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many-shades-of-violence · 9 months

Text

fireworks

✢ pairing: Trafalgar D. Law x Reader

✢ characters: Trafalgar D. Law, Shachi, Penguin, Ikkaku , Bepo, Jean Bart

✢ word count: 4.500

✢ genre: romance, slice-off life, nsfw

✢ contents: NSFW, kimono-sex, switch-dynamics, body-worship, tattoos, mention of infertility due to amber-lead poisoning

The vibrant streets of the Flower Capital burst forth with a kaleidoscope of colors, an intricate tapestry woven from the threads of life, sound, and movement. As you meandered through the bustling streets, a symphony of scents enveloped you – the intoxicating perfume of exotic spices mingling with the vivacious banter of vendors. It was a sensory masterpiece, a feast for the senses that you savored as you immersed yourself in the rich fabric of the country's capital.

It had been a mere few days since your arrival in Wano Kuni alongside the rest of the Heart Pirates, united in your mission to challenge the reign of Kaido in alliance with the Straw Hats. The details of Law's intricate plan had initially left you uncertain, the memory of his harrowing experiences in Dressrosa still sending shivers down your spine to this day. The lingering scar on his left arm, was a testament to the battles he had fought and the risks he had taken, knowing that it could have been his last.

However, amidst the colorful chaos that was Wano Kuni, your crew thrived more than ever. Especially Bepo, Shachi, and Penguin embraced the country´s vibrant culture with an infectious enthusiasm, but even the more reserved members, like Jean Bart and Ikkaku, had found themselves swept up in the festivities. And as much as you longed to fully immerse yourself in the island's otherworldly charm, the shadow of the Straw Hat Pirates and their unpredictable influence constantly loomed over your enjoyment.

This evening, however, you had finally temporarily relinquished your role as a spy. A customer's passing mention of the upcoming fireworks had piqued your curiosity, and with a sense of adventure, you decided to seize the opportunity, since they weren´t a thing in your hometown. Dressed in a borrowed summer kimono, its lightweight cotton fabric adorned with a subtle plum pattern, you ventured into the festivities, silently hoping to catch a glimpse of your crew amidst the crowd.

As the sun dipped lower, casting a warm golden glow over Wano's bustling streets, the atmosphere crackled with anticipation. The town had transformed into a vibrant tableau of color and light, adorned with fluttering banners and lanterns that painted a vivid contrast against the deepening dusk. The tantalizing aroma of street food wafted through the air, a call that beckoned your senses.

Stalls had sprung up, each offering an enticing array of culinary delights – skewers of yakitori sizzling on open grills, mounds of freshly rolled sushi that seemed almost too beautiful to eat, and steaming bowls of fragrant ramen that whispered promises of comfort. Amidst the culinary treasures, you thought you caught a glimpse of Sanji, the Straw Hat Cook, bustling at one of the stalls. Yet your attention was quickly diverted by a striking and familiar figure – no other than your captain, Trafalgar Law.

Law stood by the sidewalk, his gaze fixed on a group of children engrossed in a lively goldfish-catching game. His appearance was a curious sight, dressed in a black kimono with a red haori, the vivid reds and gold accents creating a captivating contrast against the traditional backdrop. A soft chuckle escaped your lips as you noted that despite his best efforts to blend in, Law couldn't part with his signature hat.

With a stealthy approach, you reached his side, your touch light as you tapped his shoulder to announce your presence. His attention shifted, and the sight of you in the borrowed kimono seemed to elicit a reaction – a slow, lazy half-smile that tugged at the corner of his lips. His voice was laced with amusement as he spoke, his words playfully teasing. "And who do I have the pleasure with?"

Caught off guard by his question, a flush crept up your cheeks, quickly stifled by a cough as you composed yourself. "Don´t tease me and speak for yourselves, captain." you replied.

Law's grin stiffled as he gripped the black fabric of his kimono between two fingers, apparently a bit self-concious. “Shachi, Penguin, and Bepo set me up on this. Had a whole ass speech about “embracing Wano culture” and what not.”

Your gaze traveled over Law's kimono-clad form, the sight of him in the traditional attire an unexpected yet fitting sight, trying your best to not oggle his tattoo lingered chest too much. "Well good for them, they´ve finally developed something a kin to taste. Looks good on you, especially with Kikoku" you said, pointing to the long sword leaning on his right shoulder. You couldn´t help but muster a chuckle as your captain blushed faintly at his ears, his slight discomfort at your back-handed compliment endearing in its own way.

You patted his shoulder playfully before steering the conversation to a more neutral topic. "So, what brings you here?" Law's gaze returned to the lively crowd, his tone thoughtful as he responded. "I'm actually keeping an eye out for another Supernova.” Surprised by his mention of the Supernovas, your curiosity piqued. "Do you need assistance?" you offered, ready to lend a hand if needed.

Law waved off your offer with a casual gesture. "Nah, with how crowded it´s getting, I think my plan went down the drain anyway. And the last thing I want is to cause a commotion." Your thoughts briefly drifted to the Straw Hat Pirates, the very embodiment of chaos and commotion, before returning to Law's presence. "Guess so." you quipped.

Law's attention shifted to you, an interested glint in his eyes. "And what about you?"

"Well, as you can see the tea house owner practically insisted, I take the evening off and put me into this thing here. The lady’s been obsessed with dolling me up since she saw me in my boiler suit.”

You sighed raising the hem of your kimono.

Law's lips curved into a small smile. "I can see why.” Surprised at his flirtatious retort you looked up to your captain, who looked briefly at you, before returning his gaze back to the crowds.

“Aw, that´s sweet of you, captain." You retorted giving him a faint slap on his shoulder. He seemed to stiffen up at that, making you retreat your hand and quickly changing topics so things wouldn´t get too awkward. “Anyhow, I was just on the way to look around the festival stalls. Wanna join?” You offered politely, not thinking he would partake your offer. To your surprise he answered very quickly, letting himself be guided by you deeper into the festivities. “Lead the way.”

Amidst the lively streets of the Flower Capital, you and Law continued to explore, the festival together. As you walked side by side, the captain's reserved demeanor seemed to melt away, replaced by a sense of ease. The elusive surgeon of death had momentarily laid down his mantle, revealing a side of him that only a few including his crew were privileged to see.

Time seemed to blur as you lost yourselves in the vibrant spectacle around you. The lanterns cast a warm, inviting glow, while the distant strains of traditional music filled the air. Your conversation flowed effortlessly, touching on everything from local customs to the challenges you had each faced on your respective missions.

As the night deepened, the festival's vibrant energy seemed to surge, an electric current that pulsed through the heart of the Flower Capital. The lanterns lining the streets emitted a soft, golden glow, weaving an enchanting spell that enveloped the surroundings. After enjoying a mesmerizing traditional dance performance and marveling at the dexterity of street performers, you indulged in the sweet delight of a candied apple. It was in the midst of this delightful moment that your attention was drawn to a spectacle that transcended the ordinary – people launching paper lanterns into the night sky.

"Look over there, Captain!" you exclaimed, directing Law's gaze toward the ascending lanterns, a scene that painted the backdrop of the moonlit landscape. Just as he was about to utter a question, a playful smile curved his lips. Your curiosity was piqued, your eyebrow quirking in response. "What?"

With a gentle gesture, Law used your own finger to point at his cheek, the mischievous smile refusing to fade. "Got a bit of caramel there."

You felt a blush warm your cheeks as you instinctively lifted the hem of your kimono to rectify the sugary mishap. However, a practical hesitation stilled your hand in mid-air. The tea house would surely reprimand any stain on their attire. Almost as if sensing your dilemma, Law stepped in with characteristic grace for a doctor like him. "Here, let me do it."

You nodded, a tad taken aback by his swift assistance. His touch was surprisingly gentle as he wiped away the caramel with his finger, leaving a tingling warmth in its wake. Though you flinched slightly from the unexpected contact, Law seemed unperturbed, his focus solely on the task at hand, like the pro he was. The proximity allowed you to catch a faint, intriguing blend of his distinctive scent, a musky and herbal aroma that stirred a comforting familiarity. You nearly cringed when you felt how giddy it made you feel. A feeling that definitely transcended the boundaries of your roles as captain and crewmate.

"There, all done," Law murmured, his voice a soothing undertone that seemed to reverberate through the air. As he was just on the way to restore the distance between you, your gazes met for a fleeting second, a silent exchange where his unwavering yellow gaze met your own. With your best effort your tried to control your urges to look at his strong features, including his full lustrous lips. Just when you failed miserably, your eyes hungrily flashing down, a sudden burst of sound forced your attention skyward, ignorant of his gaze definitely not missing your reaction.

The night erupted into a dazzling spectacle of color and light, fireworks painting the heavens with vivid strokes of red, blue, and gold. The crowd around you gasped and cheered in unison, their collective awe echoing through the air as they started looking for a better spot to view the firework.

Caught in the radiant shower of lights, you felt a sense of enchantment take hold, not able to move a tad, for this was your first time experiencing a firework. The colors reflected in your eyes, mirroring the effervescent spirit of the festival itself. Beside you, Law's gaze wasn´t drawn skyward however, his usually impassive demeanor softened by the sheer wonder of the display on your face, alight by the kindling flames in the sky.

"Say, y/n-ya, is this your first firework?" Law's voice broke through your reverie, drawing your attention momentarily as you nodded, still entranced by the display at hand. He smiled faintly, before grabbing you carefully around your shoulder, to port you away from the masses,

“Room!”

You let out a surprised noise, as Law´s Room switched you out with a few stones of the close-by riverbed you were standing in front of now. You usually wouldn´t have missed the lingering hesitation of your captain, a fraction of a moment too long, before he withdrew his arm, but you were way to mesmerized with the many fireworks ablaze in the night sky.

"You know, Captain, you´re very kind." you remarked, your words carried on the wind, still entranced by the luminous spectacle. A quick, soft reply escaped his lips, laced with an unspoken gratitude. "Don't mention it." His words were followed by a muttered addendum, revealing a hint of vulnerability. "Besides, I wouldn't do this for just anyone." Your laughter bubbled forth, a grin painting your features as Law's cheeks tinged a deeper shade of pink in response. Leaning slightly against him, your shoulders brushed.

"And here I thought our captain was always this chivalrous" you joked, catching Law off-guard, his embarrassment evident. Chuckling softly, you reassured him, your attention drifting back to the night sky. "I'm only teasing. I really don´t mind. Truth be told, I'm thoroughly enjoying this. My only regret is that it's passing by so quickly." With a contemplative look, you glanced downward, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear, the gentle night breeze weaving through your locks.

Your heart soared triumphantly as Law's resonant baritone voice echoed your unspoken desire, his words falling like a melody upon your ears. “It doesn´t have to, y/n-ya.” As you looked back up to him, you met his serene gaze, swallowing the lump in your throat. “Are you sure, captain?”

He sighed defeated, before crossing the last of distance between you two, cupping your cheecks with his hands. “Here, let me show you.” Carefully he planted his lips on yours. You were quick to answer his call, hands rested atop his haori, you met his lips in a slow rhythm, while the display of fireworks reached its climax.

Up close to your captain, you could once again smell his cologne, blending beautifully with the warmth rising between the two of you. You felt Law's hands slowly starting to explore your body, tracing its contours with his fingertips, sending shivers down your spine.

Breaking your kiss only to catch a breath, Law whispered softly to you, "Perhaps we should continue this elsewhere." You agreed with a mischievous raise of your eyebrows. "Polar Tang?" Law gave you a horrified expression, already envisioning the worst-case scenario of Shachi, Penguin, and Bepo stumbling upon the two of you mid-coitus. "Are you out of your mind?!" You playfully stuck your tongue out at him. "Just kidding. Let's go to my place at the tea shop."

"Are you sure? We wouldn't want to compromise your cover," Law raised an eyebrow. "There's always outside..." "The tea shop it is."

You gestured for Law to approach the bedding, your back turned to his tall frame. "Would you mind assisting me with this?" you asked, referring to the complex Wano clothing that was proving difficult to remove without some help. "As much as Wano's attire is beautiful, it’s a pain in the ass to get out of without an extra hand. Really nothing compared to our boiler suits.”

Law couldn't help but smirk at your remark. He swiftly discarded his haori, hat and sword, his skilled hands moving to unfasten the sash's ribbon. "Think you got me convinced" he quipped, a playful tone in his voice. "Feels like unwrapping a present." You gave Law a look over shoulder, watching as he expertly unraveled the intricate bindings of the kimono. With his task completed, the fabric now hung loosely around your shoulders, its long hem cascading. Law met your gaze and shared a tender kiss, his scrawny goatee tingling your chin, before gently sliding the fabric down your shoulder.

Softly peppering kisses along your shoulder blade, his slender tattooed fingers pulling the cotton fabric away from your body with a tantalizing slowness. You turned to face him, clad only in your underwear, playfully nibbling on your lower lip as a silent request for entrance to his mouth. He willingly granted you permission, his submission deepening as your hands slid into the opening of his kimono, trailing along his chest. The loose white sash around his waist unraveled in a single swift motion, unveiling your captain's tanned skin adorned with intricate tattoos. As you traced your fingertips over the dark lines, a shiver of anticipation coursed through Law's body, a reaction he couldn't suppress.

Taking advantage of the moment, you slipped your tongue into his mouth, engaging in a languid and passionate dance. Your lead was embraced wholeheartedly by Law as your tongues intertwined. It was surprising to witness how effortlessly Law, the famed Surgeon of Death and former Samurai of the Sea, surrendered to the sensations, heightening your attraction to him even more.

Straddling your raven-haired captain, his partially undone kimono cascading around his slender, muscular physique, exposing his nearly bare form, you momentarily parted from the kiss. Your lips and tongue embarked on a tantalizing exploration of his body, leaving a trail of fervent kisses in their wake. Starting from his neck, your journey traced a path down toward his nipples, lavishing each one with devoted attention, coaxing them into hardness. The sensations prompted a groan to escape Law's lips, his fingers clutching the bedding beneath him as he fought to muffle the rising tide of moans. Simultaneously, one hand sought refuge above his mouth to stifle his own sounds of pleasure. Your keen perception didn't overlook the telltale twitch of his cock between his legs, a testament to the effect your actions were having on him. "God damn, y/n-ya, slow down, will ya? I'm not gonna dissolve into thin air anytime soon." You looked up at him with a teasing grin, saluting him with a wink. "Ay, ay, captain."

And call me Law, will ya? It makes me feel weird hearing it in a setting like this," you chuckled, giving him a peck on the lips. "Alright, alright. Though, I can always call you 'Doctor' if you're more into that?" You grinned when he averted your gaze, clearly embarrassed by your dirty talk. “M-Maybe another time.” He stifled, his hands searching again for more contact with your skin. “Cute. But if this shouldn´t be a one-time thing, you got some convincing to do.” you winked. On your call Law claimed your lips in a heated kiss, his hands ghosting over every curve of your body, pressing his hips against your own to create more friction between you. A moan escaped your lips, when he slid his hand around your back, releasing you of your bra and starting to knead the subtle flesh of one of your breasts with his calloused hand.

As you pressed yourselves harder onto Laws clothed cock, he let out another groan, his lips meeting you once more, before he finally wetted his long fingers with his mouth and dipped them inside your panties. A low stifle erupted his tattooed chest when he found the wet spot that formed there. “Guess I´m not the only one excited.” he proclaimed, wetting his lips in the process. As he entered you with two fingers, you cried out in pleasure. You had guessed it with Ikkaku one way to drunk evening, but now you finally had hand on prove that his fine motor skills definitely translated outside of the op.

“Fuck, Law.” You cried out as he slowly scissored you open, his thumb dragging menacingly above your swollen clit. The feeling of being filled by his long fingers was ravishing, and the fact that they were tattooed, only turned you on more. Additionally, Law hungrily sucking at your tits like a starved man, didn´t help the whole ordeal.

You bitt your thumb, to suppress a loud cry from the pleasure that build with rapid speed in your core. When you had teased your captain, that he needed to do some convincing first, you wouldn´t have thought he took it so seriously, but maybe you had calculated his enchantment with you on a wrong scale from the beginning. With each calculated stroke from Law, the sensation inside you grew stronger until finally, you screamed out in ecstasy, your first release of the night crashing down on you. Dazed out from your orgasm, you were too late to realize Law cleaning your release from his fingers sloppily with his tongue.

“What are you doing?!” you cried out exhausted, trying to swipe his hand from his face. “Relax. Just savoring my treat. You´re as sweet as I´d imagined.” He grinned at you, flashing you his pearly white teeth. “You´re a nasty one Trafalgar. How long have you been imagining this anyway?” you mewled, discarding of your soaked panties before tending to his own confinement.

He gave you a shrug before pulling you in for another kiss, his tongue searching longingly for your own. You grimaced, tasting yourselves on his lips. “Honestly, y´a don´t wanna know.”

And honestly, it should´ve give you the ick to hear that from your supervisor and captain but at the same time, but at the moment you couldn´t think of anything hotter.

When you first joined the Heart Pirates, after Ikkaku had found you in cold blood nearly offing two burglars with a shorty after they tried to rob an elderly couple, her promises of a warm bed, delicious food, a bear as a navigator, and the captain being a bombshell weren't exaggerated at all. But with all professionalism, you wouldn't agree to that out in the open. Except maybe if you had one or two shots too many.

Back in the present, you smiled inwardly at the chance you took and everything it had led up to, this shared moment of intimacy with none other than your captain included.

As you released Law cocks out of his imprisonment you couldn´t help but tease his stiff rod with a quick swipe of your thumb, earning yourselves a deep groan from the man in question. The tan cock sprang free with much vigor, a bit of pre-cum having already assembled at the dark pink slit. Experimentally you gave him a few lazy strokes, before Law signaled you to hoist yourself above him, so he could enter you. You cocked an eyebrow, a bit surprised that a doctor like him didn´t seem to care much for protection. He seemed to know exactly what you were thinking about, as he gave your hip a reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry, I'm infertile," he said, looking at you with a casual expression, causing your eyes to widen in surprise at how nonchalantly he addressed the topic. "What? It's no big deal. Just a result of a hereditary disease."

You gulped, feeling a bit unsure of how to react to this fact, but then decided to drop the topic for now. After all, Law was the doctor and likely had more knowledge of his own insides than anyone would ever want – well, except for the Surgeon of Death himself, that is.Formularbeginn

Holding yourselves steady with your hand on his broad shoulders, you slowly sank yourselves down on his cock, a shiver running down your spine as you felt him protrude your wet insides. Groans escaped you both as sheeted himself inside you, the skin-on-skin contact making your core starting to coil once more.

When you had finally accommodated to Law´s grith you started to move, lazily dragging your hips up and down, fingers digging into his tan muscles. Your captain reacted with much enthusiasm, his grip on your hands not only steading you in your motion but giving him the needed point of gravity to meet your motions with his own hip thrusts. No sooner than later the room was filled with the rhythmical slapping of sweaty skin and a salve of both of your moans, relishing in each other’s ecstasy.

Just when you had sunken down once more on Laws length he suddenly snaked his hands firmly around you, locating you on your back and him atop of you, the last fabric of his black kimono falling down onto the ground, revealing the full glory of his tattooed body. You racked your nails over his back from the pleasure the newly found angle brought you, while Law pounded your weeping cunt. Spurred on, you hooked your legs around his hips nearly drilling the poor man to the hilt inside you.

“y/n-ya, don´t do that or….” Law groaned out stopping mid-sentence. “Or what?” you asked teasingly, giving one of his nipples a slow pull. “Fuck.” You had your answer, when you felt Law rot one last time against you, painting your insides with his cum as he emptied himself inside you. Feeling the sudden hot splashes of his seed inside you made you contract like crazy, milking him dry of his last drop.

As he slid out of you, he kissed you on the forehead, slowly draping your bedding over both of you and nestled himself into the comfy covers of your futon with you in his arms. As you came down from your own high you suddenly registered that despite his affirmation, Law had cum inside you.

“Say didn´t you-“ .” Law muffled in your hair, clearly tired from your escapade. “I said I´m infertile, not that I can´t cum y/n-ya. Read a book for once”.

"I think I'll pass," you retorted, rolling your eyes in a playful manner before snuggling into Law's embrace. He slowly ran his fingers through your hair as he asked in a low baritone voice, "Are you alright? Need anything?" You shook your head wearily, stifling a yawn with your hand. "Just a good night's sleep. Rest can wait till t´morrow."

"Same here," he replied, his grasp tightening around you.

Just before sleep embraced both of you, you whispered gently into his ear, "Oh, and by the way, you passed with flying colors." Instantly, a subtle smile adorned Law's usually impassive countenance as slumber claimed him. As you drifted off into a tranquil sleep, a final utterance lingered in your ears.

"Glad to hear that."

#writing #my stuff #one piece #op #trafalgar d law #trafalgar d. water law #trafalgar d water law #trafalgar law x reader #shachi #penguin #bepo #ikakku #jean bart #heart pirates #one piece x reader

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nehswritesstuffs · 1 year

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fly little seagull, the world awaits - Part 2 of 4

So, like, I wrote an ending for this, right? The very next day I read ch.1079. Now there’s... complications. Let’s see how this goes.

Chapter 1 on [tumblr] - [FFN] - [AO3]

With Nauja now a fixture on the ship, Law and the rest of the Hearts adjust to having a child in-tow. [8344 words; AU where Law accidentally lets the adoption cycle continues]

“Captain! Captain! You have a message from the Marines!”

Law scowled as he accepted the letter from his crewmate and opened it, trying to keep Nauja from reading over his shoulder. It was a job from the Government. “Looks like we’re getting put to work.”

“What do they want this time?” Jean Bart glowered. What a way to ruin a day lazing about atop deck. “I am sick of hiding every time we need to report.”

“You’re in luck—it looks like I just have to take care of some business in Gallandria. That’s not too far from this point. Might not even need to get the rest of you involved.” Law raised both eyebrows slightly as he continued reading—intriguing. “Some low-bountied pirates got past Fish-man Island on a fluke and are causing havoc…”

“…but not enough to warrant the Marines to investigate?”

“What would you rather do? Stop rebuilding your headquarters to deal with small pickings, or let your lapdogs take care of the pickings for you?”

“Why do you let them tell you what to do?” Nauja asked curiously. “Bart-ya says we are pirates because we are free! Isn’t free not being told what to do?”

“It is, but it also isn’t,” Law said. He thought for a moment, considering his words carefully. “Freedoms always come with prices. Pirates don’t do lots of many things that the Marines like, but I’m one of the pirates the Marines ignore as long as I do things for them now and then. Sometimes it involves going after other pirates. It’s not ideal, but it works for the time being.”

“Would all the pirates be free if the Marines disappeared?”

“No—although they try to keep what they call order and justice by fighting pirates, if the Marines were gone, then the Government would be gone, and as much as I hate them, some of them are good people who protect other good people… there’s just not as many of them as there should be. Besides, not all pirates are like us and do things like take care of children.”

“They’re not…?”

“No. Many pirates are murderers and destroy for no reason. We simply have our own goals and don’t want to get involved with civilian matters—the specifics are complicated—and becoming pirates is the price we pay.” He felt bad for the amount of misdirecting about himself he was doing, but knew he’d clarify everything one day. “We’re able to sail the seas, but we do so without our families or a home on dry land. We are ‘free’ because we gave up so many things in return… things that normal people might call freedom, such as social supports and rules to keep them safe.”

“Oh…” Nauja went quiet as she thought. “I don’t get it.”

“That’s alright—you go and make sure your backpack’s ready for a quick getaway, okay?”

“Okay!” Nauja scurried down below deck, which allowed Jean Bart to scoff once she was out of earshot.

“You loathe the Government as much as I do,” he noted curiously. “Why would you tell her anything less?”

“…because I don’t know when I’m going to have to leave her or why or where,” Law said. “She’s young enough to learn to not hate everyone, but old enough to start learning what nuance is. If I can prepare her for that…”

“You needn’t say more,” Jean Bart said, patting his captain on the shoulder. “To see the world through the eyes of a child again… to no longer know the pain… there is so much I would give, and yet…”

“…the knowledge you have is worth more than anyone can fathom.” Both men nodded at one another. “C’mon; let’s make sure she stays out of the boiler room before Ikkaku-ya pops a gasket.”

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

“What’cha doing?”

Law looked over to find Nauja staring up at him as he sat hunched over his desk. His eyes flicked over towards the door—still shut—and wondered how the fuck she got in there without him realizing.

“Reading,” he said plainly.

“…but it’s not one of the textbooks,” she noted. Ah, yes, it was built much differently than his other books, wasn’t it?

“It’s a comic,” he said. “I’ve been reading it since I was your age.”

“Oh! What’s it called?!” she asked, climbing into his lap. “Sora, Warrior of the Sea… sounds cool! What’s it about?”

“A Marine that fights on the side for Justice in the North Blue against the evil army Germa 66, which is led by a family of super-powered villains,” he explained. Stars formed in her eyes and he tried not to laugh—he had yet to meet a small child immune to Sora. “Even though the main character is a Marine, it inspired a lot of kids from the North to become pirates when they grew up.”

“Really…?”

“Yeah. A lot of what Sora does in his fight against Germa 66 is tough for Marines to do, because he just does what he thinks is necessary. Any good person who becomes a Marine has to do a lot more paperwork and appeasing bad coworkers than the story shows. It would be very difficult to fight the real Germa 66 like he does.”

“Wait… the bad guys are real?!”

“Very real.” He gave her a gentle hug with one arm. “The comic book might be fantasy and a way for the Marines to look better, but Germa 66 is a group no one wants to tangle with. They’re assassins for hire; mercenaries; powerful rented soldiers; monsters of science and technology.”

“Whoa… can I read it too?!” Nauja asked. Law plucked another volume from the shelf above his desk and handed it to her.

“This is the first one—I have all the volumes so far.”

“Thanks, Law-san!” She hugged him tightly before sliding off his lap and scurrying out of the room.

“Just ask if you need me to explain anything!” he called out after her. She did not respond, being halfway to her room already. He shook his head and went back to the volume on his desk, wondering when it was she was going to catch up to where he was.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Taking a deep breath, Law steadied himself as he prepared to go through another round of his practice katas. It had been a while since he legitimately trained with just Kikoku, and he could feel it in the way his muscles were on fire. He needed to be sharp with his sword as well as his Devil Fruit, and it was frankly appalling how rusty he’d become. Now, atop the uppermost deck of the Polar Tang, he at least had some peace and quiet as the rest of the crew played on the beach nearby. He took off his soaked shirt and drew Kikoku once again, letting it sing as he went through the motions, alone in his pursuit.

“Law-san! What are you doing?!”

Well, nearly alone.

“I’m going through my katas.” He tried to not look at the girl who was standing just out of reach, feeling her presence with his Haki instead. “It’s been too long since I’ve done them.”

“Why’s that?”

“In case you haven’t noticed, I use a pretty big sword. That takes constant practice to maintain.”

“Can I try?”

Law had to stop mid-set to stare at her.

“Nauja-ya, my sword is taller than you are on your tiptoes and holding your hands up. No.”

“If I’m a pirate, I’m gonna need to know how to fight! Your sword is super-cool! Can’t I learn how to use something like that?”

“Any sword demands more height from its wielder than you currently posses,” he scowled. She pouted in response—she did not want to budge. “If you’re that set on it, let me see how you fare with a knife. Go bother Uni—he has some.”

Nauja stomped away in clear irritation. Thinking that was that, Law went back to his katas, only for her to return fifteen minutes later with one of Uni’s sheathed knives in her hands.

“Teach me!” she demanded.

“No.”

“Teach me, please! Uni said we can use his dull knife for practice!”

“I said no.”

“…but you’re good with swords! I want to use a sword when I’m older!” Law tried glaring at her in an attempt to make her back down, only for it to feel like Kikoku was mocking him for her refusal to leave.

He had to hand it to her—she was stubborn. Familiarly stubborn.

“Fine, fine; get over here,” he muttered. Nauja gasped happily and bounced over to his side as he sheathed Kikoku and rested it against the wall. He took the knife and inspected it—too dull for fighting purposes, certainly, but still too sharp—and temporarily blunted the edges by shaving off parts of the blade with his Devil Fruit. It was still heavy when he handed it back to her, but it was still less likely to injure someone.

“When I’m bigger, will a sword feel as heavy as this knife?”

“That would depend on how comparative a full sword would be to your growth rate. If you’re serious about this, we’ll need to work on your strength and endurance. The blade might feel fine now, but in a fight, it can become heavy quickly when you’re tired.”

“I promise I’ll work hard, Law-san!” Nauja beamed. Something swelled in him as he eased her through katas, concentrating on the movements involved in slashing someone’s hamstrings or stabbing up into a groin. Was it pride? Fear? Something else entirely? He wasn’t certain.

Later on, away from the captain’s prying eyes, two of the Heart Pirates gave their youngest member her very first real knife: a dirk with a seagull emblazoned on the sheath. Her eyes lit up and she hugged them excitedly, feeling like she was a real pirate. She showed it to Law-san immediately, which made him both glad she had a weapon of her own, and furious at exactly the same.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

“Law-san, I have a question.”

“I am a little busy,” he replied. Nauja of course had to come into the infirmary while he was running bloodwork to see what sort of antibodies his crewmates now possessed after half of them came down with a cold that hadn’t responded to the usual medication. He and Clione were going through all the samples one by one, taking as detailed of notes as possible.

“…but, you said I can always ask you a question,” she reminded him.

“She’s got a point, Cap,” Clione said idly. Law grunted sourly and looked at Nauja, who was holding a Sora compilation book.

“Yes, you can borrow it,” he said in an attempt to anticipate her question.

“Oh, I know that,” she replied. “I just wanted to know who those people were.”

Law’s stomach dropped. “Which people?”

“The ones in the photos by your desk. I saw them when I was getting this.” She held up the book as evidence. “You’re in some of them, so I figure you know.”

“I’ll, uh, be back,” Law muttered. Clione waved him off nonchalantly—the kid did ultimately come first. He went back to his room with the girl and watched as she climbed into the desk chair and pointed at the worn photos held to the wall by magnets.

“Who are these people?” Nauja wondered. “I’ve never seen them before!”

Fuck… of course.

“Do you remember when I explained that you were staying with us?” He watched as she nodded in affirmation. “This is my sister Lami.”

“Oh…” she realized quietly. “Does that mean this is your mom and dad?”

“Yeah. Maybe your Oma and Opa, in another life. They were both well-known, amazing, talented doctors. They are what steered me towards medicine to begin with.”

“Does that mean then that this is… uh…?” She pointed at the blond in another photo, trying to reach for the name.

“Cora-jiisan,” he confirmed. “I know they all would have loved you, if they got the chance.”

“How did they die?”

“Poison. The World Government poisoned them.” He watched her nose scrunch in confusion as she tried to process why a little family would be treated that way. “There was a mineral that was mined in our hometown that the Government knew was dangerous when disturbed, but ignored the danger because it made them a lot of money. No one where I grew up knew about the poison until the whole country became sick at once after generations of exposure. Whoever didn’t die of the poisoning like Lami did, were killed by soldiers sent in by the Government to stop the spread of what they said was an infectious disease. That’s how my parents died.”

“Why did they kill everyone?”

“To cover up the source of why everyone was sick.” He pointed to a photo of him and Cora-san. “See those white patches on my skin there? That was one of the symptoms. He passed it off as a harmless skin condition while we were going from hospital to hospital.”

“So, you found a cure?”

“I ate my Devil Fruit,” Law took off his lab coat and laid it on the bed so that he could roll his sleeve up to his elbow. “Do you see something here on my skin? Hiding in my tattoo?” She hesitated before putting her fingers on his forearm, right over an old scar. “That’s one of the places my Devil Fruit couldn’t fix, so I had to cut it out. There are bits like that all over my body and most of them are covered by my tattoos. If the wrong people found out that’s what my scars were from, it would mean the whole crew would be in danger.”

“That’s… scary.”

“It is, but it is also the truth.” She clutched the Sora complication to her chest, biting her lower lip in thought. “Does it make you feel sad? Uncomfortable? Angry?”

“…yeah…”

“That’s good, because I guess you also feel like you never want something like that to happen again. Am I right?”

She nodded.

“That’s how you’re supposed to feel,” he explained. “Penguin, Shachi, and Bepo know about it in detail, but no one else. I mean, the rest of the crew have an idea, know bits and pieces, but they don’t know the full extent of what happened.”

“So, I can’t talk about it to the crew?”

“I’d prefer you not. The more people talk about it, the more likely it is I’ll get targeted by people who will want to finish the job. We think that part of my former bounty is purely because I survived.”

“That’s… wrong.”

“It is, but that doesn’t change the fact it happened.”

“Can you… tell me about them? About your home?”

“…I can. Knowing about them is dangerous, though. Are you sure?”

“They’d be my family if they were here. It would be home if it still existed. I should know, shouldn’t I?”

“Then yes, you should.” Law sniffled slightly as he nodded, trying to recall some of the better stories to tell her. “How about the time my sister stole all my Sora comics and used them as coloring books?”

“What?! No way!”

While it didn’t surprise him in the slightest, Clione had to finish the bloodwork by himself. He brought the results to Law, who was still in his cabin, Nauja curled up on his bed napping while he stared at old photographs procured from an old boot-box. He took it, croaked out a thanks, and kept shuffling through the memories in a way his crewmate had never really seen before.

Maybe, just maybe, this was how it was meant to be.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

“Alright everyone, new calendar!” Penguin shouted over the din of the mess hall. He held up a spiral-bound booklet and a pen high enough for everyone to see. “New calendar—write your shit on it before this one gets tossed in the furnace too!”

“It was a fucking accident!” groaned the guilty party, sinking in his seat. Some chuckles came from his crewmates and they all began to pass around the booklet.

“What do we write on it?” Nauja asked as the calendar inched down the table towards her. Ikkaku raised an eyebrow.

“Anything we want,” she replied. “Most of us write down our birthday and the day we joined up. Sometimes any holidays we think are important. Most of the time it gets transferred one year to the next by someone else, but an accident happened to the old one.”

“Oh…” The little girl watched as the mechanic was passed the calendar. “Can I write on it?”

“I don’t see why not.” Ikkaku finished marking her birthday and join date and flipped to a specific month, pointing out a day. “We got you then.”

“Thanks!” Nauja then went and carefully wrote her name in prim, careful block letters. “Nauja, joined!” She then found a different month, putting down her name and a heart in one of the squares. “That’s my birthday!”

“Is that so?” Ikkaku nodded. She took note of the day and noticed how close it was. “Does the captain know?”

“He asked me my birthday when I first got here, so he should.” Nauja then passed the calendar to Uni, who proceeded to take care of his business. “Why?”

“Just wondering,” Ikkaku shrugged. She watched as the little girl across the table from her nonchalantly went back to her lunch. Something told her that it was something she was going to need to bring up to the only adult not currently in the room, the sooner the better.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

“I don’t understand how that’s my problem and not the committee’s. Why even have a ‘birthday committee’ if you’re not going to let it do its job?”

Ikkaku scowled sourly, folding her arms over her chest as her captain attempted to ignore her presence. Seas, he was so fucking dense sometimes that it made her want to scream as she knocked the fucking test tubes all over the infirmary floor.

“Her birthday’s coming up and we almost missed it,” she reiterated. “She is very attached to you and I think that, at least this first time, it would mean the world if you were the one to throw her first birthday party on the Tang.”

“That would be favoritism,” he claimed.

“She’s going to be seven—I think the rest of the adults on the ship can deal.”

“Which ones?”

Why did he insist on being so fucking difficult?

“Listen, Cap: the kid you’re letting stay on the ship has her birthday soon and she’s going to want to celebrate it. I know you’re a fucking spoilsport who hasn’t celebrated his birthday since you were her age or something stupid like that, but if you ruin this for her then you are going to be in a world of trouble.”

“What’s the worst you can do?” he wondered idly. “I’m too scary to mutiny against, so… leave the crew…? Not that strong a threat.”

“You forget, o-insular-one, that I know what blackmail is.”

Law finally glanced over from his microscope, more of a glare than anything else. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“1519, Zeferia Harvest Festival; how many tankards of beer did you have again? Twelve?”

“Eleven.”

“Same difference.” She grinned devilishly. “No matter how you shake it, you were extremely drunk and so were those twins. I was not drunk, but I was in possession of a Photo Den Den.”

“I hate you.”

“Mmhmm… no you don’t. Someone’s got to keep you in line, and it sure as fuck isn’t any of the other idiots.”

Groaning in frustration, Law stomped over to where he kept the crew’s medical records and pulled out Nauja’s, immediately finding her birthday. Fuck, it was soon, wasn’t it? He showed it to Ikkaku and she nodded in confirmation.

If ghosts were real, he needed to consult with Lami’s, and quickly.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

“Oh, what a lovely little girl! What are you doing out without your mommy and daddy?”

Nauja looked up at the middle-aged lady and crinkled her nose. The crew had stopped on an island and were now wandering around the market in an effort to stretch their legs and take in some of the local color while stocking up on supplies. Nauja was no different, as she had gotten her own spending money from Law-san like everyone else and was told to get herself supplies. She was outside a stationary store and looking at the many pens on display when the woman approached her.

“I’m with them,” she said plainly, pointing across the street. There were a few other Heart Pirates, trying to haggle over the prices of some produce. The woman raised her eyebrow; the Hearts were still in their boilersuits, while the little girl had on a t-shirt and shorts.

“Those are pirates, dear. I want to know where your parents are.”

“Close enough,” Nauja replied casually. “My mom and dad were mean and ditched me, so now I’m with them. It’s an upgrade.”

“Is it now…?” the woman grimaced. She then noticed the knife at the girl’s side. “Did they give you that?”

“Not them across the street,” Nauja said, getting irritated. “Penguin-ya and Shachi-ya gave me this. They’re not here.”

“…and why aren’t they with you?”

“They’re going that way, to see if they can do some sex.” Nauja pointed towards the less savory of the taverns, where there were already individuals for hourly hire milling about outside. The woman stared, completely aghast at the words coming from the child’s mouth.

“They told you that?! It’s very inappropriate for a girl your age to know!”

“They didn’t tell me that—Ikka-ya told me that. She’s finding some sex too.”

“Why’s she doing that instead of taking care of this kid?” the woman mused aloud. “How irresponsible!”

“Law-san’s responsible for me—he’s the captain. It kinda means he’s responsible for all of us, but mostly me because I’m still little.”

“Then I think I might want to speak with this captain, so I can tell him you should be in a better environment,” the woman scowled. “Now where is this idiot who thinks a bunch of filthy pirates can raise a little girl when they’re clearly more interested in whores than her wellbeing?”

“Behind you.”

A chill went down the woman’s spine and Nauja brightened at Law inserting himself into the conversation. The woman turned around to see Law towering over her, his glare intense and harsh.

“I… uh… I mean…”

“Nauja-ya, I have some books I think will be able to help your reading and maths, as well as some simpler volumes on chemistry and biology than what I have in the ship,” he said, gesturing to the bag in his hand. “Clione-ya also is looking for you; there’s some fabric at the shop that he is considering using for a boilersuit for you, but he wants your opinion first.”

“He knows as long as it’s not flowers or pink or red!” she scowled. A grin then crept across her face, terrifying the woman. “Law-san? Why is it inappropriate that I know some of the crew are finding people to have sex with?”

“It’s only inappropriate if we’re keeping you from understanding what that is,” he explained. “Lots of kids don’t learn about it until much later, but since you are studying medicine and live on a pirate ship with almost two dozen sexually-frustrated adults, it’s necessary that you know.”

“So I don’t interrupt private time?”

“Exactly.” He then looked at the woman, who was nearly frozen in shock. “You have a problem with how we’re raising her, take it up with the Government. I’m sure they’ll step in. Send a social worker. Tell me how I’m a bad, terrible parent when I’m the reason she’s cared for to begin with. Go on. Do it.”

Sufficiently cowed, the woman left the pavement in front of the stationary store and escaped from the wrath of the pirate captain and his ward. The little girl giggled and looked up at her adult, whose stoic expression quieted her quickly.

“Not a word of this to the rest of the crew, you hear?” he mentioned. “Last thing we need is them getting bent out of shape because of some nosy old auntie who doesn’t mean anything.”

“That’s fair,” she nodded. She then turned back to the pens and frowned. “Is it okay that I stay with you? That no one on the crew is my mom or my dad?”

“I think you have something a little better than that,” Law assured. “Now let’s finish here so we can get back to Clione. You know how grumpy he gets.”

“He does,” she smirked, voice lightening considerably. She then had him help her pick some pens and a couple notebooks inside, because yes… she did have something better, didn’t she?

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Laying on her stomach while she read, Nauja kicked her feet idly as she went through the medical textbook that Law-san had left her with. He had left for a Warlord summons a week beforehand and had assigned her homework. Well, everything she did for studying was technically homework, but at the same time, it was something to keep her occupied while he was gone. She would thus take her work all around the Polar Tang and study in the varying rooms alongside the other Heart Pirates.

“What do you think is for dinner tonight?” she wondered aloud. She was in the bunkroom, humming happily on Jean Bart’s bunk while the large man in question sat on the floor knitting.

“Something good, I imagine,” Jean Bart replied. He kept his eyes on the yarn and needles in his hands, the metal clacking nearly echoing in the otherwise-empty bunkroom. “Something else is on your mind, isn’t it?”

“No…”

“Are you sure?”

Nauja hesitated, looking over at Jean Bart before frowning. “I guess I miss Law-san.”

“Do you now?”

“Yeah. He’d be able to tell me more about what’s in the book I’m reading.” She folded her arms and let her forehead sink down to them, her voice muffled. “I kind of also wanted him here for my birthday.”

“You know he can’t control when he is summoned.”

“I know… but still!” She lifted her head again in a pout. “I don’t know if he even knows when it is. He didn’t mention anything about it.”

“He reads the calendar just like everyone else.”

“…but the Government doesn’t.”

Jean Bart nodded at that. “Not our calendar, at the least.” He then held up his project for the girl to see. “What do you think?”

“Oooh, it’s cute,” she replied. He then began to go through the motions to secure the yarn and finish it off. “Why do you do that?”

“Knit? It’s calming. I learned how to do it before I came to travel on the Tang. It reminds me of my first crew.”

“It looks more boring to me.”

“That’s why I’m not making you do it,” he chuckled. He finished tying off the end and handed the hat to Nauja, who immediately jammed it on her head. “Think that will keep you warm on the next winter island?”

“Yes, thank you!” She gave him a hug and went back to her studying, keeping him company as he started on another project, this one a crocheted blanket. They stayed like that for a while before Uni popped his head in nearly an hour later.

“Hey, dinner!” He watched as Nauja rolled off the bunk and Jean Bart put his cushion and crocheting away. “Ah, finished with another project?”

“Now I get a hat!” Nauja grinned. She allowed Uni to carry her on his shoulders as they went to the mess hall, where Penguin was already serving dinner to the rest of the crew. “Oh! Onigiri!”

“That’s right, kiddo,” Penguin chuckled. Uni put Nauja down and she bounced over to the other man’s side. “Got some special umeboshi-filled ones for you right here.”

“You’re the best, Penguin-ya!” She hugged his legs before grabbing her plate and a juicebox. “This is the best birthday dinner! Thank you so much!”

“Alright, alright; way to boost a guy’s ego,” Penguin laughed. “Now go sit down and eat before it gets cold.”

Nauja happily brought her dinner to her special spot—the one with old manuals for her to sit on—and sat down. Everyone was so happy as they ate that it almost didn’t feel as though the captain was missing. She wanted Law-san to be there, but she knew that sometimes adults had to do stuff like not be around for things. It sucked, but at the same time, she knew that when it came to Law-san, it was something he did not enjoy.

What was enjoyable, however, was when everyone was done with their food, Bepo brought out a cake! It had seven candles, which took her a few puffs to extinguish. The crew cheered and they began the party proper—it was her birthday, after all!

After only a few bites of cake, however, the entire room went silent. Nauja saw that the crew was all staring at the entrance to the mess hall and her eyes followed their gaze, only for her to gasp.

Law-san.

He looked like he had recently been in a fight, and that he probably should have been in the infirmary first, but he instead was there, standing in the doorway, his bag still slung over his shoulder and looking at her with a relieved sense of fondness. The girl slid from her seat and ran up to him; just enough time for him to go down on a knee and open his arms before she tackled him in a hug.

“Happy birthday, Nauja-ya,” he whispered in her ear. She hugged him tighter, her small arms around his neck. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

“This is the best birthday present,” she squeaked.

At that, the crew cheered once again and they cut another slice of cake for their captain, who was back an entire week earlier than expected from Shichibukai Shit. Now the party could truly begin, much to everyone’s delight. Presents started after the cake, as did the passing around of alcohol, and singing and dancing and other things to distract the rest of the crew from the child’s delight as she opened the packages passed to her.

A new blanket. A child-sized Sora mug. Books. Paper and pens. A sword-care kit. A new backpack.

Except, nothing really compared to the fact she had Law-san sitting next to her, eating his not-umeboshi-filled onigiri as he watched her open presents. He even slipped a hand into his bag and pulled out a small stack of unwrapped books, passing them to her unnoticed in the din of the party.

Books on Flevance, the language, a dictionary, a photobook… all things he would have had to hunt for in order to acquire.

It really was the best birthday ever.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

It was the middle of the night and Law was wide awake in his room, reading the latest medical journal he picked up while in port. Most of the articles were standard enough, but he did find a couple statements and findings that piqued his interest beyond what the articles could provide. He was taking notes on them when he heard a soft thudding noise against his door. Reaching out with his Haki, he could sense that Nauja was there…

…and she was scared…?

Cautiously, Law opened the door to see a pajama-clad Nauja standing there, tears and snot streaming down her face and Professor Nanuk’s arm clutched tightly in one hand.

“What’s this?” he asked. Soon as the girl noticed that the door was open, she stumbled her way into the room and crashed into Law’s long legs. She was mumbling incoherently and her whole body shook as she sucked in shaky breaths. Sighing, Law picked her up and closed the door, making it so that they had some privacy as he held her close. “Come on, Nauja-ya; tell me what’s wrong.”

She trembled in his arms and whimpered, curling into a ball around Professor Nanuk.

“Alright then,” he decided, “I’m going to go back to my studying and you’re going to stay with me. Talk when you’re ready.” She nodded into his chest and he sat down, keeping one arm securely around her as she stayed in his lap. The child slowly uncurled and one hand went to clutch his shirt in spite of her trembling fingers.

“Can… can you do the thing…?” she croaked, tapping on her face with Professor Nanuk’s paw. Law put down his pen and activated a Room.

“Hold still,” he said. Seconds later and all her snot was in the wastebasket, the girl finally able to breathe properly again. “Better?”

“Yeah…” She clung closer to him, her voice quiet. “I had a bad dream.”

“What sort of bad dream?”

“I was… I was running, and there was fighting and fire all around me. Scary people were everywhere. People were dying.”

“Is that something you read in a book?” he asked, trying to think of all the Sora storylines over the years. “You know those are pretend, right?”

“It wasn’t from a book—it looked real,” Nauja insisted. “I don’t know where I was or who was fighting, but that’s what my dream was. Why did I dream that?”

Possibly some form of Haki, Law thought, but he wasn’t going to tell her that. “The brain is a very curious thing. We don’t know why it does a lot of the things it does, like give us strange dreams or make us think in certain ways. Maybe the how, the mechanics of it, but not the why. I think maybe you just had a dream to make us ask why… if that makes sense.”

“I guess,” she muttered. They were silent for a moment, with him stroking her hair as he allowed her to burrow in as close as she could. “Uh… Law-san…?”

“Nauja-ya…?”

“Can I… uh…?”

“Of course you can,” he replied. He kissed the top of her head and she squeaked happily. “Now go wash your face and drink a little bit of water, okay? That will make you feel much better.”

Nodding, Nauja left Professor Nanuk in Law’s lap while she went into his bathroom to wash and drink some water. While she did that, he saved his place in the journal and placed the stuffed toy on his pillow. He waited until she scurried over to his bed and crawled in before he turned off the lights and joined her. Once he was sure the blankets were in place, Law tucked her head beneath his chin and put an arm around her in an effort to make her feel safe.

“Thank you, Law-san.”

“Get some sleep, Nauja-ya; we’re going to make landfall tomorrow.”

Within moments the girl was asleep, leaving her adult to lay there in the dark, brow furrowed as he glared at the metal wall across from him. If that was Observation Haki, then it was extremely advanced. She was only seven years old; to sense a nearby war, to see images of said place, even look slightly into the future… it was all highly advanced stuff even for adults… again, if that was it and not some bizarre dream.

He felt the small hand tighten around his shirt and he exhaled heavily; just another thing to worry over, he supposed.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Nauja’s hair was getting long.

It had been over a year since it had last been cut and it was getting to be long enough to braid. The girl looked at herself in the washroom mirror and frowned—she wasn’t sure if she liked it now that it was longer again. She finished brushing her hair and placed it in pigtails before bringing her bathroom stuff back to her room. After grabbing a book, she went into the galley and saw Law, Penguin, Shachi, and Bepo sitting around, talking quietly to each other over some coffee.

“Well, well, don’t you look cute today, Nauja-chan,” Shachi teased. “You get any cuter and we’re going to have to watch out.”

“I don’t like it,” she huffed. She saw that Law was staring at her and she knew why. “Can you fix it?”

“It’s hair that you take care of,” Penguin said. “There’s nothing to fix.” He was then cut off from saying more by the scrape of Law’s chair against the floor. “Captain…?”

Wordlessly, Law walked out of the mess hall and made his way down to the infirmary, with Nauja trailing not far behind. He found a high stool and sat her on it before securing a cloth around her neck to shield her lavender coveralls from stray hair.

“I liked how it looked before,” she claimed as he searched through the cupboards.

“Before it was uneven and patchy because Ikkaku-ya couldn’t get an even cut.”

“Then like it but better.” She pouted as the box of barber supplies was shoved in her hands despite the sheet that was in the way. “I look too much like her.”

“Like who?”

“You know. In the photo.”

Law nodded at the confirmation, gently taking the ties out of her hair. He then started combing it, making sure the tangles we all out properly, before taking the spray bottle from the box and spritzed her hair until it was damp. He then ran the comb through it again and repeated the process.

“You’re not her, you know,” he reminded her. “It wouldn’t matter if you had the same hair.”

“I know… I just liked it better before when it was short because it was easier.”

“It is easier, but you can also do less with it. There’s more than one of us that can put in braids, or make it fancy.”

“Nuh-uh,” Nauja said, shaking her head. “I don’t like it long or fancy.”

“As you wish.” He replaced the spray bottle and took the scissors from the box, snipping off her hair with the even, steady precision he used when giving the rest of the crew a trim. By the time he was done, it definitely looked like much nicer of a cut than it had been the first go-around. He handed her the mirror and let her look. “Better?”

“Yeah!” She kicked her feet happily as she was divested of the supply box and sheet. “Now I look like myself again! Thank you!”

“Now back to your studies—go on.” Law shooed her out of the infirmary and began to clean up, making a mental note to hunt her down the next time everyone was getting a trim on the top deck.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Granted, they never should have disembarked the Tang to begin with. Those on the crew with Observational Haki could feel the chaotic, murderous intent pouring from the island. Even Nauja could tell, which should have been the biggest warning sign of all, yet they went ashore anyhow because they were in need serious of supplies and didn’t know if they could last until the next port.

Should they have expected an ambush? Yeah, they really should’ve.

“I could really do without the fucking welcome committee on every other fucking island,” Law grunted. He was wrapped up in causing a distraction in one part of town while the rest of the crew concentrated on getting supplies in the other. It looked as though the main belligerent (someone who could manipulate metal as though it was clay or water, which was both annoying and unnerving) was nearly completely out of commission, which was good considering the Heart Captain was running very low on patience.

“Could be worse,” Penguin shrugged. “We could be fighting at sea.”

“True.” Law watched as the Devil Fruit user’s friends tried to piece her back together and others were in some version of retreat. “The fact I’m a Shichibukai means nothing to them.”

“If anything, it means that they want to take down one of the Government’s dogs,” Penguin reminded him. He tried to flick the blood off the tip of his spear; it didn’t work. “The comics make this seem easy.”

“If only,” Law scowled. A sense of dread then tugged at the edge of his consciousness, alerting him to… he wasn’t certain. “Something’s wrong.”

“Well, yeah, something’s wrong,” Penguin scoffed. “We don’t exactly get a lot of receptions like this…” The transponder snail in his boilersuit pocket began to chirp at him. “It better be fucking good…”

“She’s gone!” Shachi panted via the snail. “The group that took Nauja into town in plainclothes was surprise-attacked! The undercover tourists plan didn’t work!”

“Shit!” Penguin hissed. He turned to tell their captain of the development, only to find that the other man was already gone. “Oh, fuck, Papa Law’s been activated. Evac to the Tang. Now!”

“Wha… oh. Copy that.”

The Heart Pirates all began to retreat towards the Polar Tang, trusting that the situation was going to be under control in a matter of moments. They didn’t have to chase after Nauja to know that their captain was going to descend upon her captors with all the bloodlust and fury that he was technically saving for one specific man. His amber eyes would glint in rage and he would bleed the kidnappers until they were barely alive, anger nearly uncontrolled as he held Nauja in one arm while he vivisected with the other. There was nothing that they wouldn’t give to stay away from the captain in that mode.

By the time the crew had nearly finished loading up the supplies, Law and Nauja popped onto the wharf, the latter hiding her face in the former’s shoulder in the safety of soft feathers. The amount of blood and viscera on them both not only confirmed their suspicions, but posed plenty of questions as well. Nauja was trembling, Law was two shades from complete madness, and a chill swept through the crew as their captain spoke three simple words:

“Burn it. Now.”

Oh… oh shit.

“With pleasure, Captain,” Jean Bart replied gravely. He took some of the crew with him back into port, while the rest continued to load supplies and avoid their captain.

By the time the Polar Tang left the dock, the entire town was engulfed in flames and screams of terror; fitting for a visit from the Surgeon of Death.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Law couldn’t remember the last time he saw Bepo so happy.

None of them could, actually, and it was all while they were stuck in a port with a particularly finicky Pose reset. It was taking much longer than the usual New World Half Day, and that meant they had more time to wander the town, which led to…

“Guys! I want you to meet my cousin! This is Fred!”

Fred, as it turned out, was a giraffe. An incredibly stocky and built giraffe. That fact turned into an impromptu lesson in their corner of a dingy bar about Mink biology and how it both mimicked and was different from Fish-men and Humans. Fred was also a woman, as evident by the feminine voice and pronouns Bepo kept using.

Most members of the Heart Pirates were just glad to have Bepo so excited.

Ikkaku felt slightly betrayed having not known about this cousin beforehand.

Penguin and Shachi decided that if they met a Human like Fred, then they were definitely getting stepped on.

Nauja kept staring at the Mink with stars in her eyes, completely enamored by the concept of crewmates’ family.

Law, on the other hand, was making a valiant effort to be pragmatic about the entire ordeal.

“So you really never passed by other Minks while on the seas?” Fred wondered. She took a sip of her drink and raised an eyebrow at her cousin. “I would think that they’d be everywhere, given how many come and go.”

“It’s usually not understood what a willing migrant has truly lost until their children’s children start asking questions, not unless they ask the questions themselves,” Law stated gravely. “They don’t know garachu and live in fear of Sulong for the wrong reasons. Trust me when I say we’ve been trying to get your cousin back home for over a decade now.”

“I believe it,” she nodded. “Our people generally do not cling to Lesser Minks that are working against our best interests. Even a rocky start can lead to a true friendship.”

Law tried not to laugh as he felt embarrassment radiate off Penguin and Shachi—they all knew that any amount of inquiring and they were caught. “This leads to a very interesting question, Fred-ya: are you also a migrant, or just a traveler?”

“If this is you asking if I intend to return to Zou, then by all means.” She took a piece of paper from her inner jacket pocket and ripped off a piece, handing it to Bepo. “This is Gran’s Vivre Card. Her hip is not doing well, so she guarantees that she won’t be leaving anytime soon, not without warning.”

“What about Mom and Dad?”

“Uncle Yepo and Aunt Alana are doing fine—they’ll be overjoyed to hear from you.” Fred stared at her cousin, unable to keep her eyes off him, as though she wasn’t entirely sure she was dreaming or not. “We had funerals for you.”

“Minks have a second mourning period?” Clione wondered. Fred shook her head.

“His elder brother, Zepo, was amongst a Mink exploration crew that was branded pirate by the Government and slowly vanished,” she replied solemnly. “Few came back; he was not one of them.”

A few moments of awkward silence settled over the group before Law cleared his throat. “I think it’s time for Nauja-ya to get ready for bed. Can I trust you all to take care of it for me?”

Everyone took the hint and left Law and Bepo with Fred. Even Nauja herself knew that they needed privacy, stopping only long enough to give the polar bear a tight hug and a kiss to the cheek. Law waited until the rest of the crew was out of the bar before placing a hand on Bepo’s shoulder, letting him know it was okay to cry.

Bepo sobbed.

While there had always been the chance that Zepo had already died, there had still been the concept of hope attached to it. After all he had been through, after all that happened, he couldn’t even achieve his original goal. He cried and cried until he could no longer shed tears, instead squeaking out a request for some strong alcohol.

“Not until we get some water in you first,” Law stated. He got a large tankard of water for his navigator and set it down in front of him. “Now drink all of it. Slowly.”

Bepo nodded silently and began to nurse down the water, sniffles still overpowering his ability to do anything. Fred rubbed his back, assuring him that everything was fine.

“Fred-ya, I have a question for you.”

“Is now really the time?” she asked, gesturing at her cousin. “The bear is having a crisis.”

“This is the only time, because I doubt I’m going to get another shot of just the three of us again,” he replied. “What is your people’s policy on visitors?”

“We love visitors,” Fred said. “The reason we are taken as isolationist is due to the fact our home is difficult to access, but that doesn’t mean we turn away peaceful travelers who happen upon us. You and your crew are more than welcome, especially after you’ve taken such good care of one of our own. A warm reception waits you in Zou, Trafalgar Law.”

“Not me, but the rest of the crew,” Law said. “I have a plan that needs to be put into motion soon, but I need to get certain parties in safer surroundings.”

“We shall foster the cub for you, without a doubt.”

“I need all of them to be safe.” He scratched behind Bepo’s ears, which made the Mink whine. “There is something I need to do alone, but if I fail, I don’t want my crew to suffer retaliation.”

“How soon?”

“Soon—there’s a planned public event I’m basing this operation on, and I’d like to have them hidden before then.”

“I have some things to deliver and it shall take about two weeks’ time,” Fred said. “You can have them go ahead. With Bepo within their number, they shall not be turned away.”

“Don’t tell me you’re really thinking of doing it alone, Captain!” Bepo pouted. “You know we support you on this! We can help!”

“You’re the best fighter amongst them,” Law reminded him, “and I am not deliberately putting anyone in more danger than I think necessary. You all can handle a lot, but that doesn’t mean Doflamingo is anything but an easy warmup. It’s him I don’t trust.”

“You wish to face off against the Royal Shichibukai Donquixote Doflamingo? As a fellow Warlord, isn’t he your ally?”

“That man is no one’s ally but his own,” Law scowled. “You are certain that Zou is safe?”

“You need a Vivre Card of someone on Zunesha’s back in order to access Zou and the Momoko Dukedom; no one gives those without reason.” Fred regarded Law with a sort of stoicism that he didn’t think was possible in one of Bepo’s relatives. “Your cub and crew will be protected beyond a doubt.”

“It’s a kid, not a cub,” Bepo sniffled, the congestion starting to get to him. “Lesser Minks are really weird and picky about it.”

“Noted,” Fred acknowledged. She saw the look of resolve in her cousin’s captain’s eyes and felt a chill go down her neck and back.

This was a man who did not expect to live very long and was going to make his time left count.

#Trafalgar Law #Heart Pirates #Bepo #Shachi One Piece #Penguin One Piece #Jean Bart One Piece #One Piece #fan fiction #go ahead. look me in the hairy eyeball. tell me Law wouldn't be wrapped around her finger. i dare you.#Nauja is just wholesome 100 and I have no regrets #but yes Law would sugarcoat very little unless it might be related to her survival #that's important #Trafalgar D. Water Law #my birthday present to you dear reader #Trafalgar Nauja

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