Press Play [LawLu]

Chapter Thirty-Five: Conditions and More Suspensions

"Monkey D. Luffy!" Ace shouted the moment he walked into the front door. He dropped his stuff on the floor by the door. Law jumped at the sudden shouting. He didn't even expect Ace to be home yet, let alone his arrival to be accompanied by shouting. 

"Where is he?" Ace asked Law. 

"Probably asleep, he was recovering from a hangover," Law said. 

"Serves him right," Ace huffed. He marched through the living room and down the hall, the walls quaked with his footsteps. 

"Luffy!" Ace snapped, throwing open his bedroom door. Luffy jumped at the loud noise of his door slamming against the wall. The walls shook and just for a second, the room spun.  

"You're too loud," Luffy pulled his pillow over his ears. Ace turned the light on. Luffy decided the pillow served a better use covering his face.

"Good." Ace stood over Luffy with his arms crossed. "Are you out of your fucking mind?" 

"What's your problem?" Luffy grumbled, Luffy pushed the pillow down to squint up at Ace. That didn't go very well. The light still stung his eyes. "You already yelled at me over last night." 

"You had one rule!" Ace snapped. "Do you have any idea how worried I was about you? How worried Sabo was!?" 

"I'm sorry—"

"You didn't even call!" Clearly, whatever Luffy had to say, Ace wasn't having it. Luffy sat up now, rubbing his eyes. 

"You're lucky I'm not grounding you," Ace huffed. 

"Why!? Because I was hanging out with my friend!?" Luffy snapped. He got to his feet and got in Ace's face. "That's dumb I've never had rules like that before!"

"Because you took off without saying anything, you could have been hurt for all I knew and I wasn't there to help you."

"I don't need your help!" Luffy shouted. "I'm not a little kid, I can take care of myself!" 

"You think so?" Ace scoffed. "Then why the hell are you still in bed at 5 pm in the same suit you went out in last night!?" 

"You're insane!" Luffy snapped. He clenched his fists at his sides. "I forgot about your stupid rule okay?"

"No, not 'okay', Luffy." Ace took a deep breath. "Do you even care that I was worried about you? I was late to work 'cause I went to Vivi's, Nojiko's and Zoro's looking for you." Ace paused but he wasn't done. His voice went from angry to stressed quick. 

"I called every single one of your friends, I call you a million times. Luffy—" Ace's voice cracked. He pulled Luffy into a tight hug and spoke quietly. "I don't know what I would have done if something happened to you, Lu." 

"I know you can take care of yourself, but I was still so worried..." 

All of Luffy's anger and frustration melted off of him, his heart sunk into his belly, like it was being pulled down by an anchor. He wrapped his arms around his brother. 

"Sorry, Ace..." Luffy said. This apology was much more genuine. "I really did forget that you and Sabo didn't want me to leave town... you guys never give me rules..." 

"You're still in so much trouble you little shit," Ace sighed, still not letting go of Luffy. He rested his chin on the top of Luffy's head. 

"Shishi, I figured." 

"Just wait 'til Sabo gets back..." Ace finally let go of Luffy. 

"When will that be?" Luffy asked.