Archive of Our Own

The cold press of a sword against his throat is so achingly familiar, Law nearly leans into it. “I’m sorry,” he pitifully whispers, voice barely able to get through after a blow to the throat.

“He’ll never forgive us,” Zoro snarls back, rage and grief tearing the man apart. He’s got one arm left, but his sword is steady. “He’d rather I do this than have anyone die to save him.”

“I’m sorry,” Law whispers again. He doesn’t want to do this to Luffy either. “There is no other way. Luffy’s the only one that can stop this.”

Zoro knows this.

With a roar of anguish, Zoro pulls his sword away. He fists his hand in Law’s matted hair and drags him back for an aggressive press of lips that can hardly be called a kiss. Law presses back just as incessantly.

“In the next life,” Zoro says, resolve in his eyes that makes Law’s heart break, “I’m going to kick both your asses.”

Law manages to give him a wry smile. “I look forward to it.” Then his smile drops. Something trickles down his cheek. It could be sweat, blood or tears. Law’s too exhausted to care. “Watch over him for me, yeah?”

Zoro’s entire being is tense, the muscles on his neck standing out as he swallows back his entire desire to probably pin Law to the ground and stop him.

“Yeah.”

Law turns back to Luffy’s head on his lap. He traces the throat for a pulse that is no longer there.

“Forgive me, Mugiwara-ya,” Law mouths against Luffy’s bloodied forehead. “Room.”

-

Not strong enough.

The words have always been a challenge. Never has the sentiment hurt as much as it does now as Zoro watches his lover give his life away to bring his Captain back from the dead.

Luffy will never forgive Zoro for allowing someone he loves to be sacrificed for him again. He’ll probably hate him for dying right after.  

Luffy starts to stir, quietly and with a lot of pain, the dim morning light shining on his eyes. The ruins of the ancient city of the Divines halo his body. Zoro agrees with Law, knows it has to be Luffy. Known since the entire world started going to shit.

It doesn’t make it hurt any less. Luffy is going to be alone and that is the worst feeling of it all. Zoro wishes he could reach into himself and be selfish enough to just fuck the world. Take Luffy and run.

But that’s not what his nakama died for. They didn’t care about the world, but they cared about a handful of people in that world. And Zoro will respect their last resolve.

“Zoro?”

Zoro tightens the tourniquet keeping his arm from bleeding out. It’s mostly useless, Zoro knows he’s on death’s door. But he has one last battle.

“Torao? Hey – why are you sleeping?”

The croaked words threaten to slice Zoro straight down the middle.

“Sorry,” he says to Luffy, an apology he rarely has to speak, not to his Captain. He walks over to cup Luffy’s horrified face. He presses a kiss to the bloodied forehead. “Find us in the next life, got it, Cap?”

“Zoro – what are you - ” Luffy’s fingers fall off of Zoro’s arm, still weak. Behind him, Zoro can hear the shrilling cry of the beast that called itself the Guardian of the Tree of Life. Morphed and on a rampage by the Yami Yami no Mi. One last take down.

Zoro gives Luffy a self-assured, cocky grin and runs to his death with Luffy’s screams of his name behind him.

_

There is no one.

Luffy doesn’t think he has ever felt such torturous echoing silence before.

Around him, Raftel burns to the ground. The bodies of his nakama are falling from the sky, falling amongst the stars. He’d placed Zoro by Law, both behind him. Their bodies are submerged in a crystal pool, their blood making its way to a mostly burned tree.

Luffy watches as if through a dream. A terrible dream.

“I’m sorry.”

There is a fairy sitting on his shoulder. That’s what Usopp had called her, at least. Luffy thought she was a cool glowing bug. Had.

“Everyone keeps apologizing,” Luffy says, emotionless. “But they keep leaving me, anyway.”

The fairy’s tears keep making little diamonds on Luffy’s shoulder. He wants to brush her away.

“I’ll fix it.”

Luffy turns to her, still feeling as if his soul is falling with his precious people. “You will?”

“I will,” she assures, a steely resolve in her eyes that Luffy is well acquainted with.

“You’re going to die too?”

She flinches, but it’s minute. “Death is subjective,” she says.

Luffy shakes his head. “Are you leaving me too?”

She floats up gently cupping Luffy’s face, “Just for a little while. I know you’ll find me again. This – this wasn’t the end. Wasn’t the adventure. This wasn’t what fate intended.”

Blackbeard broke fate. Or the Yami Yami no Mi did. Law said Teach wasn’t strong enough to control the fruit and it devoured everything in it’s path, including its bearer, the Tree of Life. And half of the New World. Luffy destroyed it all and now there is nothing and no one left.

“I’ll fix it, Luffy,” she swears. “I want to see that bright world again.”

Luffy is quiet. “I want to see my friends.”

“I can’t promise that,” she says wistfully, but with a teasing smile. “You’re just going to have to find them yourself again.”

Luffy makes a puzzled noise, finally the first strings of energy pulsing through his body. “Again?”

“Again.”

There is a tsunami of hope the crests suddenly and violently in Luffy. And then just as suddenly, the terror grips him.

“I can’t – I can’t, not without them - ” Luffy looks helplessly at Zoro, his first mate, his best friend, his first love. And Law his rival, his lover – his almost husband – “Please.”

Luffy doesn’t beg. It’s a quiet, resigned thing. He’ll do it if he has to. He’ll save them alone, if he has to.

But it feels just as scary to see faces that don’t love him back as it does seeing their broken bodies.

“Them too,” she assures, hugging Luffy’s cheeky. “Yggy-chan says so.”

A crushing wave of relief. Luffy sniffles, turning to the burned tree. “Thank you,” he says, never forgetting his manners.

He doesn’t know what is going on. He doesn’t really know what Glow-san is saying. ‘Again’ sounds creepy in the same way Blackbeard’s last lingering laugh did. But he thinks of his nakama and thinks it’s worth it to try.

“We’ll meet again, Luffy,” she says, voice full of promise. “There is still more adventure waiting for you.”

Luffy finally smiles. “Looking forward to it.”

_

Law’s mother hands him a journal at the age of four and tells him he should write down his feelings.

‘Exhibiting signs of PTSD’ he hears his parents converse worriedly. He has no idea what they mean but at the same time knows exactly what the symptoms of post-traumatic-stress-disorder are.

He writes. And writes. He doesn’t read back because that makes him burst into tears. But some time between writing down how happy sitting on a lion made him, things start sliding into place. He’s never seen a lion, the North Blue is too cold.

At six, he questions if he has foresight. There is a consistent feeling of deja-vu surrounding him and while Law knows that the feeling is just his synapses misfiring, surely not everything is supposed to trigger him into this?

At seven, his grandmother passes away. She leaves behind a pair of amber earrings for Lami.

And then it slides back like an avalanche.

Law passes out and wakes up to his parents trying to figure out what could send him into shock.

It’s a bit early – he doesn’t know what it would change – but Law has to try. His dreams come to him but then there is something different from dreams – this, this has to be foresight.

He follows the dreams – asks his parents to send him to a doctor in the Lavender Sea. She is known for her breakthrough practices in the art of healing the mind. His parents send him without any hesitation, a hired nanny to guide him through the journey.

Law gets the Ope-Ope-no-Mi from a random tree in an island that smells too strongly of flowers with no one the wiser, guided by what he swears is a little green glowing bug. The relief that slots into his head when he touches the fruit doesn’t feel like his own, but Law isn’t too concerned. He thinks it’s the voice – Y, he names it – and eats the fruit.

A bright burst of laughter tinkles through his ears and Law chokes down his feelings along with the awful taste of the fruit. He doesn’t remember the name, just yet, but he knows that will come. As sure as the feeling that there people waiting for him.

Law turns around and goes back to Flevance and changes the course of history with the knowledge that some idiot in a straw hat probably gave him the chance.

_

Luffy wakes up feeling like he is forgetting something. It couldn’t be important though – nothing is more important than seeing Shanks today!

The same night he eats the Gomu Gomu no Mi he has a strange dream. There are a lot of people on top of a lion. It’s really cool. The dreams keep coming. Some are great but leave him confused when he knows to duck under a tiger that shows up just like his dream. There are also bad ones. Really bad ones.

He tries to tell Ace and Sabo one day, except the words die on his tongue. Something really painful blooms in his chest and Luffy yelps, clutching it as he is brought down to his knees.

Ace scoffs, kicking Luffy and making him fall through the trees. “You’re slowing us down, weakling!”

Sabo is more worried, small feet making their way to where Luffy doesn’t immediately get up. “Hey – you okay?”

“F-fine,” Luffy stutters, wondering why he suddenly feels like crying but in a different way. It feels hotter, more urgent, more like he is going to break. “C-Can I have a hug?”

Sabo blinks at him in surprise while Ace scoffs, already walking away. Luffy sniffles and Ace pauses.

“Sheesh, you’re such a cry baby!” he snarls, but marches over and grabs Sabo and they both kind of press Luffy together.

It’s barely a hug but Luffy feels like something has shifted in place and he laughs through his tears. “I love you!”

“Sap!” Ace yells, face red. He conks Luffy on the head and runs away.

Sabo pets Luffy’s head awkwardly. Then in a secret voice he says, “I’m glad you’re our little brother.” Then he runs after Ace, teasing him about being a sissy about his feelings.

Luffy watches them go, happy tears flowing over his face. He doesn’t really know why, but he has a sudden and fierce urge to protect those two, more than his meat, more than his precious hat. He just wants them to live.

The dreams keep coming back steadier and steadier. With them comes a knowledge of how far his arm can stretch and what to do to tense them in a recoil. In them there is this cool black steel that coats his fist and catches on fire, but Luffy can’t get the hang of that just yet.

But it doesn’t matter. He’s stronger. Sabo and Ace start to look at him in wonder, each time Luffy takes on gangsters or bandits with increasing ease.

He holds them both tight. He never stops telling them he loves them. They hate it at first, but Sabo takes it easier than Ace and slowly Ace comes around to just rolling his eyes and ruffling Luffy’s head.

One morning, Luffy wakes up to a horrible, horrible feeling. He knows what’s going to happen, but he doesn’t exactly know what to do to stop it.

And when he and Ace look out to the treacherous open sea without Sabo, something slots into place and Luffy grabs Ace’s hand tight in his own.

“He’s alive,” Luffy promises, a heavy weight and conviction he doesn’t know from where behind it.

Ace’s silent screams says he doesn’t believe Luffy. But that’s okay, Luffy believes enough for the both of them. So much so, he doesn’t stop Ace from leaving.

“I’ll see you there,” Ace says, ruffling Luffy’s head one more time.

Luffy grins, carefree and assured. “Yeah, you will.”

_

“Took you long enough,” Zoro says, when he first sees Luffy’s straw hat peek up over the wall of the prison courtyard he’s sitting in. The guards are piled under him.

He does blink in surprise to see Nami with Luffy.

“Shishishi,” Luffy laughs, as beautiful as any sound Zoro has ever heard. “I found Nami on the way.”

“Idiot,” she says, conking Luffy on the head, “you nearly killed us! After we just saw each other!”

Luffy laughs loud and happy and Zoro feels his own smile tug into place. Feels everything settle, now that he has Luffy in front of him.

As a child he dreamt of a straw hat and a sunny smile. Tangerines and slingshots. A cigarette and antlers. A book and cola. Violins and fish. A heart tattoo, fingers that spelt ‘death’ tracing over a scar Zoro doesn’t have yet.

It’d taken a boulder to the head to remember. It was slow, parsing through the memories. Kuina came first. Like a guiding light, Zoro started to remember the drive – the stronger, stronger, stronger – that pulsed under his skin like a command. He’d been feverish with the overworking himself, only stopping when Kuina told him he’d never be able to reach his dream if he killed himself from too much training.

He saves her and that’s when he feels his entire being shift. He knows there are more people he needs to save. More people to fight. More people he needs to defeat to become stronger. And it’s hard to do that here, but he stays because he knew it was not time yet.

And when it was time, Zoro knew exactly where to go. (Even if he got a little lost along the way.)

“Glad you made it,” Zoro says.

Luffy’s grin is blinding. It trembles, just barely, around the corners. Without another second to spare he flings himself from the wall into Zoro’s arms.

“Found you,” Luffy mumbles into Zoro’s chest.

“Knew you would,” Zoro says easily. Then he leans down and kisses Luffy.

Nami makes a gagging sound and turns away with, “Already!? Come on! I’m still keeping our fines for PDA active!”

“Where to first, Captain?” Zoro asks Luffy.

Luffy slides his eyes over to Nami. She huffs. “Don’t look at me, I’m just a peaceful civilian this time. That means we’re going straight to Usopp.”

Luffy cracks his knuckles. “Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go grab our nakama and kick some ass!”

_

“It’s kind of amazing how he always gets captured by someone,” Usopp says, leaning over Luffy’s back.

Luffy thinks it’s cute. Likes how Law always brings him adventure. And even if Law is scowling at the camera, there is no real upset in his eyes. Even if he is surrounded by Marines. ‘Prince of Miracle, Doctor Trafalgar does it again!’ the headline reads.  

Luffy laughs. “Oi, Sanji, want to come kidnap my prince with me?”

Sanji yells back something unintelligible but sounds something like how he’d need Law to be in a dress first.

Luffy makes a considering sound while Zoro grins, sharp. “His legs would look good.”

Usopp smacks them both on the head. “We’re literally children again, Sanji has enough pervy energy for the entire ship!”

Luffy pouts, rubbing the back of his head. “But we’re older – right? Like last life plus this life! Nami, how old are we?”

“Nothing, I’m willing to consider,” she huffs, swiping her long hair over her back. “Besides, we’ve got to pick up Robin and save Vivi-chan first.”

“And meet Laboon!” Usopp reminds.

“I wonder if Brook’s there,” Sanji comments, carrying a tray of drinks.

“He’ll be waiting,” Luffy says with surety.

His crew – half of them – turn to him with bright grins on their faces.

Nami’s is without the shadows of fear – Jinbe stopped Arlong from ever approaching East Blue. She’s leaving her home knowing her family is safe.

Usopp has the excitement of adventure in his eyes. He’d stopped Kuro from assassinating Kaya’s parents and poisoning her. He’s left with the promise of coming back and raising a family with his soulmate.

Sanji’s at ease, kicking Zoro as he hands him a drink. Luffy isn’t sure how early on Sanji remembered, but he knows that Old Man Zeff is still Sanji’s father in this time.

Robin is waiting for them on the other side of a red wall. Ohara is still gone, Nami said, but Robin’s not the only survivor this time. He’s glad. So very glad, that his precious people could have a second chance at their worst regrets.

When they pass through Lougetown and Smoker finds them, Luffy can’t resist jumping on the man’s back and giving him a brief hug, much to the man’s ire. He’d missed Smokey. But he still kicks his ass. When they run through the city, Luffy glances up and makes eye contact with a hooded figure that might be his father.

Luffy gives him a grin. “Tell Sabo to come visit me!” he yells through the rain.

They jump in their ship and go to the Grand Line.

_

“Dr. Tony-ya,” Law says in exasperation, “you said yourself they won’t be here for another week.”

Chopper squirms on the bench of the castle, staring out at sea with a childish look of impatience. “I know, but so many things are different! They might get here early and I want to show Doctor my nakama." Chopper pauses, sniffing, "I want to see them so much.”

Law understands, he does. He feels an aching longing to see Luffy and Zoro again – even the rest of the crew. He misses them like he missed his own nakama.

The Heart Pirates don’t exist in this world. When Law saved Flevance from Amber Lead poisoning, the World Government took notice. Sengoku came for him and with him, Cora-san on his heels. He’d taken a page out of Sabo’s book and dismantled the monarchy before he let himself be captured. Struck a deal with the beings he hated most in the world. But, his family was safe – thriving -  and that’s all that matters.

It’s disgusting to be considered a Marine – he’s not, he’s just employed without consent – but it does give him a certain level of freedom and information. Lets him manipulate enough to make sure his Hearts were safe.  Bepo was the hardest to see and say goodbye to, but he doesn’t regret it, dropping the polar bear back on Zou – Y told him where the elephant was – because Bepo deserves to know his home, this time. The entire trip was filled with a lot of emotions that Law is still allergic to. But it also made sure Cora-san’s shocked face on that adventure is etched in his memory forever.

Speaking of.

“Law, I got you hot choco – woah!”

There is a crash. Law rolls his eyes as Chopper jumps, little medical bag in hand as he runs to where Cora-san has slipped over the ice of the stairs.

Law leans over the banister, staring down fondly at where Chopper is frantically nursing a hot burn on Cora-san’s fingers while the silly man continues to slide down the stairs, by some clumsy miracle.

“Room.”

Law places Cora-san on bed, meeting Cora-san’s sheepish look with his own glare. “How did you even slip? Your lackeys salted the entire area and gave you ice pick shoes!”

Cora-san looks mournfully down at his shoes. “I broke them?” he says helplessly.

Law sighs, head in his hands. “How did you even manage without me?” he mutters, but mostly he means his past life.

Cora-san brightens, hugging Law with intensity. “Very badly!” he chirps with the same stupid grin that Law is all too familiar with. “Are you ready to say goodbye to your friend now?”

Law huffs at him. “I’m 24, stop acting like this is a play date.”

Chopper looks up woefully at that and Law absently pets his head. Cora-san watches with a twinkle in his eyes. “Of course, my Law is all grown up! Taking down big shot pirates and saving Kingdoms!”

Law rolls his eyes, scowling to the side. It’s not really true. He took down Doflamingo because he was gonna be damned if he got a second chance just to let Cora-san die. After that, Law used what little leverage he could get by virtue of being Cora-san’s favourite person – who happened to be Sengoku, Marine Admiral’s favourite person – to let the sea take him where he wants to go. Stopping by Drum Island, renowned for their medical prowess – and subsequently saving them from a gluttonous pirate – was another whim Cora-san was happy to fill.

It also gave Law a chance to get a message across. He’d prefer to stay – he misses a certain stupid monkey and idiot swordsman - but there is still a limit to what he can do. He’s not free yet. 

“I’ll see you soon,” Law promises to a sniffling Chopper. He’s already told Cora-san he wants to go to Alabasta next to study their herbal medicines. “Tell Luffy that if he’s going to kidnap me, he better be subtle about it.”

Chopper puts a hoof on Law’s hand, giggling adorably, much better than the tears. “I’ll try, but I don’t think that will work.”

Law sighs. “Yeah, neither do I.”

_

Kitetsu feels good, back in his hand. The sword buzzes with a challenging energy, almost petulant in wondering why it’s so happy to be wielded by Zoro.

The scar on his chest tingles. But it’s a shallow thing, a thin line that stop halfway down his collar bone and over his heart. He hadn’t held back with Mihawk, but living in the East Blue means there is limited ways he could have trained without the fine threat of danger forcing him to bear more.

Mihawk had been suitably impressed, enough to await his growth in the New World. Zoro feels almost smug that he can put that look of anticipation on his former Master’s face. Kuina is going to have her work cut out for her trying to get Mihawk to teach her.

His sense of adventure tingles as they make their way up the Red Line a second time. Usopp and Sanji are careful with Merry’s steer, and Luffy balloons up to stop Merry’s head from making contact with Laboon’s stomach.

The whale makes a confused greeting noise. Then, “Yo ho ho!”

The entire crew lights up and Brook comes aboard, still a skeleton but no less jolly.

“Retired?” Nami teases. She means the Soul King. Brook is considerably older than them, after all, he’s spent a lot of time waiting, but not idle. “Don’t worry, I’ll manage a few special show cases to keep the dough flowing.”

“I missed you too, Nami-san! Can I see your panties?”

Zoro grins, leaning back into Luffy’s chest from where he perches on the railing as the Captain starts whooping and demanding Brook to play them a song. Which he does after he pull himself out of the crater Nami put him in.

Laboon’s voice joins Brook’s beautiful melody, and Zoro finds himself smiling softer. He takes Luffy’s hand and pulls him into a dance. Behind them, ‘hiding’ away is Vivi and Mr. 9, confusedly looking over the crew. Zoro ignores them for the glint in Luffy’s eyes, happiness shining through in a way that feels like a life time far removed.

“Robin and Chopper next,” Luffy says, twirling around until he’s coiled as tight as a spring. He spins rapidly and falls into Zoro’s chest. “Then Franky. Nami says Jinbe’ll wait for us with him.”

“We still gotta rescue our ‘ally’,” Zoro reminds needlessly.

Luffy tilts his head to the side. “He’s ours, this time. My nakama.”

Zoro grins. “Aye, Captain.”

Luffy laughs. “He’s looks happy next to Heart-san.”

The scowl Law had leveled at the den den mushi when the papers came to snap the ‘Prince of Miracles’ really did not seem to indicate any happiness, but whatever.

“I want to see him soon,” Luffy whispers into his chest and Zoro holds him tighter. Then, “It’s more fun to kidnap him.”

Zoro laughs. Luffy knows what’s best.

_

Robin waits for them at Whisky Peak, a smile on her face, blue eyes filled with happiness, and a backpack on.

“Robin!” Luffy yells, rolling straight into her for a hug. She laughs, branches a third arm to pet Luffy’s head like a big sister.

“I missed you too, Captain,” she says.

Luffy tightens his arms around her, absurdly happy. “Was it worth it?”

She smiles at him with radiance. “Indeed. My mother would like to meet you one day.”

Luffy cheers. “Of course! We gotta meet your giant friends and all the others too!”

Robin hugs the others just as tightly and Luffy feels a bit more settled as more of his nakama come home.

“Say,” Luffy says, chin in his hand as they turn to Alabasta. Robin isn’t Miss All Sunday but Crocodile is still there, waiting for an ass kicking. “We should grab Franky and Jinbe before we go to Skypeia. Franky said he wanted to see it.”

Usopp nods thoughtfully. “We should take a different route – Connis said there were multiple ways to get to Skypeia and I don’t want the Knock-Up Stream to get Merry again.”

Luffy nods, easy. Then turns to Zoro, “I promised I’d take Torao there after we got married.”

“We kidnapping him first then?” Zoro asks, easy as anything.

“Robin! Where is everyone?”

Robin sits down beside Nami, a fawning Sanji kneeling by her feet. “A new adventure, Captain?”

Luffy laughs, patting a worried Vivi on the back. “It would suck if everything was the same!”

“Well then,” she says. “Let’s see what I can find for you.”

_

Alabasta is too hot.

“Put on sun screen,” Law hisses to Cora-san who tries to go out on the balcony in just an open shirt and shorts. His pasty skin almost immediately begins to turn red.

“I did,” Cora-san whines, pouting at Law. Reluctantly he steps back into their suite staring forlornly at the lounge chair. Even shaded, the man will probably turn into a lobster within five minutes. “Why did you want to come here if you didn’t want to relax?”

Law looks at Cora-san fondly, smiling as the man slips on sunscreen and tumbles to the floor. A melancholy thought of how Cora-san will take care of himself when Law isn’t around floats by. He dismisses it. Knowing Cora-san, if Law were to disappear without explicitly saying why, the man would hunt him down.

Law is about to answer, but a knock on the door interrupts him. A Marine stands on the other side, extending what looks like a note.

“Sir Crocodile invites you to diner,” she says, saluting before turning away.

Instantly, Cora-san’s face sours.

“So it is him,” Cora-san says, a thoughtful look that looks off on his normally silly face. Law’s reminded again just how scary Cora-san can be. In his first life he outwitted the entire Donquixote family and the Marines, all just to save Law.

Law silently brushes his shoulder against his mentor. “Do you know him?”

Cora-san blinks and then that goofy smile is on his face again. “He was someone Doffy used to know. Probably just saying hi. We should go.”

Definitely not saying ‘hi’, Law thinks when he sits across the man at an opulent table. Law thinks it’s annoying how the man is trying to lay some thinly veiled threats and bribery down. Cora-san seems to think its cute, playing along as the dumb Marine on vacation when it’s clear the Warlord doesn’t recognize him.

Law stares at a gold statue of an alligator holding up a crystal globe. Tacky. His mind casts back to destitution of some of the villages they passed by. A civil war, he remembers Robin saying. He wonders if the Marine presence unnerves Crocodile. Probably not, the man is practically flaunting it in their face.

Law looks forward to watching Luffy turn another kingdom upside down.

_

Ace is here. But also, with Marco.

Luffy greets Ace with a walloping hug and Zoro watches fondly as they both fall down a sand dune.

“Is that Soul King?” Ace asks, gaping at Brook.

“Yo ho ho, a pleasure to meet you Ace-san!”

“Nice to meet you, yoi,” Marco says, clasping Zoro’s hands.

Zoro grins, sharp with edges. “Wanna spar?”

It’s not like Baroque Works is much of a threat, this time around.

Marco looks at him in a new light and Zoro can practically see him filing Zoro away in the ‘hot-headed fighters’ category along with Ace.

“You know, sure, yoi.”

Through the spar, Zoro gains Marco’s favour. The strong recognize the strong, after all. Marco tells him what Zoro had been curious to know.

Blackbeard is still around. Still did the shit that got Ace pissed off the first time. But when Ace flew into a rage and was ready to chase after the traitor solo, he’d stopped. He cooled down enough and let Marco in on his plan.

“Said his little brother made him promise to never do anything alone,” Marco tells him in between pants.

Zoro lost, but not by much. It’s hard to pin an immortal phoenix down, but mostly because he can fly.

The bigger benefit of the spar is the ease in Vivi’s brow as she realizes what her new nakama can do.

“Good,” Zoro says, simply, leaning up on one arm. “Since we’re pretty much family now, you can call on us if you need.”

That makes Marco’s eyebrows fly high, but he accepts the words with a charmed grin. “I like that, yoi.”

Zoro stares up at the clear blue sky for a moment, trying to figure out how to phrase this. Then he gives a mental shrug, throwing caution to the wind. “I’ve heard that there is a Devil Fruit that can nullify the effects of another Devil Fruit user.”

Marco coughs on the water he’d been drinking. “Okay?”

Zoro turns his head to stare at Marco who looks at him inquisitively. “If you’re going to be chasing a guy that could fool you and your old man for twenty years, just be careful, yeah?”

Marco stares at Zoro first with suspicion and then with an exhausted resignation. “Yeah, we will. You guys too, okay, yoi? I haven’t seen Ace smile this much in a while.”

Zoro looks to where Luffy has Ace wrapped in a fully body spring hug, the older brother clearly undisturbed. Luffy looks incredibly happy and it makes Zoro smile. “Yeah. We will.”

Marco spoils them at the next town. Ace pouts in a pretty way that would have Zoro distracted if Luffy wasn’t busy clinging onto Marco in a way that has Zoro pouting. Fuck, where is Law when you need him?

“We’re breaking up into teams,” Nami says once Ace and Marco leave.

Luffy had clutched the vivre card to him like a life line, making Ace promise once again to keep himself alive for him. Ace is clearly softer for Luffy this time around than last, and easily promises. Even parts with a hug. Zoro will make sure that this won’t be the last time they see him.

“Shishishi, I want to kick Croco’s ass!” Luffy says, waving his hand around.

Nami rolls her eyes indulgently. She looks to Zoro. “Are you going to kidnap lover boy?”

Zoro shrugs. “He can probably break out himself.”

“Zoro,” Luffy whines, a mischievous gleam in his eyes, “it’s no fun that way. Go bring Torao back.”

And it’s as simple as that.

Zoro takes Chopper with him to search for Law. The rest of the team go to take down BW. Well, Robin said she might split off earlier to study the Alabasta historical structures. She doesn’t want Crocodile or Luffy to destroy the history, this time around.

While the team goes to Alburna to stop the revolution, Zoro and Chopper stay in Nanohana staring at the gaudy golden struture that is the Rainbase. Zoro kind of wants to cut up the entire thing this time. If only it would stay still -

“Zoro,” Chopper says in exasperation, reindeer form using antlers to nudge Zoro the other way. “You can even see the Marines.” They stand in a nervous line in front of Rainbase, looking like headless chickens.

Zoro shrugs. “We’d have found it one way or another.”

Smoker isn’t around, probably chasing Luffy in Alburna. Everyone else is easy to dispatch.

Except, well.

“Hey, babe,” Zoro purrs, a throaty baritone when Law appears in a Room sword clashing with Zoro’s to stop him from slicing a man with a tattoo of a smile across his face.

“Please do not kill Cora-san, Zoro-ya,” Law huffs in exasperation.

He looks good. Zoro pulls him in, finds no resistance in Law as he melds them together into a heated kiss. He hears Chopper yip in embarrassment, and then a gun cocking. Suddenly, murderous haki fills the air.

Zoro smirks against Law’s lips, from where the older has bitten Zoro in disapproval. “This is going to be fun.”

“I’m going to kill you,” Cora-san says and actually comes really close.

Zoro only manages to edge out with his stamina. Cora-san passes out – damn, he was creative with his fruit - and Zoro watches Law fuss over the unconscious man. His father? He vaguely remembers Law mentioning the man that saved him, but his older lover always kept his hurts tight to his chest.  

“You couldn’t have helped out?” Zoro whines, poking his side where a haki covered bullet had gotten uncomfortably close to nearly going through him. He’s bleeding in other places – how did the guy even manage to get the back of Zoro’s thigh?

“You’re kidnapping me, remember?” Law says dryly, patching Cora-san up first despite Zoro’s pout. “Besides you hate anyone interfering in your fights.” Which, true.

Chopper takes care of Zoro in the meantime, and then that’s done. Law brushes his guardian’s hair back and tucks a note into the floppy hat. On cue, there are marines starting to flood in.

Zoro opens his arms.

“I will shoot you myself,” Law says dryly.

Zoro gives him a cocky smirk. “Tough shit, I told you I’d get back at you in the next life. Still gotta kick your ass.”

Law rolls his eyes. He’s so fucking pretty as he jumps into Zoro’s arms with a blush dusting his cheeks.

And so, Zoro kidnaps Law in full view of reporters and Marines, jumping down several stories of a destroyed Rainbase with Law held in a princess carry in his arms.

Luffy meets them just as the sun sets on a defeated Crocodile and a saved city. He takes one look at Law and punches him in the gut.

“Good to see you too, Mugiwara-ya,” Law wheezes, clutching his stomach.

Luffy wraps his arms around them both and greedily gathers them close, crying into their hug. “Don’t ever die for me again.”

Zoro knows how much grief Luffy is carrying. The last one standing. He knows from Nami and Chopper’s lecturers that grief doesn’t just go away. Zoro knows. Knows this the same way his heart felt like it was being stabbed at seeing Law’s small smirk again when the last thing he saw was a bloody smile.

“Never,” Zoro promises. Holds Luffy close.

“Don’t give me a reason to, idiot,” Law says, voice heavy with his own repressed emotion.

“Promise,” Luffy says, with such conviction, Zoro knows that’s that.

_

Leaving Vivi is still not any easier the second time around.

It’s even harder with the dozens of Marine ships closing in on them.

“There weren’t this many last time!” Nami shouts in distress while Usopp hollers in fright, barely deflecting a canon ball with a haki clad pellet.

“Why did you choose the Marine life!?” Sanji yells in frustration, supporting Nami as she navigates them through the monstrous ships.

“They chose me,” Law retorts.

“You’re kidnapped,” Luffy reminds Law with a laugh, when he tries to make a Room. Holds Law down in a way that really does make Law feel trapped. “You can’t fight them back!”

“I’m going to be dead if you don’t do something,” Law snarks back.

“They wouldn’t sink us,” Robin says, calmly unfurling the sail, “they want Torao-kun back alive.”

“Shishishi, see, nothing to worry about!”

“There is plenty to worry about!” Nami and Usopp say at the same time.

“Yo ho ho, how about a tune?” Brook says.

Luffy laughs, cheering for it loudly from where he’s wound around Law. “Play, play, play!”

Why did Law choose this life?

But it’s still a pretty picture as they get away, the taste of freedom and belonging finally settling deep in Law’s gut.

Then he promptly drags his boyfriends to the Captain’s cabinet to celebrate his new life as a Straw Hat.

_

“You know,” Usopp says, a glare in his bloodshot eyes as he stares at the three of them. “I thought I missed the Coup de Burst the most. But I really miss Sunny’s sound proof rooms more.”

Law shrugs, hoping his ears aren’t too red. “Hard to stay quiet when Luffy does that thing with his tongue - ”

Luffy giggles fondly remembering last night.

“-and nope! I am noping out of this conversation!” Usopp says. “Sanji, how do you handle it?”

Sanji gets this lost, faraway look in his eyes. “Dissociation.”  Luffy pokes him in the cheek.

“Hmm,” Nami says thoughtfully, well rested as their room is on the opposite end of the ship. “If we skip Skypeia for now, we’re going to need money. If Merry is going to be joining us, we’re gonna need Sunny to be bigger.”

“Oi, don’t ignore me.”

“Nami-chwan is so smart,” Sanji sings.

“Oi.”

Zoro suddenly stands in front of Luffy a hard look in his eyes. The rest of the crew fall quiet.

“If we don’t go to Jaya, we’ll miss Blackbeard,” Zoro says, serious.

Luffy instantly understands. His hands tighten in his pants, raw anger taking a hold of him hard and violent. His haki nearly slips, making Chopper whimper. Forcibly he tampers it back.

“Not yet,” Luffy says, voice lowly and deadly. He bites his lip, frustration feeling icky on his skin. He wants to kill Blackbeard. But. It’s not his battle, yet.

Zoro understands, he always does. Law looks like he’s going to protest – say something about a plan or consequences, but in the end he just sighs. He and the rest of the crew don’t think twice, easily accepting Luffy’s will. Luffy wonders if he can get Torao to call him Captain in bed -

“Then, should we go pick up some bounties?” Zoro suggests. There a thin aura of blood lust encasing him.

“More adventure!” Luffy yells in excitement.

_

“Oh sweet, our bounties are higher this time!”

“Because we kidnapped the princess.”

“Do. No. Call. Me. That.”

“You didn’t mind when I called you that last night.”

“Oi, I think I am going to barf.”

_

Franky welcomes them, a large fisherman standing behind him. Jinbe looks dwarfed next to him.  

“Welcome, Don!”

“Super welcome,” Franky yells loud and clear. His companion scowls at him and Zoro remembers him as the Ice-guy Mayor.

“Luffy-san, it’s good to see you again!” Luffy jumps off the ship to give Jinbe a hug with his arms stretched all around the fisherman.

“Did you get my letter?” Luffy asks, excited as he lands on Franky’s arm next.

“A laser beam,” Franky explains – yells – as Luffy, Chopper and Usopp ‘oh’ and ‘ah’. Zoro isn’t sure if he means himself or the Sunny. Oh well, best to leave them to it.

After a reunion dinner, Zoro takes Law and books them a hotel room. Luffy bounds in after Zoro’s screwed Law incoherent and they do it all over it again.

“You’re totally enjoying this,” Law hisses hours later as he’s being carted over Luffy’s shoulder as they run from CP9.

Robin’s in Zoro’s arms. She answers for him. “It’s all part of the adventure, Torao-kun,” she says simply.

“How is this my life?” Law groans.

Because Zoro is bad at directions and Luffy is just too clumsy, Law and Robin still get kidnapped.

Law is positive that the Straw Hats relish waging war on the Government even more this time around.

_

“Sanji, what’s better than a Buster?”

“Ah? What are you talking about, Luffy?”

“A Buster! That Buster Call thing – what’s better than it?”

“I think Senchou-san is looking for a new attack name.”

“Yeah, that’s right, Robin!”

“Hmm, how about Usopp Special Buster Beater - ”

“Oh yeah! How about Super Buster Beam attack!?”

“So cool!!!”

“Luffy-san, is this really the appropriate time to think of this?”

“Yo ho ho! Luffy-san, I am getting a chill in my bones, yo ho ho!”

“Luffy! Do something! They’re getting closer!”

“Good! Shishishi!”

“I never know what goes through your mind, Mugiwara-ya.”

“But~ I want to fight them!”

“…”

“Well, whatever you want to call it, I don’t care. But Captain’s orders: take ‘em down!”

“Aye, Captain!”

_

They do go to Skypeia. Zoro catches their wanted posters just before they take the scenic route up.

“You’re good for the ego,” Zoro praises Law as he puts the wanted poster down on the kitchen table. The numbers are near double their last go’s.

“Shut up,” Law hisses, still sour he doesn’t get one.

Despite Law loudly proclaiming he’s sailing with the Straw Hats, his adoptive grandfather seems to think Law said that under duress. Cora-san is also still hunting them down, and Zoro quite looks forward to a rematch.

“Probably since we got Jinbe on board,” Sanji hums. He scowls at his ugly wanted poster and Zoro remembers they’ll probably have to fight whatever it is Luffy had to fight on Whole Cake Island again.

“No, no, no.” Usopp waves his hand in front of his face. “It’s because we stopped a Buster Call. Oi, Luffy – look at this!!! Oh no, my we-just-did-something-very-dangerous-with-super-bad-consqeuences illness is acting up.”

“Usopp! Are you okay!? Someone, call a doctor! Ah, I am a doctor!”

“I wonder if this will cause problems getting through the border,” Robin comments off-handedly.

Nami and Usopp turn to look at her in horror. On cue, Brook says worried tinged with his brand of jolly, “They’re opening fire!”

Turns out the Coup de Burst works better on clouds than on the sea.

_

Also turns out saving an island from a tyrannical asshole makes bureaucracy more favourable all around.

“How did you even get kidnapped again?” Zoro asks Law incredulously, and it irks him it’s the same tone the others use when Zoro manages to get himself lost in a straight hallway.

Instead of answering, Law scowls turning to the side. It just gives Luffy more room to leave possessive hickies over the fresh side.

It’s not his fault he’s surrounded by assholes with delusions of grandeur. Law was totally going to eviscerate Ear Lobe-ya too, but Luffy said he wanted to punch the bastard down himself. Oh well, it’s been pretty hot to see Luffy toy around with that entitled asshole. He’d even gotten a chance to carry Zoro for once because the idiot tried to take on lightning.

Luffy lets them recover and even enjoy some free time at the island in the sky. Law’s seen some of his own crazy adventures but he’s pretty sure Luffy was destined to do crazy shit.

They stay for a week. Robin roams the ruins with Jinbe. Franky and Usopp hunt down and expand their knowledge on all the different dials there are. Sanji follows Nami and Connis around as they shop, deviating only to pick up recipes native to the island. Similarly, Brook spends his time entertaining the crowd and exchanging folk songs. Chopper has been flitting around picking up different medical texts and pharmaceutical medicines, which Law had also wanted to do before Zoro grabbed him.  It’s the most relaxed they’ve been since they’ve set out on adventure for the second time.

Law had wanted to join in on the activities, but Luffy had re-kidnapped him and reminded him it’s ‘their honeymoon’.

“We’re not even married yet. Where’s my ring?” Law had foolishly asked. And now there sits a gold ring hand-crafted by the Shandians themselves on his left third finger. Identical rings sit on Zoro and Luffy’s hands.

“Cora-san is gonna kill you,” Law murmurs into Zoro’s neck. Zoro grabs his ass and smirks.

“Shishishi, that’s all part of the fun!”

_

They make a pitstop at Thriller Bark to get Shusui. Luffy takes great pleasure in beating up Moria all over again.

Zoro can’t even tease Law. It’s him that freezes up, leaves himself vulnerable, when Bartholomew Kuma shows up. Years and a new life can’t replace the bone deep terror of knowing how much pain that man can bring.

Law sees. Then bisects Kuma in one swoop. Kisses Zoro hard.

“I think he was supposed to be a kinda good guy,” Zoro offers to Law, a bit dazed.

It’s Sanji that scowls at him, Chopper right beside him in miniature mimicking the pose. “Shut up, Marimo,” they say in tandem.

“Yeah, shut up,” Law repeats and the kisses him again. Luffy falls out of the sky and lands on them, demanding his own kisses.

The crew takes Sunny while the three of them stay on Merry, tethered behind, for privacy as they make their way over to Sabaody.

_

Law takes in the solemn air around the Straw Hats. He doesn’t think he’s ever seen them so quiet. It doesn’t feel right.

“Luffy.”                                                                                                                                        

Law watches as Zoro approaches Luffy, placing a strong hand on trembling shoulders. It doesn’t make Luffy’s white knuckled grip on the newspaper any looser.

“Why?” Luffy asks, voice filled with tight tension and anger.

No one answers, vulnerable to the upset of their Captain. Law steps up, taking the paper from Luffy with firm hands. “Not everything was going to stay the same,” Law says. “The more we change the more the future we knew will become useless to us.”

Luffy stares at him with old eyes. “I should have - ”

There is something in Law that wants to reach out. Smooth the furrow from Luffy’s brow because it doesn’t belong there. But Law holds back. Lets the First Mate take care of the Captain.

“No regrets,” Zoro cuts him off, eyes as hard as the steel of his blades. “We have our own adventures to chase, Captain.”

Luffy looks down but Law can see the weight ease off his shoulders, just a bit.

“And,” Zoro says, hand clasped on his swords making them clack in a reassuring way, “all that means is we get a chance to do it right. We’re with you this time, Luffy.”

Finally, Luffy breathes. The haunted look fades and familiar resolve fills them. Law finds himself letting out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, at the same time.

“Right. This time we’ll save him. We’ll save both of them.” Luffy’s eyes are darker than the depths of the night, but right now they shine clearer than the sun. Despite the sheer absurd levels of stupidity Law knows he’s about to get into, he understands why the Straw Hats follow Luffy to dance with danger.

“Let’s go kick some ass!”

Law tries to hide his blush as he surreptitiously pumps his fist in a ‘Yosh!’ with the rest of the crew. Luffy catch him in the act and bounds over to laugh in merriment. And even if Law is embarrassed beyond belief, Luffy’s mischievous laughter is much better than his solemn frown.

_

“Rayleigh!” Luffy shouts in greeting. He says it with all the fondness for a one-time friend and life long teacher.

Rayleigh takes it all in stride, despite this being their first meeting. That’s what Luffy appreciates the most about this man.

“We’re going to save Ace and Pineapple guy,” Luffy tells Rayleigh after they’ve beaten up Celestial Dragons and some of the more annoying Marines. “Do you want to come with us?”

Robin helpfully gives him the scribbling of the notes she took from her friends in the Revolutionary Army. Gol D. Ace is written at the top, the name omitted from the headlines of the newspaper they received two days ago.

That does make Rayleigh pause. Luffy stares hard and sees the genuine shock. It makes him feel better. Luffy knows Rayleigh didn’t know about Ace. Knows he would have tried to be in his life if he knew.

“Yes, I think I’d like that.”

Luffy grins. This time. This time he’s going to change it all. He’ll bring Marineford to it’s knees for trying to take his precious people.

_

“Torao got kidnapped again,” Zoro informs Luffy as he sweeps a bunch of Marines off their feet.

“What, really?” Luffy asks, completely surprised. “Oh, I see him. Look, he’s with Ace, we’ll grab him there.”

Zoro wonders about that. Kind of wonders how Luffy did this all alone the first time around. Well, maybe not alone – that is a whole lot of people to befriend Luffy in the few hours they were in Impel Down, including Crocodile and a bunch of revolutionary okamas, what the fuck – but it’s still a lot more than Zoro was expecting. Marco’s here too, currently tearing it up with the light bastard, which is really cool.

Stronger burns under his skin and Zoro dutifully follows the path Luffy creates for them.

“Hey, it’s ‘Mingo!” Luffy shouts. Zoro turns to see a prison-garb clad Doflamingo making his way towards the podium, hisses of ‘Roci, I’m gonna kill you’ barely heard over the noise of battle. But Zoro does catch the way Cora-san keeps shooting at Doflamingo’s feet, as if forcing him to dance.

Luffy goes to punch the guy, drawing Cora-san’s attention, and now it’s Zoro being shot at. Fuck.

Shit goes down as crazily as it always does, the den den mushi broadcasting the event is hi-jacked by team Franky-Usopp-Nami. Brook’s music plays loudly over the intercom – the battlefield has turned into a Soul King concert -  matching Luffy’s excited blood lust and setting the mood. Robin gets the keys to Zoro. Her and Chopper retreat to support the giants while Jinbe and Sanji take on Aokiji.

Things go to shit real fast though. Luffy’s stronger but that just means he gets more attention. Zoro supports him but it feels like this is what it means to fight the entire world. Zoro doesn’t think on that, enjoys the thrill of the challenge each time the execution platform gets closer and closer and – there.

Zoro and Luffy climb up, Luffy punches his grandfather away and Zoro takes on Cora-san. Sengoku decides he’s going to commence the execution himself and then they’re falling. Luffy grabs Ace. Zoro grabs Law and Law glares at him hard enough that Zoro doesn’t even bother with a quip on how the princess is doing.

They land with the strongest at their back. Rayleigh vaults over them, ruffling Ace’s head along the way. “You look like her,” he mentions and the look of wonder on Ace’s face makes Zoro realize how much this is really worth.

Zoro grabs Law and slices through the seastone bracelet. Apparently Sengoku-san wasn’t impressed by Law’s declaration he’s shaking up with the Straw Hats. In the same motion, Zoro reaches into his pocket to put the gold ring Robin also threw his way back on to Law. He can feel Cora-san’s menacing aura as he slips the ring back on. He’s pretty sure he’s going to gain another scar before they make it off this fucking island.

“I think Cora-san likes me,” Luffy laughs, after he kisses Law and Cora-san starts firing at them, but half-heartedly. Zoro still gets the haki coated bullets.

“He likes that you’re taking on the world to save your loved one,” Law informs.

Zoro opens his mouth. Law cuts him off with a, “He thinks you took my purity.”

Which, yeah, okay. It might be false, but Zoro totally would have. Zoro huffs, cuts through a swarm of Marines as Ace catches up to them.

Then they’re all running.

“You got married without telling me?” Ace yells at Luffy as they sprint.

“Shishishi, it’s not official yet. Gotta wait for you and -”

Heat builds up ridiculously fast behind them and they all barely dodge.

Law manages to shambles them of the way. There is a melted crater where they were just standing. Zoro remembers the pictures of Ace’s dead body. Knows what Akainu can do.

Law and Zoro stand beside Luffy who stands in front of Ace protectively.

“Luffy, fucking run – don’t you dare fucking die here, because of me!”

The words are so achingly familiar. Zoro thinks to years ago. Luffy’s anguished cries that haunted him in this second life.

They’re all laden with exhaustion, but they still stand strong. Law uses Room, trying to use the space cleared by the other Marines to keep Ace and Luffy away. Zoro protects Law in the meantime, but they’re on the defensive.

Then fucking Blackbeard shows up. He’s missing his right arm and left leg, Zoro notices briefly. His entire right side is scarred something ugly.

Despite that, the foolish man still laughs as he makes his entrance, truly believing he is one of the chosen ones whose will can bend the world.

And that’s the cue.

“Oi, Zoro,” Luffy says, voice dead flat and inflicted with a raging seriousness. Zoro straightens up, heading the call of the man he’ll follow to the ends of the world.

Zoro feels the thrill lick up his spine, a dangerous dance with death just out of reach. “Aye, Captain.”

Luffy shoves Ace to Law who uses his Room to get them a distance away. Zoro taps into the demon inside, grins ferally at Akainu. Let’s his haki roll out of him. He catches Mihawk’s eye, who deigns to look on curiously.

Zoro cuts Akinu down while Luffy kills Blackbeard with a haki fist to the heart.

In slow motion, Zoro watches light guy flit over to Ace. Law covers Ace and takes a light bolt to his hip. It’s all too fast, Zoro needs to turn around and kill –

And then Sabo shows up, falling from the sky on what looks like a miniature version of Enel’s warship. Slams a haki clawed fist right into the light guy’s face and sends him flying through the sky.

“Yo,” Sabo says, standing in front of Ace and Law. “Luffy invited me to the wedding, sorry I’m late.”

Ace stares at Sabo, then at Luffy. “What the fuck even is my life.”

Sabo grins wide and with speckles of tears in his eye. He ruffles Ace’s hair. “Good to see you too, little bro.”

“Hey, I’m not the little - ”

“Ace! Sabo!” Luffy starts crying, hugging and laughing and squeezing his brothers tight. Zoro shares a smile with Law at the unbridled happiness on Luffy’s face.

“We should get going,” Law says, leaning into Zoro tiredly. All around them Marines are convening. Nothing if not persistent. Zoro picks him up in his arms.

“Luffy,” Zoro calls. Luffy bounds over, brothers in tow. They’ll cover them, Zoro knows.

“Let’s finish this up,” Luffy orders, laughing in a beautifully carefree way.

_

“Shanks, will you marry us?”

The red-haired man blinks before laughing heartily, the same tone that Law knows belongs completely to Luffy.

This man is Luffy’s father, Law realizes, the same way Zoro does. They never met him, the first time.

“That wasn’t the first thing I thought you’d say to me, kiddo,” Shanks says fondly, one hand ruffling Luffy’s straw hat clad head. “Didn’t you promise the next time we meet, you’d be Pirate King?”

Luffy’s face holds a laugh but there are tears in his eyes. Law wonders if he’ll tell Shanks he was Pirate King.

But he doesn’t. Says instead with a heart wrenching sincerity, “Some promises need to be broken. You never know when the last time you’ll see someone is.”

Law’s heart clenches. That level of seriousness doesn’t suit Luffy’s face. He remembers their grief, losing their crews the first time. Remembers the heaviness of realizing he’ll need to die to make Luffy live, Luffy’s single greatest fear. Law leans closer to Zoro, who stands firm behind his Captain.

Shanks blinks, a wonderous look flitting through his eyes briefly as he stares at a grown-up Luffy.

“Well,” he says after a beat, “I never needed an excuse to party. Everyone, Luffy’s getting married!”

Law wonders how the world bends to Luffy. They’ve just escaped after a win against the Marines, the World Government’s arm. The Whitebeards are already partying behind them, several allied ships rip-roaring drunk. Revolutionaries mingle with Boa Hancock’s crew. Silvers Rayleigh is patting a bandaged Whitebeard on the back. Sabo and Ace alternating between crying, hugging and fighting off the side, occasionally snatching Luffy to bring into their fold.

The Straw Hats are already preparing everything, taking over the ship of one of the Four Emperor’s like it’s nothing, introducing themselves like children to the man Luffy loved enough to create a dream that saved them all.

Law’s covered in bandages and blood. Zoro sags like a heavy weight against him. Luffy crashes into his chest, waiting eagerly as Shanks makes up some foolish speech that counts as a pirate’s oath of marriage.

Luffy tries to kiss them at the same time. Law makes a face, guides Luffy to Zoro first and then himself. Then he tips his head to the side and kisses Zoro, soft and easy.

Cora-san is crying behind him, Law knows. The man is trying to be subtle – disguised as a pirate, but completely ineffectively - and at some point, he’s started drinking heavily with a man that’s probably Long Nose’s father.

They’ll need to go back to their respective homes to make sure their other important people know. But for now, Law feels content, elated even. He can’t stop smiling, even lets Luffy pull him into a dance.

“If I am the Pirate King, and Zoro’s my First Mate,” Luffy says with a mischievous smile, and Law has a sinking feeling he knows where this is going, “that makes you my Pirate Queen.”

Law cuts off Luffy’s arms and replaces them with his legs. The stupid rubber man only laughs, joining in on the dance hopping on his hands. Law will need to replace them by the time they get into the Captain’s quarters for their first night as a married trio.

If he can get Cora-san to put down his gun.

_

“You’re sure?” Zoro asks him, the same thing everyone else had asked him hours ago.

Luffy smiles, tucks himself tiredly closer to a sleeping Law. “We’ve got time,” Luffy replies.

So much time. Time Luffy knew he didn’t have, the first time. Not with everything he did to his body.

Raftel isn’t going anywhere. The Yami Yami no Mi is out there somewhere, and Luffy knows the importance of finding that first.

Last life, his dream came first. This time, he wants to help the others. Wants Sanji to find the All Blue and the person that will make him smile from his heart. Wants to show Nami and Sunny and Merry all the types of seas on this Earth. Usopp deserved all the adventures to come, and Robin deserves to see all the histories of the past. Franky’s built the ship that will carry the future Pirate King but Luffy wants to see him create more, change the world. For Chopper to become a doctor that will make him proud of himself. Wants Brook to live on in infamy, a name more popular than the Pirate King. Wants Jinbe to never have to get that wary look on his eye when they dock on an island. He wants his friends to be free.

Wants Zoro to fulfil his dream and for Law to find a new one, both beside him.  

He’s going to be King of the Pirates. But Luffy knows that won’t mean anything if he doesn’t have his friends and family beside him.

Zoro understands. “Aye, Captain.”

“Shishishi, see, Torao, I can totally plan!”

Law cracks one sleepy eye open, leveling Luffy with an unimpressed look. “I’ll give you a check up in the morning.”

Zoro smother a laugh into Law’s nape. “I’ll hold him down for you.”

Luffy feels a zing of happiness rush through him. “I’m counting on you both!” Then unable to do much with his unbridled energy, he jumps on them both. They make sounds of irritation – Luffy’s limbs wind around both of them until they’re all uncomfortably pressed together – but they settle down, knowing they aren’t going anywhere. For once they give into sleep before Luffy and Luffy luxuriates in just holding his precious people close to him.

Then just before he drifts off, he sees something in the corner of his eye. Through the port window, Luffy catches a brief glance of a green glowing bug passing by. He grins, wide and bright, “And I’ll see you soon!” he whispers, voice full of promise.

There is a tinkering laugh and a rustle of leaves that seem to say, ‘we’ll be waiting!’

Luffy closes his eyes, excited for the new adventure tomorrow will bring.

{End.}