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Gaban lifted his eyes up from the maps and reports charting the next course and fixing the fuck ups in said reports as he heard several crashes, swears and his son's rambunctious giggles from below. It was Shanks’ bathtime and so far the kid has escaped every single one of his uncles and Roger, despising bathtime.
“Seems Yui couldn’t in fact wrangle a toddler.” Gaban chuckled, glancing at Mugen and Bell.
“He’s a slippery little fuck.” Bell huffed rolling his eyes at the chorused ‘ language’ from both men before he was cackling at their own disgruntled faces for having said Rayleigh’s regular admonishment out loud.
Gaban groaned and slumped over the table. “I used to be fun, I used to be the one to party and yet here I am… a father and sounding so very much like my husband.”
“Yet you wouldn’t change it for the world.” Mugen chuckled, patting his brother on the back. “Though, you better wrangle your kid before our first mate gets back and save yourself another lecture, it’s bad enough Cap went off by himself.”
“Do not remind me.” Gaban drawled as he opened the door, arm shooting out lightning quick and yanking his very naked and soaking wet five year old up into his arms.
“DA NO!” Shanks yelled, squirming. “NO BATH! IT PLAY TIME!”
“Gol-Silvers Shanks, you know very well that you need a bath.” Gaban stated firmly, looking to the sky exasperated and in despair. “Now, you and I are going to take a bath before your pops gets home and saves us both the lecture.”
“But Daaaaa!” Shanks whined. “No bath!”
“But Shaaaanks , if you’re all stinky the Sea Kings might mistake you for bait!” Gaban whined back as he made his way back to the bathroom.
“If that was true then Uncle Bluma woulda been ate ages ago!” Shanks said wriggling harder.
“Sea Kings don’t like stinky old man snacks. Kids are more juicy.” Gaban said easily. “You don’t want a sea king to swallow you down, do you?”
“Pai and Pops would save me!” Shanks huffed, crossing his arms.
“Oh I don't know, you know how much your Pai eats. He may just eat the sea king with you in it.” Gaban hummed, tickling his son's side.
Shanks blinked up at him with panicked tears. “Bath! Pai can't eat me! Da, I don’ wan’ Pai to eat me!”
“Well then you need a bath, if you hurry and get clean then perhaps your old Da will convince your Pai to not eat you!” Gaban teased, plopping said son into the bath.
“Fine!” Shanks huffed, submitting to the gentle but thorough scrubbing of his skin and hair. “But I’m p’ayin’ ‘gain after .”
“Of course, of course.” Gaban chuckled as he carefully lathered up his son’s blood red hair.
Gaban knew full well that by the time he rinsed Shanks’ hair the combination of warm water and head scritches would have his son a boneless puddle in his arms. It was their go to method to get him to bed when he was being extra rambunctious and refused to tire from his normal chores, after all. Which, as expected, for all his earlier escape and naked streak around the ship riled him back up, Shanks was soon blinking blearily at him and snuggling closer as Gaban bundled his little body in probably the fluffiest towel to ever exist on the ship.
“Sleepy little pirate.” Gaban huffed in amusement as he navigated the halls to Shanks’ room right next to the cabin he shared with his husbands. “Let’s get you in some Jammies, yes?”
“Don’ wanna!” Shanks whined. “Not ‘eepy, Da, no ‘eeps!”
“Not sleepy? But what if your Da is? I thought you liked Da cuddles?” Gaban asked with a gasp, gently rocking Shanks. Even at five their little Red still slept like a rock if it was Gaban who put him to bed, a thing that Roger and Rayleigh still pouted over. “What if I want some Red cuddles so I'm not lonely.”
Shanks stared up at him with sleepy eyes. “Oh, I can cuddle with Da!”
Gaban chuckled though came to a complete halt when he felt his husband come back on board, both of them and someone new. He held Red closer as he detoured to the top of the ship, wrapping the towel around Shanks tighter to protect him from the chilly air. His eyes landed on Roger first who looked bewildered and then to Rayleigh who was holding the hand of a small filthy child with knotted bright blue hair and a vibrant red nose.
“Huh,” Gaban murmured staring at the kid who was half hidden behind Rayleigh's leg and staring at Red. “Roger, did Rayleigh bring home a child?”
“It would seem so.” Roger hummed. “Looks like he's only a bit older than our little Red.”
“Never letting him live this down?” Gaban hummed, ignoring Rayleigh’s exasperated groan.
“Not on his life.” Roger said in immediate agreement.
“Right. Alright. You take Red and get him ready for bed and I’ll help Leigh get our new street brat cleaned up and in clothes that don’t smell like a dumpster.” Gaban hummed pressing Shanks into Roger’s arms oblivious to the quick anger overriding all the anxiety that had kept their new blue haired child silent.
“Sorry for needing to eat, asshole! ” The kid hissed. “Food ain’t cheap when you gots no one to help!”
“ Kid , language .” Rayleigh sighed, cursing his loud mouth husband mentally.
“ Standard. ” That kid sassed back.
“Oh, I see it now.” Gaban chuckled. “Sassy. Come on kid, let's get you clean and fed, Rayleigh’s claimed you, so you're ours now.”
The Blue hair child scowled. “I ain't goin’ nowhere. I ain't some… some… toy you can…”
Gaban scowled and squatted before the kid, staring at him hard, noticing all the others behind him tensing, could feel both his husband's fury. “Nothing like that will happen on this ship, if it does, you tell me, my captain there or Rayleigh here immediately and I'll gut anyone who touched you.”
“You're ours now, you're safe here.” Roger said just as serious. “And if you want, you'll be family, you'll have a brother with Red here.”
“Ya think I ain’t been promised family before?!” The kid hissed. “It took me a year and stowin’ away on a merchant ship to get away from those bastards . Calling me son don’t mean you won’t do the same shit! I ain’t smart but I ain’t dumb enough to make the same mistake twice neither.”
“Do you remember their names by chance?” Rayleigh asked his casual tone hiding the anger brewing in his gut.
That kind of violence was despicable in general but to harm a child? None of the Roger pirates tolerated that. Seas, he said it took a year just to escape and if they were guessing his age right then the boy couldn't be too far past six years of age. That meant some sick fuck had been hurting this little boy when he was only four if he’d been old enough to think to escape.
Shanks decided that his time being patient was done. “Pai, Pai, down! Play time! Da said I had to be clean, I clean now! Down! Play!”
Roger cursed silently as Red wriggled free from his arms and ran right towards the new kid, dodging Gaban before coming to a stop, towel draped awkwardly around him like a tiny shawl and cloak.
“You need bath before play! Stinky sea king bait!” Red said seriously, trying for all his worth to mimic Rayleigh’s glare. “Da says the sea kings love stinky kids and Pai loves ta eat sea kings so if ya stay stinky then the sea kings will gobble ya right up and Pai might eat it not knowing you’re in its belly!”
Gaban had to bite his lip hard to stop the laugh at the offended look on the Blue kid’s face or the fact that Shanks looked like a mini Rayleigh. Though it took all his will power not to laugh at the offended look on his Captain's face or the bewildered one on Rayleigh.
Swallowing, he set his face into a stern mask. “That's right, stinky kids are sea kings' favourite and Captain loves eating them. If you're lucky I could be persuaded to add bubbles.”
Red cheered as he snatched the kids hand and basically dragged the kid towards the bathing room, leaving everyone on deck in silence long enough for the door to close before laughing. Gaban gasped and wheezed, tears in his eyes.
“Is that how you get the kid to bathe!?” Many of his brothers asked while Roger pouted.
“I wouldn't eat our kid!” He continued to pout, tilting his straw hat back.
Gaban shot Roger a look. “Of everything that's what you're going to complain about? Rayleigh came home with a kid, Ro-chan . We got another son.”
“The kid pickpocketed me, snuck right on up, didn't even realise till he tripped.” Rayleigh said in lieu of defending himself.
“Of course you would find and decide to adopt a sneaky little shit.” Gaban groaned, ignoring Rayleigh's groaned out ‘ language’ just like he always did. “I’m not against keeping the little brat but Red is entering his pranking phase and a thieving street rat is only going to add to that.”
“Bah, it'll be fine!” Roger laughed as Gaban sighed and made his way inside before pausing.
“Actually, I did my Da duties tonight. Rayleigh, your turn, he trusts you so you can go supervise better be quick or the bathroom will be just bubbles again.” Gaban chuckled. “Taro, you think you can cook up some grub for the new brat, something hearty but easy on the stomach.”
“Can do Gab, Cap brought back some venison. I'll make some bone broth stew.” Taro stated as he dropped from the rigging.
Rayleigh bolted towards the bathroom cursing and Gaban couldn't help himself. “ LANGAUGE!”
“SUCK A COCK! ” Rayleigh snarled back too far to hear Gaban’s response but nowhere near far enough to miss his laughter.
“Roger, we're gonna have to talk about this later.” Gaban murmured softly when he went to follow. “Find out who that kid is, if he has someone and who he spoke about.”
“He said he stowed away on a merchant ship. There’s no telling how far he is from his home island now.” Roger said softly. “He would have been five at the most but he never said if he got off on the ship's very next stop. He very well could have been born on one of the first islands in Paradise or even the Calm belt if it was a Marine trading vessel he stowed away on. I’m not against looking but should we really get his hopes up for someone he clearly doesn’t remember and possibly sold him into that situation to begin with.”
“Still my Heart, we need to talk to the kid about it still, it's his right to choose or not.” Gaban whispered before pressing a kiss to his husband's cheek and shoving the hat down. “Now go make sure our husband is dry.”
When Roger vanished Gaban groaned long and loud, much to the amusement of all his brothers left on deck. “And Leigh calls us dramatic, he went out to buy supplies and came back with a child. ”
“First Captain with Red in a treasure chest, now Leigh with a brat from the streets… careful Scop, you'll be next.” Marx chuckled loudly, slapping the man on the back.
“Oh fuck off, I love kids and my son but I aint gonna drag one home.” Gaban grumbled. “Alright, the Captain and First Mate are busy, get your asses into gear, we sail out within the hour!”
“Yer not me mudder!” Bluemarine sassed drunkenly just to get kissed lovingly in the back of his head by the backside of Gaban’s axe. How he was soused when they haven’t even been docked a full two hours Gaban didn’t know nor did he want to.
“Would anyone else like to join our shipwright in the Dumbass Club?” Gaban asked as he strode towards Bluemarine’s sprawled out form to collect his thrown axe.
“Yer still not me mudder, but fuck if ye don’ hit just as hard.” Bluemarine grumbled as he stayed face down on the deck. “What’d ye hafta go and hi’ me widya axe fer?
Gaban accidentally on purpose stepped on him when he moved to help the crew himself. By the time he was finished helping the boys with the lines and setting sail, he was exhausted.
“Blue, you're on cleaning duties for a week! Get your drunk ass up and get to it!” Gaban snapped down at the still sprawled out man. “Bell is in charge, Yamon is on first watch with Spencer.”
Gaban sighed and stretched as he made his way down towards their cabin, peaking into the bathing area with a snort at seeing the bubbles and the mess. Ah well that's Bluemarine’s job to clean . Though, he really dreaded what was to come, especially when he came to a stop at his old room they converted for Shanks.
“ I said don’t fucking touch him !” The snarled words from the quickly becoming familiar voice had Gaban busting through the door with no hesitation. He may not know the kid but he’d given his word to protect him and meant it. That didn’t mean he didn’t stop short at Rayleigh standing calmly with his hands up despite the grief and rage in his voice. Roger he could feel was in their cabin just as mad.
Gaban turned towards the kid his husband brought on standing wrapped in a towel with Shanks huddled confused behind him shivering slightly.
“Easy, loves.” Gaban said softly gently tugging Rayleigh a little further away as well as to the side where neither of their bodies blocked the open door. “Red, kiddo, you wanna fill Da in on what happened?”
“We… we took another baf and I helped him get clean. He… he made pops turn around before he let me out the water for our towels though and wouldn’t let pops carry us either. When we got here ta put on jammies pops went ta take my towel ta dry my hair like always and he started yelling and saying bad words at pops and pulled me way from ‘im. Then you came in.” Shanks explained and Gaban felt the rage explode in him.
He paused, catching the flinch from the blue haired kid and a subtle press of his fingers to his head before yanking his hand away. Gaban remembered when he was younger, the headaches he got from unlocking his observation to begin his guard training. That alone was bad enough but unlocking it this young? How painful must it be for this kid with no understanding and for survival.
“Alright. Kid, I told you that nothing like that will happen hear, focus on me and you'll see im telling the truth.” Gaban said firmly, soft still. “Now, Leigh and I can turn around while you change but my little Red there is spoilt, he likes Leigh's little fussing and head scritches, has since we found him in a treasure chest.”
“Pops! Tell Da stop em'arasing me in fron’ of new friend!” Shanks whined.
Rayleigh tapped the back of his head lightly and Gaban being the dramatic shit he was, fell over completely in a sprawl to his son’s giggles. “‘m hit! Oh! I’m hit, Red! Tell your Pai I love ‘im your Dragon Pops has finally done me in!”
“Da, no!” Shanks giggled rushing out from behind the street rat to jump full force onto Gaban where he was still flopping around on the floor in his “death throes”. “No die! I protect you!”
“ Without your Jammie armor?! ” Gaban gasped scandalized. “No, Red, you have to have your pajama armor to fight the mean old Dragon Pops.”
“ Oof—- You’re older than me, you drama Queen!” Rayleigh spluttered around the damp towel that Shanks flung into his face as he scampered to the dresser to whip out his pajamas.
“Put your armor on quick, Red! Dragon Pops is comin to finish me off!” Gaban cried out dramatically.
“NOOOOO! I PROTECT!” shanks yelled as he threw on random clothes, inside out and backwards, grabbing his little sword.
Gaban grunted as his son jumped on his stomach, brandishing his sword at Rayleigh with a fierce little scowl that was all Roger. He turned his head slowly, still bemoaning his death to stare at the bewildered street kid in the corner watching them.
“Gah!” Rayleigh dramatically moaned as Shanks stabbed at him, slashing in a way that was all Rayleigh and Roger. “Nooo, I have been beaten!”
“Bahahaha, I protected you Da!” Shanks cackled missing the breathless grunts from Gaban as he literally jumped up and down on Gaban’s stomach.
“ Oof— I saw, Red. Good job!” Gaban huffed. “But I got bad news for you. You attracted Mother Hen putting your clothes on all wrong now he’s coming after you to fix it!”
“One day, Ga-chan, one day I’m going to actually kill you.” Rayleigh deadpanned as he lightly snatched Shanks up into the air and carried him over to the dresser to find something to make a proper match from the patchwork outfit his son had thrown together as well as laying out something for his new child while he was at it.
Gaban just grinned cheekily at him. “You love me too much, remember Leigh, you and Roger married me. I'm one of your life choices.”
“That may be so, but it's one I question every day, even more so when our IDIOT HUSBAND runs off and causes chaos.” Rayleigh said, raising his voice loud enough for Roger to hear.
In a blink there was a knock at the door and Roger was peaking in, a pout forming on his face when he sees Gaban on the ground in a sprawl, a toy sword on his chest. “Awww you played dragons without me?”
Rayleigh shot a look over his shoulder, ignoring the way the child he rescued snatched the clothes. “Well if someone didn't run like a chicken when the boys got splashy you would have been included. But alas. There you go my little dragon slayer.”
“Alright boys finish getting dressed then it’s dinner and bed.” Gaban said, groaning as he hauled himself off the floor. “We’ll be setting sail here in a few minutes.”
“And you call me old.” Rayleigh chuckled though there was worry in his eyes, one that's there every time Gaban makes a real groan of pain or discomfort ever since the mountain. “At least I don't creak like an old ship getting up.”
“Bah,” Gaban waved off his husbands, especially seeing Roger's own worried look. “Stop fussin’ wife, I'm just creaky from riggin’, Blue was drunk off his ass. This being a winter island ain’t helping shouldn’t be getting this chilly in summer .”
“ Wife?!” Rayleigh yelped even as he leaned into and gladly returned the gentle kiss Gaban gave him. “Also how is Bluemarine drunk? The ship was out and we were only here for two hours so that I could order more booze and supplies and have it delivered.”
“No clue. Didn’t ask. I knew the boys would go drink since we’d been two weeks dry. I just didn’t expect any of them to have the time to get soused.” Gaban shrugged, carefully glancing over to see if their new kid had managed to get dressed after all of Gaban’s distractions.
“Ewwwwww…” Shanks’ little disgusted voice filled the air, shoving himself between the two. “No kissing! Gross!”
“Gross! Gross? Are you hearing our son Ro-chan!?” Gaban gasped out as he fell back dramatically in his husband's arms, peaking a little to see Blue slowly scamper forward. “Our son called us gross, maybe I need another kiss to feel better!”
“Of course, Paixão!” Roger laughed tugging Gaban even closer to give him a chaste kiss.
Gaban hummed and sighed sadly. “No that didn't make me feel better, ahh little Red, you wound your old Da, I swear it was just yesterday you were demanding your own.”
It was, their Shanks was a jealous little shit had been since he was a baby, always demanding his own affection from all three of them. Had bodily thrown himself at Roger demanding cuddles and his own eskimo kiss, it seemed he was trying to be cool in front of the new kid.
“I'm a big boy now! I slay dragons!” Red roared bravely while he scampered up the new kid. “Blue! Did you see me slay the dragon?”
“… yes?” He answered hesitantly. “You… you did good? Why… why are you calling me Blue? Isn’t that one of your ‘uncle’s’ name?”
“Uncle Bluma?” Shanks asked with a head tilt before shaking his head. “Eh, you’re prettier! I’ll call you Blue until you tell me your name! Cause your hair is pretty and it’s Blue so now you’re Blue!”
“I… I don’t have a name.” Blue whispered trying not to flinch at being called pretty as he looked away fighting down the tears he felt pricking at his eyes. He couldn’t cry, it got him beaten or worse they’d enjoy it and beat him to make him cry. Instead he backed up further toward the corner. The men were big… the door was blocked by the third one but if he was quick he could slip far under the bed out of their reach. “Never… never did. I don’t think so anyway? They called me pet or… you don’t need to know those words. I just don’t have a name, okay? ”
Roger's heart ached at that, his entire being sagging with it as he sat down to be the same height as the Kid. “You know Shanks here didn't have a name either, we called him Red cause of his hair colour. Then, well, something happened and this wee thing kept shanking me a toy sword, we named him Shanks.”
“If you want and only with your permission, we can call you Blue like our son dubs you or any name you choose till one fits.” He continued after a moment.
“Blue… Blue is fine if the other guy won’t get mad that I stole his name…” Blue whispered not looking up. The door was still blocked. They were big. Why did they keep trying to come closer?! He couldn’t see a way out and even with a place to hide at his back he didn’t like it… he couldn’t breathe… why couldn’t he breathe ?
“Out!” Rayleigh stated firmly as he saw the kids panic begin to bloom, taking note they were blocking the door. “Roger, go see if dinner is ready and Gab needs to clean up. Red, you want to help your new brother find a spot to nest? I'll be in the hall making sure your Da cleans and your Pai doesn't eat our supplies or he will be sea king bait.”
“Yes, wife.” Both men replied before yelping as Rayleigh snapped the towel at them on their way out.
Shanks giggled and grabbed Blue's hand. “Pai and Da are so silly, Pops too! Come if you don't want ta share a bed theres a spot I hide in when playing hide seek or we can ask uncle Ren to instal a hamick.”
“A hammock?” Blue asked breathing easier now that all the big men had stepped out just for his breath to hitch again when the boy, Shanks? Red? Red grabbed his hand.
Blue, for he was Blue now shuddered as the small hand wrapped around his own, skin prickling with disgust at the feel of it. It tingled and burned the longer Red's hand stayed in his and it took all his effort not to snatch it back in case it upset the younger boy and made him cry… but he couldn’t, his stomach roiled and it felt like ants crawling under his skin.
“Please… please let go.” He begged softly, snatching his hand back the moment the kid let go, rubbing the icky feeling from where he was touched. “I don’t… I don't like to be touched, it… it makes my skin hurt.”
“Oh! I’m sorry.” Shanks whimpered softly. He hadn’t meant to hurt Blue! Blue was his now! His brother!
“Don’t… cry.” Blue said awkwardly. “You… you didn’t know an’ stopped when I asked. That’s… that’s good. If… if ya gotta drag me my… my sleeve is fine. Just… just no skin, okay?”
Realisation hit Shanks at that, grabbing the sleeve where Blue said and dragged him from the room startling his pops. “Pops, want uncle Spence.”
Rayleigh stared at his son, the determination clear on his little face and the panic on Blue's. He nodded slowly as Shanks pushed past him towards Spencer's and Taro's cabin. He quickly shaved towards the mess hall, whispering in his brother’s ear that he's been requested and to be as calm and careful of Blue and blocking him in places.
Shanks stood and waited, tapping his little feet and making Blue anxious as he huffed and puffed. Blue felt exposed, turning his gaze this way and that for the blonde to appear. He jolted slightly as a smaller man stepped into the hall, he pulled Shanks behind him and backed him up away from the danger.
Spencer saw this and understood the warning, lifting his gloved hands up as he squatted showing no means of harm. “Hey, Red, Leigh says you were hunting me? What can I help with, kid?”
Shanks squirmed out from behind Blue. “Uncle Spence! Can… May we have a pair of gloves? Please? Blue doesn't like ta be touched like you, like you told me.”
“Ahhh, that explains why you asked for me kid, but next time ask Blue if he's alright for me to know things about him, Red. Not many people like others, especially strangers to know, okay? You know that's a big boundary, we talked about it, remember?” Spencer said gently, wincing softly when his nephew’s face crumpled a bit. Clearly he’d already upset Blue by grabbing him and been corrected just to realize he went about helping the wrong way too. “Easy, kid, you’re still small and I know stuff like this is hard. You’re gonna mess up sometimes and that’s okay. Did Blue get mad when you grabbed him?”
Shanks looked to Blue first this time before he answered waiting for his nod of permission wary though it was. “No… he asked me to let go and I did just like you said to! Then I gots the sads a bit cause I don’t want to hurt my Blue buts he made me feel better cause he saids I’s could grab his sleeve instead!”
“That’s good, kiddo. Good job for remembering to stop when he asked you to. He’s family now and we always stop when family says to.” Spence said gently mussing Shanks’ red locks with his gloved hand. “Blue, good job not getting angry and lashing out. You wouldn’t have been in trouble if you had but it’s still very mature of you to understand that Shanks didn’t know nor did he intend to make you feel icky.”
“Yes… yes, sir, thank you.” Blue whispered softly before casting his eyes to make sure the door to the hall still wasn’t blocked and neither was the door to the room he’d been in before with Red.
“Do you have any gloves for Blue, Uncle Spence?” Shanks asked again. “Wanna hold Blue’s hand! Gotta hold his hand so he isn’ scared so much!”
“I don’t have any gloves that’ll fit, Blue. His hands are much smaller than mine but if you let me get some paper I can measure his hands and make Blue some gloves of his own to wear.” Spencer said kindly. “What do you think, Blue?”
Blue paused, he was being asked a lot of questions, he wasn't used to that. He was used to people taking and taking and uncaring what he thought or wanted. “I don't like being touched.”
Spencer wanted to laugh but held it back. “I know kid, I was going to show you how to measure them yourself for me. We can do it here or back in the room if you want or I can sit in my room there while you sit in the hall, it's up to you. No one will bother you either way, I made sure to and my husband will keep the crew in the galley for dinner.”
“You have a husband?” Blue asked softly the surprise clear in his voice. “I thought… thought you were like… like me? ”
Carefully Spencer rose from his crouch, being sure to lean away from the kids to not loom over them as he stepped to the side to open his bedroom door. He had to show the kid what to do but unless absolutely unavoidable he never removed his gloves outside of his space. He knew what the kid was asking, understood it intimately in fact because before Taro he never thought he’d feel touch without panicking and breaking out in hives either. Even now he had days where not even Taro could touch him and would set up a hammock in the room so they could still exist together.
“Sometimes you find a person, or persons , that you trust so much it doesn’t burn when it’s them. Not always anyway.” Spencer said with an understanding smile as he sat down at his desk and pulled out some paper and a couple pens. After taking a moment to breathe he meticulously pulled off his gloves and laid them down on the desk. “Now as far as your gloves go I want you to trace your hands on this paper just like I’m going to show you then if you want them to go further than your wrists we’ll measure your arms.”
Blue stared at the man, at the hands before him in confusion but also something he couldn’t place because… he was like him. Didn't like to be touched but… but his hands too, a finger crooked here, burns and scars that matched his own. It was then that Blue realised he was staring and flinched back ready for a hit, but nothing came, only a slight tug of his sleeve from Red and soft eyes of the other.
“It’s okay, you can look, but I need you to focus on what I'm showing you first okay.” Spencer said calm and soft, ignoring the prickle of unease. “I need you to draw around your hand with some charcoal, like this as far as you want the gloves to go, then i need you to take a strip of paper and wrap it around marking off how tight you want them where they stop.”
Blue did as he asked but only kept his gloves to his wrist, he didn't want to waste material, he knew how expensive it was and what it really cost him. “What… what do I have to do for them?”
“Nothing, kid. Nothing. ” Spencer said firmly even though he kept his tone gentle. “Though if you really feel you need to work to earn a few sets of gloves then Taro never turns down help in the kitchen.”
“Why can’t I help you? ” Blue asked, emboldened by the kinship he felt with the older man.
“Can you read or write?” Spencer asked though not unkindly.
“No… I know my letters and numbers though!” Blue insisted.
“Alright how bout this? Spend a few months in lessons with Red and if you can pass a little test then I’ll let you help me with reports from our network.” Spencer offered. “My work isn’t exactly a task for a kid but if you work hard I’ll find ways you can help. Alright?”
“Network?” Blue asked.
Spencer looked to the kid and then down to Red who was starting to look a little sleepy and hungry, it was past his dinner time. “How bout we get some food and I can tell you, Red needs to eat and so do you.”
Hesitantly Blue nodded, passing the papers back to Spence. If… if the three men from before didn’t want him to use then they probably wanted him to look after Red so they didn’t have to as much. They hadn’t said that was what they wanted but he was more than used to big people expecting him to do the right thing without them saying what the right thing was so he got really good at reading people. Blue could do it, he could look after Red.
He’d helped plenty of other street kids since he escaped. Only the ones around his age though he avoided bigger kids like the plague. He didn’t know when people started to get the urge to hurt people but he wasn’t keen on putting himself at risk for it either. Red seemed to be a bit younger than him so he was still safe. Blue could definitely look after him for the three men without many worries. He just had to not upset him and make sure he ate his meals on time. Blue hoped the men wouldn’t be mad that he was apparently late getting him to dinner since Red dragged him off.