•Finally get to update this story again :D SO excited. And I haven't done a disclaimer at all for this series oops…I DO NOT own One Piece, nor any of its characters.•
—The lake is pummeled by raindrops, the once still, smooth surface tainted by a ferocious flurry of water. The flowers that had once bloomed around the perimeter have withered and died, their petals decorating the rose colored lake. Humidity fills the air, and the sky remains an impassive black.—
5. Released
Two weeks have passed.
The month of March is almost over, the date crawling towards the 28th, still drunk on the 27th.
Marco sits, hands clasped in his lap, inhaling the familiar smell of antiseptic for, it seemed, the millionth time.
"Marco," his doctor addresses him with an outstretched hand, a disgustingly fake smile plastered on his face. The blonde sighs before standing, clasping his rough hand.
"Doctor Chopper," the older begins, "what's the situation?"
The sliver of light the visitor thought he'd imagined in the doctor's eyes had disappeared, replaced with a deep sadness. Marco knew this face, and knew it well.
"Come into my office," the tan man says without emotion, gesturing towards a chestnut colored door nearby. Gulping, the man's gaze flickers to the door before returning to the man, who had given him his back. What was so dire that he couldn't discuss it in the open?
Chopper opened the door for his visitor, who graced the doctor's presence every other afternoon. The blonde took the invitation, naturally, and planted himself on the leather chair that faced the neatly organized desk. The younger twisted his reindeer-like features into a dazzlingly bright smile before taking his seat opposite of Marco.
"About Ace," the doctor immediately begins, not wasting any time, "he's been thoroughly examined and checked over. His corpse has been sent back from the autopsy lab, and, as you have said, he has passed due to Akainu."
Marco nods wordlessly, his cold eyes on a multi-colored vase decorating the otherwise plain tabletop.
The man before him coughs into a tan hand before continuing. "We are only going to look into the medical side of the case further. As for the legal side, you will have to go to a good detective, police, or lawyer, whatever you desire."
Marco licks his lips nervously. "What should I do now?" he asks, because he doesn't have a clue. He has not the slightest notion on what to do next, and because Luffy's out, Doctor Chopper is his one and only other lifeline.
The only thing keeping him within the circle of sanity.
"Well," the doctor begins slowly, eyes lowering, "the medical certificate has already been made. Informing the brother of the deceased would be the next logical step, but, as I heard from Dr. Trafalgar when he was admitted, the patient cannot and would not be able to bear the news. Dr. Trafalgar was able to get information out of his patient, however, that you could be trusted with all of this handling."
The professional paused while Marco took this in, and with a nod, Chopper continued. "The body of the deceased should now be in the hospital's mortuary. Either you may pick it up, as Luffy has left all dealing regarding this case to you, or you may arrange for a funer-"
"No, no," Marco interrupts, waving a hand to stop the talking from continuing. "I'll just…I can do it myself."
"Alright." Chopper turns away from him, rummaging in one of the five filing cabinets behind him. Grunting at the feat, he swiftly pulls up a file, the name 'Portgas D. Ace' adorning the top. He laid this on his desk and opened its contents. Within, a sheet with the words 'Collection of Possessions' was pulled out and placed in front of Marco.
"All of the deceased's possessions are in this hospital. Sign this and you will receive permission to claim them."
Biting his lip, the blonde carefully accepted the pen and, with a shaking hand, signed the important document. Nodding, the doctor gently lifted the paper and returned the document back into its folder. "Unfortunately, because Akainu damages organs on the inside, it is impossible for him to become an organ donor. You are aware of this right?"
A nod.
"You may go collect the possessions in the room to the right of Luffy's, simply go to the third floor. Law should be able to help you out. You know where I speak of, correct?" Chopper asks. Marco forces a smile and yet another nod.
Lifting a dark eyebrow at his visitor's quietness, the doctor begins yet again. "Then, all you have to do is register the death at the register office within five days of death. But, because Akainu is such a rare disease, you've been given a month. I would suggest going today. Understood?"
Marco blinks at him, seemingly a little lost, but nods. He understands.
Chopper lets out a small smile and stands, and the blonde mirrors his actions. "Good. Oh, and Marco?"
The blonde looks at the doctor expectantly. "What is it?"
"Luffy should be about ready to go home now. So just…take your time- with everything. Alright?"
One last nod. A turn, then an exit.
—•—
Luffy sits upright on his bed, his small frame leaning against the pale wall of the hospital.
Two weeks have passed since he's been admitted, and two weeks have passed since he last updated his Calendar.
Just imagining the emptiness of the past fourteen boxes on the paper made him sick to his stomach.
Cursing, he reaches over to the small table that resides next to his bed, reaching for the cup of water his doctor had left for him over an hour ago. He drank thirstily, eyes wandering towards the door as the familiar creaking greeted his ears. Both his doctor and nurse came in, eyes glued to a clipboard.
It was the pink haired so spoke first, and with enough energy to power a city. "Luffy! Feeling better, aren't we?"
The small raven haired grunts, crushing the empty cup and flinging it across the room. It lands near the trash can, not quite making it, and a resulting string of curses fly from his mouth.
Law looks at the scene with a raised eyebrow. It was true that physically, the teen had gotten better, and even mentally, too. However, emotionally, the teen has yet to recover, not in the slightest. Sometimes, he would be extremely happy for no reason whatsoever, and other times, the teen would be in a state of deep depression. It showed through on nights where Law was to check up on him, he would find the teen crying and shaking in his bed, his back towards the doctor. Though on those fateful nights he would leave the black haired alone to grieve, it still didn't make up for how he acted presently.
The teen was good at hiding his true emotions.
"Luffy-ya," Law begins setting the clipboard on the side of his bed, "all of your vitals are okay, and we've checked taken care of you for these past couple of weeks. You have been deemed healthy, and are free to go."
The teen looks at Law and smiles a bit. The older doctor almost wants to laugh at the forged smile.
"Isn't that good for you, Luffy?" Shachi gushes, wrapping an arm around Luffy's slender shoulders. "You finally get to live outside of these boring, white walls. Unlike a certain person," Shachi whispers the last sentence, tossing occasional glances at the surgeon before them. The subtle gazes were returned with an acute glare.
A knock on the door interrupted the cheering pink haired, and silence fills the room. The professionals in the room exchange glances before the dark haired sighs and attends to the interruption. Law opens the door, and furrows his eyebrows at the person who stands there.
"Marco-ya," he says, confusion laced within the word, "what are you doing here?"
The man had gotten to know Law much better after their first meeting. Over the past two weeks, they two had managed to become— close being too personal a word— acquaintances. Law now trusted Marco, as he was informed of his relation to Luffy soon afterwards by Dr. Chopper. And knew he would take care of Luffy.
But he had this nagging feeling in the back of his head, one that he had ignored for a long, long time.
"Dr. Chopper said it was alright to take Luffy home, and Ace's belongings were in the room over here? Could you guide me?" Marco asks, eyes shifting to the right before returning back to his.
Law's lips twitch. "Alright," he replies before walking past Marco. The doctor reaches the room and gently pushes the door open, not a creak to be heard.
Dark wooden shelves line the walls of the room from ceiling to floor, plastic bags lining each available space. The narrow room was lit via a single light bulb. The wooden walls gave the small area a rusty, old look, as if it had not been entered for a long while. While the blonde has studied the room curiously, the professional has already returned, carrying a small plastic bag within his hands.
"Portagus D. Ace's belongings," Law muttered quietly, gingerly giving Marco the carefully wrapped package. "Chopper called me earlier that you could come to get it, but I didn't expect it to be today."
Marco didn't know how to reply. He bowed his head and whispered a quick thank you before exiting, returning the adjacent room.
"No, no, Luffy, you're supposed to have more of a scowl," chides Shachi's loud voice.
The teen laughs heartily. Silence ensures for a few fleeting seconds before the two burst into laughter again. Law's eyebrows rise at the noise. Just what were they doing in there?
"Isn't it more like this?" Luffy gasps in-between fits of laughter, and Shachi sounds like he's on the verge of crying.
Marco reenters the room quickly, followed by Law, to see what all the ruckus was.
The two idiots were holding on to each other for support, tears at the edges of their eyes, the bed creaking below them.
Luffy narrows his eyes and furrows his brows, schooling his mouth into a deep set frown. Adjusting his imaginary glasses, he glares at Sachi. "It's Dr. Trafalgar at work!" the teen grits out in a deep voice, unmistakably familiar to the nurse.
"Oh my goodness, you're brilliant!" Sachi cries, banging his hand against the soft blankets of the bed.
Neither noticed the fuming doctor no less than five feet in front of them, a dark aura surrounding the man. Even Marco was taken aback, steadily avoiding the man by ducking around him. He catches the attention of the couple on the bed, and he whispers quickly.
"I've come to pick up Luffy," Marco breathes, hoping that he doesn't disturb the doctor who was, without a doubt, planning the slow, painful deaths of the two. "Is that alright, Sachi?"
Blinking at the informality, but immediately smiling afterwards, the pink haired nods enthusiastically. "Of course, but of course!" he cheers. Turning towards the patient, or, ex-patient, the man smiles widely. "Aren't you glad to go home?"
Finally recovered from his fit of giggles, the teen nods tiredly. "Yeah. If I have to see white walls any more than I already have to, then I'm gonna puke."
Standing, Marco lends Luffy a hand. The black haired takes it without hesitation, but something seems off. The teen smiled, and that sparkle that disappeared from his eyes had returned.
But it wasn't as bright. The small detail made all of the difference in the world, and Marco knew at that moment that Luffy could never truly be whole again.
Never truly happy.
Never truly laughing.
Never truly smiling.
Luffy, now standing, strides past him. The smile he once sported while with the pink haired had dimmed tremendously, the lips now set in a straight line.
Luffy could never fully heal.
That was the thought that went through the blonde's head as the teen exited. Marco followed after him, scrambling towards the door and thanking the two for the final time for the last two weeks.
Law, finally calmed down, witnessed the change in countenance, and didn't comment.
Instead he stares after the couple as they leave, deep in thought. The man then turns to plop down into the small chair near him. He hadn't really thought of the future until now, now that Luffy was gone. They were bound to meet again. No, they were going to meet again. The will…Ace's will connected them, and their relationship was going to be much more than simple patient and doctor. Oh, so much more.
Law decided he was going to care for Luffy, and that was the end of that.
"What are you smiling about, Law?" asks Sachi out of the blue. The doctor immediately tugged his lips downwards.
"It's Dr. Trafalgar," he mutters before rubbing his temples.
"Hey, Law?" calls out the voice that dismissed himself not more than two minutes ago. Groaning inwardly, the man stands and walks towards the blonde, his glasses catching the sunlight as he moves. "What is it?" he inquires tiredly.
"Can I have a word? It'll only be a minute," Marco calls out, waving Law towards him. The blonde walks down the hallway, past the door where he had gotten Ace's belongings. Slightly curious, the doctor follows silently, and pauses when Marco turns to face him.
"Ace had…he had left a will," the blonde begins, staring deeply into the stormy eyes of the doctor. "Your name was in it."
The doctor's heart rate quickened slightly. He wasn't surprised at the news, as he had done his little snooping around that day. But the blonde did not know this. Law had to pretend as if everything was new to him, so that Marco wouldn't get suspicious.
Why was he so scared of the visitor finding out he invaded their personal space? It was beyond him. Maybe because of Luffy?
Reaching into his back pocket, Marco pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. Carefully unfolding it, the man hands it to Law to read. He takes it, but raises an eyebrow. "If this is so important, then why the hell is it in your back pocket?"
Marco blinks slowly. "It's a copy of only your part of the will. I made hundreds."
Lowering his eyes at the personal answer, the doctor reads the will all over again, the familiar words.
Thank you for bailing me out. It honestly means a lot to me. Could you please take care of my little brother? I know, I know, you're some stranger, and you probably don't give two shits, but…
There's something about you that feels like home. Like comfort. I can't really explain, but I feel as if I can trust you. Could you do me this last favor and take care of him? I leave you with all my books, rent money, and...my apartment. Then, paying for Luffy will be easy.
The weight of the words finally dawns on his shoulders, and Law hands the paper back to Marco wordlessly. The blonde refuses the offer, shaking his head. "Keep it. As a reminder."
The doctor remains silent, staring at the paper within his hands. The weight seemed heavier than the world. Yes, he was going to protect Luffy, but the way Ace worded this, it was as if he had to—
"Will you please move in with him? I have no doubt that if Luffy were to remain alone, then he would only fall deeper into depression," Marco explains, his eyes burrowing deeper into the doctor's. "It's a lot to ask, but please. For Ace."
Law's eyes widen a bit. For Ace. Even the blonde didn't know just what the man meant to him. The blonde notices the reaction, and his eyes harden a bit. "You are going to move in with him, right?"
Slightly annoyed at the direct order, the doctor pushes past him and walks back into the room. "I've made my decision, and I intend to keep it. I do what I want. If Ace-ya's will just so happens to correspond to my wishes, then that's that."
"It better," the blonde behind him begins with a low voice, "because if I ever visit and Luffy doesn't have the biggest fucking smile on his face, I swear, I will rip you apart, limb from limb."
"Then why don't you live with him?" Law questions, a dark brow raised, swiftly ignoring the threat. As if this fool ever really took something apart, limb from limb. Old memories resurfaced and a small smile graces his stagnant features.
Marco's voice is barely kept level. "You haven't' lied to Luffy, so he'll at least be happy with someone he knows."
Law decides not to elaborate, and silently leaves his presence. The thought of actually living with Luffy was something never to cross his mind. He re-read the will in his hands, and, undoubtedly, if Ace left everything in his home to him, then he would have no choice but to live there, right?
Sighing, he tucks the paper into his pant pocket. Shachi had finished cleaning the room, the space ready to rear its next patient.
"What did he come back for?" he asks, straightening out the pillows.
Law graces him a low chuckle. "Nothing really."
"Dammit, Law, you know I'm gonna get the information outta you one way or the oth-"
"It's Dr. Trafalgar."
"It's 6:00."
Surprised, the man glanced down at his watch and, surprisingly enough, it was exactly six.
Their shift was over.
Beaming, Shachi took off his white coat as he strides to the door. "Beat you to the car, Law-kun."
"Call me that again and it'll be the last time you talk."
Sachi's laugh bounced off the hallway walls, echoing, repeating, before slowly dying down.
—•—
Luffy returned home, escorted by Marco, who had him wait in the lobby on the first floor of the hospital. He sat there for twenty minutes, gripping the package of his brother's belongings as if it was a lifeline.
People milled around him, entering, exiting, walking, jogging, standing, talking, laughing, crying. All of these movements. The teen's head began to pound.
When Marco finally reappeared, the teen stands and, without waiting, leaves the hospital. The blonde's heart tightens at his actions, but he doesn't blame him. The small words he let slip from his mouth, his actions on the road two weeks ago…it's no wonder that the teen might feel resentful.
That's all the more why Law should live with him.
If Luffy continues to build up all these feelings without anyone to talk to, he'll burst. He simply wouldn't be able to take it. Marco crosses his arms and quickly follows Luffy. That's the last thing he wanted. He wanted to make up for it, but Marco was hopeless as to how.
The two then walked home, Luffy a good twenty feet in front of Marco, and not once did he look back.
—•—
Luffy enters his apartment, and leaves the door open as he walks in. seeing this as the most inviting the other had been since two weeks prior, Marco greedily accepted the offer, walking in the threshold giddily. Within a second, however, the teen grabs his collar and slams it against the wall.
Sputtering for air, the blonde looks at Luffy with wide yes. "Lu…-ffy?"
"Why didn't you protect him?" Luffy growls, eyes narrowed venomously.
Marco's eyes widen. He didn't recall telling Luffy about his passed brother. But, somehow, he found out? He knew what the package in the hospital really was?
"You were his best friend," he continues, his grip on Marco's shirt tightening, "so why didn't you do something?"
The blonde says nothing, and lowers his eyes. Luffy's face crumples, deep wrinkles forming in between his eyebrows, his teeth clenching. "Marco," he hisses venomously, "answer me."
The blonde gulps. He couldn't talk about Ace now, not right after all of the things that happened in the hospital, not after that. But it was Luffy, the boy he lied to, and that makes all the difference.
"Well?" he yells, shaking the man. Luffy shook his head slowly from side to side, mouth shaking horribly at the lack of response. This couldn't be happening. This whole situation couldn't be happening.
Even Marco?
The man before him gulps, his mouth suddenly going dry. "I…I…"
He couldn't do this.
"Damn it all to hell!" Luffy screams, tears forming in his own eyes now. "Tell me why you didn't do anything— give me every single fucking excuse."
"I loved him," Marco whispers, tears flowing down his cheeks. "I loved him and I love him now. Do you think I wanted this to happen?"
Luffy's grip slacks, but not enough for Marco to slip out of it. Silence ion engulfs the both of them, and it's a while before the teen manages to form words. "You…what?" Luffy whispers, eyes widening.
"I…we…"
How could Marco begin?
Neither moved.
And neither noticed the door was still open.
The well-dressed man had intended to continue walking towards his room after being dropped off by Shachi, but the cries from inside the room caught his attention. Not more than a mere second after he stopped to stare and assess the situation, the both of them turned to stare at him, tears streaming down their faces. Law tenses at the personal moment, and begins to make a clean get away from the tear jerking scene when a voice stops him.
"Wait."
Cursing under his breath, the man slowly turns and faces Luffy, who looks up at him with round eyes. "What're doing here?"
Law considers ignoring him, but one glance at his salty cheeks tells him the option wasn't possible. Not to mention the look Marco gave him.
"I live here," he swiftly replies before going on his way.
Luffy stares after his retreating back. Exactly three doors down, on the opposite side of the hallway, the man unlocks his door, walks in, and closes it softly behind him.
Marco allowed a small smile. At least moving in wouldn't be too hard for the surgeon. The smile, however, didn't last long.
"Leave," Luffy then says, facing Marco. "I don't…I don't know what happened between you and my brother but…"
Marco shakes his head, motioning for the teen to stop. "I'll…I'll visit," the blonde says hopefully.
Luffy snorts. "Make them seldom."
Studying the teen's face, Marco exits. All signs of anger, or maybe even shock. Were gone, replaced by this mask. He didn't have a mask before.
He used to wear his heart on his sleeve.
But now, it was different, and Marco disliked it.
Luffy shut the door. Marco was left alone in the hallway, and there was nowhere else to go but home.
That, and the register's office for Ace's death certificate. Marco allowed himself only a few more tears before making his way out of the apartment, hands shoved deep into his pockets.
—•—
Law watched the man go from his window within the complex. Shaking his head sadly, go goes to lie on the couch in his living room, switching on the TV. The noise emitted from it is immediately pushed back into the far recesses of his mind, the main article being Luffy.
How would he live with him? And when should he? There was no question that Law would, undoubtedly, live with the teen. What would Luffy think of it? How would it all work out? The man was bewildered, and the thinking caused a slight headache. Law was rarely, if ever, confused, and it hurt his head to think of it further.
Ace would've known what to do.
Frowning, he sits up, hoping to find something to take his mind off of the teen. Looks around his small apartment. Spies paperwork on the table. Narrows his eyes. "A teacher, huh?" he mutters, reaching over and getting the documents he received in the mail a day ago.
"…Grand Line High School for the summer?"
—•—
Luffy is left alone again. The word stirs mixed feelings within him. He walks over to his Calendar. Ace's Calendar. Sabo's Calendar. Their Calendar.
Picks up the pen.
Goes back fourteen days. Luffy begins to write.
Then stops.
And tears flow again.
He moves his shaky hand, scribbling gibberish over the two weeks of empty spaces, his hand furiously writing unknown letters and illegible words over the paper. He couldn't stand it. Ace was dead, and the light of his world had vanished. He couldn't stand the fact at all, no matter how much he tried to laugh.
It hurt.
Everything did, and the feelings were conveyed through the paper.
His hand ached, but he didn't care. His arm begged for blood flow, but he allowed it none. It was horribly cruel, this vile and twisted reality he was now forced to life in.
It wasn't fair. Nothing was fair.
Setting down the pen gently, Luffy stares at his work for a bit. The dark haired steadies his rocking body against a nearby the table, fighting the crashing waves of grief and exhaustion. Forcing himself to walk to his bedroom instead of crashing on the floor as s hard, painful struggle. Slowly, but surely, and goes to his room to rest. His head pounded, and his heart was slowly dying. Luffy laid his dark locks on the pillow, rubbing his cheeks against the softness. Luffy thinks of both Ace's and Sabo's Calendar. And he swears he's gonna update it.
The bizarre, peculiar pen markings, however, display two words inside the condensed mess of scribbles. The two words that Luffy wanted to say, but never could. The two words that followed Luffy everywhere he went. The two words that no one could fulfill anymore.
'Help me.'
•It's been over a month and I'm sorry I'll update this much much quicker and yes things are finally moving along and I am so excited now yay applause clapping cheers whoop. *takes a breath* How was the chapter? Drop me a review, follow, fav, or all three? Because, you know, you all are sunshine and daises See you all in chapter 6!•