Chapter Five
Case of Broken Typewriter & Other Stories: Part-II
On Monday dawn, Zoro finds his sleep gone and a new jolt in his toes, his muscular arms hammered the hot iron in beautiful shapes. Being a man who loves sleep and drinks, his green eyes found the orange sun peeping out, mocking. The streets of Dressrosa were still in slumber. From the fifth building on his opposite, Sanji was awake like always. Frying bacons and brewing coffee and peeping out of window.
Zoro continues to hammer down the pieces Luffy asked for, his olfactory failed to smell the shimmering bacons and a blonde sending silent ballads on asleep wind. Corazon was tucked comfortably under his blanket and Law never realized when words from his books turned into sleep spell. The doctor fell asleep on the couch with the memory of kiss he could never forget. Sanji woke up feeling constricted in his bed, violet memories were too fresh to be forgotten. As he brewed his coffee, he found a green head working in his workshop. Sanji decides to watch his friend work, the hammering and shimmering calmed him. Love was here in Dressrosa but not for him.
Zoro finds his concentration shattered, when a small figured in red passes by his workshop, sweeping the road, the trail of hood galloping behind. The sun had stopped peeping and now was rushing up in the sky, the fogs were happy to die early and watch the figure in red walk. Zoro steps out and it doesn't take his aware mind to understand, Luffy was walking to wake Dressrosa up. Sanji finds a smile on his lips when he sees the young father walk below his window. Luffy with his blood-red hood and a huge but now empty basket swaying in his arms. The younger was returning back home.
Lola finds herself in-front of Laughmaker when the town clock announces 5am in the morning. Her horse was happy, and the cart filled with Luffy's supply. "Good morning pious pumpkin and you as well Pink Pony" Luffy waves his strawhat and greets Lola and her horse. "What's her name Lola?" Luffy asks curiously as he pets the pink horse. For first time again, Lola is struck, she is jealous of the beauty the young man possesses. Luffy grins and she blushes, she is jealous of his smile, of skin, of his happiness but she finds herself wishing for a child like him too. Luffy stirred up thoughts in her and her lips blurt out.
"How can you be so pretty all the time? I envy you" next moment she almost rips her skirt in shame. "Shishishi... good that you are not blind too pretty things! Come on in? Are these sacks mine?" Luffy was already pulling down his fresh supply of meat and bones in wraps. "She is called Pirrie, I will put them inside, leave it will you?" Lola complains. "Sssh... I believe in equality of gender, but I am not a jerk that I will make you pull everything inside. Life is about sharing Lola, come in… come…" Luffy flung the door, they passed the sleeping wooden counter and slumbering display window, both walked inside the big kitchen.
Lola was wrapped in a permanent warmth of spices, smell of oranges, lust of meat and purity of herbs. The fire place got lit and Luffy was putting his meat inside the huge cold box*. "What do we do with the bones?" Lola asked. "In a minute" Luffy placed a pot of water on stove and was next moment hanging the bones and unusable parts beside the empty stew cauldron in the fire place. "They have their purpose" Luffy made Lola seat on a stool in a swift turn and was washing his hands the next moment. Before Lola could blink he was everywhere, and she never figured when Luffy dropped of his red hood.
"You are fast" Lola smiled. "I like to keep things at winds speed" Luffy opened the door that led to his kitchen garden. Lola got knocked by the sharp smell of green breaking in. The boy had magic in his very essence. "No… I have no magic in me, I just have proper information about gardening and I am so fast because, I have a daughter to raise. My life revolves to make her happy" Luffy walked in with a small bowl full of green leaves. He drops in the boiling pot of water, next he minces ginger and drops them in water. After few moments later, a large spoon of honey and finally the tea leaves fell in. He stirs them well, his concentration so concrete that Lola finds the words sealed in her throat, her eyes fixed on him. The plump woman felt like she was observing an elaborate ancient ritual, each step was important and needed time and care. And When Luffy is done she finds herself almost clapping, a honeyed liquid with green shade settles in plain transparent glass cups, it glows. The final touch Luffy gives is, two slice of lemon in each cup.
Luffy pushes the happy cup of tea towards Lola, who looks at the old watch hanging on the wall, it was just 5.09 am in this part of the world. "I think I deserve a good morning" the laughmaker smiles.
Shanks can smell woman in the house, it's his one most cherished qualities. When he steps down the spiral stairs, he finds old cranky Hilluk's daughter-in-law bowing to Luffy at the entrance. "Are you not Lola Hilluk?" Shanks grins and the woman nods. "Luffy what magic have you done? She looks energetic?" Shanks smiles and sits at the last step of the confusing stairs. "Just my wake up tea, Lola is such a hardworking woman, she needs to look after her body. I have decided to treat her with my tea every morning" Luffy winks.
Lola blushes and rushes out. "Lola, don't forget we have shopping planned in the afternoon" Luffy waves. "You there, boy, be careful. Her father-in-law and husband her not good guys" Shanks yawns but finds a hot cup of coffee in his palms. "Stop being a father will you?" Luffy huffs and sits opposite the sewing machine behind the stairs. "Sewing early morning sonny?" Shanks sips his coffee. "I think Lamy needs a proper fighting dress if she is to learn from Zoro" Luffy beings revolving the wheel.
"I met Law the other night at bar" Shanks smiled, a curious smile Luffy could feel but not see as the elder was facing opposite direction. "And?" Luffy asked. "He loves you! I am not joking. I have seen that boy grow in front of my eyes, he can be creepy with shadowed eyes. But when he spoke about you. He was mad about you" Shanks laughed.
"Well I like him too. He might be the first man who understood what Lamy means to me" Luffy smiled.
Shanks finds himself kicked out of his own home, wearing a refurbished shirt and carrying a big steel carrier of left-overs for his workmates. Having Luffy around made him realise, the boy was utilitarian. He hardly wasted anything, he hogged up cardboard boxes, collected ashes in a bag, never wasted a seed of lemons or pumpkins, collected bones and food left by his customers, patched up old clothes into something useful. Hence the reason was his new look. Luffy barged into Shanks's room upturned the trunk of his unused clothes. Shanks had stopped using many of his shirts because they fell victim to grease, or tear or gave few trousers up because they had lost their colour.
But this early morning he finds, himself forced into an old white blue polka dotted shirt which had ripped its hand to a rusty anchor. Luffy had cut the hands to fit the elbow and attached false caflings from a tattered flue shirt and the shirt was good as new. The boy was not a miser, but he definitely had an upbringing which showed glimpse of strict background, yet Luffy hardly spoke about his family, Shanks knew he had a big family yet Shanks could not figure out Monkey D. Luffy.
"Nice shirt" the Mayor of Dressrosa compliments as Shanks walks past him, the streets yet had to wake up. "My son made it" Shanks bows his head and the tall man in pink fur coat frowns in confusion. Shanks enjoyed this game of teasing, lying and irritating the blonde man. But right now the winds were witness to his honesty. Luffy had drawn out his once desired fatherhood. The wild wind congratulated the red head by ruffling his hair and belling his false caflings.
"Have you written your letter to mom?" Luffy asks as he messages hot coconut oil in Lamy's hair. "Do I have to?" Lamy whines. "No… you don't have to" Luffy copies her whining tone. "What do I write?" Lamy asks. "Who is the daughter here?" Luffy asks. "Me" Lamy raises her hand and closes her eyes as Luffy rubs circle on her scalp. "Awwww…. this is so gooooood papa… you can open a massage parlour too shishishi" Lamy giggles.
"Good idea, if we ever have to leave this town, we might try it in next" Luffy picks up his daughter by the waist and makes her stand near the bath tub gargling warm water. "Do we have to leave again?" Lamy pouts. "I hope not" Luffy smiles and pulls out Lamy's frock. Now the naked child dives inside the warm water. "Hey there, slow down, let me wash you to my heart's content! One day you will grow up and I can't look at you then. I don't want you to grow up" Luffy pouts.
"Papa is being mushy!" Lamy sits in the warm water and Luffy begins lathering her hair with crushed hibiscus. "I am not being mushy! I am afraid. One day you will grow up and say papa I don't love you!" Luffy makes a dramatic voice. "But I will never say that, it should be mom's word" Lamy hisses up.
"Muffin… will you not write a letter to her?" Luffy sighs. "What do I write?" Lamy asks. "That you miss her… may be?" Luffy smirks. "Papa… I will never miss her shishishi…" Lamy places watery kisses on Luffy's cheeks. "She will kill me" Luffy mumbles hugging his daughter hard.
On Mondays the business runs slow. Every other businessman knows that, especially in the afternoons. With this knowledge ingrained in his head, Luffy locks Laughmaker's for an hour. The strawhat on his head and an idea in motion. Luffy stops for a moment, he takes a deep breath and the wild wind decides to tickle his small shapely nose. He can faintly smell Lamy in school, he can smell cigarette buds dropped by Sanji, he can smell pink feathers of Doflamingo's coat drenched by midnight dew. Shanks smell was gone, Law's smelt of a distant dream. Everything was in proper order and Luffy was on his way.
Luffy finds Lola waiting for him, in the down town. This was a place where Monday business blues never happened. Shopkeepers were shouting at top of their voices, shoemakers offering leather boots, weavers bought their colourful carpets, housewives from different streets haggled and bargained. Lola is stiff, shopping alone was big step for her.
Growing up with a large body and many siblings behind her, she was either wearing dresses her mother bought for or discarded or she would be forced to mix and match with her stupid father's clothes. When one is a butcher woman and runs an animal farm, grace is last thing one has on her mind. Even if she wanted to be pretty, pretty was a faraway word.
"Why are we here?" Lola asks. "To fix you up, you don't love yourself. A person who doesn't love their own soul are bound to be unhappy" Luffy pulls her hand into his arms. "You want to play out the fairytale story with me? My father told me once of a poor girl with some glass or fur slippers who got married to prince! Fairytales are stupid" Lola huffed.
"Firstly, that's no fairytale. Lamy and I we have met Countess Cinder; she is a wonderful person. There was no fairy god mother, but a really poor step mom who out of poverty was bitter. Countess Cinder worked in glass artifacts shop and created beautiful showpieces. Then the young Count came in shop one day and saw her creation, he demanded them for royal ball. Countess Cinder made statues, chandeliers, wines glasses. Finally, on the night of the ball Count's mom, then thee strongest woman in province sent for Cinder, she loved her work and wanted Cinder to teach in the crafts school. Things changed eventually for Cinder and she ended up marrying Count. Every fairytale has truth behind it" Luffy scolded Lola.
"Sorry" the chubby woman smiled sadly but amused, she definitely wanted a child like him. "Luffy how did you feel when Lamy was born?" Lola blurts again. "Scared…" Luffy smiles. "….." Lola finds word dried in her throat. "There she was wrapped in blanket, so tiny. Two knife slits for eyes, two invisible holes for a nose and an O for mouth! She was wrinkly, small, fragile and helpless. That's how they are on the first day! I was scared of being unable to love her! So yeah… scared for sure" Luffy pulls the plumpy woman to a woman selling shoes.
"Lollipop shoes for the lady, sister" Luffy makes Lola sit on the stool and looks at the curly haired woman with bandana. "Lollipop? Are you crazy? Whole town will laugh at me" Lola laughed. "Tell meh the coolouurs you wanth ladie?"* the curly head asks. "Red, Orange, Lavender, Lemon Green and some Cheery Pink" Luffy forces Lola to pick up her ankle length skirts up to her knees.
"Look at this woman! She has such shapely juicy legs! And she hides them! Tell her sister… she should flaunt them" Luffy talks out loud to the shopkeeper. "Yes the bouy.. is right madamee..." the curly woman begins to make Lola wear colourful shoes.
"Countess Cinder wore Lollipop shoes to the ball, since she was like you who had never looked at herself in mirror, she was nervous. In her nervousness, her foot slipped and her so called glass slippers landed on Count's head. Each love story has a weird beginning!" Luffy winked at now tangerine Lola.
Law never expects to see him in the downtown away from his universe of flavours. But the wild wind decides to blow at a doe's speed and makes sure to topple the fur hat the young doctor wears. Law finds his hat swishing away when he gives the last female bed-warmer her vaccine. Law shuts his instrument box and runs after the spotted hat which had earned its own consciousness.
The colourful women wave him a goodbye, he hardly cares, his hat keeps walking. Ignoring him and in a way laughing with the wind. "Oh my my! where did you come from?" Law hears the voice of broken bamboo coated in sugar. "Don't you belong to Law" it was the voice Law craved to hear in his sleep. "Luffy why are you here?" Law greets the happy man brushing dust of the taller's fluffy hat.
"Law… I do take breaks at times…" Luffy grins and warps his arms around Law's. Law hugs him back like a lover of thousand years. "I am just a bit surprised" Law whispers in the younger's ears. "More than a break, I came here to help Lola redo her fashion sense" Luffy points on his north, where the chubby woman was overwhelmed by colourful shoes.
"Sanji says she sells best meat at Dressrosa" Law informs. "Yup, she provides me with the freshest of the lot to me now" Luffy took Law's hands in his arm. "Come help me buy her clothes" Luffy pulled Law to the shops fluttering colourful yarns of fabric. "I am not very good with pretty things" Law mumbled. "You seem good with those pretty women waving at you" Luffy indicated to the colourful women clamped together still waving.
"Luffy… they are… I don't like women" Law was stuck in thought. "I know, you like men. Its written all over your face and I know who they are, I have tremendous respect for them" Luffy squeezed Law's arm. "Why are you helping Lola?" Law asked. "Everyone deserves happiness, as a laughmaker I should make her capable of seeing the beauty in her" Luffy smiled. "Are you an angel?" Law blurts out. "Nah… just a selfish human who wants to make people alive" Luffy pushes Law inside the shop.
"Are they?" Law stops himself from shouting, Lola sits like a kindergartner and watches Luffy randomly pick the fabrics. Lola looks at Law with nervousness and the doctor gives an uncertain smile to the curvy woman. "Luffy…" Law again begins his sentence but is shot down by the mischievous smirk the younger has.
"I know, I know… you are wondering why am I buying fabrics and materials used to make curtains huh? Well they are cheap, their colours stay for a long time, they can be roughly used and they protect from sun! Most importantly, they come in various patterns and prints!" Luffy smiles and Lola and Law find themselves nodding.
"All these will be 800 berries" a man with creeper like mustache begins to fold the materials Luffy selected. "300 berries… not a berri more not a berri less" Luffy grins. "Are you nuts boy?" the man hisses. "Luffy?" Lola wants to cry, that no one would settle for such a bargain. "Watch him" Law grins and makes Lola sit on her stool.
"I am not, but you are… Do I look blind to you? 800 berries for table clothes? Give me a break!" Luffy tilts his head. "These are from Aruba! From the very heart of this country's capital!" the shopkeeper curls his black wooly mustache with tips of his fingers. "They are made in Jaya, in the factories established by Gan Fall… and you sir have never been to Aruba. Arubians prefer pure cotton over satin silks. Now I am no naïve housewife of Dressorosa. I am a travelling businessman, we both know 300 berries is a lot more than your cost price" Luffy pulls out his wallet and places three red crumbled papers on the desk.
Both Law and Lola watch the man make no fuss and pack the clothes in professional way. "Do you have basic make up?" Luffy turns around and Lola swears there was unbound passion in the deep eyes, which were turbulent like the wild wind teasing the shops curtain, they were a slave to Luffy.
On seventh lane Lola bows for the infinite time and decides to leave Law with Luffy. In an hour Luffy had stormed the downtown. Lola found herself borrowing the confidence this young man carried. If she ever had a child, irrespective of the gender, she would name them Luffy. At the sunny turning Lola peeps her head and chubby hands waves at Luffy.
"See you tomorrow, for morning tea… take care" Luffy waves. Law chooses to be a spectator. "Ain't you awfully quite sir?" Luffy turns around. "I like watching you, watching you makes me feel energetic" Law blushes. "Care to join for lunch?" Luffy asks. "I would pay for it" Law challenges.
"Are we not dating?" Luffy asks as he walks ahead of Law. His thin waist sways in its own rhythm, his steps are far from graceful, but like an adorable duckling he squats in his own tune. Law loved him. "Yes we are, though I would like a proper-proper date with you and Lamy" Law smiles at his use of pre-pubescent vernacular. "If we are dating, there is no way you can pay me for lunch" Luffy turns around, his strawhat shifts backward, hiding the happy sun. A halo brights around him and Law swears, he saw an angel in human's skin.
"It's a simple lunch" Luffy makes Law sit on the infamous roof of One and Half Red building. "You know… my dad can see us right now" Law laughs. "Are you afraid of him?" Luffy asks. "Never was, he is a good man, but at times too blind" Law inhales the smell of warm cheese, cooked vegetables and spiced meat. Luffy walks up the spiral stairs with overflowing tray of food.
"Dig in" Luffy takes the seat opposite Law and pulls his bamboo chair. "Woah! That's a lot for two" Law feels he will waste a lot. "Really? Actually I eat a lot, so yeah don't run away after watching me eat all this at one go" if Luffy was embarrassed of one thing in his life, it was his food habit.
"Please go ahead. I am not a judgmental ass" Law smiles. "The same applies to you. Eat, I am a good cook" Luffy pours the grated cheese over the chunks of spiced roasted meat and covers it with cooked vegetables. "Little olive oil and sea salt shall do the trick" Luffy bites his lips and makes Law drool both at the sight of the delicacy and the delicious cook sitting in long apron.
"You are beautiful" Law caresses Luffy's warm cheeks. The younger leans into the touch. "Start munching Law" Luffy places a soft kiss on the taller's palm.
In her laboratory Monet has the best time of her life. The gift she found around her neck first in the morning was making her blush. An antique that smelled well. Seven years of marriage was a big achievement for a career obsessed woman like her. If eight years ago people told her, she would get married one day, she would have strangled them.
Then one fine day, enters the stoic man. He says so little, yet shows care with small gesture and makes her feel protected but not fragile. Not many understood why she married a man who did not care much about his hair or saw what he ate. On their first date Vergo made no attempt to impress her with his knowledge of wine or show off his wealth by booking the most expensive balcony table. He just was, a nerd who never realized breadcrumbs were stuck to his beard. She loved him for his simplicity, his gentle masculinity and his patience.
Whenever her experiments failed, he was there calm and composed. He heard her rants, became her punching bag when she was angry, her personal chef when blood trickled between her thighs, her body warmer when at night she shivered at winds ministrations. Vergo with his shades and salt-pepper hair, was her base. A stable guy who had little off sense for surprises. But this was the package deal and she accepted it with her whole heart. So when in morning she finds an antique neckpiece resting between her asleep breast, her heart flutters. Twenty fours before the said anniversary, her husband was showering her with surprises.
Vergo had cheered Monet up. So when Ceaser asks Monet about the new ornament, the beautiful scientist flashes a rare smile and flicks her olive green hair to let the wild wind settle in them and walks away smelling of lavender.
After lunch, Law finds himself relaxed on the soft carpet Zoro and Sanji lazed on. Luffy standing behind his counter makes small chocolate balls and dips them in white liquid, the lean fingers dance in their own rhythm. Law sees them and sighs, the windows were open and the wind from the kitchen garden swung the cattle of tea bags tied to the window. All making a music of their own, an orchestra of hollow shells with mustard seeds in them.
Like small rattle snakes were learning to tune their souls' frequency, the tea bags sang their own song and their creator hummed his own tune. "Can Wazu and I have a cup of coffee?" the insane old man with thin hair and his old dog Wazu paddled inside the trinket wonderland.
"You can have a cup of coffee, Mr. Wazu has to settle with bone stew okay?" Luffy reclines forward to greet stoop eyed Wazu wagging his tail. Law stays slumbered and watches Luffy walk into his huge kitchen. Wazu paddles towards Law and leaves his owners side. Before Law can move or make space, Wazu ends up resting his head on Law's folded legs.
"Ah… he likes you Law" the old man laughs out loud. "Yeah… I am surprised, these days I am loved by kids and animals" Law pats the brown head that nestles on his knee. "You shouldn't be surprised, children and animals can smell kindness before we stupid adults do" Luffy walks in with a black tray. His waist again donning the long apron.
"Here is your coffee with cream" Luffy smiles at the boisterous man. "Thank you lad… you are a darling. Would you go on a date with this old man before he falls in grave?" the man with thinning crown smiles and wrinkles wink at Luffy. The wild wind giggles and tickles Law's ears, the said doctor feels threatened already. The wind enjoys it but Luffy's amused eyes stray on Law and his smile dismisses the anger the taller fumes.
"I wish; you had asked me a month back. I am bethroed to someone" Luffy pats the old man on the back. "Ah… too bad… too bad" the dog owner smiles. "Here you go Wazu, bone stew for the warrior and Green tea for you my love" Luffy speaks softly. But the wind hears it and the tea bags witness it, and Law blushes on it.
"Once you are done drinking, tie the tea bag on the window panes and make a wish" Luffy hides the black tray between his arm and his free hand run through the ebony hair of the doctor. The smell of tea, the sound of dried leaves cocooned in paper and the calmness of wind runs through his hair. For a moment Law experiences eternity.
Lamy almost rushes out of school, almost, she stops when she smells trouble being emitted from soft brown hair. "Chopper" two pigtails rush towards the class genius. "Why are you still here? Should you not board the cart?" Lamy asks. "Mom said she would come pick me up after school" Chopper shivers, his skinny legs hang from the knickerbocker he wore.
"How long do you think it will take her to come here?" Lamy asks. "Another half an hour I guess" Chopper looks at other kids boarding the cart and giggling. "Brother Coby…. Brother Coby" Lamy was already yelling out to the pink headed priest. "What is it dear?" Coby runs towards Lamy, almost dropping his glasses.
"Chopper's mom is running late, may I take him with me to my home?" Lamy asks. "I see no harm in that. Chopper run along, when your mum comes, I shall inform her" Coby combs the soft brown hair with his fingers. "But… but mom… what if she panics?" Chopper asks. "She of all the people? She is a very calm person boy. I will tell her. Lamy run along, take him" Coby pats the young Monkey D. and she pulls Chopper along with her leaving behind the smell of hibiscus and her laughter.
"Come Chopper… I know you are hungry… Papa is the best cook in the world…shishsihsi" Lamy pushes Chopper inside the shop and Coby watches them dissolve in Luffy's wonderland.
Luffy looks up, to find two tiny bodies at door. One was his daughter and other a timid boy. The father alarm, in his head sharpened his eyes, the wind found another game. It shivered up the little boy and Lamy squeezed his hand. Had Luffy been dull to the winds craftiness, he would have reacted to the potential love sprouting in two extremely tiny hearts. But the young father was a man who slaved the wind.
"Good afternoon, I see we have a friend joining us today Lamy" Luffy gestured them to enter his shop. "Papa, this is Chopper and Chopper this is my papa Luffy and the daddy long leg is Papa's boyfriend" Lamy introduced and Law chocked on his last sip of green tea. "You talk too much for a seven-year old" Luffy rolled his eyes in not so soft manner. "Sorry papa" Lamy pouted. "You better be young lady… rush upstairs, drink your turmeric milk, change and come down here" Luffy refused to return into his soft happy go daddy mode.
"Yes Papa" Lamy took heavy feet up the stairs.
"Chopper dear come here and sit" Luffy grinned his homely smile and the little boy blushed. "Wait a moment here… you must be hungry" Luffy pulled Chopper up his waist and sat him on the high stool. "Law keep an eye on him, he is so skinny he might drop" Luffy gave a love filled look to Chopper which made two humans jealous one peeping through the spiral stairs another laying on the carpet.
"Lamy I can see you! Go" the un-happy daddy mode was back and the pigtails flew. Chopper looked at Law and Law burned him with his glare, but Luffy's words made him smile and the young turned into a puddle. "Don't be afraid of me. I am here because of the cute guy. Lamy's dad is cute right? Yeah I know he looks so young to be a father. I don't bother with it, just think I don't exist okay" that was Law trying to have a small talk.
"My mom… she knows you" Chopper speaks quietly. "Does she? Is she a nurse?" Law asks. "No… She teaches in bigger schools" Chopper shows his version of large with two tiny stretched out arms. "Oh... I may have met her" Law mumbles, totally clueless about the kid's mom.
"Is papa back?" Lamy climbs down the stairs softly and peeps at Law. Law shook his head and the girl tiptoes inside the shop. Now in pink frock she was walking towards Law who couldn't help but compare her to Wazu an hour back. "You think he is very mad?" Lamy asks. "Not that I know or have seen him go bad" Law shrugs his shoulder. "Sometimes he goes super-duper crazy" Lamy pouts. "Really?" Law asks.
"Yeah, when he broke up with Shuraiya-san, he was crazy as hell. One day I thought he will burn everything down. But next day we were back on road. Whenever he goes crazy he closes Laughmakers down and moves to next town" Lamy sighs. "You don't like travelling?" Law asks. "I do... but its him. He gets disappointed with places" Lamy pouts. Law could not imagine the a disappointed Luffy. The guy was like wind, always on move. A wind dies where there was no motion. Law can understand what Lamy feels.
"Chopper dear, first finish your turmeric milk" Luffy walks in and hands Chopper a glass of his drink. "Stop pouting and come over here" Luffy grins. "Papa" Lamy rushes and hugs the lean waist Law wants to hold. "Since, Law and I we had our lunch, there was not much left. It's a quick fix. Finish your buttered sandwiches and stir fry and cupcakes. Chopper don't be shy okay! Eat" Luffy places the hot meals on the wooden counter. "Thank you Mr. Luffy" Chopper blushes. "Ain't he adorable?" Luffy smiles and looks at Law who nods.
As both children dig into their food, Luffy goes and flops near Law. "Kids are handful you know. Honesty is good. But at times they need to be taught when and how to present that honesty" Luffy was feeling bad for making Lamy feel guilty for quarter of an hour. "You are doing a marvelous job, raising her all happy, healthy, honest and hardworking" Law unconsciously snakes his hand around the lean waist.
"Ain't you the sweetest guy on earth" Luffy rests his head on Law's shoulder. Law firms his curving and inhales the smell of crushed hibiscus from Luffy's hair. "You know even wind at times need to stop and rest Luffy. You can't always be on motion. You don't have to sleep, for hours but take a quick rest and let it all in" Law speaks as softly as he could. Two pairs of eyes watch toddlers chat over their lunch and laugh. Even the wild wind decides to stay put in tea bags and coiled at Luffy's feet for a quick rest before rushing to next havoc.
"You know what?" Luffy looks up to grey eyes trying to figure him out. "What?" Law blushes at the deep liquid eyes looking at him. "This time, I might not be disappointed" Luffy reclines his lips to the crook of Law's neck and places them on his adam apple. All the siesta taking streets of Dressrosa rejoiced when the spell of wind bookmarked love on the doctor's neck.
Half an hour later, Luffy finds a tall woman with long black hair and bluish black eyes looking at the little boy with brown hair, now laughing with his Lamy. She was in a knee length white dress, a black ankle length coat and black boots. Luffy couldn't help but compare her sharp nose with the doctor beside him. "How may I help you?" Luffy stood up with his grin.
"Hello there, you can help me by returning me son" the woman gave a mysterious smile with soft words. "Oh... you must be Chopper's mom! Nice to meet you, your son has such wonderful manners. I am Monkey D Luffy" Luffy helped the tall woman sit on a fluffy chair. "Nicco Robin" she offers her tanned hand, Chopper still oblivious to his mother's presence. "Nice to meet you Robin" Luffy smiles back.
"Chopper… your mom is here" Luffy calls out, as the young boy was lost in talks with Lamy. "Mom!" Chopper jumped from his tool and rushed towards the woman with silky black hair. "You don't have to rush" Robin smiled at her chubby little son. "Robin, what do I offer you? Black coffee?" Luffy raises an eyebrow. "That's actually my favourite… how did you know?" Robin asked as she fixed Chopper's superhero T-shirt. "I have a knack for guessing" Law found himself at the receiving end of the wink the short man blew.
"Luffy… I have to leave now, if I stay here I will melt into this carpet" Law stands up and stretches his body. The wind tickles his shirt, which rises above his torso to reveal curved abs and trail of body art. Both Robin and Luffy look at the tall doctor, his eyes closed, hands fluttered like a flag above and his waist seductively twisted. Luffy found himself gulping at this end and the wind teased his lips, Luffy found his throat dry up and lips trembling. Robin saw the young man almost drool at the doctor's unintended seduction.
"Yeah… yes. it was nice having you" Luffy blushes. Law still clueless about his actions walks towards Luffy dropping his lean hands and kisses Luffy's round cheek. "Please choose a day for our date. Otherwise, I have to steal you away from this shop Mr. Laughmaker" Law whispered. If Luffy had his way now, he would have pushed Law on the coffee counter and devoured the taller man. But he knew it was the wild wind playing with his head hence he resisted the violence. "I will, I promise" Luffy gulps and it takes Robin few seconds to understand their budding love.
"How long have you been in curio-business?" Robin asks sipping her black-coffee. "How old are you Lamy?" Luffy asks his daughter who was making Chopper smell herbs. "Seven" Lamy giggles as Chopper guesses the name correctly. "So I am in business for eight years" Luffy smiles and offers Robin a plate of cookies. "They are sugar free" Luffy informs. "You like surprising people don't you" Robin giggles and helps herself.
"So what do you Mrs. Robin?" Luffy asks. "Ms. Robin if you please, have you seen the old rickety bookshop at end of sunflower street?" Robin asks sighing. "Yeah..." Luffy recalls an old wooden house with magnificent flower collection. It did hang a similar broken sign board. "You owe Ohara Book Store?" Luffy asks. "Yup, its family tradition business and I teach as well" Robin grins. "Would you mind if Lamy and I drop once, we need to replenish our stock of books" Luffy grins. "Yeah, please do come, no one visits bookshop these days. People are to engrossed in making money that they have given up on pleasure of words." Robin sighs.
"Well things change, you have to keep hope and spirit high, when I started my business, I had such a tough time, but I always kept my hopes high" Luffy gobbled his own cookies. "Do you love gardening?" Luffy spoke with full mouth. "I am passionate about it" Robin smiled. "I have something for you" Luffy leaves Robin, Lamy stops testing Chopper's nose. "Papa has just begun, he is starting to take interest, changes will happen now" Lamy laughed and Robin found the words to prophetic for a seven-year old. "How old are you again Lamy?" Robin asks. "Seven, but I may be three hundred, Laughmakers age at their own will Papa says so… shishishishi…" the girl was back to testing Chopper's bluish nose.
"Here" Luffy hands out a sealed jar. "And this is?" Robin asks. "It will help your garden bloom better and healthier. It's my homemade fertilizer, organic and chemical free" Luffy looks straight into Robin's eyes. The bookseller couldn't refuse. "How much do I pay?" Robin asks. "You're my daughter's first friend's mom! I can't take payment! Shishishsishi.…" Luffy stops Robin's hand from reaching her purse. "But it's so unfair" Robin protests. "Well then. When we visit your home, I shall take a book for payment. How's that?" Luffy asks.
"Better" Robin was mesmerized by the young shopkeeper, it was not love at first sight, it was curiosity at first sight. Monkey D Luffy was a mystery she would love to study.
Luffy rushes out of the shop when he hears a loud crash outside. Next moment he finds a tall man with gorgeous blonde hair spread on the pavement and his purple feather coat muddied. "Are you fine sir?" Luffy tries to pick up the huge man. "I am… I am.." the voice was muffled and in pain. The winds hissed that he was far from fine. Luffy ignores the man's attempt at self-reliance.
"Lamy bring me a bowl of cold water and clean clothes" Luffy yells from outside. "Yes Papa" the reply came in fraction of a moment. "I am sorry... I did not mean to fall, it's in my nature to trip and fall" the man at last was on his feet. "First we need to clean you up, then you can be sorry… you look like a wild boar trapped by hunters" Luffy pulls the man inside his shop.
Lamy was already standing away from the counter where a large brown bowl of chilled water and clean clothes cut out from Shanks' old shirts rested. "Thank you, you have to bring few more things" Luffy squints his eyes at Lamy. "Tell me Papa." Lamy smiles. "Marigold leaves and turmeric powder*" Luffy smiles back as he finds the pigtails flying past the kitchen garden.
"Sit here like a good boy" Luffy directs the man on the tool. Now that he looked carefully at his face, Luffy realized who this man was. "Mr. Corazon! You have to be more careful!" Luffy forcefully unbuttons the taller's printed shirt. "God you hurt yourself bad! Sir!" Luffy throws the dirtied shirt on the floor and examines the handsome face. The sharp nose was bleeding, there was shallow cut on the left cheek, the elbows and fingers were bruised and the solid chest was scratched.
"How do you know my name?" the tall blonde pouted. "Your son happens to be a regular in my shop and your nephew has a romantic interest with me" Luffy dabs the chilled wet clothe on the sharp nose. "OUCHHHHHHH" the taller hisses. "Stay calm will you?" Luffy gave no sympathy and was already cleaning the dirt off the cuts and rinsing the pieces of clothes of dirt and blood. The tall man tried not to jump at sharp pain.
"Are you seriously Sanji's dad?" Luffy almost smacked the older man. "Yeah... I am, my clumsiness has shamed my family for years" Corazon sighs. "That's not what I meant, Sanji has more you know resistance to this kind of stupid shallow pains and he loves you, so don't go 'my family dislikes me shit' you are loved" Luffy looks at the clean man and nods.
"Here" Lamy brings the ingredients in a grinding bowl. "Thank you" Luffy grinds the leaves and turmeric powder into fine paste. "What are you going to do with this?" Corazon shivers at the staunch smell. "Sssh" Lamy scolds the eldest. Both watch as Luffy moves his stone in small, short striking angles. Few minutes later, the taller finds his cheek, nose, chest and elbows were covered in the green-yellow paste.
"Sit here and don't move, Lamy watch over him" Corazon almost uttered yes mom. But he stopped, because this young man was his little Lawsy's lover. "How did you fall?" Lamy asks her chin resting on the tangled fingers and her big eyes boring holes into the taller man. "I don't know, I thought, lets enter the café and buy some chocolates and next moment I was on the ground, you know like there was no in-between moment to think. I just fell" the blonde sighed.
"Mr. Corazon, like a good boy drink it up" Luffy makes the blonde drink from a huge glass. "Turmeric milk, is good for health and immunity, it fixes you from inside" Luffy did not give the man a chance to protest but force fed him. "Wow Papa…" Lamy clapped at her father's forcefulness. "You are a devil gwaaahh" Corazon cried.
"A cute one" Luffy smiles. "Is he always like this?" Coarazon asks Lamy and pigtails nod in agreement. "My Law loves him?" Corazon asks and Lamy nods again.
"Sanji, are you in office?" both find Luffy on the den-den phone.
When the pink den-den phone began its cry, both blonde looked up from their paper work. Doflamingo frowned at the untimely hour of call and Sanji abandoned his chair and walked towards the noise making creation at the center of office.
"Sanji, are you in office?" Luffy's ran through the office and the windows shivered and Doflamingo found his ears detaching from the concentration at tip of his pen. "Yeah, I am, surprisingly" Sanji spoke. "Your dad is in my shop" Luffy informed. "Why is he there?" Sanji asks, though his head knows. "He tripped down in front of my shop, hurt his nose, cheek, hands" Luffy informs and Sanji shouted, "I knew it!"
"He tore his shirt, so would mind bringing a change of shirt and take him home" Luffy asks. "You know what Luffy, kick him out of the shop, let him shiver in cold" Sanji hisses up and Doflamingo frowns further at the information his ear collected. "Take my shirt and give it to him" the mayor speaks.
"No," Sanji speaks both to Luffy and Doflamingo. "I have no sympathy for cry baby" Sanji decides to be a heartless son. "I am calling Zoro then" Luffy smirks on his side. "Noooo….nooo… both will get lost and end up dead in some ditch, call Law, he will pick dad up" Sanji sighs. "You are not worried?" Luffy asks. "Its regular story… just call Law up" Sanji runs his nicotine flavoured hand in his hair. Doflamingo wanted to yell when Law's name came up, but decides to glare at his nephew.
"What are you glaring at?" Sanji asks his uncle who wanted to kill him with looks when he rested the speaker. "Why did you ask him to call Law? You could have just gone and helped him! Or I would have" Doflamingo hisses.
"Oh so you smelled the new love dish?" Sanji asks with a smirk. "I am the Mayor of Dressrosa, I know everything that happens" Doflamingo grunts. "Then Mr. Mayor, your son is the best and only doctor we have, and surprisingly my dad decided to visit his lover. I think its best time for Luffy to learn about our family" Sanji finds unwanted bitterness of stale coffee slipping away from his words.
"What do you mean?" Doflamingo feels the bitterness enter through his ears. "All I mean is, this family is meant to be loveless. All I can do warn Luffy ahead before his and the child's heart breaks" Sanji shuts the Mayor down for the evening and goes back to typing on the rickety typewriter.
! #$%^&*()_+_)(*&^%$%^&*()_+
Law rushes to Laughmaker's, and his imagination doesn't fail him. His uncle was waving his wounded hands and Luffy was catering to his customers who were giving Corazon, the town idiot, sympathetic look. "Lawsy…" the tallest in the room whined like a three-year-old. Law ignores his whining and looks at Luffy, who in return gives a smile that is born when a joke fails to serve its purpose. "Sorry I had to call you, Sanji felt no sorrow for his daddy" Luffy places a glass of buttermilk in front of the man with curly sheep like hair.
"Merry-san, enjoy your buttermilk" Luffy smiles. "Thank you Luffy dear" the man smiles and the shorter nods. "But thank you for looking after him" Law walks towards his uncle. "You already got first-aid, on top of that a good one" Law looks at the layers of greenish paste. "That teenager did it" Corazon speaks softly. "His name is Luffy, Cora-san and he is not a teenager" Law did not need to be told, who fixed the blonde up. "Law, you love him?" in similar soft voice Corazon whispers. "Yup" Law nods. "He has a daughter" Corazon informs. "So?" Law asks in a dead tone. The blonde finds himself wondering too. Did it really matter if Law's lover had a child from previous relationship? The actual answer was; it was none's business, Crazon mused in his head.
"You really are something you know" Law sways under the evening breeze and his fingers curl inside his overcoat's pockets. "What do you mean?" Luffy smirks at the taller raven head. "That first aid you did; it was professional" Law lets the word roll out. "I was raised by army men, each in my family has to fend for himself. So I guess I have mastered little first aid too with little information on herbs" Luffy too leans on the door frame and looks at Law, the doctor was casting small spells at time.
"Is he always that clumsy?" Luffy asks, Corazon was standing at a distance and smoking. "More or less" Law shrugs his shoulder. "You know, because you suck on that cancer stick, Sanji will never give up on his addictions" Luffy yells and the tall blonde jumps up in surprise and his purple feather coat trembled up in fear.
"You both are like your fathers" Luffy giggles. "What? No!" Law glares at Luffy. "You are, Sanji is like him, a smoker, a creative head, free flowing and definitely blonde. Whereas you are uptight like your dad, you live by codes and your idea of care is the iron clad love. I like you guys" Luffy pats Law's cheek. "Has anybody ever told you, you are extremely handsome Law?" Luffy tilts his head on the red frame. "I have heard it, but you are making me believe it" Law blushes.
"I would love to hear the story behind the body art you have underneath that shirt, but not tonight. He might trip himself on the wind" Luffy gently pushes Law towards Corazon who was unwillingly sending the innocent lamb vibes.
"You are so… how old are you?" Law begins walking. "I am seventeen, oops... I am fifty… or may be a century older. A laughmaker ages at his own will shishishi" Luffy grins and Law fades in the dark alleys of Dressrosa that was absorbing every syllable of love unuttered by the new lovers.
"Luffy dear" a meek voice calls from inside his shop. "Yes Merry-san?" Luffy turns around and looks at the man with sheep like curly hair. His small frame was fidgeting and his fingers twitching. A request was on its way, Luffy knew it.
"My Mistress Kaya is depressed, ummm could you make her something happy and sweet?" the man asked. The wind hissed at Luffy's ear, he was getting engrossed in the overlooked crevices of Dressrosa. But Luffy shuts his door on the wild breeze and smiles at the small man.
"Tell me all about her"
TBC
Disclaimer- Nope… I don't own ONE PIECE!
Cold box*- in one of the OP chapters the scanslators had used the word for the Refrigerator Sanji used. I thought Cold Box gives a more remote taste to the story.
"Tell meh the coolouurs you wanth ladie?"*- stupid attempt at making foreign accent.
Marigold leaves and Turmeric*- work wonders on wounds and Turmeric milk that Luffy forces people to drink helps in creating immunity and core strength.
Rosalix-Archangel, 805-fangirls, rlk19952, Aerithe, SiLVeor, charlotte. alice. aston, thank you for follow and favourties.
LunaSkye23, daydreamfox, NanaNiniNunu, slothed crow (you shall get your answers eventually crow) thank you for reviews guys.
It's a long chapter, now things will get more serious. Though I want to answer all questions about who Lamy's mom is, where is Corazon's wife or who is Doffy's wife. But I love teasing you, so suspense remains. If you find typos please mention them in reviews, once I write I become lazy while editing.
(^_^)/
tata, love you