With And Onto Further Stillness complete and Side to Side just having three updates in a row, I'm going to take this opportunity to take a quick and small break from posting fic.
Not a sad break or burnt-out one, but a recoup one. I want to be able to fill up on things I've written out before posting (like when both of those fics were published, I had MULTIPLE chapters written out first). I will return soon! Just taking a breather and building up my one-shot and chapter bank. As mentioned, I have outlines for some new Roseweave fics, and Side to Side is chugging along to be complete by the end of the year, depending on if Oda gives me Law back.
This weekend, I will be doing some deep cleaning, organizing, and hanging some decor in my room, so I'll focus on that.
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A compilation of fics and prompts about Law, The Heart Pirates, and an OC named Ruby; mostly during the two year timeskip but there are some during and post-Dressrosa. These were made on my iPhone in Google Docs over the past year, and Iâm uploading them here through the same phone; so expect quality content. I update at least weekly. Involves violence, childhood trauma, nakamaship, hurt, love, AUâs and implied sex. Enjoy and have fun (âąâĄâą).
Notes: Ruby has an Irish accent; sheâs incomprehensible.
~~~~~~
The morning was bright and crisp.
And thank god for that because Law and the Heart Pirates had been on the sub for a little too long.
Finally in the New World, the group of pirates stopped at an island for supplies. Much of his crew had walked off on their own, wanting explore the city they landed on. Bepo, Shachi, and himself had decided they would go grocery shopping in the seaside market. They stood at the entrance of the market, talking amongst themselves, ignoring everyone around them.
âExcuse me.â Everyone turned their heads to the new, foreign accented voice that interrupted the intense conversation of what specific food to buy. âYou guys are kinda blocking the way.â
The new voice was attached to a woman. She had peachy skin, she was on the thin (malnourished) side but had muscle definition in her arms and legs, long brown, wavy hair (it was in twin low pigtails), and deep brown eyes. She wore a white sundress, oversized sun hat, and tall white heels.
She smiled nervously and then pointed behind them. She had a large woven tote bag, made for grocery shopping no doubt.
âAh, sorry!â Bepo spoke first and the new voice waved him off.
âItâs no problem, newcomers usually are confused by the layout of the island and cities.â
âHow...did you...we arenât new-â
âIâm Ruby,â she interrupted, âand that stall over there,â she pointed to a particular stall, â sells the freshest fish, so you better get there quickly.â
âYouâre rather friendly to people you just met,â Law spoke up and she turned to him. Her eyes stared at him curiously, giving him a once over before adjusting her tote bag.
âYou think? I guess youâre right. Youâre from Paradise, yeah? The attitudes of the people towards pirates are a bit different there, I suppose.â She shrugged. âKeep in mind there are significant territories owned by powerful pirates, here. Seeing rookie pirates come around to try and take over, then find One Piece is fairly common.â She grinned nonchalantly. The two of them stared at each other a moment before she turned around. She started to walk away, her hips swaying and her heels clicking against the wooden boardwalk. âAnyway, good luck in the New World,â her nearly incomprehensible voice sang out as she waved. Law didnât trust her as far as he could throw her. And from how small she was, it was probably far. For all he knew she was probably a marine in disguise. Or worse, a new member of the Family who managed to find him.
It didnât matter. They would get their supplies and leave. Then, he would never see her again.
~~~~~
Law blinked surprised when a beer was put in front of him. He looked up to see the woman from the docks earlier, Ruby-ya if he remembered correctly.
âCan I help you?â He raised his brow irritated.
âYouâre in my spot,â she said, thick, barely intelligible accent. âAnd your crew has made my dowdy little pub a bit crowded.â
âAnd?â
âSo, Iâm forcing you to sit next to me.â
âYou could sit somewhere else.â
âAbsolutely not.â She sat next to him and Law groaned. âSilvy,â she called a waitress. âMy usual!â Silvy gave her an okay and walked towards the kitchen.
âYou are aware of who I am, right?â
âYouâre pretentious is who you are.â Ruby-ya took a sip of...water. âAnd ungrateful. You know, you should say âthank youâ when a beautiful woman buys you a drink.â Law stared at her annoyed. She ignored him and smiled sweetly at Silvy as she brought her her food. âThanks.â She reached into her bustier to pull out her wallet.
âOh, Ruby, honey, you know you ain't gotta pay,â another almost unintelligible accent came out. âYou keep all those thugs and pirates at bay! Me and Gracie donât want you paying for nothing.â
âYou two are sweet,â Law was stricken with the sudden change of aura. âDon't worry, Iâll make sure you guys are safe.â She winked and Silvy walked away happily. Ruby-ya turned to Law, smile still on her face, but a dangerous look in her eyes. She wasnât some random woman, thatâs for sure. âTell me, Trafalgar Law, Captain of the Heart Pirates with a bounty of over 300,000,000 berries,â she cocked her head. âWhy are you on my island?â
âYouâre bold to threaten me.â
âThreaten?â She said innocently. âI just asked a question, cara. Nothing more.â Lawâs eyes narrowed with a frown.
âResupply and need of land.â
âAmong some other things it seems,â she grinned. âSince it looks like some of your crew are talking to those lovely men and women.â She teased and nodded to some...people of the night. Law rolled his eyes and her grin grew. âNot your cup of tea? I bet even Sapphire would give you a discount seeing how pretty you are.â
âNot interested.â Ruby-ya raised her brow at him but said nothing. âNot sure if you can tell, Iâm not exactly a people person.â He said flatly.
âYou don't have to be a âpeople personâ to get your rocks off.â She stated matter of factly. âBut thatâs unimportant, whatâs important is, you guys and gals getting your shit, leaving my lovely little pub and marketplace unharmed, and then never coming backâŠsavvy?â She was dangerous.
âDonât like pirates?â Might as well poke the bear. She was starting to become interesting, anyway.
âI donât like anyone or anything aside from the aforementioned pub and marketplace.â
âWhat will you do? Turn us in the marines?â
âHa!â She genuinely laughed, some patrons snickered, the bartender raised a glass. âMarines, indeed. No, cara, Iâll kill you.â She said it so sweetly that Law had to process her words twice. âBy the way, that was a threat.â
Characters: Law
Rating: Teen
Warnings: Language
Notes: Another short chapter >:). Are you ready for this? Things start to get bonkers next chapter.
Law tried not to show his shaking hand.
He seemed to have the advantage and he had a good poker face, but Rubyâs absence was not in the cards.Â
There was always something in the back of his mind saying that there was a slight chance of something not great happening to his gardener, but his plan was practically flawless. Or so he thought. There was something off about this island.
Didnât Doflamingo give up his titles? Why in the hell are the natives acting as if nothing happened? Something wasnât right and the fact that Ruby was missing wasnât helping .Â
No, not missing. She had to be on Green Bit. Thatâs where they agreed to meet if they hadnât met on the shore. Ruby was smart and skilled, she was very good at what she did and had spent years avoiding marines, pirates, and the World Government. She was just late once again. He was going to lecture the shit out of her when they were alone.
The bridge was exactly as Ruby described, aside from the mysterious small voice that drug the fish away. Ruby had mentioned the ridiculous notion of fairies in the town. She even said that something of hers went missing more than once but Law just assumed that she was being an airhead and misplaced it.Â
God, he would love to see that airhead on Green Bit in her heels and short skirt.
But, as fate would have it, she wasnât on Green Bit either.Â
Where was she?
His heart sped up in anxiety. He winced when it squeezed in pain. The damn thing was being a hassle. He had repaired the tear! He had gotten three days of rest. He should be fine!
Fucking Vergo.
Law hadnât planned on that bastard showing up and his heart ended up the loser in that scuffle. He gritted his teeth, trying to mask the pain as he stood on the shore with Ceasar, waiting for Doflamingo.
Ruby was going to murder him when she found out about his heart. Not that he minded. Them giving back each otherâs hearts was the best decision heâs made in a while. He remembered her hurt but understanding face when he told her that theyâd have to switch them out again. At least on his list of fuck ups, that wasnât one of them.Â
Of course to make matters even worse, this was a trap. Doflamingo never resigned from the Warlords. So what was he supposed to do now? His plan had failed and Ruby was nowhere to be seen.
Lawâs eyes widened and his stomach dropped. Sweat rolled down his cheek and he ignored Nico-ya as she popped up from the ground.
Shit.
Doflamingo had to have done something to Ruby. There was no doubt in his mind now. It was all starting to come together. Ruby wasnât at either meeting point and hadnât called him to explain anything. She may be someone who was the opposite of punctual, but she always, always tried to keep him in the loop. She was a woman who loved talking and sometimes it took him taking her face in her hands and squeezing her cheeks to get her to just be quiet for five minutes.Â
Only now he wished she was talking his ear off. Makeup, chocolate, raunchy novels, anything . He just wanted to hear her voice again. He needed to see the light in her eyes as she spoke about things that he didnât care about but was willing to entertain because it was her .
 Dammit. Dammit. Dammit !
He knew he should have never agreed to her stupid fucking plan. He should have overruled her, he should have tied her up and kept her on the Tang as she bitched and moaned, he should have done absolutely anything to keep her away from this island and Doflamingo. How could someone as clever as Ruby be caught? How could Doflamingo find her? She knew how to stick to the shadows in any situation. How was this possible?!
Law let out a breath that was close enough to an almost sob. He clenched Ceasarâs clothes in his fist and jerked him in anger. The idiot complained but Law didnât care.Â
Just to make sure, just to be safe. He stared down at the den den mushi . He needed to rule out Ruby being kidnapped. If she had been kidnapped then she would be used as bait, as a weakness, as a hostage situation. She was a valuable asset and Doflamingo probably understood that. He would use her to get to him and Law needed that not to happen.
He knew Ruby could take care of herself, surely if she was captured she would find a way out. Surely this was just a minor setback. Thereâs no way she would do anything that would harm this plan. Law took a deep breath and started to call her when Nico-ya interrupted him.
Law snapped back to reality. He needed to focus on himself rather than endless ideas and possibilities of their situation. He saw Doflamingo and realized he was out of time. Nico-ya disappeared and Law took a deep breath.Â
Focus on this meeting. Focus on the plan. Focus on making sure that he could correct any mistake that had already happened.
Doflamingo was going to die, Law would make sure of it.
Characters: Law, Ruby
Rating: Teen
Warnings: Blood, Language, a smidge of dark humor
Notes: Boy it feels good to write them together again. I mentioned on tumblr that I wasn't sure if I'd update any fics this weekend but here I am, 15 mins later LOL. This is a short chapter but it's still a good one. Enjoy these two being together again :)
Law took a ragged breath before limping forward. He had managed to get away from Cavendish-ya but Ruby was glued to his hip.Â
Understandably, of course. It was less than ten minutes ago that he thought she was dead, so itâs not like he wanted to be away from her either. However, the day wasnât over. There was still chaos and war and Doflamingoâs stupid game. He had to find Straw Hat-ya. Law could no longer fight, but he could make sure Straw Hat-ya could.Â
âLaw, this is stupid,â Ruby said at his side, her hands hovering by him in case he fell over. âI canât let you keep going on like this. Youâre barely holding together. Your arm is covered in blood and you being up like this is making it worse! If this was me you would have taken away my feet so that I couldnât walk away.â
âRuby,â he sighed. He held his injured arm and gritted his teeth in pain as it screamed at him. âI have to do this.â
âYou donât have to do shit, â she snapped and Law saw a fury in her eyes that he had fallen for long ago. The anger and rage died in her eyes in moments and was replaced by desperation and fear. âI canât lose you. I canâtâŠâ Her voice shook and she blinked away tears. âYouâve done enough, mo chuisle. Iâm begging you to just rest .â
â Please let me do this,â he begged her. He reached out with his good arm and cupped her cheek. He leaned in and kissed her forehead slowly. âI love you,â he whispered. âI love you,â he said again, a lump forming in his throat. He wanted to tell her over and over that he loved her. He wanted this to be over. He wanted to hold her. He wanted their injuries and pain to fade away. This never should have happened.Â
âI love you, too,â she whispered. Law leaned down and kissed her lips. The first taste of her in months, and the taste of blood was heavy on her tongue. He frowned deeply and pulled away. âLaw,â she said desperately. âI just got you back, I canât handle losing you.â
Law rubbed her cheek with his thumb. âI wonât die,â he said. âI just have to do this, Ruby. This is almost over, just believe in me for a little bit longer.â
Law watched Ruby fight a battle within herself. He could see her fiery anger and stubborn nature try to duke it out with the reasonable and calm thoughts. She stared at him with tears in her eyes and blood on her cheeks, so clearly hating what he was doing. And she was right. If their roles were reversed he would have never allowed her to do what he was trying to do.Â
He always teased her about being a sensitive cry baby, that she went with her emotions too often instead of rational thought, but right now he understood. He understood how fucked this situation was, how tired she was, how badly he wanted to just lay with her once more.Â
But as he watched her take a deep breath and straighten her back, he knew what she was about to say.
âOkay,â she sighed out. He pulled her in for another kiss, just a simple, chaste kiss. They laid their foreheads against each other for a moment before pulling away. âI trust that you will come back to me.â
âIf I donât, you can take my skull and put it on your mantelpiece in your seaside cottage. Label it as âa man who wouldnât listen to his girlfriend.ââ
She let out a short laugh. âI can do that.â
Law pulled away from her and frowned at the blood on her face. He stared at her; clothes ripped, hair a mess, dirt, blood, and injuries covering her body. He took her in before closing his eyes slowly. She was here. She really was here. If he did anything right today it would be making sure she survived. He took a deep breath and steeled himself. He opened a room and opened his eyes. âI love you,â he told her one last time.Â
âI love you, too.â
He let himself relax for a moment, hearing the words that he longed for from her lips, before shambling away and leaving her behind.
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Characters: Ruby
Rating: Teen
Warnings: Language
Notes: Anyone interested in a short chapter >:3c
Ruby woke up with a pep to her step. She hummed as she lightly walked the room. She was practically gliding on air as she dressed. She was so goddamn happy! She was going to see Law again! They could kiss and hug and leave this island together! She could go home!
She made sure everything about her was done right. She couldnât be too perfect. If she was too perfect sheâd be damn near irresistible to Law and heâd have no choice but to be flustered in front of the Straw Hats, and she liked him too much to embarrass him too much.
She hummed as she ate yogurt and read the newspaper. She blinked at the article.Â
Alliance formed.
Doflamingoâs abdication.
Everything seemed to be going the way it should, but something was off. Something didnât feel tooâŠcorrect. She had a sinking feeling in her stomach but she hoped it was just the apprehension from seeing Law for the first time in months.Â
She finished her yogurt and threw it in the trash. She slipped on a pair of heels and started to gather her belongings to meet Law at the meeting spot.
There was a knock on the door.Â
Her brows twitched and furrowed. Who would be bothering her now? Everyone she knew was either still asleep or already at their jobs. She approached the door. Her body shook with anxiety, her brain sending signals to her to not open the door, to run away. She swallowed, cursing her anxiety and opened the door.
Her eyes widened and a cold sweat rolled down her face. Her body shook and she let out a breath that was close to what could have been her stifling down a cry for help.
Doflamingo stood outside her apartment door, grinning at her. No wonder her brain told her to leave.Â
âSela D. Ruby, I believe-â
She closed the door on Doflamingo casually. There was a moment of silence before her door burst into pieces. Ruby ran to the window and jumped out of it, not caring about the shattered glass. She landed on the ground and ran down the street, ignoring the screams and shouts and shocked gasps, instead focusing on the amused laughter that followed her. She felt his strings pass through her body and she quickly turned a corner...only to fall flat on her face. The bastard tripped her with haki coated string.Â
âA logia! Now it makes sense why Law would have you as a spy.â Ruby glared up at the obnoxiously tall man. âIâve let you live on this island for a month now-â Ruby swallowed âsheâs been here for almost two, so she managed to get by on her own long enough. âBut now itâs good to see that Law is on his way, too.â Rubyâs glare hardened and she stood up, brushing off her clothes. âTell me, whatâs Lawâs plan?â Ruby didnât answer. âIf you tell me, I might just let both of you live.â
âBullshit,â she snapped. âLaw told me what happened; Iâm no idiot. However, if you think Iâll believe youâll let either of us live, you certainly are.âÂ
He snickered. âYouâre unbelievably incomprehensible.â He talked down to her. âI still saved the Heart Seat for him! You wouldnât even have to leave him and could be part of his army.â What a universe that would be. âWe could always use a powerful logia on board.â Patronizing ass.Â
Ruby lifted her middle finger up and stuck her tongue out. âIâd rather die than call you my captain, Doflamingo.â She reacted immediately, turning her arm into wood and covering it in armament haki . His strings hit her arm, sending sparks flying.
âYouâre fast.âÂ
âI am Lawâs spy; he wouldnât just send me to look pretty,â she pushed away his strings before throwing her Sceana Duille at him. A small cut appeared on his cheek and he looked mildly annoyed. She ran off and he followed after her, manic laughter filling the alley. There was no way she could meet Law and the Straw Hatâs at the meeting point now. She could only buy him time and pray that he could get to her beforeâŠ
Characters: Ruby, Law
Rating: Teen
Warnings: Language
Notes: đ«Ł
Anyway life has been, um, turned upside down for me. Iâve been dealing with new pets, the death of a pet and the grief from it, and depression from the economy and worrying about money. It was hard to write Side To Side because itâs sad right now đ€Ł. But donât worry now that weâre actually getting to the chapters where Law is on Dressrosa the chapters will more than likely happen on a better schedule.
Thank you to everyone who is still reading this. I really appreciate it.
Ruby groaned as she woke. The sun shone brightly through the window and onto her face. She had a splitting headache and felt nauseous.
âFuck,â she hissed out and curled into the fetal position. âWhat in the goddamn,â she groaned.
At least she had the day off.
It was a national holiday that day. One of the most important holidays in fact. Maria had excitedly told her about the day and the all day celebration. Food! Drinks! Music! Dancing! It was a day for fun and joy!
Ruby almost gagged at the idea of celebrating that. It was absolutely Lawâs influence. It was his irritated frown and the crease in his brow when he was pissed. She couldnât help but leech his annoyance off of him despite him being hundreds of miles away.
But she also hated them. She hated what they had done to Law and she hated that such a union was celebrated.
The wedding anniversary of King Doflamingo and Queen Lucia.
How utterly disgusting.
Ruby knew that her and Lawâs relationship wasnât perfect or amazing or sweet orâŠwell anything particularly normal, but! their relationship was definitely better than Doflamingoâs. Absolutely. Completely.
Yeah.
Ruby literally rolled out of bed. She laid on the shitty carpet, her cheek pressed onto the floor. She let out a very loud groan, one that Law would definitely express his annoyance at. She could practically hear his scoff and beration.
Act like an adult. She could hear him say.
She huffed, getting annoyed at him for being annoyed at her in this fake scenario where he was with her in that moment instead of on Punk Hazard doing god knows what with that Caesar Clown.
She wouldnât know of course. She hasnât spoken to him in over a month.
A whole goddamn month.
Not a sentence or word or even a strained breath as she tried not to cry.
Nope. Nothing.
Because they needed to be âsafeâ. They needed to be âquietâ. They needed to be âdiscreetâ.
Which was, of course, the correct path. Law was right. She hated admitting to him that he was right. The smug bastard and his ego that she unfortunately found quite hot and attractive and she definitely wanted to kiss his stupid lips.
âUUUUGHHHHHH,â she let out an incredibly loud groan and slammed her hands on the cheap carpet that smelled of cigarettes. âIâm so annoyed at him!â
She had moved on from severe depression to absolute fury.
Anger at Doflamingo. Anger at Corazón. Anger at Law. Anger at herself. Why in all of the layers of hell did she decide to do this? To leave her nakama and safety? To come to this damn island that was so happy and joyous and thrilling. Where the people were so kind as long as you didn't cheat on them.
And sure the toys were creepy butâŠshe supposed they werenât so bad.
And it was nice and sunny most of the time. Wonderful weather, actually. Maria had dragged her to many outdoor parties and to clubs that had a dance floor on roofs. Ruby usually felt so guilty about going to these things when she needed to be laying low that she barely had fun.
When had she become such a drag? She would have lived for this type of island in her early twenties. She would have partied all night, drank all night, probably found some random person and slept with them for a portion of the night!
Oh, she was so angry. So, so angry.
She didnât want this island destroyed. She wanted Law to drop this whole scheme and leave this island alone. These people didnât deserve this island destroyed because Doflamingo was an awful, terrible, shitty person.
If he would just see what she saw, if he would just feel what she felt, he would understand. He couldnât be so wrapped up in his revenge that he would hurtâŠ
Oh, fuck her, of course he would hurt people. He was a pirate and not a good person. His epithet was The Surgeon of Death.
And itâs not that she was an angel either. Sheâs hurt people. Sheâs killed people. ButâŠ
Sheâs changed! The Heart Pirates changed her. Her wonderful crew, who were full of somewhat kind people! Right?
Well, no, thatâs not true is it?
They were pirates.
They hurt people.
They werenât just having fun on the sea, were they? Sure they werenât raping and pillaging, but, damn, they werenât really great people. Goofy? Funny? Having fun? Sure!
But, no, they were pirates.
Had Ruby grown tired of pirating? Had she began to resent the sea, her home? She loved Law, she loved her crew, but she was tired.
She placed her palms on the ground and lifted herself up. She sat cross legged on the ground, her bare back cracking as she leaned forward. She sat down, in her grey sweat shorts, and sighed.
âGuess Iâll take something for the headache and eat breakfast,â she mumbled like she had a hangover despite not having one.
She stood up and started to get ready for the day. She threw on a camisole and slipped on fuzzy slippers. She threw her long hair up in a bun and then brushed her teeth in her tiny bathroom.
She had finished her yogurt and was sipping her fucking terrible coffee when she heard a loud cheer from outside. She walked to the window and stared out of it.
There was a parade.
Floats, balloons, clowns, dancers, confetti, food. It was so very bright and joyful. And fun, she supposed. Not for her, of course. She was bitter and hated Doflamingo and Lucia. They were terrible, evil people.
She sighed and started to walk away from the window when the largest float caught her eye. Her breath hitched and she hid behind the curtain.
âShit,â she hissed. âWhat a fucking dumbass move, Ruby.â
Of course Doflamingo would be on the float celebrating him. She peered through the curtain and saw the obnoxiously pink feather coat. Her heart sped up and her stomach clenched in anxiety. If he saw herâŠ
She looked over the float and blinked when she saw a tall woman in an elegant dress. Ruby did her best to get a clearer view of her without showing herself.
That was Lucia.
She was tan. She had long black hair. She was very tall. Not as tall as Doflamingo but still quite tall.
She looked quiet and serene. Like the celebration meant nothing to her. Ruby wondered if it was because she didnât want to be around the citizens, not enjoying being around those beneath her station. Royalty tended to be like that.
But she was quite beautiful. At least from what Ruby could see.
Then again Rubyâs boyfriend was also tall, tan, and had black hair. Ruby wondered what Luciaâs eye color was but wouldnât dare leave her flat to find out.
She huffed and closed the curtain. She was no longer interested in seeing a celebratory parade and had definitely cut it too close by watching what little she had.
She placed her mug in the sink and filled it with water. She let out a long sigh before placing her hands on her hips. Once the parade was over she wouldâŠwhat would she do?
Perhaps she would go to a restaurant. She knew there was no way she could grocery shop. It was her fault for being an idiot and not buying groceries before she ran out of food.
There would be plenty of events to keep her busy, a ton of food, but she probably shouldnât leave the flat. If the Family was out today, then she could be caught. She was sure that they would recognize her. If she had been just some random pirate then they wouldnât have cared, but she was a pirate on Lawâs crew.
She was a pirate on Lawâs crew, who had a bounty, and who also destroyed a slave trade that Doflamingo had owned. She also killed Knotely but she doubted Doflamingo cared about him.
At best, Ruby was an annoyance. At worst, and this one was probably closest to the truth, she was a weakness for Law and would be used against him.
She sighed and walked to the bed and collapsed on it. She would stay in and read the new romance books she bought the other day. She would make a cheap meal with the rest of the rice and some seasoning that she had. She would stay safe, she would stay hidden, and she would stay quiet.
Ruby sat on the bed as she reached the end of her second novel. The sun was setting in the distance, turning the sky all sorts of pretty colors. The celebration was still going strong. Cheers and music and happy people.
She sighed and closed the book. She laid back on the bed and stared at the ceiling.
âThis sucks,â she said. âReally fucking sucks.â She laid on her side and looked out of the window. âMaybe Iâll just fall asleep. I have some sedatives left.â She reached over to the nightstand and grabbed the bag of pills when there was a knock on the door.
Her skin pricked in fright as she stared at the bag of pills. Who was at her door? Was it Doflamingo? Was it Maria? Did Law somehow make it Dressrosa and completely ignored the plan they had set up for their meeting!
Ruby got out of bed, her heart racing. She walked to the door, her hands shaking as she looked out the peephole. She immediately relaxed.
She opened the door and smiled at her neighbor.
âJulia,â she greeted. âHow can I help you?â
âAh!â The very small older woman grinned. âI came by to give you this!â She shoved a paper plate covered in foil into Rubyâs hands. âI know how hard it is to enjoy celebrations when youâre grieving. I thought that since you may not want to enjoy the parties today that I might bring you something to have aâŠprivate celebration.â
âOh,â Ruby said, her throat squeezing as she tried not to cry. âThank you. This isâŠthis is very kind of you,â she said.
âYouâre welcome,â she said and turned. âHave a great rest of your evening.â
Ruby closed the door and breathed. She smelled the garlic in the dish and her mouth watered. Rice really wasnât enough to sustain her. She stood at the counter eating her chicken with such energy that she was certain that Julia had put some sort of magic in it.
After she finished the food she took a shower. She washed her face, brushed her teeth, brushed her hair. She laid on the bed in her grey shorts, stretching her arms and breathing.
She laid back onto the pillows and closed her eyes. The food that she was giving had settled into her stomach and she felt good enough that she would fall asleep.
And she almost had.
She had begun to drift off when her den den mushi rang. She blinked open her eyes and stared at it.
âWhy is he calling?â She muttered.
She reached for the snail on her nightstand and took in a breath.
âHello?â She answered.
âRuby,â Lawâs hushed voice said. âAre you alone?â
Ruby swallowed. âYeah,â she breathed. âAre you?â
ââŠsomewhat.â
Her brows scrunched together and she stared at the snail. âWhat does that mean?â
âI left Punk Hazard,â he said and took in a shaky breath. Ruby knew that breath.
âWhy are you hurt?â She asked.
âThatâs not important,â he said. âIâm on my way to Dressrosa,â he said. âWithâŠallies.â
âAllies?â She questioned. âWho?â
Law was silent for a moment. âThe Straw Hats.â
âThe who?!â Ruby shot out of bed.
âPipe down,â he hissed. âItâs a long story,â he sighed. âOne that Iâm too tired to go into right now,â he huffed and then a small hiss came from his mouth in pain.
âLaw,â she said softly. âYouâre in pain.â
âIâll be fine,â he croaked. âI can handle this.â He sighed. âIâll be there in about three days, according to Nami-ya,â he said. âIâll meet you at the port we discussed.â
âOkay,â she said, her heart leaping out of her chest. âI-IâŠI missed your voice,â she admitted. âI missed you.â
He sighed. He didnât respond for some silent moments. âI missed you, too,â he whispered. âI wonât speak to you again until Iâm there. So continue to lay low until I do.â
âI will,â she said with a nod. âGet some sleep, Law, you sound like you need it.â
âI do,â he said with a half chuckle. âRuby,â he breathed. âI love you. I hope you understand that. I love you more thanâŠâ he trailed off. âWell, it doesnât matter. Iâll be there soon. Good night.â
He hung up.
Ruby stared at the snail and heard the dial tone through the speaker. She swallowed and let out a breath.
Characters: Law, Penguin
Rating: Teen
Warnings: language
Notes: THATâS RIGHT ANOTHER UPDATE!!!! Anyway hereâs what Law has been thinking about.
Law stared up at his ceiling in the dead of night, thinking of his conversation with Ruby. He was wide awake after that question.
âDo you love me?â
What a fucking question.
She had been drinking, too. He could hear it in her voice. And she was miserable, that was unmistakable.Â
She was doubting his love for her. It hurt him more than angered him. Of course he loved her! He loved her more thanâŠmore thanâŠ
Well he loved her more than himself, at least. Far more.
He knew he hadnât always been good to her. He knew that he could be a complete asshole to her and she had given him far more chances than he truly deserved. He also knew that she was very much out of his league, especially when she always made herself up so beautifully and he looked like he hadnât slept in days and only had coffee and indeterminate drugs to keep him chugging along.
There were probably tons of men and women in Dressrosa vying for her attention. She probably had already been proposed to. He wouldnât blame her if she ran off on him, releasing the den den mushi into the wild and leaving him and their plan behind. Maybe she would finally find someone worthy of her, of her smile and her laughter. Someone who didnât make her cry in despair or anger. Someone who didnât drag her down into the deep, cold depths of unmistakable fury and sorrow.
She deserved so much better than him.
But he loved her. He loved her so completely, so fully. So deep within his soul that he would never be the same without her, he would never be able to move on. His heart would always be hers, even if she didnât want it anymore.
He turned on his side and stared at where Ruby should be sleeping. It was her spot. Her pillow was still where it belonged.Â
âLaw,â Ruby mumbled into her pillow one morning. He hummed and pulled her in closer, burying his face in her thick air. He palmed her stomach, pushing his hand under her tank top. âWhy are you still here?â She yawned. âI figured youâd be half a pot of coffee in by now.â
He breathed her in. âI want to spend some time with you,â he admitted.
She grabbed his wrist and pulled his arm around her. He curled into her, kissing the back of her neck through her hair. âI feel so spoiled.â
âYou should,â he said with a smile. âI donât like missing out on the first pot of coffee.â
âYes, I know. Thereâs nothing you love more than the first sip of black coffee unspoiled by milk or sugar.â
Law opened his eyes and stared into Rubyâs chocolate brown hair. She didnât say anything more, she only relaxed against him. She laced their fingers together and let out a tired sigh. âThere is something I love more than that.â
âOh, right, Corazon, of course.â
Law opened his mouth and closed it. He frowned. How many walls and layers did she perceive herself to be behind? Did she just accept that she would never be in at least his top five most loved things? Did she think she even made the list? She was the love of his life, the woman who he slept next to every night, the woman he bore his heart and soul to.Â
âYou,â he tried. âI love you more.â
She was silent and she didnât move. Did she not believe him? Was she unsure of his devotion to her?Â
Of course she fucking was. How could she not be?
He had dedicated his life to revenge; to avenging his savior, to killing Doflamingo. It was his priority, it was his whole life. Ruby had just barely come into it. She had only just become one of his top priorities and after hearing about his past and his goals there was no doubt she had put herself low on the list of things that he loved.
âI see,â she said after some silence.Â
He needed to be better to her.
He pulled on her, turning her so that she laid on her back. She stared up at him, blinking a couple of times. A curious look formed in her eyes and her brows knit together like she was asking him why he wanted to look at her face.
âI love you,â he said and kissed her, pressing his lips into hers. âYou deserve to hear that as often as you breathe.â
Her lips formed a line and a flat look spread across her face. âAnd yet Iâm with you,â she said. Law frowned. She sighed and a soft smile spread across her lips. âLook, I know who you are and I love you as you are. Donât worry about changing for me. I know that Iâm somewhere on your list of important things.â
âYouâre high on that list.â
âMmhmm,â she hummed and started to sit up.
He laid her down and kissed her. He kissed her with everything he was, with all of his strength and affection. He tasted her like heâd never do it again. âI love you,â he breathed onto her lips.
She chuckled. âI love you, too.â
Law was out of sorts all morning. He stared into his black coffee begging it to do something to his energy levels. Maybe even serotonin levels. Although that had even less chance of happening. When he looked into the mirror earlier that morning it was like the first time he saw himself in years.Â
He looked ragged, he looked exhausted. He looked like he was some long-forgotten pathetic shell of a man who had a broken heart and was grasping at straws to beg his lover to come back just once.Â
Ugh, he needs to lay off Rubyâs trashy novels.Â
It had been a month and a half, or he thinks it had been. Maybe longer? Time was such a blur as of late. All he knew was that he had figured everything out.Â
He did it!Â
The plan was in motion! Soon he would be on Punk Hazard! He would carefully move things along so that Doflamingo would never figure everything out. Doflamingo would be dead soon!
And RubyâŠ
And Ruby could come home . She would go to Zou and be with the people who loved her again. She would be surrounded by love and warmth and happiness.Â
And more than likely not him, but that didnât matter. He didnât matter like she did. Someone like her could easily find happiness again. Her quick wit and her personality was wonderful and he knew anyone and everyone would be fighting just to hold her hand.Â
Law huffed into his beer. So absolutely annoyed on Rubyâs behalf. Did no one have the decency to ask if she was actually interested in them?
âLaw,â Ruby called with a smile. âDonât look so annoyed for just me.â
âHow do you not find it annoying? Isnât it insulting they only see you as something to have sex with?â
She rested her chin in her hand with a curious smile. âDoes it insult you?â
âYeah.â
âWhy?â
âWhy? What kind of question is that? Because youâre smart, funny, and enjoyable to be around. Youâre more than a damn vagina. You deserve better than these assholes.â
Rubyâs smile softened. âThanks, that means a lot coming from the guy Iâm sleeping with.â
Law breathed into his beer glass, the glass fogging up. âYouâre more than that to me.â
Her smile grew. âHm? Whatâs that? I donât think I heard you.â
He shot her an annoyed look. âDonât push it.â
She giggled. âYouâre right, Iâm sorry. Youâre just fun to tease and I didnât expect you to be a jealous person.â
âIâm not jealous ,â he scoffed, offended. âI am merely annoyed that you are being seen as an object.â
âUh-huh, not even slightly jealous that people are hitting on your girlfriend and you canât do anything about it?â He stared at her. âAlright, fine, youâre not jealous. Youâre annoyed on my behalf that Iâm being objectified even though I donât give a shit.â
He huffed and chugged his beer in annoyance. Ruby hummed and sipped from her own glass, waving off another drink being brought to her. âWhy donât you give a shit?â He asked.Â
âYou have seen the way I dress, right? I know you stare at my ass. People treat women who dress like I do like theyâre just an appendage. Iâve learned to live with it. I canât start throwing punches because someone doesnât respect me. Iâd have knocked out half the population by now if I did.â
Law glowered. She didnât deserve that. She deserved better. She deserved to be treated with honor and love and respect. âMaybe I should start throwing punches.â
She snorted. âMy knight in shining armor,â she teased. âHow about this? We head back to the Tang.â She cocked her head with a smile. âWe can just put on our pajamas and go to bed! Nothing more and nothing less.â
âRube,â he sighed. âAre you saying that we should go home and cuddle ?â
âWell, if youâre wanting to be specific, sure.â
He stared at her for a moment. âLetâs go.â
Law shoved his dinner in his face, chewing on the spicy, crispy tofu thoughtfully. He knew Penguin was staring at him. He knew that Penguin was staring hard at him. But what was he supposed to do? Just start a conversation? That would require him to be a pleasant person.
âHow was she?â Penguin asked.Â
âShe had been drinking.â
âWas she drunk?â
âNo.â
âTipsy?â
âShe had been but had sobered up.â
Penguin hummed. âAnd her mental health?â Law didnât answer. âDid you ask how she was doing?â
âDidnât need to. She was annoyed and asking stupid questions.â
âLike?â
Law glared at him and Penguinâs lips stretched into a thin line. âShe asked if I loved her.â
âSo she wasnât annoyed, she was feeling insecure. And you obviously responded with âyes, of course. I love you more than anything else and canât wait to see you again,â right?â
Law groaned and rubbed his eyes. âDoes that sound like something I would say?â
âNo, but a man can dream.â Penguin sighed. âDid you at least say that you loved her?â
â Yes .â
âWell, at least you did that. I canât imagine how sheâs feeling right now. Sheâs at her worst when sheâs alone.â
Law sighed. Knowing her she was probably only thinking of the bad things between them. The arguments, the times where she wanted to throw him into the ocean, the times he made her cry. âI know,â he said and stood up with his empty bowl. âSheâs strong. Sheâll get through it.â
Penguin stared up at him. âHow many times are you going to say that?â
âUntil it no longer needs to be said.â
âRube,â Law called to her softly.Â
Ruby jumped and started wiping her face quickly. âOh, I thought you had gone to sleep.â She sniffed.Â
âDid you think I wouldnât notice you leaving the bed?â
âIâŠno?â
Law stared at her for a moment before sighing. He walked over to her and sat down on the ground beside her. He spread a blanket over her body. She was only wearing a nightgown meaning she got dressed in a hurry. He sighed and heard a wave hit the Tang.Â
Law stared at the crescent moon and listened to Rubyâs sniffles. It was a clear sky and fucking cold. He knew Ruby must be freezing.Â
âWhy did you come out here?â She asked quietly.Â
A confused expression grew on his face. âWhy wouldnât I?â
âIâŠI donât know,â she said in a watery voice. âIâm not thinking. Of course you would. Youâve caught me crying on my own more than once and sat with me all those times.â
âAnd why are you crying now?â
She sighed. âEverything is a bit too real.â He stared at her. âI had a moment recently, a moment where I realized that Iâm happy.â
Law narrowed his eyes at her. âAnd that makes you sad.â
She groaned. She leaned on him and he wrapped his arm around her. âI donât know what to do with happy,â she said. âIâve been miserable for as long as I can remember. I had accepted that I was always going to be alone and miserable. And then you guys showed up and you made me part of your crew and Iâm suddenly forced to not hide away because I have friends who care about me for some unknown reason. Months later you tell me that you want to be with me, that you enjoy being around me, that you find me attractive. And that makes me happy .â
âOâŠkay?â
âI donât know how to be happy,â she said and started to cry. âIt feels wrong. Do I really deserve to be happy? After everything Iâve done and everyone Iâve hurt. Do I deserve to let people love me?â She wiped the tears that wouldnât stop falling from her cheeks.Â
âYes.â Ruby looked at him and stared. âYou donât know how to be happy? Thatâs fine. I will be here while you figure it out. You donât know how to be in a relationship? Okay. Weâll take it slow and go at whatever pace you want.â He sighed. âBut you deserve happiness. You deserve to relax.â He sighed. âThe crew loves you, I love you, so just breathe for a moment and let yourself be loved.â
Ruby wiped her cheeks. âThat was actually really kind of you to say, Law.â
âYeah. I hated every minute of it.â She laughed. She sniffed and wiped her cheeks. She let out a loud sigh with a smile. He watched her for a moment before letting out a breath. âDo you want to go back to bed?â
âYeah, I think I do.â
He stood up and turned to her. He held out his hand for her. She stared at it for a brief moment before placing her hand in his. He pulled her up and into him, kissing her forehead as he did.Â
Law was staring at himself in the mirror again. He looked sick and dehydrated. He looked pathetic. What would Ruby say to him? Sheâd probably take him by the ear and nag at him until he drank some water and rested. He could see her annoyed but very concerned expression.Â
âI love you. I want you to be healthy.â
Law huffed. Right. Like that would ever happen. Heâd always be too skinny. Heâd always look exhausted. Heâd always look slightly sick. And his always was coming to an end soon. Thereâs no way heâd survive this ordeal, no matter how genuine his promise to Ruby was. All he could do was make sure Ruby made it back to the Tang.Â
There would be no one there to save him. No friend, no partner, and certainly not anyone who cared enough about him. Ruby would be the only one and he planned on tying her up and shipping her off the island before she got a chance to even think about arguing.Â
Law rubbed his face and walked out of the bathroom. He stood in his bedroom, feeling lonely. She should be painting her toenails at the table, she should have a bowl of grapes to snack on, she should look so pretty in her grey shorts and white tank top.Â
But she wasnât here. She was in Dressrosa. She had left in order to save his life, and Law was starting to realize she set off on an impossible mission.
He sat on the bed and rubbed his face in exhaustion. His eyes thrummed in a sore pain, his head hurt as the beginnings of a migraine settled into his skull, his joints ached like he had just run a marathon.Â
He truly had become a pathetic excuse for a human.Â
He blinked when the den den mushi rang. Why was she calling so soon?Â
He walked over to the snail and picked up the receiver. He breathed out. âRuby?â
âYeah,â she breathed. âI have information on Green Bit.â
Lawâs eyes widened and he grabbed pen and paper. He took a deep breath and readied himself.Â