Rocinante always enjoyed taking those long walks around the park with Law, and tonight was no exception. Since it was in the dead of night, the blond was thrilled to bits because Law had allowed him to hold his hand as they walked, because no one else was around. It made Rocinante very happy, and he felt that, while Law didn't show it, that the surgeon knew exactly how much it meant to him for Law to do this in public.

The two stopped their leisurely walk to sit down on one of the many benches throughout the park to enjoy one another's company in silence.

Rocinante took it upon himself to place an arm over Law's shoulders, and smiled, even happier than before, as the surgeon leaned into his side as closely as possible without actually sitting on his lap. "Can I ask you a question?" Rocinante ventured after a few minutes had passed.

"Yes, what is it?" Law was clearly relaxed, as it was reflected in his voice.

"How old are you?" It was something that Rocinante had been thinking about and had realized that he had never asked before.

"Twenty-six." Law said without a hint of hesitation. "Why?"

Rocinante couldn't make much more than a surprised sound and blushed at the sight of Law as the surgeon tilted his head to look up at him in question.

"Why does it matter how old I am? We've been together nearly two years."

"I'm...um...thirty-two...I just..." Rocinante stumbled over his words as Law began to smirk at him. "I thought that you...were, well, older because of...because of your facial hair."

"You like it?" Law was clearly just teasing the other man now.

Rocinante lifted a hand to trail it along Law's sideburns before he brushed a few fingers over his chin as the blond leaned in and pecked Law on the cheek. Rocinante's blush was answer enough.

The dark haired surgeon glanced around the immediate area before he got up onto his knees on the bench and returned the kiss on the cheek. "You being six years older than me doesn't bother me, so don't worry about it." Law hesitated, before he added, with a faint blush of his own as he averted his eyes. "Kiss me?"

Rocinante liked Law's blush and did as he was asked, because he was very pleased that Law was comfortable enough right now to kiss him outside of their homes. Rocinante furrowed his brow in concern when Law sagged against him after the kiss. "Are you all right?"

"Hm? Oh, yes. I'm fine." Law said. "Just a little bit out of breath."

Rocinante didn't think that he kissed Law long enough for that to happen, so he let it slide for now.

At least until later that night, when they returned to Law's house and the dark haired surgeon had a dizzy spell in the hallway.

"Law?"

The dark haired surgeon had just leaned up against Rocinante, but when the blond began to try to ask him if he was all right, Law had waved him off.

"I'm all right, Cora. Just too much work and not enough rest." The dark haired man said after the feeling had apparently passed.

Rocinante was still worried when they went to bed, and he wasn't sure if he was jumping the gun, but...he wanted to bring up a rather touchy and painful subject. But the blond haired officer really didn't want to offend or upset Law, so he felt that he would only ask if the same thing continued to happen. Rocinante really did hope that it was just Law working himself too hard, but the following days proved otherwise that something wasn't quite right.

-x

The odd feeling persisted the following days with increasing frequency, and it was a very hard sensation for Law to begin to try to describe. But despite that, the dark haired surgeon had agreed to meet up with Rocinante for lunch, about a week after Luffy's intrusion into his house. The dark haired surgeon knew that Rocinante was worried about him, but Law felt that if he could keep up their near daily meetings that all would be well.

And in any case, Law felt better that day, and couldn't help but inwardly smile at how thrilled Rocinante was to see him as the blond approached him at the booth he was seated at.

But the off feeling grew throughout the next hour, until it was occupying Law's thoughts after he and Rocinante had finished their meal. It was so strong that day that when they arrived at the train station, Law ended up swaying in place on the platform, suddenly feeling very dizzy and unwell. But Law felt that it was not food poisoning, because for some reason, the sensation he now felt was different than if that had been the case.

Rocinante hastily looped an arm around Law's waist to draw him back, lest he fall over in a way reminiscent from the time he'd saved the surgeon from a similar situation. "Are you all right, Law?"

"I'm fine." Law repeated for what he felt was the twentieth time, as he waited for the dizziness to pass before he let out a sigh. "I think that I have just been working too much now that my wrists are fine." He also said that far too often to be a good enough excuse for Rocinante. Law's wrists barely had a trace of where they had been dug into with handcuffs, and the surgeon had been back at work for over a month. When Rocinante said nothing, Law twisted slightly in his grasp to see that the blond was leveling a concerned look at him. It was the same expression that Rocinante had been giving him ever since their walk in the park late one night, days ago. Law squeezed one of Rocinante's hands. "I'm all right, really. I'm just very tired."

The train had arrived by then, and a few minutes after Law and Rocinante had boarded the train, the feeling that the surgeon had had before passed, and he felt perfectly fine. It was as Law had thought. That the odd spells of dizziness were merely a result of being overworked and stressed out.

Law had no idea how very wrong he was, and just how much of Rocinante's concern was well-warranted.