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The interior of the Polar Tang’s captain’s cabin is compact, efficient, and filled with the quiet hum of the submarine's systems. Everything in Law's quarters has its place—sterile, tidy, almost clinical—save for the scattered remnants of his personal life. A few medical tools lay neatly on the desk beside the bed, a small stack of medical journals (with comic books discreetly tucked inside) that he’s thumbed through one too many times. The air smells faintly of antiseptic, the kind of clean that Law has always found comforting.
But today, that sterile comfort does nothing to calm the nervous flutter in his chest.
Luffy sits on the edge of his bed, bouncing his legs and looking entirely too at home. His grin is wide, as always, the excitement of getting pierced bubbling in his expression like a child waiting for candy. And maybe he is– Law is all too aware of the Straw Hat’s little doctor doling out lollipops for everything from sprained ankles to severe blunt force trauma. Law watches him, trying not to scowl. He picks up the piercing needle with a steady hand, but inside, his nerves are anything but calm.
The room feels smaller, the walls of the cabin seem closer, suffocating almost, with Luffy sitting there so casually—so vulnerably . Law’s fingers twitch slightly. He doesn’t want to mess this up. Of course, he’s pierced ears a bunch of times before. It's nothing. But this is Luffy. It probably doesn't register to him at all how easily Law could kill him like this. The intrusive thought leaves a sour taste in his mouth. A part of him knows it's a coping mechanism, a small combat against the rising flush on his own cheeks.
“Stay still Mugiwara-ya,” Law mutters, his voice coming out way harsher than he intends, a weak defense against the warmth rising in his chest. He kneels down beside Luffy, his gloved hands carefully cradling Luffy’s ear. His pulse quickens, and he curses himself silently. He focuses on the ear, on the task, pushing everything else to the back of his mind. The needle glints under the low light of the cabin.
Luffy just chuckles, completely unfazed. “You’re so serious, Torao! It’s just a piercing.”
Law grits his teeth, trying to hide how close Luffy’s nonchalant attitude is to unraveling him. “Shut up. I don’t want you to move and make me mess it up.”
–
Law had been on the Sunny when the request was made.
He'd been making a valiant attempt to relax as the ship brought him to rendezvous with his crew after a shared adventure ended with the Heart Pirates needing to pull off ahead to the next island to emergency refuel.
Law had found himself leaning against the railing, trying to steal a few moments of peace away from the chaos that usually surrounded Luffy and his crew. His eyes were half-closed, taking in the warmth of the sun when he heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps, quick and light, bounding toward him with all the subtlety of a cannonball.
“Torao!”
Law didn’t bother opening his eyes. “What?”
“I need you to do something for me!” Luffy’s voice was bright, eager. Law could practically feel the grin plastered across his face radiating tenfold what he'd felt under the sunshine.
“What now?” Law sighed, peeling his eyes open to see Luffy standing directly in front of him, bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet.
“I’ve been thinking,” he continued ominously, his tone casual in a way that immediately put Law on edge.
“That’s dangerous,” Law muttered, his eyes narrowing slightly as he turned to face him fully.
Luffy, undeterred as always, leaned closer, his face brimming with excitement. “I want one of your earrings.”
Law froze, his brain stalling for a moment, short circuiting from the request. One of my earrings? His hand instinctively moved toward his own ear, fingers brushing over the small metal hoops that hung there. Luffy’s eyes followed the movement, still gleaming with that infectious enthusiasm.
It hit him then— the meaning behind giving someone an earring, especially one of his own. It wasn’t just a simple accessory swap. In their world, that kind of gesture carried weight. It was personal, intimate even. Law’s breath caught as the gravity of it sank in, but then, just as quickly, the frustration followed.
Of course, Luffy doesn’t get it.
Law’s lips thinned into a hard line as he fought to keep his expression neutral. He probably thinks it’s just a cool thing to do, like sharing clothes. Law pointedly did not think about the way Luffy had begun to steal his hoodies and button up shirts since Dressrosa. Luffy was, surely, just a magpie. The idea that Luffy had asked so casually, so thoughtlessly, made something flare in Law’s chest—a simmering heat of annoyance and something deeper that he wasn’t ready to confront.
His face felt hot, remembered finding Luffy asleep one night, wrapped in Law's oversized, feathered cardigan. To think of Luffy sporting something of his in a more permanent way–
“You don’t even know what you’re asking for,” Law muttered under his breath, trying to keep the edge out of his voice.
“Huh? What do you mean?” Luffy tilted his head, still smiling in his overbearing way, seemingly oblivious to the weight of the request. “I want to have a part of Torao with me.”
You can't just say shit like that!
Law wanted to snap at him, to tell him that it wasn’t that simple, that there were things Luffy didn’t understand about why he couldn’t just go around asking for things like that!!! But when he looked at him—those bright, trusting eyes and that stupid, carefree smile—his irritation fizzled out as quickly as it had flared up.
Luffy wanted a part of him to be his.
He sighed, running a hand through his hair, feeling the weight of his own helplessness pressing down on him. No matter how much Luffy didn’t get it, no matter how reckless the request was, Law couldn’t bring himself to refuse. Not when it was Luffy asking.
“Fine,” Law grumbled, though his voice was softer than usual, betraying the frustration he was trying to hold onto. “You can get your ear pierced at the next island, its a large city.”
“I want you to do it.”
Law straightened up, arms crossing over his chest. He tried to hide the flicker of surprise that shot through him. “You want me to pierce your ear?”
“Yeah! Who else would do it?” Luffy said with his signature confidence, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “You’ve got all that doctor stuff. You’ll do it right, right?”
For a second, Law just stared at him. The idea of piercing someone’s ear wasn’t a big deal—he’d done it a dozen times for himself and others. But this was Luffy . The thought of getting that close, of focusing so intently on him, on touching him like that, made something twist awkwardly in Law’s chest. A horrific arrhythmia he wanted to avoid. His pulse quickened, and for a moment, he wondered if he was making a mistake even agreeing to it. Maybe he could have a heart attack and simply pass away instead. That would be nice.
Law forced himself to take a breath, shaking his head in a feeble attempt to clear his thoughts, to mask the strange cocktail of emotions swirling inside him. Why was this getting under his skin? It was just a piercing. He wasn’t about to let something so trivial throw him off balance.
“You’re lucky I’m too tired to argue with you right now,” Law muttered, voice low but sharp enough to hide his own hesitation. “Fine. When I’m back on my ship, I’ll pierce your ear, and you can have one of my earrings.”
Luffy’s face lit up immediately, like he had just won the greatest prize. “Thanks, Torao! That’s awesome!”
Before Law could say anything else—before he could even process the way his chest tightened futher at Luffy’s gratitude—Luffy had already turned on his heel, laughing to himself as he bounded off. “Zoro! I’m gonna get an earring from Torao!” he shouted, his voice carrying across the deck like an excited child bragging about a new toy.
Law stood there, frozen for a second longer, watching Luffy’s retreating figure as he bounced toward Zoro. He could hear the swordsman's faint, gruff reply, something like, “What the hell did you talk him into now?”
Law’s fingers tightened around the railing, his knuckles turning white as the weight of what he’d just agreed to fully hit him. The thought of actually sitting down, of holding Luffy’s ear in his hand, of piercing his skin with the earring— his earring—made his stomach churn with an unfamiliar kind of anxiety.
He ran a hand over his face, exhaling slowly, trying to steady the thoughts racing through his mind. This was fine. He could handle it. He’d just have to keep his head on straight, keep his distance emotionally, and pretend like this wasn’t affecting him at all. It wasn’t like Luffy was aware of the storm of emotions he was causing. To him, it was probably the same as asking for a snack.
But even as Law told himself that, the lingering tension in his chest refused to fade.
Damn Mugiwara-ya…
–
You have no idea what you’re doing to me, do you, Mugiwara-ya?
The room feels warm, far too warm for the controlled environment of the Polar Tang, but Law tells himself it’s just because of the procedure. He adjusts the needle, his hands steady as a surgeon’s– obviously – though his heart is pounding against his ribcage. Focus. Just pierce his damn ear. But then, his gaze flickers to Luffy’s face. He’s still smiling, his dark eyes bright, trusting. Completely unaware of the tempest brewing inside Law’s mind.
"Just fucking stay still!" It comes out harsher than he means, but better to sound pissed than lovesick.
Luffy laughs. Of course he laughs. “You’re so serious, Torao.”
He angles the needle. His pulse is ridiculous, hammering in his ears. All this over a piercing. He could just die. Actually, maybe that would be the best option. Collapse dramatically, let Straw Hat tell the crew he died tragically mid-earlobe surgery. Put it on his grave: Beloved Captain. Defeated by feelings and an earring.
He swallows, forcing his thoughts away. He’s being ridiculous. It’s just a piercing. He can handle this. “You’re lucky I’m good at this,” Law says, more to himself than to Luffy. His voice sounds rough, strained. He presses the needle in gently, almost too gently, Luffy's rubber skin is difficult to cut.
Luffy doesn’t flinch. He’s tough, Law knows that. But his hand lingers a little longer than necessary, thumb brushing against Luffy’s skin. For just a second, Law lets himself look—really look —at him. Luffy’s carefree smile, the way he’s so completely unbothered by the closeness, by Law’s touch. His dark hair falls softly around his face and Law, to the detriment of his spiking blood pressure, can count the dusting of brown freckles dancing across the younger man's button nose. Cute.
Law quickly withdraws his hand, standing up abruptly, trying to regain some of the emotional distance he’d let slip. “There. Done,” he says. He slides his earring (sterilized, obviously) into the hole he's made and clicks it shut before he can second guess himself. His voice is flat, but there’s an edge to it, a defensive sharpness.
Luffy’s fingers immediately go to his ear, feeling the new piercing with that same effervescent curiosity he has for all things. “Wow! That didn’t even hurt!”
Law rolls his eyes, turning away under the guise of cleaning up his tools. He can’t look at Luffy right now, not with the way his heart’s still racing. “Of course it didn’t,” he says, trying for indifference, but his voice comes out tight. “I’m not an amateur.”
But no matter how hard he tries, Law can’t shake the feeling that Luffy’s presence fills the room, like a weight pressing on his chest, heavy and inescapable.
“Thanks, Torao.” Luffy’s voice is softer than usual, like the words might slip away if he doesn’t hold them tight. His nostrils flare as if bracing himself, and there’s a faint pink dusting his cheeks. Law tells himself it’s just from the piercing, from the sting of skin and needle, but he knows better. "For sharing a piece of yourself."
Law chokes on some spit, eyes wide as Luffy turns to him and cups his face with a big, warm hand.
Luffy draws in a quick breath. “I really like you, Torao. Law.” Luffy exhales slowly, as if to slow himself down. “I really like you. I want…” His grin falters, just for a second, a rare stutter in his certainty. “I want you with me. Always.”
Law’s whole body locks up. The words slam into him like a lead weight to the chest, too heavy, too close, and all he can think is: you have no idea what you’re saying.
Luffy leans in, closing the distance between them faster than Law can process. His lips brush against Law’s in a quick, light kiss, leaving Law standing there, frozen, heart pounding even harder than before, a staccato so fierce he could swear it was trying to tear it's way out of his chest and into Luffy's, Ope Ope be damned.
Luffy pulls back, grinning, as if the kiss was as casual as thanking him for the piercing. "I’ll take good care of it, of you," he adds with a wink before bouncing toward the door, leaving Law staring after him, utterly speechless.
Law stands shocked, his mind struggling to catch up. Luffy’s kiss, brief and casual, still burns on his lips. His long fingers instinctively reach up, brushing against his mouth, as if to confirm it really happened. Luffy kissed me.
The thought slams into him, shaking the core of his usually composed demeanor. The world suddenly feels as if it's frozen in amber.
Without even realizing it, Law drops onto his bed like a marionette and someone cut his strings. The moment drags him down hard, heavier than any battle wound. He stares at the ceiling, blank and furious at himself for being this wrecked over something so stupid.
Luffy kissed me.
He says it again, in his head, like repetition might dull the edge. Luffy kissed me. Mugiwara-ya kissed me. The words echo like a curse, looping until he wants to scream. Each time he repeats it, the disbelief frays a little more, replaced by something worse: acceptance.
And that’s unbearable.
Because if he accepts it, then he has to admit what’s already clawing at his chest: that he wanted it, that he’s wanted it for longer than he’ll ever say out loud. That the feeling burning through him isn’t some fucked up form of shock, it’s relief.
He digs the heels of his palms into his eyes. “Idiot,” he mutters, though whether it’s aimed at Straw Hat or himself he can’t tell. Probably both.
The stillness presses down on him, thick and suffocating. Too quiet. Too much space for his brain to eat itself alive. His pulse trips over itself like a rookie surgeon. He imagines every way this can go wrong: Luffy forgetting the kiss by tomorrow, laughing it off, telling Zoro or Chopper or anyone and making it a joke. He imagines what it means if Luffy doesn’t forget, if he meant it. If he really wants Law with him, always.
That phrase loops in his head until he wants to peel his own skin off. With him, always. A promise. A threat. Something Law has no business wanting but wants anyway, so badly it makes his teeth ache.
The ceiling blurs. His lungs feel too small for his ribs. The kiss still burns on his mouth and suddenly lying still isn’t possible. The quiet is worse than torture. He needs air. He needs movement. He needs Straw Hat.
Before he can think, before the logical part of his mind can stop him, Law casts his power. Room, he says, his voice a hoarse whisper. His heart buzzes in his chest, each twitch of his hand fueled by a growing sense of urgency, of something he can’t leave unsaid or undone.
Shambles. He appears before Luffy in the hall, the other captain still grinning and carefree, as if that kiss had been nothing more than a passing thought. But for Law, it’s everything. He doesn’t give himself time to hesitate, doesn’t let the fear creep in.
One second Luffy’s still grinning like nothing happened, and the next Law’s got a fist twisted in his collar, yanking him forward.
The kiss tears out of him reckless, almost feverish. His teeth catch on Luffy’s dry lip and there’s the faint copper taste of blood and he doesn’t even care. His hands clamp down like shackles, iron-hard, like letting go would be worse than death.
What the hell am I doing? his brain hisses even as his mouth moves. I’m kissing Straw Hat.
By some miracle, Luffy doesn’t pull back. He leans in, hungry, hands fisting in Law’s coat, and suddenly they’re colliding over and over, messy, frantic, like they’re trying to eat each other alive.
For once, Law’s head goes blessedly quiet. There’s no thoughts, just Luffy, pressed close, tasting like salt and sunshine and every mistake Law wants to keep making.
When they finally rip apart, they’re both gasping. Law rests his forehead against Luffy’s, trying to steady himself, but the whirlwind floods back in fast. This is insane. He’s going to regret it. I should stop. I should—
“Torao,” Luffy murmurs, voice low, certain. “I really do like you, very much.”
Law manages a smirk even though he feels ready to pass out. “Idiot,” he breathes, soft, thumb brushing the earring. “What is it you want?”
Luffy answers without words. One second they’re standing close, the next his hands are braced firm on Law’s back and collar, and he yanks him down into a dip like they’re dancing. The world tilts hard, Law’s stomach lurching with it, but then Luffy’s mouth is on his again—rough, hungry, unarguable.
Law should resist, should bristle at being manhandled like some stage prop, but the fight drains out of him fast. His hands fist in Luffy’s shirt, more to keep himself tethered than to push away, and when Luffy’s tongue brushes against his he can’t stop the sound that leaves him.
A long, broken sigh slips into Luffy’s mouth, dreamy, helpless. He surrenders to it, the tilt of the world, the kiss, the certainty of Luffy holding him up like he’ll never let him fall.