Title: Grocery Store
Genre: Humor, Family, General
Characters: Ace, Law, Luffy
Summary: Law has an encounter with a stranger at the grocery store.
Author: The Dark Crimson Blood
Count: 1,173
Twenty seven year old Trafalgar Law enjoys his Saturday at the store.
It's actually fairly late actually; just ten minutes past midnight but that's fine. It's better to shop late because the lines are shorter and there are a lot less people around; which is good, because Law hates people. Really, he saves lives for a living but people get on his nerves.
They're so much better unconscious, and then he never has to see them again.
The store is basically empty at the moment; save for the cashier whose struggling looks completely bored out of his mind. Law pays him no attention as he continues through the store with his shopping cart; items for the next two weeks piled neatly into his cart and ready to soon be checked out.
Everything is going well; but then someone tugs at his shirt and he nearly drops the eggs he'd been surveying for cracks. There's a big eyed child who looks to be around twelve years old standing by his side; she was quiet approaching him, Law didn't even hear her coming.
Law wonders what kind of parents drag their child out to go shopping at twelve at night; he thinks about it, and immediately decides that he hates them for it.
Secondly, he wonders if trouble follows him or he just happens to run into it.
He sure as hell doesn't go looking for it.
"Hey, you look super cool!"
Law's pretty sure he looks pissed off and ready for bed, but maybe this kid's head didn't work properly. "Thanks, kid." He pushes his cart forwards and of course, this brat follows.
"You've got a lotta tattoos! Yknow, my brother has a tattoo on his arm and a huuge one on his back." She walks with him and talks loud enough that her voice echoes throughout the isles; everyone probably hears her, which should make finding this kid's parent's a lot easier. "I'm gonna get one next week!"
Assuming that she means a temporary tattoo, Law nods his head. He's not really interested at all and a big part of him hopes that she realizes this; but she's oblivious, and takes his boredom as interest instead. "I'm Luffy by the way!"
The straw hat that she wore on top of her head falls and hangs from her neck as she makes this announcement; big bright eyes look at him expectantly as they await his response. "Where are your parents?"
She shrugs. "I dunno, but hey, what's your name?"
"Law,"
"It's nice to meet you!" She beams, pleased with his response.
Law wonders if maybe she came here with her big brother; she did mention him just a second ago. Hopefully by now he's noticed that he's lost her in a very empty store, or maybe she lost him. "Who are you here with?"
"My brother," She responds quickly; her shaggy black hair bounces as she bobs her head.
"Well, where is he?"
She spins around on her heels and points directly behind her; but there's no one there, and her face falls when she sees this. She slaps both hands onto the sides of her face in shock and her mouth opens to form a visible 'o.' "He's not there"!
"Did you lose him?"
She shakes her head. "No! He was right behind me!"
"So you lost him."
"No! I followed him the whole time!"
"You lost him, then."
"I didn't! He was right there, I swear."
This whole conversation is pointless.
His shoulders slump slightly and a heavy sigh passes through his lips. "Do you want me to help you find him?"
In her oversized jacket and blue shorts, Luffy nods and follows him all the way to the customer service.
They even give her a balloon; it's bright red, just like her jacket.
"Will Monkey D. Luffy's parent or guardian please report to the front of the store? Repeat; will the parent or guardian of Monkey D. Luffy please report to the front of the store."
"Do you have a super cool job too?" Luffy kicks her feet back and forth as she sits on her char; the balloon that's tied to her wrist moves with her. "You've got to, right?"
"I'm a surgeon."
Luffy's eyes sparkle. "That's so cool!"
Law's never been gushed over quite like this before; it's kind of a good feeling, but it doesn't make the situation any less annoying. The girl jumps up from her seat and pulls her fully operable phone out of her pocket; "You should give me your number, just in case I ever need a surgeon."
Was that supposed to be a pick up line, or a really slick way of getting his number?
Was this twelve year old child trying to flirt with him?
He opens his mouth in shock, but not as single word comes out before he's interrupted by a boy with freckles all over his face and a tattoo on his arm. This must be that 'Ace' guy Luffy was talking about.
This 'Ace' person looks very annoyed.
"What the hell Luffy? I look away for a second and you're gone!" He smacks the back of her head with a bit more force than needed; Luffy winces and brings her hands to her head. "You're far too old to be getting lost in a damn grocery store!"
Ace spins on his heel and bows deeply to Law, who almost looks as though he wants to say something about the way he just smacked his little sister. "Sorry for the trouble," He forces her head down with him, which earns him a smack to the arm as she straightens herself out.
"You're the one who got lost!" She accuses, loudly.
"I wasn't lost; I was following the list Sabo made! You're the one who wandered off!"
"I wouldn't have gotten lost if you were paying attention." She sticks her tongue out at him bashfully; it's almost as though she were offended that he would dare to assume that this was her fault.
"I shouldn't have to watch you, you're nineteen years old!"
Wait, what?
The girl with the big straw hat, red jacket with the cartoon 'one piece' signed on the back, blue shorts and light up sketchers is an adult?
She's wearing light up sketchers, for god's sake.
She's got a damn balloon tied around her wrist.
Her name was just announced over the loudspeaker because he thought she was a missing child!
"You're… Nineteen?"
She grins.
"Yup!"
Law promptly dismisses himself from the situation.
"Thanks Mr. Surgeon!"