He was not emotionless, or as calculating as he let on. Law tapped his fingers impatiently on the wood bench. His captive, no bait, was slumped over asleep and the morning air was gradually warming up. He stopped tapping and brought his hand to his face, rubbing at tired eyes.
He was distant yes, needed to keep things that way. Forming close bonds was dangerous, bonds were limited and he didn't want to think or stomach the idea of his crew finding out the truth. He began to tap impatiently again, waiting for the phone call. He knew it would take Doflamingo a few more days to get his message, but his impatience and tiredness was mixing together and he didn't want to wait any longer with his thoughts.
He would miss them, his crew at least. He felt some pang of guilt for using the straw hats but knew they'd be fine; they didn't get this far by quitting. He took off his hat and ran cold fingers through his hair, he could be collected if he needed too but he couldn't remain as calm on the inside when he thought about the plan.
Or the second plan when that one failed, which he guessed would in some way. Either way it didn't matter, he wasn't going to make it out of Dressrosa. A door opened somewhere behind him and he slumped back into his seat, not wanting to talk to whichever crew member had come out.
"Hey you want some coffee?" He looked up at the cook who had bed hair and pajamas on, stood next to the bench, lighting a cigarette. He thought of Corazon out of habit and quickly banished that thought.
"If you're offering…"
"Good, cause you look like shit." The cook put out his cigarette and walked off, leaving smoke behind for Law to wave away. Clearly, no one on this ship was a morning person. A loud clang of metal slamming into the floor nearby made him sigh, aside from the swordsman who woke up every morning at four to toss around some weights. He listened to the man do a few reps before hearing a curse of needing to be stronger, and he rolled his eyes. The only thing he was grateful for this morning was that most of the crew were asleep, and that included their captain.
He shut his eyes, trying to tune out the sounds of weights being lifted. He wasn't sure what had happened last night, he had meant to put whatever that problem was to the side, it was a result of trauma and he was not a doctor for that. Seeing the pain still happening, that was something else and he racked his brain trying again to think of why something would "burn" after two years.
Besides that he felt uncomfortable now. Straw Hat, in his care was angry and in denial of the events that happened. He'd strike out at Law, refused food and spent much of his time fighting his own recovery. He knew that with time and being reunited with the rest of the crew that straw hat would get better and regain the previous personality that was there, before the damage.
Now he wasn't so sure, he knew from his time spent mending the man that he had caught glimpses of who Luffy used to be, remembered from their time on Sabaody that the young captain was stubborn and optimistic and friendly. Something was off now.
A small clatter and the smell of coffee made him stop thinking on this. He opened his eyes and noticed the cook had left him a cup on the bench but did not walk off just yet.
"Thanks." He said, hoping that it would dismiss the cook and he'd be left alone to think more. The cook didn't leave, unfortunately to his annoyance the man took a seat down beside him.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Depends." The cook took out another cigarette, held it in his hand but didn't it light it just yet.
"When he wasn't…well did he talk about us?" He debated on how to answer this question, aware that the cook was actually just preparing for a bigger question with smaller obvious ones, but he'd indulge the man. For now.
"His crew was all he talked about. And his brother." The cook nodded, still rolling the cigarette in his fingers.
"Rayleigh helped right? He said something about him-"
"I wouldn't know. I left, I assume they talked." Another obvious question, he was impatient and just wanted to be left alone again that he almost wanted to ask the cook to get to the point but he held back. Whatever the real question was that the cook wanted an answer too, he bet it wouldn't be good. As if confirming his wariness, the cook let out a sigh and slowly turned to face him.
"Did something happen, between you two?" It was not the question he was expecting and caught off guard he quickly stopped the need to defend himself. The memory of that night, of Luffy crying above him, he pushed it to the back of his mind. He did not need this; they did not need to know.
"He was a difficult patient." He said carefully, placing his other hand out of sight to grip at the wood bench. The cook sighed again.
"That wasn't what I asked."
"Then I have nothing else to say."
"Seriously?"
"Nothing happened so I have nothing to tell you." The cook stared at him, cigarette perched between lips.
"I'm asking because even if our captain is so…naïve he really wouldn't do something like this without telling us first. Unless something did happen and that's why he feels okay to trust you." He leaned forward in his seat, drank the rest of his coffee and handed the cup back to the blond man.
"Did he tell you something happened?" He asked, trying to keep his annoyance at bay.
"I just said-"
"Did he tell you something happened?" He repeated, the cook looked away from him.
"No."
"Then nothing happened." He said easily, standing and moving past the cook. "Thanks for the coffee."
"You know, leaving in the middle of the conversation is rude…and makes you look guilty."
"I'm just going for a walk, cook-ya." He replied, not really turning back to see what sort of face the man was making. He followed alongside the railing until he was up on the balcony, a much better spot as he could still see his captive sleeping down below and a trail of smoke from where the cook was sitting.
After the cook began breakfast, the chaos began with the sniper yelling about fishing and the skeleton playing music and the loud chatter over the table. Dishes were flung about, utensils used as weapons either against Luffy's greedy hands or when arguing among themselves. He had joined them, only because the cook declared it a rule that no one skipped meals and he had sat in a corner seat and reluctantly beside their gluttonous captain.
"Ow Zoro you wasn't gonna finish it anyway!" Said captain yelled, rubbing an injured hand. Zoro gave another swipe in the air with his fork and the whole table began to yell at Luffy to stop stealing food. Law leaned away from the bickering crew and knocked roughly at the table.
"I'm done. Thank you cook-ya." He made to stand but found a rubber hand on his arm yanking him back down into his seat.
"You didn't eat much Traffy!" The table had gotten a bit quieter and he noticed that everyone else was watching them carefully.
"I'm fine."
"You never really eat much; Sanji's food is really good too!" With a sigh he grasped Luffy's hand and pulled it free from his arm.
"You can have my breakfast." He said and as soon as he did the chaos began anew, this time yelling over leftovers and food supplies and he left, finding a better spot to sit outside. It was warmer now and the grass felt good and because he knew they'd be in there for a while longer, he stretched out and tipped his hat.
He was going to take a small nap in this sun, in this moment of silence and he was going to enjoy it before he'd resume his usual spot. The waves below rocked the boat gently and he felt himself slowly relaxing.
Footsteps, as someone was coming outside and he ignored them, none of the crew ever approached him much so they wouldn't bother him when he was trying to sleep. The footsteps came closer and closer and stopped just beside him. He groaned, not willing to open his eyes or to speak to the only person who would bother him.
"Traffy?"
"No." He said automatically, rolling onto his side away from where Straw hat stood. As predicted, the man sat down beside him.
"You don't even know what I was going to say!"
"I'm trying to sleep."
"I know, can I-"
"Fine." He grunted, not wanting to argue. He felt the other captain stretch out beside him, and then much to his frustration a rubber arm began to wind around his middle. "I don't think-"
"It's okay, they're busy." At that he did open his eyes to stare at the younger captain, he shot a glance around them but no one was around, aside from their unfortunate captive who was from the looks of it, still asleep.
"Why don't you go nap with one of your friends?"
"I can do that all the time." He sighed, he could get free but he didn't want to waste the energy and any commotion that he'd start up would only bring the others running and he didn't want anyone to see that. That same worry from before, the small doubt that had clouded his mind started to make its way to the front of his problems. Carefully, he began to pull away and felt those arms tighten around him.
"You really shouldn't be doing this."
"Don't care."
"Let go."
"No." The fear got worse, it was only a matter of time before it was proven and he didn't want to think about that anymore. Didn't want to think on what it would mean for their partnership if he voiced it out loud, he might end up making things worse. He decided to approach the problem another way.
"I thought you'd be fishing."
"Changed my mind." He scowled.
"You could sleep anywhere else."
"There's a spot by you though." He rolled his eyes and gave up. He didn't care about this anymore and he just wanted to sleep, damn the whole crew if they bothered him about this. He shut his eyes again; letting out a sigh and feeling Luffy's arms loosen up a bit around him. He didn't want to think of doubtful factors of his plans, or his ex-patient developing another problem. He just wanted to sleep and forget about it all and only think about the battle he'd have to do.
It really didn't matter if he'd survive or not. In either case, he'd be free and better for it. Luffy had drawn close, pressing his face into Law's back. He shifted, no longer pulling away for space, just wanted to push all the outside things away.
He thought about Corazon, smiling and hurting and the box, its silence and the cold. He stopped the pain from coming right away, he never let this hurt him as much as it used to. He would not be upset; he would not be upset here. He tried to think of his death instead, wondered how it would be, and knew that Doflamingo was the type of man to pull parts off and to be exceptionally cruel.
The worst death would be in the man's arms, he would do his best to not let that happen, not let it end that way but he was uncertain. He didn't get to choose how he'd die anyway; the weak don't get to choose.
"Traffy?" The question was muffled but he heard it and he let it pull him from his thoughts.
"Yes?"
"I miss Ace." He felt that same old feeling from before, that old sympathy.
"I know."
"I don't feel as bad but I don't know when it will stop."
"It doesn't strawhat-ya."
"It doesn't?"
"No, it just fades, but it hurts." He said quietly, he was being sincere but he was not that type of person. He couldn't ease this pain; he wasn't able to ease any real pain. He just made it worse. He felt Luffy move behind him, felt the man draw closer to his ear, felt warm breath on his neck.
"Hey Traffy…" It was then he could place it, the uncomfortable feeling he had felt before. He remembered it now; it had started just like this. That rainy night and the break down that had happened and he had remembered how he had stared at his broken patient, clueless as to what to do. This moment felt the same, and fearful that it would end the same he repeated what he had said before.
"Do you feel better now?" He said mechanically and suddenly the arms around him were snatched back, as if the rubber man had been burned. He didn't turn over to see Luffy's face, he knew it was the same face from that night, long ago and he shut his eyes again, feeling guilt from before but snuffing it out quickly. He heard what could only be the sniper coming out to talk to Luffy and he tuned out the conversation, only hearing the later part.
"It is a nice day to lie out in the sun." Usopp agreed he heard the rustle of grass as Luffy got up from the spot beside him.
"Yeah it was a nice day." The rubber captain said quietly, and Law didn't care to hear anything else.
AN: Another update! Thanks again for reading and now to tackle the mountain of final papers...
