A/N: Hi! Thanks for everyone who reviewed, favorite, and alerted this story!

Chapter 3: It's Hard to be Accepted

The moment Law said those words with finality there was nothing else that Kidd could do but to stare like an idiot in front of his friend.

Did he hear him right? The doctor is going to adopt three kids? Law can't even stand with a presence of a baby without ripping something. That's how much the insomniac hates children. Mostly, that is because they are whiny and always cries. Another one is that he hates puppy eyes.

"Excuse me?" Kidd raised his right eyebrow to show the other that if he was joking right now he better stop because it is not funny at all.

"Are you deaf, Eustass-ya?" Law replied in irritation. Really? He does not know if pouring his heart out towards Kidd is a good thing or bad.

"It's just…" Kidd took his time in drinking his coffee to retain some of his brain cells, "Why all of a sudden? Surely someone closed to Akagami-sensei can take care of them."

"I thought you said you were trying not to be a jerk right now?"

Oops…

He touched the wrong nerve it seems.

"I am," Kidd said as he frowned a little, "I'm just trying to be rational."

Law took a seat on the counter as he emptied his cup. Of all the times Kidd tried to be rational why is it always about a topic where he is really sensitive? Sometimes he hates that part of the red hair.

"Then don't be. You are much of an asshole when you're based on reason than not."

"Hey!" obviously the other will protest at the comment.

"Of course, a lot of people are trying to take care of the kids." Law answered the earlier question.

It's true, Shanks has so many friends you will start to think that the whole city is his friend.

Well, too bad now. It seems like that theory was disproved hours ago or better yet, yesterday. But the deceased redhead has enough buddies to run his own pirate crew. The green haired girl that the kids call as Makino was volunteering also. But Law would not have any of it.

Shanks left the kids to him and it is his responsibility to take care of them. Even if he will go against the world he will adopt the trio.

"You know," Eustass break his inner monologue, "If you are doing it out of your so called 'responsibility' then nothing will come out of it."

Law lifted his head and stared at his friend. Wait, when did he even started to look on the ground? Oh…right, when he was contemplating about the 'adopting' thing.

"What do you mean?" what the hell does Eustass know about this stuff?

"The kids are devastated at their lost," he started to explain, "they will think you are trying to replace their 'father' if you will act like that."

"I'm not-" but Law didn't finished as Kidd raised his hand. A sign that he was not yet finished talking.

"Children hate it when adults look at them with pity. What they need is pure love."

Pure love…somehow Kidd thinks that something inside broke down a little when he said such gushy things.

Law is surprised at what he heard. He didn't even conceal it as he let his jaw drop a few centimeters. Is he dreaming right now? He must be! Kidd never, ever, ever talks like that! The only thing that they could get along together is being the sadistic ones.

"You," he pointed at the red hair that was pouring another cup of coffee, "Who the hell are you."

That statement made Kidd to whip his head towards the doctor and with such bad luck the hot liquid pour down on his hand causing him to drop the glass,

"What the hell Trafalgar! I'm trying to be a good friend in here and you accused me of being an impostor!"

Law sighed in relief, "Good you're still Eustass-ya. I thought you were replaced by someone who went to the temple to reach Nirvana."

"Shut up you bastard! Why do you always think I'm the insensitive one?!"

"Because you are!"

"Creepy eyes bastard!"

"Wanna be gothic gay!"

"Wha—take that back you shit! I'm not gay!"

"Yes you are! You wear makeup and paint your nails!"

"Does not mean I'm gay! If someone looks like that that would be you because of your sultry eyes!"

"You—wait, did you just implied that I'm hot?" Law smirk when he caught the earlier remarks

"You wish!" Kidd shouted as he washed his hands by the sink.

"I think we go back to the whole 'you are gay' topic." Law continued to taunt the redhead but he was brought back to his situation right now.

The doctor still feels a little weary but not that depressed anymore, he stared back at Kidd and saw that his friend was already picking up the broken shards while cursing under his breath. Law's lips quivered and without warning he started laughing out loud causing the other to look up.

Oh boy…

Trafalgar finally went insane… well, he was already insane in the first place but Kidd does not need an upgraded version. That will be disastrous.

"O-oi, Trafalgar! Get a grip will you?!" Kidd exclaimed as he toss the remnants of his cup in the nearby trash bin and rush out to put both of his hands on Law's shoulders and started to shake him back and forth. Anything he will do just to bring back the doctor to reality.

Law tried to control his laughter as he sensed the panic tone of Eustass but just looking back at the red hair's face he started again his laughing fit. Eustas-ya was really amazing! Without even trying he alleviated Law's depression just by talking and throwing insults. This was one of the things that he liked from his friend, Kidd knew how to turn his moods around.

No one did that…

No one when he was trapped in a cage…

No one even when he was free from that cage…

Only Eustass Kidd has enough guts—or probably it was the red hair's idiocy—to offer his hand and let Trafalgar to see the other side of the outside world.

Of his new reality where he was not being forced to do anyone's bidding. Where he was not waiting to do another request or waiting for his master's arrival.

But…this is not the time to remember such nostalgic memories or wallow himself to self-pity. No, what he needs is a clear mind right now.

"Thanks, Eustass-ya." Law finally uttered as the laughter ceased.

At first Kidd was confused at what the doctor is thanking about but then he realized it himself. A smirk danced on his lips, so he did it again huh?

"Anything to whack your head back to reality." He replied as he patted Law's head and ruffled his hair a little.

The doctor didn't push away the hand but instead lean on it. He likes it when Eustass pats his head. As he said no one do these things to him. Not until he met his best friend. Though this happy moment was broken when a flashed of image started to show in front of Law's eyes. His dark past, where he was in a room that is covered by blood and dismembered bodies and that haunting voice he does not want to recall.

"Good job, Law. You really impressed me on how you torture our guests."

"I'm going to be sick!" Law exclaimed as he pushed Eustass away from him and headed directly to the sink. There he started to empty his bile that, right now, only contains his earlier cup of coffee.

Kidd didn't waste a second as he saw the signs. Immediately when Trafalgar started vomiting he went to fetch a glass of water from the fridge and walked towards his friend. He stopped beside him and started rubbing his back. When the red hair could only hear a few shuddering breaths he handed the glass.

"Drink," is the word he uttered as Law gratefully accepted it. When it was finally empty Eustass spoke again, "You know, your flashbacks is occurring much more than in the past. Care to explain to me now what it is all about?"

Law just shook his head furiously and Eustass sighed, "Fine, fine. If you don't want to talk about it then don't but how will you manage yourself if you had another one when the kids are here?"

This time Law didn't reply. As much as he trust Eustass-ya he can't just tell him his past. He feared that his friend will not be there by his side when that happens. No, he does not need to know. No one needs to know about it.

Trafalgar Law, the murderer, is long ago dead when that man died.

^_^ I can't stop being happy since I saw Sabo alive! ^_^

The funeral is full of people lamenting for their lost of a certain loudmouth, alcoholic and happy-go-lucky red haired. Some are crying openly while others are trying to hold back their tears. Right now Mihawk, for the first time, does not know what to do. He just sat there in one of the chairs staring at the ground as memories flowed before his eyes.

"Dracule Mihawk." Sengoku, chief of the CSI department, summoned the stoic hawk eye one fine morning.

"What is it, sir?" Mihawk replied with seriousness.

"You're partner begged me to transfer him to another position." Sengoku sighed as he rummage on the stack of papers on his desk. When he found the file he was looking for he started flipping it from one page to another, "What did you this time?"

Mihawk scoffed a little. That man was a coward, no wonder he asked Sengoku to resigned him as the golden eyed man's partner.

"Well, I guess I can't do anything about it anymore. Good thing someone applied for the job."

With that Mihawk raised an eyebrow. That's new, no one volunteered to be his partner and out of the blue someone is willing to do it? It's either this guy is strong or an idiot. He's betting on the latter.

"Your new partner will be here any moment. His name is-" but the sentence was not finished as the door of the office suddenly slammed open.

"GOOD MORNING!" the man with red hair and three scars on his face exclaimed with no care in the world, "Old man Sengoku it's good to see you again!" the man shouted again as he walked towards the chief's table.

"Damn it Akagami! How many times will I tell you to knock first?!" the chief reprimanded as he saw the stupid grin on the man's face, this man will drive him insane sooner or later.

"Minor details!" the red haired man laughed at the protest but then he sensed another presence in the room and stared at the source of it. Then his huge smile was plastered on his face again, "You must be Dracule Mihawk!"

Mihawk, inside, is very surprised at the outcomes of things. First, no one can speak like that to Sengoku because the man was well respected. Second, no living thing has ever been happy in seeing him. But this man just entered the room without a care.

"Indeed." Mihawk answered. Who is this man?

"My name is Akagami Shanks!" the red haired introduced himself as he raised his hand in a form of handshake but Mihawk didn't move to accept it. Seeing that the man will not shake his hands Shanks decided to walk beside him and pat him on the back, "Nice to meet you to! From now on I'll be your partner!"

What!

That day was a disaster for Mihawk. Shanks was a type of guy who will not shut up no matter how many threats were given to him. He will always pester the Hawkeye to join him in drinks and party with him. He knew how to irk his partner in any ways and he knew how to make the swordsman happy.

Shanks was his first and probably last best friend he ever had.

…but now he is gone with the wind.

Somehow Mihawk thinks that it is his own fault that this happened.

A glass containing a light brown liquid is shoved in front of his face. When he looks up to see to whom the hand that holds it belongs to he saw his little brother. Why he didn't saw him earlier? No one can miss his little brother with that green hair of his.

"Seems like you need something to drink." He said as he pushed the glass once more until Mihawk was forced to accept it.

"Thanks, Zoro." He murmured as he took a sip.

It's rum…

Shanks used to love this drink…

"When did you arrive?" Mihawk asked to start a conversation. He will do anything just to lift his moods for a moment.

"Just now," Zoro answered as he took a seat beside his brother, "Sanji almost made the car fly in the sky when he heard the news from Kidd. It almost made my soul to be left up there." He tried to joke but when he caught up his words he suddenly shut up. Jokes have no place right now in here.

There was a moment of silence between them…

"You know I want to say 'I'm sorry for what happened' but I doubt it will make any difference." Zoro said as he stood up, "Though there is one thing I know Shanks-sensei will tell you." He continued and glanced to Mihawk over his shoulder, "It's not your fault." With that he went away and joined Sanji from the table where drinks and foods where placed. Mihawk saw that Zoro is trying to calm the blond even though the guy is not crying at all but from the solemn expression he knew that deep inside the chef is being torn apart. Just like him right now.

Shanks was a great brother figure for Zoro and Sanji.

While for Kidd and Law the deceased red hair was like a father to them.

The doctor remained leaning on the wall from the left side of the coffin as he took a sip from his coffee. But then his moment of solitary was broken when a piece of sandwich was forced into his mouth that he had no choice but to eat it. When he made his final swallow he poured down the rest of his drink down his throat and glared daggers at the culprit.

"Damn it Eustass-ya! You know I hate bread!" he hissed at his friend who just shrugged and lean beside him.

"You need something to eat," Kidd explained, "You haven't had a solid food since this morning and it's already noon now."

"Then you could have given me something that is not bread-related!"

"That's the closest thing I could grab." Was the reason he got.

When Law could sense that Kidd was willing to do it again just to make him eat he walked near Sanji who was busying himself in preparing stuff that a chef should do.

"Hey," Law greeted and the blond looked up when his voiced was heard,

"Hey," Sanji said back, "You look worse than the last time I saw you." He added as a comment.

It was true though. The dark rings under Law's eyes were much darker than before. It is a sign that the doctor didn't have enough sleep before the accident that's why he asked for a three days off. But things didn't turn out as expected to be so the added depression just made him to lost sleep even more.

"Do you have some onigiri?" he asked instead than responding to the earlier comment.

"I do," the blond said as he grabbed a plate and put four of it, "Zoro personally asked me to make them." He handed it to the doctor.

"Thanks," Law then started taking a bite and slowly swallows the riceball, "Taste great just like before."

"Let me guess," Sanji suddenly said, "Kidd forced you to eat bread and threaten you to do it again if you will not eat anything." He smirk at this as he knew how the two works to each other. Zoro and he are like that after all.

"Yes and no," Law answered as he ate the second one, "Kidd did force me to eat bread, almost made me choke, then I felt that he was readying to do it again so I decided to come to you instead."

"You guys never change," Sanji then put some onigiri in a different plate, "I'm sorry but I need to take this to marimo." He apologized before walking away leaving Law on his own.

Swallowing the last one of his food, Law watched as Sanji approached the green haired swordsman. He expected them to have their usual verbal arguments but instead he saw Zoro picked up the plate and settled it on his lap while Sanji simply sat beside the swordsman.

Law saw that silenced settled between the two. Then Zoro started saying something while Sanji blew out the smoke he inhaled before replying. It seemed like they were having one of their 'couple understanding' moments. The doctor smiled at this.

It was not a secret that Sanji and Zoro were lovers. He already had suspicions since they were in college. On how Zoro always argued with Sanji and how the latter fumed in anger when someone insulted the swordsman. At first the two thought that it was a deep understanding between best friends but then all it took was a Zoro beaten almost to death by someone named 'Kuma' for Sanji to realized that what he was feeling was love and not friendship.

Law could still remember the pitiful state of Sanji when he stormed in the hospital after hearing what happened to Zoro. It took every ounce of patience from Kidd and Law to calm the blond. They did it but what replaced the anger was self-loathing. Sanji kept mumbling that day the he should had known something like that was going to happen. That he should have stayed with Zoro until everything was solved. It was all thanks by a miracle that the marimo made it out alive. If not Law did not know what will happen to his blond friend. Sanji, in that state, might had committed suicide. After that confession was made and now they were living together in East Blue, sometimes Sanji and Zoro visit Law during holidays in New World City. He did not why Kidd was always there first in his house though during the said occasions. His redhead friend's overprotective impulses were sometimes really terrifying.

Law was about to take a sip from his cup, with newly poured coffee, when he heard a distressed shout,

"I SAID SHUT UP!"

^_^ I really want to see Sabo's face! Do you think Sabo is a devil fruit user also? ^_^

Ace was still angry at the events before him. The people that gathered in their home is just adding to his frustrations.

He was sitting on one of the chairs set out in the room just in front of the coffin of their adopted father while Sabo went away to go to the table for some food. Luffy, on the other hand, locked himself in his own room.

The youngest is still in shock at Shanks' death. Luffy do not allow anyone to touch the strawhat that previously belongs to his father.

Even to his brothers.

Yes, Ace is a little bit angry at Luffy's behavior but it is understandable. Sabo and he are just too mature but it does not mean that they are not hurting also. It's just they need to be strong for their little brother. No one else can protect Luffy but them, especially now that Shanks' is not in here anymore.

Now they are back on how things were before Shanks found them.

This thought is not the only thing that irks right now.

Oh, yes. What is really making him angry is that people keep telling them that they will be the one to take care of 'Shanks' kids'.

Ace indeed knows most of them but the way they said that they will 'take care of them' it sounds like Sabo, he and Luffy will be separated.

For a very long time…

"Ace,"

The child looked up to see who was talking to him and he found their green haired babysitter, Makino. She wore a sad smile on her face before continuing her speech, "I know this is not the right time," she paused thinking on how Ace will react to her, "but I think for the mean time I will take care of Luffy. You can stay with Ben-san while Sabo can stay with Yassop-san."

What?

"It's not safe to let you kids be in here by yourselves."

Makino is trying to separate them?

"Don't worry you guys can still see each other."

Is there no one to trust anymore?

"shut up…" Ace murmured as Makino continued to speak with that sad smile of her.

"I'll make sure Luffy will eat again the way he was back then."

"shut up…"

"Yassop-san will help Sabo to get back in normal routines again."

"shut up…"

"I'm sure Ben-san will give you anything you need."

"Shut up…"

"So…" Makino lowered her head and stared on the floor, "I'm sorry but we have to separate you guys until you are old enough to take care of yourselves."

That was the last straw.

Ace stood up abruptly causing the chair to fall back and for Makino to stared back at him.

"shut up.. shut up.. shut up.. shut up.." Ace murmured.

"A-Ace what-"

"I SAID SHUT UP!"

That earned the attention of everyone and Ace swore that he saw the creepy doctor on the crowd staring at him.

He really hate that kind of stare. For Ace it is like everyone is pitying them.

They don't need pity from them.

"NO ONE WILL SEPARATE MY BROTHERS FROM ME!"

With that final shout he grabbed Sabo's right hand and pull him away from everyone and went straight to Luffy's room.

This will be a very big problem for Law. It seems like Ace's trust issues is getting from worse to worst. He groaned a little before speaking under his breath.

"Why is it so hard to be accepted?"

A/N: Love it? Hate it? Whatever it is don't forget to review!

Anyways, I found out that the one who voiced Law is the one who voiced Yuu Yanase of Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi...

I wonder if it is the reason why I like Law in Yaoi...

Nonsense! Of course it's me who like to see Law being pair up to other One Piece male characters XD