Chapter Text
"Ahhh, It's been so long since we did this," Cora said, throwing a bag of store bought popcorn onto the sofa before lifting himself from the wheelchair into his usual spot on the sofa.
Law pulled himself away from the window where he had been watching the approaching stormfront, sheet lightning illuminating the clouds in the distance every few minutes.
The rain was coming hard now too, hammering against the windows.
Perfect weather for a quiet night inside, binging Game of Thrones the way they used to watch Pixar movies back in the day.
Cora had always known how to pick these nights.
"Get me a beer?" He asked Law after settling in comfortably, knowing full well what that was going to get him.
"Oh, don't make that doctor face at me."
Cora sighed and turned his neck a little.
"Really Law, I'm good. I haven't needed so much as an ibuprofen for weeks. The new physical therapist is great," he said.
Law was sceptical but it was enough to make him relent and get Cora that beer. "She's cute too," Cora mused to himself as he took the bottle and sipped happily.
"Reminds me, I have a date on saturday, you gonna be okay for dinner?"
Right, the woman Cora met at that cop poker round. Maybe that one would finally be decent. Though Law wasn't holding out much hope with Cora's taste what it was.
Not that Law was any better.
"The brat is due for a physics lesson," Law said instead of harping on about his misgivings. He could hate the woman at leisure if and when he formally met her.
Cora hummed approvingly. "Don't have to worry about you eating then. He still struggling?"
"Only in physics and biology. If he wasn't so easily distracted he wouldn't need help for those either," Law said, settling in on the other side of the sofa and rubbing at the freshly healed tattoo on his arm. The black ink was a sharp contrast against his skin. Much sharper than the discoloured patches littering his body. He wondered how obvious the difference was to someone who didn't know to look.
Cora was watching him, smiling. It honestly made him yearn for his long sleeves back.
"That your way of saying the brat is smart?"
"Not a completely hopeless case, at least," Law admitted against his better judgement.
"Aww, you do get along!" Cora said, the self satisfaction palpable.
"He's quite the athlete too, to hear Zeff tell it."
To hear Zeff tell it, there was nothing the brat wasn't good at. Though in this case Law could attest to the little show-off being all handstands and cartwheels in the schoolyard. At least when he wasn't getting into fights or kicking a ball around.
But Law knew better than to believe this was really about the brat. No. This was Cora trying to bring up an issue.
"If you have something to say, say it," Law grit out. Probably about team sports or something equally ridiculous where he'd have to interact with people and play nice.
"I'm going to self-defense, that's gotta be enough." Shit, he sounded so defensive.
"Not complaining, kiddo. Would be nice if you let me pick you up though. Or let me watch training, now that they put the new ramps in at the sports complex," Cora said, still with that little tease in his voice.
Law looked away. Bastard was grinning ear to ear. He'd always found Law playing tug of war with city council so amusing and delighted in teasing him about his successes getting accommodations installed. "They should have to put those in and maintain them. Someone has to make sure they do," he mumbled.
At least Law could file complaints in his own name since his last birthday instead of deciding between forging Cora's signature or suffering through his way too soft smile when he signed the paperwork.
"It's nice to see you more outgoing…" Cora said, dropping one issue but instead starting to fucking probe again. Ugh.
"You've been getting home later after school and staying out in the evenings more too. New friend?" He asked and Law braced for impact. This had been coming a while and Cora shifted to lean closer with a conspirative grin.
"Or maybe giiiiirlfriend? Wonder what your type might be..."
"Not a girlfriend," Law said, biting his lip, rubbing the inked skin again. Cora was looking at him with an eyebrow raised, leaning even closer. Fuck. Wrong tone…
But it had to happen eventually.
"In fact I doubt there will ever be a girlfriend," Law mumbled, crossing his arms and sinking further into the pillows.
Cora was silent for a few agonizing seconds that Law didn't dare look at him.
"Boyfriend then?" He asked with a beaming smile. "I'd love to meet him!" Great. This was already worse than sitting on the secret.
Law barely managed to contain the scoff at the thought of bringing Eustass home. Like that dick wouldn't laugh himself into a coma at the very idea. "It's nothing that serious."
He ignored Cora's pouting as he threw his hands up dramatically, clipping the lamp behind him and making it sway. "You never let me have anything!" He complained before looking at Law again, trying for eye contact.
"If someone serious comes along you'll introduce him though, right?"
"Yes," Law said and tried not to squirm.
"Promise," Cora demanded and Law slid as far into the pillows as possible.
"I fucking promise. Can we just watch the show, please?" He growled from his hiding place as Cora laughed but finally pressed start.
A few days later Law was still feeling the same about introducing Eustass, except even less inclined to do it.
They were making out in the equipment room next to the gym, shielded from the rain and the fucking dick kept pulling Law's shirt up, trying to get at his skin.
The knee Law had strategically placed between Eustass's legs and was now pressing up in warning didn't even deter the fucking asshole. He just kept pawing at Law's body until Law shoved him off with a glare and wiped his mouth, lips still tingling from the warm contact.
"That's enough, Eustass," he said, pushing the hands sliding under his shirt away, again. "Fucking told you that the clothes stay on."
"You're a fucking tease, Trafalgar, y'know that?" Eustass said, voice low as one hand tangled in the chains hanging off Law's pants, dangerously close to his ass while the other carded up to Law's neck holding him like that.
Fucking domineering bastard.
"You're lucky you're hot or I wouldn't put up with half of your shit," he said, pushing Law into the wall and trying to kiss him again.
Except Law wasn't in the mood anymore and probably running late to walk the brat home. "Makes two of us, fuck off," he said and turned his face to the side, pushing Eustass's broader frame away more firmly.
Kid scrunched his nose in displeasure as he looked out the doorframe- no door now that Eustass had broken it to get in- toward the bike stands where Sanji was already waiting, bright yellow umbrella in hand. "Yeah yeah, you got babysitting duty for short stack there. I get it," Eustass said and pushed off with a grin.
"See you later," he said, with another annoyingly possessive brush to Law's side before slipping out of their hiding spot and past the bike stand, kicking an unlocked one so it fell down with a clatter.
Law rolled his eyes at the display of senseless destruction, even as part of him surged with the strange excitement Eustass caused in him. Sanji was looking after Eutass with a frown, only turning away when Law walked up to him and nudged his shoulder.
They walked through the drizzle in silence, raindrops pittering against their umbrellas. Sanji was glancing over at him every so often. Opening and closing his mouth like he wanted to say something. How annoying.
"I don't like that guy, Law," he finally managed to say.
Law scoffed. As if anyone liked Eustass with his anger issues and violence.
"I don't either. He's a dick," Law said. A dick he was unreasonably and irrationally attracted to. Go figure.
The look Sanji gave him was absolutely confused, almost betrayed. "Why then...?" He asked, blushing and looking away. "I know you and him are... you know… I've seen you kiss and stuff…," he said, now completely red in the face.
Kids. Honestly. "You're a little voyeur, huh?" Law asked somewhere between a tease and annoyance at even having this conversation.
He stopped as Sanji did, the kid red faced and furious. "Who would wanna watch that?!" He asked with a disgust Law hadn't expected and that stung more than was reasonable.
He glared, turned and walked on. "Well. I don't care if you're grossed out. I'm gay and noone asked you to spy on me," he said, cold as he could to keep this sudden anger down. He half wished Eustass was still here. Asshole probably knew where to go to fuck something or someone up.
Heh, and here Law had thought he'd learned to put away this rage, but maybe it had just been dormant. Rearing his head now that he stood the chance of losing something again.
No matter, even if he had taken to the brat and his weirdly endearing mix of posturing and friendliness just a little. Law wasn't about to deny part of himself for someone else's benefit. If Sanji didn't like it he could damn well walk home on his own and find another tutor.
A frustrated groan sounded from behind Law. Then Sanji shot past him, hair whipping into his face in the wet air, puddles spraying with his steps.
He blocked Law's way, frowning and gritting his teeth and taking a deep breath.
"I don't care about that!" He said heatedly, cheeks puffing out. He even stomped his foot, before looking down at his bright yellow boots. "'S just… he's a shitty bully and I thought you were better than that," Sanji said.
Well, now Law felt like an ass and before he could say something Sanji had turned and run off, umbrella billowing out behind him, a fleck of bright yellow in the distance in no time. He really was fast.
The rain was picking up too. The brat would be drenched if he ran all the way home like that. Damn hot head.
Law ruffled his hair with a frustrated sigh as he followed at a brisk step.
When he made it home Cora's car was gone. He was at the office today then. No sign of the brat either.
The house was silent when Law let himself in. There was nothing in the fridge except the milk for the coffee, a few bananas and a carton of eggs.
They probably still had some rice too and maybe some canned or frozen vegetables.
What a pain.
Maybe he should just have a bowl of cereal and be done. Cora usually ate at work anyway.
The doorbell ringing ripped Law from his frustration and when he opened it he found a pouty blond brat. His bangs were plastered to his face and he clearly had only dried off very cursory when he got home earlier.
Sanji puffed his cheeks out and pushed past Law, slipping out of his coat and hanging it up. "I'll forgive you this time, 'cuz I know you can't feed yourself for shit," he said, accusation in his voice. He stormed into the kitchen and Law followed, unable to help his amusement. On his way he picked up a towel from the bathroom.
"Guess I'll forgive you for being a pushy little voyeur then. So nice of you to come feed me, or were you just lonely at home?" Law teased and threw the towel at Sanji's head.
"No!" The brat said very loudly and hid his face as he furiously scrubbed himself dry. Hah, bullseye.
He was still pouting when he handed the towel back to Law and as he collected ingredients he kept bitching and moaning about Law being a rude ass.
He ended up making omelettes for both of them despite the complaining and another one for Cora as he got home.
"This is really good, Sanji," Cora said brightly after taking a few bites, and ruffled Sanji's hair. The brat beamed at him.
He kept allowing Cora this stuff when that gesture from anyone else would send the little brat into a fit.
Law wondered sometimes why that was and hoped for Sanji's sake that it wasn't some pitying indulgence bullshit. "It was okay, I guess," he said to dispel the moment, grinning to himself at Sanji's indignant expression.
"Don't be a brat, Law," Cora said between a few more bites.
Sanji looked at him triumphantly, echoing Cora. "Yeah, don't be a brat, Law."
Law flicked Sanji's forehead, Sanji kicked him under the table and they both played innocent when Cora looked up from his plate.
Horribly domestic, all in all.
Impressions of memories usually suppressed welled up at that thought. And with them too familiar guilt.
"Hey Cora," Law started much later in the evening when Zeff had collected Sanji, and Cora and he were loading the dishwasher, their home quiet again.
"Hmm?" Cora asked through his happy hum and Law was already regretting that he had started.
And still he would see it through.
"I'd like to go to the cemetery next week."
The admission came quietly and Law closed his eyes, waiting for the reaction. The misplaced pride or long suffering relief about Law finally pulling his shit together and facing this long overdue duty.
"Of course," Cora said instead and placed the last plate into the dishwasher before sliding it shut. When Law looked Cora was smiling, wide and content and the annoyance Law had been so determined to feel wouldn't come at all.