A/N: This is mostly a filler chapter, I guess? But mostly, I'll try to have a somewhat serious/mature Luffy in my story, sure he'll still be our lovable ball if sunshine and happiness in certain situations, but I wanted to give him a more mature outlook
Also, I have never written a story with a male/male relationship, but there's a first time for everything (All Hail LawLu!)
I also do not own One Piece, so with all this being said, enjoy and review please! No rude or tastless comments please
It was already midnight by the time they had reached LaFayette, Louisiana, and if the group's calculations were correct, they would be reaching the Texas state line in a couple of hours tops, Zoro had offered to drive during the last leg of the trip, but he could tell Leah was exhausted and Robin was still fast asleep in the back seat
"Leah, let's start looking for a motel, I can tell you're already worn out, let's just find somewhere to stay for the night and at first light tomorrow, we'll keep driving"
"You're right, I can feel myself getting sleepy" said Leah as she drove through what seemed a ghost town, it was dark and all you could see ahead were nothing but trees and the long road
"I highly doubt we're gonna find lodging here, there's nothing around here, it's shit" Zoro growled
"We might as well just find a rest stop and stay the night inside the car, I'm honestly too tired to keep driving" Leah sighed, running a hand through her hair and her weary eyes
"Safest bet, we can keep going without getting caught"
To the trio's luck, they found a rest stop a few miles from where they were, just outside of LaFayette, where it was illuminated by one light, everything else engulfed in pitch darkness
Leah parked the car and got out of the car to stretch her legs, Zoro followed as he went to take a leak
"Zoro, I jacked some sleeping bags and some blankets a couple of days ago, figured now we'd put them to good use" Leah called as Zoro rested on one of the wooden picnic tables
"Smart, we can sleep put here, I'd wake Robin up, but she sleeps like a rock, nothing wakes her up" Zoro teased
Leah set up the sleeping bags on the ground, placing the thick blankets on top before walking over to Zoro, throwing her arms around the green haired man, Zoro returned the favor and wrapped his strong arms around Leah's waist, kissing her forehead affectionately
"I know this is the last thing we all wanted to do" started Zoro, making Leah look up at her lover
"But" Zoro continued "I don't care if it makes me selfish, I'm glad you and everyone else joined me and Luffy on this crazy journey, being thieves, pretty much being chased by everyone in the World Government"
Leah smiled
"Let's not forget that that's not the only reason we joined you and Luffy, in one way or another the so-called "World Government", the people that were sworn to protect and defend us, failed us"
"They failed to protect Nami and her sister when the Arlong gang killed their stepmom, they failed to protect Luffy when they killed his brother Ace and kidnapped his other brother, Sabo"
"They failed to protect Robin when they wiped out her entire family because they thought her family had found a secret about the world history, and-"
"They failed to protect you when they killed your sister Kuina, and they failed to protect me when I was-"
"Don't say it, Le"
Leah gave Zoro a somber smile
"They all failed to give us any kind of justice, and we're just returning the favor, regardless if you or Luffy asked us to join you or not, in one way or another, we were all wronged and we want to give them a taste of their own medicine, we do not regret the choices we've made, not when we've made it so far, and so close to one of our biggest heists, we can't afford that luxury of having any doubts"
"When did you get so smart, Leah?"
Leah laughed and buried her head into Zoro's strong chest
No more words were said between them, they just enjoyed the moment in each other's arms
Zoro looked at the peaceful image of Leah and thanked whatever deity above that she was his, he loved her, he wanted no one else but her and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her
"Come on, let's get some sleep, we have quite a ways to go before reaching Texas" said Zoro as he carried Leah bridal style to the sleeping bags behind them
"After all this is said and done, when we leave this life of criminals behind, I want you to be Mrs. Roronoa Zoro" he whispered to his beloved, his grip on her slightly tightening, as if he was scared she'd disappear from his grasp
As if hearing him, Leah gave a small, sleepy grin and simply said "I do"
-Break-
Monkey D. Luffy and Usopp had just finished robbing a small store, but made sure it didn't escalate to where he'd have to kill anyone, they stole all the money they could get their hands on and a bunch of food as well, then they made their way to join Zoro and the others at the hideout in Texas
"How far are we from Texas?" asked Usopp as he drove past the "You Are Now Leaving Mississippi" sign
"Hours, if I had to guess, we'll be at the hideout tomorrow late afternoon" answered Luffy
"Are you certain Zoro made the right call telling us to keep driving? I'm pretty sure everyone else must be tired and looking for a place to stop for the night" Usopp explained, trying to ease his frazzled nerves
"Usopp, I know you're nervous about all of this, I don't blame you, but you're in way too deep to think about the negatives now, you're as much a wanted man as the rest of us, hell if anyone has a right to be terrified, it's Chopper, he's only 11 years old, this is not the life a child should lead" Luffy responded
He remembered the day little Chopper asked, no, begged them to join the gang of criminals
After Chopper's adopted father, a doctor by the name of Dr. Hiriluk who treated the less fortunate free of charge, was murdered for simply refusing to stop helping the poor, the little guy had no one else in his life, at first Luffy was hesitant about adding him to the group, but after learning he was good at patching up injuries and treating illnesses, Luffy figured it was a no-brainer and he allowed the little guy to join them
Usopp then decided to switch the topic of conversation as they drove through an area where nothing but casinos lined the roads
"Have you heard anything from your gramps? I'm sure he's having a fun time trying to track us down"
Luffy chuckled bitterly, his grandfather, Monkey D. Garp was still a sore spot for the young man, no matter how much Luffy loved his grandfather, he couldn't accept the fact that he chose his job as a Marine over protecting his family
Luffy wanted to hate him, but he couldn't hate his own family
"The old man will never forgive me for living the life I live, but I also know he regrets not doing a thing to save us the day Ace was killed and they dragged Sabo to God knows where... I know it haunts him, he's family and I never will wish ill will towards him, but we are on opposite sides of the law now, in his eyes, I'm just another criminal he needs to catch"
Luffy sighed, he could feel tears in his eyes forming but refused to let them flow, now was not the time to be an emotional wreck, he had to be the strong leader his nakama knew he was
"I'm sorry Luf-"
"Don't be sorry, Usopp" was all Luffy said before he took a swig of a beer he had swiped from the last shop they had robbed
"I know you're probably tired of me asking this, but what about Law? Has he tried getting in touch with you?" Usopp braced himself in case Luffy snapped hearing his ex's name
"No" Luffy answered calmly, closing his eyes and trying not to think of his former flame, Trafalgar Law
"Law is doing his thing and I'm doing mine"
"But I know you miss him, I know you still love him" Usopp said softly, hoping he wouldn't anger his leader
Luffy just shook his head in sadness
"My love for him wasn't enough to make him stay, and I fucking hate how I keep justifying his reasons for leaving me, that he didn't want to live the life of a criminal always on the run, that he didn't want to keep looking over his shoulder every time, and that he wanted to keep studying to become a great cardiac surgeon and I fucking get that, I really do, but shit, it hurts, it hurts knowing he didn't choose me, that he didn't choose us"
At this point Luffy let the tears flow freely, he was tired of thinking about Law, thinking of the good times they shared together, intimate moments they shared between the sheets, words of love and promises of a life full of love and a future family, because Luffy knew that was all gone, but who was to blame here, though?
Luffy wanted to desperately blame Law, but he couldn't, as much as he wanted to hate the tan, tattooed man, he couldn't, better yet, he couldn't, as much as he hated admitting it, he still loved Law
"I'm sor-"
"STOP SAYING YOU'RE SORRY USOPP, PLEASE! FOR FUCK'S SAKE!" Luffy bellowed, scaring poor Usopp into silence
Luffy sighed, rubbing his temples, feeling an incoming migraine
He hated blowing up on his friends, but he could only take so much pity before it made him lose his shit
"Let's just find somewhere to stay for the night, it's getting late and we probably won't be reaching Texas until later tomorrow" Luffy whispered, trying to calm himself
"Sure thing, boss"
The rest of the drive was silent, nothing else was needed to be said at the moment
"Hey Luffy?"
Luffy looked over at Usopp
"Yeah?"
"Law can go to hell"
And for the first time since today, Luffy actually laughed
Usopp smiled, happy that he had made his leader laugh
A/N: SO... HOW DID I DO?