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Date: 10/03/X1523  

New World, Thousand Sunny

Captain’s Quarters

21:22

As bold as the Straw Hat Captain is, there are some things even he keeps to himself… actually, there’s a lot Luffy keeps to himself. He spent his formative years isolated without anyone to talk to. He and Ace weren’t talkers before Ace left. They just… survived together and lived in the moment.  He prefers it that way. It’s safe that way is what he believes because it’s what he knows. What was the point in telling anyone things from the past anyway? Not like anyone could do anything about it. It’s done.

Luffy has a system, and it’s worked for him so far. When the bad thoughts come up, he finds a way to distract himself so they can’t bother him anymore, always seeking his next adrenaline rush to override the pit in his stomach that rears up when things get too quiet. Sometimes, there’s only one thing he can do to fill the void, especially when they are out at sea and the next island is still days away and everyone but the few on look out were asleep, like he’s supposed to be.

Sitting on the Sunny’s figurehead helps during the daylight. He can watch the horizon and waves, zone out as he waits for something interesting to cross his field of vision. The feel of the breeze and warm sun are grounding in those moments of tranquility. It’s not the same at night… no, it really isn’t. The inky black waves and chill of the night reopen that pit in Luffy’s stomach and make him feel like he’s about to sink into it. The dark, the silence, the stillness. It makes him restless.

So, he does the only thing he can do now to quiet that dark, uncomfortable part of his mind. He chases after that easily accessible to him dopamine hit again and again until his whole body feels flushed and tingly, and his eyelids droop easily and sleep takes him away while his hand lays sticky beneath the hem of his soiled boxers.

It usually works like a charm. It’s one of the best ways for Luffy to shut his brain up quickly or cure his boredom. He’s been doing this forever, since he first discovered touching himself feels good and having an orgasm chases away whatever he was feeling before… at least for a little while, then he needs another hit of dopamine.

Luffy rarely masturbates in the men’s dorms because getting caught is annoying, and so is having to go slow and be careful to not be noticed. So, he rather slink off to the captain’s quarters so he can rub a couple out without restraint and reach that blissful, mindless state that pulls him under.

Tonight, it’s not working. And it didn’t work the night before, or the night before that, or before that—it hasn’t worked in a month and it just keeps getting worse. Luffy's hand moves mechanically, familiar rhythm that should have him floating by now, but his mind won't shut up the way it's supposed to. His thoughts keep drifting, snagging on something—someone—and it's pissing him off.

Traffy.

The name surfaces in his mind unbidden, and Luffy's hand stutters to a stop. He groans in frustration, head tilting back against the pillow. This keeps happening. He'll be right there, almost to that good empty-headed feeling, and then suddenly he's thinking about Law's stupid smirk or the way his hands move when he's doing doctor stuff or how his voice gets all low and rumbly when he's annoyed.

Luffy scrubs his free hand over his face. Traffy! Why do I keep thinking about you when I’m trying to jerk off in peace!? Get out of my head!

Luffy closes his eyes, a pinch between his brows as he bites down on his bottom lip, as if he thinks maybe a little sting of pain might make Law leave his minds eye… but it doesn’t. Luffy’s adams apple bobs with a swallow as his fist furiously works over his uncooperative cock. He tries planting his feet on the bed and raising his hips up into it, like he could get himself to cum fast before Law pops back into his head if he just tried hard enough.

Law sucking rice off his tattooed fingers like he did after lunch yesterday resurfaces in Luffy’s mind and makes his cock pulse—weird, and so Luffy quickly jerks his hand away like he was burnt. His hips fall back down to the mattress and he whines and moans in sexual frustration, rolling from side to side with his hands covering his burning face.

It's been happening more and more lately. At first it was just random, oh, wonder what Traffy's doing right now. But now it's... different. Now, when Law pops into his head during these moments, Luffy's body reacts in a way that feels new and confusing and makes that pit in his stomach twist into something that isn't quite dread but isn't comfortable either.

Traffy!! Argh! Go away!! I just wanna cum! You make me feel weird when you pop into my head when I’m jerking off! STOP IT!

He tries again, closing his eyes and willing his brain to just go blank like it's supposed to. But there's Law again, uninvited and persistent. The memory of his tattooed fingers. The way he'd grabbed Luffy's wrist last week to check his bloodied knuckles after a fight, touch clinical but lingering just a second too long. The rare times Law actually smiles—really smiles, not that sardonic thing he does—and how it makes something in Luffy's chest feel tight and its getting harder to breath and this empty, mostly unused room suddenly feels too stuffy.

Luffy's breath catches and he realizes with mounting irritation that his cock is pulsing in that weird way again. Not like the mechanical release he's chasing, what he’s used to. His dick has never done something like this before, not until Law started invading his mind. It’s like his body wants something but he doesn't know what.

Why does it pulse like that? It’s like my dick is mad at me! WELL SORRRRY, it’s not MY fault Traffy is popping up! I don’t get it either!

"Stupid," he mutters, giving up and letting his hand fall away. He stares at the ceiling, feeling restless and unsatisfied and weirdly anxious. His dick is sticky and cold, slowly deflating the longer he lies there glaring at the wood planks of the ceiling.

This has been going on long enough now that Luffy has already come to the conclusion that he’s worried about Law’s wellbeing. Since Law and a few other former heart pirates joined Luffy’s crew, Luffy has been watching Law a lot more, thinking about him more. He feels bad for everything Law has gone through, but he doesn’t know what to do about it other than try to distract Law the same ways Luffy distracts himself.

Man. Traffy always losses everything. He’s a tough guy, I don’t know if I could have survived the shit he’s gone through. I kind of get it, but I really don’t. Lost his whole family, that one guy, then some of his crew, and his ship… now he don’t got a crew no more and the part of his crew we saved didn’t wanna join up with me like he did.

Luffy tucks his cock back into his underwear with a dismal sigh, then sits up, swinging his feet over the edge of the hanging bed. He pushes down his long sleep shirt, since it rolled up while he’d been jerking off this past hour.

What do I do? I just..! Urgh! I feel bad! He doesn’t wanna talk about it, I’m not gonna make him, and I wouldn’t even know what to say! I do what I can, get him to play games with me and everyone, go exploring together on the islands. I even try wrestling with him and getting him to eat! None of it works, none of it makes that sad look go away! If I don’t figure this out I won’t stop worrying about him! And if I don’t stop worrying about him, I’ll never be able to jerk off in peace! I’m so pent up I feel like FIGHTING him!

Luffy hops out of bed, nostrils flaring as he huffs with his hands balled into fists, maybe I should just fight him! Yeah! That always makes ME feel better when I'm all wound up and—

Luffy freezes mid-step, eyes going wide. Wait. Wound up… pent up. His mouth drops open as the revelation hits him like one of Nami's punches.

"THAT'S IT!" he shouts into the empty room, then slaps both hands over his mouth, remembering everyone's asleep. He drops his voice to an excited whisper-yell. "Traffy's not jerking off! That's why he's so gloomy all the time!"

It makes perfect sense! Luffy paces back and forth in the small space, hands gesturing wildly as he works through this groundbreaking discovery. When he's pent up, he gets restless and irritable and can't think straight. And Law is always restless and irritable! Mystery solved!

Luffy stops pacing, feeling very proud of himself for figuring this out. But then his face falls. Okay so... now what? How do I tell him?

He resumes pacing, chewing on his bottom lip. You can't just walk up to a guy and be like "hey you should jerk off more" right? That's... that's not a thing people do. Luffy's pretty sure. Even he knows that's weird. Ace never talked about that stuff. The mountain bandits sure as hell didn't. It's just not something you talk about.

But Traffy needs to know! He's probably so backed up he doesn't even realize that's why everything feels so bad! Someone's gotta tell him! Luffy gnaws on his thumbnail, thinking hard. This is important. This could fix everything. He just needs to figure out how to bring it up without making it weird.

Maybe... maybe he could ask Chopper to tell Law? No, wait, Chopper would just get all flustered and yell at him. Robin? She'd probably laugh at him and say something that goes over his head. Franky? Absolutely not, he'd make it SUPER weird.

Luffy flops face-first onto his bed with a groan, then rolls onto his back, staring at the ceiling again. There's gotta be a way to bring this up that's not weird. Traffy is smart, he's a doctor, he knows about... body stuff. Medical stuff.

Luffy sits bolt upright, eyes lighting up. Medical stuff! "That's it!" he whisper-shouts again, pumping his fist. "If I make it like a doctor thing, it's not weird! It's just... health! Yeah!"

He hops out of bed again, renewed with purpose, and starts pacing with more determination. Okay, okay, so he'll just... go to Law. And he'll be all professional about it! It won’t be weird!

Luffy nods to himself, working through the plan.

---

Law blinks his burning, glossy eyes hard. Squeezing, opening, shaking his head to try and dispel the fog of sleep from his exhausted brain. One minute ago, he was startled awake by Luffy picking him up out of his bed, and sprinting out of the men’s dorm and through the ship in a blur. Law thought there must have been a damn emergency going on. But here he is, where Luffy unceremoniously deposited him on the medical cot in the dead of night, in his pajamas consisting of loose sweats and a tank top, with his blankets still tangled around his shoulders.

Law isn’t entirely convinced he’s not having a very strange and vivid dream. Realty feels tilted on its axis in the darkened medical bay, with only orange light from the outside lamp cutting in to the room from the small porthole window in the door.

It’s weird enough Luffy dragged him out of bed so urgently and unprompted, but now here they are, with the lights off, and Luffy has grabbed a doctor’s coat from the wall hook and put it on over his long t-shrit and—was he wearing anything beneath it? Law could hardly tell, the top of the shirt just barely covers where the bottom of Luffy’s short boxers end, then he’s bare down to his feet.

Luffy has said something but Law didn’t hear it, “Huh? Say that again?” Law barks out gruffly, cranky and unamused by whatever the hell this is.

Luffy plops down in the roller chair at Chopper’s desk and scoots it over to the bed with a stern look on his face, “Traffy,” Luffy starts, careful, not a hint of playfulness in his tone or expression.

Law’s irritation eases up some, because if this wasn’t a game, then maybe something actually is going on, his expression lightens, concern takes residence, “What is it? What’s going on?”

Luffy takes a deep breath, squaring his shoulders like he's about to deliver devastating news. "I gotta ask you some... health questions."

Law blinks slowly, processing this. "...Health questions."

"Yeah. Important ones." Luffy nods seriously, crossing his arms. The doctor's coat is comically oversized on him, sleeves hanging past his hands. "It's about... your body. And uh. How you take care of it."

A beat of silence. Law's brain, still sluggish with sleep, tries to catch up.  He glances towards the desk, where a wall clock catches the faint light. Law groans and scrubs a hand down his face, "Luffy… it's one in the morning. You dragged me out of bed for... what, exactly?"

"I'm worried about you!" Luffy blurts out, leaning forward intensely. "So..! I have questions."

Law stares at him, half lidded eyes blinking tiredly, stinging and feeling heavy. He looks like he's considering just going back to sleep right here on the medical cot.

Luffy’s chair squeaks a little as he sways a bit from side to side, eyes never leaving Law’s face.

Law sniffs. Slow blinking. Letting Luffy’s words hang in the silence a little longer before he says anything, "Questions about my health."

"Yeah."

"That required kidnapping me in the middle of the night, ."

"It's important!"

Law drags a hand down his face, exhaustion warring with curiosity. "Fine. What."

Luffy fidgets with the too-long sleeves of the coat, suddenly looking less confident. His eyes dart around the room, landing anywhere but on Law. "So like... you know how people... take care of themselves?"

"... You're going to need to be more specific." Law deadpans.

"Like—" Luffy's face is starting to turn red, visible even in the dim orange light. "Like when you... when your body needs... when you gotta..." He makes a vague, frustrated gesture with his hands.

Law's tired brain finally catches up to what Luffy might be implying, and his eyes widen, the crude jerking off motion is kind of hard to misunderstand. Is he propositioning me? What the hell is this? "Are you—"

"Do you jerk off?!" Luffy blurts out, then immediately looks mortified that he just said it that bluntly. "I mean—! Like, for health! Medical reasons! To feel better!"

Silence.

Law stares at Luffy.Luffy stares back, face burning, looking like he wants to bolt but is forcing himself to stay in the chair.

"You," Law says slowly, carefully, "woke me up at one in the morning. Carried me to the medical bay. Put on a doctor's coat. To ask me if I masturbate."

"For HEALTH reasons!" Luffy insists, waving his hands. "Because! Because I think that's why you’re such a grump all the time, Traffy! I didn’t wanna bring this up but, I’m worried about you, buddy. You’re on my mind a lot, it’s distracting me!" Luffy stands up, and points a finger at Law, “So jerk off! If it’s about wanting to be alone, you can use my room! Alright?!”

Law's brain short-circuits. He just... stares. Mouth slightly open. Blanket slips down one of his shoulders as the silence settles thickly between them for what felt like an agonizing eternity.

"You're..." Law starts, then stops. Closes his mouth. Opens it again. He’s not sure what to make of anything Luffy said,  "I'm on your mind. A lot..?"

"Yeah!" Luffy nods emphatically, apparently not hearing how that sounds. "Like, all the time! I keep thinking about you and worrying and it's—it's a problem! So if you just take care of yourself properly, maybe I'll stop worrying so much!"

Law's eye twitches. "Luffy..."

"What?"

"You think. That me masturbating. Will make you stop... thinking about me."

"Exactly!" Luffy looks relieved that Law is finally getting it. "See, you do understand!"

"I—" Law pinches the bridge of his nose, trying to find words. Any words. "That's not how that works. That's not how any of this works."

"Sure it is!" Luffy insists, completely confident in his absolutely deranged logic. "When I'm all pent up, I feel weird and restless and can't focus right. And you're always like that! So obviously you just need to, you know—" he makes that crude gesture again, "—and then you'll feel better!"

"I feel like I'm having a stroke," Law mutters into his hand.

"Are you?!" Luffy's eyes widen in alarm, immediately at Law's side, grabbing his face and tilting it back and forth like he's checking for symptoms. "Should I get Chopper?!"

"No, I'm not—" Law swats his hands away, but Luffy's already got his fingers on Law's wrist, apparently trying to check his pulse. "I'm fine. It's an expression. I just—" He takes a deep breath, trying to find patience he definitely doesn't have at one in the morning. "Why are you so convinced this is about... that?"

Luffy drops Law's wrist, looking uncomfortable again. His fingers twist in the too-long sleeves of the doctor's coat. "Because... you're sad. All the time. And I've tried everything else! Games, exploring, fighting, eating—nothing makes you happy! But when I'm all wound up and stressed, jerking off helps! So I thought..." He trails off, looking almost vulnerable now. "I just want you to feel better, Traffy."

Oh.

That's what this is actually about. Law's exhausted brain finally processes past the absolute insanity of this conversation to the genuine concern underneath it. Luffy, in his own completely bizarre way, is trying to help. He's noticed Law's been struggling—has apparently been thinking about it enough to lose sleep over it—and this is... this is Luffy's solution.

Law suddenly feels very tired in a way that has nothing to do with being woken up at one AM.

"Luffy..," he says, much more gently than before. "I appreciate that you're... concerned. But that's not—my emotional state isn't because I'm sexually frustrated."

Luffy's brow furrows. "It's not?"

"No."

"Oh." Luffy deflates a little, sitting back down heavily in the chair. He looks genuinely confused now, like his one brilliant solution just got shot down and he has no backup plan. He doesn’t know how to talk about feelings. Doesn’t know how to ask.

And Law doesn’t know how to offer. So it becomes a stalemate, the silence stretches on, the arms of the clock above Chopper’s desk tick away.

Luffy can’t leave it like this. Unsolved. Can’t stomach the idea of going back to beating his meat and never getting off because he has to stop every time his mind betrays him and Law pops up. It’s been a month. Luffy’s balls have never experienced this denial before. He’s just been edging and edging, he feels like he’s desperately starving. He cares about his friends, about Law, and he does want Law to feel better, genuinely because he cares about him but—he also wants him to feel better so he can jerk off in peace.

So without any other ideas, Luffy tries again, “Maybe it’ll help..?”

Law looks at him, tired and fond and exasperated all at once. "… Luffy, Masturbation isn't a cure-all for complex grief and trauma."

"But it could help a little, right?" Luffy presses, leaning forward. "Like, even just a little bit? Can't hurt to try!"

Law opens his mouth. Closes it. He looks like he's genuinely considering how to respond to this. "I... suppose technically, from a purely medical standpoint, sexual release does provide temporary stress relief through endorphin production, but—"

"See, Traffy!" Luffy points at him triumphantly. “I was right!"

"That's not—you're missing the entire—" Law sighs deeply, rubbing his temples. "Luffy, I'm not sexually frustrated. That's not the problem."

"How do you know?" Luffy challenges. "When's the last time you did it?"

Law's face goes slightly red. "That's—that's none of your business."

"A-ha!" Luffy leans back, crossing his arms with a knowing look. "You can't remember! That means it's been too long!"

"I didn't say I couldn't remember, I said it's none of your—"

"So when was it?"

"Straw Hat!"

"Was it before you joined my crew? Before Wano? Before—"

"I'm not discussing this with you!" Law snaps, but there's no real heat in it. He just sounds exhausted and flustered.

Luffy studies him for a moment, then his expression softens slightly. "I really am worried about you, you know. You barely sleep. You barely eat unless someone makes you. You're always so..." He struggles for the word. "Lonely. Even when you're with everyone."

Law's irritation falters. He looks away, jaw tightening. "I'm fine."

"Hm." Luffy doesn’t believe him, "You’re not. And I don't know how to help. I don't know how to make you feel better. So I thought... maybe this would help. Even just a little."

The silence stretches again. Law's hands are fisted in the blanket still draped around his shoulders.

"You can't fix me with an orgasm, Luffy…" Law finally says, quiet and a bit raw.

"I know that," Luffy responds, just as quiet. Then, more hesitantly, "But... would it hurt to try?"

Law's head snaps up to look at him, eyes widening slightly.

Luffy's face is red again, but he's not backing down. "I mean—I'm just saying! If it might help even a tiny bit, and it's free, and—" He's rambling now, words tumbling out. "And you don't gotta do it alone if you don't want to! I mean—I didn't mean—I wasn't trying to—" He cuts himself off, looking mortified, shit, I didn’t mean to SAY THAT! But I guess I said it.

Law stares at him. Really stares, like he's seeing something for the first time, "Uh… are you... offering to...?"

Luffy makes a strangled noise, face burning. "I didn't—that's not what I—I was just saying—!" Luffy clears his throat into his fist, then gets up. Law watches him in utter dumbfound as Luffy goes over to the drawer where Chopper keeps the latex gloves, pulls a pair out and snaps them on as he’s walking back over.

“I mean,” Luffy starts, and its obvious hes trying HARD to sound professional, “If you need me to. I’ll do it. I’m a good captain.”

Law's expression is unreadable.

For a long moment, neither of them moves. Luffy stands there in his borrowed doctor's coat and latex gloves, looking simultaneously determined and mortified. Law sits on the medical cot wrapped in his blanket like the world's most exhausted burrito, trying to process what's happening.

"You," Law finally says, voice strained, "put on gloves."

"Yup!" Luffy says quickly, holding up his gloved hands. "That's what doctors do, right? I'm being professional!"

"Professional," Law repeats flatly.

"Yeah!"

"You're offering to manually stimulate me to orgasm. While wearing medical gloves. For my health."

Luffy nods emphatically, apparently missing the complete insanity of that statement. "Exactly! See, you get it!"

Law is so tired. Tired of being sad. Tired of being lonely. Tired in general, he was abruptly drug out of bed mere minutes ago. It’s probably the exhaustion, or maybe even the absolutely bizarre sincerity in Luffy's eyes, but Law hears himself say, "...In the shower. Before bed."

Luffy blinks. "Huh?"

"You asked when the last time was." Law's face is burning now, but he forces himself to continue. "I masturbated in the shower before bed. A few hours ago, actually. I do it regularly. It's not—that's not the problem."

Luffy's hands drop to his sides, "Oh." He looks genuinely confused now. "But then... why are you still so sad?"

"Because orgasms don't fix grief, Straw Hat," Law says, gentler than before. "They don't bring back people you've lost. They don't make you stop feeling alone, or scared, or like a failure—" He cuts himself off, looking away.

"Oh," Luffy says again, quieter this time. He deflates completely, shoulders slumping.

Law admits with a deflated sigh, "You were right that I'm... struggling. That I'm lonely.” He swallows hard. "You were right that I need... something. Just not... that."

"Then what?" Luffy's voice is small in a way Law's never heard before. "What do you need, Traffy? Tell me. Please. I wanna help."

And that—that genuine, desperate plea to help—that breaks something in Law.

"I don't know," he admits, and it feels like pulling glass out of his chest. "I don't know what I need. I don't know how to feel better. I don't know how to stop being..." He gestures vaguely at himself. "This."

Luffy is quiet for a moment. Then, he sits down on the bed next to Law. The spongey mattress dips under his weight. He puts a gloved hand on Law’s back over his blanket and just sits there quietly for a moment. The orange lighting from the outside light barely reaches them here at the bed.

“Maybe you aren’t jerking off enough,” Luffy suggests.

Law's head whips around to stare at him. "I just told you—"

"—Yeah, yeah, I heard you," Luffy waves his other hand dismissively. "But like... maybe you're not doing it right? Or enough times? I do it like, a bunch of times usually. Until I'm super tired and can't think anymore."

Law blinks slowly. "You... how many times are we talking about here?"

"I dunno." Luffy shrugs. "Like... three? Four? Sometimes more if I'm really restless. Takes a while to get my brain to shut up."

"That's..." Law pauses, recalibrating. "That's actually concerning—"

"See!" Luffy points at him triumphantly. "That's why you're still sad! You only do it once! You gotta do it until you can't think anymore, that's when it works!"

"Luffy, that's not—" Law drags both hands down his face. "That's not healthy. That's using masturbation as emotional avoidance."

Luffy giggles, shaking his head as he roughly pats Law’s back, “Silly, Traffy. That’s the point. Duh. It makes you avoid the bad feelings with the good ones.”

Law can’t stop shaking his head no. Staring off into space unblinking with his burning, blood shot eyes. He’s so fucking tired. Law doesn’t have the strength to sit upright anymore. He slouches, leaning against Luffy, resting his head on his shoulder, still shaking his head no as he pulls the blankets around his shoulders tighter around himself.

"Traffy?" Luffy's voice is uncertain now, the hand on Law's back going still.

"'M tired," Law mumbles into Luffy's shoulder. "'S not about orgasms. 'S about being alone. Always alone."

"You're not alone," Luffy says softly. "You got me. And Bepo. And everyone."

Law makes a sound that might be a laugh but comes out more like a broken exhale. He can’t keep his eyes open anymore. "Doesn't matter. Still feels alone. Even when 'm not."

"Why?"

"'Cause everyone leaves," Law slurs, exhaustion making him loose and honest in a way he'd never allow if he was fully conscious. "Everyone dies or leaves and I can't—can't let anyone close 'cause then they'll just—"

He cuts himself off, but it's too late. The words are already out.

Luffy is very still next to him. "I'm not gonna leave."

"Mh… don't know that."

"Yeah I do." There's something fierce in Luffy's voice now. Luffy’s arms are suddenly wrapping around Law several times over in a warm, tight and fleshy cocoon, "I'm not leaving. Not ever. You're my crew now, Traffy. That means you're stuck with me."

Law's too tired to argue. Too tired to do anything but sit here, leaning against Luffy's warmth, feeling the steady rhythm of his breathing.

"Just..." Law mumbles. "Just wanna sleep. Please." His voice gets a little whiny at the end, desperate for rest, for Luffy to just leave him alone and let him sleep.

"Okay," Luffy says quietly, and Law is already going limp against him, breathing evening out as sleep claims him almost instantly.

Luffy sits very still, holding Law in the quiet darkness of the medical bay. Law's hair tickles his chin. His breath is warm against Luffy's neck. And there's a smell, something clean and sharp, like pine and mint, mixing with something earthier, muskier. Just... Law. Luffy turns his nose to Law’s messy hair and breathes it in without thinking. And then his body reacts.

Heat floods through him, settling low in his belly. That weird pulsing thing his dick has been doing—it's doing it right now, filling and swelling against his will. Luffy's eyes go wide in the darkness, panic rising in his chest.

No no no no NO! Not NOW!

He tries to think about something else. Anything else. Meat. Fighting. The ocean. That one time Usopp got his head stuck in a— nope, not working. His dick is still very much interested in the warm, sleeping doctor pressed against him.

Why are you doing this?! Knock it off!Luffy mentally yells at his traitorous anatomy, but his body doesn't cooperate. Law shifts slightly in his sleep, pressing closer, and Luffy has to bite down on his lip to keep from making an embarrassing sound.

This is bad. This is so bad. What if Traffy wakes up and notices? He’ll think I’m a pervy weirdo and tell everyone I got hard with him sleeping on me! I’m the PIRATE KING! I can’t have that kind of reputation!! I mean, I thought I didn’t care how people see me and it’s their own choice to decide but—now that I think about it, I REALLY don’t want people to see me Monkey D Luffy, the PERVERT King of the Pirates! UGH!

 Luffy tries to shift his hips away subtly, but Law is literally wrapped in his stretchy arms multiple times over—this is about as close together as they could be and the way Law’s arm has limply fallen atop Luffy’s thigh is far too close for comfort. Even with the barrier of Law’s blanket between the contact.

Luffy unravels his arms from around Law and carefully lays the older man down. Law instinctively curls into himself in his sleep, drawing his blanket around him as he pulls his knees to his chest. Something about it—about the way Law’s bare toes are peaking from the blanket and curled like they’re cold make Luffy feel kind of funny in his chest.

Luffy’s cheeks are burning in a way that’s annoying him. He presses his lips into an irritated thin line as he impulsively pinches the corner of Law’s blanket to draw it down over his feet to keep him warm before he stands and backs away from the bed.

Its mortifying, looking down at himself and seeing an obvious tent poking out from under his shirt. The thin, breathable fabric of his underwear acts as a traitor and does nothing to hide his need. Luffy makes a sound, a low, agitated whine.

This is because I haven't cum in a month, Luffy thinks irritably. That's all this is. My dick is just—it's confused! And angry! It's been so long it doesn't know how to act anymore! Luffy cups a hand over his cock and presses it down, glaring up at the ceiling with a roll of his eyes. He doesn’t want to deal with this, it’s a nuisance!

 Stupid, Luffy thinks miserably, staring up at the ceiling planks and trying desperately to think unsexy thoughts. Stupid stupid stupid. Go AWAY.

It wouldn’t go away. Luffy ends up buttoning the doctors coat and sneaking hastily back to his quarters to throw himself in the tight shower of his private bathroom and stood under the cold, needle spray of icy water until his dick wised up and went down.

---

Date: 10/04/X1523  

New World, Thousand Sunny

Medbay

06:17

When Law woke up, he was disorientated to find himself in the medical bay, when he could have sworn he fell asleep in his bunk in the men’s dorms. It takes him sitting up, scowling and squinting against the unpleasant sunlight beaming right at him through the small porthole window in the door. He raises a hand and turns his head to escape the sting of it.

Then everything comes back to him. Right… Straw Hat brought me here last night. He’s worried about my mental health and came to the conclusion I don’t masturbate enough.

Law closes his eyes and shakes his head, the slight twitch at the corner of his mouth is something he tries to fight but—the smile breaks through and wins its residency on his face anyway. He clasps the hand he’d held up to block out the sun over his mouth as a snorting giggle bursts out of him.

“S-stupid…”

…

Galley

06:20

Law's feet are cold against the wooden floors as he pads into the galley. His sleep shirt hangs loose off one shoulder, sweatpants slung low on his hips. Sanji's already at the stove, unlit cigarette dangling from his lips as he flips something in a pan. The smell of coffee hits Law first—dark roast, the aroma promising to bring a little life back into Law’s eyes and lift away the residual fog of sleep. The mixture of other breakfast scents makes Law’s stomach rumble quietly with want, but he ignores it.

"Morning, Traffy." Sanji says without looking up. He didn’t ignore that rumble.

Law grunts in response. It's not rudeness, exactly. Just an understanding they've developed. Sanji doesn't do cheerful morning conversation with him, and Law doesn't pretend to be a morning person.

The coffee pot is already full, steam rising from the glass pot. Law moves on autopilot—cabinet for a mug (the plain black one, third from the left, always that one), coffee poured black, no sugar. He takes the first sip, carefully because its hot, standing at the counter and closes his eyes briefly as the bitter heat slides down his throat and the bold flavor clears the taste of last night from his palate.

"Breakfast in twenty," Sanji says, shaking the pan.

Law nods and leaves without another word, fingers through the handle of his mug.

…

Main Deck

6:30

The sun is still low, painting everything in pale gold. The grass of the lawn deck is wet with dew, cold and slightly unpleasant against Law's bare feet as he crosses to his spot—the bench that circles the mast, on the port side where the morning sun doesn't hit directly.

He settles onto the wood, pulls his knees up, and wraps both hands around his mug. Takes another sip. Lets the routine settle into his bones. This is his time. Before everyone else wakes up and the ship becomes chaos. Before he has to be on, has to remember he's not Captain anymore, just... crew. Just another member of Monkey D  Luffy's insane collection of misfits.

The coffee is good. Sanji's always particular about it.

Law stares out at the ocean, watching the way the light catches on the waves. His mind drifts, unfocused in that early-morning way where thoughts float by without quite sticking. He thinks about Bepo, Shachi, and Penguin. They're here. They're alive, which is more than he had any right to hope for after Blackbeard. But it's not the same. It can't be the same. He's not their captain anymore. The Heart Pirates are—were—

Law takes another sip of coffee, jaw tightening.

The others had disbanded. Five months ago now. The ones they'd managed to save after Winner Island. They'd looked at him with something like pity—or maybe relief—when he'd told them he was joining the Straw Hats. We can't do it again, Captain. We can't follow another captain. We're done.

He hadn't blamed them. Hadn't even argued. What could he say? That they owed him their loyalty? That they should risk their lives again for him after he'd already gotten so many of them killed? No, they deserved better. He let them go. Watched them scatter to whatever lives they could salvage. And now it's just Bepo, Shachi, and Penguin. His crew reduced to three. His command reduced to nothing. They call him the Strategist of the Straw Hat Pirates… and the title feels so damn strange but—well… he really is good at plans when he has strong players on his board to move about… even if those strong players are all mentally ill idiots.

When they’re moving, in battle, doing something, Law forgets, at least for a while, that he’s not the one in command, he feels like he’s the one pulling all the strings—because technically he is. It’s his designated role to plan and improvise when the plan inevitably is ruined. The adrenaline rush he gets from trying to keep up with his most chaotic, uncontrollable player almost gives him a high better than any drug he’s taken. In the moment its infuriating… but when the dust settles, he’s stunned to see the results. Their success. He helped make that happen, for the crew he’s part of.

Straw Hat’s crew. Straw Hat's command… and whatever command that idiot barks I have to follow. Law thinks with clenched teeth and a slight rise of heat to his cheeks. Law's thumb rubs against the ceramic of the mug, a repetitive motion that grounds him. He's adjusting. He is. It's just... different. Being the one who takes orders instead of giving them. Being responsible for himself instead of everyone else—technically he does hold responsibility for the crew’s safety, but he’s not the one in charge, huge difference. Luffy makes the decisions, Law just tries to keep them alive through whatever hell Luffy throws them in next.

It should feel freeing, maybe. It doesn't. It feels like he's floating untethered, like he's forgotten how to exist without the weight of command pressing down on his shoulders. The grass is wet. His feet are cold. The coffee is hot. These are facts. Concrete things he can hold onto.

A burst of laughter echoes from somewhere below deck—Luffy's voice, unmistakable even muffled by distance. Law's mouth twitches slightly, something that's not quite a smile. Last night floats through his mind, hazy around the edges. Straw Hat kidnapping him out of bed. The doctor's coat. The gloves. That absolutely deranged conviction that Law's entire emotional crisis could be solved by masturbating more frequently.

Idiot. But the word sits fond in his chest, even if he won't examine why. Luffy had been worried. In his own chaotic, completely backwards way, he'd noticed Law was struggling and tried to help. It was stupid and misguided and—and Law had fallen asleep on him. Had let himself be held. Had admitted things he never would have said if he'd been fully conscious.

Everyone leaves. Everyone dies or leaves and I can't let anyone close—

Law's jaw clenches. He takes another sip of coffee, letting the heat burn away the memory of his own voice, raw and small in the darkness. It doesn't matter. It was just exhaustion talking. Just the vulnerability of being woken up in the middle of the night by someone who—who cares, apparently, even if Law doesn't know what to do with that. He knew Luffy cared about him as a friend long before last night, but apparently he cares enough to check in with Law about his self care.

Law sputters in his mug, burning his upper lip and coughing on the bit in his mouth he swallows wrong from the surprise of the burn. He holds the cup aside, coughing a couple times to clear up his lungs before he settles again. Clearing his throat and shaking his head.

Straw Hat is ridiculous. That's all there is to it. Ridiculous and well-meaning and too genuine for Law to know how to handle, so he won't. He'll just... file it away. Add it to the growing list of incomprehensible things Luffy does that Law has stopped trying to understand.

The sun climbs higher. Law's coffee gets colder. Somewhere in the galley, Sanji is probably plating breakfast. Soon the others will start emerging—loud and chaotic and alive in a way that still feels foreign to Law, like he's watching from behind glass. But for now, it's just him and the ocean and the slow, steady rhythm of morning routine. The one thing he can control. The one thing that's his.

Law drains the last of his coffee and closes his eyes, feeling the sun starting to warm his face.