Chapter Text
Law stopped abruptly and yanked on Luffy’s hand to force him to a halt in the middle of the hallway.
“Luffy, you’ve been acting weird ever since we had lunch together.”
His voice was calm, but firm — clearly, he didn’t intend to beat around the bush.
“Huh? What are you talking about…?”
“Don’t play dumb with me.” Law clicked his tongue in annoyance. “We’ve been together since the end of high school. I know you better than anyone.”
Luffy swallowed, uneasy.
“I-I swear I’m fine. I would’ve told you if… if there was anything wrong.”
Law narrowed his eyes, not convinced for a single second.
He suddenly pressed Luffy against the nearest wall — not violently, but firmly enough to make him jump. Thankfully, they were alone in the hallway.
“Don’t take me for an idiot,” he muttered. “If you’ve got something to say, then say it. Did that teacher do something? Has he been harassing you?”
“W-WHAT?! No! Nothing like that!” Luffy exclaimed, far too loudly.
Law stared at him for a moment, both of their jaws clenched for entirely different reasons.
“I just… feel like you’re hiding something from me. And I hate that.”
He finally eased the pressure and stepped back, visibly frustrated at not getting the answers he wanted.
A brief silence fell.
Law ran a hand through his thick black hair.
“…Sorry. I shouldn’t have reacted like that.”
Luffy shook his head, a slightly awkward smile on his lips. He grabbed Law’s hand and squeezed it gently before pressing a quick kiss to his lips.
“It’s fine. Sorry if I worried you.”
Law gave a faint smile in response and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. Together, they resumed walking toward the right side of the campus.
But for some reason he couldn’t explain… Luffy felt like he had lied.
As though a weight were stuck in his throat. A faint nausea.
Still, he forced a smile and followed Law.
Better to forget about it for now.
---
Law sat next to Sanji, eyes fixed on his screen, but his mind completely elsewhere. Professor Shamrock was calmly explaining how to structure an essay… but Law only caught bits and pieces of it.
Ever since their talk in the hallway, a heaviness had been tightening around his chest.
Luffy had told him everything was okay. No. He hadn’t told him anything at all.
His fingers were rhythmically tapping the letter “L” on the keyboard over and over, producing a long, irritated sound. Usually so focused and diligent, he simply couldn’t reconnect with the class.
It had been a long time since he’d felt this… unsettled.
In high school, he became a complete mess every time Luffy so much as spoke to him. After they’d started dating — for the first time, Law had felt safe.
Luffy was different.
He was that constant light in his dark life, that energy that pushed him forward. And above all… he had always been honest.
So why did he feel like he’d been kept in the dark, this time?
He pounded the key a bit harder — enough to draw a few discreet glances around him.
A pale hand suddenly rested on his wrist. Law looked up and met Sanji’s blue eyes.
“Law… if you keep going, you’ll break your computer. Or your wrist,” he said calmly.
Law blinked. “Y-you’re right.”
He forced himself to release the key and tried to focus a moment on Shamrock, who was giving a methodical tip on managing workload organization.
Sanji lowered his voice slightly. “Wanna talk about it?”
Against all expectations, the words came out on their own.
“…It’s about Luffy. I feel like he’s hiding something from me. And… it kind of felt like he was treating me like an idiot.”
The blond nodded softly, his Bic pen twirling between his fingers.
“Maybe giving him a bit of space would help? You know Luffy: if he’s got something to say, he’ll say it. But… maybe this time it’s just harder to get out.”
Law pressed his lips together. The reasoning was painfully logical.
“Yeah… I reacted too fast. And I probably… overwhelmed him.”
Sanji shrugged, calm but sincere.
“It’s normal. When someone you know by heart starts acting differently, even just a little… it can throw you off. Sometimes we react emotionally.”
Law took a second to think about it. Sanji wasn’t wrong. He’d gotten used to Luffy always speaking his mind so naturally. And now that he didn’t, he had reacted like a frustrated teenager.
“…Thanks for the advice, Sanji.”
The blond offered a bright smile. “My pleasure. If you need anything, you know where to find me.”
“Y-yeah.” Law looked away for a second, slightly embarrassed and not entirely sure why. It’s nothing — you’re just not used to opening up. Calm down.
They didn’t say anything more, but the atmosphere between them had lost its heaviness.
Law refocused on the course, mind a little lighter — even though the worry hadn’t left completely.
---
Shamrock pushed open the staff room door and headed straight for the coffee corner. As expected, everyone else was already bunched up there like bees around a flower.
He calmly poured himself a cup before turning his head toward Doflamingo.
“Tell me, Doflamingo… does Law usually grind away at his stuff like that?”
Doflamingo blinked. “Huh? No. Not that I know of.” He wasn’t the most attentive father in the world, sure… but he would’ve noticed.
“Who’s Law?” asked Buggy and Katakuri at the same time.
Mihawk responded with his usual bluntness. “Doflamingo and Crocodile’s adoptive son.”
“He’s not my son,” Crocodile immediately growled.
Shamrock raised an eyebrow. “Anyway. He looked agitated and… different than usual.”
Doflamingo crossed his arms, a crooked smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “Law’s always been weird. He got a tattoo young just to get my attention — he literally wrote ‘death’ on his fingers.”
Buggy stared at him, shocked. “Dude… that’s concerning. You should rethink your parenting.”
Katakuri cleared his throat gently. “Maybe… you should talk to him?”
“Huh? What for? He’s smart enough to handle himself,” Doflamingo sighed, as if the entire conversation bored him deeply.
Buggy raised his hands. “Honestly, since I got here I’ve seen nothing but weird students. Don’t count on me to deal with any of it.”
Crocodile snorted. “He’s mature enough. He’ll manage.”
Doflamingo shot him a satisfied look. “I like it when we agree, Wani—”
Crocodile immediately shoved him away. “Shut up.”
Shamrock sighed. “That’s why I don’t have kids.”
Mihawk slowly turned his head toward him. “And my children? They’re yours as well.”
Shamrock froze for a second… then lifted his cup to his lips. “…Yes. Except our adorable children that belong to you and me.” (Better avoid a divorce in the staff room.)
Mihawk looked away, visibly satisfied. Even though their private discussion later was bound to be long… and probably painful.
Katakuri broke the tension by grabbing his folder.
“Well! On that note, I’m going back to educate the new generation.”
Buggy placed his empty cup next to the sink. “Same. The longer I stay here, the more I wonder what I’m doing surrounded by such shady people.”
He left the room quickly, leaving the others behind.
---
Once the staff room was completely empty, Shamrock returned to his grading, determined to get through a few essays before the next class.
But he almost immediately felt a threatening stare burning into the back of his neck.
No need to turn around to know who it was.
Mihawk clearly wasn’t finished.
“Mihawk… my raven… it’s not what you think.”
The response snapped sharply: “There’s no ‘my raven’ today. What did you mean by what you said earlier?”
In a few steps, Mihawk ended up in front of him, threatening, arms crossed.
Shamrock raised his hands in surrender.
“Alright, alright. I’m sorry I said that. You know I love Perona and Zoro. It was just a stupid comment… You know that, right? My little dark love.”
He wrapped an arm around his husband’s waist and gently pulled him against his chest.
“So you didn’t mean it?” Mihawk mumbled, still wary.
“Of course not. I never should’ve said it. I understand why you’re upset…”
He slid a hand along his hip, his lips dangerously close to his throat.
“I don’t like it when you try to soften me up with physical contact and affection…”
“But?” Shamrock whispered, his tongue brushing slowly along Mihawk’s Adam’s apple.
Mihawk took a shaky breath.
“…But I’ll let it slide this time. However, if you talk badly about our kids in front of me again… you can call me your ex-husband.”
Shamrock gave him a gentle smile. “I’ll behave. I’m sorry. I love you… and our kids. I was stupid.”
He sealed his promise with a slow, soft kiss.
Mihawk looked away, cheeks flushed, but didn’t protest when Shamrock slipped a hand under his sweater and brushed his skin.
The staff room door suddenly opened and they reflexively pulled apart — though Mihawk still leaned back against his husband, his gaze relaxed.
He could forgive him… just this once.
🦅⚔️