Chapter Text
Finally, the moving was over. After arranging his things, unpacking the boxes, and assembling the furniture, Law finally threw himself on the newly assembled bed in his small flat. Starting today he began living there all by himself.
Law was a student at Faculty of Medicine at New World University and was starting his final grade this year. In order to get rid of the noise and distractions at unis’s dormitory, he rented himself a flat. It was not that amazing, but it was calm and affordable. And most importantly… he was alone there. No annoying roommates, no loud uni parties, and no noisy neighbors. A perfect place for focusing on his upcoming studies and thesis.
After a long and tiring time of unpacking all the things and arranging the place, his stomach started acting up, so Law got up from the bed and moved closer to fridge, where he had stored a bought dinner. Since he kinda expected, he’s not gonna be in state of wanting to cook something himself, he went and bought something in advance. Now he was almost worshipping himself for this superb idea. After finishing dinner, he planned on looking ahead on his study materials, so he didn’t really have time on forcing himself to spend lots of time at kitchen.
As midnight was getting closer, Law unexpectedly started to crave for some snack. He decided then on making a break and went to the cupboard to look for something. He knew he put some chocolate truffles there. He took the pack and emptied its insides into a small bowl. He then grabbed the bowl and went back to his shining laptop and put it next to it. Then he immersed himself back into the contents of neural system and its diseases. After a while he grabbed a cookie and wanted to eat it, but something caught his focus. The bowl was half empty even though Law ate only two truffles so far. Although they were pretty big, so Law shrugged it off and turned back to his laptop.
But when he wanted to grab another truffle, there were only two left. Strange. Law looked closer to the bowl to discover a trace of cocoa powder going somewhere. That’s even weirder. Law quietly rose from his chair and followed the trace of cocoa heading to his truffle thief. The closer he was, the louder were the sounds of smacking. Then he finally discovered the hideout of this little unexpected guest. The sound was coming from Law’s half empty wardrobe with hangers. Law took a deep breath and threw the door open. The view appearing in front of him almost knocked him dead.
Law expected everything but this. He expected some animal such as a mouse, a rat or maybe even a cat or whatever. But sitting in his wardrobe under the empty hangers, there was a human body. Precisely a body of a black-haired young boy stuffing is face with Law’s truffles. Law’s jaw fell down.
„AAAAHHH! What the fuck! Who are you?!“He screamed. The boy turned his head to look at the person who interrupted his truffles session only to discover a screaming young man with his brows nearly hitting the ceiling while staring directly at him. The boy only popped his eyes and asked:
„You can see me? “
---
Law had a feeling as if he were thrown into some movie with supernatural phenomenon since the mysterious boy was sitting right across the table on a seat and was stuffing his face with the truffle leftovers from the bowl.
„So, who exactly are you? “
The boy raised his head and made a huge grin on his face. He wildly resembled a shining sun.
„I’m Luffy. Nice to meet you. “
Law blinked. That was not what he asked for.
„Okay, but who are you? What are you doing here? So far, I am the only one, who’s supposed to be in this flat. “
Luffy looked at him and tilted his head.
„But I was here earlier than you! “he pouted and turned away. Law sighed. Better start with some basics or they won’t get anywhere like this.
„Fine then. My name is Trafalgar Law. I am a med student and I rented this flat to be alone and focus on my final grade of uni. What about you? “he then said. Luffy turned back.
„To be honest I have no idea why I’m here. One day I simply appeared here and that‘s it. And until now, no one really noticed me. I guess I am a ghost then! “Luffy laughed and sticked a finger inside the bowl, wiping off cocoa powder by his finger to lick it then from his finger pad.
„For how long are you here? “asked Law. Luffy stopped with his finger sticking from a corner of his mouth and thought for a moment. „A year? I don’t really know, there’s not many things to do and I don’t keep the track of time. “
„Do you at least remember what happened to you before you appeared here? “
Luffy grinned. „Nope, not at all! “he laughed again. Law sighed again. What’s with this boy? He’s completely dumb. Law got a terrible feeling that his last year at uni definitely won’t be as calm as he wanted.
A month went by and Law somehow started to get used to a certain unexpected freeloader in his flat. Luffy was a pain in the ass. The fridge was empty all the time and Luffy laughed more than was being quiet. Law was slowly going insane. As to why a ghost could touch things and even him himself, was a mystery for him.
It was one evening before a crucial test from histology. It was well over midnight and the test was supposed to be at 8 am. Law was going crazy. He couldn’t force himself to look at it anymore because he was studying over 5 hours in one go now and Luffy doing whatever stuff he was doing was not helpful at all. There were only laughs coming from the other side of his room where was Luffy lying on his stomach reading some shonen manga. Although Law didn’t look like it, he was a big fan of this particular series. Luffy was excited and was reciting all the quotes he considered cool aloud for Law to hear. Law’s patience finally run out and he grabbed a pen, which he then threw at overly excited boy to finally silence him.
„Shut up for at least fucking five minutes!!! I need to fucking focus! “Then he sat back on his chair and turned himself back to his notes from the last lesson.
Luffy was stunned for a moment, then he pouted. „If you don’t want me here, just feel free to say so!” He retorted. With this he quietly rose from the ground and went to hide himself inside Law’s wardrobe. That was his favourite sulking place.
Finally, silence, sighed Law with relief. He returned to his notes and studied to his heart’s content. Around 3 AM he finally closed his laptop and went to bed. Nothing was distracting him, so he quickly fell asleep.
The following morning Law overslept so he got into time pressure to come to the test on time. He quickly made himself some breakfast, washed his teeth and put on some appropriate clothes. Then he had to rush to school to barely make it in time, which got him laughs from his classmates. Just as he was fillilling the test papers with answers, he realized he hadn’t seen Luffy at all from the time he took amiss after Law’s burst of anger.
He couldn’t stop thinking about it for the rest of his today’s lectures. Maybe he overdid it. Luffy was a young boy, after all, Law assumed he wasn’t even adult and Luffy didn’t know it himself. Law was wondering if Luffy’s gonna be still sulking when he gets home. How his overthinking progressed more and more, Law started to feel a bit guilty, so on his way back he bought a pack of chicken drumsticks, intending on trying to apologize to Luffy and make up for him. Since Luffy loved meat, Law planned to cook it himself.
When he finally got home, there was quiet. Too quiet. Almost suspiciously quiet. Luffy was usually welcoming him because for some reason he couldn’t leave Law’s flat, so he was waiting for him all the time. But now the flat was completely silent, as if there never lived a black-haired energetic young ghost.
Law quietly took off his shoes and cap. Then he went inside his room and asked: „Luffy-ya, where are you? “No response. Law looked into bathroom and restroom to look for him, but the boy was nowhere to find. Law started to get tense. He opened the door to his wardrobe to look into the last place he hadn’t searched through but Luffy wasn’t there as well.
Drops of sweat rose on Law’s forehead. What if Luffy truly disappeared? And Law was so bad to him yesterday. The guilt was pressing him till he tried to call for him again.
„Luffy-ya, where are you? Why are you hiding? Did I overdo it yesterday? I’m sorry, I was just stressed. I didn’t mean to. Please, show yourself. “
But there still was no response. It seemed as if Luffy seriously left him. Law dejectedly sat on the bed. But when he wanted to lie on his back, he hit something by his head. A quiet „Ouch“ said by a familiar voice filled Law’s ears.
„Luffy? Is that you? “Law lifted his hand and tried to search for that invisible body of his ghost roommate. Then he finally touched him and Luffy appeared before his eyes. There was worry written all across his face.
„Torao! Why didn’t you hear me!? I tried to call for you the whole morning! “Luffy was quietly sniffling. Tears were coming from his eyes. Law immediately hugged the almost crying boy.
„When you yelled at me yesterday, I was hurt, and it made me lose my presence not to bother you and I hid inside the wardrobe. And after a nap I was okay and wanted to wake you up as usual. But… b-but you weren‘t reacting to me at all! You acted as if you don’t see me at all! I though you’re angry at me! But you didn’t respond at me at all even when I wished you good luck on your test and went out without even greeting me! I started to wonder whether you even noticed me and whether you still see me. So, I waited for you at the door. “Luffy stopped to take a breath, which was almost pointless because he was starting to sob. „Then you came but you walked around me as if I weren’t there! And when you started to search for me and call me, I realized you seriously can’t see me anymore! I got so scared, Torao! “Now Luffy was fully crying. Law felt his hot tears making wet spots on his shoulder. „I got scared you never gonna see me again and I’ll be alone again! I don’t want to be alone anymore! It sucks! I hate it! “Luffy’s body was shaking. Law tightened his embrace.
“But I can see you now and that’s what matters. Now, now, I’m here.” He was whispering to Luffy. Something told him, that it shocked Luffy more, that he would expect. When Luffy finally calmed down and was able to talk without hitching, Law quietly asked him.
“Why do you fear loneliness so much?”
Luffy raised his eyes and looked at him with eyes all red and puffy of crying.
“I told you I was here alone for a year. But that wasn’t the entire truth. In fact, there were people living here, except they couldn’t see me nor hear me. They even could walk through me. I felt like I didn’t exist. I could touch things and could eat their food, but I couldn’t touch them nor talk to them. And when I tried to communicate via some devices or simply by writing things down, they just started to scream and moved out not long after. It was suffocating. The more that I don’t know why I ended up here nor do I know why I ended up like this. I remember only some fragments of my previous life but not enough to know who I really am. I don’t even know my full name.” said Luffy with a hollow voice so different of his usual happy and bright one.
Law was quietly listening to him. It was all confusing. Law understood his fear of loneliness more than enough, since he himself was an orphan for a long time and only got lucky, that he got adopted by Corazon. Corazon helped him so much wuth dealing with his own personal struggles. But he couldn’t understand why he could see and touch Luffy at all. As for Luffy, he didn’t know why the boy was there. Law only had a feeling that this was a fate’s doing. Not that he believed in such things.
Luffy looked at Law, who was lost thought.
“Torao?”
Law blinked and his mind returned into present time. “Yes?”
Luffy let a small smile rise on his face. “I’m glad you can see me.”