Law x reader: chanceful meetings

Dull (e/c) orbs looked ahead as the vehicles rushed past the owner, speeding up as the drivers saw the red lights turn to green with a small flicker. A yawn forced your lips apart and you quickly covered them with your hand, a squeak leaving them in the same time. A tear was formed in the corner of your eyes. Dark circles were certainly accompanying your eyes, making you look more horrible than you actually felt. Sleep came rarely and when it came, taking you in a sweet embrace, it would soon shatter into pieces. Nightmares would haunt you, shaking you to your core, leaving you a shivering mess and unwilling to close your eyes ever again.

Your hand, former enveloping your mouth, now raised the strap of your bag to hold it better on your shoulder. Your other hand held tightly onto the cup filled with caffeine to pull you through the day. It was still hot, warmth seeping from the cup to your hand as you fastened your pace to the bus stop around the corner. It had been cold for the last couple of days and today was no exception to it. Rain froze in the dark clouds covering the city, falling down as small, but beautifully crafted snow crystals. It made your way a little slippery, but you would soon welcome the heat the bus would provide.

Just in time you reached the small shelter the stop could give before snow started to fall heavily. The pavement turned white in mere seconds and the street got a grey mush on the asphalt after cars was speeding over the frozen water. Steam waved up in the air from your cup as your breath formed mist with every exhale. Your eyes drooped to the ground just in front of your feet, lowering your hand slightly. The urge to drink the beverage left you as a wave of nausea overcame you. Stress and sleepless nights had taken a huge toll on you.

Another yawn forced its way out of your lips. Tilting your head up, you noticed a lean man standing next to you, yawning also. Dark circles rounded under his eyes. Maybe more prominent than visible under yours. His slender fingers were decorated with tattoos. Your eyes wandered over his form as you eyed him from the corner of your eyes. Before you could stare any longer, the bus arrived and opened its doors quickly. You felt the warmth leaving the vehicle and hurried inside, just to see maybe everyone in town had decided to take this very bus this morning.

The only unoccupied seat was next to a sleeping woman and you would love to follow her into the state of dreams, but you decided against it. The exhausted man following you stopped right behind you as you grabbed a pole with your cold hand. You locked your eyes with stormy grey ones and with a small smile you gestured for him to take the seat instead of you. His brows furrowed and as you nodded to the seat once again, he sighed and gave a small smile back before sitting down.

The vehicle shook forward and you jerked back, barely keeping your coffee from spilling over your hand. With a sigh of relieve you turned to look ahead of you with your eyes drooping a little. The male sitting next to you isn’t any better than you are right now. The male yawned again after again and suddenly the coffee filled cup felt heavier than before. You had taken a couple of sips, but with nausea still waving over you, you didn’t feel like finishing it.

Without thinking, you held the cup in front of his eyes. Grey orbs widened as the face turned to you sceptically. “I must admit. I have taken a couple of sips before, but I’m not sick if you wonder about that.” You said with a soft laugh, unwilling to disturb everyone around you. Slander fingers took hold of the cup, his skin touching yours ever so slightly as he did.

“Thanks.” The male muttered. “I really need that right now.” You tilted your head to him out of a reflex before smiling awkwardly at him.

“Everyone needs a little caffeine from time to time, right? Especially this early in the morning.” You murmered, more to yourself than to the male you didn’t know. He nodded slowly, still eyeing the cup wearily. With a shrug he tilted the cup back and took a sip. He nodded in approval and you sighed softly as the bus came to another stop, jerking you forward a little bit.

The woman next to the male jerked up and looked around groggily. “Wait! I have to get out!” She suddenly yelled and jumped up from her seat, having taken her bag in her hands and almost falling over the older male as she rushed over to the door to leave. In the process of leaving, the woman knocked the cup almost out of the tattooed hand, tilting it enough to spill over your pants. With a gasp you looked down at your jeans and groaned before glaring at the woman rushing out.

The male rolled his eyes and scooted over. “Sit. I have some tissues.” He said with a growl. You moved to sit down, letting the strap of your bag slide from your shoulder to rest the bag on the ground. He moved to get some tissues from his bag and handed them over to you, his lips latched to the cup’s lid, ready to take another sip or gulp. With a grateful smiled and nod, you took hold of the many tissues and started wiping away the remnants of the black liquid.

“Thank you.” The edge of your lips curled up as you let these words slip from them. The male next to you raised the, now his, cup in acknowledge and took another sip of it. Your shoulders slumped a little as you noticed the stain would be there for the rest of the day. The grey eyes of the male flickered to you, every emotion hidden away behind his stern gaze.

“Does it hurt?” Your head jerked up and turned to look at the one sitting next to you.

“Oh, no, it doesn’t. It’s okay.” You smiled, closing your eyes for a moment.

“Are you sure, (y/n)? It’s hot coffee you gave me.” He murmered with a low voice, his brows raised a little. Your brows shut up as you blinked your eyes in confusion.

“How do you..”

“I read your name on the cup.”

“Ah.. that explains it.” You said, laughing at your own forgetful mind.

“Law.”

“Nice to meet you, my name is (y/n).” You said with a smile before realizing your mistake. “But you.. already knew that.” An awkward laugh left your lips after saying that and Law raised his braw before smirking at you, ready to turn his head to look back ahead.

“Where are you heading, (y/n)?” Law asked, his eyes never leaving the window with the bus driver.

“University.” You breathed with a heavy sigh. “And you, if I may ask?”

Law grinned before stiffening an upcoming yawn. “Work.”

As he stayed silent, you started to giggle. “I figured that much. Why else would someone pull himself from his bed and force his body to take this bus this early in the morning?”

Silence was your only answer as Law let his head fall back on the rest of his seat and closed his eyes with a smirk gracing his lips. Other passengers were talking among themselves, just like you did a mere minute ago. A loud ‘ding’ echoed in the bus followed by the name of the next stop. Your head shot up and a frown edged on your features. Your hand reached down to the strap of your bag and you moved to get up from your seat.

“You’re going?” Law asked as he watched you carefully from the corner of his eyes. You hummed your response, placing the strap on your right shoulder as your other hand clutched the fabric tightly, fearing it to fall on the ground. “I wish you luck then. Maybe till next time.” The both of you bid the other your goodbyes and you left the bus with a small smile tugging on your lips.

*~*~*~

Classes all day and studying in the library took its toll on you when you forced your legs to move after the hours of just sitting. Fatigue and a dizzy mind grabbed your form. Your lids were drooping. Hands clutched themselves onto the strap of your bag, remembering you to keep it in place as best as possible. Feet were dragged over the pavement as you moved towards the bus stop. Upon reaching the stop, you saw your bus driving off without you. A frown edged your face and a heavy sigh escaped your lips as your shoulders slumped.

Your eyes slipped to look when the next bus would arrive, hopefully soon. Sadly, you saw the next one would only arrive in half an hour. It was dark and cold, with only the light of a lamppost accompanying you, keeping you from the darkness of upcoming shadows as the evening stretched further by the minute. Mist arrived when the air shifted with every exhale. The warmth clashing with the cold. Sitting down, you tilted your head back, eyes resting upon the darkness enveloping the city high above. The same darkness that was forced back by the artificial light, making the lights of the universe turn invisible. No star would be seen, only the moon that shone brightly in the reflection of the sun.

Your arms wrapped themselves around your chest and your leg crossed itself over the other, holding your own body heat as close as possible. With a soft chuckle, you damned yourself for forgetting your scarf or gloves for that matter. The cold was invading your exposed skin and you quickly duck further into the coat you were wearing and your hands put safely under your armpits. A grumble was forced from your lips as you thought about the time you had to be here all alone. “It’s just not my day.” You muttered to yourself.

“I thought students would be either studying or sleeping in their days. Not sitting in the cold.” A smooth voice said as footsteps neared your freezing form. You looked at the person from the corner of your eyes, huffing loudly at the statement.

“Most of them do. Others prefer to have a party, no matter the circumstances.”

“Care for me to let me invade your party of one?” The male asked with a chuckle. A grin appeared at his words before you laughed softly.

“Sure. Go ahead.” The words left your enclosed lips before you could even think better of it. Law sat down next to you, his hand holding a cup of warm beverage while his other was hidden away in the pocket of his long, and probably warm, coat.

“So, what brings you here in the cold this late in the evening?” Law inquired, his grey eyes flickering to look at your form.

“Study.”

Law raised his brow and scoffed softly, his hand raising to take a sip of his drink. “You could do that in your room too. Why stay here, risking to be late for your bus and sit in the cold?”

A heavy exhale flew through your nostrils into the air. “It’s quieter in the library than at home. Why would you care though? We’ve only met this morning.” A sad smile tugged at your lips, the reason, however, was unknown to you.

Law hummed his answer as he lifted his eyes to the sky. The lights were illuminating his features and you couldn’t help but notice the weariness upon them as he shielded his eyes from the world. His lips parted and his tongue moved over them to lick them wet before he spoke. “Because there’s always a reason behind things. As a doctor I tend to have some curiosity to find those reasons.” His hand moved to your side, holding the cup to your face.

Your head tilted in question to him, silently asking why he would give his drink to you.

“Drink it. I at least owe you that much for last morning. Besides, it’s warmer than having nothing at all.” He smirked as he turned his face to you. You rolled his eyes at his statement, but lifted your own hand to take the drink anyway. A small thank you left your lips as you separated them to drink the warm beverage. You didn’t know what to expect. Maybe coffee, because he seemed to need it, but not this. The sweet taste of hot cacao invaded your taste buds as the liquid flowed over your tongue to your throat.

A satisfying hum bubbled in your chest as you closed your eyes happily, both of your hands wrapped up around the warm cup. “I didn’t take you as a chocolate person.” Law tilted his head, unknown by you.

“Why?”

“Don’t know. Somehow you give the vibe of being a person who drinks only coffee.” You murmered, eyes still closed as your hand raised itself once again to your lips. The warm liquid flowed against your lips before entering.

Law’s gloved hand ran through his hair as he chuckled. You opened your eyes at the pleasant sound and noticed it had begun to snow like this morning. “I must admit, I always drink coffee. This time however, I felt like I just had to take hot cacao instead.”

Your eyes locked with the grey ones as light reflected in them, making them more beautiful than before. “Maybe you shouldn’t drink coffee before you go to sleep?” Law laughed at your question, tucking his hands back in his pockets.

“Maybe.” He mused.

The sound of a vehicle approaching came closer to the both of you and both pairs of eyes quickly glanced towards the source of the disturbance. “I see our ride has arrived.” You said softly with a grin, pushing yourself from the bench you were occupying before. Law followed your lead and stood beside you as you signalled the driver to stop here for the both of you with your card in hand.

The door opened quickly and you rushed inside to get covered by the heat inside as soon as possible. This weather was definitely not your cup of tea. A shiver ran down your spine at the thought of still sitting there in the freezing weather if the bus was arriving late. Upon arriving to an unoccupied seat, you turned you head, looking at the male with a silent question written in the depths of your (e/c) orbs. ‘Will you sit with me?’

Your body moved on its own, sitting down on the cushion of the seat and leaning slightly against the window. Law sat down next to you, slumping a little with a sigh, quickly followed by a yawn. Tattooed fingers reached up before he ran them through his hair, dishevelling it immediately. With a content sigh, the man closed his eyes as his fatigue took over his form. Soon, his head lolled to the side as the bus turned a corner and leaned against your shoulder. You chuckled as his soft and evened breathing reached your ears before you even dared to look at him. Hair, falling down, prickled next to his eyes and you reached up to caress it away for him, pushing it to the rest of his raven black locks.

“Sleep well, mister Law.” You murmered, not even caring he was actually a stranger you had met today. The night would take you away, even apart, before the darkness of possible sleep would claim you in its grasp. For now, you took slight comfort in the presence of the man next to you.

A stranger met today, can be a friend tomorrow.