Disclaimer: I don't own anything. This is fanfiction.
Warning: Fem! Luffy, LawLu, old wild west inspired AU, out of character, errors
THAT BOOTLEGGED COUPLE
"I have a proposal for you, Miss Straw Hat."
"A proposal?"
"If you assist me with my business, I will take you wherever you wish to go. Do you accept?"
"Yes, I do!"
Luffy had accepted the man's proposal. It wasn't a bad deal. She'd help him with what he wanted to do and he'd help her get to wherever she wanted to go. Win-win situation, she smiled to herself. Of course, Dadan would be mad. The old woman would definitely roast her ass and feed it to the crows if she caught her. But Luffy was tired of baking biscuits and meeting suitors day after day ever since her brothers left for a long cattle drive. She didn't want to get married and settle down – she hasn't been anywhere yet!
Everything will change when she gets to Baltigo, she asserts. Often after a job or a journey, her brothers would bring her cool things from that settlement. Shrunken heads, a bottle of shark teeth and a clump of rubber bands – it made her really envious, wishing she'd been there to see everything else as well. She heard the town had a docking area. The thought of ships arriving and departing from there enthralled her.
It would be so wonderful to see all that blue and beyond what they call an ocean. It wasn't food but it was making her internally drool. She'll get there soon, she swore. But for now, Luffy has to help – who was this man again? Ah, Torao was his name, she remembers.
A chance encounter, one would say but for her this Torao is her ticket to freedom. She hadn't really expected him to do something for her after she helped him with his wounds. Luffy wasn't really going to help anyway if not for Bepo. She doesn't exactly have a plan but she knew she just needs to go far and out there. A spur of the moment thing, indeed.
"Oi Miss Straw Hat, I told you that's dangerous." Reprimanded the man. "But I like the view from here!" She retorted, back pressed against the other's broad ones, looking at everything he deemed mundane with confusing excitement.
The horse neighed and sped up at the man's command while Luffy continued to babble about the scenery.
"Look at that cactus! A tumbleweed on top! It looks like an old man. Oh, just –"For a moment, she lost her balance, sweaty fingers slipping from the edge of saddle she had been clutching. But before she fell aside, a gloved covered hand pulled her back.
Law frowned at her. "The next time this happens I'm leaving you in this desert to rot." Her response didn't help lessen it. "Surely you don't mean that!"
His eyebrows twitched in annoyance. Law wasn't sure if this so-called alliance is the best way to go about his plan. Then again, the lass didn't demand much and she posed the least risk among his other unsavoury options. Plus she did more or less helped him back then so it was worth taking note of that.
However, the more days he spent with her, the more he questioned her sanity (and his own for putting up with her). Heck, no lady in her right mind would go with a suspicious stranger like him in the first place. Maybe only those who had no self-preservation, drinking some unknown cacti juice or catching probably poisonous scorpions for dinner. Then again, the one she caught last night tasted somewhat decent. A bit like chicken, maybe.
If there was one thing he was sure of Luffy at this point, it was that the girl just gave a lick and a promise – did things a little too haphazardly.
The man groaned.
It was already nightfall by the time they arrived at the outskirts of the town. And the rumours were right, Punk Hazard is a walled town. There was only one entrance and exit, heavily guarded, impossible to sneak in elsewhere. To pass through, one would need a certain document which would have been legally hard to procure.
Plus according what he gathered, the security is rather harsh on lone travelers – not a good situation for an outlaw such as himself. There's also the matter of his cargo that is likely to raise some eyebrows. He needed that particular gold to deal with Caesar.
But Law isn't Law without a plan – he smirked at his lady companion. "What?" Luffy quizzically looked at him with those big seemingly guileless eyes. In his hands was a document, a pass for a certain family of two.
"It's time to put on some disguise."
Luffy's eyes lit up at the prospect of a new quest.
"Next!" A burly old man bellowed towards the line of carriages, horses and families, travel-worn and eager to enter and settle inside the town. Some children were already complaining to their parents, asking them how long it will take. It wasn't a very long line, at least by their standards, but inspection did take some time.
There was quite an influx of people tonight, usually coming from far-flung settlements. Waiting for the assigned inspector to arrive, the line had built-up, thus the current situation. Among them was a couple, perhaps married like most – a certain Mr. Brownbeard and his wife.
"Here ya go, good sir." The tall, dark-haired and handsome Mr. Brownbeard politely handed their pass to the awaiting inspector with an amiable smile that the man to whom the document was given couldn't help but smile in return. A guard walked up to the horse beside him and checked the contents of their saddles.
The inspector lightly skimmed the paper, "Syrup village, huh?" and gave a passing glance to the big-bellied lady seated at the white stallion lead by Mr. Brownbeard. "Long journey must have taken quite a toll to the pregnant missus, eh?"
Before the dutiful husband could respond, his wife enthusiastically chirped, "You bet! I can't wait to eat now! I could eat a horse with how hungry I am." Bepo slightly shivered to which she lightly pet his head and assured she won't eat a friend. But her stomach grumbled a bit too loudly on cue, making her giggle. Mr. Brownbeard sighed and awkwardly chuckled. "You know how it is when you got a baby on the way."
The inspector nodded his head in sympathy and handed back the pass. "I know, I know! Why me dear Maria had a terrible spell as well. A month's keep of food gone in a week! But all worth it when I saw the little angel, ah my little –" The guard behind him faked a cough, breaking the man's babble, probably used to the old man rattling off. "Well then, careful now you two – ah three. Town's bit rowdy these days."
"We will." Mr. Brownbeard propped himself behind his wife, carefully cradling the pregnant dark-haired woman, his long arms on either side of her, hands gingerly holding the reigns. "We'll be very careful, shishishi!" The wife beamed a wide smile as the couple rode towards the city.
"Such a lovely couple –"The inspector dreamily sighed but immediately composed himself when he noticed the guard glaring at him. So he continued, "Next!"
"That was fun! We should do that again!" Luffy all too happily remarked as if they weren't in disguise and could possibly be detained or worse, killed off. The crease on Law's forehead deepened. He specifically told the darn woman to leave it all to him and not say a word.
Okay, so maybe it helped a little, made the inspector empathize with their supposed plight but it was still risky. He knew this alliance was doomed from the start. But his original plan wasn't that much better anyways. Now if this wench would stop snuggling further into his chest and distract him with useless warm thoughts, then maybe he could come up of a slightly better strategy.
"Oi, Torao?" Luffy peered up to him since she only came up just below his chin even seated. It was all too easy to place his chin on her head and snuggle more comfortably. He waved another stupid idea away. "Hmm?"
"I'm really hungry, you know?" She stated it more like it's a matter of fact than a complaint. Still, he had yet to finish surveying the area. "In a while, love, in a while." Words of endearment sounding awkward and misplaced from his mouth.
"But you said that three days ago!" She cried out, earning a few curious stares from the people on the streets. Three days, his arse – more like three hours ago really. Law didn't bother to reply. He was too tired to deal with her shit and he had too many things to do. Like looking for a shady inn that no one cares about and probably a diner. Yes, a diner.
Luffy sunk further into his chest, "I'm starving and my tummy is all cold with all this – ah, I'm not supposed to say that..." She lazily droned, energy dimming. Law narrowed his eyes at her.
"Can I take our baby off now?" Luffy said, unfortunately, in a volume audible enough to startle some passersby. A mother carrying her small toddler shot the pregnant girl a shocked looked while a passing peddler scrunched his face in confusion. "Strawhat-ya… "Law immediately cocked his head to the nook of her shoulders and hissed into her ear, "Can't you shut your mouth for a while?"
"But –"Her coming whines were cut off by the Law's quick retort. "Meat. In Ten Minutes." She instantly pursed her mouth shut and giggled, patting the outlaw's leg. Her shit-eating grin dazzling some people on the streets. The man slumped his chin to the shorter girl's head in mental exhaustion. Grey eyes looking a hundred years more tired than ever.
At this point, he wasn't sure what will kill him first – his stupid suicidal roaring rampage of revenge or this dangerous for his health, energy-depleting, soul-sucking wench on his lap. The said wench was softly chanting a weird song about some idiots from the southern and then the northern islands.
It was a strange song but stranger still that he bothered listening to it word for word.
Traveling with a girl with a black hole for a stomach, Law had to be extra stealthy and creative, stealing discretely from drunk customers and winning their cash from card games, even more so then when he only had to feed himself.
Sometime after they left the diner, Luffy rattled to him about an Ace and a Sabo, saying they should have just dined and dashed afterwards like what those two told her that they did sometimes. Law thinks he's heard those names before but he wasn't too sure. They made their way to the third shady inn he spotted.
Luffy volunteered to take Bepo to the stables while Law went in to ask lodgings for the night.
As Law leaned by the counter, waiting for the innkeeper to check if there were any rooms left, two young ladies sauntered into his direction, hip-swaying and fluttering their eyelashes at him. They crooned at him, asking who he is, where he is from and why a good-looking chap such as himself is spending the beautiful night alone.
The outlaw, however, was too drained to care or even to give an ounce of fuck, silently hoping the innkeeper would come back soon and give him a room so he could just, you know, rest.
For some reason, the ladies thought he was simply being that mysterious swoon-worthy stranger so they kept on with their flirtatious overtures, complimenting him on how well-built he is and how they just love some scruff on their man.
"It's your lucky day, sir. Got a room left at the end of the hall." The innkeeper tossed the key to Law but a lithe and much smaller hand caught it. "Great! Thanks a lot, shishishi! C'mon Mr. Husband!" Luffy then grabbed the said spouse's wrist and walked briskly upstairs. She wasn't exactly certain why she wanted to drag this lanky man in front of those ladies but for some reason, she felt oddly happy that Torao went along with her.
The two young ladies stared wide-eyed at the grinning pregnant woman who pulled the brooding stranger. Law smirked as he left the coins on his hand to the counter and let himself be drawn by his not-wife towards their room. He may or may have not a kink for being dragged along.
It was a high time he did some more planning with his partner.
Ace is in a very good mood.
Not only were they able to settle the deal half-way from the original destination, the businessman even gave them a bonus. They didn't even have to go all the way to Baltigo. Who knew this Smoker-fellow was such a nice man to deal with? If only Smoker didn't looked like he'd rather be anywhere than talk to Ace, then they could have been friends. Strange guy.
He couldn't wait to go back home though – him and his brother Sabo, of course. Their adorable little sister must be missing them a lot.
The half-naked cowboy continued to browse through the selection of dresses. He didn't have an idea what these fabrics were called but if it's soft and looks good, it's okay, right? Darn, he should have waited for Sabo. Or maybe drag Marco along, then again the pineapple's busy buying important provisions for the trip, he said. Wasn't looking for a beautiful dress for his beloved sister important too?
A yellow calico or a blue taffeta – maybe, this red one with all the silk and satin, Ace would buy his sister a nice dress she'd love. Not that she was eager to have one, it's just that all the ladies in their town have that one dress they use for a dance but his own sister doesn't have one. Either she wore their hand me downs or Dadan ever so seldom sew her a dress of the same simple pattern every time.
Perhaps if Luffy had taken into wearing dresses, she might not be so inclined in doing often dangerous things. The more Ace thought about it, the more he felt like a genius for thinking up of this idea.
He was about to purchase a cotton handkerchief with a beetle knitted to it when he saw Sabo hunched in front of the store, heavily catching his breath, a piece of paper clutched on one hand. "Oh hey Sabo –"
"She's gone, Ace! LUFFY IS GONE!" His blond brother cried out. Ace hurriedly snatched the letter from the other. And as he read it, the surrounding area around them became hotter as he combusted into flames (not literally) and screeched.
Dadan had sent them a message, telling them that their only cute and beloved sister is no longer at home, took her straw hat and gone on some place no one knows about, potentially in danger. They knew Luffy was impulsive but they didn't expect her to leave like this. Had they known she planned to do this, they wouldn't have gone so long or just took her along even if it wasn't allowed.
Who knows where she could be right now? Who could she be with at the moment? Is she starving? Is she cold? Is he calling out to them for help? Both brothers paled as the same thoughts ran through their heads. She could be lost, crying and god forbid, dying but they're miles away. Some dark mysterious man could be taking advantage of her. The horror!
Without preamble, the two brothers rode their horses back to Goa with a speed that rivalled horse racers in the modern times or even faster.
Marco looked at their rapidly disappearing figures and ran his hand over the small tuff of his hair, completely baffled.
-TBC-
A/N: Was supposed to make just one more continuation to A Proposal, but will probably put a few chapters of this. Thanks for reading! ^ ^
