Warning: this will have spoilers for the manga. Though nothing is confirmed yet… but it's painfully obvious.
Snaps and claps to anyone who gets the title reference. Hint: it helps if you're a Disney Movie fanatic.
Faith, Trust and Something Else
Summary: The world was dark and soulless, and the people in it were even worse, Law knew that for a fact. Yet Luffy was always smiling, always seeing the good that wasn't there. The world didn't deserve his trust.
A reunion with one Eustass Kid casts a shadow over the young captain's bright faith.
"Pirates alliances and betrayal go hand in hand." – Nico Robin
Law sighed and lent back against wall, his hands in his pockets. He watched the teen captain run around the deck with long-nose and the reindeer. It was a normal morning aboard the Thousand Sunny, well the term normal was stretching it. No pun intended as Chopper grabbed Luffy's arm and ran to the far end of the ship even as his captain stayed in the same spot.
'Gomu Gomu…slingshot!' The teen shouted and the small reindeer/human shot into the air, laughing and screaming.
He crashed into the sniper, sending them both crashing into the side of the ship. 'Two wins for me!' Luffy yelled happily.
'No fair!' Usopp said indignantly. 'Best three out of five!'
Luffy grinned, clearly geared up for another round. 'Island!' Zoro shouted from the crow's nest and like a shot gun, the Straw Hat's captain was at the front of the ship.
'So cool~!' He declared.
Law looked up and saw the island. He wondered if it'll be something worth to put a delay in their journey. Not that he had a choice in going or not, the glowing eyes of Monkey D. Luffy said that much.
Page-break-and-total-not-a-sneaky-way-of-skipping-writing-parts-I-can't-be-stuffed-thinking-about
The island was pretty ordinary for the New World, nothing really interesting to find. Luffy clearly wasn't impressed by the vast nothingness. He crossed his arms and pouted, reminding Law more of a child than one of the most infamous pirates in the world.
'This is boring.' The teen said for the umpteenth time.
Law sighed. 'You could have stayed on the ship.' He pointed out, not really sure why he was involving himself.
Luffy groaned. 'That's even more boring.' He said.
Law wonder how in the hell he got stuck minding the teen and was just about ready to lecture him when something caught his eye. A figure over by some rocks near the shore. 'Straw Hat-ya, look-'
But of course the younger pirate had already seen the figure and was running over to them before Law could stop him. 'Oi! Who are you?!'
Law briefly thought to let him at it, Luffy could handle himself after all. But of all things Nami's angry face entered his mind and he didn't want to be told off by her. So once again he fell into Straw Hat's pace.
He recognised the figure before Luffy did and wished he had stayed on the ship. 'Eustass "Captain" Kid.' He said the name like it was a bad taste in his mouth. And it was, the last person he wanted to deal with was the red-haired supernova.
Kid narrowed his eyes at Law, clearly not thrilled to see him either. 'Trafalgar, Straw Hat. What the hell are you doing here?'
'That's my line.' Law said tightly.
Luffy looked beyond confused at he looked at Kid. 'Who are you?' He asked.
Law wanted to laugh at the dumbfounded look on Kid's face as the other spluttered indigently about their meeting on Sabaody. It clicked for the teen and he promptly lost interest in the redhead.
'Where are Hawkins and Apoo?' Law asked with a quick glance around, not wanting to get ambushed. 'Aren't you allied with them?'
Kid snorted. 'Not anymore. Hawkins is god knows where and Apoo threw his lot in with that bastard Kaido.'
Luffy frowned at that, his attention returning to the two old captains. 'But you guys were friends.' He said, like it was an explanation.
The red-haired captain scoffed. 'No we weren't friends. We were in an alliance and we were prepared to turn against one another at any given moment.' He said but Luffy's expression didn't change. 'What? What makes you so sure that Trafalgar wouldn't betray you the first chance he got?'
Law opened his mouth to deny the accusation but Luffy was already speaking. 'He told me he wouldn't.' The teen said without hesitation.
Both the other captains were struck speechless. Law felt his chest tighten at the sheer faith the teen had in him. Though he truly had no intentions of betraying the Straw Hats, he felt undeserving of such trust.
Kid got over his shock by throwing his head back and roaring with laughter. 'Do you really buy into that "trusting others" crap?' He asked with disbelief. 'Here, in the New World, the only person you can trust is yourself. It's the only way to survive.'
A still silence settled between the three captains. Law couldn't meet Luffy's eye, he didn't want to see how Kid's words effected the teen. It was a cold, harsh truth but the truth none the less.
'No.' The quiet word made Law look up. Luffy stood with his fists clenched at his sides and his hat shading his face. 'You can't survive without friends. You need them and they need you. It's not living if you can't trust someone else to share in the adventure.' He lifted his head to look at Kid, his eyes hard. 'I'm gonna be Pirate King and I'm doing it with my friend by my side.'
The resolution in his tone reminded Law of the Straw Hat he met two years ago, the one who punched a Celestial Dragon. He guessed Kid saw it too, the redhead captain was eyeing the teen with something close to begrudging respect.
'Fine. I warned you. Do what you want.' He said, trying to sound disinterested. But Law knew Luffy's charisma had struck him also.
'A ship!' Usopp called from the Sunny's crow's nest. 'There's a ship coming!'
They all looked to the horizon and sure enough there was a pirate ship sailing towards the island. 'That's my ship,' Kid said with slight surprise. 'My crew.' He headed to the small boat without so much as another word to the other two captains. And he called Law a rude bastard.
Luffy laughed joyously and, if Law didn't know better, a little smugly. Like his point had been proven. 'Oi! Goggles guy!' The teen called out, waving his arms and a huge grin on his face. 'See you later!'
Kid blinked at him, speechless for a moment then shook his head. 'Crazy bastard,' he muttered before continuing towards his ship, a hidden smile on his face.
Page-break-and-total-not-a-sneaky-way-of-skipping-writing-parts-I-can't-be-stuffed-thinking-about
They watched the ship sail away, Law was leaning his arms on the rails of the Sunny with Luffy sitting next to him, legs swinging over the side. Law looked at the teen out of the corner of his eye, was he thinking about the prospect of Law, or anyone, betraying him.
'He's wrong, you know,' The Heart Pirate said, because he felt he had to say something if only to reassure himself Luffy still trusted him. 'There are exceptions to every rule. And you've never been one to meet anyone's expectations.'
Luffy beamed at him. 'It's ok. I know Torao won't betray me.' He said.
Law fought a blush and ran a hand through his hair to cover up his embarrassment. 'How do you know?' He asked.
The teen looked out to the sea, Kid's ship not even a speck in the distance. 'I just do.' He replied.
Law was about to say that that wasn't a proper answer when there was the sound of loud metal footsteps approaching them. 'Oi! Luffy!' Usopp yelled across the deck, dressed head to toe in an armoured get up, with Chopper sitting on his shoulder. 'You ready for round three?'
Luffy cheered an affirmative and chase after the two other teens, the conversation all but forgotten. Despite himself, Law smiled at the scene, realising that in a world of darkness and hate there were still people like the Straw Hats in it who held the faith in others to shine their light through.
One day Monkey D. Luffy would feel the sting of betrayal from someone he trusted and his innocence will be lost. But Law would be damned if he was the one who did it and god help whoever tried.
End
Fair point, there are rumours going around that Law is planning to betray Luffy (I don't believe it for a second but with Oda you never know) so if this fic somehow jinxes that into happening, I'll probably break my Laptop then cry
