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“Torao!” Law tears his gaze away from the fire, eyes darting to Luffy. Who is covered in bandages and who Law would have put good money on not waking up for days. He needs the rest. Between Aokiji and Blackbeard, it had been a tough fight on both of them.
(Law got his blood though. And so did Luffy, Law made sure of it.)
It only takes a few seconds for Luffy to arrive next to Law, standing and looking at him.
Law frowns at the sight of Luffy moving around so much. He shouldn't be doing that. He needs to be resting so that his wounds don't reopen. “Why aren't you laying down?”
“Had something I needed to do.” Luffy looks at him, eyes sharp and staring as he seems to be staring right through Law. “Why aren't you? You fought a lot too and your Fruit makes you tired.”
“Had things I needed to do.” Law mirrors his non-answer right back at him, though he knows what he was doing was obvious. Law is as busy after a fight as he is during it.
And still Luffy stares. Not poking like normal and Law is tired. It's been a long week, month, year, life day. Relief and shame and exhaustion all war inside of him and he doesn't have the energy for their normal back and forth.
So he sighs and answers. “A lot of people were hurt. I'm as much a doctor as Chopper is.”
Injuries from the fight. Injuries not from the fight, and Law wasn't going to rest til all of his crew had been seen to. Healing will take a while, but Law did what he could.
Not enough, enough would have been making sure none of this happened in the first place. Never abandoning them. It would have been keeping them safe.
But he did everything that he could.
“I thought Torao would be with his crew.” Those eyes look straight through Law, make him feel exposed as Luffy looks at him. Doesn't smile or frown, just looks. “Went there first, then I had to come looking.”
Law hears the question. The one that Luffy won't make him answer, but is still asking. Law could change the subject or just ignore the implied question. He doesn't owe Luffy answers.
He owes Luffy
everything.
“I couldn't stay.” Law explains. Or tries to. He doesn't know that he could put it to words, the guilt and shame he felt. Seeing his crew so hurt and so glad to see him when he had failed them. When every injury felt like a sin he'd committed himself and their joy at seeing him felt like the result of a lie. When he didn't deserve any of it.
“You could.” Luffy says it so simply, so easily. Law scowls at him, but Luffy continues talking anyway. “Bear and all the rest of your crew miss you. They want you there, cause they love you.”
“They shouldn't." The words come out a snarl, all the anger he feels at himself coming out. Even if Luffy doesn’t deserve it. “Every time I–”
“You don't get to decide that, Torao.” Luffy doesn’t let him finish, instead shoving his face down right in front of Law’s. “You don't get to decide if other people love you. That's a choice they make, not you.”
“And I'm sure you know all about that.” Luffy who was so free with his affections. Who loved and was loved so easily, even after losing so much.
“Course I do.” Luffy is crouching now, so close to him. Law can feel his breath on his face. “I love Torao too.”
“What?” The word comes out almost broken. It's not a surprise, hearing that Luffy loves him. Luffy has called him a friend and thrown down a Warlord for him. If that isn't love, then it's close enough to make no difference.
But something in Luffy’s eyes tells him that he doesn't mean it like how he loves his friends. Or even his crew.
(Law has thought about this. Imagined it. Dreams that aren't connected to reality, where there is something different between them. Not friendship or debt or duty, but a new kind of bond Law has never felt before.)
Maybe Law is dreaming right now, fell asleep in front of his fire out of sheer exhaustion.
“People love you Torao. And you gotta stop running away from us. Cause it's our choice.” Law doesn’t know what to think. Doesn't know how to feel about the emotions he hears in Luffy’s voice as he says it.
And then he stops thinking altogether as Luffy closes that last bit of distance between them. As lips meet his, gentle and asking.
So he just acts. Parts his mouth and lets Luffy kiss him, until the other draws back. Law sees the wide smile on his face through the tears running down his cheeks.
What argument can he make against that?
“Fine.” You can't ask for a reason why someone loves you. At least Luffy is strong. Strong enough to be safe. “And. Thank you.”
Because Law hasn't said it yet, but he needs to.
“Of course! Hey, Torao.” Luffy sits next to him, wraps an arm around his shoulder. Law might not have Future Sight, but he’s sit by the sudden certainty that Luffy is gonna be touching him even more in the future. Law basically just gave him permission.
Law finds that he doesn't hate that thought.
“Let's have an alliance again. But we should make it forever this time! Cause I want you there when I find Laugh Tale and become Pirate King and for everything after.” There's a sudden hesitancy in his voice. “Don't want you to leave me again at all.”
Luffy had stopped what he was doing the minute Law asked for help. And Law can admit he would have probably done the same. “I'm not sure we ever really ended it, no matter what we said. I have my own goals, Luffy. I'm not just going to become one of your followers.”
A disturbingly literal term, given recent revelations. Straw Hat Luffy, a god. Scary thought. Though at least he'll be better than some.
“But,” Law is quick to add as Luffy starts to look disappointed. And before he can start trying to change Law's mind, Law doesn’t have the energy to deal with a determined Straw Hat right now. “I wouldn't mind coming back. And staying close when I don't have other things to do. Which I shouldn't until after we reach the end of the Grand Line.”
Luffy’s answering grin is like the sun itself. More than any Devil Fruit could cause, this is why Luffy is so bright. Law knows it.
“Yes!”
There's a sudden weight on Law's head before he can think of anything to say as Luffy seems to pull back a bit. He looks tired suddenly, like whatever task he gave himself that kept him awake was finally finished. But there's also something happy in his eyes as he looks at Law. “There, that's better.”
Luffy sounds smug as he says it, before yawning loudly. “Torao doesn’t look right without his hat.”
Law is aware his fingers are trembling as he raises his hand up, running them over familiar fabric. The tear tracks on his face aren't even dry yet, but Law thinks he might be about to cry again.
“Luffy. How did you–”
“Blackbeard's the worst, so I knew he'd have it. I just had to find it.”
“That's why you aren't resting?”
“Well yeah. Hats are important.” With one last nod, apparently satisfied, Luffy scoots back over to Law and leans against him. “I had to find yours. You need it.”
Law lets his hat fall in the familiar way where it covers his eyes. Anything else feels too exposed. “Thank you.”
And then, because Luffy deserves to know what this means and of all people will understand, Law swallows the lump in his throat and lets the words tumble out. “My sister gave it to me. Lami. It's all I have left.”
A sleepy noise comes from where Luffy is now pressing against his shoulder. In a way that can't be good for his wounds and is only possible because he's rubber. It's certainly pressing against Law's.
“You shoul’ tell me bout er sometime.” Luffy is obviously already halfway asleep.
That's fine. Law will tell him later.