Behind your smile
Eiichiro Oda-sensei respectively owns One Piece.
AN: -one shot- This is after the two-year shift, basing off manga. (Spoiler if you haven't reached two year-shift, Dressrosa). This is a bit angsty and depressing. If you don't want to read it, just don't, man. Please enjoy!
Law shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. The entire Going Luffy-Senpai was quiet. It was dark. The waves lapped against the ship, rocking it gently from side to side. He could easily kill them all, if he wanted. Law leaned against the stern of the Luffy, crossing his arms over his chest. It was so strange being surrounded by people other than his crew. He would rather be with Bepo and the others other than his newfound 'Alliance' and the Luffy-worshipers.
Law started when he heard small gasps above him. The party was over and everyone was already passed out. No one but him, the only one who didn't celebrate, should have been awake.
The gasps sounded pained, like each breath was a knife to the lungs. Craning his neck, Law spotted the source of the gasps: The one and only Monkey D. Luffy.
"Mugiwara-ya," Law called up to him, in a lowered voice, so not to disturb the slumbering crew.
"Oh! Hi, Trafal-guy!" the Strawhat captain grinned down at the death surgeon, but something was off about the way he smiled. It was tight, strained; like it pained him to do so. Law had only ever seen the young captain bubbly and energetic. This new side was disturbing.
"Why are you still up?" The captain seemed nervous, like he was caught doing something he shouldn't.
"I could ask the same of you." After a pause, Law muttered, "It's dangerous to be up there. You could fall off and drown and I wouldn't be able to save you."
"Shishishi! I won't fall. This is my spot. Big-me will protect me." Even the laugh was wrong. Was this the same captain who was joking and messing around only this morning?
"Could you get down? It hurts my neck to look up at you." Law complained. Really, he just wanted the kid to get off the mast-head. He looked like he wanted to drown.
"Fine, fine." Luffy hopped down from his perch, landing next to the surgeon. He then sank down against the back of the stern, wrapping his arms around his knees.
"What are you doing, Mugiwara-ya?" He's not acting like himself… The captain only shrugged.
"I'm sitting. And you are standing. You should sit, too." Law rolled his eyes, crouching down next to the smaller man.
"Okay, why are we sitting?"
"Does it still hurt?" Luffy muttered, his eyes unfocused. The question caught Law off guard.
Does what still hurt? The wounds Doflamingo gave me? Of course not. I've had plenty of time to heal and rest…
"I'm sorry?"
"Does it still hurt…Right here?" Luffy stretched one of his fingers to point at the x-shaped scar over his heart. The image would have been comical if not for the haunted look on the young captain's face.
"I don't understand what you're trying to say…" Luffy glanced at him, and then sighed.
"The wound from losing Cora-san…Does it hurt still?" Law glared at him. Why does he want to know? Trying to exploit my weaknesses?
"Why do you want to know?" Law growled. Luffy looked away from the surgeon, toying with his sleeve.
" I feel like…Ever since Ace…I watched him…die…I feel like a part of me has died too…" He placed his hand over the X, "I feel like… Like that marine punched a hole in my chest too… It's so hard…Every day…To laugh…To pretend to be happy. I mean, sometimes, it doesn't hurt as much and I'm happy I have my nakama again… But, remembering Ace, I remember my own helplessness. I couldn't save the one person that was most important to me.
"So… I'm asking you: Does it still hurt you, too?" Law was speechless. He never knew someone as bright and sunny as Strawhat could say such painful things.
"Every day," Law stared hard at the younger captain, "And that's why, every day I fight. That's why, every day, you fight. We fight for the people we haven't lost. All your mopey shit is getting me down. Even if it hurts to plaster that stupid grin on your face, you still have to smile; To live in their place." Just then, Law smelt something sweet and off coming from Luffy. He leaned over,smelling Luffy's breath, and groaned.
Crap .He's drunk. No wonder he's mopey. He probably didn't even mean to say what he just did out loud.
"Mugiwara-ya…You need to go to bed." Law sighed, getting to his feet. The younger captain stared defiantly at the surgeon.
"No…But I feel like swimming." Luffy stood up, and leaned over the side of the boat.
"The hell do you think you're doing!?" Law swiftly grabbed the back of Luffy's shirt before he flipped overboard, and pulled him away from the edge.
"Well, when I was on Big-me, I thought the waves looked so calm. Ace used to swim, you know. A lot. He wasn't always a DF user. Do you think there are fish in heaven? Maybe, I want to swim with Ace. Do you think Ace is even in heaven? Do pirates go to heaven Trafal-guy?"
Law slapped Luffy across the face, leaving a dark red mark for a few seconds before his rubber skin retracted itself.
"Wha—" Luffy started before Law grabbed his shoulders and shook him.
"You're drunk, you idiot! Are you going to kill yourself because you drank too much? Yes, your brother is gone, but you are still here! You can't be the Pirate King if you're dead! Snap out of it!"
Why am I trying to reason with him? He's just going to forget the whole thing tomorrow morning…
"Yeah…You're right…Ace wouldn't want me to die…I'm sleepy, Trafal-guy…I think I'm gonna…" Luffy slammed into Law's chest, causing him to totter before he could hold the smaller man upright.
"Idiot just fell asleep on me." Law growled, throwing the captain over his shoulder so he could take him to a safer place to rest.
He better not remember this when he wakes up.
I hope he forgets this when he wakes up.
AN: I apologize for OOC-ness and if some details were off. I also apologize for the shortness of it. This is just something I wanted to get off my chest, so you don't have to like it. I hope you enjoyed or at least had some emotion other than contempt for me for writing this. Whelp! Thank you for sticking it out to the end!