The straw hat crew was in the middle of the ocean, just letting the gentle breeze guide them for once. Nami and Robin were sun-bathing, Sanji was cooking some mid-day snack as usual, Usopp and Frankie were building who knows what, Zoro was sleeping on the deck and Luffy and Chopper were playing tag on the deck while Brook played the piano. Sanji got out of the kitchen carrying trays with cool drinks and fruit kebabs, which he gently placed next to the ladies, keeping an eye out for a part of Luffy that might steal them as he walked away. Just then Luffy rocketed past him and would have gone straight into the ocean had he not took hold of the railing. Sanji was about to start shouting at him to be more careful before he noticed the expression on his captain`s face. It was no longer one of happiness but one of pure shock and confusion. He seemed to be frozen in place before he turned towards him.
"What?" asked Sanji.
"Isn`t that hat familiar?" asked Luffy.
"What hat?" asked Sanji with a small frown as he turned his gaze to the ocean.
"It`s Trafal-guy`s," Luffy exclaimed.
A barrel was floating in the sea, moving slowly in the gentle breeze. Pinned to the top was the infamous spotted hat of Trafalgar Law and Sanji was sure that he could see blood on the white furs.
Chopper happened to pass by them at that second, and his furry face blanched as he smelt the blood. When he saw the barrel the first thought was that someone was trying to send a message, but he didn't have time to voice it before Nami took leadership over the crew. She ordered Zoro to get a rope and Robin sprouted hands from the side of the ship to hold the barrel and stop it from getting away. Sanji immediately jumped head-first in the ocean to tie the rope around the barrel so the crew would be able to haul it on deck before a ladder was thrown over the side to allow Sanji to clamber back on the deck. It was way too heavy to be empty, and Zoro easily commented that there must be a body in it. That sent Chopper into panic mode until Usopp managed to calm him down. Sanji lifted the lid slowly and Zoro cautiously peered in, not even attempting to hide the shock as he saw the Dark Surgeon in the barrel. He gently lifted him out of the claustrophobic barrel and laid him on the deck before Chopper ran next to him. The surgeon was soaked thorough, bruised and bloody because of several open wounds on his skin. During those brief seconds as they took in Law's dishevelled appearance, Chopper suddenly noticed something odd. Law's chest was completely, utterly still. A frown pulled at his features as he lowered his furry head to Law's mouth and nose, noticing immediately that the surgeon wasn't breathing. His head tipped to Sanji, who was towelling himself dry as he removed his shoes and shirts. The cook immediately noticed the shock that morphed Chopper's features and without delay dropped on his knees next to Law. He placed his hands on Trafalgar`s chest and started doing chest compressions at the same time as Chopper tipped Law's head back. Zoro was next to Sanji in a minute and began breathing in Trafalgar with every thirty compressions that Sanji made. After about 2 minutes and a switch between them, Law took a strangled breath and promptly began coughing. Chopper turned him on his side so that he wouldn't choke on the water that he coughed up. His tall frame shuddered before the surgeon fell limp again, completely spent. Everybody let out a breath that they didn`t know they weren`t holding as he started breathing on his own again albeit it was ragged and hitched every now and then.
"Some of his ribs are broken," commented Sanji, wiping the blood from his hand.
"That would explain the rough breathing.. Help me get him inside." Chopper ordered as he switched to Heavy Point.
"Need help?" asked Sanji once Chopper set the surgeon on the table.
"Strip him from any clothing that`s wet and dry him," said Chopper, tossing him some towels while getting out everything he needed.
"Got it," Sanji replied as he easily removed Law`s boots, trousers, hoodie and coat. He left the boxers on as they were relatively dry. Sanji gently dried Law's body, being careful when he neared the chest as Law moaned slightly before settling back to sleep. His face was pale, almost ghostly and his cheeks stood out because of the feverish flush. Sanji went out to leave Chopper to his work and was met by the whole crew looking at him.
"Is he ok?" asked Luffy, big eyes filled with worry and concern.
"He`ll be fine," responded Sanji, going to the bathroom to take a wash and change into a pair of dry clothes.
"What the hell does he mean by that?" said Luffy and the rest of the crew shook their heads and went back to what they were doing before Law had come on board.
Everyone except Nami and Robin that is. They got Law`s clothes and after washing them and removing all the blood, set on sewing them where they were ripped. They had it fixed before Chopper came out of the infirmary, clad in an apron that had crimson liquid splattered on it. He didn`t even step out before he was surrounded by the whole crew, including Frankie who had been filled in while Chopper was taking care of Law. The reindeer squeaked and stepped back before they all backed down but it was painfully clear they still wanted to know what had happened to their friend and ally.
"He`ll be okay, he has three broken ribs and several cuts and bruises, along with a concussion. He`s still unconscious," said Chopper and they all sighed in relief but Robin spoke up.
"Shall we contact his ship? His crew must be worried," she said.
"I`ll do it," offered Sanji.
He got out their Den Den mushi and dialled the Heart pirates. He lighted a smoke while waiting for someone to pick up. A man, whom he recognized as Penguin picked up and answered with a very tired voice, giving Sanji a conclusion that he had not slept in days.
"Who is this?" Penguin asked.
"Sanji, straw-hat pirates," Sanji replied.
"If you want our captain, he`s not here right now," Penguin said.
"Don`t worry, actually I`m calling to tell you something about your captain." said Sanji.
"What? How can you? He`s missing! Got captured!" Penguin yelled.
"He`s not missing, nor captured, he is actually unconscious in our infirmary," Sanji replied.
"WHAT?!"
"Listen, Let`s meet at Zo and we'll give you your captain back," said Sanji calmly.
"Ok, How is he?" asked Penguin, rubbing a hand across his face.
"Unconscious, three broken ribs, concussed, cuts and bruises," replied Sanji bluntly.
"Take care of him," said Penguin.
"Will do," Sanji said just as he heard marines outside.
He dropped the Den Den Mushi without hanging up and went next to the others, taking his position as they fought against the marines. They weren`t easy but they dispatched them after a while, except for a small group that were calmly standing in front of them.
"Give him to us," one of them, who seemed to be the captain, said calmly.
"Who?" asked Nami, feigning ignorance.
"Trafalgar Law." said the captain.
Meanwhile on the Heart Pirates submarine Penguin was excited and adrenaline rushed over him as he went in the main area of the ship, his heart pounding in his ears.
"THEY FOUND CAPTAIN!" He all but screamed.
"Where is he?" said Bepo, his depression from the disappearance of their captain wearing off.
"Straw hat ship, they found him, didn`t say where just told me to meet them at Island Zo," said Penguin.
"Bring the Den Den Mushi," said Shachi and Penguin hurriedly grabbed it and placed it on the table next to the couch. Commotion could be heard on the other side and it was clear that they were in a fight. They heard as everything quieted down, until someone demanded Law, and they held their breath, waiting to see what was about to happen.
"Now why would Trafalgar Law be on our ship?" asked Zoro.
"Don`t play ignorant, we trapped him in that barrel, we were watching him and we saw you lift him out of the water," he said.
"You were watching him the whole time and didn`t even help him?!" Shrieked Chopper, shaking with rage.
"Chopper, calm down," said Usopp.
"CALM DOWN?! They saw a barrel, knowing that it contained an injured man inside and didn`t even try to help him!" shrieked Chopper.
"Well, what a stupid creature," said one of the soldiers, earning a punch that sent him into the ocean.
"Trafalgar Law is my friend, and I protect my friends, no matter what happens," said Luffy in a low threatening voice. His hat was set low, casting shadows over his eyes.
"Frankly, I don`t care if he`s your friend," said the Captain before they attacked.
The straw-hat crew fought them off. They proved themselves to be harder to fight but they quickly sent them off either to the ocean, back to their ship or just plain killed them. After they finished Chopper went to check on Law while the others started cleaning the deck. When they came across the barrel Zoro was about to toss it in the ocean again when he noticed something else inside it. Law`s beloved nodachi was in the barrel as well. He pulled it out and placed it on the deck next to his own swords before he tossed the barrel off-board. When the cleaning was finished, Zoro settled in the shade and started cleaning his swords before he grabbed Law's nodachi and started to polish it as well, removing the rust that had gathered on the blade from being the ocean for so long.
Sanji asked Nami to direct the ship to Zo, and she informed him that it was a week away if the weather decided to play nice for once. Sanji nodded and went to the kitchen to start dinner. He stopped at the infirmary to check on Law and saw Chopper checking his vitals and redoing bandages. It was the first time that Sanji had seen him after they pulled him out of the ocean and he looked awful. Bandages covered his bare chest, forearms and head, making his black hair stick up in all directions. His fever seemed to have gotten worse, even as Chopper placed cold compressors on his neck and under his arms. Chopper told him that he didn`t need to make Law something to eat as there was no possibility that he would wake up that day. After dinner Sanji took a warm plate to Chopper, who hadn`t moved from his place next to Law, whose fever seemed to go down a little. Chopper ate it while still looking over Law and Sanji decided to engage him in slow talk.
"So, how is he?" he started.
"His fever went down a little, but it's still at 101 degrees," said Chopper, worry lacing his voice.
"When is his crew coming to get him?" Chopper then asked after a few minutes of silence.
"We`re meeting at Island Zo, it`s a week away if the weather plays nice, longer if it's against us," said Sanji.
"I`m worried, he`s the doctor on their ship, the others won`t know what to do," said Chopper, his eyes scanning the young man laying comatose in the bed. Shivers wrecked his body every now and then and Chopper pulled the blanket up so it covered his chest as well.
"Don` t worry too much Chopper, he knows how to take care of himself, and he`ll be better by the time he goes back to his crew, and he probably has a medical assistant" said Sanji.
"You should get some rest," said Chopper.
"You should as well," retorted Sanji easily with a small smirk.
"I`m not sleeping," said Chopper.
"You can`t stay up all night," reasoned Sanji.
"I`ve done it before, I`m not sleeping in case something happens to him," said Chopper, his eyes determined.
"Ok then, you watch him for a while, then wake me up so you can sleep, and I`ll wake you up if something happens to him during the night." said Sanji and Chopper looked ready to protest, but one look from Sanji had him shutting up.
"Thanks," he said with gratitude.
"No problem, now go to sleep, I`ll take first watch," said Sanji. Chopper nodded, grabbed a blanket and fixed himself on the cot he had on the floor in case one of them was in there and he wanted to sleep without leaving their side.
They passed the whole night like that, but nothing happened. Law kept on sleeping peacefully except for a small hand movement or an eye twitch and Sanji and Chopper had nothing to do except change the ice-packs and fixing the blankets whenever Law tried to throw them off. When morning came Sanji woke up from his place on the floor and started making breakfast. When he finished he started on some soup for them as well for Law in case he woke up. The rest of the straw hats came by quietly that morning, respecting the fact that the infirmary was next door. Unfortunately, that didn`t mean that breakfast was any different from usual. Sanji took a plate of the breakfast to the infirmary and gave it to Chopper, who gulped it down hungrily before giving the plate back to Sanji, who took it back to the kitchen and washed everything up. When he finished he went out on the deck to smoke a little and enjoy the view. He watched the girls sun bathing and resisted the urge to go all heart-eyes on them by looking at what the others were doing. Usopp and Frankie were huddled in one corner. Brook was playing the violin and Zoro was doing weights and counting under his breath next to him. Luffy was quietly watching Usopp and Frankie but then he walked off and sat on the railings a few feet away from Sanji.
"What`s wrong?" asked Sanji as he walked next to him.
"I know Marines are cruel, but why would they do that? They never let someone die in a barrel before," said Luffy.
"They were tracking Trafalgar Law. He is known for his cruel ways to kill marines, maybe they wanted to give him the same treatment, weaken him before they took him to their captains," said Sanji.
"I`m worried," said Luffy, concern showing in his features as well as his voice.
"Don`t worry, he`s in good hands, well, hooves in this case, but still, he`ll be better in no time," said Sanji with a small grin, which Luffy returned with one of his own.
"When will he wake up?" asked Luffy.
"Today or tomorrow I think," said Sanji with a small smile before he headed back to the kitchen to continue the preparations for lunch.
The day passed relatively quiet and after lunch Sanji went to the infirmary again, this time with two plates just in case. A quiet chuckle escaped him as he saw the young reindeer asleep, half of him on the chair and half of him on the bed. His furry head was nuzzled on Law`s hand and it was a miracle that his antlers were not digging in the surgeon. He set the tray down on the table and went to pick up the reindeer and put him in the cot when a movement from the young man on the bed caught his eye. Sanji decided to wake Chopper up so he would at least eat instead of letting him sleep as he continued to watch Law. He roughly shook Chopper and the little furry guy bolted up and almost toppled off the chair had Sanji not held him up just in time. He gave him the soup and Chopper sat down again, drinking the last of the soup before putting the plate on the tray again. He checked his watch and decided to change the bandages around Law`s ribs, forearms and head, probably just to keep his hands busy.
"Can I help?" asked Sanji.
"Yeah, think you can raise him a little?" asked Chopper, already getting out fresh bandages.
"Sure," Sanji said.
He easily slid his lean frame next to Law`s head and snaked two arms under each shoulder. Then he easily raised him so that Law was now leaning on Sanji, his head falling against Sanji`s neck. Sanji noticed that his bare chest was not giving away any extraordinary heat, so his fever must have broken during the day. Chopper proceeded to remove the bandages and heard a low hiss when his hooves past over the broken ribs.
Law felt as if gravity had taken hold on him way more than usual, he couldn't move an inch. He felt someone slide behind him and then raise him up. He felt a soft fabric under his head and back and noticed that his chest was bare. He then felt someone remove something, probably a bandage from around his middle section and hissed as the hand or whatever it was passed over one of the broken ribs and sent pain flaring through his abdomen. He couldn`t stop the moan of pain that escaped him as awareness began to creep in on him and he opened his eyes. The light sent daggers to his head and he closed them again quickly, choosing to open them slowly instead. When he adjusted to the light, he was laying down again, and a blond male, whom he recognized him as the straw-hat`s cook, was looking down at him, but how did he get there? Just then he felt something cold against his chest and couldn`t help the small intake of breath as goose bumps grew all over his body, then went away as fast as they had appeared. He looked down and saw the furry reindeer sitting next to him, before he felt something being shoved into his mouth and almost choked.
He recognized it was a thermometer and held it under his tongue for a good deal of time before it beeped and Chopper took it out, looking relieved at the sight of his temperature. The way his shoulders finally sagged gave Law the impression that he had run a high fever which had just broken before he woke up. Chopper shone something bright into his eyes and he narrowed them, opening them more slowly as the flash-light moved to his other eye, before it was switched off. He took in the small room that he was in and noticed the plates on the other table, along many bottles of medicine, bandages and a bunch of other stuff. Just then he felt how raw his throat felt and he switched his gaze to the small reindeer, who was changing a bandage on his forearms. He looked down and noticed the stitches on the side of his arms before they were covered by the bandage. He turned his head and was met by blue-gray eyes staring directly at him and he looked straight back, silently pleading for something to ease his throat. The blond-headed cook seemed to understand as he went to one of the cabinets and got out a bottle of water along with a straw. He eased the straw towards Law`s mouth and he took small sips, savouring the cool water as it eased his throat enough for him to speak.
"Where am I?" he asked, his voice hoarse from lack of use.
"On our ship, we`re meeting your crew mates to send you back, don`t worry," said Sanji with a small smile.
"How did I get here?" he asked taking a few more sips of the water.
"We found you floating in the middle of the ocean, in a barrel," said the doctor, his hooves moving to his head.
"Why do I have a bandage around my head?" The surgeon asked curiously, as he watched the doctor remove a bloody bandage from around his head.
"Your head was bleeding," Chopper replied, before he felt his hooves on the side of his head.
"Anything else?" he asked, knowing that there were worse injuries.
"Three broken ribs, a black eye, bruises on your stomach and cuts on both of your forearms," the furry doctor replied before wrapping another bandage around his head. "Also, you still have a concussion so you better rest for today," he added.
"Thanks," he murmured, before falling asleep again, not even bothering to eat.
Chopper sighed as Law fell asleep again, his face calm and peaceful in his sleep. He never thought he would describe the sadistic surgeon as `peaceful` , but right now he certainly looked like it. He finished taking his vital signs and just leaned back, admiring his work. Nami entered that second and closed the door quietly before going over to Chopper.
"How is he?"
"He`s just sleeping, woke up a few minutes ago," replied Chopper and it didn`t go unnoticed how tired he sounded.
"So he`ll be okay right?" Sanji said.
"Right," replied Chopper.
"Great, I`ll watch over him, you go get some sleep, I`ll get someone to fetch you if he wakes up," Nami ordered.
"Don`t worry Chopper, he`ll probably sleep till dinner," said Sanji.
"Wake me up if anything happens," he warned before wobbling to the man`s quarters and falling asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
Sanji went back to the kitchen while Nami stayed with Law. She idly passed her fingers through his dark locks, before she used her blunt nails to gently scratch at his scalp where there wasn't any bandages. She allowed herself a small chuckle as she continued to massage his head, while marvelling how soft his hair seemed to be. He unconsciously leaned his head towards her hand and she messed up his hair a little more, before settling to brushing it back in place and then messing it up again. She noticed how his right forearm was settled on his stomach, precisely on a large bruise and she winced, knowing that it must hurt like hell along with the other bruises and broken bones. A small breeze passed in the room and the currently unconscious man shivered before Nami put the blankets back on top of him and turned to see who had come in. She was surprised to see her captain enter quietly and she signalled him to close the door, which he did before coming to sit on the edge of the bed, careful not to sit on any body parts of Law. He looked worriedly at him before grinning his huge grin when he saw Law unconsciously lean towards Nami`s touch. The weather had been playing nice and they had 5 days till they got to Zo.
"He`ll be okay, he woke up a few hours ago, he`s just sleeping right now" said Nami.
"Great!" said Luffy with an excited grin before hopping out and yelling for the rest of the crew to tell them the news.
"LUFFY DINNER IS NOT READY YET!" Sanji`s yells echoed through the walls of the infirmary and Law stirred, his grey eyes fluttering open before blinking repeatedly, trying to bring Nami into focus.
"Hey, you ok?" she asked softly, removing her hand from his hair.
"Yeah, just a little sore," he said with a smirk as he saw her cheeks tint pink when she removed her hand.
"I`ll be right back, don`t move!" she said with a stern voice that had him giving her a stiff nod.
She went down to the men`s quarter but was met by Chopper half way there. She gave him a glare but he just shrugged, saying his doctor senses alerted him that his patient was waking up. She opened the infirmary door and was shocked to see the still half-naked man up and admiring Chopper`s desk.
"I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO STAY IN BED!" She yelled and immediately regretted it as Law turned quickly then let out a rather loud swear as he hunched over, his sore ribs protesting the quick movement.
"Law!" Chopper screamed as he switched to Heavy Point again and helped Law to lie down on the bed before he collapsed on the floor.
"Don`t scare me like that," he told Nami, breathing heavily. Chopper looked worriedly at him, trying to sooth him as Law's heart went into overdrive.
"Calm down, don`t worry, you`ll be okay," said Nami, gently scratching his scalp again as Chopper made sure that his ribs didn`t move even though they were bound.
His breathing evened and his pulse calmed down as his head lolled to the side. Fresh sweat covered his face and chest and Chopper grabbed a wet wash cloth which Nami used to gently wipe Law`s face and chest. The young man was still conscious and he gave a heated but thankful glare to Nami, before sitting up. Sanji came into the infirmary that second, an apron still on his suit.
"What the hell happened to him?" asked Sanji, directing his question to Chopper.
"Nothing! I just gave him a fright by accident," The girl said with a high pitched voice.
"Don`t worry, I`m fine," said Law, giving Sanji a small smile as the little reindeer continued to fasten the bandages.
"You sure? Cause the swear was heard from every corner of the ship," said Sanji just as Luffy bustled in and slammed into Sanji, causing him to fall forward and take a face plant next to Law`s bed.
"I`m fine Luffy," said Law, not even giving him chance to voice his question.
"HE`S FINE!" shouted Luffy to the other crew-members, causing Nami, Sanji, Chopper and Law to cover their ears.
"How the hell do you still listen well?" he asked, leaning back on his elbows as Chopper checked his heart beat again.
"We got used to it," said Sanji, giving him a small smile before handing him the plate that he had left on the desk before he face planted the floor.
"Thanks," Law said, eating slowly then with some more speed as he tasted the food.
"Like it?" asked Nami with a teasing grin to Sanji.
"It`s amazing," he responded after finishing it and giving the plate to Sanji.
"Thanks," said Sanji, leaning against one of the cabinets as Chopper finally finished.
"Nice work Doc," sad Law, as he saw the furry kid plop down next to him.
"Don`t compliment me you bastard!" said Chopper and Nami and Sanji couldn`t help but laugh as they saw Law`s look of bewilderment.
"Anyways, do you want to contact your crew? Or would you rather do it tomorrow?" asked Robin, coming in the infirmary.
"Can I do it now?" he asked.
"Yeah, sure," said Nico Robin, using her powers to bring the Den Den Mushi and give it to him.
"Thanks," said Law with a smirk.
The Heart pirates were chilling in the main room as the submarine made its route to the island Zo when the Den Den Mushi began ringing again. Penguin picked it up and immediately Law`s voice sounded.
"Hey, missing me?" He asked, and they could practically hear the smirk in his voice.
"You know if you keep up that attitude we`ll leave you with them," replied Penguin.
"Yeah right," Law said with a scoff.
"How are you?" asked Shachi, his voice lacking any joke.
"I`m fine Shachi, just a little sore, considering that the red-head decided to scare the living crap out of me," Law grumbled.
"A woman scared you? This is Rich!" Penguin yelled and they could hear them roaring with laughter over the line.
"Anyways, I`m fine really, how are you guys?" he asked, a little embarrassed.
"We`re fine, just a few scrapes and bruises," said Shachi, yelling at Penguin to shut up.
"Penguin I don`t suggest you keep laughing," Law said with a low, threatening voice, which cause Penguin to shut up immediately, then scream, then sit down.
"You sure he`s okay?" Asked Law, his brow furrowing.
"Yeah, he`s just been hyper since they found you," said Shachi.
"How`s my favourite pillow? I haven`t heard him," said Law, referring to Bepo.
"He`s sleeping," said Penguin.
"Your scream didn`t wake him up? I`m surprised!" said Law.
"Dude, he didn`t sleep for three days, because he was depressed over you," said Shachi.
"Anyways, I should go, Chopper is driving me crazy to rest," said Law with a slight chuckle.
"Be a good boy!" yelled Penguin, earning him a small growl from Law before he hung up.
Law could feel his cheeks burning from Penguin`s accusation and he looked up to see the whole crew look at him with the same look in their eyes.
"What?" he asked.
"You say our crew is crazy?" said Zoro, leaning on the wall.
"It`s crazier than mine," Law said with a small smirk until his eyes fell on Zoro`s hip, where his swords were.
"Don`t worry, your nodachi is safe, polished as well," said Zoro, following his gaze.
"Thanks," he said.
Just then he saw Chopper put something in a syringe and even though he was a doctor he couldn`t really tell what was in the syringe. That was until the smell wafted by and he recognized it as a certain drug. He stopped Chopper though, easily dodging through the sea of people in the small room.
"Don`t! I`m allergic to that!" he yelled as Zoro held him down on the floor and Chopper was about to stab it in his arm.
"Why didn`t you say so then?" said Chopper, just as Zoro released his hold from his neck, letting him breathe normally.
"And besides, I`m not in pain," he said. "I can sleep without any meds," he said, still sitting on the floor.
"Everybody get out! He needs to sleep and it`s late!" yelled Nami, just as everybody except for Chopper scampered out.
"You`re not going?" asked Law, pulling the covers to his chin.
"No, I stay here when somebody is here," replied Chopper.
"I wouldn`t suggest that," the doctor replied easily.
"Why not?" Chopper asked, confusion laced in his voice.
"I.. uh..tend to get nightmares after certain fights..." said Law in a small voice.
"I`m not leaving you alone if you get nightmares!" said Chopper, settling down on the cot and falling asleep.
"Suit yourself," said Law, closing his eyes and falling in an uneasy slumber.
Chopper woke up to a scream that pierced the quiet night. He immediately switched to heavy point and went next to Law, who was tossing and turning in bed. He was saying something that Chopper couldn`t decipher as he tried in vain to wake up the nightmarish surgeon. Due to his nurturing nature, he didn`t want to hold him very hard in case he hurt him more and a few more screams followed before Sanji burst through the door, wearing a pair of sweat pants and a hoodie. He immediately went next to Chopper and held down Law`s arms while Chopper made for the restrains on each side of the bed. He got his ankles done first before he moved to where Sanji was holding down Law's wrists. He managed to get one wrist done until Law started hyperventilating while tugging at the restraints, and his last free arm hit Sanji in the face, sending him sprawling to the floor. Chopper decided to leave the last arm and grab the sedative as a few more screams pierced the quiet night. He held Law's head down and emptied the sedative-filled syringe in the still panicked surgeon neck.
He stopped struggling after a few seconds and Chopper removed the restrains, knowing that the sedative would let him sleep till the morning at least. He immediately felt bad as he saw Law's chaffed ankles and wrist and immediately set to rub some ointment on them before bandaging them. After he finished he remembered Sanji and turned, only to see him sitting on the floor, his head and back resting against the table. He was holding a cloth to his cheek and his face seemed paler than usual. Chopper switched to Brain Point again as he walked over to him, gently removing the cloth to see a gash oozing blood on his cheek. He gently swabbed it with disinfectant making Sanji flinch before sticking a piece of gauze on it. Sanji thanked him under his breath before checking on the now unmoving form of Law. His eyes still moved repeatedly under his eyes but he didn`t move an inch. After a few seconds he calmed down completely and a somewhat calm expression made its way in his features. Sanji bided goodnight to Chopper before going back to bed.
When Sanji woke up the next morning it was due to a stinging in his cheek. He was puzzled to feel a piece of gauze on there until he remembered the events that happened in the middle of the night. He got up and after doing his usual morning routine he went to the kitchen to start doing breakfast. Sanji decided to cook a simple English breakfast that day and after frying the bacon, he saw a hand stretch itself in the room. He grabbed it and tied the fingers to the door knob before going back in the kitchen. Sanji heard Luffy whine, followed by laughs as someone untied his fingers. He smirked as he made the portions in different plates, of course giving the ladies a bigger portion than others. He covered one plate with another plate to keep it warm for Law as he went to the infirmary. Sanji opened the door and was shocked as he saw Law pull on his usual trousers and hoodie. Law didn`t show any signs that he had heard him or saw him, considering that his head was covered by the shirt. When Law finished pulling on his boots he took a brush and arranged his hair a little, deciding to leave the hat in the infirmary for breakfast.
"Morning!" he said, upon seeing Sanji.
"Morning, you sound happy today," noted Sanji as Law smirked at him.
"Did you use my cologne?" asked Sanji after a while as Chopper removed the bandage around Law's head.
"Yeah, sorry about that, but it was the first one I found, and I really don't want to smell like infirmary," said Law with a small, dark chuckle.
"He`s back," muttered Sanji and Chopper nodded, trying to hide the smile that was tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"What happened to your cheek?" asked Law, his tone serious.
"Your fist happened," said Sanji, signalling to the bruised knuckles that Law was sporting.
"Oh, I apologise then," said Law, wincing in sympathy.
"Come on, or your food gets stolen," said Sanji, heading back to the kitchen.
"Careful, Luffy tends to stretch," said Chopper before they entered.
As they entered everyone fell quiet but Law just went to the plate. His stomach was grumbling and it smelt good. He looked at the others and saw them all staring at them. He gave them a smirk as he sat on the bar, facing them and started eating. Luffy stretched his arm but Law caught it before it even grazed the plate. He put the plate on the counter and looked at Luffy with a smirk. Luffy whined at him to let go of his arm and Law obliged, his other arm hovering over the plate in case the rubber boy decided to trick him. The others looked at Luffy then at Law calmly eating before bursting out laughing. Tears rolled down their cheeks as Luffy pouted before stealing some of Usopp`s food. Law couldn`t help the small chuckle as Usopp threw a heated glare at Luffy. When he finished he washed his plate, being careful not to wet his bandages and put it on the counter before heading out, feeling the stares on his back. He grabbed his beloved hat and put it on his head before leaning on the railing and just simply gazing at the sea.
Soon enough the deck was filled with activities and he watched as the hyper-active captain bounced around. The swordsman was sleeping, his katanas resting next to him. He noticed how he and the cook fought all the time for no reason at all and chuckled when Zoro didn`t even open his eyes to stop a kick from coming his way. He heard someone yell his name and turned just in time to see Luffy coming towards him. He panicked then went by his instincts and created a room around himself, causing Luffy to slam on the energy cage and fall to the ocean had Law not grabbed his vest. The dark surgeon grunted before hauling Luffy on deck again. Law then removed the `room` from around him as he had forgotten it in his haste to stop Luffy from falling in the ocean. He leaned on the railing again and looked down at Luffy, who was sitting cross-legged next to his legs, staring at him with a puppy-dog expression. Law crossed his arms and shook his head, not even bothering to hide his smirk as Luffy gave him a grin of his own before flying himself to another part of the ship. He noticed that everybody was staring at him again and he felt a little irritated. He hadn't even muttered a word though when he was tackled by non other then Sanji, then held down by Zoro. Pain flared through his already abused back and he resisted the urge to actually yell out. He panicked as unwanted memories came back to him before he calmed down, his gut told him that he could trust them.
"Guys, why are you holding me down?" he asked, seeing that he couldn`t move his legs or arms.
"Chopper told us to," Zoro replied coolly.
"You carried Luffy! I need to see if your ribs are okay," said Chopper, his hooves going to the hem of his hoodie.
"Chopper stop! Not here!" Law told him, squirming to try and get out of the vice like hold that they had on him.
"Why not?" asked Chopper, sitting on Law`s stomach.
"What kind of doctor, undresses his patient outside?" he asked and it didn`t go unnoticed that the young male was gasping for air.
"It`s not like you`re embarrassed," said Zoro, strengthening his hold as Law made another attempt to free his hands.
"Well, when you`re known as the Surgeon of death and said surgeon is covered in bruises, yeah it`s a little embarrassing," Law replied, still trying to get away from them.
"Stop squirming or it will last longer," said Chopper, glaring at his patient.
"I`ll stop squirming when these two get off of me," retorted Law.
"So you can squirm till he finishes," said Sanji, literally sitting on his legs.
"Bastards," muttered Law but stayed still.
"Try to breathe evenly Law.." said Chopper without looking up.
"Chopper I think he`s hyperventilating again," said Zoro, letting go of his hands just as Sanji stood up from his legs. The surgeon immediately crawled backwards, taking Chopper with him as he was still sitting on his stomach.
"Hey! Calm down!" said Chopper, scampering off Law's chest to make him more at ease.
"You ok?" asked Nami, who had moved behind him and gently scratched his scalp.
"Yeah, fine, just don`t restrain me," he muttered after a few minutes, getting up. Chopper immediately went into heavy point and Law took a step back.
"I still need to check and change the bandages," said Chopper.
"I`m fine Chopper," said Law.
"Okay, either I change the bandages or you stay in bed," said Chopper and the surgeon immediately paled, before removing his hoodie and sitting down on the deck, allowing Chopper to change back into brain point and change his bandages.
"Happy?" he asked as soon as Chopper was done and he had put his hoodie back on.
"Sure..." said Chopper heading off to the infirmary.
Law held his head in his hands. Why did he panic like that? He knew they meant him no harm! He didn`t lie to Chopper, not technically at least. Physically, he was fine, nothing that wouldn`t heal in time but mentally, he didn`t know. He didn`t know why the fight had affected him that much, he had been in fights before but they never affected him. His ribs stung a little but that was excepted as he had lifted Luffy alone, and even though he was made of rubber, the young captain was still quiet heavy. He didn`t know exactly how long he had been in the barrel, but from his estimations he would guess a day or a day and a half, but he couldn`t be sure as he had been unconscious seconds before he hit the water. He knew he had to talk to someone in time, but to whom, he still didn`t know.
Sanji went in the infirmary after Chopper when Law had retreated to the back of the ship and found the young reindeer arranging his desk. He only had to glimpse at his face to know that he was hurt by the way that Law was acting towards him but worried for him. Sanji didn`t know what to think about it, but he had come to one conclusion. Law had been restrained in some point and it still traumatized him. He was surprised when Law didn`t use his powers on them but at some point he saw recognition beneath the fear and panic.
"Hey Chopper, you ok?" he asked gently, watching as his furry companion sat down on the stool.
"I`m fine, just worried," Chopper replied, playing with the brim of his hat.
"About what?"
"Law. Physically he`s fine, mentally, I don`t know, he needs to talk to someone, but he won`t open up to anyone, he`s reserved," said Chopper, frustration evident in his voice.
"Give him some time, it`s not something easy and he has a reputation, I think he`s scared by what we are going to do to him if we know the actual story," said Sanji , his brow furrowing as he looked at the door, as if daring Law to walk through it.
"Please try to talk him, I think he trusts you more than he trusts anyone else on this ship, that excludes Luffy of course, but I don`t think he needs a hyper-active kid who won`t understand if he speaks a few hard words," Chopper requested with a pleading look.
"I`ll see what I can do," said Sanji with a small smile before heading to the kitchen to prepare Lunch.
Luffy didn`t dare take from Law`s plate but he held no mercy for the others. Law laughed with them but almost everyone noticed how he stayed in the background. He was tense, as if he was waiting something. When he finished he went out of the kitchen and to the back of the ship, just staring at the way the waves sprayed sea-water everywhere when they slammed in the ship. The events of that morning came back to him. Sanji assigned the dishes to Nami and Usopp while Brook cleaned the table as he went after Law, knowing that he would probably be in the back. It seemed like it was his favourite part of the ship. He noticed that the surgeon`s shoulders were shaking ever so slightly and he put his hands on both his shoulders, gently massaging his neck as Law relaxed in his hold. After a few minutes he stopped and leaned on the railing next to the other male, simply gazing at the sea while smoking. It was quiet for a while until Law spoke.
"Those could kill you, you know," he said with a small smirk.
"Dude, every doctor I meet tells me the same thing, I though you would be an exception," said Sanji, blowing out a wisp of smoke.
"That`s because we want you to live a long and healthy life," retorted Law, sarcasm evident in his voice.
"Is this coming for a pirate?" asked Sanji, raising his curly eye-brows. Law just smirked.
"Care to tell me what happened before we found you?" asked Sanji softly, watching as the smirk slid off Law's face and his expression became guarded.
"Why?" He asked, his voice heavy with emotion but toneless at the same time.
"For one, something affected you, and it won`t help if you keep it inside, and second, you need to get it off of your chest. Third, we`ll know what to do to avoid having to deal with you hyperventilated." Said Sanji, adding a chuckle to the last one.
"You won`t stop until I tell you won`t you?" asked Law, his voice a little lighter.
"Nope," said Sanji, taking another lungful.
"Ok then," said Law, bracing himself to remember.
The Heart pirates were lounging on the deck, completely relaxed until Bepo came running and yelling that 5 ships of the Marines were coming. One look at the ships told them that they were superiors and were probably after their captain, seeing he was one of the supernovas. The marines soon flooded the ship and the Heart Pirates fought with all their might, but the marines were tough even for them. Law was taking out batch after batch with his powers and sword, and he was concentrated on a particular patch when someone hit him in the head from behind the second he let down his "room". He was dazed for a second, and that second was all they needed as the marine immediately tackled him and held him down. He easily threw him off but didn`t have time to get up before seven marines came on top of him. Two of them held his legs, another four held his hands, so that he wouldn`t use his powers and the last one, who was huge literally sat on his stomach. He felt his ribs cracking under the pressure and resisted the urge to scream out just as one of the ones holding his hands grabbed him by the neck and slammed his head onto the deck several times so he won`t even try to escape. He felt the cold metal of a knife pass over both forearms, leaving a blood trail in its wake. His vision was blurry and his head was pounding, when another one came next to them. The marine easily crouched next to him and conjured a syringe from his coat pocket. Law easily identified it as a sedative, a strong one judging by the smell when he pressed the plunger so that a few drops flew into the air and landed on his coat. He was aware of someone shouting his name, probably a crew mate but he didn`t try to look who it was, his mind was settled on the syringe. The marine said something that didn`t register through his fogged brain and lowered the syringe, easily injecting it in the still rigid surgeon. The marines let go of him when they felt his body go lax and his crew fought even harder to get out of the marines grip. Bepo was tied down with several ropes as he struggled and watched helplessly as they kicked Law, whose eyes half-opened briefly before they closed again, as the marines continued to beat him up. After they were done they grabbed the still passed out Law and put him in a barrel, along with his nodachi before pushing the lid on top. His crew watched with horror as they threw the barrel in the water, then let them go after a few minutes. The crew easily untied Bepo, who turned the submarine so it followed the barrel. He easily explained that it had to go by the direction of the wind, so he set it to where the wind was currently blowing. However, they couldn`t see the barrel, but were aware of the Marines laughter as they left in the same direction as they were going. It had been three days until they got the call from the straw-hat pirates, telling them to meet them at planet Zo as they had their injured captain. Law had woken up briefly to find himself in something round, and judging from how close the water sounded, he guessed he was in something wooden and drifting in the ocean. His ribs, head and forearms throbbed from his uncomfortable position as well as his injuries and he found himself wishing he was dead, until the blood loss caught up with him and he passed out again. He woke up briefly again when he felt the barrel lift, but he didn`t pay much attention, and thinking it was the marines, had just let the darkness take him again.
"That`s what happened," said Law.
"You weren`t allergic, you were afraid of the needle weren`t you?" asked Sanji, giving him a knowing glance.
"Yeah, can`t believe you all believed me. I didn`t partially lie though, I really didn`t feel much pain at that moment." said Law with a small snort as Sanji gave him a friendly punch in his shoulder.
"And that`s why you hyperventilated when we held you down," Sanji said, feeling guilty.
"Yeah, not your fault though," Law said with a small frown, as he gazed at the open sea in-front of them.
"Don`t tell anybody please," Law said after a while. "I`m fine really, just gets nightmares, or memories when something similar happens," he said.
"So that`s what you were dreaming about," said Sanji, his arm going to his cheek to touch the gauze on it.
"Yeah, didn`t mean to hit you though," he muttered, shaking his head a little.
"Don`t worry about it," said Sanji taking another cigarette and lighting it.
"Dude, that`s the third one, you smoke two during and before the story, do you smoke while you cook too?" Law asked with a small snort.
"Dude, shut up. And no, I never would smoke while cooking." said Sanji, just as Luffy started yelling.
"SANJI! IS DINNER READY?! I`M HUNGRY!" he yelled.
"Oh Shit, I forgot dinner," said Sanji throwing the cigarette in the water.
"Dude, it`s just 6:00pm," said Law, turning so he was leaning his back on the railings.
"I usually start at 5:00 and Luffy demands food all the time, so it's good to cook early," said Sanji heading to the kitchen.
Law stayed in the back of the ship for a while, well aware that Robin, and probably Chopper as well, had heard the whole story. He had seen an ear sprouting out of the wall, and knew that Nico Robin had that ability. He just hoped that he wouldn`t receive sympathetic glances. He hated being pitied or ordered by others. He had let Chopper treat him just because he knew how frustrating it made a doctor when a patient started being impossible to take care of. He knew how to take care of himself, but didn`t object at being taken care of by the small reindeer. He didn`t know why he had shared his story with Sanji, but it felt good to get it off his chest. He still had 3 more days if the weather didn`t decide to get back at them for grumbling when it was too sunny, or too windy. He didn`t know how much time had passed when Robin came next to him.
"I know you heard," he said, his voice unwavering.
"I noticed that," she replied, copying his position.
"Who else?" he asked.
"Chopper," she said.
"Great, anybody else?" he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"No, nobody was eavesdropping either," she replied, seeing his raised eye-brows.
"Don`t do anything unusual," said Law.
"Don`t worry, we won`t tell anybody or pity you," said Robin with a small smile.
"You better not," said Law, turning on his heel to go to the kitchen when he heard Sanji yell that dinner was ready. He pushed open the door and let Robin in first, entering after her only to be met with everybody's stares.
"WHAT?!" He asked, irritation getting the best of him.
"Uh... You and Robin.." stammered Nami.
"WHAT?! There`s nothing between us, I repeat nothing!" he said, his eyes wide.
"Yeah, there`s nothing, thanks for the emphasis Law," said Robin.
"Don`t take me wrong, you`re a great woman, and hot too, but not my type," he said, mentally banging his head on a wall.
"Nice one Law," said Brook, shaking his skull at the other captain.
"Smooth," said Zoro, smirking in his direction
"Crazy crew." he muttered under his breath, before grabbing his plate from Sanji`s hand and placing it on the bar.
"How are you feeling?" asked Chopper, jumping off of his chair and going to the bar so he was now sitting next to Law.
"I`m fine Chopper, had worse," he said, taking a forkful of the spaghetti that Sanji had cooked.
"If you say so, but come to the infirmary after dinner!" he told him, before going to his own plate, that had been miraculously untouched.
After he was finished Law went out and onto the grassy deck, leaning against the railing and watching as the sun was swallowed by the ocean. The deck was unusually quiet, and for that Law was thankful, he really wasn't up to any ruckus. After a few hours he went to the infirmary, only to see a set of vials and a needle on the table. His face paled a little as he remembered what happened last time he was in the vicinity of a needle but he shrugged it off. As fatigue tugged at his core, he removed his hoodie before snuggling in the covers, falling asleep quickly. He didn't worry about someone doing something to him during the night as he was a very light sleeper unless he was hung-over or in the middle of a nightmare. He woke up in the middle of the night, having felt his arm being tugged. Law half-opened his eyes and saw someone change the bandages on his forearm, before he saw something that reflected the light that came in the window. He jerked his arm back, giving the reindeer quite a scare, before he scrambled to the other side, keeping an eye on the needle. Chopper seemed to understand as he pushed the needle in the drawer then walked out, leaving a somewhat panicked surgeon behind him. After that Law fell asleep again, his arms crossed over his chest as he slept on his good side. He woke up early so that only Sanji, who was preparing breakfast, was awake. He went into the bathroom and took a wash before heading into the kitchen, still drying his hair in a small towel. He bided good morning to Sanji before taking a cup of coffee. He then asked Sanji not to cook him anything, because he didn't have much of an appetite. Sanji just nodded. Law then left the kitchen and went to the infirmary to take his hat. He easily avoided Chopper that morning, going into different rooms when the furry crew member entered, or making up some excuse if he entered and found Chopper there. It was mid-afternoon and he was just leaning on the railing, lost in thoughts, when he felt a presence behind him. He tensed, then turned to see Nami, who came next to him and copied his position much like Nico Robin had done.
"No sun-bathing today?" he asked with a small grin.
"Nah, going to get a sun-burn if I sun-bathe every day," said Nami.
"I think that it`s better if you take a little sun now, you won`t know how long it would be cold on the next island." said Law, now full on smirking.
"I love cold weather, even though I prefer warm weather," she replied.
"Why didn`t you give Chopper a blood sample? He`s depressed," asked Nami after a few minutes of silence.
"I`m fine, if whatever they drugged me with had any side-effects they would have shown by now," replied Law, his eyes darkening.
"So a blood sample wouldn`t hurt if you`re certain you`re fine," Nami retorted with her eyebrows raised.
"If I`m fine, why would I want a blood-sample?" He was playing with words, Nami knew that, but she wasn`t going to let him down easy.
"If you`re fine why are you scared to give Chopper a blood sample?" she retorted again but Law didn`t answer.
He simply gazed at the sea, a small frown marring his features. The black-eye had gone down a little, so the side of his eye wasn`t as black anymore, but it was still very visible. Chopper gave her a hopeful look but she shook her head, telling him that Law still wasn`t going to give him his blood. Chopper had a dejected look on his face, but then it lit up. He walked over and tugged at Law`s pant leg, causing the other doctor to look down at him. He easily went to heavy point and tackled the surprised surgeon, who was now lying on the grassy deck, looking at Chopper in bewilderment. Luffy came by at that moment and was shocked to see Law laying on the floor with Chopper next to him, now in brain-point.
"What`s going on here? You OK Trafal-guy?" he asked, his voice lacing with concern.
"I`m fine straw hat, your doctor here decided to tackle me," Law said, one arm going automatically to his ribs as he tried to breathe evenly.
"Why?" asked Luffy, turning on Chopper.
"I need a blood sample to see that everything is okay!" Chopper replied, now sitting on Law`s stomach to prevent him from standing up.
"Why won`t you give him one?" Luffy turned on Law now, whose face had paled a little at the mention of a blood sample.
"If something is not okay, it would have shown by now, I`m fine," Law replied, sending a glare in the young reindeer`s direction.
"He`s scared of needles," supplied Nami, earning her another heated glare from the young male laying on the lawn.
"You`re a doctor and you`re scared of needles?" asked Luffy, his eyes bigger than saucers.
"I`m scared when they are administered on me," Law said, trying to calm his racing heart.
"Hey Chopper, need help?" asked Zoro, coming next to them as he spotted Chopper sitting on Trafalgar Law`s stomach.
"Yes! Hold his arm down," said Chopper, looking as if Christmas had come early.
Law tried to crawl away from Zoro, but he hit the railing instead. The green-headed swords-man went to the other side and put one hand on each of Law's wrists, effectively pinning him to the ground. Nami crouched down from behind his head and held him from his biceps, so he wouldn`t jerk his hand back. Chopper got out a needle from his pant-pocket and put it on the ground so he could raise Law`s sleeves. He exposed the bandages and removed them, discarding them quickly. Law`s face had paled even more and was as pale as a sheet by the time that Chopper had swabbed the inside of his elbow and tied a tight cord to make the vein stick out. Zoro and Nami both noticed that the surgeon`s muscles were relaxing little by little as Chopper took 3 vials of blood. Zoro thought that the currently petrified man had passed out, but when he looked up, he noticed that the man was still conscious. His pale face was taking a green tinge and it was easy to tell that he was going to be sick soon. The second that Chopper was done, he got out of their hands and leaned over the railing, vomiting what he had eaten for lunch. Zoro effortlessly held him up as the surgeon looked ready to collapse while Nami removed his hat as it looked like it was going to fall in the water if he gave another jerk while retching.
The second he was finished, he collapsed against his Zoro. It wasn't like he wanted to, but it was like his legs had turned to jelly and he just didn't have enough strength to stay up by his own. Zoro easily led him so that Law was sitting with his back against the railings, resting comfortably on the grassy lawn. Luffy gave him a glass of water that Sanji had brought when Luffy had shouted the order from across the deck and looked worriedly at Law. The said surgeon took a few sips before giving the glass back to Zoro and stretching his legs in front of him. His face was still pale and Chopper immediately moved forward, however, Nami felt Law tense under her arms the second that Chopper made a move and she immediately told Chopper to stay back for a while. By now, Luffy, Sanji, Zoro, Nami, Robin and Chopper were all gathered around him. Brook, Usopp and Frankie were under the deck so they didn't know what was happening. After a few minutes Law`s breathing grew more even and he took a few more sips of the water before his face regained a little colour. His eyes were still closed, and Robin suspected that the injured male was asleep, until he opened his eyes to look at Chopper.
The furry reindeer was guilt-ridden, thinking it was his fault as he had forced him to take the blood sample. The surgeon shook his head with a small smile and Nami noticed that Law was totally relaxed. She motioned for Chopper to come closer, who quickly checked Law's vital signs. His brows furrowed when he took his heartbeat but he continued on, before glancing at Law, who gave him a small nod for a response. The crew looked at them with confusion until Chopper`s hooves moved to the hem of Law`s shirt, then raised it so that the bandages bound around his chest were revealed. He passed his hooves over Law's right side, putting a little pressure every single time. Law didn`t make a sound, except for a small grunt until he was completely quiet. Chopper noticed that "The Surgeon of Death" had apparently fallen asleep, his face resting on his chest. He giggled and the surgeon immediately opened a pair of bleary eyes at him, smirking when the little reindeer looked shocked. It was clear that Law was tired after the whole ordeal, seeing as he was half-asleep on the deck. Zoro easily lifted him bridal-style and the surgeon fidgeted for a moment, a half-assed, slurred compliant making it pass his lips before he gave up.
The second Zoro put the surgeon in bed, Law curled up on his good side and snuggled in the blankets, which earned him a few giggles form the girls. He looked completely relaxed, and the crew gently left him to his sleep, as judging from the shadows under his eyes, he didn't seem like he got enough during the night. He slept during the whole night and breakfast, so when he woke up the next morning Law was feeling starved. He decided to take a shower after eating, because his stomach was already growling. With that thought, he headed to the kitchen. Sanji gave him a plate which was filled to the brim with breakfast, and he hungrily ate it before washing it and leaving the kitchen. After the shower he felt more refreshed and went to the infirmary to grab his beloved hat, still towelling his jet-black hair. He easily discarded the towel and took his hat, putting it on top if his head while looking at Chopper`s books. Trafalgar grabbed one that interested him and went out on the grassy deck. He sat next to Zoro with his back to the railing and started reading, absorbing the words. He didn't notice that Chopper was trying to get his attention, but when a hoof came in his field of vision he looked up, shaking his head to see clearly. He looked up only to see Chopper looking at him curiously. Law smiled sheepishly before standing up, almost falling over from sitting down for so long. He gave the book back to Chopper, who just shrugged and told him he could keep it till they parted ways.
"What`s wrong then?" he asked.
"Nothing, I just need to change the bandages around your ribs and see if they`re healing good," said Chopper, his furry head cocking to the side.
"Ohh.. sorry Chopper I forgot you told me to come around midday," Said Law, rubbing his eyes.
"Don`t worry, come on," said Chopper with a small smile.
That day passed relatively fast and it was only a couple of hours till they reached Zo. The weather was growing colder and they soon discovered that it was winter on the island. It didn't take long for everyone to shed sweaters and/or furry clothing instead of their usual attire to ward off the cold. As soon as they docked they noticed a yellow submarine already docked there. The Heart pirates were goofing off in the snow and didn`t even notice the new ship that had docked next to their own vessel. Law easily leapt over the railings, his feet making contact with the snow covered ground rather roughly before he managed to regain his balance. Law noticed Bepo, Penguin and Shachi throwing snowballs at each other and grinned before crouching down to form his own, rather large, snowball, which he aimed at Bepo, who was facing away from him. The crew-mate turned around with a small scare as he felt the snowball explode against his fur-covered neck, but upon seeing his captain, stopped fighting and practically ran to him. Law allowed himself a small chuckle as Bepo smothered him with a very warm, fur-filled hug. A small, barely audible groan left him as his ribs protested the rough treatment, but he didn't care. Despite what others thought, he had missed his polar bear.
Shachi and Penguin had noticed as well and were standing next to their captain and first mate awkwardly, not knowing what to do while Bepo squeezed the living crap out of their captain, who was barely visible amongst the white fur. They didn't have to wait long when a yell came from the colourful ship docked next to theirs.
"BE CAREFUL! His ribs are still not healed, you may hurt him like that!" Chopper shouted before groaning as Zoro nudged him in the head with his katanas.
After Chopper summarized the injuries to the Heart Pirates and lectured Law to take care of himself, the two crews headed inland for some adventuring. Luffy begged Sanji to do a feast and the cook obliged. They split into groups so they could get the bonfire ready, plates and glasses handed out and a bunch of other random things. Frankie easily blew fire and lit the huge bonfire. The two crews drank, danced and just had fun together all day and well into the night. They passed out on the beach, wrapped tightly in blankets. When everybody woke up, they headed their separate ways, but not before Law thanked everyone for their help, then turned his gaze to Luffy.
"We`ll meet again Straw-Hat," he said with his signature smirk, before jumping on his submarine. He waved at them before the submarine submerged, and the Heart Pirates were on their way. The straw-Hat crew watched them leave and Luffy waited a few minutes before he spoke.
"We`ll definitely meet again, not as enemies, but as allies and friends," he said, before he signalled his crew to leave the island and continued their mission to find the One Piece.