Chapter Text
“Trafalgar!”
Law has finished up his shift at the pharmacy when he sees Sanji outside the hospital waiting for him.
“What are you doing here?” he asks, slightly annoyed that he didn’t get a heads up.
“Waiting for you obviously,” Sanji says.
“Ahhh,” Law says sarcastically. “I mean how did you know where to find me, idiot?”
“I called the most beautiful woman on the planet and she told me,” he says, a dumb smile spreading across his face.
Law just looks at him with what he hopes is an expression of devastating judgement and says, “Please don’t tell me you mean Ikka-”
“Ikkaku, of course!”
“God help her,” Law mutters.
“You’ve been extremely hard to get a hold of, you know.”
“Have you tried, I don’t know, calling me?” Law asks, knowing full well he hasn’t received a single call from Sanji.
“Why would I call you?” Sanji asks, visibly disgusted by the thought. “You should have called me.”
Law only rolls his eyes.
“You never told me how it went, dumbass,” Sanji says and Law stops in his tracks.
f*ck.
He forgot to update Sanji. After everything with Y/N and Penguin and Ikkaku and Shachi and… It dawns on him that he’s once again proved an ungrateful asshole and a terrible friend.
“sh*t, I’m really sorry,” Law says and turns to face Sanji. “You helped me so much, I should have called you.”
“I forgive you,” Sanji says, busy lighting another cigarette. “I’m sad to hear that it didn’t work out.”
Law frowns in confusion. How would Sanji know-
“I figured if you were successful I would have heard something,” Sanji says. Then with a dramatic gasp his eyes turn big and he says, “Unless it did work and you’ve been busy because you’ve been having tons of-”
“No,” Law interrupts him, feeling his cheeks warm up. “No, you were right. I f*cked up. It didn’t work.”
Law is hit by something in the chest and he instinctively catches it. It’s a pack of cigarettes. He looks up to see Sanji looking back, not anywhere near sentimental, but slightly less grouchy than his normal demeanour. It’s a sweet gesture.
“Thanks, but no thanks,” he says and places the pack back in Sanji’s hand.
They both lean back onto the wall of the hospital building.
“What happened?” Sanji asks. “You didn’t forget to strip off the sweater, did you?”
“No, I stripped,” Law admits with a pained smile, thinking back with embarrassment at the character assassination that was the jazz class.
“Did you run out of stamina? You messed up the routine? Were you injured?”
“No, the jazz went… it went well,” he says. It’s an understatement. The jazz went f*cking amazing. “She was impressed. The dancing wasn’t the problem.”
“Yeah?” Sanji asks, pride shining through his smile. “But then what was?”
“I found out afterwards that she’s been dating Penguin for a month.”
“Penguin?!” Sanji harks up smoke. “ Shachi and Penguin- Penguin?”
Law nods with a weak chuckle. “I was surprised too.”
“How did that idiot manage to get with her?”
“I think he just… asked her?” Law’s actually not sure how things went down between Penguin and Y/N.
“I doubt that. He’s like, four leagues below her level. He must have tricked her somehow,” Sanji says, deep in thought.
Law is about to point out that Sanji has never even met Y/N, so how would he even know, but mid-thought he realises that it doesn’t matter. Because the terrifying truth is that when it comes to love, Law is a lot like Sanji. Delusional. Destructive. Afraid. Even though they act on it differently, the cause of their trouble is still the same.
It wouldn’t surprise him if Penguin in fact did simply ask her out and she said yes. He’s funny. Handsome. Easy to be around. Law has always envied the way Penguin can make light of everything. Comparing the two of them you’d never guess that he’s seen just about as much sh*t as Law has. Still he doesn’t let it ruin his life.
While Law on the other hand lugs around heaps of baggage wherever he goes. Anyone would know in an instant that he’s broken, the trauma is clearly written on his face. On his skin . Penguin has scars too of course, but not like that. He isn’t defined by some tragic f*cking sap story like Law is. Penguin’s got charm. Of course he could just ask her.
“You're giving up on her?” Sanji asks and Law's dragged back to here and now.
"I've done enough damage," he says, hoping that they can change the subject soon. No such luck, Sanji looks pissed off.
"You had me convinced that you would do anything to get this girl," he barks. "Why are you giving up at the first sign of resistance!?"
"She's with Penguin now, that changes things," Law says, keeping his own frustration at bay. “He deserves her.”
“She isn’t some prize,” Sanji scolds him and Law has to laugh out of pure disbelief. That’s f*cking rich coming from Sanji of all people. "You can't just come to her jazz-class, strip off your sweater and expect her to know how you feel about her."
Law wants to protest, he did not-
"A woman is fragile, insecure. She needs reassurance. You have to prove to her how deep your yearning runs!”
“I’m sorry, I’m not taking love advice from you,” Law says and shakes his head. “Besides, I’ve been through this already. Penguin is more important! End of discussion.”
“You people are too sensitive,” Sanji mutters, taking a deep drag of his cigarette. “If you can’t even fight over a woman without ruining years of friendship, how are you supposed to live a fulfilling life, huh? How are you supposed to find love? You can't go through your life afraid of losing your family, Law. You need to trust them.”
Law is speechless.
“If she really wants to be with Penguin,” Sanji's face twists up in mild disgust as he says it, “then she’ll reject you. No harm done. But if she does want you it would accumulate a lot more heartbreak if the two of you discovered that later.”
Is he going mad or is Sanji actually making sense? Still it’ll be a cold day in hell before he follows Sanji’s love advice. The dancing was bad enough.
“I’m not that conceited,” he argues. “Why should I just assume she wants me?”
“Because you want her of course. Fight for what you want, Trafalgar!” Sanji’s tone has moved beyond condescending and is actually turning kind of inspirational.
“Oh là là,” he sighs, rolling his eyes. The cigarette stump falls from his lips and he squashes it under his shoe before he picks up another one, automatically lighting it. “It would be a tragedy if the two of you couldn’t loosen up your twisted knickers for long enough to find out who she actually wants. Then I would simply have to step in myself, if she is as fair as you have described her to me.”
Law wants to smack the stupid, love-struck expression right off Sanji's face. “I haven’t said sh*t about her appearance.”
“But even so she appears so vividly in my imagination,” Sanji muses on.
“Whatever you’re picturing, stop it,” Law orders.
“Whatever, Trafalgar,” Sanji scoffs. “When will I get my reward, hm?”
Oh, sh*t. He promised a college bar.
“Ehh, you’re free right now?”
“Yeah, but-” Sanji begins.
“Great, then you’ll get your reward right now,” Law says, starting to walk away.
“What?! Law! I’m not prepared. I haven’t got my good shirt on,” he panics.
Law only dismisses him, “You look fine. It’s now or never, Blackleg. What’s it gonna be?”
Law (to group chat)
Anyone who’s free, join me and Sanji at the bar
Shachi
LAW at a BAR. Call the cops and hide yr cactuses
Law
f*ck you.
That was one time.
Bepo
Which bar are you going to? <3
Law
Wolf’s
Penguin
Sanji won’t get into Wolfs?? He’s like 12
Shachi
Oooooh, are we sneaking him in? secret mission!!!
Law
He’s 18.
And he’s with me, it’ll be fine.
Bepo
I’ll be there! :)
Penguin
Me and Shach tooB)
“This isn’t a college bar.”
“No, but-”
“You f*cker, you promised me a-”
“Sanji! Not even I get into the bar on campus, it’s grad-students only, they check for member cards.”
“Oh,” Sanji mutters.
“This is a bar with college students in it. Therefore, a college bar,” he explains, as if speaking to a child. ”It has an age limit of 21, might I add, so don’t think you’ll get in here without me.”
“Cool, that’ll do,” Sanji says, not doing a very good job at hiding his nervousness. “How are we getting in?”
“We simply walk in,” Law says.
There’s a short line and while they wait they’re joined by Shachi and Penguin. When they get to the front of the line, Law keeps extra watch over Sanji, but he’s being surprisingly cool. Thank god the bouncer isn’t a woman.
“Long time no see,” Law says casually, recognising that he’s one of Wolf’s old employees from way back.
They’ve been coming here since before they were allowed to. Even though they tightened up security in later years, Law had been confident that there would be no problem getting Sanji in. That was until the bouncer took one look at them and said, “No chance in hell.”
Law freezes and he can notice Sanji tense up beside him as well.
“Do you think I’m stupid?” the bouncer asks.
“What the hell man-” Law begins, but he only gets pushed aside. The man goes straight for Shachi.
“I told you I’m not letting you in!”
“Come on, Bacca!” Shachi complains. “That was weeks ago. Aren’t you ready to let that go? How ‘bout a second chance?”
“That was your second warning, Shachi,” the man who’s apparently named Bacca says. Law had no idea that Shachi was on a first name basis with the bouncers at Wolf’s, much less that he was banned here. He’s apparently not the only one that’s surprised.
“You go here alone, Shach?” Penguin asks, under his breath.
“Yeah, sometimes,” Shachi dismisses him. Then he speaks to Bacca again, “Listen, I’m on my best behaviour! I’m with my pals. With Penguin. I won’t make trouble, I promise.” He throws an arm around a very startled Penguin, not over his shoulder, but around his waist, hugging him into his side. Behind the brim of his cap, Penguin looks like he’s burning up. Law has to bite down a chuckle.
Bacca considers Shachi and Penguin for a couple of seconds, then he sighs and says, “Fine, but I swear to god, if I regret this, you’re sasquatch.”
Shachi nods and puts both hands up to show his palms. “Of course, Bacca. I won’t be sasquatch, I promise.”
A poorly-concealed laughter escapes Penguin and Bacca shoots him a suspicious look, but then he too puts his hands up in defence like Shachi. They’re let in and Law can breathe out.
“What the f*ck was that?” he hisses at Shachi when they’re inside.
“Yeah, what the f*ck?” Penguin backs him up.
“I accidentally hooked up with Bacca’s boyfriend three weeks ago and things got ugly, now he wants my head. I just had to convince him I wasn’t gonna make more trouble, so I thought I’d pretend that you’re my boyfriend. Sorry, Pen.” Shachi gives Penguin an apologetic smile and Penguin’s jaw drops.
“Wha- w- eh- what?” he stutters, the flush getting back in his cheeks.
“He won’t bother us in here, so don’t feel pressured.”
Penguin opens and closes his mouth several times before he lets out a high-pitched, “Okay… cool.”
The two of them stare at each other, transfixed, as if either of them can’t move before the other one does. They’re abruptly shaken out of it when Sanji asks, “What was with the sasquatch thing?”
All three look to Shachi for an explanation.
“Oh, he’s just really bad with idioms,” Shachi shrugs.
“Ahh,” they say in unison.
