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Luffy manifested his soulmate attribute at six years old. It was a cold day in Foosha, unusual because of the temperate climate the island maintains. Luffy was shivering by the fireside, listening to Shanks tell another story. The man was talking about the first time he ever saw a sea king, how it reared up on the ship and flooded his bones with terror and delight. Luffy was entranced.
“I wanna see a sea king!” he whined, pouting on the log.
Shanks chuckled, ruffling his hair with warm hands. “I’m sure you’ll see one someday, anchor.”
A big monster fish sounded so cool! A question popped into his mind, and it was suddenly the only thing he could think about. “Have you ever eaten a sea king?”
“No, I haven’t. They’re not easy to kill, and I don’t think they’d taste very good,” Shanks said, frowning at the boy. Luffy stared back at him, a feeling of determination rushing through his veins.
“When I’m captain, I’m gonna have my chef cook me up a sea king! It will be delicious!” Luffy exclaims, pounding his fist on his thigh for emphasis. He stretched his arms wide, the blanket falling from his shoulders. “It’ll be a huge dish that fills up the whole room!”
At the world “room”, a pulse of blue light emanated from the boy, surrounding the party in a hemisphere. Luffy felt a thrumming of energy in his palms, the world “shambles” echoing through his head like a song.
“Shambles?” He said inquisitively, scratching his head. He blinked and he was across the firepit, where Yassop had been sitting. Yassop was next to Shanks, eyes bugging out in confusion. The blue light faded, revealing shocked looks on the partygoers faces. Shanks rushed up to him and knelt down, checking his body for injuries.
“That… that was so cool!” Luffy yelled, eyes sparkling.
“Luffy, you didn’t eat anything you shouldn’t have, did you? Like a fruit?” Shanks asked, turning his small hands over and over.
“No, I’ve been on my bestest behavior! Makino said she’d make me cookies if I was good,” Luffy said, pursing his lips.
“Then I think something very special has happened to you, anchor. Do you remember me showing you my soulmate attribute?”
Luffy frowned, thinking hard. Shanks showed him a lot of things. Shanks sighed, detaching his right hand from his wrist and wiggling it above Luffy’s head. Luffy gasped, clapping his hands together. He had forgotten that Shanks could do that! He reached up trying to grab the hand, but Shanks floated higher, out of his reach. Pouting, he stood up from the log and tried to jump. Losing his footing on the way down, Shanks caught him readily, shaking his head fondly.
“I didn’t eat a Devil Fruit, but I have part of my soulmate’s power. I can separate this arm into pieces and control them. My soulmate can do that to his whole body, isn’t that cool?” Shanks said, smiling at him.
“Can he do that to his weiner?”
“Luffy,” Shanks reprimanded darkly, the threat clear in his eyes. The surrounding crew burst into joyous laughter, but Luffy wanted an answer. It was a serious question. “Anyway, he has some of my sword skills in return.”
That reminded Luffy of something Makino told him. She said that some people who are destined to be together have their fates intertwined so deeply that they share powers. “So that means I have a soulmate? Because I did the blue thing?”
“I think so, anchor.”
“When will I meet them? What will they get from me? Do they have their ability now? I’m only six! Do we have to kiss and stuff? That’s gross! Wait, what if they don’t like pirates!?” Luffy listed off rapid-fire, more and more questions rolling through his brain. He needed to know more! Why him? Why now? A gust of wind blew through the clearing, making Luffy shiver. Why was it so cold?
Shanks grabbed Luffy by the shoulders, squeezing lightly. Luffy looked into his eyes, feeling alarmed and confused.
“Most of these questions will be answered when you meet them. Soulmates are destined to meet at least once. Sometimes you meet your soulmate before knowing they’re even yours. My bond didn’t manifest until we were teenagers, despite growing up together. But when it manifested, we knew immediately.”
Luffy calmed down. Trust Shanks to know exactly what to say. “So I’ll know when I meet them?”
“As long as one of you has manifested. But you’ll both hear it. It’s like a deep ringing in your gut. Bells sound in your head, whispering “it’s you”. You’ll know.”
Satisfied, Luffy nodded, wrapping his arms around his knees. He hoped he would meet his person sooner rather than later. A person destined to be a part of his life sounded pretty cool. Like a built-in friend. Luffy could use one of those.
Eleven Years Later
Law’s sitting in the back of the Sabaody auction house when something unthinkable happens. This boy wearing a blue vest and a straw hat marches down the steps and punches a Celestial Dragon in the face–or helmet, rather. Based on the pure power emanating from the boy, he imagines that he’s not a regular patron. A straw hat, huh? Isn’t there a rookie with a straw hat?
Bepo leans over to whisper in his ear, hot breath tickling him. “That guy’s crazy, captain! Isn’t that a huge crime?”
Law just nods in response, watching as the rest of the events unfold. He knows there are marines outside, but he can make quick work of them with his powers. He’s not worried. So, Law watches as the straw hat rookie and his crew make quick work of the auctioneers, freeing the mermaid and attending to the bleeding fish-man.
He can’t help but feel irritated by the yapping redhead nearby. Eustass Kidd, he remembers from the wanted posters. He’s got the highest bounty of the rookies and the worst attitude. Crossing his legs, he tunes the man out, pulling his hat lower over his eyes. Maybe he can get some sleep.
As the straw hat boy approaches the back of the auditorium, Law is woken up by a loud ringing sound. He glances around rapidly, trying to find the source. A paw taps him on the shoulder.
“You okay, captain?” Bepo asks, concern written across his face.
“Don’t you hear that?” Law responds loudly, the ringing growing noisier. He feels a pull in his gut and a whispered chorus in his ears: “It’s you, it’s you, it’s you.” Law smacks his head, trying to get rid of the sound. Is he losing it? Has the White Lead disease finally caught up to him?
“Hear what?” Bepo’s ears swivel around, searching for the sound. “The marines outside? I guess they’re pretty loud.”
“No, I–”
“It’s you,” a young boyish voice says. Law whips around with widened eyes. He heard it too? The speaker is the straw hat boy, standing there with sparkling eyes and a growing smile.
Law’s heart thumps in his chest as the ringing quiets down. He sighs, relieved, placing his hand on his chest. His heart won’t stop pounding.
“You’re Torao Law, right?” the boy asks. Putting aside the absolute butchering of his name, Law wonders why he feels so calm hearing this boy speak. His sadness has melted away for the first time since Cora, leaving a warm ray of light on a summer day. Confusion mixes in his bones. He should speak.
“That’s me,” Law says, feeling unsettled by the relaxed look that crosses the boy’s face. “And you’re…?
“Monkey D. Luffy. I’m gonna be King of the Pirates!” he says with a cheeky grin, hands clasped behind his back. Law simply nods. He doesn’t know quite why, but he believes him. It’s not like that’s Law’s goal, anyway. Pink feathers float through his mind, distracting him from the conversation. He shakes his head, moving to turn away.
“Nice to meet you, Luffy-ya,” he says. He catches Bepo’s eye, who’s looking at him curiously. He shrugs. He has no idea what that situation was about. He’s just glad the ringing has stopped. What on earth was that?
The marines outside call for Luffy’s surrender. Figuring now is as good a time as any, Law stands up, shouldering his nodachi and walking towards the entrance. Time to stretch his limbs a bit. Kidd, the annoying bastard, follows suit, yammering something about letting him handle it. Luffy bounds up behind them with a frown.
“It’s me they’re calling for! I’ve got this Torao, Red Guy!” Law feels a warm hand wrap around his own. Looking down, he sees that Luffy is holding his free hand, squeezing lightly. Law yanks his hand away, ignoring the butterflies in his stomach.
“That’s not my name!” he shouts, feeling a blush creep up on his cheeks. He pushes away from the two men, placing a hand on the door. Kidd shoves him out of the way, shouldering the heavy door with his body. Law pushes him, hard, and receives a long-nailed scratch in return. This fucking guy. Luffy squeezes between and underneath their fighting forms, bursting through the door and tumbling outside.
A line of marines stand armed at the entrance, begging for their asses to be kicked.
“Room,” Law says, conjuring a light blue hemisphere over the approaching marines. He flips his wrist, willing the bodies to slice apart. “Shambles.”
“SO COOL!” Luffy shouts from the ground, twisting his neck 180 degrees to look at Law. He balks at the action. Is this kid made of rubber or something?
As if on cue, Luffy sends a fist flying at the marines, knocking them to the ground, while Kidd gathers their guns and swords to bury their bodies. Consider Law impressed.
He looks at Luffy, who’s staring back at him with flushed cheeks and glistening eyes. Law breaks eye contact, feeling his face heat up again. What the hell? What’s happening?
“You’re super cool, Torao,” Luffy says before inflating his arm and sending the thing crashing towards another wave of marines. How does that even work, he wonders, blocking an attack with Kikoku. He can’t take his eyes off Luffy for some reason. Something otherworldly has him glued to the spot, defending against attacks instead of striking first. It’s like if he takes his eyes off the boy, he’ll disappear. And Law can’t handle that thought.
He’s so distracted that he doesn’t notice a marine creeping up behind him with a sword. Before he’s struck down, Bepo intervenes, knocking the soldier out. Law sends a quick thanks over his shoulder at the bear, embarrassment taking hold.
He turns around to look at Luffy again, but the boy is gone with the wind, his crew hot on his heels. He blocks another strike with Kikoku, eyes not leaving the retreating form. The sadness he’s accustomed to floods him like a wave, crashing over his body as Luffy leaves. The feeling settles into a deep ache that distracts him during the rest of the fight. Why did Luffy have to go?
Two Weeks Later
Operating on Luffy’s gaping chest wound was not in the cards for Law today. He thought he’d pop in on the war, maybe have some fun messing with marines, and leave before any trouble could be had. But as he snips and stitches and cuts around the boy’s chest, he finds there’s no place he’d rather be.
Inserting a seastone needle into Luffy’s arm, he can feel Bepo’s eyes on him. He’s assisting in the surgery, along with Shachi and Penguin, to make sure Luffy doesn’t die. Law has a plan for this boy, after all. Finally, he’s found a surefire way to achieve his goal and maybe die in the process. Wouldn’t that be nice?
He smiles unbidden, cutting the poison out of the boy’s veins. He has no idea how Luffy managed to survive, but something tells him he doesn’t want to know the answer. Or if he knew the answer, everything would change. Not quite knowing where that train of thought is coming from, he silences it, focusing instead on the patient on the table.
Luffy would not die today. Not under his hands.
One Day Later
Luffy’s first thought upon waking up is of Ace. Magma burning a hole through the man’s chest, tears running down freckled cheeks, the light leaving his dark eyes. He wanted to switch places with him, to “shambles” their places and take the hit for him. But he froze, like a coward. And he watched as his brother died in his arms. It doesn’t feel real. His chest aches, and he wails, writhing on the hard bed, reaching for something. Torao, he thinks. His Torao saved him.
Opening his eyes, he searches the room, seeing Jinbe laying on the next bed over. The fish-man is breathing deeply, in the clutches of sleep. Luffy sighs, relieved. Thank god he didn’t lose him too. The door creaks open, and Torao peeks his head in, his golden eyes widening at the sight of Luffy sitting up.
Tears spring to Luffy’s eyes without warning. He wants to sob and whine and wail, to grieve , but the feeling of utter calm that fills his body upon the sight of Torao’s face has him stuck in limbo. He reaches out a weak hand, trying to communicate with his body. Come closer, he wants to say. All that comes out is a croak.
Torao enters the room, dressed in his spotty outfit that Luffy adores. His hat looks so soft. He wonders if it’s fake or real fur. Stopping in front of the bed, Torao grasps his hand, sending pangs through Luffy’s heart. His body feels heavy, and not because of the thousands of bandages wrapped around his body. His chest on the other hand feels light, like a glimmer of moonlight has shone upon him.
“T–rao,” he makes out, tears spilling down his cheeks. Torao shushes him and squeezes his hand, reaching up with his other to brush hair out of Luffy’s face. Luffy shivers at the cold touch, nerves ablaze. He still doesn’t know if Torao knows the way he does. Has he even manifested yet?
Luffy maintains eye contact with Torao, watching as his gold eyes flicker back and forth across his face, searching for something. Luffy wonders what he‘s looking for.
Luffy’s stomach growls, but he ignores it for the first time in his life. He doesn’t deserve food. He failed Ace, and not even being in Torao’s presence can make that go away.
The door opens again, and a polar bear peeks his head in. Torao has a bear on his crew? He really is his soulmate. He tries and fails to form a smile, ending up in more of a grimace.
Torao turns around with a gasp, dropping Luffy’s hand. Why’d he do that?
Luffy frowns, reaching out to grab his hand again, delighting in the cool sensation spreading through his palm. Law glances back at him, and his panicked eyes soften. Silly Torao. What’s there to be afraid of? He wishes he could say that to the man, but his voice fails him, coming out in a series of creaky noises.
The bear in an orange jumpsuit comes into the room, walking towards the bed. “How do you feel, Luffy?”
“You can TALK?” Luffy shouts, cringing at the strain it puts on his throat. Oops. Better off quiet, then. He gives the talking bear a thumbs up, still amazed at his revelation. A talking bear! Is he like Chopper? Luffy has so many questions!
“My name’s Bepo. I’m glad you’re awake. You had Law really worried,” Bepo says, smiling lightly. At the mention of Torao, he turns to the man, who has a deep red flush across his cheeks. He’s embarrassed? Why? Being worried is normal. Really nice, actually.
“Shut up, Bepo. I was a normal amount of worried considering the situation,” Torao mumbles. His hand is starting to sweat. Luffy looks at their joined palms, marveling at the tattoos on the man’s fingers. He traces the outline with his finger, snickering at the way the man’s breath hitches.
“You w–re wor–ied for me–e?” Luffy says, peeking up at the man. He blushes deeper, pulling the rim of his fluffy hat over his eyes.
“Maybe,” Torao admits.
“Cu–ute,” Luffy says, trying and failing to smile again.
“Ooooookay, I know when I’m not needed. Bye, Luffy! Feel better!” Bepo calls, waving over his shoulder as he exits the room. Luffy waves back enthusiastically, grimacing for real when he feels a sharp tug on his chest.
Law’s hands fly up, steadying his shoulders and guiding him back down to the bed. He looks so handsome when he’s in caretaker mode, Luffy thinks. His gentle Torao. Smiling internally at the feeling of Torao’s hands on him, he reaches up to meet them, wrapping his fingers around the man’s wrists and looking into his eyes. He can see a flicker of emotion in those golden orbs, but he doesn’t know what it is. How frustrating.
Now that his head is back on the pillow, he can feel tiredness taking hold of him. It’s probably the combination of the drugs in his system and Torao’s presence, but he knows it’s a matter of seconds before he falls asleep.
Reaching up with a lead-heavy hand, he caresses the side of Torao’s face, eyes crinkling as the man relaxes into the touch. His eyelids begin to droop. The last thing he sees and feels before sleep takes him is Torao placing a kiss on the palm of his heavy hand.
Two Days Later
Law doesn’t know what’s overtaken him. He can hear the heartbroken sobs echoing through the clearing as Luffy grieves the loss of his brother, and Law finds his soul aching in response. He doesn’t get attached to his patients. Hell, he doesn’t get attached to anyone. He only keeps his crew around because they won’t leave him alone, not the other way around.
Why does he feel like his body yearns for Luffy’s touch? And vice versa, he wants Luffy to crave his touch. He wants to run up to the boy and wrap him in his arms and tell him that everything’s going to be okay. He wants to hold and kiss his hands so tenderly, to whisper words of encouragement and love in his ear.
That’s so not Law. He doesn’t do emotions. Not since he was thirteen in the snow, begging for a miracle. He keeps his distance. So why? What is it about Luffy that drives Law so crazy?
His crew have taken notice of his dilemma, steering clear when they see him pacing back and forth or wringing his hands. Every second that he’s not with Luffy feels like agony. It’s stupid. He wants it to stop. Luffy is a tool that he can use to advance his plan in the future. They’re not strong enough now, but maybe after a few years of training and real world experience. He’ll ask Luffy for an alliance, and they’ll take down Doflamingo, and Law can finally be free.
It’s a good plan. A solid plan, based on careful thinking and requiring meticulous planning. He’s already laying the groundwork to boost himself up to Warlord status. Things are in motion. Why does he want it all to stop?
He hits his head in frustration. His mind has turned to utter goo, and it’s all that rubber boy’s fault. He doesn’t know what magic spell was cast upon him but he knows that it’s a sinister one.
His feet lead him to the clearing without his permission. Eyes catching on Luffy’s broken form, his heart quakes, his breath catching in his throat. Before he can even process what he’s doing, he’s running, wrapping Luffy up in his arms. The boy struggles for a few seconds, pushing and scratching against Law’s chest, but he just holds tighter, willing him to calm down. Luffy stops moving after a bit and slumps heavily against Law. The boy cries into Law’s shoulder. Law’s hands tangle in his hair, stroking gently.
“I’m here. You’re okay,” Law finds himself whispering.
“Torao, it hurts,” Luffy sobs, wrapping his limp arms around Law’s waist.
“What hurts?” The doctor in Law asks, gripping on tightly.
“Everything,” he says, hiccupping forcefully.
“I know,” Law murmurs quietly. “I know, Luffy-ya.”
The two sit on the grass in each other’s arms for a while. Jinbe comes up eventually and asks to speak to Luffy. Law nods, releasing the boy and moving away, letting the two of them have a heart-to-heart. He can hear raised voices and more sobbing from Luffy, but after a while it turns quieter. Jinbe returns with Luffy in his arms, unconscious.
Panic floods Law’s veins. “What did you do!?”
“Easy there, Trafalgar. He collapsed from exhaustion. I’ll take care of him from here. Thanks for all you’ve done.”
Law opens his mouth to protest but a hand claps him on his shoulder, stealing the words from his lips.
“He’s in good hands now, captain,” Penguin says, adjusting his hat. “We’ve got a journey to make, don’t we?”
Law closes his mouth and nods after a moment’s hesitation. He looks back at Luffy, cradled in the fish-man’s arms.
“Right,” he says, turning around before he can change his mind. His stomach lurches as he leaves, screaming in protest. He’ll see him again, he thinks, whispering down to his stomach. He’s sure of it.
Two Years (and some change) Later
Having successfully liberated Fish-man Island, the Straw Hats sail off to their next destination, the feeling of adventure seeping into their bones. As they approach the new island, Luffy feels a pull in his gut that floods him with joy.
“Torao’s here,” he says breathlessly, leaning forward on the Sunny’s bright figurehead. He leaps onto the deck, dancing with a sense of lightness he thought he lost years ago. His limbs are thrumming with excitement, and he wants to scream. So he does, alerting the rest of his crew.
“What’s wrong, Luffy?” Nami asks, holding a weather chart in one hand and a drink from Sanji in the other.
Luffy bends his knees and soars into the air, stretching his legs into a split. “Torao’s here!” he shouts at the top, giggling as gravity forces him back down to the deck.
“Oh thank god. If I had to listen to you whining about missing him for one more day, I was gonna kill you and dump your body into the sea,” Nami says, taking a sip of her fruity drink.
“But Nami, don’t you miss Vivi? Doesn’t it hurt?” Luffy asks, watching as her face softens at the mention of her soulmate’s name.
“Of course I do,” Nami says, smiling wistfully. “But I think it’s different when you’ve actually connected. I wouldn’t know, because Vivi and I got together immediately, but I’ve heard stories.”
“Oh yes,” Robin chimes in, appearing out of thin air. Luffy laughs in delight. He loves when Robin does that! “Simply meeting your soulmate does not satisfy the soul. You must enter some form of formal bond for the pain and sorrow to lessen. There are sometimes platonic soulmates after all, that feel complete after having entered a friendship with their mate. They’re rarer than romantic ones, but a truth nonetheless.”
Luffy blinks at the fancy words. “So I’ve been hurting because Torao and I haven’t kissed or become friends?”
Robin chuckles, placing her cool hands on Luffy’s shoulders. “In a sense, yes. You and your Torao need to define your relationship.”
Understanding settles in Luffy’s brain. Knowing what he has to do, he smiles his thanks at the women, heading deeper into the ship. The thought of seeing Torao again has his body rumbling like a motor. This time, he’s not letting him go.
One Day Later
“I want to form an alliance,” Torao says, snow drifting around his face. His cheeks are flushed from the cold and Luffy is consumed with the urge to kiss them.
“You and me?” Luffy asks, tilting his head to the side.
Torao flushes deeper, tugging his hat down like he does when he’s nervous or embarrassed. Luffy notices these things. “Yes. I want to take down one of the four Emperors, and to do that I need your help.”
“Okay!” Luffy exclaims, a smile breaking across his face. This counts as defining their relationship, right? And an alliance means they can continue to see each other!
“Okay? You don’t want to hear any details?” Torao asks, eyebrows raised. His gold eyes are shining, and Luffy feels warmth in his chest despite the blustery snow.
“I trust you, Torao,” he responds, rolling his eyes. “Of course I want to be in an alliance with you.”
Torao clears his throat and adjusts his fluffy hat. “It’s settled then, Luffy-ya. I do have one request though,” the man starts, catching Luffy’s eye.
Luffy tilts his head in waiting.
“Please stop calling me Torao. That’s not my name–”
“Yes it is! I asked you when we met if your name was Torao Law and you said yes!” Luffy interrupts. Why would he say yes if Luffy was wrong? That’s just silly.
“Call me Law, please,” the man says, desperation clear on his face.
“Whatever you say Torao. How about I call you Lao? It sounds much better, I think,” Luffy says sincerely. Law is such a weird name. It feels too rigid for the soft man. And he is soft, Luffy has seen it. He’s got a big heart. Luffy’s face warms as he thinks about the man. He wrings his fingers together, to try and distract his mind from the thoughts.
A long-suffering sigh breaks him out of his thought prison. “Torao it is, then,” Torao says, much to Luffy’s delight.
“Yay, Torao!” Luffy exclaims, which is all the warning the man gets before Luffy wraps around him like a boa constrictor. The force knocks Torao off balance, sending him tumbling backward into the snow.
Spitting out a mouthful of powdery snow, Luffy laughs, overjoyed at the turn of events. He was ready to ask Torao to be his boyfriend, but an alliance is so much better! They get to fight side-by-side and take on the world together! Arms wrap around his middle, and Luffy sighs in contentment. Being on top of his person is so nice. He looks down at Torao, who has a constipated look on his face.
“Do you need to poop?” Luffy asks with genuine curiosity.
Torao sputters, hands leaving Luffy’s waist. Luffy whines, missing the man’s touch. Law starts working hard to disentangle their bodies, but Luffy holds on tighter, not wanting the moment to end. After a while, Torao sighs, slumping back into the snow, his hat falling off his head.
Still holding on tight with one arm, Luffy grabs the spotted hat, removing his own and plopping it down on his head. He schools his face into a stern expression, mocking the man.
“I’m a big serious man, Luffy-ya,” he says in a low voice, punctuating it with a barking laugh. Torao pouts adorably, and Luffy’s gut twists.
Luffy always follows his gut. His gut tells him when to eat, when to poop, when to fight, when to joke. He’s still alive, so his gut hasn’t steered him wrong yet. Right now, his gut is telling him something strange. It says to let go.
So he does, climbing off of Torao and offering the man a helping hand. Torao takes it, rising to his feet and brushing off the snow.
“Let’s go tell the crew,” Luffy says, gesturing for the man to follow. Torao smiles softly, catching up to walk side-by-side with Luffy.
Luffy doesn’t reach out to hold his hand, but he really really wants to. Which is why he’s so surprised when a tentative pinky reaches out to link with his own. He squeezes tight and smiles, listening to the howling of the wind and their boots crunching in the snow. Torao feels it too.
A Few Weeks Later
Law is relaxing on the deck of the Thousand Sunny when something bizarre happens. Chopper and Luffy are chasing a tiny robot around the deck, playing a game of keep away/tag with the robot and each other. Law doesn’t really understand the rules of the game, only that Usopp is controlling the robot with a remote, and the two boys are both winning and losing simultaneously.
Zoro is fast asleep next to him, snoring away. He envies the man’s ability to fall asleep anywhere. Versus Law’s own insomnia, it feels almost rude. Sanji emerges from the kitchen and places a plate of onigiri on the swordsman’s lap with a fond smile on his face. A bubble pops from Zoro’s nose as he jolts awake, the smell of the rice balls working like an alarm clock.
Sanji is already walking away, but Zoro reaches out to grab one of his thin ankles, stopping the cook in his tracks. The blond turns around with a smirk. Law can’t quite see Zoro’s face, but whatever he does causes Sanji to flush, yanking his foot back and stalking away. Law raises an eyebrow at the interaction. The swordsman and the cook, huh? They do a pretty good job of hiding it.
Law turns back to the activities on deck. A flash of familiar blue light surrounds the playground, and Law’s eyes widen. He looks down at his hands. Did he just–? What the fuck? The blue light disappears and he turns his hands over and over.
Law springs to his feet, stomping over to the playing pair. “Sorry, I think my Devil Fruit activated without warning. That’s never happened befo–”
He’s cut off by the sight of Luffy holding out a hand and calling “Room!”, a blue hemisphere emitting from his fingers and dropping over the grass.
“What the fuck?” Law asks, dropping Kikoku unceremoniously to the ground.
Luffy turns his head to face him, a cheeky smile crossing his face. “Oops?”
A storm of emotions floods through Law at that very moment: fear, confusion, anger, and the barest hint of delight. “Oops?” he echoes, placing his hands on his hips. “I thought your power was rubber! Now you’re telling me that you have the ability to copy other peoples’ powers? That’s a big thing to hide, Luffy-ya! If this alliance is going to work, I need to know wh–”
“I can’t. Copy other peoples’ powers, that is. This is my own ability,” Luffy says, turning his body to face him fully.
That doesn’t make any sense! Each Devil Fruit is unique, so how? “How long have you been able to do that?”
“Since I was six. I can swap places with anyone or anything within the circle. I don’t use it much because I forget that I have it. Punching things is much more fun!”
“Since you were…” Law trails off, looking over his shoulder. The crew has assembled around the commotion, muttering things to each other lightly. Nami seems to be collecting money for some reason, though that’s not unusual. He frowns. If Luffy’s nineteen, then he was six 13 years ago. Which is the age Law was when he…
“Have you heard of soulmate attributes?” Luffy asks, tilting his head. Of course Law has. His parents were soulmates. Their attributes were hilariously similar; his mom was a genius in chemistry and his dad in biology, so they gained lower levels of proficiency in the subjects. Wait, if Luffy’s bringing that up, then…
“Are you saying that you’re my soulmate? But that’s impossible! I don’t have a soulmate attribute!” Law shouts, hands flying up to tangle in his hair. He knows he doesn’t have one. From what his parents told him, there’s a little voice that whispers in your mind when you activate it, as though sending a message from your other half. But Law’s never experienced that.
“Did you not feel it when we met? The bells were pretty loud,” Luffy says, stepping closer to him. Law backs away, his heart thumping in his chest. Bells?
Loud ringing and whispers of “It’s you” enter his mind. That was at the auction house, years ago. When he and Luffy… first met…
“I need some air,” Law says, backing away from the crew. He turns and sprints towards the boy’s dorm, praying that no one follows him. No one does.
A Few Weeks Later
Law should be dead. He’s a doctor, he would know. The damage he took from Doflamingo was assuredly fatal. He coughs, a wet bloody thing that rattles in his chest. He can hear the sounds of fighting from above him. Luffy, his apparent soulmate, giving his all against the man who has made Law’s life a living hell. Against the man who killed his father figure, who planted the seed of vengeance in Law’s chest all those years ago. Against the man by whose hands Law was willing to die, before.
Before Luffy, his life was different. He spent his days on the cusp of annoyance, hatred and revenge seeping into his bones and swirling in with his blood. His chest was hollow, a whisper of a heart left in his chest. He felt the hollowness and how it reverberated through his ribs. He was lonely, shrouded in darkness, despite being surrounded by a loyal and doting crew. He couldn’t swim through the thick clouds of despair.
Luffy appeared like a beacon, showing him what life and light could be like. He appeared like a breath of fresh air, like the first snow in winter, like the first bloom of spring. He was fresh and exciting, and Law’s hollow chest sang for him. The two years he spent without the man were desolate and dark. Law felt physical pain at his absence, feeling his body crumble under the pressure of the path he had chosen.
These past few weeks have been utterly confusing for him. Knowing that Luffy’s his soulmate is one thing, but understanding what that means is another. Logically, he knows that Luffy is destined to be in his life. But Law doesn’t feel like he deserves that happiness. How could someone like Luffy, sunshine incarnate, be meant to be with Law, the man with “death” tattooed on his fingers? How does that make sense?
Luffy has kept his distance from Law since the reveal, only talking to him when details of the plan needed to be hashed out. Law knows that it’s because he’s trying to respect his boundaries, but Law can’t help but notice the sad look on Luffy’s face every time they interact. Law’s rejection, temporary or not, is breaking Luffy apart. And Law can’t stand that.
He takes another ragged breath, stamina depleted and bones shattered. His eyelids feel heavy. Knowing he should stay awake, he forces his eyes open, straining at the effort. It’s no use. Thoughts of Corazon spring to his mind. That smile that said everything was going to be alright. It turns into Luffy’s smile, beaming like the sun. He only wishes that he could’ve lived a happy life with him. His eyelids fall closed, and everything goes black.
Doom-dut-da-da, doom-dut-da-da
Law sits up with a laugh, joy pulsing through his veins with the strange beating of his heart. He knows if he were more cognizant that he’d be concerned about an arrhythmia, but suddenly he feels like that doesn’t even matter. He laughs again, feeling his lungs contract with the force of it. He doesn’t feel any pain. Touching his blood-covered arm, he notes that the limb has reattached itself, and feels remarkably soft. Almost like rubber, he thinks. The other arm feels normal. Interesting.
“You must live,” a soft voice whispers in his ear. Law grins, realizing what has happened.
He stands with a chuckle, bouncing on his toes. He feels so light . Tapping into his Haki, he sees the danger heading straight for Rebecca. “Room, Shambles,” he says, giggling at the sound of his voice as he switches the girl with a rock.
“Stretch,” the voice commands, and Law obliges, stretching his right arm to the top of the hole he’s found himself in and pulling himself up and over the edge.
Doflamingo has Luffy in a chokehold, strings glimmering menacingly in the light. Luffy is expanded into a monstrous form, big and muscular compared to Doflamingo’s more slender frame. The sight is kinda funny. Law bends over laughing, readying Kikoku. “Room,” he makes out, lighting up the space around the fighting men.
He feels his eyes shine with something otherworldly as he turns a sinister grin upon Doflamingo’s shocked face.
“Gamma knife,” he says, rushing towards Doflamingo with Kikoku outstretched, coated in a smaller room. The nodachi misses, cleaving the air. He succeeds, however, in getting the man to release his hold on Luffy. The rubber man grins at him, and Law smiles back, still tickled by Luffy’s ridiculous appearance. Laughter bubbles up from his chest, ringing out through the clearing. Luffy joins in, their voices mixed together in a sweet harmony.
They both turn towards Doflamingo, prepared to fight. Kikoku sings for blood at his side. Who is he to refuse?
Three Days Later
Once the dust settles, and Dressrosa fades away in the distance, Torao approaches Luffy on the deck of the ship. Luffy smiles at the man, whose coloring has returned to normal. Even Luffy can tell this will be an important conversation, so he grabs Torao’s wrist, leading him further into the ship. They end up in a storage closet, surrounded by brooms and mops and towels. Luffy snickers, unable to help himself.
“What’s so funny?” Torao asks.
Luffy smiles, bringing his hand up to cover his mouth. “It seems so funny to be stuck in a closet together.”
“You led us here!” Torao says, his ears turning pink.
“I know,” Luffy says, still snickering. He calms down after a second, reaching out to twine their fingers together. Torao’s breath hitches, much to Luffy’s delight. He loves that sound.
“So, my power manifested,” Torao says after a beat.
Luffy nods. “I can’t even use whatever that power is yet! You looked really cool.”
“Did I? All I remember is a weird heartbeat in my chest,” Torao says, furrowing his brow. Luffy wants to poke the crease, so he does, eliciting a pout from Torao. Success.
“Your hair turned all white and goopy and your eyes turned blue! I wonder when I’ll be able to do that. Oh, and you couldn’t stop laughing. It was really cute,” Luffy says, smiling again.
Torao flushes a deep red, adjusting his hat again. Luffy’s heart twinges with affection.
“I’m a grown man, I shouldn’t be cute,” he mutters, licking his teeth.
“Men can be cute!” Luffy retorts, frowning. Torao is being ridiculous. And cute.
“ Anyway, ”: Torao stresses, squeezing Luffy’s hand. “I learned something. When I almost died.”
Luffy tilts his head, waiting patiently. Torao looks so serious right now.
“I learned that I don’t want to live without you in my life,” he says, looking Luffy deep in the eyes. Luffy’s own breath hitches at the implication.
“I will never leave you, Torao,” Luffy says, serious as he’s ever been.
“I know. But what I’m saying is that I don’t want to leave you, ” he says, emphasizing the last word. Luffy’s eyes widen.
“You mean…?” Luffy asks, heart hammering in his chest. His body feels tingly and warm. He’s never felt this way before. It feels intoxicating. Luffy wants to live in this feeling forever. It’s almost better than eating one of Sanji’s meals.
Torao takes a deep breath, then nods. He brings their joined hands up to his chest, placing Luffy’s flat on his pecs. Luffy can feel his racing heart. It matches his own, he thinks, smiling.
Luffy looks up at Torao’s eyes, and down at his parted lips. The man’s heartbeat picks up at the glance. Luffy’s gut is telling him to go for it. So he does, standing on his tiptoes to meet Torao’s plush lips in a gentle kiss.
He can hear bells ringing. “It’s you,” the voice in his head says, and his soul alights. He kisses Torao deeper, sliding their lips against each other with firm pressure. Wrapping his arms around Torao’s neck, he jumps up, locking his ankles behind the man’s back. Torao’s strong hands grip his thighs as he sighs into the kiss.
He licks against the man’s mouth, grinning at the surprised noise he makes. Their lips part, and suddenly their tongues are sliding against each other, exploring each other’s mouths.
With every deepening touch and lick, Luffy’s mind grows clearer. It’s Torao. It’s always been Torao. He’s meant to keep doing this for eternity.
“I never want to stop kissing you,” Luffy whispers against his lips, diving back in to suck on the man’s bottom lip. Torao groans, hands slipping back to grab Luffy’s ass.
“Never?” Torao asks, bending his head down to kiss at the spot underneath Luffy’s ear. Luffy gasps, tangling his hands in Torao’s hair, knocking his hat to the floor.
“Never ever,” Luffy clarifies, slotting their lips together fiercely. He feels a pull in his gut to keep going, to take more. He sucks on Torao’s tongue, delighting in the way it makes the man squeeze his ass, rolling their hips together.
“Even if you get hungry?” Torao asks, pulling back and looking at him with dark, hooded eyes. Luffy feels hungry for him. He opens his mouth to say this and is rudely interrupted by the sound of his stomach growling loudly.
Luffy blushes, his turn to feel embarrassed. “We can keep going,” he suggests, carding his fingers through Torao’s thick hair.
“Dinner first, kissing later,” Torao says, releasing his hold on Luffy. Luffy lets himself drop to the floor, pouting. He really wants to keep kissing. Torao reaches down and picks his hat off the floor, placing it on his head. Luffy’s stomach growls again, much louder this time.
Torao chuckles lightly reaching up a hand to caress Luffy’s cheek. Luffy shivers at the touch, feeling very over-stimulated from their makeout. Soft lips touch his own, the smell of Torao flooding his nose. He inhales deeply, breathing in the scent. Torao smiles against his lips, pulling back and intertwining their fingers.
“Let’s get you some meat, Luffy-ya.”
Luffy’s eyes light up at the sound of meat. He bursts through the closet, Torao stumbling behind him, screaming for meat at the top of his lungs. Torao just shakes his head fondly.
Once his tummy is full, he lets his Torao carry him back to the captain’s quarters generously offered by Bartolomeo. He’s laid gently onto the bed by his soulmate, who climbs up and lays down next to him. They look into each other’s eyes, tension rising thick through the air of the room.
“You are important to me, Torao,” Luffy says, his food coma flipping over into something more hot and heady.
“You’re important to me too, Luffy-ya. More than you could ever know,” Torao replies, smiling softly.
Their hands find their matching pairs easily, twining together so that their pulses line up. Torao leans forward, brushing his nose against Luffy’s. Luffy sighs at the contact, tangling his legs together with Torao’s to bring them even closer.
“I’ve been waiting for this for forever,” Luffy says, staring deep into Torao’s glistening eyes. And it’s true. He’s been dreaming of this day since he was six. Before that even, since he first found out about soulmates.
“Sorry I took so long,” Torao says, nuzzling their noses together.
“I can think of a way you can make it up to me,” Luffy breathes, smiling at his soulmate.
“Oh?” Torao smiles too, and Luffy thinks it’s his favorite sight in the world. The rubber man releases one of Torao’s hands, reaching around to grab his ass.
“I can think of a couple ways, actually,” Luffy amends, ghosting his breath over Torao’s lips. The man gasps, greedily meeting Luffy’s lips in a searing kiss.
“Consider me at your service, Luffy-ya,” Torao says, breaking for air.
Luffy snickers, meeting him in a peck once more. “We better get to it.”
“Gladly,” Torao says, before melting into his mouth for the night.
Later That Evening
Finding your soulmate is said to be life’s greatest treasure. Law would have to agree, he thinks, wrapping himself up in Luffy’s warm body. The ship is sailing onward, but in this room, they are still, breathing in each other’s space and company. Law has never felt so safe and so loved in his life.
He thinks about the boy who was dying in the snow 13 years ago. He mourns for him, knowing that he didn’t think a better day was ever going to come. His heart breaks for the boy who listened to his second father die and lived to tell the tale. Now that Law’s here, having defeated the man who took Cora’s life, Law feels a sense of peace.
He looks down at the man in his arms, snoring loudly and drooling on his chest. If not for this man right here, he’d still be trapped in that cycle of pain. But thanks to the ringing of some bells, they’re here, and Law never wants to let go. So he won’t.