A/N: Here's the chapter! So sorry for the wait .
29. Reunion
When Law went to check up on Barty first thing on his shift the next morning, he wasn't expecting the room to be empty. Why the fuck was his room empty?
Apparently, he was not the only one with this thought.
A couple were arguing loudly around the corner, and at a few choice words being thrown in the air, Law creeps closer to listen in. He sees flashes of orange hair and a gloved hand on a hip, and immediately ducks back into the shadows. It's the woman from yesterday. It had to be.
"-you mean he was moved to HQ? Who the hell decided that?" The woman was an interesting combination of confused and upset. "Since when? And why the hell weren't we told?"
HQ? Bartolomeo was in some headquarters? Law didn't even want to begin to think about how strange that sounded. How the hell did someone manage to move a patient?
"Some communication error? I have no idea. But apparently, they got him out of the hospital pretty soon after we left. Wanted him under more private vision since he did go on that crazy suicide mission. Guess they didn't want to raise more questions than needed." A male. He sounded familiar to the blonde from yesterday. These were his guys.
"...Are you kidding?"
"Nope. The worst part is that I couldn't even get Luffy's number from him like I wanted."
Luffy? This guy knows him somehow? Now Law was really intrigued- how is it that this blonde knows his boyfriend? Something cold runs down his back. God, hopefully he wasn't some other ex that Luffy hasn't told him about.
There's a sigh, and when the woman starts up again, she sounds comforting. "Sorry, Sabo. If I had known yesterday he was going to be moved, I would've asked him for Luffy's number then."
"It's okay. Not your fault, Koala. I didn't remember at the time either."
There's a short silence. "Now that I think about it, can't you just text Barty and ask for Luffy's number? We really don't have to be here physically."
"...You're a genius. How come I didn't think of that?"
"I told you I have good ideas."
Law almost snorted aloud, revealing himself. The blonde was more of an airhead than first impressions let on. And that says a lot, considering the fact that the last time Law saw the man was when he was getting dragged by the ear. Something about his behavior was eerily similar to…
Law pauses. To Luffy.
Why in the world would they be similar?
The couple seemed to be done with their conversation and was starting to walk away. Law watches after them carefully, wondering when and how to approach them. He would need to time this right. Though it was the early morning and not very many people were around, he still wanted to catch them in a place where they could speak somewhat privately.
They turn a corner into a small space. In front of him, the hallway continues further down. To his left are a pair of elevators, and on his right, a plethora of couches and tables. Some artwork and pictures of staff adorn the bland area, and dark windows line the far wall of the seating area. The couple walks casually on the white tile, continuing down the hall. Law glances around for other signs of life. There's no one else. This will probably be the best chance he'll get to be alone with those two.
He rushes out after them. "Excuse me."
The blonde- he heard earlier his name was Sabo? Turns to him first, staring at him blankly before recognition clears his features. "Oh, hello. You're that doctor from yesterday."
The woman turns to him as well, flashing a friendly smile. She must be the Koala that he mentioned. "I remember you!"
Law exhales slowly. He drops his doctor air and takes on a more personal tone. "I remember you all as well. Do you guys...mind if I ask you a question?"
Sabo shakes his head. "No, of course not. Go ahead."
Here goes nothing.
The surgeon leans a bit closer, and lowers his voice. "Are you a part of the 'Revolutionary Army'?"
"Revolutionary Army?" The red head pulls back, confused. "What the heck is that? Some new rumor in the town or something?"
Law's stomach absolutely drops.
She twists up to her partner with a slight frown, and the man meets her gaze with an equally lost look before facing Law with it. "I don't know what that is, man. Sorry."
Their acting is so top notch that the surgeon almost believes it.
Almost.
Them talking about Barty and Luffy from earlier only cemented his suspicions. He didn't have the luxury of believing their denial. Though it's probably their duty to keep their organization as secret as possible, he needs their help. Not just him...everyone else did, too. All their eggs were in this one basket, and hell if the surgeon was going to let it drop.
If they weren't going to tell him the truth willingly, then Law would just have to make them.
"Guys...I need your help." Law's tone has turned more urgent, dire. "It's something only the Revolutionaries can do."
Koala takes a small step back and clutches a hand to her bosom. "Shouldn't you go to the police if you need help?"
The surgeon eyes them both seriously. "It's for Luffy."
The cloud that was in Sabo's eyes seems to lift, and his entire aura brightens. "You know him?"
Koala facepalms. "He went and said the magic word."
"I do," Law says, studying him curiously. "Quite well, actually." He can't help the slight jealousy that comes into his voice. The blonde looks so happy talking about his boyfriend. Not to mention the fact that he mentioned wanting his number earlier. The vibe he gets from the blonde is that he's much more than just a friend to Luffy, and the thought alone sets off alarms in Law's head.
Sabo's eyes go wide. "Oh my god." He turns to his partner. "Oh my god. Luffy's made friends."
The surgeon blinks. He was far past that stage, but he digresses. "Um..?" he trails off, waiting for the blonde to explain what he means. He doesn't.
The red head eyes Law carefully, then meets Sabo's gaze. They seemed to be communicating something silently. After a few quiet moments, she sighs, relenting. Koala turns to him. "Can we talk about this later? Somewhere more private?"
Law nods. "Yes, sure."
Koala fishes in a pocket and pulls out a slim business card. She hands it to Law with a smile. "Name's Koala. Nice to meet you. My partner here is Sabo."
"I'm Sabo," the blonde reaffirms with a tilt of the head.
"Nice to meet you all, too," Law says slowly, taking the glossy card. It's nothing fancy- white with black lettering, a name, a couple phone numbers, and an email address. It doesn't even say her occupation. It seemed professional enough, but it was a bit too bland, a bit too empty. Almost as if-
"The information on that card is fake," she explains, as if trying to answer the question that must've been apparent on his face.
No wonder. "Oh."
She comes closer to him and points out the telephone numbers listed. "Take every other number of these guys and put them together backwards. That's my real one."
Law scrutinizes the digits. Huh. "That's pretty smart."
"Thanks." Koala straightens and puts a hand on her hip. "When is your shift over?"
The surgeon tears his eyes away from the card. "Eight tonight."
"Eight?" Sabo repeats incredulously. "But I want to see Luffy now."
The surgeon throws him a dirty look, but he doesn't seem to see it. Koala gives the blonde a pointed stare of her own, and he deflates with an indignant pout. This Sabo man was not who Law expected him to be like at all. Luffy must really be important to him. Another small tendril of jealousy works its way around his stomach but he squashes it as best he can. He didn't know their connection. No need to get worked up over things he didn't know.
"Fine," Koala groans, running a gloved hand through her locks. "Let's do noon, uh. What's...your name? I'm sorry, really rude of me to not ask earlier."
"It's Law."
"Oh, that's fucking cool. Like the thing everyone breaks?" Sabo grins at him. Law stares back, deadpan. Ever since he mentioned Luffy, the blonde has been acting so friendly and sweetly towards him that the surgeon felt like he was going to get a cavity. And the fact that he even made the same comment he himself made back when he first entered Amazon Lily was...interesting, to say the least.
The woman flashes an apologetic smile. "Sorry about him, Law."
He waves off the apology. "It's alright. I get that more often than you'd think."
Her smile widens. "I bet. Now, down to business..." She gestures to the business card he holds. "Go ahead and call that number at noon sharp. Let it ring three times, then hang up. Then call again, but let it go to voicemail. The third time you call, I'll answer."
"Why so complex?" The question is out of his mouth before his brain could tell him to shut up, because the answer was obvious. It's not like people went around telling others they were a part of some top secret underground organization. Of course there was some complex code at the least as a precaution.
Koala winks at him. "I like my privacy."
It looks like that was all Law was going to get on that.
"We'll give you an address to go to, and from there we'll transport you to a better location to speak about this. Are you okay being away from the hospital for about an hour or so?"
"Yeah, they'll live." Law is quiet for a few seconds. "I hope, anyway. I won't be here to operate, after all." He's been around Shachi for too damn long. His jokes were rubbing off.
Sabo snorts but says nothing. Koala continues. "Perfect. We'll let you know details over the phone, okay?"
Law decides that she likes this girl. Commanding, level-headed, sharp. Didn't make his stomach curl in envy like a certain blonde. "Alright."
"Oh. And also..." She leans in to tell him something in secret, despite there being no one around them. Law bends to her shielded mouth to listen.
"I'm telling you all this because you know Luffy, and according to this fool-" her deep blue irises slide over to the blonde beside her, "-anyone who knows Luffy personally must be a good guy. And just going off how you handled this conversation, it seems as though you're a decent enough fellow. However..."
Her gaze returns to him, and Law swallows. It's intense and full of mystery, scrutinizing and ominous. Law fidgets, suddenly very uncomfortable. He felt like a specimen under a microscope in a lab. "Do not leak the information I gave you. Do not discuss this conversation with anyone outside of this circle. Do not attempt to do anything but heed my instructions. This is not a request- this is a warning. We have eyes everywhere. You won't be able to escape unscathed if you do."
When she pulls away, Law feels more than a bit threatened. Though they didn't explicitly state that they were the Revolutionary Army, the last few lines confirmed it without any further doubt. Of course he wouldn't talk about this to others. The last thing Law needs at the moment is for them to come after his ass because he couldn't keep his mouth shut.
Besides, he needs their help. Pissing them off wouldn't be beneficial at all.
Law feels himself nodding. "...My lips are sealed."
"Good." She's bright, cheery, as if the last thirty seconds didn't happen. "Also, you said you know Luffy, right? If you can, could you bring him as well? So Sabo can finally meet the guy again."
"Could you?" the blonde speaks up from his seat. "It's been ages." He had somehow migrated from the hallway to the sitting area, and was lounging nonchalantly on one of the couches.
What is it with blondes in Luffy's life disappearing before coming back after a long time?
"I'll ask him but...how do you know him?" Law asks finally. It's been in the back of his mind ever since he first heard his boyfriend's name in their conversation.
Koala inclines her head towards him. "We could ask you the same thing."
Law isn't too sure how to respond to that, so he shrugs. He wasn't really one for explaining himself to people he didn't know.
She cups a hand to her mouth and stands on her toes. "Let's save the introductions for after you bring Luffy. I think it'll be easier to see their relationship than to explain."
Law clenches his jaw but nods. Was their relationship so complex that she couldn't put it into words? Suddenly, he wasn't too sure about asking the teen to come along anymore.
"How can I trust that nothing will happen if I bring him?" he asks carefully as Koala returns to her heels.
The red head quirks her lips upwards playfully. "You were the one who came to us for help, but now you're doubting us? Ask yourself the question, then decide if you still want to give me a call or not. I can assure you though, if you choose correctly, you won't regret it."
The surgeon stands rooted to the ground as Koala sashays over to her partner, tapping him lightly on the shoulder. She bends to whisper something into his ear and he stands reluctantly, stretching. Sabo turns to Law and gives him a wide smile and thumbs up. "It was nice meeting you, Law!"
Law's lips thin into a tense line. "You too."
Koala begins walking away with Sabo in tow. She turns to wave at him one last time. "I look forward to what you decide to do!"
The surgeon gives them a weak wave back before they disappear around a corner, and then they're gone.
Law stood in the silence of the halls for so long that it began to ring in his ears. It was a lot to take in. These Revolutionaries were much different from the ones he met in his childhood. More...rough about the edges, maybe? A little weirder? Definitely younger. But they still carried that same air of mystery to their words, as though everything they said had some double meaning, and still had that subtle nuance of authority to their tone.
Maybe not that Sabo guy, though.
Though the teen would have to meet them anyway, since the couple were the Revolutionaries they were looking for, the fact that they'll be meeting somewhere that Law didn't know made him a bit nervous. He'll have to be cautious, on high alert. Although they were a bit off-putting, Law felt like he could trust them, even a little. They had information on Luffy that he didn't know. And curiosity will get the better of him.
As it always did when it came to Luffy.
The surgeon sighs and turns on his heel, click-clacking back down the hallway from which he came. He won't be able to get any answers now. He had no choice but to wait.
On his way back, he pulls out his phone and texts Luffy.
Hey, you up?
The message is responded to immediately.
- yeah, couldn't sleep much.
Understandable. You okay?
- i'll be fine, whats up?
Are you busy around noon today?
- i planned to be in my room all
day today lol so no
Okay, could you swing by
Flevance?
- sure, u need smth?
Remember those Revolutionaries
that we were talking about
yesterday with Marco?
- yea, did you meet with them?
Yes, they just so happened
to be here. I can't say details but
they want to meet you.
- okayyy thats not weird
- *sarcasm btw
- u sure these guys
arent like, crazy stalker
fans or smth?
I don't think so. They
seem legit. They were
talking about you and
Bartolomeo earlier.
- how the hell can u
spell that guys name
Medical records.
- oh.
- and they were talking
about me? whatd they
say?
I'm pretty sure they
wanted your number.
- my WHAT
Yeah, I have no idea
either.
Kind of sketchy, but I guess
that's how underground
groups operate?
- i dunno, im getting bad
vibes here
Trust me, me too.
But they're the only
ones who could help.
I'll be with you. There's
this blonde guy who claims
he hasn't seen you in ages.
- wow. havnt heard that
one before
Right?
So did you want to come?
Wanted your take before I
made a decision.
- i will, gdi. dont want to
mess this up for everyone just
bc im cautious of meeting them
You're not messing up shit.
If you don't wanna go
meet them, we're not going.
- nah, ill go. lets see where this
ends up. hopefully we get
smth good out of this.
I agree.
- see you around noon? ❤️
Yeah, see you.
❤️
- how cute, ur first emoji.
- now u just gotta drop the
proper grammar
No can do. It's ingrained
into me at this point.
- i'll work it out of ya lmao. it'll
happen one of these days.
It won't.
- ;) ;)
Law returns his device to his pants pocket. Now, the stage was set. He didn't know how things would play out, but he was anxious to see. Hopefully, noon came sooner rather than later so he could ease the anticipation in his gut.
Noon came fast.
So fast in fact, the surgeon almost forgot to call right exactly at twelve. Getting away from his coworkers in time had been a struggle. He secluded himself in the privacy of his office and called the number as the woman directed earlier in the morning.
When Law calls Koala the third time, she answers on the first ring.
"So! I see you decided to contact me. And correctly, too."
Law leans back in his office chair, rubbing a temple. "I did. Didn't want to regret it like you said."
Koala chuckles on the other end. "Great. I wouldn't want you to either. Meet us on the rooftop."
"Wait a minute, the rooftop?"
"Yeah, we're up here. Brought our heli."
Law brings the phone away from his ear and stares at the black screen, baffled. "How the hell did you manage to get the authority-" He stops. This should be obvious. These guys had 'endless resources' according to Marco. Something like getting permission for a helicopter landing on the roof must be light work for these guys.
Koala snickers, clearly amused at his confusion. "I have my ways," she says simply.
"Huh."
"Is Luffy with you yet?"
Law glances at his watch. 12:03 PM. "Yeah, he should be in the building right now."
"Perfect. Lead him up to the rooftop and we'll discuss there."
"I thought we were going to be led elsewhere." The surgeon furrows his brows. "Is that really the best place to talk about something like this?"
"Of course not," Koala responds honestly. "But after reconsideration, you're a surgeon. We don't want you separated from your patients too long. Their lives are much more important than this conversation. So we decided to stay within the hospital's premises."
Law makes a sound of understanding. Quite thoughtful of them. It erases some of the hesitation he harbored from earlier.
"But don't misunderstand. Come to the rooftop by 12:15. If we don't see you guys here by then, we'll assume you've changed your minds. Our time is just as precious as yours is."
The kind words die on his tongue. Cutthroat, the lot of them.
"Got it," Law affirms. "We'll be there."
"Good. See you soon."
The phone clicks off before he's given a chance to respond. He stands, sighing. What did he just get himself into?
Soon after he stands there's a knock on his door. "Who is it?" he calls out.
"It's me."
Law lets a smile stretch his lips. "Come on in, Luffy."
The teen tentatively pokes his head in the space, taking in the surroundings with wide eyes. "Oh wow, I don't think I've ever been in here before. This is really cool." He enters and closes the door softly behind him, turning as he takes in the books and the furniture.
The surgeon comes out from behind his desk. "Thank you. Nice, isn't it? Decorated the desk myself."
Luffy laughs as he steps further in. "Thought so. The room looked too...sophisticated to be done by you."
He meets Luffy in the middle and slides his hands around his waist, narrowing his eyes at him. "I can totally decorate a room."
The teen gives him a half smile. "Have you seen your apartment? Bare bones."
"But that's the beauty of it," Law protests, tilting the teen's chin upwards. "Minimalist."
Luffy snorts but rises to his invitation, kissing him deep and slow. It was a lingering kiss, one that gave Law a slow burn, bringing him to the edge of intensity but not quite getting there. It made the surgeon feel as though they had all the time in the world, yet none at all. Law glides against the teen's lips with a tongue lazily, craning his neck to taste more. Heat pools in his cheeks at the appreciative hum the teen makes in his arms. Then. The heat travels elsewhere.
He needs to get a grip.
It takes every single strand of muscle in his body and ignoring his brain's protests to break off the kiss from Luffy. He was at work for fuck's sake. And they had to meet people soon.
But the way Luffy was looking at him, it made him want to forget all those things.
The teen smiles his signature big, goofy grin and the organ in Law's chest skips a few beats. If that wasn't the cutest fucking thing.
It wasn't quite back yet, his heart, and the surgeon wasn't too sure if it would ever completely return after what happened. Yet against his better judgement, it was, slowly but surely. And Luffy, damn his gorgeous smile, he only hastened the process.
"So. Where are we going?" the teen asks, not even out of breath. The surgeon has to clear his throat a couple times before replying.
"The rooftop. Said they're waiting for us up there."
There are stars in Luffy's eyes, and Law feels himself swooning. He seemed to be faring much better today. "Woah, how many floors high is that?"
Law thinks for a moment. "Well, there's twenty-one floors in Flevlance Medical, so it'll be pretty high up there. Plus there's a garden, from what I've heard."
"Oh hell yeah."
The surgeon glances at the time on his watch. They only had about seven minutes left. "Let's start heading up, yeah?"
Luffy moves from the surgeon's front and opts for his hand instead, squeezing. "Okay. You're with me, right?"
Law squeezes back, bringing their jointed fingers up to his lips. "Always," he whispers to his lover's knuckles. "Let's go."
When Luffy exits with Law onto the roof, he's surprised at the sheer amount of color that attacks his vision. Bright assortments of flowers claim wide planters that edge the rectangular space. Tall, sturdy panes of glass stand behind the beds of flowers, keeping visitors safely in the garden grounds. Stone paths curve between bouts of grass and bush, snaking under archways and cutting through vegetation. Benches dot the trails, facing the gorgeous scenery. The garden is beautiful. It reminds him of the place he and Law found back at Sabaody. However, as hypnotizing as the area was, this wasn't what they were looking for.
Luffy almost protests Law leads him away in the complete opposite direction, away from the greens. On the opposite side of the roof is an even wider space, with concrete as far as the eye can see. Glass panes edge only a part of this area, and several plastic chairs are strewn about on the sides. A way in the distance is an elevated platform, upon which a helicopter rests. A couple of hooded figures stand before the aircraft, huddled together and talking in hushed tones. When they see the two of them approaching, a slender hand waves them over.
"Law! Over here!" a woman's voice says cheerfully, as if calling over an old friend. "Took you long enough!"
Luffy glances up to the surgeon, who seemed to be just as taken aback at her over-familiarity. "Didn't you say you just met her?"
"I did," he responds, a smile curling his lips. "Maybe this won't be as bad as we thought."
When they're within talking distance, the first voice finally removes their cloak, revealing a red headed woman with large blue eyes. Her smile is friendly and gummy when she flashes it at him. "Hey! You must be Luffy. My name is Koala, it's nice to finally meet you."
To finally meet him? Was Luffy just someone everyone met up with again after years of being apart?
"...Nice to meet you Koala," he responds after a moment of pause.
Beside her, the cloaked figure stands very still. The woman clears her throat and elbows her partner, who lets out a strange noise. Luffy raises his brows at the form, and looks up to Law, who just shrugs. He didn't know either.
"Come on Sabo, you can't be choking up now!" she whispers fervently, to which the figure takes in a shaking breath and rolls back their shoulders.
Sabo? That name isn't very common. The only other Sabo he's met was his late brother.
The figure removes their cloak to reveal a man with wavy blonde hair and sun kissed skin. His smile is endearing. "...It's me, Luffy."
Luffy makes a confused sound and places his hands on his hips. "What do you mean 'it's me'?"
He feels Law's gaze on him, but the younger simply stares at the blonde with suspicion. "I feel like I've had lots of people claim they know me in the last few days, and I'm starting to grow tired of it!"
He steps forward to drive the point across. "And you called me Luffy, but how did you know my name?"
The blonde smiles wider. "You think I can't remember my own brother's name?"
Luffy tilts his head to the side, brows knitted in confusion. "'Brother'?" he repeats. Beside him, Law's about to say something, but the teen reaches out a hand. This guy was taking his joke a bit too far.
"Listen," Luffy begins, clearly unamused. "The only people who can call me their brother are the late Ace, and a guy who died much earlier..."
The blonde watches him patiently, smiling. Luffy feels his heart race in his ears. "D-Died..."
When the man continues to give him a pointed smile, the teen feels the world around him begin to fade away. His jaw slacks as he takes in the figure before him. Wavy blonde hair, large eyes, olive skin, a friendly smile. And the woman called him Sabo for fuck's sake.
He didn't even know his vision began swimming with tears until he blinked them down his face. Law puts a hand on his shoulder, clearly worried.
"Luffy, are you okay?" he asks, and the teen is so stunned that all he does is shake his head silently. No, he wasn't fucking okay. This had to be a dream.
There was just no fucking way. Is it truly possible that this man is..?
"Sabo?!" Luffy cries out incredulously through his tears, backing away from the man out of shock. His trips on his own feet, his limbs having turned to jelly, and he falls flat on his back on the ground. The combined mental shock and physical pain almost makes him pass out. But he gets up quickly, teeth bared, streaks of salt down his cheeks.
"I don't believe you!" he growls, eyes narrowed.
Sabo winks at him knowingly. "We stole a bottle of sake from Dadan and made a toast…"
Luffy's jaw drops to the floor. No fucking way. No fucking way in hell was he hearing this right now.
"Sabo?!" Luffy yells out again, this time convinced. No one knew of that precious moment between the three of them except for Sabo and Ace. This was his brother. God, his one and only brother. Luffy thought the boy had died.
He makes a running start for the cloaked man, and Koala ducks to move out the way. Sabo opens his arms for Luffy, but the teen jumps, opting to wrap his legs and arms around the blonde's head instead. Tears and snot mix as he sobs onto the mess of curls, his heart torn open for all to see.
Behind him, he can practically feel Law's shock. "He's his brother?" he hears the man ask. Koala seemed to respond in the affirmative, because Luffy can sense the surgeon's gaze back on him again.
Luffy tilts his head up and cries to the sky, thankful. Thankful for bringing back even just one member of his family. God, Sabo was back. He wasn't dead! The words had such a heavenly ring to them that it brought forth another wave of tears.
"What the...where have you been all this time?" Luffy weeps, clutching onto the head below him even tighter. "I thought you were dead." He never wanted to let go of the man. The teen wishes he could stay like this forever.
Sabo wrestles his head out of the tight embrace and sucks in much needed oxygen. He closes an eye to the tears coming down his face and takes in Luffy with the other. "Me too, honestly. So thank you, Luffy."
Luffy makes a whining sound as he stops crying, looking at his brother. Sabo faces him fully. "I'm glad that you're alive."
The teen's shoulders shake with emotion, and he sniffles. "But Sabo, Ace...Ace passed away..."
Sabo freezes at the news. It must be new to him. But he shakes his head slightly and returns to Luffy. "Even though Ace died, I'm so happy you survived."
The teen makes a pained sound as the blonde below him continues. "I almost helplessly lost both of my brothers! If you had also died, I would've been left on my own."
Luffy's heart finally implodes. He tilts back his head as waves of nostalgia, pain, and happiness overcome him, and his eyes fill with moisture and overflow. He falls off of Sabo's shoulders, limbs slack, and prepares himself for another slap of concrete on his back. He didn't care. Another shock to his system might be able to wake him up from this dream. It was just too good to be true.
But then there's strong hands that catch him. Through his tears he can see a tan ear and dark sideburns. Law.
"Thank you," Sabo says again. "Thank you for being alive, Luffy."
The teen can barely hear him through his debilitating sobs. They wreck his entire body, and it feels for a second like he's about to drown under the weight of it all. Sabo was alive. It was mind-boggling. Surreal. The last time he felt like this was back when Ace woke up from his coma.
For the first time in a long time since Ace's passing, Luffy felt truly at peace.
The teen in his arms was down for the count. Law shifts so he's situated on Luffy's left. He hooks an arm under his knees and one under his arms, lifting him up princess style with ease. The teen is limp, and his expression is one of frozen shock. Fresh tears wet Law's front, but the surgeon doesn't mind. That was the least of his worries by a landslide.
The surgeon walks carefully to a nearby bench and sits him down on the right hand side. Sabo comes over to take up the left, smiling lovingly at Luffy.
Law remembers Luffy briefly mentioning a blonde kid passing away back on their first date at Sabaody. The detail was so small in the grand scheme of things that it must have slipped his mind. Later on, when Luffy was showing him a photo album of when he was younger, he had mentioned the kid again. A boy he and Ace had made friends with as children. He was an airhead kind of like him, but smarter. They were sworn brothers, but he ended up passing away due to an incident. Luffy looked pained at the memory, so Law didn't push, and comforted him.
Unfortunately, that moment was ruined as the conversation later turned to Kidd, and soon after Law stormed over to the auto place the guy worked at. The brother that supposedly passed away was nowhere on his mind.
The surgeon feels shame overcome him from the memories, then an even stronger sense of shame when he remembers the jealousy he felt when the blonde was asking about Luffy. Of course he would want to know about the younger. He thought Luffy was dead for fuck's sake.
To his right, Koala seems to have known this would happen, and she looks upon the scene fondly. Law wonders briefly if he was the only one not in the loop. He must have been, because when Luffy gathers himself up enough to speak, his voice is as lighthearted and as giddy as a child's.
"It's really you!" Luffy flings his arms around the man, and Sabo hugs him back fiercely. "Yeah. It's really me." His voice cracks under all the emotion.
Law fidgets. He feels as though he shouldn't be listening in on their touching reunion any longer. Before it got too personal. He starts to edge away, but Luffy calls out to him delightedly.
"Hey, Law! Come back here, say hi!" His grin is so blinding Law almost wants to shield his eyes from it. The surgeon complies with a small smile of his own and returns closer to the group.
Koala brought up chairs from god knows where and offered him an empty seat. He nods his thanks as he sits down.
"It's nice to meet you again, Sabo," Law begins, reaching out a hand. He hopes he doesn't sound as awkward as he felt. His first impression of the man had changed so much over the last twenty-four hours, and now, it felt like he was meeting Ace all over again. The blonde takes his outstretched hand with a grin.
"You too, Law," he returns smoothly. "Thank you for bringing my brother."
Luffy wipes at his tears with the back of his hand. "I still can't fucking believe it. Pinch me someone, I've got to be dreaming."
When the blonde pinches his arm, Luffy grabs the limb and leans away, hissing. "That was rhetorical, Sabo!"
"Couldn't help it!" Sabo chuckles, covering his mouth with a gloved hand. "Because reality is...I'm right here. Just wanna set that in stone."
Luffy slowly removes the hand holding his arm and leans back on the bench, looking up into the midday skies. He blinks rapidly to try to stop his crying, but quite the opposite happens. More tears come down his face. The teen ignores them as he speaks. "...What happened?"
Law's attention snaps to Sabo. This was the million dollar question. What the hell did happen to the three of them?
Sabo leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees and laces his fingers. "Remember that fire that happened in your hometown?"
"Of course I do...it wrecked the village, a huge part of the forest was burnt, everything turned into ash...I thought you died in it," Luffy recounts, sorrow tugging his lips into a frown. "Ace and I, we barely survived ourselves. When the news of you passing away reached the village, everyone was in disbelief. Even Dadan was crying."
He makes a sad face. "I don't think I can ever forget her expression. She took it much harder than Ace and I did, I think."
Sabo's expression crumples with pain as he eyes the teen on his right, then returns to his folded hands. "I'll...make sure to apologize to her properly."
Luffy shakes his head vehemently. "God Sabo, I think she'd be happy with just seeing your face again, like I am."
"Who...is Dadan?" Law says softly, trying not to spoil the tender moment.
Luffy turns to him, and Law can tell he's walking down memory lane. "My foster mom. She adopted Ace and raised me. I'm not too sure if you'd remember, but that one time I was showing you my photo album? She's the one with super curly orange hair. I mentioned her good food when you were cooking a while back, too."
"Aw man, just thinking of her cooking makes me miss her chicken pot pies!" Sabo hangs his head and sighs. "Dang, I want to visit her."
Luffy turns to him. "Ooh, take me too!"
Koala gives him a sympathetic look. "Sa-bo," she sings-songs softly, and the blonde blinks up at his name. "You know we can't. At least not now."
"Why not?" Law questions, inclining his head.
"We're in the middle of a big case," the red head says, scratching her head. "But let's leave the serious talk for another time. Let's let those two have their moment."
Sabo grumbles in understanding and sits back on the bench. "Well anyway. After that first explosion, I lost track of you guys. I remember the village just being on fire, the forest was on fire, and everywhere I turned there was heat and flames and smoke and I just..."
The blonde takes in a shaky breath. "I couldn't find you or Ace, but there were adults running around like crazy, trying to escape. I stopped one and asked if they could stop the people from burning down our village, and to help me find my family. Damn my luck, the man I talked to was actually one of the arsonists. But of course I didn't know at the time, and I was just a kid."
The surgeon nods grimly, thinking back to how the one time he went to a police officer for help, the officer couldn't be trusted. "I know how that goes."
"They ended up taking me away. Claimed they were going to save you and Ace, so I went." Sabo's smile fades away. "Of course, that's not what they did. They beat me up. Laughed in my face that they lied, and how you and Ace were probably already dead. I was young and stupid, so I believed them."
"Oh my god..." Luffy breathes. "What the hell is wrong with people…"
Sabo shrugs. "I'm not sure what they meant to do with me, but thankfully, I didn't have to find out. They were busted. People came in through the door to shut their whole operation down. I found out later they were the Revolutionary Army. While people were scurrying about to track down and arrest the criminals, a man named Dragon came and saved me. That's your dad, by the way. And after that, I ended up-"
Law shoots up in his seat, sweating. "Hold up, I think you just glossed over something really important right there..."
"I have a dad?" Luffy makes a face. "All I know are Gramps and Dadan. I don't know about no dad. Let alone a mom."
The blonde grunts in agreement. "I was shocked when he told me years later. When I told him I knew you, he didn't really give me much of a reaction. But it makes sense I guess, because he's usually a pretty quiet guy. Keeps to himself a lot. Regardless, he's still a nice and authoritative leader."
"...Leader?" the surgeon ventures.
Koala has to bite her lip to keep from smiling. "I'm sure you've figured out who we are by now, so I'm just gonna say it. Dragon's the Supreme Commander of the Revolutionary Army." She juts her chin towards the blonde. "Sabo here is second in command, the Chief of Staff."
Law's mouth goes dry. "Jesus, Chief of Staff..?"
The blonde waves away the formalities. "Please, I'm not all that great. You yourself are an Officer."
"Holy shit." The surgeon turns to Luffy. "How...are you taking all this?"
The teen lowers his gaze. "I'm more so excited about Sabo returning. I don't really care much about anything else."
Sabo's tone is hopeful. "I can take you to meet Dragon later, if you want.
"Nah. I'd rather not, to be honest."
"You sure?" the surgeon asks, and Luffy nods. "I've been fine without him this long, and I don't really have a desire to meet him."
He gives Law a soft smile. "I have you, my friends, and now, Sabo. I guess I just don't want anything messing up that harmony."
Koala hums in understanding, and the blonde exhales sharply through his nose, smiling warmly. "Why did I have a feeling you'd say something like that? You really haven't changed much at all, huh?"
"Yes I have," Luffy pouts, crossing his arms. "A lot, actually."
"But you pout when you don't get your way, just like back when we were kids."
"This isn't me pouting!"
"Really? Then what're you doing then?"
"This is me...upset."
Sabo sputters. "Upset? You look like a lost puppy!"
"I am not a puppy!"
Law watches the brothers bicker with a sense of joy. He's so incredibly thankful that someone so close has come back into Luffy's life after all he's lost. Marco was a good start yes, but Sabo's influence clearly ran much deeper. Luffy deserved happiness, and this was a start, if anything.
The surgeon lowers his head, looking between the siblings. "If you don't mind me asking, Sabo...how did you join the Revolutionaries after that?"
The blonde lets go of Luffy's hair as the teen lets go of his shirt. He smooths down the fabric and straightens. "After they saved me, I ended up joining them. I didn't want to return to the village if you guys weren't there...I would just be constantly reminded of what I lost. Plus, I really liked their cause. The Revolutionary Army helps those in need that those in power have failed to help. It could be anyone, from the police force, to even a group of arsonists. I was inspired by their actions and wanted to save people like they did, so Dragon took me in."
Sabo turns to his partner. "There I met Koala. We've been together ever since, doing undercover missions and the like."
"Would you happen to know someone who's name is Ivankov, then?" The surgeon was just curious, that's all.
The blonde's eyebrows shoot up to the sky. "You know him?"
Law lowers his gaze. "I encountered him once in my childhood. After the Rocky Port Incident."
"Holy shit, you were one of those kids from back then?" Koala asks with wide eyes. Law feels the teen's inquisitive gaze on him as he nods wordlessly. He didn't mention it to Luffy.
Sabo studies him for a long moment. "I see." There's a million more questions behind the words, but Law doesn't hear any of them.
Luffy glances between the three of them. "What the heck are you all talking about?"
Sabo wraps an arm around Luffy's neck and gives him a playful noogie. The teen laugh-cries happily, squirming to get out of the light grip. "Don't think too hard about it Luffy, you'll probably get a headache," he grins down at the teen.
Law doesn't miss the edge to his tone, nor the dimmer smile.
"Ouch! Okay, okay!" Luffy relents, giving his brother a half smile as he rubs his hair back in place. "Fine, then how did Barty join? He's with you guys too, right? God, it's still so weird to think about."
"Oh my god, you call him Barty too," the red head laughs. "That's perfect."
"You didn't call him that in front of me," Law notes, furrowing his brows.
Koala was trying very hard not to smile as she turned to him. "I mean, you're a doctor. Would you have found a nickname on the guy's records or his real name?"
She had a point.
Law sighs defeatedly, motioning for the conversation to continue without him.
"Barty joined us a few years back," Sabo finally answers.
Luffy's jaw drop. "Years?!"
The blonde looks to Koala for confirmation, and after a thoughtful hum, she nods in agreement. "Yeah, if I'm not mistaken."
The teen drops his gaze to his lap. "Wow, he never even mentioned it to me."
"Did you miss the part when they said they're a covert organization, Luffy?" the surgeon deadpans, and the teen scoots forward to the edge of his seat to kick Law's shin. The man reaches down and rubs the bone there, frowning up at his lover.
"I know! Just came out before I thought it through," Luffy crosses his arms and pouts to the side. It was interesting how his entire demeanor changed around Sabo. He was more...childish. Less stressed and on edge. Now, he was more free, more open. He laughed easier, and pouted often. Law couldn't lie, it was adorable.
"Well that's because he's undercover at the moment. Of course he wouldn't," Sabo can't help a smile that spreads his features. "But you do train for a year before your first job, so he didn't actually get to do anything until...oh god. What was his first assignment?"
"Wasn't it when I went to that bar undercover?" Koala scrunches her face as she digs through her memories. "Because we heard rumors that someone in the drug scheme would be there?"
"...Was the guy's name Teach?"
Koala whirls on him. "Woah, now that you say it, I'm pretty sure."
Sabo eyes him with an unidentifiable emotion. "How did you know?"
Law couldn't very well out Marco, so he shrugs. "An acquaintance of mine heard rumors about him, too."
Luffy remains quiet, understanding why he said what he said. Marco did want to come to these guys on his own grounds, after all. But Sabo seemed to be giving him a rather calculating stare. Law felt nervous as he did with Ace under the blonde's gaze, maybe even more so. It seemed to eat him up and leave him a shell of his former self. This time however, something else was there. Another powerful emotion he hasn't felt in a long time.
He felt a twinge of fear.
Something about the blonde's eyes on him, the way he regarded the surgeon, it made him really fucking anxious. It felt as though he was looking straight into his soul and seeing through his bullshit. As if he could see his shitty past and bring it to light within a second. If Sabo did that, it would fucking ruin him.
But then it's gone, and an easy smile works its way onto Sabo's features. "Huh," he says. And that was that.
"Now then." The blonde claps cheerfully, dispersing the cold air. "Luffy! How have you been living up until now? I want to hear what happened to you and Ace..."
When the teen's smile slips off his face, Law knew that this wasn't going to end without a few bumps and bruises. Or a broken heart.
"Hey, um," he starts, hoping he didn't sound too rude. "Maybe...not now?" Sabo's about to say something, but Luffy reaches out his hand and shakes his head.
"I'll tell you, I promise. I just..." Luffy sags his shoulders. "I just want to be happy today, and not think of anything else."
Sabo looked a bit concerned but let the topic go. "It's okay Luffy. Tell me on your own time, on your own terms." The teen pulls away and gives him a thankful smile. "Thanks, Sabo."
"But," Sabo begins again, eyes sliding over to the surgeon. "At least tell me this. How do you guys know each other? I've been getting these..." He makes twirling motions with his hands. "...vibes? From you two."
Law meets Luffy's flushed face with slowly reddening cheeks of his own. Oh god. Was he able to tell?
"...He's my boyfriend," Luffy answers after a spell. Law nods. "I'm his boyfriend."
"Oh." Sabo's jaw makes a perfect 'o' shape, and he turns to Koala with raised brows. The red head seemed to have stilled at the news as well, mirroring the man's facial expression. "Oooh."
Law sits up straighter in his seat. "Is...that a problem?"
"No, no, of course not," Sabo waves off the comment. "Just surprised, that's all."
"Sabo did always tell me crazy stories of Dadan," the woman jokes. "Maybe that's why-"
"No," Luffy interrupts, looking down. "I love Dadan. She gave us tough love, but I love her."
Sabo gives his partner a pointed look, and Koala puts her hands together in sincere apology.
Luffy seems to curl in on himself more, and his voice drops several decibels. "I just...I dunno. Thought I was asexual for a very, very long time."
Everyone is silent. No one expected Luffy to open up about his sexuality. It means he trusted them. Not even Law knew this about Luffy. The things that Sabo was able to bring out of the teen in the mere half hour they've been up here was astounding.
His voice gets even quieter, and Law has to lean forward to hear. "One day- I'm fifteen, almost sixteen- my friends convinced me to go to a club with them. They were a little older than me and they had their ways on how to get in, so I didn't really give it much thought. Just went because that's what dumb teenagers do when they're bored."
Law has to consciously hold in a snort. Been there, done that. Many times.
"I didn't realize it on the outside, but when I went in, there were practically naked dancers and poles everywhere," Luffy heats slightly at the memory. "It was a strip club."
"They took you to a strip club at fifteen?" Sabo repeats, brows disappearing into his blonde locks. His expression turns evil. "I'll find them, I swear. If it's the last thing I do."
"Let the guy finish," Koala chides with a soft smile.
Luffy shifts awkwardly. Clearly, this was his first time sharing the story with others. "Well, um. There were both girls dancing and...guys...dancing." He squeezes his eyes shut, a deep blush over his cheeks. "Let's just say after that night, I knew I definitely wasn't asexual."
There are several quiet moments to let the words sink in. When they finally do, the blonde chuckles.
"As long as you're happy Luffy," Sabo says with a smile, "I couldn't care less what you identify as." Koala nods her agreement. "What he said. Sorry about the comment earlier."
The teen shoots them both a relieved smile. "Thank you guys."
Law can't help but snicker. "Is that what inspired you to become a stripper yourself?"
The teen eases his tense muscles. "Well, aside from paying Ace's hospital bills, kind of?"
Sabo's expression grew increasingly puzzled. "What in the world..? Luffy, you became a stripper, too? And what's this about a bill?"
The teen rubs the back of his neck, and for the first time ever, Law thinks Luffy looks ashamed. "I'll go over everything when I talk to you later. It's a lot."
Sabo purses his lips but sighs. "Fine. But only because you're my brother."
Luffy brightens and throws his arms around the man. The blonde melts into the embrace.
"Now then," Koala chirps, bringing an elbow to her knee and resting her chin on her knuckles. "Law. This all started because you said you needed help. Something only we could do, you said? What was it?"
Oh yeah. He did come to them for help, didn't he?
"Right," Law says, clearing his throat. "We need your help. Have you heard of a man named Doflamingo?"
"Have we heard of him?" Koala nearly sputters. "That's the big case I mentioned we were working on earlier!"
"Really?" Luffy follows up, excited. "What a coincidence."
"Yeah. Him and a man named Kaido in a big ass drug scheme," Sabo grits slowly. "Kaido in particular has been doing this for a while."
"We have our issues with that guy, too," the surgeon adds.
"Then I'm assuming your goal is the same as ours?" Koala voices with a hopeful tone.
"Yeah, take them the hell down," Luffy punches his left hand with a fist, cracking the knuckles. "Those guys fucked up our lives."
Law sees Sabo open his mouth, then shut it. He was sure to get his answer behind Luffy's anger later. "I hate that I wasn't here to stop whatever those bastards did to you." He nods over to Law. "To both of you."
The surgeon can't bring himself to reply. Sabo continues on regardless. "But rest assured, now that I know you all are going against those two as well, count us in."
Law can't believe it. That easily? "...What?"
The blonde turns to him, determination setting his face in hard lines. "We'll have to reconvene at a later date to discuss the details, but for now, consider our resources and information on this case yours."
Koala chuckles softly as Luffy and Law exchange shocked smiles. "Holy shit..." the surgeon breathes.
Sabo grins at his brother. "The Revolutionary Army has your back."
A/N: Thanks for reading! Until the next~
P.S. Flevance has twenty-one floors because Law's crew in canon has twenty-one members! :)
P.P.S. I can still never watch this scene without pausing or screaming in delight and covering my face. Luffy is the cutest human being on this earth. Reunion in the chapter is based on this! Link in AO3.