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Law wasn’t used to touching people. Handshakes, pats on the shoulder, medical check ups—sure. But not touching. He had Bepo of course, who was more than happy to share his warmth and fur with his captain and best friend but that could hardly count as a human physical contact.
And so, after he had coincidentally met Straw Hat Luffy for the first time after two years on Punk Hazard, it was nothing short of a shock in more ways than one.
When Straw Hat had accepted the alliance, Law had expected mutual respect, cold calculation, strictly a business transaction. He really wasn’t counting on Straw Hat himself being… Well… None of that.
Straw Hat said yes to the alliance and Law went for a handshake. He got a bear hug.
Law wanted to leave the kids to their fate. Straw Hat roped him into saving them.
He asked for a doctor’s backup. He got the most mortifying experience of his entire life.
And that was just the beginning; when Smoker asked him what he was using Straw Hat for barely three hours later… Law had to try very hard to not start laughing. Because Smoker was right, he was using him.
Except it was virtually impossible to use Straw Hat for anything—impossible, because he was too stupid, too stubborn, and too free to ever be manipulated into doing anything. In mere three hours, Law became the one who was being used. But despite himself, he couldn’t bring himself to hate it. After all, the way Straw Hat used others was so different from what people like Doflamingo did.
He didn’t manipulate people for his own gain. He didn’t use people to be used. He simply did whatever he wanted, completely selfish and selfless at the same time, the stupid, happy smile bringing light and freedom to people without seemingly even trying. Making them gather around him and trust him almost blindly, like sunflowers following after the sun.
And Law…
Law didn’t know what the fuck to do with himself.
“Ah! There you are, Torao!” Law heard Straw Hat call excitedly just before hands appeared on the ship’s railing—only a split second before Straw Hat himself jumped up to the Thousand Sunny’s garden right next to where Law was standing. “What are you doing here alone? Sanji’s sandwiches are gonna be ready soon!”
“I hate bread,” Law growled automatically before he could stop himself.
Straw Hat laughed. “So you said. Sanji said he’ll make you something else.”
Law shook his head, surprised by the way the corners of his mouth twitched in the face of that wide, impossibly bright grin.
“You should smile more, it suits you,” Straw Hat noted with something akin to wonder in his voice.
Law paused at the tone, turning to look at Straw Hat—only to freeze at the sight that met him. Straw Hat was looking at him intently, studying Law’s expression as if it was the most fascinating thing in the world, the near-blinding smile on his lips turning into something so incredibly soft that Law couldn’t help but feel heat slowly creeping up to his face.
How ridiculous.
Clicking his tongue in annoyance, Law finally tore his eyes away. “We’re not here to have fun, Straw Hat-ya.”
“Says who?” Straw Hat asked with genuine confusion. “We can kick Mingo’s ass and still have fun, can’t we?”
“You think this is gonna be easy? It’s Doflamingo and his entire crew we’re up against here. The moment that’s done, an Emperor is going to be after us. Don’t be a fucking idiot,” Law hissed, throwing a glare Straw Hats way.
When his only answer was an unhappy frown, Law took a deep breath, rubbing at his forehead as he counted to five in his mind. What was he even expecting…
“Don’t think so hard about stuff, we’ll be fine!” Straw Hat announced confidently.
Law wanted to snap at him, to tell him to get his shit together, that this was the New World and that that attitude was just asking for them to get killed, but before he could so much as open his mouth, something stopped him.
That something being a gentle touch over the back of hand and wrist and soon, his hand was being pulled away from his face— and not being let go.
Law’s eyes went wide as he whipped around to stare at Straw Hat, who had somehow thought it was a bright idea to grab Law’s hand and lace their fingers together.
“What are you doing,” Law said, voice completely flat. It wasn’t even a question. Just a statement, the words escaping him despite his head being completely, utterly blank in that moment.
And Straw Hat still didn’t let go. He simply tilted his head to the side, gazing back at Law questioningly. “Making sure you don’t overthink yourself to death?”
“That’s not a thing,” Law said. What was even happening anymore?
“How do you know? It might be!” Straw Hat defended himself. “Also you look like you need a hug but I feel you would cut me in half like you did to Kin if I did that,” he finished with a pout, squeezing Law’s hand tighter in defiance.
Law didn’t know what to say to that. Because Straw Hat was right. He would absolutely be getting cut if he tried anything like a hug. Just this hand holding… thing was asking for it.
And yet…
Law couldn’t find it in himself to pull away.
Not when Straw Hat’s hand was so warm, his calloused skin rough against’s Law’s own but not uncomfortable, the look in his eyes so knowing that Law felt incredibly exposed—yet somehow, he also felt completely safe at the same time. It was the strangest feeling and no matter how much he tried, Law couldn’t bring himself to hate it.
“Let’s go get food!” Straw Hat said with a grin, pulling at Law’s hand to get him to walk. "And if there’s still stuff you don’t like, I’ll eat it."
“You just want an excuse to get more food,” Law muttered, but didn’t protest.
He let Straw Hat lead him away, the image of that bright smile burned into his mind as if he had been staring straight at the sun this whole time. He felt like one of the sunflowers, or maybe a moon that couldn’t shine on its own, simply following and reflecting whatever light the sun was willing to share with him.
Man, what was he thinking? What a disgusting thought…
But well, hasn’t it kind of been like that right from the start? Even when they had first met in that auction house two years ago, Law was intrigued. Because there Straw Hat was, standing at the centre of the darkest, ugliest trash pit of humanity, shining like a beacon. Setting the slaves free and making Law feel like he needed to know more about the kid with zero sense in that empty rubber head of his.
Shaking his head to stop these stupid thoughts, Law instead focused on the present. After all, none of this mattered. Not now, when they were so close to Dressrosa.
Nothing but the plan mattered at this point.
Least of all, the way Straw Hat’s fingers had lightly brushed against the edges of Law’s soulmark earlier; the touch felt almost deliberate when he had grabbed Law’s hand before, the tips of his fingers lingering for a moment before they had closed around Law’s wrist to pull his hand from his face. But that was ridiculous—there was no reason for Straw Hat to touch the stupid chain.
But even if there was…
It had nothing to do with Law.