Press Play [LawLu]

Chapter Sixty-Four: The Race is On.

A/N: Hello lovlies~ I hope you like this chapter though it seems like not much is going on it will be important for later in the story! That being said I'll be taking a break next week to visit my family (my baby sister is turning 18 omg T^T)

Luffy's living room was full of chatter. Nami was talking with Robin and Chopper about some sort of drink that Nojiko taught her to make. Kaya was trying to convey the medical drawbacks of marijuana to Sanji and Brook but neither of them were buying into that. Vivi on the other hand was agreeing with Kaya but that wouldn't stop her from joining Sanji and Brook on the rare occasion that she did decide to smoke with them. And that was very rare.

In the meantime, Luffy watched the TV screen, leaning over the couch. Zoro, Franky, Usopp, and Jimbei were cutting it close in this Mario Kart race and the anticipation was starting to kill him! He had to know who was going to win!

Right now Usopp was in first place and Zoro was close behind him, and Jimbei and Franky were right behind Zoro, playing musical chairs with the grand title 3rd place had to offer. The finish line was coming up fast and just moments beforehand the four of them had been shit-talking and the like. Now they were dead silent and that was enough to start drawing the attention of the others in the room.

"I don't think I've ever seen Luffy so focused on something ever," Vivi observed. Her statement pulled her out of the conversation of weed and smoking. She was now studying Luffy with awe. He was so still and so focused on the screen despite the mention of his name.

"It's pretty rare," Nami agreed. Luffy didn't hear a word they were saying. Clearly, the results of the race were far more important. For the moment anyway.

"They all look really focused," Robin commented.

"It's a close race!" Chopper pointed out. "It's the last round and they're all right next to each other and the finish line is coming up!"

"Who's up after them?" Sanji asked. He too had grown bored of Kaya's reprimand and it appeared to be the case that Kaya and Brook had as well. They were both gazing at the screen. Its reflection in the dim room made their eyes glossy. Nami looked down at the chart she had scribbled down in an old, stained notebook she had found in a junk drawer in the kitchen.

"Mm," Nami hummed as she lifted the notebook and turned it so she could actually read it. "Luffy, Vivi, Kaya, and you."

"YES!" Usopp jumped it his feet and threw his arms in the air. Koopa Troopa was doing a similar victory pose just before the final results showed up on the screen. Usopp had gotten first, Franky was in second, Zoro third, and Jimbei last.

As ASL house tournament rules went, whoever was in the lowest place was eliminated from the tournament. Nami put a dash through Jimbei's name. Zoro, Usopp, and Franky would go on to the next round. Jimbei was out for the count.

"Better luck next time, man," Zoro said and patted Jimbei's shoulder. Jimbei only shrugged. He didn't care much if he won these games he only liked spending time with his friends. And though there might be quite the age gap between him and them, he felt more at home with them than he had with anyone else in a very long time.

"My turn, my turn!" Luffy made grabby-hands at the controller and Zoro gladly relinquished custody to him. Zoro got to his feet and moved off the sofa to make room for the next round of players. As did Usopp, Jimbei, and Franky.

With the shuffling of feet and controllers swapping hands, Luffy, Sanji, Vivi, and Kaya settled onto the couch and the floor in front of the TV. They all picked their characters, Luffy of course being Mario, Sanji going for Link, Kaya picking Toadette, and Vivi picking Isabelle. With their characters and cars out of the way, there was only one thing left to decide. The Cup they were going to race on.