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“Hey, Makino, do you know how to swim?” Luffy asked, perched up on his barstool and watching her take inventory behind the counter.
“Hmm? Yes, I do,” Makino said, half distracted by her notes. Roci was washing dishes under Law’s supervision in the kitchen.
Sengoku’s visit had been a bit nerve-wracking, but Roci seemed so much happier now and his adopted father left looking sad, but content in a way. Law was still Law though and didn’t quite warm up during the man’s few days here and Makino wondered if perhaps he had some bad history with the Navy that disallowed him to even consider the older man as someone to like.
There was, however, a new Marine uniform, freshly pressed, with a long jacket up in Makino’s closet—Roci mentioned something about keeping it safe?—and while he wasn’t expected back to headquarters or any base for the next several months, he was still a Marine Commander. He was a superior officer, one with training and credentials Makino wasn’t allowed to know and this time here on Dawn would be a vacation for him, after the several years long mission he’d just completed. Eventually, he’d return, but for now, he had the time to help heal Law’s anger and get him settled in Foosha with them.
Hopefully, the teen would come around. Sengoku mentioned he’d make a point to visit again and Makino just hoped he would eventually come to be like a grandfather, just as Roci was like a father.
“Can you teach me?” Luffy chirped and Makino blinked.
“Teach what?”
“How to swim! Me! Shanks keeps calling me an Anchor, so I wanna prove him wrong!” Makino blinked again at her ward, then smiled warmly.
“That sounds like a really good idea, Luffy. And if you’re going to be a pirate, you should know how to swim, shouldn’t you?”
“Yeah, I should!” Luffy cheered and Makino set her clipboard aside to ruffle his hair.
“Then, why don’t you go get your brothers, okay? And we’ll go down to the beach for the afternoon!” Luffy leaped off his stool with a loud cheer and raced for the back hall where the stairs were. Makino wasn’t entirely certain what Sabo and Ace did upstairs some afternoons, but she respected their privacy and if they needed her help, they’d ask. “Roci, Law, would you like to go to the beach with us? I’m going to teach Luffy how to swim!”
“Ah, thank you—” Roci squawked when the mug in his hand slipped back into the water and splashed soap bubbles into his face. Law snorted. “Ah, well, thank you for the offer, Makino,” Roci spat out bubbles, sending a frown to the teen, before he smiled at Makino. “But, well, as a fruit—ah, as fruit users, the beach isn’t really…” Roci shrugged and Makino tilted her head to the side, eyes wide.
“Roci,” she began softly, stepping closer. “Roci, can’t you swim?” she whispered. The man made an odd noise and Makino hurried around the half wall to gather up one of his hands in her own, staring up at him, a determined set to her mouth. “Don’t worry, Roci, I may not be the greatest, but I’ll do my best! For you and Luffy!”
“Ah… t-thanks…”
Roci was saddled with the bags and Luffy ran ahead, screaming towards the water before Makino hurried to catch up, snatching the now six-year-old into her arms and slowing down her pace considerably. Ace and Sabo skipped to catch up and Law hunched his shoulders from under a billed cap that wasn’t his North Blue furred in the balmy summer weather.
“Stupid Cora-san,” Law hissed and yes, Roci felt pretty stupid right now.
“Ah, Law, come here, please!” Makino called, waving them over. The three youngest were lined up before her like ducklings, the older only shuffling a little while Makino kept her hands firm on Luffy. A bottle sat in the sand beside her and she let go of Luffy to pick it up and squirt out a dollop. She immediately lathered it between her hands and then started rubbing the sunscreen into Luffy’s skin, the boy giggling at the feeling. Another squirt and two stripes sat under Luffy’s eyes before she rubbed it in. “Don’t go in yet,” Makino warned with a raised finger and Roci dutifully raised up the camera snail and snapped a photo of Luffy watching her intently, the two older boys grinning.
Law trudged over, still grumbling, and patiently waited for his turn in the line-up.
Roci snapped another photo.
Luffy was definitely a sight and Roci was taking picture after picture as Ace and Sabo were collapsed on the sand and laughing until tears appeared. “Better safe than sorry,” Makino decided, hands on her hips and nodding. Luffy bounced in place in a life vest, an inner tube, and arm floaties, waddling towards the shallow waters lapping at the shore. “Roci, your turn!” Makino called back and Roci had just taken a photo when he blinked.
The older boys’ smiles were vicious and Law stole the camera snail from his lax hands. “…eh?”
Makino held Luffy’s hands carefully as he splashed about, his feet kicking up water. “Very good, okay, now, hold on,” Makino let go of one of his hands to tuck it under his protected stomach, then the other until she was holding him up. “Now, move your arms, okay? Like Ace, see? One, then the other, like a windmill!” Luffy obeyed, staring at Ace showing off, an awed whisper of Ace is the coolest, before he carefully swiped one arm, then the other. A wide grin and then water was splashing on either side of him.
Makino bore it with a smile until he finally stopped.
“Good, good! Now, Luffy, I’m gonna let go, okay? Try to move your arms and kick your feet just like before. It’s alright if you don’t get it on the first try, that’s why we’re practicing!” She took a careful step back and Luffy bobbed before he started flailing. Makino watched with a bright smile as his haphazard method moved him nevertheless. “You’re doing great, Luffy!”
“I did it!” Luffy cheered when he made it several feet away. “Makino, Makino, I swam!”
“You did! I’m so proud of you!” Makino waded closer to sweep him into her arms, nuzzling her cheek to his as the boy laughed, hugging her back.
Roci floated close by, pretty much out of it, in his own inner tube, swimming lesson abandoned (for now) once Makino realized he could drown in a foot of water.
Law snapped several pictures.
“BWAHAHAHA, HAVING A BEACH PARTY?!” Garp appeared from the deep, scooping up a startled Ace and Sabo and throwing them into the air screaming.
“Gramps!” Luffy cheered, down the inner tube but life vest and floaties still on—Makino wasn’t taking any chances with the child she’d raised thus far. “Makino’s teaching me how to swim!”
Ace and Sabo came crashing down and Garp held them securely against his chest, grin wide even as the boys came out of their shock to try and drown him. “I coulda done that! Let’s see what you’ve learned!” Garp demanded, striding forward and bringing his eldest grandsons along for the ride, even as Ace starting biting and Sabo scrabbled for freedom. Luffy began to doggy paddle and Makino smiled wide from where she stood nearby, the water gently lapping at her waist. “Hmm hmm, pretty good. LET’S SEE HOW YOU DO IN THE DEEP END!”
And Garp promptly threw the grandsons in his hold to grab Luffy and then chuck him over his shoulder.
Makino screamed.
A black eye and a fat lip later, Makino was holding Luffy tight to her chest, soothing the boy as Sabo and Ace sat braced against her sides and glaring at their grandfather.
“I shaid ‘m sowwy,” Garp managed and Makino shot him a death glare the likes of which he’d only ever received from Tsuru. “M’kinoooo~”
“Garp, if you ever try something like that again,” Makino hissed and Garp promptly sat up, back ramrod straight. “No one will find your body.”
Garp nodded quickly and Roci hoped he caught everything on camera.
Makino stared at the problem before her, a hand holding at her chin and the other braced on her hip. “Luffy, can I borrow your inner tube, sweetie?” Luffy wiggled out of it and dutifully brought over the doughnut shaped plastic. “Thank you! Roci.”
The blond sighed heavily, but obliged.
Law snorted and quickly hid it behind his hands. Ace peered over his shoulder before he buried his face into Law’s shoulder once again, his smaller body trembling. Sabo was disgustingly straight faced as he held the snail up to capture every moment.
“Lean down please, Roci!” Makino ordered sweetly and the Marine Commander obeyed, leaning down carefully as Makino raised her hands to smear sunscreen over the pale skin of his cheeks. Roci hunched a little closer, his cheeks slightly pink, and Sabo made sure to catch every second. “There, that should do it! I won’t have you red like a lobster, not when you have such fair skin!” Makino patted his cheek fondly and the blond rose carefully to his feet. “Now!” Makino took one of his hands and tugged him towards the water.
“They look like an awkward pair of newlyweds,” Garp noted, munching on their picnic lunch. Beside him, Luffy shoved half a sandwich in his mouth.
“Wh’re nelaweds?” Luffy spoke around his food and Garp hummed thoughtfully.
“Married. Like a mama and a—” Garp suddenly froze, staring blankly at the scene before he scowled. “If he keeps this up, he’ll knock Drake outta the running,” Garp muttered. Law sent him a considering look.
“Isn’t that better than Shanks?”
Garp growled, eye twitching, before he rose to his feet and marched towards the water. Law made a startled noise and hurried to follow. “Makino! Let me! He’s my responsibility, and what kinda Marine would I be if I couldn’t teach this fool how to swim?!” Garp splashed forwards and Makino paused where she was knee-high, Roci already looking faint in his three inner tubes and life vest.
“You make a good point, Garp-san,” Makino mused, eyeing the two men and their similar heights. “I’m sure Roci would learn better with someone he trusts and respects so strongly!” Makino clapped her hands together and Ace couldn’t breathe at this point, merely smacking Sabo’s arm and silently begging him to get every second.
When Makino turned to wade back to shore, Garp promptly dunked Roci under with a feral grin.
“Alright, you listen here, bird,” Garp hissed and the News Coo eyed him warily. He’d snatched the bird when he delivered the paper and Garp still held him firmly in his hands. The bird finally nodded. “Now, you know this brat,” Garp began, releasing one hand to pull out Shanks’ wanted poster. The bird narrowed his eyes before he squawked in agreement. “You’re gonna take this,” Garp waved the thick envelope under the bird’s beak, “To him.”
The News Coo struggled to break free but Garp grinned wide and drew him in close. The bird shivered.
“Listen here, that’s an order,” Garp barked and the bird stilled. Then, he began to sweat as Garp was nose to beak and eyeing him like he might try and eat him. “On the authority of Marine Vice Admiral Monkey D. Garp.”
The bird began to silently cry.
“Garp-san, what are you doing?!” The News Coo was saved by small, soft hands and he cuddled into the safety he was granted. “Oh, there there, it’s alright, shhh,” Makino soothed and the bird hiccupped, staring up at her with watery eyes. She pet his head carefully and the bird shot a hard look to Garp, who bared his teeth threateningly. “Garp-san!” Garp turned his head away and whistled. “How could you be so cruel? After all his hard work?”
The News Coo nodded quickly.
“I was just getting him to deliver something,” Garp defended himself and Makino frowned. “The pictures, from the beach! I just got them from Kitter!”
“You mean Ketting,” Makino corrected and Garp paused before he shrugged. “Wait, you got them? Who did you want to send them to?” Makino tilted her head curiously and Garp pulled out five envelopes with a wide grin. “Garp-san, how many copies did you print?”
“One for me, because I demand more pictures of my grandsons, and one for you, obviously,” Garp ticked off on his fingers and Makino nodded along, still absently petting the News Coo. “One for Senny, because there’s some nice ones of his brats.” Makino’s smile widened.
“That’s so thoughtful, thinking of Sengoku-san like that!”
“I thought so! And one for Drake, to remind him what he’s missing,” Garp puffed out his chest in pride and the News Coo eyed him shrewdly. “And then one for the Red Brat.”
“Garp-san, I knew you’d come around!” Makino gushed and the News Coo let out a soft scoff. “Oh, you will, won’t you?” Makino looked down at the bird in her hands and the News Coo baulked, looking first to her bright eyes, then to Garp’s bloodthirsty look.
He quickly nodded.
“Oh, thank you so much! Here, because it’s not fair to ask you to travel for nothing,” Makino slipped out a small coin purse and placed five coins in his coin box. “And, just wait for just a moment before you leave, okay?” The bird nodded hesitantly and Makino let him go to hurry back into the bar. The bird quickly dove for the roof, but large hands caught him and reeled him in. He let out a sad coo.
“Alright, you listen up,” Garp hissed and he resigned himself to his fate. “Two go to Sengoku at Navy Headquarters, got it? They’re labelled, so no mix ups!” The bird nodded sadly as Garp shoved the two under his beak, taking in the letters. ‘SENGOKU’ both read, but under one was ‘X DRAKE’. He nodded. “And this one, this goes to the Red Brat. He’s still lurking around here somewhere, that should probably be your first trip. Got it?” The News Coo nodded once again and sighed heavily. “Atta bird!”
“Ah, for you,” Makino showed him a small bundled pouch and she undid one end to show a neat row of rice balls. “Because you’re doing us such a nice favor!” She carefully settled it in his bag next to the envelopes and several newspapers. “Does it bother you? Can you fly? It’s not too heavy?” Garp obliging let go and he flapped his wings experimentally. He nodded. “Then, ah, just a moment,” Makino slipped open the envelope for Shanks and slid a folded piece of paper inside. “Thank you so much! Safe travels!”
He took off for his newest mission.
“News Coo!” was the loud call as he circled the pirate ship before he swept down to settle on the rail closest to the red-haired pirate captain, who raised a brow at him. He dug through his bag to pull out the envelope with his beak, showing it off, along with the bold ‘SHANKS’ on the front. He shook his head slightly.
“For me? Huh.” Shanks ambled closer, taking the envelope carefully. The News Coo eyed him for a long moment before it scoffed. “Did… did it just judge me?”
“And he definitely disapproved,” Benn answered and Shanks scowled at the bird, who only nodded in agreement. “I wonder what you did to him?”
“I haven’t done anything!” Shanks insisted. His crew snickered behind him. “Oi!”
“Well, what did he bring?” Yasopp asked and Shanks popped open the end of the envelope and grinned at the stack of pictures inside. “Ohohohoho? Something good?”
Shanks tilted the envelope and the stack slid into his waiting hand. He promptly burst into laughter as the first picture on top was Luffy decked out in all his floatation glory, grinning wide while his brothers were collapsed in the background. “DAHAHAHA, LOOK AT LUFFY!” Shanks wailed, flipping the picture to his waiting crew. Those who saw, laughed too.
His crew gathered around, laughing hysterically at every moment captured of the beach day they missed. When Garp made his appearance, several men were downed, slamming their fists to the deck as they tried to breathe. And praises were sung for Makino when they saw a series of three pictures of her first downing the Vice Admiral and then swimming for the water where Luffy flailed. The last of the trio was a close up of Garp’s face and the one directly after that was Makino, the boys curled against her protectively, and her glare absolutely vicious.
Shanks was a little more giddy than usual, holding the photos in a tight grip, his grin wide and beaming and absolutely smitten.
Roci’s getup had them all in hysterics, save Benn, who only snorted softly, and while they were all recovering from that, Shanks had frozen, staring down at the next two photos, grip almost too tight. Benn raised a brow.
“Shanks?”
“Captain, what’s next?” Yasopp asked, breathless and several others echoed his call. Shanks could only stare, eyes wide and pupils dilated, the breath in his lungs still. “C-captain?”
Shanks’ nose began to bleed before he clutched the rest of the photos to his chest and took a large step back.
“Hey, wait a second, show us!” Jaeger protested, eyes narrowed behind his sunglasses, reaching out with gloved hands. “Shanks, you bastard! There’s still more!”
“Yeah, let us see!” Yasopp wheedled and Shanks raised a hand to cover the bottom of his face, blood streaking down his hand.
“Absolutely not,” he hissed and Benn took that moment to pull the rest of the stack from his unguarded left. Shanks growled, eyes narrowed on his First Mate at the utter betrayal. Benn raised a brow before he slid the two pictures into his side pocket and continued on with their viewing. “Benn, give ‘em, those’re mine.”
“Those two, fine, the rest should be shared. We all like those brats,” Benn allowed and Shanks pouted. Roux handed over a tissue and Shanks shoved it against his nose, the white fabric quickly bleeding red. “Ha.” Benn flipped the next of Roci being dunked underwater, Garp deftly trying to drown him. The one after was Law diving at the older man in an effort to save his guardian, Ace and Sabo not far behind.
Several of Luffy’s shenanigans later and the last was the boys sprawled out and around Roci, who seemed tired from the whole ordeal and passed out. Makino was on the edge of the beach blanket and smiling up at the camera, one hand resting gently against Luffy’s head. Garp’s face took up a good portion of the other side of the photo, his smile wide.
And as promised, Benn slipped those forbidden two back to Shanks and he pulled them to his chest protectively, hoarding them from anyone else’s eyes. Benn made to slide them back in their envelope for safe keeping when he saw the folded paper caught on the flap. He pulled it out and flipped it open, only to close it a second later when he saw the swooped handwriting. “Think this is for you too, Shanks,” Benn drawled, folding the paper in half once more and then handing it and the envelope full of pictures over.
“Drake!” Sengoku called from across the training field and Drake paused, blocking the wooden sword aiming for his face. The Marine backed off and they all saluted the Fleet Admiral standing at the edge of the yard.
“Sir!” Drake called back and Sengoku motioned him forward. He obeyed, jogging to where the man stood and saluted. “What can I help you with, Fleet Admiral, sir?”
“Special delivery from Garp,” Sengoku handed over the envelope and Drake took it carefully, a brow raised. “From your… hm.” Sengoku paused and Drake tilted his head. “Well, Garp seems insistent that you’re gonna marry her,” Sengoku mused and Drake choked.
Several voices rose in question and Drake felt the burning stares of the men at his back. “Y-you mean Makino?!”
“Hm, her, yes,” Sengoku nodded and Drake was almost afraid to open it now. “According to Garp, she took the boys to the beach and wanted to make sure you didn’t miss anything.”
“T-that was thoughtful of her…” Drake breathed and Sengoku stared at him. “Sir?”
“Well?”
“…sir?”
“Aren’t you going to open it?” Sengoku prompted and Drake immediately opened the flap. Sengoku tilted to look down at them and Drake numbly shifted so they stood shoulder to shoulder, flipping through the photos. Drake snorted at Luffy’s antics and Sengoku smiled softly any time Roci appeared, but they both paused on the photos of Makino fussing about Roci, decked out in multiple inner tubes and the woman small before him. “Huh. Huh.”
“Sir?”
“You’re not dating her, are you?”
“N-no, Sir!” Drake was quick to deny and Sengoku made a considering noise. Drake flipped to the next photo and it was Makino, a look of surprise on her face, one hand raised to curl a strand of hair behind her ear. The background was a little blurred, so Drake wondered which child was taking the shot.
The next made Drake promptly burst into red and drop the photos with a rather loud noise of alarm.
Makino, hand still raised to her ear, but her other hand reaching out for whoever was operating the camera and a brilliant smile on her face, expression so warm Drake couldn’t help but think about marriage.
(The bikini top and exposed leg from the simple wrap around her waist didn’t hurt anything either.)
Sengoku squawked in surprise and Drake immediately dropped to his knees to gather the fallen pictures.
“Garp, that buffoon!” Sengoku snarled, the next photos still blessedly in a small pile, the top showing Garp trying to drown Roci, inner tubes and all. As Drake hurried to collect them, Sengoku crouched there, sneering down at Garp being attacked by the boys and then Law carefully dragging Roci out of the water by his foot. “At-least Law has common sense,” Sengoku spat and Drake awkwardly shuffled his collected pile, refusing to look up at the other Marines no doubt hovering. “Oh, that’s a nice one. Wish Garp wasn’t in it,” Sengoku mused over the last photo, a group shot of most of them sleeping, save Makino and Garp. “Well, I’ve taken up enough of your time, Drake.” Sengoku patted his shoulder and Drake lurched to his feet, saluting. “Thank you for humoring an old man.”
“Absolutely, Sir!”
“Keep up the good work. No doubt Garp’ll be on you when he gets back, so be prepared for hell.” Sengoku nodded, patted his shoulder once more, then strolled away, leaving Drake with a messy pile of photos and several marines boring holes into his back.
“So, Diez,” the instructor purred and Drake stiffened his back and set his expression to a neutral one. “You’re getting married, I hear? My my.”
“Vice Admiral Garp seems intent I marry one of the local girls, but she and I have both rejected that. I’m here to be a Marine.”
“A good answer, a good answer,” the woman mused, then her eyes steeled. “Back to training!”
“Yes, Ma’am!”
Sengoku sat in his office, door closed and locked (not that that would really stop anyone, but it’s good to dream) and shifting through his own pile of photos, smiling freely in the safety of his office.
He was going to have words with Garp when he returned—he pulled several photos for evidence—but he lingered a little longer on the photos of Roci and the nice bartender he’d met only a few weeks ago. He hadn’t thought much of her then, just that the girl was taking care of Garp’s brats and seemed cheerful despite the hassle, but now.
But now.
Looking down at these pictures, Roci towering over this girl and the soft smile on both of their faces…
Garp’s constant moaning about getting Makino married to a good man, one who’d take care of her, and who better than the up-and-coming X Drake, with a good head on his shoulders and an unwavering sense of justice, despite his father’s actions and abuse, made a little more sense. She seemed like a good girl and from the little he remembered, she had a calm feeling to her—however, she’d protect her own and he pulled those photos so he could laugh at Garp—and the three children under her care were smiling and laughing and even Law looked like he was having fun.
Well. Drake was a good boy, bright and dedicated, but he was nineteen, hardly old enough to consider a wife and children after he’d just enlisted and wasn’t even entirely through basic.
But, Roci, however. Rosinante was a Marine Commander, trained and experienced and older. He’d settled from his youth, settled into his own (they’d work on that clumsiness of his) and after such an extensive mission, he’d deserved this vacation. Sengoku could smudge things a bit, it’s not as though they needed him back right now, and if that gave him time to relax and be happy (Sengoku really only had two photos of Roci tucked away in his office and in both of them, he wasn’t smiling) then Sengoku would allow this.
In fact, Sengoku would whole-heartedly encourage this. If Makino could make him smile, if Makino could get Law to open up, well then.
Sengoku would definitely fight for Roci. Drake was a good man, but Roci was better.
Now, who was it that Garp had mentioned was also fighting for Makino’s hand? A local, wasn’t it? A fisherman?