Chapter Text
Trafalgar D. Water Law and Monkey D. Luffy had been happily married for three years. They’ve known each other since college but only started dating two years after graduation. Law popped the question 17 months into their relationship and Luffy said yes with teary eyes. They got married 4 months later in a private ceremony only attended by close friends and family.
Three years later and Luffy still felt like he was living a dream.
Law wasn’t talkative, he didn’t say much, but his actions conveyed everything. He rarely said ‘I love you’, but every night before he went to sleep, Law would kiss his forehead, both of Luffy's cheeks and lastly his lips. When he woke up in the morning, he did the same thing again before whispering a sleepy good morning and started his day.
Law wasn’t much for talking, but whenever they’re in public, he would always touch Luffy. He held Luffy’s hand, or placed his palm at the small of Luffy’s back. When they were sitting, he would rest his knee against Luffy’s. Their elbows often knocked together.
In the comfort of their luxurious penthouse, Law became a cuddle monster. The only times he didn’t attach himself to Luffy like a limpet was when he needed to go to the bathroom or when he was working on his home office.
Luffy was okay with this kind of Law, in turn; he said plenty of ‘I love you’ for the both of them. But then the first anxiety came.
Luffy was hanging out with his friends, the usual cliques of rich wives (or in his case, husband) of Los Angeles. Luffy wasn’t overly fond of them, but being the spouse of one of Los Angeles’s successful businessmen came with some responsibilities and expectations. So they got together once a month to have tea and gossiped.
The get together went quite well, until the topic of Mrs. Viola came up. She was absent from this month’s meeting and Mrs. Purrin told them in a hushed whisper that Mrs. Viola was ‘unwell’. She caught her husband cheating with his secretary. She was angry and confronted her husband about it, only to be disappointed by her husband’s response. He mocked her and said that this wasn’t the first time he cheated nor would it be his last. He told her that she should just shut up, turned a blind eye and enjoyed his money. A divorce was also put on the table and he let her chose for herself.
How Mrs. Purrin came to know about all the details wasn’t clear to Luffy, but at the word ‘secretary’, Luffy felt his gut twisted up.
Just three weeks ago, Law had gotten a new secretary. His last one, Penguin, resigned because he decided to move to the Canada with his beau. Law had mentioned it in passing to Luffy and Luffy harrumphed a bit, he had liked Penguin. In Luffy’s opinion, the older man was dynamite.
Luffy had asked about Law’ new secretary, and the CEO replied nonchalantly. “She was adequate. But it is only been a few days. Let’s see if she can handle her workload as good as Penguin.”
Luffy didn’t think much of it at the time. But now he had his doubts. Because lately, Law had been coming home late. Usually, Law would be home before nine, no matter how busy he was, but for the past week, he always came home close to midnight. When Luffy asked him, Law had an apologetic smile on his face.
“I'm sorry, darling. But I've a big project on hand. We have an upcoming contract with a Japanese based company and I want to make sure everything goes smoothly. Our company has a lot riding on this one.”
Luffy nodded his understanding and held on Law tightly.
“Good luck on the project. I’m sure you’ll bag this one.” He said encouragingly.
“Thank you, dear.” Law answered and held him tighter.
*****
Luffy wanted to believe in Law but Mrs. Viola’s story was slowly making him uncomfortable. He never had any reason to doubt Law before, but a big project just as he got a new secretary? Coming home late ever since he got a female secretary? Luffy couldn’t swallow it.
So he tried to find another sign that Law was hiding something from him. He tried to look for shifty behaviors and tiny marks on Law’ body that wasn’t left by him. So far, he didn’t find any, Law was still the same Law, few in words, abundant in gestures. But it still wasn’t enough to quell his growing anxiety.
One day, it came to him like a slap. He was going through the dirty hamper, looking for his grey suit jacket because he left some name card on the pocket. And he came across Law’ dress shirt. It had a little pinkish stain just below the collar, and when Luffy brought it closer to inspect it, he caught a whiff of unfamiliar perfume. A woman’s perfume.
Luffy threw the shirt like it burned him. He stared with wide eyes in shock and disbelief. His chest began hurting and he realized that he was gasping for breath.
‘This can’t be! No! NO! This can’t be!’ He internally panicked. But the evidence was there, and Luffy crumpled in on himself.
Luffy managed to compose himself and pretended that nothing happened. Later that night, he kept from flinching when he felt Law slid in to bed and did his ritual kisses. Either Law didn’t notice or he didn’t care that Luffy was silent and stayed stiff as a rock. Law snuggled into Luffy some more and in minutes he was asleep, leaving a bewildered Luffy awake.
The next day, Luffy still kept up appearances. He let Law kissed and hugged him, although he didn’t reciprocate. Once Law walked out the door, Luffy scrambled to the bathroom and heave into the toilet bowl. The thought of Law’ hands and lips on someone else’s body was too much to bear.
Luffy spent the day in a sort of trance, going through the motions automatically while his mind raced with the whys and hows.
When nine o’clock rolled around and Law hadn’t come home, Luffy picked up the phone and called him, something that he never done before. But Law’ didn’t answer and he was connected to the voice mail instead. With trembling fingers, Luffy dialed the office phone.
A woman, the secretary no doubt, greeted him. Luffy gripped harder on his phone as his mind registered her breathy voice.
“I need to speak with my husband.” He said to the receiver.
“I’m sorry sir, but to whom am I speaking?” She asked.
Luffy gulped. “I’m Trafalgar D. Luffy, and I’m calling for my husband.”
“I’m very sorry, Sir. But the CEO is having an important international conference call. He can’t be bothered at the moment.” Her tone was dismissive and not in the least bit apologetic.
Luffy clenched his teeth and rudely hang up. He couldn’t deal with this right now. He was still too raw. Law never, ever, ignored his call. No matter how busy he was, he would always make time for Luffy. Even if he couldn’t get through Law’ cell, Luffy only had to call the office phone and Penguin would always connect his call.
This was the first time Law rejected his call. And the thought that Law stayed in his office so late in the night with his secretary made Luffy dizzy. Luffy took a deep breath to calm his panicking self. His doubts and fears were festering and he had to do something soon. He didn’t think he could take another day of this suffocating anxiety.
The next morning just before Law left for work, Luffy gathered his courage and asked him. “Will you be late again tonight?”
Law smiled apologetically and caressed the smaller man's cheek.
“Most likely.” He answered. “Do not wait up for me.” He said before stepping into their private elevator.
Luffy only nodded.
That night, Luffy went to Law office with a heavy heart. He didn’t want to cause a scene, but if he caught Law in the act, then he could find closure, not to mention that he would be justified for any fight that might ensue.
He smiled to the night guard who recognized and bowed to him, as he made his way across the lobby and went to the CEO’s lift. He flashed his card on the reader and the door opened up for him. Walking inside the lift, he felt like walking into his coffin. He pressed the button for Law’ floor and wiped at the sweat gathered at his temple.
When the bell dinged and the door opened, Luffy needed a few second to compose himself before he came out. His sneakers made soft sound as he walked along the marble hallway into Law’ office. Then he heard it, the click clack of high heels.
His courage took that moment to abandon him and Luffy found himself scurrying to hide behind the reception desk. He peeked from around the desk’s edge and immediately wished that he hadn’t.
The woman, secretary his mind supplied, he saw was beautiful. She had long soft pale green hair which curled around her shoulder. She had smoky eyes make up and her lips were painted red. But the one thing that killed Luffy was her perfectly manicured fingers, buttoning up her open blouse as she walked to the elevator.
Luffy caught a glimpse of her generous and when she passed him, he could see her full bottom and supple thighs. Her skirt had ridden up and she fixed it after she was done with her blouse. She was curvy and curvaceous. And Luffy would never have that.
Once she was inside the elevator, Luffy slowly crawled out of his hiding. His knees wobbled as he made his way to Law’ office. The door was slightly open and through the gap, Luffy could see Law. His husband was sitting back on his chair, eyes closed and lips slightly opened; tiny pants escaped the small mouth. His hair was mussed and his suit and tie was nowhere to be seen. The top two button of his dress shirt was undone and Luffy felt his whole world crumble.
He didn’t make it in time to see for his own eyes, but the sight of the aftermath was just as heartbreaking.
Luffy turned around, swallowing a choked sob down and ran to the elevator. Law had cheated on him. Law had cheated on him.
*****
Luffy thought he was brave enough to confront Law, but three days had passed since that night and Luffy hadn’t mention anything. He wanted to, but for the life of him, he just couldn’t. His mind keep repeating the scene of her walking out of Law’ office, barely dressed and his imagination supplied the rest.
Every time he closed his eyes, all he could see was Law on his chair with that woman on top of him.
Before he decided to go to Law’ office, he had practiced what he would say. He would demand Law to stop and apologize. He would demand Law to never make the same mistake again or he would leave. Divorce was an option Luffy was willing to take. He had put his trust in Law, and Law took it for granted. He wouldn’t hesitate, because even if it was nice to live in the lap of luxury, he had no need for it. He needed Law’ love and attention more than all the material he could get. He didn’t need Law’ money; he needed Law’ heart and soul.
Luffy had psyched himself up to talk to Law about his affair. He gave himself a pep talk, rehearsing what he would say over and over again. Scripting scenarios in his mind of how their talk would go down. Preparing answers and questions, accusations and demands for explanations. He prepared rebuttals for every excuses Law might had, hardening his heart so he wouldn’t cry or break down in the middle.
But then Law came home and Luffy’s resolve would turn into dust. He would take one look at Law’ golden eyes and whatever speech he had would die down in .It didn’t help that Law acted like nothing happened. He still treated Luffy the way he used to, with care and adoration. Luffy should’ve called Law out on his deception, but the part that still loved Law won out every time. At the end of the day, Law still came home and sleep in their bed with Luffy in his arms.
Luffy was disgusted with both Law and himself. He was livid; he was hurt, sad and disappointed, more so toward himself, because no matter how hard he tried to act brave and tough, in the end he acted just as cowardly as Law. Hiding behind a façade of false contentment just to try and prolonged an illusion of a happy marriage. Luffy shroud himself in ignorance and denial, wanting to leave but choosing to stay.
He purposefully acted cold toward the other man. But it only killed him when Law didn’t even notice that Luffy barely looked at him, barely returned his touch and kisses. He was too busy and seldom home to realize the changes in Luffy.
Luffy wanted to end everything, but the glint of his wedding ring made him remembered all those happy times he shared with Law, back before that woman came and took Law away, back when Luffy was still Law’ one and only. One night, Luffy had had enough and he started to pack his bags, only to broke down in tears and unpacked again half an hour later. He went to sleep crying and Law didn’t even notice the tear stain on his cheeks as he kissed him goodnight.
Two weeks of torturing himself, Luffy finally said something to Law.
“Since you’ll be late tonight, can I go out for a drink with my friends? It’s been lonely here.”
Law looked at him with a flash of guilt that churned Luffy’s stomach. The taller man came up to Luffy and enveloped him in a hug.
“I am sorry, baby." He whispered to Luffy’s messy dark locks.
‘Apparently not sorry enough to stop fucking her.’ Luffy thought to himself.
“Sure. You should have some fun with your friends. Just be careful and do not drink and drive. Grab a cab if you have to.” Law said and continued with his routine kisses.
Luffy nodded and let him, the warmth he used to feel whenever Law kissed him had been replaced with a cold slide of disgust along his spine. His disgust at Law’ pretense twined with his disgust at his own pretense, creating a thorny rope of resentment, wrapped around his heart and made it hard to breathe.
When the sun set, Luffy clothed himself in ripped jeans, see through shirt and leather jacket. He laced up his Doc Marten boots, gelled his hair up and applied light make up, heavy kohl and clear lip gloss. He grabbed his wallet and took off his wedding ring before he left for a fun night.
Law thought that Luffy was meeting up with his ‘respectable’ friends, but Luffy didn’t want to be respectable that night. He wanted to be free and forget everything for a moment. He had call up his old friends from college. The ones Law deemed rowdy and wild. They ones Law didn’t approve. And in some twisted way, it felt good to go against Law and went behind his back.
They met up in a club, one in shadier part of town with private backrooms and dispensers in the bathroom. Luffy drank and danced and drank some more. His friends were surprised by his sudden naughtiness, but they encouraged him never the less.
The night got wilder and Luffy was pleasantly buzzed when a good looking guy sidled up to him on the dance floor and began to grind against him. Luffy stuttered for a moment and he drunkenly stepped away. Upon seeing the frown in Luffy’s face, the man held up his hands and backed off with an apologetic smile.
It stunned Luffy when he realized that a stranger was hitting on him. It had been years since the last time he got hit on. His friends who witnessed the entire scene broke out in laughter. One nudged him and another whispered in his ear.
“Live a little Luffy. What happens here stays here. The husband doesn’t need to know and we’re sure as hell won’t tell on you.”
The words echoed in Luffy’s fuzzy brain.
‘What happens here stays here. The husband doesn’t need to know.’
Was this what that woman whispered to Law’ ear just before she mounted him? Was this what Law said to her just before he took her?
A sudden flash of anger burn through Luffy’s stomach and he smirked. ‘What happens here stays here. I might as well have my own fun.’
The next time a woman threw him an inviting looks, Luffy went to her without any hesitancy.
They ended up in one of the backrooms. She hitched up her skimpy dress and Luffy dropped his pants. Even through his addled brain, Luffy still remembered to put on a pussy.
As he pushed into her, a pang of guilt made his heart ache and he almost stop. Almost. Because the next second, an image of Law with his secretary, doing the exact same thing as he was right now made Luffy lose all reason. Luffy gritted his teeth and drove hard into her, making her gasped.
Luffy didn’t waste any time and set an unforgiving pace from the start, letting out all his frustrations through his thrusts. She was mewling in pleasure, thoroughly enjoying the rough fucking. Her hands slipped under Luffy’s shirt and she scratched at his back. Luffy didn’t register the sting; he was too lost in moving in and out of her heat.
It felt good but wrong at the same time. This wasn’t the kind of pleasure he was used too. Still Luffy kept pounding into her, chasing after the release his body desperately needed. With a hoarse cry he finally spilled into the condom. The euphoria was short lived, there one second and gone in the next. Luffy pulled out of her and wordlessly got rid of the condom and the evidence of his own unfaithful act.
She smiled up at him and fished out another foil of condom. Spreading her legs further she coyly asked him.
“Up for another round hot boy?”
Luffy ended up fucking her one more time before the alcohol got the best of him.
*****
Luffy woke up the next morning in a foreign room with a splitting headache. tasted like and his stomach churned. He groaned and rolled over from the sofa he slept on. He noticed his friends from last night sprawled around the living room. Luffy picked his way among the sleeping bodies and staggered around searching for the bathroom.
He emptied his bladder and rinsed . As he looked at his reflection on the mirror, the memories of last night slammed into him and he almost didn’t make it before he retched violently into the toilet bowl. He threw up everything until only bile left.
With shaking fingers he wiped and flushed the toilet. He rinsed again and splashed his face with water. He cupped his hands and drank from the tap, ignoring the tangy taste of the water. He opened the medicine cabinet and found a bottle of pain reliever. He downed two of the pills and cleaned using his index finger and a dollop of toothpaste. He felt slightly better and he returned to the living room to look for his things. He found his wallet and phone and without waking up any of his friends, he left the apartment.
Luffy zipped up his jacket, feeling like his see through shirt was indecent in the light of day. He could do nothing about his ripped jeans although he wished hard for a pair of sunglasses because the sunlight was making his headache worse.
Luffy spotted a diner and hastily made his way inside. He almost stepped back out because the diner turned out to be a quaint little café but the waiter was friendly and he smiled at Luffy in understanding before he led Luffy to a secluded booth all the way to the back, away from the window and the morning rush.
Luffy ordered coffee and the waiter suggested a bowl of chicken porridge to help with the hangover. Luffy thanked him sincerely and waited for his orders to arrive. He checked his phone and found several missed calls and messages from Law. His gut twisted again, but he wasn’t ready to face anything related to Law, so he put away his phone and slumped down on the table.
Then a voice he never thought he would ever hear again reached his ears. It was that woman’s voice.
Luffy trembled in his seat and before he could bolt up from his seat, the waiter returned with his orders. The waiter gave him a concerned look as he placed the cup of coffee and a bowl of porridge on the table. Luffy smiled and gestured that he was fine when in fact, he wasn’t. He hadn’t been fine ever since that night.
And the woman that he despised the most was having breakfast with her friend, only a booth away from him.
Luffy grabbed his spoon tightly and it took all of his will power not to hurl it at her. Then Luffy caught their conversation and it made him froze in shock.
“So, have you slept with your boss?” Her friend asked.
The woman scoffed. “Tsk, he was a straight laced pain in the ass.”
“So you haven’t banged him yet?”
She sighed. “Not for lack of trying though. I mean, I literally undressed in front of him and he didn’t even bat an eyelash. He only told me to put my clothes back on and sent me home.”
Her friend snorted. “That never stopped you before.”
The woman sighed again. “I tried again but he showed me his wedding ring, saying, and I quote, that he has a husband waiting for him at home. He really needs a secretary because of this big contract he’s working on; otherwise he would’ve fire me and be done with my shit, unquote.”
Her friend laughed. “He turned you down after you flashed him your boobs? What a man.” She said mockingly.
“He has their wedding photo on his desk and I swear he looks at that photo more often than at me.”
Luffy didn’t stay to hear the rest of their conversation. He pulled out some bills and threw it on the table before he half ran out of the café.
He had heard enough and he felt hundreds of times worse than that night he went to Law' office.
Luffy ran and ran until he was out of breath and had to stop. He found himself in an unfamiliar place. He looked around and spotted a small alleyway. He staggered there and made it a few feet before the reality of the situation dawned on him.
He fell to his knees and bile rose in the back of his throat. As Luffy once again puked his gut out, his mind screamed at him.
‘Law didn’t cheat on me! Law didn’t cheat on me! Law didn’t cheat on me!’
*****
After what felt like forever, Luffy gathered himself up and walked out of the alleyway. He hailed a cab and with trembling voice he rattled off his address. The taxi ride was suffocating and it lasted much too short for Luffy’s liking. He paid his fare and quickly made his way to the private elevator, ignoring the doorman’s greetings.
The penthouse was empty and he found a note lying on the coffee table. It was written in Law’ handwriting, stating that he went out to play golf with his business partners. Luffy left the note on the table and quickly went to their room.
He didn’t pause and went straight to the massive en suite bathroom. He stripped himself and turned the hot water dial as high as he could stand it. He stood under the hot spray and let the scalding water washed away the filth from last night. He scrubbed himself raw, until his skin reddened and he felt the sting on his back. He rubbed at his member until it hurt.
And he doubled over in pain as his heart broke all over again. Luffy ended up curling on the bathroom floor. His tears mixed with the hot water and the sound of the spraying waters drowned out his sobs.
Law didn’t cheat on him. Law never cheated on him. But last night, Luffy was the one who cheated on Law.
*****