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“The tests are quite conclusive, Mr. Donquixote,” the doctor said, and the green scales on her face reflected the fluorescent lights as she turned towards them. “Your son’s soul is taking on the aspect of a snow leopard, like we thought.”
She sounded apologetic, like Law’s soul was something pitiable. Law absentmindedly touched his fur-covered ears. They had been slowly moving higher up on his head over the last few months, and changing shape. It wasn’t painful, but the fur tickled.
“The good news is that the process is proceeding normally,” the doctor continued, aiming the conversation completely towards Cora. “Fourteen is a little late to come into one’s skin, but it isn’t unheard of. There should be no complications.”
Cora nodded and glanced at Law. “ Are you alright?” he signed, and Law just shrugged. The shape of his soul wasn’t a surprise. His mother’s soul aspect had been a snow leopard too, and these things tended to follow bloodlines. He had rather hoped it would be a dog like his father’s, though. It would have made his life so much easier.
“Now, as you may know, the Snow Leopard falls under the biological Felidae family, commonly referred to as ‘cats’,” the doctor continued, her unblinking eyes passing over Law for a moment before turning back to Cora. “While it belongs to a different subfamily than the much more common housecat soul aspects, you can expect the behaviour to be quite similar.”
Law watched the doctor give Cora a sympathetic look and hand him a pamphlet, titled “Help! My Teenager Is A Cat: A Guide For Parents Of Adolescents With Feline Soul Aspects” . On the cover was a scantily clad, pregnant teenage girl and two horrified parents. There were other, similar pamphlets for other soul aspects on her desk, but this one was at least three times as thick.
“It’s going to be tough, but don’t lose hope,” the doctor told Cora. “Many people with feline soul aspects end up going into perfectly respectable careers.”
Law wanted to throttle her, and Cora seemed to share the feeling. His feathers were raised in irritation, but he kept his cool until Law had dragged him out of the doctor’s office and back onto the streets. Then he lit the pamphlet on fire.
“There may have been something useful in there, you know,” Law said, but he’d be lying if he said he didn’t feel a sense of satisfaction as he watched the burning pamphlet fall down onto the snow-covered ground.
“I don’t need it,” Cora signed angrily. “The nerve of her, to insinuate you’re going to-”
“I'm fine, Cora,” Law signed back. “I knew it was going to be like this. I can handle it.”
“But you shouldn’t have to,” Cora signed.
Law just shook his head. “Come on, let’s head home.”
***
There was a kid standing outside in nothing but pyjamas.
Law stopped in his tracks, looking around for a parent, a guardian, any adult who could handle the situation, but he couldn’t see anyone. It was just him, the kid and a light snowfall slowly covering them both.
Law didn’t want to deal with this. He had had a shitty week at school, had just recovered from a stubborn flu, and was still upset about his soul aspect diagnosis from that morning. Law didn’t want to be responsible or helpful and definitely didn’t want to interact with children.
Cursing to himself, Law sighed and walked over to the kid, who was trying to catch the snowflakes with his hands, laughing as they melted.
“You’re going to freeze your toes off,” he said as he approached. He expected the kid to be scared of him, hopefully scared enough to run back inside.
Instead, the kid looked up at him with a wide smile. “It’s snow! ”
Law raised an eyebrow. “Yes,” he said impatiently. “It’s snowing. It’s -10 degrees, and you’re going to freeze to death dressed like that. Go home.”
The kid didn’t seem to hear him, instead pointing towards the skates in Law’s hand, eyes wide in fascination. “What are those? ”
“Ice skates. You use them to skate on the ice,” Law said. “Where do you live? We need to get you inside.”
“Oh,” the kid said, looking around with a frown. “I live over there.”
He pointed towards the apartment building. The same one Law and Cora lived in, but Law didn’t remember seeing the kid before. It didn’t really matter. The kid needed to get inside while he still had toes left.
“Come on,” Law said, reaching down for the kid’s hand. “Let’s go.”
The kid took his hand, though he didn’t look happy about it. “But I wanted to play in the snow! I’ve never seen snow before!”
“There’s been snow for the last three weeks,” Law said, hurrying towards the door with a firm grip on the kid’s hand.
“Yeah, but we only got here yesterday, and I was asleep in the car,” the kid said, then added, like had just realised it: “It’s kind of cold.”
“It’s cold, yes,” Law snorted. “You need to be dressed properly to play in the snow.”
“So if I dress right, I can build snowmen. And go ice skating,” the kid said slowly, like he was considering the merits of it. Law was amused despite himself as he pushed in the door code and dragged the kid inside.
“Which apartment is yours?” Law asked. The kid just frowned. “You don’t know?”
The kid shook his head, and Law sighed deeply, and headed towards the first door to knock. He hadn’t signed up for this. He had just been planning to go skating on the lake for an hour or so to clear his head. And now he was going door to door, trying to find whoever the kid belonged to.
It took six doors to find the right one. A while after he knocked, a large, muscular man opened the last door. He looked like he might have a gorilla soul, and like he had just woken up. Both of which were a bit concerning. Law wasn’t sure what gorilla soul aspects usually meant in terms of behaviour, but he sure looked intimidating.
“Who are you and why do you have Luffy?” the man asked, yawning widely.
“Your kid was outside in the snow in his pyjamas,” Law said. He attempted to hand the kid over, but the kid just ducked under the man’s arm and ran off into the apartment. “Give him a lukewarm bath, specifically for his feet, and something warm to drink. Contact a doctor if there are any issues.”
With that, Law turned around to head down the stairs.
“Hey, brat!” the man shouted after him, and Law stopped to look at him. “Do you want a babysitting gig?”
“Absolutely not,” Law said with feeling, then continued down the stairs, not looking back. The strange kid was no longer his concern.
***
Or so he thought, at least. Fate had other plans. Two days later, he was on the frozen lake nearby, lazily skating around in circles, when he saw the kid again. He was alone, like last time, but he seemed dressed for the weather so Law didn’t pay him much mind. He had even brought skates, and was sitting on the shore putting them on.
No, wait! Those were not skates! Those were regular shoes with knives taped to the underside of the soles. Horrified at what he was seeing, Law hurriedly skated towards the kid.
He didn’t make it in time. The kid yelled in pain as he cut his hand on one of the knives and Law swore to himself as he skated up to him. Not a parent in sight, of course.
“Let me see,” Law said, kneeling by the kid, who looked up at him in surprise. He had tears in his eyes, but wasn’t fully crying.
“Hey! It’s you!”
“It’s me,” Law confirmed. “Let me see your hand.”
The kid held up his hand to him. “I’m Luffy. What’s your name?”
“Trafalgar Law,” Law said, while inspecting the cut. It wasn’t deep. Disinfectant and a bandaid would be enough. “What were you thinking, taping knives to your shoes?”
“I don’t have skates like yours, Tra- Tro- Torao,” Luffy said. “So I figured it would work.”
“It doesn’t,” Law said, ignoring the name. Lacking any better supplies, he gave Luffy a napkin to hold against the cut while Law quickly changed shoes, then took Luffy’s healthy hand to lead him back to the apartment building.
“Why isn’t your dad with you?” Law asked as they walked.
“Dad? I don’t think I have a dad,” Luffy said, giving him a confused look. “I’m here with Gramps.”
“Alright, why isnt your Gramps with you?” Law amended.
“He had to go to work,” Luffy said, apparently unbothered by that fact. “That’s why we’re here. He has some work-thing so we’re staying for a month.”
“I see,” Law sighed. No helping it, then. He couldn’t exactly abandon the kid to do more stupid stuff and possibly get himself seriously injured, so Law took Luffy back to his and Cora’s apartment to patch him up and keep an eye on him until his Gramps came home.
And then I’m going to give that old man a piece of my mind. I don’t care if he’s five times my size.
Keeping an eye on Luffy was easier said than done. The kid was an endless bundle of energy, practically bouncing around the apartment from the second they entered. Law idly wondered what shape his soul would take when he reached puberty. A dog, maybe? One of the small, energetic ones.
Law was only just coming into his skin himself. He was developing a bit late, a result of the childhood illness that had wrecked his immune system. His tail was short enough to not be noticeable yet, but Law knew he would either need a new wardrobe or start to alter his existing trousers soon. His ears had grown fur over the course of the last month and had almost reached their final position high on his head, but they were still small and easily covered by a hat.
Luffy still looked at them with great interest when Law took off his hat inside the apartment.
“Oooh, you have fluffy ears!” he exclaimed. “What are you?”
“I’m still getting there, we’re not sure yet,” he lied. He wasn’t sure why he felt the need to hide it, especially from a small child, but people were sometimes weird around cats, and he had only gotten the diagnosis a few days ago. Maybe he just wanted to pretend it wasn’t happening while he still could.
“It’s going to be something cool,” Luffy said, voice full of conviction. “I hope I get something cool too.”
Law hoped he would. Not that any of them got any choice in it.
***
Despite Law’s best efforts to scold, yell at and threaten to call CPS on Luffy’s Gramps, he somehow ended up babysitting several times over the month the two stayed in the same apartment building. It was never official, and he didn’t get paid for it. Luffy would just show up at his door, and announce that they were going to play in the snow. Or build a snowman. Or go ice skating. Apparently, his irresponsible idiot of a Gramps had actually bought the kid a pair of skates, and Law just knew Luffy would sneak out alone if Law refused to go with him, and would probably break his skull on the ice in the process. So Law went with him, and made sure he wore a helmet at least.
“You worry too much, Torao. It will be fine,” Luffy laughed at him, and then proceeded to fall on his face hard enough to lose a tooth. Law was horrified, but Luffy kept laughing. “Hey, that one has been loose for days! It finally fell out.”
How Luffy kept such a joyful attitude with such a neglectful parent, Law would never know.
When the month was up and the pair headed back to East Blue Law was relieved to see them go. He wasn’t made for babysitting, and keeping up with Luffy’s endless energy was exhausting.
Still, he would have been lying if he said he didn’t miss him a little.
***
15 years later
Law should have expected the phone call the moment Dr. Kureha told him to take Christmas off. He was expecting it, but didn’t think it would happen so soon. It had only been a few hours since Dr. Kureha talked to him, and already Doflamingo’s name lit up the screen on his phone. His uncle must have a spy in the hospital.
Law sighed as he accepted the call. “What do you want?” he asked in lieu of a greeting, hearing Doffy laugh on the other end.
“Do I need to want something to call my favourite nephew?” Doffy said.
Law grit his teeth, tail flicking in irritation. “The evidence points to ’yes’.”
“So suspicious,” Doffy said, and Law could hear his grin in his voice. “I heard you’re not working this Christmas, Law.”
No use denying it, he supposed. “How did you know?”
“Let’s just say a little bird told me,” Doffy chuckled. “This means I will be expecting you at the annual holiday party on Christmas Eve.”
“Fine,” Law said. There would be hell to pay if he declined, he knew that. Besides, Cora was going. He always insisted he was fine alone, and he was much better at dealing with the bullshit than Law was, but Law knew Cora would appreciate him being there.
“Will you be bringing a date?” Doffy asked, and Law could hear that infuriating smirk in his voice.
“I imagine if I don’t, you will provide one. Again.”
Doffy’s laugh sounded positively delighted. “I do have a business partner who would be very interested in making your acquaintance.”
Law hissed in annoyance. “Tough luck. I’m bringing a date.”
He heard Doffy click his tongue. “I swear, Law, that feline soul is wasted on you.”
“Wouldn’t exactly have been my choice, either,” Law grunted. “But it’s not like I could control what form my soul would take.”
“You’re really not making the best of it, either,” Doffy sighed dramatically. “You have an advantage, and you should use it.”
“...for your benefit, I assume,” Law said. “No thanks.”
In Law’s experience, it had never been an advantage anyway. The opposite, more often than not. His cute ears and fluffy tail may have been useful for charming Doffy’s business partners, but Law was a doctor, and had worked hard to be taken seriously as one.
“Then I look forward to seeing what date you will bring,” Doffy said, in a tone that suggested he knew Law was bluffing. “I’ll see you at the party.”
Law hung up. He sank down in his chair, suddenly exhausted. He fought down the childish urge to bite his own tail for comfort, settling for just breathing instead. Doffy always managed to get under his skin, somehow.
He had time to take a few calming breaths before the door to the break room opened and Bepo, Shachi and Penguin entered.
“Hi, Law, your ears are low. What’s wrong?”
Law sighed. He couldn’t hide anything from them, it seemed. “Kureha is forcing me to take time off over Christmas.”
“You realise anyone else would be ecstatic over that, right?” Shachi said as he headed to the fridge to get his lunch, and casually threw a wrapped sandwich in Penguin’s direction.
Penguin caught it, nodded. “Yeah, you’ve worked the last… three Christmases?”
“Four. And the coffee should still be hot, Bepo. I brewed it five minutes ago,” Law said. “It’s not even about Christmas itself, she is just forcing me to use my paid time off.”
“Good. When was the last time you had a break, Law?” Bepo asked as he filled his coffee mug, and Law honestly couldn’t remember.
“Sometime last spring?” he tried, to shouts from his friends.
“For fuck’s sake, Law!” Shachi exclaimed, mouth full of food.
“You’re going to burn out,” Penguin said. “If Kureha is forcing you to take time off, you’re probably already smoking.”
“Fine, fine, I get it,” Law relented, leaning back in his chair to stare up at the roof. “I wish she’d let me work Christmas Eve, at least. Now I have no excuse to avoid my uncle’s party.”
“That bad, huh?” Shachi asked.
“He’s already talking about a date,” Law said. “It was annoying enough last time. If I don’t bring someone, Doffy is going to try to set me up with one of his business partners again. I’m not made for schmoozing.”
“We’re all going to be working, or one of us could come with you,” Bepo said sadly.
“It’s fine, I’m not going to subject any of my friends to Doffy’s party,” Law said, flicking his tail. “And it wouldn’t help, anyway. He knows we’re just friends, so he would still push his disgusting acquaintances on me.” He groaned. “I don’t want a date. Just kill me now.”
“No can do,” Shachi said, patting Law’s head twice before Law managed to duck away. “You’re just going to have to find your own date.”
Penguin snorted. “That reminds me, I saw a funny ad on Kriegslist the other day,” he said. “ Mad at your dad? Don’t want to go to any more family parties? Tired of questions about when you’re getting married? Hire me to be your terrible date and they will never ask again!’ or something to that effect.”
Shachi and Bepo laughed, but it piqued Law’s interest.
“Show me,” he said.
“Law, you're not thinking what it sounds like you’re thinking?”
“Oh, I absolutely am,” Law grinned. “I was already considering hiring someone, this sounds way better. Just think: if this guy is that bad, maybe Doffy won’t even want to invite me again next year.”
“I’ll see if I can find it again,” Penguin said. “And you need to tell us the full story afterwards.”
“Deal.”
***
Law really wasn’t sure what he expected from a person with such an insane ad, but the guy who met him at the café a few days before the party looked surprisingly normal, apart from being underdressed for the weather. Seriously, who wears sandals in December?
He wasn’t bad looking, Law supposed. More cute than handsome, but it wouldn’t be too strange for him to appear as Law’s date. He looked vaguely familiar, too. Law was sure he had seen him before, but couldn’t place him. It took Law a moment to identify any soul characteristics, then he noticed the tail. Long, thin, and curled into a spiral behind him.
Huh . It wasn’t every day you saw a monkey.
Especially around these latitudes. People’s soul aspects tended to roughly correspond to the animals native to the region or animals they were often around, but sometimes immigrant families could keep their native animals in their bloodlines for generations.
The guy gave him a wide grin as he approached. “Hi! You’re Torao, right? I’m Luffy.”
“Trafalgar Law,” Law corrected him, with a strange sense of deja-vu.
“That’s what I said,” Luffy shrugged, and Law was already irritated. Which was perfect, he supposed. Doffy would hate this guy.
“So, do you do this a lot?” Law asked instead of commenting.
“Nah, but I needed to make some money fast so Nami wrote me that ad,” Luffy laughed. “I didn’t think someone would actually answer, but here we are.”
“Indeed,” Law said. “So, some information: I need you to be my date to a party hosted by my uncle. It’s a cocktail dress event, but I don’t care what you wear. I don’t even care what you do at the party, except for two things: do not be rude to Cora, and don’t break anything. Things in my uncle’s place are expensive.”
“I can do that,” Luffy said. “Who’s Cora?”
“I’ll point him out when we get to the party,” Law said. “Any other questions?”
“Sure,” Luffy said. “You’re kinda pretty. How come you need to hire a date for this?”
“Because I want Doffy to never bother me about dates again,” Law said. “Or preferably, never invite me to his Christmas parties again.”
Luffy laughed. “You’re strange, Torao. But don’t worry. I’ll help you out.”
***
Law looked up the characteristics of monkey soul aspects when he got home. The book said: playful, family oriented, stubborn and aggressively protective. Common physical augmentations: increased flexibility, ease climbing, using tail and/or feet as hands. Common occupations: construction, rescue services, entertainment (circus).
That sounded about right, he supposed, but he knew better than to think that was all there was to know about Luffy. The book described common traits, after all. And, in some cases, prejudices.
Law knew without looking what the book said about cats like himself. Independent, self-assured, fickle, high libido. Common physical augmentations: increased balance, increased control of body movements, improved night vision. Common occupations: athlete (dancing), entertainment (sex industry).
Complete and utter bullshit. But people believed it, unfortunately. He tended to wear a hat to cover his ears when going out to bars with his friends, or some asshole would inevitably approach him thinking he was an easy lay. As if Law had any interest in sex at all.
Doffy didn’t care, of course. That’s why it was so important for Law to bring a date, or he would be set up with some random “important” person with a fetish. Doffy didn’t ask Law to actually sleep with them, but he would want Law to give them a chance, and to be polite towards them for the evening.
Dealing with the Christmas rush at the hospital was preferable. He might still get inappropriate comments, but for the most part the people spending Christmas at the ER had bigger concerns than the perceived sex-appeal of their doctor.
***
He picked up Luffy on the way to Doffy’s mansion, and was unsurprised to see him still wearing the same sandals. The long red coat covered the rest of his outfit, but it looked like he was wearing back slacks at least. Law wasn’t really sure that mattered when combined with Luffy’s choice of footwear.
“It’s freezing outside. How are you not cold?” Law asked when Luffy entered the car.
Luffy just gave him a confused look. “I’m wearing a big coat and a hat. Oh, and I have a big scarf.”
“I mean your shoes. How do you still have all your toes?” Law asked, and Luffy just laughed.
“I’d go barefoot if I could, but it’s a bit too cold for that,” he said. “It’s a monkey thing. I like being able to move my toes freely.”
Law nodded. Soul aspects made people do weird things, he supposed. “It’s unusual to see a monkey aspect in North Blue,” he said instead. “Are you or your family from the south?”
“East Blue,” Luffy corrected. “Yeah, I’m just staying for a few months. Everyone else went off to work or study or whatever so I figured I’d travel alone for a bit.”
“Not sure Spider Miles is considered a great travel destination, but I suppose the hotels are cheap,” Law said dryly, and Luffy laughed.
“Yeah, but the food is expensive.”
They reached the mansion shortly thereafter, and the servant opening the door gave Law a nod and Luffy a long look before letting them in. They had barely made it inside before Law saw his uncle approaching, his pink feathers making him seem bigger than he actually was. Which was already big enough.
“Law! There you are. I was just wondering-” Doffy looked down at Luffy. “You actually brought a date?”
“I said I would, didn’t I?” Law said, smirking at the dismayed expression on Doffy’s face. “This is Luffy.”
“Nice to meet you,” Luffy said, giving a little wave rather than going for a handshake, bless him. Doffy already looked sour, and his feathers were ruffled as he pulled Law aside.
“You brought a monkey as you date?” Doffy squawked at him.
“What’s wrong with monkeys?” Law asked innocently, fighting to keep the smirk off his face.
“Don’t get cute with me, Law,” Doffy sneered, feathers puffed up in an attempt to intimidate. It would probably have worked, if Law wasn’t already used to his tactics.
“You shouldn’t judge people based on their soul aspects,” Law said. “Wasn’t that what you told me last time, when you handed me over to that bull a few years back?”
“At least he had connections. Who even is this brat?”
“He is my date, ” Law said. “That’s all.”
Doffy huffed. “We’ll see how long that lasts,” he said, then stalked off to talk to his more important guests. Law tried hard not to look smug.
Luffy was waiting for Law with his hands in his pockets. “What was that all about?”
“You,” Law said honestly, grinning as he leaned closer to whisper: “It’s working. Keep it up.”
Luffy gave him a confused look.“I haven’t even done anything yet.”
“Just be you. That seems to be enough,” Law said, tail swinging in amusement. This was a promising beginning of the evening
Luffy laughed. “Yeah, that’s pretty much what Nami said. Is there food? I’m starving.”
“Of course. Follow me,” Law said, leading Luffy towards the ballroom.
Law noticed Cora sitting alone on the way to the buffet table filled with appetisers. Dinner would be served later, but it was a generous spread, and Law could practically see Luffy’s mouth watering as they got closer.
“Come meet Cora first,” Law said, steering Luffy away from the food and in the direction of Law’s adoptive father. Law had warned him he was bringing a date, but Cora still looked surprised as they approached.
“Who is this?” Cora signed.
“This is Luffy,” Law said, then looked at his date. “This is my father, Cora. He is mute, but he can hear just fine.”
“Oh! You’re who Torao said not to be rude to,” Luffy said, smiling like there was nothing wrong with his previous statement. “Nice to meet you.”
“Likewise,” Cora signed, matching Luffy’s smile before giving Law a weird, almost conspiratorial look. Law wondered if Cora had seen through him.
“Go eat,” Law told Luffy, who was already inching in the direction of the buffet table. “But leave room for dinner. And don’t break anything.”
“I know, I won’t,” Luffy said, then bounced off. Law looked after him for a second before Cora got his attention.
“Is that- what, Cora? I didn’t get that?” Law asked.
“ Is that the boy who followed you around that winter when you were 14? ” Cora asked. Law blinked. He looked at Cora, then at Luffy, then back at Cora again.
“ You didn’t realise? ” Cora signed.
“ I didn’t. I’m still not sure ,” Law signed back. He felt a little off-balance. He had almost forgotten about that kid, but now that Cora mentioned it, it made so much sense. Law had thought he recognised him from somewhere, and his name had been Luffy, right?
Cora smiled. “ Either way, I like him. ”
Law looked over to where Luffy was constantly eating something new, even as he was talking to Baby 5 and her fiancé. He was using his tail to grab a whole plate of food from the table.
“ Really? ” Law signed in disbelief.
“ He’s a breath of fresh air. You should keep him, ” Cora signed.
“And you’re not saying that just because Doffy looks like he swallowed a lemon? ”
“ It certainly doesn’t hurt. ” Cora laughed. Law gave him a smirk in response, and kissed Cora’s cheek before making his way towards his disruptive date.
“Hey, Luffy,” Law said. “A word?”
“Sure, Torao,” Luffy said, mouth full of an unholy mix of smoked salmon, ham, shrimp and olives. “What’s up?”
“Weird question,” Law said. “Did you stay in Swallow Island over the winter once when you were- I don’t know, seven? years old?”
“Yeah, why?” Luffy said, then his eyes went wide. “Wait a second! You ARE Torao! The ORIGINAL Torao!”
“And you are the kid who taped knives to his shoes,” Law concluded. “Wow. Small world.”
“This is great!” Luffy laughed, throwing his arms around Law. “I didn’t recognise you at all. You didn’t use to have ears that big!”
“You didn’t use to have the tail,” Law countered. He didn’t return the hug, but he patted Luffy’s back briefly before taking a step back.
“That’s true, but I was seven,” Luffy said, unfazed by being pushed away. “ You were already big.”
“I wasn’t that big. I was still coming into my skin,” Law shrugged. “Besides, I tried to cover things up.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Because it was cold,” Law said. “And because I’m a cat.”
“Oh! Right, Nami says that can be troublesome,” Luffy nodded. “She’s a cat, too. Though she’s a cat cat. You’re a …tiger?”
“Snow leopard,” Law corrected. “Not that the distinction really matters to most people.”
“Yeah, people are just people,” Luffy agreed. “I like your ears, though. They are cute.”
“Thanks, I suppose,” Law sighed, lowering his ears a bit. It wasn't that he didn’t appreciate the compliment, but… Well, that’s how it always went, wasn’t it? “I like your ears. Wanna head somewhere private?”
Luffy frowned at him for a moment, then his face broke into a wide grin. “Dance with me,”
Law raised his ears in surprise. “What?”
“Dance with me,” Luffy repeated. “It’s a party, there’s music and you look miserable. So let’s dance!”
He started pulling Law out on the dancefloor, and Law followed. He could have pulled back. He was sure this would be embarrassing, but he doubted Doffy would approve of whatever dance Luffy had in mind. And wasn’t that the point of it all?
***
Doffy didn’t slam the door behind them when they left, but it was a near thing. Law couldn’t help but smile. Mission accomplished.
“Let me drive you back, and I’ll give you the money,” Law said.
“Oh. Alright,” Luffy said. He laughed a bit as they got into the car. “I had almost forgotten that’s why I was here. Did I do a good job?”
“Yes. Doffy hated you,” Law said, starting the engine up and putting the heater on max. “I doubt he is going to pester me about dates again anytime soon.”
“Oh,” Luffy said, and his shoulders slumped. He looked sad, and it just looked wrong on him.
“Listen,” Law said. “My uncle is a stuck up, elitist asshole who only thinks of people in terms of how much he can get out of them. Him not liking you is a good thing.”
“I don’t really care what he thinks for me,” Luffy said, though he sat up straight again, seeming to be in higher spirits already.
Law pulled over by the hotel he had picked Luffy up at earlier in the evening, and handed him the envelope with the money. All cash, as agreed.
Luffy seemed to hesitate to take it. “It seems weird,” he said. “That’s a lot of money and I didn’t do anything.”
“You did me a big favour, and it’s what we agreed on,” Law said. “Besides, didn’t your friend come up with this whole idea because you needed money?”
“That’s true,” Luffy nodded, and put the envelope into his jacket.
“You have plans for it, I take it?” Law asked, and Luffy looked at him with a strange expression.
“I did,” he said. “But I think I’ve changed my mind.”
Law raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”
“Yeah,” Luffy said, grinning widely. “Thanks, Torao. I’ll see you soon.”
He gave Law one final smile before heading out of the car. Law didn’t manage more than a “bye” before Luffy was bouncing down the street, his breath forming a cloud behind him. Strange, Law thought, how the car seemed colder without him.
Law noticed Luffy wasn’t heading into the hotel, but rather further down the street. Law thought nothing of it. It was a smart move, not letting the weird guy who hired him for a date know where he was staying.
The street was calm, so Law made an illegal u-turn and headed home, planning to spend what was left of Christmas Eve alone under a blanket with a warm drink and a good book.
***
Law didn’t expect to hear from Luffy again. There was no reason he should, their business was concluded, after all. But the following day his phone rang, and Luffy’s name showed on the screen.
“Hello?” Law asked, a little unsure. He wondered if he had miscounted the money or something.
“Hi, Torao,” Luffy said. “Do you wanna go ice-skating?”
Law’s ears twitched. He hadn’t expected that.
“I don’t need another date,” he said uncertainly.
“It’s not a date. We’re friends, right?” Luffy said, and wow, Law should have realised immediately who he was. His voice was older, but he sounded exactly like he did fifteen years ago, when turning up at Law’s door and demanding to play.
Law hesitated. “We’ve met twice.”
“Nuh-uh, we’ve met plenty of times,” Luffy argued.
“When we were kids doesn’t count. It was fifteen years ago,” Law said.
“So? It counts. We’re friends,” Luffy said stubbornly. “So do you want to go ice-skating?”
Law sighed, and gave in. “Fine. Where do you want to meet up?”
***
It had been years since Law last stood on the ice with blades at his feet. Too long, perhaps. He was far less steady than he used to be, carefully making his way forward in his old, worn skates. Still, he was a cat, and he had kept his balance so far. Which was more than could be said for Luffy.
“Torao! Help!” Luffy yelped, as he failed to get up from the ice for the third time. Law sighed deeply, but took pity on him. He helped Luffy up, careful so he wouldn’t fall himself.
“You haven’t improved over the last decade,” Law said.
“I haven’t skated over the last decade. Well, not on ice at least,” Luffy said. “And I feel weird with my toes all bundled together in the skates. It’s like my feet aren’t moving right.”
“That’s just how skates work,” Law said. “Come on, I’ll hold your arm. We’ll go slow.”
Luffy laughed. “Just like when we were kids,” he said, and Law couldn’t help the small smile on his lips.
“Something like that, but we’re both adults now,” he said, as he carefully moved them forward on the ice, watching Luffy’s legs slowly drift in the wrong direction. “So try not to fall on me. Use your tail for balance.”
“I’m trying,” Luffy said. “You make it look so easy.”
“I’m a cat! Balance and grace is what we do, ” Law pointed out. Not that he was particularly graceful for someone with his soul aspect, but it came naturally. That was part of the reason for the feline reputation, Law supposed. People saw them move with natural precision and grace, and thought they were being seduced.
“Torao,” Luffy whined, shaking Law out of his thoughts. “Where did you go?”
“I’m right here,” Law said, confused.
“Yeah, now. But you went somewhere far away for a bit, and I think I’m going to fall again.”
Cursing, Law did his best to correct Luffy’s position.
They skated for over two hours, and Law was honestly surprised when he checked the time and realised it had been that long. He was having fun , he supposed. He had forgotten how much he used to enjoy skating, and Luffy was good company, despite his lack of skating skills.
When Luffy suggested they go get food afterwards, Law said yes without hesitation. The exercise and cold air had left him hungry.
Not as hungry as Luffy was, it seemed. Law had been a bit worried he had been either putting on a show or actually starving yesterday at the party with how much food he ate, but looking at him now, gulfing down burgers with reckless abandon, he supposed that was just who Luffy was. He vaguely remembered Luffy eating a lot as a kid as well.
Law, on his part, was happy to stick to fries. “So, what are your plans for tonight?”
“What do you mean?” Luffy asked between bites.
“Christmas day,” Law clarified. “Dinner plans? Long distance call with family?”
“Nah, my family doesn’t really do Christmas,” Luffy said. “Are you going to spend time with Cora?”
Law shook his head. “No, I usually work over Christmas so we do the whole family dinner thing around New Years. It's a tradition now.”
“Then let’s keep hanging out!” Luffy said enthusiastically. “We could build a snowman!”
“Luffy, I haven’t built a snowman since…” Law trailed off, thinking about it. “Since I last babysat you, I think.”
“Well, you’re not babysitting me now, ” Luffy pointed out. “Come on, it’ll be fun. I never see snow in East Blue.”
“Alright,” Law relented. “But just a small one.”
Luffy grinned.
***
It wasn’t a small one.
Luffy was building a monstrosity of epic proportions, and Law was stuck helping him. At this point he was just curious to see what the end result would be. A mess, he suspected. The snow was too dry to be very moldable, and the pile making up the base of the snowman was rather lopsided. It sure didn’t look like Luffy had a plan to shape it beyond “add more snow”.
Luffy’s face was getting red from the cold, and despite his insistence that he was fine, Law was worried about his feet. After an hour or so Law declared the project done, and Luffy didn’t argue.
“I call it the great monster Oars,” Luffy said proudly, and Law supposed it looked kinda like a monster. If he tilted his head and squinted.
Well, it wasn’t like he had any artistic talent to speak of, either. Law supposed he shouldn’t judge.
“I’m hungry. We should get food,” Luffy announced, and Law stared at him.
“We ate an hour ago.”
“Yeah, but I’m hungry again,” Luffy said.
Law frowned. “Is that why you needed money? Because you spend a fortune on food?”
Luffy laughed. “Nah. Or well, kinda, I suppose,” he said. “Well, if you don’t want to eat yet, we should-”
“No,” Law said firmly. “We’re heading inside. It's getting dark anyway.”
“Sure, if you want. Where?”
“Home,” Law said. “Come on, it’s not far.”
Luffy grinned widely, and followed along, almost skipping where he walked beside Law. It was strange how differently he moved, Law thought. Like he was always happy. He wondered if that was the monkey aspect or just Luffy.
It was a relief to get inside from the cold. Law was used to it, and it didn’t bother him much, but that didn’t mean he enjoyed being cold for extended periods of time. Especially not with wet gloves from rolling snowballs.
Ironic, he supposed, that Luffy seemed to handle the cold better than he did despite Law having dealt with it his whole life. Law blamed his terrible immune system and the childhood illness that caused it.
“Ooh! Your place is big, Torao,” Luffy said, kicking off his sandals as he walked inside. His feet seemed fine, somehow. Law didn’t understand it.
“I’m going to make tea,” he said instead of commenting. “You should have some.”
“Sure, Torao,” Luffy smiled. “You really like taking care of people, don’t you?”
Law stopped. That wasn’t something he was accused of often. Most people considered him rude and standoffish and anti-social. “I’m a doctor,” he said. “Occupational hazard.”
“You weren’t a doctor when you were a kid,” Luffy pointed out. “I think it’s just who you are.”
That…that didn’t really fit with the perception Law had of himself. But he supposed Luffy hadn’t seen him at his worst.
Not yet, a voice said inside him, and Law pushed it away, concentrating on the tea instead.
They spent the rest of the evening on Law’s couch, talking about nothing in particular while the light snowfall outside got heavier, until the world outside was a mess of white and grey. At one point Law, unwilling to throw Luffy out into that weather, made both of them a simple dinner, which Luffy practically inhaled. Law had no idea where he put it all.
The next time Law checked the time, it was almost midnight.
“I didn’t realise it had gotten this late,” he said, and Luffy seemed as surprised as he was.
“Oh. I should probably leave, then,” he said, and got on his feet. “This was so much fun. Can I see you again tomorrow?”
“Sure,” Law said. It wasn’t like he had any plans for his vacation anyway. If Luffy hadn’t distracted him, he had no idea how he would have spent the day. Catching up on medical journals, probably. Kureha had been right, he really needed a break.
Law glanced outside the window, and the snowstorm was still going strong. “Where are you staying? Is it far?”
“Um, kinda,” Luffy said, and there was a strange expression on his face. He avoided looking at Law. “It’s not that bad, I’ll manage.”
Law narrowed his eyes. “Do you want to stay the night?” he asked, and then quickly, in case Luffy got any ideas: “On the couch, I mean.”
“Can I?” Luffy asked, smiling brightly. “That would be great!”
He seemed very happy at the prospect. Looking outside again, Law couldn’t exactly blame him.
***
He woke up with a start, covered in sweat and tangled in his sheets as he struggled to catch his breath. Another nightmare. Law covered his face with his hands, finding tears still running down his face. It had been almost twenty years since Flevance burned and Law still dreamed about it.
Looking over at his phone, he saw that it was just past 4 am. He had managed to get a few hours of sleep at least. He rolled out of bed, legs shaking slightly as he got on his feet and headed to the kitchen to make coffee. He was just standing there, staring absently at the dark liquid dripping slowly into the pan, when a noise behind him made him jump.
“Torao?”
Law turned around, trying to calm his startled heart. It was just Luffy. Luffy who had stayed over. Law had forgotten he was there.
“Are you okay, Torao?” Luffy asked. He looked sleepy but concerned, standing there Law’s t-shirt and sweatpants, neither of which were his size.
“I’m fine,” Law said, running a hand through his hair to smooth it down again. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“Why are you making coffee in the middle of the night?” Luffy asked. “You look upset. What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing, just a nightmare,” Law said dismissively. “But I won’t be able to go back asleep.”
“Oh. Do you want help with that?” Luffy asked, and Law wondered if he was being propositioned.
“I- it's fine,” he said.
“You sure? I have a friend who gets nightmares, she says it helps calm her down,” Luffy said. “I can avoid touching your ears if they are sensitive.”
Ears? Law frowned. “What are you suggesting?”
Luffy smiled widely. “Come on, I’ll show you,” he said, reaching for Law’s hand. After a moment of hesitation, Law took it.
Luffy led him back to the living room and sat him down on the floor in front of the couch, then sat down on the couch right behind him. Law was vaguely reminded of that time Shachi had cut Law’s hair while they were in university together, but at least Luffy didn’t have scissors.
Instead, Law could feel Luffy’s fingers in his hair, gently running his hand over his scalp. Law wasn’t usually fond of people touching him (no, that was a lie, Law wasn’t fond of people touching him without his permission ) but this felt nice. Relaxing. Just like Luffy had said.
“Is this a monkey thing?” he asked, trying and failing not to lean into the touch a bit.
Luffy laughed. “I’m not sure. Not entirely, I don’t think. Can I touch your ears?”
“Sure, but don’t twist them,” Law agreed. He hated to admit it, but he was melting under Luffy’s hands. It was an innocent touch, but it felt good.
Luffy made a delighted noise as he dragged his fingers over Law’s ears. “They are so soft and fluffy!” he exclaimed. It wasn’t something Law enjoyed being reminded of, but he was too relaxed under Luffy’s hands to feel self-conscious about it.
“My tail is fluffier,” he said instead.
“Yeah?” Luffy asked, and shifted position behind him a bit. His hands didn’t move from Law’s head, but he felt something touch his tail. Luffy’s own tail, he realised. Long and flexible enough to wrap itself around Law’s tail.
“It is! ” Luffy laughed happily. “Not fair! Mine isn’t fluffy at all!”
Law gently ran his fingers over Luffy’s tail. It was true, the hair on it was short and kind of coarse, but it felt nice under his fingertips.
Luffy giggled. “That tickles, Torao.”
Law dragged his fingers over Luffy’s tail again, just to be a jerk. “You touched my tail first,” he pointed out. “Still, much easier to keep clean, I bet. Everything gets stuck in mine.”
Luffy chuckled, and let his fingers run down Law’s head down his neck and onto his shoulders. “Should I continue?”
Law hesitated. “As long as you’re aware it won’t go any further than this. I’m not interested in sex. At all.”
Law waited for the usual reaction, the “does that mean you’re a virgin?”, the “you just haven’t met the right person”, or the “what do you mean? Everyone likes sex.” Or his personal favourite: “But you’re a cat! ”
It didn’t come. Instead, Luffy gave him a bright smile.
“Don’t worry, Torao. I’m not trying to have sex with you,” Luffy said easily, letting his hands wander over Law’s shoulder before taking a firm grip, thumbs kneading into his muscles. “I’m not interested in that either.”
“Oh,” Law said. “Good.”
“But,” Luffy continued. “I am interested in you. Is that okay?”
Law looked behind him, at the strange man who had re-entered his life in such a weird fashion, and yet felt like he belonged there. Whose tail was still curled around Law’s.
“I’m not making any promises,” he said slowly. “But yes, it’s okay.”
Luffy grinned happily in response, and leaned down to place his head on top of Law’s, his forehead in between Law’s ears. It wasn’t a kiss, but felt intimate.
The coffee maker beeped in the kitchen, indicating it was ready, but Law was content to remain where he was for now.
***
The snow had stopped during the night, but was still thick on the ground when Law and Luffy went out for breakfast a few hours later. They were wading through snow up to their ankles. Luffy had, on Law’s insistence, borrowed a pair of winter boots. They were actually Cora’s, left behind at some point last winter, and Law was a little disturbed to find out his giant of an adoptive father and Luffy had the same shoe size.
Law felt Luffy curl his tail around Law’s again as they walked. It encircled Law’s tail a few times around, far more flexible than Law’s tail was.
“You’re going to make me lose my balance,” Law warned him, but Luffy just gave him a grin.
“Don’t worry. If you fall, I’ll catch you. Promise.”
Law actually believed him.
They went to a small cafe a few blocks from Law’s apartment. Law wasn’t exactly a regular, but he had been there a couple of times, and developed a taste for their tea blends. Luffy, as expected, loaded up on a very carb-filled breakfast.
“You should eat more, Torao,” Luffy told him, and Law eyed his rapidly disappearing mountain of pastries with a raised eyebrow.
“You should eat less, ” he said. “There will be hell to pay when your metabolism slows down when you get older if you keep eating like this.”
“I’m hungry, though,” Luffy argued, and Law supposed he couldn’t say anything to that.
“Do you want me to drive you to your hotel after this?” Law asked instead.
“Nah, it’s okay,” Luffy said between bites. “I want to keep hanging out with you.”
“Don’t you at least want to go grab a change of clothes?” Law asked.
Luffy shrugged. “I’m fine,” he said, but he wasn’t looking Law in the eyes. In fact, he was very deliberately looking away.
“What are you not telling me?” Law asked, ears low.
“Nothing,” Luffy said, and yeah, he was definitely lying. It was almost endearing how bad he was at it.
“Luffy,” Law said. “If you don’t tell me what’s going on, I’m not hanging out with you anymore.”
Luffy’s shoulders slumped, and his tail lowered all the way to the floor. “Fine. I’m sort of… not staying in a hotel.”
“Alright, who are you staying with then?” Law asked, then narrowed his eyes. “You are staying with someone, right?”
Luffy avoided his eyes. “I kinda ran out of money a while ago. Food is more expensive here,” he said. “And my friends aren’t well off, I’m not gonna ask them for cash. Nami came up with that ad so I’d have money to get a plane ticket home.”
Law stared at him. “Then where the fuck have you been sleeping?”
“Oh. Here and there. There is a gym that is open around the clock, and the libraries here open pretty early, and your movie theatres have basically no security, and it’s not that cold out if you find the right place for it, and-”
“Luffy,” Law interrupted, suddenly exhausted in a way that had nothing to do with his own lack of sleep. “ Why didn’t you just buy that plane ticket?”
“Because I wanted to hang out more with you,” Luffy said, like it should have been obvious. “I mean, who knows if I’ll be able to come back here again if I leave, and we only just met again. And I really like you, so I wanted to stay and see where this goes.”
Law buried his face in his hands. “Then why not at least use the money I gave you to get a hotel room?”
“Cause it wouldn’t last long, and then I’d have no more money to get home,” Luffy said. “And I don’t want to go on any more dates unless they’re with you.”
Law massaged his temples. This was giving him a headache, if he was honest. Who the fuck just decides its fine to live on the street for a few days in freezing temperatures to hang out with a guy he just met?
“You could have died,” Law said. “The temperature alone could have killed you.”
“I’m being careful,” Luffy promised, and Law sincerely doubted it.
“If I tell you I don’t want to see you anymore, will you go back home?” Law asked, and to his frustration Luffy shook his head.
“No. You said it was okay,” Luffy said stubbornly. “I don’t want to leave.”
“Nothing about this is okay,” Law said. “I can’t have you freezing to death on the streets just to see me.”
“So if I get a hotel, you’d be fine with it?” Luffy asked. “I can do that.”
“You just told me you couldn’t,” Law pointed out, then sighed deeply. “You’re insane.”
“I’m not. I just know what I want,” Luffy said. “And I don’t want to regret not going after it.”
Law closed his eyes so he wouldn’t have to look at that determined look on Luffy’s face. The worst part was, Law could almost understand his insane reasoning. What did that say about him?
“Alright,” he heard himself say. “You win.”
When he opened his eyes again, Luffy was grinning widely at him. “So we can keep hanging out?”
“For now,” Law said. “I start working again on the 5th. We can hang out until then, if you promise to fly back after.”
“That works,” Luffy smiled. “We can keep in contact after, too.”
“Assuming we don’t want to kill each other at that point,” Law said dryly. “You’re staying with me until then.”
Luffy blinked. “You’re sure? I don’t mind-”
“I checked the weather report, and it’s going to get colder, up to -20 degrees,” Law interrupted him. “You’re not sleeping outside in that. Finish your breakfast, and we’ll go pick up your luggage from wherever you’ve left it.”
“The lockbox at the train station,” Luffy said helpfully, and Law sighed again.
“Assuming it’s still there,” he said. “Let’s go.”
***
By some miracle Luffy’s bag was still where he left it. Law attributed it to the incredible luck Luffy seemed to have, to have survived sleeping on the street with not even a frostbite to show for it.
The temperature was steadily dropping, and the cold wind moved the snow from last night around, sending all of it straight into Law’s face as they walked back to the car. He ducked further into the collar of his coat, wishing he had brought a scarf. The high-collared coat had been enough so far, but maybe it was time to dig out the scarf Cora knitted for him last Christmas.
A different scarf wrapped around his neck, and Law saw Luffy give him a grin. He was still wearing the other end of the scarf he had wrapped around Law, and pressed up against Law’s side to prevent the scarf from falling off. Or them both from choking.
Law rolled his eyes at him, but he couldn’t really help the smile growing on his face. It was a juvenile and impractical gesture, really, but cute.
They had to separate less than five minutes later when they got to the car. It had gotten cold in the short time it had taken them to get Luffy’s bag from the train station, but at least it was a relief to be protected from the wind. Law turned on the seat heaters as he backed out of the parking lot. His car was old and slow to warm up, but every little bit helped.
Luffy kept watching him with a stupid grin on his face the whole ride home, but he didn’t say anything, and just shook his head when Law asked about it.
The cold had really seeped into Law, so the first thing he did when he got home was to make hot chocolate. He used to make it for himself and Cora during cold days like this (taking over after Cora’s initial attempt ended with the fire alarm going off). He wondered what Cora would say if he brought Luffy to their New Years celebration. Law snorted to himself. Cora would just scold him for not telling him in advance.
Well. There were still a few days between now and New Years. If this weird thing with Luffy didn’t blow up in his face, he would let Cora know the day before.
Luffy was on the couch when Law entered the living room with two cups of hot chocolate. He had packed up some of his stuff, with various piles of different clothes on the floor. Law had a feeling they would have to spend the evening doing laundry.
“Thanks!” Luffy said as Law handed him the cup. His cheeks were still red from the cold, but if anything it just made his smile look brighter.
Law sank down on the couch beside him with his own cup. Outside the window, the wind was stirring up the snow, colouring the world in white.
“This is nice,” Luffy said, smiling towards him. “ You’re nice.”
“This wasn’t a date,” Law reminded him. Or perhaps reminded himself.
“I know,” Luffy laughed. “We’ll do something better when it’s a date.”
“You’re very confident there will be one,” Law said dryly.
“Yup,” Luffy said, leaning over Law to grab the blanket from the side of the couch, and proceeded to drape it over both of them. “There we go.”
“Cold?” Law asked with some amusement as Luffy leaned against him.
“Nope. Not anymore,” Luffy grinned. “You’re warm, Torao. And your tail is fluffy.”
“That’s very important, is it?” Law chuckled.
“Very,” Luffy agreed. “I know this is a weird situation, but it will be great. I promise.”
Law wanted to argue, but he was feeling very comfortable on the couch with Luffy. He was like a heater against Law’s side, chasing the cold away. Law let himself relax against him. Maybe it was a mistake. Maybe it was crazy. But…
“Maybe you’re right,” Law sighed, leaning his head against Luffy’s. “Maybe this could work.”
Another fifteen years later
“Torao!”
Law stubbornly kept his eyes shut, and pulled the blanket closer around himself. It was cold, it was still nighttime, and he didn’t want to wake up.
“Toraooo!” Luffy insisted, and Law felt Luffy's hands on himself, shaking him slightly. “Wake up!”
“No,” Law protested. “Luffy, I worked for 17 hours last shift. Let me sleep!”
“But you’re already awake,” Luffy said. “Come on, get up! You can go back to sleep after!”
“I should have just let you freeze to death on the streets,” Law hissed, but he rolled out of his warm coccoon and got on his feet. He didn’t mean it, of course. Luffy had never really moved out after the first time he moved in. He did keep his promise to fly back when the time Law had set was up, but he was only gone for a few months before coming back with more stuff, and moved in permanently. Law could have stopped him if he wanted to.
He hadn’t wanted to.
“You always say that when you’re grumpy,” Luffy laughed, and his hand was warm as it closed around Law’s and dragged him towards the window. Luffy was practically bouncing as he pointed out the window. “Look! It’s snowing!”
Law groaned loudly. “I want a divorce.”
“But Torao, it’s the first snow of the year!” Luffy said. “Isn’t it exciting?”
“It has snowed every damn year for the 45 years I’ve been alive,” Law said, and turned around to head back to bed. “And every year for the 15 years you’ve lived with me. How are you still excited about this?”
Law ducked back down under the sheets, gratified that they were still warm, then grunted as Luffy flopped down on top of him.
“Because it’s snow! ” Luffy said. “I’ve waited a whole year for this.”
“Liar. You’ve waited eight months at most,” Law said, rolling around so Luffy fell off him. “Sometimes I think you married me just because it snows where I live.”
“Not just for that,” Luffy laughed, and lifted Law’s blanked up so he could join Law beneath it. Law didn’t mind. His husband was still like a heater, and Law instinctively curled up against him as Luffy put an arm around him.
“You’re not heading out there?” Law asked. He felt Luffy’s fingers in his hair, and moved his head a bit to give Luffy better access. It was calming, as always.
“Nah, there’s not enough snow to play with yet,” he said. “Besides, my husband threatened to divorce me.”
“With good cause,” Law murmured, but he was getting sleepy again, warm and comfortable in Luffy’s arms. He felt Luffy’s tail coil around his. “But I suppose there’s a reason I keep you around.”
Luffy chuckled. “I love you, Torao.”
“...that would be the reason, yes,” Law said. “I love you too, you insane weirdo.”
He felt Luffy kiss the top of his head, between his ears, then nuzzled his face against them. Law returned the gesture into the crook of Luffy’s neck.
Outside, the snow continued to fall. Law smiled to himself as he closed his eyes. Perhaps if it was still there in the morning, he would indulge his husband and go with him to play in the snow.