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The Polar Tang sat on a busy street, right between his flat and his usual route towards Baratie. Sabo, recently done with his work assignment overseas, had informed them of his arrival later in the day, and Ace deemed the occasion momentous enough to get a tattoo. Luffy declined getting one, but was happy to tag along.
Inside, music played, the guy wearing sunglasses worked methodically on Ace's left arm while Luffy lounged on a red chaise flicking through an old issue of Delicious. Everything was very clean and colorful and awesome looking.
A ring. The guy didn't remove his eyes from Ace's bicep. "Penguin," he said to his partner, currently drawing nearby. "Your phone."
"Do me a favor."
"I'm with a client, damn."
"Ugh."
Penguin ambled over, picked up his phone. "You want something inked?" he asked Luffy.
He grinned. "Nah. Just waiting for my brother."
"'kay." The line clicked, then a voice filtered through, booming enough Luffy could catch every three words. Penguin immediately winced. "I know, I know. Relax. I haven't forgotten, who do you think I am? Okay, that was one time, after which I already promised to take care of it, jeez."
Back and forth he went, before he hung up with a nervous laugh.
"Shachi."
"What?"
"It's Wolf's birthday tonight."
Shachi swore. "Shit," then bright with nerves, "We're so dead. You got him a present?"
"Do I look like I wrapped any presents recently?"
"Judging by the absence of blood and bandages, no."
"What do old people like?" he asked aloud. He turned to Luffy. "Ideas?"
The oldest person Luffy knew was Brook, and that was a big maybe. "A guitar?" he guessed.
"Our grandfather likes cookies," Ace chimed in helpfully. "He likes brunches."
Shachi whistled. "No shit?"
"Yep. Bring out a nice table cloth, the mismatched china, get tea from Sengoku, arrange the whole thing. The cherry on top? A vase with some flowers."
The life returned to Penguin's eyes. Hurriedly, he brought out his phone and started typing. "You're a goddamn genius, man," he enthused, his grin widening at the chime of an answering text. "What's your name?"
"Ace. This is Luffy."
"Ace, Luffy, if I survive the wrath of a senior citizen who happens to be a crazy scientist tonight, I'll buy you guys drinks."
"Top shelf," Shachi said, and Ace laughed. "Bepo, that traitorous bastard. He must've gotten Wolf some real thoughtful gifts, like his childhood toaster or something."
"Hear, hear. I think we've been too nice to him."
"He'd karate chop our asses otherwise."
"Touché."
"Ace," Luffy whined. "I'm hungry."
"One more hour, buddy. Then we'll go to Makino's."
"Neat."
He pulled out his own phone.
Luffy: im hungry
Zoro: when are you not
Sanji: Are you and your brother coming to Baratie then? I'll get started on lunch for ya
Luffy: maybe later? ace's bringing me to makino's
Nami: I just dropped off your package.
Nami: WTF IS WRONG WITH YOUR ELEVATOR
Luffy: what pack
Nami: I don't know. You put down my work address.
Zoro: the new game consoles luf
Luffy: nice! thanks nami
Nami: Again, why isn't your elevator working?
Zoro: it's only 4 flights of stairs witch no big deal
Nami: Not in this heat!!!
The bell hanging outside the shop rang its clapper. Luffy snickered, pestering Sanji for some leftovers tonight.
"My hero!" he heard Penguin exclaim.
A drawl. "You forgot again," it said. "Here, one basket of his favorite flowers."
"On the house, I hope?"
"No."
"Damn."
A grin unconsciously rose on his lips upon looking up. There, standing by the door, flushed from outside heat, a man who must be a good few years older than him. Sharp edges. Tattoos on both of his forearms, clasping his dark skin in thick black strokes. A bright yellow apron, and strong arms balancing a large basket of vivid colors. Eyes golden. Eyes dark. Haunted like the rest of him.
He waved, smiled wider. "Good morning. I'm Luffy!"
Realizing he was talking to him, the man only gave a brisk nod back. "Trafalgar Law," he said, Addressed his friends again: "Is leaving the flowers here alright?"
"No problem. Thanks a bunch, man. You saved us."
"Won't be a next time."
"Aw, come on now."
Law placed the present down, double checked the petals, then took his leave.
His appearance lasted for all of two minutes. There and gone. Luffy wondered if he'd imagined seeing him at all.
Later, he would learn that, even before today, they had always been circling each other's life, waiting for that first Good morning.
He would soon learn that Robin often bought orchids from Law's shop. That the spot he frequented during late nights to take pictures often saw Law with his breakfast at five in the morning. That Law's guardian had been resting in room 305, while Ace had been staying in room 300, three whole years ago.
The next time they met, Luffy was busy taking pictures of a food truck to promote a guy's business. He almost missed it, and thankfully he didn't: Law running past where he stood, arms laden with purple and blue and bright pink flowers. His golden eyes widened imperceptibly when they landed on Luffy and his huge hotdog, but soon they left him in favor of focusing on the crowded pavement.
Two weeks later, they saw each other inside Polar Tang again, Luffy waiting for Nami to get her tattoo done and Law delivering a pot of blooming hydrangeas to Shachi.
Half a week after that, Luffy was walking around with Zoro when he came across a small poster taped on the pole. Someone had lost their puppy and was willing to pay a hefty amount of money to get it back.
"That's worth three meals at Makino's," he told Zoro, who agreed this was a great way to spend their Saturday.
They found Onigiri near the park's back entrance, a small ball of fluffy white whining and looking dejected next to a pot of yellow flowers.
"Careful," Zoro said. "He might be scared of strangers, so approach slowly."
"I know," Luffy replied, stomping over, sandals slapping against the pavement.
Onigiri perked up, started barking, then jumped straight into his arms.
Zoro scratched his head. "At least he's friendly."
Using the address on the poster, they tracked down the owner, who turned out to be Law himself.
Luffy had never been inside Law's flower shop before. The little bell that pealed when they arrived was identical to the one at Polar Tang. The flowers in steel buckets were arranged neatly with name tags on them, from cold colors to more vibrant ones: great swathes of blue hydrangeas, lavenders, petunias, sunflowers and roses from left to right.
Law was assembling a bouquet on a nearby table, and when he looked up at the chiming bell, there was a scowl firmly on his face.
"Welcome," he said, then his eyes widened.
Onigiri barked, lunging at his startled arms.
Law blinked down at his puppy, astonished into silence. His hand smoothed down the dirt from white fur, earning a happy lick and another cheeky bark, then he scowled at Luffy.
"I've been running into you a lot lately," he said, waspish. "Did you orchestrate this?"
By his right, an offended frown started to form between Zoro's brow.
Luffy beamed and replied before a fight could break out: "I don't plan stuff like that. It's you who keep stalking me."
Law sputtered. He looked annoyed more than livid, and also ridiculously cute with a little puppy wriggling about in his arms.
"It's not funny," he snapped. "Here, take the money then get out."
"Oi," Zoro growled. A warning.
Luffy snatched the money up with a whoop. "You're welcome!" he said, even though Law hadn't uttered anything remotely close to an expression of gratitude.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Zoro walking out the door, incensed and done with the whole interaction, ready to go find some drinks to tide himself over until lunch. Afraid he'd get lost, Luffy hurriedly asked Law to have dinner with him tomorrow.
To his pleasant surprise, Law said yes.
The day after, he went home, changed into another shirt—he'd gone swimming earlier with Jinbe in his casual clothes—and stood outside the flower shop at around seven in the evening.
That was how it had begun.
His friends were put off by Law, each with their own reasons that they didn't shy away from voicing out loud to Luffy, but he just laughed it all off. Contrary to first impressions of their incompatibility, they fit well together. They both liked entomology. They preferred to be outdoor instead of being cooped up all day inside a room. It was a perfect match. Luffy had a lot of fun with Law.
Law's house lied beyond a door at the back of his flower shop: a living room with an open plan kitchen, a bedroom, a bathroom and a small storage room. Clean, simplistic, but there existed a distinct warmth of someone beloved by the people in his life: pictures of Law with an old man on the wall, another with the two tattooists, one where Law stood next to a huge white-haired guy in graduation gown. Two full albums of memories and a life well-lived—Luffy hadn't had the chance to go over everything.
At the depth of Law's closet were four neatly wrapped boxes, and when asked, those turned out to be this year's Christmas presents for his friends.
"I like to plan ahead," Law explained while showing Luffy a leaf with a ladybug on it. "You've seen Penguin and Shachi forget Wolf's birthday. Trust me, they paid dearly for that. The old man is not very lenient."
Luffy went over to Law's store all the time, and Law took him out for lunch often. Together they worked through all flavors of cuisine their city had to offer.
Nami worried that Luffy's crush was going to turn into something serious. His friends cited their many misgivings about Law: his creepy appearance, his unfriendliness, his sharp words, his sardonic nature.
Luffy waved them off with a mindless smile. "You gotta give Torao a chance," he always told them.
The one thing Luffy had to complain about Law was that he tended to get lost in his own head.
Most of the times, it originated from him overthinking everything in his life. "Today's delivery is late," he'd once told Luffy over the phone, and even from here Luffy could tell he was pacing, "which means there's a seventy percent chance of the wedding being ruined, and it will be the driver's fault but Ms. Molly will blame me, and rightfully so. I will lose one of my long-term clients."
Sometimes, though, it wasn't his overthinking tendency. There was a switch in his mind that, once in a blue moon, got flipped, resulting in a glassiness in Law's eyes that Luffy supposed meant he was daydreaming, for all that no emotions showed on his face. These phases happened in no discernible pattern—even if there was one, Luffy wasn't keen enough to track it—and they lasted for only half a minute, disappearing just as abruptly as their appearance.
Luffy didn't question him on it, but he took note of it, pinning it to the back of his mind. This was what he did in what he was tentatively calling their relationship. They paid attention to each other, and they brightened each other's days.
Law always brought two flowers when Luffy came over for their date, and he knew the correct amount of food to order for him. In turn, Luffy knew how to distract Law when his crankiness got on even Shachi's nerves. He knew Law loved rice balls, and as he ate at Baratie with his friends he always bought some to give Law afterwards.
He didn't know how long they had been doing this, this thing that seemed to expand more and more with each passing day, but his friends kept track for him. "Three months," Usopp declared. "This doesn't bode well for us."
Three months together, for all that they hadn't said anything definitive out loud. For all that Luffy still hadn't made a move to touch Law, tactile as he was. The most he had done was offering a side-way hug instead of saying goodbye.
He could see Law getting progressively bemused and in turn irritated by this; and maybe it was petulance, or a sense of wickedness his friends occasionally accused him of, but he wanted the first move to be from Law. He wanted to see how long it would take for Law to say fuck it, come here, kiss me.
When the fourth month slowly approached, Luffy, near the end of his patience, started calling Law names. Cute, adorable, handsome, and on one memorable occasion, kitten. He watched, vindicated and smug, as Law either blushed or stumbled over his own feet every time.
Serves him right, he thought to himself, Torao needs to hurry up!
Valentine's Day. The night they saw the new Sonic movie in theater, they went out to dinner and celebrated with some chicken wings, spicy noodles topped off with cheese, and two bottles of energy drink. Luffy's flat was only a few minutes away from Law's flower shop and so Law saw it fit to walk him home afterwards. The familiar building soon came into focus, and while Luffy was trying to remember if his friends were over and if he should just ask for a night cap regardless, Law surprised him by pulling him into his arms and kissing him.
Law had never so much as stood within touching distance with him, yet here they were enveloped by each other's presence in the middle of an empty street, the clock striking midnight.
When the embrace broke apart, Luffy said, "Finally," appreciatively.
Law rolled his eyes and shoved him away without much force. "You're horrible, you know that?"
"Can't blame me if I want to be kissed by Torao first."
"Is that so."
"That so! So you are horrible, not me."
"I can't have my reputation ruined like this."
"I know a way to fix it."
Law barked out a sharp laugh. "Come here," he said, drawing Luffy in again, telling him what he felt by overlapping their breaths together until he couldn't tell where he ended and Law began.
"What's gotten into you?" Usopp asked the moment he stepped inside his flat. Today was monopoly night, and it must've been better than usual, seeing as Zoro hadn't broken a chair yet.
Luffy dropped down and leaned into Robin's side, accepting a cup of cold juice from Sanji.
"Can't do this anymore," he moaned into his hands. "I'm gonna marry him."
On Friday night, Luffy was enlisted by Sanji to go get ice for a small party welcoming Franky and Brook back in town. For the first time in six months, the whole gang was back together in the same city. On the same continent. Luffy was beyond thrilled.
Luffy: how long will you stay
Franky: long enough for us to enjoy that upcoming party at Dadan's bar!!!
Luffy: hell yeahhh
Sanji's apartment was in the same building, but unlike Luffy and Zoro's that was both small and crammed with photographs and sword-related artifacts, it was clean and decorated with furniture that sometimes Luffy felt like he must take a shower before he was allowed to sit on.
"There you two are," Sanji said. "Late as always. Everyone's been waiting for half an hour!"
"Luffy got lost," Zoro said.
"Zoro got lost," he said with a laugh. "And then my bike ran out of gas."
"Fucking disasters. Come in."
Luffy went around the room hugging everyone while Nami helped Sanji with the spreads of food. The table was set for ten, and the alcohol was put out for twenty.
They drank a great deal of wine at dinner and retired to the main living space, illuminated by small warm lights instead of the fluorescent overhead, for some much-needed catching ups. Luffy didn't stop eating until nine, but his mouth eventually became free enough for him to talk.
On the ground, his phone gave a little chime, drawing everyone's eyes to it.
"It's Torao!"
"Put him on speaker," Zoro said.
He did, then cheered into the phone, "Torao, what's up!"
"What is up," came his familiar drawl, "is that you forgot your camera at my place again."
Nami slapped a hand on her forehead. Luffy's eyes widened. "I have a photo shoot with Shanks tomorrow!" he whined.
"I know. I'm at your place right now. Come down."
"Really? Thanks!"
Robin smiled. "Tell him to come up," she suggested. "We still have some food left, don't we?"
"That's right, milady," Sanji said.
"Torao," Luffy said. "I've got leftovers. Come up and meet my friends!"
"I don't want to intrude."
"You won't!"
A beat of silence. Then: "Your elevator's out of order."
Luffy scratched his head. "Yeah, that. Our landlord's been too busy. There's the stairs right next to it. You just need to go deeper into the halls."
Another beat of silence, stretching longer and heavier. "Could you come down?"
"Why?"
"I don't like using stairs."
Luffy laughed, thinking it was the funniest thing ever. His friends, judging by their varying frowns, didn't share the same sentiments.
"Give me a minute, okay?"
"You got it," then he hang up.
Franky crossed his arms. "That's not very super."
Usopp threw up his hands. "Thank God I'm not the only one!"
"It's four flights of stairs," Nami pointed out, a dark glare on her wine-flushed face. "Why'd he make you go downstairs instead?"
Zoro rolled his eye. "You complained about the elevator the other day too."
"But I'm not gonna force anyone, who's in the middle of a party, to come down for my convenience."
"Wait until you hear about his preferences during their dates," Zoro said, unimpressed.
"Spill."
"Does he not want to meet us?" Chopper asked worriedly.
"Guys," Luffy said, patting Chopper's shoulders. "I don't have a problem with any of it. You gotta give Torao a chance."
"How can we," Nami interrupted, "when we haven't even met him yet? What kind of person doesn't have any presence on social medias? A serial killer, that's who!"
Seeing as they were on an unstoppable tirade, Luffy only grinned sheepishly at them then left the apartment, descending the stairs in a quick jog.
It'd been a whole week of only texting, and he missed Law. He wanted to see him again.
He found Law right in front of his building, apron-less, the street lights dousing him in dark splotches of orange. His eyes stood out like those of a feline's. Kitten was a very apt nickname, despite how much Law loathed it.
"Torao!"
"Hey," he said with a small quirk of his mouth. He handed Luffy the camera bag and a blooming sunflower. "First one of the season," he explained.
Twice now Law had given him the first flower of the season, and both times found his breath stolen, his heart racing not unlike he was on the road, speeding through flashing red lights. He knew he would have to worry about integrating Law into his social circle at some point—after all, he got along well with Shachi, Penguin and Bepo—but for now it was hard to care about those worldly matters when he was vibrating out of his skin with joy, with happiness, with this unconditional thing that blazed inside his chest at the mere sight of those golden eyes.
Law didn't meet Luffy's eyes as he babbled about his dinner party but he did pick up Luffy's free hand, stroking his thumb across the back.
"I'll see you tomorrow?" he asked hopefully, having exhausted all topics of conversation.
"You will," Law replied, obligingly leaned down for Luffy to kiss him goodnight.
Near the end of the year, days had turned misty and cold. Law was working on a bouquet for Ikkaku, who had insisted on it as a gift for her friend at some random bar's Christmas party, when Shachi came bounding through the door.
"Your loverboy forgot his stuff again," he sang. "His mind has literally no space for things that aren't food. Where do I put this?"
"Anywhere that isn't covered in dirt," Law snapped.
Shachi draped the red bomber jacket over the back of a nearby chair. "You're in a mood today," he commented lightly. "When was the last time you went out with Luffy?"
"No idea." Three whole weeks.
"Uh huh." Shachi looked at his phone. "Bepo said it's been three weeks. That checks out."
"Shut up."
"Mm, sure buddy. My break's almost over anyway." Shachi peered over Law's shoulders to look at the flowers. "Ikkaku'll love this."
"I know."
"Have you met Luffy's friends yet?"
"Haven't got the time."
It wasn't even a lie. Luffy's friends were different in ages, jobs, priorities, which meant finding a perfect time and place for them all to meet Law was already a struggle. Personally, Law didn't want to meet them at all, not wanting to be observed and interrogated.
This wasn't a competition. Just because Luffy got along like a house on fire with Law's friends didn't mean Law had to do the same with his friends.
He knew he was being childish, which just served to make him more irritated.
When Shachi finally left, a spring in his steps from distracting Law out of his head, Law finally put aside the finished product and glared at the offending jacket. Raking his hands through his hair, he heaved a sigh. He might've suspected this to be intentional had Luffy not proven to be incapable of lies.
He took out his bike and pedaled his way into the relatively empty street; most of the people were busy with their lunches, and he only had to dodge a car parking where it shouldn't be every now and then.
Inside Luffy's building, the damned elevator was still out of order. Thankfully, no one was around to witness a grown man glaring daggers at it for two full minutes.
He could rush up the stairs. He could try really hard to do it. No trouble.
Instead, he called Luffy.
"Torao!"
"I'm here with your jacket," he explained. "Come down and get it."
"I just ordered spaghetti. Come up and eat with me!"
"Luffy-ya," he murmured, slightly plaintive. "Are you putting me on speaker?"
He didn't say again—Luffy wasn't exactly subtle, and so was his friends' disapproval of Law.
Luffy didn't seem like the type to truly care if he came up or not, but at the end of the day, he loved his friends and would not keep someone they hated in his life for long. He shouldn't keep someone who had to be irritable and picky all the time; he should be with someone who would have no problem with the local cinema nearby instead of insisting they went to the mall's theater. Someone who could visit his friends and charm them easily. Someone bright and brave and witty. Anyone other than him.
Law could grit his teeth and try his best, the way he'd been doing for the past two years, and the result would stay the same. He truly didn't know what else he could do.
"No," Luffy replied readily.
Law shut his eyes, pressed the phone closer to his cheek and imagined it was Luffy's face he was holding. I'll lose this soon, he realized. "Then will you please just come down here and get your stuff?"
"Okay, Torao."
The line disconnected.
Law waited, tapping his shoe against the floor.
He could just close his eyes and rushed up four flights of stairs—he didn't have the best stamina but he wasn't too out of shape for something as meager as this. If he was here with Luffy, had his hand held within his calluses, maybe he could even find it within himself to be excited. He'd been looking forward to seeing the interior of Luffy's home, a snapshot into his life; a different kind of intimacy, for him to observe with his own two eyes instead of probing Luffy for answers.
But he was alone, and he knew that holding Luffy's hand wouldn't help much. It would be really nice, but ultimately useless.
His chest tightened, his breath rattling beyond comfort.
A clatter upstairs. A door opening and closing. Then, sandals against hard ground.
He saw Luffy, jumping two steps at a time to meet him, and he felt like he was saved. For a moment, the worries, the what-ifs, the irritation, all the ugliest parts of himself faded away, and the result now found himself standing in front of Luffy.
"Torao!" he chirped, always so very glad to see him. "Thanks for bringing it to me! It's my favorite jacket."
Law scoffed. "Because it's red? How simple of you." But he leaned down to wrap him in a quick hug.
Law wanted to apologize, but the words didn't come.
"It's okay, Torao," Luffy said, leaning up to press a quick kiss against Law's cheek. "It's alright. No trouble at all."
Law swallowed, turned his head into the crook of Luffy's neck. Pressed his nose into tanned skin. Felt strong arms bracing his back. Wanted, desperately, to stay like this until the day ended.
What were his worries? What were his fears? What had he been so guilty about? An eternity of peace could be found within Luffy's arms. It might've only been one minute. It didn't matter.
He wanted to kiss him. He was afraid to. Then he realized Luffy allowed it, even welcomed it, and long might this last.
That night, at the entrance of a bar downtown, Law spotted Bepo's old college friend and raised a hand in greeting. The girls surrounding her noticed him first, nudging her on the shoulders with amused giggles that failed to carry over the loud boom of the music. Ikkaku herself was busy perusing the menu but when she turned around and saw him, she crossed the room and clapped him lightly on the shoulders in greeting.
"He's not my boyfriend!" she yelled at them. "Sorry. Is this for me? Oh, it looks pretty. You're good."
Law passed the bouquet over to her. "A bit of a short notice," he replied evenly, not wanting to seem like he was complaining, which he absolutely was.
"Thanks." She grinned. "It's near midnight. There's some snow-themed party going on, you should stay for a drink."
"I'll pass," he replied. "It's late and I need to open early tomorrow."
"Hear, hear. Have a good one."
"You too."
Before he left, the music changed into something even more rowdy, but also, weirdly sensual. Couples and strangers reeled each other closer, familiarizing their bodies as a way to commemorate the end of another harsh year. Law caught the gaze of a woman, kind and bright, and thought of Luffy.
His shoes hit the asphalt and he was already pulling out his phone, a smile, blooming into a grin. Felt bold and brave.
Law: There's this party in a bar downtown. You know Dadan's?
Luffy: !!!
Luffy: im literally on the way there
Luffy: you should join us torao
Luffy: wait ur inviting me
Luffy: no take backsie!!
Law bit back a grin. He hadn't drunk in years but he felt reckless suddenly, the kind of courage that could only come from liquor and buzzing music, from late nights and endless flashes of lights. From another text that demanded his attention, his care, and his fingers lifted, writing back immediately, the name searing in his mind, on his lips, appearing beneath his fingers: Luffy, Luffy, Luffy.
He didn't see the hit coming. A heavy blow to the torso, another to the left side of his face, right at the center of his cheek. His face hit the ground a moment later, vision blurring, pain blossoming and someone was hauling him into the dark alley next to Dadan's bar with a bruising grip around his right ankle. Its placement was familiar: over the thin bone that had once been sprained two years ago, in another city, in what seemed to be another life.
His back slammed through another door, landing on something that dug sharply into him. His hands snapped out to touch its surface, and when he realized he was lying on a flight of stairs all the colors drained from his face. With effort, he lifted his head, and—
And Doflamingo, who was under a restraining order, who should've been halfway across the country, was blocking the door.
"How—"
"I'm simply on a business trip, dear," Doflamingo said, still as a statue. "Then I remember who also lives around here." He looked around. "This brings back memories, doesn't it?"
Law stood up and palmed the folding knife on his keys. Doflamingo crossed the small space in a thundering heartbeat, fluid and sudden. He allowed the knife to knick his skin as he rammed both hands into Law's chest, sending him backward in a gasping heap upon the steps.
Doflamingo descended upon him with a taunting smile, all sinew and oversized temper and veiny knuckles. Reacting without thinking, Law struck the side of his head and got his hands caught for his trouble. Doflamingo was around him, above him, once inside him and intended to be there again, cornering him the way predators trap preys. Law cursed and kicked and failed to yank his hands away, and then it didn't matter at all when Doflamingo forbade his bid for escape with a zip-tie.
"Son of a—"
A snort interrupted him, as did the burn in his arms when Doflamingo stretched it right above his head, and before he could curse some more the air tumbled out of him at the full-bodied weight across his lungs.
Doflamingo reached into his pocket, then held the thing up into the light for Law to see. "I brought lube," he crooned, sugary sweet. Law might throw up. "So there's no need to cry like last time, hm?"
Law was finally aware of the fear at the back of his teeth then, which sent him into a frenzied struggle even as he heard the sound of a zipper. He might die here, but he wasn't scared to die. He feared the same outcome two years ago, the kind of damage Doflamingo could inflict, the hollowness inside him, and he wondered if he would have to crawl again to search for his clothes, or if this time he would simply be broken into a million pieces scattering across the ground.
Behind them, the door slammed open.
Law's eyes met Luffy's, and in the next second, Doflamingo crashed into the crates by Law's side. Luffy stalked into the room, incensed and silent, his pupils dilated, followed closely by his friends. Law supposed he should feel lucky that he still had all of his clothes on, or it might've been an awkward first meeting.
"Guys," was all Luffy said.
His friends lunged at Doflamingo like a pack of hyenas.
Instead of getting in another punch, Luffy rushed to Law's side. The steady touch on his shoulder jerked him out of his reverie and he scrambled off the stairs, kicking at the dirt until he was firmly on the ground. Luffy helped by picking him up and carried him right outside, closing the door behind them.
Pavement. Street lamps. The same surrounding in different light.
"Torao." Luffy's hands framed his face, brought him over to stare at his earnest expression, at the minor trembling near the corner of his mouth. "Torao, let Chopper check you over."
Law hadn't even noticed the boy kneeling nearby. "Med student," Chopper introduced himself. "I always bring a first aid kit."
Nothing registered after that. Dimly, he was aware of Luffy calling his name, but his eyes could only fixate on one detail at a time and they decided to not move from his zip-tied hands, tight enough for the skin to turn pale. A cut. Hands, free. Hands, not knowing what to do with themselves. A sting on his face. He winced, tugged on Luffy's shirt, trying to hide into it but two pair of hands held him back, not letting him get away from the constant prickling ache on his cheek.
He let out a small noise, confused and wounded. Why didn't Luffy let him get closer? "You hate me," he accused, under his breath, or maybe out of breath.
Luffy startled, saying something, gesturing toward someone.
Next, his nose finally decided to function properly. The scent of antiseptic hit like a battering ram. Right. Getting treated. Luffy didn't let him do what he wanted because he needed to stay still and let Chopper work.
"Can you walk, Torao?"
Law blinked. Minutes had passed again, it seemed. "What?" he asked.
Luffy sighed, fondly. "Get on my back."
A frown tugged at Law's mouth. "I'm heavy."
"You're thin and underfed," Luffy retorted. "Hop on."
Law didn't know where Luffy found the audacity to talk to him like that. He ought to give him an earful. His limbs, though, settled into something resembling a newborn deer's movements and climbed onto Luffy's back.
He mumbled vows of vengeance into the shirt in front of him, digging his chin into the stocky shoulder to get his message across.
"You're tickling me," Luffy replied, sing-song.
On their way back to his store, rain began to fall. Light, then heavier. They stood in front of the window now clouded with water, their small world full of flowers and each other. "Torao," Luffy said, opening his arms as Law finally started to shake. He pressed his face into Luffy's shirt, and it was damp with sweat. "Torao," he repeated, his eyes large and bright, like a spill of golden liquor in an otherwise tasteless city, and Law, tired as he was, went into freefall.
"How did you know where I was?" he asked when Luffy slid alongside him on the bed.
"We were texting, then all of a sudden you sent me a bunch of gibberish," Luffy explained, stretching until his spine popped. "I tried to look for you in the bar. I spotted this girl with flowers and thought maybe she'd bought it from your shop."
"Ikkaku is one of my regular clients."
"She's nice. We were walking around until we heard a clatter. That's when we found you."
He felt heavy, in his bones, even with clean clothes. There were bandages on his face and Luffy was rubbing his thumbs over the indents around Law's wrists; the only source of light came from the neon sign on the opposite side of the road, submerging them in a faint shade of light blue and dark navy.
Law wanted, suddenly, to tell him. Tell him what? Tell him Law was tired, that he hadn't even thought of him back there, had made peace with dying a faithless death, and it hurt anew like a betrayal.
Law should be crying. It would be a more appropriate reaction, considering the circumstances. He couldn't tell when Luffy moved but now their legs were tangled together, they were lying on the same pillow, under the same blanket, and he was so warm he felt like he ought to cry.
He didn't, but he wanted to.
"Second time, now," he said, without preamble. Luffy's eyes didn't leave his face, unreadable yet open at the same time. "I used to work a corporate job, do you know that?"
"Not really."
"Data analysis, and I was good at it. He was my boss. He wanted to make me his secretary, giving me a fast track to sit in his chair once he decided to resign or move up another rank within the company." A car passed outside, briefly lighting up the room with a flash of pale yellow. "Problem is, he thought I was like him, that I wouldn't bat an eye at his embezzlement, at his people's bribery. He owns the city, so reporting was out of the question."
"What did you do?"
"I quit. Handed in my notice, cleaned out my desk. The office held a small party for me. It was decently touching." This part was the hardest. "He accompanied me to the company's garage, and we stopped by the final stairs to have one last amicable chat. It was ten in the evening. He didn't let me go until eleven."
Luffy held his hand, white-knuckled, and the hurt didn't stick. Law didn't tell him about the aftermath. He didn't tell him that Doflamingo had thrown his pants away before leaving; let Law stayed there on the stairs. He didn't tell him how his mind had still run through the logistics, coming to the realization that he couldn't sue anyway because nothing in this world couldn't be bought, couldn't be threatened into compliance. Given Vergo's position in the force, a restraining order was all Law could get, and even then. Even then.
The next part, though. The next part, he found he could divulge to Luffy. "I couldn't move. My ankle was sprained. You know who found me?"
"Who?"
"Penguin and Shachi."
A small smile brightened his eyes and softened his feature. "What were they doing there?"
"To pick up an old friend. They drank every Friday night. They found me, and Bepo drove me to the hospital, because he was the only one who had a car."
"And you've been friends since then."
"Yeah. When I moved here, so did they. Wolf's their guardian since their childhood, and he helped me secure a place for my own business."
"Torao?"
"That's why I never—I—" The press of their foreheads was grounding enough for him to continue. "I can use an elevator just fine. But, no stairs. Haven't been able to. Couldn't bring myself to use one. So when you kept forgetting your things at my place—"
Luffy's face paled. "I didn't do it on purpose," he insisted, as if Law didn't know it already. "If it bothers you, you should've hired a shipper instead of delivering my stuff yourself."
Law kept his gaze steady. Nerve seized him suddenly, urging him to lie. With Luffy's solid presence so close, he couldn't even if he tried.
"I wanted to see you." He swallowed. "Missed you." All the time.
Luffy smiled at him again, a little winded, a little sad, a lot happy. Law began to do the same, flushing under the weight of his gaze, the laughter low like thunder in his chest. He could fall asleep like this, dreamless and taken care of.
Another minute ticked by, and then he did.
Luffy had been listening to the sound of Law breathing all night. At three in the morning, his group chat lit up.
Nami: The piece of shit been arrested.
Luffy: by who
Brook: Smoker and Tashigi
Zoro: They're incorruptible. Don't worry.
Robin: I've asked Sabo to check over Doflamingo's personnel, particularly Senior Vice President Trebol and officer Vergo.
Sanji: Fuck, he really was surrounded in that city
Jinbe: How's Torao?
Luffy: sleeping
Nami: I've called his friends to let them know what happened. They'll visit first thing in the morning so remember to tell Torao.
Usopp: How did you know their contacts
Nami: Through Ikkaku.
Chopper: I'll come over later to check his bandages!
Franky: What are his opinions about coke and will he flip if I send him some tomorrow?
Luffy: idk but sounds great!
Luffy: thanks for tonight, really
Luffy: i couldn't stay behind
Robin: It's no trouble.
Zoro: we wanted to get a few hits in as well. now get off the phone and go to sleep man
Luffy didn't want to sleep. He didn't care for the slow droop of his eyelids, or the panic staccato of his heart. He wanted to stay awake for a while. Law's furrow had evened out in his sleep, and he looked good like this, bathed in a perfect blue. He would be okay eventually. It wasn't a condition but a promise. Either way, Luffy would stay.
Eventually, all the sunlight of December came in through the split in the curtain and dyed them both in a soft yellow. It touched Law's lashes and before Luffy could shield them to prolong his rest, his eyes were already peeling open, blazing golden under the last dawn of an old year.
"Hey."
Luffy smiled. "Good morning."
You're back. I've missed you.