Chapters will also be updated a little less for the next few months as I'm flat out with work, and currently in the process of losing my home which is very stressful in itself.
Sorry for the slow lead up to the interactions between Law and Lou, and I do worry that perhaps there is too much menial filler? I try to space out the talking so that it's not all chatter chatter chatter instead of genuine interactions. This story is entirely my interpretation of Law and how he acts as a character based on what I've seen from the manga and anime, and I think sometimes as an author you can become mixed up in the fanfiction you read and canon on how a character acts and thinks, so I've tried not to let my writing be influenced by other authors' interpretations of Trafalgar Law.
Anyway thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy this chapter!
As usual, please enjoy and feel free to submit one-shot suggestions (smut, fluff, crack, etc.) if you've got any cool ideas.
Thanks xx
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After perhaps nearly a week aboard the submarine, Lou had finally sunk into a comfortable rhythm of preparing three meals a day for a crew of eighteen starving men. Her bunk was neat, with a few photos of her, Malia and the Cortula scenery plastered on her wall to remind her of peaceful time on the quiet island. It had taken her a few nights to come to terms with Shachi and Penguin's unbearable snoring, and Bepo's occasional sleep talking (which typically consisted of mumblings about female bears).
When not on duty, the men often played card games and gambled, or would venture into the kitchen for a snack only to be berated by the chef over how snacking was unhealthy. However Lou would occasionally relent and make small pastries that were barely out of the oven when they would be snatched up by crewmates.
But never Law, for he seemed to prefer spending his time reading or reviewing the navigation room to discuss plans with his inner circle of Bepo, Penguin and Shachi. Naturally as chef Lou didn't interact with her captain as much as she would have liked, which was due in part to her time consuming responsibilities. Her job was a race against time that often left her rushing until the scheduled meal had to be ready. Though she continued to make time at the late hours of the night and early hours of the morning on occasion to bring dinner and an espresso to Law.
Lou had long since learnt not to press the pirate for small talk, instead opting to only question him about the books he gave her to read. For instance, the term 'allelopathy', which was apparent pronounced alley-op-ah-thee strangely enough, was so foreign to her that it sent Law into a long-winded explanation of the way in which certain trees poison the soil around themselves to prevent to growth of others. In spite of the information being totally irrelevant to her, it broadened her understanding of the world that had for so long been secluded to her own experiences. And it seemed as though Law himself was enjoying the boost to his intellectual ego that accompanied an explanation of what was, to his mind, such a simple concept.
Whilst their discussions hardly strayed from an intellectual one or beyond the nutritional value of Lou's food, she could not help but feel her chest tingle with every one of their interactions. He was a complicated man whose true feelings were tucked away in some dark part of him, shadowed by his gentlemanly manners and honey voice.
He would occasionally mention the crews travels to islands before Lou had joined, and the way in which he described trees broader than buildings and monkeys who stole the faces of men to wear as their own, was so fantastical she could hardly believe any of it had actually occurred.
Over the intercom Bepo announced that they would be approaching land before dawn after more than a week of being underwater. Almost unanimously the crew sounded sighs of relief before whooping and hollering at the top of their lungs. Lou couldn't help but beam alongside their excitement to finally be taking a gulp of fresh air and feeling the sun on their backs.
"On occasion if the Marines are hounding us we may be submerged for more than a month until it's safe to surface again," Law added upon seeing her excitement to finally reach land. "So there's no need to be so excited over such a short trip."
Lou attempted to stifle her smile, only to find it slipping through again. "I just haven't left Cortula for two years except on small fishing trips. Sorry, Captain."
"We won't be staying for long, only until the log pose sets-" The captain was interrupted by the jolting of the ship as scrapped against the docks of the new island. Irritation flashed across his face before the intercom dinged to signal it had been switched on again.
As if on cue, Bepo's muffled voice could be heard, "Sorry, Captain." As quickly as it had been switched on, it was off again.
The man in question rolled his eyes and sauntered down the hall towards the entrance of the submarine, gesturing for Lou to follow. She rushed to his side and looked up his tanned face. It was set in his detached façade once more, irking her slightly.
"You'll be responsible for provisions and the like," he said whilst handing her a few beli from his pocket. "Don't exceed this and buy enough to fill both the cool room and the pantry in case we're submerged for an excessive amount of time. I'm assuming the sides of the submarine will likely need fixing, so for this visit you will also supply enough fresh water to fill the tanks. I'm sure Shu explained how we fill the sub?"
"Ah yeah… Green cap is for fuel, blue cap is for fresh water only," Lou recited and counted the two different tanks on her fingers. Shafts of pre-dawn light peaked through the already opened entrance along with a gentle warm breeze that tinkled her cool cheeks.
"And this goes without saying: don't cause trouble where it's not due."
"When is it due?" She queried, only to receive a blank stare from her captain.
"You'll know."
Oh very helpful, Captain. That's not cryptic at all, Lou thought to herself with a small pout. Law was often cryptic and non-specific with his words, instead choosing to trust the better judgment of his relatively mature crew. This left a lot of grey area and was subject to heated arguments amongst crew members which again Law left for them to deliberate upon until it became a serious matter.
Law pushed the large arched door open and Lou winced at the metal-on-metal creaking that resounded from its hinges. The deck was still soaked, though a few of her crew mates were busy scrubbing away the water before it evaporated and left a layer of snow-like salt behind. Law was meticulous about the state of the submarine, preferring it to be sterile and pristine than have to deal with issues that arose from poor maintenance. It often left the majority of the sub smelling like a recently disinfected hospital, though Lou somewhat enjoyed the scent.
The deck was almost level with the dock, though it was more than two metres away from it due to the oblong shape of the sub that was submerged which prevented it from getting any closer. Penguin and Shachi gracefully leapt from the deck to the dock with little effort, followed by Bepo who was childishly complaining about the pair trying to leave him behind.
Due to his height, Law easily stepped from the deck onto the wooden platform that connected the submarine to the port with little more than a slight hop, leaving Lou to stare down at the gap of lapping waves. The water was a deep blue, indicating that the water was definitely deep enough for her to not reach the bottom.
Shachi turned back, noticing the chef's worried expression over what he considered a small distance. "I-I'll help you, Lou! Just wait right there-"
Before he could finish, his captain held out a tattooed hand in an oddly gentlemanly fashion, to which Lou accepted with a burning face. She stepped out off the submarine with a newfound confidence, only to drop slightly before Law hoisted her the rest of the way. Lou stumbled on the dock before regaining her balance by gripping the pirate's forearm. The hot flush of her face was painfully obvious, particularly when she jerked her hands back after touching him. Law's expressionless face never turned to her, remaining focused only on the town before them.
He made a comment that was too muffled to hear, though was apparently humourous as Lou stifled a small giggle behind her hand. Shachi knew that was the way women typically swung when around the crew, but nevertheless it left hot feeling in his mouth that was unpleasant to say the least. Penguin jerked him towards the town to explore and look for spare parts, leaving the external repairs to the lower mechanics.
The town itself was similar to Cortula in its appearance, playing by the white and blue theme that mimicked that of the Marines, with tall buildings that formed neat corridors of pavement. A blue tiled dome and iron wrought sea gull peaked out above the buildings, indicating that a Marine fort was indeed present. And a large one at that. A lone marine booth was positioned near the docks with a defiant lieutenant inside, glaring them down in his impeccable uniform. His neatly trimmed blonde moustache twitched with irritation as Penguin and Shachi passed him with mock salutes.
Next Lou and Law passed, and the marine uttered them a stern warning. "Don't go makin' any trouble now, you pirates," he hissed, pulling the cap further down his face. "We've all heard about you Trafalgar Law, and we won't be takin' no shit from you."
Law tilted his head, hand on nodachi and a cocky smirk playing on his lips. "We come in peace, Lieutenant. You leave us alone and we won't stir the pot."
"Yeah right, you're a scheming pirate, all you north blue lot are the same." Law's smirk never faded at the words. "You think you're invincible, Trafalgar. But true justice always prevails."
A middle finger with the letter 'A' tattooed on it was stuck up at him, inching perhaps too close to the booth which caused the marine to scowl venomously in response. His knuckles turned a sickly shade of white as he gripped his rifle and glared down the far stronger pirate in front of him.
"Captain Urumeshi will capture you, mark my words."
Law grunted and narrowed his eyes before holding out his open palm as a whirling blue circle appeared in it. The woman beside him gawked as it grew exponentially to encapsulate the tree of them, and the lone lieutenant scrambled to get out of the dome. It was a thin, intangible film of clear blue light that seemed to be constantly shifting along the surface. Lou dared not reach out to touch it, but her attention was drawn back as Law spoke.
"Room… Shambles."
He drew his nodachi and sliced it in the lieutenant's direction, and both Lou and the marine firmly shut their eyes on anticipation of his death. She had never enjoyed watching violence, even towards those who likely deserved what they had coming. A person's body was intact for a reason and to see sprays of blood and entrails hanging out of one's abdomen was not appealing. However instead of screams of agony and hot liquid petering against her skin, there was the whirring of wind and silence.
Lou dared to open her eyes, only to find something far stranger than anything she could have ever imagined: his decapitated head and limbs were floating around him, sliced cleanly through so the bones, muscles and tendons could be seen though not a single drop of blood was present. The marine's eyes were wide with the whites of his eyes nearly engulfing the iris in their fear. His lower jaw trembled with the shaking that often accompanied screams of terror, yet only strained squeaks escaped his throat.
The limbs and head defied gravity by whirling around the dome until they rearranged themselves so his arms were where his legs needed to be, his head at his right shoulder, right arm in left socket and the left arm atop his shoulders where his head should have been. Lou could only gawp at the strange, disfigured marine that had been created at the command of the pirate.
"I-I'm not dead…?" He queried, awkwardly bending his arm which was bowed upwards to feel his body.
"No, Lieutenant," Law mused as he sheathed his nodachi and rested against his shoulder once more. "But I assure you in a few days, you wish you were."
The marine was frozen in terror and shock, all his muscles quivered as the hairs on his forearms were raised. She gulped and fought to tear away her eyes from the Quasimodo-esque creation Law had produced only to find he had moved on from the situation and was making his way towards the town with a hand casually tucked in his pocket. His black and yellow hoodie was almost loose fitting from behind as if to highlight his slim figure that slouched in spite of his height. The small heel of his boot was so light on the ground and hardly made a sound, resembling a cat in his languid confidence.
Without glancing back to the marine, Lou quickened her pace to match that of her captain's. "How did you do that?"
"That was my operating room." Law's eyes never strayed from the late dawn town as he continued towards it. "I have complete control of everything in that space."
"Is it a Devil Fruit?" She asked with wide eyes as she stared up at him.
His eyes flickered briefly down to her and he adopted a humoured smirk, saying, "Have you ever seen someone do that naturally?"
Lou felt the indignation rise up in her at the mocking tone of her voice, but it was quickly quelled after second guessing her own question. In reality it was a silly question as the answer was clearly 'yes', although it went unspoken. The pair was silent for a long time as they strolled through the wakening town and the silent streets quickly erupted into the sounds of early morning trade. Fishmongers' voices lifted above the growing crowds of civilians to sell that morning's catch, and fresh produce lined the streets in colours so vivid that Lou guessed that could only have been picked that morning.
"Purchase what you need and have the crew come and pick it up," he said to her with half-lidded eyes. "Then source some fresh water, preferable close enough to the coast to pump directly into the sub."
Lou raised her flat hand to her own forehead in a lazy salute, saying, "Aye, Captain. Won't let you down."
Finding good quality produce was easy enough as it was a normal daily task for Lou when she ran Bella Fortuna, though the islanders seemed more interested in hustling how for outrageous deals than driving an honest bargain. At times she felt her voice rising and a scowl appearing, though she quelled it to remain civil and avoid trouble as she had been ordered to do.
The arms of the jumpsuit were tied around her hips, allowing the cool ocean breeze to graze across her tanned skin as it snaked itself up through the market. Vendors held down their wares and many clutched hats to their heads to prevent them being carried off by the wind. Lou hadn't noticed how much she had missed the simple pleasures of an ocean breeze until she caught herself grinning broadly at the sensation of wind on her skin. It was strong enough to pull some strands of hair from her braid and send them whipping across her face, temporarily blinding her.
She reached up and swiped them from her face until a large shadow blocked the strong sun and obscured her view. Lou came face-to-face with a broad, uncovered chest that was littered with pockmarks and scars. An obscene layer of hair covered his chest, causing her to immediate step away to avoid staring to closely at it. Looking up, a sneering, middle-aged face glared back down at her as a man loomed over her. His superior height meant he was practically standing over her in a domineering manner that raised the hairs on the back of Lou's neck. Behind him stood a group of shabbily dressed me armed with nail-filled planks, pipes and other homemade weapons.
"We don't want much of a struggle, pirate," he hissed, attracting the attention of some passerby's, though they hurried along for fear of becoming involved. "Walk towards the alley and let us cuff you quietly, and you might get an imprisonment deal rather than execution."
"E-Excuse me?" Lou stuttered and glanced around at the quickly clearing marketplace. Clearly the locals were aware of the danger, or perhaps knew who this group of poorly dressed thugs was. Her mind raced, though it drew out the key word of 'execution', indicating that they were likely pirate hunters; though apparently not particularly good ones.
The leader tutted and said, "Don't you get it? This is a kidnapping. You do what you're told and you don't get gutted." He flashed a small shiv from his pocket as a warning before letting it go to cross his arms. The shiv itself was crudely cut and rusted, missing pieces of the edge to make it more jutted and dangerous than a clean knife. Rust and rough edges caused bacterial infections and severe scarring, both of which Lou hoped to avoid.
"Look I don't know why you're targeting me!" Lou squeaked. "I'm just the chef, you won't get much for me!"
A vicious sneer returned to his face. "Maybe not, but it'll be enough for lunch." He paused almost thoughtfully with a hand beneath his chin before continuing, "If you scream enough at your execution that is."
"What happened to imprisonment?"
"Whatever. Just cooperate, pirate," the pirate hunter snapped and placed a large hand on her shoulder. The grip he subsequently held her with was painful enough to leave vivid red finger prints on her skin and cause her to flinch away. She jerked herself back in fright, though he continued to advance.
Just remember what Shachi taught you… Just remember what Shachi taught you…
Lou recited in her head, thinking back to their training sessions: firm stance, crooked arms, upright position and swing. Her balance and speed were poor, though her unnatural strength tended to make up for it in most situation. As the man reached out again to grab her wrist, she planted her feet firmly on the cobbled ground and raised one knee to his rib height.
The pirate hunter barely flinched at the movement, as if expecting only a light tap though was sorely mistaken as he felt two ribs crack and pierce through the entire width of his left lung. It was a short, sharp pain that left his head spinning, unable to comprehend anything but the agony in his chest, which felt clogged with a hot sticky liquid he couldn't identify. His dark eyes rolled back into his head and he collapsed to his knees before toppling face down onto the ground.
A breeze blew over him, gently tugging at his hair and the pain in his chest seemed to fade alongside the irresistible urge to rest. His heart seized around the jagged piercing of bone that had pierced it and went limp. The man had died quickly whilst his blood seeped through the gaps of the cobblestone.
There was a cry of horror from those who had spread out to avoid the commotion at the sight of his lifeless body slumped on the ground. Lou stared down at the amassing blood then back up at the enraged lackeys that were shadowed by the alley.
Shit… Didn't mean to kill the guy, even though he was gonna kidnap me, Lou said to herself. The guy was a kidnapper and likely a murderer, and in some strange sense it settled Lou's heart to consider it self-defense. A tremble was evoked in her limbs but was interrupted by the battle-cry of angered pirate hunters advancing towards her with weapons raised.
Lou quickly swiveled on her heel and bolted in the other direction, forearms pressed on her breasts to prevent the unavoidable pain derived from running. Her legs were shorter and fitness most probably poorer than the hunters, yet adrenaline alone seemed to carry her through to the deepest parts of town so overshadowed by tall buildings that the air was significantly cooler than at the outskirts. Likewise it was quiet, more residential with little activity occurring.
She had lost them at least two kilometres back, and she still ran until she was heaving for breath. Red blotches covered her body and dark hair was plastered to her forehead and neck by sweat. Lou leant against an apartment building, feeling the unmistakable quiver of exhaustion in her thighs and arms. She knew she was hopelessly lost and would likely be in trouble from Law for causing a scene when she had been specifically ordered not to, although the trouble had found Lou first. It was pure self-defense as she was in immediate danger of being kidnapped and possibly executed, or at least Lou thought it was. The difference in strength between the aggressor and the defender were significant, giving Lou an almost unfair advantage in spite of her being the victim. Panic had set in when she struck him; even if was only with a partial amount of her strength.
He wasn't her first instance of killing in self-defense, though it still left her shaken. With her back against the wall, Lou leant for a long while to still her heart and thoughts before trudging off down through the laneways created by the tall, white buildings. She meandered about until she came across a main street with a few signs and followed them back to the market.
It was doubtful that they would expect her to return to the market, though as a precaution she travelled through the smaller side streets until she could collect the produce. Crate upon crate were stacked on Lou's shoulder by the time she had finished, causing civilians to stop in their tracks and gawk at her immense strength as she balanced more than 200kg of crated food on her shoulder back to the docks.
One of the older chemists, Gerard, met her at the sub as her eyes drifted to the deep gashes and scattering of blood on the docks. He caught her eye and shot her a sympathetic look before helping her unload the food into the sub.
"So uh… Lou, right?" She nodded in response to his husky-voiced question. "Some dodgy pirate hunters came 'round here about an hour ago to get revenge for something you did while you was out."
Well that would explain the damage to the dock and the blood… Lou thought with her mouth firmly shut. She could predict were the conversation was leading.
"The crew made light of work 'em, but Captain he uh… Let's just say he ain't in the greatest of moods," he drawled was a demi-worried expression as he placed a crate of oranges in the cool room. "'Don't cause trouble' is a rule for a reason, kiddo."
Her blue eyes met his ashy green ones with a defeated look. "Those pirate hunters thought I was worth something and wanted to sell me to the Marines for execution. What was I supposed to do?"
"I dunno, come and find us maybe?" The older man shook his head at her. "You're new to this whole 'pirate' thing so you probably just don't get how it works: you cause a commotion then we have a rowdy trip on the island which sets us behind schedule and royally pisses off Capt'n."
Gerard paused and examined the woman in front of him, noting the darkening bruises on her shoulder and the worried furrow of her brow. She seemed innocent enough, perhaps too reactive for the crew and their captain's calculating ways. He wondered how long she would truly last aboard the ship even though her food was consistently sublime.
"This sub works like clockwork, and our schedule even more so, you get? We take care of enemies quietly and don't mess 'round in others' business," Gerard continued in a more informative tone as he watched the chef rip the lids of the wooden crates clean from their hinges without the slightest effort. At first, when Shachi and the others had blabbered on about her unnatural strength, he had thought it mere gossip and exaggeration, yet upon hearing of her landing one hit to kill a man, carrying multiple crates upon her shoulder and witnessing the aforementioned display, he couldn't help but marvel. She was nothing special physically, except leaning towards the chubby side and hardly toned.
Lou clicked her tongue and returned to unloading the produce, eliciting a sigh of dismay from the older man who promptly slunk out of the kitchen. The emotional drain was starting to kick in alongside a worrying knot that had begun to wind its way around Lou's stomach at the thought of Law being livid over her actions. She couldn't bear for him to lecture her for disobeying his commands so soon after they were issued.
Thus the woman thought it necessary to take the preemptive strike by way of food. With the fresh produce and specific flavours in mind derived from observing his reactions and eating speed towards varying dishes, Lou guessed Souvlaki was likely the best dish for the job. She seared the lamb slowly to cook the inside before searing the outer parts on a high heat until stripes of freshly grilled meat adorned the lamb. With deft hands she sliced cucumbers, crushed an array of spices such as cumin and coriander seeds, and stirred it together with her Greek Yoghurt.
Next she brewed a piping hot shot of coffee and placed it on a tray beside the neatly presented Souvlaki, which lay upon a shallow bed of boiled snow peas Law seemed to enjoy. After many late nights spent in his office simply sitting in his company, the winding route to his office was one of her best-remembered paths. By the time she reached his office and knocked, her stomach had already flipped over itself numerous times.
Her knocking was rewarding by a gruff 'come in', to which Lou slid the door open to face the silently frustrated doctor behind it. His grey eyes never once looked up to her, and the pirate's deliberate refusal to acknowledge her present was disconcerting to say the least.
Lou cautiously approached and set the tray on the desk where Law had been reading a relatively thick medical textbook. She swallowed thinly and brushed hair from her face, noting the thin sheen of sweat on her brow. Never had a man made he this nervous and, even by the point where she was standing before him and watching his engrossed expression, she was unable to determine whether such nervousness was due to her subtle crush or genuine fear for her position.
"I brought you some lunch, Captain," she coughed in a voice slightly too raised and phrased almost in a questioning way. Lou guessed he could sense her anxiety from the moment she entered the room.
Law made no move to respond.
"Look, Captain, I'm real sorry about what happened today. I didn't mean to kill that man but I was so panicked I just forgot about everythi-"
He held up a hand to silence her before dropping his wire glasses lower down his nose to look up at her, saying, "Do you understand what you did is wrong and why?" She nodded fervently. "Then don't repeat that mistake, Miss Lou."
"Y-You're not mad?" She queried in a shaky voice.
"If you were stubborn or were unable to comprehend how your actions impaired this crew, then I would be more made, although I do recall commanding you not to cause trouble," Law answered in a honeyed tone that almost had her weak at the knees. In spite of the, at times, cruel or humourless, that Law said, his smooth voice seemed to nullify any direct threat, which was often compensated by the intensity in his eyes.
His surprising fairness was yet another quality the caused her heart to pinch uncomfortably in delight.
"Yes, sir. Won't happen again."
Law grunted and reached for the skewered lamb Souvlaki and dipped it in the light cucumber and spice infused tzatziki . The scents were positively irresistible, though he would never admit it to his new chef, and it was certainly outdone by the taste. The lamb was perfect cooked and seared, light and tender though not so much that it fell apart under the slightest pressure like the meat of a curry would. Instead the simple flavours of the lamb beautifully complemented by the fresh bite of the yoghurt mix was nothing short of heavenly. The animal fats soaked up the spices perfectly and highlighted the faint spiciness of the cumin. As usual, the shot of caffeine was welcomed as the hot liquid filled his veins and caused the slight dilation of his pupils.
The pirate captain glanced up at the woman watching him expectantly for any reaction that might have played upon his face, though he gave none, instead lazily gesturing to the chair at the desk with his free hand.
"Do not stare, Miss Lou," he yawned. "At least sit. We have something to discuss."
Lou took a seat and clutched her elbows nervously. "You say discuss, but I feel like it'll be more of a lecture."
"Tell me what you did wrong," he commanded in a clipped voice.
"I killed a bounty hunter," Lou replied.
"As a pirate, that in itself is not inherently wrong." Law spoke around his food before swallowing it, feeling the warm flavours spark an odd sensation of pleasure on his pallet. "It's a given that you would want to defend yourself."
"Then I suppose it's because," she drawled in a speculative tone. "I did it in public and got you involved?"
Law laced his fingers together and settled his chin on them with a twisted smirk. "Brawns and brains, I see. " The sarcasm was rife in his voice, causing the woman in front of him to flush with embarrassment over his mocking. "As long as you understand what you have done wrong, then I have no qualms."
Her sensitivity regarding her lack of proper schooling was already emphasised by the apparent genius of the surgeon, but his awareness of this fact made it all the more worse. The smirk on his face seemed to be less attractive than his usual confident and lazy one that had flattered his face so well, likely due to the predatory glint in his eye of a cat playing with its food. He stared through her as though he knew all the intricacies of her life and thought process, yet only cared for the shallow image of an uneducated chef with great strength. It lit in her the barest flicker of resentment, although Lou continued to respect him as a man and a pirate.
Nevertheless she couldn't deny her obvious attraction to Law which was based perhaps on similarly superficial aspects of him being an attractive surgeon pirate. He successfully combined good looks and superior intelligence with the air of mystery and adventure associated with being a pirate and Lou recognised that she knew nothing of him beyond that.
She had briefly heard of his title as the Surgeon of Death, with old newspaper article mentions drifting about in the back of her mind. Cruel and calculating were the two repetitive words used to describe him, though it was in a much more complex way than perhaps the Celestial Dragons who only acted on unabashed whims evolved from centuries of uncontrolled power. Rather the cruelty was inflicted upon one for a specific reason instead of entitlement.
Lou's heart shifted, slowly, yet inevitably to a determined resolution: she wanted to know the true Law, more than skin-deep.