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Law’s little sister had a superpower.
The government had disagreed with that assessment. They did the mandatory tests when Lammy was five, and concluded she was just an ordinary girl. Law's parents had sighed with relief. One Special kid was enough, they said.
Law had still thought they must have been wrong. Lammy definitely had a superpower. How else was it that ever since she was a baby, whenever Lammy smiled at Law his mind quieted? He was alway thinking a mile a minute, looking for new things to learn, searching for solutions to problems he himself had just made up, but beside Lammy, he was just a kid. An older brother. He loved her more than anything else, but she could be bratty and annoying. They had their fights, like when he "accidentally" broke her new doll or she coloured in his new books.
He had been so mad at her for that one, had screamed at her to go die in a fire. His parents had grounded him for a week, and he had been even madder, because obviously he didn’t mean it.
Law wished every day that he hadn’t said those words.
With Lammy gone, there was no one who could make Law’s mind quiet. Even Cora could only silence the world around them. It helped, and Law loved him for it, but it wasn’t the same.
Then he met Luffy.
He was two years younger than Law, a first year student in the Hero-program at Sky High. He was a strange boy with rubber powers, bouncing around the school without a care in the world. Smoker kept threatening to downgrade him to the Support-program if he didn’t behave, but Luffy didn’t seem to mind, considering he kept doing it. And Law hadn’t seen him in any of the Support classes or spaces yet.
Law had specially requested to be downgraded to Support after his first few days at school, two years ago. Sure, it had earned him looks and scorn from the other students, and Cora had been contacted by the administration over Law’s “attempt to throw away his future”, but they had already talked it through at home. Law wasn’t interested in the fighting skills or the prestige that came with the Hero-program. No, he wanted the network of contacts, the information-gathering skills, the medical knowledge and more that came with the Support classes. And, most importantly, he didn’t want to be under government surveillance for the rest of his life like graduates from the Hero-program were. He had been marked as Special at five years old and had no choice but to attend Sky High now as a teenager, but that didn’t mean he had to play by their rules.
And neither did Luffy, apparently.
Law was sitting in the cafeteria eating lunch alone when they met. In previous years, he usually ate with Shachi and Penguin, but they had graduated last year, and Bepo had a different lunch hour this semester. So, Law was alone, picking though his food and trying to find something edible in the green-blue-sludge the school thought was an appropriate meal for growing teenagers, when Luffy sat down in front of him.
“Hi! I’m Luffy,” he grinned. He had filled his plate so full of sludge that it was spilling over, and was already eating before he had fully sat down. It was messy, and gross, and Law watched in morbid fascination.
“Trafalgar Law,” he introduced himself.
“You’re in third year, Torao?” Luffy asked, not stopping eating to ask the question. Law could see the “food”’s entire journey from the plate to his mouth and down his throat. How was he eating so fast without choking?
“Yes,” Law said.
“How did you last that long?” Luffy laughed. “I think they are going to kick me out before the year is over.”
He didn’t seem to think that was a big deal. Maybe it wasn’t.
“People don’t care as much when you’re in the Support-program,” Law said. Unless you were Law. For some reason the teachers had it out for him.
“Maybe I should let Smokey switch me, then,” Luffy pondered. “Though Nami says I would make a terrible support.”
Law knew Nami. She was a first year in the Support-program, and had the ability to accurately predict weather. Law suspected that wasn’t the extent of her powers, but if she wanted to lay low, he wasn’t going to call her out on it. Not when he was doing the exact same thing.
“So what’s your power, Torao? Are you strong?” Luffy asked.
“I’m in the Support-program,” Law reminded him, and Luffy gave him a confused look.
“I know, you mentioned that already,” he said. “So, are you?”
Well, that was unusual. Most people heard he wasn’t in the Hero-program and dismissed him. It was annoying, but it was what he had deliberately chosen, so he ignored it. Luffy on the other hand was still watching him curiously.
“I can take things apart,” Law said. “If I understand how something works, I can break things into pieces and put them back together.”
Luffy frowned. “Can’t anyone do that?”
“Not the way I do it,” Law smirked. He held his hand over his lunch. The tray, plate and food all floated up and separated, first just from each other, then into smaller components, individual pieces of wood in the tray, the tiny vegetable pieces separate from the rest of the sludge. He went one level further, and cut everything into small, perfect little cubes, spinning under his hand. Then he put it back together, except he built a little tower with the sludge-cubes.
“That is so cool!” Luffy said, eyes sparkling. Then he pointed at the sludge-tower. “Can I have that?”
“Go ahead,” Law said. “I’m full anyway.”
“You barely ate,” Luffy pointed out, but considering he was halfway through Law’s lunch already Law doubted he cared much.
“I can eat at home,” Law said, then got up from his seat. “Well, since you got my food you can take the tray back. I’ll see you around.”
He didn’t wait for an answer, just turned around and headed towards his next class.
“Okay. Bye, Torao,” he head Luffy said behind him.
As he stood outside the maths' classroom, he realised his brain had been unusually quiet. Annoyed, grossed out and amused, yes, but ultimately not nearly as busy as usual.
Law wondered what that meant.
***
It was the start of a beautiful friendship.
Or so Luffy seemed to think, at least. Law had been aware of his existence before, but he was suddenly everywhere, launching himself at Law with only a “Torao!” as a warning. Law was slowly losing his mind. Sure, it had been a bit lonely with two of his friends gone from the school, but he had not been looking for a replacement, especially not someone as insane or intense as Luffy.
Even worse, Bepo liked him. Law felt utterly betrayed.
“He’s funny,” Bepo defended himself as they were working together to defuse a bomb. Not a real one, just for a classroom test. At least Law hoped it wasn’t a real one, because he was distracted by Luffy waving at him from outside the window. He had turned his back towards it, but it didn’t help, because Law knew he was there.
“He’s a menace,” Law said. “And he’s annoying. What does he even think he’s doing?”
“Waving at you. Oh, now he’s running from Smoker,” Bepo reported. “Not actually running so much as launching himself into the sky. I don’t think he’s coming down for a while.”
“Absolutely ridiculous,” Law said. “I think we should cut the blue one.”
Bepo frowned, looking down at the wires on the fake bomb. “Are you sure? I thought it was the red one?”
“Want me to take it apart and check?” Law asked, hand hovering over the bomb.
“Trafalgar Law!” the teacher said sternly. “This is strictly a no-powers exercise. There will be no cheating in my classroom!”
“Right, sorry,” Law muttered. In the whole Luffy-debacle he had forgotten about that. “Well, we still have a minute before the timer runs out.” he told Bepo, paging through the instruction manual again. The instruction manual that didn’t have this specific type of bomb, but a bunch of others they were supposed to use as a basis to figure out this one with.
“You're probably right that it’s the blue one,” Bepo said, but he didn’t look convinced. He was probably just going along with Law's suggestion because they were friends.
“Compromise,” Law said. “Let’s cut them both.”
“Alright,” Bepo grinned. “Let’s die together.”
Law smirked, and cut the blue and red wires.
The bomb exploded.
It was just loud noise and a bit of smoke, but both of them jumped anyway. They looked at each other over the fake bomb, and started laughing.
“Trafalgar Law! ” the teacher said angrily. “See me after class.”
Law glared at her, but gave Bepo a reassuring smile when he met his eyes. At least Bepo didn’t get into trouble.
He dutifully remained behind as the class ended. The teacher looked at him with disapproval in her eyes.
“I’m disappointed in you, Law,” she said. “You’re one of this school's brightest students. This exercise should have been easy for you.”
“It would have been if you had let me use my powers,” Law pointed out.
“There are millions of things that could steal those powers away from you, temporarily or permanently,” the teacher said. “And then you’ll only have your brain to work with. You should have been able to figure this out. Think outside the box. Look at things from different angles.”
She wrote him a detention slip. “For deliberately messing up in my classroom,” she said. “You’re staying after school, and I want you to think about what I said. You’re not invincible just because of your powers.”
“I’m aware,” Law said, but accepted the slip anyway. It was hardly the first time.
It was unfair, he thought as he walked to detention after the day ended. Penguin and Sachi messed up their assignments all the time, but they rarely got detention. Bepo too. He was intelligent, but ever since getting stuck in bear-form as a kid, he had trouble with things that required finesse and opposable thumbs. Law usually helped him when he was around, but every now and then things broke or crashed or exploded. Teachers usually shook their heads, marked a grade and moved on. When Law did something similar, he got detention. Maybe the teachers still disliked him for not wanting to become a hero.
He supposed he shouldn’t have been surprised to see Luffy in detention as well.
“Hi, Torao!” Luffy grinned. “How did you get into trouble?”
“Exploded a bomb,” Law said, handing his slip to Smoker, who raised an eyebrow. “Not a real one.”
“Disregarded assignment rules and deliberately caused a ruckus,” Smoker read out loud. “Fine, sir down. Do your homework, or reflect on your actions, or whatever.”
“Truly inspiring,” Law drawled, as he sat down, a few seats away from Luffy.
“And be quiet,” Smoker added. Law sighed and pulled out his homework. He might as well get it done before heading home.
A few minutes later a very long arm placed down a piece of paper on his desk. He glanced over at Luffy, who grinned as the arm returned to its normal length. Law frowned. It didn’t look like the arms got thinner as they stretched, so how was he doing that?
Law ignored the physics of it all for now, instead opening up the little note Luffy sent him.
“Smoker won’t mind if we chat or play games .” And then a phone number. Law considered throwing the note away, or ignoring it. But if he was honest, breaking the rules right in front of a teacher, even one who apparently didn’t care, always appealed to him.
He took out his phone and added Luffy’s number, then sent a simple: “What do you have in mind?”
Luffy: Hi.
Luffy: Do you have any games?
Law: No
That was a lie, Shachi had gotten him into visual novels last year, but Luffy didn’t need to know that.
Luffy: Boring
Luffy: Hey
Luffy: Do you want to see a dog?
Law: A dog? Not your dog?
Luffy: No, it’s the neighbours'. I walk it for them all the time
Luffy: [Attached Image]
Law frowned, looking at the picture. It wasn’t just a dog, it was a puppy. And it was fucking adorable.
Luffy: Do you not like dogs?
Law: I love dogs
Law: [Attached Image]
Law: This is Onigiri, she’s my foster-father’s
Cora had absolutely gotten her for Law’s sake, a few years back when he had been friendless and miserable. Law had protested, because Cora was still in recovery and Law was busy and would move out in a few years anyway and getting a dog made no sense! She slept in his bed every night now.
Luffy: !!!!
Luffy: Cute!
Luffy: Can I meet her?
Law hesitated. Luffy was essentially asking to come to his house, right? The only friends he ever brought home were Bepo, Shachi and Penguin, and that was after knowing them for a year at least.
A message popped up on his phone.
Cora: Where are you?
Law: Detention
Cora: Come directly home after
Law frowned. That was unusual. Cora usually didn’t care if he stayed out. On the contrary, he would encourage it. Something must be wrong.
Luffy: What happened?
Law: Foster-father just texted, I need to go home straight after this
Luffy: Awh okay. Raincheck on meeting your dog?
Law: Sure
Law hit send before he realised he had just agreed to let Luffy come to his house. That was a problem for later, though. He was worried about Cora.
He hurried home as fast as he could. It always took a little while, to first wait for the flying bus that took them to and from school, and then the regular bus to get home.
The school was located on an island suspended in mid air, very high up from the ground, surrounded by a thin forcefield to keep the heat in. Law wasn't sure why it was built that way. Maybe no one on the ground wanted to be neighbours with a high school full of kids with superpowers, or maybe the government just liked the complete control it gave them over the students. In theory, anyway.
After 40 minutes of travel he finally reached the apartment. When he opened the door, he found himself at gunpoint.
Law stared at the familiar blonde man in his living room. Doflamingo just smiled. He had the gun in one hand, and the other held strings that were wrapped around Cora’s neck. Onigiri was in Cora's lap, growling quietly.
"Did you know his phone password is your birthday?” Doffy said mockingly. “Close the door, Law.”
Law did. “I’m surprised you remember when that is,” he said.
“I remember all of my family’s birthdays. Who do you take me for?” Doffy scoffed, but he looked a little unsteady. He was bleeding, Law realised. Two gunshot wounds in his left shoulder, the side of the hand he was using to hold Cora captive.
“I’m sorry, Law,” Cora said, then winced as the strings tightened around his neck.
“I said no talking,” Doflamingo said. “I have a proposal for you, Law.”
“I fix your shoulder and you let us live?” Law suggested, and Doflamingo grinned.
“You always were quick on the uptake,” he said, casually sitting down on the couch. “So I don’t need to tell you not to try anything. It would take less than a second, one little movement, and my dear brother would be one head shorter.”
“I get it,” Law said. “Let me get bandages.”
“Don’t worry about that, I have everything you need right here,” Doflamingo said, kicking a medical kit in Law’s direction. “Now, I suggest you start working, Law.”
Law gritted his teeth, but did as he said.
Law had told Luffy he could take apart things , but it wasn’t limited to inanimate objects. Law could take apart anything, or anyone, as long as he understood how it worked. He had spent years studying medicine, to be able to take apart human beings. His parents had been doctors, so it had seemed like a natural path to take.
Doflamingo had tried to push him in a different direction, once, but now here he was, taking advantage of Law’s skills. Unfortunately, Law knew Doflamingo had a pretty decent grasp on medicine himself, and was watching his every move, so Law couldn’t even try to do something other than what Doflamingo wanted.
He took the area around Doflamingo’s gunshot wounds apart, splitting everything into smaller pieces. One bullet was easily removed, the other had shattered upon impact, and Law had to find the pieces individually and piece it back again to make sure he got them all. Once he had, he could start knitting muscle tissue back together. It wasn’t healing, exactly, but it would make the body’s natural healing much faster.
He didn’t bother much with the skin. Doflamingo could have some scars for all he cared. Instead he bandaged him up, and reattached his bloody shirt pieces.
“There. I’m done,” Law said. “Now fuck off.”
“And here I thought we could have some nice bonding time, nephew,” Doflamingo laughed. “What is this I hear about detention?”
“None of your business,” Law said.
“Alright, fine. Go through your teenage rebellious phase,” Doflamingo sighed, then turned to Cora. “Kids, right?”
He yanked Cora forward, sending him and Onigiri tumbling off the couch. Law moved to catch them, and when he looked up again, Doflamingo was gone. Of course he was.
“I’m so sorry, Law. He took me by surprise,” Cora said.
“It’s fine. Let me look at your neck,” Law said, inspecting the thin, bleeding line around Cora’s neck. It wasn’t a deep cut, but Law patched him up nonetheless. “So he’s out again. Did Sengoku even bother warning you?”
“He tried. Doffy showed me the missed calls. They must not have realised he escaped before he was already here,” Cora said.
“The gunshots, was that them or you?”
“One was me.”
“Good,” Law said. “Your aim is shit, though.”
“Law,” Cora said, and Law sighed. Even after everything, Cora still couldn’t kill his brother. Doflamingo on the other hand had no problem with that. He had certainly tried hard enough to kill Cora when Law was thirteen. Cora still had permanent injuries from that time.
Cora called Sengoku to let him know they were alive, and Law briefly stole the phone to give his “grandfather” a piece of his mind. Their oh-so secure supervillain prisons must have more holes than a cheese grate, considering how often people broke out of them.
“Law,” Cora scolded him, taking the phone back, then continued Law’s monologue with less swearing. If it had been anyone else on the phone, there would have been more swearing. Law smiled, and let him be.
Onigiri was still stressed out about it all, so Law took him out for a walk while Cora talked. Law already knew what was going to happen now. They were going to put surveillance on the apartment, so they could catch Doflamingo if he returned. Except, Doflamingo wasn’t going to return. If he decided he needed to kill them after all, he would do it somewhere else.
It wasn’t the first time they did this song and dance. Doflamingo still hoped they would return to the fold, Law knew that. Or, specifically, he hoped Law would. It would never happen, of course, but Doflamingo seemed determined. Law supposed he could play along, as long as it meant he and Cora weren't going to get killed.
Onigiri seemed happy again, now that she was outside. On a whim, Law snapped a picture of her and sent it to Luffy. He didn’t answer immediately, but later in the evening when Law was watching a cooking show with Cora (“You’re never trying that! You’ll burn the kitchen down!”) Law’s phone buzzed.
Luffy:!!!!!
Luffy: I love her.
Luffy: Tell her I miss her.
Law: You’ve never met her.
Luffy: I don’t need to have met her to miss her.
Law frowned, shaking his head. Luffy was a Grade A weirdo.
“Who are you texting?” Cora asked, and Law looked up to see he had a knowing grin on his face.
“No one,” Law said, realising his mistake immediately as Cora’s grin got wider. “I mean it, it’s no one special. I made a new friend, that’s all.”
“I’m happy for you, Law,” Cora smiled. “Bring them over sometime. I’ll make dinner.”
Law glared at him. “You’re not allowed near the kitchen,” he said, but Cora just laughed.
***
Law couldn’t sleep that night.
He knew, rationally, that home was the safest place for them right now. They had surveillance, and Law knew Doffy wouldn’t come back. Sengoku’s surveillance team had a number of different heroes on speed-dial, including the ones that brought him in last time he escaped. Still, Law lay awake, listening to Onigiri’s soft snoring by his feet. He could think of five different ways to get into the building without the surveillance team noticing, and a dozen ways to kill both himself and Cora quietly. His mind was racing through all possibilities, getting louder by the second.
Sighing, he got up from the bed. There was no point in trying to sleep, not like this. Onigiri lifted her head as he went, but she was used to him moving around at odd hours. He sat down by his desk, and revisited the bomb-problem from earlier that day. As he went on, he was pretty certain Bepo had been right about the wires.
When morning came, he had done all the homework due that week, and one essay that wasn’t due until the next week.
Cora gave him a disapproving look over breakfast.
“I thought you got a prescription for sleep meds,” he said.
Law scowled. “I’m not taking those right now.”
“Law, you can’t keep doing this to yourself,” Cora said. “I understand why you don’t want deep sleep right now, I do. But exhausting yourself isn’t any better.”
“It wasn’t on purpose,” Law said. “It’s just loud, that’s all. Now eat your breakfast.”
“I’m not that hungry,” Cora said. “I appreciate it though.”
“You’re not hungry because nicotine is making you lose your appetite,” Law said. “Eat, or I will show you your lungs again.”
“Who is the parent here?” Cora asked idly, but he did eat.
***
Law was only barely awake enough for the school day. He got through his morning classes okay, but after lunch, with a warm not-sludgy meal in his stomach he was just about ready to drop. He wished there was anywhere on campus he could get coffee, but the teacher apparently didn’t want to deal with caffeinated, superpowered kids, so it was forbidden. Shachi and Penguin had made good money the previous years, running a coffee business out of their lockers. Law had been their best customer, which was how they originally met. He was surprised no one had followed in their footsteps yet.
Maybe Law should do it himself. Or just bring a thermos from home and hope no one noticed. Except the teachers were watching him like hawks, and he would probably be found out on the first day.
He walked straight into someone on the first break after lunch. Blinking, he could have sworn the person wasn’t there before.
“You look tired, Torao.”
Luffy, of course. Law rubbed his eyes.
“I didn’t sleep.”
“What? At all?” Luffy asked. “Do you want to skip the rest of the afternoon and go take a nap?”
Law frowned. “Smoker would find me. Besides, I can’t leave campus yet. The bus won’t let me on until 3.”
“I can take you down to the ground,” Luffy grinned. “I was thinking of skipping anyways. Hero History is boring.”
Law considered it. “What the hell,” he said. “Sure. Get me out of here.”
Luffy grinned.
Law should have known the moment he saw that grin, that he had made a terrible, horrible , mistake. Instead, he followed Luffy to the edge of the flying island, past the force field, wondered how they were going to get down, and then screamed as Luffy grabbed his waist and jumped off the island.
“What the fuck!” Law yelled, holding on to Luffy for dear life. Not that it would help. At this speed, at this height, they would both be little more than splotches of liquid when they hit the ground. “What are you doing?!”
“Don’t worry, I do this all the time,” Luffy laughed. Laughed. Like they weren’t going to die in a few seconds.
“I’m not made of rubber like you,” Law said, but Luffy just grinned.
“I know. Hold on tight,” he said. Like Law was going to fucking let go in mid air.
As they were racing towards the ground, Luffy spread himself out like a parachute, slowing their fall. Then, as they got closer to the ground, he grabbed a lamppost and used his stretching arm to slow their fall, stopping just a foot off the ground.
Law’s legs were shaking when they finally hit the pavement. “I’m never, ever , doing that again!” he said. “What the fuck?”
“You were fine. I told you, I do it all the time,” Luffy said. He let go of Law’s waist, but Law still leaned on him to remain standing. “Do you wanna do something or go home and nap?”
“You just gave me more adrenaline than I know what to do with, I’m not napping now ,” Law pointed out.
“Then, can I come meet your dog?” Luffy asked, looking vaguely like an excited puppy himself.
Law hesitated. It should be fine, right? The house was protected, but still…
“It’s okay if you don’t want to,” Luffy said.
“No, it’s- My family situation is complicated,” Law said. It was true, he supposed. “No one should be home, but there could be trouble.”
“Would you be in trouble?” Luffy asked.
“No,” Law said. Maybe not entirely true, but Doflamingo didn’t want to kill him. Not right now, at least.
“Then it’s fine. I’m strong,” Luffy said, holding up an arm to show his muscles. Law frowned. How did he even train, with a rubber body? Shouldn’t repeated stress on the fibres make him weaker, not stronger?
“One of these days, I want to take you apart to see how you work,” Law said, then blinked, realising what had just come out of his mouth. “Um, I mean-”
Luffy laughed. “Sure, I don’t mind as long as you put me back together,” he said, grinning widely.
Law stared at him, slowly coming to the realisation that he might actually be in trouble.
***
Onigiri loved Luffy immediately.
She usually took a bit of time to warm up to strangers, Shachi had to come over multiple times before she would give him more than a cursory sniff and she still walked off when Bepo tried to pet her, but she was in Luffy’s lap in five seconds. Law felt almost betrayed, but it was cute seeing them cuddle on the floor like that. Law watched them with a frown on his face.
Luffy looked up at him, then laughed. “I figured it out!”
“Figured what out?” Law asked, though he had a feeling he would regret it.
“You!” Luffy said. “You frown when you like something.”
Ah. That was quick. It took his other friends almost six months to figure that out.
“I also frown when I don’t like something,” he tried, in an effort to preserve what was left of his dignity. If he even had any left, after Luffy carried him down from the school.
“Yeah, but it’s a different frown,” Luffy grinned.
“Well, you’ve found out my secret,” Law said. "I guess I have to kill you now."
“You can try,” Luffy said.
“Think you can take me?” Law asked, and heaven help him, Luffy actually looked excited at the idea.
“We should spar,” he said. “We could use the gym at school. It’s usually free.”
“It’s free for use for the Hero-program ,” Law pointed out. “Supports are not allowed. It’s an anti-bullying measure.”
Luffy pouted. “Well, that’s dumb,” he said, then grinned. “Maybe we can sneak in after school at some point.”
“No promises,” Law said. He gestured for Onigiri to come to him, and put her leash on.
“Toraooo,” Luffy complained. “You can’t just challenge me and not follow through. That’s mean!”
“Does that mean you don’t want to come walk Onigiri with me?” Law asked, and Luffy got on his feet.
“Can I hold her leash?” he asked, previous pout apparently forgotten. Law handed the leash over, and their hands briefly touched. Law didn’t know why it suddenly seemed like a big deal, Luffy had been holding him around the waist earlier. Several times around.
His face heated up, and Law scowled at himself. He was not doing this. He did not have a crush on Luffy.
***
“What’s wrong Law?” Bepo asked the following day. “You’ve been spacing out all morning.”
“I think I have a crush on someone,” Law confessed. They were hanging out alone on the roof of the school, or Law would never have said that out loud. The roof was off-limits for students, but they came up here anyway to smoke sometimes. Law and Bepo weren’t smoking, though. Bepo had tried once, with Sachi and Penguin, and Law had sat all of them down and showed them Cora’s lungs. They never tried again as far as he knew.
“Oh!” Bepo said. “On Luffy?”
Law buried his head in his hands. “Really? Am I that fucking obvious?”
“No, you’re not,” Bepo reassured him. “But he’s your only new friend as far as I know.”
Law relaxed a bit. That made sense, he supposed.
“Are you going to ask him out?” Bepo asked, and Law made a face.
“No. What would that even look like?” he said. “Besides, I don’t think I’m his type. Have you seen the people he hangs with?”
“Yeah. They are all super pretty,” Bepo said. “And kinda preppy.” He paused. “Are you worried about not fitting in? You’re super pretty, too.”
Law snorted. “Only you would say that. I’m a beanpole with a beard,” he said. “I’ve never cared much.”
“You were a beanpole with, arguably, a beard in our first year,” Bepo said. “You’ve grown into it since. You have no idea how many people ask me if you’re single on a daily basis.”
“Not many, I suspect,” Law smirked, and Bepo made a face at him.
“Fine. On a monthly basis then. But it does happen,” he said. “I don’t know if you’re Luffy’s type, but you easily could be.”
“Thanks, Bepo,” Law sighed, then reached out to throw an arm around his friend. “We’ll figure you out, too, one of these days.”
“Being a bear is not so bad,” Bepo said. “I don’t even know if I know how to be human anymore.”
“You’re plenty human,” Law said. “Just a little fluffier. We’ll figure it out.”
Bepo just laughed, but he squeezed Law’s shoulder a bit.
***
He did end up agreeing to Luffy’s suggestion to break even more rules and sneak into the gym after school.
It was a large building, the size of a stadium rather than a regular gym, meant specifically for matches between Hero-students. Usually the matches would be monitored, of course, with a referee to stop the match before anyone got hurt. Or seriously hurt, at least.
This time, it was just him and Luffy. He was a little nervous, and not just because of the match. He knew he would likely lose, he hadn’t really honed his combat skills in the last few years the way the Hero-students did, but he was still the best in the Support-program. And he had never really gone all out where teachers could see him. Even now, he had made sure to put all cameras in the gym on a loop.
Luffy stretched and gave him a grin. “Let’s do this, Torao!”
“After you,” Law said, and Luffy laughed, then aimed a punch in Law’s direction.
If Law hadn’t already known about Luffy’s ability stretch, the match would have ended in one punch. His limbs snaked around in patterns that were hard to predict, and didn’t always seem to follow logic. Or physics, for that matter.
When Law had a moment in between dodging, he deployed his secret weapon. He threw a handful of rice in Luffu’s general direction. Luffy shielded his eyes, but didn’t look away from him.
“I won’t fall for such a simple distraction, Torao.”
Law smirked. “It wasn’t a distraction,” he said. “Now it’s my turn.”
Luffy frowned, and Law stretched out his power to fill the nearby space. He couldn’t stretch it across the whole gym, but he only needed it as far as the rice had gone. He switched places with one of the grains, and attacked Luffy from behind. Luffy had quick reflexes, and managed to block in time, but Law switched with another grain before he could counter.
It was tiring. It was exhilarating. It was exhausting. It was fun! There was nothing in his mind but the battle. Law found himself matching Luffy’s grin as the two of them danced around each other, neither able to land a blow.
Eventually, Law's lack of stamina became an issue. A fraction of a second's mistake, and Luffy had him pinned to the floor of the gym. His back hit the floor hard, but it didn’t really hurt. He was still high on adrenaline and Luffy’s smiling face, close to him as he held him down. Law wanted to kiss him.
“I win,” Luffy grinned, and Law snorted.
“I guess you do. But you know, if you don’t finish an opponent off-” he said, and switched one final time, taking Luffy by surprise with a hand on his throat. “There’s always a chance they’ll recover.”
Law let go and took a step back, and Luffy laughed. “You’re not wrong. But I still won.”
Law was about to answer, probably something snarky, he hadn’t quite made up his mind, when he heard a slow clap and footsteps approaching.
Fuck, busted, Law thought, figuring it was Smoker or another teacher and that he was going to end up in so much detention. Then he turned around, and realised it was much worse.
Law’s blood went cold as Doflamingo slowly walked up to them, clapping his hands.
“Quite the show you two put on,” he said. “I’m impressed.”
Law stepped in front of Luffy, mind racing for a way to escape, but they were in the middle of the gym. Law’s power wouldn’t stretch to the exits, especially not right now when he was already mostly tapped out.
“Who are you?” Luffy asked behind him.
“How rude of me. Donquixote Doflamingo,” Doflamingo introduced himself. “I assumed everyone had heard of me.”
“Aren’t you that guy who was a hero but then was actually a supervillain?” Luffy said.
“I’m also Law’s uncle,” Doflamingo said. “A little bird told me you were spending time with someone new, so I thought I’d come have a look. A step up from your sidekicks, I admit, but no accounting for taste.”
“What do you want, Doffy?” Law asked.
“You,” Doflamingo said. “I decided I’ve been patient enough. It’s time to come home, Law. You can bring your little pet if you want.”
Shit!
“Get out of here, Luffy,” Law said, but of course Luffy didn’t listen to him.
“Not without you,” he said, the stubborn idiot.
“There’s nowhere to run, Law,” Doflamingo said. Looking around, he was right. The gym was already filled with a network of strings, and they were trapped inside, like flies in a spiderweb.
“We’re not running!” Luffy said, and attacked. Doflamingo easily dodged him, and Law threw himself after Luffy and switched them away, just as Doflamingo sent strings after him.
“If you get caught, it’s over,” Law told him. “He’s not playing around.”
“You can’t be serious, Law,” Doflamingo chuckled. “You want to fight? Me? ”
No, Law didn’t want to fight him. He wanted Doflamingo dead, but he wasn’t an idiot, so of course he didn’t want to fight him. However, he didn’t trust that Doflamingo would let Luffy go even if he gave up.
And he was sure Luffy wouldn’t let him do that, anyway.
So, they fought. Luffy attacked, and Law kept an eye out for the strings. He wished they hadn’t agreed on the no weapons- rule. He could really have used a knife of some kind right now.
Doflamingo, on the other hand, just looked bored. He was just indulging them at this point. Maybe they could have stood a chance, if they hadn’t both spent all their energy trying to beat each other, but as things were they were already losing. It was only a matter of time before Doflamingo stopped toying with them.
But what else could they do? Doflamingo had them trapped, there was no way out. Law couldn’t reach beyond the gym to any side, he couldn’t-
He kept his expression blank, following Luffy’s movement. They had one chance.
As Luffy went for an attack again, Law kept the strings away, then switched them, but not with the grains, with one of the many metal sheets underneath the island. It was at the edge of his reach, but he managed to find one that was already loose from wear and tear and yank it free to switch places with it.
And now, they were in the air, falling off the island. Again.
“Torao!” Luffy exclaimed, scrambling to get a good hold of him.
“Don’t drop me,” Law told him. “I need to make a call.” Luffy gave him a confused look, but nodded.
Law called Sengoku. He hated that he had to, but his pride wouldn’t do him or Luffy much good right now.
“I’m under the school. Doflamingo just attacked us. Please send the superhero squad you promised,” he said.
“Under the school?” Sengoku repeated.
“Yes, we’re falling, but we’ll survive assuming you guys can take care of Doffy. Now, please.”
He hung up.
“Who was that?” Luffy asked.
“My grandfather, sort of,” Law said. “Shouldn’t you parachute by now?”
“Oh. Right,” Luffy said, and flattened and stretched himself to slow their fall. Law held on tightly.
“I’m sorry about this,” he said.
“It’s fine. There’s a lot of weirdos in this world, it’s not the first time I’ve fought one,” Luffy said.
They landed a bit rougher this time, but Law didn’t care. They were alive, after all.
For now, at least. Law glanced up at the floating island above them, and saw someone jump off, swinging himself in their direction.
“We need to move,” Law said, but Luffy stood firm.
“No. We need to hold him here until your backup arrives,” Luffy said. “So he won’t come after you anymore.” Luffy looked at him. “Am I wrong, Torao?”
Law wanted to say yes. “No. You’re not wrong,” he said. “Alright. He doesn’t have strings here yet, so we can move more freely. But we don’t have to win, we just need time, so be careful.”
Luffy nodded, but Law had a feeling he wasn’t going to be careful at all. Law sighed, readying himself beside him.
“Clever,” Doflamingo said as he floated in front of them, like a spider on a ridiculously long string. “But you should have kept running. Or did you come to your senses, Law?”
“No,” Law said. “I think I’ve lost my mind.”
Luffy grinned beside him.
Fighting down here was different. They were in the middle of a street, so there were plenty of things to use for switching, cover or improvised weapons, but there was also a worry about collateral damage. Law didn't care much , but he didn’t want to kill some innocent bystander either.
They were still losing, but the fight was less desperate now that they weren't trapped.
Eventually, Doflamingo hesitated. “You’re stalling,” he realised.
“And you fell for it,” Law agreed.
“Tch,” Doflamingo said, throwing a string towards the clouds. Law swore. Where the fuck was Sengoku’s so-called superheroes?
“No, you don’t,” Luffy said, attacking again. Doflamingo dodged him, but sent a string in his direction. Law watched in horror as it wrapped around Luffy’s arm.
“Caught you,” Doflamingo said.
“No, caught you,” Luffy grinned. “You’re not going anywhere!”
Doflamingo frowned, attempting to yank the strings, but Luffy was already moving towards him, aiming another punch. It caught Doflamingo straight in the face, and he stumbled backwards as Luffy dealt another blow.
It wasn’t enough, Law realised, and switched himself with some fallen leaves to get behind Doflamingo, aiming a blow at his spine. He fell to the ground, and Law and Luffy stood there for half a second, breathing heavily. It wasn’t over, Law knew that, but-
“Sorry we’re late!”
Law looked up to see white uniforms and cloaks that proudly said “justice” on the back. Law ignored them. Doflamingo was pulling himself back up with his strings, but he was the one surrounded now. He realised it, and held up his hands rather than continue a fruitless fight. Because he knew he could escape again later, Law assumed.
He laughed. “This isn’t over, Law.”
“I think it is,” Law said. He watched as the superhero squad read him his rights and arrested him, and then led him away.
Law sank down on the ground, exhausted.
“Are you okay, Torao?” Luffy asked, sitting down beside him.
Law scowled. “You’re asking me? Show me your arm!”
Luffy did. The strings had cut deep. Any hesitation on Luffy’s part, and it would have been torn right off.
One of the superheroes approached them. “If you need medical assistance, I can take you to-”
“Are you a healer?” Law asked.
“No,” the superhero said.
“Then fuck off, or make yourself useful and get me some bandages,” he ordered, then started knitting Luffy’s muscles back together. They were strange, far more elastic than a normal person’s. Law was itching to learn more, but it would have to wait for another time, when he had more strength left. Assuming Luffy was still okay with Law picking him apart.
The so-called superhero brought bandages, then left, and Law finished patching Luffy up.
“Thanks, Torao,” Luffy said, smiling at him. “That was some date, huh?”
Law blinked. “Date?”
“Wasn’t it?” Luffy asked.
“I think I’d rather it wasn’t,” Law said, and Luffy’s face fell.
“Oh. I guess I was wrong.”
“I don’t want anyone to say I brought my uncle along on a date,” Law said, making a face. ”But if you want to try again another time, I’m game.”
Luffy grinned. “I wasn’t wrong!” he laughed. “How about we try right now?”
“It’s going to be a short date, then,” Law said. “Cora is going to turn up any minute.”
“I’m fine with that,” Luffy said, and kissed him.
Law smiled, reaching out to put his arms around him.
His mind was blissfully quiet.