From the back room came the sharp, loud cries of a newborn, immediately followed by Garp's signature booming laugh.
"Hahahaha! This little brat's got a strong punch! No doubt he's Roger's ahem! No doubt he's my grandson!"
Riette's face darkened as he stormed in, yanking the door curtain aside.
"Garp! You're too loud don't wake up Sister Rouge while she's resting—"
His words cut short the moment his eyes fell on the bed.
Rouge was propped against the headboard, her face pale but wearing a gentle smile.
In her arms were two swaddled infants. One was being clumsily lifted high by Garp, while the other lay quietly curled in her embrace, tiny fingers clutching a strand of her golden hair.
"Riette…" Rouge called softly, her gaze tender, "you're back."
Riette froze in place, his throat tightening.
All the years of blood and blade on the seas, yet now… he didn't know what to do with his hands.
When Shanks and Buggy boarded the ship as kids, he hadn't felt this way Shanks was a future emperor, Buggy a future "new" emperor hardly the kind of children he could see as helpless.
Garp shoved the squalling An into his arms.
"What're you standing there for? Hold your kids!"
"W-wait! Why's this little thing so soft?!" Riette stiffly supported the baby, unconsciously drawing in his blood mist to the bare minimum, afraid to harm her.
Shanks & Buggy: ???? We weren't soft as kids? Does love fade or something?
An blinked up at him with round, bright eyes, then suddenly giggled, patting his cheek with her tiny hand.
Perona and Robin crowded in at the doorway, eyes sparkling.
"So tiny! So cute!"
Moria's shadow crept forward, poking An's cheek only for the baby to grab it with surprising force. The usually menacing shadow-assassin scrambled in a panic.
"Hissss l-let go! Shadows are cold!"
Garp meanwhile struggled to hold the crying Ace. The veteran warrior of countless battles was now drenched in sweat.
"Stop crying, brat! I'm trying my best here!"
Riette didn't miss the chance to mock him.
"You're holding him wrong, you idiot. A baby's head needs support if you hold Ace upside-down, no wonder he's screaming."
"Hah? Back when I raised Dragon—"
"—And that's why he started a revolution?" Riette set An down, swiftly scooping Ace into his arms. One hand supported the back of the baby's neck, the other gently patting the swaddle. "Watch and learn, old man this is called professionalism."
Ace's cries immediately softened. He blinked at Riette with curious, tear-filled eyes.
Garp's eyes widened. "How the hell do you—"
"Shanks and Buggy were still wetting the bed at three. Who do you think looked after the apprentices on Roger's ship?"
"Pffhahahaha!" Makino laughed, quickly handing Garp a bottle of prepared milk. "Here, Mr. Garp, try this?"
Garp took the bottle like it was a live grenade and stuffed it straight into An's mouth
"Cough! Cough-cough!" The baby sputtered, face turning red.
"Don't shove it in that deep!" Riette darted forward, snatching the bottle away. "Newborns can't control their sucking strength yet."
From the bed, Rouge tried not to laugh.
"Mr. Garp, maybe you should—"
"No! I'm going to learn how to change a diaper today!"
Ten minutes later
"Eeyaah!" Ace's little bladder fired a perfect stream right into Garp's face.
Without a word, Robin conjured three extra hands one handed him a towel, one restrained the wriggling Ace, and one covered Perona's mouth to muffle her laughter.
"You little brat!" Garp wiped his face, then suddenly grinned. "Still, you're healthy that's exactly what I'd expect from my grandson!"
Riette rolled his eyes. Garp was clearly dead set on stealing credit for both Roger's and his own sake. Lifting Ace to eye level, he said firmly:
"Look carefully his name is Gol D. Ace."
"Not anymore. He's Monkey D. Ace to the world," Garp said, lowering his voice. "As for you…" He pointed behind Riette.
Turning, Riette found little An reaching for the massive black-tide greatsword leaning against the wall.
"…This girl's got spirit," Riette muttered, his tone softening. He was determined to give special care to this child one who, in the original timeline, might never have survived.
That night, when the town was quiet, Riette and Garp sat side-by-side on the tavern roof.
"Honestly," Garp said after a swig of liquor, "you're better suited to being a parent than I am."
Riette gazed at the sea. "I've had practice raised two kids already."
They clinked bottles. Beneath the moonlight came the sound of infants crying in turn.
Garp suddenly shot to his feet. "What now?!"
"Hungry." Riette calmly produced two bottles. "Remember to check the temperature no, forget it. You making formula is basically attempted murder."
By dawn, after a full night of chaos, Garp sat on the roof again, unusually quiet.
Riette hopped up, tossing him a bag of donuts.
"What, too happy being a grandpa to want to stay in the Marines?" he teased.
Garp took a drink, then said quietly: "Sengoku… he's figured out Ace's identity."
Riette wasn't surprised.
"But he won't talk," Garp continued, staring at the rising sun. "Some secrets… the higher-ups keep unspoken. As long as Ace's identity stays hidden and the two siblings have us, they're safe enough."
After a pause, Garp grinned. "But that little girl, An she is my granddaughter!"
"Did Rouge agree to that?"
"Of course! I've even picked out her wedding venue Marineford! The two of them will inherit my will and become Marines, hahaha!"
"…Dream on. Actually, I'll cut you down right now if you're so eager to be my dad. Take this—"
Neither made a real move waking the babies after finally getting them to sleep would have been suicide.
"That Robin girl," Riette said, "I want to leave her here. Her future's not on my ship."
"One's a handful, two's the same, three makes no difference," Garp shrugged, picking his nose.
"If you dare leave them with mountain bandits, I'll kill you."
Garp froze he had been considering exactly that.
In the morning light, Rouge stepped out of the tavern carrying An. The baby slept soundly in her arms, a teardrop still clinging to her lashes from when Ace had accidentally kicked her earlier.
Perona floated up excitedly. "I can teach An! I'll make her the cutest ghost princess ever!"
Robin gently touched An's hand. "…I can teach her to read."
Enel, squatting on the eaves, snorted. "Troublesome brat." Only to be knocked off by Moria's shadow, tumbling straight into Makino's pile of drying diapers. Moria, it seemed, was also a hopeless softie for babies.
"Stay in your chuuni world, Enel. You didn't even turn off your Mantra last night, did you?"
Watching them, Riette suddenly remembered something Roger had once slurred while drunk:
"Kuhahahaha! When I have kids, I'm gonna make a 'Second-Gen Pirate Crew'!"
He looked down at the sleeping Ace in his arms, the boy's tiny fingers clutching his collar, drooling peacefully.
"…Captain," Riette murmured, "you bastard… you really did leave yourself the greatest treasure."
Three days later, at dusk, the Bruma Jackson set sail once more. Rouge stood on the dock, holding both babies, with Robin beside her. Ace waved his little arms restlessly, while An watched silently, eyes following the ship as it disappeared into the horizon.
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