Archive of Our Own

The sound of laughter is so sharp and brief that in the midst of his frantic state, Luffy almost misses it. It’s a tickle at the edge of his awareness that is overtaken by the fact he’d somehow managed to set himself on fire. 

Luffy yelps and flaps his arm like a maniac, attempting to dispel the flames rapidly creeping up the sleeve of his shirt. “Sanji! Help!”

“I’m busy!” Sanji snaps, fiddling with the pan on the stove to mollify the flare up. “I told you not to get too close, idiot!” 

“But it smelled so good!” Luffy complains. Finding his flailing is futile, he rapidly pats at his sleeve with his hand. “Ow! Ow! Ow!”

He shakes his reddened fingers, blowing on them in an attempt to cool them down. There is another sound, an amused snort, from behind him as he shucks off his shirt, throwing it to the ground and stomping on it with his sandals. The flame goes out, leaving only the scorched material of his shirt behind. Luffy’s lips jut out into a pout.

“Straw Hat.”

Luffy turns to glare at where Law is seated, ignoring the book in his hand in favor of watching Luffy with a smirk.

“What?” Luffy snaps.

Law raises a finger to his head and taps once. “Your hair’s smoking.”

Luffy’s hands fly up to tangle in the strands and find they do feel a little singed, some areas still suspiciously warm, like they’re at risk of erupting again at any moment. That could happen, right? Unwilling to risk it, he sprints over to the sink, turning the tap on and dunking his head underneath the cold stream of water.

“Luffy!” Sanji calls, exasperated.

“Don’t wanna catch on fire again!” Luffy protests, pulling his head from where it had been submerged and shutting off the sink.

His bangs lay flat against his forehead, water dripping into his eyes, down his chest, and onto the wooden floor below him. He huffs a breath and shakes his head rapidly, attempting to dry himself off.

“Luffy! Not in my kitchen!” Sanji growls. “What are you, an animal? Get a towel or something!”

His pout returns full force. “Fine, I’ll use this one.”

“That’s not a towel, you idiot, that’s my dish cloth!”

“What’s the difference?”                                  

“The difference is I use this for—”

Sanji takes off on a rant, but his words fade out for Luffy when his ears pick up on something far more enticing. There, again! That laugh he’d heard when he’d first caught on fire! He whips his head to his left where it’s coming from and his eyes widen at the sight.

Traffy had been laughing! It’s quiet, and he’s attempting to muffle it behind the hand at his mouth, but with the slight shake of his shoulders and his eyes shining with amusement, it’s undeniable that he’s the source of the sound.

And as he laughs, something funny happens inside Luffy’s chest. His heart skips a beat, then clenches, like someone has grasped it in their fist and squeezed, and there’s a fluttery feeling in his stomach, one that doesn’t dissipate even as the seconds tick by.

Luffy’s hand clutches over his heart, nails digging into the skin there in a daze. It’s not… a bad feeling, just weird, and he’s certain that Law is the sole cause.

“Luffy?” Sanji asks, apparently finished with his tirade, his voice now containing a note of concern. “You okay?”

Oh. Traffy’s laugh. He…

Luffy ignores him, grinning from ear to ear as he rushes over to Law, throwing on his hat—which is thankfully undamaged in its safe spot around his neck—on the way. He plops down in the chair across from him, his chin resting in his hands as he stares at Law in fascination.

Realizing he’d be caught, the hidden smile is wiped off Law’s face and he coughs into his hand, face carefully neutral and gaze back on his book, like he’d merely been focused on the pages the whole time rather than the scene playing out before him.

“You were laughing!” Luffy exclaims.

“I wasn’t,” Law insists, jaw clenched and shoulders tense.

“You were!” Luffy argues. “I liked it! Why don’t you laugh more?”

Law makes a strangled noise. “I told you I wasn’t laughing.”

“Uh-huh! And you were lying, I heard you! You laughed a bunch of times!”

“Did not.”

“When I was on fire, too. Kinda rude of you, Traffy.”

“I told you, I didn’t—”

Luffy chuckles. “I probably did look pretty funny, though, so I guess it’s okay. If I do it again, will you laugh more?”

Law blinks at him, uncomprehending. “If you… set yourself on fire again?’

“Yeah!”

“Are you a moron? Why would you do that on purpose?!”

“I just told you,” Luffy says, raising his brow at the dumb question. “To make you laugh more!”

Law sighs and finally drops his book, opting to pinch the bridge of his nose like he’s trying to prevent an oncoming headache. “You’re impossible.”

“So are you!” Luffy insists. “Why don’t you let yourself be happy more?”

“It’s not like it’s a switch I can flip on as I choose,” Law says. “What’s it matter, anyway?”

Luffy frowns. “What d’you mean ‘what’s it matter’? Why wouldn’t it matter?”

Law drops his hand to glare at him. Luffy flicks him on the forehead.

“Hey!”

“Stop being dumb!” Luffy insists. “What, did you think I was lying? I like seeing you happy! I mean it! Your laugh is really nice, why don’t you want me to hear it more?”

Luffy swears that Law’s face begins to flush, but he isn’t allowed to linger on it long as Law gets up from his chair, grumbling to himself. “This is ridiculous. You’re the most insufferable person I know.”

“Just ‘cause I like your laugh?”

“No, because you— you—” Law huffs out an annoyed breath. “Never mind. I’m going to get some peace and quiet.”

He stomps out of the room and Luffy watches as he goes, having half a mind to go after him. He hears Sanji snort from behind him and whips around to face him, thumb jutting in the direction Law had exited. “You heard him laugh, didn’t you, Sanji?”

“Clear as day, captain,” Sanji agrees, and Luffy grins again, that squirm-y sensation in his stomach returning as he recalls the sound.

-

It’s not that Luffy hasn’t noticed his feelings for Law are different, it’s just that he never saw why that mattered before.

Law likes to make things complicated, to put a wall between him and the people around him, probably even the bear and the rest of his crew.

Luffy doesn’t care for complicated. He’s known what kind of man Law is for a long time, even before he’d willingly pitched the idea of the alliance that shot them so far ahead in the world of pirates. And the more he sees of him, the more he’s found himself drawn in.

When Law is near, Luffy finds that his gaze always seeks him out, that a smile is splitting his lips whenever Law looks his way. He can be snappy and annoying and Luffy would still gladly kick his ass at any competition they initiate, but he’s more than his tough exterior, and Luffy loves worming his way beneath it.

Over time, those feelings didn’t fade, they only… intensified.

He wants to spend more time with him, whenever he can, to chase whatever it is that is gripping his heart.

Lately that’s manifested in wanting to touch, touch, and keep on touching. So, he does.

He compensates first by stretching his arms across large distances to wind again and again around Law’s torso. He launches himself over to him, locking him in hugs like vices which Law uselessly squirms against.

“Quit that,” Law always snaps as Luffy laughs, pressing his face against Law’s shoulder blades and settling in.

Luffy’s body warms and tingles pleasantly as he clings, only bothering to let go when he’s called away by one of his crewmates luring him toward an exciting sight on the horizon or a snack on the kitchen table. Rarely, he can stay without interruption until Law gives up fighting, simply standing ramrod stiff and allowing Luffy to remain close until he finally releases him willingly.

“Next time, I’ll kill you,” he threatens.

“You’d never do that,” Luffy insists. “Maybe next time you should hug back!”

And there is a next time, and a time after that, but he isn’t above employing other tactics too. He grabs Law’s arms and legs and shoulders, winding down the material of his clothes until he reaches his skin, his finger trailing across the pale expanses until he feels Law shiver beneath his touch. Unfortunately, he can’t get away with it for long, as Law shoves him off quickly whenever he attempts it.

Luffy is left pouting, his brain clouding over with confusion about why he so craves to brush over Law’s bare skin.

And when Luffy doesn’t understand something, he leans into it, following wherever his impulses take him. He wants to keep pushing further—to be as tactile with Law as he can get away with.

So when he’s itching to ruffle Law’s hair one day, he gives into the temptation. His rubbery arms creep over to where Law sits, one hand snatching Law’s hat and the other roughly tussling soft black locks. He snickers as he yanks them back, turning the hat over in his hands playfully before throwing it on, allowing his own to drop around his neck.

“Straw Hat! Give that back!” Law snaps. He shoots to his feet, ditches his sword against the side of the ship, and rushes toward Luffy. Luffy chuckles, taking off in the other direction, exhilaration coursing through him at this newly initiated chase. Members of Luffy’s crew yelp as the two come barrelling across the deck, barely managing to dodge in time to escape their destructive path.

“Room!” Law calls from behind him, and Luffy blinks at the sight of the blue dome flickering around the expanse of the Sunny. And then, instead of the weight of Law’s hat disappearing, his own vanishes from around his neck, a stone plopping to the ground by his feet in its place.

Luffy skids to a stop, spinning around to see Law holding it in his hands, a victorious smirk curling at his lips that sets Luffy’s insides aflame.

“Hey!” Luffy cries.

“Turnabout is fair play, Luffy,” Law says, plopping the straw hat on his head and adjusting it until it sits there properly.

“You’re gonna regret messing with my hat!” Luffy threatens, a wide and feral grin stretching across his cheeks. There’s a giddiness swirling inside him at the prospect of this challenge, and he’s not about to let Law win so easily.

From there, it’s total chaos. Luffy makes a rush back in Law’s direction, extending his limbs in feeble attempts to retrieve his property. Taking full advantage of his Devil Fruit ability, Law flickers out and reappears with an ease that’s almost unfair. Luffy responds aggressively, bouncing off the walls and flinging himself full throttle in whatever direction Law turns up in. He isn’t above getting physical to achieve his goals either, fingers clawing at Law and mussing up his clothes as well as leaving marks on his skin as he scrambles to get his hat. Law retaliates with equal fervor, and it leaves them rolling around on the floor together more than once, each scrambling to come out on top amid Law’s growls of annoyance and Luffy’s snickers.

A truce is only proposed when Sanji calls them to dinner, Luffy crawling off of Law and offering him a hand up. Law glares at it like it holds something nefarious and Luffy rolls his eyes.

“I’m not gonna cheat,” Luffy says. “Where’s the fun in that?”

Law scoffs, but the reassurance appears to do the trick as he allows Luffy to pull him to his feet. He raises a brow at him, amused. “We’ll settle this later, then.”

Content with their agreement, Luffy drags Law to the kitchen with him, only dropping his hand when he catches sight of the array of dishes set across the table. He bounds over to his seat and loads his plate with every piece of meat he can get his hands on. He shoves bit after bit in his mouth, humming in satisfaction as it practically melts on his tongue.

“Hey, um, Luffy,” Usopp calls, as Luffy’s licking his fingers, the last of what was on his plate already devoured.

Luffy blinks at him, brought out of his delighted haze by the hesitation in Usopp’s voice. He’s not the only one acting strangely either, all of his crewmates are watching him with a mixture of confusion and amusement. A frown pulls at Luffy’s lips. “Why’re you all looking at me weirdly?”

Usopp points at Law who has gone tense beside Luffy, chewing very slowly on the onigiri in his hands. “What’s he doing with your hat?”

“Oh!” Luffy says, expression easing. “We’re playing a game, so he’s keeping it safe for me right now.” He points to Law’s hat atop his own head. “And I’m protecting his too.”

“That—that’s not—” Law sputters.

“How sweet,” Robin coos.

Zoro snorts. “Yeah, really like the new look, Traffy. Suits you.”

Luffy tilts his head at Law, who practically emanates annoyance, glaring at Zoro like he’s about to cut him into tiny pieces. Hm. Now that he’s actually looking properly, the sight of Law in his hat is…

His hand pauses where it had been reaching to grab another piece of Sea King meat, retracting and settling on the table.

Law’s sharp gaze meets his, those golden eyes piercing through him, and a shiver runs down Luffy’s spine. His heart thumps in his ears and there—that weird ache in his stomach has returned.

He tries to shake it off, his fingers twitching again for the meat and a slow smile pulling at his lips. “I think so too.”

“You what?” Law asks, aghast.

“My hat,” Luffy clarifies, voice garbled as he chews. “I like when you wear it.”

There’s a sound like someone—maybe multiple people—choking at the table, and Luffy ignores them in favor of continuing his meal. His hands fly across the table, inhaling all he can clutch onto, and even after stuffing himself full, he finds that the strange feeling doesn’t subside; like he’s still starving without knowing what it is he’s even hungry for.

Experimentally, he nudges his leg closer to Law’s beneath the table, rubbing the fabric of their pants together. Law mutters something under his breath, squirming where he sits, but does not retreat, leaving the gentle heat from the contact to remain blazing between them.

It’s nice.

And it’s not enough.

Whatever this whole thing with Law is, it does matter. It matters that it’s powerful, and it matters that it’s different. Luffy’s just not sure if that difference is good or bad yet.

-

Unfortunately for Luffy, his time with Law can’t last forever. Law has his own crew, his own dreams to chase, and with every reunion they share, it’s inevitable for it to end in their parting. It’s never bothered Luffy much before. It’s not goodbye, after all; it doesn’t mark the end of anything, no matter how much Law tries to talk it up as such.

But as his crew chatters away, wondering aloud when they’ll cross paths with the Heart Pirates again, a stone settles in Luffy’s gut, making it a little harder to breathe. He distances himself from the discussion, removing himself from the gentle glow of lights on their ship in the dark of night and toward the shadows of the island they’re currently stationed at.

While he’d intended for this to be a search, he didn’t expect to come up with results so quickly. He’s barely set foot on the beach, red sand seeping between his toes, when he spots Law a little up the shore. He’s alone, standing without a shirt as he swings his sword around, striking through thin air like an invisible enemy dwells there.

It kind of reminds Luffy of how Zoro trains, but as he approaches, his quick steps become slower, until he’s standing several feet away simply gawking at Law. There’s a grace to each of his movements, something that’s as compelling as it is deadly to witness. It’s especially apparent under the moon, which shines down on Law like a spotlight.

He’s obviously been working hard too, as sweat is dripping from his body. Luffy watches as it trails down his bare chest, past the dark ink of his many tattoos. His mouth suddenly feels dry, and he gets antsy as something hot coils in his stomach.

“Straw Hat,” Law calls, wiping his brow as he turns to face him, expression skeptical. “What are you doing here? And what’s with the look?”

Luffy shakes himself from his stupor, a smile fighting its way to his lips. “I was watching you train.”

“I can see that,” Law says dryly. “Why aren’t you with your crew?”

Luffy shrugs. “I don’t gotta be with them all the time. I wanted to see you.”

Law pauses, staring at Luffy for a long moment before breaking their eye contact. He sighs, his grip tightening on his sword and his eyes seeking the ocean. “Well, as you can see, I’m busy.”

“C’mon, Traffy, you’re not that busy,” Luffy insists.

“Just because I’m not slacking off…” Law says.

“Hey! I’m not slacking! If you wanna train, I’ll train with you! Let’s go! We’ll spar!”

“You want to spar?”

“Yeah! Why not? You afraid I’ll kick your ass?”

Law snorts. “Not a chance.”

“Then let’s do it already!”

“Fine,” Law agrees. “What are the rules?”

Luffy taps a finger on his chin, humming. “No weapons,” he decides.

“And no Devil Fruit abilities?” Law guesses.

“Yep! Nothing but our fists!”

“No Haki either, then.”

“Huh? Why not?”

“Please. Giving you only Haki powered punches is basically a guaranteed win for you,” Law says. “I need something to work in my favor.”

“Whatever,” Luffy agrees. “I’ll still win!”

Law smirks. “Maybe. But I definitely won’t make it easy for you.”

“You better not.”

Law lays his sword against a nearby tree trunk and Luffy shakes out his hands, positioning himself into a fighting stance and waiting until Law does the same.

“On my mark,” Law says. “3… 2…”

“1!” Luffy completes, and he’s off before he can miss a beat, barrelling forward with little thought to strategy.

It’s a move Law clearly anticipated, as he effortlessly dodges Luffy’s right hook, ducking and spinning around to throw a punch of his own. Luffy blocks it with his arm, and the position is held for a moment, their gazes catching each other and dangerous smiles mirrored on both their faces. An electricity fizzles between them up until Luffy jumps back into action, commencing the fight in earnest.

While the stakes are low, neither are willing to give an inch, pushing as hard as when they are up against threats attempting to ruthlessly end their lives. They are lost in a flurry of punches, kicks, and blocks, and with each that lands, the other offers a counterattack in no time. While Luffy lands more solid hits, Law is more prepared, getting many of his own hits in through underhanded tactics Luffy is unprepared for.

In the end, Luffy is true to his word, pinning Law down by straddling his waist, his hands pressing Law’s wrists hard against the sand. Law is panting below him, his eyes blown wide as they bore into Luffy’s own. Luffy’s body begins to feel very heated, squirming like it wants to take action, though he’s got no idea what that action even is.

He sits back, shaking it off and flopping down on the ground next to Law. He rests his hands behind his head and laughs.

“I win,” Luffy sing-songs. “Told you!”

Law snorts. “You had the advantage.”

“But you still gave me a good fight!” Luffy insists. “You didn’t even need your cool powers, see?”

“I had plenty of training before I got my Devil Fruit,” Law says.

Luffy hums in acknowledgement. “When you were on Mingo’s crew?”

Law is quiet at that, and when Luffy tilts his head to watch him, Law’s jaw is tight, and he stares up at the stars like he’s seeking retribution there. Luffy takes it as it is, staring upward with him at the brightly twinkling sky. It’s the same one he’s seen with a stark clarity every night since he set out to sea, yet for some reason, it never ceases to pull a smile from him.

“Do you know the names of any stars?” Luffy asks.

Law hesitates. “You mean the constellations?”

“Yeah, those! Makino used to tell me where they are, but I forgot most of them.”

“Somehow I doubt you know any.”

“Hey!” Luffy snaps. “That’s mean, Traffy!”

Defiantly, he points to the sky, where a cluster of stars are located on their right. “See, that’s the Big Spoon!”

Law snorts. “You mean the Big Dipper?”

“Same thing,” Luffy insists.

“That’s about the easiest to identify there is.”

“Well, I still got it, didn’t I?”

“You did,” Law relents, though he hardly sounds impressed.

“And that’s not all I know!” Luffy says, finger drifting down and waggling insistently at another group of stars. “That one’s the King’s Crown.”

“That’s not a real constellation,” Law says.

Luffy pouts. “Sure, it is! Makino wouldn’t have lied. Here, see…” Luffy grabs Law’s hand, flipping up one of his fingers and directing it toward the sky. He guides Law to follow along the stars that create each point of the crown. “… and that’s the last point there and these stars make the base. A crown!”

“Maybe if you’re really reaching…” Law mumbles.

“Nah, it’s obvious! You’re just not seeing it clearly!”

Law tilts his head, though he appears to have shifted his attention from the stars to the way Luffy still holds his hand in his own. His fingers twitch, but before he can shake Luffy off, Luffy grins wickedly, tightening his hold and whirling their enjoined hands in another direction.

“There’s another one over here! The Sea’s Great Wave! You know that one, right?”

“You’re seriously not just making these up?”

“Nope! I’ll show you again!” Luffy says, already moving to guide Law’s finger along the correct path.

“Who’s Makino, anyway?” Law asks, when Luffy finishes proving his point.

“Hm? Oh, she ran a bar on Dawn Island. That’s where I’m from.”

“In the East Blue, right?”

“Yep! I used to spend a lot of time with her around when I first met Shanks, before my Gramps brought me to live with Ace and the bandits.”

“Bandits?”

“Uh-huh. They were pretty weird.”

“Pfft. Sounds like your whole childhood was a little messed up, Straw Hat.”

Luffy laughs. “Yep!”

Law shakes his head, but doesn’t pry any further. Luffy drops their enjoined hands, letting them slip apart as they hit the sand. He mourns the warmth more than he’d anticipated, and chasing more of that sensation, Luffy shifts so he’s pressed closer to Law, their sides rubbing together. Law tenses, like he’s waiting for something bad to come from it. When it doesn’t, his body relaxes, and Luffy hums contentedly.

“You know, I sort of figured you’d be asking something about my childhood in return for me prying about yours,” Law mumbles.

“Did you want me to?” Luffy asks.

Law is silent for a moment. “… no.”

Luffy smiles. “I figured. I dunno exactly what happened back when you knew Mingo and his brother, or what you went through before that, but it was painful, right? Why would I ask about it? If you don’t wanna say anything, it doesn’t matter.”

Law laughs, surprised. “Guess I should have figured. You’re not the type to care about that stuff, are you?”

“Nope!” Luffy says. “Just ‘cause I don’t know where you came from doesn’t make you any less of my friend. If you need to tell me, I’ll listen, but if you don’t, that’s fine too.”

A comfortable silence falls over them, and when Luffy turns his head to look at Law, he sees that a small smile has settled on his face. The sight sets something in Luffy’s chest aflame.

“I like it when you smile,” Luffy says. “It’s really pretty, Traffy.”

To Luffy’s dismay, his words have the opposite effect he would have liked as Law forces his expression back to something more neutral, though there is a newfound pink to his cheeks that Luffy finds oddly tantalizing. Is it really so easy to make Law blush? How much more could he make him look like that if he really pushed him?

“Don’t say things you don’t mean, Straw Hat,” Law warns.

Luffy blinks at him. “What don’t I mean? That you’re pretty?”

Law grimaces, like hearing it out loud again is physically painful for him.

“I do mean it, though,” Luffy insists, chuckling. “I’ve always thought you were pretty! Or at least since I saw you again on Punk Hazard.”

Law snorts. “Was my look on Sabaody not doing it for you?”

Luffy shakes his head. “I dunno. I’m sure you were still really pretty before! I just didn’t notice then!”

Law stares at him seriously, like he’s trying to uncover some hidden meaning in Luffy’s words. Luffy tilts his head, waiting for him to find whatever it is that he’s looking for. He’s not sure if Law manages to find it, but eventually he sighs and looks away, leaning back against the sand again.

“I’m not sure I’ll ever understand you,” Law mumbles.

“Is that why you always say we can’t be friends?” Luffy asks.

“No,” Law insists, though Luffy has a strange inkling that’s not entirely honest. “We can’t be friends because we’re rival captains, or did you forget that, Straw Hat?”

“Why do you make things so complicated?” Luffy asks. “We can be rivals and friends, y’know!”

“Oh, and that’s not complicated?”

“It doesn’t have to be.”

Law releases a long-suffering sigh, muttering something under his breath that Luffy doesn’t quite catch. Heh. Traffy can be a really funny guy sometimes, even if he doesn’t realize that’s what he’s being.

“I’ll miss you when we leave,” Luffy blurts. “It’s never the same without you anymore.”

Law would never be a part of his crew, that much is more than obvious to Luffy; and that’s okay. After so much time spent alongside them, Luffy still considers him crew in every way it matters.

“You’ll be too busy with whatever trouble you get into next to miss me,” Law insists.

“Nah,” Luffy says. “I’d never be too busy to forget about you.”

Law’s hands ball into fists beside him. “Do you ever think before you speak?”

“Why do I have to?”

“It’s smarter. Words have consequences.”

Luffy shrugs. “Not saying anything has consequences too.”

“You’re missing the point. I’m saying you should try having some tact every once in a while.”

Luffy’s brows furrow in frustration. “And I’m telling you it’s stupid not to say what you’re really feeling sometimes. You don’t have to be so weird and tense all the time, Traffy.”

Law makes an annoyed sound in his throat. “I’m not fighting with you about this, Straw Hat.”

“I don’t wanna fight, either,” Luffy says. “I just wanted to spend some time with you. We don’t know when we’re gonna see each other again, y’know.”

Law is silent for several long seconds at that, and when he does speak, it’s while pointing back up at the stars. “There’s… another constellation over here. It looks like a stag.”

Luffy frowns, but follows to where Law is pointing, squinting at the cluster of stars to discover what he means. Soon enough, he finds it, and his expression brightens, his own finger drawing circles around it. “Oooh, no way! That’s so cool! Those are its antlers, right?”

“You’ve got it,” Law agrees. “It’s called cervus major. It’s one of the constellations we were taught in Flevance. That was… the country where I was born.”

Warmth spreads from the depth of Luffy’s stomach to the tips of his fingers. “What other constellations did you have?”

“You want to know more?”

Luffy nods. “Yeah! Tell me about them!”

Law laughs, it’s quiet and short and a little choked up, and Luffy revels in getting the chance to hear it once more.

“There are probably a few more I can show you,” he says.

The amount he knows turns out to be far more than a few, and while Luffy will surely forget many of the names and background details Law provides throughout the next couple hours, he won’t forget the way Law guides his fingers to trace them in the sky, nor the grateful expression on his face as Luffy sits and listens through each and every one.

-

It’s a mere two weeks before Luffy crosses paths with Law and his crew again, and it could hardly be called a coincidence when many pirate crews had all rushed to congregate at the same island. Each had found a map on one of the other nearby locations that had led them there with the promise of a great, hidden treasure. Nami had been skeptical about making the detour at first, suspecting a trap, but ultimately, she couldn’t say no to the allure of treasure and set the course for their new destination.

While it did turn out to be a trap set by overconfident legions of Marines, by sheer luck there were hidden coves of treasure discovered deep within the island too. Due to the collaboration between the dozen or so crews present in both taking down the Marines and unearthing their prize, it had been agreed upon that they would split what was found.

The negotiations of how it would be split, however, had been going on for hours. Luffy has happily stayed out of it, trusting Nami to handle it for them. Her main argument seemed to centre around how their crew—namely Luffy—took care of most of the offense, and he thought that was fair enough, so hopefully they wind up with a good haul in the end. If not, then at least they still got a good adventure out of it! And for Luffy, seeing Law again is just as great a reward. 

If only he could actually find him in the crowd of people celebrating.

He sulks down on a bench next to Robin, who turns to him with a crooked smile. “What’s gotten into you, Luffy? Not enjoying the celebration?”

“I’m hungry,” Luffy complains. “And I can’t find Traffy.”

“No?” she asks.

He shakes his head, lips jutting out into a pout. “Did he and his crew leave already?”

“I’m sure he wouldn’t have run off so quickly,” Robin assures him. “Here, would you like me to take a look for you?”

Luffy perks up. “Yeah, that’d be great!”

Robin’s smile grows gentler and she nods an affirmation at him. Then, she’s crossing her arms, assuming position to activate her Devil Fruit abilities and shutting her eyes tight. While Luffy doesn’t see the effects, he’s familiar enough to guess what she might be doing. He bets there are extra sets of eyes popping up all over town right now, probably scaring people all over the place as Robin scopes everything out.

Luffy bounces his foot as he waits, scanning the crowd like Law might pop out even before Robin is able to spot him. It takes a few agonizing minutes, but eventually, Robin’s eyes flick back open. Instead of pleased, however, her eyebrows are pinched together, like she’s unhappy about something.

Luffy frowns. “Did you not find him?”

Her expression softens. “No, I found him. I believe he just came back into town now. He’s quite far from the action, and he’s talking to a pirate from another crew.”

“Huh? Does Traffy know one of the other crews here?” Luffy asks. “I’ve never even seen any of these other guys before!”

“That doesn’t mean Traffy is unknowing as well,” Robin points out. “Here, would you like directions?”

At Luffy’s agreement, Robin informs him of where he’ll be able to locate Law, keeping it simple enough that he won’t get lost. Luffy nods eagerly, on his feet before the last words even leave her mouth.

“Thanks for the help!” he calls.

Robin stands abruptly before he can run off. “Wait, Luffy!”

He pauses, staring back at her, and there, that weird look is back on her face. “What’s wrong?”

Robin takes a breath and seems to struggle with finding the appropriate words, and even though Luffy’s feet are itching to move, he allows her the time. 

In the end, she appears to second guess herself, a small smile creeping back onto her lips. 

“Nothing,” she assures him. “You’re more than capable of handling it, captain. I’m certain Traffy will be glad to see you.”

While the words and wait make little sense to him, he shrugs it off, eager to move on. “Alright! See ya later, then!”

He turns on his heel and takes off, darting between the sea of people milling around the town square and into the quieter streets they’d invaded. Thankfully, whoever typically resided on this island appeared to have been evacuated by the Marines before the myriad of pirate crews arrived, so any of the civilians who’d usually be settled in their homes are long gone. It makes for a peaceful walk once the noise from the main commotion dies down, and it also allows Luffy to pick up Law’s voice before he catches sight of him. 

“—still trying that line with me?”

“The more I try, the more likely it is to get a reaction out of you, no?” the unknown voice of a man asks, and something about it immediately grates on Luffy’s nerves. 

“That’s not how this works,” Law responds. “Unless you’re out to make yourself look as pathetically desperate as possible.”

“That depends. Do desperate guys do it for you?” 

Luffy freezes in his step, a strange feeling churning in his gut.

“Not a chance,” Law says. “Hate to break it to you, but you’re not my type.”

“I can be whatever you want me to be, gorgeous,” the man croons. 

“Really?” Law asks, sounding decidedly unamused. “You’re that easy?”

“For you, I can be flexible,” the man says. “So, what do you say the two of us get out of here? My crew’s all still out celebrating, which means we’ll have the whole ship to ourselves if we—”

The uncomfortable sensation inside Luffy erupts into an inferno, and it sends his body into motion again, hands tightening into fists at his side as he stomps closer to the source of the noise. He turns a corner and finds Law in an alleyway, smirking challengingly up at a muscular man of impressive height that looms above him, his hand pressed on the stone beside Law’s head. Luffy wants nothing more than to pummel him into the ground.

“Hey,” Luffy calls. “Back off.”

Law’s head whips in his direction, smirk falling off his lips and eyebrows raising. “Straw Hat?”

The man facing Law releases a hefty sigh and takes a step away from him, turning to Luffy and staring at him up and down, looking unimpressed. “We’re just having a little talk, nothing to concern yourself with. Now why don’t you run off before you cause trouble?”

Luffy huffs out a laugh, and the grin that creeps onto his face is wild. “If you want to pick a fight with me, you’ll lose.”

Law snickers. “He’s not wrong. Maybe it’s time to give it a rest, huh?”

The man’s head swivels between Law and Luffy, and for a second, Luffy is certain he’s going to take him up on the fight. Instead, he seems to think better of it, raising his hands in surrender. 

“Fine. Have it your way. I know better than to fight a pirate with your bounty,” the man says. “Catch you later, Trafalgar.”

“In your dreams,” Law says, crossing his arms and staring at the man dully as he exits the alley, leaving him and Luffy alone. 

Luffy releases a breath, forcing his fingers to uncurl, though the thunderous sensation in his chest hasn’t yet subsided, lingering like a threat still lurked in the shadows. 

Law turns to Luffy, the expression on his face intense, like he’s trying to solve a frustrating puzzle. “What was that about? I’m more than capable of handling scumbags like that without your help, Straw Hat.”

“I know that,” Luffy says. “You could have beat that guy up easily.”

Law sighs. “Then, what’s the point of getting in my way?”

“I didn’t like him flirting with you,” Luffy blurts, because it’s as simple as that, at the end of it. The guy was flirting, trying to seduce Law and make him his, and Luffy despised every second of it. 

Law snorts softly, shaking his head as amusement overtakes him. “Right to the point as always. While it’s hardly your business who is or isn’t flirting with me… to be honest, I can’t say I liked it either. Like I said, the guy’s not really my type.”

“What is your type?” Luffy asks.

Law is silent for several seconds, his gaze lingering on Luffy before he tears it away, redirecting it up at the night sky. “Again… not exactly your business, Straw Hat. And I assume you didn’t come out of your way to find me just to go over the intricacies of my love life.”

“So? That doesn’t mean I can’t ask,” Luffy protests. He steps forward, standing directly in front of Law until he is forced to focus on him. “But, fine…”

Law raises a brow, silently asking him to get to the point.

“Traffy, forget about that guy and anyone else who tries something like that,” Luffy demands. “Come be with me instead.”

“Straw Hat…” Law says, stressing the words hard, like he’s struggling to keep himself under control. “Watch it. When you talk like that, you sound like you’re coming onto me.”

Luffy hums. “I’m not. But maybe I’ll do that later.”

Law chokes, gaping at Luffy with quickly reddening cheeks.

“Right now, I just wanna do something fun together,” Luffy continues. “So come back to the party with me, okay?”

Law sputters, and Luffy can almost picture the gears in his head clanking as they try to get back up and running again. It’s funny—Luffy really hasn’t got a clue what he’s so wound up about.

Law rubs a hand over his face, exhaling a hefty sigh like he’s about to launch himself into a deadly fight. “Alright. Fine. We’ll go back to the party, but I’m not staying long, got it? My crew and I have more pressing places to be.”

Luffy snickers. “Sure!”

“You’re not going to listen to me at all, are you?”

“Nope!”

As much as Law puts on an exasperated act, Luffy is familiar with how he functions. He always plays grumpy and like he doesn’t wanna have fun, but it’s all nonsense. The only thing Luffy doesn’t get is why he tries so hard to keep up a mask that’s long since been useless, at least around him.

He shrugs it off, content with guiding Law back through the streets of the town and towards the commotion of the other pirate crews. In the midst of negotiations, they’d set up quite the array of activities in the square, many of them competitions to prove which among them is the best at a variety of skills. Usopp is with a group of snipers, all testing who can get the closest to a bullseye from distances further and further away, and Franky is building some sort of contraption amidst others who are working hard to construct their own creations.

Law stares unimpressed at the rowdy groups they pass and is less than pleased when the first one Luffy stops at is an arm-wrestling competition. There is one man conducting bets on the sidelines and bringing people up one at a time to face off against each other. Luffy shoves his way to the front and is promptly thrust into a chair across from a man with muscles comparable to Zoro’s. 

Luffy smiles, unbothered when many of the bystanders speak up to pitch a bet against him.

“How ‘bout you?” the bookie asks Law, raising one of his eyebrows and offering him a smarmy smile. “Are ya placin’ any bets?”

Law sighs. “A hundred thousand berries on Luffy.”

The others whistle appreciatively, the bookie downright delighted as he accepts the cash from Law, eagerly counting it to ensure the full amount is accounted for.

Luffy’s grin widens. “Don’t worry, Traffy, I’ll win this no problem!”

Law leans against the brick wall of a nearby building, lips pulling into a smirk. “I’m counting on it.”

Their confidence has a few of the others exchanging uneasy looks, though Luffy’s opponent merely laughs, chuckling so hard he has to clutch at his chest.

“You believe you will win?” he sneers. “Pah! I am undefeated in this game! You have arrived too late to realize it, you see, but I have already taken down a hundred other pirates! Too bad your friend will be losing all of those precious berries just like that!”

His energy is infectious, the others in the crowd sneering along with him, their previous fears forgotten in the face of this man’s bravado.

Luffy rolls his eyes. “Can you quit messing around so I can kick your ass already?”

His opponent goes red with rage and Law snorts quietly, positioning himself more comfortably against the wall as he watches with irrepressible intrigue.

“You will regret talking down to me!” the man insists, positioning his elbow on the table, hand stuck out for Luffy to take.

Luffy does so with a dangerous smile, and the bookie stands between them, exuding anticipation.

“The match will begin in 3… 2…. 1!”

Luffy’s grip tightens, the other man’s hand clenching around his hard in turn. Their hands stay locked there for a moment, caught in a stalemate as they both infuse their grips with Haki. The guy’s tough, that much is obvious, but ultimately, he doesn’t stand a chance in hell. 

Luffy lets out a yell and releases a strong wave of Conqueror’s Haki, leaving half the crowd gasping and the other swaying on their feet. His opponent’s eyes go wide with fear, and Luffy laughs, taking advantage of the moment and infusing more power into his grip, which he uses to effortlessly pin down the man’s hand, claiming victory in the match.

The crowd goes crazy, some clapping, others booing, and the rest frantically chattering amongst themselves.

“What was that?!”

“There’s no way! That little shrimp beat him just like that?”

“That was… that was…”

“Who else wants to take me on?!” Luffy challenges.

The other pirates exchange murmured excuses, many swiftly exiting the area when Luffy’s gaze trails over them. His previous opponent is red with shame, clutching his hand close to his chest and practically growling to himself.

Law turns to the bookie, smug. “I’ll take my winnings now, thanks.”

Newly acquired berries in hand, and any previously awaiting challengers dispersing, Luffy and Law step away from the arm-wrestling table, the eyes of the crowd trailing after them as they go.

“I’m almost impressed, Straw Hat,” Law remarks. “That was practically picking on the defenseless.”

“Hey! That was a fair win!” Luffy insists. “Not my fault those guys weren’t tougher! They didn’t even give me a challenge, so it wasn’t much fun for me either!” 

“Only you would complain about things not being more difficult,” Law says. 

“No way, if it were you, you’d want a challenge too!”

Law hums, but neither agrees nor disagrees with his statement, and Luffy’s inclination to argue is wiped away when a delicious scent tickles his nose.

“What’s that smell?!” Luffy exclaims, sniffing the air. “Some kind of meat?!”

He skips off in the direction it’s coming from and bounces excitedly, giddy noises spilling from his lips as he takes in the source. A long line of food stalls is set up, akin to a festival, serving street snacks and desserts to an eager line of customers. The cost of the items is listed at the top of the stand, and the owners behind them are yelling, trying to pull more and more people in their direction.

“Looks like the cooks wanted to get in on the competition, too,” Law says. “The winning criteria is probably whoever earns the most berries.”

“Who cares about that!” Luffy says. “C’mon, we’ve gotta go try ‘em all, Traffy!”

Luffy grabs Law’s wrist, dragging him amidst grumbled protests to the first stall, which is serving skewers of Takoyaki. Luffy fumbles in his pockets to try and locate any spare berries, and Law sighs, grabbing his arm and pulling his attention back to him.

“I’ll cover it,” Law says. “Just for today, whatever you want, I’ll get. It’s only fair.”

Luffy laughs, practically vibrating in delight. “Okay, then gimme two of these!”

“Fine, but don’t get too greedy, you got it?”

Luffy nods, though he could hardly be called greedy for wanting to try at least one of everything, could he? He stuffs the Takoyaki in his mouth, which turns out to be a mistake that leaves his tongue burning as he pants to try cooling it down. Law only continues to watch him, amused.

“Are you not gonna get one, too?” Luffy asks, after he recovers.

Law eyes the Takoyaki skeptically. “I’m not hungry.”

“Why not? Just ‘cause it’s got breading?” Luffy snickers. “You’re so weird, Traffy!”

Law shakes his head, though doesn’t deny it’s the issue. Luffy stores the fact away, happily inhaling the rest of his Takoyaki before shifting to the next stand, which has some sort of meat on a kebab. Luffy snatches up three of them and holds one out to Law in offering.

“Here! This one doesn’t have any bread!”

Law stares, bewildered for several long seconds before tentatively taking it. “Thanks.”

Luffy shrugs, munching on his own kebabs and moaning appreciatively at the explosion of flavors on his tongue. When he looks at Law after he finishes, he finds he’s only had a few nibbles of his own and seems to be more focused on Luffy than the food.

Luffy pauses, taking in the small smile on Law’s lips. His chest fills with warmth. “Hey, Traffy?”

“Yeah?”

“You’ve been smiling more when we’re together,” Luffy informs him. “It’s nice.”

Law huffs in amusement, and this time, he doesn’t bother to hide away his feelings, keeping that oh-so-special smile on his face as the knowledge settles in for him.

“You know what, Straw Hat?” Law says. “I think you’re right.”

-

Despite his tendency to act without considering consequences, Luffy isn’t always impatient. When it comes to the friends he’s made along his journey, he’ll happily wait to reunite with them, whether that reunion happens within weeks, months, or even years. They’ve all got their own adventures to go on, after all, and they’re bound to collide again someday. 

It’s what he tries to tell himself as he curls up next to their transponder snail, waiting for a call that isn’t coming through. 

Traffy had said he would keep in touch, and after the last time they’d been together, Luffy was certain he’d keep his word. But it had been weeks since then and he hadn’t heard a thing.

“It’s not always easy,” Nami had told him. “If they’re too far out of range, they won’t be able to get through to us. Plus, we’re in the New World, him and his crew probably got caught up in something and are busy trying to get out of it. Be patient, Luffy.”

But Nami doesn’t get it. Luffy has to talk to him as soon as possible.

He’d finally figured out what it is that Traffy means to him, and if he keeps it silent any longer, he’ll probably explode. 

There’d been a girl the other day, the usual dainty beautiful type that always makes Sanji weird. He was fawning all over her and blushing at her every word to him, like her doing even that much was a privilege. It’s not something Luffy hadn’t seen a hundred times before, yet this time, it made him pause. And as his eyes scanned the crowd of happy townsfolk around them, he found himself lingering on different couples. He saw held hands, pecks on the lips, and arms around shoulders pulling someone closer, and suddenly, it was like everything clicked for him. 

That’s how he feels about Traffy… isn’t it?

It’s obvious when he thinks about it, it’s just… well, why would he have been thinking about that before?

It’s a realization that spurred butterflies to swarm in his chest, and they haven’t subsided since. It’s had him bouncing off the walls of the Sunny, tapping his feet anxiously by the transponder snail, and at the moment: moping over the side of the boat.

He hates it.

There’s a nudge against his shoulder and he turns to see Sanji settling beside him. He leans back against the railing, lit cigarette between his lips and his eyes on Luffy, amusement lighting his expression.

“You doing alright, Luffy?” Sanji asks. “You look like you’re about to launch yourself into the ocean, and I’d rather not get my suit soaked right now.”

Luffy pouts. “Hey, Sanji?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you think Traffy’s pretty?”

Sanji’s eyes go comically wide and he nearly chokes on his cigarette. “You’re kidding, right?”

“Why would I be kidding?” Luffy asks. “Don’t you think he’s pretty?”

Sanji coughs. “Luffy, in case you hadn’t noticed, my interest lies purely with the ladies.”

Luffy frowns skeptically at him, making Sanji squirm under his gaze until he finally sighs and relents. 

“Look, it doesn’t matter what I think of Traffy. If I had to make an objective statement, it’s hard to deny he’s a good-looking guy. He’s definitely the type of pirate girls would hang a wanted poster of in their bedrooms,” Sanji says. He shakes his head like he’s trying to ban the image from his mind. “But true beauty is subjective, and it’s unique for every person. You could find it in someone’s face, their body, or even in something more personal—like the way they talk, their mannerisms, or most of all: in their personalities. And different people appreciate different types of beauty, like… everyone loves food, but if you asked about their favourites, they’d probably all have a different preference, each prepared using specific methods. But no dish is inherently better than another. There’s no right answer. So, what you’re looking for isn’t what I think, it’s what you do.”

Luffy stares back at the ocean, peering in the distance like if he looked hard enough, it would coax a familiar yellow submarine to surface from beneath the waves. “I never cared about that stuff before.”

“And now?”

“I like how strong Traffy is. And how nice he is even though he’s always complaining,” Luffy says. “His tattoos are cool and his face is pretty. And I really like it when he laughs.”

Sanji snickers. “Yeah, I figured that one.”

Luffy blinks at him. “You did?”

“Did you forget I was there when he laughed his ass off after you caught fire?” Sanji asks.

Luffy hums, trying to recall the scene from that day. Usually, when he thinks back on it, all he recalls is Traffy. But…

He laughs. “Oh, yeah, you were there!” 

Sanji rolls his eyes. “Sure was. And I was tempted to tell the two of you to just get a room already. Honestly, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing at first…”

“Me neither!” Luffy says, lips twitching into a smile. “Traffy’s not usually very happy.”

“I’m not talking about Traffy,” Sanji says. “Actually, I was more surprised by how you were acting.”

“Me? Why?”

“It’s like you said. You never cared about romance and all that comes along with it, so I never expected to see you interested in someone. But the way you were acting that day…” Sanji shakes his head fondly. “Well, let’s just say I know love when I see it.”

“Love?” Luffy repeats, the word feeling foreign on his tongue.

Sanji shrugs. “Lust, attraction, a puppy crush… whatever it is you want to call it, when it’s nourished and given a proper chance to grow, it always leads to love, right?”

It’s a bold declaration, and Luffy has an inkling that some of his other crewmates would argue with Sanji’s logic, but not Luffy. He gets exactly what Sanji means and the truth of it settles somewhere low in his stomach, replacing those insistent butterflies with a raging fire. The type that can either stay contained to keep you warm or burn down its surroundings relentlessly.

Luffy’s smile grows, until he is grinning ear to ear, as bright as the sunlight beaming down on him. “Sanji?”

“Yes?”

“I think I love Traffy.”

“I know, captain.”

“I wanna tell him,” Luffy insists. He folds his arms over the railing, pressing his head down to rest on top of them and listening to the crash of the waves. As seconds pass, it gets more difficult to keep his smile from waning. “I wish I could tell him now.”

Sanji chuckles. “I get it. When you feel that strongly, it’s impossible to keep it inside of you. You want to yell it from the rooftops until everyone knows it, especially the person you’re interested in.”

Luffy groans. “Ugh, how can you stand this, Sanji? All this love stuff is too distracting!”

“I never said it was easy,” Sanji says. “But it’s worth it. We’ll run into the Hearts sooner or later, and then you’ll see, Luffy.” He lets out a long breath, then steps away from the railing. “And in the meantime, I know the perfect cure for pining.”

“Like medicine?”

“No,” Sanji answers. “How about a feast? We’ll break out all the meat we have stored and make something worthy of the future Pirate King.”

Luffy perks up. “All of it?!”

Sanji snickers. “A case this serious requires the strongest remedy we can make.”

And how can Luffy keep moping with something so good on the horizon? He throws himself away from the railing, on Sanji’s heels all the way to the kitchen.

Sanji’s right! Law will turn up soon, and everything will work out like it’s supposed to. It has to.

-

Luffy’s love for Law doesn’t go anywhere. It’s a gentle hum that remains a constant inside him, as steady as his heartbeat. It clicks into place as a part of him, so even when he’s on other adventures—even when he can’t or won’t think about it—it remains present. 

It peeks into his dreams now and then and keeps him from sleeping during rough nights on the ocean. It gets loud when Sanji makes onigiri or he sees a spotted pattern, and it cries out when he sees a couple share a searing kiss and he can’t help imagining. 

It’s at its loudest when Nami mentions the date in passing one afternoon. While Luffy can’t be bothered to keep track of time and couldn’t tell you when the last time he saw Law was exactly, he knows it’s been months. The longest span of time since Punk Hazard that they’ve been apart.

Luffy can’t lie still in his bunk that night, tossing and turning in an attempt to get comfortable. His whole body is on edge, like he’s been trapped in this space, confined. At home on the Sunny, to say such a feeling is foreign is an understatement. 

“Quit it, Luffy,” Zoro grumbles.

Luffy ducks his head upside down, glaring at Zoro in the bunk below him. Zoro peers one eye open to offer him a stink eye of his own.

“I’m not doing anything.”

“Are too. You’re shaking the whole cabin.”

“Am not.”

“You—”

Usopp groans. “Will you two shut up? Some of us are actually trying to sleep here.”

Luffy and Zoro engage in a staring contest for a moment longer before Luffy sighs dramatically. “Fine. I’m not tired anyway.”

He crawls out of his bunk, dropping to the floor and stretching to get feeling back into his limbs. 

Zoro stares at him skeptically. “You need to spar or somethin’?”

Luffy tilts his head back at him, chuckling softly. “Nah, but thanks, Zoro.”

Zoro mumbles a response, then shifts in his bunk, turning to his other side and snoring within seconds. Luffy leaves the room, wondering with amusement if he should test how quickly Zoro could fall asleep even in dangerous situations.

He wanders in circles around the ship a few times, fingers trailing across the walls and feet tapping to music that isn’t playing. It’s not very entertaining with the fridge locked and everybody else sleeping. Who’s on watch tonight, anyway? Nami? Maybe she’ll want to keep him company.

He sings quietly to himself, some old sea shanty Brook has been fond of lately, as he proceeds to the crow’s nest, only to come to an abrupt stop as he passes the kitchen. A familiar sound is emanating from inside and he throws the door open to find his suspicions confirmed: the transponder snail sitting on the table is ringing insistently.

Luffy throws himself into the closest chair and answers before it can ring a third time. 

“This is Luffy, the man who’s gonna be king of the pirates,” he answers. 

There’s a sharp intake of breath from the other line, and then a self-deprecating laugh.

“Of course you’d pick up,” the voice mumbles.

Luffy brightens, pressing closer to the receiver. “Traffy?!”

There’s a pause. “Yeah. It’s me.”

“Why haven’t you called?” Luffy asks. “You said you’d stay in touch, remember?”

“It’s been a little difficult to get in contact, Straw Hat,” Law says.

Unease rushes through Luffy. “Why? Are you in trouble?” 

Another pause. Luffy taps his foot impatiently.

“Traffy, are you okay? Do you need help?”

“No,” Law answers quickly. “No, we don’t need help. We’re fine now.”

“So, you should have called sooner! And not in the middle of the night! You’re lucky I heard you!”

“Yeah. Yeah…” Law mutters.

Luffy’s face scrunches up suspiciously. “Did you not want us to hear you?”

That familiar silence provides as much answer as Luffy needs. There’s a heavy ache in Luffy’s chest, and he wraps an arm around his stomach like that will subdue it. Though maybe he’s just hungry and needs a proper snack.

“I’m not exactly an expert at this, Straw Hat,” Law says. “What did you even expect me to say during one of these calls?”

“Anything!” Luffy answers. “We’re friends! I don’t care what we talk about, as long as we’re talking!”

“And is this a request you make to all your friends?” Law asks. 

It’s Luffy’s turn to hesitate. 

“No,” he says slowly. “But you’re different.”

Law’s breath catches at the explanation. Before he has a chance to accuse Luffy of anything further however, Luffy turns the conversation back onto Law.

“If you don’t know how to talk and you didn’t want anyone to pick up, why did you call?”

It’s not an accusation, exactly, just… curiosity. Law keeps everything close to his chest at the best of times and sometimes it takes a little effort from Luffy to determine how he’s feeling. 

Thankfully, Law is worth the effort. 

“I don’t know,” Law breathes. “Maybe a moment of weakness.”

“Why does it have to be a weakness?”

Law laughs bitterly. “That’s just how it feels. We’re meant to be rivals, and yet… It’s like I…”

He makes a strange noise, like the words have become caught in his throat. 

“Traffy?” Luffy asks, the pieces clicking together in his head. “Do you miss me?”

“That’s not what I’m saying,” Law insists, annoyance creeping into his voice. 

“It sounds like it is,” Luffy says. “If you miss me, you should call, you don’t have to make it so complicated.”

“Do you ever hesitate about anything?” Law asks.

“Not really,” Luffy says. “I miss you, too, y’know. Just like I said I would. What’s so wrong with saying that?”

This time, the response takes so long to come that Luffy begins to think that Law hung up the call entirely. He frowns, about to yell into the receiver, when Law finally speaks again.

“You’re really unbelievable, you know that?”

“Uh-huh. You tell me that all the time.”

“Yes, but… what’s even more unbelievable is I’m starting to think it might not be in a bad way.”

A smile creeps onto Luffy’s face, filled with all the warmth that’s dancing in his belly. “You can say you like me, Traffy! I promise I won’t tell anyone!”

“I don’t buy that for a second.”

“Hey! You can trust me!”

“I’d trust you with my life before I trusted you with something trivial.”

“That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Tell me about it…”

At the defeat in Law’s voice, Luffy chuckles, the tight feeling inside him from earlier evaporating with the easy rapport.

“Luffy?” Law asks. “Do you think…?”

Luffy freezes, on the edge of his seat. He’s not sure he’s ever heard Traffy call him by his name before or speak in a way that’s so timid, so close to begging for something he hasn’t quite voiced.

“Yeah?”

Law sighs. “Nothing. Nothing, it’s ridiculous. You’re on your way to becoming Pirate King and your crew is probably—”

“Did you wanna meet up?” Luffy blurts. “Is that what you were gonna ask?”

“No,” Law says, the word ground out like it was difficult to vocalize. “Of course not.”

“Well, I do,” Luffy says. “So I’ll ask you instead. Do you wanna see each other? You can’t be that far if your signal reached us, right? Isn’t that how it works? I’ll ask Nami and we can find an island nearby to meet at!”

“… seriously?”

“Of course I’m serious! C’mon, Traffy, just for once can’t you stop being so—”

“Alright.”

Luffy’s words stutter to a halt. “Huh?! Really?!”

“Yeah, I— yes,” Law says, and Luffy can almost picture him physically deflating at the admission. “We’ll coordinate in the morning, and then… we’ll figure it out.”

Luffy giggles, the sounds bubbling from his throat and leaving him feeling lighter than he has in weeks. “Okay!”

“Okay,” Law agrees, and Luffy is sure he hears a smile in his voice.

“Then, don’t forget to call back in the morning!” Luffy says. “We’ve gotta see each other soon! I have something I’ve been meaning to tell you, anyway!” 

“Straw Hat…”

“No hints!” Luffy insists. “You’ll find out when we’re together again, alright?”

“… Fine. Fine, alright. I’ll be in touch.”

While it’s a promise Traffy has made before, this time Luffy finds there is no doubt in his mind that he will follow through. 

-

In the hectic climate of the New World, it’s difficult to coordinate anything, but Luffy has never believed in making excuses. No matter how many troublesome encounters are thrust their way during the journey to meet Traffy, they will push through.

It takes a week before they wash ashore on the island they’d been fighting their way toward, and it’s unassuming for the New World, at least from the outside.

“If we go any deeper into it, there’s bound to be plants and animals and people who want to kill us,” Usopp mutters worryingly. 

Luffy only laughs. “Nah, that’s no problem! With our crew and Traffy here, it’ll be totally safe!”

Usopp groans. “You know by saying that, you’ve totally jinxed us!”

Sanji pats Usopp on the shoulder. “No point in freaking out over it. Whatever the deal with this place is, we’re stuck here now. At least until after Luffy sees Traffy again.”

Nami frowns, staring into the horizon. “He should have gotten here before us, so he can’t be too far.”

“He could have been devoured by a Sea Beast,” Robin suggests darkly. “Or perhaps, he’s already here. The Polar Tang is a submarine after all, so he might simply be waiting nearby for Luffy to make his entrance.”

Luffy grins at the thought and launches himself forward off the ship, catapulting onto the grassy hillsides of the island. He looks around left and right, then cups his hands around his mouth and shouts, “TRAFFY! TRAFFY, ARE YOU HERE?!”

“Good grief,” Nami mutters, pressing a hand to her forehead in distress. 

He swishes his head back and forth and squints into the distance, throwing his focus into locating the first sign of Law’s approach. It remains silent for several agonizing seconds, and Luffy groans. 

“TRAFFY!” he calls again. “Quit hiding! I know you’re here!”

“You do?” Usopp asks, climbing down from the Sunny and slinking next to Luffy with some of their other crewmates.

“Haki?” Zoro questions. 

“Nah,” Luffy says, lips twitching into a lopsided smile. “I just know!”

As if punctuating his point, it is then that Luffy hears a familiar swishing sound, spinning around to see Law appearing from thin air several feet away. He raises an annoyed brow at Luffy.

“I could hear your shouting from a mile away,” Law says. “Would it kill you to keep it down?”

Luffy’s smile stretches into a grin so wide that even his gums are on display. “Traffy!”

Law hardly has a chance to take a half-step back before Luffy is throwing himself forward, arms stretching out to grab Law by the shoulders. He slingshots himself closer, legs wrapping around Law’s middle and his arms looping properly around Law’s neck. He giggles, nuzzling against him excitedly. Law’s hefty sigh is easily heard in Luffy’s ears, but when he speaks, there is a fondness creeping into his tone.

“Is all this really necessary, Straw Hat?”

Luffy snickers. “Of course it is! It’s been way too long since I’ve seen you!”

Law laughs half-heartedly. “Right. I almost forgot how impatient you are.”

For just a moment, Law wraps his arms around Luffy in turn and squeezes him tight, like he is forcing himself to simply exhale and enjoy such contact for once. Luffy’s stomach soars.

Of course, it doesn’t last long, Law attempting to shove him away mere seconds later. “Now, would you get off me already?”

Luffy snickers, complying as he lets his feet drop back to the ground. He is slower to completely release Law from his grip though, his hold loosening and his hands dragging down the length of Law’s arms. He’s wearing a royal blue long-sleeved shirt Luffy has seen before, the collar decorated with a slew of feathers and the chest bearing the Heart Pirates’ jolly roger. Luffy’s fingers continue their journey down Law’s forearms, pausing when they dance across Law’s hands. Compelled by the ink adorning them, he holds them in his own, lifting them up a little to inspect. 

Perhaps the tattoos, featuring the letters of the word ‘DEATH’ across Law’s knuckles are meant to be intimidating, but Luffy has always found them to be seriously cool. All of Law’s tattoos are cool, though he’s never taken the time to examine them up close like this before. He continues to feel across Law’s soft and cool skin, playing with his fingers like he’s rediscovering human anatomy. He hums, his smile a little more subdued as he explores, and he can feel the tension practically radiating off of Law.

“Luffy,” Law says, his voice a little strangled. 

Compelled, Luffy finally meets his gaze. Law’s clearly nervous and there is a light flush painted across his cheeks that only draws Luffy to him further. Law visibly swallows and his expression sets in determination before his hands are shifting in Luffy’s, intertwining their fingers together.

Luffy’s heart skips a beat, and his mouth falls open in surprise. The whole atmosphere around them is strange, unlike one that Luffy has been caught inside before. It’s like a storm has begun around them, electricity tingling in the air and threatening to shock them with lightning at any moment if they aren’t careful. But when the universe warns Luffy away, that’s when he gets excited, only wanting to discover more; daring it to show him what it’s got as he runs into the eye of the storm. 

Before he knows what he’s doing, Luffy is leaning closer—

And is interrupted by a very pointed cough from behind them. Law drops Luffy’s hands like he’d been electrocuted and Luffy blinks, pulled out of the fuzzy dreamlike state he’d been caught in. He tilts his head towards the source of the noise and finds his whole crew standing several feet away from them. Usopp is gaping in shock, Chopper has his hooves half covering his eyes, Sanji looks almost impressed, Nami mildly annoyed, and the rest of them thoroughly amused. 

Oh. He’d forgotten they were here.

“Did you guys want a room or something?” Zoro asks.

“Should I prepare the wedding invitations?” Robin teases. 

Law takes a couple steps back, on such high alert Luffy wouldn’t be surprised if he began sprinting away. “I, uh, better get in touch with my crew, let them know you’re here so we can—”

Luffy grips onto Law’s wrist and draws his attention back to him alone. He smiles at him kindly. “Hey, Traffy?”

“Yeah?”

“Let’s go talk, alright?”

Law deflates, daring to take one final glance back at Luffy’s crew—and grimacing at whatever he sees there—before focusing back on Luffy, offering him a hasty nod. “Fine. We’ll talk.”

Luffy drops his hand to slip into Law’s, twining their fingers together and pulling Law away with him. They walk leisurely at first, but soon, Luffy begins to run, dragging Law behind him until he is forced to keep pace with him.

“Where are you taking us?!” Law asks.

Luffy laughs. “I dunno! But let’s go!”

Law must know it’s a losing battle, because all Luffy hears is a small groan before he begins to move faster, settling properly by Luffy’s side. Luffy pulls him through paths of green and into a forest, winding them around nonexistent trails and over huge stumps. The trees here are incredibly large, stretching so far up into the sky that Luffy can’t see the top from here. It makes the space a little dark, and they both trip a few times, though manage to yank each other up by the hand before they can tumble to the ground.

Eventually they find themselves in a clearing that opens up to a lake. Rather than blue or green, it is lilac in colour and filled with a rainbow of water lilies. Luffy gasps, dropping Law’s hands in favour of rushing toward the water, eyes wide as he crouches down to examine it. With the sun beaming upon it, it sparkles brilliantly, like someone had filled it with glitter. 

“This is so cool!” Luffy enthuses, dipping his fingers underwater experimentally and swishing them around. “It feels normal but it looks so weird! Like a mystery lake!”

“Be careful, you don’t know what could be in there,” Law warns.

“It’s fine, see?” Luffy says, removing his hand and showing the lack of damage to Law.

Law rolls his eyes and tentatively approaches Luffy, staring at the water like it’s a patient he needs to cut open on an operating table. 

“The New World is full of surprises,” Law mutters.

Luffy hums in agreement, transfixed by the ripples of the water where he’d plunged in his fingers. Maybe he should try throwing in a rock! Or maybe it’s not real water and he can actually swim in it! Putting his fingers in it didn’t make him weak after all.

“Anyway, what is it you wanted to tell me?” Law asks.

“Hm?”

“You told me when I called that you’d been meaning to tell me something.”

“Oh! Yeah!” Luffy exclaims, laughing a little to himself. He rises back to his feet, turning to Law with a grin. “I’m in love with you.”

Law goes ramrod stiff, his entire face turning tomato red at an impressive speed. 

“You can’t be serious,” he forces out.

“I’m totally serious,” Luffy insists. “I realized it while we were separated.”

“Straw Hat, you…” Law says, face screwed up as he struggles to find his words. “You can’t.”

Luffy’s brows scrunch together. “Why not?”

“Just because you think we’re friends—”

“We are friends.”

“Even if we are! We can’t just… be more. It doesn’t work like that.”

Luffy steps forward, fists clenching together as his frustration rises. “Why can’t it?” 

“Because…” Law huffs out a breath, eyes darting everywhere but back at Luffy, like he’s an animal that’s been cornered and can’t find an escape. “Because we’re too different, Luffy. We don’t want the same things.”

“How do you know what I want?” Luffy accuses. “Aren’t you listening? I’m telling you, Traffy! I want you!”

Law makes a strangled noise, staring back at Luffy and examining his fiery gaze like he’s grasping for a hint of a lie. Obviously, he doesn’t find it, but whatever he does see hardly puts him at ease. 

“I’m not about to give up my crew to join yours,” Law says.

“I know,” Luffy says. “I wouldn’t want you to do that.”

“It would be dangerous,” Law insists. “And complicated. It’s difficult enough to maintain a friendship in the New World, let alone a romantic relationship. Especially when it could easily be discovered and used against us.”

“You’re just making excuses, Traffy!”

“I’m being realistic!”

“No, you’re scared!”

Law freezes, a hundred conflicted emotions rushing across his expression. 

“You’re scared and it’s making you dumb,” Luffy continues. “I know you know we’re friends. And if you don’t like me, that’s okay, you can just say that. But you shouldn’t say ‘no’ just ‘cause you’re afraid something’s gonna go wrong.”

“I’m not scared,” Law insists weakly.

Luffy frowns. “C’mon, Traffy, how can you stop being scared if you don’t admit that’s what you’re feeling in the first place?”

Law lets out a bitter laugh. “You’re insufferable.”

“So are you,” Luffy says.

“And yet you’re in love with me?” Law asks.

“You saved me in Marineford,” Luffy answers.

“That wasn’t—”

“You wanted to make an alliance in Punk Hazard,” Luffy continues. “You always act like you’re annoyed but you care about people. You look out for your crew and you protected mine too. You’re strong and your Devil Fruit power is really cool. You’re really, really pretty and I really want to kiss you. You—”

“I get it,” Law says, putting a hand over his face like he could hide from Luffy there.

“I like being with you,” Luffy adds anyway, because it’s obvious, but it kinda feels like all that really matters.

Law’s breath catches, and his fingers shift to cover his eyes.

Luffy waits, feeling that electricity in the air between them again and hoping that this time, the lightning will strike down on them.

“I’m not… used to this,” Law admits slowly. 

“To what?”

“Letting someone in,” Law says. “Relying on them. Giving them power over me.”

Luffy scratches at his cheek. “You have your crew.”

“That’s different,” Law says. “… you’re different. You’re always driving me up the wall and pushing me too far. You’re totally unbelievable, and yet somehow you’re…”

He shakes his head, taking several long seconds to compose himself.

“You’re something I never knew I needed,” Law admits.

Luffy’s lips part, and he takes a step forward. “Traffy…”

“You’re always pulling off miracles despite doing things that are completely insane,” Law says. “And it’s irritating, but I’m captivated by you; the way you look at the world, the way you always see joy and freedom when all I can see is darkness and imprisonment.” 

“Traffy.”

“You took down Doflamingo when I never expected to escape him alive,” Law continues, rambling uncontrollably now. “I never thought that I would be free.”

“Traffy.”

“So many people I love have died, and I don’t want to—I can’t add another to that list, but I fell for you without even realizing it. Not until it was too late. And now I—”

“Law,” Luffy insists, his hands reaching for his face and cradling it in his palms.

Law’s words die in his throat, his eyes going wide. 

“Do you love me?” Luffy asks.

Law’s breath leaves him all at once, like the fight in him has drained from his body entirely and left the whole of him for Luffy to devour.

“Yes.”

Luffy smiles, slow at first, and then in a way that lights his entire body on fire, like he’d finally been struck by that rare lightning bolt.

So he kisses Law like his life depends on it.

He pulls Law’s face forward and leans up, pressing onto his tiptoes to reach Law’s lips, mashing their mouths together clumsily and passionately. Law’s hands grapple in the air in surprise, fumbling for a moment before they settle on Luffy’s hips. Luffy’s feet go flat and his eyes fall shut as Law leans down for him in turn, experimentally moving his lips against Luffy’s. Luffy isn’t entirely sure how this stuff is supposed to work, so they’re probably doing it badly, but as Law slowly eases them into a proper rhythm, their lips begin to move in tandem, and it becomes scarily addictive. Luffy rushes after the sensation, excitement and desire pooling in his belly and urging him to keep kissing and kissing and kissing.

Even as they begin to become breathless, Luffy doesn’t want to give this up, chasing Law’s lips the instant he pulls away. Law allows Luffy to capture him in another kiss, his grip on Luffy’s hips tightening as Luffy’s hands shift from his face to the back of his neck. His fingers dig into the hair there, tangling through short dark locks. The drag of his nails against skin causes Law to shiver, and oh, Luffy can absolutely get used to this. What other reactions could he manage to pull from Law if he keeps experimenting?

He’s panting when they part for the second time, but doesn’t let that deter him. He leans in again, only to be stopped by Law’s hand pressing up to his lips. Luffy raises his gaze to glare at Law, and Law chuckles softly, amusement twinkling in his eyes. Something in Luffy’s heart turns to mush.

“Give me a second to catch my breath, Straw Hat,” Law requests. 

Luffy presses a quick kiss against Law’s palm, causing another quiet laugh from Law as he lowers his hand. 

“Okay,” Luffy agrees. “But only for a minute.”

“You never let me catch a break, do you?”

“Nah, where’s the fun in that?”

Law shakes his head, though if he’s trying to look put off, he completely and utterly fails.

Luffy grins. “You were laughing again.”

“I guess you bring it out of me,” Law offers.

Luffy tilts his head at him, properly taking in the expression on Law’s face; the softness of his features, the warmth in his gaze, and how much younger he seems without that ever-present scowl. It sends warmth surging through Luffy’s system.

“You’re happy,” Luffy determines.

“Yeah,” Law breathes, like it’s a dark confession he is boldly daring to speak. “I’m happy.” 

“I am too,” Luffy says, giggles escaping his throat in excited little peals.

A rare smile has settled on Law’s lips, and Luffy doubts it will fade any time soon.

“Luffy?” he asks.

“Yeah?”

“Be with me,” Law demands, and Luffy’s stomach does a somersault.

There are many dreams Luffy is chasing, many things he desires on a near-daily basis. He’s a pirate, after all, it’s a part of who he is to be greedy. And at this moment, he wants Law so much it consumes him.

“Okay,” Luffy agrees. “But you better not complain about it later, ‘cause I’m not ever gonna let you take it back!”

And there, one more laugh, sharp and genuine and full of joy, pulled from Law’s lips.

“That’s what I’m counting on,” Law says. 

This time, Law is the one to lean forward and meet Luffy for their kiss, and if they both start smiling too wide for it to get very far or if it breaks to allow them to huff in amusement, then that works just fine for Luffy.