𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 ➳ 𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐀𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐚 (one piece fanfic)

Chapter 113

"Konan!" Shanks called out without looking up, a smile etching on his face, "You're back!"

"Good evening to you all," Konan hummed, her steps light on the deck as she approached them, stopping to look over his shoulder, "Poker?"

"Yeah," He grinned up at her, eyeing her up and down in a split second before shouting toward the cabin, "Lucky! Got any snacks?"

"On the way, captain!" Lucky Roux shouted back before bursting out with a plate of various sweetened snacks. The moment he spotted Konan, a flash of understanding passed in his eyes as he gently offered the place.

Konan gratefully took one brown snack, a light smile gracing her lips as the sugar spread over her tongue, teeth breaking down the crunchy snack. "Thank you Lucky."

"No problem," he chuckled, handing her the plate before disappearing back into the kitchen, the sound of sizzling soon accompanying his hums.

Yasopp whistled, frowning at his set of cards before commenting, "How was Luffy?"

"A little down but already running around and training."

"Wouldn't expect any less from that little ball of energy," Benn snorted, "And Fire Fist? How is he?"

"More quiet than usual." She took a chair and sat at their table. "Grieving."

"He'll need time," Benn pressed his lips together thoughtfully before discarding his cards, "Captain won again." He turned his attention fully to Konan. "Is he blaming himself?"

She nodded. "He knew that Whitebeard was dying and that he wanted to die fighting..." Konan winced, "But it's never easy to bury one's family in a battlefield one caused—even unintentionally."

"He was the perfect scapegoat for the Marines. A trigger to end an era of piracy," Shanks commented, a hint of bitterness in his voice. Ace was caught in the middle of the storm, shackled by the very blood that ran in his veins.

"Well, that ended well for the Marines..." Benn snorted, a cigarette in the corner of his mouth.

"At least, Blackbeard was stopped, if only temporarily..." Konan said, leaning back in her chair. "The bastard's gone into hiding for now but I doubt he will give up that easily."

"He'll probably want to take his revenge against you," Shanks looked at her with barely concealed worry. She was strong, but he was cunning, and very patient. There was no telling to what length he would be willing to go to to enact his revenge.

Konan smiled, "I'll be waiting."

"Scary..." Benn whistled.

Shanks nodded with a chuckle, "I know you're strong, but be careful still, he is a vicious one."

"I know." But she would be prepared.

Yasopp clapped in his hands, "Alright, enough of the depressing talk, let's celebrate Konan's return!"

"I haven't even been gone for that long," her comment went unnoticed as everyone started moving around to fetch drinks.

She watched with soft fondness as life erupted around her, laughs filling the background, lights dancing peacefully on the boat. The atmosphere felt dangerously safe, like a soft lull luring her into letting her guard down. And for the first time in a long while, she did.

Only Shanks remained. Silently staying by her side, enjoying this rare moment of peace. He occasionally stole glances at her, observing her relaxed posture with soft delight. It meant a lot to him that she felt safe enough to let her guard down with them, especially now that she was weakened.

When she finally turned towards him, her eyes caught his, caught the tenderness in his smile, the crinkle in the corner of his eyes as he watched her and only her. This split second it took for her to realize that made her turn away, breaking eye contact. Her fingers went up to rub her ears, hating the way they felt hot despite the chilling breeze.

And Shanks didn't turn away, simply chuckling at her fast turn. "Am I that ugly?"

Konan didn't reply, only nodding as her hand went to grab another snack. She could hear him whine at her agreement, sensed him shift in his seat to cross his legs, felt his hand move toward the table to grab his drink. A part of her hated this awareness that seemed to focus only on him.

But perhaps it was the lull of peace after a long battle but it softened her, and she found herself also reaching for a drink. Her arms still ached with the movement but the warmth she felt softened the pain.

She felt that for just one evening, it wouldn't be so bad to breathe, to put all her problems to rest for just one night.

Time passed by in a blur, the sun setting down and snores slowly filling the background, the few that had chosen not to drink playing cards in the cabin, away from the cold breeze.

Konan had drifted from groups to groups, talking with some, playing with others and finally she found herself sitting on the edge of the boat, letting the cold sober her up as she observed the dark sea.

"Not feeling tired yet?" He came to lean against the wooden edge, his back to the sea, shoulder barely grazing hers.

"No, you?" Her voice was low, barely above a whisper. Her cheeks were red from the alcohol and the cold.

"Couldn't sleep," Shanks turned slightly toward her, watching her stare off into the horizon. After a small beat, he found himself asking, "Is the sea pretty?"

Konan tilted her head as she registered the question, "It's pretty." She nodded slowly. "It seems infinite and free of all burdens, I like it."

"It represents freedom for all of us," he easily agreed, his gaze scanning her features before turning away. "Yet you seem sad."

Her feets dangled over the water, a hand coming up to rub her frozen cheeks, one finger gliding over to her lips, "Do I?" She smiled, "Must be the alcohol."

Shanks observed her thoughtfully before shifting fully toward the sea. "You don't have to smile if you don't want to... nobody will blame you for being sad."

Her smile slowly disappeared, accompanied by a silence broken only by the waves crashing softly against the boat.

After a long while, she spoke again. "You're a good person, Shanks."

"Not as good as you think I am."

"... You have bad taste though," she muttered under her breath, her eyes closing by themselves.

But he heard her crystal clear. "Do I?" His hand came to gently prop her head against his shoulder, "If you're tired you should just go sleep."

She scrunched her nose in rejection, eyes still closed. "I'm the bad person... you're not." Her words became slurred the longer she spoke, not fully forming before tumbling out of her mouth.

"Stop talking nonsense." He flicked her forehead, his arms coming around her waist and legs as he carried her away from the edge and into the cabins. "And go to sleep." He wasn't even sure she would remember all of this by the next morning.

As he put her down into her bed, he was about to leave when her papers grabbed his wrist. She stared at him with dazed eyes, "I'm really not a good person to like..." She paused, frowning. "I've been alone for a very long time. I'm used to it, I like it like that."

Shanks silently bent down, grabbing the blanket and pulling it over her uncovered neck, carefully covering her whole body and taking care not to touch her arms. He could sense her breathing slow down as she fell asleep.

"Why do you seem so lonely then?" He gently pushed the hair out of her face before leaving.