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Luffy remembers when each of his Soul Marks burned themselves into his skin.
Ace, Sabo, and Luffy all burned each other into the skin over their right breast, the burn of Sake fresh in their throats and broad smiles on their faces.
Zoro burned himself onto Luffy's right wrist the moment the Captain helped his Swordsman off of the cross.
Nami burned onto Luffy's left shoulder as he placed his hat upon her head.
Sanji burned himself over the surface of Luffy's stomach as his foot came down upon Don Krieg.
Usopp burned into the space between Luffy's shoulder blades as he was pulled onto the Sunny.
Chopper burned his name over Luffy's collar bones as the Captain screamed at the reindeer to just come with them.
Robin burned over Luffy's right shoulder as she screamed her will to live beneath a burning flag.
Franky burned into the base of Luffy's back as he cheerfully and tearfully boarded the Sunny.
Brook burned beneath Luffy's ear as he played the last song left by his old crew.
Jimbei burned over Luffy's left wrist as he passed his blood into Luffy's veins.
Each of these moments were forever burned on the skin of himself and his nakama. Each of them marked his lifelong connection to each of them. Each had felt like the universe peeling back a little to reveal itself at the corner.
Then there was the name burned on and over Luffy's heart. Branded so deeply that the letters had a decorative border of scarring in the right light, and yet because of the large scar over his chest that had appeared at the same time, Luffy had yet to read the name. It had appeared when he was unconscious, traumatized by the loss of his brother and injured too deeply to help himself. No one had been able to see it, and so Luffy had to guess at who his romantic soulmate was. He had a guess, but there was only one way to truly know, and he was afraid to ask. After all, the person he thought might be his soulmate had a blank space over their heart.
-----
Trafalgar Law hated that the most important people in his life would have their names etched into his skin for all to see and take advantage of. He'd made a habit of covering the names that popped up, had a tattoo artist among the doctors on his ship for this exact purpose, but something had always stopped him from covering the space over his heart.
His mind was too focused on Doflamingo to pay proper attention to a romantic soul mate, too deep into the idea that he wouldn't survive the endeavor to unseat the former Celestial Dragon. Some tiny part of him, though, wondered at the idea of living beyond that battle. At seeing his crew again, meeting up with the names that lay beneath the heart shaped tattoos that litter his body, at meeting the one that would lay claim to his heart.
He didn't truly believe that it was a possibility, but a tiny part of him clung to that idea.
Then he got to know the Straw Hats properly, and that part of him grew a little bigger.
The day before they were to make the exchange on Green Bit, Law found himself cornered by the other Captain.
"Ne, Torao?" It was odd to see Monkey D. Luffy nervously shuffling inside the little library room, but that was the sight that greeted Law.
"Yes, Mugiwara-ya?"
"I was wondering if you could help me with something."
Law quirked an eyebrow but didn't speak, waiting for details.
"I wanted to see my heart."
Law was taken aback by this. It was an unusual request, for sure. "I can do that for you, Mugiwara-ya, but why?"
Luffy seemed to struggle with whether he wanted to answer, his face wobbling in spots the way Law was sure only rubber could. "I think I got my Soul Mark at Marineford, but since the scar covers that part of my chest I can't read it. I wanted to see if you could help me see the one on my heart since you took Cesar's."
Law was floored, "That's a very intimate bit of knowledge, Mugiwara-ya, are you sure it's okay for me to be able to see it?"
At that, Luffy grinned, "Yeah! Torao's a good guy! If you want to see it, you can see it with me!"
That...was way more trust than Law felt comfortable reciprocating. Sighing, the doctor called up a Room and shifted his hand to frame Luffy's heart, "I appreciate your trust in me, Mugiwara-ya, but as I can't reciprocate, I'll just help you see it and put it back. I will not look."
Luffy's grin seemed to lose a little of its shine, but he nodded acceptance.
Law breathed, channeled his energy, and, "Scalpel," quickly looked away as he held the heart of his fellow Captain gently in his palm. He gave Luffy a few moments to walk around and look at the organ, earning a quiet and pleased laugh, before putting it away when Luffy settled back into his previous position.
"Thanks, Torao. I really appreciate it." Law looked up, catching the edge of a sad, bittersweet grin before Luffy turned and left with a quick goodnight.
For some reason, Law felt like he should have chased after the other Captain.
-----
Law was devastated. His attack had taken all of his remaining strength, and Doflamingo had simply stood up, stitched back together by the thin threads of his own powers, and Law was staring at the hardened bottom of the man's foot. In agony and waiting for death, it was a huge shock for Law to see an intervening sandal-clad foot protecting him from the lethal blow.
Doflamingo leapt back and Luffy stood between Law and the pink-feather-clad man, daring Doflamingo to even try getting at Law. Law was speechless, if for only a moment, and then there was a warm, fiery sensation in his chest. He felt his hope soaring higher than ever before, and when he had been tossed to Nico Robin and healed by Leo and Mansherry, he felt his life settle itself into the hands of Straw Hat Luffy.
"I want to watch the battle."
Leo and Mansherry looked shocked, but Robin knowingly stared at his chest, "of course."
Law stared on as the battle raged, "If he dies, let me die with him."
Robin sighed, and Law turned to see her eyes closed and a smile on her face, "I don't believe he would want that of you, but I wouldn't wish upon you the torture of living without him so soon after finding him."
Law didn't have a response to that, so he turned back to the battle. He was grateful.
-----
It was as they sailed toward Zou that the crew had time to take a deep breath and relax. Law had kept his chest covered after the battle, so only Robin, Leo, Mansherry, and himself knew of the name burned into his chest.
Luffy had been bounding around the ship for hours, and Robin had caught his attention once Law had moved to somewhere more quiet. "What is it, Robin?"
Robin had a mysterious smile on her face, "Torao said something interesting while you were fighting Doffy."
"Hm? What kind of interesting?"
"He said that if you lost and died, that he wanted to die along with you."
Luffy frowned, "But, that's silly. Why would I die? And why would I let him die? He's my Nakama!"
Robin chuckled, "Of course, Captain. I knew you wouldn't die, but I had to humor him for a while to keep him from kicking up a fuss. Perhaps you should go speak to him."
Luffy stared at his Archaeologist, mulling over her words, "Yeah, I think I will."
With newfound determination, Luffy headed into the lower decks to look for his wayward Allied Captain.
He found Law in the library again, staring at a bookshelf full of Robin's more favored books. Luffy wondered what was running through Law's head; was the man thinking about his crew, or Doffy, or something else entirely? Luffy had the most trouble with Law's thoughts because there were so many, it was hard to keep up.
"Ne, Torao."
Law turned toward Luffy, slightly startled. Luffy kept his face flat and passive, "Yes, Migiwara-ya?"
"I was wondering if you could help me with something."
Law quirked an eyebrow and didn't speak.
"I wanted to see my heart."
Law stared into Luffy's eyes, trying to gage Luffy's intent, "I can do that for you, Mugiwara-ya, but why?"
Luffy stayed silent and stern, watching Law begin to shift uncomfortably, "I'll explain after you pull it out. Will you help?"
Law, clearly unsure and unfamiliar with this side of Luffy, did as he was told, looking away once he had Luffy's heart in his hand.
Luffy kept his gaze on Law, steady and determined, "Robin told me that you said if I lost to 'Mingo you wanted to die."
Law tensed, but the hand holding Luffy's heart hardly twitched.
"I know that as a Captain yourself, you don't have the same level of faith in me that my crew does. You're a leader and you can't let someone else control you. I would never even ask for that. But I need you to understand something before you go signing your life away."
Law slowly looked up at Luffy, breath caught as the Straw Hat Captain removed his shirt and showed each of the names on his skin.
"Every name that has burned itself into me has given me a part of themselves, as I have given them a part of me. If I were to die, I would expect them to take special care of what I gave them, and to pursue the dream that makes them happy."
Law's hand was trembling.
Luffy finally let a gentle smile grace his features, melting back into the bittersweet grin of before, "So I would hope you could do that for me as well."
Law looked floored, eyes wide and tearful as they moved down to the organ beating steadily in his palm.
Trafalgar D. Water Law
Gently, shakily, hesitantly, Law returned it to its owner's chest, lingering over the raised skin of the scar that marked his saving of a life on the brink of despair and death. A thousand thoughts flew through Law's mind, but only one response was truly feasible.
Luffy watched as Law moved to remove the bandage over his own chest, "I will, as long as you do the same."
Monkey D. Luffy
Luffy's grin lost its bittersweet edge, and he laughingly launched himself at the other Captain, earning a smile.
They had a lot to work out and work on, but it was a start.
-----
Monkey D. Luffy had been making waves. He'd fought his way from the weakest Blue all the way to Raftel. He'd overturned the world and made friends with the most unlikely of people. He wore his Soul Marks in the open, but no one could claim to get close to any of the names that marked his skin and make any kind of threat to coerce the Pirate King into anything.
It was simply a mystery whose name had its edges peeking out from beneath his scar and over his heart. Plenty claimed to be the name that marked the Pirate King as a romantic soul mate, but none could prove it.
Until the news reached one Surgeon of Death, who smiled and stopped wearing his chest mark covering. After all, no one else in the world could boast to be the one that held the Pirate King's heart in their palm and prove it.