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snailor-bee · 9 months

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Stay with Me, Sway with Me

Finally posting this on Tumblr for @cebwrites! <3 We did a trade ages ago and he was kind enough to wait a while for my school semester to end and for me to get some other stuff done. ;o; His art was AMAZING and I super loved it. I hope this was worth the wait!

Law x M!OC / SFW / 2.8k Summary: Law's not having a great time. Kirin makes it better. (Maybe? Kind of.) Notes: He/they for Law.

Law watched the gathered mass of not only his own crew but Kirin’s as well. Somehow they’d just ‘happened’ to meet up, again .

Randomly. With no previous agreement.

In the middle of the ocean.

After their so-called ‘guests’ left he’d go through his crew and try to figure out the traitors among them but Law knew already—a headache building behind their temples—that it was a fool’s errand. The two crews had become, he shuddered to think about it, friendly and none of their glares would break anyone, he’d come to find out. Not even Bepo.

Annoying. Everything about it was just so annoying .

Gold eyes scanned the crowd, the music thumping uncomfortably in his ears. The lounge on the Tang wasn’t really built for this but people were making it work as best they could, bodies squeezed in too closely together. At least it was slightly less packed than it had been at the start, as people split off together to squirrel away in more private areas of the sub, or perhaps back to the ship that was tethered to the Polar Tang, both bobbling harmlessly on calm seas.

A sitting duck for any passing enemies.

Law hutched into themselves closer, scowling at anything that came into his peripheries.

The scowl didn’t scare off the one person he really, really didn’t want to see.

“Law!” Kirin’s voice yelled over the music, throwing a thick arm around their shoulders as he collapsed into Law’s side. “How you doin’?”

“Denki-ya,” he greeted, gritting his teeth. “Waiting for your crew to leave. Hasn’t it been long enough already?”

Frustratingly, that seemed only to make the silver-haired man laugh.

Law didn’t think about the fact that it might be a nice sounding laugh, especially not when he threw his head back, offering an attractive view of the curve of his throat, allowing their eyes to follow the line of it down into a well-defined chest that was struggling within the confines of a tight low-cut shirt.

No, no, definitely not.

“Oh, come on! We’re having fun!” The smirk Kirin shot him simply made them scowl even harder. “It’s team building or whatever.”

“We’re not a team ,” Law hissed. “We’re not on the same crew or even allies.”

Kirin just smiled back passively. He was still plastered against Law’s side, the heat settling uncomfortably against their skin, adding to the overall heat of the room. He felt sweat begin to form at his temples.

“Aw, come on captain!” Ikkaku’s voice interjected, sounding gleeful. “Play nice! We’re just here to have a good time, make some friends.”

“Here for a good time, not a long time!” Penguin agreed with relish and the two thumped their drinks together, causing ale to cascade down the edges and land with a splatter on the ground between them.

Law was exceedingly thankful he was captain and therefore exempt from swabbing. They didn’t think his blood pressure could survive the incurring wrath from cleaning after his drunken crew and their friends .

“I’m not interested,” he said, finally shoving off Kirin’s arm. The man just leaned back a bit, hands held up. Law’s eyebrow twitched when they realized that Kirin’s leg was still plastered against the side of his.

“By the way, Kirin,” Ikkaku and light gold eyes slide away from his own to look at her, one white eyebrow raising in silence question. “Is it true that you pranked Penguin and Shachi?”

Immediately, Penguin started sputtering as Kirin laughed again. “Sure did!”

“Spill!” Ikkaku demanded, a hand in Penguin’s face, holding him back as he tried to protest.

Law was definitely not sulking between them, as they talked back and forth over his head.

They crossed his arms, wishing he had Kikoku to have something to do with their hands, but his sword had been swiped from him almost immediately as soon as the party started.

Feeling like he’d been left out of the conversation long enough, idly listening to the prank that Kirin had managed to pull off with a few of his crewmembers, Law straightened out of their slouch, a smirk playing on their face.

“I can't imagine what poor woman would end up subjected to your shenanigans whenever you get a girlfriend, Denki-ya,” he said, once the story had been finished and Ikkaku had been left laughing clutching at her gut while Penguin moaned with embarrassment.

There was a lengthy pause, and Ikkaku’s laughter abruptly cut off. Uneasy, Law shifted in his spot. What was the awkward silence for?

Kirin’s face pulled up into a lazy smirk, a challenge glimmering in his eyes. “You’re probably not wrong. I do prefer men though, captain.” He shot Law a wink before standing and sauntering away, his heeled boots putting a sway in his step as he went off to bother someone else.

Ikkaku and Penguin were both looking at them with twin stares of disbelief.

“What?” they asked with annoyance, not quite understanding why he felt mildly embarrassed.

“That was real smooth, captain,” Ikkaku said with a snort.

Penguin nodded in agreement. “You gotta step up your flirting game.”

“My what ,” they hissed before looking around anxiously, suddenly concerned someone might be listening in. “I’m not flirting what gave you that impression?”

Ikkaku’s eyebrows rose with mock disbelief. “Uh, he literally had his arm around you the entire time you guys were sitting here?”

“I shoved it off.”

She snorted. “After an extraordinarily long time for you.”

“And you didn’t move away! You guys were like, plastered together,” Penguin added.

“It’s a small couch.”

By this point, Penguin started snickering and Law leaned forward with a pained groan, burying their face into their hands.

He could sense the two of them gearing up to tease even more so he muttered just loud enough to be heard, “One more word and I’m throwing you both overboard.”

“Come on,” Ikkaku said with glee, “let’s leave the captain I think they need to work some stuff out.”

Law almost protested that he did not but the butterflies in their stomach said otherwise, as well as the heat that was expanding down the back of his neck, which only happened when they were embarrassed.

Oh, they were fucked, oh so fucked. He’d written Kirin off as unavailable in his mind and now? Now they weren’t sure what to do with the information that not only was Kirin available but also faced with that knowledge, he was seemingly extremely interested.

Fuck.

They tracked Kirin’s movement as the other man flittered about the room, joining in various groups to talk and at some points getting pulled into a dance either with a partner or a group of wiggling bodies in a semi-circle.

A plan was starting to form in his head.

It was stupid, they really shouldn’t but even if on the inside, Law was an awkward, anxious mess and his crew made fun of him for it, on the outside with others people saw him as a sarcastic, hard-edged captain.

The Surgeon of Death didn’t mean much to him, other people assigned them that name, but Law bristled at being made fun of. He wanted to have the last word whenever possible.

So. The plan.

Briefly, they spoke with the so-called DJ of the group before making his way through the gathered crowd. There was a sort of make-shift dancefloor in the middle, but Law paid it no mind. His eyes were lasered focused on one individual.

Heart beating so loud in his ears, they could hardly hear the thumping of the music, he swallowed, their throat a desert.

“Denki-ya,” he greeted coolly, coming up to his side. The other man was taller than him by a few inches and with his heeled boots that difference was even greater as Kirin turned and raised an interested eyebrow.

“Captain,” he greeted back with a small smirk. “Fancy meeting you here.”

Law bit back a growl. He straightened instead and held out one hand, their yellow nails flashing briefly in the light. They were vaguely sweaty and hoped Kirin wouldn’t notice. Instantly, all their previous planning went out the window, and mind blank they blurted a tense, “Dance with me.”

Fuck. He’d meant it more as a question.

Lucky, Kirin’s expression dropped into a brief look of surprise before it cleared out into what could only be described as hungry .

“Oh, I’d love to,” he purred, grabbing Law’s outstretched hand.

He’d planned it perfectly, (thank god , some small part of himself exclaimed with relief) the last notes of the previous song fading away as they pulled Kirina into the middle of the dancefloor, shipmates clearing out a space for them.

When the instruments start, Law is rewarded with a wide smile from Kirin. Not a grin, not a smirk, an honest-to-goodness smile . It makes their heartbeat quicken even more, which considering the fact that they can feel his heartbeat in his ears is saying something.

Rusty old lessons come to the forefront and Law arranges his hand on Kirin’s waist. It should be silly, them taking the lead like this but Kirin doesn’t comment just grabs onto Law’s other hand, while the other comes up to rest on Law’s shoulder.

When marimba rhythms start to playDance with me, make me sway

Once the singing began, Law pushed out with one foot. Kirin easily popped back his own, making Law realize that the other man had experience dancing, as he followed Law’s lead effortlessly, his eyes never leaving Law’s, gold on gold sparking between them. That was fine, made it easier on Law, to be honest. But the rush of competition started to echo, and everything faded away. Leaving Law with eyes only for Kirin and surprising him for once.

Like a lazy ocean hugs the shoreHold me close, sway me more

Pushing out with the hand on Kirin’s waist, he went easily, and they dance around the room as Kirin made faces to the crowd, clearly having a good time. With a chuckle, Law reached out for him and Kirin grabbed his other hand.

Using them he spun Kirin until he was facing away from Law, raising both their arms in the process. Their hands swapped before Law guided them back down, before he started walking to the side, Kirin following their lead. The other man popped his hips and made a show of it.

Like a flower bending in the breezeBend with me, sway with ease

Distantly, Law registered that there was cheering but nothing else existed in this moment but them, Kirin and himself. The feeling of Kirin’s body dancing around his, bending so perfectly around each other.

When we dance, you have a way with meStay with me, sway with me

They fumbled a few times, Law unused to dancing after so many years. Still, he was grateful to his parents for insisting in this moment. He remembered years of protests at the lessons, thinking they were useless. Even watching his parents dance around the living room, so in love, their bodies swaying together close until they broke apart, creating music with their bodies dancing alone but still somehow together, the beat and their steps in sync even if they weren't touching. They always seemed to know where the other was, finding each other again effortlessly, swaying together once more.

Even that hadn't changed their mind.

Now, they can see the point. How electrifying it was to dance with someone. How all of your attention got absorbed into your partner until they were the only thing you could see, the only thing you could feel.

Other dancers may be on the floorDear, but my eyes will see only you

One of Kirin’s hands buried itself into the back of their hair, their hand doing the same for him. They were close, gaze locked on each other, circling each other. Everything seemed to be going too fast and yet somehow not fast enough. The intensity between them was a heady, weighted thing.

Only you have that magic techniqueWhen we sway, I go weak

“I didn’t know you could dance,” Kirin said with a smile. Each press of his hands on Law’s body felt like a brand, burning long after the other man moved away.

“There’s a lot of things you don’t know about me.”

Kirin laughed, panting a bit by now, though Law wasn’t fairing any better. “Ooooh, cryptic.”

Law didn’t bother with a reply as they spun him out. When Kirin came back, he cocked his head in a way that looked tantalizing, and Law was positive he knew that, the bastard.

“I’d like to,” Kirin said. “You’re just full of surprises, captain.”

The music swelled and Kirin’s hands grabbed the back of his neck and theirs automatically went for his waist. Kirin popped his upper body back, one knee coming up to make a great arch of his body and Law took on his weight, oopf ing quietly under his breath as the last note faded and they pulled Kirin back up straight.

They were allowed enough time for their eyes to meet and exchange smiles before they were rushed by their respective crews.

Immediately, Law’s shoulders went up as a crowd formed around them, voices overlapping as they demanded to know where that came from.

Something like an itch they couldn’t scratch lit up in his mind and over their body. Hastily, Law backed up from the crowd and made his escape. This time no one stopped them as he made their way through the sub, far, far away from the party.

Once they found a silent corridor, he leaned against the bulkhead, squatting enough to hang his head in between their knees and breathe out slowly.

He sometimes got like this. Law hated crowds and large gatherings. After a certain point everything just started… rubbing him the wrong way. He itched, his anxiety started spiking and he just wanted to leave .

Disappointing that it hit right after the dance though… he’d been hoping to see more of Kirin’s reaction.

Oh well. They sighed.

Hearing the sound of clicking echoing through the otherwise quiet hall made their hackles rise. They peeked around the corner to see long legs covered in black and white, cutouts going attractively down the sides, showing off peeks of skin. Oh. He knew who those belonged to. And looking up, they weren’t disappointed to see Kirin looking down at them, hands on his hips.

“Hey you,” Kirin greeted and Law immediately scowled. The other man laughed before coming around the corner and leaning against the wall next to Law. He left enough of a space between them that they weren’t touching.

“What do you want,” Law said flatly.

“Ohhh, nothing much. You ran off so suddenly after our dance though! I just wanted to make sure I didn’t scare you off.”

Law hutched his shoulders. “You didn’t.”

Kirin hummed. “That’s good.”

A quiet descended over them.

“Look…” Kirin started slowly, Law trained their eyes at the floor. “I meant what I said before, about wanting to know you better. I know you’re all like—” Law peeked up just in time to see the man do a sort of lofty hand wave “—prickly and stuff about things. But you can be surprisingly cool when you wanna be. And I’d like to have another dance sometime.”

“’Surprisingly cool’?” Law repeated with disbelief, gaping up at the other man. Kirin just giggled.

“Yeah, that’s what I said. Come’re, let’s get you off the floor.” He held out a hand for Law. They stared at it for a moment before reaching out to take it, and Kirin easily pulled them up onto their feet.

Kirin started brushing him off, twisting and pulling at Law into different angles for him. Law was surprised at himself that they allowed it.

Once the other man deemed him suitably cleaned, Kirin patted both shoulders with his hands then left them there. “Say, at the next island we’re both at, how about we dance again?”

Law scrunched up his nose, thinking about their crews bomb-rushing them again after the fact. Kirin laughed at his expression before leaning in close to whisper confidingly, “It can just be us.”

They couldn’t help it, he blushed. Kirin just smiled and didn’t use it as an excuse to tease (for once).

“Sure,” Law found himself agreeing.

“Great!!” Kirin’s hands tightened on their shoulders before he leaned in and pressed a fast kiss to the corner of Law’s lips. “I’m looking forward to it. Make sure you come up with new ways to surprise me, hm?” Then he winked before releasing Law and walking away, the line of his body nothing but graceful as his hips swayed with the motion.

Law swallowed hard, heart suddenly in his throat. They pulled down their hat to cover his eyes as they felt his face flush up even more.

The man was going to be the death of them, they were sure of it.

#bee writes #bee writing #one piece #for cev #law x oc #trafalgar law

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