It was late that Saturday night, edging more towards the morning hours of Sunday, when Law saw the olive-skinned woman step inside The Heart Seat. She was very professionally dressed, her hair up in a bun and out of her face. Her silver hair, which he wondered if it was natural or not, complemented her darker skin. She lowered the umbrella in her hands, hanging it along with her coat on the front peg. He put away the dirty glass he was cleaning and braced himself against the edge of the counter with his hands.
"What'll it be?" He asked, noticing her small sigh of relief upon sitting on the stool.
"A mimosa please." She smiled gently, and he nodded.
Law'd seen her here only a few times before, but he was always aware that the green-haired security guard in the corner would always follow her with his eyes as she left. It always made him smirk, the big bad tough guy having the hots for a woman. So much for Zoro's teasing of Law.
"One mimosa." He said, placing the mixed drink in front of her. She nodded a silent thanks and took gentle sips of it. Law, in the meantime, tried gauging what sort of profession she worked. The knee-length pencil skirt and simple yet colorful blouse wasn't much of a giveaway. Anything in an office setting or in the justice system would seem appropriate, though that left a lot of options open.
"Should I be concerned about your prolonged staring?" She asked suddenly. He glanced up, seeing her eyes shining with amusement. He shook his head.
"Even if you should, I'm sure Zoro over there would have my head before I tried anything on you." He gestured to the green-haired fellow, who he knew had taken a keen interest in why Law had been staring for a particularly long time at his favorite female patron. The woman glanced in Zoro's direction, causing him to look flustered a moment before turning away with a scowl. He pretended to be watching the rest of the bar instead.
Law watched with pleasure, satisfied that he'd scored a point in their useless game of back and forth teasing. It wasn't often he could get the man to be embarrassed. The woman returned her gaze to the counter, though he noted with amusement her slightly-pink cheeks afterwards.
'Interesting…' He thought, filing away this incident for later. She cleared her throat a moment, before returning the spotlight to him.
"So what is the purpose of your staring, anyways? Sizing me up?" He grinned easily, shaking his head again.
"Trying to figure you out. You dress professionally, so you must either work in the legal system or an office of high esteem." He concluded. She cocked her head.
"Oh? And why's that?" She asked. He gestured to the front door.
"When you walked in here, you were confident, completely comfortable with the environment around you. Which means you aren't shy. Most office workers avoid the public eye whenever possible, that's why they work in an office." He narrowed his eyes, giving her a once over again, though not intrusively. "No, you aren't an office worker. More like…a lawyer." He concluded.
"Fair enough." She spread her palms out, indicating he was correct. She turned a critical eye onto him. "Any guesses as to why I'm here then? Since you're so interested in figuring me out." She said in amusement.
He cocked his head, sighing. "Hmm…long day at work seems too casual."
She said nothing, waiting for his prediction.
"How about…a major event coming up, or has already happened? Celebratory stop to the bar, then?"
"I suppose you'd have to be a psychic to know what event." He nodded slowly.
"I don't get to know the answer?" He prodded, and she took another sip.
"My brother's birthday. I spent the whole day with him today, which has been become harder and harder to do as of late." She sighed deeply, a flash of regret in her eyes. "At least he had fun. Now he's having a sleepover with a close friend of mine, which gave me the chance to do some…celebrating of my own, I suppose."
"Ah." He said in understanding, nodding along with her explanation. Suddenly, she set her focus on him.
"And what about you?"
"Me?" He asked in surprise. Patrons never turned the topic onto him. They would always much rather talk about themselves. "What's there to know about me? I'm just a bartender." He said, making sure to keep his voice even. He didn't appreciate people prying into his own life, but there was always the possibility that she was just being polite.
"Perhaps, but there's more to you than that. Everyone has secrets." She shifted her position on her stool, crossing her heeled legs over one another. She placed her elbows on the table and linked her fingers, peering closer at him. "Hmm…" She muttered, looking him up and down.
"Don't you know staring isn't polite?" He asked mockingly, and she gave the tiniest of smiles but continued to remain silent for awhile. Finally, she snapped her fingers as the answer appeared to come to her.
"You, Mr. Trafalgar, have trust issues." She stated, grabbing ahold of her drink once more and taking a large sip. He raised a brow.
"And how is it that you know my name already?" He didn't recall telling her. Nor had anyone called his name in the past ten minutes since her arrival.
"Oh, I know who you are. But that's not the issue here. The point is, you're afraid of trusting the wrong person and losing it all."
He raised a brow, but she continued speaking. "The way you hold yourself. Stiff and at attention. One would think you have a military background, though you don't. No dog tags, hair unkept. Which next leads me to believe you've experienced trauma of some kind. You expect something bad to happen at any moment, as if you've grown accustomed to it."
The playful banter appeared to be over, as the easy grin he'd sported before faded almost immediately. He grabbed the nearest shot glass, clean or dirty, and a rag and began cleaning to keep his hands doing something. She could see the way his eyes narrowed, imperceivable unless you were watching. Which she was.
"The only question," She continued, turning those red eyes onto his once more, "is why? What makes you shy away from difficult questions and retreat into yourself? What happened to you, Law?" Her final question was quieter and said in a gentle tone, as if to persuade him to answer.
He could see what she was doing, causing him to flounder under pressure until he admitted that she was right. He knew how the legal system worked. There was no doubt in his mind now that she was a lawyer of some kind. But he wasn't stupid or naive to fall for her simple tricks that worked so well on unsuspecting criminals.
That small, almost nonexistent smile hid a facade of calculating intelligence. This woman was something else, but he wouldn't give into her demands simply because she was always used to getting her way. He remained silent, meeting her stare with his own calm gaze.
"Another mimosa?" He asked casually after some moments passed. He made it very clear she must accept the fact that she would learn no more of the mysterious young bartender that evening. She gave a small chuckle in defeat, holding out her glass that was now empty.
"Why not?"
Corazon had watched the interaction between the young woman and Law, frowning at his casual smirks and easy grins. If this kept up, he'd be out $100 bucks by the end of the night. And he really wanted to win that bet, for his sake and Law's. The half-smoked cigarette in his hand gave off a whip of smoke, and he took a long drag before exhaling.
Then, his bartender gestured to Zoro in the corner. Both the woman and the green-haired security guard had appeared flustered, and Corazon grinned. It seemed Law wasn't the only one with an interest in a particular woman.
"Soma, you can't switch your character in the middle of the game!" Summer laughed, sitting across from him as they played Guess Who on her living room floor. The mess from the few days before was gone, replaced with various games and movies the now 13-year-old had brought from next door. She'd turned in her thesis the day before, and she was still rattled with nerves about it, but thankfully Hitomi had provided her with a welcome distraction until the professor released the grades, at least for one night. Meaning, a hyperactive little boy.
"Yes I can, because it's my birthday!" He demanded, crossing his arms in that childish way little kids did. She shook her head, throwing her hands up in defeat.
"Well, then I guess you win. For the eighth time in a row."
"I told you, I'm the best at this game!" He proclaimed, jabbing a thumb at his chest in pride. She laughed, nodding her head in agreement as she helped him pack up the two boards. They placed them back in the box and over to the side. Soma jumped up and down, fully outfitted in his Spiderman pajamas. Summer, in keeping with the theme of his birthday, wore her Superman shirt and sleep pants she'd kept in the bottom of her drawer for a day when she had no clean clothes.
"So, now what would you like to do? You've only got about," Summer glanced at the clock, "three more hours of birthday left to enjoy." Normally, Soma would go to bed at 9 every night. But it was his birthday, and a Saturday, all in one. Summer was sure her lawyer friend would make an exception just this once to stay up late.
"Hmm…" He pondered her question for awhile, walking in circles in the middle of her living room floor. His pent up energy had to be used somehow, she thought. Then, he brightened up and began running in the same fashion. "Let's watch a movie!" He cried.
"Ok, well there's only one thing that goes well with a movie." Summer said, standing and walking over to the kitchen.
"What is it?" He asked, excitement overflowing once more as he followed the blonde. She opened the fridge and smiled down at the bubbly kid, taking out a tupperware filled with food.
"Broccoli!" She said overjoyously, opening the lid to reveal the green food. He ran away from her.
"Yuck!" Summer laughed, replacing the lid and putting the container back inside. Shutting the fridge she opened the pantry instead.
"I'm only kidding. Movies go best with popcorn, of course!" Taking out a bag of popcorn, she threw it in the microwave and turned it on. It whirred to life, slowly spinning the bag inside.
"And hot chocolate!" He called from the living room, the sounds of movie boxes opening over and over. He was probably trying to decide which one to watch.
"Alright, I'll make some." Summer said, grabbing a couple mugs from the top cupboard.
After the corn had been popped and the chocolate made hot, Summer carried the bowl of the fluffy kernels and two mugs into the living room, where Soma waited expectantly from his perch on the couch.
"Let's watch How To Train Your Dragon." He said, holding up the box in question. Summer cocked her head, giving him the bowl. Immediately, he took a whole handful and ate it in one fell swoop.
"Are you sure you can handle it? Dragons sound pretty scary." She said in a mock warning.
"Dragons aren't scary, they're awesome!" He said through a mouthful of popcorn. Laughing, Summer placed the mugs on the side table and went to put in the movie. On the way back to the couch, she flipped the lights off and settled next to the boy.
They scrounged a bunch of blankets together and created a sort of nest on the couch. Soma decided to lie down, his head in her lap. Every once in a while he'd ask for his mug of hot chocolate, but it was gone before too long. They watched the movie in silence, and Summer alternated between watching the screen and the birthday boy. After awhile, Summer leaned down towards him.
"Happy Birthday, Soma." She whispered. He stirred slightly, as if he were preparing to go to sleep.
"Thanks, Summer." He muttered, getting into a more comfy position in her lap.
A couple more minutes went by, and Summer expected Soma to fall asleep, but then she heard him give a deep sigh. A moment later, he turned his head to look at her.
"Summer?" He asked quietly. She looked down, eyebrows raised.
"Mhmm?"
"Do you think I'll have parents again one day?" He asked out of the blue.
The young boy had lost his father to pneumonia, and his mother to breast cancer. Both had passed before he was 10. Though he'd been old enough to remember them quite clearly, he never talked about them. Most likely to avoid the unwanted sympathies of other children and their parents. For a 13 year old, he was surprisingly strong.
His question broke her heart, but she knew looking sad now would only make him sad too. So, putting on a brave face, she gave a little grin and ruffled his hair.
"Sure you will, kiddo. Hitomi's already like a mom to you, right? I know you think of her as a sister, but if she gets married one day it'll be like having a mom and dad again."
He thought about what she said for a moment, then nodded and turned away. "I guess you're right."
She nudged him in the shoulder. "And, as the younger brother, you've gotta make sure that Hitomi dates a nice guy and not some…" She thought for a moment, searching for a word other than 'douche' to describe a guy.
"Dumbass?" He tried to guess. She looked sharply at him.
"Where'd you learn that word, young man?" She scolded half jokingly. Hitomi didn't like him swearing at all, and so she tried to enforce it when she could. Though there were times she secretly allowed him to. He grinned in response.
"At school, Nick likes to call our teacher that." He giggled, and Summer shook her head in mock horror.
"Well, yeah. Just make sure that Hitomi doesn't date a…dumbass, to use your word for it. You gotta make sure she's happy. Got that?" He nodded.
"Yeah. Got it." She ruffled his hair again. He snuggled deeper into the blankets and remained silent for the rest of the night. In less than half an hour he was breathing easily with a small smile on his face. Summer peered at him to make sure he was sleeping, then gently removed herself from beneath him.
Placing his head back into the nest of blankets, she smoothed the hair out of his face tenderly before rising and turning off the television. After the movie screen went black, the living room was plunged into darkness. Summer knew the way to her room by heart, however, and had no trouble at all finding her way to the bedroom.
Leaving the door open a crack in case Soma needed her, she jumped into the bed and draped the comforter over her, thinking about what he'd said with a painful heart.
That Monday, Summer found herself sitting at a table during the midday break between her classes. She ate her lunch while studying some last few things about the art of photography in her textbook. The professor had stated that morning in class that their grades for their thesis on Friday. But in the meantime, she figured a little more knowledge on the subject wouldn't hurt.
She was about to finish up her food and get up to throw it away, but suddenly someone sat down in the seat across from her.
"I don't wanna bother you, but I just wanted to say that your eyes are probably the hottest thing I've ever seen." The man said, grin flashing cockily at her bewildered expression. He stuck out his hand then. "The name's Kid. Eustass Kid."
After a second of shocked silence, she came to her bearings and gave him a half smile. She stuck out her hand and shook his. "Summer." She responded.
"Summer, huh? I was wondering what your name was." His flaming red hair was pulled back by a pair of goggles. "I saw you last week at that bar. The Heart Seat?"
She smiled. "Oh yeah? I didn't know you went there. I've never seen you before." She admitted.
"I normally stay back in the corner. And I don't visit much, just whenever I decide to have a drink with the guys, you know?" She laughed, her attention focused on Kid.
"Sounds fun."
"Yeah." He glanced away a moment, but then gestured to her textbook. "You a photography major?" She nodded eagerly. "I'm in the welding program. Probably the dirtiest major you could do." He chuckled, and she joined in.
"Well, I'm sure you do some pretty cool work in welding." He nodded.
"Oh yeah, you should see the sculptures we make. They set them up in that gallery at the Jefferson Building." He paused. "Maybe I could take you to see them some time?"
She looked up, realizing what he was asking.
"You mean, like a date?" He glanced away.
"Sure, if you're into that sort of thing." He said. Summer glanced him over once more before nodding.
"Alright, sounds great." She smiled, grabbing a piece of paper from her notebook and scribbling down her phone number. "Just give me a call and we can set it up?"
She handed him the paper and he pocketed it with a cocky grin. "Great, I'll see you around…Summer." He seemed to stumble over her name, then got up and left her alone. She raised a brow at how suddenly he had appeared and disappeared.
"Well then." She said aloud, wondering how this date would go down. If the previous ones were anything to go by, maybe this third one would be just as bad.
"Third time's the charm." She muttered, getting back to her studying.
Law watched as Franky walked in that Monday night, placing his jacket on the peg by the door. He walked over to the bar with a wide grin, sitting on one of the middle stools.
"Better get me a Coors, and I'll tell you some news!" The man exclaimed, and Law opened the cooler for the bottled beers, pulling out the one in question and uncapping the lid. He set the cold drink in front of him and Franky nodded gratefully.
"Ah, that's the stuff." He sighed in satisfaction, smacking his lips at the taste of beer. Law leaned against the counter and Franky turned to him. "Now, I've got some more news."
"Let's hear it." Law gestured for him to start his story.
"I saw Robin again today, and how lovely she looked." He gazed ahead for a moment before continuing. "This time, I actually got to chat with her some before she left."
"And?" Law waited patiently, genuinely intrigued with the ongoing story of the not-yet-couple. He had no doubt that something would come from all of Franky's efforts to woo the elusive woman.
"Well, she is single, that's for sure. No ring, and she never mentioned a boyfriend, even when I made my interest clear." He knocked back the bottle, taking large swigs of the drink.
"Good news, then." Law agreed. Just then, the door opened to admit a certain blonde photographer. Law looked up sharply at her entrance, and he seemed to relax instantly. She approached the bar, setting her stuff on the seat beside her.
"Hi, Law." She greeted. He grinned.
"Another Island Breeze?" Surprisingly, she shook her head.
"Actually, could I have a Cosmopolitan?" Franky heard what she said and gave her a little chuckle.
"That's a bit strong for a little miss like you, if you don't mind me saying." She gave him a kindhearted smile.
"No worries." Law reached for the stuff to make it, giving her a raised eyebrow.
"Why the sudden change?" She shrugged, watching him make it in front of her.
"Just felt like something different tonight I guess."
Law nodded, accepting her explanation. Although, he was still rather curious what had prompted the sudden shift in drinks for her. Summer was a creature of habit, and unless something major in her life had changed, this seemed very unlike her.
"Your drink." He said, presenting the glass in front of her. She nodded her thanks and took a sip. "So, what happened today?" He could see what she was about to say and gave her an intense look. "I know you too well. Something's up." She tried playing it off like any other night but she couldn't contain her excitement any longer.
"I've got another date this Friday. And it seems promising this time." He raised a brow, the only sign of a response she got. "He seems really nice and he's interesting. And not a liar." She added with a grin.
"Hmm." He said, unconsciously gripping the edge of the counter a little harder than necessary. He tried to contain the knotting that twisted in his stomach at the mention of a date. This was getting out of hand.
"You mean to tell me a pretty gal like you doesn't have a boyfriend?" Franky looked at her in disbelief. Blushing at the compliment, she tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear.
"Well, I'm not a very social person." She admitted, taking small sips of her drink. Franky in turn downed the rest of his with a loud 'Ah' of enjoyment.
"Another for me!" He raised the empty bottle, and Law went to the cooler again.
"So, who's the lucky guy?" Franky went on to ask. Summer took a moment to swallow the liquid in her mouth before responding.
"His name's Eustass." She answered. Law looked up quickly, zeroing in on her face. "He's in the welding program at the university."
"Eustass Kid?" He asked in disbelief, the question bursting from him harsher than he'd intended. She frowned in confusion but nodded. Something about his tone of voice put her off guard. He narrowed his eyes. "Cancel that date." He growled.
"What? Why?" Her voice raised in pitch. He shook his head incredulously.
"He's not the type of person you want to be around." He tried explaining.
"You know him?"
"Yeah, I used to. Just don't associate with him anymore." He muttered, glancing between Franky who was listening to the two of them intently and an upset Summer.
"Well, maybe he's changed. You don't know if he's a nice person now or not." Law sighed, rolling his eyes slightly.
"People like that don't change, Summer. Just don't go on a date with him."
Her eyebrows were knitted close together. She'd never seen Law act this way before. What was wrong with him anyways? Couldn't he see that she struggled to get an ok date as it was?
"What is wrong with you?" She tried calming him down. "Did he do something to upset you?"
This caught Law in a wedge. He couldn't exactly tell her that he'd shorted him multiple times on product while working the streets, which in turn earned him severe beatings from the drug lords. He paused, then shook his head with a scowl.
"No, but that bastard is no friend of mine."
"You can't judge a person based on their past. So much could have happened between then and-" He glared at her then, interrupting her sentence.
"Eustass Kid is a waste of precious space and oxygen. He's a scumbag, and you shouldn't be anywhere around him." Then, for the first time, Law saw her frown and glare at him in return. She straightened in her seat and thinned her lips.
"I think I'll decide that for myself." She practically whispered, digging into her purse for money and slapping it on the table. Hopping off the stool, she tossed her bag over her shoulder and walked to the door.
Angry, Law watched her snatch her coat off the wall and leave through the door. It shut more violently than he'd ever seen her handle her surroundings. After she departed, Law pinched the bridge of his nose to calm himself down.
"Quite a friend you've got there." Franky noted, taking a tentative sip of his beer. The bartender said nothing, grabbing her half-finished drink from the counter and tossing the remaining amount into the sink behind him.
"She's setting herself up for heartbreak." He muttered to himself, forgetting that the older man was sitting at the counter. He was lost in his thoughts and ranting under his breath. He hadn't intended to actually say it out loud though.
"This Eustass character, is he trouble?" Franky asked, and Law sighed again.
"More than you know."
"Well, you can't exactly be mad at her for trying. From the sound of it, you haven't pursued her at all." Franky said nonchalantly. Law turned and glared at him then. He held up his hands defensively. "What? It's pretty obvious she's all you think about. You wouldn't have gotten so adamant about her not going unless you did."
"Tch." He scoffed, electing to ignore the comments of the blue-haired businessman. He wasn't up for discussing his love-life or lack thereof.
"Much as you might try to hide it, you're doing a piss-poor job of it, son." He answered honestly, finishing off his second drink. Digging in his pocket for bills, he tossed a few on the counter top.
"So the real question is, why haven't you taken her out yet?" He received no answer from the brooding bartender, and so he shrugged. "Here's some advice for you this time: Go after her, because the longer you wait, the more pain you cause her and yourself. Trust me. Heartbreak's a nasty bitch." He rose from the stool then, nodding at Law in appreciation of the drink, before following the way Summer had gone previously.
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