A/N: So I realized from the messages I got asking whether or not this story was going to end soon, that I poorly worded my last authors note. I apologize, I meant that Chapter 3, was supposed to be 3 and 4, but I just threw them both together. Not that the story was supposed to be only a few chapters long, it still has ways to go, don't worry! But since so many people were asking me about it, I figured I'd clear it up now and give you guys another chapter kind of like my apology? Anyway, I hope you all enjoy! ~S
TRIGGER WARNINGS: Depression, Anxiety.
Law's been zoning out a lot lately, and he doesn't know if thats just the meds. Or if he's just genuinely lost interest in every single thing coming out of his psychiatrists mouth. It's not that he doesn't appreciate it, he'd just rather be doing something, anything else in the world right now. Sitting and talking about his feelings is about second to last on his list.
"You've been taking your medication, I presume?" She asks him and he nods.
"Yeah." He leaves out that he's been drinking too, because shit he's not in the mood to listen to her lecture right now.
"And how have you felt the past few days? Any subtle differences?"
"I had a uh… episode. I guess?" God he hates admitting it, and he can feel his chest tighten just by the word. And by the way she clicks her pen, ready to write whatever comes out of his mouth next. She doesn't say anything, like she's waiting for him to continue. "I saw a couple of my old friends. At this party and I just… snapped."
"What do you mean by snapped?"
"You know, like snapped. Everything in my mind just broke down and I couldn't take it. Seeing them." He says and he can't help but feel guilt whirling up in his gut.
"You still use the term friends, even though you use past tense. Why is that?"
Good question.
One he doesn't know the answer to. It just comes out like that. He doesn't have a reason, what else is he supposed to say? The manipulative bastards that fucked him over when he needed them? The people he thought he could trust and count on when he was at the lowest point of his being, but turned their backs? He knows he's not the easiest person to communicate with but god damn, they were all too quick to turn on him.
"I don't know."
"Does a part of you still wish you were their friend?" She asks and it somewhat hits close to home. Like her words practically jabbed him in the chest. Multiple times.
Yes. No. No. No. Well maybe.
"No. I at least know I deserve better than that." It's not all a lie. He knows that much at least, though he also knows he doesn't exactly deserve to have friends who are that caring.
"But having friends always helps does it not?"
He briefly thinks of Luffy. Sure. Until you cuss them out and they leave you on the street.
"Not really. I'd rather be alone."
"Why is that?"
Again with the why's, she asks like he has all the fucking answers. That couldn't be farther from the truth. He has no damned clue.
"I can't trust them. People."
"Are you afraid of getting hurt?"
Yes. Who wouldn't be? Anyone who's just able to make friends with whoever they come across has got to be a complete imbecile. Again Luffy flashes in his mind.
"I guess."
Law's staring out the window, and by now he's forgotten the question he's been asked. He's just rambling, but it feels good. To let it out, no matter how corny and metaphorical it sounds, how he feels isn't choked up and lodged in his throat for once. It's almost like a huge weight has been lifted off his chest.
"It's like… I'm walking down somewhere, a beach or whatever, and the sun is setting and it looks all nice- warm and sunny. Bright, kind of illuminates the water in it's own way. And I chase after it; I can see the light right in front of me. It's right there. And I'm basking in it, the warmth of the light. And then I blink, my heart skips a beat, and it's dark. And it'll be dark until the sun rises again." Law's never been great at getting his feelings out. His answers are usually short sweet and to the point. Yes, no, maybe, I don't know. So he's not all that surprised when his psychiatrist just stares back at him with a 'what the fuck kind of bullshit is that' face.
"So you find yourself being able to be happy at least?"
"Er, I suppose. I'm more hanging on a rope in the middle of my highs and psychological purgatory though." He says, and looks back out the window because her confused face is really unsettling. She should work on that. Or maybe it's just him who perceives it that way.
"Why do you feel that way?"
"Why? Uh… Hm… I guess just… I know it'll always come creeping back? The shitty feeling I mean, and while it's nice and all when it's gone, I know it'll never stay that way."
"These things take time, Law. You tackle one thing at a time, you can't take it all on at once." She says and he almost laughs, the way she speaks almost makes him sound like some super hero who's trying to take on the whole world in one big go. A really, really, shitty one.
"I guess." He sits there, and he thinks. But he's stumped. Hit a dead end. Unable to figure out how the hell he can get back to "happy," or at the very least, back to "content."
Law's at home on the couch, mindlessly flipping through the same websites, the same channels, the same shit. It's all boring. And he thinks if he were standing on the outside looking in, he'd laugh at how pathetic and miserable he looks. Just sitting there, doing nothing but clicking buttons, wearing them down.
Someone's banging on the door. Loud. And he wants nothing more than to stay the hell alone. But gets up to stop whoever the annoying jerk on the other side of the wooden door is from irritating him any further. Who knocks this loud anyways? He opens the door, sees Luffy for about two seconds before he pushes past him and invites himself in. Doesn't really surprise him all that much anymore, the knocking. Luffy though, is a surprise. Walking in, not bothering to take his shoes off as a courtesy, he's just well, Luffy. He's got the same expression Law thinks he remembers from a few nights ago, but he's not too sure.
He hasn't seen Luffy in a couple of days and all he can do is look back at him, shocked. Like someone just told him he'd won the lottery but instead of money, he gets Luffy. And it's not that he thinks he's got a friend or anything of the sort, he's just genuinely in shock. If he were to have snapped at his old friends like that, he'd have to be the one to apologize. Though maybe that's what Luffy wants, an apology. He can't disagree that perhaps he did take it a bit too far. What he can remember he said at least. He should apologize, say sorry, ask for the one person who called themselves his friend in years to forgive him, but he can't. He's too scared, he's sweating and he's shaking.
It's about the same feeling he gets when he's told it's his turn to present, in front of say, five hundred people. But it's not, because Luffy's just one person. But then it is, because Luffy's one person he, for some fucking reason, cares what he thinks about him.
"What are you doing here?" He asks, in the lowest, simplest voice he can muster up. He feels like he's about to stop breathing and drop to the floor. But no, he has to last. Has to hear what Luffy has to say because it's got to be important if he came all the way to his place, right? So he waits. Watches Luffy who just looks straight back at him, vision never faltering, and takes a deep breath. Oh god, he thinks, here it comes. Is he going to be calm? Is he going to yell? Maybe skip talking altogether and just lunge over and punch him in the face?
"What… the fuck is your problem?" Comes out of Luffy's mouth and Law just mentally takes out his never ending list of problems and issues. But he doesn't get it. And it's certainly not the first question he expected to come out of his mouth, but he'll take it over what he had imagined, though he's confused as hell.
"What-"
"I mean seriously, what is your fucking problem?!" Luffy asks again, this time angrier than before.
Law just stares. He's so pathetic all he can do is look at him, like a deer in headlights. Who was just walking around on a deserted road in the dark until Luffy comes at him at 70km/h.
"I mean, if you were fucking upset or something you could have talked to me you know?! We're friends. That's what friends do! They don't shove the other into a fucking wall and run away and then just go the fuck off! What the hell did I ever do to you anyway?!" Luffy shouts at him and Law can't help but be even more surprised than he was about four minutes ago. He didn't really think it'd have that much of an effect on Luffy. Actually, he didn't think he'd hear from Luffy ever again anyways. But then it hits him, like Luffy pressed on the gas a bit out of impulse and hit the deer, Law.
Friends. They weren't friends. Were they? He has no idea. He's always avoided people when he can so he doesn't have to make himself vulnerable to questions. Like he is right now. He's a jumbled mess. Depression can be such a dangerous thing. He can appear absolutely normal and functional to the outside, but he's silently screaming on the inside.
"Nothing. You… did nothing." He wants to just go off on the longest apologetic rant he can, spill his heart and guts out to Luffy, but he just can't. He can tell Luffy's upset, who wouldn't be? He'd said disgusting things to him, things he didn't deserve. And he feels like shit. Like utter, complete, worthless shit.
"Then explain to me what the fucking big deal was!" Luffy shouts back almost instantly, and Law can tell he's not about to leave until he gets some answers. Doesn't know why, doesn't really care to ask. He'll just keep blowing him off until he leaves.
"It's nothing."
"It's not nothing!"
"Don't stick your nose into business you have no right being in! I'm sorry for what I said but I have no obligation to tell you anything! I don't owe you anything!" And he's mad again, fuck his emotions. He'd gone from the lowest point of being upset to pissed off in almost ten seconds.
"No you don't, but I figure if you're sorry, you'd tell me you know?" Luffy says in a softer tone than before, he looks calmer but that same rage is still surrounding him. Like an aura.
"I don't have to tell you anything."
"Then just make me understand." Luffy says and Law's the one who doesn't understand. Why he's so damn persistent.
"I… can't." He's struggling now. It's eating at him. Just a few hours ago he was sitting down, laying mostly, and pouring out his feelings in some poetic analogy type of crap, and now here he stands, not even able to look Luffy in the eyes.
"Oh come on." Luffy says, scoffing and calling him out on his bluff.
"You don't know. You don't know a single thing. You're just walking in here, for what? An apology? I already said I'm sorry."
"I'm not going to judge you or anything. I don't care; I just want you to be okay. I told you that you could have talked to me because I didn't want you to feel like you were suffocating." Luffy tells him, pretty much ignoring what Law just said. And he's surprised, that Luffy seems at least kind of understanding. Sure, he has no idea about anything he's gone through, but he's got the 'how to be a good friend' principle almost down.
"Look it's nothing you have to involve yourself in-"
"But I want to. To help you!" Luffy insists. Why's he being so difficult? He doesn't know him.
"I don't need your help." He tells him curtly. He doesn't. He doesn't.
"That's why you walked out onto oncoming traffic right? Because you don't need help?" Luffy says almost insultingly but Law knows it's not meant in that way. He's frightened. The look Luffy's giving him, like he knows all his dirty little secrets, every single moment of his life. Looking into his mind from above, he's got a good birds eye view of things by the way he talks, but that's just all it is. Talk.
"What are you trying to say?" He asks and his voice is full of suspicion, not trying to give away how nervous he is right now. He could cry.
"I'm not that big of an idiot. I can tell the difference between someone walking onto the street because they think it's okay to walk, someone who's trying to get to the other side because they're going to miss the bus and there's little traffic, and someone who's purposely walking out for the sake of getting hit." He gets out in one breath and it hits Law. Luffy's known all along, or at least somehow pieced it together along the way. Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck. He probably shouldn't have underestimated the brains on him, or at least not in this section of "life" and all. It's come back to bite him in the butt.
"You don't know what you're talking about. Leave." He tells him, walking closer and grabs him by the arm. If he has to drag him out he will, but Luffy doesn't budge.
"Law, fucking- seriously. I'm trying right now! I don't know how to deal with any of this shit! I can take you yelling at me if it makes you feel better I don't care, I just want to know why!" He swats the arm that Law had on him off, and takes a step back. Holding his ground.
Law kisses his teeth, because fuck he's so all over the place right now. Luffy's fucking with his already fucked emotions and he doesn't know what to do, what to say.
"You don't know me, why the hell are you trying so hard?!"
"Because I know how it feels to be alone, okay? Maybe not as bad as you but-"
"I'm not alone." He says harshly, trying to convince himself for the most part. But reality slaps him in the face, it's a bitch, he is alone. Luffy just looks back at him, and Law can't read this face. Whatever it is. Looks like remorse, hurt, anger, all mixed into one.
"I can see the sadness in your eyes, you fucking ass. What are you so afraid of?!" Luffy shouts back at him and shoves his finger in Law's face, pointing at his eyes and it's all he can see.
He can think of a couple things, but no. He won't let Luffy coddle him into spilling a single thing. He keeps his mouth shut.
"Just trust me!" Luffy shouts, and to Law's guess it's to break the silence.
"I can't." He says back, and he's not really sure how long he can keep this up. Going back and forth with 'just tell me' and 'no'.
"Why not?!"
"Because people lie, they manipulate, they hurt and they don't give a fuck about anyone but themselves!" He shouts back at him, and his face softens afterwards. Hurt so visibly written across it. Luffy could tell there was more to his words than he was letting go. There wasn't much more that frightened him than the thought of letting people in again.
And it's as if every single time someone had told him to trust them pops into his head and he realizes that they've all ended in him becoming abandoned. Maybe Luffy feels bad for him, like 'aw, poor guy can't keep his life together'.
"You want to be my friend because you pity me?" He asks softly, and he doesn't really know where it's coming from. Words are just spewing out and he can't make them stop. He can't make the hurting stop.
"What- no!"
"Because I'm alone so you want to make me some kind of project? Like hey, let's see if I can somehow heal this sick guy who wants to get hit by a car and end his life! I'm not your fucking science fair presentation!" Law's shouting now too, and he's just really done with it all. If Luffy would just shut up and leave, he'd be able to recompose himself. Or so he thinks.
"I didn't say you were you're putting words in my mouth!" Luffy shouts back and Law's at it again. It's so hard to breathe.
"But you're thinking it aren't you?! That it's just so low and pathetic, so you want to try to help. Because maybe it'll give your life some value, boost your fucking points so when you die you go up into heaven while my sorry ass rots in hell. God just leave, I don't know why you even wanted to come here." He says and begins to walk away from Luffy, to the door, doesn't make it that far because Luffy's reply sets him off.
"I don't think that at all! I don't know how to prove it to you or anything, I'm not that uh… informed. But I'll be here if you need to talk-"
"I don't need to talk." That's what his psychiatrist is for. Unless Luffy's some secret psychiatrist in disguise, he doesn't need it. There's a silence that drags on for way too long. It's become some shitty staring competition to see who'll break first. It's Luffy.
"Fine." Luffy says and he walks past him. He's leaving. Law's heart is beating so quick it could rupture; he's sure this many beats per minute can't be good. Some annoying voice in the back of his head is telling him to call out to Luffy, tell him to wait and this time, genuinely apologize. The other voice is saying he's better off. Luffy, that is. Not him. He'll never be better, but Luffy at least; he can spare the trouble of getting involved.
There's a slam of the door and Law's left to his lonesome self again. But not exactly, he's accompanied by the hundreds of broken pieces of glass now scattered all over the floor. He's breaking anything and everything he can. Pushing over the stools that stood by the kitchen island. Ripping off all little notes and reminders Rocinante had put up for him on the fridge. Almost nothing in the apartment even belonged to him. And he recalls this isn't the first time he's broken plates and cups, chairs and such. But he doesn't think of himself as a violent person, he wouldn't beat anyone up, unless provoked. He's just… frustrated.
Go figure he can't sleep. Even with medication. It's more or less giving him a really shitty high, he feels like he's floating. But he's also drowning in self-loathing, and cursing the way sleep could compare to a cat. Only coming to you if you ignore it. He feels like he's made of glass. And there's something hovering above him with a hammer. Gently tapping away until it decides to hammer into him good, breaking him, shattering him. Everything hurts.
Law thinks he's funny, the way he's become so dastardly poetic. Not in a good way, he's got to stop with the ridiculous analogies.
All he can think of is how he's let everyone down. His family, looking down at him from wherever they are, laughing at how feeble he looks. He's better off dead. He could be, dead that is. There's a bottle of pills right next to his head, chanting, calling out his name, saying 'take us, take us' and he thinks he's losing it. It's the sleep deprivation talking, it's the insomnia, and it's not what he wants. Is it? No, no. He's better than that. He thinks he's better than that.
But he's not. And again, in the dead of night. In such a dark and dreary, lonely room he's only accompanied by the dark shadows against the walls. Created by the moonlight seeping through the cracks of his blinds. They kind of look like monsters. He's one of them. A monster. Some inhuman being that lives off little to no sleep. He sits up, leans against the cool wall and sends shivers down his spine. Kicking off the covers, all the way off. Until they hit the floor. He curls up, legs pressed against his chest and he tucks his head underneath his shaky arms.
Good things come to those who deserve it. Sleep was a good thing, and Law definitely doesn't deserve it.
A couple of days pass, and Law's grabbing his usual coffee at the cafe. He's looking around, waiting for someone to call out his name so he can get back to doing what he had planned. Just his luck, he notices Luffy sitting in the corner, on his laptop typing away. And it can't be a coincidence, it's just too perfectly laid out for it to be. He thinks he should apologize, it's not one of his particularly bad days, so it shouldn't be all that difficult. He's not feeling as crappy as usual, so it's a good idea he thinks, to say he's sorry. That he snapped, overreacted and said things to him he didn't mean.
His name gets called out, and he looks at Luffy to see if he notices but he sees headphones lodged in his ears and figures, most likely not. He takes his coffee, walking through a few people and finds himself standing in front of Luffy, who looks up at him. Expressionless, and looks back down at his computer screen.
"Can we... talk?" He asks, and Luffy pulls one of his headphones out.
"You say something?" Luffy asks, and Law's almost sure he heard him and is just pretending he didn't. But he calms himself down. Repeats in his head that not everyone is out to get him somehow.
"I need to talk to you."
"Sorry. I'm kind of busy, I have a paper due." He tells him, but he doesn't put his headphone back in. Law takes it as a go ahead, not verbally but he doesn't care.
"I didn't mean to go off on you like that. Twice." He starts, and Luffy looks back at him like he's ready to go off him for a change. He deserves it.
"You've made it crystal clear you didn't want to talk. So why are you standing there?"
"It's not that I didn't want to talk, Luffy. I can't. It's physically hard for me."
"And now, you think it's easier for you?" Luffy asks, sitting back in his chair just eyeing him.
"Kind of, yeah." He tells him and Luffy watches him intensely. "Didn't you say you'd be there if I needed you?" He asks, because Luffy's not answering him and he thinks he can be selfish, for once. Luffy sighs and nods, pulling out his other headphone, and closes his laptop. Law takes it as an okay to sit down, so he does. Putting his coffee down and opening the lid to let it cool off while he tries his best to muster up an apology and explanation.
"Don't expect this to be good, I don't know how much I can force out of myself." He warns, doesn't want to get Luffy's hopes up all that much. Luffy nods once more.
"I didn't mean to go off on you, I swear I didn't. You were just... convenient. Don't take that in the wrong way, I mean you were there and it just needed to come out. None of it's meant for you. You didn't do anything wrong to me. Just the opposite." He says and Luffy's taking a long sip of whatever he's got in his own cup, and Law takes a deep breath. He doesn't remember the last time he's sat with someone other than his psychiatrist and actually talked.
"I saw a couple of people that I used to know. A couple of years ago, they were my friends. I uh... wasn't exactly the easiest person to deal with I guess, at least to them." He says and he's picking at the skin on the sides of his fingers, he's so damned nervous. It's ridiculous how much sweat he can feel dripping down the back of his neck. Or how much he imagines is.
"God this is so much fucking harder than I thought." Law says and he laughs, again, it's empty air. He can feel tears welling up in his eyes and he blinks them back. And Luffy looks back at him, brows furrowed. He looks worried and that's the last thing he wants to see.
"Sorry, I just... It pissed me off. Seeing them. They were supposed to be my friends, you know? But things happened and they just... left me. I wasn't worth their time and I had done nothing but invest mine in them." He says and it's been so long since, he thought he was over it. Apparently not.
"And once one of them turned, the others did too. It wasn't just some let's not talk to Law anymore thing, it was more... 'Let's break Law, physically and mentally. Until he can't talk to us, to anyone'. That kind of thing." He says and he has to pause again, because the damn thought of it makes him sick to his stomach, he could puke. He looks at Luffy and he's kind of shocked he hasn't busted through and said shit randomly while he's talking. And Luffy's eyes scream 'what'd they do to you?' but he's not about to get into that. Not now, hopefully not ever.
"So uh, yeah. That's it, I guess. I'm sorry I took it out on you. You didn't do anything bad or wrong or whatever, I'm just fucked up. Really, really fucked up. And I get angry really quick, like instantaneously. I'm sorry." He finishes up and he feels like he can't breathe. He's suffocating.
"I understand." Is all Luffy says and Law just looks back at him wondering what the hell that's supposed to mean, because fuck it doesn't make sense to him. He understands what?
"I understand that you're making the effort, to tell me. Thank you." He says with a smile, and Law's dumbfounded. He's thanking him. For opening up, sort of.
"I can tell it's not all that easy for you. And I don't expect you to pour it all out to me over a cup of coffee. Really, trusting someone isn't easy." Luffy tells him and this is the same guy who'd dragged his ass to grab greek food all giddy and excited. The same guy who excitedly invited himself over to make some shitty brunch. Which wasn't all that shitty, but the point was that this side of Luffy was really surprising.
"Yeah." He agrees because it's true. It's so painfully true. "How are you not running away from me right now?" He asks honestly, because he just can't bring himself to believe that Luffy's able to understand and sit there calmly.
"Did you think I'd run away? You're funny; I told you I'd be here right? I wasn't lying." Luffy laughs and chugs down the rest of his drink.
"I suppose. Don't think that I trust you though; I mean I'm grateful- even more than you can imagine you're even listening to me. But it doesn't mean-"
"I know. I think you'll come around though." Luffy says with a smile and Law laughs. An actual laugh though, one that sounds kind of hopeful. And for a second there's a faint shine of happiness in his eyes.
"I just figured I at the very least owed you." He says, trying to be modest. And it's the complete opposite of what he said before, but what the heck. What was having normal, balanced emotions anyways? He's watching Luffy, who seems happy as hell and it almost gives him some obligation to get better himself. He doesn't like that though; he doesn't want to be held accountable if he can't.
"If you owe me... you could buy me another drink. Mine's all done." Luffy says and Law enjoys the way he's able to brighten up the gloomy mood with just a simple phrase.
"Sure. Coffee?"
"Gross, that's disgusting." Luffy crinkles his nose and makes a displeased face. Law's mildly offended, he loves coffee.
"Tea then?"
"I'll take a hot chocolate." He says with a smile and Law's looking at him like he's a child. He gets up and walks over, ordering the younger boy the drink he asked for. It's the least he could do.
"Here."
"Oh, thank you!" Luffy's gleaming, and he takes the drink out of Law's hands, who sits back down and drinks his own, now cold coffee.
"No problem."
"Shall I tell you something in return?" Luffy asks, taking a sip and wincing at the hot beverage on his tongue. Law raises a brow back at him.
"What are you talking about? You don't need to tell me anything." Law says because he doesn't want to be someone who forces another to talk. He's not like that. But Luffy just raises a hand in front of his face to shut him up, and talks anyways.
"When my brother died a couple years ago, I was a mess. Like a real, fucking mess. I pulled away from everyone I knew, I just left them in the dust. I guess I'm really just as bad as your old friends huh?" Luffy says and Law's breath hitches. No, no. He's not.
"You know I didn't mean that-"
"I know, but I couldn't do it. I gave up. I felt alone. And for a long time I thought it was my fault he died, and that it'd have been better if it were me. He didn't deserve to die so young; he had his entire life ahead of him. I had to get slapped in the face a couple times- literally- before I came to my senses and figured he'd probably be really pissed off if he saw me like that." He laughs, taking another large gulp and Law's really not able to comprehend how it's so easy for Luffy.
"I thought you said your brother works at a bakery?" Law asks and he thinks he's a huge idiot because after all that all he's wondering is how his brother could be working at a bakery if he's dead.
"Oh he does! My other brother. I have- had two." Luffy says and Law looks at him and he knows the feeling of mixing up tenses all too well. It sucks.
"How can you be so trusting?" Law asks, he's not sure if he's interrupting, but he needs to know.
"Dunno! It's natural to me if that makes any sense? I believe people are naturally good. Things just happen and don't go their way that affect them negatively and you know, they become crappy." Luffy says, and Law's eyes widen in surprise. For a goofball, Luffy knows his stuff. The important stuff, at least.
"Then why do you trust me with something like that?" He asks. Because he's crappy.
"It's not that big of a deal. I learned from it. I think my life would be a lot worse right now if I didn't. Plus you're not crappy! I mean, you don't seem like a shitty person to me. You just feel shitty, because people have treated you like shit." Luffy finishes and smiles. He doesn't get what the smile is for, but he tries to give one back. He kind of gets it now, but he's beginning to think Luffy's not as simple of a person as he thought. God only knows how his mind works, he doesn't want to.
"I should go now though, let you get back to your work." He tells Luffy, feeling bad that he's already taken up so much of his time.
"Actually, can you stay? I could use your help doing this paper. I mean if you know what the hell to do-"
"Be more specific." He says quickly, he doesn't really want to leave. He's enjoying listening to Luffy's odd speeches.
"It's on like um... molecules, cells, the shit cells are made up of that I can't remember." Luffy tells him and Law smiles. He actually smiles, teeth and all. Because it's been so long since anyone's talked to him about anything science related. He's intrigued.
"Molecules make up cells."
"Oh. So you do know?!" Luffy's face is glowing, literally. Like he's so happy, excited, that Law knows what the heck he's talking about.
"Yeah. What do you need?" He says and makes himself comfortable, for real this time, in his seat.
"Well my paper is on all that crap, how people are created or whatever. It's pissing me off, I don't even need science!"
Luffy digs in his bag, pulls out a crumpled paper and smooths it out a bit, hands it to Law.
"See!"
And Law reads the paper, it's not all that complicated. Well for him, he understands.
"You just need to write how the human body is created. Atoms to organ systems. Step by step, but in great detail. And it says you've got to put in some articles with proof of the processes. To you know, boost your work."
"Ugh, so much unnecessary work. Who cares!" Luffy groans and throws his head back in his seat and Law has got no clue how he even made it to university, but he'll let it pass.
"It also says its worth 15% of your grade, so I would think you do." He says and Luffy sits back up straight.
"Well yeah! I'm not going to not do it, I just... don't want to." He pouts, like a child. And this side of Luffy isn't all that strange to him, for the short amount of time he's known him.
"Come on princess, you can do it." Law's actually not too annoyed by being asked for help. He likes it. He likes being helpful.
"You suck." Luffy pouts, but starts typing away anyways.
Law's the one reading through Luffy's large textbook, wondering why the hell he is anyway. He's practically doing all the work.
"Atoms?" Is all he hears and he looks up at Luffy who looks hopelessly confused.
"What about them?"
"No, I'm asking what they are." He says and Law laughs.
"Seriously?" He questions, because he can't really believe he's a university student who doesn't know what an atom is.
"Yeah come on! This paper isn't gonna write itself!" Luffy says, urging Law to give him an answer.
"You're not even writing it. I'm telling you everything." Law says and looks back down at the textbook he's found himself lost in.
"Remind me to thank you for that when we finish then!"
"We?" He asks, eyes darting up but his head is still held down.
"Yes we. Now come on come on come on!" Luffy's pestering couldn't be any more irritating. Actually, maybe it could. He doesn't want to know. He leans back in his chair and explains.
"Fine. An atom is the smallest possible piece of an element that has all the properties of said element."
"What...?" Luffy looks lost and Law sighs.
"Each atom is like a building block okay? If you put two hydrogen atoms together, you get a molecule. You'd write it like H2. If you add that molecule of hydrogen to an atom of oxygen, you create a molecule of water. You know, H2O? A molecule is a conglomerate of atoms. Get it?" He explains with one breath and Luffy's looking back at him, jaw dropped and brows furrowed.
"Um... no? A congla-what?" He says and tilts his head. He doesn't get it at all. Law sighs and looks back down at the book in front of him.
"Wait what the hell comes after atoms?" Luffy asks him and he doesn't even look up, just answers.
"Molecules. I just told you that."
"Then?"
"Cells."
"Then?" Luffy continues to ask and Law looks up and scoffs, then laughs a bit.
"You know you could read the textbook, it has everything you need. Or look it up."
"Who wants to read though? And you know more than this shitty website is showing me! You really don't go to school?" Luffy asks, thinking maybe Law's actually hiding that he's some brainiac.
"No. Dropped out second year. After cells are tissues by the way." He says, flipping the page. He's reading about ecosystems and such, boring garbage.
"Oh, thanks." He's typing away when he asks, "Why'd you drop out?"
"Long story." Law says. Not really, he could shorten it. He just doesn't want to talk about it.
"I have time!" Luffy says, looking up at him, smiling, teeth and all.
"If you finish it and get at least a 65% on it, I'll tell you." Law proposes, it's not a bad deal.
"What! It's two thousand words I have to get done that'll take me all day. Without getting distracted!"
"Then you'd better get typing."
"How about you tell me why you got those tattoos?" Luffy asks, hopeful it's an easier question. He's curious.
"How about you do your work?" Law lets out an exasperated sigh. Luffy's a handful.
"Fine. But I'll hold you to that 65%!" He beams and goes back to typing, Law watching him then smiling.
"Yeah, I know you will." He says and sees Luffy smile back at him.
The silence surrounding them is fine to Law, he enjoys it. Savours it really, the comfortable silence that's only disturbed by Luffy's untimely typing and the sounds of chatter from others in the cafe. Law's eyes dart around, and he bites his lip in an attempt to hide his smile.
He'd forgotten what good days felt like until now.