Out of all the ways to wake up, Law certainly did not expect to be woken up by a limp arm slapping onto his face. He also doesn't remember having fallen asleep in a sleeping bag. On the ground. In an apartment belonging to a friend of a patient who was a friend of a friend.
An elbow swings back across the bridge of his nose.
"Ow, fuck!"
He sits straight up and cradles his face. His eyelids feel like they've been glued together. He leans forward, slowly, and when he finally manages to force his eyes open, the bright red of fresh blood greets him from his palm. The culprit's arm is hanging off the edge of the couch.
"God dammit, Luffy," Law hisses into the silence, applying pressure to his nose in an attempt to stop the bleeding. To his annoyance, Luffy's slumber is not perturbed by this, and Law is tempted to kick Luffy awake. He entertains the idea for a few seconds before he realises the blood is still trickling down his fingers.
A loudly snoring Usopp snorts in his sleep as Law rushes to the kitchen to search for a paper towel. Or a tea towel. A sponge. Whatever. Didn't Zoro have anything in this apartment? At the threat of the blood spilling onto the floor, Law resorts to bringing his head underneath a running tap at the sink, and rubs gently above his upper lip. Soon enough, the running water in the sink becomes clear.
"Nami used to stick tampons up Sanji's nose when he got nosebleeds."
Law jerks his head around to fire a vicious glare. The light of the fridge illuminates the soft features of Luffy's face, framed by bed hair, his eyes lacking the permanent wonder that Law had grown to associate with him. He looked like he'd been forced awake, that bastard. But Luffy's attention is focused on whatever is in the fridge, which was nothing, apparently, because his dozed expression suddenly droops into a disappointed frown, and he turns around to Law as though Law was responsible for doing something about it.
"Why the hell are you up?" Law whispers fiercely.
Luffy raises an eyebrow and tilts his head. "Is something wrong?"
"You fucking gave me a bleeding nose."
"Oh, I'm the one who did that?" Luffy chuckles, after a few seconds of contemplating. "I'm flattered. Is it kinda like when Sanji—"
Law's stare drills right through the rest of Luffy's sentence.
"No, Luffy," he says slowly, "you literally whacked me across the nose while your drunk ass was fast asleep."
To Law's surprise, Luffy bursts into laughter.
"Okay, okay," he says, "my bad. But hell, you can be scary."
The sound of a telephone rings between the two of them, and the others in the apartment stir variably in their sleep. It's Law's phone.
"Law, it's Koala. I need some help."
"Mm. Fire away," Law says, shifting his weight to one side.
"I've got a 72-year-old guy who's severely short of breath with chest pain. The ECG shows an SVT, troponin levels normal —"
"Is he stable?"
"Yeah—"
"Try the Valsalva manoeuvre," Law replies. "If it doesn't work, give adenosine. Remember to warn the patient that his heart will stop for a few seconds with that drug. I'll be there soon in case things go south."
"Don't you want to know the rest of the story?"
"You can fill me in when I get there."
Law hangs up. In front of him, Luffy looks like he's just come up with the next Nobel prize-winning idea.
"I need to kill this hangover with McDonald's."
"And I," Law replies as he grabs his car keys from his pocket, "am not going to buy it for you."
"No, you're not. You're going to drive me there!" Luffy says, eyes twinkling in the dark. "There has to be a McDonald's on the way to the hospital, right? Please," he adds with a pout.
Law sighs, catches his keys from the air, and closes his eyes.
"Fine," he says. "But no more than five minutes at the drive through, because I have a patient with an arrhythmia on the other side of the city and my best interest lies with him, not your hangover. Got it?"
Luffy nods firmly, as though his best interest was also with the patient. Law knows it's not.
They walk out into a chilly silence, crossing to other side of the road where Law's black BMW was parked. Law pulls up his hood and tucks his fists into the front pockets. He feels a slight shiver against his arm, soon realising that Luffy, who was wearing only a red tank top and shorts, had shrunken into Law's side to avoid the cold.
Law exhales a visible sigh into the dark.
"Want to go back and grab a jacket?"
Luffy shakes his head, but when they get into the car he cranks the heater up to the highest notch. Law rolls his eyes, but doesn't deny himself the sweet release of muscle tension as the warm, humidified air blows turbulently throughout the car. He breathes in a moment's rest before starting up the engine.
"Cool car," Luffy murmurs, as Law pulls out of the kerb and turns into the next street leading up to the highway.
Neither of them say anything for a while. Luffy is staring blankly into the outside world, every so often glancing curiously at Law when he would curse or throw a hand up in the air from the steering wheel (it's 3am on a Friday night and Law had every right to get mad at the fools driving on the roads). Similarly, it didn't take long for Luffy to become impatient and restless: he reaches a hand out to the dashboard and scans through multiple radio stations, eventually settling down with one that blasted old school tracks that Law hadn't heard in years.
"Good choice. Didn't think you were old enough to know these songs."
"I'm not. I just like the beat," Luffy replies, and then adds grumpily, "I'm old enough to start college, you know."
The traffic lights fade into a warm amber. When Law brings the car to a complete stop in front of red lights, he turns around to Luffy.
"Doesn't school start soon?"
"I can't afford college right now," Luffy replies. "By the way—"
The lights turn green, and Law swerves to the road on his right.
"—can we not turn into this road?"
"What do you mean?" Law asks, throwing an exasperated look at his passenger. "It's too late for that, and McDonald's is just a few minutes away."
Luffy sighs, and closes his eyes.
"The fight happened here, that's all."
It takes a moment for Law to realise that 'the fight' meant the one in which Portgas D. Ace was killed last week, and where Luffy had sustained multiple critical injuries — and not just physical ones.
"Oh, crap—"
"Hey, don't worry about it," Luffy says quickly. "I can take it."
Law nods. As he drives along the road, he tries to recall the setting captured by the CCTV footage displayed on TV the other day. Was it a restaurant? A bar? An open space? He scans his gaze across every building on the road, but he doesn't recognise anything in the dark. The questioning takes his mind around in circles, and he can see in Luffy's clenched fists that it is excruciating for him, let alone anyone else.
"I want to ask you something, and you don't have to answer if you don't want to," Law says, returning his eyes to the road ahead. "Why—"
He breaks off his own sentence. The projection of the warm street lights outside move swiftly across Luffy's profile, briefly revealing dark shadows tracing the contours of his face, a pretty sight Law hadn't seen before.
"Why did they attack your brother?"
"I don't know, Law," Luffy says, slowly enough for Law to detect the pain in each word, "Ace was just defending himself. The Teach dude drew first blood."
"So that guy started it?"
"Yeah, but we'd never met him before then. And then the officer shot at Ace out of nowhere, we didn't even know he was in the pub. It was all really sudden, I don't know."
Officers don't just shoot with the intent to kill, Law thinks to himself. Officers don't hide out in the pub alone, either. It didn't add up. But he doesn't pursue the topic further. A few minutes later, when they finally arrive at the McDonald's drive through, Luffy abruptly forces the door open.
"Hey, what the hell?!" Law asks, but is answered immediately by Luffy's forced retching and the smell of vomit from the road. Law frowns and places one hand over his scrunched up face. "Damn it, you better not have gotten any of that on my car—"
Law's words are drowned out by Luffy's audible heaving. He pulls the car windows down, and makes a point to face outward where the wind is blowing.
"I'm sorry," Luffy says drearily, after he's done being sick. "You keep seeing the worst of me."
Law grabs a pack of mints from the glove box and offers one to Luffy. A machine greets them warmly at the drive through lane.
"Welcome to McDonald's! What can I get for you?"
"Two large double quarter pounder meals, thanks."
"Anything else with that, sir?"
"That'll be it," Law replies, reaching for his wallet from the glove box. In a movement, Luffy grabs Law's wrist and holds it still in the air.
"I told you, you're not paying for this."
Law matches Luffy with his own quiet determination. "Let me go, Luffy. This is nothing."
He twists his arm out of Luffy's grip and proceeds to retrieve his wallet. He weaves the car through the lane and pays at the next counter, where the waiter hands him the order in a paper bag.
"It's all yours," he says as he drops the bag onto Luffy's lap.
"But you ordered two meals—"
"I don't really eat fast food. All yours."
Luffy stares and blinks a few times, his mouth slightly open. Law can't tell whether it's from disbelief that he doesn't eat fast food or that he was buying food for some kid whose circle he got tangled into while treating him in hospital. Because Law can't believe the latter either. He focuses on the road as they turn back onto the highway, both hands on the steering wheel, his thoughts about how much trauma Luffy must have gone through fading into the back of his mind.
The smell of food wafts into Law's nose.
"Actually, I wouldn't mind a fry," he says. Luffy laughs and shoves a handful of fries into Law's mouth. "Wait, not that much—"
Law scowls, but chews steadily anyway.
"Pass me some coca-cola."
Luffy holds up the drink for Law to sip on, and restores it to the cup holder near the hand brake. Law has to look twice at the next burger Luffy has already unwrapped.
"Shit, you eat like a monster," he remarks. "You know it's a myth, right?"
"What?"
"Eating greasy food after a big night doesn't actually work. It's only effective before you drink."
Luffy pauses. His face is already stuffed with half the burger, but he swallows it all with a gulp.
"Goddamn, why didn't you tell me?!"
Law laughs and takes a hand off the steering wheel to switch on the same radio station they had playing before, dialling down the volume so that the music is only just softer than his voice. "Honestly? I thought some company would do me good."
Law thinks he sees a briefly bemused look wash over Luffy for a second, but then Luffy is grinning and grabbing another fry to offer to Law.
"I like you, Law," he says brightly.
Law doesn't think Luffy has any idea what that could mean.
"You need to be careful when you say things like that," Law murmurs. "Someone could fall for you."
xxxx
"Edward Newgate," Koala says, pointing to the crowded spikes on the printed ECG recording. Law holds back a grimace at the sinister waveforms. The man on the bed is pale, his white moustache moving up and down with each agonising breath despite being strapped to an oxygen mask, a giant hand gripped tightly around the fingers of a man who Law presumed to be his son. Law walks around to the other side of the bed, and waits until he has locked eye contact with the old man.
"Mr. Newgate, what do you understand of your condition right now?" Law asks him, quietly.
The man emits a troubled laugh. "I'm havin' a heart attack, aren't I, doc? Marco'd know more."
Marco is standing across the bed, his hands squeezing tight around Mr. Newgate's fingers. Law nods at him in acknowledgement and glances back at the patient.
"Well. You're not having a heart attack."
"Oh — thank god," Marco breathes. "So, then, what's the matter with Dad?"
"Your father is having an arrhythmia that might lead to cardiac arrest," Law responds, bluntly. He throws on a pair of gloves and motions for Koala to the head of the bed. "We need to prevent that. Now, because the adenosine didn't work, we're going to have to shock you to revert your heart to a normal rhythm, Mr. Newgate. My colleague will be giving you some general anaesthetic to knock you out since it's an unpleasant experience."
Behind Koala, Shachi and Penguin are priming the lines and placing defibrillator pads on the patient's chest. Usual routine. In a few minutes, the anaesthetic drugs have taken effect—"Mr. Newgate, are you feeling warm enough?" is Koala's usual question to test the level of sedation of the patient, and with no reply, she motions the go-ahead to the rest of the team—and Law is just about to deliver a shock when the curtains suddenly swing wide open, catching every person off guard.
"Wait, aren't you—"
"—why is he—?!"
"Luffy?!"
"Oh, for fuck's sake, Luffy!" Law says, his voice rising above the sudden panic in the team, the expletive prompting a sharp glare from Koala, "I told you to wait for me until I was done!"
Luffy walks into the room, leaving the curtains wide open behind him and looking too delighted for Law's comfort. "I was bored, so I asked the staff where you were. I wanna see the stuff you do at work. Good thing I found you—sheesh, this place is confusing!"
Shachi winks and nudges at Law. "Good night, huh?"
"Yeah, you owe us a story," says Penguin, looking much more amused than Koala, who was trembling slightly at the sight of Luffy.
"What on earth are you doing here?" she whispers.
"Oh, Koala," Luffy says nonchalantly, waving a hand, "long time no see."
Marco also jumps into the dialogue from the bedside. "Aren't you Ace's little bro?"
Luffy's eyes widen, and the entire room takes a deep breath as the revelation dawns on him.
"Marco?! And—W-WHITEBEARD?! What happened to him?!"
Law is palming his face so hard that his hands have blanched white. How is it that the world was so goddamn small and Luffy so irrevocably reckless?
"Luffy," he says, lowering his voice, "I'm about to give an electric shock to this man so if you could stand away from the bed—"
Penguin yanks at Luffy's top and pulls him backward.
"Okay, we're clear," says Penguin, signalling a thumbs up. "Let's go, Captain."
Law delivers two shocks, and the sedated patient jolts in synchrony with each. The beeping of the monitor pauses. A moment later, it restarts, at a rate much slower than what it had been before. Law catches Luffy gaping at the defibrillator machine.
If the kid asks where he can get a machine like that, Law decides, no lifts home are to be given.
"We all good?" Shachi asks, looking between Law and Koala, and then finally at Luffy.
"So, what are we gonna do about you, huh?" says Penguin, clapping Luffy on the back. "You kinda just barged into our party here—"
"He's coming with me," Law says.
Koala extends a palm out at Law. "Hang on a second, what is going on here?"
Luffy shrugs. "We had a party at Zoro's place."
Law pulls off his coat, and walks around Koala's extended arm as chatter erupts between Luffy and the rest of the team.
"Bring him in again if he's getting similar symptoms," Law says to Marco. "He should be fine for now, but make sure he takes his medications."
"Thanks so much, doc."
A bright pink figure flashes beyond the curtains.
Law stops.
A couple of strides towards the hallway later, he is confronted by a tall man with scruffy blonde hair, a flamboyant pink scarf draped lavishly across his neck, with breath smelling strongly of red wine. He is wearing a set of rose-tinted sunglasses that shrouded the movement of his eyes—making it impossible for Law to make eye contact or read the person's motives.
The man offers a contorted smile.
"How can I help you?" Law asks slowly, intensifying his gaze. He takes a step toward the stranger.
"I want something from that guy, Whitebeard," the man says, his dark smile twisting with each syllable. "And I want you—" he points a finger to Law's face "—to kill him for me."
Law freezes. Weren't visitors supposed to be filtered by security? How could anyone have missed this deranged man? He makes a subtle movement to reach for his phone.
"And what are you, the grim reaper?" he asks, his eyes suddenly drawn to the bright frangipani print of the man's shirt. He dials the security number into his phone behind his back.
"I'm Doflamingo. Doffy, if you want," the man drawls, his tongue hanging slightly from his bottom lip. "Security won't take me away, you know. And don't even think about yelling out to your buddies that I'm here because, let's face it—" he knocks the side of his head "—they don't need to know I've dropped by the resuscitation bay."
"Law? Who..."
Law turns around. It's Luffy.
"Stay calm. Security'll be coming in a minute."
Doflamingo is already strutting away from them, his feet positioned wide, the pink feathered scarf billowing behind him. Laughing. Luffy's face is pale of cold fear.
"We're going home," Law says to him, his mouth dry. "Now."
xxxx
Hey all, yes I'm still alive, I've just been busy with uni and have been trying to write bits and pieces of this every now and then. Lots of LawLu interaction in this chapter, probably the most for this story so far (I know it's slow, Law isn't going to jump the gun, OK?). I also hope you liked Doffy's sinister debut!
- Avery
