Title: Panacea
Author: AoiTsukikage
Rating: R
Characters/Pairing:Law/Sanji
Chapter: 4/6 or 7
Word Count: 3634
Summary: There's something in his demeanor, the way he hides his true feelings whenever they start to unconsciously slip out, that speaks volumes. And Sanji would hardly consider himself somebody that wants to fixpeople but, well, he likes a challenge, and Law presents a rather giant one.
Spoilers:For recent-ish chapters, but this is set before Dressrosa.
Chapter Four
He's momentarily confused when he wakes up, wondering why there's somebody wrapped around him from behind, but he remembers a few seconds later and relaxes again, blinking his eyes open enough to notice that the sun's up but it still seems early. They've shifted in the night, Law now spooning him from behind, legs tangled up, and Sanji thinks idly that waking up like this doesn't feel bad at all.
"Hey," he murmurs, getting a grumble in return. Okay, so not a morning person, then. "You want coffee or something? We can grab breakfast?"
"You're too damn chipper," Law says against his shoulder.
"I'm always up early making breakfast. I'm used to it," Sanji moves to extricate himself, pulling his pants and shirt back on and combing his fingers through his hair, slipping down to the kitchen and sweet-talking the matronly breakfast cook until she lets him take two cups of coffee back to the room for free. He slides back in, seeing that Law's back asleep, and sits on the edge of the bed, fingers trailing through Law's deceptively fluffy hair (not that he'd ever call it that to the doctor's face, of course).
"Coffee?" Law asks, one eye opening slowly and Sanji passes a cup over, Law sighing in resignation and sitting up to take it. "Thank you."
"Any second thoughts?" Sanji asks, lighting a cigarette and inhaling gratefully before he picks up his own cup.
"No," Law says without any hesitation. "Part of me is still…surprised that I'm allowing myself to be this vulnerable around you, but quite frankly it's exhausting keeping up a front all the time. In the end, I'm still only human," he looks like a fucking artist's model, Sanji thinks, one knee drawn up and an elbow carelessly resting on it, the sheet pooled around his waist and his hair still sleep-mussed. Somehow the tiny glimpses of vulnerability make him even more attractive.
"Guess I should feel special, huh?"
"Don't flatter yourself, Mr. Blackleg," Law sips at his coffee, and before Sanji can answer there's a pounding on the door and he rolls his eyes, standing up to go and answer it (although really, he should just leave them out there).
"Still in one piece," he says by way of greeting, Nami and Usopp grinning sheepishly, but when they don't move he steps back and lets them into the room.
"Do we need to get moving?" Law's instantly alert, eyes narrowed and focused, and Nami looks at him in surprise before shaking her head.
"Not if you're not in a hurry. We're meeting Robin for breakfast at a place down the street and wondered if you guys wanted to join or if you're…" she wiggles her fingers and Sanji ducks his head. "Don't be embarrassed, Sanji-kun! Trust me, I'm glad somebody on this ship is getting some."
"I think we can take a break from our…activities," Law sounds completely impassive and Sanji glares at him because really, he's an asshole, but he's smirking and that's almost, almost like making a joke so Sanji's willing to let it slide.
"Bastard," Sanji throws a pillow at him and Law, the show-off, creates a tiny Room and stops it in mid-air, raising an eyebrow before letting it drop to the bed.
"Right, well, we'll meet you there!" Nami hustles Usopp out of the room, the sniper protesting the sudden exit, but Sanji's actually kind of hungry so breakfast as soon as possible sounds like a good idea.
000
Law's more relaxed when they're eating, talking about the island and the weather (Nami's getting a sense that a storm is coming so she wants to hold off leaving until after noon to see how bad it's going to be) and at one point Luffy and Zoro wander by, the former immediately jumping on Law with a joyful shout and Law has his normal expression of resigned horror on his face until Zoro yanks the boy off and plops him down in a seat.
Sanji decides to do a last sweep of the markets to see if there's any fresh items from the morning, Law coming with him (mostly, Sanji thinks, to escape Luffy) and he picks up a few more things with the money he's got left, the two of them taking an oceanside path back to the ship along the high cliffs, and it's a beautiful day so far. Sanji knows that storms can come up out of nowhere, though, and he trust Nami's judgement implicitly when it comes to the weather.
Law's still looking at ease and comfortable. It's a good look on him, Sanji thinks idly, and both of them are obviously off their guard because when he looks up to find them surrounded by what looks like the remnants of the most rag-tag pirate crew to be formed, he's got no idea how it happened.
"Shit," he fumbles with the shopping bags. "Hey, assholes, clear the road."
It becomes obvious soon enough that they're just local bandits, probably lured by the bags and the fact that Sanji's wearing expensive clothing, and don't seem to have any idea who they're dealing with.
Which is their downfall, because it doesn't take much to dispatch them, and it's probably less than five minutes before they're moving on, half of the men in pieces behind them and the other half lying there bruised and bloody.
He notices a little further on that Law's earlier nonchalance has completely disappeared, and he looks wary and guarded, hand clasped tightly around his nodachi. "Hey, what's with that face? They're just pushovers…"
"And yet despite the fact that they have no skills, they still managed to surround us without us knowing. If that had been a dangerous enemy, we'd both be dead by now," Law snaps, walking a little faster and making Sanji jog to keep up to his long stride.
"It's not…"
"I can't afford distractions, Mr. Blackleg," Law shakes his head. "I have to be on my guard at all times, and this only proves it."
"Hey, it's not going to…"
He's still talking when Law creates a Room and teleports himself…somewhere, and Sanji's left staring at the spot where he was, a rock lying in his place, and tries to figure out what exactly had just happened.
000
He's still a little out of it when he gets back to the ship, because yes, getting ambushed isn't a good thing, and he should really be used to Law's completely abrupt mood changes by now, but for some reason he feels like he's the one who fucked up just by trying to get the other man to loosen up a little bit, and he's sure that's…not right, somehow.
"Sanji-kun?" Nami comes into the galley as he's unpacking and he affords her a small smile.
"What did that asshole do to you?" Zoro's right behind her, eye narrowed and looking far too angry.
"Calm down, Marimo. He didn't do anything," Sanji's a little taken aback that both of them can seem to tell something's wrong just by the way he's standing, but well, he appreciates it. "We ran into some bandits on the road but they weren't any trouble in the end," he shrugs.
"So what's wrong?" Nami presses, the look in her eyes and the set of her hands on her hips telling him that he's not getting away until he tells the truth.
"Law…I guess he thinks that I'm a fucking distraction or something and that if I hadn't been with him they wouldn't have snuck up on him, but…" he stops, because he promised Law he wouldn't say anything about their…he doesn't want to call it a 'relationship', but 'arrangement' sounds so clinical. "He just warped himself out of there and I dunno where he is," he finishes, closing the fridge and locking it before leaning against the counter.
"He didn't hurt you?" Nami looks concerned and Sanji laughs.
"Nah, don't worry. He's got these crazy mood swings but I've never felt in danger or anything," he looks down and sighs. "Can I get you anything? Fresh fruit from the market?"
"I would, but that storm's going to be here in less than an hour and I'm trying to round everybody up and get somewhere in town. The ship should be secured enough, and I guess if we can't find Law I'm assuming he knows enough to take shelter," she adds, and he nods and wipes his hands off on his pants.
"Understood. Shall we?" he holds out his arm and she sighs but slips hers through it, leaving his heart fluttering as they leave the galley.
"Hey," Zoro says as they walk, and Sanji looks sideways at him. "You know I'll kick his ass for you, right?"
"Not gonna be necessary," Sanji tells him. "But I'm so lucky I have a big, strong man to protect my virtue," he adds, simpering a little, and Zoro shoves at his shoulder.
"Shut up," he crosses his arms and Sanji thinks again how Zoro's outward appearance and normal gruff attitude bely the factthat he really does care about his friends.
"You know, I think you're good for him," Nami comments, and Sanji looks at her in surprise. "This morning? I've never seen him that laid back, and he's much nicer to be around when he's not scowling all the time."
"Yeah, well, apparently he thinks acting like he hasn't got a permanent stick up his ass is a weakness," he sounds a lot more bitter than he intends to with that. Still, he's not sure he can be angry for too long, and he knows Law will come around, one way or another
At least, he's pretty sure about that.
000
The storm blows itself out by sunset.
It's too late to set sail, however, so they decide to stay another night and thankfully the inn still has rooms available. When Law doesn't come back, he makes a quick detour to the ship and a few minutes later he's headed out along the rocky shoreline, thermos in hand and determination in every step.
Law, it turns out, is a little too much like him in that they even choose the same sort of spots to get away and think. Although in this case it makes finding him easy, and Sanji deliberately kicks a few stones around to announce his presence, Law turning from the piece of driftwood he's seated on, hand automatically closing around his sword before he sees who it is and narrows his eyes a little before facing the sea again.
It's calm now, littered with tiny waves, gulls swooping low and screeching happily as they scoop up food in the last rays of the sun, and Sanji hops down to where the other man is seated, perching himself a little higher on the sun-bleached tree-trunk and passing the thermos down.
"What is it?" Law sounds exhausted and Sanji wonders just how much he's been dwelling on everything.
"Just try it," he prompts, Law looking suspicious but doing so anyway, and he relaxes incrementally as the liquid passes his lips.
"Your special tea blend," he sounds wryly amused and Sanji snickers and lights up a cigarette.
"Hardly mine, but I'm glad you approve," he sits and smokes for a while, staring at the darkening sky, until Law sets the thermos aside and clears his throat.
"I must apologize for my behavior earlier. You were certainly not at fault and to imply that you are any sort of distraction is entirely unfair," it sounds painful for him to utter the words but Sanji does appreciate them.
"Nah, it's fine. Don't beat yourself up over it, I'm not some fucking flower that needs to be coddled," he sniffs and Law ducks his head.
"I never meant to imply that you were. I have a…" Law pauses, shaking his head. "I have a very hard time dealing with people who get hurt because of me, or when they are under my protection. As I told your navigator, until this alliance ends, I think of you as I would my own crew."
"You're putting too much pressure on yourself," Sanji reaches out, lightly resting his hand on Law's back, but even that makes him startle. "Hey," he presses his thumb against the back of Law's neck, feeling the tension radiating through the other man, and starts to rub gently. It's almost like he's dealing with a spooked animal, but Law leans into the touch and closes his eyes. "We don't need protection."
"You do from Doflamingo," Law counters. "You don't know the extent of his powers. I'm not entirely sure I know them any longer since he's had a decade or so learn new techniques, but even as he was back then I could not defeat him now."
"So…what?" Sanji frowns. "We're running into a death-trap?"
"You won't be," Law promises him. "Part of the reason I've come alone is that nobody can be used as leverage against me. If I have to act like our alliance is over, he won't go after any of you."
"So you're giving yourself up? That's fucking stupid," Sanji bites the end of his cigarette and Law shrugs his thin shoulders.
"Perhaps. Truthfully I'm less interested in who takes him down as long as I know somebody will. If I'm alive to see the aftermath is inconsequential," he cuts off when Sanji tightens his grip, holding him there.
"You're an idiot if you think Luffy's gonna let that happen," he says and Law laughs, but there's no mirth in it.
"And why wouldn't he? It's not his fight…"
"Because his fucking brother died in his arms, asshole, so if you think he's gonna sit around and let somebody else he cares about die without doing every damn thing he can to save them…" he stops then, a surprising surge of emotion cutting off his words, and Law turns to the side enough that he can see him.
"I didn't realize you knew him," Law sounds vaguely sympathetic and Sanji sighs.
"Ace? Yeah. I mean, not real well or anything, but he traveled with us for a while, and unlike those other cretins he actually offered to help with the dishes and appreciated what I did. And I never had to worry about a lighter when he was around," he tries not to think about Ace much, because it's true, he wasn't more than an acquaintance, but still… "Everybody in our crew…they've all lost people they loved. They've all had to deal with that…that grief, and I'm the only one that's never been through that. I mean, I dunno if my parents are alive, but I didn't know them enough to care. It's just been me and Zeff, and that shitty old man's gonna live forever, so Ace was just…the first guy I considered a friend that's actually gone, and it's a weird thing to process," he explains, but Law nods in understanding and then turns back to the ocean.
"From what I hear, you've had your share of hardships."
"Yeah, being stuck on a rock for two months with no food or water is probably more traumatic in some ways, but still…"
"I know death all too well," Law holds out his hands and flexes his fingers, and yeah, he's staring at the word every time he looks down. "But I cannot change my course. My only goal right now is to ensure that man's complete and utter defeat."
"Nobody's life is worthless," Sanji's not really prone to being philosophical but he thinks it's warranted here. "No matter how little you think of yourself, you've got a crew that loves you and you've got friends and people are gonna miss you if you throw your life away."
"They shouldn't."
"Yeah, well, tough shit, because that's not for you to decide," Sanji takes his hand away, a little surprised at how angry this is making him.
Law heaves a weary sigh, pushing himself up so that he's more level with Sanji, and hesitates for a brief moment before laying his head on the blond's shoulder, curling his lithe body closer. It's an unexpected gesture of affection and Sanji's holding him in place before he even realizes he's doing it, resting his head against the other man's and rubbing his arm idly.
"I cannot change who I am or how I feel."
"Yeah. I know. Just…know that if Luffy can save you, he's gonna do it, and it'll break his heart if he can't," it's a low blow and he knows it but Law nods. He doesn't say anything one way or the other, and Sanji's fairly sure he feels like he can't, but maybe his words will get through to him somehow. He stamps the cigarette butt out under his boot, blowing out the last of the smoke before pressing his nose into Law's hair and letting himself sag a little.
It's weird, feeling this way. He does care about Law, even though the other man makes it really hard to do that at times, but it's not something he's used to. And it scares him, because this isn't gonna last more than a few more days at the most, but Law's become a constant in his life really quickly and he's going to miss him when he inevitably leaves.
"C'mon, it's getting cold out. Let's get back to the inn," he suggests, Law unfurling his long legs and moving to grab the thermos as a response. Sanji stands up, hands in his pockets, and tries not to be surprised when Law clamps a hand on his shoulder and kisses him, close-mouthed but still with purpose. "What was that for?"
"Do I need a reason every time?" There's a gentleness to Law's smirk that Sanji's never really seen before, and damn, he must be getting soft if something as tiny as that can affect him.
"Bastard," he says in lieu of an actual answer, and Law falls into step beside him, sword slung over his shoulder and once again the picture of easy confidence.
Although Sanji's fast learning that Law's outward façade truly is only skin-deep.
000
They get back into the inn to find that Brook and Franky have decided to spend the time by putting on an impromptu performance, a piano in the corner and an acoustic guitar Franky's picked up from somewhere their instruments of choice, and Sanji looks at Law.
"We can stay if you want, or…"
"No, let's," Law's already looking overwhelmed by the noise and the people, because apparently this town lacked for entertainment, but most of the rest of the crew is seated at a table in the corner and they make their way over, sliding into some spare chairs and watching the show.
The people in the town, despite it being rather sleepy and unremarkable, don't seem too perturbed to have a skeleton and a cyborg playing music for them, and it's lively if nothing else.
"We'll set sail in the morning," Nami calls over the noise. "From what I can tell, the weather should be clear."
He nods in agreement, crossing his legs and settling back in the chair, looking over the rest of the crew. Luffy and Usopp are singing along, albeit rather off-key. Chopper's seated on the table, giggling and clapping his hooves. Zoro and Nami seem to be in the middle of a drinking contest and Sanji wonders if it's too late to put money on the navigator because no matter how hard Zoro tries, he can never out-drink her. And Robin is paging through a book that seems to be on the local history, looking up now and again and smiling calmly. It's been a long time since they've been able to relax like this, and it certainly doesn't happen often enough, so the easy camaraderie is something he's come to appreciate.
Law shifts beside him, something on his face that's a little sad and a little thoughtful, and Sanji guesses he's probably thinking about his own crew. He reaches out and rests his hand on the other man's knee and Law sets his own hand overtop of it after a few moments. It's a subtle gesture but it means something, even if Sanji's not exactly sure what.
They sit that way for a few more songs, the room becoming increasingly more crowded as more of the townsfolk come in after sundown, and Law leans over toward him. "Should we retire?" he asks, a smirk on his lips and a banked heat in his eyes that tells Sanji he's all in this tonight, and his mouth goes dry as he swallows and nods quickly.
It's too loud to say a proper good-night, but Robin meets his eyes and tilts her head to the side, raising an eyebrow, and he nods to her and tries not to look too embarrassed about it.
Nami raises her glass in a salute and Zoro rolls his eyes but doesn't say anything else, and the others remain blissfully oblivious as the two of them slip out of the room (although he can hear Luffy loudly asking why they're leaving together, but well, Luffy didn't even know he had a father, so the chances of him realizing what they're up to are pretty much zero).
He's surprisingly calm when they reach the door to their room, unlocking it and slipping in, and he locks it behind them and clears his throat. "So. You, um…"
"Don't worry about me," Law certainly looks more confident, and he strips his shirt off and settles his hands on his hips, dark and seductive and everything Sanji never knew he wanted but fuck, he wants it now.
So really, he sees no reason to hesitate any longer.
Notes:
1. The next update might be a little slower because I'm going to have a busy couple of days, plus sex scenes are more difficult for me to write regardless but I'll try to get it out soon! And I realize the chapter count keeps fluctuating but it all depends on how wordy I get; I've got the last chapter planned out but there's still places to go before then.
2. Thanks again for the reviews and comments, they really mean a lot to me :)