#iciw

[analogwriting]

Law

It Comes in Waves - Law x gn!reader (Finished)

∞ Deep Water Waves, Tsunami, Capillary, Surging, Plunging, Surging, Tidal, Breaking, Internal, Seiche, Spilling, Refracted, Progressive, Kelvin, Corduroy Swell, Neap Tide, Shoaling, Diffraction, Fetch, Grinding, Trough, Whitewater, Peak, Crumbly, Wind Chop, Leftover, Amplitude, Bathymetry, Closeout

[equinesandeducation]

Started the other half of this class, which is microbiology, histology and clinical chemistry! Super interesting and the days end early enough that I can go to track training in the evenings. Happy days!

[darkzayk]

Por fin bajó la temperatura en Madrid y se puede salir a la calle a las 14h a pasear ^^ El top que llevo es @icaniwill que, como ya os comenté, es la leche porque estiliza la figura a tope. Si os mola, lo podéis pillar con descuento con el código DARKZAYK15 (yo llevo una M) 🎼 Masterplan - Spirit Never Dies #icaniwill #iciw #fit #fitness #activewear #longhair #top #croptop #girl #ootd #outfitoftheday #river #landscape (en Torrejón de Ardoz) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1G-R1bI-3f/?igshid=d20vn0rj3b1t

[analogwriting]

It Comes in Waves

Chapter 1: Tsunami

Trafalgar Law x gn!reader tw; ace's death. i know, we're starting off strong as shit. word count: 3k prev|next

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Portgas D. Ace. Also known as ‘Fire Fist Ace’ or even the commander of the second division for the Whitebeard Pirates. Also…a great friend of yours. A friend you had run into several times over your years at sea. A friend that let you cry on his shoulder and who had cried on yours. The memory of you meeting flashes in your mind. A simpler time. Before he had all his alternate titles. Before he was even his own captain. 

You were on a tropical island. It was small and reminded you of your home island, but it was just a pitstop for you to get rest and something to eat. You had hunted down some small wildlife and gathered some fruit that seemed to be edible before beginning to roast it over a fire you created. 

While it was cooking, you worked on setting up a place to sleep. However, you heard something from behind you. Pulling a knife from your belt, you threw it as you turned around. 

“Whoa! I come in peace!” An alarmed, male voice chimed. You turned to see a man standing there. He couldn't have been older than eighteen. So, more of a boy. You noticed that he dodged your attack well, so he wasn't a complete idiot. There was a small cut on his cheek. Not quite quick enough but still impressive. He was lucky it was a warning shot anyway.

“Well, maybe you shouldn't sneak up on someone.” You folded your arms, taking in the boy before you. Disheveled black hair, tanned skin, dressed like a punk. You could tell easily that he was a pirate, perhaps at the beginning of his adventure.

“I didn't really mean to. I was just following the delicious smell of food.” A wistful look crossed his face before he frowned. “A bird flew away with my food.” He looked at you with puppy dog eyes and you sighed, shaking your head. 

“Fine. I'll share. Consider it my apology for attacking you. I'm a bit on edge.” After all, you had just narrowly escaped the navy on your most recent heist. You wouldn’t have been surprised if they had somehow found you, even if they were pretty dense.

The man's face lit up, wasting no time as he plopped down next to the fire you had going. “I have some sake I can share.” You shake your head. You couldn't risk letting your guard down right now. “I'm fine. Help yourself.”

You moved to your food, beginning to divvy it up for the two of you. You handed him his share before settling with your own. “I'm Ace, by the way,” he said, a mouthful of food. 

You told your eyes at his lack of manners. “Y/N,” you said simply, beginning to eat. 

He asks you a couple more questions, but notices you guard some of your answers, so he maneuvers to more simple questions and talks about his own journey. He eventually brings up his little brother - a kid named Luffy. From the sounds of it, he seems quite the handful. He mentions how he's the world's biggest crybaby, but he wants to become King of the Pirates. 

You can't help but feel admiration for the kid who has yet to set sail.

You knew just about everything there was to know about one another. He is your best friend.  And now, it looked like everything was going belly up for him. You were about to lose one of the few people you held close. Again. Why did you have to keep losing people you cared about?

You stared at the video that was being casted from a transponder snail in Sabaody. You were there taking care of a few loose ends from your most recent mission. It dawned on you just how long it had been since you'd seen Ace. You'd been cracking down on your own agenda, not exactly keeping up with current events. It had easily been…at least six months? 

You noticed another familiar face on screen. Monkey D. Luffy. Captain of the Strawhat Pirates and Ace’s baby brother. The one he had told you about and the one you had eventually met on your own. One that you ran into often just like you had Ace.

You had just seen Luffy and his crew not too long ago. It was right here on Sabaody. They helped you take down a human auction house. They were saving a friend of theirs and this was something you did on the regular. Freeing slaves and making slaveholders suffer. Celestial Dragons hated you, and you hated them.

You had been doing this for about a decade, so you had a pretty high bounty - close to a billion. However, you have always been extremely careful to cover your identity. You had a whole disguise set up. A special cloak that covered all of your features. That’s all they had photo evidence of. Your first and last name donned the poster, but you went by your middle name on your average day. You lived a double life that no one knew about.

No one except Ace that is.

You're pulled out of your thoughts as you hear voices begin to raise. You blinked, coming back to earth and looking around. That’s when you realize the videofeed had been cut off. Everyone was starting to raise their questions and concerns. What the hell was going on now? What happened to Ace? To Luffy? You heard those questions being asked around you, so you knew the feed cut before anything happened.

“I need to get out of here,” you mumbled to yourself. You needed to get to Marineford and fast. Unfortunately, your boat that was akin to Ace’s striker, your ‘navis’ as you called it, was much too slow to get there in time. “Even if I call to the sea…” No, still too slow. Time was against you. You cursed silently to yourself, feeling yourself beginning to unravel. This couldn’t be happening. You couldn’t be losing him.

That's when you felt a hand on your shoulder. You tensed. Knife in hand, you turned around quickly, pressing it to the throat of whomever was dumb enough to lay their hands on you. It didn’t matter if all around was chaos. You didn’t even care if this had been any other day. You weren’t a fan of being touched by strangers. Who was?

The owner of the heavily tattooed hand was tall. You were face to face with his chest. A logo of some smiling jolly roger. You looked up, glaring at the man only to find him glaring right back at you. Who did he think he was? He was the one that touched you. Not the other way around.

You took note of the long sword he carried and his lanky frame. Did he even know how to wield this sword correctly? Or use it in general? Your eyes trailed to his at before resting once more on his face. Something…felt familiar. Had you seen him before?

“You greet everyone like this?” There was a hint of a smirk that was just enough to make you want to punch him. His calm demeanor he had whilst you had your knife to his throat also drove you mad.

“Just those that touch me without permission.”

He took his hand away, putting them both up in a surrender motion. “Apologies.” He looked at you once more, taking you in. There was a hint of recognition in his eye and he looked like he wanted to ask something before deciding against it. He looked up to where the video feed had been.

“You know him?” Then he glanced back at you.

You stared at him, blinking several times as you processed his question. You tried to form words but nothing was coming to you. Too many questions were trying to pour out all at once. All that came out was, “What?”

“Well, I'm heading that way and you seemed pretty distraught about it so I figured I'd offer a ride in my submarine.”

You narrowed your eyes at him. Who the hell just did something like that? “You don't seem like the kind of person who does things out of the kindness of his heart.” There had to be some hidden motive. Some other reason that he wanted to offer a ride. Was this some kind of human trafficking ploy? They sure were getting creative these days. It was disgusting.

“Suit yourself,” he said, turning away. What if he was just offering out of the kindness of his heart? Or maybe there was some hidden motive but…you couldn’t risk it. You had to save Ace. You had to save Luffy. Or die trying. “Okay, fine.” He turned, looking as you spoke, smirking. “That’s what I thought.”

Oh, this was going to be a nightmare. Your fist just might up in his jaw. Why would someone just offer a stranger a ride into a war just on a whim? And why were you accepting it? You had to be just as crazy.

“Let's go then,” he said, once more pulling you out of your thoughts. 

Silence fell over the two of you as you walked, delving once more into your own mind. Would you make it on time? Could you save your friends? Why was this man helping you? Why were you trusting him? Is it because you had nothing left to lose? If you lost Ace and Luffy…you’re not sure what you’d do. They were the closest thing you had to family since…

“We’re here.” You were yanked back to the present as the man in front of you spoke. Your eyes landed on the yellow submarine. You blinked. That’s right…he had said that. It was just registering that he had mentioned it earlier. You were such a mess, you didn’t even question it. What the hell was a pirate doing with a submarine?

“Last chance to turn around. You’re stuck once the door closes.” The man smirked at you and you felt the need to punch him in the nose. You didn’t even bother saying anything as you headed inside. There was no turning back now. This was your only chance to reach your friends in time. 

You were told to keep close to the man, which you didn’t argue. You assumed he didn’t trust you…though he invited you on his ship? This whole situation was weird.

You found yourself thinking of Ace again. It was only natural. Currently, you had no idea if he was alive or dead. You hoped for the best but expected the worst. God, it was like that theory about a cat in a box. Without seeing him, you had no idea if he was alive or dead.

Memories flashed in your brain as if they happened yesterday. When you met Ace’s crew for the first time. When you met his second crew. All the nights you stayed up drinking with him. (You had eventually given in and trusted him enough to let your guard down.) You remembered when you told him that you finally met his brother on the sea. Man, he was so excited and positively radiant after hearing that news. He had immediately set out to go find him shortly after that. 

All of those memories passed through your mind, each one of them hurting you more and more. It was almost too much to handle. You had already lost so much and you thought that you were done feeling this way but…here it was again. It hurt…so much. It was never easier. No matter how many people you saw that you cared about die before you…it never got easier. You tried your best to keep your distance from people but Ace was warm both inside and out and it slipped past your defenses faster than you could blink. He introduced you to a new family. 

Many times he asked you to join the Whitebeard Pirates and you told him the same thing each time.

“I still have too many things to take care of on my own.”

The man scoffed. “C'mon! You say that every time, y/n! If you join us, we could help you!” You looked at him, shaking your head. “You know this is something I have to do on my own. The less people involved, the better. Besides, you promised me you wouldn't tell anyone or try to get involved in any way.”

Ace whined, folding his arms. “Yeah, but that was before you told me what you were up to!” He rolled his eyes, clearly unhappy with you. You frowned, sighing. It was the same argument every time you parted ways. He wanted you to join his crew so that he could help you wish your mission, but you couldn’t bear to see anyone else you care about die.

He looked at you again and sighed. “I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't push you.” He looked down to his feet, unfolding his arms. 

Your own face softened and you shook your head. “Don't say sorry, it's not your mistake.” He looked at you as you said those words, chuckling softly. You said them every time he apologized. It was your way of saying that it was okay. That the feelings he was feeling were valid. That his emotions and actions caused by them were valid. It was something that your father had always said to you when your emotions were too much and you were apologizing for things that were out of your control.

“I may join one day…” You paused. 

“It's just not the right time yet, I know,” Ace finished for you. You offered an apologetic grin and he returned with his own, warm one. 

“We're here.” A voice pulled you out of your thoughts once more and you looked at the man who you boarded this vessel with. It was then that you realized that you didn't know his name. You opened your mouth to ask when he interrupted. 

“There's a war going on out there. Be vigilant.”

You nodded, closing your mouth. Now wasn't the time for formalities. You felt a sinking feeling in your chest - something wasn’t right. 

As you headed to the top deck, you felt your chest growing heavier and heavier. This was bad. You could hear all the pain from outside already. You could feel the anguish. It was almost too much to bear. It was enough to make your head spin, to make you want to lose the lunch you didn’t have.

When the door opened and you stepped outside, you were taken back. Taken back to when your own people were taken from you. The sounds of fighting, the smell of blood and metal in the air. The screaming, the anguish. You wanted to scream yourself. It was almost too much to bear. Even though it was over a decade ago, it still had an iron grip on you.

From the corner of your eye, you saw a flash of blue. You looked over slowly, noticing blue flames. Marco. He was Ace’s crewmate. He caught your eye, a dark look of guilt passing over his face before looking away. It was a moment, but that was all you needed to confirm your suspicions.

You suddenly felt like you couldn't breathe, like something just sucked all the air out of your lungs. Your legs felt shaky and you felt sick. The world was spinning. Ace was gone. A man you loved like a little brother. Gone. And there was nothing you could do to bring him back. You were going to be sick.

“Y/n!” You blinked, looking up and seeing the man you had traveled with. “Get it together!” He motioned across the battlefield and that's where you saw Luffy. It was like something sparked inside of you. You were suddenly able to move again. He was your lifeline right now. You needed to focus on saving him. He wasn’t gone yet. 

You nodded at the man before you before turning back to look at your friend. You could tell he was completely shut down. It reminded you of yourself all those years ago. You’d lost everyone you loved and completely shut down. You don’t remember what happened while you were shut down. You were on autopilot for so long. Barely living.

You noticed he was in the arms of a fishman. Ally? You had to hope so or this was going to be difficult. Seeing how he was heading straight towards the submarine and the man waving them down, it seemed safe to assume an ally. Then you saw an admiral attack them. You ran towards the edge of the deck, pressing a hand to your necklace and withdrawing a long spear. You outstretched your free arm, taking aim right over the fishman’s shoulder and throwing it.

It flew through the air, hitting the admiral in the shoulder. Not near enough to kill him but at least enough to deter him for a few moments so the fishman and Luffy could make it safely on board. The next thing you knew, you were ushering the wounded into the submarine and to the infirmary.

“You look like you know about basic medicine,” the man said, laying the two men on operating tables. 

You nodded, unable to really speak. “I can't hear your head rattle,” he said. 

“Y-Yes,” you stammered, taking a deep breath. Your father was a doctor, after all. You studied under him and read many of his textbooks. You’d also been on your own with no doctor all this time, so you had plenty of time to study and put your skills to use.

“Good. Then you're going to help me.”

And with that, the operation began.

[analogwriting]

It Comes in Waves

Chapter 10: Spilling Waves

Trafalgar Law x gn!reader word count: 2.8k first|next

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You followed Chopper to the deck. You barely stepped a foot out the door before you heard Luffy screaming your name followed by the immediate feeling of his limbs wrapping around your body as he hugged you tightly. You yelped as his body slammed with yours.

“Hey, Luffy,” you choked out. 

“LUFFY BE CAREFUL THEY ARE STILL RECOVERING!!!” Chopper was going to blow a gasket at this rate. You looked at the reindeer. “It's okay, Chopper. I'll be fine.”

You patted Luffy's back. 

“I thought I lost you,” he mumbled, his face buried in your neck. That statement hurt your heart. “Can't get rid of me that easily.” You tried to lighten the mood but he was quiet for a moment more. Even with his carefree attitude, you knew that his brother’s death affected him. You thought about all the times the three of you happened to run into each other. They were always fun.

He slowly let you go and air slowly came back to your lungs. “I didn't mean to scare you. Sorry,” you mumbled, ruffling his hair once you were able to fully move again. 

Once he let go, you gave him a proper hug. You pulled away, looking at him with pride. Much like an older sibling would. “Look at you! I think you grew a few inches!” You laughed. Your eyes landed on his scar and that day filled your mind but you tried to not let it dampen your mood. 

Though, it was in the shape of an ‘x’. Probably because his life was a treasure.

“I did, actually! I'm also a lot stronger now! I can use haki!” You grinned at him lazily, putting your hands on your hips. “Well, shit. Looks like the title of King of the Pirates is already yours,” you mused, once more ruffling his hair.

Luffy quickly pulled you to the table to start eating. He was talking your ear off, getting you caught up. You greeted everyone, catching up and making small talk with everyone. They all filled you in on what they had been up to.

 As time went on, everyone dispersed into their own conversations. You noticed two people you had never seen before. “Who…?” You looked at Luffy who followed your gaze back to the two newcomers.

“They're a couple of people we ran into on Punk Hazard.”

“My name is Kinemon and this is my son, Momonosuke.” You immediately noted the way they spoke. “Sir Luffy has been kind enough to let us accompany you all to your next destination.”

You nodded. “Uh, I'm Y/n.” The man, Kinemon, nodded back. “I have heard a great deal about you. Sir Luffy seems to hold you in high regards. As does Sir Law.” Luffy you were expecting, but Law? He talked about you when you weren’t around? You had a hard time believing it. He probably just chimed in. Though, you thought about his behavior earlier. Now that you thought about it, where was he?

The samurai spoke up again. “So, how did you meet Sir Luffy?” He looked at you with a curious look. You weren’t sure how to make him out quite yet. He seemed innocent enough, but you were still weary towards strangers.

“Uh, well. Luffy and his crew kind of just…picked me up? Saved me.” You shrugged. “I had just escaped from the Marines. Very narrowly. I was floating on a piece of driftwood and Luffy, quite literally, grabbed me and pulled me onto his ship.” It was terrifying at the time. To suddenly be flying through the air when just moments before you were close to death. You had taken quite the beating at the time. Lost a lot of blood.

Luffy spoke up. “Oh yeah! I remember!” He cackled. “The face you made was so funny, y/n.”

“I would hope so considering you pummeled them right into me,” Zoro commented. He made a face.

You nodded, laughing softly. “Yeah…almost gave both of us a concussion. And that was before Chopper joined the crew so we would've just been nursing ourselves back to health.” Despite what had happened, you looked back on the memory fondly. You looked at Zoro. “And you yelled at me like it was my fault,” you said, narrowing your eyes.

“Let it go, that was forever ago.” He rolled his eyes. Or his eye. How did he get that scar? “I was literally bleeding out and you were scolding me like I did it on purpose. I’m never letting you live it down.” You snorted, shaking your head. “Never apologized either.” You sighed. “But Sanji made lunch as an apology after Nami helped patch me up. So, I guess it worked out.”

Luffy looked at you for a moment. “Remember what you told me that day?”

You paused, feeling your own face soften as you remembered that day fondly. “You were bouncing around and apologizing. The way you were acting, I had said that you reminded me of a friend of mine. That you two had even kind of looked alike.” You looked down for a moment. 

“You said I reminded you of Ace.” He didn’t introduce himself right away, so you didn’t know he was the Luffy that Ace had spoken so fondly of. It wasn’t until you had told him that that he had burst into a wide excited smile and started talking animatedly about him.

You nodded. “You did. You still do.” The energy around the table grew somber at the mention of the captain’s brother. He held a special place in the hearts of many that were on board currently. “Same unruly hair. Same crazy attitude. Not to mention your appetite.” That gained some laughs. 

“I'm sure it wasn't easy cooking with both of them on board, eh, Sanji?” The cook groaned at the thought of it. “So much food.” The two of them seemed to have endless stomachs. Luffy was enough, but Luffy and Ace? If you hadn’t seen it yourself, you never would’ve believed it.

“You know, you remind me of him too, y/n.” You blinked, looking at Luffy. You didn’t think you looked anything like him. “What do you mean?”

“You look after me and take care of me when you see me. Like Ace did. Almost like an older sibling!” 

You blinked, feeling heat rush up to your cheeks. “Well, you're like a little brother to me, so it works out.” You smiled, ruffling his hair again.

After that, conversations continued once more and everyone turned to their own thing. As people finished eating, they spread out on the deck, doing their own things. Towards the end of the night, you were on a bench, Luffy's head in your lap as he snoozed. You had a feeling he must have been missing his brother a lot tonight and that's why he was attached to you. It was clear now how much Luffy cared for you - like another sibling. You faintly remembered Ace mentioning they had another brother but he had passed away a long time ago.

Luffy had lost two brothers and yet he still found reasons to smile. You didn’t know how he did it. You admired him for that. You were only recently finding your own smile again. All thanks to two brothers and co. 

“He really was worried, you know.” You looked up, seeing Robin. She was in passing to grab some cola for Franky when she noticed Luffy sleeping. “When Usopp and Law showed up with you, I thought he was going to lose it. Shut down like he did when…you know.” There was sadness in her eyes, but a fond smile on her face. You could see how much she cared about her captain. Luffy was lucky to have so many people that cared about him.

You frowned slightly as you thought. “He just has a big heart. He cares so much for everyone.” You don’t know why you kept trying to convince yourself you weren’t special in any kind of way.

“But not everyone reminds him of his big brother,” she mused, walking off again. It did make sense. You came in and out of his life, fretting over him whenever you saw him. Much like Ace had. You couldn't help it. When you found out he was Ace’s brother, you felt like you had to protect him. He was your best friend’s brother! Pretty much your own! 

You thought about various times you had run into Luffy. It was a whirlwind every time. A breath of fresh air. He was filled with so much warmth and love for those around him. It warmed your own heart and reminded you of the home you were forced to leave a long time ago. At the same time, it only strengthened your resolve in your mission. You wanted to make the world a safer place. You knew you couldn’t completely end slavery and take down the Celestial Dragons, but you did what you could.

“What are you thinking about?” You looked up, seeing Law. You shrugged, looking back down at Luffy. “Nothing in particular.”

“I don't believe you.” He looked at you, studying your face. “If I had to guess, I'd say that you're thinking about what Luffy said earlier.” 

You were quiet, staring at Luffy's sleeping face. He was right. You were still dwelling on it. Then something dawned on you. “Hold on. You weren’t even at dinner? How did you know?” You looked at him.

“Dinner was on deck. I just wasn’t at the table.” He shrugged. “I heard everything though.” You narrowed your eyes at him for a moment. Then you realized something.

“Wait. Why are you here?”

He stared at you. “Oh? Am I not allowed to be here? Are you upset that I’m here?” He smirked. You glared. “You and I both know that’s not what I meant,” you said. He held his hands up in surrender. “Alright, no need to get so hostile,” he mused. “No need to be so…feisty.” You stared at him for a moment before you burst into laughter and he chuckled along with you. “I completely forgot about him, oh my ocean.” 

Your laughter caused Luffy to stir and you quickly quieted down. “Oh, sorry,” you whispered to the sleeping man in your lap. He readjusted himself before snoring once more. You chuckled, looking at Law. “Gotta keep an eye on me now, huh,” you teased. Law smirked, nodding. “Oh yeah. Make sure I keep you in check or whatever he was going on about.” You both chuckled quietly to yourselves. Even though it was only a year ago - it felt much longer.

“So, tell me. Why are you here? Where’s everyone else?” You looked at him after making sure Luffy was still comfortably asleep. Law was quiet for a moment. “Luffy agreed to help me take down Doflamingo in Dressrosa.” You thought for a moment. That name sounded familiar. “The warlord?” He nodded. “Yeah. He…” For a moment, Law looked like he was about to tell you about something from his past before deciding against it. 

You opened your mouth to ask when Luffy began to stir.

“Y/n?” he asked, groggily. 

“Yes, Luff? I'm right here,” you crooked softly as you ran your hand through his hair. He adjusted himself before settling back down. “I just wanted to make sure you hadn't left yet,” he mumbled. “Don't leave without saying goodbye…” He drifted back off. 

“Do you make it a habit to leave without saying goodbye?” Law asked, referring to Luffy's words. You groaned. Not this again. You thought that was long forgotten at this point. You shook your head. “I don't. I think he was just saying it.”

“Ah, so just me then.”

You glared at Law. “Can we not do this right now? That was also forever ago.”

Before either of you could say anything else, the sound of Brook’s violin filled the air. You felt the exhaustion of the night's events catch up to you and before you knew it, you were also asleep. 

--

The next morning, you groaned. You noticed you were in bed. You sat up, holding your head. It was pounding. Water. You needed some water. You stood up, shuffling towards where the kitchen was. It must still have been early as only Sanji and Nami were in the kitchen. They were discussing something when you walked in. 

“Good morning, y/n!” They both chimed, a smirk on both of their faces. They even shared a look before glancing back at you. “What?” You looked at them. They were gossiping about something. “What did you two hear?” They only grinned in response. Oh, you didn’t like that.

“Sleep well?” Nami asked, there was a hint of something in her voice but you were too tired to figure it out. 

“Would you like some water?” Sanji held out a cup to you and you nodded. When you reached for the cup, that's when you realized you were wearing something that you didn't have on the night before. Your movements paused midair as you processed this. Nami and Sanji exchanged looks again, grinning at each other. “There it is.”

You were wearing the jacket that Law had been wearing the night before. How did you make it all the way to the kitchen without noticing? You were suddenly glad no one else was awake to see this. How did this happen?

“Listen-” You started, but the thief stopped you by holding up a photo. You took it, studying it. Your face immediately turned as red as the apples that Sanji was currently cooking with.

Luffy, Law, and you sitting on the bench, all fast asleep. Luffy’s head in your lap, your head on Law’s shoulder, and his head on yours. You couldn’t take your eyes off the picture. Mostly because you couldn’t meet Nami’s eyes right now.

“You guys look like a little family!” Nami teased, her shit eating grin growing larger somehow. “Nami, please,” you groaned, covering your face in embarrassment. “Everyone saw, you know.” Her teasing was going to kill you. You peeked at her through your fingers. “No they didn’t.” She looked at Sanji, who nodded. “Yeah. Just about everyone saw. Except Luffy, for obvious reasons.”

“We were tired! As if you guys haven't fallen asleep on each other before.”

Sanji and Nami shared, yet again, another look. Fuck. “Suuuure,” they both said, turning back to their own tasks. Nami went to take the photo back and you held it from her. “Oh, absolutely not. I’m destroying this.” She narrowed her eyes. “I don’t think so!” She hopped over the table to chase you and you yelped, turning on your heel and running out of the kitchen.

Only to run face first into someone's chest, sending the both of you tumbling down to the ground. You groaned, slowly lifting yourself up and coming face to face with Law. You froze, blinking as you processed. Law stared right back at you - he seemed to also be processing.

“Get a room!” Nami playfully called before going back into the kitchen with a triumphant look on her face, pulling you both out of your trance. You scrambled to get off of him, straightening yourself up and dusting yourself up. “Sorry,” you mumbled. You realized you still had the picture in your hand. You quickly shoved it into your necklace.

Law cleared his throat. “You really shouldn’t run out of a doorway. You never know if someone is on the other side.” You narrowed your eyes at him. “Really? A lecture this early in the morning?” Did he know how to interact without scolding? “You’re the one who bulldozed right into me,” he said. 

Then he looked at you. “Are you alright, y/n? You’re really red.” He reached out to put his hand on your forehead to feel for a fever and you dodged his hand. Mostly on instinct. “I am just fine, thank you. Nami just teasing me.” You waved it off. He looked at you. “Are you sure?” You nodded. 

You went to scurry off before anything else was said, wanting to forget what had just happened. “Wait, y/n-” Law reached out to grab you to stop you in your tracks, but grabbed the collar of the jacket, pulling it against your neck. You, already being somewhat flustered, felt the light pressure against your neck. In your surprise and with your guard being down due to illness, at least that’s what you’ll tell yourself, you let out a moan.

As soon as it sounded off, you clasped your hands over your mouth. Your face was a radiant red and Law even froze in his movements. You could see his own face turning red as he stared at you.  That was mortifyingly embarrassing. You could pass away right there. Then you absolutely booked it. You had to get as far as you could from him.

[analogwriting]

It Comes in Waves

Chapter 2: Capillary Waves

Trafalgar Law x gn!reader word count: 2.3k first|prev|next

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ After the operation was over, you plopped into a chair next to Luffy. You watched him as you heard everyone filing out of the room one by one. You couldn’t leave Luffy’s side. You were afraid the moment you left his side…you’d lose him too. You still hadn’t processed…everything was hitting you at once and it felt too much.

“You should eat,” the man's voice came again. Only, it was soft and gentle. Nothing like it was earlier. No snarky tone. No shithead grin. It also felt…familiar. 

You look at him once more, taking in those golden eyes. “I'm not hungry,” you said, your voice barely a whisper. You couldn't eat. Not now. You look back to Luffy and…

“He's dead,” you whispered. Suddenly, the tears came in rivers down your face and you covered it with your hands. Your sobs were quiet. You hadn't cried in a long time and the last time you did, you were in hiding. You couldn't risk being caught so you learned to cry quietly. 

You felt a hand on your back, but you paid no mind. It felt a million miles away, as did your body. Nothing felt real. It couldn’t be real. This couldn’t be happening again. Sure, he was a pirate and pirates died all the time but at the same time…this was Ace.Your best friend. A man who was like a little brother to you. He wasn’t supposed to die. He wasn’t supposed to end up like everyone else.

You cried quietly for a long time. You're not sure how long that comforting hand rubbed your back. You're not even sure how long it was before you felt your exhaustion creep up on you and put you to sleep either. 

You woke some time later, your body feeling like it was full of sand and wading through water. Everything hurt, your face was damp. You groaned softly, noticing a blanket had been placed over your shoulders. You tightened it around you, shivering slightly. All the exhaustion and stress lowered your body temperature slightly, but you paid it no mind.

Your eyes landed on Luffy. He was sleeping in front of you, bandaged up. That was all it took for you to remember what happened. You didn't cry this time, but felt your own feelings shut down. You felt numb inside, grieving for a friend you didn’t even get to say goodbye to. You reached up, pushing some of his hair out of his face. You just wanted to break down again but you weren’t sure you had any tears left.

You settled back in the chair, noticing a small plate next to you on the table. You blinked. Yogurt and some fruit? That certainly wouldn’t be enough for Luffy when he woke up. Whenever the man woke up after being injured, he needed to eat enough for a small village in order to really recover.

“That’s for you.” A voice rang through the infirmary and you jumped. You turned around, reaching for your knife only to find it missing. “Looking for this?” You looked up, seeing the doctor holding it in his hand. You narrowed your eyes but blinked as he handed it to you. “Don’t get your panties in a twist. It fell earlier.” You took it from him slowly, placing it on your hip. Well, he was punchable again.

“He’ll be just fine. His recovery is going smoothly, he just needs rest.” His voice softened once more. You looked at him once more, nodding before looking back at your friend. You just hoped he was right. Luffy was crazy at recovering, yes, but everyone had their limits. He also had other damage this time around, not just physical.

“How did you do that?” The doctor suddenly spoke.

“Care to elaborate?” You didn’t bother looking up.

“Your spear. You pulled it out of thin air.” This time you looked up. You supposed that’s how it looked. “It came out of my necklace,” you said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Yeah, yeah. That makes total sense and doesn’t need any explanation at all.” You glared at him, rolling your eyes. “Cause I shouldn’t have to explain myself to you. It provided enough of a diversion to get us out of there and that’s all that should matter.” Your voice was deadpanned. You didn’t have the energy to explain everything. “But you know what does need explaining?” You looked back at the doctor as you realized something. “How you knew my name when I never told it to you?” You moved to stand, glaring at him. “Just who are you?” You stepped towards him and he stepped back, looking slightly panicked.

“Meat?” 

Your head snapped around as you heard Luffy’s voice, immediately forgetting the current issue.

Luffy sat up, looking still mostly unconscious. That's when you smelled it, wafting in from the outside. You stepped back as the man in bed climbed out of it, still mostly asleep. “Luffy…” You knew the moment he woke up all hell would break loose.

You followed Luffy out of the infirmary and out of the ship. It didn’t take him long to find the pile of meat that had been gathered outside. You didn’t dare leave Luffy’s side right now. 

You also noticed a very beautiful woman glaring daggers at you. Uh, okay? You didn't say anything, just turned away from her, giving your friend space and waiting for the inevitable. 

Then it happened. Luffy finally woke up. You watched as he looked around and reality slowly set in for him. The expression from that of contentment to absolute horror. He was crying and screaming. Next thing you knew, you were running after him into the forest. “Luffy!” You called as you ran. But there was no use and you knew that. You remembered how you were. Unaware of your surroundings, not listening to anyone. It got you in a lot of trouble back then. 

You were suddenly joined by the fish man, whose name you recently learned was Jinbe. Both of you exchanged a nod as you headed towards the cries of your friend. It sounded like he had stopped moving so now you could at least catch up to him.

You reached a clearing where Luffy was screaming. You tried to talk to him but he didn't seem to be listening. Then Jinbe hit him. You were stunned to say the least but it seemed to have worked, he was listening now. You never would’ve thought to do that, but you also were still grieving yourself. Jinbe was best suited for this.

You went silent, getting lost in your own head. More memories resurfaced. 

“Do you not still have people worth living for? Why focus on what you have lost when you can focus on those who are still here?” You felt your own head snap back into reality at Jinbe’s words, looking at him. You also felt his words resonate with you in a way. He was right. It…reminded you of something your father once told you. It was a bittersweet memory now.

You watched as Luffy seemed to process his words. He began to mumble about his crew, looking at Jinbe. Jinbe looked at you as if to tell you to say something. That's when Luffy followed his gaze, seemingly noticing you for the first time. 

His eyes widened and tears welled in his eyes again. “Y/n,” he croaked. You ran over to him, hugging him tightly and he returned it. “I'm so sorry. I wasn't strong enough,” he cried. You both fell to the ground and you held Luffy tightly, holding in your own tears. You had to be strong for him. 

“Don't say sorry, it's not your mistake.” 

Luffy just experienced something extremely traumatic, of course he wasn't going to be able to control himself. It wasn’t his fault. This was out of his control. No one could take on the best of the navy by themselves. They did have allies, but casualties were expected. There were plenty of them. On both sides. One of them just happened to be dear to the both of you.

You pulled away, keeping your own tears back. You wiped his tears, looking at him with a soft look on your face. “It's like Jinbe said, focus on what you do have.” Luffy nodded, sniffling. You suddenly could see why Ace called him a crybaby. Sure, he had a very valid reason for crying right now but it still made you think of him. 

Luffy was alive. Ace would be happy with that. You were happy about that. You had to focus on the now. No more dwelling. This was going to be hard and you knew you’d probably cry more, but for now, you had to focus on the boy in your arms. You had to take care of him. For him. For yourself. For Ace.

“Let's go get you something to eat, okay?” Luffy nodded, still sniffling as you guided him back to the coastline. 

While Luffy ate, you watched him from afar, keeping an eye on him. He seemed to be doing a bit better, Jinbe’s words having helped him. He conversed with an old man by the name of Rayleigh as he ate. You still held concern in your heart.

 “You should eat, too,” a voice chimed from behind you. “I’m too stressed out.” You sighed, folding your arms and shaking your head.

“C'mon, he's fine. Look, he's eating. You should too.”

“What, are you trying to fatten me up so you can cook me up and eat me? Gonna make sure I'm nice and nourished so that you can harvest my organs?” You weren’t even bothering to look at him, too focused on the small man just a few yards from you.

A scoff came from the doctor and he rolled his eyes. “Just trying to be nice. Trying to make sure you don't keel over. I don't think Luffy needs to lose another important person in his life.” 

You went silent, biting the inside of your cheek. That stung. You could sense the smirk forming on his face. Oh, you wanted to punch him. You glared at him, opening your mouth to go off on him when Luffy called your name. 

You looked over at him, puzzled. “Yes?”

“Are you coming too?”

“What?” 

“To Marineford!”

WHAT? You looked at him. What the fuck did you miss in the two seconds you were talking to the doctor?

Rayleigh saw the look on your face and took the initiative to fill you in quickly. You blinked, staring at Luffy. He looked hopeful. And like he wanted you to go. You sighed, unable to say no to him. 

“Alright. I'm in.”

--

Surprisingly, it went off without a hitch. You were able to sneak into Marineford and Luffy was able to send his message to his crew members. 

Now, he stood before you on another island that Rayleigh knew of but the two of you didn't. “Next time I see you, I'll be so strong! You'll never have to worry about me again!” He grinned widely at you. You couldn't help but see Ace in that smile. It hurt, but you pushed that down.

A small smile spread across your own face. You ruffled his hair. “I don't doubt that. Even for a moment, kiddo.” He chuckled, looking up at you and setting his hat on his head.

“Are you going to meet us there?” You blinked at his question before realizing what he asked. You shook your head.

“That's going to be a moment for you and your crew, okay? We'll have our moment another time.” He nodded, once more smiling at you. 

“Promise?”

You hesitated. You didn't like making promises because with things like this, there was no guarantee of the outcome. You look at him for a moment…you had a feeling it would be okay. 

You nodded, giving a fond smile. “Promise.” 

You looked at the island before looking back to Luffy. “Now go get strong so you can be king of the pirates!” He grinned widely, nodding. “I will!”

He scuttled off with Rayleigh and you climbed back onto the submarine that you had became familiar with.

“What's your next move?” The doctor spoke up, looking at you. “Well, first thing’s first. Who the hell are you? I still haven’t found that out.”

He blinked, looking at you. Then it hit you. “You’re Trafalgar Law. I’ve seen your face on the bounty posters. You’re one of the supernovas, right?” You’d seen his bounty posters along with Luffy’s and his first mate Zoro’s. 

He had seemed hopeful for a moment but then he looked…disappointed? You didn’t know why or if you even saw it. You were probably just imagining things. “Ah, yes. That’s me,” he said, nodding.

“Well, now that that’s out of the way, I have some things I need to take care of.” You bowed slightly. “Thank you for everything you've done for me and Luffy.” You straightened back up, looking at him. 

“You don't have to th-”

“Ah. I don't want to hear protests. Just accept it.”

He rolled his eyes. “Fine. You're welcome.” This time it was your turn to smirk at him. 

“Anyway. I'm going to go my separate way now.”

He looked at you, puzzled. “What? We’re nowhere near a port-”

You tapped on the pendant of your necklace, pulling out a small box and tossing it into the water next to the submarine. The box began to shift, turning into your Navis. “Don’t need a port. Or a boat.” You winked, hopping down onto your small boat.

“That’s way too small-”

“Don't worry. I'll see you around, Law. Thanks again.” You threw him one, quick, genuine smile before hopping off the deck and down to your ride below. You called to the ocean, the water around you beginning to move and navigate you away from the island. Away from the submarine. You turned back to give one last wave. 

Wait…was Law…blushing?

[analogwriting]

It Comes in Waves

Chapter 6: Tidal Waves

Trafalgar Law x gn!reader word count: 2.7k first|prev|next

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Law turned to look at you and, in that moment, it hit you just how close the two of you were sitting. He took you in, concern spreading across his face. “You’re really pale for just a few scratches on the face,” he said. You shrugged. “I’m fine.” Then your door swung open and you were yanked out of the car. “Ack!”

“Y/n!”

You were met with a pissed commander. The world was spinning slightly, but you pushed it down. You were going to relish in this moment. “Good afternoon, commander,” you said with a sly smile. The same kind the commander loved to use. You saw the fury in his eyes and he tossed you into the car.

You stumbled, expecting to feel the cool metal of the car but was met with Law’s firm chest instead. “Oh, hello. Didn’t see you there,” you mumbled, a little delirious from bloodloss. You were fine. It was fine. “Holy shit, y/n. Why didn’t you tell me you were stabbed this bad?” Law looked at the gash in your side and you shrugged. “Had to win. Didn’t want you to worry. ‘S fine. Just need some food n’ water.”

Law held you up with a sigh. “You’re impossible.” You snorted. “I thought I was incredible.”

“Alright, that’s enough,” the commander piped in. You looked over at him. “Oh right. You’re still here.”

“What is the meaning of this?” he spat. You looked at him. “Meaning of what?” Commander Lindsay was seething. “You winning. There’s no way in hell that you won. Not with your time restraint.” You just shrugged, smiling lazily as you leaned heavily into the doctor next to you.

“You must have cheated.” The commander stepped towards you and Law stepped in between the two of you. “They didn’t cheat. There’s no way we could’ve cheated. We won fair and square. I’d even say with the odds against us.”

“Then how did you win? You're pirates? You've never driven before!”

You groaned. “What is with everyone and assuming I’ve never seen a fucking car before? For ocean’s sake. Like, I’m not even really a pirate. I just travel a lot.” You left it at that, couldn’t go airing out your own laundry now. 

“So you lied.” The commander was not letting this go. 

“Not my fault you played the assumption game and lost.” The look in the commander’s eyes, you could tell he was fighting the urge to absolutely kick your ass but you were right. You had won fair and square.

A devious smile spread across his face as he surely thought of pulling the wool over your eyes. “Alright. However…there are two of you. Which isn’t fair. We’ll let y/n make the decision. You both get your freedom but-”

“His ship and crew.” You didn't hesitate. You knew what he was going to say. You knew he was going to pull that shit from the beginning. He was a textbook bad guy - easy to read and predict. You’d been thinking about it since he had first told you about it. Law's head snapped in your direction. “Y/n.” You held a hand up to silence him but kept your eye on the commander. You pushed off of Law, standing on your own. The world was spinning but you weren’t letting it get to you.

 Kemel’s face fell. “B-But we have your necklace.”

You blinked. “And?”

“It's your people's prized possession.” 

“My people? I don't believe I know what you're talking about.”

“The necklaces are sacred among your people. An extension of yourself.” How the fuck did he know so much?

“Listen. I don't know what the hell you think I am. Or where you heard all that mumbo jumbo but it was just a random necklace I found at a market.”

The commander was angry again. “That bastard,” he mumbled. You were honestly panicking on the inside, but you had a feeling from the beginning that something like this happened. You’d been planning on playing it off then you can sneak in later and get it. If they thought it was nothing, then they wouldn’t guard it as much, right?

“Seems someone fed you the wrong info, huh?” You just wanted to know who the hell gave him the info.

“Well, we're still keeping it. Just in case you're trying to lie.”

You shrugged. “Keep it. Throw it away. I don't care. Give us his ship and crew.”

The commander sulked off, but there was a fire in his eye that claimed he was about to kill someone. At least it wasn't you guys. “At least he’s a man of his word,” you mumbled.

You looked to Law. “Well, that was fun.” You felt yourself grow woozy again and Law stepped forward, catching you as you almost fell. You thanked him, standing up again. He frowned as he looked at you, clearly worried.

He opened his mouth to say something when suddenly-

“CAPTAIN!!!” “BOSS!” “Y/N?!” 

You looked over to see the crew rushing towards the both of you. You barely had time to process what was happening before you were pulled into a group hug. A flash of white came across your vision as your wound was pressed into and you almost passed out.

“Careful! Y/n is injured!” Law started pushing his crew members away from you and you felt yourself beginning to fall before Law caught you. A marine came over and Penguin held you up while Law’s cuffs were undone. He rubbed his wrists and sighed. You looked at the marks they left on his wrists and frowned deeply. “My eyes are up here,” Law’s voice brought you back before you had the chance to spiral. How did he know?

“You’re bleeding!” Bepo’s voice rang out, concern spreading across his face. “I’m-”

“I swear, y/n, if you say you’re fine one more time, I’m going to let you die.” Law suddenly lifted you up in his arms and you yelped in surprise. “Let’s head back before they decide to lock us up again. I’m sure there’s a grace period.” He was back to sounding like a captain again. He probably also had more energy now that those damn cuffs weren’t on him.

Once boarded on the Polar Tang again, it was immediately submerged. Law wanted to put as much distance between the island and the submarine as possible. 

However, you were antsy about that. You still needed to go back for your necklace. The commander was right. It was so important to you. It was sacred. It contained something that you can't exactly live without. Not effectively anyway. Not without losing your humanity.

Right now, he was currently stitching you up with the help of Bepo. You already had bandages on your cheek and the bridge of your nose.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” Bepo said after Law finished up. They had also given you a snack and some water, so you were feeling much better and the color was returning to your skin. You looked towards the polar bear, guilt creeping into your chest. That’s right…Law mentioned he cried after you left. That he was worried about you.

“I’m sorry for disappearing on you like that, Bepo,” you said softly, frowning. You took his large paws in your hands. “I won’t do that again, okay? I’ll always make sure to say goodbye first,” you said. He looked at you and nodded. “O-Okay!” He smiled widely at you.

That night, they threw a party - a celebration for surviving and for winning. Once you entered the room where it was being held, the iconic duo immediately came to your side, pulling you in. They apparently had a bunch of things to catch you up on.

While you had been in recovery the last time, they had taken turns reading a romance novel to you. Which you didn't remember because you weren't conscious but as soon as they spoke about it, you remembered. Comas were weird. They were telling you what happened in the next book. It was very juicy to say the least.

Eventually, the anxiety began to eat away at you. The further you ventured from the island, the more you worried about the success rate of retrieving your necklace.

“Y/n.” You looked up as Law said your name. Then he nodded towards the hallway, signaling he needed to talk to you. You simply nodded, dismissed yourself from Shachi and Penguin, and headed towards the hallway.

“You look troubled,” he said once you were down the hall a bit. How was he able to read you so easily? It’s like he always knew what you were thinking before you even finished a thought.

“When are we surfacing?”

“Eager you leave?” Law scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Can't stand us that much, huh?”

“It's not that!” You looked at him in somewhat of a panic and guilt appeared on his face. He knew how much you cared about the crew now. He hadn’t forgotten what you said to him in the cell those few days ago. It was meant to be a light joke, but his voice didn’t carry the sarcasm like he meant for it to.

“I know. I know.” His voice softened. “You need to go back, don't you?”

You nodded, looking at your feet. 

“The necklace is important, isn't it?” You nodded again. “So what he was saying was true.” A nod. 

“I just don't know how he got that information. How did he know who I was?” Your voice was soft and there was a hint of fear. You were terrified. If people were starting to catch on to who you were, it was only a matter of time before they put your face to your bounty. You wouldn't be a secret anymore. And everyone around you would be in that much more danger. You just hoped that this little fiasco would throw them off your trail.

“What's so important about the necklace?”

You looked towards him. “Well, when we're born, a necklace is forged using stones from deep below the ocean. Not exactly sea prism but another kind of rock that only is found near my island. We are known as friends of the sea. Our people have a very deep relationship with the sea.” You pause, not wanting to bore the doctor. 

“Anyway. Each necklace is embedded with a sort of…magic. We can place things inside and draw them out at will. But only us. And I don't mean my people. Only I can access my own necklace. Mostly because in order to withdraw, it has to be me touching it and I have to imagine what I want to withdraw.” At this point, you were just talking and rambling. You weren’t sure if things were making much sense, but you couldn’t stop the word vomit coming out of your mouth.

You glanced at Law, expecting him to look bored, but he looked the opposite. 

“A-anyway. Long story, short. There are some very important items in there. And something vital. I can't survive right without it.”

Law nodded. “Tell me. Does it look like this?”

Lo and fucking behold, he pulls your necklace out of his own hoodie. He takes it off and holds it out. You stare for a long moment in disbelief. You looked from the necklace to Law to the necklace again. You slowly took it in your hand. The stone glowed slightly as you put it over your head. The glow grew brighter, spreading over your chest before it the light seemed to disappear into your chest. Law watched with bewilderment. “Amazing,” he mumbled.

You felt a wave of calm wash over you as you stabilized once more. Only for emotion to take over and you threw your arms around the man before you. “Thank you! Thank you so much!” Your voice cracked as tears welled in your eyes and you sniffled. “You have no idea what this means to me.”

You pull away, wiping away your tears. “Sorry, sorry. I'm all over the place. When I’m without it for a while and then get it back, my emotions run rampant.” 

It took Law a moment to process what happened and he cleared his throat. “Don't say sorry, it's not your mistake.” 

You paused, looking at him. You opened your mouth, then closed it, then opened it again. Did he just…use your own words against you? Had you said it to him before? You don’t remember but…you hadn’t heard someone else say those words to you in so long. After all, it was something your father told you. You sniffled, wiping your eyes.

“Y-Yeah…” Your voice was barely audible. You didn't know what to say. You looked at your necklace, recollecting yourself a little. Then you realized. “How did you?”

He shrugged. “Snatched it up when we were being shuffled from the workstation to the track. Someone just carelessly left it on a desk.” You blinked, staring at him. “Couldn't find a good time to tell you.”

You stared at him in disbelief. “But I could've picked the necklace instead of the crew.” 

He shrugged. “I said I trusted you, did I not?”

“I forced you to say that. You were ly-”

“Who said I was lying? Who is the one assuming things now?” He smirked at you, a cocky grin that usually you wanted to punch him for, but not at this moment.

This time he shut you up. You looked from him to your necklace to him again. You smiled at him. A warm, genuine smile that he had never seen before. “Thank you, Trafalgar Law. You've done more for me than you know.”

He stared at you for a long moment before his brain seemed to turn back on. “Y-You’re welcome, y/n.” 

He looked at you for another long moment but you were busy looking down at the necklace that donned your chest once again. “Join my crew.”

“What?” You blinked, looking at him - eyes wide. 

“Join my crew.” 

You stared at him. You wanted to accept. You wanted nothing more than to stay with Law and see what happened. To explore with him. To figure out why you felt the way you did. The familiar, faint memories that seemed to tease you from time to time.

“I can't…” You still had some loose ends to tie up. You still had things to take care of. Just like Luffy, you were also working on becoming stronger. There was something you had discovered that you needed to practice with. You were on a hunt for answers right now.

“If you're worried about us getting hurt, you don't have to worry. We can take care of ourselves.”

“I know that but…”

You thought for a moment. “I'll tell you what. The next time I see you, ask me again. I will take it as the fates telling me to join you.” Honestly, you knew the fates were telling you to join him now. What were the odds you kept running into him after that fateful day at Sabaody? That he saved your life and you saved his. That there was this pull you felt to him and a familiar tingle that tickled the back of your mind every once and a while.

But, you weren't ready yet. You had some things to figure out. Some things to confront. 

Law looked at you and nodded. “I'll take it. But know, the next time I lay my eyes on you once more out there, I won't be letting you go so easy.” You blinked at his words, feeling your heart race. Did he mean to say it like that? Was he aware of how he was sounding right now? 

He seemed to snap out of whatever trance he was in, backing away and towards the door. “Someone with your jack of all trades of skills would prove quite useful.”

You looked at him, blinking. Well, that was a 180. Was he trying to seduce you to get you to join and decided to drop the act now that you had somewhat agreed? You never know with this guy. He was a puzzle himself. You scoffed, rolling your eyes. 

Asshole. 

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say to help yourself sleep at night.”

“Let's get back to the party. Don't want to worry everyone.” You nodded, following Law back to where everyone else was. 

[analogwriting]

quick disclaimer, this is the first fic I've written in YEARS but it's been consuming my brain. this was a series of dreams i had when i was rewatching one piece and i just kind of stitched them together. it's gonna be an agonizing slowburn too bc i love to torture myself and others frfr. I'm going to try to make this as gender neutral as possible.

It Comes in Waves

Prologue: Deep Water Waves

Trafalgar Law x gn!reader word count: 1.9k next

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You’re actually the first person who hasn’t treated him like a monster.” A weak laugh came from a young man whose face resembles somewhat of a jester type and a feathery, dark coat. He shook his head, patting the head of the small boy in the hospital bed. The small child said nothing, just stared at the window. Despite the somewhat gloomy atmosphere around the child, it was a bright and sunny day. As it typically was on this particular island.

They had turned up on this island by chance, the young man having misplaced the map they did have. The weather and ambiance was tropical, the land itself - small. The people were as warm as its atmosphere. It was also an island that wasn’t exactly on the map. The young man traveling with the child just happened upon it anyhow. He had misplaced his map and they ended up just sailing to the next island they saw. It wasn’t until they arrived that they realized it was an uncharted island.

The people were surprised to see them. The young child stuck close with the man he was with. And this man was tall. Easily towered over everyone in the village almost two times. They all seemed more weary of him than the child with spots. Despite all that, they were still greeted warmly and without prejudice. They were quickly led to the island’s hospital which wasn’t as much a hospital as it was just a small hut. It consisted of only one doctor, after all.

“Well, everyone deserves a chance, don’t you think? Besides, it’s my duty as our island’s doctor to aid anyone who needs it.” Another man spoke. He was on the older side, graying hair pulled into a bun on the top of his head. Glasses donned the edge of his nose. “Unfortunately, there’s nothing I can really do. We hardly get support from the outside world as is, so whatever research that’s been made about the disease hasn’t made its way to us. Even if it did, our medicine isn’t as far advanced as some other places.  All I can do is lend some local mixtures and medicines to lessen the pain.” A long sigh came from the doctor. It hurt him to not be able to help the pair more. It was obvious he cared about each of his patients, no matter if they were from the island or not.

“Anything you have would be of great help, doctor.” The younger man smiled and nodded, patting the head of the child who was sitting on the bed. 

“Keiki.” A small squeak came from outside of the door, causing the two guests to turn their heads towards the source of the noise. The doctor sighed, chuckling. “I knew you were eavesdropping, my child.” A young child, about the age of the one currently in the hospital bed, peeked from around the corner. The doctor turned to the two guests. “I apologize for my child. They wish  to also be a doctor when they grow older, so I frequently catch them eavesdropping.” He looked at them and they immediately looked to the floor, inclining their head.

“Sorry, papa.” The child frowned, their cheeks turning pink as they looked down at their shoes, unable to make eye contact.

“I’m not the one you should be apologizing to.”

Another small squeak came from the child, who quickly bowed to the two visitors. “I’m sorry. Please forgive me.” 

The young man couldn’t help but chuckle, shaking his head. “No need. Children are curious.” He was honestly just relieved that the people on this island were so kind. They had been to so many places that treated the child in the bed like he was some kind of monster. He had started to lose his hope in humanity. More than he already had. 

“Alright, run along now, keiki. And I mean it. No more eavesdropping.”

“Yes sir!” The child bowed and turned to run off before the young man spoke up. “Hold on.” 

The child turned back around, looking at him with wide eyes, somewhat worried about what was to come. They knew it wouldn’t be that easy to get away. There was probably going to be some kind of punishment, right? They already knew that their father was going to scold them later. It happened every time. But they couldn’t help it! How could they learn if they didn’t know everything!

However, the young man wasn’t looking at them, but to the one on the bed. “Why don’t you go with them? I have more to discuss with the doctor and I’m sure you don’t want to hear this.” The small child near the doorway blinked, confused on the request. They nodded, not about to argue. Could’ve been worse, honestly. The small boy on the bed opened his mouth as if to argue before the man cut him off. “Go.”

The small boy grumbled but obeyed, following the other child out of the door as the two adults resumed their conversation.

Outside, the sun was shining and the air was warm, accompanied by a nice, cool ocean breeze. The doctor’s child was tending to the garden, pulling some weeds as the other child finally joined them. They sat on the edge of the porch, watching them. “What are you doing?”

“I’m pulling all the weeds out!” A large, warm smile came from the child de-weeding the garden and the boy on the porch felt a weird feeling in his chest. “Why are you doing that? Aren’t they all just plants?” He couldn’t see why it mattered.

“Well, if you don’t get rid of the weeds, they can overpower the flowers and kill them.” They put a handful of weeds in the bucket not far from them. “Like a disease?” The boy looked at them, watching their movements.

The child paused, looking at him. “I…suppose so. Like a disease. You have to take out the bad so that it doesn’t get worse and hurt what’s healthy.” They shrugged, going back to what they were doing.

Silence fell upon the two of them, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. All that was heard was the sound of weeds being ripped out of the ground and the breeze through the trees. The hospital was further from the center of town, so there weren’t many people around.

The doctor’s child finished up their task, setting the bucket next to the house to be disposed of later. They tugged off the gloves and moved to the porch, sitting next to the visitor. The boy watched their every movement, leaning away as they sat next to him. Before they could ask what they were doing, the other spoke up. “So, what’s your name?”

“What you didn’t find out when you were eavesdropping?” A roll of the eyes.

“Well, I missed that part of the conversation.” They didn’t seem ashamed in the slightest that they had been caught listening - completely different from how they were acting before.

The boy looked at them for a long moment, a frown on his face. Then he scoffed and looked away. “What does it matter anyway? I’ll be dead and gone soon enough anyway.” It was clear he didn’t have high hopes on his health. He didn’t see the point in making friends when he was getting ready to leave anyway. And probably dying soon enough.

“Who is supposed to remember you when you’re gone?”

“What?” The boy looked at her with confusion. What did that have to do with anything?

“Here on our island, we believe that no one truly dies until they’re forgotten. We keep photos and mementos of those departed to keep them alive in our memories. They continue to live in our hearts.” They shrugged as if it was the most common of knowledge. 

The boy looked at them incredulously, stunned into silence. Then he scoffed once more, grumbling. “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. You’re an idiot for believing it.” The child shrugged, unbothered by what he said. “No one really knows what happens after we die, so why not think that something so warm happens?” He looked at them again, unable to think of what to even say.

“So?” The boy looked at the other child as they spoke. “So what?”

“Who is going to remember you when you’re gone?”

The boy blinked but he couldn’t help but think for a moment. All of his family and friends were dead. The pirate crew he was with was more than happy to forget him. That just left…

“Corazon…” His name left his lips before he even thought about it. Then his face warmed up, pale flesh turning pink.

“Is that the name of the man you’re with?” The child asked, looking at him.

“Uh…” He looked uneasy, as if he wasn’t supposed to say it.

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell.” The child winked, smiling at him once more. Again, the boy felt something weird stir within him. He squirmed, looking away.

“Now, I just need your name.” Another wide smile and another weird feeling.

“Why do you need my name so bad? You gonna forget that easily?”

“Well, not exactly. It’s not every day we get visitors. Especially not someone as tall as Corazon or as grumpy as you.” The boy’s jaw dropped open and he sputtered, trying to find something to say. The child next to him just laughed, filling the air around them with warmth. “I’m just messing with you, geez.” 

“You’re stupid,” he mumbled, folding his arms once more and staring at the flowers below. Silence overcame them again; once more, not an uncomfortable one. It wasn’t long before sniffles could be heard. They were coming from the boy. 

The other looked at him. “Hey, are you alright?” They scooted closer and the boy looked away, wiping his face. “I-I’m fine. Just something in my eye is all.” He sniffled again. “Don’t lie to me. It’s okay to cry. You’re not exactly going through something easy.” The boy looked at the other child with him, his eyes wide. Sure, he heard Corazon say that but it was different when he heard someone else say it. 

It was like a damn broke loose. He just started crying and couldn’t seem to be able to stop. The other child took him in their arms, holding him while he let it all out. They didn’t judge him or think anything else of it. All they saw was someone going through a lot and it was finally bubbling over. They rubbed his back, letting him cry as much as he needed.

Some time later, the crying died down, becoming just sniffles once more. He wiped his eyes, looking at the other. “I-I’m sorry.”

“Don’t say sorry, it’s not your mistake.”

The boy blinked, looking at them in confusion. Not his mistake? What did that even mean?

The other smiled wide. “Want to go into town? There should be an open market today! They have the coolest stuff.” They stood up, heading off the porch, acting as if what had just happened didn’t happen. 

“W-Wait!” The boy stood up, running to catch up. “I need to let Corazon know where I’m going.” He headed back to the hut, turning around. “By the way, my name is-”