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The scraping of thick paper cards shuffling together is worse than nails on a chalkboard to Luffy’s already frayed nerves. It’s worth the irritation, though, when, with a snap, Law appears at his side as if he had never left it. All at once, relief floods Luffy like a drug. Law is back: he is okay.
Without realizing it, his hands are reaching for any part of the Law they can latch onto, needing tangible proof that this is real. Just seeing the other man return, being able to touch him, and hearing his breathing calms the storm, threatening to release itself at his core.
When his fingers gain purchase, Luffy is unwilling to stop himself from dragging Law into a joint-cracking hug. It should say something about how fast the comfort this singular action brings him eclipses his temper. All at once, he doesn’t care about the old man and his magic cards across the table. Nor does he especially care about the half-baked threats Law directs at Luffy if he doesn’t let go of him.
‘Not again. Never again,’ Luffy nearly says before leather strings attached to his beloved hat choke him backward. Law was tugging at his straw treasure to force some distance between them. By the way, Law was underhanded, using Luffy’s love for his hat against his affection for Law—not that the other man knew, not that he would tell him. He couldn’t, not now, no matter how much he wanted to.
It left him in a desperately helpless position but ultimately turned into a battle of wills, as it usually does between him and Law.
“Get off me already-” Law repeats.
Luffy's complaints are brushed aside, even if he ultimately compromises. Regardless, Law doesn’t hesitate to redirect his ire back at the nuisance of their evening. Law’s face twists with frustration, different shades of red coming through the lighter patches of his complexion. …and Wow. Luffy is surprised at how captivating Law is right now.
It’s not like he never noticed how the gold of Law’s earrings matched his eyes before or how angular his jaw was. Anyone could see how much attention Law put in his appearance. Luffy cataloged these details long ago as parts of the whole picture that made up ‘Law’ in his mind.
But this time… it’s like. How does he even begin to describe this feeling? He always knew that trees had leaves and had seen this specific tree many times. Usually, he didn’t particularly care. Trees were trees. But for the first time, he could see the leaves instead of the green blurs they usually were and couldn’t help but be awestruck. Law had become beautiful to him.
“You must have some pretty big balls.” Law sneers, and with that mischievous grin, he continues, “Imprisoning and then releasing me? Biggest mistake of your life-“
Laughter bursts out from Luffy, and he knows he’s changed the room's energy. He can’t help it, though, the sheer dichotomy of what Luffy’s heart was rushing through and all the metal and grit of Law’s words blended into this perfectly chaotic mixture that felt right.
“What the hell is so funny.” Law snaps.
“I am,” Luffy says with a deep breath, his expression relaxing from its earlier mirth.
“For wasting any time on this.” The words leave his mouth without thought, and his hand is raised against his forehead.
The other captain tore his burning gaze from the fortune teller and turned his attention to Luffy. For a moment, Law’s bright, golden eyes studied Luffy thoughtfully, with more intensity than they’d held over some of the many books he saw Law paging through. Luffy didn’t linger over what Law was thinking and was relieved when the other man spoke again.
“You’re just going to let this go-”
Usually, Luffy would be entirely in agreement with Law and ready to throw the first punch. But the fortune teller has already taken so much of his time, their time, and he’s done sharing Law's attention now that he knows it’s all he wants. So possessiveness wins out against the lingering irritation. He needs them to move.
“Yes, it doesn’t matter, Torao. Let's get out of here,” Luffy says.
They leave the house together, and even if they keep quiet at first, Luffy can tell that it’s not awkward or uncomfortable. It is different, though. The mood is not heavy but thick like something has been placed over them. It slows things down but isn’t impossible to move through. He has no other way to describe it. The silence gets him lost in his thoughts, which is a problem.
That has to stop, fast, or he’ll lose what little impulse control he has, and the metaphorical cart will go careening over the edge. Or before there’s a horse tied to it? Or whatever. He hates idioms anyway.
What is he supposed to do with these feelings now? Now that he can finally see how much he likes Law and-
Fuck.
Luffy has never been patient and hates to wait for things, especially things he thinks are essential.
Luffy understands that he has to let Law’s need to be free from the chains that once weighed him down without adding more of his weirdness into the mix. The old man told him there was a good chance that if Luffy admitted his feelings, Law would likely bolt. It wasn’t that long ago that Law still openly refused to acknowledge their friendship.
If Luffy wants to make good on his values, then he has to suck it up and endure, even if he has to physically restrain himself from grabbing onto and trying to add him to his motley crew while they wander.
Holding that much back was unnatural to him. He was so fucked.
This was going to be the worst-kept secret of Luffy's life.
“Alright, spit it out,” Law says.
“Huh?”
“What’s the real reason you let that guy get away with everything-” Law starts, irritation blooming across his features again. “You. Are never this quiet for this long.”
Luffy leans away, casting a sideways glance at Law. “I can be quiet.”
“Yes, but there is a historical trend of brawls following shortly after that silence.”
Luffy sputters indignantly. “Not every time!!”
“A not insignificant amount of time.” Law ducks his head. “You’re avoiding the question.”
“You know half of those Zoro is the one starting fights.” Luffy deflects again.
“That is because he is a chronic enabler of your bad temper, which I just watched you uncharacteristically walk away from,” Law frowns as he pushes, undeterred.
Luffy tilts his head to the side.
“You’re acting weird. Why? What happened while I was gone..”
THINK THINK THINK
Luffy’s eyes blow out wide, and he immediately looks anywhere except at Law. He feels himself starting to sweat. His shoulders hunch up to his ears, and it’s such a knee-jerk response that he immediately starts babbling, waving his hands without purpose.
“I uh. You see. I just didn’t feel like fighting the guy.”
“Bullshit, you love fighting.”
“Who cares about that-!” Even his voice is starting to pitch higher.
Law moves before Luffy on his path to nowhere, intentionally blocking him. “That poker face is pathetic. It’s obvious you’re lying.”
“That’s because…”
PANICKING. CAN'T THINK. ACT ON INSTINCTS.
Because Luffy is physically incapable of stopping himself once he gets started on anything, he babbles. The words fall out of his mouth before he can process them; when he does, it’s already too late.
“I don’t want to think about that geezer anymore. I just want to be around you.“
INSTINCTS BAD
Sometimes. Luffy feels like his brain is a bag of marbles cascading down a flight of stairs. There are about three large, brightly colored marbles, usually attributed to his cohesive thought lines, and sometimes hit the target. No one is sure how, least of all him, but of the three, one usually hits the mark of what he wants to say, and the others just bounce off randomly following an exciting distraction.
He can be serious when he wants to be. He was trying to be a little serious, even with himself. But no. Marble Brain decided to sink every fucking glass ball into the ‘just say exactly what you’re thinking it’s fine’ box. Leading him to where he is now.
Law hasn’t said anything. He’s stone still, staring intently at Luffy like he’s grown a second head. Maybe it’s just his nerves making it seem like that’s what Law is thinking. It certainly feels like he’s grown a second head. Luffy watches the other man open his lips, close them, and open them again.
“…Excuse me?” Law says finally. His tone and expression are hesitant, a poem between suspicion and confusion. Yet, he doesn’t look away and isn’t moving his hands to summon a room and teleport away (yet). It reminds Luffy of their earlier times together when nearly everything Luffy did sent a tidal wave of mortification through the other captain. It was funnier then.
Right now, Luffy wants to punch himself in the face for IMMEDIATELY failing to do the one thing he told himself he wouldn’t do. Desperate, he reaches to smooth it over.
“I’m hungry! Aren’t you hungry? LET'S HUNGRY.” He sweats, pushing past the other and following the only thing he can trust: his stomach and the smells of grilled festival foods. Shouldering past Law without a second wasted, he redirects them both towards the street in search of food stalls.
Luffy doesn’t need to turn to see if Law is following him. The sound of Law’s heels is unmistakable even against the mixed pavement and dirt path, so he doesn’t see the amused smile of the other man trailing behind him.
Okay, yes, technically, they needed to make their way back to the harbor, and the fortune teller never did give them directions. But they were already late, and Luffy didn’t care. They wouldn’t be any less late by stopping for food along the way, so what was the rush? And it allowed Luffy to shove something other than his fist in his mouth to prevent more fuck ups like that last one. There was nary an excuse Luffy couldn’t make to justify food detours.
It also did wonders for his nerves; food always lifted his spirits and smoothed out any wrinkles. He’s not Sanji, who could go on and on about the details of what’s in the food and why it’s good, but Luffy knows what he likes about it! If he tried, and imagined himself with a serious expression, swirling a glass in one hand, and holding the food in the other his own review would go something like… The best part of this particular food, were the sticks, because when you’re done eating they can be used as tiny swords or weapons. Really though, the best parts were the meat chunks of course. The smokey flavor probably came from the wooden skewers, or something, there was wood involved somewhere. The burned edges of vegetables glazed with some tangy sauce also were tasty. It looked, smelled, and tasted delicious so that’s a five out of five score from him.
See? Perfect review, Robin would agree with him for sure even if Sanji didn’t. Law might agree, and even if he didn’t, then more food for Luffy. More was better anyways.
“Aren’t you going to sit down?” Law says cutting through Luffy’s thoughts, stopping him in his tracks.
“...Why?”
“To… eat.”
It’s finally Luffy’s turn to give Law an incredulous stare. He had easily, five (previously six) different skewers in his hands, compared to Law’s four. “But this food can be eaten while we walk,” Luffy gestures both his hands around for emphasis,.” Kabobs!”
Law has the audacity to laugh at him, in his quiet way, not like Luffy’s own belly laughs, but in a way that he rarely ever saw the other captain do in front of others. “Mugiwara-ya, humor me for five minutes.”
Luffy will SIGH VERY LOUDLY. “It’s to-go food! So we can go.”
“I do not want to go right at this very moment.” Law says, taking a seat at one of the few cafe tables nearby. Crossing one leg over the other and leveling Luffy with challenging expression that is way too smug for his liking.
It makes him even antsier, to a point where Luffy actually paces back and forth a few times before giving up and heavily dropping into the adjacent chair with a harrumph. Scowling at the hearts captain, and munching through another two kabobs for his effort.
It’s a victory for Law, and he doesn’t even try to pretend he isn’t pleased about it. “So glad you chose to join me.”
“Whatever, it’ll be easier to get more kabobs this way.”
They sit in relative silence, Luffy finishing his own portion in easily a quarter of the time it takes Law to get through half of his own. It left him with very little to do after he’d broken all the left over skewers into a pile of tiny twigs. He’d also gone through stacking the pieces and arranging them from largest to smallest before feeling like he’d fully exhausted their entertainment value. So he leans forward, resting his head in his arms and stares intently at his table mate (until the next food order gets called at least).
“See something you like?”
Luffy hums at the question, flopping his head to the other side. There’s plenty to like, but he already went through what he liked about the kabobs. So that just leaves what he knows about Law and what he likes about the man.
He was prickly, like a thistle, which was fun to poke at because past the barbs was Law’s cooler, friendlier temperament. He was as sharp as he was goofy, even if Law refused to admit that second detail to anyone out loud. Luffy also really liked his dry humor, especially when his deadpan delivery would get a rise out of Chopper and the others. Law was crazy enough, like him, to want things other people said were impossible, but he was smart enough to come up with a way to do it. The best parts were, as Zoro pointed out, Law was dumb enough to go along with Luffy's impromptu changes.
“Sure. What’s not to like?” He shrugs, unembarrassed.
Law's eyes narrow, probably trying to determine if Luffy understood what he was saying or was just answering the question before reaching across the table to steal food (something he had already tried once).
Still they had glaring differences, Law was reserved. Where Luffy charges in, Law waits for the right moment and cuts away something as soon as it doesn’t work. Luffy hadn’t yet found himself in that category but hadn’t never seen how Law reacted to affection. At least more than the normal amount of Luffy Brand affection. As far as he knew, at least, Luffy wouldn’t consider himself an expert on this stuff, but it sounded like there was a very good chance that as soon as Luffy said how he felt, Law would bolt, teleporting himself or Luffy as far away as his room would allow him.
And that was the kicker. Luffy was used to being tossed around and pushed away, but this was different. Suddenly the idea of being shambled away became less fun when combined with the possible reality of Law doing so to get rid of Luffy. It made him want to grab onto Law’s coat sleeve and anchor himself to the other, to do, anything, that could prevent him from leaving. Which he knew was idiotic, but the alternative just made his stomach feel like a cold ocean current was coursing inside him with no way to calm it. It made him desperate and confused.
This wasn’t like with Ace when they were kids; they weren’t trapped on an island together with nowhere else to go. He couldn’t rely on his old ‘follow them around the jungle until they admit we’re friends’ tactic in this scenario. Not when he wanted to be more than friends with Law.
A rough cough yanks Luffy right out of his thoughts, refocusing his vision at the other man across the table again.
”This isn’t so terrible, is it?”
“I guess. Just boring.” Luffy lolls his head back again, bouncing his leg under the table enough for it to rattle from the vibration. He’s still too antsy, and is reaching critical mass on his ability to stay put.
Glancing across the table again, Luffy catches Law staring at him with that earlier amused grin. It’s his turn to send a questioning look.
“What?” Luffy sits up, looking behind and around him. “What are you looking at?”
“You.” Law answers, pointing his last kabob at Luffy.
“Why? Is there something on my face?”
Law waves his hand from side to side like a scale trying to balance, as if to answer the first question and move on. “I was thinking that you’re probably the most ridiculous and stubborn man I know.”
Luffy laughs unbothered and lets himself get pulled along into their banter. “I’ve heard that one before, how can you stand me?”
“Hm, I wonder.”
“Well, you’re stuck with me now. You saved me, and you asked to be my friend. You only have yourself to blame.” His heart swoops at the memory. It wasn’t often that someone asked. Usually, he did all the pursuit.
Law exhales a tired old exasperated note. Like he’s still going to debate this, if only for posterity. “I asked to form an alliance.”
The wanting comes in waves; Luffy wants, then he pulls, and labors. Then Law looks his way and he calms, and it's easy.
“Yeah, that’s what I said.”
Law snorts, muttering, “Inuring yourself to others must be a latent survival instinct.”
“Did you just call me manure?”
“I said you inure yourself-“Law pauses and adjusts his vocabulary. “You grow on people like a fungus. In insane conditions, without recourse, occasionally against their will.”
“So I’m a mushroom.”
“Exactly.” Law punctuates, jabbing that final skewer again in Luffy's direction, like a taunt.
It was working too. “Mushrooms are tasty.”
“To some people. With the right foods.”
“Do you like mushrooms? I’ll eat yours if you don’t,” Luffy said, eyes following the vegetables on the stick. Fingers already wiggling to reach.
Law seems to be stuck thinking about his answer, as if it could possibly mean anything more than the food right in front of them. By about the minute mark Luffy decides Law doesn’t want that last kabob anyways and reaches for it.
Like a whip, Law yanks his hand away and takes a protective bite, consuming the kabob completely.