~

Luffy swung his legs back and forth, sitting on the stool by the kitchen counter at the Thousand Sunny. He had already finished the multiple glasses of juice that Sanji kept giving him, and now he was bored.

"Then go and participate in the wedding planning." Sanji said, eyes pointing to Uta, Robin and Nami sitting by the dining table, looking at catalogues for wedding dresses.

"No point, since I'm not going to the wedding." Luffy pouted and started playing with the ice cubes still in some of the juice glasses.

"If Law doesn't want to go, that's his choice, its not like he's stopping you from going too."

"I don't wanna go without Torao."

"Now you're being stubborn." Sanji sighed.

"Torao started it." Luffy puffed his cheeks and left the stool.

"Where are you going?"

"Dunno."

~

Den and Simone peeked at Law washing his hands after a surgery and throwing the used gear away. To them, something was off in doctor Trafalgar's manner, and had been for quite a few days. But the two preferred to live and work as doctors so they didn't pry into Law's business.

Law took a deep breath and composed himself, he was not missing Luffy. Well, it took only half a second of thinking that that Law realized he wasn't kidding anyone, he missed Luffy, terribly. But Law shook those thoughts off, he had work to do.

Ever since that night when Robin and Franky announced their engagement, and after Law made his refusal to attend the wedding known, Luffy had been ignoring Law. The older had sent that message for late-night tea adventure but Luffy ignored that, then Law had called Luffy in the middle of the day but the younger didn't answer that either, so Law gave up. If Luffy wanted to be angry, Law let him be, but only for the weekdays when the older had work, and since it was a Friday and Law was looking at two days off at the weekend, the doctor began formulating a plan on how to seek his boyfriend out and talk to him.

All the while Luffy wasn't with Law, the older had trouble sleeping, and when that happened, Law always found himself thinking and rethinking about his actions and words, and on such a night, the older cursed himself for being so difficult and made a checklist of things that weddings involved to see what things he could get Luffy to give up, to come to a middle ground, so Law might be willing to attend the wedding. But it was already Friday by the time Law had made such a list.

Missing Luffy was one thing, but inside the walls of the hospital, Law was relieved that there was no Luffy with any injuries but that made him concerned too, that the younger did get injured and didn't come to him. Law sighed, he wanted peace and quiet and he somehow got it but at the expense of Luffy not talking to him, Law didn't want any such peace and quiet.

Law pulled on new gear for his ER shift and scanned the room, how many beds were filled, how many patients were waiting for treatment, how busy everyone was. Then the doctor went to Simone who was calling Law over for some consultation.

"I felt a lump in the lower abdomen, want a confirmation on it so I can get the tests running." Simone said and closed the curtain after letting Law in. The patient was a young woman who looked like she had been crying a lot.

"Hello, I'm just going to check something real quick." Law started.

"He's best of the best." Simone backed the doctor up because the young woman looked like she would start crying again. "It's going to be over soon."

Law felt what was supposed to be a lump and around it too, then beckoned Simone outside the curtain and away from earshot. "That's not a lump, it's a penis."

"Doctor Trafalgar, there is a kid in six, bad scrape, might need stitches." A nurse brought the chart to Law and went away to assign patients to other doctors.

"A penis? For real? How can you tell with just feeling the thing?" Simone asked when the nurse left.

"Because I have one?" Law joked. "My research is based on muscles and organs, I have held every organ in my hands, that's how I can tell."

"Good luck."

"What?" Law asked because clearly Simone was the one who needed the luck but the woman pointed to the chart in Law's hands and left. The doctor looked at the chart and sighed. "There is hardly anything on here."

"The patient was not letting anyone touch him." The nurse who brought Law the chart overheard and answered. "You're the highest rank here, you deal with him."

"Fine." Law sighed, kind of annoyed that he just got out of surgery and would need to do stitches again. Regardless, Law went to the curtained bed six to deal with this troublesome patient.

It was Luffy.

"The scraped kid in six who might need stitches. Should have known it was you." Law commented looking at his boyfriend and the blood that was now mostly dried on his forearms and elbows and shins and knees, and chin. When Luffy stayed quiet, Law dragged a stool to sit in front of his monkey and began taking out the supplies he would need to clean all the wounds. "How did this happen?" Luffy pouted and looked away. "Luffy."

"You can't force me to answer when I don't want to." Luffy said frowning then looked away again, crossing his arms.

"Ok." Law sighed. Luffy clearly didn't want to talk so the older also let him be. Law brought the peroxide in contact with the scrape on the forearm and Luffy jumped.

"Ow!"

"Stay still it'll be over soon."

"No! That hurts!" Luffy pulled his arm back.

"Then don't fucking do stuff that gets you hurt like this!" Law didn't realize his own voice was getting louder.

"Well since everyone is busy helping Robin and Franky with the wedding and since I am not going and I'm left all alone, I have to do something to pass my time!"

"Oh yeah? Like what? Cartwheeling on a cliff?" The older rolled his eyes.

"Riding a bicycle! But I might do that next."

"You're dyspraxic. Why the fuck would you be riding a cycle?!"

"Why do you care?!"

"Uh, doctor, it's getting really loud." Den said poking his head in the curtained area.

"Come here, treat this moron and get a tetatus shot too." Law got up.

"The nurse said something about stitches-"

"He doesn't need stitches," Law said dumping his gloves, "he needs a fucking brain transplant."

Den looked from Luffy who was injured and looked like he was about to cry, to Law who was leaving the ER, looking angrier than anybody had ever seen him, it wasn't a good day to be a doctor in the ER.

~

"What the... what happened?!" Uta rushed to Luffy when he walked back home, his head down, and covered in bandages.

"I fell." Luffy replied, head still down and walked past his sister.

"I can see that!" When Luffy didn't elaborate, Uta went after him. "Luffy!"

"Doesn't matter." The younger shrugged and put his hat on Godfather's head before going to his room.

"You think he'll talk?" Uta asked Godfather and picked up the strawhat, examining the damage from 'the fall' Luffy has sustained. The dog barked in response and ran up to his human's room. "Guess I'll bribe the information out with food."

Uta was saving the meat-ten-ways dish for a special occasion but Luffy was sad and injured, and that was more important, so the young woman prepared the meat and went to her brother's room.

"I don't wanna talk." Luffy said not even looking at the door, his head under his pillow.

"Same, I just brough you meat, figured it might make you feel better."

The reaction to hearing about meat wasn't as instantaneous as it would have been had Luffy been in his usual spirits, but the sharp turn back was still impressive. Uta could see colour returning to Luffy's face as he happily stuffed himself with meat.

"Stupid Torao won't go to the wedding." Luffy mumbled after he had eaten and was feeling better, he wondered if that was Uta's plan all along.

"He won't do it even for you?" Uta asked, patting Luffy's head that was on her shoulder.

"Robin said the same thing." Luffy groaned. "But we made a deal that we wouldn't push each other to do things we don't wanna do."

"But it's a wedding..."

"Torao doesn't like crowded spaces and lots of people, it all gets on his senses."

"Oh come on, he must have been to at least one wedding for sure!"

Luffy thought hard on it. "...not really, that I know of... Some of Torao's friends in Flevance got married a while back, I remember he didn't go to those weddings too."

"How in the hell is that possible?"

"He said no, and his friends respect him enough to not push him into stuff."

Uta didn't say anything else and let Luffy absorb and realize what he had just said. That was why she wanted to get Luffy to talk, because sometimes he was the one being unnecessarily stupid.

"Does that mean I don't respect Torao to not push him into stuff?" Luffy said in a small voice, hating himself in that moment that he was doing just that, being angry at Law for sticking to ground rules and not wanting to go somewhere he would get his senses bombarded. "I'm the bad guy..."

"Nobody's the bad guy, you're both just different in this matter." Uta said before the bad thoughts settled in Luffy's head. "Did Law make you feel like he would hate you if you went to the wedding without him?"

After some thought, Luffy mumbled a "no."

"Then go. What're you overthinking this for?"

"But..." Luffy was unsure. He had yelled at Law, made a scene, not talked to the older too, so now since he had decided to go to the wedding, Luffy felt incredibly guilty.

~

Law bid his good nights and left the hospital building to go home. The doctor's skin was itching for a borderline-searing hot bath, he was hoping it would get Luffy's yelling from earlier in the day out of his head too.

"Law!" The doctor turned in the direction of the voice and found Nami standing a little ahead. Law sighed and walked to his sister, he knew what this was about.

"It's not my fault and I am not going to baby his bad habits." Law said before Nami could say anything.

"He just wants to go with you." The young woman pleaded.

"And I don't want to go at all."

"So compromise?"

"Never. Compromise is a lose-lose situation."

"You're being stubborn Law." Nami rolled her eyes, her arms crossed.

"And he needs to learn to accept a no from other people."

"He said he won't go too and then went bicycle riding when he knows he can't keep it straight for shit-"

"And how is that my problem? I told him his choices were his own and had nothing to do with whatever I chose, so, it's not my problem."

"Wow you're horrible."

"I told Luffy as much when we started this." Law said. "I'm not at wrong here for backtracking on ground rules that we both agreed to."

"That makes sense." Nami replied after a moment.

"Did he send you or did you come yourself?" Law had to ask because Luffy had apparently gone unnaturally technology silent.

"He's miserable and might have told me to try and convince you..." Nami answered sheepish then raised her hands in defense at Law's glare. "But I won't. I know people overwhelm you a lot, so I won't. But maybe come for five minutes?"

"No."

"Ok if I can get Luffy to agree to not drag you to dance and for photos and to let you be in the vicinity but away from people, will you come then?"

Law stopped for a second then reconsidered. "That might work. But don't expect me to stick around for the whole thing."

"Really?! Luffy's gonna be happy!" Nami jumped in joy.

"Wait a fucking second." Law grabbed Nami's arm and brought her firmly back on her feet. "Did he dictate the terms? Did you just parley for us?"

"Well yeah someone had to. And it had to be me, Zoro might have decapitated you-"

"He can try-"

"And the others are all busy in different plannings."

"And where is that shithead himself?" Law asked.

"At your house."

"Ok." The doctor nodded, then it clicked. "What?!"

"Yeah, he's been there for half the day. He didn't tell you?" Law groaned so loud Nami recoiled. "Ok so he didn't tell you."

"You think?" Law sighed. "I'll deal with him myself. And tell him about the middle ground myself too. Thanks for your...neutrality?"

"You'll be at the wedding where people really want you to be so that's a huge win worth the neutrality." Then Nami stopped. "Wait a second. You're smart and patient enough to think of a middle ground yourself too so why hadn't that happened?"

"Luffy was ignoring me." Law said rolling his eyes. "I'm going to give him shit just for that."

"And here I was thinking that it was me who got you convinced."

"No. I already had my mind made."

"Anyway, go home." Nami smiled.

"And kill Luffy for being a little shit. Got it."

"Like you can do that."

"True. But that doesn't mean I won't confiscate some material."

"You're a sadist."

"Told Luffy that too."

Nami and Law parted ways after Nami convinced Law that she was ok with going back home at night and that she was having Vivi wait at the corner cafe for her too. Law left and went home.

Law opened the front door very quietly because there were no lights on so either Luffy was sleeping or had left or had forgotten to turn the lights on. A soft meow made Law strain for the sound around him but Monolith showed Law her oddly luminescent teeth and Law could see her in the dark. She turned her head to the living room then looked at Law and meowed again. Law could literally hear her say 'that one I don't like is here again, in the living room. Do something about it.'

"Come on." Law picked up his cat who purred in his arms and went to the living room.

Luffy was asleep on the couch, his hand going under his shirt, scratching his slightly exposed belly, his arms and legs still bandaged, and a cute band-aid stuck under his chin. At first Law thought he would put the talk off till tomorrow and take Luffy to the bed and have him sleep peacefully there but he didn't know what came over him not a second later. Law grinned broadly and dropped Monolith on the sleeping Luffy.

There was screeching and fighting and then Luffy fell off the couch and Monolith ran away to who knows where. Law turned the lights on and looked down at Luffy with a grin so he would know it was Law's shenanigans.

Luffy looked at Law with a sleepy scowl. "You're mean."

"That's what you get for making Nami be a mediator and not talking to me yourself." Law sat down on the couch and put his feet up on the table. Luffy wasn't replying so Law looked at the younger only to find him holding his left leg and eyes scrunched up in pain. He had wounds there and Law's entire attitude shifted when he registered that he unintentionally hurt Luffy. "Shit did that hurt? I'm sorr-"

"Pfft." Luffy started laughing. "Your face!" And he kept laughing, faking the pain, trying to get back at Law.

"Fuck off." Law got off the couch and went to his room and locked the door.

"Toraoooooo!" Luffy slumped against the bedroom door and made whining noises. "To-ra-oooooooooooooo-"

"Stop!" Law had to yell to get Luffy to stop his infinitely long pronunciation of the last syllable. Law opened the door suddenly and Luffy fell on Law. "Get off." Law pushed Luffy off him and went back in the living room.

"I had to send Nami because you were mad at me." Luffy said following the older.

"What? You were the one who were ignoring my texts and calls." The older replied quick.

"I thought those were butt-dials."

"Even a perfectly punctuated text?"

"Well, you're good at everything you do so..." Luffy shrugged.

"I don't believe this..." Law sighed. "And why did you think I was mad at you?"

"Because you left someone else to treat my wounds."

"That was because you were being a shit-"

"So? You never let anybody who isn't Chopper or one of your friends come near me when I'm injured and then you allowed that guy to do it! You always do it yourself so when you didn't..."

Ah fuck.

"And it took you this long to try and parley?"

"Yeah I figured you weren't doing it so I would send Nami to see how things were..."

"Was that the only reason you sent Nami?" Law asked narrowing his eyes. Was Luffy avoiding the subject of going to the wedding, purposely omitting it or expertly lying about it?

"Yeah. She was supposed to call me after she talked to you."

Law narrowed his eyes but found nothing that indicated that Luffy was lying. "That fucking witch." Law cursed under his breath, now coming to the complete understanding that Nami might have been asked by Luffy to talk to Law but not about middle grounds, that, she was doing herself.

"You were already annoyed that I kept trying to make you go at the wedding so I thought if I showed up suddenly you might think I was going to bother you with it again so I asked Nami." Luffy said quietly.

"So we wasted five days because of a misunderstanding." Law wondered out loud. "About that wedding, I wanted to establish a middle ground and in the event that you agree to my terms, I will attend the wedding-"

"REALLY?! THANKS TORAO!!" Law didn't have the chance to finish because Luffy jumped on him.

"Get off you animal!" Law pushed at Luffy because the younger was squishing his face and making it hard to breathe. "And your bandages are red."

"What? That's the third time today." Law felt the entire 'triggered meme' in that one moment.

"Sit your ass down and don't move. I'll be back." Luffy pouted at Law's furrowed brows but obliged while Law got the first aid box. Law got back and sat down in front of Luffy on the couch and first undid the bandages on his legs and cringed. "How are you even alive?!"

"What do you mean?" Luffy replied picking his nose.

"You scraped your legs this bad from falling off the bicycle... I'm sorry, I should have taken care of it myself no matter how much you were pissing me off that time."

"And I shouldn't have done that."

"Can you stay out of trouble for the time it will take for these to properly scab over?" Law asked putting fresh, firm bandages on Luffy's wounds and moving to his arms. "Come closer." Luffy scooted.

"Can I take it as I will be staying with you until it's healed?"

"Ok. It's the least I can do for putting you through the agony of someone else cleaning these."

"Yeah, it hurt more. It doesn't hurt that bad when you're doing it."

"Because I always tell you it will hurt."

"Might be. Or it's because it's you."

"Might be." Law imitated and moved to the one on Luffy's chin. Luffy put his arms around Law's neck because he didn't know what else to do with them and the position sparked something in Luffy.

"Torao." Luffy called and when Law raised his head to see what Luffy wanted to say, Luffy kissed him. "I don't like not talking to you."

"Then don't ignore my texts and calls thinking they are butt dials." Law responded putting a fresh band aid on Luffy's chin and putting the rest of things on the table, slumping forward in Luffy's hold and laying down with his head on the younger's chest.

"Were you ok? You didn't have any attacks right?"

"Why would I?"

"I was pushing you and even got angry and that's something that is sometimes bad for you..." Luffy wondered out loud.

"Very perceptive. And correct. But no, I didn't have any attacks. I did though feel unnaturally guilty for being so stubborn so I thought I would propose a middle ground."

"Oh yeah, what about it?"

"I don't want to mingle with people and you only have a limited number of photos you can drag me into. And no dancing. At least not in public."

"I know you are uncomfortable around people so I wasn't going to do any of that from the beginning."

"Promise?"

"On meat."

Law chuckled. "It's a deal."

"Oh yeah, Robin and Franky decided that there is sort of going to be two receptions. They are putting short timing on the invitation cards so everyone leaves early then we have all the time to ourselves."

"That's smart."

"Can we dance then?"

"How many people will be staying after the early leaving ones?"

"Just us."

"Alright." The older shook his head when Luffy cheered. "You know an awful lot for someone who wasn't going to the wedding." Law teased.

"I changed my mind. Then I felt bad for pushing you so I asked Nami to see how you were doing."

"I told her about the middle ground so everyone probably knows by now." Law saw Monolith enter the living room and giving Law a slit-eyed glare as if calling him a traitor. "Let me up. I'll get something to eat."

Luffy let Law go and Law kissed his forehead then went to the kitchen, taking the first aid box with him to put away on his way. He got back with noodles, nuggets, chips and soda and set everything on the table. Luffy kept sitting on the couch and Law made his place between the couch and the table, on the floor. They were eating very sleepily.

"So what's the real reason you didn't want to go?" Luffy asked and Law was too tired to put up any filters in his words and it was Luffy so there really was no need to either.

"I thought I was only being invited by extension to you but Nami said something and I realized I was invited because they want me there..."

"You're stupid sometimes for someone so smart. Of course they want you there Torao. Robin really only has us, her whole hometown was destroyed and everyone was killed. She told me she relates to you the best out of all of us so it's a given she wants you to be at her wedding."

"Who's giving her away then, if everyone is dead?" Law asked.

"I am!" Luffy jumped down beside Law.

"Pfft!!!" Law spat his drink and laughed for real. Luffy was offended at first then just enjoyed the sound. "Oh god, that, I won't miss for the world."

"She first thought of Aokiji-"

"The Admiral?"

"Yeah, when they were burning her whole country, he let her go because one of his closest friends had laid his life for Robin to escape. They became close later. Aokiji and Robin. But she thought it would be odd to give Aokiji that position and might make him uncomfortable."

"And who's officiating?"

"Brook."

Law hadn't taken a drink, so he was ok this time. "That's gonna be a weird as fuck wedding." Then law remembered. "What's the dress code? I doubt you'd be able to keep a formal suit on."

"Oh, no I can do it for my friends! Robin and Franky are picking everyone's colours and closest friends are wearing capes!"

"What the fuck."

"Yeah, Franky wanted speedos but Nami slapped him for the idea so they agreed on capes."

"So all of you are wearing capes."

"You too! Robin picked a really nice one for you!"

"I wasn't even going." Law smiled nonetheless at the implication that he was considered a closest friend.

"She knew you'd come around." Luffy grinned. "Wanna see the pictures?"

"Sure."

Luffy got his phone and began showing Law the photos Nami had sent him of the capes. Luffy's was ruddy brown like a monkey's, Law's cape was grey with black spots, like a...

"Like a snow leopard." Luffy and Law said at the same time.

"Why choose a snow leopard for me?" Law asked.

"You're grumpy like one, rarely spotted even in the natural habitat, big softie, and you're from a wintery climate, so snow leopard." Luffy counted on his fingers.

"Suppose I am."

"And I'm a monkey, no explanation needed, nishishi."

"Yeah."

~

I had this entire thing already drafted so I edited it real quick!Didn't want everyone to wallow in the LawLu-are-fighting for too long!

Chapter 1133 ToTOda!I LOVE ONE PIECE!!

Law's like me when it comes to weddings - I don't do weddings either. The only difference is Law found middle ground with Luffy, but I don't XD fuck peopleAll of my friends know that I can't do normie-gatherings and weddings and they agree that their events are all normie infested, so I get the no-judgements pass.Or Maybe I haven't found my Luffy yet, someone who can make ME come to a middle ground, because LOL, everyone who has and had the good fortune and misfortune of knowing me, KNOWS that I don't bend my rules.

Remember I got my ears pierced?My friendo changed those studs with Law's earrings for me!Now I'm roaming around being Law all the time for real.They're kinda heavy, solid gold and all, but they look so badass!

What's up with everyone?How is your year ending?I hope and pray that it's good!

Thank you for all the support! <3