~

"I think of you as a little brother." Law said and fell quiet. Luffy's brain was spiraling. He had expected to hear a few somethings but not this! How was he supposed to react to this!

"Huh?" Luffy titled his head in confusion. He had unfortunately heard correct. He wasn't disappointed, he just thought Torao was misguided like Luffy was a lot of times.

"I'm not saying it again."

"Ok now we definitely need to go out for food!" The younger grabbed Law's hand and led him through the stairs. They were walking to their destination of course. Law was quiet, his brain thinking he had done something wrong and ruined whatever friendship he had with Luffy. Luffy was quiet because he was thinking.

Quietly, they arrived at the Sim's cafe and ordered what they wanted and sat in silence because Luffy still looked like he was thinking. Law didn't know what to do.

"I think I like you." Luffy finally said into the stifling silence and Law choked on air. Luffy hadn't planned on telling Law like this or even tell without being sure himself first.

"What the fuc-"

"But I don't know if it's out of the debt I owe you because you saved my life or because I like looking at you and I want to see you happy because you're always grumpy and then when you're happy, I'm happy because I'm responsible for that smile and it's satisfying and then you're easy to talk to and you make me feel safe. I like my friends but there are things I can't talk to them about and then I can talk it all about with you and you don't judge and so I want to be with you so we can talk but you don't talk much and I can't listen all that great so we have a nice balance where I talk a lot and it's good for me and eases me that you listen without complaints and then you treat me to food too and then you're mean to most people but you are always nice to me so that's the reason but now you're saying you think I'm your little brother but I don't think so Torao." Luffy finished and crossed his arms with a pout.

Law was very near being overwhelmed from all the information he received from Luffy. The boy usually talked a lot but talking so randomly about this particular topic, Law didn't know how to react. Luffy thought he liked him and by the sounds of it, it felt like he liked Law romantically.

"So you...think...you like me... romantically?" Law cleared his throat after getting those difficult words out.

"Ew no. I just wanna do everything with you because I like you. Things Marco and Ace do, sometimes those things. I don't know what else, I haven't felt like this for anyone."

"So you're an aromantic maybe, I see."

"What's that?"

"I don't know how best to explain this but I am assuming this Marco and your brother Ace are lovers?"

"Yeah. They do the lovey-dovey stuff all the time, it's yuck to look at, especially when they're not wearing clothe-"

"Ok stop. I got the point." Law pinched between his eyes and took a shaky breath. "So those things, you don't want to do them?"

"Not all the time, not at first maybe too, I dunno, depends on who I'm with."

"Let's leave the labels out of this, they're confusing."

"Ok!"

Where is this conversation even going?! Law thought hard on what he wanted to say next but couldn't really understand the flow of the conversation and what he should even say to all this.

"I just told you that maybe I have affections for you like those for a sibling and you're telling me that you maybe like me?" Law confirmed.

"Yeah! Like, not-friends! But I don't feel like doing the kissing or touching or sex! Maybe the touching but not the horny touching, definitely no sex though, not right now maybe, I dunno. But I want to share stuff and time with you but I also want to leave you alone so you get to have your own adventures then we can share stories! So yeah, I want you to be my constant person."

Constant person. That's a sweet way of putting affections into words- what are you thinking?! Law!-

"And I think you're confused. I was confused too in the beginning so I think you really don't think of me as a brother but something else and you don't wanna admit it." Luffy wondered out loud.

"What? No. I'm pretty sure of what I feel. I think I'm displacing the care I would have had for my sister had she not died, and using it on you." Law scoffed and the food arrived so Luffy switched to just staring at Law in thought while the food was being served.

"If you're very sure, then can I try something?"

"...ok." Law agreed, weirded out by the strange request. "What do you have in mind?"

Luffy didn't reply to that but reached forward to take Law's hand in his and intertwined his fingers with the older's. Luffy had seen Ace and Marco holding hands like this and sometimes Marco was shy about it and blushing so Luffy thought maybe it was something that people that liked each other did so he tried it out.

Law had never had anybody hold his hand like this and for a good few seconds, he couldn't react to this. But then, his entire face went red and he slid down in his seat a little to hide his face between his shoulders and under the bill of his hat. He couldn't place what he was feeling but he knew he didn't want people looking at his and Luffy's joined hands, at such an intimate thing.

"Do you like this? I like it. Makes my heart all jumpy. I think that's supposed to mean something good no?" When Law didn't answer, Luffy tried getting the older's attention by pulling at the hand a little. "Torao?" There was still no answer from Law so Luffy withdrew his hand and placed it under his chin with a loud hum as if wondering what this feeling was and how he could find out what Law was thinking.

Law, meanwhile, was not only burning red but was having a hard time keeping his heart from beating too loud and fast. He didn't want to admit it that the something that reacted when Luffy held his hand, that something was not brotherly affection. It wasn't even purely innocent.

"You're not mad I did that, are you?" Luffy asked, worried for a second that he upset Law when the older kept quiet.

"N-no." Law covered his stutter with a cough and took a sip from his drink for sealing the act. He frankly didn't know what he was supposed to feel, mad or whatever, he was just too overwhelmed and numb at the same time.

"Ok then! You can think about this later and let me know what you felt and I'll tell you what I felt if and when I understand it. Let's eat!"

"Ok." Law welcomed the distraction from his thoughts and the topics of conversation shifted back to everyday life and friends and stupid shit being Luffy's natural state.

When the two parted, Luffy thought of asking some of his friends or his brothers for help in the matters of his feelings, they always knew more than he did so they might be able to help him out.

"Maybe Nami can help..." Luffy thought out loud because Nami was the closest person he had to an older sister and this felt like a sister matter than a brother matter. Luffy redirected his footsteps while taking his phone out and letting his friend know that he would be arriving at her house in a few minutes. Nami was thankfully home.

"Whatever you want help with, I'm charging you this time." Nami joked leading Luffy inside the apartment and sitting on the couch.

"I don't have money this month." Luffy slumped. "I can pay you next month?"

"I'll decide that after you tell what's going on with you." Luffy sat down beside the orange haired girl and got handed a pillow to hug. "Ok spill."

"I think I like someone."

"Stop! This needs snacks! Just wait for a few minutes!" Nami jumped out of her seat to raid her own pantry and brought out multiple packets of chips and soda. She set all of it on the coffee table and sat cross legged beside Luffy, facing him. "Yes, continue."

"I don't want the others to know yet, so can we please keep this between us?"

"Luffy wanting to keep secrets from nakama? Are you ok?" Nami teased and Luffy pouted.

"I'm fine!"

"Ok ok, so you think you like someone? Who is it? Is it Torao? How did you meet? How did the romance bud-"

"Naaaammmmiiiiiii." Luffy whined and hid his face in the pillow he was given.

"Ok fine. At your own pace then."

"It is Torao." Luffy said and waited for Nami to get her energy out.

"WOOHOOO!! CALLED IT BABY!!"

When his friend had settled again, Luffy continued, "I told him that I think I like him and he said he maybe thinks of me like a brother. What do I do?"

"Whaaaa?! Where is he?! I am going to murder him! After extorting all his money from him of course-"

"No, I think Torao's confused, I tried the hand holding thing on him and he was... weird about it."

"Weird how?"

"He tried hiding his face." In response to this Nami brought out her sly cat grin.

"He's confused alright. Ok before anything else, you said you think you like him, why aren't you sure?"

"Because I haven't felt like this for anyone... so I don't know..." Luffy scratched the back of his head, unsure.

"Awhh." Nami cooed and hugged Luffy. "You're so adorable." She let go of the boy and sat back, finally in sister mode. "Ok this won't cost you a beli because the topic itself is payment. So, what makes you think you like Torao?"

"I want to tell Torao everything and go on all kinds of adventures with him, I want Torao to be there when I get back from my solo adventures, I want to make sure Torao is always happy and he's eating ok and sleeping ok and that he's not overworking himself. Even when we had that fight and Torao was not talking to me, I was worried if he was sleeping or eating... I mean, I worry about you guys too but for Torao it's sorta different. I know he can take care of himself but I wanna take care of him too and I know he can fight his own battles but I wanna fight them for him... it's weird but I... oh." Luffy stopped and stared at Nami, then grinned so bright it blinded his friend. "Nami! I like Torao!"

"Uwaaah! So bright!" Nami shielded her eyes then grinned in return. "You like Torao!"

"I like Torao!"

"I'm so proud of you!" Nami hugged Luffy again who returned it this time. She patted his back and head then parted and sat back.

"But what do I do about what Torao thinks?" Luffy asked pouting and now dejected that Torao didn't like him.

"He seems like the type you might have to face head on. You said he was being shy about the hand holding, so just ask him again someday. Was he final in his answer?"

"No, he didn't answer when I asked him what he felt when we held hands then I told him we can talk about it later because our food came out."

"Well now that you're sure you like him, you can tell him at least that with finality. Maybe ask him to try and consider you and ask him why he thinks of you like a brother."

"He said he is using what he might have felt for his sister on me."

"His sister? Where's she now?"

"She died, Torao told me." Luffy said easily much to Nami's shock. She shook her head and sighed.

"Luffy, no one who is willing to spill this kind of beans would think of you as a brother while doing so. He must have some insane amount of trust in you to be able to tell you these things."

"But it could be... Torao takes care of me a lot, about my medical things, Torao's a doctor by the way. He could be doing all that because he thinks of me like a brother." Nami narrowed her eyes.

"What medical things?"

"S-some medical things." Luffy avoided and Nami sighed again.

"It's ok if you don't want to tell but Torao could also be looking out for you because he's worried for you. He might be worried for you because he likes you too, as a person, but he also might be too dense or in denial about the whole thing."

"So what do I do?"

"Confront him then give him time. Torao's not from here right? Advise him to go back and think about it."

"But what if he still says he doesn't like me like I like him?" Luffy looked like a kicked puppy and Nami wanted to just smother him in a hug but she refrained.

"Then you can't do anything about it, can you? If you can, stay friends with Torao or if you want to kill him, I will help you bury the body." Luffy giggled at the later part.

"Torao would probably see it coming. Torao's amazing Nami! He's a doctor at such a young age! All his friends just passed their boards and got into their surgical fields but Torao has been doing all that for years!!" Luffy said with stars in his eyes.

"Reminds me of someone I used to know." Nami wondered but it fell on Luffy's lovesick deaf ears. "You're so in love." Nami sighed, a smile on her face. She liked seeing Luffy like this. It was a welcome sight after the entire month of seeing Luffy sad and pouting and anxious when he got back from his trip during the vacations. Something clicked in Nami's brain. "Did you go see Torao during the vacations too?"

"...yes." Luffy answered shyly, looking away with a small grin.

"Luffy you sly boy!" Nami declared and opened a pack of chips. "Ok, can I know how you met Torao?"

"I ran away from home when I was nine. Torao brought me back. I stayed with him for maybe half an year or more. Then I saw Torao again a few months ago and then I saw him again, and a few more times... then I sort of started wanting to see him more and then I got so confused on what I was feeling, then we had a fight but everything's ok now."

"You ran away from home... There are a lot of things in there that I want to ask about but I have a feeling you don't want me to ask."

"Thanks Nami."

"And this fight happened when you went for vacations?"

"Yapp. I was pushing Torao to give me straight answers."

"Let me guess, he got irritated."

"Yapp. But it's ok now. Ace and Sabo don't know anything about any of this and I didn't wanna ask Zoro. It felt like a matter that I could talk to you so I did."

"Oh Luffy." Nami sighed and hugged the boy again who giggled in the hug again. "I will pray for you that your love stays strong and becomes requited and whatever the hell's wrong with Torao's brain gets corrected so he can see that he likes you too then I will pray that he gets enough courage to tell you that he likes you."

"Nyahahahahahhaa!! Nami thanks!"

Luffy was laughing, he didn't look as confused or lost as he did when he arrived at Nami's door and the older girl was glad she was able to help the sunshine in her life.

"I'm glad you told me. I will keep your secret until you feel ready to tell us."

"Thanks."

~

"Trafalgar Law you're a fucking idiot!" Penguin yelled through the phone.

"You know it's bad when Peng swears. But yes, Law what the hell man!" Shachi seconded.

"Captain how could you?" Bepo added.

Law rolled his eyes to let his friends see he was annoyed. He had called them on a video call after a few days of contemplating when he got back from the meetup with Luffy and told them what had happened. He was second guessing himself now. "You're all making a big fuss over nothing-"

"Nothing?!"

"Peng dude calm down, you're gonna burst a vessel." Shachi patted his hatted friend.

"Yes Penguin, do calm down." Law said smirking, he knew full well Penguin didn't like being told to calm down.

"Law I'm going to kick your ass- how could you! Luffy told you he likes you and you brother-zoned him?! You asshole!" Penguin yelled.

"He told me he thinks he likes me and there's nothing wrong with what I told him-"

"There is you idiot! Why don't you know it yourself that you like Luffy?!"

"Because I don't?" Law rolled his eyes again.

"Law, who're you kidding?" Shachi said and sighed. "Why have you been so nice to him all this time then?"

"Because I think of him like a brother and I know I would have been a good brother to Lami too." Law answered sliding further down in his bed.

"No. You're nice to Luffy, you go out of your way for him because you like him."

"You nearly died for him dammit!" Penguin cut through.

"Captain please think about this carefully." Bepo said meekly.

"Even if I do, I don't want to be in a relationship-"

"There he goes again." Penguin rolled his eyes and huffed. "You won't know unless you give someone a chance, and no, you won't start with your 'I'm unlovable' idiocy because Luffy's out there very willing to love you so you're wrong!"

Law frankly didn't know why his friends were so angry with him over this matter, he didn't feel like he had done anything wrong.

"Oh look at the time, I'm so sleepy." Law said faking a yawn. His ears were hurting from all the yelling that was directed at him. "Talk to you guys later."

"You better think about this Law!" Penguin said one final time. "And do sleep please, you're resembling a raccoon."

"I will mom."

"Go fuck your-"

"Aaaallriigghhhtttt that's enough. Sleep well Law." Shachi butted in and pushed Penguin out of the frame by his shoulders.

"Good night Captain." Bepo said and ended the call. Law quickly tossed his phone aside so he could make an excuse of not attending any calls or replying to any texts by saying he couldn't find his phone.

When Law was ready to sleep and it won't grace him, Law remembered the tingling he had kept feeling in his hand even hours later when Luffy had held it and how he had reacted. He knew his face was red and he knew it wasn't from embarrassment.

After hours still of not being able to sleep, Law's tired mind wandered to what his friends had said that Law liked Luffy, romantically. Without his guards up in his brain, he was open to a lot of speculations. Law's brain immediately provided him a picture of Luffy crying because that was the most recent event that he had felt something strange for Luffy.

It was like Law's brain was divided into two, one part was providing him facts and reasons on Law thinking of Luffy as a brother and the other part was backing up Law's friends on Law being in love with Luffy.

How did you feel when Lami cried? Law recalled he used to be angry at whatever had made her cry.

And Luffy? Law answered it with the thought that his priority was to comfort Luffy so he wouldn't feel so sad. Even when he was supposed to be pushing Luffy away, Law remembered he had still helped Luffy calm down and first stop crying. He didn't like the younger crying and he had always felt he needed to completely eradicate the existence of the something that had made him cry. It was much stronger than what he had always felt for Lami.

How about the time Luffy held your hand? Law could sense the mischievousness of his own brain. He was so tired that he admitted that he had liked Luffy's fingers laced with his own. Got ya! Law sighed internally at the fact that he baited himself into agreeing with himself.

Did you feel all this with Lami too? Law justified it as he was the protector when Lami was around so he didn't particularly feel anything other than brotherly affection and pride in making his sister feel safe.

Speaking of, you always trust Luffy to let your guard down around him enough to be able to fall asleep.

No! That's because he feels safe and protected!

Law was agreeing to both. He was too tired to put up unjust and untrue fights. He did trust Luffy enough to accidentally tell him things about himself his friends found out in years. He did trust Luffy enough that he was able to sleep around him and recently, only around him. Law found it weird, odd, worrisome and nice, all at the same time that he could trust Luffy to be asleep around him but also that if Luffy wasn't around, he couldn't sleep.

What about that time Luffy fell asleep to your talking? Law admitted it was nice too.

Weren't you worried about Luffy's well-being when you were avoiding him for that whole month? Law agreed that he was indeed worried and his mind was constantly wandering to Luffy.

In no time at all, the two separate parts had become one, working together, bombarding Law's tired brain with facts and questions that led the almost-raccoon-eyed man to sigh in deep irritation, cover his eyes and mutter a "fuck, I like him like not-friends or brothers."

With the conscious realization of this revelation, Law did what he knew best in these situation, he ran from the truth. He had known something like this might happen, but he had brushed the thought off because he gathered Luffy wouldn't be the type that might like men or want to be romantically involved in that particular field, so Law wouldn't have to worry about this thing but now that things were in the open, from Luffy's side, Law couldn't 'brush it off' again.

When the thought registered in his overworked brain again that Luffy liked him enough to want to withstand his presence for a period longer than necessary, Law suddenly got very scared. He was scared that he wasn't worthy and that he would only bring Luffy down too, curse him too like he had done with his whole hometown and with his adoptive father. Law was worried too that the person that took his second father from him might appear out of nowhere and snatch Luffy too. That person also had Law convinced that it was very hard to love a person like Law who had so much baggage and trauma. Law was almost always irritated, how did Luffy even find that appealing?!

With a stream of negative thoughts about himself flooding in brain, Law decided he would now seriously avoid Luffy so the younger could start to learn to think of Law otherwise.

~

Lol sorry I posted this in the wrong section XD