Chapter 1
“Goddamnit!” Kid swore as he stopped dead in his tracks, just a couple feet away from the hot spring. “I swear wherever the fuck I go you two are always somewhere fucking near!” He was dressed in a flashy, blue yukata that didn’t quite match his usual attire, but the scowl on his face was unmistakable.
Law raised an eyebrow at him, sinking further into the water of the Hot spring. While Luffy didn’t pay either of them any mind as he stacked rocks on top of each other in a tower, his back turned away from Kid.
“You’re more than welcome to join us, Eustass-ya.” Law spoke up calmly, his tone mocking. “But maybe you’d prefer a different section of the spring?” He suggested with a smirk.
Kid rolled his eyes. “Fuck off, I’ve had enough of your shit for one day.” He kicked off his sandals and strode into the hot spring. The water bubbled around him, steaming in the cool Wano evening.
Luffy, still oblivious to the tension, kept stacking her rocks. The water felt heavenly on her skin, especially after the long journey they had been on. She was so focused on her little game that she barely registered Kid’s arrival, not even bothering to turn around.
Law eyed Kid from his spot not be Luffy but close, maybe 5 feet away from her, his smirk widening as the latter submerged himself in the hot spring.
Kid glared at him, his eyes narrowing as he took a seat on the rocks at the edge of the spring. "What's got you in such a good mood?" he asked, his voice gruff and suspicious.
Law chuckled, turning his head slightly to look at Luffy. “You Know, Strawhat-ya, I don’t think Eustass-ya knows.” He said, his voice filled with amusement.
Luffy stopped stacking rocks midway, her hands in the air holding a rock as she turn to face Law, giving Kid a full view of her Side profile, and her… tits. “Huh? Doesn’t know wh—.”
Luffy was cut off by Kid spitting curses, and the sound of water slashing around, then the sound of a hand slapping over someone’s face. “You’re a fucking chick!” He exclaimed, his eyes wide with shock beneath his hand, and his face turning a deep shade of red that matched the his hair.
Law laughed, a deep, hearty sound that echoed through the serene hot spring area. "Oh, Lord, have mercy" he said, his eyes gleaming with mischief. Luffy looked at him, then at her own chest, and finally back at Kid. She shrugged and resumed stacking her rocks, unfazed by the revelation.
"What the actual fuck, Luffy!" Kid yelled, his hand still covering his eyes. "How the hell could you hide something like this?" He slammed his hand down on the rock beside him, sending a spray of water into the air.
“I wasn’t hiding anything, nobody asked.” Luffy said matter-of-factly. She placed the rock atop her tower, watching it wobble before stabilizing. The water glistened on her bare shoulders, back and the curves of her body as she continue to stack the rocks.
Kid’s hand remained over his eyes, his breath coming out in huffs as he processed the revelation. “But, you’re always dressed like… like a guy that, and you act like a guys!” He stuttered, his face growing even redder.
Law snorted with laughter, the sound bouncing off the rocks surrounding the spring. "Is it really such a surprise, Eustass-ya? She's a pirate, after all. What do you expect?" He leaned back, his arms folded behind his head, watching the scene unfold with a glint of amusement in his eyes.
Kid splattered for a second. “You know! How long have you known?” He accused, pointing a finger at Law, and glaring at him through the gap between his hand and face.
“Since Marineford.” Law replied coolly, not missing a beat. His smug expression was clear as day.
Kid’s jaw dropped, his hand sliding down his face as he stared at Law in disbelief. “Marineford?! You’ve known for that long and you never said anything?!”
Luffy huffed, turning her full attention to Kid now. “What’s the big deal, jaggy? It’s not like I’ve been hiding in a closet with a bag over my head. If you’d just paid attention, you would’ve seen it sooner.”
Kid’s hand slowly dropped from his eyes, his gaze flickering over Luffy’s form. Her curves were more pronounced than he had ever noticed before, and her skin was a smooth caramel color in the flickering light of the torches that surrounded the spring. The shock was written all over his face, but his anger was starting to dissipate, replaced by embarrassment with the fact he was sharing a hot spring with a girl.
“It’s not that big of a deal, really.” Luffy said with a casual shrug, turning back to her rock tower.
Kid’s mind raced. He had been fighting alongside this... this... girl? For how long? He knew that damn strawhat for almost three years, so three years, well, technically only one because the Strawhat crew went MIA for two years. But still, a whole year and he hadn’t noticed. It was like someone had slapped him upside the head with a wet fish.
Law laughed at Kid’s expression. “She’s a cute girl isn’t she?” He teased, watching the redhead’s reaction with an amused smirk.
Kid’s eyes snapped to Law. “Fuck you! This isn’t funny!” He shouted, his voice echoing off the rocky walls of the hot spring enclosure.
Law’s smirk grew even wider. “Oh, but it is, Eustass-ya. It truly is. You’re always so caught up in your own shit, you miss the obvious. It’s quite entertaining, really.”
Kid shot Law a glare that could have boiled water, his cheeks flaming redder than the sunset. “Keep it up and I’ll show you what’s entertaining,” he threatened, though his voice lacked conviction. His mind was a whirlwind of confusion and embarrassment.
Luffy was still ignoring them, but softly said to herself. “Yeah, I’m a cute girl.”
Law laughed again, and Kids face lit up again like it was on fire. “Yes, yes, you’re a very cute girl Strawhat-ya.” Law said, his tone mocking but with a hint of something else.
Luffy powdered and huffed, splashing Law with water. “If you’re gonna say I’m a cute girl. Don’t say it like you’re mocking me.”
“My apologies, I didn’t mean it like that.” Law replied, his smirk not fading. “But you are a cute girl, Luffy-swan, whether you like it or not. And it’s not often that someone as dense as you keep a secret like this from the world. It’s quite the feat, really.”
The only response he got returned was Luffy sticking her tongue out at him before turning her attention back to the rocks she was stacking.
Kid’s face was a picture of disbelief, his mind racing with thoughts he couldn’t quite keep up with. How had he not noticed? The way she moved, the way she talked, the way she...he couldn’t believe it. “This is bullshit!” He yelled, slamming his fist into the water.
“Calm down, jaggy.” Luffy said without looking back, a hint of laughter in her voice. “It’s not like it changes anything, right?”
Kid’s shoulders slumped as he took a deep breath. He knew she was right. It shouldn’t have changed anything, but for some reason, it felt like the rug had been pulled out from under him. He had always thought of Luffy as one of the guys, a fellow pirate who shared his dream of becoming a Yonko. He hadn’t ever considered that she might be a girl.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” he murmured, finally lowering his hand from his eyes. He took in the sight of Luffy’s bare back, her muscles rippling as she moved to add another rock to her tower. She really was a girl, and a pretty one at that. But what did that mean for them?