Summary: The first time Law got a tattoo he didn't think it'd eventually lead him to meet the most important person in his life. Neither that realizing his feelings for that person would be in the worst case scenario. And worst of all, he never imagined that falling for Luffy would be that easy.

Notes: This is my second work fo the event, a multichapter fanfic too.

Disclaimer: One Piece belongs to Eiichiro Oda.

T is for Territory
Day 2

Ever since Law got his first tattoo people gave him looks full of fear, disappointment or even pity. Of course it was more because the word DEATH on his fingers that the actual design on his arm. But people were always noisy and waiting for the minimum detail to bark at you even if you just walked by. So the second time he decided to get another tattoo he did in fact think it carefully. That time only his closest friends knew about his new addition. No longer after that he got his third tattoo because the one on his chest and shoulders seemed to lack something. Then his back went to the process of being numb for several hours but the result was worth it.

By the time he reached 24 years he was considered an emotionless and cold guy that was part of some gang and could kill you if he wanted to. The true was that Law was just a loner and too smart for his own good. The later a strong reason to avoid getting involved with stupid and/or noisy people.

Ironically Law was studying medicine so he was either at college or at his parent's hospital. The rumor about him being in a gang started when people saw him going in and out of the morgue and carrying always suspicious plastic bags. They believed that he was selling drugs or exchanged them for favors to let him dispose the bodies of his victims in there without any question. Very funny how people let their imagination run free. Fortunately his parents and the hospital personnel knew him very well to understand that he was just so serious and a bit picky about whom to hang out.

For his 25th birthday Law decided to get his right hand tattooed too and spent some days wandering around downtown looking for the right place to get it done. It was more because he wanted to be the same person who made his left hand tattoo and he knew that that person would copy the design exactly. But his first tattoo was made so long ago that he couldn't recall where the shop was. Almost a week later Law found it and was greatly surprised to know the owner remembered him.

After a bit talk with the owner he was introduced to his son who was, in Yasopp's words, prominently skilled and the right person to make Law's tattoo. Thrusting him was not problem at all, Law knew Yasopp's assistants were amazing in their work and of high quality. So that was how he met Usopp.

"Sorry 'bout that, buddy. I no longer run this place 'cause I have another businesses to attend to. You were lucky to come when I was visiting," said Yasopp smiling apologetically. "But fear not! Usopp here is the best." And then he was saying his goodbyes to his son and the other workers and leaving right after that.

"So, I'm the great Usopp! Could I get a look to your tattoo? I'll make a draft and then you can decide if you want me to do it." The long nose of the man in front of him was a bit distracting but Law regained his composure before showing his amazement.

"Is it right? The shop seems really busy."

"Nah. I don't have any clients at the moment, most of the people here is accompanying their friends so there's really no need to worry."

Sometime later Usopp finished the draft and showed to Law who couldn't help but to appreciate with amazement the quality. The details were so perfect that it was like seeing Yasopp's work. Then Law nodded and asked about available dates.

"I'm mostly free on week days but knowing that you are a doctor I could guess that your free time is limited, so how about you tell when is the most convenient for you?"

"Well, I'm not in a hurry so it could wait. My next free day is in two weeks. What about this Friday?" Said Law pointing in the calendar in Usopp's hands.

"Ok. Then I'll see you that day."

"If you don't mind," said Law before someone could get the other's attention, "could I come again before my appointment to see your works?"

"Sure! It'd be my pleasure!"

So that was how Law and Usopp became something like friends. Law praising the designs and perfect skills of Usopp and the later appreciating how Law could discern the meaning of some tattoos Usopp himself had made. Not many people could understand it and finding someone how can was always heartwarming. Then the day when Law had the appointment came and both of them were talking like old friends. Law was delighted to know how easy was to start a conversation with Usopp, omitting the delusions of greatness that sometimes the long-nose had.

After finishing the tattoo Usopp convinced Law to let him retouch the one on left hand and booked another date. Whenever Law got time to spare he would go to the shop just to keep watching the designs displayed or the ones that Usopp kept in an album. By the time the tattoo on his left hand was retouched, Law got close enough with the other workers that they started to address him with familiarity, so when Usopp suggested to retouch the tattoos on his chest and back too it wasn't a surprise to hear some of the guys trying to help Usopp in the task if only to share the pressure of the long hours that it would take to do it.

It was the day that his back being retouched when Law heard a commotion coming from the reception area. One of the workers was trying to keep whoever was making the fuss from getting in the room he and Usopp were but the poor assistant was slowly losing his patience if the words Law was hearing were any indication. With a sigh Usopp left his tools in the work-table and excused himself saying that he'd be back in a bit.

"It's ok, we could take a break now and you can attend whatever the hell is going on in there. Could you reach me my phone, please?"

"Sure, I'll try not to take too long."

Twenty minutes later Law started to doze off so he didn't hear the door opening neither the steps getting close to him. Then there was a hand on his back and his eyes pried open.

"Fuck! Say something next time, Usopp." Said Law yawning. "So what was that? Some client?" The hand on his back was caressing his tattoo so softly that Law started to doze off again. The shifts at the hospital were getting longer and longer. His skill in surgery was becoming something people started to recognize so he was getting more and more cases to work on. His parents were obviously pleased to have him with them although they tried to convince him to do his internship on another hospital, but Law always wanted to work with them so it was no problem for him to do so. When the hand touched a tender part he winced a little but then another hand joined and started to rub his shoulders, Law couldn't help but sigh with pleasure. Almost purring. Then a laugh that didn't belong to Usopp came from the person whose hand were on him. Immediately his head turned around just enough to see this person.

"Shishishi! You need to relax more! That many stress isn't healthy!"

"Who are you?!"

"I'm-"

"Luffy! What the hell are you doing here, you idiot! Nami is gonna kill me if she knows you were here the whole time!" Came Usopp almost breaking the door and grabbing the other male by his arm. The Luffy guy just laughed and started complaining with Usopp that this Nami girl was just being mean with him and didn't want to feed him more meat. "I don't care! If she knows you're still here she's gonna kill me! Oh god! I'm starting to feel how life is escaping from me! Just go to Sanji's if you want meat…!"

And then both males were far enough to prevent Law to keep listening. What the hell was that? By the scene he could watch it was obvious he was a friend of Usopp. But what impressed Law the most was the straw hat that this Luffy guy wore. For some reason he knew he had seen it somewhere but couldn't recall exactly where.

A month later when Law was ready to go home he got a call from Usopp asking him if he could come to the shop the next day, something about a photo and an album that he couldn't hear well enough because of the noise in the background.

"Are you in a party?"

"Uh? Ah! Yeah, sorry 'bout that! Luffy dragged us to this party. So what do you say? Think you have the-"

"Hey Usopp! Who are you talking to?" said someone interrupting Usopp. Law just kept quiet because it seemed the long-nose male had pulled apart his phone. "Is it that Kaya girl?"

"Let him be, Luffy, he's probably getting really sw-"

"Shut up! I'm talking to Law, you noisy bastards!" Then there was a sound like a struggling and Law took a look at his own phone for a moment just to see if the call was still going.

"Hey, Torao!" Came Luffy's voice and in the background now was Usopp trying to get his phone back.

"My name is Law, you know."

"Yeah but I like Torao better! You should come to the party!"

"I don't think it is a good idea, Luffy."

"Why not? Everybody is having fun, they wouldn't mind you coming. The more the merrier, right, guys?"

"It'd be nice to put a face on this Trafalgar guy."

"Yeah! I want to know Torao too!"

"I don't really care."

"Shut up, moss head! If the ladies say they want to meet him you should agree too!"

"See?"

Law kept quiet for a moment. In the month after the incident in Usopp's shop Luffy became attached to the surgeon for no reason, something that Law didn't understand it yet but became used to. So almost every third day the younger male would visit him at the hospital to drag him to lunch. And on weekends Law would always visit Usopp to see the new designs just to offer his opinions of them, something Usopp appreciated because Law's words were short but right to the point. Luffy would come sometime after Law just to hang out with him so Law always came with takeaway for everyone and a special meat order for Luffy. So this call wasn't strange for him at all. He just got used to Luffy's antics.

"What's the party for, anyway?"

"It's just a party, silly Torao! We don't need a reason to celebrate!" Even Luffy said that in the background he could hear something like 'victory' and 'territory claimed'. Whatever that meant he just didn't care. Maybe it was time for him to relax a bit.

"Fine, but just for a little. I have to work early tomorrow."

"Shishishi! Don't worry, you could spend the night with me if it gets late!"

"Yeah, don't think so."

"See you in a bit, Torao!" That was the least he heard when just before reaching his car in the parking lot a piece of fabric with chloroform was put in his mouth and nose. He was a doctor so he knew was going to happen and even with that knowledge he struggled to free himself but then his sight became dark.

When he came to, Law was tied to a chair and his eyes were covered with some kind of cheap fabric while his mouth was covered in tape. He tried to move himself but that alerted whoever was in the room with him.

"The beauty asleep is finally awake." His eyes and mouth were freed and for a moment he couldn't see; when his eyes got used to the light he saw that there were at least four men more excluding the one in front of him. "Probably you want to know why you are he, ain't you. Well, the rules are simple, I ask a question and you answer with the true and after some round you get free. Is that clear?"

Law fixed his eyes only in the man in front of him but remained calm. The least he wanted was to anger him. But after the first question he just couldn't help but to curse him.

"So tell me, is it true that you enjoy getting fucked from the back?"

"Fuck you! What are you talking about?!"

"There, there, I just wanted to know if the rumors were true."

"Go to hell, bastard!" The first hit came and he nearly lost consciousness. Then there were questions that he didn't understood and more punches were thrown to some part of his body. After what seemed to be hours the man in front of him stepped aside and then a bigger one came to him. This one looked like the leader because with just one word the other male stopped punching him.

"So. Are you gonna talk or wanna know why the call me Black Beard even though I don't have one?" Asked the leader, trying to give a soft smile but Law could see the rage in his eyes. "What would it be?"

Trafalgar Law knew that whatever his decision he was going to die either way. So he kept quiet. Even if he did know why he was in that situation he was sure he would do the same.

"Ah. I see," the big hand of his captor took his face with such ease and force that the surgeon thought his jaw was going to break. "That Mugiwara boy got himself a loyal boyfriend, who would've imagined it?"

"Mugi…wara? Luffy? What does he-"

"HAHAHA! You really know nothing! I had my suspicions but this is far better! Does he really trust you, doctor? Does he really tell you everything about him?!"

"What are you talking about?! Luffy has nothing-"

"HE is the very reason you are here! Haven't you heard that there was a war between gangs for the Blue East?! That little brat kept interfering with my business and now he claimed the whole territory as his own! It was supposed to be mine!"

"No! You're wrong! Luffy is not-"

"Isn't he really?" Black Beard grabbed Law by his hair and obliged him to watch a video in a cellphone. On the screen he could see Luffy's figure throwing punches to whoever got close to him. The angle wasn't that good but he could recognize that straw hat on Luffy's back. Then the image zoomed in and even with the bad resolution he could see the expression on Luffy. Those eyes weren't the gentle and innocent ones that he knew. Those eyes talked about death and promised a hurtful experience to whomever crossed his way. "Now that you know the true and realized that he didn't trust you at all, would you cooperate with me?"