Whitebeard was still less than pleased with Marco. He wasn't about to just be rid of the brat his son had brought aboard however. Not until the kid had a bit if spark in his eyes, damn Marco and Jozu for knowing him so well. True, Das was not his usual pick for a son, but even still he couldn't deny his boys if they wanted this brat as their younger brother. Or, given Marco's actual age, a son of his own.
Which is part of the reason he was so annoyed that his brat had given him the collar. It was obvious that Das had yet to truly understand he was free and wrongfully believed the Yonko owned him. Newgate was a lot of things, but a slave owner wasn't one of them. Unfortunately there were more than a few of his children who would take a certain amount of glee in holding such power over another. That meant where to house the boy was a bit more of a challenge than he had originally hoped.
"As much as I'm loathe to admit it, I would not put it past some of those in my division to force the kid to do those chores that didn't wish to do." Izo crossly pointed out.
"So the best bet would be to house him with a commander." Whitebeard mused, looking at Marco.
"It can't be me, yoi. I might not scare him as badly as some would, but he's convinced himself I brought him to be a servant at the least."
"I'm out as well," Juzo sighed, "poor brat is scared shitless of me for some reason."
Whitebeard made a non-committal sound as he stared into his tankard like it would hold the answers. While it had been pretty obvious Das was nervous around Jozu, he didn't feel the brat was particularly more scared of the diamond man than anyone else. But at the same time, Jozu had been there for the rescue. Rooming with the Third Division Commander could cause lingering issues because of that.
Just then there was a knock door opening a second later with a widely grinning Thatch, "We're back! Did you miss us?" The fun loving cook asked, moving to the side for Das to enter the room.
"Horribly, yoi." Marco deadpanned.
"Aww, love you, too." Thatch laughed, making a kissy face at his friend.
Whitebeard paid them little mind, attention fixed on the boy. He was tense, which was to be expected. Yet he didn't quite act like he was expecting them to beat him just for existing. A small improvement but one all the same. Apparently the others had noticed this as well.
"My, aren't you in need of a bath." Izo offered Das a smile.
The brat wasn't able to hide his flinch at the words and Newgate had to refrain himself from crushing his tankard at the sight. He had forgotten the kid was a devil fruit user, let alone one with an ability with no off switch. Bath would have a totally different connotation for any devil fruit person, let alone one who has been tortured.
Izo's smile softened, "If you don't want a bath, that is fine. But you'll feel better once you're clean. Look; I will go with you and make sure nothing happens. You have my word that I won't do anything to harm you. Most of the crew is on duty so we won't be bothered."
Das's eyes flitted from Izo to the others in the room. Whether he was looking for assurances or a rebuke Newgate couldn't say, but he offered a small nod anyway. "Go on, my sons."
It still took Izo leading him with a hand on his shoulder for the brat to leave despite how uncomfortable being in the room with his "masters" made him.
Thatch barely waited a beat after the door closed, "What the hell, Oyaji?"
"We have much to discuss, my son, and it would not do to talk in front of the brat as if he wasn't in the room."
"What kind of things?" Thatch said, turning a suspicious look to his brothers.
"His health for one, and where we can safely stick him for another." Jozu answered, leaning against the wall.
"I thought he'd be bunking with Marco's division?"
"I don't trust my men not to haze him, yoi. Do you trust yours?"
The way Thatch's mouth opened to protest before snapping shut was comical, though expected. Finally the Fourth Commander shook his head, "Then, that leaves rooming with a commander or the infirmary. Which I highly suggest not doing. Das was terrified of the place."
"I thought as much." Whitebeard sighed. "A shame, it would have made monitoring his health easier."
Marco passed over the file Candi had dropped off to Thatch, "Don't get yourself worked up, yoi. He's not about to drop dead."
"Still, if he had stayed in those pens a week longer…." Jozu trailed off, frowning.
"Malnourished, dehydrated… expected that. Already working on a food plan, actually…" the cook trailed off, reading over the chart even as he pulled a wrinkled piece of paper full of cramped dietary notes and handed it to Whitebeard for review.
The Yonko knew when the other had reached the more concerning bits by the slowly increasing frown. Clinical though the notes were it wasn't a pleasant read. While there were no broken bones there were signs of internal bruising. A fever which they had written off as exposure to the sun had belied multiple infections. It wasn't a surprise when Candi had advised against allowing the boy to do anything remotely taxing for a while. With his immune system compromised, a heart attack or stroke would almost be guaranteed. "The brat has more fire than I gave him credit for."
"Or he's too terrified to let himself be sick." Jozu pointed out, shrugging when his brothers glared at him. "It's a possibility is all."
"A possibility I'm going to completely ignore." Thatch sniffed, putting the file down. "So, he's rooming with Marco, then?"
"No, yoi." Marco smirked lazily, "He's rooming with you."
"WHAT?" Thatch yelped, "No. No no no! I keep odder hours than you, not to mention the sharp pointy things in my room!"
"Well, I can't do it. He thought I was his master. Sharing quarters would give him the wrong idea all over again."
"Damn, you're right." His eyes slid over to Jozu.
Jozu let out a laugh, "Don't look at me. I scare him enough it wouldn't be a good idea. And since you're the next highest ranked commander…"
"What about Teach?" Thatch asked somewhat desperately.
Marco raised an eyebrow, "Would you trust him with Das?"
Thatch made a face, "...No. I hate to say it, but… honestly no. I know he's our brother, but…"
Whitebeard let out a sigh, "While it pains me to think so little of one of my sons, I must agree. Teach has a side that is nastier than most, and it is not something I wish to tempt with such an easy target."
There was a moment as they all thought on that before Thatch sighed. "Marco, I'm keeping my swords and specialty knives in your room for now."
"Works for me, yoi. Wouldn't want him to trip over your mess and stab himself anyway."
"Har har. Very funny." Thatch groused.
"I'll grab a spare mattress and blankets. The shipwrights will have a bedframe ready by tomorrow." Juzo offered, jotting down a note to pass off to the shipwrights on duty.
Whitebeard sat back and watched as his sons planned away, proud as could be. Family was all about helping each other, after all. It still didn't mean he'd quite forgiven Marco, but that would all depend on Das, he supposed.