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It started when Law first allied with Luffy.
In the freezing cold blister of half of Punk Hazard, Law proposed an idea. A plan to defeat Kaido. Law would never fail to recount how their first agreement (and the start of their love) was based on lies as Luffy, with full trust in his eyes, with a smile on his face, with confidence brimming from him,,, had agreed blindly.
Throughout many adventures they fought and fought and grew a bond. The defeat of Doflamingo, the journey to Zou, their reunion in Wano, the defeat of Kaido.
Even if these moments could be put into bullet points like a chore list, every detail of it was burned into both Law and Luffy’s fiber as humans. Even when they broke off from their alliance, Law looked into Luffy’s eyes and knew. He just knew that Luffy was saying, “I’ll always be there.” And Law felt the same about Luffy and hoped that he communicated that with his own eyes. He also hoped that he communicated that with his lips that tenderly found their way onto Luffy’s lips in private, sealed away from their crews. A personal goodbye.
After breaking off, they encountered each other at different points in time.
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The first reuniting of the Heart Pirates and the Straw Hats was around two months later on an island. Both crews ran into each other. Despite Law’s insistence on a fight the next time they met, Law saw Luffy and smiled soft as can be.
That night they had a party, the Heart Pirates missing the Straw Hats greatly. Within the little time that they had been distanced, all of the members of both crews had changed. But Luffy seemed the same and Law found comfort in that similarity.
At the peak of night, no one else was with Law and Luffy when they left to take a walk around the forest. Even though Law could’ve, he didn’t bother trying to hurt a hair on Luffy's head. He only gently carded his hands through Luffy’s hair, whispering sweet nothings to him, the man that gained Law’s unwavering loyalty.
The gentle kiss that they planted on each other’s hearts didn’t dare to fade over the months and Law never even thought about replacing it with another’s. Law trusted that Luffy didn’t think of such a thing either. Especially after he chuckled and kissed Law’s face as much as possible to map it out in his brain.
They left not too long later, but they left both saying they’d meet again.
And they did.
-----
The second meeting was a week later when Law ran into Luffy on a battlefield. Law didn’t even know that Luffy was fighting in that field. He was just biding his time for a plan when he saw the sunny disposition, on the ground. He was dragging himself up to go back to punching away at his enemies much to Law’s unsurprise.
Instead of knocking him down, Luffy, one of the most notorious pirates of their time,,,Law pulled him back up, using his fruit to tend to the wounds of his fallen ‘enemy’. The smile that Luffy shot Law when he realized he was there as well as the tenderness of his touches to Law’s cheek made Law stumble into his feelings again.
They continued to fight and despite Law disappearing suddenly at the end, Luffy knew he was loved. Law himself knew he was loved and though that was scary, he promised he would always be there for Luffy and he would not break such a promise.
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The third meeting was a whole year later in the dark of night, rain pattering softly on the concrete of the ground. Law went into a bar for a drink and there sitting in the bar was Luffy, now the pirate king. Though Law knew he could use his fruit and leave before the man spotted him, Law’s promise kept him grounded and he sat down beside Luffy.
Luffy did a double take when he saw Law sitting on the chair beside him. It only took a few seconds for Luffy to spring up and give Law a huge hug. Luffy had grown a lot more since Law last saw him and they were now the same height more or less. Law let Luffy hug him, ignoring the eyes of people waiting for the next juiciest gossip.
Law gave Luffy’s neck a kiss and Luffy laughed, forcing Law’s face towards Luffy’s to kiss him for real. No one dared to comment on it in the bar but Law knew it would make headlines the next day. Law found that he didn’t care as he sat down and leaned close to Luffy, ordering a drink and letting his cares melt away.
-----
The fourth meeting was barely even a meeting. They passed each other on the street. Luffy was running, presumably after having gotten into trouble. Luffy waved at Law once he saw him but kept on running, leaving Law behind yelling something about the Marines.
Law wasn’t salty about that. He also wasn’t worried for Luffy. He could take care of anything he needed to by himself. Law smiled gently, pondering on their next meeting. Well, not before getting out of there using shambles as he really didn’t want to run into any Marines today.
-----
The fifth meeting was a special one. It was a meeting over the snail. Law asked how the hell Luffy got his number as he had never asked Law for it before and Luffy only laughed in his silly manner, saying that he caught wind of it. Law was alright with that answer as he wasn’t really unhappy about being able to talk to his lover over the snail.
Luffy made Law promise to keep him updated over the snail and Law did so weekly, a major jump from their inconsistent and spaced out meetings before. His crew prodded him about it and sometimes they updated Luffy when Law was asleep or busy.
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The sixth meeting was when Law got captured by the Marines. His crew had lost him and they were devastated. Law was not being careful enough and stumbled into a trap. Law thought it was a punishment for all he’s done wrong in his life, the deep thoughts causing a breakdown without fail.
Luffy had bursted through the door of the Marine dungeon with fire in his eyes. He went to break Law free but found that the jail cell was obviously seastone. Law at this point was still having a breakdown, his breaths shallow and his brain omitting the sounds of Luffy. Luffy realized this and tried to call for Law. Law swallowed and although his brain registered Luffy’s yelling, he didn’t recognize the yelling as Luffy. He flinched and he was sure he shouted something incomprehensible back in defense.
Luffy made a frustrated noise and looked around for the keys. It took him an hour to find them and by then it was nearing the end of Law’s mental breakdown, having been able to regain consciousness to his actions and stopping himself from clawing and tugging his hair. Luffy unlocked the jail cell and ran over to Law, taking his handcuffs off. As the handcuffs fell the ugly bruises on Law’s wrists showed. Law could see Luffy’s rage as he stared at the bruises.
Law glared at Luffy, not wanting to seem weak and Luffy asked him how this even happened. When Luffy saw that he wouldn’t be getting a response from Law who was slightly trembling, he pulled him into a tight hug. Law was opposed at first but soon melted in Luffy’s grip, accepting that being vulnerable is okay around Luffy. Law knew Luffy would never see Law as less than he was. After all, Law trusted Luffy.
Soon after, Luffy's crew arrived, Law assumed that Luffy had gone ahead of them when he was told about Law’s capture. They took Law back to his crew who were crying and welcoming their captain back with open arms.
-----
In hindsight, the eighth meeting was never to come.
Why was that?
On the seventh meeting, in the heat of the moment, cuddling with Law and watching the sunset, Luffy extended an offer to Law.
An offer of combining their ships.
Law, although hesitant, accepted the offer. But he insisted that the Heart Pirates can fight their own battles and they should be able to detach from the Thousand Sunny if they needed to. Luffy accepted, all smiles as he proposed the idea to a very hyped Franky in the morning.
The thing Franky made was honestly ugly but both the Heart Pirates and Straw Hat Pirates found solace in it, excited for the journeys they will take as re-allied pirates.
Law and Luffy shared a kiss, surprising (some of) the Straw Hats and (all of) the Heart Pirates alike. Law asked if they really didn’t know this whole time to which the people who didn’t know whistled and pretended like they knew all along. Law shrugged and let Luffy pull him in for another kiss.
They shared many adventures over their lifetime as a combined force. Sometimes Law would detach his ship (he no longer had Polar Tang sadly) from the Thousand Sunny and head out on adventures on his own but he would always come back eventually with new stories.
Luffy and Law’s marriage was not too soon later, being married in Luffy’s hometown at the request of the man.
.
.
.
However, the last meeting was one that Luffy could never forget.
Luffy specifically.
Luffy only.
Law was old at that point. His white hairs and wrinkles pointing towards his age. Luffy settled on a stool beside him on the hospital bed. The Heart Pirates were around Law on the other side and the Straw Hats were all watching from outside aside from Chopper.
Chopper sadly placed a hoof on the machine pumping life to Law and started to cry silently. Law laughed, speaking to the Heart Pirates about all of the times they had together and how he was so happy. He was glad this was his final stand even though it had a lack of action. Surrounded by family.
Then he turned around to Luffy, (almost as tall as Garp used to be now) who was frowning deeply into a grave grimace. Luffy was also old. Everyone in their crews were. They were all reaching their end from old age but Law was the first one to go.
Law had chosen for the plug to be pulled as only living on machines was not the life for him. The crews both honored Law’s decision even though they all felt their hearts break while saying goodbye.
He was actually quite young to be put on such heavy life support. Especially since it’s the only thing keeping him alive.
He assumed it’s because of all of the times that he overused his devil fruit. He was only 63 years old at this point after all.
Law reached a hand up to Luffy who leaned himself down far enough for Law to caress his cheek and plant a kiss on it. Luffy kissed Law all over, saving his lips for last. As Law’s lips were kissed he felt some sort of strange satisfaction. He knew this was the end of the line for him but he embraced it. He was ready for it. It was his time.
It took one goodbye.
And then one plug pulled.
And then an infinite flatline.
Law whispered something before he passed, hoping it reached Luffy who cried into Law’s shoulder in grief. “Thanks for being loyal to me and only me. Now it’s time for you to be set free from constant loyalty. See you on the other side…”
.
.
.
.
“…I love you.”