The stairs squeaked under your feet as you descended half way. You got to a point where you were just able to see through the white banisters and into the living room, the carpeted surface groaning as you crouched down. In one hand was your phone as the other held the railing, this sweet and innocent look plastered on your face.
"Hey, Law?"
Following your call was an abrupt huff, then the sound of padding feet. Your eyes followed as your older brother stood at the bottom of the stairs, his arms firmly crossed over his chest.
"What?"
"Can I ask you something~?"
Just from hearing your singing voice, Law knew that whatever you were going to ask about, it wasn't going to benefit him in any shape or form.
Thinking of the first solution that came to mind, the brunette leaned against the wall, eyebrows twitching.
"Can you not just ask Cora-san when he gets home?"
Whining, you tilted your head back and dropped both hands to your sides like a whinging toddler.
"But Cora-san isn't going to be home for aaaaaages!"
As much as he hated the fact he always had to listen to your requests, he just couldn't deal with the thought of you moaning about whatever it was for the next few hours until Rosinante got off work.
With a sigh that exuded the force of a strong gale, the defeated man caved.
"Fine, what do you want?"
With a renewed spring in your step, you came bolting down the stairs towards your brother. As you got to the bottom you held out your phone, the screen unlocked and glaring. Your brother pried the device from your fingers, brows knitted.
You just stood back with an expectant smile, rocking backwards and forwards on the balls of your feet.
His eyes scanned across the screen, clearly reading what was there. The furrow in his eyebrows intensified as he went on, lips pressed into a line. While you expected him to read the whole thing before looking back up, he didn't.
Law simply got to the third sentence and stopped, snapping his eyes up. There was this stern look on his face that simply made your heart sink, the smile on your face flicker and fade.
"No."
Without a second thought, the man passed your phone back to you and headed off towards the living room once more. You turned in his direction with this look of disappointment on your face, your mouth open as you silently groaned.
"But why!"
"Because I said no."
His voice was a little muffled by the distance but you made sure to close it, thumping after him and into the living room.
"'Because I said no' isn't a valid answer!"
You stood in the doorway with a glare on your face, your brother not even bothering to turn your way. He had the television on and unpaused it to continue watching some documentary on surgeons, reclined back on the sofa with no interest in argument.
"Law!"
He continued to ignore you, eyes set on the screen. The refusal had you so annoyed with him that you growled under your breath, storming forward in front of the TV with folded arms.
If that didn't get his attention, you didn't know what would.
"This is so unfair!"
At your whinge, he growled in irritation.
"Learn what 'no' means, (y/n)!"
If his eyes were lasers, you just knew you would have a couple of holes through your head. That glare was still following you even as you defeatedly went back towards the other sofa, crashing down and sinking into the plush cushions.
"Fine, I can just ask Cora-san when he gets home."
Just as your brother unpaused his show, he paused it again. The sigh that came from his lips was not one of anger, but more of defeat, having had enough of your child-like tantrum.
"(Y/n), I guarantee that he'll say the same thing."
Your pout redirected to him as he gave you this stern look, one he always gave you when he knew he was right. Tearing your eyes away, it was your turn to sigh. You pulled your knees into your chest and rested your phone on them, typing something into the keyboard.
"Can't you just come with me?"
Law stared down at his phone, glanced at the time, and then looked back up to the television screen. You saw his head shaking from the corner of your eye, pressing his palm into his cheek against the sofa's arm.
"I have homework to do."
Yawning, his gaze flickered over to you momentarily.
"You should have some as well."
As the argument came to a close, you knew there was no way you could win now.
With that, you would just have to sit inside your house and do nothing, watching as all your friends attended what was to be the biggest house party yet this year. Multiple people had already asked you to come, and of course, you had to simply say "I'll see" like some kind of big loser without a life.
Honestly, that's what you felt like sometimes when your brother was overdramatic when it came to you.
Getting in trouble? Pure disappointment. Being asked out? You always felt bad for the poor guy on the receiving end. Dating? That one had been done once before, and my god, it wasn't pretty.
It wasn't like you could just sneak out, either. Hell would be raised and you didn't like the thought of enduring that. So much so for living the teenage dream.
"It's the one night where everyone is in town."
Even though you said it more to yourself than anything, Law did hear your teary mumble. He could see your sulking frame from his peripheral, the sorry sight causing him to feel just that extra bit of guilt. Sure, he wanted to make sure you didn't dig yourself into a hole you couldn't get out of and stayed safe, but it wasn't nice seeing you so down.
You were just about ready to give up and go to bed, slowly stretching as you rose to your feet. The party started in little over an hour, and there was no way you'd be able to do anything now.
But right as your feet padded towards the living room door, you were stopped with the complete and utter defeat of your brother in the form of yet another soft sigh.
"Alright, you can go."
It felt like someone had scraped you off the floor and remoulded you, making sure to fix your aching frown into a grin. You turned on your feet as fast as light travelled and stared at your brother with eyes of sparkling jewels, your heart feeling like it was about to keel over and die with happiness.
"Thank you, thank you, thank-!"
"But on one condition."
The hurried steps of your approached suddenly ceased, your smile wobbling into a frown. Law's eyes connected with yours and you calmed down considerably, slumping into a much more natural state.
But you couldn't care less - about the condition that is. If it allowed you to go, you were happy regardless. So with an understand nod that told him you were listening, you awaited his verdict.
"You aren't going alone."
Confusion caused you to tilt your head, your brows becoming so knitted they almost combined.
"But you just said you were working?"
His eyes flickered down to his phone as you stood there, tapping your foot almost impatiently with jitters. You watched as his nimble and tattooed fingers rushed across the screen, typing something out.
"I did."
There was the sound of a message being sent before he turned back to the television nonchalantly, wanting you to go so he could watch his show in peace.
"Shachi and Penguin are going to be picking you up in thirty."
~~~
You should've guessed that your brother would lump you in with his best friends. After all, he was and never had been the most trusting man - so what better option was there to look after your little sister at a house party than your closest buddies?
Since it was rare you got to enjoy such occasions, you made a big deal of your outfit. It was a nice, short cocktail dress in a deep blue that had been given to you by your adoptive father some years ago for your birthday, simple and pretty. Luckily, it was modest enough that Law wouldn't completely flip his lid and tell you to change. Or worse, tell you that you couldn't go.
As for make up, you made sure to do that as well. You weren't necessarily the best at the stuff as you didn't wear it regularly, but you had been coached enough by your friend Nami to know what looked good. So sticking with a simple smattering of blush, mascara and some clear lipgloss, you were ready.
Just in time, too, because you then heard the loud voices of your brother's rowdy friends as they stepped through the front door.
The sounds of their voices crescendoed as you neared the top of the stairs, reaching into your room for a fleeting second just to grab your phone and your purse. You then dipped back out of your room and headed towards the descend, making sure you didn't fall in the heels you had chosen to wear. You knew you would regret the choice of footwear later on, but the sapphire coloured shoes were too good to let up.
"Deciding to be a party pooper again, eh?"
Penguin reached over and nudged Law's side, causing the darker brunette to swipe at him. Your brother pulled back and closed his eyes, already gaining a headache from the events of the evening that had barely started.
"I have things to do and you know it."
"Hey, but it would only be one night."
Shachi was the one who spoke up this time, gazing convincingly at his grumpy friend with emerald eyes. Their gaze lasted a single second and the grump was ready to counter stubbornly; that was until all three of the men had their attentions redirected.
"Hey, guys."
Law took your appearance as a chance to focus away from his nagging friends, the smallest ghost of a smile on his lips at the sight of your happiness.
"You ready to go?"
You tore your eyes away from his friends and glanced at him, nodding.
One thing you knew for sure was that if your brother saw the shocked look on Penguin's face as his eyes slowly scanned up and down your frame, those eyes would swiftly be gone. The thought alone made you grimace. Luckily for you, Shachi was much more nonchalant about the situation despite his known love for ladies: he knew his boundaries when it came to you.
After all, you were his best friend's sister.
"Oh, and (y/n)?"
You and the other two had begun walking towards Penguin's car parked at the end of the driveway, when you were forced to glance back at your brother. You huffed a little with impatience, but decided to just comply. He was letting you do something he originally didn't like the sound of, so it was the least you could do.
"Don't get yourself into trouble."
"Don't worry about that one!"
Both yours and your sibling's eyes trailed back to where Penguin was leaning out of his car window, a grin on his face.
"We'll make sure she gets back in one piece."
Law's eyes manoeuvred over towards his redheaded friend, catching his nod. Shachi was holding the back door open for you to get in, to which you kindly thanked him before doing so.
With that, the car then sped off around the corner and out of sight, leaving the brunette to mumble as he ambled back inside.
"You better."
~~~
12.08.2021
Author's Notes
Hello!
Thank you for joining me on yet another adventure, this time with Shachi! God, it didn't take you guys too long to guess who it was. Should I be happy that we have some Shachi fans or concerned?
Anyway, it's good to have you!
I hope that you all have a wonderful day, and enjoy this book. I have also left an explanation of characters below if you wish to check that out.
But for now, I'll see you later!
Cya
- TransponderSnail
Explanation
Decided to make Shachi's eyes green in this story, just to let you all know!
The ages/schooling is based on the English school system and England in general, so here are some conversions to US education for you guys who probably know that one better:
Sixth Form/College is Year 12 & Year 13 in the UK (16yrs-18yrs) = Junior year and Senior year of High School (Grade 11 and 12)
Reader is a junior (Year 12 in UK) and Shachi, Law, Penguin and the majority of characters including reader's friends (save from the closest ones) are seniors (Year 13 in UK)
Also to clarify on the unfortunate note that is Trafalgar Lammy (Law's canonical sister), she was the youngest whereas reader is the middle kid and Law is the oldest.
There is no longwinded mention of Law and reader's backstory in this, so I'll say for the sake of answering the inevitable question, that their family died in a house fire and were left to be adopted by Rosinante.
Law is just generally an overprotective brother because of the past and is scared of losing his other sister, so that's what sets the bottom line here.
All a bit of a scramble to read, but I hope that irons out any questions you may have!