Can I Steal Your Heart? - A LawLu fanfic

(Law) Chapter 61 - Test

Sabo stared Law down across the galley counter with all the ferocity of the dragons that his attacks were named for. He'd arrived on the ship barely an hour ago, and Law had been happy to see Luffy gleefully reunite with the older blond. Then said blond had very quickly thrown Law a challenge, with a look that made it clear that turning it down was not really an option.

"Sabo, why are you being mean to him?" Luffy complained from where he wrapped around Law, his head on Law's shoulder.

"Luffy," Law cut off further complaints, his voice impassive. "It's okay. Worst case scenario, I may need you to help me later, okay?"

"It's not like it's going to kill you," Sabo spoke for the first time since laying down the challenge, eyebrow raised stiffly. "Your crews both say it's a dislike, not an allergy."

Law nodded, trying not to let the memories, the reasons for the dislike surface as he pulled the first small loaf of bread towards him. "Yes, just a strong distaste for it. But when you go for a while without eating something and then eat a lot of it, it can do some damage to your system. Your body can 'forget' how to produce the enzymes needed to break it down properly. But I accept your challenge and any consequences it may have. All three loaves, and you approve of my relationship with Luffy, right?"

"Law, you don't have to." Luffy came down and tried to stand between Law and the small loaves of bread on the table, even going so far as to put his hands on Law's sideburns, like he was trying to get Law to focus only on him.

Law gave a weak smile to his fiance. "I do. You just got your brother back, I won't be the cause of you fighting with him. If this is what he needs to see to believe that I love you and will take care of you, then so be it." Luffy still looked ready to argue, so Law continued softly. "This is between me and him, Luffy. You won't interfere in someone else's battle, right?" He waited, holding Luffy's gaze until the other nodded and retreated sulkily to one of the chairs. Then he turned his attention to his true nemesis, breaking the first loaf into biteable pieces.

It was a dense, crusty bread with a mellow, almost-sweet taste, probably freshly-baked by Sanji. Which was good because that meant it was more likely to trigger memories of Giolla's overcooked 'artisan' breads than the moldy hunk that he'd picked at when he could between Flevance and Spider Miles. Still, it was a fight to get down, his throat immediately trying to shut down at the texture. He made himself chew and swallow and chew and swallow until the entire loaf was gone.

The second loaf was a little harder to get down. Not only was it a coarser, rougher rye, but now he was mostly full, too. Law let his eyes dart over to Luffy, reminding himself why he was doing this, and somehow, finally, finished that loaf as well.

Sabo had very carefully chosen the order, because the third loaf, though the smallest, was the hardest to get down. It was definitely not one of Sanji's, though, or at least not freshly-baked. Law knew the cook would have refused to serve a bread that had gone stale beyond belief like this one, at least not as it was. It was closer to hardtack than normal bread. But Law pushed through, chewing carefully to avoid choking, eyes not on Sabo or the bread in front of him, but on Luffy. This was the type of bread he hated the most, and the memories of trying to push through eating Giolla's attempts at bread were unstoppable now. His throat seized up and filled with bile, just as it had then, and suddenly a cup of water was pushed into his hand.

"I'm not interfering. He never said you had to do it without water."

He managed to take a drink, giving a weak smile to his fiance, but Luffy was too busy still glaring at Sabo to notice. Finally, that third loaf, too, was finished. Law locked eyes with Sabo, challenging him to deny the win.