Parenting the Right Way

Stress and Sadness

The next morning, he confidently strode into the busy mall. Katakuri didn't think Luffy would run off anymore, but he said he felt safer this way. He was technically kidnapped when he wasn't connected to him, after all. Coerced away from his father and then bitten by a vampire. He saw Luffy's face grow tense, and he swallowed, but he didn't attack, didn't show any inkling that he thought people smelled yummy and their blood would be tasty. He more looked like he was constipated or his stomach hurt.

While that woman frustrated him, she helped Luffy by distracting him in a way he didn't see himself being able to do. She helped both of them out, which Katakuri thought was the complete opposite of her disrespectful episode. He felt pity for that baby and hoped for his sake that she grew up.

Provoking people with unknown quirks was stupid, and Katakuri never understood people who risked themselves when it wasn't worth the effort in the first place. Who knows whose quirks weren't in control, or reacted to anger? It just was safer and smarter to try and be civil with everyone you could be.

Luffy got a small cup of pretzel bits, and ate them there. But Katakuri saw mid bite that his fangs grew longer when a young woman walked by. He shut his eyes and mouth tightly, and Katakuri picked him up and removed him from the situation. Once she was out of scent range, Luffy let out a sigh.

"You okay?"

"She smelled good, and eating made it feel worse."

"Then why don't we not eat around crowds? Just to be extra careful." Luffy nodded, and finished his pretzel bits. He was sitting on Katakuri's shoulders, using his head as a resting spot for his little paper cup.

The boy was much higher than everyone else on Katakuri's shoulders, so he could easily see everyone around. He suddenly pat Katakuri's head, and quietly said, "There's a bad man over there." It wasn't the best to point in that direction, but he lowered his arm quickly after Katakuri looked in that direction.

"What do you hear?"

"He says about a bomb," Luffy hissed in panic. Katakuri didn't hesitate to call the authorities, and an alarm started going off for everyone to evacuate the building. Luffy was good to be on his shoulders so he wasn't squished in the crowd of panicked humans. Luffy pressed his hand to his nose to try and plug the smell.

They got out quickly, and ran to the parking lot. Cop cars and heroes arrived at the scene. But Katakuri didn't need to direct them as there was an explosion inside the mall that was so strong half of the other side of the building collapsed. People were getting in their cars and booking it. Luffy was crying, and he took him off his shoulders to hold close.

Luffy could have just saved hundreds of lives. They stayed on the side walk outside of the parking lot, which was empty of normal vehicles. They had to give their story and couldn't just run off. Once they saw a big person wrangled into a armored vehicle, Katakuri asked if it was safe. If the bad guy was gone. "Mmhmm. Now they are wondering what happened," Luffy said, standing next to Katakuri, who was sitting on the curb so Luffy could hug him but also stand.

They walked back to the mall, which was void of customers or employees. "Excuse us, I'm the person that called about the bomb." Officers walked over, and Luffy was hugging his father's leg. They all smelled like sweat and gun powder, which made them not smell tasty at all.

"What happened? How did you know about the bomb?" he was asked.

"My son has exceptional hearing and heard the man speaking about it." The officers looked down at Luffy, and they obviously could tell he had vampirism.

"What's your name?"

"...Luffy," he said quietly.

"Well, Luffy, you could have just saved hundreds of lives. That's quite the useful quirk," they praised. Luffy said it wasn't a quirk, it just came when he was a vampire. He was blunt and honest. "I see. Well, it sure was helpful regardless! Great job, kid." The officer went to the nearest cop car and got a sticker with a badge on it. "Your badge of honor for the day. Thank you, Luffy."