The beach was gorgeous. Mostly untouched white sand, a few pretty, whole shells lying in such a way that advertised the fact, and a small child unconscious half in the surf.

Note that I had said 'mostly'.

*\_/*\_/*

Kuraigana Island was experiencing one of the very few days where it didn't match its name entirely. Usually, clouds dominated the sky and rain fell so often that any vegetation that grew rotted almost as soon as it popped up. The entire island seemed to be holding it's breath.

*\_/*\_/*

It was on this fine day that the Shichibukai Dracule Mihawk became curious. He had lived on Kuraigana for quite some time, and even though he left quite often to deal with the Marines holding his leash, he knew that the island only became like this if something important happened that would affect the island itself. Using this knowledge, he made his way through the forest, home of the Hyūmandoriru.

The Hyūmandoriru didn't dare to attack him. Those creature had learned many times that the human was the strongest being on the island. He moved without hinderance.

*\_/*\_/*

The tiny child opened their eyes, then just as quickly slammed them shut, forcing aching arms to cover the sensitive orbs. With a squeak, they realized that their feet were wet and scrambled up the beach, still keeping their eyes tightly shut. Absolutely terrified, they curled into a ball in the shade of a large rock.

It was there, under that rock, that Dracule Mihawk's life changed forever.

*\_/*\_/*

Dracule Mihawk stared at the unexpected castaway.

The child had nothing but rags covering the essential, private parts of the body, and he couldn't tell their gender while curled up like that.

Is this what caused the change? He wondered.

The swordsman had no idea what to do. He likes children, inasmuch as someone with his personality could, but he had no idea what to do with them. His knowledge of the subject is limited to "Small, fragile human. Avoid with sword."

Why me?

*\_/*\_/*

The child's eyes finally adjusted to the sunlight that peered through the cracks in their position.

Slowly, they uncurled, saw what appeared to be leather boots, registered those weren't there before, I would have touched them, and returned to their fetal position with a quiet squeal.

Mihawk grimaced at the sound and crouched slowly to make sure Yoru didn't touch the sand. He gently, very carefully, poked the toddler's head. At least, I think it's probably a toddler. It's so small…

"Oi, kid. How did you get here?" He asked quietly. The child whimpered quietly and stole a glance at the rather intimidating person.

The hawk-eyed man briefly made eye contact with the tiny human, at which said eyes immediately scared the child into curling up tighter.

Seemingly by instinct the toddler had covered the back of its neck to protect it. Mihawk's eyes widened, then promptly narrowed. Now it was obvious. The child was covering all its vulnerable areas, that which would be easy access to kill them slowly and painfully, but leaving areas for a quick death untouched.

He did not like the connotations.

"Hey, kid!" His voice was gruff from disuse, but still as gentle as he could make it. "Where are you from?"

The child peeked up and this time managed to look him in the eyes for more than a second. "Vous êtes un homme effrayant, mais vous avez de jolis yeux."

After muttering that line of vaguely familiar gibberish, the toddler hid their face once again, but moved from their tight position slightly in order to peer carefully at the swordsman from between tiny fingers.

Mihawk leaned back on his heels and dislodged his hat to scrub at spikey hair. I have absolutely no idea what it just said. Great.

With the hat gone, suddenly the child could see the entirety of Mihawk's face. It was filled with angles, sharp lines, and weirdly shaved hair. The shade of his hat had hidden his bird-like eyes. But mostly, the hat had hidden the man's emotions.

The child could see many things now in the way the man's face is forcefully blank, how even then his eyebrows furrowed. He is a bit confused, bewildered, and still pride shone through his eyes. He is a proud man, honest and a keeper of his word, they could tell. He is fierce, willing to fight to protect that which was important to him. And also… underneath it all…

Loneliness.

The toddler knew loneliness. It was all it knew until then. It couldn't remember anything else but the feeling that tore and consumed, and could only be chased away if the one who felt it, let it.

Even though the kid couldn't understand the bird-man's words, they understood his feelings well.

*\_/*\_/*

This will probably slow down a lot. Also, the kid can't control their changing just yet. Lots of pretty colors, coming up. As soon as I get my list anyway...

Translation:

French: "You a scary man, but you have pretty eyes."