Chapter Text
Chapter 2
Law filled his cup with hot coffee and took a seat in the break room to enjoy it. He loved his morning coffee. He opened up his tablet and went through the notes he had taken yesterday. When he goes to see Luffy, he would bring a plate of meat. He could assume he could keep gaining Luffy’s trust if he fed him. When he finished his first coffee, he had a second. He put the lid on top and made his way to the kitchen. The chefs put some meat on a plate, and he took it, heading to the habitat. When he got there, he balanced his coffee cup on the plate and used his keycard to open the door. He stepped inside, and the door closed behind him.
“Luffy! Meat!” Law called. Sure enough, Luffy came rushing towards him. Law placed the plate on the ground, and Luffy sat to eat it. Law sat with him, sipping on his coffee. Luffy then reached for the cup. “I don’t think you’ll like it,” Law said, and he let Luffy take the cup. “Drink.” He made a drinking motion with his hand. Luffy sipped the coffee, then stuck out his tongue in disgust. Law couldn’t help but chuckle. “I drink it black, but maybe you’ll like it with sugar and milk.” Law realized then that coffee might make Luffy even more hyper than he already was. Law wasn’t expecting Luffy to suddenly sit in his lap. “Hey!”
Luffy just chewed on the bone and tilted his head back against Law’s chest to stare up at him.
“Fine. But once you’re done. Off.” Law took the moment to write some notes. ‘56 is unafraid of touch. He took to sitting in my lap- very childlike. Unsure of age, but he looks like he could be eighteen or nineteen in human years. Personality is still playful.’ He would have to talk to the head scientist and ask if he could get some objects for Luffy to play with. One thing he thought of was a swing, and then simpler things like a ball.
Law looked back at Luffy to see that the alien had fallen asleep against him with a bone sticking out between his lips. ‘I wonder why he’s so attached to me.’ Law wondered. But he didn’t have time to let Luffy take a nap on him. He finished his coffee and gently shook Luffy awake. Luffy blinked sleepy eyes at him, then grinned.
“Law!”
“That’s right!” Law was impressed so far. He would still want to try the translator, though.
Law turned around when he heard someone enter the habitat. It was one of the scientists.
“Trafalgar, the big boss wants to see you.”
“What’s it about?” Law asked.
“I’m not sure. I was just sent to tell you.”
Law nodded and turned back to Luffy. He lifted Luffy off his lap and stood up. “I’ll be back.” Luffy stood up and followed him. “No. Stay. Stay.”
“I’ll watch him,” said the other scientist.
Law left the habitat and made his way to the boss’s office.
~*~
Luffy watched Law walk away, and he pouted. He wanted Law back. Luffy looked at the other man, not liking their smell. He also didn’t like the way the man was looking at him. Suddenly, a group of armed men and more people in white coats entered the habitat. Luffy growled at them, his tail flicking back and forth. He couldn’t understand what they were saying, but they surrounded him. Luffy fought back as the armed men grabbed all his limbs, forcefully carrying him out of the habitat. Where was Law?
He was brought to a different room with very bright lights that hurt his eyes. A female in a white lab coat came up to him as he struggled to get away and stuck him with a needle in his arm. He felt his strength fading, and he practically fell limp in the guards’ arms. He was still awake, but he couldn’t feel his body. He was all numb. They placed him on a cold white table and strapped him down by his wrists and ankles. The people in white were standing around him, talking. What were they planning to do with him? One man in white had a large needle and stuck it in his arm, taking his blood. Luffy growled at the man, but it didn’t make the man stop.
After the blood was taken, a large machine shaped like a big circle moved its way around him. He watched it move, wondering what it was doing. When the machine stopped, one of the people in white held a sharp instrument and placed three cuts where his scales weren’t; one on his arm, one on his stomach, and the other on his thigh. The cuts didn’t hurt because he couldn’t feel anything, but he was just confused. Another man in white came and stuck him with a needle, and he was suddenly very sleepy. He closed his eyes and fell asleep.
~*~
Law pressed the intercom button and announced his presence to the boss. The door slid open, and he went inside. The secretary told him to have a seat and that the boss would be with him shortly. He waited patiently until his name was called. Law got up and went into his boss's office. The boss told him to have a seat.
“Did you hear what happened by chance?” The man asked.
“What happened?”
“Specimen 56 bit off the arm of a Celestial Dragon last night.”
Law’s eyes widened. “Luffy did that?”
“Luffy? Is that his name?”
“I believe so. But I’m surprised. He hasn’t shown any malice or aggression. What did the Celestial Dragon do to him?”
The boss leaned back in his chair. “I’m sure he did something to the alien, but he wouldn’t say. He shouldn’t even have been in there without you or a guard. This is troublesome. He’s calling for the alien’s death.”
“You can’t allow that,” Law said.
“We’re not going to kill him. He’s too valuable. But I want you to teach him not to act like a rabid animal. I haven’t seen your first report yet, but he has to learn that he can’t attack.”
“I can’t teach him that until he learns more words,” Law said. “I’m thinking of using the universal translator collar to see if it works on him. Right now, we’re practicing simple words.”
“Use the translator on him.”
“I will. I just need a referral to use it.”
“I’ll write it for you. You can go.”
“Thank you.”
Law got up and left the office. He thought about Luffy’s attack on the Celestial Dragon. He had a good idea of what the man was doing. The Celestial Dragons think the universe revolves around them, and one thing they like to have is exotic things. They’ve conquered some planets and use the alien population as slaves. The dragons were rich, and their financial contributions kept this ship flying and paid for all the scientists and the experiments they conducted. Other than that, Law didn’t care about the Celestial Dragons.
He reached the habitat and noticed the door was open. Did Luffy escape? Probably not. Chances are the other scientists took him. Law then made his way to the testing rooms, and while he was heading there, he came across a guard carrying Luffy, who was slumped in the guard’s arms. Law stopped him.
“What’s wrong with him?”
“They did some tests on him,” replied the guard. “He’s still sleeping.”
“I’ll take him.”
Law didn’t wait for an answer. He took the sleeping Luffy into his arms and carried the alien back to the habitat. He should have been present for the tests, just as a comfort for Luffy. He placed Luffy on the ground under a tree and left him sleeping. He took a moment to look over Luffy’s scaled body and saw the cuts on his skin. The scales were likely too strong to cut, so they cut him in spots where there were no scales. He had a fairly good idea what they did, but he wanted to be sure.
He left the habitat and went to the labs to find information about Luffy. The ship held plenty of scientists, so he had to ask around to find who ran the tests on Luffy. One of the scientists he asked was present, and he told Law what had happened.
“We took a sample of his blood to see if it's still human blood or if it's changed during evolution. We placed those cuts on him to see if his body can heal itself. We’re still testing the blood, and the cuts didn’t heal on their own.”
“I thought so. From now on, I want to be present for these experiments on Luffy.”
“No, you can’t be,” said the scientist. “The alien trusts you. We can’t break that trust. It’s best that you don’t observe the experiments.”
Law frowned, knowing the man was right. Luffy trusted him, and he didn’t want to be there to watch them hurting Luffy. It was all in the name of science.
“Tell the head scientist I want a copy of Luffy’s report,” Law said.
“I’ll let them know.”
Law nodded and walked away, feeling a little frustrated. He decided to take a break and go to the gym. Working out helped to clear his mind when he was stressed. He got in the elevator to get to the gym. The gym wasn’t very crowded, which Law preferred. He went into the locker room and to his locker where his workout clothes were. He changed and then splashed his face with water, letting out a soft sigh.
He did the treadmill first, then the stationary bike, and lastly, the free weights. He wondered about Luffy and how strong the alien’s body is. Was Luffy strong? He already knew Luffy’s jaw was strong, but what about the rest of him? Law decided that he would bring the weights he had in his room to test Luffy’s strength.
After the workout, he took a quick shower and got dressed. He was feeling more clear-headed now. He stopped by his room to pick up his tablet and a dumbbell, then went to the habitat to see if Luffy had woken up. He swiped his keycard and went inside, finding the spot where he left Luffy empty. So, Luffy was awake.
“Luffy?” Law called to him. He heard the trees rustle, and Luffy jumped down from one. Luffy ran to him and jumped on him, knocking him to the ground. “Luffy! Get off!” Luffy was nuzzling his chest. He reminded Law of a cat. He finally pushed Luffy off of him and sat up.
“Meat?”
“No. No meat.”
“Hmmmm,”
Law could see the wheels turning in Luffy’s head.
Luffy suddenly grinned and said, “Eat! Eat Law!” He grabbed Law’s arm to bring it to his mouth.
“Are you crazy?!” Law pulled his arm away. “Don’t eat me!”
Luffy pouted at him.
“I hope I get the translator soon,” Law said to himself. He picked up the weight and showed it to Luffy. “Strong,” Law said. “Strong.”
“Stttrong,”
Law held the weight out to Luffy. Luffy took it and held it with ease. He even tossed it into his other hand as if it weighed nothing at all. Law was impressed and opened his tablet to note it. ‘Specimen 56 is strong- tested with a ten-pound weight. Will request heavier weights to see how strong he really is.’ He looked up from his tablet to see Luffy’s brown and yellow eyes staring at him. Law leaned back a bit, but Luffy just leaned forward.
“No,” Law said to him, gently pushing Luffy back. Luffy didn’t listen and climbed into his lap again. Law sighed and gave in. Luffy turned around to straddle him, wrapping his scaly arms around Law’s neck. This time, Law froze. Their groins were pressed together, and Luffy still didn’t have any clothes on. Law gulped, then cleared his throat. “No.” He said again, moving Luffy off of him and standing up. “I’ll get you meat. Meat.” He repeated the word again.
“Meat!” Luffy said excitedly.
Law hurried out of the habitat and decided it was time to get Luffy clothes. He went to one of the clothing shops on the ship and bought a pair of blue jean shorts and a red vest. The cashier told him that they were running hats at half price if he was interested. Law saw a straw hat and pictured Luffy in it. He agreed to buy the hat along with the clothes.
He returned to the habitat, calling for Luffy. Luffy came running on all fours this time, skidding to a halt.
“Clothes,” Law said, holding out the clothing. “Clothes.” He said again.
“Clothes,” Luffy repeated.
Law was impressed when Luffy took the clothes and dressed himself. He placed the straw hat on Luffy’s head. Law had to admit, the straw hat was a perfect choice. It looked good on Luffy, and Luffy seemed to like the clothing.
“Meat!” Luffy said.
“I forgot,” Law said. “I’ll get you meat.”
Law took out his tablet and added some notes as he walked. ‘Specimen 56 knew how to put on the clothes. Not sure how he ended up naked. Specimen didn’t seem to care about being naked.’
He returned to the habitat with a plate of meat and, this time, brought some fresh fruit. He also had a small carton of milk. He found Luffy sitting on a branch, kicking his feet. Luffy jumped down and ran to him, taking the plate of meat. Law sat down on the grass with Luffy, watching the alien gulp down the meat, barely chewing. Luffy saw the fruit and looked at it quizzically, tilting his head to the side.
“Fruit,” Law said, pointing to the apple, the pear, and an orange. “Fruit. Apple. Pear. Orange.”
“Fruit,” Luffy repeated and picked up the apple. He took a bite and chewed. Luffy licked his lips, then ate the rest of the apple. He ate the pear too, but Law had to stop him from eating the orange. Law peeled the orange for Luffy and handed it to him. Luffy shoved the whole thing in his mouth, chewing loudly.
“Milk,” Law said as he opened the milk carton. He put the straw in and took a sip, then handed it to Luffy. “Sip.”
Luffy mimicked Law and drank the carton. “Milk!”
Law had to admit that Luffy’s eagerness and personality were a nice break from the usual stuffy scientists he dealt with every day. He tends to be a stuffy scientist himself, but being with Luffy made him feel lighter. He opened his tablet and started taking notes.
‘Specimen 56 likes fruit- knew how to dress himself-possibly had clothes before he was found naked- doesn’t seem to care about being clothed or naked-’ Hey!” Luffy snatched the tablet from him and ran off with it. “Luffy! Give it back!”
Luffy climbed up a tree and sat on a branch, holding the tablet. “Shishishi!” Luffy laughed playfully.
“Don’t make me come up there!”
Luffy gave him a raspberry.
Law frowned. “You little brat!”
He attempted to climb the tree, but the branches were too high for him to reach. There was no way he was going to get Luffy to come down, so he had to think of something else. He would lure Luffy down with some meat. He left the habitat and went to the kitchen to get some meat on the bone. This would get Luffy down. Law went back to the habitat and didn’t see Luffy. That meant Luffy must still be in a tree.
“Luffy! Meat!” Sure enough, Luffy jumped down with the tablet and hurried over to him. Luffy tried to take the meat, but Law held it back. “Tablet.” He pointed to it. Luffy understood and handed the tablet over. Law gave him the meat, and Luffy happily bit into it. “What the-?” Law saw a poor drawing of what looked like a skull and crossbones over his notes. He gritted his teeth as Luffy laughed.
Law studied the picture closely and wondered whether Luffy was a space pirate. There were thousands of space pirate ships out there. This drawing also showed that Luffy knew what the tablet was and how to use it, so he had some intelligence or knowledge of technology. Law wasn’t thrilled that Luffy drew on all his notes. They heard the door slide open, and both looked to see three men enter the room. One held a red ball, and the other men carried a swing.
“You requested these, Dr. Law?”
Law nodded and went over to take the ball from him. “Yes. You can set up the swing on the first tree.”
The men were clearly nervous about Luffy, but Law told them they didn’t have to worry about anything. As the men set up the swing, Law showed Luffy the red ball.
“Ball,” he said and bounced it, then handed it to Luffy.
“Ball!”
“Good,” Law said.
“Dr. Law, is this high enough?” One of the men asked.
“It’s fine,” he said, but he wasn’t looking when Luffy threw the ball at him. The ball hit Law in the face, but luckily it was a soft one and bounced off. It didn’t hurt, but Luffy started to laugh. Law grumbled under his breath.
“We’re all done, Dr. Law,” Said one of the men.
“Thanks.” He watched the men leave, then saw Luffy go over to the swing and look at it curiously. Law went over to him and showed Luffy how to sit on the swing. “Swing,” he said and got up.
Luffy sat on the swing and gripped the ropes. Law got behind him and pulled the swing back a bit, then let it go to swing gently forward. Luffy seemed fine with it, so Law kept pushing him. Luffy knew how to use his legs to swing, which likely meant that he’s been on a swing before. Law figured Luffy’s curiosity about the swing was more caution. He left Luffy to swing while he started a new page for notes.
‘Specimen 56 recognizes a ball and knows how to swing. He is familiar with technology. Could possibly be a space pirate.’ Law hadn’t noticed that Luffy came up to him. Luffy pulled on his sleeve to get attention. Law looked at Luffy. “What?”
“Law! Swing!” Luffy took his hand and pulled Law to the swing.
“I don’t want to swing! Oof!” Luffy shoved him, and Law was forced to fall back onto the swing. ‘I guess I’m swinging…’
Luffy laughed happily as he pushed Law on the swing. He was becoming fond of Law and wanted to know more about him. Too bad he can’t speak the human tongue. Law may be cranky, but he really is a kind man. And he smelled good, too. Even though he wasn’t looking for a mate, he could see himself with Law. He would take Law onto his ship to meet his crew and to travel with them. They would be mates. He’s never been with another person before, and he had a feeling Law hasn’t either. He did miss his crew and ship. But having Law here really helped to keep his spirits up.
“I’m done,” Law said, using his heels to stop the swing. He got up and cleared his throat. “That was…fun. I guess.” Luffy grinned and suddenly hugged him.
The door to the habitat opened again, only this time, it was a woman Celestial Dragon flanked by two guards. Law ushered Luffy behind him.
“I’m in the middle of an experiment,” Law told her.
“I don’t care! That beast bit off my husband’s arm! I want to see it killed immediately!”
TBC