Friend

Characters: Bepo, Law. Rating: K. Warnings: None

Bepo hated it when people flinched away from him. Cries of monster often followed him as he slunk from place to place, and it wasn't uncommon to be attacked. He normally escaped without fighting back, his natural defences keeping him from harm and his heightened senses and instincts showing him opportunities to flee. After all, humans were just furless Minks, the poor creatures. He didn't want to hurt them but sometimes it wasn't possible.

The two loud and angry teenage humans were the first ones not to run from him, followed by the younger one that smelt of blood and tears and illness but still stuck up for him and drove the other boys away. Without thinking, he accepted the offered hand to pull him to his feet – later his captain, Law had never treated him as an animal even at the start – only for the boy to give a muffled yelp and fall backwards, clutching at his hand. On his feet again, Bepo looked at his paw to see sparks fading away and wanted to cry.

"I'm sorry!" he grovelled, not daring to go near the boy who was watching him with an undecipherable look on his face. He'd finally found a nice human and he'd hurt him! Bepo cursed his natural weapon, and shoved his paws behind his back, away from the boy, who was slowly pulling himself upright again.

"Sorry for what?" the boy asked. "What was that? Who are you?"

"I'm Bepo!" the mink gushed, disbelieving that the boy hadn't fled. Then again, he had taken on those two boys bigger than him to save Bepo… "It's something you furless minks can't do, I'm sorry!"

The boy gave a funny smile. It didn't look happy.

"You don't need to apologise," he said, turning and beginning to walk away, although it seemed more like a stumble. "Not to me." Bepo watched him go dejectedly, his ears dropping. The first nice human and he'd scared him off. Well, maybe those other two would talk to him, once they realised hitting him hurt them more than him.

Hunching into himself, he began to traipse along a different path, when he saw the boy collapse. Not thinking, he ran over to him and pawed at the weakened body, watching as golden eyes struggled to open. The human smelt of illness, although that wasn't quite right. It was more like old illness, a lingering smell on his furless skin after the illness was gone.

"W-what are you-" the human stuttered. His skin was a funny colour, not quite like the other humans Bepo had seen. He was shaking, too, but Bepo didn't smell any fear. Was he cold? He didn't have any fur to keep him warm. If he stayed out overnight, he'd die. The human was a little smaller than Bepo, so Bepo pawed at the loose fabric draped around him to wrap it more firmly before wrapping his arms around the boy and picking him up. It was easier than Bepo had thought it would be; humans were lighter than they looked. Either that or this one hadn't eaten recently.

"H-Hey!" the boy protested, wriggling in Bepo's grip unsuccessfully. The mink kept a firm hold of him as he made his way to the cave he'd been staying in while he looked for food and a way to the next island on his way back home.

"What's your name?" he asked the human as he set him down, realising that he hadn't shocked him once. Maybe the clothes protected him.

"…Law," the boy told him, trying to move but tangling himself up more in the cloak and falling back down. He was still shaking, although not as much as he had been, and Bepo curled up next to him.

"Will you be my friend, Law?" he asked, trying to keep the small human warm with his fur without shocking him. Law instinctively shifted closer to the warmth. "I don't have any." He thought back to the two earlier, who fought together and helped each other.

"I don't either," Law said quietly. Bepo waited, but he didn't say anything else. Dejected, he curled up closer, giving more warmth. He could at least pretend to have a friend, until morning came.

Thanks for reading!
Tsari