#just...all i've gotten from this fucking warp the ENTIRE time i've played this game is a bronya himeko and one 5* lc

[thingswhatareawesome]

i hate you stellar warp, i hate you i hate you i hate you i fucking HATE you

[petite-neko]

Boyhood Blues - 06

Fanfiction: Boyhood Blues Story Summary: Actions, and inactions, have their repercussions. It may not be immediate but somewhere down the line, the effect will be seen. Chapter Characters: Law, Luffy, Ace (Penguin, Shachi, Bepo) Pairing: LawLu Rating: T Warnings: Swearing, Universe Alteration, , angst, A/N: So ...xD Well, you see I had chapters 1 through 7 already written. tldr; I originally intended on starting this story like with Luffy at the beginning of his journey but I really didn’t like that. So the stuff I had intended on having as much later in the story ended up being the beginning. (I wrote it various PoV’s and stuff) Now, when I wrote Law’s portion, I had a section of ‘Insert details here’. But, you see, that was before I decided to start the story at the battle of the great.

So essentially this entire chapter is filler xD. (Not REALLY but) I was going to attempt to end it where I originally intended for chapter 6 to end but a) it’s already six pages as is and the already-written end is 3 pages long, and b) I still have a lot to cover from the end of this chapter to the start of the other end, and c) I need to do more reading of the manga.

OH AND IMPORTANT NOTE: I REALISED I FUCKED UP. Originally I was thinking: what if I just continued with my fuck-up, but then decided I like the appeal of staying with canon with that point so: WHERE LUFFY HAS STATED GARP SCOLDING HIM IN ALABASTA, I FUCKED UP AND I’VE FIXED IT TO WATER 7. (I legit just changed ‘Alabasta’ to ‘Water 7′ in my edits in chapter 1 and chapter 5)

.xxx. > Time/scene skip

.+++. > PoV change

Read on Ao3

Chapter 5 || Chapter 6: Unsociable|| Chapter 7

With Luffy was in his room (with his crew guarding the door so the idiot wouldn’t attempt reopening his wounds yet again) Law had decided to check up on Ace.

Upon opening the door, Law had immediately noticed that the medicinal scent was even more potent in Ace’s room as opposed to Luffy’s. (Not that it had bothered him or anything. In fact, it was something he had just happened to notice every now and then, himself being more or less accustomed to it over his lifetime.) He looked at the man still connected to various machines.

Ace, huh?

His memories of the other were similar. While Ace wasn’t as loud or obnoxious or obvious as Luffy, Law saw similarities between them. Instead of crying and screaming it out, Ace had been the type to hold it in, He brooded on it, and tried to be strong for his little brother – but Law could see those eyes. Eyes that were so very similar to his.

Occasionally, would he see tears slip out – whenever Luffy wasn’t looking or he was asleep from wearing himself out – those moments were moments of silence. When neither of them would acknowledge it. And Law understood that all too well too.

And while Law understood – he never did or said anything about it. He mostly tried to ignore it – ignore them and concentrate on his studies. They both had their own problems anyway…

“You’re always reading books Torao.”

Law glanced up to see wide eyes looking at him from over the book. He sighed, lifting the book up higher to block his view. He never really talked to Garp’s grandkids, so why now?

“Luffy, leave him alone. He obviously doesn’t want to talk.”

“But we’re supposed to play with him Ace! How can we play with him if he has his nose stuffed into a book?”

…Did that brat huff?

Law brought down his book, glowering at the kid in front of him. “I’m studying. I don’t have any time to waste playing with you brats.” He brought the book back up, continuing to glare at the pages. It was true, he didn’t have much time. By now, he had discovered ways to prevent the ailment from overcoming him, but just. (Halt the process, halt the symptoms, turn them back just ever so slightly…) And each time he used his abilities they exhausted him. He couldn’t keep using them every few days. He needed to find a cure. He didn’t want to live like this. (It hurt, oh it still hurt…) Cora-san wouldn’t want him to live like this.

(He recalled hearing Luffy scream something along those lines too...)

(What did he mean by that? By Sabo not wanting them to live like this? Like what? Weren’t they being taken care of by their grandfather? Didn’t they live in some dangerous place? Wasn’t that what Sengoku said? So weren’t they safer here? So why wouldn’t Sabo want them to live safely?)

(Ah, funny, wasn’t it? How all three of them had lost somebody dear to them, and wanted live according to their will…)

…But would Cora-san want him to shut everybody else out?

He looked up to see Luffy whining to Ace, and he sighed again. “Okay, fine. One game. That’s it.” So he stood up, wincing as his leg screamed at him, and put down the book entailing hereditary conditions. One game wouldn’t hurt, and he couldn’t study with that brat pestering him anyway.

“Yay! See Ace! I told you he wants to play!”

Law could only sigh. He’d let Luffy believe whatever he wanted to, as long as it meant that Luffy would leave him alone afterwards.

Law sighed at the memory. That was where he began to see the truer side of Luffy, although did not fully realise it at the time. His gaze went back to Luffy’s room. Yes that was perhaps, really, the only memory he had of that boy smiling and laughing. It couldn’t have just been grief, right?

(He still couldn’t get that line out of his head: What Luffy said in regards to Sabo. Why? Why did he say that?)

Certainly Law knew, very intimately, what grief could do to a person. How it could warp them. How it could take hold of them and essentially rule their life. (Even now. Even now…) And, yes, it was a major factor in Luffy’s overall melancholy moods when they were children…

He shook his head. He shouldn’t be concerning himself with this. It had been ten years – of course any normal human would be able to overcome their grief. Luffy must have gotten over it over time. They did say that time heals all wounds after all…

.xxx.

There was banging at his door. And noise.

Lots of it.

(There was a cacophony of voices outside of his door. Most of which he immediately recognised. Bepo. Shachi. Penguin. And there… the one voice that stood out the loudest It was familiar, but in a more irritating way. And that name. Yes, he knew that too…)

“Torao!”

…Once again, he must say:

Fucking Mugiwara no Luffy.

He groaned and sat up in bed, hand covering his eyes. Why must he harbour such a rambunctious patient?

“Luffy-ya. Don’t make me strap you to your bed to ensure your recovery.”

…The last thing he needed right now was to prepare for another surgery. Especially when he was going to be woken in the middle of his ever-so-precious hours of sleep.

“Torao! You’re up!”

Apparently, Luffy had finally succeeded in opening his door, and he could see his subordinates exhausted states as they failed to prevent this… whatever one could use to describe Luffy at this moment… from barging into his room.

“…No thanks to an annoyingly loud patient of mine.” He glared at Luffy.

And Luffy. Well, he looked bashful. And honest. As if he didn’t realise that it was he who had woken Law up.

“Oh, you were asleep. Sorry!”

“That’s what we were trying to tell you!” His crew chorused from the door loudly.

Law sighed and turned towards the intruder of his room. “Luffy-ya, you need to take it easy.” He said and gestured towards the bandages covering the entirety of Luffy’s body. “You have taken a great deal of damage, and the last thing any us need is for you to reopen your wounds. Or do you want Ace-ya to wake up, only to realise that the idiot he has for a brother died because he disobeyed his doctor’s advice? The brother he almost died to protect?”

The reaction was immediate: Luffy’s face fell.

…Ah fuck. He was probably too harsh there, wasn’t he? He rubbed at the bridge of his nose.

“…Sorry I’m never in the best of moods right when I wake up. Just… be careful, okay? If your wounds re-open there is a high chance that I can’t fix you up again.”

“…It’s okay Torao. No. I understand. Chopper always scolded me after he fixed me up.” Luffy’s voice was quiet and he… sulked out of his room.

…Awkward silence, that’s what this was.

“…Shachi, bring me some coffee. It’s not like I’m going to get back to sleep after that.”

As his crew left and closed his door, Law could only sigh before bringing his hand over his face and through his hair, his head leaning back against the wall.

He was a doctor, not a psychiatrist dammit!

.xxx.

When Law had decided he was alive enough to properly interact with people he had found Luffy sitting quietly on the island.

“I’m sorry for waking you up Torao.”

…Was the idiot still sulking?

“What’s done is done.” Law said before taking a seat near Luffy. Not close enough to really indicate friendship, but also not far enough to state they were strangers either. “I was too harsh this morning as well. I just do not like seeing my efforts go to waste.”

He refrained from adding anything further, this was a sensitive subject after all.

Luffy made a sound of disagreement as he shook his head. “No, it’s alright. I've… we've….” He was quiet for a few moments. “I've been thinking about what Jinbei said… and he's right. The way we are now… we're not strong enough for the New World…”

...Ah, was that the reason for yesterday’s outbreak?

“I failed. I failed to protect my friends… failed to protect Ace when he needed it most… I'm not strong enough Torao.”

Law sighed again. Why was Luffy telling him this?

“Then get stronger. That's all that you can do. You're enemies aren't going to be getting any weaker.”

He wasn't this kid’s friend so why?

“Yeah. That's what I plan to do. And what you said today reminded me of that. I can't get stronger if I'm always fooling around.” And, now, that sullen expression faded, only to be replaced with a smiling, laughing face. “Thank you Torao.”

...He was never going to understand this idiot, was he?

“Whatever. If you want to take my half asleep, grumpy ramblings as advice, so be it. It's your life. The only thing I'm against if is you throw it away while you're still under my care.”

“Shishishi I knew you cared Torao!”

...Was Luffy stretching towards him?

“No I don't – and don't stretch you idiot! That's how you fucking re-open your wounds! I just… like I said I don't like wasting my energy and if you die because of your refusal to obey doctor’s, I'll do whatever I can to stop you from dying if only to kill you myself.”

That only made Luffy laugh more.

Law just groaned.

“So, you got tattoos on your chest too Torao? I noticed them this morning but I didn't get to ask…”

Law looked up at Luffy who had this fascinated look on his face.

“...It's just ink.” He said with a shrug. What was it with Luffy and his tattoos?

“But they look so cool! Your one hand is missing a few letters though, and your chest kinda looks weird. Like not finished maybe?”

Thankfully Luffy hadn't proceeded to get close to him again or grab his hands… yet anyway.

“Yeah. I'm still debating on the final designs for my chest and back. And my hands are a work in process. I need my hands for surgery, so, I can only do so much at one time.”

Why was he even telling him any of this?

“So you just started then? Or are some tattoos older?”

Law sighed. Seriously he definitely did not understand Luffy’s fascination, but he supposed indulging Luffy’s whims were the only way to shut him up if that memory was any proof.

“The ones on my forearms were the first ones.” He explained, pulling up his sleeves to show Luffy. “I got them when I was seventeen or so. The one on my chest I had gotten not long after I formed my pirate crew officially a few years later. I've been working on designs since. My hands however are the most recent addition. They are almost complete.”

Luffy looked so enthralled right now that it was kind of creepy.

“And, what about those other marks?”

“Enough about me, you wanted to talk about after Loguetown, right?”

(It was far more easy on his mental state to listen to Luffy blab on about his past than to inquire about his own. That was another reason why he blocked out most of his memories with the Marines after all… It was a living hell.)