Chapter 1: { Une nouvelle année }
Chapter Text
Luffy got up, just like every morning, with that cheerful mood that was so uniquely his. He pulled the curtains open with a broad gesture, letting the sunlight flood the room, then mercilessly threw a pillow straight into his roommate’s face.
Usopp groaned, burying his head under his blanket.
“It’s way too early for this…” he mumbled.
Totally ignoring the complaint, Luffy left their shared bedroom and burst happily into the common dorm area they shared this year with two other students. The kitchen was already filled with a delicious smell: Sanji, focused behind the stove, was making breakfast. At the table, Niji, totally slumped over, was nearly choking on his food, looking like someone who absolutely hated everything around him.
“Morning, Luffy,” Sanji said with a small smile as he placed a full plate on the table.
Luffy pulled out a chair and sat down heavily, elbowing Niji in the process. The latter groaned — this year he hadn’t been placed in the same dorm as Zoro, and he regretted it as much as the swordsman did.
Well… at least he had Sanji with him. His cooking was delicious. Even if Luffy sometimes had the feeling he hated their group as much as he loved them.
“You idiot! Can’t you watch where you’re going?!” Niji snapped.
“Oops, sorry Sanji’s brother!” Luffy laughed, completely carefree.
“My name. Is. Niji! How do you still not remember?! How did you even get into this damn university?!”
Usopp, still half asleep, quietly sat down at the table. “No need to freak out… let’s just chill, okay?”
“Usopp’s right. Besides it’s only 7 in the morning,” Sanji sighed before smacking both Luffy and Niji on general principle.
The dorm door suddenly swung open.
Zoro walked in as if he already lived there, slipped behind Sanji, and got smacked on the shoulder with a pan before the blond, despite everything, still handed him a plate.
Law followed calmly and sat down beside Luffy. He gently took his hand under the table with a small, tired smile.
Luffy, returning the smile, glanced around the room. Sanji hitting everyone, Zoro already eating, Usopp yawning into his plate, and Niji insulting Yonji at the end of the table… A familiar little chaos.
He loved mornings like this. And, without really knowing why… he had the feeling this day would be different from the others.
As if to confirm that intuition, Ichiji and Yonji barged in without the slightest shame, walking straight into Niji’s already diminished personal space.
“I can’t believe you’re annoying us this early in the morning!” Niji growled, pushing Yonji’s face away from his plate.
“Zoro and Law left our dorm. I followed them,” Yonji said happily, stealing directly from his brother’s plate.
“I followed him! ” added Ichiji, fighting for a bite too — until Sanji snapped:
“No one touches MY food without asking, you adopted asshat!!”
“You’re adopted!!”
“Moron!!”
Sanji smacked all of them indiscriminately. To Luffy, the scene felt strangely comforting — as if everything was right where it belonged.
At least… for now.
---
“This year we also have new dorm partners!” Luffy exclaimed as he walked down the hallway, still holding Law’s hand. He winked at Niji… who replied by flipping him off. “And new teachers too. I wanna know who I get this year.”
Law let himself be dragged along, watching their hands swing like a child’s. Luffy was practically bouncing, backpack hanging casually from one shoulder.
“It’s almost scary… you look like you actually care,” Law noted in his usual monotone.
Usopp threw an arm around his shoulders and nodded like a sage:
“It’s normal, my dark friend. New teacher means new strategies to get on their good side… and score good grades.”
Ichiji stifled a laugh.
“Someone wanna tell him it doesn’t work like that?”
“Keep being a loser, Usopp,” Niji said with a big grin. Surprisingly, the insult made Usopp blush instead of getting upset.
Zoro yawned loudly, dragging his feet and trying to ignore Sanji and Yonji arguing behind him.
“Honestly, all I know is my dad’s still teaching this year,” he sighed.
“WHAT?! Again?! Your dad scares the hell out of me, Zoro!” Usopp cried, grabbing his shoulders. “Professor Mihawk has serial killer eyes… I’m sure he hides bodies somewhere.”
“I’m glad to see your imagination hasn’t changed, Usopp,” suddenly said a dry voice behind them.
Half the group screamed as they spun around.
Crocodile, arms crossed, was staring at them like he was already tired of living.
“Maybe you should actually get to class instead of chatting in front of the faculty room,” he growled coldly.
The students scattered instantly, practically pushing each other out of the way — none of them had noticed they were literally blocking the teachers’ entrance.
Luffy let out a nervous laugh and released Law’s hand.
“See you later, Law!”
“Yeah… at the break,” Law replied, not really smiling, but giving his fingers a gentle squeeze before letting go.
“How cute,” a syrupy voice cooed way too close. Doflamingo, with a twisted grin, had approached silently. “Daddy’s proud of you, Law~”
Law shot him a murderous glare, clearly disgusted. He was almost ashamed this man was his adoptive father. He pushed away his hand, but still took the time to plant a quick kiss on Luffy’s cheek before leaving.
“Hmm? Later, Law! Later, Mingo!” Luffy called, waving cheerfully before sprinting toward the amphitheater.
….
Luffy glanced over his schedule before stepping through the amphitheater doors. He quickly found a seat in the middle, sat down, dropped his bag… and right at that moment a man entered.
Blue hair tied in a long high ponytail, tight black pants, perfectly fitted beige turtleneck hugging a toned torso. His forearms were on display, a shiny Rolex on his wrist, the veins slightly visible on his large hands. His makeup was subtle, but a bit of eyeliner highlighted his pale blue eyes, giving them an almost hypnotic glow.
Luffy caught himself staring… a bit too long.
What’s wrong with him? He shook his head. It’s nothing — he was just surprised, that’s all! He has Law, there’s no reason to look at a teacher like that…
“Morning, bastards.”
The raspy voice cracked across the room. Several students raised an eyebrow, unsure whether to laugh or be shocked. Was it even legal to talk like that to students?
“My name’s Silvers Buggy and I’ll be your professor this year.”
He leaned back against the desk, arms crossed, scanning the packed lecture hall. He looked… strangely approachable. Relaxed. Way less intimidating than half the teachers on this campus.
“All I expect is that you give back what I teach you. In the form of good grades. I’m pretty chill, but don’t push it. Though, honestly, I don’t really care if you fail or not.”
He straightened up, walked down the steps to the stage, and pulled down an interactive board behind him.
“Here’s the program for the year. Take a picture or write it down, I don’t care. But miss even one of these points and you can say goodbye to your place in this institution.”
A studious silence settled as students pulled out their phones or scribbled in their notebooks. Luffy, however, didn’t take his eyes off the professor. He took notes almost automatically, without really looking at the board. Buggy explained things, walked around, joked sometimes — and nothing in those two hours felt like a regular class.
When the bell rang, Luffy blinked as if waking from a dream. He packed his things slower than usual.
W-what the hell was that?
He briefly pressed a hand to his chest — his heart was beating a bit too fast — then shook his head to push the feeling away.
He had to meet Law and the others for lunch. And he was already late.
He grabbed his bag and left the room — not noticing that Buggy’s gaze followed him all the way to the door.
---
Luffy was laughing with his friends around the table.
In one corner, Nami and Yonji were casually flirting — they had been together since last year and were still glued to each other. A bit further away, Perona, Zoro’s sister, was loudly scolding her brother while keeping Reiju’s hand perfectly intertwined in hers.
Luffy smiled at what Law was saying about his class with Professor Shamrock, nodding regularly… but deep down, he felt weirdly distant. A slight tightness in his chest. Maybe he was just a little tired today? Yeah… that had to be it.
“Guess what!” Usopp suddenly shouted, jumping into the middle of the conversations and shamelessly interrupting every couple.
“I’ve got Professor Mihawk again this year… and I heard there are two new teachers on campus!”
Luffy took this opportunity to discreetly look away from Law.
“First there’s Professor Buggy — people say he’s pretty cool — and then Professor Katakuri! Apparently he looks super scary but is actually really nice… like, gentle.”
“And… why are you telling us this, Usopp?” Nami asked, grabbing a cookie while still lazily sitting on Yonji’s lap.
Usopp puffed up his chest with pride. “All of this is to say the campus is filling up with sexy teachers!”
Perona smacked the back of his head. “Idiot.”
Surprisingly, Luffy suddenly felt… better.
He hadn’t seen it that way, of course, but somehow it made him feel reassured. It was normal to find an older guy sexy or attractive… nothing wrong with that. He hadn’t done anything bad. That thought alone loosened the little knot in his chest.
Luffy turned to Law and kissed him softly. The latter smiled tenderly, wrapping an arm around his shoulders as Luffy rejoined the conversation with his friends.
❤️🖤
Chapter 2: { Nouveau professeur }
Chapter Text
Buggy still had a hard time realizing how much his life had changed.
Moving out, becoming a professor at a new university… and above all, moving into a dorm full of male professors who were… let’s just say… friendly?
Definitely not what he had in mind when he told himself he’d “get his life back together”.
He had to admit though, that without his ex-brother-in-law, Shamrock, he probably wouldn’t be here at all. It was him who had told Buggy that a new position had opened up at the university.
Buggy was grateful… even if Shamrock sometimes reminded him a little too much of how disastrous his marriage with his twin had been.
“Good morning, Buggy.”
Katakuri — also a newcomer at the university — approached with his usual calm expression. His presence was oddly reassuring to Buggy.
“Hey, Katakuri. Sleep well?”
“Pretty well, yes. I brought you some coffee.”
Underneath his intimidating appearance, Katakuri was a real sweetheart. Kind, attentive… almost too perfect for this campus full of lunatics.
“Morning.”
Mihawk’s dry, monotone voice abruptly cut through the atmosphere, and immediately an odd tension filled the room.
Katakuri still tried to keep the conversation going, but Buggy knew how complicated it was to deal with Mihawk — he’d known him for years.
Crocodile and Doflamingo entered at that moment, followed by Shamrock, who visibly tried to keep his distance from the blond (Buggy understood perfectly — he’d experienced that awkwardness himself).
Without warning, Shamrock took Buggy’s cup of coffee.
“What the hell are you doing, Shammy?!”
“Don’t shout this early, Bug…” he muttered, already tired.
Buggy growled. “I hate gingers on this planet.”
“Oh?” Doflamingo stepped a little too close, a mocking smile on his lips. “And how come?”
“I don’t want to talk about it. Back off, Doffy.” He pushed him away.
“Stop with those ridiculous nicknames,” Crocodile grumbled.
Mihawk smirked. “You’re just jealous because Buggy calls your husband like that.”
“Doflamingo is NOT my husband. He’s a parasite.”
“I kinda like Buggy’s nicknames…” Katakuri said shyly. “I think they’re cute.”
Buggy inhaled, visibly touched. “Ugh, you’re adorable. Please find yourself a nice partner, Katakuri. You deserve it. Don’t end up like Croccy and Doffy.”
Katakuri blinked. “…Huh? …Thank you, Buggy.”
Shamrock cleared his throat. “By the way, who were those students you yelled at this morning, Crocodile?”
“Just Luffy and his pack of idiots,” Crocodile growled.
Mihawk instantly turned his head toward him, his gaze turning ice-cold — enough to shut Crocodile up (one does not mention the name Zoro in front of him in vain).
Buggy downed his coffee in one go and rolled up the sleeves of his sweater.
“Alright… I gotta go. See you at the break?”
Half of the professors ignored him, but Katakuri gave him a friendly wave to wish him good luck.
---
Buggy stepped into the lecture hall, quickly scanning the list of students assigned to his class.
New university, new faces, new life. He still needed time to get used to it.
He absent-mindedly straightened his blue ponytail and adjusted the collar of his beige sweater when he immediately felt all heads turning toward him. No surprise — he was used to attracting attention.
A few rows ahead, a student with a dumb smile set eyes on him… and apparently couldn’t look away.
…Why is that kid staring at me like that? he thought, squinting slightly. Do I have something on my face?
He ignored it, set his notes on the desk and said in a perfectly natural tone:
“Good morning, you bunch of bastards.”
As expected, the audience collectively flinched. Gaping mouths, shocked looks, murmurs… ah, those first reactions were always delightful.
“My name is Silvers Buggy. I’ll be your professor this year.”
He casually leaned back against the desk, scanning the room… and fell right back on him: the same student, still staring. That same look — surprised? Distracted?
Buggy squinted even more. Damn it, if you have something to say, say it…
“I only expect one thing from you: to give back what I teach you. In the form of good grades. I’m pretty chill, but don’t push your luck. And frankly, I don’t really care whether you succeed or not.”
Still that kid. Still those eyes fixed on him.
He walked down a few steps with a chart in hand, absent-mindedly adding:
“Here’s the year’s program. Take a photo or write it down, I don’t care. But if you miss even one of these points… you can kiss your place here goodbye.”
The squeaking of chairs and the sounds of phones being pulled out of pockets now filled the room. Buggy focused on the board, trying to ignore the intense gazes — especially that one.
Probably just a distracted student… Maybe he’s not getting any of this?
He made a mental note to keep an eye on him — just in case.
When the bell rang, Buggy quickly packed up his things. He glanced up… just in time to see that same student rush out of the room, hand pressed to his chest and visibly flustered.
Buggy stood there for a few seconds, slightly perplexed.
…What the hell was that?
He ended up shrugging. He had bigger problems to deal with today than a student acting weird.
---
Buggy sat down heavily at the table, right between Shamrock and Mihawk.
A small satisfied smile appeared on his lips — he secretly loved sitting between couples just to annoy them a little. A bit further away, Katakuri sat next to Crocodile, who was sitting next to Doflamingo.
“I had something weird today. I mean… I think?” Buggy said while opening his lunch box.
Mihawk sighed, already annoyed to see him between him and his husband. “Buggy, either it’s weird or it’s not. Decide.”
“That’s exactly the point! I don’t know! There was this kid in my class who kept staring at me.”
Katakuri tilted his head. “…Isn’t that kind of the point? That students look at you?”
Buggy raised a hand. “Yeah yeah, I know that. But this wasn’t ‘I’m listening to my professor’, it was…” He made a vague gesture with his fingers. “You know?”
“Nope. We don’t,” Doflamingo replied, just as confused as the others.
“Distracted?” Buggy tried, frustrated he couldn’t find the words.
Crocodile frowned. “Was he distracted… or staring? Because that isn’t the same thing.”
Shamrock sighed. “Show us. It’ll be faster.”
Buggy thought for a second… then nodded. He straightened, lifted his chin, and stared intensely at his colleagues — keeping a weird little smile on.
Silence.
“…I can’t do it! I look stupid,” he exclaimed, slamming his palms on the table.
“A bit,” Mihawk admitted.
Buggy shot him a murderous glare.
Katakuri, however, looked thoughtful.
“Maybe he… wasn’t paying attention to the class?”
Buggy crossed his arms. “Hn… maybe. But it felt like he wanted to say something. Anyway. Whatever.”
He grabbed his sandwich as if to end the discussion.
Crocodile huffed, sounding bored. “What a waste of time.”
Buggy ignored him completely.
---
Buggy had barely left the photocopy room when he heard Doflamingo laughing behind him, clearly still amused by his attempt to imitate the “weird student” he had mentioned earlier.
“Seriously, you really looked like a fish out of water, Buggy~”
Buggy grumbled something under his breath.
He turned the corner, followed by the rest of the professors… and at that very moment, someone slammed straight into him.
A bump against his chest — black curls, a goofy smile.
HIM.
The student from this morning.
Buggy reacted instantly and caught the young man by the wrist before he could stumble.
Next to him, another student — tattooed, much more serious-looking — stared at them silently. His gaze briefly moved from the professors to Luffy.
“S-sorry!” Luffy stammered, suddenly as red as a tomato.
Buggy blinked. …Did he just stammer?
“No, it’s fine, it’s not your fault,” he answered with a wave of his hand. “We didn’t see each other because of the corner. The wall blocked the view.”
He only wanted to reassure him… but apparently, it had the opposite effect.
The kid got even more nervous, his fingers trembling around his friend’s hand.
“Y-yeah! Sorry again, professor! We… we’re gonna go now!”
And he dragged Law the other way — so abruptly that Law groaned, “Luffy, this is not the way we were going…”
But Luffy didn’t even stop.
Buggy stood there for a few seconds, wide-eyed.
…Huh?
Do I scare him that much?
He turned to the other professors, waiting for some kind of explanation.
Doflamingo simply shrugged with a smug smile.
“What was that?”
Doflamingo burst into laughter, arms crossed. “Looks like you just terrified a student. Congrats.”
“He looked more embarrassed than scared,” Katakuri added, tilting his head. “Maybe he bumped into you in a… sensitive place and it flustered him.”
Mihawk, who had been watching the whole thing, raised an eyebrow. “No. He was already nervous before he bumped into you.”
Buggy stared at him, incredulous. “So you’re telling me I freak students out before they even have a reason?!”
Crocodile snorted, clearly unimpressed. “Or you’re not scary and that kid just has an issue. Highly likely, considering the intellectual level of this class.”
Shamrock patted Buggy’s shoulder in sympathy. “It happens to him with certain people too. He just panics for no reason. Maybe he simply finds you… intimidating.”
Buggy’s eyes widened in shock. “Intimidating?”
Doflamingo barely held back a laugh — though a little one still escaped.
“Yes, it happens. Some students get crushes on their teachers.”
Buggy immediately choked on his own saliva.
“Excuse me?!”
Mihawk turned away as if the conversation no longer concerned him, while Katakuri nodded calmly.
“It can happen,” he confirmed simply.
Buggy stared at the opposite wall for a long moment, completely thrown off.
A crush? On him? Seriously?
“…Pfft. Ridiculous,” he finally growled, marching off as if nothing happened — even though his cheeks were definitely flushed.
❤️🤡
Chapter 3: { je m'inquiète }
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.
🦅⚔️
Chapter 4: { une pause, chez papa }
Chapter Text
Law felt strangely down at the end of the day.
He had hardly seen Luffy — and, paradoxically, he knew that was a good thing. He was trying to follow Sanji’s advice: give him a little space.
He walked across the campus, surrounded (for a reason that totally escaped him) by the four blond brothers… and Zoro. The sky was turning orange, the leaves above them rustled, and other students’ laughter echoed through the paths.
…Do I really not have any friends besides Luffy’s friends?
The thought passed through his mind like a small bitter flash. Pretty pathetic, Trafalgar.
“So if I get this right, Luffy’s got a problem?” Zoro said with his usual delicacy, hands in his pockets.
“Idiot,” Sanji sighed. “What I’m saying is that Law’s worried. I never said Luffy had a problem. Just that, for once, he might need to think.”
“Because your buddy can think without giving himself a headache now?” snorted Ichiji (Law recognized him thanks to the red flower tattoo on his neck).
Sanji shrugged. “When you say it like that it does sound weird, but yes.”
Niji snickered, a piece of chocolate in his mouth. “I’m telling you, this is going to end badly… and I can’t wait to see it.”
Yonji ripped half of the bar out of his hand. “Shut up, asshole.”
Then, suddenly raising his arms as if he’d just had a revelation:
“Hey, virgins! What we should do, for everyone’s sake, is go to a party.”
He swept his gaze over the group with an extremely serious look, despite the bored stares he was getting in return.
“Come on! We’re at university, damn it. We need to have fun too. I know you’re all nerds who’ve never set foot in a party, but it would do everyone some good.”
Surprisingly, Ichiji nodded slowly. “…That’s not so stupid.”
Law hesitated. The very idea of a crowded, noisy room full of alcohol gave him a slight headache.
“I don’t know if—”
“It’ll be fine,” Sanji cut in, smiling. “We’ll all be together. We can invite the others. And besides, we haven’t even celebrated the start of the school year this year.”
“Last year we celebrated Usopp’s birthday… in his garage,” Zoro reminded them flatly — and everyone grimaced at the embarrassing memory.
Law sighed, but a tiny smile curved his lips. “As long as it’s not in Usopp’s garage again… I’m in.”
A collective laugh answered him.
“What a loser, that Usopp,” snorted Niji — before Yonji mumbled with a mouth full of chocolate:
“Yeah, we’ll all just ignore the fact you’ve got a weird crush on him…”
Silence.
No one reacted — because everyone knew it was true.
Niji cleared his throat, his face a little red, but followed the rest of the group toward the dorms with his dignity intact. The first streetlights flicked on, casting a golden light over the cobblestones. And despite himself, Law felt a little better.
A bit of air. A bit of time. Maybe it would do them both good…
---
Doflamingo was walking silently next to Crocodile, hands in his pockets. He looked… thoughtful. Which was rare.
Usually he only thought when he was plotting against someone — or when he was provoking Crocodile just for fun (which the latter deeply hated).
Crocodile finally stopped, visibly annoyed.
“If you have something to say… say it.”
Doflamingo blinked before sighing.
“Wani… it’s about what Buggy said.”
He paused. “Do you think… I really raised Law badly?”
Crocodile slowly raised an eyebrow, surprised by his serious tone.
“…What’s wrong with you?” He immediately took a step back, just in case. “Of course you fucked up half of his education. Ever since your brother’s motorcycle accident and you took him in… you never even bothered to notice him.”
Doflamingo pouted, offended. “Aren’t you supposed to… encourage me? As my husband?”
Crocodile glared at him. “Don’t be condescending. If his education is somewhat okay, it’s because I took care of it.”
He brushed away Doflamingo’s hand, which had risen for a fake caress.
“…That’s harsh.”
“It’s the truth,” Crocodile answered coldly.
Doflamingo clenched his teeth. “And what have you done that’s so exceptional, huh?”
Crocodile sighed, exasperated. “I signed him up to a proper high school, helped him get into this university… and I give him money when he needs it. The rest he manages on his own.”
A silence. Then:
“…Wani, does that make you a better parent than me?”
“Yes, Doffy. So shut the fuck up and go back to the dorm before you start crying like a little girl and draw attention.”
He opened the door, annoyed.
Doflamingo let out a delighted giggle:
“You’re so mean… and I love it.”
“Of course you do. You pervert.” Crocodile took off his shoes and growled as he stepped inside. “Tell me, do you ever think about anything else? You already forgot you were worried about Law?”
“Huh? Oh… Law will be fine. Come on now. Let’s go to the bedroom.”
Crocodile rolled his eyes but followed — sighing. With a little luck, Doffy would let him beat him to death without filing a domestic abuse complaint.
---
“What the hell was that?!” Doflamingo yelled, bolting up.
“Shut up already, Doffy. Someone just knocked.” Crocodile growled before purposely shoving him out of bed — just for the fun of it.
“Did you bring a whore or what?”
The slap Crocodile gave him in response was brutal. He clicked his tongue in annoyance and threw on a robe while his husband kept whining, following him to the door.
Crocodile opened it — and came face-to-face with Law.
The kid was in pajamas, standing in the hallway at two in the morning, looking completely lost.
…Oh no. Were Crocodile and Doflamingo about to… do something parental?
Law looked down. “I… I don’t even know why I came.”
“Yeah well it’s two in the morning—”
Doflamingo cut himself off as a sharp elbow hit his ribs.
“Come in, Law.”
Crocodile pushed Doflamingo — already pouting — aside to make room.
A few minutes later, the three of them were sitting in the living room. It was probably more awkward than those family dinners where Crocodile had insulted the entire Donquixote bloodline.
“So…?” Crocodile started.
Law nervously picked at the seam of his pants.
“My friends… we’re going to a party this weekend.”
“You’re asking us… for permission?” asked Doflamingo, genuinely confused. At his age, he would’ve told his parents to fuck off long ago — especially his father.
Law gave him a disgusted look. “No. Why would I do that?”
“Forget it,” Crocodile sighed. “Do you have something else to say? (Though I have to admit it’s surprising you actually have a social life.)”
Law took a deep breath. “…Let’s imagine your boyfriend isn’t telling you something. And your friends tell you it’ll get better if you go to a party. Except you’ve never been to a party AND the only ‘party’ you ever went to was a… birthday… in a garage. And now you’re probably going to be a loser and everything is going to go wrong and everything will change forever—”
“What?” Doflamingo and Crocodile said at the same time.
“What I mean is, I feel like Luffy’s hiding something… Sanji told me to give him time and that going out might do me some good… but I’m afraid everything will change.”
His eyes were watery.
Doflamingo leaned toward Crocodile and whispered, “Shit… he’s crying… he needs help.”
“I noticed, dumbass,” Crocodile grumbled, pushing him away. Then he turned to Law and took an unexpectedly calm tone.
“First, your friend gave you good advice. Second… you don’t have to do what everyone else does. But yes, going out could help. You can stay calm, chill with a beer in a corner… observe. There’s no rule for ‘succeeding’ at a party.”
Law stayed silent for a few seconds, then nodded.
“…Yeah. You’re right. I overreacted.”
Crocodile crossed his arms. “It’s normal — it’s something new. And… there’s a spare room if you want to sleep here.”
Law sniffled. “Yeah… but don’t think I find you cool or that I need you, okay? I just had a moment.”
He got up — and a tiny smile appeared on his lips as he headed towards the guest room.
Crocodile and Doflamingo stood still for a moment, then turned to look at each other.
Doflamingo lifted his arms in victory.
“Fuck you, Buggy — we’re amazing parents!”
Crocodile rolled his eyes. “If you say so. Come on, let’s sleep.”
Doflamingo followed him to the bedroom, a big smile already spreading across his face.
“Say, Wani… do you want to—”
“SLEEP.”
He smacked him on the back of the head and dragged him inside the room.
🐊🦩
Jakemiwaifu on Chapter 1 Sun 17 Aug 2025 11:45PM UTC
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Buggy_Croccy_Hawky on Chapter 1 Mon 18 Aug 2025 12:28AM UTC
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HayHenna on Chapter 1 Tue 19 Aug 2025 12:21AM UTC
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Buggy_Croccy_Hawky on Chapter 1 Tue 19 Aug 2025 03:31AM UTC
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Heymi on Chapter 2 Mon 18 Aug 2025 10:40PM UTC
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Buggy_Croccy_Hawky on Chapter 2 Mon 18 Aug 2025 11:00PM UTC
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