Chapter Text
Chapter 17: Days... or months?
Bright sunlight stabbed through his closed eyes, causing Luffy to grumble and turn onto his side, pulling the blanket up higher and screwing up his face. Why was it light again? He had only just fallen asleep! He felt as if he hadn't slept at all. Cursing under his breath, he turned onto his stomach and put the pillow over his head, hoping it would be dark enough for him to continue sleeping. He wanted to keep dreaming. He had dreamed so beautifully. Of that one afternoon, which must have been more than two years ago. His Torao had read to him from that finally long book and although Luffy had never understood what was so romantic about the scene, he had enjoyed it. He loved it when Law read to him. When he heard his calm and melodic voice creeping into his thoughts, inviting him to dream, just by reading from a book. And made him happy. What he wouldn't give to finally have Law with him again long enough for them to have time for the mob boss to read to him. After all, they hadn't done that for ages.
Luffy vaguely remembered that he had once tried to read to Law. However, he was a messy reader. It wasn't that he didn't like reading. He was just always rushed, especially when it was an exciting book. He would skip a few lines, swallow words or whole sentences and skip ahead if he couldn't stand the suspense, only to read the whole scene after all. Law had not been particularly enthusiastic about his performance. And they had unanimously decided that Law was the better reader. Law was better at so many things than Luffy. Above all, all things were better WITH Law. When Torao was with him, even boredom could be great. Or rainy weather. Not that there were many rainy days in California, or that they didn't know what to do with the time. But even when they were both exhausted and idle, when Bepo trotted around the apartment or they sat in the pool on the roof terrace in the scorching heat, anything he could do with Torao was fun. When he thought about it, even arguing was kind of fun. That evil look when Law's dark eyes began to sparkle and he playfully threatened Luffy - he would never threaten him seriously, Luffy was sure of that.
Now, however, nothing was fun. He was already waiting for him again. How many times would he do this?
He had promised him so firmly that he would spend the whole weekend with him. The birthday dinner had ended in chaos thanks to his wonderful family. And yes, he'd had fun with his brothers afterwards and they'd had a really nice time. Ace and Sabo had stayed in the country for a few days for his sake before continuing their European tour, but now he was still sitting here waiting for Torao. How much longer?
Frustrated, Luffy sat up. He glanced towards the window, grumbled again and threw the pillow behind him in frustration, slowly climbing out of bed.
His stomach growled. Hunger was probably playing no small part in the fact that his mood was already so bad when he woke up. If he had eaten something first, he would certainly feel better. So he snorted, reached for the phone on the plain table next to the bed and picked it up. He pressed zero out of habit and, to his relief, waited barely two dial tones before someone picked up.
"Good morning Luffy, did you sleep well?" he was greeted in a friendly manner and at least that made him smile a little. The people here at the hotel were really nice. If he had to wait here, at least that was a consolation.
"Good morning Tori," he greeted back. He already knew the young woman, "I was dreaming about Law, but now I'm terribly hungry. Can you have breakfast brought to me, is that possible?"
He licked his lips hopefully.
The young woman giggled softly.
"Of course. Everything once, like last time?" she offered, giggling, and Luffy purred briefly at the memory of his breakfast yesterday.
"Oh, that would be great!"
"Good, I'll have it prepared and brought upstairs to you. Please be patient for a few minutes."
"Sure, I'm going to have a shower. Just put it inside if I'm not ready yet."
"We'll do that. Enjoy your morning, sir."
"Thank you!"
He hung up and jumped up for good. He left the blanket hanging halfway out of the bed. He would clean up later. Showering was more important now. So he trudged through the large hotel room into the adjoining bathroom, which was not a bit smaller, and stepped into the floor-to-ceiling shower.
Today, the décor, the chic tiles and the oversized washbasin with the gold-framed mirror and crystal glass were no longer as exciting as they had been on his first day here. Even the bathtub now left him cold. On his first day, he had marveled at the luxury, but now it was rather boring. Another thing that was simply no fun without Torao. Hotel rooms were all well and good, but he was beginning to miss their large apartment. He missed the pool, her bed and, of course, Bepo. But Luffy wouldn't complain.
He straightened his shoulders and shook his head. With a long breath, he pulled off his shorts and stepped into the shower, turning on the water and shivering for an eyeful before it was warm enough to be comfortable. At least he was properly awake now.
Slowly, he stepped completely under the jet of water and let the hot water rain down on him. The rain shower was worth every penny they spent on it. He would ask Torao why they didn't have one at home. The shower at home was great, but this was particularly pleasant. Especially because it was far too warm. Luffy had the air conditioning on, but not set too low, after all, he didn't want to get sick. However, he also jumped in the shower twice a day because he was sweating.
A belated yawn escaped him and he reached for the shower they had provided for him here. It was really handy that there were always shower baths and shampoos in the rooms. After all, Luffy hadn't had anything with him when he'd been brought here.
He thought back for a moment to how he had ended up here. It had been a strange afternoon.
Ace and Sabo had taken him to the airport, they had tried until the last minute to persuade him that he would accompany them...
"Come on, I'm sure you'd like Spain too. It's warm and sunny and the sea is amazing! You can't compare it to LA. Especially the people there, Luffy, the people!"
Sabo grinned at him from ear to ear, but Luffy just shook his head laughing at his words.
"Are you sure, Lu?" Ace tried, "You wouldn't be alone with us and you can still take a little vacation. Your lover isn't here anyway. Enjoy your time with us and get a breath of European air! And who knows, maybe you'll meet someone really special and leave the grumpy guy behind. You can have anyone you want!"
"So that I end up like you and end up with a straight guy who then tells me that he doesn't know how sex with a man works? No, thanks. I'll leave that to you, Ace!" Luffy grinned, thinking of the many stories his brothers had confided in him over the last few days.
He was still laughing, too much unbelievable nonsense was happening to them. The stories at his birthday party had only been the tip of the very, very, very big iceberg.
Ace blushed and grumbled something incomprehensible, while Sabo pulled Luffy close again and whispered in his ear.
"Take good care of yourself, okay? I know you like this guy, but please be careful anyway. We're worried about you, little brother."
Ace suddenly stood on his other side and hugged him.
"Exactly. You're our baby, we just want you to be okay. Promise us you won't get up to any mischief while we're gone."
Luffy let the two of them hug and cuddle him, but laughed out loud.
"You guys are stupid. I love him and he takes really good care of me. You really don't need to worry. And what's more, Perona is much younger than me! So take care of her!"
His laughter briefly filled the air between the three brothers before Ace and Sabo let him go. They shouldered their travel bags and took two steps towards the barrier, behind which Luffy could not accompany them.
"I'll see you again soon, okay?"
"And grow a little more until then!"
"Have nice stories so you can tell me everything when you come back!" Luffy laughed, biting his lower lip and suddenly fighting a sob, "And... come back safe and sound, you hear?"
His older brothers, who had been about to turn away, both froze for a moment, then turned back to him, dropped their bags and with the next shaky breath were with him again, wrapping him in their arms and squeezing the air out of him.
"Please don't cry, Luffy," Sabo whispered in his ear and Luffy sniffled audibly.
He hurried to shake his head.
"Mhmh," he did bravely.
"We'll be back soon. You're not alone. Shanks is still here and he always misses you the most anyway."
Ace tried to make a lame joke, but even in his voice you could hear the soft wavering, the uncertain trembling, as if even he was fighting tears.
Luffy hugged his brothers tightly. He couldn't help it. They had spent the last few days together and to let them go now simply hurt. Although he knew that they would be fine, that they would have fun and come back soon. In that one moment... he felt left behind.
Luffy knew that would change as soon as Torao was back. Then he would no longer be alone and everything would be alright. It was only a matter of time before he would hear from him.
"It's all right," he forced himself to smile and slowly pushed them both away, "Off you go, or you'll miss the plane!"
"Are you sure? You can still come with us, Lu!" Ace tried one last time and even in Sabo's bright eyes, Luffy could see tears shimmering now.
When he blinked, they disappeared.
"I'm waiting for Torao," he smiled at her, "He's probably already written to me and I've missed it again. But when I get back, I'll contact him directly and hopefully he'll be able to tell me when he'll be back. And I can cope with that. You'd better get in touch when you've landed safely!"
The two elders grinned, nodded and with a final, tight hug, they finally said goodbye to Luffy, who waved after them while he could still see them.
Only then did he slowly make his way out of the entrance hall of the airport. They had taken a cab here and he would treat himself to one for the way back. He was just about to walk through the glass doors, which slid open automatically, when a little girl came towards him.
She was standing right in the middle of the doors, holding a small bowl of berries and smiling at him.
Luffy looked at her curiously. The girl had striking green hair, though not a natural green like Zoro's, and large blue eyes. She wore a red cape with a hood and sewn-on bear ears over a white dress with blue polka dots. She looked cute, especially the way she smiled at him.
He was about to walk past her when the doors slid open, but she stepped right into his path again.
Confused, Luffy took a step to the side, which she immediately followed.
"Are you okay?" he asked as he tried to dodge her a second time and she stepped out of his way again.
She smiled at him and lifted her bowl.
"Would you like a berry, Luffy? Law says you like berries?"
Luffy's eyes widened in surprise.
"You know Law? You?" he stared at her, giving up any attempt to keep her standing.
"Yes," she smiled at him and nodded her head behind her.
"He asked me to pick you up. He said it wouldn't be safe at home for a few days."
Confused, Luffy raised his eyebrows and cast a hasty glance in all directions.
"Is he here?" he wanted to know.
His heart was beating faster. If Law had sent for him, would that mean that he would finally see him again? Was he perhaps even here at the airport? Or at least on his way here?
"Not yet. We're supposed to take you to a safe place, he'll follow as soon as he can. California is dangerous at the moment. That's why he's asked a hotel owner friend of his to protect you. Please come with me and I'll explain everything to you."
"But you're already working? Aren't you too young for that?" he asked curiously before taking a step to follow her, who turned to the right.
"I'm a spy and have been training since I was four years old. Kids can be spies too, you know. Some of us are the best of the best!
Luffy nodded in understanding. Law had once told him that he himself had also undergone training at a very early age. But the little girl hardly looked older than eight. That seemed very young. But he had no reason to doubt her. So he nodded again and when the girl turned aside, he followed her and she led him out of the bright sun into the shade of the building, where a car was parked. Black, darkened windows, an SUV. For a moment, he felt like he was in an action movie. The doors were opened from the inside and the girl slipped into the back seat ahead of him, he climbed in behind her and pulled the door shut.
Inside, he saw two men. He didn't know either of them, but they grinned broadly at him and the one at the wheel asked him to fasten his seatbelt. Luffy followed the request and the girl next to him did the same,
began to talk directly.
"My alias is Sugar, for obvious reasons. As I said, we're taking you to safety. Unfortunately, for your own protection, I'm not allowed to tell you exactly where we're going. But you'll be fine. Law has given us precise instructions and as soon as he gets back, he'll come and get you. Bepo has also already been accommodated. Your safety comes first."
"That sounds totally dramatic what you're saying, Sugar!"
He licked his lips nervously.
"Sorry, I don't want to scare you. It's probably nothing. But you know Law likes to be overprotective when it comes to you. So don't worry about it. We'll sort everything out and in the meantime you'll have to make do with a luxury hotel. But we'll do everything we can to keep you reasonably happy, okay? Just let us know if you want anything."
And with that, she pulled his cell phone out of the pocket on her dress and held it out to him.
"You lost this when you got out of the cab. It's best to tell Law directly that you're with us. Then he'll be reassured."
"Wow, I didn't even realize it was gone!" Luffy was amazed, grabbed it directly and unlocked the display. He looked at his background picture for a moment, a photo of him and Law that had been taken at the last gala they had been to together. Law had pulled him close on the red carpet and planted a kiss on his temple, and one of the photographers had sent him the picture at the end instead of printing it in the tabloids. Luffy loved the photo of them. His lover looked way too hot in that black suit, even though he couldn't see his beloved tattoos. And there had been a tiny hint of a smile before Law had kissed him. Something Luffy wouldn't forget and would always remember when he saw this picture of them.
With a soft sigh, he snapped back to the reality of the car and he hurried to open the chat with Law and text him back.
"I've been picked up. You worry too much. Hurry up and pick me up soon, will you?"
"Please remember not to give exact location details. Even though you're both using secure SIM cards, we don't want to take any risks."
He grinned and proudly twirled the device in his hand.
"Don't worry, I know what I'm allowed to write!"
Sugar nodded at him with a smile and reached into her bowl. She took out one of the large berries and popped it into her mouth.
"Very good. Would you like one? I've bought too many..."
She held the white bowl out to him and Luffy's mouth instantly watered. He nodded hastily and she pressed the fruit into his hands. He devoured it in record time and sank back into his seat with a soft sigh.
"Is it a long drive?" he asked, yawning. Strange, he hadn't been tired at all...
"About an hour. If you want, you can get some sleep. I'll wake you up in good time."
He yawned again and nodded, sinking a little deeper into the surprisingly soft cushions of the seat.
When Luffy opened his eyes again, he was in the hotel room he was still in now. He had been brought clothes, game consoles, food and a few books into the suite to make him feel at home. And so he had come here. A soft, longing sigh escaped him. If only Torao would finally come back to pick him up. He wanted to go home. He wanted to be with him...
Thoughtfully, he lathered himself up, trying to ignore the loud growling of his stomach, which ruined his attempts to concentrate and eventually led him to hastily shower and jump out, wrap himself in the soft, white bathrobe with the small hotel logo on it and scurry back to the suite's bedroom.
He thought he heard a door and dashed to the door, opened it a crack and looked over into the living room. But he didn't see the sight he had hoped for - his breakfast wasn't there yet. Sighing, he turned away and approached the closet. He reached for a pair of fresh shorts, short jeans and the black T-shirt that was lying there. When he had arrived here, there had been six. 6 different colored T-shirts that they had organized for him. He would ask Tori if she could bring him the freshly laundered clothes later. After all, Torao didn't seem to be keeping his promise this time. He sighed gloomily, slipped into his clothes and hung his head for a moment.
"I'll make it up to you. I promise."
He shook his head hastily, perhaps shaking off some of his melancholy. There was no reason to be depressed. Torao had promised to make it up to him for leaving him at his party. And when he promised something, he kept it!
Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes briefly, recalled Law's voice and his smile and then nodded to himself.
Exactly. When Law promised something, he kept it. Always.
The knock on the door snapped him out of his stupor and he jumped into the next room, eyes shining, and called loudly, "Come in," knowing that it could only be his breakfast.
"Good morning, sir," someone opened the door and Luffy smiled as he recognized Maki, smiling as she pushed in a serving cart.
Maki was pretty, she had purple hair that barely reached her shoulders, straight bangs and a really odd fashion sense. However, that could also be part of her uniform, Luffy wasn't quite sure. In any case, every time he saw her, she wore a white miniskirt and black high heels. Tori was dressed similarly to her, she had brought him breakfast the other day. Tori was blonde, she had big, open eyes and was just as slim and well-trained as Maki. Tori also almost always wore a white miniskirt. Or a white mini dress, which he was already familiar with. The style of dress reminded him a little of the women who worked at Nami's casino. Or one or two of the dancers at Robin's. However, Law had told him ages ago that every now and then there were hotels where the employees wore the craziest outfits. Luffy definitely counted a skirt that was barely long enough to cover her bottom as one of them. Even though he realized that they only served the purpose of getting at least the male portion of the guests to check back in here. Luffy wondered, not for the first time, whether the rooms were expensive. But he hadn't heard anything about a bill or prices in general in his few days here. Well, it certainly wasn't necessary. After all, he was Law's friend. And the boss of the hotel was of course aware of that. It was not for nothing that the big guy had greeted him personally shortly after his arrival here.
Luffy hadn't liked him and he still didn't like him, but he had no real reason to complain. He was given everything he wanted here. The only restriction he had - and this was certainly from Torao himself - was the request that he not leave the facility, preferably his suite, unaccompanied. And since he didn't want to cause Law any trouble, he naturally listened to this. And what was the big deal? He didn't mind spending a few days in the hotel. Law had promised to pick him up in a few days and it wouldn't make any difference whether it was six or ten in the end. The main thing was that he would come soon and they would go home together. If Law had taken out that disgusting guy who was after him and threatened to hurt Luffy if Law resisted him.
No, no, he didn't want to risk that. He'd rather put up with this.
And this... was a very sumptuous breakfast!
His mouth was already watering when Maki came in with the trolley and it only got worse as she began to place the contents of the trolley on the expansive table in the living and dining room.
"Good morning Maki!" he greeted belatedly and hurried to join her to help her.
His stomach growled loudly again. Ashamed, he looked to the side as she looked at him, giggling.
"Did we keep you waiting so long, sir?" she asked apologetically.
Luffy shook his head.
"No, no, I woke up extremely hungry already. I don't know. Maybe it's because I slept so well..."
She paused and looked at him curiously.
"Did you have a good dream? Do you mind me asking what you were dreaming about, sir?"
Luffy chuckled softly. He felt his cheeks grow warm.
"Shishishishi, I was dreaming about my friend. Like he used to read to me."
Understanding, the young woman nodded and continued to set the table for him.
"Oh, that really sounds like a nice dream!"
"It was... Oh, Maki. I so hope Torao comes soon..." he admitted somewhat meekly and couldn't help but look sad for a moment, "I sometimes feel like I haven't seen him for weeks..."
Maki carefully placed her right hand on his bare forearm. A warm smile played around her lips.
"Don't worry about it, sir. I'm sure he'll be here very soon. After all, you did say he promised you, didn't you? And your friend is a man of his word. Everyone knows that. . Just have a little patience."
Sighing, he forced a small smile.
"You're right," he nodded several times, more to convince himself than anything else.
"Well, you see. And now enjoy your breakfast. If there's anything else I can do for you, just get in touch with Tori. We'll do everything in our power to make your stay as pleasant as possible."
"You're really nice," Luffy smiled now and dropped into his chair. Before he could think about anything else, the first rule was: if there was food, there would be food!
Especially as he really felt as if he hadn't eaten for at least four days. An idea that was completely impossible. After all, he remembered exactly what he had eaten last night. It had been incredibly tasty!
"It's just my job, sir," the young woman waved him off and stepped backwards towards the door. He thanked her again and she scurried out of the room.
And Luffy set about his meal. First he devoured the scrambled eggs and bacon, munched on two rolls and purred softly when his stomach stopped hurting for the first time since he had woken up. On the contrary, he was filled with warmth from the hot breakfast. He then tucked into the cheese and sausage platter, not even leaving the small decoration of tomatoes, cucumber and two lettuce leaves.
Instead, he treated himself to a large portion of cereal with milk before turning to the sweet corner and indulging in pancakes with maple syrup, cheesecake, two blueberry muffins, croissants and fruit.
Yes, Luffy knew from himself that his stomach was a bottomless pit. But since he was here and had nothing to do all day but wait for Law, he thought he was eating a lot more than he was used to. Or maybe he was just imagining it... Or maybe his stomach was growling so much because he always had to eat alone. That was also something that was less fun. Luffy loved food. Food was the most important thing. Food meant life. However, it was a lonely life that he was currently condemned to. They wouldn't even let him go back to his parents. Law would worry too much, they said. That was why he was to stay here and his every wish would be read from his eyes, he had been promised.
And he couldn't deny that they were doing everything they could to pass the time. They had provided him with all the games consoles. He had been given a private gym so that he could work out and let off steam when he felt like it and they all went to incredible lengths with the food. It wasn't the fault of the nice staff here at the hotel that he longed for Law more and more every day. And day by day it seemed to him that it was not hours but days or even weeks since he had last kissed Law, since the older man had put his arms around him and whispered in his ear how much he meant to him.
It was strange what tricks your own feelings could play on you. As if he hadn't seen Law for months... And yet it hadn't even been two weeks since his birthday party. And he just had to be patient. Just like he had promised Law. And he would make it up to him, just as he had promised. Exactly.
But as much as he tried again and again, the comfort this thought was supposed to give him became less and less with each passing day. By the time he had eaten all the food on the table, he felt better.
The growling in his stomach was gone for good and he leaned back in his chair, sighing heavily.
Luffy closed his eyes for a moment, rubbed his full stomach and licked the last remnants of the strawberries from his lips when there was a soft knock at the door.
"Come in?" he sat up curiously, his eyes glued to the door.
Was that...? Could it be that he was finally back?
Luffy's faint hope was shattered when the door opened and a tall, fat, really well-built man pushed his way in.
Black long and wild hair hung around his face in thick and unkempt curls, he had a black beard, a noticeably long nose and surprisingly thin arms and legs for his big belly. To make the look perfect, he was missing three or four teeth, Luffy didn't want to know exactly. He always walked hunched over, as if he couldn't balance his weight properly. And he always wore weird clothes. Today he was wearing long black pants, a yellow cloth belt with a plastic pistol in it and a red shirt that stretched over his stomach. He wore a black cloak over it. A cape! To make the look even more bizarre, he was wearing two strikingly large necklaces, one with purple, round-set stones and one with green ones.
Luffy didn't know exactly why, but he didn't really like the guy. He was over-friendly to him and really did everything he could to make him feel comfortable. And he visited him every other day since he'd been here to check on his "VIP", as he called him. But something about him... repelled Luffy. The feeling was intangible, he couldn't put it into words, but it was there. Nevertheless, he tried not to let it show. After all, he was probably a friend of Law's.
"Good morning, Luffy," the guy rumbled and his loud, almost painful laughter echoed through the suite, "Did you get your fill? Or should I get you seconds?"
He pointed to the empty plates on the table with one of the large paws that were his hands.
Luffy shook his head and watched him as he looked around the suite for a moment and then sat down two chairs away from the table. At least, he pulled out the chair, turned it with the back towards Luffy and sank down on it with his legs apart.
"It was delicious as always," returned the clearly youngest man in the room, trying to maintain eye contact long enough not to be considered rude. After all, he didn't want to embarrass Law in front of his friends, even if Luffy didn't know these people. But they were clearly acquainted with Law.
"I'm very happy to hear that! I've got a surprise for you today! Zehahahaha," the guy sounded and laughed tightly.
Luffy listened up.
"A surprise?" he repeated curiously, sitting up a little straighter and looking at him intently.
"Yes, exactly. Law said you shouldn't leave the hotel, but I still want you to be part of something! And so that you can be there, we've installed cameras especially for you. Here, take a look at this!"
He stood up heavily and walked around the table, entered the living area and walked towards the large television hanging on the wall, which probably had a larger screen size than Luffy was tall. The large hand reached for the remote control, which suddenly seemed tiny, and awkwardly pressed one of the buttons. A few seconds passed before the device switched on and a picture appeared. Luffy didn't recognize much at first, so he got up and followed it over, stood in front of the couch and examined the picture. He grimaced in confusion. There was some kind of... cage on the screen? Or... a fenced-in circus ring? Luffy blinked several times.
Around this area, which was surrounded by vertical bars, he recognized seats that stretched across the entire room and were higher towards the back. It made him think of a circus or a lecture hall, even if the comparison was certainly not accurate. The space outside this... cage - Luffy couldn't think of a better word for it - was darker and his attention automatically focused on this part of the picture. The inside was filled with sand, but otherwise it was empty.
"What is this?" he finally asked when his host made no move to continue.
"It's a battle ground, Luffy. The best athletes compete against each other to see who's the strongest. Law told me that you also train a lot to get strong. Would you like to watch the athletes compete?"
Luffy's eyes grew wide. A tense glint entered his irises and he bit his lower lip tensely.
"They compete? And I get to watch?"
"Zehahahahahaha, yes, have a look and if you like it, maybe you can join in? If you dare, of course...!"
Luffy grinned from ear to ear.
"You can count on me to want in on this!"
Marshall D Teach returned his grin, laughed and nodded several times.
"Very good, I almost thought so. I'll leave the TV on for you. The next fight is in half an hour. Get a picture of it and if you still want to, I'll make sure you can join in. So that you don't die of boredom until your friend comes to pick you up. Agreed?"
Luffy's grin disappeared.
"But you said Law doesn't want me to leave the hotel. If I do go out, he's bound to get angry," he grimaced and brooded.
A large hand rested on his shoulder and he lifted his head.
"Don't worry about that. I'll vouch with my life that you'll get there in one piece and back here again after the successful fight. And let's just not tell Law."
Luffy struggled with himself for a moment. He didn't want to do anything that Law had asked him not to do. After all, Law only did that when he had a good reason. On the other hand, he was bored to death and the prospect of being able to let off steam physically was very appealing to him. And at least he would have Law's friends to look after him...
"Is it far from here?" he asked, pulling a pout.
The giant shook his head with a laugh.
"It's less than five minutes by car."
At these words, he gave himself a visible jolt. When it was this close, it usually didn't matter where he was anyway. And he finally wanted to see something other than this suite again, as beautiful as it was.
"Okay!" he agreed, "Let me watch the fight and then we'll work out when I can join in!"
"Kid, you're great! Enjoy the show and I'll come back to you later."
And with that, Teach pressed the remote into his hand and patted him on the shoulder again, walking past him and towards the door.
"Oh, and I'll send Maki to clear up here," he pointed to the table and when Luffy nodded absently, he left the room.
While Luffy was still weighing up whether it was worth starting something else because of the waiting time, Teach pulled the door shut behind him and grinned slyly to himself. He was very pleased with himself. Not only was his plan going extremely well, it was going almost too well.
He nodded slowly and walked down the brightly lit corridor to the elevators, where he waited calmly, got in and pressed the button for the first floor and the lowest basement floor. After all, he still had almost half an hour before he had to be there. But there was no harm in getting there a little earlier to make sure that everything went according to plan. The elevator music they had set was strumming softly as he tapped his foot to the beat and hummed softly. He was on the first floor within moments, where he only gave a wave to Maki and Tori, who were standing at the reception desk and immediately nodded in understanding. He grinned with satisfaction as the doors slid shut again and would take him to his actual destination. The ride didn't take long, barely enough time to enjoy the music that would get on most other people's nerves. But he liked it. He liked almost everything that other people didn't like. Or liked without wanting to admit it openly. Like illegal betting, for example. Fights to the death in an underground arena, where only the winner would come out alive, he liked that too. And the money he made from it since he had managed to broadcast his fights far beyond the state borders. He was now doing business all over the world and making a fortune from it.
And all he needed was a few (more or less) volunteers to be locked in the cage and put on display. You could get anyone to fight if you just created the right incentive. Another thing he was very good at. Oh yes, Teach was very good at what he did. And he was a genius when it came to plans.
And - yes, it was wonderful when a plan worked. This one would too. He had worked on it for so long. There had been so many variables, but finally everything was in his hands. Only and solely in his hands. And when the plan reached the final stage, everything would finally be his. Everything he ever wanted.
His grin widened a little more as the elevator stopped and he stepped out comfortably.
Down here, only green lights were still burning, barely illuminating the way enough for him to get his bearings. But Teach knew his way around here like the back of his hand. He walked purposefully straight down the short corridor, ignoring the doors to the left and right that led to the quarters of their fighters and then to the arena itself. He didn't want to go there yet. Not yet. First he would see his people.
He pushed open a door at the end and entered an almost square room that was crammed with monitors and technology on the opposite wall. They had been here weeks, if not months, ago with the blue-haired idiot who had been naive enough to believe his friends had a chance of getting out of his arena alive. He had made a wonderfully pathetic picture. Oh, it was a nice memory the jerk had created for Teach. One he thought back on with satisfaction. And he couldn't wait to feed that feeling even more. It was coming soon. So incredibly soon...
"Hey, boss, there you are. So, how's it looking with our... guest?" asked Jesus, chuckling, as Teach stepped closer and the unreal shadows in the green light, only enhanced by the running screens, spit out the figures of two men.
Jesus Burgess and Doc Q were sitting around, obviously waiting for him.
"Zehahaha, he took the bait. And I'm still very amazed at your little drug, Doc," Teach turned to the frail-looking man in the right-hand corner, who seemed barely able to hold himself up in the chair in front of the desk and laughed softly, his voice breaking.
"Oh, that was nothing. How many days has it been now?" he wanted to know.
"He actually thinks that barely a week has passed since he came here. You really are a diabolical genius. Once we get this thing on the market, we're going to be so filthy rich. The whole world will go to the dogs and we'll be the only ones with the antidote..."
"Oh, don't exaggerate," the old man waved it off, "That was just a gimmick. Hardly worth the effort of putting it together. The formula is really very simple..."
"You're far too modest, Doc, honestly!" Burgess intervened again and pushed himself into Teach's field of vision, "It would be much harder to keep the guy happy for so long if he knew he'd been stuck here for two months...!"
"Oh, six days or two months, what difference does it make?" the old drug manufacturer chortled and coughed.
Teach ignored his coughing fit and turned to the monitors.
"Have you prepared for the fight, Burgess?" he wanted to know, ignoring the old man who was beginning to writhe under his coughing.
The man addressed didn't respond either and just looked at his boss.
"Of course you do. They both know. No weapons, maximum knockout, a pure show fight just for the peck. Let's hope it won't be too boring. But at least nobody will see the fight except him..."
"Very good. Let's get the show on the road then. I don't want him to have to wait unnecessarily long, do I? I don't want him to start thinking about what his beloved mafia bastard is up to while he's sitting here and, above all, why he never mentioned his oh-so-good friend Teach... Zehahahahahahahahahahahahaha!"
Luffy sat spellbound in front of the television and stared at the motionless picture.
Maki had been here until just now, clearing the table and trying to engage him in conversation, but he was still so caught up in the suggestion Teach had made that he had barely listened. And finally something happened on the monitor! It was strange how slowly time could pass when he had been waiting for it like he was now. In general, time passed in a very unusual way here. Luffy didn't like to brood and he liked any distraction that kept him from doing so, so he pulled his feet up cross-legged, made himself comfortable on the large, soft couch opposite the oversized television and drummed his fingers impatiently on his knees. His gaze flitted around the room and over his body. Well...? Were there welts on his ankles? Confused, he paused and took a closer look at the skin. He felt over it with his right hand. The skin was surprisingly rough, a little red, but not really injured. It looked as if he had grazed himself and it had almost healed. But... where? And when? Luffy didn't remember. Surprisingly, he hadn't noticed it in the shower either. But now, as he sat there, he noticed similar redness on his other ankle - and then he saw it on his wrists too?
His confusion suddenly increased. What had he done? ? Had he come into contact with something he couldn't tolerate? Was it some kind of allergic reaction? But to what? He wasn't wearing any jewelry or new clothes. And it couldn't be the edges of socks - Luffy never wore socks.
This almost looked like... Like he was...
"Welcome my dear viewers!" a familiar voice echoed from the television, interrupting his thoughts and his eyes widened as he watched two well-trained men walk into this cage! They both looked strong, both wore hardly any clothes on their bodies, they reminded Luffy of modern wrestlers. One wore half-length, dark green, skin-tight pants that emphasized his extremely muscular legs, sports shoes and wide bands around his elbows and wrists. Probably for protection, Luffy thought.
The other was wearing barely-there briefs, in black, and had some kind of soft tissue protection on the front. Both looked ultra strong and Luffy watched them intently. He almost didn't hear what the voice said.
"Welcome to our fight today! Marvel at our fighters! In green and therefore last month's vice-champion - Freak!!! Just as crazy as his name, but now a legend with us! Let's see what he has in store for us today..."
The guy in the long pants raised both fists as if he had already won the fight, turning in circles as if greeting his audience. Luffy couldn't tell if the room was filled with guests or not. He could only see the two fighters, the rest was too dark for him.
"And his opponent! He fought his way up to the quarter-finals within a week! We're delighted to have him here! Ladies and gentlemen, here iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis SNIPER!"
The second guy only raised his right hand, an almost shy-looking gesture compared to the other guy.
Luffy didn't get to really think about their names or outfits anymore, because he heard Teach's voice again and with his next words, the spectacle began.
"So and now: Clear the stage for our fighters! May the best one win!"
With a loud shout, "Freak" attacked - and charged at Sniper, who intercepted him with apparent ease, wedging his head under his unnaturally inflated arms and spinning in circles with him to balance the momentum of his movement. The sand beneath their feet kicked up and Sniper screamed in a low voice, throwing Freak back and immediately following him.
Luffy's eyes were literally glued to the screen. He felt as if he could smell the testosterone-filled air. The desire to compete with these men, to test his own strength, exploded suddenly and grew the longer the fight went on before his eyes. He had long been able to do what they could do!
Unconsciously, he leaned forward, he took his legs off the sofa and his hands clenched into tense fists. He wanted that too!
The fight continued. Luffy bit his lower lip with tension. It seemed as if they were both equally strong. They grabbed each other, threw their opponent on his back and tried to make him give up or overpower him so that he fell unconscious.
Teach explained to the audience in the middle that killing was not allowed in the arena, just like weapons. It was about a fair fight between men, about growing together and finding out your own limits. And he lured Luffy even more with these words the longer the fight went on. Excitement spread through the boy's chest, he licked his lips tensely, bit his lower lip again and gasped for air.
The tension reached its peak when Freak brought Sniper to the ground and sat on his chest. He already thought he was the winner, raising his arms in victory pose and grinning all over his face. Luffy was about to declare the fight over in his mind when Sniper reared up under him! He threw him off him with astonishing force, made an amazing leap and buried the vice-champion under him! And when he got up again, when Luffy could see more than just wrestling body parts, he realized that Freak had obviously been knocked out!
Sniper had won! The newcomer had actually won!
"Victory for Sniper!" Teach, who had been commentating on the whole fight at length, confirmed his thought at that moment, "Who would have thought it! An absolute rookie knocks the vice-champion out of the current round! Sniper, thank you very much for this fight! We're looking forward to seeing you in the final. That's it for today! Thanks for watching. The next fight will take place in two days. Then the grand final between our new number two SNIPER and the undisputed number one in the arena: THE ROCK! Let's look forward to an out-of-this-world encounter today!"
There was a short pause, Sniper bowed again in all directions, then Luffy watched as the man knelt down in the sand next to his opponent and gently shook his shoulder. He saw two men dressed as paramedics come running in and tend to him. The three of them lifted him onto a stretcher and the winner of the fight helped to carry his defeated opponent slowly and carefully out of the cage.
Luffy's heart was still beating excitedly, even when nothing was happening on the screen, when he could no longer even see shadows moving, let alone people.
The knock on the door jolted him back to the reality of the hotel suite, he flinched and squeaked. And the door opened before he could say "Come in" properly. But there weren't many people who knew he was even here, and he was happy for any kind of company, so that was okay.
As he might have expected if he'd been able to, Teach came back. He grinned almost wider than before and Luffy jumped up and towards him excitedly.
"I really want to join in! I want to beat that guy! Let me fight him!!!" he shouted enthusiastically, vibrating with excitement and a shiver of anticipation ran down his body.
He couldn't stand still and started pacing up and down the dining area.
"The fight was insane! It's mega! What I wouldn't give to be there live! And they were both so strong! But the way the guy overpowered him at the end was absolutely amazing! You have to get me in there! Honestly! I apologize to Torao at the end, but I want to go there!!!"
He looked at the older man with shining eyes as he thought of something.
"Oh, is the loser all right? Did the doctors take care of him?"
Teach laughed and raised his hands placatingly.
"Of course he is. Don't worry about it. I look after my fighters. After all, they're all very dear to me. He was just unconscious. I've been assured that he'll be back on his feet in a few hours and won't suffer any damage. You have to know that he can come back next month and fight for the title again if he wants to."
"So the tournament works on a knockout basis? Whoever loses is out for the month, right? How many fights do I have to win before I can challenge the champion?"
Luffy was already planning his triumph. He would win this tournament. And then Law would have to realize that he wasn't weak. Then he would finally take him with him when he did dangerous things and insisted that Luffy sit at home and wait for him! He wasn't weak, Law had said so himself. And yet he sometimes treated him like a raw egg. He could fight. He had learned so much as a child. This was his chance! If Law came for him in the next few days and Luffy could show him that he had won a title, then he could no longer refuse! Then Luffy would really be part of the family. Just like Zoro.
Determination glowed in his eyes, his thirst for action growing with every minute.
"Well, you're sure of yourself," Teach laughed, putting his big hands back on Luffy's shoulders and squeezing gently, as if to stop him from taking off.
"To challenge the champion, Burgess, you usually need four wins. But I'm not going to be like that. After all, you're Law's friend. We'll make a deal. If you win two fights, you'll get your chance. What do you think of that? But we'd have to do it so that we have the two preliminary fights on one day, would that be okay with you? Otherwise it's really unfair to the other participants..."
Luffy nodded vigorously.
"No problem at all! As long as I get something to eat first, I don't care how many fights I have to win to get the title. You don't know how strong I am!"
"Okay, okay, I get it," Teach grinned, "Then it's settled. It's best if we start tomorrow. I'm counting on you. And maybe you'll stop by the fitness room again, just to be on the safe side. Oh, and get enough sleep. I have business to take care of today, unfortunately. Just call Tori again if you need anything, okay? And if I hear from Law, I'll be right back."
Luffy grinned at the black-haired man, nodded several times and as soon as Teach was out of the suite, he ran into the bedroom and grabbed the phone.
"Tori?" he asked as soon as it was picked up, "Can you book me some training sessions? And I'd need my gym clothes. I can wear jeans, but the other clothes are much more comfortable! Oh, and when are we having lunch?"
Teach stood in the hallway outside the suite for a moment, pulled out his cell phone and typed a quick message to Doc.
"One week."
He received an answer by return of post before the display even went out.
"Drinks are on their way."
Oh yes, the kid would get his chance to fight. Of course he would. He would catapult his betting odds into the next hemisphere. And he already had exactly the right opponents in mind for him.
His ice-cold smile became a touch more dangerous as he made his way out of the building this time and walked leisurely through the streets of his city. He didn't need to hide. Everyone knew who he was and who was in charge here. No one would dare mess with him. He was Marshall D Teach. And soon he would own far more than just this.
His steps took him away from his hotel, close to the edge of town, it wasn't far, but far enough that he wasn't often seen here. He was officially visiting a few friends who had made their home here and who always invited him in for a slice of cherry pie.
When he arrived at the small, squat house, Lafitte closed the door behind him and smiled slyly.
"You're earlier than expected, boss. Is everything all right?" he asked, sipping his cup of tea.
There was another man sitting in the small kitchen.
"No, no, I just wanted to make sure everything was as it should be. Didn't I?" he grinned and raised his right hand to greet the stranger.
"You've done us a big favor, Gin."
The newcomer was anything but thrilled. He snorted, eyes narrowed to tight slits, returning Teach's greeting barely long enough to avoid being an insult. He knew what was proper, after all.
"You said Sanji would be mine. But I don't have him yet. It wasn't agreed that way!"
"You get Sanji when I have Zoro. That was the deal. But I have a suggestion for you. How we can all get what we want. And fast."
Gin straightened his shoulders and measured Teach with a disparaging look.
"What exactly do you want?"
"You know that little rat who's always stuck on Trafalgar Law. You know, that half child."
Gin raised his eyebrows.
"Sure, everyone knows him by now. He's already made it onto the front pages with his lover. What do you want with him?"
"I don't want anything," Teach raised his right hand solemnly, "I swear to you. But he really wants to take part in one of the fights. And I can't let him fight my boys, he'll be dead in minutes. I'm looking for an opponent who can give him a good fight. You're not as slight as the kid, but you're not as extreme as my boys either. If you agree to fight him, you can take your blond pretty boy with you afterwards. Then we're even."
Suspiciously, Gin tilted his head to the side.
"You want me to let the little shit win? Are you serious?"
"Nonsense!" Teach contradicted immediately and shook his head, "I just want you to give him a good fight, not too obviously, and win in the end, of course. There's no question about that. Give him the feeling for a few minutes that he can fight. Then his ego is satisfied, I can lure his lover out of the reserve and you get your reward and can disappear with it wherever you want."
You could tell the sly guy was mulling over Teach's suggestion. He pursed his lips, swayed his head from side to side and grumbled quietly to himself. His gaze wandered from Teach to Lafitte, who nodded benevolently and grinned broadly at him. A few more heartbeats passed in which silence reigned in the hut, then the guy nodded slowly and snorted.
"Okay, I can handle that. Tell me when and where I should be."
"Very good, I knew I could do business with you! One week from today, at 10:30 p.m. in the lobby of my hotel. We'll explain the rest on the spot. Your fight is at 23:00. It will be broadcast live. So enjoy the ratings."
What Gin didn't know - and neither Teach nor Lafitte would tell him - was the fact that he was much closer to Sanji than he could even imagine. In the truest sense of the word, he was standing on him.
For beneath the small house was an underground warehouse - if you wanted to call it that. It was a concrete structure poured into the sandy ground, which had neither windows nor doors and could only be reached via a ladder. There were professional cell compartments down there, all neatly locked and the occupants precisely sorted.
It perhaps felt a little like being in an animal shelter when you walked down there. Although an animal shelter was not the right comparison. The animals there still hoped for freedom when a person came by and stopped at their cell, looked at them for a long time and decided to get them out. Down here, however, it was more like a killing station.
At least that's how it seemed to Sanji after all the time he had spent in this hole. Almost every day he saw how people were brought here and sorted, stuffed into the cells and sorted out again. How someone came to get some of them and they were blindfolded before they could see daylight again.
There was no daylight down here. It seemed a miracle to him that there were dirty, bare light bulbs connected by thick cables hanging just below the low ceiling. In fact, the ceilings were so low that some of the tall men couldn't even stand upright.
Not that anyone would have wanted to. Most of the people who had served their time here with him, not knowing if they would ever get out again, had shrunk into little heaps of misery. They huddled in the corners of the cells, close together or as far apart from each other as possible. There were so many people in some cells that it was barely possible to sit down, while in others only three or two (so far only) men were locked up. Of those who left the cells at some point, he had never seen anyone come back. And Sanji had a very good memory when it came to faces. After all, one of his tasks was to memorize exactly which guest had ordered what. A skill that would only help him to a limited extent here.
But that didn't mean that he had already given up.
Yes, he was hunched over on the floor just like everyone else. But he wasn't even thinking of letting those disgusting guys who had kidnapped them and locked them up here like cattle beat him up or even kill him. They had not reckoned with him. And if he got his hands on the person who was responsible for the fact that he was sitting here now, he would be able to make his will.
Sanji hadn't wanted to admit it for a while. The first... days? His sense of time had already failed after a very short time in here - for the first few days he had denied to himself that he had fallen into the trap of a "friend". That it had been someone he had once trusted with his life. But now he was no longer trying to make excuses for others. By now he knew that if Gin came face to face with him again, he would smash his face in. And a few other body parts. He was also very good at breaking bones, even without his knives.
If he hadn't relied on Gin so carelessly, he wouldn't be sitting here now. How could he have been so stupid?
Sanji knew that all his brooding and self-reproach could achieve nothing. He finally needed a plan to get out of here. He had to find Luffy. Although he hadn't seen him, he was sure that these guys were to blame for his disappearance. It couldn't be any other way. Besides, the last time they had been brought water, there had been some greasy tall guy with disgusting lipstick and ashen skin who had even mentioned Law and Luffy! Apparently these guys didn't care if you saw their faces and they didn't care if you could overhear them. Sanji knew what that meant. If a kidnapper wasn't worried about being recognized, the only logical conclusion was that there would be no chance of revealing their identities to anyone. Sanji had long since realized that they were all on death row in an overcrowded shelter. The only thing he hadn't figured out yet was who was drawn by lot and when. If there was a system at all. So far, he couldn't recognize any regularities, nothing that even came close to a pattern. But he was sure that there had to be something. Something to determine who they kidnapped and how long they were stuck down here. Still, there were too many unknowns in the equation. Was this the only place where the abductees were hidden? And if so, where were all those who had no place here? After all, there had been talk in the media of well over 250 people. But there were never more than 50 down here. Did that mean that the others were all already dead? But where were the bodies?
Sanji got a headache. The bad air down here, too little water and generally too little food were all taking their toll on his nerves. In his case, he was also cold turkey from his cigarettes. They had also been taken from him, along with the lighter, and he hadn't seen any of them since. The irritation was deep in his bones, he was shaking almost constantly, but it seemed to him that things were getting better. If he were a doctor, he would certainly be able to estimate an approximate time frame for how long they had been here, but since he didn't know anything about it, he was at a loss. He kept thinking about Reiju, who was certainly worried. And of Carrot and Nekomamushi. Would someone have taken care of them? Or did his beloved four-legged friends have to die in the attic apartment because he had been locked up here? He wouldn't dream of it. But there was still Jeff. He would certainly have looked after him after he hadn't turned up at the Baratie for a few days and then he would certainly have taken care of them. Yes, that was Sanji's consolation. At least nothing must have happened to his beloved pets. They were not responsible for his stupidity, for his arrogance, which had led him to want to search for Luffy on his own instead of leaving it to those who were better suited for it.
People who were better suited. Like the police - or Zoro.
Sanji bit his tongue.
He didn't want to think about him. He didn't want to for anything in the world... but he missed him terribly.
He had avoided thinking about the swordsman until now. As often as possible. Because if he was honest with himself, he would know that the green-haired man was always in his thoughts. No matter what he did, Zoro was somehow always there and sometimes he wished he could hear his voice, feel his closeness.
Was Zoro looking for him? Had he tried to call him again after he had been kidnapped?
Or had he ticked him off in the meantime and looked for someone new? Surely. Zoro wasn't someone who was attached to anything. At least that's what Sanji tried to tell himself. With only moderate success. After all, he had seen for himself how stubborn Zoro could be, how possessive, how engaging. And how incredibly lovable. How gentle and caring. How loving and tender. And hot.
Despite his situation, heat shot into his cheeks as he thought back to the last time they had made love. Before it had all escalated. Before he had decided, pissed off, to do one stupid thing after another, first kicking Zoro out of the apartment and then throwing every rational thought to the wind to go find Luffy.
Sanji knew he had made mistakes. More than one. But... If there was even the slightest chance of finding Luffy through this, he was willing to put up with anything. After all, he hadn't seen Law do anything to track Luffy down. And Sanji had believed that he had really tracked him down.
Maybe he should have called Zoro then. Maybe he should have gone to the police. Or something else. But he had been frustrated. Frustrated and angry. And that was the result
Yes, he had been really stupid. And yes, he missed the green-haired idiot incredibly.
But he would never admit any of this out loud. No, he had to find a way out of here. And then he would rescue Luffy himself and return home. He would save him and then he would have to realize that Law was an idiot. And the head of the company would apologize to Sanji and Zoro would come crawling up and beg him on his knees to forgive him. That's exactly what would happen. And Sanji could hardly wait for that day to come.
Until then, though... he still needed a plan.
A squeaky scrape sounded, someone opened the gap from the first floor down to them and instantly there was a tense silence among the people down here. No one dared to take a closer look at the man who had come down to them, let alone look him in the eye.
Sanji gave him a furtive glance and sank a little more against the bars. They wouldn't be coming for him any time soon. Very few of those who had made it out of here so far had arrived after him. And if the talk of the others was to be believed, that at least remained an exception.
But this time his luck didn't seem to be in.
"Hey, you there!" the stranger stopped in front of the door to his prison and shooed the other eight or nine men squatting in the cage with him away from the door, "You with the blonde hair back there! Come here!"
Sanji raised his head and sought the stranger's gaze. He met it and at that moment he realized that he could only have meant him. No one else in here had such light hair. The man's gaze was ice-cold. As cold as a murderer's. A sickening cold shiver ran down his spine.
"Come here, Blondie!" the stranger nagged, as Sanji still made no effort to get up, not quite realizing what he wanted from him.
"Move it, damn it!" he nagged, banging his fist against the bars.
The cook reluctantly raised his right hand and pointed at himself unnecessarily.
"Are you talking about me?" he asked challengingly.
"Yes, move your rattletrap over here. Someone wants to see you. Time for a change of scenery."
His legs shook as he pulled himself up and walked towards the door of the cage, swallowing hard. Did that mean he would be the next to disappear forever, probably die? And what did that mean, someone wanted to see him? The others who had been taken away so far had never been given a reason. Was it because of the way he spoke to the guests in the Baratie from time to time? Was one of them behind the kidnappers? He couldn't and wouldn't believe it. He felt as if his breath had stopped and his thoughts died when the stranger shook the door and he obviously wasn't fast enough for him. But Sanji's legs felt like jelly. Whatever awaited him couldn't be good. Certainly not.
Nevertheless, he allowed himself to be taken out of the cell and even kept still when the man warned him not to move. Instead, he thought about how much he would like to smash the bastard's face in now. But since he was certainly not alone here - the others were probably hidden behind the door or somewhere else, all of them always ready to intervene immediately if a prisoner proved incapable or too forward or whatever. A situation Sanji could well do without. So he took a deep breath and waited until the barred door slid open in front of him and the man welcomed him with a smug grin.
"You'll like it. The wallpaper there is really much nicer than here. Trust me...!"
But before Sanji could react to this, before he followed him and hopefully saw the sun again before he was killed, he already suspected that this change of scenery could not mean anything good for him.