Archive of Our Own ^beta

When he kissed him he didn’t expect.. Actually Law didn’t know what he was expecting if he was expecting anything at all. He was however expecting Straw hat to pull back, move or try to stop him in any one of those manners but.. He didn’t.. The impending push to stop him from kissing him never came; he just.. let him do it. And it was strange, almost awkward, too awkward as far first kisses go.

When Law did finally pull back, having done everything(?) he intended on doing with the younger captain Luffy just stood there staring into him with big distorted eyes. They look confused like the universe's secrets ran through his mind at light speed never giving him a chance to fully grasp it, it being the situation and the situation was an unidentified object sitting on top of his head the whole time.

When he does speak the only words, or rather word ‘singular’ that comes out his mouth is - “Why?” a vague expression gawking daggers so intensely his soul might separate from his body if he doesn’t stop looking at him like that and soon.

There’s an answer to this question, there's an answer to most questions in this world. All questions eventually get an answer, this one in particular just depends on whether he has said answer or not and he doesn’t. Truly a crime.. Want the truth? Well, Truthfully Law’s bodily energy reserves are low and extremely so after what they just went through. He’s too tired to even try and tell a lie right now so he simply tells the truth for two reasons. (one, it’s easier right now and two the above)

“We almost died,” and morbidly so he says like it’s supposed to be funny. Nobody’s around to laugh except him but Law doesn’t feel like laughing or smiling that much. “I’m.. grateful to you and your brother's Straw hat.”

The expression Luffy gives him doesn’t do much except let him know he doesn’t really like that answer, he guesses? His face is more than a little hard to read considering the idiot almost never stopped smiling the moment they met - well not exactly when they met but whatever. He’s usually seen grinning from ear to ear like fifty percent of the time. This, this new look right here? This confused vegetable-like stare was starting to give him chills, nearly scaring the shit out of him but not entirely? Like the feeling of an unknown person standing in the room with him right behind his shoulder just within your field of vision.

Law blinks at Luffy momentarily returning from his mind.

The boy still hasn’t said another word, he’s frowning. Nothing about his face helps Law decode whatever thoughts are running rampant in his head. He pulls his brows into a squint as if doing so would explain the situation better then Law ever could before he speaks again-

“You kissed me because you're happy you didn’t die?”

Hearing him say it out loud doesn't make his previous actions any less confusing. Nothing about what he’d done  warranted affection of that level considering the status of their relationship and status as allies as a whole, In fact, it actually complicated things further when he thought about it.. And kept thinking about it.. Oh god..

Straw hat was making sense the world must be ending. (Or someone somewhere was dying)

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Was he supposed to say something else after what he already said? Law stares at him this time, now his brain is the one that’s running a mile a minute. “Law?” Luffy steps a bit closer, his hand touches Law on his blood stained jacket.

He gives out a long tired sigh before carding his tattooed fingers through his dirty hair. “I.. don’t have the answers for you Straw hat. M’ sorry.” It wasn’t much at all but It’s all he could provide. The explanation was made of shit and strings but it’s all he could say for himself. To defend himself, to explain himself.

“Shit happens sometimes.” Luffy says simply running that hand down the side of Law’s jacket like he’s inspecting the fabric, he probably isn't but the gesture is kind, it feels sweet.

‘Can we make it happen?’ Law finds himself thinking, looking down at Luffy.

“Y’know, I wouldn’t hate it if you kissed me again.”

..confirmation?

“What?” Law doesn’t know if he heard him right, say again?

“I said you can kiss me again, y’know, if you want to.” Luffy stops fiddling with his jacket, he’s so close now, practically a part of Law’s personal space and he doesn’t hate it at all.

“Do you want to?” The motion that follows feels like a shrug mixed with a nod, he’s unsure but he’s sure he’s sure Law presumes. “Straw hat..” A bizarrely stiff smile finds his features well, it’s one that fits emotionally constipated  people like him who are too far gone to be saved from their overthinking they preserve as under thinking situations such as these.

This.. doesn’t have to go anywhere, a kiss can just be a kiss. It doesn’t matter he keeps telling himself all the while he’s leaning into Straw hat cupping his neck with a gentleness reserved for somebody who wasn’t himself and pulling him close.

“I said I don't mind, I think that means I kinda want to, Traffy.” He heard ‘have to’ when he said that, he didn’t hear anything else when their lips connected with unpracticed ease. Luffy eventually wrapped both his arms around Law’s neck using him as full support against the wall.

That’s when they heard the door suddenly burst open with a loud thud against the wall behind it.

“Hey Luffy have you seen Traffy?-” Ace paused mid step, mid sentence, mid everything. His mouth gaped at the sight before it curled into an astonished smile. He looked back and forth between them and Law felt like dying on the spot. “I guess you have.” The excitement in his tone needed to be turned off.

Luffy stand there just as stunned as his brother, he didn’t know if he should quickly snap his arms back away from Law or keep them where they were in their frozen state of being caught red handed.

“Uh,” Luffy started, face as flushed as Eustass Kid’s hair, lips parted and slicked with slight drool. He backed away from Law and Law would never admit that it felt terribly wrong to be pushed away without even being pushed or touched. He felt like an object the Straw hat wasn’t supposed to have in front of his older brother's strangely amused gaze..wait did he think this was funny?

Ace promised he wouldn’t tell on account of Law but he still wanted to die.

…

Several days later, after the encounter Sabo had been noticing Luffy had something of a physical attachment to their recent ally. Seemingly so the boy never left that man’s side day or night he always saw him standing next to him, beside him or behind him. Wherever Law went Luffy was never too far behind and he decided for himself that it was strangely so. That’s exactly why he was having this conversation with him right now on the deck of their ship.

Sabo felt like he was catching onto something and he wanted to correct it or make sure he was wrong about what he thought was seeing.

“Luffy..”

The scolding manner at which he says his name gives off an immediate shutdown of every and all protest or proposal  Luffy could even begin to conjure up. “But-” Sabo held up a gloved hand, ‘let me speak first it signified’ he saw Zoro, Usopp and a couple others scurrying away. They wanted no part of whatever was about to transpire here.

Sabo perched himself against the white railing of the ship, neither of them felt like they were rocking at all though the waves did seem a little vicious the way they carried the boat as though it were a bottle floating in the ocean. 

“Don’t you think.. Well, I know we’re pirates and you can do whatever you want - our ship, our rules but-” Sabo trailed off looking in Law’s general direction. The man didn’t bother going anywhere, probably pretending to not be eavesdropping.“Don’t you think he’s a littleeeeee..”

Luffy cocks his head, setting his jaw in a fashion he always does when he isn’t getting what’s happening. One eye squints and he gestures for Sabo to finish repeating him for confirmation. “A littleeee?”

“Older?” Ace butts in blurting out Sabo’s carefully cultivated words. He briefly glares at him, sending him a look that says ‘I was getting there!’ Ace snorts, turning up a bottle of liquor in the background walking away.

“Don’t you think it’s too early in the day to be drinking?” Tosses Law from the other side of their ship.

Ace points at him with the empty bottle a glint underneath his hat. “My ship, my rules. Don’t tell me what to do, Sideburns.” He empties the bottle before he walks away to probably pass out or do something stupid, one or the other.

Law shrugs awkwardly before putting some distance between him, Sabo and Luffy. He situates himself far enough away that he probably can’t hear the conversation he’s having with Luffy, even if he eavesdrops, hopefully.. He hopes. Or doesn’t? Does he want Law to hear him say he doesn’t particularly like him? Sabo was trying to like him, he really was he just..didn’t? For some reason? Maybe he doesn’t like Law because Luffy seem to like him so much. Maybe it’s the ridiculously intimate nickname, Traffy.. He definitely dies inside a little hearing how it sounds coming out of Luffy’s mouth more so than his own even in his thoughts. And then everyone started calling him that and Sabo can’t tell if they believe that’s really his name or they just don’t feel like asking at this point.

Sabo looked back at his little brother.

“Do you not understand how messy that just was?” He scolds Luffy further. They almost all died at Dressrosa, not that he was overly worried but that bird cage thing cut it pretty close. If it wasn’t for the combined efforts of their crew who stayed behind, Law, Ace, Luffy and himself they would have never taken down Doflamingo and saved Dressrosa.

Yes, he’s thankful the surgeon was there to save them, they wouldn’t have gotten as far as they did without him all great things yes.. BUT let's not forget who put them in that situation in the first place Sabo thinks to himself. What are you supposed to do or feel when some emo guy walks up to your little brother and wants to form an alliance? Sabo and Ace weren’t even informed until later, Luffy told their crew, Nami was there and she hadn’t told him nor Ace shit until WOOP this weirdo scientist is on their boat all of a sudden and it’s their problem now to take his ass to a place called Dressrosa? Hell nah that sounds dangerous.

They went to Punk Hazard to investigate that distress call, not get roped into some guy’s vendetta against a warlord. Yeah, they planned on taking down the five emperor's anyway - courtesy of Luffy saying it himself but this was starting to slip out of control and not in a fun way. Somebody has to be the voice and reason and apparently it just has to be Sabo.

“Luffy,” Sabo starts again putting both of his hands on the youngers shoulders gently. “I know he saved Ace’s life, he saved your life! I’m grateful, I am, I really am. But that grateful feeling I feel does not extend towards creepy older guys like him when he’s putting our lives in danger like that.”

“I’m co-captain so my say has to go too!” Is all he says. Luffy will get his way one way or another.

Sabo lets out an aggravated sigh leaning to one side. “Luffy..at least try to be understanding in some form.”

“Leave him be,” Ace comes back having done.. Done whatever he was doing, Sabo makes a mental note to check the lower deck on their ship later.. Later his eyes wandered for a minute trying to think of what Ace’d been doing while he was talking to Luffy. Later. “You're probably just mad cause Luffy’s got a boy crush.” Ace’s shoulders shook gently with mischievous laughter.

“What!” Luffy turns to him quickly, eyes wide as the sun was round.

“Yeah, I saw you!” Ace bumps his shoulder against Luffy’s head, almost knocking him off his feet. Ace mimics faces with his hands pressing them together stupidly. It only takes a second for it to register in Sabo’s head what he means.

“YOU DID WHAT?” Sabo turns to Luffy just as quickly, fingers already starting to form claws.

“I didn’t -” Luffy glares at Ace pushing him in his face the older laughs grabbing onto Luffy’s arms, he manhandles him bringing his arms behind his back in a hold he struggles greatly to get out of. “Traffy kissed me first! I didn’t even kiss back!” He blurts out trying to pry Ace off of him.

“WHAT?!” There is no moment of peace, Sabo can feel behind his ears burning with aggressive intent to grab Trafalgar and jab his fingers through the sockets of his skull as painfully possible as whatever god lives in the sky gives him the strength to do.

Count your days Trafalgar cause it’ll be a cold day in hell before he lets him have his way with his little brother.