"So, how'd it go?" Corazon probed for perhaps the twentieth time in the past hour. Law rolled his eyes, cleaning one of the shot glasses with a rag. As far as Saturday night crowds went, there was much to be desired. Perhaps half of the normal patrons were in attendance, which gave Law an unfortunate amount of time open for conversation. The bar owner leaned against the counter, not letting the subject go as the bartender would have liked.
"For the last time, it went fine." He remarked through narrowed eyes. The desired effect of making him go away wasn't happening. Quite the opposite, actually. Instead, the older man simply huffed out the smoke from his cigarette in annoyance.
"It couldn't have been just 'fine.'" He quoted in the air with his fingers, "That's not an answer. Come on. Tell me all the details."
Law glanced away, catching the eye of a green-haired security guard. He was grinning from ear to ear, as if he knew something Law didn't, or knew what Law was refusing to admit out in the open. Neither thought really made him feel any better. With a deep sigh, Law replaced the now-clean shot glass with the next dirty one.
"Will it make you go away?" He questioned harshly. Corazon grinned widely, pleased he'd gotten his way. As he always did with the younger man.
"Absolutely. Now, let's hear it." Something about the way he said it made Law think that he wouldn't be keeping his promise, but he supposed it would give him some peace and quiet afterwards. From years of dealing with the man, he knew how stubborn he could be. When it came to stubbornness, Corazon couldn't be beat.
"I took her to Caeser's Cafe." He said first, glancing towards the grinning, nosy owner. When he said nothing, Law continued. It was naive of him to assume that amount of information was enough. "We had dinner there first and then we went to the aquarium."
"Oh, how'd she like that?"
Law shrugged. "She was smiling, so I'm sure she enjoyed it." If the withering look Corazon sent his way was anything to go by, obviously this hadn't been the answer he'd been looking for. He shook his head slowly.
"Sometimes you're hopeless, Law. For being a person who can read people so easily, you're pretty pathetic when it involves you directly." Law frowned, turning to Corazon, who lazily looked over the patrons of his bar. Law could see that sliver of worry, knowing the older man was thinking about the lack of business was beginning to show in their revenue nightly, but Corazon shook his head determinately and glanced at him.
"What do you-" He started, but was interrupted by Corazon raising his hand to forestall any further questions.
"You think she enjoyed her date?" His condescending tone made it clear that the blonde man didn't believe him.
"I made sure she had fun." He muttered. He put away the clean glass and went to reach for another one, only to find he'd cleaned them all.
"I'm sure you did." He nodded, content that Summer had been happy. If there was one thing he knew about Law, it was that he would do well in anything he set his mind to. Even a date he apparently half-heartedly agreed to.
"So, the main question is…did you?" Corazon continued, leaning closer with a wide grin, a knowing glint in his eye.
"Tch." Law said, turning his head away. Sometimes the man was insufferable. He was getting tired of all the personal questions. And luckily, Franky chose that moment to walk through the door. The blue-haired man raised a hand in greeting, and Corazon glanced at the newcomer with interest.
"Hmm…for someone coming to drink away their day, he looks rather elated." The owner muttered, taking one last long drag on his cigarette before extinguishing it in the ashtray on the counter.
"I have a feeling I know why." Law responded, grinning at Corazon's confusion.
Franky approached the bar and sat on a stool, leaning forward as he let out an exhausted breath. He tapped the wood with a grin. "Some brandy, if you will."
"Sure." Law replied, digging under the counter for the bottle. He glanced back up, eyebrows raised. "Any news?"
"Plenty!" Franky grinned, looking rather proud of himself. "I've got a date with that beautiful Robin next week, and I plan to make the most of it."
"Ah." Law nodded. Franky received the drink that Law finished and took a great gulp. Then, turning his attention to Corazon he nodded a greeting.
"You must be the owner then. Corazon, was it?" Raising a brow, the man in question nodded.
"Yes, that's me. How did you know?" He didn't recognize this man, nor could he recall hearing Law talk about him with any customers.
Franky chuckled. "Everyone's heard of you. You're rumored to be the best bar in town, with an especially good bartender." He gave an appreciative nod in Law's direction.
This was news to Corazon. Eyebrows raised, he leaned an elbow on the counter and cocked his head.
"You don't say? Well, perhaps you could tell my prospective customers that it's true." He gestured around at the mostly vacant tables. "Some days I'm lucky to get half the people I normally do. This rough economy should be helping me, much as I hate to say it. The more people want to escape, the better for me."
"Ah." Franky agreed with a nod. He signaled to Law for another drink. "There's no harm in business, though these circumstances aren't ideal." He glanced around a little before leaning closer. "They say you have connections to the drug cartels, and so it deters some business."
Corazon frowned then, obviously put on edge. He crossed his arms defensively. "My bar has nothing to do with the drug rings."
Unbeknownst to the talking men, Law's eyes narrowed, knowing that the rumor had probably come about because of him. Still, Corazon didn't look extremely perturbed, and so Law said nothing.
"I'm not saying you do." Franky held up his hands in reason. "That's just the word around town."
"So that's why the cops have been parked across the street more often than usual." Law observed, placing the new drink in front of him. As wary as he was of his surroundings, something like an increase in police activity was no secret to Law.
"Hmm…" Corazon hummed, thinking over this new revelation. He'd been wondering why things were slowing down to the extent that it had. It was just downright unusual, but now it had a cause. "That rumor's gonna be pretty hard to dispel."
"Eh, I'm sure it'll settle itself with time. Don't be too put out by it. You've still got your regulars, like me!" He encouraged with a hearty laugh, tipping back his drink in one go.
"And a good thing too." Corazon agreed, giving a grin before having to go back to his office to finish up paperwork. Running a bar had a lot more of it than he'd ever imagined there'd be.
Law watched his boss head towards the back, finishing cleaning the shot glass and replacing it with the others under the counter. His attention was brought back to Franky when he tapped the counter for another bottle.
"So, whatever happened to your blonde friend?" He inquired, accepting the newly opened drink gratefully. Law sighed.
"Exactly what I told her would happen. He even went so far as to try touching her." He scowled bitterly. "I guess it's not her fault for wanting to meet new people, but still…" He finished with a mutter, knowing that he was admitting to this stranger that he had been in the wrong. Which he wasn't too proud of.
"Sounds like a real scumbag." Franky agreed, nodding his head in time with the soft piano strokes of 'Tiny Dancer' playing overhead. "That boy'll get what's coming to him, I'm sure."
"Oh, I'd say he's already gotten a taste." Law answered vaguely, a ghost of a smile revealing itself. Franky grinned in satisfaction, chuckling low when he noticed the small scratches left over on Law's knuckles.
"At least you take care of your own problems. In today's age, that's admirable." He downed the rest of his current bottle of brandy, leaning back in his stool with an 'ah' of enjoyment.
Law took that moment to survey the rest of the bar, pleased to see a number of new people had entered. They looked almost half full now, a good start on their way to seeing more business. Every customer counted, as Corazon always said.
"Now would be the best time to swoop in and take your lady on a date." He chimed in, gaining the young man's attention once more. "It'll be like a knight in shining armor scenario. Women tend to like that."
"Hmm." Was all he said, not wanting to discuss his love life any further. The less information you told people, the better it would help you down the line. And he wasn't really up to talking about Summer, seeing as the topic left him confused and uncertain.
In actuality, he'd found himself enjoying spending time with the blonde, seeing her outside of the workplace. It was interesting to see her take on the world, and how she strode through life with a positive outlook on everything and everyone, quite the contrast to his own personality. Despite their many differences, it seemed Summer enjoyed debating topics and viewpoints with him, knowing they may not agree but finding it pleasant simply to talk. It wouldn't surprise him, also, if she were simply trying to learn more about him based on his opinions, but he couldn't fault her that. He'd been rather stingy supplying her with information about himself.
Old habits die hard.
And yet he wasn't opposed to another date. In fact, he believed he'd thoroughly enjoy one, but the rational part of his mind reminded him how dangerous that could be down the line, if he wasn't careful. Corazon simply called him paranoid. He preferred to call it staying one step ahead.
"I'm no shrink like you, but it looks like you've got a certain blonde on your mind." Franky's words interrupted his thoughts, and his eyes returned to clarity, realizing he'd zoned out for a timespan of several minutes.
"Actually, I'm trying to figure out ways to help our nightly attendance." He lied, looking around at the empty tables. Franky only chuckled, giving him a knowing look.
"Sure, call it what you want. I'll leave you to it, but don't forget what I said. You gotta take your life into your own hands, lead it where you want it to go."
And so saying, the blue-haired man paid for his drinks, plus a few ones as tip, gave Law a nod of thanks, and turned towards the door. Law watched his back as he left, pocketing the tip money and taking his payment to the register further down.
All these people giving him advice was a strange feeling to him. Though, he supposed they were only trying to look out for him. Still, he surely had a lot to think about…
Summer parked in the closest car lot she could find to the bridge, seeing as you weren't allowed to park on the side in the middle of the structure anymore due to safety risks. Gathering her camera and other photography equipment, she locked her car and started off up the sidewalk leading to the bridge.
It was dark outside, but that was exactly what she wanted. Now that finals were over and her thesis accepted, Summer felt a freedom she hadn't for a long time. And to celebrate, she decided to go photographing things that didn't feel like they were required for some project or assignment. Freelancing like this was so fun, and she loved adding diverse selections to her personal portfolio.
A chilly breeze made her shiver, and she wrapped her cardigan tighter around herself. The metal supports to her right were thick and black in the night, but she could still see their shapes against the inky water. The path was clear, thankfully, seeing as Summer couldn't see the sidewalk very well in front of her due to the darkness.
On her left, cars sped past, headlights the only thing helping her to see the path in front of her. The city should have placed lights over the structure of the bridge to help pedestrians, but the project hadn't been started yet.
Summer trekked closer and closer to the middle of the bridge, and when she felt she'd gone far enough, she set down her bag of photography equipment and took off the lens cover to her camera.
Pulling out the tripod from the bag, extending the legs so it would be able her height. Tightening all the connections, she propped it upright in the middle of the sidewalk, and Summer attached her camera to the very top, securing it with a snap.
Turning on her camera, she peered through the lens, judging exposures and contrasts. She centered the lens on the shore opposite of the bridge, the lights of the tall buildings the main focus. She zoomed out a little, trying to get as many buildings into the shot as was sensible, adjusting the focus. She turned the camera back and forth, trying to figure out which section of the shoreline she wanted to capture most.
Finally settling on a frame she liked most, she steadied the tripod and stood as still as possible, clicking the button on the top. She heard a small snapping sound, indicating the picture was taken. Before anything else, she went back into the gallery and double checked to make sure it turned out alright. Inspecting it with critical eyes, she finally smiled when it came out perfect, and she straightened from her position.
Swiveling, she looked at the other side of the bridge, past the rushing cars and metal supports, to the other side of the river. There weren't as many buildings or scenic places to photograph on that side, small office buildings or apartments comprising most of the landscape.
She sighed, thinking that perhaps she'd come all this way just for one picture. That was fine, but she wished there were more interesting things than just the shoreline of buildings at night. With a small sigh, but still feeling pleased with her work, she went to take down the tripod.
A cough further down the way made her look up, but in the darkness it was difficult to see. Finally, after several seconds of intense searching, she found someone leaning against the bridge. They were too far away to see her, or notice her presence there. She squinted, realizing that they weren't leaning on the railing, but sitting atop it, their feet dangling over the water below.
On instinct, she swiveled the camera to the person, angling it so they were directly in the center of the frame. Adjusting all the angles, she snapped a picture, content that she'd gotten a good shot, and because she was also very worried, she grabbed her bag and the tripod, jogging down the walkway towards the person.
"Hello!" She called, gaining the attention of the sitting person. They looked over their shoulder, tense and on edge. She still couldn't see their face. "Are you alright?"
"Ah, yeah…everything's fine." He said, looking away again. She frowned, feeling like she recognized the voice, but then shook it off. Even if she did, she couldn't remember where from.
"Why are you sitting up there anyways?"
He shrugged. "Just…thinking…about a lot of stuff." He sounded pretty dejected, which made Summer worry, so she set down her stuff and walked over to the edge of the railing, folding her arms on the top, simply staring at the water below.
'He told me, 'One day, you'll be able to walk up to this railing and stare down into the river below without fear. And at that moment, you'll be invincible, if only just a moment.'
Law's words echoed in her head as she stared out at the water, but she was ok with heights. She simply smiled.
"Well, what sort of things? If you don't mind me asking."
There was a long pause, just the two of them staring out at the water. Finally, he sighed deeply. "My brother died recently. They tried everything they could to save him but…it wasn't enough. And most of my friends have moved away, so I'm alone now."
"Oh. I'm sorry about your brother." Summer said, thinking that her fear for this boy's reason for being on the bridge was indeed correct. At least she'd been there at the right time. "Can't you keep in contact with your friends?"
"I guess. But it's not the same as having them around." He sighed again. "I just feel so...weak. And worthless."
He idly picked at a bracelet that was set further up on his arm, a black band with a blueish stone set in the middle. Her eyes narrowed. She remembered that bracelet…
"What's your name?" She asked, trying to peer into his face. He glanced at her then, really looked at her, and she could see all the sadness in those dark eyes.
"It's…Luffy." He paused, squinting at her face. "I know you…" He muttered, trying to place her face.
Summer stood there, surprised that it was indeed Luffy who she recognized. She smiled widely. "Yeah, remember? From the foster house? Oh, I forget the lady's name…" She thought for a moment, trying to recall which house it had been that she'd met him.
"Dadan! It was Dadan!" He supplied, a grin making its way onto his face. In the next moment, he swung his legs around and hopped onto the sidewalk beside her. "I remember you! You're…ah…" He scratched her head, glancing away.
"I'm Summer!"
"Ah! I remember now. You always liked taking pictures of things, right?" He hugged her then, catching her off guard.
"Oh! Yeah, that was me." He let her go, and then what he had said before finally began to sink in. "Wait…you said…Ace died?"
Luffy's smile vanished then, and he looked at the ground.
"Yeah…about a week ago…"
"What happened?"
Luffy walked over to the railing again, leaning his arms on the top. Summer followed suit beside him. Even in the darkness, she could see a few track marks on his cheeks, but he didn't bother wiping them away.
"It was an accident at work. Ace was a firefighter, and he went in to this one building to save a mom. A part of the room collapsed and trapped him inside. They weren't able to get him out…"
"Oh my God, Luffy I'm so sorry." She whispered, feeling the prick of tears at her eyes. "I remember him only a little from Dadan's house, but I remember how he was always so protective of you, and you followed him everywhere."
"Yeah…and now he's gone." He said in despair. Summer heard the tiny taps as a few tears fell onto the metal railing. Luffy didn't appear to try to hide his crying, something Summer admired.
"Well, hey. You're not entirely alone. Now that I know you're in town, you can count me as a friend." She smiled, hoping to lighten the mood once again. He glanced over, finally dragging a hand across his face to rid the moisture.
"Really?"
"Yeah! Here, I'll give you my phone number and address." She grabbed a piece of paper from her bag, and a pencil used for small edits, and wrote down her information. Ripping off the page, she folded it up and gave it to Luffy. "I'm at school for most of the day, but after about two or three I'm usually home. Just give me a call and we can do something."
Luffy stared down at the paper, a smile slowly growing. Then, he laughed out loud and swept her up in a hug again. "I'm glad I saw you today, Summer!" He announced loudly.
Summer wasn't quite sure what to do, but if she remembered correctly, Luffy had always been a bit…loud…and extravagant. She figured this was just the way he was. Laughing, she accepted the hug until he let go, the smile still on his face.
"I'd better get going, though. My cat Max is probably alone at home and missing me. But don't forget I'm always here." Summer said, and Luffy nodded.
"Alright! See you Summer!" He waved, and ran off in the opposite direction. holding tightly to the piece of paper she'd given him. Watching for a few minutes, she shook her head and chuckled, packing up her equipment before heading off to find her car.
ns 15.158.61.48da2
