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Monkey D. Luffy was a man of action from what Law had learned. He was a man of words, but it would immediately be backed up by him doing exactly what he said he’d do. A lot of his actions were the moments that Law relied on most to get a clear idea of what was going on in Luffy’s head. A silence that was there despite how Luffy could be. There was always something about what he did that kept Law’s eyes on him.
Luffy was just one of those people he could never take his eyes off of.
Ever since that fated moment in Sabaody Archipelago. That one moment that led to the butterfly effect that would be the two of them.
Somewhere in between all of it, Law had developed feelings. Feelings that he would never act upon since Luffy had to be the one person that Law was sure didn’t do those type of feelings.
Apparently, Luffy didn’t get the memo.
One
They had won.
They had helped Wano in the end. Luffy had done what they had set out to do. As they sat on the side of shore in the grass, it was that calm following the storm.
They were all littered in injures, but he couldn’t find it in himself to care.
They had done it.
That’s all that mattered.
Luffy was sitting by him, crossed legged as he grinned in glee. Snickering away. Despite never saying a word to Luffy, his anger about seeing Luffy almost die again had done things to him. The fear that he had felt.
He never wanted to feel that again.
He had already saved him once.
He didn’t want to have to be forced to do it again.
“Traffy…” He hummed, turning his head to look at the other, seeing that Luffy was looking at him with a worried expression. “You okay?”
“Just tired.” It was a lie, but Luffy didn’t know that.
Luffy chuckled, leaning in. Just way too close. Law could feel his breath puffing against his face. Against his lips. The air caught in his throat as he noticed that Luffy had frozen for a moment. Like the moment frozen in time as Law’s golden gaze connected to the stormy color of Luffy’s. Luffy leaned in slightly. Lingering just slightly where Law was sure if he moved even in a millimeter, their lips would touch.
After a moment, Luffy blinked, chuckling as he leaned back. Law released the breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding as Luffy cheered again that they had won, falling back into the grass with that big grin on his face.
Law had turned away, biting down on his lip.
Did he just… was he trying to kiss me?
Two
Their team up wasn’t completely flawless, but they worked well together. That was unless Luffy acted ahead of time and Law had to work to do the team up before Luffy obliterated any sort of plan that they had.
Thankfully, he had caught up in time and was able to get it done.
With everything that had gone down, they had stood triumph over their opponents. Ever since Wano, eyes had been on them more than ever. It was getting harder to get from one point to the next without getting attacked.
At least in his own ship, he was able to hide it underneath the water and get away if he needed to.
This time, that wasn’t the case.
Not when Luffy was right there.
Luffy was laughing in joy, kicking his feet, exclaiming about, “Told you I’d kick your ass.”
Law couldn’t help the laugh that escaped from him as Luffy turned to face him.
It was just like in Wano.
That freezing moment when their eyes connected and nothing else seemed to matter. Luffy’s face was covered in his trademark large smile. His eyes practically twinkling in happiness. Law was practically entranced as he moved in slightly, hand curling into the fabric of Luffy’s shirt.
Luffy had done the same, tilting his head slightly as his eyes seemed to move over each part of Law’s face. The younger Captain wasn’t saying a word, his smile twitching as he leaned in just a bit more.
Their lips ghosting over each other for a moment.
“Luffy!”
“Law!”
Law exhaled sharply, jerking back as respective members of their crew in the form of Zoro and Bepo had called out to them.
“Time to go.” Law whispered, turning on his heel and heading over to where his own nakama where.
He left behind a still happy, laughing Luffy as Law’s stomach curled in ways that he couldn’t even begin to want to explain.
First time is a fluke. Second time is an accident. That can’t happen again.
Three
He had heard that Luffy had encountered Blackbeard once. The same man responsible for handing over the brother of Luffy – Portgas D. Ace – over to the Marines that started the Marineford War. A spark that had changed the seas, and the event that helped led the two of them were they were today.
He shouldn’t have been surprised when yet another altercation had broken out between the two. An all out battle as Luffy worked to defeat the man responsible for the change of events that led to the death of Ace. Luffy was fighting with everything. His heart. His strength. His love for his brother. Everything. It shined through.
There had been a few times within the fight that Law’s heart had stopped. The fear that coursed through his veins when he had seen Luffy go down.
Just like this moment.
He couldn’t breathe, seeing Luffy laying on the ground. Both were unmoving. Neither getting back up as their last attack had hit. “Straw Hat-ya…” He whispered, barely finding it in him to say even that. “No…”
Luffy still had to become Pirate King.
This… this couldn’t be the end.
He wanted to get vengeance for what happened to Ace. The horrors that Ace and Luffy had to face because of it.
“Get up.” Law whispered. His gaze still settled on the unmoving Luffy. Blackbeard hadn’t moved. Laying face down in the dirt as well. The rest of the Straw Hat Pirates had worked to take down the other members of the Blackbeard Pirates. They had all won. It had just left Marshall D. Teach and Monkey D. Luffy.
Ace didn’t die so you could just die here. Law thought, curling his fist into a ball. Get up, Straw Hat-ya. You have to get up and stand victorious. You still have to become Pirate King.
While his thoughts were of Ace’s sacrifice, his heart was screaming. Screaming for Luffy not to leave him.
“Luffy-ya!”
Then he saw it.
The fidget in Luffy’s finger. Law managed to suck in a breath as he stumbled to his feet, ignoring all of his own injuries as he took off. Ignoring the sounds of his crew screaming his name. Luffy moved.
Luffy moved completely, pushing himself up now as his arms shook. Coughing and sputtering as he clambered back to his feet. Heaving as he pulled his straw hat back onto his head. For just a split second, Law stopped moving as he saw the almost ghostly formation of someone assisting Luffy back to his feet despite Luffy showing no signs that someone was helping him. He blinked, seeing the tattoos. The pale skin. The face that he had only seen on bounty posters and the monitor at Sabaody Archipelago. The same stormy colored eyes and wavy black hair. A freckled covered face and a smile.
Ace.
The next time he blinked, Ace was gone, leaving Luffy standing on his feet as he shouted, “That was for my brother, you bastard!”
Luffy looked like he lost all his strength in that moment as Law started running again, managing to catch Luffy before he hit the ground. “You did it, Straw Hat-ya. Just rest now.” Law muttered.
Luffy let out a pained laugh as the smile formed on his face. “I only have one thing to do now.”
Law felt the gentle smile pull on his face as Luffy’s gaze went to him. “Yeah, you do.” Law whispered, the air catching in his throat as Luffy’s fingers danced over his cheek. It was almost like it was drawing in Law for the moment, pulling them closer until their lips were just millimeters away.
Law bit down on his lip, snapping himself back to reality.
Luffy needed medical assistance. That’s what he needed his focus on. Instead, he cast a room as he pulled away, already searching for what he could fix.
Luffy might have defeated Blackbeard, but he wasn’t leaving the fight unscathed.
Four
Law had been surprised when he had been crowned one of the reigning Yonkos of the Sea. Taking the spot of Blackbeard. He hadn’t been expecting it. It was now one of the few times that the Straw Hat Pirates and the Hearts Pirates were together. It wasn’t that often they ran into each other anymore, but it seemed fitting whenever Law joined the ranks of where Luffy was.
It was a great feeling.
Being seen as one of the strongest pirates on the sea now was good.
A large party had been thrown in his honor. The singing, dancing, eating, drinking of their mingling crews to a point that even Law was enjoying himself. It wasn’t often that he just let loose.
As they were partying, he had ended up at Luffy’s side. Being pulled in by a stretched out arm as Luffy screamed out, “I’m so happy for you, Traffy!”
Law felt the smile tug on his face as he shrugged, “Gotta keep you in line, Straw Hat-ya.” He took a drink from the bottle in his hand, smirking as Luffy chuckled.
They had fallen into a somewhat peaceful quiet as Law finished off his bottle and setting it to the side. As he reached over for another bottle, he stopped as Luffy turned his head to look at him. Their faces were a bit too close for comfort as the air caught in the older Captain’s throat.
Neither of them moved as Law contemplated actually moving forward and sealing their lips together, but he decided against it as he instead grabbed the bottle of alcohol and held it up. “Want to drink with me?” Law questioned.
“I don’t really like the taste but sure.” Luffy stated.
As he opened up the bottle and took a drink before handing it over to Luffy, the only thing on his mind was, I really need to calm down.
Five
Luffy had found Laugh Tale. He hadn’t gotten there yet, but they finally had all the information that they needed. The Straw Hat Pirates were just about to head out to head off to the place as the World Government had started to close in on them.
Law had two choices.
Use himself as a way to distract the incoming Marines, or try and go with him and hope they could get away. He knew the Thousand Sunny could rocket into the sky and the Polar Tang would go under, but who was to say that they wouldn’t be followed immediately.
He had to do what he had to do.
He turned to face Luffy, who had been standing on the deck of the Polar Tang. “Go, Straw Hat-ya.” Law whispered.
“Traffy… I—” Luffy paused as Law activated his room around them.
“Just go. Go become the Pirate King. We’ll keep these guys busy. This world crowned me a yonko, so time to show them why I am one.” Law replied. He grinned, leaning in, and letting his lips ghost over Luffy’s. Not quite letting them touch but close enough that Law could feel Luffy’s breath on his lips. “I didn’t save your life for nothing, Straw Hat-ya. Now go.”
He pulled away, using Shambles to send Luffy to deck of the Thousand Sunny.
“You better make it there!” Law shouted as he turned his back, facing out to where the Marines were, walking forward. “You have to come back to me as the Pirate King!”
He could hear Luffy’s laugh ring out, “I promise, Traffy!” Before Luffy was calling out for them to set sail.
As he heard the Thousand Sunny part, Law felt the smile turn just a bit more soft on his face.
Who would have thought that their paths would be so intertwined at this point.
Plus One
THE STRAWHAT PIRATES FIND LAUGH TALE: STRAW HAT LUFFY BECOMES PIRATE KING
The article went in on Luffy and his crew finding the One Piece and the famed island that only Gol D. Roger and the Roger Pirates had been too. Talking about the known adventures of the crew as Law felt the smile come to his face. It had been weeks since they had last seen each other. That one moment where Law willingly used himself and his crew to allow the Straw Hat Pirates safe passage.
It had all been worth it. It hadn’t taken them long to take down the Marines, but not without injury. They were all healed up now thankfully, and now just awaiting to see the Straw Hat Pirates again.
It was strange. The feeling on the sea. It was joyous. Calm. He was sure every person that Luffy had ever came in contact with was cheering for him achieving his dream. That Sabo was. That Ace was. Luffy had done exactly what he said he was going to do. Law was among one of those people, even if he wasn’t showing it yet.
It had taken a bit of time for Luffy to find him again, but when he did, it happened.
As Luffy came up to him, the massive grin on his face that rivaled the one in his picture as he laughed away. Talking about how Joyboy’s treasure had to be one of the funniest things he had ever seen. Law walked up to him, a gentle smile on his face as the Pirate King stopped laughing. Just leaving a gentle smile on his face as he whispered out, “I did it, Traffy. I’m the Pirate King now. I told you I’d do it.”
“You did.” Law whispered. “Did you get everything you wanted, Pirate King-ya?”
Luffy froze, eyes wide as he shook his head. “Did you just—” He stopped speaking, almost like Law had short circuited him but Luffy’s face quickly turned into a broad grin.
Law was confused for a moment until he was jerked down by Luffy. His hand bunched up in his shirt. Their lips clashed together. Almost a rough, harsh kiss at first before it softened. Their lips dancing together in sync as Law allowed his eyes to flutter shut.
The spark was sent right down his spine as Luffy’s hand left the tingles against his skin where it was settled.
Luffy was the first to pull back, a smile plastered on his face again as he added, “That was the last thing I wanted.” Law snorted, rolling his eyes as he shook his head, “I’ve been waiting for months and apparently I had to take it.”
“Pirates do take what they want. To an extent.” Law murmured, a smirk coming to his face. “I guess… I was waiting for the moment I got to call you Pirate King, Luffy-ya.”
He had been practically tackled into the dirt as he felt Luffy’s lips against his again. Law smiled, reaching up and placing his tattooed hands on either side of Luffy’s face. His fingers curling into whisps of black hair.
It really was because of that moment they were intertwined.
Law had became a yonko, and Luffy had became the Pirate King.
And they were in this together.