Chapter Text
"We should get married," Luffy says in the middle of dinner, two days into Law's stay on the Sunny and too close to Dressrosa for comfort.
Law chokes on his fish.
A hand sprouts out from his shoulder and pats him on the back, only to disperse in a shower of petals as soon as Law has calmed down enough to breathe. Law doesn't even offer a nod of thanks, too busy gaping at Luffy, who has returned to enthusiastically consuming all the meat in front of him.
"What?!"
"Huh?" Luffy looks up from his meat. "Oh, we should get married."
"I heard you the first time, Mugiwara-ya," Law says. "Why?"
Luffy looks at him like Law's the stupid one in this conversation. "Because I want to."
"That's not a reason!"
"Go easy on Torao, Luffy," Usopp, of all people, chimes in. The rest of the Strawhats are observing the conversation with vague interest, looking like it's great entertainment to go with their dinner. Nobody seems all that bothered by their captain proposing to another pirate in front of them. "He's not used to you, yet."
Is this normal?!
Blackleg puffs at his cigarette and deposits another platter of onigiri in front of Law. "We did tell you that your definitions of alliance won't match up."
"Alliance doesn't mean marriage!"
"We're pirates, Torao," Luffy points out, sounding like this is the most reasonable thing in the world. "We can do what we want."
"We. Are. Not. Getting. Married," Law grits out, not quite believing that he actually has to spell this out.
"Why not?" Luffy pouts. "We should! I like Torao and I want to marry him."
Law gapes, speechless.
He glares at Luffy, who seems undeterred. Now thoroughly irritated, Law switches his glare to the rest of the crew, though once again it does not seem to have any effect on anyone other than Usopp.
Nico Robin takes pity on him. She aims a secretive smile his way, but her words stop Luffy in his tracks. "Luffy, I don't think Torao wants to marry you. Perhaps this can be shelved for a later date."
"Oh," Luffy says, now looking dejected. "Okay."
"Wait, that's it?!" Law bursts out.
"I'm not gonna marry you if you don't want it, Torao," Luffy says, though he's obviously pouting. "I still think we should do it."
"Oi, oi, Luffy," Usopp says, looking somehow more stunned by this than by anything else Luffy has said during the conversation. "You aren't giving up, are you?"
"Nah," says Luffy, and goes back to his food. "I'll just make Torao want to marry me."
…
Law can admit feeling a certain kind of… apprehension about what Luffy would do to convince him to accept the marriage, but Luffy continues acting exactly the same. He hangs around Law on Sunny's deck, chattering about nonsensical things and generally not mentioning the marriage thing again. He makes no move that could be interpreted as romantic, does not touch Law more than Law himself finds comfortable. He tries to involve Law in his games with Usopp and Chopper, or afternoon snacks with Nami, Robin and Sanji, and pouts when Law refuses. He pesters Law with questions about his crew and the islands they visited and all the meat they ate during their travels. Stupidly grateful that there are no actual attempts at seduction, Law even answers most of them.
The rest of the Strawhats are not so obliging. Law catches them planning his wedding on the very next morning.
"– no, you're right, Vivi has to come, but how are we going to organize that? She's a princess, she can't exactly attend a pirate wedding –"
"– it can't be a formal ceremony, Luffy would never stand for that. Do you think maybe we should ask Torao about any traditions he wants to include? You know Luffy won't really care."
"Once he's on board with the idea, yeah. We'll have to get his crew too, so Sanji should count them in when he considers supplies –"
"– on the Sunny, of course, where else? If it's a proper pirate wedding, it shouldn't be anywhere else."
"What are you doing?"
Usopp and Nami startle and hastily try to stuff several sheets of paper beneath their empty breakfast plates. Nami rallies when she finally registers that it is only Law at the galley entrance, but Usopp tries to sink into his seat and become one with the wood.
"Planning your wedding," Nami admits without an ounce of shame. "Do you know how much work goes into those things? And how much they cost? We have to have everything ready when Luffy finally talks you into it, because god knows he won't wait."
"We're not getting married!"
Nami sends him a skeptical look. "Yes, you are. Luffy said so." She presents the last sentence with iron-cast certainty, as if Luffy saying it makes it true, and no way around it.
Law grits his teeth and grips his sword, white-knuckled. He suspects this alliance might be called off if he kills two of Luffy's crewmates, but surely dismemberment is still on the table?
"Uhm," Usopp pipes up from where he is half-covering behind the table. "To be fair, Torao, Luffy really wants to marry you. Like, really, really wants to. He was all excited about it last night in the boys' cabin."
"And what," Law says, dangerously, "has that got to do with me?"
Nami and Usopp exchange a glance. Usopp shrugs. "Luffy always gets what he wants. You should hear how he made most of us join."
Law crushes a small spark of curiosity inside of him and scowls. "He doesn't get to tell me what to do. We're equal allies."
The two of them exchange looks once again. They are wearing matching expressions of vague pity. Law feels like he’s missing something.
Usopp sighs, exasperated and more than a little fond. "Yeah, that's the problem. He's not going to tell you to do anything. He's just going to do whatever he wants, and by the time he's done, you'll be seeing it his way."
"So," Nami glares and pointedly reaches for one of the papers to slide it closer, "you should just leave us alone so that we can plan your wedding. I'm not paying more than I absolutely have to and I'll take it out of your pocket if you make me."
Just for that, Law switches her nose with Usopp's. It turns out he needn't have worried about Luffy's reaction; he thinks it's hilarious.
…
The night before they arrive in Dressrosa, Law can't sleep. He leans against the railing of the Sunny, guarding a slumbering Caesar and anxiously observing the sky for lingering clouds. He finds none – Nami is an excellent navigator and took all of his warning about Doflamingo seriously – but it does not lessen the tightness in his chest.
He almost misses Luffy shuffling out of the boys' room, bare feet muffled against the grassy deck. It doesn't look like Law was his reason for waking up, but as soon as Luffy spots him, his face lights up in a grin and he waves.
Law nods back. Trying to ignore him will not work, and Law doesn’t feel up to their usual push and pull tonight.
Luffy ambles closer with no subtlety whatsoever. "Why is Torao up? Are you hungry too?"
"No," Law says, and does not bother to explain more.
"Okay," Luffy nods, like that's all the information he needs and doesn't ask for more. Law is stupidly grateful. "If Torao is going to stay awake, he should come eat with me. It's no good sleeping when you're hungry." Apparently, the explanation was not needed because Luffy simply chose to ignore Law's denial.
"Blackleg-ya is going to kill you," Law says, but follows Luffy into the galley for the lack of better things to do. Standing watch over Caesar would only send his thoughts spiraling further and further. He needs to stay focused for what is to come in the morning.
"Shishishi!" Luffy rummages through the kitchen with easy familiarity and Law realizes this is hardly the first time Luffy got up for a midnight snack. He doesn’t know why the thought surprises him so much. Perhaps it is the quiet serenity of the kitchen at night – it does not match Luffy’s exuberance at all. "Sanji acts grumpy, but he always leaves food for everyone. He's the best cook." As if to prove his words, he fishes out a plate of sandwiches and several rice balls from a cupboard. He deposits the rice balls in front of Law. "This is for Torao. 'Cause you don't like bread."
Law pauses as he is about grab a rice ball. "You remembered?"
"Of course," Luffy nods, mouth already filled with two sandwiches. "Food's important."
"Ah."
They eat in silence, Law too caught up in his own thoughts and Luffy too involved with his food to start a conversation. Inevitably, Law starts to think about tomorrow, about Dressrosa and Doflamingo and a plan that could fall apart at any moment. There are too many moving pieces, too many variables to take all of them into account, and the uncertainty is torturous. Even with the Strawhats taken in consideration, it's a stupid, risky plan, and in any other situation, Law would not have gone through with it.
But this is also the only plan he can think of that guarantees Doflamingo's defeat, be it at the hands of Kaido or the World Government. After tomorrow, Doflamingo will have no way out, and if Law has to sacrifice himself and the Strawhats to achieve his goal, he is ready to burn in hell after everything is done and over with.
This is a revenge over a decade in making. Cora-san deserves no less.
"Torao should stop thinking so much." Law is brought back to present by Luffy's voice. He is surprised to find both of their plates empty, and realizes that he's been out of it for longer than he thought. Luffy is looking at him from the other side of the table, expression unusually serious. It should have looked silly with the crumbs gathering around his mouth, but the only impression Law gets is that Luffy can see through his soul. "Everything is gonna be fine."
Law is suddenly incensed. "How can you be so careless?! We're up against Doflamingo and you don't even know how –" Stopping himself, Law tsks and looks away.
"I know Mingo's strong," Luffy says, calmly. "And I know Torao is scared of him." At that, Law meets his eyes in surprise. Luffy has that undecipherable expression on his face, sitting heavily on his otherwise cheerful mien. "But everything is gonna be fine. We're going to blow up the factory thingy and then we're going to send Mingo flying. Torao shouldn't be afraid."
"I'm not afraid!"
"Then that's fine," Luffy says. "You'll see, Torao. Everything is going to be great."
Law wants to snap at him. Law wants to shake him until he realizes that his blind faith cannot make the world turn like he wants it to. He wants to yell and yell and yell, until Luffy realizes that not everything is sunshine and roses and that people can die and villains can go unpunished. He wants to make it clear that the world is unfair and cruel and that there is no guarantee any of them will survive the next twenty-four hours. He wants Luffy to stop.
But as soon as he opens his mouth, he meets Luffy's gaze, calm and unflappable, as if nothing can touch him. As if he is speaking an indisputable truth of the universe, something that cannot be denied or broken. The words get stuck in Law's throat.
He remembers, suddenly, Marineford. He remembers Amazon Lily, and the furious, raging, grieving creature that bears almost no resemblance to the man sitting across from him. Law, of all people, knows that Luffy is intimately familiar with loss and grief and that ripping, heart-stopping pain when you find something integral to your life missing.
Luffy knows, intimately, that wishing something does not make it true, but he still stares Law straight into his eyes and says with calm confidence that everything is going to be okay.
Inexplicably, Law feels himself relax.
…
If he is going to lose here anyway, says Law in Dressrosa, armless and half-dead, watching Luffy stand against Doflamingo with a desperate sort of hope that he hasn't felt in years, then I ought to be killed along with him.
Nico Robin is kind enough not to comment.
…
After, when Doflamingo is down and they're safely tucked away in Kyros' house, Law jerks awake, only to see everybody else dead to the world. He's disoriented for a few second, the pain in every part of his body taking his attention away from the surroundings. When the events of the last day finally catch up to him like an avalanche, he drags himself up, ignoring the sudden stabbing pain in his chest and arm. Mindless of the bodies piled up around him, Law scrambles towards the only bed in the room and grabs Luffy's arm, fingers settling over his wrist.
Da-dum, goes Luffy's heart, slow and steady, and Law sags in relief. Da-dum, and Law allows his forehead to rest against the bedframe for only a brief moment.
The moment passes. Law gathers what little strength he has to stand up and check Luffy over. He knows that not one person in the whole country would have allowed Luffy's wounds to be left untreated, but Tony-ya is not here and there is no other doctor with his skills close-by. Methodically, he goes over every single wound littering Luffy's body, checking the bandages and re-checking the treatment, until he is sure that everything will hold until the morning. His shoulder flares with every movement, but he grits his teeth and forces his hands to remain steady. He cannot allow Luffy to get even more injured because of Law fumbling around with his wounds, not now when Doflamingo is no more.
Doflamingo is no more.
The reality of the situation crashes through his brain like an unstoppable flood now that he allows himself to think of it. Doflamingo has been beaten. He is going to Impel Down, never to see the light of the day again. Law's personal monster, Cora-san's killer, has been defeated so thoroughly that he will spend the rest of his life in a tiny cell, tortured by the loss of everything he's ever built. This was everything Law has ever wanted for the last thirteen years, and something he's never planned to live long enough to see.
He can't quite stop himself from trembling as the enormity of it all finally dawns on him.
He's done with his revenge. For more than a decade, the thought of Doflamingo's defeat was the one thing that spurred Law on, the one thing he could barely hope to achieve. Everything he's been doing since that terrible day on Minion Island has been in the service of avenging Cora-san. And now…
Law has no idea what he should be doing now, when everything is over. He did not think he'd live this long.
He is brought from his thoughts by a hand suddenly gripping his forearm. Warm and callused, the fingers wrap against his skin and squeeze until Law opens his eyes – when had he even closed them? – and looks down. Luffy stares at him unblinkingly, not backing away from Law's wild gaze.
"Torao should stop thinking."
"Mugiwara-ya–"
"Mingo's gone," Luffy says, in that simple way of his. "So Torao should stop worrying and go to sleep."
"I can't." Law is shaking too much, his mind abuzz. He won't be able to fall asleep, not now, not with the thought of Doflamingo's defeat so fresh on his mind.
Luffy nods. "I get it," he says and he sounds like he really does, like he understands everything that is happening inside of Law's brain. For once, Law is too tired to mind. He has just enough energy to notice that Luffy is screwing his face up in a way that means he is deep in thought. "I know! I'll get Torao to sleep!" With that, Luffy unceremoniously yanks at Law's hand with more strength than anyone with that kind of injuries should ever have, and Law topples over him, right into the bed.
Law yelps, and then closes his eyes, praying that nobody got woken up by the commotion, because this is just embarrassing. He's laying half-sprawled on top of Luffy – a part of his brain notes that this probably does nothing good to Luffy's injuries – but the man himself does not seem to mind and happily pulls him even closer until they're side-by-side on the narrow mattress.
"Mugiwara-ya! What–!"
"Torao should sleep," Luffy says, self-assured, and buries his head between Law's neck and shoulder. Law freezes. "Mingo's gone and everyone's safe, so Torao can stop worrying. And if Torao can't, then he can just sleep here until he stops worrying anyway."
Law grits his teeth. "That does not make any sense!" he hisses, but Luffy's already conked out and starts snoring right into Law's ear.
It should be uncomfortable. Law should hate this – he doesn't like people touching him without permission and does not usually permit anyone other than Bepo and, sometimes, the rest of his crew this close. But Luffy is warm and solid at his side and he's proven time and again that he would never hurt Law – that he would do his best to defend him, in fact. Luffy would stand between Law and any treat, be it Doflamingo or Law himself, and that thought is strangely comforting. Law has not known safety since his island burned, but he thinks it might feel like this, Luffy standing between him and the rest of the world.
The certainty of it softly lulls Law back to sleep.
(Law spends the next three days ignoring the knowing and smug looks the rest of the Strawhats keep giving him every time he takes a nap and somehow ends up serving as Luffy's pillow.)