An: Sorry for the wait guys, this takes place a few years after the last chapter.
"I just… can't believe them." Luffy said with a scowl read pout as he poured himself another glass of milk making the bar-owner Raoul smile. The boy was quite small for any 14 year old, something his oldest brother always teased him about. He had long black hair that reached the middle of his back tied in a high ponytail and was wearing a black t-shirt with a skeleton design with short pants and combat boots. A long hoodie that had white cat ears and buttons that looked like small pawns folded and placed carefully on an empty seat beside him with a set of black leather gloves a long katana and a small backpack. The young boy was currently on a run. From who and why? Well it was a bit complicated to explain.
"I'm sure they were just worried about you." The bar-owners voice was laced with amusement.
"It has been like that ever since we left Foosha Village." The small boy with a frown. They were quite upset even when they found out.
~almost three months ago~
"Luffy you Still didn't tell them did you?" Makino asked with a small frown as she prepared their breakfast. Ever since the fire in Gray Terminal the three of them visited Foosha frequently. Of course they all lived with Dadan and secretly Luffy has been in High Tower it was something not even his brothers knew. The small boy sweat dropped and placed down the glass of milk he's been drinking till then.
"Tell us what exactly?" Sabo asked as he walked inside the bar with a folded newspaper under his arm. The blond had a scar running over the right side of his face that disappeared under his blond hair. His white dress shirt hang loose and he had yet to wear his vest, coat or his trademark top-hat. His gray pants were tucked neatly into his combat boots that had silver eyelets.
"Sabo… I didn't know you were up." Luffy said as Makino guiltily turned back to the food.
"Needed to. The morning –coo only comes well, in the morning." The blond paused slightly "So what was Makino-san saying. What were you supposed to tell us?"
"Well…" Luffy started refusing to meet the blond's eyes. It was funny how the small nekomimi boy could bluff his way out of almost everything but couldn't lie to his big brothers without giving himself away.
"Maybe… the fact that you have been in High Tower again?" Sabo asked before he seemingly shook his head. "No that's not it… maybe the fact that you've been robbing those nobles dry. I mean it's something I knew for a while now but I don't think that's what Makino meant either."
"Y-you knew." Luffy asked with a small gulp. Because if Sabo knew that meant that…
"Of course and no don't worry Ace doesn't know anything about it… yet." That's was the confess now or I'll get it out of you voice. "Maybe I should help you out… apparently it requires a world map a compass and provisions. Ring any bell now?"
"Okay-okay… I wanted to tell you guys I just didn't know how. It's about a promise I made with Shanks."
"What promise?" Sabo asked sharply. He was grateful the yonko helped out his little brother but he couldn't help but be suspicious.
"I…" Luffy looked at Makino who only nodded. "I'm going to meet him in Longue Town and become his apprentice."
The blond stood up abruptly. "What?!"
"It's not that bad. I will still comeback here when I'm 17 to set sail."
"Not that bad?!" The blond asked again. "Did you hear what you just said?"
"Shanks is a good guy!"
"It's not that he's a good guy or not!"
"Why are you two yelling on the top of your lungs so freakin early in the morning?!" Ace asked as he stood at the bottom of the stairs still half asleep. He was wearing only a loose pair of pants.
"He wants to set sail to Longue Town!"
"What?!"
Luffy sighed as he mentally counted down the seconds before the shouting match would start. What could he do? His brothers were too protective of him sometimes.
~.~
"And when we started to sail… it was always Luffy don't do that, don't go there, don't eat that, don't talk to those people… I mean I may be young but I'm not a complete idiot." The little boy complained again amusing Raoul. "And now… I'm can't believe I miss 'em already…" he said it aloud shocking even himself as he let his head fall to the table. It wasn't in his character to complain or even speak so much.
"But it was you who just …left." The boy nodded visibly even more depressed making the owner snicker slightly. "Well I'm happy that I finally got a costumer but Logue Town isn't such a nice place. Is quite dangerous, more so this part of the town. Is close to the docks so it's full of idiots, cowards and scum who call themselves pirates." The old-man explained feeling somehow worried for the young and seemingly naive boy who apparently was without any protection in the big city.
"Hmmm that's alright." Being in Logue Town was one of the reason he had to come alone. He couldn't ask Ace to step foot in a town that he hated plus there was the fact that he just didn't do good-bye's. "Shishishi. I'm strong… Hey old man…" Raoul hmmed slightly annoyed with the way he was addressed but overlooked it since the boy was still very young. "Do you hate pirates?" Luffy asked mischievously.
"Kid… Didn't you see what the name of this establishment is before you decided to collapse in front of it?"
"Nope." Luffy said putting some accent on the p before he added "And I didn't collapse… I just decided to rest for a few minutes." He added with a perfectly monotone voice and blank face.
"Aha." The man might have faltered slightly but he was still not buying it. Not when the boy made three plates of food disappear in a less than a few seconds. "Anyway it's called Gold Roger Bar."
"Oh." The boy said with a nod but totally unimpressed before he started sipping his milk again.
"You have no idea who he was do you?" The man asked with a sigh. He was starting to lose fate in this new generation.
The boy smiled in an almost melancholic way "Of course I know." Then his smile turned so wide that the older man was taken aback for a few seconds. He had seen the boy sad amused and now he realized the first time truly happy "The freest man in the world The Pirate King Gol D Roger." Okay so maybe not all youngsters were hopeless idiots after all. He couldn't help but think that it was familiar somehow.
"That's a nice expression on you boy. You know he used to be a costumer here…" Luffy eyes widened in wonder as the man started to talk about Roger. Being so enraptured he couldn't help but lean forward until the chair was balancing on only two of its legs. The bar-owner smiled as he finished his story telling. "There are not many who appreciate such stories." The small boy's eyes filled with wonder and excitement sifted in a blink to sharper and slightly amused ones. It was amazing just how expressive his eyes were. "But you… tell me why did you come to Logue Town?"
"I-" his words got cut off as the doors was thrown opened. The young boy's expression turn back to its default bored one all excitement or amusement gone from them. It was scary how quickly the boy's mood seemed to change. But more importantly Raul looked at the entrance.
"You again?!" The bar-owner asked with annoyance as he glanced at the tall man who just made his way over to the bar.
"Such a warm welcome… as usual." the marine countered. "Hey, old man have you seen even one or both of these pirates around here?" Luffy ignored well tried to ignore him. It wasn't easy seeing the man was way too tall to be just overlooked. Not to mention the man looked more like a delinquent than a marine, it was a peculiar sight. If not for the marine issued clothes but mostly the jacket which the man left open and had the kanji for "justice" written on its back he would have never guessed. The other accessories weren't helping either. He had lots cigars strapped to it and he meant it like way to fucking many; how the man had not died yet from lung cancer he did not know; oh yeah the man also had a large jitte on his back. "Isn't he too young to be here?" the man asked again and Luffy's eyebrow twitched slightly.
"You got a problem old man?" He asked with a glare the tall marine.
"Who are you calling old brat?" The man asked seemingly annoyed.
"Wow I mean what was the first thing you lost your hair-color or your hearing?" Luffy asked with pity in his eyes.
"What did you just say you little punk?!" Before another 'smart' remark could have left Luffy's mouth the bar owner decided it was the perfect moment to butt in.
"I have seen no pirates here. Not for a long time now." The man said all while giving the marine a stinky eye.
"It isn't my fault all pirates who dock here are cowards or weaklings." Luffy snorted slightly hearing that making the large marine turn back to the small boy briefly before he continued his inquire. "Who is he anyway?"
"I'm right here you know." Luffy said with a grimace. He hated it when people ignored him deliberately. Call it childish but he just couldn't help himself.
Raul smiled amused at his expression "I don't know found him half-starved in front of the bar this morning."
"I just… didn't pack enough food." Luffy said with a small frown making the bar-owner laugh. Well planning ahead wasn't exactly his specialty.
"Guess running away is more troublesome than you would have thought."
"So you're a runaway?" The marine asked suspiciously as he finally turned his attention to the small boy.
"No" Was the quick answer but then when he got that look from the bar-owner he relented "… well practically yes but there are circumstances." The petite boy said monotonously while making it pretty clear that it was not something he wished to talk about. The conversation –was- supposed to end here.
The marine sighed before he nodded to himself. "All right gather your things you're coming with me."
"No that's-"
"Do you have any place to sleep?" Luffy looked away a bit troubled. No he didn't but he was a pirate, well technically he wasn't one yet but he was at the heart if that meant anything. And he was well on his way to become one thank you very much, staying with the marines just felt wrong. "Then move along and stop wasting my time I still have work to do." The man grumbled. Making Luffy's eyebrow twitch in irritation. He was a pirate or will be in the future so he might as well use this situation to his own gain and amusement. Getting back at the marine for being so irritating and thinking he could just order him around seemed just fair.
"…well…" Luffy told himself before he picked up his blade and smiled amused. "This ought to be fun." The bar-owner snorted hearing that. Luffy quickly gathered his things making the marine blush slightly when the petite boy put his cute hoodie that had cat-ears on. Good things he meet the boy before any pervert could have deceived him. Still… no matter how cute the boy was he had quite an attitude for someone so young, not to mention he looked like a spoiled brat too.
"…"
"What?" The marine asked irritated.
"Are you a pervert perhaps?" the boy asked with an expressionless face.
"The fuck?!" The marine swore the bar-owner was laughing too much.
"My brother said that if guys keep starring at me weirdly I should kick them in the nuts really hard because they are perverts who don't deserve to even breathe the same air as the rest of people." The boy said in a monotone voice as if he would be reciting a shopping list. "So are you?" He asked all while he was seemingly getting ready to kick the man.
"NO! Stop! I said No! Why are you getting ready to kick me? Abort mission!"
"My brother also said that most perverts would never admit that they are more disgusting creatures than cockroaches. That they should be squashed under the heel our shoes and need to be terminated before they could multiply." Smoker thanked all havens that he had eaten a devil fruit that day. "Smoke?" Luffy asked with a blink as his feet got stuck in the smoke.
"Yes… now how about you calm down. I'm not a pervert so you can stop now, right now."
"Are you sure that you're not a-"
"Yes I'm absolutely sure."
"But."
"Yes I'm sure, I'm abso-fucking-lutely sure." The marine captain said through greeted teeth. "And stop laughing!" The bar-owner was in the middle of laughing fit and seeing the old man was far from stopping; he just closed his eyes and exhaled some smoke. He could feel already a headache forming.
"Hey old man-"
"Brat, my name is Smoker."
Luffy smiled amused. "… fitting. I guess."
"Let's just go." Smoker said through gritted teeth.
~.~
"Name?"
"Luffy." The lack of first name made the marine raise an eyebrow but he continued anyway.
"Birth place?" Smoker asked without looking up from the empty file placed right in front of him.
"I don't know." Luffy replied innocently with an eye smile.
"How can you not know that?" The marine asked more annoyed with every second that had passed by. Somehow the kid really knew how to push his buttons.
"I don't know where I was born." The long haired boy elaborated innocently. "I lived in a forest almost all my life if that helps?" He asked with a splash of young naivety and Smoker wished he could groan in frustration. He surely would have if only his subordinates wouldn't watch everything that was happening with hawk-like eyes. He couldn't look weak in front of them.
~.~
"Are you sure that kid is safe in there?" One of the marines finally asked aloud the question that they all couldn't help but ask themselves. And just why did their captain had to take the boy to the interrogation room? He could just ask those questions in his office. Even such a formal looking place must be scary to every youngster but a lost kid alone in a cold room with a scary fellow like Smoker… the small child must be terrified to death by now.
"Well…" one of the marines tried to explain without much success.
"… He's just a kid…" another marine added with a hopeful voice.
"But Capt. Smoker doesn't look the type that takes it easy on someone just because they're young." One of the marines said with a frown making the others nod in disappointment. They could practically imagine Smoker shutting a crying-baby up with just a commanding look. He was after all a no non-sense my pace kind of guy.
"He's probably not that bad…"
"The boy will be fine… right?" The silence that followed that question wasn't all that encouraging.
~.~
"All right then, your parents' name?"
"I don't know." Luffy answered with an eye-smile making a tick-mark appear on Smoker's forehead.
"You better be telling me the truth."
"I never knew them."
"Ah..." Okay sore subject. "Sorry kid." Smoker did actually sound apologetic making Luffy shake his head. There was no reason the marine should feel sorry for something like that. Smoker feeling the brat wasn't feeling upset continued his questioning. "Then who raised you? Who looked after you? You must have a guardian or something, maybe an uncle, your grandparents or someone?"
"I did have a grandfather… but…" he looked at Smoker with big tear-filled eyes and the marine felt his defense being chopped away. "Please, don't call him." The boy asked with tear-filled eyes.
"That doesn't work on me." The marine said with an angry grumble. He wouldn't let himself be manipulated by a young criminal.
"Plleasse?" The boy asked with big begging eyes and the man couldn't help but give in just a little bit.
"Why shouldn't I? Give me one good reason."
"I… his punch… hurt really bad." Luffy said with truly terrified eyes. "Please don't?"
"Yes Captain we beg you please don't!" / "You can't send him back to such a place!" / "Have a heart, Captain!" The marines who rushed into the room all pleaded and wailed making Smoker wish he could control his twitching eyebrow. Luffy was grinning on the inside, it was good when things worked out themselves. True he might have mislead them a bit but he didn't lie, Garp's punches hurt like hell. Not to mention the old-timer must be really pissed off to hear that not only Ace and Sabo left to become pirates but that he sneaked away too.
He exhaled the smoke from his cigar slowly. It didn't quite have that calming effect it used to but it was enough to silence those in the room. His steel colored eyes turned to the marines who just barged in making them all straighten themselves and take a step back in fear. "Until further development in this case, the boy can stay at the HQ-"
"No way Captain. Where do you think he will sleep? In a cell or the interrogation room?" One of the female marines asked angered. He was truly annoyed to be interrupted but the women did have a point. "He's still a child" Said child glared, read pout, at her slightly hearing that. "He needs to be provided for and supervised. You can't just leave him on his own! That's irresponsible!"
"Fine! Fine he can stay with whoever wants him." Smoker said with a slightly tired voice. This day just kept getting better. The marines eyes turned to small cutie-pie standing behind their captain. As he looked at them their eyes all turned into hearts.
"Ka-kawai!" They shouted as one.
"I'll take care of him!"
"No I will!" The marines glared at each other and without further ado they started a royal battle. Luffy smiled in content. True to be told this atmosphere kind of reminded him of his home.
"Enough!" Smoker said and they actually stopped fighting. The marines quickly found themselves immobilized by the glare their superior give them. "You lot are an embarrassment to all marines with the way you're acting. Drill night all of you."
"Sir, yes sir!" they saluted before one of the courageous ones couldn't help but ask.
"Excuse me sir… but who's going to take care of-"
"That's right. I'll take care of him." The man said with a challenging look. The marines wanted to protest but couldn't. "So brat seems you're stuck with me."
"Mister…I think you got it backwards." the boy said with a small smile before it turned into a toothy grin. "You're stuck with me."
~.~
"And this is my place..." The marine said in a bored voice. Luffy's hooded ear seemed to move slightly electing a small blush from the marine captain. He just couldn't help it. The brat was cute alright. Now said brat was looking at him with big unreadable eyes. "What?"
"Is just…"
"Are you disappointed?" Smoker asked in wonder before it quickly turned into annoyance. "Why are you so disappointed?" There a reason why he didn't want a spoiled brat leaving even temporarily in his place.
(sigh)"Is just… so normal."
For a few second Smoker just stood there trying to process what he just had been told. "Huh?!"
"Well goodnight." Luffy said before he just closed the door to Smoker's bedroom.
"Wait… What?! Hey that's my bedroom!" The man shouted before he opened the door. If he would have been a lesser man he would have let lose a loud an Awww but he wasn't so he managed to restrain himself. The annoying brat was curled in a ball. He looked even smaller than he usually was. Smoker hesitated for a bit before he walked over to a closet and took out a blanket that he throw over the brat hastily before leaving the room. He couldn't believe that it only had been one day and the brat already managed to wrap his men around his fingers took over his home, stole his room and bed. All in one night.
~.~
"What are you doing there?" Smoker asked and he would have yelled had the brat not been sitting in the open window. "We are on the fourth floor!" It was not the way he hoped his morning would start.
"First I was enjoying the silence" You're noisy wasn't said but was implied. "second I know which floor we are on." Luffy would have eye-smiled had his eyes not been already closed. He could practically feel the marine's heated glare on the back of his head.
"Brat get in here-"
"Hmm… are you worried that I might fall from here?" Luffy asked as he turned around to face Smoker who's right eyebrow was twitching in annoyance before he sighed walked into the kitchen and started his coffee. It was too early for all this. He let his smoke scoop up the annoying brat who didn't even struggle as he was deposited in a safe chair far from the window. "Che…." Was Luffy's only words he couldn't help but feel somehow cheated.
"What do you want for breakfast brat?"
"Meat and milk." Was the boy's only answer making the large man only sigh as he started preparing breakfast. He wasn't a chef but was a decent cook since he lived alone for quite a while now. Not to mention the thing they served at the HQ cantina barely qualified as food. He cooked enough meat for both of them… no actually in barely a few minutes he had to correct himself . He apparently made enough food for the brat to eat in one go. Not to mention after being presented an empty plate he give his meal up to the starving preteen. He still wondered why he did that? It must have been those eyes since the boy's expression barely changed any. But somehow he couldn't help but fold like paper tower when he looked into those large expecting eyes. It was like they had 'give it here' written in them. Somehow he felt manipulated and cheated…
"How can you eat so-"
"Thank you for the food." Luffy said with a big and sincere smile shocking the marine into silence. First how he finished all that in such a short time and second… since when did the kid act so cute? Where was the rebellious cool headed, kid with a bad attitude from yesterday who had enough guts to pick a fight him non the last.
"Don't mention it …" Smoker blinked in surprise now at himself, since when did he act so nice.
Luffy had been observing the young marine captain since the day before. He could tell by first glance that the man was a big softy when it came to children and who was he not to take advantage of that still he kept his guard up. After all he had every reason to be wary of the man. Pirate here remember.
~.~
"… that's all, sir." The marine finished awkwardly as he kept looking at the small kid that was sitting at Smokers desk twirling around happily in the office chair. The chair's squeaky sound was very annoying but he could never tell the kid to stop… he just looked so happy and smiling so cutely…
"Good, you're dismissed." Smoker said as he stopped the chair with only one hand. The kid hopped out of it after giving the scary captain a small pout that moved the officer's heart. Smoker took the boy's place and sit down at his desk carefully as he placed the reports into a pile of other papers seemingly giving no shit what so ever about the pout directed at him. The marines stood there dumbfounded for a few seconds before Smoker looked at him with a raised eyebrow making the man scramble backwards all while apologizing profoundly before hitting himself with the door after fumbling a good minute to open it.
"Fucking idiots." Luffy giggled as he heard the white haired marine grumble.
" He is kind of funny though." Smoker snorted as the unfortunate marine blushed furiously in embarrassment before he managed to finally close the door.
"Hey you okay mate?" Cyide, Smoker's second in command asked the weird marine stood there frozen in front of the captain's door with an unreadable expression for a few minutes one hand still on the knob.
"I just… am I dreaming?" Cyide stared at him for a second trying to piece together what the man was saying before he replied with a drawn out "Noo…" than the marine started talking again. "Then I stepped into an alternative reality. Yeah that must be it." The man nodded to himself before he walked away leaving Cyide stand there dumbly with a "What the fuck just happened?!" expression on his face.
"He's just shocked. He'll get over it." A female marine said with a small knowing smile as he approached him.
"Why is he so"
"Well you have to admit that this is weird. I mean… Smoker is usually more…"
"Angry, unforgiving and just a typical bastard to everyone?" Cyide asked with an infuriating smirk.
"Myeah…" the women sweat-dropped slightly as he admitted that. "that's why seeing him so happy is kind of creepy..."
"How can you tell that he is happy? I mean he looks pretty much the same to me, still frowning with that steel like unwavering gaze."
"How can you not see it? Just look at it, whenever the kid does something ridiculous or cute his lips twitch like he's trying to stop himself from smiling, he just snorted not to mention his eyes. He is really fond of the kid. You must see that"
"Hmm… I donno" Cyide said critically before he smiled amused. "But I do like kids. And yeah that boy is kinda … adorable just like you said."
~.~
"So where are we going now?" Luffy asked excited as he saw Smoker start to equip his weapons.
"You mean where am I going because you will stay right where you are." The boy bristled to himself.
"You're trying to ditch me?" the boy asked with tear-filled eyes making the grown man give in a matter of seconds.
"Fine you can come with me." He knew it, every trace of sadness disappeared in a blink of an eye. He had been coned.
"So where are we going?" the marine cursed silently as the boy looked at him expectantly.
"Patrolling."
"Ok." The boy said just a bit too happy as he equipped his weapon "Let's go." Luffy had been territorial ever since he got his fruit. So he often patrolled the forest back at home. Defending territories is just normal behavior for him after all.
'Why is the brat so excited about?' Smoker asked himself with a small sweat-drop. "You can leave that thing here. You won't be using it."
"I won't leave my weapon here." Luffy replied with anger in his voice.
"… Why do you even carry that gigantic thing around?"
"It's not a thing." Luffy said giving the marine an icy look. "It's a sword and is my treasure."
"Alright." The marine said hopping to placate the angry boy. "Just don't injure anyone with it."
"But…"
"Do we need to talk about sword safety rules at this time in the morning."
"But…"
"You can always stay here you know." The pout of the small boy was wearing was the biggest he had yet seen.
"Fine. I will not injure anyone with my sword while I'm in Longue Town. Happy now?"
~.~
Somehow everyone adored the small boy. Maybe it was because he was so cute but the boy kept getting gifts from everyone and Smoker was on the verge of yelling at him. They were not on a shopping trip.
"Awww so cute… here take this." The shop owner said putting a few more apples on the top of grocery bags that almost tipped over.
"Thank you sir." Luffy said with a bright smile making the owner practically melt.
"Here take this too." Another one said giving the boy a few strawberries, and Smoker's eye twitched slightly. How many were this again?
"I just can't help but wonder what is such a cutie doing with Smoker-san?"
"We're patrolling." The boy said with an eye smile. The shop owner couldn't resist the urge to coo at him. The boy was just too adorable.
"Take care than of our grumpy captain alright?" The man asked in a hushed voice making Luffy nod along enthusiastically.
"What was that?" Smoker asked not even trying to mask the annoyance in his voice. The boy just beamed at him making the man give up. He was not getting an answer out of the boy. "Let's go, we don't have all day."
"Okay." The boy said as he skipped a few steps just to walk besides Smoker. The marine wondered if he should slow his pace down but weirdly enough the boy didn't fell behind. He was walking beside him without even looking like he was putting effort in keeping up.
~.~
Smoker manage not to look shocked the next morning that he walked into the kitchen. There was the boy as expected sitting in the window sill. He sighed as he let his smoke scoop up the boy who giggled slightly as he was deposited in a chair.
"It feels funny." Luffy admitted. His clothes looked different slightly. Yesterday no even the day before that he had a black skeleton designed t-shirt now he was wearing a white one with the text 'Purr Evil' on it. Of course the gifts he got from the shop-owners yesterday. Wait did the kid have any other clothes?
"Do you have a change of clothes?"
"I have another t-shirt." The boy said with a smile making Smoker swear slightly.
"Fine. We'll go shopping later." Smoker said as he started making food.
"But…"
"Look you can't just wear the same clothes all the time, is not healthy nor sanitary."
"You do." Luffy countered.
"No I don't." He said somehow proud. "I just have several ones that look the same."
"Why would you buy more of the same?"
"Well…" Smoker said with a sweat-drop. "I'm a marine so we wear uniforms."
"Yesss" 'I can see that' was not said but Smoker could hear it perfectly together with 'idiot' accompanying the unspoken words making his eyebrow twitch furiously. Why did he allow the brat to live in his place? Not to mention insult him in his own home? "but why?" Luffy asked with a frown. "Besides… you don't look the type to wear an uniform... you actually look more like a delinquent or something."
Smoker actually laughed making Luffy sweat-drop slightly. Oh yeah this was one of the reasons he let the boy live here. "Brat, do you know how many people think that, but not one, no one had the guts to say that to my face… But I guess kids do say what's on their mind." One of the reasons he liked kids. "Also let me tell you this. I like this uniform and anyone who doesn't can fuck off."
The boy snorted slightly. "That's just so... normal." Impressive how the boy used that word as an insult. "Oh and you have no taste." Luffy added as an afterthought.
"Says the brat who wears a cat eared hoodie and skeleton designed clothes. Weirdo." Smoker said as he placed the food on the table. "You know one day someone is going to confuse you with a pirate." The word pirate spoken by the marine was an insult, he knew the man so much to understand that at least. Luffy was glad that Smoker had turned around for some plates so he didn't see the smile froze on his face. He was getting comfortable, too comfortable.
~.~
"I'm sorry captain couldn't take you." The marine said with a small frown. The small boy looked at her without any expression.
"It's fine. I am not mad about it."
The marine did not believe him. "There was some urgent message from Marineford. Apparently some big-shot in the New World is making a move."
"And what does Smoker have to do with that?" Luffy couldn't help but ask. They lived in East Blue after all. The female marine frowned as he looked around as if she just remembered that they were in the middle of a busy street.
"Rumor is they are coming here to East Blue." She said with a small voice. Women and gossip really, he didn't know what he should say. "So the first town they would step foot in is most likely"
"Longue Town." Luffy completed the sentence with a small nod to himself. It made sense. He smiled slightly as he continued to walk. It was funny how he kept forgetting such important things.
"Make way bitch!" A loud sneer resounded making people freeze in their steps. A weirdly dressed man, pirate if Luffy had to guess, shouted loud while waving around a gun threateningly.
"Luffy-kun please stay here." The marine women said before she turned toward the commotion. The nekomimi boy frowned slightly.
"You are alone." He said loud enough for her to pause in her way.
"Yes but if I don't do anything I'll bring a shame to my uniform." Luffy's eyes turned colder. It was foolish pride from a weakling, was it really worth getting killed over? No it wasn't. But she didn't know that he was strong enough to back her up and Smoker would get here in a few minutes too, so why rush ahead unprepared?
He cached a weird smell and turned toward a dark hidden alley. The dark spots in his eyes seemed to recede and turned into slits as he spotted something shining in the sun. There was always other ways to reign in his temper that had been rising steadily in the last few days.
~.~
"Hey mister what are you doing?"
"For the hundred time I'm going to shoot the marine captain when he appears with a sea-stone bullet. Wait…" the pirate turned around quickly as he realized that the voice did not belong to any of his men. Luffy was smiling innocently up to him. "Hey brat how did you-" He looked behind the small boy just to see the rest of his crew on the ground some bleeding out rather nastily. How did? Who did? Than his eyes widened further, everything seemed dimmer then looked at the petite boy who's nails looked longer and caked in blood before the boy flickered them to the side just as he felt something warm spill down his legs he looked down to see blood. His eyes widened as the gun fell from his hands.
"I severed a major artery in your neck." The boy said motioning towards the man's neck. The man quickly placed his hands to the wound the blood was leaking from, desperate to stop it. "It's weird, isn't it? your heart is actually pumping out the blood from your body. Mah don't worry it won't take long now." The man fell backwards making Luffy smile slightly, as he reached for his weapon. "There is something pirate in you after all. Here." He said putting the weapon in the pirates hand who raised the weapon with trembling hands. "You deserve a shot at your killer at least."
"BANG." The sound ricochet in the dark alley but thanks to the commotion outside it was easily ignored.
~.~
"Where is Luffy?" Smoker asked as he let his man take away the nuisance that disturbed his nice afternoon.
"He was just here." The female pirate said with worry as she looked around frantically.
"You decided to come with us after all?" Luffy asked from behind Smoker making the man whirl around quickly.
"Don't do that" the marine threatened in vain as the boy ignored him once again in favor of praising his subordinate. "And no I can't go I still have work to do."
Luffy ignored him again. "You were so cool."
"Ah thank you."
"But…" Smoker couldn't help but pout inwardly at least. "… I was the one who took the guy down." Luffy have heard him and just blow him a raspberry as he lead the female marine away to the shopping district they still had to buy some clothes.
"Don't worry, You're still his favorite." Cyide said as he approached the marine Captain while chuckling.
"I don't care about such things." Smoker replied with a glare that promised certain pain should his second not drop the subject.
"He is just angry that you blow him off the second time already in one day."
"Well he should know by now that he can't have everything he wants."
"He is a kid, he just wants your attention." Cyide said amused. "But I'm shocked, truly. When the others said that you cared about the kid… I didn't really believe them. I was skeptical."
"I don't care about him. I just… he doesn't have anyone here. So until I find his family, or someone who can take care of him…"
"I'm good with kids. I have a little brother, You could always-"
Smoker looked Cyide in the eyes before he spoke without hesitation. "He is my responsibility. " Any conversation stopped thanks to a loud shriek.
"What the fuck is it now?" The marine asked cursing slightly as he approached the terrified civil women that was standing in front of a dark alley.
"Those are just excuses…" Cyide said with a smirk. "Still, I wonder how much does Smoker truly like him."
~.~
"I know I said you needed clothes but…" Smoker took a long drag from his cigar hoping that it would soon show it's calming effect. "do you really need all this?" He asked as he turned to the entire office that was full of baggage's.
"They were mostly gifts." The marine female answered with a small sweat-drop.
"Only because someone insisted to pay for some of them." Luffy said with a small pointed look. He never had to pay for things before. When he said he wanted something people usually give them to him for free and there was always bribing, cheating, intimidating and stealing if it came down to it, grow up with bandits after all. Garp couldn't really say he never learned anything from Dadan. He didn't really understand why the other people were so weird because of it though.
"I couldn't help it." The marine muttered. "It felt like we were robbing them." Smoker sighed knowing well that feeling. Luffy's cuteness affected people in weird ways.
~.~
"That's new." Smoker said looking Luffy up and down. His hair was braided for one and he was dressed in black jeans and a black long sleeved hooded shirt under a red t-shirt. Definitely prepared for the cold weather outside. "No text today?" The marine asked buy regretted it when the boy just turned around with a grin. 'Cute but Psycho' imprinted on the boy's entire back.
The marine sighed as he turned toward the kitchen. "Let me guess, milk and meat?"
"Yup."
Smoker sighed as he poured himself some coffee meanwhile. "So what is it?"
"?"
"I can feel your eyes burning on my back, so what is it?"
"She…" Luffy started but then frowned. "… was great yesterday not because she took down that men, but because she faced him." Smoker waited patiently for him to continue talking. "She said that it would bring shame to her uniform not to do so, but even so I think the wiser choice would have been to wait until you arrived."
Smoker looked at him and smiled. "It would have been useless."
"I know… the uniform makes you a target." Smoker raised an eyebrow. Weren't they just talking about the incident yesterday.
"Are you worried?" the marine asked finally trying to get to the bottom of the problem.
"I… respect you. " Luffy said finally looking him in the eyes. "But I still dislike that uniform."
"Huh?! What is your problem with it anyway?"
"It's ugly for start, two- "
~.~
"I don't wanna." Luffy said monotonously.
"I thought you liked patrolling."
"It's raining." The boy said like it explained everything. Smoker sighed and pinched his nose.
"Fine brat, stay here and try not to cause a mess till we come back."
"Okayy." The boy said with a small purr in his voice as he skipped inside Smokers office.
"Keep an eye on him." The marine captain said with a grimace to his second in command as he turned to leave.
"Aye, aye sir." Cyide called at Smoker's retreating back before he turned around and smiled as he watched the small boy make himself comfortable on the sofa before hoping off and looking at the chair with a contemplating look. The man watched amused as the boy tried every available surface, including inside of a cupboard and the top of it but neither one was deemed comfortable enough to sleep on. In the end he settled in the windows-still. Cyide found it amusing how the boy acted like a pet that has been left alone by its owner.
"Hey kid want to grab some food? The rain is letting up slowly."
Cyide had never been in close proximity of the boy so he was quite shocked when the boy's eyes turned at him. He was being judged with just one long look. It made him stop slowly. The boy as he heard was truly adorable. Big eyes that seemed to draw even the light in with long eyelashes that fluttered open lazily. He was small and young, but he was not as young as he looked. Lips open slightly. The boy looked so distant at that moment that he seemed more like a finely carved china-doll with his cold gaze and flawless skin than a real human being. But then the boy's lips twitched. He smiled and jumped up from his place skipping to his side only pausing briefly at the Captain's desk to take something, a lighter Cyide's brain finally supplied.
"Where to?" Luffy finally asked amused and the marine jumped slightly clearly startled by the close proximity.
"Sorry … lost in my thoughts." Cyide said with a sheepish smile. "There is a nice restaurant only a few blocks away, so even if it starts raining again we won't get wet." The boy nodded along enthusiastically.
~.~
"You choose the wrong day to mess with me." Smoker said quite annoyed as he proceed to pound his enemies to the ground.
"Is it me or is Smoker captain even more angry than usual." One of the marines asked in a hushed and small voice as they witnessed their Captain take down an entire crew.
His buddy replied with an awed and slightly terrified whisper."Apparently his lighter is misplaced and thanks to this weather the matches are all wet and go out before he could light his cigar."
"You!" Smoker's voice bellowed scaring the crap out of the marines.
"Ye-"
"What do you mean kidnapped?!"
~.~
"This is far enough don't you think?" Luffy asked finally.
"Ah but the restaurant is "
"Never there to start with." The boy said as the rain started to pour louder.
"Clever little boy." Cyide said with a grin. "You worked it all out didn't you?"
"It wasn't that hard."
"What gave me away?"
Luffy snorted hearing that, his hoodie was getting wet and started to stick to his skin and he really didn't like the feeling. "Many things… I know there was someone after Smoker" he could smell it. The man was surrounded by the smell of imminent death. It was hard to ignore. "Know it had to be someone from the inside." Because while the pirates hated marines they would rarely go out of their way to target someone in the manner Smoker was being targeted.
"Oh and how did you know that?"
"Devil Fruits are never made public. Yet those pirates they had sea stone bullets." Luffy continued talking, his voice painfully monotone. "Now from where does one get sea-stone bullets? marine issued if I'm not mistaken."
"You're not. Bravo now all you lack is motivation. Do you know why I did it?"
"You are second in command. I guess should Smoker meet an untimely death and with the pressure Marineford is under thanks to the Yonkos movement it would be some time before a new Captain would be sent, if they would at all." Luffy said as he tilted his head to side unsure about the last part. "Plus I guess they offer that pirate crew brought you was quite nice."
"Hmm, you are of course right. Smoker is unmovable, he doesn't negotiate. Do you know what salary does a marine have?"
"I don't care."
"Of course you are a child, you don't understand yet the value of the money. But it doesn't matter. It's perfect in fact. You are an easy mark, such a glaring weakness. Smoker will walk willingly in a trap to save you, he is naïve enough to believe he can just do that. He will do it, funny isn't it how caring became his downfall?"
"You are wrong though."
"Oh am I?"
"I'm not a child, I'm a pirate." That shocked Cyide and made him laugh but the boy's eyes remained unmovable. He extended his hands and brilliant blue flames lit up on his arms. "Also… caring nor I will allow myself to become anyone's weakness."
The man quickly grabbed his gun panicking slightly. The boy was a devil fruit user. And he controlled flames, flames not put out even by the fucking rain. He still had some of those Sea-stone bullets. He needed just one, just one shot. He fumbled slightly but too late he was thrown backward into by a flaming punch. He didn't even saw the boy approaching. The pain that ripped through him was unbelievable. His face it felt like it had been melted of.
"AAAAAHHHGG!"
"I'm sorry did that hurt?" Luffy asked with a grin almost too big for his face displaying his canines quite proudly.
"Fuck you!" Cyide screamed as he fired three times in a row. Luffy skipped to the left and twirled around, dancing out of the bullets way making the man curse like a sailor before trying again. But too late.
"Useless" the boy said gripping the gun and melting it slightly before the man let go after he felt even his hand get scorched. The boy tossed it away making the man backtrack and even more panicked." You see I'm only going to ask this once since I'm in a hurry, have to go and save Smoker after all. Where is that meeting place? You better answer me and I'll kill you quickly."
Cyide wanted to protest but looking into those eyes he knew it. He could feel it, death was approaching. He send a messenger for him, a cruel and beautiful angel from hell. "It's the warehouse 31…"
It was over in less than a second. A gigantic lightning colored the sky in the same golden light as the color of the nekomimi's eyes. Cyide coughed up a bit of blood as his chest had been pierced. Funny how the blood that leaked was actually warm but he suddenly felt so cold.
The small boy right hand was caked in blood as he withdrew it with a small grimace. The man was dead before his head even hit the floor. There was no time to waste Smoker's life was in danger. He hated to admit it but he grew to like the man even though he was a marine.
~.~
Smoker drove as fast as he could. He swore if those bastard did anything, anything to that brat there was going hell to be paid. He parked his motorbike hastily in front of the warehouse and made sure he had his jitte secured before he let his smoke brake down the doors to the warehouse. He was prepared to see many things but not this. Never this.
"Smoker…" Luffy greeted him with a small wave before he realized that his hands were caked in blood. He did forget his gloves that morning.
"What is…?"
"I knew this will happen. I came here a bit too soon and they attacked me." Luffy explained after he punched the pirate one more time, not strong enough to kill him but enough so that he won't wake up for a long, long time.
"The alley… that was you." Smoker said in a broken voice while trying to calm his nerves.
"Yes."
"They were pirates…" The marine tried to speak through gritted teeth.
"Excuses. We both know that's not how it work. No use trying to avoid it."
"You are just a kid."
"I was once… Staying here with you it kind of made me remember that. You know is funny. I usually hate marines but "
"What are talking about?"
"It was supposed to be funny." Luffy said with a bitter laugh. "Revenge for daring to order me around. For thinking you can act so high and mighty." The smile and laugh turned into a bitter frown "I never thought it would hurt like this. I suppose I shouldn't say that. It was you after all who was betrayed and played in the end."
Smoker's eyes widened he knew. He just knew. "Don't , don't you fucking dare to say that!"
Luffy smiled slightly hearing that "But that's the whole point isn't it? I don't have to listen to you. I'm a pirate after all."
The jitte stuck so fast that even Luffy couldn't have avoided it. That's what he told himself at least because his legs they refused to move to take even a step back. They both fell to the ground. The jitte embedded in the ground just beside his head. Luffy opened his eyes and Smokers fist was drawn back ready to strike but seemed frozen, the man's hands were trembling.
'I did this. This is all my fault. I HAVE TO DO SOMETHING! But… He'll hate me… he already does, and he has every right to.' "What's wrong? Can't strike the enemy Smokey?" Luffy asked with a smug smile. "You are a shame, you dare and wear that uniform and let yourself be deceived so easily? You bloody fool-goody two shoes, tell me the truth, did you actually believe me? Were you really that stupid?"
"Shut up!"
"Hah you were weren't you? You thought poor boy, I will help him and let him be grateful? Tell me, what did you think will happen?!"
"Shut up! Shut up!"
"So grateful that I'll what, thank you? What did you think of when I fell asleep in your bed every night? I wonder… Pervert!"
"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" This time the punch came down hard. Just the way it should have from the start.
~.~
"Sir… he has escaped imprisonment also the Red-haired Shanks ship left the docks." The female marine said with a sad voice. "What do we do now?"
"What can we do?" Smoker asked with cold eyes. "They are long gone by now." The marine captain said through gritted teeth.
"Should we report this to HQ?"
Smoker actually laughed hearing that. It was bitter and a sad sight. "And what do you want to tell them?"
"I… I'm sorry…."
"It's fine. Leave."
"Yes sir." The female marine left hastily closing the door.
"So you escaped" Smoker said as he exhaled the smoke. "…pirate."
~.~
"Ah you grown so big, and your hair is so long, and your ears are so fluffy!" Shanks said happily as he tried to hug Luffy only for the boy to duck and the childish captain to fall.
"Good to see you Luffy." Benn said as he pet the small boy's hair carefully. "Hope you had an easy journey."
"Mostly…" The nekomimi admitted with a sad voice making the red-haired pirates pause slowly their celebration.
"Anchor are you-" Shanks didn't manage to finish the question.
"I'll be fine." Luffy said with a strained smile as his hand clenched the lighter he lifted from Smoker's desk.
Yes I know you probably hate me but I couldn't help myself. Smoker is a good marine so he wouldn't leave the navy didn't want him to, so Luffy played him good, but as they say don't play with the fire or you'll get burned. He played with emotions and got caught up in them. The scene where he is a nasty little bastard to smokey was so that Smoker would have no remorse in doing what he should as a marine. Of course it hurt Luffy too but he will be fine he has Shanks and Benn to help him recover.