A/N: I would like to thank the wonderful Syrisna for beta reading this story!
Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.
Law was not big on hugs. Head pats, slight touches on the shoulder and quick high fives were fine but he drew the line on hugs. Even when his family was still alive, he rarely allowed himself to be hugged.
When he was a kid, he hated to be seen as vulnerable. He hated it even more as an adult. Law would rather get rid of his weakness than show them to anyone. Showing your back was a risk when hugging and Law was not keen to take that chance. So, when he found out that Straw Hat Luffy loved hugs, he was honestly baffled.
Sure, a lot of her actions were often reckless and downright suicidal but still, what's with the multi-loop hugs? She may be a woman, but she was a strong pirate in her own right, for goodness' sake.
Granted, Law didn't know a lot of women so he fully admitted that he was not an expert on the subject. The only ones he saw who freely showed affection were mostly little girls and the occasional nice old lady in his hometown. He and Giolla were never close and Baby 5 loved anyone who said they needed her. Ikkaku would rather give her friends a punch on the arm than a hug. Even Law would think twice about touching the female members of the Straw Hat crew but that logic was thrown out the window when it came to their captain.
He had seen her in action multiple times and Straw Hat could be scary when she wanted to be.
Law observed Luffy's affectionate streak more when he entered into an alliance with her. The sniper had noticed the irritated glare he was sending the crew when they thought it was a great idea to tie the tanuki doctor to his head. Long Nose-ya took it upon himself to warn Law that they were an affectionate bunch, especially their captain, so could he please stop creepily staring now?
He scoffed but the Straw Hats' closeness still surprised him. Law would often see them touching in one way or another, none more so than Straw Hat. Oftentimes, Luffy could be seen holding their doctor in her arms like a teddy bear. He could understand cuddling the tanuki, the doctor was admittedly cute and the perfect size, although Bepo was cuter in his opinion. It was not just that though, she would also hug Nami-ya from behind, wrap her arm around Long Nose-ya's shoulder, lay on Nico-ya's lap, or tackle the cyborg in a bear hug. And these shows of affection were always appreciated and reciprocated.
Even the more reserved members of the crew were not immune to her unusual yet effective charm. The Skeleton would sometimes offer quick hugs on the deck, while Black Leg could often be heard declaring his love for the ladies and asking for an embrace from them until Nami-ya hit him upside the head or the inevitable shouting matches and tussling with Zoro-ya occurred. The swordsman was probably the least affectionate member of the crew for the sole reason that Law saw him give his captain a side hug only once. Even if they would complain or cry about it, everyone still indulged the young captain.
Law knew he had no right to criticise because though he tried to deny it, he himself was no different as he also gave in to Straw Hat's crazy whims easily. Law wasn't sure how it happened but he trusted her. Protecting Straw Hat and her crew hadn't been part of his plan but all the same, he had rushed to save them when he found out that Doflamingo had attacked their ship. He'd even yelled at her to just destroy the SMILE factory and leave him but of course, she hadn't listened and ended up saving the whole kingdom.
She thrived in hugs, it was like a need for her. While Law remembered his parents' hugs to be warm, comforting, and secure, Straw Hat's did not. Her hugs looked uncomfortable, the face-inches-apart-get-into-your-personal-space kind.
Seeing Luffy with her crew was jarring at first. The last time Law saw her, she had beaten up most of his crew and wrecked part of his ship. Straw Hat had been heavily injured and traumatized, crying for her dead brother. She would have lost herself in grief had it not been for Jinbe.
Then, two years passed and she showed up on Punk Hazard, her toothy smile and signature hat in place. Straw Hat looked happy, always bubbling with laughter and was surrounded by her crew. She was no longer alone.
Maybe that was her reason then? Straw Hat knew the pain of losing someone and hated it so much that she felt the need to touch her crew to reassure herself that they were really there. Seeing was not always believing, after all.
Law would dream about them sometimes. Cora-san and his family, waving and smiling at him. When he tried to touch them, they would disappear and he would wake up. So, he understood her a little. It didn't mean that he would willingly participate in that hug-fest though.
Law's aloof personality didn't stop Luffy from trying and he had been one of the recipients of her very affectionate hugs once. The Straw Hats had been celebrating their victory against Caesar Clown, heedless of Law's protestations. Even the marines followed along when she shouted, "Party!"
Smoker may have been the only sane person in the crowd, but he let his people have fun all the same. Oddly enough, it seemed to Law that he was concerned for Straw Hat. The vice admiral was glaring suspiciously at Law, and Smoker soon confronted him about it.
"Why are you using Straw Hat?" he asked without preamble.
"What makes you think she's not using me instead?" countered Law, raising his eyebrows.
"She's not that kind of person."
They both looked at said pirate, grinning and dancing near the bonfire, pirates and marines cheering her on. Smoker raised an eyebrow as if saying, "Do you expect someone like that could use anyone?" Law just shrugged but stayed quiet. He had a feeling that Straw Hat Luffy was smarter than most people credited her for, but Law wouldn't be the one to enlighten Smoker about that. He was still a marine, after all.
"Torao!"
The next thing Law knew, he had had an armful of rubbery girl clinging to him. She had her arms and legs wrapped around him, her smiling face only inches from Law's. He froze for a split second, her big eyes were focused on him and he had found them dark and captivating.
"Room."
"Eh?" she exclaimed in surprise, arms hugging thin air. "Where'd he go, Smoky?"
"Who knows."
Law had teleported away from her and the emotions she was making him feel. She was just his ally, nothing more and nothing less. A pretty girl who was as clingy as she was kind, whose laughter could light up the… Damn it, Law dragged a tattooed hand down his face. He just had to last until they defeated Doflamingo or until Law died, whichever came first.
The younger captain wouldn't leave him alone after that. She tried to hug him every chance she got. Law didn't know what fueled her obsession with him and he refused to ask. Straw Hat had the power to cut through Law's carefully built defenses and he didn't have the time to deal with his emotions.
"Do you want a hug too, Torao?" she asked with a curious tilt of her head.
She had been cuddling with the tanuki doctor while laying her head on Nico-ya's shoulder. She and Long Nose-ya were fishing earlier but they had hooked a sea king, and Straw Hat-ya was thrown overboard after losing the struggle against it. One of the crew immediately dove after her and now, the young captain was wet and her clothes clung to her figure. She was pouting and looked really worn out.
Law just happened to glance at her while he was on his way to watch Caesar. He tried but he couldn't stop staring at her. Sure, he had seen her body before but she was dead to the world then and he was too busy saving her life to care. Law gulped, she had curves in all of the right places and unfortunately for him, she was showing them right now. He stood there longer than necessary and she must have noticed him then.
"No Straw Hat-ya." He said and promptly turned away to hide his reddening cheeks.
"Of course he doesn't want a hug Luffy-chaaan," Black Leg shouted from the kitchen. "But I do!"
"Luffy didn't ask you, Crap cook, so just shut up."
"Like I would listen to you, Moss Head."
"Are you sure?" she said, tired eyes focusing on him. "Rubber hugs are the best you know."
Law hid his face with his hat. "It's just not my thing, alright?"
Law walked off but not before hearing Nico-ya's giggle behind him. He didn't go back on deck that night. When Law fell asleep, he dreamt about a rubbery girl full of joyful laughter and a warm smile all directed at him. Law redoubled his efforts to avoid the other captain after that incident. He had never stopped wondering what that rubbery hug felt though.
"It's probably rough and uncomfortable," Law muttered to himself as he watched Robo-ya lift Straw Hat in a tight bear hug. "Only a cyborg wouldn't mind that friction, right?"
Law had been on his way to the galley when he saw the two on the deck. He was hungry and sleep deprived and it made the dark smudges under his eyes more prominent. He was talking to himself too, what a wonderful combination.
"It's actually quite comfortable." Nico-ya said from behind him.
It was a testament to Law's weakened state that he failed to notice her arrival. He gave her the most menacing glare he could muster but the older woman's knowing smile didn't falter. Damn it, was he going soft?
"I don't know what you mean." Law told her, crossing his arms.
Nico-ya giggled, actually giggled at him. "Torao is shy, then?"
"What? No!"
"I saw captain hug you once," she said, her tone teasing. "Didn't you like it?"
Law's fingers twitched towards Kikoku. He hadn't noticed that anyone had seen that other than Smoker. Of all people, why did it have to be Nico-ya? Her polite manner and calm smile did not fool him, she wasn't called the Devil Child for nothing.
"It was less than a second, I can't possibly form an opinion on that."
The woman's smirk grew with Law's horror. The Straw Hat's recklessness was truly contagious. His hunger and lack of sleep must have finally gotten to Law and robbed him of his usually working brain to mouth filter.
"Another try, then?"
"Never!"
Fine, fine," she said, a mischievous smile on her angelic face. "I won't say anything… Yet."
"There's nothing to say Nico-ya!" Law snapped. "Don't make trouble for me."
She cast one last smile at Law before walking ahead and greeting the rest of the crew. Everyone started to file into the gally and Straw Hat-ya and Nico-ya were the last to come in. Law scowled when he passed them and saw Nico-ya whisper something in her captain's ear who giggled in response. The woman's voice was too low so he couldn't make out what she said but Law bet that whatever it was, it wouldn't be good for him.
Law hated to be right sometimes. Straw Hat Luffy was many things and unfortunately for Law's sanity, a quitter wasn't one of them. She wanted to prove to Law that her hugs were indeed the best. She had a lot of tricks which involved rocketing herself in his direction, tackling Law from behind, or jumping right in front of him, her arms wide open. Luffy-ya even had the gall to run off with his Kikoku.
She, Tony-ya, and the samurai kid had been playing tag on the deck while the other Straw Hats did their own thing. Law had decided to read outside for a change and get some much-needed fresh air. Nico-ya had a lot of interesting books in that library of hers, it would be such a waste not to peruse it while he had the chance.
Law sat on the grassy deck and ignored the giggling group as he turned a page in his book. With a flash, Kikoku disappeared from his side and Straw Hat shouted for him to come get her. It was a childish stunt but he fell for it all the same. Law thoughtlessly chased after her all over the ship, Luffy's loud laughter echoed while he screamed himself hoarse. Her crew meanwhile had just watched and laughed to themselves, the bastards.
Suddenly, Law realized what an idiot he was. How could he have forgotten about his devil fruit powers? He halted mid-run, tracked Straw Hat's movements, and when he had her right where he wanted, he used his Room to pin her to the floor. She landed on her back and him on top of her, his Kikoku between them. Law noticed his elevated heart rate and blamed it on the exercise.
Honestly, Law was running out of ways to escape her rubbery reach. Looking at her now, he was nearly tempted to just let Luffy have her way but he stopped himself. If he did that, who knew what more he'd let her do? Law was getting too attached as it was.
"What the hell," he said, voice low and slightly threatening. "Straw Hat-ya?"
"I told you to have fun." She sang.
"I don't have time for that."
"We're gonna face Mingo anyway," she replied, pouting. "I already said I'd beat him up for you, so what's wrong?"
"I'm a captain too," he snapped. "I have my own pride."
"I see." She said, her arms slacking on her sides and eyes losing a bit of their sparkle.
Law swallowed his apologies and immediately got off of Straw Hat to offer a hand to help her up. She took it and looked him in the eyes for a moment but didn't say anything. Law willed himself not to squirm, he owed her at least this much. When it seemed to him that she got what she wanted, Luffy gave Law his sword back, smiled at Law, and promptly left, humming to herself.
She didn't bother him the rest of the day, so Law assumed that it was the end of that. For obvious reasons, the Straw Hats glared at Law the whole day. They may not look it but they were very protective of their captain. Their previously warm or indifferent auras were replaced with cold and calculating ones.
The only one who treated him the same was Straw Hat, who no longer pestered him for a hug. The suffocating aura vanished in her presence, and her crew all acted like they weren't giving him cold glares behind her back. Despite himself, Law was amused. The crew was adamant on hiding their affection for their captain, but they all lit up whenever she so much as smiled at them. They couldn't be more obvious than that.
He couldn't blame them though, her smiles affected him too. The butterflies Law thought long gone resurfaced and caused unnecessary chaos in his stomach. Straw Hat Luffy could make him think and feel stuff that he'd rather keep buried and it was irritating as hell.
Law was not deprived of affection growing up, it was the opposite. Sometimes his mother would kiss him on the cheek when she left for her shift in the hospital, or his father would give him a warm pat on the head when he did well in his training. Lami, for all of her sweetness and innocence, would rather Law give her a piggyback ride than a hug.
Law knew what these feelings for Luffy were but he refused to indulge in them. This was not what he had come here for and it was not as if he'd live to act on them, anyway. So, it was better to just be professional and keep his distance. Easier said than done but he bore the name of D and that had to count for something.
When his country got destroyed and everything went to hell, Law forgot about the kind gestures of his family and friends. All of them were dead and he was too busy running for his life and hiding under a mountain of corpses to remember. After that, he had been drowning in so much hatred towards the entire world. He couldn't care less for himself, much less unimportant things such as "affection". What did it matter, he was going to die anyway.
When Law joined Doflamingo's family, there had been no room for such actions. It was all blood, violence, and cruelty. Well, until Cora-san came.
The man was the exact opposite of Doflamingo, Law secretly thought that one of them was adopted. Or maybe, it was the opposite? Cora-san had told him once that their parents were loving and kind.
He was clumsy, but he was kind and so full of love. Cora-san got happy at the stupidest things and would also cry over the simplest reasons. Cora-san had helped Law find a lot of things again. Hope, love, his life, and his kindness. Remembering Flevance and his family had still hurt but Law could have borne it as long as Cora-san was there.
Cora-san also gave warm hugs, Law remembered. His hugs were usually sudden and fleeting, often awkward yet sincere. Cora-san would pick Law off the ground when he least expected it, wrap his arms around him in a crushing bearhug and grin like nothing was wrong in the world. Law had not been amused, and he always flailed or demanded to be let down which the older man cheerfully ignored. Law never thought he'd miss that, but he did.
Law had gotten off that god-forsaken island and kept Cora-san's words in his heart. Slowly but surely, he had found true friends that stuck with him through thick and thin. They set sail and went on many adventures. Despite his careful planning, they got into all kinds of sticky situations and more often than not, Law had thought that that would be the end of them. But somehow, they always pulled through.
The Heart Pirates weren't formal with each other, no pirate crew was but they had an unspoken rule. They let Law do what he wanted and gave him space when he needed it. Oh, and absolutely no hugs! Unless you were Bepo, that is.
Law had known Bepo the longest, the mink being the first person he had trusted after Cora-san died. Bepo was a great navigator, despite his bouts of depression and frequent complaints about the heat when the Polar Tang submerged. To Law, Bepo was a walking, talking teddy bear. Law thought Bepo was cute, but he would never ever admit it.
When he reunited with his crew, some laughed, while others cried. After a long time, Law was finally happy. He never even thought he would see them again, but here he was, locked in Bepo's sweaty hugs.
Just this once, Law let his friend do as he pleased. He really worried his crew, after all.
When Bepo grabbed Law, he didn't let go for a long while. His friend's hugs were far from comfortable. They were too warm, overly tight, somewhat suffocating, and at times, full of tears. Law liked them anyway. His friend just cares, and he had no energy to complain.
"We were so worried," Bepo cried and held him tighter. "We really thought you were going to die."
"I really will, if you don't let go."
"I'm sorry."
"It's fine," Law patted Bepo's shoulder. "I'm glad to see you too, Bepo."
After they left Dressrosa, Nico-ya had asked him what he would do next. Law had given her a brisk answer, but the truth was, he didn't know. He had just wanted his crew and now, they were together again.
After Law took a much-needed rest with his crew, he set off to find the Straw Hats. Lo and behold, he found them in the center of yet another commotion. It kinda irked Law that he was expecting this and found their antics more amusing than annoying now.
"What's happening here?"
"Torao." Straw Hat smiled when she saw him.
Damn, if that didn't make his heart skip a beat. He scowled as she came closer, focusing his attention on the chaos around her.
"What are you up to now?"
"We're having a party!"
He sighed. "Well, before you start, meet my crew."
Law briefly introduced his crew and asked to talk with her alone. Luffy was cuddling the little doctor but quickly let go when he called. He ignored the warm feeling in his heart for having her undivided attention and his crew's loud jeers and led her into a nearby clearing for a bit of privacy.
But before they could talk about anything, the samurai kid showed up and burst into tears when he saw Straw Hat. Law usually didn't mind kids, he generally left them alone if they did the same. They often thought Law was scary and he found them loud and whiny. This one though irritated him more than others.
"Luffy," he cried, running and leaping into her arms.
"Momo, hey." She greeted, opening her arms wide in a welcoming hug.
Law activated his powers and a light blue dome appeared. When it was gone, Momo was burying his face into a tree, Luffy was blinking in confusion and Law was smirking beside her. Serves that little pervert right, he thought.
"Eh, why'd you do that, Torao?"
"The kid looks sick," he shrugged. "He shouldn't be here."
"Luffy," said the kid as he scrubbed his face and lit up when he saw the rubber captain. "I missed you and I was worried, you know."
"We're fine Momo," she smiled reassuringly at the boy. "We're here now, aren't we?"
"Yes," he smirked and opened his arms. "Now, can I get a-"
Momo paused mid-way and Luffy shivered. The wind had suddenly picked up and there was a certain chill in the air. Momo felt a dark aura and saw the terrifying doctor glaring at him. He looked like he wanted to cut Momo into tiny pieces and feed it to the sharks while he gleefully watched.
"Momo," Luffy brought her arms to her side with a pout. "Hey, I thought you wanted a hug?"
The kid was frozen, arms in the air, a horrified look on his face. His eyes were bulging and his mouth was slightly opened into a silent scream. Law, meanwhile, intensified his glare. He only let up when Luffy moved toward the boy.
"Oi Momo, are you okay?"
"Let's go Straw Hat-ya," Law grabbed her by the hand and turned in another direction. "The kid will be fine as soon as he goes back to his room and rests."
"If you say so Torao." she said and followed Law.
They found another empty clearing and Law discussed his plans which she at least listened to. Of course, Straw Hat joined in the party as soon as she could. Law shook his head as he watched her make a fool of herself again. She made plans with him first, so that's a bit of improvement in his opinion.
After the shenanigans with the ninja, the samurai, and Jack, they decided to split up. Luffy went to rescue her cook from Big Mom while Law headed straight for Wano. He was there when she jumped over the side of Zou, her terrified companions in her arms and a fearless grin on her face.
The next time he saw her was when she was carrying a kid on the back of one of Kaidou's headliners. She found more enemies and unlikely allies, again. Her swordsman was no better, the two of them found trouble wherever they went.
"How are you already making trouble when you just got here," he snapped, golden eyes glaring yet checking for injuries. "What part of laying low didn't you understand?"
Straw Hat scratched the back of her head, looking as unconcerned as ever. "Tama is my friend and she needed help. Besides, it was those jerks' fault for taking her in the first place."
"There you go helping people again!" Law grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her hard as he yelled. "I know you didn't escape Big Mom unscathed, would it have killed you to keep quiet for once in your life?"
"Tama gave me food even though she had nothing to eat," she said quietly and promptly lowered the brim of her hat, effectively hiding her eyes. "Besides, as Ace's sister, I couldn't let her down again."
Law let go of her and could feel Zoro-ya's burning glare at the back of his head. He couldn't blame him, he wanted to punch himself for yelling at her now. He had been there when Luffy tried to save her brother. He saw her wounds, her grief, and her determination to move past it. But not even time could heal all wounds, Law was a perfect example of that.
"You helped her now so it's all good," Zoro-ya said, smirking and patting her shoulder. "Kin'emon will understand."
Law sighed, what could he say after that? "Just conserve your strength for now, okay? You're not fully healed yet and we still have a big battle ahead."
Straw Hat lifted her head and smiled at him, wide and true. As if he was forgiven for hurting her just now. Law was nearly blinded by the sight of it.
"Don't worry about me Torao," she said, rubbery fingers suddenly curling around his tattooed ones. "You're here to save me again so it'll all be fine."
Law impulsively squeezed her fingers before letting go as if he'd been burned. "I just don't want you to make things harder for us, idiot. You have your own doctor, bother him with your injuries."
"What?" she gasped, outraged. "Don't be stingy."
"I have no time for hard-headed patients who ignore their doctor's orders."
"Whatever," she crossed her arms with a pout. "I don't care."
"Yeah right." Law snorted.
"I know you'll take care of me."
Law gave her his back, this conversation had lost its sense. He walked away, adjusting his hat to shield his face. Good thing though because her next words shot straight into Law's heart. It lodged there like a parasite and seized control of everything. Law's breath hitched, his cheeks flushed, and his tongue refused to untie from its knot.
"You were always there when I didn't even know I needed you," she said, uncharacteristically serious. "You've never let me down before, that's why I believe in you, Trafalgar Law."
Damn, crap, and all the curses in between! Law did not turn back even though his whole being was screaming for him to do so. How dare Monkey D. Luffy just say things like that? She could ruin him.
He needed to create distance while he still could. Law didn't do or say anything to stop her from doing what she wanted after that conversation. Sure, he might have fantasized about strangling her once or twice, he had even contemplated rearranging her body parts just to keep her out of trouble. But he did not do any of those things.
Law had enough things to think about, like surviving for example. He could really do without these stupid feelings of his. Shame, Law only had weak opponents to take out his annoyance on. Better than no one, he supposed.
Sometimes, he preferred his violent thoughts, they were comfortable and familiar. So unlike his dreams which he couldn't control. They were filled with warm touches, gentle words, and too-bright smiles, all from the same rubber pirate.
Law nearly died saving Wano but he regretted nothing. The pain from the battle with Big Mom, treating the many, many people who got injured, and running from Admiral Rokugyu distracted him from his thoughts.
But now, as he stumbled on one of Wano's beaches, Law could no longer escape them. Straw Hat Luffy had never let him down, not even once. She fully trusted him with nothing but his word and stuck by him through thick and thin. She believed in Law against her crew's valid arguments and decided to help him, risking all of their lives in the process.
Was it a wonder that he had developed feelings for her then? If someone like her who was pure, innocent, and kind could still trust after seeing the worst that the world had to offer, why couldn't he? Luffy gave her love freely, with no conditions or questions asked and Law was lucky enough to be touched by it, by her.
She had broken the chains of his past with her fists and will. Luffy had shown him the sunlight again. She had shown him the way and now, it was Law's turn to move forward. To enjoy his days and grab everything that life had to offer. Starting now.
Law found Luffy near the shore, eyes closed, face upturned and arms wide open as if greeting the wind in a warm welcome while the straw hat on her back dances. Gentle waves hugged the white sand while the full moon illuminated her from above. There were no stars that night, Law noticed, but didn't care. The smile she gave him as he came closer would have outshone them anyway. Luffy's lips curved upward, her cheeks puffed up and her eyes crinkled at the corners. Law, meanwhile, lost his heart.
"Torao," she called him, the beginnings of a laugh on her lips. "We did it!"
Law's steps swayed but he reached Luffy. Just in time too because as soon as he wrapped his arms around her, his legs gave out and the two of them tumbled on the sand. She giggled while he laughed and tucked his chin on her shoulder in a soft embrace.
"Yeah, we did it Luffy-ya."
"I thought Torao hated hugs?" she teased but tightened her arms around him.
Law laughed, he was doing a lot of that these days. "It's not a hug, I just fell in your arms, that's all."
"Liar."
"I'll get up in a moment, I promise."
"So, I was right." Luffy said, poking Law's side with a giggle.
"Hm?"
"Rubber hugs are the best!"
"I told you," he made sure to say it in his most deadpan voice. "I just fell."
"Get off me, you stupid jerk." She retorted but made no move to push him off.
"You're right Luffy-ya," Law lifted his head with a soft smile but didn't let go. "Rubber hugs are the best."