Warning: Marine Reader, Childhood Flashbacks, A Little bit of Angst, Shanks was 27 in this fanfic ⊹ ࣪ ˖
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You're the youngest Vice Admiral in Marine history, having achieved this rank at the age of 19 (and now you're 23).
While patrolling the Grand Line, you spotted a pirate ship in the distance. You ordered your subordinates to prepare for action. As you waited for the pirate ship to come within shooting range, you realized it was the Red-Haired Pirates' ship.
As your subordinates fired cannonballs at them, you made eye contact with Shanks, the captain of the Red-Haired Pirates.
Flashback On
It was a lovely evening on Riverside Island. Shanks was tasked with buying supplies alongside Buggy and Gaban. While walking to the nearest market, Shanks noticed a little girl and accidentally made eye contact with her. She smiled, and that smile would remain etched in his memory.
Flashback Off
"That smile... never changes," Shanks murmured.
"Should we shoot 'em, boss?" Lucky Roo asked while munching on his meat.
"No need to use the cannons, boss, I can take them out with just my gun from this distance," Yasopp interrupted.
"No, you don't need to do that. I know someone on that ship," Shanks said, his gaze fixed on you.
"Oh, so our boss is attracted to a Marine now," Yasopp teased.
Shanks chuckled, “It’s not like that. Well, it’s complicated,” he said, looking at you with affection in his eyes.
You've secretly let the Red Haired Pirates go and told your subordinates to retreat. You entered your cabin and sighed; childhood memories of you and Shanks flashed through your mind.
Flashback On
"So your name is (reader's name)?" Shanks asked.
"Yeah, what's your name?" you ask.
"My name is Shanks," He said with a big grin.
Shanks and I always play together while the Roger Pirates docked by, but when the time came for him to sail, we made a promise. The promise was that if we met again in the future, and we're both still single, we would be married.
Flashback Off
To be Continued.. ദ്ദി(˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧
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Author Notes: This was my first fanfic ૮₍ ´ ꒳ `₎ა I hope you enjoy this ദ്ദി(˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧
Started wondering about how Beckmann views/interacts with Mihawk post him stopping dueling Shanks and the fallout around that. Because while I think they'd at least have an neutral-to-mutual-respect relationship during Shanks and Mihawk's dueling years, I think things would be a bit different after that, with Beckmann being protective over Shanks' well-being once Shanks and Mihawk begin to be in real contact again.
(read more because this got a bit out of hand haha)
My personal headcanon is that Mihawk stopped coming around for a good while after they officially stopped dueling. Shanks understood that Mihawk was upset (though not fully why), but he still thought Mihawk would visit. So when he doesn’t… yeah, he doesn’t take it well. The majority of the crew never realizes something’s up, but Beckmann very much bears the brunt of it because the captain is his responsibility. So, once it becomes evident Mihawk may be reconnecting with his captain, Beckmann makes it abundantly clear that Mihawk does not get to waltz back in if he’s just going to leave again and send Shanks spiraling once more.
(Because it isn’t just Shanks spiraling; it’s Shanks fooling everyone else that he’s okay but falling apart in his cabin at night. And it’s Beckmann who’s dragging him out of whatever bottle he’s found and making sure he gets to bed instead of reminiscing and staring out over the waves for someone who won't return. Because Mihawk is the closest thing Shanks has had to a real relationship — and now, a real breakup — and it’s ugly, and awful, and while Mihawk is allowed to leave, Beckmann is the one that chose to stay and do his damndest to put Shanks back together.)
For the record, Beckmann doesn't think Shanks is innocent in all this; he's known him since he was a teenager, and he's incredibly aware of how poor of a communicator he can be. But in this case, Beckmann understands just why he'd give up so much for Luffy and is frustrated that it doesn't seem like Mihawk is even trying to understand. He knows he can't fully wrap his head around the importance of their duels and everything that their complicated, intertwined relationship is, but again, he's the one picking up the pieces here.
So no, Beckmann isn't going to say Mihawk shouldn't stay for a drink. But he is going to make it abundantly clear that his captain has lost enough people already in his life, over and over and over, and Shanks doesn't need yet another ghost to haunt him.
(Mihawk just nods and walks away, not out of disagreement, but because he isn't the type to hold words over actions. And he definitely needs to ruminate over what Beckmann said for a while because he never knew things got that bad. Beckmann and him might not be best friends, but he does respect Beckmann's place as Shanks' first mate and his duty to protect him.)
I do think things would slowly improve as Shanks and Mihawk repair their relationship, so this isn't a super angsty headcanon. But I would say there'd eventually be a sentiment of "you earned your second chance after all" versus "you defend him better than anyone else could" — though they'd never say it out loud or that directly, haha.
TL;DR I really love captain and first mate dynamics and how those interact with other relationships. : )
Aaaaaaand here’s the other commission you ordered from me, @starblazer124! Enjoy <3
A- Activities: How do they spend their time with their s/o?
Benn’s a fairly laid-back guy (pirate shenanigans aside), so he really doesn’t mind how he spends his time with his s/o as long as his s/o is happy; whatever they like to do, he likes to do. If his s/o insists that he choose the activity, however, he’ll generally opt for a relaxing option. He loves to just lounge around and cuddle with his s/o while reading the newspaper, or watch the sunset in comfortable silence, or enjoy a nice, romantic dinner together. Benn gets enough excitement with his hot-blooded captain and crew, so he truly cherishes the calm moments that he can get with his s/o.
B- Body: What does this character appreciate about their s/o? What part of their body are they most proud of, and in reverse, what body part are they ashamed of and how do they respond to their s/o gushing over it?
Benn’s a playboy; that’s no secret. And when he eventually settles for one person in particular, that history translates into what he finds attractive about his partner. Meaning he finds everything about them attractive. If his s/o thinks that they have a physical flaw, well, they won’t for very long after getting with Benn. He lays the compliments on thick, and he means every word, too. Seriously, this man will find a way to make toenails seem sexy. It’s honestly kind of an art form.
Benn enjoys someone gushing over his physique or another aspect of his appearance, and he’ll play along; but, to be honest, he really doesn’t think much about it. He believes himself attractive and that’s really about it. If his s/o gushes about a physical trait that they like about him, he doesn’t get flustered. In fact, he just sees it as an invitation to start shamelessly flirting!
C- Cuddles: Is this character a cuddler? What is their favorite way to cuddle?
Benn doesn’t realize the joy of cuddling until he settles down with a single partner. With others, he just did it for the sake of playing the field; but, with his s/o, he honestly starts to enjoy it. His favorite way to cuddle is in bed with his partner in his arms, facing him. He loves the intimacy, and unlike with spooning, it’s way easier to surprise ‘em with some smooches!
D- Dreams: How do they picture their future with their s/o?
Like most everyone else in the crew, Benn’s dream is to realize his captain’s dream; until he meets his s/o, he really doesn’t put much thought into what comes after that. However, as he begins to get more with serious with a partner, he considers that it might be nice to settle down on some tropical island and live out his days lazing in a hammock sipping drinks out of coconut shells—with his partner at his side, of course.
E- Equivalence: Is this character the dominant force in the relationship, are they passive, or is the relationship more or less even?
As I said before, Benn’s one of the most level-headed guys in the Red-Haired Pirates—but he’s not exactly passive. It really depends on the partner’s personality, how the dynamics of the relationship play out; that being said, Benn is certainly one to be mindful of his partner’s agency and certainly isn’t controlling. He’s always willing to discuss things with his partner, and he would never dream of making a decision on their behalf without consulting them first.
F- Fights: How does this character respond to arguments with their s/o? What would they fight about, and who would cave and apologize first?
Everybody gets frustrated, and Benn is no exception. If there is a disagreement between him and his s/o, he’s not immune to getting caught up in the heat of things. He does his best, though, to not raise his voice, and he’s not the type to get violent with them or the environment. He’s got a handle on his emotions, and if he feels like he’s getting too heated, he’ll exit the argument to cool off. It doesn’t take him long, and he’s able to revisit the topic of contention with a clear head so that he can gather his thoughts. If he realizes that he’s in the wrong, then he’ll apologize immediately. If he still believes that he’s in the right, then he’ll approach the conversation with tact and calmly talk things out with his partner (though he’ll still usually apologize for things escalating to an argument).
G- Gratitude: How does this character show their s/o that they are grateful?
Benn is a believer in solid communication, and so he’ll just tell his partner outright! He’ll usually accompany it with a gift of some sort, though. Words are great and all, but they’re best when coupled with actions, in his opinion. Plus, there’s is no greater gift to him than seeing his partner’s face light up with a happy smile at his lovely words and thoughtful presents.
H- Honeymoon: If this character had a honeymoon with their s/o, where would they go?
A remote island where nowhere will bother them—that’s Benn’s ideal honeymoon! It doesn’t have to be anything fancy at all. All he desires is some peace and quiet so he and his s/o can bask in their love and new life together. That being said, if his s/o has their heart set on a particular honeymoon destination, then Benn will gladly oblige. He cares far more about their happiness than anything.
I- Insecurity: What is this character insecure about? How do they deal with their insecurities with their s/o?
Once Benn enters a serious relationship, he worries that his womanizing history will result in trust issues on his partner’s side. He doesn’t come right out with that, at first, instead doing everything he can to reassure his partner that he has eyes for them and them only. If his partner ever does try to get to the bottom of his insecurity, though, he’ll be honest about it and reiterate how invested he is in the relationship. The last thing he wants is his partner to doubt his devotion to them just because of the things he got up to in the past.
J- Jealousy: Is this character the jealous type? How do they deal with being jealous?
It honestly depends on his partner’s personality. If he is convinced that his partner can take care of themselves, then Benn doesn’t get jealous, even if someone is flirting openly with his partner. He trusts them to handle it, and he’ll intervene only if it’s obviously necessary. If his partner is very passive or naïve, then it’s a different story. It’s not really that he gets jealous, though; he just gets far more protective.
K- Kiss: What does the character want their first kiss to be like with their s/o? How does it end up happening?
Benn doesn’t really think much about planning the “perfect” first kiss. He’s been around the block, and he believes that these things just happen when the time is right. He is definitely the type to kiss on the first date, though, so he most likely just plants one on his s/o when the moment speaks to him!
L- Love Confession: How does this character first profess their love to their s/o?
Love is a whole new territory for Benn. He’s had plenty of flings, but he’s never gotten bit by the love bug until his s/o. He’s far more obsessed with finding the right moment with his confession than he is with things like their first kiss; he plans the perfect romantic date and gets a whole speech together. It would be very romantic, honestly, if the crew hadn’t caught on to him catching feelings and all tagged along to spy on Benn trying to confess. A rowdy group of pirates is not exactly conspicuous.
M- Marriage: How does this character view marriage? What is their ideal wedding like?
Benn, for the longest time, maintains that he’ll never get married. Having strings attached really isn’t his style, and he likes his lascivious lifestyle. Once he gets into a serious relationship, however, he reconsiders the idea. He begins to fancy making that lifetime promise to his s/o; after all, he genuinely doesn’t want anyone else. If his partner desires a ring and a wedding and a commitment, then Benn is more than happy to give it.
Ideally, he’d like to just get married at a courthouse somewhere and be done with it, but he knows that’s not going to happen. The crew would be so depressed at the lack of a party. And, if his partner desires a ceremony and reception and the whole shabang, he certainly won’t deny them that. He really doesn’t care how it happens as long as he can meet his partner at the altar and exchange vows.
N- Nicknames: What does this character like to call their s/o?
Benn’s not creative with his pet names. “Honey,” “sugar,” and “sweetheart” are his particular go-to’s, but he throws around a fair number of them.
O- On Cloud Nine: What is this character like when they’re in love? Is it obvious to others, or are they good at hiding it?
It might be the first time that Benn’s bitten by the lovebug when he gets involved with his s/o, but he’s not some bungling teenager. He can disguise it quite well. It’s only when he’s really head-over-heels that his crew picks up on it. Then, of course, the cat’s out of the bag; there’s no way it’ll be a secret, not with the Red-Haired Pirates!
P- PDA: Does this character like PDA? If so, what kinds of things do they do in public to show off their s/o?
Benn’s not overbearing with his PDA, but he doesn’t mind it. He like having an arm around his partner’s shoulders or middle, and he’ll drop kisses on the cheek, forehead, hair, etc. fairly often. If he’s a little tipsy or in an exceptionally good mood, he’ll let his partner sit on his lap. Other than that, he prefers for the steamier interactions to be in private. Honestly, it’s mostly because he doesn’t want to hear the crew ragging him about it.
Q- Quirks: What random traits or quirks does this character have that positively affect the relationship?
Benn’s very observant (even without Haki!). He definitely picks up on little things about his s/o and commits them to memory for later use. If his s/o is eyeing something in a store, Benn will buy it, often times without his partner knowing so he can surprise them with it. It doesn’t take him long to know all his partner’s favorites. He quickly gets a handle on their moods and thought processes, so there’s no hiding anything from him; he can instantly tell when they’re upset or bothered.
R- Romance: Is this character a hopeless romantic, or a bit on the low-key side? Are they cliché when it comes to romantic gestures, or can they get a little bit creative?
Benn tends to swing back and forth. Most of the time, he’s more on the low-key side; he’s not the most emotive or expressive guy, preferring tried-and-true romantic gestures to convey his feelings. Sometimes, however, he gets a little more overwhelmed by his feelings for his partner. He has rare moments where he really lets his walls down and just swoons! He’ll definitely plan some more extravagant gestures, and they’re heart-throbbingly romantic! <3
S- Secrets: Are there any secrets they hide from their s/o? If so, how do they deal with it when those secrets finally come out?
Benn doesn’t really keep secrets, no. It’s not really his style to do so in a serious relationship. He believes that communication is key, and so, if he believes that it is something that his partner should know (even if he might not necessarily want them to), then he’s going to be up-front about it.
T- Thrill: Does this character prefer routine in their relationship, or do they like to shake things up every once in a while?
Benn’s undoubtedly a thrillseeker; he’s a pirate! When it comes to his relationship, however, he definitely prefers to be more grounded in routine. It’s a comfort to him, having something steady in such an unpredictable lifestyle. Having little routines with his partner, things they do every day, motivates him. That being said, Benn knows that variety is the spice of life, and so he’ll go for a little spontaneity when the mood strikes him. He’s also not afraid to take advantage of good opportunities to make his partner happy when they come along.
U- Understanding: Is this character level-headed and empathetic toward their partner, or do they sometimes have trouble figuring them out, which leads to some butting heads?
As I said before, Benn is very observant, and so he very quickly gets an understanding of how his partner operates. Therefore, it’s easy for him to be level-headed and empathetic toward his partner since he knows intimately how they think.
V- Value: How does this character value their relationship with their s/o? How does it hold in comparison to their goals, ambitions, etc.?
Getting into a relationship with Benn means accepting his desire to see Shanks acquire the One Piece. That’s his captain and his best friend, after all; they’ve been together for a very long time, and so, it’s not easy for Benn to place something else about realizing Shanks’ ambitions. However, as the relationship with his partner grows more serious, Benn does consider more and more how certain decisions and actions could jeopardize it. It may not be more important than his goal, but it certainly changes how he approaches certain things; he takes extra care to make sure that he always comes home to his partner at the end of the day.
W- Wild Card: Any random fluff headcanon that does not fall within the other categories!
Benn loves to slow-dance with his partner. It is the height of romance to him. Any opportunity to dance with his partner, he’s gonna take. Sometimes, he gets a musically-inclined member of the crew to play romantic music so that he can dance with his s/o! He’s quite good at it, too, to the point that he knows several ballroom dances. One has to wonder where he picked that up.
X- XOXO: How does this character show affection?
Benn’s pretty versatile in the ways that he shows affection, but if one love language had to predominate, it’s words of affirmation. This guy’s years of philandering gifted him quite the silver tongue. He just loves complimenting his s/o and making them feel good, loves reassuring them or comforting them after a long day or a conflict or a fight, loves that he can be honest and open about his feelings with them and only them. Again, though, he believes words are best coupled with actions, so it’s usually paired with some other form of showing his affection depending on what the situation may call for.
Y- Yearning: How does this character deal with time apart with their s/o?
Benn’s mature, and so he can handle absence just fine. Depending on what it entails, he might worry a bit, but never to the point of doing anything rash. That being said, if the absence is extended, he won’t deny that he’s lonely without his s/o. They’re an irreplaceable facet of his life, after all, and he can’t ignore that a part of his life is missing forever. So, he’ll be very happy when his s/o returns, and he’ll certainly show how much he missed them and appreciates that they’re back!
Z- Zeal: Is this character willing to great lengths for their relationship? If so, how far, and how long does it take to get to this point?
Benn takes a while to fall in love, and therefore, it takes him a while to consider this relationship unlike anything he’s had before. Once he realizes that he’s in deep, though, he begins to consider the lengths that he is willing to go for this relationship. At first, he still very much considers his relationship secondary to his ambitions to realize Shanks’ dream. With time, however, his ambitions and his relationship begin to enmesh in importance. He won’t give up on that goal, but he’s a lot more careful about how he goes about realizing it, being a little less reckless on his part. It becomes important to him that his s/o can share in the realization of their longtime goal, and that there is something he can look forward to after.
Interested in commissioning a fluff alphabet? See this post for details!
Warning there can be spoilers for the one piece film
Am i the only one who thinks the did to much like i don’t really like how shanks backstory was build. Because know we know he is something special and it was his destiny to be like how he is now I would have prefer it when he was a pirate who was a cabin boy and trained so hard from being a normal boy to a powerful yonkou
Give me a character and I’ll tell you why I won’t date them.
@missbeckman asked my about Benn in the comments so BAM!
-Similarly to Koby, (who Levy just asked about) we don’t know very much about him. All I have is the fanon interpretation.
-Based on that though since we know extremely little about him, is that Benn is too serious and quiet. I don’t mind those things, but have a really fun ✨anxiety disorder✨ so sitting in complete silence with him for too long would be stressful, especially early on in a relationship.
-There just doesn’t seem like we could have a meaningful conversation without me feeling like I annoy him. I wish we had more perspective on him, so I could confirm these suspicions. We’ll just have to wait and see.
Hello! can i ask for quote 10 in a forest for Benn Beckman please? thank you very much !
Of course you can! It’s nice to see a request for Benn come in UwU Enjoy!
You sighed happily as you tightened your hold on Benn’s hand. His hand tightened around yours in return. He looked your way and smiled at you, and you responded with a smile of your own. It was a nice, sunny day and the temperature was perfect for a walk through the forest. The trees blocked most of the sun, causing the forest to be rather cool. A light breeze caused your hair to fall in front of your face. Before you could do anything to put it back in its place, Benn’s hand was already moving it for you. You smiled and pressed a quick kiss to his hand as a thank you.
The two of you continued to walk in a comfortable silence, fingers still intertwined. As you walked, you couldn’t help but think of the man walking next to you. Benn was a strong, honest man. He treated you like you were a princess and you always felt safe with him. There were many reasons why you loved the man next to you.
“Hey Benn?”
“Yes, love?”
“What do you like about me?”
Benn looked over at you, a mix of love and concern visible in his eyes.
“My dear, what is there not to like about you? You’re beautiful both inside and out. I like how clear your eyes are, I like the way your hand feels in mine, your smile never fails to make my heart skip a beat. I like the way you look when you’re helping someone. I like how passionate you are about the things you like. I like how you defend the things and people you care about.”
He smiled throughout his explanation and rubbed his thumb over the back of your hand. You looked down at the ground, a little embarrassed.
“You are more than you think of yourself. You’re everything to me.”
“I… thank you. I love you, you know. A whole lot.” You said, still looking at your feet.
“Love, look at me.”
You looked up from your feet and into Benn’s eyes. He stopped walking and put the hand that was not holding yours on your cheek.
“I love you too. And don’t you ever forget it, ok?”
You whispered out an ‘ok’ before Benn leaned in and connected his lips to yours. The kiss was soft and sweet, full of his love for you. You moved your lips with his, pouring all your love for him into the kiss. The only sounds you heard were the rustling of the leaves around you and the sound of your own heartbeat in your ears. Benn broke the kiss and pressed his forehead to yours, looking you into your eyes for a few seconds before moving back and placing a kiss on your forehead.
“Shall we continue?”
“Yes.”
Benn smiled at you once more before he focussed his gaze back on the road in front of you.
