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Law was leaning against the mast of a ridiculous ship, and staring at the stars above his head. His sight was blurry from exhaustion, and from the saké he had been ‘persuaded’ to drink during the Straw-Hat Fleet celebration. He was still baffled at how meeting someone in a Colosseum could lead to them being indebted to Mugiwara-ya, but Law had not had the energy to ask during their chaotic run through Dressrosa.
And afterwards, with all of them recovering from their many injuries, the question had seemed unimportant. By the time Luffy was awake enough to answer, Law had decided that he wouldn’t ask- mainly because it was kind of a stupid question. After all, he didn’t really need to ask it to know the answer.
Sometime during their insane adventure Luffy had saved them while he was saving Law- after all, when wasn’t Mugiwara-ya saving people? Saving them and turning their worlds upside down? So of course it was only natural that these people decided to form an alliance with Luffy- with strange, ridiculous Luffy.
Law let out an irritated sigh, and moved his uninjured arm to try and soothe away his newest headache. His fingers rubbed at his closed eyes, and Law grit his teeth when his thoughts wandered back to earlier that afternoon.
Seeing all of those expectant faces, hearing what they were offering Straw-Hat without hesitation- it had left Law stunned, and maybe a little terrified. Not that he would ever admit it to a living soul, but the fact that these men were offering an actual Fleet to Mugiwara-ya… it shouldn’t have made him so agitated. If anything Law should have felt ecstatic; after all, Law was in an alliance with Mugiwara-ya, and having so many powerful allies would be a boon to their future battle against Kaido.
But all Law had been able to think in that moment was that Luffy was his.
Law had asked Luffy to form an alliance first- it had been just him and Straw-Hat and no one else. Law’s thoughts had tried to find an explanation for why he was suddenly feeling so possessive, but then Luffy was staring down at a full sake bowl- and suddenly this ridiculous thing was happening.
Luffy had agreed almost instantly to an alliance with Law when they had barely known each other- he had trusted Law so easily and Law had planned to use that trust and... and Luffy wasn’t going to say no to these men. They had fought beside him, cried tears, shed blood, and they were asking to be official allies and Luffy was going to say yes and Law...
Law didn’t like it. He said nothing, and tried to control his expression while he listened to Mugiwara-ya say he didn’t like saké that much. His chest had felt tight, his arm had throbbed, and Law had just wanted to get this over with and why was Luffy tormenting him by delaying his answer? Because after Luffy said yes- after Luffy or Zoro-ya or whoever drank the damn saké and completed this goddamn ritual that left Law feeling inadequate- Luffy wasn’t going to be just his anymore.
Law wasn’t going to be Luffy’s only one anymore.
While his eyes were glaring daggers at the green haired pirate who was trying to explain something to Mugiwara-ya, Law had an inconvenient moment of insight. After so many days of having Mugiwara-ya’s undivided attention, of having Luffy actually save him- Luffy had made him feel disgustingly... special. It was no wonder he felt hostile when that feeling was being threatened.
How low Trafalgar Law had sunken.
What made it even worse was the fact that in that miserable moment, Law had prayed to a god he didn’t believe in that being Luffy’s first alliance would be enough to remain special.
But he was going to be one of many, and Law did not like the feeling this thought caused at all. Of course Law knew it was stupid, ridicules, even childish. But maybe Mugiwara-ya brought out those parts in him because Law was the one who had saved him. He was the one whose hands had been inside the man’s chest and who held Luffy's hand though the nightmares-
And Luffy had carried him across a city as if he weren't a burden. Had looked down at what he had thought was Law’s corpse and cried; screamed his name like he was ruined, and Law had not been unmoved by it. God, the sound of Luffy’s devastated scream had made Law almost cry himself- because it was real, and Luffy actually cared so goddamn much for him.
Luffy had followed him into hell, and screamed for Law not leave him, and Law never wanted to. Luffy had beaten his demon black and blue, had allowed Law to make a killing blow even if that death would be a long time waiting. Luffy was-
Luffy said no.
Law had been startled along with everyone else when he had firmly, and without hesitation, refused their offered alliance.
“I need my space!”
If Law happened to notice that he was standing beside Mugiwara-ya as he shouted that, then that was Law’s business. Luffy didn’t see Law as an outcast, and Law could do nothing but stare, even when the other pirate captains began demanding explanations. Even when Luffy began to explain his reasoning, Law didn’t give a damn because-
Because Luffy had said yes to him, without hesitating.
The first thing he comprehended feeling after the shock wore off was smug satisfaction. Law couldn’t help but stand straighter as his lips pulled into a smirk, because Law was special to Luffy. Or at least, Law could pretend that he was because he was the one Luffy had said yes to.
He was the one Luffy wanted- he was the one Luffy’s crew had protested against, and Luffy had not been budged. Now here these poor captains were; asking for what Law had been given, and Luffy’s crew was smiling at them and giggling while Luffy refused them.
It didn’t matter to Law that those pirates decided to swear their loyalty to Luffy despite the confusion- it didn’t matter that they threw a feast to celebrate their new lives as the great 'Straw-Hat Fleet’. Because it didn’t matter what they did, it only mattered what Luffy did- and Luffy was sailing to Zou with him, and was in an official alliance with him.
“...Torao?”
Law tore his gaze away from the stars and found Luffy swaying his way toward him- he was rubbing a hand over his eye as he yawned big and loud. Law wasn’t a man who was used to smiling, but the upturn of his lips was close enough to be called one. It was a small tiny thing, but when Luffy saw it, his entire face lit up as if Law had given him a present.
He hurried over on unsteady legs, and with a laugh of delight, Luffy collapsed on top of him. Law was a bit surprised, but Luffy had never really showed much restraint when he wanted to hug someone so Law didn’t think it was odd.
Law let Luffy adjust himself to a more comfortable position, firmly not questioning why he was allowing such a thing, and then Luffy was straddling his lap with his arms around Law’s neck. He smiled down at him and Law couldn’t breathe.
“Shishishi.” Luffy chuckled as he leaned down and buried his face into Law’s neck, nuzzling him like an oversized cat. Law almost expected him to start purring. “Torao looks so happy~”
Law’s lips pulled up just a little bit more, not that Luffy could see it, “That’s because I am, Mugiwara-ya.” Luffy hummed, his lips brushing against Law’s skin in a way that made his body twitch. Luffy paused his nuzzling, and for a moment they were suspended in time; both of them waited for a sign that they had done something wrong, but when neither of them said anything, they relaxed.
Luffy leaned back in Law’s lap so that he could look at him, and then his eyes drifted down to his bandaged torso, and locked onto his arm. This time it was Luffy who twitched, but it was not for pleasant reasons. His hand moved, almost instinctively, and Luffy caressed the bandaged part of his arm where it had been reattached.
Luffy’s expression was unreadable, but Law didn’t have the time to guess at what he was thinking because Luffy’s hand continued to trail down his arm. A tease of fingers that left his skin erupting in goose bumps, and then he grasped his hand.
“Can Torao-” Luffy gently lifted Law’s hand and settled it across his hip, “Can you feel that?”
Law swallowed thickly, and though he doubted he’d ever have his full range of motion again, he could definitely still move it. And he could definitely feel Luffy’s skin under his fingers. Law's hand was grabbing and pulling Luffy closer before Law could think to stop it.
It was the damn saké. Law was going to blame the damn saké, because there was no other explanation for how he lost control of his body. Law had taken one look at the blush on Luffy’s face, and then his other hand was on Luffy’s hips, and he was pulling Luffy as close as he could.
Law’s mind blanked, and he felt starved for touch- for Luffy’s touch, to touch him- and then one of his hands was on Luffy’s thigh, forcing it to wrap around his waist so that they could be closer. The other hand (his damn slow but still functioning hand), curled around Luffy’s waist and back so that Luffy was crushed to Law’s chest in a hug. Once Luffy’s thigh was where he wanted it, his other hand was quick to join in at clutching Luffy- Law buried his face into his neck, and smelled the scent of sweat, rubber, and seawater. And Law didn’t give a damn because it was perfect, it was Luffy, and Luffy please-
Luffy’s arms were around him, and then his legs stretched so that they looped around his waist and then looped around his legs and Law could have moaned just from how perfect it felt. Not even in a sexual way- it was perfect because Law had not known that he needed it until Luffy was all around him. Luffy, with his ridiculous smile and his ability to make Law feel safe. His ability to make Law feel like he could actually start living the life Corazon would have wanted him to live.
It didn’t matter if Luffy saw them as allies or friends (or maybe even as a potential lovers if Law was lucky), because Law was stunned to realize that Luffy wasn’t his. Law was Luffy’s.
Always and forever, because Law couldn’t give this up. Luffy was like a drug; an addictive thing that Law would go insane without. He was surrounded by Luffy’s scent, Luffy’s warmth, and Law was safe.
Law hated relying on people- had never allowed himself to do so unless it was absolutely necessary (and even then he was always watching, waiting for betrayal or for someone to screw up). He hated feeling weak, hated feeling out of control- this lead to him being affectionately known as a control freak. He made people do things his way, and not many people could genuinely get along with him as a result. Before this moment, Law would have outright laughed at the idea of him allowing anyone any control over him. There wasn’t an idea he hated more- but this was Luffy. And everything about Luffy defied logic.
Because Luffy was safe. Maybe it was childish, maybe it was insanity- but Luffy had beaten Doflamingo. He had, and could do it again. He had protected Law, would do so again in a heartbeat, and that meant that Law could trust him. Law could trust that he didn’t need to be in control, that he didn’t need to be alert and waiting for an attack because Luffy was strong. Luffy wouldn’t betray him, Luffy wouldn’t fail, and Law could finally relax.
Thirteen years of constantly being on the alert- of moving, never resting, with his eyes peeled for any signs of Doflamingo (or anyone who could be working for him). Constantly defending himself from kidnappings and assassination attempts- of searching his crew for signs that they might be a spy while he clutched at Bepo like a lifeline. Law sailed on a submarine just so he didn't have to also worry about the sky and it’s goddamn clouds.
“Room.”
A blue bubble surrounded the ship, and then all that was left where they had been sitting was a bed sheet.
Bartolomew had been been ecstatic at having the Straw Hat’s on his ship, and had reserved his captain's quarters for Luffy’s use almost instantly. During the party, he had threatened to stab anyone who was drunk enough to try and go there to pass out.
So they were blissfully alone on an actual bed, and Law thought he was going to pass out just from the feeling of a mattress against his back.
Law clutched Luffy close to him, and hoped against all irrationality that Luffy would stay, “Let’s sleep Mugiwara-ya.”
Luffy had been eerily quiet, and while Law was thankful that he had not questioned his behavior, it was still unnerving. But Luffy didn’t make a move to leave, and soon Law relaxed. Luffy’s snores brought a sigh of relief to his lips. Luffy had not questioned him, or his suggestion. He was going to stay.
Luffy was too damn trusting, but Law could worry about that later. Right now he was sore, tipsy, surrounded by Luffy’s warmth, and he was safe. Law glanced down at where Luffy had made his chest his personal pillow, and smiled a truly happy smile.
Then Law closed his eyes, and slept deeply for the first time in thirteen years.