Can I Steal Your Heart? - A LawLu fanfic

(Luffy) Chapter 36 - Growth

As much as he wanted to sit by Law while Law, Chopper, and Usopp worked through his current predicament, his ten-year-old body had too much energy for that. Especially when most of their words went so far over his head that he had no hope of understanding. So Luffy found himself on the swing, alone, trying to see how far he could jump off without reaching the edge of the ship and into the sunset-lit sea. But before he could launch this time, strong, thin arms latched around him and the swing, stopping his momentum.

"Wha-?" He looked back at the 'attacker' as the swing was lowered to its still position. "Oh. Torao. Hi."

"Hi, yourself," Law said gently as he came around the front of the swing. "You must have completely shut down your haki, huh? I can't usually sneak up on you like that."

"... It's harder to control while I'm like this. It's there and I can use it if I need to, but this body doesn't have the trained reflexes, the speed and stamina I'd built up. I don't feel as... connected to it. As much in control of myself as I'm used to. It's easier to shut it down than to use it like this." He and Usopp had both tried, at Chopper's request, since the original experiment was related to haki. "Are you done? Do you have a way to fix this?"

Law grimaced. "No, not yet. Usopp is pretty sure it'll wear off by itself eventually, but the question is how long and if you two are in danger before then. We decided to take a break for a bit. Pick back up in the morning. Blackleg-ya is getting the fire pit set up for the marshmallows you wanted to toast. You doing okay?"

It was like that gentle concern broke a dam inside Luffy. "... No. I hate this, Torao. I feel so weak and look so weird and you're barely looking at me and I can't even help fix any of it!"

Law sat on the ground and held out his arms a little awkwardly. "Need a hug?"

Luffy nodded and practically melted off the swing into Law's lap, loving the way those arms folded so neatly around him. "... you seem so much bigger when I'm like this. Everything does."

"I'm sure. I know this is hard for you, babe." Law's hand stroked his head. "But I'm here, and we're gonna get you and Nose-ya both through this. I wasn't trying to ignore you, just trying to help the only way I can."

"... please don't call me babe for right now? Until this is fixed? It's too... on-the-nose."

"Ok. But in usual circumstances, you're okay with it?"

Luffy nodded.

"Good. And... I'm sorry for my reaction earlier. Seeing you like this... it brought up some bad memories and an impulse that I thought was ... bad. Zoro helped me realize it wasn't as evil as I had thought. I wasn't mad at you and you didn't deserve that."

"It's okay, Torao. Do you want to talk about the bad memories?"

Law closed his eyes and rested his head against Luffy's. "I can't. Not... not yet. But I'm going to try to work up to it. When I'm ready, will you listen?"

"Shishishi. Of course."

"Bet you didn't know when I stole you away this morning that we were in for a roller coaster of a day, huh?"

"... actual roller coasters would've been much more fun than getting turned into a kid again.... But our date was fun. And at least I didn't lose nine years of memory, too...."

"Thank goodness for small miracles. Now. Toasted marshmallows have been promised, and then a camp-out where we get to sleep next to each other. We don't have to let this ruin all of our plans, right?"

Luffy grinned. "Right!"

—--

Three hours and a few dozen charred marshmallows later, Law was finally laying his sleeping bag down next to Luffy's.