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Law knew it was strange for a pirate to dislike indulgences. Is that not what the word pirate had come to mean? To have the freedom to Inbibe in whatever vice they could get their greedy hands on? But that meant letting go, casting away walls that kept out numerous unpleasant things people preferred to keep deep down. Law was one of those people with many, many things he would rather keep down. And he could admit that to himself.
It was safe to say that drinking was not a pass time of Law's, but he was a captain, who ran a crew, a crew that consisted of people united under a Jolly Roger. Otherwise known as a Pirate crew. He could abstain as he pleased, but he'd be remiss to deny something so trivial to his crew.
He'd take a few sips as to not kill the mood but once everyone had atleast 2 cups as he nursed his first, he knew he was free to forget his glass somewhere for the night. From then on, he was free to mingle or escape as soon as he wanted, and he found he was quite fond of the latter. If he didn't, He always found himself babysitting; cutting Shachi off after his 5th or enduring his crew's heckling as he shuffled them down the hall to their bunks. They could handle themselves and deal with the repercussions of their actions, Law thought, just as he was allowed to hide himself away in his room, only stopping to rest once he heard the speakers shut off.
So even now, as he listened to the dull roar below the deck of the Polar Tang, Law wasn't entirely sure why he was breaking his rules for you. That was a lie, he knew damn well why, you had shared history. History that hurt to even consider without a shot or two on his most even nights. This was his 4th glass in an hour just after he told himself the 3rd would be his last, and he nursed it all the same without a shred of trepidation.
Maybe its because neither of you were in a state to talk. Law too caught up in his own head, and you, weakly hung against the rail, fighting the spit welling up in your mouth. Law wasn't sure how much you had to drink, but he doubted it was enough to cause you to get sick this quickly.
Law thinks you said something to him, but between the waves and rush of blood in his ears, he could only make out your own tired eyes boring into his. He knew that vaguely pleading expression, he wore it himself most nights.
"-Its all too fucking loud."
"Yeah?" Law fought a canting smirk.
"Mhmh."
Law peered inside his mug, thoughtlessly swirling the remaining contents. Its foam reminded him of the calm sea before him. Its a shame, He mused. Such a quiet night drowned out in all this sound. He had been so sure, all those years ago on Swallow island, that he lost you beneath a similar sea, but he supposed that would have been far more merciful than the guilded cage Doflamingo hung you from. Law heard you cough again, dry, and unamused.
Law glanced back at you. "What are your thoughts on laying down?"
"Sounds amazing." You murmured dryly, "but I tried the bunks already. Its too close to the mess."
Law replied far to easily for his own good, "I've got another spot in mind. Its got a few more walls between it."
Wait. Was he really..?
"Okay. Lets go."
Fuck. Law's easy expression slid off his face as he processed what he just offered. Great. He'd be babysitting again. So much for a carefree night. He lifted his glass to his lips and finished what remained, reasoning that maybe it'd dull his own issuing irritation.
---
Law weaved through drunk arms and legs and sound, carving a quick to close path in his wake. You kept close behind. It was hard to lose sight of that hat anyway.
The sea of bodies thinned significantly once you had both passed through the mess and reached the off-shoot halls, and Law spared a glance behind him. He didn't look at you long before his attention was back on the hallway, and his shuffling steps eased to a cordial cadence. You had no problems falling into step beside him.
Each step carried with it an intrusive beat that the crowd no longer dulled, becoming more and more jarring in isolation. Just a few halls away you could have forgotten you were submerged under the sea, now each sound that bounced off these metal walls reminded you of that fact. But you weren't alone.
Your companion had been wearing a mix between a scowl and a grimace, before agreeing on a simple frown as he slowed his pace. You took a few more steps before back-tracking to the unassuming bolted door Law was now trying to melt with his eyes.
You assumed he might take you to one of the operating theaters, or hell, maybe even some far off storage closet, but not here.
"Captain."
"Yeah?"
"This is your room."
"And?"
You sighed. There was no way he was this drunk, right? Maybe he was messing with-
Law's shifted uneasily on his feet, raising an arm to brace himself against the cool metal of the bulkhead, feigning composure.
Any success he could have had with that slipped away once he tugged down his hat. You knew that quirk well, and that meant knowing what that eccentric hat of his hid beneath it. Some facial expression he wasn't comfortable baring to you, even alone like this. Especially alone like this.
"You're drunk, arent you?"
------
Law was drunk. And mad. And flustered, and nauseous and embarrassed. This was mortifying.
His jeans dug into his boney knees as he knelt on the tile, arms braced on the rim of the toilet. His head felt as though it was just about to float away, but each heave forcefully pulled him back down, tethering him to this shitty bathroom floor; with shitty half working lights; that tricked his mind into believing that "its not that bad" and that it "was pretty common to get sick on that type of alcohol anyway". Not because he drank on an empty stomach. Not because he should have known better. And definitely not because he couldn't drink more than a few glasses ever since his skin turned patchy and white.
A hand brushed back his thoughts and sweaty hair, and now a towel was being shoved under his uncooperative legs. He turned to face you, and his gut rolled with the motion. He could see you kneeling with him, still feel your hands in his hair as he started-
And that was as close to a "thank you" as he could attempt before being dragged back to purge his near empty stomach again.
How pathetic is that?
Law spit up the acid on his tongue. It didn't get rid of the burn in his throat, but felt like it was something he could do besides sitting here staring at his own sick. He tried to straighten his back a little, and fumbled for the handle while he sucked in deep breath of recycled air that burned his raw throat. It wasn't the only thing that felt scraped raw.
Law saw a cloth being offered to him by the time he opened his eyes again, and staring down at the innocuous white color, damp to wipe away at his face. He just...
He couldn't muster the will to grab it. Just, stared. And breathed.
"Its on your face Law. C'mon."
Law heard distantly. Murmured gently beside him in a tone that tore up his pride even further. What finally made it snap was seeing white raise towards his face.
"I got it." He grunted, firmer than he intended, as he seized the offending towel from your hand and dragged it over his mouth.
He dimly registered the rush of water and your arm awkwardly stretched in front of him to flush the toilet. But he felt your eyes on him, not unkind, nor filled with pity. Just understanding.
Law felt pinned under the weight of that stare, and his stomach lurched again though it was a far less familiar nausea, "Is there something on my-"
"Please.. move over- imgonnathrowup-"
------
His bed sheets feel cold, the duvet and pillows remind you more of a set piece than a bed that sees any real use. Logically its warmer than the floor and Law had told you to make yourself comfortable while he dug out some pain killers.
You held your stomach, sure it had settled, mostly, but that irritating jitter of pain still persisted as you listened to the fight Law fought for the both of you through the thin walls. (between bad lighting and small, doctors scrawl, Law was losing that war.)
You didn't mind the time to yourself, it let you compose yourself, maybe even forget the most vivid details of losing your lunch and trapping Law in doing so. That was great. Totally not making you cringe.
You knew you wouldn't forget one thing, couldn't forget, really; how his hands immediately sought your back to press into. And once you could breathe and his initial urge to say "Oh shit" had abated, he stumbled from where he knelt to trade places with you, which you gladly accepted.
You knew he was a doctor, but given his nature, you sometimes forgot he wasn't bad with patients. When his words lacked what he wanted to convey, he acted. And it seems his first instinct with you was to act gently. It was sweet.
You heard the bathroom door grind against its hinges, heralding your weary knight's arrival, and he came baring only the most splendid of spoils.
"I found some dramamine and Pepto-Bismal. Wasn't sure if it was the motion making you sick or the drinks." Law took a spot beside you on the bed. In one hand, a pill bottle and partly open blister pack, and in the other, a glass of water.
"I dunno. I'll take either." You reached for the open pill bottle, and Law shook one capsule into your palm. "Only one?" You asked.
He busied himself with shaking some more out for himself "Yeah. Anymore and you'll get tired."
Law then swallowed 3 pills, took the most meager sip, and offered what remained in the glass to you.
"You wont even take your own advice?" You scoffed, accepting the cup and using it to swallow your own pill.
"Oh, I am." He capped the bottle and set the excess medication somewhere nearby, then joined you again with a sigh, "I'm quite looking forward to sleeping this off. But until then, are you alright?"
You didn't bother to hide your own lazy smile. "Ive been better, but I'll be fine."
"I could get you some crackers or something. That medication isn't all that rough.."
"Law. Really. I'll be okay."
Law stared. Hes always been painfully observant of everything, every little detail. Even when you were kids. All thats changed is that he is slightly less of an asshole about it. Of course that was coming back to bite you now. You stared at your hands, still crossed in front you.
"Okay- its really stupid.."
He said your name, pulling your attention back to him. "Just say it."
Had he been sitting this close the whole time? You swear he didn't shift any closer before but now you can see the gold of his irises and the dark rings that adorned them. You missed seeing them this close, you realized as a new knot tied itself in your chest. The words slipped from your tongue before you had the chance to bite it.
"- its too quiet in here."
Law's mouth fell open in exasperated disbelief. He wasn't at a loss for words for very long.
"Weren't you the one complaining about it being too loud out there?"
So much for thinking he changed.
"You can hear a pin drop in here! Its creepy!" You tried, a weak huff of laughter escaped your fluttering chest.
You could see Law fighting a smirk, hear him failing in his tone. "Are you goldielocks? Is the bed too soft? Or maybe its too firm?"
"Screw off."
Law rubbed at his face, quieting his own low laughter into his palm as he slowly pushed himself to his feet.
From what you could see, the smile had lingered, but now it was tinged with something far more fragile, and hesitant. Law lifted the lid of the trunk at the base of the bed, giving his face enough time to fall back into its usual nonplussed expression, yet by the time he found what he had been searching for you could have sworn that he risked a few sheepish glances towards you.
He set down a fairly large Transponder snail on the trunk, resting a hand on its dusty shell. Law didn't bother to hide his gaze now.
"How about we make a deal?"
You blinked, mildly confused "Why..?"
"I agree not to not make fun of you for your request and in enchange.." Law trailed off, his eyes followed his hands instead.
"You promise to not make fun of me for this." His voice was low, just loud enough to carry across the still, cool air.
Your eyes flickered between both him and the transponder snail, trying to figure out what exactly it was you missed, "What? Why would I make-"
The wall before you flickered to life, dull, time worn images only mildly warped by age fluttered over the metal paneling. A painfully familiar jingle buzzed from the mollusk's speakers, upbeat and unyeilding with waves of nostalgia it brought in its wake. You knew those voices, each string and key, knew what you would see even before the Snail's projector focused the two blurry images into one.
" ... Sora! Defender of the Sea! Its time to.."
Your throat felt thick, and suddenly the room was too bright, too eager to display the cascade of emotions that battered and soothed your heart in equal measure. Had he really thought you'd make fun of him for this?
You looked to your side as the voice that shaped the way you saw the word "hero" filled the small room. The lights needed to be off for this, and you're lucky found the switch just at Law's bedside, flipping it off.
Now sunk in darkness, You were suddenly far more aware of how cold this room was, and you swung your legs onto the bed. The little ambient light given off by the projector bathed the room in deep blues and a myriad of shadows, and all you wanted to do was let yourself sink into that. Savor it, but not drift off just yet. Let yourself bask in these fleeting memories of warmth in distant hotels, pleading to a man in clown makeup for just one more episode that night, stifling giggles to keep from waking him.
There had been so much pain in those last few days that you had forgotten how much love had permeated the months before.
You felt the sheets shift beside you as Law pulled them back to slip beneath them. You followed his lead.
You knew the lines far too well, each scene as familiar as it was distant. Somewhere in the darkness, Law caught himself mouthing the lines like some sacred prayer. It was one of his scarcely few tethers back to those idylic months, and he held fast to it for years. Tight enough to engrave it in his mind if he ever, one day, wore the tapes down to nothing.
Sora had successfully protected an island from the clutches of evil Germa 66, and you could feel yourself growing heavier, you fought more with each blink. You knew that if you didn't say anything now, there was a chance Law wouldn't either. You couldn't risk that, so you'd risk this.
"Hey," you whispered, just above the show's animated buzz, "Y'know that I.."
Your voice was overtaken by some slapstick bit, and you nearly took it as a sign to drift back into that silence.
Except the sheets crinkled, whispering that beyond the film of black, Law had rolled to face you. Your eyes adjusted and you could see how his sleepy face mirrored your own. You steeled your resolve.
"I missed you. I missed getting to do this- getting to do anything with you, so what im trying to say is.."
You swallowed, Law pushed himself closer, close enough to touch.
".. im not going anywhere. This place is my home, and wherever you go, I promise to follow."
There it was. Out in the open and off your chest. You didn't expect or plan for what Law's reply would be. Still, seeing those gold eyes widen as you spoke didn't exactly settle your nerves. You saw his lips thin, and you could see how he rolled words over his tongue before letting them die in favor of something else.
He reached for you, pulled himself closer until he was loosely holding you.
The second you held him in reply, Law let himself be enveloped by you, fingers trembling where they grasped at your back. You could feel his uneven breath against your neck, his chest that quivered with each raise, emotion seeping from him so intensely he didn't even try to feign composure. You'd be lying if you said you were unaffected, shocked for sure, but relieved mostly.
Thats how it was for a few minutes, the sapphire hue cast over his trembling skin, and you could almost pretend you were both 13 years younger, dumber, and free from any semblance of doubt. That Corazon was in the room over, snoring away while you and Law were lulled by the same holiday re-run of Sora. You were immortal in this bubble of comfort and your only concerns were if the sun would rise soon. A younger Law had made the excuse once that he only slept so close because he was cold, and that was all. You knew now, and you knew then the real reason, yet you wouldn't deprive Law of that comfort just for the fleeting, sanctimonious feeling of being right.
(An older Law couldn't afford so much dishonesty to himself, that a steady heart against his ear soothed him just as much as his beloved cartoon)
Law did eventually reign himself back in, his hold loosening its desperation into an attempt at distance. No, thats not fair, you thought. You and him had already had 13 years of distance, and you honestly couldn't bare another inch of space between the two of you. You dipped your head, fingers pressing just enough into his retreating back, and like gravity Law succumbed to your force with little resistance. Exhaling the last of his nerves into your skin.
He whispered your name there. You said his back.
"Thank you."
"Anytime, Law." Your voice dragged, feeling just as heavy as your body.
You don't remember finishing that episode. You're sure Law didn't either. You just remembered blue, black and gold, as you finally allowed yourself the embrace of sleep.