New chapter. Things are beginning to get intense. Next chapter fuels the whole story QUITE a bit. A major turning point in the story. Look forward to it! This one is relatively calm and somewhat fluffy until the end. Enjoy~
The drive to the house made her stressed. Just being away from Luffy when he was afraid, even when he had Zoro with him, made her feel uncomfortable and somewhat guilty. But she had others to take care of as well. She'd pay Kureha double or maybe triple if she could stay another night. She was an expensive baby sitter, but was reliable when it counted.
When she knocked on the door four times, waited, and knocked another three and it was opened. Robin had deemed that their secret knock, so they wouldn't be afraid if Robin knocked on the front door. She had also told them that she'd do it even before she unlocked the front door. It had only been under a week since Robin and the young couple discovered Luffy's parents were free, but they needed to be prepared for anything.
Luffy's torturer and his accomplice hadn't done anything in the last two weeks, but that doesn't really count much. They must've had to find some place to stay, and if they were planning anything, it would take time to locate Luffy and formulate something. Though on the outside, she looked unconcerned and positive nothing would happen, she was constantly nervous.
She entered the house to see the four kids playing a boardgame in the living room, Kureha eating sweets from the cupboards in the kitchen, but close enough to be able to tell what was happening with the kids. This was not new. The old woman liked to take any food she wanted while she baby sat. Robin had been offended by the behavior at first, but got used to it for a while, since, though she was expensive, she was relatively good with the kids. Zoro, however, never got along with the neighbor. She bossed him around a lot once he grew up into his teenage years. Told to watch the kids, and then argue with the green haired teen while he said she was the baby sitter, not him. So they didn't get along much.
"Hello Kureha. Did anything happen while I was gone?" Robin asked the woman, who continued to eat the sweets for a moment before answering.
"Not much. You have a new neighbor who invited you and your kids to a welcoming party," she answered simply. Robin creased her eyebrows.
'What did he look like?" Robin asked. Kureha understood what Robin was hinting at.
"He didn't look like the picture of the man next to the door. I looked closely. He had no tattoo on his face, his hair was short and brown, and he had an abundance of facial hair. He also had a large burn on his face that wasn't on the face of the poster." Robin relaxed a bit.
"What did you reply when he asked about the party?"
"I said you couldn't come since one of your kids was in the hospital. He looked genuinely saddened. He replied, 'That's too bad. I hope he gets better,' and then walked down the street." Robin didn't voice her concern about this person knowing the kid in the hospital was male, but that could just be a good guess.
"And he said he was recently moving in?" When the old woman nodded, Robin asked, "Which direction did he head off to?"
"Down the sidewalk and turned right on the corner at the nearest intersection."
"Alright thank you. I'll be back by tonight." Kureha then looked angry until she smirked when Robin told her she'd be payed triple than usual. The old woman went back to eating the chocolate treats.
Robin briefly told the kids what had happened last night, concerning Nami greatly. Robin told her that Luffy would be okay but would be in hospital for a couple days. "I don't think he'd want many visitors this time. He's very stressed and I think too many people would make him uncomfortable and on edge, which wouldn't be good for him at the moment. It is not personal," Robin assured. Nami frowned at this. Did Luffy not want to see her as well? "Nami, it's really not personal, I promise. Luffy doesn't want to be overwhelmed at the moment. Remember, he's very scared of the guy who was let out of prison," Robin said and left it at that.
Robin decided to call Zoro and give him specifics about who Kureha told him, in case he sees anyone suspicious. He didn't like what he was hearing, and was in the hall briefly while Luffy napped. He clenched his teeth angrily at this situation. This guy was a risk to everyone, which Luffy must know. He just wasn't voicing it in fear of having someone confirm his guilt as completely valid.
"I'll be a little before I go back to the hospital. I want to see something," Robin said, sounding determined and a bit angry. Zoro could assume she was going to go investigate, something she loved to do when she had the chance. Though this wasn't just finding out something interesting, this was concerning her family's safety. She hung up the phone after saying goodbye and drove down the way the man had walked. She circled all of the streets in the gated neighborhood and saw no moving vans or a "sold" sign or even an open door. It looked to be that there was no new neighbors, and that man must have been lying. She hurried to the hospital.
Once she walked into the lobby, she requested to see a hospital police officer at the front desk. When the receptionist gave her a suspicious look, Robin told him quietly that it was concerning the safety of one of the patients, which got the man to call for one of the officers.
The officer came rather quickly and pulled Robin away to speak to her in private.
"What is the problem, ma'am?" he asked seriously. He didn't want to hear any false reports.
"My son was tortured by his parents while he was young, and his abusers were let out of jail a couple weeks ago. There are no locks on the patients' doors, which scares him. I am also concerned because a suspicious individual visited my home and learned that he was in the hospital. I'd like to request that someone sit outside of Luffy's door at night. This man is dangerous and could kill Luffy and anyone who gets in his way."
By the time Robin was finished with her explanation, the officer had his walkie-talkie held out in front of him, ready to request that the chief police officer of the hospital to visit the break room, where the man Robin was speaking to led her. He didn't want any of the people in the lobby knowing.
The two reached the break room for employees and met with the man that had been called. Robin explained once again what she had told the other man. The chief looked concerned as well now. He ended up paging every officer and all the staff on the third story. So everyone was prepared. There were still a few hours before sunset, but they had an officer on the third story, sitting near the stairs and elevator.
Luffy spent the rest of the day either reading or asleep. He didn't "talk" much to either of them. When they tried to talk to him he didn't respond much. He also sometimes started staring at the wall across from him, lost in thought. Much of it was just random thoughts that had no reason to make him uncomfortable, but then bad thoughts would come. He compared himself now to how he was only a few days ago. Part of him secretly wanted something else to happen somewhere that would put his parents back in jail, where they belong. He didn't want anything to happen to him or his family. But then he felt guilty he was wishing harm on someone else.
But he was afraid that if this continued, he'd break under the fear and guilt and despair he felt were blanketing him. One small layer at a time. Another comparison could be the snowball effect. Every layer of snow was a new, self-destructive thought that would be followed with similar ones.
Zoro was a bit upset when he kissed Luffy's palm and nothing happened. The small teen made no move that he even knew Zoro had done something. Zoro hated this. He hated that evil man who had done this to Luffy. He had been improving so much, and then it just starts to crumble after his abuser and the person who were in Luffy's worst nightmares was set free. He was still enraged that a man who had done that type of thing was let out. That wasn't just child abuse. It was fucking torture.
He had to wonder which was better, death or torture. He guessed it depended on the person, but Luffy had told him that when he was in that basement, before he became mute, he sometimes begged his dad to kill him already. His wounds hurt all of the time, his legs didn't move right, he was starving, it smelled down there, it was always dark, and every time the basement door opened, he'd rather be dead. So which is worse? Killing someone's body or killing their soul? It was a hard debate going on in his mind.
When night came, Zoro offered to stay the night with Luffy and hold his hand while he slept. Luffy nodded to the offer, making Zoro feel just a little better. He knew none of Luffy's behavior was personal, though. That the boy he loved was crumbling all by himself from the inside out.
No one told Luffy about the suspicious man and that a police officer would be sitting outside of Luffy's door. He didn't need added fear. He had enough already.
Robin left and both Luffy and Zoro fell asleep, Zoro, his head on Luffy's thigh and still holding his hand while they slept. Zoro woke up multiple times in the middle of the night when someone would come and check on Luffy, though the nurses did their best to be quiet. But Zoro didn't grow angry or irritated. They woke him up to take care of the person he loved, and that was cause enough to not be angry.
Nothing happened that night, and the officer stayed awake all night as a guard, comforting Zoro. Luffy didn't know the man was there and why he was there.
Luffy woke up after Zoro had, who was on Luffy's Kindle, reading. Luffy didn't mind at all and watched Zoro sadly. He was upsetting him, and he could tell. He didn't like this and wanted to be in Zoro's lap and try to make him feel loved. He thought Zoro must think it was personal. Just a week ago, Luffy would have considered that idea ridiculous, but not now. Luffy was still taking his medication at night, but it didn't seem to be helping him at the moment. Luffy almost got up to get off the bed and sit in Zoro's lap and wrap the bigger teen's arms around him like usual, but he knew he'd trouble the hospital staff and make a mess of the wires and IVs. So he just watched him read.
Zoro looked up after pretending to not notice Luffy staring at him. "You can't sit in my lap right now Luffy. You'll mess up the wires and IVs," Zoro said, seeing that longing look in Luffy's eyes. "But when you're out, you can hang on to me all day if you want. I promise," he explained with a smile. Luffy nodded slowly.
"I miss your voice," Zoro said softly, bringing a small smile and a light blush to Luffy's face, which pleased Zoro. Luffy reached for Zoro's hand with his left and picked up his whiteboard and velcroed pen with his right.
I'll talk to you a lot when we go home.
"Promise?" Zoro said with a small smile, repeating something Luffy asked all the time. He liked having multiple words of reassurance.
Luffy nodded. Zoro kissed his palm, relaxing Luffy's stiff posture a bit.
Can you close the curtains?
"Why?" asked Zoro, but he shut them anyway, waiting for Luffy's answer.
I don't want other people to see our love so easily. Zoro suddenly blushed madly at his words. What Luffy said was unintentionally... really… hot.
Luffy was confused of Zoro's red face. What had he said that caused that? So he asked.
"It's nothing," Zoro replied, his blush now under control and fading. He was glad Luffy wasn't resting on top of his chest or he'd hear Zoro's heart beat race madly. Gah, now he was having those thoughts he'd had so long ago. But looking back up at Luffy's innocent face chased them all away. Those thoughts weren't welcome to Zoro when it came to his Luffy.
Zoro stood up and leaned over Luffy, kissing him on the mouth softly. Luffy, despite kissing so many times over the months, was still not very good at it. They clashed teeth a lot. Luffy was still embarrassed at his lack of progress, but Zoro never commented on it. He sat back down on the comfy chair, his back hurting a little from sleeping in it, but he didn't mind much if he got to sleep at least a little close to Luffy. He'd slept in the same bed with him every night for months, so it would have felt strange to be completely away from him. He'd be in Luffy withdrawals.
"I'm going to go get something to eat. I'll be right back and sneak it in here," Zoro told him and left after Luffy nodded to him with a small smile. He was actually jealous. He didn't like not eating at all anymore. He used to hate eating, and he still ate small servings, but after realized how much better he felt eating any amount of food, even a little, felt better than starving. His mouth tasted gross and he didn't have a toothbrush with him. He hoped Zoro didn't taste how Luffy tasted his own mouth. Despite not eating recently, the taste was still there. And the pills he had to take left a nasty taste, so that was probably it.
The officer wasn't in the hall against Luffy's door any more since it was day time and bustling with doctors, nurses and patients or their families.
Luffy looked down at his gown. It was itchy, but he didn't want to ask to change and bother anyone. They were busy helping other people. But then his mouth opened in horror. His arms were bare. How long had they been bare? How long had he not noticed? Oh Zoro must find them awful. And the hospital staff must have seen them too! How embarrassed he felt. He knew the surgeons had seen them, and the doctor that helped him into his gown had seen them as well, but they had all been warned. But these hospital people… He wondered if the police would be called. It looked bad, but it'd been over a day and nothing had come of the scars and burns visible.
Luffy tried distracting himself from his thoughts by reading, but now that it was darker in the room, he was sleepy again. When he closed his eyes, he knew he must have fallen asleep because what seemed like seconds later, Zoro was there. Zoro looked sleepy himself, so Luffy wrote that he should go to sleep and that he would sleep himself, too. Zoro agreed and laid his head down on the bed like he had been doing and fell asleep quickly. Luffy watched him for a minute before he closed his own eyes and drifted off into a dreamless sleep. Luffy slept a lot now, like he was making up for all of the days he hadn't slept at all.
Neither were able to see the person climb through the window, which was not illuminated anymore because the light outside "went out". The figure climbed through the window and locked himself in the small bathroom attached to the bothersome brat's hospital room. He'd wait until Luffy was the only one in the room. His plan had come to him relatively easily and he couldn't wait to put it into action and swiftly get the job done.
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