I've decided to post Dark in shorter chapter, I still don't really know what I'm doing with this story, so I think this is best, little ideas as they come to me.
~ Rat ~
"I think that's the last box." Luffy dropped it by the door as he peered around the spacious suite. Law's was on the second to the top floor. It had been vacant for almost a year while he lived in the apartment next to Luffy.
Sure enough, as Law had predicted, the day after Spandam's death, notices were pinned to each tenant's door saying they had a week to leave. Law and Luffy wasted no time packing, more than happy to say goodbye to the cheaply ran apartment complex.
"Did you get your mail changed?" Law asked from the hallway leading down to the bedroom.
"Yeah, thanks for letting me share your P.O. Box." Luffy knew he was going to get badgered by his grandfather for why he had moved so suddenly, but he had a few months to come up with an excuse that sounded believable since the old man was out doing drills in the middle of the ocean.
Luffy joined Law in the bedroom to put away some of his possessions. About an hour in, they heard the door bang open. Luffy looked to Law with slightly worried eyes. "Wasn't it locked?" He asked.
"Nothing is locked to them." Law sighed. "Come on."
Luffy followed Law out to the front of the suite. Two tall blonde men stood in the living room. One had a pair of sunglasses hiding his eyes and large pink feathered coat draped across his shoulders; his slighter companion was almost identical but with longer hair and painted lips, a brightly colored sweater hugged his thin frame.
"Lawsy!" The more flamboyant of the two stepped forward with open arms.
Law scowled and walked around him. "Hello Cora-san," He greeted the other instead, letting the tall man pull him into a hug.
"So cold..." The man pouted, which Luffy thought looked weird on someone as big and old as him. He tossed a bundle on to the table near Luffy before turning back to Law.
Luffy felt a little ignored. He fiddled with the end of his shirt, unsure of what to do, wanting to introduce himself but at the same time not wanting to interrupt. He was suffering from a rare case of uncertainty. Until a familiar smell found its way to his nose, and his stomach growled softly. He turned to the bundle on the table and sniffed.
Bread, fresh bread...
In a flash the soft cloth was pulled away and the whole loaf stuffed in Luffy's mouth. The noise of the action caused the three men to turn their attention on him. He clapped his hands over his mouth. "Sowwy..." He muffled.
"That was for Law..." The bespectacled man said almost sadly.
Law scoffed. He walked over to Luffy. Placing a kiss to the top of his head, he pulled the young man closer. "Thank you," He whispered to his ear. Luffy nodded slowly before swallowing. "This is Luffy, my boyfriend." The term made Luffy blush. "He's moved in with me since Spandam's death caused a sudden eviction to the whole building."
The one Law called Cora-san nodded with approval. "I see. Well that's fine, isn't it Doffy?"
"Doffy?" Luffy tried not to snicker at the name.
"Don Quixote Doflamingo." The man pulled Luffy away from Law and proceeded to turn him around for appraisal. "And of course it's fine. Anything for little Lawsy." He stopped and held Luffy out at arm's length. "Oh, I do approve. He's such a cutie. When's the wedding?"
Luffy was pushed aside gently into Cora as Law moved forward to hit Doflamingo. The tall blonde danced out of the way laughing. He bid farewell quickly and disappeared out of the room. Cora straighten Luffy before saying goodbye as well.
"It was nice to meet you Luffy." He patted Law on the shoulder once before leaving.
Luffy coughed and turned to Law. "Your father and uncle?"
"Yeah," Law was rubbing his temples. "Sorry, they can be a bit much." He closed the door and locked it again. "Cora-san adopted me when I was very young. Uncle doesn't have any children so I'm treated as heir to the Family. Though, I could do with less of my Uncle's attention…" Luffy hugged Law. "You knew I hated bread."
"Shishishi, I remember you slamming the door in Miss Kalifa's face for about a month back when she would bring the extra bread from the shop to sell door to door. I always bought some extra because of that, to make her feel better."
"Sly bitch…"
"What?"
"Nothing." Law shook his head. "Let's go visit Kalifa later. I heard she broke her leg."
"Really?" Luffy stepped back. "I haven't seen her in a while."
Law rolled his eyes. "Do you want to come with me on my rounds later? I need to get with Penguin and Shachi to see how they've been holding up with me gone for so long."
Luffy nodded. "You haven't been back at all?"
"No. It was actually like a vacation being away from here. Sure, I was still working, but it was far less stressful." Law stretched. "And I had you." He kissed Luffy on the cheek.
"Uncle and Cora-san live on the very top floor above us. And I share the floor with two others." Law explained as they rode the elevator down. "Any floor above 50 is for the Family. Floors 60, 61, and 64 are used for rooming the injured. I spend a lot of my time there."
"What about 62 and 63?" Luffy asked.
"Supplies and storage. You won't be allowed on those floors." Law watched Luffy as he just shrugged, not even aware or caring that Law had just lied. "65 is used for higher members of the Family." When Luffy gave him a questionable look, he explained. "Like myself, or even you since you're being treated as my guest." He placed a hand to the small of Luffy's back to lead him off the elevator. "We're stopping here first to visit Sugar. She's like my cousin and the closest thing Uncle has to a child."
Luffy nodded and followed Law down the hall. It was quiet most of the way until they heard a soft laughter. Law stopped Luffy before the door. "I need you to promise me something."
"What?"
"Never say the words 'I need you' to Baby 5."
"Um ok," Luffy agreed. He was still a little confused. He thought they were visiting Sugar. And who went by a name like Baby 5?
Inside, the room was set up a little differently than what one would expect from a hotel. Locked glass cabinets lined the wall with what Luffy assumed was medicine. Two single beds took up the far corner on the other side along with a couch, table, and some chairs. Luffy looked around taking in the obvious hospital touches that had been added. Law moved by him to a little girl on one of the beds.
"Sugar, how have you been?" He sat beside her on the bed.
"She's has a sore throat, Law." A woman on the opposite bed said. She was dressed in a stereotypical maid's uniform. She sighed and pouted. "I've been watching her for the past couple of days."
"What happened? You sound depressed." Law stood and made his way to medicine cabinets.
"Oh, it was awful! Doffy set Alec's house aflame"
"Who?" Law asked. He punched in a set of numbers on the key pad, unlocking the cabinet.
"My fiancé, pay attention Law. I can't believe he did that again."
Again? Luffy squinted his eyes at the woman. How many times had Doflamingo set her fiancé on fire? "Will he be alright?" Luffy asked.
There was a noise from Sugar, one that if her throat hadn't been inflamed would've sounded like adorable laughter. "No, he won't be fine. He won't be anything." Law said in a practiced tone that made peeling paint sound more significant than death. "If you would stop getting engaged to sleaze bags, you wouldn't have this problem Baby."
"I'm so sorry for your loss." Luffy managed after blanching from Law's deadpan.
Baby 5 looked up to him. "Thank you for your concern, it's sweet. Who are you by the way? I've never seen you."
"I'm Law's boyfriend." He said before Law could respond for him.
"Really?! Oh, I'm so happy for you Law!" Baby 5 squealed.
Sugar got out of the bed and came up to Luffy. She held her hands up to him, a silent request to be picked up. Luffy hoisted her up, bracing her against his chest so that they were almost eye level. She pursed her lips, gaze intent as she looked over him, taking his face in her little hands, turning it so she could see. 'Doffy all over again…' Luffy coughed lightly. "Hey, I have a piece of candy, if you want. Though, you would have to save until you got better." She nodded happily. "It's grape, is that ok?" He shifted her so he could reach into his pocket. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged tightly.
Baby 5 giggled. "Grape's her favorite."
"Awesome… please let go, I can't breathe." Luffy staggered over to the bed and set her down.
After giving her some medicine, which was not grape flavored much to Sugar's displeasure, Law and Luffy left. "Does Baby have that problem often?"
"That would've been her seventh, if I'm keeping count right." He led them back to the elevator where they proceeded down to floor 60. "Everyone in the Family has their own little quirks, you'll see."
"What's yours?" Luffy asked with a devious smile.
Law smirked. "You'll see." The younger laughed and followed him off the elevator. "Kalifa's out so we'll visit her later."
"Kay," Luffy shrugged, still not quite putting two and two together. "Who are you seeing down here?"
"Almost everybody. Penguin and Shachi have been taking care of the place for me. I need to get with them. It could take a while." Law scratched the back of his neck. "You could wait in the lounge if you want. I shouldn't be too long and you can meet the two of them when we're through." Luffy nodded at this idea. This floor had a more clinical feel to it than the one Sugar was on, and it was making him queasy. He had never been fond of doctors or medicine. "The lounge is at the very end of the hall, the double doors on your left. Bepo should be in there, he's a good friend of mine."
They waved each other off, and Luffy headed down where Law had indicated. The doors were easy enough to find. The handle was cold to the touch, Luffy slid his sleeve around his hand before gripping it again. He pushed open the door, a blast of cold air hit his face as he slipped in and shut the door. Before he had the chance to take in his new surroundings, a growl caught his attention. He looked up into the jaws of bear looming over him.
'Why is there a polar bear in here?!'
