"I-Is this where you stay…?"
"What did you expect? A castle underwater?"
Chapter 11 ~ Humble Abode
They didn't stop from the calm belt and headed straight for Dawn island, relying solely on fruits for food. Even as fast as they were going, they still arrived after the sky had turned a beautiful purple-red shade, though it was still a record time.
"We're arriving soon," Luffy noted while taking off his bandages, revealing his eyes for the first time to the two passengers.
They both couldn't help but stare at those blue, otherworldly enchanting eyes that exudes power which both scares and assures them. ' Powerful' was the thought that rose unbidden in their minds, followed by ' beautiful' .
As the raven finishes rewrapping his face, those blue eyes turn to meet their comparatively plain eyes, and their previous fear vanishes. The only thing they saw in those eyes were softness and glaring emptiness. Wonder and pity rose, but was quickly stopped down as Dawn island distracted them.
"You can leave now Weiss, thank you," Luffy said, still a distance away from the island.
The white seaking leaned closer causing the guests to turn rigid, yet it only took a little scratch beneath its snout from Luffy for the seaking to finally swim away happily.
"I-Is this where you stay…?" Law asked with a small questioning frown.
"What did you expect? A castle underwater?" Luffy asked with a raised brow.
"W-well, no," the boy sputtered and blushed. The blond adult chuckled, getting a smack from his charge.
Rocinante was still doubtful about following this stranger, but he was quite satisfied to see Law open up, even a little.
As soon as they docked, they could make out a tiny humble village. The villagers nearby gathered by the dock to greet Luffy with enthusiasm.
"Luffy-chan, you're back," a lady in a blue apron said.
"Luffy-san, I've been waiting for you to come back," an old man called, "I really need help fixing my roof."
"Ace would be happy to hear that you're back, Luffy," a passerby yelled with a smile and wave.
"Ah, hey everyone," Luffy greeted lightly, "I'm back, and I'll help you tomorrow Minato-san."
Though once the blond stood up, many villagers gave him a second glance due to his impossible height.
Mayor Woop Slap arrived not long after approaching slowly with his cane, "Who's that Luffy-kun?"
"Ah, mayor, I found them on an island in the North blue,"
"Excuse us, we need to stay in your village for a bit," Rocinante bowed politely, rubbing his neck sheepishly.
Luffy noticed after taking off his bandages that the blond had quite an eccentric makeup or tattoo on his face that made him look like a clown. However, his countenance definitely matched the gentle aura the raven sensed from the beginning.
Mayor eyed him weirdly and suspiciously before sighing, before walking away with a light comment. "Sure, as long as you don't harm the village or anyone in it.".
"Yes, we won't, thank you," the blond added with a bow that ended with him tripping over his own coat.
"Cora-san," the kid groaned exasperatedly as he tried to help the man up.
"Law, are you okay?" Luffy asked, kneeling in front of him and placing a hand on his forehead, "do you need the doctor?"
Law stared and stared at the concerned blue eyes, before jumping backwards and blushing. He's not used to people treating him so kindly in so long, besides Cora-san. But even the blond made him feel weird when he treats him like that.
He gulped and glared defensively, flustered "I'll be fine! I can heal myself," Law grumbled.
Luffy only blinked at his sudden outburst and nodded, "okay, but if you get worse, we're going to the doctor."
The raven didn't even wait for a reply or complaint as he stood back up and marched towards a direction.
Rocinante chuckled and placed a hand on Law's hat, which the boy pulled further down to hide the red spreading across his cheeks.
They both followed Luffy from behind, watching as he responded to greets with a short nod. It seems the village is used to him being this quiet and reserved.
Oddly, they arrived in a small bar called Party's bar which sounded quite lively from the outside. Entering the bar through a swing door, Cora-san had to lower his head down to pass through the low arch.
Luffy was once again greeted by the many customers and the barlady, who had green hair.
"Luffy, you're back," she smiled kindly with slight surprise, "oh, and who's the other two?"
"Hello, I'm Rocinante and this is Trafalgar Law," the blond introduced.
"Hi," the boy answered with a scowl. Well the scowl was more of a permanent fixture on his face.
Before anything could continue a kid's voice interrupted them, coming from the staircase at the corner of the bar.
"Makino! When nii-chan coming backkk~" he whined before he even descended entirely.
Once he landed on the last flight of stairs, he paused and stared wide eyed towards them. The kid was around 3 years old, with freckles and wavy raven hair. His mouth slowly formed a perfect 'o'.
They thought Rocinante might've scared the kid with his size, but then his face split in two brightening like the sun when he ran as fast as his tiny legs could carry and jumped onto Luffy's arms.
The raven readily accepts the excited toddler, smiling obvious through his eyes.
"Pa-paaa!" The toddler yelled excitedly, his legs swinging wildly from where it hung on the sides of the raven.
"Hi, Ace-y," the raven replied with a very soft tone. A tone they thought he is incapable of. "Did you miss me?" Luffy asked, giving the little boy a light head bump.
Although, he knew Ace definitely misses him. The toddler only calls him papa when he's afraid or when he misses him. Generally when his emotions run high.
"Nn!" He yelled, rubbing his cheek on the elder's, giggling.
"Pa-papa..?!" Cora-san muttered incredulously, while staring at the scene.
Law watches the scene in surprise, and honestly, jealousy. The deity looked at the baby with so much love, he was reminded of his dead parents. His scowl deepened in response but softened when he remembered the careless blond by his side. Glancing at him, the man was also gawking at the scene with interest.
"I din cwai, you know! I'm stwong," Ace said proudly while giggling.
Luffy chuckled lightly, "is that so? Have you eaten dinner?"
"No, I just bafed."
"Okay, let's eat then," Luffy said, sitting on the bar with Ace on his lap, "if you don't mind, Makino-san?"
"Of course!" the lady responded gleefully, "will the other two be joining?"
"Err, we- we don't have any money," the blond said sheepishly.
The greenette giggled, "It's okay, you seem hungry, besides Luffy's friends are always welcome."
Rosinante opened his mouth to make another rejection when Luffy interrupted with a fact he couldn't retort to. "It's fine, I'll pay, Law would need to eat or he'll get too weak."
The blond could only politely agree then.
"Who they?" Ace asked, looking at Law and Rocinante.
"Ace, be polite," his brother reprimanded, lightly pinching his nose.
He pouted, but complied, "my name s' Ace, whas yours?"
Law glared at the boy, he didn't like him, a spoiled innocent brat that grew up loved and sheltered. Smiling like nothing's wrong in the world.
Rocinante smacked his head lightly, "be nice, Law," he chided, "I'm Rocinante but you can call me Cora-san, and this is Trafalgar Law."
"Tora-Tafa.. Tla? Toa? To-" the toddler tries, tilting his head sideways adorably.
Luffy smiles, "how about Law, Ace?"
"'Aw!" Ace slurred.
Law sighed annoyedly with a scowl.
Luffy placed a hand on his furry hat, and offered an eye smile, "forgive him, won't you?" He asked gently.
The boy's face turned red as he pulled his hat lower to hide in, and nodded.
Rocinante thought Law's reactions to Luffy were interesting, though he ingrained in his mind that they should be careful to not anger him. He could be very dangerous.
After dinner, they both ended up following the deity to his house. Isn't that a surprise, the sea deity stays in a humble two-storey cottage, at the edge of the forest, with a toddler.
The house was surprisingly homey with a clean kitchen and a carpet in the living room, along with a huge bookshelf filled with a variety of books.
"Make yourselves at home, you can have the room over there," the owner said, nodding towards a small room in the corner, "I need to put Ace to bed."
"But nii-chan m' not ti-ed," the toddler in his arms whined weakly, yawning in the process.
"Oh yeah?" Luffy teased, climbing the stairs.
"Nn~"
"But I'm telling you stories tomorrow," the raven teased, "if you don't sleep, tomorrow won't come."
"Eh! Okay I'm ti-ed now, le's sleep!" the toddler exclaimed, snuggling into the teen's shoulders.
Luffy chuckled, satisfied. Ace had allowed himself to succumb to his tiredness, instantly falling asleep before Luffy even reached the bed.
He placed the toddler on his side, where it was surrounded with pillows and toys. Luffy gave Ace a kiss as usual, and a soft sniff on his chubby cheeks. Allowing milky baby scent to enter his nose.
"Goodnight little Ace," he whispered before heading back down with his huge blanket for the giant blond in his house.
Luffy came down to an odd sight, both of them were still standing awkwardly on one corner of the house. Not to mention, Cora-san needing to bow his head to actually fit in the tiny house.
"What are you two doing?" Luffy deadpanned.
"Er, we-we're not sure," the blond muttered, trying to light a cigarette and burning his coat in the process.
Luffy swirled his hand as water splashed on the fire and extinguished it. By now he's quite used to it with the amount of time the guy almost burns their dinghy on the trip. He gave the man a dry look.
"You better not burn my house," he huffed, throwing the man a blanket, "you can sleep there on the carpet and Law can have the bed."
They both nodded numbly. Luffy would roll his eyes, if only he's capable of that emotion. This is why he doesn't tell people what he is instantly, they just get so weird. Though Roger treated him as usual, but that man was a special one.
"But isn't this yours?" Cora-san asked, holding the blanket, now seated.
"I don't get cold," Luffy said.
He walked over to his huge bookshelf without browsing and with familiarity quickly pulled out a rough looking leather journal, bound by a leather strap. It had messy papers, with varying degrees of white, sticking out.
"Here," Luffy said, extending his book towards Law.
The boy had been eyeing the books with interest, he must love reading or studying. He looked bemusedly at the brown journal in his hand.
"Take it, it's filled with devil fruits. The Ope-Ope no mi should be included inside this one,"
Both of them tensed immediately. "How do you know that!?" Law glared defensively.
"Devil fruit comes from the ocean," Luffy said as if it explains everything, and it sort of does. "And don't worry I don't need immortality," he added, quickly deducing the source of their cautiousness.
"How- ah nevermind," He asked out of habit but cut himself off, realising it was pointless.
"You know how the Ope-ope no mi works?" Cora-san asked, still keeping his guard up.
"It should be in the book.".
It took a few seconds of apprehension before Law turned his attention towards the journal in interest, with the blond joining him.
The brick red journal was relatively thick, and as Law ghosted his fingertips on the covers he could feel the soft suede covers that had started peeling on some areas. The journal is messy with papers of varying shades of brown protruding from the side, the whole journal was held together with an elastic leather journal was obviously well used.
Inside, the entries were handwritten, sketches of the fruit and the powers were also included. In the 1st quarters of the entries, the writing and drawing were sloppy, barely legible. But as they went through the book, the writing became neater, legible cursive, and the sketches more beautiful.
Both of them were so caught up with reading that they didn't notice Luffy leaving to sleep. He usually doesn't get tired or require rest but after healing the blond and the trip, he's really tired. It's a surprise Luffy hasn't collapsed after healing the man.
I know I am going so slowly with my stories but I would like to thank everyone who has read my fics and sent me kudos!
(2104 words)