Archive of Our Own

Law’s fingers trailed over the velvet arm of the plush chair he had been lounging in for the past half hour. It was smooth beneath his fingertips and a shiver ran down his spine. His legs were crossed, one foot absently kicking at air. He gazed longingly out the window at the snowflakes drifting gently to the frozen earth. He watched intently as one stuck to the fogging glass, the flake slowly melting into a trail of water from the heat trapped in the room. 

“Sir, are you listening to me?” No , Law thought. He’d rather be anywhere but there.

Law turned his head languidly, eyes falling on the man who had spoken. The mayor was tall and lean with only a few wrinkles betraying his age. Blond hair slicked back in a coif over his forehead, making the man look even younger than the forty or so years his attitude gave off. The curled mustache that hid most of his upper lip and cheeks made him look even more age-defying. If it weren’t for Law’s sharp eye, he would have guessed the man to be a decade younger. 

The mayor was well suited for the room’s atmosphere. His suit was tailored perfectly with a silk cravat poking gracefully out of his collar, matching the silk linens draping across the windows. He wore a tailcoat nearly the same red as Law’s chair. Even the man’s eyes, as gray as the stormy sea, complimented the ornate metalwork adorning the room. 

The room itself was warm—cozy even—and held the strong scent of cigar smoke in its walls. It was easy to tell that the owner had been smoking for well over a decade. Still, despite the calming atmosphere, the room felt smaller than it was. Lavish decor crowded the space in an ostentatious display. Rather than bringing out the natural beauty of its wooden floors and antique furniture as intended, Law couldn’t help but think that the silver and steel ornaments were gaudy.

The mayor wore a stiff expression at Law’s silence. He had the look of a man who rarely if ever smiled. An eyebrow raised impatiently, the man still awaiting Law’s response. Law remained silent. The man huffed and continued. 

“As I was saying, we do not have a local doctor. The physician from the next town visits every other Monday for in-town checkups. Either you stay here and wait for him to visit a week from now or you find someone in town willing to take you to him. However, I am hard-pressed to believe that someone would be willing to go out in this weather. While you are welcome to purchase supplies in town as your… crew… has, we simply do not have the medical supplies you are looking for.”

Law let out a long-suffering sigh. “I understand,” he grunted. 

The truth was that Law did understand. The Heart Pirates had arrived on the island only that morning and already they could tell how dated the town was. In the early morning, several lamps dotted the cobblestone streets. The homes, as far as Law could tell, were lit by fireplaces and candles. Even the townsfolk’s clothes were reminiscent of a time long past—women wearing billowy skirts and bodices and men wearing long coats and tall hats. It wasn’t difficult to believe that there was no simpler way to get a restock of medical supplies. Law signed in resignation.

“Am I to understand that nobody here traverses between towns all winter? Surely on an island with such a climate, your citizens would find it difficult to survive without the wares from the neighboring town. I hear the coal farms are up north after all.”

The mayor scowled, but his features softened in an instant, the shadow of displeasure wiped from his face. The ease at which he’d recovered his composure betrayed how practiced it was.

“Well,” He started, looking down his nose at Law who hadn’t moved other than the rhythmic kicking of his foot, “I suppose there are some people willing to travel between towns in this weather. Perhaps… you spend a night with me and I will drive you there myself in the morning?” 

The man’s eyes roved down Law’s body as if he were a warm meal to be savored. Disgusted, the hair on Law’s arm raised. Bile rose in his throat, but the pirate choked it down with a controlled clearing of his throat. 

Finally, he understood. The half lidded stares and lingering touches when they had first shook hands. From the beginning, the mayor had been unpleasant, but apparently he was also a pervert. Unbidden, a revolted scowl crossed Law’s face. The coziness of the room began to feel suffocating. How he longed to crack open that window and let flurries of snow into the stuffy office. 

“I think I’ve heard enough. I will see you when I return.”

As if this man could handle Law in bed. He’d be dead before the sun rose. 

Law’s chair scraped against the ground as he stood, echoing in the deadly still of the office. An indent was left behind on the ornate plush where his body had sat. Law longed to smooth out the cushion. Of course, it didn’t matter. Law could destroy this man in a heartbeat, but the thought of him longing for Law’s body made him angry. 

“Let me know if you change your mind.” The voice trailed after him, though Law was already moving. Not deigning the man worthy of a reply, Law headed for the door with firm strides. 

Without a second glance, he brushed past the mayor. No more words were exchanged as he unlatched the door and stepped out into the frigid air. He imagined the room dropping a few degrees as he let the door slam shut behind him and took slight pleasure in it. 

As he walked through the white streets, Law imagined the mayor looking out at his retreating form. His scowl deepened, but he allowed the crunching of snow beneath his boots to distract him. With a deep breath, frigid air filled his lungs, cooling his rage from the inside out.  

The once sunny sky was now overcast and graying; snowflakes fell in a gentle sprinkle, decorating the already frozen streets. People shuffled by like any other day, moving from place to place without a care in the world. It was busy, but not enough to distract Law. 

With every exhale, hot breaths danced in front of him like smoke. He didn’t much care for the snow, but he was glad at least for the change in pace. Poor Bepo had struggled with their escapades on the last summer island they had gone to. It was about time that he got some well-deserved time in the cold. The mink’s face had brightened when the Polar Tang had first emerged and the soft dotting of snow became visible in the horizon. It had taken everything in Law to demand that his companion go with the others to gather supplies rather than roll around in the snow like he knew he wanted. 

As was their usual cadence, Law tasked himself with restocking their ship’s medical supplies as the others gathered food and water along with anything else that they fancied. Law was glad that, while the island was old-fashioned, it was at least calm. The locals were harmless. Even the mayor, unpleasant as he may be.  

Law turned the corner to a less bustling street. He brushed past a woman in a heavy wool coat and long emerald dress. Her hair was tied up behind a black wool hat. Meeting his gaze, she smiled at him hesitantly.

“Good afternoon, sir,” she greeted, curiously glancing at his attire. Perhaps she was unused to the jeans and hooded coat. Likely, she had lived here her entire life and was unaccustomed to strangers and their odd apparels. Or perhaps, she had never seen a pirate in person before and the Jolly Roger embroidered on his coat piqued her curiosity. Law would be surprised if that were the case, but this island was surprisingly void of pirates. In fact, he had yet to see a single visitor, all inhabitants seemingly native to the island. It was certainly something to consider, but Law brushed it off. He nodded back politely without stopping. 

Fewer lanterns specked the sidewalks and windows, casting the alley in eerie darkness. Only several people bustled up and down the dimly lit street. Most sat in shivering lumps on the sidewalk. Snow piled higher with no one to clear it away. 

Law shook a foot where melted snow soaked into his boot. He had come here in hopes of finding someone with a carriage that was willing to travel to the next town over, but the more he looked around, the less likely it seemed. 

A beggar held out his hands, palms outstretched, asking for a coin. He looked familiar, but Law couldn’t place where exactly. Perhaps it was a flash of memory back to…no. It hurt just thinking about it. A burning hospital filled his vision unbidden. Blood on the sidewalk, men and women crying, children screaming. He shook his head to clear the memories of that time. 

Law looked away from the man. He wasn’t here to do good deeds. He kept walking despite the itching feeling that something was wrong. 

That was one thing that threw Law off about this town. Although this island was no different than any other on the Grand Line, it somehow reminded Law of his hometown, Flevance. The white powdered streets brought him back to the pure white city he called his home all those years ago. The buildings, while brick and cobblestone, held the same elegant arches of the streets of his childhood. It felt like he was transported to the past, if only for a moment. Even the shivering paupers reminded him of Flevance during the country’s quarantine. Wet coughs echoed against brick giving the illusion of many more sick and dying people than there were. Law’s teeth clenched at the thought. The once beautiful city, his Flevance, had been so wronged. 

He passed another street urchin coughing and shivering in the cold. This one was just a child wearing threadbare clothing and Law couldn’t help but picture himself. When he passed, he was greeted with sunken eyes and cheeks. The child stared up at him in question, mouth dropping open. Law gave a tight smile to the boy before moving on. He wasn’t sure what he had done, but he continued on quickly, ignoring the odd pang in his chest.  

Anger burned bright inside of him and his smile dropped at the thought of the mayor knowing about this. There was no doubt that he knew. That creepy bastard lived in comfort in his cushy mansion while  his people lived like this. Law would certainly have to give him a piece of his mind when all was said and done. 

A rhythmic thumping brought Law out of his dark musings. Two horses clomped down the street towards him, pulling an open-top carriage in their wake. The man pulling on the reins tipped his round hat at him. Law nodded back.

The carriage rolled to a stop beside Law and the pirate eyed the supplies stacked in the wagon. Potentially a vendor. “Hello, any chance you’re heading to the next town?”

“Why, yes I am, young man. I will be selling my products in the market all next week. Are you looking to visit?” Bingo. While the market was intriguing, Law shook his head. 

“I’m looking to see the doctor. I have some medical supplies in need of restocking. Is there any chance you can fit one more in your carriage?”

The man’s casual smile morphed into the mask of a businessman. His rosy cheeks warmed further with delight. 

“Of course. For the cost of ten coppers, that is.”

Law certainly did not have ten coppers, but he held out a few beri nonetheless. 

“Will this do?”

The man inspected the money with a gleeful expression and nodded. 

“Hop onboard, my friend. The trip should take no more than an hour if the weather doesn’t slow us down.” 

Law didn’t even bother shaking off his boots as he stepped onto the carriage behind the driver. He snuck a peek into the box at his right; Ten or so pairs of finely crafted leather shoes were stacked neatly upon each other.

“So you’re a cobbler?” he asked, feigning interest. 

The man yanked on the reins, urging the horses forward. When he turned back around, his face betrayed his annoyance.

“Don’t compare me to those incompetent drudges. I’m a shoemaker.”

Law raised his hands placatingly. The man looked at them curiously, eying the tattoos. He had seemingly forgotten about the unintentional insult. 

“So you are going to the next town for medical supplies,” the man asked, breath fogging around his mustached nose. Law nodded absently. 

The carriage made its way through the edge of town and Law took the opportunity to marvel at the beauty of the old architecture. The old bricks and cobblestones must have persevered throughout many winters such as this. It was a wonder that they remained this picturesque. They exited through an artfully crafted arch. Intricate patterns of leaves and vines decorated the black iron. The snow had already begun to pile atop the elegant metalwork. 

“I’m surprised the mayor hasn’t taken an interest in you. This town would certainly benefit from having a doctor of its own. I’m sure he would offer you fine accommodations and a healthy stipend.”

Law grunted. “Who’s to say the mayor hasn’t taken interest?”

It was true that the mayor had taken an interest in Law’s profession. It seemed that even his rambunctious crew and… other profession… didn’t seem to phase the man. It was the other instance of interest that had Law scowling. 

“You don’t seem happy about it,” the man offered hesitantly.

“Let’s just say I don’t think the mayor and I see eye to eye about a few things.”

The other man nodded sagely as if he understood exactly what Law meant. Surely not even this man knew how much of a creep the mayor really was. 

“Please don’t judge our mayor too harshly. You see, he has been rather stressed the past few days. His son went missing. The boy gets… confused… and he wandered off sometime yesterday afternoon. Nobody has seen him since, and with the weather getting worse, the mayor is just anxious about his well-being.”

A son? Now that was surprising. The man certainly didn’t seem like the type to settle down, much less with a wife. Not with the way he’d eyed Law’s backside. Perhaps his wife had died and he chose to spend his time pursuing younger men in his grief. Or he was just a closeted pervert; it was a valid possibility. 

Law wondered momentarily what the son of such a man would be like. Would he be spoiled beyond reason? Or perhaps he would be demure as a result of his father’s overbearing presence. 

“How old is his son?” Law asked casually. If he was just a child, it would be a risk if he were out in the cold for over twenty-four hours. As much as Law hated his father, the boy had done nothing wrong. 

The shoemaker shifted in his seat, visibly uncomfortable with this line of questioning. 

“We’re… not exactly sure.”

Law raised an eyebrow. Perhaps the mayor had never married and the woman he got pregnant left him with the child? It wouldn’t be the first time that carelessness led to children being abandoned by a parent. 

“We think he is around eighteen or nineteen years old. Though he could just have a youthful disposition,” the man continued in Law’s silence, fingers tightening around the reins.

Now that was curious. The way he worded it made it seem like this boy had been recently dropped off at his father’s doorstep. Law loathed to think of any young boy living alone with that man, but something about the driver’s wording left Law feeling on edge. 

“You think?” he asked stiffly. 

The man bit his lip, realizing that he had shared too much. 

“Indeed… you see the poor boy was adopted by our kind-hearted mayor quite recently. He is a… special case. Our mayor agreed to care for his needs, so the boy lives with him now.”

The shoemaker was shifting restlessly in his seat. He hadn’t outright said anything too concerning, but it felt as if the man knew that his own words sounded unbelievable. It was simply too convenient.

Law’s frown deepened. It wasn’t his problem; he would soon be long gone from this place, moving on to the next island the log pose pointed to. The mayor and the townspeople’s secrets were hardly something worth troubling himself over. Nevertheless, something about this place was off. The mayor, the shoemaker, even the street urchins all seemed to be hiding something behind their ordinary facade. There was something about this town…  

The shoemaker yelped and Law nearly went flying, only managing to grasp the handlebar of the carriage at the last moment. With a thud, the wagon veered off course. A snap sounded and Law watched as one of the horses startled and bucked out of its harness. The carriage tilted on two wheels and hung in the air for too long before falling back to rest on all four again. Numerous shoes became loose and fell to the floor in a torrent. One hit Law in the back of the head and he winced. 

“Oh dear,” the shoemaker whispered.

Well that was an understatement. Law groaned, head throbbing. Sitting up, he shook off the tension in his body.  

“What happened?” Law grunted, watching the horse run off into the forest. Well shit. One horse wouldn’t do them much good. 

The man remained uncharacteristically silent. Law wondered for a moment if he had been injured. He looked over the other with a critical eye but saw nothing out of place other than the hat, now sat askew atop his wiry hair. The look on his face was more shock than pain.

Law followed his gaze, but had to squint to make out anything. The storm had gotten worse. The evening sun’s light had dimmed through the squall of heavy snow. With some effort, he managed to make out a black shape in the fallen snow. It looked big enough to be a person. Specifically, a teenager.

“Did you hit someone?” 

For the first time since he arrived, Law allowed his voice to rise. There was a person lying prone in the snow, after all. One who had just been hit by their carriage at full speed. Law hopped out and immediately made his way towards the body. He held his hat as the wind picked up. His coat whipped around his ankles desperately.

“Now hold on just a minute!” the driver’s voice carried in the wind, but Law could still make it out, even halfway to the unfortunate person who had skidded twenty feet away on the icy ground. 

“I’m a doctor! I can help them!”

The shoemaker opened his mouth as if to stop Law again but then closed it and nodded. 

Without waiting for approval, Law trudged through the shin-high snow. The figure looked even smaller up close. A boy? His clothing looked elegant. His slacks were form-fitting, clinging tightly to his hips. He was underdressed for the current weather; torso covered only by a beige linen shirt, partially hidden by a waistcoat buttoned snug around his chest. The fabric was drenched from the melting snow. His hair was pitch black, a sharp contrast to the white layer of snow. He looked like he belonged in town, not lying prone on the ground in the middle of a forest. 

Law crouched over the figure. He noted the lack of blood in the pure-white snow. That, at least, was a good sign. Prodding with his finger, he felt along the person’s back, checking for any broken bones or abnormalities. 

Nothing. 

The kid was lucky he had landed in the snow. Although, it was still strange. The ground was barely covered and a hit at such speed should have left more damage. While Law preferred this outcome over any other, it nagged at the back of his mind. Something was wrong.  As if his bones were made of glass, Law grasped at the boy’s head and chest, gently turning him around so that his body faced the gray sky. A light groan left the boy’s lips and Law hushed him.

“Don’t worry, I’m a doctor. You’re going to be alright.”

Big brown familiar eyes meet his own.

“... Straw… Hat?”

Monkey D. Luffy stared back at him blankly. His lips parted slightly and a tiny puff of cold air wheezed from his chest. He looked nearly as lost as he had two years ago, limp and weak in Law’s arms. Cupping a chilled, reddened cheek, cold immediately seeped into Law’s palm. 

“What?” the boy rasped through his shivers, eyebrows furrowed. 

“Straw Hat-ya, what are you doing here? You’re freezing!”

He received no response. 

The remaining horse whinnied and stamped its hooves, shaking its mane in displeasure. The shoemaker had hopped down from his perch and had begun to frantically calm it. When it finally settled, he turned his attention back to the pair on the ground. 

“Sir, I must ask you to step away. The mayor needs to be informed that his son has been found.”

“His son?” Law clutched the frozen boy closer to his chest unconsciously. If it was a joke, it was in poor taste.

“I… yes, his son. The boy who the mayor adopted. He needs medical attention. He needs—“

The shoemaker was desperately struggling to mount the horse as he tried in vain to calm the beast. In an instant, Law was next to him.

“I’m a doctor. And this man is not the mayor’s son.” 

Law pulled the shoemaker to the ground. The sound of metal sliding along metal pierced through the air, his sword glinting in the dwindling light like a lantern. The man beneath him shook.  

“You know as well as I do that this is Straw Hat Luffy.”

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about. Please, just let me take the boy back. I promise I will come back, but there’s only room on the horse for two you see. There’s a cabin not far from here. You can—”

There was no way that this man was going to take Straw Hat away from him. Not if Law had any say in it. Growling low from the chest, Law promised, “You won’t be going anywhere.”

Law wrapped his own coat tightly around Luffy before gently picking him up behind the back and under the knees. He weakly laid his head on Law’s chest. Law knew better than anyone that Straw Hat was resilient but the confused look on his face was concerning. Why wasn’t he responding to Law? 

As gently as he could Law led carried the other through the snow to the huffing horse. 

“Have you ever ridden a horse before?”

Law didn’t want to risk the other falling off. His legs were far too cold for him to walk, but Law was concerned that he would take a fall from the horse’s back.

“I dunno,” the boy answered. Law sighed. He could work with this. 

He pulled the shoemaker along by broken reins he had tied to his hands.

“Think about if you really want to run in this weather,” he hissed when the man tugged on his binds. That was enough to stop him in his movement. The snow was falling harshly now. Perhaps one man could make it back to town on the remaining horse, but to be left out in the blizzard would be a death sentence. His head hung in acceptance. From then on, not a peep left his lips.

Law focused on the task at hand. The horse, luckily, had calmed, allowing Law to maneuver the limp body atop its back without protest. Luffy was pliant in his arms, allowing Law to push him up and over the horse’s back. Once seated, he began listing to the side. It was obvious that he had either never ridden a horse or he was just too cold to hang on properly. 

Law sighed deeply and hopped up behind him. Luffy made a happy sound, leaning back into the warmth of Law’s chest. Law shivered at the cold, but looped one arm around the other obligingly. The horse made no protest other than lightly shuffling its feet in the snow. 

“Guide me to the cabin, Shoemaker,” Law grunted. The man had admitted that there was a halfway point between towns—a small cabin equipped with a fireplace and running water. It was better than nothing, Law had thought. After all, he wasn’t sure if Luffy’s condition would allow him to traverse the forest in the cold. 

When the cabin came into sight ten minutes later, Law let out a sigh of relief. He was shivering alongside Luffy by now, fingers stiff on the reins. 

The cabin itself was quaint, far smaller than the Tang, but it was much needed shelter in the dead of the storm. Dark wood paneling was almost completely covered in snow. It looked abandoned. 

Law dismounted the horse, gently pulling Luffy off with him. The boy was still frozen to the touch but his eyes were less foggy. He put an arm around Law’s shoulders to steady himself and gave him a weak smile. 

“O-oh, thanks,” he stumbled on his words. Law held him a bit closer, arm tugging the boy’s shoulders closer to his chest. 

“‘S fine,” Law mumbled. The snow was now biting at his cheeks. After tying the horse up in the small loafing shed, Law made his way to the front door.  His feet crunched in the freshly fallen snow. The shoemaker shuffled nervously. 

The door handle burned ice into his fingertips. Even just closing the door behind themselves brought the temperature up a few degrees. 

The cabin felt even smaller on the inside. Law immediately pulled a blanket from the lone bed and laid it across the floor, guiding Luffy down onto it. Using a flint, he struggled to light the wood already stacked neatly in the fireplace. When the flame caught, he pushed the shivering boy closer to the flames. Big eyes followed his every move. Law forced a smile when he saw the other’s eyes on his face.

“Thank you,” he whispered, looking over his shoulder. “The fire is warm.”

Law nodded, only now realizing how close the two of them were. Law’s chest was flush against the other’s back. His arm looped around him towards the fire, almost encompassing him. He felt himself getting lost in those sweet brown eyes, until a breath of cold air brushed his nose and reminded him that the boy needed to be warmed up. He backed up, going to the faucet to collect some running water in the metal pot that had been hanging above the burning wood.

Though the room was cold, the frost remained on the outside, creeping up the windows like tiny arms trying to get in. Law noted two oil lamps hanging from chains and moved to light each one. Apart from the fireplace and the lamps, the cabin held little else. A chair, simple and wooden, was tucked away in the corner next to the small bed. A large wooden chest was lined up underneath the window. 

The shoemaker had sat himself on the bed. Law was too busy bustling around the cabin to pay him any mind, but now that the ice was thawing from his bones, he allowed his anger to flow back into his veins, warming him from the inside out. 

“Shoemaker,” he began, words sounding as harsh as ice. “Explain to me why he is like this.”

The shoemaker balked. 

“I-what on earth do you mean! There’s nothing wrong with him! Other than being cold, of course.”

Luffy looked up at the commotion. His head tilted in confusion but he kept his mouth shut. 

“You’d have to be stupid not to know Straw Hat Luffy. He was all over the paper two years ago. He is a member of the Worst Generation.  And this is not how he acts.”

Law looked over to Luffy who was rocking gently back and forth by the fire. His head had turned away from them, completely uninterested in the quarrel. 

“The poor boy washed up at sea. He was found on the beach by a fisherman, bloody and confused. We—well the mayor noticed that the boy had lost his memories and thus took him in. The mayor had the doctor check over him, but there was nothing that could be done about his memories. Now, he’s confused and has regular headaches, but he is safe in the mayor’s care.” 

Law took a step forward, towering over the quivering man. Law doubted the cold was the only reason for the shivering and smirked. 

“If you don't tell me the real story, I’ll kill you.”

The shoemaker jolted. Worry lines played on his face. 

“Why don’t you ask him?”

Ask Luffy? Law doubted he was well enough to tell the full story. Still, those big brown eyes haunted him. He turned to the boy. Luffy was absently humming by the fire, rocking in place, eyes glued to the flames. He looked smaller now than he did before. Not because he had gotten any thinner—no the other captain seemed to be as healthy as could be, barring the possible hypothermia and mental breakdown. 

“Straw Hat-Ya. Luffy. Can you tell me who you are?”

Luffy tilted his head, looking back at the pair. He stopped rocking but squeezed his legs tighter to his chest. 

“I’m the mayor’s son.”

Law wanted to growl in frustration but he kept it to himself. Getting irritated wouldn’t make this situation any easier. He took a deep calming breath. Then he took another. Finally, he crouched down, looking Luffy directly in the eye. 

“I’ll ask you again. Please. Tell me, who are you. Do you remember anything?”

His voice was quiet, directed only towards Luffy. Law knew the shoemaker must be struggling to listen in, but Law couldn’t care less. 

“I-sort of?” Luffy shook his head as if he were confused, himself. “They told me I washed up on the shore but I don’t remember much. I remember the beach, but I don’t remember anything else before the mayor. He was…”

Luffy looked over to the shoemaker and his lips shut. 

“I worked for a little bit but I was no good, so the mayor adopted me. Now I stay with him in his big house,” he continued. Law frowned. 

The shoemaker looked pleased. 

“See, we don’t hurt him at all. He’s kept by the mayor's side to keep him safe. We’ve had quite a few pirates come through here after all. It would be a shame if they hurt him. He’s famous after all.”

“The mayor advised that not many pirates pass through this island. Are you saying he was incorrect?”

“I-I-no! Of course not. I’m just saying, if there were to be an instance where pirates come to this island, the mayor is there to make sure Luffy is kept safe and sound.” 

“Luffy,” Law looked the other boy  in the eyes, letting the shoemaker's stuttering gibberish hang in the air. 

Luffy’s brows furrowed but he didn’t look away. 

“I know you were going to say something about the mayor before. You can say it. I won’t tell,” Law placated. 

Luffy bit his lip and then nodded.  

“He’s kind of creepy,” Luffy whispered. Law almost snorted, knowing the affronted shoemaker definitely heard the comment based on his indignant noise. 

“I agree,” Law nodded. Luffy looked relieved. 

“Oh good! Everyone seems to love him. They’d get mad when I talked bad about him. But he makes me uncomfortable. I don’t like the way he looks at me.”

Law nodded, unhappy with the response. 

“It’s the mayor isn’t it?”

He should have realized earlier. There was something desperately wrong with this town. The mayor—the creep that he was—Law wouldn’t be surprised if he had a way of manipulating people.

“He can mess with people's memories, can’t he.”

The shoemaker bit his lip but stayed silent. 

Law’s fist burned as it careened into the man’s cheek. He flew off the bed and hit the wooden floor with a bang. One hand reached up to hold his throbbing cheek as he looked up at his assailant fearfully.

“You can’t blame us! Pirates come here all the time as their first stop into the New World! The mayor was gifted with this power! It keeps the citiznes safe!”

A memory of the beggar flooded into Law’s head unbidden.

“The beggar. On the street where you picked me up. He was a pirate. I remember seeing his wanted poster. So you, what? Lure pirates to your island and take their memories away? What is the point of it?”

“We make them work! They are scum, even you should know this. You work for the World Government, don't you? The mayor has a gift. One that he has blessed this town with. He brings in the laborers and that allows us to live easy lives!”

This town really was like Flevance. The white streets and elegant townhouses were nothing compared to the deeper connection the shoemaker just suggested. The mayor was exploiting people—making them work and knowing it would kill them. Sure, it was pirates, but that still gave him no right to take their lives from them. Like this, they were no more than slaves. It put a rancid taste in Law’s mouth. 

“So you take their freedom from them and force them into a life of hard labor, despite the dangers of it? Despite the fact that they’re human too? Is that what you did to Straw Hat?”

“This boy, Luffy, he’s different! At first we tried to make him work, but he was incapable of doing even the most menial tasks!”

“So you left him with that freak instead?”

A swift kick to the man’s side had him crying out. 

Luffy made a sound and Law stopped. Law needed to remember that right now, he was just a lost and confused boy. 

Grabbing the shoemaker by the collar, he dragged him to the door. 

“If you’re so desperate to tell the mayor that Straw Hat is safe, go ahead. When he comes, I'll cut his heart out of his chest.”

And with that, Law threw the man to the snowy ground. The door slammed resolutely behind him. 

“Good riddance.”

Luffy shivered as Law maneuvered his arm out of the tight waistcoat. It was sleek and black, unlike anything Law had ever seen him wear in the past. Luffy disgruntledly looked at it, before tossing it in the corner along with his shoes. Now, in just a white blouse and slacks, he smiled, already feeling more freedom to move. He looked like a prince like this. His elegant sleeves puffed up around his wrists and form-fitting pants accentuating his thighs and thin waist. 

Law had more important things to do than gawk, however. His ankles ached from his crouching position so he settled more comfortably next to the other. The blanket on the ground was ever so slowly warming up in the heat of the flames. 

“Come on,” he urged. “Let’s get you out of these.”

“Do you want to see me naked?” The boy asked, tilting his head. There was no sign of disgust in his tone or expression. He didn’t even crack a smile, simply looking at Law as if he held all the answers. 

Law had forgotten how abrupt he could be. After all, most of the time he had seen the boy, he was unconscious. 

“No,” he sighed. A lie. “Your clothes were frozen and are starting to melt. I’m afraid you’ll be even more cold wearing them.”

Law knew first hand that staying out in the cold for long periods of time was dangerous if not deadly. Straw Hat was lucky that his body was so resilient. Still, Law worried. This boy was undeniably Straw Hat. If his face weren’t enough proof, the scar slowly being revealed little by little would be all the proof he needed. It was a scar made by Law, after all. 

Law’s knuckles brushed the cool skin of Luffy’s chest, unbuttoning the damp shirt one button at a time. The pink of his scar was rough against his fingers. Luffy looked down questioningly. One hand came up to hold onto Law’s fingers. He paused, looking down at the other. 

“What are you going to do once my clothes are off?”

This time Law did gawk. How could such a sweet face say such lewd things?

Yet Luffy didn’t look bashful. He had a shaky yet playful look on his face, eyes closed in silent laughter. 

Law rolled his eyes. 

“We’re going to give you a nice warm sponge bath and then I’m going to wrap you up in one of these wool blankets that’s heating by the fire.”

“Law is so nice to me.”

His name felt wrong on the other boy’s tongue. It was the first time the other had never spoken his real name before. 

He couldn’t explain why he hated it. 

Once the slacks were off, Luffy sat naked and shivering on the blanket. Law scooted him a little bit closer to the fire, grabbing him by bare arms and tugging. The pot of water steamed a bit when he pulled it from the fire.

“You okay?” He asked quietly. He didn’t know why he checked. He had seen Luffy bounce back from so much worse. Yet…the mayor’s face wouldn’t leave his mind.  

“Perhaps…you spend a night with me and I will drive you there myself in the morning?

Shaking his head to clear the thoughts, Law grimaced. The mayor had not been shy in his advances. 

He thought of the boy before him, confused and alone. 

There was no way the mayor would take advantage. He had “adopted” him. There was no way he would trick Luffy into doing…other favors.  

He absently took a sponge. Dipping it into the steaming water, he watched absently as rivulets ran down his arm and soaked into his jacket. His mind was elsewhere. Law continued squeezing out the sponge mechanically. He had done this a thousand times. 

Still, when he turned to the other it felt brand new. Luffy waited patiently for Law to make a move. Goosebumps rose from his flesh but he remained still, watching Law’s every move curiously.

Luffy had a smudge of dirt on his nose. It had been distracting. Carefully, Law used the damp sponge to rub it away. Luffy smiled, eyes half-lidded. He shivered at the warmth. Nestling his chin and cheek into Law’s free palm, Luffy smiled gently. It made Law’s heart freeze in his chest .The sight was something to behold; one of the Worst Generation—one of the most deadly new-age pirates, snuggling up in Law's palm. 

His thumb absently stroked the soft cheek, cool skin warming beneath his touch. He continued sponging down the boy’s neck and chest. The pale skin of his chest blushed red in the warmth. Heat rose to Law’s cheeks. Luffy would be so easy to take advantage of in this state, confused and trusting. His chest tightened at the thought. 

“Have they done anything to you?”

The blissed out expression morphed to confusion when Luffy opened his eyes. 

“What do you mean?” He asked, head tilting in Law’s palm. 

“Tell me what they’ve done to you. Tell me what you remember,” He rephrased. He didn’t think he could ask the question that had been burning in his mind directly. Has the mayor abused you? Touched you or hurt you? 

“I…don’t remember a lot. They told me I washed up on shore, but I don't remember it. They had a little boat and everything to prove it, though. They tried to get me to work at the factory, but I was really bad at it. The mayor told me he'd adopt me after that. I guess I kept getting confused and wandering off. Now he…keeps me safe. That’s what he says, at least. He feeds me really well and lets me stay around him when I’m bored, but he makes me dress up in these fancy uncomfy clothes and shows me off to all his creepy friends and he keeps me locked up most of the time. I really hate it.”

“He’s treating you like a dog.” 

Luffy frowned but shrugged. 

“I guess so.”

“Do you not care?” Law couldn’t believe that. 

Finally, a fierceness tore across Luffy’s features.

“I hate it.”

“Why don't you stop him? You’re…” an infamous pirate. A fierce fighter and the most stubborn man I know. 

Luffy grabbed his hand, squeezing the fingers at his chest. 

“If I ever was someone who could stop him, I don’t remember. I thought…I thought that he was nice. I wanted him to be nice because I don’t have anyone else and…I hate being lonely more than anything in the world.”

Law sighed. He understood. He did. Because he had been lonely once, too. 

“You’re not alone anymore. I’m here. So don’t feel like you have to go back to that man.”

Luffy squeezed his fingers. It said more than a “thank you” ever could. 

Law’s fingers started to lose some of their original stiffness as the cabin finally began to warm up. The crackling fire would have made for a pleasant ambiance if not for the still-shaking pirate sitting on the floor.

Law shook out his hands absently, ignoring the cramping in his knuckles. Luffy looked at him curiously as he pulled a wool blanket down from its place hanging by the hearth. 

“Alright,” he grunted, nudging the other with his foot. Luffy made a noise of confusion. 

“You were out there long enough to kill a polar bear.” An exaggeration sure, but not one that Law would bother correcting himself on. “Let’s get you to bed.”

He pulled the blanket around Luffy’s shivering form. It was soft and against his fingers, but not as soft as the skin of the boy’s chest that Law grazed unintentionally. Luffy’s skin was cool and clammy, but the sponge bath had certainly helped. Law hoped that the warmed blanked would help even more. 

Luffy tucked his face far into the blanket. The warmth consumed him entirely for a moment. 

“You can’t sit there all night,” Law scolded. He crouched down and his knee cracked. Up close he could see the shadow of the boy’s long eyelashes on his cheeks. He certainly didn’t look like an infamous pirate, sitting on the ground naked and shivering and pretty. 

Law shook the thoughts from his mind. This was Straw Hat-ya. He was a member of the Worst Generation, just like him. He had a four-hundred million beri bounty on his had. 

Still, when Law leaned forward and gathered the boy up in his arms, the trepidation left him and all that was left was the cute rambunctious boy that he had met two years ago. 

Luffy hummed at the feeling of Law’s arms encircling his back and gently cupping underneath his knees. His arms reached up, trying to grab for the other’s neck, but the blanket blocked his movements. 

“Just stay where you are, Straw Hat-Ya. I’ll carry you to the bed.”

“Why do you keep calling me that?” 

Then it all came crashing down. This wasn’t his Luffy. He wasn’t the same boy that he had saved. It was a confused kid who lost his memories. An abused kid who knew no one but his abuser. 

He pushed Luffy into the bed, being careful not to drop him. He grabbed an extra blanket and tucked it up to his chin.

The boy laid down without protest for once. He was still colder than Law would like, but hopefully this would help. 

“What am I like?”

Luffy’s question disturbed the quiet of the cabin, though his voice was soft and curious. 

Law finished tucking the boy in, making sure none of the cold air could get to his skin. However, when it came to the question, he hesitated. 

The silence wasn’t enough to deter Luffy from reaching out and tugging Law’s sleeve. 

“We know each other, right? That’s why you were so mad about my memories and the mayor? ”

Law sighed. Denying it would be useless. 

“We do know each other. I gave you this.” He motioned to Luffy’s chest, now regretfully exposed to the cool air. 

“My x?”

Law smiled. 

Huh .

He shouldn’t be surprised that Luffy called it that. He shouldn’t be surprised that he didn’t ask what had happened. From what he knew about the other, Luffy didn’t seem like the type of person who cared about the past. 

Law nodded, mouth twitching. 

“Are we friends?”

Law hesitated again. He wasn’t sure how to explain it in a way the other would understand without bringing up the painful past. 

“We’re…acquaintances. I gave you surgery when you were bleeding out. That was two years ago. We haven’t seen each other since.”

“But you’ve thought about me?”

“I’ve—what?”

Luffy was smiling happily. Softly. His eyes were closed and he looked peaceful. 

How did he know?

“I don’t think a stranger would care as much as you do.”

He was right. Law cared far too much. He absently covered Luffy’s chest back up. 

“I suppose you’re right.”

Luffy’s smile widened. 

How is he this cute?

“I bet I thought about you a lot too.”

Damn this idiot. Now Law was blushing. 

Luffy tugged at the warlord’s sleeve gently, urging him forward. Law was momentarily confused until he realized what the other wanted. 

“You want me to join you in the bed?”

Luffy nodded enthusiastically. 

“I’m cold and Law is warm.”

The name made a jolt run through him. 

“You usually call me Torao.”

“Do you prefer I call you that?”

“I-you can call me whatever you want.”

Law was crawling into the bed with the other, wrapping his arms around thin yet firm shoulders. 

“Then you can call me Luffy,” he whispered, breath now misting across Law’s chilly nose. 

“Ok Luffy-ya.”

Luffy smiled and shuffled closer. 

“Are you a pirate?” He asked, quieter now. Their voices were hardly above a whisper now that they were nose-to-nose. 

“I am.”

“Am I a pirate?”

“You are.” 

“What am I like?” Luffy repeated the question. It hung full and warm in the air. 

“You were—you are…a force to be reckoned with. You’re strong and reckless and, from what I hear, you defend your friends and your crew despite the odds against you. When you were hurt, it seemed like the world was hanging in balance to see if you’d be okay. Pirates and civilians alike were rooting for you. ”

Law tightened his grip on the other. Luffy shuffled closer until his bare chest was brushing the wool of Law’s sweater. Until their noses were just barely brushing each other. 

“Does my crew love me?” Luffy whispered. His voice was barely audible. He looked sad, mourning the loss of people he didn't remember. 

Law balked. How was that even a question? He had rarely if ever seen such devotion from a crew. The Straw Hat Pirates were as loyal as they came. 

“I don’t know your crew well Luffy-ya. But I can tell that they love you to the end of the earth.”

Luffy smiled, wide and happy. 

“Will you help me…”

“I’ll help you find them. Let’s just get through the night first.”

Luffy pushed forward, nose brushing against Law’s own. Law’s body took over, then. He wouldn’t let the opportunity go to waste. He brushed a kiss against the boy’s forehead, basking in the warmth of the feeling.

“We can beat the shitty mayor’s ass too, right?” 

The voice chimed in his head like bells. Law looked into those big brown eyes and snorted out a laugh. His eyes were beautiful. Finally, there was a clarity in them, as if a fog had been lifted. Luffy smiled, eyes closed and teeth on full display, and Law felt the sun at last. 

“Sounds like fun.”