30 Day Writing Challenge

Day Twenty-One: Ink

Fandom: One Piece

Pairing: LawLu

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece.

Ink

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Sitting on the deck, relaxing against the edge of the boat, eyes closed as the splashing of waves gently against the Thousand Sunny, Law felt more relaxed than he had in days. While he couldn't deny that the Straw Hat pirates were a lot of fun, he couldn't help but wish that they were at least a little more sane. They tired him out much too quickly.

His thoughts drifted to a very specific captain, Luffy himself.

Never was there another personality that was quite so contrary, a complete whirlwind of emotions. Happiness, anger, shock, disbelief, rage. He was the very definition of Sunshine, burning bright and lighting the way, but hot enough that some days you needed to shield yourself from the rays.

Law could continue the metaphor so much further.

Like the way that he would seek out Luffy to break the chill in his bones, the same way he looked for sunlight in the winter islands, eager to be rid of the cold.

He was just so good, and Law knew that if he spent too much time around him that he might actually start to believe, that he was worth something.

And wasn't that just the kicker?

Because Law wasn't worth anything at all, least of all the attention of Luffy himself.

As if summoned by someone thinking about him, there was a, "shi shi shi," before he felt a familiar energy appear in front of him.

Cracking an eye open, he tried to look completely unimpressed as he stared Luffy down.

"What'cha doin' Torao?"

Law let his eye fall back.

"What does it look like, Mugiwara-ya? I'm relaxing. Go bother someone else."

He didn't need to open his eyes to know that the younger boy was pouting at him.

"That sounds boring."

"Which is why you should go find someone else less boring." He retorted without waiting a moment.

For a second it was silent and Law thought that maybe Luffy had taken his advice, but opening his eyes revealed that this was not the case.

The other captain appeared to be debating pretty hard over something, before his signature grin appeared.

"Nope. I'm going to relax with Torao." He decided.

It took a moment for the words to register and then Law couldn't help but scoff. "Unlikely. You can't sit quiet for longer than twenty seconds. Just go find Zoro-ya or something."

Luffy's eyes took on the stubborn quality that he was beginning to dread, despite his familiarity.

"Can too." He muttered, crossing his arms.

Law couldn't help but smirk, eye's falling shut once more.

"Then prove it."

The challenge seemed to work for an entire minute, before he heard Luffy exhale in irritation, clearly becoming bored.

He was about to tell Luffy that he told him so when he felt rubbery fingers touching his own.

Eyes shooting open, Law glared at the other captain as he looked carefully over his fingers, fingertips tracing over the lines of his tattoos.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Luffy tilted his head in confusion. "Tracing Torao's tattoos?"

"Is that a question or an answer?"

Luffy huffed. "Don't be mean." He grumbled, pouting again, as he continued to trace the lines. "I like them."

"Why?" Law snorted.

Shrugging, Luffy fell silent for a moment. "I dunno. Why does anyone like anything?"

It was a strangely profound thing to hear, especially coming from Luffy, and Law found that he didn't really have a valid response against it.

They were silent again before Luffy broke it again. "I liked Ace's tattoos too." He admitted. "I wanted some myself but could never decide what to get."

Law tried to picture Luffy with tattoos and frowned. It just didn't fit with the image in his mind.

"What would you even get?"

Luffy smiled, a tinge of sadness in it that was so out of place in comparison with the Straw Hat he'd come to know, and yet so in line with the Straw Hat he'd saved.

"Something for Ace. When Sabo 'died', Ace's tattoo was designed to reflect it. I want something like that for him."

The words were soft, and Law felt his heart clench, memories of his own lost family coming to the forefront of his mind before he managed to push them away.

"I'll go with you if you want?" He offered finally.

For the first time since Law had met the other boy, Luffy looked shocked, before a large grin grew on his face. "Would you?"

Law shrugged, not saying anything else. He didn't need to. The grin on Luffy's face was enough.

"Torao's the best." Luffy praised, and he refused to acknowledge that his cheeks tinged with pink at the words, heart full of warmth in a way that he was unused to ever since Cora-san had died.

"Shut up."

There was the familiar laughter as Luffy settled in, leaning against Law and the ship, finally silent.

His hand had never let go of Luffy's, and for once, Law found he didn't mind the touch.

(The next day, they would stop at an island and Luffy and Law would sneak off 'because it's more fun that way, Torao!', only to reappear with Luffy's new tattoos; a perfect replica of the tattoo that used to be on Ace's shoulder, name spelt with an S to mark Sabo's place in his life.)