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While Shanks despised Marijoa and all the people in it (save for his brother), he could certainly appreciate the gorgeous –yet shallow– appearance of everything. It was almost like dust was scared of this place, every surface he touched was meticulously cleaned to hell and back, everything was smooth… Almost flawless.
And that disgusted Shanks.
He already missed his ship, the loud yells and battle cries, the board games, the chaos, the booze, his men, his daughter. Yet he was stuck in a uniform that was too heavy on both his heart and body.
But hey! At least he had his older twin brother! Shanks had warmed up to Shamrock faster than anything else, to a degree that the other knights started talking to Shamrock directly, as Shanks would simply stand behind him, unwilling to make conversation with anyone in this filthy place.
Shamrock was adamant on being the one caring for Shanks, despite everything being in Garling’s name as he was the head of the family. Shamrock could not let his father pass by without atoning for the sins he committed at God Valley. He had no right to be close to Shanks. He had no right to call Shanks his son. Hell, even Shamrock did not feel like his son at times. From the strict training regimes, incredible uptight behaviour he has to keep up, the 0 ounce of love he received from Garling thus making him take Sommers as a father figure…Shamrock has never considered Garling to be his father.
And he sure as hell would not allow him to pretend to be one to Shanks as well, and thankfully his younger twin seemed as skeptical of Garling and did not interact much with him, not at all if possible.
Sure, Garling could try to bribe Shanks with the world’s riches, try and force their ideology even more into him, but Shamrock was there to make sure Garling did not corrupt Shanks like he did to him.
Despite having his own room, Shanks leaned into staying in Shamrock’s. Just because he felt safe around his brother, and because very obviously he missed him. So they both stayed together, doing the most mundane of tasks, sure sometimes they’d break out in a fight over a disagreement, but they’d end up making up almost immediately (mostly due to the fact that Shamrock hid a bunch of snacks in his room for Shanks).
Since the younger twin wasn’t in his room all that much, he did not bother to decorate it, yet he was often looking at the simple decoration in Shamrock’s room, nothing sentimental… Just the bare minimum for the knight scattered around in a neat way. Though the coolest one in Shanks eye was certainly the deer mount that was above Shamrock’s bed.
“I hunted it on one of my first trips, stayed there ever since.” Shamrock grinned with pride as he remembered that trip, Sommers had taken him on it behind Garling’s back because Shamrock hoped for at least one thing to make his father proud of him…
(We all know how that ended, Shamrock got reprimanded for leaving without telling his father.)
Though some weeks later, Sommers had dropped off the taxidermied mount as a gift to the younger Shamrock, just so that he can remember his hard work that day, Shamrock was obviously extremely enthusiastic and ordered for it to be placed above his bed. Thankfully Shanks also seemed to like it so far, even going so far as to step on the bed (he was the only one that Shamrock allowed to do that) to get a closer look at the head.
“I’ve occasionally hunted in the lower world, but never did I have a mount as cool as yours, shammy!!! You’re making me wish I kept one of my kills now!
Shanks would soon beg to have his tongue cut off for saying these words.
Not knowing that Garling was on the other side of the door.
And of course, whatever a Figarland wishes for, they get.
Shanks had learned how to hunt from Scopper Gyaban, who was worried for what his 2 sons will do when the crew eventually disbands, and despite their discomfort, Gyaban forced them to learn, Buggy was understandably more squeamish at the blood and gore of innocent animals, while Shanks understood it was a means of survival and was eager to learn more from his father figure, he stuck to the smaller animals, sure, why should he hunt the bigger ones that were more difficult and harder to cook in the wild? However he did admire Shamrock’s mount because it was his brother’s. It was something that Shamrock was proud of, and by extension Shanks too.
As Shanks and Shamrock continued their life together in training with the other knights and going on the occasional missions, Garling was setting up for the gift he was giving Shanks the moment he becomes a full fledged knight.
It was of no surprise that Garling was a hunter himself, he taught Shamrock after all, even if harshly, so seemingly his time away from Marijoa increased, and the time he was spending with his sons decreased which they were initially happy with, seeing as they had much more freedom to visit the knights and goof around like brothers.
All in the meanwhile… Garling was remembering his youth and reigniting his hunting skills with the various animals in the lower world… He started with the same type of deer that Shanks liked in Shamrock’s room. Cutting the animal down before it even had a chance to realize he was a danger…
He cut the head off and grabbed it by the antlers, putting it in a box and taking it back to Marijoa.
Years of experience made it quite easy for him, he hollowed the head from its bloody organs and ripped off the muscles with great delicacy, making sure to keep the skin and its fur intact so he could stuff the head with one of his several expensive molds. Of course! His son only deserved the best of the best! And Garling was making sure to use his best products for the gift(s) he was giving Shanks. The blood on Garling’s hands did not bother him in the slightest, this was a delicate labour of sick and twisted love after all! The organs sat on his desk in a disgusting lump, as he was too entranced with the familiar process to think about cleaning his space.
Only when the stomach plopped on the floor, scattering blood all around it, did he grimace at leaving his work space uncleaned. So he called on a slave to clean it up, a younger lady she was, and naturally the gruesome sight made her wary. She immediately froze at the sight, having never cleaned more than the estate’s glass and occasionally the kitchen.
“Well? I told you to clean up.” Garling glared at her, by saying that he was giving her much more grace than usual, some other time he would’ve had her dead just for hesitating.
“Of– Of course– The sight is making me nauseous– is all…”
She did not take another step before her head was off her body. A swift swing of Garling’s sword was enough, he was already pissed to hell and back.
Though… An idea came.
Originally, Garling had thought to only gift his son a bunch of animal mounts.
But why not add a few human ones as well?
He mindlessly set the woman’s head on another table as he focused on his first project, he has still yet to hunt rabbits, birds, insects, and perhaps a few hunter animals as well to give to Shanks.
After 2 hours the deer was done, and it was beautiful (at least in his eyes), its guts began reeking but the smell did not bother him that much, he was too busy admiring his work.
Thankfully, the next slave did not hesitate to clean the spilled organs and she got away with her head intact but her eyes closed as she tried not to think of the contents of the bag in her hands.
Garling eyed the body-less head on his desk… Human skulls were pretty complicated… It’d probably take him all night just to somehow hollow out the brain and muscles.
Garling thought about creating a similar one for Shamrock, but that thought was abruptly cut off when he remembered Shamrock falling down so many times. Ugh, that boy will never learn as quickly as he was when he himself was a kid, Shanks was already a powerhouse of his own, and he deserved this gift more than his stupid older son
Pissed off at Shamrock, Garling sits down and grabs the human head. As he worked on it, his thoughts subconsciously went to how he wished he could easily rewire Shamrock’s head just as easily as he was taxidermying this woman’s head. If only it could be so easy… If only…
He scooped the brains out with rage in his eyes and motions, then the nerves, thin strands everywhere.. If only Garling could get a hold of Shamrock’s… then the muscles… His trusty pocket knife flying through the steps, just like how he’d taxidermy a duck. He did not notice that his clothes were now soaked with blood and human organs, all splattered on his chest and lap, he had no idea how he did not notice this hideous mess as he worked… He reached over to grab a circular cut of wood… the rotating chair creaking every so slightly with Garling’s tense movements, the organs and blood on him shuffling around creaking a nauseating and disgusting sound that did not reach his ears.
He stuffed the neck with a thick piece of cardboard before lowering it aggressively on the piece of wood which had a huge nail in the middle all to center the head.
Some blood flew on his glasses, face, and beard. But again, he was too focused on making sure Shanks’ gift was perfect.
—
“Father has been away for far too long these days.” Shamrock mentioned casually as he, Shanks and Sommers were having breakfast, Garling being absent for probably the 10th day now. He has been on several of these trips where the twins would wake up and somehow not find Garling anywhere, leading to them going on their day on their own, which of course, was fun and all! But it still felt weird not being watched constantly.
“I thought that was a good thing?” Sommers commented in the middle of his bites.
“It is…” Shanks said slowly, but his eyes were also confused.
“Just eat boys, we’ll find out about him later, maybe luck will strike and finally kill the old man!”
Shamrock and Shanks had to stifle a laugh, Shamrock desperately wanted to reprimand Sommers for such gruesome words, but seeing Shanks laugh made him laugh as well.
The sight was quite pleasant to Sommers, who did not expect to raise a baby that was thrown at him, let alone two now.
After everyone ate, Sommers asked his fellow knights about Garling’s whereabouts, and he received the same generic answer from everyone sadly… That he just disappeared. He apologized to the twins and they nodded, they were of course still grateful for Sommers’ efforts. They walked back to their estate to train, even though Sommers’ offered them his lavish training yard, something about training alone in their place felt lovely, so they made their way back while sharing some conversation about anything really.
Very unfortunately, they were greeted by the sight of Garling when they entered. Both their hearts dropped, it was just so unexpected to have him be back without any warning–
“My son! I’ve prepared something for you!” Garling stepped up to Shanks and wrapped his arms around him– Making Shanks genuinely have to bite his teeth in anger, and Shamrock to force himself not to cut Garling down for touching his brother.
“Follow me.” Garling ordered Shanks simply, and while the order did not entail him, Shamrock followed as well… just in case…
And thank God he did.
Garling stepped in front of an abandoned door inside of the mansion and cleared his throat.
“I’m sure you could not find proper decorations back in the filthy lower world, which is why your room is still so bland to this day, so I prepared a little something for you, my pride and joy!”
Shanks' heart began racing… “I never directly asked him for anything, did I?” Shanks questioned– Surely he didn’t– Surely he wasn’t getting accustomed to those filthy stuck up assholes that he has to ask his biological father for something–
The door was opened and Garling grabbed Shanks by the arm…
Had Shamrock not been next to him, Shanks was sure he would’ve fallen to his knees.
A wall full of animal mounts…
A wall full of animal mounts. Taxidermied by Figarland Garling.
Shanks throat clenched– He could not breathe– “What the fuck?? What the fuck!!!” He cursed internally.
Shamrock’s arm was firm on Shanks’ waist, his other arm on his mouth, stopping him from vomiting all over his father’s crystal floors.
Shanks thought that looking down would have saved his stomach but the sight was even worse.
“Human heads…?” Shamrock muttered, Shanks’ lips stayed quivering, unable to even breath the slightest of breaths, tears welling in the younger twin's eyes.
“But of course, you two will be formidable Knights, it is only fair you have some souvenirs to remind you of your power… If Shanks so wishes to share with you, that is.
Garling, true to his cold heart, did not recognize that the look in his sons’ eyes were not of admiration, but of sheer horror, that man has seen thousands of faces over the years, facial expressions were not his forte.
“That’s a baby– That’s a fucking baby– in that jar–” Shanks locked eyes onto the infant’s closed ones, and Garling noticed that.
“Curious about those?” I thought it would be a lovely reminder of where you two came from.” Garling said as he walked inside. Carrying the baby he killed with no mercy in his hands. “Isn’t it so small? You both were smaller than this.
Garling reached out to flick some hair out of Shanks face, the latter was frozen, unable to move, to run, to scream, to fight, to look–
“He loves it– Thanks!” Shamrock carried his twin off his feet and ran– this house was not safe.
This house.
Was not safe.
THEIR HOUSE.
WAS NOT SAFE.
It repeated like a mantra in both of their heads, fumbling inside of Sommers’ house, Shamrock ran to the nearest bathroom and allowed Shanks to throw up everything that he ate this morning.
Shamrock sprawled on the floor, knees under his head as he tried to forget the gruesome act he saw.
He had only one as a prize… A full wall of dead… deers.. Ducks.. Lions.. God knows what else– was excessive– and truly no gift for 2 twenty year olds–
Shanks was shaking, his body was betraying him, and Shamrock noticed– He tried to help Shanks by taking some layers of his clothes off, like the cravat around his neck, but Shanks only lashed out on Shamrock too, pushing him away against a wall…
He was heartbroken, but he did not blame his brother, in the slightest.
Sommers had entered sometime after their fight, and wordlessly began wiping Shanks’ mouth of the remains. He signalled for Shamrock to get out in the meantime– For he looked all too similar to Garling, even if he does not want to admit it.
Shanks threw up again, his ears have begun tearing up a long time ago, his nose was stuffy, probably bleeding from how long he’s been crying for, but he was too numb to notice a thing.
A red coat was thrown on him sometime, that immediately reminded him of Roger, and Shanks sunk into it without another word.
Sommers had that in his closet… Knowing that there was no way someone like Shanks would stay here without a meltdown at some point.
Leaving him to calm down, Sommers checked on Shamrock to try and get an explanation.
“He– Garling– Said that he had a gift for Shanks.”
“Mhm.”
“Took us to a room, it had– So many taxidermies… including humans– babies– I didn’t know what to do– So I brought Shanks here.”
“Your actions might be the reason why the Figarland house isn’t on fire, well done.” He complimented softly and led Shamrock to sit down, somewhere he could still see the door to the bathroom which Shanks was in and offered him a hot drink to calm him down.
Shanks had fallen asleep against the cold floor, and Sommers took notice of that when his shivering stopped and the small ruffling sounds of clothes stopped as well. Sommers made no move, it was Shamrock that sprung up to pick up his brother alongside the coat, placing him gently on the couch with the red coat draped over him.
“Who would’ve thought that Garling was more brutal than the people of the lower world..” Sommers muttered to himself.
Shamrock sat on his knees next to his brother, holding his hand gently, not wanting to bruise him.
The orange haired knight glanced at his door, they still needed to get back to the Figarland residence soon.
”I don’t wanna go back.” Shamrock mumbled against Shanks’ thigh, before he too fell asleep after everything that happened.
Sommers sighed and called Maffey.
"Vouch for the twins somehow, you and Gunko, they're staying with me for a while."
She was busy yelling at Killingham in the background.
"What did that cone headed dickhead do again!?"
"I cannot tell you over the phone."
She gulped before continuing, "That bad..?"
"Yes."
"Sure, sure- yeah, just take care of them, I'll tell the blade."
"Of course."
Sommers hung up and watched over the twins. He should've taken the chance to kill Garling back on God Valley.. When he was adamant about having Shakky... That opportunity was far gone now.
He quietly put his purple coat on Shamrock's back and walked away, ordering complete silence until both twins woke up.