Disclaimer: I own nothing - this is fanfiction. And it's probably for the best that I don't own OP because I'm an easily distracted lazy ass procrastinator.

Warning: Fem! Luffy, LawLu, Wild West AU (sort of), ah out of character, errors - it's got plenty

Shackled With Trouble

Two men stood before the now widely opened gate of Punk Hazard.

It's been a while since the photo was taken so the sudden stream of people going in on an exodus had dwindled. The town looked pretty lonely compared to how it was before, but still it wasn't completely deserted. There were still a handful of people around – probably hopefuls who wished to rebuild the settlement. Only this time without any of the shady shenanigans.

Maybe.

"What just happened here?" Sabo said as he left their unfriendly horses by one of the undamaged stables. "Do you think...?"

"Yeah." Ace snorted.

'At some point, if she didn't cause this.' He mentally added. Both brothers sighed. As much as they didn't want it to be real, it'll be as if they don't know their own sister if they were to think she didn't get involved with the chaos. Not like this was the first time either. There's a reason why the three of them together are banned at some establishments back at Goa.

While Sabo began to ask people around for any information about the dark-haired girl with a scar under her left eye as well as for some moustached man accompanying the said girl by chance, Ace continued to roam around aimlessly – I mean, observing the damage dealt by the recent event in the town.

Most of the building at the left edge of town were reduced to piles of unusable wood and ashes, and a foreign smell waft through the air. It wasn't exactly unpleasant but it was unsettling just the same. The shops and homes were barely spared. Miraculously, however, no one was reported heavily injured or dead.

Ace took in the view. It was as if a storm swept by all of a sudden – a fiery sort of storm at that. He can only hope their Luffy is okay, especially when she's with suspicious company.

He wanted to ignore the fact that Luffy was smiling at the photo. He wanted to ignore the fact that his sister didn't look the least bit forced or that she seems to be enjoying the whole affair (which isn't good in her defence when she, by some reason, becomes convicted of causing the mess). But he couldn't.

Still he wanted to anyway.

Immediately, Law shut the door after them and reclined at the wooden entrance for a brief rest as he panted, forehead slick with sweat. The obnoxious girl had the gall to laugh beside him as if the authorities weren't after their collective ass. Law closed his eyes to compose himself, feeling that if he didn't, he might just throw a hissy fit. Keep calm and pretend you don't give a fuck, he told himself. Plus he had an image to keep, or whatever's left of it.

This would not have happened if they had enough money to pay some suspicious toll fee. This would not have happened if they didn't scram off Punk Hazard in a hurry. This would not have happened if she followed the plan – or if he accounted her unpredictability to his plan. No, now is not the time to consider that. He just wanted to vent irrationally, at least, in his mental room.

Though to be honest, it had been much easier indeed to blow everything into smithereens. After discovering Caesar's hideout, Law hatched a plan to infiltrate the lab and ruin it in a discrete manner, if at all possible. No matter how great of a science man the clown is, it was still near impossible to readily get back into production without one's notes and primary reagents (Who knows? Maybe the lack of 0.0001 gram or the addition thereof could brew failure).

Aside from beating the fellow senseless, of course.

Little drops of mischief here and there with permanent damage - not blow everything up a day before what he had planned by someone being curious as to what will happen if you mix the fuming clear liquid with the surprisingly pleasant smelling murky one over an open flame. It was good enough that they only managed to get a bit singed with what chain of reactions and explosions that occurred.

Still since shit hit the fan earlier than scheduled, they may have not prepared adequately for escape. Meaning, they had left most of their provisions back at the inn. Also luck, or its shitty sibling rather, deems it alright that a thief be there to take advantage of the rowdy party and have a stealing spree. Law's coins did not survive the attack.

But at least, that part of the plan is done and he only has to deliver the girl to Goa, right?

Law successfully channeled his inner cool.

It was then that he noticed all the eyes staring and mouth gaping at them – two out-of-place, disheveled, and uninvited ruffians. Like everyone was clad in their best clothes, especially the couple in the middle of the room, and in contrast, the two of them looked like, well, not as formal and gussied up to put it mildly. Of all the places to run into, they just had to intrude a wedding.

He quickly pulled Luffy towards him, and hid their cuffed and now adjoined hands behind the fabric of his cloak.

A robe-wearing man cleared his throat and asked, "Again, if any person can show a just cause why they may not be joined together – let them speak now or forever hold their peace." He shot the two a look of disapproval. "Is there something you'd like to say against this union?"

Their only response was Luffy openly sneezing all of a sudden. Thankfully, for Law, she wiped off the snot with her other arm. The groom peered at them curiously.

"Wait! I don't think they've got something against the wedding." An important-looking old woman with a pompous feathers on her hair suddenly exclaimed, causing the guests turn their attention to her instead. "Isn't this like in those stories? A mystery couple bonded with the tides of time comes unannounced in a wedding to bless the marriage! What an auspicious sign!"

Law stared soulless at nothing with how – ah, fuck it. Bonded with the tides of time, alright. More like wrought iron cuffs which were starting to make his wrist itchy. If they weren't going to scream at them or drive them out then fine, they'll be that mystery whatever. Luffy lightly tugged at their cuffed hands.

"Bless the marriage? Can we really do that?" She blinked at him. Law mumbled a barely audible of course, not which earned a small frown from the girl.

The priest's face lightened along the rest of the guests. Apparently, it's an old tale in this particular town. So then the priest addressed them, "To the couple who graced this wedding with their presence, won't you share a word or two about this lifelong journey and bond?"

Luffy's ears perked up at the words 'journey' and 'bond', entirely missing what the man really meant. Law, on the other hand, wanted to roll his eyes and glare at them. But he really didn't want to upset anyone just yet, especially with the officers outside searching for them. The crowd looked expectantly at the two.

What did Cora-san say about this again?

Law furrowed his brows, trying to remember since it's been ages ago and he didn't really paid it much attention. It wasn't exactly about marriages but it was close enough. An excerpt from some book Corazon had once told him as an excuse for a bed time story. "Three things. There are three important things you need to remember to make your marriage work."

It sounds relevant enough so why not.

"First is stomach – a good stomach is essential to a healthy life." The girl beside him slapped and briefly rubbed her stomach in effect, earning a look of how inappropriate from some snub folks. One idly commented that keeping a good stomach with an amazing cook as a husband is never going to be an issue. "You need to be able to stomach the good and the bad in the one you chose to be with."

Some nodded their heads in agreement. Law took it as a cue that things are moving smoothly thus far so he continued.

"The second one is patience, strong patience." Law emphasised. "Times may become difficult but with patience you two can get through it without a doubt, no matter how hard it'll be."

It was a wonder his wasn't completely exhausted yet. A shot of pride welled on his chest, the suddenness and the implication made him quickly brush it off. Anyway, there was only one more thing left.

"And the last one,"

...What was it, again?

"The last one, hmm…"

He forgot – he really did. This is why he didn't like being put in the spotlight unprepared. Everyone had their attention on him.

"Yeah, the last one?"

Should he wing it or not was what he thought. He didn't really care if these people got the wrong information. But then again, he'd be indirectly tarnishing Corazon's credibility. The man would not have minded, even the least, should Law wing it or what. But he needlessly worried while the awkward silence of anticipation hung on the air.

"…Torao, you okay?"

He cursed under his breath as he remembered. And this one's supposed to be the easiest and probably the cheesiest.

Then he remembered.

'Of course, it has to be damn fucking LO –

"Gloves!" Luffy chipped in. "Something like that? I mean, it makes sense. They're a pair and they help each other to do what they do and stuff. Or was it that a marriage is like a pair of gloves? Hmmm…"

"That's because it's not gloves, it's –"

"Because the two will always be a pair, right?" The groom suddenly exclaimed, appearing and sounding as if he had been holding his breath, "They are made for each other and another person's hand will not be able to fit into the glove!"

"Wait, it's not –"

Despite the outlaw's desire to correct the term, the crowd had already accepted the seemingly sound explanation. However, before anyone could properly thank him (and her) for their input in the supposed jovial event, the pompous old woman from earlier exclaimed as a silver band was removed from the groom's fingers and promptly pressed into the bride's palm.

"I am terribly sorry, Mademoiselle but I can't possibly subject you to great unhappiness further than this." The groom whispered into her hands as he held them. She looked unnaturally calm about it, possibly nonplussed, as he kissed her forehead. The hands wrapped on her own now gone.

And before the weight of what he had said fully sunk for everyone else in the small chapel, Law felt a tug on his cuffed hand as the groom grabbed Luffy's wrist and ran. Luffy, grinning without a care, followed suit and pulled Law along in effect.

A solid three seconds after they got out, a screech was heard from the chapel and it wasn't the bride.

"Yeah, I could have seen someone like that but my memory's still a little hazy."

"Is that so?"

"I'm afraid it is."

Ace was about to crack his knuckles to intimidate the old man but it was already unnecessary, seeing that the said man had already locked eyes with Sabo. Even Ace doesn't like to have that mode of Sabo's gaze to be directed to him. Not that he'd admit that. Then again it made the man squeak and reassess the men inquiring him at the present. The old man's face paled in horror and his eyes shook in recognition.

"It can't be... you two..."

"I'm afraid so. In any case, I hope you would be so kind to tell us what you know." Sabo's words were polite and he even spoke with a smile. Still, the man looked like he was going to wet himself any time now.

"Alright, alright! I saw her - them, okay! They stayed at the inn near the bakery. Couple of days too. But they probably left town that day."

"Did they share a room? How old is that geezer with her? Answer me!"

"Her husband?"

"What?"

"Heard a couple of dames talking about them young couple traveling. Common old tale, lovers eloping because some folks just won't take it. The woman's pretty far along too."

"Far along?"

"Didn't you know that she's carrying a babe? Still to be traveling in this times. I bet their horse is worth a fortune. Should have taken advantage of the chaos and got it my... "

"..."

"Sabo, tell me. Did Luffy left to elope with a geezer?"

"Ace, I don't think..."

"How could we not know? How did that guy slip by? What the hell happened?"

"Ace."

"That fucking bastard, I'll burn his -"

"Ace, calm down!"

"Sabo, can you hear yourself? How can I calm down? A stranger just took our sister! How are you calm? I'm going to send word to Marco and the rest. We'll leave no bones unbroken, you hear me? This - I can't! I don't even know if I'm going to be an uncle or an aunt!"

Without warning, Sabo hit Ace with the staff he always carried around and heaved an annoyed sigh. "Pipe down, damn it. I don't think it's like that." He handed Ace the news article with their sister's photo on it. "See? It's probably some sort of ruse."

"Hmphh, I'm still going to hunt this geezer down."

"I'm in with that plan from the start. Though I wonder, what is this man doing?"

"Aside from kidnapping beloved sisters and being hella suspicious?"

"I mean, it's Luffy. Clearly, she's freely going along with him. But this town, this explosion... whatever that man is up to, it reeks."

"Hey old man."

"U-uhh what?"

"What's the next town nearest here with cheap food?"

Knowing how stubborn their sister is, no doubt she would have roped the geezer she's with into feeding her properly if they managed to stay together for a considerable amount of time - was what Ace mused.

It was still sometime early in the afternoon but it was proving to be a very exhausting day, in terms of his energy, physically and mentally. And mentally meant that his Luffy-related frustration gauge is running high, dangerously about to shoot off the limit. But Law, being Law, managed to stop his murderous thoughts from escaping reality, tugged his cuffed hand to halt her, and raised his voice a little.

"That was too close. Why the hell did you run along anyway?"

"Why not? It was fun."

"Fun, my ass! The officers are all over the place. Did you forget we're not exactly welcome here?"

"Hmph! Live a little, Torao!"

"Uhh, hey…"

Torao directed his glare to the other man for a moment then snapped back to the girl. The intensity of his glare, continuously fueled by bad mood and frustration, didn't dwindle even a bit. If expressions had subtitles, his line would probably be in all caps and in italics - the hissing kind of mad voice one would have if you're a drop close to exploding but you have to calm down. Luffy must have sensed this so she gave out a light reassuring laugh, though it's unknown if it helped at all.

"Shishi! Don't worry, he looks like a good guy." Luffy turned to the blond man. "You're a good guy, right?"

"I – uhh… "

"Why do I even bother?" Law sighed. "So Groom-ya…"

"Sanji. It's Sanji." He twirled around quickly and on bended knees, gave Luffy a flower out of nowhere. "And how about you, oh lovely mellorine? What could your name be?"

"Hi I'm Luffy and this guy is –"

"There's no need to bother –"

"… Law but he's Torao –"

"I told you… wait, you… Then why can't you just call me Law!"

"I like Torao!"

Law grit his teeth and furrowed his brows, focusing on feeling annoyed despite the thumping in his chest. He didn't have time for fluffy crap is what he insisted as he clenched his fist. Then he let out a defeated groan.

Sanji watched them with amusement, various thoughts crossing his mind but with only a sole recurring character haunting persistently. Amusement reverted to a fond wishful look as he wished, if it were possible, that the other pair of the glove was there with him as well.

"I'm sorry. I should not have involved you two with this."

"Right."

"Don't be mean, Torao. He said sorry already so it's fine. I forgive him. What are you sorry for anyway?"

"Straw hat-ya..." The outlaw could only clench his eyes in surrender. Where did those years of him being a chill renegade (at least, on the surface) went to? That guy the dwellers of the dusty lands feared? Did he went on a vacation?

Unaware of Law's mind rambles, the other man proceeded to thank them again profusely, saying how he'd almost made a big mistake he'd be bound to regret and that if it weren't for them, he would have not realized things – things which on another day, Law would have cared enough to listen but now. Now isn't really a swell time.

"Groom-ya, before that, it would be helpful if we could find a good place to hide now, don't you think?" Running noise sounding nearer as they linger about. The officers must have caught wind of them. Luffy darted her eyes around for another corner to disappear into.

The blond thought for a second and seemed to have decided as he said, "Oh… r-right, yes. Follow me."

-TBC-

A/N: I know it's been ages and it's terrible (like me, am terrible) b-but thanks for reading on!