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“I didn’t mean to,” the words came casually, none of the appropriate weight propelling them.
Law and Luffy sat on a roof overlooking the festivities below that seemed to have no intentions of winding down any time soon despite the moon high in the sky. In the distance there were fireworks. That almost made Law breath a laugh, as though he were looking at an externalization of the feeling wracking his chest.
Fireworks.
When was the last time his heart felt heated this way? It had ached plenty, endured the strangle of both grief and Vergo’s calloused hands. But in the last few weeks — months? Time was so hard to track these days — strange things had happened.
Miracles.
Law wasn’t the type of person to be entitled to luck. He was prone to tight strings around his wrists, flames reflected in his eyes, the feeling of precious things slipping through his fingers no matter how tightly he gripped at them. And yet, recently, strings had begun to snap. The fire in his eyes burned, but it was coming from inside with fierce determination. For the first time in his adult life his hands found purchase. And here, in front of him, sat another thing far too good for the likes of him.
Luffy had kissed him.
“You…didn’t mean to?” he whispered it, his mind reeling at the thought that it was this good thing, this time, that was finally a fluke.
“Fall in love with you, I mean,” Luffy stated plainly. “I think it was an accident.”
Law’s eyes grew wide. Though he had heard the sentiment a handful of times over the years from his brothers — Bepo, Penguin, and Shachi knew the way those words made him squirm — he suddenly felt like a child again. Reassured. Blinded by a light much kinder than he deserved. Luffy smiled at him warmly, unexpectant. Another gift given without demand for reciprocity.
Law had made many mistakes in his life. He could only assume he’d continue to do so. But here, in this moment of goodness, of gentleness, of warm sunlight in the dead of night — he refused to let this be one of them.
“I suppose I could say the same,” he managed, a firework punctuating the sentiment.
Luffy let out a loud laugh, the carefree sound ringing like bells in Law’s heart. “Can you stop with all of this now?” Luffy chuckled, gesturing vaguely at the other captain’s face.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Law bit back, embarrassment driving the snip in his response.
Luffy just kept laughing, surging forward. For the second time this evening, his lips found Law’s. The gesture was eccentric and sudden, like everything Law had seen this man do, and despite it happening once already he hadn’t expected it again. He fell back, gripping the collar of Luffy’s yukata for stability as they tumbled.
In the distance, another firework sparked. And as Law felt his body relax, another one crackled between them.
Luffy was a man of action. That suited Law just fine — Shachi had once huffed that he was emotionally stunted. It didn’t feel true then, and the waves of emotion that crashed around Law now certainly made it feel even less true. But it had always made sense that the ones he cared about would think that about him. When he ached it ripped through his body, when he cared it willed him to move, when he loved he clawed desperately to keep it. Articulating the way those feelings motivated him was not something he particularly cared to learn. He had tried, once or twice squeaking out to his brothers that he did, indeed, love them. But it was an unnatural expression. One he felt in his bones Luffy would never expect of him. Instead, he threw himself into the kiss. The laugh that bubbled in the chest above him reassured Law that it was enough. That he was enough.
As another bang rang out Law supposed, in this moment that he could only describe as peace, that this was why fireworks were lit in celebration.