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A hideous scar from the past chains him down as he walks into the present. With all the pain keeping him at bay, what is something that makes him forget these? A lovely date? An addicting game? No; for Trafalgar Law, it was music that made him forget his past. A temporary distraction for a seemingly permanent scar. He was known as a man of few words, and he did not interact much unless necessary. He would always find time for music regardless of his busy schedule, no thanks to his workload in college. His daily routine began to change before he knew it, and it all began when he got entangled in an unlikely friendship with Luffy, whom he considered the total opposite of him.
After learning that Law was adept at playing the bass, Luffy dragged him to one of their band practices one day. Luffy was their happy-go-lucky singer. He was also their keyboardist, but he seldom plays the keyboard onstage because he hates staying at one place and loves roaming around the stage as he sang. He's a cheery hyper kid, and most introverts would probably have their energy drained after spending a single day, or maybe even just a few hours, with him. Exhibit A: Law, every time Luffy brings him around.
Eustass, their drummer, seemed like a rogue to Law. A hot-headed delinquent whose crazy antics somehow do not faze the ever-so-friendly Luffy. Sanji, one of their guitarist, was a flirty gentleman whose weakness was "pretty girls," as he puts it. Despite that, he was strong-willed and caring. Roronoa was also their guitarist. He was similar to Law in the sense that they don't speak nor act much unless they deem it necessary. And like Sanji, Roronoa was a strong-willed man who believes in his principles and good morale. Sanji and Roronoa's bickering endlessly seemed to be a normal thing, seeing how the others did not mind them.
A typical love-hate friendship, but they seem like they got each other's back. Law shook his head as if to shake away his thoughts. He saw Luffy and his bandmates as a strange bunch. Each of them had qualities that contrasted with each other, yet they got along with ease. And, one of the things that brought them all together was music. Luffy got Law to join their band after days of nagging. It did not take long before Law got to practice with the band for their next concert: a fund-raising event for music and art students in need. Luffy and his bandmates loved volunteering to perform, which was a refreshing experience for Law.
He was never one to wear his heart under his sleeve, but the moment they stepped on the stage, Law's eyes shimmered for a moment. He felt his heart skip a beat, and the excitement seemed to seep into his veins like he was on a sugar rush. Luffy sneaked a peek at Law.
His eyes are glowing as always. Luffy chuckled at his thought as he grabbed the mic stand and brought it closer to his lips. He faced the crowd with a wide grin and asked, "Are you ready, everyone?!"
Luffy raised a fist in the air as he watched their audience cheer. He loved it when the crowd was as excited as he was; it was what fuels his burning passion. This was one of the moments he cherishes every time they held a concert.
When Eustass felt his bandmates were ready, he tapped his drumsticks together.
"3, 2, 1, let's go!" Luffy cheered in synchronization to Eustass' countdown. The crowd was then greeted with a head-banging intro. The drums, guitar, bass; every note created mingled harmoniously.
"Rescue me, baby, ahh yeah! Please take me to wherever you are~
"Rescue me, baby, ahh yeah! It's only you that can save me~"
"The place where you are is paradise. In this vast universe, you're the only one for me~
"The place where you are is paradise. I can live only if you're with me~"
The crowd sang along, chanting what seemed to be a cheer they practiced beforehand. Sanji and Roronoa then did their guitar solos, which were then followed by their repetitive bickering of "Mine's better!" and "No, mine's better!"
It was a miracle they did not play a wrong note in their little quarrel. Rather, they just practiced enough that they could play accurately even with their eyes closed. Nonetheless, it was a friendly competition that brought smiles to Roronoa and Sanji's faces, even the crowd enjoyed it.
"Even without telling you, you understood me. I'm full of scars, and you healed me~"
Law had his head in the game, playing the right chords and plucking the right strings. However, Luffy suddenly brought Law closer by the waist, and his face was practically inches away from Law's. Despite having his mic away from him, Luffy still sang along as their gazes met. It all seemed to happen quicker than Law could process. Everything slowed down and the noises faded. It was as if all that mattered was him and Luffy at this very moment. He was caught off guard, especially when he saw that precious smile of Luffy's.
Law snapped out of it when Luffy finally let go and sang in front of the crowd as he should. Like pressing the play button on a remote, everything went back to normal for Law. He thought of how it was a miracle that he did not play a wrong note during all that, but then again, they practiced real hard for this.
I should scold him later for trying to distract me. Law's burning face contradicted his thoughts.
I'm full of scars, and you healed me? You're the one who healed me, dumbass. Law scoffed at his mental remark, not realizing his face grew redder.
"The place where you are is paradise. I can live only if you're with me~"
It was then Eustass' time to shine; a drum solo. He played a "better version," as he likes to call it, of the beat of their song. The crowd cheered and squealed.
Sanji took a step closer to Roronoa; seeing that Sanji seemed to have something to say, Roronoa brought his back close to Sanji's so they could keep playing as they speak.
"He's gonna brag about his part again, isn't he?" Sanji playfully rolled his eyes.
"I'll shut him up by saying my solo's be-"
"You shut up! mine was better!" Sanji interrupted Roronoa.
And, there they go again. Law let out a sigh, both because of how accurate Sanji was about Eustass and how Sanji and Roronoa managed to quarrel twice on stage. Despite all this, Luffy couldn't help but chuckle. He loved the dynamics of his bandmates, and he was glad he chose them.
The band played their outro, which had a similar beat to their intro. It did not take long before their performance finally came to an end. The crowd roared, cheering their names. I mean, a band full of hotties that performed so well? Who would not squeal for that?
It was another success for their band. After thanking the crowd and doing a little cleanup, they left the stage. And as they left, Law replayed that moment he had with Luffy onstage.
Just like how the song they were performing had a pop-rock beat yet came with sentimental lyrics, he found it ironic that Luffy was the one singing to him and not the other way around.
Law had always been shackled by his past. He thought it was okay to keep them bottled up and distract himself with almost anything. What he did not consider was how that bottle could only hold as much. He felt that he was already at a stagnant point in his life, but it was Luffy who saved him. He vividly remembers that one snowy day when he first met Luffy, who stood in front of him with that goofy smile of his. A smile he secretly hopes would never disappear.
You used to be an eyesore to me, draining my energy every time you drag me around. But now, you're so precious to me, and I'll do anything to protect you. Law had a smile smile plastered on his lips.
Unlike before, he does not need to walk alone anymore, because he got to meet good friends that would always be there for him. The chains were finally broken. Nowadays, Law can look back at the past that used to pull him back without having to feel immense pain and regret.
Each of us has a scar we want to hide, a past we want to forget. We would want to get over it as soon as possible, but really, there's no need to rush. Time can heal our scars, along with a helping hand from those we cherish.