Editors note: ;)
Chapter 7: Northern Lights
Graduation came and went. In Law's opinion it was sort of stupid. He didn't see the point in dressing up in a gown that made everyone look like blue marshmallows and caps that never fit quite right. He just wanted his doctorate's. But it was Luffy and Ace who'd forced him to go. Shachi's constant pestering didn't help either. Luffy brought his camera and took lots of pictures of him in the outfit. The group of friends he'd formed sat and watched him walk the stage for his diploma.
Everything was just fun and happy.
And then came moving day.
He'd enlisted Zoro, Sanji, and Ace to help get his and Luffy's stuff moved into the apartment they had picked out. It was in the same apartment complex as Ace so Luffy was happy about that.
He'd expected it to go smoothly. Pack up the shit. Transport the shit. Unpack the shit.
Oh, how he was wrong.
First of all, Luffy had so much stuff. Why he needed it? Only God knew. But there was a lot.
"Why don't you go through this?" Law suggested as he looked at Luffy's several boxes compared to the two that belonged to him. "Get rid of a few things."
"No way." Luffy responded with his arms crossed over his chest. "I need all of this."
"Lu, come on." The doctor persisted. "We'll get more things when we go shopping later. Out with the old, in with the new."
"Nope!" Luffy shook his head. "I don't want to so I'm not going to. I like my stuff." And Law knew there was no getting past it. The four boxes were going with them to the apartment.
And if Luffy's clutter was the worst thing that happened, Law could live with it. But the fun didn't stop at hoarding.
Zoro couldn't tell his right from his left.
"I said the left, idiot, the left!" Sanji huffed as he lifted one end of the box and tried to carry it through the door. He'd gotten stuck on the backwards facing end and it was his job to guide his boyfriend out the door without damaging any of the cargo.
"I am going left!" The physical therapist grunted as he proceeded to go the opposite direction of left, ramming the poor cook into the door frame again.
"Damnit Marimo that's not the left!" Sanji yelled over the top of the box.
"Then why don't you tell me what the left is, Curlybrow?" Zoro argued back. Law rolled his eyes while helping Ace check for any more loose items anywhere. Luffy was sitting on one of the desks laughing at the couple.
"The opposite of the way you're going!" Sanji hissed.
"So this way?" Zoro asked, taking a step backwards and dragging the cook forward.
"I hate you, asshole." Sanji huffed.
"No you don't." Zoro grinned.
Sanji stomped on his foot.
Ace's truck was shit.
Due to the fact that Law's car would only hold two boxes, Ace had brought along his truck. The rest of them had rode with him.
It broke down.
It was cold outside and the truck broke down.
This left the five of them in the early December snow guiding Ace's truck down the road as Law carefully towed it with his car and a cable they'd found. When they finally found a gas station they put the truck in park and went to find anyone that could help. Luffy, on the other hand, slid into the passenger seat of Law's car and shivered.
"Cold?" Law asked, scrolling through a web app to find any nearby mechanic.
"Y-yeah." He responded. "Feel." He took his hands and pressed them to Law's cheeks causing the elder to yell out and drop his phone in the floorboard.
"Shit, Lu, you are cold." He said reaching down to grab the phone. "There's some gloves in the console please put them on."
Luffy nodded, teeth chattering, and quickly tugged the cloth over his ice hands. Ace waved him over from the other side of the gas station and Law got out to see what he wanted, Luffy following suit. "We got someone. They should be here in around thirty minutes."
"That's good." Law nodded. "How are we going to get you guys home and the boxes to the apartment?" He asked.
"We called Usopp and he said once he got done from work he'd come help." He answered. "He gets off his shift in ten."
"Kaya's okay if they miss their date tonight?" Luffy chimed in from Law's side where he was currently huddled against for warmth.
"Usopp said she was fine as long as he made it up to her." Ace said smugly. Law shook his head at the obvious innuendo the tattoo artist had made. "Man, it's cold. I'm gonna go get hot chocolate for everyone." Ace said as he disappeared into the corner store.
"I don't get it?" Luffy frowned and puffed out his cheeks.
"Never mind Lu, it wasn't that funny to begin with." Law grinned and sat down against the wall in front of the store to wait for Ace to come back. Luffy, unhappy that his heat source had moved, sat in between law's legs and curled up into his chest. Law wrapped his arms around the smaller man and pulled him close. Of course Luffy wouldn't understand. When it came to the topic or slight mention of sex he didn't expect Luffy to 'get it'. And he was perfectly fine with that.
"Mmkay." He hummed rubbing his gloved hands together. "My hands are still cold." He huffed.
"Here," Law tugged the gloves off and took Luffy's ice cube hands in his. He brought Luffy's hands up to his mouth and he exhaled to try and defrost the photographer's poor fingers. He then wrapped them in his own and re wrapped his arms around Luffy to where the younger's hands were in between the two.
"Your hands are big." Luffy commented, grinning up at him. Now that he thought about it they were. He'd never really noticed it but his hands dwarfed Luffy's, his tattooed fingers curling around Luffy's own average sized ones.
"Well you're short so it only serves to say your hands would be too." He teased.
"I am not short." Luffy huffed and hid his face in the inside of Law's coat shielding himself from the wind. "I'm just not as tall as you."
"Or anyone else on the planet." Law smirked when Luffy made a noise of protest.
They sat like that for a while until Ace brought them the hot chocolate and then they went back to the car. Law almost wished Ace hadn't come back with it. He liked it when Luffy was curled up next to him. Even if it was cold.
But all good things had to have their end.
After the mechanic and Usopp arrived they made their way back to the apartments.
Unloading the boxes went just as well as loading them did but they got it all finished just after ten without any casualties. Usopp took Zoro and Sanji home while Ace hung around the apartment a bit.
"So," the tattoo artist began when Luffy was out of the room unpacking one of his boxes. "How're things with Lu?"
"Fine." Law responded. They were going fine. There were zero problems.
"Just fine?" Ace asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Is...this a trick question?" The doctor asked. Although Ace was his friend he was also Luffy's brother so he didn't want to fuck up an answer and have him on his bad side.
"Nah, I'm just trying to figure out where you two are in the relationship." Ace laughed.
"Oh." Law shrugged. "We're not that deep into it yet."
"How deep have you gone?" Ace smirked.
Law glared at him. "Stop making everything sexual."
"You're no fun." Law just shrugged again.
"Well, just take care of him. Okay?" Ace said, looking towards the room Luffy was in. "You know I worry about him."
"Don't we all." Law commented, earning a snort from the other.
"Every second of the day." Then, Luffy came back out of the room and grabbed a juice box out of the refrigerator while they were finalizing the lease. Then he proceed to struggle with the straw. Law raised an eyebrow and moved to help him. "Such a pain." He muttered as Luffy happily took the now complete juice box and grinned at him. Law just grinned back and ruffled his hair.
Ace smiled at the reaction. He wouldn't have to worry about his little brother as much with this one watching out for him.
A/N:Alright! So I'll see you in two weeks with some Christmas fluff and shit like that! As always review bc that's really helpful and if you see anything my editor or I missed or something you think I could improve let me know!