Law sighed, setting down all of his paperwork from his workday on his desk; The breeze flowing from an adjacent window pushed his papers around slightly, but Law stopped caring as he slumped into his desk chair. He had just finished an organ transplant on a young woman in his hospital, North Blue Emergency Services. It went smoothly, but his back hurt from bending over the operation table for so long. He was the top surgeon in the building, so his days were typically always long and full, and because of that, it was downtime like this that he treasured the most.
Law glanced sidelong at the clock. 15 minutes. He had 15 minutes before he had to perform an elective jaw surgery on a young kid. That was enough time to relax for a brief moment. He stretched his hands out to the air beside him as he yawned. He wiggled his outstretched fingers and felt them collide with a small box on his desk. He looked at the ground where the box fell open. It was a compact, felt, ring box, lined with gold silk. Beside the container fell a small gold band. Law leaned down to pick it up and put the box on his desk. He held the ring between his fingers, staring at the way the gold glinted and glimmered in the sun. This gold band was the ring he was going to use to propose to Luffy tonight at the Baratie. Law felt nerves twinge in his stomach. He wasn't at all worried that Luffy would say no. He was concerned that the idiot would somehow spoil his plan. Law had no inclination that Luffy would end up turning him down; Luffy had claimed Law from day one. Law smiled as he remembered that fateful day that brought him here.
~
Law was thankfully able to get off of work early to get lunch in the Loguetown Shopping District with Penguin. His old friend worked as an assistant RN at the nearby Hiriluk Pediatric Center; They were both so consistently busy that they rarely got to see each other, so moments like this were always prized.
"We're here!" Penguin grinned as they approached a bustling restaurant. "Jewelry Bonnie's Pizzeria." The place seemed nicely kempt and had a newer look to it, despite the hoodlums surrounding it. Law was less than impressed with the teenagers Bonnie's seemed to attract and gave his beaming friend a sidelong glance.
"You certainly have a knack for finding the weird hole in the wall restaurants around town," Law said with a bit of a grimace. He absent-mindedly pulled a long strand of Bepo's fur off of his jacket sleeve while Penguin opened the door.
"Don't worry. The owner is crazy here too, but not nearly as bad as that Whole Cake Bakery we went to last week." Law shuddered as he remembered the monstrous woman that chased them out of the said restaurant. He shook off the chill that ran down his spine as he followed Penguin into the restaurant. A young girl that couldn't be more than 19 approached the two men.
"Heya, folks, I'm Jewelry Bonnie." The young girl with pink hair said with a grin. She had a large, greasy slice of all meat pizza in her hand that she took a bite of as she finished her sentence. Cheese dripped from the corners of her mouth as she continued talking through the pizza. "Two today?" Law shuddered yet again.
"Yep! On the deck, please." Penguin answered for them. Bonnie nodded as she led the two through the crowded restaurant. Law dodged moving bodies and flying food as he followed closely behind. He made a mental note to make sure he picked the restaurant next time. Eventually, Bonnie sat the two of them down on the deck, where Law could see all of the busy streets of the shopping district. Directly across from them was a large field, Roger Park. It was a warm day out, so several people were out on the grass, playing games, and eating lunch. A group of young kids caught Law's attention first. It was a young boy, not far in age from Law, wearing a straw hat and red vest, playing frisbee with another boy, tanner, with an inhumane nose. Law hummed as he turned back to Penguin and picked up the menu in front of him.
"I want this one!" Penguin pointed out some ridiculous and veggied out pizza from the menu to Law. Law nodded and put his menu booklet down.
"I think I'll just stick with a garden salad," Law said decidedly, and Penguin rolled his eyes.
"I can always rely on you to make a healthy choice." Law nodded slowly and smiled slightly as his attention shifted back to the kids on the field. He watched the green frisbee go back and forth as he heard Penguin place their order. The one in the straw hat seemed to be clumsy and have a hard time aiming as he fumbled around the grass. Law let out a low laugh as the kid fell to the ground in an attempt to catch the frisbee.
"Oi, Law." The surgeon slowly peeled his eyes back to Penguin at the statement. "Did you hear me?"
"Uh, no. Sorry. What was that?"
"How did the heart transplant go today?"
"Oh, it was fine." Law hummed as he twirled his fork between his fingers. "The old man should be back to normal in a week." Bonnie was placing their food on the table as Law finished his sentence.
"A week? Wow! That's so impressive." Law smiled slightly in gratitude at the praise.
"Thanks, I-" As Law began to speak, he paused when he felt his salad explode in his face. He rubbed his tattooed hand across his face to get the lettuce off as he stared at the green frisbee now resting on his salad. He immediately whipped his head around to stare at the culprit. "Oi! Strawhat! You missing something?" He stood up, furious as he waved the frisbee in the air.
"Shishi, thank you!" The young man exclaimed, running up to the fence in front of Law. He slowed down the closer he got. "I'm Monkey D. Luffy! And you are?"
Law looked dumbfounded at the lack of apology towards his freshly ruined salad. He composed himself and looked at the young man, thoroughly examining him. "Dr. Trafalagr D. Water Law," Law stated as he flipped the frisbee in his hand and held it out to Luffy.
"Hm," the straw hat hummed. "That's hard to pronounce. I think I'm going to call you Torao." Law raised an eyebrow in response to the determination in the young man's face. "Torao?" t=The kid leaned his hands against the fence.
"Yes?" Law grimaced.
"I like you. You're the man I'm going to marry."
~
It was a week later when Law found himself walking the streets of the Loguetown Shopping District once more. He was out taking his Samoyed dog, Bepo, on a walk to his favorite ice cream shop. He couldn't get that straw hat kid out of his head. Who the hell did he think he was? Saying that Law was the man he was going to marry. Law grumbled under his breath and approached Newkama Ice Cream. The stand was lit up beautifully in the night, and Bepo loved the Pup Cup they would always give him. This place quickly became a weekly trip for the pair, if not because Bepo whined incessantly every Friday night if they didn't go. Law approached the truck as Ivankov grinned at him.
"Law." The short man grinned and opened his arms. "The usual?" Law nodded politely as Ivankov got his order ready. Bepo sat patiently, wagging his tail in excitement when Ivankov came back over. "Chocolate Sunday for you," he handed the bowl to Law, "And a Pup Cup for a special little boy. Who's a good boy? You are. Yes, you are!" Bepo's whole body wiggled as Ivankov scratched behind his ears. Law thanked Ivankov and found a comfortable table in the corner to read some of Dr. Chopper's essays. The seating area was outside as Newkama Ice Cream was simply a truck. It was lit up with little lanterns and had diverging sofas and love seats spread around the plaza. Law had cozied into his chair when he heard something disconcerting across the way.
"No way!" Law internally groaned as he recognized the voice; He sank lower into his chair, bringing the essays up to cover his face. "Torao! It's me! Luffy! The man you're going to marry!" Law groaned, everyone in the seating area had their eyes on the two idiots. The straw hat came to a screeching stop in front of Law's seat. He had a whopping serving of a banana split in a large bowl, and chocolate syrup caked his lips around his grin. Law tentatively looked up from his book and raised a questioning look at the young man. "Can I sit here?" Law took a second to ponder the consequences on his night if he agreed. He eventually waved his hand towards the seat next to him. At the very least, this would be interesting. A few minutes of silence passed before Luffy spoke up.
"So, Torao, what do you do?"
"I'm a surgeon."
"Wow! So you stitch bodies up?" Luffy grinned stupidly.
"Uh, sure." Law bit into his ice cream.
"That so cool! I'm the captain of The Strawhats! It's so cool. I've made a lot of good friends through it too. They're my family." Law nodded. He didn't watch many sports, but he did know that The Strawhats were the local soccer team; They were considered powerful newcomers in the game at the moment. Law had to admit, that was pretty impressive for a young kid like him.
Law was mesmerized by watching this kid talk. He talked nonstop about his friends and their adventures. Law couldn't recollect when, but eventually, the two of them got up and started walking through the various stores in the district. Luffy had dragged Law into a goofy looking thrift shop and forced the doctor to try on widely unconventional clothes, and despite himself, Law found himself enjoying it.
"I will destroy all scum who oppose me!" Law growled as he left the dressing room. He found himself dressed in an obnoxious pink feather coat and awful capris.
"Wait, wait!" Strawhat murmured, fumbling in the pile of clothes they had acquired. "Try these!" He threw rose-colored shades on Law, they were oddly shaped, but somehow fit the attire at hand. Luffy fell back in fits of laughter. Law couldn't help but smile at the kid in front of him. "You look so dumb!" Law suddenly scowled.
"Oi!" he hit the kid on the head. Luffy suddenly stopped and looked up at Law, but it wasn't long before he fell back into that fit of laughter. Law couldn't help himself as he let out a low laugh as well.
A young woman approached the two of them with a grimace on her face. "You need to leave. You're disturbing our customers." Law nodded and apologized as a slight hint of pink tinged his cheeks. He grabbed Luffy by the arm and dragged him out, grabbing his typical clothes.
"Come on, Straw Hat." Luffy was still giggling and continued to do so as Law led him through the busy streets. It was a brisk night; Law found himself holding his long black coat closer to his body, and pulling his speckled hat over his ears. Luffy eventually calmed down and quietly let Law lead him to the docks. They stared out at the boats, watching the lights shimmer against the water in silence for a bit.
"Hey, Torao?" Luffy hoisted himself up on the fence and looked at the doctor earnestly. Law hummed in response, only glancing at the kid briefly before going back to watching a departing boat. "Will you go on a date with me? On Saturday? The All Blue Aquarium? 6 o'clock?"
Law paused as he looked back up at Luffy. His eyes were so full of hope and excitement. This kid wasn't Law's typical type, but something about him intrigued Law.
"I work till seven. Let's make it eight o'clock." Law looked back over at the boats. Even still, he could see the cheesy grin emanating off of Luffy. He didn't know what was going to come of agreeing, but it would be interesting, to say the very least.
~
Why was Law so nervous? He couldn't stop pacing the room. It had been so long since he had been on a date. Last time he did anything that resembled something close to a date was when he went to Vinsmoke Sanji's house for dinner. That didn't work out well, though. Last Law heard the cook was happy with some green-headed idiot. That was three years ago now, though, and Law didn't hold grudges. Not entirely, at least. Law scanned the contents of his closet for something to wear. The aquarium wasn't super fancy, but it was still a date. However, Luffy probably wasn't going to dress up. In the end, Law decided on a black button-up and some black jeans. He left the top few buttons unbuttoned so that the very top of his chest tattoo was showing, and rolled up the sleeves. After several minutes fiddling over minute details in his attire, he finally left for The All Blue Aquarium.
When he got to his destination, Luffy was nowhere around. So, Law leaned against a wall by the entrance and waited for him after buying two tickets. He couldn't help but feel a small bundle of nerves root themselves at his core. The nerves confused him, as it's not like he wanted this to become a regular thing. Eventually, the kid showed up in a loose black sweatshirt and jeans. The jacket was a size too large and seemed to engulf his entire body. Law made a mental note of how small Luffy's body seemed to be. He found himself wondering what it would look like if it was his own favored yellow hoodie engulfing the kid instead. Law surprised himself when he realized he was smiling at the thought, but he didn't have much time to dwell as Luffy was already right in front of him.
"Torao!" Luffy guffawed. "You look nice!"
"I could say the same to you," Law bit the inside of his cheek. "You're a bit late."
"Oh, right!" Luffy beamed as he brought his hand from behind his back and presented Law with a small box. "I was stopping by my friend Sanji's house to pick these up for you! I had him make them." Sanji? Law cringed at the name, and he suddenly seemed to remember Sanji being extraordinarily good at playing kickball and soccer, so it would make sense if he was a player on Luffy's team. He shook the thought and put his focus on the box Luffy had extended out towards him. He took it from the kid's hands and opened it to see a bunch of macaroons. They were put together to read "T & L." It was stupid, but Law had to admit it was kind of cute. He looked up at the straw hat and smiled.
"Thank you." Law smiled slightly. "Let's go in, yeah?"
"Oo, fishies!" Luffy giggled as they started to walk towards the door. Luffy grabbed Law's hand and squeezed tight as they walked. Law's immediate reaction was to pull his hand away, but Luffy's grip was unrelenting, so Law let it be. The aquarium probably took about 2 hours for them to walk through entirely. Over time the feeling of Luffy's hand became more and more natural in Law's own. Law wasn't paying much attention to the fish, but instead was focusing on how fascinated this kid would get about every little thing. Luffy was guffawing about the "Sea pancakes"- Manta rays -when they stepped into the last room. It was a massive 360-degree aquarium. It had a live reef, with the most beautiful sea corral, and vibrant fish. The lights were a low deep blue, making it almost impossible to see anything but the fish and whatever the aquarium lights reflected. Luffy walked close to the glass wall and peered at a sea urchin in fascination. Law simply watched him as Luffy slowly moved around the room in awe of his surroundings. Luffy's lips were gently parted with a gasp on the cusp of his breath as he took everything in. The blues of the water played off on Luffy's face, illuminating it. Law felt an unfamiliar twinge in his chest as he watched the kid. Suddenly he wanted to be closer to him. Despite himself, Law slowly moved over and slipped his hand back into Luffy's. The young kid looked up at him with bright eyes.
"Torao?"
"Yes, Straw Hat?"
"It's really pretty in here."
"Not as pretty as you," Law said under his breath as he leveled his face with Luffy's. He grabbed the kid's hips and pulled him close. They were close enough to be sharing a breath, but Law wasn't sure if he was ready to close the distance. Luffy smiled knowingly, and decided for him, as he lifted himself on his tippy toes and gently met Law's lips.
~
It had been a month since the aquarium, and Law had spent more money in the last month on eating out than he had in his entire life. Tonight, Luffy was taking him out to the Baratie, where they apparently had an impressive buffet. Law cringed when Luffy told him about it. The memory of Sanji boasting about his restaurant came to mind. Law kept his mouth shut, however, because Luffy seemed giddy to the core about going.
"Meat, meat, meat~" Luffy was humming under his breath as they approached the Baratie. The giant fish-shaped restaurant on the Pier was one of the more upscale restaurants in town, and it often got regarded as the best in the area. After a bit of convincing, Law was able to get Luffy to dress up in a suit. Luffy's was simple but fit his body nicely. It was tighter than Luffy was used to, and Law often found Luffy tugging at the fabric. Law's suit had intricate gold decals, going from the end of his sleeves up to his elbows, and beautiful golden silk lining. It was his go-to charity benefit outfit for the hospital. Luffy walked in front of Law with a jovial bounce to his step. He was without his signature straw hat, and his hair flowed freely in the wind.
Law wasn't sure what this was between them. He figured the kid assumed they were dating, but he wasn't sure if he would say the same. Two or three times a week, Luffy would just show up outside of Law's office when he was off and demand that they go out. Their outings had all been the same. They would go out to eat, and Luffy would talk about his adventures while Law just listened, amused. Luffy's rambling once annoyed Law, but it did so less and less each visit. Over the past month, Law had found himself almost beginning to look forward to these evenings out.
"Shishi! Torao!" Law looked up to see the straw hat beaming at him. "We're here!" Luffy ran up and grabbed Law's hand, pulling him to the doors of the Baratie. A young hostess greeted them with a warm smile.
"Ah, Luffy! Good to see you." She looked at Luffy and then glanced down out at their entwined hands. "You brought a date, I see? Sanji requested the private room for you two, so we have it all set up. follow me."
Law felt some type of way about Sanji helping set up a date for him, but he shrugged it off. The waitress led them to a small booth upstairs. It was a cozy private booth with a velvet privacy curtain. The seat could probably fit four or so people and wrapped around a circular table. Law sat down and was immediately pushed further into the booth so Luffy could sit right next to him. Law rolled his eyes, but he didn't really mind it. He felt the heat of Luffy's body radiating off of him as he leaned into Law.
The hostess left them with two glasses of water and a shut curtain. Immediately Luffy began rambling about his favorite items on the menu. Law was confused as to why there were no menus present, but he assumed Luffy and Sanji already talked out what they were going to eat. Luffy was momentarily rambling about his brothers when the curtains eventually reopened. The table wasn't large, but the waiters definitely made it feel like it was with the massive amounts of beautifully arranged plates that they laid in front of the pair. Server after server placed steaks, seafood, salad, and much more as Law watched in awe. At the end of servers stood a familiar tall blonde.
"Ah! Luffy!" Sanji grinned at the kid. "I hope you enjoy your meal! Who's your handsome-" Sanji paused as his eyes panned from Luffy to Law, he immediately regained his composition and smiled, "date?"
"This is Torao!" Luffy wrapped his arms around Law's neck, planting a kiss on the surgeon's cheek. Law felt his cheeks warm and glanced away. "Torao, this is Sanji! One of my bestest friends." Sanji watched as Law faked a smile.
"Nice to meet you," Law mumbled.
"Same to you," Sanji turned away and began closing the curtain. "Enjoy your date Luffy."
Luffy cocked his head at the curtness of his friend but immediately dismissed it, turning to the buffet in front of him. Law helped himself to some onigiri as Luffy dove in on a steak.
"So, as I was saying! Ace couldn't convince any of us that he actually caught a fish that big, so Sabo bullied him into going back to catch it again from where he 'released' it." Law watched Luffy with care as the kid wildly swung his hands about to emphasize the size of the fish in question. Law reached for a salad and some sushi rolls as Luffy wrapped his story up. "The one he caught again wasn't even longer than my pinky!" He held his pinky up in emphasis. "Though he swore left and right that he caught a different one, he never heard the end of it!" Luffy guffawed.
Law liked watching Luffy talk. He enjoyed the way his hair bounced when he moved with excitement, the way his eyes widened in surprise at his own stories. He had such a widely different world view than Law. Law couldn't imagine viewing the world as brightly as Luffy did. He admired Luffy for it.
"Excuse me Torao, I've got to go to the bathroom." Law nodded as Luffy got out of the booth. Law ate in silence until the curtain opened once more.
"Oi, straw hat," Law said, glancing up, but was surprised to see the sous chef glancing down at him with disapproval.
"Luffy has a big heart, you know," Sanji said factually.
"Yes, he does." Law agreed, he poked his salad with a fork, avoiding eye contact.
"You have a heart of steel. You don't let anyone in. Please don't break Luffy's heart." Law nodded as Sanji shut the curtain once more, leaving him with only his thoughts. What was Law doing with this kid? He couldn't tell if he couldn't get enough of the kid, or if the idea of a relationship with the kid repulsed him. Law sighed and shut his eyes, leaning against the wall behind him. He was such an idiot.
Soon enough, Luffy came bounding back in with his hands behind his back. Law opened one eye to glance at the kid. His grin was spread from ear to ear as he tugged Law up from where he sat.
"Oi, oi, I can get up on my own," Law grumbled as he found his balance in front of Luffy. Luffy continued to grin as he got down on one knee and held out a ring box. Law stammered as he stumbled back. "Oi, kid."
"Dr. Trafalagar D. Water Law," Luffy beamed up at Law. "Will you be my boyfriend?"
Law stared at Luffy. Jitters roamed freely in his stomach as he looked at the precious grin and fool's hope dazzling in the kid's eye. The feeling of just wanting to be close to Luffy returned as Law pulled him up to his feet. He pulled Luffy in close and fast as his lips met with Luffy's. He braced a hand on the back of Luffy's hair with the other on his shoulder blade. The kiss wasn't long or rough, but it said everything Law needed it to. Law pulled away and opened his eyes. He met with a hopeful stare as Law smiled.
"Yes."
~
They had been an official couple for four months now, and Law was exhausted. He never had any alone time anymore. The last four months consisted of Luffy always taking Law places when he wasn't working, not that he particularly minded, but it was draining. However, the soccer season finally started, so Law had a little bit more free time, seeing as Luffy was at practice Tuesdays and Thursdays and had games every Sunday. In the interest of his relationship, Law found himself slowly becoming interested in the sport that never caught his attention before. On his free days, he was surprised to have found himself reading up on the rules and history of the game. That day, Luffy had begged Law to come to that week's game against The Fish Men. Thus, Law wound up in a red and white Straw Hat jersey at the Thousand Sunny Stadium. Luffy had placed him in the front row, right behind the player's box. Law sat quietly in the bleachers, watching as a skinny redhead coached from the sidelines. She was currently yelling at the goalie. Sweat dripped from the man's brow as he got up from the grass, wiping grass off of his jersey.
"Zoro! You have to stop the ball in a safer way! If you keep taking dives like that, you'll hurt yourself, and I'll have to call Fanky in, so watch it!" The goalie waved his hand absent-mindedly at the coach, and she huffed in frustration.
Law tried not to pay attention as he noticed Sanji walk up to Luffy on the field. The two talked for a moment before it was time to continue the match, and they went to their places. Law had to admit, Luffy's team was impressive, and Law enjoyed watching Luffy kick the other team's ass. It was almost a pointless endeavor for the other players, as Luffy relentlessly scored goal after goal. Things were getting intense, Law looked down at one moment, and when he looked back up, the goalie was waving his arms as Sanji got up from the ground and dusted himself off, he was noticeably wincing.
"Foul, Penalty kick to the straw hats!" The Fish Men groaned at the decision and walked to their goal. Two of them stopped to talk right where Luffy would be taking his kick. Law eyed them suspiciously, noticing as one of them dug their heel into the ground where Luffy was to stand. The coach handed Luffy the ball, and he headed towards the kicking point.
"Oi, Luffy!" Law stood up. He was going to eat shit if he kicked from there. Luffy couldn't hear him, but he turned and waved, a goofy grin adorned his face.
"Sit down!" A stranger clasped his shoulder and pulled him down to his chair. Law gnawed on his cheek as he watched Luffy set up for the kick. He was going to kill that bastard on the Fishman team. Luffy reared back, and sure enough, as soon as Luffy sent his kick through, he fell backward and landed smack dab on the ground. Law stood up again despite the stranger behind him and his protest.
"Luffy!" His leg didn't look like it was bent the right way. Law jumped in the aisle to run down to the field. He was met at the gate by the redhead coach and a freakishly tall man with blue hair. "Let me through! That's my boyfriend!" Law was frantic.
"Sorry, can't do that." The coach said, a hint of worry tinged her words. Behind the two stopping him, he could see medics surrounding his boyfriend in a frenzy. Law pushed past them with swift hits and bolted to where Luffy was.
"Luffy!" He got to the young man and gripped his hand. "Luffy, you alright?"
Luffy looked up at him and winced in pain before smiling. "I'm great!"
"You idiot, I'm going to kick their asses." Law started for the fish-men he saw earlier. Luffy gripped his hand tighter and pulled him close.
"No, you won't." His smile was still evident. "It's no big deal. If they want to cheat, that's fine. It just shows their cowardice. If we engage in their cheating, then we're weak for giving in. This," he waved a hand at his leg, "is just a setback. It won't stop me from being the best soccer player there is!" The idiot's grin was back as he gleamed up at Law. Law bit his lip, a retort on the tip of his tongue. He stayed put nonetheless, and when Zoro and Sanji came to take Law away, he let them.
Law had never been worried for someone like this, nor had he ever been so pissed off about someone else's injuries. Law was fuming with a desire to get revenge, but he would respect Luffy's request. That was the first time Law saw Luffy be real. The kid was impressive with his merit. Law couldn't help but be impressed with how calm and collected Luffy was. What struck him the most was the deep, gut-wrenching feeling he experienced when Luffy fell. The concern stemmed from something deep inside Law. It was a phenomenon Law hadn't experienced for years; The man rubbed at his chest as he considered the consequences of his realization: He was in love with the straw hat.
~
At this point, Luffy pretty much lived with Law in his flat. Law's startling realization was three months in the past. Since then, the two were closer than ever. At the moment, this was because Luffy was currently hanging off of Law's side like a koala. Law swatted at Luffy's hips in a futile attempt to get him to detach.
"Oi, oi. I can't grab the blankets like this." Law held Luffy's hips and gently transferred him to the couch, passing the popcorn to him to tide his grip for a moment. Law rolled his eyes at Luffy's consequential pout. Law waved him off and headed to the cabinet he held his throws in. He grabbed a random throw off the pile and threw it over Luffy. Despite it being a typically small throw, it engulfed Luffy entirely.
"Hey!" Luffy protested, shuffling out from under the blanket.
"What are we watching tonight?" Law stood, thumbing through his library of discs.
"John Wick! John Wick!" Luffy leaned forward, putting his hands on his lap, teetering back and forth with excitement.
"Another action movie?" Law rolled his eyes and grabbed the disc nonetheless. It was the third one that week, but Law didn't really mind. After putting it in the DVR, he plopped down on the couch next to Luffy. He opened his arm, and Luffy instantly snuggled into Law's chest. Law began rubbing gentle circles on Luffy's shoulder with his fingertip. Luffy shuddered, so Law stopped, settling for squeezing his arm instead. Law hummed under his breath as the movie began. They watched in silence for a bit, occasionally exchanging forehead kisses. Law froze when he heard a sniffle come from the young man. Did he do something wrong? He gently pulled away, bringing Luffy's chin up with his curled index finger. Tears streamed down the kid's face.
"Oi, Luffy." He said tentatively. "What's the matter?" He rubbed his thumb over Luffy's wet cheek.
"His-" Luffy paused to rub at his eye "-His doggy died." He looked up at Law with a pitiful pout. Law paused. He couldn't help but chuckle at Luffy's teary-eyed face. His eyes were already big and filled with wonder, but Law noticed the way the tears magnified Luffy's pupils. It made every expression he made much more intensified. Luffy swatted at Law's smirk. "This is serious!"
"Haven't you seen this movie before?" Law wiped a tear from Luffy's cheek once more. He seemed to recall Luffy telling him it was one of his favorite movies. "You should know this is like, the main plot point. It's why he kills everyone."
"Nami and robin always happened to need help doing something during that part. They would always ask me, Chopper, and Ussop to help. A weird coincidence, really." Law rolled his eyes at the "Coincidence." He Laughed, The action earning him a scowl from his weeping boyfriend.
"Okay, okay." Law put his hands up in surrender. Luffy nodded contently, satisfied with Law's retreat; He grabbed Law's hand to wrap it around himself once more. Law peacefully played with Luffy's hair while they watched more of the movie. Bepo also somehow found his way onto Law's lap and made himself comfortable. Law couldn't help but admire the intensity in Luffy's concentration during the action-heavy scenes. Luffy began cheering on John Wick as if the assassin could hear his shouts; Part of Law believed that Luffy probably thought Mr. Wick really could listen to him through the screen. When it would slow down, Luffy would trace patterns on Law's back for a while. It was one of those moments when, suddenly, Law's spine locked up, and Luffy stopped to look at him. Law stared at the screen like nothing happened, but Luffy watched Law for a moment before a knowing grin spread across his lips. He tested his growing theory by gently running a finger over Law's side once more. As expected, Law tensed and swatted Luffy's hand away without so much as a second thought.
"Oh, so you're ticklish? Luffy said slyly.
"Nope." Law kept his gaze set in stone to a fight happening on screen.
"Oh, then why is it when I do this?" He stroked Law's side once more; Law locked up once more, right on cue. "You do that." Law removed his hand from Luffy's shoulder and slightly pushed himself to the other end of the leather couch. Bepo was annoyed by the movement and huffed as he jumped off the couch. He stretched as he landed, glaring at Law for emphasis. Law rolled his eyes and waved the sassy dog off. Luffy inched his way closer to Law slowly and waited for a few moments before clutching at Law's arm, pulling him close. Law tried to pull away, but Luffy was already on top of him, pinning his arms with one hand and tickling relentlessly with the other.
"Oi, Straw hat!" Law squirmed under Luffy's touch. "Fuck!" Law wriggled as Luffy continued to hold him down. Enough was enough, Law ripped his arms open and grabbed the smaller man's hips, flipping him over. Law's hands felt massive on Luffy's tiny waist. Law moved one arm up to his hands and held Luffy down. "You bastard." Luffy's eyes looked up at Law in earnest curiosity. Law was panting from his struggles. "Only I get to pin you down." There was a pause for a moment as they both basked in the sudden tension surrounding them. Law stared Luffy down for a moment before pulling him up by the fabric on his shirt. Their lips came crashing together. Law pulled Luffy up at the arc of his back, still holding his arms to the leather of the couch. Luffy tasted like sea salt and lemons, and Law couldn't get enough of it. He held Luffy tight until he was so close he could've sworn their bodies were going to merge into one. Luffy wriggled a hand free and buried it in Law's hair, pulling slightly. Law groaned into Luffy's mouth, making the straw hat pull harder.
"I love you," Law said, barely pulling away to say it. His lips hovered on Luffy's.
"I know." Luffy grinned pleasantly before pulling Law back into him.
The two continued indulging in each other for a while, enjoying the taste of one another. Soon enough, the night was lost on the two fumbling idiots as they basked in the comfort of another human.
~
Boxes scattered across the main room of the flat. Luffy's stuff was spilling over every surface. Law had invited Luffy to come to live with him a week ago, and they were too busy relishing in the other's constant presence to really unpack. Currently, Law found himself situated in between Luffy's legs. Luffy was sat upon the kitchen counter, looking down at Law with his typical grin. Luffy had flour covering his cheeks from the pie that he had insisted they bake. Law smiled endearingly at the man who seemed to be more of a kid than his boyfriend. He grabbed a towel from nearby and gently rubbed the spots of flour off of Luffy's nose. Luffy giggled and leaned down, gently kissing Law's forehead. Law swatted him away, but he couldn't deny the tint of pink spreading across his cheeks.
"Alright, so we've done the flour, eggs, batter everything!" Luffy said, hopping down from the counter. "Even the meringue is ready!" Luffy picked up the bowl for emphasis. Law pushed himself from where he was leaning to look.
"That's not even slightly ready, Straw Hat." He looked at the bowl. It was more cream than anything.
"Yes, it is!" The two bickered for a moment about the state of the meringue before, suddenly, Luffy held it above his head. "I'll prove it!" Luffy flipped the bowl over above Law's head. Law barely had time to flinch as it went flying. Law loved Luffy, he really did. It was moments like these, though, that made him wonder as to why.
"Oi!" Law snatched the bowl out of Luffy's hand. "Not. Ready." He glared the boy down as Luffy pouted. Meringue dripped from his every inch. It wasn't until Bepo came up, and began licking Law's meringue covered pants that Law spoke. "Go get Lemon zest from the jar in my fridge." Luffy smiled.
"Our fridge~" Luffy hummed, reminding Law that he was stuck with this. Luffy licked a piece of meringue off of Law's cheek before walking to the fridge. Meanwhile, Law grabbed a nearby wet hand towel to wipe his face off. After he was as clean as he could get without a shower, he moved on to recreating the meringue.
"Torao," Luffy whined. Law hummed and turned around to see Luffy having the battle of his life against the jar. Currently, Luffy had one hand clenching the jar, another gripping a grade-A kitchen knife.
"Oi, That's my favorite knife!' Law ran over and swatted Luffy's hand away. He scowled at the bent tip of his expensive cutting tool. Law picked up the jar, and with one swift twist, the lid gave a satisfying click. Luffy blushed as he bit his cheek and looked away.
"I loosened it." He huffed.
"I'm sure you did, Straw Hat." Law pat the poor kids head.
They went back to making the delicious pie. Everything went about as smoothly as could be expected from the two idiots, but in the end, they did end up with a delicious-looking lemon meringue pie. After they finished, Law focused on cutting six even slices. It was hard to do, as Luffy kept reaching over to grab the whole thing out of the platter. Time and time again, Law swatted his hand away. The third time, Law looked up at Luffy with a deadly glare.
"That's the last time I smack your hand," Law said, slowly. "Next time, I'm chopping it off." He twisted the knife in his hand to put a deadly emphasis on his warning. Luffy immediately put his hands up in surrender, and slowly backed off. He hoisted himself up on the counter and watched. Law meticulously cut and plated slices for both of them. Luffy was practically squirming with glee when Law handed him the plate.
"Thank you!' he grinned before digging in. "Mm! It's so good!" Luffy moaned with a mouthful of pie.
"Close your mouth, you doofus." Law scolded. He set his plate down and began cleaning up the kitchen. Flour, whipping cream, and utensils were everywhere; Luffy certainly knew how to make a mess. Luffy picked up a nearby knife.
"I'll help!" He said with a jovial hop off the counter to put the knife away. Bepo happened to be lying under him, unbeknownst to Luffy, and gave a loud yelp at the impact. The two fell to the floor, and Law winced as he rushed to his boyfriend's aid. Bepo had already bolted to the other side of the kitchen when Luffy looked up at Law. Tears welled in his eyes.
"Luffy, you alright?" Law searched the kid's body for injuries; Luffy bit his lip and shook his head as he held up his palm. Blood gushed from a slice on his open palm. "Shit." Law gently grabbed Luffy's hand and dragged the sniffling kid into his office. He was going to need stitches. Law sat Luffy down in his chair.
"I'm going to give you stitches, okay?" Law said gently. Luffy gave an adamant nod, biting his lip. "It'll hurt." Luffy nodded once more. Law set to work, carefully stitching up Luffy's wound. Luffy whimpered occasionally but was quiet for the most part. After Law finished, he held up Luffy's hand to check his work. When he decided it was satisfactory, he brought Luffy's fingers to his lips. He kissed each finger by itself before gently kissing his palm, holding his palm there as the kiss lingered for a moment.
"Be more careful, okay?" Law said gently. Luffy nodded gently as he quietly apologized.
"Okay, let's go clean up the kitchen. Alright?" Law smiled at Luffy.
"Okay!"
~
Law was unusually exhausted. He got home and fell into the large, silken covers of his bed without a word. He didn't have these types of days often, but Bepo was always able to recognize when he did; He gave Law tap on the cheek with his snout, before curling up onto his chest. Law smiled, tentatively, as he placed a hand on Bepo's soft fur.
"Torao," Luffy came in from the bathroom with that same bewildering grin that Law had so fondly memorized the lines of, "When did you get here?" He cocked his head, the hood of the oversized hoodie he was wearing ruffling his hair.
"I just got here," Law said in little more than a mumble. Luffy watched Law, his grin turning into a careful smile. The room suddenly felt small under Luffy's watch. Law tugged Bepo closer.
"Torao?" The air was cold, and Luffy's voice was quieter than Law had ever heard it. Law pulled a blanket over himself silently.
"Yes, straw hat?" Law opened one of his arms, and Luffy sleepily crawled inside of it.
"What's wrong," Luffy kissed Law's neck tenderly. Law couldn't help but notice that Luffy smelled of Coconut frosting. Something fluttered in his stomach at the scent, but it quickly went away as he recentered his focus from the small boy on his arm.
"Just something that happens ever so often in every doctor's career." Law closed his eyes and leaned his head against the headboard. He loosed an exasperated sigh before continuing. "There's this patient of mine, Kaya. She was diagnosed with melanoma 3 years ago," Law paused as Luffy twisted his head. "Cancer." Law simplified. "We've been treating her cancer all this time." His breath caught. "It wasn't enough. Melanoma is rarely a deadly case, but she was so young and fragile. It couldn't be stopped." He bit his lip. "She passed this morning." Law felt the weight of the world on his tensed shoulders. He shuddered as Luffy traced a lone line on his side.
The air was filled with a heavy silence, and Law could focus on nothing but the sound of Kaya's mom's heavy gasp when Law called her earlier this afternoon. The wrath of her father in denial. Law could still feel and smell the heat of his breath on Law's nose after her parents barged into his office an hour after the initial call. The mother fell to the floor with broken sobs on her lips. She felt even more fragile than the patient herself. Law was drawn from his thoughts by the idle kiss Luffy planted on his cheek.
"Torao, as a doctor, your main goal is to save lives." Law saw Kaya's lifeless face flash before his eyes. "But sometimes, you can do everything you know from the book, everything you've learned can be put to use." Kaya's mom looked so broken on the floor of his office. "But it can't be helped." The guilt in Law's chest steeped. "You didn't kill her. Malorama did." Despite Luffy's wild mispronunciation of the cancerous disease, the words rang in Law's head. He knew in a practical manner that he didn't kill Kaya, but it couldn't be helped. He always felt at fault when things like this occurred. He brought his tan hand up to Luffy's hair, running his tattooed fingers through Luffy's silky strands. The more Law focused on Luffy's words, the more he felt his shoulders relax against the hardwood of his headboard.
"Oi, Straw Hat." He spoke in a low baritone. "You aren't as dull as you like to seem." Luffy beamed up at him.
"What type of cancer is Mellorine anyway?" The moment was over as soon as it came as Law chuckled at his boyfriend.
"Mel~a~noma." Law pronounced each syllable carefully. "It's skin cancer."
"Mamm~O~gram~" Luffy practically hummed. Law blew out a low chuckle and kissed his boyfriend's forehead.
"Let's just nap, okay?" Law began unbuttoning the black button-up he wore to work, as Luffy nodded enthusiastically. Once Law got the shirt off, Luffy eagerly wrapped his arms around Law's torso as they settled in for an afternoon nap. Law felt his worries melt away under the heat of Luffy's grip.
~
Law spent way too long that morning fidgeting with his tie. He was clad in black jeans and a yellow button-up paired with a black tie. He watched his tired eyes in the mirror and wished the bags under his eyes would vanish. He was focusing too much on work lately, and his sleep scheduled had been jacked because of it. He rubbed gently at the bags and thought of the day ahead. He didn't know much about Shanks, but he did know that it sounds like he could kick Law's ass. He shook off the thought and headed into the kitchen. Luffy was sat atop the counter in blue jeans and a black button-up. Law admired the top while walking over to the kid. He fiddled with the sleeve on Luffy's arm. He enjoyed the embroidered sunflowers scattered throughout the shirt. Luffy's mouth was set in a deep pout. Law watched Luffy's glimmering eyes expectantly.
"Yes?" Law twirled a loose piece of string from Luffy's shirt around his finger.
"Are you going to break up with me?" Luffy whined. Law dropped the piece of string and cradled Luffy's cheek. Luffy's skin was warm and damp.
"Have you been crying?" Law's voice dropped to a comforting whisper. "Straw hat. We're meeting your parents today. Why would I have any intention of doing so if I was leaving you?"
"I dunno." Luffy's sniffle was barely audible. "The fortune cookie said so."
"What?" Luffy timidly pointed at a carton of Chinese food on the counter. Next to the carton, was a broken cookie and a crumpled paper. Law gave Luffy a side glance as he picked up the paper on the other counter.
"Anticipate a new romance." Law read aloud. He gave Luffy an exasperated look and held up the slip of paper. " You trust this to tell you about the future of our relationship?" Luffy bit his lip and nodded, tears welling in his eyes. Law looked at him with an empathetic gaze as he picked up Luffy's hands and kissed each one.
"I love you, Luffy." He cupped Luffy's cheeks, wiping away the tears with his thumbs. "Lest you forget it. I'm not going anywhere." Luffy smiled and placed his hand over Law's. The light was slowly returning to his face.
"I love you too." Law leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on Luff's forehead.
"Good, now that that's settled. Let's go meet your parents." Luffy hopped off the counter and nodded.
"Aight! Let's go." Law's heart stippled with anticipation. He looked over at an abandoned fortune cookie on the counter. He didn't believe in them as Luffy did, but maybe they'd have some wise words to calm the nerves rising in his gut.
It may feel like luck is not in your grasp today, that is because it is not.
Law groaned and crumpled up the slip of paper. He pushed a hand to his cheek, rubbing his temple in an attempt to calm himself. He let a frustrated groan escape his lips as he picks up the pace behind Luffy. Shanks was Luffy's adopted father after his real dad went off to go fight int he war and couldn't take care of him. He was similar to Luffy in the way of being aloof it sounded like, but would easily kick anyone's ass if they hurt Luffy. In recent years Shanks married his new husband, Mihawk. Together they moved out of the inner city to the suburbs adjacent to the town. That was where the pair was currently headed.
When they got there, Law was astonished by the clash of aesthetics in the yard. The house was created with hints of victorian gothic architecture, but the garden was a white dad's dream. The lawn was perfectly mowed, there was a basketball hoop set up in the driveway, and a punny gnome on the porch. The uneven aesthetics settled in Law with an uneasy feeling. From what he knew about Shanks and Mihawk it made sense, though.
"Luffy!" A rambunctious cheer clamored through the yard. A big red-haired man pushed through the front door. Luffy giggled and met the man halfway. The two crashed together in a bear hug in the middle of the lawn. Law made eye contact with a menacing man by the doorway. Mihawk's yellow eyes pierced Law's soul. Law straightened his back and sauntered over to Mihawk.
"I'm Dr. Trafalgar Law. You must be Mr. Dracule? Nice to meet you." Law plastered on a relaxed smile.
"Just because those two bufoons insist we meet, does not mean we have to be friends. Dr. Trafalgar." Mihawk didn't so much as glance his way, instead, keeping his gaze instead planted on his rambunctious husband. Law nodded and backed up a few steps. His gaze shifted back to Luffy. Shanks was currently pinching Luffy's cheek and laughing. He was blabbering about Luffy not eating enough or something. Law couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his lips. Luffy definitely ate enough, to the dismay of Law's wallet; he just stayed skinny. Law reminisced on the night before when Luffy had two whole lambs to himself.
"Well, well, well, you must be the famous Dr. Trafalgar Law I hear so much about." Shanks clasped Law into a firm hug. Law was stunned by the informality of it all and simply stuttered as a response. Law was encumbered by the smell of whiskey and campfires as Shanks pulled away. He clapped Law on the shoulder as he hollered at Mihawk. "Go get the drinks ready! Luffy, there's steaks in the kitchen."
Luffy hollered at the word steak and bounded after Mihawk. Shanks watched after Luffy with a proud admiration until he got through the door. Law was glad that Luffy had such good parents, a luxury Law never experienced. Ignoring the twist in his gut, Law turned his heel in the grass, ready to make his way inside. He was stopped by a firm grip on his wrist. Shanks pulled Law back into the conversation. Law shuddered as a chill went down his spine. Shanks' face was nothing like the warm-hearted man he had just met. His gaze had turned to steel. Shanks stared at the man who's brows were now furrowed, Shanks' lips spread in a thin line.
"Yes sir?" Law said quietly, squirming to go inside, but he stood his ground. His cool and collected facial expression exposed nothing of the damned tremble in his knees.
"Law." all of the warmth in the older man's voice disappeared. Law was speaking to someone entirely new. Law tried focusing on the smell of whiskey on Shanks' breath, rather than the symptoms of a heart attack he felt rising in his body. He would have to check his blood pressure after this. "Luffy has had a lot of hurt in his life. Just two years ago he lost his brother. He's strong. Stronger than any of us." Shanks pulled Law closer. "I will not see you break him." The grip loosened on Law's wrist. "I've never seen that boy love the way he loves you." Shank's gaze lightened up. "So be careful with his heart, okay?" Shanks let go of Law completely.
"Yes sir. I have no intention of breaking your son's heart." Shanks broke a smile before clapping Law's shoulder once more.
"Good, good!" His smile emanated the same nerve-calming effect as Luffy's. Law felt his heart finally settle. "Now let's go get some drinks!" Shanks' laugh was hearty as he directed Law back inside. Was all of Luffy's family like this?
~
Law's eyes were groggy and heavy as he opened them. The breeze sent a chill down his shirtless spine as he laid there for a moment, letting all of his senses wake up one by one. He smelled the familiar scent of coconut frosting as he registered the warm body plastered across his torso. It was when Luffy's presence registered that he realized what woke him. Sniffles were coming from the young man's body. Slowly, Law held the shaking boy's body tight, running absentminded circles along his back.
"Straw Hat?" Law said. The sleep clung to his voice, making it groggy and slow. The young boy was sweating, and he shook slowly but had no indication of having heard Law. "Straw Hat," Law repeated, but this time louder. Luffy moaned quietly as he rolled over to face Law.
"Torao?" Luffy whimpered. His voice quaked and his cheeks were tear-soaked. He sleepily wiped his eyes and looked at Law. The moonlight glinted in his eyes.
"What's wrong?" Law said quietly, gently bringing a hand up to Luffy's cheek, wiping the tears away with a thumb. Luffy was quiet for a moment. He held his chest as if he could feel a ghost pain from his nightmare. Luffy took a deep breath and slowly sat up. He rested his hands in his laps, staring intently at the stitching on the silk sheets.
"Two years ago, I lost my brother, Ace." Law tensed at the rarely mentioned memory. "I know you know that much, but I haven't told you much about it." There was a pause. "I haven't told you it's my fault." The words felt heavy in the air and Law watched Luffy with a heavy intent. Luffy's eyes welled up with tears as he visibly bit down a sob. "We were driving to my soccer tryouts. We were stopped at a stop sign and I had my feet up on the dashboard. Drunk drivers coming up behind us weren't paying attention and rear-ended us going 65 miles per hour. Ace saw them coming and knew we couldn't avoid the collision, so his immediate instinct was to lean over to push my feet down from the dash so my knees didn't crush my skull when the airbag went off. Because of this, he was bent at a wrong angle and when the car went flying forward, the airbag pushed the lower half of his ribs in while he was sent forward. His ribs fractured and punctured his lungs. He died on the site." Luffy paused, sobbing on the last few words. "He died because of me. If he didn't save me, he would still be here!" Each sob got louder and louder. Luffy's broken voice ringing through the room. Law shot up to a sitting position and pulled Luffy in for a hug. He held Luffy close to his chest. The sounds of the sobs were muffled, and Luffy's body racked with each cry. Law had no words, and he just sat there, helplessly rubbing Luffy's back. Luffy's nails gripped at Law's sides as he tried to regain composure. It was silent for a long while. Slowly, Luffy's sobs became quiet whimpers. His whimpers soon just became heavy breathing. They sat like that for a long while.
"I don't want to lose anyone like that again." Luffy eventually said, quietly. He slowly lifted his face to meet Law's heavy gaze. His sorrowful face was streaked with tears. "These dreams taunt me all the time, but this time, it was different." Law bit his lip and quirked his head. He felt a wistful pain grow in his chest. The next words from Luffy's mouth were barely audible. "This time it was you in the driver's seat." Law felt his heart shatter into countless pieces as he watched the quiver on Luffy's lips.
The boy who smelled of autumn, but smiled like summer; the boy who disagreed with everything Law said; and yet the boy who had Law wrapped around his finger; the boy who only saw the good in the world; the boy who saw the good in Law that first day at the pizzeria and led them here; This was the broken boy in front of Law. Law never cared for anyone as much as he cared for Luffy. He felt himself breaking with every sob from his boyfriend, and yet he had no idea how to fix it. Law had never been a man of emotions.
Law wordlessly pulled Luffy into his chest, and that seemed to get the point across. There was only one thing going through Law's mind as he felt Luffy's cries rack his body: Law knew that he was never going to Leave Luffy. Law was going to stick around. The two broken boys cried quietly in each other's arms as they each made a silent resolution to help put the other one back together.
~
"Dr. Trafalgar." Law's memories were disrupted as he looked up at the nurse by his door. He tucked the ring back into the small box. He tucked it into a drawer before looking back at the young woman.
"Yes?" He questioned as a grin spread across her cheeks.
"Are you going to pop the question?" The nurse let out a squeal and clapped her hands. Law felt a tinge of pink brush his cheeks as he rubbed the back of his head.
"Uh, yeah." He awkwardly chewed the inside of his lip.
"Ah! That's so exciting!" Her grin seemed to stain her face. Law couldn't help but notice that it wasn't as bright at Luffy's. "Do you think he'll say yes?" Law smiled at the memories of the last year and a half with his boyfriend.
"Something tells me he already knows I'm the man he's going to marry."