Confine
noun con·fine \ˈkän-ˌfīnˈ\
Something (as borders or walls) that encloses, something that restrains.
He could hear it in his mind, followed by the vision of the bright smile that came with it.
"Let's go out this weekend, it'll be fun!"
It's so hard to resist, and when he does, it doesn't matter. Luffy drags him along anyway. So now he finds himself sitting at a bar, next to someone he could hardly call a friend, staring off onto the calamity in front of him.
The air was stuffy, a bit hot and foggy. Body heat coming off from the dance floor made everything feel sticky, it was disgusting. The sight of bodies rubbing up against each other was almost just as repulsive, grinding and panting.
Lights flashed and music pumped throughout the building, as if it were blood pumping through veins, giving life to the establishment. Which in a way is true; an underground club wouldn't be so 'alive' without the music, sex and drinking. Why did Luffy work at a place like this after all? A kid like him shouldn't even know about underground anything, right?
"Hey, want another drink?" He's pulled away from his thoughts, "Law?"
"Nah, I still have this," He answers lifting up his beer, turning his attention to the man sitting to his right. He wasn't much of a drinker.
"Whatever you say." Zoro replies.
Law barely knew the guy, and he only knew him through Luffy. His attitude was to liking though, so Law didn't necessarily mind being around him. He didn't feel uncomfortable, or angry at the thought he was basically forced into being around people he didn't know. A bit annoyed, maybe, but nothing abnormal.
"By the way, where's Luffy?"
That's right, Luffy. He left while Zoro went on a restroom trip. But where did he go? It didn't occur Law to ask, he probably should have.
"Business with the boss," A female voice from behind the bar answers before Law had the chance to think twice. "Hello Mr. Boxer, haven't seen you around in a while." She knew Zoro.
"Robin, Hey! Nice to see you," they're comfortable around each other, Law notices in Zoro's expression. "What sort of business? Oh, I kinda also sorta need another drink."
"Oh you know, just Luffy business… What's on your mind to drink?" Robin hums in return, resting a hand on her cheek bending over the counter. It was almost seductive in a sense.
"Surprise me."
"Price to you doesn't really matter to you when it comes to alcohol, I've noticed. You must love drinking more than Luffy tells me."
"It's free of charge actually, since I know him." The woman speaks, almost chuckling, bringing up a bottle of whiskey to Zoro's cup. "I'm second in charge here, and I let people do to they're liking." She turns her eyes to Law's with a smile, a bit eerie covered by fog.
Law can see Zoro nod his head from the corner of his eye, filling up his cup and having the biggest grin on his face. "Trafalgar Law, am I correct? I've seen you around."
"Really now, that's interesting to hear." She chuckles again at his response.
"At the university… though I haven't seen you there in a while, why is that?" it's almost intimidating, Robin's tone, bending over the counter again, brushing hair away from her shoulder.
"No reason I should discuss. My business, really." Law sounds rude, but he's easily agitated at the subject. A pit in his stomach pinches.
"Luffy never told me you went to school?" the man next to him decides to go forth with the woman's choice of topic, regardless of Law's nasty demeanor. The pit pinches more and he grins in a twitch while thinking of a response. The body heat was making him more uneasy, sweat building at his hairline.
"Who cares," sudden relief, "Look, some guy gave me a drink on my way back here, should I drink it!?" followed by stupidity.
"I think it's best you gave that to me," Robin greets, stretching over to take the drink from Luffy who appeared to Law's left. The idiot laughs in return before seating himself, smile plastered.
"Croc boss was less of a cranky old man today, gave me lots a business for next week. It's gonna pay well so that's a win!" his voice is directed towards Robin, but Zoro replies expanding the comment into a conversation. Law sat in the middle of it, listening closely, looking for answers to questions he's yet to ask about Luffy.
He had met the teen not so long ago, yet saw him almost daily. Not so much was known about the kid, except that he worked all sorts of jobs, even as a bar tender and lord knows what else at cheap illegal clubs with really bad Egyptian themes if he had too. It was interesting to him, maybe a bit too much so.
In the end, all Law could pick up was Luffy having to deliver something for someone, earning him a couple days off from bar tending, which the kid really looked forward to for his own special reasons.
"That's for next week though, so I should really get back to working!" Luffy gets ready to jump over the counter to reassume the position of bar tender before the woman who took his place stops him.
"You can start your little vacation week right now Luffy, I'll cover."
Luffy laughs before replying.
"Okay okay, no problem with me! 'Ppreciate it!" the teen plants his ass back on his seat before turning to the two men at his side. "Let's go do something guys, it's really nasty in here tonight. Boring too!"
Law stops himself from replying, hoping Luffy was addressing his statement more to Zoro than anyone else allowing him to go home. He felt drained out, wanted to relax, smoke some weed and sleep if he was lucky enough. That was until Zoro replied.
"I'm staying, I haven't drunk in a while and right now's my opportunity to drink as much as I can." His lips turn into a smug grin before downing what's left in his glass. Law and Luffy frown back simultaneously. "Especially that I have a hell of a practice ahead of me, 6am sharp."
"Shouldn't you do the opposite for that reason then?" Law asks, annoyed at possibly losing his chance of freedom for the night. Zoro just laughs. Robin informs him the guy will be fine, she'd keep him company.
"I can still stay the night right? Or are you not going home after either?" Luffy jumps in once more.
"Nah I won't but you can still stay the night. Just here, take the key and don't fuck anything up."
"COOL! 'Kay Traff, let's go!" the teen jumps off his seat, enthusiasm glowing like always.
"No, I want to go home."
"Oh… Okay, I can spend the night over at yours then?"
Law just stares before ignoring the question, saying his goodbyes to the others, leaving the bar and Luffy behind. A complete shut down.
"I've actually never been in your place before," no luck, the teen followed. Law has no choice but to stick around now, he knows it. "But wait, do you have cable?"
Of course he has cable, "Who doesn't have cable?"
"I don't."
The two stay quiet, heading towards the exit until cold air hits their cheeks, shoulders curling up and hands digging into any pocket on their clothing.
"Do you have all the movie channels though?" Luffy progresses his question.
"No?"
"PFFFT, forget your place then! Zoro's it is!" He announces without reason. The teen runs off ahead before stopping to realize he had forgotten where Law was parked. Deciding to continue when Law's silence drags on, he assures, "I know Zoro won't mind, we can watch movies all night!"
Luffy laughs when he and Law approach an old 2002 Ford truck, blabbering on about how movie channels could be better than they were. How HBO has been lacking with good films, and how he's watched most of them at least a thousand times. Listening on, Law becomes convinced it could be a good idea to do while stoned. A bit cross faded even. He decides to go along with his friend's plan.
"Fine, if you really insist." the click of the car's lock goes off, "You drive though, I'm gonna smoke a bowl." The man truly decided to take this upon advantage.
"Mkay!" Luffy grabs the keys as they're handed to him, unlocking the car. Once inside, he doesn't start the ignition, instead he looks around getting to know the rusty old thing.
"If I crash this it's not my fault!" he chuckles while finally bringing the car to life.
Law, finding the comment opposite of funny stares the other down, not knowing whether he could believe him or not. Luffy continues his laugher, throwing out an, 'I'm just kidding', backing out of their spot and away.
"You're a headache," Law mumbles before reaching over to the glove department in front of him.
"Your car smells like weed, by the way."
"That's weird. I was sure it smelt like daisies." A sarcastic remark was necessary, after the idiot pointed out the obvious. Of course Law's car smelt like weed, he was just grabbing it out to smoke from the glove compartment.
"You must have a fucked up nose, Traff." Luffy turns to look at Law, who just started to pack a big chunk of weed into a pipe. "That's also a lot of weed."
"Is it your job to point out the obvious, Luffy? Really?" He replies without eye contact. Luffy doesn't say a word only laughing in return, as if he was only doing it to get on Law's nerves. What a pest.
Luffy's laughter turns into singing while Law puffs smoke, coughing every few hits he takes. Everything feels calm, the streets are almost empty this late at night, and the car drives steady.
Luffy says something about how strong it smells, coughs a bit himself before putting down a window and continuing his songs.
It doesn't take long for the teen's horrid singing to suddenly sound like heaven to Law's ears.
"Kill this."
"What?" Luffy pulls up into a parking space, finally arriving at Zoro's crap of an apartment. He sees Law, eyes low and red. He was holding the pipe and lighter out to Luffy, "PFFFT, what happened!?"
"I smoked? Right?"
"Well yea, but I thought you could finish what you packed, did you over estimate yourself!?" Luffy laughs, hard, mostly at the fact that the other would only stare back with wide eyes, confused, and maybe a bit scared even. "You're this big pothead artist aren't you? What happened?" Law doesn't find any of this funny but laughs along anyhow, can't help it.
"Just kill this," He nudges, catching his breath, "There's like 3 hits left." Luffy nods and takes the items from his hands. Brings it up to his lips to light, instantly coughing smoke when he inhales too quickly.
"NO, no! Not like that!" Law almost panics.
"Shut", heavy coughing, "up, I know how!" He repeats the same process, but this time holding in his breath. His cheeks puff up, trying his hardest to hold in his smoke filled lungs. Law starts to laugh again, causing Luffy to burst out with heavier coughs. The boy was really light weight.
"Okay here, take it back! Take it backkk!" He manages to spit out, shaking his head and smacking his lips in desperate need for water.
"Fuck you, one more hit. C'mon." Luffy just nods, doesn't even refuse. He takes the last hit and he's gone.
Getting out of the car after that was a challenge, stumbling over, feeling as if they were atop a 20 story building about to fall to there deaths. They didn't though, which only made them laugh again, Law at Luffy and Luffy… at whatever, making their way to the door.
"Oh, here're you're keys Traff." Luffy pulls out the jumble of keys from his pocket. "…Traff?"
"Why are you walking so slow?"
"Am I?" he was, "OH MY GOD I AM. TRAFF, AM I IN SLOW MOTION? HOW DO I SOUND?" he slows down even more, "doooo iiiii sooouuunnnddd sloooowwww?"
"You sound stupid."
Luffy pouts.
"Of course you can't have fun while being high either, can you?" He speeds his pace up to meet with the other. "My feet do feel really heavy though, like they're rooting into the ground. Feels funny, I'd like to be a tree."
"I'd bet you'd be a pretty tree," Law says calmly, not having a clue of what he was really saying. "Maybe a tree with flowers, lots of bright colors too. One that smells nice… why are you laughing?"
"AW TRAFF, YOU'RE CORNY!" Luffy ignores his sentiments and runs the rest of his way to the door, shaking and trying his hardest to open the door.
"I never said I was corn."
"I DIDN'T EITHER!" He yells in reply, "now shhhhhhh! shhhh…. Zoro's neighbors are picky with noise, they're a big stupid pain in the butt."
"You're the one yell-"
"SHhhhhh!" Luffy hisses one more time, finally opening the door after what felt like an hour. "Corn sounds so good though, maybe we should go get some."
"It's 4am probably, I pretty sure the stores are still closed." They enter the building, bickering silently, or as best they can, going on and on about corn, vegetables, fruit. Luffy would rummage through Zoro's fridge, taking a bite of anything he could before settling on a stash of Ritz crackers to drag along with him.
Law sat on the couch, spacing out, floating. The couch beneath his fingertips felt like clouds, pet it like it was his pet - with slow strokes and caution. He could hear Luffy's steps run all over the apartment he just came to know. It felt homey, and the teen's random babbling to himself every now and then made him feel more relaxed. This was a good idea.
Time passes at a reasonable rate, breathing steady. The world is quiet.
"You want Ritz?" Luffy suggests, munching loudly and sitting beside him. "They're super good, I'm gonna have to ask Zoro to keep buying these kind!" Law looks at the box. It was the generic brand. Luffy makes him laugh for the 100th time.
"That's okay, it's not like I'd give you any." He grins widely, shoves about 5 crackers in his mouth at once.
"You have the munchies."
"Now you're the one point out the obvious Law," There's a sense of teasing in his voice, stares straight at Law. They both smile, Law acknowledging the type of bastard Luffy really is, and how people tend to forget it. It's interesting, really.
Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.
"Oh my god, is that an earthquake!?" Luffy widens his eyes in horror. Before he could start freaking out however, Law points to the coffee table in front of them, squinting.
Buzz. Buzz.
"I think it's your phone? It's vibrating." He grabs it to see there was an incoming call, "It says its Nami?"
"Oh… OH!" The phone's snatched out of Law's hand quickly as Luffy jumps up. He answers the call, a loud but happy. Law doesn't say a word, listens to Luffy, analyzes him.
"…But you're feeling okay right?"
A pause. Law didn't catch the start of their conversation.
"Okok, I'll see if Zoro has some. I'm at his place right now so it won't be a big deal."
…
"Yea I'm faded with Traff, isn't that funny!?" He snickers. "Havin' a good time, but I'm getting pretty tired right now. That part's kinda lame."
…
"At nine? Not sooner?"
…
"Okay, I'll see you later then, don't forget to stash some hot cocoa for me- AND OH, tell Sanji to make me a TON of pancakes. Waffles too, lot's of fruit and syrup!"
…
"Fine, see ya later then!" He ends the conversation, tossing his phone to the side and throwing himself back onto the couch. He sighs, "My high's going away I think."
"Yea… And what was that about?" Law asks, he has to want to know.
"What? The call?" Luffy tilts his head, "It was just Nami."
"I know that. Why'd she call you at this time? Isn't it too early?"
"Uh… well, my phone said it's about to be six, She workers at a breakfast place. Her sister runs it! She gets up super early almost everyday to get the work day running I guess." Sincerity's hinted in the way he speaks. "She usually calls me just to talk sometimes, you know how close we are." Law nods, waiting for Luffy to continue.
"Today she just called because she feel stressed I guess? Had a headache too and forgot to grab some Advil or whatever. I'm gonna go take her some later and then eat breakfast!"
"Ah, okay. That's nice of you."
"Meh, I mean its Nami. I'd probably do anything for her."
Silence follows. Law doesn't know what to say. He doesn't know the girl herself very well yet, and the topic seems to have run dry. He swallows, remembering he probably should get some water for the effects of his cottonmouth. Time ticks, sweat builds.
"So, how's that painting going?" Luffy breaks the deadly silence, as if he wasn't as tense as Law was. Was it even tense in the first place? "I haven't seen it since that one day."
"It could be going better… I still don't know what I'm doing and it pisses me off each time I look at it." He tries to swallow again but coughs in return. "Is there water?"
"Shit, yea. Let me get some real quick." Luffy retreats in the kitchen. The topic continues with raised voices, loud enough to hear each other.
"I think you should maybe just smoke more weed and relax. There's nothing to be pissed about. I told you this didn't I?"
"And I've told you I like to plan, but this painting… This painting just won't flow with me."
"Who cares, gosh. If you end up not liking it, it could become good use for a bonfire! I guess i could also tell you to quit but that's not my style. I'm just gonna pester you into it." Law can practically hear the grin widen on the other's face.
"I had a feeling."
"Maybe you should let me help now." Luffy returns to Law, two glasses of water in his hands. Finally, relief for their dry throats.
"No."
"But-"
"No." says Law, firmly. The other scrunches his nose in irritation, sticking his tongue out before whispering something like 'butt face' towards the man. "Are you sure you're 19, because I don't think teens as old as you say butt face."
"Ass face."
Law smirks.
"Hm, I guess that's a bit better."
The ticking of a clock can be heard somewhere in the room. The sun can be seen, shining through Zoro's dark blinds and curtains. It transforms the atmosphere of the room from dark and mysterious to some sort of foggy dream state.
Law could now see what was around the room more clearly than he could when sitting in the dark. There wasn't much furniture, a bit messy too, and he could recognize one of Luffy's jackets on the floor. He probably spends a lot of time here.
"I'm so fucking tired." Luffy yawns. "I wish I didn't have plans today." He slumps into the couch.
"What sort of plans?" Law asks in return, slumping as well, allowing the couch to devour him.
"A job interview later…" the other mumbles, ready to nap. "I need more… money."
"You lost one then? Again? Jesus fucking Christ, Luffy." He's acts as if he hadn't heard it before.
"Yea…so what? It's normal… and at least I'm still working hard." Luffy yawns a bigger yawn, stretching out his neck while sinking deeper into the couch.
"For your goal?" Law's ready to sleep too, lids heavier than ever.
"Yep…"
Luffy's about done after that, a few stutters in his sleep every now and then.
Law only stares at the ceiling, watching more of the sun creep into the room. Each blink becomes harder to reopen and eventually, he loses the fight, drifting into slumber, birds chirping in the background. A new day starts.
He sleeps good that morning.
AN: Hello everyone, this is my very own fic. Me, my, self and I! I plan on making this story heart warming and hopefully relate able. I'll work my best, and I hope you enjoyed the read. Please review!
-R