~

Law dipped his shoulders more in the tub and stretched his legs, putting his feet on the rim. He tried to relax in the nearly searing hot water, it was working to some extent. The surgeon's friends had decided it was enough on their third day in Goa and forced Law to take a bath and since the tub in their suite was bigger, Law did not refuse the offer. Bepo was standing guard outside, well sitting guard. Penguin and Shachi were entertaining Luffy in the other room, the younger wanted to stay stuck to Law like fucking glue but the older wouldn't have it.

Luffy, Law and the doctor's friends were all supposed to go out today when the sun would go down, the destination was the famous food street and stall area of Goa. Law frankly didn't want to go, he was tired from going out every day and barely being able to sleep even with Luffy and Bepo around, but he didn't want to put a damper on his friends' moods so he tagged along and mustered as much energy as he could, they weren't staying long and would leave before Law so the least he could do was make their stay enjoyable.

Law pushed his rubber duck around the water, eyes unfocused, mind absent. He got that duck from Cora-san when Law was ailing as a child and didn't trust himself to have a bath alone, Cora had then given him the rubber duck, to keep him company. It did make a difference to Law and continued to do so especially after there was no more Cora-san. Law didn't want to leave it unnamed but couldn't think of any names either, so he stuck with Mr. Duckie. Law sighed and let the void in him get soothed and silenced by the water around him.

.

"Torao still in the bath?" Luffy asked reappearing in the suite, he had left to get some food.

"Yeah." Penguin answered, not looking up from the newspaper he was reading.

Luffy looked at the time on his phone and raised his eyebrows. "But it's been more than an hour."

"Cap takes long baths to clear his head sometimes, must be exhausted from going out every day too." Shachi answered this time, stuffing his face with the porridge Law had pointed was good at the breakfast menu.

"How can he even stay in there so long, alone?" Luffy pointed, he himself always had a hard time taking long baths alone, they were always scary to him so Chopper or Zoro accompanied him.

"Mr. Duckie must be out then." Penguin said casually but Luffy caught it.

"Mr. Duckie?"

"Yeah, Law's rubber duck, it's usually out for the longer baths."

"Torao has a rubber duck?" Luffy giggled at the image of a very frowny Torao in a bath and a rubber duck floating in front of him.

"Mr. Duckie keeps him company." Shachi added.

"That's cute."

"Don't let him catch you saying that, he gets embarrassed easily about it."

Luffy nodded in silent agreement. The more he thought about the rubber duck, the more it registered in Luffy's brain that Torao was troubled in more than one ways and he had to be careful not to accidentally poke or trigger something he shouldn't.

"Ah finally, no bath for another week." Luffy heard Law sigh from the other room and quickly went to his boyfriend, passing Bepo on his way.

"You do leave your hair wet." Luffy noticed remembering Law's friends having mentioned that the other day. The towel was resting on Law's shoulders and his hair were dripping, it didn't look like the older would rub his own head.

"Too much work." Law scrunched his nose and sat down on the bed.

"I can do it." Luffy offered and took the towel from Law's shoulders and spread it on his head.

"Not too rough."

"You got it." The younger promised as he rubbed the towel in the older's hair as gently as he could. Luffy liked it, the feeling of being so close to Torao, he liked it. "There." Luffy grinned, the towel in his hands. Law just looked at Luffy, taking in the sight until the younger started looking back too and the two were enveloped in a moment, not wanting to look away from each other, so full of affection.

"Captain! I got the medicines- Suimasen!" Bepo hid behind the door and peeked.

"It's ok Bepo." Law smiled to ease his friend's worry. Luffy stepped a little away when Bepo neared to apply Law's medicines.

"It's so much better now, the weather here is good for wounds." The bear noticed rubbing the clear ointment on the healing flesh.

"Yes, I did notice that." Law agreed and moved his arm out of the way so Bepo could secure the medicated site with bandages, they were going out later so Law needed it padded and safe.

"Good thing you're staying longer then." The mink grinned and went to put the things away.

"The air here is really good?" Luffy asked for confirmation and sat beside Law while the older was slipping a shirt on.

"Hmm, Flevance was making my skin all dry and itchy, the wound wasn't healing properly."

Luffy hummed a response and looped his arms around Law's torso in a loose hug and rested his chin on the older's shoulder. Law who was fresh out of a bath was starting to feel drowsy and with Luffy so close and so warm, he couldn't resist.

"You had breakfast?" Law asked and moved his arm around Luffy's shoulder and grabbed a pillow for his head.

"Yapp."

"Good." That was all the answer Law needed and he dropped the both of them back on the bed and untucked the bedsheet to cocoon himself and Luffy in it, shielding them both from view and light. "I wanna sleep and you're keeping me company."

"But your friends have plans."

"For after sundown. I am too tired right now..." Law said already drifting to sleep. Luffy found it really cute how Law was quickly breathing evenly, in small breaths, asleep, so peaceful. The younger wasn't tired but being in Law's arms, he couldn't help falling asleep too.

~

"Hey Bepo! Look, it's the map of the country!" Shachi called the mink to a stall selling maps. The Flevance four and Luffy were out, as promised, going through the stalls and food district.

"Lemme see." Bepo quickly went over to the stall and started going through the different maps there, he had an interest in those. Penguin also headed over there with the recently bought meat skewers in his hands.

Law was bored out of his mind, he couldn't pay attention to anything around him, he was still tired and sleepy even after having slept for more than six hours, maybe a depressive episode was on its way. He was just absently looking here and there, eyes half-lidded, hands in hoodie pockets. Luffy of course noticed this but before he could act on it, his phone rang and he had to step a little aside to be able to hear on the call.

"Torao!" Luffy called as soon as the call ended.

"Yes?" Law looked at the younger and tried smiling, but couldn't.

"You wanna meet some of my friends now? Sanji and Zoro and Robin and Usopp and Franky are here somewhere together." Luffy noticed the lack of the usual light in the older's eyes. "It's ok if you don't want to."

Law looked over at his friends who had all stopped what they were doing to listen to what Luffy had to say to their captain. The surgeon wasn't asking for permissions or approvals per se but he had to check with them because he was sort of the host here.

"Go ahead, we'll explore and meet back somewhere." Penguin nodded with Shachi and Bepo in tow.

"Alright." Law answered Luffy, well he couldn't refuse in the first place. "But I think I can't manage more than half an hour. I will try my best to be civil though."

"Yay! Let's go!"

"Do they know you're bringing me with you?"

"Yapp, I told them we were already hanging out so." Luffy answered walking to a restaurant that had an outdoor setup with tables and benches. The walk was short so Law didn't have enough time to get his nerves under control, no he wasn't scared of Luffy's friends, he just knew from the stories that they were all fiercely loyal to their captain and leader and if they considered Law a threat or someone not worthy, Law might have to fight for his affections.

"Luffy!" Law looked in the direction of the call and saw a blond guy waving for his boyfriend's attention. Law knew he was Sanji, he knew every one of Luffy's mentioned friends by their faces. He had done his research. Luffy ran the rest of the way while Law followed leisurely. The party was indeed five people.

"Guys! Meet Torao!" Luffy introduced as soon as Law got close enough.

"It's Law." The doctor corrected and nodded, sitting down beside Luffy and breathing a subtle sigh to not get overwhelmed by the dangerous aura of false politeness surrounding the table. "Nice to meet you all."

"It's nice to finally meet you too, Torao-kun." Nico Robin was the first to greet.

"Yeah." Roronoa Zoro followed suit.

"Suppeeerrrrrr nice to meet you Torao-bro!" The eccentric Franky was next.

"Y-yeah it's nice to meet you." Usopp said, teeth chattering, hiding a little behind Robin.

"Nice to meet you Torao." Sanji said last.

Law was going to correct every one of those idiots about his name again but he decided he would talk to Luffy about it, might reap better results. Before Luffy or anybody could get a word out, Law was handed a huge mug of some beverage.

"Thank you but I don't consume alcohol." The doctor pushed the mug away and spotted Usopp still looking at him terrified for some reason, Law wondered why that was.

"I'll take it!" Luffy took Law's mug and starting gulping down the contents. It still baffled Law every time that Luffy was an adult here in Goa.

"Thank you for lending us your truck by the way." Law said to Franky who just struck a pose and accepted the cola he was offered. "There is no harm in cola."

"Awwwoh! Bro you got that right!"

Luffy was talking with Sanji about some thing or another but Law's eyes and mind was fixed on the long-nosed man hiding behind Nico Robin. Law knew he had an inhumanly long nose but to see it in person was something very different. Usopp noticed Law staring and hid more behind Robin.

"Does something interest Torao-kun about our Usopp?" Robin chuckled, stirring a spoon in her drink.

"How is your nose this long?" Law started moving a little forward towards the mentioned nose. "I want to run an x-ray later to check the density of the bone and see how the skull is supporting this protrusion."

"Luffy!" Usopp ran from behind Robin and to his captain and best friend.

"Nyahahahahha!" Luffy only laughed and patted his friend on his back. "Torao's a really good doctor Usopp!"

"That's closer to mad scientist territory!" Usopp yelled and Law tuned out the back and forth from there, besides, Nico Robin had something to say that caught his attention.

"When you say your name is Law, is it perhaps, Trafalgar Law?" The way the woman's eyes had narrowed and her smile had thinned and increased, Law knew what she was asking. Zoro and Sanji who were bickering amongst each other stopped to listen to what Robin was saying.

"I wouldn't take you for a woman who hides behind her words, Nico-ya, what is it that you really want to know?" Law asked back, a smirk on his face.

"Oi Torao! Don't talk to a lady like that!!" Sanji yelled but nobody paid him attention.

"Oh I have heard your name a lot in the context of a certain Surgeon of Death. I just want to confirm if the rumors are true." Robin relaxed in her seat when Law's smirk widened.

"And what will the knowledge help you with?"

"Nothing, just want to know."

"I-" Law started.

"Torao is the Surgeon of Death." Luffy answered plainly and inhaled the meat in front of him.

"D-d-d-d-death?!" Usopp screeched and shook Luffy. "Why do you like such a guy Luffy?! Why?!"

Robin chuckled and Law sighed shaking his head. Luffy pushed Usopp off him and resumed with his food.

"Don't tell people that so casually." Law scolded lightly.

"Whaaaat? She already knew." Luffy justified, shrugging, offering Law some meat. "You haven't eaten anything all day."

"I don't feel like eating anything right now, please."

All five of the Strawhats watched the exchange silently. Zoro, after having heard that Torao was the Surgeon of Death had to bring his guard up higher, Sanji had mixed feelings because he knew this was the guy he had made numerous food items for so he knew Torao was a complex person but he seemed dangerous too, Franky was all heart-eyes for his captain, Robin was much in the same boat as her lover, and Usopp had calmed down after witnessing Luffy offer someone his own food, he must really like Torao to do that. The latter three were beginning to understand that they shouldn't and couldn't come between Luffy and his attraction to Torao but for the two wings of their captain, the understanding was nowhere to be found. They considered Torao a threat at the moment, someone who was only luring Luffy in with sweet nothings, to trap him and end him.

The auras around Law had somewhat soothed, except for the two that he knew belonged to Zoro and Sanji. Usopp had only been afraid but he was ok now, Robin and Franky hadn't been hostile and had engaged Law in little or so conversation as expected of new acquaintances. But Zoro and Sanji were another matter, the constant threat that Law felt from their direction was overwhelming his sleep-deprived mind, so much so that the surgeon decided it would be best to leave before something got triggered and he started seeing only red.

"This much is enough for today, I want to go now." Law said quietly, so just Luffy could here. Luffy gave his boyfriend a once-over, knew he was already out of it since the morning so he didn't push.

"Ok, I'll come with." Luffy said taking Law's hand and starting to get up but the doctor pushed him down.

"No I... I will find my way back, or ask the guys to pin me their location."

"Are you sure? Torao you don't look ok-"

"I just need to breathe. Alone." Law mentally cursed himself at his choice of words. It sounded like he didn't want to stay around Luffy but that wasn't the case, he just needed some space.

Luffy frowned and tilted his head, then nodded. "Ok. I'll meet you some time later."

"Thank you." Law squeezed Luffy's hand under the table and stood. "It was nice meeting you all but I must leave for today." The doctor nodded his head in place of a bow and left before any pleasantries could stall him.

"Torao-kun didn't look so good, is he ok?" Robin was the first to ask, her concern was genuine and Luffy knew it but he couldn't help the pout forming on his face.

"You guys bullied him." Luffy frowned at Zoro and Sanji.

"We hardly said a thing Luffy." Sanji defended.

"Not in words!" Luffy pointed.

"I think Luffy is talking about the daggers you were pointing at Torao with your auras." Usopp clarified.

"Yeah that!" The youngest nodded.

"Well that was bound to happen Luffy." Zoro spoke, fixing a leveled stare at his captain. "You trust people too easily so we are taking it upon ourselves to make sure Torao is ok to be trusted."

"I think he's ok." Robin interjected, she didn't like the tone the swordsman was taking with the subject.

"Luffy, Torao is supppeeer bro!" Franky agreed.

"He isn't as scary as I thought, plus he clearly respects you enough." Usopp shrugged.

"You guys! We don't know anything about him, not even where he is from. Don't be so easygoing." Sanji started.

"Torao's from Flevance." Luffy said, brows furrowed and arms crossed, daring anyone else to ask something again. The look of pain that settled on Robin's face at the answer let Luffy know that Robin knew about Torao more than she had initially let on.

"Are you being careful around him, how long have you actually been around Torao, Luffy?" Zoro asked sitting up.

"He's not dangerous."

"Then why was your neck cut up a few months ago when you met Torao?"

"I was being stupid, that's how that happened! Torao isn't dangerous." Luffy was getting increasingly frustrated at the line of questioning from his two friends.

"Still we don't know anything-" Sanji tried speaking again.

"Sanji, that's enough. It's Luffy's decision, he decided to trust us enough to have Torao-kun meet us. We must trust Luffy too." Robin stopped the blond before the words escalated. To the black haired woman, Luffy looked like he was about to burst, the air around him kept getting thicker.

"But Robin-chan!" Sanji whined, insistent on continuing. Zoro only kept the looks heavy.

Robin's words were a little late though.

"I know Torao. He's nice and strong and kind! I've been talking about him forever, how do you not know him already?!" Luffy finally burst, but he wasn't done. "Torao was already not feeling all that well today, I told you that! But you both kept attacking him-"

"Look I know this Torao made a strong impression on you when you were a kid but this is how predators move. They groom you and deceive you so they can prey on you and you are already unsuspecting and innocent and with your current status, he's only succeeding." Zoro said what had been weighing on his mind. Robin clicked her tongue which shut Sanji up, the woman never made any such sounds so her irritation towards the swordsman was clear.

"Take that back." Luffy bared his teeth, leaping to where Zoro was and grabbing his collar. Zoro was one of the very few people Luffy relied on, one who always had his back and hearing this from Zoro, Luffy was angry.

"Think about it-"

"I hate you." The moment the words left the youngest's mouth, the group went quieter than a graveyard.

"We were looking out-" Zoro started, tried to make some sort of amends.

"Don't say you were trying to protect me! Torao. Is. Not. Dangerous." Luffy glared and huffed to keep his breathing under control. He felt betrayed by his two most important people. Suddenly the open sky felt too small for him, Luffy felt suffocated in the presence of his friends. He realized he was careless and forgot to keep his breathing in check, he realized he was going to go into panic. He didn't want his friends to see that so he made a run for it.

Luffy just ran. He couldn't breathe and his chest was constricting, he didn't know if it was the pain from his aching lungs or the fact that his oldest friends weren't accepting Torao, but his eyes had started to prickle. In under a minute, Luffy realized it was the latter, his friends weren't accepting Torao, and it hurt.

It hurt so much.

~