Word Count of 1,775
Trafalgar Law sat down on the patch of grassy deck of the Thousand Sunny. He'd never seen such a thing on a pirate ship before, but there was plenty of greenery to be had here. There were tangerine trees, as well as some exotic and bizarre plants, all of which mixed with the salty breeze of the ocean. It stirred his senses in a curious manner, but that wasn't what was keeping him up late tonight.
He leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. It was finally quiet, free from the howling wintry wind from Punk Hazard. His isolation there hadn't been so terrible, it was all for a purpose. He never imagined that he'd leave with the Straw Hats, but it was an opportunity he didn't dare pass up. At least, that had been his initial reasoning, and he stubbornly refused to regret his decision to form an alliance. It was for the safety of his crew as well, he reminded himself. The Polar Tang had slipped through most territorial battles in the New World, but they hadn't escaped all notice. It was only a matter of time before they found themselves challenged to a fight they couldn't hope to win.
An alliance was a gamble though, to them both. While he didn't believe Luffy was capable of treachery, he wasn't so sure about the rest of his crew. They seemed to move independently from their Captain, certainly less obedient than he'd originally thought. Then again, if his Captain were that idiotic, he'd be less inclined to be obedient too.
He let out a soft sigh and gazed up at the starry sky. That wasn't the only thing that troubled him either. Could he count on the support of the Straw Hats should his crew need strength? Perhaps desperation to protect his crew was beginning to cloud his judgement. An alliance was a risky proposition with more variables that required-
"Hey there!" Luffy hailed him from above. His gaze shifted to see Luffy drop down from the upper decks. A couple of snack bags fell out of his pockets, and he knelt down to pick them up. "What'cha doing up so late? You hungry too?"
Law shook his head silently. He couldn't believe that he was still hungry after the portion size served at dinner. If he'd eaten that much on the Polar Tang, the cupboards would be empty within three days time. He bristled as Luffy plopped down beside him and flinched as he loudly popped the bag open. "Do you have to eat that here?" He grumbled before realizing that it wasn't really his place to question Luffy on his own ship.
"I bet that you're excited to see your friends again." Luffy rambled on with a mouthful of crisps.
Law frowned for a moment before realizing that he was referring to his crew. Yes, he would consider them friends too, it just wouldn't be his first description. "Yeah I…I guess so," he mumbled a bit awkwardly. Small talk was never his style, he just felt so out of place with it.
Luffy crumpled up the bag and tossed it aside. He positioned the second bag between his knees, ready to pop, but Law snatched it away. He opened it and handed it over. "Keep the noise down," he scolded. Luffy continued to munch with a pleased smile on his face. Law wasn't used to being ignored and scowled at the obvious disrespect.
"So why are you sitting out here? Something wrong with your room?"
He shook his head. "No, it's fine. I just…wanted to sit under the stars for a change." He admitted.
Luffy looked a bit skeptical. "You don't do that on your own ship?"
"My ship is a submarine, remember?" He asked pointedly. Then again, the last time Luffy had been aboard, he'd suffered severe injuries from Marineford. So, there was a very good chance that he recalled very little from his time there. Still, his pride hurt a little that his prized Polar Tang was so forgettable. "It's easier to navigate along the direct current."
Luffy seemed a bit subdued for a moment and stared up at the sky. "Huh. So, you miss seeing the stars?"
"No, I wouldn't say that-" Law refuted but Luffy carried on.
"I've never thought much about it, but I think I'd miss them lots if I never got to see them." He made eye contact with a seriousness that surprised him. "What do you think they are? I mean, there's so many stories behind stars so which do you believe in?"
Law looked a bit exasperated. "Aren't you a bit old for fairy tales?"
"But the best stories started out as fairy tales!" Luffy grinned. "Haven't you figured that out yet? Hell, lots of people don't even believe in the Grand Line, let alone the One Piece, and yet here we are in it while searching for it."
Law blinked slowly as that logic began to sink in. "I…suppose you have a point," he reluctantly agreed. He looked back up at the night sky again with a little more respect. "So, what do you believe they are?"
"Shining lights from a big party in the Heavens!" Law was a bit impressed that he had an answer so ready to share, even if it was a ridiculous one. "What about you?" He pressed him, scooting in a bit closer.
Law was at a loss as he racked his brain for an answer. Luffy stared with such expectant curiosity that it made him nervous. "Party lights, for sure," he blurted out, desperate to be done with this conversation already.
Luffy seemed pleased with his answer. "I knew that I was right! Zoro doesn't know what he's talking about." He tore into the third bag with his teeth and went back to his snacking.
Law was briefly curious what Zoro had said but knew better than to ask. The last thing he wanted was an even longer conversation. He kept quiet as Luffy went through the rest of his midnight snacks. Strangely enough, he didn't leave then as expected. He scooted closer, and now rested his head on his shoulder. Law's skin crawled at such closeness but to pull away would be rude. He wanted Luffy to trust him, so he swallowed the tense lump in his throat and kept still.
"I'm glad that we're working together," Luffy said with a satisfied sigh.
Law frowned curiously at that, unsure of what to say to that. Luffy snuggled in closer to his side with the ease of the innocent. His mind was racing to really notice what he was doing. He did want Luffy to trust him, but his apparent ease was absolutely bizarre. Was it because he'd saved his life that he wasn't viewed as a threat? No, that couldn't be it. There were members of the Straw Hats who still didn't trust him. He didn't blame them for their hesitation. He had carefully cultivated a dangerous reputation as the Surgeon of Death.
Now full, Luffy soon fell fast asleep. His hands snaked underneath Law's arms and wrapped around him. Law's heart skipped a beat and nearly jumped out of his skin when he realized what he was doing. "Woah! Hey now, what-?!" He blurted out in a panic as Luffy's rubber arms continued to weave around his torso. He tried to pry him off, but his grip only tightened. Snoring into his shoulder, he was out cold and oblivious to Law's frustrations.
"Geez Straw-hat-ya! I'm not your teddy bear!" He hissed as his fingers clawed to break through. Surely if he could just get under one arm, he could disentangle the troublesome Captain from this death-grip. Luffy found the jostling about a bit amusing as he dreamed of wrestling his brothers.
"You're not getting away from me that easily!" He giggled in his sleepy stupor and adjusted his position to crawl into Law's lap.
His face burned with the humiliation of such affection, and he looked about frantically for help. Surely someone else was awake and moving about the Sunny. He hissed a sharp whisper for help, but he didn't dare shout. He only needed to attract nearby attention; he certainly didn't need a full audience.
Unknown to him, Nico Robin was sitting as sentry in the crow's nest. She rested her chin on her arms as she watched the scene was a great deal of amusement. Luffy was definitely a sleepy snuggler, often finding his way into other hammocks throughout the night. It was just how he was. Her mouth widened into a wicked grin as she enjoyed watching Law wriggle and writhe. His sword was nearby and with his devil fruit power, he could easily dissect his way to freedom. But he wasn't, why was that? She saw no reason to intervene and was content to keep watching.
Law was out of breath, panting softly against the suffocating pressure around his chest. Only when he stopped struggling, did Luffy begin to relax against him. Law took in great gulps of air as he kept still. Luffy's arms began to retract to their normal length, but his hands slipped up the back of his shirt. The direct skin-to-skin contact made Law's spine shiver, but this time he wouldn't call the sensation…unpleasant. Curious fingertips gently kneaded in small circles as Luffy nuzzled against his chest. "You're so warm and soft," he mumbled with a silly smile on his face.
Law's cheeks simmered pink as his breathing slowed. This…this sensation…felt…soothing. It was a measure of peace that he'd never experienced before. He nearly held his breath as his hands slowly wrapped low around Luffy's waist. His fingertips grasping a bit greedily as he feared the feeling would slip through his fingers. He couldn't quite classify this emotion that seized his chest with a different sort of pressure. His aching heart felt full, it was an unexpected connection. He rested his chin on top of Luffy's head with a soft sigh of surrender. "I…I'm glad too, that we're on the…same side," he confessed in a whisper. To speak any louder might break the serenity of the moment. The corners of his mouth twitched into a small smile. His eyes slid closed as he was content to cuddle just a moment longer, a secret between them that he was willing to keep.
Robin smiled as well. Perhaps she had misjudged the scheming Warlord before. There was a peacefulness in his position that could not be faked. Then again Luffy had always had a talent for finding gems hidden in plain sight.
