“Law.”

The boy raised his head from the book he had been reading and looked over at his doorway. The towering figure of Doflamingo was prominent then a little boy, barely reaching the war lord’s knee, stood beside the pirate. Law gave him a death glare which was met with a bright, curious gaze.

“I bought you a present,” Doflamingo indicated the boy. “Just something I picked up at the Human Shop on Sabaody. He was worth 10 beli.”

“Don’t need it,” Law said, beginning to read his book again.

“Corazon insisted on getting you a companion,” Doflamingo said.

Law hesitated. “Fine, but I’m not sharing a room.”

“Understood,” Doflamingo smirked. “I have plans for this boy as well, so you won’t be seeing much of him anyway.”

“Spectacular,” Law grumbled, skimming over a page.

“Why don’t you name him?”

“You do it.”

Doflamingo placed a hand on the boy’s head. “I’ll have to think about it. Have fun.”

Law grunted in response as the door closed to leave him alone with the boy. A couple of seconds went by, a minute, an hour, all the while the little boy kept to a corner of the room, staring. Law tried not to mind it, absorbing the medical information in his textbook like a sponge. Here and there he would take a note or solve a problem, fully aware of the tiny eyes burrowing holes into the back of his skull.

He roughly seized a rather thick book and threw it over his shoulder. He heard the thud that meant it landed on the floor. He tilted his head back at the little boy, eyes widening menacingly.

“Don’t just stand there like an idiot. Do something with your pathetic life.”

He turned back to his reading and was immersed in a medical formula a few seconds later. Just then, he felt a pressure on his lap and a blue head right under his nose. After the overall shock, Law grabbed the boy by the scruff of his shirt and pulled him off his lap, letting him swing from his hold.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Law growled.

The boy lifted the book up to him. Law stared. Then realization hitting him like a sack of bricks and brought the boy closer to eye level.

“You don’t know how to read?”

The boy lifted up four fingers, grinning in pride. Law frowned.

“Are you telling me you’re four years old?” he asked.

The kid nodded, still grinning.

“Can’t you speak?”

The boy shook his head. Law sighed and tossed the kid on his bed like a sack of dirty laundry.

“Just sit there and don’t bother me.”

The boy did just that until Vergo came to pick him up. Law saw him wave goodbye out of the corner of his eye as the blue haired boy left.

The next morning, when Law had finished with his appointment with Corazon, he was walking in the courtyard when he heard tiny footsteps behind him. He turned around to see the blue haired kid following him.

“Oi,” Law said.

The boy looked up and smiled brightly. Law took note of the bruises the kid had manufactured since the night before and arched an eyebrow.

“Leave me alone,” he said shortly before spinning on his heel and leaving.

The boy pouted, a bit put off, then he ran to catch up, realizing he didn’t know where he was. He grabbed Law’s sleeve and Law swung his hand and smacked him right across the cheek.

“Leave me alone, I said!” Law snarled.

The boy quickly got to his feet and bowed. Law blinked at this sudden act of submission.

Oh, right. He was a slave before coming here. He’s used to this sort of treatment.

Law mentally sighed. “Stop bowing, it’s annoying.”

The boy popped up straight like a spring board, not meeting his eyes. Law shoved his hands into his pockets.

“What do you want?”

The boy’s head snapped up, his eyes round with wonder.

“Don’t look at me like that. I don’t intend to pay you another favor,” Law informed. “You’re lost aren’t you?”

The boy nodded slowly.

Law pointed down the hallway. “Go straight then take a right. Go five doors down and you’ll meet a guy called Corazon, he’ll take care of you from there.”

Without another word, Law left the boy to his own devices.

Over the next couple of days, Law wasn’t able to shake the boy off his feet. Wherever he’d go, the former slave would be right there… staring. Law had had enough, and one day when the little boy was shuffling behind him while Law was heading to his room, he blew a gasket. Law spun on his heel and threw a punch at the kid, stopping right in front of his face. The boy didn’t even flinch.

“Buzz off little brat!” Law said, glowering down at him. “Stop constantly hanging around by my feet!”

The boy tilted his head, contemplating Law’s fist.

“If you don’t leave right now, I’m going to—“

The boy met his fist with Law’s and gave him a bright closed eyed smile. Law was frozen, the words caught in his throat. This kid was just too unpredictable. Law withdrew his hand and tsked, looking to the side while the boy gazed hopefully up at him.

Law massaged his temples after stealing a glance at the boy’s sparkling face. He sighed.

“You’re not going to give up, are you?”

The boy shook his head.

Law scowled, he looked down at the book he was carrying. He threw it at the brat who scrambled with it before gaining a firm grip.

“If you can memorize that whole book I’ll consider teaching you how to speak,” Law said, walking away.

The boy was left alone in the courtyard, clutching the thick book called, Ningen no Shinri: Omoide by Takahashi Usui.

The boy frowned, trying to decipher the words.

You’re wrong.

The boy hugged the book to his chest.

I didn’t want you to teach me how to speak.

The boy wiped his eyes hurriedly and his trembling mouth set in determination. He turned around and ran into the building again.

I wanted you to name me.

_

Law entered his room and his eyes immediately went to the boy at his desk. The boy was sleeping on the book, breathing lightly. Not caring in the slightest, Law closed the door behind him and pulled off his hoodie to reveal a plain white t-shirt. He stared at the boy and then his eyes wandered over to the book. The boy had somehow acquired a dictionary and a kanji textbook. Law picked up the text book and glared at it.

Corazon teme.

Law dropped the book down roughly, causing the boy to jerk awake. He rubbed his eyes and looked up at the teen sleepily.

“Don’t sleep in my room. If you’re tired go to your own.”

The boy closed the medical book and stacked the others on top of it. Law watched as he tried to balance the thick volumes, the brat’s arms shaking from the strain. When he reached the door, he stared at the door knob, unable to open it with his hands full. Law sighed and opened it for him.

The boy sparkled up at him and Law slammed the door shut in his face. The boy hung his head and ambled sadly to his room.

_

The next day, Law found the boy in his room again. This time, he seemed to have expected him because the brat smiled at him right when he appeared. Law ignored him and took off his hoodie and when the kid was leaving opened and slammed the door.

This pattern repeated every day for a month. The kid stayed later and later each day, studying his heart out. Law would lounge on his bed, stealing glances.

Then one day, the sun had set and when Trafalgar looked over, he saw the kid was sleeping on the desk. He stood and went over to him.

“Oi, gaki,” Law shook the kid.

The kid scrunched up his face and groaned. Law mentally sighed and decided that he didn’t want to bother himself with waking the brat up. Sinking into bed, after staring at the kid for a few more minutes, he fell asleep.

_

Law opened his eyes, the bright sunlight poking at them until they did. Law stared at the ceiling, trying to straighten his head. He felt something warm beside him and looked down. Eyes widening, he sat up bolt upright. The boy was sleeping soundly right beside him.

“Little brat…!” Law snarled.

He grabbed the boy by the scruff of his shirt and threw him out of the room. The kid had woken up and was surprised to find himself in the hallway. Law threw his books after him and the boy winced as the door banged shut.

The boy crossed his legs and stared at the book that had thudded in front of him. He mouthed something, trying to produce sound.

“U… ui…” the boy gritted his teeth, focusing. “U…sui…”

Usui.

_

Law glowered at the boy. Sitting at his desk. Again.

“Give it up already!” Law shouted, ripping the book out of the boy’s hands. “There’s a reason why I told you to memorize the hardest book in medical history!”

The kid tried to get the book and this made Law furious. He threw the book at the opposite wall and the boy ran to retrieve it. He noticed the bandages around the boy’s torso and upper arms. He saw how he clutched the book to his chest like it was a life line.

“You’re nothing but a guinea pig!” Law snapped at him. “Worth only 10 beli and bought to do experiments on!”

The brat met his gaze.

“Why are you trying so hard to win me over!?” Law demanded.

The boy blinked and he stared at his own fist. Law’s anger abated, replaced with shock. The kid had lifted his fist and grinning brightly.

“Get out.”

The boy faltered, his expression falling.

“Get out!” Law shouted.

The brat ran to the door and stumbled out.

Law stood in the middle of his room. Fists clenched and shaking. With what, he didn’t know.

_

“I have a name for him, Law.”

Trafalgar looked up from his desk, for once empty of that little waste of space.

Doflamingo sneered down at him. “Vellane Sin.”

Law arched an eyebrow.

“What do you think?”

“I don’t care,” Law said, turning a page of his book.

“That’s just like you,” Doflamingo turned his back to him, exiting the room. “Vellane Sin it is.”

The door clicked closed and Law stared at the meaningless words swimming around on the page. He stood, his chair screeching backwards. He reached into a pocket of one of his shirts and pulled out a piece of paper.

There, in underdeveloped handwriting, was the name…

“Usui,” Law muttered under his breath.