Violent Ahegao: Thanks for another encouraging review! I hope you like this story for your first baby Luffy x Katakuri fanfic!

Lazygreycloud: Thanks for the comment! I don't usually do negative cliffhangers, and boy, Big Mom sure is a negative person. Usually they're cute "cliffhangers", but don't leave such a lasting impression.

Nur123: I will update don't worry! The story is finished, so don't worry about me stopping for good or something else terrible.

The Keeper of Worlds: I hope my PM answered your question, but again, the OP timeline is not cannon for this story.

I hope everyone enjoys this chapter. It's a bit longer than the other ones, but I hope that's a good thing. This chapter has a big turning point for Katakuri regarding Luffy! Enjoy~

Even Katakuri, the one who said the one word the Yonko hated most, was shocked.

"No?" Big Mom questioned, shocked herself that one of her most loyal children was disobeying her directly to her face.

"I will keep him away from the rest of Totto Land and on my island, and I will raise and train him to become a powerful asset for the Charlotte family. You will never have to see him again. But, I won't let him get hurt or killed," Katakuri finished strongly. For once, he wasn't even a bit afraid of his mother. Sometimes, when she killed or ripped out souls, it made him frightened a bit. But now, even with her heated glare directed at him, all he could think of was to protect Luffy, even if he defied Mama.

Big Mom was unsure of what to do. She couldn't take Luffy's soul, and didn't feel like killing him with her own hands at the moment, but she also didn't want to kill her strongest son. If it were anyone else besides him, Cracker, and Smoothie, the most useful children, she wouldn't hesitate to kill someone who defied her in front of many people.

Big Mom glared at him, but the plan sounded fine. She didn't want, though she was angry, for her most useful and talented son to not work for her anymore. Besides, if he was angry enough, he could just leave if she killed the boy. If he kept working diligently for the pirate crew, and she didn't have to see Luffy again, she nodded. Then she told everyone to get out.

Katakuri left too quickly for any one of his siblings to talk to him, and hurried back to his temporary home, packing and moving back to his real house in his own island.

"Luffy, we're back at the house. Do you want to come out now?" he asked softy. He hadnt heard Luffy in a while. His answer was popping his head out of the pocket. The man held his hand out in front of the pocket while Luffy climbed out and onto the palm. The boy was set down on the large couch, looking sad but also very angry.

"She's a meanie! A bad grama!" Luffy exclaimed, surprising Katakuri. He didn't have the heart to tell him that she wasn't his grandma because he wasn't the man's son. Well, in name. The role is like a father so far. But he didn't want to be deemed a father. At least not yet.

"I know it must have been scary, but I am impressed with your bravery. Were you really unafraid of her? At all?" he asked as he sat next to the boy on the couch.

"No, not scared. Mad! She hurt me and dropped me! But thank you for catching me. I thought I gonna DIE!" Luffy exclaimed.

"I wasn't going to let that happen. So don't worry, I'll protect you. Once we start training, you'll learn to protect yourself. Then he might be able to come on trips with me some time." Luffy looked excited at this and bounced on the couch. He liked being a pirate!

"We're going to my own island and my own house today. Mama doesn't want to see you," he said, but was interrupted by Luffy saying that he didn't want to see her either. "So you will stay on my island that I own while you learn to use your powers. I will have to leave sometimes to go on missions for Mama, but I will have you stay with Brulee during those times. I don't think she'll protest."

"Hey! Where was Brool the whole time?" Luffy asked, just noticing the woman hadn't been there. He'd been surrounded by lots of other people, so he didn't notice.

"She was very sick, and thankfully Mama let her stay home without her getting in trouble," Katakuri explained. Something else popped into Luffy's head.

"How come that girl was was a meanie?" Luffy asked with a pout. "She was saying rude stuff to me." He didn't like that girl, and didn't want to see her again.

"Her name is Flampe," Katakuri began. "She is the youngest member of our family and has a bad attitude. She was most likely jealous of you." Luffy asked why she'd be jealous of him. "Well, she's obsessed with me. She was probably jealous because I spend a lot of time with you, willingly. I live with you, and she doesn't get to see me much.

"She is a danger to you, though. She has a blow dart. Like a straw where pointy things with chemicals on them can fly out. She tried to poison you with something, but I stopped her. But, I don't think it will be her last attempt, so if she comes near you, don't provoke her in any way, since she'll already be in a sour mood." Luffy looked shocked. "But the good thing is that, since the darts are pointy, they should go right through your body. I'm not sure how much everyone now knows about your power, since Mama briefly mentioned it, but if they ask, what do you say?"

"No!" Luffy answered. "Not till Koori say so."

"That's right. Now let's get our stuff."

There wasn't much for either of them to get besides Luffy's toys and his other clothes. Katakuri already got a mattress sent to their permanent house. Katakuri said nothing to anyone about him leaving, but it was easy for him to see the others if he wanted to. But now, he did not want to.

When he thought of Luffy screaming in Big Mom's hand, so tiny and scared, Katakuri just wanted to have nothing like that ever happen again. Not to have Luffy that scared, not able to even be put in a situation that he could get that scared. That's why he was planning on training Luffy to be able to use his powers in ways to protect himself.

Katakuri did not want to teach Luffy to be a killer, though that's what he had assured his mother. He didn't know what he'd do if Luffy was ever ordered to kill someone. He just wanted Luffy to be able to protect himself, and anyone else if he wanted to. Luffy was in for a long and tiring road.

Luffy held the sweet commanders extended hand made from mochi as they went through Brulee's mirror world. Luffy wanted to run around and look through mirrors, but his hand was held tightly. Katakuri just wanted them to get home uneventfully.

The mirror Luffy looked through was into a big room with similar furniture than the home he just left, but there were many bookshelves on the walls, full of thick books. The second Luffy was taken through the mirror, he scurried off to explore the large house. Luffy would have his own room here, with his own bathroom, though Luffy wouldn't be allowed to bathe without Katakuri knowing. Plus, Luffy, of course, wasn't a fan of baths. He told the man that he hated the sleepy feeling he got in water. So that made one less thing Katakuri was worried about concerning the little boy.

The house was big with six bedrooms, though three were unused. There had been Katakuri's room, a guest bedroom and the others had miscellaneous things such as furniture, desks. Or even more books. One of them was dedicated to donuts; the only sweet he still liked.

He and Luffy both moved things out of the room Luffy was going to sleep in. He, of course, carried little things like tools and books. The ceiling of this house felt like the sky to little Luffy. Not only did the house need to be big enough for Katakuri to comfortable walk in, but the ceilings were also high for him. Like how high the ceiling of a house would be for a regular sized human.

Luffy fitted the red sheets on his new bed, the first bed he'd had in over a year. He had never had a bed after being taken. All his other masters had him sleep on the cold ground. He fluffed his pillow and set his stuffed bear on it. Then he put his toys on the window sill of the huge window near his bed. Luffy then jammed his clothes, in addition to the few that Brulee had made him, into his dresser. He couldn't wait for night to come and he could sleep in his new bed!

Despite Luffy wanting to be tired, he was so excited to sleep that he wasn't tired at all. Brulee had made food for them, since Katakuri was going to try and get cooking lessons from Pudding, not embarrassed anymore about it. He wanted Luffy to be healthy, and if they were going to be training, he'd need to eat healthier than just sandwiches and toast. Katakuri may be able to live off of minimal nutrients and a lot of donuts, but Luffy was a growing boy.

As Katakuri was cleaning the dishes and Luffy wiping the table (not very neatly), he told Luffy what they would be doing the next day. They'd be going on a run. When Luffy asked why, Katakuri explained that he wanted Luffy to be able to move at lightning speed, but as Luffy was now, he couldn't even sprint for a long period of time. "We are starting slow." Luffy pouted, arguing that he was good enough to start right off with being fast. "We'll see tomorrow, I guess."

Luffy had an easy time falling to sleep when he crawled under his covers, nice and warm, the door ajar with the light on in the hall, like a nightlight for the little boy. He slept deeply and had nice dreams of all the candy around him.

He woke up early the next morning to the sun shining from the large, open curtained window near his bed. He staying under his blankets for awhile, relishing in the warmth and comfort. He was so happy with Koori and he treated Luffy so well and nice. Luffy, though he still had hope as a slave to be free, still had part of him thinking he'd never sleep in a bed again.

He was so happy he was saved only a little over a year after being a slave to multiple noble families. He rolled out of bed, leaving it a mess of blankets, and hurried out of his room and down the hall to the kitchen, where he was surprised Katakuri was making food that wasn't toast.

"I'm making pancakes," the man said, sensing Luffy's arrival, and looked down at the little boy, who looked confused. "Pancakes are a type of breakfast, but really aren't cakes. I've never made them before, so they might not be good," he warned. But Luffy grinned and nodded, happy to taste something new, not that he was against toast.

He climbed the little staircase made from thick books next to his designated chair and waited for the pancakes to be done. He could see the sweet commander looking at a tattered book. He asked what it was.

"A cook book I managed to find in one of the book shelves. It shows how to make different types of food," Katakuri explained. Luffy cheered, looking forward to new foods. The stack of pancakes brough to him were pretty small. They were the size of plates you put unter mugs of tea and coffee. But Luffy didn't complain, and ate them with no toppings or butter. They were yummy, even if the edges were a bit burned.

"How were they?" the man asked as he finished his own much larger stack of pancakes. He himself thought they weren't too bad. And Luffy thought so, too, which the man was grateful for.

"Let's get changed and then we can go on our first run. I know a good place," Katakuri said, sending Luffy bustling to his room to change into his comfy clothes, similar to his pyjamas. His shoes weren't the best for running, but he knew Luffy would probably be fine, made of lightning after all. He didn't know if Luffy could get sore. But even if he didn't, Katakuri wasn't going to push him too hard at first. He was only five, and hadnt been exercising in a very long time, if ever.

"Wait! Your legs too long!" Luffy called from a little behind the massive man. For every one step he made, Luffy made six. Katakuri had forgotten how slow Luffy was to him, so he ended up on a very slow jog. Luffy was sweating a lot, and very tired, but he was determined to do his best, which Katakuri was not surprised with. He knew Luffy would do his best, and was impressed by it. He had a strong will.

Luffy had to stop to drink from the water bottle his "coach" was holding. They were running by the edge of the island, like a track, where no one ever went, due to the fact there was nothing out there, and it was far from any town.

After they ran a little bit more, Luffy had to stop, but he wasn't the one to say so. Katakuri had them stop and stretch after running, since Luffy's face and shoulders had gotten sun spots and very red. He was glad it wasn't too hot outside.

"Nice job," Katakuri praised, making Luffy grin up at him. He was so tired, which the large man could tell. He scooped Luffy up in one hand, making the boy giggle, and stuck him in the chest pocket of Katakuri's loose shirt. It was strange wearing something like that outside of home. And he still wore the scarf, despite it making his neck and face hot.

"Koori, why do you wear a scarf? Is not cold outside," Luffy asked. Katakuri said nothing for a moment.

"The scarf is important to me, so I wear it everywhere I go." Though Luffy wanted to question it more, Katakuri looked grumpy about it, so he just sat comfortably in the single pocket. No one saw them while running or their trip to and from home. Luffy wanted a nap, and was very hungry. Things were nice and quiet where they were, besides the birds in the trees not to far from them.

Luffy asked for pancakes again for lunch, and then the rest of the day he stayed in his new favorite spot, his bed. Or he looked at books the closest they could be to picture books. Mostly pictures of the chain of islands in Totto Land, pictures of food and family members. Pictures of ships. It was nice. Doing anything was nicer than what he'd been used to for so long.

For the next week, Luffy and Katakuri went on runs, and Luffy was steadily getting better and more fit. He had good shoes after the two had gone shopping at some stores, for food and clothes. He didn't need to buy him any more toys because, surprisingly, multiple of Katakuri's siblings came over and gave Luffy their own figurines. The house had been very crowded with so many there, playing with Luffy and talking with him about how his life had been. He easily left out everything having to do with his Devil Fruit, despite some of them having an idea of what Mama had talked about with lightning.

But if Luffy and his "dad" didn't want anyone to know, they said nothing. Well, except Flampe who was bugging her siblings to let her come to Katakuri's house, and when she was declined, she went off to pout and fume.

Katakuri had been the one to say no to Flampe coming over, saying her actions had ruined any chance of her meeting with Luffy, especially alone. While everyone was over, Pudding helped Katakuri learn to cook. He wasn't very good, but Puddnig was nice enough to not tease him.

All in all, having so many people in his house felt alien. He wasn't a very sociable person, and prefered quiet. Luffy didn't make much noise unless he wanted to play or was hungry. He had, along with the figurines, been given drawing supplies. He really liked all of Koori's family. They were nice! At least the ones he met that were nice at the Tea Party.

He liked his new life very much. He had food, a bed, friends, toys, and Koori. Koori was his favorite person ever. He was really nice to Luffy, even if Luffy never saw him smile from his important scarf that he hadnt mentioned again.

"You a meanie!" four year old Luffy exclaimed once he saw a mean, ugly man riding a person with a leash. These mean people had docked at Foosha Village to get supplies, though the people who came off the ship were cruel and insulted the citizens. He was a Celestial Dragon, looking at the weakest sea for new slaves.

"Luffy!" Makino hissed, trying to pull him back into a kneeling position next to her. But Luffy didn't understand her fear. This guy was mean and ugly and Luffy could take him! He really couldn't, since the man had a gun, but he didn't back down from the nobles angry expression.

"You a real meanie! Why you on him!?" he shouted. But the man got off his miserable human slave and walked to the tiny boy, slapping him across the face. Luffy staggered backwards but then ran forward and kicked the man's leg.

"You dare touch me, you inferior filth?!" the man shouted from his bubble head. Luffy told him to shut up. Then the man shot Luffy in the foot. But the bullet went right through him. The slap had hurt him because he'd only recently eaten his nasty fruit and wasn't nearly in control over it.

When he had eaten the thing, he'd been very young. He'd been sitting on the floor at the bar near the window and away from the tables, playing with his blocks. He was being taken care of at Makino's Party Bar. There was a pirate crew there often, always laughing and drinking. Luffy liked them, especially when they played with him. There was a red haired man that played with him most.

One day, Luffy had stood up and toddled towards a black cloak resting on the bar above him. He pulled it down, and a small chest landed on the floor next to him. He was surprised and plopped down on his butt, giggling. No one had heard the thud of the chest over the laughter.

Luffy banged his block against the shiny part, which opened up and revealed a pretty, swirly fruit. He held it in his small hands for awhile, tracing the swirls. It was pretty. And Luffy, well he ate anything he thought was pretty, or at least put it in his mouth. So he chewed on it with his little teeth, breaking off part of it and chewing the nasty thing, though he didn't spit it out.

He chewed on it some more, eating a lot of it, getting used to the gross taste. He liked how it felt in his mouth, so he ate most of it, filling his little belly with the blue thing. He was about to eat the stem when it was quickly pulled out of his hands by Shanks, who looked horrified at what was left of the powerful Devil Fruit.

"Mine! Meanie Sanks!" Luffy called, standing up to walk to Shank's leg and pat it angrily.

"Luffy, did you eat this?!" Shanks asked in worry and horror.

Luffy nodded. "Gross."

Then Shanks suddenly picked Luffy up and sat him on the bar in front of him. Luffy tried shoving at Shanks as he stuck his finger down Luffy's throat, trying to make him throw up the food. Luffy whined and cried at the finger in his mouth. It was very uncomfortable. Finally, Makino came over and stopped Shanks, pulling his finger forcibly from the boy's small mouth.

"Why would you do that, Shanks?!" she called, comforting a crying toddler. "It's okay, Luffy. Do you want to play with your toys?" Immediately, Luffy cheered up and was brought back to his play area to build his blocks sloppily, completely distracted.

The others in the crew looked at Shanks and Makino, all quiet, wondering what would cause Makino to scold the pirate captain. Shanks put his head in his hands, sitting down on the bar seat. "Dammit!" he shouted.

"Oi, what's the problem captain?" Lucky Roo asked. Shanks just held up the stem of what had been the valuable Devil Fruit. "I thought you weren't gonna eat it!" Shanks had declined eating it, saying he never wanted a Devil Fruit in the first place.

"I didn't. Luffy did!" he shouted, gaining Luffy's attention from the shout of his name. Everyone was silent before they all started freaking out. Luffy started crying at the loud screaming from everyone. That shut them up, though they were still concerned.

"Who leaves a Devil Fruit on a bar, Cap?!"

"No! That's not a valid complaint, he's only three! How would I know if he could knock it down and break it open?!" Shanks replied.

"Wait, is it bad for him?" Makino asked in worry. She looked to Luffy, who seemed just fine, and frowned.

"It depends on how you look at it. Devil Fruits give powers to whoever eats one. But it also makes you unable to swim. He'll drown if he's put in water. You probably shouldn't ever let him take a bath unless you're there too, or he might drown in the tub." Shanks sighed. "Well, it's not life threatening, though it could be dangerous for others if he can't control it. God, and this one is super powerful."

"W- what is it?" Makino questioned nervously.

"It's made his body out of lightning. It's one of the strongest Devil Fruits out there. But at least he can't be shot or cut. Little indestructible tyke." Makino looked confused. Shanks got down to Luffy's level and poked him harshly in the side, but his finger only went through Luffy's body. Makino gasped. Luffy didn't notice a thing as he played with his blocks.

"Don't worry. He'll be okay," Shanks said. "Hey, Luffy," he said, getting the little boy's attention. "It'll be hard to master it, but once you do, come find me. Here's a good luck charm," Shanks told him and put his straw hat on Luffy's head. It completely covered his head and it was down to his shoulders.

Luffy grinned. He knew this was something Shanks liked. And he was giving it to him!

"Piwat keen, too!" Luffy said happily.

"Yes, when you are the Pirate King, too," the man said with a grin and a laugh.

Luffy was shocked at getting shot in the foot and nothing happening. "Ahh!" he shouted. He knew that was supposed to hurt, but nothing happened! But the man shot him. With a gun! He backed away from him, an angry and scared pout on his face.

The world noble looked at Luffy in disgust and disdain before giving a wicked smile. "Take him with us. I'd like to break this toy," and Luffy was snatched up in the air by the scruff of his shirt. He thrashed, but he was tiny even for a four year old.

"No lemme' go!" he shouted. His hat fell off from the thrashing, the delicate string cut. "Hat! No!" he cried as he was dragged to the big ship that was docked at the village. Makino screamed for him, but the villagers held her back, saying there was no use. Though they wanted to save Luffy too, they knew if they tried, they'd either die or become slaves themselves.

Makino cried for him. She wished Garp had been there, but then she knew that he had no control over the world nobles. Plus, he hadnt seen Luffy in over two year. Did Luffy even remember him any more?

Luffy was stuck in a cage, angry and shouting at the meanies as they closed the door, putting him in darkness. He hadnt noticed the many other cages around him, housing other children or adults. Luffy didn't cry. He wouldn't cry, even if he was very sad and scared.

"There's no use struggling," a young voice said next to him, causing Luffy to jump. "Just do what they say, and hopefully you won't die." The voice sounded broken and lost. Luffy vowed to not adopt that voice and give into the meanies.

He was sold to a young Celestial Dragon, who behaved horribly. Just horrible. He shouted at others he saw below him and the slaves he already had were beaten and clearly broken. They had given up. As Luffy was dragged with the man with a new collar put on, he looked once again to the other slaves and again vowed to not become them. A vow he reminded himself of every day for every minute was was or saw someone tortured.

But, after Luffy being fine after taking blunt blows, he was returned. What fun was a slave that couldn't be hurt and wouldn't break even under emotional torture? Everyone had underestimated him because he was four years old.

The next owner gave him up quickly as well, for the same reasons. Plus, since Luffy couldn't be hurt, he behaved terrible as well, eating food that belonged to his master and her family. Making a mess, pestering for toys, etc. He was just too much work.

Even though to some, Luffy clearly had some sort of Devil Fruit, others who were listened to more, said that a young child couldn't handle a Devil Fruit. Luffy was just lucky. Of course, Luffy had no idea how to work his lightning fruit, there was no way for him to escape. And he didn't want to try running away with the bomb collar he'd seen explode on other people. He didn't know if he would be able to survive something like that.

After the day that marked fourteen months since his kidnapping, he left his eighth master, and ran out on that stage, done with being a slave and being sold, only to be bought once again, by Katakuri. And he was not broken.

Luffy woke up in his bed, disoriented for awhile. That was a bad dream. It made him scared that one day he'd be sent back and sold again. But he knew Koori wouldn't do that. Still, it was a fear he couldn't shake off, even if he knew it was irrational. He stepped off his bed, still wrapped in a blanket, and went to go tell Koori about his bad dream and maybe sleep in his room. Somewhere he knew he was safe from being starved or berated and insulted. Or threatened, even though most of what they could do couldn't harm him.

He creaked open his slightly open bedroom door and padded down the hall, the blanket wrapped around him dragging behind him. He didn't think to knock before he opened Katakuri's door and walked across the big room to the head of the bed.

"Koori," Luffy said quietly, patting his hand to wake him up. "Koori? I had a bad dream."

Katakuri woke up to Luffy next to his bed, and didn't register that he wasn't wearing his scarf and the covers were not covering his face. "What is it, Luffy?" he asked groggily.

"I had a bad dream," Luffy repeated sadly. He looked up as Katakuri sat up on his bed and yawned.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, still not realizing Luffy could see all of his face. But Luffy didn't react at all, even though he could see Koori in the dark.

"Yeah…" Katakuri lifted him up onto the high bed next to him. "I had a dream about being took and being a slave. Everyone was all mean to me. I not wanna go back. I not going back, right?" Luffy asked with wide eyes.

"No, Luffy, you won't ever go back to being a slave. I promise. Even when I'm not here, or on a mission of some sort, you won't be alone and no one will have even a chance to get you again. Did anything else happen in your dream?" he asked. Luffy nodded.

"I remembered how I ate the gross fruit. I was a baby and Shanks had it but I ate it and then he gave me his hat but I lost it when I yelled at the dragon and he took me and I was a slave for lots of people. Then you save me!" Luffy finished happily. Katakuri was surprised to hear that Luffy had eaten the Devil Fruit so young.

"Koori, is your mouth why you hide in your scarf? I don't think is that bad," Luffy said simply. The man's eyes widened. He hadnt even realized he wasn't wearing it! But he was shocked yet also not at all surprised by Luffy's reaction.

"It… doesn't scare you at all?" he asked warily, really wanting to snatch the scarf off the table and hide his gruesome mouth. Luffy shook his head no.

"No, I not scared. I suppose to be scared?" Luffy asked, turning his head in confusion. But the man smiled at him.

"No, I just thought you would be. Do you want to sleep in here the rest of the night?" Katakuri offered. If Luffy wasn't afraid of his face, there was no reason he couldn't sleep with him after a nightmare. Luffy nodded and laid down next to Koori's head on the large pillow and wrapped himself in the blanket he'd brought with him. He fell asleep easily. Before Katakuri did too, he looked at Luffy, immensely glad he'd adopted him.

Disclaimer: the way I portrayed young Luffy was the way I wanted it. I'm sure lots of three year olds can talk better, but all children are different and this is how I wanted to make him.

Hope the fluff was cute! Big Mom won't be back for awhile, but she's always present in the back of poor Katakuri's head...