hate feeling you so far away.”
“If you think for a second I am going to allow Blue to wake up and see me bunking with Red after what he told us…” Gaban said flatly, not even bothering to look at them. “I'll be bunking below.”
“I love you both, but this isn’t like Red where we’re all he has ever known.” Gaban said heading towards the door. “Blue is a child who has been hurt in the most despicable ways for Seas only knows how long before he escaped. The sass is a front to cover all the things his observation will never allow him to forget. If we’re lucky and do what is now our job the time before us and this crew will be nothing more than blurs that rarely appear in his worst nightmares. He is a child and he is ours now.”
Gaban didn’t give either man time to respond before stepping out and pulling the door too firmly behind him. He only paused a few steps down the hall to give a brief flare to his haki to make sure both boys were still fast asleep. Mugren and the others had done a lot of sound proofing when they renovated their cabins but Gaban felt the caution necessary thanks to his new son’s sensitive haki. He sighed and sat in the hall leading out to the deck, quieting his voice as he dropped into a meditative sentry, Blue may not see it as such but he hoped he did, hoped if he peaked out he'll see Gaban protecting him.
He was fucking tired but he will sit here and face the door to make sure no one comes in besides those who rest on this deck of the ship. Gaban knew that it'll send his husbands in a tizzy that they wouldn't be able to feel him but he was so very angry at them, an anger he never thought would be directed at them.
The moment the door shut and Gaban silence his voice, leaving both men to sit in the heavy silence, both knew they had fucked up.
“Fuck,” Roger cursed, going to the door to bring his husband back but managed to stop himself in time. “I hate this, I hate that we messed up bad enough we upset our Paixão to the point he kicked himself from our bed.”
“It makes sense.” Rayleigh sighed tugging at his hair. “When Gaban gets angry like that he wants to fuck or drink if he can’t fight and we don’t need to be doing either of those right now.”
“Seas, Rayleigh, what were you thinking?” Roger asked as he sank down into Gaban’s recently vacated chair. “What possessed you to bring that boy home?”
“… he felt like mine .” Rayleigh whispered. “I love Red but I never understood what you meant after God Valley until I was holding that kid by the scruff to get my wallet back.”
Roger sagged, placing his straw hat on the hook and scrubbed his face. “Alright, then I'll accept it much like you both did when I decided to keep Red. But you'll need to tell Paixão that my Heart, you'll need to work with Blue…”
“I know, I know.” Rayleigh sighed.
Both of them are still dripping wet, their expected night of passion had suddenly shifted into one of restlessness and sleeplessness. Their third refused to sleep near them, angry as he was and neither of them could sleep without him now, especially when he hid his voice from them. It reminded them too much of the time he ran from them after their first time together.
“At least we're out on the sea.” Roger muttered softly telling Rayleigh that their thoughts were one and the same.
“True.” Rayleigh hummed as he leaned into Roger’s side. “I still hate when he runs from us.”
“We all have anger issues and conqueror’s haki. Removing ourselves from fights when the end goal isn’t the bed is best for the safety of the crew.” Roger huffed as he wrapped arm around Rayleigh’s waist.
“I know but that doesn’t make me hate it any less.” Rayleigh said with a pout. “Guess we better just tackle all this paperwork. It’s not like we’re gonna sleep anyway. We’ll have a fresh stack in the morning anyway to work in allotting funds for Blue like we do Shanks as well as the repairs to the mess.”
“I hate paperwork.” Roger grumbled as he tugged Rayleigh down into his lap. “Share the desk with me?”
“Sure but let’s get changed. You might not get sick but I can and the last thing we need is me down with a cold.” Rayleigh huffed.
Once they were both clean and dry, the both of them took a seat, each grabbing a stack of reports to do only to pause when they realise all of them had already been done. Just how long had Gaban been waiting for them to get back? Guilt gnawed at them, both of them swore to him and themselves, especially to themselves to never take their husband for granted and so far they held that promise, till now.
Roger groaned and leant forward, slumping against the desk till he could thump it against the heavy wood. “We have royally fucked up today Leigh, how are we gonna make it up to hm? Can't give him sex cause we practically do that daily, can't buy him anything because besides his wedding ring, his axes are the most materialistic he gets, can't give him food… how do we… fuck!”
“Spa day?” Rayleigh offered. “We haven’t done one of those in a while and we’re only a few weeks from that island in the calm belt that’s full of natural hot springs. Gaban got drunk and tried to fight a geyser, remember? Last we went there was before it was the three of us.”
Roger shot his husband a look. “Leigh he also fucked half that island in the week we were there. We want to fix this not make it worse with our jealousy and you know he will see that.”
“Roger, he’s fucked half the island population on an entire route of Paradise.” Rayleigh deadpanned. “Also he thinks we look hot when we get jealous, he just doesn’t like when we get violent thoughts toward civilians.”
Roger stared at him deadpan. “I see days of celibacy in our future Leigh and you know he will do it out of spite. He is that angry and you know it.”
“If he drags it out a month we’re going to Little Garden or somewhere equally uninhabited.” Rayleigh grouched. “I still haven’t gotten what I asked for after he healed from the mountain eater incident.”
“We could, he did ask about being hunted again.” Roger hummed, drumming his fingers. “But the point would still be moot if he cuts us off, he will, especially if Blue's haki is that sensitive and how our foreplay is.”
“That’s still just sex though and we want to spoil him and get him to forgive us. He’s just as likely to fuck us out of spite while still pissed as he is to avoid us.” Rayleigh sighed. “He wouldn’t have hooked up with half the marines he has if he didn’t have a solid appreciation for angry sex. Hell there’s a rumor that Sengoku hates us so much because he flirted with Gaban after us and got shut down hard.”
“Gaban would fuck Garp before he even looked Sengoku’s way.” Roger chuckled.
Rayleigh winced. “Well the man has certainly tried. ”
“Leigh my love, do not remind me, trying to stay calm here.” Roger grumbled into his arms. “Seas curse it, what do you get a man who gives fuck all about possessions? He knows exactly what to do for us and yet here we are again twiddling our thumbs.”
Rayleigh pinched the bridge of his nose, glasses scattering on the desk next to Gaban’s. “We pamper the hell out of him, he wasn't wrong in what he said. He's been up for nearly two days now charting our course, helped the boys with the rigging to set back out, wrangled Red, helped with Blue and did all our reports on top of that.”
“We left him with all of that,” he continued after a breath. “I don't regret going because Blue , but I could have designated the duty and had one of the boys do the supply run.”
“We can’t change the past.” Roger sighed. “And repeating how shit we are at being husbands the past few days won’t help any either. The only thing I know he genuinely enjoys just to do it is camping out but he prefers roughing it and you’d be miserable.”
“So we're back to square one.” Rayleigh sighed miserable.
“We’ll figure something out, heart… eventually.” Roger murmured, dragging him into a hug. “For now why don’t we figure out some kind of training plan for Blue? Something easier than your usual method.”
Another sigh escaped Rayleigh. “The fact he has unlocked it so young… it'll be hard but it'll help him settle better, more so if he understands. Alright love, let's figure something out.”
By the time they figured out a plan, who of the crew that they would have to speak to to make the boys room a bit more comfortable for their newest son, both of them were utterly exhausted and fell face first on the bed in a fitful sleep. The two hours they managed to get was anything but restful and both wanted nothing more than to just collapse back into the bed and do their best impression of a pair of vegetables. Unfortunately neither man was in the mental place that would allow them to explain depression via stupidity to their five year old so instead they dragged themselves out of bed and through their morning routines.
A knock to the door jolts both Rayleigh and Roger, the crew know better to knock and their Red throws open the door if he somehow wakes up before them. Alarm jolts through as Rayleigh opens the door to see Taro.
“Is this a test? Cause it's one thing on deck to get Scop testing our reflexes, hard enough when its the damn hallway.” Taro said blandly, leaning against the frame unimpressed. “You do want breakfast today right?”
“The fuck you on about?” Rayleigh rasped, wiping the annoyance off the chefs face and morphing it into surprise and then worry.
“Leigh, Scops on sentry in the hallway.” Taro said calmly, though he looked nervously down the hall. “Hasn't even twitched, you didn’t know?”
Before either could react though the sound of a door clicking open and the well known patter of Shanks’ feet filled the hall. “Da! Da! I think Boo’s ick! He’s sweatin’ an’ tossin’ an’ ‘e won’t wake up!”
Rayleigh rushed out at the call of his son, scooping him up before he could touch Gaban. Their son had never had to deal with his Da in sentry mode before. “Let's see if your Pai and I can help Blue, your Da is on lookout right now okay?”
Roger hoisted Shanks out of Rayleigh’s hands. “Red, you wanna go with your Uncle Taro and snuggle down with Spencer or help him with breakfast?”
“But Blue !” Shanks whined. “Da asked me to help Blue!”
“You did help, little Pirate. You came to get us, let me and your Pops handle it now.” Roger said as he kissed Shanks on the head. “Just go with Taro for now alright?”
“He's got a fever, probably the first time he's had a break from his Haki and his body is now compensating for the overuse.” Rayleigh sighed, closing his eyes at the realisation.
“Do we need to make way for Crocus?” Roger hummed, turning back from where he’d watched Taro scurry off with Shanks to go down into the Crew Quarters and up to the deck the back way.
“It wouldn’t hurt to start heading his way or towards Kureha but Crocus is closer with the current route we’re on.” Rayleigh sighed absentmindedly tugging at his hair. “We need to have him properly examined anyway but if his fever doesn’t break or seas forbid continues rising he’s going to need a doctor. Gaban has the most medical knowledge of all of us and he may spend days in sentry…”
Roger sighed at that. “Especially if it's a way to show Blue he's protected, aye. But makes a hard route and a tough explanation for our sons. What are we gonna tell Red when he asks for his Da? We could snap him outta it depending how deep he's sunk into meditation.”
“We're gonna have to because we need something for the fever and Gaban’s the only one who knows the recipe Vivian gave him.” Rayleigh said as he carefully wrapped his haki around Blue, safesafesafe…
“I'm going to have to do it huh?” He asked. No one liked to be on the receiving end of Gaban being in sentry mode.
After the Mountain Incident, whatever Gaban did unleashed something within him. Ragran was right, his words always echoing in both their minds. Whatever ‘em doctors are pulling in there ‘e won’t be as human as the one that left you two on top of this mountain when the attack started… Gaban’s haki was wild , rivalling Rayleigh’s now in strength but it caused him to need to sink back into his training more and more.
Meditating and sinking into his Haki to be on what they dubbed Sentry Mode.
“Yes, go love while Blue is still out.” Rayleigh stated firmly, including the pointed look when Roger pouted.