âThis hereâs the Grand Coliseum, the premiere fighting arena in the whole of the Germa Empire. Power and privilege belong to the strongest, and Emperor Judge has been merciful to you in allowing you scum of the earth to prove your worth here. If you are able to win one hundred matches, you will be allowed to become a citizen of Germa, and you will be freed."
When Zoro gets captured by Germa, he's sent to the Grand Coliseum, forced to fight for his freedom. Sanji, the Emperor's least favorite son, approaches him with a deal: Sanji will give Zoro all the help he needs to conquer the Coliseum, if in exchange Zoro claims the prince as his prize at the end. Will the two make it out of Germa unscathed? Or will their lives - and their deaths - belong to the Emperor?
Hello friends and neighbors! I'm happy to finally be able to share my gladiator au fic with you đđ
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: One Piece (Anime & Manga)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Sabo/Trafalgar D. Water Law
Characters: Sabo (One Piece), Trafalgar D. Water Law
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Vampire, everything is the same except law is a vampire and has a castle. roll w it, Seduction, Flirting, Kissing, Blood Drinking, Medical Examination, medical ACCURACIES, Altered Mental States, Banter, Comedy, Fade to Black, Implied Sexual Content, Rare Pairings
Summary:
âOh,â Law says, eventually. âAre you offering to let me drink your blood?â
Fucking finally! Geez, that took a century and a half. Sabo barely holds himself back from rolling his eyes.
âIt seems that I am,â Sabo says, voice smooth but with an undeniable edge â he canât help being impatient in the face of all that.
âWell, alright,â Law says agreeably, and not at all sexily. âYouâll have to fill out the paperwork first, though.â
âTheâŠpaperwork,â Sabo echoes dimly.
------
new slawbo fic!!!!!!!!! this time itâs a random vampire-Law AU!!!!!! check it out!!!!! hope you guys enjoy!!!
Been on a writing roll, so have a snippet from a longer fic I'm currently working on! This is the answer to a request about Makino's reaction to Shanks' Celestial Dragon origins, and while my personal headcanon is that he just told her, then I thought 'what if he didn't and instead she found out in the worst way? :D'
Spoilers for manga chapter 1138 and onwards, and specifically chapter 1152!
Each-uisge (âwater horseâ): a shapeshifter usually found in deep lochs and oceans; will sometimes take the form of a handsome man to lure young maidens into a watery grave.
âWhat does this symbol mean?â
The gentle query was accompanied by a touch, drawing him out of the lethargic daze that had seen him drifting off to sleep, and slitting his eyes found Makino's fixed on his left arm, and the tattoo inked on his bicep.
A slender fingertip traced the symbol, the featherlight caress leaving a pebbling of goosebumps in its wake despite the warm steam from the bath. Her head was resting on his chest, her small frame seated astride his hips, but then the bath barely fit him as it was.
He watched her tracing the tattoo, following the intersecting lines between the four outer points, and the circle enclosing them. And it wasnât the first time sheâd seen itâgiven how many times sheâd seen him naked in the frankly horny week that had followed that first time behind the counter of her bar, Shanks would have been surprised if sheâd missed itâbut it was the first time sheâd brought it up.
Those bottomless eyes lifted from the tattoo to his, the thick fan of her lashes swept upwards in a questioning look, and he realised belatedly that he hadnât answered.
âNothing specific,â he lied, his smile easing its path along his voice, not so much as a shiver in it to betray the blatant untruth for what it was. âSaw it in the tattoo parlor and thought it looked cool. Ben doesn't agree, but then itâs not like his tattoo is any cooler.â
The teasing purse of that soft mouth said she wasnât fully convinced thatâs all there was to it, but she didnât pry, her lashes fanning down as she touched her fingertip to the centre point of the tattoo, and he felt a clenching in his gut, but then even if there was a lot he hadnât told her about his life before coming here, omitting parts of the truth and lying to her face were two completely different things, and this was the first time Shanks had done the latter.
He was glad she was focused on the tattoo then, because the shame rising in his throat was so great that for a brief second, he'd lost control of his expression, before he reined it back in, his usual ease falling into place, like a second skin.
âHow old were you when you got it?â Makino asked then. She was still tracing the tattoo, her touch lingering, and in a way that made him acutely aware of its presence.
He resisted the urge to shrug off the sensation, clenching his fingers until it passed, before spreading his palm over the top of her head where it lay on his chest, her short hair damp from the bath. The setting sun reaching into his cabin compelled the sea glass to the surface, glimpsed between the sable tresses slipping through his fingers where he played with it.
âEarly twenties,â Shanks said, which was true, but then he added, âMy memory of the event is a little blurry. There was a lot of sake involved.â
Another lie, and another truth, entwined like a sailor's knot until even he struggled to tell them apart. But he had gotten stupidly drunk that day, although it had been after getting the tattoo, not before, as though if he just poured enough sake down his throat, he could forget what he was doing. What heâd had to do.
Of course, he'd never forgotten, not that day, or any of the days that had followed, that time in his life remembered with excruciating clarity, but then he'd brought back more reminders than the one inked on his arm.
âOne of my many youthful indiscretions,â he continued, although didnât know if it was a lie or a truth this time, but then it might be years until he knew the answer, and whether or not he'd made the right decisions.
That little smile wanted to know the whole story. And he wished then that it could have been as simple as a foolish young captain in a tattoo parlor, sailing three sheets to the wind and with a whole crew cheering him on.
âThe first time I saw it, I thought it might be a kind of compass,â Makino said, tracing the circular pattern.
Shanks didnât answer, playing with her hair, although had to curl his fingers to keep them from shaking, and was glad she was focused on the tattoo.
And if only it had been a compassâa sailor's symbol of good luck, pointing the way home, but if his tattoo pointed to anything, it was a place that had never been home, and a time he'd much rather forget.
He was suddenly grateful that she didnât understand its significance, but then outside the Holy Land, there were few who'd recognise it for what it was, and what it made himâor had made him, anyway, although he could run as far as he wanted, but it didnât change what he was, at least in the eyes of his old man.
âShanks?â
He felt her sit up a bit, the water sloshing against the sides of the bath, and watched the paths it took down her body, silver rivulets where it ran from the horizon of her collarbones, between the pert mounds of her breasts to the dip of her waist, cupped in his hands now, wrapped loosely around it, so tiny he could span it with his fingers.
Her eyes sought his, trapping his roving gaze, and in the direct trajectory of that look, he felt suddenly exposed, and not just because he was naked beneath her.
The knit of her brows made him wonder if he'd let something slip, watching as her eyes searched his face, and suddenly terrified of what sheâd find on it, evidence more damning than the one written on his skin, âIf you were to get a tattoo, what would you get?â Shanks asked her.
If she heard that he was trying to change the subject, her startled smile didn't mind. âI donât know,â Makino mused. She was playing with the hair on his chest now, her eyes lowered under her lashes. âSomething pretty. I like flowers.â
His grin had momentarily forgotten about his own tattoo, distracted by the thought of what she'd look like with one, and the bare canvas of her body where he held it. âA compass rose?â
She stuck her tongue out, but pulled it back when he tried to catch it in a kiss, the water sloshing wildly around them, and laughing, âIâm not a sailor,â Makino reminded him pertly. She had her hands pressed to his mouth, although it did little to contain his grin, stretching behind her fingers. âAnd Iâm pretty sure itâs frowned upon for a landlubber to get a sailor tattoo.â
Nipping at her fingers, âIf thatâs your worry, you could always become a pirate," Shanks rumbled. "Problem solved.â
Her laugh was soft, as her hands moved to cup his face, her thumbs brushing the corners of his eyes. The last dregs of sunlight danced in hers, the look in them soft where she held his face. âIs piracy the solution to all your problems?â
His smile tilting, âYouâd be surprised,â Shanks said, but held his tongue before he could say that piracy had solved one of his lifeâs biggest obstacles, which was directly related to the tattoo on his arm. Instead, what he told her was, âPiracy was freedom. That alone solves a number of problems.â
Makino hummed, brushing her thumb over the edges of his scars. âAnd what were you seeking freedom from, Captain? This isnât where you tell me you have a wife somewhere, is it?â
His grin kept his secrets, but then heâd had years of practice guarding his expressions, the ones heâd spent in Mariejois a greater education than any other part of his life. âNo wife,â he said honestly, although stopped himself before he could say not yet.
He blinked, but didnât know what surprised him moreâthe sudden impulse to speak the words to her, or that it didnât horrify him to realise that he meant them.
Makino was watching him, her eyes soft, and he wondered suddenly what she would have said if he had spoken them out loud. Theyâd barely known each other a few months, and more than that, he was leaving soon. Heâd renounced the life that would have seen him settled with a wife, walled in from the rest of the world and miles from the sea he loved, and more than anything.
But watching her where she sat, the petite frame of her body cradled between his, the loveliest being the sea had made, he couldnât shake the feeling within him; as though it had been imprinted, and in something more permanent than ink.
Even sea-longing didn't feel like thisâa yearning so fierce that it left him short of breath, even now.
Cocking her head, her eyes searched his face, as though if she only looked hard enough, she might find the answers she sought there, about his past, and his life before her. But then her own life was an open map, hiding no more secrets than her face did. In comparison, Shanks had so many secrets, if he were to tell her, he didnât even know where to begin.
No, that wasnât true. He knew exactly where he should begin; the only thing he didnât know was how sheâd react to learning the truth.
Her hands released his face to trace the width of his shoulders, her eyes following the paths of her fingers, charting his body as sheâd come to know it, a curious boldness that was different from her usual shyness when it came to touching him.
Shanks watched her, transfixed, but then her face wore all her thoughts openly, not a single secret to be found in it, but while her helpless attraction usually made him feel stupidly gratified, this time all he felt was soft.
In his whole life, no one had ever touched him like that, or looked at him like thatânot just with attraction or desire, but with a gentle sort of wonder that made him want to be the person she saw, and admired.
Her fingertips brushed the tattoo again, and he had to stop himself from tensing up, but before he could, the palm of her hand covered it. It was so tiny the full spread of her fingers didn't even span the width of his bicep, and wasnât enough to hide the whole tattoo, but the significance of the gesture wasnât lost on him. And he didnât know how sheâd deduced that it wasnât just the drunken evidence of a questionable decision in his youth, but when her eyes met his, the look in them understood, even if she didnât know half of it.
He felt exposed again, all of him stripped bare under that look, only this time, Shanks didnât try to escape it, allowing her instead to see, his second skin shucked, and leaving him more vulnerable than he'd allowed himself to be around anyone, even his crew.
And he wanted to tell her then, about all of it. Held by that trusting look, Shanks thought he could have told her anything.
But it would mean bringing that world here, to her gentle shores, and into the peace that existed here, untouched by the concerns and the corruption of the greater world. The Holy Land might as well be a fairy story to the people here, but if he told her who he was, and the things heâd done, the things that tattoo was a living reminder of, it would make it real. And if he could spare her from that, he would, even if it meant withholding that part of himself from her.
Of course, if he was completely honest, it wasn't just for her sake that he wanted to keep his disguise; the shape he'd grown dangerously comfortable in here, with her. Her captain, who could inspire both wonder and exasperation; who could make her laugh and blush and moan, but more than anything, who had her trust.
But he was good at keeping secrets. Mariejois had taught him that, after all, changing his shape to be what his surroundings required him to be, a steel-faced noble or a rakish pirate captain, they were all just second skins, neither more true or false than the other.
She wasnât touching the tattoo now, playing instead with the hair on his chest. And holding her, he wondered idly if he could find a tattoo artist to change it. It wouldnât need much work to turn it into a compass rose; something that invoked fairer winds and following seas, and her, who embodied both. Even if it wouldnât change what it had been, or what it had meant once, it didnât mean it couldnât become something new. A pirateâs symbol of freedom, to choose his own course, not a reminder of what heâd been, but who he wanted to be.
And if his course should one day lead him back to herâŠ
He was drifting off to sleep, lulled by the tracing on his skin, when her voice rose into the quiet,
Back when Law was younger, before the warlords, before the alliances, before the heart pirates became something feared across the grand line - the crew once asked him what kind of woman he liked.
He called the question stupid.
Said he didnât have time for âthat crap.â
But Bepo kept pushing. Penguin and Shachi started listing increasingly ridiculous options just to annoy him, and eventually, Law sighed, shut his book, and answered.
âSomeone intelligent.â
The crew booed immediately.
Law ignored them.
âSomeone curious. Someone who challenges me instead of agreeing with everything I say. Edgy, but cute.â he pauses. âSheâd need to handle herself. I donât babysit people.â
âThatâs your type?!â Shachi laughed. âCaptain, that woman doesnât exist.â
Law had rolled his eyes and gone back to reading.
Years later, docked at some half-forgotten winter island in the north blue, Law walks into a mechanic shop beneath the sound of loud music and sparking metal -
and meets a woman covered in grease stains, arguing with three grown men over why they nearly destroyed an engine.
Sheâs smart.
Sharp-tongued.
Obsessed with learning how things work.
Drinks bitter coffee like water.
Looks at Law like heâs just another man instead of the Surgeon of Death.
And for the first time in his life, Trafalgar Law understands what people mean when they say love at first sight.
Unfortunately for him, she also argues with him constantly.
The heart pirates realize whatâs happening almost immediately.
Their captain, who once claimed romance was a waste of time, suddenly spends hours in the engine room âchecking repairs.â
â đ â
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âYou-â growls Zoro, which makes Luffy laugh, clarion and delighted into the night. Stupidly, pointlessly, Nami swallows against the sudden urge to cry.Â
Watches, instead, Zoroâs head turn towards Luffyâs silhouette, lanternlight glinting orange off his eyes, off the swords resting across his waist.
âWhatever,â he says. Some demon. He could be a king of Hell for all the mythologizing Namiâs heard, but he folds like grass to laughter. âFine.â
Nami, Zoro, Luffy, and the shadows of what theyâll become.
hello this is a fic that i have been meaning to write for awhile. you can read it with NO SPOILERS! if you have gotten past BUGGY ARC! for this reason it is VERY ACCESSIBLE TO NEW READERS! unlike the VAST MAJORITY OF MY WORK!
My piece for MĂ€rchenstunde, a fairy tale-themed Law/Luffy zine @strawhearttaleszine đŻđAftersales are currently open so check it out if you haven't yet!!
((Law is actually a vodnik but I'm calling him a water imp for ease of reading.))
[ Read on AO3 ]
âââââ
Grabbing his fishing rod like he did every Friday, a wide grin spread on Luffyâs lips. For some reason, heâd always loved the lake behind their villageâloved the calm, soft hum of the water, loved playing in the shallows with his friends, and he loved the fish swimming happily below the surface.
They were the tastiest fish ever.
âIâm off!â Luffy announced to no one in particular.
âLuffy, wait!â Sabo called after him, voice full of alarm. âYou know you canât go today! No one has time to go with you!â
Luffy simply grinned wider, looking back at his dishevelled, clearly distressed brother. âIâll be fine! Stop worrying, youâll get wrinkles,â he noted, sticking his tongue out at him.
âLuffy, I swearââ Sabo growled, voice low and dangerous as his hand curled into a fist.
Before he had the chance to say anything more, Luffy was gone, his carefree laughter the only thing lingering in the space he had vacated.
Quickly running to the door, Sabo yelled after his runaway brother, âLuffy, if you fall into the lake again and die, Iâm going to kill you!!â
âââââ
It was a day like any other for Trafalgar Law, the local water imp. He woke up in his bed on the lake floor, had breakfast, then grabbed one of the human anatomy books he had gotten from Shachi and Penguinâtwo young men from the nearby village whom Law had, begrudgingly, come to call his friendsâover the years.
A perfectly normal, boring day.
Until a loud splash came from above.
He tried to ignore itâprobably some idiot trying to throw a coin in to âmake a wishâ and dropping their entire savingsâbut that soon became impossible when an entire human body came floating down, right into the middle of Lawâs living room.
Law closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He was sure that if he pretended this wasnât happening, it would go away. There was no way someone was stupid enough to drown in this lake of all lakes, much less right in the dreaded water impâs goddamned house.
There was absolutely no way. He hadnât been getting enough sleep lately; he was just imagining it, he was sure of it.
âUm, Captain? Are you going to let him die?â Bepo the catfishâhis best friend of over twelve yearsâspoke uncertainly.
Law sighed deeply.
So, it wasnât just some ridiculous hallucination.
Finally opening his eyes, Law took in the sight before him. The young man was still struggling but his movements were growing weak, strength quickly leaving him as more water entered his lungs. His short, black hair was flowing gently in the water, partly hiding his face but even so, Law recognised that straw hat and the scar under his eye. A guy whoâd been coming to the lake nearly every day, sometimes with friends, sometimes with his brothers, sometimes alone just to look out at the water surface, splashing his feet and humming a song to himself, completely off-key.
No, Law hadnât been watching him.
Not at all.
He simplyâŠnoticed him, thatâs all.
âSeriously.â Law groaned, rubbing at the bridge of his nose before he snapped his book shut and got up from his couch.
Taking two steps forward, he came to stand above the drowning idiot. He gave him one last incredulous look before he raised one of his hands.
âRoom,â he said curtly.
The water swirled under his palm for a moment before it shot out in all directions, forming a dome around the two of them, a column at the top leading all the way to the surface. Once air filled the space around them, Law flicked his fingers.
âTact.â
A second later, the idiot lying at his feet started coughing as the water followed Lawâs command, making its way out of his lungs and back out his mouth.
It didn't take long for Straw Hat to fully regain consciousness then. There were tears in his eyes when he rolled onto his stomach, shakily getting up to his knees as he heaved, spitting out the last few drops of water. Only then did he look up, turning his head every which way with eyes blown wide, staring in awe at the water dome around him.
And finally, his eyes fell on Law.
"You're the fish dude," he said, soundingâŠstrangely excited.
Law stared at him blankly for a moment, trying to wrap his head around what the hell he had just heard. He wasnât surprised the idiot had noticed his existence after all the visits to the lake butâŠ
"Fish dude," he repeated, voice void of any emotion.
"Yeah!" Straw Hat nodded proudly with a painfully bright smile on his lips. "I'm Luffy! Monkey D. Luffy."
Law rubbed at his temples, already feeling a headache coming. He didn't like any random person knowing his name but if the alternative was to be called 'fish dude'⊠"Trafalgar Law."
"Traf-Tura-Torao. Hey, did you save me?" Straw Hat asked, apparently satisfied with the completely butchered name.
Law didn't even care anymore.
"Yes," he sighed. "But just so you knowâŠ" Law trailed off, gesturing with his hand and releasing his power, causing the water to crash down around them and submerge the lake floor once more.
Straw HatâLuffyâyelped, his arms flailing in panic; maybe thinking that if he tried hard enough, he could keep the water away from himself. Law simply watched in mild amusement as he struggled for a while longer until the realisation dawned on him.
"I can breathe," Straw Hat muttered quietly.
"Yes. A handy side-effect of my power touching you. As a matter of fact, itâs a sign that your soul is bound to me and if I actually cared, I could keep you down here for the rest of your life as a slave. But, luckily for you, I do not care. So, if you would kindly leave nowâŠ" Law gestured in a random direction, giving Straw Hat an impatient look.
"This is amazing!" Luffy laughed as he looked around, taking a deep breath as if to appreciate his new ability.
"He's totally ignoring you, Captain," Bepo noted.
"Did that catfish just talk?!" Straw Hat was gaping now, staring at Bepo with wide eyes.
Bepo's gaze dropped as he muttered, "Sorry."
"That's so cool! Do all fish talk now?!"
Law groaned. This was going to be a long day.
âââââ
If you asked Law how he liked to spend his days, he would say studying medicine, reading, chatting with Bepo, or hanging out with Penguin and Shachi by the lake. Maybe going to the village library if he was bored enough to actually bother turning his pointy ears, sharp teeth, and green skin human.
The answer certainly wouldnât be sitting on his couch with some guy sprawled next to him, listening to said guy chatter away, and answering a hundred-plus-one questions about his life, his abilities, the lake, his damn coin collection. And yet, here he was.
And he hated to admit that he was actually having fun.
âHow can you keep so many books here?â Straw Hat asked, pulling out a random one from the bookcase.
Law had to bite down a laugh when Luffy quickly put the book back as if it had burned him once he realised it was a Latin dictionary. âI can control the water here, in case you didnât notice,â Law answered, careful not to let his amusement show.
âOh, right. Do you have anything thatâs not super boring though?â Luffy gave him a look as if he was judging him and Law puffed up.
âLike what?â he hissed.
âSome adventures! Something exciting! All you have here is justâŠstudying. Donât you want to have fun?â There was an inquisitive look in Luffyâs eyes while he questioned Lawâs taste in books, one that completely froze Law in place.
Luffyâs eyes seemedâŠhungry. Like he was dying for something, a caged bird who ached for adventure. For freedom. Yet, there was determination behind the yearning, a fire burning just behind those large, expressive eyesâa fire just as warm, just as bright, just as enticing as the sun far above in the sky.
And just like the sun⊠Law wanted to bask in that gaze.
âTorao?â
Suddenly brought back to reality, Law shook his head to rid himself of his thoughts. What was that? Heâd never felt the urge to justâŠfollow someone into the unknownâmuch less a human person who had literally crashed into his life only hours earlier.
Ridiculous.
âSounds like youâre the one who wants to go on an adventure, Straw Hat-ya,â Law noted, his words not betraying his confused thoughts.
Immediately, a wide, impossibly bright grin spread on Straw Hatâs lips. âYeah! And youâre coming with!"
A beat passed while Law blinked, staring at Straw Hat as if heâd grown a second head. âExcuse me?â
"Yeah! I still don't have a ship but once I do, youâre sailing with me." His eyes seemingly looked past Law, somewhere far aheadâfurther than Law could imagineâ, a quiet but powerful determination burning behind them.
Law gulped heavily, biting back the urge to agree on the spot. He would be lying if he said this tiny lake and little village weren't boring. Much too small for Law's taste. But this idiot couldn't just know how much Law wanted to get out.
There was simply no way.
"Why the hell would I?" Law asked after a long stretch of silence.
Straw Hat tilted his head to the side at the question, a small frown on his face as he gazed back at Law with confusion.
Adorable.Â
Law startled at the thought before he quickly chased it away.
"Why?" Straw Hat repeated. "âCause I like you and you're obviously bored. Of course I'm taking you out of here," he announced, a wide grin on his lips and LawâŠ
Law hated the way his heart skipped a beat.
Those words, those eyes, that smileâŠthis whole man was dangerous.Â
Dangerous, because Law wanted to know more about him; to see more of his smiles, hear more of his laughter, witness how far that reckless determination could take him.
Even these thoughts were dangerous.
It didnât matter how easy he was to talk to or how comfortable Law felt in his presenceâand that he was cute, wellâŠ
That mattered the least of all.
âYeah, no,â Law refused flatly.
Immediately, Straw Hat let out a drawn out whine. âTorao, come on!â
âNo.â Law waved his hand dismissively, making the water swirl around Luffyâs head to indicate the conversation was over.
Straw Hat, however, didnât seem to agree. He puffed up his cheeks before powering through the stream towards Lawâwho only smirked and strengthened the current before turning away.
A grave mistake, as he had learned a moment later when arms wrapped around his shoulders, Straw Hat draping himself over him. âTo-ra-o! Donât be mean. Go out with me!â
Law froze. Did he justâ âAre you asking me on a date, Straw Hat-ya?â
Luffy snickered at Lawâs completely flat tone. âMight as well, if it gets you out of this place for a day.â
Law sighed. This idiot really had no idea what he was saying at any given time, did he? Rubbing at the bridge of his nose, Law realised that there really was no point arguing with him.
âWhatever. Youâre going back to your brothers.â
âWhy?!â Straw Hat cried, his arms tightening around Lawâs shoulders.
âBecause Iâve had enough of your shit for a lifetime,â Law hissed, shrugging the arms off. He only missed the warmth for a short moment before he turned around to glare at Straw Hat.
Luffy stared back for a moment but then he pointed an accusing finger at Law. âTorao, youâre embarrassed!â
âIâm most certainly not,â Law snapped, clicking his tongue and trying to ignore the way his breath caught in his throat at the bright smile he was given.
âIâm going to make you admit it.â
Law scowled. Why did he save this idiotâs ass again?
âGoodbye, Straw Hat-ya. Shambles.â
âToraââ
Straw Hatâs protests were cut short, a piece of wood replacing his wide eyes, his open mouth, and his hand reaching out as if to grab for Law. The imp could hear water splashing and people shoutingâno doubt Straw Hatâs brothers who had been yelling and running around the lake for a while now.
Finally, some peace.
âââââ
Relaxing on the couch the next day, Law closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, taking in the serene atmosphere of the bottom of the lake. It was as if the day before had never happened; there was no loud laughter now, no intrusive questions, no accidental date invitations.
Maybe he really had hallucinated all of yesterday.
âItâs so quiet,â Bepo muttered where he was swimming in circles above Law.
Law cracked one eye open to give the catfish an unimpressed look as he scoffed, âDonât tell me you miss the noise.â
âIâm just saying!â Bepo cried defensively. âSorry.â
âYou have nothing to apologise for,â Law replied automatically but then he sighed. He couldnât deny that his friend had a point. It was strange being in his house alone with just Bepo again.
No, it wasnât lonely. Just weird.
Definitely just weird.
He should just read something. Did he have any fiction? Maybe he could take out his Sora, Warrior of the Sea comicsâŠ
Law groaned; what was he thinking? Did he actually take Straw Hatâs words from yesterday to heart? Ridiculous. But⊠It had been a while since heâd read the seriesâŠ
The moment he stood up to go look for them, a loud splash came from above and Law froze, his head whipping up to stare at the largeâŠobject that was currently sinking to the bottom of the lake and straight on top of his goddamned bookcase. Law refused to acknowledge what he was seeing. Refused to see the flailing arms, the flowing black hair, the scar under his eye, the straw hat.
If he closed his eyes, it wasnât happening.
âStraw Hat! Youâll mess up the books!!â Bepo cried in panic before he shot forward to push the not-drowning idiot out of the way.
Law heaved a deep sigh. Of course it was real.
âWhat the hell are you doing?â Law asked, voice full of exasperation.
âI thought Iâd swim to your place but I couldnât!â Straw Hat whined, sounding out of breathâprobably from where Bepo had crashed into his stomach at full speed.
âOh.â Law had totally forgotten about that. âYeah, you canât swim anymore. Total anchor now. Sorry.â
Straw Hat hummed, sitting up on the floor with a thoughtful expression on his face. But then, he snickered. âEh, I couldnât swim before either so it doesnât really matter!â
Lawâs eyebrows shot up at. That explained how he had managed to nearly drown in a shallow lake like this butâŠreally? After coming to the lake almost every day for years? Unbelievable.
âI mean, what are you doing here?â Law asked instead of doing something ridiculous like laughing. âThereâs nothing interesting for you here.â
The moment their eyes met, Straw Hatâs face split into the brightest grin Law had ever seen. And somehow⊠Law knew what Straw Hat was going to say and he knew that this timeâ
âYouâre here, Torao. And you owe me a date.â
âhe wouldnât be able to refuse.
This story is very very loosely inspired by Karel Jaromir Erben's poem Vodnik (minus the...you know...kidnapping and brutal murder)
"Huh?" Marco looks over at the blond who's leaning into his space and eyeing him with cocked-head curiosity. He's got a burn scar over one eye, but his roguish grin seems only enhanced.
"Well obviously you're not sitting here for fun. Is it marriage issues? Mid-life depression? Did you try and blow something up, so the judge gave you mandatory time?"
"Sabo!" hisses the guy next to him, and Sabo snorts even as the other man kicks him in the ankle.
"What, I'm making friends, Ace. That was my therapy goal for this week."
"Your therapy goal for this week was to stop being a fucking dick." Ace says, and then he's leaning over Sabo's back and pushing Sabo like he's trying to squirm into Sabo's seat. "I'm sorry about him, sir."
Sabo bats his eyelashes, and remains remarkably steady as what looks like a hundred pounds of muscle tries to shove him around. "You're so adorable when you try and act like people don't love this facet of my personality. Ow! Hey! Stop that-"
Ace pinches Sabo again, then manages to squeeze into the side of his chair, separating him from Marco. It also leaves a lot of his warm, bare shoulder pressed against Marco, who subtly switches his weight to the other side of the chair so they no longer touch. He manages a strained smile. "It's fine, really. I'm not here on court order. My brother just needed-"
"Oh you're like that huh?"
"Excuse me?"
"Older sibling syndrome," Ace and Sabo say in disturbing synchrony, Ace giving a sage little nod but Sabo grinning widely, like he's pleased to have solved such an unimportant puzzle.
"Actually," Marco says tightly, "my brother just needed a lift. I'm waiting for him."
Ace and Sabo look at him with identical expressions: your point?
Zoro takes on a prestigious contract with the powerful Vinsmoke family, leveraging his Academy-honed skills to navigate their high-stakes world. He soon meets Sanji, the enigmatic third son whose polished charm and masked vulnerabilities draw Zoro in. As their connection intensifies, an insidious web unravels, and they must make a choice that could reshape their destinies.
beautiful companion art made by @jezebelletauralene - thank you for this lovely commission!!
