It is an attempt to give happy ending to Under. that. sun's Angst One Shot- That Sofa You Never Sat On

Its my version of the tale. I begged her to let me write a part II well because I hate sad endings. Hope you guys loved it.

That Sofa You Fell Asleep On

The day Sabo told him about a strange guy being their dead brother's recent friend; Ace had wanted to rip Sabo's tongue out. Their younger innocent baby brother was murdered, stabbed, crushed and left to bleed by a petty robber. The robber was overwhelmed by his own deeds and caught three days later and put to justice. His brother was just eighteen when his life ended, justice did not bring him back. Young and naïve to the world, Ace had always been against his youngest brother moving out of their home. He was mad, Ace was really mad when Sabo the far sighted of both came to him with messed up blonde hair, wide red eyes, shaking and talking in delirious words, about the strange meeting with a teen at the graveyard on his dead brother's birthday.

Sabo had met a young university student who had taken rent in their deceased brother's tiny apartment. The said student had befriended his baby brother Luffy's ghost. Ace had punched Sabo hard, the loss of their brother was really harsh, but he never expected the composed brother to believe in the shit called ghost. Their brother Luffy was dead and gone. Only idiots looked back in past and mad believed in ghost. Ghosts were the illusions of past one did not want to let go. Ace knew Sabo had an intuition but to joke about Luffy's ghost was too much to bear.

Sabo had not returned the punches, he had taken every kick and insult Ace threw that night. Both were guilty of not protecting the only sunshine they had while growing up. But to make your guilt a reason to believe in ghost was not acceptable. Ace was angry, it was the worse joke Sabo had cracked on Luffy's birthday. That on a birthday where there won't be celebration to make it evident that the boy was gone forever.

But it was his wife Vivi who had calmed him, she loved Luffy too. Luffy was her dear friend, she regretted Luffy's death too. Many times she cursed herself for not calling him that night like she did other nights. The day after Luffy's birthday Ace and Sabo sat opposite to each other. Vivi had faith in Sabo's word, Marco Sabo's fiancé was skeptic but was willing to agree with him if the peace both brothers needed came through a ghost's story.

The ride to certain Trafalgar Law's door was not easy. Sabo had been silent, he was not brooding, he was not anticipating, he was just silent- mute in other words. Ace had too taken a stance of no words and kept his eyes on the road. According to Law guy, Luffy was unaware of what happened to his murderer. That Law guy thought Luffy's soul couldn't pass on for last five years because he was still attached to his place of death and looking for a closure.

His brother was a freedom loving kid, now that Ace waged his thoughts, it doesn't seem impossible, his brother had a rare quality to attract and do things normal people didn't do. Luffy was very proud of the tiny apartment he rented and if his soul tied itself to this place it meant his brother still clung to his love for freedom and dreams he had webbed with that apartment.

Sabo was the one who knocked on the liver spotted door. After two knocks there was a tanned guy waiting for them, in the very apartment Luffy was killed. They found his body six hour later here at the passage leading to drawing room, bashed skull and stabbed body. "Thank you for coming" the guy called Trafalgar Law spoke. Sabo nods and Ace follows him. As both take off their shoes, the weird guy does something that makes Ace cringe in fear and hope. "Luffy can you help me out?" that was the moment Ace got a faith in supernatural.

That day he saw a ghost, a real ghost, floating two inches above the ground, translucent, small, confused and it was his brother's ghost.

Here Ace was eighteen years later celebrating the graduation ceremony of his son, Luffy. That day after they saw his brother's soul pass on and Trafalgar Law cry in despair, Ace returned home sad… but calm. He was sad for Law because the boy fell in love with his dead brother. Now that he looks back he feels fate had done grave injustice to Law that day. After Sabo dropped him that night, Vivi had hugged him with all her warmth, strange warmth that was happy. He was informed of the good news by his wife. She was with child, it was his child.

They never planned on naming his son Luffy. But the moment he came to earth nine months later, it was evident it was the right name. His son was born with a birthmark below his left eye similar to the scar his brother had and another birth mark on his chest in shape of an X like the scar of dead Luffy who got himself burned at age of ten. The more his son grew up, the more he resembled the other human that left earth.

Luffy was meat loving, freedom flaunting and damn caring child. Ace believed in reincarnation now, he believed his brother had returned as his son to complete a task left unsettled, a debt unpaid. After the ghost of Luffy passed on in summer Trafalgar Law moved out of the apartment with the sofa Luffy had bought from yard sale. Ace never found him to inform of this Luffy's birth.

So when Luffy, the son breaks away from his uncle Sabo's embrace, swims his way out of the crowd celebrating his graduation and looks at him with puppy eyes, Ace knows it's time to let this Luffy settle an old debt that was left by the other Luffy, that was gone. "Dad… I need a favour" Luffy grins, his strawhat bent on his head, his grin selfless and his eyes determined. Ace knows, this time his Luffy was protected well. "Speak up Lu" Ace holds Vivi by waist who nods at him with similar thought. Marco and Sabo smile at Ace, they know it too, there was a purpose destined in life for young Luffy

"Thank you for visiting the shop" Trafalgar Law bids goodbye to the last customer and closes his shop. He picks up the inking gun and whips it with tissue and dissembles its parts putting them into boiling water. He had to keep his instruments clean and germ free. His one year as medical student stopped him from going lazy on work, he thought as he dropped the cubes of disinfectant in water.

Health of his customers was his top priority. Law counted the cash and put it inside the drawer. He removed the bandana that was holding his bangs. He needed a cut, soon. Walking around the small live-in work studio Law looked at the mirror, his eyes had dark circles, his goatee was trimmed, his sideburns maintained, his hair was dangling above the shoulders. He had aged, he slept well but his dark circles refused to leave him.

He opened the refrigerator and pulled out the box of frozen curry and put it inside the microwave oven. That was his lunch for last three days and tonight his dinner. After dinning on the lone dining table Law flopped on the old sofa, which did not belonged to him.

Eighteen years ago he fell in love, in love with someone whom he could never touch. Someone frozen in time, they were stupid, childish, annoying and caring. Even though that someone was ghost, Law enjoyed the movie evenings they had. His love for that annoying ghost was still the same; his love ran deep in his heart. If only they had met somewhere else in a different period where they both were on same existential base, a thought that ran in his head every now and then for last eighteen years.

Law curled up on the sofa, a brown, coarse ugly thing that belonged to the ghost he loved. His beloved ghost could never sit on it but fall inside it or pass through it. It was the only reminder Law had of that cute guy he ever wanted to kiss. Law's last partner walked out on him, claiming Law was a lost man in past and that his obsession with his sofa was creepy. He did nothing to deny it or accept it. The movement of emotions had stopped inside him the day he saw ghost of Luffy turn transparent and vanish forever into a glowing light.

That day he cried, he lamented, he begged, he despaired. He regretted to bring Luffy's brothers to the tiny apartment they shared. Death was their problem; Law had often wondered if he had died in that apartment may be he could have loved Luffy as a ghost. Both could share a home in death. But now they were apart. Separated by death, like the ghost he loved was eighteen forever, his heart was frozen too. Law never opened up, he will never love anyone ever again.

The ghost was gone and Law was alive- it was his reality.

Whenever a customer came to his studio they often asked the same question- where did Law sleep. He had no bed; the only piece of furniture to sleep on was an ancient sofa. He tried having bed in home but his body never agreed upon. When the last partner left him Law gladly gave him the king size bed. He would twist and turn but never enjoy the sleep he had on that sofa. The sofa was where his Luffy would fall inside and sleep in it for days without any worry. It was Luffy's Sofa.

At thirty six, Law was alone and content with life as a tattoo artist. If people asked him was he in love, his answer would always be –Yes! He was, he is and he will always love certain someone called Monkey D Luffy, a cheerful ghost who was frightened by Law when he they first passed through each other, literally and figuratively.

"Are you sure Lu?" Ace asked looking at his son. "Yes dad I am! Uncle Sabo tell him I am! Have my visions ever misled me?" Luffy pulled his knees up and rested his chin on them. "Yes Ace, listen to Luffy here" Sabo snickered from the backseat as Ace glared at his reflection on the mirror. Ace sighed, yes his son had visions, one which made him sees near future, at times distant past and at times just random images related in any person he was talking.

But there was a common image of a man, Sabo and Ace knew who the man was. Luffy had been drawing him in his artbook since his kindergarten, writing imaginary letters to that human called Torao, crying when he felt that man was in danger. But Ace and Sabo could never find the man of Luffy's dream.

Three month prior to Luffy's graduation, the boy had a vivid assault of images. He could see the name of Frevalance in his images. This was the first time Luffy could figure out name of a place related to that man's image. The word Frevalance was enough to make Luffy study hard to earn himself a seat in undergrad program of Frevalance University.

This time Sabo and Ace won't let Luffy do as his pleased, Luffy was put in University Dorm and the boy was being given enough pocket money to last him every month both by his father and Uncles. As Ace drove, he could see Sabo frown thinking hard, Marco who sat beside him, rubbed circles on his palms.

"Why could mom not come?" Luffy groaned. "Because somebody has to look after the house and store!" Ace took a swift turn and soon entered the University Campus. "You will come visit me right? Right? Right?" Luffy cheered up as his eyes met the spotless white university building. "Yes we will" Marco grinned. "Hey dad you think I will find the mystery man Torao?" Luffy grinned. "I hope you do" Sabo answered. "Try not be reckless this time…, I mean be careful" Ace almost let it slip. "I will" Luffy puts his strawhat on grinning and jumps out of the car as soon as Ace clutches the breaks.

Law takes a break, he works alone and it's hard to keep working with children, yes this new university freshmen were children in his eyes. With the beginning of new term in university, his little studio would be filled with younglings. All young people with hot blood thriving and pumping to do something adventurous and what could be better than tattoo? Law mused.

As Law walks towards the corner of the café he has a strange feeling, his heart was beating little faster. His cheeks were burning slightly. The more he took his step towards the café run by Sanji, his good friend of ten years now his steps became heavier. This were symptoms of fever, but he was damn well moments ago. A force kept him glued. It took him seven minutes to reach Sanji's counter whereas he reached the place in two minutes every day. Law opens the glass door and looks at the blonde flirting with a dark haired woman at the counter.

"Good afternoon, how may I serve you" Sanji the blonde owner smiles at Law. "Coffee! You know my demands Sanji-ya" Law smiles a little. "I do, but it's customary" Sanji begins brewing coffee. "Do you want Pita Bread Law?" Sanji asks smirking. "Anything that has bread in its name is my enemy" Law says in a deadpan voice and places a ten berri note on the counter.

"I am afraid I have no change today" Sanji murmurs. "Keep it, I will come for one in evening anyway" Law stretches his fingers. "No.. can't do! It shits up calculations! Here" Sanji hands over two cups of coffee to Law. "What will I do with two cups?" Law asks. "Drink it, give to some customer" Sanji waves Law off as another woman walked towards the counter.

It had been a week since Luffy started university life, half of his time went choosing clubs and reporting back his deeds to his dad and uncles. Though his uncle and dad acted as if they were not worried like they always did and pretended to hide nothing, Luffy knew he looked like his dead uncle, the previous owner of his name. He had seen his pictures, hell they looked alike, rather could pass as twins. That guy died at the age of eighteen, murdered in his apartment. How did this Luffy know about it?

When he could not relate his images and vision, he would often be afraid of them, his mother helped him.

She told of a strange story, an odd tale about his uncle's ghost and a guy who helped him pass on to other side. Vivi felt, that Luffy's birth was a second chance for him and that man in vision. Here he was in city of Frevalance, roaming around the white roads and staring at spotless buildings.

As Luffy approached an alley, strangely odd from the rest of the paths became visible out of nowhere; it was painted in blue and yellow with a cafe at the end of the alley and various shops at each side giving a bright view. Luffy's steps followed automatically, he walked into the bicolour alley and his steps directed him towards the shop guarded by brass gate. His hand moved on its own accord and unlatched it. He found himself at the doorstep; with the handwritten sign Be Right Back hanging on it. Beautiful board flaunting a handwritten Cursive, as Luffy ran his hands over the sign, images burst through his head.

He could connect and recreate various memories that belonged to someone who was he, but it was the present him that had experienced them. Memories that had no earthly existence, they appeared hollow yet they had happened. They happened neither on this side of reality or the unknown side reality. But in some present that had been born in fusion of both. Luffy had another burst, he was alive once, he was frozen once, he was dead once, but he was alive again.

"Do you want a tattoo boy?" Luffy looked at the name of the Shop standing above his head. "Torao's Marking" Luffy immediately looked at the person whose voice was familiar to him, but from another time. The tall guy had midnight blue hanging bangs, grey eyes with dark circles, pierced ears, tanned skin and handsome face. He was the man from dreams.

"Torao!" Luffy froze on the small steps he was standing on.

"Lu…Luffy…." The tall guy looked at him with wide eyes. "Am I dead?" he asks looking at Luffy. Luffy figures this guy has been waiting for death as he could read the word spelled on his luscious fingers. Luffy removes his strawhat and walks towards the guy.

"It may sound strange to you I have been dreaming about you since my infancy, I am Monkey D Luffy! Hello Torao Law" Luffy spoke now standing right in front of the guy."It's Trafalgar Law" the older mumbles. "I see this image of you and a weird brown sofa, like every day I see you two calling me! As if both of you are waiting for me and are bored of each other" the sofa, Luffy had never mentioned his parents about it. "Did you not pass on?" Law asked Luffy stagnant in his position.

"It's a bit complicated, but I am alive and I have memories of the guy I was in last birth, if that helps you" Luffy grins. Yes this was the guy of his dream. "Hold this" Law asks, Luffy to hold the paper cups and unlocks the door to his studio. This was going to take a while to register Law murmured as he opened the door and looked at Luffy. He looked just like the ghost he loved but now he was opaque, standing and not floating and he was three dimensional!

Luffy walks in with the cups and finds the weird sofa pushed against the wall. The guy he was, was strange dude, but he flops on it none the less. "You are alive, you appear as frozen as you were eighteen years ago" Law sits besides Luffy. "No, I am not that me, but I am new me, I am born again, I turned eighteen few months back. Thanks to some technical boon, I look like my earlier self!" Luffy smiles. Law takes the cup from Luffy's hand and sips the warm brown liquid. Yes he was alive and child talking in front of him was breathing.

"So what brings you here and please drink the coffee, by some fate I bought two cups without expecting any one to find me after all these years" Law is nervous, he was not afraid of ghost Luffy, but why he was nervous of alive Luffy was still a question. "Thanks" Luffy sips his cup and reclines on the sofa. "Aaa….haa… this is why my body craved the sofa! It's bloody comfortable!" Luffy grins. "Now what do we do Luffy?" Law asks.

"I have a message for you, from the earlier me these words have been hammering inside my head for a long time" Luffy grins taking Law's palm in his own. "What message? You know you are eighteen years younger than me! Don't you think it's a bit late to give message" Law asks absorbing Luffy's heat now a slow smile sprouting on his lips. Law feels warm, time was moving again for him, emotions dancing inside him. "This is important message" Luffy takes a deep breath and stares in to Law's eyes. He grins and gently places his lips on Law's who inhales the smell of life. The lips are soft, warm and breathing, Law feels them perfectly. They were alive together. Luffy pulls away and smiles, "the message the earlier me wanted to say was…." Luffy bleats his heavy eyelids and blushes…

"I love you Law"

THE END

Disclaimer- Have I ever said I created One Piece? Why is this called fanfiction. net?

Hope You loved it! Both will have to do a lot of catching up and they have a vast age difference too :P thirty six year old Law and a eighteen year old Luffy.

:)