They reached the coordinates Garp had provided around seven that night. It took about three hours to reunite families and find homes for the remainder. Money and jobs, the Marine base on the island would take care of and the money from the captured pirates would be divided per person—Ajax plus Del Rio alone were a combined worth of twenty seven million which would give each person 45,000 berries. It gave them some pocket money to replace any items they'd been forced to abandon.
Law was forced to endure nearly half an hour of fawning as the refugees reaffirmed that they were alright and if they weren't his patients, he would've confiscated their hands. But he put up with it because he was aware of the thin ice he was treading around the sharp-eyed Admiral. Better to keep himself in check or risk crumbling the bridges being built.
Around eleven, as the crowds began to disperse and Law was wondering if he could sneak back to the ship now that he'd done his time, a new issue cropped up.
"I SAID NO!" Kid's shout caught everyone's attention and Law quickly made his way over to see a red-haired man trying to grab the boy's arm. "You think you can just take me back after abandoning me in the freaking scrapyard? HELL NO!"
Kid still had family on Mangrove Cove? Law watched with a frown, not sure about what was going on.
Kaizo, whom Law had treated for a mild case of Asbestosis, made another grab for him. "I didn't abandon you! I just told you to make yourself scarce for a few weeks—"
"It's been SIX MONTHS!"
"It's not my fault you never came back!" The man said in offense.
Kid gaped at him in disbelief before he dodged another grab, glaring at him. "Fuck you, you lying piece of shit! You can go fuck yourself!"
"Watch your language, young man!" Greta, Kaizo's wife who Law had treated for Peritoneal Mesothelioma, chided from beside her husband.
"Fuck off, bitch, just cuz you're ridin' his dick don't give you ANY power over me!" Kid growled, hands clenched into fists so tight Law was surprised he wasn't bleeding.
And WOW. That kind of language meant someone was about to die. He decided to step in. "Regardless, Kaizo-ya, Kid is no longer your responsibility. He has been my legal brother for weeks now and you lost all rights to him when you did not protest the adoption within the allotted timeframe."
"You can't just take kids off the street and call them yours! Without the consent of his legal guardian—"
"You lost your rights as his legal guardian the moment you sent him off." He cut him off calmly, stepping between the duo and Kid for good measure. "Unless you could provide a valid reason to contest our father's guardianship, and unless Kid himself wishes to return to your care, it is highly unlikely that anyone would grant you custody again."
"We're blood related!" The man spluttered furiously and Law's hand shifted discretely to his hidden hand-and-half sword.
"You are homeless, jobless, and without a Berry to your name." The refugees had not been told about the money yet, but even then it wasn't a lot. "You abandoned him for six months without cause and from what I've seen you treat him rather poorly. Why would anyone grant you custody?" He asked mildly.
"He is MINE! You have NO right—" The man reached out to grab Kid only to freeze.
The sword's blade glinted in the torchlight, the sharp point causing a small bloodstain to start to bloom on the man's shirt. "Back up. Or I will gut you." He began to leak killing intent as he said, "Don't you ever touch my brother again."
Terrified, the duo quickly left and he re-sheathed the sword in his coat as he released the killing intent. He missed Kikoku.
"…I had it under control…" Kid muttered quietly.
"You would have killed him." He replied as he turned to face him. "I did not go to all that trouble saving their lives for you to lose control in a fit of temper, no matter how warranted it may be."
"Six months, man!" Kid growled angrily as he ran a hand roughly through his hair. "Bet you anything the fucker just wants my ship."
"Kid, why didn't you tell anyone?" Kayla, the hotel owner, asked in a pained voice. "Any one of us would've taken you in! You didn't have to stay in the scrapyard!"
There was a chorus of agreement from the others and Kid ducked his head to unsuccessfully hide a blush as he replied quietly, "There's no way you'd be able to afford it and I was already nearing the final stages of lung cancer before Trafalgar healed me. I wouldn't have lasted long anyway." That last part was admitted almost too quietly to hear and the group gasped in horror.
"Is-is that why he kicked you out?!" She asked in shock before it turned to fury. "That despicable cretin!"
Kid was the one being fawned over this time and though he protested, Law could see it was doing him good to know they cared.
"He didn't tell me he had cancer."
Law looked at Killer, who was pale and shaking beside him. "He treated it using radiation from his Devil Fruit last time. Do you recall him ever falling ill for no explainable reason?"
He nodded. "Why didn't he tell me?"
"It's what siblings do, Killer. They lie to protect their brothers and sisters from the harsh realities they live in." He said, remembering Lamy before he continued, "He didn't want to see you hurt for him, not when you were already in so much pain."
"But cancer…I could've lost him…"
Law put his hand on the boy's back as Killer buried his face in his hands. "You seem to be developing a complex. I recommend you speak with Penguin after we conclude our talks."
"Sencho, don't say it like that!" Penguin chided as he suddenly popped up between them. "Whether or not he has a complex doesn't invalidate what he's feeling right now! You should treat him better!"
"I'm not an invalid." Killer said in mild annoyance.
"See? You've gone and made him defensive!" He sighed.
"Oops." He said blandly. Emotions weren't his strong suit. Patting Killer's back, he said, "The traumas you have been forced to endure seem to be harming your emotional well-being. They are as important to treat as any physical wound so as a doctor, I highly recommend you be treated by Penguin before they become worse." He reworded it and Penguin looked pleased.
"Better. Thank you, Sencho." Penguin said happily.
Killer glared at the boy but before he could argue, Law said calmly, "If you resist treatment, I will not be held responsible for your injuries."
The boy switched his glare to him but didn't protest.
"Great! Glad that's settled!" Penguin said cheerfully. "Now let's find Kid and get something to eat!"
He dragged them into the thinning crowd.
AN: Where are the adults when they need them? Ah, they're working with the based Marines to go over the paperwork regarding the refugees. The boys can take care of themselves, they've saved an island and dismantled a government mostly alone, didn't they? At least that's what Sengoku tells Corazon as he drags him to the base.
I seem to have misspelled Hiijiji last chapter, but in my defense, my computer makes the I's and J's so similar, I'm just gonna pretend I've spelled it correctly. (Hiijiji=Great Grandfather)
Thanks for the reviews! I can't say very much to avoid spoilers, but they won't reach Zou for a while. Sengoku would never allow four children to go through the calm belt so they'll have to go the long way.
Anyone have any ideas for filler islands? I kind of skimped on those so I'll have to come up with them while typing and I'm not very good at original islands. Also if anyone could help me come up with some trouble they'd run into…I've really drawn a blank. As for Luffy remembering…Luffy is a mystery I still haven't solved. We'll all just have to wait and see :)
Personal info: No, actually, I never thought about wireless keyboards! I'm definitely buying one as soon as I can!
If anyone has any questions, always feel free to ask! Most of this is already written (I've finally gotten through the first journal with this chapter and there are EIGHT), and if I can, maybe I could fit your ideas somewhere!