I ran away from them.

I didn't get away unscathed..

I found myself half crawling half walking away from that dark alley.. Clutching my side that is bleeding profusely. Wondering if the wound is more than fatal enough to kill me. I don't even know why I even tried crawling away from that place.

I know that the alleyway already became puddles of blood. Even if the wound is not fatal, I'm losing too much blood. I'm probably just half conscious, forcing myself to walk even though I can no longer feel the pain. I only feel the numbness that start spreading from my side to my fingertips.

A coldness and dizziness that is surely spelling my doom as clear as day. There is nobody in my life that I could ask for help. I had always been alone and I did my best to survive until now. I did everything that I could to survive until this day..

I though death would give me relief..

Now that I was close to death, I found myself hating this accursed fate of mine. I'm not afraid to die, but I don't want to die like this, in this place, in the dark alley, alone. Nobody would mourn for me, or even claim my corpse. This flimsy existence is all I have ever since I was born 26 years ago.

Why am I even trying so hard?

Maybe because I refused to simply just die in the ditch that I had tried so hard to escape all my life. I had never wanted this kind of life. I don't want to die like a stray dog in this alleyway. I never wish for anything fancy in my entire life and I have never ask God for mercy before. I have already accepted that I was born unlucky.

Why am I even born?

This existence means nothing. There is not a single thing that I could call a moment of happiness in my life. I never had any real friends and nobody truly cared for me. Every single day is a fight of survival. I did everything I could to survive. I steal, I cheat and I sold my body.

There is nothing left of me now, and I'm just going to die a meaningless death…

Then I fell down.. I can no longer feel the discomfort of a hard concrete, nor the wound in my side. Only the comforting numbness that starts enveloping me is left. I closed my eyes. I wouldn't fight anymore. It's already enough. Just let me die already..

"Hey..! Hey..! Are you okay?! I'm going to call an ambulance, please hold on..!" A young man's voice echoed in my head and I wonder if I was already delusional..

"Hey, please stay with me, help will be coming soon..!" I fluttered my eyes open to see a raven haired teen hovering over me, concern written all over his face.

I so badly wanted to say 'enough, just go away and let me die'.. Only to realize that I no longer had the strength to even utter a single word..

I tried to wave him away weakly, but the raven haired teen just caught my arm between his hands and cradled it "Don't worry, you'll be fine.." the teen reassured me once again..

Then the darkness descended..

12:24 AM

Monkey D. Luffy knew that it was already too late to go home. He sneaked out again to hang out with his friends. If his Gramps find out, he'll probably be grounded, that's why he mentally remind himself to give something to his caretaker Zoro and his cook Sanji so they wouldn't tattle.

He was running late though, and he was tempted to call Zoro to drive the car, even though he hated being pampered by the luxury his name and lineage bring. He just wanted to live normally, that's why he moved out of the Main House and decided to live in a normal apartment instead. But no, his stubborn Gramps wouldn't agree, he only relented when he said he'll bring Zoro and Sanji along and they get to pick the place.

His brothers picked the place and he still ended up living in a luxurious penthouse in the most expensive residential area in the city. Really, he was being pampered by the whole family. Luffy decided to take a shortcut in the alley. He was running really late. He might avoid getting thrashed by his gramps, but there's no avoiding Zoro and Sanji's anger.

It was a dark alley in between two tall buildings. It was just about one of the busiest streets during the day, but eerily deprived from human presence at night. He was in a hurry, when he accidentally stumbled into something and almost fell down head first in the concrete. When Luffy take a good look, he was startled to find a human in a puddle of blood.

He's still breathing..

He might've been shocked at first, but he easily collected himself and call for an ambulance, He also called Zoro and Sanji for good measure because he planned to go with the man to the hospital. He tried not to move the wounded man for fear of hurting him or make the injury worse.

He tried talking to the man. To Luffy's relief, the man opened his eyes. For a moment, Luffy is startled. Gray eyes. He certainly didn't expect that eye color. It was the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen, and yet it was cold, steely and haunted.

He tried to tell the man to keep holding on, that help is coming soon. The man tried to reach for something and he caught his hand. It was cold and he tried to warm it up using his own. "Please, stay with me.." He kept telling the man.

In this dark alley, where they are the only two people around, Luffy felt like time is ticking in his ears and he was almost frantic. If the ambulance dn't come soon, this man would die.

I don't want him to die..

Luffy is surprised at his own thought for he never felt something this strongly to somebody. There was something about this mysterious man with the beautiful gray eyes that draw him in. No, he wouldn't let this person die.

Relief flooded to Luffy's body when the ambulance came. He went with them. As he was waiting in the lobby, Zoro came. Far from angry, he was worried about what he had gotten himself into and just told the truth. "I just found him in the alley."

"If you don't know the guy, then let's just go home. There's no reason for you to stay here." Zoro said simply. Despite being called in this ungodly hour, he still came for him even though he told him that there's no need to. Luffy knows it's not simply because it's his job, he knew that Zoro genuinely carefor him as he was his childhood friend.

"No I don't want to.. I'm staying here. There is something about that guy.." Luffy started saying, but he couldn't quite put it into words.

"Something?" Zoro frowned..

"I don't know, just that.. I know I shouldn't leave him alone.." I explained lamely.

"You can always come back tomorrow, let's go home for no.."

"No..!" Luffy said stubbornly.

Before Zoro could argue further, the doctor came out of the emergency room. "How is he, doctor?" Luffy asked immediately.

"He's no longer in danger, but he lost too much blood. He probably won't be waking up anytime soon. I got two bullets. It's lucky that no vital organs are hit, but I had to remove his spleen though.. Are you related to the man..?" The doctor asked suspiciously.

Luffy gasped. He certainly didn't expect gunshot wounds, "He was shot? No, he's not related to me in any way. I just found him in.." Luffy started narrating the address and how he found the man.

"I see, then that's good. We have to report this to the police, It seems like mafia is involved. There is no identification ID or wallet on him but his body is covered in tribal tattoos that I suspect marking from a group he belonged to." The doctor informed them. Relieved that they were not related in any way to the man they suspected to be a mafia member.

"Wait.. Wait..! You can't get the police involved..! What if he was targeted?! He'll be killed if they knew…" Luffy said, he was clearly agitated. But he doesn't care whether the guy is a mafia or not. There was something about the nameless man that he couldn't just turn his back on to.

"That's police business. Let them handle this." The doctor said uncaringly.

"Wait please, you can't inform the police.." Luffy said almost pleadingly.

"I'm sorry, but it's the law. All the gunshot patients had to be reported or the hospital might be stripped of its license"

"Zoro, please… please do something.." when Luffy looked like he would cry, Zoro sighed hopelessly. It was rare for Luffy to beg for something this badly, he couldn't just turn it down..

Zoro held Luffy's dad's business card to the doctor and the doctor's eyes widened. "I work for the Prime Minister, maybe we can work something out." The doctor guided Zoro in his office. Luffy finally allowed himself to sigh in relief.

3 Days Later

Law woke up in a hospital bed and he was more than just surprised. He was sure that he already died, but it seems like fate had wanted him to suffer more. He had nowhere to go and there are some dangerous people after him.

He couldn't pay for the hospital either. He doesn't have a health insurance or even a social security number. He doesn't have a decent job or people he could ask for money. Therefore he decided to just run away from the hospital even though his wounds hurt.

Why do I have to keep living anyway?! Why do I have to keep existing in this world that hates me so much?!

He was fuelled by rage. There is no meaning for him to keep living this wretched life. When he finally thought he could get away finally, he still survived. He was ready to pull out the needle on his arm when the door opened.

A raven haired teen carrying baskets filled with fruits came in. The teen's eyes widened when he saw that he was awake. "Oh good, you're awake..! You've been sleeping for three days. Did you call a doctor already?"

"No."He frowned. So he was out of it for three days? "Who are you?"

"I'm the one who found you in the alley, my name is Luffy. I'm so glad you're okay now. Wait, I'll go call the doctor." The teen said while smiling. Law grabbed the teen's hand before he could walk out to call a doctor.

"Wait..! Don't call a doctor. Who told you to save me?!" Law said angrily to the teen.

"Wh-What am I supposed to do? You were bleeding so badly and you might die.." The teen said, stuttering a bit. Clearly startled by the sudden burst of anger.

"You should've just walked away and let me die..! There is nothing for me in this life anyway..! I don't have a family, friends or a decent work waiting for me. Nobody could care less if I died, so why do you have to play nice?! Clearly my existence has no meaning.." Law knows he's being unreasonable to get angry at the teen for saving him, but right now he's the only person he could vent his anger on.

Law was so sure the teen would run away after his outburst. But contrary to his expectation, the teen called Luffy hold his hand firmly. "No, there is no existence that has no meaning. You just haven't found yours yet." Luffy said, tears glistening on the teen's round eyes.

"What do you know?! It looks like you're one of those people who never experienced a single hardship in his entire life. I don't even have the money or the insurance to pay for this shit. I don't even have a home to go back to..!" Law said and he tried to pull his hand away but Luffy holds it firmly..

"If that's the case… Then come live with me.."

Disclaimers:

I don't own One Piece. Thank you very much for reading. Suggestions, opinions and constructive criticisms are very much welcome. English is not my native language so please forgive the wrong grammars and point it out to me. I'm just new to the Lawlu fandom. Please feel free to pm me your Tumblr account and I'll follow you..

Reviews are greatly appreciated. I've been writing awfully lot today..! I'm so inspired by Doflamingo's song Shinjidai no Saga, for some reason..! That song is so cool..! I can't believe that I find that cooler than Law's Lost in Shinsekai. Have you guys heard it yet?