onepieceyaoi100 | Poor, poor Ben

Title: Bait
Pairing: Shanks + Ben
Word Count: 300
Rating: G

“One day your crazy schemes are going to be the death of me.”

“Awww, come on, it’s not that bad.”

“Three hours. Three whole hours before I could get away. That girl had to weigh as much as Lucky Roo, and she had none of his grace. I don’t know that I can walk again….I think I hate you.”

“You don’t hate me.”

“No, I think I do. You know I hate dancing, and you abandoned me to that harpy’s none-too-tender mercies.”

“It was for a good cause Ben. We got the necessary maps and supplies.”

“Hmmm, and I’m sure you didn’t stop off at a bar after you were done.”

“We~ell, maybe just for a few minutes.”

“I knew it! You used me and left me to suffer. I DO hate you right now.”

At that, Shanks decided he couldn’t wait outside any longer.

“I’m comin’ in, like it or not.”

Ben was gone from the Mayor’s house when Shanks had returned from his ‘errands.’ A bit of thievery never hurt when used against wealthy idiots, especially when it was for a good purpose. The mayor’s overweight daughter had been smitten with Ben, demanding he stay and attend her party. It had been the perfect distraction, and Shanks had insisted that Ben remain. It seemed the order was going to cost him.

Opening the door to his cabin, Shanks walked in to see Ben slumped forward in the single chair, feet in a basin of still-steaming water. The captain sat down on the floor, lifting a foot from the tub. It was visibly bruised, toes swollen and blisters on the instep. Very, very gently he began to rub his thumb into the rough sole. At that, Ben groaned softly.

“Keep it up, and I MIGHT decide to forgive you.”