Work Text:
Three Date Style
No one is more surprised than Law to find out he's in a relationship
The Heart Pirates they certainly act surprised, putting on a show of acting as if they are overflowing with joy and tears at the discovery that their captain has found true love. Penguin and Shachi sniffle while going on about how no one deserves it more than their captain, Uni makes Ikkaku hand over ten berries, Puffin starts drawing up new blueprints for the baby's room which Bepo immediately jumps in on to help decorate.
Law just stands there watching for a good three minutes before calmly reminding them, "We're still close enough to go back to Zou. I am sure they wouldn't mind keeping you all as company for a while longer."
That gets his crew to go quiet, but behind him he hears the Strawhat's archeologist give a small giggle.
At least everyone else finds this amusing.
—🧡—
This all started because Strawhat's crew is full of unruly, impulsive idiots and being the most chaotic and rash of all of them, Strawhats just had to take off over his wayward cook, leaving Law to play babysitter to half a crew that isn't even his.
Honestly, he should have put up more of a fight when Strawhat just sort of assumed he would be fine taking on seven new passengers in what had already been a rather tightly packed submarine. He is pretty sure everyone expected him to make a fuss, from the way his crew stared at him when they heard the news, to the looks of suspicion and doubt on Strawhat's own nakama's faces. Law just gave Strawhat a hard, narrow stare from under the rim of his cap and reminded the uncontrollable feral child that the purpose of their alliance is to take down Kaido, which he could not do if Strawhat went and got himself killed by another yonko first.
"I'll be fine, Torao!" Strawhat declared, absolutely no idea how naive he sounds, thinking he could just run into yonko territory and grab his friend with no consequences. "Sanji will come back, I just know it. He might make us stay for the wedding though…" Law managed not to wince, just maintained the same unimpressed facial expression while silently contemplating how long it would take Strawhat to realize he's an idiot. Probably long enough that a second void century could come and go. "Oh." Strawhat suddenly turned serious, actually surprising Law for a moment. He hadn't thought the other pirate captain would get it until he was actually standing in front of Big Mom herself and-
Strawhat turned to his vice captain. "If we're late because of the wedding, I give you permission to kick Kaido's ass for me," he said, nodding solemnly.
Zoro, who had been standing around looking as doubtful about all of this as Law felt, broke into a devilish grin. "Aye, aye, Captain. It'll be my pleasure."
Law's stomach dropped even as his heart jumped up into his throat. That smile was pure malice but in the most exciting way possible and it left Law feeling dizzy. "There's no time to lose then." Law didn't even think about speaking, the words just tumbled out and his voice was rougher than it should have been. He had turned around and marched off without giving his crew the satisfaction of giving him knowing looks.
Looking back, Law should have put up more of a fight. Instead he just stood there and let the other captain lead them right into Law's ship with little more than some token grumpiness.
— 🧡—
Luck has never been an ally of Law's. Unlike certain pirate captain's who can bounce from trouble to trouble without a care, always knowing that fortune will be there to set things right at the last second, Law has to depend on other means of getting his way. So he plans. Not just for the big things like battle strategies or revenge schemes. Law has a plan for anything where luck could once again come along and fuck things up for him just for kicks.
Obviously, he has a plan for how to get Zoro.
The first step, of course, is to see if Zoro is even interested. From what information Law has been able to glean as of now, he can't be sure that the swordsmen is the kind who would be interested in another man, nor has he been all that keen on the many women who have tried cozying up to him. In fact, unless it has a sharpened blade or is at least 30 proof, Zoro has yet to show interest in much of anything.
So step one is some light flirting in order to ascertain whether or not it will be fruitful to go ahead with steps two through fourteen.
His initial results are not promising.
"Oi, Torao, are you cold or something? It's like an oven in this damn tin can of yours. If you need someone to keep you warm go find that overstuffed bear of yours."
"Eeh, what's with that look, Torao? Do I have something on my face? "
"Hmm? Oh, it's some tea or something. Your voice keeps getting all low and scratchy. Don't thank me, it was Kin'emon who made it."
Law stares at the lemon and wonders how this could be going so wrong. He used to be so good at this. Back on the first half of the Grand Line all he had to do was glance over his shoulders, give a slightly crooked smirk, and he'd have someone on their knees, pawing at his jeans in no time. But with Zoro it's like-
"He's almost as bad as Luffy," Long-Nose says, snatching the tea that Law had just been staring at, contemplating if there was a way to perhaps undo the past week. Long-Nose pats Law on the shoulder, or at least reaches over to do so before Law gives him a glare that reminds everyone he was once considered one of the warlords of the seas and does not require nor want anyone's comfort. After that, the sniper wisely chooses to scoot the chair he'd fallen into a few safe inches away from Law. "Did you know Boa Hancock tried to ask him to marry her seven different times before he realized what she meant? Can you believe it?"
Yes, he could believe it very easily, especially since Law had been around for her first two attempts and had seen Strawhat's utter lack of comprehension as to. What it was she was stuttering on about. At the time Law had watched with a wry amusement, finding Strawhat's utter lack of interest in the Shichibukai's legendary beauty had been somewhat more entertaining when it had been The Pirate Empress getting unknowingly rejected and not Law's seduction techniques being ignored.
"Perhaps Torao-kun is approaching this the wrong way." With the exception of Zoro, the Strawhats seem to travel in packs, and so Law isn't at all surprised when Robin slides down into the seat across the table from them. She gives Law her usual polite smile, the one that he finds incredibly off putting. Regardless of the situation, it is always the same gentle smile, which means Law never knows what it means. Though he has his suspicions that in this case, her smile is meant to be mocking. That wouldn't surprise him either. Robin may seem like one of the more mature, sensible Strawhats, but she still joined that boy's crew after all. She can't be entirely normal. "Our swordsman has never been one for words. Maybe another date is in order?"
Well, that certainly changes things, and suddenly Law is in fact very surprised. Did he miss something? Is this some strange prank the other crew is playing on him? Making fun of the captain for making a fool of himself trying to get Zoro's attention when it's clear the boy isn't interested? They know he could shamble them out into the middle of the ocean right now, don't they?
"Hey!" The robot says, far too loudly considering the way noise just echoes around inside the Polar Tang. "Don't worry bro! Zoro and you are SUPER together, you just have to give him some time! You should have seen him after coming home from your dates, though. Like Luffy at an all you can eat buffet!"
It's a good thing Law had passed on that tea or he'd have choked to death before he had a chance to kill someone.
—🧡—
"What do you mean?" Law is still standing in the doorway to the common room turned gym, frozen in place and openly staring at Zoro. Which isn't entirely new, though usually when he's watching Zoro work out he at least tries to be sneaky about it. "We're dating!?"
For once his attention isn't on those broad shoulders or golden skin dripping with sweat or the way his muscles ripple beneath his shirt or…. Okay, well, not all his attention anyway. Most of it is busy staring at Zoro as if he's grown a second head,only that would be perfectly normal in Law's world, where as this?
"Well, you know," Zoro says with a shrug, which is rather impressive considering the amount of weights he is currently lifting. "I wouldn't call it dating. We've only gone on like three dates."
"Three?" When the hell did they go on three dates? Fuck, when had they gone on a single one? And why hadn't Law been invited? "What are you-"
"There was that Fire, Ice and Gas Island. You know, with the woman who thought she could beat me." Zoro gives a dismissive snort at the mere thought. "Oh and the dragons and stuff," Zoro starts, as if listing them off will somehow clear everything up. If that's his goal he isn't off to a great start. "Then after-"
"Punk Hazard?" Law repeats, still just standing there with his mouth hanging open. "Zoro-ya, we hardly even saw each other! How - how is that a date?"
"You cut the island in half," Zoro points out, and he's wearing this fantastic looking impish grin that makes Law wish he wasn't wearing anything else. "I remember." And clearly, it's a memory that Zoro quite enjoys.
Law can't help but smirk at what is implied by Zoro's thoughtless admission, mainly the insinuation that regardless of the fact that they had barely known each other at the time he must have been very impressed that he not only remembers it, but remembers it as their first date.
Dates, Law remembers, that he was not made aware of and knows nothing about. The reminder is enough to get him to drop his smile immediately, going back to his usual expression. The one that manages to look pissy even if, to be honest, Law is simply confused.
"Zoro-ya," Law sighs, rubbing his temple. There is a spot right behind his eye that has started giving him more and more problems recently. He would have blamed the fight with Doflamingo - where he came out alive but only barely - except that it started slightly before that. Back at Punk Hazard to be precise. And it seems to only get worse the more time he spends with this crew.
Yet here he is, trying to resolve this mystery of the dates that never happened so that he can hopefully spend more time with one Strawhat in particular. Time alone and, hopefully, memorable. In the sense that he will actually remember it and not hear about it for the first time while being mockingly consoled by the Zoro's other crew mates.
"Just because you remember me doing something doesn't make it a date. We didn't even speak until everything was over, you spent most of the time unaware I was even there!" Law had of course known the Strawhats were present, that crew could not do anything without drawing attention. But he had a plan to carry out and since Zoro had been off somewhere and not actively causing him problems, Law hadn't even thought about where the other Strawhat supernova might have wandered off to. He doesn't recall them even seeing one another until everyone was forced into the base by the poisonous cloud Cesar had released across the island, at which point Law had been far too focused on other matters to give the swordsman even passing thought.
(That would have to wait until they were riding on that supply cart, desperate trying to escape before that strange, deadly gas Cesar had created caught up with them and turned them all to pillars of stone. They had still been in great danger, of course, but apparently not enough danger that Law's brain couldn't take stock of how big the green haired kenshi had gotten since Law last saw him in Sabaody. Standing just behind the young pirate, it was almost impossible not to notice he had filled out quite a bit, and not just all his well defined new muscle mass, either. Then Law reminded himself that he could die here without ever getting Cora-san his revenge, and turned back to looking straight ahead.)
Zoro doesn't even pause his exercise routine, but he does make a face as if he's actually considering Law's words. Which might be a first, not just for him but for that entire crew of his. Finally, after what really shouldn't have taken any thought in the first place, Zoro doesn't even nod in agreement when Law is so obviously right. Instead, he just offers another shrug. "It's when I decided we should date," Zoro says, shameless and honest and entirely unaware that he just made Law's heart leap upwards. "So I count it."
Law is almost thankful that there is an argument to be won, or else he definitely would have been stuck just standing there and staring at the other man. What kind of person just admits something out loud like that? With no fear and no shame, no thought at all more than likely.
"You can't just decide you want to see someone and then proceed to declare it your first date!" Law spitters around the words, which he is just hoping sounds upset rather than flustered. "Especially if you don't even bother to let them know!"
This time, Law does earn a nod of agreement and what he thinks might be a slight twinge of embarrassment from Zoro, but that can't be right. He is certain that the whole Strawhat crew is made up of anomalies who not only act in the most chaotic ways but also possess a rare genetic mutation that prevents even the slightest hint of humiliation regardless of how reckless and insane their actions.
"Fine," Zoro stretches the word out, agreeing very slowly as if still unsure if he's willing to admit that Law has a very valid point. "That one doesn't count. "
Law waits for him to elaborate, maybe even going as far as to tell Law about these so called dates, but all that happens is more of him watching Zoro lifting his oversized weights, letting Law watch without comment. As if it's perfectly normal , which isn't true in the least. Typically, Law is far more subtle and sneaky about his ogling.
When it becomes apparent Zoro has no such plans to fill Law in on these mystery dates, that leaves Law to ask the obvious.
"And the others?" Law inquires, massaging that spot just 9over his eye where he can feel his brain pounding against his skull. "You said there were multiple dates."
"Yeah." Zoro actually frowns at this, and while he looks more confused than hurt, Law still feels like a total asshole for forgetting their first date.
That no one told him about until just recently, Law reminds himself, steeling his resolve. He isn't going to simply back down out of guilt when he didn't do anything wrong.
Probably.
"After Dressrosa," Zoro goes on, setting down the weights which make the whole sub shake just a little. "On that oversized ship with all the good sake."
Law immediately knows what Zoro is referring to, but his mind still stumbles, taking a minute to fully catch up with what Zoro is saying. "The party?" Law repeats back, although it isn't really a question since he's sure that is what Zoro means. But how could he call it a date? "Zoro-ya, they were celebrating becoming-"
"I shared my booze with you," Zoro is quick to point out, not even letting Law finish. "We sat together most of the night. That's a date!"
"Zoro-ya," Law winces, massaging just above his eye. "Have you ever been on an actual date?"
"Of course I have!" Zoro protests in a way where his cheeks go slightly red, and Law has to wonder if this is like his claim that he hasn't gotten lost. "Just not with you, apparently." The boy grumbles the last part, turning back to pick up the impractically big weights he had been lifting before Law interrupted.
Law isn't entirely certain how, but this conversation that started with Zoro proclaiming they were dating has somehow gone terribly out of his favour.
"How about..." Law steps forward, trying very hard to focus and not just on the way Zoro's shoulders look as he hefts those things into the air like they weigh as much as kittens. An alliance is all about compromise, right? Well, that and a strategic omission of information so that the allied party otherwise fails to realize what you're really after. "We split the difference. Say that we've been on… one and a half dates."
Zoro cautiously turns, staring at Law over his shoulder. It's clear, even just from the look, that he doesn't truly trust Law.
Law appreciates that instinct. It may be one of the reasons he finds himself so attracted to the green haired kenshi.
That and well…
His shoulders shift to compensate for the movement of the weights only slightly even as he turns around. "What is a half a date?" He sneers, clearly still a little pissy with Law. The worst part is Law isn't even sure if for not realizing they were dating or not giving in to his insane Strawhat logic. "Who goes on half a date? That's crazy, Torao."
That is crazy? THAT is crazy? Looked in a mirror lately Mister I Fight While Sucking Off A Goddamn Sword? Depths, have you meant your own crew? One of them is a goddamn cyborg with a giant mech and he is considered the mature, father-like figure aboard your crazy ass ship! Look at your own damn captain, you idiot! Law can take a man and behead him leaving both the head and body perfectly alive and functioning and that son of a marine is the craziest thing he has ever seen. No, if we're talking crazy, you have to start on your own ship, my friend!
Law is forced to draw a deep breath, reminding himself with no small amount of willpower that Zoro is young and… not always the quickest to pick up on things. Like that Law is being diplomatic, a word most if the Strawhats could not find in a dictionary and those who could would quickly toss aside. He is practically a teenager, his captain IS a teenager. Law remembers his, Penguin, Shachi and Bepo's own teenage years well, what kind of crew they were. What kind of captain. Even two years ago Law would have annoyed the fuck out of his current self with some of the stunts he pulled. Just, patience, Trafalgar. Patience.
Zoro is twenty one, a whole year younger than Law when he stupidly decided to attack a full on navy fleet instead of just going under it with his goddamn submarine. At twenty one, Law probably would have called out his own bullshit as well instead of seeing it for what it is.
A peace offering.
"So. Two dates," Law haggles, trying to at least get Zoro to see his point. He's willing to meet Zoro half way, to say that he is wrong (even though he very much isn't) if Zoro will just give him a chance to prove his point was at least partially right as well.
Mainly: that Zoro had not in fact been on a proper date with him. Because if Zoro managed to go three dates with Trafalgar Law and STILL had his pants on, then you just know there is some devil's fruit bullshit being pulled.
Or has managed to horribly misread Zoro's sexual preferences.
But judging by the way his one eye takes it's time roaming over Law, taking him in right then, it's not that. It's definitely not that.
Law gets that smirk that he gets when he knows his plan is going to work. The one he would probably punch off younger him's face but is so deserved right now.
"Alright," Zoro agrees, letting the weights drop from his hands and hit the floor with a thud that resonates through the room and out into the hall. Law can't help but wince. The poor Polar Tang. Hopefully it can withstand these next few weeks. "Why?"
The smirk slips. Just a little. "What do you mean? Why?"
"Why say that we had two dates," Zoro accuses, stabbing his finger at Law's chest. Luckily he doesn't actually make contact. Looking at Zoro, Law figures even such a small gesture is likely to bruise. "When you clearly don't think that's true."
Yes, Law definitely appreciates Zoro's healthy apprehension for his plans.
His smirk comes back, taking over his lips as he prowls forward. "I'm just being a good ally," Law purrs, eyes alit with all sorts of wicked ideas.
Zoro meets him without flinching, eyes narrowing in further suspicions. "The truth," he says simply, demanding.
"Why, Zoro-ya." Law stops just short of Zoro's hand, staring down onto that steel focused gaze of his. "I simply want to have the honor of taking you on a third date." And that's the truth. At least partially.
Unlike his captain, Zoro seems aware that Law might not always be so forward about his motives. Just like the rubber man, once he gets an answer, Zoro seems content.
He thinks about it for a moment and then relaxes, at least a little. His stare is still critical but no longer looks like it's trying to pierce straight to Law's heart. Which he's free to try. Law rarely keeps it there except when need calls.
"Sure," he says with a small shrug, reaching down and gathering the weights back into his hands. Law manages to keep himself to merely licking his lips as the boy rides back up to his fill height, all those muscles so tight and right there under Law's gaze. "You can do that, Torao."
That is all Law needed to hear.
"Good," Law says, walking back and coolly turning away from Zoro. He's pretty sure he has some actual Captain-ing that needs doing. Or at least he's late to grumble about the Strawhats to Bepo some more. " You know what they say about the third date, don't you, Zoro-ya?"
He can feel Zoro's eye on him again, all that suspicion rising back to the surface, but that's alright. Law likes that about him after all. He smiles to himself as he struts away, feeling his plan is finally coming to fruition as he leaves the younger kenshi behind to ponder exactly what they say about third dates up in the North.