☆𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐎𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐰𝗼☆ 𝐁𝗼𝗼𝐤 3

Rob Lucci

Chapter 21:

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The conversation between Kaido and Luffy took place three hours ago. Since then, Luffy has made a decision.

Law awoke in his bedroom with only minor damage. Initially, he thought he was dead after being fatally wounded by Kadio's stabbing, him that had left him mortally wounded.

As Law sat up, he raised his shirt. His stab wound was still there, but it no longer stung like it did when he first got it. Even though he was relieved to see that the wound was healing, he couldn't shake the sense of vulnerability and terror he had felt after the attack. Law had a thought as he pondered the issue, "Who treated my wound?"

He looked toward the balcony and noticed that the sun was about to set. He then realized that he must have been knocked out cold for a while.

As he looked around, the door to his bedroom suddenly opened. It was Luffy. He entered with a soft and warm smile, which he maintained even as he approached law. "Torao, I'm so glad you're okay..." Luffy remarked the moment he hugged Law.

While Luffy hugged his boyfriend tightly, Law was completely still. Though he continued to have doubts about everything, as his arms wrapped around Luffy's back, those doubts gradually started to disappear. The warmth of his embrace and the sound of Luffy's heartbeat soothed Law's racing thoughts and restored his sense of peace.

"What happened?" Law asked while still in Luffy's embrace.

Law's question made Luffy's heart skip a beat; the answer was too painful to say. He wasn't prepared to answer that question, at least not right then. And he was willing to go to any length to avoid that conversation. So, instead of responding to Law's question, he kissed him on the cheek.

Law couldn't help but feel warmth spreading through his chest as he kissed him back. But he couldn't shake the feeling that Luffy was keeping something from him. Law tried to push the thought away and enjoy the moment, but his mind kept racing with possibilities of what Luffy could be hiding.

As Law pulled away from the kiss, Luffy couldn't help but silently panic. He wondered if Law had already figured out his intention, and he would continue to ask for an explanation.

Luffy knew that he had to come up with a convincing excuse, or Law might not let the topic go. He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down before facing Law again. "Torao, do you love me?" he asked.

"Of course I do." Law replied with a smile, taking Luffy's hand in his own.

"Then please don't worry about what happened while you were... asleep," Luffy said.

Law sat in silence before standing up and exiting the room. Luffy watched Law leave.

Even as he debated whether to apologize or simply give him space, Luffy was consumed by an intense sense of guilt. Before things got more complicated, he decided to talk to Law later and work out their differences.

He realized he needed to check on baby 5, who was in a room across the hall. He rushed into the room and discovered that she was awake.

Baby 5 held her cast-covered right arm. As soon as she spotted Luffy across the room, she was able to relax. That wasn't for long; a horrifying thought rushed through her mind. She broke down in tears when she realized Law was dead.

Luffy took her hand and told her, "Baby 5, he's not dead..."

Baby 5 looked up at Luffy, tears still streaming down her cheeks, and said, "But...I felt his skin, and he had no pulse."