Dragon was staring at the ocean with his stoic face. His mind wandered to the events which occurred recently. The cruelty the World Government was showing felt never-ending. He wants to stop the World Government. He wants to liberate the people.
He had talked to his father, Monkey D. Garp, countless times. He had screamed at him so that the old man knew what was happening, even if he knew some. But the only thing he got in reply was, 'It's my duty that I'll choose and the justice of my will that I will follow.'
He knew that Garp was not responsible for the events that occurred in Ohara, Flevance, Baterilla, and many such places. But he couldn't forgive those who knew the truth but chose to be silent, chose to turn a blind eye towards it. He hated people like that! But he always felt that his father knew something which he didn't. It always unsettled him.
The last time he had met Roger, he had offered him protection, he had known about his incurable disease. He knew about the man's quench for adventure. He knew his love for the sea. But the man said something which left him thinking about how much he knew.
'I'm not the one who will change the world. Someone will come soon, who will shake the world to its core and unravel the truth for the world to see.'
Roger had laughed it off when Dragon had asked about the Void Century, saying that the chosen one will have all the answers to his questions. Dragon refused to ask any questions further. But regretted when he heard what happened in Baterilla. He would have loved to save the unborn child from the wrath of the Navy. But all he could do was regret and feel sad when the news of women and infants getting slaughtered reached him.
He looked over to the vast stretch of the ocean in front of him. The wind howled, the full moon purely white, the sea which had been calm a few moments ago, but now felt like it was dancing as if celebrating about something. He doesn't know what he felt that moment but he declared the heavy thoughts of his heart and the burdens which he felt on his shoulder for the howling winds to listen. He shouted his fury over the World Government, with each word the wind and the waves rampaging as if agreeing to his every word. He made his vow to end the tyranny of the World Government for the mother nature to hear.
But the next he knew, was the wave engulfing him and his right-hand bleeding, the drops of blood falling into the ocean and some on the railing and the deck near his leg. Before he could take a look at his wound, he heard the sounds of drum and the waves coming back to him again to engulf him.
On instinct, Dragon stepped back as the waves licked the blood from the railing and deck, leaving a baby, which was sleeping with a smile on his face. The sounds of drums was getting louder with the soft melody that the winds now played, the calm waves which danced in the ocean, and in the middle of this, he saw the baby opening his eyes slowly and staring at him. Dragon's breath was caught in his throat as he saw the baby stare directly into his eyes. It felt as if he knew, as if it was seeing his soul.
It was a joke! It was a joke to think that the 'World's Most Wanted Criminal' was scared of a little baby, which looked too adorable! Dragon gulped when he saw the baby suddenly smile, his smile reaching his eyes, which was almost impossible! He would have called it creepy, but the adorable squishy face had nothing such.
Dragon didn't know when he moved, when he held the baby in his arms and when he started smiling. The smile on the baby's face was damn too infectious! It was as if he was enchanted by the baby itself. He already felt that he wants to take care of the baby, take him under his own wing and protect him from the terrible and cruel world. Dragon felt a shiver run through him when the cool wind blew through him and the baby, ruffling the baby's hair in the process as if it was especially kissing and giving it's blessings to the infant.
Dragon looked at the sea. Calm, too calm for Grand Line! The sounds of the drums ceased when the baby fell asleep in his arms. The small being was not afraid of the stoic face that Dragon had wore earlier. He hadn't cried like most of the kids did. Dragon made his way inside his cabin and laid the baby on the bed and went to pick up some towels to dry him. But to his astonishment, the baby was completely dry! It was as if he was never in the ocean in the first place.
Dragon's shocks were increasing every minute as he watched the mysterious baby. Why was the baby in the ocean in the first place? Should he keep it? Is it his son now? Whatever might be the answer, he wasn't ready to face it.
His thoughts were broken by his right-hand man, who chose this time to enter his cabin. The violet-haired Okama queen stopped in his tracks when he saw the most wanted criminal, his best friend, his boss, the coldest person he has ever seen, cradling a baby!!!
"Dragon-boy...?" The Okama queen questioned, not knowing what to even ask.
Dragon didn't know what he should do, but he felt attached to the baby, and in a sense, he felt he was a father to the little infant. He felt proud. He felt happy to have a son. He wanted to protect the baby, now his son. He picked the baby in his arms and kissed his forehead, lovingly, making the baby open his sleepy eyes in the process. The baby giggled, making Dragon's cold heart suddenly fill with warm. He smiled as the next words slipped from his mouth.
"Monkey D. Luffy!"
The baby giggled in joy and laughed a little. The sounds resonating through his body as Dragon heard it. The winds seemed to play a tune and the moonlight illuminated the room, falling on Luffy's face. The baby was smiling widely and slowly tried to reach for his hands grabbing the large finger, and snuggling closer to Dragon as he closed his eyes again and slept.
The smile never left the little face! How was that even possible? How can an infant smile in his sleep? Do every baby do this? How did the baby get to him? There were more questions than answers. But one thing was sure, the ocean, the sea, the waves have gifted him a child to take care of.
"He is my son," Dragon looked to Ivankov for the first time, since the said okama had entered the room, with a smile on his face, which was too rare for anyone to see.
Ivankov stood there shocked for a while, not believing the words that this man could ever have a baby. But the proof was in front of him. He made his way to the infant and saw the smiling face. His heart stopped for a moment. He was so freaking adorable. Ivankov couldn't help himself from cooing at the newborn.
"Can I hold him?" Ivankov asked, his hands ready to carry the little one in his arms.
Dragon smiled at his right-hand man and handed his son to him carefully. Ivankov touched the soft cheeks of the baby using his giant thumb, causing the baby to open his eyes slowly. The little one gave a small yawn before blinking at Ivankov. The baby cutely tilted his head a little to the side, making Ivankov stop, and stared into the eyes of the Revolutionary for a few seconds before bursting into a cute happy giggle.
Ivankov felt his heart had stopped working when he felt the intense gaze of the baby. Something inside him told him, this baby was not ordinary.
"I- What was that?" Ivankov uttered, not even realizing that he spoke.
"I don't know," Dragon simply shrugged it off, knowing full well what his friend wanted to ask. But he himself doesn't know what was that. He had felt it once.
Dragon didn't know how having a son was going to change his life but he loved the boy, his cute giggles and smiles had already made their way to his heart. He didn't have the heart to send the boyto a safe place. Didn't want to allow him to go even a few inches away from him. He wanted to shield the boy from everything.
Even if the thought about the safety for his new son concerned him, he can't do that. He can't give him to his father, not right now. But the 'revolution' was not an idle place for a child to grow. He wants his child to have a proper upbringing and choose what he wants to do in the future, without any pressure. He wants to give his child whatever he wants.
The infant didn't know that he had already wrapped the leader of the Revolutionary Army in his fingers, in just a few moments.
.
It has been a year, since Dragon had left the Revolutionary base and hid in West Blue, with Ivankov by his side. But he was still carrying on with his Revolutionary work, ordering his fellow comrades through denden mushi, leading the revolution quietly, and keeping it still going. He knew that he couldn't be the center of the revolution while caring for his baby boy.
He wants to protect Luffy from the World Government. He wants him to never dirty his hands as he had done with his own. He wants him to always smile as he does. The smile which is equivalent to the sun. Luffy is his sun. His treasure. He gave him all his love and attention. He gave everything Luffy wanted, spoiling the little brat to the fullest. He never told anyone about the existence of Luffy, except Ivankov, who was there with him in those moments when he first got his baby. Ivanov is the man whom he can trust with his life.
Right now, they were sitting idly by a beach on an Island in the West Blue, seeing the sunset. The little toddler was doing his best to get out of the grasp of Dragon who was holding him. Even for a year old child, Luffy was an energetic brat, always wanting to explore everything with his curious eyes. Right now, he was pouting when he felt he can't crawl or run on the rough sand and play with it. The adorable puppy eyes, which he was making could have broken Dragon's resolve within a second, which had broken Ivankov's already.
"Dragon-boy, let him play. We are here, he won't get away."
Dragon sighed as he looked at the adorable face which was grinning widely at Ivankov, as if agreeing with the okama and letting a cute giggle.
"Alright!" Dragon smiled as he finally placed the toddler on the sand.
He could see the boy running towards the water with his wobbly legs. Without thinking, he stood up, following the baby, ready to pick him up, if Luffy got too close to the shoreline. Luffy looked so happy as he ran his way to the shore, giggling repeatedly as if someone was calling him or telling him a funny tale. That was when Dragon saw the water leaving the shoreline and rapidly rushing toward the giggling and babbling baby.
Dragon without hesitation picked up the boy, who began whining at it. He saw the water rising upwards and splashing itself on them, which was technically impossible!!! He took his steps back, afraid that the brat will get sick, afraid that he will feel difficulty in breathing. But he was left amazed when he saw that Luffy was not wet at all! He was not breathless! He was smiling and giggling, not whining like before. His sunshine smile which could light up his worse days was on full force on his little face as he looked at the waters.
He was left awestruck. It was the second time this has ever happened. Dragon couldn't place or form a single sentence about what had just happened.
Ivankov came running towards Dragon, checking the baby instantly for any signs of damage. But he also was left stunned when he felt the baby dry and giggling and babbling happily!!!
"What was that...?" Ivankov managed to utter, ahead of his shock, looking at the waters, which seemed to be dancing as if it got the most precious thing it can ever get.
Dragon shrugged not knowing what to say at all. He was happy Luffy was fine. That he was safe. But that didn't answer what the heck had happened. He saw the boy smiling wider than before as if he found a part of himself.
"Pa!" Dragon literally dropped the baby at hearing the first words of Luffy while Ivankov literally stumbled on his feet. Their hearts racing at thousands of kilometers per hour.
The little boy's face scrunched a little, as if he was thinking something and then with a full force smile, another word was uttered by their sunshine.
"Pa..pa! Papa! Papa!" Luffy smiled and kept on enchanting the words as he looked at his father.
Dragon found a smile creeping on his face. He pressed his lips on Luffy's crown, a soft loving kiss. He didn't notice the water imprints on the baby's forehead, he was too engrossed in the chanting. He felt as if he was in the ninth cloud.
"Papa! Papa!" Luffy kept on babbling cutely. Dragon and Iva found their hearts melting at that. All the worries of the world, forgotten. All they could hear were the cute voice and the cute giggling and the brilliant smile, which challenged the sun, on the face of the adorable boy.