11: Five Years Later

even with one hand he can still hold and I believe raise a child, and if you look closely the hair is red.

3rd person POV:

"Ow quit it." "Freak." "Loser." "Face it Shanks, your dad's never coming back." "Stop it, Terrance," Melody said. The boys almost hit the girl, but started walking away. "Hmm? Oh hey aunt Lily," Melody said. "There are my two favorite twins, now come on let's head to the bar, I'm sure aunt Ruby's food will make you feel better." "Hey sis you have my straw hat." She put it on his head. "Thanks." "*sigh* You look just like him Junior," Lily said. "Now let's go, each of you take one of my hands." It was a calm and quiet walk until some people started running to the docs. "What's with the running?" Junior ask. Lily looked around . . . Then she saw it. "I'll be god damn, Melody hold your brothers hand, and both of you walk behind me, do not let go do you understand." The children nodded. Lily started walking at a faster pace. "Aunt Lily what's going on?" Junior ask. "They're back haha, they're finally back!"

♥️at the bar♥️

Cleo's POV:

The girls and I were cleaning a few tables. "What's with the crowd outside?" Ruby ask. "Don't know let me . . . Oh my god." Evie was frozen at the window. I went to the back of the bar to see, but then someone came in, and his silhouette was unforgettable. "It's been a long time." And his voice, goosebumps all over my body, I looked up . . . It was him scars and all. "Shanks." "It's good to see you again, my angel." He'd call me than when we're alone, but at this point I didn't care. "Red, it's soo good to see you again, Evie help me bring out the finest alcohol we have," my sister said. "Coming b—"I got out before she could and jumped into Shanks arm. I missed his warmth, the way he'd rub my back, at some point I started crying. "It's alright Cleo I'm . . . Back." "Shanks what is it?" He was looking out the left windows. "I thought I saw a boy who looked like me when I was little." The girls were welcoming back the crew, but giving me signs to tell him. "Shanks we need to sit down." This time our sit down at the table didn't involve food. "Look, Shanks, when you left five years ago I—""You got her pregnant, now this bar has to deal with twins every day." My sister finished my sentence. It was utter silence, no sound but the waves outside. "Is this true, and twins?" "Yess you know I'd never lie to you, and I just wanted one so another just made it hard for me to name," I said. He started laughing. "Shanks this isn't funny." "Haha I know just give me a sec . . . *sigh* you can come back down with the kids, I'd like to meet them." "Alright I will." I stepped out but got congratulated by the crew, especially Yassop.

Shanks POV:

"Well you took that better then expected," Ben said. "Speak for yourself I'm panicking on the inside and I know she is too." Her sister put some booze on the table. "That should calm you down for a bit." "Thanks, any advice?" "Look at them, see the resemblance between you and my sister, talk to them individually—if they wanna talk—then talk to them together, you'll be surprised captain." I sat there drinking and thinking, when I heard the bar doors open. "Put your feet down," Ben whispers. I also hear my crew whisper what my children look like, let's see if that's true. Cleo came in, she sat back down. "Shanks, these are our children, go on introduce yourself, you said you wanted to," she said all that so calmly, she must have been practicing this. They looked at each other as if saying, you go first, eventually the girl—who has my eyes and her mother's hair—went first. "I'm Melody, Daughter of red haired Shanks." The crew claps and whistles. I touched her cheek. "Such a beautiful name for such a beautiful girl." Her cheeks tun pink, next thing I know she runs into my arm and gives me a hug, I return the favor. Cleo is almost crying, save those tears we're halfway done. "You look like the oldest, and you are?" "Shanks named after my father, red haired Shanks, but everyone just calls me Junior." "I see," I adjusted his hat, "well Junior, you look just like me when I was little—minus your mom's eyes—straw hat and all." Cheers and whistles. "I can't believe he let you touch his hat, only me, Melody, and my sister can touch it," Cleo said. "Let me guess . . . It's your treasure." He looks away, "I don't know maybe."

3rd person POV:

The crew is laughing, but the girls are crying because they've waited five years for this day, and it's finally here. "I'm not crying, I'm sweating through my eyes," Aqua said. "Same here girl," Evie said, "And I'm usually ice cold." Shanks wiped Cleo's tears so he could talk. "Cleo, is it alright with you if I take the kids out for a walk, or walk with them individually?" She sat on his lap, ruffling that red haired of his. "I'm not the one you should be asking." "Right . . . Melody, Junior, you wanna go for a walk with your old man?" "You're not that old for an emperor of the sea," Junior said. "Junior just say yes and go walk with your dad," Cleo said. "I call first dibs since I introduced myself first," Melody said.

Cliffhanger😈