Future

Chapter 10: Law - Confirmation

A wave shook the ship, and Law woke up with a start, his breath coming in ragged pants as he tried to take in his surroundings through puffy eyes and a sleep-fogged brain. When did they get on a boat? Where was Sanji? Had they taken him again while he was asleep? Finally split them up?

Fuck.

He needed to wake up! Needed to find Sanji, needed to plan, needed to get back to the crew!

The panic and weight of responsibility faded quickly as familiar hands groped lightly along his face in a manner that was surprisingly comforting. "'S okay, pretty Torao. You're safe. I'm here."

A guttural voice, but Luffy's words and Luffy's hands, reminding him of what had happened. Escape. Shadows. A shadow convincing him that it was his Luffy. Convincing him that he was safe now. Still, his mind scrambled to put all the pieces back together properly. He sat up, trying to make his still-tired brain work. "... I got us out?" He asked the shadow next to him.

A strange motion, presumably a nod, as a hand played gently with the small hoops he wore.

"Sanji, too?" He thought he remembered the cook there, convincing him that the shadow was Luffy, that the one that seemed to confine the blond was Zoro, but he couldn't trust his mind right now, not with the strangeness to his vision and the sleep-deprivation he'd just endured.

On the plus side, he could remember details about what sleep-deprivation could do to the mind, so maybe he was already recovering.

"Sanji too," the shadow beside him confirmed. "He's with Zoro now. He's hurt pretty bad, but Chopper thinks he'll heal."

"And you're really my Luffy?"

"Mm-hmm." Luffy stopped playing with his earrings and hair, instead interlacing his fingers with Law's.

Law breathed a sigh of relief when he felt a familiar ring, one that he himself had placed on that battle-roughened hand.

"Always yours," Luffy promised.

"Are we on the Sunny?" It was too dark to tell if the gloom was a lack of light or whatever hallucination Law was stuck in, but it didn't seem quite like the layout of the Tang.

"Mm-hmm. In the infirmary. You needed sleep really badly. But Uni left dinner for you if you're hungry."

Law forced himself back down against the pillows, taking measured breaths as he calmed down. "Not hungry right now." The understatement of the week. He couldn't even imagine wanting to eat. The very thought put uncomfortable pressure on his stomach that made him almost wish he could throw up. "Could use some water, though."

"Table beside you. Chopper insisted," Luffy muttered, apparently trying to burrow into Law's side now.

He reached over and found the water, chugging half of it in one go. It slid easily down his throat, fresh and cool as the water from Franky's extractors usually was, a refreshing change from the tepid water that was all he'd had for a week. He choked on it, just for a few seconds, having drank too quickly. Stupid. You're obviously dehydrated. Have to slow down, he scolded himself.

"What was Chopper's diagnosis of me?" He asked once he could speak again.

"You're gonna be okay physically. Something in the blood but he didn't know what. Tired, dehydrated, too skinny, but he was more worried about emotionally and mentally for you."

"Did he say 'too skinny'?"

Luffy's hair ruffled against Law's arm as the younger shook his head. "Used the bigger word."

"Malnourished?"

A nod this time. "But you are skinny today."

Law gave a tiny smirk at his husband's sleepy description. "Being 'too skinny' helped me get us out. The sea prism cuffs they had on me got big enough to slip, with a little help." He dropped a kiss on Luffy's head, preparing to force himself back into sleep.

Before he had successfully done so, Luffy spoke again. " 'm sorry...."

"For what?" Luffy had nothing to be sorry for. He'd done nothing wrong. He hadn't even messed up a single plan in months.

"Not protecting you. I wasn't s'posed to let you get hurt anymore."

Law stroked a hand through messy hair. "It's not your fault, babe. It's not your fault."

Luffy shuddered in what might have been a quiet sob and pulled in closer to nuzzle into his neck. "I'm glad you're back."

"I'm always gonna do everything I can to come back, Luffy. I'm not leaving you without a fight."

"I know.... But I was scared."

"Me too," Law found himself answering honestly, tugging the thin blanket up a little higher over them. He'd been outright terrified. Not for himself, at least not at the hands of the enemy. But every time they'd dragged Sanji away, he'd been terrified that he'd someday have to explain his own inability to protect one single person — maybe the most important person on their crew besides Luffy himself — to the blond's ferocious husband. Or the rest of the crew. Or Luffy. How would he have explained to Luffy that he'd failed to protect the only cook in all the Blues who both could and willingly would put up with Luffy's ridiculous appetite?

Add to that the medical knowledge of what prolonged malnutrition and dehydration and sleep deprivation could do to the body and, more importantly, the mind. Sitting there, unable to help Sanji, and knowing that with every single hour that passed his chances of coming up with a plan were dwindling, and the chances of permanent damage were increasing.

It had been absolutely terrifying.

"You were so strong for Sanji, though. He said he wouldn't have survived it without you and to tell you thanks."

He hadn't felt strong. He'd felt useless, watching Sanji's pained movements as he went through torture after torture. Fuck, three men had held the blond down to put the damn mask back on him, and all Law could do was cry behind his own mask until it was clear enough to break free.

"Helping him was something to focus on. Besides, he pulled me out of the water first." Law resisted a shudder at the memory. He hated the feeling of drowning and being helpless to do anything about it. "Let's go back to sleep, hmm? We can talk more in the morning, but I'm still tired."

He really didn't want to ever talk about it again. Or think about it. But for Luffy's sake, he would make himself talk about it more. After all, he did have experience in the explosions that could occur when too much shit was bottled up for too long.

"Mmkay. Love you, my Torao."

"Love you, too, Luffy."

"Wake me if you need me, okay?" A shadowy arm slid over his waist, pulling him close. "Don't suffer all by yourself. I'm right here and I want to help you. Okay?"

Law didn't say a word, just gave a little hum of vague agreement as he let the warmth and calming smell of Luffy — wind and sun and ocean and musk, all rolled together into something unique that somehow smelled like freedom — crowd him back into sleep.