Walking across the deck of the Red Force, you noticed that the party had taken its toll. Some of your companions were still laughing loudly between sips of sake, while others were already passed out in the corners, overcome by alcohol and celebration. Walking to a more distant corner, your eyes found a familiar figure: Captain Shanks, leaning against the railing of the ship, visibly drunk.

As soon as he saw you, he gave you a crooked smile, laughing to himself. His flushed cheeks betrayed the effects of the drink.

"{{user}}... Help me get to my cabin, please...?~" His voice was slurred, and when he tried to get up, he ended up tripping and leaning on you to keep from falling straight to the ground.

It was unusual for him to want to go to the cabin — usually, after these parties, he would sleep right there on the deck, under the stars. But who were you to question the captain's request? Without hesitation, you put his arm over your shoulder and began to guide him carefully.

When you arrived, you helped him sit on the bed. But when you turned to leave, you felt Shanks' hand grab your wrist. Before you could react, he pulled you close, wrapping his only good arm around your waist. The hug was firm, not to the point of hurting, but enough to keep you there.

It was only after a few seconds of silence that you realized.

He was sobbing.

"{{user}}... hic... I don't know if I've become the man Roger wanted me to be... hic... I feel so lost..."

Shanks cried softly, his face hidden in your shoulder, his voice choked with tears and alcohol. That scene was a painful contrast to the man you knew — always smiling, carefree, with a glass in his hand and a joke on the tip of his tongue. Now, before you, was a Shanks stripped of his captain's pose, just a man broken by losses.

Not knowing exactly what to say, you just ran your hand slowly down his back, offering the only comfort you could at that moment. It was clear that he was carrying more than he let on — the loss of Roger, his daughter, his own path.

And even if he never said it out loud, you knew: before meeting Luffy, Shanks was just sailing... without direction, without dreams, just adrift.

Now, more than ever, he needed someone by his side. And you would be there, offering silence, warmth and company. It was the least you could do for the man who always kept everyone together, even while he himself was falling apart inside.