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Luffy likes to read. His favorite books are about adventure, but he can sit through ones that teach about lost legends—as long as it's interesting. Short books, and long books—Luffy reads them, although reading doesn't always call to him. He can go months without touching a book until one catches his eye with a colorful cover or peculiar title. Then he'll spend his free time reading. The first time he did it in front of his crew, they understandably freaked out. They had thought Luffy's boredom made him lose his mind, prompting him to ask Robin about the book she was reading. So when they found an island moments later, and Luffy lost all interest in the book, they assumed his mind went normal. That was until they found Luffy sitting on the head of Merry, reading that very book he asked Robin about. Luffy finished it too. After that, it became the norm for Luffy to join Robin and Chopper as they browsed through the bookstores on the new islands they docked at.
The young Captain hadn't changed much during their two-year separation, nor as they went through the trials of Fishman Island—to Wano. Luffy remained the same, maybe he took the New World more seriously, but otherwise, he was ever energetic and still read books. The latter surprised their Alliance Partner.
The first time Law caught Luffy reading was during their stay in Wano. Somehow Luffy found a dusty old book in the hideout Law procured for them. The book was titled The Legend of Zelda. It was about an elf named Link and his adventure to save the Kingdom of Hyrule—a good read, according to Luffy. The young Captain had been walking around the premises with his nose deep in the book. He'd been so absorbed in it, he hadn't paid attention to where he was going. Luffy had tripped over Law—who sat in front of a bonfire along with Bepo, Zoro, Robin, and Jean Bart. Bepo had been the one to point out a reading Luffy, and Law wouldn't have believed him if he hadn't turned around. The older Captain became transfixed by the scene—so much so that he didn't stop Luffy from walking into him. If it weren’t for Robin’s arms, Luffy would have gone headfirst into the fire. “If you wanna read then do that shit sitting down, Dumbass!” Zoro scolded his Captain who seemed more worried about losing his page than almost being burnt to a crisp. “Huh? Oh! Thanks, Robin. I’ll be careful I promise,” Luffy responded, although the man hadn't looked up from his book as he said this. Zoro rolled his eyes and asked for Robin to sit their Captain down before he wandered into a ditch. Robin obliged him, and Luffy didn't fight when he was pulled down beside Law. The other Captain, for his part, couldn't stop staring. “Since when could Straw Hat-ya read?” He asked the two present members of Luffy's crew. “Since childhood, if I remember correctly,” Robin replied. “Luffy told us he learned from his Grandfather who'd sit him on his lap and read to him during their calmer interactions.” Law could only hum at this new piece of information.
The other Straw Hats later joined them at the fire and gave Law more information regarding Luffy's reading habits—said Captain lost in his book as this occurs. According to Nami, Luffy would become so engrossed in whatever he was reading, that he’d stay on Sunny's head, taking his meals there so as not to break his stride. Afterward, they would know if he liked the book’s ending when he'd either come down the mast all happy and ready to play or when he'd suddenly tossed the book into the ocean. Luffy claimed bad things deserved to drown, and his crew never questioned it. Chopper and Robin kept certain books away from Luffy as they didn't want to lose them to the ocean. When Luffy read Old Yeller , that had been the worst day on the Sunny. Not even tossing the book made their Captain happy, and it had been up to Usopp to weave a new ending that satisfied Luffy enough to smile.
Law then became consumed by the thought of Luffy liking books. His crew took notice when their Captain began searching for books anywhere they went. Law would amass a large quantity and then on the occasions they ran into the Straw Hats—the older Captain would mention to Luffy about his haul. Luffy would grow excited and follow Law onto the Polar Tang. Law allowed Luffy into his room, and he sat, watching the younger man peruse through different covers in search of an eye-catching one. Once Luffy found a book, he'd get comfortable on Law's bed and begin reading—the other Captain never bothering him. It's because Law collected books for him—Luffy was left in a predicament.
Tales of Greece is the title of the current book Luffy is reading. It's a fictional story that talks about Greece—an ancient country ruled by mythical gods. The story goes over the customs and rituals, and one custom caught Luffy's attention. If a person threw an apple at someone, it was a symbolic declaration of their love, and if that someone caught it—it showed their acceptance (and possible reciprocation) of that love. Luffy became obsessed with apples after reading that. He'd pester Sanji to keep them stocked and used his allowance to buy an apple tree which he had Franky immediately plant on the deck of the Sunny. It threw the crew off because Luffy also sanctioned one apple The Emergency Apple and kept it frozen. If anyone touched it, even by accident, they got scolded by Luffy—scolded!
It made no sense until one day Zoro announced over the intercom that a ship was emerging from the ocean.
It had been a few months since the Heart Pirates met up with the Straw Hats, and unbeknownst to each other—the different crews were befuddled by the behaviors of their respective Captain.
“SANJI! I can't find the apples!” Luffy called out. He ran back and forth inside the kitchen, checking every cupboard for signs of the red fruit. When Sanji walked in, he nearly collapsed from the mess he saw. “Luffy, you fu—” Sanji was cut off by the pleading look on Luffy's face. The cook had never seen his Captain so desperate and it looked like Luffy was about to cry. “I can't find any and my tree is empty and… I don't know what to do!” Luffy rushed out frantically. Sanji decided to ignore the mess in favor of aiding his Captain. “Calm down, Luffy,” the cook said. He put his hands on either of Luffy's shoulders. “We probably ate the apples, but you're forgetting about your emergency one.” Luffy’s eyes widened and he broke away from the blonde to go and check the freezer. Sitting in the far back is the apple, but… It's covered in ice!
Zoro hopped down from the Crow's Nest when he heard Luffy calling his name. The swordsman hardly had time to react before Luffy tossed a block of ice. “Zoro, I need you to cut away the ice, but don't hurt the apple !”
Zoro didn't ask why—he did what his Captain told him to, feeling very accomplished when the red fruit came free from its frozen prison. Luffy stretched out his hand to grab the apple from the air before he lept to stand on the ship's railing. Just as his feet touched down, the Polar Tang's hatch opened. Law came striding out, looking casual as Kikoku was balanced by Law's arms dangling over the sword's sheath.
Luffy breathed in, looking at Law, and feeling his heart about to give out in anticipation. “TRAFFY!” Luffy hollard. Law looked up at the other Captain and gave a small smile. “I WON'T BE MAD AT WHATEVER YOU CHOOSE! CATCH THE APPLE OR DON'T! I JUST NEED TO KNOW!”
The smile drifts off Law's face and is replaced with a look of confusion. The next thing Law knows is that Straw Hat hurls a red object at him—it looks like an apple. Law contemplates letting the apple fall, if only to see what Luffy would do, but Law can't ignore Luffy's words. There was apprehension in them. He may have said he wouldn't be mad at Law's decision, but that doesn't mean he won't be sad. Law wonders which choice will make the rubber man hurt. He figures whenever someone throws something at you, catching it usually has a better outcome—especially if it's someone like Luffy who Law trusts 100%. A fact he's been arguing with Bepo about—if that bear could hear Law's thoughts then he'd never let Law live it down.
To prevent himself from messing up, Law creates a Room . He uses the blue field to follow the apple’s trajectory and easily lifts his hand to catch it.
Law is prepared for many situations, but Luffy suddenly reaching out to him with stretched hands isn't one of them. He's violently pulled onto the Sunny, and doesn't have time to catch his breath before it's again stolen—only this time by a pair of soft lips. Law could never have guessed Luffy's lips were soft, not that he thinks about the other's lips—mind you. It made sense that Luffy would have chapped lips, but he doesn't. Luffy’s lips feel like a gentle caress and Law wonders if this is his first kiss. How the rubber man moved made Law think it wasn't, but who can tell with Luffy? Law never would have taken him for a reader, yet the Straw Hat's Captain is a bookworm. Whatever, Law was too engrossed in the kiss to think anymore.
When they pull away, Luffy smiles so wide it looks like it hurts .
“So, Law ,” Luffy giggled. “Did you find any more books?”
Law raised an eyebrow at Luffy's usage of his first name. “I did, Straw Hat-ya. We found an underwater library filled to the brim with books floating in bubbles.”
“Hey! You caught the apple so no more Straw Hat-ya !” Luffy lightly scolded, mimicking Law's voice at the end. “It's Luffy.”
“... Luffy-ya,” Law said, testing the name out. He found that he liked how it flowed on his tongue. “I don't understand the thing with the apple.”
Luffy laughed before entangling his hand with Law's and pulling the older Captain—past the onlooking Straw Hat Crew—toward the library. Teasing remarks followed after them, and Law noted that he could hear some of his crew's voices in the mix.
What Law learned is that only Luffy would use an apple to express his feelings, that he returned Luffy's feelings, their kiss was his and Luffy’s first, and that Luffy used flavored chapstick because he liked the taste—treating it like a snack he got to lick off which explained why Law’s mouth had the lingering taste of peaches.