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Another ordinary Saturday morning, yet for the Figarland-Trafalgar household, it felt anything but.
Law leaned against the headboard, a rare weekend morning when he was not consumed by surgical calls or patient cases. He held a thin folder in his hands, his gaze fixed on the cloudless sky outside the window. The morning light reflected in his golden eyes, making them look unusually soft.
"Approved?" Shanks emerged from the bathroom, his hair still dripping wet. He had only thrown on a pair of lounge pants, his bare torso showing the clean lines of his muscles, water droplets tracing paths down his abdomen. The moment he spotted the document in Law's hand, his eyes lit up like a big dog discovering buried treasure. He immediately bounded to the bedside, rested his chin on Law's knee, and looked up with eager anticipation. "Really approved? Three whole days off?"
"Yes." Law closed the folder and lightly flicked the tips of Shanks's damp hair. "Vacation time I'd saved up, plus special approval from the director. In recognition of the success of that combined transplant surgery last month."
"Wow! That's my Law!" Shanks cheered happily, pushing himself up to plant a quick kiss on Law's lips. "Then we have to make the most of it! Where should we go? Beach? Camping? Or..." He rambled excitedly, muttering under his breath, "An amusement park! Laurie's been going on and on about wanting to ride those spinning teacups and the ships that fly!"
Law raised an eyebrow. "Amusement park?" His mind conjured images of noisy crowds, long lines, sticky cotton candy, and blaring happy music-none of which aligned with his usual preferences.
"Yes! An amusement park!" Shanks was already buzzing with excitement, making plans. "Laurie will be over the moon! We can play all day! Roller coasters! Pirate ships! Ferris wheels! Bumper cars!" He leaned closer to Law, deliberately lowering his voice to a coaxing murmur. "Law needs to relax too. Spending all your time with scalpels and organs, wouldn't it be healing to see a fairy tale world and happy people for a change? Besides... the three of us have never really gone out and played together properly."
That last sentence hit the soft corner of Law's heart. It was true. Due to the demands of his work and Laurie's young age, their family activities had mostly been indoors or short trips to the park. A formal outing like this-to an amusement park-was something they had never truly experienced.
"Papa! Daddy!" The door suddenly burst open. Laurie, his red hair a bird's nest from sleep, clutching his unicorn plushie and running in on bare little feet, climbed expertly onto the big bed and wedged himself between the two of them. "What fun thing are you talking about? I want to hear too!"
"We're saying that Daddy has time off next week, and we're all going to a super fun place!" Shanks scooped his son into his arms and rubbed his stubbly chin against Laurie's cheek. "Guess where?"
Laurie giggled at the tickle, squirming, but his bright eyes turned toward Law. "Daddy, is it true? You have time off? We can go out and play together?"
Facing his son's expectant gaze, Law's resistance to noisy environments vanished in an instant. He nodded, reaching out to ruffle Laurie's messy red hair. "Yes. To the amusement park."
"YAY!!!" Laurie's cheer nearly lifted the roof. He threw his arms around Law's neck, planted a big kiss on his cheek, then turned and hugged Shanks. "Amusement park! That's awesome!! I want to ride the carousel! I want to ride Dumbo! I want to eat ice cream! And... and I want to ride the big Ferris wheel with Papa and Daddy!"
In the days that followed, an air of anticipation filled the house. Laurie crossed off a number on the calendar every day, and bedtime stories became tales of amusement park adventures. Shanks did thorough research, downloading maps, studying fast-pass strategies, and even secretly practicing his claw machine skills-though his success rate remained dismal. Law, though outwardly calm, found his own anticipation deepening as he watched the excited father and son.
On the day of the outing, the weather was unbelievably perfect. The sky was a clear, brilliant blue; the sun was warm but not scorching.
All three wore comfortable casual clothes. Shanks had on a simple white t-shirt and khaki pants, his red hair standing out vividly. His tall, well-built figure and handsome features drew frequent glances from passersby. Law wore a light gray hoodie and black sweatpants, the usual coolness of his white coat and scrubs set aside. His black hair fell softly over his forehead. Though his expression remained mild, the usual "keep away" aura around him had softened considerably. Laurie, of course, was dressed like a little prince-a red-and-white striped short-sleeved shirt, denim overalls, and a red baseball cap on his head. With his fair skin and large amber-gold eyes, he was as lively and adorable as a little elf who had stepped out of a fairy tale.
The three of them together, each with their own distinct style yet somehow perfectly harmonious, became the center of attention the moment they walked through the amusement park gates.
"Wow... look at that family, they're so good-looking!"
"Both dads are so handsome!"
"That little red-haired baby! Oh my gosh, so cute!"
"They look so happy..."
Whispers and admiring glances came from all directions. Shanks, long accustomed to such attention, puffed out his chest proudly, holding Laurie's hand with one hand and naturally draping the other arm over Law's shoulder. Law shifted uncomfortably but ultimately didn't pull away, merely lowering the brim of his hoodie. Laurie, however, was completely absorbed in all the new sights, his little head swiveling in every direction, his eyes unable to take it all in.
"Papa! Daddy! Look! A big windmill!" Laurie pointed at the distant Ferris wheel, bouncing excitedly.
"That's a Ferris wheel, sweetheart." Shanks smiled, lifting him onto his shoulders. "Let's go! Our adventure begins! First stop, the carousel!"
Perched on Shanks's shoulders, Laurie's view opened up dramatically. He waved his little hands happily, playing director. Law walked beside them, watching his son's excited face and Shanks's unabashed joy, the corners of his mouth lifting unconsciously. The air was filled with the sweet, mixed scents of popcorn and cotton candy. Happy music and children's laughter filled his ears. It was a world away from the disinfectant-scented silence of his daily life, yet it was strangely relaxing.
A long line had formed in front of the carousel, mostly families with children. Shanks put Laurie down and held his little hand as they queued. Laurie stood on his tiptoes, unable to contain himself, watching the colorful horses and carriages rise and fall.
When it was their turn, Laurie immediately spotted a white horse with a golden mane and ornate saddle. He pointed at it excitedly. "I want to ride that one!"
"No problem!" Shanks scooped him up, easily placed him on the horse's back, and carefully fastened his safety belt. Then he looked at Law, his eyes hopeful. "Law, which one are you picking?"
Law hesitated, looking at the small, whimsical horses around him. But Shanks had already decided for him. He pointed to a pumpkin carriage decorated with flowers and vines beside them. "This one! This suits Law best! Like a prince!" Before Law could object, Shanks gently guided him to the carriage.
Law shot him a resigned look but eventually sat down inside. The carriage wasn't spacious, and the decorations were a bit overly ornate, but the moment he saw Shanks's bright smile and Laurie's excited face outside, he suddenly felt that being childish once in a while might not be so bad.
The music started. The carousel began to turn, the horses rising and falling. Laurie gripped the handle on his horse's neck, a little nervous at first, but as the ride sped up, he began to giggle, his little face flushed with excitement. He turned to wave at Law in the carriage and Shanks walking beside them. "Daddy! Papa! Look! I'm riding a horse! Like a real knight!"
Shanks walked alongside the ride, his phone out, taking pictures and videos nonstop. "That's right! Our Laurie is the handsomest little knight! Daddy is the prince in the pumpkin carriage! Papa is... well, Papa is the squire leading the horses!"
Sitting in the gently rocking carriage, watching the father-son banter and Shanks twisting himself into ridiculous positions to get the perfect shot, Law finally let out a low, quiet laugh. Golden sunlight filtered through the gaps in the carousel canopy, dancing across his face and softening all its hard edges.
When the ride ended, Laurie was still buzzing with excitement, but he was immediately drawn to the nearby "Dumbo" ride. "Papa! Daddy! That one! The flying elephant!"
For the next few hours, the father-and-son duo played almost every attraction suitable for young children: the slow "It's a Small World" boat ride, the wobbling "Honey Pot" spinning cups, the "Peter Pan's Flight" that went up and down... Laurie's laughter never stopped. Shanks was fully invested, cheering and laughing along with his son, playing various characters, completely forgetting his executive persona and enjoying this fairy-tale world like a big kid.
Law mostly served as the photographer, but he found his gaze drifting more and more toward the two who were having the time of their lives.
Shanks nearly folded himself in half to help Laurie reach the buttons on a game machine. During a water ride, Laurie, who was clearly afraid of getting splashed but too stubborn to admit it, was quickly scooped up by Shanks and shielded in his arms. Both got half-soaked but ended up laughing together. At a shooting game booth, Shanks vowed to win the biggest plushie for Laurie, only to end up with a pitifully low score. In the end, Law took the gun, aimed calmly, and hit nearly every target, easily winning a teddy bear almost as big as Laurie himself.
"Wow! Daddy's amazing!!" Laurie hugged the giant teddy bear that nearly swallowed him, looking at Law with worshipful, shining eyes.
Shanks wrapped an arm around Law's waist, rested his chin on Law's shoulder, and said in a tone that was both sour and proud, "That's my Law. The hands that hold scalpels are just as steady with a gun. But..." He leaned close to Law's ear and deliberately lowered his voice, teasing mischievously, "the way you looked when you were aiming just now was so hot it made my legs weak."
The tips of Law's ears reddened. He nudged Shanks with his elbow. "Idiot."
Lunch was at a themed restaurant inside the park. Laurie insisted on a window seat overlooking the castle. The food was standard amusement park fare: an adorable kids' meal, a ridiculously large burger and fries, and a brightly colored specialty drink. Laurie ate with great satisfaction, getting tomato sauce and ice cream all over his mouth. Shanks wiped his face, half-complaining, while eating heartily himself, occasionally feeding Law a french fry. Law refused at first, but Shanks's persistent "ah-" and Laurie's echoing "Daddy eat-" eventually wore him down. He took a bite from Shanks's hand, earning satisfied smiles from both.
The afternoon rides were a bit more thrilling. After much coaxing from Laurie and encouragement from Shanks, they queued for "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh"-a seemingly gentle indoor ride that turned out to be somewhat dark and fast-moving.
As they entered the dim tunnel and climbed into the vehicle, Laurie was excited at first. But when it suddenly sped into a dark space with eerie lights and popping cartoon bees, he jumped and grabbed Law's arm tightly.
"Don't be scared." Law's low voice sounded in the darkness, steady and reassuring. He pulled Laurie closer with one arm, while his other hand was firmly held by Shanks's warm one.
"Papa's here! Daddy's here too! Look, that's Tigger! Pooh Bear!" Shanks's voice was as energetic as ever. He pointed at the quickly passing scenes, narrating in exaggerated tones to distract Laurie from his fear.
The vehicle bumped and turned in the darkness, sometimes climbing hills, sometimes sliding down rivers. Laurie initially stayed curled in Law's arms, but gradually, drawn by Shanks's commentary and the familiar characters, he began to open his eyes again, looking around curiously. When the vehicle splashed through a waterfall, he even let out a delighted scream along with Shanks.
Exiting the ride, Laurie's face was flushed-half from excitement, half from the shyness of having hidden in Law's arms earlier. He held Law's hand with one hand and Shanks's with the other, bouncing along. "That was so fun! Tigger jumped so high! Pooh's honey pot was so big! I was a little scared at first, but Daddy held me, so I wasn't scared anymore! And Papa's story was good too!"
Shanks crouched to his level and asked with a smile, "Do you dare ride it again next time?"
"Yes!" Laurie puffed out his little chest. "I'm a brave little man! And Daddy and Papa will be there!"
Looking at his son's bright eyes, feeling the soft little hand in his palm and the warm, strong hand holding his other one, Law felt a surge of unprecedented, overflowing happiness. He suddenly thought that coming to a noisy place like this, full of childish laughter, seemed... actually quite nice.
As the sun set, the lights in the amusement park began to glow, turning the castle and streets into a dreamlike wonderland. Their final attraction was the Ferris wheel, which Laurie had been dreaming about.
The line was long, mostly couples or families hoping to see the night view and fireworks from the highest point. The three of them entered a transparent gondola and slowly rose into the sky.
As the height increased, the entire park unfolded beneath them. The castle shrank to the size of a toy, strings of lights twinkled, people moved like ants, and the city's brilliant lights glittered in the distance.
Laurie pressed his face against the glass, staring wide-eyed, gasping constantly. "So high! Papa, look, our car got so small! Daddy, the castle is glowing!"
Shanks wrapped his arms around Law's waist from behind, rested his chin on Law's shoulder, and watched the expanding view with him. He murmured in Law's ear, "Look, Law, that's the direction we came from... and over there, is that the direction of your hospital?"
Law followed his gaze. The city's silhouette stretched gently in the twilight. He nodded in agreement.
"Happy today?" Shanks asked softly.
Law turned his head and met his gentle red eyes. He didn't answer directly, but asked in return, "Are you?"
"I'm so happy I feel like I could fly." Shanks spoke honestly, tightening his arms. "Happier than closing any business deal. Watching you and Laurie smile, I feel like this is the most successful project of my life."
The corner of Law's mouth curved into a small smile. He turned and planted a gentle kiss on Shanks's cheek, a soft, loving rebuke in his voice that held no reproach, only indulgence. "Idiot."
"Daddy kissed Papa!" Laurie had turned around just in time to see it. He covered his mouth with his little hands, giggling, his eyes crinkling into crescents.
Shanks immediately puffed up with pride and kissed Law's cheek in return. "That's right! Daddy loves Papa!"
Just as Law was about to respond, his ears burning, the gondola swayed slightly, reaching its highest point. At that exact moment, the fireworks show began over the castle square.
Boom-Crack!
The first firework exploded in the night sky, golden streaks cascading down like a waterfall.
"WOW!!!" Laurie was instantly mesmerized, pressing his whole body against the glass.
More fireworks followed, bursting into brilliant colors and shapes-hearts, stars, flowers-turning the night sky into a dreamy fairy tale. The colorful light filtered through the glass, playing across the faces of the family of three, flickering.
Shanks lifted Laurie so he could see better. Laurie nestled against his Papa, his little mouth slightly open, completely awed by the spectacular sight he had never seen before. Law stood beside them, quietly watching the fleeting brilliance outside the window, then looked at the two similar faces beside him illuminated by the fireworks-one radiating pure joy, one radiating endless tenderness.
As a particularly dense barrage of fireworks reached its crescendo, accompanied by grand music, Shanks leaned close to Law's ear and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, his tone utterly sincere: "Thank you, Law. Thank you for giving me a home, for giving us Laurie, for giving me today... and for all the countless beautiful days like this in the future."
The light of the fireworks danced in his red eyes, the love within them hotter and more eternal than any firework.
Law's heart trembled at his words. He reached down and held the hand Shanks had wrapped around his waist, interlacing their fingers. Then he lowered his head and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of Laurie's hair, who was still gazing up at the fireworks.
No more words were needed. The fireworks roared in the night sky, and beneath their brilliant light, in the small gondola, the silhouettes of the family of three nestled together became the most heartwarming image of the night. The noise belonged to the outside world; the peace and happiness at this moment belonged only to them.
The Ferris wheel descended slowly, and the fireworks show gradually came to an end. Laurie was getting sleepy, his little head nodding against Shanks's chest, but his hand still clung tightly to the giant teddy bear.
As they stepped out of the gondola, the cool night air hit them, carrying the faint scent of spent gunpowder. Shanks carefully cradled the sleeping Laurie in his arms, wrapping him in his jacket. Law carried the plushies they had won and the leftover snacks.
"Home?" Law asked softly.
"Home." Shanks nodded, looking at his son's peaceful sleeping face and his lover's calm profile beside him, feeling his heart so full there was no room left for anything else.
They walked slowly toward the exit, carried along by the crowd. Around them were the voices of lingering visitors, the excited chatter of children, and the goodbyes of park employees. But all that noise seemed far away.
Shanks carried Laurie, and Law walked beside him, occasionally reaching out to adjust the jacket slipping from his son's shoulder.
"Tired?" Shanks asked Law.
"Fine," Law replied, then after a pause, added, "It was fun."
Shanks smiled. In the evening light, that smile was impossibly gentle. "Then we'll come again. When Laurie's a bit older, we can try the more thrilling rides. Or... just the two of us. Ride the Ferris wheel."
Law didn't say yes, and he didn't say no. He just gave a soft, "Mm."
Settled into the car for the drive home, Laurie slept even more soundly in his car seat. Shanks started the engine, and soft music filled the cabin. Law watched the receding outline of the amusement park through the window, then glanced at his son in the backseat through the rearview mirror, and finally his gaze rested on the alpha focused on the road beside him.
He was tired, of course-they had been playing hard all day. But the fullness in his heart, the deep satisfaction, dispelled all the physical fatigue.
He thought, perhaps this was the special something outside of everyday life. The beautiful memories that Shanks, that idiot, with his overflowing enthusiasm and love, meticulously planned for him.
And memories like these were becoming more and more numerous in their life.