Chapter Text
The Polar Tang rocks gently on the waves where it's anchored on the shore of a small spring island. A light breeze tousles Law's black hair, having left behind his beloved hat in the captain's quarter.
He has his arms propped up on the railing of the Tang and his eyes closed, enjoying this peaceful moment. It's quiet, apart from the sound of the sea and the squawking of the seagulls circling in the sky in search of prey. And yet he feels on edge. Has felt like this since he went to bed last night.
Inhaling deeply, the salty air oddly comforting, he slowly opens his eyes. Catching the bright sunlight in his golden orbs, Law lets them drift to the horizon, feeling almost disappointed to find nothing other than the blue of the ocean meeting the blue of the sky.
Soon, he tells himself, and yet it does nothing to calm his rapidly beating heart.
The heart pirates arrived there three days ago and therefore already had plenty of time to explore everything the island has to offer. Which isn't much, to begin with, honestly. There's not much other than beautiful landscapes, huge flower fields, and a small lake with crystal clear water. At first, they thought it might be an uninhabited island, only to be proven wrong when they came across a peaceful little village. The locals have been nothing but friendly so far, with only a few wary glances from the senior citizens, due to the fact that a notorious pirate crew is roaming their island.
"We don't have much of interest for the likes of you, so we're not really afraid of pirates," is what the old lady running a bookstore told him. Law left the shop with a new book about herbal medicine and its benefits, a belly full of freshly baked cookies, and the promise to not disturb their peace.
He sighs heavily, enjoying how the cool air caresses his heated skin when he feels a light pat on his back. There's no need to turn around for Law to know that two of his most trusted crew members came to annoy him. As they always do.
"So," Shachi chirps happily, "what are the plans for today?"
Law rolls his eyes and mutters a short "no plans" under his breath.
That gets Penguin's attention. He turns to face Law from where he was leaning against the railing and gawks at his captain. "What do you mean no plans?! We're on the most romantic island in probably all of the New World and you're seeing your boyfriend for the first time in three months, and you're trying to tell me you have nothing planned for the both of you?!"
Law flinches slightly at the word boyfriend but otherwise keeps up his stoic expression. "That's exactly what I'm telling you."
That's right. Straw hat Luffy is his boyfriend.
Still, even now he can't wrap his head around it. It's not like either of them said the b-word out loud. Law didn't ask him out and neither did Luffy. The younger of the two probably can't even fully grasp the meaning of it; not because he is completely clueless, but because he isn't the type of person to lose sleep over such things. And Law would rather chew off his own foot before such a cheesy thing leaves his lips.
However, with how they separated after the battle against Kaido was won three months ago, Law supposes it's the most accurate way to describe what it is that they have going on.
Again he closes his eyes, inhaling deeply, and lets his mind wander off. He can feel the cuts and bruises again as if they never vanished, how lightheaded he felt after losing so much blood, and the soft lips gently pressed against his. Curious and a bit clumsy, but warm just like the sun and tasting like something Law had thought would forever remain denied to him.
Freedom.
He was and still is starving for it. The first experimental touch of their lips was enough to get him addicted and he knew he was done for. Luffy had him wrapped around his pretty little finger the second he saw that big, toothy grin and Law wouldn't want to change it even if he could.
And if he had sighed against the young captain's mouth because he felt like he could finally breathe again for the first time in 13 years, if he hugged the lithe body in his arms closer to his chest to deepen the kiss, then who could possibly blame him?
And if Law had told him how much he's going to miss him, how he can't wait to see him and hold him in his arms again, then that's only for them to know.
Thinking about it even now, Law feels like this had all been nothing but a fever dream. A hallucination conjured from his mind, caused by his injuries and exhaustion. Sometimes he believes that. Only for a second though, until his brain makes him awfully aware of the fact that both their crews had to clear their throats loudly to finally get them out of the cozy little bubble they had built for themselves. Multiple times. Not to mention the smug smiles they had sent his way.
And Luffy. Luffy didn't let him live in his denial for long anyway. Of course, he had called Law the next day and had made sure to do so at least once a week from then on. Mostly for the teen to ramble on and on about all their adventures, but there had been other cases too. Calls late at night, moments where both of them had felt particularly vulnerable.
The sappy confessions exchanged on those nights, Law is definitely going to take to his grave.
He clicks his tongue, causing his friends to shoot him a funny look, but he doesn't care. They already teased him enough to last for two lifetimes in the past months.
Worst of all; he can't even say shit about it. Monkey D. Luffy is his boyfriend, there's no point in denying it anymore. And today - finally - he is going to see him again.
A giddy feeling bubbles up inside of him from the mere thought of getting to feel those sinful lips again, only to get crushed underneath the clicking sound of heels approaching the trio.
"Yo Ikkaku, get this," Shachi immediately shouts, not caring in the slightest about the damage he's dealing to his captain's ears.
And here we go…
"Can you believe that the captain doesn't have any plans for his heartfelt reunion with his boyfriend?!" He stresses the word, because of course he does, and the reaction follows promptly.
"Are you a fucking idiot?!"
The loud shriek of his only female crew member rings in his ears and Law, if only for a second, contemplates jumping over the railing to get it over with.
"Oh no, that won't do, that won't do at all!"
He turns around to shoot her an unimpressed look: "Why are you making such a big fuss about this anyway-"
Ikkaku lifts her finger, as if scolding a little kid, and isn't that just the respect he - as her captain - deserves?
"It's been three months since you last saw him," she huffs, arms akimbo, and Law could swear he sees steam coming from her ears. "Three months of your pathetic sulking and now that he's on his way here you're telling me that you're not even planning to take him out on a date?!"
Law gulps. For a girl her size, Ikkaku can be quite intimidating, he has to admit.
"A date," he repeats slowly, rolling the word on his tongue and then making a face as if he had just tasted something bitter. "Do I look like a little girl to you? I'm a pirate for fucks sake!"
"Damn right you are. A pirate who is going to take his boyfriend out on a nice date."
There's a finality to her tone, sounding so sure of having just won an argument when in fact, Law isn't done yet. Not at all.
"Oh yeah? And what am I even supposed to do on a… on a date?!"
He sounds snarky but the truth is that Law really has no fucking clue, and maybe - just maybe - this is all just a subtle way to ask for advice.
One more thing to add to the list of shit he's going to take to his grave.
Ikkaku rolls her eyes and huffs. "For the love of god Law, just buy him some nice flowers and take him out for dinner. It's not that hard."
Is it really not though? Because the mere thought of it is so overwhelming, it makes Law feel like he's drowning.
"Be a little romantic for heaven's sake!"
"Exactly," Shachi chirps, and who has even asked for his opinion on the matter? Surely not Law! "Especially if you want to get some, if you know what I'm talking about…"
He wiggles his eyebrows suggestively and once again Law feels the urge to smash his shades in. He probably would if it weren't for the fact that Law has to fully concentrate on fighting down the blush creeping upon his face; a lost cause he already knows, with how warm his face feels.
"That's not- I'm not- Shut up!"
Far from graceful is what his nervous sputtering is, and his crew's snickering isn't helping either.
"Oh c'mon Captain, don't act like you haven't thought about it!"
Of course he has, he's only a man after all. It would be a lie to say that images of the younger captain sprawled out on his bed haven't haunted him at night. However, he doesn't even know if Luffy is interested in these things, and if it turns out he isn't then Law would be perfectly fine with that too.
That's not what this is about.
It's almost ironic. His past lovers he's laid with were just that, warm bodies to keep him company and relieve some stress. He doesn't even remember their names. Or hasn't asked for them in the first place.
Luffy is different. Luffy makes him feel things, makes him want to do things he hasn't ever thought of before. Like holding him close to whisper sweet nothings into his ear. Luffy makes him want to fetch the stars from the black night sky, put a nice little bow on them and gift it to him, alongside his undying love.
God, just how far gone is he exactly…?
"Well no matter if you want to screw him senseless or not, you are going to put on some nice clothes, and you are going to take him out on that date or so the lord will help me!"
A bit bewildered, Law looks down on himself, then up again and right into Ikkaku's fiery brown eyes. "What's wrong with my clothes?" He croaks, too occupied with eyeing the bright yellow of his hoodie that sits a little bit too tight around his chest after he had gained more muscles in the past two years, to pay attention to Penguin's cackling.
"Holy shit," he wheezes, "that boy really has an iron grip on your balls, it's kinda cute."
Law glares at him but remains silent as he pulls the hoodie over his head and summons his room. A quick shambles later, the yellow fabric in his hand is replaced by a plain white dress shirt. The energy of his devil fruit is still buzzing through his veins when he quickly buttons up the shirt - completely unintentionally leaving the last few buttons untouched so his tan skin and black swirls peek out from underneath the smooth material.
Shachi whistles lowly, causing Law's face to heat up. Still he asks: "Better?"
"Better," Ikkaku beams, then narrows her eyes and puts a hand on her forehead to shield her vision from the bright sunlight, "hey isn't that the straw hat's ship?"
Law turns on his heels so fast, he has to catch himself on the railing. And indeed there it is. He'd recognize the distinctive lion figurehead of the Thousand Sunny everywhere.
"Fuck," he mumbles, running a hand through his messy hair. "Fuck!"
"You look hot, don't worry," the brunette assures him.
Law doesn't have the time to correct her that his looks are the least of his problems right now, because as she's speaking the black spot in the sky grows larger as he's approaching them. Even the untrained eye can see that he rapidly drops in height when he's not even close to the submarine and Law panics.
Acting on instinct alone, Law grabs the thing closest to him - that being Shachi's shoulder - and summons a room once again.
"Shambles!"
"mOTHERFU-"
The scream of his redheaded friend and the loud splash of water is lost to his ears as he finds himself with an armful of a certain giggling straw hat captain, or more specifically: Luffy's crotch pressed right into his face.
"Oops," the teen exclaims, way too happy for a man with devil fruit powers and absolutely zero calculation skills.
"Mugiwara-ya," Law grits out, trying to wrestle the menace off of him. "Get off!"
Finally, Luffy frees him from the octopus-like embrace but only to instead wrap his arms around Law's middle multiple times, nuzzling the older man's chest. "Torao! I missed you so much!"
If he weren't already flustered from receiving one of Luffy's infamous hugs, then he'd definitely be by now. He curses himself silently for leaving his hat behind, having nothing to hide his face other than his hand.
"I… missed you too..."
It might seem like the easiest thing in the world, telling your boyfriend something like this. To Law it's everything but that. However, seeing the wide grin on the younger's face, and the light blush dusting his round cheeks, Law can't help but think that it was all the while worth it.
Rocking back and forth on his feet, Luffy greets the other heart pirates currently on deck, even turns around to lean over the railing, waving at Shachi who is swimming back to the tang.
"Hello Torao's friend, it sure is a nice day for a swim!" He shouts without a care in the world, seemingly unaware of the fact that he is the reason for Shachi's current predicament. The poor idiot on the other hand doesn't look amused in the slightest. The death glares he shoots the couple completely go over the teen's head as he grins at Law, his eyes suddenly growing wide, babbling something about a talking bear.
And like that he's gone in the blink of an eye, disappearing inside the submarine to undoubtedly cause more chaos there.
Law bites down on his lower lip, a little bit disappointed that he didn't even get to have a taste of those lips he's dreamt about every single night.
"Dude!"
Shachi, who with Penguin's help has made his way back on deck, curses loudly. He's dripping wet and his eyes are screaming murder, much to Law's amusement that he doesn't even try to hide.
"If you're not getting laid tonight, I won't ever talk to you again!"
"That's a shame," Law drawls, a cruel smirk forming on his lips, "I really wanted to, but that offer might be way too tempting."
With that he goes to follow the younger captain inside the ship, intending to finally claim that kiss he so desperately wants, leaving behind an amused Ikkaku, a snickering Penguin, and a fuming Shachi.
-
"Torao!"
Luffy, seated comfortably on Bepo's shoulders, waves him over. He hops off Bepo's back, ignoring the navigator's meek apology, and runs towards the Heart Pirate captain. "Are we going to have a feast?! Sanji said he wouldn't mind preparing something for both our crews!"
His childlike excitement is adorable, and Law can't even be disgusted with how Luffy starts drooling at the prospect of getting to eat tons of meat.
"Actually I was thinking we could go explore the island." That gets the teen's attention, and knowing him well Law hastily adds: "Just the two of us."
"That sounds like so much fun Torao! Oh but you haven't even said hello to my crew yet-"
"Your crew can wait," Law cuts him off.
While he doesn't necessarily mind the straw hat crew, Law sure as hell didn't have three sleepless nights in a row only to endure Nami and Sanji's shovel talk, or worst of all - Nico Robin's knowing smirk. He'll deal with them later. For now he wants his boyfriend all to himself.
The room was created and the couple shambled onto the beach before Luffy got the chance to protest.
Luffy's eyes sparkle with amazement when he gazes up at the taller man. "Wow Torao, your powers are so cool!"
Seemingly already forgotten is his crew as he lets his gaze wander over the white beach, his lips forming a small o. He looks enticing, to say the least; the light breeze playing with his messy black hair, his red west swaying lightly with the wind, open in the front showing off his sun-kissed skin and the scar in the middle of his chest; a sight that always makes something possessive roar up deep inside of Law.
He can't wait any longer.
"Hey," he says, voice a little husky, and grabs Luffy by his thin wrist. The teen looks up at him curiously, his chocolate eyes wide open, anticipating Law's next step. "I really missed you, you know…" is all he says next. Afraid of moving too fast, pushing too much. Fearing that what they have could break inside his palms at any moment if he grips too tightly.
Luffy's expression shifts to something softer, a small smile on his lips and his eyes shining brightly. "Torao…" he lowers his gaze, seemingly much more interested in the sand by his feet. Still, Law doesn't miss the reddening of his cheeks.
He mumbles something under his breath, causing Law's heart to flutter inside his chest. Something about seeing the fierce pirate captain being all nervous and shy is just so damn endearing to Law. He lifts Luffy's chin with his index finger so that their eyes can meet and then finally presses their lips together for a quick, gentle kiss. Wrapping his arms around his small frame, Law can feel how Luffy melts into the embrace. Although a bit clumsy, Luffy then tries to deepen the kiss, and Law sighs happily, gladly parting his lips for Luffy to explore his mouth once again.
His vision is a bit blurry for a while after they part, heart thumping loudly, and if Law didn't know better he would fear for it to jump out of his chest any second.
"Missed this," Luffy mumbles, eyes still closed and looking relaxed. He cracks his eyes open after a few seconds and grins at Law, bright enough to make the older man's head spin. "Torao looks very handsome today."
Completely unashamed as expected of the rubber man, he stares at Law's half-exposed chest rather than at his face. Fighting down the blush spreading across his cheeks, Law briefly thinks that he will take Ikkaku off her chores for the next two weeks or so…
"Um thank you… I- uh, should we go explore the island now…?"
Luffy's face lights up even more and not even a heartbeat later he's already sprinting towards the village that can be seen behind the sandy beach, leaving Law no other choice than to chase after him.
"Mugiwa- Luffy-ya, wait!"
By the time he finally catches up to the giddy teen, Law is slightly panting. "Hey! Don't just go running off on your own!"
Luffy turns around and sticks his tongue out, followed by a cute 'shishishi'. "It's not my fault you're so slow, Torao!"
At the comment, Law feels his eye twitch in annoyance but despite his teasing, Luffy slows down and they both fall into a comfortable pace, walking right next to each other with their shoulders occasionally brushing against each other.
When their hands' touch, Law feels a jolt of electricity rush through his body.
Is Luffy's hand soft like the rest of his rubber body? Or is it calloused from countless fights? It has to be warm though, and it sure would fit into his larger one just perfectly, wouldn't it?
Luffy is blissfully oblivious to Law's inner turmoil. He lets out a yelp and tugs at Law's shirt: "Torao look there's a market down the street! Do you think they have food?! Man, I'm so hungry!"
Of course. Law knew that the farmer's market would get the teen's attention right away. He had already tried some of the specialties the village has to offer the other day when the Heart pirates had scouted the island. It's fairly busy at this hour; families and groups of teenagers happily chatting as they stroll from stand to stand. Some of them shoot them curious glances but then go on with their day as if two very infamous wanted pirate captains walking around their mids were a normal occurrence.
Law doesn't mind though. He's glad that their presence doesn't cause any uproar. He prefers it that way.
"Yeah, I could eat something too. Let's go." He swallows down the lump in his throat. Now or never, he thinks as he nudges Luffy's fingers, lightly enough that it could be passed off as an accident. Luffy eyes him curiously, looking prettier than he has any right to; gazing up at Law through his long lashes. He inhales sharply and intertwines their fingers, only releasing his held breath when he feels Luffy giving his hand a light squeeze.
His face is on fire, every inch of his tanned skin tingling from the innocent touch. He's not used to this... this gentleness. Nothing about his past relationships has been innocent, ever. This is so much more intimate in a way that is new to Law.
And he doesn't fucking know how to handle it.
Luffy's palm is a bit sweaty. Or is it his own maybe? Either way, he knows that at least Luffy isn't completely unaffected if his rosy cheeks and shy glances are anything to go by.
"Umm…" Law opens his mouth only to close it again, then repeats the action a few times, like a fish on dry land. Law takes great pride in being fairly eloquent and witty, and yet here he is: not able to utter a single word. Isn't that just peachy?
"Ice cream." He croaks the word out as if he hadn't had a drink to wet his throat in weeks, and why he even said it, Law truly doesn't know. Probably because the ice cream parlor near them was the first thing his mind could focus on after being occupied with thinking about Luffy's small hand in his for way too long…
The teen however perks up at the word.
"ICE CREAM?!"
It's the last thing he hears before Luffy dashes off into the direction of the ice cream stand, coughing lightly at the stirred-up dust Luffy left in his wake.
Calling after Luffy to ask him to slow down would be as effective as trying to have an intellectual conversation with a sea king, so instead, Law only sighs in exasperation and trots after the whirlwind that is his boyfriend. Lost in thought, he puts his hands in his pockets and kicks a pebble out of the way, pondering about how he could have possibly ended up where he is in life right now.
Law is no stranger to anguish and suffering. He knows it like the back of his hand, an unwanted companion he's had all through his 26 years of living. But in the darkness of the prison that is his own mind, there was always that small spark of hope. Looking at Luffy wildly gesturing at all the flavors he wants to try, that little spark shines brighter than ever before.
"-and bubblegum too. OH! And one of the cookie dough, chocolate fudge brownie, and also strawberry and vanilla of course!"
When Law steps into his peripheral vision, Luffy glances up at him, beaming in delight and nothing short of proud of his ridiculous order. Law chuckles at the seller's expression, his face one of pure horror as he surely tries to figure out how he is supposed to get this amount of ice cream onto a single cone.
For himself, he orders only one scoop of green tea flavor and pays for both of them. They bid their farewells to the nice old man, who undoubtedly is still very much in shock, and following Law's lead they make their way away from all the hustle and bustle.
As expected, Luffy gobbles up the first few differently flavored scoops, only to immediately complain about getting brain freeze.
"You have to eat it slowly then, idiot," Law berates him.
"But Torao, it's soooo good!"
Now, Law really shouldn't find the teen's whiny voice as adorable as he does, but the small pout on his lips looks just too enticing. "It lasts longer though," he tries again and this time Luffy seems to be happy with the explanation.
Law would count that as a win if it weren't for the fact that he regrets ever having opened his mouth right away.
Because Luffy takes his advice to heart. And how he does…
Pink tongue darting out, he takes his time to lap up the slowly melting creamy substance, humming and moaning in delight at the taste of the sugary treat. He licks up the waffle and the side of his hand where the sticky ice cream runs down.
Law almost chokes on his spit.
Of course he is well aware of the attraction he feels towards his fellow captain. After all, with his lean built and pretty features, Luffy is exactly his type. However, what he wasn't aware of until now is how goddamn erotic Luffy can be, and all without even meaning to do so. Law is fairly certain that Luffy has no clue about how suggestive his...little show is, and for a moment Law feels bad that his mind wandered there in the first place.
But fuck he can't help it!
Not when Luffy sucks on his fingers the way he does, not when he looks up at Law, batting his lashes, and lets out downright filthy noises!
A few of the people around them throw not-so-subtle glances in Luffy's direction. It's making Law's blood boil in rage, the unpleasant feeling in his stomach so entirely new to him, it takes him off guard.
Law had never felt jealousy before. Why would he? He would have happily shared his past flings with his whole crew - if they would have been up for it, that is - because they all had meant nothing to him.
But with Luffy… the thought of other people kissing him, intimately touching him - it's making his vision turn red. And he already has enough competitors in the fight for Luffy's heart. Hell, even the most beautiful woman on earth is after his boyfriend.
Hastily he grabs Luffy's hand and drags him away. Away from the predatory looks, that might as well only exist in his head, and away from the thoughts that slowly are taking hold of him.
He doesn't like this possessiveness that's rearing its ugly head inside of him. Luffy is not one to let himself get chained down and Law would never want to take his freedom away. It's what makes Luffy Luffy ; the freest man on the Grandline with no shackles capable of holding him down.
But Law is insecure. He will never feel like he deserves Luffy, like he's good enough for him. How could anyone ever be good enough for a man that is larger than life itself?
"Torao."
"What?!"
"You're doing it again."
They come to a halt, the soft whisper of Luffy's voice bringing him back to reality. He blinks a few times and takes in their surroundings. They walked quite a bit, the village only a mere stain on the horizon in their backs. Instead of families going on with their days and merchants praising their goods, they are now surrounded by flowers of all sorts of different colors; the only sound, the lapping of a stream that has to be somewhere nearby.
"Doing what?"
"Thinking too much." He says it as a matter of fact, tone flat, leaving no indication of what might be going on inside his head. And Law? Law can't read him at all. Doesn't know if Luffy is aware of the dark clouds and the thunderstorm rumbling inside his head.
"Right. Yeah. Sorry…"
In the span of a heartbeat, Luffy turns back into his usual bubbly self, no trace of the prior seriousness left on his face. "It's beautiful here!" He smiles at Law, "let's sit down for a moment."
Law nods. Together they walk towards a bench to the side of a small gravel path and sit down.
The view of the flower fields is breathtaking. A fleeting moment of peace for two men who are living lives that rarely let them sit back and enjoy a quiet moment. Law deeply inhales the fresh air, a pleasant change from the stuffy air in his submarine that he grew accustomed to over the years.
Luffy rocks his legs back and forth, hands gripping the wooden bench and his eyes closed. He looks at peace, with the small smile playing on his lips as he breathes in the aroma of the different flowers.
Law can't tear his eyes away.
"Thank you for being here with me, Torao."
The softly spoken words catch him off guard. Law feels like he just got caught staring but Luffy only tilts his head and flashes his pearly whites.
With a 'yosh' he jumps off the bench and strides to the field across from the path. Law follows with his gaze. He watches how Luffy seems lost in thought for a moment, cutely rubbing his chin like he has a very important decision to make. Finally, he plucks one of the flowers and skips back to where Law is still sitting on the bench.
Almost innocent is the look in his dark brown eyes when he hides his hands behind his back before he pushes the flower into Law's face. "For you," he says, averting his gaze.
Law takes it from him, careful not to crush the delicate thing in his grasp. He doesn't know what to say, never in his life had anyone gifted him flowers. Such a small gesture, yet his heart beats wildly against his ribcage. "Did you-," he clears his throat, "did you pick it because you like the color?"
Eyeing the deep red petals, Luffy contemplates the question for a moment. "Dunno," he eventually answers, laughing his endearing laugh. "It just felt like the right one to give to you. Do you like it?"
The answer comes easy to Law.
"I do."
This, for once, isn't something he needs to overthink. Luffy could hand him a pile of dirt and Law would still think he's the luckiest man on earth.
"It's a red chrysanthemum," he says then, mouth feeling a little dry as realization hits him.
Law knows a thing or two about flowers. Most of his knowledge he picked up from medical books or from what Tony-ya has told him. He might not be as well-versed about the topic as the straw hat's archeologist, but even without any prior knowledge on the matter, Law is sure he could guess the meaning of receiving such a flower; might it not be as popular as the famous red rose.
Love.
One single syllable and it's all it takes to take all air out of his lungs. Warmth engulfs the organ inside his chest, his palms are getting sweaty. Desperately he tries to search for words to say but his throat is too tightened up.
"Why?" He finally croaks, asking the question that has been burning his tongue for the past three months. "Why me?"
Luffy's eyes widen in surprise. Then his expression shifts to something much softer and Law's heart skips a beat.
"Because Torao is Torao."
"Ah?" Law stares at his boyfriend, utterly flabbergasted and at a loss for words.
Because Torao is Torao.
Of course.
What other answer did he expect from someone that lives in the moment like no one else? Suddenly everything makes so much sense and Law laughs.
He laughs and laughs until there's no more air left in his lungs and his belly hurts. Looking at Luffy through teary eyes, he finds the teen gawking at him in awe and he laughs even harder.
"Torao?" Confusion is blatant in his voice, still, he starts laughing too; the most beautiful sound Law has ever heard.
"Of course," Law wheezes after some time has passed and his vocal cords are finally capable of forming words again. He wipes the tears from his eyes and offers his other hand to Luffy. He takes it and Law pulls him into his lap. Still giggling, he hides his face in the crook of Luffy's neck. "You are truly something else."
Leaving tender kisses on Luffy's soft skin and hugging him tightly, Law whispers: "Thank you for the flower. I love it."
Luffy leans back to properly look at Law. His grin shines brighter than the sun but Law only gets to enjoy it for a short while before the younger smashes their lips together. He greedily licks into Law's mouth, still very much inexperienced but he makes up for it with his sheer enthusiasm.
Humming against the soft lips on his, Law pulls him even closer, deepening the kiss and savoring Luffy's taste that reminds him of the salty air amid the stormy sea, mixed with the explosion of flavors from the ice cream.
This, Law decides, is his favorite taste in the world.
After what feels like forever, they break the kiss; not knowing who was the one to pull back first as they always ended up smashing their lips together again after the first few attempts. Now resting their foreheads against each other and heavily panting, they try to suck in as much air as possible. Completely out of breath but happy as can be.
A flash of color to his left on the ground suddenly catches Law's interest. He reaches for it, holding the blue flower with its tiny, delicate blossoms in front of Luffy's face. The teen eyes it curiously before starting to blush profusely when Law tucks it behind his ear.
"Beautiful," he murmurs under his breath. "It's called forget-me-not."
Luffy scrunches up his nose. "Torao," he protests, sounding adorably offended.
Law cuts him off. "Its meaning is pretty much what the name says. And I do hope that you will think about me from time to time when we're apart." Luffy opens his mouth but Law puts his index finger on his lips and continues. "But it's not only that. It also means- it stands for a very deep bond..."
He trails off, not yet ready to say what he wants to say but hoping to have conveyed the true meaning of his words all the same.
"Shishishi you're so silly, Torao! I feel the same way!"
"Oh. Uhm… good. That's good…"
'Get a grip, Trafalgar!' He scolds himself, face heating up at Luffy's amused chuckle.
He doesn't know where to put his hands; thoughts running a mile per second. Being here alone with Luffy and feeling the most vulnerable he has ever been, Law thinks he can't handle it any moment longer without pouring his heart out. He's not ready. Not quite yet.
"So... uh, shall we head back to our crews? I'm sure your cook is currently preparing a huge feast."
"MEAT?!" Luffy's eyes are sparkling. "I'm so hungry, Torao! I hope there will be lots of meat!"
"I'm sure there will be," Law says, dusting off his pants and then taking Luffy's hand in his. "Let's go have a look. We can explore the rest of the island tomorrow."
This day might not have been what his crew had in mind for a date. Nonetheless, to them it was perfect and Law can't wait to spend the next few days with this crazy rubber man that he came to love more than anything in the world.
"Oh Torao, I almost forgot!"
"What is it?"
"Nami said I should sleep with you tonight."
WHAT?!