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It started with Luffy bursting into the kitchen. Sanji was already preparing himself to send the rubber idiot flying – he’d just had his morning snack, he sure as hell wasn’t hungry – when Luffy surprised him by sliding into one of the bar stools, a contemplative look on his face. His feet were idly swinging as he watched Sanji prepare various things for lunch.
“Alright Luffy?”
Luffy jumped a little at the question before pouting up at him, causing Sanji to raise an eyebrow. “If Traffy doesn’t like bread, does that mean he doesn’t like cake either?”
Sanji blinked at the odd question, reaching behind him to flip the stove off before giving Luffy his full attention. “I don’t really know Captain. He doesn’t like a lot of things made of wheat so maybe he-…” Shit, the guy wasn’t coeliac, was he? Sanji huffed around his cigarette. He’d have to look into that before shoving something glutenous in his food just to be petty.
“Maybe he what?” Luffy prompted, bouncing up and down in impatience.
Sanji lightly bopped him on the head. “Look, I’m not sure if he doesn’t like bread and things or if he can’t eat them.” The cook shrugged. “If he can, I’m sure there’s some kind of cake he’d liked.” His gaze strayed to the fridge. “Not that we have any.”
“I know,” Luffy whined, setting his chin in his hand. “So…he doesn’t like cake?”
“I think you’d have to ask,” Sanji replied frankly.
Luffy looked less than impressed by that. “But I can’t ask.”
“Luffy, what are you even trying to do?” Sanji asked, lost.
“…it’s Traffy’s birthday.”
Sanji froze, cigarette halfway to his lips. “Pardon?”
“It’s Traffy’s birthday,” Luffy repeated, a little louder this time. “I only know because I nagged him about it for ages and ages. He said he was happy not to have one because his crew always drags him out and he says he hates that.”
That Sanji could imagine quite easily.
“But everyone needs a birthday!” Luffy continued, arms waving wildly. “And I was gonna ask you to make a cake because Sanji’s cakes are the best but I don’t even know if Traffy would eat it!”
Fighting back the flush that had come at his captain’s praise, Sanji rubbed his chin in thought. “Well, maybe I won’t make a cake but I’m sure I can prepare something and we can have a party after lunch, okay?”
“But it’s not a birthday without cake!” Luffy protested.
Sanji ruffled his hair, perhaps more gently than normal. “Captain, I promise to make something amazing. It won’t be a cake but it’ll be just as nice.”
“We have to be able to put candles in it,” Luffy bargained.
Sanji grinned, poking Luffy’s cheek teasingly. “Of course. Now off you go. I don’t want you in here before lunch!”
Luffy poked his tongue out before zipping off, someone’s name echoing across the deck as Luffy undoubtedly looked for a playmate. Reaching into the cupboard above his head, Sanji pulled down his recipe book and flipped to the dessert section. Something he could make without flour…something without flour…A few pages in he found it. Perfect.
***
“Robin, can I ask you a question?”
The archaeologist looked up from her book in surprise, beckoning Luffy over to the chair next to her. It was rare for him to join her on deck while she was reading, even rarer that he would seek her out in the library.
“What can I do for you Luffy?”
Luffy tugged on the bottom of his vest uncertainly. “How do you know what to give people for a present?”
Robin blinked at the unusual question. “A present?” At Luffy’s nod, she frowned. “Well, it would depend on the occasion. Whether it was a birthday or an anniversary or simply a gift.”
“What if it was for a birthday?”
Robin mentally ran through everyone’s birthday, coming up blank when it came to members of their crew. Not one of them had a birthday so…Ah, it was someone outside their crew, someone who was on board this very moment.
“Traffy, is it?”
Luffy looked ready to deny it before finally grumbling out an agreement. Robin grimaced.
“He is hard, isn’t he?”
“I can’t think of anything!” Luffy sulked, throwing himself into the chair she’d pushed out earlier for him. “I know what I could get if it was you or Nami or Zoro or, or anyone but…Traffy’s so hard! He doesn’t like anything and he doesn’t do anything and he’s no fun at all.”
“Don’t say that, you like him well enough,” Robin admonished.
Luffy blushed accordingly but stubbornly looked away. “Still…I don’t know what to do. And we’re not even near an island…I don’t think…so I’m really stuck!”
Robin thought for a long moment before using her powers to bring them some paper and a pen. “Why don’t you write down the things you know Traffy does like? Even if it’s just one or two things, it can give us a start.”
Luffy accepted the pen and paper, Robin quietly returning to her reading as the younger man slipped into thought. Ten minutes later and he was still staring at the blank piece of paper, looking seconds away from having a brain aneurysm. Robin took the pen off him before he could shatter it in his hand.
“He’s too hard!” Luffy complained, slumping down in his chair in despair. “All he likes is his talking bear but he already has that. I miss that bear…”
Robin tapped the table to bring his attention back. “Anything else?”
“Um…” Luffy pinched his forehead together in thought. He then suddenly snapped his fingers, face lighting up. “When we were fighting Mingo and said he liked some guy called Cora-san.”
…That didn’t really help.
“But he’s dead now,” Luffy continued, picking at the edge of the table. “He was Mingo’s little brother. Traffy said he was a Marine spy, I think? But he died a long time ago. Traffy was really sad when Mingo wrecked the coat that had Cora-san’s name on the back.”
An idea was already forming in Robin’s mind but she wouldn’t mention it until she was sure. But until then… “Did Traffy ever fix the coat?”
Luffy shook his head. “He doesn’t sew.”
Robin smiled gently. “Nami sews.”
Her captain looked like all his birthday’s had come at once, leaping to his feet and yelling a “thank you!” before tearing out of the library. With a quiet chuckle, Robin made her way to their communications room, picking up the receiver for the Den-Den Mushi and dialling. “Koala? I need some information on an ex-Marine.”
***
Nami was pleasantly enjoying lounging in a deck chair when she was snagged without so much as a warning. She shrieked as she was yanked down to the door of the women’s cabin, fist already raised to punch Luffy because, really, who else would do something so crazy? And who else had limbs that could stretch?
“Luffy…”
He laughed at her warning, casting a furtive look over his shoulder that was out of character enough to have Nami’s interest caught. He also had something black in colour very poorly hidden behind his back. Nami rubbed her temples wearily.
“What have you broken now?”
“Nothing!” Luffy yelped, offended. “I just…We need to go inside to talk.”
Nami was only more confused but knew it was pointless to argue, opening the door to the women’s room and gesturing for Luffy to go first. He launched himself over to the windowsill, crossing his legs before smiling gaily and holding out whatever it was he’d been attempting to hide. Nami recognised it instantly.
“Luffy, why do you have Traffy’s coat?”
“Because I need to ask Nami a favour.”
Nami placed her hands on her hips. “What favour?”
“See this?” Luffy said, pointing to the logo on the back, some sort of skull with an ‘X’ below it and the word ‘Corazon’ across the top. “It’s special to Traffy but that stupid Mingo ruined it.”
Nami fingered the fabric, noting a couple of bullet holes – whose origins made her shiver – and the sleeve that was missing entirely. It didn’t take a genius to know how that had happened but it still make her slightly nauseous to envision Law’s arm being cut clean off. She doubted the scar would ever go away.
“What do you want me to do about it?” Nami asked, finally letting the coat go and lifting her gaze to meet Luffy’s.
Luffy grinned at her. “I was hoping Nami could make it into something new so Traffy can wear it again!”
“I’m not a seamstress!” Nami protested.
“But you fixed my hat,” Luffy pointed out matter-of-factly. “And Robin said you sewed. Can’t you fix it?”
Nami sighed impatiently. “I can but why Luffy? Traffy hasn’t asked me to fix it so why do you want it fixed?”
“Because it’s Traffy’s birthday and I wanna make this his present!”
Nami stumbled slightly, and not because of the rocking of the ship. “It’s…Traffy’s birthday?” At Luffy’s exuberant nod, Nami softened, taking the coat once more and eyeing it a bit more carefully. “I can do something with this,” she announced, shooting Luffy a thumbs up before adding, “I’ll cost you though.”
Luffy whined sourly but took it in turn, throwing his arms around her and then disappearing. With an amused huff, Nami opened the small box she had of sewing supplies and the chest of clothes she had stocked up for when the boys inevitably ran out; giving them out all at once led to all of them being trashed within days so Nami liked to ration them. The sleeves from one combined with the body of another, some stitching…yes, she could see it coming together.
***
Luffy had gone to ask Chopper if he had any ideas about what to get Law only to find both doctors in the infirmary. Law raised an eyebrow while Chopper tripped in his haste to get over, asking Luffy if he was okay; it wasn’t often Luffy willingly went to the infirmary after all. Waving him away, Luffy stammered out some excuse about trying to find Usopp. Chopper’s eyes shone.
“Are you playing hide and seek?”
“Um…yes!”
Chopper turned pleading eyes to Law. “Can we-…”
Law waved a hand dismissively. “We can finish this later. There’s no rush, Tony-ya. I have some books of yours I’d like to read anyway.”
“Okay!” Chopper chirped, sliding over a book or two he thought Law would be interested in before sprinting out of the room, Luffy at his heels. Sanji yelled at them to walk in the kitchen but was promptly ignored. His angry bellows followed them out onto the deck, Luffy tripping over the railing as Chopper skidded to a halt in front of him.
“Oi Chopper, what was that for?” he called from his position on the Sunny’s lawn.
“Ahh Luffy!” The little reindeer was at his side in a second. “Sorry! But,” his voice dropped to a whisper, “Usopp is right there.”
Luffy tilted his head back, making a little noise of agreement. “Oh yeah, about that…I lied.”
Chopper’s mouth dropped open. “You what?!”
“Shh!” Luffy said hastily, holding a finger to his lips. “It’s a surprise.”
Chopper shuffled closer. “What is?”
Luffy gestured for him to wait before calling Usopp over. Usopp, who had been fishing at the side, placed his rod down and joined them. “Oi, what’s this?”
“Luffy has a surprise!” Chopper relayed in breathless excitement.
“A surprise?” Usopp looked to Luffy.
“Aha, and you can’t tell!” Luffy said sternly, face set into a frown. “I was gonna ask Chopper something but Traffy ruined it. But I have a better idea now!” He giggled behind his hat, all too pleased with himself. “We’re having a birthday party for Traffy but it’s a secret!”
Chopper gasped and Usopp stuttered on an inhale. “I-it’s T-trafalgar’s birthday?”
“Aha!” Luffy rocked back on his heels eagerly, burning with energy. “So Sanji’s making a surprise not-cake because Traffy’s stupid and doesn’t eat cake and Nami’s making him my present. So I need you two, and Franky too, to help get a party ready. We have to decorate the galley…But Traffy can’t see!” he finished, wagging a finger at them. “You have to be secret.”
Usopp nodded to show he understood. He then turned to Chopper, pointing a thumb towards the workshops beneath the Sunny’s deck. “Franky’s down there so we’ll go talk with him. By the way Chopper, did I ever tell you about the time the Great Captain Usopp gave up his piracy days to become a ninja?”
Chopper’s eyes nearly popped out of his skull. “Really?!”
“Of course!” Usopp crowed, leading them down below.
In between his laughter, Luffy turned to look up at the crow’s nest, sensing the gaze that was watching him. As he’d expected, Zoro was up there and looking down at him. “Oi Zoro!” he yelled. “If Traffy comes out, get him to fight you!”
“Sure.”
That was that, Luffy whistling as he went towards where Brook was steering at the helm. There was a reason his first mate was so awesome.
***
As it turned out, Chopper’s books had not been enough to keep Law entertained past lunch time and Zoro had lured him into a fight. The sounds of their swords clashing had echoed across the deck until Law had gotten fed up and used his Room to warp Zoro out over the ocean. Much spluttering and swearing later, Zoro had gone to train and Law had slumped down under the tree on the deck, hat pulled down over his eyes as he fell asleep. Zoro gave Luffy a thumbs up as he passed though and Luffy gave him a grin in return.
He'd then gone down to the work rooms, finding Franky and company in the middle of painting the final touches to a banner. It simply said ‘Happy Birthday’ but they all seemed to know Law would object to much more. Hell, a party alone was probably going to end with some of Luffy’s limbs being attached to someone else’s body for some period of time. There were also some lanterns around the workplace, some envelopes with money inside and a name of who they were from written on the back – apparently Sanji had caught wind of what they were doing and passed on a tradition that was considered lucky in the North Blue. They’d even woven together various fabrics to make streamers, all blacks and yellows and blues because they were the colours they all associated with Law.
Luffy had been helping smuggling everything into the galley, Nami and Brook on look out duty, when Robin had quietly pulled him aside. She had what looked like photographs in her hands, holding up a hand when Luffy made to grab them. The look she gave him had Luffy squirming slightly because he knew that look; it meant he had to be extra careful and that was something he wasn’t always the best at.
“Robin, I wanna see,” he wheedled. It was a small victory when she smiled.
“I know. But,” That serious look was back. “These are very special. It took a lot of calling around and fast-talking to get these copies. You’re lucky we have a Den-Den Mushi that allows faxes.”
By now even Sanji was intrigued, coming over from where he was slicing up some fruits Luffy didn’t recognise. “Eh, what is it?”
Robin handed them over and Luffy took them, flipping through the photos only to frown in confusion. “Robin, I don’t know who this is.”
“His name is Rocinante. Traffy knew him as Cora-san.”
Luffy bit back a gasp, hands trembling a little as he flicked through them once more, only with far more care this time. “This…this is the guy who saved Traffy? Mingo’s little brother?”
Sanji made a squawk of surprise there but Robin bypassed him, placing a hand on Luffy’s shoulder. “Yes. These photos are from before Law met him but, well, the owner didn’t have any from afterwards. Most are only from a months before though so I’m sure he looks just as Law remembers him.”
Luffy swallowed thickly. “Robin…”
Sanji seemed to understand the gravity of the situation, even if he didn’t know the full story. “Luffy,” his voice was soft but firm. “Those are very precious. You take care of them and see if Nami has anything you can wrap them in.”
Luffy nodded. For once, he understood completely.
***
“Good afternoon Law!”
Being sung at by an over-exuberant skeleton was not how Law wanted to be woken up. And not just today, more like ever. He grudgingly opened his eyes and made to scowl at his completely unwanted alarm clock but the skeleton was already grabbing his violin and setting it on his shoulder.
“Skeleton-ya,” Law growled. “I’m really not in the mood.”
“Ah, but you soon will be!” he declared, beginning to play a tune that had Law tensing. Horror poured into him as the musician began to sing because how… “Happy birthday to you! Happy birth-”
Law abruptly swapped his violin with whatever was closest…which actually turned out to be a bucket. If a skeleton could somehow manage to look offended, this one was doing a very good job.
“Could it be that Law does not like my singing?”
“The singing I can deal with,” Law grumbled as he got to his feet, setting his sword against his shoulder. “It’s the song in particular.”
“But Luffy was very specific that this was my job!”
And just like that, all of Law’s worst fears had been confirmed. He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Straw Hat-ya put you up to this?”
“Indeed. But what is a birthday without a song? A celebration?”
Law grit his teeth, knowing he would just have to deal with it now. “And where is this…celebration?”
Brook laughed loudly. “I will only show you if you allow me to sing later.”
The surgeon smirked. “So I refuse I don’t have to go?”
“I guess not,” Brook agreed, Law proud of his victory until he added: “But do you really want to disappoint Luffy like that? He’s done his very best.”
Law froze. Well…shit. He couldn’t say no because it wouldn’t be worth the moping face, the crushing disappointment, the accusatory looks from his crew. And hey, at least it wasn’t a loud bar like Penguin and Shachi usually organised. Really, it couldn’t be so bad. He groaned.
“Alright, fine. You can sing Skeleton-ya. And show me where to go,” he requested, knowing Luffy had to be nearly exploding if he’d sent Brook to bring him in; which, clearly, he had.
Brook clapped him on the back and led him towards the galley; obvious really. The door was pushed open and a sheer bombardment of noise met his entry. Of course Luffy was at the front shouting “Surprise!” like his life depended on it. The others all chorused in with varying amounts of enthusiasm. Law smothered a wince, allowing Luffy to drag him to the dining table and show all the food Sanji had prepared. There was so much variety Law almost felt guilty. Surely it was too much for just him.
The cook came up beside him as Luffy was distracted by now actually being allowed to eat the food. “I didn’t know what you liked,” he explained with a shrug, “So I did a bit of everything. And what you don’t eat Luffy will so there’s really no downside.”
“I…I don’t eat much,” he mumbled. It sounded pathetic, even to him.
Sanji had a look on his face that showed he understood. “Yeah, but Luffy would expect this for him and so expects no less for any of his friends. You didn’t really get a choice.” He made to turn away before remembering something, snapping his fingers. “Oh, and there’s no cake but Luffy insisted on something so…you eat pavlova?”
He pointed at said dessert, white and perfectly ringed shape, topped with cream and an array of exotic fruits. Law fought back against the lump in his throat. “Yeah, I eat it.”
Sanji heard the meaning underneath; ‘thank you, truly’. He grinned, taking a drag of his cigarette. “Well, Luffy said it needed to be able to sustain candles so I hope you’re prepared to blow those out at some stage.”
Law balked at that but, like everything with this crew, he didn’t get a choice. He’d done so, cheeks tinted red even as everyone cheered. He’d been taken aback when Nami had handed him a present, saying it was Luffy’s idea and that he’d better damn well like it. Intrigued, Law had opened it, fingers momentarily pausing when he saw the patch stitched onto the back. “…you saved it.”
“Luffy said it was important to you,” Nami said offhandedly. “Just don’t wreck it again. I’m not magic you know.”
Law didn’t have any intention of doing so, hands running over the yellow jumper and its dark grey sleeves. The leather patch on the back was undeniably his favourite bit though, the word ‘Corazon’ all but blaring at him. He vowed to keep this one safe. He had just resumed eating his “cake” when Luffy approached him. The captain was grinning from ear to ear.
“Does Traffy like his party?”
To that face, Law couldn’t lie. “Yes. It’s nice.”
Luffy’s eyes widened a little before he plopped down with a quiet laugh. He was then handed something by one of Robin’s apparated limbs, yelling a ‘thank you’ her way before holding the thin package out to Law. “Um…so this is your other present. It’s…” he scratched at his neck nervously. “I hope it’s okay. It’s not meant to make you sad!”
Law was more than a little confused by that statement. A little more cautiously than he had with the previous one, Law unwrapped the gift. Being met with a blank white back, Law flipped it over before his throat closed over. He was very aware that he must have made some sort of noise because everyone suddenly went dead quiet. Law’s hands were shaking so badly he could barely flip through the photographs; five in all, each one of Cora-san. He wasn’t wearing the make-up Law was used to but he was smiling in every photo. Law put them onto the table reverently before sobbing into his hands. A hand was placed on his back, rubbing it gently.
“It’s okay Traffy.”
“Where did you get those?”
“I don’t know. Robin called some spy people, I think.”
Law nodded at that, too at a loss for words to say anything more. Flicking through the photos once more, he rubbed his eyes before turning and doing something that left everyone speechless: he pulled Luffy into a hug, burying his head into the other captain’s neck.
“Thank you, Luffy-ya.”
A hand simply ran through his hair. “Happy Birthday Traffy.”
It was, without a doubt, the best birthday Law had ever had.
***